ã€ŠPregnant After Healing the Alphaã€‹


 Chapter 1: The man insists that she does not undergo surgery.

    Chapter 1: The man insists that she does not undergo surgery.

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    In the cornfield, the ringtone of the cellphone chimed.

    Qiao Jing pressed to answer.

    ¡°Sister Jing, the Zhan Family offers you a high price to treat Zhan Qipei for infertility. Will you go?¡±

    The girl wore a straw hat, a blue cloth shirt, and yellow sneakers, looking as rustic as one could be. Yet, under the fierce sun, her small palm-sized face resembled the finest suet white jade, glowing white, moist, and translucent.

    ¡°I¡¯m very busy, no time,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    ¡°Busy? Aren¡¯t you just retiring in the countryside? What¡¯s there to be busy with?¡± a puzzled male voice came from the phone.

    ¡°Picking corn,¡± she said, and with a ¡°click¡ª¡± snapped off a corn cob with plump kernels.

    ¡°Cough, cough¡ª¡± the man choked on his saliva. ¡°Picking, picking, picking corn?!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes subtly at the air, ¡°Impure.¡±

    Just then, Qiao Jing suddenly heard some noises behind her.

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a corn thief.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing walked quietly towards the source of the sound.

    As she walked, she smelled the pungent scent of blood and saw the blood droplets on the corn leaves.

    It was still fresh.

    ¡°Rustle rustle rustle¡ª¡± the sound of corn being pushed down suddenly came from behind.

    Someone wasing!

    Qiao Jing swiftly turned around, but before she could react, she was fiercely tackled to the ground by the neer, and his thick palm covered her mouth.

    Just as Qiao Jing prepared to knee the man in the groin, his low, hoarse voice suddenly sounded by her ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­speak, I¡­won¡¯t¡­hurt you.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing quickly regained herposure and looked up at the man¡¯s face.

    At that nce, Qiao Jing was stunned by the man¡¯s enchanting appearance.

    Not only his looks, but his aloof and proud aura also made it clear that he was no ordinary person.

    This made her curious¡ªwhat was someone like him doing in the countryside? And why was he injured and hiding in her cornfield?

    Before Qiao Jing could figure it out, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance.

    ¡°He¡¯s injured in the leg; he couldn¡¯t have gone far. Let¡¯s search thoroughly; we can¡¯t let him live!¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing understood that those people were trying to assassinate him.

    The sun was high, the man was seriously wounded, blood from his injured leg was ceaselessly dripping onto Qiao Jing.

    Continuing like this, the man was likely to die from excessive blood loss; she couldn¡¯t dy any longer.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing exerted herself to flip the man and press him down under her.

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t expected someone who appeared so frail to have such strength. Was it because he was too weak from losing too much blood?

    ¡°There¡¯s noise over there!¡± The searchers heard the noise, parted the corn stalks, and rushed over, appearing before Qiao Jing.

    ¡°As expected! Kill him!¡± The masked assassin held a gun and was about to pull the trigger.

    Zhan Qipei, due to severe injuries, couldn¡¯t see clearly but still made out the rough outline and the shaking figure¡ª they were about to shoot him!

    Though he knew, his body was beyond his control; he couldn¡¯t dodge in time.

    Just when he thought he was undoubtedly going to die, he vaguely saw the girl pass by him like a gust of wind, quickly moving in front of the masked killer, snatching the handgun away, and after executing a beautiful hand flourish, she struck the killer on the head with the gun.

    The masked killer didn¡¯t even have time to scream before he copsed on the ground.

    Such beautiful moves! Zhan Qipei was shocked in his heart.

    At that moment, another masked man rushed out, but before he could shoot, he was hit on the mask by a corn cob thrown by Qiao Jing, smashing the mask inward.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± the mask caved in, and like the previous killer, he didn¡¯t have the chance to scream before he passed out on the spot.

    After easily dealing with the two men, Qiao Jing dusted off her hands, turned around, and approached Zhan Qipei, looking down at the man¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°The injury is severe.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was as pale as paper, and his cracked thin lips werepletely devoid of color.

    ¡°Save, save me, take me to¡­ to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°This is the middle of nowhere, an ambnce ride from the county town takes at least forty minutes. By the time the ambnce arrives, you¡¯d have bled out. You¡¯re lucky, I¡¯ve studied medicine.¡±

    As Qiao Jing spoke, she helped Zhan Qipei up, ced him in a tricycle, and took him home.

    Zhan Qipeiy in bed, his vision blurry, and he could only vaguely see the girl spraying something.

    He sniffed, it was the smell of disinfectant.

    Once the disinfection was done, he felt much relieved.

    While Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Qiao Jing donned a white coat and approached the bed. Without saying another word, she began unbuckling his belt and unzipping the metal zipper.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Although Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t see clearly, his eyes were wide open.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been shot near the thigh, I need to perform surgery to remove the bullet,¡± Qiao Jing coolly replied.

    ¡°You are going to perform surgery? In this ce?!¡± The man¡¯s voice cracked, his eyes filled with disbelief. He thought she was only going to stop the bleeding.

    ¡°You doubt my medical skills? Then you¡¯re mistaken.¡± She was known as the empire¡¯s top master physician, even dubbed the textbook of surgical techniques, and many had spent fortunes to have here out of retirement to treat their ailments.

    Even the wealthiest Zhan Family had requested her to treat the family head for infertility issues.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to perform surgery, just stop the bleeding,¡± Zhan Qipei said through gritted and ghastly pale teeth.

    Ordering her around?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows raised, her gaze indolent.

    Looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome and striking face, she thought if it weren¡¯t for his good looks, she wouldn¡¯t care whether he lived or died.

    ¡°Just lie down and don¡¯t move,¡± Qiao Jing said as she started removing the man¡¯s trousers.

    ¡°Move again, and believe me, I will take your life!¡± Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth as he spoke, trying to get up, but his physical condition was nearing copse, making it impossible for him to move.

    With a ¡°rip,¡± Qiao Jing swiftly tore them off.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

    ¡°You, are, dead!¡± These words were practically squeezed out from behind his clenched teeth.

    As soon as the man finished speaking, Qiao Jing again swiftly removed anotheryer of trousers.

    Zhan Qipei was dumbfounded.

    He had never been so utterly exposed in front of the opposite sex in his entire life.

    However, there was no end to his bewilderment.

    ¡°This area is too dense, it¡¯s inconvenient to remove the bullet, I¡¯ll shave it down first,¡± Qiao Jing said as she picked up a scalpel and began her task.

 Chapter 2: After Losing Interest in Life, He Suddenly Fell in Love

    Chapter 2: After Losing Interest in Life, He Suddenly Fell in Love

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zhan Qipei was both furious and restless, feeling as if he was burning!

    He gnashed his teeth fiercely, summoning all his strength to resist with all his might.

    ¡°I told you not to move,¡± Qiao Jing struck the man on the neck with a knife hand, and the man instantly weakened.

    Since Zhan Qipei was in good physical condition, he did not immediately lose consciousness and faint after being struck by Qiao Jing. Instead, he watched with extremely weakened eyes at the figure bustling over him.

    So presumptuous, so bold, does this woman really have no idea how to spell the word ¡®shame¡¯?

    Good, very good, just wait¡ªhe would make you pay a price¡­ a lifetime¡¯s price¡­

    His consciousness gradually faded, and he unknowingly slipped into a deep sleep.

    The sun set behind the mountains, turning the remaining clouds a brilliant array of colors.

    Qiao Jing sat on a small stool at the door peeling corn kernels. She nned to make corn porridge with freshly picked corn.

    Before she had even finished peeling one ear of corn, she saw a red Ferrari bumpily making its way toward her, stopping right in front of her house.

    Had the Zhan familye for her?

    Qiao Jing stood up and looked toward the stopped car. She had promised her dying grandfather that she would marry into the Zhan family and be the wife of the Zhan family head.

    With a ¡°clunk¡ª¡± the car door opened, and two elegantly dressed women got out, one a bit older, around fifty years old, the other just over twenty. Both bore some resemnce to each other, clearly mother and daughter.

    ¡°Are you Qiao Jing?¡± Su Manhan looked at Qiao Jing with disdain.

    ¡°Hm,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    ¡°Just hm? Is that how you talk to your future mother-inw?¡± Zhan Nanqing stepped forward and shouted at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; I promised Grandpa, just 100 days. After 100 days, whether to divorce or not will be entirely my choice,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    If it weren¡¯t for this, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to marry into the Zhan family for no reason.

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly. ¡°You speak so nicely, but if it wasn¡¯t for your grandfather¡¯s luck in saving my grandfather¡¯s life on the battlefield, would a country girl like you be fit to marry into our Zhan family or be fit to marry my brother?¡±

    ¡°Why all the needless chatter? You¡¯re here to pick me up today, aren¡¯t you? Are we going or not? If not, I¡¯m noting, and it will be your Zhan family who breaches the marriage, not my concern,¡± Qiao Jing challenged, her eyebrows defiantly raised, her tone filled with impatience.

    ¡°You, you¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing was so angry she could hardly speak.

    Su Manhan was also infuriated, but reminded by the countless admonitions from the old master beforeing, who insisted that no matter what, they had to bring Qiao Jing back to marry her son or he would jump off the roof to prove his point.

    She knew her father-inw well; if she didn¡¯t bring Qiao Jing back today, the old master would definitely climb to the roof, and even if he didn¡¯t jump, he would scare them half to death.

    Thinking this, Su Manhan had no choice but to swallow her anger.

    ¡°Pack your things and hurry up ande with me.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll make a phone call,¡± Qiao Jing said as she dialed.

    ¡°Younger Brother, I¡¯ll be away for a while. Have someone from thebe over and look after my corn, monitor the experimental results. If this new variety of corn seeds in testing, it will elevate our country¡¯s agricultural development to a new level.¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing burst intoughter, looking at Su Manhan, ¡°Mom, listen to her. It¡¯s hrious. A country bumpkin talking like she¡¯s someone so grand, who does she think she is? The legendary agricultural expert, Professor Qiao?¡±

    ¡°Ha! Professor Qiao, while she shares the surname Qiao, she¡¯s worlds apart from him. Speaking of which, brother got news yesterday that Professor Qiao might very well be in this vige. He came here early in the morning, but why doesn¡¯t he answer his phone when we call?¡± Su Manhan said worriedly.

    Zhan Nanqing looked around, ¡°Look at this ce, it¡¯s all small hills around here, it must be a bad signal.¡±

    Hearing what Zhan Nanqing said, Su Manhan guessed it must be so.

    Just as Su Manhan was thinking this, Qiao Jing emerged, dragging her suitcase.

    The butler stepped forward, intending to help Qiao Jing load her suitcase into the car¡¯s trunk.

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s very heavy, you can¡¯t lift it,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    The butler¡¯s face darkened. What did she mean by that? Was she looking down on him? If she, a frail girl, could carry it, why couldn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Miss Qiao, as the butler, this is my duty,¡± he said.

    Seeing the butler insist, Qiao Jing set down the suitcase, opened the car door, and got inside.

    The butler sneered in his mind, ¡°Pfft! What a joke; let¡¯s see if he¡¯ll still give you a kind face in 100 days.¡±

    As he thought this, the butler reached out to lift the suitcase. The next second, he and the suitcase fell into the dirt, getting a mouthful of mud.

    Damn!

    Was this suitcase filled with iron lumps? It¡¯s so heavy!

    After driving for a while, Qiao Jing suddenly realized something and took out her mobile phone to send a message to Brother Four.

    ¡°Brother Four, someone at my ce got hurt. Bring a few people and get him to the hospital, and don¡¯t let him know it was me who saved him.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t do this anonymously out of altruism but because she vividly remembered the look in the man¡¯s eyes when she was treating his wound¡ªas if he wanted to devour her.

    Better to avoid trouble when possible; she didn¡¯t want anyplications.

    Brother Four: ¡°OK.¡±

    The car took over an hour to finally arrive at the Zhan family¡¯s vi.

    Purple Garden, thergest private luxury vi in Imperial City.

    ¡°This is my ce, what do you think? Shocked, aren¡¯t you?¡± Zhan Nanqing boasted to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently. It was still quite smallerpared to some pce she had lived in before.

    ¡°Whatever! Keep pretending,¡± Zhan Nanqing thought. To her, Qiao Jing was just a country girl who had lived in a crumbling tiled house; her heart must be immensely shocked now.

    After getting out of the car, Qiao Jing dragged her suitcase towards the vi.

    ¡°Stop, you¡¯re going in wearing that?¡± Zhan Nanqing called out to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked down at her clothes, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with what I¡¯m wearing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dirty and ugly.¡± After saying this, Zhan Nanqing threw a handbag in front of Qiao Jing, ¡°Change your clothes before youe in.¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. She dragged her suitcase and boldly walked straight into the vi.

    ¡°Hey! Are you deaf or what¡ªyou¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, let her wear whatever she wants. If she really leaves, it¡¯s hard to exin it to grandpa,¡± Su Manhan pulled Zhan Nanqing back and said.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face turned steely, ¡°Mom, we can¡¯t just ignore everything. We have to set some rules for her. After all, she¡¯s going to be my brother¡¯s wife for 100 days, and when she goes out, she represents our Zhan Family. If she embarrasses herself out there, it will naturally reflect on us!¡±

    ¡°You are right. Bring me the household rules I prepared in advance.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Mom.¡±

    Not long after Qiao Jing entered the room, there was a knock at the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Su Manhan came in and handed over the household rules, ¡°Here are the Zhan family rules. You must memorize them all today. If you don¡¯t finish, you¡¯re not going to sleep.¡±

    Qiao Jing took them roughly, scanned them quickly¡ªover five hundred rules.

    ¡°Ridiculous.¡± After saying that, Qiao Jing crumpled the paper into a ball and casually threw it, precisely into the trash can.

    This scene felt like a p in the face to both Zhan Nanqing and Su Manhan.

    ¡°Really, a wild girl raised without a mother¡¯s influence, no wonder your father threw you into the countryside not long after you were born,¡± Zhan Nanqing pointed at Qiao Jing¡¯s nose and scolded.

    As soon as Zhan Nanqing finished speaking, she saw Qiao Jing stop what she was doing, turn sideways to look at her, her gaze cold and filled with boundless danger, making Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hair stand on end and her spine chill.

    ¡°What, what are you going to do? You want to hit me?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing thought since she was the young mistress of the Zhan Family, Qiao Jing, no matter how bold, wouldn¡¯t dare toy a hand on her.

    As Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, Qiao Jing raised her hand decisively and pped her.

    With a ¡°smack¡± sound!

 Chapter 3: Zhan Qipei Searches the World for Qiao Jing, Unaware She is His FiancèŒ…e

    Chapter 3: Zhan Qipei Searches the World for Qiao Jing, Unaware She is His Fianc¨¦e

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The p sounded especially crisp and loud.

    This p had Qiao Jing lying heavily on the ground, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, her face swollen like that of a pig.

    ¡°You, you really dared to hit me!¡± Qiao Jing covered her face, her eyes filled with hatred.

    After a moment of shock, Su Manhan hurriedly helped Qiao Jing up, then pointed angrily at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°You actually raised your hand and hit someone!¡±

    ¡°So, she insults my mother, and I can¡¯t discipline her?¡± Zhan Nanqing said with a cool gaze and unwavering tone, ¡°As her child, should I pretend I didn¡¯t hear and let her insult her freely? She continuously says Ick manners, but where are her manners?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing said this both for Qiao Jing and Su Manhan to hear.

    ¡°Are you ming me for not raising her properly?¡± Su Manhan said through clenched teeth.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Zhan Nanqing countered, her eyes and brows fierce with defiant recklessness.

    Su Manhan, clutching her chest, struggled to breathe, just then, the phone rang. It was Grandpa calling

    With gritted teeth, Su Manhan answered the call.

    ¡°Has Jing Girl gotten there yet?¡± Zhan Yuanshan asked eagerly.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m afraid this family can¡¯t amodate her!¡± Su Manhanined to Zhan Yuanshan while looking at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°What happened? Did you bully her?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Yuanshan say this, Su Manhan almost bit her own tongue.

    ¡°It was her bullying your beloved granddaughter, she even swollen her face!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°You scared me to death, as long as that girl is alright.¡±

    Su Manhan was almost spitting blood, ¡°Dad, Nanqing is your granddaughter! She was hit, how could you¡ª¡±

    ¡°It must be because she said something she shouldn¡¯t have. I know Jing Girl very well, she¡¯s lovely and likable, never causing trouble. Nanqing is spoiled by you, always causing trouble everywhere! From now on, you better discipline her properly, and if she ever dares bother Jing Girl again, I will¡ªcough cough cough¡ª¡±

    Then came the voice of Su Manhan¡¯s husband from the other side, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t get upset! Doctor! Doctor!¡±

    The phone hung up with a ¡°beep.¡±

    Su Manhan was no less frightened. If Grandpa got seriously ill because of her and her daughter, they would be the sinners of the Zhan family.

    Thinking this, Su Manhan dared not trouble Zhan Nanqing further and pulled Qiao Jing to leave.

    Although Qiao Jing was reluctant, she had to hold back her anger considering that continuing the dispute might really upset Grandpa gravely.

    Before leaving, Qiao Jing red fiercely at Zhan Nanqing.

    Wait! She wouldn¡¯t let this go so easily.

    ¡°Close the door on your way out,¡± Zhan Nanqing reminded.

    Furious!

    Qiao Jing and Su Manhan were nearly driven to their limits.

    The scene shifts.

    In the VIP hospital room.

    Zhan Qipei suddenly woke from a dream, sitting up abruptly with sweat covering his head, gasping for breath.

    After pausing for a couple of seconds, Zhan Qipei immediately threw off the covers and looked under himself, his mind shing back to the scene where the girl was misbehaving over him before he passed out.

    Just as Lu Zijiao entered, he saw this unseemly sight, ¡°Cough cough, Young Master Zhan, did you wet the bed?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gave Lu Zijiao a nce then covered himself with the nket again.

    ¡°Where is that girl?¡±

    ¡°Which girl?¡± Lu Zijiao asked in confusion.

    ¡°The girl who saved me.¡±

    ¡°I came as soon as the hospital called, didn¡¯t see any girl though?¡±

    She left? Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°Help me investigate who brought me here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already looked into it, the person didn¡¯t leave a name, just dropped you off at the hospital entrance and left. I also asked the front desk, it wasn¡¯t any girl who brought you here but a few men wearing masks,¡± Lu Zijiao said.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pressed, his face cold.

    As expected, she was intentionally avoiding him!

    Touch him where she shouldn¡¯t and then think she can hide? No way!

    No other door but his Zhan family¡¯s was closed to her!

    ¡°Check the surveince, find her, we must,¡± he ordered.

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Lu Zijiao scratched his head, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s gritted teeth, he felt like the girl wasn¡¯t really saving Zhan Qipei but rather had a vendetta against him.

    ¡°Oh! Right! Almost forgot to tell you about this,¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhan Qipei pinched the bridge of his nose, his mind full of lingering images of surgery, not really interested in hearing about anything else.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the marriage your grandfather arranged for you, your mom brought your fianc¨¦e home today.¡±

 Chapter 4 - 3: Zhan Qipei Searches the World for Qiao Jing, Unaware She is His FiancèŒ…e_2

    Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Zhan Qipei Searches the World for Qiao Jing, Unaware She is His Fianc¨¦e_2

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about her, a person who has nothing to do with me. In 100 days, she¡¯ll go back to where she came from. Why even bring her up?¡± Zhan Qipei said with a distinctck of interest.

    While Zhan Qipei was indifferent, Lu Zijiao had an excited expression on his face.

    ¡°Heh heh¡ªLet me tell you, your wife for these 100 days is no simple woman! She just arrived and already talked back to your mom, and even hit your sister!¡±

    ¡°Nanqing got hit, and you¡¯re this excited?¡± Zhan Qipei said with an air of annoyance.

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, it¡¯s interesting. I really want to meet her. Someone who starts by hitting people must be big and burly, strikingly powerful¡­¡±

    Lu Zijiao hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he saw Zhan Qipei lie down, pull up the covers, and assume an utterly uninterested demeanor.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, I haven¡¯t finished talking yet.¡±

    ¡°I want to rest, get out,¡± Zhan Qipei said, closing his eyes.

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not that you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    Lu Zijiao shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Alright then, you rest well. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    When he reached the door, he stopped and looked back, ¡°The wedding is in three days. Can you make it with your injury? If not, let your family know.¡±

    Zhan Qipei opened his eyes but didn¡¯t turn around, ¡°No one should find out about my injury.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried about your family getting concerned?¡±

    ¡°Also, I¡¯m not attending the wedding in three days.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?!¡± Lu Zijiao was shocked by Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    ¡°When have I ever joked?¡± Zhan Qipei closed his eyes again after speaking.

    ¡°Eh? No, wait, Young Master Zhan, you can¡¯t be joking, this¡ª¡±

    ¡°You may leave now.¡±

    Lu Zijiao ¡°¡­¡±

    This guy has been like this ever since we were kids; it¡¯s useless to pressure him when he doesn¡¯t want to talk.

    Forget it; the wedding is Zhan Qipei¡¯s own business, what does it have to do with him anyway? Why should he care?

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk,¡± Lu Zijiao smacked his lips, the wedding celebration is going to be lively in three days.

    Before you know it, three days had passed.

    Qiao Jing, in her wedding dress, stood alone in the ceremony hall and looked down at her watch.

    ording to the schedule, there were eight minutes left until the appointed time. If Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t show up, she would walk out.

    The wedding guests were whispering among themselves.

    ¡°The bride sure is beautiful, but to marry into a wealthy family, good looks aren¡¯t enough.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I heard she was born in the countryside and has always worked the fields. The Zhan Family is the top family in our Imperial City. These two families are worlds apart, ipatible as they are unmatched in status.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s just for 100 days. After that, this new bride will be chased out of the Zhan Family.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Hmph! Zhan Nanqing snorted in her heart.

    Serves her right! Thinking she¡¯s worthy of marrying her brother? Now she¡¯s getting hereuppance, isn¡¯t she?

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei was hurriedly making his way to the hotel where the wedding was being held.

    He had no choice. Just ten minutes earlier, Zhan Yuanshan had phoned him, threatening that if he didn¡¯t show up for the wedding today, he¡¯d jump off the hospital roof. He¡¯d even video called him, showing the old man standing on the hospital rooftop with the wind howling, one foot dangling off the edge, as if ready to jump at any moment.

    Gritting his teeth and thinking it was only for 100 days, Zhan Qipei figured it would soon pass.

    Eight minutes went by.

    ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± Qiao Jing muttered to herself, then lifted her hand and tore off the white veil.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡± Su Manhan stood up.

    Ignoring the gazes of the crowd, Qiao Jing carried her wedding dress towards the hotel entrance.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where are you going?¡± Su Manhan chased after her, full of fury.

    Qiao Jing pointed to the watch on her wrist, ¡°It¡¯s been more than a minute. I have to go.¡±

    Every fiber of Su Manhan trembled, barely containing the rage threatening to burst as she shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a sense of propriety at all? It¡¯s your wedding day, with so many friends and rtives watching. How can you just leave? Is that eptable to you?!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand propriety, I don¡¯t know the rituals? I¡¯m saying, Madam Zhan, aren¡¯t you mistaken? It¡¯s your son who¡¯ste and hasn¡¯t shown up. He¡¯s the one disregarding all these friends and rtives, treating this wedding like a child¡¯s y. Why are you pointing at me and scolding me? Just because you¡¯re a wealthy family, you think you can be despotic and unreasonable? Because you¡¯re wealthy, you think you can bully me, a girl with no one to rely on?!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words were sharp and clear, striking directly with each syble and sentence.

    Lodged by Qiao Jing¡¯s forceful rebuttal, Su Manhan had all the words stuck in her throat and also felt the weird nces of the people around, her face flushed with embarrassment and irritation.

    By the time she came to her senses, Qiao Jing was nowhere to be seen.

    Did she really just leave?

    Qiao Jing, holding her wedding dress, walked onto the street, ignoring the looks from passersby, contemting the corn in the field.

    At that moment, her phone rang.

    ¡°Sister Jing, congrattions on getting married today!¡±

    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± Qiao Jing asked, unamused.

    ¡°How would I dare? I¡¯m sincere.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, a smirk in her eyes, ¡°Well then, give me the gift money.¡±

    The fourth brother twitched his mouth, cursing himself for his loose lips.

    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s just for 100 days. When you get married againter, I¡¯ll give you the gift money then.¡±

    ¡°Now is now¡­¡±

    As Qiao Jing was on the phone, a ck Maybach sped along the road.

    ¡°Eh? Young Master Zhan, isn¡¯t that woman in the wedding dress by the side of the road your fianc¨¦e?¡± Lu Zijiao looked ahead.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to look, he heard Lu Zijao suddenly exim ¡°Holy shit¡ª¡± and then Lu Zijao sharply turned the steering wheel, causing the car to lose control and violently crash toward the roadside.

    Qiao Jing, who was on the phone, heard themotion, turned her head to look, and the next second saw the out-of-control car hurtling straight towards her.

 Chapter 5 - 4: Qiao Jing Almost Got Run Over by Zhan Qipeis Car

    Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Qiao Jing Almost Got Run Over by Zhan Qipei¡¯s Car

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    At such a critical moment, she couldn¡¯t dodge, so her only option was to try that move.

    Acting faster than thinking, Qiao Jing leaped up, rolled over to the hood of the car, gathered her strength, and forcefully held herself on the hood until the car came to a stop, then she rolled off andnded on the ground.

    Although she suffered a few cuts, fortunately, there was nothing more serious.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Lu Zijiao was so frightened that his soul nearly left his body, and he hurriedly pushed open the car door and got out.

    Zhan Qipei also got out of the car and walked over.

    ¡°Are you, are you alright?¡± Lu Zijiao asked, swallowing his saliva.

    Qiao Jing, supporting herself on themp post, got up from the ground and nced past Lu Zijiao toward Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao cleared his throat, looking toward Zhan Qipei, ¡°Young Master Zhan, she¡¯s indeed Qiao Jing, the one you¡¯re supposed to marry today.¡±

    Lu Zijiao misunderstood, thinking Qiao Jing¡¯s ¡°It¡¯s you¡± referred to that. In fact, Qiao Jing had never met the person she was to marry, and her ¡°It¡¯s you¡± was merely referring to the person she had saved in the cornfield a few days ago.

    It¡¯s Zhan Qipei?!

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with surprise. After a pause of two seconds, she looked at the car that had crashed into the pir, and immediately clenched her fists, her eyes filled with cold fury as she faced the man.

    ¡°Returning kindness with malice!¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, puzzled.

    ¡°I said, President Zhan, if you really don¡¯t want to marry me, just say it. There¡¯s no need to send me to my death!¡±

    Qiao Jing was truly angry. She cherished her life, and no one was going to take it away!

    At that moment, Grandpa Zhang¡¯s words before his death came to her mind, admonishing her to live well.

    She had contracted a severe contagious disease shortly after she was born, and her mother had died taking care of her. Later, she was abandoned by her biological father and grandparents in a snowdrift in the countryside. If not for Grandpa Zhang from the vige finding her, she would probably have died in the snow.

    So ever since she was sensible, she realized that her life had been wrestled from fate, and since it was so hard-fought, no one should think of taking it easily from her!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you misunderstood, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± Lu Zijiao hurriedly exined. ¡°Young Master Zhan indeed doesn¡¯t want to marry you, but he never thought of taking your life.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this at the police station!¡± With that, Qiao Jing took out her phone, dialed 110, and called the police.

    ¡°This is Zhengnan Street, near number 353, there¡¯s an attempted murder¡­¡±

    Watching Qiao Jing reporting to the police, Lu Zijiao¡¯s mouth hung open wide enough to fit a goose egg, no! An ostrich egg.

    Zhan Qipei looked sternly at Qiao Jing with his deep, dark eyes. He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to actually call the police.

    Just then, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing arrived.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you wretched girl! You, you really dared to call the police?¡±

    Qiao Jing put down her phone, her eyes half-narrowed as she coldly looked at Su Manhan and said, ¡°Your son wants to run me over, and I can¡¯t fight back? Why? Just because you are from a wealthy family, you can do whatever you want? Treat a life like a game?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words left Su Manhan and the others at a loss for words.

    Zhan Nanqing came over to Zhan Qipei, and asked quietly, ¡°Brother, you didn¡¯t really want to run her over, right?¡±

    Lu Zijiao, who heard this, interjected, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense if you don¡¯t know the situation. How could Young Master Zhan be that kind of person! Besides, I was the one driving the car!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Lu Zijiao, ¡°You were driving the car, who instructed you?¡±

    ¡°No, no, Qiao Jing, you really misunderstood. Just now, a stray cat suddenly dashed across the road, and I panicked, so I sharply turned the steering wheel, and then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Save those words for the police station.¡± Qiao Jing coldly said, then ignored Lu Zijiao, raising her arm to check the injuries on her body. There were seven or eight scrapes, the shallow ones had already clotted, but the deep ones were still faintly bleeding.

    Overall, it wasn¡¯t very serious.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze never left Qiao Jing¡¯s body. For some reason, he always felt that the girl in front of him gave him a familiar feeling. Then, seeing Qiao Jing checking her wounds, he felt an indescribable difort in his heart.

    ¡°I will take you to the hospital first.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei expressionlessly, ¡°Do you think that because your murder attempt failed, you now want to make amends to lighten your sentence? Don¡¯t think that just because you are the president of Zhan Corporation, you can cover up the sky with one hand. I¡¯m sorry to tell you, you hit me today. No matter how powerful you are, you can¡¯t escape the sanctions of thew!¡±

    She, Qiao Jing, had made tremendous contributions to the nation, both in agricultural development and in the field of medicine. Now, she was even working hard to research a new variety of corn that would shock the world if sessful!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were tightly pressed, and his face looked awful. If it weren¡¯t for the possibility that the girl was overly frightened and hence emotionally vtile, he absolutely could not tolerate her repeated misunderstandings of him.

    Interestingly, aside from external injuries, the girl didn¡¯t seem to have any severe issues. The impact had been so fierce at the moment, he had thought she would undoubtedly die.

    He remembered that Lu Zijiao¡¯s face had turned white with fear at that time, guessing Lu Zijiao probably had the same thought as him.

    Yet, the girl was almost unscathed, which was somewhat baffling.

    After a brief silence, Zhan Qipei took off his suit jacket and handed it to Qiao Jing, ¡°Put this on.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at her wedding dress; the torn areas were slightly exposing.

    However, she would not ept any kindness from Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing turned her gaze to Lu Zijiao, ¡°Give me your clothes.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Me?¡± Lu Zijiao pointed at himself, then, while looking at Zhan Qipei, took off his suit and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing took the suit and immediately put it on.

    Zhan Qipei, watching Qiao Jing wearing another man¡¯s clothes, felt an inexplicable annoyance.

    At that moment, the police car arrived.

    Shortly after, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, among others, arrived at the police station.

    Since the incident involved Zhan Qipei, the wealthiest man in the capital, it was a major issue, so Captain Zhao had to handle it personally.

    Seeing Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei sitting across from him, Captain Zhao had a terrible headache.

    Initially, he thought it was just a big shot like Zhan Qipei, but then he saw a familiar face, Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing, what a figure, a pir of great contribution to the empire! The Zhan family¡¯s big shot almost killed this important figure; handling this case could literally make him go bald!

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes to Captain Zhao, ¡°Haven¡¯t the videos been retrieved yet?¡±

    ¡°They will be ready soon, please be patient. Here, have some tea, this is your favorite Pu¡¯er, I¡¯ve specially prepared it for you.¡± Seeing Qiao Jing getting impatient, Captain Zhao immediately broke out in sweat.

    This action by Captain Zhao puzzled everyone present, including Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Captain Zhao, do you know her?¡± Lu Zijiao couldn¡¯t help but ask first.

 Chapter 6 - 5 I Wont Like You

    Chapter 6: Chapter 5 I Won¡¯t Like You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Miss Qiao had helped us solve a case before,¡± regarding other identities of Qiao Jing, Captain Zhao dared not say more.

    Even so, that was enough to shock Zhan Qipei and the others.

    She had that kind of ability? Wasn¡¯t she from the countryside? Spending her days farming, always apanied by crops, could she even solve cases?

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Zhan Nanqing scoffed dismissively, ¡°She just happened to witness the crime scene by mistake, what¡¯s so great about that.¡±

    Everyone was sessfully misled by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, how could a country girl possibly solve a case? It must have been just like Zhan Nanqing said.

    ¡°The surveince video has been pulled up,¡± Captain Zhao opened the file immediately upon receiving it.

    Just as Lu Zijiao had said, it was indeed because of the stray cat that Lu Zijiao mistakenly ran into Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve exined everything to you, why wouldn¡¯t you believe me? Now you know what I said was true, right? Young Master Zhan really didn¡¯t mean to hit you; anyway, it¡¯s only 100 days, he wouldn¡¯t willingly, after 100 days, go your separate ways with you, he doesn¡¯t need to hit you. Even if it were a hit, he wouldn¡¯t be sitting in the car himself, right? He¡¯s not stupid.¡± Lu Zijiao looked at Qiao Jing and said.

    Qiao Jing stood up, faced Zhan Qipei, ¡°I have something I want to discuss with you alone.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded his head, ¡°Good, I also have something to say to you.¡±

    Ten minutester, the two arrived on an overpass.

    By then, night had fallen, and the streetlights were just being turned on.

    Looking into Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing no longer showed as much hostility, ¡°Sorry, I misunderstood you just now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me. Although it was just a misunderstanding, you almost lost your life because of it,¡± Zhan Qipei said indifferently.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s call it even, from now on, neither of us owes the other anything,¡± Qiao Jing said, facing Zhan Qipei squarely.

    Zhan Qipei turned to face Qiao Jing as well, ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°This is what I wanted to tell you, your turn now,¡± Qiao Jing, leaning casually against the overpass railing, waited for Zhan Qipei¡¯s next words.

    ¡°What I want to say is simple, I will not like you. In these 100 days, don¡¯t disturb my life,¡± Zhan Qipei just wanted to quickly end this absurd marriage with Qiao Jing. What if he found the girl who saved him soon, and the girl disliked him knowing he was married?

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her elegantly faint eyebrows, ¡°That¡¯s actually perfect, you¡¯re not my type, and I won¡¯t fall for you. Just like that, let¡¯s not bother each other, and after 100 days, we¡¯ll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a divorce.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Zhan Qipei agreed instantly.

    The night grew darker, and the evening breeze grew colder.

    Qiao Jing wrapped herself in the suit jacket, ¡°Now that everything has been said, it¡¯s time to go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing turn and walk away, then he started to follow her. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped, his dted dark pupils reflected the silhouette of the girl ahead.

    In the light of themps and the night, the girl¡¯s slender silhouette nowpletely merged with the one in his memory, the more he looked, the more they resembled each other¡­

    Was it because he was too eager to meet that girl? Hence, causing his mind to be somewhat disordered now?

    Zhan Qipei thought it must be the case.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t possibly be her; that girl was highly skilled and had exquisite medical knowledge. They couldn¡¯t possibly be the same person.

    A night passed.

    The next day.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei came out of his room, he saw his family gathered around the dining table, ready to eat.

    ¡°Brother, you came out just in time,e down and eat,¡± Zhan Nanqing called out, looking up.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhan Qipei responded and then turned back to look towards Qiao Jing¡¯s room upstairs.

    ¡°Did no one call her down to eat?¡±

    ¡°Why bother with her? She never saw this ce as her own home anyway,¡± Zhan Nanqing said and just as Qiao Jing happened to exit through the door. Then, raising her voice intentionally, she continued, ¡°Besides, this isn¡¯t her home to begin with. We are already generous enough not to charge her rent for staying here, and now she wants to eat our food too?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s sarcasticments, Zhan Qipei frowned displeasedly and nced towards Qiao Jing, who was descending the stairs.

    The girl¡¯splexion was calm, showing no change in expression, as she walked over to the dining table.

    ¡°What are you doing? Who let you sit here? Freeloading, huh?¡± Zhan Nanqing said irritably.

    ¡°Nanqing!¡± Zhan Qipei said sternly, looking at Zhan Nanqing and signaling her not to provoke further.

    ¡°Brother, why are you protecting her? Did I say anything wrong? She ¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Qipei interrupted her.

    ¡°What? Do you want Grandpa to make you jump off a building too?¡±

    That remark from Zhan Qipei made Zhan Nanqing instantly shut up, though her mouth closed, her eyes fiercely red at Qiao Jing.

    She just wanted Qiao Jing to get the hell out of their house soon, and before that, she was determined to return the p she had received from Qiao Jing!

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s stare began to pain her eyes, but Qiao Jing ignored itpletely, as if she hadn¡¯t seen it. This only infuriated Zhan Nanqing more, like punching cotton with force and receiving no response at all.

    It was infuriating!

    As breakfast was served, Qiao Jing turned her head to look at Zhan Qipei and pulled out a card, ¡°Here is a million, take it.¡±

    This action by Qiao Jing stunned everyone present.

    Especially Zhan Qipei, who throughout his life, except for New Year¡¯s money from elders, had never received money from his peers.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for the 100 days of board,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei instinctively narrowed his deep set eyes.

    ¡°No need, the Zhan family isn¡¯t so destitute that we need your food money.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing, ¡°And besides, if I¡¯m not mistaken, that million must have secretlye from Grandpa, right?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing felt she had uncovered the truth, after all, Qiao Jing was just a country bumpkin. How could she possibly have a million?

    ¡°Oh ¡ª I get it now! Qiao Jing, you¡¯re really cunning. You offer us Grandpa¡¯s money, andter you can goin to him, iming that we bullied you and stole your money. Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing, you¡¯re really malicious!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing with her defiant, icily piercing eyes, her slightly raised eyebrows revealing a trace of impatience.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure who just used me of freeloading, and now that I¡¯m offering money, you call me malicious. It seems you are naturally unreasonable, so I see no point in wasting my words on someone as foul-mouthed as you.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± just as Zhan Nanqing stood up ready to explode, she was held back by Su Manhan.

    ¡°Enough, it¡¯s early in the morning, why seek trouble? Eat your food.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips and sat down.

    Qiao Jing shifted her gaze from Zhan Nanqing and looked toward Zhan Qipei, holding out the card to him again.

    ¡°Take it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his face cold and imposing.

    ¡°Take it away.¡±

    The two stood off against each other, the atmosphere tense as neither yielded to the other.

    After a prolonged silence, Qiao Jing directly grabbed his hand and forcibly ced the card into his palm.

 Chapter 7 - 6 Doubt! How did you know I had surgery?

    Chapter 7: Chapter 6 Doubt! How did you know I had surgery?

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    This scene absolutely terrified Zhan Nanqing, and then she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little schadenfreude.

    Her brother¡¯s germophobia wasn¡¯t just severe, particrly with the opposite sex, there was an inexplicable resistance and disgust.

    She remembered once when their family went out to eat, a server identally touched her brother¡¯s hand, and he almost scrubbed his hand raw right there.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Nanqing looked up at Zhan Qipei, waiting for the man¡¯s imminent explosive anger.

    However, what Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t know was that Zhan Qipei was staring oddly at his own palm.

    The moment Qiao Jing¡¯s fingers had touched his palm, far from feeling disgusted, he felt a strangely familiar sensation.

    Strange? Why would he feel this way all of a sudden?

    Before Zhan Qipei could figure it out, he was distracted by the noise of someone eating nearby.

    Turning his head towards Qiao Jing, who was dining, the girl, although eating somewhat hastily andcking some high-society manners, overall seemed quite elegant¡ªeven increasingly pleasant to the eye.

    Zhan Qipei was somewhat shocked by his own thoughts. He actually found this girl pleasing to the eye? There must be something wrong with his mind from his injury.

    After a moment, Zhan Qipei ced a card in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°As for what Nanqing said, don¡¯t take it to heart. I won¡¯t take this card. If I did, Grandpa might climb up to the rooftop again,¡± he said.

    That¡¯s it? Is it over just like that? Zhan Nanqing stared with incredulous eyes at the scene unfolding before her.

    Her brother¡¯s hand was touched by Qiao Jing, and he didn¡¯t react at all? This was truly baffling!

    ¡°This is your unwanted card,¡± Qiao Jing took back her card.

    ¡°After dinner,e with me to the hospital to meet Grandpa,¡± Zhan Qipei said.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    Is it really over just like that? Zhan Nanqing felt utterly disappointed!

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s father, Zhan Yao, turned to Su Manhan, ¡°Have you gotten in touch with Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing momentarily stopped eating.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Su Manhan sighed and shook her head. ¡°I did contact someone who knows Divine Doctor Jing, but she is quite reluctant toe out of retirement.¡±

    Zhan Yao furrowed his brow, ¡°It seems that only Old Divine Doctor Jing can cure Qipei¡¯s infertility now.¡±

    Infertility? Upon hearing these words again, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered what her colleague mentioned over the phone the other day about the Zhan family asking her toe out and treat Qipei¡¯s infertility.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing turned her head towards the man. She had operated on him and knew very well, from her experience, that he couldn¡¯t be infertile.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª ¡± Zhan Qipei, choked by the breakfast, showed little reaction on his face, but the back of his ears turned slightly red.

    ¡°Dad, mom, how many times have I told you? I¡¯m not sick,¡± he said.

    Usually, such a topic might be openly discussed, but now that there were outsiders at home, didn¡¯t they know to keep it down? Talking about his infertility, did they not care about his dignity?

    Also, with Qiao Jing constantly staring at him from the side, he could feel her gaze even without looking.

    While thinking this, Zhan Qipei covertly nced over, catching the girl¡¯s gaze fixed on him.

    After Qiao Jing noticed, she lifted her eyes, and her gaze met his using eyes. After all, she had seen everything already, it wasn¡¯t her who should feel embarrassed.

    Qiao Jing calmly averted her gaze and continued eating her meal as if nothing had happened.

    The scene made Zhan Qipei¡¯s teeth itch with irritation. This woman really was shameless, and her mental fortitude was not ordinary either.

    ¡°No problem? If there¡¯s no problem, howe at thirty-one, you don¡¯t even have a girlfriend? Qipei, let me tell you, there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about here, if there¡¯s an illness we just treat it. Once we invite Divine Doctor Jing, you¡¯ll surely be cured,¡± Zhan Yao earnestly advised.

    ¡°I really am not sick, I just haven¡¯t met someone I like. Actually, I already have someone I like,¡± Zhan Qipei said, as the vague image of the girl busily moving around him once again surfaced in his mind.

    ¡°This child, you don¡¯t have to make up such excuses to avoid treatment. You have someone you like? You might as well tell me the Zhan family is going bankrupt, I¡¯d believe that more. Forget it, let¡¯s not discuss this anymore. Let¡¯s eat,¡± Zhan Yao finished speaking and then remained silent, continuing with his breakfast.

    For a time, the living room fell silent again.

    Zhan Qipei reached with his chopsticks to pick up a shrimp from the te; just as he was about to grasp it, another pair of chopsticks knocked it off, making a ¡°ck¡± sound.

    Hearing this noise, Zhan Nanqing and the others all stopped their movements, turning to look at Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing, puzzled at what Qiao Jing was doing.

    Qiao Jing turned her head towards Zhan Qipei, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anymon sense? Don¡¯t you know you should avoid certain foods after surgery? You should absolutely avoid seafood like shrimp.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils suddenly dted, looking at Qiao Jing with a mixture of astonishment and shock.

    How did she know he had had surgery?

    ¡°What surgery?¡± Su Manhan asked, puzzled.

    Zhan Qipei faintly frowned, a fleeting emotion soon disappearing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s talking about, just ignore it.¡±

    In the hearts of the Zhan family, Qiao Jing¡¯s words carried little weight. Since Zhan Qipei had said that, they didn¡¯t pursue the matter further and continued with their meal.

    After the meal.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei got into the car together and headed to the hospital.

    ¡°How did you know I had surgery?¡± Zhan Qipei had wanted to ask this question for a while and had held it in until now.

 Chapter 8 - 7 It was indeed you who saved me!

    Chapter 8: Chapter 7 It was indeed you who saved me!

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Jing leaned backzily in her seat, her elbow resting on the door, supporting her chin to the side. When she heard Zhan Qipei ask like that, her indifferent gaze casually swept over his thigh.

    ¡°I can tell.¡±

    ¡°You can tell?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°You know medicine?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Jing replied unabashedly.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was intense as he scrutinized Qiao Jing, looking her over from top to bottom, and then from bottom to top.

    Is it her?

    Or is it just a coincidence?

    If it is her, why didn¡¯t she mention that day¡¯s incident at all?

    Qiao Jing noticed the man¡¯s probing gaze on her and guessed what he was suspecting.

    ¡°Is there something written on me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing in front of him, trying to recall the blurry figure in his memory, and they somewhat ovepped, which made his heart inexplicably excited.

    ¡°I remember you grew up in a rural vige?¡±

    That day, he had also been in the countryside, and it was in a cornfield where he had met her.

    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know that the richest man in the capital married a country girl? Don¡¯t tell me you, being the person concerned, wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Qiao Jing said, subtly raising her light, smoke-blue eyebrows.

    The way Qiao Jing spoke, had it been another time, Zhan Qipei might have been upset. But now, the more he heard, the more pleasant it sounded because he might be about to uncover the truth.

    ¡°Which vige do you live in?¡± Zhan Qipei suppressed the excitement in his heart and continued asking, his eyes intensely fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, and she responded calmly, ¡°Checking household registrations, are you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath, and before he could fully calm down, Qiao Jing spoke again.

    ¡°Autumn Water Vige.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils dte and tremble. Before she could react, the next second, her wrist was suddenly grasped by the man.

    ¡°It really is you!¡±

    The assistant, Tang Yan, who was driving, nced at the rearview mirror after hearing themotion behind him, and he was shockingly stunned!

    Having been with the boss for so long, this was the first time he saw his boss initiate physical contact with the opposite sex, and it was such a tight grip!

    What exactly is going on?

    Wait a minute! Tang Yan suddenly recalled the keywords in the conversation between the two.

    Autumn Water Vige¡­ Could it be that the boss suspects that this countrydy is the girl who saved him that day?

    ¡°What did you say? ¡®It really is you¡¯? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Qiao Jing feigned ignorance while tugging at her hand, which, after exerting some force, she found she couldn¡¯t break free.

    Instead, the man held her hand tighter, as if afraid she would run away.

    ¡°You won¡¯t admit it?¡± Zhan Qipei had determined that Qiao Jing was the person who had operated on him that day.

    ¡°What exactly are you talking about?¡± Qiao Jing nned to continue ying dumb.

    ¡°What? You¡¯ve forgotten? Okay, then let me outline it for you again. Four days ago, I was ambushed, stumbled into a cornfield; it was you who dealt with those two gun-wielding masked assassins. Later, you took me to your home, acted on me¡ªperformed surgery, and removed the bullet, saving my life. It¡¯s only been four days, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already forgotten? Could it be that you have indeed forgotten, or do you not want to admit it?¡± Zhan Qipei said steadily as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei was in an extremely good mood. He hadn¡¯t expected such fortune from the heavens, not only to meet his soul mate but also to have a matrimonial connection with her.

    Not only that, but now the other party had also be his legally wedded wife. How could he not be thrilled?

    As Zhan Qipei thought this, Qiao Jing slightly parted her red lips and spoke unhurriedly, ¡°I understand now; you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei gradually furrowed his brow like mountains shrouded in mist, ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re not her? I don¡¯t believe it, could it really be such a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°You just said that girl easily took care of the gunmen. Someone so capable, you think it would be me? You could just send someone to inquire, and they¡¯d know that I was born with an incurable disease, abandoned by my family in a snowdrift. Although my grandfather saved meter, I have always been weak and sick. Do you really think I¡¯d have the capability to take down gunmen?¡± Qiao Jing saidposedly.

    Gradually, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression began to change, and he started to struggle internally. On one hand, he felt it couldn¡¯t be just a coincidence that Qiao Jing was the person he had been looking for these past days, on the other hand, what she said was entirely verifiable, so there was no need for her to lie.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t finished speaking, ¡°Also, I do know some medical skills because I have been sickly since childhood, which led my grandfather to send me to an old traditional doctor for treatment. Often sick turns into a physician, so I picked up some basic medical knowledge. I noticed something was off with your walk on our wedding day, and I also smelled disinfectant on you, so I guessed you must have undergone surgery.

    And you just said, the surgery that girl performed on you was perfect. That was a major surgery, extracting a bullet under such primitive conditions, to perform so wlessly, I imagine not many experts from a Large Hospital could achieve that, right?¡±

 Chapter 9 - 8 Zhan Qipeis Disappointment

    Chapter 9: Chapter 8 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Disappointment

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Jing¡¯s argument was logical, withstands scrutiny, and contained no ws. Her constant demeanor of an unconcerned onlooker added a touch of realism to what she said.

    The joy on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face had already disappeared, reced by an increasingly gloomy expression, and even the hand holding Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist gradually loosened.

    Qiao Jing took the opportunity to pull back her hand, which bore a red mark and felt somewhat numb.

    ¡°Oh, right, you said four days ago¡­ wasn¡¯t that when your mom picked me up? Your mom and your sister came over at noon. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask them.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s facepletely fell, and he sat there quietly, as if a heavy gloom had enveloped him.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s demeanor, Qiao Jing felt at ease, as he probably no longer suspected her as the one who had operated on him that day.

    After that, there was silence all the way.

    Twenty minutester, the car stopped at the front gate of the hospital.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t even opened the car door to get out when she saw Zhan Qipei exit the car first without waiting for her, striding toward the hospital with long steps.

    Seeing the man¡¯s behavior, Qiao Jing inexplicably found it somewhat amusing.

    This man was like the weather, changing dramatically.

    Looking down at her reddened wrist, it seemed she had been right not to confess to Zhan Qipei that she had been the one to perform his surgery. Look at this red mark, he had used so much force, he might as well have wished to crush her wrist.

    If he ever learned the truth, who knows what trouble he might stir up.

    Of course, there¡¯s the old saying, it¡¯s not that she was afraid, she simply found it too bothersome.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei entered the hospital room, he saw Zhan Yuanshan immediately perk up.

    When Zhan Yuanshan saw that only Zhan Qipei hade, his excited old face visibly deted.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Jing Girl? Didn¡¯t shee with you? Then why did youe alone?¡±

    Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    At this moment, Qiao Jing walked out from behind Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei clearly saw Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s mood brighten tremendously, delighted beyondpare.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei was speechless, thinking to himself, was his own grandson actually less important than an outsider?

    ¡°Jing Girl, you finally came to see me! Come on over here, let Granddad have a good look at you.¡±

    Qiao Jing walked over to the bedside and sat down directly.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get excited; too much excitement could kill you at any moment.¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned. Was she really talking to his grandfather like this? Theck of respect!

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll listen to you, I won¡¯t get excited,¡± Zhan Yuanshan chuckled happily, his old eyes brimming with benevolentughter as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    This scene stunned Zhan Qipei; his grandfather¡¯s temper was notorious, and anyone else speaking to him in such a manner would have set him off. Yet now, Zhan Yuanshan was not only unangered but actually pleased.

    Did his grandfather really like Qiao Jing that much?

    Could it be solely because Qiao Jing¡¯s grandfather had once saved his grandfather¡¯s life on the battlefield? So much so that he loved everything associated with her?

    ¡°I¡¯ll check your pulse.¡± Qiao Jing reached out and touched Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s wrist.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei half-squinted his eyes and moved closer to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing subtly shifted her gaze, fixating on the man¡¯s long legs, wondering if Zhan Qipei was beginning to suspect her again?

    Indeed, just as Qiao Jing had guessed, Zhan Qipei was staring at her intently, trying to read something from the girl¡¯s eyes. However, her eyshes were long and thick, fluttering like butterfly wings, and since she was looking downwards, it covered arge area, making it hard to discern her underlying emotions.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing released Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s hand, maintaining a neutral expression as she said, ¡°It¡¯s the same as always, neither good nor bad. Continue to keep up a good mood, and try not to get excited.¡±

    ¡°If you want me to have a good mood, that¡¯s easy, just give me a great-grandson, and my illness will instantly get better!¡± Zhan Yuanshan said, his old eyes sneakily ncing at Qiao Jing¡¯s abdomen.

    When will it start showing?

    His grandson is really useless!

    Zhan Qipei frowned; he thought he saw his grandfather cast a disdainful look his way.

    It felt like he was saying he was useless.

    ¡°If you want a great-grandson, let someone else have it; I¡¯ll pass. I find him utterly detestable, and a forced melon isn¡¯t sweet,¡± Qiao Jing said while reaching into the fruit basket for an orange, which she began to peel and eat.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do, I don¡¯t care for other daughters-inw; only you are suitable. I don¡¯t want anyone else¡¯s!¡± Zhan Yuanshan stubbornly dered.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Yuanshan, then decided to let it go considering his old age, choosing not to argue with him further.

    ¡°Oh? Right, Jing Girl, how¡¯s your research on corning along? Did it seed?¡±

 Chapter 10 - 9: Qiao Jings Medical Skills, Making Zhan Qipei Doubt Again

    Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Qiao Jing¡¯s Medical Skills, Making Zhan Qipei Doubt Again

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Wait for the results, but with no surprises, this should be a sess.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s face was alight with confidence, even though she had failed many times before, she was very confident in this new variety.

    ¡°That would be truly wonderful! If it really seeds, it will directly push our country¡¯s agriculture¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ahem!¡± Qiao Jing coughed lightly, interrupting Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, if you want to drink the corn porridge I make, just say so, no need to exaggerate.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan caught on and stroked his beard, ¡°You, girl, have a special knack, especially for making corn porridge¡ªit¡¯s just delicious. Next time youe, you must bring me some corn porridge.¡±

    ¡°Alright, noted.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was intently watching Qiao Jing and Zhan Yuanshan, his eagle-like, dark eyes not stopping their scrutiny.

    As clever as he was, he could tell that the two were hiding something from him.

    Corn¡­

    Speaking of which, he had gone to Autumn Water Vige a few days ago, precisely because he had heard that the agricultural magnate Professor Qiao was in that vige.

    LastName Qiao?

    At this thought, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze once again fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Could there be some rtionship between Qiao Jing and Professor Qiao?

    Zhan Qipei meticulously analyzed the words his grandfather had started to say but were cut off by Qiao Jing, and the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

    After leaving the hospital, Zhan Qipei had intended to ask Qiao Jing directly, but he felt that she wouldn¡¯t tell him. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have interrupted his grandfather in the hospital room, clearly not wanting him to know.

    ¡°Tang Yan.¡±

    ¡°Boss, you called me?¡±

    ¡°Check everything about Qiao Jing, I want to know everything,¡± Zhan Qipei said, watching the silhouette of Qiao Jing as she left.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get on it.¡±

    That evening, Zhan Qipei received all the information about Qiao Jing.

    It wasn¡¯t far off from what Qiao Jing had said; she had contracted a severe contagious disease at birth. The Qiao Family didn¡¯t want to care for her, and she was always tended by her biological mother. Her mother died because she took care of her, and the Qiao Familybeled her a ¡°jinx,¡± throwing her out into the countryside on a winter night.

    Latter, she was found and raised by Zhang Ruicheng, who was Grandpa Zhan¡¯s lieutenant and the one who adopted Qiao Jing.

    Being frail and sickly, Qiao Jing was sent to an old traditional Chinese doctor early on to learn some basic knowledge about nurturing her health.

    Reading this, Zhan Qipei put down the information, leaned back, closed his eyes, and let out a long, stifled breath, his lips curling up in self-mockery.

    He had been so anxious to find that girl that he almost lost his sanity, to think that he could have mistaken Qiao Jing for her.

    That girl, with suchbat skills and extraordinary medical expertise, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t match one in ten thousand of her.

    As for the matter between Qiao Jing and Professor Qiao, although the information did not mention it, his intuition told him that there was definitely an unknown connection between Qiao Jing and Professor Qiao.

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei turned his head to look, and next door lived Qiao Jing.

    Raising his hand to his chin, what exactly was their rtionship?

    Next door.

    Qiao Jing was on the phone.

    ¡°Sister Jing, how is it living at the Zhan Family¡¯s ce?¡± The fourth was quite curious about Qiao Jing¡¯s marital life.

    ¡°About the same as staying in a hotel,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± This answer was as good as no answer, and he had hoped to get some gossip to boast about with the people at the research institution.

    That n was now dashed, but it wasn¡¯t unexpected; anyone looked upon by his Sister Jing was probably not born yet.

    ¡°By the way, Sister Jing, you¡¯re already in the capital, don¡¯t you n toe to the research institute and take charge for a bit? It¡¯s been a long while since yourst visit. If those old stubborn guys like my grandfather know you¡¯reing, they¡¯d surely be overjoyed.¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment, she had been immersed in research in the cornfields in the countryside and taking care of the elderly, indeed it had been a long time since shest visited the institute.

    ¡°The day after tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Why not tomorrow?¡± asked the fourth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been in the capital for several days now. I want to visit the welfare institute first.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, speaking of which, I haven¡¯t visited the welfare institute and those kids in a long time either. I¡¯ll go tomorrow too.¡±

    ¡°Good, let¡¯s meet there at 2 PM tomorrow. I n to buy them some clothes in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up at Purple Garden tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing wore a simple white T-shirt and a pair of light-colored jeans as she stepped out of the house.

    Just as she was leaving the vi, she saw Zhan Nanqing walking towards her, leading a girl.

    ¡°Xinrou, you didn¡¯t attend my brother¡¯s weddingst time and didn¡¯t meet her. She is that country bumpkin, Qiao Jing.¡± Zhan Nanqing pointed at Qiao Jing and said to the girl beside her, her words dripping with barely concealed sarcasm, and her gaze toward Qiao Jing was filled with utmost disdain.

    ¡°Look at her outdated outfit, it¡¯s everywhere on the streets.¡±

    Lou Xinrou agreed with Zhan Nanqing; Qiao Jing¡¯s attire was indeed ubiquitous. But peculiarly, these ordinary clothes on Qiao Jing seemed remarkably unique, lending her an ethereal aura.

    Like a piece of uncarved fine jade, simple and clean.

    Lou Xinrou only knew that Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife was from the countryside, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to be so beautiful, making her envious to the point of seeing red, and even more so, a strong sense of crisis emerged in her.

    Qiao Jing received a message from Old Four; he would arrive in two minutes.

    It would take about two or three minutes to walk to the main gate of the courtyard, so she hurried over.

    Just as Qiao Jing was preparing to bypass Zhan Nanqing, Zhan Nanqing reached out a hand to stop her.

    ¡°Hey! How can you be so rude? We are standing right here, and you don¡¯t even greet us before passing by?¡± Zhan Nanqing said irritably.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly, her furrowed brows showing a hint of impatience.

    ¡°My silence doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m easy to bully, you can try if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing winced at Qiao Jing¡¯s words. Her gaze shifted downward,nding on Qiao Jing¡¯s tender and fair hands.

    It must be said, Qiao Jing¡¯s hands looked as soft as tofu; hitting someone would really hurt.

    The p she received from her that day still hurt a bit even now.

    ¡°Who¡¯s bullying you? You shamelessly married my brother! You think you¡¯re even worthy of being with my brother? Xinrou and my brother are childhood sweethearts, they grew up together, they are truly meant to be!¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently, her gaze coolly sweeping over Lou Xinrou, ¡°Childhood sweethearts, had the advantage yet still couldn¡¯t end up with the person they liked, that¡¯s pretty useless.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou felt as if her heart was pierced by arrows, even on the brink of bleeding out.

    ¡°You¡¯re the useless one!¡± Zhan Nanqing retorted.

    ¡°Not useless? Then that means they are fated but not destined,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Lou Xinrou was struck by arrows again, bleeding out.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing Lou Xinrou¡¯s ashen face, hurriedlyforted her, ¡°Xinrou, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense; you and my brother are made for each other. Wait 100 days, and once she leaves, my brother will be yours.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had barely finished speaking when Qiao Jing¡¯s voice followed immediately.

    ¡°You¡¯re notforting her, you¡¯re deceiving her. For Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m just a passerby in his life; mying or going won¡¯t affect who he loves. Dislike is dislike, and no amount of coercion will change it, just like a person who doesn¡¯t like durian; forcing him is useless.¡±

    Lou Xinrou felt her heart pierced with a thousand arrows, and staggered back a few steps, shocked.

    ¡°Xinrou, are you okay? You¡¯re fine, right? Don¡¯t listen to her. She is just saying that to eliminate you, her love rival, without a trace.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words somewhatforted Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Thank you, Nanqing, I won¡¯t give up,¡± Lou Xinrou said, regaining herposure, then stared resolutely at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I have liked Brother Pei since I was a child, and I was determined to marry him as his wife. I hope that within these 100 days, you won¡¯t harbor any unnecessary intentions. Here is one million, take it, and this bag, it¡¯sst year¡¯s limited edition from CN, also for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced casually at the card in Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand; one million¡ªshe didn¡¯t care for it. The unassuming clothes she wore were far more expensive than that amount.

    Not to mention the bag she carried, which was custom-designed for her by CN¡¯s chief designer ording to her tastes.

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± The vibration of the phone rang out.

    The call was from Old Four.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived? Great, I see your car, I¡¯ming out now.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou another nce, and directly bypassed the two.

    Lou Xinrou remained in the gesture of offering the card, standing there dry, her mind temporarily unable to react.

    She just left?

    This is a million dors! Even though the Lou family is a powerhouse in the capital, her monthly allowance is limited. She had saved up for quite some time for that million! And this country girl just didn¡¯t care for it.

    ¡°Xinrou, there¡¯s something you still don¡¯t know; it seems Grandpa Zhan has given her quite a bit of money,¡± Zhan Nanqing said.

    So that was it.

    Lou Xinrou suddenly realized.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there; let¡¯s go and see who came to pick up Qiao Jing,¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pulled Lou Xinrou and walked outside, and upon stepping out, they saw a rather shy luxury car.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Bugatti! How does she know someone who drives such an expensive car?¡± Zhan Nanqing stared, puzzled, then upon seeing the man getting out of the car, her eyes widened in shock!

    How could it be him?!

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression was a mirror to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s, equally unexpected at the man who came to pick up Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 11 - 10: Spreading Rumors, Saw Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian Holding Hands

    Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Spreading Rumors, Saw Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian Holding Hands

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Xu Moqian!¡±

    The top figure of the imperial capital¡¯s elite, the eldest son of the Xu family, and the future heir to Xu Corporation.

    This identity was already impressive enough, but Xu Moqian had another even more impressive identity. His grandfather was a very famous scientist in the empire, a professor specializing in agricultural development.

    His renown was second only to the legendary Professor Qiao!

    As the two were utterly shocked, Qiao Jing came to the car, Xu Moqian personally opened the door, and after Qiao Jing got into the car, he considerately closed the door. Finally, he went around to the driver¡¯s seat and drove off like a chauffeur.

    It was after the car had driven a good distance that Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou managed to recover from their shock. Realizing what had happened, they exchanged nces, just looking at each other, unable to speak for a long time.

    After a considerable wait, Zhan Nanqing thought she had figured it out, and her face immediately showed a look of disdain.

    ¡°That Qiao Jing really has no shame, unting her good looks everywhere, seducing men. She¡¯s now part of our Zhan Family, and here she is, shamelessly going out with another man. If someone saw them, wouldn¡¯t they beughed to death?¡±

    In her view, Qiao Jing was seducing Xu Moqian because she was attractive.

    Lou Xinrou, however, was pleased. She had secretly taken a photo of the two and decided to send it to Zhan Qipei, letting him know just how shameless his new bride was.

    ¡°It¡¯s truly disgusting! Xinrou, I saw you took a photo, send it to me. I want to post it in the family group chat! Let grandpa see what kind of good bride he¡¯s picked for his grandson!¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, Lou Xinrou was even more delighted.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send it to you.¡±

    Soon, the Zhan family¡¯s group chat exploded.

    Su Manhan was the first to jump out.

    ¡°This girl, I thought she was just bad-tempered, buting from the countryside, she should be a decent and honest person. I didn¡¯t expect her to do something so disgraceful! It¡¯s only the third day after her wedding, and she¡¯s going out with another man!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing fanned the mes, ¡°Exactly, you should have seen it. Xu Moqian even opened the car door for Qiao Jing, the service was impable.¡±

    Zhan Yao, who usually stayed out of these affairs, frowned. He had no significant hostility towards this temporary daughter-inw like Su Manhan and her daughter, as long as they didn¡¯t fight in front of him.

    But now, Qiao Jing¡¯s actions didn¡¯t look too good.

    As Zhan Yao thought this, Zhan Yuanshan posted a voice message over a minute long in the chat.

    ¡°All of you stop gossiping for no reason! Did any of you actually see them do anything ambiguous? Jing Girl just went out with that Xu boy, so what? Are you saying she¡¯s not allowed to have contact with other men after getting married? You alwaysin behind my back that I¡¯m old-fashioned and feudal, but I think it¡¯s you who are! What kind of society do we live in? Hmph!¡±

    As soon as the old man said this, the group chat quieted down instantly.

    A few secondster, Su Manhan @Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Did you see them doing anything inappropriate?¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei was lurking in screen.

    In fact, he had been watching since Zhan Nanqing posted the photo in the group chat.

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips, thinking that since only she and Lou Xinrou had seen it, as long as the two of them kept their mouths shut, even if they fabricated lies, no one else would know.

    With this thought, Zhan Nanqing boldly immediatelyposed and sent a message to the group chat.

    ¡°I think I saw them holding hands.¡±

 Chapter 12 - 11 Zhan Qipei Cant Control His Own Eyes

    Chapter 12: Chapter 11 Zhan Qipei Can¡¯t Control His Own Eyes

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned dark instantaneously, and even the phone in his hand creaked under his grip.

    ¡°Boss, the document¡ªthis document is urgently awaiting your signature.¡± Tang Yan said, steeling himself.

    Tang Yan¡¯s words interrupted Zhan Qipei¡¯s train of thought. After rposing himself, Zhan Qipei¡¯splexion slowly returned to normal.

    What on earth was he thinking just now? Who Qiao Jing associated with or whom she got close to, what did it have to do with him?

    Zhan Qipei tossed the phone aside, took the document from Tang Yan, and just as he was about to pick up the pen to sign, a ¡°ding¡ª¡± sounded.

    A new message had arrived.

    Zhan Qipei kept his posture ready to sign and didn¡¯t move. Three secondster, he nced at the cell phone screen.

    It was a voice message from Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Boss, about the document¡ª¡± Tang Yan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he saw Zhan Qipei set down the document in his hand, pick up the phone, and y the voice message.

    ¡°Nanqing, since when did you start lying? Seeming to hold hands? How is that possible? I know Jing Girl very well; she doesn¡¯t even spare a nce for your brother, so how could she take a fancy to the Xu family¡¯s boy?!¡±

    Upon hearing this voice message, Zhan Qipei rarely twitched the corner of his eye.

    However, upon careful reflection, it seemed indeed just as Zhan Yuanshan said. The girl had been indifferent and aloof towards him, actingpletely like a stranger.

    For the past couple of days, Zhan Nanqing had been incessantly murmuring in his ear about how Qiao Jing was deliberately putting on that cool and unruly facade, ying hard to get.

    To be honest, with his unique insight into people and things, he actually felt that was the genuine nature of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Boss?¡± Tang Yan called out anxiously again.

    His voice broke through Zhan Qipei¡¯s thoughts.

    Forget it, why think so much about it¡ªafter all, she was only his legal wife for 100 days. After those 100 days, it would be back to each their own path.

    Zhan Qipei pushed all these thoughts out of his mind and picked up the document, scrutinizing it carefully.

    This document primarily concerned therge-scale shopping mall soon to be established, and the specific rted matters and procedures.

    ¡°Is everything arranged for the welfare institute?¡±

    The location they had chosen was centered around the Angel Welfare Institute, radiating outward.

    ¡°It¡¯s being processed. It should be resolved by this afternoon at thetest,¡± Tang Yan replied.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhan Qipei responded faintly, then proceeded to sign the document.

    The scene shifts.

    Pedestrian street.

    In front of Baoda Xiang Department Store, Xu Moqian was festooned with dozens ofrge and small packages, attracting the attention of many passersby.

    Indeed, there were a few others on the street juggling a number of shopping bags, but only Xu Moqian, who was simultaneously handsome, posh-looking, and resembling a coolie, stood out, hence attracting the curious gazes of many.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are we continuing to shop?¡± Xu Moqian asked, looking pitifully at Qiao Jing.

    Indeed, all women around the world were alike. Even the super boss Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t escape from this trait, perhaps even more so.

    Ordinary women ¡°choose¡± clothes.

    When Qiao Jing chose clothes, she would just buy whatever she liked on the spot, without the dilemma of whether to choose this one or that one.

    ¡°The clothes for the kids are all bought, but we still haven¡¯t purchased the clothes for the teachers and staff at the welfare institute,¡± Qiao Jing said, ncing at the shopping bags Xu Moqian was holding.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t carry anymore; I¡¯ll take these to the car first.¡± Xu Moqian felt like his hands were about to break.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, ¡°Giving up already with just this much? I told you, you should exercise more regrly.¡±

    ¡°Uh, Sister Jing, let me tell you, you must never tell a man he can¡¯t handle something. That could really sting. Especially if you ever meet a man you like in the future, you definitely can¡¯t say that, or else¡ªtsk tsk tsk¡ªyou¡¯ll be the one to suffer, heh heh!¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian a speechless look. ¡°If your racing skills were one-tenth as good as your chattiness, you wouldn¡¯t have lost the racest month at Pan Mountain.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, you shouldn¡¯t hit someone where it hurts,¡± Xu Moqian said with an awkward smile, ¡°so I¡¯m going to have to ask Sister Jing to help me win it back next month, to get some revenge.¡±

    ¡°Put the stuff in the car first.¡± Qiao Jing nced at the shopping bag on Xu Moqian and headed towards another mall.

    Qiao Jing arrived at a women¡¯s clothing store on the second floor, a brand whose clothes she quite liked, but she still needed to be selective. After all, she was purchasing for the teachers at the Angel Welfare Institute, and some styles were too extravagant and unsuitable for them to wear.

    Just as Qiao Jing picked up a piece of clothing, she heard an incredibly sarcastic voice.

    ¡°Yo! Isn¡¯t this Qiao Jing? The little girl from the countryside.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, as light as morning mist, and she turned to look. Two girls hade in, one of whom was the child of the woman her father married after her own mother, Qiao Mengtong.

    It was almostughable that she and this girl shared the same birthday.

    Qiao Jing thought of her pitiful mother who never knew her husband had been unfaithful before she died.

    Not only that, after she grew up and gained the ability to do so, she had someone investigate. Just three days after her mother¡¯s death, the Qiao Family brought the woman they had kept on the outside back home.

    That same night, they threw her into a snowhole in the countryside to make room for this new woman and her child.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t responding, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s temper as a young mistress red up instantaneously.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you. Are you deaf?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Qiao Mengtong without expression and then handed over several clothes she had chosen to the sales associate.

    ¡°I want these pieces.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pack these for you,¡± the sales associate was about to pack them when Qiao Mengtong grabbed hold of the clothes, ¡°I¡¯m taking these pieces!¡±

    The sales associate started to feel ufortable, ¡°Sorry, miss, these clothes were chosen by thatdy.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Qiao Mengtong sneered at Qiao Jing before telling the sales associate, ¡°Let me tell you, she¡¯s a bumpkin from the countryside, an orphan with no parents. Look at the rags she¡¯s wearing. Do you think she has the money to buy your clothes? I guarantee you, when it¡¯s time for her to pay, she will definitely say she doesn¡¯t want them, making you busy for nothing. You¡¯ll have to tidy these clothes up again and put them back.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Mengtong say this, the sales associate began to have doubts. She had been a sales associate for seven or eight years, and she had encountered what Qiao Mengtong mentioned before.

    She had observed Qiao Jing¡¯s outfit earlier, but Qiao Jing had an outstanding temperament, which led her to guess that the other party might be a low-profile wealthy woman.

    With this in mind, the sales associate looked at Qiao Jing again, ¡°Miss, are you sure you still¡ª¡±

    The sales associate hadn¡¯t finished her words when she saw Qiao Jing bring over several more pieces of clothing and ce them on the counter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take these too,¡± she said and continued to pick clothes.

    The sales associate, seeing the dozen or so pieces of clothing on the counter, didn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡°This is hrious!¡± Qiao Mengtong intentionally raised her voice, speaking to her friend Zhou Qi, ¡°What does she think this ce is? This is a high-end mall, where clothes in this store start with four digits. She¡¯s grabbing so much at once; can she even afford them?¡±

    Zhou Qi chimed in, ¡°Some people just love to pretend when they have no money.¡±

    Their voices were loud enough for everyone in the store to hear. After hearing their words, the customers looked at Qiao Jing with strange expressions.

    Qiao Mengtong caught all of these reactions in her eyes and sent a look of disdain and provocation towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced at the time, finding it too troublesome to pick out clothes, so she said to the sales associate, ¡°I¡¯ll take all the clothes in the store, pack them up now. Someone wille to pick them upter.¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Qiao Mengtong burst outughing holding her stomach, and Zhou Qi also scoffed withughter.

    ¡°So funny! Taking everything? Do you have that much money?¡± Qiao Mengtong mocked Qiao Jing while looking at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re annoying, like a sparrow, chirping away incessantly,¡± Qiao Jing pushed past Qiao Mengtong in front of her and took out her phone to scan and pay.

    ¡°Who did you call a sparrow?¡± Qiao Mengtong came up angrily next to Qiao Jing, her gaze falling on Qiao Jing¡¯s phone.

    Well, this is it! Pretending to be rich, are you? Today, I¡¯m going to watch you y the part.

    Waiting for you to not be able to swipe!

    A ¡°ding¡ª¡± sound.

 Chapter 13 - 12: Qiao Mengtongs Utter Shamelessness

    Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Qiao Mengtong¡¯s Utter Shamelessness

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The card was sessfully swiped.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Mengtong was dumbfounded on the spot.

    Zhou Qi, too, had the same expression as Qiao Mengtong, both with eyes widened, staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, scarcely able to believe their eyes.

    They imed they had never seen so much money in their entire lives!

    ¡°Tongtong, what¡ªwhat¡¯s going on? You¡ªyou didn¡¯t say she was from the countryside?¡± Zhou Qi stuttered, barely able to speak.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes suddenly widened as she looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°I know now! It¡¯s all true! Everything is true!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s true?¡± Zhou Qi waspletely befuddled.

    Qiao Mengtong saw Qiao Jing walking away and didn¡¯t have time to answer her question. She quickly chased after and blocked Qiao Jing¡¯s path.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, did you really marry into the Zhan Family? No wonder, I was thinking, how could you afford toe to this kind of ce?¡±

    ¡°What¡ªThe Zhan Family?!¡± Zhou Qi was so shocked she almost bit her own tongue.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be so surprised about. I heard from my mother before, the old man who adopted Qiao Jing was lucky, having once saved the life of the Zhan Family¡¯s old master when he was young, and for that, the two families arranged a marriage. That countryside old man had neither son nor daughter, so Qiao Jing got lucky. But it¡¯s only for 100 days, and if after 100 days the Zhan Family doesn¡¯t want to keep her, she¡¯ll have to roll out of there,¡± exined Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± Zhou Qi suddenly realized, with less shock in her eyes. In her view, it was impossible for the Zhan Family to actually let someone like Qiao Jing, a country bumpkin, into their home.

    The reason they agreed to let Qiao Jing into the home temporarily was just because the elites needed face¡ªthey couldn¡¯t renege on what they had agreed to, so they temporarily took Qiao Jing in.

    ¡°Who would have thought, the Zhan Family would actually give you money to spend. That¡¯s right, although you¡¯re only marrying into the Zhan Family for 100 days, during those 100 days, you are still half a Zhan. As the top elite family in the capital, how could they tolerate you dressing like this, ruining their reputation?¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Mengtong extended her hand in front of Qiao Jing, ¡°I have no money to spend, give me all the rest of your money.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand and spoke coldly, ¡°Are all the people from the Qiao Family so thick-skinned?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Qiao Mengtong red at Qiao Jing with wide eyes.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the truth? My money, why should I give it to you? In my view, you¡¯re not even as good as a street beggar, at least they have skills, while you rely on being arrogant and overbearing,¡± Qiao Jing said sharply.

    ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªyou¡ª¡± Qiao Mengtong was so angry she couldn¡¯t get her words out.

    ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was cold.

    ¡°You want me to move, so I¡¯ll move? I refuse to!¡± Qiao Mengtong¡¯s behavior at this moment perfectly disyed a spoiled rich heiress¡¯s capriciousness, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, Qiao Jing, although you¡¯re a wild child raised outside by our Qiao Family, the blood running through your veins is from our Qiao Family. Without our Qiao Family, where would you be? So today, you must give me the money!¡±

    Wow! Really shameless! Xu Moqian internally scoffed.

    Actually, Xu Moqian had arrived early, but seeing the situation inside, it seemed he didn¡¯t need to help, so he didn¡¯te in.

    He had always known that the Qiao Family¡¯s people had thick skins, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to be this brazen.

    Listening to what Qiao Mengtong had just said, it didn¡¯t touch the word ¡°reason¡± at all.

    ¡°You¡¯re really annoying!¡± Qiao Jing impatiently pushed Qiao Mengtong away.

    This time Qiao Jing used strength, directly pushing Qiao Mengtong backward, causing her to finally fall on her bottom.

    Qiao Mengtong was wearing a mini skirt, and now in this position, it was quite indecent.

    Qiao Mengtong covered her skirt frantically as she scrambled up from the ground, yelling at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, apologize to me, give me the money! Otherwise, I¡¯ll go back and tell mom and dad that you bullied me. Then you can forget abouting back to our Qiao Family!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong thought her words would make Qiao Jing regret her recent acts, but in fact, Qiao Jing walked away as if she hadn¡¯t heard a thing, her steps never pausing for a moment.

    Did she really not care?

    Impossible!

    Qiao Mengtong immediately dismissed her own thought.

    ¡°I know now!¡±

    Qiao Jing must think that after 100 days, she would still be able to stay with the Zhan Family.

    As if a toad lusting after a swan¡¯s flesh¡ªthinking just because she¡¯s attractive, she can seduce the one in power of the Zhan Family?

    Did she think the upper ss would be so shallow?

    What wishful thinking!

    No, she couldn¡¯t ept this. The Zhan Family must have given her a lot of money, and she needed to go back and tell her parents to ask Qiao Jing for it.

    Otherwise, with Qiao Jing¡¯s extravagant spending, it wouldn¡¯t take long before she¡¯d have blown through all the money the Zhan Family had given her.

    With this in mind, Qiao Mengtong hurried home.

    At the Qiao Family¡¯s.

    ¡°What did you say? Qiao Jing really married into the Zhan Family?!¡± Qiao Licheng eximed in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, dad, I saw it with my own eyes, Qiao Jing in the pedestrian street mall, she just bought out all the clothes in the store.¡±

    ¡°That girl, such a big matter as marriage, and she did it without uttering a word.¡± Qiao Licheng said through gritted teeth.

    A few years before, when he had learned about Qiao Jing¡¯s engagement to the head of the Zhan Family, he immediately sent the housekeeper to the countryside to fetch Qiao Jing, but she did not appreciate it.

    He had no choice but to go there in person when he found the time. But the girl wouldn¡¯t even call him ¡°dad,¡± let alone let him through the door.

    He was so angry at the time!

    He had hoped to benefit from Qiao Jing¡¯s marriage into the Zhan Family, but all his ns had fallen through because of her.

    ¡°Dad, you go talk to her. After all, you¡¯re her real father, I think she still has a lot of money on her. She will definitely give it to you if you ask,¡± Qiao Mengtong was now solely focused on Qiao Jing¡¯s money.

    With so much money, if she could get a share, she could buy a lot of beautiful clothes, expensive bags, and various luxury goods.

    The more she thought about it, the more delighted she became, and the more determined she was to get Qiao Jing¡¯s money!

    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll call her right now.¡±

    Qiao Licheng dialed Qiao Jing¡¯s number, and after about ten seconds, the call connected, followed by a detached female voiceing through the phone.

    ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Licheng nearly died of anger.

    ¡°I¡¯m your father!¡±

    This girl, truly unfilial, always asking him who he is every time he calls her? Doesn¡¯t she know to save his number?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent tone took on a touch of estrangement.

    Qiao Licheng was instantly furious.

    ¡°Is this how you speak to me? You¡ª¡± Before Qiao Licheng could finish, Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°Nothing else? Then I¡¯m hanging up.¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡± Qiao Licheng suddenly bellowed, ¡°You, transfer the money the Zhan Family gave you to me! What does a girl like you need with so much money? I¡¯ll save it for you.¡±

    ¡°The Zhan Family didn¡¯t give me any money, I¡¯m using my own money.¡±

    ¡°Your own money? Ha! Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the money you made from farming. Even with your little patch ofnd in the countryside, you couldn¡¯t get rich even if you farmed it your whole life! Cut the crap, I still have business to take care of at thepany and don¡¯t have time to argue with you, just transfer the money to me¡ª¡±

    After Qiao Licheng had ranted for a while, he realized there was no response from the phone.

    He took the phone away from his ear to look and almost spat blood in anger.

    The girl had hung up on him at some point.

    Truly an unfilial beast!

    Qiao Licheng redialed the number, and if it weren¡¯t for the money, he really wouldn¡¯t want to waste another word on Qiao Jing.

    The phone connected once again.

    This time, before Qiao Licheng could speak, Qiao Jing¡¯s cold, ruthless voice was already speaking.

    ¡°If you bother me again, I¡¯ll take the matter of your abandoning me and report it to the police station for the record!¡±

 Chapter 14 - 13: Qiao Jing Clashes with People from Zhan Corporation

    Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Qiao Jing shes with People from Zhan Corporation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s heart trembled fiercely, his face going pale, ¡°You, you dare!¡±

    The words were harsh, but his tone was weak.

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡± The phone hung up again.

    Qiao Jing kicked her phone back into her pocket and looked up ahead.

    The Angel Welfare Institute had arrived.

    This ce held memories of her peers.

    It all began when she was six years old, and Grandpa Zhang fell seriously ill and had toe to the city for surgery.

    At that time, Grandpa Zhang and the director of the orphanage were old friends, so he had her stay in the orphanage.

    There, she met many homelesspanions with whom she yed, ate, and slept.

    It was beautiful and warm.

    As Qiao Jing was lost in thought, she saw a girl walking out of the orphanage.

    It was Xiuxiang, her best friend from the orphanage days.

    As an adult, Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t bear to leave and had stayed to be a teacher.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao!¡± Xiuxiang, upon seeing Qiao Jing, hurried forward excitedly and hugged her. ¡°You finally came to see me. I thought you¡¯d stay in the countryside forever and nevere back.¡±

    ¡°How could I? I just stayed in the countryside for this period,¡± Qiao Jing replied with a smile.

    ¡°Right, you¡¯re just doing research. So, how¡¯s your research going? Any results?¡± Xiuxiang asked with concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s nearly finished. If nothing goes wrong, it should be sessful,¡± Qiao Jing said cautiously.

    ¡°Haha! When you say that, it must be a sure thing! Oh my! The whole empire will be buzzed by your research achievements soon! Just thinking about it excites me!¡±

    ¡°How is everyone?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all good.¡±

    The two chatted as they walked into the orphanage.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Don¡¯t just chat! Help me carry some of this stuff!¡± Moqian, struggling with bags and bags of stuff, looked at Qiao Jing and Xiuxiang with a intive expression.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s strong.¡± Xiuxiang said, pulling Qiao Jing inside.

    Moqian was speechless!

    Thinking that he, the esteemed young master of the Xu Family, the future CEO of Xu Corporation, had been reduced to a bag carrier, what karma had led to this!

    Despite hisints, he still did his job swiftly.

    ¡°Moqian, after you put the things down, go and buy some vegetables,¡± Xiuxiang looked back and instructed Moqian.

    Moqian immediately objected, ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Qiao Qiao just said that she¡¯s cooking today, making us a meal,¡± Xiuxiang interjected.

    Hearing this, Moqian¡¯s eyes lit up, practically drooling with enthusiasm.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way to buy them!¡±

    The food that Qiao Jing cooked was so delicious that even five-star chefs couldn¡¯tpare, and Moqian, as the young master of the Xu Family, had eaten every delicacy imaginable. Yet, he particrly loved Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking, showing just how supreme her culinary skills were.

    After Moqian left, Qiao Jing went to Xiuxiang¡¯s room, and they started chatting idly.

    While they were enjoying their conversation, suddenly, amotion arose outside.

    As soon as Qiao Jing opened the door, she saw the children huddled in a corner shaking in fear, some even bursting into loud cries.

    What had happened?

    ¡°Could it be that they havee?¡± Xiuxiang¡¯s face turned pale as she looked toward the gate of the orphanage.

    ¡°Who hase?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    Xiuxiang bit her lip, struggling with whether or not to tell Qiao Jing about the situation.

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Just as Qiao Jing asked, a loudspeaker voice came from outside.

    ¡°Attention, everyone inside,e out. This ce has been purchased by Zhan Corporation. We¡¯ve given you several days¡¯ grace. Every day of grace means a day¡¯s loss for us. I told you all three days ago, today is thest day! If you don¡¯te out now, I¡¯ll have this ce torn down!¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing immediately rushed out.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao!¡± Xiuxiang followed her out.

    As soon as Qiao Jing appeared, she was recognized by the middle-aged man holding the loudspeaker.

    This middle-aged man was none other than Director Chen Zhiyi, the marketing director of Zhan Corporation.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had their wedding day there, and he was there, having seen Qiao Jing.

    ¡°How could she be here?¡± Chen Zhiyi muttered to himself.

    It was just a simple doubt, and he didn¡¯t really pay much attention to Qiao Jing. Because to them, Qiao Jing was just a temporary boss¡¯ wife, whom their bosspletely disregarded.

    This was evident as Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t shown up on the wedding day itself.

    Qiao Jing eyed the bulldozer parked in front of the welfare institute, her brows furrowing immediately as she turned to look at Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°What exactly is going on?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang realized she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore and exined everything in great detail.

    ¡°Zhan Corporation had its eyes on this ce, nning to develop a shopping mall. After the new director received the money, he never showed up again. We couldn¡¯t bear to leave, and the children were even more unwilling, so we kept dying until today. They initially said it would be tomorrow; how did it be today?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s eyes reddened, tears almost falling in her urgency.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s usually calm face was flushed with rage.

    This ce held her beautiful childhood memories. Here, she met the kind old director, her caring friends, and the swing she yed on¡­ This ce gradually made her open up and act like a normal person,ughing and ying.

    Now, someone was trying to destroy her precious memories, and she absolutely couldn¡¯t tolerate it!

    ¡°Zhan Corporation¡­¡± The words left Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, cold enough to freeze.

    Qiao Jing stood up, her gaze settling on Chen Zhiyi, recognizing him as someone significant.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, and I won¡¯t allow anyone to demolish this ce.¡±

    Chen Zhiyi scoffed internally, thinking she really considered herself important? Bah! Just an unworldly country girl.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, this is an order from President Zhan, please step aside.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡­ Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her eyes, a cool glint appearing.

    ¡°No matter who it is, today I stand here, I dare you to demolish!¡±

    Chen Zhiyi disdainfully nced at Qiao Jing, unwilling to waste words, and waved his hand to let his men in, intending to drive everyone out.

    Qiao Jing stepped forward, blocking the entrance to the welfare institute.

    ¡°This¡ª¡± His men turned back to look at Chen Zhiyi.

    ¡°What are you all hesitating for? Subdue her, and the rest rush in.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    One of the men reached out to grab Qiao Jing, but before he could touch her, Qiao Jing had already grabbed him.

    Upon grabbing him, Qiao Jing immediately performed a shoulder throw, tossing the man out.

    This scene shocked everyone present.

    Chen Zhiyi¡¯s eyes widened at Qiao Jing, astonished that this girl from the countryside knew some martial arts.

    ¡°Go! All together, just don¡¯t injure her.¡±

    As soon as themand was given, five or six people rushed toward Qiao Jing.

    Lin Xiuxiang anxiously called Xu Moqian, pleading him to hurry over.

    Three minutester, Qiao Jing hadid everyone t.

    Chen Zhiyi called in more people, but seeing how adept Qiao Jing was, he felt these men might still not be a match for her. It seemed he only had the option to request elite bodyguards from Zhan¡¯s Corporation.

    In the President¡¯s office of Zhan Corporation, Tang Yan received the call from Chen Zhiyi.

    ¡°What? The Lady is blocking the entrance of the welfare institute?¡±

    Hearing Tang Yan¡¯s voice, Zhan Qipei stopped his work and looked up.

    ¡°Calling in the elite bodyguards? Wait a moment.¡± Tang Yan put down the phone, turning to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Boss, there is a problem from Director Chen¡¯s side. The Lady is blocking the welfare institute and won¡¯t let us demolish.¡±

    ¡°Pull her aside.¡± Zhan Qipei said indifferently before continuing his work.

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s that the people Director Chen took there were all knocked down by Lady.¡±

    Tang Yan finished speaking and then noticed an indescribable change in Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression.

    ¡°All of them were knocked down?¡± Zhan Qipei tossed the file aside, dropping it to the floor without a second thought.

    Was he denying that he had once saved her? Saying she had been frail since childhood, surely it couldn¡¯t have been her who knocked down those two assassins?

    ¡°Start the video!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tang Yan took the phone back, ¡°Director Chen, the boss says to start the video.¡±

    As soon as Tang Yan finished speaking, the phone was taken by Zhan Qipei.

    The video connected and an image appeared.

    The next moment, someone reached out toward Qiao Jing¡¯s hair.

 Chapter 15 - 14: Who Hurt You?

    Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Who Hurt You?

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind immediately tensed up, and his thin lips pressed into a tight, arcless line of ice.

    At this critical moment, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t retreat but advanced, moving so quickly she resembled an arrow released from its bow and appeared in front of the adversary with a swoosh, decisively kicking and sending the person to the ground.

    Then, in a quick pounce, she raised her foot and stepped on the opponent¡¯s chest, looking down with an expressionless cold voice, ¡°The thing I hate the most is someone touching my hair.¡±

    Moreover, in Qiao Jing¡¯s opinion, any man who pulls a woman¡¯s hair is no good!

    In the president¡¯s office, Zhan Qipei had stood up at some point, his pupils trembling and widening as he stared at the slender and rebellious figure on the screen.

    The more he watched, the more the figure ovepped and merged with the one in his mind.

    After a brief silence, Zhan Qipei grabbed the suit jacket hanging beside him and strode towards the door.

    Thepany wasn¡¯t far from the Angel Welfare Institute¡ªZhan Qipei arrived in ten minutes.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei, Chen Zhiyi cast a look at Qiao Jing, as if watching a good show unfold.

    A country girl really thinks she¡¯s transformed from a sparrow to a phoenix by marrying into the Zhan Family? Now that you¡¯ve offended President Zhan, just wait for his fury.

    While Chen Zhiyi was thinking this, Zhan Qipei had already made his way quickly to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± As soon as he began to speak, Zhan Qipei caught sight of Qiao Jing¡¯s bleeding hand from the corner of his eye.

    Seeing the bright red blood, Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart suddenly clenched, and he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Who hurt you?¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned, then looked at her own hand.

    She was indeed bleeding, and she hadn¡¯t even noticed until Zhan Qipei mentioned it. She probably scraped it during the fight.

    Just then, Xu Moqian drove back.

    ¡°Sister Jing! Are you alright?¡± Xu Moqian looked down and immediately noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s injured hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt! Damn it!¡± Xu Moqian¡¯s anger zed as he pulled Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, positioning her behind him, and red furiously at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You may not care about her, but what right do you have to hurt her? Her hands are too valuable, if anything really happened to her, even if your Zhan Family exhausted all its wealth, it would be useless!¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Xu Moqian, who stood in front of Qiao Jing, with a frosty expression, ¡°Move aside.¡±

    Xu Moqian rolled up his sleeves, ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of you? If you have the guts, fight me!¡±

    ¡°Move aside, I have no time to waste words with you right now,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze moved past Xu Moqian,nding on Qiao Jing, ¡°I have something to say to you.¡±

    ¡°Still want to bully her? Have you asked me?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Moqian¡¯s fist went hurtling towards Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to block it, then grasped Xu Moqian¡¯s fist.

    Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t in a hurry to withdraw his hand but insteadshed out with a kick towards Zhan Qipei¡¯s leg.

    Zhan Qipei was about to counterattack, but the injury on his leg wasn¡¯t fully healed; while normal walking wasn¡¯t affected, fighting was a different story. Just as Xu Moqian¡¯s foot was about to connect, a clear female voice suddenly rang out.

    ¡°Moqian, stop fighting,¡± at Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian halted.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you?¡± Xu Moqian didn¡¯t understand¡ªwas Qiao Jing nning to handle it herself?

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, ¡°I also have something to say to you.¡±

    ¡°Get in my car,¡± Zhan Qipei walked to the car, opened the door, and after Qiao Jing got in, went around to the other side and got in as well.

    The car¡¯s windows were one-way transparent; those inside could see out, but those outside couldn¡¯t see in.

    ¡°Angel Institute¡ª¡± before Qiao Jing could finish, her hand was seized by Zhan Qipei, who took out a first-aid kit to treat her wound.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, ¡°Listen to me first.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt and still bleeding, let me stop the bleeding first,¡± Zhan Qipei reached for Qiao Jing¡¯s hand again.

 Chapter 16 - 15: Do You Doubt That I Am The One Who Saved You?

    Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Do You Doubt That I Am The One Who Saved You?

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Jing directly brought her hand behind her back, a stubborn look adding to her attractive features, ¡°Listen to me first, the orphanage¡ª¡±

    ¡°I promise you, I won¡¯t demolish the orphanage, now give me your hand,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s face showed a helpless expression.

    He agreed to her just like that? Was it that simple?

    Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei with suspicion.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing refused to bring out her hand, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t wait any longer and forcefully pulled her hand from behind her back.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious, don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯ll scab over soon,¡± Qiao Jing said, looking at the back of her hand.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed, ignoring Qiao Jing¡¯s words and continued treating her wound.

    During the treatment, his actions were very gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing kept scrutinizing Zhan Qipei with a doubtful gaze, always feeling that he was acting strange today.

    Just as the wound was dealt with, Qiao Jing attempted to withdraw her hand, only to find the man holding onto it without letting go.

    ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sickly and weak? It seems like you took down those people,¡± Zhan Qipei said with his piercing ck eyes intently staring at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils shrank slightly as she replied without changing her expression, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why my grandpa sent me to the martial arts school. To learn some basic moves, to strengthen the body, and for self-defense. Is there a conflict in that?¡±

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to continue questioning, Qiao Jing turned the tables and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not suspecting me of being the person who saved you, are you?¡±

    After Qiao Jing asked, she noticed doubt had crept into his investigative gaze.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it you?¡± Zhan Qipei countered.

    Qiao Jing disyed an exasperated expression, ¡°I¡¯ve exined everything I needed to. The person you mentioned isn¡¯t me, I¡¯ve already said that. And I believe you¡¯ve investigated as well. The day you were saved, I had been picked up by your mother.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve indeed investigated. But perhaps there was a discrepancy in time¡­¡± Zhan Qipei trailed off, starting to sound unsure.

    ¡°Fine, then assume I was the one who saved you,¡± Qiao Jing said, ¡°Since I saved you, you owe me. Give me five billion, your life is worth that much money.¡±

    Asking him for money? The girl who saved him did a good deed without leaving her name, noble in character, surely couldn¡¯t be the Qiao Jing in front of him.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face revealed a cold smile, ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m looking for her?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she saved you, and you want to repay the debt?¡±

    ¡°Wrong. It¡¯s because she did something unforgivable to me, and I want her to pay for it!¡± That was what Zhan Qipei kept in his heart.

    Hearing these words, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    She had guessed that Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t looking for her just to express his gratitude. She¡¯d realized this while operating on the man.

    That look in his eyes, as if he wanted to devour her, was something she remembered vividly to this day.

    ¡°So you still admit you are her, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been saying I¡¯m not her, you just refuse to believe it,¡± Qiao Jing saidzily, leaning against the car door and propping her chin with one hand.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with disdain, ¡°Five billion, you don¡¯t want it?¡±

    ¡°Just five billion, I have my own.¡±

    Qiao Jing was telling the truth, but to Zhan Qipei, it sounded like a joke.

    Outside the car, Chen Zhiyi paced back and forth anxiously, ncing at the car from time to time.

    What exactly was happening inside? Chen Zhiyi no longer dared to think positively. The anxious expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face when he had arrived was troubling enough.

    What was really going on? Chen Zhiyi couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    Wasn¡¯t their boss not fond of this country bride? He hadn¡¯t even shown up at the wedding. It was unlikely that the boss woulde all this way specially for this country woman, right?

    Just as Chen Zhiyi was fraught with anxiety, the car door opened, and Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing got out.

    Xu Moqian immediately came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, his worried gaze sweeping up and down her body as if he was ready to fight Zhan Qipei to the death if even a single hair on Qiao Jing¡¯s head was harmed.

    The way Xu Moqian was acting made Zhan Qipei¡¯s teeth itch with irritation.

    Even if he did not like Qiao Jing, she was, after all, his legal wife. Xu Moqian¡¯s concern for Qiao Jing made him feel like he was wearing a huge grasnd on his head.

    ¡°Sister Jing, he didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡± Xu Moqian asked, looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, we just talked about the welfare institute.¡±

    ¡°How did it go? Is it settled? If it isn¡¯t, I can ask my dad to intervene. If my dad isn¡¯t enough, my grandpa¡¯s influence should do it. If they still don¡¯t give face, then you can reveal¡ª¡± Xu Moqian, while speaking, caught Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp re.

    ¡°Cough cough, you can reveal your status as the granddaughter-inw of the Zhan Family and go to Zhan Qipei¡¯s grandfather. He likes you so much, he will surely make decisions on your behalf,¡± Xu Moqian quickly corrected himself.

    Xu Moqian stealthily nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, and seeing no particr reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief internally.

    Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian a look, signaling him to be careful with his words.

    Xu Moqian stealthily made an ¡°ok¡± gesture to Qiao Jing and zipped his lips with his fingers.

    Zhan Qipei caught their subtle interaction, his expression darkening, lips pursed tightly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve known each other for a long time?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we met in university,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Back then, Xu Moqian was the school¡¯s mischievous heartthrob, while she had just be a professor.

    On the first day Xu Moqian had seen her, he had written her a love letter and even sent flowers. Later, he started calling her Sister Jing, his affection turning into admiration.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression grew darker and darker. ¡°Qiao Jing, I remind you, we may only have 100 days, but during these 100 days, you better behave yourself,¡± he warned.

    When Zhan Qipei said this, he gave Xu Moqian a sidelong nce.

    ¡°It¡¯s not 100 days now; there are 93 days left,¡± Qiao Jing corrected him clearly.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest visibly heaved. Then, without another look at Qiao Jing, he turned and walked away.

    After he reached the side of the car and noticed Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t followed, he turned his head.

    Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian wereughing and walking shoulder to shoulder into the welfare institute.

    Zhan Qipei was so angry he felt a raging fire in his chest and growled lowly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

 Chapter 17 - 16: Zhan Qipeis Furious Defense of Qiao Jing

    Chapter 17: Chapter 16: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Furious Defense of Qiao Jing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Hearing Zhan Qipei calling her, Qiao Jing turned back in confusion and spoke lightly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going back?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, holding back his anger.

    ¡°I am spending today with the children, so I will not be going back.¡± Having said that, Qiao Jing ignored Zhan Qipei and continued to walk into the orphanage,ughing and talking with Xu Moqian and Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I bought some beef, I want to eat the spicy beef you make.¡±

    ¡°Okay, no problem.¡±

    ¡°I also bought some ribs, make some braised pork ribs too.¡±

    ¡°Can do.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood outside the door, so angry he could explode.

    He yanked open the car door and got in with a dark expression.

    A momentter, Zhan Qipei btedly realized that something was very wrong with himself.

    Did Qiao Jing have anything to do with him?

    The answer: absolutely nothing.

    If that was the case, why was he so angry?

    After all, in 93 days, no, make that 93 days, everything would be back to its own course, and whoever she liked to be with was none of his business?

    Damn it!

    Although he thought this way, he was still infuriated.

    93 days!!!

    How could she remember so clearly? She remembered even more clearly than he did!

    The more Zhan Qipei thought about it, the more stifled he felt, the angrier he became.

    At that moment, Chen Zhiyi cautiously approached.

    ¡°President Zhan¡­so, the orphanage really won¡¯t be demolished?¡±

    His project, which he had managed to secure, was ended because of Qiao Jing?

    Just as Chen Zhiyi was feeling unwilling to ept this, Zhan Qipei turned his head and looked at him. His gaze was chilling and filled with endless danger, causing Chen Zhiyi to shudder in fright.

    ¡°Who hurt her just now?¡±

    Hearing this, Chen Zhiyi¡¯s heart thumped wildly, vaguely understanding something, and quickly turned to his subordinates, ¡°Who hurt her? Come out voluntarily!¡±

    Chen Zhiyi was not bad at reading people¡¯s expressions, and his subordinates were not fools either. They also noticed their boss¡¯s care and importance towards Qiao Jing.

    Everyone started shivering involuntarily, looking at each other, and no one dared toe forward.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed darkly, and he spoke coldly, ¡°Fire them all. And you¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted to Chen Zhiyi, ¡°You¡¯re quite daring. She is technically my wife byw, and yet you allowed someone toy hands on her, your year-end bonus is cancelled.¡±

    Hearing this, Chen Zhiyi instantly felt defeated.

    It¡¯s over.

    That evening.

    After Qiao Jing made a big table of dishes, she sent a picture to her circle of friends.

    Zhan Qipei had just sat down for dinner when he heard the notification sound from his phone.

    He took out his phone and saw that it was Qiao Jing¡¯s post on her circle of friends.

    ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Zhan Qipei muttered to himself before setting the phone aside.

    Three secondster, he picked up the phone again.

    He opened it to look.

    Arge table filled with dishes looked even more appetizing than those on his own table.

    Did she make all this?

    Zhan Qipei stared at the picture of the delicious food and couldn¡¯t help but swallow.

    ¡°Brother, time to eat,¡± Zhan Nanqing passed the chopsticks to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei put down his phone, picked up a piece of beef and looked at it, recalling what Xu Moqian had said to Qiao Jing earlier.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I bought some beef, I want to eat the spicy beef you make.¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipei staring at the beef without eating, Zhan Nanqing asked in confusion, ¡°Is there something wrong with this beef?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Zhan Qipei gathered his thoughts and put the beef into his mouth, wondering as he ate whether the beef made by Qiao Jing was tastier or the beef in his mouth.

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone again and opened the post Qiao Jing had sent to her circle of friends earlier.

    Two minutes not looking, and already several hundred people had liked Qiao Jing¡¯s post.

    She was that popr?

    Not just likes, but many people were alsomenting.

    ¡°Ahhh, I really want to eat Boss¡¯s cooking! Boss¡¯s food is the best I¡¯ve ever had! (crying emoji)¡±

    ¡°Stop, my saliva is already dropping three thousand feet.¡±

    ¡°Send the location, I¡¯ming right now.¡± Thisment was posted by Zhan Yuanshan.

    Zhan Qipei also saw a familiar name, Xu Hongzu.

    Grandfather of Xu Moqian.

    Xu Hongzu replied to Xu Moqian: ¡°Stinky boy, Xiao Jing is cooking herself, and you didn¡¯t even call me?¡±

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei was immediately overwhelmed with surprise. Xu Hongzu was an agricultural scientist in their empire, second only to Professor Qiao, and was always busy at the research institute. He had only visited the hospital once, even when his grandfather was sick. Now, he was actually skipping work for a meal cooked by Qiao Jing.

    He had previously suspected that there might be an unknown secret between Qiao Jing and Professor Qiao, and now he was even more certain of it. But in this situation, Xu Hongzu was actually putting aside his work to rush for a meal cooked by Qiao Jing. Could it really be just because Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was delicious?

    Zhan Qipei thought it was unlikely. How could such an influential figure be so unambitious?

    He knew it!

    It must be because of Xu Moqian¡¯s face. Xu Moqian had been approaching Qiao Jing all day, obviously with ulterior motives. Xu Hongzu must value Qiao Jing so much because he wanted Qiao Jing to be his granddaughter-inw.

    This woman really knew how to attract bees and butterflies!

    ¡°Brother, have you seen Qiao Jing? Isn¡¯t it strange? It¡¯s sote, usually she would have been back by now,¡± Zhan Nanqing said while looking towards the door.

    ¡°Who cares what she¡¯s doing? It¡¯s good if she doesn¡¯te back. Better if she neveres back!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were fiercely burning with anger.

    Hearing what Zhan Qipei said, Zhan Nanqing was thrilled inside and added, ¡°Right! Better she neveres back!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing then shared Zhan Qipei¡¯s exact words with Lou Xinrou.

    After hearing them, Lou Xinrou felt secretly delighted; this meant Qiao Jing posed no threat to her.

    ¡°Xinrou, you¡¯re going to the research institute tomorrow, aren¡¯t you?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked.

    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t seen my second uncle in a long time. I¡¯m nning to prepare some soup and take it to him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow. It¡¯s Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, and maybe with good luck, I¡¯ll encounter her,¡± Zhan Nanqing said.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    The next day.

    Early in the morning.

    Aftering out of his room, Zhan Qipei¡¯s first action was to look towards Qiao Jing¡¯s room. The door was shut tightly, making it impossible to tell if she hade back.

    Zhan Qipei went to the entryway and opened the shoe cab; the shoes Qiao Jing wore out yesterday were not there.

    She had note back.

    She still hadn¡¯t returned!

    Was she wild?

    Continuing with the anger from yesterday, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face instantly filled with shadows.

    ¡°If you can, then nevere back!¡±

    First thing in the morning, Qiao Jing had gone to the research institute.

    ¡°Professor Qiao.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Professor Qiao.¡±

    ¡°Professor Qiao, good morning.¡±

    One by one, the talented young people inb uniforms greeted Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hmm, good morning,¡± Qiao Jing nodded politely.

    When Xu Hongzu heard that Qiao Jing had arrived, he was immediately excited and came out to greet her.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, you finally came! The new corn variety you¡¯re researching is about to seed!¡±

    Hearing this, a rare look of joy appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°I had someone bring over the newly harvested corn from Autumn Water Vige;e and take a look.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Once Qiao Jing dove into her work, she could getpletely absorbed, to the extent of forgoing sleep and food.

    It wasn¡¯t until four in the afternoon that Qiao Jing finally stepped away from her work state.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; I¡¯m going back first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± Xu Hongzu said, taking off his gloves.

    ¡°No need, you continue your research,¡± Qiao Jing said, and without waiting for Xu Hongzu, she walked directly out of theb.

    Xu Hongzu knew Qiao Jing¡¯s character well. Despite his significant status, he never acted pretentiously toward others. Thus, more than Qiao Jing¡¯s talent, Xu Hongzu admired this trait.

    Talented and young, yet not frivolous. Neither arrogant nor rash, modest and restrained.

    ¡°What a good kid!¡± Xu Hongzu sighed, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure.

    ¡°It¡¯s just too bad this child doesn¡¯t think highly of my grandson, ah¡ª after all, my grandson, impulsive and rash, really doesn¡¯t match up to Xiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Cough cough!¡± Xu Moqian cleared his throat, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m still here.¡±

    Xu Hongzu rolled his eyes at Xu Moqian, exasperated, ¡°Why are you still here? Truly useless, after so long you still haven¡¯t won her over.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my fault! Sister Jing just doesn¡¯t give me any chances. If she did, of course I¡¯d be willing to marry her.¡±

    ¡°Marry? She¡¯s already Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s granddaughter-inw!¡± Just thinking about this made Xu Hongzu¡¯s head ache.

    Xu Hongzu and Zhan Yuanshan were childhood friends. Even though they grew up together, they were alwayspeting fiercely.

    It was strange to think about it; the two shared many simr interests and loves, even in their youth, they both fell for the same woman at the same time.

    Xu Moqian watched Xu Hongzu¡¯s face change faster than flipping a book and smacked his lips secretly.

    Having lost to the old master of the Zhan family as a romantic rival in his own youth, now he would let him snatch away.

    Qiao Jing was no ordinary woman, and whether it was him or Zhan Qipei, neither of them stood a chance. His instinct told him that she didn¡¯t regard either of them.

    The scene shifted.

    Just as Qiao Jing had left the research institute, she saw two familiar people getting out of a car.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked in surprise.

 Chapter 18 - 17: Mistaking Qiao Jing for a Cleaner, The Big Twist

    Chapter 18: Chapter 17: Mistaking Qiao Jing for a Cleaner, The Big Twist

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Just now, she had seen Qiao Jinging out of the research institute with her own eyes, which belonged to the agriculturist, Professor Qiao!

    Suddenly, Zhan Nanqing remembered the day a while back when she and her mom had picked up Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had made a phone call, telling someone to look after those corns and had mentioned something about boosting agricultural development to new heights once sessful.

    Qiao Jing shared the same surname as Professor Qiao. Could there really be some connection between them?

    Impossible, right? If Qiao Jing really had a connection to Professor Qiao, then why hadn¡¯t she mentioned a word about it?

    If she had said something, then her status in the Zhan Family would have been different.

    So Qiao Jing definitely had no rtionship with Professor Qiao!

    When Zhan Nanqing reached this conclusion, her gaze fell on the garbage bag that Qiao Jing was holding.

    ¡°I get it now, you¡¯re a janitor here, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing with disdain and said.

    Qiao Jing looked down at the garbage bag in her hand, just a moment ago, she had seen that it was full and had casually decided to take it out to throw away, but Zhan Nanqing had misunderstood her for a janitor.

    A misunderstanding was fine; it saved her the hassle of exining.

    Lou Xinrou curled her lips disdainfully, thinking that a country girl who was also a janitor didn¡¯t deserve to be her rival in love.

    Inside the research institute, Xu Moqian saw everything and took out his phone to make a call.

    ¡°Manager Lou, I saw your niece bullying Sister Jing¡­¡±

    After watching Qiao Jing leave in a taxi, Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou scoffed in disdain in unison.

    ¡°Masquerading as what! A country bumpkin thinking she is all that just because she works at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? She¡¯s just a janitor! You¡¯re different, Xinrou. Your Second Uncle is the manager of the research institute. When you see your Second Uncleter, have him fire Qiao Jing! Once she loses her job, we¡¯ll see if she can continue to put on airs!¡±

    Lou Xinrou thought exactly the same, even drafting in her mind the scene of Qiao Jing being fired by theb, begging her for mercy with a face no longer cool and indifferent but crying. Then she¡¯d make a condition for Qiao Jing to stay away from her Brother Pei.

    ¡°Xinrou, let¡¯s not bother with her and go inside,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, linking arms with Lou Xinrou and walking toward the research institute.

    But as soon as they reached the entrance, they were stopped by the security guard.

    ¡°This is Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute; no entry for non-staff members.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Are you blind? Xinrou has been here several times before, and you never stopped her. What¡¯s wrong with you now, got an issue?¡± Zhan Nanqing red up in anger.

    Lou Xinrou was utterly confused as she looked at the security guard. He wasn¡¯t new; she had seen him several times before and he shouldn¡¯t fail to recognize her.

    ¡°I said no entry, means no entry!¡± The security guard kept a stern face and continued to block Lou Xinrou and Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing put her hands on her hips, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve! Daring to block us, do you not know who she is? Her Second Uncle is the manager of this research institute! Who gave you the guts to block us?¡±

    ¡°I did!¡± Apanied by this deep voice, a man in the research institute¡¯s uniform came out.

    ¡°Second Uncle!¡± Lou Xinrou called out to the middle-aged man.

    Manager Lou red at Lou Xinrou impatiently, ¡°Go home! And don¡¯te back!¡±

    This girl, she sure had the nerve! Daring to cause trouble for Professor Qiao! He had almost lost this great job because of her.

    Startled by Manager Lou¡¯s shout, Lou Xinrou was dumbfounded.

    Ever since she was a child, her Second Uncle doted on her more than her own father and had never shouted at her before.

    ¡°Second Uncle, what happened?¡±

    ¡°You still have the nerve to ask me? You¡ª¡± Manager Lou looked at Lou Xinrou indignantly, wishing he could let her know whom she had just offended if not for the inconvenience of disclosing Qiao Jing¡¯s identity.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like exining to you. Go back now, and don¡¯t show up here again!¡±

    Lou Xinrou had tears in her eyes out of urgency; she could sense that her Second Uncle was angry, but she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong.

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t watch anymore, ¡°Second Uncle Lou, how can you be like this? Xinrou especially cooked soup toe see you, and she¡¯s just been bullied by that country girl, Qiao Jing, who is arrogant, crude, and disgusting! Second Uncle Lou, she just works as a janitor in the institute, please fire her!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was too wrapped up in saying her piece to notice the shock and anger flitting across Manager Lou¡¯s face.

    ¡°All of you, leave! The next time any of you dares toe, I¡¯ll have you thrown out! Especially you, Zhan Nanqing. Don¡¯t think that just because you are the young miss of the Zhan Family I wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to you! Humph!¡±

    Manager Lou was so angry his mustache almost twisted. Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t just his immediate superior, but also the person he admired the most in his life. To hear someone berate Qiao Jing right in front of him was unbearable!

    He, because of Lou Xinrou, had tolerated so much. If Xu Hongzu had heard what had been said just now, this matter surely wouldn¡¯t have ended so simply.

    Manager Lou stormed back into the research institute, and before entering, he repeatedly instructed the security guard to definitely not let them in.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou stood there dumbfounded, staring nkly at the closed doors of the research institute, utterly bewildered.

    As night fell and the city lights came on,

    Zhan Qipei returned to Purple Garden only to find Qiao Jing¡¯s shoes still absent from the shoe cab, and his face instantly frosted over.

    It seemed she had chosen to run wild outside and note back!

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei felt an indefinable mix of suffocation and anger.

    Just then, he saw a green taxi pull up.

    Was it her returning?

 Chapter 19 - 18: To Beat Qiao Jing to Death

    Chapter 19: Chapter 18: To Beat Qiao Jing to Death

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t bother changing his shoes and walked towards the vi¡¯s main entrance in hisrge leather boots.

    Before he reached the entrance, he saw Qiao Jing getting out of the car after pushing the car door open.

    She actually knows toe back!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to push the gate open and enter, she caught sight from the corner of her eye of a private car stopping beside her, and two people got out of the car.

    Qiao Mengtong and her grandmother, Jhiang Cuifeng.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s wrinkled old face visibly turned unsightly.

    This clearly showed how much she despised Qiao Jing.

    Jhiang Cuifeng then turned to look at Purple Garden next to her¡ªthe greed in her gleaming old eyesid bare her vain nature for all to see.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you actually married into this family.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had not met Qiao Jing¡¯s family, but judging from the situation, he could roughly guess. Considering the circumstances, it was inconvenient for him to approach, so he stood by and watched.

    Then he saw Qiao Jing not even giving Jhiang Cuifeng an extra nce and directly walked into the vi.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡± Jhiang Cuifeng called out to Qiao Jing sharply.

    ¡°You fool! Are you blind? Didn¡¯t you expect me toe? You¡¯ve lived all these years with no manners or upbringing at all!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned around, her face expressionless as she looked at Jhiang Cuifeng, ¡°You start by calling me a fool, and I¡¯m the one with no manners or upbringing, so where are your manners and education?¡±

    ¡°You dare speak to me like this?¡± Jhiang Cuifeng was so angry she jabbed her cane into the ground.

    ¡°I believe I am quite well-mannered, but it varies with the person. If others are friendly to me, then I am also friendly. If someone barks at me for no reason, I usually ignore it. But I have my limits, don¡¯t make me angry,¡± Qiao Jing said, her words growing colder towards the end.

    ¡°You brat, you fool¡ª¡± Jhiang Cuifeng trembled with anger, unable to articte aplete sentence.

    Qiao Jing nced at Jhiang Cuifeng indifferently and turned to enter the vi.

    Seeing Qiao Jing leaving, Qiao Mengtong quickly shook Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s arm, ¡°Grandma, grandma! She¡¯s leaving! Call her back quickly!¡±

    Reminded by Qiao Mengtong, Jhiang Cuifeng remembered the purpose of their visit.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, stop right there! Did I say you could leave?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong worked with Jhiang Cuifeng to stop Qiao Jing.

    ¡°If you have something to say, just say it!¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was weary, and impatience surged through her faintly furrowed brows.

    Jhiang Cuifeng, leaning on her cane, moved forward and cut to the chase, ¡°I heard from Tongtong that the Zhan Family gave you a lot of money, hand it over!¡±

    At this, Qiao Jing realized they thought the money was from the Zhan Family.

    Seeing Qiao Jing showing no intention of handing over the money, Jhiang Cuifeng immediately lost her temper.

    ¡°You little wretch, what do you need all that money for? Tongtong said you bought out an entire store¡¯s worth of clothes. You¡¯re simply a squanderer! How did our Qiao Family even produce a wastrel like you!¡±

    The thought of all that money going to waste made Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s heart ache.

    ¡°The money is not from the Zhan Family; it¡¯s mine. I can spend my own money however I want, it has nothing to do with your Qiao Family.¡± Qiao Jing looked at Jhiang Cuifeng with a distant expression.

    ¡°What? It has nothing to do with our Qiao Family? Without me, would you have your father? Without your father, where would you be? Your dad¡¯spany is having some financial difficulties right now. Hand over the money, and don¡¯t me me for being heartless. Just keep a hundred or two for yourself to spend, and give me the rest!¡±

    ¡°Heh¡ª¡± Qiao Jing scoffed, amused by Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s shamelessness.

    ¡°My time is precious, and I don¡¯t want to waste it on you. Move aside.¡±

    ¡°You dare not give it!¡± Jhiang Cuifeng pointed at Qiao Jing with her cane, ¡°Qiao Jing, your father can¡¯t get the funds he needs, how can you be so selfish? You are his flesh and blood, how can you refuse to help? If you don¡¯t give it to me today, I will beat you to death!¡±

    Zhan Qipei found Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s words utterly shattering his values.

    He knew the Qiao Family wasn¡¯t worth anything, but he never expected them to be so utterly shameless!

    Facing Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s threats and intimidation, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even lift an eyelid, just looking at her coldly and indifferently.

    To Jhiang Cuifeng, Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude was an outright provocation.

    ¡°You little wretch, let¡¯s see how I discipline you today!¡± Jhiang Cuifeng swung her cane aiming for Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. Just as she was about to do something, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the cane.

 Chapter 20 - 19 Zhan Qipei Tastes Qiao Jings Noodles for the First Time

    Chapter 20: Chapter 19 Zhan Qipei Tastes Qiao Jing¡¯s Noodles for the First Time

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at the neer and upon seeing Zhan Qipei, surprise shed through her icy eyes before gradually turning into an indescribableplexity.

    ¡°Who are you to meddle in my family¡¯s business?¡± Jhiang Cuifeng stood up and started to make a scene at Zhan Qipei.

    Standing to the side, Qiao Mengtong stared at Zhan Qipei with a lovesick gaze, almost drooling from the corner of her mouth.

    Zhan Qipei forcefully snatched the crutch from Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s hand and threw it outside the door.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s temper red up, cursing as she shouted, ¡°Who the hell are you? Telling me to get out? Who do you think you are? By what right are you telling me to leave?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes were chilly, his thin lips cool, his face showing danger, ¡°Simply because I am the master of Purple Garden!¡±

    His words scared Jhiang Cuifeng to nearly shatter in fright.

    First in shock, then in delight, Qiao Mengtong thought she¡¯d never have any interaction with the president of the Zhan Corporation in her life, yet today she had met him. Even more surprising to her was that this man wasn¡¯t a middle-aged man with a beer belly but rather an irresistible force that eclipsed even the youthful and seasoned talents of the entertainment circle.

    This stunningly handsome face, it was too dashing!

    And that perfect inverted triangle body, those long legs, it was simply bewitching!

    At this thought, Qiao Mengtong could no longer control her legs and came over to Zhan Qipei with an infatuated expression.

    Flirting and acting pretentiously, ¡°Um, it wasn¡¯t my grandmother¡¯s intention, please forgive her. I¡¯m willing to do anything if you¡¯ll just forgive her.¡±

    Qiao Jing was genuinely disgusted by Qiao Mengtong¡¯s flirty behavior, and she turned to leave.

    Zhan Qipei slightly turned his head to look behind him, She just left like that? She didn¡¯t see someone was trying to seduce him?

    Just then, Qiao Mengtong, thinking Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t paying attention, pretended to trip over her left foot with her right and lunged at Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Mengtong thought she would get her desired embrace, but just as she was about to fall onto Zhan Qipei, he suddenly stepped to the side.

    With a loud ¡°thud,¡± Qiao Mengtong face-nted on the ground in a way that resembled a dog scooping up its meal, pain making her gnash her teeth and her body convulse.

    Qiao Jing heard themotion, turned to look back, and lifted her eyebrows slightly, with a three-pointed lukewarm smile in her eyes.

    To Qiao Mengtong, that look from Qiao Jing was sheer mockery. Rage consumed her, and she gritted her teeth and shouted at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you selfish and despicable woman! Just you wait, I will have my father personally teach you a lesson!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed, revealing a dangerous glint.

    ¡°Get lost.¡± The chilling word came from the man¡¯s thin lips, and immediately a frightening atmosphere enveloped the area.

    Scared, Qiao Mengtong scrambled up from the ground and, only after seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark, ominous face, realized what a terrifying entity she had provoked.

    She really had been blinded by his attractiveness!

    He was the head of the Zhan Corporation, Zhan Qipei! Rumor had it he was decisive and swift, earning the nickname Yama Raja.

    How dared she provoke him? Wasn¡¯t this seeking her own death?

    As she ran away supporting Jhiang Cuifeng, Qiao Mengtong cursed Qiao Jing in her heart.

    She hoped Qiao Jing would one day unwittingly offend Zhan Qipei and be severely punished by him! Let him ridicule her, let him confront her! Humph!

    As night fell, the weather turned even gloomier than usual.

    Standing at the doorway, Qiao Jing looked skyward and murmured, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to rain.¡±

    Seated on the sofa, Zhan Qipei had just heard her voice and was about to turn around to look at Qiao Jing when the sound of pouring rain ¡°pattering¡± echoed down.

    It really started raining?

    Moreover, it was raining heavily. The torrential downpour formed a curtain of rain at the entrance, blocking out the view outside.

    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡± The phone vibrated.

    It was a call from his mother, Su Manhan.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Qipei, it¡¯s raining too heavily, your dad and I won¡¯t being back home tonight.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    No sooner had he hung up than Zhan Qipei received a call from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Bro, Xinrou got scolded by her second uncle and is feeling down. I¡¯ll stay at her ce, don¡¯t wait for me for dinner tonight.¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it? Bro, Xinrou is your childhood sweetheart, and you¡¯re not even going to ask why she was scolded by Second Uncle Lou?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s her family business, when have you ever seen me being gossipy?¡± Zhan Qipei truly had no interest. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging u¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Nanqing blurted out quickly, fearing Zhan Qipei was really going to hang up.

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei stopped the action of hanging up and put his phone back to his ear. Simultaneously, his gaze fell upon Qiao Jing, who was standing at the door.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Today, Xinrou and I went to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, and we saw Qiao Jing there.¡±

    Qiao Jing appeared at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? Zhan Qipei thought of several clues he had previously captured and once again affirmed his suspicion.

    Qiao Jing and Professor Qiao indeed had secrets unknown to others.

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect it, but it turns out Qiao Jing was doing cleaning at the research institute!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome brow furrowed.

    She was doing cleaning?

    So the rtionship between her and Professor Qiao was merely this?

    ¡°Exactly! Xinrou and I saw with our own eyes Qiao Jing carrying a trash baging out of the institute.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say it with such certainty, Zhan Qipei no longer doubted that Qiao Jing was doing cleaning.

    Zhan Nanqing continued, ¡°After that, Xinrou¡¯s Second Uncle came out, I don¡¯t know what happened, but he got angry at Xinrou¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei had long since treated Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words like wind passing by his ears, entering one ear and exiting the other.

    He inwardly chuckled thinking he had suspected Qiao Jing to be the girl who had saved him, not just once but several times.

    How could the girl with such excellent medical skills possibly do cleaning at a research institute?

    The rain poured harder and swept into the room.

    Qiao Jing closed the door and came inside.

    After confirming that Qiao Jing was definitely not that girl, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze towards her turned indifferent.

    ¡°They won¡¯t be back tonight.¡±

    ¡°With such heavy rain, is Auntie Zhang stilling to cook?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    Zhan Qipei looked outside through the window, where the downpour made nearly everything invisible.

    ¡°It¡¯s better not to have here over in such heavy rain. Auntie Zhang is not young anymore, what if something happens on her way here?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked toward Qiao Jing, ¡°If she doesn¡¯te, what will we eat for dinner?¡±

    Qiao Jing opened the fridge, ¡°Although we don¡¯t have a lot of ingredients, it should be enough to make two bowls.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making noodles?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you eat noodles?¡± Qiao Jing turned her head to ask.

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Zhan Qipei said indifferently.

    Following that, Qiao Jing took the ingredients and headed to the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze followed Qiao Jing into the kitchen; he then remembered the spread of dishes Qiao Jing had posted on her social circle yesterday.

    Did Qiao Jing really make all those dishes herself?

    While pondering, Zhan Qipei opened hisptop, nning to finish some work before the noodles were ready.

    However, it didn¡¯t take long before he smelled the aroma wafting from the kitchen.

    The scent eroded his focus incrementally, and his eyes uncontrobly drifted towards the kitchen doorway.

    After a full three minutes of internal struggle, Zhan Qipei closed hisptop, got up, and walked to the kitchen doorway.

    Qiao Jing wore an apron around her, her long hair tied behind her. She scooped up a spoonful of soup, gently blew on it, then took a sip. A satisfied and blissful smile appeared on her face, shallow and soft and sweet¡­

    Zhan Qipei was so entranced he almost left his body.

    Upon snapping back to reality, his brows suddenly knit together.

    What was he doing, losing himself like that?

    She was Qiao Jing, not the girl who had saved him.

    He had made a secret vow long ago that only that girl could enter the Zhan family¡¯s door in this lifetime.

    It wasn¡¯t too long before the noodles were ready.

    Qiao Jing carried the noodles out, ¡°Carry your own bowl.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing started to eat her noodles without any regard for him.

    ¡°Do you really have the nerve?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned pale as he twitched the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°I made the noodles, and I still have to bring them to you? You are not my anyone. Whatever you think. If you don¡¯t carry them, then you don¡¯t eat. I might not even have enough,¡± said Qiao Jing, not pausing her eating as she spoke.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s instincts told him that if he didn¡¯t get them himself, Qiao Jing might really finish the bowl in the kitchen as well.

    Deciding not to fuss with Qiao Jing, he went into the kitchen and carried out his noodles.

    Looking at the noodles in the bowl, he thought of thements from yesterday¡¯s social circle, all of them praising how delicious Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was.

    Is it really that tasty?

    Zhan Qipei picked up a few strands of noodles with his chopsticks and put them into his mouth.

 Chapter 21 - 20: Qiao Jing Captivated Zhan Qipeis Appetite

    Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Qiao Jing Captivated Zhan Qipei¡¯s Appetite

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    His pupils suddenly lit up.

    He truly hadn¡¯t expected that a simple bowl of noodles could taste better than the dishes made by a five-star chef using the most expensive ingredients!

    Zhan Qipei slurped another mouthful of noodles and took a sip of the soup.

    The more he ate, the more addictive it became!

    As he continued eating, Zhan Qipei thought about the dinner Qiao Jing had shared on social media yesterday.

    If just a bowl of noodles was this delicious, wouldn¡¯t that spread of dishes be even tastier?

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but envy Xu Moqian.

    Listening to what Xu Moqian said to Qiao Jing yesterday, it seemed he had enjoyed her cooking more than once, whereas Zhan Qipei had only ever had these noodles.

    Of course, the thought of asking Qiao Jing to cook a meal for him was something he could never bring himself to say.

    Zhan Qipei stared at the noodles in his bowl, his eyebrows drawing together.

    If it weren¡¯t for the special circumstances today, he probably wouldn¡¯t have had this chance to taste the noodles made by Qiao Jing.

    In the future¡­

    It was very unlikely he would get to eat anything made by Qiao Jing again.

    Hmph! As if he cared! He wasn¡¯t the type to be tempted by food and reduced to superficial cravings.

    The next morning, Zhan Qipei had barely woken up when he caught the rich aroma wafting in from the kitchen.

    Drawn by the tantalizing scent, his long legs carried him uncontrobly down the stairs, toward the kitchen.

    ¡°What are you cooking?¡± Zhan Qipei managed to say, resisting the primal urge to swallow his saliva.

    ¡°Corn porridge. Last time at the hospital, didn¡¯t your grandfather say he wanted some? I made a bit,¡± Qiao Jing said as she transferred the porridge from the pot to a thermal container.

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing was about to pour all the porridge and hastily interjected, ¡°Don¡¯t put so much, he won¡¯t be able to finish it by himself; it¡¯ll be a waste.¡±

    At his words, Qiao Jing stopped pouring.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, your grandfather reallycks self-control. Every time I bring him food, he forces himself to finish it even if he can¡¯t, and then his stomach ends up feeling ufortable.¡±

    Criticizing his grandfather forcking self-control? There probably weren¡¯t more than a handful of people in the world who dared say that about his grandfather.

    Qiao Jing, holding the thermal container, left the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen door, she turned back to look at Zhan Qipei, ¡°I remember you don¡¯t eat porridge, so don¡¯t waste the leftovers. Feed it to the dog for me, will you?¡±

    Qiao Jing only realized Zhan Qipei was about to eat the porridge after she finished speaking.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned incredibly odd; holding the porridge he was neither to drink nor to leave untouched.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Qiao Jing cleared her throat, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, I just remember that you never eat porridge for breakfast, so I thought you didn¡¯t like it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei bit his back teeth and continued to hold the porridge. It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Jing had left that he took a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

    Though he wasn¡¯t particrly fond of porridge, he couldn¡¯t deny that the porridge made by Qiao Jing was truly delicious!

    After drinking two small bowls, Zhan Qipei went to get more, only to find it all gone, and his face darkened instantly.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have made a little more?¡±

    In the hospital VIP ward.

    Zhan Yuanshan, having finished all the porridge in the thermal container, contentedly wiped his mouth.

    ¡°Nothing beats the food you make, Jing Girl!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s protruding belly, recalling what Zhan Qipei had said that morning.

    Luckily she hadn¡¯t filled the thermal container.

    ¡°Jing Girl, how are things between you and my grandson?¡± Zhan Yuanshan asked, peering at Qiao Jing with old, wise eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be disappointed, but there¡¯s no spark between us. So, it¡¯s the same as I¡¯ve always said, a twisted melon is never sweet.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s brows furrowed deeply, pondering. It didn¡¯t make sense. His grandson had been around Qiao Jing for a while now; the boy wasn¡¯t blind. Before, he might not have recognized Qiao Jing¡¯s virtues, but over a dozen days had passed, he must have seen what made her special.

    He had it!

    Zhan Yuanshan pped his thigh, pulled out his phone, and immediately sent a voice message to the family group chat.

    ¡°Qipei, now that you¡¯re married, it¡¯s not convenient to keep living with your parents. Move out today and find a ce with Jing Girl.¡±

    Peeling an apple, Qiao Jing paused and looked up at Zhan Yuanshan.

    Zhan Qipei @Zhan Yuanshan, ¡°Grandfather, I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan, ¡°As for where to move, that kind of thing should be up to the wife. Let Jing Girl choose the ce.¡±

    Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to vent his frustration, Zhan Yuanshan sent over a photo of a window.

    ¡°This building doesn¡¯t look very high, do you think if I jump down, I¡¯llnd safely on the ground?¡±

    Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    With no other choice, Zhan Qipei had topromise.

    ¡°Brother! This must have been Qiao Jing¡¯s idea! Wasn¡¯t it too coincidental that as soon as Qiao Jing went to the hospital, Grandfather asked you two to move out together? It must be Qiao Jing whispering in his ear. She thinks being alone with you will start a zing fire! Brother, you must hold your ground,¡± said Zhan Nanqing, growing increasingly annoyed as she spoke.

    Touching his chin, Zhan Qipei, to be honest, had an inkling that this had nothing to do with Qiao Jing, because her attitude towards him didn¡¯t convey the slightest bit of affection.

    Thoughts of this inexplicably soured his mood.

    Even though the situation was what he wanted, he was still irritated.

    After leaving the hospital, Qiao Jing hailed a taxi, ready to look for a house near the Angel Welfare Institute.

    In truth, she had long been nning to find a ce near the Angel Welfare Institute, it would be convenient for visiting Lin Xiuxiang and the children.

    Qiao Jing unlocked her phone and started downloading the 85 City app to search for houses.

    At that moment, the driver suddenly swerved hard, causing Qiao Jing¡¯s phone to fly out of her hands.

    Not caring about her phone, Qiao Jing grabbed the door handle and looked ahead.

    A red Ferrari was losing control and heading straight for the taxi she was in.

 Chapter 22 - 21: Kiss Up

    Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Kiss Up

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Fortunately, the driver was experienced and had good reflexes. After a furious turn of the steering wheel, he narrowly avoided disaster.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± the red Ferrari hit the roadside greenery and came to a stop.

    The damage to the car didn¡¯t appear too severe, and theoretically, the owner should have been alright. However, a full minute passed, and still, the Ferrari owner did not emerge from the car.

    Qiao Jing realized the seriousness of the situation and didn¡¯t dy any longer. She quickly pushed open her car door, got out, and went over to the Ferrari.

    Without a word, she directly reached out and pulled open the driver¡¯s door.

    The owner of the Ferrari was a young man, doubled over the steering wheel, clutching his stomach, and convulsing.

    ¡°Hey! Are you okay?¡± she called out.

    The Ferrari owner struggled to lift his face from the steering wheel, revealing delicate facial features and a strong jawline.

    Qiao Jing felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

    ¡°Take me, take me to the hospital. I, I¡­ appendicitis¡­¡± he managed to say.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Qiao Jing rushed the Ferrari owner to the hospital.

    They arrived somewhatte, and his condition was very serious; he already had a perforation. Worried, Qiao Jing wasted no more time and personally went into the operating room to perform surgery on the Ferrari owner.

    After the Ferrari owner woke up, Qiao Jing was already gone.

    ¡°Knock knock knock¡ª¡± the sound of knocking on the door echoed.

    Turning his head toward the door, the Ferrari owner said, ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had just been in a meeting when he suddenly received a call from Zhan Ruiting, informing him of the ident.

    ¡°Do you feel any better?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Zhan Ruiting sighed, ¡°Physically, I¡¯ve recovered, but emotionally¡ª¡± he began.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Zhan Ruiting¡¯s chest without waiting for Zhan Ruiting¡¯s question, and Zhan Ruiting preemptively spoke up.

    ¡°Cousin, I have fallen for someone,¡± he confessed.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhan Qipei looked at Zhan Ruiting with an expression of surprise.

    ¡°She saved me and operated on me. I couldn¡¯t control my feelings and fell deeply in love,¡± Zhan Ruiting held his heart, with the image of the girl¡¯s cool and gorgeous face overwhelming his thoughts.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t think Zhan Ruiting was joking and asked with curiosity, ¡°You mentioned before that a girl saved you. Are you talking about her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her! I never imagined she would turn out to be a doctor at this hospital. You don¡¯t know, the way she operated on me was so cool and impressive!¡±

    Hearing Zhan Ruiting talk like this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s thoughts drifted back to ten days prior. The girl ignoring his protests, insistently pulling down his pants to operate.

    ¡°Right, cousin, I¡¯m sorry. I had exams abroad and was too stressed to fly back for your wedding. I¡¯ll attend the next time you get married,¡± Zhan Ruiting apologized.

    In Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes, his cousin¡¯s country-bred wife would have nothing to do with the Zhan Family once the agreed time was up, so he hadn¡¯t taken this wedding to heart.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Zhan Qipei responded indifferently.

    Zhan Ruiting knew Zhan Qipei well under normal circumstances. If he teased his cousin like this, his cousin would surely retort with something. But what did he just hear now?

    ¡°Mhm?¡±

    His cousin had simply agreed?

    ¡°Cousin! Do you have someone you like?¡± Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes widened as he gazed at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth curled up, subtly acknowledging it.

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes opened even wider in response.

    ¡°No way! Is it for real? May I ask which Fairy deigned to descend to earth and caught your eye?¡±

    Zhan Qipei and Zhan Ruiting had been close since childhood, and they would share many things without keeping secrets.

    Thus, Zhan Qipei recounted the events of ten days earlier to Zhan Ruiting.

    After listening, Zhan Ruiting¡¯s gaze immediately fell to the area between Zhan Qipei¡¯s legs.

    ¡°Really, really shaved?¡±

    This future cousin-inw was truly fierce!

    ¡°You¡¯re focusing on the wrong thing,¡± Zhan Qipei remarked, his face showing a rare hint of embarrassment.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ªright, right, the main point isn¡¯t that. So, did you find her, cousin?¡± As soon as Zhan Ruiting asked, he noticed the darkening expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    Without needing an answer, it was clear she hadn¡¯t been found.

    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. Now that I know, I¡¯ll definitely help you look for her,¡± Zhan Ruiting promised earnestly.

    Just then, Zhan Ruiting had a sudden thought.

    ¡°Cousin, do you think the girl has been avoiding you because she knows you¡¯re married?¡± he spected.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils immediately lit up. How had he not considered that before?

    Indeed, he was too close to the matter!

    While the possibility was strong, due to the concerns with Zhan Yuanshan, he couldn¡¯t immediately divorce Qiao Jing.

    At that moment, the nurse walked in.

    ¡°Visiting hours are over, the patient needs to rest.¡±

    Zhan Ruiting quickly asked, ¡°The doctor who treated me, why isn¡¯t sheing?¡±

    ¡°You mean Doctor Qiao? She has left,¡± the nurse replied.

    Doctor Qiao? Last name Qiao? Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows knitted together, what a coincidence.

    ¡°Will shee tomorrow?¡± Zhan Ruiting looked at the nurse and asked.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao is very responsible towards every patient. Since she was the lead surgeon for your operation, she shoulde back tomorrow.¡±

    Great!

    Zhan Ruiting was so excited that he almost jumped out of bed, ¡°Cousin, you muste tomorrow! I¡¯ll let you see how good my taste is!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see, I¡¯ll try to make some time toe over tomorrow.¡±

    If it were someone else, Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t bother wasting time. But he had a good rtionship with Zhan Ruiting, they were cousins, yet closer than brothers.

    Since it concerned Zhan Ruiting¡¯s life-long happiness, it was necessary for him to step in on his behalf.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting for you!¡± Zhan Ruiting chuckled excitedly, looking forward to tomorrow.

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± The phone vibrated. Zhan Qipei took out his phone, it was a call from Qiao Jing.

    He tapped and answered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve found a nice apartment, Nantai Apartment. Do you want toe and see it?¡± Qiao Jing was standing on the balcony of the apartment, looking towards the Angel Welfare Institute right across. She really liked this location.

    Even though the apartment was slightly shabby and barely mid-range, and the area wasn¡¯t particrlyrge, she was quite pleased with the overallyout.

    ¡°An apartment?¡± Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°Not a vi?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re notfortable with the house, go find one yourself. But I won¡¯t move, I¡¯m only staying here,¡± Qiao Jing said before she walked to the sofa in the living room and sat down.

    Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth and drove towards the apartment.

    This woman was really domineering. Relying on their grandfather taking her side, she dared to make decisions on her own without discussing with him.

    If he¡¯s not satisfied with the living ceter, he definitely won¡¯t move in!

    ¡°Ding-dong¡ª¡±

    Hearing the doorbell, Qiao Jing guessed that Zhan Qipei had arrived, got up, and went to open the door.

    After Zhan Qipei came in, he looked at the interioryout, and his expression immediately soured.

    It was too small, simply not enough for him to move around.

    Moreover, there was only one living room and two bedrooms. In his opinion, Qiao Jing took one room, and he didn¡¯t even have a study. How was he supposed to work?

    What Zhan Qipei found most uneptable was that there was only one bathroom and toilet. This meant that for the uing period, he and Qiao Jing would have to share the bathroom and toilet.

    ¡°This won¡¯t do, pick somewhere else,¡± Zhan Qipei turned around to leave.

    Just as he turned around, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice followed.

    ¡°Suit yourself, wherever you want to stay has nothing to do with me.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Are you intent on staying here?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently with a slight raise of her faintly mist-like brows.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest notably heaved, and his face gradually became frosty.

    ¡°What if I refuse to live here, huh?¡±

    ¡°As I said, suit yourself. You can discuss it with your grandfather yourself.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s wordspletely enraged Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Are you using grandfather to threaten me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I was just reminding you,¡± Qiao Jing spoke the truth; the word ¡®threaten¡¯ was too much. She really didn¡¯t mean it that way.

    That¡¯s what Qiao Jing thought, but to Zhan Qipei¡¯s ears, it didn¡¯t sound the same.

    Unable to bear it any longer, Zhan Qipei grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s arm. With a pull and a push, he shoved her against the door.

    With a ¡°thud¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s back hit the cold door, causing a faint ache.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Qipei roared through gritted teeth.

    ¡°What are you freaking out about?¡± Qiao Jing reached to push Zhan Qipei¡¯s shoulders.

    Just then, Xiuxiang entered the password from outside and pushed the door open.

    Qiao Jing, with her back being suddenly pushed, stumbled forward, and, just by chance, her lips pressed against the man¡¯s.

 Chapter 23 - 22 A Moment of Heartflutter

    Chapter 23: Chapter 22 A Moment of Heartflutter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The pupils dted in an instant.

    It wasn¡¯t just Qiao Jing who was stunned, but Zhan Qipei as well.

    In fact,pared to Qiao Jing, the tumultuous waves in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart surged even more intensely.

    Because he actually didn¡¯t repel the girl¡¯s lips touching his, but instead felt an indescribable thrill that shot from his brain to every limb.

    Under this unspeakable stimtion, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands started to have a mind of their own, slowly lifting, intending to wrap around the girl¡¯s waist.

    Just as his fingers were about to touch the girl¡¯s waist, Qiao Jing suddenly came to her senses from her stupor and pushed Zhan Qipei away with one hand, wiping her mouth.

    ¡°Eh¡ªwhy can¡¯t I push it open? Is something stuck?¡± Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s muttering echoed from outside the door.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei who was still in a daze, frowned, then stepped aside to make way for Lin Xiuxiang toe in.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, you¡ª¡± Lin Xiuxiang spoke before noticing Zhan Qipei standing in the room.

    ¡°Um, hello there!¡± Lin Xiuxiang greeted Zhan Qipei.

    Lin Xiuxiang had seen Zhan Qipei before at the entrance to the Angel Welfare Institute, Qiao Jing¡¯s temporary husband.

    Zhan Qipei politely nodded, still looking somewhat bewildered. He pursed his thin lips and his gaze swiftly and discreetly flitted over Qiao Jing¡¯s lips.

    His eyebrows knitted together in thought as he sat down on the sofa. Fingers interlocked and propped against his chin, he pondered the earlier moment when their lips met and the uncontroble desire of his hands to wrap around the girl¡¯s waist. The more he thought, the tighter his brows twisted¡­

    In the end, he concluded that he must be bewitched.

    Lin Xiuxiang came to the French window, looking out, ¡°Wow! Indeed, we can see our welfare institute! Qiao Qiao, you chose such a good spot. This way you can visit the kids more often in the future. If those children knew that you coulde to see them often, they¡¯d be thrilled.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s train of thought was interrupted by Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s words, and he turned his head to look out the French window.

    Is that the welfare institute across the street?

    So that¡¯s why she chose to live here up to now?

    Zhan Qipei had more or less learned about Qiao Jing¡¯s rtionship with the Angel Welfare Institute through the demolition incident that happenedst time.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s grandfather had been ill and hospitalized, and during that time, the young her was sent to the welfare institute, where she had cherished childhood memories.

    Thinking of this, he wasn¡¯t as angry about what Qiao Jing had said earlier.

    It¡¯s just that this ce is really too small.

    Forget it, it¡¯s only the remaining 90 days. Just endure it, and it will be over.

    That evening, upon seeing the four dishes and one soup on the table, Zhan Qipei¡¯s mood instantly brightened.

    ¡°Moving out isn¡¯t too bad,¡± Zhan Qipei said to himself.

    ¡°Go get the chopsticks,¡± Qiao Jing said, carrying the steamed rice out of the kitchen.

    He¡¯s to work? Zhan Qipei paused for a second before silently heading to the kitchen.

    Time to eat!

    He had long wanted to taste just how delicious Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking really was.

    He reached out his chopsticks and picked up a piece of sweet and sour spare rib, cing it in his mouth. Before he could chew and swallow itpletely, his chopsticks stretched out again for a second piece.

    Then he went for other dishes, over and over again.

    His cheeks were constantly puffed up as he ate, his hands busy on the table.

    After tasting a bite of rice, Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t you have lunch?¡±

    The question turned Zhan Qipei¡¯s ears instantly red, though his face still wore his usual serious expression.

    ¡°I ate a little at noon,¡± Zhan Qipei managed to mumble after a while.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently, no longer paying attention to Zhan Qipei and continued with her meal.

    All the dishes and soup were devoured cleanly, without a drop left.

    Zhan Qipei went back to his room, rubbing his slightly protruding belly, feeling a bad premonition¡ªthat if he continued this way, he would end up like one of those potbellied bosses.

    Fortunately, there were only 90 days left with Qiao Jing, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat her cooking after that.

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei felt it was such a shame not to be able to enjoy such delicious meals in the future.

    This thought surfaced, and Zhan Qipei immediately began to doubt himself.

    What¡¯s wrong with him? Why had he be socking in self-respect?

    Then Zhan Qipei tookfort in the fact that even the usually steady Xu Hongzu had lost hisposure over Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking, and he felt somewhat bnced again.

    For the time being, he decided not to think too much about it and go out for a run instead. He didn¡¯t want to be potbellied. What if, in the future, he found that girl and she despised him for his altered physique?

    The next morning.

    As Qiao Jing was preparing to leave, Zhan Qipei had already gone out.

    She had not nned to visit the patient she had operated on herself the day before, because she learned from the hospital phone call that the patient was recovering well.

    Who knew the patient wouldin of feeling unwell today and refuse to let other doctors examine them, insisting on having here over. Since she was free that day, she decided to make the trip, and it would also be a chance to sit in for some consultations.

    In the VIP ward of the hospital.

    Zhan Ruiting asionally peered towards the door, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she arrived yet?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been muttering that for 72 times. Repeating it won¡¯t make her appear,¡± Zhan Qipei retorted after ncing at his watch, then stood up.

    ¡°Cousin, are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve waited with you for twenty minutes, there¡¯s work at thepany, I¡¯m leaving first.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Cous¡ª¡±

    ¡°Knock, knock¡ª¡± A knock on the door sounded twice.

    She¡¯s here!

    Zhan Ruiting looked towards the door excitedly.

    Out of curiosity, Zhan Qipei also turned to look.

 Chapter 24 - 23 Zhan Qipeis Jealousy Completely Spills Over

    Chapter 24: Chapter 23 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Jealousy Completely Spills Over

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The next second, Qiao Jing, d in a white coat, pushed the door open and walked in.

    Disbelief filled Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes; he had never expected Qiao Jing to be the one entering.

    As Zhan Qipei¡¯s brain froze and he couldn¡¯t react, the incredibly excited voice of Zhan Ruiting suddenly rang in his ears.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao! You¡¯re finally here! I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long!¡±

    Qiao Jing had no time for Zhan Ruiting; she was busy staring at Zhan Qipei with a look of utter surprise.

    Why was Zhan Qipei here? Did he know this patient?

    ¡°Doctor Qiao? Qiao¡ª¡± It was in the middle of his excitement that Zhan Ruiting realized something was off. His cousin and Doctor Qiao were looking at each other. What was going on?

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Zhan Ruiting tugged on Zhan Qipei¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Cousin, this is Doctor Qiao I¡¯ve been telling you about, my, that¡ª¡±

    Zhan Ruiting gestured enthusiastically with his eyebrows towards Zhan Qipei as he spoke, meaning to remind him that Qiao Jing was the girl who had made him fall in love at first sight, hinting that he should be a bit more considerate.

    After reading Zhan Ruiting¡¯s intention from his face, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyelids involuntarily twitched twice.

    Remind him? You¡¯re the one who needs reminding!

    ¡°Do you know him?¡± Qiao Jing walked over and asked Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°He¡¯s my uncle¡¯s son, my cousin. He¡¯s been studying abroad and just came back yesterday.¡± Zhan Qipei exined with a dark face.

    ¡°Oh, no wonder he looks somewhat familiar to me,¡± Qiao Jing said after sweeping her gaze back and forth between Zhan Qipei and Zhan Ruiting. Although they didn¡¯t look much alike, she could see there were simrities upon closer inspection.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you working as a janitor at the research institute? How did you be a doctor? Didn¡¯t you say you had knowledge of medicine from being long sick, and only knew a little about medical skills? Just ¡®a little,¡¯ and you¡¯re performing surgeries on patients?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, grinding his teeth, stared at Qiao Jing, full of fiery questions in his gaze, wondering how she would exin all the times she¡¯d fooled him.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei started to suspect once again that Qiao Jing was the girl who had saved him that day.

    Qiao Jing had gone through this several times already, having long cultivated the ability to remain uninvolved and detached.

    ¡°What I did was just minor surgery for appendicitis, which is nowhere near the same level as the bullet removal surgery I mentioned to youst time. And ording to your description, that woman performed your surgery in a rural area, a crude setting. The surgery I performed was in a top-tier hospital in the capital, with equipment worlds apart from there.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation, Zhan Qipei¡¯s already wavering heart became even more uncertain.

    Although he also felt it was too unlikely to be true, something still didn¡¯t sit right with him.

    Zhan Ruiting blinked several times as he listened to the conversation between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°So, cousin, Doctor Qiao, you know each other?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her gaze to Zhan Ruiting, ¡°My name is Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing, which ¡®jing¡¯ is it?¡± Zhan Ruiting didn¡¯t catch on to the name all at once.

    ¡°The ¡®jing¡¯ from ¡®admiration.''¡±

    ¡°Admiration, Qiao Jing, what a nice sounding name!¡± Zhan Ruiting eximed and then suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Eh? Qiao Jing? Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes instantly widened as he turned to look at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Co-, Cousin, she¡ªshe¡¯s the one? From the countryside¡ªthat¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei responded with a faint ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes grew even wider, and it took him over ten seconds to ept this reality.

    At that moment, a young nurse appeared at the door.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, do you have a moment? The director is looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± Qiao Jing turned to Zhan Ruiting, ¡°You¡¯ve just had surgery, so don¡¯t get too excited. I have to step out for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, go do your thing, I¡¯ll just lie here,¡± Zhan Ruiting said, eager to show how obedient he was, promptly lying down and shing a smile at Qiao Jing, waving his hand, ¡°Take care, Doctor Qiao, and pleasee backter; I have a few more things about my condition I want to discuss with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and turned to leave.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing closed the door when Zhan Ruiting excitedly clutched at Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Cousin, you should divorce her quickly! She¡¯s not right for you!¡±

    Seeing the earnest look in Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help his eyelids twitching fiercely.

    Although he and Qiao Jing were only married in name, his cousin poaching within his own family felt like sprouting a head full of ¡®greenery.¡¯

    ¡°Cousin, please let me have her. You can¡¯t thwart lovebirds or split up true love!¡± Zhan Ruiting cried out loudly.

    Zhan Qipei, unable to contain his irritation, withdrew his arm from Zhan Ruiting¡¯s grasp. If Zhan Ruiting hadn¡¯t just had surgery, he would have kicked him off the bed.

    ¡°Get some rest, I¡¯ll be out for a bit.¡±

    His mind was in turmoil, although Qiao Jing¡¯s exnations had always made sense, looking back on the past, the coincidences seemed a little too convenient.

    As Zhan Qipei walked, he turned the corner and saw Qiao Jing, with a young man beside her.

    It was him!

    How could he have forgotten about this so quickly?

    This hospital belonged to the Lu family.

    The young man was the director of this hospital, Lu Zijiao¡¯s elder brother, Lu Zijin.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t go out but hid aside and watched them secretly. Although he couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, the two seemed to have a good rapport.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, don¡¯t you n to work at the hospital for a while?¡± Lu Zijin said this with gentle eyes fixed on Qiao Jing, the adoration in his gaze evident to anyone.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes darkened, he remembered the gossip Lu Zijiao had shared with him, saying his brother Lu Zijin had a crush on someone, and he guessed it was one of the medical staff at the hospital; he didn¡¯t know who specifically, though.

    At the thought, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell upon Qiao Jing¡¯s face: herplexion as smooth as ice and snow, lips red and teeth white, and her slightly upturned phoenix eyes seemed to have the power to enchant.

    This woman always knew how to attract butterflies and bees!

    Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth inwardly.

    ¡°Maybe sometimeter, I¡¯ve carved out some time in the next few days for the research institute,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°Have you made any progress?¡±

    Smiling, Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Unless something unexpected happens, there should be groundbreaking news that will shake the entire empire soon.¡±

    ¡°Then let me say congrattions in advance,¡± Lu Zijiao sincerely expressed his happiness for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal with me, how about lunch together?¡± Lu Zijin invited.

    ¡°Are you treating?¡± Qiao Jing asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll treat. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Where were they going?

    Zhan Qipei wondered and followed them, only to receive a call from Lu Zijiao just as he reached the entrance.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, over here, over here!¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei scanned his surroundings and then saw Lu Zijiao hiding behind the corner of the wall.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m following my brother; I heard he¡¯s finally found his crush, but I never imagined it would be ¨C hiss ¨C Qiao Jing!¡± Lu Zijiao looked at the retreating backs of Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin, shook his head, and couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes.

    ¡°Hey? Young Master Zhan, what about you?¡±

    Before Zhan Qipei could reply, Lu Zijiao said, ¡°I get it, you might not like Qiao Jing, but legally she¡¯s still your wife. Seeing her walk off with my brother, you¡¯re probably worried about getting a green hat.¡±

    Is that so? Perhaps it is¡­ Zhan Qipei¡¯s face showed aplex expression.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, I think my brother truly likes Qiao Jing. In our family, we don¡¯t concern ourselves with social status; marriages are free, and our parents don¡¯t object. Why don¡¯t you just do the noble thing and divorce Qiao Jing early, to let my brother and her be together?¡±

    Another one urging him towards divorce!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face grew extremely dark.

    Zhan Ruiting was one, Lu Zijin another, each and everyone ¨C was he indebted to them for a wife?

    ¡°They¡¯ve gone into the restaurant, let¡¯s hurry up and follow.¡±

    Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin chose a window-side table to sit down at.

    Lu Zijin, ever the gentleman, poured Qiao Jing a ss of water and handed it over.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qiao Jing reached out to take it.

    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t catch it properly, and the tea spilled over her with a ssh.

    ¡°Sorry! Are you alright? Did it scald you?¡± Lu Zijin anxiously pulled out a tissue to wipe Qiao Jing off.

    Just then, a hand reached over, and Qiao Jing¡¯s body was suddenly enveloped in a ck suit.

 Chapter 25 - 24 Madam Zhans Awareness!

    Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Madam Zhan¡¯s Awareness!

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Jing was first stunned, then looked up and when she saw Zhan Qipei, her expression clearly turned into a daze.

    Lu Zijin awkwardly retracted his outstretched hand, standing at the door with his mouth wide open.

    The atmosphere suddenly turned a bit eerie.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Just as Qiao Jing started to speak, she was interrupted by Zhan Qipei¡¯s furious voice.

    ¡°Come with me!¡±

    Without allowing for exnations, Zhan Qipei grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and forcefully pulled her to his side.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead knocked against the man¡¯s shoulder, causing a faint pain.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly reddened forehead, instinctively furrowing his brows, and his irritation increased.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lu Zijin asked, looking at Qiao Jing with concern that nearly spelled ¡°heartache¡± across his face.

    Seeing Lu Zijin like this, Zhan Qipei yanked Qiao Jing behind him and took a step forward, blocking Lu Zijin¡¯s line of sight.

    Lu Zijin furrowed his brows and faced Zhan Qipei. He knew that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were married, and also knew that they were going to get divorced soon, so he had never worried about Qiao Jing¡¯s marriage.

    Moreover, he had indirectly learned from Lu Zijiao that Zhan Qipei really disliked Qiao Jing, and Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t fond of Zhan Qipei either.

    But now¡ª

    His instincts as a man told him that Zhan Qipei cared a lot about Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, what are you doing?¡± Qiao Jing pulled her hand back, her face slightly showing annoyance.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s displeased expression, and his demeanor became even darker.

    When she was with Lu Zijin, she was all smiles and courteous, but towards him, she was just cold and harsh!

    ¡°Asking me what I¡¯m doing? Qiao Jing, don¡¯t you have any self-awareness at all?¡±

    ¡°What self-awareness?¡± Qiao Jing frowned, puzzled as she looked at Zhan Qipei, who was inexplicably angry at her, wondering how she had offended him.

    ¡°The self-awareness of Madam Zhan!¡± Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth as he spoke.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei in stunned silence, not understanding why he would say something that could be so misinterpreted, leaving her baffled for a moment.

    It wasn¡¯t just Qiao Jing who was puzzled; even Zhan Qipei himself was confused.

    He hadn¡¯t expected to say such a thing to Qiao Jing himself.

    He had secretly resolved in his heart that his wife would only be the girl who had saved him.

    Lu Zijiao and Lu Zijin were both watching Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing, neither saying a word.

    Qiao Jingughed, her lips curling up.

    ¡°I get it now, you thought I was in that kind of rtionship with him? Thought I was making you wear a green hat?¡±

    No wonder he was so angry.

    ¡°Then you misunderstood. He and I are just good friends.¡±

    Qiao Jing said this not as a particr exnation to Zhan Qipei, but because Lu Zijin was unfairly implicated. If rumors spread and people misunderstood that Lu Zijin and she were together, how could Lu Zijin pursue the person he liked?

    Lu Zijin had once shared with her that he had been secretly in love with a girl, a very outstanding girl, and he had never dared to confess his feelings.

    So, she exined to Zhan Qipei that she waspletely afraid that the girl Lu Zijin liked would misunderstand.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation, Lu Zijin¡¯s eyes half-closed, hiding all his feelings beneath them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what your rtionship is¡ªyou¡¯reing back with me now,¡± Zhan Qipei said dominantly and assertively.

    Qiao Jing not only didn¡¯t listen, but she also sat down directly, leaning half of her body against the ss, lookingzy and raising her eyebrows at Zhan Qipei, ¡°President Zhan, have you forgotten what you said on the day we got married? Do you need me to remind you?¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei remembered.

    The conversation they had on the overpass after they came out of the police station.

    He had said, ¡°I will not like you, and within these 100 days, do not disturb my life.¡±

    She replied, ¡°That¡¯s perfect, because you¡¯re not my type, and I won¡¯t fall for you either. Just like that, let¡¯s stay out of each other¡¯s way, and after 100 days, we¡¯ll go to the civil affairs office to get a divorce.¡±

    ¡°Do not disturb!¡± Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei and emphasized, ¡°So, who I make friends with, who I eat with, who I go out with, even if I don¡¯te home at night, you have no right to control me. Likewise, I won¡¯t interfere in your matters.¡±

    Confronting her indifferent and distant eyes, Zhan Qipei was infuriated, his hands by his sides clenched until knuckles whitened.

    ¡°Fine, very well,¡± he squeezed out through his teeth and, after finishing, stormed out with a stride of utter disregard for anyone.

    Zijiao nced at Lu Zijiao and then at Zhan Qipei, who had already walked a good distance from the restaurant, scratching the back of his head, ¡°Brother, you guys talk, I won¡¯t disturb you.¡±

    Lu Zijiao opened the door and chased after Zhan Qipei, catching up. Upon seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s terribly sullen face, he immediately gasped in horror.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, why that murderous look? Like someone stole your wife or something.¡±

    Zhan Qipei suddenly stopped walking and fiercely turned toward Lu Zijiao.

    Lu Zijiao reflexively stepped back several steps, maintaining a safe distance from Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, what are you doing? Are you trying to scare me to death?¡±

    Lu Zijiao patted his chest and continued, ¡°You don¡¯t even like Qiao Jing. Besides, you¡¯ll be divorcing in three months, so you shouldn¡¯t care that much, right? It almost made me think you suddenly fell for Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Like her? Impossible! Even if she stripped and slept in my bed, I wouldn¡¯t spare her a second nce!¡± Zhan Qipei said coldly.

    ¡°There you go, why get so angry about it? Come on, don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯m actually increasing manpower to find that girl recently. Once found, you¡¯ll have your wish fulfilled.¡±

    Thinking of that bold girl who had operated on him, Zhan Qipei¡¯s mood somewhat stabilized.

    That night, Qiao Jing came back veryte, and Zhan Qipei, hearing some noise outside, didn¡¯t go to check.

    Thinking out of sight, out of mind, he suddenly found himself unable to focus on work, and after taking a shower, he couldn¡¯t fall asleep, with all the day¡¯s events reying in his mind.

    The more he thought, the angrier and more sleepless he became¡­

    The agitated state continued well into the night, causing him to wake up veryte.

    When he came out of his room, he saw Qiao Jing cleaning up after just finishing breakfast.

    There was no portion for him.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you gone to work yet? I thought you had left early, so I didn¡¯t prepare your breakfast,¡± Qiao Jing told the truth since usually, at this time, Zhan Qipei would have already gone to work.

    ¡°Really? Or you just didn¡¯t want to prepare it, right?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were somewhat biting.

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°Believe it or not, besides, you¡¯re not my anyone, why should I prepare it for you?¡±

    ¡°Speaking the truth now?¡± Zhan Qipei said with a chilly gaze at Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 26 - 25 Qiao Jing is Sick, Zhan Qipeis Heartache

    Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Qiao Jing is Sick, Zhan Qipei¡¯s Heartache

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    It was indeed deliberate not to prepare breakfast for him.

    ¡°Sick.¡±

    Qiao Jing had no desire to engage with Zhan Qipei; she felt a bit overstuffed from breakfast and decided to take a walk outside, and maybe stop by the orphanage to see the children.

    Qiao Jing had organized her ns well, but just as she reached the entrance of the residential district, she saw a middle-aged man furiously striding towards her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you sure put on airs! Your grandmother goes to see you in person, and you don¡¯t hand over the money, even having her thrown out! How could I have fathered such an unfilial daughter?!¡±

    The one picking a quarrel was none other than Qiao Jing¡¯s biological father, Qiao Licheng.

    Zhan Qipei arrived just in time to witness this scene and, from Qiao Licheng¡¯s words, he also gleaned the nature of the rtionship between Qiao Licheng and Qiao Jing.

    It had nothing to do with him, anyway!

    Zhan Qipei, holding his car keys, walked toward his own car.

    ¡°You gave birth to me, but you did not raise me,¡± Qiao Jing said expressionlessly to the father who shared with her the closest blood rtionship.

    ¡°I¡¯m still your father! And besides, it¡¯s your own fault! You were born with a contagious disease, your mother was killed by you. If we hadn¡¯t sent you away, should we all have died because of you? Would that satisfy you?¡± Qiao Licheng yelled, his words sharp as knives.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold.

    Her mother¡¯s death was her fault!!!

    About this matter, her grandfather had spoken to her earnestly many times.

    Her mother was not killed by her, every mother is great and selfless towards their child, her mother had cared for her out of love, willingly, so there was no need for her to me herself¡­

    Although that¡¯s what was said, whenever she thought of this, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from feeling terrible.

    Zhan Qipei paused in the act of opening the car door and, after a few seconds of silence, couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Qiao Jing.

    In that moment, the girl seemed even more slender and frail than usual, as if a gust of wind could blow her away, making him furrow his brows instinctively.

    Qiao Licheng nced at his watch and then, with an impatient face, ordered Qiao Jing, ¡°I have an important meeting soon and don¡¯t have time to waste with you. Hand over the money that the Zhan Family gave you, or else¡ª¡±

    ¡°Or else what? Hm?¡± Qiao Jing, with a slightly lifted chin, hands in her pockets, looked at Qiao Licheng defiantly.

    Provoked by Qiao Jing¡¯s rebellious stance, Qiao Licheng, in a fit of anger, raised his hand to strike Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Zhan Qipei was startled and, acting faster than he could think, took a step toward Qiao Jing.

    The distance was somewhat great; it would be difficult to arrive in time.

    Annoyed, Qiao Jing lifted her hand and swept it, causing Qiao Licheng to stagger and fall back.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was not in immediate danger anymore, Zhan Qipei stopped in time.

    Qiao Licheng red at Qiao Jing with disbelieving eyes, ¡°You dare to fight back?¡±

    Qiao Jing took out her phone, dialed 110 in front of Qiao Licheng, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, and you disappear from my sight. Otherwise, I will expose the fact that you abandoned me years ago.¡±

    ¡°You dare?!¡± Qiao Licheng roared at Qiao Jing, unable to contain his rage.

    ¡°What wouldn¡¯t I dare? Saying that I killed my mother, the fact that Qiao Mengtong and I are the same age, when you go down to theherworld in the future, how will you exin to my mother? Oh, that¡¯s wrong, someone as kind as my mother is definitely in heaven. And you, who betrayed your wife and threw your own flesh and blood into the snow to fend for herself, such an inhuman scoundrel will surely go to Hell! How could you possibly meet my mother!¡± Qiao Jing said, mocking Qiao Licheng with cold irony.

    Qiao Licheng, riled by humiliation, raised his hand again, intent on pping Qiao Jing a second time.

    Just then, before Qiao Jing could strike back, her wrist was suddenly grasped by a strong force, pulled and guided behind a broad male figure.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a bewildered expression.

    What was he doing?

    Protecting her?

    This thought flitted through Qiao Jing¡¯s mind, bringing with it a mix of astonishment and an indescribable stirring.

    Zhan Qipei held Qiao Licheng¡¯s descending hand tightly, his pupils sharp and his eyes emitting a chill.

    Zhan Qipei knew all too well how heavy Qiao Licheng¡¯s p was.

    If that p hadnded on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, her delicate skin would surely have swollen for ten days and a half.

    This Qiao Licheng was indeed cruel to raise his hand so heavily!

    ¡°Who are you? I¡¯m disciplining my daughter. What right do you have to interfere?!¡± Qiao Licheng yanked his hand back and once more shouted at Qiao Jing, ¡°Come here to me, I will teach you a good lesson today!¡±

 Chapter 27 - 25 Qiao Jing is Sick, Zhan Qipeis Heartache_2

    Chapter 27: Chapter 25 Qiao Jing is Sick, Zhan Qipei¡¯s Heartache_2

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was cold and dark, her patiencepletely exhausted. Just as she was about to step out from behind Zhan Qipei, she was pulled back by the man once more.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei holding her hand, her brows slightly furrowed. Then, she looked up at him with a puzzled andplex gaze, not understanding why he was protecting her.

    Hadn¡¯t he intentionally picked a quarrel with her in the apartment just now?

    ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t need you to handle my matters.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and exhaled before saying, ¡°Your matters, I insist on handling today!¡±

    After speaking, Zhan Qipei fixed Qiao Licheng with a sharp, eagle-like stare, ¡°You have two choices, leave on your own, or shall I have someone throw you out?¡±

    Qiao Licheng saw their hands sped together and guessed that they must be in a romantic rtionship.

    ¡°I see, you¡¯re the gigolo my daughter¡¯s been keeping outside, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Gigolo? Qiao Jing looked up again at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face¡ªit was indeed pretty white.

    But she wasn¡¯t the one keeping him.

    Zhan Qipei, speechless, twitched the corner of his mouth; it was the first time in his life being called a gigolo.

    Seeing that both Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei remained silent, Qiao Licheng thought they were conceding.

    ¡°Well! Qiao Jing, you really have some nerve! To boldly use the money Zhan Family gave you to keep a gigolo outside! Aren¡¯t you afraid of the Zhan Family discovering it! Tongtong was right; the money would be squandered sooner orter if kept with you! Hand over the money now!¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked towards the security guards at the door, ¡°Throw him out.¡±

    From the day Zhan Qipei moved in, the security guards were aware of his identity. His words were orders they dared not disobey. Thus they lifted Qiao Licheng, one on each side, and threw him out of theplex.

    Qiao Licheng felt a great insult and shouted violently, ¡°Let me go! Do you know who I am? I am the CEO of Qiao¡¯s Enterprise, let go of me!¡±

    Qiao¡¯s Enterprise? Never heard of it. Definitely not as wealthy as the capital-rich Zhan Qipei.

    Fearless, the security guards followed Zhan Qipei¡¯s instruction and efficiently threw Qiao Licheng out.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand from Zhan Qipei¡¯s firm grasp, ¡°Thank you, although I don¡¯t need your help, I still want to thank you.¡±

    Why couldn¡¯t this woman ever say something pleasant?

    Just as Zhan Qipei thought this, he noticed that the girl¡¯s attention was no longer on him but was fixated elsewhere, very engrossed.

    What could be so captivating?

    Zhan Qipei curiously followed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    A five-year-old girl had fallen; her lollipop shattered into pieces on the ground, now inedible.

    The little girl burst into tears, and upon hearing the crying, a young mother rushed over, dearly helped the little girl up, and gently dusted her off.

    ¡°Wuu wuuu¡­ my candy¡­ my candy is broken, wuu wuuu¡­¡±

    ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry, mom will buy you a new one,¡± the young mother squatted down and kissed the little girl¡¯s face twice.

    ¡°Hug~~¡± the little girl cooed, raising her short little arms.

    The young mother picked up the little girl and headed towards the supermarket.

    Watching this scene, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted from the mother and daughter back to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was still engrossed, her eyes revealing a mix of envy and longing.

    Considering Qiao Jing¡¯s background, Zhan Qipei guessed what the girl was thinking, and a hint of sympathy arose in his heart.

    Just then, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.

    Qiao Jing, brought back to her senses by the cool drops hitting her, looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What do you want to eat tonight? I¡¯ll go buy groceries.¡±

    ¡°Is this because you¡¯re thanking me for helping you just now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    He knew it.

    ¡°Absolutely unnecessary; I have a dinner party this evening, no need to prepare dinner for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± After Qiao Jing responded faintly, she put her hands in her coat pockets and walked toward the Angel Welfare Institute across the way.

    The light drizzle gradually turned into a heavy rain, Qiao Jing¡¯s figure slowly disappearing into the curtain of rain, giving off a feeling as if she might vanish at any moment.

    Realizing this, Zhan Qipei subconsciously took a couple of steps to follow, then stopped.

    His brows furrowed like mountains shrouded in mist, his handsome features harder and colder than usual.

    ¡°Walking in such heavy rain, aren¡¯t you afraid of catching a cold?¡±

    Night fell.

    The rain poured down harder.

    ¡°Ah-choo¡ª¡± Wrapped in a nket, Qiao Jingy on the sofa, shivering from the cold.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei returned, he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s pale, sickly look; although he didn¡¯t really want to bother with her, he couldn¡¯t help but move closer, ¡°Are you sick?¡±

    ¡°Just a slight cold, I¡¯m okay,¡± Qiao Jing weakly replied.

    Okay?

    ¡°Okay and still have half your life left?¡± Zhan Qipei retorted sarcastically.

    Qiao Jing, feeling miserable with her illness, didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with men, closed her eyes, and continued to rest.

    Seeing Qiao Jing ignoring him, Zhan Qipei lost interest and went back to his room to work.

    Half an hourter, Zhan Qipei stared at the notebook in front of him, not having written a single word. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t looked at any of the documents he brought back.

    He really couldn¡¯t settle down, his mind filled with the pitiful sight of Qiao Jing lying on the sofa.

    What was happening to him? Was he bewitched?

    After pinching the bridge of his nose, Zhan Qipei cleared the messy thoughts from his mind and continued to work.

    Just then, a ¡°thud¡ª¡± sound came from the living room through the door.

    Upon hearing the noise, Zhan Qipei moved faster than thought, quickly stood up, and pulled open the door.

    The moment he opened the door, he saw Qiao Jing kneeling on the ground, holding her forehead.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart suddenly leaped, and he took a swift step to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°How are you?¡± he asked while reaching out to help Qiao Jing.

    ¡°A little dizzy, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Qiao Jing, not liking to show her vulnerable side in front of others, pushed Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away and struggled to stand up using a table for support.

    This woman, why so stubborn!

    Zhan Qipei felt his anger rise.

    Fine, she didn¡¯t want his help; he¡¯d leave!

    Just as Zhan Qipei turned to walk away, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye of Qiao Jing, who had managed to stand, swaying and copsing back down.

    Zhan Qipei, with his quick reflexes, reached out, grabbed the girl¡¯s slender waist, and pulled her into his arms.

 Chapter 28 - 26 Taking Care of the Girl for a Night

    Chapter 28: Chapter 26 Taking Care of the Girl for a Night

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°`

    ¡°How can you¡ª¡±

    The reproach stopped abruptly mid-sentence.

    Qipei looked at Qiao Jing nestled in his arms, her face flushed, breathing weak andbored, the extent of her frailty tugging at his heartstrings indescribably.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was in a semi-conscious state, her mouth slightly agape, warm breath spraying out with each exhale.

    Qipei carried Qiao Jing into the room,id her gently on the bed, and reached out to touch her forehead.

    So hot!

    She must have caught a fever from getting drenched in the rain earlier that day.

    After covering Qiao Jing with a nket, Qipei ran outside with an umbre to buy medicine.

    When Qipei returned, Qiao Jing¡¯s temperature had risen even higher.

    ¡°Time for medicine.¡± Qipei brought over some water, but Qiao Jing showed no sign of waking up.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, take your medicine,¡± Qipei called out again.

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes, squinting, her consciousness fully consumed by the fever, instinctually responding to her name being called.

    Qipei¡¯s gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, her eyes unfocused and without a direct stare, guessing she was in a daze.

    With no other choice, Qipei set the hot water and medicine on the bedside table, sat at the edge of the bed, propped Qiao Jing up against himself, and then brought the medicine to her lips.

    ¡°Time for medicine.¡±

    Upon hearing themand, Qiao Jing instinctively opened her mouth and moved closer to the palm of the man.

    The moment her lips touched his palm, Qipei felt as though an electric current had shot through him, causing his normally stoic face to betray a sense of bewilderment and confusion¡­

    It was the samest time when Qiao Jing had unintentionally kissed him; not only did he not dislike it, but he quite enjoyed it.

    Had he taken the wrong medicine? Why was he experiencing such a subtle sensation from Qiao Jing¡¯s touch?

    After all, this feeling he had only felt towards one person before, the girl who had performed surgery on him.

    The reason he couldn¡¯t forget about that girl was because her touch had sparked something unique in him, making him irresistibly infatuated.

    As these thoughts swirled in his head, Qipei¡¯s gaze suddenlynded on Qiao Jing¡¯s palm-sized face, and once again, the spection that frequented his mind arose.

    It was very possible that Qiao Jing was the girl who had saved him¡­

    Amidst theplex feelings in Qipei¡¯s heart, the girl wrapped in the nkets shrank further inside.

    Was she still cold?

    Qipei reached out and pulled the nket up around Qiao Jing¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± When Qiao Jing felt the chill from the man¡¯s hand, she let out an involuntary moan.

    Qipei first paused, then withdrew his hand.

    But no sooner had his hand left Qiao Jing¡¯s face than she suddenly grabbed it.

    Using his hand as an ice bag, Qiao Jing pressed it against her face for a ¡°coldpress,¡± feeling much morefortable.

    Qipei sat by the bed just like that, letting Qiao Jing hold his hand, his half-lowered eyes filled withplex thoughts.

    After a good half hour had passed, Qipei, still in his original pose, felt numbness in half of his body. He moved his arm, trying to pull it from Qiao Jing¡¯s grasp.

    He managed to free his hand, but the next second, Qiao Jing, with her eyes still closed, furrowed her brow in displeasure, suddenly pulling on Qipei¡¯s arm and dragging him onto the bed.

    Comparatively cooler than her feverish body, she instinctively hugged him.

    It felt very cool, veryfortable.

    Instantly, Qipei¡¯s face darkened. If Qiao Jing really was that girl, it would be one thing, but he was only slightly suspicious, and it most likely wasn¡¯t very possible, which made it somewhat uneptable for him.

    Therefore, until things were rified, he had to remain chaste for the sake of that girl.

    Qipei pushed Qiao Jing, intending to get up, but she changed from hugging to coiling around him, wrapping her arms and legs around him, rendering him immobile.

    Despite that, he had to get up.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± The murmured sound of her dream talk, carrying an undisguised sadness, poured out of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth.

    Qipei halted his movement, turned to look at Qiao Jing, and caught sight of a tear sliding down from the corner of her eye.

    This sight gripped Qipei¡¯s heart painfully,pelling him to lift his hand and gently wipe away the tear from her face.

    Never mind, let her hug him for a while¡­

    She was quite pitiful, after all.

    The night passed, and the weather cleared after the rain.

    As dawn began to break, Qiao Jing awoke.

    The moment she woke up, she saw Qipei lying beside her and reflexively kicked out.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 29 - 27: Qiao Jing Delivers a Verbal Knockout With No Regrets

    Chapter 29: Chapter 27: Qiao Jing Delivers a Verbal Knockout With No Regrets

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Zhan Qipeinded on his butt first, nearly shattering.

    ¡°Ummh¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei propped himself up from the ground, clutching his waist, ¡°You woman, truly bite the hand that feeds you!¡±

    ¡°I bite the hand that feeds me? Clearly, the one doing that is you,¡± Qiao Jing retorted.

    ¡°Me?¡± Zhan Qipei pointed at himself, ¡°I bite the hand that feeds you? Yesterday when you had a fever, I was the one who fed you medicine, I took care of you.¡±

    Regarding what happenedst night, Qiao Jing¡¯s memory was a bit fuzzy. After hearing what the man said, she raised her hand to touch her neck and felt the sweat that hadn¡¯t dried. Her gaze then shifted, falling on the medicine bottle and teacup on the bedside table.

    It seemed he indeed hadn¡¯t lied.

    ¡°You took care of me, and I thank you for that. But I don¡¯t understand, why did you end up in my bed?¡±

    Zhan Qipei continued to rub his sore waist, looking at Qiao Jing in annoyance, ¡°You were the one, using me as an ice pack, who dragged me onto the bed.¡±

    Qiao Jing observed Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression, which didn¡¯t seem like he was lying, ¡°You could have resisted.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression faltered slightly, yes, he could have resisted, it¡¯s just¡­

    ¡°I had an injury on my leg, I couldn¡¯t resist,¡± Zhan Qipei said, feeling a bit guilty, but his face was calm, betraying no emotion.

    As for the truth¡­ he would never admit it.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze moved down to Zhan Qipei¡¯s leg.

    She had performed his surgery, so she understood his condition best. It had been over ten days, but he hadn¡¯t fully recovered.

    Moreover, with her strength, being in an unconscious state would make her even stronger; it was reasonable that Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t break free.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    An apology was due, the most basic courtesy one should have.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s sudden apology left Zhan Qipei at a loss for words.

    If Qiao Jing had continued to argue with him, he might have lost his temper. But now that Qiao Jing had stepped back, it didn¡¯t seem right for him to be too forceful.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, his phone chimed with a new message alert.

    Upon opening it and seeing the one million Qiao Jing had transferred to him, his lips twitched involuntarily.

    ¡°What do you mean by this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything good to give you aspensation, keep the money,¡± Qiao Jing thought it over and, since she had more money, transferred one million to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei was so annoyed that he didn¡¯t want to deal with Qiao Jing at all. After returning the money, he turned around and walked out of the room, but then turned back.

    ¡°If you want to thank me, just make me a meal once you¡¯re feeling better.¡±

    He was starting to crave the meals that Qiao Jing used to make, having not eaten them in a while.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go buy groceries now,¡± Qiao Jing said, getting ready to get out of bed.

    Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°I said wait until you¡¯re better!¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m almost fully recovered,¡± Qiao Jing said, slipping on her slippers and walking out.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s anger red up in an instant, and then, in the next second, he forcibly suppressed it, ¡°I¡¯ll be back veryte today, make it tomorrow instead.¡±

    Since Zhan Qipei said so, Qiao Jing was no longer in a hurry to go out and buy groceries.

    In fact, she had indeed been pushing herself a little earlier; illness strikes like andslide, but disappears slowly like spinning silk, her current state hadn¡¯tpletely recovered yet.

    The next day.

    The weather was beautiful, the sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the room, making it warm and cozy.

    As Qiao Jing returned from buying groceries, she saw right at her doorstep Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s childhood friend, Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you courting death? Letting my brother live in a ce like this!¡± Zhan Nanqing screamed in an exaggerated tone as she walked in.

    Su Manhan was also livid, her face a patchwork of blue and purple.

    ¡°This crappy sofa, this lousy t-screen TV, and the decoration is so shabby?¡±

    ¡°Oh my god! Just two rooms? So small? And only one bathroom and one shower?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at them indifferently and proceeded to the kitchen with her groceries.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing entered the kitchen than Su Manhan followed, looking at Qiao Jing with amanding tone, ¡°Move out now, find another ce immediately. I¡¯ve already picked one for you, in the Tan Pce vi district.¡±

    Qiao Jingpletely ignored her, took out the celery from the bag, and began washing it.

    Su Manhan, livid at Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude, raised her voice and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, do you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Mhm, I heard you,¡± Qiao Jing replied nonchntly.

    ¡°If you¡¯ve heard, then¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to Tan Pce,¡± Qiao Jing interrupted Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Qiao Jing, her chest heaving up and down like she was working a bellows.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you leave? You married into our family, you are my daughter-inw, and you have to listen to me!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned off the faucet and turned to look at Su Manhan. ¡°Why not? Because Grandpa Zhan said I can live wherever I want to.¡±

    ¡°You, you actually dare to use the old man to suppress me?!¡±

    ¡°Mmm, yes,¡± Qiao Jing nodded seriously.

    Su Manhan clutched her chest and staggered back several steps.

    ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Su, are you alright?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou stepped forward, supporting Su Manhan from both sides.

    ¡°I¡¯m so angry, I¡¯m literally going to die from anger!¡± Su Manhan was on the verge of losing it.

    After Zhan Nanqing helped Su Manhan to sit on the couch, she stormed over to Qiao Jing, fuming with anger.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Why don¡¯t you take my mom¡¯s words seriously? No matter how you look at it, she¡¯s your temporary mother-inw right now. She¡¯s your elder! Don¡¯t you have any manners or upbringing?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows raised, and she met Zhan Nanqing¡¯s angry gaze with a cold one of her own, retorting, ¡°I am, after all, your temporary sister-inw right now. You don¡¯t call me ¡®sister-inw¡¯ and just address me by name, that¡¯s one thing, but you also yell at me. Where are your manners and upbringing? Did a dog eat them?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was left with her mouth agape, the frustration inside her like a drain clogged for over a dozen days.

    Su Manhan was infuriated once again.

    By scolding Zhan Nanqing for herck of manners and upbringing, Qiao Jing was indirectly criticizing her too.

    Oh no¡­ I can¡¯t take it, I¡¯m going to die of anger.

    Su Manhan was so angry she was rolling her eyes.

    Lou Xinrou saw that both Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing had been defeated and thought that if she stood up for them now, she would certainly gain their favor and be seen as part of their alliance.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t be so hostile toward Aunt Su and Nanqing. They don¡¯t mean to harm you. Asking you to move out is just to provide you and Brother Pei with better living conditions. They¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re an outsider, you have no right to interrupt!¡± Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t foolish, she could tell that Lou Xinrou was trying to use her to win over Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s favor.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth fell open as she too was beaten in the argument.

    Now Lou Xinrou truly was in the same camp as Zhan Nanqing and the rest, in the camp of being so stumped they couldn¡¯t speak.

    Just as the atmosphere became extremely tense, Zhan Qipei returned.

    He pushed the door open and saw that the house was even more bustling than usual.

    ¡°Qipei, you¡¯re finally back. This girl is being unreasonable, she nearly drove me to death with anger. Don¡¯t stay here anymore,e away with me right now,¡± Su Manhan began as soon as she thought of her son putting up with hardship and it pained her heart.

    In a ce as bad as this, with poor food and living conditions, the boy has gotten thin¡ª

    Huh?

    That¡¯s when Su Manhan, thinking this, fixated her gaze upon Zhan Qipei.

    Was it her imagination?

    Why did she feel like Zhan Qipei looked a bit chubbier?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted from Su Manhan to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was holding vegetables, clearly preparing to cook.

    He swallowed instinctively, then turned to Su Manhan. ¡°This was Grandpa¡¯s order, if you can persuade him, I will move out.¡±

    That¡¯s right, it wasn¡¯t that he was gluttonous andcked ambition, he just didn¡¯t want to upset Grandpa.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei say this, Su Manhan instantly lost momentum.

    Without hurrying away, Su Manhan stayed, having just seen Qiao Jing cooking; she wanted to know what sort of meals her son was eating every day.

    It must be terrible!

    While Su Manhan was thinking this, Qiao Jing looked over at Zhan Qipei. ¡°Are you busy?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°The toilet¡¯s clogged. Fix it.¡±

    What? Su Manhan and the other two were taken aback.

    Qiao Jing was actually asking Zhan Qipei to unclog the toilet? They hadn¡¯t heard wrong, had they?

    There were no greater surprises, just even more astonishing ones.

    Before the trio could recover from the shock of Qiao Jing¡¯s words, they saw Zhan Qipei obediently entering the bathroom and picking up the plunger.

 Chapter 30 - 28: The Meal Qiao Jing Made Instantly Conquered Her Mother-in-law and Sister-in-law

    Chapter 30: Chapter 28: The Meal Qiao Jing Made Instantly Conquered Her Mother-inw and Sister-inw

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°Quack¡ªquack¡ª¡±, the sound of plucking and tucking, the movements extremely skilled, obviously not the first time.

    Such a sight, honestly unbearable to watch.

    After a while, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and began to find fault and nitpick.

    ¡°This sofa is too ufortable to sit on, it¡¯s both hard and pokey. Brother, let me find someone to change it to a new set of sofas for you?¡±

    ¡°And these pieces of furniture, aren¡¯t theycking in ss?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not even a single wall decoration.¡± When Zhan Nanqing said this, her eyesnded on the painting hanging beside the flower rack.

    On the painting, two cats were teasing a grasshopper.

    ¡°Oh my, who painted this? It¡¯s so ugly? Throw it away.¡± Zhan Nanqing approached the painting and was about to tear it down.

    Just then, Lou Xinrou¡¯s loud shout suddenly rang out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t throw it away!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was startled and turned to look at Lou Xinrou, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lou Xinrou hurried over, her eyes wide as she looked up and down the painting, her surprise growing more apparent the longer she looked.

    The way Lou Xinrou acted caught the attention of Zhan Qipei and Su Manhan, not for any other reason but because Lou Xinrou¡¯s grandfather, Old Master Lou, was the chairman of the Empire Calligraphy and Painting Association, Lou Pinshu.

    Lou Xinrou had grown up by Lou Pinshu¡¯s side, learning through observation and imitation, and had achieved some sess in researching calligraphy and paintings.

    It was because of this that Zhan Qipei and others were puzzled by Lou Xinrou¡¯s strange behavior.

    ¡°This, this, this painting¡ª¡± Lou Xinrou trembled with excitement.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Xinrou, is there a problem with this painting?¡± Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously.

    ¡°It¡¯s true! It¡¯s true! I¡¯m not mistaken, this painting is a work by Master Han Zhiyu!¡±

    When Lou Xinrou said this, the room fell into stunned silence!

    Han Zhiyu! The most famous contemporary painter, known for his cat paintings.

    Once, one of his paintings was auctioned for over three hundred million¡ªa sky-high price!

    ¡°Han Zhiyu? How¡ªhow is that possible? I remember he¡¯s old and has stopped painting!¡±

    Having said this, Zhan Nanqing abruptly turned back to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother, is this painting yours?¡±

    It definitely was.

    ¡°No.¡± Zhan Qipei frowned in response.

    Seeing the surprise still not faded from Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, the three realized that he wasn¡¯t lying.

    So was this painting really Qiao Jing¡¯s?!

    How could this be possible? Qiao Jing, a girl from the countryside, how could she possibly own a Han Zhiyu painting?

    As everyone was puzzled and confused, Qiao Jing came out from the kitchen with dishes.

    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s words were intended for Zhan Qipei, unrted to others.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where did you get this painting from?¡± Lou Xinrou couldn¡¯t wait to know the answer.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently over the painting, ¡°Old Master Han gave it to me.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Zhan Nanqing scoffed, ¡°Master Han gave you a painting? What a joke! Everybody knows Master Han, though exceptional in the art of traditional Chinese painting, is in poor health and seldom picks up the brush. This has led to his paintings being priceless and scarce in the market. We don¡¯t even have one, and you¡¯re saying this painting was a gift from Master Han? Hah!¡±

    ¡°Believe it or not.¡± Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her breath arguing with Zhan Nanqing.

    The painting was indeed given to her by Han Zhiyu. In fact, because of his declining health and his search for medical help, he had eventuallye to her. Over the past two years, she had been caring for his health, and there had been noticeable improvement.

    A few days ago, when he heard that she got married¡ªalbeit temporarily¡ªhe still prepared this gift and had the painting delivered here.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t believe a word Qiao Jing said and turned to look at Lou Xinrou, ¡°Xinrou, are you sure this painting is authentic?¡±

    Lou Xinrou nodded with utmost seriousness, ¡°I took a photo and sent it to my grandfather just now, and he replied that the painting is indeed genuine.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei looked toward Qiao Jing, his dark and inscrutable gaze filled with inquiry and assessment.

    Then, Lou Xinrou approached Qiao Jing, ¡°My grandfather really likes Master Han¡¯s work, and he said he hopes you could sell it to him. You name the price.¡±

    ¡°Not for sale.¡± Qiao Jing refused outright.

    ¡°Why?¡± Lou Xinrou hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to decline so directly.

    In her view, Qiao Jing was just a cleaner at the research institute; once she made her offer, Qiao Jing would surely agree.

    ¡°It was a gift from someone, a token of Old Master Han¡¯s sincerity. Even if I were desperate for money, I wouldn¡¯t sell it, not to mention¡ª¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, her tone changing as she continued her own thought: ¡°I¡¯m not in need of money.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words left Lou Xinrou speechless and unable toe up with any response for the moment.

    Zhan Nanqing saw Lou Xinrou being bullied by Qiao Jing and immediately stepped forward to speak up for Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, how can you be so unreasonable? Xinrou spoke to you in a nice tone, and you¡ª¡±

    ¡°What about me? Did I say I would not sell? Are you trying to coerce a sale? Not selling means I¡¯m being unreasonable? Whose logic is that? The logic of the Zhan Family? Or the Lou Family?¡± Qiao Jing said with an annoyed look as she spoke to Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough! Nanqing!¡± Zhan Qipei called out sternly.

    ¡°Brother, she¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right, the ones being unreasonable are you guys. If she¡¯s not selling, are you going to force her?¡± Zhan Qipei said as he fiddled with his chopsticks, looking at the seven or eight dishes on the table, his stomach started to growl uncontrobly.

    Sit down, and eat.

    Eating eagerly yet gracefully without losing any manners.

    Originally, Zhan Nanqing and the others weren¡¯t hungry, but seeing Zhan Qipei eating so deliciously, all three unconsciously turned their gaze to the dishes on the table.

    They were all ordinary home-cooked dishes, but could they really taste good?

    Even if they were tasty, there¡¯s no way they could be better than the ones prepared by the professional chef hired by the Zhan Family.

    Su Manhan was the first to sit down, not because she was greedy, but because she wanted to know how her son¡¯s daily meals were.

    Picking up a piece of twice-cooked pork and putting it in her mouth, the next second Su Manhan¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Is it really this delicious? Is this sure it¡¯s braised pork and not dragon meat?

    Her son eats this every day? No wonder she noticed her son had gained some weight.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou also took their seats one after another, thinking that if there was even the slightest displeasure in taste, they would pick at it.

    But after tasting the food¡ª

    Once the dishes were in their mouths, they really couldn¡¯t find fault with them.

    Because they were simply too delicious!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I didn¡¯t expect you to be good for something at least, your cooking skills are not bad. After you divorce my brother, you cane to our house to be a cook. We will offer you a high price, which will definitely be better than working as a janitor at the research institute,¡± Zhan Nanqing said with her cheeks full while talking.

    Zhan Qipei thought Zhan Nanqing¡¯s suggestion was good, as he could not only draw clear boundaries with Qiao Jing in the future but also enjoy Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking every day.

    But would Qiao Jing agree?

    ¡°As I said earlier, I¡¯m not short of money,¡± Qiao Jing refused.

    ¡°Hmph! But it¡¯s still my grandfather¡¯s money that you¡¯re using,¡± Zhan Nanqing retorted with a pout.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing, who was always hostile towards her. If not for the fact that she had been relying on the Zhan Family¡¯s support these past days, she would have kicked Zhan Nanqing out of the house long ago.

    After the meal, Zhan Qipei put down his chopsticks and turned to Qiao Jing, ¡°There¡¯s a banquet the day after tomorrow, I need apanion. You¡¯lle with me.¡±

    Qiao Jing was reluctant to go to such an event, but considering that she had been taken care of by the man all night when she had a fever the evening beforest, she disliked owing favors.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    Lou Xinrou clenched her back teeth in jealousy as she watched Qiao Jing.

    In the past, she had apanied Zhan Qipei to these events with Zhan Nanqing¡¯s support.

    Now that Qiao Jing had taken her ce, how could she not be furious!

    She decided right then, she would also go to the banquet the day after tomorrow. She needed to keep an eye on Qiao Jing to prevent her from taking advantage of the situation to climb the socialdder.

    Zhan Qipei turned to look at Tang Yan, ¡°Prepare a set of evening gowns for her. Fetch thetest design from Ni Yue at Yueji Pavilion. Don¡¯t worry about the price.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes zed with jealousy.

    In the past, when she apanied Zhan Qipei to banquets, she prepared her own evening gowns. Now, Zhan Qipei was so considerate to prepare evening gowns for Qiao Jing.

    Yueji Pavilion is the leading brand of evening gowns in their empire city, and its chief designer is one of the top talents in the fashion industry. Zhan Qipei was actually going to fetch a creation from Ni Yue specifically for Qiao Jing. Did a countrified girl like her deserve it?!

    ¡°No need, I have it at my friend¡¯s. She can bring it over,¡± Qiao Jing said, not wanting to owe Zhan Qipei too much.

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Zhan Qipei showed no reaction on his face to Qiao Jing¡¯s refusal, but deep down, he felt somewhat ufortable.

    That evening.

    ¡°Ding-dong¡ª¡± The doorbell rang.

    Zhan Qipei nced towards the bathroom; Qiao Jing had been in there for a while, and someone ringing the doorbell at this time should be the friend Qiao Jing mentioned.

    Zhan Qipei walked to the door and opened it.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, I¡¯m here¡ª¡± The woman excitedly rushed in, but upon seeing Zhan Qipei, her expression obviously froze.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Zhan Qipei never would have expected Qiao Jing¡¯s friend to be her!

 Chapter 31 - 29: Zhan Qipei Was Thoroughly Amazed by Qiao Jing

    Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Zhan Qipei Was Thoroughly Amazed by Qiao Jing

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Yueji Pavilion¡¯s chief designer, Ni Yue!

    Ni Yue was not only the chief designer of Yueji Pavilion, she also had a hidden identity, she was actually the daughter of the major shareholder of Yueji Pavilion.

    ¡°President Zhan, so you¡¯re here too. Where¡¯s Qiao Qiao?¡± Ni Yue peeked inside.

    Qiao Jing pushed the door open and walked out of the bathroom.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Ni Yue¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, and she pounced toward Qiao Jing, wrapping her arms around her.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, my treasure, I¡¯ve missed you to death!¡± After saying that, she excitedly pecked Qiao Jing on the cheek.

    Zhan Qipei red at Ni Yue, wishing he could rush over and peel Ni Yue off Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing wiped her face with her hand and spoke with a look of disgust, ¡°Can¡¯t you keep those greetings you learned abroad to yourself? I can¡¯t take it. Anyone would think we¡¯re a couple.¡±

    Ni Yue stretched out an arm and pulled Qiao Jing into an embrace, unabashedly suggesting, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind that actually, shall we go abroad and get a marriage certificate?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Ni Yue a speechless look and removed the hand around her waist, ¡°You¡¯re almost thirty, and you still can¡¯t be serious for a single day. No wonder you can¡¯t get married.¡±

    ¡°Yo! Look who¡¯s talking. Aren¡¯t you 23 yourself, and still not married off?¡±

    Standing aside, Zhan Qipei really wanted to join the conversation. Was he not a person?

    ¡°Did you bring the evening dresses?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Of course, how could I dare to ignore your orders?¡± Ni Yue opened her handbag and took out several sets of evening dresses, each with a different style.

    ¡°I designed these personally for you, I¡¯ve been longing for you to try them on.¡± After saying this, Ni Yue handed a cute pink evening dress to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked at the pink and tender evening dress and twitched the corner of her mouth speechlessly, ¡°You think it suits me?¡±

    ¡°In my capacity as the chief designer of Yueji Pavilion, I judge that you have high aesthetic appeal, and you can pull off any style. Go on, try it! Whether it fits or not, you¡¯re at home, no one will see you wearing it.¡± Ni Yue pushed Qiao Jing into the room while she spoke.

    Soon, Qiao Jing changed her clothes and came out.

    The moment she emerged, Zhan Qipei was instantly smitten by her cuteness.

    ustomed seeing the girl dressed casually, this was the first time he saw Qiao Jing in an evening gown.

    A pinkce pouf dress worn on Qiao Jing looked explosively cute.

    ¡°Wow! How cute! Qiao Qiao, what to do? I really want to gobble you up!¡± Ni Yue¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei kept a straight face, watching Ni Yue with a wary expression.

    He couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, if that she-wolf dared to make an inappropriate move on Qiao Jing again, he would throw her out directly.

    At this point, Ni Yue turned her head to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°President Zhan, do you find Qiao Qiao cute? Isn¡¯t she just adorably pink and tender?¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned slightly, and after a while, he uttered two words, ¡°Not bad.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk¡ª¡± Ni Yue clicked her tongue, ¡°What kind of taste is that, no wonder you can¡¯t recognize a treasure and treat it like grass. You¡¯ll regret it when you be blind in the future.¡±

    Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t be bothered with you.¡± Ni Yue took a ck hollow-out silk evening gown with a high slit and stuffed it into Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, try this one on next, I guarantee if you go out in this, you¡¯ll cause a traffic ident within minutes.¡±

    Qiao Jing had long be ustomed to Ni Yue¡¯s exaggerated remarks and didn¡¯t say anything, taking the evening gown back to the room once again.

    ¡°Wait a second, I¡¯ll go in with you. This evening gown needs to be matched with the right makeup to bring out its enchanting and sensual side.¡± Ni Yue finished speaking and went inside as well.

    Zhan Qipei, not knowing when he had stood up, stared at the closed door with wide eyes.

    Ni Yue actually followed Qiao Jing into the room to change clothes, was she that shameless?

    ¡°Wow! Qiao Qiao, your figure is so nice, I¡¯m so envious!¡±

    ¡°My god! How can you be so pale? You¡¯re like a freshly peeled egg.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face grew so dark it looked like it was about to drip with water.

    ¡°Good heavens, is your skin made of water? It feels so good?¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei could no longer contain himself and strode to the door. He raised his hand and ced it on the doorknob.

 Chapter 32 - 30 Zhan Qipei Was Tempted

    Chapter 32: Chapter 30 Zhan Qipei Was Tempted

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    After a brief silence, he let go of her hand.

    What was wrong with him? Why was he so frustrated and confused, no longer himself?

    Zhan Qipei sat back down in front of the sofa, ncing asionally at the tightly closed door, and waited for twenty minutes.

    ¡°Click¡ª¡± The door was pushed open from the inside.

    Upon hearing the noise, Zhan Qipei turned his head to look, and his pupils brightened suddenly at the sight of the meticulously dressed girl.

    The silk fabric clung smoothly to her body, perfectly outlining her exquisite figure. Her snow-like skin glowed against the backdrop of the ck evening dress.

    The high slit on one side, made of semi-transparent silk, subtly revealed the girl¡¯s legs,parable to those of an international supermodel, tantalizingly half-concealed.

    Not only that, but the girl¡¯s face was carefully made up, her features gentle, her nose petite, and her lips brightly colored, indescribably beautiful!

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei staring at her and raised her eyes to meet his gaze.

    His look was the same as usual, but now it carried an infinite charm, striking deep into the soul.

    Zhan Qipei felt his heart almost forget to beat.

    If he didn¡¯t know Qiao Jing¡¯s nature, he would never doubt that her alluring nce was intentionally seducing him.

    ¡°How about it? Isn¡¯t my Qiao Qiao beautiful?¡± Ni Yue bragged to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei frowned in displeasure, ¡®yours¡¯? There was something wrong with that statement.

    After muttering a smallint in his heart, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing once again.

    If only the girl who saved him was really her.

    But¡ª

    This morning he had looked for Lu Zijiao, having tasked him before with inquiring about Qiao Jing¡¯s business.

    Lu Zijin said Qiao Jing was just a temporary doctor at their hospital, not a formal one.

    He had Lu Zijiao look into this matter to gauge Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills.

    If her medical skills were high, then it was very likely she was the woman who saved him.

    However, the answer turned out that Qiao Jing was an ¡°on-and-off¡± doctor of no repute.

    In fact, upon reflection, if Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills were truly outstanding, she could well have stayed at the hospital working a regr nine-to-five job, sheltered from wind and rain. Why would she bother cleaning at a research institute?

    Moreover, Qiao Jing had always been denying she was the one, and there wasn¡¯t a trace of lying on her face when she did so.

    It seemed she really wasn¡¯t the person he was looking for.

    With that thought, Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze from Qiao Jing and walked towards his room. He stopped at the door, without turning back, ¡°Don¡¯t wear this outfit tomorrow.¡±

    What a joke, wearing such clothes to a banquet, was she asking to attract unwanted attention?

    Qiao Jing looked down at her outfit, feeling neither like nor dislike for it, but Zhan Qipei¡¯s words made her slightly care.

    ¡°Do I look ugly in it?¡± Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei and asked.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows, heavy as mountains and as foggy as mist, clearly knitted together. He turned his head to look at Qiao Jing and saw her clear, alert eyes gazing back at him, like a deer in the forest, stirring in him an irresistiblepassion that made it impossible for him to utter any words that might hurt her.

    Not even a single word, and he almost blurted out ¡°very beautiful¡±.

    ¡°It¡¯s just not suitable for you.¡±

    After dropping this line, Zhan Qipei entered his room and closed the door.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, don¡¯t listen to him. Wear this tomorrow. You¡¯re apanying him, and he¡¯s still being picky. Just ignore him.¡± Ni Yue truly liked seeing Qiao Jing dressed up like this.

    Indeed, it was just a banquet anyway; no need to be too particr about the outfit.

    Qiao Jing had decided she would wear the dress she had on now tomorrow.

    She didn¡¯t particrly love the style, but the fabric clung to her skin,fortable and soft against it.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, let¡¯s try this one on too,¡± Ni Yue suggested as she held up a pure and adorable off-shoulder white evening gown next to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice, the one I¡¯m wearing. No need to try on more.¡±

    Ni Yue had known Qiao Jing for quite some time and understood her personality. She wasn¡¯t fond of those girly dresses, bags, and jewelry. For Qiao Jing to try on two outfits was already giving her a lot of face.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame, I have to catch a flight to Mn for Fashion Week tomorrow morning, otherwise, I¡¯d love to go with you to the banquet to see you stunning everyone there,¡± said Ni Yue with a face full of regret.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯ste, you should get some rest and not miss your flight tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Then, goodbye, good night,¡± Ni Yue said, pointing at her own face, ¡°Come on, Qiao Qiao, give me a kiss, a goodnight kiss.¡±

    Just then, Zhan Qipei came out, his gaze cold as ice, staring at Ni Yue, ¡°I¡¯m working; you¡¯re very noisy, hurry up and leave.¡±

    Ni Yue pouted, looking at Qiao Jing, ¡°Qiao Qiao, he¡¯s so fierce. Has he been bullying you? Although in just over eighty days, you and he will go your separate ways, if he bullies you during this time, tell me, and I¡¯ll take up the issue for you.¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen. He and I usually don¡¯t interact much, pretty much two parallel lines that never cross. Don¡¯t worry, head back early,¡± Qiao Jing said while gently pushing Ni Yue towards the door.

    Ni Yue really was too bold, and sometimes Qiao Jing found it hard to handle her.

    After Ni Yue left, the room suddenly became quiet.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze subconsciously and automatically shifted to Qiao Jing. She was still in her evening gown, having not changed.

    Qiao Jing sat on the sofa with her phone, leaning backzily against the backrest, her thighs crossing and uncrossing. That posture fully revealed the proud curves of her body, bewitching to the extreme.

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath, closed the door, and thought that out of sight would be out of mind, but as soon as he couldn¡¯t see Qiao Jing, his mind would clearly visualize her captivating charm.

    And that look she gave¡ª

    It was electrifying!!

    Zhan Qipei looked at the notebook in front of him, too restless to type a single word.

    ¡°What a seductress!¡±

    The next evening.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing in that sensual evening gown, the mes he had managed to suppress red up once again.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that outfit isn¡¯t right for you?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently, and then added, ¡°Different people have different tastes. It¡¯s perfectly normal. I quite like it.¡±

    Like to seduce people, huh?! Zhan Qipei ground his teeth as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    The car slowly stopped in front of the hotel hosting the banquet.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou had arrived early and were waiting at the entrance.

    Their goal was simple: to have Zhan Qipei see how beautiful Lou Xinrou looked now.

    ¡°Xinrou, my brother is here!¡± said Zhan Nanqing, pointing at the arriving car.

    ¡°Nanqing, I¡¯m so nervous. What if Brother Pei doesn¡¯t like my outfit?¡± Lou Xinrou said these words with her mouth, but her heart held different thoughts.

    She was wearing thetest model from Yueji Pavilion, and the blush pink fabric made her appear freshly tender and delicate, like a lotus with dew after the morning rain, so alluring she almost enchanted herself in the mirror.

    ¡°Xinrou, you¡¯re gorgeous, have some confidence, will you? You are the most beautiful person I¡¯ve ever seen, especially tonight. I guarantee that once you appear at the banquet, you will be the most eye-catching,¡± Zhan Nanqing promised, patting her chest.

    ¡°Nanqing, you¡¯re exaggerating. I¡¯m just average-looking,¡± Lou Xinrou said until the car door opened, and Zhan Qipei stepped out of the car.

    ¡°Pei¡ª¡± Lou Xinrou was about to lift her dress and run over when she saw Qiao Jing getting out of the other side of the car.

    Was that Qiao Jing?!!

 Chapter 33 - 31 Confessing to Qiao Jing Face to Face

    Chapter 33: Chapter 31 Confessing to Qiao Jing Face to Face

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Lou Xinrou was utterly shocked and couldn¡¯t believe that the enchanting and captivating girl was Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression was simr to Lou Xinrou¡¯s, staring at Qiao Jing with her mouth agape. Although she hated to admit it, Qiao Jing¡¯s beautypletely overshadowed Lou Xinrou.

    So now, she desperately wanted to take back what she had just said, for Qiao Jing was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

    ¡°Hmph! What¡¯s the use of being attractive? A country bumpkin, inexperienced and crude. Just wait until we get to the banquet hall, she¡¯ll definitely make a fool of herself, an utter embarrassment.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, Lou Xinrou managed to regain some confidence and also hoped that Qiao Jing would mess up once inside.

    She thought about it, if Qiao Jing conforms without making a fool of herself, then she would find a way to make her do so.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Zhan Nanqing pulled Lou Xinrou over to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I was bored, so I brought Xinrou along.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Lou Xinrou, giving her a polite look before averting his gaze.

    Qiao Jing caught that look, touched her chin and, after some thought, concluded by saying to Zhan Qipei, ¡°So you like this type.¡±

    To Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s earlier action suggested that he liked the style of evening gown Lou Xinrou was wearing.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei impulsively replied, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, she¡¯s just a childhood ymate, not whatever you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Damn, why was he exining this to her? Who he likes wasn¡¯t any of her business!

    Qiao Jing yfully arched her finely shaped brows, ¡°The one overthinking is you, I was talking about her evening gown.¡±

    Huh? Zhan Qipei frowned.

    Lou Xinrou looked at Zhan Qipei, then at Qiao Jing, and suddenly felt like crying.

    Soon after entering the hotel, Lou Xinrou felt even more like crying.

    She had thought she would be the star of the evening, and indeed, the evening turned out to be quite sensational.

    Only, not because of her.

    Almost everyone¡¯s attention fell on Qiao Jing, no matter their age or gender.

    While she, Lou Xinrou, was like a backdrop,pletely ignored.

    ¡°Xinrou, stay strong,¡± Zhan Nanqing encouraged Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Lou Xinrou nodded miserably.

    Zhan Qipei, being closest to Qiao Jing, could feel the stares on her, some were admiring, while others carried a hint of lust.

    This woman, he had told her not to wear that evening gown here, but she wouldn¡¯t listen!

    Who was she trying to infuriate?!

    Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth, took off his jacket, and draped it over Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m not cold,¡± Qiao Jing said, trying to take off the jacket.

    Zhan Qipei pressed down, stopping her actions.

    ¡°Cold or not, you are not taking it off!¡±

    ¡°Such a fuss,¡± Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at Zhan Qipei, and swiftly took off the jacket, stuffing it back into his hands.

    Zhan Qipei instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

    Just then, a little boy about six or seven years old ran towards them holding a flower.

    ¡°It¡¯s my cousin!¡± Lou Xinrou squat down, reaching out her hand, ¡°Hao Hao,e¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, the little boy ran past her to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Sister, sister, you are so beautiful, this flower is for you,¡± the little boy said bashfully, gazing at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing took the flower, and gently patted the boy on the head.

    The boy¡¯s face turned even redder, ¡°S-sister, have you ever heard the saying that boys¡¯ heads should not be touched?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qiao Jing paused.

    The boy clenched his little fist nervously, took a deep breath, and mustering up courage said loudly to Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister, you touched my head, now you have to take responsibility. When I grow up, you have to marry me!¡±

    Lou Xinrou was stunned, unable to believe that the enchantingly attractive girl was Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression was simr to Lou Xinrou¡¯s, staring at Qiao Jing with wide eyes. Much as she hated to admit it, Qiao Jing¡¯s beautypletely overshadowed Lou Xinrou.

    So now she really wanted to take back what she had said earlier; Qiao Jing was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

    ¡°Humph! What good is looking attractive? A country girl, hasn¡¯t seen much of the world, so vulgar. Just wait until she gets to the banquet hall, she will definitely make a fool of herself and embarrass herself.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, Lou Xinrou regained some of her confidence and was also secretly hoping that Qiao Jing would make a fool of herself inside.

    She had thought it over; if Qiao Jing behaved properly and did not mess up, then she would find a way to make her do so.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Zhan Nanqing, pulling Lou Xinrou, came over to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I was bored, so I brought Xinrou along.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Lou Xinrou, merely giving a polite look before withdrawing his gaze.

    Qiao Jing caught this look, stroked her chin thoughtfully, and concluded, looking at Zhan Qipei, ¡°So you like this type.¡±

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s view, Zhan Qipei¡¯s behavior indicated that he liked the style of evening dress that Lou Xinrou was wearing.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei replied without thinking, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, she and I are just childhood ymates, not the rtionship you are thinking of.¡±

    Damn it, why was he exining this to her? Who he liked was none of her business!

    Qiao Jing yfully raised her finely shaped eyebrows, ¡°The one overthinking it is you. I was talking about the evening dress she¡¯s wearing.¡±

    What? Zhan Qipei frowned.

    Lou Xinrou looked at Zhan Qipei and then at Qiao Jing; suddenly, she felt like crying.

    Soon, after entering the hotel, Lou Xinrou felt even more like crying.

    Initially, she thought she would dazzle everyone at the event, and indeed, she did dazzle everyone.

    Only it wasn¡¯t her.

    Almost all eyes, whether men, women, old, or young, were on Qiao Jing.

    And she, Lou Xinrou, was like a mere background wall,pletely ignored.

    ¡°Xinrou, stay strong,¡± Zhan Nanqing encouraged Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Lou Xinrou gave a bitter nod.

    Zhan Qipei, being closest to Qiao Jing, felt most keenly each gaze thatnded on her, admiring and some with lustful undertones.

    This woman, he had told her not to wear this evening dress, but she wouldn¡¯t listen!

    Was she trying to kill someone with anger?!

    Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m not hot.¡± Qiao Jing spoke and started to take off the suit.

    Zhan Qipei grabbed her hand, stopping her action.

    ¡°Hot or not, you¡¯re not taking it off!¡±

    ¡°Really making a fuss over nothing.¡± Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei speechlessly then proceeded to take off the suit jacket and stuffed it into his hands.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened instantly.

    Just then, a six or seven-year-old boy with a flower in his hand ran towards them.

    ¡°It¡¯s my little cousin!¡± Lou Xinrou crouched down, reaching out her hand, ¡°Haohao,e¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, the little boy ran past her and came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Sister, Sister, you¡¯re so pretty, this flower is for you,¡± the little boy said shyly, his face flushed as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qiao Jing took the flower and lightly patted the little boy on the head.

    The boy¡¯s face turned even redder, ¡°Sister, sister, have you ever heard that boys¡¯ heads shouldn¡¯t be touched?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qiao Jing paused her motion.

    The little boy nervously clenched his small hands, took a deep breath, mustered his courage and said loudly, ¡°Sister, since you touched my head, you have to take responsibility for me, and when I grow up, you have to be my wife!¡±

 Chapter 34 - 32 Competing to Confess to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 34: Chapter 32 Competing to Confess to Qiao Jing

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    The little boy had scarcely spoken when silence instantly fell all around.

    Everyone could hardly believe their own ears.

    Especially Zhan Qipei, who was feeling extremely awful. It was the same with Zhan Ruiting, and with Lu Zijin, and now even a boy barely out of childhood was coveting his wife.

    Was he born with a green forehead or what?

    And that was just the beginning, as an elderly man in his seventies or eighties walked over, looked at the little boy, and said, ¡°You¡¯re too young. By the time you¡¯re grown up, she¡¯ll have been married off long ago.¡±

    Having spoken, the old man gazed benevolently at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Child, once you get a divorce, would you consider dating my grandson? He¡¯s a good-looking man and honest. He¡¯s absolutely a good man who takes care of his family.¡±

    Herees another one!

    Unable to tolerate it anymore, Zhan Qipei stepped in front of Qiao Jing and addressed the old man, ¡°Old Master Fang, you should at least wait until she¡¯s divorced before making thatment.¡±

    Old Master Fang stroked his beard, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re divorced.¡±

    ¡°Damn siren!¡± a girl in a yellow evening gown cursed maliciously.

    Hearing this, Lou Xinrou looked in the direction of the voice.

    It was her, Chen Qianqian, who fancied Old Master Fang¡¯s grandson and had always been in pursuit. Half the circle knew about this.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes narrowed, and an idea formed in her mind.

    She moved closer to Chen Qianqian and raised her voice deliberately, ¡°Qiao Jing is so beautiful, and she seems to have caught Old Master Fang¡¯s fancy. In just over eighty days, Qiao Jing will be divorced, and it¡¯s possible that under Old Master Fang¡¯s arrangement, she¡¯ll meet Fang Hong.¡±

    Chen Qianqian gritted her teeth upon hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words, ¡°Hmph! Even so, Fang Hong won¡¯t like her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Fang Hong is an honest man, or to put it inly, a bookworm. And you¡¯ve seen Qiao Jing; she¡¯s a siren who could easily conquer Fang Hong with just a little bit of scheming.¡±

    ¡°Impossible! That¡¯s not the kind of person Fang Hong is!¡±

    ¡°Right, but Fang Hong is an honest man. Imagine if Qiao Jing slips something into his drink. If something happens, Fang Hong might be reluctant, but he would take responsibility.¡±

    The more Lou Xinrou spoke, the more anxious Chen Qianqian became. Her gaze toward Qiao Jing grew increasingly fierce.

    She absolutely wouldn¡¯t let such a thing happen!

    Chen Qianqian walked towards Qiao Jing with a ss of red wine in hand, looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s radiant and beautiful face with both jealousy and resentment.

    Qiao Jing was picking food she liked from a te, never worrying about getting fat. She would eat whatever she wanted because she¡¯d usually have a cup of her own slimming tea before bed. Not only did it taste great, but its effectiveness was evident just from her figure.

    As Qiao Jing focused on picking up food, Chen Qianqian suddenly bumped into her with force.

    Qiao Jing was quick to react and dodged in time, but she was still hit, and the te in her hands fell to the floor.

    Itnded with a loud ¡°bang.¡±

    ¡°How do you walk? Are you blind?¡± Chen Qianqian bellowed maliciously.

    Zhan Qipei, who was chatting with friends, turned his head at themotion. The sight of Chen Qianqian berating Qiao Jing unleashed a chilly glint in his dark eyes.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze lifted from the shattered te on the ground, her expression showing the chill in her heart, ¡°Say that again? Who bumped into whom?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you trying to argue? Hmph! Do you think you can just deny it because there¡¯s no surveince here?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing understood why Chen Qianqian was so brazenly picking a fight; there was no surveince.

    ¡°Ah! Where¡¯s my bracelet?¡± Chen Qianqian yelled, then turned sharply to Qiao Jing, ¡°No wonder you deliberately bumped into me. You were trying to steal my bracelet! Give it back to me right now!¡±

    Chen Qianqian yelled loudly on purpose, drawing even more people¡¯s attention to the situation.

    ¡°So pretty on the outside, but to think you can¡¯t keep your hands clean.¡±

    ¡°It figures,ing from the countryside you¡¯d never seen nice things and couldn¡¯t resist the temptation.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The crowd was abuzz, pointing and murmuring among themselves.

    Lou Xinrou stood among them, watching with excitement¡ªbeautifully done!

    Zhan Qipei had no interest in chatting with his friends anymore.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she would steal anything, my brother¡¯s judgement isn¡¯t that bad,¡± Lu Zijiao was certain this was a misunderstanding.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head with an irritated look, nced at Lu Zijiao, and then his gaze settled back on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing remained indifferent, unaffected by the sharp words of the bystanders.

    ¡°Evidence?¡±

    ¡°What evidence do you need? The bracelet was gone right after you bumped into me, if it wasn¡¯t you who stole it, then who did?¡± Chen Qianqian¡¯s gaze suddenly dropped,nding on the bag on Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°It must be hidden in your bag, give it to me! Let me check. If it¡¯s not there, I will apologize to you, and say sorry out loud.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at her own bag, Chen Qianqian sounded so certain, it must have been when Chen Qianqian deliberately bumped into her, that she took the opportunity to throw the bracelet into her bag.

    She recalled carefully, and indeed, it seemed that the bag on her wrist was tugged on a moment ago.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Guilty because I hit the mark?¡± Chen Qianqian was smug, looking forward to the embarrassment that was toe for Qiao Jing.

    The reason she was doing this was simple: to let everyone know that Qiao Jing was just a pretty face and deep down inferior, a dirty thief.

    Qiao Jing was now nominally the young madam of the Zhan Family. Since she couldn¡¯t do much to her directly, she could still tarnish her reputation. That way, Old Master Fang would discard the idea of introducing Qiao Jing to Fang Hong.

    Her n was truly brilliant!

    ¡°Just because you say I stole it, means I did? Did anyone see it? Moreover, this is my bag, you¡¯re not the police, what gives you the right to check?¡±

    Qiao Jing was now certain the bracelet was in her bag. She had many ways to get out of this situation or even turn it back on them.

    That¡¯s when Zhan Qipei came over and reached out his hand in front of Qiao Jing, ¡°Give me the bag, I¡¯ll check.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, looking at Zhan Qipei with suspicion.

    What was he doing? Deliberately helping Chen Qianqian to embarrass her? Did they want the divorce to happen sooner?

    How childish, even if you, Zhan Qipei, suspect me of being a thief, Zhan Yuanshan would never believe it, so in the end, we still can¡¯t divorce.

    Just over eighty days left, you can¡¯t even wait that long, you need to see me humiliated?

    Having analyzed the situation, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze towards Zhan Qipei turned icy.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! President Zhan, it¡¯s really great that you¡¯re checking!¡± Chen Qianqian couldn¡¯t hide her excitement.

    In the capital, who didn¡¯t know about the melon that was Zhan Qipei¡¯s wedding.

    On the day of the wedding, Zhan Qipei almost killed Qiao Jing, and although it waster said to be a misunderstanding, who knows the truth?

    After all, who is Zhan Qipei? The wealthiest man in the capital, disinterested in countless prominentdies and talented women, how could he possibly ept a marriage arranged by family elders.

    Privately, people spected that the car ident could have been orchestrated by Zhan Qipei himself.

    So in her eyes, Zhan Qipei stepping forward at this moment meant he wanted to rid himself of this country wife sooner.

    Zhan Qipei reached out and grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s bag, while Qiao Jing¡¯s hand hanging at her side clenched slightly.

    Indeed, this man was a thankless wretch!

    Fine, take it! She wanted to see how he would y this out and ridicule her.

    Qiao Jing let go, and Zhan Qipei took the bag and started searching carefully inside it in front of everyone.

    A momentter, he said two words, surprising everyone, two words.

 Chapter 35 - 33 Zhan Qipei Recognizes Its Qiao Jing

    Chapter 35: Chapter 33 Zhan Qipei Recognizes It¡¯s Qiao Jing

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°No.¡±

    What?

    Qiao Jing froze, her astonished eyes fixed on Zhan Qipei.

    No?

    ¡°How is that possible?!¡± Chen Qianqian¡¯s face was full of disbelief. She had clearly thrown the bracelet into Qiao Jing¡¯s bag just moments ago. How could it not be in Qiao Jing¡¯s bag?

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Chen Qianqian reached out to snatch the bag from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands.

    Zhan Qipei returned the bag to Qiao Jing before her, his expression cold as he confronted Chen Qianqian, ¡°Are you using me of protecting her?¡±

    The icy tone made the man¡¯s demeanor even more chilling and aloof, sending a shiver through Chen Qianqian.

    ¡°No, no. It seems it was a misunderstanding,¡± Chen Qianqian bit her lip, her eyes darting around as she thought maybe when she threw it, it identally fell to the ground.

    Chen Qianqian searched the ground while sheepishly making her exit.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Zhan Qipei called out to Chen Qianqian. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten something.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Chen Qianqian turned to look at Zhan Qipei, her face clearly confused.

    ¡°Apologize to her,¡± Zhan Qipei said to Chen Qianqian, ncing at Qiao Jing by his side.

    Hearing this, Chen Qianqian¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, her mouth agape.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s skeptical gaze at Zhan Qipei, there was a faint touch of emotion.

    ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you going to keep your word? She is considered my wife in name by the and Zhan family, and it is not for others to nder her. Apologize now! Otherwise, from today on, the Zhan family will sever all business ties with your Chen family!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice was low, neither warm nor fiery, and his expression was utterly unruffled, yet it carried a wild and imperious air.

    Chen Qianqian was stunned, never anticipating such a terrible consequence of her actions

    Chen Family didn¡¯tpare to the Zhan Family; they barely made it as upper-ss tycoons in the capital.

    But the Zhan family was different, the absolute top tier!

    If the Zhan family really cut off all business with their Chen family, most of the other tycoons would likely follow suit and abandon the Chen family.

    By then, she would be the eternal sinner of the Chen family.

    The more she thought, the more frightened Chen Qianqian became, until her legs began to tremble.

    Just then, a scolding voice suddenly erupted beside her.

    ¡°What are you still doing standing there? Apologize now!¡± Father Chen yelled in frustration.

    Startled by the shout, Chen Qianqian didn¡¯t dare dy and immediately went in front of Qiao Jing, bowing deeply at 90 degrees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have wronged you.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly lifted her eyebrows, didn¡¯t respond, and turned to walk towards the dining area.

    This matter seemed to be concluded for now.

    Qiao Jing picked up a piece of mousse and went to a corner, savoring it slowly.

    Halfway through eating, she paused, opened her bag, and rummaged through it.

    She found an emerald bracelet.

    Qiao Jing stared at the bracelet, her beautiful brows slowly knitting together.

    After a few seconds pause, she looked in the direction where Zhan Qipei was. She saw him putting down his wine ss and leaving alone.

    ¡°Drank too much?¡±

    Qiao Jing noted Zhan Qipei¡¯s flushed face, red all the way to his neck, and guessed that he probably had too much to drink.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to avert her gaze, she noticed a girl in a bright red strapless evening gown quietly following him.

    Sneaky, with seemingly impure intentions.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze returned to the bracelet, after thinking for two seconds, she put it back in her bag and quickly followed.

    Following at a distance, Qiao Jing first saw Zhan Qipei looking unwell as he entered a room, then saw the girl in the pink evening gown follow him inside.

    ¡°Get out!¡± The low growl carried an indescribable suppression.

    Qiao Jing ced her hand on the door handle, pushing it open just a crack to peek inside.

    The first thing she saw was Zhan Qipei sitting on the bed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was even redder than before, blood-red, and not only that, but his forehead was also dripping with big beads of sweat, he was gasping for breath, and his eyes were slightly hazy.

    Through this series of symptoms, Qiao Jing immediately knew what was going on.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted to the girl in the pink evening dress. As expected, the person who had meddled surreptitiously was her.

    ¡°I told you to leave, can¡¯t you understand?!¡± Zhan Qipei gritted his mrs, trying to maintain thest bit of rationality he had left.

    Although the girl in the pink evening gown was scared, she had already done what she¡¯d done, and she could only tough it out to the end.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, with your condition, I can¡¯t leave. I¡¯m volunteering, you don¡¯t have to take responsibility!¡± With that, the girl in the pink evening dress boldly walked towards Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Zhan Qipei used thest of his strength to kick the girl in the pink evening gown who was close to him, knocking her to the floor.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The girl in the pink evening gown covered her stomach and fell to the ground, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s terrifying face, she was so scared that she turned and ran, rushing out of the room.

    Only Zhan Qipei was left in the room, he no longer held back and let out a heavy breath, leaning on the nightstand and walking towards the bathroom.

    His vision was blurred by waves of heat, his condition was very bad right now.

    Just then, the door was pushed open from outside.

    Zhan Qipei, alert, looked towards the door immediately.

    ¡°Not leaving yet? Do you want to die?!¡±

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t see clearly who the person was, thinking that it was still the girl standing at the door.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition was very bad, Qiao Jing worried that if he wasn¡¯t treated quickly, he might indeed be infertile.

    ¡°Just lie down, I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Qiao Jing had no other medical supplies avable, so she could only use acupressurebined with massage, to expel the drugs from the man¡¯s body.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing approaching, and although he gritted his teeth with hatred, he was helpless.

    That kick earlier had used up all of his strength.

    Now, he was like a fish on a chopping board.

    When Qiao Jing reached Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, she reached out, helped the man up, and pushed him onto the bed. Then familiarly, she unbuckled his belt.

    ¡°You, you dare!¡±

    As soon as Zhan Qipei spoke,

    Qiao Jing yanked his pants down.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face instantly darkened.

    ¡°If you dare again¡ª¡±

    Before Zhan Qipei could finish his words, his underwear was pulled down again.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei no longer got angry, but rather, his face showed more confusion and astonishment, feeling the familiarity of the scene, as if¡­ as if¡­

    Qiao Jing pressed and massaged his acupoints with a serious and solemn expression; this was her usual professional attitude.

    Zhan Qipei widened his eyes, trying to clearly see the girl treating him.

    His vision was so blurred, he couldn¡¯t see clearly.

    It was precisely because he couldn¡¯t see clearly that he could see the figure busily moving on him, ovepping with the images in his memory.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±

    Upon hearing those two words, Qiao Jing reflexively paused.

    Noticing the girl¡¯s reaction, Zhan Qipei became even more certain of his guess.

    It really was her!

    ¡°You finally showed up!¡±

    Zhan Qipei was overjoyed, and under the excitement, his strength suddenly returned somewhat. He grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, flipped over, and firmly pinned her beneath him.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the man pressing down on her, ¡°Stop moving, I¡¯m treating you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved up, ¡°For treatment, there¡¯s no need for all this trouble since you¡¯vee, why don¡¯t you just stay tonight.¡±

    Having said that, Zhan Qipei directly pressed down.

 Chapter 36 - 34 Searching Everywhere for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 36: Chapter 34 Searching Everywhere for Qiao Jing

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Thin lips covered hers.

    In the sh of lightning, it was a blitzkrieg.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brain ¡°buzzed¡± and exploded.

    In just a few seconds, rage burst into mes.

    She bit down on the mouth.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± The man winced in pain and pulled away slightly.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand and brought it down hard.

    ¡°Mmh¡ª¡± The man grunted, and fell towards Qiao Jing.

    With quick reflexes, she caught the man¡¯s face, pushed him aside, quickly got up from the bed, straightened out her evening gown that had been pulled open, and angrily turned to look at the man lying on the bed.

    Truth be told, she really didn¡¯t want to treat him, but considering that Zhan Qipei had helped her in the banquet hall just now, she had to suppress her anger.

    Besides, it wasn¡¯t what he wanted to do; his reason had long been devoured by the drug.

    Thinking of this, the fire in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart subsided somewhat.

    Qiao Jing wiped her mouth, returned to the man¡¯s side,id him down t, and continued to treat him.

    It took a long time before Zhan Qipei regained consciousness.

    He struggled to prop up his body, rubbing his aching temples.

    The next second, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open, his pupils dted as he scanned the room.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    She ran off again?

    Zhan Qipei lifted the nket to get out of bed, and the next second hastily covered himself again.

    This woman, she knows only how to undress, not how to dress him?

    If someone else with ill intentions came in, wouldn¡¯t they see everything?

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone and called Tang Yan.

    ¡°Investigate, who entered room 106 just now. Quickly!¡±

    Tang Yan¡¯s face showed difficulty upon hearing this.

    ¡°Boss, have you forgotten? This banquet is special. To protect their own privacy, the organizers had the hotel shut off all surveince. So¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Zhan Qipei hissed out angrily through clenched teeth.

    Tang Yan shuddered in fright.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll send someone to check immediately.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Zhan Qipei leaned back and pinched between his eyebrows, a way he often relieved pressure.

    After calming down for a dozen seconds, Zhan Qipei started to analyze the situation carefully.

    Without surprise, she must be a guest at the banquet.

    With that thought, Zhan Qipei called Lu Zijiao to ask him to investigate the guest list for this banquet.

    It¡¯s just a clue¡ªsome people, like Qiao Jing, brought by guests, wouldn¡¯t be on the list.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

    Zhan Qipei suddenly sat up straight, by coincidence, she was there, too.

    Zhan Qipei quickly dressed and left the private room. The banquet had just ended, and people were dispersing.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s desperate gaze searched through the crowd, but after a long time, he still hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Brother Pei, where did you go? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡± Lou Xinrou came over and asked with concern.

    ¡°Have you seen Qiao Jing?¡± Zhan Qipei hastily asked.

    Lou Xinrou clenched her teeth, her eyes nearly spitting fire with jealousy.

    ¡°She, she seemed to have left and didn¡¯t wait for you,¡± Lou Xinrou said, emphasizing thetter part of her statement.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t wait for you, but she was different; she¡¯d been waiting for you all along. Who cared about you the most? It was clear at a nce.

    While Lou Xinrou was thinking this, Zhan Qipei did not give her another nce and turned around, running outside.

    ¡°Brother Pei! Pei¡ª¡±

    Lou Xinrou hadn¡¯t finished shouting when Zhan Qipei had already run out of the hotel.

    Lou Xinrou stomped her feet in anger and clenched her teeth before reluctantly following him.

    Once Zhan Qipei left the hotel, he saw Qiao Jing standing by the road hailing a taxi.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

    At this deep call, Qiao Jing turned her head in confusion, and just as she did, her wrist was grasped by the fast-approaching man.

    Qiao Jing tried to withdraw her hand, but Zhan Qipei tightened his grip, restraining her wrist.

    ¡°Was it you just now?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with an urgent look, his deep eyes staring intently at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What was me?¡± Qiao Jing feigned ignorance and retorted without answering.

    Zhan Qipei squinted, scrutinizing Qiao Jing, trying to spot any trace of lying on her face. Yet, the girl remained indifferent, making it hard to see through her.

    Could it really not be her?

    ¡°What were you doing half an hour ago?¡±

    ¡°What could I do? Eat.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Does going to the restroom count?¡± Qiao Jing continued to respond calmly.

    The more Qiao Jing acted like nothing had happened, the more doubts crept into Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind.

    Was he really overthinking it?

    Qiao Jing lifted her hand that was being held, ¡°You¡¯re pinching me. It hurts.¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned and released Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and upon doing so, he saw her wrist reddened by his grip.

    Indeed, in his agitation, he had used a lot of force.

    ¡°Get in the car, I have ointment inside.¡±

    ¡°No need, it¡¯ll be fine in a while,¡± Qiao Jing said as she rubbed her wrist to relieve the bruise.

    Lou Xinrou watched as Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei left side by side, her jealousy growing wildly.

    The next day, after Zhan Qipei had left, Lou Xinrou sought out Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Qiao Jing frowned and asked Lou Xinrou.

    Now whenever Lou Xinrou saw Qiao Jing, a fire burned within her; so much so that in her anger she couldn¡¯t maintain her usual decorum and grace.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! I¡¯m asking you, what did you do to Brother Pei? Why is he so different towards you? Could it be¡­ could it be that you shamelessly climbed into his bed?!¡±

 Chapter 37 - 35 Zhan Qipei Investigates Qiao Jing

    Chapter 37: Chapter 35 Zhan Qipei Investigates Qiao Jing

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Hearing these words, a look of disdain clearly surfaced in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Lou Xinrou, I really despise you! To think you¡¯d cast aside all your pride and cultivation for a man, turning into a shrew who spews nothing but vile words.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Lou Xinrou looked at Qiao Jing, her anger born of embarrassment.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was weary, ¡°Your grandfather is the president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, your second uncle is the head of the research institute, and has made significant contributions to it. As for you, a scion of the Lou Family, all you know is to be jealous and spiteful! Is your existence¡¯s value just to be a man¡¯s good wife and bear his children?! Can¡¯t you, like your second uncle, your grandfather, harness your true worth, be a talent to be utilized?!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words were articte and forceful.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth hung open wide, unsure of what to say.

    ¡°I, you, how dare you, a mere cleaner, lecture me?¡±

    ¡°You look down on cleaning staff? Without their dedication, would our city be this clean? What¡¯s wrong with their line of work? They too are creating value through their own hands. And you, Lou Xinrou, yourfortable life is only due to being born into better circumstances than them, what does it have to do with your own efforts? In my eyes, you¡¯re not even as good as the cleaning staff!¡±

    Though Qiao Jing¡¯s words were grating to Lou Xinrou¡¯s ears, they were indeed logical and even strangely familiar.

    Her family was a schrly one, and many grand principles had been imparted to her from a young age by her grandfather and her elders.

    The tone of speech was identical to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    Thinking of this, Lou Xinrou suddenly felt diminished.

    ¡°Think it over for yourself.¡± With that, Qiao Jing made to close the door.

    ¡°Wait a second.¡± Lou Xinrou blocked the door, ¡°You and Brother Pei, is there really nothing between you guys?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, evidently running out of patience.

    ¡°You need to understand two things, first, why do you like Zhan Qipei? It can¡¯t just be because of his family background or his looks. It¡¯s his excellence that attracts you. Likewise, excellent people attract other excellent individuals. If you want Zhan Qipei¡¯s attention, then you need to be sufficiently excellent. To attract him as he attracted you.¡±

    Such sound logic!

    Lou Xinrou savored Qiao Jing¡¯s words in her heart. She had only tried to attract Zhan Qipei with her appearance and dress. Now, considering if Zhan Qipei was truly attracted to her for such superficial reasons, wouldn¡¯t that make him shallow?

    No wonder Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t like her.

    ¡°And the second thing,¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor suddenly turned cold, ¡°whether I have anything to do with him or not is none of your business and there¡¯s no need for me to report to you!¡±

    After finishing, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Lou Xinrou the chance to bother her any further and closed the door directly.

    Lou Xinrou stared at the tightly shut door; she was so close that it almost hit her nose.

    Frustrating!

    But what Qiao Jing said really made sense.

    She had decided, she would take the graduate school entrance exam! Pursue a PhD!

    She studied medicine at university with the initial aim of helping Zhan Qipei treat infertility, but because it was too tough, she hadn¡¯t persisted.

    This time, she would study hard, striving to achieve in the field and be someone excellent, thereby attracting Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze.

    ¡­

    Three dayster.

    Zhan Qipei was sitting on the sofa, answering a call from Tang Yan.

    ¡°Not a single clue?¡±

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve investigated everything I could. I even asked Lu Shao and he hasn¡¯t found anything either,¡± Tang Yan said, and the more he spoke, the worse Zhan Qipei¡¯s headache got.

    ¡°Boss, actually¡­ I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡­¡± Tang Yan hesitated.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Did you drink too much? Have a hallucination?¡± Tang Yan had wanted to ask this for a while.

    ¡°If I had a hallucination, would my pants disappear?!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s words had barely left his mouth when Qiao Jing walked out of the room.

 Chapter 38 - 36: Zhan Qipei Gets Jealous Again

    Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Zhan Qipei Gets Jealous Again

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    Uh¡ª

    The living room suddenly became awkward.

    Qiao Jing nced downward toward Zhan Qipei, then calmly looked away.

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to rub his temple, stifling a pain.

    ¡°We¡¯re having dumplings for dinner, handmade,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    She knew how to make dumplings?

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, the doorbell rang.

    ¡°It must be him,¡± Qiao Jing said as she walked toward the door.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze followed intently, wondering who it was.

    As soon as Qiao Jing opened the door, Xu Moqian¡¯s loud voice instantly filled the air.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I bought celery, shepherd¡¯s purse, and chives, along with ck pork.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, thank you,e in,¡± Qiao Jing said as she handed a pair of slippers to Xu Moqian.

    ¡°No trouble at all, being able to eat the dumplings you make, Sister Jing, this little effort is nothing,¡± Xu Moqian said as he carried the groceries toward the kitchen, smirking as he passed by Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened as he looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Why did you invite him over?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯spletely handmade, mixing the dough, rolling the wrappers, chopping the filling, I can¡¯t manage it alone,¡± Qiao Jing replied nonchntly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know I dislike eating with strangers?¡± Zhan Qipei said with a displeased face.

    ¡°In that case, you should go out to eat tonight, with one less person, I can make fewer dumplings,¡± Qiao Jing retorted.

    At Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face immediately turned ck as the bottom of a pot.

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Xu Moqian stifled augh, ¡°Exactly, President Zhan, with your distinguished status, Sister Jing¡¯s simple cooking might not be to your taste, you should rather eat at a five-star hotel.¡±

    ¡°This is my house!¡± Zhan Qipei emphasized with half-closed eyes.

    ¡°This is Sister Jing¡¯s house,¡± Xu Moqian fired back upromisingly.

    Who was he afraid of! He had been a troublemaker from primary school all the way to university, none of the teachers could control him, onlyter, in university, when he took a course taught by Qiao Jing, was he firmly managed by her.

    Just as the situation became tense and ready to erupt, the doorbell rang again.

    Now who was it?

    Qiao Jing went to open the door again, and as soon as it opened, she was startled by a big bunch of fiery red roses.

    Following that, Zhan Ruiting popped his head in.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, I¡¯vee to thank you for saving my life!¡±

    Zhan Ruiting was dressed in a rose-red suit that day, his hair all slicked back, and hisrge leather shoes shone brightly.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing took the roses from Zhan Ruiting, and gave him a pair of slippers too.

    ¡°Cousin, what are you doing here?¡± Zhan Ruiting frowned as he looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath, his face so tight it was almost splitting.

    ¡°This is my house! Shouldn¡¯t you be the one being asked that question?¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± Zhan Ruiting replied perfunctorily, then ignored Zhan Qipei and turned to Qiao Jing with a smile, ¡°These flowers are heavy, let me help you put them away.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Zhan Qipei stepped forward quickly, took the flowers from her hand, and casually threw them into a corner on the floor.

    Xu Moqian, hearing themotion, came out of the kitchen.

    ¡°Sister Jing, is he here to help us make dumplings too?¡±

    ¡°Xu Moqian? What are you doing here?¡± Zhan Ruiting examined Xu Moqian with the gaze of a rival in love.

    ¡°What am I doing here? I knew Sister Jing back in university, so shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking that?¡± While Xu Moqian spoke, he noticed therge bouquet of roses tucked away in a corner and thought back to his college days.

    The first time he had met Qiao Jing, he was so captivated by her beauty that he approached her with a huge bouquet of roses and a band, boldly expressing his love. However, she dismissed him with a single sentence.

    She had said, ¡°I like someone with better grades than me.¡±

    What a joke! At just eighteen, Qiao Jing was already a professor in their university, not only that, but she had also established her own research institute and had achieved notable sess in agriculture.

    ¡°You were university ssmates?¡± Zhan Ruiting asked.

    ¡°How could I be ssmates with Sister Jing? She was my university professor.¡± Xu Moqian said, but then he noticed Qiao Jing giving him a warning look.

    Zhan Qipei half-narrowed his eyes, watching Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian intently. His intuition told him that it was very unlikely that Xu Moqian was lying.

    If Xu Moqian was indeed telling the truth, it meant that Qiao Jing had be a university professor before she turned twenty.

    Would such a genius be content working as a janitor in a research institute?

    Moreover, since hearing that Qiao Jing was a temporary doctor at Lu Zijin¡¯s Hospital, he had doubted the likelihood of her being a janitor.

    ¡°What? She was your professor? Who are you kidding? How could that be possible? You graduated years ago. How old was Doctor Qiao when you were in university? How could she have possibly been your university professor?¡± Ruiting expressed his disbelief.

    Xu Moqian just curled his lip and didn¡¯t respond. Turning to Qiao Jing, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve finished washing the vegetables, let¡¯s start.¡±

    ¡°Cooking? I¡¯ll help too.¡± Zhan Ruiting took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and walked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Get out of here, you wealthy young master who doesn¡¯t soil his fingers! You can¡¯t help; just stay aside and don¡¯t make it worse.¡± Xu Moqian stood in front of Qiao Jing, waving his hands to shoo Ruiting away.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I help? Besides, aren¡¯t you also a spoiled young master?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to make dumplings; do you know how?¡± Xu Moqian raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but I can learn!¡± Zhan Ruiting retorted without losing face due to his thick skin.

    ¡°Who has time to teach you? Just go away!¡± Xu Moqian ordered him out.

    Zhan Ruiting didn¡¯t move and instead pushed deeper into the room.

    Qiao Jing, feeling a headacheing on, nced at both men, ¡°Xu, stop blocking him; if he wants toe in, let him.¡±

    ¡°Sister Jing, how could you?¡±

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, you truly are too hospitable!¡± Zhan Ruiting chuckled, pushing past Xu Moqian and followed Qiao Jing into the kitchen.

    Xu Moqian silently twitched his mouth, straightened his clothes which had been wrinkled by Ruiting¡¯s push, and stepped into the kitchen.

    The living room suddenly fell quiet, leaving only Zhan Qipei alone.

    A cold aura slowly emanated from the man, spreading all around.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was tight, shrouded with an unmelting frost that seemed tost for ages.

    Contrary to the quietness of the living room, the asional voices of men in the kitchen sounded particrly jarring.

    Utterly frustrated!

    ¡°Excuse me!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s clearly you in the way!¡±

    ¡°Sister Jing, look at him, he¡¯s only making things worse!¡±

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, I¡¯m sorry; I¡¯m all thumbs, don¡¯t hold it against me!¡±

    ¡°Hey hey hey! Speak if you want, but why are you standing so close?¡±

    Zhan Qipei could no longer stand it and stood up, marching to the kitchen with an unforgiving stride.

 Chapter 39 - 37 Qiao Jing Teaches Zhan Qipei How to Make Dumplings

    Chapter 39: Chapter 37 Qiao Jing Teaches Zhan Qipei How to Make Dumplings

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    He had just walked in when he saw Xu Moqian and Zhan Ruiting buzzing around Qiao Jing like two flies.

    His anger had reached a boiling point and now eruptedpletely, grinding his teeth, he said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Tell them to leave!¡±

    ¡°Why should I?¡± Xu Moqian looked at Zhan Qipei with annoyance.

    ¡°Exactly, cousin, you¡¯re being too overbearing.¡± This time, Zhan Ruiting was on the same side as Xu Moqian.

    Zhan Qipei took a big step forward and stood by Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Because I am her husband byw.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, there are still 81 days left,¡± Xu Moqian said.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s 80 and a half days,¡± Zhan Ruiting corrected.

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s temples throbbed violently twice.

    These guys remembered even clearer than he did!

    Zhan Ruiting turned to Qiao Jing. ¡°Regardless, we are currently married. Do you think it¡¯s appropriate to bring two men home?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything shady with them, what¡¯s inappropriate about that?¡± Qiao Jing said, unconvinced.

    ¡°Fine, let me ask you¡ªif I brought two women home, you wouldn¡¯t oppose that?¡±

    At the man¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows slightly knitted together.

    Just now, she wanted to say that his actions had nothing to do with her. But if Zhan Qipei really did bring women home, not to mention more than one, whether they did anything unsavory or not is beside the point¡ªthe house is only so big and any little noise can be heard.

    Quite annoying.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing nced over at Xu Moqian and Zhan Ruiting. ¡°Keep your voices down, leave after this meal. If you still want to eat, wait until I get divorced, until he moves out from here.¡±

    Wait for him to move out? The anger within Zhan Qipei surged even more fiercely. Was he really so troublesome? So superfluous?

    Zhan Qipei angrily turned and walked away.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯ll roll out the dumpling wrappers,¡± Xu Moqian said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help with wrapping them. Doctor Qiao, I¡¯m not very good at this, can you teach me?¡± Zhan Ruiting said as he edged closer to Qiao Jing.

    He hadn¡¯t even reached Qiao Jing¡¯s side when a hand suddenly stretched out and pulled him aside.

    ¡°Cousin, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°You just had surgery; you should rest well,¡± Zhan Qipei said emotionlessly to Zhan Ruiting, his eyes as deep as the ocean and a bit chilling.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine; I¡¯m quite robust. Besides, Doctor Qiao needs my help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help her.¡± Zhan Qipei pressed down on Zhan Ruiting¡¯s shoulder to keep him from getting up.

    It was then that Qiao Jing looked over at Zhan Ruiting, ¡°He¡¯s right; you haven¡¯t been out of surgery long, you really should be resting in bed.¡±

    Now that Qiao Jing had spoken, Zhan Ruiting dared not disobey.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll sit and do it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes swept coldly over Zhan Ruiting before moving to stand beside Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was making dumplings, scooping some filling onto the wrapper and then deftly pinching it shut. The pleats of each finished dumpling were almost identical in size.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes learned the technique, clumsily he took a dumpling wrapper, ced some filling on top, and tried to pinch it together.

    No matter how he pinched it, it didn¡¯te out right.

    Qiao Jing turned her head, ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong.¡±

    Telling him he was wrong? Zhan Qipei¡¯s face stiffened, not pleased at all.

    The next second, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand came over, grasping his, and taught him how to make dumplings hand by hand.

    Feeling the girl¡¯s soft, delicate fingers brushing intermittently between his, all his anger dissipated, even giving him an indescribable sense of pleasure.

    Zhan Ruiting transformed into a lemon as he watched Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, ¡°Doctor Qiao, I don¡¯t know how either, teach me!¡±

    Zhan Qipei turned his head and red coldly at Zhan Ruiting, his eyes filled with endless murderous intent, frightening Zhan Ruiting into shivering.

    Indeed, Qiao Jing was currently his cousin-inw, they hadn¡¯t divorced yet, his current behavior was inappropriate.

    ¡°Got it?¡± Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei and let go of her hand.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and after struggling for two seconds, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±

    As soon as Zhan Qipei finished speaking, Xu Moqian¡¯s mocking voice followed.

    ¡°The CEO of Zhan Corporation, a top graduate with big brains, can¡¯t even learn how to wrap dumplings?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt Xu Moqian¡¯s words were too much, ¡°Everyone has ws and weaknesses, isn¡¯t that normal? Just like you, although your grades are good, you are tone-deaf and your singing is worse than a pig¡¯s squeal.¡±

    Xu Moqian ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Sister Jing, you¡¯ve changed, how could you expose my shorings in front of others? Do I still need face¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian murmured and grumbled to himself¡­

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips slightly curved up, very satisfied with the words Qiao Jing had just spoken to defend him.

    They were family, they should stand united.

    Wait!

    At that thought, Zhan Qipei suddenly realized.

    What was he doing just now? He was actually coveting the warmth of the girl¡¯s fingertips and naturally thinking of Qiao Jing as his own.

    Was this woman toxic?

    No, he must stay away from her before he became addicted.

    ¡°I got it.¡± Zhan Qipei quickly finished making the dumplings after speaking.

    Qiao Jing looked at the dumplings made by Zhan Qipei, their pleats even more evenly done than hers, as if measured with a ruler.

    Does he have OCD?

    After a short while, the dumplings were ready, and the four of them gathered to start eating.

    ¡°Delicious, so delicious! These are the best dumplings I¡¯ve ever eaten!¡± Zhan Ruiting said while eating, praising continuously.

    ¡°Of course, my Sister Jing¡¯s cooking is rare in this world. She has many signature dishes, such as Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, celery and yellow croaker strips, braised shark fins, and so on, all so delicious they make your mouth water!¡± Xu Moqian said with pride on his face.

    Because he had eaten all these dishes, but Zhan Qipei and Zhan Ruiting hadn¡¯t, so his sense of superiority was immense.

    Zhan Qipei, hearing Xu Moqian say that, suddenly felt the dumplings in his mouth weren¡¯t that tasty anymore.

    Quite sour.

    The signature dishes Xu Moqian mentioned earlier, Qiao Jing had never made them for him.

    He was her husband! She didn¡¯t cook them for him, yet she did for another man.

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes gleamed as he looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Doctor Qiao, you are really amazing! Whoever marries you would be the happiest man in the world.¡±

    At this, Zhan Ruiting added a statement.

    ¡°My cousin doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    ¡°Cough cough¡ªcough cough cough¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei choked on the dumpling in his mouth.

    After a few seconds to recover, Zhan Qipei put down his chopsticks and looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Those dishes, can you really make them?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, ¡°Why? Do you want to eat them?¡±

    Zhan Qipei considered for a moment, would it seem too undignified if he explicitly asked for them?

    ¡°Do you have time to make them?¡± Zhan Qipei asked in a different way.

 Chapter 40 - 38: The Sassy Young Lady Wants to Snatch Qiao Jings Ginseng

    Chapter 40: Chapter 38: The Sassy Young Lady Wants to Snatch Qiao Jing¡¯s Ginseng

    Editor:EndlessFantasy Trantion

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy these days, let¡¯s do it next week.¡±

    In the following days, she had to visit the research institute, as the experimental results for the new variety of corn were about toe out, and she needed to monitor them every day.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Zhan Qipei was taken aback.

    She agreed just like that?

    That simple?

    ¡°Sister Jing, when are you going to do it? I want toe too!¡± Xu Moqian said, practically drooling at the thought.

    ¡°And me, I want toe too!¡± Zhan Ruiting also wanted to taste Qiao Jing¡¯s signature dishes.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing without a word, just gazing at her steadily.

    Qiao Jing understood the man¡¯s intentions and turned to Zhan Ruiting and Xu Moqian, ¡°From now on, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯te over when you have nothing to do.¡±

    ¡°So stingy!¡± Xu Moqian red at Zhan Qipei and stuffed a dumpling into his mouth.

    Zhan Ruiting, understanding the situation, said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Doctor Qiao, I understand. I won¡¯t put you in a difficult position. After you divorce my cousin, I¡¯lle to you for meals then.¡±

    Zhan Qipei really wanted to throw Zhan Ruiting out of the window!

    Eating his family¡¯s food, and still after his woman!

    There was a saying that was really true, ¡°It¡¯s hard to guard against a thief within the family!¡±

    ¡­

    The sun was shining brightly that day.

    Qiao Jing came out of the research institute; the research results would be out in at most a week.

    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡± The ring of her mobile phone sounded.

    Why was Zhan Yuanshan calling her instead of resting properly in the hospital?

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Jing Girl, my birthday banquet is the day after tomorrow. What do you n to give me?¡±

    This old man, asking for a gift from someone younger, how could he be so shameless?

    That being said, even if Zhan Yuanshan didn¡¯t ask for it, she would still have given him something.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Hehe!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s suddenughter made Qiao Jing¡¯s scalp tingle.

    ¡°I want you to give me a great-grandchild.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, choose something else.¡±

    ¡°I just want this; I don¡¯t want anything else! I don¡¯t care!¡± Zhan Yuanshan threw a tantrum like a child.

    There¡¯s a saying that the older people get, the more childlike they be, and Zhan Yuanshan was a prime example.

    ¡°I have something else to do, I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    Without giving Zhan Yuanshan the chance to respond, Qiao Jing immediately hung up the phone.

    ¡°Achoo! Achoo¡ª¡± Qiao Jing sneezed twice in a row. Without a doubt, Zhan Yuanshan must be grumbling about her in the hospital.

    What gift should she pick out for Zhan Yuanshan?

    That¡¯s right, she could go to Wonderful Hall and get some premium ginseng.

    Conveniently, Wonderful Hall was very close to here.

    Before long, Qiao Jing arrived at Wonderful Hall.

    Upon entering, she saw a girl who looked like a wealthy youngdy disdainfully critiquing the merchandise.

    ¡°How can you say that Wonderful Hall is the number one traditional medicine shop in our Imperial City when you don¡¯t even have any decent products? Look at these lingzhi mushrooms and ginseng; they are clearly inferior. They might be good enough to sell to those poor souls, but do you think I would take a fancy to them?¡±

    ¡°`

    Hearing the girl speak like this, Qiao Jing felt somewhat displeased.

    Wonderful Hall was a business she had backed and brought up, the true big boss behind more than 100 chain stores nationwide.

    But the girl was just talking, there was no need for her to trouble herself over this.

    When Steward Li saw Qiao Jing arrive, he immediately came up to greet her.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, howe you did not notify us in advance of your arrival? Do you want to go over this year¡¯s ounts?¡±

    ¡°I am not here for that. I remember two months ago, you acquired a 28g Hundred-Year Wild Ginseng.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. I¡¯ll go fetch it now.¡±

    Soon, Steward Li came out carefully holding a delicate wooden box.

    As soon as it appeared, it immediately caused a stir.

    The shape was intact, resembling the character ¡°human,¡± with a thick main root,plete fibrous roots, long length, and lush branching.

    ¡°What a treasure!¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Such a rare item is hard to find in the world!¡±

    ¡°As expected of the empire¡¯s number one Chinese medicine shop, to have such a treasure hidden away.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the Ginseng in the box, nodding with satisfaction.

    ¡°This is the one.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I will have someone wrap it up for you,¡± Steward Li said, but before he could finish, an arrogant voice rang out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this Ginseng!¡±

    The one who said this was none other than Deng Yunran, the same girl who had been finding fault all along.

    Qiao Jing nced toward Deng Yunran, giving her a brief indifferent look before turning her gaze back to Steward Li and saying, ¡°Hurry up, I have other matters to attend to.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course, please wait a moment.¡±

    Finding herself ignored by Qiao Jing and Steward Li, Deng Yunran became furious.

    ¡°Hey, you two, are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? I¡¯m taking that item!¡±

    Qiao Jing took the wooden box from Steward Li¡¯s hands and turned to leave.

    ¡°Hey! Stop right there! The two of you, stop her!¡±

    Deng Yunran¡¯s two bodyguards intercepted Qiao Jing, and then she strutted up to Qiao Jing with her hands on her hips and head held high.

    ¡°Do you know who I am? I am the Miss of the Deng Family, my dad is the chairman of Laiyi Culture.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Deng Yunran indifferently, ¡°So, does your family possess authority beyond thew, able to disregard it, boldly snatch other people¡¯s private property in broad daylight, and even if caught, not be subject to legal punishment?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡ª¡± Deng Yunran was at a loss for words, blocked by Qiao Jing¡¯s retort.

    ¡°Who¡¯s snatching? I want to buy the Ginseng in your hands!¡±

    ¡°Not selling,¡± Qiao Jing lightly uttered the two words.

    Deng Yunran imed that this was the first time in her life she had experienced such infuriating impotence.

    Deng Yunran produced a card, ¡°Here¡¯s five million, far more than its price. Sell it to me!¡±

    Indeed, five million was far above the Ginseng¡¯s original price, but such a pristine wild Ginseng in perfect preservation could be considered priceless in the market.

    In short, its value far exceeded its price, making it a rarity that even money could rarely buy.

    ¡°Not selling. Can¡¯t you understand?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was tired, her patience clearly nearly exhausted.

    Fuming, Deng Yunran stomped her feet and pointed at Qiao Jing in anger, ¡°I insist on having it!¡±

    ¡°Such a willfully capricious demeanor, truly believing that the entire world should treat you as if you were their child, expecting everyone to pamper you like some sort of deity?¡± Qiao Jing sneered.

    ¡°You¡ªyou, who are you calling capricious? Apologize to me! If you don¡¯t apologize to me today, don¡¯t think about leaving here unscathed!¡± Deng Yunran yelled in a fit of anger, feeling the weight of curious gazes and murmured conversations from the people around her. At that moment, Deng Yunran felt like strangling Qiao Jing.

    ¡°An apology is out of the question. You insist, do you? Today, I will not give it to you. If you dare to snatch it, I will call the police,¡± Qiao Jing said as she took out her cellphone and dialed 110.

    ¡°`

 Chapter 41 - 39: Youre not afraid of breaking the law, why should I be afraid of the Deng Family?

    Chapter 41: Chapter 39: You¡¯re not afraid of breaking thew, why should I be afraid of the Deng Family?

    ¡°You, you dare! You dare to call the police!¡± Deng Yunran had been arrogant and domineering for over twenty years, but this was the first time she had encountered someone like Qiao Jing who would call the police without so much as a word.

    She was the precious daughter of the Deng Family, whose friends coddled and ttered her.

    And for those insignificant people who offended her, just revealing her identity was enough to scare them off.

    ¡°Move aside,¡± Qiao Jing looked at the burly bodyguard in front of her and said expressionlessly.

    The bodyguard nced at Deng Yunran. He was just a worker; without a word from Deng Yunran, he could do nothing, or else his sry would be docked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you dare to call the police!¡± Deng Yunran concluded that Qiao Jing was only trying to scare her, after all, the Deng Family was one of the elite wealthy families. Offending the Deng Family and trying to get by in the capital was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

    ¡°And you¡ª¡± Deng Yunran pointed at Steward Li, ¡°You are just a minor steward at Wonderful Hall, yet you dare to offend me for a trivial nobody. If your boss hears about this, see if you don¡¯t get fired!¡±

    Steward Li looked at Deng Yunran indifferently; his boss was right here; he feared no one!

    As Steward Li was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice rose.

    ¡°From today onwards, Wonderful Hall will no longer do business with her, and she is not allowed to set foot in any of our stores nationwide.¡±

    Deng Yunran¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Who do you think you are? You say Wonderful Hall won¡¯t do business with me, so it won¡¯t? Do you think you¡¯re the big boss of Wonderful Hall?¡±

    Steward Li coldly turned to Deng Yunran, ¡°Miss Deng, the words she just said, that¡¯s the stance of Wonderful Hall.¡±

    What?!

    Deng Yunran couldn¡¯t believe her ears, looking at Qiao Jing then Steward Li, before a look of sudden understanding shed across her face.

    ¡°I get it now; you two know each other, you¡¯re rtives! Well, well, it makes sense now, birds of a feather! Steward Li, you have some nerve, a mere steward, and you dare say such things to me. Just wait, when I get back I¡¯ll tell my dad, I¡¯ll find whoever¡¯s above you and get you fired!¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue dealing with Deng Yunran, and looking at the bodyguard blocking her way, she repeated, ¡°Move aside.¡±

    The bodyguard also felt that Deng Yunran was too overbearing, but he was helpless.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t make it difficult for you.¡± Qiao Jing noticed the difficulty on the bodyguard¡¯s face; if not for that, she might have already taken action.

    Qiao Jing took out her phone and dialed out.

    ¡°I want to report a crime, I¡¯m at Wonderful Hall, there¡¯s someone iming to be some wealthy family¡¯s daughter, illegally causing trouble and trying to rob my things¡­¡±

    She really called the police!!

    Deng Yunran¡¯s mouth gaped open wide, and the onlookers watching the drama were both shocked and admiring.

    Awesome! Not intimidated by power! What guts!

    ¡°You, you really did call the police, aren¡¯t you afraid of offending our Deng Family?¡± Deng Yunran¡¯s face turned pale as she stuttered her words.

    Qiao Jing nced over with a look, ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid of breaking thew, should I be afraid of your Deng Family?¡±

    Deng Yunran swallowed her saliva and involuntarily took a step back as if to run.

    ¡°You keep iming you are from the Deng Family, you can run from the monk but not from the temple. Do you think that will help?¡± Qiao Jing said, lightly raising her eyebrows, thin like wisps of green smoke, as she watched Deng Yunran.

    Deng Yunran was both angry and afraid, and finally, she exploded.

    ¡°You¡¯re dead meat! You¡¯re done for! Not just you, but also your family! Your friends, I¡¯ll make them all suffer because of you!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold, her gaze icy and chilling.

    She hated it most when someone threatened her with the people around her; that was her reverse scale.

    When Deng Yunran saw the sudden look in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, she felt an intense chill invade her body, freezing her to the bone.

    Soon, Captain Zhao arrived with his team.

    Normally, Captain Zhao would not personally handle such matters.

    But when it pertained to Qiao Jing, it had to be given due attention.

    Deng Yunran had already nned in her mind that as soon as the police officer arrived, she would immediately pull out her identity card.

    Indeed, she did just that.

    ¡°Officer, I¡¯m from the Deng Family,¡± Deng Yunran was saying. ¡°Just now, it was her who made the reckless call to the police. I didn¡¯t steal¡ª¡± But before Deng Yunran could finish, Captain Zhao had already bypassed her and approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, are you alright? Are you injured?¡±

    Qiao Jing was a pir of the state, and her safety was of the utmost importance.

    What¡¯s happening?! Deng Yunran¡¯s eyes widened as she watched the scene unfold.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Qiao Jing looked towards Deng Yunran, her eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Just now, it was this person who tried to snatch my belongings and threatened me, and said they would harm my family and friends.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Captain Zhao was incensed.

    Although he was far less aplished in contributions and achievements than Qiao Jing, he was also someone who devoted his life to the country and its people, only to end up facing threats against his own family.

    He couldn¡¯t tolerate this!

    ¡°Both of you, cuff her hands and take her away.¡±

    Deng Yunran, frightened, retreated backwards, her legs trembling furiously.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t, I¡¯m Miss Deng of the Deng Family, my dad is the chairman of Laiyi Culture. You can¡¯t, can¡¯t arrest me, ahh¡ª¡±

    With the handcuffs on, Deng Yunran was forcefully dragged onto the police car.

    Deng Yunran never thought she would one day fall to this oue; as she cried, she cursed Qiao Jing in her heart.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Deng Chi, the chairman of Laiyi Culture, received a call from the police station, and he flew into a rage immediately.

    Soon after, Deng Chi rushed to the police station and saw Deng Yunran being held in temporary detention.

    ¡°Dad! Dad! You¡¯re finally here! Please get me out of here, this ce is too terrifying, I don¡¯t want to stay here for another minute, another second. Boo-hoo-hoo¡ª¡± As soon as Deng Yunran saw Deng Chi, she burst into tears.

    Deng Chi, who usually doted on his precious daughter and couldn¡¯t bear to see her shed a single tear, was desperate at the sight of Deng Yunran¡¯s pain to rush in and take his daughter away.

    ¡°Captain Zhao, I¡¯m willing to pay money. How about¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mr. Deng, I¡¯m sorry, but this issue cannot be resolved with money.¡± Captain Zhao said sternly as he looked at Deng Chi.

    If Deng Yunran had offended someone else, it might have been manageable, but the fact that she had provoked Qiao Jing and used threats and intimidation against her family and friends meant the gravity of the issue was far more severe.

    ¡°What do you mean? Could it be my daughter has offended some high-ranking official?¡± Since Deng Chi was the chairman of argepany and had experienced all kinds of storms, he quickly surmised that there was more to the situation after hearing Captain Zhao¡¯s words.

    ¡°I apologize, Mr. Deng, but I can¡¯t disclose the identity of the other party,¡± Captain Zhao replied.

    ¡°Ah! Now I remember!¡± Deng Yunran suddenly shouted. ¡°Dad, I remember now! I thought that woman looked a bit familiar. I saw her at the Zhan Family wedding a while back. She¡¯s the wife President Zhan married from the countryside, that woman of the ¡®100-day agreement¡¯!¡±

    So it was her.

    Deng Chi¡¯s expression darkened. A mere country bumpkin dared to meddle with his beloved daughter.

    The daughter-inw of the Zhan Family, is it?

    Very well, he wouldn¡¯t even need to take action himself.

    *

    Qiao Jing took a round before returning home, only to see that Su Manhan, Zhan Nanqing, and Zhan Yao were all there.

    Why were they all here?

    ¡°Mom, dad, what¡¯s going on? Why did we have to wait for her toe back before discussing it?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, puzzled.

 Chapter 42 - 40: Have you fallen for me?

    Chapter 42: Chapter 40: Have you fallen for me?

    Su Manhan took a deep breath, ready to scream out, but was restrained by Zhan Yao.

    ¡°Speak to her nicely.¡±

    Su Manhan swallowed half of her fury.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you really are a troublemaker! You actually sent Miss Deng of the Deng Family to the police station, huh?¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly furrowed his long eyebrows that resembled mountainous mists, his gaze following Qiao Jing¡¯s footsteps.

    After taking a bottle of green tea from the fridge and taking a sip, Qiao Jing calmly said, ¡°She wanted to snatch my things and even threatened my family and friends. Should I have just let her bully me?¡±

    ¡°Ha! She¡¯s robbing your things? She¡¯s the pampered daughter of the Deng Family, what do you possess that could catch her eye? You think we¡¯d believe what you¡¯re saying?¡± Zhan Nanqing sneered.

    ¡°So you think the police station arrests people based on intuition rather than evidence?¡±

    Her words directly shut Zhan Nanqing up, who sat down looking deted.

    ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t have taken her to the police station! The Deng Family and our Zhan Family have always had business rtions, and our rtionship has always been good. What you did was make enemies for our Zhan Family! Go and apologize now!¡± Su Manhan said to Qiao Jing with a lividplexion, in the tone of an elder educating a junior.

    ¡°So even if your Zhan Family members are bullied by the Deng Family, you have to swallow your pride? I remember the Zhan Family is not one bit inferior to the Deng Family,¡± Qiao Jing stated tly.

    ¡°What are you to the Zhan Family? Do you think you¡¯re worthy?¡± Zhan Nanqing interjected.

    ¡°Ha!¡± Qiao Jing sneered, the smile on her face not reaching her eyes, ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head. Tell me, since I¡¯m not one of the Zhan Family, why do you care about me? Whom I send to the police station is my business. What does it have to do with you?¡±

    ¡°You, you¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing stammered for a long time, unable to utter aplete sentence, her face turning purple with rage.

    After a brief silence, Su Manhan looked toward Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Qipei, look at this! What an attitude she has. She¡¯s supposed to be your wife after all. Manage her properly!¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood up, nced at Qiao Jing, then addressed the three people opposite him, ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡±

    These words caused everyone to pause in surprise.

    Especially Qiao Jing, who had thought that Zhan Qipei would heed Su Manhan¡¯s words and instruct her to apologize to Deng Yunran.

    Unexpectedly¡­

    ¡°Qipei, what are you saying?¡± Su Manhan couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Deng who¡¯s wrong, and you all know well enough about Deng Yunran¡¯s willful arrogance. Moreover, men at the police station talk about evidence. If Deng Yunran was taken away, it means she must have vited thew. Beside that, our Zhan Family, as one of the top families in the capital and being on the right side, why should we apologize to the Deng Family? Shouldn¡¯t they be the ones apologizing to her?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s assertive words left Su Manhan and the rest speechless once again.

    Qiao Jing scrutinized Zhan Qipei with a doubtful gaze, a glimmer in her eyes that was hard to define.

    ¡°But, but¡ª¡± Although Su Manhan felt that what Zhan Qipei had said was reasonable, she did not want to antagonize the Deng Family because of an outsider like Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Forget it.¡± Zhan Yao sighed, standing up. ¡°Qipei is right about this. Qiao Jing is in the right; there¡¯s no reason to apologize. It would be a joke if word spread that we did.¡±

    ¡°However¡ª¡±

    Zhan Yao changed his tone, ¡°The Deng Family and our Zhan Family have been friendly for generations; there¡¯s no need for such a falling-out. The police said except for obtaining the forgiveness of theinant, it would be hard to release her immediately. Qipei, persuade Qiao Jing to be more magnanimous.¡±

    Magnanimous? Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly. So if she didn¡¯t forgive, it would mean she was petty?

    Howughable!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to turn around and leave, Zhan Qipei¡¯s low and suppressed voice suddenly resonated.

    ¡°Magnanimous? Deng Yunran threatened to harm her family and friends, and you expect her to be magnanimous? Let¡¯s not even ask if she can do that. If someone threatened me in this way, using your lives to pressure me, I would ensure they never recover!¡±

    Zhan Qipei, with his imposing manner and cold, dignified features, said this, further silencing the room.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Zhan Yao sighed, ¡°Qipei is right; let¡¯s not get too involved in this.¡±

    Zhan Yao thought back to what his father, Zhan Yuanshan, once said: He was too indecisive, his younger brother too impulsive, and only his son Zhan Qipei was truly suitable to lead the family.

    Setting aside everything else, just the handling of this situation alone, his considerations were indeed not as thorough as Zhan Qipei¡¯s, nor did he have Zhan Qipei¡¯s resolve.

    With Zhan Yao saying so, Su Manhan had little to add, and aside from the point about Qiao Jing, she did think Zhan Qipei was right.

    If they really conceded, it indeed would make the Zhan Family look weaker than the Deng Family.

    After the gathering dispersed, only Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were left in the living room.

    ¡°Thanks for speaking up for me just now, although it wasn¡¯t necessary,¡± Qiao Jing said, offering a bottle of green tea to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth twitched. When would this woman ever say something nice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t drink this stuff,¡± Zhan Qipei refused.

    Qiao Jing put the green tea back in the fridge.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, I wasn¡¯t speaking for you, I was just discussing the facts,¡± Zhan Qipei said as he stood up and moved his leg, frowning.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Qipei¡¯s leg, surmising it was due to the leg injury.

    Although it had been some time, the nearby muscles were still likely sore and swollen with pain.

    ¡°Do you need me to massage it a bit? It might help alleviate the muscle soreness.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s offer wasn¡¯t out of pure kindness; it was simply to repay the favor of him speaking on her behalf.

    Massage?!

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing with his profound, ocean-deep eyes.

    His sore spot was on his leg, close to the thigh root. How could she have the audacity to suggest such a thing?

    Could it be¡ª

    ¡°Have you, fallen for me?¡±

 Chapter 43 - 41: Qiao Jing Gives Zhan Qipei a Massage

    Chapter 43: Chapter 41: Qiao Jing Gives Zhan Qipei a Massage

    Qiao Jing tugged at the corner of her mouth wordlessly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, forget it.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing turned and headed for her room.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze followed her figure intently. His thin lips pressed tighter, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He lifted his leg, and just as Qiao Jing was about to enter her room and close the door, he hurriedly spoke up, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ept your kind offer.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing stopped her steps and turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Just to be clear, I¡¯m only going to give you a massage. I have no ulterior motives, nor do I like you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent expression as if she were a stranger, and inexplicably, it irked him.

    Qiao Jing returned to Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, ¡°Lie down.¡±

    Zhan Qipei did as told andid down, his eyes fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing rolled up her sleeves to her wrists, revealing arms as luminous as the moon. Her glowing white skin immediately filled Zhan Qipei¡¯s entire field of vision.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting.¡±

    After giving a heads-up, Qiao Jing reached out to his legs.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s legs tensed instantly!

    Qiao Jing pressed on the firm muscles of his legs and frowned, ¡°Rx a bit, I can¡¯t knead them if they¡¯re this stiff.¡±

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath and closed his eyes, deciding not to look at Qiao Jing anymore.

    Feeling him rx, Qiao Jing began skillfully massaging and manipting his legs.

    The pleasurable pain made the usually strong-willed Zhan Qipei unable to help but groan.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± His heavy moans carried an unintentionally seductive undertone.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s movements paused slightly as she looked up at his face.

    Although Zhan Qipei had his eyes closed, he sensed her gaze on him.

    It was just a groan, what was there to look at?

    He was already holding back as much as he could; anyone else would have already cried out loud.

    ¡°Is the pressure too strong? If it¡¯s too much, I can lighten it,¡± she said.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei felt his male pride was being greatly challenged.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine like this, a bit more pressure would be even better.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll increase the pressure.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Half an hourter, Zhan Qipei regretted his words. He should have just said it was ¡°fine,¡± and not asked for ¡°more pressure.¡±

    Afterward, looking at his legs, although he endured quite a bit of difort, he had to admit that after the massage, they felt significantly lighter, as though they had been relieved.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei looked towards Qiao Jing¡¯s closed room door.

    She was so good at this, he would find another opportunity for her to do it again.

    The next day.

    As soon as Qiao Jing left the residential area, she was followed by a ck private car.

    The person in the car was on the phone.

    ¡°Director, we have located the target.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Deng Chi immediately stopped his work.

    ¡°Keep on her, and don¡¯t lose track of her.¡±

    Since the Zhan Family had responded that they would not interfere in this matter, he had no choice but to go and talk to Qiao Jing personally.

    Twenty minutester.

    ¡°Director, the target has gone to Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute.¡±

    ¡°What? Professor Qiao? Did she go inside?¡± Deng Chi eximed in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, she seems to be a staff member of the research institute.¡±

    Deng Chi frowned; this was unexpected.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that Zhan Qipei¡¯s temporary wife was a country bumpkin? How did she end up as a staff member at Professor Qiao¡¯s institute?

    ¡°Wait outside, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±

    Soon, Deng Chi arrived at the entrance of the research institute.

    Deng Chi kept staring, but after a long while, no one came out.

    Anxiously checking his watch, he got out of the car and approached the entrance of the research institute.

    ¡°Non-employees cannot enter,¡± the security guard stopped Deng Chi.

    Deng Chi took out his business card, ¡°I am the chairman of Laiyi Culture, I need to find someone named Qiao Jing, the girl who just went in.¡±

    Looking for Professor Qiao?

    The two security guards exchanged nces.

    ¡°What is your rtionship with her?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ my daughter had a misunderstanding with her, and I came specifically to clear it up.¡±

    The security guards hesitated about making a decision on their own due to Deng Chi¡¯s status, so they called Manager Lou.

    Upon receiving the news, Manager Lou promptly found Qiao Jing and, after briefly understanding the situation from her, came out of the research institute to meet Deng Chi.

    ¡°Director Deng, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡±

    After a polite handshake, they got to the matter at hand.

    ¡°Manager Lou, I specifically came to find Qiao Jing because my daughter had a misunderstanding with her, and she is still detained at the police station. It was just a small quarrel between kids, I never expected Qiao Jing to take it seriously,¡± Deng Chi said with a hypocritical smile on his face.

    Just a children¡¯s quarrel?

    Manager Lou snorted inwardly.

    Your daughter is indeed a spoiled and capricious child, but our Professor Qiao is a pir of the nation, you know?

    ¡°Director Deng, listen to how you¡¯re talking, it was your daughter¡¯s fault to begin with. But with just a few words, it¡¯s suddenly Qiao Jing¡¯s fault, as if she¡¯s being too petty.¡±

    Deng Chi frowned, eyeing Manager Lou suspiciously.

    Manager Lou¡¯s words were clearly in favor of Qiao Jing, which confused him.

    He was the chairman of Laiyi Culture, and Qiao Jing was just a nobody, even if she was a staff member at their research institute, was there any need to be so rude to him?

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant; don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± he said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for exnations, Director Deng,¡± Manager Lou was unappreciative of Deng Chi¡¯s words, ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to her, and she said there is no room for negotiation on this matter. You better leave; your daughter will naturally be released when the timees.¡±

    Deng Chi ground his mrs, but swallowed his anger.

    He took out a card and handed it to Manager Lou.

    ¡°Here is Five Million, could you please pass this card to Qiao Jing for me?¡±

    Looking at the card before him, Manager Lou, a member of the research institute, felt an immense sense of humiliation.

    Although they at the research institute did not make money like these businessmen, they were working for the whole country.

    It was for an immensely noble cause!

    And Deng Chi¡¯s action now was like using money to p their faces.

    ¡°She won¡¯t want it! Nor could she possibly take it! Director Deng, this is Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, you are not wee here.¡±

    With that, Manager Lou turned and walked back inside, his back rigid with indignation.

    ¡°Manager Lou! Manager Lou!¡±

    Deng Chi called out twice, but Manager Lou continued walking as if he hadn¡¯t heard, moving further inside.

    Deng Chi¡¯s face was notably ugly with anger.

    These researchers, just antiques! Troublesome!

    Now, there was nothing to do but wait.

    And that waitsted until dusk.

    ¡°Chairman, she hase out!¡±

    The gloomy Deng Chi lifted his head and looked towards the institute¡¯s main gate.

    He saw Qiao Jing, and also saw Xu Hongzu walking with her.

    The two were talking andughing, appearing to have an extraordinarily close rtionship.

    Could this be the real backbone of Qiao Jing¡¯s arrogance?

    Seeing them head towards the street, he immediately got out of his car and followed them quietly.

 Chapter 44 - 42: Zhan Ruiting Just Wants to Marry Qiao Jing

    Chapter 44: Chapter 42: Zhan Ruiting Just Wants to Marry Qiao Jing

    ¡°Xiao Jing, has that Zhan Family boy been bullying you? If he has, I¡¯ll rush over to their ce right away!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa Xu, you¡¯re worrying too much. Don¡¯t you know my personality by now? I don¡¯t provoke others unless they provoke me first, and if someone bullies me, I definitely won¡¯t be polite about it. Speaking of which, just yesterday I sent that Spoiled Young Miss from the Deng Family to jail.¡±

    Upon hearing Xiao Jing¡¯s words, Deng Chi immediately became so angry that his mustache twisted.

    ¡°Well done! That girl from the Deng Family is simply spoiled rotten! She thinks just because she was born into a good family, the world should revolve around her. She¡¯s arrogant and wilful, with no sense of decorum whatsoever¡ªit¡¯s all her parents¡¯ fault for spoiling her!¡± Xu Hongzu said with a stern face.

    Deng Chi opened his mouth, looking bewildered.

    ¡°Indeed, you should have seen the way Miss Deng was strutting around the pharmacy yesterday, acting like she could scold heaven and earth. She even cursed at Steward Li, treating everyone at Wonderful Hall as if they were her personal servants,¡± Xiao Jing shook her head, speechless.

    There¡¯s more to this?

    Deng Chi inwardly cursed, realizing he was in trouble. The big boss behind Wonderful Hall was none other than the empire¡¯s number one physician, Divine Doctor Jing. It was precisely because of this that Wonderful Hall had flourished, bing the empire¡¯srgest Chinese pharmacy in just a couple of years.

    Yunran, that girl, why is she so thoughtless?

    ¡°Xiao Jing, the research for the new variety of corn is about to be sessful. If all goes well, the country should be awarding you the highest technology award. I¡¯m nning to throw you a celebration banquet when the timees.¡±

    These words from Xu Hongzu hit Deng Chi like a bolt from the blue, his eyes bulging like brass bells.

    Heavens!

    What did he just hear?!

    Xiao Jing, new variety of corn, national highest technology award¡­

    Xiao Jing, Professor Qiao!!!

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Deng Chi sucked in a breath of cold air.

    He knew it; why else would Captain Zhao be helping Xiao Jing? And Manager Lou¡¯s attitude too.

    It turns out that the country bumpkin wife Zhan Qipei had married was actually an agricultural magnate, Professor Qiao!

    Deng Chi took a while to regain his senses.

    And once he did, he burst outughing.

    The Zhan Family people surely didn¡¯t know about Xiao Jing¡¯s identity, still thinking about getting rid of her from the Zhan Family after 100 days.

    ¡°This is just too good!¡±

    His son was only a few years older than Xiao Jing, and he wanted him to pursue her. If Deng Chi could wee a bigwig like Xiao Jing as a daughter-inw into the Deng Family, then he would be the biggest winner!

    The more Deng Chi thought about it, the happier he became, eventually breaking intoughter as if Xiao Jing had already stepped through the doorway of the Deng Family.

    As for his precious daughter, Deng Yunran, he hadpletely pushed her out of his mind.

    At that moment, Deng Chi¡¯s wife, Zhang Fenxue, made a phone call.

    ¡°Husband, how did it go? Is Yunran out yet?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! She asked for it, acting fearless and reckless. It¡¯s good for her to stay in the station for a while to suffer and learn her lesson.¡±

    What?

    Zhang Fenxue seriously wondered if she was hallucinating.

    ¡°Are you, are you my husband?¡± Zhang Fenxue asked tentatively and then checked the phone number again; it was indeed her husband¡¯s.

    ¡°Wife, listen to me, this is something you must absolutely not divulge, you can¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    Afterward, Deng Chi told Zhang Fenxue everything he had just heard.

    ¡°Is it true? That country wife of the Zhan Family is actually Professor Qiao?!¡± Zhang Fenxue eximed, dumbfounded.

    ¡°It came right from Xu Hongzu¡¯s mouth, do you think it could be false?¡±

    Then it has to be true!

    ¡°Wife, I n to have our son pursue her. Do you object?¡±

    ¡°Why would I object? I can¡¯t wait to snatch her away from the Zhan Family myself!¡± Zhang Fenxue¡¯s face showed even more excitement and agitation than Deng Chi¡¯s.

    The husband and wife were inplete agreement.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not tell our son about this for now. With his rigid nature, he¡¯ll surely think we¡¯re after Professor Qiao¡¯s status and that¡¯s why we want him to pursue her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right; we can¡¯t let our son know that Xiao Jing is Professor Qiao. If he feels like he¡¯s being used, he¡¯ll definitely be repelled and resentful.¡±

    ¡°Old Master Zhan¡¯s birthday banquet is just in a few days. We¡¯ll find a way to bring them together then.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Two dayster, the birthday banquet for Zhan Yuanshan arrived.

    Before the banquet, Zhan Qipei had prepared a very ordinary evening gown for Qiao Jing.

    Of course, while the design looked in, its value was anything but cheap.

    Originally, Zhan Qipei thought this would be safe, but who knew that this simple gown would be so stunningly borne by Qiao Jing¡¯s beauty and poise.

    Even he almost couldn¡¯t keep his eyes to himself, let alone the other male guests at the banquet.

    And so, much like thest party, Zhan Qipei had a sullen look on his face and nearly wished to send Qiao Jing back home.

    ¡°Wow! Is this what a high-society banquet is like? So awesome¡ª¡± Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s speech trailed off as she self-censored herst word.

    A few days ago, Lin Xiuxiang had heard Qiao Jing casually mention Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s birthday banquet. At that time, she sighed, expressing her desire to experience an upper-ss party, and Qiao Jing said it was possible, so here she was.

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s eyes roamed everywhere, and soon she noticed something.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, so many people are looking at you. It¡¯s just like when we used to go shopping, with people approaching you everywhere. I¡¯ve always had to be your bodyguard whenever we go out.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but Zhan Qipei, standing not far away, heard her clearly.

    Zhan Qipei nced up and down at Qiao Jing and then furrowed his brow.

    She really was a handful.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Zhan Yuanshan came over in his wheelchair.

    ¡°Qipei, how is it going? Made any progress? Have you realized how extraordinary she is?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing special,¡± Zhan Qipei replied casually.

    Zhan Yuanshan was so frustrated he started thumping his chest, ¡°You really, you¡¯re going to be the death of me!¡±

    As soon as Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words fell, Zhan Ruiting scurried over, holding a rose out to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, you are truly beautiful today!¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Zhan Yuanshan made a puzzled noise, his eyes shining as he stared intently at Zhan Ruiting.

    Zhan Ruiting didn¡¯t care whether Qiao Jing paid him any attention, and continued to prattle on beside her.

    When Qiao Jing wanted cake, Zhan Ruiting was the first to be of service.

    When Qiao Jing wanted juice, Zhan Ruiting understood immediately.

    When Qiao Jing needed a tissue, Zhan Ruiting offered it with both hands right away.

    ¡°That boy Ruiting, why is he acting like a¡ªahem ahem ahem¡ª¡± Zhan Yuanshan caught himself before finishing the phrase, after all, it was his grandson he was about to insult.

    ¡°Ruiting, Ruiting!¡± Zhan Yuanshan called Zhan Ruiting over.

    Zhan Ruiting was there in body but his heart was elsewhere; he gazed infatuatedly at Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you can look moreter, your eyes are about to pop out!¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh.¡± Zhan Ruiting reluctantly tore his gaze away, ¡°Grandpa, what did you want?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan was straightforward and didn¡¯t like to beat around the bush.

    ¡°Do you like the Jing Girl?¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils constricted slightly.

    ¡°Yes, of course! I fell in love with Doctor Qiao at first sight, I couldn¡¯t help myself, I think she¡¯s the best girl in the world, and I want to marry her. So, I¡¯m waiting for my cousin to divorce her,¡± Zhan Ruiting said earnestly.

    Zhan Qipei exhaled deeply, his face clouding over with a gloom.

    ¡°I never expected this! You actually have better taste than your cousin. If only I had known, I would¡¯ve arranged for you two to marry!¡± Zhan Yuanshan regretted deeply.

    The reason he had arranged the marriage between Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing was because he felt that Qiao Jing was no ordinary girl, with high standards, and so his first thought was his most outstanding grandson, Zhan Qipei.

    Who knew that his grandson was so clueless? Qiao Jing was clueless enough on her own; now they were two ice sculptures, neither moving an inch. Even if he forced them together, it would be useless!

    Listening to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, Zhan Ruiting felt like crying.

    Just because of his grandfather¡¯s whim, he ended up being in a nephew-aunt rtionship with his goddess.

    ¡°Grandpa, why don¡¯t you decide and let my cousin divorce Doctor Qiao? There¡¯s still more than seventy days left, how about me? I will seed in pursuing Doctor Qiao, don¡¯t you want grandchildren? I promise you two within three years.¡±

 Chapter 45 - 43: I Choose Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 45: Chapter 43: I Choose Zhan Qipei

    Zhan Yuanshan loved to hear that, and immediately became excited, grabbing Zhan Ruiting¡¯s hand, ¡°Good, good, good!¡±

    ¡°Three ¡®goods¡¯ in a row, my good grandson! I will arrange your marriage right now!¡±

    Zhan Ruiting was so happy he almost fainted.

    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Grandpa! You really are my good grandpa!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me too soon. If you can win her heart in the future, I will thank you.¡±

    The grandfather and grandson held hands, creating a touching and heartwarming scene.

    At this moment, a voice as dark as the center of a tornado rang out.

    ¡°I, do, not, agree!¡± These words seemed to burst through Zhan Qipei¡¯s clenched teeth.

    ¡°What do you disagree with? You don¡¯t like that girl anyway,¡± said Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Exactly, you don¡¯t like her,¡± Zhan Ruiting echoed.

    A vein next to Zhan Qipei¡¯s temple pulsed noticeably.

    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t like her, this isn¡¯t right. Don¡¯t you think this will seem absurd if it gets out? Grandpa, aren¡¯t you worried that people will speak ill behind the Zhan Family¡¯s back?¡±

    ¡°Why should I care what others think? Should I worry about other people¡¯s faces when dealing with my own family matters? As long as Jing Girl can be my granddaughter-inw for life and give me great-grandchildren, those who gossip behind us will only be envious!¡±

    They would be envious of his granddaughter-inw, who was a great agricultural scientist contributing to the nation and the empire¡¯s number one Divine Doctor Jing!

    To achieve this goal, he didn¡¯t care whether it was Zhan Qipei or Zhan Ruiting; as long as one of them could win Qiao Jing¡¯s heart.

    ¡°I won¡¯t agree to divorce her,¡± Zhan Qipei said coldly.

    As long as he didn¡¯t go through with the divorce with Qiao Jing, nobody could do anything.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll go to the rooftop right now,¡± Zhan Yuanshan threatened Zhan Qipei with his old trick.

    This tactic was unfailingly effective against Zhan Qipei. He had been coerced into marriage using this method just a few days ago, thinking it would make him obedient this time.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, dark and unclear, narrowed slightly, his expression turning cold.

    ¡°Then you go ahead.¡±

    What?!

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s old eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Zhan Qipei. Had his ears just yed tricks on him?

    His grandson was actually telling him to go ahead? Had his old tactic stopped working?

    He couldn¡¯t believe it! Although his grandson usually seemed cold, he was the most filial. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have sessfully pressured him into marriage with that tactic.

    He knew it!

    The kid was doing this on purpose.

    Fine, then he would up the ante.

    ¡°Hmph! Okay! So you don¡¯t care if the old man lives or dies, huh? I¡¯ll go up there now and perform a free fall for you!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan feigned anger and pushed his wheelchair away, with Zhan Ruiting immediately ying along and grabbing Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be mad. Cousin will agree, won¡¯t you, Cousin?¡± Zhan Ruiting turned back to look at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t spare them an extra nce, stopping a passing waiter instead and taking a ss of red wine from the tray, sipping leisurely.

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s wrinkled old eyes bulged evenrger.

    This move didn¡¯t work?

    Why didn¡¯t it work?

    Regardless of whether it worked or not, he needed to quickly find a way out! After all, he couldn¡¯t really climb up to the rooftop, could he?

    ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡ª¡± Zhan Yuanshan cleared his throat, his mind racing.

    There it is!

    ¡°Ruiting, go call Jing Girl over. We¡¯ll consider Jing Girl¡¯s thoughts as a priority.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡ª¡± Zhan Ruiting cheerfully ran towards Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s drinking motion noticeably paused, and his eyes darkened slightly.

    Soon, Qiao Jing came over with Zhan Ruiting.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan, were you looking for me?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan was delighted to see Qiao Jing, and the annoyance he had felt in his heart instantly dissipated like smoke.

    ¡°Jing Girl, Grandpa has something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Qiao Jing asked with confusion.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like Qipei, do you? What do you think about me arranging for you two to divorce?¡± Zhan Yuanshan asked with a cheery smile.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip on his wine ss tightened, making his knuckles protrude, and he nced sideways at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes lit up, her face showing surprise, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Crack-crack¡ª¡± The wine ss creaked under Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m serious. At my age, why would I deceive you? You¡¯re right, a melon forced off its vine isn¡¯t sweet; me forcing you and Qipei is not good for you nor for him.¡±

    Qiao Jing genuinely hadn¡¯t expected that Zhan Yuanshan woulde to a sudden realization like this.

    ¡°Then that would be best¡ª¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish speaking, she was interrupted by what Zhan Yuanshan said next.

    ¡°So I n to arrange for you and Ruiting to get married. How about that?¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned.

    How was this any different?

    ¡°Cough cough, Ruiting is really grateful for you saving his life, and as for his feelings towards you¡­ I don¡¯t think I need to say much more, you can feel them. So I think for the remainder of the time, you should live with Ruiting. Of course, it¡¯s your decision; I won¡¯t force you. Which will it be? Ruiting or Qipei?¡±

    Honestly, Zhan Yuanshan genuinely felt from the bottom of his heart that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were very well-matched in both temperament and appearance, and believed they were a couple made in heaven.

    But s, Qiao Jing did not like Zhan Qipei, and to make matters worse, Zhan Qipei was like a sculpture of ice. How could his icy demeanor let him ever hold great-grandchildren?

    Zhan Ruiting, on the other hand, was different. He liked Qiao Jing and would use every chance he got to pursue her. Although Zhan Yuanshan felt that his grandson, Zhan Ruiting, was somewhatcking, they say a persistent suitor may wear down hisdy love, so perhaps a heartfelt dedication might break through.

    And that would lead to the desired results.

    Zhan Qipei stopped drinking, his eyes ¡ª dark orbs shrouded in obscurity ¡ª fixed unblinkingly on Qiao Jing, mixed with emotions that were difficult to articte.

    Zhan Ruiting also gazed at Qiao Jing with eager eyes, as if he would fold up his ears if he had them and wag his tail if there was one to wag.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, then at Zhan Ruiting.

    Zhan Qipei, although sometimes very annoying, had helped her a few times. As for Zhan Ruiting¡­

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze lingered on Zhan Ruiting when she looked at him.

    This action of Qiao Jing nearly made Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart skip a beat, his breath caught in his throat, and his already somber face turned as dark as the night outside.

    One person¡¯s joy is another¡¯s sorrow. While Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened, Zhan Ruiting was so delighted he nearlyughed out loud, wishing he could immediately take Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and go home with her.

    To start a family.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly. Although she didn¡¯t have anyone she liked, that didn¡¯t mean she had low emotional intelligence; she simply hadn¡¯t met someone who moved her heart.

    So she could tell what Zhan Ruiting was thinking.

    Her agreement to marry Zhan Qipei was solely to fulfill the agreement between her grandfather and Grandpa Zhan.

    After 100 days, she was surely going to leave the Zhan Family.

    Compared to Zhan Qipei, with whom she had no feelings, Zhan Ruiting seemed to be more trouble.

    Thinking this through, Qiao Jing made up her mind and said to Zhan Yuanshan, ¡°I choose Zhan Qipei.¡±

 Chapter 46 - 44 Young Master Zhan, Have You Really Fallen for Qiao Jing?

    Chapter 46: Chapter 44 Young Master Zhan, Have You Really Fallen for Qiao Jing?

    ¡°`

    A dramatic turn of events!

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s head instantly drooped down.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils suddenly brightened, and his lips uncontrobly lifted into a smile. His smile grew wider and wider until finally, his chin even seemed to tilt upward slightly.

    This woman, her taste isn¡¯t bad at all.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Zhan Yuanshan sighed.

    Others might not know Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts, but how could Zhan Yuanshan, who¡¯d lived for most of his life, not figure it out?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s choice of Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t because she had feelings for him but because she didn¡¯t want the trouble of dealing with Zhan Ruiting and nned to easily extricate herself once the agreed-upon time came.

    As Zhan Yuanshan was thinking this, Deng Chi and his wife, apanied by a young man, approached.

    ¡°Miss Qiao,¡± Deng Chi greeted Qiao Jing cheerfully.

    Qiao Jing frowned, thinking that Deng Chi approached her because of Deng Yunran¡¯s matter.

    There was no room for negotiation in this matter; she wouldn¡¯t release Deng Yunran early for anyone¡¯s pleading.

    Zhan Yuanshan thought so as well.

    ¡°Deng familyd, what are you up to? nning to bully my granddaughter-inw? She belongs to the Zhan Family, and it was your daughter who was thoughtless and provoked her. Everything is her own doing, and if you dare to cause her trouble, feel free to try it!¡± Zhan Yuanshan sternly warned Deng Chi.

    Zhan Qipei had already made his way to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, as if to support her.

    How could Zhan Ruiting pass up such a chance to y the protective role? He immediately took position on the other side of Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei gave Zhan Ruiting a cold sidelong nce, and as he withdrew his gaze, he took half a step closer to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Old Master Zhan, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m not here to trouble Miss Qiao. You¡¯re right; Yunran has been spoiled by me and acts arrogantly everywhere. It¡¯s good for her that Miss Qiao sent her to the police station,¡± Deng Chi said, stunning everyone.

    What¡¯s going on?

    But that wasn¡¯t the most surprising part.

    Zhang Fenxue, Deng Chi¡¯s wife, also chimed in, ¡°Yes! It¡¯s my fault for doting on her too much, which led to such consequences. It¡¯s good for her to reflect and correct her ways in the police station now. Otherwise, it would be toote if she causes a bigger problem in the future.¡±

    Just by Deng Chi and Zhang Fenxue¡¯s attitudes, not to mention shocking Qiao Jing and the others, even their son Deng Yunyi didn¡¯t expect it.

    Although Deng Yunyi also felt the incident was definitely his sister¡¯s fault, she was still the biological daughter of Deng Chi and Zhang Fenxue, who usually couldn¡¯t wait to spoil Deng Yunran to the skies.

    And now they¡¯d said such things?

    Before Deng Yunyi could understand, Zhang Fenxue had pushed him in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yunyi, it¡¯s your first time meeting Miss Qiao. Aren¡¯t you going to greet her?¡±

    Hmm? Old Master Zhan narrowed his eyes, his old, cunning eyes scanning Deng Chi and Zhang Fenxue.

    He quickly reached a conclusion.

    This couple was up to no good, targeting his granddaughter-inw.

    Deng Yunyi also vaguely sensed something from Zhang Fenxue and Deng Chi¡¯s behavior, although he didn¡¯t understand why it was Qiao Jing.

    Of course, he always decided his own affairs. No one could force him into something he disliked. Although Qiao Jing was very beautiful, he had only one standard for seeking a partner.

    Exceptionally excellent!

    Since he was an archaeologist with little interest in business matters, he had been focused on archaeology over the years. Thus, he hoped his significant other would have achievements in a certain field, which would also set a good example for their future children¡¯s education.

    But out of politeness, Deng Yunyi still greeted Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, ¡°Hello.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, who had been quietly observing, rxed his guard a little when he saw Deng Yunyi didn¡¯t show that kind of interest in Qiao Jing.

    ¡°`

    Deng Chi and Zhang Fenxue watched as their son stood there like a block of wood, feeling extremely anxious.

    ¡°Yunyi! Chat with Miss Qiao, maybe you can find somemon topics?¡±

    The way Zhang Fenxue and Deng Chi acted had the opposite effect, making Deng Yunyi even more resistant to interacting with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Move aside! Step aside!¡± Xu Hongzu hurried over with Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Laters, what are you cutting in line for? Move aside.¡± Xu Hongzu, getting impatient, pushed Deng Chi and others aside.

    Xu Moqian raised his hand to greet Qiao Jing, who responded with a smile.

    Zhan Qipei watched as Xu Moqian suddenly appeared and saw the interaction between the two, which made him feel as if he was facing a formidable enemy.

    Zhan Ruiting also looked at Xu Moqian with the eyes of a rival, with an attitude of ¡®dare toe over and try¡¯.

    After Xu Moqian read thisyer of meaning from Zhan Ruiting¡¯s expression, he raised his eyebrows yfully and deliberately strode over.

    ¡°Sister Jing, after the banquet, shall we go sing? We can also invite Lin Xiuxiang and Ni Yue, along with Second Brother and the others, let¡¯s have a good time together?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qiao Jing thought it had been a long while since shest went out for fun and agreed immediately.

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go!¡± Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing with gritted teeth.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with suspicion, ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°By the time the banquet ends, it will already bete, and if you go out then,ing back sote will disturb my messages. I¡¯m not like you, idle, I still have to go to the office.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then I won¡¯te back tonight, I¡¯ll find a hotel to stay in.¡± Qiao Jing said.

    She¡¯s noting back? And staying overnight at a hotel? If word gets out, what happens to the face of Zhan Qipei?

    Just as he prepared to speak up and stop her, Zhan Ruiting started sucking up to Qiao Jing like an overeager puppy.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, may I join you?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, Xu Moqian spoke up first, ¡°We¡¯re all friends here, it¡¯s not fitting for an outsider like you to join.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡± Zhan Ruiting nced at Xu Moqian irritably before turning back to Qiao Jing with a pitiful look, ¡°May I? Doctor Qiao, I just want to join in the fun. I promise to behave and absolutely won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡±

    Qiao Jing had always been someone who couldn¡¯t resist a softer approach over a forceful one, so facing someone like Zhan Ruiting who begged her with those eyes, she seldom could resist.

    So, this was why she chose Zhan Qipei when Zhan Yuanshan asked her to choose earlier.

    ¡°Do as you like.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Doctor Qiao! You are so kind!¡± Zhan Ruiting grinned from ear to ear with happiness.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face had darkened countless times that night, and at this moment, he looked daunting and emanated a chilling aura.

    But no one paid him any attention.

    One by one, they circled around Qiao Jing.

    Little did they know this was just the beginning.

    Lu Zijin came over too, and his affectionate gaze towards Qiao Jing was so obvious that even a blind person could see his admiration for her.

    ¡°You look beautiful tonight.¡± This was the first time Lu Zijin had seen Qiao Jing dressed so formally in an evening gown, with her makeup done beautifully.

    The girl was naturally pretty, but right now, Qiao Jing, looking like a fairy descended to earth, deepened Lu Zijin¡¯s infatuation even more.

    A vein throbbed on Zhan Qipei¡¯s forehead as he reached the limit of his patience. Just as he was about to explode, Lu Zijiao suddenly appeared, blocking the space between him and Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, don¡¯t be so angry. My brother does like Qiao Jing very much, but he is someone who follows the rules. Rest assured, he definitely won¡¯t pursue Qiao Jing before the days agreed between you two are over.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, once Qiao Jing and I are divorced, he¡¯ll start pursuing her?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice came outced with a barely concealed chill, sending a freezing sensation to those who heard it.

    Having been brothers with Zhan Qipei for so many years, Lu Zijiao sniffed out an unusual scent from Zhan Qipei¡¯s words just now.

    With his eyes fixed on Zhan Qipei, Lu Zijiao couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Young Master Zhan, you couldn¡¯t possibly have real feelings for Qiao Jing, could you?¡±

 Chapter 47 - 45: Wanting to Slap Qiao Jings Face, But Ended Up Humiliating Oneself

    Chapter 47: Chapter 45: Wanting to p Qiao Jing¡¯s Face, But Ended Up Humiliating Oneself

    When suddenly asked this, Zhan Qipei was actually stunned for a moment, and although he usually remainedposed even if Mount Tai were crumbling before him, at this moment his face revealed a somewhat bewildered and vacant expression.

    Lu Zijiao widened his eyes at Zhan Qipei, his eyes filled with surprise.

    ¡°No, no way, Young Master Zhan, you really fell for Qiao Jing?!¡±

    So surprised that he couldn¡¯t even speak properly.

    After recovering, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face returned to its usual indifferent expression.

    ¡°Your imagination is quite rich. How could I possibly like her?¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t like her?¡± Lu Zijiao asked for confirmation.

    ¡°Have you forgotten that I already have someone I like?¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei say this, only then did Lu Zijiao btedly realize he was referring to the girl who had operated on Zhan Qipei some days before.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t like Qiao Jing, then you have even less reason to be angry, right? And even if my brother is now pursuing Qiao Jing, no one would say that you¡¯ve been cuckolded. Everyone in the capital knows you are in a ¡®marriage by imperialmand,¡¯ and after 100 days, you and Qiao Jing will go your separate ways, so there¡¯s really no need for concern.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was a sensible man; how could he not understand what Lu Zijiao was saying?

    But¡ª

    He just felt frustrated!

    Frustrated by Qiao Jing attracting unwanted attention, frustrated by those people buzzing around her like flies.

    While Zhan Qipei was thinking this, the noise in the banquet hall suddenly escted.

    ¡°It¡¯s Han Zhiyu, Master Han!¡±

    ¡°It really is Master Han!¡±

    Han Zhiyu?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s attention shifted, and following the gaze of the crowd, he soon saw an old man dressed in a green robe, with a stooped back, walking towards them with a slightly faltering step.

    Was Han Zhiyu here to celebrate his grandpa¡¯s birthday? Why didn¡¯t he remember Han Zhiyu having such a good rtionship with Grandpa Zhan?

    ¡°Master Han! It¡¯s Master Han! Nanqing, look!¡± Lou Xinrou excitedly grabbed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s arm and shook it.

    The elder standing next to them, Lou Pinshu, who was the president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, was even more thrilled and hurriedly greeted him.

    ¡°Master Han, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Since I became ill and stopped painting, we haven¡¯t met.¡± Han Zhiyu stroked his beard as he spoke.

    ¡°Master Han, seeing your health andplexion, did you find a renowned doctor?¡± Lou Pinshu guessed as he asked.

    Han Zhiyu nodded, and as he was about to say something, his peripheral vision caught sight of Qiao Jing in the crowd, and his eyes immediately lit up.

    Lou Xinrou, who wasn¡¯t far from Qiao Jing, saw Han Zhiyu looking this way and thought that Lou Pinshu had praised her in front of Han Zhiyu.

    In her joy, she immediately walked towards Han Zhiyu.

    Little did she know, before she even reached Han Zhiyu, he also started walking towards her.

    ¡°Han¡ª¡±

    That word hadn¡¯t even fully left her throat when Han Zhiyu stopped beside her.

    ¡°So many days have passed, and you haven¡¯te to see me.¡±

    Huh?

    Lou Xinrou paused, wondering to whom Han Zhiyu was speaking.

    Turning her head in confusion, and seeing it was Qiao Jing, she almost popped her eyes out.

    It wasn¡¯t just Lou Xinrou; everyone around was staring dumbfounded at this puzzling scene.

    Everyone present knew that Qiao Jing was just a rustic farmer from the countryside. But seeing Han Zhiyu¡¯s attitude towards her, it was obvious they were old acquaintances.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? How does Qiao Jing know Han Zhiyu?¡± Lu Zijiao asked Zhan Qipei with a face full of surprise.

    Zhan Qipei grimly watched Qiao Jing, reminded of the painting hanging at home. It was by Han Zhiyu.

    He still remembered Qiao Jing saying that the painting was a personal gift from Han Zhiyu.

    At that time, he was half-skeptical, and after that, he did not probe further into the matter.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou also thought of the painting hung in Qiao Jing¡¯s house, looking at Qiao Jing and Han Zhiyu¡¯s familiar interaction, and no longer doubted her word.

    That painting must have been a gift from Han Zhiyu.

    But¡ªwhy?

    Why would Qiao Jing, the country bumpkin, know Han Zhiyu?

    Qiao Jing and Han Zhiyu continued to chat as if no one else were around.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with farm worktely, you know. Besides, there aren¡¯t any major issues with your health anymore, so continuing to recuperate in the countryside would be best.¡±

    Han Zhiyu had been in the countryside this whole time?

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou, Zhan Nanqing, and others began to boldly specte in their hearts.

    The reason Qiao Jing knew Han Zhiyu might simply be good luck, as Han Zhiyu¡¯s ce of cultivation was in the vige where Qiao Jing lived.

    The few neighboring households frequently interacted, so naturally, their rtionships were good.

    ¡°She¡¯s really hit the jackpot!¡± Zhan Nanqingmented.

    Though herment was genuine, so was her envy.

    To be farming in the countryside and yete to know a world-ss master painter like Han Zhiyu, if that wasn¡¯t hitting the jackpot, what was?

    When the banquet was halfway through, the guests began presenting their congrattory gifts to Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Grandpa, this is the gift I have for you. I know you like hand strings, so I especially found this for you,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, trying to please.

    ¡°Hmm, Nanqing, you really put thought into it,¡± Zhan Yuanshan said, cheerfully epting it.

    ¡°Grandpa, Xinrou has prepared a big gift for you!¡± Zhan Nanqing said as she pulled Lou Xinrou over, deliberately throwing a provocative look at Qiao Jing.

    Lou Xinrou presented the gift to Zhan Yuanshan, her expression extremely respectful and submissive.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan, this is the gift I specially prepared for you. Please ept it.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan had long known that Lou Xinrou adored Zhan Qipei, but honestly, the only suitable candidate for his granddaughter-inw in his eyes had always been Qiao Jing. Before Qiao Jing appeared, whether it was Zhan Qipei or Zhan Ruiting, he didn¡¯t care whom his grandsons married.

    But ever since he had met Qiao Jing, he wished she could be his own granddaughter.

    But that was not possible.

    Then, an idea struck him, and he thought of this excellent n.

    If she couldn¡¯t be his granddaughter, she could be his granddaughter-inw.

    In the future, she could bear him great-grandchildren as outstanding as her; it was all the same.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhan Yuanshan took the gift from Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand, preparing to set it aside.

    ¡°Grandpa, you should open it and see! Xinrou¡¯s gift is quite extraordinary! You¡¯ll know once you look,¡± Zhan Nanqing said.

    With so many people around, Zhan Yuanshan had no choice but to open it.

    Upon opening it, his eyes slightly brightened.

    ¡°This ginseng has a nice shape, almost forming a ¡®human,¡¯ with a thick main root and many branches, and it¡¯s well preserved, probably wild,¡± Zhan Yuanshan analyzed.

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s several decades old.¡± Lou Pinshu came over, ¡°This is my prized collection, intended for my own use eventually, but Xinrou begged me for days to bring it here as a congrattory gift for you.¡±

    Lou Pinshu knew his granddaughter liked Zhan Qipei, and he said this to support her.

    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Lou Xinrou pouted at Lou Pinshu, then sneakily nced at Zhan Qipei.

    She thought Zhan Qipei¡¯s attention would be on her at that moment, yet he didn¡¯t spare her a single nce.

    What infuriated her more was, whether it was just her imagination or not, she thought she saw Zhan Qipei stealing nces at Qiao Jing a moment ago.

    Thinking this, Lou Xinrou felt her anger rise, barely managing to whisper the recent happenings to Zhan Nanqing so only the two of them could hear.

    After hearing this, Zhan Nanqing immediately began tofort Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Xinrou, don¡¯t overthink it, you must have seen it wrong. My brother would never secretly watch Qiao Jing, nor would he like her. Don¡¯t worry, just wait, I¡¯ll make Qiao Jing embarrass herself right now.¡±

    Having said this, Zhan Nanqing looked towards Qiao Jing and deliberately raised her voice, ¡°Qiao Jing, you are supposed to be my brother¡¯s wife by now, didn¡¯t you prepare any gift?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, with his deep dark eyes, looked toward Zhan Nanqing, recognizing that she was picking on Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Yuanshan also realized it and sternly said with a displeased expression, ¡°Nanqing, stop your nonsense and step aside.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing Zhan Yuanshan scold her in public for an outsider like Qiao Jing, felt very embarrassed.

    ¡°Grandpa! How am I making trouble? I just think that on your big birthday, she should give a gift,¡± she protested.

    Qiao Jing brought out a wooden box and presented it to Zhan Yuanshan, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, may your happiness be as vast as the eastern seas and your life as lofty as the southern mountains.¡±

    ¡°Good child, good child!¡± Zhan Yuanshan beamed with joy.

    Seeing the smile on Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s face, Zhan Nanqing immediately felt jealousy welling up inside her.

    You never looked that happy when Xinrou and I gave you gifts.

    Zhan Yuanshan handed the gift to a butler standing by, ¡°Keep this safe.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute! Grandpa, this is a heartfelt gift from Qiao Jing, why won¡¯t you open it to look?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing wanted to see Qiao Jing make a fool of herself, not believing Qiao Jing could have anything impressive to offer.

    ¡°Nanqing, you¡¯re really bing unreasonable!¡± Zhan Yuanshan grew displeased.

    Despite this, wanting to see Qiao Jing embarrassed, Zhan Nanqing stubbornly continued, ¡°Grandpa, I heard that Qiao Jing also tried hard to pick a good gift for you.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan was nearing his limit, just about to lose his temper, when he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s calm voice next to him.

    ¡°You really want to take a look?¡±

 Chapter 48 - 46 Qiao Jing Asks for Deng Yunyis WeChat ID

    Chapter 48: Chapter 46 Qiao Jing Asks for Deng Yunyi¡¯s WeChat ID

    When Qiao Jing said this, her peripheral vision lightly swept over the Ginseng Lou Xinrou had just given.

    She had intended to keep a low profile, but others just wouldn¡¯t give her the chance. She wished they could have picked anywhere else to sh with her, yet they had to do it right under her nose.

    As soon as Zhan Nanqing heard this, both she and Lou Xinrou felt ted, finally getting to witness Qiao Jing make a fool of herself.

    ¡°Grandpa, hurry up and open it to see what kind of good stuff it is,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, while thinking to herself that whatever Qiao Jing had brought surely wouldn¡¯t be presentable.

    Others might not know Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, but Zhan Yuanshan was very clear about it. Qiao Jing was not only the agricultural tech tycoon Professor Qiao but also the empire¡¯s number one Divine Doctor Jing. Whenever this girl gave gifts, she did it generously; her gestures were never something the likes of Zhan Nanqing could match.

    As expected, his granddaughter was about to be embarrassed today.

    She deserved it too, this naive child needed a good lesson.

    Zhan Yuanshan opened the box while murmuring to himself, and the next second his aged eyes lit up splendidly.

    Not only Zhan Yuanshan but also Xu Hongzu, Han Zhiyu, and Lou Pinshu, these old-timers who had seen it all, were quick to gather around.

    ¡°This Ginseng¡¯s quality is excellent! The main root is even thicker than my finger by a whole circle.¡±

    ¡°Look at its roots, each one is preserved perfectly.¡±

    ¡°This is simply a treasure!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The old fellows discussed enthusiastically, attracting everyone around them, crowding the ce until there was no room to move.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou watched the scene with their mouths agape, feeling the sting of being pped in the face.

    ¡°Authentic Wild Ginseng, easily over a hundred years old. Much, much superior to the one Lou Xinrou just gave.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? The one Lou girl gave and this one aren¡¯t even in the same league; you can¡¯t evenpare the two!¡±

    Hearing this, Lou Xinrou was on the verge of tears.

    Qiao Jing shook her head at Lou Xinrou. She hadn¡¯t intended to smackdown, but if others were masochists, there was nothing she could do about it.

    ¡°My goodness! Young Master Zhan, your temporary wife is something else! Managing to get such fine items. Besides, I noticed earlier, the box is engraved with the Wonderful Hall logo. I went to Wonderful Hall, too, to choose a congrattory gift for your grandpa and didn¡¯t see anything this good. Maybe your temporary wife has a close private rtionship with the big boss of Wonderful Hall? Especially keeping the good stuff aside for her,¡± Lu Zijiao analyzed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened, a cold atmosphere emanating from his furrowed brows.

    One ¡®temporary wife¡¯ after another, even if temporary, she¡¯s his now, and he¡¯d like to see who dares to snatch her away.

    Despite his irritation, Zhan Qipei was also curious about how Qiao Jing had managed to get such a perfect piece of Ginseng from Wonderful Hall.

    Theoretically, such a fine item would be priceless and surely the treasure of Wonderful Hall, not for sale no matter how much money a customer offered. Could it be, as Lu Zijiao suggested, that Qiao Jing knew the big boss of Wonderful Hall?

    Was she unting her charms and attracting bees and butterflies again?

    After the gift-givingmotion had settled.

    Lin Xiuxiang, her gaze filled with infatuation, withdrew her eyes from Deng Yunyi and tugged at Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, whispering in a voice only they could hear, ¡°Qiao Qiao, he is so handsome!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes lit up and she showed Lin Xiuxiang a teasing smile, ¡°Are you love-struck at first sight?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s old face turned red, ¡°What are you talking about? Qiao Qiao, you¡¯ve be naughty.¡±

    ¡°Do you really like him? If you do, then pursue him boldly,¡± encouraged Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What are you saying? I don¡¯t like him at all,¡± Lin Xiuxiang denied, but her eyes had a mind of their own, uncontrobly ncing at Deng Yunyi.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him for his WeChat?¡± suggested Qiao Jing.

    Lin Xiuxiang covered her face, ¡°No way, that would be too embarrassing! Besides, I only think he¡¯s handsome, he fits my aesthetics. I don¡¯t know anything about him, it¡¯s not about liking.¡±

    ¡°Normally when people meet, the first impression is of the other¡¯s appearance. If there¡¯s an attraction, then you be interested in getting to know them. After developing such interest, isn¡¯t it natural to then take action and spend time with them? How else are you going to find out if they are right for you?¡±

    If Lin Xiuxiang didn¡¯t know that Qiao Jing had never been in love, she would have suspected that Qiao Jing was a seasoned yer with vast experience.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about it; looking is enough for me.¡±

    ¡°If you won¡¯t go, I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Qiao Jing said before turning and walking towards Deng Yunyi.

    ¡°Hey! Qiao Qiao! Qiao Qiao,e back!¡± Lin Xiuxiang quickly cried out.

    Qiao Jing turned back and made an ¡°Ok¡± sign to Lin Xiuxiang, then continued walking towards Deng Yunyi.

    The actions of the Qiao Family drew the attention of many people around.

    Especially Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei paused from drinking, his deep and ocean-like dark eyes fixed on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What is she up to?¡± Lu Zijiao asked what everyone wanted to know.

    Deng Yunyi was curious too, looking at Qiao Jing who stopped in front of him, he asked in confusion, ¡°Do you need something from me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°What¡¯s your WeChat ID?¡±

 Chapter 49 - 47: Zhan Qipeis Rage Spirals Out of Control

    Chapter 49: Chapter 47: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Rage Spirals Out of Control

    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked beyond belief.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s fists clenched tight as a cold sternness rose from beneath his feet, his face as dark and terrible as a typhoon passing by.

    Meanwhile, the Deng couple was overjoyed, almost cheering out loud, thinking their ancestors must be emitting green smoke from their graves for them to stumble upon such good fortune!

    Deng Yunyi slightly furrowed his brow, admitting that Qiao Jing was truly beautiful, but he had his principles¡ªhe only liked outstanding girls.

    A vase like Qiao Jing was not within his consideration.

    ¡°Sorry, I rarely use WeChat.¡±

    It was clear to everyone that Qiao Jing was being rejected.

    ¡°How embarrassing! If I were her, I could crawl into a mouse hole and nevere out,¡± Zhan Nanqing said with a mix of ridicule and mockery.

    Because Zhan Yuanshan was present, Zhan Nanqing spoke quietly, but Lin Xiuxiang, who was standing nearby, heard everything clearly; she regretted the words she had said to Qiao Jing.

    The Deng couple fell straight from heaven to hell, looking at their son with eyes full of disappointment.

    Regardless of the whispers around her, Qiao Jing continued to press on for Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°Is that so? You rarely use WeChat, but you must have a phone number, right? Give me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing, enough!¡± Zhan Qipei strode over to Qiao Jing, his anger reaching a boiling point, and he grabbed her wrist and forcefully pulled her out of everyone¡¯s sight.

    Lou Xinrou bit her lower lip and quietly followed them.

    ¡°What are you doing? Let go!¡± Although Qiao Jing was strong, she was no match for Zhan Qipei and couldn¡¯t break free.

    Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing to a secluded ce before stopping.

    Lou Xinrou hid on the side, watching quietly.

    ¡°What am I doing? Qiao Jing, do you really consider me as nothing? To ask for another man¡¯s contact information in public, to flirt with another man, do you realize that you are pping my face?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s anger grew as he spoke, feeling like he was burning in a fierce fire.

    Qiao Jing rubbed her reddened wrists and frowned unhappily as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Look, President Zhan, in this Imperial Capital, who doesn¡¯t know that we were temporarily forced together? Even if I truly found someone else, no one would think you are wearing a green hat. Besides, things are not as you think, I was just asking for a contact for a friend, it has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°You think I would believe that?¡± Zhan Qipei said coldly.

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Qiao Jing said indifferently, ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re not mine, and I don¡¯t need to force you to believe.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing turned and walked away.

    Zhan Qipei, angered by Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude and words, reached out his hand to grab her wrist.

    This time, prepared, Qiao Jing turned and pushed the man¡¯s shoulders just as his hand touched her.

    She pushed sessfully, but an ident urred.

    As she turned, her high heels slipped, and she uncontrobly fell to the ground.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei instinctively reached out, wrapped his arms around her waist, and they both lost bnce and fell together.

    By chance, their lips met and collided, merging as one.

    Lou Xinrou watched with rage, wanting to push Qiao Jing aside, but she couldn¡¯t do that.

    This Qiao Jing! iming she didn¡¯t like Brother Pei, but today proved she was just ying hard to get.

    Moreover, she had previously persuaded her to pursue a career, but now she realized it was just Qiao Jing¡¯s way to keep her away from Brother Pei, so Qiao Jing could monopolize him without any obstacles.

    Such deep schemes!

    It was too sinister!

    As Qiao Jing came to her senses, her first instinct was to get up and leave the man¡¯s lips, but the hand around her waist suddenly tightened, pressing her deeper.

    This time, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted again.

    Unlike the awkward experience before, now she felt more astonishment and iprehension.

    Why would he do this?

    It was not just Qiao Jing who was perplexed; even Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t understand himself.

    The moment he felt her trying to move away, he suddenly held her tighter, refusing to let her go.

    So now, Zhan Qipei¡¯s feelings were exceptionallyplicated and strange.

    Lou Xinrou, hiding to the side, was dumbfounded.

    As an onlooker, she had the clearest view. Just as Qiao Jing was about to leave Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, he unexpectedly tightened his hug, making their bodies press even more closely together.

    Why, why like this?

    Why would her Brother Pei do this to Qiao Jing?

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Qiao Jing mustered all her strength, broke free from his embrace, and disgustedly wiped her mouth, examining the man with a bewildered and suspicious gaze.

    ¡°You were the one who kissed me first, and you¡¯re asking me?¡± Zhan Qipei sat up, looking up at Qiao Jing without changing his expression.

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just say I was bitten by a dog.¡±

    Saying this, Qiao Jing turned around and walked away.

    Did she just call him a dog?

    Even though she said that, Zhan Qipei for some reason, couldn¡¯t get angry.

    ¡°Huh¡ª¡± He sighed deeply andy back down.

    He covered his eyes with his arm, trying to calm down.

    Brother Pei¡­ Lou Xinrou silently recited Zhan Qipei¡¯s name, took a step forward, and just when she was about to step out, Zhan Qipei moved.

    His other hand touched his thin lips, smacked his lips, savoring the taste from before, and let out a low chuckle¡ª¡±Hehehe.¡±

 Chapter 50 - 48: The Consequences of Provoking Qiao Jing

    Chapter 50: Chapter 48: The Consequences of Provoking Qiao Jing

    Lou Xinrou felt as if an arrow had shot through her heart.

    It¡¯s often said that the yers are blind while the spectators see clearly; as a spectator, Lou Xinrou discerned something from Zhan Qipei¡¯s actions that perhaps even Zhan Qipei himself hadn¡¯t grasped.

    That was, Qiao Jing had truly caught his attention, and had already secured a ce in his heart.

    Havinge to this conclusion, Lou Xinrou felt a surge of imminent danger.

    It seemed she needed toe up with a good n fast, to win him over before Zhan Qipei fellpletely for Qiao Jing!

    After returning to the banquet hall, Lin Xiuxiang ran over, worried.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, are you okay? Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡±

    ¡°What could he do to me?¡± While saying this, Qiao Jing thought of the recent events and unconsciously furrowed her brow.

    Though it was a subtle expression, it didn¡¯t escape Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s attention.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qiao Qiao, it¡¯s all my fault for telling you that Deng Yunyi was handsome. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s handsome at all now, rejecting a girl in public, not gentlemanly at all.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang was genuinely angry. Although Deng Yunyi had been her aesthetic choice,pared to her friendship with Qiao Jing, he was worthless. So now, she felt nothing when she looked at Deng Yunyi.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want his contact information anymore?¡± Qiao Jing asked for confirmation.

    ¡°I already said I didn¡¯t want it. I¡¯m just an orphanage teacher, and he¡¯s a high-and-mighty heir from a wealthy family¡ªnot from the same world at all. Not to mention that he wouldn¡¯t look my way, even if he did, I wouldn¡¯t want to marry into a rich family. My biggest wish in life is to find an ordinary person to live an ordinary life, and then, after I get married, for my husband to agree to let me stay at the orphanage and do the work I love,¡± said Lin Xiuxiang with a shrug.

    After hearing this, Qiao Jing smiled, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty good. I hope you find your other half soon.¡±

    ¡°Hey, look at me, spending my days in the orphanage, dealing with a bunch of kids. The teachers there are almost all female, so finding another half is as hard as reaching the heavens.¡±

    ¡°Fate is unpredictable; it mighte when you least expect it. Maybe, you¡¯ll be free of being single soon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your auspicious words!¡± Lin Xiuxiang brightened up as she spoke, but her eyes sparkled when she caught sight of Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Why has she suddenly dressed up like that? What is she nning to do?¡±

    Following Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s gaze, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes also brightened slightly.

    Lou Xinrou, at some point, had changed into a traditional jacket and skirt with her hair done in an ancient style, holding a sword and gracefully making her way to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s side.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan, I heard from Nanqing that you enjoyed martial arts when you were young. I may not know martial arts, but I do have some understanding of Sword Dance, which I¡¯d like to perform to celebrate your birthday,¡± she offered.

    With such willing offering by the younger generation, Zhan Yuanshan naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse.

    ¡°Good, I would be delighted to watch if you have such a refined taste,¡± he agreed.

    Lou Xinrou, sword in hand, strode towards the stage, and as she passed by Qiao Jing, she shot a provocative nce, signaling a challenge.

    Reading the meaning behind it, Qiao Jing thought to herself that this girl was beyond help. She really didn¡¯t understand¡ªcould she not live without a man?

    Lin Xiuxiang tugged at Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, ¡°Qiao Qiao, her nce just now seemed malicious! You¡¯d better be careful.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Qiao Jing nodded.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect her to perform a Sword Dance,¡± Lin Xiuxiang said, eyes full of interest as she watched the stage.

    At this, Qiao Jing remembered that Lin Xiuxiang had also learned to perform Sword Dance for a while during college and had even won the campus¡¯s best performance award.

    Soon, Lou Xinrou¡¯s performance began.

    It must be said, Lou Xinrou¡¯s movements were indeed graceful, and coupled with her good looks, she attracted the admiration of the crowd.

    ¡°Wow! She¡¯s dancing so well!¡± Lin Xiuxiang eximed.

    ¡°How does itpare to your performance?¡± asked Qiao Jing curiously.

    This question made Lin Xiuxiang blush, ¡°My Sword Dance level was only good enough to perform on a university stage. Lou Xinrou¡­ feels like she¡¯s on par with the teacher who taught me back then. I can generously say, her performance is truly beautiful!¡±

    After Lou Xinrou finished, almost everyone in the room apuded.

    Even Zhan Qipei pped his hands, a gesture of respect for an excellent performer.

    Lou Xinrou was thrilled when she saw Zhan Qipei apuding, and then she turned her gaze towards Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang, finally setting her eyes on Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Miss Lin, I¡¯ve heard that you also perform Sword Dance and have even won the Best Performance Award on campus. I want to make Grandpa Zhan¡¯s birthday banquet livelier, so how about we have a friendly battle? It¡¯s not about winning or losing; it¡¯s about participating and having fun.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned cold. As clever as she was, how could she not hear that Lou Xinrou, unable to confront her directly, knew Lin Xiuxiang was her friend, and intentionally used her to pressure Qiao Jing, pushing her away from Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m no match for you, I¡¯d better not go up and make a fool of myself,¡± Lin Xiuxiang replied with self-awareness. She was just an amateur and couldn¡¯tpare with Lou Xinrou.

    Besides, she was just an ordinary person, who was here tonight by virtue of her rtionship with Qiao Jing, experiencing the extravagant life of the upper ss.

    Performing Sword Dance in front of so many prestigious guests, she would be scared stiff, like a wooden stake on the stage¡­

    ¡°Miss Lin, there¡¯s no need to be so modest. Besides, as I said before, it¡¯s just for fun, so don¡¯t worry about the battle¡¯s result.¡±

    Lou Xinrou spoke sweetly, but had already nned to make Lin Xiuxiang embarrass herself thoroughly, to show Qiao Jing the consequences ofpeting with her for a man.

    Not only would she suffer, but so would her friends and family.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t do it, I can¡¯t¡­¡± Lin Xiuxiang kept retreating as she spoke.

    ¡°Miss Lin, you didn¡¯t bring a gift for the celebration, did you? Just do a few moves as a birthday salute to Grandpa Zhan.¡±

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s old face showed displeasure, and Lou Pinshu also wore an unhappy expression.

    ¡°Xinrou,e down. If she doesn¡¯t want to, are you going to keep pressuring her?¡±

    Lou Xinrou stared, biting her lower lip, as she saw Zhan Yuanshan and Lou Pinshu speaking up for Qiao Jing.

    She was not satisfied, not willing to let her n end in failure.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice suddenly rose.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re so enthusiastic, I¡¯ll ept your challenge and battle with you.¡±

    What?!

    The turn of events was so sudden that nobody expected Qiao Jing to volunteer for a Sword Dance battle with Lou Xinrou.

    Not even Lou Xinrou, who had instigated the situation, had anticipated it.

    Of course, if Qiao Jing participated, that would be even better.

    Because, ording to the information she had gathered, Qiao Jing had never learned Sword Dance.

    ¡°She knows Sword Dance?¡± Lu Zijiao asked, looking at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he stared at Qiao Jing with a pair of prating eyes.

    He had the same question himself.

    Zhan Ruiting nudged Xu Moqian, ¡°Has Doctor Qiao studied Sword Dance before?¡±

    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have, but fighting techniques, Jeet Kune Do, and Tai Chi, certainly, she¡¯s proficient,¡± Xu Moqian replied.

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei and others all turned their gaze towards Xu Moqian.

    ¡°So you can also perform a Sword Dance?¡± Lou Xinrou said deliberately.

    Qiao Jing looked back at Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°My friend taught me, beating you should be a breeze.¡±

    Lou Xinrou was nearly choked by her own frustration. Despite her anger threatening to burst, with so many eyes on her, she had to maintain the poise of an heiress.

    ¡°Then I shall look forward to it.¡±

    Lou Xinrou had someone bring a Jacket that matched the one she was wearing. The purpose was clear: withoutparison, there would be no harm. Using someone like Lin Xiuxiang, a nobody, would highlight her beauty.

    ¡°Conveniently, I have a spare set. Wear this one.¡±

    Ten minutester, Qiao Jing made a stunning appearance!

 Chapter 51 - 49 Qiao Jings Astonishing Photographic Memory

    Chapter 51: Chapter 49 Qiao Jing¡¯s Astonishing Photographic Memory

    Her appearance instantly captured the attention of everyone present, men and women, young and old.

    The girl, holding a sword, walked gracefully towards the crowd, like a fairy descending from the ninth heaven, stepping into the mortal world, too beautiful to seem real!

    Zhan Qipei did not know when he had risen to his feet, but since Qiao Jing had changed into her dress, his gaze had remained on her, never shifting even for a moment.

    The jacket and skirt that the girl wore were the same as those on Lou Xinrou, but herspletely outshone Lou Xinrou by a long shot.

    If nothing else, just consider the figure alone.

    Lou Xinrou had a decent figure, able to hold her own, and was indeed beautiful.

    But Qiao Jing, with her exquisite and radiant appearance, wasn¡¯t just about holding her own; it was more like ¡°standing atop the peak, gazing down at all the small hills¡±!

    Zhan Ruiting and the others were also utterly mesmerized.

    Even Deng Yunyi, who had refused to give Qiao Jing his WeChat earlier, couldn¡¯t control his gaze, keeping his eyes on her the entire time.

    To say he was ¡°looking¡± was an understatement; it was more like ¡°admiring.¡±

    The beauty was truly stunning!

    Yet, he would not be seduced by mere beauty.

    Lou Xinrou watched Qiao Jing with clenched teeth and fury, thinking, what does it mean there¡¯s no harm withoutparison?

    This was exactly that moment!

    ¡°Hmph, what¡¯s the use of dressing nicely? Just wait for her to make a fool of herselfter!¡±

    Lou Xinrouforted herself inwardly.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, are you ready? Shall we start the battle?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t wait to see Qiao Jing embarrass herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine now,¡± Qiao Jing had just turned around to go on stage when she was stopped by Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang whispered in Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, ¡°Qiao Qiao, you have never learned sword dance, are you¡­ are you sure you can do this?¡±

    Although Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s voice was soft, it was still overheard by Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou nearlyughed out loud.

    So Qiao Jing had never even learned it yet she dared to battle with her in sword dance?

    That was hrious!

    Qiao Jing raised her hand and pointed at her head, ¡°I remember everything here. Trust me, it¡¯s possible.¡±

    Remembered everything?

    Lin Xiuxiang paused, remembered what exactly?

    The sequence Lou Xinrou had performed earlier?

    That must be it.

    Of course, others wouldn¡¯t know, but she understood very well. Her Qiao Qiao had an eidetic memory. She recalled the children¡¯s day performance at the orphanage.

    The teacher organized dance for them; it took them a long time to learn, but Qiao Jing got it after just one look.

    With this in mind, Lin Xiuxiang was no longer worried.

    ¡°You got this!¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± After Qiao Jing nodded, she and Lou Xinrou went up on the stage together.

    Beneath the stage, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on them.

    Zhan Ruiting was muttering worriedly, ¡°This Lou Xinrou is definitely looking for trouble on purpose. Doctor Qiao couldn¡¯t stand Lou Xinrou picking on her friend, and that¡¯s why she stepped forward to stand up for her friend.¡±

    If Zhan Ruiting could see that, then Zhan Qipei had realized it even earlier.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were tightly sealed, and the gaze that fell upon Lou Xinrou brimmed with barely concealed coldness.

    ¡°Humph!¡± Zhan Yuanshan snorted coldly, his displeasure evident as he looked at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Qipei, listen to me, I can¡¯t force you to like someone, but if you ever bring that girl Lou Xinrou home, I will no longer acknowledge you as my grandson!¡±

    Standing nearby, Lou Xinrou¡¯s grandfather, Lou Pinshu, heard Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words loud and clear. As he looked at Lou Xinrou on stage, his old eyes were filled with disappointment.

    The child he had watched grow up was actually not too bad, just a bit confused when it came to love. Indeed, her actions had been somewhat over the top.

    The music started.

    The battle began!

    Qiao Jing and Lou Xinrou almost simultaneously leapt into action, their movements identical.

    ¡°This is¡ª ¡± Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he followed with a heartyugh, ¡°That girl, no wonder she dared to step on stage for a Sword Dance, hahaha¡ª ¡±

    Xu Hongzu stroked his beard, watching Qiao Jing with evident pride.

    ¡°Identical?!¡± Zhan Ruiting stared, dumbfounded, at the astonishing scene before him.

    ¡°Not identical.¡± Zhan Qipei was also watching with a look of surprise.

    ¡°Ah? Not identical?¡± Zhan Ruiting squinted at the two figures on the stage, ¡°But their movements are exactly the same, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixing on Qiao Jing¡¯s graceful and somewhat heroic dance.

    ¡°She dances better than Lou Xinrou. Lou Xinrou is too soft. The force behind her sword thrusts isn¡¯t enough, and she doesn¡¯t have the flowing ease of Qiao Jing, who moves smoothly and in one breath.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Ruiting finally understood why he had felt that Qiao Jing¡¯s dance was more captivating. Now, with Zhan Qipei¡¯s exnation, he could see it was indeed as Zhan Qipei had said.

    Although Lou Xinrou¡¯s movements and posture were good, they were too gentle. In contrast, Qiao Jing¡¯s swordy was like a white snake spitting its tongue, hissing as it cut through the wind, or like a dragon weaving in and out, moving with agility. Sometimes light as a swallow, her sword would touch down, and other times as swift as lightning, leaves swirling in her wake.

    It was mesmerizing, hard to keep up with.

    How could this be?

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s attention had been diverted to Qiao Jing as soon as she began to dance.

    And at that nce, she was wide-eyed with shock.

    Dancing exactly like her? How is that possible? This choreography was custom made for her by a professional ancient-style dance instructor, how did Qiao Jing manage it?

    Could it be that Qiao Jing learned it after watching her dance just once?

    This thought came to mind, but Lou Xinrou immediately denied it.

    ¡°Impossible!¡±

    There was no way Qiao Jing could have learned it in one look. Lou Xinrou herself had taken a full week to dance this Sword Dance smoothly. She had spent another half a month consolidating her skills to achieve the superb form and dance she had now.

    Lou Xinrou continued to watch, growing more and more astonished.

    Why did she feel that Qiao Jing was dancing even better than her?

    What Lou Xinrou found hardest to ept was that Qiao Jing had attracted the attention of everyone present, including Zhan Qipei.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing without blinking, as though she was the only person in his world.

    Seeing this, Lou Xinrou was so agitated that she moved with the same hand, the same leg; her foot slipped, and her sword shot straight towards Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Be careful! Dodge!¡± Zhan Ruiting shouted out loud.

    Zhan Yuanshan and the others were all frightened.

    Although it was not a real sword, if it were to strike Qiao Jing¡¯s face directly, especially the eyes, the consequences were unthinkable!

    Everything happened so suddenly, Qiao Jing had been intensely focused on emting Lou Xinrou¡¯s movements, recalling the Sword Dance Lou Xinrou had just performed.

    Thus, when the ident urred, her reaction was half a beat slower than everyone else¡¯s.

    By the time she realized the danger, the de was mere inches from making contact.

    Just at this critical moment, her wrist was suddenly grabbed and with a pull and a tug, she exchanged ces with the man.

    As Qiao Jing was pulled into the man¡¯s embrace, she heard a muffled grunt of pain.

 Chapter 52 - 50 Zhan Qipei Pins Qiao Jing Against the Wall

    Chapter 52: Chapter 50 Zhan Qipei Pins Qiao Jing Against the Wall

    The audience instantly fell silent.

    ¡°Eh?¡± Zhan Yuanshan looked at Zhan Qipei, who had taken Qiao Jing into his protective embrace, and made a puzzled sound as he squinted his wise old eyes to watch closely.

    As he watched, he nodded in approval.

    This grandson of his, he had indeed not misjudged, was beginning to get on the right track.

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡ª¡± Lou Xinrou, terrified and shivering, paused for two seconds before hurriedly throwing the sword to the ground and rushing over to Zhan Qipei¡¯s side.

    ¡°Brother Pei, are you, are you alright? Did it hurt you? I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, I really didn¡¯t,¡± Lou Xinrou said, almost crying from fear, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s back with a pained expression.

    ¡°Brother Pei, take off your clothes, let me help you check,¡± Lou Xinrou said, reaching out to touch Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Get your hand away.¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression was dark, and cold frost swirled in the depths of his eyes.

    Lou Xinrou was scared by Zhan Qipei¡¯s look, her extended hand not knowing whether to retract or to continue.

    All she did was care about whether you were hurt, and that was all, wasn¡¯t that allowed? Are you that germophobic?

    Just as Lou Xinrou felt wronged, Qiao Jing reached her hand to the man¡¯s back and felt around.

    Zhan Qipei subconsciously furrowed his eyebrows, enduring the pain without making a sound.

    Qiao Jing could tell Zhan Qipei probably had a superficial wound, ¡°Let me have a look.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Zhan Qipei replied, effectively refusing.

    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, it¡¯s me who decides whether it¡¯s serious or not,¡± Qiao Jing insisted. ¡°Take off your clothes.¡±

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing reached for the man¡¯s suit.

    Zhan Qipei was quick to catch Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist.

    Qiao Jing frowned, it was just a check on the back, not a private part of the body.

    After all, she had seen your private parts more than once, so there was no need to be mindful of it.

    At that moment, the man¡¯s pleasant deep voice suddenly resonated in her ear.

    ¡°You¡¯re nning to look here? Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei out of the room.

    Lou Xinrou watched them leave in disbelief, her emotions a mix of anger, urgency, and jealousy!

    Zhan Nanqing approached Lou Xinrou andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, you know as well as I do that Qiao Jing is a half-hearted, inept doctor, but after all, she is a doctor. That¡¯s why my brother let her check.¡±

    Comforted by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou felt somewhat better.

    ¡°And just now, Xinrou, you danced beautifully, Qiao Jingpletely lost to you,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, though actually feeling quite uncertain.

    ¡°Really?¡± As Lou Xinrou asked, she noticed Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth and paused for two seconds.

    ¡°Real¡ª¡ªof course, it¡¯s real¡ª¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing replied with an odd expression.

    Lou Xinrou felt as if an arrow had deeply pierced her heart, the kind that bleeds profusely.

    ¡­

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei went to a secluded room together.

    ¡°You better take off your clothes quickly.¡±

    That eager?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and he neatly took off his suit, then reached for the buttons on his shirt, undoing them one by one in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing watched expressionlessly, perhaps because she had seen it so often that it no longer affected her much.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing suspiciously, his physique was so good, howe she showed no reaction at all.

    Could it be that in her eyes, his charm was socking?

    At this thought, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

    Qiao Jing moved behind Zhan Qipei, where the prop had stabbed him, the area was red and purple, the skin was broken, and blood was oozing out faintly.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s not too serious, if left untreated, it could get infected. Don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll get the medication ready for you.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.

    Qiao Jing answered it, and the visitor was Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan was carrying a medicine kit, ¡°The Old Master asked me to bring it over.¡±

    As Tang Yan said this, he sneakily nced inside, seeing Zhan Qipei shirtless, sitting on the bed.

    ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you two then.¡±

    Tang Yan closed the door very considerately.

    Qiao Jing looked at the medicine box in her hands. As clever as she was, how could she not guess Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s intentions.

    Qiao Jing returned behind Zhan Qipei, starting to disinfect and apply ointment to the wound.

    Zhan Qipei felt the ceaseless busy hands on his back, feeling as if fallen leaves had drifted onto the calm surface of ake, creating endless ripples.

    It made his body itch, and even more so, his heart restless.

    ¡°All done,¡± Qiao Jing stopped her movements.

    Zhan Qipei turned around to face Qiao Jing, ¡°Have you learned Sword Dance before?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Qiao Jing replied truthfully.

    ¡°No?¡± Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°But you just danced better than Lou Xinrou.¡±

    ¡°I learned it from her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei understood at the same time was astoundingly surprised.

    She remembered after just one look?!

    Did she possess a photographic memory?

    That amazing?!

    That meant Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t lying¡ªQiao Jing indeed was a professor at his university.

    ¡°I heard from Nanqing that you work as a janitor in Professor Qiao¡¯sb. You are a professor at Imperial Capital University and a doctor at the hospital; why would you work as a janitor? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because you admire Professor Qiao that you went to work in their institute.¡±

    He had wanted to ask Qiao Jing this question for a while, but never found the right opportunity. Also, he had thought Qiao Jing¡¯s affairs were none of his business, which is why he waited until now to ask.

    He was curious to see how she would respond.

    ¡°That was what Zhan Nanqing said; I¡¯ve never admitted it,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    So she was indeed not a janitor.

    ¡°Then what do you do in Professor Qiao¡¯s institute?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised as she answered indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s my personal affair, and there¡¯s no need for me to tell you.¡±

    This response from Qiao Jing did not satisfy Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei stood up from the bed, the light cast on the man highlighted his physique, perfectly chiseled by shadows, filled with virile hormones.

    Squinting his eyes, he took long strides towards Qiao Jing, step by step walking to her side, eventually extending an arm to pin Qiao Jing against the wall.

    Qiao Jing looked at the man with his upper body bare. Although she had seen this body more than once or twice, the feeling it gave her this time was somehow inexplicably off.

    Just then, the man¡¯s deep, mellow voice suddenly sounded next to her ear, deliberately lowered in a way that felt extremely seductive.

    ¡°You¡¯re not speaking because you want to hide something?¡±

    Zhan Qipei found that the more he tried to see through Qiao Jing, the deeper he went, the more secrets he discovered. He couldn¡¯t help but want to delve further, to strip away all her pretenses, to see through her clearly and transparently.

    He was very curious about what kind of surprise would await him at the end of it all.

    ¡°Again, my affairs have nothing to do with you,¡± Qiao Jing removed the man¡¯s arm and left the room.

    Zhan Qipei looked at himself in the mirror, not out of vanity, but because his body was exceptionally well-trained, possessing all the muscr attributes a man should have.

    Even stronger.

    Yet she didn¡¯t spare him a second nce from beginning to end¡­

    As soon as Qiao Jing came out, Zhan Ruiting and Xu Moqian surrounded her.

    ¡°Sister Jing, he didn¡¯t take advantage of you, did he?¡± Xu Moqian hurriedly asked.

    Before Qiao Jing could reply, Zhan Ruiting spoke first, ¡°What are you talking about? Who would take advantage of Doctor Qiao? My cousin wouldn¡¯t. Because my cousin already has someone he likes.¡±

    Um? Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted, turning back to look at Zhan Qipei.

    He already has someone he likes? Who? Lou Xinrou?

    Impossible, right?

    ¡°Do you really like Lou Xinrou?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Zhan Ruiting, then looked towards Qiao Jing, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t an exnation; he was just stating a fact.

    As soon as Lou Xinrou arrived, she heard this and felt as if her heart was pierced by an arrow, bleeding profusely.

    ¡°I said, your taste couldn¡¯t be that bad,¡± Qiao Jing nodded.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart instantly bristled like a hedgehog.

    Just then, Deng Yunyi suddenly approached,ing to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°This is my WeChat and phone number.¡±

 Chapter 53 - 51: The Narcissistic Man Gives Qiao Jing a Chance to Pursue

    Chapter 53: Chapter 51: The Narcissistic Man Gives Qiao Jing a Chance to Pursue

    When Deng Yunyi spoke, almost everyone¡¯s gaze fell on him.

    Especially Zhan Qipei.

    They really treated him as if he were dead!

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to step forward and say something, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice rang out first.

    ¡°Sorry, my friend is no longer interested in you.¡±

    Deng Yunyi frowned, ¡°Your friend?¡±

    Wasn¡¯t it she who wanted his contact information?

    Although he was firm that only excellent people were worthy of him, after seeing Qiao Jing perform the Sword Dance, he was deeply attracted by her dance, so he decided to lower his standards and give her a chance.

    But unexpectedly, he was rejected by her.

    ¡°Yes, it was me who asked you for your contact information on behalf of my friend. Later, my friend told me that I had misunderstood, she is not interested in you in that way.¡±

    Deng Yunyi didn¡¯t believe a word of Qiao Jing¡¯s statement.

    In his view, it must be because he had rejected her earlier, causing her to lose face, and that was why she was acting this way now.

    Forget it, he was a man, there was no need to argue with a woman.

    ¡°Keep the contact information, let¡¯s just be friends.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the slip of paper in Deng Yunyi¡¯s hand, her frowning brows showing a bit of displeasure.

    Was this charity?

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°She said she was asking for it on behalf of her friend, now it¡¯s not needed anymore,¡± Zhan Qipei stepped forward, blocking Qiao Jing.

    Deng Yunyi, with his hand still extended, didn¡¯t know whether to retract it or not, making the situation quite awkward.

    At this moment, Xu Moqian remarked sarcastically: ¡°Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself, thinking you¡¯re great just because you have some achievements in archaeology. Your level is far behind Sister Jing¡¯s.¡±

    Deng Yunyi¡¯s face grew uglier, and continuing the standoff would only embarrass him further.

    Before leaving, Deng Yunyi couldn¡¯t help but nce at Qiao Jing, who didn¡¯t even spare him an extra nce, which irritated him somewhat.

    He had given her a chance, and since she didn¡¯t cherish it, any future regrets were not his concern.

    ¡°What conceit!¡± Xu Moqian muttered as he stared at Deng Yunyi¡¯s retreating figure, then turned to Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister Jing, don¡¯t forget to hang out after the party ends, okay?¡±

    ¡°Xiangxiang has sses tomorrow, let¡¯s wait till the weekend in two days,¡± Qiao Jing said, her eyes sweeping over Zhan Qipei¡¯s back as she spoke.

    Actually, her choice to not go out tonight was partly because of Lin Xiuxiang and partly because of Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei got hurt because of her. Although it wasn¡¯t serious, if she went out to party, she would feel guilty.

    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll wait for the weekend holiday.¡±

    After the party ended, everyone went their separate ways.

    Lou Xinrou was crying sadly.

    ¡°Nanqing, do you think your brother might have started to like Qiao Jing?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? My brother is so noble, how could he possibly like Qiao Jing?¡± Zhan Nanqing keptforting Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°But you saw it too, your brother¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing, and¡­ I saw with my own eyes¡­ saw¡­¡± Lou Xinrou hesitated.

    ¡°Saw what?¡±

    Lou Xinrou bit her lip, feigned a struggle, and then continued, ¡°Earlier at the party, didn¡¯t your brother take Qiao Jing away? When no one was around, Qiao Jing deliberately knocked him over and kissed him.¡±

    It was a kiss, but it was idental. Lou Xinrou intentionally distorted the facts just to provoke Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°What did you say? Qiao Jing is so shameless? To do such a thing to my brother! That¡¯s despicable! What was his reaction then?¡±

    Lou Xinrou became even more despondent, ¡°Brother Pei¡­ he wasn¡¯t angry, nor did he me Qiao Jing. That¡¯s why I suspect that Brother Pei might have started to like Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was furious, ¡°I will absolutely not agree to let her truly be my sister-inw!¡±

    She decided that tomorrow she would secretly follow Qiao Jing to discover her ugly sides and let her brother see the disgusting truth about Qiao Jing!

    The next day.

    Zhan Nanqing secretly followed Qiao Jing ording to the n.

    Qiao Jing was walking alone on the road, yawning as she walked.

    Zhan Nanqing took a photo with her phone, preparing to send Qiao Jing¡¯s unttering photo to Zhan Qipei.

    But when she checked the photo, although the girl¡¯s facial expression was a bit exaggerated due to the yawn, she still looked beautiful overall because of her high beauty quotient.

    Shoot!

    ¡°Even her yawn looks good; Qiao Jing must be the reincarnation of a fox spirit!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing silently criticized in her heart, then continued following Qiao Jing.

    She just couldn¡¯t believe it; today, she wouldn¡¯t be able to catch Qiao Jing off guard.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, Qiao Jing turned from the main road into a smaller path.

    She took this route to the research institute because it was a bit farther, as she nned to run there to exercise.

    Zhan Nanqing, panting behind her, was breathless from exhaustion.

    Why is she running so fast? Is she in a hurry to reincarnate?

    Zhan Nanqing muttered irritably to herself.

    Soon, Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing suddenly stop ahead and peer into a small alley next to her.

    What¡¯s she doing?

    ¡°Help! Let go of me! Help!¡± A girl¡¯s voice for help came from the alley.

    Followed by the rough voices of several men.

    ¡°Don¡¯t shout! I¡¯ll hit you if you do!¡±

    ¡°Just behave, and let us enjoy ourselves. If you resist again, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    The girl released a whimper of fear as she was threatened.

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing guessed what was happening in the alley.

    Being a woman herself and encountering such a situation, she couldn¡¯t just pretend not to see.

    Hurry and call for help.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to send out a message on her phone, she suddenly heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Let her go.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, shocked, stopped sending the message and stared wide-eyed as Qiao Jing entered the alley.

    She just went in like that? Is she out of her mind? She¡¯s a woman too ¡ª and such a beautiful one! She¡¯s clearly walking into a lion¡¯s den!

    ¡°Hahaha¡ªanother sheep hase!¡±

    ¡°Damn! A top-grade beauty! She looks good, and her figure is great; we are really struck by luck today!¡±

    ¡°I go first!¡±

    ¡°Move aside; I¡¯m the boss, I go first!¡±

    Listening to these hooligans talk, Zhan Nanqing struggled internally.

    If something really happened to Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei, who had apulsion for cleanliness, definitely wouldn¡¯t like her anymore.

    But¡ª

    Qiao Jing was the same as her, a woman, and moreover, Qiao Jing was putting herself in danger to save their fellow women.

    If she just watched as Qiao Jing was mistreated by those ruffians, she might not be able to live with the guilt in the future.

    Thinking this, Zhan Nanqing immediately took out her phone to call someone over.

    Before she could send the message, she heard screamsing from the alley.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    ¡°Aow¡ª¡±

 Chapter 54 - 52: Call Her Professor Qiao?

    Chapter 54: Chapter 52: Call Her Professor Qiao?

    What¡¯s that noise?

    Zhan Nanqing walked over with a puzzled look and her eyes widened instantly like copper bells after seeing what was happening in the alley.

    With a shoulder throw, Qiao Jing flung a punk with purple hair out, ¡°Bang¡ª¡± he crashed heavily onto the ground.

    ¡°Ow¡ª¡± The purple-haired punky on the ground, gritting his teeth and rolling around in pain.

    So impressive?!

    Not only that, but other punks were lying all over the ground in disarray as well.

    Did Qiao Jing take them all down by herself?

    Expressionless, Qiao Jing dusted off her hands and looked towards the girl crouching in the corner.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Qiao Jing took off her jacket and handed it to the girl, ¡°Put this on.¡±

    ¡°Tha-thank you¡­¡±

    After speaking, the girl could no longer suppress her emotions and began to cry out loud.

    ¡°Wuwuwu¡ªwuwuwuwu¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing sighed softly, reached out to embrace the girl in her arms, and gently patted her on the back.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right now, it¡¯s over. I¡¯ll send all these people to the police station so they can¡¯te out and harm anyone again¡­¡±

    The more Qiao Jing spoke, the harder the girl cried.

    Zhan Nanqing watched this scene, and looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s righteous demeanor, she felt an indescribableplexity in her heart.

    Afterward, Qiao Jing brought the girl and the gang of social misfits to the police station.

    Upon seeing that it was Qiao Jing who had arrived, Captain Zhao immediately came out to meet her personally.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re here again?¡±

    The word ¡°again¡± was used quite subtly.

    In less than a month, Qiao Jing had brought in three batches of people.

    First was the head of the Zhan Family, and after that, the young Miss from the Deng Family, who is still in custody. And now suddenly another seven or eight, all of whom looked like members of a shady society based on their attire.

    ¡°These people intended to harm her, so I brought them here,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°Alright, take a seat; I will start interrogating them one by one,¡± Zhao stated.

    Zhan Nanqing covertly watched from outside, standing too far away to hear what Captain Zhao and Qiao Jing were discussing, but she noticed that Zhao was as respectful to Qiao Jing as before.

    Strange?

    Why was Captain Zhao so polite to Qiao Jing? Could it simply be because Qiao Jing had helped Zhao solve a case before?

    After questioning and sorting out the case, Captain Zhao brought a cup of Pu-erh tea to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, have you been busytely?¡±

    Qiao Jing took a sip of tea and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is there a case you need my help with?¡±

    Having guessed his intent, Captain Zhao¡¯s old face reddened.

    ¡°It would have been alright if it were any other case, but over the past month, there have been 5 child trafficking cases in session. The most recent one was even worse, with criminals attempting a brazen robbery inside a shopping mall.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned cold.

    She despised those child traffickers the most, those without humanity, bing the nightmare of many families.

    And then there was her good friend, Lin Xiuxiang, who was also abducted as a child. Though she was eventually rescued, Lin Xiuxiang was too young to articte where her home was or the names of her parents. Consequently, she was sent to an orphanage.

    Qiao Jing had tried to help Lin Xiuxiang find her family, but even now, there had been no news.

    ¡°Any clues?¡±

    ¡°These criminals are part of a syndicate, and every action they take is meticulously nned, leaving almost no trace. It¡¯s only during the most recent case at the mall that we found a little clue.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°When the suspect ran out of the mall, he bumped into a guide dog. His hat fell off, revealing a bald head with a dragon tattoo on it.¡±

    After gaining more understanding for a while, Qiao Jing left the police station.

    Zhan Nanqing felt lost. Why did they take so long toe out? What were they talking about?

    Afterward, Qiao Jing went to the research institute.

    Zhan Nanqing clearly saw the security guard call out to Qiao Jing with great respect.

    Because the distance was too far, she couldn¡¯t hear very clearly.

    It seemed¡­ like¡­ Professor Qiao?

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Zhan Nanqing scoffed aloud.

    If she were Professor Qiao, she¡¯d bow her head to the ground and let Qiao Jing sit on her head to y Dou Dizhu.

    She ended up waiting for five hours.

    Zhan Nanqing was afraid of losing track of Qiao Jing, so she didn¡¯t leave at all.

    ¡°Gurulu¡­¡± The sound of a growling stomach broke the silence.

    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry! Did Qiao Jing die in there or something? She¡¯s been inside for ages and still hasn¡¯te out.¡±

    As she spoke, her stomach growled again.

    Zhan Nanqing rubbed her own belly and nced at the institute¡¯s entrance.

    Qiao Jing probably wouldn¡¯t be out anytime soon, so she might as well go eat something.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to leave, she saw Qiao Jinging out of the institute.

    ¡°Damn Qiao Jing! Are you doing this on purpose? You know I¡¯m about to go eat and you choose this moment toe out, neither earlier norter!¡±

    Zhan Nanqingined inwardly while following her, having followed the whole afternoon and with nightfall approaching. She hadn¡¯t caught Qiao Jing doing anything incriminating; if she continued, wouldn¡¯t she have wasted an entire day on Qiao Jing?

    While she was thinking this, she saw Qiao Jing enter the Red Cross Society.

    What was she doing in there?

    Fearing that Qiao Jing would notice her, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t go in but waited until Qiao Jing came out to keep following her.

    Eventually, Qiao Jing went to the market and came out with a lot of groceries.

    Qiao Jing was on the phone, ¡°I bought beef bones nning to make a stew tonight¡ªit¡¯s good for your injuries. I also got some other groceries. What time will you be home tonight?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei immediately dropped what he was doing.

    ¡°I¡¯m all done here, I¡¯ll head back right now.¡±

    Tang Yan, sitting nearby, widened his eyes at Zhan Qipei and then at the pile of files that resembled a mountain. He thought to himself, how did you manage to say that with a straight face?

    After hanging up the phone, Zhan Qipei looked at Tang Yan, ¡°The rest of the work¡ªI¡¯ll leave to you.¡±

    What?!

    No sooner had Qiao Jing just gotten home than Zhan Qipei followed, helping to wash the vegetables.

    He finally got to eat the meals made by Qiao Jing once again.

    These past few days, Qiao Jing was always busy at Professor Qiao¡¯s institute,ing back home veryte.

    Not being able to eat Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking made him lose quite a few pounds.

    Zhan Nanqing stood outside the door, hesitating for a while before going up to knock.

    Upon opening the door, she saw Zhan Qipei with a handful of vegetables.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stared at the vegetables in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, opened her mouth in astonishment, ¡°Brother, what are you, uh, doing?¡±

    ¡°Washing vegetables,¡± Zhan Qipei replied, very nonchntly.

    Zhan Nanqing blinked, at a loss for words.

    ¡°Is there something you wanted?¡± Zhan Qipei asked.

    ¡°No, just came to see how you were.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you can leave now,¡± Zhan Qipei instructed her to leave.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth hung open.

    At that moment, the voice of Qiao Jing came from the kitchen.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, what are you doing? Hurry up and wash the vegetables; they are waiting to be cooked.¡±

    ¡°Oh,ing,¡± Zhan Qipei responded, then with a ¡°ck¡ª¡± closed the door.

 Chapter 55 - 53: Zhan Qipei Wants to Go to KTV with Qiao Jing

    Chapter 55: Chapter 53: Zhan Qipei Wants to Go to KTV with Qiao Jing

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Qiao Jing, that vixen, has my brother going round and round; now she¡¯s even using him like a servant, and doing it so naturally. It¡¯s just too maddening!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stamped her feet while muttering nonstop.

    After leaving the residentialplex, Zhan Nanqing stopped and after pondering for two seconds, looked in the direction of the Red Cross Society.

    She hesitated for a while, then hailed a taxi and went back to the Red Cross Society.

    Upon arrival, she immediately inquired about Qiao Jing with the front desk staff.

    ¡°You said what? Qiao Jing donated ten million to children in the Western Mountainous Region?!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was astounded!

    Where did Qiao Jing get so much money from?

    Was it all given to her by her grandfather?

    But¡ª

    Why would she donate it?

    ¡°Yes, miss, Miss Qiaoes here often. At the end ofst year, after the earthquake in Yuxiang County, Miss Qiao alone donated twenty million. She also donated arge number of winter coats and clothing, as well as mineral water and other supplies, amounting to more than ten million in total,¡± the staff member said with a look of unabashed admiration and respect.

    Having worked at the Red Cross Society for many years, she had seen all kinds of donations from high society and entertainment figures, but she had never seen a truly good person like Qiao Jing, who donated year after year without ever seeking recognition for her good deeds.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s jaw was practically dropping.

    She wasn¡¯t just surprised about where Qiao Jing got the money from, but also by what the staff member said¡ªthat she came here often!

    Moreover, from the staff member¡¯s demeanor, she could tell that they held Qiao Jing in high esteem.

    ¡°Is Qiao Jing¡­ truly that kindhearted?¡±

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was feeling dejected and conflicted, she received a phone call from Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Nanqing, how did it go? Did you find anything after tracking her all day?¡±

    Lou Xinrou was sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching TV and eating sunflower seeds.

    ¡°Xinrou, it¡¯s so strange¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing recounted in detail everything that had happened that day to Lou Xinrou.

    That included the donation and also the act of bravery by Qiao Jing during the day, when she saved someone.

    ¡°Xinrou, I feel that Qiao Jing might not be that bad of a person.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, a strong sense of crisis welled up in Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Nanqing, don¡¯t you find today¡¯s events too coincidental?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked, puzzled.

    Putting aside her sunflower seeds and turning serious, Lou Xinrou said, ¡°Think about it, how could it be such a coincidence? It¡¯s neither too early nor toote for her to donate, but it happens just when you¡¯re secretly following her, and you happen to find out?¡±

    When Zhan Nanqing heard this, it did indeed seem too coincidental.

    ¡°Could she have noticed me?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing grasped Lou Xinrou¡¯s implication and spected.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Lou Xinrou retorted.

    ¡°But the Red Cross Society¡¯s people said that Qiao Jing oftenes here to donate?¡± Zhan Nanqing voiced her doubt.

    ¡°Nanqing, are you out of your mind?¡± Qiao Jing, a country girl who farms thend, how could she possibly have so much money? If I¡¯m not mistaken, this money must be Grandpa Zhan¡¯s. Grandpa Zhan is old, and before he thinks of ascending to heaven, he wants to do more good deeds, to umte virtue for himself. And he doesn¡¯t want his family to know, so he had Qiao Jing run errands for him, using her to make the donations. Moreover, didn¡¯t the staff say that Qiao Jing does good deeds anonymously, never leaving her name behind?¡±

    ¡°In today¡¯s society, if someone does a good deed, they can¡¯t wait to publicize it to the whole world.

    How could Qiao Jing be an exception? The very fact that she doesn¡¯t leave her name proves that the money isn¡¯t hers. So she wouldn¡¯t dare to take credit for it, would she?¡±

    The more Zhan Nanqing listened, the more it made sense. ¡°I also thought it was strange at the time, how Qiao Jing could be so selfless, doing good deeds is one thing, but not even leaving her name?¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Lou Xinrou saw that Zhan Nanqing was following her rhythm and continued vigorously, ¡°Also, you said she stood up to injustice, rescuing a girl from the hands of several shady characters, and even executed an over-the-shoulder throw on one of them. Think about it, that¡¯s just not possible.¡±

    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, I¡¯m not bluffing you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re bluffing, but I think it¡¯s impossible. It¡¯s like I said earlier, Qiao Jing must have realized you were following her, so she deliberately staged that act for you to see. To change your perception of her.¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s previous words were not to mislead Zhan Nanqing, but indeed she thought that way. She simply didn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing had that much money, didn¡¯t believe she would do good deeds anonymously, and certainly didn¡¯t believe she had such a highbat power.

    If it were true, then Qiao Jing would be too outstanding, shining too brightly.

    In reality, Qiao Jing was just a country bumpkin, worlds apart from her.

    So there¡¯s no way Qiao Jing could be that amazing!

    Zhan Nanqing pped her forehead, ¡°You¡¯re right, why didn¡¯t I think of that before? This Qiao Jing, her schemes and depths are truly profound, I absolutely do not approve of such a woman! She¡¯s not worthy of my brother!¡±

    ¡°Xinrou, fortunately, you reminded me, or else I would have been duped by Qiao Jing. Oh, and you don¡¯t know, I just went to see my brother, and I found out he actually helps Qiao Jing cook. Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate to treat my brother like a servant. Xinrou, if this goes on, things are going to get worse, we need to think of something fast. Otherwise, with Qiao Jing¡¯s deep scheming and her many tricks, sooner orter, my brother will be devoured by that bad woman.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was anxious about this, but Lou Xinrou was even more so.

    But for the moment, they really couldn¡¯t think of a good solution.

    In the blink of an eye, Friday night arrived.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to leave, she suddenly heard a man¡¯s voice behind her.

    ¡°Dressed up like that, where are you going?¡± Zhan Qipei had long noticed the hustle and bustle on Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Dressed up like that? Like what?

    Qiao Jing looked down at herself, a simple T-shirt, light blue ripped jeans, and a pair of sneakers with letters on them.

    As for her face, because her skin was even better than normal, like baby skin, porcin white without any blemishes, she didn¡¯t even need to wear foundation, usually just applying some lotion for hydration.

    She was dressed simply, without any makeup, so why did the man say, ¡°dressed up like that, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I have an arrangement with the fourth guy and others, going to the KTV.¡±

    Zhan Qipei knew that the ¡°fourth guy¡± Qiao Jing mentioned was Xu Moqian.

    ¡°And Zhan Ruiting?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and several other friends.¡±

    Qiao Jing answered not to exin, but just stated things as they were, without any need to hide.

    ¡°Lu Zijin is going too?¡± Zhan Qipei asked again.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°We are all good friends, oh, and your good friend, Lu Zijiao, will be there too.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei let out a breath of stale air.

    This Lu Zijiao, who ims to be his brother, is actually not as close to him as his real brother.

    And he was kept in the dark about such matters!

    Qiao Jing checked her phone, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I should head out.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing¡¯s hand touched the doorknob, she heard the man¡¯s deep and husky voice rising again.

    ¡°I¡¯lle along.¡±

 Chapter 56 - 54 Qiao Jing Sings

    Chapter 56: Chapter 54 Qiao Jing Sings

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head, looking at Zhan Qipei with a puzzled face.

    ¡°What, I can¡¯t go?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, but we¡¯re going to a KTV, to sing. Are you sure you want to go?¡±

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s mind, Zhan Qipei was the kind of privileged young master who had grown up in high society circles, entirely out of ce in a worldly setting like KTV.

    That¡¯s why she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to sing,¡± was Zhan Qipei¡¯s reply.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her eyebrows, remained silent for two seconds, then said, ¡°Suit yourself, but hurry up, we won¡¯t wait for you.¡±

    Not wait for him! If not for him, then who?

    Zhan Qipei felt a flicker of irritation, but his movements were swift. After quickly changing his clothes, he rushed out.

    He was afraid Qiao Jing really wouldn¡¯t wait for him.

    ¡°You¡¯re wearing that outfit?¡± Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, dressed in a suit and tie, and wondered what the difference was from what he had just been wearing.

    ¡°Is there a problem with this outfit?¡± Zhan Qipei checked himself in the mirror; his suit fit perfectly, and his tie wasn¡¯t askew.

    ¡°What I mean is, we¡¯re going to a casual, entertaining ce like KTV. Wearing this outfit makes it look like you¡¯re going for a business meeting, which isn¡¯t suitable.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked toward Zhan Qipei¡¯s room, ¡°Don¡¯t you have other clothes?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Tang Yan bought some, but I¡¯ve never worn them.¡±

    Qiao Jing walked into Zhan Qipei¡¯s room, opened the wardrobe, and sure enough, there were several sets of casual clothes.

    ¡°Wear this set. It will be more appropriate, and the whole point of going there is to rx. These clothes will feel less restrictive and morefortable on you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at the clothes Qiao Jing was holding, a haze blue casual sports outfit.

    Truth be told, he didn¡¯t really want to wear it.

    ¡°No need to change, this is fine.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Qiao Jing expressionlessly hung the clothes back in the wardrobe and stopped bothering with the man as she strode outside.

    Watching Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow furrowed, and he turned back to look at the wardrobe.

    ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll change ande out.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused, turned her head, and then saw Zhan Qipei taking out the haze blue casual outfit she had just selected and started to change.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing gently raised her exquisitely shaped brows, and a few ripples appeared on her calm face.

    Three minutester.

    Zhan Qipei came out of the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ve changed.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, and her eyes brightened, her gaze lingering on the man for a few more seconds.

    ¡°What? Does it look strange?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at himself in the mirror, feeling quite bizarre, almost unrecognizable.

    Perhaps he should change back.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, the girl¡¯s clear voice rang in his ears.

    ¡°It looks very nice, it gives you a different feel. It makes you seem more vibrant than before, as if you¡¯ve suddenly be several years younger.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words were filled with undeniable admiration.

    Her words sent ripples through Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart, his eyebrows lifted, and his lips curved slightly.

    ¡°Really not bad?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Qiao Jing sincerely nodded her head, her eyes fixed on him, her expression as if she had discovered a new world.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words and demeanorpletely pleased Zhan Qipei, causing the curve at the corners of his mouth to rise even higher.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go with this outfit.¡±

    Soon, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei arrived at the KTV.

    By the time they arrived, Xu Moqian and his group were already there.

    ¡°Sister Jing, why did you bring him along too?¡± Xu Moqian said this with a displeased look towards Zhan Qipei.

    It wasn¡¯t just Xu Moqian, but also Zhan Ruiting and Lu Zijin, all of them looking at Zhan Qipei with the eyes of a rival in love.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes narrowed as he thought, had these people got their roles confused?

    He was the husband of Qiao Jing, yet these people who were eager to put a green hat on him were looking at him like he was the most unnecessary one.

    ¡°He wanted toe, so he came.¡± That was all Qiao Jing said, without any further exnation.

    ¡°Sister Jing, sit here with me,¡± Xu Moqian shuffled over to make space.

    Lu Zijiao stood up, ¡°Miss Qiao, please sit here by me.¡±

    Lu Zijiao¡¯s seat was right next to Lu Zijin, and as he spoke, he stealthily nced at his older brother.

    [Big brother, go ahead and pursue her, I¡¯ll help you!]

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, you shoulde over here instead; it¡¯s easiest to select songs from this spot.¡± Zhan Ruiting looked eagerly at Qiao Jing, recalling how at thest banquet, he just had to look pitifully at her, and she agreed to his request.

    This made him conclude that Qiao Jing was someone who could be swayed by soft-heartedness, so he decided from now on to act like a pitiful little puppy.

    Indeed, just as Zhan Ruiting guessed, Qiao Jing found it somewhat hard to resist his gaze.

    But¡ª

    It was because she knew what these men were thinking, so, in the end, she decided to sit next to Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, Zhan Qipei felt a sense of superiority. He turned to look at Qiao Jing sitting beside him and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°It¡¯s obvious how they feel about you, why did you choose to sit next to me?¡±

    ¡°Because you won¡¯t hit on me, it¡¯s safest,¡± Qiao Jing honestly replied.

    This statement, upon reaching Zhan Qipei¡¯s ears, was somewhat frustrating.

    ¡°What if I did hit on you?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped reaching for the popcorn, paused for two seconds, then pinched a piece of popcorn and put it into her mouth, chewing while looking at Zhan Qipei, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    If you were that person, he would!

    That was Zhan Qipei¡¯s thought at the moment.

    In fact, regarding this matter, Zhan Qipei was only slightly skeptical.

    But it was only a suspicion, with no evidence to prove it.

    This brought their conversation to an end.

    ¡°Sister Jing, we¡¯ve all sung already, and you haven¡¯t yet. I¡¯ve chosen your favorite ¡®Yesterday Once More,¡¯ and it¡¯s up next.¡±

    Xu Moqian handed the microphone to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was going to sing!

    Everyone was watching her closely.

    Including Zhan Qipei.

    He had been living with Qiao Jing for nearly a month, but he had never heard her sing before and had no idea what her singing was like.

    Qiao Jing took the microphone, did not stand up but just sat there, looking at the big screen in front and waited for the intro to finish.

    She began to sing:

    ¡°When I was young

    I¡¯d listen to the radio

    Waiting for my favorite songs

    When they yed I¡¯d sing along

 Chapter 57 - 55 Qiao Jing Gets Drunk and Insists on Taking Her Home

    Chapter 57: Chapter 55 Qiao Jing Gets Drunk and Insists on Taking Her Home

    As soon as the singing started, everyone immediately became immersed in the enchanting voice.

    The English pronunciation was authentic and natural, not giving off the impression of forcibly singing in English.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t shrill like that of a typical girl, rather, it brought a very enjoyable andfortable state to the listener.

    The song continued.

    ¡°Every shl

    Every wo wo oh

    Still shines

    Every shing-a-ling-a-ling

    That they¡¯re starting to sing

    So fine

    ¡­¡±

    Up to this point, not a single note was off-key, and she sang steadily, rxed, and with great involvement.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes were fixed on Qiao Jing without blinking. The girl sat there quietly singing, as if she were the only person in the world, solely beautiful, solely radiant.

    It was a beauty beyond the description of words.

    Not just Zhan Qipei, but everyone else was also mesmerized and stupefied by the performance.

    When the song ended, the lingering sound resonated in the hall.

    Qiao Jing casually handed the microphone to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Do you want to sing one?¡±

    Before Zhan Qipei could respond, Zhan Ruiting spoke up eagerly, ¡°Doctor Qiao, let¡¯s not bother my cousin; he never sings in front of others, he¡¯s probably tone-deaf. How about we sing a duet instead?¡±

    Tone-deaf?

    Qiao Jing looked at the handsome Zhan Qipei, her delicate brows slightly raised, finding this quite unexpected.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s sing one,¡± Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t had enough of singing since that was the very reason for being there.

    Zhan Ruiting was overjoyed upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s agreement and scurried over to her.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei picked up the microphone and looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Let¡¯s sing one, the same song you just sang.¡±

    ¡°You know it?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s face showed surprise.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhan Qipei nodded and reselected the song.

    Zhan Ruiting looked at Zhan Qipei with puffed cheeks, ¡°Cousin, what¡¯s the point ofpeting with me?¡±

    In response to Zhan Ruiting, Zhan Qipei sent him a look that wasn¡¯t too friendly.

    The music prelude started again.

    Qiao Jing turned to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Do you want to start singing, or shall I?¡±

    ¡°Ladies first,¡± Zhan Qipei replied.

    Ladies first for this as well?

    After a small internalint, Qiao Jing began to sing.

    Although Qiao Jing had already sung the song once, it didn¡¯t stop the onlookers from enjoying it.

    A pleasing voice is something one could listen to a thousand times without growing tired of it.

    After Qiao Jing finished the first verse, Zhan Qipei continued with the next.

    The man¡¯s voice was dark and husky, intoxicatingly deep, like a bass cannon.

    Especially for Qiao Jing, who was closest to Zhan Qipei and felt the most significant impact, her attention was immediately captivated by the man.

    Looking at the man beside her, his profile was extraordinarly handsome, his voice like the music produced by a cello.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei exhibited his masculine charisma to the extreme.

    Even someone with a strong will like Qiao Jing experienced a fleeting moment of distraction and a near-breathless thrill.

    One had to admit, Zhan Qipei was outstanding!

    By the end of the song, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei exchanged a nce and, finding a tacit understanding, sang together in unison.

    The girl¡¯s clear and melodious voice floated above, while the man¡¯s deep and mellow voice supported from below, intertwining indistinctly, blending into each other, deeply entwining, with you in me and me in you, reaching an incredible state of harmonious unity.

    Such singing was harmoniously conceived as if it could foster new life.

    After singing, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei once again exchanged looks, eyes revealing mutual admiration.

    Xu Moqian charged over, stepping between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Sister Jing, shall we sing one too?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to sing?¡±

    ¡°That one about the ¡®Lady, ah ha,¡¯ that one.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Zhan Qipei extended his hand and shoved Xu Moqian aside.

    ¡°Why not? You¡ª¡± Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Ruiting pushed him away.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, it¡¯s my turn, let¡¯s sing together.¡±

    Lu Zijiao nudged Lu Zijin, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be shy at a time like this, if you keep this up, Qiao Jing will be snatched away. Look at them, what¡¯s the difference from a pack of wolves?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang covered her mouth and sneaked augh; true to form, wherever Qiao Qiao went, such scenes followed.

    It seemed the time hade for her to intervene.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, could you apany me to the restroom? I feel a bit dizzy from the drinks.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang had said it casually, but when she actually stood up, her legs suddenly went weak.

    Just as she was about to fall, a hand suddenly reached out, very gentlemanly supporting her.

    ¡°Miss Lin, are you alright?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang turned to look and upon seeing Tang Yan¡¯s defined jawline, she couldn¡¯t help the blush that spread across her cheeks.

    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Lin Xiuxiang pursed her lips, withdrawing her hand.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, are you okay?¡± Qiao Jing approached with concern.

    ¡°I might have really drunk a bit too much.¡± Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s heart was still thumping wildly in her chest.

    ¡°Good to hear you¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll go with you to the restroom.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡±

    After two steps, Lin Xiuxiang nced back at Tang Yan, quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks redder, her heart beating even more fiercely.

    Tang Yan stared at the door for a while before snapping back to reality, looking at his hand, feeling suddenly like spring was on its way.

    The group yed until three in the morning.

    Qiao Jing rarely got so joyous; in her merriment, she drank too much.

    Her bodynguidly leaned against the back of the sofa, face flushed with a deep red, eyes half-closed, lost in a haze.

    Seeing Qiao Jing like this, Zhan Qipei felt inexplicably as if the room temperature had risen several degrees.

    Xu Moqian burped from the alcohol, approaching Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister Jing, shall I take you home?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Ruiting immediately got up from the table, ¡°I¡¯ll take her, I¡¯ll take her! No one else fight me for it!¡±

    Lu Zijiao pushed Zhan Ruiting to the ground, ¡°You¡¯re all so drunk, how can you take her home? My brother didn¡¯t drink, it¡¯s most appropriate for him to do it.¡±

    Xu Moqian and Zhan Ruiting simultaneously turned to look at Lu Zijin, ¡°So scheming!¡±

    As they were all vying to take Qiao Jing home, Zhan Qipei came to her side, coldly eyeing Xu Moqian and the others, ¡°I am herwful husband right now, she doesn¡¯t need you to take her anywhere.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words left Xu Moqian and the others unconvinced.

    ¡°You¡¯re just temporary, and Sister Jing is so drunk, what if you take advantage of her?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, cousin, you better not take her, even if you don¡¯t have those kinds of thoughts towards Doctor Qiao, with just the two of you alone, dry wood and a raging fire, what if something happens?¡±

    Lu Zijiao also stepped up, ¡°Young Master Zhan, I think they¡¯re right, you don¡¯t like Qiao Jing anyway, better let my brother take care of her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood like an iceberg, shielding Qiao Jing, looking like he could take on thousands all by himself.

    Anyone who dared topete with him for her was wee to try.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have Sister Jing decide, shall we?¡± Xu Moqian looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister Jing, who would you like to take you home?¡±

 Chapter 58 - 56: Qiao Jing Takes Advantage of Being Drunk to Snatch Zhan Qipeis Bed

    Chapter 58: Chapter 56: Qiao Jing Takes Advantage of Being Drunk to Snatch Zhan Qipei¡¯s Bed

    Although Qiao Jing was severely drunk, there was still a sliver of consciousness left, and she could make out they were arguing about something.

    Her gaze slowly shifted, from Lu Zijin to Zhan Ruiting, then onto Xu Moqian. Each time her eyesnded on someone, the person looked back at her with a surprised and delighted expression, which was reced by disappointment as she moved on.

    Finally, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze settled on Zhan Qipei.

    He was the one.

    The most trustworthy.

    Zhan Qipei nced back at Xu Moqian and the others, and the meaning in his eyes was crystal clear only to them.

    It made Xu Moqian and the others quite irritated.

    Zhan Qipei looked down at Qiao Jing, who was lying on the sofa, and adjusted his long eyebrows that seemed like fog-covered mountains.

    ¡°Can you walk by yourself?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and, propping herself up with the back of the sofa, she managed to stand up shakily.

    ¡°Not even offering a hand! That¡¯s not gentlemanly at all!¡± Xu Moqian could not help but remark dryly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing? It shows that my cousin really doesn¡¯t harbor any of those kinds of thoughts towards Doctor Qiao, which makes it safe,¡± Zhan Ruiting said.

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian felt there might be some truth to it.

    After Zhan Ruiting¡¯s words, Lu Zijiao also felt relieved. He then turned to Lu Zijin and said, ¡°Bro, don¡¯t worry. Young Master Zhan once told me that even if Qiao Jing stripped naked andy on his bed, he wouldn¡¯t spare her a second nce.¡±

    Lu Zijin nodded.

    After Qiao Jing managed to stand up wobbling, she nced back at Lin Xiuxiang.

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, Zhan Qipei was the first to say, ¡°Tang Yan, take Miss Lin home.¡±

    ¡°And what about the boss?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get a designated driver.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll take Miss Lin home first.¡±

    After finishing his words, Tang Yan looked towards Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°Miss Lin, take your time walking out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, okay, fine,¡± Lin Xiuxiang stuttered as soon as she spoke, too embarrassed to look at Tang Yan.

    She couldn¡¯t help but blush and her heart raced at the sight of Tang Yan, who stood tall at nearly two meters and looked rugged and strong.

    Tang Yan, in turn, was also feeling like a deer in headlights, stealing nces at Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face now and then, finding her more and more appealing.

    Half an hourter, Qiao Jing was delivered home by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You go rest first; I¡¯ll go buy some hangover medicine.¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± Qiao Jing replied, sitting on the sofa and rubbing her forehead.

    Zhan Qipei saw the state Qiao Jing was in, so drunk he estimated she didn¡¯t even know who he was anymore.

    This woman dared to get so drunk in public,pletely devoid of any sense of safety. If she weren¡¯t surrounded by friends, she would definitely be targeted by those with wicked intentions.

    ¡°Lie down for now, and don¡¯t you dare go out. I will be right back,¡± Zhan Qipei said, concerned.

    ¡°Mm,¡± Qiao Jingy down in response.

    She was surprisingly obedient at this moment.

    Zhan Qipei then covered Qiao Jing with a nket.

    ¡°Water¡­¡± Her muffled voice weakly uttered that single demand.

    Zhan Qipei had just changed his shoes when he heard this sudden request from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What a hassle.¡±

    After grumbling, Zhan Qipei took off the shoes he had just put on, went back to the living room, poured a cup of water for Qiao Jing, and then left.

    No sooner had Zhan Qipei stepped out than Qiao Jing suddenly opened her eyes.

    Supporting herself with the sofa, she staggered towards the bathroom.

    She felt sticky with sweat all over, which made her ufortable.

    After quickly showering, she emerged from the bathroom in her natural state, walked into the bedroom, got into bed, drew up the covers, and fell asleep.

    When Zhan Qipei returned, he found Qiao Jing was no longer on the sofa.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t have run off, could she?

    At that thought, Zhan Qipei felt a surge of panic, then quickly turned his head towards the entrance, where the girl¡¯s slippers were still in ce, she likely hadn¡¯t gone out.

    Had she gone to bed in her room?

    Zhan Qipei looked towards the bedroom door and noticed that his own bedroom door was ajar.

    It was closed when he left.

    Had she made a mistake and gone into his room?

    Caring the medicine, Zhan Qipei returned to his bedroom, only to find Qiao Jing lying on his bed, snug under his nket and sleeping soundly.

    ¡°Turns out drunkards are truly the most annoying!¡±

    Not only did he have to take care of her, but now she was monopolizing his bed.

    ¡°Time to take your medicine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei approached the bed, cing the medicine on the bedside table.

    Qiao Jing showed no reaction whatsoever.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t take your medicine, go sleep in your own bed,¡± Zhan Qipei added.

    At this, Qiao Jing reacted.

    ¡°So noisy, go away,¡± she said, and went back to sleep.

    With pursed lips, Zhan Qipei tried to contain his irritation, but after a few breaths, he couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. He reached out and yanked the nket off Qiao Jing.

    The next second, he waspletely bbergasted.

    He stood there like a pole, staring at the person in bed without blinking.

    Her skin was as white as snow, shining, and perfect, like immacte suet jade, causing his eyes to uncontrobly wander.

    Gazing back and forth.

    As he looked, he suddenly remembered what he had once said to Lu Zijiao.

    Even if she were naked in his bed, he wouldn¡¯t take a second look¡­

    Recalling this, Zhan Qipei closed his eyes and cautiously reced the nket over Qiao Jing.

    Only then did he reopen his eyes.

    ¡°Go to your own bed,¡± Zhan Qipei nudged Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    Qiao Jing frowned, clearly annoyed.

    ¡°Get up quickly!¡± Zhan Qipei nudged her again.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s patience ran out. Her hand shot out from the covers, grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm, and yanked hard.

    Caught off guard and overpowered by Qiao Jing¡¯s surprising strength, Zhan Qipei stumbled and fell onto the bed.

    How could this woman have no shame?

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to struggle, Qiao Jing pinned him down with her arms and legs, forcibly holding him in ce on the bed.

 Chapter 59 - 57 Why is it Qiao Jing?

    Chapter 59: Chapter 57 Why is it Qiao Jing?

    Zhan Qipeiy on the bed motionless, feeling the warm and tender body on top of him, and realized something was off.

    Upon recognizing this, Zhan Qipei tensed up and became serious.

    If she were the girl who had saved him, he would have been more than willing to go with the flow, but she had always denied it, and he also hadn¡¯t found any evidence to prove it.

    It was just a faint intuition and spection, which really didn¡¯t count for much.

    What if one day the girl who saved him appeared and he had to fulfill his promise to repay the life-saving grace with his own body?

    Moreover, the points Lu Zijiao had analyzed with him were not without reason.

    Perhaps the girl knew of his identity and that he was married to Qiao Jing, which was why she had been avoiding him.

    Therefore, he must not let a moment of impulse jeopardize the bright future he and that girl could have.

    After a few breaths, he gradually calmed down.

    When Zhan Qipei opened his eyes again, they had regained their rity.

    He moved Qiao Jing¡¯s arms and legs away, pulled up the covers, and then went to sleep in Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    The next day.

    When Qiao Jing awoke, she found herself naked and immediately checked herself, finding no problems.

    Her gaze swept around.

    ¡°This is Zhan Qipei¡¯s room,¡± she murmured.

    Qiao Jing only remembered following Zhan Qipei home, and then the man said he was going to buy medicine; after that, she remembered nothing.

    After calmly analyzing for a while, Qiao Jing roughly guessed what had happened the previous night.

    ¡°Ding dong dong¡ª¡± The sound of knocking on the door arose.

    Followed by the man¡¯s voice from outside.

    ¡°I bought breakfast and put it on the table, I need to go to work now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± Qiao Jing politely replied.

    After a few seconds of silence, Zhan Qipei continued, ¡°You were sleeping in my bedst night, and since you didn¡¯t wake up, I went to sleep in your bed.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I guessed as much.¡±

    Hearing the girl¡¯s calm voice, Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any questions?¡±

    While getting dressed, Qiao Jing said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do anything to me, I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyelid twitched, What does this woman think, that he¡¯s infertile? Is that the real reason she¡¯s at ease?

    To tell the truth, he had almost lost control over the beast caged inside himst night.

    ¡°I¡¯m not impotent, it¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t met someone I like,¡± he said.

    Although he felt there was no need to exin this to Qiao Jing, he didn¡¯t know why he spoke out anyway.

    ¡°I know,¡± Qiao Jing replied, having seen and felt it during the surgery.

    He knew?

    So she just took his word for it?

    Zhan Qipei frowned, or was she just fobbing him off with her answer?

    Forget it, all of this was irrelevant to him; he had no need to waste energy thinking about such matters.

    ¡°I¡¯m off to work now.¡±

    Having said that, Zhan Qipei grabbed his car keys and left the apartment.

    No sooner had Zhan Qipei left than Qiao Jing received a phone call from Xu Hongzu.

    As soon as the call connected, she could hear Xu Hongzu¡¯s overjoyed voice.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, congrattions! Hahaha¡ªThe research results are out! It¡¯s a sess! We did it! Hahaha¡ª¡±

    Although Qiao Jing had expected this result, she still felt an uncontroble joy in her heart when she heard the confirmation.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just me to congratte, this is the result of the collective effort of our research institute,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t just being diplomatic; these were her genuine feelings.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Xu Hongzu couldn¡¯t have been more impressed.

    With a character like hers, how could she not be likable?

    ¡°By the way, Xiao Jing, with the sessful research of the new corn variety, you¡¯ve been awarded a significant bonus. How do you n on using it?¡±

    Qiao Jing replied without hesitation, ¡°Half of it will go towards the next research project, and the other half¡­ I¡¯ll donate all of it to the children in impoverished mountainous areas, in the name of the research institute, not personally.¡±

    The more Qiao Jing spoke, the more Xu Hongzu admired her; he wished she was his own granddaughter.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do as you say. Also, there¡¯s a grand award ceremony nned for you, will you show up?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, ¡°I don¡¯t like being so high-profile.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you go?¡±

    ¡°I will go, but not as Professor Qiao. I¡¯ll ask you to ept the award on my behalf.¡±

    ¡°Okay, no problem.¡±

    That night, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were called to dinner at Purple Garden.

    Su Manhan picked up a sweet and sour rib and ced it in Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been back for a long time, and you love Auntie Li¡¯s sweet and sour ribs the most. Eat more.¡±

 Chapter 60 - 57 Why is it Qiao Jing?_2

    Chapter 60: Chapter 57 Why is it Qiao Jing?_2

    Zhan Qipei chewed on a piece of sweet and sour spare ribs, a vor he used to enjoy.

    However¡ª

    Ever since he had tasted the sweet and sour spare ribs made by Qiao Jing, he felt that the taste in his mouth was just so-so.

    Zhan Yao put down his chopsticks and started to speak to everyone.

    ¡°I just received news that Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute has sessfully developed a new variety of corn, with a yield more than double that of the previous one.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s actions while eating paused ever so slightly, just for a second, before she resumed as before.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Zhan Nanqing eximed in admiration, her eyes full of adoration.

    Speaking of this, Zhan Nanqing remembered the day a month ago when she had picked up Qiao Jing from the countryside. Qiao Jing had made a call, saying something about a sess that would propel agriculture to a whole new level.

    Just blowing smoke!

    Zhan Nanqing cast a disdainful nce at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Also, at the end of this month, the higher-ups are going to hold a grand award ceremony for Professor Qiao,¡± Zhan Yao remembered to mention.

    ¡°I want to go!¡± Zhan Nanqing stood up excitedly, ¡°I really want to see what Professor Qiao looks like?¡±

    Qiao Jing lifted her head to nce at Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, looked back, her eyes wide open.

    Qiao Jingpletely ignored Zhan Nanqing¡¯s provocation, calmly withdrew her gaze, and continued eating.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, Zhan Nanqing felt the futility of punching into cotton.

    Afterward, the family discussed and agreed to go together.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s another thing.¡± Zhan Yao looked towards Zhan Qipei, ¡°Although I didn¡¯t find Divine Doctor Jing, I did find his only disciple, Mr. Zhou. We¡¯ve made an appointment, and the day after tomorrow you¡¯ll go to him for infertility treatment.¡±

    There was an almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eye.

    Here we go again.

    ¡°Dad! I¡¯m not sick!¡± These words were almost bitten out of Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth.

    Qiao Jing turned her head to look at Zhan Yao, ¡°Zhou Fu came to the capital?¡±

    Why didn¡¯t her disciple inform her in advance?

    Zhan Yao frowned displeasedly, ¡°When you meet Mr. Zhou the day after tomorrow, you must not call him by his name directly.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing smacked her lips, ¡°People from the countryside reallyck manners.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted to meet Zhan Nanqing¡¯s, ¡°In the future, don¡¯t keep saying ¡®from the countryside¡¯ every time you open your mouth. Most of the food we eat is cultivated by the hardworking hands of rural people. Don¡¯t always act high and mighty and look down on others just because you were born into a better situation.¡±

    ¡°Bro, you¡¯re lecturing me? For Qiao Jing, you¡¯re lecturing me?¡± Zhan Nanqing was so aggrieved and stifled that she grabbed Su Manhan¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom, look at him¡ª¡±

    Su Manhan rubbed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s head sympathetically and red at Zhan Qipei, ¡°No matter what, she¡¯s your sister. How can you scold your sister for an outsider?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing is not an outsider. Legally speaking, she is Nanqing¡¯s sister-inw. She keeps calling Qiao Jing by her name in front of everyone; others will only think it¡¯s Nanqing whocks manners,¡± Zhan Qipei seriously said as he looked at Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing.

    Qiao Jing continued to eat her meal while watching the exchange between Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing like a spectator at a y.

    ¡°But she¡¯s only for 100 days, just temporary!¡± Zhan Nanqing mumbled discontentedly.

    ¡°Still, she is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just call her Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll just call her by her name.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, the food¡¯s going to get cold, let¡¯s eat,¡± Zhan Yao raised his voice to put an end to the topic.

    There were only three days left until Qiao Jing¡¯s award ceremony.

    That evening, Xu Moqian drove to the entrance of Nantai Apartment.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯m here,e on down.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    A month ago, Qiao Jing had agreed to race for Xu Moqian to reim the ground he¡¯d lostst time.

    Zhan Qipei heard themotion, opened the door, and looked outside; Qiao Jing was changing her shoes.

    ¡°Where are you going thiste?¡±

    ¡°For a drive,¡± Qiao Jing replied and then opened the door and left.

    A drive?

    With whom?

    Just as Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was turning dark, he received a call from Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, there¡¯s going to be a street race in the suburbs tonight, wannae watch?¡±

    ¡°Not interested.¡±

    ¡°Come on! The God of Cars is there tonight!¡± Lu Zijiao eximed excitedly.

    That piqued Zhan Qipei¡¯s interest immediately.

    ¡°Are you talking about the God of Cars, Li Qi?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Someone challenged him, and they¡¯re racing on the suburban road tonight!¡±

    ¡°When does it start?¡±

    ¡°At 12, there¡¯s still time if you leave now, hurry up.¡±

 Chapter 61 - 57 Why is it Qiao Jing?_3

    Chapter 61: Chapter 57 Why is it Qiao Jing?_3

    Although Zhan Qipei is now the lofty president of Zhan Corporation, what young man doesn¡¯t love the pursuit of passion and speed in his youth?

    Back when he was still green, he formed a racing team with Lu Zijiao and even made quite a name for themselves.

    But after all, he had to inherit the family business, so it was difficult to devote all his energy to racing. Since he became the head of the family, he¡¯s had even less to do with it.

    God of Cars Li Qi was a few years older than him; when they were still in high school, Li Qi created the title of God of Cars of the capital, a title that remains unsurpassed to this day.

    Back then, he and people like Lu Zijiao admired and longed for such a figure.

    Even today, mentioning that could still ignite his passion.

    ¡°Do you know who challenged the God of Cars?¡± Zhan Qipei was curious, who had the audacity to challenge Li Qi?

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, why bother so much? Once we get there, won¡¯t we find out? Besides, the focus isn¡¯t on the one challenging the God of Cars¡ªit¡¯s the God of Cars himself! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen the God of Cars race. Tonight, I¡¯m definitely going to keep my eyes wide open and not miss a second!¡±

    After driving for an hour, Zhan Qipei and Lu Zijiao finally arrived at the suburban racing site.

    Looking around, the ce was crowded with people.

    The main characters hadn¡¯t even arrived yet.

    Lu Zijiao checked his watch, ¡°They should be here soon.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, two racing cars came one after another.

    ¡°It¡¯s the God of Cars¡¯ car!¡± Lu Zijiao recognized the car leading in front; it was the God of Cars Li Qi¡¯s car.

    The two cars stopped in front of the starting line.

    Li Qi got out of the car first, wearing a leather jacket, sporting sideburns, a pompadour, and sunsses on his face, exuding an ultimate cool-guy aura.

    ¡°So cool!¡± Lu Zijiao always admired Li Qi. Whenever he saw Li Qi¡¯s cool maneuvers, he often imagined himself in his ce.

    Although Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t as excited as Lu Zijiao, seeing his idol from his youth unavoidably aroused a sense of excitement in his heart. It was as if he suddenly returned to his teenage years.

    Not only that, but the people around were also excitedly shouting the God of Cars¡¯ name.

    ¡°God of Cars!¡±

    ¡°God of Cars!¡±

    ¡°God of Cars!¡±

    The momentum was enormous, the scene spectacr.

    This was unmistakably Li Qi, the God of Cars¡¯, home turf!

    Lu Zijiao looked towards the other car.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ªI suddenly feel a bit sorry for the God of Cars¡¯ opponent.¡±

    ¡°I hope that the opponent is not too weak, so we can see the God of Cars¡¯ true strength,¡± Zhan Qipei hade just to witness Li Qi¡¯s genuine prowess.

    Inside the car, Xu Moqian looked around and heard the crowd¡¯s chants, all cheering for Li Qi.

    ¡°Sister Jing, this event is even bigger than myst one! And it¡¯s extremely disadvantageous for our side. You mustn¡¯t feel any pressure, okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing tilted her head back and took a sip of mineral water, looking calmly at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Pressure? I only feel pressure when ites to agricultural research and medicine. When else have I ever felt it?¡±

    Xu Moqian opened his mouth, ¡°Sister Jing, I seriously suspect that you¡¯re showing off to me in Versailles style.¡±

    Feeling pressure in agriculture and medicine?

    Feeling pressured while casually developing high-yield, new varieties of corn?

    Feeling pressured while easily bing a tycoon in the medical field?

    Qiao Jing smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the car.¡±

    Xu Moqian shrugged and pushed open the car door.

    ¡°How is it him?¡± Lu Zijiao¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Xu Moqian; before he had finished speaking, he saw Qiao Jing follow and get out of the car.

    ¡°Her, her, Qiao Jing?!¡±

 Chapter 62 - 58: Qiao Jings Astonishing Driving Skills

    Chapter 62: Chapter 58: Qiao Jing¡¯s Astonishing Driving Skills

    Why did shee along too?

    Furrowing his brow, Zhan Qipei¡¯s already formidable expression took on a darker shade.

    It was bad enough she snuck out in the dead of night, but now she had gone out alone with Xu Moqian.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expectit¡ªit turns out the one racing against the God of Cars is actually Xu Moqian,¡± Lu Zijiao said, his face a picture of surprise.

    Zhan Qipei was no longer in the mood to care about the race, his deep, oceanic eyes fixating unwaveringly on Qiao Jing.

    Li Qi came over to Xu Moqian, looked at Qiao Jing, and asked, ¡°Is she the one you talked about?¡±

    After Xu Moqian lost thest race, he had dered he would find someone even better than him. At that time, Xu Moqian had spoken with such certainty that Li Qi had been very curious¡ªwho exactly had Xu Moqian found?

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her!¡± Xu Moqian said with unmistakable pride.

    Li Qi frowned and reexamined Qiao Jing. To him, Qiao Jing was nothing but an extremely delicate beauty, hardly the image of someone who would race cars.

    Of course, appearances can be deceiving. Besides, he didn¡¯t believe Xu Moqian would just find someone randomly to make a joke.

    Maybe this girl really had some skills.

    But, no matter how skilled she was, it was unlikely she could win against him.

    Li Qi walked over to Qiao Jing and extended his hand, ¡°Hello, my name is Li Qi.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook it politely, ¡°Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°What are they doing? If it¡¯s just a race, why are they introducing Qiao Jing? Is this a blind date or something?¡± Lu Zijiao asked in confusion as he looked at Qiao Jing and Li Qi.

    They were too far away to hear what they were saying. He just felt it was something between Li Qi and Xu Moqian¡ªwhy did Qiao Jing get involved?

    Zhan Qipei watched through narrowed eyes as Qiao Jing and Li Qi¡¯s hands touched; although it was merely out of courtesy, he felt an inexplicable difort.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡± Lu Zijiao yelled, excited after seeing Li Qi get back in his car.

    The next second, his brain seemed to stop working because the person sitting in the other car wasn¡¯t Xu Moqian, but Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Zhan Qipei tightened his faintly visible long eyebrows, his gaze dark and unfathomable as he stared at the car Qiao Jing had boarded.

    ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s not Xu Moqian! It¡¯s Qiao Jing! The one racing against Li Qi is Qiao Jing, hey, hey, are you kidding me? I can believe Qiao Jing driving a tractor or pedaling a tricycle, but racing? Does she even know how?¡± Lu Zijiao¡¯s mouth gaped open.

    People around had already started cing bets.

    ¡°I bet on the God of Cars to win!¡±

    ¡°I bet on the God of Cars too!¡±

    ¡°So do I.¡±

    The bookmaker was unhappy, ¡°If everyone bets on the God of Cars, how am I supposed to set the odds?¡±

    Lu Zijiao shouted at the bookmaker, ¡°I¡¯m also betting on the God of Cars.¡±

    Even though Qiao Jing was his future sister-inw, knowing she would lose, if he bet on Qiao Jing, that would be throwing money away.

    As Lu Zijiao was thinking this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice suddenly sounded by his ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m betting on Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Zijiao was taken aback.

    It wasn¡¯t just Lu Zijiao; almost everyone looked at Zhan Qipei with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ªYoung Master Zhan, even though Qiao Jing is your wife in name right now, the oue of this race is pretty obvious. This doesn¡¯t seem to match your style of doing business,¡± someone remarked.

    Zhan Qipei took out a card, ¡°Bet on her.¡±

    He too knew Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t possibly beat the God of Cars, but no matter what, Qiao Jing was part of the Zhan Family, and he had to show some support.

    Lu Zijiao shrugged, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s rare for you to splurge like this. asional loss can be quite an experience in life.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Lu Zijiao but said nothing.

    At 12 o¡¯clock sharp, the race officially began!

    Qiao Jing took the lead and shot out ahead.

    Li Qi deliberatelygged half a second, following behind Qiao Jing.

    He loved overtaking, which was why he was not just known as the God of Cars but also as the Overtaking King.

    ¡°Go Sister Jing!¡± Xu Moqian shouted, clenching his fist.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze closely followed Qiao Jing¡¯s car, his brow furrowed.

    How could she be driving so fast? There was a sharp turn ahead, why hadn¡¯t she slowed down yet?

    As the car got closer and closer to the turn, Qiao Jing showed no signs of slowing down, while Li Qi¡¯s car visibly did.

    ¡°The God of Cars must be letting her lead. I didn¡¯t expect him to be so gentlemanly,¡± Lu Zijiao mumbled to himself as he analyzed the cars that were slightly apart. ¡°Strange? Why hasn¡¯t Qiao Jing slowed down yet?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow knitted into a ¡°´¨¡± and his jaw set with tension as he watched,

    ¡°Dammit! She¡¯s still not slowing down¡ªcould there be something wrong with the car?¡±

 Chapter 63 - 58: Qiao Jings Astonishing Driving Skills_2

    Chapter 63: Chapter 58: Qiao Jing¡¯s Astonishing Driving Skills_2

    Hearing this, Qipei¡¯s heart instantly rose to his throat, his pupils dted, and his foot unconsciously stepped forward.

    Just at that moment, the car beautifully drifted around the corner with ease.

    ¡°Wow! Beautiful!¡± Lu Zijiao eximed excitedly, clenching his fist.

    Surprise filled Qipei¡¯s widened eyes as the tension in his heart slowly eased.

    ¡°No wonder Xu Moqian dared to bring Qiao Jing to challenge the God of Cars; it seems Qiao Jing does have some skills, almost catching up to me back in the day. My brother has a good eye, finding me such a sister-inw.¡±

    Qipei red coldly at Lu Zijiao, ¡°She¡¯s not your sister-inw.¡±

    ¡°She will be in the future.¡±

    Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of obscure darkness swirling within.

    Soon, they reached the second sharp turn, which was even sharper than the first, almost at a right angle.

    ¡°The God of Cars should overtake now,¡± Lu Zijiao said, eyes wide open, afraid of missing the thrilling moment.

    Qipei¡¯s expression was simr; he was here to witness this exciting scene.

    Honestly, Qipei felt somewhat ambiguouslyplicated at this moment.

    Although his original intention was to watch the overtaking, he didn¡¯t want to see Qiao Jing lose.

    On second thought, Qiao Jing was facing the God of Cars, losing was inevitable. He¡¯dfort her a bit when they headed back.

    While Qipei was thinking about how to console Qiao Jingter, he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s car beautifully drift around the turn, taking amanding lead.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    This scene surprised everyone present.

    Li Qi didn¡¯t overtake?

    Was he nning to overtake at the third sharp turn?

    That¡¯s what they thought, but then at the third sharp turn, the same scene yed out again before everyone.

    ¡°Still no overtaking? There are only two turns left, is the God of Cars deliberately challenging himself with higher difficulty?¡±

    That was everyone¡¯s spection.

    In reality, Li Qi¡¯s eyes were red with urgency, his gaze fixed on the car that remained ahead of him.

    ¡°Who exactly is this girl? Could she be a professional racer?¡±

    Even if she was a professional, him being a former F1 champion, he shouldn¡¯t be sopletely overwhelmed, right?

    It was one thing to not overtake at the first and second curves, but at the third curve, he had performed beyond his level and thought he could overtake; however, he still fell behind.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Someone in the crowd yelled.

    The person holding a speedometer blurted out incredulously, ¡°260 mph! The, the God of Cars just¡­ just took the turn at 260 mph, breaking the record!¡±

    This stunned the entire crowd, and a tumult of shock rose in their hearts.

    The God of Cars giving his best and still not overtaking meant what?

    At this moment, including Qipei, everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the leading car.

    ¡°Gulp¡ª¡± someone swallowed, shocked to the core.

    Lu Zijiao approached the person with the speedometer, ¡°How fast was the car in front just now?¡±

    The person stuttered, ¡°Two hundred, two hundred eighty-eight!¡±

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao inhaled sharply, the surrounding people all wore expressions of shock.

    Qipei stared intensely at Qiao Jing¡¯s car, his gaze filled with inquiry and mixed with indescribable feelings.

    A minuteter, they reached the fourth bend!

    The onlookers held their breath, their eyes wide as they watched the twopeting cars intently.

    The result was exactly the same!

    Li Qi still couldn¡¯t overtake!

    The surroundings fell deathly quiet.

    Now everyone understood; it wasn¡¯t that the God of Cars was being a gentleman, but that he genuinely couldn¡¯t overtake, even with his peak performance at the third bend!

    This revtion left the onlookers in disbelief.

    They hade to witness the God of Cars setting a new record of consecutive wins, yet they ended up witnessing the incredible moment his title was taken.

    ¡°My goodness, Qiao Jing is from the countryside, right? How can she drive so well?! I even want to learn from her!¡± Lu Zijiao, upon saying this, suddenly thought of something and immediately dialed Lu Zijin¡¯s number.

    ¡°Brother, you need to step up! Hurry up and win Qiao Jing over; I want her as my sister-inw!¡±

    Qipei red at Lu Zijiao again, really wanting to sever ties with this brother.

    ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡± someone cried out in pain, clutching their head.

    ¡°My million dors! That¡¯s all my savings! Now it¡¯s all gone!¡±

    After this person yelled, the others gradually came to their senses, realizing they had all bet on Li Qi winning.

    ¡°Ah¡ªmy money!¡±

    ¡°Such a huge loss!¡±

    Lu Zijiao looked at Qipei with admiration, ¡°Young Master Zhan, you really live up to your rep! No wonder your grandfather passed the head of the family position to you, your insight and judgment are simply unparalleled! But I¡¯m curious, how could you tell Qiao Jing would win? You didn¡¯t know beforehand about Qiao Jing¡¯s impressive racing skills, did you? Young Master, that¡¯s really not brotherly of you¡ªkeeping that a secret from me and making me lose so much money!¡±

    Brotherly? You¡¯re always thinking about your own brother stealing his wife, who¡¯s the one that¡¯s not brotherly?

    It¡¯s also because he and Qiao Jing are only in a contract marriage, otherwise he could have kicked you off the cliff.

    However¡ª

    Qipei¡¯s gaze returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s car, genuinely surprised by her incredible driving skills.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± Lu Zijiao eximed resolutely, ¡°I want Qiao Jing to teach me how to drive!¡±

    Qipei looked sideways at Lu Zijiao, his expression chilly, ¡°That statement is ambiguous.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ªYoung Master Zhan, you really are impure,¡± Lu Zijiao retorted.

    ¡°You stay¡ª¡± Before Qipei could finish his sentence, he saw a fist-sized rock flying from the crowd, aiming straight for the leading car.

 Chapter 64 - 59: Zhan Qipei Wants to Accompany Her to the Restroom

    Chapter 64: Chapter 59: Zhan Qipei Wants to Apany Her to the Restroom

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± A stone struck the windshield dead center.

    ¡°Screech¡ª¡± Qiao Jing jerked the steering wheel hard, her car spinning out of control towards the guardrail.

    ¡°Thud!¡± The guardrail gave way, and the car, propelled by inertia, tumbled down the slope.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Qipei lost control of his emotions and ran over like a shot.

    ¡°Sister Jing!¡± Xu Moqian shouted loudly, his face pale with panic as he hurried over.

    Zhan Qipei grabbed the guardrail, leaned to the side, and with a long stride, vaulted over it.

    Upon reaching the car, gasoline flowed out in a gush; the car, upside down and wedged in ce, showed Qiao Jing, through the shattered window, slumped over the steering wheel.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Wake up!¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing!!!¡±

    Who was calling her?

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes, struggled up from the steering wheel, and squinted through her weak eyes out the window, making out a vaguely familiar face.

    After focusing hard, she barely recognized it was Zhan Qipei.

    Why was he here?

    How could he have appeared here?

    Before she could figure it out, she saw the man reach out for the door handle, pulling frantically.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing was somewhat baffled. Why was he trying so desperately to save her? Wouldn¡¯t her death simply put an end to their rtionship sooner?

    Zhan Qipei continued to tug at the car door with gritted teeth, and with a ¡°click,¡± it finally opened.

    The car was filled with a strong scent of blood.

    With no time to spare, Zhan Qipei first unbuckled Qiao Jing¡¯s seat belt, then carried her out from the inside.

    After he brought her out, he realized Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead was cut open, bleeding; as for other injuries on her body, it was still too early to tell.

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Her voice was faint as a mosquito, weak to the extreme.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk, close your eyes and rest!¡± Zhan Qipei said firmly.

    If you listened carefully, there was a slight tremor and a hint of heartache in the man¡¯s voice.

    Of course, in Qiao Jing¡¯s current state, she was unable to detect anything.

    Following the man¡¯s instructions, Qiao Jing closed her eyes, and within two seconds, she slipped into unconsciousness.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Xu Moqian ran over, anxious as ants on a hot pan seeing Qiao Jing still bleeding from her forehead.

    ¡°Give her to me first!¡± Xu Moqian reached out to snatch Qiao Jing from Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms.

    Zhan Qipei stepped aside, holding Qiao Jing as he got into the car.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m saying, give her¡ª¡± Xu Moqian¡¯s words were cut off by Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for jealousy, we should rush her to the hospital!¡±

    Xu Moqian, watching Zhan Qipei holding Qiao Jing, gritted his teeth and got into the passenger seat.

    On the way to the hospital, Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing the entire time, his tightly knit brows full of insuppressible worry and urgency.

    Fortunately, once at the hospital and the examination results came back, revealing only minor external injuries, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hanging heart finally settled.

    ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Xu Moqian copsed into a chair, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his hand.

    ¡°d Sister Jing¡¯s okay. Otherwise, I¡¯d be history. And with Grandpa¡­ If he found out I took her street racing and then there was a crash, my god! I¡¯d be skinned alive!¡±

    Lu Zijiao nced at Xu Moqian and shook his head; was he so frightened that he was out of his mind, uttering nonsense? A sinner for all eternity? What was he even talking about?

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, it¡¯s gettingte. You should head back now. Qiao Jing has dedicated care here; there won¡¯t be any trouble.¡±

    ¡°You go back,¡± Zhan Qipei said and then pushed open the door of the ward, walked in, and sat down in a chair beside the bed, quietly observing Qiao Jing.

    The girly still on the bed, her face pale and pitiable, tugging at the heartstrings.

    Xu Moqian also entered the room and whispered to Zhan Qipei, ¡°You go back. I¡¯ll watch over her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced sideways at Xu Moqian with a brief, ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°What did you say? I should leave? Why should I be the one to go?¡±

    Zhan Qipei suppressed the darkness in his eyes, which were as deep as the night, and spoke straightforwardly to Xu Moqian, his thin lips parting slightly, his tone cold.

    ¡°Because I am her husband!¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Xu Moqian, blocked by the response, opened his mouth wide, unable to find any words to follow his initial ¡°you¡± for quite some time.

    Lu Zijiao, nursing a headache, walked in and positioned himself between the two.

    ¡°Look Young Master Xu, keep your voice down, Qiao Jing needs to rest. You should head back for now; Young Master Zhan is here, and that¡¯s enough. Besides, Young Master Zhan has been living almost every day with Qiao Jing, if there was anything amiss, why would it onlye up today?¡±

    Upon hearing this reasoning, and seeing Zhan Qipei had no intention of backing down, Xu Moqian realized that continuing to make a scene would only affect Qiao Jing.

    With this in mind, Xu Moqian reluctantly took a step back, but not without a warning nce at Zhan Qipei, ¡°You better not take advantage of her, or else I won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t spare Xu Moqian an extra nce, continuing to watch the sleeping Qiao Jing.

    He watched her, all through the night.

    It wasn¡¯t until the sky gradually turned pale with theing dawn that Zhan Qipei, unable to hold out any longer, closed his eyes and dozed off beside the bed.

    The sun climbed up the branches, and golden sunlight filtered through the ss and onto the bed, gradually warming up the room.

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes, smelled the antiseptic in the air, and recalling the previous night¡¯s events, guessed that she must have been taken to the hospital.

    Qiao Jing lifted the covers, ready to get up, when she saw Zhan Qipei sleeping beside her.

    What is he doing here?

    Seeing the dark circles under his eyes and his exhausted appearance, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed.

    He couldn¡¯t have stayed with her all night, could he?

    With that thought, Qiao Jing¡¯s mind was filled with shbacks of the previous night.

    She and her car had tumbled down the steep slope, and it was Zhan Qipei who came to her rescue first.

    She took note of this act of kindness.

    Feeling some difort in her stomach, Qiao Jing struggled to support herself as she got out of bed, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, her knees throbbed with pain, and she started to fall toward the floor.

    Her knees were injured too!

    Qiao Jing, in a rush to get to the bathroom, hadn¡¯t noticed this.

    Just as she was about to make intimate contact with the floor, her waist suddenly tightened, and she was swiftly pulled back and caught in the sturdy embrace of a man.

    Without looking, Qiao Jing knew who had helped her.

    Qiao Jing, limping, pulled away from Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace and turned to face the man, who had awoken at some point.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted to Qiao Jing¡¯s leg, ¡°You have an injury on your leg.¡±

    His voice was rough from not sleeping well the night before.

    Yet, it was precisely this hoarse voice that was inexplicably seductive, stirring the deepest primal desires within one¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Oh, I hadn¡¯t noticed just now.¡± Qiao Jing furrowed her brow and held her stomach, possibly because the night¡¯s IV had left her with a severe distending pain in her lower abdomen.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s movements and his eyesnded on the girl¡¯s abdomen.

    ¡°Need to use the restroom?¡±

    ¡°I can go by myself.¡± Qiao Jing bit her lip and began to hobble towards the restroom.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move, you could aggravate your wound,¡± Zhan Qipei quickly caught up to her.

    Qiao Jing nced at her own leg, ¡°I know medicine, it¡¯s not that serious.¡±

    ¡°You know medicine? You think your half-baked medical skills suffice? The attending doctor has advised that you¡¯d be best off not leaving the bed today,¡± Zhan Qipei blocked Qiao Jing¡¯s way as he spoke.

    So she¡¯s a half-baked professional?

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but want to chuckle, ¡°Mr. Zhan, when nature calls, one has to answer. Are you proposing to escort me and assist?¡±

    Assist her? Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze dropped for an instant before he looked away.

    Qiao Jing shook her head with a silentugh, then moved to step around Zhan Qipei.

    But just after taking one step, her waist was supported by the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

 Chapter 65 - 60 The God of Cars Wants to Become Qiao Jings Disciple

    Chapter 65: Chapter 60 The God of Cars Wants to Be Qiao Jing¡¯s Disciple

    He wants to help her?!

    Shock and surprise trembled within the usually calm eyes of Qiao Jing, utterly astonished by the man¡¯s words.

    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°I do, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll close my eyes and won¡¯t peek,¡± Zhan Qipei said, exuding the image of an extreme gentleman while speaking.

    ¡°You¡¯re a patient, it¡¯s inconvenient for you, so there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about,¡± Zhan Qipei added.

    Besides,st time when you were drunk, youy naked on his bed, he saw everything. And you dragged him onto the bed, the cotton nket pressing down on him, leaving him breathless and panting.

    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I can manage on my own,¡± Qiao Jing pushed away Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand and hobbled toward the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, his chest visibly heaving.

    This woman, why is she so stubborn? Can¡¯t she be frail like a normal woman?

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Lu Zijiao and Xu Moqian arrived, and with them, the God of Cars, Li Qi.

    Why has the God of Carse?

    Zhan Qipei looked puzzledly at Li Qi.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sister Jing?¡± Xu Moqian nced over the bed and asked.

    ¡°Click¡ª¡± A sound emitted as Qiao Jing pushed the bathroom door open and came out.

    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Qiao Jing hobbled to the side of the bed.

    Xu Moqian naturally reached out and caressed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and she showed no sign of refusal, allowing Xu Moqian to support her.

    Zhan Qipei clenched his teeth in pain; when he tried to support her just now, she had pushed him away. But when Xu Moqian helped her, she didn¡¯t mind. In her heart, was he less than Xu Moqian?

    At this moment, Lu Zijiao answered a call, ¡°Brother, you¡¯ve arrived, right? I¡¯m already here, juste up, VIP ward 329¡­¡±

    Another one! Zhan Qipei¡¯s already dark expression turned as ck as the bottom of a pot.

    Li Qi approached the bed, arranged the flowers properly, then solemnly spoke to Qiao Jing, ¡°Miss Qiao, I have a request.¡±

    Hmm?

    Qiao Jing looked at Li Qi, befuddled, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I want you to take me as your disciple! To learn driving from you!¡±

    As soon as Li Qi spoke these words, the entire room was stunned.

    Lu Zijiao rubbed his ears and mechanically turned to look at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Zhan, Young Master Zhan, I didn¡¯t just hallucinate, did I? The God of Cars actually wants to take Qiao Jing as his mentor?¡±

    That¡¯s the God of Cars!

    They were worshippers of this great figure back when they were still in high school!

    Even to this day, merely mentioning him still excited them beyondpare!

    And now he was making a request to Qiao Jing to be her disciple¡­

    At this moment, both Lu Zijiao and Zhan Qipei felt their emotionsplicated and strange beyond any description.

    ¡°Ha ha¡ª¡± Xu Moqianughed proudly and patted Li Qi¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Now you see how awesome my Sister Jing is, huh? Let me tell you, when my Sister Jing was only 19, she KO¡¯ed the F1 racing world champion. Beating you would be a piece of cake!¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s revtion shocked everyone in the room once again.

    ¡°Whoa¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao sharply inhaled, ¡°Really? That badass?¡±

    If what Xu Moqian said was true, thenpared to the God of Cars, Qiao Jing was the true legend of the racing world.

    Qiao Jing frowned, looking at Xu Moqian, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±

    Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t talking nonsense; Qiao Jing was just habitually low-key and disliked showing off her achievements.

    She preferred to have her meals, drink well, and do her work. That was her greatest aspiration.

    Perhaps it was a bit in, not that ambitious, but this was her aspiration.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Xu Moqian cleared his throat, awkwardly trying to change the subject, ¡°Sister Jing, seeing his sincerity, would you consider taking him as your disciple?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned and looked at Li Qi, ¡°When I was younger, I stumbled upon my interest in racing and cultivated it, but now, I¡¯ve lost much of that interest and don¡¯t have much to teach you. If you want to learn, just ask, and I¡¯ll tell you everything, but let¡¯s forget about the formalities of apprenticeship.¡±

    Tsk tsk tsk¡ª

    Xu Moqian inwardly clicked his tongue and pursed his lips without a word.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words left Li Qi with not much else to say, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just thank Miss Qiao for now.¡±

    Although Qiao Jing did not take him as a formal disciple, in his heart, she was his mentor.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Qiao Jing replied politely.

    Soon after, Lu Zijin also arrived.

    Last night, when Lu Zijin found out about Qiao Jing¡¯s car ident, he wanted toe at the earliest opportunity. But he had a patient waiting for surgery and simply couldn¡¯t get away. Later, when Lu Zijiao told him Qiao Jing was fine and had been taken to the ward to sleep, he thought it better not to disturb her rest.

    Everyone in the ward was fussing over Qiao Jing. Zhan Ruiting arrived as well, joining Lu Zijin and Xu Moqian around the hospital bed, which made Zhan Qipei¡¯s anger surge visibly.

    Zhan Qipei thought of a good solution and called for the attending physician.

    Following Zhan Qipei¡¯s instructions, the attending physician said to Lu Zijin and the others, ¡°The patient needs rest, please continue no further disturbances.¡±

    Hearing what the doctor said, Xu Moqian and the others felt it was best not to stay any longer.

    As a physician himself, Lu Zijin understood that Qiao Jing needed plenty of rest.

    A minuteter, the ward quieted down, leaving only Zhan Qipei behind.

    After lying down, Qiao Jing turned her head to look at Zhan Qipei, who stood to the side.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned unhappily and was about to say something when there was a knock at the door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Tang Yan pushed open the door but did not enter.

    ¡°Boss, the matter you instructed me to investigate has been looked into.¡±

    Zhan Qipei half-closed his eyes, subtly shifting his gaze away from Qiao Jing before leaving the ward.

    ¡°Who did it?¡±

    ¡°The one who threw stones at Miss Qiao¡¯s car was Xue Huiyao from the Xue Family.¡±

    ¡°To the Xue Family.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Xue Family.

    Xue Huiyao was shouting furiously.

    ¡°Damn it! That lowly country woman has cost me five million! All of my savings!¡±

    Last night, Xue Huiyao had put all his savings on Li Qi to win. He was convinced it was a sure thing, but ended up losing everything.

    Mother Xue was also enraged, continuously cursing Qiao Jing in her mind.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let your father know about this. If he finds out you blew five million in one go, he¡¯ll be furious to death.¡±

    ¡°I know that, but just thinking about it makes me livid. That five million was my pocket money saved over such a long time. And now it¡¯s all gone. Once that wretched woman Qiao Jing leaves the Zhan Family, I¡¯ll make sure to capture her and torment her. Make her wish she were dead!¡±

    Just as Xue Huiyao finished speaking, a deep voice suddenly came from outside the door.

    ¡°Oh? And how exactly do you intend to make her wish she were dead?¡±

 Chapter 66 - 61: Zhan Qipeis Furious Outburst for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 66: Chapter 61: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Furious Outburst for Qiao Jing

    Who is it?!

    Xue Huiyao and Mother Xue almost simultaneously turned toward the door, and two secondster, they saw Zhan Qipei appear in their line of sight, walking with a disregard for all rtives, as if a storm was about to break.

    Upon seeing that it was Zhan Qipei, the mother and son stood up as if by prior agreement.

    ¡°President Zhan, you¡­ why have youe?¡± Xue Huiyao stammered as soon as he spoke.

    A pair of cold, clear eyes revealed an endless chill in Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You almost caused the idental death of my newlywed wife. Tell me, why shouldn¡¯t Ie?¡±

    These words frightened the mother and son duo to the bottom of their hearts, making them feel a sudden ¡°clunk¡±.

    After a two-second pause, Xue Huiyao approached Zhan Qipei and, with a smile, said, ¡°President Zhan, you¡¯ve got the wrong person, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it wasn¡¯t you who threw the mineral water bottle?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Xue Huiyao.

    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me; I didn¡¯t throw a mineral water bottle!¡±

    ¡°Then what did you throw?¡±

    ¡°What I threw was¡ª¡± At this point, Xue Huiyao¡¯s voice stopped abruptly as his eyes widened.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s unfathomable eyes grew even more dangerous.

    Xue Huiyao staggered back several steps in fright, ¡°I, I¡­¡±

    He took a long time to say ¡°I¡±, but he couldn¡¯t utter aplete sentence.

    Zhan Qipei looked coldly at Xue Huiyao and Mother Xue, ¡°Xue Family, very good. Even daring to touch my Zhan Family¡¯s people. Starting today, my Zhan Family will cut off all business dealings with you.¡±

    The mother and son of the Xue Family were terrified by these words.

    When Father Xue heard the news, he immediately dropped what he was doing and rushed home. Just as he reached the doorstep, he suddenly heard this statement.

    ¡°President Zhan, let¡¯s talk this over. I¡¯ll have my son apologize to your wife. He¡¯ll kowtow, admit his wrong, and ept punishment.¡±

    Father Xue¡¯s words made Xue Huiyao unhappy.

    ¡°Dad! Are you really my father? How could you make me apologize to a lowly country woman, even kowtow and kneel? I won¡¯t go!¡±

    An icy aura suddenly rose from Zhan Qipei¡¯s feet, his expression turning colder and harder than before, his gaze towards Xue Huiyao as if looking at a dead man.

    ¡°Tang Yan.¡±

    ¡°Present, boss.¡± Tang Yan stepped forward.

    Zhan Qipei slowly raised his hand and pointed at Xue Huiyao, ¡°Send him to prison, charge him with attempted murder.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Xue Huiyao looked at Zhan Qipei in horror, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone. I didn¡¯t. What right do you have to send me to prison?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Tang Yan, who understood and opened theptop he was carrying. The video ying on theptop was a recording of Xue Huiyao picking up a stone and smashing Qiao Jing¡¯s car in a series of actions.

    ¡°On the basis of this, you¡¯re enough to be charged with attempted murder,¡± Zhan Qipei said coldly.

    Xue Huiyao, terrified, fell onto his backside on the ground, legs trembling. After a two-second pause, he turned to look at Father Xue and Mother Xue, ¡°Dad, Mom, save me! I don¡¯t want to go to prison; I don¡¯t want to be locked up!¡±

    Mother Xue¡¯s eyes reddened with urgency as she pleaded with Zhan Qipei, ¡°President Zhan, my son is still young, he doesn¡¯t understand, please give him another chance!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s young? He¡¯s already 27 today, while Qiao Jing is only 23. Give him another chance? If Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t been lucky yesterday, who would have given her a chance?¡±

    When Zhan Qipei thought back to the frightening scenest night, he couldn¡¯t help but shudder with fear.

    Never had the word ¡®fear¡¯ appeared in his dictionary, not even a month ago when he was chased by a hitman with no way out. Yet, he had never been afraid.

    Butst night, for the first time in his life, he experienced it.

    The feeling of panic and fright as though the sky was falling terrified him even in retrospect.

    He had thought that his bond with Qiao Jing might just be due to the time they had spent together, which had created a connection stronger than friendship.

    Exactly what kind of bond it was he couldn¡¯t clearly say himself, perhaps with enough time, he would understand.

    Although Father Xue was frustrated with his son Xue Huiyao for failing to meet expectations, as a father, he couldn¡¯t just watch his own son get thrown into jail.

    ¡°President Zhan, our Xue family is willing to pay aspensation, just name your price?¡±

    Hearing this, Tang Yan shook his head; there was originally no turnaround in this situation, and now they were simply digging their own grave.

    As Tang Yan was thinking this, Zhan Qipei watched Father Xue with a cold voice, words chilling, ¡°Fine, name a price, I want to acquire your Xue family.¡±

    Shock!!!

    The three members of the Xue family were internally stunned beyond belief, their eyes wide and mouths agape, not daring to believe what they were hearing.

    After a long while, Father Xue was the first to recover.

    ¡°President¡­ President Zhan, this¡­ this joke is not funny at all.¡±

    ¡°Joke? I never joke,¡± Zhan Qipei said with eyes narrowed and face stern, showing no trace of jest.

    ¡°Not joking?¡± Zhan Qipei turned to Tang Yan, ¡°Give you three days, I want the Xue family bankrupt!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Father Xue was petrified, copsing onto the floor just like Xue Huiyao.

    Mother Xue stood rooted to the spot, her face pale, muttering non-stop, ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing had a veryfortable sleep; when she woke up, it was already dark outside.

    Dinner hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and feeling bored, Qiao Jing started browsing on her cellphone.

    ¡°Hmm? Zhan Corporation officially announces the formal acquisition of Xue family enterprise? And at a bargain price?¡±

    All she did was sleep, and such a huge event had taken ce.

    The Xue family was considered an elite, affluent household in the capital, with stable stocks and decent growth¡ªhow had they suddenly been acquired by Zhan Corporation?

    As Qiao Jing was pondering this, dinner arrived.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, this is the nutritional meal your husband specially ordered for you from Baixiang Restaurant,¡± said the nurse, pushing in the cart.

    Her husband?

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly. Although in name Zhan Qipei was indeed her husband, hearing others address him as such felt somewhat awkward to her.

    Suddenly! An unfriendly shout came from the doorway.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! It¡¯s indeed you!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head to look and, upon seeing it was Qiao Licheng and his mother and son, her brow furrowed, annoyance creeping in.

    Qiao Licheng, storming in his leather shoes and fuming with rage, came to the bedside, nced at the dishes on the table, and his anger soared instantly.

    ¡°Eat, eat, eat! All you know is eating! Your grandmother has been sickened with anger because of you, and you still have the appetite to eat!¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng was indeed sick because of Qiao Jing, and quite coincidentally was hospitalized in this very hospital, or else Qiao Licheng would not have found out about Qiao Jing¡¯s hospitalization.

    The reason Jhiang Cuifeng fell ill was that she was constantly worried about Qiao Jing squandering her money, concerned that by the time they tried to get the money back from Qiao Jing, there wouldn¡¯t be much left.

    Every time this crossed her mind, Jhiang Cuifeng felt a heartache as if Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t just spending her money, but eating her flesh and draining her blood.

    And so, sunken into depression, she became ill and was hospitalized.

    ¡°She¡¯s sick, what does that have to do with me?¡± Qiao Jing picked up the disinfected chopsticks to serve herself some food.

    Qiao Licheng, losing his temper, swept his hand across, knocking all the dishes on the table to the floor.

 Chapter 67 - 62: Forcing Her to Hand Over the Money

    Chapter 67: Chapter 62: Forcing Her to Hand Over the Money

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. The sharp glint in his gaze swept across the food strewn on the floor. Sitting silently on the hospital bed, his eyes barely moved, sweeping past Qiao Licheng and others. With just one look, a chilling fear suddenly sprouted in the heart of the Qiao family.

    ¡°Get out,¡± a single word ejected from Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, devoid of any warmth.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes bulged as he stared at Qiao Jing. ¡°What did you say? I am your father, and you¡¯re telling me to get out? You¡¯re utterly unfilial!¡±

    The nurse standing by couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and spoke up for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sir, the patient had an ident just yesterday and is still very weak. Please leave and let her rest.¡±

    ¡°Had an ident?¡± Qiao Licheng eyed Qiao Jing from head to toe, then snorted coldly, ¡°For a daughter as unfilial as you, it seems even the heavens can¡¯t be bothered to deal with you. You didn¡¯t die in the ident; consider yourself lucky!¡±

    Damn! The nurse rolled her eyes dramatically, having seen heartless fathers, but never one this cruel. His own daughter had an ident, and not only did he not care, but he also cursed her.

    Qiao Jing got out of bed; it couldn¡¯t be helped, the quilt and sheets were covered in porridge and food, and couldn¡¯t be used anymore.

    ¡°Miss Nurse, could you get some security guards to throw them out?¡± Qiao Jing asked the nurse.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call security right away.¡± The nurse ran to the door, then turned back worriedly towards Qiao Jing in the hospital room.

    She thought, if she left, leaving Qiao Jing alone with her family, would they torment her to death?

    Qiao Jing noticed the nurse¡¯s concern and waved her hand, ¡°Go ahead, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    The nurse nodded and quickly ran off.

    Seething with anger, Qiao Licheng red at Qiao Jing. ¡°Fine! You actually dare to have security throw me out! How could I have fathered such an unfilial daughter!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked impassively at Qiao Licheng, ¡°I was born to my mother; it has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! Without me, your mother couldn¡¯t have had you. Stop talking nonsense! Hand over the money right now; your grandmother got sick because she was always worried about you squandering her money. If you had any conscience, you would give it all up!¡±

    A cold smile yed on Qiao Jing¡¯s lips.

    ¡°You know? I don¡¯t want to speak a single word with someone like you. Using your own words, if you had even a shred of conscience, you wouldn¡¯t be able to say such inhumane things.¡±

    ¡°What did you say? Saying I¡¯m inhumane, how dare you!¡± Qiao Licheng¡¯s face turned from an iron blue to purple in fury.

    Mengtong egged on from the side, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t waste words on her, security will arrive soon. Make her hand over her phone, or beat her up.¡±

    Listening to Mengtong, Qiao Licheng nodded in agreement, drew out his belt, and threatened Qiao Jing, ¡°I¡¯m asking onest time, hand over the money!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked steadily at Qiao Licheng, ¡°Today, if you dare hit me, I dare send you to the police station.¡±

    ¡°Dammit! The world must be upside down for my own daughter to want to send me to the station!¡± In a rage, Qiao Licheng raised his hand andshed out with the belt towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing squinted, stepping backward until she reached the bed. Her knee pained sharply, and her face suddenly turned pale.

    There was a loud snap as the belt struck the ground.

    Qiao Jing clenched her teeth, her face growing paler, as a dense sweat broke out across her forehead.

    Looking down at her knee, she saw blood staining her hospital gown.

    The wound had reopened.

    Seeing her chance, Mengtong rushed towards Qiao Jing, intent on grabbing her phone.

    Qiao Jing, biting down hard, ignored the pain in her knee and kicked out, striking Mengtong directly in the abdomen.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Mengtong cried out in pain and fell backwards onto the floor.

    ¡°Tongtong, are you okay?¡± Mengtong¡¯s mother, Zheng Haijuan, ran over in distress and cursed at Qiao Jing, ¡°You lowly girl, why don¡¯t you just die!¡±

    Fuming, Qiao Licheng swung his belt and struck fiercely at Qiao Jing.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to dodge, her leg suddenly went numb with pain.

    Watching the descending belt, Qiao Jing kept her eyes wide open, her gaze filled with defiance and stubbornness.

    Suddenly, arge hand appeared.

    With a snap, the hand firmly caught the belt.

    The hospital room fell suddenly silent.

    After pausing for a second, Qiao Jing looked up and saw Qipei¡¯s stern face. Her pupils involuntarily dted a bit.

    ¡°It¡¯s you again, you meddlesome brat!¡± Qiao Licheng tried to yank back the belt.

    Qipei clenched the belt tightly, his expression cold, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

    ¡°Let go, damn you, let go, I¡¯m telling you¡ª¡± Before Qiao Licheng could finish his sentence, Qipei suddenly let go, withdrawing his strength.

    Caught off guard and exerting full strength, Qiao Licheng stumbled backward, and finally sat down hard on the floor.

    ¡°Ouch, my butt! Ouch¡ªyou damned rascal, dare to y tricks on me! I wish you a terrible death!¡±

    This frightened Mengtong, who quickly approached Qiao Licheng, ¡°Dad, please, no more talking.¡±

    ¡°Why not talk? This boy keeps interfering where he shouldn¡¯t. Today, I¡¯ll make sure he gets what he deserves!¡± Qiao Licheng red furiously at Qipei, cussing and swearing.

    Qipei squinted his shadowy eyes, ¡°Oh? Make me regret?¡±

    Mengtong, terrified out of her wits, ¡°Dad, he, he is the head of the Zhan family!¡±

 Chapter 68 - 63: Slow down, youre hurting her

    Chapter 68: Chapter 63: Slow down, you¡¯re hurting her

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who he is. He¡ª¡± At this point, Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, filled with shock and dread, ¡°You, you said he, he is who?¡±

    ¡°The head of the Zhan Family, the president of Zhan Corporation!¡± Qiao Mengtong timidly replied.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s mouth gaped open into an O-shape, and Zheng Haijuan was also quite frightened.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted from Qiao Licheng and the others, settling on Qiao Jing¡¯s leg, which was stained with arge patch of blood on the hospital gown.

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Okay? His face was as white as paper, and he still told him it was okay?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyesnded on the bed, which was sparsely covered with porridge and vegetables.

    ¡°Shall we go to another room?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Qiao Jing nodded her head, then, leaning on the wall, began to limp away.

    ¡°Wait a second.¡±

    Hearing the man call her, Qiao Jing turned her head, puzzled.

    As soon as she turned around, she was suddenly scooped up in a fireman¡¯s carry by the man.

    Qiao Jing instinctively clung to the front of the man¡¯s shirt, with slight tremors hidden in her calm eyes.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°You what? You¡¯re so badly injured, and you still want to walk by yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m not blind. You¡¯re bleeding so much.¡±

    Qiao Jing moved her lips, finally slowly unsping her hand from the man¡¯s shirt, apparently epting his help.

    Qiao Licheng and the others kept watching the retreating backs of Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, the sight growing odder the more they looked.

    ¡°Husband, could it be that President Zhan has taken a fancy to Qiao Jing?¡± Zheng Haijuan spected.

    ¡°Unlikely? With President Zhan¡¯s status, how could he possibly fancy Qiao Jing?¡± Qiao Licheng hoped this was the case. If Qiao Jing really became Mrs. Zhan Qipei, then he and the Qiao Family would rise with the tide.

    ¡°I also don¡¯t remember President Zhan taking a liking to Qiao Jing.¡± Qiao Mengtong chimed in, ¡°Qiao Jing grew up in the countryside,pletely worthless, probably only good for farming and feeding pigs, very crude and uncouth. President Zhan couldn¡¯t possibly fancy her. It¡¯s probably because, after all, Qiao Jing is temporarily part of the Zhan Family; so President Zhan is doing this to uphold the Zhan Family¡¯s reputation.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s analysis, Qiao Licheng and Zheng Haijuan felt that must be the case.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a pity we couldn¡¯t get the money,¡± Zheng Haijuan said, disappointment evident in her voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Qiao Mengtong had a sudden idea.

    ¡°I just remembered, Qiao Jing has a good friend at the Angel Welfare Institute. Let¡¯s go find her, and have her convince Qiao Jing to hand over the money.¡±

    Qiao Licheng frowned, ¡°What if her friend doesn¡¯t agree?¡±

    ¡°Give her some money, and she¡¯ll agree, right? Don¡¯t worry mom and dad, leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll definitely get the money.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After Zhan Qipei had carried Qiao Jing to another VIP hospital room, he gently ced her on the bed and began to roll up her trouser leg.

    Qiao Jing grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, stopping him, ¡°You go out, I can handle the rest by myself.¡±

    ¡°Doctors aren¡¯t supposed to treat themselves. Are you sure you can take care of it yourself?¡± Zhan Qipei said, continuing to roll up Qiao Jing¡¯s trouser leg.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I thank you, but it¡¯s really not necessary. Besides, you don¡¯t know medical skills, do you?¡± Qiao Jing clutched Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, continuing to resist.

    As Lu Zijin walked in, knocking on the door, he noted the scene before him and a rare sign of displeasure crossed his normally gentle and refined face.

    Qiao Jing turned her head towards Lu Zijin, ¡°Zijin, you came at just the right time. There was a bit of an ident just now; help me treat my wound.¡±

    Zijin, she called him so intimately!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips pressed together into an uncurved line of ice, his dark eyes slightly narrowed and emitting a chill as he nced back and forth between Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Zijin moved beside Qiao Jing, his gaze falling on Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand that was pulling at Qiao Jing¡¯s trouser leg, with a hint of hostility in his eyes.

    ¡°President Zhan, I need to treat Qiao Jing now, and it¡¯s not convenient for you to be here. Please leave.¡±

    Ask him to leave?

    A dark and obscure gleam passed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s ck eyes as he spoke in an indifferent, low tone, ¡°As her husband, I should stay. Doctor Lu, don¡¯t mind me; just proceed with the treatment.¡±

    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t make Zhan Qipei leave, and aware that Qiao Jing¡¯s leg injury could not be dyed further, Lu Zijin refrained from arguing any further and started to roll up Qiao Jing¡¯s trouser leg.

    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll do it.¡± Zhan Qipei forcefully pushed Lu Zijin aside, and without waiting for approval, began to roll up Qiao Jing¡¯s trouser leg himself.

    The dried blood was stuck to the pants.

    This action moved the wound.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Qiao Jing suppressed her pain, trying hard not to moan.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands paused in their motion, and Lu Zijin anxiously looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s knee.

    ¡°President Zhan, you are not a doctor. Please step aside!¡± Lu Zijin spoke firmly, nothing of his usual soft demeanor.

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath, and after a silence of two seconds, he stepped aside.

    Lu Zijin was right; Zhan Qipei knew nothing about medicine and had no experience in treating wounds. Persisting would only cause Qiao Jing further suffering.

    Lu Zijin carefully cut the fabric around the wound with scissors, then picked up an alcohol swab with tweezers and gently dabbed at the injury.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Qiao Jing clenched her teeth.

    ¡°Be gentle, you¡¯re hurting her!¡± Zhan Qipei instinctively shouted.

    Both Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin were startled, then they both looked at Zhan Qipei, eyes filled with curiosity and scrutiny.

    Especially Lu Zijin, his male intuition told him that Zhan Qipei¡¯s feelings for Qiao Jing were quite extraordinary.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lu Zijiao mentioning to him that Zhan Qipei had someone he liked and had even asked him to help look, he would definitely suspect that Zhan Qipei had fallen for Qiao Jing.

    After the wound was treated and bandaged, just as Lu Zijin was about to cover Qiao Jing with a nket, Zhan Qipei preempted him.

    ¡°You can leave now.¡± Zhan Qipei issued an eviction order to Lu Zijin.

    Lu Zijin ignored Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°You should transfer to my hospital; it will be easier for me to take care of you.¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll take care of her,¡± Zhan Qipei spoke for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I was asking Qiao Jing.¡± Lu Zijin stared unyieldingly at Zhan Qipei. ¡°Also, if Qiao Jing were in my hospital, I wouldn¡¯t let what just happened ur.¡±

    Lu Zijin¡¯s words made Zhan Qipei recall the harrowing incident that had just urred.

    If he hadn¡¯t arrived just in time, that belt from Qiao Licheng would have struck Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Thinking about this tightened Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, and ayer of frost covered his expression.

    After a moment, he looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°What do you want to do? I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    ¡°I already owe you a favor; I will settle this matter myself once I¡¯m recovered,¡± Qiao Jing said, her long, lush eyshes casting a shadow as she gripped the nket tighter.

    ¡°Are you thinking of sending him to the police?¡± Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and guessed.

    Qiao Jing stopped moving and said nothing.

    Her silence was as good as an admission to Zhan Qipei¡¯s guess.

    ¡°You want to charge Qiao Licheng with abandoning a child, but the only witness, your grandfather, is dead. You have no proof, and even if you manage to send him away, he won¡¯t be inside for long. Besides¡ª¡±

    And these were not the main concerns. The real issue was the stigma of a daughter sending her own father to jail, which might be somewhat problematic.

    Although Qiao Jing might not care, Zhan Qipei did not want her to bear this burden.

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei leaned closer to Qiao Jing, bending down and staring intently at her, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

 Chapter 69 - 64: It Really Was Her Who Saved Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 69: Chapter 64: It Really Was Her Who Saved Zhan Qipei

    Just three words, yet they rippled across Qiao Jing¡¯s tranquil heart like ripples on ake, warmth flowing into her heart at the same time.

    Qiao Jing was looking at Zhan Qipei, and Zhan Qipei was also staring at Qiao Jing.

    He had spoken impulsively just a moment ago, unable to hold back, but he hadn¡¯t expected to be uncontrobly lost in the girl¡¯s eyes that shone like stars, unable to extricate himself.

    Lu Zijin stood to the side, watching the two exchange gazes, his brows knitted together.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you feeling unwell anywhere else?¡±

    Her train of thought interrupted, Qiao Jing withdrew her eyes from Zhan Qipei and turned them to Lu Zijin, ¡°Nothing else, thank you for your trouble.¡±

    ¡°Given our rtionship, isn¡¯t saying ¡®trouble¡¯ a bit too formal?¡± Lu Zijin said with a smile as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Lu Zijin with an annoyed expression, certain that Lu Zijin had done it on purpose just now.

    ¡°Gurgle gurgle gurgle¡ª¡± The sound of a stomach grumbling rose.

    Zhan Qipei and Lu Zijin almost at the same time turned their gaze to Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Gurgle gurgle gurgle gurgle¡ª¡± This sound was longer and louder than thest one.

    Ah¡­

    To say it was awkward would be a lie.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone send over food right away.¡±

    As soon as Lu Zijin finished speaking, Tang Yan walked in, carrying a Baixiang Restaurant¡¯s insted box.

    ¡°Boss, the meal you ordered is ready,¡± he said.

    Lu Zijin frowned and looked at Zhan Qipei. Zhan Qipei slightly lifted his chin and then took the insted box from Tang Yan¡¯s hands, opened it, andid out the porridge and dishes in front of Qiao Jing one by one.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Qiao Jing politely, taking the spoon from Zhan Qipei and beginning to eat.

    After Lu Zijin returned, he was immediately asked by Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°Did you sayst time that President Zhan really has someone he likes?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Why would I tease you? Young Master Zhan personally told me. You know him; he never jokes, especially not about these kinds of things.¡± Lu Zijiao sat on the sofa, grabbed a handful of melon seeds, legs crossed, and continued to crack them while watching television.

    Recalling what had happened in the hospital, Lu Zijin sensed something off about the way Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing. What¡¯s more, he was concerned about the care and attention Zhan Qipei showed Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Brother? Why are you suddenly asking about this?¡± Lu Zijiao asked curiously.

    After a few seconds of silence, Lu Zijin replied, ¡°I suspect that President Zhan likes Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Upon hearing Lu Zijin say that, Lu Zijiao turned away from the television, ¡°I promised Young Master Zhan not to tell anyone, but you¡¯re not just anyone, you¡¯re my brother. Listen, some days ago, Young Master Zhan went to Autumn Water Vige, encountered an assassin, and then¡­ that¡¯s how it is. He was saved by that girl, and he fell for her. So, he has been asking me to help find that girl.¡±

    Lu Zijiao had thought that his brother would rx after hearing that, but instead, he noticed Lu Zijin¡¯s brows furrow even more, so much that a fly could be crushed in them.

    ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why that reaction?¡±

    ¡°Autumn Water Vige? Was the girl the one who saved him in the cornfield?¡± Lu Zijin asked urgently.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°That girl performed the surgery to remove the bullet for President Zhan, and the surgery was perfect?¡± Lu Zijin asked again.

    ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± After blinking, Lu Zijiao¡¯s pupils dted, ¡°Brother, you know her?¡±

    Lu Zijin abruptly stood up, his face taut.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    After speaking, he turned and walked upstairs.

    Lu Zijiao,pletely clueless, watched his older brother, scratching the back of his head and murmuring to himself, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t know her, why such a strong reaction?¡±

    Inside the room.

    Lu Zijin sent a message to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Did you ever save President Zhan?¡±

    Upon receiving the message, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes instantly revealed a look of surprise.

    ¡°How did you find out?¡±

    She admitted it!

    It was indeed her who saved Zhan Qipei!

    He had said, how could it be such a coincidence? A month ago, Qiao Jing was in Autumn Water Vige, and it just so happened that she saved Zhan Qipei in the cornfield, and even performed surgery on him.

    It seemed that Zhan Qipei did not know Qiao Jing was the one who saved him. Once he found out, he definitely would not agree to divorce Qiao Jing. Moreover, without any unexpected events, he would surely pursue Qiao Jing fervently.

    Now that Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing were living together, proximity could easily breed romance¡­

    This matter absolutely could not be exposed!

    But if Qiao Jing herself told¡­

    Just as Lu Zijin was getting extremely anxious, Qiao Jing sent a message.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone. I don¡¯t want him to know; it would be bothersome.¡±

    Seeing this message, Lu Zijin immediately let out a long sigh of relief and a smile of reassurance appeared on her face.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep your secret for you.¡±

    As long as Qiao Jing did not be emotionally involved, things would be easy to handle.

    Qiao Family.

    The Qiao family was cursing Qiao Jing one sentence after another.

    ¡°This damn girl, does she not have a conscience? Now that she¡¯s rich, she¡¯s actually keeping it all to herself!¡± Qiao Licheng¡¯s biggest regret in life was marrying Qiao Jing¡¯s mother and having a daughter like Qiao Jing who was utterly unfilial.

    Jhiang Cuifeng was also livid, her aging face turning purple as she jabbed the floor non-stop with her walking stick, ¡°Beast, what a beast! Why won¡¯t such a creature just die!¡±

    Qiao Licheng patted Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s back, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get angry. Tongtong has already gone to the orphanage. With a bit of luck, we¡¯ll soon have the money.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª I hope it goes smoothly. If we don¡¯t get the money, I think we should just get someone to tie her up and bring her home.¡± Jhiang Cuifeng ground her teeth in hatred.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to? The key issue is that you know Qiao Jing is, after all, nominally part of the Zhan family. If we really did that, we might not be able to get away with it.¡±

    As Qiao Licheng said this, the cold and frightening face of Zhan Qipei surfaced in his mind.

    In the imperial city, everyone knew that Zhan Qipei became the patriarch of the Zhan family mainly due to his decisive, ruthless, and cold-blooded tactics. If they truly angered him, the Qiao family would definitely suffer.

    As Qiao Licheng was thinking this, he received a call from his assistant.

    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Qiao Licheng sprang to his feet with a drastic change inplexion.

    Seeing Qiao Licheng¡¯s reaction, Jhiang Cuifeng and Zheng Haijuan both felt their hearts lurch.

    ¡°How is this possible? The stocks were stable all these days. What? Major capital is entering and taking control? Who did it? Can¡¯t find out? What am I paying you for? Worthless! Get to the bottom of it! Quick!¡±

    Qiao Licheng bellowed with his face turning purple. After hanging up the phone, he copsed onto the sofa, looking utterly defeated.

    Zheng Haijuan¡¯s eyes swiveled before suddenly widening.

    ¡°Hubby, could it be the Zhan family?¡±

    At that remark, the living room fell deadly quiet.

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s impossible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Qiao Licheng stuttered out his response.

    ¡°I merely disciplined my own daughter. Besides, Qiao Jing is only temporarily married to the Zhan family. It¡¯s impossible for them to do something like this for her.¡±

    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡± The vibration of a phone sounded.

    Qiao Licheng looked at the phone on the table as if facing a major adversary, his intuition telling him that it might not be good news.

    Though he thought it, if something really had happened, not answering the call would be futile.

    With that in mind, Qiao Licheng took a deep breath and answered the call.

    Five secondster, Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes bulged out, and he sprang up from the sofa once again.

    ¡°What, what did you say? Say it again!¡±

 Chapter 70 - 65: Must Help Even If Unwilling

    Chapter 70: Chapter 65: Must Help Even If Unwilling

    What happened now?

    Zheng Haijuan and Jhiang Cuifeng felt a ¡°thud¡± in their hearts again.

    Seeing Qiao Licheng¡¯s even more agitated reaction than before, panic increased in their hearts.

    ¡°Who called the police? The hospital?! Wasn¡¯t it that dead girl Qiao Jing?!¡±

    Hearing what Qiao Licheng said, Zheng Haijuan and Jhiang Cuifeng had a rough idea of what was going on.

    Unsurprisingly, it might have been about yesterday¡¯s incident at the hospital where Qiao Licheng had beaten Qiao Jing with a belt.

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Licheng raised his hand and fiercely smashed the phone onto the ground.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, that stinking girl, why doesn¡¯t she just die! Which hospital called the police? I don¡¯t believe for a second that the hospital would meddle in such trivial matters; it must have been Qiao Jing who reported it!¡±

    Zheng Haijuan thought it over, and considering what had just happened, she suddenly came to another conclusion.

    ¡°Husband, I don¡¯t think it was Qiao Jing who called the police.¡±

    ¡°After all this, you still speak for her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about speaking for her, think about it; if it really was Qiao Jing who had called the police, she would have reported you for abandonment, not something that happened at the hospital. Moreover, I don¡¯t believe Qiao Jing has the courage to call the police, she would have done it long ago if she dared. Besides, she is your daughter, and if she really had called the police, sending you to the station herself, it wouldn¡¯t sound good for her either.¡±

    On hearing this, Qiao Licheng seemed to see the sense in it.

    ¡°Could it really have been the hospital that called the police?¡±

    ¡°Husband, don¡¯t you think these two incidents are too coincidental?¡±

    Reminded by Zheng Haijuan like this, Qiao Licheng suddenly realized.

    First it was the stock issue, and now following close on its heels, something like this happened; to say these two incidents are unconnected would be letting coincidences through the door, a sheer coincidence.

    ¡°So¡­it must be the Zhan Family!¡±

    Qiao Licheng and the others all figured it out.

    There was no mistake, it must be the Zhan Family trying to warn them, Qiao Jing was now their person, even if temporarily; they couldn¡¯t let others bully her.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Zheng Haijuan suddenly remembered something.

    ¡°Mengtong!¡± Qiao Licheng remembered as well.

    Qiao Mengtong had gone to the Angel Welfare Institute early in the morning to seek out Qiao Jing¡¯s friends.

    ¡°Quick, call Mengtong, tell her toe back right away!¡± Qiao Licheng urgently shouted.

    Zheng Haijuan dialed Qiao Mengtong¡¯s number, both scared and hurried.

    But no one answered despite ringing for a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go there myself!¡± Qiao Licheng said, frantic.

    ¡°No need to panic that much, Mengtong just went to win over one of Qiao Jing¡¯s friends, there shouldn¡¯t be any trouble,¡± Jhiang Cuifeng, who had been silent, spoke up.

    Hearing what Jhiang Cuifeng said, Qiao Licheng and his wife gradually calmed down.

    True, there was no need to panic. Besides, the Zhan Family was just showing them who¡¯s boss, indicating that the Qiao Family now belonged to them, and that was it, as long as they didn¡¯t trouble Qiao Jing anymore.

    As for Qiao Jing¡¯s friends, they didn¡¯t believe for a minute that the Zhan Family would go that far.

    Angel Welfare Institute.

    Lin Xiuxiang was ying with the children when a woman¡¯s voice came from behind her.

    ¡°Are you Lin Xiuxiang?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang turned around confused, not recognizing the speaker.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Qiao Mengtong.¡± Qiao Mengtong introduced herself.

    ¡°Surname Qiao?¡± Lin Xiuxiang frowned.

    ¡°Correct, I am Qiao Jing¡¯s half-sister from the same father.¡± Qiao Mengtong hated the crow for the sake of the swan, and because she loathed Qiao Jing, her gaze towards Lin Xiuxiang wasn¡¯t friendly either.

    At the same time, a hint of hostility was also present in Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s eyes as she looked at Qiao Mengtong.

    Lin Xiuxiang knew about Qiao Jing¡ªshe had a wicked stepmother and a wicked stepsister.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking for Qiao Qiao? She¡¯s not here.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s dismissive attitude irritated Qiao Mengtong somewhat.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to find you.¡±

    ¡°Find me?¡± Lin Xiuxiang looked at Qiao Mengtong with a puzzled expression.

    Qiao Mengtong pulled out a check, ¡°Here¡¯s one hundred thousand. Qiao Jing married into the Zhan family and got quite a bit of money from them. All you need to do is to persuade her to turn over the money to the Qiao Family, and this one hundred thousand is yours.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s mouth hung open, unable to believe her own ears.

    ¡°Am I hallucinating? Qiao Qiao¡¯s money, why should it go to you, the Qiao Family?¡±

    ¡°What ¡®her money¡¯? That is clearly our money! If my dad hadn¡¯t given birth to her, could she be hopping around this world alive? Now that she has money, she should hand it over as a way of returning the favor!¡± Qiao Mengtong said arrogantly, standing tall and confident.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Lin Xiuxiang nearly swore in front of the children.

    Being a teacher at the welfare institute, she couldn¡¯t use foulnguage, as it would impact the psychological growth of the children. If they ended up twisted like Qiao Mengtong, then she would be the criminal poisoning the future flowers of the country.

    ¡°Teacher Li, please take the children to the ssroom.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Teacher Li also sensed that Qiao Mengtong¡¯s arrival boded ill.

    After the children had gone to the ssroom, Lin Xiuxiang then spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say this once, Qiao Qiao¡¯s money is neither the Zhan Family¡¯s nor the Qiao Family¡¯s¡ªit is earned by her own two hands. She has the right to decide how to spend her money. If you truly believe that Qiao Qiao¡¯s money is yours, then you are wee to sue and take Qiao Qiao to court. Let the legal process determine whether the money belongs to you or is Qiao Qiao¡¯s private property.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang spoke righteously, but to Qiao Mengtong, it felt like a p to her face.

    If thew was on their side, they wouldn¡¯t need to bother with this hassle; they could have just taken Qiao Jing directly to court.

    But the problem was, suing wouldn¡¯t help; no judge would award them the money.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about thew, this is a matter of morality. As a member of the Qiao Family, Qiao Jing should give us the money. If she doesn¡¯t, then she is nothing but selfish and unfilial!¡±

    Hearing this, Lin Xiuxiang understood, realizing that Lin Xiuxiang and her family were bizarre. Discussing reason with such entricity was simply an assault on her own principles.

    ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t persuade Qiao Qiao, and I won¡¯t take your money either. I still have to look after the children, so please leave.¡±

    Not take it?

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes, filled with rage, red at Lin Xiuxiang, and she shouted in a loud voice.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you do this for me? You have to help today, whether you like it or not!¡± After yelling, Qiao Mengtong, without another word, threw the check at Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang nced at the check fluttering to the ground, swept her eyes over it lightly, then turned and walked away.

    She left?

    Watching Lin Xiuxiang ignore her, images of Qiao Jing¡¯s consistently aloof demeanor shed in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s mind.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, rushing forward to push Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang heard the noise, but before she could react, Qiao Mengtong forcefully shoved her forward, causing her to stagger.

    Just as she was about to fall, the next second she was firmly caught by a pair of particrly sturdy arms.

    Who was it?

    Lin Xiuxiang slowly looked up.

    Upon seeing that face filled with justice, her pupils suddenly trembled, her face flushed, and her heart thumped wildly.

 Chapter 71 - 66 Zhan Qipei Thinks Qiao Jing is Quite Cute

    Chapter 71: Chapter 66 Zhan Qipei Thinks Qiao Jing is Quite Cute

    ¡°Mr. Tang?¡±

    Tang Yan helped Lin Xiuxiang up, looking at the girl who only reached his chest. Suddenly, his calm heart began to uncontrobly stir.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Tang Yan held onto Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s arm with no intention of letting go.

    It was not that he wanted to take advantage of Lin Xiuxiang, it was just instinct.

    Although Lin Xiuxiang was extremely shy, she did not move away from Tang Yan¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just got pushed a bit and got a bit startled.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Tang Yan scratched his head naively, then suddenly turned his head and red at Qiao Mengtong, his face darkening, ¡°You really arewless, first bullying my wife, and now her!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong had seen Tang Yan before and knew he was Zhan Qipei¡¯s personal assistant, but she hadn¡¯t expected¡­

    Qiao Mengtong looked at Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang, who were almost clinging to each other, and turned pale with fear, retreating repeatedly.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know, she, she is your girlfriend.¡±

    Girlfriend?

    Hearing this title, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face turned so red it seemed blood might drip from it, ¡°I, I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    Before Lin Xiuxiang could finish talking, Tang Yan quickly pulled her behind him.

    Tang Yan stood in front of Lin Xiuxiang, and said coldly to Qiao Mengtong, ¡°If youe to bother her again, I will personally visit the Qiao Family!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, frightened by Tang Yan¡¯s words as well as his nearly two-meter stature and intimidating presence, looked increasingly terrified and turned tail to flee in panic.

    Tang Yan turned back to Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, she¡¯s already gone.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang pursed her lips, her gaze flickering and shifty, not daring to look directly at him, as if afraid that meeting his eyes would betray her modest thoughts.

    ¡°That, thank you, if it hadn¡¯t been for you today, I wouldn¡¯t have known how to handle the situation.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee, you¡¯re the wife¡¯s friend, it¡¯s my duty to protect you.¡± Tang Yan naively scratched his neck, gazing at the bashful Lin Xiuxiang, and felt an increasingly irresistible itch in his heart.

    Although Lin Xiuxiang was too embarrassed to meet Tang Yan¡¯s gaze, her woman¡¯s intuition told her that Tang Yan was looking at her.

    It made her incredibly nervous.

    ¡°Um¡­ Qiao Qiao is still waiting for us, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure.¡±

    Tang Yan hade specifically to pick up Lin Xiuxiang. Initially, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t nned to send Tang Yan, but he had overheard Qiao Jing¡¯s call with Lin Xiuxiang and had enthusiastically volunteered toe get her.

    In the VIP hospital room, Qiao Jing was changing clothes.

    She had just awoken from a nap, sweaty, and decided to quickly change clothes, just as she had undone the buttons and was taking them off when she heard the door of the ward being pushed open.

    Zhan Qipei, carrying a fruit basket, had his eyes fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s back. The beauty of her shoulder des held his gaze captive for a moment.

    Realizing what was happening, Qiao Jing hurriedly picked up clean scrubs to put on, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock?¡±

    ¡°You were sleeping when I came over. This fruit basket is from your friend. I didn¡¯t want to disturb your sleep, so I didn¡¯t knock,¡± Zhan Qipei said calmly.

    He walked in naturally, ced the fruit basket on the bedside table nearby, and didn¡¯t mention the earlier incident.

    Since Zhan Qipei did not bring it up, of course, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t mention the awkward incident either.

    Anyway, it was just her back; it was hardly a major indiscretion.

    ¡°Knock next time.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei felt a vague difort in his heart.

    Just then, there was a knock on the door.

    Lin Xiuxiang pushed the door and entered, ¡°Qiao Qiao, are you feeling better?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m much better now, I¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Tomorrow was her award ceremony. Although she didn¡¯t want to reveal her identity, as the head of the research institute, she had to attend.

    ¡°You¡¯re being discharged tomorrow?¡± Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s knees, ¡°The doctor said you need to be hospitalized for at least another week, and undergo examinations and treatments during this week.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor myself; I don¡¯t need to be hospitalized. I can monitor myself when I go back.¡±

    Actually, even if tomorrow wasn¡¯t her awards ceremony, she would have arranged her discharge.

    ¡°With your half-baked medical skills? You think you can match a chief physician¡¯s expertise?¡± Zhan Qipei said this not out of disdain for Qiao Jing but to make her obey and recuperate peacefully in the hospital.

    Yes, I can match them. Qiao Jing said to herself.

    ¡°This is my own matter. I¡¯ll decide for myself, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Worry? Don¡¯t tter yourself. I¡¯m only here because Grandpa repeatedly told me to take good care of you. Otherwise, do you think I would bother?¡± After Zhan Qipei finished speaking, he noticed Qiao Jing was staring at him.

    The girl¡¯s eyes were as calm as ake¡¯s surface, neither pleased nor angry, making him unable to guess what she was thinking.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently, then showed no other reaction.

    This kind of behavior from Qiao Jing made Zhan Qipei feel even more baffled.

    The more he felt this way, the more he wanted to figure her out.

    After Lin Xiuxiang and Qiao Jing talked for an hour, she realized it was gettingte.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, you rest well. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± Tang Yan approached them.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei looked at Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang at almost the same time, with simr expressions in their eyes.

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s cheeks blushed again, ¡°Mr. Tang, you still have your work to do. Don¡¯t trouble yourself for me. I can take a taxi back on my own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very dark now. It¡¯s dangerous for a girl to go back alone. Let me take you. Anyway, my boss isn¡¯t in a hurry to use the car now.¡±

    As soon as Tang Yan finished speaking, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice followed.

    ¡°Who said I don¡¯t need the car now?¡±

    Tang Yan nced at Zhan Qipei with a troubled expression. After struggling for a couple of seconds, he took out his phone and said to Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°Let¡¯s add each other on WeChat. If Mengtonges looking for you again, I can help you. After you get home, it¡¯ll be easier for you to let me know you¡¯re safe.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils slightly brightened; she nced at Tang Yan and then at the shy Lin Xiuxiang, the corners of her eyes lifting in a smile.

    ¡°This, I¡­¡± Lin Xiuxiang, inherently shy, didn¡¯t know how to respond to Tang Yan¡¯s bold pursuit.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, just give your WeChat to Tang Yan. Having one more friend isn¡¯t a bad thing, and he¡¯s a pretty good guy. This friend is worth having.¡±

    Tang Yan turned around and gave Qiao Jing a grateful look.

    Qiao Jing nodded at Tang Yan; she wasn¡¯t randomly making a match. She had known Tang Yan for a while now and he was a person capable of leading a good life.

    ¡°Alright, okay.¡± Lin Xiuxiang took out her phone and added Tang Yan on WeChat.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going.¡± Lin Xiuxiang nced reluctantly at Tang Yan.

    That nce was so captivating that Tang Yan almost followed Lin Xiuxiang as he stepped forward.

    He couldn¡¯t help it; it was still working hours.

    As Tang Yan gazed regretfully at Lin Xiuxiang, Zhan Qipei spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t need the car now.¡±

    Hearing this, Tang Yan felt immensely grateful.

    ¡°Thank you, boss!¡±

    With that, Tang Yan hurried after her.

    ¡°Miss Lin, wait for me. I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze returned from the hospital room door to Zhan Qipei, her eyes carrying an ambiguous scrutiny.

    ¡°Why are you staring at me? Fallen for me?¡± Zhan Qipei teased, lifting his toes slightly as he spoke to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing leaned back with azy posture against the headboard.

    Her red lips parted slowly, and she spoke unhurriedly while rolling her eyes subtly, ¡°Narcissist.¡±

    It was the first time Zhan Qipei had seen this expression on Qiao Jing, and he found it quite endearing.

    ¡°Earlier, you said Tang Yan is a pretty good guy. You haven¡¯t known him long. How do you know he¡¯s good?¡±

    ¡°Intuition, with a heartfelt feeling.¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Continuing to lift his toes, Zhan Qipei paused for two seconds then asked, ¡°So, what do you think of me?¡±

 Chapter 72 - 67: Qiao Jing Attends the Award Ceremony

    Chapter 72: Chapter 67: Qiao Jing Attends the Award Ceremony

    Hmm?

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows, pale as mist, her expression reflecting a mixture of doubt and inquiry in the man¡¯s eyes.

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing remained silent, which inexplicably distressed him.

    Was this question that hard to answer?

    As time ticked by, Zhan Qipei suddenly became nervous.

    He feared the next words out of Qiao Jing would be ones he didn¡¯t want to hear.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°You rest, I have something to attend to,¡± Zhan Qipei interrupted, suddenly unwilling to hear Qiao Jing¡¯s response. He stood up and left the hospital room.

    Once outside, he leaned back against the door.

    Why had he be so strange?

    What was he to her? What was their rtionship?

    Afterposing his chaotic thoughts, Zhan Qipei regained his usualposure.

    Qiao Jing looked at the closed hospital room door, pondered for a few seconds, then shrugged it off and picked up her phone, idly browsing.

    Now, all major social media tforms were abuzz about her newly developed corn variety,uding her with praise, elevating her status to something grand and great.

    Seeing all these praises andpliments, Qiao Jing remained calm. For her, engaging in these activities stemmed from passion and idealism, not for des.

    Thus, her heart remained undisturbed.

    Furthermore, another hot topic surrounding her was the award ceremony happening the next day.

    A night passed.

    The next day, the award ceremony started at 9:30 AM.

    Qiao Jing arrived at the award venue in Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    Zhan Nanqing, excited, rushed out of the car, ¡°Great, I¡¯ll finally see the legendary Professor Qiao! When I meet her, I must find a chance to shake hands with her!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned to Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Your hopes will be dashed.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing turned back unhappily, ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean my wish will be dashed? Are you deliberately picking a fight?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing, his gaze intensifying, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

    ¡°Because she won¡¯t appear today,¡± replied Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing scoffed, rolling her eyes disdainfully at Qiao Jing, ¡°Just because you say Professor Qiao won¡¯te, she won¡¯te? Why don¡¯t you im you are Professor Qiao yourself?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond, just slightly squinted her eyes.

    ¡°Heh! Lost for words now, huh? Even though you work in the research institute, you¡¯re just a lowly janitor. Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself,¡± Zhan Nanqing said disdainfully, hands on her hips.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste another word with Zhan Nanqing and headed towards the award ceremony venue.

    ¡°Scurrying off, just like a rat,¡± Zhan Nanqing made a face at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Nanqing!¡± Zhan Qipei stepped forward, reproaching her sharply.

    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re scolding me again for Qiao Jing! I¡¯ll tell mom!¡± Zhan Nanqing stormed off, her eyes red with anger.

    Zhan Qipei took a breath, his expression somewhat dark, ¡°She¡¯s not a janitor.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Zhan Nanqing was momentarily stunned, then her eyes widened, ¡°Not a janitor? Then, what does she do at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had asked a question that Zhan Qipei was also curious about.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    Professor Qiao¡¯s award ceremony had not only created a sensation in the Imperial Capital but had also shaken the entire empire, which is why today¡¯s attendees included not only the upper echelons from the Imperial Capital but also high society from other cities.

    ¡°What a lively event! So many important people! It¡¯s really worthy of Professor Qiao¡¯s award ceremony!¡± Zhan Nanqing said admiringly.

    ¡°Yes! Professor Qiao is the top agricultural scientist in our Imperial Capital. I heard from my second uncle that although Professor Qiao is young, his talent and willpower far exceed those of his peers. I really want to see and learn from him!¡± Lou Xinrou said with a face full of expectation and admiration.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze swept lightly over the two, showing little reaction on her face.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked, looking at Qiao Jing.

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s question, both Zhan Qipei and Lou Xinrou curiously looked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Research.¡± Qiao Jing told the truth because she knew that even if she told the truth, they wouldn¡¯t believe her.

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing burst outughing. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m dying ofughter! Xinrou, did you hear that? Qiao Jing just said she does research at the institute. Does she even know how to do research? I would believe her if she said she knew how to farm!¡±

    ¡°Nanqing, don¡¯t say that about her, she¡¯s just being humorous and ying with us,¡± Lou Xinrou said, though the mockery and scorn in her eyes betrayed her.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing quietly, carefully pondering the words she had just said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to drag this out with you, nor am I interested in what you do at the institute. I¡¯m asking you, have you met Professor Qiao?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked again.

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    Zhan Nanqing enviously pursed her lips, ¡°What does Professor Qiao look like? How old is he? Is he single?¡±

    ¡°All employees at the research institute sign a confidentiality agreement before they enter, so I can¡¯t tell you,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Pfft! Fine, don¡¯t tell, I¡¯ll be seeing Professor Qiao soon anyway,¡± Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing received a call from Xu Hongzu.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming now.¡±

    Xu Hongzu had called to tell her that the president of the foundation wanted to meet her in the VIP room.

    ¡°Hey! Where are you going? Don¡¯t wander off! This is Professor Qiao¡¯s award ceremony. With your temperament, if you identally offend the wrong person, it could implicate our Zhan Family,¡± Zhan Nanqing warned.

    Zhan Nanqing said this not just to pick a fight, but from the interactions over the past days, she knew Qiao Jing was someone who was neither afraid of the earth nor the sky and wouldn¡¯t put up with the slightest injustice¡ªa person prone to retaliate.

    Today, the attendees included not only people from the Imperial Capital but also many from top-tier city wealthy families, and if Qiao Jing carelessly offended one or two, she would essentially be making enemies for the Zhan Family.

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, turned around and looked at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if it reallyes to that, I¡¯ll take the initiative to ask for a divorce from your brother and cut ties with your Zhan Family.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing continued walking forward without turning back.

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath, his gaze turning three shades colder as he took his eyes off Qiao Jing, out of sight, out of mind.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Nanqing watched Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, opened her mouth, paused for two seconds, then turned to look at Lou Xinrou, ¡°Xinrou, see how indifferent Qiao Jing is? Talking about divorce as if it¡¯s nothing, does she really have no interest in my brother?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably just her way of making you lower your guard,¡± Lou Xinrou didn¡¯t believe a word Qiao Jing said.

    Her Brother Pei was outstanding. How could Qiao Jing not like him?

    ¡°Makes sense!¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could reach the VIP room, she was stopped by Deng Yunyi who suddenly appeared.

    ¡°You¡¯re here too?¡±

    With a faint frown, Qiao Jing asked, ¡°And you are?¡±

 Chapter 73 - 68: Let Qiao Jing Have His Baby

    Chapter 73: Chapter 68: Let Qiao Jing Have His Baby

    These words made Deng Yunyi feel extremely ufortable inside.

    Last time at Old Master Zhan¡¯s banquet, she had taken the initiative to approach him and asked for his WeChat ID, and now she didn¡¯t recognize him?

    Or was it because he had rejected herst time, causing her to lose face, so this was her holding a grudge?

    Deng Yunyi believed he had figured out the truth. At thest banquet, he had been attracted by a girl¡¯s sword dance and beauty, approached her, and offered his WeChat ID, but she had refused.

    At that time, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, but now he realized it must have been because she felt she had lost face, so she hadn¡¯t epted his WeChat ID.

    Now that he had approached her again, she still had this dismissive attitude. This girl¡¯s vengeful nature was perhaps too strong.

    Such a girl only had outer beauty, but her core did not match him.

    Having analyzed this, Deng Yunyi hesitated.

    To pursue or not to pursue?

    He decided to test her character again.

    ¡°I am Deng Yunyi, we metst time at Old Master Zhan¡¯s banquet.¡±

    With Deng Yunyi¡¯s reminder, Qiao Jing recalled who he was.

    ¡°Oh, I remember now, it¡¯s you. Is there something you need?¡±

    Deng Yunyi was very ufortable with Qiao Jing¡¯s emotionless face that pushed people thousands of miles away.

    But truly, the girl¡¯s face was far too beautiful, vastly more natural and attractive than those women who had undergone nose jobs and chin surgeries.

    If that wasn¡¯t the case, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered to approach a mere ¡°vase.¡±

    Well, he was a man, and he chose not to quibble with a woman.

    Deng Yunyi took out his business card. ¡°I am an archaeologist, single, 32 years old. I had two girlfriends, the first one broke up with me due to a long-distance rtionship as we met rarely and drifted apart. The second girlfriend broke up with me because I often neglected her due to my research, so we ended it there.¡±

    Deng Yunyi¡¯s words baffled Qiao Jing. She wasn¡¯t familiar with him, so why would he suddenly share all this with her?

    Could it be¡ª

    ¡°You want to pursue me?¡± Qiao Jing guessed and asked.

    Deng Yunyi nodded, ¡°After experiencing two breakups, I set a standard for my next girlfriend, preferably an archaeologist like me, or at least someone academically excellent. However, after seeing you, I felt we are quitepatible. I am interested in dating with the intent of marriage, so I would suggest that you put aside your personal work temporarily, and after we have had children, you can continue with your career.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked back over her shoulder, then pointed at herself, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±

    Deng Yunyi frowned in displeasure at Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like unnecessary entanglements. Give me an answer, yes or no? If it¡¯s a no, I¡¯ll leave right now.¡±

    ¡°Agree, my ass!¡± Xu Hongzu burst through the door and shouted at Deng Yunyi, fuming.

    It wasn¡¯t that he was uncivilized, but Deng Yunyi¡¯s words were hardly conducive to civility.

    He considered himself quite civilized, unlike Zhan Yuanshan, a mere fighter who would have thrashed Deng Yunyi by now.

    Compared to that, Xu Hongzu suddenly felt his own character was significantly superior.

    ¡°Professor Xu, are you here too?¡± Deng Yunyi greeted respectfully.

    ¡°Go away! Go off to the side. With your meager achievements, you have the nerve to show off in front of my Xiao Jing, without even feeling embarrassed! And you expect my Xiao Jing to quit her job to have kids with you? Who gave you such audacity? Did you ask if the state agrees? Did you ask if the people agree?¡±

    Xu Hongzu scolded Deng Yunyi harshly and then pulled Qiao Jing into the VIP room.

    Deng Yunyi stood outside, baffled. He knew Qiao Jing and Xu Hongzu were close, but he couldn¡¯t understand why Xu Hongzu spoke in such iprehensible terms.

    Thinking over and over again, Deng Yunyi still felt something knotted inside.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s attitude just now was clearly a misunderstanding.

    Xu Hongzu was second only to Professor Qiao in agricultural science; he had to clear up this misunderstanding.

    Deng Yunyi stepped aside, waiting for Xu Hongzu toe out.

    After about ten minutes, the door of the VIP room finally opened from the inside.

    He finally came out!

    Deng Yunyi was just about to step forward when he saw Qiao Jing walking out with a middle-aged man.

    Isn¡¯t that the president of the foundation? He is responsible for hosting this award ceremony.

    Why was he also inside?

    What confused him most was that Qiao Jing seemed very familiar with the president of the foundation.

    Before Deng Yunyi could figure it out, he heard the foundation president start speaking.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, do you really not n to go on stage to receive the award yourself at this ceremony?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Xu Hongzu, ¡°I¡¯ve already told Grandpa Xu to ept the award for me. I don¡¯t like to show off; I prefer to keep things simple and ordinary.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Deng Yunyi¡¯s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

    Professor Qiao!

    Qiao Jing!

    How could they possibly be the same person?

    In his mind, someone as great as Professor Qiao would have to be at least middle-aged.

    And looking at Qiao Jing, she was 9 years younger than him!

    The more he thought about it, the more shocked he became!

    ¡°Since that is the case, I won¡¯t force you. Regarding the sessful research of the new corn variety, do you know what your next project will be?¡± the foundation president curiously asked.

    ¡°Recently, I havee up with some concepts about vegetable grafting, but they are only in the initial stages. It will take a long time to explore and figure out.¡±

    After listening, the foundation president looked hopeful.

    ¡°I wish you early sess in your research here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing politely responded.

    As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Jing caught a glimpse of Deng Yunyi walking toward her from the corner of her eye.

    Holding a frown, she looked at Deng Yunyi.

    ¡°Did you hear all that?¡±

    ¡°Rest assured, I absolutely won¡¯t tell anyone!¡± Deng Yunyi looked at Qiao Jing as if he were looking at a rare treasure.

    Qiao Jing did not like the way Deng Yunyi looked at her.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    She responded indifferently and then turned to leave.

    Seeing Qiao Jing walking away, Deng Yunyi hurried after her.

    ¡°Professor Qiao¡ª¡±

    As soon as Deng Yunyi used that title, Qiao Jing immediately stopped in her tracks, squinting slightly at Deng Yunyi.

    After Deng Yunyi opened his mouth, he quickly corrected himself, ¡°Miss Qiao, sorry, that was a slip of the tongue.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent gaze withdrew from Deng Yunyi and she continued towards the main hall of the award ceremony.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, wait for me, I have something to tell you.¡±

    In the hall, Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing and Deng Yunyi following behind her.

    ¡°Brother, look, Qiao Jing is flirting with men again.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s sharp gaze immediately followed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s line of sight.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, slow down, listen to me,¡± Deng Yunyi tookrge steps to intercept Qiao Jing, blocking her way.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s furrowed brow showed her clear impatience, ¡°I don¡¯t know you well, we have nothing to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I¡¯m sorry! My words just now were a bit too much, but my feelings for you are genuine. I sincerely want to propose to you and spend my life with you. I hope you will consider it, Miss Qiao. I definitely won¡¯t let you down.¡±

 Chapter 74 - 69: Zhan Qipei Steps Forward to Shield Qiao Jing from Romantic Pursuits

    Chapter 74: Chapter 69: Zhan Qipei Steps Forward to Shield Qiao Jing from Romantic Pursuits

    Zhan Qipei had just walked over when he heard these words. His eyes narrowed as he looked into Deng Yunyi¡¯s dark, deep gaze. After two seconds of silence, his gaze shifted andnded on Qiao Jing.

    A few days ago at his grandfather¡¯s banquet, Qiao Jing had said she approached Deng Yunyi just to get a contact for a friend. He had believed her at the time, but now, seeing this entangled scene, he couldn¡¯t help but doubt.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, cold to the extreme, rang out.

    ¡°Are you serious or just pretending? It has nothing to do with me. I have my career and can¡¯t possibly give it up for you. That¡¯s it, don¡¯t bother me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I thought you didn¡¯t have anything important going on. Now I know you¡¯re no ordinary person, and I can¡¯t ask you to immediately give up your career to have children with me. I can give you a year¡¯s time, after we¡¯re married for a year, there¡¯s no rush to have children then,¡± Deng Yunyi thought bypromising, Qiao Jing would agree.

    Little did he know¡ª

    ¡°Who gave you the right to think I must marry you? While I am highly intelligent, I can¡¯t figure out your thought process. How conceited must you be to think all women in the world want to marry you and have your children?¡± Qiao Jing had exhausted all her patience.

    His face drained of all pride upon hearing her words, leaving him pale.

    ¡°Could it be, Miss Qiao, that you don¡¯t like me?¡±

    Qiao Jing took a breath, speechless.

    ¡°Do I look like I like you?¡±

    Despite what Qiao Jing said, Deng Yunyi still believed she liked him.

    In his opinion, the reason Qiao Jing was behaving this way, was because she, known globally as an agricultural mogul and professor, could not get over the public rejection.

    If that was the case, it¡¯d be easy to solve. He just needed to shamelessly continue pursuing her, let her regain her dignity, and then she would ept him.

    ¡°I think you like me, we¡¯re a natural match.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fists clenched slightly.

    What could she do? She felt like hitting someone.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei walked over and stood beside Qiao Jing, his gaze coldly fixed on Deng Yunyi.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re mistaken. The person she likes is me.¡±

    Uh?

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei, her face showing surprise.

    Zhan Qipei gave Qiao Jing a meaningful nce.

    As smart as Qiao Jing was, she quickly understood the meaning in his eyes.

    He was asking her to y along.

    ¡°You think I¡¯d believe that?¡± Deng Yunyi knew that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were together only because of their elders¡¯ arrangement, merely holding the title of husband and wife while disliking each other as he understood it. Not to mention, a month ago at their wedding, Zhan Qipei, the groom, was absent, and even almost ran Qiao Jing over with his car.

    Later, they said it was an ident, but those in the know, knew.

    It was definitely because Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t want to marry Qiao Jing, so he tried to kill her.

    Their rtionship being described as tumultuous was an understatement, so how could Qiao Jing possibly like Zhan Qipei?

    Zhan Qipei looked down at Qiao Jing, ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t believe it.¡±

    As Zhan Qipei said this, he looked at Qiao Jing with a hint of expectation in his eyes.

    He didn¡¯t know what he was expecting, just that he felt an irresistible urge in his heart.

    As he looked, his gaze fell on the girl¡¯s soft lips, and he thought of the day they identally fell to the ground together, him beneath her, their lips touching briefly.

    His Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down, slightly shifting his thin lips.

    ¡°Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with me.¡± As his words ended, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with Deng Yunyi anymore and turned to leave.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest heaved, and his face did not look good.

    However, Deng Yunyi did not care at all and continued to follow Qiao Jing, ¡°Miss Qiao, you and I¡ª¡±

    ¡°If you follow me again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll have the security throw you out!¡± Qiao Jing turned her head and said coldly.

    Zhan Nanqing, speechless, scoffed and said to Lou Xinrou beside her, ¡°Listen to her, who does she think she is? If it weren¡¯t for the shine of our Zhan Family, she wouldn¡¯t even be fit toe to such a ce. Facing the young master of the Deng Family, she actually says she will have him thrown out¡ªwho is she to throw out whom?¡±

    Deng Yunyi did not believe a word of Qiao Jing¡¯s threat; in his view, it was just talk. If she actually had him thrown out, it would embarrass him as a man, and then he would indeedpletely lose any chance of seeing her.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I am sincere. After the award ceremony, are you free? I¡¯d like to take you out for a meal. If you¡¯re busy today, then tomorrow¡ªI will pick you up myself. Also, we don¡¯t have each other¡¯s contact details yet. Let¡¯s add each other on WeChat, or phone numbers will do.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused, looked towards the nearby security guards, and said, ¡°Throw him out.¡±

    After exchanging nces, the security guards quickly approached, each grabbing one of Deng Yunyi¡¯s arms, and dragged him out.

    This scene stunned everyone, especially Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Really, really dragged out?¡± Zhan Nanqing gaped in an O-shape, while Lou Xinrou rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted from Deng Yunyi and settled on Qiao Jing.

    Deng Yunyi¡¯s status was not much lower than his own, yet Qiao Jing had managed to have the security drag Deng Yunyi out with just a word.

    What exactly¡ª

    ¡°Serves the kid right!¡± Xu Hongzu approached sternly, ¡°He dared to target my Xiao Jing; this is what he gets.¡±

    Hearing that, Zhan Qipei fell into contemtion.

    So it was because of Xu Hongzu?

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to stroke his chin. Today was Professor Qiao¡¯s award ceremony, and Xu Hongzu¡¯s identity indeed had the power to easily have Deng Yunyi thrown out.

    ¡°I knew it,¡± Zhan Nanqing suddenly realized. ¡°Qiao Jing just doesn¡¯t have that kind of clout, it turned out to be Elder Professor Xu.¡±

    The award ceremony began, and the president of the foundation walked onto the stage.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡± Zhan Nanqing eximed excitedly.

    At this moment, all eyes were fixed on the podium.

    They were all waiting for Professor Qiao to take the stage, to catch a glimpse of her grace.

    ¡°The sessful research on new varieties of corn has pushed the agricultural development of our empire to a new height. For this, our foundation awards Professor Qiao the highest scientific award.¡±

    As these passionate words concluded, apuse erupted from the audience.

    ¡°But due to personal reasons, Professor Qiao cannot appear publicly, so Professor Xu will ept the award on her behalf.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing was hugely disappointed.

    ¡°What, Professor Qiao didn¡¯t show up? Did Ie here for nothing today?¡±

    Lou Xinrou was also incredibly disappointed because she had hoped to see Professor Qiao today, making her so excited that she couldn¡¯t sleepst night.

    Not only them, but disappointment and regret appeared on the faces of everyone present as they whispered to each other, the ferment growing more intense.

    Seeing the situation, the foundation president subtly looked towards Qiao Jing¡¯s direction. Qiao Jing nodded slightly, and the foundation president understood.

    ¡°Professor Qiao is a humble person, but today is her award ceremony. Many of you here havee from other cities or even other countries to congratte her. Although Professor Qiao does not wish to appear on stage, rest assured, she is present at the venue!¡±

 Chapter 75 - 70: Professor Qiaos Trophy is with Qiao Jing

    Chapter 75: Chapter 70: Professor Qiao¡¯s Trophy is with Qiao Jing

    As soon as those words were uttered, the scene suddenly heated up.

    You looked at me, I looked at you, eyes darting in every direction.

    ¡°Where is the person? Where exactly? Who is it?¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s head shook like a rattle-drum as she looked left, right, up, and down.

    Finally, she spotted Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Where is Professor Qiao? Which one is she?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t say,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    ¡°Tch! Stingy! I¡¯ll find out myself!¡± Zhan Nanqing, like everyone else present, began searching around the venue.

    Zhan Qipei came over to Qiao Jing, ¡°Did you already know that Professor Qiao wouldn¡¯te?¡±

    ¡°Before we even entered, I said she wouldn¡¯t show up, but nobody believed me.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing turned around, rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing, and continued searching through the crowd.

    Zhan Qipei, however, did not join in the search. He knew that Professor Qiao didn¡¯t want to be discovered and must have hidden herself well; even if he searched, he might not find her.

    After the awards ceremony ended, Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei and others out of the venue.

    ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked, looking at the box Qiao Jing was holding with curiosity.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    The box was given to her by Xu Hongzu just a moment ago, containing a trophy.

    ¡°How can it be none of my business? You didn¡¯t have it when you went in. You didn¡¯t steal something in there, did you?¡± Zhan Nanqing grew more suspicious as she spoke.

    ¡°Making a scene for no reason.¡± Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing speechlessly and walked toward the car on the roadside, holding the box.

    ¡°You¡¯re actually saying I¡¯m making a scene?!¡± Zhan Nanqing, fuming like a fan blower, stormed after Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Apologize to me, you¡ª¡± Engrossed in catching up to Qiao Jing to confront her, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t notice the steps under her feet and tripped, hurtling towards Qiao Jing.

    Caught off guard, Qiao Jing reacted quickly but still got knocked down.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Zhan Qipei quickly stepped forward to help Qiao Jing up from the ground.

    Zhan Nanqing was so furious her eyes nearly popped out, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m your sister!¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Zhan Nanqing for half a second, then his eyes returned to Qiao Jing, checking her over from top to bottom, ¡°Are you hurt? The wound on your leg hasn¡¯t fully healed, did it get aggravated just now?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at her knee, feeling a faint stabbing pain.

    Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for her injured knee, she could havepletely avoided the collision.

    Zhan Nanqing grimaced as she got up from the ground, but the next second, her eyes caught the box on the ground. She was determined to see what was inside.

    No sooner said than done, Zhan Nanqing quickly opened the box. Upon seeing the trophy inside, her mouth hung open wide enough to fit a goose egg.

    No, a goose egg.

    ¡°Qiao, Professor Qiao¡¯s trophy!¡±

    What?

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze immediately shifted from Qiao Jing to the box.

    ¡°It really is Professor Qiao¡¯s trophy!¡± Lou Xinrou jumped over, eyes wide as she stared at the trophy inside the box.

    Upon hearing themotion, Zhan Yao and Su Manhan also came over.

    ¡°This, this really is Professor Qiao¡¯s trophy, how did it end up here?¡±

    After saying this, Su Manhan mechanically turned her neck towards Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing closely with his dark, inscrutable eyes.

    Everyone else was also looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I knew it! You stole this trophy, didn¡¯t you?¡± Zhan Nanqing pointed at Qiao Jing and voiced out.

    ¡°What?!¡± Su Manhan eximed excitedly at Qiao Jing, ¡°This trophy was stolen by you? Oh Qiao Jing, have you eaten the hearts of bears and the gall of leopards? How dare you steal Professor Qiao¡¯s trophy? Do you wish to die? If you want to die, go do it yourself! Why drag our Zhan Family into this?¡±

    Zhan Yao generally did not concern himself with this temporary daughter-inw¡¯s behavior, but at this moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s actions made his face look particrly unpleasant.

    Although their Zhan Family imed to be the richest in the Imperial Capital, Professor Qiao was the top agricultural magnate of their empire, revered by countless followers, evident by her influence.

    If Qiao Jing offended Professor Qiao because of this incident and Professor Qiao went public with her deration, then their Zhan Family would inevitably be ostracized by the major families, and even if his son was capable, the future development of Zhan Corporation would be arduous and even decline gradually.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, go now and return the trophy to Professor Qiao. Say it was you who stole it, and it has nothing to do with our Zhan Family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, hurry up!¡± Su Manhan added then turned to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Qipei, go and divorce Qiao Jing right now, then call a press conference and publicly dere that you have no further rtionship with Qiao Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing had initially wanted to exin something, but stopped wasting her breath after hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words.

    She couldn¡¯t wait to get a divorce and end this ridiculous marriage.

    While Qiao Jing was thinking this, Zhan Qipei looked down at her, ¡°Did you really steal this trophy?¡±

    ¡°What if I said I did?¡± Qiao Jing asked, looking up.

    Zhan Qipei squinted his eyes, filled with intelligence, gazing at Qiao Jing, whose eyes were as clean as crystal ss, resembling clear and crisp spring water.

    He felt that having such eyes, she couldn¡¯t possibly have done this sneaky deed.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Zhan Qipei said with a very firm tone, staring unwaveringly at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing slightly frowned.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie just to get a divorce from me,¡± Zhan Qipei urately guessed Qiao Jing¡¯s subtle hint.

    There was a faint disappointment on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, ¡°You do seem to know me well.¡±

    Did he know her? Zhan Qipei continued to stare at Qiao Jing. During their time together, he discovered that Qiao Jing was like a mysterious treasure, the more he dug, the deeper it went, and the deeper he went, he found more surprises.

    Even he couldn¡¯t control the idea that arose in his heart, wanting topletely strip away the girl¡¯s disguises, just like peeling an onion.

    He was very curious, after stripping off all her disguises, what kind of core would be inside?

    ¡°Qipei, don¡¯t be deceived by this girl. If she didn¡¯t steal the trophy, how else did it end up in her hands?¡± Su Manhan was increasingly seeing Qiao Jing as a seductive fox.

    It was obvious; Qiao Jing had stolen the trophy. Yet with just a few words, she made Zhan Qipei believe her lie.

    After ncing at Su Manhan, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze returned to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Was the trophy given to you by Professor Xu?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly moved her lips. She had been thinking of not bothering toe up with an excuse, but now Zhan Qipei had given her a good one.

    ¡°Yes, Grandpa Xu asked me to hold it for Professor Qiao.¡±

    ¡°Professor Qiao¡¯s trophy, why would she ask you to hold it? You¡¯re just a janitor!¡± Zhan Nanqing called out unbelievingly.

    ¡°I told you, she¡¯s not a janitor,¡± Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhan Nanqing, his eyes carrying a hint of chill.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. Just her, a country bumpkin with nothing to offer, working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. What else could she do if not janitorial work? Perhaps she works there as a cook?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing felt her guess might be true. Given how delicious Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was, it was very possible that Qiao Jing had be a member of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute because of her culinary skills.

    As Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, she noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was particrly unfriendly.

    ¡°Brother, why are you looking at me with such eyes?¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re bing less respectful. What¡¯s wrong with being from the countryside? The term ¡®country bumpkin¡¯, although coarse people use it, is it appropriate for you to utter it all the time?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Moreover, she is far from being worthless. She is a professor at Imperial Capital Academy,¡± Zhan Qipei interrupted Zhan Nanqing and said.

 Chapter 76 - 71: Zhan Qipei Exposes Qiao Jings False Identity

    Chapter 76: Chapter 71: Zhan Qipei Exposes Qiao Jing¡¯s False Identity

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words fell, and the audience was shocked.

    ¡°Brother, brother, what did you say? Qiao Jing, she¡­ she¡¯s a professor at Imperial Capital Academy?¡± Zhan Nanqing wore an extremely strange expression.

    Lou Xinrou and others were also looking at Qiao Jing with incredibly surprised eyes.

    ¡°You could find out about this if you were willing to check,¡± Zhan Qipei said, dispelling any doubts the crowd might have had.

    Just like Zhan Qipei had said, whether Qiao Jing was really a professor at Imperial Capital Academy was something they could easily validate if they wanted to, so there was no need to lie about it.

    Indeed, appearances can be deceiving. They all thought that Qiao Jing was just a country girl who worked the fields, but her education turned out to be so high.

    ¡°Also¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t finished speaking, ¡°she¡¯s also a doctor at the hospital.¡±

    Astounding!

    Everyone was once again shocked by Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    Qiao Jing was actually also a reputable doctor. Why had she never mentioned this before?

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips, ¡°Even if you¡¯re a doctor, being so young, you¡¯re probably just a half-baked intern. There¡¯s nothing impressive about that.¡±

    Qiao Jing, who had remained silent until then, looked at Zhan Nanqing and retorted, ¡°I might not be anything remarkable, but I¡¯m certainly more capable than you, Zhan Nanqing.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! I¡ª¡±

    ¡°What abilities do you have?¡±

    ¡°I am¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are Miss Zhan Family, you want to say this, right?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth but for a moment didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    Qiao Jing continued where she left off, ¡°What I want are things earned through my own effort, not those given at birth. What you get at birth merely means you¡¯re fortunate; it¡¯s not your capability. Besides that point, do you have anything substantial to show for yourself?¡±

    Did she have anything substantial to show? Qiao Jing¡¯s words hit Zhan Nanqing hard.

    ¡°I, I can y the piano!¡± Zhan Nanqing said, puffing out her chest.

    ¡°Oh, there are manydies like you who can y the piano. Do you have any achievements? Have you performed at the Vienna Concert Hall? Or is it just a hobby? If it¡¯s thetter, it only proves that you were born into a good situation where your family is willing to pay for your interests to be nurtured.¡±

    The more Qiao Jing spoke, the more Zhan Nanqing found herself without a response.

    ¡°Is there anything else? I¡¯m talking about tangible achievements, let¡¯s not bring hobbies like chess or painting into this,¡± Qiao Jing added.

    Just like Qiao Jing had said, Zhan Nanqing, left with her mouth agape, had no real achievements to speak of.

    Zhan Yao looked at the trophy, his gaze falling on Qiao Jing as he pondered the words Zhan Qipei had spoken.

    Could his daughter-inw be more than what she appeared to be on the surface? Considering his father¡¯s stature and how much he doted on Qipei, it didn¡¯t make sense he would choose someone with nothing to offer for his son.

    He had always found it odd, but hadn¡¯t given it much thought until now. Combining all these factors, he seemed to understand a bit more.

    Qiao Jing did have some abilities, not as incapable as the rumors suggested.

    Actually, he didn¡¯t really care what his daughter-inw was like, as long as she wasn¡¯t morally corrupt; after all, she wasn¡¯t his wife.

    With that issue settled, the Zhan Family returned to Deep Garden, while Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei went back to Nantai Apartment.

    ¡°What exactly is your rtionship with Professor Qiao?¡± Zhan Qipei, holding a cup of tea, half-squinted his narrow eyes and asked Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing put down the trophy and turned back to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say.¡±

    After these words, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei locked eyes with each other.

    A momentter, Zhan Qipei curled his lips into a smile.

    Qiao Jing found Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction somewhat iprehensible.

    ¡°I¡¯m pleased you talked to me like this instead of concocting some excuse to brush me off.¡±

    So this was what made him happy?

    Qiao Jing also smiled a little, finding this man¡¯s way of thinking sometimes truly baffling.

    ¡°As for the car ident, you saved me, I will pay back that favor.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood up, ¡°As you wish.¡±

    After dropping that sentence, Zhan Qipei returned to his own room and closed the door.

    The next morning, when Zhan Qipei got up, he found Qiao Jing busy on the balcony with something.

    Pot after pot, there were many of them.

    ¡°Are you gardening?¡±

    ¡°Growing vegetables.¡±

    Qiao Jing had previously told the head of the foundation that her next research project was the grafting of vegetables, and the research institute had already started working on it. These dozen or so pots were delivered early in the morning by the institute.

    ¡°Growing vegetables?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was somewhat surprised by Qiao Jing¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Ran out of money for groceries?¡±

    After all, he and Qiao Jing had been living in the apartment for a month now, with all the expenses for food and drink being covered by Qiao Jing.

    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t offer to contribute, but having lived in Purple Garden before, he never had to think about such matters and thus overlooked this aspect.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei without a word, ¡°I have a lot of money.¡±

    To Zhan Qipei¡¯s ears, Qiao Jing¡¯s statement sounded like she was showing off.

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone and transferred Five Million to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Stop gardening. By the time these vegetables grow, we¡¯ll have starved. Use this money to buy groceries, and keep the rest for yourself.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s actions faltered, and she tugged at the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m not growing these vegetables to eat.¡±

    ¡°For decoration?¡± Zhan Qipei hardly believed it.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother exining, refunding the money back to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°It¡¯s just money for meals; I¡¯m notcking any.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different now, there¡¯s an extra person ¨C me.¡±

    ¡°So you think I can¡¯t provide for you?¡±

    ps Ai Tiaoshi: This book is going into PK, so dear readers who like it, please don¡¯t be stingy with your votes. Rmendation tickets, monthly tickets, I wee them all into Ai¡¯s bowl, and if there are rewards, even better (*^¨Œ^*), (but only if you can afford to (#^.^#)).

    From today till next Monday, please support with your daily votes!

    Added updates start tomorrow¡­

 Chapter 77 - 72: Accidentally Discovered by Zhan Qipei, the Research Institutes Files

    Chapter 77: Chapter 72: identally Discovered by Zhan Qipei, the Research Institute¡¯s Files

    After Qiao Jing finished speaking, she always felt something was amiss.

    It wasn¡¯t just Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei too felt as if he had been taken under her wing.

    In the end, Qiao Jing still didn¡¯t ept Zhan Qipei¡¯s money.

    After Zhan Qipei left, Qiao Jing continued fiddling with her flower pots, taking out her notebook to record the growth of the vegetables as backup data.

    After printing it out, she bound it together, nning to bring it to the research institute tomorrow.

    Coincidentally, Grandpa Xu said that a new person wasing to the institute tomorrow, and all his credentials were very good, so he wanted her to meet him.

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± Her phone vibrated with a call from Captain Zhao.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Professor Qiao, are you avable right now?¡± Captain Zhao¡¯s voice was somewhat anxious.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the child trafficking case I mentioned to you before, the criminal gang has appeared again. Just this morning at 6 AM, when a parent was sending their child to school, the kid was almost snatched.¡±

    So brazen?

    ¡°Give me the details.¡±

    ¡­

    Half an hourter, Qiao Jing arrived at the school entrance, the location of the incident this morning.

    After scanning the area, she found no suspicious individuals.

    Wait a little longer.

    This group was very bold, and among them was someone particrly smart and good at nning.

    Having failed in their attempt this morning, it would be reasonable to assume they wouldn¡¯t show up again after being exposed. However, ording to Qiao Jing¡¯s analysis and understanding of the crime group over the past few days, it was very likely that they¡¯d do the opposite and appear again when school let out in the afternoon.

    Her reason for not informing Captain Zhao and his team was one, these were just her guesses, and if she was wrong, it would be a waste of manpower and resources.

    Secondly, she felt that one reason why Captain Zhao and his team hadn¡¯t cracked the case yet might be that someone was monitoring the area near the bureau, reporting movements.

    Therefore, after weighing everything up, Qiao Jing decided it was better not to inform Captain Zhao and the others, to avoid rming the suspects.

    As Qiao Jing pondered this, she caught a glimpse of a young man stealthily hiding behind a car from the corner of her eye.

    A suspect?

    He was quite handsome and looked like a college student.

    True, appearances can be deceiving; who would have thought that someone who looked so upright wouldmit such an act.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t rush to act; these people worked in groups, and the young man was likely just a lookout.

    The school bell rang.

    Qiao Jing immediately looked towards the school gate while also keeping an eye on every move of the young man.

    From the corner of her eye, she saw the young man leaning on the car, sticking out his head like a turtle, staring at the school gate.

    Was he preparing to make a move? She needed to be on guard.

    The school was a kindergarten, and the youngest children came out first, followed by the middle group.

    ording to the information from Captain Zhao, today¡¯s target for the gang was a middle group girl named Gan Qiqi.

    Qiao Jing had seen a picture of Gan Qiqi and would recognize the girl as soon as she appeared.

    There she was!

    Qiao Jing recognized the little girl standing in the second row of the group at a nce.

    That was Gan Qiqi!

    At the same time, she saw from the corner of her eye that the young man had also moved, his gaze fixed on Gan Qiqi.

    Was he about to act?

    Before Qiao Jing could finish her thought, she saw a van suddenly break through the barricade in front of the school gate.

    The van came to a stop, and several thugs wielding weapons got out.

    The nearby parents panicked, protecting their own children as they began to run, causing chaos at the entrance of the school.

    This was way beyond Qiao Jing¡¯s expectations; she knew from Captain Zhao that these people were brazen, but she hadn¡¯t expected them to be this audacious.

    To burst into the school gate with a van in broad daylight, weapons in hand, wreaking havoc.

    Could this really be just a simple child trafficking case?

    No time to think further, Qiao Jing quickly charged forward.

    Unexpectedly, the young man who had been hiding behind the car moved even faster than her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister!¡± the young man shouted, recklessly running towards the thugs.

    Sister?

    Was this young man the girl¡¯s brother?

    Qiao Jingpared the two; she hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now with a closer look, the pair indeed looked very simr.

    After the young man reached Gan Qiqi, he scooped her up and started to run.

    The thug lifted his weapon and, without even blinking, swung it straight down.

    Just as the thug was about to strike the young man, Qiao Jing arrived, chopping down with her hand, knocking the weapon from the thug¡¯s grip. She followed up with an elbow strike to his ribs and then flipped him over her shoulder, sending him flying into his aplice.

 Chapter 78 - 72: Accidentally Discovered by Zhan Qipei the Research Institutes Documents_2

    Chapter 78: Chapter 72: identally Discovered by Zhan Qipei the Research Institute¡¯s Documents_2

    One against two.

    The young man watched with his eyes wide and his mouth agape, filled with admiration.

    So impressive!

    Upon a closer look, huh? Wasn¡¯t this the country girl the Zhan Family had taken in? She was actually this formidable?

    There were still two criminals left. Seeing that things were going south, they prepared to drag theirpanion away and flee the scene.

    ¡°Thinking of leaving?¡± Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at Gan Qiqi, ¡°Lend me your backpack for a sec.¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh okay.¡± Gan Qiqi looked at Qiao Jing with stars in her eyes, and as Qiao Jing took the backpack, she threw it toward the criminal who was opening the car door, hitting him squarely and knocking him out cold.

    ¡°Ow¡ª¡± The criminal cried out in agony, and then passed out.

    With only one criminal left, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pursue but instead took out her phone.

    ¡°Number Four, follow them.¡±

    Xu Moqian was sitting in a private car not too far away, waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯smand.

    Watching the car drive away, he spoke into his phone, ¡°OK.¡±

    Then he quietly followed in his car.

    Qiao Jing was ying the long game, fishing for a big catch. Based on her analysis, there had to be more people in the criminal gang.

    Furthermore, just like she had previously deduced, they were an organized and disciplined group, with each operation seeminglymanded by someone with military-like precision from the shadows.

    She had deliberately called Xu Moqian over to trace the source and find theirir to take them down in one fell swoop.

    ¡°Qiqi, were you scared?¡±

    Hearing the young man¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing turned to look.

    ¡°Brother, Qiqi isn¡¯t afraid,¡± Gan Qiqi said, and when she noticed Qiao Jing looking over at her direction, her eyes lit up.

    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Admiration filled her big eyes.

    Qiao Jing smiled slightly at Gan Qiqi and gently patted her on the head, ¡°Little one, you¡¯re pretty brave.¡±

    Gan Qiqi beamed with joy at Qiao Jing¡¯s praise, her smile blooming like a flower.

    The young man stood up and said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Miss Qiao, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you today, Qiqi and I might have already met with disaster.¡±

    Hmm?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly.

    ¡°You know me?¡±

    ¡°I am from the Gan family, my name is Gan Lan, I was at your wedding with the Zhan Family,¡± Gan Lan replied truthfully.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing understood.

    Huh? Gan Lan¡­

    Why did that name sound so familiar? Where had she heard it before?

    After pondering for a few seconds, Qiao Jing still couldn¡¯t recall where she had heard it, so she eventually let it go.

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Gan Lan stared at Qiao Jing with intense curiosity, ¡°Are you with the police department?¡±

    Such skill, facing armed criminals without panic and neutralizing them¡ªthis person was definitely not ordinary.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just helping Captain Zhao with a case,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s still very impressive!¡±

    Gan Lan had only known Qiao Jing as someone from the countryside, but now he saw that being from the countryside meant little. Country folks had dreams too, they had spirit and courage.

    Like Qiao Jing, who had carved out a niche for herself through sheer effort, she shined brightly and deserved admiration!

    As Gan Lan¡¯s eyes glimmered with fascination while staring at Qiao Jing, her gazended on Gan Qiqi.

    ¡°The criminal gang targeted your sister twice in a row; I suspect this is not a simple case of child abduction.¡±

    In fact, Qiao Jing had had such a suspicion for a while, but she had never obtained any strong evidence to confirm it.

    Now she was almost certain.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words made Gan Lan break out in a cold sweat.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a simple child abduction case, so is it someone deliberately targeting our Gan family?!¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±

    Gan Lan¡¯s face turned pale, clutching Gan Qiqi¡¯s hand tightly, her expression panic-stricken.

    ¡°How could this be? Weren¡¯t there already several incidents before? My sister is just one of the cases.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her hand to her chin and continued, ¡°When I first got involved with this case, I felt something was strange because the criminal gang didn¡¯t seem like ordinary people; they were organized and disciplined. It wasn¡¯t until today, after the criminal gang showed up twice in a row, that I confirmed the serial child abduction was actually a ruse. The real purpose behind it was to divert Captain Zhao¡¯s attention and target your sister.¡±

    Gan Lan furrowed her brows. ¡°But how did you know they woulde again? And how can you be sure my sister is their target and not someone else? Are you guessing wildly, and just happened to guess right?¡±

    Qiao Jing lowered her hand and looked at Gan Lan. ¡°Regarding this, I wasn¡¯t making wild guesses. I had Captain Zhao investigate Gan Qiqi¡¯s background andpare it with the data of all the victims. Your Gan family is different from the others; only your Gan family is wealthy, while the other children¡¯s families are very ordinary. So I suspected that the kidnappers were not after the children per se, perhaps for money, or perhaps¡ª¡±

    ¡°Revenge?!¡± Gan Lan eximed, eyes wide.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak, which was as good as an affirmation.

    Gan Lan¡¯s heart was in turmoil, and for a long time, she couldn¡¯t speak.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing received a location from Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Found it!¡±

    Qiao Jing dialed Captain Zhao¡¯s number. ¡°We¡¯ve located the criminal gang¡¯s headquarters; I¡¯ve sent you the coordinates, hurry and send your men to pursue.¡±

    So soon?

    Captain Zhao sprang to his feet.

    He thought admirably, ¡°As expected of Professor Qiao, the efficiency is incredible!¡±

    Before long, a police car arrived at where Qiao Jing was, and took away the thug Qiao Jing had knocked down. As there were some details to exin, Qiao Jing also got in the police car.

    ¡°Eh? Nanqing, do you see that person getting into the police car? Isn¡¯t that Qiao Jing?¡± Lou Xinrou pointed across the street.

    Zhan Nanqing followed the direction Lou Xinrou was pointing and her eyes widened. ¡°It really is her!¡±

    ¡°Wonder what crime she¡¯smitted?¡±

    ¡°Who cares what she did, just take photos, and then get a few influencers to spread the news. If Grandpa finds out Qiao Jing has gotten into trouble and tarnished the Qiao family¡¯s reputation, he¡¯ll surely be extremely disappointed. Maybe he¡¯ll even kick her out of the Zhan family right away.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing said excitedly while taking photos with her phone.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find some influencers now.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t wait to see Qiao Jing¡¯s reputation in ruins, nor could she wait to see her grandfather personally cast Qiao Jing out of the Zhan family.

    Lou Xinrou was even more delighted to see this unfold.

    When Zhan Qipei returned to his apartment, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t home.

    Where had she gone?

    Hadn¡¯t she stayed home to cook?

    Zhan Qipei stood at the door, his gaze sweeping over the room¡ªfrom the kitchen to the balcony, and then to Qiao Jing¡¯s bedroom.

    It felt emptier than usual¡­

    He used to love such an environment¡ªquiet, undisturbed¡ªbut now it felt as though it wasn¡¯t the house that was empty, but his heart.

    He thought it was too quiet.

    His gaze finally rested on the balcony, recalling Qiao Jing busy with the flower pots that morning.

    As he watched, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, and as he moved his gaze away, a stack of documents on the table caught his eye.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

 Chapter 79 - 73 Danger! Qiao Jing is being followed

    Chapter 79: Chapter 73 Danger! Qiao Jing is being followed

    Zhan Qipei, curious, walked over and picked it up to look.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    It recorded the process of vegetable grafting and observation logs.

    Was it really not just ordinary gardening?

    He continued to flip through it, growing more and more shocked.

    Because the content was extremely professional, it wasn¡¯t something an ordinary person could write.

    Were these notes from Qiao Jing?

    So in Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, was Qiao Jing a researcher?

    Thinking of Qiao Jing¡¯s identity as a professor at Imperial Capital University, Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t surprised.

    He put down the research report, walked out onto the balcony, and looked at the flowerpots. Some were already sprouting tiny shoots, while others had begun to grow leaves.

    ¡°Is vegetable grafting Professor Qiao¡¯s next research project?¡±

    It seemed Qiao Jing held a not insignificant position at the research institute and must have been deeply trusted by Professor Qiao, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have brought such important things to their home.

    And the trophy from before, that had also been brought home by Qiao Jing.

    To be honest, he couldn¡¯t believe there was no rtionship at all between Qiao Jing and Professor Qiao.

    While Zhan Qipei was thinking this, he caught sight of Qiao Jing getting out of a cab from the corner of his eye.

    She was back.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Zhan Qipei noticed someone sneaking behind Qiao Jing, wearing a duckbill hat, with a mask covering their face, stealthily following her.

    He took out his phone and called Qiao Jing.

    Upon hearing the ringtone, Qiao Jing answered the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s someone behind you.¡±

    Qiao Jing turned sharply, and the person behind her turned and ran.

    Qiao Jing hurriedly gave chase.

    Zhan Qipei grew anxious at this scene.

    She was actually chasing after them, wasn¡¯t she afraid of encountering danger as a girl?

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei rushed to the entrance, changed his shoes, and ran towards the elevator.

    The elevator was slow, likely blocked by a delivery person using something to prop open the doors.

    Zhan Qipei was frantic, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Every second he dyed, the greater the danger she faced.

    He opened the emergency exit door and ran down the stairs in one go.

    Then he ran towards the main entrance, and just as he turned the corner, he crashed into Qiao Jing returning.

    ¡°Ow¡ªdid you pad your chest with a patch? It¡¯s so ufortable?¡± Qiao Jing rubbed her slightly reddened forehead as she looked at the man¡¯s chest andined.

    Zhan Qipei looked behind Qiao Jing but didn¡¯t see the person from earlier.

    ¡°Did you lose them?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. I was about to catch up when suddenly, a motorcycle came at me, as if to run me over. I dodged, and afterwards, those two seemed like they were going to attack me. Then some passersby appeared, and they ran off.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke calmly, but Zhan Qipei listened with horror.

    About to be run over and nearly attacked¡ªsuch rming situations, yet she spoke so nonchntly.

    ¡°You¡¯re really brave, aren¡¯t you? Going after them alone without fear of danger, even risking your life?¡±

    Zhan Qipei felt a kind of indescribable anger rising inside him.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? With my skills, not to mention two people, even a swarm wouldn¡¯t worry me,¡± Qiao Jing spoke with eyebrows raised, her expression brimming with confidence.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°Your skills are that good? Didn¡¯t you tell me before that you only practiced martial arts for health and fitness, that you were very ordinary?¡±

    Not good, she had overlooked that.

    ¡°Uh, just pretend I was boasting.¡±

    After she spoke, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to continue the topic any further, fearing that if she did, the man might be suspicious again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Qiao Jing walked past Zhan Qipei, and just as she took two steps forward, her wrist was seized by the man.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing, staring at her profile, ¡°Was it really not you that day?¡±

    Without betraying any emotion, Qiao Jing let out a soft sigh and looked at Zhan Qipei squarely, ¡°No.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips moved as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end, he said nothing.

    Because all his suspicions were just that, spection. He had no concrete evidence, and this wasn¡¯t just any matter, it was concerning a lifelongmitment, so he couldn¡¯t make assumptions out of thin air.

    After Qiao Jing returned to the apartment, she saw the research report on the table and btedly remembered that she had forgotten to put it away during the day because she was preupied with a case.

    ¡°Did you read it?¡± Qiao Jing asked Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± So he had read it. Well, even if he did, it wouldn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t going to lead him to guess she was Professor Qiao. After all, in the hearts of those at Imperial Capital, Professor Qiao could not possibly be someone as young as her.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing suddenly received a phone call from her apprentice, Zhou Fu.

    Speaking of this apprentice, he should havee before her award ceremony. But because an elder in his family had passed away, he stayed in his hometown for the time being.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t attend your award ceremony.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t make an appearance anyway.¡±

    Who was she talking to? The person on the line seemed to be a man.

    Zhan Qipei kept staring at the mobile phone in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Master, when are you free? I want to treat you to a meal.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow morning, a neer is joining the institute. I need to go check on them. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll head over to your ce.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. I have a patient tomorrow morning as well. Speaking of this patient, hehehe¡ªMaster, take a guess who it is?¡±

    Hearing the strangeughter on the phone, Qiao Jing, being as sharp-witted as she was, immediately guessed who it was and subtly nced at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°It¡¯s that guy from the Zhan Family, your guy, to treat infertility.¡± Zhou Fu almost burst intoughter as he spoke.

    Truth be told, Zhou Fu had been worried that Qiao Jing might be taken advantage of by marrying into the Zhan Family. But now that he¡¯d heard about Zhan Qipei¡¯s infertility, he waspletely reassured.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to hang up now, I haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±

    ¡°Okay then, I won¡¯t disturb you. I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±

    With a ¡°beep¡±, the call ended.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s doubtful eyes fixed on Qiao Jing. Just now, she seemed to have nced at him. What was she looking at him for?

    And from the phone conversation he overheard, he knew that Qiao Jing was nning to have dinner out tomorrow night.

    Putting the two pieces together, he was even more certain that the person on the line was a man, which was why Qiao Jing had stolen a nce at him.

    It was obviously a sign of a guilty conscience.

    While Zhan Qipei was contemting this, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang again.

    She really was busy!

    Was it another man?

    Zhan Qipei pretended to go to the balcony and circled behind Qiao Jing. He quickly nced at her phone screen.

    The contact was marked ¡°Fourth Brother¡±.

    Xu Moqian!

    Indeed, another man!

    ¡°Hello?¡± Qiao Jing picked up the call.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you need to check Weibo, you¡¯re trending!¡±

    ¡°What? I¡¯m trending?!¡± Qiao Jing eximed in surprise.

    How could she possibly be trending out of the blue? Was it because her identity as the Empire Divine Physician had been exposed? Or had her identity as Professor Qiao been leaked?

    After hearing this, Zhan Qipei moved to stand behind Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was opening Weibo.

 Chapter 80 - 74: Making Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing Divorce (Extra, Vote~)

    Chapter 80: Chapter 74: Making Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing Divorce (Extra, Vote~)

    Just as expected!

    She was trending on the hot search.

    However, it wasn¡¯t because of the miraculous physician or Professor Qiao¡¯s identity exposure but because she was being criticized all over the hot search.

    The reason was that she had been on a police car, apanied by text.

    #Zhan Corporation CEO¡¯s newlywed wife allegedly involved in illegal activities, taken away by police car.

    Qiao Jing clicked on the image, which showed several frames of her getting into a police car.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A deep voice resonated from behind Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing turned around to face Zhan Qipei, ¡°Do you also think I was involved in illegal activities?¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? If you were involved in illegal activities, would you still be sitting here chatting with me?¡± Even if it wasn¡¯t like this, Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t believe that Qiao Jing could do such a thing.

    ¡°Actually, I was helping Captain Zhao catch a few child traffickers,¡± Qiao Jing honestly said.

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei remembered the words Captain Zhao had said when he and Qiao Jing visited the police station on their wedding day.

    He had mentioned that Qiao Jing had helped him solve cases before.

    At that time, Zhan Nanqing had scornfully said that Qiao Jing was just lucky, merely a witness who provided crucial clues to the case.

    He hadn¡¯t thought much of it then; however, now he figured the situation wasn¡¯t as simple.

    ¡°Case solved?¡±

    About the recent widely publicized series of child abduction cases, he had also heard, but he hadn¡¯t expected that Qiao Jing was also involved in this case.

    ¡°Sort of,¡± Qiao Jing replied with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°Sort of? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Xu Moqian and I were working together, one in the light, the other in shadows. I deliberately let one criminal escape, intending to use him to find their hideout by following the trail,¡± she exined.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t find them?¡± Zhan Qipei guessed.

    ¡°We found it, but several managed to escape, including the ringleader among those who got away.¡±

    This aspect gave Qiao Jing a headache because those caught were merely hired to do the job, paid to carry out tasks without knowing the real purpose of their leader. After this scare, she feared they wouldn¡¯t act again anytime soon.

    Just as Qiao Jing was inwardly troubled, Zhan Qipei analyzed, ¡°Those two who tried to hurt you just now, could they be among those who were caught and escaped because you disrupted their n, so they targeted you for revenge?¡±

    ¡°If only it were so.¡± Qiao Jing would have preferred if those people hade to her, so there wouldn¡¯t be a need to spend resources on an investigation or to worry about when they might strike.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°If only it were so, you seem quite confident about yourself.¡±

    Had this woman never considered her own safety from the beginning? Facing such fierce criminals, wasn¡¯t she afraid for her life? What if something unforeseen happened, and she was killed?

    The more Zhan Qipei thought, the more anxious and angry he became, while Qiao Jing¡¯s face remained calm and untroubled.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei received a call from Su Manhan.

    ¡°Qipei, you¡¯ve seen the hot search, right? This Qiao Jing, always idling about is one thing, but now she¡¯s caused such a scandal, seen being taken away by the police, even got photographed. Thispletely disgraces our Zhan Family. You need to file for divorce immediately. Regarding your grandfather, I¡¯ll have your father talk to him. After such a serious incident, I can¡¯t believe your grandfather would still protect her!¡±

    Su Manhan was quite upset, and Zhan Yao¡¯s face also looked very grim.

    This incident was causing a stir not only on the inte but also on the television drama currently being broadcast in their living room.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯tmitted any crime,¡± Zhan Qipei exined.

    ¡°What? Even now, you¡¯re still speaking for her? Qipei, what has gotten into you? Or did she feed you some sort of love potion?¡± Su Manhan yelled, her voice filled with disbelief.

    What has gotten into her son? Could he really have been bewitched by Qiao Jing?

    ¡°What I said is true, Qiao Jing was helping Captain Zhao solve a case, notmitting a crime.¡±

    ¡°Solve a case? Ha!¡± Su Manhan scoffed, ¡°She can solve cases? If she could, I¡¯d take her family name!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing intervened, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s hard to exin on the phone. Should we go to my brother¡¯s ce instead?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Su Manhan¡¯s face turned shades of red and purple in anger, subsequently the family made their way toward Nantai Apartment in grand fashion.

    Zhan Qipei was on the phone with Tang Yan.

    ¡°Find out who is spreading this news.¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±

    Qiao Jing was looking at her phone, where almost every major online tform was filled with curses directed at her.

    [The Zhan Family really is unlucky, having married such a country bumpkin as a daughter-inw.]

    [Speaking of a country bumpkin, her standards must be low.]

    [Low standards are fine, but who would have thought she¡¯d engage in illegal activities?]

    [Don¡¯t say that; she is fair-skinned and pleasant-looking.]

    [Being pretty can¡¯t fill you up! If I married someone like her, I¡¯d beat her up and chase her out of the house!]

    ¡­

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Zhan Qipei asked as he approached Qiao Jing and saw the unsavoryments on her phone.

    Was she actually reading these? How could she bear it? How strong must her mental fortitude be to do so?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly arched her delicate eyebrows and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know these people; why should what they say affect me? All I need to do is focus on my own tasks.¡±

    Whether people criticized her or praised her achievements, it didn¡¯t much affect Qiao Jing. She remained herself, focusing on her research on new varieties of corn and then on vegetable grafting, driven by both interest and work.

    She was neithercent with praise nor discouraged by criticism.

    It was that simple.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing in this light, sensing in her a serenity like that of an orchid or a lotus, admirable from a distance but not to be profaned.

    Such detachment from worldly concerns, such independent existence, made him feel increasingly drawn to her.

    ¡°Ding ding ding¡ª¡± Hurried knocking broke the tranquility.

    Zhan Qipei frowned toward the door, knowing without guessing that it must be Su Manhan and the others arriving with such urgency.

    To be honest, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t really want to open the door.

    But he couldn¡¯t just leave it closed.

    Zhan Qipei approached the door, turning back to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will protect you.¡±

    Huh? Qiao Jing raised a skeptical eyebrow as she looked at Zhan Qipei; something about his words sounded strangeing from him.

    Zhan Qipei opened the door, and upon seeing Qiao Jing, Su Manhan unleashed the anger she had been holding back all the way there.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you are the jinx of our family. From the first day you stepped inside, my instincts told me you would bring trouble to the Zhan Family, and sure enough, you¡¯ve caused a huge disaster. Do you know, because of you, our Zhan Family has be theughingstock of the entire capital, not just the capital, but the whole empire isughing at us because of you! Everyone isughing at the Zhan Family!¡±

 Chapter 81 - 75 Zhan Qipei Disagrees to Divorce

    Chapter 81: Chapter 75 Zhan Qipei Disagrees to Divorce

    Zhan Nanqing followed suit, kicking her while she was down, ¡°Exactly, you still have the nerve to sit here. Wasn¡¯t it my brother who got you out of the police station? Considering the gravity of your crime, he must have spent a fortune.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t mention it, and Su Manhan hadn¡¯t thought of that aspect until then.

    Now that she thought about it, no wonder Qiao Jing could sit here unscathed, it turned out her son had spent money to bail her out.

    ¡°Qipei, why did you rescue her? You should¡¯ve let her rot in jail for life! People like her are just parasites in society, wasting national resources!¡± Su Manhan¡¯s words grew uglier with each sentence.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve misunderstood her, things aren¡¯t as you think.¡±

    Next, Zhan Qipei exined in detail everything Qiao Jing had told him to Su Manhan and the others.

    ¡°Brother, stop defending her, her helping Captain Zhao solve a case? What a joke! A woman from the countryside, how could she possibly solve a case? And it¡¯s the recent serial child abduction case. Captain Zhao and his team have been tracking it for so long without a breakthrough, and you tell me Qiao Jing helped solve it, who would believe such a lie?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to make subjective judgments about this. If you don¡¯t believe it, just go to the police station and ask yourselves,¡± Zhan Qipei stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Qiao Jing, shielding her from the hostile gazes thrown by Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing realized then that Zhan Qipei was determined to protect Qiao Jing at all costs.

    ¡°Qipei, I¡¯m your mother! Are you really going to side with an outsider against me?¡± Su Manhan¡¯s words were not so much a question as they were a heartbreak.

    Her own son, whom she had raised, was siding with a stranger he had known for merely a few days against her. How could that not break her heart?

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows; he truly felt the dilemma stuck between his mother and his wife.

    ¡°I side with justice, not kinship, and besides, the reality of this matter is indeed as I just described.¡±

    Su Manhan plopped onto the sofa,menting loudly, ¡°What kind of son did I raise? They say sons are raised for other women¡ªI never believed it, but now I see clearly. Sons indeed forget their mothers once they have a wife; what kind of karma is this! Why did I have to end up with such a disaster of a daughter-inw?¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s bad for your health. Your health hasn¡¯t been goodtely, and brother didn¡¯t mean to talk back to you,¡± Zhan Nanqing reached out, patting Su Manhan¡¯s back, trying to calm her down.

    Zhan Qipei looked back at Qiao Jing; as a man, he was determined to keep his word. He had said earlier he would protect her, and he would definitely do so until the end.

    ¡°Mom, please go back first. I will investigate this matter thoroughly and give you an exnation,¡± he said.

    These words from Zhan Qipei deeply wounded Su Manhan. She lifted her head, eyes brimming with tears, looking at Zhan Qipei incredulously.

    ¡°You want to drive me away? Am I in your way? Disturbing you? Ah, Qipei, my dear son! Tell me, why did I rush here in such a hurry? Isn¡¯t it because you are my son? Yet, you treat me like this for an outsider? Ah, I might as well die! I can¡¯t live like this!¡±

    Zhan Yao clenched his jaw, his face a horrific shade of purple, ¡°Qipei, you shouldn¡¯t have spoken like that earlier. Although mom¡¯s words were a bit extreme, she said them because she cares about you, as her son.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was incredibly frustrated, thinking this issue could have been easily resolved, yet here was his mother making a scene.

    He was now curious if all men around the world experienced this?

    Later on, Zhan Qipei found out that he was actually quite fortunate because, at least, Qiao Jing was rational. Normally, in other families, it¡¯s the mother crying and the wife making a scene, with the man stuck miserably in the middle.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze stayed on Zhan Qipei; honestly, if she were in his shoes, she would be just as exasperated.

    On one hand was reason, and on the other, his loving birth mother.

    Forget it.

    He didn¡¯t need her protection anymore.

    Qiao Jing stood up, looking at Su Manhan, ¡°If you insist on believing I broke thew, I¡¯m too tired to exin. Since the divorce was proposed by your family, let¡¯s go through with it then.¡±

    What did she say?!

    Zhan Qipei suddenly looked towards Qiao Jing, his face instantly covered in a thickyer of frost.

    Su Manhan stopped crying and creating a scene, staring at Qiao Jing with unbelieving eyes, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded solemnly, ¡°As long as you can handle it with Grandpa Zhan, let¡¯s end this marriage today.¡±

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t be happier, while Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned as ck as the bottom of a pot.

    ¡°I, do, not, agree!¡±

    These four words almost burst through Zhan Qipei¡¯s clenched teeth.

    The moment Zhan Qipei spoke, everyone, whether Qiao Jing or Su Manhan, stared at him in shocked disbelief.

 Chapter 82 - 76: Reversal, A Slap in the Face, The Zhan Family Apologizes to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 82: Chapter 76: Reversal, A p in the Face, The Zhan Family Apologizes to Qiao Jing

    Noticing the gaze of Qiao Jing and the others, Zhan Qipei btedly realized what he had just said.

    ¡°What I mean is, my grandfather won¡¯t agree.¡±

    In fact, that wasn¡¯t true at all; what he said just now was entirely his own wish.

    He didn¡¯t want to divorce Qiao Jing right now, possibly because he felt that it wasn¡¯t her fault.

    Yes, that must be it¡­

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s additional words, Su Manhan and the others heaved a sigh of relief.

    They had taken quite a fright, thinking that Zhan Qipei had taken a liking to Qiao Jing and therefore did not want to divorce her.

    ¡°Your father will talk to your grandfather. With such a big incident, Qiao Jing has caused damage to the Zhan Family¡¯s reputation. Even if your grandfather wants to protect her, he won¡¯t ignore the interests of the Zhan Family.¡±

    Zhan Yao agreed with Su Manhan¡¯s words, ¡°Your mother is right. The impact is indeed significant; the stock prices have been falling continuously. If this goes on, the situation might be uncontroble. Plus, Qiao Jing herself is willing to divorce, no one is forcing her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly clenched his fingers that hung by his side and walked up to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Have you really decided?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked serious, without a trace of jest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told your grandfather long ago that a melon forced off its vine is not sweet. We have only 59 days together, half the time from the agreed day. Let¡¯s end this early so we both can return to our previous lives.¡±

    Return to his previous life? Days without Qiao Jing, without delicious food¡­ Zhan Qipei felt an increasing nostalgia¡­

    But on second thought, if he divorced Qiao Jing, the girl who saved him might appear.

    At that thought, Zhan Qipei immediately cut off all his lingering feelings.

    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s go to the Civil Affairs Bureau now.¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    A short whileter, Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei, Su Manhan, and the others all arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

    Just as they were about to enter the main entrance, Zhan Qipei received a phone call from Tang Yan.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with a stern face, his gaze piercingly fixed on Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing, taken aback by Zhan Qipei¡¯s sudden scrutiny, felt her heart ¡°thump¡± with fright.

    ¡°Brother, why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest heaved with a heavy sigh, his eyes staring coldly at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°The photos were taken by you. You were the one who paid several big Vs to recklessly spread rumors, iming she got caught because shemitted a crime and was taken to the police bureau.¡±

    With every word Zhan Qipei uttered, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face grew a shade paler.

    Zhan Yao too was shocked by Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    ¡°Nanqing! Is what your brother saying true? Did you really do this?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had not expected the matter to be uncovered. She had even paid those big Vs hush money. How could it have still been traced back to her?

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You still want to deny it? You think just because you paid those people off, I can¡¯t find out? You¡¯ve greatly underestimated my means,¡± Zhan Qipei said coldly, interrupting Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing was terrified, btedly realizing something about her brother¡¯s infamously tough approach in the Imperial Capital.

    Zhan Qipei was not just her older brother but also the person capable of bing the head of the Zhan Family. Under his leadership, the Zhan Family had reached its most splendid peak in a hundred years!

    Just this alone evidenced her brother¡¯s skill and ability!

    Zhan Nanqing swallowed hard, her mouth dry with fear, ¡°I, I confess. I did it. But, but I didn¡¯t spread rumors. Qiao Jing indeedmitted a crime, that¡¯s why she was arrested. Isn¡¯t that the main point?¡±

    Zhan Yao and Su Manhan were prepared to me Zhan Nanqing, but after hearing what she said, they realized that although Zhan Nanqing was wrong, the instigator of it all was still Qiao Jing.

    Just as everyone had different thoughts, Qiao Jing received a call from Captain Zhao.

    ¡°Hello? Captain Zhao, what do you need me for?¡±

    Captain Zhao? The one from the station? What¡¯s he calling Qiao Jing for? Could it be that they want to bring Qiao Jing back to the station?

    If that¡¯s the case, it would be better for Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing to get a divorce as soon as possible.

    ¡°You¡¯ve issued an announcement? Actually, you didn¡¯t need to go out of your way to clear things up for me.¡± Qiao Jing was indifferent.

    ¡°How could I not? Professor Qiao, you¡¯ve taken so much trouble over the case, uprooting the criminal gang¡¯sir in one fell swoop. How could I just stand by and watch you get caught in a whirlwind of public opinion, being vilified like that!¡±

    Speaking of which, this incident had infuriated Captain Zhao.

    Seeing those irresponsible, abusivements online, he truly wished he could arrest those people, but in reality, that was beyond his power.

    He may not have the power to arrest them, but at least he could shut those unprincipled people up.

    What¡¯s going on?

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s conversation, Zhan Nanqing took out her phone and opened a mediaworking tform.

    ¡°How can this be?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Su Manhan and Zhan Yao simultaneously looked over at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone.

    #Imperial Capital Police Bureau Announcement: We thank Ms. Qiao for her assistance in solving the series of child abduction cases. Furthermore, the grateful parents of the six rescued children have delivered a banner of thanks to our station, expressing their gratitude to Ms. Qiao.

    ¡°This¡­ how could this be?¡± Zhan Nanqing was dumbfounded.

    Equally dumbfounded were Su Manhan and Zhan Yao.

    They had really wronged Qiao Jing!

    After a lengthy silence, Zhan Yao let out a sigh and looked at Qiao Jing with a look of shame on his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wronged you just now.¡±

    Although it was hard to swallow his pride, as a member of the Zhan Family, and his father having been the courageous War General who fought on the border, he had always been taught to be strict with himself and to admit his mistakes when he made them.

    He had wronged Qiao Jing over this matter, so he had to apologize.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind it,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently.

    Zhan Yao felt even more ashamed upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    He sighed, and nced back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Forget it, he thought, he would let the younger generation deal with their own affairs.

    After this incident, Zhan Yao had a clear understanding and made a silent decision. In the future, if anything happened regarding Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing, he would turn a deaf ear and stay out of it.

    Havinge to this realization, Zhan Yao looked at Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, ¡°You should also apologize to Qiao Jing, especially you, Nanqing. You didn¡¯t think things through properly. I know you don¡¯t like Qiao Jing, but by doing this, you¡¯re only hurting yourself as much as you hurt the enemy!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing hung her head, pouting and looking at her toes.

    A pale expression appeared on Su Manhan¡¯s face; the idea of apologizing to Qiao Jing was difficult for her to express.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent gaze withdrew from Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, ¡°No need, I didn¡¯t take it to heart anyway.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing turned to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Let¡¯s go in and finish the paperwork.¡±

    Still nning on getting a divorce? Wasn¡¯t everything exined already? Zhan Qipei stood still like a wooden stake, unmoving.

    After walking two steps and noticing Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t followed, Qiao Jing turned around and looked at him with confusion, ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing in?¡±

 Chapter 83 - 77: Old Master Zhans Temper Explodes

    Chapter 83: Chapter 77: Old Master Zhan¡¯s Temper Explodes

    At this moment, a car pulled up by the roadside.

    Zhan Yuanshan hurriedly alighted from the car, leaning on his cane, and walked over to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Who dares to force my Jing Girl to divorce? Who dares? Whoever does, must step over my dead body first!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s face turned purple with rage, angrily stabbing his cane into the ground.

    He looked so furious, as if he wanted to stab right through the floor.

    After roaring at Su Manhan and the others, Zhan Yuanshan turned back to look at Qiao Jing, his face instantly transforming into a kindly grandfatherly expression.

    ¡°My good granddaughter-inw, you¡¯ve been wronged, and Grandpa iste. Tell Grandpa, who bullied you? I will beat them to death with my cane today!¡±

    When Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing heard this, they looked at the cane in Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s hand and felt their hairs stand on end, subconsciously retreating two steps.

    Seeing their movement, Zhan Yuanshan immediately raised his cane, pointing at the two of them.

    ¡°It¡¯s you! You just can¡¯t stand to see Jing Girl, can you? What a good child she is! You won¡¯t find another as good as her in the whole world. It¡¯s only because Qipei had incredible luck to end up with a marriage certificate with Jing Girl. And you even dare to persuade and coerce Qipei into divorcing Jing Girl? How could I have such a blind daughter-inw? How could I have such a brainless granddaughter? And you¡ª¡±

    After berating Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, Zhan Yuanshan turned to Zhan Yao, ¡°No need to say it, I already know. You must have listened to your wife and daughter, got your ear bent, and followed them in their nonsense! Do you know why I haven¡¯t handed over the head of the family to you? It¡¯s because you don¡¯t have your own opinions, you sway like grass on the fence, swaying with whatever you hear!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan was so angry he started coughing, and Zhan Qipei stepped forward to support him.

    ¡°Get aside, you make me angry just looking at you. Your business management skills may be a hundred times better than your father¡¯s, but you have no eye for a good wife. I handpicked an unparalleled wife for you, and you don¡¯t know how to treasure her¡ªthis is¡ªyou want to anger me to death! Cough, cough, cough¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing stepped forward to support Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Jing Girl is truly filial!¡± Zhan Yuanshan looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful face and immediately felt better.

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not in good health, you can¡¯t be angry. Let¡¯s head back to the hospital quickly, shall we?¡± Zhan Yao came over and said.

    Zhan Yuanshan red, ¡°I know my own body, no need for you to tell me!¡±

    Zhan Yao¡¯s hand, which had been outstretched, retracted back; the Old Master had too fiery a temper. Back in the day, he had been amander of thousands, and when his temper red up, the aura of the battlefield would erupt, which was truly something not everyone could endure.

    Just then, Qiao Jing spoke, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, I said before, you are not in good health and shouldn¡¯t get angry. Let¡¯s go back to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Ah, alright, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Zhan Yuanshan said with a smile, looking at Qiao Jing, obedient as could be.

    Zhan Yao¡¯s mouth was agape, wide enough to fit an egg, no, a goose egg! He and Qiao Jing had said practically the same thing, so why was the reaction so different?

    The farce ended just like that, but the case was far from closed.

    In a certain vi.

    A bald man with an Azure Dragon tattoo on his head and several others knelt in front of a middle-aged man.

    The middle-aged man yed with two Jade Beads in his hand while amusing a bird.

    ¡°Second Master, we¡¯re sorry! We were useless! Please give us another chance.¡±

    The middle-aged man called Second Master was Qian Haisheng, the head of the Qian Family.

    Qian Haisheng stopped ying with the bird and turned around to look at the bald man and his group, lifting his foot and kicking the shoulders of the bald man.

    The bald man was kicked to the ground, not daring to let out a peep, and with difficulty, he got up from the ground.

    ¡°Second Master.¡±

    Qian Haisheng, with his narrowed eyes full of cunning and calction, looked at the bald man, speaking unhurriedly, ¡°This time you messed up. With my former temper, you would have already been thrown into the sea to feed the sharks.¡±

    The bald man and his group trembled in fear, hurriedly begging for mercy.

    ¡°Second Master, it wasn¡¯t that we were ipetent this time. We almost managed to kidnap the Gan family¡¯s daughter, but unexpectedly, Cheng Yaojin came out of nowhere!¡±

    ¡°The Zhan family¡¯s rural daughter-inw¡­¡± Qian Haishengughed, ¡°Interesting¡­ I was saying that old fox Zhan Yuanshan, how could he possibly look for an ordinary person to be his grandson¡¯s wife¡­¡±

    The bald man looked up at Qian Haisheng, ¡°Second Master, do we need to find someone to take her out?¡±

    ¡°No rush, have someone follow her and investigate her background. With such good skills, she¡¯s definitely not an ordinary person.¡± Qian Haisheng was very curious, just what was the deal with the Zhan family¡¯s rural daughter-inw?

    ¡°Yes, Second Master.¡±

    The next morning, Zhan Qipei stood on the balcony, looking towards the apartment building¡¯s entrance, thinking about what had happened yesterday. If those two who tried to kill Qiao Jing were indeed members of a crime syndicate that slipped through the, then it was very possible they would wait for a chance to retaliate.

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone and called Tang Yan.

    ¡°Arrange for some people to protect Qiao Jing in secret.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing came out of her room, she saw Zhan Qipei on the phone and heard what the man had just said.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to care about me this much?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was reluctant to admit it, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m only having someone tail you to try to find the ones that got away.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, ¡°This case doesn¡¯t have much to do with you, so why the interest?¡±

    ¡°You can assume I have nothing better to do.¡± Having said that, Zhan Qipei picked up the notebook from the table and headed straight for the door, pulling it open and leaving.

    If the conversation continued, he feared he would give himself away.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think too much about it. Zhan Qipei had gone to thepany, and she should also go to the research institute to meet the new intern.

    With that thought, Qiao Jing headed to the research institute with the research report.

    Inside the research institute.

    Gan Lan was so nervous he couldn¡¯t sit still.

    He was about to meet the legendary agricultural magnate, Professor Qiao, how could he not be nervous?

    Then, a hand patted his shoulder.

    Gan Lan turned around to see Xu Moqian offering him a ss of water.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. Sister Jing isn¡¯t that scary, on the contrary, she¡¯s actually very pretty. And she doesn¡¯t bite, just a bit aloof.¡±

    Gan Lan could tell that Xu Moqian¡¯s ¡°Sister Jing¡± was Professor Qiao herself.

    Xu Moqian called Professor Qiao ¡°sister¡±, it seemed their rtionship was quite good.

    ¡°Can you give me a hint? Does Professor Qiao have any taboos? I¡¯m afraid I might say something by ident and upset her, that would be terrible! I worked so hard to get this position, to get into the institute, I don¡¯t want to be fired.¡±

    ¡°Taboos?¡± Xu Moqian thought for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything specific, Sister Jing isn¡¯t afraid of heaven or earth, oh! I remember now!¡±

    Gan Lan¡¯s eyes widened and he listened intently.

    ¡°Sister Jing, she¡¯s afraid of cockroaches! Haha¡ªfunny, right? She¡¯s not afraid of poisonous snakes, but she¡¯s afraid of cockroaches.¡±

    Xu Moqianughed at the thought.

    At that moment, a clear and beautiful female voice suddenly rang out.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of cockroaches, I just find them disgusting.¡±

    Xu Moqian had just been gossiping behind Qiao Jing¡¯s back and was caught in the act, now feeling very guilty.

    Gan Lan looked towards Qiao Jing. It was her, what was she doing here?

    Before Gan Lan¡¯s confusion subsided, Xu Moqian scratched the back of his head and walked towards Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister Jing, you¡¯re here and you didn¡¯t make a sound? You gave me quite the scare.¡±

 Chapter 84 - 78 Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei bump into each other

    Chapter 84: Chapter 78 Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei bump into each other

    ¡°`

    ¡°Sister Jing? You are, you are Sister Jing?!¡± Gan Lan¡¯s words were tinged with shock.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°You can call me Sister Jing.¡±

    ¡°How can that be? Sister Jing is my exclusive nickname,¡± Xu Moqian was not pleased and turned to Gan Lan, ¡°She is your superior, you should call her Professor Qiao.¡±

    Professor Qiao?!!

    These three words solidified Gan Lan¡¯s guess.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a title, anything is fine,¡± Qiao Jing said casually.

    ¡°No, no, Sister Jing can only be called by me, if anyone else dares to call her that, I¡¯ll fight them,¡± Xu Moqian rolled up his sleeves and nced sideways at Gan Lan.

    Gan Lan¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, thinking even if you allow him, he wouldn¡¯t dare to casually call her Sister Jing.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, my name is Gan Lan. I¡¯m a senior at the Imperial Capital Agricultural University.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the uptight Gan Lan who stood at attention like a student who had just entered the office.

    Gan Lan¡­ this name, no wonder she felt it was familiar when she heard it yesterday. Now she remembered Xu Moqian mentioned it during their call.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Qiao Jing, and I am the founder of this research institute. Here, we are a collective, you don¡¯t need to feel constrained. From now on, just call me by my name,¡± she said.

    To call her by her name? So approachable? She seemed too down-to-earth.

    Gan Lan¡¯s perception of Qiao Jing waspletely renewed by her words. In his eyes, Professor Qiao was the leading agricultural scientist in the Imperial Capital, renowned globally.

    Such a lofty figure was one to be looked up to with respect.

    Yet here she was, so grounded.

    And Qiao Jing was also so young, about his age, and after achieving so much, she still remained soposed. Her temperament was indeed admirable!

    The more he thought, the brighter Gan Lan¡¯s eyes shone when he looked at Qiao Jing.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing seemed to him a radiant being, surrounded by a glowing aura.

    Xu Moqian shrugged his shoulders, typical of his Sister Jing, just a few words and she¡¯s got another die-hard fanboy.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you free this afternoon? I¡¯ll take you for a stroll by the seaside?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got something on this afternoon,¡± Qiao Jing had promised Zhou Fu to join him for a meal.

    ¡°Oh¡ªokay,¡± Xu Moqian said, looking visibly disappointed.

    Qiao Jing passed the research report to Gan Lan, ¡°This is the research project we¡¯re currently working on. I¡¯ve had some insights these past few days; take Grandpa Xu and the others to the conference room, hold a meeting, and discuss.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll go right now!¡± Gan Lan was so excited that he turned around and bumped right into the door.

    Wasn¡¯t he excited? This was the first time Professor Qiao had entrusted him with a task.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Qiao Jing stepped forward to look at Gan Lan¡¯s reddened forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ve got a hard head, it doesn¡¯t hurt a bit! Hehe¡ªHehe¡ª,¡± Gan Lanughed sheepishly before rushing out the door to get on with his task.

    Xu Moqian walked to the doorway, watching the hopping and skipping Gan Lan and clicked his tongue, ¡°Has the kid gone silly with excitement?¡±

    Five minutester, the conference room was filled with intense yet professional discussion.

    Gan Lan sat at the back, listening intently to every word Qiao Jing said, and the more he listened, the bigger the gap he felt between them.

    Actually, he himself was a top student at Agricultural University, and if not so, he would not have qualified to join Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute.

    After joining, Gan Lan realized that what he¡¯d learned at school couldn¡¯tpare at all with Qiao Jing¡¯s knowledge and experience.

    The more this was the case, the more Gan Lan¡¯s admiration for Qiao Jing grew, surging like a river, unstoppable and overwhelming!

    After the meeting, Gan Lan immediately poured a cup of hot water for Qiao Jing, then attended to her every need, almost to the point of offering her a back massage.

    Around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Qiao Jing took a taxi to Zhou Fu¡¯s private vi.

    Before she could get out of the car, she saw Zhou Fu running quickly towards her.

    So enthusiastic? Her apprentice was always a bit of a renegade, but today he seemed overly eager.

    ¡°Master, Master! You finally came!¡± Zhou Fu looked pained as he approached Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing sensed something was amiss.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Come inside with me and you¡¯ll see!¡±

    Soon, Qiao Jing entered the living room and saw the man lying on the sofa with his eyes closed.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei? What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Zhan Family¡¯s doing; they said he refused to get treatment, then they drugged him with sleeping pills, sent him over, and told me to treat him for infertility,¡± Zhou Fu exined.

    ¡°`

    Zhou Fu felt that having an illness and seeking treatment was nothing to be ashamed of. Hidden ailments were no cause for embarrassment, but now that the person had passed out, if he were to just pull down his pants, it would feelpletely odd no matter how he thought about it.

    Qiao Jing nced beneath Zhan Qipei¡¯s body and was reminded of the surgery from their first meeting.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ªthere¡¯s no need for a check-up?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Zhou Fu was taken aback, ¡°No need for a check-up? No, not that, Master, did you just take one look and make a diagnosis? Has your medical skill reached such a transcendental level?¡±

    Qiao Jing shot Zhou Fu a nce, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible? Diagnosing with just one look, do you think I¡¯m a deity?¡±

    ¡°Then what did you mean when you just said, no need for a check-up?¡± Zhou Fu asked, puzzled as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it, I¡¯ve felt it, so I know.¡±

    Qiao Jing said this calmly, but in Zhou Fu¡¯s ears, it was like a storm had been unleashed.

    At this moment, Zhou Fu¡¯s mouth had formed a perfect round ¡°O¡± shape, as his shocked gaze swept back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s reaction, Qiao Jing pressed her forehead with a headache.

    Without a doubt, this guy¡¯s thoughts had gone astray.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, I just performed a surgery on him.¡±

    ¡°Surgery? The kind of surgery that breaks one¡¯s¡­¡± Zhou Fu blurted out but was immediately hit by Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you think of anything proper for once? What¡¯s with all the nonsense in your head? He was shot with a bullet, right at the upper thigh. The incident was far from any hospital, and in a life-or-death situation, I had to perform the surgery on him.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what it was, you gave me quite the scare, thought you werepletely taken advantage of by this guy,¡± Zhou Fu said, patting his chest in relief.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ªso what¡¯s to be done with him?¡± Zhou Fu hastily changed the subject.

    ¡°Once he wakes up, just say¡ªyou felt his pulse, and there was no problem,¡± Qiao Jing finished and added, ¡°By the way, he doesn¡¯t know that I saved him. And it seems he¡¯s been secretly sending people to inquire, probably because he feels offended and wants to take revenge on me.¡±

    ¡°What? You saved him and he wants revenge? Ingratitude? I¡¯ll stick a needle in him!¡± Zhou Fu grabbed a silver needle and aimed it at Zhan Qipei¡¯s body.

    Qiao Jing quickly reached out to stop him, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m standing up for you, Master!¡± Zhou Fu said as if it were the most natural thing to do.

    Qiao Jing flicked Zhou Fu¡¯s hand away, ¡°This is none of your business.¡±

    Zhou Fu scrutinized Qiao Jing suspiciously, ¡°Master, you haven¡¯t fallen for him, have you?¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond to Zhou Fu and headed upstairs, saying, ¡°Once I¡¯m in the room, wake him up.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Zhou Fu¡¯s gaze lingered on Qiao Jing for a few seconds before he pulled a face.

    ¡°It seems I was overthinking it. How could my Master possibly fancy the Zhan family¡¯s young master.¡±

    Not even the world¡¯s most outstanding man would be worthy of his Master.

    Zhou Fu poked at Zhan Qipei¡¯s body a few times before sitting down to the side.

    Zhan Qipei slowly opened his eyes, his dark, gloomy gaze sweeping around. Upon seeing Zhou Fu, he quickly gathered his senses and looked at himself.

    His clothes were intact.

    ¡°I¡¯m Zhou Fu, Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s apprentice.¡± Zhou Fu introduced himself to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei raised a hand to his temple, still feeling groggy from the sleeping pill and his brain somewhat foggy.

    ¡°I just felt your pulse for you. The pulse is normal, there¡¯s no issue with ¡®that¡¯,¡± Zhou Fu said, not too politely, mainly because Qiao Jing mentioned that Zhan Qipei was seeking revenge on her in the shadows.

    If not for considering that Zhan Qipei was the head of the Zhan Family, and heeding Qiao Jing¡¯s instructions, he would not have been able to suppress the urge to take action against Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Just felt the pulse?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with half-closed eyes.

    ¡°With my medical skill, feeling the pulse is enough,¡± Zhou Fu knew what was on his mind.

    Did he think he would peek? He wasn¡¯t sick, why would he look at such a thing? He had his own, and he saw it every day when bathing and using the bathroom.

    Upstairs, Qiao Jing stood in front of the door, ear pressed against it, listening to the noise downstairs.

    Just then, a cockroach with wings on its back and bulging eyes scuttled toward her, stopping at Qiao Jing¡¯s feet, motionless.

    Qiao Jing, aware of the faint noise, looked down, then found herself locked in a stare-down with the cockroach.

    Downstairs, Zhou Fu stood up.

    ¡°Take care, no need to see you out.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Zhan Qipei said politely before striding out with long steps.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± Qiao Jing kicked the door open, her face tensed as if bracing for battle as she swiftly descended the stairs, coincidentally bumping into Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 85 - 79: Exposed, Zhou Fu Calls Qiao Jing Master

    Chapter 85: Chapter 79: Exposed, Zhou Fu Calls Qiao Jing Master

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The atmosphere was quiet and eerie.

    Zhou Fu stared wide-eyed at Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing.

    What was going on?

    Why had his master suddenly thrown herself into Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms?

    Zhan Qipei was also stunned for a long while, truly not expecting Qiao Jing to appear in such a ce.

    Qiao Jing oscited between disgust and tolerance, taking a while to gradually regain herposure from thepse.

    She took a step back, maintaining a certain distance from Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei faced each other, you looked at me, and I looked at you, neither wanting to start the conversation, both waiting for the other to speak first in order to gain the upper hand.

    In the end, Zhan Qipei was the first to admit defeat.

    ¡°Howe you are here?¡±

    After asking this, Zhan Qipei looked toward Zhou Fu, who was standing aside, ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    ¡°Friend,¡± Qiao Jing simply replied.

    ¡°Friend? When my mom mentioned Mr. Zhou before, why didn¡¯t I hear you mention this?¡±

    Speaking of which, she seemed to have too many friends.

    Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s disciple, Zhou Fu.

    Chief Designer of Yueji Pavilion, Ni Yue.

    Master of Chinese Painting, Han Zhiyu.

    Imperial Capital Police Bureau, Captain Zhao.

    And that ginseng from Wonderful Hall that Qiao Jing gave at his grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet; such a premium ginseng usually served as the treasure of the shop, hardly obtainable for an exorbitant sum, not typically sold under normal circumstances.

    Yet, Qiao Jing had managed to buy it.

    There was no way he would believe there were no favors involved.

    Thus, ording to his analysis, Qiao Jing must know someone high up at Wonderful Hall.

    Not just know them, but also have quite an exceptional rtionship.

    Facing Zhan Qipei¡¯s doubts, Qiao Jing, after calming her mind, had clearer thoughts.

    ¡°In your mom¡¯s eyes, I am just a worthless bumpkin. If I told her I knew Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s disciple, do you think she would believe me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned. She made a lot of sense.

    Probably, his mom wouldn¡¯t just disbelieve her, but also mock her.

    Just like that painting by Han Zhiyu; Qiao Jing had told the truth, but his mom and his aunt then mocked her, showing off as if it was to their own credit.

    ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± Zhou Fu coughed softly, interrupting Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Master¡ªwhy did you suddenlye downstairs?¡± Zhou Fu looked at Qiao Jing with a puzzled face and asked.

    Speaking of this, Qiao Jing became annoyingly angry, ncing at Zhou Fu with eyes holding a trace of fury, ¡°You¡¯re still so sloppy. Didn¡¯t you think to clean the room a bit? You even attracted cockroaches!¡±

    So his master had unexpectedly run into Xiao Qiang, no wonder she had rushed downstairs so frantically just now.

    ¡°I know my mistake, I¡¯ll definitely change in the future!¡±

    ¡°How many times have you said that? When have you ever changed?¡± Qiao Jing red at Zhou Fu, unimpressed.

    ¡°I am wrong, I truly realize my mistake,¡± Zhou Fu pleaded.

    Observing the way Qiao Jing and Zhou Fu interacted, an intuition told Zhan Qipei their rtionship wasn¡¯t as simple as just friends.

    Could it be¡ª

    Another suitor for Qiao Jing?

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze toward Zhou Fu grew unfriendly once again.

    Just then, Qiao Jing looked towards Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±

    Leave him alone?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing back with me?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, his face stern and unpleasant.

    ¡°I have to eat dinner with him today, you go back alone,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    So the friend Qiao Jing mentioned on the phone for the dinner arrangement was Zhou Fu.

    Qipei¡¯s chest visibly heaved, ¡°I¡¯m hungry too, I¡¯ll join you.¡±

    Zhou Fu eyed Qipei with a strange look. Their master was having a meal; why would an outsider tag along and crowd them?

    Also, why did he feel that this man¡¯s gaze towards his master was somewhat inappropriate?

    ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient to bring you along,¡± Qiao Jing bluntly refused.

    Qipei pressed his cool, thin lips together, suppressing his breath, ¡°You said you owed me a favor.¡±

    ¡°A meal for my favor?¡± Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow and asked.

    ¡°Not possible?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Unwilling to treat?¡±

    Zhou Fu blinked dryly as he watched Qiao Jing and Qipei, wondering what kind of three-word game they were ying.

    He thought, ¡°I¡¯m not air; can¡¯t you two stop looking at each other like that? It makes me feel superfluous!¡±

    ¡°Going or not?¡± Zhou Fu thought it was just three words, he could say them too.

    The scene shifted to a certain hotel restaurant.

    Originally, they nned to book a private room, but it was mealtime, and the hotel¡¯s private rooms were fully booked. It was already good enough to have a ce to sit in the restaurant.

    Once the dishes were served, Zhou Fu arranged the dishes Qiao Jing liked in front of her.

    ¡°This is your favorite, and this, this¡­¡±

    Watching Zhou Fu busily serve Qiao Jing, Qipei initially thought Zhou Fu was interested in Qiao Jing, but the more he watched, the more he felt something was off.

    From Zhou Fu¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing, it seemed there wasn¡¯t that kind of interest, but rather a hint of respect.

    Respect???

    This word popped up in Qipei¡¯s mind, and he was surprised by himself.

    As the closest disciple of Divine Doctor Jing, who could be considered second only to Divine Doctor Jing in the medical field, there was no need for him to show respect to Qiao Jing.

    Or was he overthinking it, and Zhou Fu was simply being a gentleman?

    After a moment of silence, Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing and tentatively asked, ¡°Did you learn your medical skills from Mr. Zhou?¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡ªcough cough cough¡ª¡± Zhou Fu choked on Qipei¡¯s surprising question.

    Seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s reaction, Qipei thought he had guessed wrong?

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I learned from an old traditional Chinese doctor and then read some medical books on my own,¡± Qiao Jing replied truthfully.

    Qipei carefully watched Qiao Jing, not missing any slight expression.

    His intuition told him, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t lying.

    ¡°You really haven¡¯t had systematic training?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    Zhou Fu curled his lips; his master had an extraordinary talent and was self-taught. Who could really teach her?

    ¡°No wonder, you¡¯re just a half-baked doctor.¡± Qipei didn¡¯t continue to inquire.

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡± Zhou Fu choked again, ring at Qipei.

    His master was at a half-baked level???

    What a joke! If his master was half-baked, then who among all the doctors in the world dared to im they were skilled?

    After Qipei chewed through a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, he frowned and put down his chopsticks.

    Qiao Jing noticed Qipei¡¯s action and looked at him quizzically. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Doesn¡¯t it taste good?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not as delicious as what you make,¡± Qipei said, and only then did he realize that Qiao Jing had spoiled his taste, making food taste elsewhere feel like chewing wax.

    ¡°What?!¡± Zhou Fu felt a great shock, looking at Qipei with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

    ¡°She cooks for you?¡± Zhou Fu almost broke his voice.

    Qipei furrowed his brows, ¡°She cooks for me, is there a problem?¡±

    Zhou Fu put down the meat from his chopsticks, eyes wide, ¡°How many times has she cooked for you?¡±

    ¡°Almost every day,¡± Qipei replied honestly.

    ¡°Ah ah ah¡ª¡± Zhou Fu was greatly agitated, looking at Qiao Jing with a face full of grievance, ¡°Master! You are biased. You cook for him every day, but you¡¯ve only cooked for me three times. Am I still your most beloved disciple?!¡±

    ¡°Master?¡± Waves of shock surged within Qipei!

 Chapter 86 - 80 Zhan Qipei Follows Qiao Jing into the Bathroom

    Chapter 86: Chapter 80 Zhan Qipei Follows Qiao Jing into the Bathroom

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temple suddenly throbbed, and she nced sidelong at Zhou Fu with a nted look.

    Zhou Fu had just let slip in his excitement upon hearing that Qiao Jing cooked for Zhan Qipei almost every day.

    ¡°He calls you Master?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart was hit by waves of shock as he pursed his thin lips, his burning gazending on Qiao Jing.

    The whole world knew that Zhou Fu¡¯s master was Qiao Jing.

    If Zhou Fu called her Master, then wasn¡¯t she the legendary Divine Doctor Jing?!

    Then her medical skills couldn¡¯t possibly be mediocre!

    At this thought, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils suddenly dted.

    The person who took him from the cornfield that day, who performed surgery on him, could it really be Qiao Jing?!

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my Master. Her cooking is tasty, so I took her as my master to learn cooking,¡± Zhou Fu said with a quick wit.

    ¡°What?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s excitement instantly froze.

    ¡°Just following her and learning to cook!¡± Zhou Fu¡¯s eyes were wide open as if the wider they were, the more conviction he had in his words.

    After a stunned pause of two seconds, Zhan Qipei turned to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°Is what he¡¯s saying true?¡±

    Qiao Jing serenely poured herself a drink, ¡°He is indeed my disciple, and it¡¯s true that he has learned cooking from me.¡±

    What she said was true; when Zhou Fu initially took her as his master, it wasn¡¯t for her medical skills, but for her culinary arts.

    However, in terms of cooking, he had no talent whatsoever.

    After Zhou Fu blew up the 108th pot in a row, Qiao Jing no longer wished to teach him cooking.

    Zhan Qipei carefully observed both Qiao Jing and Zhou Fu; neither seemed to show signs of lying.

    Disappointment reached the depths of his eyes, and he poured himself a ss of red wine, downing it in one gulp.

    He had thought he finally found that girl, but it turned out to be a false joy.

    Right!

    Zhan Qipei suddenly remembered something and looked up at Zhou Fu, ¡°How old is your master, Divine Doctor Jing, this year?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhou Fu guessed what Zhan Qipei was getting at.

    ¡°My Master is 43.¡±

    It¡¯ll be 20 years before she¡¯s 43, he didn¡¯t say that his Master was 43 this year.

    Zhou Fu mumbled thetter part to himself.

    The flicker of hope on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face vanished in an instant.

    That girl, although he hadn¡¯t seen her face clearly, he was certain that she was at most in her early twenties.

    Indeed, after all, Zhou Fu¡¯s master, the Empire¡¯s top divine doctor, how could that young girl possibly be the same person as Divine Doctor Jing.

    The more he thought about it, the more irritable Zhan Qipei felt. After a few sses of red wine, he became so drunk that he swayed unsteadily, his consciousness blurred, and finally, he slumped over the table, motionless.

    ¡°Master, shall I help you take him out first?¡± Zhou Fu asked.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Qiao Jing was never polite with Zhou Fu, seeing him as one of her own, she felt there was no need for courtesy.

    Zhou Fu reached to pull Zhan Qipei, but before he could touch him, Zhan Qipei woke up.

    ¡°Who allowed you to touch me, scram.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Zhou Fu jumped, considering that he was also a highly respected divine doctor ranked second in the Empire.

    And the higher the medical skills, the stranger the temperament.

    Qiao Jing was, and so was Zhou Fu.

    ¡°I¡¯m always revered by others, and today I was actually yelled at. Master, look at him, a mere whippersnapper dares to shout at me? I really want to stick him with a needle and make him infertile, so he can no longer carry on the line, so that he¡¯s childless for life!¡±

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re a 40-year-old arguing with a drunkard, what¡¯s the point?¡± Qiao Jing said unamused.

    ¡°Master, how could you say that? I¡¯m clearly only 39, how could you call me 40?¡± Zhou Fu bristled.

    Qiao Jing gave Zhou Fu a look, letting him figure it out on his own.

    Toozy to deal with Zhou Fu, Zhou Fu extended his hand to pull Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Master, keep your distance from him. This guy is bad-tempered when he¡¯s drunk; what if he tells you to scram too?¡±

    Before Zhou Fu finished speaking, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand had already reached Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Get up, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Zhan Qipei squinted his heavy eyelids, vaguely making out the figure of Qiao Jing.

    It really seemed¡­

    Very much like¡­

    ¡°Hey! Get up.¡± Qiao Jing called out again.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhan Qipei obediently responded and got up, following the pull of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand,

    using her strength to stand.

    Zhou Fu held his breath.

    Why should it be?

    When he called you just now, you told him to roll. When his master calls you, you just say okay.

    Are you really drunk or just faking it?

    After getting up, Zhan Qipei staggered, hardly able to stand on his feet.

    As Qiao Jing supported Zhan Qipei, she nced at his legs, ¡°If you can¡¯t walk, I¡¯ll carry you.¡±

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Zhan Qipei leaned onto Qiao Jing, wrapping her up tightly from behind.

    ¡°Come on! Taking advantage of my master when I¡¯m here as an apprentice!¡± Zhou Fu reached out to pull Zhan Qipei away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him. What if he falls?¡± Qiao Jing spoke out to stop him.

    Zhou Fu looked at Qiao Jing with disbelief, ¡°Master, you feel sorry for him? You couldn¡¯t possibly have fallen for him, could you?¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to entertain Zhou Fu, ¡°Open the car door.¡±

    Zhou Fu pouted, looking unhappy.

    ¡°I won¡¯t recognize such an apprentice-grandfather.¡±

    Ignoring Zhou Fu¡¯s grumbling, Qiao Jing took a taxi back to Nantai Apartment.

    Zhan Qipei was very drunk, which didn¡¯t bother Qiao Jing too much. What she couldn¡¯t stand was that the man kept gripping her wrist and not letting go, mumbling under his breath.

    ¡°I¡¯ve caught you¡­ Now you can¡¯t run away¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing guessed Zhan Qipei, in his drunken state, had mistaken her for the person who saved him that day.

    Having her wrist clutched for over an hour, Qiao Jing grew anxious to use the restroom. She exerted force to pull her hand free.

    But the harder she pulled, the tighter he gripped.

    ¡°Still trying to run¡­ I¡¯ve looked for you so long¡­ To dare do that to me¡­ No woman has ever dared touch me, yet you even dared to shave¡­¡±

    The man burped right at that point.

    Qiao Jing tried prying his fingers off, to no avail.

    ¡°How can I remove the bullet if I don¡¯t shave? That¡¯s basic medical knowledge, you know?¡± Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but retort.

    ¡°The price¡­ I want you to pay for a lifetime¡­ I won¡¯t let you escape from the palm of my hand for the rest of your life¡­¡±

    The more the man spoke, the more speechless Qiao Jing became.

    It was like Lu Dongbin being bitten by a dog, unappreciative of kindness; she operated on you, saved your life, and yet you seek vengeance!

    Qiao Jing pulled out a Golden Needle and pricked the man¡¯s wrist with it.

    ¡°Mmm¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei flinched in pain and tugged at his hand.

    Qiao Jing swiftly withdrew her hand.

    Atst, she was free.

    Touching her abdomen, the bloating pain was severe, so she hurried to the restroom for relief.

    Just as Qiao Jing stepped into the restroom and sat down, not even three seconds had passed when the door was pushed open from outside.

    Perched on the toilet, Qiao Jing looked up in astonishment at Zhan Qipei towering over her.

    She felt she had never been so lost for words in her life.

    As if she weren¡¯t lost for words enough, the manpletely ignored her presence, walked straight to the urinal beside her, and began¡­

 Chapter 87 - 81 Zhan Qipeis Revenge on Qiao Jing

    Chapter 87: Chapter 81 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Revenge on Qiao Jing

    ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± Qiao Jing felt her ears turn red.

    It was only because Zhan Qipei was drunk that she resisted the urge to punch him hard.

    Just as Qiao Jing had those thoughts, the man finished and didn¡¯t leave. He nced towards Qiao Jing before finally exiting and even closed the door behind him.

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead twitched uncontrobly a few times.

    Taking a deep breath, don¡¯t be angry, don¡¯t be angry.

    After he finished, Qiao Jing opened the door, and as soon as she stepped out of the restroom, her wrist was again seized by the man.

    Her eyes widened as she looked at Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    She remembered¡ª he hadn¡¯t washed his hands!

    ¡°What, what are you doing here?¡± Qiao Jing managed to say, nearly speechless.

    ¡°Waiting for you,¡± said Qipei, as he pulled her towards his room.

    And indeed, although the man was quite drunk, his strength was evidently not diminished, as he dragged her into the room in mere moments.

    With one hand holding Qiao Jing and the other pulling back the nket, Qipei said, ¡°Lie down.¡±

    Hmm? Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted as she sized the man up and down.

    Seeing Qiao Jing not moving, Zhan Qipei frowned unhappily.

    ¡°Hurry and lie down.¡±

    Qiao Jing twitched the corner of her mouth, ¡°How can I lie down when you¡¯re holding onto me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, his eyes bleary, stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, his brow knit tight, seemingly weighing some matter of national importance.

    After a whole minute of silence, Zhan Qipei finally released Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Now free, Qiao Jing stretched out her hand and forcefully pushed the man¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°You lie down by yourself!¡±

    Zhan Qipei stumbled towards the bed and just as his buttocks were about to hit the mattress, with quick eyes and swift legs, he hooked Qiao Jing¡¯s leg at thest moment, pulling and dragging her down sharply.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to suddenly do this, and unprepared, her body lost bnce and she tumbled onto him.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡ª¡±

    They fell onto the bed.

    Qiao Jingy on top of Zhan Qipei, her forehead having knocked against his chest.

    She had long noticed that the man¡¯s chest was as hard and firm as a rock.

    Zhan Qipei felt differently, though; to him, it was as if his arms were filled with cotton, so soft that he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to squeeze and alter its shape.

    What was he doing?!

    As soon as Qiao Jing felt his wandering hands, she immediately got up from him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Zhan Qipeimanded, looking at Qiao Jing.

    Once in his arms, she was his to do with as he pleased¡ª no escape allowed.

    Rolling her eyes at Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing remembered him saying how her drinking habits were questionable, howst time she ended up hogging his bed while drunk. Seeing him like this, she decided to inform him once he sobered up that his drinking habits were the truly problematic ones.

    As Qiao Jing harbored these thoughts, the man began to make movements again.

    Here we go again!

    Unable to bear it any longer, Qiao Jing grabbed the man¡¯s arm, flipped him over, and pinned it behind his back.

    ¡°Keep moving, and don¡¯t me me if you get pricked with a needle!¡±

    A minute passed, and the many motionless on the bed, eyes closed, apparently asleep.

    ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Qiao Jing exhaled the stale air, relieved he was asleep.

    Just as she thought this and was about to get up, she was suddenly pinned under him as he turned over; her hands were caught, her legs were grabbed, she kicked, but her feet were mped between his, tightly held.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s hands were effortlessly sped by his single hand above her head, rendering her unable to move.

    Feeling the tight grip on her wrist, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but note that the man¡¯s hands were trulyrge, giving her a potent sense of masculine pheromones.

    ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± Qiao Jing frowned, annoyance flickering in her eyes.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved up, the usual dignified air reced by a bewitching, reckless charm.

    His gaze shifted andnded on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m a firm believer in tit-for-tat. Whatever you did to me back then, I intend to do the same to you now.¡±

    What the heck!

    Utterly ridiculous!

    Qiao Jing genuinely felt that this was the most absurd night of her life.

    What had she done to him in the past?

    It was merely her making adjustments for a surgery, that¡¯s all.

    He said he would reciprocate?

    How so?

    Could it be¡­

    As Qiao Jing contemted what he might do to her next, her face instantly darkened.

    After a brief pause, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, and her lips curled up.

    ¡°Come closer, I have something to tell you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei halted his actions, lifted his gaze, and looked at the girl, captivated by her nce.

    One couldn¡¯t me his weak resistance, for Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were of the sort that could enticingly hook a soul, the slight smiling curl at the corners suggesting they were little hooks capable of ensnaring one¡¯s spirit instantly.

    Zhan Qipei uncontrobly moved closer to Qiao Jing¡¯s tender appearance, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down.

 Chapter 88 - 82 Zhan Qipei Begins to Think of Qiao Jing

    Chapter 88: Chapter 82 Zhan Qipei Begins to Think of Qiao Jing

    ¡°`

    Just as the man was preparing to go further, Qiao Jing finally seized the opportunity, quickly withdrew her hands from the man¡¯srge grasp, and then raised her hand swiftly¡ªknife falling, striking the man¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Mm-hmm¡ª¡± The man let out a muffled groan before he fell down, his face buried in the valley in front of the girl.

    The expression on Qiao Jing¡¯s face suddenly darkened, and she pushed the man off her body with a shove. After giving him a displeased nce, she got out of bed and straightened her clothes.

    Qiao Jing silently calcted the time in her mind, 49 days remained until her rtionship with Zhan Qipei waspletely over. Considering the short number of days left, the stifled anger in her heart finally dissipated.

    The next day when Zhan Qipei woke up, he found himself lying on his own bed, without even a nket covering him.

    This woman, she brought him back, yet didn¡¯t even bother to cover him with a nket.

    Last time she was drunk, he still covered her with a nket.

    Zhan Qipei sat up from the bed, rubbing his slightly sore temples.

    A loud ¡°bang¡ª¡± the sound of a door closing came from outside.

    She left?

    So early?

    Zhan Qipei pulled open the door and looked outside; it was empty, leaving only him alone, making him feel an inexplicable sense of emptiness.

    This feeling was very subtle for him; he has always enjoyed peace, not fond of being disturbed. Before, Purple Garden was so big, yet he never felt empty or lonely.

    And now, an apartment of less than a hundred square meters actually made him feel lonely.

    After scanning the room, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze settled on the flowerpots on the balcony and walked over to take a look.

    He remembered this ¡°number 1¡± flowerpot that only had a bud before, now it had grown leaves.

    And this ¡°number 9¡± pot, the morning before he saw it hadn¡¯t yet broken through the soil, yet in just one day and one night, it had already sprouted green shoots.

    He found this life filled with a rural atmosphere quite interesting.

    After realizing this, Zhan Qipei found himself smiling.

    Raising his hand to touch his mouth, he discovered that he had smiled more in this period than in the past decade or so.

    Since when did he start to change like this?

    The moment this question arose in his mind, the image of the girl¡¯s beautiful and pure face emerged in Zhan Qipei¡¯s thoughts.

    As he thought about it, the scene in his mind shifted, and he found himself pinning Qiao Jing down on the bed, even pulling at her pants.

    ¡°This¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow furrowed, and he reached up to massage the center of his eyebrows.

    Was he having a hallucination?

    How could he possibly do such a thing to Qiao Jing?

    Right, it must be a hallucination.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei btedly noticed a soreness in the back of his neck.

    He touched it.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    It really hurt, or else he wouldn¡¯t have groaned.

    Zhan Qipei went to the mirror and turned his neck to look at it.

    Instantly, his face turned as blue and purple as the back of his neck.

    Now there was no doubt.

    ¡°That woman¡­¡±

    ¡°`

    What a heavy hand!

    Zhan Qipei was puzzled by his actions¡ªEven if he had been drunk, he shouldn¡¯t have done such a thing to Qiao Jing, should he?

    Could it be that, in his drunken haze, he mistook Qiao Jing for the person who saved him that day?

    Zhan Qipei felt this possibility was likely, and decided that he should drink less in the future to prevent doing such a thing to Qiao Jing again.

    If by chance Qiao Jing were also drunk and couldn¡¯t resist, and something happened between them¡­ that would be troublesome¡­

    He pushed those thoughts aside for now as the recent cooperation with the Gan family was giving him a headache; he had to go to thepany early for a meeting today and sort things out as soon as possible.

    Around six in the evening, Qiao Jing returned from buying groceries at the market and was stopped by Qiao Licheng right at the doorstep.

    ¡°What are you doing here again? What, do you really want to end up in the station?¡±

    A few days ago, Zhan Qipei had almost sent Qiao Licheng to the station. In the end, Qiao Jing, considering he was her biological father, let him off and saved him from jail.

    This also marked the final severance of her and Qiao Licheng¡¯s father-daughter rtionship.

    To Qiao Jing¡¯s surprise, despite her attitude, Qiao Licheng didn¡¯t show the slightest hint of anger.

    That made Qiao Jing somewhat perplexed.

    With a big smile, Qiao Licheng approached Qiao Jing, ¡°My daughter, your dad hasn¡¯t treated you well in the past. Captain Zhao gave me a talking-to, which made me feel very ashamed, so I want to take you home and make up for the twenty years of affection I owe you.¡±

    Hmm? What¡¯s he up to all of a sudden?

    Qiao Jing wondered if Captain Zhao had revealed to Qiao Licheng that she was Professor Qiao.

    That seemed unlikely, didn¡¯t it? Her identity was a secret; if she didn¡¯t want to reveal it, surely those around her wouldn¡¯t disclose it.

    ¡°You owe me nothing. We are now independent individuals. You live your life, and I have mine. Just don¡¯t bother me, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Qiao Licheng still showed no sign of annoyance, maintaining the demeanor of a loving father while looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, I know you me me for being heartless and abandoning you in the past. I don¡¯t want to make excuses, but in short, it¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ve realized my mistakes deeply, and I hope you can give me a chance to make amends!¡±

    Qiao Licheng spoke with sincere earnestness, almost on the point of kneeling before Qiao Jing.

    With her understanding of Qiao Licheng and his family, Qiao Jing felt that his current attitude and actions were too baffling.

    ¡°What is it you really want?¡±

    ¡°Just wanting to take you back home,¡± Qiao Licheng said with a sheepish grin.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t speak up, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Qiao Jing said and strode past him.

    Qiao Licheng saw Qiao Jing really leaving without paying him any attention, so he hurriedly chased after her and stopped her again.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°My name is Qiao Jing,¡± Qiao Jing coldly interrupted Qiao Licheng.

    She didn¡¯t like it when people she wasn¡¯t close to called her by such intimate names; it was irksome.

    Qiao Licheng clenched his back teeth, suppressing his frustration, and continued pretending to be a caring father.

    ¡°Kid, I genuinely feel I was wrong and want to take you back to make it up to you. So, I went out of my way to find you a good marriage proposal, Boss Hou, the big boss of Huayang Foodstuff. Though he¡¯s over fifty, he¡¯s healthy, and his wife has passed away. He has a son and a daughter. Marrying him, you won¡¯t even need to have children¡ªjust look after Boss Hou, and that¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s defiant and cool brows lifted slightly, and an ominous pressure surged towards Qiao Licheng.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s stare gave Qiao Licheng an instant chill down his spine, his hair on end, his heart fluttering with dread: Why is this girl¡¯s gaze so terrifying? Like a sharp ice de, it pierced straight into his eyes.

    ¡°Heh¡ªnning to marry me off to some old geezer? You say it¡¯s for my good, but in fact, it¡¯s for your own benefit, for the Qiao family to gain advantages, right?¡±

    Smart as Qiao Jing was, she quickly guessed Qiao Licheng¡¯s intentions.

    With the fa?ade stripped away, Qiao Licheng¡¯s face was hard to maintain, but there was no choice¡ªfor Qiao Mengtong¡¯s sake, for the sake of their Qiao family, he had to keep up the act and take Qiao Jing back with him.

    ¡°Child, your thinking is so outdated! It¡¯s understandable since you¡¯ve been living in the countryside and haven¡¯t been exposed to the outside world, hardly influenced by modern thinking. Listen to me, a man is in his prime at fifty¡ªhow can he be called an old geezer? Plus, Boss Hou is the chairman and general manager of Huayang Foodstuff. So many women dream of marrying him but don¡¯t get the chance, and I went through a lot of trouble just to get him to agree to meet you. Whether it works out depends on whether you¡¯ll strive for it.¡±

 Chapter 89 - 83 Qiao Jing Cried

    Chapter 89: Chapter 83 Qiao Jing Cried

    Qiao Jing scoffed coldly, ¡°Such a great opportunity, you should save it for your precious daughter Qiao Mengtong. I¡¯m already married now.¡±

    After these words, Qiao Jing did not want to say another word to Qiao Licheng, and she strode into themunity.

    Desperate, Qiao Licheng chased after her, speaking as he did, ¡°My child, think about it again, it¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!¡±

    Qiao Jing was particrly annoyed with Qiao Licheng, stopped in her tracks, and spoke with an uncontrobly harsh tone.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, I will have security throw you out.¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face stiffened, and for the sake of his ultimate goal, he forcefully suppressed the rage in his heart once again.

    ¡°On the 29th at the end of this month, it¡¯s your sister¡¯s birthday, and I hope you cane.¡±

    Qiao Licheng nned to arrange for Qiao Jing to meet Boss Hou at the banquet, hoping that Boss Hou would take a liking to Qiao Jing, and thus, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s crisis would be resolved.

    The 29th¡­

    Qiao Jing paused, that day was also her birthday, and Lin Xiuxiang had been moring to celebrate it for her.

    Qiao Licheng probably doesn¡¯t remember.

    What does it matter whether he remembers or not? Either way, it¡¯s irrelevant to her.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, Qiao Licheng¡¯s next words touched her deeply.

    ¡°Your mother left quite a few things for you before she passed away. I had everything gathered, toys, scarves, sweaters, gloves she knitted for you¡­ There¡¯s also a USB drive, also left by her, hoping you would see it when you grew up.¡±

    On hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s grip on the stic bag tightened, emotions surging within her.

    Although she had no memory of her biological mother, who had only cared for her for less than a month before she passed away, she knew she had a good mother, the best and most selfless mother in the world.

    Everyone else had abandoned her, only her mother tirelessly stayed by her side every day, caring for her¡­

    At this thought, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes began to swell with pain, turning red and moist.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s rare disy of sadness, Qiao Licheng was secretly thrilled, believing his n was a sess.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget,e on the 29th, attend your sister¡¯s birthday party, and I¡¯ll give you all these items.¡±

    After reminding Qiao Jing a couple more times, Qiao Licheng turned and left cheerfully.

    Qiao Jing looked up to the sky and took a deep breath, holding back her tears.

    All these years, she had always been strong on her own, rarely letting anything affect her emotions.

    Only her mother remained the softest spot in her heart.

    Untouchable.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    As soon as Zhan Qipei got out of the car, he saw Qiao Jing looking up, seemingly at nothing.

    Looking up where Qiao Jing was looking, he saw nothing.

    Zhan Qipei walked over, puzzled, ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Zhan Qipei saw the girl¡¯s reddened eyes, bearing a pitiful look as if restraining her tears, which stirred a painful, sympathetic feeling inside him.

    It felt as though his heart was being clenched.

    ¡°Are you unwell?¡± His voice instinctively softened, fearing that speaking too loudly might cause the girl more difort.

    Qiao Jing shook her head and said nothing.

    Zhan Qipei frowned slightly, his face darkening as his voice unconsciously grew colder, ¡°Has someone been bullying you?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Do I look like someone who would be bullied?¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei recalled past events and realized that indeed, every time someone had trouble with Qiao Jing, they were met with her direct rebuttal.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, the wind is strong, it got in my eyes.¡±

    Strong wind?

    Zhan Qipei scanned the surroundings, the leaves on the treetops were as still as a painting, and not a single hair on the girl¡¯s head fluttered. This excuse was technicallycking, wasn¡¯t it?

    But if the girl wouldn¡¯t speak up, even if he continued asking, he wouldn¡¯t get the answers he sought.

    If he couldn¡¯t ask, he could investigate.

    After returning to his apartment room, Zhan Qipei immediately called Tang Yan.

    ¡°Check it out, who has she been in contact with today, has anyone been looking for trouble with her?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Tang Yan was stunned for a moment, ¡°Her? Who? Miss? Couldn¡¯t be, right? With Miss¡¯s temper, who would dare to bully her? Could it be Miss Qiao? If it¡¯s really Miss Qiao, that would be troublesome.¡±

    Tang Yan was troubled; he was currently pursuing Lin Xiuxiang, who was Qiao Jing¡¯s good friend. If the boss was really causing trouble for Qiao Jing over Nanqing¡¯s matter, he would be in a difficult position being caught in the middle!

    While Tang Yan was pondering, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice rang out on the phone.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

    ¡°Really Miss Qiao?!¡± Tang Yan twitched his cursed lips, ¡°Boss, I think Miss Qiao is quite a sensible person, usually wouldn¡¯t provoke others deliberately. Not that I¡¯m speaking ill of the youngdy, but I think this matter is mostly stirred up by the youngdy herself.¡±

    Zhan Qipei wordlessly twitched at the corner of his eye, ¡°The ¡®her¡¯ I am referring to is Qiao Jing!¡±

    Tang Yan was momentarily stunned, realizing his misunderstanding.

    ¡°Oh, alright, I¡¯ll start investigating immediately!¡±

    Qiao Jing being bullied meant he had to be diligent in his investigation, so he sent out all the manpower he could employ, determined to find the person who bullied Qiao Jing in the shortest time possible.

    If someone dared to bully Qiao Jing, she was Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s friend, and that made her his, Tang Yan¡¯s, friend!

    The neighboring room.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s emotions had settled, and recalling Qiao Licheng¡¯s attitude earlier, she had been that to him, and he hadn¡¯t gotten angry at all?

    Could it really be that he only wanted to use her to please the boss of Huayang Foodstuff?

    Qiao Jing opened her phone, sending a message to Xu Moqian to investigate it.

    Ten minutester, Qiao Jing received a call from Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Damn it! Are they freaking kidding me?!¡± Xu Moqian was so infuriated he felt like flipping a table.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much! I¡¯m about to be driven to death by them! What about looking out for you, acquainting you with the boss of Huayang Foodstuff? It¡¯s all bullshit!¡±

    Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t usually a vulgar person, in fact, he was well-mannered, rarely swearing, only doing so when faced with things he couldn¡¯t tolerate.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you don¡¯t know, it turns out Qiao Mengtong had offended Hou Bo¡¯s mistress, so Hou Bo made Qiao Mengtong wait on him. The Qiao family wouldn¡¯t let their precious daughter suffer, so they proposed that you rece Qiao Mengtong, to be Hou Bo¡¯s ything!¡±

    This revtion startled Qiao Jing.

    She thought Qiao Licheng merely wanted her to join the Hou family in exchange for business benefits. She hadn¡¯t expected it was to shield Qiao Mengtong from disaster.

    ¡°Hmph! Sounds nice, saying it¡¯s marriage! Basically, it means sending you to Hou Bo. It¡¯s despicable!¡± Xu Moqian gnashed his teeth, bellowing in fury.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face turned icy, her eyes and brows chilled.

    Consider, she had her own means of self-protection. If she were just an ordinary person, could she have resisted Qiao Licheng? Needless to say, the oue would definitely involve her being captured by Qiao Licheng and delivered to Hou Bo¡¯s bed.

    Originally, she was meant to plead for Qiao Mengtong¡¯s pardon; by then, whether dead or alive, whole or injured, who would care?

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei received a call back from Tang Yan.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve found it.¡±

 Chapter 90 - 84: An Indescribable Heartache

    Chapter 90: Chapter 84: An Indescribable Heartache

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Qiao¡¯s father, Qiao Licheng.¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡­

    Again, him!

    As soon as Zhan Qipei thought of how Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes had been red just now, the rage inside him surged uncontrobly.

    If he hadn¡¯t been considering that the man was Qiao Jing¡¯s biological father, and Qiao Jing had told him this was thest time, he would definitely have sent Qiao Licheng to prison for ten or eight years without release.

    After putting down his phone, Zhan Qipei walked to the door of Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    ¡°Knock knock¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the door, puzzled.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± A low voice came from outside.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    After replying, Qiao Jing said to her phone, ¡°Let¡¯s talkter, gotta go now.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing opened the door, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s unhappy face and wondered what was wrong with him. Who had offended him?

    Before Qiao Jing could ask, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice preempted her.

    ¡°Did Qiao Licheng juste by?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei ask that, Qiao Jing guessed he must already know everything.

    ¡°He did, right when I returned from grocery shopping.¡±

    ¡°Did hey a hand on you?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with his fists clenched tight, knuckles protruding.

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying. You almost cried just now.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly. She had always disliked showing her vulnerable side in front of others, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s sudden usation made her feel somewhat embarrassed.

    ¡°He really didn¡¯t touch me. I was just thinking about my mom.¡±

    Seeing how Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful eyes visibly dulled, Zhan Qipei remembered thest time; Qiao Licheng had mentioned her mother who had passed away years ago in front of Qiao Jing, and then she had be downcast.

    ¡°What did he say to you?¡±

    ¡°Not much. He asked me to retrieve something my mother left for me before she passed.¡± Qiao Jing replied sinctly.

    ¡°Is that really it?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s intuition told him that it couldn¡¯t be that simple. He didn¡¯t believe that Qiao Licheng was that kind-hearted to make a special trip just to return Qiao Jing¡¯s belongings.

    If he really wanted to give the items to Qiao Jing, he would have done so long ago. There was no need to wait until today.

    Therefore, he guessed that this was just an excuse and that Qiao Licheng must have had other reasons for looking for Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing lifted her gaze to Zhan Qipei, her delicate eyebrows lifted slightly, ¡°Are you this concerned about me? I find it hard to get used to.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and his expression turned stern, ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about you, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re now also considered half a member of the Zhan family. We, the Zhan family, never tolerate outsiders bullying us. Qiao Licheng has repeatedly troubled you, which is tantamount to disregarding the Zhan family.¡±

    Yes! He was acting this way only to maintain the dignity of his family.

    The Zhan family would not tolerate any challenge.

    ¡°Oh, I see. Then you don¡¯t need to worry about the Zhan family¡¯s reputation being dirtied because of me. I can easily handle such a small matter,¡± Qiao Jing said expressionlessly to Zhan Qipei.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s distancing remarks made Zhan Qipei feel rather ufortable.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need my help?¡±

    ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m off to cook now.¡± Qiao Jing said, then headed towards the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating back, frowned, and the difort grew more pronounced.

    A few secondster, Qiao Jing came out of the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, which had darkened, suddenly lit up, his lips curving up, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Regretting it? Want my help now?¡±

    Girls should be softer, not shouldering everything on their own. So, it wouldn¡¯t be shameful for you, Qiao Jing, to lean on him asionally.

    ¡°No, I wanted to say that on the 29th, I need to go back to the Qiao family, and I won¡¯t be cooking that day. You¡¯ll need to sort yourself out,¡± Qiao Jing finished speaking and disappeared without lingering, leaving Zhan Qipei standing alone.

    Zhan Qipei took a deep, long breath and exhaled before turning and pulling the door behind him to return to his own room.

    Before she knew it, the 29th had arrived.

    Qiao Jing put on a casual outfit and left the house with her bag.

    Standing on the balcony, Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, feeling uneasy in his heart.

    Regarding the matter of Qiao Licheng visiting Qiao Jing a couple of days before, Zhan Qipei had originally nned to have Tang Yan investigate further, but he had been so angered by Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude that he had put off the investigation.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei felt a twitch in his right eye.

    ¡°Left eye twitch means fortune, and right eye twitch means cmity,¡± his mother often said.

    He never believed it, but at this moment, as he watched Qiao Jing get into a taxi, he couldn¡¯t feel at peace.

    Time ticked by second by second, and the unease in the pit of his stomach grew stronger, making it hard to ignore.

    He pursed his lips and pulled out his phone, dialing Tang Yan¡¯s number.

    ¡°Could you investigate what has happened recently with the Qiao Family?¡±

    Tang Yan¡¯s efficiency was unmatched; within a mere five minutes, he had found everything out.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong offended Hou Bo¡¯s lover, and Hou Bo demanded that Qiao Mengtong visit his vi to apologize. It¡¯s said to be an apology, but it¡¯s really to torment her. Qiao Mengtong didn¡¯t dare go, so the Qiao Family concocted a n for Miss Qiao to go in her stead.¡±

    As Tang Yan spoke, he suddenly felt a chilling cold seep through the phone, making him shiver involuntarily.

    Zhan Qipei squinted his eyes that were hazy with cold frost, his chilling aura swirling around him.

    Damned members of the Qiao Family!

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t agree!¡±

    Wait!

    Zhan Qipei understood now ¨C no wonder Qiao Licheng had suddenly told Qiao Jing that he wanted to give her her mother¡¯s keepsakes. It was because he knew Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t agree to take Mengtong¡¯s ce, so he used such a reason to bait Qiao Jing.

    Once Qiao Jing entered the Qiao Family¡¯sir, it would be easy to enter but hard to leave!

    ¡°You hurry and take people over. I¡¯ll go ahead!¡±

    In this critical moment, any dy could increase the danger for Qiao Jing.

    With this in mind, Zhan Qipei quickly grabbed his car keys and dashed toward the garage.

    Zhan Qipei drove fast. As soon as Qiao Jing got out of the car, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s car parked by the road.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Qiao Jing asked with a puzzled face as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei strode towards Qiao Jing, ¡°Do you know Qiao Licheng¡¯s intentions?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei say this, Qiao Jing guessed that he must already know.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And yet you still came?¡±

    ¡°I came to get my and my mother¡¯s belongings back.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee alone. If Qiao Licheng asked you toe here, he must have prepared in advance,¡± Zhan Qipei frowned as he said.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    What Zhan Qipei could think of, Qiao Jing had also considered.

    ¡°Knowing this, why did you stille?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. His preparations are his business, mying is mine, and leaving will be mine too. If I want to leave, no one can stop me.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words were not bravado; she was merely stating a fact calmly.

    Zhan Qipei knew Qiao Jing had some fighting skills, but the current Qiao Family was like a dragon¡¯s den and tiger¡¯sir. Qiao Jing was unarmed and alone; leaving safely and unscathed would be difficult.

    ¡°I will go in with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing was visibly surprised by his words, not expecting Zhan Qipei to make such an offer.

    Then she thought, he must be doing this to preserve the face of the Zhan Family.

    ¡°Thank you for your kind intention, but I¡¯ll go in by myself. And besides, I don¡¯t think Qiao Licheng will do something over the line to me. After all, I am now half a member of the Zhan Family. Even if he wants me to take the rap for Mengtong, he would wait until after our divorce,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Zhan Qipei also knew that Qiao Licheng wouldn¡¯t use Qiao Jing to take the blow so quickly, but he still couldn¡¯t help worrying that Qiao Jing would be at a disadvantage inside.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go in now,¡± Qiao Jing said as she turned around, only to have her wrist suddenly grasped by therge hand that reached out for her.

 Chapter 91 - 85 Is it her birthday today?

    Chapter 91: Chapter 85 Is it her birthday today?

    Qiao Jing lowered her head to look at her wrist, then raised it to look at the man, her clear, beautiful eyes shining with a questioning light.

    Under Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Zhan Qipei btedly realized what he was doing.

    He withdrew his hand immediately, his eyebrows darkening with a serious expression, ¡°It¡¯s up to you, whether you live or die, it has nothing to do with me.¡±

    They say women are fathomless like the sea, but Qiao Jing found Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart to be equally hard to figure out, fickle and as unpredictable as the weather. One moment all was well, the next, faces were turned faster than the pages of a book.

    ¡°You should go back,¡± Qiao Jing said before turning and walking into the vi.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing entered than Tang Yan promptly arrived with a group of men.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve brought over a dozen men, should we rush in now?¡± Tang Yan asked.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need my help, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    What?

    Go back?

    Tang Yan was taken aback, nced at the Qiao family vi, and then at Zhan Qipei, who had gotten into the car.

    He had just arrived, hadn¡¯t done anything yet, and they were leaving just like that?

    Once Tang Yan got back into the car, he hurriedly asked, ¡°Boss, are we really not going to take care of Miss Qiao?¡±

    ¡°She has declined my goodwill, there is no need for me to stay and help her,¡± Zhan Qipei said emotionlessly.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve found out that the Chairman of Huayang Foodstuff, Hou Bo, has arrived,¡± Tang Yan said, noticing Zhan Qipei¡¯s frown at this revtion.

    It seemed the boss still cared about Miss Qiao.

    Honestly, he thought Miss Qiao was actually quite nice, after all, she was Xiangxiang¡¯s good friend. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together, and being smart, kind, and adorable like Lin Xiuxiang, her friends couldn¡¯t be bad, could they?

    It was a pity that the boss was already prejudiced, having someone else he liked. In his opinion, the boss hadn¡¯t even clearly seen the girl¡¯s face, nor did he know her character, so at most, she was just a pleasant fantasy in the boss¡¯s mind¡ªtoo ephemeral and unrealistic.

    Qiao Jing was different, she was a real, living, breathing person, with blood, flesh, and feelings, and also had education and independence¡ªa pretty good girl, really.

    Of course, the most important point was still that one.

    She was Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s good friend.

    So she couldn¡¯t be bad.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze had already shifted, looking out the car window at the Qiao family vi.

    Seeing how Zhan Qipei looked, Tang Yan was in no hurry to drive.

    ¡°Boss, how about I let two people sneak in and secretly stream video, to watch the situation inside? This way we can also ensure Miss Qiao¡¯s safety,¡± he suggested.

    ¡°No need,¡± Zhan Qipei uttered indifferently.

    Three minutester, aptop was ced in front of Zhan Qipei, broadcasting live footage from inside the Qiao family home.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move the camera around, keep it on Qiao Jing,¡± he ordered.

    ¡°Yes,¡± came the reply.

    Tang Yan secretly clicked his tongue in his mind.

    We¡¯ll just watch, and stay quiet.

    In the video, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong walked toward Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You finally came,¡± Qiao Licheng looked at Qiao Jing and said.

    ¡°Where is the stuff?¡± Qiao Jing asked indifferently.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t rush. Today is your sister¡¯s birthday. Let¡¯s wait for your sister to cut the cake first, then I¡¯ll introduce you to the chairman of Huayang Foodstuff, Boss Hou.¡± As soon as Qiao Licheng finished speaking, the voice of a young man followed.

    ¡°Why is only Sister cutting the cake? Even though I was born two yearster, I know that Sister and Qiao Jing share the same birthday. You¡¯re being unfairly biased as a father, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s bad enough that you don¡¯t celebrate Qiao Jing¡¯s birthday, but you also make Qiao Jing watch the person born on the same day as him have a birthday cake cut in front of him.¡±

    The one who spoke was none other than Qiao Mengtong¡¯s own younger brother by the same parents, Qiao Zihao.

    Qiao Zihao was infamous in the circles as a profligate rich young man, not because he was innately bad, but as an ordinary person, he was always overshadowed by the talented Qiao Mengtong.

    Especially being born into a family with such snobbish parents, he lived in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s shadow every day, getting scolded by his parents non-stop, berating him for being useless and telling him to learn from his sister.

    At first, he tried hard and desperately hoped he could catch up to Qiao Mengtong, but ultimately, he was way behind Qiao Mengtong in both academic performance and in other talents, and no matter how hard he tried, all he got from his parents were cold looks and disappointment.

    In the end, to hell with trying.

    Since the oue was always the same in the end, he might as wellpletely let loose and be a rebellious and ignorant youth.

    ¡°Get lost, it¡¯s none of your business causing a ruckus here!¡± As soon as Qiao Licheng saw Qiao Zihao, he got so angry he could hardly contain himself.

    How on earth had he managed to father such a son? What karma was this from a past life? Always at odds with him?

    Everything was fine until Qiao Zihao stirred things up; now, who knew what Qiao Jing would think?

    To tell the truth, he had actually forgotten about Qiao Jing¡¯s birthday. Now that he thought about it, wasn¡¯t it true? Over twenty years ago, his ex-wife, Qiao Jing¡¯s biological mother, and Zheng Haijuan, his mistress, were pregnant at the same time and even gave birth on the same day.

    He still remembered back then, he had stayed with Zheng Haijuan throughout, cheering her on in the delivery room, while at home they kept calling him toe back, saying Qiao Jing¡¯s mother was having a difficultbor, and he used being stuck in traffic as an excuse.

    Gathering his thoughts, Qiao Licheng grinned sheepishly at Qiao Jing, ¡°Xiao Jing, actually, I¡¯ve always remembered your birthday. I was nning to give you a surprise, but this kid just let it out. Heh heh¡ªheh heh¡ª You and your sister cut the cake together! Cut it together.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong looked at Qiao Jing with a cold, dark face, thinking that if it weren¡¯t for waiting for you to take the fall for her, she wouldn¡¯t want to cut the cake with you or share a birthday with you.

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk¡ª¡± Qiao Zihao smacked his lips. ¡°What an actor, you clearly didn¡¯t know today was Qiao Jing¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Qiao Licheng was so angry he really felt like taking off his shoe and smacking him with the sole.

    ¡°Today is her birthday? Why didn¡¯t she say anything?¡± Zhan Qipei muttered to himself.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know that,¡± Tang Yan scratched the back of his head.

    Zhan Qipei looked up at Tang Yan, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡±

    Tang Yan looked around the car and realized it was just the two of them; he had spoken, and it didn¡¯t seem right not to say something.

    Of course, that was something Tang Yan only dared to think to himself and wouldn¡¯t really say out loud.

    Qiao Jing nced at the cake on the table and then looked away, ¡°I¡¯m not here to cut a cake; I¡¯m here to take back my things.¡±

    ¡°Cut the cake first, andter¡ª¡± Before Qiao Licheng could finish his sentence, he was ruthlessly interrupted by Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Where are my things?¡±

    With so many people around, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Qiao Licheng any face in front of everyone, which made Qiao Licheng¡¯s forced smile freeze on his face.

    Qiao Licheng took a deep breath, forcing another strained smile, ¡°Look, there¡¯s Boss Hou, still looking quite young, right? I¡¯ll take you over to him.¡±

    As Qiao Licheng moved to pull Qiao Jing, he hadn¡¯t even touched her when Qiao Jing raised her hand and flicked his away.

    With a ¡°snap,¡± the sound was exceptionally crisp and loud.

 Chapter 92 - 86: Capture Her for Me

    Chapter 92: Chapter 86: Capture Her for Me

    In an instant, everyone¡¯s gaze unanimously shifted to Qiao Jing and Qiao Licheng, their eyes peculiar as they whispered among themselves.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s hand was so numb from the shock that it wasn¡¯t important; what mattered was his dignity, which Qiao Jing¡¯s actions had justpletely stripped away.

    Qiao Zihao, while cracking sunflower seeds, watched with interest, finding Qiao Jing quite amusing.

    Make a scene!

    The bigger the scene, the better, and the more enjoyable his seed-cracking would be.

    ¡°Is that Qiao Jing?¡± Hou Bo had initially thought Qiao Jing was attractive, which is why he had agreed to Qiao Licheng¡¯s proposal.

    Now, having seen Qiao Jing¡¯s assertive side, a fiery glint started to flicker in his narrowed eyes.

    He had been with many women, some of whom were feisty, but he had never encountered a woman as bristly and as cold as ice like Qiao Jing.

    At that moment, Hou Bo felt a strong urge to conquer her.

    This woman, he definitely had to have her.

    ¡°I won¡¯t cut the cake, and I won¡¯t meet with the boss of Huayang. I will only say this once more, hand over the items, or don¡¯t me me for turning this ce upside down!¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s patience had run dry, her face cold and defiant.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face turned a mix of blue and purple with anger. Looking at Qiao Jing, it seemed if he didn¡¯t hand over the items to her soon, she might do something uncontroble.

    Although he didn¡¯t believe that Qiao Jing, a feeble girl, could really turn the sky over, considering this, Qiao Licheng thought it might be better to meet her demands first. Once she had the items, she would probably be easier to talk to.

    ¡°You, bring down the items,¡± Qiao Licheng ordered the servant.

    ¡°Yes, master.¡±

    Soon, the servant came down from upstairs with a suitcase and a USB drive in his hands.

    ¡°Give them to her,¡± Qiao Licheng said.

    Following the order, the servant handed the USB drive and suitcase to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing took the items and turned to leave.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Qiao Licheng called out to Qiao Jing while stepping forward to block her path.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave; I haven¡¯t introduced you to Boss Hou yet.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her eyes, which were brimming with chill, ¡°Step aside, or don¡¯t me me for being rude to you.¡±

    Qiao Jing used to hate Qiao Licheng, not just because of her own issues, but more so after she discovered that Qiao Licheng had cheated on her mother.

    So many years had passed, and she no longer hated Qiao Licheng. In her heart, Qiao Licheng was just a stranger with no rtion to her at all.

    As Qiao Jing thought this, Hou Bo came over with a wine ss, offering one to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, there¡¯s no overnight resentment between father and daughter. Give me some face, have a drink together, and let¡¯s not hold grudges any longer.¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head indifferently at Hou Bo, ¡°Who do you think you are? Give you face?¡±

    Hou Bo¡¯s face instantly soured.

    Qiao Licheng, terrified, scolded Qiao Jing harshly, ¡°Qiao Jing, how can you speak to Boss Hou like that? He is the chairman and general manager of Huayang Foodstuff. Hurry up, take the drink, and apologize to him!¡±

    ¡°Boss Qiao, there¡¯s no need to be so nervous. She doesn¡¯t know who I am; the unknowing are not guilty,¡± Hou Boughed heartily, looking up.

    ¡°I know, just the small boss of Huayang Foodstuff, barely worth two or three hundred million.¡± Xu Moqian had sent Hou Bo¡¯s information to Qiao Jing beforehand and even asked if she wanted to teach Hou Bo a lesson.

    Qiao Mengtong had offended Hou Bo, but that was the Qiao Family¡¯s affair, and it had nothing to do with her, so she didn¡¯t let Xu Moqian take any action.

    Hou Bo¡¯s facepletely changed. Being in a high position, not many folks dared talk to him like that.

    It would be one thing if it were some big tycoon, but it turned out to be a young blond girl fresh from the countryside.

    If Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t been beautiful, he would have had someone drag her out and break her limbs long ago.

    Qiao Licheng had already been scared out of his wits just now, and now he was sweating profusely, trembling all over.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡¯re being unreasonable! Tonight, you go back with Boss Hou and properly apologize to him,¡± Qiao Licheng said.

    The words were pretty, but essentially, he was suggesting Qiao Jing sleep with Hou.

    Hearing Qiao Licheng say this, the darkness on Hou Bo¡¯s face dissolved somewhat, revealing a satisfied expression, while his lecherous gazended unabashedly on Qiao Jing¡¯s prominent front.

    Zhan Qipei could even see where Hou Bo¡¯s eyes were aiming through the screen, and thought, was that something others should be watching?

    ¡°Tang Yan.¡±

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll find someone and beat him up as soon as there¡¯s a chance,¡± Tang Yan guessed Zhan Qipei¡¯s intention instantly.

    ¡°Aim specifically for his eyes,¡± Tang Yan added.

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, which was as good as a consent.

    Qiao Jing coldly met Qiao Licheng¡¯s gaze and said in an even tone, ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    Qiao Licheng took a deep breath, his chest visibly heaving¡ªhe was absolutely livid because of Qiao Jing!

    How could he have fathered such a defiant daughter? The family was in trouble, and she actually wanted to ignore it?

    Qiao Mengtong, meanwhile, was energized by the scene, almost wishing she could encourage Qiao Jing to keep offending Hou Bo, hoping Hou Bo would forget about her and focus on creating more trouble for Qiao Jing instead¡ªthen she wouldugh and p her hands in celebration.

    ¡°Today, you¡¯ll stay whether you want to or not!¡± With that, Qiao Licheng pped his hands, and several bodyguards rushed in.

    Qiao Jing surveyed the room with a cold gaze, ¡°With just these few people, you can¡¯t stop me.¡±

    Qiao Licheng twitched his mouth. His daughter hadn¡¯t learned anything good in the countryside, just picked up some bad habits like disrespect, undutifulness, and boasting.

    What is this?

    Hou Bo stepped forward, ¡°She is your daughter, after all. The girl has thin arms and legs, delicate skin, easy to bruise and look bad if she gets bumped or broken.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Qiao Licheng hurriedly nodded like a fawning dog.

    Hou Bo then turned to Qiao Jing, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid either, your dad is just sending you to apany me for a chat. I¡¯m not some street thug but a gentleman. When youe to my ce, I¡¯ll treat you to a candle-lit dinner as a good host.¡±

    Hou Bo¡¯s words sounded nice, yet his lecherous look and his notorious lewd reputation had long been known throughout the capital.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s patience was thoroughly exhausted, she had obtained what she came for and didn¡¯t want to stay another second.

    ¡°Move, you¡¯re in my way,¡± Qiao Jing said as she pushed Hou Bo aside and headed straight for the door with her suitcase.

    Although Qiao Jing seemed frail, a simple push sent Hou Bo staggering backward several steps before he stopped, his back hitting the corner of a table.

    With his teeth bared in pain, Hou Bo red furiously at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Wretched girl!¡±

    Qiao Licheng nearly scared out of his wits, shouted, ¡°What are you waiting for? Grab her!¡±

 Chapter 93 - 87 Qiao Jing Sheds Tears

    Chapter 93: Chapter 87 Qiao Jing Sheds Tears

    As Qiao Licheng finished speaking, a group of bodyguards immediately rushed towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing cast a cold nce around, her face showing no fear as she twisted her wrist, ready to make a move.

    Just then, a group of uniformed bodyguards suddenly burst in from outside, quickly pinning Qiao¡¯s bodyguards to the ground.

    The sudden turn of events left everyone present somewhat bewildered.

    What was happening?

    And what was the deal with these bodyguards who stormed in and started fighting without a word?

    Before the crowd could understand, they saw Tang Yan, who was nearly two meters tall, appear.

    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Qiao Licheng recognized Tang Yan immediately.

    Not only Qiao Licheng, but Hou Bo also recognized Tang Yan right away.

    The first assistant beside the president of Zhan Corporation, often representing thepany at various finance and media tforms.

    There were few businessmen in the capital who didn¡¯t know him.

    They also guessed why Tang Yan might be here.

    Tang Yan walked through the crowd of bodyguards, came up to Qiao Jing, and respectfully said, ¡°Miss Qiao, the boss is outside, he¡¯s here to take you back.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her elegant eyebrows, remained silent for two seconds, then nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After Qiao Jing walked ahead, Tang Yan followed.

    Then, a group of bodyguards followed neatly and orderly behind him.

    No one dared to stop them!

    Father and daughter Qiao Licheng could only look on helplessly as Qiao Jing left.

    Just as Qiao Jing was stepping out of the door, she paused, turned her head, and looked back at the cake on the table.

    ¡°Destroy it.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Miss Qiao.¡±

    Tang Yan nced at the bodyguard beside him.

    The bodyguard took the hint, quickly walked up to the table, and flipped it over.

    ¡°ng¡ª¡± With a loud noise, the cake fell to the ground and sttered everywhere, looking utterly disgusting.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Qiao Mengtong yelled at Qiao Jing, her eyes nearly splitting with rage.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, ¡°Hmm,¡± and then walked away.

    The tone was indifferent, neither light nor heavy, making it even more frustrating, like punching cotton.

    Infuriating!

    So infuriating!!!

    If possible, Qiao Mengtong really wanted to rush up to Qiao Jing, p her hard a hundred times, turn Qiao Jing¡¯s annoying face into a pig¡¯s head, and then make Qiao Jing kneel and beg for mercy in front of her.

    The idea was delightful, but the reality¡ª

    She could only fume and watch helplessly as Qiao Jing walked away.

    The trouble wasn¡¯t over yet; the Qiao family was also facing the wrath of Hou Bo.

    ¡°Qiao Licheng! Is this what you call an apology?¡± Hou Bo red at Qiao Licheng with eyes that seemed to want to chop him into pieces.

    Qiao Licheng was almost ready to kneel down before Hou Bo, ¡°Boss Hou, please calm down. That girl from the countryside doesn¡¯t understand the rules. Here¡¯s what, I promise, once a hundred days are up, I will tie her up and personally deliver her to your bed. You can do whatever you want with her, even if it kills her, it would still be her fortune.¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s words somewhat appeased Hou Bo, but not enough. He turned his head to look at Qiao Mengtong with a naked gaze, as if she was standing naked before him.

    That scared Qiao Mengtong badly, and she quickly said, ¡°Hou, Boss Hou, I¡¯m frail, I can¡¯t withstand such torment, and I¡¯m ill down there. I also promise I¡¯ll urge my dad to send Qiao Jing to you sooner. If you can¡¯t wait, we can send her earlier, just so long as Zhan¡¯s people don¡¯t find out.¡±

    ¡°Forget it.¡± Hou Bo lifted his hand, ¡°Compared to your sister, your figure and face are too inferior. I¡¯ll wait for her to divorce that man from the Zhan family to avoid any unnecessary trouble.¡±

    Even though Hou Bo was no longer considering her, Qiao Mengtong couldn¡¯t feel any relief.

    Was she really that much worsepared to Qiao Jing?

    Humph! What¡¯s the use of being good-looking and having a nice figure? Just wait a bit longer, and she¡¯ll still end up as a ything for that lecherous old man.

    Thinking this, Qiao Mengtong finally felt somewhat more bnced in her heart.

    Qiao Licheng, bent at the waist, escorted Hou Bo out of the vi, making promises repeatedly as he did.

    ¡°Boss Hou, rest assured, just wait at home. I¡¯ll send Qiao Jing to your bed as soon as possible. Take care and watch your step!¡±

    Qiao Zihao smacked his lips, rolling his eyes.

    As soon as Qiao Licheng returned, he saw Qiao Zihao¡¯s eyes filled with sarcasm.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡±

    Qiao Zihao put down the sunflower seeds he hadn¡¯t finished eating and stood up, brushing off his hands.

    ¡°You used to scold me for idling away, calling me a good-for-nothing yboy. What about you? Qiao Jing is your daughter, yet you¡¯re rushing to deliver her into the hands of that old pervert, Hou Bo. I¡¯m a yboy, you¡¯re a scoundrel. Indeed, like father, like son.¡±

    Enraged, Qiao Licheng grabbed a bottle of spirits from nearby and hurled it at Qiao Zihao.

    ¡°Wow, quite generous, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s Brandy! Such expensive alcohol, and you¡¯re willing to waste it like that?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Licheng quickly stopped, looking up at the bottle in his hand¡ªit was the expensive Brandy he had bought specifically to entertain Hou Bo.

    Taking advantage of Qiao Licheng¡¯s moment of distraction, Qiao Zihao dashed upstairs and flung open his room door.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving this mess to you to clean up. I¡¯m going back to my room to y games. Don¡¯t disturb me if it¡¯s nothing important, and don¡¯te looking for me if it is. Don¡¯t even think about unlocking my door¡ªI¡¯ve put three locks on it, so you¡¯d have to break it down.¡±

    ¡°You little bastard!¡± Qiao Licheng took off a leather shoe and threw it upstairs.

    With a ¡°bang¡±¡ªthe door closed, and the leather shoe hit it.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face turned the color of liver in anger.

    A secondter, Qiao Zihao opened the door, poked his head out, and looked downstairs at the cake.

    ¡°Nice shot with the cake!¡±

    ¡°Go to hell!¡± Qiao Licheng took off his other shoe and threw it upstairs.

    With another ¡°bang¡±¡ªthe door was forcefully closed again.

    After the shoe hit the door and fell, it paired up with the first one that had been thrown.

    Seething, Qiao Licheng flopped down on the sofa, and Qiao Mengtong was not faring much better.

    The scene shifted.

    Qiao Jing boarded Zhan Qipei¡¯s car with her suitcase.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, shall I put your suitcase in the trunk?¡± Tang Yan asked, looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No need.¡± Qiao Jing sat alone in the backseat, clutching her suitcase tightly.

    Tang Yan looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Drive,¡± Zhan Qipei said indifferently.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Soon, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei returned to the apartment together.

    Upon returning, Qiao Jing immediately opened her suitcase.

    Her suitcase was packed with toys her mother had bought her before her death, along with knitted clothes.

    Looking at these items, an image of a woman tenderly holding her and singing to her formed in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    It was so heartwarming.

    However¡ª

    These images could only be presented through imagination.

    As she looked, she could no longer control her tears.

    With a ¡°plop¡±¡ªthey fell.

 Chapter 94 - 88: May I Borrow Your Shoulder?

    Chapter 94: Chapter 88: May I Borrow Your Shoulder?

    Teardrops the size of beans fell onto the back of her hand.

    Zhan Qipei saw this scene, and his heart inexplicably clenched.

    When it came down to it, this was the first time he had seen her cry.

    In his memory, she always had a frosty demeanor, as if little could move her, and she definitely hadn¡¯t lost control of her emotions like she was now.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Before Zhan Qipei could finish his sentence, Qiao Jing stood up, grabbed her suitcase, and returned to her room.

    Zhan Qipei kept gazing at the tightly shut door, and even though he couldn¡¯t see anything, he couldn¡¯t help but keep staring.

    In the room, Qiao Jing plugged the USB drive into herptop.

    She clicked y.

    The video showed a room filled with pink decorations.

    Qiao Jing saw a baby lying on the bed¡ªit was her.

    ¡°Baby, mommy bought you a new toy.¡±

    Upon hearing the gentle woman¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted, and tears gushed forth, immediately blurring her vision.

    The woman finally appeared in the frame.

    Fearing that she wouldn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s face clearly, Qiao Jing hurriedly swept her hand across her eyes with the back of her hand, wiping away the tears so that her view became somewhat clearer.

    Finally!

    She saw her biological mother!

    She had seen photos of her mother before, but she had never seen such a vivid image.

    The woman in the video, gentle and affectionate, ced the new toy in the small infant¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Do you like it, baby? Mommy also bought you some yarn, and I¡¯ll knit you a little sweaterter. Winter ising, and it¡¯s going to snow soon. We can¡¯t let our little treasure get cold, can we?¡±

    While speaking, the woman gently rubbed her cheek against the infant¡¯s face.

    At this, a blissful smile spread across Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Her heart felt warm, yet tears continued streaming down her face.

    In her hand was the very toy the woman had just ced in the infant¡¯s hand. Though so many years had passed, she felt it still held her mother¡¯s warmth.

    This was the first video.

    There were 21 more following it.

    They recorded the 22 days she spent with her mother.

    After those 22 days, she was abandoned in a snowy hollow in the countryside, left to fend for herself.

    In the second video, the woman was sitting beside the sleeping infant, knitting a sweater.

    The peacefully sleeping infant suddenly began to cry.

    ¡°Wah, wah, wah¡ª¡±

    ¡°My darling treasure, don¡¯t cry. Are you hungry? Mommy will feed you nainai.¡±

    The woman tenderly picked up the infant, ced her on herself, and lifted her clothes to facilitate feeding.

    Sucking vigorously, clenching her little fists, she appeared utterly content.

    The smile on Qiao Jing¡¯s face grew even wider, and her eyes once again shone with tears.

    The third video¡­ the fourth¡­ until the fifth¡­

    ¡°Wah, wah, wah¡ª¡± The infant cried fiercely, and no matter how the woman soothed, the crying wouldn¡¯t stop.

    Heartbroken, the woman held her, tears falling.

    ¡°My poor Dabao, why did you have to get sick with such an illness? It must hurt so much, right? If I could, I really wish I could take this pain for you¡­¡±

    Upon seeing this, Qiao Jing knew the infant¡¯s condition was getting serious.

    In the videos that followed, the woman spent her days in tears, growing more haggard with each passing day.

    ¡°What do I do? What should I do? Who can save my child?¡± The woman prayed to the heavens, but no answer came. How heartbreaking and helpless that scene was.

    Qiao Jing clutched her mouth and stopped the video, tears streaming down uncontrobly.

    Outside the door, Zhan Qipei stood, listening to the sobsing from inside. His eyebrows knotted, he raised his hand, prepared to knock, but eventually let it fall.

    After wiping the tears from her face, Qiao Jing continued ying the next video.

    One video followed another, and as days passed, the baby¡¯s illness became more and more severe. The baby who could originally cry loudly in anguish,ining of the pain suffered from the illness.

    Butter, the baby¡¯s cries grew weaker, until finally, no sound could be heard at all.

    Qiao Jing knew that the baby had cried itself hoarse andcked the strength to cry; the baby¡¯s life was rapidly slipping away.

    On this day Qiao Licheng appeared in the video. She had watched over ten videos, and this was the first time Qiao Licheng had shown up, indicating just how derelict he was as a father.

    ¡°Don¡¯t keep her anymore. If you continue, you¡¯ll get infected!¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s words deeply stung the woman, who swiftly picked up the baby and looked at Qiao Licheng with a wary, hostile gaze.

    ¡°What are you nning to do? She is our daughter, our first child! Where do you want to send her?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m just sending her to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me! Her illness is incurable, no hospital will take her!¡± Upon saying this, the woman¡¯s pupils dted suddenly, guessing something, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re going to abandon her?¡±

    Qiao Licheng opened his mouth but said nothing, effectively admitting it.

    The woman looked at Qiao Licheng in horror, her eyes filled with strangeness and disbelief.

    ¡°Qiao Licheng, your heart is so cruel, how could you? She is our daughter!¡±

    ¡°But she has caught an incurable infectious disease!¡± Qiao Licheng shouted back at the woman.

    The woman, holding the baby, stepped back twice and leaned against the windowsill, ¡°Even so, I can¡¯t throw her away. She¡¯s the child I carried for ten months, a piece of flesh that fell from my body, she¡¯s my precious baby, and nobody can throw her away.¡±

    ¡°Fine! If you want to keep her, then you can take care of her alone!¡± With that, Qiao Licheng stormed out, mming the door behind him.

    The woman lowered her head to look at the baby in her arms; her expression softened once again.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, don¡¯t be afraid, Mama won¡¯t leave you behind.¡±

    Qiao Jing moved her lips slightly; she had cried so much that tears were almost unable to flow anymore.

    In the 22nd video, the woman kept coughing, half-lying in bed with a sickly face, feeding the baby with a milk bottle.

    While feeding, her eyes closed, and she fell back onto the bed.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Qiao Jing suddenly stood up.

    Zhan Qipei was about to leave when he heard this cry and immediately stopped, turning back to look at the door.

    ¡°Mom¡­ Mama¡­¡± Holding theptop, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, already dry from calcting figures, once again erupted with unstoppable tears, more torrential and uncontroble than before.

    It was the 22nd video, the final one, and there it ended.

    After that, there was no more, never again!

    ¡°Uh-huh-huh¡­¡± She could no longer suppress it, a sobbing cry came from her mouth.

    Qiao Jing rarely cried from childhood to adulthood. On the rare asions she did cry, it was limited to reddened eyes and seldom were tears shed, let alone crying out loud like now.

    This showed just how painful she was feeling¡­

    ¡°Mama¡­ Mama¡­ sorry, it¡¯s all my fault¡­ sorry¡­ uh-huh-huh¡­¡±

    The crying grew louder.

    She couldn¡¯t help it, this kind of pain, if not loudly expressed, would suffocate her alive.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand rested on the doorknob, maintaining this posture without moving, his expression sorrowful, his thin lips slightly pursed, his ears and mind filled with the sound of Qiao Jing¡¯s crying.

    It was inescapable, an unspeakable difort.

    Finally, he could not bear it any longer, twisted the doorknob, pushed open the door, and saw Qiao Jing crying with her face covered in tears.

    Qiao Jing was also stunned; she had not expected Zhan Qipei toe in.

    ¡°I look terrible like this, please go out and close the door.¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to be disturbed; she just wanted to be alone to vent thoroughly.

    However, Zhan Qipei did not leave as Qiao Jing had asked but strode over to her, took a deep breath, and let it out.

    ¡°May I lend you my shoulder?¡±

 Chapter 95 - 89: Zhan Qipei Cooks Noodles for Qiao Jing for the First Time

    Chapter 95: Chapter 89: Zhan Qipei Cooks Noodles for Qiao Jing for the First Time

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei¡¯s shoulder, her face showing an unexpected expression.

    Was heforting her?

    Though to her, Zhan Qipei was just a rtive with a legal rtionship, her husband in name, he was also the most familiar stranger.

    Yet, it was this person who brought her an indescribable warmth at this moment.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said hoarsely, sincerely.

    Listening to her, Zhan Qipei¡¯s already furrowed brows tightened even more.

    He didn¡¯t want to hear her thank you; he would rather have Qiao Jing lean on his shoulder.

    That still wasn¡¯t enough for him; he really wanted¡­ really wanted to hold Qiao Jing in his embrace tofort her.

    Though he wanted to, Zhan Qipei ultimately did not do so, because¡­ after all, their marriage was only a contract, and he had no ce to do such a thing to her.

    Just then, ¡°gurgle gurgle gurgle¡ª¡± a stomach sounded its drumbeat.

    Zhan Qipei looked towards Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, and as soon as he did, his own belly also ¡°grrr¡ª¡± grumbled.

    Now nobody was embarrassed anymore; no one had room to talk about the other.

    Qiao Jing stood up, ¡°There¡¯s still some noodles and tomatoes in the fridge, I¡¯ll whip up a tomato and egg noodle dish, and we can just eat something simple.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Zhan Qipei said, seeing the tear stains that hadn¡¯t fully dried on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, and he couldn¡¯t bear to have her cook again.

    ¡°You know how?¡± Qiao Jing asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then you do it.¡± She wasn¡¯t in the mood for cooking right now, and if it were just her, maybe she wouldn¡¯t even eat.

    After taking out the ingredients from the fridge, the first thing Zhan Qipei did in the kitchen was to take out his phone and look up how to make tomato and egg noodles.

    He had never cooked before; him saying he could was entirely for the sake of his male pride.

    ¡°First, pour the oil, then crack the eggs into the pan¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei followed the steps and started to make the noodles.

    How much oil to pour?

    Is that a question?

    At that moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came from outside the kitchen.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need my help?¡±

    Suddenly hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand slipped, and he poured half a wok full of oil.

    Uh¡­ that seemed a bit too much, didn¡¯t it?

    Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t sure either.

    ¡°No need, I can do it.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing stopped walking towards the kitchen and instead went to her suitcase, taking things out one by one, cing them in her room.

    Qiao Jing was busy in the room, while Zhan Qipei battled in the kitchen.

    Twenty minutes passed, and Zhan Qipei brought out a bowl of noodles.

    ¡°Eat up.¡±

    ¡°Howe there¡¯s only one bowl? Aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to lose weighttely.¡± Actually, he had made too little, just enough for one bowl.

    You couldn¡¯t me him; it was his first time making noodles, and he didn¡¯t know how much to use to get it just right. To have managed to make a bowl of noodles was already quite an aplishment.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure, ¡°You have indeed gained some weight recently, it¡¯s time for you to lose some weight.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face changed in an instant.

    He didn¡¯t like hearing that; whose fault was it that he¡¯d gained weight? Wasn¡¯t it your cooking that was too tasty, making him unable to resist eating an extra bowl of rice every time?

    Zhan Qipei quietly touched his own belly, was he really that fat?

    Qiao Jing noticed the man¡¯s action and found it somewhat amusing.

    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re not that fat, just slightly heavier than when I first met you. I think you look better now; you were too skinny before. You have more of a manly presence now, and you seem safer,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei was pleased by Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying, I give you a sense of security now?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Qiao Jing answered truthfully.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face stiffened.

    ¡°My sense of securityes from myself; I meant for other girls.¡±

    Although Qiao Jing exined this, Zhan Qipei was still not happy. His gaze shifted,nding on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    ¡°You eat a lot every day, howe you don¡¯t gain weight?¡±

    Zhan Qipei had long noticed that Qiao Jing was different from most girls. Nine and a half out of ten girls he saw were always fussing about losing weight, being particrly picky with their food¡ªnever eating anything with high fat or high calories, not eating sweets, this not eaten, that not eaten.

    Qiao Jing was different; she wasn¡¯t fussy at all, eating heartily at every meal, consuming as much as, if not more than, him.

    He had started to put on weight, howe she hadn¡¯t changed at all?

    ¡°I have a special constitution; I don¡¯t gain weight no matter what I eat,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei expressed his envy.

    ¡°You should eat your noodles quickly; they¡¯re getting cold.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to continue the topic anymore, thinking to himself how lucky he was to be a man. If he were a woman, he¡¯d probably be dead from the stress.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Qiao Jing nodded, lifted the noodles with her chopsticks, blew on them, and put them into her mouth.

    Stopped.

    Three secondster, Qiao Jing just slightly furrowed her eyebrows and then began to eat heartily.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing intently, seeing that she had no particr reaction, which was the best response.

    It was his first time making noodles; he didn¡¯t set his expectations too high. As long as they weren¡¯t disgusting, it was fine.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Qiao Jing received a call from the research institute.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Qiao Jing, holding her phone, stepped out onto the balcony.

    Zhan Qipei looked at the bowl on the table still more than half full of noodles, his Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly. More than being hungry, he wanted to taste what the noodles he made were like.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the balcony, where Qiao Jing was still chatting on the phone. He decided to take a bite, and she probably wouldn¡¯t notice.

    With that thought, Zhan Qipei quickly grabbed the bowl and chopsticks, lifted some noodles, but stopped just as he was about to eat and stared at the chopsticks.

    These were the chopsticks Qiao Jing had used. Although he didn¡¯t have severe germophobia, he wasn¡¯t used to using utensils others had used, and he never ate food that someone else had left behind.

    But now¡ª

    He didn¡¯t feel repulsed at all.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t figure out why but decided to eat the noodles first and thinkter.

    Zhan Qipei put the lifted noodles into his mouth.

    The next second, he was stunned.

    They were salty, sweet, sour, and oily¡­

    In short, four words¡ª

    Incredibly disgusting!

    They were absolutely inedible.

    How had she managed to eat more than half a bowl of this terrible concoction? How had she managed to swallow it?

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± As soon as Qiao Jing came out, she saw Zhan Qipei eating noodles from her bowl.

    Zhan Qipei put down the bowl and chopsticks and turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it really disgusting?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded honestly.

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s extremely disgusting.¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°Then why do you still eat it?¡±

    Qiao Jing walked over and took the bowl and chopsticks from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s disgusting, it¡¯s still foodboriously grown by farmers. Besides, it¡¯s just disgusting, not poisonous; it¡¯s not going to kill anyone. If it¡¯s made, it shouldn¡¯t be wasted.¡±

    Having said this, Qiao Jing sat down to continue eating the noodles.

    Was she afraid of wasting food?

    Were the days she lived through before really that tough?

    He knew that Qiao Jing had grown up in the countryside, but he hadn¡¯t realized her days had been so hard. If not, how could she have developed such a persevering and hardworking character?

    ¡°Stop eating!¡± Zhan Qipei snatched the chopsticks out of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 96 - 90: Holding Hands

    Chapter 96: Chapter 90: Holding Hands

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you out for a meal,¡±

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s toote, and I don¡¯t want to go out. Besides, it would be a waste.¡± Qiao Jing had barely finished speaking when Zhan Qipei snatched the noodles from her hands and proceeded to finish the remaining noodles in the bowl right in front of her.

    ¡°There, no waste. Let¡¯s go,¡± Zhan Qipei said, putting down the bowl and looking at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing sat on the couch, stunned. As clever as she was, she couldn¡¯t fathom the man¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing Qiao Jing unmoving, Zhan Qipei reached out, took Qiao Jing by the wrist, pulled her up from the couch, and dragged her out the door.

    Qiao Jing kept staring at the man¡¯s hand, a strange sensation inexplicably rising in her heart. Unable to describe it¡­ if she had to¡­ it was very subtle¡­

    ¡°Brother Pei!¡± The elevator doors opened, and there came the sweet call of Lou Xinrou.

    The next second, upon seeing Zhan Qipei holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, Lou Xinrou¡¯s whole demeanor changed for the worse.

    Qiao Jing tugged at her hand, and that¡¯s when Zhan Qipei realized he was still holding onto it.

    After they exchanged nces, they simultaneously turned their heads away, neither of them mentioning the incident.

    Lou Xinrou looked at Zhan Qipei, then at Qiao Jing. Although she didn¡¯t know what had transpired between them, one thing was certain¡ªher Brother Pei would soon no longer be hers.

    ¡°Brother Pei, it¡¯s sote, where are you two going?¡±

    Zhan Qipei turned to Qiao Jing, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±

    After thinking for a moment, Qiao Jing said, ¡°I found out that before my mom passed away, she used to eat beef noodles at Li Ji Noodle House often.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go there.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Jing replied with a smile towards Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing the smile unfold on the girl¡¯s face, Zhan Qipei was momentarily dazzled.

    The girl¡¯s eyes, which had shed tears, were brighter and clearer than ever before, like a little deer peering out from the depths of the forest,rge and moist, making one unable to resist feeling tender towards her.

    Added to that, the girl¡¯s nose was slightly red from crying and her lips a little swollen, the more he looked, the more he couldn¡¯t help wanting to hold her close andfort her.

    Lou Xinrou watched Qiao Jing with evident jealousy, feeling utterly superfluous.

    Before long, they arrived at Li Ji Noodle House.

    It was a tiny storefront with only four tables¡ªtwo six-seaters and two four-seaters.

    ¡°This ce¡­ Brother Pei, it doesn¡¯t look very sanitary. Shall we go somewhere else?¡±

    As Lou Xinrou spoke, Qiao Jing had already entered the noodle house.

    Zhan Qipei turned to Lou Xinrou, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    After saying that, Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing¡¯s steps into the restaurant.

    Lou Xinrou was dumbfounded once again. It was over; her Brother Pei was going to be taken away.

    After hesitating for two seconds, Lou Xinrou, despite feeling disgusted at heart, followed them into the restaurant.

    ¡°Boss, a bowl of beef noodles,¡± Qiao Jing called out.

    ¡°Alrighty, one bowl of beef noodles,¡± the boss replied, then looked at Zhan Qipei and Lou Xinrou, ¡°What will you have?¡±

    ¡°The same as her,¡± Zhan Qipei answered.

    ¡°And you?¡± the boss asked Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou clenched her back teeth, ¡°The same as him.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty, three bowls of beef noodles.¡±

    Soon, the boss brought over the first bowl of noodles.

    Then Lou Xinrou saw Zhan Qipei ce the bowl in front of Qiao Jing and hand her a pair of chopsticks he¡¯d wiped clean with a paper towel.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing said, epting the chopsticks and taking a big bite, her face gradually lighting up with a blissful smile.

    Zhan Qipei kept his gaze on Qiao Jing, and seeing her like this, his mood also lifted.

    Lou Xinrou was so angry her nose might as well have been crooked. Why was Qiao Jing served the first bowl of noodles? She was the childhood friend you grew up with!

    The second and third bowls of noodles were brought out almost at the same time; the owner carried one in his left hand and another in his right, cing them in front of Zhan Qipei and Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou red fiercely at the owner. Couldn¡¯t you bring them one by one? That way, Zhan Qipei could have set the bowl down in front of her.

    That opportunity was gone, but there was still the chance to pass the chopsticks.

    ¡°Brother Pei, could you pass me a pair of chopsticks?¡±

    The box of chopsticks was on Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, which presented Lou Xinrou with a good opportunity.

    Zhan Qipei casually grabbed a pair and passed them to Lou Xinrou.

    Is that it?

    Lou Xinrou blinked in disbelief, why was there such a big difference between the way he treated her and Qiao Jing? When he gave Qiao Jing chopsticks, she clearly saw Zhan Qipei carefully wipe the chopsticks three times with a napkin before handing them over to Qiao Jing.

    But when it came to her turn, not a single wipe, just passed over directly?

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhan Qipei made a puzzled sound when he saw Lou Xinrou not reaching out to take them.

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Lou Xinrou snapped out of it but didn¡¯t hurry to take them; instead, she deliberately hinted, ¡°These chopsticks aren¡¯t individually wrapped; they seem kind of unclean.¡±

    ¡°Right, just give them a wipe yourself,¡± Zhan Qipei said before setting the chopsticks down on top of Lou Xinrou¡¯s bowl.

    Lou Xinrou ¡°¡­¡±

    So she should just wipe them herself?

    So she has hands, but Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t? Can¡¯t she wipe for herself? Does she need you to do it for her?

    And to wipe three times!

    Furious!

    Lou Xinrou was so angry she couldn¡¯t even eat.

    But seeing that Zhan Qipei had already started eating, if she didn¡¯t eat, it would seem like she and he were from different worlds.

    Thinking this, Lou Xinrou suppressed the nausea and lifted some noodles to her mouth.

    ¡°Ptui, ptui, ptui¡ªhow can this taste good? These noodles are way too rough, and this meat, you can tell it¡¯s not imported premium beef, not fresh at all, and has a weird taste. Is this even edible?¡±

    No sooner had Lou Xinrou spoken than Qiao Jing stopped eating her noodles, lifted her head with an expressionless face, and her gaze towards Lou Xinrou was icy and chilling.

    The owner also nced over at Lou Xinrou, curled his lip but said nothing.

    ¡°What are you looking at? I¡¯m not used to eating this. I¡¯ve grown up and the least I¡¯ve been to is a three-star restaurant; I¡¯ve never been to this kind of roadside stall. I¡¯m not like you, growing up in the countryside, able to eat anything that¡¯s crudely made.¡±

    ¡°Lou Xinrou!¡± Zhan Qipei exploded.

    Lou Xinrou jumped in fright, turning to look at Zhan Qipei with an unweing expression.

    ¡°Brother Pei, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Apologize to her!¡± Zhan Qipei, half-closing his dark eyes, told Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou pursed her lips, and her eyes immediately reddened.

    ¡°If you want to cry, go cry outside. The owner still has business to run. You being here, it affects others,¡± Qiao Jing said coldly before continuing with her noodles.

    Lou Xinrou was about to explode with rage, and couldn¡¯t stand staying there any longer; she got up and ran out.

    Qiao Jing lifted her head again to look at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going after her?¡±

    Was she worried about Lou Xinrou running out alone because it might be dangerous? After all, there were few people around.

    Lou Xinrou had just run out when she heard Qiao Jing say this. Truthfully, she really hoped Zhan Qipei would chase after her.

    Of course, she would never thank Qiao Jing for speaking up for her.

    Just as Lou Xinrou was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came out of the noodle house again.

    ¡°Tell her when you catch up to pay for her noodles before leaving.¡±

 Chapter 97 - 91: Zhan Qipei, The Hero Saves the Beauty

    Chapter 97: Chapter 91: Zhan Qipei, The Hero Saves the Beauty

    Lou Xinrou felt like she wanted to cough up blood.

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Lou Xinrou pulled out one hundred yuan from her wallet, threw it at the smoking owner sitting at the doorway, and left crying huffily.

    ¡°Hey hey hey! You didn¡¯t get your change, you haven¡¯t taken your change!¡± the owner shouted at Lou Xinrou as she ran away.

    Lou Xinrou continued to run and cry, as if she hadn¡¯t heard him at all.

    ¡°You should go check on her,¡± Qiao Jing said as she picked up Lou Xinrou¡¯s bowl of noodles and continued eating.

    Zhan Qipei was reluctant to go, but the Zhan Family had always been closely associated with the Lou Family. Moreover, Lou Xinrou was a friend who had grown up with him and Zhan Nanqing, and she hade out with him. At thiste hour, with her emotions out of control and running off alone, if something really happened, he would not only be unable to escape responsibility, but he would also feel somewhat guilty.

    ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    After leaving these words with Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei went after Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou finally waited until Zhan Qipei came, and then she deliberately raised her voice to cry even more heartbreakingly.

    ¡°Brother Pei, you¡¯ve changed. Even though you¡¯ve always been indifferent to me before, you¡¯ve never been this harsh. Just now, you actually yelled at me for Qiao Jing¡­ Wuu wuu wuu¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Lou Xinrou expressionlessly, ¡°When a person does something wrong, they must take responsibility for their actions. Don¡¯t you feel there was anything wrong with what you said? You¡¯re sad, you cry? When you say those hurtful words, don¡¯t you think Qiao Jing is hurt too? She just doesn¡¯t show it like you do. She is good at hiding her emotions and doesn¡¯t like to show weakness in front of others. But that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not upset.¡±

    Lou Xinrou stared at Zhan Qipei with her mouth agape, stunned. What Zhan Qipei said now hurt her even more than when he had scolded her.

    ¡°Brother Pei, how do you know her so well?¡±

    If you didn¡¯t care, how could you possibly spend the effort to understand?

    So, her Brother Pei cared about Qiao Jing; that¡¯s why he understood her.

    ¡°Brother Pei, tell me the truth, do you like Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied without hesitation, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡±

    ¡°But if you didn¡¯t like her, how could you understand her so well?¡± Lou Xinrou pressed.

    ¡°Does understanding mean I like her? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Regarding this question, he had been asking himself recently, and he had onlye up with one answer.

    The only person who could be his wife was the one who had performed surgery on him that day.

    Lou Xinrou mulled over the words Zhan Qipei had said, staring at him intently, observing whether he seemed to be lying to her.

    Lou Xinrou breathed a long sigh of relief in her heart, and in her excitement, she identally blurted it out.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, as long as you don¡¯t like Qiao Jing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his deep, dark eyes slightly and said, ¡°I know how you feel about me, but I already have someone I like.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou¡¯s pupils dted, as if struck by lightning.

    ¡°Pei, Brother Pei¡­ what, what did you say?¡±

    Zhan Qipei had seen all along Lou Xinrou¡¯s hostility towards Qiao Jing and knew why Lou Xinrou acted this way toward her.

    So, he said this because he didn¡¯t want Lou Xinrou to keep troubling Qiao Jing in the future.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Just recently, I suddenly fell for someone and decided that I would marry no one but her for the rest of my life.¡± Zhan Qipei said this with a serious expression, a grave demeanor, and not a trace of jest on his face.

    ¡°Who, who is she?¡± Lou Xinrou asked, her face pale, choking up.

    ¡°You¡¯ll meet her eventually.¡±

    Right! He would definitely find her, and once he did, he would keep her by his side every day, proiming to the whole world that she was Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife!

    Watching the preupied Zhan Qipei, Lou Xinrou let out a cry and left the taxi.

    While heartbroken, Lou Xinrou thought of Qiao Jing.

    Fortunately, she had Qiao Jing to keep herpany, to share the heartbreak together.

    After watching the taxi drive away, Zhan Qipei turned around and went back. When he arrived at the noodle shop, the owner was tidying up the tables.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the girl who was sitting here just now?¡±

    ¡°She just left. Oh, she said her phone ran out of battery and turned off. Also, if youe back looking for her, she wanted me to tell you that.¡±

    Left? Zhan Qipei frowned.

    Hadn¡¯t he told her to wait for him?

    Zhan Qipei drove along the road he hade, searching for her.

    Soon, he spotted Qiao Jing standing by the roadside.

    Snowkes suddenly began to drift from the sky, the first snow of the winter.

    Qiao Jing lifted her hand to catch a pristine snowke.

    The snowke peacefullyy in her palm, melting bit by bit.

    This scene, witnessed by Zhan Qipei, made the girl¡¯s figure seem so small and fragile, stirring a pang of distress.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was preparing to find a spot to stop, three young men holding beer cans approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yo! Look at that! Check out this face, check out this figure!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face immediately darkened upon hearing this, blending increasingly with the night.

    Qiao Jing ignored their advances, continuing to catch snowkes in her hand.

    ke after ke melted in her palm, and although it was ice-cold to the bone, she hadn¡¯t appreciated it enough yet.

    ¡°Brother Qiang, she¡¯s ignoring us.¡±

    The one called Brother Qiang stepped in front of Qiao Jing, offering her the rest of his beer.

    ¡°Beauty, have a drink.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced up at Brother Qiang, and that look nearly snatched his soul away. Instantly, the alcohol rushed to his head, and his legs failed to obey him. He took another step forward and reached out to wrap his arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist.

    But before he could touch her, a foot suddenly extended and kicked him to the ground.

    ¡°Ow¡ª¡± Brother Qiang clutched his stomach and yelped in pain, then looked up with angry eyes.

    ¡°Who¡¯s this meddling brat, trying to y the hero? We¡¯ve got three, and you¡¯re all alone. Do you think you can beat all three of us?¡± Brother Qiang was kicked but remained extremely arrogant.

    Zhan Qipei took a step forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Qiao Jing, using his broad shoulders to shield her thoroughly.

    Brother Qiang was helped up by the other two, cursing non-stop.

    ¡°You damn nosy brat, you like to meddle in others¡¯ business, don¡¯t you? Today I¡¯ll make you learn the consequences of sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong. Boys, let¡¯s take him down together!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± The other two flexed their wrists, swaggering, feigning ferocious expressions. They cracked their knuckles with a clicking sound and advanced towards Zhan Qipei.

    But in less than five seconds, all three were kicked to the ground by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Ouch¡ªno more, no more, we concede. We didn¡¯t recognize a great man when we saw one. We admit our mistake. Let¡¯s make a deal, this girl is a rare beauty, how about we share her? Of course, you go first, and we¡¯ll just have a little taste afterward.¡± Brother Qiang pleaded.

 Chapter 98 - 92 Thoroughly Enraging Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 98: Chapter 92 Thoroughly Enraging Zhan Qipei

    The other two also echoed, begging for mercy.

    ¡°Yes, yes, go ahead, we¡¯ll wait in line!¡±

    Zhan Qipei had intended to teach them a lesson and leave, but upon hearing these words, his face instantly exuded a bloodthirsty and cold chill.

    He dialed Tang Yan¡¯s number, ¡°There are a few people here, take them to the police station.¡±

    In the past, he had never been in the habit of sending people to the police station, preferring to settle any grudges on the spot with his own methods.

    But ever since he met Qiao Jing, he felt that sending people to the police station was a good habit.

    After dealing with the matter, Zhan Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait for me? Why did you leave first?¡±

    Qiao Jing lowered her hand, her fine eyebrows slightly furrowed, ¡°I thought you were going to take her home, especially since she was crying so hard.¡±

    ¡°She took a taxi by herself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re okay with that?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an adult, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± As for you, you look like a siren tempting people, walking alone in the scarcely popted night, isn¡¯t that enticing someone tomit a crime?

    Of course, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t say thetter part out loud.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Qiao Jing turned around and walked toward the car.

    Just as she reached the car door and was about to open it, she suddenly heard the man¡¯s voice behind her.

    ¡°Your mother¡¯s death is not something you should keep ming yourself for.¡±

    Upon hearing this, an indescribable emotion surged within Qiao Jing, and the hand holding the door handle tightened uncontrobly.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s sharp gaze swept over Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, then he continued, ¡°Mothers are the greatest and most selfless beings in this world. They wholeheartedly wish for their children¡¯s safety and health. Therefore, any mother would not be able to abandon her child. Put yourself in their shoes, if it were you, you would also do everything in your power to take care of your child, unlike Qiao Licheng who is selfish.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were all known to Qiao Jing, Grandpa Zhang had said something simr to her¡­

    But she just couldn¡¯t get past that one hurdle in her heart¡­

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Her voice was low, her expression dejected.

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath and then said, ¡°She loved you so much, she gave her life for you. Your mother, who loved you so dearly, if she were still alive and saw you like this, do you think she would be sad?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she looked down.

    After hesitating for over ten seconds, she finally opened the car door and got in.

    Having said all that he could, if she still could not extricate herself from guilt and self-me, there was nothing more he could do.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze lingered on Qiao Jing for a while longer before he opened the car door and got in.

    Qiao Jing watched the snowkes drifting outside the car window, captivated.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei.¡±

    Suddenly hearing the girl call his name, Zhan Qipei was somewhat unused to it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Can we take a longer route? I just want to watch the snow scenery like this.¡± Qiao Jing leanedfortably against the seat, quietly observing through the car window.

    Zhan Qipei, looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s reflection in the rearview mirror, couldn¡¯t understand why, but he found himself unable to refuse the girl¡¯s request.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Not to mention just a few detours, even if it meant driving around the capital, he would agree.

    As Qiao Jing watched, she gradually closed her eyes.

    Then in a moment of darkness, a vision shed before her: she was walking through a vast expanse of white snow, snowkes swirling all around.

    She walked alone, in a dim environment without light. Her vision was narrow; she could only see the tips of her feet.

    There was not a soul around, so quiet it was as if time had stood still, to the point where even the sound of falling snowkes couldn¡¯t be heard.

    Suddenly, a very warm voice sounded in her ear.

    ¡°Xiao Jing¡­¡±

    Such a gentle voice, it felt sofortable to listen to in her heart¡­

    Qiao Jing slowly lifted her head, looking in the direction the voice came from.

    A wonderful thing happened: her vision had been so narrow she could only see the tips of her toes, but now it was expanding, continuing to expand.

    Eventually, at the end of her sight, she saw a woman, who wore a beige sweater and a id woolen skirt, with long, slightly curled hair draped behind her, radiating a soft glow.

    It was just a back view, but Qiao Jing recognized her at once.

    She had seen such an outfit in videos.

    ¡°Mom¡­ Mother¡­¡±

    The woman seemed to have heard Qiao Jing¡¯s call, turning her head toward her, her eyes and brows showing a gentle luster that was three parts simr to hers.

    ¡°Xiao Jing,e here,e quickly, into Mommy¡¯s arms.¡± The woman beckoned to her tenderly.

    Seeing the woman¡¯s call, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but run towards her.

    As she ran, her body shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye, until she became the image of a four or five-year-old girl, and threw herself into the woman¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    Even the voice she called out was babbling.

    In that moment, Qiao Jing understood that she was dreaming.

    If it was a dream, let it be a dream. It¡¯s rare to have such a beautiful dream, so let her indulge in it for now¡­

    The woman crouched down, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s little shoulders, and tenderly kissed her chubby cheeks on each side.

    ¡°The snow is getting heavier, let¡¯s go back inside. Mommy has made you a delicious and nutritious chicken soup.¡±

    After bringing little Qiao Jing inside, the woman had her sit down and then went to the kitchen to bring the chicken soup.

    Little Qiao Jing looked around. This was the countryside house where she lived with Grandpa Zhang. In the dream, it was the ce where she lived with her mother.

    The woman brought over the chicken soup and ced it in front of Qiao Jing, ¡°Xiao Jing, try it and see, is the chicken soup Mommy made delicious?¡±

    ¡°Mm!¡± Xiao Jing hugged the bowl of chicken soup and started to gulp it down.

    She didn¡¯t know what vor it was that she was tasting, she only felt blissfully happy.

    ¡°Delicious, it¡¯s so delicious. Mommy, I want another bowl!¡±

    ¡°Alright, Mommy will get you more.¡± The woman tenderly stroked little Qiao Jing¡¯s head and then turned to go back into the kitchen.

    In the blink of an eye, she was in primary school and the woman dropped her off at the school gates each morning and picked her up after school.

    The two of them lived together very happily.

    Time flew by, and she went to middle school, high school, and finally, university.

    The day university started arrived, and the woman stood at the station, waving her off. She sat by the window, looking reluctantly at the woman left alone.

    By this time, the woman was middle-aged, with a few mild traces of the years on her face, but they could not conceal her gentle and tender love for her daughter.

    The train gradually pulled away, and she shed reluctant tears.

    The scene swiftly changed. She was getting married, dressed in a bridal gown, walking into the hall with that man, and she saw the woman in the audience stealthily wiping away tears.

    Then came another change¡ªshe entered middle age. Her mother, white-haired and aged,y on the hospital bed, nearing the end of her life¡¯s journey.

    The woman held her hand, with a face that always wore the tenderness she was so familiar with.

    ¡°Xiao Jing¡­¡± Her voice was aged, weak.

    ¡°Mom!¡± She gripped the woman¡¯s hand tightly, tears dropping with a plop.

 Chapter 99 - 93 Who is the Man You Married in Your Dream?

    Chapter 99: Chapter 93 Who is the Man You Married in Your Dream?

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, it hurts me when you do,¡± the woman¡¯s voice was soft and weak, but her words carried an indescribable, heartwarming power.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t cry,¡± she suppressed the urge to continue shedding tears, trying her best to calm herself.

    But no matter how hard she tried, facing this situation, as a child, how much could she really hold back?

    String-struggled breaths¡ª¡±hur¡ªhur¡ª¡± the woman was breathing more in than out, mouth agape, gasping deep, heavy breaths, on the verge of failing.

    She tightly grasped the woman¡¯s hand, unable to contain her tears.

    ¡°Mom¡­ mom¡­¡± she kept calling out, as if calling her more would let her stay in this world a little longer.

    ¡°Qiao¡­ Jing¡­¡± the woman, with eyes half-closed, looked at her, and intermittently said, ¡°Mom¡­ doesn¡¯t me you¡­ never has¡­ ¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t me¡­ me myself¡­¡±

    ¡°Mom¡­ loves, loves you¡­ forever¡­ staying¡­ by¡­ your¡­ side¡­¡±

    After she uttered thest word, the woman closed her eyes and her hand fell limp.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Qiao Jing cried out,rge teardrops spilling from her eyes, gliding down her cheeks, one after another, unstoppable like a bursting spring.

    Zhan Qipei, hearing themotion, parked the car at the entrance of the apartmentplex.

    Then turning his head, he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s tear-streaked face at once.

    A heart uncontrobly clenched, he stepped out of the car and gently opened the backseat door.

    Since Qiao Jing¡¯s body was leaning against the door, it tilted slightly when the door opened.

    Zhan Qipei quickly stepped forward to support Qiao Jing¡¯s nearly falling body.

    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Qiao Jing subconsciously hugged around Zhan Qipei¡¯s waist, holding him tightly in her arms, her face pressed against his midsection.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow furrowed, he raised his hand but eventually lowered it, not pulling Qiao Jing away but letting the girl cling tightly to him.

    Before long, her tears drenched his trousers.

    How could she cry like this? What kind of dream had she had?

    Zhan Qipei stood like a pir for a good ten minutes, finally unable to contain himself, he let out a long sigh and reached out to wipe the tears from her face with his fingers.

    The slight touch on her face brought Qiao Jing back to awareness. She opened her swollen eyes and followed the embrace up to him. Recognizing Zhan Qipei, she paused for a second, then let go of him and noticed his wet trousers.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Qiao Jing raised her arm, rubbing his trousers back and forth with her sleeve.

    He stopped her after just a couple of swipes by grabbing her wrist.

    ¡°You woman, really¡ªdon¡¯t care about these things!¡±

    Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t bothered by this, but her gesture sparked thoughts and feelings in him that shouldn¡¯t have surfaced, causing him to question his own self-control.

    ¡°Were you dreaming just now?¡± Zhan Qipei changed the subject and asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Qiao Jing, having seen their location, then got out of the car.

    ¡°What were you dreaming about?¡± Zhan Qipei was curious, what kind of dream had Qiao Jing had to cry so much?

    Qiao Jing slowed down slightly, her lips gradually curving into a smile that was both happy and nostalgic.

    ¡°I dreamed of my mom.¡±

    No wonder.

    ¡°And then?¡± Zhan Qipei continued to inquire.

    ¡°I dreamed that I always lived with my mom, from a very young age, about this tall,¡± Qiao Jing gestured with her hand on her leg.

    ¡°She cooked for me, made chicken soup for me, kept me happy every day, and then I grew up, got married, I was in my wedding dress, I saw her sitting below, secretly wiping tears. She kept watching me, and the groom exchanging vows and rings.¡±

    Qiao Jing waspletely immersed in her dream, not realizing that at this point, Zhan Qipei nced at her fingers.

    No rings.

    He hadn¡¯t bought any.

    The Zhan Family had prepared some, but on the wedding day, he hadn¡¯t shown up, so there was no exchange of rings.

    Qiao Jing continued, ¡°Later on, she got old, so old she couldn¡¯t move, lying on the sickbed, holding my hand. She said¡­ she doesn¡¯t me me.¡±

    Speaking of which, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes reddened, she stopped, turned to look at Zhan Qipei, and smiling, she said: ¡°She also said, to not me myself, she said she loves me, she will always stay by my side!¡±

    At this moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s brilliant smile, shining with a hint of cold light, was vivid and arresting, causing Zhan Qipei to not want to look away.

    Qiao Jingughed out loud, her steps light, a face full of relief, she twirled on the thinyer of snow, ¡°My mom has always been with me, just in another form.¡±

    Zhan Qipei just stood there watching, feeling as though he was looking at his entire world, his gaze fixed solely on Qiao Jing.

    After a short while, they both entered the elevator together.

    Zhan Qipei suddenly remembered to ask, ¡°Who was the man marrying you in the dream?¡±

 Chapter 100 - 94: Kidnapping Qiao Jing

    Chapter 100: Chapter 94: Kidnapping Qiao Jing

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned by the question, mainly because she hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to suddenly ask something like that.

    Who was the man she married in her dream? She hadn¡¯t paid much attention to that.

    She had been immersing herself in the warmth of her mother; why bother with this?

    However, since Zhan Qipei had asked so suddenly, she instinctively tried to recall that dream.

    In the dream, she was wearing a wedding dress, standing next to her was her husband.

    The man was tall, with straight, long legs, and she looked up.

    That face¡ª

    It was him!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils suddenly dted, and ripples stirred in her heart.

    Zhan Qipei had been watching Qiao Jing all along, so even the subtlest expressions on her face were captured by him.

    ¡°Who?¡± His voice was low and maic, hoarse.

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her delicate brows, looking up at the man much taller than herself, the same height as in her dream.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    She was lying!

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t believe her, and he felt it definitely wasn¡¯t him. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t she tell the truth?

    ¡°Really don¡¯t remember?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, half-seriously, his dark eyes fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nodded indifferently. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Qiao Jing averted her gaze, walking out of the elevator calmly.

    Zhan Qipei continued to watch Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, his stern face slightly puckered in brooding pensiveness.

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± The sound of the vibrating phone rang out.

    The call was from Tang Yan.

    It must have been about the task he had assigned to Tang Yan.

    The call connected.

    ¡°Boss, Hou Bo hase out of the entertainment club, and he seems drunk.¡±

    ¡°Exact address.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Tang Yan thought the boss was personally going to vent anger for Miss Qiao. The boss was pretty nice to Miss Qiao.

    The scene shifted.

    Hou Bo embraced a girl as he got into the car.

    ¡°Go, go back!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The driver had been swapped out by one of Tang Yan¡¯s men, and at the moment, the person sitting in the driver¡¯s seat was a bodyguard from Zhan Corporation.

    Hou Bo waspletely unaware, holding a woman dressed in ¡°ragged¡± clothes,ughing with her, while pinching her waist.

    ¡°Boss Hou, stop it!¡± While the woman said she disliked it, her body clung into Hou Bo¡¯s arms.

    ¡°You little vixen, I¡¯ll tame you today!¡± Hou Bo joined his fingers together, mimicking a Taoist gesture, poking the woman¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t move!¡± The woman yed along, lying on Hou Bo, ¡°Spare my life! As long as you let me go, I won¡¯t resist whatever you do.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Hou Bo was amused by the woman in his arms,ughing loudly as he smacked her perky butt feeling exhrated.

    The Zhan family bodyguard watched this scene through the rearview mirror, his lips curling under his mask.

    Twenty minutester, the woman¡¯s gaze settled on the car window, noticing white por trees on both sides, something felt off.

    ¡°Boss Hou, weren¡¯t we going to your vi? Why doesn¡¯t this seem like the way to your ce?¡±

    Hearing the woman say this, Hou Bo also looked outside, ¡°Huh? Where is this?¡±

    Though Hou Bo was drunk, he wasn¡¯t so intoxicated that he couldn¡¯t recognize his own home.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Am I too drunk, or are you too drunk? Did you take the wrong road?¡± Hou Bo shouted irritably at the driving bodyguard.

    But the person in front seemed as if he hadn¡¯t heard, not reacting at all, which infuriated Hou Bo.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, are you deaf? Or do you not want this month¡¯s paycheck?!¡±

    The car pulled over, and the bodyguard took out his phone, ¡°I¡¯ve brought the person.¡±

    As soon as he said this, Hou Bo was scared sober, his eyes wide with terror as he tried to appear calm and said to the bodyguard, ¡°Who exactly are you? What are you going to do?¡±

    The bodyguard opened the car door and got out, ¡°Boss Hou, please get out of the car.¡±

    Hou Bo did not want to get out of the car, but he did not dare to disobey.

    As soon as Hou Bo got out, he saw a dozen people emerge from a hidden spot, all wearing ck masks and sunsses.

    Being an old hand who had been through the mill for decades, Hou Bo quickly scanned the crowd and identified Tang Yan as the leader.

    ¡°May I ask, were you looking for me?¡±

    ¡°It was my boss,¡± replied Tang Yan.

    ¡°Your boss? Who?¡±

    Before Tang Yan could respond, a ck luxury car silently pulled up to the curb.

    Tang Yan walked up to the car door, ¡°Boss, what should we do?¡±

    Zhan Qipei rolled down the window and coldly replied with one word, ¡°Beat.¡±

    The icy, bloodthirsty voice reached Hou Bo¡¯s ears, scaring him so much that he turned ashen and sweat beaded on his forehead.

    ¡°Friend, let¡¯s talk it over nicely. Could you show your face so we can have a proper chat! I think there must be some misunderstanding!¡±

    Hou Bo said this as he walked towards the car.

    Seeing the car window go up, Tang Yan signaled to the bodyguard with a wave of his hand.

    ¡°Move!¡±

    Tang Yan was so frightened that he immediately stopped, watching the bodyguards approaching him while he instinctively crouched down to cover his head.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡ªow¡ª¡ªah ah ah¡ª¡ª¡±

    Each scream was more tragic than thest.

    In the deste countryside, no one heard them.

    Back with the Qiao family, upon hearing the news that Hou Bo had been beaten, everyone panicked.

    ¡°Dad, do you think Boss Hou would take it personally and then take it out on our family?¡± Qiao Mengtong asked worriedly.

    Qiao Licheng was distressed, ¡°How many more days until Qiao Jing¡¯s divorce from President Zhan?¡±

    He, too, feared that Hou Bo might use them as scapegoats, so he wished Qiao Jing could get divorced the next day so he could send her over to let Hou Bo vent his frustration.

    ¡°I had someone check this afternoon, there are still 45 days left.¡±

    ¡°Why is there still so much time?¡± Qiao Licheng was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan.

    Zheng Haijuan said resolutely, ¡°If we really can¡¯t wait, then let¡¯s have someone kidnap Qiao Jing and deliver her to the Hou family.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Qiao Licheng grimaced, ¡°President Zhan had Assistant Tang bring people to take Qiao Jing away yesterday, which clearly showed the Zhan family¡¯s attitude. As long as Qiao Jing is still officially part of the Zhan family during this period, nobody can afford to disrespect them. If we really let someone kidnap Qiao Jing and send her to the Hou family, and if Qiao Jing, upset by this, tells the Zhan family, we¡¯ll be doomed.¡±

    In fact, Zhan Qipei had done it on purpose yesterday, intentionally letting Tang Yan bring so many bodyguards not only to boost Qiao Jing¡¯s morale but also because after several interactions, Zhan Qipei realized that the Qiao family was no good, people without bottom lines who might indeed hurt Qiao Jing.

    But as soon as he came, the Qiao family, if they had any sense, wouldn¡¯t dare to covertly harm Qiao Jing during this time.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei came out of the room, he saw Qiao Jing washing up.

    ¡°Shall we go out for a simple breakfast together?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t refuse, as her research institute and Zhan Qipei¡¯spany were conveniently on the way to each other.

    Then the two casually found a ce for dim sum and ordered some porridge and dumplings.

    Sitting at the table next to them were a mother and her young daughter, who looked about four or five years old.

    ¡°Mommy, mommy, today is my birthday, and I want a big cake,¡± the little girl said, pointing at a cake shop across the street.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing turned to look at the mother and daughter, reminded of the dream she had had the night before.

    Her dream had also been very warm, very warm¡­ with her mother.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction and turned his head to look at the mother and daughter. After a few seconds of silence, he stood up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll step out for a moment, I¡¯ll be right back. Wait for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qiao Jing thought Zhan Qipei was heading to the restroom, but five minutester, Zhan Qipei returned with an enormous cake, which he set down in front of her.

 Chapter 101 - 95: Zhan Qipei Brings Cake to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 101: Chapter 95: Zhan Qipei Brings Cake to Qiao Jing

    ¡°Here, this is for you.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei cleared his throat, his demeanor somewhat awkward.

    ¡°After all, I am technically your husband. Yesterday was your birthday, so it¡¯s still eptable to offer my wishes today, even if it¡¯s a dayte.¡±

    Qiao Jing suddenly realized that Zhan Qipei was rather prideful. She could feel that he genuinely wished her a happy birthday, yet he acted as if buying the gift was a duty he could not ignore.

    Well, since he cared so much about his image, she wouldn¡¯t expose him.

    ¡°That¡¯s true, it wouldn¡¯t be proper if you hadn¡¯t bought anything.¡± Qiao Jing said as she touched the cake box, a smile spreading across her face. ¡°When is your birthday? I¡¯ll return the favor with a gift then.¡±

    Reciprocity was a principle Qiao Jing lived by.

    ¡°New Year¡¯s Eve,¡± Zhan Qipei replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good time for a birthday,¡± Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows and then frowned. ¡°But our arrangement ends in just over forty days. Let me calcte, will I still be living with you by then?¡±

    Qiao Jing opened her phone calendar, ¡°Wow, what a coincidence! The day we go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get divorced is New Year¡¯s Eve. I¡¯ll still be able to celebrate your birthday.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression tensed; he didn¡¯t want to hear the word ¡°divorce¡± first thing in the morning, especially from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Eat quickly, it¡¯s getting cold.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Jing, in a good mood, had quite an appetite¡ªhe ate two bowls of porridge and two servings of steamed buns.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s abdomen, which was noticeably swollen.

    It¡¯s good that he had eaten.

    Soon, Zhan Qipei had dropped Qiao Jing off at the entrance of the research institute.

    Xu Moqian had just arrived as well and saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s car stopping.

    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that Zhan Qipei¡¯s car? Why is it here?¡±

    No sooner had Xu Moqian spoken to himself than he saw Qiao Jing get out of the car.

    Sister Jing? Why was she in Zhan Qipei¡¯s car? Did Zhan let her be driven here?

    While Xu Moqian was thinking this, he suddenly heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s voiceing from the car.

    ¡°The cake.¡±

    With the man¡¯s voice falling, the driver¡¯s door opened, and Zhan Qipei got out, retrieved the cake from the back seat, and walked up to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing took the cake and smiled politely at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°No need to thank me so much,¡± Zhan Qipei said and turned to leave.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Qiao Jing called out to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head in confusion, and before he could speak, Qiao Jing had already approached him, tiptoed, and reached for his hair.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he stood there, stunned, like a wooden post.

    As the saying goes, a man¡¯s hair and a woman¡¯s feet shouldn¡¯t be touched carelessly.

    Since Zhan Qipei could remember, no one had touched his hair, let alone a woman from the opposite sex.

    So it was indescribable how Zhan Qipei felt at that moment.

    Qiao Jing plucked a dead leaf from his hair and presented it to him, ¡°A leaf.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing threw the leaf into a trash bin and walked towards the institute¡¯s main gate as if nothing had happened, carrying the cake.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, his gaze lingering for a long time.

    As Zhan Qipei stood there spellbound, Xu Moqian approached and warned, ¡°I advise you, don¡¯t harbor any ill intentions towards my Sister Jing; she¡¯s not someone you¡¯re worthy of.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s train of thought was interrupted as he nced sideways at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worthy, and you are?¡±

    Xu Moqian raised his eyebrows and took a deep breath, puffing out his chest.

    ¡°Of course¡ª I¡¯m not!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Zhan Qipei

    Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t finished speaking, ¡°But that¡¯s not important because no man in the whole world is worthy of her. For her, it¡¯s like choosing a general from a group of dwarfs; whoever she picks wins the grand prize.¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re the dwarf, not me.¡±

    ¡°Hey! You¡ª¡± Before Xu Moqian could finish, Zhan Qipei had already opened the car door, got in, rolled up the window, raised his hand, and touched his hair, smoothing his handsome eyebrows.

    Standing at the entrance of the research institute, Qiao Jing called out to Xu Moqian, ¡°What are you standing out there for? Why don¡¯t youe in?¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing call him, Xu Moqian, not wanting to continue squabbling with Zhan Qipei, scurried over to her side, his gaze immediately drawn to the cake in her hand.

    ¡°Sister Jing, what¡¯s the deal with this cake?¡±

    ¡°He sent it.¡± Qiao Jing looked toward the departing car.

    Xu Moqian followed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and immediately had a bad feeling.

    ¡°No way, did he really get the advantage by being closer? Zhan Qipei, hasn¡¯t he always said he doesn¡¯t like you? If he doesn¡¯t like you, why would he send you a cake?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much. He only bought it out of courtesy, and I promised him that I¡¯d send a gift in return when it¡¯s his birthday,¡± Qiao Jing said in a casual tone.

    Listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s calm tone, Xu Moqian then dismissed his concerns.

    ¡°I really spooked myself there, I mean,e on. Sister Jing, how could your taste be that bad? I¡¯m way more handsome than that Zhan guy.¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped walking and looked at Xu Moqian¡¯s face, which was handsome and striking.

    But¡ª

    ¡°Honestly, he¡¯s a bit more handsome than you.¡±

    Xu Moqian ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, Sister Jing, you¡¯ve changed! We¡¯ve known each other for so many years, how can you side with an outsider? Where is he more handsome than me? I¡¯m only one centimeter shorter than him, okay?¡±

    Gan Lan was drawn over by the almost howling sound, knowing only one person could make Xu Moqian react like this.

    ¡°Professor Qiao! You¡¯re here!¡± Gan Lan¡¯s eyes sparkled as she ran toward Qiao Jing, her face lit up like a blooming flower.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ª¡± Xu Moqian clicked his tongue, ¡°Your number one fanboy is here.¡±

    After Gan Lan ran over, he also saw the cake in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, is it your birthday today?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    The birthday was yesterday? Gan Lan looked greatly disappointed; he had missed Professor Qiao¡¯s birthday yesterday!

    It was a major regret in life!

    ¡°Professor Qiao, why didn¡¯t youe yesterday?¡±

    ¡°I had some matters to take care of yesterday, didn¡¯t have time toe over,¡± Qiao Jing said as she put the cake on the table, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go call Grandpa Xu and the others over? While the cake is still fresh, let¡¯s eat it first.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call everyone right now!¡± Gan Lan, as if he had received a royal decree, scurried off to call people eagerly.

    This Gan Lan is even more diligent than him! Xu Moqian muttered to himself with a smirk.

    Only because he knew Gan Lan¡¯s feelings toward Qiao Jing were purely of admiration, otherwise he would never let Gan Lan get close to Qiao Jing so easily.

    Once everyone had almost arrived, Qiao Jing started cutting the cake.

    At this moment, Xu Moqian suddenly scooped up a piece and smeared it on Qiao Jing¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Hahaha¡ªSister Jing, you look like a clown!¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian a speechless look, ¡°Childish.¡±

    Xu Hongzu, as well as other older professors, all started scolding Xu Moqian.

    ¡°What a waste of food!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, the cake is meant to be eaten, not yed with!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t care much, a bunch of old-fashioned folks, not a single one who could take a joke.

    Xu Moqian took out his phone and snapped a photo of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, how do you like this photo?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the photo of herself, she had never seen herself like this before, and it was quite interesting.

    ¡°Send me the photo.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡ª¡±

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡±

    After receiving the photo, Qiao Jing immediately posted it on her Moments.

    Zhan Qipei had just arrived at the office when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

    He pulled it out to see it was from Qiao Jing.

    She posted on Moments?

    Zhan Qipei, curious, clicked to open it.

 Chapter 102 - 96: Harboring Malicious Intentions Towards Qiao Jing

    Chapter 102: Chapter 96: Harboring Malicious Intentions Towards Qiao Jing

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face was smeared with cake, which made her look unexpectedly adorable and somewhat irresistible.

    As soon as Tang Yan came over, he saw Zhan Qipei staring at his phone.

    What are you looking at?

    Tang Yan was a bit taller than Zhan Qipei, so he could see the phone screen without having to move closer.

    Is that Miss Qiao?

    A gossip-hungry gleam appeared in Tang Yan¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Boss, what are you looking at?¡± Tang Yan asked, though he already knew the answer.

    Zhan Qipei slid his phone into his trouser pocket.

    ¡°Meeting.¡±

    Tang Yan clearly saw that just before Zhan Qipei turned off the screen, he had liked the post Qiao Jing had just uploaded to her Moments.

    For ordinary people, liking a friend¡¯s post ismonce, but for their boss, it was an unusually rare urrence.

    After all, having followed the boss for so many years, he seldom saw him like anyone¡¯s post.

    So, the boss indeed treated Qiao Jing differently.

    On Qiao Jing¡¯s end, the cake had already been finished,

    ¡°Gan Lan, don¡¯t go yet, I have something to ask you.¡± Qiao Jing called out to Gan Lan.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, do you have something you need me to do?¡± Gan Lan looked at Qiao Jing with stars in her eyes, her expression so vivid it was as if it were captioned.

    ¡°Please let me do it, whatever your instructions are, I am willing to do anything. Being able to work for you is an honor of a lifetime for me.¡±

    Looking at such an expression, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit headache-inducing.

    ¡°How¡¯s your sister doing now?¡±

    ¡°My sister is doing well, she really wants to see you. Just yesterday, she begged me to bring her here to meet you,¡± Gan Lan quickly replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Qiao Jing had been worried that after such an experience, Gan Qiqi might have been left with psychological scars. Hearing Gan Lan say this eased his worries significantly.

    ¡°About your sister¡¯s case, Captain Zhao is still investigating, but there hasn¡¯t been any progress. Both Captain Zhao and I are analyzing whether it could be an enemy of the Gan family. Have you asked your family if there might be any enemies?¡±

    ¡°I did ask. My parents said we don¡¯t have any known enemies at the forefront. But as you know, our family is in business; it¡¯s inevitable we grab others¡¯ cakes, so those unseen enemies are unknowable.¡±

    The topic came to an end there.

    ¡°Alright, I understand. You can go back to your business,¡± Qiao Jing said before turning to tend to the nts on his desk.

    Gan Lan stood there, showing no sign of leaving.

    Turning back to look at Gan Lan, Qiao Jing asked with a puzzled tone, ¡°Is there something else?¡±

    Gan Lan took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and said, ¡°Professor Qiao, our family is having a banquet tomorrow evening. Actually, it seems my grandparents are celebrating my admission to the research institute, so they invited quite a few notables. I would like to invite you toe as well.¡±

    At this moment, Gan Lan¡¯s heart was racing with nervousness and trepidation, after all, Qiao Jing was the high and mighty Professor Qiao, the top mogul in the agriculture industry. She hardly ever appeared in public;st time at the award ceremony, she didn¡¯t even go up on stage, let alonee to a small dinner party held by their family.

    But she really wanted to invite Qiao Jing, hoping she would attend.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Jing responded.

    What?

    Gan Lan was stunned.

    What¡¯s going on?

    He agreed just like that? Without even a moment¡¯s consideration?

    After a brief moment of shock came the joy of being pleasantly surprised.

    Gan Lan was so happy she almost danced on the spot.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you!¡±

    ¡°No need for such formalities, you and I are about the same age; I¡¯m not used to such honorifics.¡± This was something Qiao Jing had been wanting to tell Gan Lan for a while.

    ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Gan Lan grinned from ear to ear, eagerly anticipating the early arrival of tomorrow night.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll be going tomorrow night as Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife.¡±

    On the way here in the car this morning, Zhan Qipei had mentioned this, asking her to free up the night to apany him to the Gan family.

    So even if Gan Lan did not invite her, she was going to the Gan family tomorrow night.

    ¡°I understand, I understand, you¡ªdon¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t reveal your identity. I wouldn¡¯t even tell my own parents or grandfather,¡± Gan Lan pledged while patting her chest.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Get busy then.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡ª¡± Gan Lan obediently left, her steps noticeably a bit floaty as she walked away.

    The scene shifts.

    Qian Family.

    Qian Haisheng spun two jade beads in his hand, as usual, ying with the bird.

    Not long after, his son, Qian Yuang, walked over.

    ¡°Dad, you wanted to see me?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow night there¡¯s a banquet at the Gan family, and you¡¯reing with me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re taking me along? You¡¯re going for business, what am I going there for? I don¡¯t want to go. I¡¯ve already made ns with some brothers to hit the club tomorrow. There¡¯s a new girl there, a stunner, and she dances the electric booty dance pretty damn well,¡± Qian Yuang said with a lecherous look.

    Qian Haisheng red at him displeasedly, his frustration evident, ¡°You¡¯re always indulging in debauchery; continue this way, and you¡¯ll soon meet your end over some woman¡¯s belly.¡±

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s scolding fell on deaf ears for Qian Yuang, who simply didn¡¯t seem to care anymore.

    Qian Haisheng sighed heavily, paused a moment, then continued, ¡°Tomorrow night, I¡¯m taking you to get a chance to interact with that country wife from the Zhan family.¡±

    Hearing this, Qian Yuang¡¯s eyes instantly brightened.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    As the saying goes, ¡®the father knows his son best,¡¯ Qian Haisheng saw right through Qian Yuang¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°That country wife from the Zhan Family is indeed a beauty, but she is nominally a member of the Zhan Family right now. Do not harbor improper thoughts towards her before she divorces Zhan Qipei.¡±

    Qian Yuang curled his lip, ¡°I know. If I were to act rashly, I¡¯d have done it long ago.¡±

    That woman, he first saw her at Zhan Qipei¡¯s wedding and couldn¡¯t stop the itch in his heart; she was truly beautiful!

    Too bad he couldn¡¯t make a move.

    ¡°Dad, what do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her for being rural; she actually works at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute,¡± Qian Haisheng said.

    ¡°What? No way!¡± Qian Yuang looked at Qian Haisheng in shock. ¡°The rumors said she was tilling fields in the countryside; how could she be working at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute?¡±

    ¡°Rumors? Ha! Most rumors in this world are unreliable. The rumors say that our Qian family and the Gan family have always had good business dealings and are in an excellent rtionship. But who knows that our Qian family harbors deep animosity against them? This botched kidnapping will surely put them on guard. It will likely be difficult to find another opportunity for a while.¡±

    Qian Yuang frowned, ¡°That¡¯s true, but anyone who can work in a research institute is no ordinary genius, unless¡ªQiao Jing is doing menial tasks there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I want you to get close to her, see if you can tease anything out?¡±

    ¡°Sure, leave it to me.¡±

    The next evening, at the Gan family.

    Gan Lan was absent-minded as he and his father, Gan Changfeng, greeted guests, feeling extremely anxious.

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she arrived yet?¡±

    Gan Changfeng turned his head towards Gan Lan.

    ¡°Who hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡± Gan Changfeng asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Oh¡ªit¡¯s¡ª¡± Gan Lan had not finished speaking when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Qiao Jing just entering. His eyes lit up and he stared intently.

    Gan Changfeng looked confusedly at Gan Lan, wondering who his son was waiting for, noticing his constant distraction.

    Curious, Gan Changfeng followed Gan Lan¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 103 - 97 Teasing Qiao Jing

    Chapter 103: Chapter 97 Teasing Qiao Jing

    Upon seeing that it was Qiao Jing beside Zhan Qipei, he suddenly froze.

    How could it be her? There must be some mistake, right? Could it be that his son had taken a liking to this girl?

    Gan Changfeng looked again in the direction of Gan Lan¡¯s gaze, thinking perhaps he had made a mistake.

    But before he could get a good look, he saw his son hurry cheerfully towards Qiao Jing.

    This scene nearly made Gan Changfeng¡¯s eyes pop out of their sockets.

    It really was true!

    He had never seen his son care about any girl like this before, mainly because his son had always been immersed in his studies and research and had no interest in dating. Because of this, he and his wife had often discussed the matter anxiously,te into the night.

    If his son really had fallen for the Zhan Family¡¯s daughter-inw, then he would have to try to understand her better.

    The requirements of him and his wife were not high¡ªjust two points: one, she had to be female; and two, her character must not be too bad. As long as the other party met these two points, he would be very weing of Qiao Jing entering their family.

    ¡°Miss Qiao¡ªMiss Qiao!¡± Gan Lan almost let it slip in her excitement.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Qiao Jing nodded.

    Zhan Qipei half-closed his eyes, first nced at Qiao Jing, then turned his gaze to Gan Lan.

    Gan Lan looked into Qiao Jing¡¯s radiant, shining eyes with a face full of joy.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei asked Qiao Jing in a deep voice,

    ¡°You know this person too?¡±

    ¡°We just met not too long ago,¡± Qiao Jing honestly replied.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    So she was really that amazing? They had just met not long ago, and Gan Lan was already smitten with her?

    ¡°Where¡¯s your father?¡± Zhan Qipei was here mainly to negotiate business with the Gan family.

    ¡°Over there.¡± Gan Lan pointed.

    Zhan Qipei followed the direction Gan Lan pointed and saw Gan Changfeng, who was alsoing over.

    ¡°I¡¯ll step away for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Qiao Jing said and then took a ss of juice from the tray held by a waiter.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, please sit here; I had someone reserve a spot just for you,¡± Gan Lan said warmly.

    After Zhan Qipei had walked a short distance away, he looked back at Qiao Jing and Gan Lan, furrowing his brow.

    ¡°President Zhan.¡± Gan Changfeng had approached by then.

    Zhan Qipei shifted his gaze and started conversing with Gan Changfeng about business matters.

    ¡°By the way, Professor Qiao, Qiqi is upstairs. I¡¯ll go call her down; just wait a moment,¡± Gan Lan said, ncing towards the second floor.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    No sooner had Gan Lan left than Qian Yuang came over, holding two sses of red wine.

    Qian Yuang offered one of the sses to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, please.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at Qian Yuang, not recognizing him.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with this,¡± Qiao Jing continued sipping the beverage in her cup.

    Qian Yuang set down the wine ss he had offered to Qiao Jing, then looked at the seat beside her, moving to sit down.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like sitting with people I don¡¯t know.¡± A cold voice came from Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, exuding an aloofness that kept others at a thousand miles distance.

    Qian Yuang half-sat back down, his buttocks hanging in midair as a hint of awkwardness swept across his face.

    After a few seconds, he seemed to haveposed himself, shifting his buttocks to sit opposite Qiao Jing, smiling at her as if the awkward scene had never happened.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I heard you work at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute? May I ask what you do there?¡±

    ¡°That seems to be none of your business,¡± Qiao Jing replied, her tone not very friendly. This was mainly because she disliked the way Qian Yuang was looking at her.

    She had always been this way: if others treated her well, she would reciprocate. But if they were offensive, there was no need for her to be polite.

    ¡°Do you have a prejudice against me, Miss Qiao?¡± Qian Yuang said, swirling the red wine in his ss.

    ¡°You¡¯ve noticed, so why don¡¯t you leave?¡± Qiao Jing bluntly issued a dismissal.

    Qian Yuang didn¡¯t seem to care about Qiao Jing¡¯s cold reception. He had pursued countless women and believed he understood them well. In his eyes, Qiao Jing was beautiful and talented, with the right to be aloof.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, what do you think of me?¡± Qian Yuang leaned forward, moving closer to ask Qiao Jing.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei could no longer continue his business discussion with Gan Changfeng.

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, President Zhan, but the Gan family has been coborating with the Qian Family on this project for over a decade. If I were to hand this juicy opportunity to you, it would be hard to exin it to the Qian family. I hope there¡¯ll be a chance to work with you in the future,¡± Gan Changfeng said.

    Having heard this, Zhan Qipei had no choice but to give up. But to his surprise, when he turned around, he saw Qian Yuang hitting on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiao Jing asked, narrowing her eyes.

    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m better than Zhan Qipei?¡± Qian Yuang cut straight to the point.

    Qiao Jing raised her beautifully curved eyebrows slightly, looking at Qian Yuang¡¯s gaunt face, a clear sign of excessive indulgence.

    ¡°You want topare yourself with Zhan Qipei?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not evenparable to him.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had just approached when he heard Qiao Jing suddenly say that.

    What can I say? His mood was quite good.

    While Zhan Qipei was in a good mood, Qian Yuang¡¯s face turned quite ugly.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. I admit, I¡¯m slightly less handsome than Zhan Qipei, but when ites to skills¡­ haha¡­ having been through countless battles, I doubt Miss Qiao has experienced that with any other man. How about youe to my ce and we give it a try? I guarantee to take you to new heights in your life and make you willingly lie in my bed, unable to leave.¡±

    Danger flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s narrowing eyes. Her instincts had always been sharp; she had felt from the very beginning that this man was no good.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to burst, a low and frosty voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

    ¡°Qian Yuang, your Qian family must think highly of themselves, daring to say such things in front of me, Zhan Qipei. Does your Qian family not take me, Zhan Qipei, or the Zhan family seriously?¡±

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?!¡± Qian Yuang sprang up from the sofa in shock, staring wide-eyed at Zhan Qipei, not expecting him to suddenly appear.

    ¡°Hehe¡ª¡± Qian Yuang forced a smile, ¡°Misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. You heard wrong; that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    Qian Yuang thought to himself that no matter what, he was the Qian family¡¯s eldest son, and to the Zhan family, Qiao Jing was just an insignificant outsider. Although Zhan Qipei had overheard his words, the Qian family should stillmand some respect.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Gan Lan arrived to see Zhan Qipei and Qian Yuang both standing near Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Gan Lan and then locked eyes again with Qian Yuang, ¡°Misunderstanding? I clearly heard you asking her to warm your bed.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Gan Lan raised her voice sharply before turning to Qiao Jing, ¡°Did he really say that?¡±

    Qiao Jing met Qian Yuang¡¯s gaze with cold eyes, ¡°Would I ever fancy someone as dirty as you?¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing responded to Gan Lan¡¯s question.

    Gan Lan was in a fury, unable to stand the insult and degradation of someone she greatly admired.

    ¡°Qian Yuang!¡± Gan Lan reached out and grabbed Qian Yuang by thepel.

 Chapter 104 - 98 Accidentally Revealed Qiao Jings Identity

    Chapter 104: Chapter 98 identally Revealed Qiao Jing¡¯s Identity

    Hmm?

    Zhan Qipei frowned. Qian Yuang was flirting with Qiao Jing, so why was Gan Lan even more agitated than him?

    Qian Yuang was also totally bewildered. Qiao Jing¡¯s man hadn¡¯t done anything to him yet; how could an outsider like you suddenly get violent with him?

    ¡°Gan Shaoye, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Qian Yuang! Didn¡¯t you brush your teeth this morning? Why is your mouth so foul? Apologize to her! If you don¡¯t apologize to her today, I won¡¯t let this go!¡± Gan Lan was so angry that her face turned bright red.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice rose.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to get angry with people like that, it¡¯s a waste of expressions.¡±

    ¡°But he said those things to you!¡± Gan Lan really wanted to throw Qian Yuang out of his house.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent gaze swept over Qian Yuang and turned to Gan Lan, ¡°If you¡¯re bitten by a dog, do you really need to bite back?¡±

    She dared to call him a dog? Qian Yuang red at Qiao Jing, furiously making up his mind that one day he would make her regret it!

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Gan Lan loosened his tight grip on Qian Yuang¡¯s cor, stepped back and stood behind Qiao Jing, showing obedience.

    Qian Yuang nced at Qiao Jing and then at Gan Lan. Something seemed off between the two! The heir to the prestigious Gan family and furthermore someone who could enter Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, why would he be so deferential to Qiao Jing?

    Hold on.

    Qian Yuang btedly remembered something. Qiao Jing was also working in the research institute; could it be that after getting to know each other, they developed romantic feelings?

    Or was it possible that they had already made secret arrangements? After all, Gan Lan¡¯s reaction just now was even stronger than Zhan Qipei¡¯s.

    Gan Changfeng walked over and pulled Gan Lan to the side, ¡°What happened? Why did you suddenly attack Qian Yuang?¡±

    ¡°He was bullying Miss Qiao!¡± Gan Lan got all worked up just mentioning it.

    Gan Changfeng nced in the direction where Qiao Jing was and waspletely confused, ¡°How is this any of your business?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my business! She is my¡ª¡± Idol, he almost blurted out the words.

    In the Gan family, everyone knew his idol was Professor Qiao. If he had slipped up just now, his dad would have definitely guessed Qiao Jing¡¯s identity.

    Right, he couldn¡¯t mention Professor Qiao¡¯s identity, but there was another matter he could talk about.

    ¡°The person who rescued Qiqi at the school gate that day was Miss Qiao.¡±

    ¡°It was her?¡± Gan Changfeng looked towards Qiao Jing again in shock, finding it hard to reconcile her slender, delicate appearance with someone who had a highbat power.

    But as the old saying goes, appearances are deceiving.

    Lu Zijiao came up beside Zhan Qipei, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing and remained silent.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now. You came here specifically to negotiate business with the Gan family, how did it go?¡± Lu Zijiao asked.

    Zhan Qipei took a sip of red wine, ¡°President Gan just rejected me. The Gan family and Qian family have interacted for many years. This project has always been handled by the Qian family, and I had anticipated it would be a tough nut to crack. But I don¡¯t want to give up, as I¡¯ve always wanted to try out this field and expand into it.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, that is tough,¡± Lu Zijiao shook his head.

    Qiao Jing lowered her thick, curledshes and after a two-second silence, she looked towards Zhan Qipei, ¡°Maybe I can help you negotiate.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing spoke, Zhan Qipei and Lu Zijiao nearly turned to look at her at the same time.

    ¡°You have a way? What could you possibly do?¡± Lu Zijiao eyed Qiao Jing skeptically.

    It wasn¡¯t that he looked down on Qiao Jing, but a deal even Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t clinch¡ªhow could Qiao Jing, a girl with no connections from the countryside, manage it?

    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Having said that, Qiao Jing walked towards Gan Lan.

    Lu Zijiao touched his chin, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°I know Gan Lan is now working in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, but they should have known each other for only a few days, right? Yet, from the looks of things just now, it seemed like they had a pretty good rtionship?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knitted, his gaze tracking Qiao Jing¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Gan Lan, there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    Upon hearing her idol calling her, Gan Lan immediately ran over like she was on a mission.

    ¡°I want to ask you for a favor,¡± Qiao Jing got straight to the point.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, it¡¯s an honor to be of help to you. Whatever you need, just say the word. If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll get it done. And if it¡¯s not, I¡­ I¡¯ll find a way to make it happen,¡± Gan Lan said, thumping her chest confidently.

    ¡°All right then, I¡¯ll be direct. I want you to persuade your dad to give the project to the Zhan Family.¡±

    Gan Lan had not expected Qiao Jing to speak up for Zhan Qipei, which came as a surprise to her.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, why are you so good to him?¡± Gan Lan pouted as she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s merely to repay a favor,¡± Qiao Jing exined. If it weren¡¯t for Zhan Qipei¡¯s timely arrival during the car racing ident, she might have been out of luck.

    Not only that, she had learnedter. The person who threw something at her car that night was none other than Xue Huiyao of the Xue Family, and shortly afterward, the Xue Family was acquired by Zhan Corporation.

    Although Zhan Qipei had never mentioned a word of this to her, she guessed that he had done it for her sake.

    She never brought up this debt of gratitude, keeping it in her heart instead.

    Not mentioning it didn¡¯t mean she had forgotten; she simplycked a suitable opportunity to repay Zhan Qipei¡¯s kindness.

    That¡¯s why she took the initiative to step forward to see if she could help Zhan Qipei secure this business deal. If it worked out, it would be her way of repaying him.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯ll talk to my dad and let you know. I¡¯ll definitely find a way to take care of it for you!¡±

    Gan Lan returned to Gan Changfeng¡¯s side, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s something I need to tell you¡­¡±

    Gan Lan ryed what Qiao Jing had said to her to Gan Changfeng.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Gan Changfeng had not expected Gan Lan to propose such a thing, nor had he anticipated Qiao Jing would ask his son to intervene in their family¡¯s business.

    ¡°Dad, you have to agree to this!¡± Gan Lan didn¡¯t want to disappoint Qiao Jing.

    Gan Changfeng was in a difficult position, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t agree, but our Gan family has cooperated with the Qian Family for so many years. And as you know, our project has always been handled by the Qian Family. If we go back on our word now, how can I even begin to broach this subject?¡±

    ¡°But she saved Qiqi! She¡¯s our family¡¯s benefactor!¡± Gan Lan continued to try to persuade him.

    ¡°I am deeply grateful for that, and I¡¯ve thought about it. I will invite her to a mealter, give her some gifts, as a gesture from our Gan family,¡± replied Gan Changfeng.

    Gan Changfeng was someone who believed in reciprocating kindness. He was thankful to Qiao Jing for saving his daughter, but he saw gratitude and business as two separate matters.

    Seeing there was no room for maneuver, Gan Lan grew more anxious.

    ¡°Qian Yuang is deplorable, and his father, Second Master Qian, is an old cunning fox. I don¡¯t like the Qian Family at all. Besides, I can¡¯t forgive Qian Yuang for what he said to Miss Qiao just now!¡±

    Gan Changfeng patted Gan Lan on the shoulder, speaking earnestly, ¡°You¡¯re a good student, and you have a sharp mind, but you¡¯ve not been exposed much to business matters. When doing business, the most important thing is the interest involved. You¡¯ll understand these things as time goes on.¡±

    The more Gan Changfeng spoke, the more anxious Gan Lan became, ¡°Dad, are you really not going to consider coborating with the Zhan¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore,¡± Gan Changfeng¡¯s tone was not one of discussion, but of decision.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! Dad, I just promised Professor Qiao. I don¡¯t want to let her down. It¡¯s the first time she¡¯s asked for my help. If I can¡¯t help her, even though she won¡¯t me me, it¡¯ll still weigh heavy on my heart, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°What did you say? Professor Qiao? She¡ª¡± Gan Changfeng¡¯s eyes widened as he turned to look at Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 105 - 99: On the Influence of Qiao Jing

    Chapter 105: Chapter 99: On the Influence of Qiao Jing

    Gan Lan suddenly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide open as she looked at Gan Changfeng.

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t say anything, I didn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t say anything!¡±

    Once Gan Lan started lying, she would stutter, a fact well known to her father, Gan Changfeng.

    ¡°This, this, she, she¡ª¡± Gan Changfeng also started to stutter as soon as he began speaking.

    You couldn¡¯t me him for losing hisposure¡ªit was just that the information Gan Lan had inadvertently revealed was too shocking!

    In the capital, everyone knew that Zhan Qipei had married a country girl, but who would have guessed, that this country girl he married was none other than the newly awarded national agriculture magnate, Professor Qiao!

    ¡°Hah¡ª¡± Gan Changfeng gasped sharply, still in a state of shock.

    Gan Lan lowered her hand from her mouth and then turned around dejectedly with her head hanging down.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Gan Changfeng quickly called out to Gan Lan.

    ¡°To tell her, I didn¡¯t help her.¡± Gan Lan¡¯s voice grew quieter as she spoke, her head drooping even lower, looking as though she was too ashamed to see Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Who said you didn¡¯t help her? Go tell her, the Gan family agrees to coborate with the Zhan family.¡±

    Upon hearing Gan Changfeng¡¯s words, Gan Lan suddenly looked up, her eyes wide with surprise and disbelief as she stared at Gan Changfeng.

    ¡°No, no, Dad, didn¡¯t you disagree earlier?¡±

    ¡°Earlier was earlier, now is now.¡±

    Earlier he didn¡¯t know Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, but now that he did, how could he not give Professor Qiao this face?

    ¡°But, about the Qian family¡ªdidn¡¯t you say it was difficult?¡± Gan Lan tilted her head as she looked at her father.

    ¡°Go, go, go! Hurry and tell her, don¡¯t keep her waiting. I¡¯ll handle the Qian family by refusing them.¡± Gan Changfeng said, pushing Gan Lan along, and finally giving her a smiling farewell as she went to meet Qiao Jing.

    Scratching the back of her head, Gan Lan looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°My dad, he agreed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qiao Jing smiled at Gan Lan, expressing gratitude.

    ¡°No, I¡ª¡± Gan Lan hesitated, looking utterly troubled.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    Gan Lan clutched her hair, her head bowed, like a child who had done something wrong.

    ¡°I, I just, I identally said, said too much.¡±

    After saying this, Gan Lan dared not look up at Qiao Jing, fearful of seeing disappointment on her idol¡¯s face.

    If she were to see such a thing, she feared her fragile young heart couldn¡¯t take it.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, ¡°You mean, about my identity?¡±

    Gan Lan nodded, her head still low, ¡°Professor Qiao, I didn¡¯t mean to, I¡ªI just blurted it out in a rush, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°So, did your dad agree because of this?¡± Qiao Jing interrupted Gan Lan.

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now, as long as your dad doesn¡¯t talk about it anymore.¡± In fact, Qiao Jing had intended to use her connections if Gan Lan couldn¡¯t reach an agreement.

    She didn¡¯t like owing favors, and Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t an ordinary person; under normal circumstances, he didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help, so paying back favors was difficult for her.

    Such an opportunity was rare, so she would do her best to secure this project for him.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, aren¡¯t you mad at me?¡± Gan Lan looked up at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t say it, your dad wouldn¡¯t have agreed, right?¡± Qiao Jing responded with a question instead of an answer.

    Gan Lan opened her mouth, essentially acknowledging Qiao Jing¡¯s point with her reaction.

    ¡°So, even if you hadn¡¯t spoken out of turn, I would have spoken to your dad personally.¡±

    Hearing this, Gan Lan was moved beyond words.

    In Gan Lan¡¯s view, Qiao Jing said this primarily to spare him from self-reproach.

    Professor Qiao, truly a good person! The kindest and most considerate person in the world!

    He had decided, he would be her fan for life!

    ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Lu Zijiao said, nodding toward Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei had seen her too, to be exact, his gaze had never moved away from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°How did it go? Sessful?¡± Lu Zijiao asked, a hint of teasing in his voice, but clearly without any malice.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Jing nodded.

    ¡°What?!¡± Lu Zijiao eximed, his mouth agape as if his jaw was about to drop, ¡°Are you, are you kidding?¡±

    Right! She must be joking, Zhan Qipei, an old hand at business warfare, hadn¡¯t seeded, and it seemed like Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t really talked to Gan Changfeng, just exchanged a few words with Gan Lan, and that was it?

    ¡°Did you really seed?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, scrutinizing Qiao Jing with his deep, dark eyes.

    He had been living alone with Qiao Jing for a while now and somewhat understood her, knowing she was not someone to joke about such matters.

    ¡°It worked,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    ¡°No, no, did it really work? How did you manage it?¡± Lu Zijiao could tell now that Qiao Jing was not joking.

    Qiao Jing exined calmly, ¡°A while ago, Gan Qiqi, the Gan family¡¯s daughter, was nearly kidnapped, and I saved her.¡±

    ¡°That happened? That¡¯s quite a coincidence,¡± Lu Zijiao realized why Gan Changfeng had agreed to cooperate with Zhan Corporation.

    Zhan Qipei continued to squint his wise eyes at Qiao Jing, assessing her closely. Despite her wless exnation, he felt that things were not that simple.

    He and Gan Changfeng, both serving as Executive Directors, if it were him, he would repay Qiao Jing¡¯s favor in a different way, rather than refusing to cooperate with a business partner he had worked with for many years.

    Yet Gan Changfeng had done so¡­ There might be unknown secrets involved.

    ¡°This time you¡¯ve helped me out. What do you want? I¡¯ll try to satisfy your request.¡±

    ¡°No need, I was just repaying a favor,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei was somewhat unspeakably disappointed, ¡°Are you talking about the favor I returnedst time?¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to answer, Zhan Qipei continued, ¡°You¡¯ve already repaid that favor.¡±

    Back then, Zhan Qipei¡¯s request had merely been for Qiao Jing to prepare a big table of food.

    ¡°Not just that. I¡¯ve also heard about the Jhiang family¡¯s issue,¡± Qiao Jing openly brought up the topic, making it impossible for Zhan Qipei to deny any involvement with the Jhiang family without making Qiao Jing look foolish.

    Qiao Jing was not foolish; on the contrary, her intelligence sometimes overwhelmed him, so there was even less need for denial.

    Qian Haisheng approached Qian Yuang and scolded him, ¡°I warned you yesterday to watch your behavior and not to overdo it. Now look what you¡¯ve done! You¡¯ve directly offended the Zhan family!¡±

    Qian Yuang, frustrated with nowhere to vent,ined, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Zhan Qipei would suddenly show up, and that Gan Lan, to hit me in front of so many people, grabbing my cor and embarrassing me!¡±

    ¡°Enough, Gan Changfeng is here,¡± Qian Haisheng stopped Qian Yuang from speaking further and walked over to the approaching Gan Changfeng.

    ¡°President Gan, congrattions. Your son is more promising than my son, fortunate enough to enter Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute.¡±

    Upon hearing ¡°Professor Qiao,¡± Gan Changfeng subconsciously nced in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction, frowning at Qian Yuang as he shifted his gaze.

    Qian Haisheng noticed Gan Changfeng¡¯s expression and thinking it was about the incident between Qian Yuang and Gan Lan, hypocritically smiled and said, ¡°My son is a bit thoughtless and speaks without restraint, but fortunately, the matter didn¡¯t escte.¡±

    The matter didn¡¯t escte?

    Gan Changfeng¡¯s mustache twitched. Your son harassed Professor Qiao, and you¡¯re saying it didn¡¯t escte?

    Gan Changfeng¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°President Qian, not to be rude, but your son is no longer young. You should control him a bit; if one day he offends someone he shouldn¡¯t, regret maye toote.¡±

    Though Professor Qiao was not involved in business, her influence was significant!

    If the Qian Family really went against Professor Qiao, most of the powerful families would side with Qiao Jing, isting the Qian Family, leading only to their decline.

    ¡°Yes, you are right, President Gan,¡± Qian Haisheng smiled in agreement, his squinted eyes gleaming coldly.

    ¡°Actually, I came to you to discuss a business cooperation,¡± Gan Changfeng cut to the chase.

    ¡°For this project, let¡¯s stick to the usual terms as in previous years, a fifty-fifty split,¡± Qian Haisheng suggested.

    After a brief silence, Gan Changfeng responded, ¡°Sorry, this time, our Gan family ns to coborate with the Zhan family.¡±

 Chapter 106 - 100 Qiao Jing Attacked Midway

    Chapter 106: Chapter 100 Qiao Jing Attacked Midway

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Qian Haisheng looked at Gan Changfeng with a face full of shock, disbelief brimming in his eyes.

    ¡°To tell the truth, Mr. Zhan¡¯s wife, Qiao Jing, saved my daughter¡¯s life a few days ago. Just now, she had my sone over to speak about this matter. Saving a life is a debt greater than heaven. Since our benefactor has made this request, our Gan family naturally cannot refuse. Therefore, I hope President Qian can understand. I also hope that in the future we can have opportunities to coborate on other projects.¡±

    With these words, Gan Changfeng made it clear to Qian Haisheng that on this project, not just this year, but next year and in the years toe, the Gan family would establish a long-term cooperation with the Zhan family.

    ¡°President Gan, you could certainly repay the favor in other ways. This project has always been handled by our Qian Family, and no one is more familiar with it than us. You suddenly handing it over to the Zhan Family, aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll mess it up?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for President Qian to worry about that. Although President Zhan is younger than us, he is a man of ability. Ever since he took over the Zhan Family, he directly developed it into the capital¡¯s wealthiest family. I believe in his capability.¡±

    Hearing Gan Changfeng say this, Qian Haisheng knew there was no room for any turnaround in this matter.

    It was truly a case of losing the wife and the army!

    If he had known earlier, he would have abducted Gan Qiqi after the project handover.

    Now, not only had the abduction failed, but this person named Qiao Jing had also taken advantage of the situation.

    With this in mind, Qian Haisheng red furiously at Qiao Jing.

    Damn it!

    All because of this woman.

    He wanted her dead!

    Qian Haisheng immediately instructed his men to carry out this task.

    In no more than three days, he wanted Qiao Jing topletely disappear from the capital.

    Early the next morning, Qiao Jing stepped out of her house and felt she was being followed.

    Considering the events of the past few days, Qiao Jing suspected that those tracking her were the same criminals who tried to abduct Gan Qiqi.

    Captain Zhao happened to be troubled by these fish that slipped through the that day. Since they had presented themselves, she was not going to be polite.

    Qiao Jing nced subtly over her shoulder, then quickened her pace, deliberately leading the people into a small alley to take action without causing a disturbance.

    As she walked, Qiao Jing sent a message to Captain Zhao. After dealing with the situation, Captain Zhao could take the men away.

    There were about a dozen people following Qiao Jing, each one a first-ss assassin.

    ¡°Second Master, she has gone into the alley,¡± reported the assassin.

    Qian Haisheng paused the action of turning his jade beads, narrowed his small eyes, which were full of impending danger.

    ¡°Be quick about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Qian Yuang¡¯s face showed a hint of regret. ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t appreciate the fairer sex. Such a beauty is hard to find. It¡¯d be better if you let me have my fun first before killing her. What¡¯s the hurry?¡±

    Qian Haisheng nced at Qian Yuang with irritation. ¡°I¡¯ve told you long ago, with your greedy and lustful nature, you¡¯ll one day die on a woman¡¯s belly. Although Qiao Jing has no background, she is now nominally a person of the Zhan Family. We must deal with her cleanly and leave not a single trace. And you¡¯re thinking of satisfying yourself, aren¡¯t you afraid that will create unwantedplications?¡±

    Qian Yuang pouted and impatiently said, scratching his ear, ¡°I got it, I got it. Isn¡¯t it enough that I¡¯m not mentioning it anymore?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped, turned her head to look at the group of assassins rushing towards her, her eyes narrowed slightly, and her expression waspletely devoid of panic.

    When she was very young, she had followed Grandpa Zhang to the border battlefields, where skirmishes happened ever so often. She had also been to the tropical rainforests with Grandpa Zhang, who taught her how to survive in such perilous conditions, among other things.

    So for her, this skirmish was nothing more than a stretch.

    Ten minutester, the assassinsy scattered all over the ground.

    Qiao Jing dusted off her hands as if it were all in a day¡¯s work.

    Just then, suddenly an assassin mbered up from the ground, attempting to escape.

    ¡°Trying to run away?¡±

    Did you ask her?

    Qiao Jing took a swift lunge forward, gripping the opponent¡¯s arm before forcefully kicking behind his knee.

    ¡°Crack¡ª¡± a sound, it broke.

    But it wasn¡¯t over yet; after breaking one leg, she went for the other.

    Another ¡°Crack¡ª¡± rang out.

    The assassin¡¯s legs were disabled, and he could only kneel on the ground.

    The other assassins, seeking ways to flee and seeing theirrade¡¯s fate, were so frightened that they cowered in ce like quails, daring not to move.

    Because they had just seen, as Qiao Jing broke theirrade¡¯s legs, there was not a hint of hesitation on her face, not even a trace of expression¡ªas if what she was snapping wasn¡¯t a leg but a cucumber.

    This woman, with her slim arms and legs, appearing so frail, was unexpectedly terrifying! No wonder Qian Haisheng had hired so many people to kill her.

    But Qian Haisheng didn¡¯t anticipate that this girl would be far more terrifying than he could ever imagine!

    As they were internally terrified about how Qiao Jing would dispose of them, Captain Zhao arrived with a group of people.

    It was the police! They came so quickly? So, had Qiao Jing discovered them earlier and deliberately led them to this deserted alley? And did she call the police while they were not paying attention?

    The thought was frightening, the more they thought, the deeper their fear of Qiao Jing grew.

    Who on earth was this girl?

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±

    Captain Zhao was more concerned about Qiao Jing¡¯s safety than about capturing these criminals.

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t hurt me,¡± Qiao Jing said, her cool gaze sweeping over the assassins. ¡°Search them. They¡¯re probably just hired killers.¡±

    Qiao Jing hade to this conclusion during the fight with them.

    These people aimed for vital spots with every move, and their coordination was excellent, evidence of well-trained assassins.

    ¡°Alright, you, you, and you, search them.¡±

    Soon, the cell phones on all of the assassins were searched and found.

    ¡°Check the most recent outgoing calls,¡± said Qiao Jing, surmising from experience that the assassins must have phoned their employer.

    ¡°Got it, this strange phone number has no contact name,¡± a police officer handed the cell phone to Captain Zhao and Qiao Jing.

    Captain Zhao and Qiao Jing almost simultaneously turned their gaze toward the assassins.

    ¡°Make the call,¡± Captain Zhao handed the phone to one of the assassins.

    ¡°What phone call? What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand. We just thought she was pretty, so we came over to chat, but then she suddenly started attacking us,¡± the assassins were clever, denying everything. Since they hadn¡¯t hurt Qiao Jing at all, with no evidence against them, they figured they¡¯d just be detained for a few days before being released.

    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Captain Zhao was getting angry, though with someone else, he might have been more inclined to believe the story, but Qiao Jing? Whatever she said was the strongest evidence.

    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to make him cooperate,¡± Qiao Jing walked over.

    Curious, Captain Zhao asked, ¡°What do you n to do? You can¡¯t use violence.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am a model citizen; I wouldn¡¯t engage in illegal activities. Just wait until I break his limbs and then fix them back; no one will know,¡± Qiao Jing said expressionlessly.

 Chapter 107 - 101: Zhan Qipei Collects Qiao Jings Clothes

    Chapter 107: Chapter 101: Zhan Qipei Collects Qiao Jing¡¯s Clothes

    The assassin¡¯s face suddenly turned deathly pale.

    Listen to this! Are these the words of a human being?

    To break and then reattach? You can actually say such cruel things with such a calm tone.

    Speaking of which, how skilled must your medical abilities be? You¡¯re so confident that you can reattach it?

    ¡°But what if even then, he still doesn¡¯t cooperate?¡± Captain Zhao asked.

    Qiao Jing thought for a second and replied, ¡°Then just keep breaking and reattaching, if once doesn¡¯t work, then ten times, if ten times don¡¯t work, then a hundred times. When I was on the border, I assisted Grandpa Zhang in interrogating spies from enemy countries. That¡¯s exactly what I did, cough¡ªinterrogation! Even the most stubborn spies could only endure it twenty-odd times. Don¡¯t worry; special circumstances call for special measures, I¡¯m confident I can make him cooperate.¡±

    The more the assassin listened, the more goosebumps sprang up on his body.

    The border? Interrogated spies from enemy countries! Just who is this girl?

    Before the assassin could figure it out, he saw Qiao Jing walking over to him, scaring him into quickly looking at Captain Zhao.

    ¡°We are innocent, we are good people, you can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Captain Zhao felt it was true as well, considering he was in uniform, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing.

    So¡ª

    ¡°Everyone turn around, don¡¯t look.¡±

    That way, it wouldn¡¯t count as just standing by and doing nothing.

    Calcte the area of the assassin¡¯s psychological shadow.

    Qiao Jing began the procedure, easily breaking the other party¡¯s arm just like snapping a cucumber.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A pig-ughtering scream emanated from the assassin¡¯s mouth.

    The assassin looked at his limbs hanging from his body, his face flushed red turning to purple, sweat poured from his forehead inrge beads, and his clothes were soaked through with sweat.

    The other assassins watched the scene in utter silence, looking at Qiao Jing as if she were a demon who killed without paying the price.

    Come to think of it, weren¡¯t they the ones who should be known for killing without consequence, everyday licking blood off the des? Never did they dream they would end up in such a predicament.

    ¡°Ah ah ah¡ª¡± The assassin writhed on the ground in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move around, I can¡¯t set your bones if you do.¡± Qiao Jing ced her foot on the assassin¡¯s body to stabilize him, then pushed hard with her hands.

    ¡°Crack¡ª¡± In the street.

    ¡°Ah¡ªow ow¡ª¡± The excruciating screams were deafening.

    The pain was so intense that the assassin bit down until his gums bled; honestly, setting bones hurt even more than breaking them.

    And with that¡ªwere they actually reattached?

    They looked just like they had never been broken!

    Before the assassin¡¯s amazement subsided, Qiao Jing took action again, continuing the process.

    ¡°Ah ah ah¡ªow ow ow¡ª¡±

    After everything was reattached, the assassiny limp on the ground like a puddle of mud, his face a mess of tears, snot, and drool, looking as though he had no desire to live.

    The other assassins just felt relieved; thankfully, they weren¡¯t the ones who had ¡°won¡± this ordeal.

    Qiao Jing stood before the assassin, looking down expressionlessly, ¡°Continue.¡±

    These two words, to the assassin¡¯s ears, were like a thunderbolt striking his head, making his pupils dte rapidly, filled with sheer terror.

    ¡°I, I¡¯ll cooperate! Please, don¡¯ty a hand on me anymore!¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°So soon? That¡¯s rather pathetic.¡±

    The assassin ¡°¡­¡±

    To torture him half to death and still think him worthless. You¡¯ve already trampled his body, and now you trample on his heart too. Are you even human?

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re truly formidable!¡± Captain Zhao admired her from the bottom of his heart.

    ¡°Hurry up and have him start dialing, is the tech team ready?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Everything is in ce.¡±

    The assassin dialed shakily, and as soon as the call connected, a middle-aged man¡¯s voice came through the phone.

    ¡°Is everything taken care of?¡±

    The assassin looked up at Qiao Jing, their hesitationsting only a second before Qian Haisheng sensed something was off, immediately hanging up and turning off the phone.

    A ¡°beep¡± sound followed.

    Qiao Jing turned back to look at the technician, the technician¡¯s brows deeply furrowed, ¡°Too much time, couldn¡¯t track it. The other party has already turned off their phone.¡±

    ¡°Who was it?¡± Qiao Jing asked the assassin in a cold voice.

    As soon as she spoke, the assassin suddenly took out a pill and swallowed it.

    Seeing this, the other assassins did the same.

    Being assassins, they were always prepared to face death in their line of work.

    ¡°Drip-drip¡ª¡±

    A raindrop fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s nose, prompting her to look up at the sky.

    ¡°Drip-drip¡ªdrip-drip¡ªdrip-drip¡ª¡± The rain began to fall more densely.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting to rain.¡±

    After mumbling to herself, Qiao Jing thought of the clothes she had left to dry on the balcony that morning.

    When she left in the morning, her phone¡¯s weather forecast said there would be no rain, so she hung the clothes out to dry.

    Today was Saturday, and Zhan Qipei was at home; he could help bring in theundry.

    Zhan Qipei, who was working at home, suddenly received a call from Qiao Jing, which surprised him.

    Since Qiao Jing rarely called him, he was very curious¡ªwhat was Miss Qiao calling him for at noon?

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s raining, can you bring in the clothes drying on the balcony for me?¡±

    Huh? Asking him to collectundry?

    Zhan Qipei had never doneundry in his life, mainly because back in Purple Garden, such chores were done by the servants.

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±

    After hanging up, Zhan Qipei set aside his work and left the room, heading toward the balcony.

    A few articles of clothing and a coat, those were nothing. But the underwear¡­

    Zhan Qipei stared at the bean paste pink bra and the matching set of panties, his hand hovering in mid-air for a good while, his face indescribable.

    The rain grew heavier, and the vigorous wind drove the rain onto the balcony.

    After a moment¡¯s silence, Zhan Qipei grabbed the bra and panties, clutched them in his hand, and returned to the living room with a solemn expression. He carelessly dumped the clothes on the sofa.

    Zhan Qipei looked at his hands, feeling an indescribable sensation in his heart.

    Especially when Qiao Jing returned in the evening, and he saw her exquisite figure, the images from earlier in the day, clutching those two personal items in his hand, involuntarily popped into his mind.

    Thinking about it then, Zhan Qipei felt like his hands weren¡¯t his own.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Noticing Zhan Qipei¡¯s constant gaze, Qiao Jing asked in confusion.

    ¡°Nothing?¡± Zhan Qipei quicklyposed his scrambled thoughts and, after a two-second pause, turned the tables and asked, ¡°Why did youe back sote today?¡±

    ¡°I was attacked on the street during the day, probably by the aplices of those people fromst time.¡± Qiao Jing spoke calmly. Afterward, she took a bottle of ice water from the fridge and gulped down more than half of it.

    ¡°What did you say? You were attacked?!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice involuntarily rose several decibels, as his anxious gaze swept over Qiao Jing several times.

    ¡°You¡¯re not hurt?¡±

    With Qiao Jing clothed, he could only see her neck and wrists, which were unscathed. But that didn¡¯t guarantee there were no issues elsewhere.

    ¡°There weren¡¯t many of them, and they basically had nobat power.¡± Qiao Jing deliberately said this, fearing that Zhan Qipei would be suspicious again.

    However, as soon as she finished speaking, a sudden abdominal pain struck her. She bent over, clutching her lower abdomen, her face turning deathly pale in an instant.

 Chapter 108 - 102: Zhan Qipei, the Matter of Me Being a Woman Has Arrived!

    Chapter 108: Chapter 102: Zhan Qipei, the Matter of Me Being a Woman Has Arrived!

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s pained expression, Zhan Qipei¡¯s entire being panicked in an instant; his hand, extended towards her lower back, hesitated, uncertain whether to embrace her or not.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±

    Qiao Jing was now in unbearable pain in her lower abdomen, feeling as if something was about to fall out¡ªa sensation every woman knew all too well.

    Counting the days, she wasn¡¯t due until the day after tomorrow. It must have been therge half bottle of ice water she drank earlier that caused her period to arrive early.

    As Qiao Jing was thinking this, suddenly that warm wetness slid down, and the difort beneath her reached its peak in an instant.

    ¡°I¡¯m really okay, I just need to rest for a while.¡±

    Qiao Jing bit her lower lip, enduring the intense difort, covered her abdomen with her hands, and slowed her steps toward her room.

    ¡°You¡¯re like this, and you still say you¡¯re okay? You¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t manage to finish his words, his attention drawn instead to therge stain behind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s temples abruptly throbbed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me!¡± Qiao Jing quickened her pace, rushing toward her own room.

    Before she could reach the door, however, the long legs behind her caught up in a few strides, and without another word, he scooped her up horizontally.

    ¡°Today, no matter what you say or how much you insist, I am taking you to the hospital!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was stern, his expression taut, looking every bit as if he were dealing with a national crisis.

    ¡°Put me down, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Zhan Qipei interrupted Qiao Jing in a deep voice.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Zhan Qipei.

    He was telling her to shut up? It would be hard to find a second person in this world who dared to speak to her with that tone.

    Yet, she didn¡¯t feel annoyed because she knew that it was his concern for her that made him act this way.

    Zhan Qipei, holding Qiao Jing, arrived at the foyer and began to change shoes.

    ¡°Hurry and put me down; I really am fine!¡±

    No matter what Qiao Jing said, Zhan Qipei just wouldn¡¯t put her down.

    Having no choice, she struggled to get down from his embrace.

    Tragically, as soon as she exerted herself, the pain intensified, followed by another rush of warmth.

    At this moment, her body was almost pressed against the man¡¯s front, so without looking, she knew she must have stained him as well.

    Zhan Qipei finished changing shoes, hand on the doorknob, ready to turn.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei! My period started!¡± After shouting this, Qiao Jing turned her head away, her ears tinted with an embarrassed crimson.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand on the doorknob froze, and it took him a full three seconds to recover from his daze. His gaze gradually shifted to the girl in his arms, and seeing her wanting to burrow into a mouse hole to hide, he believed she wasn¡¯t lying to him.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to put me down yet?¡± Qiao Jing said, her voice firm despite her embarrassment.

    Zhan Qipei moved his lips slightly, as if he meant to say something, but when he opened his mouth, he realized he didn¡¯t know what to say.

    After putting Qiao Jing down, he looked at the conspicuous stain on her light-colored jeans, then lowered his gaze to his own white shirt, now speckled with blossom-like stains.

    Qiao Jing pressed her hand to her forehead. ¡°Take off your shirt, I¡¯ll wash itter. If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll buy you a new one.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Zhan Qipei said, and began unbuttoning his shirt to take it off.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t care less about anything else at the moment; she needed to change her pants and then lie down on the bed to rest properly.

    After stripping off his clothes, Zhan Qipei walked to the trash bin, ready to throw them away.

    The clothes hung in mid-air, and as Zhan Qipei stared at the specks of red on the shirt, for some reason, he didn¡¯t find them dirty at all.

    After being silent for about fifteen seconds, Zhan Qipei retracted his hand and took the shirt to the bathroom, turned on the hot water, added some detergent, and soaked it.

    Since the blood was fresh, a light scrubbing was all it took to clean it off.

    Though he was the wealthiest man in the capital, he couldn¡¯t afford to be too wasteful.

    Right, that was it. The reason he didn¡¯t throw away the shirt wasn¡¯t because of Qiao Jing.

    After convincing himself of this, Zhan Qipei no longer entertained any muddled thoughts.

    The scene shifted to Qian Haisheng, who stared at his phone with a murderous scowl on his face.

    Qian Yuang shifted his gaze from the phone and said, ¡°Dad, didn¡¯t you hire over ten assassins? How could this be the result?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to know that myself!¡± Qian Haisheng said irritably, ¡°I guess maybe she was lucky, happened to have someone pass by and rescue her, or some other ident urred.¡±

    No matter what the spection, Qian Haisheng had considered them all, but never did it cross his mind that all the assassins had been dealt with by Qiao Jing alone.

    ¡°So what do we do now? Hire more people?¡±

    Qian Haisheng spoke coldly after two seconds of silence, ¡°This girl must die!¡±

    ¡°Then why not employ the top assassin of the league, Leng Qing? With a sess rate of 100%, if he takes the job, Qiao Jing is as good as dead.¡± Qian Yuang still thought it was a pity if Qiao Jing just died like that, but seeing his father was determined to kill her, he had to let go of the thought of savoring her further.

    ¡°Hmm, that was my n as well.¡±

    Qian Haisheng returned to his usualposed demeanor, fidgeting with the jade beads in his hand as he continued, ¡°After what happened today, the Zhan Family would assume we¡¯ve tipped them off, so they won¡¯t act in the short term. But I will do the exact opposite and have Leng Qing make his move tonight.¡±

    ¡°What if they¡¯ve guessed our n?¡± Qian Yuang asked. ¡°If they suspect we might strike again and secretly protect Qiao Jing, could our actions tonight fall right into their hands?¡±

    ¡°So what if they¡¯ve guessed? After all, Qiao Jing isn¡¯t one of the Zhan Family. Even if they do send someone to protect her, they can¡¯t possibly assign many. Besides, we¡¯re hiring Leng Qing. With Leng Qing taking action, we needn¡¯t worry about problems arising.¡±

    Qian Yuang nodded, ¡°Indeed.¡±

    *

    Zhan Qipei was on a call with Tang Yan, ¡°Send more people over these next few days. ording to my analysis, those who want to kill Qiao Jing will strike again.¡±

    ¡°Got it, boss. I¡¯ll arrange for people right away.¡±

    No sooner had Tang Yan finished speaking than the doorbell rang.

    ¡°Ding¡ªDong¡ªDing¡ªDong¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced toward the living room door. Who could it be at this hour?

    ¡°Ding¡ªDong¡ª¡± The stubborn ringing of the doorbell persisted.

    Qiao Jing came out of the room clutching her stomach.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Why are you out here?¡±

    ¡°The doorbell rang.¡± Qiao Jing spoke with a breathless voice due to the cold shock.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it. You go back and rest.¡± Zhan Qipei walked briskly to the door and pulled it open.

    A young man in mboyant attire stood in the doorway, his hair dyed fiery red, sunsses on his face, and a gold chain as thick as a finger around his neck.

    But that wasn¡¯t the focal point. What really stood out was how genuinely fat the visitor was. nted in the doorway, he almost blocked the entrancepletely.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Just as Zhan Qipei¡¯s wordsnded, he heard the slightly surprised voice of Qiao Jing from behind him.

    ¡°Fatty? It¡¯s you?¡±

 Chapter 109 - 103: Qiao Jings Alternate Account is Exposed

    Chapter 109: Chapter 103: Qiao Jing¡¯s Alternate ount is Exposed

    Fatty? Here to find Qiao Jing?

    Zhan Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing and discovered she was staring at the young man at the door.

    Wen Binbin took off his sses and looked at Qiao Jing with his big, round eyes, ¡°Jing ge! Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Why are you not staying in your mansion in the Capital, and instead have run over to my ce?¡± Qiao Jing asked in confusion. After asking this question, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows suddenly knitted together, ¡°Wait, I never told you my address. How did you know I was here?¡±

    Wen Binbin pulled a fan out from his waistband and fanned himself as he walked in.

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly because my Wen Binbin has vast magical powers!¡±

    Wen Binbin walked to the sofa, sat down without any sense of ceremony, and looked at Zhan Qipei, ¡°This must be Jing jie, right? She really doesn¡¯t look bad. Although only slightly better looking than me.¡±

    Upon hearing the nickname ¡°Jing jie,¡± Zhan Qipei felt speechless and twitched the corner of his eye, turning to look at Qiao Jing. He thought to himself that her circle of friends was as wide-ranging as ever,prised of all sorts of strange characters.

    Although this fatty looked dressed like a nouveau riche, intuition told him that the person was definitely not as simple as he appeared.

    It wasn¡¯t a wild guess; there was an aura about the other party that was simply impossible to ignore.

    Moreover, since the other party was a friend of Qiao Jing¡¯s, they must certainly be aware of his identity.

    Ordinary people would show some fear when speaking to him upon learning of his identity, but this person was able to look him in the eye without flinching and even dare to teasingly call him ¡°Jing jie.¡± Who was this person?

    Qiao Jing shot Wen Binbin a speechless nce before standing between Zhan Qipei and Wen Binbin.

    ¡°Let me give you a brief introduction, he¡ª¡±

    ¡°No need for introductions, I know who he is¡ªthe tycoon CEO of Zhan Corporation from the Capital, Zhan Qipei. I¡¯m Wen Binbin, Binbin as in cultured and refined. Nice name, huh? It even sounds better and is easier to remember than yours. You can call me Wen Binbin, or you could call me boss like Jing ge does. It¡¯s just a form of address; feel free to use it.¡± Wen Binbin opened his fan and fanned himself in front of him, looking every bit like a boss.

    Wen Binbin¡­ from the Capital¡­

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, searching his memory. It seemed there was no prominent family surnamed Wen in the Capital.

    Qiao Jing looked Wen Binbin up and down with distaste, ¡°How have you gotten even fatter?¡±

    She still remembered when she first met Wen Binbin three years ago, he was a lean young man, handsome and sunny, with charming dimples that appeared on his cheeks whenever he smiled.

    And now¡­ to be honest, she didn¡¯t really want to look at him, a pile of flesh.

    ¡°This is prosperity!¡± Wen Binbin was quite fond of his chubby figure. ¡°Besides, you should know the worry of thin people is losing weight, but for someone as fat as me, there¡¯s no need to consider dieting. No worries, isn¡¯t that great?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Wen Binbin speechlessly, ¡°Have you forgotten about your own profession?¡±

    The celebrated number one assassin of the alliance, Leng Qing, with a 100% sess rate¡ªan S-ss assassin. This guy, at his weight, who would believe that he was the legendary Leng Qing, known for moving without a trace?

    ¡°Jing ge, you should not judge by my current appearance. As long as I¡¯m around, I¡¯m number one in that industry, and no one dares to im they¡¯re the second!¡± Wen Binbin wasn¡¯t boasting; he certainly had the skills to back his im.

    Zhan Qipei listened from the side, filled with curiosity. What exactly did this fatty do to talk so big?

    ¡°To be honest, howe you suddenly ran over from the Capital?¡± Qiao Jing got to the heart of the matter.

    ¡°Snap¡ª¡± With a flick, Wen Binbin closed the fan, sat up straight, his face turning serious, and the atmosphere instantly quieted down.

    After a brief silence, Wen Binbin finally spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve received a task to take your life.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Zhan Qipei instantly understood Wen Binbin¡¯s profession.

    Assassin!

    Though this was important,pared to Qiao Jing, she was the utmost priority.

    ¡°Who wants to kill her?¡±

    Wen Binbin turned to look at Zhan Qipei, with a hint of gossip in his eyes.

    ¡°Oh! You actually care about my brother Jing, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve developed feelings for him over time, perhaps you¡¯ve fallen for Brother Jing?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, he¡¯s currently considered as part of my Zhan Family for now. Hiring an assassin to kill her is practically a provocation against Zhan Family. I¡¯m just simply curious, who exactly is the person behind this?¡± Zhan Qipei spoke indifferently.

    ¡°So you haven¡¯t fallen for Brother Jing? You¡¯ve already married Brother Jing, so stop thinking about divorce. I think you two are quite the match, a golden boy and a jade girl, a match made in heaven.¡±

    Wen Binbin¡¯s words gave Zhan Qipei a refreshingly new feeling, as during this time everyone around him, besides his grandfather, had been urging him to divorce. Both people he knew and strangers were waiting for him to divorce Qiao Jing.

    Wen Binbin was different though, actually saying they were a golden boy and jade girl, a good match. Hearing this felt surprisingly pleasant.

    ¡°Let me tell you, by following Brother Jing, I guarantee your Zhan Family will flourish. And just look at Brother Jing, with a great figure and a perky butt, definitely good for childbearing, for sure can bring you a houseful of children and grandchildren for Zhan Family.¡±

    Zhan Qipei followed Wen Binbin¡¯s gaze, firstnding on Qiao Jing¡¯s towering peaks, then sliding down to her slender waist that could be encircled with a single hand, and finally resting on the girl¡¯s full and firm buttocks.

    Qiao Jing exhaled a heavy breath of foul air and coldly red at Wen Binbin, ¡°What? Are you itching for a beating, wanting me to help you disassemble and reassemble your bones?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no! I¡¯ve beencking calciumtely, my bones are brittle, please don¡¯t mess around, I was wrong, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Wen Binbin said, frantically backing away.

    Qiao Jing thought if she hadn¡¯t been on her period and thus inconvenienced, she would definitely have disassembled Wen Binbin¡¯s bones today for his brazen teasing.

    She took note of this. When she got the chanceter, she would make sure Wen Binbin¡¯s bones became even ¡°healthier.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t find out who issued the task even with your skills?¡± Qiao Jing got back to the main topic.

    Wen Binbin held a fan while sitting on the edge of the sofa, maintaining the furthest distance from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°If I can¡¯t find it out with my skills, then that¡¯s the result, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Qiao Jing understood Wen Binbin¡¯s implication. Whoever had secretly issued the task and managed to erase all traces must be no ordinary member of the wealthy elite.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I won¡¯t disturb your rest any longer. Oh, right, Brother Jing. I haven¡¯t found a ce to stay yet. I remember you have a vi at Tan Pce, what¡¯s the password? I¡¯ll stay there tonight,¡± said Wen Binbin, looking at Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with a shocked face, ¡°You have a vi at Tan Pce?¡±

    In the Capital, Tan Pce and Purple Garden are ranked as the most luxurious vi areas, incredibly expensive. To acquire a vi there, one needs not only to be extremely wealthy but also well-connected. Due to high demand and limited avability, even having money doesn¡¯t guarantee you can buy one.

    That Qiao Jing had a vi in Tan Pce was astonishing to Zhan Qipei.

    Before Qiao Jing could answer, Wen Binbin¡¯s voice rang out first.

    ¡°Yeah? You didn¡¯t know? I think Brother Jing has several vis at Tan Pce?¡±

 Chapter 110 - 104: Who Are You Exactly?

    Chapter 110: Chapter 104: Who Are You Exactly?

    Several sets?!

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with an incredibly surprised expression, while Qiao Jing red at Wen Binbin, clearly annoyed.

    It¡¯s just your talk too much.

    After understanding the implication in Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Wen Binbin hurriedly retreated to the doorway of the living room, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now! No need to see me out.¡±

    Having said that, Wen Binbin quickly pulled open the door and scurried out.

    The living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

    Before Qiao Jing could think of a good excuse, she heard a ¡°ding¡ª¡± from her phone as Wen Binbin sent a message.

    ¡°Since I¡¯vee all this way, I n to stay in the capital a bit longer. If you¡¯re free, may I treat you to a meal?¡±

    Wen Binbin¡¯sst message clearly screamed of his desire to live.

    The secret was out, and there was no point in ming him for being talkative anymore. Besides, she didn¡¯t disclose her situation to Zhan Qipei.

    Of course, she hadn¡¯t expected that Wen Binbin woulde to the capital because he had epted the task to kill her.

    Qiao Jing typed a string of numbers and a door code, and sent it to Wen Binbin.

    ¡°Thanks, Big Bro Jing.¡±

    Wen Binbin cheerfully said, ¡°Now I have a ce to stay tonight.¡±

    After putting down her phone, Qiao Jing noticed that Zhan Qipei was still staring at her.

    ¡°You should head to bed early,¡± Qiao Jing casually greeted Zhan Qipei before heading to her own room.

    ¡°Qiao Jing,¡± Zhan Qipei called out to stop her, ¡°just who are you, really?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped her steps, but did not turn around, ¡°Everyone has their own secrets.¡±

    This simple statement was enough to stop Zhan Qipei from asking any more questions.

    By saying this, Qiao Jing made her stance clear; their marriage was only carried out due to a promise made by their grandfathers. Neither had the right to interfere in the other¡¯s personal life.

    Realizing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face returned to its usual sternness, and without saying another word, he went back to his room.

    Qiao Jing looked towards Zhan Qipei¡¯s tightly closed door and thought it was best he didn¡¯t ask further, as she really couldn¡¯t find a proper reason to exin.

    She opened her room door, went in, and quietness returned once again.

    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Qian Haisheng looked at his assistant with disbelief.

    ¡°How can this be? Leng Qing won¡¯t take the task? Why won¡¯t he ept it? Is it because the price is too low?¡±

    The assistant shook his head, ¡°I tried to increase the price, but he still won¡¯t ept.¡±

    This left Qian Haisheng unable to understand; his offer was certainly not low, and the assistant had even tested Leng Qing¡¯s inclination by raising the price, yet he still refused the task.

    ¡°Could it be that the Zhan Family found out about his hiring of Leng Qing and extended their influence into the alliance?¡± guessed Qian Yuang.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Qian Haisheng refuted Qian Yuang¡¯s guess, ¡°The alliance has its own principles, it never mixes with any family.¡±

    ¡°Then could it be that Leng Qing knows Qiao Jing?¡± Qian Yuang continued to specte.

    Qian Haisheng widened his eyes at Qian Yuang.

    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be right? I was just saying, it can¡¯t be that coincidental, can it?¡± Qian Yuang swallowed nervously.

    After a full minute, Qian Yuang instructed the assistant, ¡°Since Leng Qing is unwilling to act, let¡¯s ask the alliance¡¯s second best assassin toplete the job.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ten minutester, the assistant returned, sweating, ¡°The second assassin won¡¯t ept either.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Qian Haisheng stopped twirling the jade beads, his eyes wide as saucers.

    The assistant swallowed his saliva and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not just the second assassin who won¡¯t take the job; the entire alliance won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°ck¡ª¡± Jade Beads fell to the ground, making a ¡°ttering¡± noise, which sounded particrly jarring in the silent living room.

    Qian Haisheng didn¡¯t know when he had stood up, his mouth agape, unable to utter a sound for a long time.

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Qian Yuang couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°This, I¡¯m not sure. I checked, but just couldn¡¯t find anything,¡± the assistant replied, frowning.

    After thinking for a moment, Qian Yuang said, ¡°Could it really be as I guessed? Do Qiao Jing and Leng Qing really know each other? Are the assassins in the alliance not taking the job because they are looking out for Leng Qing¡¯s face?¡±

    Qian Haisheng sorted through his shocked and bewildered thoughts, analyzing Qian Yuang¡¯s words from before.

    Although his son was usually not well-behaved, his analysis just now made some sense.

    ¡°Keep looking.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After instructing the assistant, Qian Haisheng turned to Qian Yuang, ¡°Find a chance to get closer to Qiao Jing, see if you can uncover any clues.¡±

    ¡°Sure! Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me. I will definitely handle it well!¡±

    Qian Yuang was delighted, for not killing Qiao Jing meant he could find ways to get to her.

    Three dayster, when Qiao Jing¡¯s aunt had left, he made ns with Wen Binbin to dine out.

    ¡°So many people!¡± Wen Binbin stood at the entrance of the restaurant and looked inside, ¡°No wonder it¡¯s the biggest restaurant in the capital! Jing brother, did you make a reservation in advance?¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, he heard a nauseating voice.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Miss Qiao? We really are fated.¡±

    The speaker was none other than Qian Yuang.

    As soon as Qian Yuang appeared, he couldn¡¯t keep his eyes to himself, leering at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Jing brother, this guy is leering at you, do you know him?¡± Wen Binbin asked, puzzled.

    Qian Yuang twitched the corners of his mouth. What did he mean by leering? And more so, it was one thing to speak ill of him, but to do so loudly?

    Was that polite?

    ¡°A member of the Qian Family, just ignore him, pretend we don¡¯t know him,¡± Qiao Jing said coldly.

    ¡°Oh, now I get it; he¡¯s just a sleazebag!¡± Wen Binbin said contemptuously, casting a nce at Qian Yuang.

    Qian Yuang was infuriated by Qiao Jing and Wen Binbin, especially Wen Binbin, the fatso, who spoke so offensively. Be careful, or you might just infuriate him enough to truly turn you into a dead fatso.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Qiao Jing turned around, not sparing Qian Yuang an extra nce.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Qian Yuang stopped Qiao Jing, ¡°With so many people inside, you didn¡¯t make a reservation, did you? This is the biggest restaurant in the capital; ordinary people have to book three days in advance. Not only that, they have a very famous dish, Imperial Bird¡¯s Nest Tofu, made with top-quality ingredients using a special cooking method, which leaves a delightful and unforgettable taste in your mouth. Unfortunately, they only serve ten pots a day.¡±

    ¡°Luckily, I booked a few pots a few days ago. Even I had to wait in line for half a month. If youe with, I¡¯ll let you taste it, how does that sound?¡± Qian Yuang said, his face showing a determination to seed.

    Based on his experience, he was sure Qiao Jing would throw herself into his arms momentarily.

    However¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯re really annoying!¡± said Qiao Jing, impatiently taking out his phone, ¡°I¡¯m in your restaurant now.¡±

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯ve arrived? I¡¯m currently tied up with something, I¡¯ll have someone attend to you. The private room is just down to thest one, please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°No need for a private room, the view on the first floor is quite nice. Just arrange a seat on the second floor, it¡¯s good for enjoying the view,¡± Qiao Jing said while admiring the decoration on the first floor, where peach trees abounded¡ªthough artificial, they looked very convincing.

    Not only were there peach trees, but also a lotus pond, with realistic lotus flowers illuminated by candlelight, the fish swimming joyfully in the water.

    Qian Yuang, in his persistent annoyance, came over, ¡°Can¡¯t book, right? I told you, it¡¯s hard for ordinary people to book, you just¡ª¡±

    Qian Yuang hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he saw the lobby manager walking toward them.

 Chapter 111 - 105: Slap in the Face! Slap in the Face! Another Slap in the Face!

    Chapter 111: Chapter 105: p in the Face! p in the Face! Another p in the Face!

    ¡°Look, herees Manager He,¡± Qian Yuang said to Qiao Jing, pointing him out. ¡°Despite being just the lobby manager, his status is second only to Boss Yu of the hotel. Usually, he only deals with receiving VIPs. Impressive, isn¡¯t it? Quite a prestigious position.¡±

    As Qian Yuang spoke, he affected a refined adjustment of his cor.

    Manager He approached and was about to speak to Qiao Jing when Qian Yuang interrupted him.

    ¡°Manager He, long time no see.¡±

    Out of politeness, Manager He briefly greeted Qian Yuang, ¡°Young Master Qian, you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Just as Qian Yuang wanted to say something more, Manager He¡¯s gaze had already shifted from him to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, pleasee this way.¡±

    Manager He¡¯s attitude toward Qiao Jing was unknowably more respectful than the one he showed Qian Yuang.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiao Jing nodded, then headed towards the second floor.

    All the while, Manager He walked slightly behind and to the side of Qiao Jing, leading her to a spot on the second floor where they could enjoy the view.

    Qian Yuang looked up at Qiao Jing, who was perusing the menu, and gaped, unable to close his mouth.

    Several wealthy young masters hade with Qian Yuang.

    ¡°Young Master Qian, she looks like a big shot, who exactly is she?¡±

    ¡°Big shot my ass! She¡¯s just a country girl from the sticks, nothing special. Probably gets such treatment just by clinging to the Zhan Family¡¯s coattails,¡± Qian Yuang sneered, having decided that Manager He¡¯s treatment of Qiao Jing must be due to her previous visits with the Zhan Family.

    ¡°Country girl? The Zhan Family? No wonder she looked familiar¡ªI guess she¡¯s the countryside girl the Zhan Family married off. To be honest, I thought she was quite pretty from a distance before. Having seen her up close just now, I realize she truly is naturally beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Do you guys think President Zhan, having married such a beauty, might develop feelings over time and fall for her?¡±

    ¡°Ha! Perhaps anyone else might, but who is Zhan Qipei? He¡¯s like a breath of fresh air in our circles! Never touches a woman, and besides, I hear his family is out there seeking a miracle doctor to treat his infertility.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ªwhat a pity, such a pretty girl with a great figure. If I had the chance to taste that, I swear it¡¯d be heavenly!¡±

    The brazen young masters continued their unrestrained banter, all of which reached the ears of Manager He who was not far away. He intended to report every word to the bosster.

    ¡°Out of the way! I saw her first,¡± Qian Yuang asserted.

    Hearing Qian Yuang say this, the other rich youths teased him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy. Among us, we share the good things¡ªa beauty is to be enjoyed by all.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    While they spoke, the group headed to the second floor, and coincidentally, they chose a table right next to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    ¡°What a coincidence! It seems we are fated,¡± Qian Yuang said to Qiao Jing, trying to chat her up again. ¡°Why don¡¯t we join our tables? I¡¯ll treat you. Eat whatever you like, you and your friend.¡±

    Qiao Jing handed the menu to Wen Binbin across the table. ¡°To tell you the truth, if I weren¡¯t a model citizen, I¡¯d hire you to deal with someone.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for Qian Yuang and hispanions to hear.

    What did she mean? Deal with him? To hire this fatso?

    Qian Yuang sized up Wen Binbin. Could this guy really kill someone by sitting on them with his weight?

    As Qian Yuang was silently mocking, Wen Binbin suddenly looked over at him with an icy, piercing stare that revealed a chilling, unsettling coldness.

    This terrifying and daunting presence gave the impression¡­ he had killed before, and not just once.

    Meeting Wen Binbin¡¯s gaze, Qian Yuang felt as if he saw an ice-cold corpse that looked just like him in Wen Binbin¡¯s eyes.

    And as he looked, Qian Yuang felt as though his own blood was starting to freeze.

    After a brief exchange of gazes, Wen Binbin averted his eyes, picked up the menu, and began to peruse it with one leg crossed over the other.

    ¡°So the King¡¯s Farewell then, a dish of peanuts, but howe there are no smashed cucumbers? What¡¯s this fancy restaurant¡¯s deal? How can they look down on my favorite smashed cucumbers?¡±

    Qian Yuang was panting heavily, as if he had just returned from a round trip to Ghost Gate Pass.

    When he looked at Wen Binbin again, he found the man indistinguishable from any ordinary fatty you¡¯d see around.

    Notpletely indistinguishable, perhaps even fatter.

    He must have been cursed or something. What the hell happened just now? Could it be that he had too much funst night with those women and overdosed, which is why he¡¯s hallucinating?

    While Qian Yuang was thinking this, the ethereal voice of Qiao Jing suddenly rose by his ear.

    ¡°If you really want to eat smashed cucumbers, just mention it to Manager Heter, and he¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare a portion for you.¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Li Zitong, one of Qian Yuang¡¯s dandy friends, let out augh, looking at Qiao Jing, ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re quitemanding, huh! Even the cows have flown up to the sky. This is our capital¡¯s foremost grand restaurant, not some roadside food stall. You think they¡¯ll make whatever you ask for on a whim?¡±

    No sooner had Li Zitong finished speaking than they saw Manager He take out a walkie-talkie, ¡°Make a dish of smashed cucumbers and bring it up immediately.¡±

    What¡¯s going on?

    Li Zitong and the others were all dumbfounded.

    ¡°Jing bro, is that Manager He your rtive?¡±

    Wen Binbin¡¯s question was also what the others wanted to know.

    ¡°No,¡± replied Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Then why is he giving us such special treatment?¡± Wen Binbin asked again.

    ¡°I know his boss.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing said this, Li Zitong switched from sputtering to smiling.

    ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Li Zitong and the others burst into heartyughter.

    ¡°What did I just hear? A country bumpkin girl iming she knows the owner of the capital¡¯s top grand restaurant, is that funny or what?¡±

    Wen Binbin picked up his chopsticks and stood up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them; just treat them like air,¡± Qiao Jing, looking up, said to Wen Binbin.

    Wen Binbin gave Qian Yuang and his group a cold look, then sat down again, and turned to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Jing bro, how did you get to know the owner of this restaurant?¡±

    ¡°Boss Li¡¯s mother fell ill and sought me out.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing say this, Wen Binbin couldn¡¯t help but feel a kindred spirit.

    Because his own acquaintance with Qiao Jing had also started with healing.

    During that period, Wen Binbin was getting over a breakup, indulging in excessive eating and drinking at the restaurant, which led to gastric bleeding. It so happened that Qiao Jing was also in the restaurant, and in an emergency, Qiao Jing stepped in to save him, and afterwards, they became good friends.

    ¡°She knows medical skills?¡± Li Zitong asked Qian Yuang in a low voice beside him.

    ¡°How would I know?¡± Qian Yuang indicated he was keen to find out as well.

    ¡°So what do we do now? Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t seem to want to pay any attention to us, does she?¡± Li Zitong, just like Qian Yuang, was ustomed to spending his nights bustling upon women¡¯s bellies. Consequently, faced with a beauty like Qiao Jing, he was already itching with desire.

    Just then, the waiter brought over four bowls of Bird¡¯s Nest.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, we¡¯ll use this to lure her in.¡±

    Before Qian Yuang finished speaking, he saw the waiter ce all four bowls of Bird¡¯s Nest on Qiao Jing¡¯s table.

 Chapter 112 - 106: Hiring a Hitman to Kill Wen Binbin

    Chapter 112: Chapter 106: Hiring a Hitman to Kill Wen Binbin

    What¡¯s going on here?

    Qian Yuang, Li Zitong, and the others all stared with eyes wide with shock and surprise at the four bowls of Bird¡¯s Nest with tofu in front of Qiao Jing.

    Wen Binbin picked up a bowl of Bird¡¯s Nest with tofu, took a spoon, and slurped it down greedily.

    ¡°Delicious! Incredibly delicious!¡±

    After finishing one bowl, Wen Binbin picked up another and made smacking sounds of enjoyment.

    ¡°Drink less, be careful or you might not be able to handle itter tonight,¡± Qiao Jing also picked up a bowl of Bird¡¯s Nest and started to savour it slowly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not often Ie to the Imperial Capital. If I don¡¯t drink more now, who knows when I¡¯ll get toe again?¡± Wen Binbin said, finishing the second bowl and his gaze fell on thest one.

    Qiao Jing moved thest bowl closer to herself, ¡°Tonic foods shouldn¡¯t be consumed in excess. I¡¯m taking this bowl back.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s for Sister Jing. Then I won¡¯t fight you for it,¡± Wen Binbin retracted his hand, jokingly saying.

    Qiao Jing silently stared at Wen Binbin, ¡°He and I are just temporarily married, yes, this is indeed for him. Because he often buys me breakfast, even though he picks it up on the way and eats it himself, I don¡¯t like to be in someone¡¯s debt. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡ªoh¡ª¡± Wen Binbin deliberately dragged out a long, strange tone, then reached out with his chopsticks to pick up some food.

    He had just picked up the food when Qiao Jing knocked it off with her chopsticks.

    Wen Binbin knew this was the result of his loose talk, ¡°Brother Jing, I was wrong, I¡¯m very sorry!¡±

    ¡°Your mix of Chinese and English is ufortable to my ears.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then sorry, very much!¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    And chose not to speak.

    The Bird¡¯s Nest with tofu for Qian Yuang¡¯s table also arrived, but they had lost their appetite.

    ¡°Young Master Qian, do you think it¡¯s really like Qiao Jing said, that she knows the boss of the hotel?¡± Li Zitong looked at Qian Yuang and asked.

    No sooner had Li Zitong finished speaking than a middle-aged man in a well-tailored suit ran out from the VIP elevator.

    ¡°Boss Li!¡±

    ¡°It really is Boss Li. Why is he running in such a hurry? Has something happened?¡± Qian Yuang also noticed Li Dongyaoing out of the elevator.

    ¡°Strange? He seems to be looking our way. Young Master Qian, could it be Boss Li is giving you face?¡±

    Qian Yuang was asked with a confused expression, wondering if it really was about giving him face. He remembered when his father came here, Boss Li would asionallye out to greet, but never in such a rush as today, as if a fire had broken out.

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Li Zitong suddenly thought of something, turning his head sharply toward Qiao Jing, ¡°Could it be for Qiao Jing?¡±

    As soon as these words came out, Qian Yuang and the others were all stunned.

    Before they could react, they saw Li Dongyao hurrying to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re here. Why didn¡¯t you notify me in advance so I could arrange things for you?¡±

    Shock!

    Silence.

    At this moment, the feelings of Qian Yuang, Li Zitong, and the others were tooplicated to express in words.

    Just now, they were HIA-ing withughter, mocking Qiao Jing for boasting.

    But now, in no time at all, they had collectively been pped in the face.

    Qiao Jing put down her chopsticks and looked at Li Dongyao, ¡°My friend decided on a whim toe here to eat. Now we have a seat, and the location is quite good, I¡¯m already very grateful to you.¡±

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you shouldn¡¯t say that. If there¡¯s anyone who should be grateful, it¡¯s me. If it weren¡¯t for you, my mother probably would¡¯ve already passed away,¡± Li Dongyao said, looking at Qiao Jing with a face full of gratitude.

    Qian Yuang and the others exchanged nces, wide-eyed with disbelief.

    She didn¡¯t lie, she truly saved Li Dongyao¡¯s mother.

    It seems, she really knows medical skills?

    And her level is not low?

    Otherwise, with Li Dongyao¡¯s status, what kind of doctor couldn¡¯t he hire?

    Analyzing it this way, this Qiao Jing isn¡¯t any ordinary character!

    But isn¡¯t it rumored that the Zhan Family¡¯s country bride only knows how to farm all day?

    ¡°I understand now!¡± Qian Yuang shouted in his heart, then took his cell phone aside and made a call to Qian Haisheng.

    As soon as the call connected, Qian Yuang couldn¡¯t wait to say, ¡°Dad, I finally know why Qiao Jing was at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute!¡±

    ¡°Tell me quickly!¡± Qian Haisheng asked eagerly.

    ¡°Because Qiao Jing is a doctor, she was hired by the research institute to be a personal physician.¡±

    It must be so! Qian Yuang was incredibly satisfied with himself, indeed, he was smart!

    ¡°She is a doctor?¡± Qian Haisheng eximed in surprise.

    To be honest, if Qian Yuang hadn¡¯t said this, he would never have thought of it no matter how hard he tried.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m here at First Hotel, just now¡­¡± Qian Yuang recounted, in great detail, the incident that had just urred to Qian Haisheng.

    After listening, Qian Haisheng¡¯s old face was filled with shock and realization.

    ¡°Who would have thought, Zhan Qipei¡¯s country bride is actually a doctor with excellent medical skills. It goes to show, most rumors are not to be trusted, what one hears doesn¡¯tpare to what one sees. I was just saying how imposing Grandfather Zhan Yuanshan was back in his day.

    How could he be so muddled in old age, arranging a worthless girl to be his grandson¡¯s wife. Capable of curing diseases that others couldn¡¯t, saved Li Dongyao¡¯s eyes, this Qiao Jing really has hidden her depth well!¡±

    After being silent for two seconds with his eyes narrowed, Qian Haisheng then said, ¡°Find a way to keep pestering her, see if you can dig up anything new.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Dad. Oh, Dad, could you do me a favor?¡± As Qian Yuang said this, his eyes fixed on Wen Binbin, who was scarfing down food, revealing a ruthless look at the bottom of his eyes.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Help me hire an assassin, to kill someone.¡± The more Qian Yuang looked at Wen Binbin, the more he was displeased; thetter had made him lose face several times before, and that was something he couldn¡¯t swallow.

    Qian Haisheng frowned, ¡°Have you stirred up trouble outside again?¡±

    ¡°No, he was the one who started it by provoking me, fully aware that I am the eldest son of the Qian Family, yet he kept shing with me. I didn¡¯t even hold it against him, but you have no idea, the way he looked at me just now was like looking at a dead person. I can¡¯t swallow this anger unless I get even.¡±

    The more Qian Yuang talked, the angrier he became.

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s face tightened, not looking too pleased, ¡°Indeed, someone who dares to disrespect our Qian Family needs to be taught a good lesson.¡±

    At this point, Qian Haisheng became hesitant.

    ¡°Does this man have any influential backing?¡±

    ¡°Impossible, he¡¯s not from the Imperial Capital. Dressed like a bumpkin, at most he¡¯s a nouveau riche,¡± Qian Yuang judged and analyzed from Wen Binbin¡¯s clothing, appearance, and behavior.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will have someone take care of it for you.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Qian Haisheng received the photo sent by Qian Yuang.

    A fat man weighing around two hundred pounds, his mouth glistening with grease, one leg propped up on the leg of a chair¡ªsuch manners indeed do not resemble someone with a prominent background.

    Qian Haisheng turned to his assistant, ¡°Go to the alliance and publish a task to kill this person.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±

    Ten minutester, the assistant rushed in hurriedly.

    ¡°Boss, something strange has happened!¡±

 Chapter 113 - 107: Zhan Yuanshan Falls Ill, Qiao Jing Takes Action

    Chapter 113: Chapter 107: Zhan Yuanshan Falls Ill, Qiao Jing Takes Action

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Qian Haisheng asked doubtfully. Hadn¡¯t he just asked him to post the job? There couldn¡¯t be results already, could there?

    ¡°Boss, no guild killers are taking it!¡± This odd urrence, the assistant had encountered twice already.

    First, it was Qiao Jing, and now this Wen Binbin.

    What the assistant didn¡¯t know was, heaven knows when the guild received this job, the killers were getting fully inmed against it.

    Who is Wen Binbin? Others might not know, but they were all too aware.

    He was Leng Qing, the top killer, superior to them all!

    Hiring them to kill Leng Qing, were they tired of living?

    Truthfully, they really wanted to find out who was the crazy one who had posted such a job.

    ¡°What?¡± Qian Haisheng looked at his assistant in total shock.

    ¡°They won¡¯t take it? How can they not?¡±

    Qian Haisheng couldn¡¯t figure it out. He had been puzzled enough by the matter concerning Qiao Jing, and now another insignificant little person had popped up.

    ¡°No!¡± Qian Haisheng thought it over and, opening a photo that Qian Yuang had just sent, stared at the person in it, ¡°This man is definitely not some minor character!¡±

    ¡°Could it be someone from the guild?¡± the assistant spected and guessed.

    This was an illumination! Qian Haisheng suddenly saw the light.

    ¡°I get it now! I get the whole picture! No wonder the guild wouldn¡¯t take the job to kill Qiao Jing before, and why they couldn¡¯t kill this fat man. Yuang¡¯s analysis was right, Qiao Jing indeed knows someone from the guild, and this man is that fat man!¡±

    Yes!

    Now it all made sense.

    He still remembered what Qian Yuang had said on the phone earlier, saying this Wen Binbin was not from the capital and seemed to have just arrived here.

    Whye here? Mostly because of the job they issued to kill Qiao Jing, so he came.

    After sorting it out, Qian Haisheng immediately called Qian Yuang.

    Fearing it was toote and that Qian Yuang might create irreparable disaster.

    After all, the other party was a killer, which was not aughing matter.

    ¡°Hello? Dad, did you post the job?¡± Qian Yuang, with chin up and a tilted nce at Wen Binbin sitting at the neighboring table, wore a face of revengeful satisfaction.

    ¡°Your analysis was correct, Qiao Jing does know a guild killer.¡±

    Hearing this, Qian Yuang looked bewildered. When he had said that, it was just a random guess.

    ¡°Ah? How did you arrive at that conclusion?¡±

    ¡°Because of Wen Binbin.¡±

    ¡°Because of him?¡± Qian Yuang looked again towards Wen Binbin, and before he could finish his confusion, he heard Qian Haisheng¡¯s stern voiceing through the phone.

    ¡°He is a guild killer.¡±

    These words made Qian Yuang¡¯s eyes widen like a bull¡¯s. Looking at Wen Binbin¡¯s bulk, it just didn¡¯t fit with his idea of what a killer should be.

    ¡°How, how is that possible? He¡¯s so fat, a killer? That¡¯s too far-fetched, isn¡¯t it? Dad, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡±

    ¡°I had the assistant post the job just now, and it turned out that not a single person in the whole guild would take it.¡±

    Qian Yuang was shocked yet again. No one daring to take the job to kill Wen Binbin, what did that mean?

    Qian Haisheng told Qian Yuang everything he had analyzed just now, ¡°Twice in a row, it¡¯s too much of a coincidence, and you also said that this Wen Binbin had just arrived in the capital. Just that coincidental? Right after I posted the job to kill Qiao Jing, Wen Binbines to the capital looking for Qiao Jing¡­¡±

    Qian Haisheng kept talking, and Qian Yuang became more and more terrified.

    Just then, Wen Binbin turned his head and looked over at him.

    That one nce almost scared Qian Yuang into having a heart attack.

    Wen Binbin¡¯s gazended on the roasted goose on Qian Yuang¡¯s table, and then he said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Jing, that roasted goose looks good, why don¡¯t we get one too?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the table full of dishes, having eaten only a little, ¡°We¡¯ve ordered so much, are you sure you can finish it? Wasting food is not eptable here.¡±

    ¡°No, no, there won¡¯t be waste, you should not underestimate my appetite, I can definitely finish it!¡± Wen Binbin patted his belly reassuringly.

    Wen Binbin knew Qiao Jing was not only the renowned Divine Doctor Jing but also the empire¡¯s top agricultural mogul. Wasting food in front of her was like signing one¡¯s death warrant.

    At that moment, Qian Yuang stood up, ingratiatingly carrying the roasted goose over to Qiao Jing¡¯s table.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t eaten it yet, you eat, we¡¯ll order something else.¡±

    Qiao Jing and Wen Binbin both looked suspiciously at Qian Yuang.

    So did Qian Yuang¡¯s friends, wondering if Qian Yuang had been switched out or had a spell cast on him?

    ¡°Really for us?¡± Wen Binbin confirmed.

    ¡°Please, it¡¯s for you, don¡¯t be polite.¡± After Qian Yuang finished speaking, he looked at Li Zitong and the others with a strange expression, ¡°I suddenly feel a bit unwell, you go ahead and eat. I¡¯m going to rest a bit, don¡¯t wait for me.¡±

    Soon, Qian Yuang fled from the restaurant.

    However, Qian Yuang didn¡¯t leave in a hurry, he thought for a moment and then hailed a taxi. He didn¡¯t let the taxi drive away, but instead waited on the side for Qiao Jing and the others toe out.

    After waiting for more than an hour, he finally saw Qiao Jing and Wen Binbine out.

    ¡°Jing, should I drop you off? Burp~¡± Wen Binbin said, burping in the middle.

    Qiao Jing gave Wen Binbin a speechless nce, ¡°You better take care of yourself first.¡±

    ¡°True, you¡¯re not an ordinary girl, no need for special attention from me, so goodbye then.¡± Wen Binbin said, burped again, and then staggered toward the side of the road.

    Just then, suddenly, a football ser kicked by a child rolled into the middle of the road, and the child dashed over to retrieve his beloved football.

    ¡°Beep beep beep¡ª¡± The sound of a car horn ring urgently filled the air.

    Not good!

    Wen Binbin inwardly eximed, his drunkenness instantly evaporated, and he dashed toward the child, scooped him up with several graceful backflips, and safelynded on the ground.

    Though he steadied himself, his excess fat was still jiggling.

    This scene might have looked quite hrious under any other circumstance, but right now, no one couldugh.

    Especially Qian Yuang, whose eyes bulged out and his mouth hung open wide enough to fit a goose egg. No! an ostrich egg!

    He dered that he had never seen such agile movements from a fat man before, impressive like a scene from a martial arts film.

    At the same time, he genuinely believed, believed what his father said, that this man who looked no different from an ordinary fat man was indeed a league assassin!

    Realizing this, Qian Yuang was frightened to the core, his skin crawling with goosebumps and every hair on end.

    Qiao Jing quickly came over to Wen Binbin¡¯s side, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Qian Yuang pped his own hand, ¡°Just saving someone, no big deal.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª¡± Before she could say the word ¡°good,¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang with a call from the hospital.

    ¡°Old Mr. Zhan¡¯s condition has suddenly worsened, he¡¯s unconscious, Doctor Qiao, please hurry over!¡±

 Chapter 114 - 108 Zhan Qipei Learns the Truth

    Chapter 114: Chapter 108 Zhan Qipei Learns the Truth

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing knew that a life was on the line, so she hastily hailed a taxi and rushed to the hospital.

    Just twenty minutes earlier, Zhan Qipei had gone to the hospital to visit Zhan Yuanshan. As Zhan Yuanshan was chatting, he suddenly had an attack. The attending doctor was at a loss, turning the emergency room into chaos.

    Zhan Qipei waited outside the emergency room, his face taut with tension, his heart burning with anxiety.

    Shortly after, a nurse emerged from the emergency room, urgently shouting, ¡°Call Doctor Qiao quickly! The patient can¡¯t hold on much longer!¡±

    Doctor Qiao?

    Which Doctor Qiao?

    Zhan Qipei felt he might have guessed who it was, but he could hardly believe it.

    In the next ten minutes, Zhan Qipei was like an ant on a hot pan, worried about Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition while having Doctor Qiao on his mind.

    With a ¡°ding¡± sound, the elevator arrived.

    Has shee?!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s urgent gaze was fixed on the elevator doors, waiting for the person soon to appear.

    The doors slowly opened.

    ¡°Brother! How is Grandpa now?¡± Zhan Nanqing rushed out from the elevator, along with Zhan Nanqing were Zhan Yao and Su Manhan.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows knotted as he looked towards the emergency room, ¡°He¡¯s being resuscitated.¡±

    No sooner had Zhan Qipei finished speaking than the doors of the emergency room opened again, and the nurse¡¯s face was red with urgency.

    ¡°Has Doctor Qiao arrived? If we wait any longer, it might be toote!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei and his family were instantly wound tight with tension.

    Zhan Nanqing stomped her foot in urgency, ¡°Who is this Doctor Qiao? Isn¡¯t Grandpa¡¯s attending physician surnamed Zhang? Have they switched primary physicians? This Doctor Qiao is being so irresponsible. How can they not stay on call at the hospital at all times, instead wandering off for a leisurely stroll?¡±

    ¡°Nanqing! Watch yournguage,¡± Zhan Yao scolded, ¡°Doctors are people too. You can¡¯t expect them to stay in the hospital day and night just because they¡¯re doctors. They have families and their own lives. Besides, didn¡¯t you see how anxious the nurse was to find Doctor Qiao? Obviously, this Doctor Qiao must be held in high esteem, with superb medical skills. Whether Grandpa can survive the night may all depend on Doctor Qiao. How can you speak ill of them behind their back?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pouted and looked down at her toes, ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying anything bad about Doctor Qiao, I¡¯m just worried.¡±

    Seeing her daughter looking wronged, Su Manhan spoke up for Zhan Nanqing, facing Zhan Yao, ¡°Nanqing is just worried about her grandfather¡¯s condition. It¡¯s understandable that she might speak out of turn in her anxiety.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m just too worried about Grandpa,¡± Zhan Nanqing found herself an excuse to step down.

    Su Manhan shook her head at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°You can¡¯t speak so recklessly next time.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± Zhan Nanqing muttered with pursed lips.

    With another ¡°ding,¡± the elevator reached the floor again.

    ¡°Is Doctor Qiao here?¡± Zhan Nanqing looked towards the elevator doors.

    Zhan Qipei and the others also immediately looked towards the elevator doors, which slid open to reveal Qiao Jing¡¯s familiar face.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Zhan Nanqing looked at Zhan Qipei after speaking, ¡°Brother, did you notify her toe?¡±

    After Zhan Nanqing finished her sentence, she noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was a mix of surprise, disbelief, joy, anger, and various otherplex emotions.

    What is this expression on her brother¡¯s face?

    Before Zhan Nanqing could figure it out, she saw the nurse running quickly towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, you¡¯ve finally arrived! Hurry! There¡¯s no time to lose!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Qiao Jing responded as she took the white coat from the nurse¡¯s hands, adeptly slipping into it while walking and putting on the gloves and mask with determined strides towards the emergency room.

    Passing by Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate brows slightly furrowed, but only for a moment.

    Saving lives was crucial; she had no time to deal with anything else now.

    The emergency room doors closed after Qiao Jing entered.

    Zhan Qipei stood with his back to the emergency room, the overhead lights casting on his face, falling on eyshes longer and denser than a woman¡¯s, castingrge shadows that made his already deep eyes dark as night, inscrutable to the onlooker.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao? Her?!¡± Zhan Nanqing stared incredulously at the emergency room. She had been so shocked that she couldn¡¯t speak; it took her a long while to make a sound.

    At this moment, Su Manhan¡¯s constantly changing expression of shock matched Zhan Nanqing¡¯s perfectly.

    Zhan Yao had harbored doubts about Qiao Jing¡¯s identity in the past, suspecting that she was no ordinary person. Although he was also quite surprised now, he wasn¡¯t as shocked as Zhan Nanqing and Su Manhan, who looked like their jaws could drop at any moment.

    It took a full three minutes before Zhan Nanqing finally closed her mouth. ¡°I heard from Zhan Ruiting before that Qiao Jing is a doctor, yes, but isn¡¯t she a half-baked doctor? Why would they let Qiao Jing perform emergency treatment on grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Lu, Zi, Jiao!¡± These three words almost popped from between Zhan Qipei¡¯s teeth, ¡°You actually lied to me!¡±

    A month ago, after he found out that Qiao Jing was a doctor, he was almost certain she was the person who saved him. But then Lu Zijiao told him that Qiao Jing was just a half-baked intern doctor.

    If it wasn¡¯t because he believed Lu Zijiao wouldn¡¯t lie to him, he would have confirmed long ago that Qiao Jing was the girl who performed surgery on him!

    Now¡ª

    He was certain, it was her!

    Very well! Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve lied to him for so long!

    He will make you pay back double!

    Half an hour passed, and the doors to the emergency room remained firmly shut.

    Zhan Nanqing was so anxious she was jumping up and down, ¡°Why haven¡¯t theye out yet? This is maddening! Is Qiao Jingpetent or not? Really! Why wait for Qiao Jing? Even if Qiao Jing is a good doctor, she¡¯s just in her early twenties, does she have clinical experience? What¡¯s going on with this hospital? It¡¯s so irresponsible!¡±

    The hospital¡¯s dean rushed over upon hearing the news and arrived just in time to hear Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words.

    ¡°If even Doctor Qiao can¡¯t save him, there are hardly any others in the world who could.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Faced with the dean¡¯s stern look, Zhan Nanqing suddenly felt intimidated.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t because the other person was the dean, but because she had just spoken ill of him behind his back.

    As for the dean¡¯s words, in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s opinion, it was likely just something he said to maintain the image and reputation of the hospital¡¯s doctors, so she didn¡¯t take it seriously.

    Su Manhan felt the same way.

    However, Zhan Yao didn¡¯t think so.

    Zhan Yao fell into deep thought, carefully pondering the dean¡¯s words; the more he thought, the more shocked he became.

    Zhan Qipei was also considering the dean¡¯s recent words, and at the same time, he remembered someone, the disciple of Divine Doctor Jing, Zhou Fu.

    That day, when the three of them went out to have a meal, Zhou Fu, in his excitement, called out ¡°Master¡± to Qiao Jing.

    Later, Zhou Fu exined that it was because of Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking skills, which made him ask Qiao Jing to be his master.

    Because of this, his doubts were dispelled.

    Now that he thought about it.

    Heh¡­ the truth is out!

    Finally, the doors to the emergency room opened.

    Zhan Yuanshany asleep on the gurney, eyes closed, looking not too bad.

    Qiao Jing, in a white coat, came out with a group of doctors and nurses.

    ¡°Grandfather! Grandfather, how is my grandfather?¡± Zhan Nanqing urgently asked.

    ¡°His condition has stabilized,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    Zhan Nanqing, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s extremely professional demeanor, opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.

    Simrly, Su Manhan looked at Qiao Jing withplex eyes, just like Zhan Nanqing, unsure what to say; in the end, she chose to remain silent.

    Just as the atmosphere became awkwardly still, Zhan Qipei suddenly grabbed Qiao Jing by the wrist.

 Chapter 115 - 109: Zhan Qipei is Amused by Qiao Jings Audacity

    Chapter 115: Chapter 109: Zhan Qipei is Amused by Qiao Jing¡¯s Audacity

    ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing and Su Manhan¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand gripping Qiao Jing¡¯s, their expressions bing even more bizarre.

    Qiao Jing frowned; she guessed Zhan Qipei must know the truth now. She didn¡¯t want to go.

    ¡°Not going?¡± Zhan Qipei narrowed his dark, inscrutable eyes, unblinkingly staring at Qiao Jing, ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯te with me, then we¡¯ll talk about it right here and settle the past ounts properly.¡±

    These words only intensified Qiao Jing¡¯s headache. She withdrew her hand and, without another word, walked towards a deserted area.

    Qiao Jing led Zhan Qipei to the storeroom, looked up calmly, and spoke without haste.

    ¡°If you have something to say, then say it quickly.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent attitude made Zhan Qipei¡¯s teeth itch.

    ¡°Even now, you still won¡¯t admit it?¡±

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her delicate eyebrows, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand!¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Qipei roared, stretching out his hand and pinning her against the door.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes remained as calm as before, without even the slightest ripple.

    ¡°I asked you before if you were the one who operated on me that day,¡± Zhan Qipei ground out through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Mm.¡± Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°And I responded to you, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest visibly heaved, ¡°That was your answer before, what about now? Do you have anything else to say?¡±

    Qiao Jing stubbornly denied it, ¡°It still wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Anger smoldered between Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows, barely controble. Right then, he truly desired to lose control and give her a good lesson, to make her cry and beg, to have her admit it honestly.

    He was so close to losing control and doing just that.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mediocre doctor?¡± Zhan Qipei asked through gritted teeth.

    ¡°I was just being modest,¡± Qiao Jing retorted with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Heh¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei was infuriated intoughter by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing fixed her eyes on the man, measuring him up as he fluctuated between anger and amusement. It was quite entertaining.

    After a pause of around fifteen seconds, Zhan Qipei lifted his other hand, pressing it to his temple.

    ¡°You really are sent by the heavens to torment me!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with suspicion, but before she could fathom the meaning of his words, Zhan Qipei had already withdrawn the hand that pinned her to the door.

    Qiao Jing looked again at the man¡¯s face, her pupils subtly brightening.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was her imagination, but why did it seem like he was a bit happy?

    Why happy? Could it be because in his heart he had already confirmed that she was the one who operated on him? That he finally had the chance to seek revenge?

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡± Qiao Jing emphasized.

    As long as she staunchly denied it, he had no way of proving it without conclusive evidence.

    Zhan Qipei indeed felt somewhat pleased, although even when Qiao Jing said such things, he didn¡¯t get angry at all.

    ¡°I will find evidence,¡± he stated confidently.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s certainty, Qiao Jing¡¯s scalp tingled.

    But, luckily¡ª

    ¡°There are 29 days left.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s sudden remark left Zhan Qipei momentarily at a loss.

    ¡°Thest 29 days, to get a divorce,¡± Qiao Jing rified precisely.

    Zhan Qipei gazed at Qiao Jing with half-lowered, profound eyes, his thin lips tensely pressed into a straight, icy line.

    Thoughts of divorce?

    No way!

    Originally, he had nned to find that woman who saved him as soon as possible and marry her, confine her in his room, and let her experience what he went through back then.

    Now¡ª

    He hadn¡¯t expected their fates to be so intertwined; it was as if they were tied to his belt loops.

    If he let her go, how could he be worthy of heaven¡¯s gift?

    As these thoughts swirled in his head, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but smile, the corners of his mouth lifting upwards while his gaze at Qiao Jing was like that of a fish on a chopping board.

    Feeling the stare from Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing had the sensation of being an onion, being slowly peeledyer byyer by that indescribable look from the man.

    Lou Xinrou arrived with the news just as Zhan Nanqing had stepped out of the VIP ward.

    ¡°Nanqing, how¡¯s Grandpa Zhan doing?¡±

    ¡°My grandpa¡¯s condition has stabilized.¡±

    ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Lou Xinrou let out a long sigh of relief, ¡°Thank heavens, that¡¯s such great news! I was so scared when I got the news. You don¡¯t know, on my way here, I kept thinking, I need to double my efforts in studying medicine. If Grandpa Zhan has another emergency in the future, maybe then I can be of help.¡±

    Upon hearing Lou Xinrou say this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression instantly became incredibly strange.

    Right at that moment, Lou Xinrou¡¯s surprised voice suddenly rang out.

    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that Qiao Jing? Why is she here too? And why is she wearing ab coat?¡±

    All of this was not the point for Lou Xinrou. The real point was Zhan Qipei walking alongside Qiao Jing, looking every bit the perfect couple, which stung her eyes to the point of redness and pain.

    However¡ª

    The words that came next from Zhan Nanqing were an even deeper blow to her.

    ¡°Xinrou, let me tell you something. Actually¡­ the person who saved my grandpa is Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°What did you say? You say¡ªQiao Jing? She saved Grandpa Zhan? Isn¡¯t she just a mediocre doctor? How could she possibly have the skills to save Grandpa Zhan?¡± Lou Xinrou was utterly incredulous.

    Zhan Nanqing sat down on the bench, holding her head in her hands, and ruffled her hair.

    ¡°How would I know? But I saw it with my own eyes; it¡¯s true, and I¡¯m really confused now.¡±

    The more Zhan Nanqing spoke, the more confused she became, and the more Lou Xinrou listened, the more confused she was, too.

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic just yet. Tell me everything that happened earlier,¡± Lou Xinrou urged.

    ¡°Alright, Grandpa suddenly had an attack earlier, and the attending doctor was at a loss, so they called Qiao Jing¡­¡± Zhan Nanqing recounted the incident to Lou Xinrou.

    After listening, Lou Xinrou copsed next to Zhan Nanqing, mouth agape in shock, eyes fixated on Qiao Jing in her white coat.

    In the past few days, she had been provoked by Qiao Jing¡¯s words but also had to admit that what Qiao Jing said made a lot of sense.

    Her Brother Pei was a top-notch individual, whose excellence had nothing to do with his family background. Instead, it was his personal business acumen that demonstrated his extraordinary talent.

    All she knew how to do was dress herself up beautifully with the shallow hope of catching Brother Pei¡¯s eye.

    Qiao Jing told her that only excellence attracts excellence.

    She found this to be true, and as a result, she began to study medicine diligently, striving to make herself excellent.

    Through her efforts over this period, she had made rapid advances in the field of medicine and had even started working at the hospital as an intern.

    Just when she was ready to share this good news with Zhan Qipei, this incident happened.

    Grandpa Zhan¡¯s illness, which even the best attending doctor, Doctor Zhang, couldn¡¯t cure, was somehow within Qiao Jing¡¯s capability to address.

    In terms of medical expertise, she couldn¡¯t evenpare to Doctor Zhang, let alone achieve anything close to what he could in her lifetime.

    When shepared herself, she felt like she was the mud on the ground, while Qiao Jing was a cloud in the sky, and even the sun above the clouds.

    Dazzling, blinding!

    ¡°Why did it turn out this way?¡± Lou Xinrou slumped despondently in her chair.

    Zhan Nanqing, watching Lou Xinrou in this state, spoke up tofort her, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel discouraged; maybe Qiao Jing just stumbled into sess? Maybe her medical skills aren¡¯t that impressive?¡±

    No sooner had Zhan Nanqing finished speaking than an upset young nurse walked over.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao is so amazing! Doctor Zhang has asked her to be his mentor several times but she¡¯s always refused.¡±

 Chapter 116 - 110 The Change in Zhan Qipeis Attitude Toward Qiao Jing

    Chapter 116: Chapter 110 The Change in Zhan Qipei¡¯s Attitude Toward Qiao Jing

    The nurse had barely finished speaking when she saw the dumbfounded expressions on Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou.

    She snorted softly, turned, and left, feeling a great sense of relief.

    A full minute passed before Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou somewhat recovered, staring at each other with wide eyes, unable to utter a word.

    Lu Zijiao rushed over as soon as he received the news about Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, how is your grandfather doing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked emotionlessly at Lu Zijiao, ¡°Qiao Jing cured him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± Lu Zijiao let out a sigh of relief, then suddenly his eyes widened as he stared at Zhan Qipei. ¡°What did you say? Who cured your grandfather¡¯s illness?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed, the darkness in them unclear as he stared at Lu Zijiao, his cool, thin lips curved into a faintly indifferent arc.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s giving me the creeps.¡± Lu Zijiao hugged his arms and rubbed them.

    Before Lu Zijiao could finish speaking, Zhan Qipei suddenly raised his hand and grabbed him by the cor.

    ¡°Lu Zijiao, are you still pretending? I treated you like a brother, yet you¡¯ve been deceiving me!¡±

    Lu Zijiao was backed against a wall,pletely dumbfounded.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Deceiving you? What did I deceive you about?¡±

    ¡°Still pretending?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes became slits, ¡°When my grandfather fell ill, the hospital was at a loss, and in the end, Qiao Jing cured my grandfather. With her medical skills, you¡¯re telling me she¡¯s a quack?¡±

    Lu Zijiao blinked, then blinked again.

    ¡°Really, really¡­ Qiao Jing cured him?¡± Lu Zijiao stammered, barely able to get the words out.

    Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°You really didn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Me, I don¡¯t know shit! Let go of me first; I need to make a call to my brother.¡±

    Lu Zijiao, to prove his ignorance, dialed the number and turned on the speakerphone at the same time.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Brother! Didn¡¯t you say that Qiao Jing is a quack doctor?¡±

    ¡°She is,¡± Lu Zijin said.

    ¡°But, she cured Old Master Zhan!¡±

    After Lu Zijiao shouted this, the line went silent.

    Lu Zijiao looked up at Zhan Qipei and shrugged his shoulders, signaling that he truly was innocent.

    ¡°Brother? Brother, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± was Lu Zijin¡¯s indifferent reply.

    ¡°Huh? What does ¡®oh¡¯ mean?¡±

    ¡°She might have just been lucky, happened to cure him,¡± Lu Zijin said unwillingly, ¡°I have a patient waiting for surgery, gotta hang up.¡±

    With a ¡°beep,¡± the call ended.

    Lu Zijiao ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°See, I didn¡¯t deceive you, I was also fooled. But honestly, I didn¡¯t expect my brother to fool me, I¡ªwait a second!¡±

    Lu Zijiao suddenly realized a very serious problem and turned sharply to Zhan Qipei, his eyes fiercely shocked.

    ¡°You, you mean she, she¡­ Qiao Jing, she¡¯s the one who saved you that day?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded. ¡°She won¡¯t admit it, but I¡¯ll make her.¡±

    ¡°Gasp¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao inhaled sharply, ¡°I need to straighten this out, my mind is a mess. If Qiao Jing really is the person you¡¯ve been looking for, then you won¡¯t get a divorce. If you don¡¯t get a divorce, what happens to my brother?¡±

    ¡°What happens to your brother is none of my concern, as long as he stops harassing her from now on.¡± Zhan Qipei was feeling very troubled at the moment; the girl had absolutely no feelings for him, and on top of that, he had a whole host of rivals.

    Lu Zijin was among them, so was Xu Moqian, even his cousin Zhan Ruiting had designs on his own cousin¡¯s wife.

    Lu Zijiao thought for a moment and said, ¡°I think the conclusion you reached is a little premature. When you were rescued back then, you weren¡¯t very conscious and your vision was also very blurry. Since you didn¡¯t get a clear look at the person¡¯s face, you can¡¯t just assume that Qiao Jing is the one you¡¯re looking for just because of her medical skill, right?¡±

    ¡°She also knows kung fu.¡±

    ¡°Kung fu varies in strength, and her martial arts are probably very mediocr¡ª,¡± Lu Zijiao didn¡¯t finish his sentence before being interrupted by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°She could knock you down with one punch.¡±

    Lu Zijiao, ¡°¡­¡±

    Using him as the measurement?

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say she is strong in kung fu and skilled in medicine, but that¡¯s still not solid evidence. She is denying it now, how can you be sure it¡¯s definitely her?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned icy, his thin lips pressed tightly together.

    ¡°I will make her admit it.¡±

    ¡°And what if it really isn¡¯t her?¡± Lu Zijiao asked Zhan Qipei seriously.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s indifferent expression darkened, and the depth in his eyes made it impossible to read his thoughts.

    After a lengthy silence, Zhan Qipei spoke again, ¡°As I said, I will find a way to make her admit it.¡±

    Lu Zijiao shrugged, ¡°Alright, I know what you¡¯re like. Once you make up your mind, not even eighteen oxen could pull you back.¡±

    As he spoke, Lu Zijiao let out a long sigh, ¡°I actually hope it isn¡¯t Qiao Jing. If it is, on one side is you, my brother, and on the other is my own brother. Who should I help then?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to help. No one canpare to the fate between her and me,¡± said Zhan Qipei, his brow arching with innate pride as he spoke.

    Lu Zijiao nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true. If it really is Qiao Jing, then the tie between you two is indeed profound. But if I remember correctly, you only have 29 days left before you need to go to the civil affairs bureau for the divorce, right?¡±

    Just hearing the word ¡°divorce¡± made Zhan Qipei¡¯s teeth ache.

    ¡°You seem to remember it quite clearly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I remembered it well, it¡¯s that my brother is counting the days on the calendar. When I left this morning, I saw the number 29 marked with a red marker on today¡¯s calendar.¡±

    Zhan Qipei held his breath for two seconds in silence before striding away.

    What, he¡¯s just walking away?

    ¡°Young Master Zhan?¡±

    As Zhan Qipei walked away, he said, ¡°Go back and tell your brother to stop setting his sights on her. He doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Who knows about these things? He¡¯s got to try,¡± said Lu Zijiao briskly, only to be red back at by Zhan Qipei who had turned around.

    Lu Zijiao covered his mouth, shrugging his shoulders.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. I said nothing at all.¡±

    The next morning.

    When Qiao Jing got up and pushed the door open to leave, she saw Zhan Qipei heating up milk.

    ¡°Awake? I¡¯ve squeezed the toothpaste for you, go wash up. I¡¯ve bought steamed buns, the milk will be ready in a bit, and I¡¯ve also boiled some eggs. You cane eat after you¡¯re done washing up.¡±

    Watching the man¡¯s busy figure in an apron, Qiao Jing instinctively turned her head to look out the window.

    Just as she looked out, she heard the man¡¯s voice close to her ear.

    ¡°The weather this morning is not bad, but there will be rain in the afternoon. You don¡¯t have to worry, I¡¯ll pick you up after you get off work.¡±

    After a brief moment of being lost in thought, Qiao Jing their eyes once more fell on Zhan Qipei, with a touch of scrutiny in her gaze.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Are you so hungry you can¡¯t wait?¡± Zhan Qipei asked Qiao Jing in good spirits.

    Qiao Jing scratched her hair, and after a pause of two seconds, asked with puzzlement, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

 Chapter 117 - 111 Indirect Kiss

    Chapter 117: Chapter 111 Indirect Kiss

    Zhan Qipei shed Qiao Jing a sly smile. ¡°I told you I¡¯d make you admit it.¡±

    Once he conquered her, could she still keep up her deception?

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qiao Jing intimated she couldn¡¯t understand the man¡¯s moves.

    To force her to admit it, he¡¯d personally cook and warm milk for her, boil eggs?

    As she thought about it, her gaze fell on the milk.

    Could it be that he added something to it?

    After washing up and sitting at the table, Qiao Jing stared warily at the milk in front of her. She picked it up and sniffed it, but there wasn¡¯t any peculiar smell.

    She sipped a little, and there was nothing unusual.

    This was strange.

    ¡°This milk is very fresh, you can drink it with confidence,¡± Zhan Qipei said, then took a sip of the milk himself.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes, and then pushed her own milk in front of Zhan Qipei, ¡°Switch cups.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils suddenly brightened.

    Was she trying to indirectly kiss him?

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    A girl making such a request naturally pleased him.

    He picked up the milk cup, pressing his lips to the rim where her lips had touched, his thin lips curving into an involuntary pleased smile.

    It tasted much better than his own had.

    Qiao Jing gently frowned. This cup didn¡¯t seem much different from the one she had initially¡ªwas she overthinking it?

    It wasn¡¯t entirely her fault for overthinking, though; the man¡¯s actions were just too bizarre and abnormal.

    After the meal, Zhan Qipei took out his car keys and looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the institute.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just take a taxi,¡± said Qiao Jing, picking up two pots of vegetables, with a research report tucked under her arm. As she walked past Zhan Qipei, the pots she was holding suddenly disappeared from her hands into his.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t moving, Zhan Qipei turned back and said, ¡°It¡¯s on the way. Besides, it saves you the taxi fare.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei put it that way, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t refuse his kindness and got into his car.

    On the way to the institute, Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei was indeed different from usual. Although there was no extra expression on his face, he seemed much more cheerful and sunny.

    ¡°Did something good happen?¡± Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and eventually asked.

    The car stopped at a red light, and Zhan Qipei turned to Qiao Jing, ¡°Guess.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Boring.

    Comining aside, she felt that this version of Zhan Qipei seemed easier to get along with than before.

    It was quite nice.

    It just needed some getting used to.

    They arrived at the institute.

    Before Qiao Jing could unbuckle her seatbelt, she saw him reach over and press it for her.

    ¡°Click¡±¡ªit unlocked.

    Qiao Jing paused for two seconds, ¡°I have hands.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I know.¡± Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, delicate and tender¡ªso frail and boneless that it seemed a touch could shatter it.

    It was only because he had seen Qiao Jing fight that he wouldn¡¯t dare believe such a hand could possess so much strength.

    Know? Knowing that he still helped her unbuckle her seatbelt?

    Qiao Jing felt she was understanding Zhan Qipei less and less, but she set that aside for now and decided to get out of the car first.

    ¡°Do you need help carrying the vegetables inside?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, looking at the two flower pots in Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    Qiao Jing weighed the flower pots in her hands. ¡°These flower pots¡ªeven ten more wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than Xu Moqian emerged from the institute¡¯s main entrance.

    ¡°Sister Jing! I¡¯ll carry them for you.¡± Xu Moqian reached out and took the flower pots from Qiao Jing¡¯s arms, then he noticed the car parked on the roadside.

    ¡°Him again! Sister Jing, why did he give you a ride again?¡± Xu Moqian said with a look of displeasure.

    Through the ss, Zhan Qipei was also watching Xu Moqian with a face full of alertness. Although Qiao Jing had told him that Xu Moqian used to pursue her and then gave up, based on a man¡¯s innate intuition about rivals in love, Zhan Qipei could tell Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t given up and was still interested in Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It was on the way,¡± Qiao Jing repeated her usual exnation. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing took a few steps, she saw a dazzling golden convertible pull up to the curb, overflowing with roses.

    Qian Yuang, holding a fiery red bouquet of roses, got out of the car, straightened his rose-red suit, removed his pretentious sunsses, and walked up to Qiao Jing. He knelt on one knee, the epitome of gentlemanly behavior.

    ¡°Beautiful Miss Qiao, this bouquet and the rest in the car, all are carefully prepared for you. I extend to you my sincerest invitation to join me at the seaside vi to enjoy the scenery.¡±

    The event was so unexpected that no one saw iting.

    The surrounding bystanders all stopped in their tracks to watch the scene.

    Every woman, regardless of age, from three-year-old girls to eighty-year-old elderly women, all cast envious nces at Qiao Jing.

    Most women like a sense of ceremony; frankly, they hope their boyfriends would confess like in a teenage romance drama, in a crowded ce.

    To say it¡¯s vanity might be a bit much¡ªbut simr, everybody wants to feel special on such a unique day.

    ¡°So envious!¡± A female bystander looked at the expensive-looking convertible and said how much she wished to rece Qiao Jing and feel the difference from an ordinary taxi.

    ¡°If it were me, I would¡¯ve agreed immediately.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not kidding, right? Who wouldn¡¯t agree?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face remained cold and indifferent, devoid of any unnecessary ripples in her expression.

    ¡°This is an institute, not a club. You are in the wrong ce,¡± she coldly stated.

    With that said, Qiao Jing turned and walked away.

    ¡°She rejected him?¡± The crowd was stunned.

    ¡°Hey, that guy next to her, is he her boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°Wow! So handsome! I was just looking at the luxury car and roses, overlooking the hunk. Never mind that she rejected the rich guy, it turns out her boyfriend is even more handsome.¡±

    ¡°What good is being handsome? It¡¯s not like you can eat good looks.¡±

    As the crowd buzzed withments, Qian Yuang got up, pulled out a ring from his pocket, and quickly walked up to block Qiao Jing¡¯s path.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I am truly pursuing you and I hope you give me a chance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said before, I am not interested in dirty breeds or stallions,¡± Qiao Jing said coldly.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t yet experienced what a man can offer. Once you do, you¡¯ll not be able to stay away from men. Not to boast, but my skills are a million times better than that sterile sham of a husband,¡± Qian Yuang said as he got close to Qiao Jing.

    Qian Yuang¡¯s sleazy demeanorpletely enraged Xu Moqian. ¡°Are you asking for a¡ª¡± he was about to say ¡°beating¡± but before he could finish, he saw an arm reach over Qian Yuang¡¯s shoulder and violently grab him, throwing him harshly to the ground.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Qian Yuang let out a pig-ughter scream because hended face first, and considering the force Zhan Qipei used, one could only imagine how mangled Qian Yuang¡¯s face was now. Saying it looked like it had been run over by a tire wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.

    ¡°Dare toy a hand on me, damn you!¡± Qian Yuang cursed, turning his head to swear.

 Chapter 118 - 112: Zhan Qipei Teaches a Lesson to Qiao Jings Suitor

    Chapter 118: Chapter 112: Zhan Qipei Teaches a Lesson to Qiao Jing¡¯s Suitor

    After all the insults had been hurled, Qian Yuang was dumbfounded the next second.

    How could Zhan Qipei be here?

    ¡°Wow! So handsome! Oh my goodness! Where did such a handsome guye from?¡±

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei, the cheeks of the girls on the street blushed with infatuation, their eyes shone brightly as if they could light up as bulbs.

    ¡°Did you see? He got out of that Maybach!¡±

    ¡°This is a true high, rich, and handsome man! Thisdy is so lucky to have so many outstanding men chasing her! Aren¡¯t you envious?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian heard what these women were saying, most of it praising Zhan Qipei, and barely any for him. What, just because he didn¡¯t drive a luxury car, he wasn¡¯t high, rich, and handsome? That was because Qiao Jing preferred a low profile, so he kept it low key, driving an ordinary car worth over a million.

    Back in his university days, he used to drive a dazzling red Ferrari, a rich young master who was second to none.

    Speaking of which, could it be that Zhan Qipei had fallen for Qiao Jing over time? If that was the case, he had to be more cautious.

    Qian Yuang scrambled up from the ground, confronting Zhan Qipei¡¯s icy, piercing eyes, and swallowed subconsciously in fright.

    ¡°President Zhan, misunderstanding, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei squinted his dark eyes slightly, a chilling light at the bottom of his eyes like ice des, seemingly about to slice Qian Yuang to pieces.

    ¡°Scram,¡± he uttered sinctly.

    Qian Yuang felt an unprecedented insult, but under the circumstances, he didn¡¯t dare to confront Zhan Qipei.

    After all, Qiao Jing was now Zhan Qipei¡¯s legal wife. He had spoken ill of Zhan Qipei behind his back and was aware of Zhan Qipei¡¯s ruthless methods in the capital; he didn¡¯t dare to sh openly with him.

    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± Qian Yuang forced a dryugh, ¡°I have other matters, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±

    After saying that, Qian Yuang beat a hasty retreat with his tail between his legs.

    Once inside the car, Qian Yuang scoffed coldly at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of you! Just wait, I¡¯ll still seek out Qiao Jing next time, I must make you, Zhan Qipei, wear the Green Hat before you guys divorce!¡±

    Qian Yuang stared intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s stunningly cold and beautiful face, his expression one of determination.

    He pulled out his phone, dialing a number.

    ¡°Give yourself a week¡¯s time, make good arrangements, I want her beneath me.¡±

    Even if she knew martial arts, so what? People eat grains; he simply didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t find the opportunity to drug Qiao Jing.

    After hanging up the phone, Qian Yuang elerated and quickly left.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze withdrew from the tail of Qian Yuang¡¯s car, his cold eyes half submerged.

    Thest time Qian Yuang had already said such words to Qiao Jing, now he still dared to continue targeting his woman, did he consider him just a decoration?

    After seeing Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian enter the Institute, Zhan Qipei immediately made a phone call.

    ¡°Find some people¡­¡±

    That same night.

    To vent his anger, Qian Yuang called a few friends to drink heavily at a club, booking a private room to stay overnight.

    Once inside the private room, Qian Yuang felt something was off.

    This swelling sensation was simr to the times he had taken that drug before.

    What¡¯s happening? He had only drunk a few bottles of alcohol, how could he feel like that?

    He couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, he needed to hurry and call a girl over.

    He had barely started dialing when a knock sounded on the door.

    ¡°Is she here already?¡± Qian Yuang hurried to open the door, only to see a middle-aged woman around forty or fifty, with a face full of pockmarks and weighing probably over 200 pounds.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Just when Qian Yuang was about to lose his patience, the olddy stretched out her pig trotter-like hand and drew a circle on Qian¡¯s chest, which made Qian shiver in disgust and repeatedly stumble backward.

    ¡°Aiyo¡ª are you embarrassed? Wasn¡¯t it you who called me here?¡± The olddy, twisting her plump body, walked in and with a flick of her butt, closed the door behind her.

    Scared out of his wits, Qian Yuang¡¯s hair stood on end, ¡°What are you talking about? I called for a youngdy, not an old woman like you!¡±

    ¡°Aiyo¡ª didn¡¯t you say over the phone that you wanted someone fierce, with mature skills? I¡¯ve been in this line for over thirty years. In terms of experience, not many young girls canpare to me. Come on, don¡¯t be shy.¡±

    After saying that, the olddy threw Qian Yuang onto the bed.

    ¡°Help!¡± Qian Yuang was so scared the pills didn¡¯t even work anymore, and he tried to run.

    Indeed, with the olddy¡¯s weight of over two hundred pounds, he was nearly crushed to death.

    ¡°Baby, stop shouting. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one wille. Now, let the olddy give you a kiss¡ªmua¡ª¡±

    Qian Yuang ¡°!!!¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±

    The next morning, Qiao Jing received a call from Xu Moqian.

    ¡°That Qian Yuang really has bizarre tastes!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°I just got the news thatst night at the entertainment club, Qian Yuang picked up an olddy. Heard he took five times the normal dose of pills and made a scene all night! Even the olddies couldn¡¯t handle it, they had to swap several olddies until morning around seven or eight. Then the paramedics came, and Qian Yuang was carried onto an ambnce. Tsk tsk tsk¡ªliterally risking his life!¡±

    Qiao Jing was not very interested in Xu Moqian¡¯s words as she was busy tending her vegetables on the balcony.

    Zhan Qipei walked out of the room carrying a notebook, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly opened her mouth to refuse, but swallowed her words back down since she knew how stubborn men could be, and it would be useless even if she refused.

    Anyway, there were only 27 days left, which wasn¡¯t long. So, she might as well go along with it.

    Today, it was Gao He who came to pick them up. As soon as he saw Qiao Jing, he hurried over, ¡°Miss Qiao, may I ask you for a favor?¡±

    Zhan Qipei squinted his eyes at Gao He, waiting for him to continue.

    Gao He pulled a movie ticket from his pocket.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s already squinting eyes now turned into a straight, ice-cold line.

    He knew a lot of people wanted to steal his girl, he just didn¡¯t expect even his assistant to start hitting on Qiao Jing.

    What annoyed Zhan Qipei the most was that Qiao Jing actually took the movie ticket from Gao He¡¯s hand.

    What does this mean? Are they nning to go see a movie together?

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s facepletely darkened as if coated with soot.

    After taking the movie ticket, Qiao Jing looked at it from front to back; it was a romance-themed movie.

    ¡°You want me to pass this to Xiangxiang?¡±

    Gao He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and nodded, looking a bit embarrassed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression returned to normal. He had forgotten about that; during the time Qiao Jing was hospitalized, he had noticed Gao He and Lin Xiuxiang flirting.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Qiao.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll hand it over to her today.¡± Qiao Jing put the movie ticket into her bag.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Qiao. I¡¯ll go bring the car around.¡±

    Just as Gao He walked away, Qiao Jing followed right behind him. However, she hadn¡¯t even made two steps when her wrist was grabbed by a man.

    Qiao Jing turned around with a puzzled look to face the man, but even before she could ask, she heard his voice first.

 Chapter 119 - 113: Did She Save Zhan Qipei?

    Chapter 119: Chapter 113: Did She Save Zhan Qipei?

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you must remember, you are now Madam Zhan.¡±

    Huh?

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, her gaze skeptically sizing up Zhan Qipei. She couldn¡¯t make sense of the intensity in his eyes as he stared at her without blinking, his serious and earnest face leaving her puzzled about what suddenly got into him.

    ¡°Did you not sleep well?¡±

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath before responding, ¡°You now¡ª¡±

    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡± The vibrating sound of a cellphone interrupted Zhan Qipei mid-sentence.

    ¡°You should take the call first.¡± Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and then turned to walk toward the approaching car.

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone and began to follow Qiao Jing while answering the call.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhan Qipei stopped in surprise. ¡°You found that woman? How is that possible?!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing immediately turned her head towards the phone in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, squinting her eyes slightly to hide the astonishment within.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± Zhan Qipei asked.

    ¡°I brought her to you.¡±

    Just as Lu Zijiao¡¯s voice fell, Zhan Qipei saw a car slowly stopping in front of the gate.

    Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing almost simultaneously looked toward the opening car door, and then they saw a beautiful young girl alighting from the vehicle.

    Was it her who saved him?

    Impossible, it should have been Qiao Jing.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei, the young girl smiled at him then gracefully approached.

    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been looking for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing took a step back, relinquishing the stage while covertly observing the young girl.

    She didn¡¯t understand why the girl would impersonate her.

    Moreover, her effortless performance suggested professional training.

    This made Qiao Jing even more perplexed. What benefit could impersonating her bring to this young girl, or rather, to the people behind her?

    ¡°Was it you who saved me?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, his deep, oceanic eyes fixated on the young girl.

    Unruffled, the young girl nodded, ¡°My name is Lan Yinyin. I went to Autumn Water Vige to visit rtives and saw you being chased in the cornfield, so I helped you. Luckily, I know a bit of medicine, so I performed the surgery to remove the bullet.¡±

    Lan Yinyin showed no signs of faltering throughout her exnation, not giving away a single w.

    ¡°You really know medicine?¡± Zhan Qipei asked coldly.

    Lan Yinyin presented her professional physician¡¯s certification to Zhan Qipei.

    After skimming through it, Zhan Qipei handed it to Gao He standing beside him, ¡°Verify this.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you know martial arts?¡± Zhan Qipei continued to inquire.

    Lan Yinyin brought out her ck Belt Ninth Dan certificate and handed it to Zhan Qipei once more.

    Ten minutester, both certifications had been verified and were indeed authentic.

    Qiao Jing, the onlooker, had guessed that the two certifications were genuine the moment Lan Yinyin presented them.

    If she hade prepared, how could Zhan Qipei possibly find any ws so easily?

    While Qiao Jing was contemting this, she caught a glimpse of Zhan Qipei looking her way from the corner of her eye.

    Why was he still looking at her? With someone already impersonating her, he couldn¡¯t still suspect that she was the one who had saved him that day, could he?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted from Qiao Jing back onto Lan Yinyin.

    Even though the girl admitted it and there were no discrepancies anywhere, his instinct told him that she wasn¡¯t the one who had saved him that day.

    ¡°Do you know why I was looking for you?¡±

    Lan Yinyin knew this part. Before she took any action, the person behind the scenes had briefed her.

    They said that Zhan Qipei had developed feelings for the girl who saved him and wanted to find her and marry her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lan Yinyin shook her head.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible arc, ¡°Because you hit me.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Lan Yinyin¡¯s pupils unconsciously dted a fraction.

    It wasn¡¯t that her training intensity was inadequate, it was that Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were too shocking.

    So the person behind her had it wrong, Zhan Qipei secretly sending people to search everywhere for that girl was not to marry her, but to seek vengeance?

    No way?

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s heart raced uncontrobly, yet she managed to maintain calm on her face.

    ¡°I, I at that time¡ª¡±

    Why did she hit him at that time? Didn¡¯t she save him? Saving someone and then hitting them, isn¡¯t that crazy?

    Now what was she supposed to say to that?

    Just as Lan Yinyin was racking her brains for an excuse, Zhan Qipei spoke up, ¡°When youid hands on me, it was also for my own good, so I won¡¯t hold this against you.¡±

    At these words, Lan Yinyin let out a long, relieved sigh in her heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you understand,¡± Lan Yinyin said, taking advantage of the situation to back down.

    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Lan Yinyin¡¯s move to retreat as advance was somewhat risky. But she was confident that Zhan Qipei would definitely not let her just walk away, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have had people secretly search for that girl.

    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Zhan Qipei called out to Lan Yinyin.

    She knew it!

    Lan Yinyin internally rejoiced, turning back to look at Zhan Qipei without revealing anything, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s half-sunken and intelligent eyes opened, ¡°You saved my life, and I haven¡¯t had the chance to repay you. What would you like? Feel free to set your terms, and I¡¯ll make it happen.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly. Zhan Qipei was very good at concealing his emotions, so for a while she couldn¡¯t tell if he truly believed the other party?

    At this moment, Qiao Jing felt somewhat conflicted. On one hand, she hoped Zhan Qipei believed it, so he would stop pestering her.

    On the other hand, this girl called Lan Yinyin deliberately approaching Zhan Qipei likely had ulterior motives. If this person was an assassin or something simr, and she, knowing the truth, didn¡¯t inform Zhan Qipei, resulting in an incident, she would feel somewhat guilty.

    Lan Yinyin fiddled coquettishly with her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear, appearing very innocent.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any specific terms, but there is indeed something you can help me with.¡±

    ¡°Speak,¡± Zhan Qipei uttered indifferently.

    Lan Yinyin looked up towards the apartments in front of her, ¡°My workce is nearby, but I don¡¯t have the extra money. I¡¯d like to rent a ce here.¡±

    At this, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze narrowed. It seems Lan Yinyin wanted to get closer to Zhan Qipei.

    And, from Lan Yinyin¡¯s earlier demeanor, it appeared she was trying to seduce Zhan Qipei.

    So, was her goal to be the Madam of the Family Head of the Zhan Family?

    Zhan Qipei turned to Tang Yan and ordered, ¡°Clean up the house next door for her to move in.¡±

    Originally when Zhan Qipei moved over, not wanting to be disturbed by unnecessary noise, he bought all the surrounding houses.

    ¡°Then thank you,¡± Lan Yinyin smiled sweetly at Zhan Qipei.

    She hadn¡¯t expected things to go so smoothly. Being close to the water gets the moon first; by being closer, she¡¯d get Zhan Qipei sooner.

    As for Zhan Qipei¡¯s new wife¡­

    Lan Yinyin looked towards Qiao Jing, but with just a nce, she withdrew her disdainful gaze.

    What¡¯s the use of being pretty? They had lived together that long, and she¡¯d failed to secure Zhan Qipei, quite useless really.

    Just watch, it won¡¯t take many days for her to have your husband lying in her bed.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s fleeting provocative look was clearly caught by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her delicate eyebrows, ncing sideways at Zhan Qipei.

    The woman had an ulterior motive, how should she warn him?

    If she spoke out directly, she would expose herself.

    While Qiao Jing was caught in her dilemma, Zhan Qipei¡¯s scrutinizing gaze fell on her face.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

 Chapter 120 - 114 Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Watch a Movie Together

    Chapter 120: Chapter 114 Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Watch a Movie Together

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes to meet Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, ¡°Congrattions, you¡¯ve finally found the person you were looking for.¡±

    Upon hearing this response, Zhan Qipei¡¯s originally profound eyes grew even darker.

    After answering, Qiao Jing no longer entangled with Zhan Qipei and walked toward the car, pulling the door open and getting in.

    Lu Zijiao came to Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, ¡°I told you, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding, Qiao Jing isn¡¯t the person you¡¯re looking for at all.¡±

    At this point, Lu Zijiao patted his chest, exhaling a long breath in an exaggerated manner.

    ¡°Luckily she isn¡¯t. Otherwise, one is my real brother, and the other is my sworn brother. If it were true, being caught in the middle, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze withdrew from Qiao Jing and gave Lu Zijiao a thoughtful look before striding towards the car with long steps.

    Lan Yinyin was standing on the balcony of the apartment, on the phone.

    ¡°Fifth Master, everything is going smoothly. Zhan Qipei doesn¡¯t have any suspicions about me; he¡¯s arranged for me to stay next door to him.¡±

    ¡°Well done. Over the next few days, find a way to get close to him and be his woman.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    On the other end of the line, in M country, a man in swim trunks stood by the poolside, putting down his phone with a mischievous smile on his handsome, mixed-race face.

    ¡°Zhan Family, it¡¯s time for me to take back what¡¯s mine.¡±

    As he spoke, the man pulled off his diving goggles and stepped onto the diving board.

    A whistle sounded with a ¡°whoosh.¡±

    The man dove in alongside several others, plunging rapidly like a cheetah in the sea, targeting and biting down fiercely.

    ¡­

    Qiao Jing had nned to take the movie tickets to Lin Xiuxiang that afternoon, but Lin Xiuxiang fell ill and couldn¡¯t go, so she had to return the tickets to Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan, holding a movie ticket, looked worried and upset.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be fun going alone, and with Miss Lin sick, I¡¯m not in the mood for a movie either.¡±

    Tang Yan handed both tickets to Qiao Jing, ¡°Miss Qiao, why don¡¯t you find someone to go with you? It¡¯s a waste otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª,¡± Qiao Jing began, but before she could finish, Zhan Qipei came up behind her and snatched the two tickets away.

    ¡°I could apany you,¡± Zhan Qipei said, his eyes unwavering as he stared at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing blinked and thought to herself, how vain this man was. She hadn¡¯t invited him, so what did he mean by inviting himself?

    ¡°You should let that person go with you. I¡¯m not interested in movies.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than she heard the man¡¯s voice in her ear.

    ¡°Then just throw them away.¡± Saying this, Zhan Qipei folded the movie ticket, making a gesture as if he were about to throw it into the trash can.

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t thrown it yet when Qiao Jing caught his hand.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too wasteful? These were bought with money!¡±

    Zhan Qipei hooked his lips, unfazed; he knew that Qiao Jing would definitely stop him.

    He had long noticed something, Qiao Jing was not very short of money, but being not short of money and being frugal and thrifty were two different things.

    Qiao Jing was an extremely frugal person who didn¡¯t like to waste anything.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned but did not speak, which was taken as consent.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to retract her hand that had caught the man¡¯s, it was suddenly covered by his otherrge hand.

    The man¡¯s hand was extraordinarilyrge, covering her handpletely without leaving any gaps.

    Qiao Jing, puzzled, lifted her gaze to the man. Zhan Qipei had no intention of exining, looking down to meet her eyes.

    What did it mean?

    With Zhan Qipei looking like this, Qiao Jing was even more baffled, so she continued to watch him.

    Zhan Qipei still did not seem inclined to exin, tightly covering Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and staring at her unblinkingly.

    Standing to the side, Tang Yan swept his gaze back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    What were these two doing? Exchanging affectionate nces right in front of him?

    Hey, hey, hey! Was he invisible?

    After a brief silence, Tang Yan felt it was best to leave first.

    To avoid disturbing them, when Tang Yan left, he was also very considerate to quietly close the door behind him.

    Tang Yan stood outside the door, looking back.

    Truth be told, he thought his boss and Qiao Jing were quite a match, and it would be a beautiful thing if they could really be together.

    If that time came, and Qiao Jing became his true dy boss,¡± they would be family, and then he could take a step further in his rtionship with Lin Xiuxiang.

    Inside the room.

    Qiao Jing looked down at the man¡¯s broad and strong palm. She found his hands immensely aesthetically pleasing and thought that if Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t the head of the Zhan Family, he could have made a fortune just by being a hand model.

    Wait!

    What kind of random thoughts was she having?

    Was this the time to appreciate how nice his hands looked?

    After quickly regrouping her thoughts, Qiao Jing looked up again and met the man¡¯s gaze, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Zhan Qipei reluctantly let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°It means nothing.¡±

    Huh?

    Qiao Jing looked puzzled, her beautiful starry eyes widening.

    It means nothing, yet you held my hand for that long¡­ What¡¯s that supposed to mean?

    Is something wrong with him?

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s confused expression and suddenly found his little woman to be too adorable. It wasn¡¯t easy to resist such an innocently bewildered look, especially from someone who was usually so cold and rarely smiled.

    In this moment, Zhan Qipei was utterly smitten by the extreme cuteness of Qiao Jing¡¯s unusual demeanor and nearly didn¡¯t hold back, almost doing something to the girl that even he couldn¡¯t have predicted.

    ¡°Get ready, let¡¯s go,¡± he said.

    ¡°Go now?¡± Qiao Jing checked the time, it was just past six, and the movie didn¡¯t start until eight.

    ¡°We¡¯ll eat first, then watch the movie after we¡¯re full.¡±

    Just as Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing were leaving, they saw Lan Yinyin, who had put on delicate makeup,ing out of her room.

    ¡°Are you going out?¡±

    As Lan Yinyin asked this, her gaze lingered on Qiao Jing for a few seconds.

    As far as she knew, Zhan Qipei and his rural wife didn¡¯t have a very good rtionship.

    But they were going out together?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Qipei responded briefly, then no longer paid attention to Lan Yinyin and pressed the elevator button.

    Qiao Jing turned back to look at Lan Yinyin and just so happened to meet her gaze.

    The two women locked eyes, sparks flying between them.

    The elevator arrived with a ¡°ding.¡±

    Qiao Jing guarded her gaze, lowering her long and thick eyshes, thoughtfully following Zhan Qipei into the elevator.

    ¡°No way,¡± Lan Yinyin muttered to herself.

    Their rtionship seemed not that simple.

    She needed to quietly follow them and see for herself.

    Lan Yinyin followed them all the way. She saw Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing enter a family restaurant, choosing a spot by the floor-to-ceiling window, sitting face to face, looking quite harmonious as they dined.

    The more Lan Yinyin watched, the less she believed the rumors about their terrible rtionship.

    After eating, Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing went to catch the movie at just the right time.

    ¡°They¡¯re actually watching a movie together?!¡± A strong sense of crisis rose in Lan Yinyin¡¯s heart, and her gaze toward Qiao Jing became like looking at a stumbling block to her own mission.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s innocent face turned dark, and her cold eyes shot towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was absorbed in the movie, while Zhan Qipei was sneakily watching her.

    In the dim light, the girl¡¯s silhouette and outline were highlighted especially clearly, coinciding perfectly with the vague image in Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind.

    Although Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t admitted it yet, he had already confirmed in his heart that the person who rescued him in the cornfield that day was Qiao Jing.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand reached over.

 Chapter 121 - 115: A Beautiful Misunderstanding, Qiao Jings Embarrassment

    Chapter 121: Chapter 115: A Beautiful Misunderstanding, Qiao Jing¡¯s Embarrassment

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils dted instantly as the girl¡¯s hand kept searching on his leg.

    In an instant, Zhan Qipei felt like he had no control over his body.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Qiao Jing had been grasping for quite some time without catching anything and turned her head in confusion to look, and that look¡ªugh¡ªwould have been better not to look at all.

    Pretty awkward.

    She had originally intended to grab popcorn but, just as the plot was reaching its climax, she was too engrossed to care and reached out automatically.

    But after a while, she still hadn¡¯t grasped what felt like popcorn.

    Instead, it felt very strange.

    ¡°Sorry, I thought it was popcorn.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at his own leg and wondered what his leg had to do with popcorn; if anything, it resembled a corn cob more closely.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Zhan Qipei smoothed out the creases in his trousers and handed the popcorn bucket to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat any?¡± Qiao Jing asked politely.

    Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t particrly interested in snacks and, after being silent for two seconds, he extended his hand in front of Qiao Jing, palm up.

    Qiao Jing looked at the piece of popcorn she had just picked up and then at Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand extended in front of her.

    After hesitating for two seconds, Qiao Jing ced the popcorn into his palm.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhan Qipei was quite satisfied with Qiao Jing¡¯s action and began to chew on the popcorn in his mouth with enjoyment.

    As Qiao Jing watched the man¡¯s face show a contented expression, she felt an indescribable weirdness in her heart.

    Half an hourter, Qiao Jing put down the empty popcorn bucket and stood up.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhan Qipei looked up and asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to buy another bucket.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Zhan Qipei said, about to stand up.

    Just then, a terrifying scene suddenly appeared in the movie.

    The girl seated next to Qiao Jing screamed ¡°Ah¡ª¡± and, in her fright, identally bumped Qiao Jing hard.

    Caught off guard, Qiao Jing lost her bnce and fell onto the man.

    The fall was one thing, but the cement was rather awkward.

    ¡°Mmm¡ªhmm¡ª¡± A low, muffled groan escaped from the man¡¯s mouth.

    Qiao Jing quickly raised her head and looked at the man, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt relieved that the theater was dark as she asked, or else she would have felt quite embarrassed, as this was not like performing surgery.

    During surgery, Zhan Qipei was a patient.

    Outside of surgery, Zhan Qipei was a man.

    The difference was significant.

    ¡°No, too good.¡± The restraint in Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t faked, and his words weren¡¯t entirely a lie either.

    Whoever it was, being bumped into that unmentionable area by a girl he cared about would feel bad.

    As a physician, Qiao Jing was well aware of the weak points on a man¡¯s body, and indeed, if that area were knocked or bumped into, it could not be ignored.

    ¡°Should I take a look for you?¡±

    When Qiao Jing said this, she treated Zhan Qipei purely as a patient.

    The light shed across Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils before he dropped his gaze and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, that would be great, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I caused it, I will take responsibility.¡± Qiao Jing said solemnly to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember your words. Now, could you please check it for me?¡± Zhan Qipei leaned back, waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s next move.

    What were they doing? Lan Yinyin, who was sitting some distance away, could not see clearly due to the dim lighting of the theater, but she vaguely felt that Qiao Jing seemed to be doing something to Zhan Qipei.

    At that thought, Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes widened like copper bells.

    The next second, Lan Yinyin immediately dismissed her thoughts.

    How could it be possible? This was a movie theater; it couldn¡¯t possibly be what she was thinking.

    But¡ª

    Judging from the contours of the two almost melting into one, they really did look alike!

    Lan Yinyin grew more and more uneasy as she thought about it, until she finally couldn¡¯t help but stand up and walk towards Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving?¡± Zhan Qipei had waited for quite a while but Qiao Jing did not make a move on him, which made him quite impatient.

    Qiao Jing stopped the action of undoing the man¡¯s belt, her eyes sharp and inquisitive as she scrutinized him.

    ¡°Are you deceiving me?¡±

    ¡°Whether I am deceiving you or not, won¡¯t you know if you look?¡± Zhan Qipei replied, his tone unruffled.

    After pondering for a few seconds, Qiao Jing returned to her seat and sat down, continuing to watch the movie.

    Could he still be suspecting that the person who operated on him that day was her? So was he intentionally testing her just now?

    But could such a test reveal anything?

    Perhaps he really did have a way to figure it out?

    By the time Lan Yinyin arrived, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were sitting properly, watching the movie.

    It turned out she was overthinking it.

    A minuteter, Qiao Jing stood up again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go for popcorn. I also need to use the restroom, so I¡¯ll buy it myself.¡±

    With Qiao Jing saying this, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for Zhan Qipei to offer his service, as he obviously couldn¡¯t take her ce in using the restroom.

    As soon as Qiao Jing left the theater, Lan Yinyin followed suit.

    Zhan Qipei saw this scene.

    ¡°It¡¯s her, she hase too.¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes slightly and stealthily followed.

    He was worried that Lan Yinyin might harbor malicious intentions towards Qiao Jing, who was unaware. If something happened, where would he find another wife as good as her?

    As soon as Qiao Jing came out of the restroom, she saw Lan Yinyin waiting at the door.

    What a coincidence? She was here too?

    Or was it that she had followed them?

    Before Qiao Jing could finish analyzing, Lan Yinyin approached her.

    Now Qiao Jing understood that Lan Yinyin was waiting for her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I have something I¡¯d like to ask for your help with.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Lan Yinyin with a puzzled face, ¡°We aren¡¯t close.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I am close to President Zhan, and so are you. Calcting it like that, we can be considered acquaintances,¡± Lan Yinyin said with a smile.

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that logic. By your reasoning, if a ck horse equals a horse, and a white horse equals a horse, then a white horse equals a ck horse?¡±

    Lan Yinyin ¡°¡­¡±

    She was just using this approach to start the conversation, did you have to be so exacting? And even providing her with an example.

    Zhan Qipei, hiding on the side, suppressed hisughter, his eyes filled with adoration as he watched Qiao Jing.

    She was truly the wife he had chosen; such a high level of intelligence, not something the averageckey couldpare with.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª,¡± Lan Yinyin cleared her throat to relieve the awkwardness.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say anymore nonsense and will get straight to the point. Can you give me the movie ticket?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Qiao Jing asked expressionlessly.

    ¡°Because I like President Zhan, and I want to be with him,¡± Lan Yinyin stated earnestly. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve heard that on the first day of your marriage, President Zhan almost ran you over with a car, which shows he doesn¡¯t like you. Also, I¡¯ve heard that aside from Old Master Zhan, everyone in the Zhan Family looks down on you. Since that¡¯s the case, why bother staying in the Zhan Family? If you help me catch President Zhan a day earlier, it¡¯s the same as helping yourself get out of misery sooner.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked deeply at Lan Yinyin, then pulled the movie ticket out of her pocket.

    As Zhan Qipei watched this unfold, his face instantly turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

    Did she dislike him that much?

    Lan Yinyin reached out excitedly to take the movie ticket, ¡°Tha¡ª¡± Before she could finish saying ¡®thanks¡¯, she saw Qiao Jing retract the movie ticket back.

 Chapter 122 - 116: The Couple Join Forces to Torture the Scum

    Chapter 122: Chapter 116: The Couple Join Forces to Torture the Scum

    ¡°100,000.¡± Qiao Jing quoted the price.

    Lan Yinyin realized that Qiao Jing had suddenly taken back the movie ticket because she had been waiting for her here.

    100,000?

    She had seen people ask for outrageous prices, but she had never seen anyone ask for something so astronomical.

    100,000 for a single movie ticket, was she nning to rob someone?

    ¡°Don¡¯t want it? Then forget it.¡± After saying this, Qiao Jing did not stay any longer and walked straight past Lan Yinyin.

    Lan Yinyin gritted her teeth, ¡°Fine, 100,000 it is. I agree to give it to you.¡±

    Anyway, with Fifth Master reimbursing her, as long as she couldplete the task, this small amount of money was nothing to Fifth Master.

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, turned around to look at Lan Yinyin, ¡°Do you really have that much money?¡±

    Lan Yinyin thought that Qiao Jing asked this because she was worried she might default on the payment.

    ¡°Give me your card number.¡±

    Soon after, Qiao Jing received a notification that 100,000 had been transferred to her ount.

    ¡°Now can you give me the movie ticket?¡± Lan Yinyin reached out to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced briefly at Lan Yinyin¡¯s hand and spoke indifferently, ¡°You can easily transfer 100,000 to me, yet you told Zhan Qipei that you didn¡¯t have money to rent a house?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lan Yinyin¡¯s pupils suddenly dted, and a boundless murderous intent shed in her eyes.

    She had been so focused on buying the movie ticket from Qiao Jing that she had momentarily overlooked this matter.

    It wasn¡¯t that she was too foolish; she had simply underestimated her opponent. In her heart, Qiao Jing was just a naive country girl, and she hadn¡¯t expected her to think on such a level.

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to his chin, his narrowed, gloomy eyes fixated on Qiao Jing and Lan Yinyin.

    Qiao Jing¡­ was she helping him?

    Lan Yinyin, being professionally trained, quickly found a strategy to deal with the situation.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen through me, yes, I admit, I am not short of money. I said that to President Zhan simply to stay closer to President Zhang, hoping to benefit from being near. Of course, I don¡¯t think this is a despicable tactic. After all, love, like bread, requires one¡¯s own effort to win.

    President Zhan is very outstanding, the most charismatic man I¡¯ve ever met, so I want to try my best. I hope you, as a woman, will not tell him.¡±

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s speech was skillfully measured and wless, giving no ground for criticism.

    The calmer and more logically Lan Yinyin behaved, the more Qiao Jing suspected her motives.

    From her experience, if ordinary people were caught in a lie, even if they wereposed, they would show some ws.

    Moreover, she had detected a hint of murderous intent in Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes a moment ago.

    As Qiao Jing was silently analyzing, a vulgar voice suddenly sounded from behind.

    ¡°Hey! Guys,e over here and look, two beauties!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned around and saw several tattooed, color-haired hoodlumsing towards them.

    ¡°This one is too beautiful, right? Just like a fairy descended to Earth! I want this one!¡± one of the hoodlums eximed, his eyes sparkling as he pointed at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why should she be yours? I like her too!¡±

    ¡°So do I! She¡¯s mine!¡±

    The other hoodlums were not pleased and started to argue over Qiao Jing.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s face contorted unattractively. She was also very beautiful¡ªhad she not been, Fifth Master would not have kept her on standby for so many years.

    Although being harassed by the hoodlums was annoying, the fact that all the attention had shifted to Qiao Jing made her even more frustrated.

    ¡°Come on, stop fighting. Let¡¯s decide by ying Rock-Paper-Scissors.¡±

    ¡°Rock-Paper-Scissors.¡±

    ¡°Rock-Paper-Scissors!¡±

    ¡°Ah, I lost¡ªfine, I¡¯ll settle for her then,¡± the hoodlum reluctantly said as he looked at Lan Yinyin.

    Lan Yinyin ¡°¡­¡±

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s breath hitched in her throat, and her face betrayed her frustration.

    It was evident just how much these thugs enraged her, even more than if they were teasing her.

    Just as Lan Yinyin was about to explode with anger, she caught sight of Zhan Qipei striding towards them from the corner of her eye.

    He had arrived! And he wasing to rescue her! This would be her chance to throw herself into his arms.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s thoughts were beautiful, but reality was brutally harsh.

    Without a word, Zhan Qipei walked up briskly, reached out, and wrapped his arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, pulling her into his arms.

    The incident happened so suddenly.

    Lan Yinyin did not expect it.

    Nor did Qiao Jing.

    Lan Yinyin thought Zhan Qipei hade to protect her, yet she had turned into thin air.

    Qiao Jing had also thought Zhan Qipei was there to protect Lan Yinyin, so she waspletely unguarded when the man swept her into his embrace.

    Zhan Qipei, holding a gentle beauty in his arms, swept his gaze around with a chilly sternness in his eyes.

    ¡°Scram.¡± The single word carried an inherent nobility that chilled the hearts of those who heard it.

    The thugs looked at each other and decided it was best to leave.

    ¡°Ptui! What bad luck!¡±

    Seeing the thugs had all left, Qiao Jing pushed Zhan Qipei, intending to step out of his embrace.

    But she couldn¡¯t break free.

    Was there really a need to hold her so tightly?

    Besides, hadn¡¯t he embraced the wrong person?

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man, ¡°They¡¯ve left.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhan Qipei responded indifferently and then no further reaction came.

    Qiao Jing blinked and looked down at therge hand around her waist.

    No wonder she couldn¡¯t break free; hisrge palm was pressing firmly against her waist, covering arge part of her midsection.

    It was as if her waist was mped by something incredibly hard.

    Just when Qiao Jing was too exasperated to remain silent, the man finally released his hand.

    During this time, Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes widened with shock. She wondered if Zhan Qipei had actually fallen for Qiao Jing?

    If that was indeed the case, her task just got a lot harder.

    ¡°The movie¡¯s almost over, do you want to keep watching?¡± Zhan Qipei asked as if nothing had happened, looking down at Qiao Jing.

    Although he had let go, Qiao Jing could still faintly feel a sense of constraint around her waist.

    Probably because the man had held her too tight earlier, causing poor blood cirction, which induced an indescribable tingling sensation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not watch any more, let¡¯s go back early and sleep. I still have to visit the institute tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then,¡± said Zhan Qipei, lifting his hand and almost losing control to wrap it around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist again, but he managed to hold back just in time to avoid arousing any suspicion from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Wait a second.¡± Qiao Jing, after walking a few steps, turned around and walked towards Lan Yinyin, who was still standing there dazed, and handed her the movie ticket.

    ¡°Your ticket.¡±

    Lan Yinyin ¡°¡­¡±

    At that moment, Lan Yinyin particrly felt like cursing.

    Dammit, you¡¯re all leaving, so what does she need a ticket for? To blossom in beauty all by herself?

    Seeing Lan Yinyin not taking the ticket for a long time, Qiao Jing became somewhat impatient.

    ¡°You spent 100,000 on that ticket, don¡¯t you want it?

 Chapter 123 - 117 You Are My Wife

    Chapter 123: Chapter 117 You Are My Wife

    Lan Yinyin was already so filled with hatred that she gritted her teeth, and now, after hearing what Qiao Jing said, she only then realized, damn it, she had spent a hundred thousand just now!

    Get it back?

    Lan Yinyin indicated she still wanted to save face.

    In the end, Lan Yinyin could only angrily re at Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei as they left side by side.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Lan Yinyin let out a cold snort.

    She could see now, Qiao Jing had done it on purpose, deliberately demanding an exorbitant sum of money from her.

    Not only that, Qiao Jing¡¯s interest in Zhan Qipei was not as the information she had obtained, uninterested in Zhan Qipei.

    After all, the Madam of the Family Head, huh!!

    That position, like the queen of the family, how many women wouldn¡¯t want to sit in that position.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see how the y unfolds on the donkey¡¯s back, and watch how I snatch Zhan Qipei away from you!¡±

    After Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei left the cinema, Qiao Jing opened the banking notification from just now and handed the phone to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°This is the money she just transferred to me. I think she is deliberately getting close to you, afraid that her intentions are not that simple, you better be careful.¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly raised his eyebrows, which were as resolute as mountains and as ethereal as mist, his eyes and brows holding back an almost spilling joy.

    She still cared about him.

    ¡°I think you might be overthinking it,¡± Zhan Qipei purposely said so.

    ¡°More than two months ago, if it weren¡¯t for her saving me, I probably wouldn¡¯t be standing here talking to you. Since she saved me, why would she harm me?¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing lowered her eyelids, her brows lightly furrowed.

    Although Zhan Qipei¡¯s analysis made sense, the problem was, Lan Yinyin wasn¡¯t the one who saved him!

    How was she supposed to exin this to the man?

    Zhan Qipei was watching Qiao Jing, who was deep in thought, his pupils slightly narrowed, pondering in his heart: How much longer can you hold back?

    ¡°I¡¯ve already warned you. If you don¡¯t take my words seriously, then forget about it. Don¡¯t me me for not reminding you when you regret itter.¡± Qiao Jing said and then opened the car door and got in.

    Zhan Qipei followed into the car and looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°How could I possibly not take what you say seriously, you are my wife after all.¡±

    The word ¡°wife¡± made Qiao Jing feel incredibly strange inside. After a silence of two seconds, she added, ¡°In name.¡±

    ¡°¡­The wife,¡± Zhan Qipei added.

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing took out her phone and began to casually scroll, toozy to y childish word games with the man.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had no intention of continuing the game, Zhan Qipei also lost interest, started the car, and left.

    Lan Yinyin watched as the taillights disappeared around the corner and made a phone call.

    Before she could speak, the voice of the man on the other end of the phone spoke up first.

    ¡°No need to say anything, I already know. You¡¯ve made a mess of this job.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lan Yinyin was so frightened that her face paled, and her blood almost froze.

    The methods of the Fifth Master were terrifying to a non-human level. If she failed this mission, what awaited her¡­ she dared not even imagine.

    ¡°Fifth, Fifth Master, please¡­ please give me another chance, I¡­ I will surelyplete the task you gave¡­ gave me perfectly.¡±

    On the other end of the phone, the man kicked the service girl who was doing his nails, tipping her over.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding.¡± The man looked at his foot, where blood was oozing from under his toenail.

    The service girl, trembling with fear, knelt on the ground and begged for mercy, ¡°Fifth Master, I was wrong! I was wrong, please spare my life! Spare my life¡ª¡±

    Fifth Master waved his hand, and his bodyguards stepped forward, dragging the service girl away, one on each side.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A scream echoed from outside the room, particrly harrowing and chilling.

    Lan Yinyin could hear it clearly across the phone, and for a short while her heart sank to the bottom.

    ¡°Work well, and once the task is done, I will satisfy any one wish of yours.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I promise I¡¯ll do it well and not let you down, Fifth Master.¡±

    At that moment, the man was watching the LCD TV in front of him, which was disying the very scene where Qiao Jing and Lan Yinyin were confronting each other in the movie theater.

    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± The man let out a low chuckle, sending shivers down the spines of those around him.

    Especially Lan Yinyin, who had no idea what the man wasughing about.

    ¡°This Qiao Jing, he really is an interesting person.¡±

    The man picked up a ss of red wine from the table, brought it to his lips for a sip, wine overflowing, sticking out his tongue to lick it up, his whole demeanor vampire-like and sinister.

    ¡°Achoo¡ª,¡± Qiao Jing sneezed, sniffling his nose.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°Caught a cold?¡±

    ¡°My nose is just a bit itchy.¡±

    After saying that, Qiao Jing added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a cold, it won¡¯t infect you.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei chuckled and shook his head, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about?¡±

    With a slight raise of his brow, Qiao Jing responded in confusion, ¡°Then what is it?¡±

    Driving and distracted, Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing, his thin lips curling up, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be smart? You guess.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled his eyes subtly.

    This man really was boring enough.

    Say it or don¡¯t!

    Over the next two days, Lan Yinyin tried all kinds of ways to get close to Zhan Qipei, but to no avail.

    One day, she identally discovered that almost every night Qiao Jing would buy groceries to bring home.

    So she spected in her heart, could it be that Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking skills were good, conquering the taste buds of Zhan Qipei?

    Lan Yinyin believed there was a high probability that her guess was right.

    ¡°No matter how good the cooking is, can it be better than mine?¡±

    Lan Yinyin was quite confident in her own culinary skills, because initially when the Fifth Master trained her, it was in preparation to infiltrate a big-shot¡¯s side, and she had undergone all-around training.

    Especially in the aspect of cooking, where she excelled tremendously.

    After understanding Zhan Qipei¡¯s taste, she immediately went to the market to buy ingredients and cooked several dishes Zhan Qipei liked to eat.

    ¡°Ding dong¡ª¡± Knock on the door.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei opened the door, he saw Lan Yinyining in with a food container.

    ¡°I¡¯ve cooked some dishes myself, I wanted to bring them over for you to taste.¡±

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to invite her in, Lan Yinyin took off her shoes and entered on her own, walking up to the table and taking out all the meticulously prepared food.

    Twice-cooked pork, sweet and sour chicken, braised fish, Mapo tofu. Four dishes in total, all were Lan Yinyin¡¯s specialties.

    She was certain that after Zhan Qipei tasted her dishes, he would be conquered by her.

    Just as Lan Yinyin was brimming with confidence, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice suddenly came from the kitchen.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I asked for your help with the dishes, what are you doing?¡±

    Whose orders was that tone giving? This Qiao Jing really thought too highly of himself, didn¡¯t he?

    No sooner had Lan Yinyin finished her thought than she saw Zhan Qipei hurrying towards the kitchen.

    ¡°What did you go off to do?¡±

    ¡°Lan Yinyin just came over.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s an excuse for you to ck off?¡±

    ¡°My mistake, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± After saying this, Zhan Qipei walked out of the kitchen holding a dish in one hand.

 Chapter 124 - 118 Lan Yinyin Qiao Jing Cooking PK

    Chapter 124: Chapter 118 Lan Yinyin Qiao Jing Cooking PK

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes widened with disbelief, and she also couldn¡¯t believe her own ears.

    Before she arrived, she had heard about Zhan Qipei¡¯s ruthless and bloody iron fist, so in her heart, Zhan Qipei was a cold and merciless man.

    In fact, after she met the real Zhan Qipei, it indeed confirmed what she had previously ¡°heard.¡±

    Very hard to approach.

    But now¡ªwhat was up with this Zhan Qipei, who was acting like a househusband serving dishes?

    And the conversation in the kitchen just now, anyone unaware would definitely see Zhan Qipei as a typical husband afraid of his wife.

    Zhan Qipei ced the dishes on the table, then without even ncing at Lan Yinyin, he went back to get more.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s gazended on the dishes on the table, which were visually appealing and smelled great, looking no less inferior to those she made.

    It seemed that Qiao Jing had some skills in cooking.

    Soon, four dishes and one soup were all on the table, and Zhan Qipei arranged the bowls and chopsticks, not sparing Lan Yinyin a seat.

    This made Lan Yinyin feel very awkward.

    However, there was nothing more awkward than even more awkwardness.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± Zhan Qipei said impatiently, sending Lan Yinyin a clear message to leave.

    The dishes Qiao Jing had prepared today weren¡¯t plentiful, and this person not leaving, did she intend to stay for a free meal?

    There wasn¡¯t enough to eat as it was.

    Lan Yinyin opened her mouth, ¡°I¡ªI brought some dishes, can I eat with you?¡±

    Lan Yinyin had just finished speaking when she saw Zhan Qipei nce at her dish with extreme disdain.

    Lan Yinyin ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°The dishes I make are quite good too; I specifically learned how to cook before.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked questioningly at Lan Yinyin, or more precisely, at the dishes Lan Yinyin made. She wondered if Lan Yinyin hade all this way to deliver dishes to Zhan Qipei because she had put drugs in the food?

    If that was the case, then she really needed to taste them well; if it was true, then she could prove to Zhan Qipei that Lan Yinyin had malicious intentions.

    ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s just one more pair of chopsticks,¡± Qiao Jing said as she sat down. ¡°The chopsticks are in the kitchen; you can get them yourself.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± After politely thanking Qiao Jing, Lan Yinyin stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

    Before she entered, she heard Zhan Qipei asking Qiao Jing a question.

    ¡°Why did you let her stay for dinner?¡±

    Hearing this, Lan Yinyin twitched the corner of her mouth speechlessly, feeling as strange as one could feel.

    ¡°I already said it¡¯s just one more pair of chopsticks. Besides, she didn¡¯te empty-handed,¡± Qiao Jing said, then suddenly remembered something and added, ¡°I also sold her a ticket yesterday¡ªit was quite expensive¡ªso it wasn¡¯t easy to refuse.¡±

    If Lan Yinyin was speechless before, now she felt like coughing up blood.

    Lan Yinyin had an odd delusion that these two were conspiring to mess with her.

    Of course, she just thought so; how could they possibly coborate to mess with her?

    Lan Yinyin fetched the chopsticks and had just sat down when she saw Qiao Jing reaching out with her chopsticks towards the dish Lan Yinyin had made.

    In Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing¡¯s action was likely intended to see whose cooking was slightly better.

    Thinking this, Lan Yinyin also began to reach for the dish that Qiao Jing had made.

    Then, both women paused their movements almost simultaneously.

    Qiao Jing: No poison, it figures, even if Lan Yinyin wanted to poison, she wouldn¡¯t make it so obvious.

    Lan Yinyin: Shocked! So delicious! Is this even possible for a human to make?

    Lan Yinyin, overwhelmed by the deliciousness and not knowing how to express it, saw Zhan Qipei continuously grabbing more of Qiao Jing¡¯s dishes, eating nonstop as if he had not eaten for days.

    Seeing this, two words surged in Lan Yinyin¡¯s mind.

    ¡ªUtter defeat.

    ¡°It looks like Zhan Qipei¡¯s appetite has already been conquered by Qiao Jing. I need to hurry. I don¡¯t have much time left,¡± Lan Yinyin thought as she took out the drugs she had prepared before.

    This medicine was given to her by Fifth Master, who said it wasn¡¯t ordinary, avable-on-the-market stuff. A person affected by this drug must have physical contact with the opposite sex, otherwise, they couldn¡¯t recover.

    We need to find the right opportunity to take Zhan Qipei down in one fell swoop!

    Lan Yinyin squinted her eyes, her face showing a resolute expression.

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing went to the Angel Welfare Institute to visit Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°How do you feel now?¡± Qiao Jing ced the fruits she bought on the bedside table.

    ¡°I¡¯m almost better, just a bit weak.¡± Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face was still slightly pale.

    ¡°Illnesses like andslide and goes like threading silk. You still need to rest well for a couple of days and keep up with your nutrition,¡± Qiao Jing had just finished speaking when a knock on the door was heard.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the door.¡± As soon as Qiao Jing opened the door, she saw Tang Yan¡¯s nearly two-meter-tall figure blocking the doorway, carrying a thermal sk.

    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Qiao Jing looked at Tang Yan with a smile in her eyes.

    Embarrassed, Tang Yan scratched the back of his neck, ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re here too.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and stepped aside, then Tang Yan entered.

    The atmosphere in the room immediately turned awkward.

    Qiao Jing looked at Tang Yan, who was slow on the uptake, and then at Lin Xiuxiang, whose face was red as a boiled shrimp, and thought to herself that these two were probably close to a happy conclusion.

    ¡°What is that you¡¯re carrying?¡± Qiao Jing casually found a topic to ask.

    Tang Yan ced the thermal sk on the bedside table, ¡°I made some pigeon soup myself. Miss Lin is sick, eating something nourishing is good for the body.¡±

    Raising her eyebrows slightly, Qiao Jing teased on purpose, ¡°You¡¯ve even brought soup over, and still calling her Miss Lin? Assistant Tang, you¡¯re not stepping up. Just call her Xiangxiang in the future.¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡­ you¡­¡± Lin Xiuxiang, teased by Qiao Jing, almost wished she could crawl into a mouse hole.

    ¡°Alright, you guys chat slowly.¡± Saying this, Qiao Jing was about to leave.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lin Xiuxiang called out to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out to dissipate some ¡®dog food¡¯ fumes,¡± Qiao Jing said and very kindly closed the door behind her, leaving the two alone.

    With the room left to just Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face turned even redder.

    Tang Yan thought over what Qiao Jing said, and felt she was right; he had been moving too slowly, like a frog in warm water.

    ¡°Miss Lin, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll call you Xiangxiang.¡±

    Xiangxiang, such a lovely name, the more he said it, the more he liked it.

    Lin Xiuxiang kept her head down, her heart thumping wildly.

    She felt utterly embarrassed.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a name, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Tang Yan was so excited he almost let out a Tarzan-like yell.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, I¡­ I made pigeon soup. Do you, do you want to taste and see if it¡¯s good?¡± Tang Yan stammered, his excitement making him almost incoherent.

    ¡°You went to a lot of trouble.¡± Lin Xiuxiang clutched the quilt with both hands, too shy to even look up.

    ¡°Not at all, not at all, I enjoyed doing it,¡± Tang Yan said, and Lin Xiuxiang grew even more bashful.

    The room was filled with the scent of ¡®dog food,¡¯ nearly seeping out from under the door.

    After eavesdropping for a minute, Qiao Jing was d she had left earlier.

    Bored and alone, Qiao Jing leisurely walked around the welfare institute while reminiscing about her childhood days there.

    There were pleasant memories, and some frustrating ones as well.

    She vaguely remembered that when she first arrived at the institute, there were some older girls who cliqued together and bullied her.

    These girls were all eventually set straight by her, and after that, theyined to the teachers and the director, who, after understanding the situation, severely scolded those girls.

    She remembered this so vividly because those girls wereter all adopted. They even came back to boast to her, saying what was the use of being pretty when no one wanted her.

    Lost in thought, Qiao Jing was interrupted by a woman¡¯s voice behind her.

    ¡°Are you¡ªQiao Jing?¡±

 Chapter 125 - 119 Introducing a Match to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 125: Chapter 119 Introducing a Match to Qiao Jing

    Hearing this voice, Qiao Jing turned her head in confusion.

    The three women were d invish attire, their necks and hands adorned with various gold and silver jewelry and pearl nes.

    These three looked somewhat familiar, but Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t quite remember them at the moment.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, is that really you?¡± the fattest woman asked, her gaze filled with both envy and disdain.

    They envied Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful face and figure but scorned her for her overly simple clothes.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Qiao Jing still couldn¡¯t recognize who the three were.

    ¡°You really have a terrible memory, don¡¯t you? Have you forgotten us? We used to live together at the welfare institute for quite a while. Back then, we had some minor frictions, but that¡¯s all in the past. It¡¯s normal for kids to be a little noisy and rowdy.¡±

    The fat woman¡¯s words reminded Qiao Jing, ¡°So it¡¯s you guys.¡±

    They were the ones who used to pick on her as a child before they were adopted.

    ¡°Good that you remember.¡±

    The three looked at Qiao Jing with the same disdain, filled with a sense of superiority.

    They were all dressed in gold and silver, wearing brand names, each carrying bags worth thousands. In contrast, the value of Qiao Jing¡¯s entire outfit from head to toe probably didn¡¯t even exceed a hundred yuan.

    Thinking of this, the three¡¯s look at Qiao Jing became even more disgusted.

    Qiao Jing caught the naked contempt in their looks.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that my memory is bad, it¡¯s just that you¡¯ve gained so much weight andpletely changed shape, making it hard to recognize you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words deeply stung the three women, and their faces visibly turned a mix of blue and purple.

    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± the fattest woman chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Can¡¯t help it, life has been too good. Eating delicacies like bird¡¯s nest and abalone every day, it¡¯s hard not to gain weight.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, with people stretching hands for clothes and opening mouths for meals, not having to cook by ourselves, and just ying mahjong when we¡¯re free, trying to stay as thin as you is truly difficult.¡±

    Qiao Jing could tell from their words that they were mocking her, presuming she lived a hard life because of her simple clothes.

    Indeed, the kind of seedling one is as a child defines the type of tree one grows into.

    Tang Yan, looking through the crack of the door, saw everything and then called Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you on a vacation?¡± Zhan Qipei asked in confusion.

    ¡°Boss, do you have time toe to Angel Welfare Institute right now?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Someone is bullying Miss Qiao.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei immediately put aside all his work, arranged for some people, and drove nine Maybach luxury cars towards the Angel Welfare Institute.

    Originally, Zhan Qipei wanted to bring 99 cars, but heter decided against it, fearing it would take too long to prepare and cause a dy. He was also worried that toorge a procession might cause a sensation and get stopped by traffic police en route.

    Inside the welfare institute, Qiao Jing was toozy to deal with those fat women, who, nevertheless, kept trying to strike up conversations with her deliberately.

    ¡°Do you have a partner now? My husband¡¯s uncle is quite nice; he¡¯s been divorced for several years and has a son. If you marry him, you won¡¯t have to rush to have kids. Oh, and my husband¡¯s uncle is quite capable, has his own small business, and makes over half a million a year!¡±

    Qiao Jing gave her a faint look and said in a listless tone, ¡°Not interested.¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t act all high and mighty just because you¡¯re pretty! An annual sry of five hundred thousand! That¡¯s only slightly less than what my husband makes¡ªhe makes just about one to one point eight million a year.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I heard you¡¯ve been fiddling with crops in the countryside all this time, just those two acres ofnd, working hard all year, how much can you earn from that?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I think you should just try a blind date with my husband¡¯s uncle? Who knows, he might not mind that you¡¯re a country girl with no education, and just fancy you?¡±

    The words of the three were uglier than the next.

    Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and threw off her nkets, preparing to get out of bed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the show is about to start,¡± Tang Yan told Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang looked at Tang Yan with a puzzled face, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Tang Yan told Lin Xiuxiang about the phone call he had just made to Zhan Qipei.

    After hearing this, Lin Xiuxiang frowned with concern, ¡°But Qiao Jing and your boss don¡¯t have genuine feelings for each other; they are only together because of an agreement made between their grandfathers. Will your boss reallye?¡±

    ¡°He should.¡±

    As soon as Tang Yan finished speaking, he saw through the window a line of ck Maybachs one after another.

    ¡°This¡ªthis is too exaggerated, isn¡¯t it?!¡± Lin Xiuxiang eximed in surprise, then climbed up to the window, stuck her head out, and silently counted a total of nine cars, all of them the million-dor Maybachs, lined up in a row, parked at the entrance of the welfare institute.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Three fat women were scared by this array.

    They had seen luxury cars before¡ª their husbands owned them, but those were at most the few hundred thousand-dor Mercedes and BMW kind. They had never seen anything as top-tier as a Maybach.

    And now, suddenly, there were nine, was some big shot making an entrance? But whye to this unimpressive welfare institute?

    While they were puzzled, a young man wearing sunsses suddenly got out of the lead car.

    The man was handsome and imposing.

    Was this the owner of the Maybachs? This presence was indeed something their small-time boss husbands couldn¡¯tpare with.

    While they thought this, the man who looked very imposing walked around the front of the car, then respectfully lined up with other bodyguards from the other cars, standing side by side in two rows.

    Huh?

    Seeing this, the three fat women were startled again.

    So the impressive-looking handsome guy wasn¡¯t the main person?

    No way? If such an extraordinary person wasn¡¯t the main person, and those stationed in rows beside him each looked exceptionally valiant.

    Employing so many imposing bodyguards, it was imaginable how powerful the person behind them must be!

    Different from the three shocked women, Qiao Jing was slightly knitting her brows, her gaze resting on the passenger door of the lead vehicle.

    She guessed Zhan Qipei had arrived, but she couldn¡¯t understand why Zhan Qipei woulde to this ce? And why bring so many bodyguards and drive so many luxury cars?

    Could it be that he was thinking of targeting the welfare institute again, nning to demolish it to build a shopping center?

    At this thought, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression cooled.

    He had clearly promised her that he wouldn¡¯t demolish this ce again; if he dared to go back on his word, she had ways to make sure he couldn¡¯t seed.

    ¡°ck¡ª¡± the car door slowly opened from the inside, and the first thing toe out was a pair of straight, long legs, followed by the man¡¯s tall, handsome, and imposing posture and handsome face.

    Wow! So handsome! And what a powerful aura!

    This was the first impression of Zhan Qipei the three fat women had.

    Moreover, they all simultaneously noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s crisply ironed, wrinkle-free bespoke suit was extremely valuable.

    Watching Zhan Qipei walking with long strides and an off-limits aura, the three fat women instinctively took a step back, not daring to get close to him.

    As they stepped back, they noticed Qiao Jing standing still like a wooden post, unmovable. Not only that, but she also directly faced the man walking towards her.

    Seeing this, the three fat women scorned and ridiculed in their minds, thinking Qiao Jing surely hadn¡¯t seen such a wealthy boss before, so she wanted to try seducing him with her beauty.

    That¡¯s really funny. Do you really think just because you¡¯re pretty, you can seduce anyone?

    This man is at the top of the food chain, a high-reaching super boss. Why would he take an interest in you?

    As the three were waiting to see Qiao Jing make a fool of herself, Zhan Qipei walked up to Qiao Jing and stopped in front of her.

 Chapter 126 - 120 Zhan Qipei Rushes Over

    Chapter 126: Chapter 120 Zhan Qipei Rushes Over

    ¡°How did youe here?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°I¡¯vee to pick you up and take you home,¡± Zhan Qipei replied in the most casual tone.

    Their conversation sounded so natural, so seamless. It was just like the most ordinary of days for ordinary people, simple and in, filled with the mundane tasks of daily life.

    The three plump women were all staring dumbfounded at this scene, their mouths agape wide enough to fit a fist.

    Momentster, they were so embarrassed they wished they could each find a mouse hole to crawl into.

    Especially the plump woman who had just been boasting to Qiao Jing about her uncle, iming he earned an annual sry of five hundred thousand and suggesting that her own husband¡¯s uncle might not even deem her worthy.

    It was a real p in the face!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s husband made a grand entrance with not one but nine Maybachs, apanied by numerous valiant and extraordinary bodyguards.

    In terms of status, her husband¡¯s uncle probably wasn¡¯t even fit to carry this big shot¡¯s shoes. Not to mention her husband¡¯s uncle, her own husband who earned a million annually wouldn¡¯t be worthy of carrying this man¡¯s shoes either!

    ¡°I¡¯m not going home to cook today. Xiangxiang is just recovering from a serious illness, and I want to make something nice for her to eat.¡± Qiao Jing had nned to call Zhan Qipeiter, but she waspletely thrown off by his sudden, morous entrance.

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll stay and help you,¡± Zhan Qipei said. He had grown ustomed to the meals Qiao Jing made. Food cooked by anyone else tasted as nd as chewing wax.

    He used to worry about what would happen when they got divorced in the future and he couldn¡¯t have Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking anymore.

    Now¡ª

    He was even more worried. If he ate Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking every day and couldn¡¯t control his mouth, he would inevitably be a big fatso one day.

    So his daily exercise routine had grown even more intense than before.

    Qiao Jing looked toward the bodyguards standing in pairs at the door and frowned, ¡°With so many people, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have enough ingredients. I¡¯ll go to the market to buy some more.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than Zhan Qipei waved at the bodyguards, and they all quickly got into the cars, each heading home to their own mothers.

    Not far off, Tang Yan saw this scene and curled his lips in a wry smile, shaking his head in reflection.

    He mused that if anyone wanted to eat the food cooked by their boss¡¯s wife, they were dreaming ¨C unless they reached his level and managed to charm the boss¡¯s wife¡¯s close friend. Otherwise, he reckoned he wouldn¡¯t even qualify to taste her cooking.

    Dusk fell and lights began to illuminate the evening.

    Four people sat together for dinner.

    ¡°Miss Qiao¡¯s cooking skills are really good!¡± Tang Yan said, giving Qiao Jing a thumbs-up as he ate.

    Qiao Jing looked at Lin Xiuxiang and replied with a smile, ¡°Xiangxiang has learned from me for a long time. She has a talent for cooking, and her food is as good as mine.¡±

    At thisment, Tang Yan¡¯s expression lit up with delight, and he looked at Lin Xiuxiang as if he¡¯d found a treasure.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, you can cook too? Howe you never mentioned it before?¡±

    Feeling Tang Yan¡¯s gaze from such a close distance, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face turned red.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is exaggerating. I can cook, but I¡¯m not as good as her,¡± Xiuxiang demurred.

    ¡°How much worse? After you¡¯re well, cook just for Assistant Tang. Then he¡¯ll know,¡± Qiao Jing said with a teasing glint in her eyes.

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡­ just eat your food¡­ even rice can¡¯t stop your mouth¡­¡± Lin Xiuxiang felt so shy that she wanted to hide under the table.

    Tang Yan smirked blissfully, asionally sneaking spirited nces at Lin Xiuxiang.

    While he kept gazing at Lin Xiuxiang, he shoveled down his rice, forgetting to pick up any side dishes, yet he ate with gusto.

    Qiao Jing looked at the rapidly warming rtionship between the two, genuinely happy for them from the bottom of her heart.

    On the way back, the car stopped at a red light. Zhan Qipei turned to look at Qiao Jing, feeling throughout the ride that she was in a particrly good mood.

    Of course, he knew that her happiness was because of Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°You seem to quite enjoy getting involved in others¡¯ marital affairs?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s train of thought was interrupted, and she turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Xiangxiang is not just anybody to me. In my eyes, she¡¯s not only a close girlfriend but also my family. Of course, I¡¯m overjoyed from the bottom of my heart that she¡¯s found someone who truly cares for her.¡±

    ¡°Then it seems you¡¯re quite satisfied with Tang Yan?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with his deep, restrained eyes, subtly inquiring.

    ¡°Assistant Tang is an honest and reliable person, with a bit of martial arts background, he¡¯s efficient and capable at work, truly impressive. He also gives off an indescribable sense of security and stability¡ªsuch good men are rare,¡± Qiao Jing praised generously.

    Qiao Jing was so busy speaking her mind that she didn¡¯t notice Zhan Qipei¡¯s unusual expression.

    ¡°Your evaluation of Tang Yan is really quite high.¡±

    There was a hint of jealousy in Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice.

    ¡°He deserves such praise,¡± Qiao Jing continued tomend.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips. After two seconds of silence, he asked, ¡°What about me? What kind of person do you think I am?¡±

    Qiao Jing gently arched her delicate eyebrows in confusion, staring at Zhan Qipei, wondering if it was her imagination, but she thought she saw a glimmer of unspoken anticipation in his eyes.

    As if to say, ¡°Come on, praise me fast.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, sure she was imagining things. Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t possibly have such expectations.

    ¡°What need is there to say? The CEO of Zhan Corporation, who, at such a young age, led the family business to new heights and became the wealthiest man in the capital. Your capabilities are evident.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking about.¡± Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t like Qiao Jing describing him with such formalnguage.

    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Qiao Jing looked at him, puzzled.

    The traffic light turned green, Zhan Qipei pressed on the elerator, and after two seconds of silence, he continued, ¡°What do you think of me as a husband? Who¡¯s betterpared to Tang Yan?¡±

    His question caught Qiao Jing by surprise. She never expected him to suddenly ask such a thing, leaving her momentarily unsure of how to respond.

    The silence from Qiao Jing made Zhan Qipei feel as if cat¡¯s ws were scratching at his heart, scratching with such urgency.

    ¡°Is my question that hard to answer?¡±

    You didn¡¯t hesitate for even a second when you were praising Tang Yan just now, did you?

    The more Zhan Qipei thought about it, the more jealous he became, his face turning greener and the swallowed saliva unbearably sour.

    ¡°It¡¯s indeed quite hard to answer,¡± Qiao Jing said as she lifted a hand to touch her chin.

    ¡°Why is it hard to answer?¡± Zhan Qipei pressed.

    ¡°Because our marriage is a contract one. To put it bluntly, although we live under the same roof, we basically don¡¯t have much interaction in that area. You don¡¯t act like a husband either, which makes it hard for me to judge. Maybe when you find true love in the future and marry someone you like, you can ask your wife whether you qualify or not.¡±

    Right after Qiao Jing finished speaking, she heard a firm and low voice in her ear.

    ¡°I won¡¯t marry anyone else.¡±

 Chapter 127 - 121: Zhan Qipeis Indirect Confession

    Chapter 127: Chapter 121: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Indirect Confession

    ¡°Hm?¡± Qiao Jing blinked in confusion and turned to face the man, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    The car stopped in front of the apartment, and Zhan Qipei released his hold on the steering wheel, turning to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°I said, sooner orter, I will find evidence to make you admit that you were the one who performed the surgery on me.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted suddenly, and her lips parted slightly, ¡°You, you already know that the person who saved you, was Lan Yinyin?¡±

    Zhan Qipei unbuckled his seat belt and leaned toward Qiao Jing, drawing close to her face.

    At this moment, the distance between the two was mere inches.

    ¡°The person who saved me, was it really Lan Yinyin?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted imperceptibly, maintaining herposure as she continued to lock eyes with the man.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°I want to hear the truth from you.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, Zhan Qipei interrupted her.

    Confronted with the man¡¯s earnest and solemn face, especially his eyes filled entirely with her reflection, she didn¡¯t know how to begin. Should she say it was Lan Yinyin?

    That would mean harming Zhan Qipei.

    If she said it wasn¡¯t Lan Yinyin.

    That would be the same as admitting she was the one who saved him.

    After a brief silence, Qiao Jing shifted back, putting some distance between them.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me this, have you found some doubt regarding Lan Yinyin?¡±

    Seeing the girl did not y along with him, Zhan Qipei slightly furrowed his deep, misty eyebrows.

    He knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy to draw words out of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Yes, the person who saved me was not her.¡±

    Hearing the man¡¯s emphatic tone, Qiao Jing grew even more confused.

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Because it felt different.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Feel? What kind of feel?¡±

    Zhan Qipei suddenly smirked, his gazending on Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei¡¯s line of sight to her own hands.

    She asked about feeling, why was he looking at her hands?

    Before she could make sense of it, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand had already reached out, taking hold of hers.

    Qiao Jing instinctively wanted to withdraw her hand, but as soon as she tried to pull back, the man tightened his grip.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°The touch is different,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s words sessfully halted Qiao Jing¡¯s forting actions.

    After a stunned two seconds, Qiao Jing suddenly thought of something, looked at her hand, then gazed toward the spot where she had performed the surgery on the man.

    Could it be? Even that had a different touch?

    ¡°Have you touched Lan Yinyin¡¯s hand?¡±

    ¡°How could I? I never touch other women¡¯s hands,¡± Zhan Qipei dered categorically.

    Qiao Jing moved her hand in an obvious gesture.

    Zhan Qipei, in a very good mood, curled the corner of his mouth and added, ¡°Except for your hand.¡±

    Speechless, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, ¡°Then how can you say the touch is different? You¡¯ve never touched Lan Yinyin¡¯s hand.¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to touch, the mere thought repels me, and that says it all,¡± Zhan Qipei had a certain cleanliness obsession with women, which meant that even with Lou Xinrou, who grew up with him, he only maintained normal conversational distance and almost never had physical contact.

    Because he really disliked it.

    So, after Qiao Jing appeared, the very first time he touched her, he felt something indescribable.

    It was this feeling that made it impossible for him to not care about her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Qiao Jing said as she opened the car door and stepped out.

    Zhan Qipei watched as Qiao Jing walked away, his interest piqued.

    ¡°One day, I¡¯ll make you admit it.¡±

    Two dayster, Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou arrived together at Nantai Apartment.

    They came here, not because of Qiao Jing, but because of Lan Yinyin, who had suddenly emerged recently.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou got to Nantai Apartment, they saw Qiao Jinging out from inside.

    ¡°How can you be so ipetent? Living with my brother every day and still let another woman take advantage,¡± Zhan Nanqing berated.

    Qiao Jing could tell that ¡°another woman¡± Zhan Nanqing referred to was Lan Yinyin.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to divorce your brother soon, his affairs are none of my concern,¡± Qiao Jing responded.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing started angrily but then, looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor, it seemed like she really didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Do you really not like my brother?¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s question was precisely what Lou Xinrou wanted to know as well.

    ¡°There are only 25 days left, and your brother will return to Purple Garden. From then on, stop bothering me, it¡¯s annoying,¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s response was an explicit answer to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s question.

    Zhan Nanqing eyed Qiao Jing critically, and Lou Xinrou also scrutinized her; after exchanging nces, they came to a unanimous conclusion.

 Chapter 128 - 121 Indirect Confession from Zhan Qipei_2

    Chapter 128: Chapter 121 Indirect Confession from Zhan Qipei_2

    It seems like Qiao Jing really dislikes Zhan Qipei, otherwise, how could she agree to let another woman live next door to them? And she remembers the date of their divorce so clearly, it feels like Qiao Jing can¡¯t wait to get divorced.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t like my brother? He¡¯s so outstanding.¡± Though Zhan Nanqing already had her answer, she couldn¡¯t help but reconfirm it.

    Qiao Jing was somewhat listless, ¡°I admit your brother is excellent, but everyone has their own preferences, and I just don¡¯t fancy this one.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke with utmost seriousness, without a trace of lying.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinroupletely let go of their concerns, and at the same time, felt annoyed, thinking that they had been busy attacking Qiao Jing in vain for the past while?

    Especially Lou Xinrou, whose regret was turning her intestines green.

    These days, she had been trying to show off, to embarrass Qiao Jing, but each time she acted against Qiao Jing, the fool was herself.

    Right at that moment, Lan Yinyin came out of the elevator.

    ¡°It¡¯s her!¡± Zhan Nanqing pointed at Lan Yinyin and said to Lou Xinrou beside her.

    Lou Xinrou looked at Lan Yinyin with the eyes of a rival, thinking of the words Zhan Qipei had said to her before, telling her that he had fallen for someone.

    Plus, from what she had gathered these past days, she knew that this person named Lan Yinyin had once saved Zhan Qipei.

    So, she deduced that the person Zhan Qipei liked was Lan Yinyin.

    ¡°Hmph! What¡¯s so great about her, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s even as pretty as you.¡± Zhan Nanqing said this to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing, her mood a bitplicated.

    Lan Yinyin had made her knowledge about Zhan Qipei crystal clear before the mission and had seen photos of Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s sister, Zhan Nanqing. And Zhan Qipei¡¯s childhood sweetheart, Lou Xinrou.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s gaze lingered on Lou Xinrou for a few seconds longer, revealing a look of disdain in her eyes.

    What¡¯s so special about a childhood sweetheart? After so many years, she hadn¡¯t managed to win Zhan Qipei over, such a weak character, why would she take her seriously?

    As she was observing, Lan Yinyin¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted to Qiao Jing, her eyes narrowing, emitting a cold sharpness like ice daggers.

    This was the tough character!

    Zhan Nanqing, pulling along Lou Xinrou, approached Lan Yinyin and sized her up.

    ¡°Are you the one who saved my brother?¡±

    Lan Yinyin nodded, ¡°Yes, it was me. It was fortunate that I encountered him, otherwise, your brother might have bled to death.¡±

    Lan Yinyin was extremely smart, intentionally using such words to shut Zhan Nanqing up.

    The implication was that she saved your brother¡¯s life; you should be grateful to her if you continue to pick a fight, you would be biting the hand that fed you.

    One had to admit, Lan Yinyin¡¯s tactics were truly formidable. With that said, Zhan Nanqing suppressed her prepared speech, her face contorting awkwardly.

    Originally, she came here to assert her best friend Lou Xinrou¡¯s territorial im, and as it was about dering territory, her attitude was naturally not going to be friendly.

    But with Lan Yinyin¡¯s preemptive strike, Zhan Nanqing, no matter how many words she had, had to hold back.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing silenced, Lou Xinrou thought to herself that they couldn¡¯te all high and mighty only to leave in defeat.

    ¡°My name is Lou Xinrou, I¡¯ve grown up with Brother Pei since we were children, I¡¯ve always treated him as my own brother. Thank you for saving my brother. Whatever you want, I can repay you.¡±

    Lou Xinrou said this to make it clear to Lan Yinyin that she and Zhan Qipei were from the same world, while Lan Yinyin was just an outsider.

    Clever as Lan Yinyin was, she could hear the underlying meaning in Lou Xinrou¡¯s words.

    ¡°No need to be polite, I¡¯m a doctor at a Grade III hospital, and in that situation, it was my duty as a doctor.¡±

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s counterattack was impably smooth, knowing that Lou Xinrou was a student at the Medical University, now working as an intern in a hospital. She used her status as a Grade III hospital doctor to suppress Lou Xinrou, which was to say, shepletely overwhelmed her.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯splexion visibly shifted through the entire spectrum of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple, showing how effectively Lan Yinyin¡¯s move had hit the mark.

    Throughout the process, Qiao Jing witnessed the whole affair from the perspective of a bystander. She shook her head quietly, feeling as though she had witnessed a minor pce intrigue.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, Lan Yinyin nced her way, noticing the pot in her hand.

    ¡°You grow vegetables?¡± The question was full of disdain, the implication clear, you, a mere vegetable grower, should not stay by Zhan Qipei¡¯s side and embarrass yourself.

    Qiao Jing responded indifferently, ¡°This is a newly cultivated variety of spinach from ourboratory.¡±

    With a single sentence, Lan Yinyin was momentarily at a loss for words.

    She knew Qiao Jing worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, but she hadn¡¯t expected that such importantboratory research would be handled by Qiao Jing.

    And after Qiao Jing finished her statement, Lan Yinyin only then noticed that, aside from the nt pot in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, there was also a research report written in ck and white, which thoroughly corroborated the veracity of her words.

    ¡°Pfft¡ªhahaha¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t hold back herughter. She could tell that Lan Yinyin¡¯sment was meant to mock Qiao Jing for being uncultured, a country bumpkin.

    But the result was Qiao Jing easily turning the tables with a single sentence, what a thrill!

    The frustration from before was swept away.

    The saying that the enemy of one¡¯s friend is a temporary ally is spot on.

    At this moment, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze towards Qiao Jing no longer held as much hostility but became quite pleasing to the eye.

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡± A white sedan pulled up, and Zhou Fu got out of the car.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou!¡± Lan Yinyin recognized Zhou Fu in an instant.

    Lou Xinrou also recognized Zhou Fu.

    Both of them, who had some medical background, knew Zhou Fu was the favored disciple of Divine Doctor Jing, the second divine doctor of their capital, and it was difficult for them not to pay attention to him.

    ¡°Zhou Fu? What¡¯s he doing here?¡± Qiao Jing looked towards Zhou Fu with curiosity.

 Chapter 129 - 122: Lan Yinyin and Lou Xinrou Want to Become Disciples of Zhou Fu

    Chapter 129: Chapter 122: Lan Yinyin and Lou Xinrou Want to Be Disciples of Zhou Fu

    Just as Zhou Fu was about to head towards Qiao Jing, he was stopped by both Lou Xinrou and Lan Yinyin.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, hello.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, I am also a medical student, and I really admire you.¡±

    At this point, Lou Xinrou and Lan Yinyin had both turned into fangirls, their eyes sparkling as they looked at Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Um, okay, okay, okay,¡± Zhou Fu waved his hand dismissively and then stepped towards Qiao Jing.

    But no sooner had he taken a step than he was stopped by Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, I am from the Lou Family. The head of the Lou Family is my father, my grandfather is the president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, and I am also an intern. I want to make a name for myself in medicine. So, I would like to ask Mr. Zhou to take me as your apprentice.¡±

    Lou Xinrou looked sincerely at Zhou Fu as she spoke.

    Seeing this, Lan Yinyin, not wanting to be outdone, continued after Lou Xinrou, ¡°Mr. Zhou, I am a doctor at a top-tier hospital, quite aplished in medicine, and I am only 25 years old. I believe I have a real gift for medicine, which is why I want to be your apprentice.¡±

    ¡°25 years old?¡± older than his own master who was already considered a mythical figure yet never boasted in public about her aplishments, instead often teaching him that learning is endless, admitting that her medical skills were limited, and often found herself helpless against many diseases.

    When she said those words, he genuinely felt that she wasn¡¯t just showing off in a ¡®Versailles-style¡¯, but was truly reflecting on the insignificance of her being.

    At the same time, there was a sense of discontent and defiance in being human.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m only 25 years old.¡± Lan Yinyin was thrilled, thinking that Zhou Fu had specifically inquired about her age because he must have been impressed by her achieving so much at such a young age, surely a sign of her extraordinary talent, perhaps he was about to take her as his apprentice on the spot.

    Lan Yinyin was ted, but Lou Xinrou cursed Lan Yinyin¡¯s ancestors in her mind.

    This Lan Yinyin, she was doing it on purpose, deliberately overshadowing her.

    While Lan Yinyin and Lou Xinrou were lost in their thoughts, Zhou Fu waved his hand at them, ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    What?

    Seeing the impatience on Zhou Fu¡¯s face, Lan Yinyin was somewhat taken aback.

    This was nothing like she had imagined; he had paid special attention to her age, but why was he getting impatient instead of taking her as his apprentice?

    Lan Yinyin was baffled, but Lou Xinrou felt somewhat relieved inside. This oue was certainly better than Zhou Fu taking her rival Lan Yinyin as his apprentice.

    After passing between the two women, Zhou Fu headed straight for Qiao Jing.

    Seeing this, both Lan Yinyin and Lou Xinrou were stunned anew, then a thought struck them simultaneously, that Qiao Jing also knew medical skills.

    And seeing Zhou Fu heading straight for Qiao Jing, could it be that Zhou Fu came here specifically to take Qiao Jing as his apprentice?

    Thinking this, Lan Yinyin and Lou Xinrou grew jealous.

    ¡°How did you get here?¡± Qiao Jing asked Zhou Fu with a puzzled look.

    ¡°Last time we had dinner, that person from your family interrupted us, so I came here specifically to invite you to dinner,¡± Zhou Fu said, his face full of eagerness.

    Without changing his expression, Qiao Jing squinted, ¡°Is there something you need my help with?¡±

    And without guessing, it must have been that Zhou Fu encountered a difficult patient, so he came to seek her advice.

    ¡°Hehehe¡ª¡± Zhou Fu scratched the back of his head, ¡°Can¡¯t hide anything from you, huh!¡±

    Lan Yinyin and the others were astonished.

    What was going on?

    Zhou Fu wasn¡¯t here to recruit apprentices, that was one thing, but from the looks of Qiao Jing and Zhou Fu, anyone with eyes could see that they were old acquaintances!

    And was it just their imagination? Why did it seem like Zhou Fu was the one looking up in their conversation with Qiao Jing?

    It must be an illusion!

    It must be an illusion!

    Who is Zhou Fu? He¡¯s a senior disciple of the Divine Doctor Jing in the imperial city! How could he possibly be inferior to Qiao Jing?

    It must be Qiao Jing¡¯s aloof aura that caused them to be delusional.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time now, I still have to go to the research institute and take care of some things,¡± Qiao Jing said, lifting the flowerpot in her hand.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you there first,¡± Zhou Fu said as he took the flowerpot from Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°Should I also take the research report for you?¡±

    ¡°No need, just hold the flowerpot.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t drop it,¡± Qiao Jing warned uneasily.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if I dropped it, I would still hold it up high,¡± Zhou Fu treated the flowerpot like a treasure, cradling it in his arms, then he walked ahead, opened the car door, waited for Qiao Jing to get in, and then returned to drive.

    The car drove off, leaving behind Lan Yinyin and the dumbfounded trio.

    The expressions of the three were identically stunned.

    Before, they thought it was an illusion, but now that Zhou Fu had made it so obvious, if they still thought it was an illusion, then their intelligence would be worrying.

    After Lou Xinrou regained her senses, she mechanically turned her neck to look at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Nan, Nanqing, what do you think this is all about? Mr. Zhou seems to respect Qiao Jing a lot. Could it be that Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills are higher than Mr. Zhou¡¯s?¡±

    While asking this, Lou Xinrou remembered a day a few days ago when Zhan Yuanshan was having surgery, a young nurse passing by had defended Qiao Jing and told them how high Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills were!

    ¡°Have you lost your mind? How could Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills be higher than Zhou Fu¡¯s? In our empire, if Mr. Zhou is the second, then the first must be his master, Divine Doctor Jing! Don¡¯t tell me that Qiao Jing is the legendary Divine Doctor Jing. How could that be? If she were Divine Doctor Jing, I¡¯d cut off my head to kick it like a football for her.¡±

    After hearing what Zhan Nanqing said, Lou Xinrou calmed down a bit.

    Indeed, she was so shocked earlier that her brain stopped functioning, to think that Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills could be higher than Zhou Fu¡¯s.

    That couldn¡¯t be possible. If Qiao Jing really were Divine Doctor Jing, why wouldn¡¯t she reveal it?

    To keep a low profile?

    Honestly, she didn¡¯t believe it.

    If it were a highly respected senior in their seventies or eighties, she might believe they had such a temperament.

    But people in their twenties like them, who wouldn¡¯t want to show off their best side? Who wouldn¡¯t want to be praised by those around them?

    Not to mention, just look at Gan Lan, the eldest young master of the Gan family. A few days ago, when he joined Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, the Gan family even held a grand banquet for him.

    So if Qiao Jing were Divine Doctor Jing, she would have made it widely known long ago, and not hidden it.

    Also, she had analyzed it before, although Zhan Qipei had said that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t just a janitor at the research institute, in her view, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hold much value there.

    If she really did, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t have kept it from everyone.

    Thinking about this made Lou Xinrou feel a bit more bnced andfortable.

    ¡°Then tell me, why does Mr. Zhou treat Qiao Jing so specially?¡±

    Lou Xinrou had just asked when she saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes light up.

    ¡°I know, it must be Mr. Zhou who is pursuing Qiao Jing!¡±

    Really?

    Lou Xinrou and Lan Yinyin both stared at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing must be using her beauty to seduce Mr. Zhou. No, I have to tell my brother about this.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Nanqing immediately made a call to Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 130 - 123: Zhan Nanqings Changed Perception and Admiration for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 130: Chapter 123: Zhan Nanqing¡¯s Changed Perception and Admiration for Qiao Jing

    ¡°What is it? Speak quickly, I have a meeting to rush to,¡± Zhan Qipei said, his fingers still flying over the keyboard without pause.

    ¡°Brother! Qiao Jing! Qiao Jing is having an affair!¡± Zhan Nanqing yelled usations.

    ¡°Snap¡ª¡± Theptop in front of Zhan Qipei almost broke from his typing.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Zhan Qipei stopped his work, prompted by Tang Yan¡¯s reminder from beside him.

    ¡°Boss, the meeting has started.¡±

    No sooner had Tang Yan finished speaking than he saw Zhan Qipei raise his hand to signal him to be quiet.

    Seeing this, Tang Yan immediately guessed that the call his boss was on must have something to do with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, she¡¯s given you a green hat!¡± Zhan Nanqing yelled again.

    Upon hearing these words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned instantly green.

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to ask anything more, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t wait to carry on tattling.

    ¡°Just now, Mr. Zhou Zhou Fu suddenly came, he¡¯s very close to Qiao Jing, even took her to the institute, and wants to have dinner with her,¡±

    Although Zhan Nanqing already knew that Qiao Jing did not like her brother, and her brother didn¡¯t like Qiao Jing either, she, as a member of the Zhan Family, and Qiao Jing being almost one of them since she hadn¡¯t divorced her brother yet, going out on a date alone with another man¡ªif seen by others, it would be the Zhan Family¡¯s reputation at stake.

    It turns out to be Zhou Fu.

    Zhan Qipei breathed a sigh of relief.

    Others might still harbor intentions for his wife, but Zhou Fu was unlikely.

    For one thing, he already knew of Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, Zhou Fu¡¯s master, Divine Doctor Jing.

    Moreover, he had met with Zhou Fu before and judging from his conduct, Zhou Fu only had full admiration for Qiao Jing, without other intentions.

    ¡°Oh, I understand, I¡¯m busy now.¡±

    What?

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s response.

    Is that it?

    That¡¯s all.

    ¡°Hang up, I need to go to the meeting,¡±

    With a ¡°beep¡± the call was disconnected.

    ¡°What did Brother Pei say?¡± Lou Xinrou quickly asked.

    Lan Yinyin was also curious, what kind of reaction would Zhan Qipei have? She wanted to judge from this the importance of Qiao Jing in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart.

    Zhan Nanqing slowly put down her cell phone and recounted Zhan Qipei¡¯s response.

    After hearing it, Lou Xinrou was overjoyed.

    ¡°So, Brother Pei really doesn¡¯t have any feelings for Qiao Jing.¡±

    After hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing had an epiphany.

    ¡°How did I not consider this aspect just now.¡±

    Her brother didn¡¯t care at all about Qiao Jing going out alone with another man, which indirectly showed that Qiao Jing meant nothing to her brother.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou exchanged looks once again, just one look, and they understood the meaning in each other¡¯s eyes.

    All this time, they had indeed been fretting needlessly, thinking that Qiao Jing could secure her position as the Madam of the Family Head of the Zhan Family.

    Furthermore, although Zhou Fu might not be as wealthy as the Zhan Family, his fame and status were formidable. If Qiao Jing could be with him, it wouldn¡¯t be worse than being with Zhan Qipei.

    Therefore, their target had been wrong all along, their real target should be Lan Yinyin.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you dare set your sights on my brother.¡± Zhan Nanqing said with a warning tone as she looked at Lan Yinyin.

    Lan Yinyin smiled faintly without changing her expression, ¡°Miss Zhan, don¡¯t overthink it. President Zhan is the CEO of the Zhan Corporation, and I am just a sparrow. It was my luck that I happened to save President Zhan. Rest assured, I¡¯ve never thought about turning into a phoenix by rising above my station.¡±

    Lan Yinyin kept emphasizing how she saved Zhan Qipei, on the left and on the right, repeatedly stressing it in front of Zhan Nanqing, just to shut her up.

    It had to be said, Lan Yinyin¡¯s approach was quite effective.

    Zhan Nanqing wanted to warn Lan Yinyin further, but now that the other party repeatedly mentioned saving her brother as if the Zhan family owed her something, Zhan Nanqing herself felt like she owed Lan Yinyin.

    So, the words at the tip of her tongue did not seem appropriate to continue with.

    On the way back, Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou kept discussing how to deal with Lan Yinyin.

    ¡°This Lan Yinyin is really too cunning, not showing any ws, and not susceptible to either soft or hard approaches. Besides, she never stops mentioning saving my brother, making it impossible tounch an attack.¡± Zhan Nanqingined, feeling a headacheing on.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed; facing someone as formidable as Lan Yinyin, she too was at her wit¡¯s end.

    Suddenly, Zhan Nanqing lifted her head.

    Lou Xinrou saw a gleam of light in the depths of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes, and her own eyes lit up as well.

    ¡°Did you think of a way?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a way, but someone does.¡±

    ¡°Who has a way? Tell me quickly!¡± Lou Xinrou asked impatiently.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, of course!¡± Zhan Nanqing said.

    Upon hearing the name ¡°Qiao Jing,¡± Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth unwittingly gaped open.

    ¡°Qiao Jing used to be our opponent, but now we¡¯ve cleared things up. Qiao Jing is the enemy of our enemy and hence can be considered our friend. Didn¡¯t you see just now? Lan Yinyin could shut us up in a few words, but Qiao Jing could leave Lan Yinyin speechless in just one sentence, just like she used to render us speechless. With such fighting power, Lan Yinyin is definitely no match for her.¡± Zhan Nanqing analyzed.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth hung wide open, her expression quite strange.

    ¡°Are you actually praising Qiao Jing for how fiercely she used to sh with us?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing grinned, ¡°Well, you could say I¡¯m praising Qiao Jing. Anyway, there are no eternal enemies, nor eternal friends. If Qiao Jing is willing to help us, then we have a great chance of driving Lan Yinyin away from my brother.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I really detest Lan Yinyin, but it¡¯s a different feeling from my dislike for Qiao Jing. Lan Yinyin¡­ feels like she hides a lot, and is very scheming, whereas it¡¯s different with Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°How is it different?¡± Lou Xinrou asked, curious.

    After pondering a moment, Zhan Nanqing organized her thoughts and said, ¡°Qiao Jing is irritating, but in a way thatmands respect.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re praising her again.¡± Lou Xinrou detected a hint of admiration in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words and wondered if it was just her imagination.

    Because of what Lou Xinrou said, Zhan Nanqing fell into a thoughtful silence.

    She used to think that Qiao Jing had designs on getting romantically involved with her brother, and she also feared that one day her brother would be seduced by Qiao Jing¡¯s beauty. So she constantly picked fights with Qiao Jing, urging her to leave her brother¡¯s side as soon as possible.

    Now, the situation was different.

    Qiao Jing had no future with her brother, so she could look at things from an objective perspective.

    Not to mention Qiao Jing¡¯s fearless demeanor in the face of the Zhan family members, which was admirable.

    And then there were Qiao Jing¡¯s connections ¨C she was Master Zhou Fu¡¯s disciple, and Master of Chinese Painting Han Zhiyu¡¯s friend, and even the agriculture tycoon Xu Hongzu was quite fond of her.

    Also, during her grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet, when Lou Xinrou had picked a fight with Qiao Jing¡¯s friend. Qiao Jing, with no background in Sword Dance, had stood up for her friend and stepped onto stage. She replicated the Sword Dance Lou Xinrou had performed earlier, and did it so much better, it wasn¡¯t even close.

    She thought, if Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t arrived as her brother¡¯s contractual wife, but as a stranger beside her, she would be more than happy to make friends a hundred, a thousand times over.

    The scene shifted as Qiao Jing left the research institute and went to the hospital with Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Master, the patient I told you about is in the VIP ward up ahead. He overdosed on drugs, which caused a problem down there. If he isn¡¯t treated in time, he can forget about having descendants for the rest of his life.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiao Jing nodded, then entered the ward. Upon seeing the person lying on the hospital bed, she couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise:

    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡±

 Chapter 131 - 124 Qian Family Father and Son Seek Qiao Jing

    Chapter 131: Chapter 124 Qian Family Father and Son Seek Qiao Jing

    Surprised were not only Qiao Jing, but also Qian Yuang lying on the bed.

    He had never expected that Qiao Jing woulde with Zhou Fu.

    What did this mean?!

    Zhou Fu had said before that his condition was rather tricky to deal with, he needed to invite someone toe and take a look.

    Although Zhou Fu had been vague, both he and his father had guessed that if Zhou Fu himself could not cure it, there was only one person in the world who could.

    Of course, since Zhou Fu did not specifically name anyone, it must be because that person was naturally low-profile, so it was inconvenient to reveal their identity.

    Zhou Fu didn¡¯t spell it out, and they were all smart people, so naturally, they didn¡¯t expose the truth.

    Actually, they had already assumed in their hearts that the person Zhou Fu brought was most likely his master, the legendary Divine Doctor Jing.

    His father had solemnly instructed him that when the person arrived, they must not reveal the person¡¯s identity.

    They say nine out of ten skilled doctors are entrics; if they somehow offended the person and he refused to treat them, it would be disastrous for him.

    He had prepared to keep his mouth shut, looking forward to witnessing the divine doctor¡¯s grace.

    But the person who came was Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing?

    Impossible, right?

    She was so young, how could she possibly be a medical authority, a leading figure in the field?

    It must be a coincidence that Zhou Fu brought her along. Perhaps Qiao Jing was Zhou Fu¡¯s disciple, and Zhou Fu didn¡¯t bring Divine Doctor Jing but brought his disciple instead to use him as a clinical experiment subject, to give Qiao Jing more experience?

    That¡¯s what Qian Yuang thought, and Qian Haisheng beside him thought the same.

    ¡°The person you want me to treat is him?¡± Qiao Jing looked towards Zhou Fu and asked expressionlessly.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s him, any problem?¡± Zhou Fu asked with confusion. After finishing, he nced at Qian Yuang and with a guess added, ¡°Do you have a grudge against him?¡±

    ¡°Not really, just a verbal conflict,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    ¡°What? That really happened?¡± Zhou Fu was unaware and suddenly widened his eyes, looking at Qian Yuang with a very unfriendly gaze.

    That look almost reduced Qian Yuang to tears.

    He had a problem caused by an olddy, and after visiting various Large Hospitals and seeking numerous experts and professors, none could solve it.

    All his hopes were pinned on Zhou Fu, and now this twist had urred.

    If Zhou Fu refused to handle it, his lifelong happiness would bepletely ruined.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhou, please don¡¯t get worked up. It was just a misunderstanding between Miss Qiao and me, I really didn¡¯t do anything excessive. I just fell for Miss Qiao at first sight and wanted to pursue her. I was perhaps too bold in my speech, and Miss Qiao mistook me for a womanizer; I really am not.¡±

    As soon as Qian Yuang finished speaking, he saw Zhou Fu¡¯s face turn colder.

    ¡°You little rascal, dare to pursue her! Don¡¯t you realize your own worth? In this world, no one can match my master¡ªher! You call that not doing anything excessive? Just because of your behavior, you are doomed never to ¡®rise¡¯ again for the rest of your life!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qian Yuang and his son were bbergasted.

    They had ears, they heard Zhou Fu¡¯s almost slip-up.

    Master¡ªMaster what?

    A junior sister?

    Or something else?

    Before father and son coulde to any conclusion, they saw Qiao Jing give Zhou Fu a warning re.

    Zhou Fu immediately covered his mouth and looked at Qiao Jing obediently and meekly.

    Uh¡ª

    A junior sister, my ass.

    The truth came to light!

    This time, Qian Yuang truly broke down in tears, not caring whether his legs were functional, he rolled out of bed.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, no, Master Qiao, I was wrong, I was wrong! Please, lend me your help, I don¡¯t want to be a cripple! A doctor needs to havepassion; you can¡¯t just watch me die!¡±

    Just as Qian Yuang finished speaking, he was sprayed with Zhou Fu¡¯s saliva.

    ¡°Step aside, enough with the moral kidnapping. So what if she¡¯s a doctor? Does that mean she must save you? She¡¯s a doctor, not a savior. She doesn¡¯t owe you anything; if she wants to save, she¡¯ll save!¡±

    Zhou Fu couldn¡¯t stand patients who treated doctors like tools, as if the doctors owed them something. If cured well, it was their duty; if not, patients would curse them behind their backs, wishing misfortune upon generations of the doctor¡¯s family.

    ¡°Right, right, right! Master Qiao will save if she wants to, and won¡¯t if she doesn¡¯t. She doesn¡¯t owe me, not at all! I¡¯m pleading for Master Qiao to take action.¡± Qian Yuang, as arrogant as he used to be, was now utterly subdued.

    He had no choice but to be subdued!

    He was just in his early thirties; he couldn¡¯t let his prime life end like this!

    There were so many women in this world waiting for his love and tenderness. If he were rendered impotent, what would those women do?

    Suppressing the shock in his heart, Qian Haisheng stepped forward and said to Qiao Jing with a pleading tone, ¡°Master Qiao, as long as you¡¯re willing to save my son, I¡¯m ready to pay a substantial reward.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, clearly uninterested in the terms Qian Haisheng offered.

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s mind raced, and then he added, ¡°I¡¯m willing to buy the properties around the Angel Welfare Institute to facilitate its expansion.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been investigating me?¡± Qiao Jing asked, her gaze narrowing dangerously.

    ¡°I once doubted your identity and investigated a bit out of curiosity.¡± At this moment, sincerity was crucial, so Qian Haisheng dared not hide anything.

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes in thought, understanding where Qian Haisheng wasing from.

    These were not the main points; the main issue was that thend around the welfare institute wasn¡¯t something money could simply buy.

    Of course, she could find a way if she really pushed for it, but that would trouble many people.

    The Qian Family started in real estate and had extensive connections in this field.

    And she wouldn¡¯t have to owe too many favors.

    ¡°Fine, I ept your conditions. But it won¡¯t be me who treats him; it will be him.¡± The ¡°him¡± Qiao Jing referred to was Zhou Fu.

    The father and son duo, Qian Haisheng and Qian Yuang, were stunned for a moment and then looked at Zhou Fu together.

    ¡°But Mr. Zhou has already seen him and he¡¯s at his wit¡¯s end too!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head to look at Zhou Fu, ¡°Your medical skills are alreadyparable to mine, and there¡¯s nothing more I can teach you. Facing such aplicated disease, take him as a case study. You¡¯ll be the primary physician, and I¡¯ll assist.¡±

    Qian Haisheng ¡°¡­¡±

    Qian Yuang ¡°¡­¡±

    Why would you discuss such a thing in front of them?

    Qiao Jing turned back to look at Qian Yuang, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be the subject of an experiment, then forget it.¡±

    Qian Yuang ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I, I¡¯m willing,¡± Qian Yuang said, as a bead of sweat slid down his forehead.

    He had to say he was willing! If he didn¡¯t agree to be Zhou Fu¡¯s test case, he wouldn¡¯t have a chance at recovery.

    At least now, there was a glimmer of hope.

    As clever as ever, Qian Haisheng expressed his gratitude to Qiao Jing, ¡°Whether the treatment is sessful or not, I will purchase thend around the welfare institute within two days and deliver it to you.¡±

    By doing this, Qian Haisheng was killing two birds with one stone.

    After all, with Divine Doctor Jing overseeing from the sidelines, the chances of sess were high.

    Worstes to worst, if the treatment failed, he would still have bought a huge favor from Qiao Jing.

    So, he couldn¡¯t lose either way.

    Qiao Jing understood Qian Haisheng¡¯s thoughts very clearly. Anyway, she wasn¡¯t at a disadvantage. In fact, she was benefiting, so there was no need for her to expose the matter.

    The scene shifts.

    Zhan Qipei received a call from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me for dinner tonight.¡±

    Zhan Qipei really disliked girlsing homete at night, so upon hearing this, his expression instantly darkened.

 Chapter 132 - 125: Zhan Qipei is Victimized

    Chapter 132: Chapter 125: Zhan Qipei is Victimized

    ¡°What are you doing? Why did youe back sote?¡±

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned when she heard the man say this.

    That¡¯s weird? Why did she feel as if she were like a husband who hadn¡¯t returned home all night, neglecting a wife who was waiting at home?

    ¡°Oh, I had a surgery tonight.¡±

    ¡°Which hospital? I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°No need to bother, I don¡¯t even know when the surgery will be over? I¡¯m here with Zhou Fu, and he can drive me backter. If it¡¯s reallyte, I might just stay at the hospital.¡±

    Noting home all night?!

    Zhan Qipei was agitated.

    After all, which man could tolerate his wife noting home all night?

    ¡°Just tell me the address, I¡¯m going to the hospital now.¡±

    Even though Zhou Fu didn¡¯t have those kind of feelings for Qiao Jing, he was worried about her being at Lu Zijin¡¯s hospital; every time Lu Zijin saw his wife, his eyes glued onto her as if stuck, making it impossible to block his gaze.

    Even if Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t at Lu Zijin¡¯s hospital, just based on her personal charm and stunning beauty, it was still a very dangerous situation.

    Thus, he absolutely couldn¡¯t allow Qiao Jing to stay out overnight.

    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need¡ª¡±

    This time Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she was interrupted by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll search for you in every hospital one by one.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Why was this man so clingy?

    He hadn¡¯t been like this before, right?

    Thinking back, it seemed that ever since she had treated Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Qipei had be like this.

    She didn¡¯t know what the man really intended to do.

    Before Lan Yinyin appeared, she thought he deliberately clung to her to get back at her.

    But even after Lan Yinyin appeared, Zhan Qipei was still the same.

    Qiao Jing carefully analyzed it, and Zhan Qipei probably never believed from the start that Lan Yinyin was the person who had saved him back then; the reason he hadn¡¯t exposed Lan Yinyin was probably because he wanted to investigate the people behind her through her.

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Zhan Qipei probably suspected that his assassination in the cornfield over two months ago was rted to the people behind Lan Yinyin.

    So, did the man still suspect that she was the one who had saved him, and his current behavior still constituted getting back at her, clinging to her?

    The persistent kind?

    Ultimately, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t stand the man¡¯s persistence and just had to tell him which hospital she was at.

    At seven in the evening, Zhan Qipei put on his coat, ready to go and pick up Qiao Jing.

    As he opened the door, he saw Lan Yinyin lifting her hand, about to knock.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhan Qipei asked coldly.

    Lan Yinyin nodded, ¡°It¡¯s about the assassination in the cornfield two months ago, I have some clues, you might want to know.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s cold eyes narrowed slightly, as deep as the ocean.

    ¡°Hmm, tell me.¡±

    ¡°That¡ªIt¡¯s not something that can be exined in a word or two, may Ie in?¡±

    Lan Yinyin carried a delicate thermos in her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve ground this coffee myself, just brewed it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes subtly scanned the thermos without a trace of emotion.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    He was curious, Lan Yinyin running over at this time to bring up the incident in the cornfield, along with freshly brewed coffee.

    Could there be poison in that coffee?

    Zhan Qipei looked at his watch, 7:02 PM.

    Qiao Jing said the surgery would start at seven in the evening, and it was estimated tost more than two hours, which was enough time.

    He first wanted to see what Lan Yinyin was up to.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Lan Yinyin suddenly slipped and fell towards him.

    He had seen Lan Yinyin¡¯s tactics countless times before, no different from those wealthydies who take the opportunity to throw themselves into someone¡¯s arms.

    Zhan Qipei stepped to the side, quietly watching as Lan Yinyin slid past him and then fell to the ground.

    Zhan Qipei slightly frowned, lifted his arm, and looked at his hand where a scratch had drawn blood.

    Did she have a hidden weapon on her?

    Was she trying to attack him?

    Zhan Qipei looked at Lan Yinyin with a wary expression.

    Lan Yinyin, in pain, got up from the ground, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±

    As she spoke, Lan Yinyin removed the ring she was wearing as an ornament on her finger.

    Zhan Qipei then realized it was the ring that had scratched his hand.

    He thought that someone as meticulously thoughtful as Lan Yinyin wouldn¡¯t resort to such a clumsy method of assassination.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zhan Qipei said indifferently, the scratch on the back of his hand was superficial and didn¡¯t affect him much.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin cleared her throat awkwardly, looking toward Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, ¡°Well, your hand is bleeding a little. Do you have a first aid kit at home? Let me clean it up for you. If the wound gets infected, it would be my fault.¡±

    After she finished speaking, Lan Yinyin reached out to grab Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    Zhan Qipei sat down in front of the sofa, his demeanor emitting a ¡®keep away¡¯ aura.

    With this attitude, Zhan Qipei was effectively rejecting her offer.

    Lan Yinyin frowned, knowing she shouldn¡¯t touch the man if he didn¡¯t allow it. Anyway, she had already investigated; Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t be back from the hospital any time soon tonight, and she had made full preparations. She was determined to seed with this man tonight.

    Thinking this, Lan Yinyin was no longer in a hurry; she unscrewed a thermos, found two cups, and poured coffee into them.

    ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei, with his dark and unreadable eyes, watched the coffee in the cup without a trace.

    Having poured, Lan Yinyin ced one cup in front of Zhan Qipei and took a sip from the other cup herself.

    Zhan Qipei was observing every move of Lan Yinyin; the cups were from his house, so there was no chance of poisoning them.

    Perhaps he was overthinking it; maybe there was nothing wrong with the coffee?

    ¡°Hurry up, I need to leave soon,¡± Zhan Qipei said, cutting straight to the point.

    Lan Yinyin set down her cup, pretending to recall something, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t remember clearly, and I don¡¯t know if it counts as a clue? I only remember the person who tried to assassinate you was wearing a special bracelet on his wrist, with a number on it, but I couldn¡¯t see it clearly. I¡¯ll look for clues in the ground after the surgery, but when I got there, those two assassins were already gone.¡±

    ¡°A special bracelet¡­¡± Zhan Qipei fell into thought, Lan Yinyin didn¡¯t seem to be lying.

    Initially, he thought the two assassins were hitmen hired by someone from behind. But the league¡¯s hitmen didn¡¯t wear special bracelets.

    Wait!

    Zhan Qipei suddenly remembered something; he recalled an organization abroad where all members wore bracelets and used numbers instead of their names.

    What exactly the organization was, he couldn¡¯t remember clearly at the moment.

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone and sent a message to Tang Yan.

    ¡°Look into the organization of assassins that wear numbered bracelets.¡±

    Just after Zhan Qipei sent the message, he heard Lan Yinyin¡¯s voice beside him.

    ¡°President Zhan, I specially prepared this coffee for you, it will get cold soon. Try it out, it still tastes quite nice.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell once more on the coffee. After a two-second silence, he picked it up, brought it to his lips, and then sneakily nced at Lan Yinyin from the corner of his eye.

    Lan Yinyin didn¡¯t react much, she looked quiteposed.

    This coffee wasn¡¯t a problem.

    Suddenly, something felt wrong with his body.

    ¡°tter¡ª¡± The cup fell to the ground.

 Chapter 133 - 126: Beauty Saves the Hero (1)

    Chapter 133: Chapter 126: Beauty Saves the Hero (1)

    Dizzy and disoriented¡­

    Zhan Qipei shook his head and looked ahead, his vision distorted, barely able to see the person in front of him, only faintly hearing Lan Yinyin¡¯s voice.

    ¡°President Zhan, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    As Lan Yinyin spoke, she stood up and walked towards Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei shook his head again, trying to clear his mind, but the more he shook his head, the dizzier he became.

    Not only that, his body felt as if it were on fire, spreading from below his navel throughout his body, and finally rushing to his brain, causing his consciousness to disperse more and more.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s voice still resounded incessantly beside his ear.

    ¡°President Zhan? President Zhan? Are you okay? Let me help you back to your room to rest.¡±

    After Lan Yinyin spoke, she restrained the excitement in her heart and reached out her hand toward Zhan Qipei. Just as she was about to touch him, Zhan Qipei suddenly stood up and fiercely kicked her in the abdomen.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin cried out in pain, kneeling on the ground while clutching her abdomen,rge beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead.

    Lan Yinyin was startled, and it was only due to her special training that she wasn¡¯tpletely incapacitated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s kick.

    Thinking this, Lan Yinyin¡¯s face twisted with rage, wishing she could kill Zhan Qipei.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei, struggling to sustain his shaky body, walked toward the door.

    This was bad! Lan Yinyin internally eximed and, ignoring the excruciating pain in her abdomen that felt like it was tearing apart, hurriedly scrambled up from the ground and chased after Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°President Zhan, you shouldn¡¯t wander around in this state. Let me help you back to your room first. I¡¯m a doctor, let me look at you.¡±

    Lan Yinyin deliberately said this to lower Zhan Qipei¡¯s guard. She was just going to examine him, nothing more.

    At the same time, she was internally shocked and astonished. She had applied a hefty amount of a substance to her ring. Fifth Master had said that this medicine was extraordinary, that not just any man, but even a big bull, would go mad and lose both reason and consciousness upon exposure to this substance.

    Yet¡ªlooking at Zhan Qipei again, his eyes were bloodshot, veins throbbing on his forehead, and those veins spreading down his neck into his shirt.

    Despite being in such a state, he was still able to reject her advances. Was his physique even stronger than a bull¡¯s?

    Just as Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand was about to touch the doorknob, Lan Yinyin rushed toward him desperately.

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let him get out!

    Otherwise, the n would bepletely ruined!

    Just at that critical moment, a ¡°click¡ª¡± sound.

    Upon hearing the noise from outside the door, Lan Yinyin immediately stopped her movements and stared wide-eyed at the tightly shut door.

    A secondter, the door was pulled open from the outside, and Qiao Jing was just about to enter when, in the next second, Zhan Qipei held her tightly in his embrace.

    Qiao Jing blinked in bewilderment, what was going on?

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could ask, she heard an unusually heavy, rough breathing sound pressing against her earlobe.

    Not only that, the man¡¯s robust chest heaved irregrly, his whole body seeming as if it were boiling water, scalding to the touch.

    As a doctor, Qiao Jing quickly deduced what had happened to the man.

    Squinting her eyes, which carried a cool chill, she looked at Lan Yinyin standing in the room.

    Now she understood even better what had happened.

    ¡°Did you drug him?¡± A cold voice emerged from Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, her tone t and unvarying.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Lan Yinyin adamantly denied, ¡°I just brought coffee over. I was nning to discuss business with him, but unexpectedly he turned into this. I didn¡¯t drug the coffee. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can send the coffee to the hospital for aboratory test. Besides, President Zhan didn¡¯t seem to have drunk the coffee. He really just suddenly became like this.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was barely holding on, his hands starting to misbehave on Qiao Jing¡¯s body.

    ¡°Stop moving, or I¡¯ll throw you on the ground,¡± Qiao Jing said, her furrowed brows filled with irritation.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising she was angry, for the man¡¯s hand had already reached inside her clothes, touching her back¡­

    ¡°Huff¡ªhuff¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth and endured the pain, stopping his actions.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei was somewhat obedient, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to fuss over it.

    Moreover, as a doctor, she was very clear that Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition was very bad, even worse than thest time he had been poisoned at the banquet.

    That he still had some remaining consciousness to listen to her was already the greatest strain on himself.

    Lan Yinyin watched Zhan Qipei be increasingly puzzled, thinking that by now, Qipei should have beenpletely overwhelmed by the drug, so why did he still possess his reasoning, and moreover, follow Qiao Jing¡¯s words so obediently?

    She told him not to move, and he just didn¡¯t move? The situation looked like a man without status in a family who was afraid of his wife.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, President Zhan can¡¯t hold on much longer. I am a doctor from a top-tier hospital, as you know. We can¡¯t dy any further; give him to me, I need to treat him immediately,¡± Lan Yinyin said as she stepped forward and reached out to grab Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Get lost.¡± The word came out of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth.

    Lan Yinyin shrank back instinctively, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was too rmingly scary.

    How could she have such a terrifying aura? Wasn¡¯t she just a country bumpkin from the countryside? But she wasn¡¯t the same anymore; she was a fearsome entity nurtured by Fifth Master, ruthless and fierce, stopping at nothing to achieve her goals.

    Moreover, she had blood on her hands.

    Fifth Master intentionally had her stained with blood to cultivate a vicious nature within her.

    Yet here she was,pletely intimidated by Qiao Jing¡­

    Never mind that for now. She wouldn¡¯t easily get such a golden opportunity again. If she missed it, even if she adamantly denied it, without evidence, Zhan Qipei might still be wary of her in the future.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t be foolish. Trust me, I¡¯m not that kind of person. If I were, when I saved himst time, I would have already done ¡®that¡¯ to him.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s icy gaze swept over Lan Yinyin, and then, ignoring her, she helped Zhan Qipei walk towards the room.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes widened at the scene, wondering what Qiao Jing was nning. She wasn¡¯t nning to take advantage of Zhan Qipei, was she?

    If that was the case, wouldn¡¯t she just be making the wedding dress for Qiao Jing?

    Damn it!

    Lan Yinyin cursed inwardly and once again rushed toward Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, hand him over to me! I absolutely won¡¯t stand by and watch you take advantage of President Zhan in his vulnerable state. I hate it when people exploit others¡¯ weaknesses the most.¡±

    After putting Zhan Qipei on the bed, Qiao Jing stepped forward, confronting Lan Yinyin directly.

    What now?

    Was she about to start a fight?

    Just with you?

    Lan Yinyin scoffed internally, alright! Since you¡¯re asking for it, don¡¯t me me for not showing any mercy!

    Lan Yinyin had long wanted to teach Qiao Jing a lesson, and now seizing the chance, she raised her hand to p Qiao Jing across the face without a second thought.

    But as soon as her hand was raised, she saw Qiao Jing¡¯s hand swiftly rise, and without a word, she pped Lan Yinyin¡¯s face back and forth with a resounding ¡°smack¡ªsmack¡ª¡±, each a p on each cheek.

 Chapter 134 - 127: Beauty Saves the Hero (2)

    Chapter 134: Chapter 127: Beauty Saves the Hero (2)

    Qiao Jing¡¯s grip was no joke, as Lan Yinyin was pped backward repeatedly, hitting the door behind and causing her spine to ache intensely.

    Her brain buzzed, and both sides of her face burned with pain.

    ¡°Filthy,¡± Qiao Jing said, looking at Lan Yinyin with utmost contempt.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s anger surged as she clenched her fists.

    Just now, she had been caught off guard, and Qiao Jing had managed to p her face.

    This time, she wouldn¡¯t hold back!

    ¡°Hmph! I already told you, it wasn¡¯t me! Not only did you not listen to my exnation, but you also attacked me, and moreover¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin paused, her eyes falling upon Zhan Qipei, who was enduring pain in bed, ¡°you even have ulterior motives towards him! I think the filthy one is you! Qiao Jing, listen well, I will not hand President Zhan over to you today, no matter what!¡±

    With those words, Lan Yinyin got serious. She swung her fists toward Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, emitting a boundless cold light from the depths.

    She swiftly dodged Lan Yinyin¡¯s attack, sidestepped, and struck decisively. Her punchnded heavily on Lan Yinyin¡¯s abdomen.

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin was in so much pain she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Such great strength!

    Lan Yinyin finally realized it was not her being careless earlier; Qiao Jing was actually a trained fighter.

    And a formidable one at that!

    Lan Yinyin tried to counterattack, but before she could, Qiao Jing grabbed her and threw her over her shoulder, mming her heavily against the door.

    With a loud ¡°Bang¡ª¡±, Lan Yinyin felt like she was about to shatter.

    The ordeal wasn¡¯t over; Qiao Jing quickened her pace to Lan Yinyin, looking down at her from a height.

    Lan Yinyin looked up, her eyes filled with fear and shock.

    She was a ck Belt Ninth Dan, and it was always she who beat others up; she never imagined she could be beaten up so badly by someone who seemed incapable of fight.

    ¡°You, you can¡¯t do that.¡±

    As Lan Yinyin spoke, she realized she was stammering.

    It wasn¡¯t that she was ipetent, but the sense of terror Qiao Jing gave her at this moment was overwhelming.

    Despite this, she had toplete her task.

    Fifth Master¡¯s patience was limited; any more dys, and her fate might be worse than Hell itself.

    ¡°If you do that to President Zhan, he won¡¯t let you go afterward. You¡ª¡±

    Lan Yinyin hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she saw Qiao Jing reaching out for her again.

    What now? Was she going to hit her again?

    Lan Yinyin backed against the door, with nowhere left to retreat, and could only stare with wide, frightened eyes, as Qiao Jing grabbed her cor and lifted her like a small chicken.

    She opened the door, and just like that, she threw her out.

    Now that was truly humiliating!

    There were four people in the elevator: a couple and two young men.

    ¡°Ugh! Disgusting!¡± The woman quickly left with her husband.

    The other two men, though they couldn¡¯t stand such behavior, adhered to the principle of ¡®watch if you can,¡¯ so they stayed a few seconds longer.

    Lan Yinyin struggled up from the ground, grinding her teeth angrily.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Keep staring and I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out!¡±

    ¡°Tch! Just a bought woman, dressing like that and posing in such a way. Do you think we want to see? It¡¯s baffling. You might look pretty, but you sure don¡¯t respect yourself!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Who¡¯d want to look? It¡¯s disgusting!¡±

    ¡°Asking for a beating!¡± Lan Yinyin had barely kicked out when she heard a ¡°rip¡ª¡±

    ¡°You, you all¡ª¡± What more could be said? Hurry and cover up and go!

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ªshe definitely did it on purpose.¡± Lan Yinyin had just opened the door when she heard thisment from behind, which nearly made her spit blood in anger.

    ¡°Exactly, she purposefully wanted to show us, so she lifted her leg so high, even purposefully ripped her skirt.¡±

    ¡°What a pity, she looks quite innocent.¡±

    ¡°What do you know? This is called seeing the face but not the heart.¡±

    Lan Yinyin clenched her fists, turned back with a smile, and beckoned the two people over with her hand.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    The two hesitated at first but then couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and followed her in.

    ¡°Ah¡ªow¡ªow ow ah¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Lan Yinyin pped her hands, then threw the two beaten-up figures out.

    Lan Yinyin stood at the doorway, looking towards the room across, her eyes brimming with boundless hatred.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you just wait!¡±

    Today, you made her face such disgrace. She will definitely make you pay it back a hundred, a thousand times over!

    Lan Yinyin took another vial from her pocket. Fifth Master had given her two in total, in case of emergencies.

    She wanted to let you taste what it¡¯s like to live a life worse than death! To let Zhan Qipei see you in disgusting scenes with a bunch of men!

    Lan Yinyin conceived an extremely vicious n in her heart, and prepared to implement it in the near future.

    In the adjacent room.

    Just after Qiao Jing had thrown Lan Yinyin out, she was suddenly pinned against the door by a man who had emerged from nowhere.

    ¡°Help, help me, whatever you want, I can give you¡­¡± Zhan Qipei clung tightly to Qiao Jing, unwilling to let go.

    Qiao Jing could tell what kind of help the man wanted.

    ¡°I can help you, but lie down first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep, misty pupils suddenly brightened. She agreed? And so readily?

    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhan Qipei, overjoyed, pulled Qiao Jing towards his room,y down on the bed without a word, and reached out his hand.

    ¡°Quick,e here!¡± Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with eager eyes, the mes in his eyes almost melting the girl in front of him,pletely.

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing walked over with a headache, thinking that the man must not be in his right mind from the distress. Otherwise, why would he be so enthusiastic toward her?

    She remembered clearly, on the day they were married, they went out to talk alone.

    He said he would never fall for her, and she had said the same.

    Just as Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts began to wander, she was interrupted by the rustling sound of fabric.

    Qiao Jing instinctively looked at the man, and the next second, Qiao Jing was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 135 - 128: Qiao Jing Treats Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 135: Chapter 128: Qiao Jing Treats Zhan Qipei

    How did he move so fast?

    It¡¯s not like she hadn¡¯t seen men in their natural state before, but that was during surgery! Now this man was about to operate on her¡­

    ¡°I, I¡¯m ready, you, you quickly¡­¡± Zhan Qipei said, his eyes hazy as he urged Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eye twitched, and so did the corner of her mouth.

    She didn¡¯t mean it that way, okay?

    It seemed she had no choice but to knock the man out first.

    No sooner said than done.

    After knocking Zhan Qipei out, Qiao Jing finally focused and began to treat the man.

    The next morning.

    Lan Yinyin waited at the entrance to Qiao Jing¡¯s house, anticipating the drama that would unfold.

    After a long wait, she finally saw Zhan Qipei emerge with a dark expression on his face.

    He was in such a state, yet the girl did nothing to himst night. Was his charm really that low? Had he known, he would have taken advantage of the medicine to force himself on her.

    Lan Yinyin looked at Zhan Qipei, whose face was so dark it seemed water might drip from it, and felt full of schadenfreude. In her view, the reason for Zhan Qipei¡¯s ugly face was entirely because of what Qiao Jing did to himst night.

    As for this spection, Lan Yinyin had no doubts because it was Fifth Master¡¯s medicine, with no cure in sight. The one under the effect must engage in actual rtions, otherwise it was useless. So Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei must have done it.

    Lan Yinyin was very curious about what had be of Qiao Jing now. Unless things had gone awry, Qiao Jing should be beaten ck and blue, with broken arms and legs, unable to get out of bed, right?

    As Lan Yinyin was pondering this, the door opened again, and Qiao Jing walked out holding two basins of vegetables.

    Huh?

    Lan Yinyin was dumbfounded. Qiao Jing¡¯s face was clean and radiant, without any trace of abuse.

    What happened? How could Qiao Jing bepletely fine?

    Based on her understanding of Zhan Qipei, he was quite repulsive toward women. This could be deduced from the fact that he even kicked her after taking the medicine yesterday.

    As for why Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t kick Qiao Jing afterwards? It was probably just because the drug had reached its climax. In any case, it certainly wasn¡¯t because Zhan Qipei had taken a liking to Qiao Jing.

    If that were the case, after what happened between Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jingst night, why was Zhan Qipei¡¯s face still so dark when he came out?

    If he really liked her, he should be happy.

    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡± The sound of the phone vibrating rang out.

    Lan Yinyin nearly fumbled her phone in fright when she saw the caller ID disying ¡°Fifth Master.¡±

    ¡°Fi-Fifth Master.¡±

    ¡°The mission has failed again,¡± Fifth Master stated, not as a question, but as a deration.

    Upon hearing this, Lan Yinyin¡¯splexion turned pale with fear coursing through her.

    ¡°There was a bit of an identst night, but¡ªI¡¯ve thought of a way to redeem myself. Please give me one more chance, Fifth Master. With just a few people to support me, I can perfectlyplete the mission.¡±

    The line went silent.

    Lan Yinyin resisted the urge to swallow, her heart pounding erratically as she dared not make a sound, waiting silently.

    Momentster, Fifth Master¡¯s voice came through the phone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    Lan Yinyin let out a long breath, and quickly said, ¡°I feel like Zhan Qipei still has doubts about my identity. I don¡¯t know the details about how that girl saved him back then, so I didn¡¯t dare to discuss it deeply with him, for fear of giving myself away if I talked too much. I¡¯m thinking, since he has suspicions, why not just find a way to lure him to Autumn Water Vige, then set up an assassination attempt, and have mee to his rescue, reenacting the scene. As long as everything goes smoothly, by that time it won¡¯t matter if it was me or not.¡±

    ¡°Mm, this n is pretty good. Let¡¯s go with that.¡±

    Only after receiving this response did Lan Yinyin truly breathe a sigh of relief.

    However, before she could fully rx, she heard Fifth Master¡¯s voiceing from the phone again.

    ¡°If this n fails again, then wait for your punishment.¡±

    Fifth Master¡¯s voice sounded as if he were chatting, but the coldness implicit in his words at that moment made Lan Yinyin¡¯s hair stand on end, sending chills down her spine as if she was suddenly dragged into Hell.

    The scene changes.

    Just as Qiao Jing arrived at the entrance of the research institute, she was stopped by Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Is there something?¡± Qiao Jing asked indifferently.

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a coffee shop across the street. Let¡¯s talk,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, her attitude not as hostile as before, but the inherent pride of a rich heiress still gave off an air of superiority.

    ¡°Just say what you want to say. I don¡¯t have the luxury of not working like you.¡±

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t trying to target Zhan Nanqing with her words; she was simply telling the truth.

    ¡°I was born into privilege which you can¡¯t envy!¡± Zhan Nanqing held her head high, and although she said this, somewhere in her heart she felt a bit displeased, as if besides being Miss Zhan, she really had nothing else to offer.

    ¡°So Miss Zhan, what exactly do you want from me? There¡¯s less than 20 days left for me and your brother. Plus, as you know, there¡¯s just no possibility between your brother and me, so I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re hoping to achieve bying to me?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t beat around the bush, she got straight to the point, ¡°I want to work with you to drive Lan Yinyin away from me.¡±

    This statement surprised Qiao Jing. ¡°Why are you targeting Lan Yinyin, and why involve me?¡±

    ¡°I want your help!¡± Zhan Nanqing said, lifting her chin.

    Qiao Jingughed and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of ¡®asking¡¯ for help, but never ¡®telling¡¯ someone to help.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips annoyedly and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll ask. Please help me!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t help.¡± After dropping these words, Qiao Jing turned and walked away.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Zhan Nanqing reached out and grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeve, ¡°You¡¯re rejecting me too quickly! I¡¯m not asking for your help for nothing. Whatever you want, I can give it to you!¡±

    Qiao Jing arched her delicate eyebrow lightly, ¡°What I want, you can¡¯t afford.¡±

    ¡°Ha! I am Miss Zhan of the Zhan Family; what could you possibly want that I can¡¯t afford?¡±

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s extremely arrogant demeanor, Qiao Jing suddenly wanted to knock her down a peg or two, to let her know that even as Miss Zhan, there were things she couldn¡¯t aplish.

    Qiao Jing handed a flowerpot to Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Our research institute is currently working on a new variety of nt grafting, and the experiment is underway. You are Miss Zhan; can youplete this experiment?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s arrogant demeanor instantly faded away.

    It was true that the Zhan Family was wealthy and powerful, but the oues of scientific experiments could only be achieved through the relentless persistence of scientists.

    ¡°Are you trying to trouble me?¡±

    ¡°I told you, you can¡¯t afford what I want, so let¡¯s not talk about cooperation anymore. Don¡¯t bother me again in the future if it¡¯s not necessary.¡± After saying these words, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t waste any more time with Zhan Nanqing and went straight into the research institute.

    Zhan Nanqing clearly saw the security guard at the entrance nodding towards Qiao Jing, his attitude respectful.

 Chapter 136 - 129: Zhan Nanqing Wants to Make a Bet with Qiao Jing

    Chapter 136: Chapter 129: Zhan Nanqing Wants to Make a Bet with Qiao Jing

    ¡°Me, go?¡±

    Was she seeing things?

    Zhan Nanqing rubbed her eyes, seriously suspecting they were ying tricks on her. So, she rubbed them again and looked intently at Qiao Jing.

    By that time, Qiao Jing had already entered the research institute.

    Zhan Nanqing really wanted to follow and see for herself, but she couldn¡¯t; she didn¡¯t have ess.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t leave, instead, she waited for Qiao Jing toe out.

    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have to wait aste asst time; Qiao Jing was out after just a short while.

    The reason Qiao Jing left so quickly was that Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan were getting engaged. As Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s best friend and family, it was necessary to give a valuable gift that represented her heartfelt wishes.

    So she decided to go to the mall.

    ¡°Hey, are you going to agree or not?¡± Zhan Nanqing chased after her again.

    Qiao Jing was on the roadside hailing a taxi.

    ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll give you a ride, but then you have to agree to it,¡± Zhan Nanqing opened the car door.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t polite with Zhan Nanqing, ¡°To Wanxiang City.¡±

    With the car keys in hand, Zhan Nanqing felt like she was a cab driver.

    Hmph! If it wasn¡¯t for getting Lan Yinyin away from her brother, she wouldn¡¯t be here serving you.

    Zhan Nanqing was in the driver¡¯s seat while Qiao Jing was behind, asionally checking her phone or looking out the window.

    ¡°Hey! I want to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Sure, speak, but I might not answer,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing thought luckily Qiao Jing and her brother only had a 100-day agreement and luckily Qiao Jing had moved out of Purple Garden. Otherwise, facing Qiao Jing every day, she would have been infuriated to death sooner orter.

    ¡°Answer me honestly, what exactly do you do in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? You aren¡¯t really a doctor, are you?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Sort of.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s statement wasn¡¯t exactly a lie, because if any staff member fell ill at the institute, she was the one to tend to them as long as she was present.

    ¡°Liar!¡± Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t believe her one bit.

    ¡°If you¡¯re just a doctor, why are the institute¡¯s research reports with you? And those vegetables, why keep some on your balcony?¡±

    Instead of answering, Qiao Jing countered, ¡°What do you think I do at the institute then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, okay?¡± Zhan Nanqing turned around and rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Forget it then! Anyway, there¡¯s less than 20 days left until you and my brother are done, and I won¡¯t see you anymore. I can¡¯t be bothered to find out, and even if you really are a researcher at the institute, you couldn¡¯t possibly be an agricultural scientist. At most, you¡¯re just an intern like Gan Lan.¡±

    In Zhan Nanqing¡¯s view, Qiao Jing was at most an intern. An agricultural scientist was out of the question; in her mind, agricultural scientists were always somewhat older and looked knowledgeable and cultured.

    No matter what, it was impossible for Qiao Jing to be that way.

    Listening to Nanqing¡¯s certain words, Qiao Jing suddenly became a bit mischievous.

    ¡°What if I really am an agricultural scientist?¡±

    Although Qiao Jing possessed maturity and steadiness beyond her peers, as well as academic prowess far exceeding those of her age and even those within her field, she was still a 23-year-old, and asionally showed the temperament appropriate for her age.

    Of course, such asions were rare for her.

    ¡°Haha¡ª¡± Nanqing scoffed with augh, ¡°If you are an agricultural scientist, I¡¯ll be your personal driver for life. Wherever you go, I¡¯ll take you there. I won¡¯t take a sry, will work hard withoutints, and be at your beck and call.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing was almost tempted.

    Although she was amazing at racing cars, she only liked racing, not driving. Moreover, her mind was particrly clear when she was riding in a car; academic issues that she couldn¡¯t figure out or understand in other settings often became clear to her while sitting in a car.

    Thus, she had always enjoyed riding in cars, which was also why she drove but didn¡¯t own a car.

    Having a free personal driver wouldn¡¯t be too bad.

    So she almost impulsively revealed her identity.

    ¡°Forget it, if I really wanted a driver, I would have hired one long ago.¡±

    In fact, Moqian had arranged a personal driver for her before, but she didn¡¯t use it much, mainly because she didn¡¯t like having someone wait for her outside, so she let it go.

    ¡°Haha! So you¡¯re just bluffing, right? You¡¯re only a year older than me, how could you possibly be an agricultural scientist. Do you think you are Professor Qiao?!¡± Nanqing¡¯s words were as scornful as they could be.

    Qiao Jing moved her lips slightly, initially wanting to say something, but eventually she shut her mouth and looked down at her phone.

    The car drove for nearly forty minutes before arriving at Wanxiang City.

    ¡°This ce is all luxury goods, what do you want to buy? If you don¡¯t have enough money, I can pay for you, but only if you agree to coborate with me.¡±

    Nanqing hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing had already walked into a jewelry store in Wanxiang City.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Can¡¯t you listen to me finish speaking?¡± Nanqing followed up, huffing with annoyance.

    Qiao Jing asked the sales assistant to take out a gemstone ne from the ss cab and handed it to Nanqing, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you like it, why are you asking me?¡± she said, ¡°Man, that price is too high, isn¡¯t it? Over a million. Although I have some pocket money, if I give it all to Qiao Jing, I won¡¯t have money for entertainment for the next two months.¡±

    This Qiao Jing, really didn¡¯t hold back at all, never picking anything that wasn¡¯t expensive.

    Qiao Jing lightly furrowed her brows as she examined the gemstone ne in her hand, ¡°I don¡¯t usually wear these. Although I¡¯ve dealt with antiques, the concept is different. It¡¯s not quite in line with the tastes of a pure young girl.¡±

    Nanqing pouted her lips as if saying you don¡¯t act like a girl? Also, you deal with antiques? ying antiques as someone from the countryside, what antiques are you talking about? Keep pretending, see if I believe you?

    ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, you¡¯re not buying this for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Xiangxiang and Tang Yan are getting engaged. I want to pick out a gift for her,¡± Qiao Jing put down the gemstone ne and continued looking inside the counter.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re buying such expensive items for a friend?¡± Nanqing was stunned; truth be told, almost all her jewelry was bought by her mother with money, and she herself, having limited pocket money, hardly ever used her own money to buy luxury items.

    ¡°Expensive? It¡¯s okay. Compared to the Ginseng I gave your grandfatherst time, this is nothing.¡± Qiao Jing also thought about giving Ginseng to Xiuxiang, but then she figured Ginseng might be something she could manage to get. However, since Xiuxiang¡¯s event was an engagement and not a celebration of longevity, giving Ginseng wasn¡¯t quite appropriate.

    Mentioning the Ginseng, Nanqing had a question she had wanted to ask Qiao Jing for a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, how did you manage to get that Ginseng from Wonderful Hall? My mom and I also went to Wonderful Hall, asked them to bring out their best stuff, but they never brought out the Ginseng. Do you know the owner of Wonderful Hall?¡±

 Chapter 137 - 130: The Consequence of Cursing Her Mother

    Chapter 137: Chapter 130: The Consequence of Cursing Her Mother

    ¡°Hmm.¡± After Qiao Jing nonchntly responded, she grabbed another gemstone ne and presented it to Zhan Nanqing, ¡°How about this one? Compared with the one just now, which one looks better?¡±

    The single ¡°hmm¡± from Qiao Jing, as well as the question posed to Zhan Nanqing, pulled her out of her shock. The next second, the price tag on the gemstone ne once again stunned Zhan Nanqing into immobility.

    Three million!

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing sharply inhaled a breath of cold air.

    The ginseng from Wonderful Hall was certainly worth far more than three million and was indeed priceless. But given Qiao Jing¡¯s exceptional medical skills, it was possible that she had previously saved the life of the owner of Wonderful Hall or something of the sort, so the ginseng was given to her out of goodwill.

    But the gemstone ne was clearly priced at three million. Did Qiao Jing really have that much money?

    If that was the case, then Grandfather was far too biased, giving Qiao Jing far too much for pocket money.

    Actually, for the Zhan Family¡¯s wealth, giving their younger members a few million or even ten million wasn¡¯t a big deal. But the Zhan Family¡¯s education was strict, to prevent them from developing luxurious and decadent habits, so their monthly pocket money was controlled.

    Qiao Jing shook her head; she wasn¡¯t too keen on either ne. She then turned to the sales associate, ¡°May I ask, which ne in your store is the most expensive?¡±

    She thought for a moment, since she couldn¡¯t pick a good style, then she would just choose the most expensive one¡ªthat way, it couldn¡¯t be too bad.

    ¡°Hello, Miss, take a look at this one. It was personally designed by our brand¡¯s chief designer, a limited edition, with only three pieces in the entire world,¡± The sales associate did not look down on her because she thought Qiao Jing, who was dressed inly, could not afford it; instead, she was captivated by Qiao Jing¡¯s stunningly beautiful features and her ethereal aura, which made her not want to serve anyone else but Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked at the ne in the sales associate¡¯s hand. It was dazzlingly bright. She thought that girls should like this kind.

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing, do you think this one looks good?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes were almost blinded by the diamonds. To be honest, she wanted it, but she could tell that this ne was very expensive!

    ¡°How, how much is this?¡±

    ¡°Thirty million,¡± the sales associate replied.

    Zhan Nanqing thought, of course, she knew it!

    Such expensive jewelry, she had received a ne like that from her mother on her 20th birthday.

    If she asked her mother to buy it for no reason, her mother would definitely not agree.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze shifted from the diamond ne and she looked at Qiao Jing speechlessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, of course, it¡¯s beautiful. A thirty-million ne is bound to be beautiful, but do you have that much money to buy it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Qiao Jing said, as she took out her wallet.

    ¡°Pfft!¡±

    To Zhan Nanqing, Qiao Jing¡¯s behavior was simply showing off.

    Right at that moment, the ne in the sales associate¡¯s hand was suddenly snatched away.

    ¡°Pretty nice, huh. I will take this ne,¡± said a voice.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, revealing a hint of coolness in her eyes as she turned to look at the girl who had taken the ne.

    The girl appeared to be about her age but was dressed rather extravagantly.

    Her neck, hands, and fingers were adorned with various pieces of jewelry, and her makeup was also applied in a very mature style.

    ¡°Firste, first served. Don¡¯t you understand?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed as she coldly addressed the girl.

    ¡°Hah!¡± the girl sneered as she nced at Qiao Jing with disdain. ¡°You must be the country bride that Zhan Qipei married, right? I saw you once on your wedding day. He didn¡¯te and left you there alone, making a fool of yourself. Let me tell you, if I were you, I¡¯d have found a mouse hole to crawl into that day.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stepped forward, hands on her hips, facing off the girl, ¡°Zhu Tingting, what gives you the right to talk about others? I don¡¯t know who it was that stripped in my brother¡¯s office, trying to seduce him, only to be thrown out directly by my brother. I wasn¡¯t there, but I heard that when you got thrown out, your clothes were in tatters, barely covering your body. A lot of people saw it, and if I were you, I¡¯d be the one looking for a mouse hole to crawl into.¡±

    It was precisely because of Zhu Tingting¡¯s sordid reputation that her family had married her off to a divorced old man.

    ¡°You, you¡ª¡± Zhu Tingting red at Zhan Nanqing, her eyes filled with rage and her teeth clenched.

    Zhan Nanqing had stepped forward not to speak up for Qiao Jing, but because she and Zhu Tingting were archenemies, always at odds since childhood.

    Zhu Tingting took a moment topose herself, then her eyes fell on the diamond ne in her hand, ¡°Someone sure talks big, but doesn¡¯t know that my husband is a shareholder of this store and has the right of first purchase. Unlike some, even if you are the darling daughter of the Zhan Family, what does it matter? You can¡¯t even afford a ne that¡¯s thirty million.¡±

    Even though Zhu Tingting had married an old man, he was rich ¡ª and he doted on her, which made her feel quite bnced inside.

    The back-and-forth between Zhu Tingting and Zhan Nanqing was as intense as a battle of des, exciting to watch.

    Just then, Qiao Jing snatched the diamond ne in Zhu Tingting¡¯s hand back.

    ¡°What¡¯s mine, no one can take away.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Zhu Tingting began angrily, but before she could finish, she saw Qiao Jing pull out a ck card.

    This was the King of Cards, specially issued by the M Federation, the ck Card!

    Her husband didn¡¯t have one!

    How could this country bumpkin have one?

    She figured it out!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve got some nerve! Daring to steal a card from Zhan Qipei?¡±

    As soon as the sales assistant heard this, she didn¡¯t dare to take the card.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, as she too believed that the card in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand belonged to her brother.

    Moreover, she knew very well that her brother had no such interest in Qiao Jing, so he couldn¡¯t possibly give such an important card to her.

    Qiao Jing arched her eyebrows lightly as she looked at Zhu Tingting, ¡°Did you see me steal it? Or do you have any evidence?¡±

    ¡°Heh, do I need evidence? A poor country girl like you, don¡¯t tell me this card is yours?¡± Zhu Tingting looked at Qiao Jing with eyes nted, as if she was looking at trash.

    ¡°A country person is a country person, with no manners at all. Oh, I also heard your mother died a long time ago, and your father doesn¡¯t want you. No wonder you have no ss at all. It¡¯s lucky your mother died early, or she¡¯d be even more embarrassed by a daughter like you.¡±

    No good! Zhan Nanqing mentally cursed, then turned her head to look at Qiao Jing, only to see that frosty, grim-faced look of hers.

    At the same time, Zhan Nanqing remembered the first day she met Qiao Jing. In her attempt to drive Qiao Jing away, she had said nasty things too, simr to what Zhu Tingting had said.

    And her consequence was¡ª

    ¡°p¡ª¡± With a sharp sound, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand came down hard, spinning Zhu Tingting like a top on the spot several times before she fell to the ground, sprawled on all fours, cupping her face, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes were also wide open, this scene was eerily familiar, like d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    Looking at Zhu Tingting¡¯s swollen face, Zhan Nanqing was reminded of her own situation back then, and couldn¡¯t deny that Qiao Jing¡¯s p was indeed forceful; it took a week for the swelling to go down.

    ¡°You, you actually dared to hit me? Do you know who I am?¡± Zhu Tingting roared out.

    Qiao Jing looked down at Zhu Tingting with an expressionless face, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. I do know you must have eaten crap this morning, dirty and stinky.¡±

 Chapter 138 - 131: Consecutive Draws

    Chapter 138: Chapter 131: Consecutive Draws

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Nanqing burst outughing.

    She had shed with Zhu Tingting for so many years, but this was the first time she¡¯d seen Zhu Tingting suffer such a loss.

    Looking at Zhu Tingting¡¯s face, blue and purple and swollen, it was just too funny!

    It was precisely because of this p that Nanqing hadpletely forgotten how Qiao Jing had once pped her.

    Not only that, she found herself feeling much more fond of Qiao Jing.

    Zhu Tingting got up from the ground, her face distorted with rage.

    ¡°I¡¯m dirty and smelly? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s dirty and smelly! Your mom is dirty and smelly, your whole family is shit!¡±

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Nanqing gasped, stepping back.

    The stage was all Qiao Jing¡¯s now.

    No sooner had Nanqing stepped back than she heard a series of ¡°smack smack smack¡ª¡± p sounds.

    Listening to it made Nanqing feel so good.

    Looking at Zhu Tingting¡¯s face, more swollen than a pig¡¯s head, Nanqing burst outughing.

    ¡°Zhu Tingting, you truly live up to your surname now, it¡¯s too funny!¡±

    As for the consequences Qiao Jing would face after hitting someone, Nanqing had not thought too much about it.

    Based on past experience, whenever Qiao Jing taught someone a lesson, the unlucky one was always the other person.

    To Nanqing, it seemed as though Qiao Jing had some sort of unbeatable luck, wrapped in the aura of a koi.

    Besides, her grandfather was so fond of Qiao Jing, and with her grandfather¡¯s protection, Qiao Jing would never be in trouble.

    Zhu Tingting was wailing in pain, yet she still dared to confront Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re dead meat! My husband is the chairman of a corporation, and even though his background isn¡¯t as strong as the Zhan family¡¯s, it¡¯s still top-tier in our Capital. As a wealthydy, you dare to hit me? Who do you think you are?!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s patience had already run out, and she looked at Zhu Tingting with chilling eyes.

    ¡°If you curse one more time, I¡¯ll beat you so hard you won¡¯t be able to speak.¡±

    Zhu Tingting still wanted to confront Qiao Jing, but Qiao Jing¡¯s face was so menacing that instinct told Zhu Tingting that if she really dared to say something, the consequences could indeed be severe.

    Vengeance can wait; it was time to call the police!

    ¡°Hello? Officer, someone here is buying things with a stolen card.¡±

    After calling the police, Zhu Tingting smugly looked at Qiao Jing.

    Nanqing was somewhat worried, and came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, ¡°You didn¡¯t really steal my brother¡¯s card, did you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not short of money, why would I steal your brother¡¯s card?¡± After speaking, Qiao Jing looked at the sales clerk, ¡°I¡¯ll take this diamond ne, wrap it up.¡±

    The sales clerk, holding the ck card, hesitated.

    ¡°This¡­¡±

    Although she thought Qiao Jing, looking so handsome, didn¡¯t resemble a thief, Zhu Tingting was a shareholder of their shop, and she was adamant that the card was stolen by Qiao Jing, making her afraid to proceed!

    Qiao Jing could see the clerk¡¯s hesitation, and just as she was about to say something, a uniformed officer arrived.

    ¡°Who called the police?¡±

    It happened that Captain Zhao was nearby handling a case. Just as they were about to conclude, they received Zhu Tingting¡¯s call.

    Zhu Tingting pointed at Qiao Jing, ¡°Officer, it¡¯s her! She stole a card to buy luxury goods here!¡±

    Haha! Qiao Jing, now you¡¯re done for!

    ¡°Also, she hit me, look what she did to me?

    Captain Zhao followed the direction Zhu Tingting was pointing in, and his eyes widened when he saw Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao?¡±

    ¡°Captain Zhao, what a coincidence, I didn¡¯t expect it to be youing. Are you working on a case around here?¡± Qiao Jing guessed.

    Captain Zhao walked over, ¡°Yes, I was catching a thief when I just received the emergency call. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Though Captain Zhao asked the question verbally, his mind was sweating and speechless. How could he have run into Qiao Jing again? Every time, encountering cases involving her put him under a lot of pressure!

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing major, just that I used my own card to make a purchase, and she insisted that I had stolen the card. I asked her if she had any evidence? She had none, then she called you over.¡±

    Zhu Tingting looked somewhat stunned as the events unfolded in an unexpected way. Wasn¡¯t the officer supposed to directly take Qiao Jing away?

    Before Zhu Tingting could make sense of it all, she saw Captain Zhao giving her an extremely unfriendly and stern look.

    ¡°Are you falsely reporting the situation?¡±

    The esteemed Professor Qiao, needing to steal a card to buy things? He¡¯d have to be a fool to believe that.

    Zhu Tingting¡¯s face showed panic as she hurriedly exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t falsely report the situation, it¡¯s true that Qiao Jing stole the head of the Zhan Family¡¯s card. It¡¯s that ck card, it¡¯s not hers! Qiao Jing is just a cheap girl from the countryside, how could she possibly¡ª¡±

    Before Zhu Tingting could finish, she noticed that Captain Zhao¡¯s expression had instantly darkened, and his gaze toward her became even unfriendlier, even conveying a dangerous chill.

    Qiao Jing handed the card to Captain Zhao, ¡°Could you have someone verify it to see if it¡¯s really mine?¡±

    Captain Zhao really wanted to say that there was no need for any verification¡ªif that card wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing¡¯s, then he would change his surname!

    But such words were only to be thought internally¡ªunfortunately, he was in uniform after all.

    ¡°Alright, I will have it verified immediately.¡±

    Soon, the results came out.

    ¡°This card indeed belongs to Qiao Jing herself,¡± Captain Zhao said coldly, his face stern as he looked at Zhu Tingting.

    Zhu Tingting¡¯s mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg. ¡°How, how is that possible? Qiao Jing, she¡¯s just from the countryside, how could she possibly own a ck card?¡±

    At this point, Zhu Tingting¡¯s gaze towards Qiao Jing became even more disdainful and mocking.

    ¡°I know it now! This card isn¡¯t a ck card. It must be that you covered it with a card film to show off. Hahaha¡ªit must be that!¡±

    On hearing Zhu Tingting say this, Zhan Nanqing suddenly realized it.

    So that was it; she had also been wondering how Qiao Jing could possibly have a ck card.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing, I have seen people putting on airs, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone do it as convincingly as you.¡± Zhu Tingting¡¯s look at Qiao Jing dripped with utter disdain.

    ¡°Alright, go ahead and buy it. This diamond ne costs thirty million; let¡¯s see if you can afford it.¡±

    Just after Zhu Tingting finished speaking, they heard a ¡°beep¡±¡ªthe card was sessfully swiped.

    Zhu Tingting was so shocked that her mouth formed an ¡®O¡¯; she couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    How could it be sessful?

    ¡°Miss, please keep your card safe, I will wrap it up for you now.¡± The sales associate was overjoyed internally; she had a good eye. Despite Qiao Jing¡¯s simple attire, her demeanor revealed she was no ordinary person.

    The look of astonishment on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face matched Zhu Tingting¡¯s. The card belonged to Qiao Jing, and she had enough money to impulsively buy a thirty-million diamond ne!

    And it was even meant as an engagement gift for a friend!

    Such a generous gesture!

    Astonishment gleamed in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes as she gazed at the card in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, her lips pursed.

    Grandpa was too biased, wasn¡¯t he? Giving Qiao Jing so much money?

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Zhu Tingting sniffed disdainfully, turning to Captain Zhao, ¡°Captain Zhao, what about when she attacked me? How will you handle that?¡±

 Chapter 139 - 132: Capture Her

    Chapter 139: Chapter 132: Capture Her

    Zhu Tingting had made up her mind¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing off easily.

    Zhan Nanqing furrowed her brows, although Qiao Jing¡¯s troubles had little to do with her, she still hoped to coborate with Qiao Jing to deal with Lan Yinyin.

    Moreover,pared to Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing disliked Zhu Tingting even more.

    Indeed, it had been Qiao Jing who threw the first punch, putting her in the wrong.

    As Zhan Nanqing thought this, Captain Zhao looked at Zhu Tingting and asked, ¡°Why did she hit you?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s sick!¡± Zhu Tingting blurted out angrily.

    ¡°Oh, you mean she is mentally ill. In that case, she has no criminal liability for hitting you,¡± Captain Zhao stated with a face full of righteousness, which was certainly unexpected.

    Anyone could see that Captain Zhao was deliberately speaking up for Qiao Jing in the current situation.

    ¡°I will deal with her issueter. Now we need to address your false reporting of the incident. ording to our empire¡¯sws, those who falsely report incidents face detention of no less than five and no more than ten days. You wille with us now and be released after ten days.¡±

    Captain Zhao clearly remembered Zhu Tingting cursing Qiao Jing right in front of him, calling her ¡°cheap¡± repeatedly. One could only imagine how much worse the insults must have been before he arrived, how else could someone like Qiao Jing be provoked to physical action?

    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t falsely report anything, I didn¡¯t, please don¡¯t arrest me!¡± Zhu Tingting screamed, turning to run.

    Good run! Captain Zhao silently eximed.

    ¡°Arrest her!¡±

    Without her running, he would have had no reason to use force.

    Zhu Tingting hadn¡¯t even made it out of the store entrance when she was pinned to the ground, hands pulled behind her back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Zhu Tingting knelt on the ground, her face pressed against the floor, her arms painfully twisted behind her, grimacing in a most disgraceful state.

    The crowd around her grew, pointing and murmuring at Zhu Tingting.

    This scene reminded her of the time when Qi Pei had her thrown out of the Zhan Corporation.

    Back then, her clothes were in disarray, barely covering what they were supposed to, so her near entirety was exposed after being thrown out.

    Shey on the ground, surrounded by people who, just like now, discussed and pointed at her.

    Had it not been for that, she, Miss Zhu from a prestigious family, born into wealth, would never have ended up marrying an old man.

    Qi Pei! And Qiao Jing! You all wait, she thought, the humiliation of today, she would surely pay them back double!

    Zhan Nanqing watched as Zhu Tingting was taken away, blinked her eyes, and then shifted her gaze to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Captain Zhao seems to be very close to you? He actually defended you in front of so many people?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, he¡¯s not helping me, he¡¯s enforcing thew fairly,¡± Qiao Jing said as she picked up the diamond ne she had just bought and walked out.

    ¡°Enforcing thew fairly? You hit someone, okay? And yet you got off without any trouble,¡± Zhan Nanqing caught up to Qiao Jing and said.

    ¡°She broke thew first,¡± Qiao Jing said firmly.

    She wasn¡¯t wrong in her statement; as an agricultural scientist, she was part of the national team. Insulting someone from the national team was legally actionable.

    Captain Zhao did not cover for her because of her status; he truly administered thew impartially.

    Of course, Qiao Jing did not exin this to Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing went to the hospital that evening to visit Zhan Yuanshan.

    She said she was visiting, but actually, she had something she wanted to ask Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Grandpa, how much money did you really give Qiao Jing?¡±

    She just handed over thirty million, and the purchases were even gifts for others. Envy and jealousy indeed!

    ¡°Money? I did give some, but Jing Girl didn¡¯t take it.¡±

    As for Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t believe a single one.

    ¡°Grandpa, stop lying to me. Yesterday I saw with my own eyes Qiao Jing spending thirty million in one go, and I¡¯ve followed her before. She also went to donate at the Red Cross Society. The staff there told me shees to donate almost every month. Isn¡¯t it you who asked her to donate on your behalf?¡±

    ¡°What? That girl is donating to the Red Cross Society every month?¡± Zhan Yuanshan suddenly raised his head to look at Zhan Nanqing, his eyes full of surprise.

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s reaction waspletely unexpected to Zhan Nanqing; by the looks of it, he wasn¡¯t pretending?

    Could it be that Grandpa really didn¡¯t know about Qiao Jing¡¯s donations? That can¡¯t be, right?

    If her grandpa didn¡¯t know, where would Qiao Jing get the money to donate every month? The thing is, she asked the Red Cross Society staff, and each time Qiao Jing donated, it wasn¡¯t a small amount.

    Zhan Nanqing continued to stare at Zhan Yuanshan with a skeptical and probing look, trying to find any slightest hint of lying on his face.

    ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Zhan Yuanshan suddenly burst outughing.

    ¡°Truly a good child in my eyes! She seems standoffish and hard to get along with, but actually has a warm heart. I thought I knew her well, but I didn¡¯t expect her to be this kind, donating to the Red Cross Society every month. What a good granddaughter-inw, good granddaughter-inw! Hahaha¡ª¡±

    Zhan Yuanshanughed heartily, hisughter genuine and without any pretense.

    This made Zhan Nanqing even more shocked; so the money Qiao Jing donated to the Red Cross Society really wasn¡¯t from her grandpa.

    Then the question arises, where did Qiao Jing get so much money from?

    From her two acres ofnd in the countryside? From money earned treating illness and saving people? Or from the sry provided by Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    No matter which it was, it probably wasn¡¯t enough to amount to so much money, right?

    ¡°Grandpa, stopughing for a second. Don¡¯t you find it strange? Qiao Jing¡¯s background is out there, and without a strong family support, where does she get so much money from? It can¡¯t be by selling herself¡ª¡±

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she was stared down by Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s sharp eyes.

    Zhan Yuanshan, now residing in the hospital due to illness, was once a militarymander charging into battles on the battlefield. His presence alone was formidable, hardly anyone could stand against it.

    Facing such terrifying eyes from Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart nearly stopped beating.

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing!¡± Zhan Yuanshan called out her name coldly.

    Zhan Nanqing froze on the spot, standing still as she looked at Zhan Yuanshan, with a look of fear in her eyes.

    ¡°Randomly insulting and ndering others is not the style of our Zhan Family! You can speak, but you must have evidence. I know what you were about to say, which was that Jing Girl having so much money might be from selling herself for it. I ask you, do you have evidence?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips.

    ¡°Speak up!¡± Zhan Yuanshan raised his voice and shouted.

    Zhan Nanqing shivered with fear, ¡°I, I have no evidence. I, I, I know I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Zhan Yuanshan snorted, ¡°Putting aside where Jing Girl¡¯s moneyes from, I¡¯ll just say one thing. Jing Girl has always been independent and reliant on her own efforts, not on others, to build what she has now. And you? Aside from asking the family for pocket money, have you ever earned anything yourself?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing bowed her head low; indeed, she had never earned money.

    ¡°I¡¯ve long seen it¡ªyou and your mother look down on Jing Girl foring from the countryside, thinking she¡¯s uneducated and unskilled. But let me tell you, the two of you together multiplied by 100 aren¡¯t even equal to one Jing Girl!¡±

 Chapter 140 - 133 Zhan Nanqing Wants to Enter the Research Institute

    Chapter 140: Chapter 133 Zhan Nanqing Wants to Enter the Research Institute

    That much of a difference?

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips in response to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s raging anger. She didn¡¯t dare to act rashly, but she thought what her grandfather said was way, way, way too exaggerated!

    She admitted that Qiao Jing was very outstanding, but she and her mother were no slouches either! They were both high-profile socialites, cultivated from a young age in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting¡ªsurely they twobined and multiplied by a hundred couldn¡¯t be less than Qiao Jing, could they?

    While Zhan Nanqing was silently scoffing at these thoughts, Zhan Yuanshan ¡°hmphed¡± and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. You don¡¯t agree with what I said, right? If it weren¡¯t for an agreement I had with Jing Girl, I¡¯d reveal it and scare you to death!¡±

    Now Zhan Nanqing dared not to purse her lips, only muttering in her heart: Just keep bragging, I don¡¯t believe it at all.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Zhan Yuanshan saw right through Zhan Nanqing¡¯s thoughts, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then you just need to interact with her more, and you will know whether I¡¯m telling the truth or not.¡±

    He had an agreement with Qiao Jing not to disclose her identity, but if Zhan Nanqing discovered it herself, then it had nothing to do with him.

    Although Zhan Nanqing was reluctant to believe that Qiao Jing really had such capabilities, Zhan Yuanshan seemed to be hinting something to her.

    Could it be that Qiao Jing truly has some unspeakable secret hidden?

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s curiosity was piqued, so the next day she sought out Qiao Jing again and followed her to the research institute.

    ¡°Why are you following me again?¡± Qiao Jing was somewhat annoyed by Zhan Nanqing and wanted the security at the entrance of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute to throw Zhan Nanqing out, but the problem was that Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t done anything to her, and she didn¡¯t have a proper reason to get physical.

    ¡°I want to enter the research institute!¡± Zhan Nanqing felt that only by entering the research institute could she uncover Qiao Jing¡¯s secrets.

    Plus, this way she could meet the legendary agricultural magnate, Professor Qiao!

    ¡°What?¡± Qiao Jing was stunned, she really hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Nanqing toe out with something like that.

    ¡°I want to enter the research institute!¡± Zhan Nanqing raised her voice and said.

    Qiao Jing eyed Zhan Nanqing, seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to be joking.

    ¡°Are you, out of your mind?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious! My grandfather is always saying how I do nothing all day, idling my life away, and that I¡¯m shaming him. He keeps praising you, saying you¡¯re better than the best. I can¡¯t ept it! I believe that I too have received elite education. Moreover, my mom has been cultivating me from a young age. Piano, archery, calligraphy¡ªI¡¯ve dabbled in all of them. I don¡¯t think I am any worse than you. So if you can enter Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, then so can I.¡±

    Qiao Jing realized that Zhan Nanqing really did want to enter the research institute.

    And sheughed.

    ¡°I can enter based on my own capabilities. You enter? What qualifies you? This isn¡¯t a circus troupe. The bits and pieces you¡¯ve learned and only touched on superficially are not needed in my research institute.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had thought long and hard about how to respond to this from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I can learn! I¡¯m very smart; all my life, I¡¯ve been toozy to learn. But anything I am willing to learn, I can master faster than ordinary people.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s im wasn¡¯t something Qiao Jing doubted much. After all, Zhan Qipei was an undeniable genius, and as his sister, Zhan Nanqing would have some baseline ability in learning.

    ¡°The research institute recruits the best of the best, and the least qualified amongst them is someone like Gan Lan. You know Gan Lan, he was the top student in his major at the Agricultural University. Do you think you qualify to enter the research institute?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡ª¡± Of course she wasn¡¯t at Gan Lan¡¯s level, but Zhan Nanqing just couldn¡¯t ept it. If Qiao Jing could get in, she was sure she could too.

    ¡°Whether or not I can enter Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute isn¡¯t up to you. If you won¡¯t help me get an introduction, I¡¯ll just go find Xinrou¡¯s Second Uncle, Manager Lou.¡± Zhan Nanqing had everything nned out.

    As chance would have it, just as Zhan Nanqing finished speaking, she saw Manager Lou¡¯s car pulling up at the entrance.

    ¡°Manager Lou is here!¡± Zhan Nanqing raised her eyebrow teasingly at Qiao Jing before turning to greet Manager Lou.

    ¡°Second Uncle Lou, I have something to discuss with you,¡± Zhan Nanqing had just finished speaking when she saw Manager Lou¡¯s gaze pass over her and settle on Qiao Jing behind her, bowing slightly, ¡°Good morning.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Good morning.¡±

    Huh?

    Zhan Nanqing was somewhat puzzled by the interaction between Manager Lou and Qiao Jing.

    Why did it seem like Qiao Jing was the superior and Manager Lou the subordinate?

    As soon as this thought emerged, Zhan Nanqing immediately denied it.

    How could that be possible?

    ¡°Manager Lou, I¡¯d like to join Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute. Could you introduce me?¡± Zhan Nanqing spoke while stealthily ncing at Qiao Jing.

    Meaning: Who needs your introduction? If you don¡¯t introduce me, she won¡¯t even want to find you.

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, Manager Lou was surprised and instinctively looked at Qiao Jing.

    Before he could ask, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice rang out.

    ¡°Our research institute doesn¡¯t take in useless trash.¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling trash? What makes you think I¡¯m useless? You always say that evidence matters. Aren¡¯t you a member of Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute? Conclusions should be drawn from practice. I haven¡¯t had any practice, so what are you basing your judgment of my worth on?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words made some sense to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°That¡¯s the only thing you¡¯ve said since I¡¯ve known you that isn¡¯tpletely unreasonable and makes some sense.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth twitched wordlessly, ¡°So everything I said before was nonsense?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t argue with Zhan Nanqing, but simply handed her the flowerpot she was holding.

    ¡°This pot contains a special kind of potato that has just sprouted. You need to take care of it and record your daily report.¡± Qiao Jing then stuffed the research report into Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Some data has already been recorded, and there are samples. From today on, you need to write properly following the previous entries. Every morning, bring it to me for review.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the flowerpot in her left hand and the research report in her right, her expression bewildered.

    ¡°You, you¡¯re having me nt potatoes?!¡±

    Qiao Jing scoffed lightly, ¡°Are you thinking of giving up before you even start? Just now you were bragging to me, saying without any practice, how could you be deemed incapable? Are you contradicting yourself already?¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Nanqing felt defiant.

    ¡°Who¡¯s contradicting themselves? It¡¯s just nting a pot of potatoes, just writing a research report, right? For me, that¡¯s a piece of cake!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Qiao Jing said and then looked at Manager Lou, ¡°Go get a few agricultural books.¡±

    ¡°Right away, I¡¯ll go fetch them.¡± Manager Lou turned and quickly entered the research institute.

    Huh? Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes followed Manager Lou, feeling something was off. It wasn¡¯t her imagination, was it? Manager Lou really did seem shorterpared to Qiao Jing.

    After a silent pause, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but ask Qiao Jing, ¡°What exactly is your status at the research institute?¡±

 Chapter 142 - 135: Zhan Qipei Wants to Go Back to the Countryside with Qiao Jing

    Chapter 142: Chapter 135: Zhan Qipei Wants to Go Back to the Countryside with Qiao Jing

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s words were emphatic andmanding, leaving no room for anyone to interject!

    At that, Zhu Cheng and Cheng Dachang werepletely dumbfounded.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s remark was not just a simple matter of having good rtions; he had even brought up the nation and the people.

    So what exactly was Qiao Jing¡¯s identity?

    As the two were shocked to their core, Zhan Qipei, having received the news, also arrived.

    ¡°Mr. Zhan,¡± Captain Zhao went forward to greet Zhan Qipei.

    Captain Zhao was curious; what was Zhan Qipei doing here at this time? Could it be that he wanted to kick someone while they were down and also wanted Qiao Jing to be brought here?

    It was no wonder Captain Zhao guessed this, especially since Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had ended up at the police station on their wedding day.

    ¡°Are you here for Miss Qiao¡¯s matter too?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Qipei nodded once.

    Captain Zhao: He knew it.

    Just as worried, he furrowed his brows and wondered when these two powerhouses would ever give it a rest?

    Zhu Cheng, Cheng Dachang, and Captain Zhao had simr spections, mainly because they knew that Qiao Jing was not favored by the Zhan Family and that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t like his country bride at all. That¡¯s why they were causing such a ruckus; otherwise, they would have given Zhan¡¯s some face.

    Xu Hongzu thought the same.

    However, the following words from Zhan Qipei were totally unexpected to them.

    ¡°Regarding Qiao Jing¡¯s matter, I just want to¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused for a second and then said, ¡°Zhu Tingting has been arrested, and she deserved it. If your two families really need her to settle this for you, then I am settling this for her right now. Are you satisfied?¡±

    This¡ª

    Everyone present did not expect Zhan Qipei to say such words, and seeing his serious expression, there was not the slightest hint of joking.

    Zhan Qipei had not finished speaking, ¡°Furthermore, Zhan¡¯s will firmly protect her! I, Zhan Qipei, will always stand by her side and defend her!¡±

    Zhu Cheng and Cheng Dachang felt more and more confused as they listened; how could this be so different from what they had heard?

    What they had heard was that over two months earlier, Zhan Qipei did not want to marry the country girl Qiao Jing, so much so that he hadn¡¯t even attended the wedding. Not only that, but on the day of the wedding, the bride was nearly run over by Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    Although it waster dered an ident, anyone with eyes and a brain could guess that Zhan Qipei had intended to kill Qiao Jing.

    That¡¯s why Zhu and Cheng families dared to brazenly approach Zhan¡¯s and trouble Qiao Jing, mostly emboldened by Zhan Qipei¡¯s apparent disregard for Qiao Jing¡¯s life and death.

    And now, Zhan Qipei had personally arrived and made such a resolute deration.

    Of course, the most shocking were the sharp words just spoken by Xu Hongzu.

    Once both families returned home, they immediately ordered an investigation into Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, only to find out that Qiao Jing worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, but what role she yed there remained unknown.

    Later, they also approached Gan Lan.

    But since Gan Lan kept mum, they were at a loss.

    In the end, under the pressure of Zhan Qipei and Xu Hongzu, Zhu Cheng and Cheng Dachang dared not continue troubling Qiao Jing.

    Even if avenging Zhu Tingting, they would have to wait until Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were divorced before taking action.

    As for Zhu Tingting, Zhu and Cheng families were helpless and could only watch as Zhu Tingting remained in jail for dozens of days before being released.

    There were only 12 days left until the divorce.

    That morning, Qiao Jing packed a suitcase and came out of her room.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei saw this scene, his face immediately changed color.

    ¡°You must be mistaken about the date. It hasn¡¯t been 100 days yet,¡± he said.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing guessed that Zhan Qipei had misunderstood.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Today is Grandpa Zhang¡¯s death anniversary, and I¡¯m going back to offer him some paper offerings,¡± she exined.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought that Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t wait to leave him already.

    ¡°Then why are you taking a suitcase?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t been back for a long time, so I n to stay in the countryside for a couple of days,¡± she replied.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than Zhan Qipei walked over and took the suitcase from her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± he dered.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. Zhan Qipei had long known that Lan Yinyin was not the one who had saved him back then, which meant he was still suspecting her of being the one who performed the surgery on him.

    This trip back home wasn¡¯t just to pay respect to Grandpa Zhang but also to visit the old fields and the old house where she and her grandfather had once lived together.

    It was the house where she had taken him to perform the surgery.

    Although Zhan Qipei had been semi-conscious and his vision blurred from excessive blood loss at the time, she feared that he might recall something if he went back with her.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t yourpany busy? Just the other day, I heard you on the phone with Tang Yan, saying Zhan Corporation was negotiating a big deal. Better you don¡¯t go with me. I will be back in a couple of days after paying my respects,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his dark, unfathomable eyes, staring at Qiao Jing so intensely that it made her heart skip several beats.

    Of course, Qiao Jing only felt uneasy on the inside, but her face remained as unruffled as if Mount Tai were crumbling before her.

    ¡°Why are you so afraid of me going? Do you have secrets you can¡¯t tell me? Afraid that if I go with you, I might uncover your secrets?¡± he pressed, stepping closer to Qiao Jing and gazing straight at her, his dark pupils filled with her reflection.

    Facing the man¡¯s intensely virile presence, and his probing gaze that seemed determined to peel her openyer byyer, Qiao Jing instinctively took a step back, then another.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s retreat wasn¡¯t out of cowardice, but her instincts told her that if she didn¡¯t step back, his towering figure would crash into her unabashedly.

    Eventually, Qiao Jing was backed into a corner.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhan Qipei made a low, throaty sound that carried a subtly enticing lure, enough to make one¡¯s ears instantly ¡®pregnant,¡¯ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Admitting it? The person who saved me that day¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid, it¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing paused, furrowing her brow. Two secondster, she looked up, meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze squarely.

    ¡°Never mind. If you¡¯ve got nothing better to do and want to go somewhere, go ahead. Autumn Water Vige isn¡¯t mine alone to im; if you want toe, I can¡¯t stop you,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing said this out of concern that continuing to stop Zhan Qipei from going to Autumn Water Vige would deepen his suspicion.

    Besides, most residentialyouts in the rural areas of Autumn Water Vige were quite simr; even if Zhan Qipei went to her house, he wouldn¡¯t be able to prove he had been there before.

    ¡°I must go. After all, Grandpa Zhang was once my grandfather¡¯s loyal subordinate, and he even saved my grandfather¡¯s life. My grandfather is too ill to travel long distances, but on his death anniversary, it¡¯s only right that I go,¡± he stated.

 Chapter 142 - 135: Zhan Qipei Wants to Go Back to the Countryside with Qiao Jing

    Chapter 142: Chapter 135: Zhan Qipei Wants to Go Back to the Countryside with Qiao Jing

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s words were emphatic andmanding, leaving no room for anyone to interject!

    At that, Zhu Cheng and Cheng Dachang werepletely dumbfounded.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s remark was not just a simple matter of having good rtions; he had even brought up the nation and the people.

    So what exactly was Qiao Jing¡¯s identity?

    As the two were shocked to their core, Zhan Qipei, having received the news, also arrived.

    ¡°Mr. Zhan,¡± Captain Zhao went forward to greet Zhan Qipei.

    Captain Zhao was curious; what was Zhan Qipei doing here at this time? Could it be that he wanted to kick someone while they were down and also wanted Qiao Jing to be brought here?

    It was no wonder Captain Zhao guessed this, especially since Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had ended up at the police station on their wedding day.

    ¡°Are you here for Miss Qiao¡¯s matter too?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Qipei nodded once.

    Captain Zhao: He knew it.

    Just as worried, he furrowed his brows and wondered when these two powerhouses would ever give it a rest?

    Zhu Cheng, Cheng Dachang, and Captain Zhao had simr spections, mainly because they knew that Qiao Jing was not favored by the Zhan Family and that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t like his country bride at all. That¡¯s why they were causing such a ruckus; otherwise, they would have given Zhan¡¯s some face.

    Xu Hongzu thought the same.

    However, the following words from Zhan Qipei were totally unexpected to them.

    ¡°Regarding Qiao Jing¡¯s matter, I just want to¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused for a second and then said, ¡°Zhu Tingting has been arrested, and she deserved it. If your two families really need her to settle this for you, then I am settling this for her right now. Are you satisfied?¡±

    This¡ª

    Everyone present did not expect Zhan Qipei to say such words, and seeing his serious expression, there was not the slightest hint of joking.

    Zhan Qipei had not finished speaking, ¡°Furthermore, Zhan¡¯s will firmly protect her! I, Zhan Qipei, will always stand by her side and defend her!¡±

    Zhu Cheng and Cheng Dachang felt more and more confused as they listened; how could this be so different from what they had heard?

    What they had heard was that over two months earlier, Zhan Qipei did not want to marry the country girl Qiao Jing, so much so that he hadn¡¯t even attended the wedding. Not only that, but on the day of the wedding, the bride was nearly run over by Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    Although it waster dered an ident, anyone with eyes and a brain could guess that Zhan Qipei had intended to kill Qiao Jing.

    That¡¯s why Zhu and Cheng families dared to brazenly approach Zhan¡¯s and trouble Qiao Jing, mostly emboldened by Zhan Qipei¡¯s apparent disregard for Qiao Jing¡¯s life and death.

    And now, Zhan Qipei had personally arrived and made such a resolute deration.

    Of course, the most shocking were the sharp words just spoken by Xu Hongzu.

    Once both families returned home, they immediately ordered an investigation into Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, only to find out that Qiao Jing worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, but what role she yed there remained unknown.

    Later, they also approached Gan Lan.

    But since Gan Lan kept mum, they were at a loss.

    In the end, under the pressure of Zhan Qipei and Xu Hongzu, Zhu Cheng and Cheng Dachang dared not continue troubling Qiao Jing.

    Even if avenging Zhu Tingting, they would have to wait until Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were divorced before taking action.

    As for Zhu Tingting, Zhu and Cheng families were helpless and could only watch as Zhu Tingting remained in jail for dozens of days before being released.

    There were only 12 days left until the divorce.

    That morning, Qiao Jing packed a suitcase and came out of her room.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei saw this scene, his face immediately changed color.

    ¡°You must be mistaken about the date. It hasn¡¯t been 100 days yet,¡± he said.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing guessed that Zhan Qipei had misunderstood.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Today is Grandpa Zhang¡¯s death anniversary, and I¡¯m going back to offer him some paper offerings,¡± she exined.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought that Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t wait to leave him already.

    ¡°Then why are you taking a suitcase?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t been back for a long time, so I n to stay in the countryside for a couple of days,¡± she replied.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than Zhan Qipei walked over and took the suitcase from her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± he dered.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. Zhan Qipei had long known that Lan Yinyin was not the one who had saved him back then, which meant he was still suspecting her of being the one who performed the surgery on him.

    This trip back home wasn¡¯t just to pay respect to Grandpa Zhang but also to visit the old fields and the old house where she and her grandfather had once lived together.

    It was the house where she had taken him to perform the surgery.

    Although Zhan Qipei had been semi-conscious and his vision blurred from excessive blood loss at the time, she feared that he might recall something if he went back with her.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t yourpany busy? Just the other day, I heard you on the phone with Tang Yan, saying Zhan Corporation was negotiating a big deal. Better you don¡¯t go with me. I will be back in a couple of days after paying my respects,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his dark, unfathomable eyes, staring at Qiao Jing so intensely that it made her heart skip several beats.

    Of course, Qiao Jing only felt uneasy on the inside, but her face remained as unruffled as if Mount Tai were crumbling before her.

    ¡°Why are you so afraid of me going? Do you have secrets you can¡¯t tell me? Afraid that if I go with you, I might uncover your secrets?¡± he pressed, stepping closer to Qiao Jing and gazing straight at her, his dark pupils filled with her reflection.

    Facing the man¡¯s intensely virile presence, and his probing gaze that seemed determined to peel her openyer byyer, Qiao Jing instinctively took a step back, then another.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s retreat wasn¡¯t out of cowardice, but her instincts told her that if she didn¡¯t step back, his towering figure would crash into her unabashedly.

    Eventually, Qiao Jing was backed into a corner.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhan Qipei made a low, throaty sound that carried a subtly enticing lure, enough to make one¡¯s ears instantly ¡®pregnant,¡¯ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Admitting it? The person who saved me that day¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid, it¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing paused, furrowing her brow. Two secondster, she looked up, meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze squarely.

    ¡°Never mind. If you¡¯ve got nothing better to do and want to go somewhere, go ahead. Autumn Water Vige isn¡¯t mine alone to im; if you want toe, I can¡¯t stop you,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing said this out of concern that continuing to stop Zhan Qipei from going to Autumn Water Vige would deepen his suspicion.

    Besides, most residentialyouts in the rural areas of Autumn Water Vige were quite simr; even if Zhan Qipei went to her house, he wouldn¡¯t be able to prove he had been there before.

    ¡°I must go. After all, Grandpa Zhang was once my grandfather¡¯s loyal subordinate, and he even saved my grandfather¡¯s life. My grandfather is too ill to travel long distances, but on his death anniversary, it¡¯s only right that I go,¡± he stated.

 Chapter 143 - 136 I Am Your Man

    Chapter 143: Chapter 136 I Am Your Man

    Zhan Qipei had already said it like that, if she still refused, it would not only make no sense but also show that she had a guilty conscience.

    ¡°Then suit yourself.¡±

    ¡°Alright, wait a moment for me,¡± Zhan Qipei said and then went to the room to pack up.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes lingered on the busy figure of Zhan Qipei for a few seconds before she pulled away and started topose a message to send to Xu Moqian.

    ¡°When I asked you to take Zhan Qipei to the hospital, you didn¡¯t blow your cover, did you?¡±

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian replied almost instantly.

    ¡°When I handle things, would you still seek me out if you didn¡¯t trust me?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing felt it made sense; she was just being overly nervous.

    Despite this, she still couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°And did you manage to take care of the blood stains in the field?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s taken care of,¡± Xu Moqian messaged back, then began to wonder.

    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since that happened, why are you suddenly asking about this now?¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to reply to Xu Moqian, he suddenly appeared behind her.

    ¡°Who are you messaging?¡±

    Hearing the man¡¯s voice suddenly appear, Qiao Jing reflexively hid her phone behind her and turned around.

    Watching Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his eyes; his gaze fell on her hands hidden behind her.

    ¡°Chatting with another man?¡± His voice was low and indifferent, without any fluctuation and devoid of any emotion.

    Qiao Jing subtly arched her exquisitely painted brows, a reaction that essentially affirmed Zhan Qipei¡¯s statement.

    The already profound eyes of Zhan Qipei darkened further, ¡°Who?¡±

    Qiao Jing moved her mouth, but before she could decide how to respond, she heard the man¡¯s husky voice rise next to her ear.

    ¡°Zhan Ruiting?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned.

    ¡°Lu Zijin?¡±

    Zhan Qipei guessed again.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Neither?¡±

    Qiao Jing, ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Then it must be Xu Moqian.¡±

    Qiao Jing remained silent.

    ¡°It really is him.¡± Zhan Qipei raised his hand to touch his chin, eyes returning again to rest on the arm Qiao Jing was extending behind.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s demeanor made Qiao Jing somewhat puzzled.

    A secondter, Zhan Qipei suddenly raised his head, his gaze unblinkingly met Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    ¡°I know Xu Moqian had pursued you back in college, but you rejected him, right? Does this mean you don¡¯t like his type?¡±

    This was Zhan Qipei¡¯s analysis, but women¡¯s hearts are needles at the bottom of the sea, and given that Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian kept in touch over the years, who knows if feelings could develop over time?

    The more he thought about it, the more irritated Zhan Qipei felt in his heart.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it; we¡¯re just friends,¡± Qiao Jing honestly replied, and felt a sense of relief inside.

    Since he was asking these things, it meant he hadn¡¯t seen the text conversation between her and Xu Moqian just now.

    If he had seen it, the topic of their conversation would definitely not be this.

    While Qiao Jing thought this, she suddenly heard the man¡¯s happy voice.

    ¡°So, are you exining this to me?¡±

    Qiao Jing blinked dryly, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face brimming with happiness. She rarely saw the manugh, and she had to admit, his smiling face was indeed handsomely unique.

    ¡°Is your face a weather vane?¡±

    Things changed in an instant!

    Just a moment ago, it was as gloomy as a storm was approaching, and in the blink of an eye, it was like March in the human world, with spring warmth and flowers blooming.

    ¡°Whatever you say goes.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was in a good mood now, so no matter what Qiao Jing said, he felt good.

    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Qiao Jingmented and then opened the door, dragging her suitcase out.

    As soon as she stepped out, she saw the exquisitely dressed Lan Yinyining over.

    There was no need to say, dressed like that, she was definitely here to find Zhan Qipei.

    The incident from two nights ago, Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t settled the score with her to draw out the person behind her, but surprisingly, Lan Yinyin couldn¡¯t stay quiet and had quicklye to find Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing looked towards Zhan Qipei, thinking he really was patient, Lan Yinyin had even drugged him, yet he could still endure it. This also confirmed the rumors from the outside world.

    The rumors about Zhan Qipei¡¯s bloody and ruthless iron-fist approach!

    If it were her, she definitely couldn¡¯t tolerate it.

    As Qiao Jing was thinking this, Lan Yinyin had already passed her and walked up to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°About the incident a couple of days ago, I think you¡¯ve already had someone test the cup and the coffee, it really wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    While saying this, Lan Yinyin deliberately nced at Qiao Jing, intending to remind Zhan Qipei that Qiao Jing was with him day and night, perhaps she was the one who had drugged him at some point.

    After all, in the end, Qiao Jing was the one who benefited, she definitely had rtions with Zhan Qipei that day!

    Lan Yinyin was very certain of this point.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zhan Qipei responded indifferently, his face expressionless.

    Hearing this, Lan Yinyin breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I want to invite you to see the mo¨C¡±

    vies, herst word was not yet spoken when she saw Zhan Qipei walk past her to stand by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, taking over the suitcase from her hands without a word.

    ¡°I can handle it myself.¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t expect Zhan Qipei, who had just been talking nicely with Lan Yinyin, to suddenlye around and drag her suitcase?

    ¡°I am your man, this is what I should do.¡± Zhan Qipei said resolutely, dragging the suitcase ahead.

    Qiao Jing blinked, wondering if he had added an extra word by mistake just now.

    He should have said¡ª

    I am a man, not, I am your man.

    After Zhan Qipei walked a little ahead, he noticed that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t followed, and turned back to look at her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± After a brief moment of nkness, Qiao Jing hurriedly followed him.

    Lan Yinyin watched as the two left and quickly asked aloud, ¡°President Zhan, where are you going?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t moving out, was he? If he moved out, her staying here would be pointless.

    ¡°Autumn Water Vige.¡± Zhan Qipei replied to Lan Yinyin before entering the elevator.

    Autumn Water Vige?!

    Lan Yinyin was first startled then smirked devilishly.

    A couple of days ago, she had called Fifth Master to discuss her n.

    To find a way to lure Zhan Qipei to Autumn Water Vige, stage another assassination game, then she would appear and save him, so that Zhan Qipei would no longer have any doubts about her saving him.

    Previously she had been agonizing over how to draw Zhan Qipei to Autumn Water Vige? She hadn¡¯t expected that he would now go there voluntarily.

    It really was as if heaven was helping her!

    Lan Yinyin pulled out her phone and immediately called Fifth Master.

    ¡°Fifth Master, Zhan Qipei is heading back to Autumn Water Vige.¡±

    ¡°Good, I am arranging people now. This time we can only seed, not fail,¡± the man¡¯s voice through the phone carried a hint of pathological terror.

    Listening to this terrifying voice, Lan Yinyin felt like she was an experiment waiting to be dissected on an operating table.

    ¡°Yes, I guarantee I willplete the mission,¡± Lan Yinyin vowed confidently.

    In the elevator, Qiao Jing lowered her head in contemtion for a few seconds, then looked up at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Did you deliberately tell Lan Yinyin that you were returning to Autumn Water Vige?¡±

 Chapter 144 - 137: The Killer Appears

    Chapter 144: Chapter 137: The Killer Appears

    Zhan Qipei looked down at Qiao Jing and smiled, ¡°You really do understand me.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°So you did this on purpose just to lure out the person behind Lan Yinyin?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that the assassin sent this time will be even more formidable than thest? Aren¡¯t you scared of losing your life in Autumn Water Vige?¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t quite agree with Zhan Qipei risking himself like this.

    If it were her, she would have directly dealt with Lan Yinyin, and as for the people behind her, she would handle them one by one.

    This might be rted to personal character and upbringing. As the president of Zhan Corporation, Zhan Qipei was used to setting and solving traps, while she was more straightforward.

    As long as it didn¡¯t bother her, it was fine. But if it did, a beating followed by a trip to the police station was in order.

    While Qiao Jing was deep in thought, the man¡¯s deep voice suddenly sounded next to her ear.

    ¡°How do you know thest assassin was very formidable? Did you fight with them?¡±

    The slight raise of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows was almost imperceptible; she could tell the man was deliberately testing her.

    It was best not to respond.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t speaking, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t feel bored at all.

    If she wouldn¡¯t speak, then he was content just quietly watching her.

    Several hourster, the two arrived at Autumn Water Vige.

    The first thing Qiao Jing did upon returning to Autumn Water Vige was to buy some spirit money and go to Grandpa Zhang¡¯s grave.

    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m here to see you. Did you miss me?¡±

    While burning the spirit money, Qiao Jing spoke to the grave.

    Zhan Qipei knelt down close to Qiao Jing, picked some spirit money, and burned it in the fire basin.

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at Zhan Qipei, wondering why he had to be so close to her while he burned the paper.

    Turning his head, Zhan Qipei caught Qiao Jing looking at him, and the meaning in her eyes was clear.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold. Get closer, it¡¯s warmer,¡± Zhan Qipei said nonchntly.

    No sooner had Zhan Qipei spoken than Qiao Jing reached out and touched the back of his hand.

    ¡°Warmer than mine.¡±

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei a meaningful look.

    ¡°Oh, then let me warm you up,¡± Zhan Qipei uttered, enveloping Qiao Jing¡¯s hand in his palm.

    Qiao Jing gave off a very independent and self-reliant impression, unlike the fragiledies from wealthy families; she never relied on anyone.

    She seemed very strong.

    But¡ª

    In reality, her hands were thin and small, soft and powerless, feeling like cotton when held that made one want to protect her.

    Qiao Jing pulled a face and withdrew her hand from Zhan Qipei¡¯srge palm.

    She was starting to find Zhan Qipei iprehensible; the things he had been saying and doingtely were simply too strange.

    Qiao Jing continued to burn spirit money for Grandpa Zhang, while Zhan Qipei stood up and looked around, noticing the numerous fields nearby.

    In the countryside, the graves are different from those in the city, where there are special cemeteries for worship. In the countryside, especially in backward areas like Autumn Water Vige, many graves are buried on hilltops.

    Zhang Ruicheng¡¯s grave was one of them.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Seeing Zhan Qipei about to leave, Qiao Jing asked curiously.

    ¡°Nature calls. Is there a bathroom?¡± Zhan Qipei looked around but did not see anything resembling a bathroom.

    ¡°The mountain is full of spots; just find a ce,¡± Qiao Jing replied and then continued talking to the grave without further attention to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei nced back at Qiao Jing then quickly left to find a secluded spot to relieve himself.

    After taking care of business, Zhan Qipei was about to head back when he was drawn to a field nearby.

    ¡°This piece ofnd¡­¡±

    It looked increasingly familiar.

    Zhan Qipei watched as he approached.

    It seemed like he had been here before.

    Gradually, memories started to emerge bit by bit, bing clearer and clearer.

    Soon, he traced back to three months ago when he drove to Autumn Water Vige. Just after entering the vige, he was suddenly rear-ended by a car behind him.

    At first, he thought it was a simple traffic ident, but what he didn¡¯t expect was that the car behind continued to ram into him.

    He hurriedly got out of the car, his body ruing many injuries. If it weren¡¯t for this, he wouldn¡¯t have been so desperately chased by two assassins.

    Alone, he ran desperately. As the blood flowed more and more, his physical condition worsened, and his vision became increasingly blurred.

    Dimly, he saw a cornfield close by that he could hide in; without another thought, he plunged into it.

    It seemed to be this field.

    Now, the cornfield was left with only the stubble from the autumn harvest, bunched up in heaps.

    Whether it really was this ce, Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t too sure.

    Not to mention that the cornfield had changed to this state, even if it still looked the same as before, given that Autumn Water Vige had so many such cornfields, he couldn¡¯t be certain that this was the one.

    But it really resembled it¡­

    He needed to find out who owned this cornfield.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was trying hard to remember, he suddenly felt someone approaching him.

    Zhan Qipei looked towards the shadow on the ground. Indeed, someone was approaching him, and they were holding a knife.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed, a chill shed in his eyes, his whole body on alert, waiting for the other party to get close enough for a surprise counterattack.

    Suddenly!

    The person behind him lunged forward, swinging the knife towards Zhan Qipei¡¯s head.

    Already on guard, Zhan Qipei quickly dodged to the side, and while moving to the assant¡¯s side, he grabbed the knife and kicked the attacker away.

    ¡°Who are you? Who sent you?¡±

    As soon as Zhan Qipei finished asking, he felt more people approaching from behind.

    Not just one person!

    Zhan Qipei turned around, ready to strike, only to see the other party pull something from their clothes and spray it towards his eyes with a ¡°chi¡ª¡± sound.

    Instantly, Zhan Qipei felt his eyes burning as if they weren¡¯t his own anymore.

    Just then, the person he had just kicked down got up from the ground, knife in hand, and stabbed at his lower back.

    Zhan Qipei, though quick to react and swiftly dodged, still got grazed on the arm by the knife.

    Zhan Qipei stepped back a few paces, shook his head, and tried to open his eyes wide to see the two assassins opposite him.

    He had underestimated them. Both were top-notch assassins with methods beyond ordinary killers. Their exceptionally synchronized coordination, coupled with their underhanded tactics of ambush and treachery, had put him at a significant disadvantage.

    It wasn¡¯t over yet. Another five or six people emerged from hiding, surrounding Zhan Qipei, leaving him no chance to escape.

    Well done!

    Lan Yinyin uttered to herself from the shadows.

    This was exactly the effect she wanted. She would wait a bit longer for Zhan Qipei to sustain serious injuries and be driven into a corner before she would appear.

    At that moment, she would be Zhan Qipei¡¯s only hope in his dying struggles, his only light.

    Perhaps then, Zhan Qipei might fall in love with her.

    Three minutester.

    Because Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t see clearly, and because there were too many of them,

    he was stabbed five or six times back and forth.

    Though none were fatal, his body was covered in blood, looking quite a mess.

    Lan Yinyin gave a look to one of them, signaling that they could escte the violence.

    Receiving the signal, the assassin fiercely plunged the knife towards Zhan Qipei¡¯s left chest.

 Chapter 145 - 138: Are You Hurt? Dont Lie to Me

    Chapter 145: Chapter 138: Are You Hurt? Don¡¯t Lie to Me

    The moment hade!

    Lan Yinyin crouched low, ready to rush out and save someone.

    Just then, a figure shed past her, one step ahead.

    Without a word, they pulled Zhan Qipei away.

    It was her!

    Damn Qiao Jing!

    She could havee earlier orter, but she chose this very moment to interfere, ruining Lan Yinyin¡¯s n!

    Good!

    Very good!

    This time she was seeking her own death, perfect for avenging thest time.

    Upon this thought, Lan Yinyin¡¯s expression twisted ferociously as she gestured towards the assassins.

    Kill her!

    She couldn¡¯t kill Zhan Qipei, but she could kill Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei clung tightly to Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and wouldn¡¯t let go.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Before he could finish his word, Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°You are badly injured, don¡¯t talk.¡±

    Zhan Qipei knew well the prowess of these assassins, he was d that Qiao Jing was willing to save him, but it also put her in danger.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you should run now.¡±

    Qiao Jing, while keeping a watchful eye on the assassins encircling them, replied, ¡°Me? Fine? If I hadn¡¯t arrived just in time, you would¡¯ve been pierced through.¡±

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, trying to clear his vision to get a better look at Qiao Jing, the wider he opened his eyes, the more they burned.

    ¡°I asked Tang Yan to bring people nearby, find them, thene back to rescue me.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced sidelong at Zhan Qipei and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know, you¡¯re saying that just to send me away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not, you¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m telling the truth. Why else would you think I¡¯d be so foolish as toe here alone and risk everything? Tang Yan is really nearby,¡± Zhan Qipei exined earnestly.

    ¡°I know Tang Yan is nearby, but he hasn¡¯te yet, which means he¡¯s also been ambushed and can¡¯t get here anytime soon.¡±

    Qiao Jing could tell that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t want to drag her into this.

    ¡°You think too little of me.¡±

    A few assassins only.

    ¡°They are very strong,¡± Zhan Qipei warned, but Qiao Jing had already charged at them.

    As said, these assassins were indeed very strong, and Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t finish them off in just a few minutes.

    It took ten minutes.

    The assassinsy scattered on the ground, some with broken arms, some with severed legs, and others foaming at the mouth.

    Various horrible scenes.

    Lan Yinyin, hidden in a concealed spot, watched in astonishment.

    She had witnessed Qiao Jing¡¯s prowessst time; she knew she was no match for her, but she never expected Qiao Jing to be so incredibly strong.

    These assassins were all highly trained and trusted by Fifth Master; she herself would likely be no match for even one of them.

    Yet¡ª

    Qiao Jing hadid them all out barehanded.

    Looking at Qiao Jing, there wasn¡¯t a single injury on her body.

    How could such a formidable character be just an ordinary country farmer?

    She would never believe it!

    Zhan Qipei quickly came forward, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and despite his blurred vision, frantically scanned her body for any signs of injury.

    ¡°Are you hurt? Don¡¯t lie to me!¡±

    Seeing the man¡¯s anxious demeanor, Qiao Jing subconsciously twitched her mouth, paused for two seconds, and then said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a nick in my clothes.¡±

    What? Just a nick in the clothes?!

    ¡°Where?¡±

    It couldn¡¯t be in a ce not for others to see, could it?

    If it were, he would definitely gouge out the eyes of all these assassins.

    Zhan Qipei, with his face tensed, thought this as he swiftly searched over Qiao Jing¡¯s body.

    He paid no mind to the differences between men and women, from top to bottom.

    Qiao Jing, speechless, pushed Zhan Qipei away, who had a knife wound on his knee. Suddenly pushed so forcefully by Qiao Jing, he staggered and fell backward.

    Unfortunately, right behind Zhan Qipei was arge rock. If he were to fall like that, the back of his head would surely split open.

    Qiao Jing, holding back her annoyance, quickly reached out to grasp the man¡¯s waist and stabilize him.

    Zhan Qipei took the opportunity to ¡°inertially¡± embrace Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Just as Qiao Jing was about to push Zhan Qipei away again, Zhan Qipei, weak and breathless,y on Qiao Jing¡¯s body and started speaking in a hoarse voice.

    ¡°Quick¡­ dress my wound¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ hold on much longer¡­¡±

    Hearing this, and smelling the blood on the man, Qiao Jing knew this was no time for nonsense.

    After all, although he had almost entirely ¡®devoured¡¯ her earlier, she could tell that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t done it on purpose; he was also worried about her condition.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing decided not to argue with Zhan Qipei anymore.

    ¡°Hang in there.¡± Qiao Jing supported Zhan Qipei as they left the cornfield.

    No sooner had they stepped out than Tang Yan arrived with Zhan¡¯s bodyguards.

    ¡°This¡­¡± Tang Yan¡¯s gaze moved from the assassins lying on the ground back to Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei covered in injuries, his heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°Boss, how are you? Are you okay? We were ambushed on our side too, I came¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about that now. Though no vital parts are injured, if we dy, he could still be in trouble from losing too much blood,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stop.¡± Tang Yan extended his hand in front of Zhan Qipei, ¡°Shall I help?¡±

    Right after Tang Yan spoke, he saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip around Qiao Jing¡¯s arm tighten slightly.

    Zhan Qipei, though worried he might burden Qiao Jing, wanted only her to support him.

    After all, she had just single-handedly dealt with so many fierce assassins; surely, supporting him would be no problem.

    Tang Yan¡¯s extended hand awkwardly retracted in front of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯ll support him, he isn¡¯t heavy.¡±

    Not heavy¡­ These words made Zhan Qipei feel underestimated by Qiao Jing.

    He resolved in his heart that one day, he would make Qiao Jing feel his weight, a weight unbearable.

    The houses in Autumn Water Vige were sparsely situated, and there was no inn nearby; her house was the closest.

    Due to Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition, Qiao Jing decided to first take him to her own home.

    Throughout the journey, Zhan Qipei kept his eyes open, watching hazily, feeling increasingly familiar and also confirming his guess.

    Soon, Qiao Jing had guided Zhan Qipei to the bed.

    Qiao Jing opened the cab, took out a medical kit, began sterilizing, then put on a clean white coat and approached the bed.

    As a doctor, Qiao Jing faced a blood-covered patient and didn¡¯t think of the differences between a man and a woman, so like before, she began by unbuckling the man¡¯s belt.

    ¡°Click¡ª¡± The sound was especially crisp in the room.

    Tang Yan stared, his eyes wide as could be.

    Underneath Zhan Qipei¡¯s tense expression was an almost overflowing delight.

    This was the feeling!

    Exactly the same!

    Next, she was going to pull down his pants.

    As Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand had already touched his pants.

    Down¡ª

    Pull.

 Chapter 146 - 139: I Want You to Be My Woman

    Chapter 146: Chapter 139: I Want You to Be My Woman

    Halfway through, Qiao Jing stopped.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed, and disappointment filled his eyes.

    After halting her actions, Qiao Jing looked towards Tang Yan.

    ¡°You do it, it¡¯s not convenient for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Tang Yan strode over, rolled up his sleeves to begin, then was stared down by his own boss¡¯s gaze.

    Err¡ª

    After a brief moment of confusion, Tang Yan clutched his stomach.

    ¡°Hiss¡ªno good, no good! I have a bad stomach, I need to use the restroom.¡± Tang Yan said as he ran out, and thoughtfully shut the door behind him.

    In the room, only Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei remained.

    ¡°Hurry up and stop the bleeding for me, I¡¯m about to¡­ to pass out.¡± Zhan Qipei said weakly, as if he was on his deathbed.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing did not dy any longer and quickly stripped.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth curved up, lying on the bed with-body pleasure, enjoying the process of Qiao Jing treating him.

    The only regret was that the wound on his leg was quite far from his thigh, so he could not enjoy the VIP treatment like thest time.

    Midway through the surgery, Zhan Qipei passed out due to excessive weakness.

    When he woke up, his vision had mostly recovered.

    Zhan Qipei struggled to sit up, leaning on the bed, and nced around the room.

    The walls were adorned with awards from childhood to adulthood, and by the window stood a semi-old desk.

    This must be Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    Zhan Qipei sat alone for a while, and seeing that Qiao Jing had not returned, bored, he supported himself against the wall and walked towards the window, noticing the medicine box on the desk.

    If he remembered correctly, when he was lying in bed after being shotst time, he vaguely saw this medicine box.

    The red cross was particrly conspicuous¡­ it left a deep impression in his memory¡­

    Upon opening the medicine box, Zhan Qipei was first drawn to the surgical knife inside.

    This knife¡­

    Zhan Qipei took out the surgical knife and examined it closely before his eyes.

    Soon, the image of Qiao Jing using this knife to shave him surfaced in his mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± As Qiao Jing pushed the door open, she saw Zhan Qipei holding her favored surgical knife.

    Zhan Qipei met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and asked, ¡°Was it you who performed the surgery on me using this knife at that time?¡±

    A flicker of surprise passed through Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, but in just a second, it was gone, reced with her usual expression.

    ¡°I told you, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than she was pinned against the wall by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°At this point, you¡¯re still denying it. What¡¯s the point? Or are you saying you have the guts to do it but not the guts to admit it?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei take it this far, Qiao Jing felt that there really was no point in hiding it anymore.

    ¡°I admit it, it was me, what are you going to do about it?¡±

    Qiao Jing just couldn¡¯t believe that Zhan Qipei would really seek revenge for a favor, just because she touched a part of him she shouldn¡¯t have, and now he wanted to retaliate against her.

    Zhan Qipei squinted his profound and distinct eyes, fixating unwaveringly on Qiao Jing.

    At this moment, the distance between the two was less than an arm¡¯s length, close enough to breathe in each other¡¯s breath.

    The atmosphere was tense, on the verge of explosion.

    After a minute of staring each other down,

    Zhan Qipei spoke first.

    ¡°I want you¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together, quietly waiting for Zhan Qipei¡¯s next words.

    ¡°Be my woman.¡±

    What? Huh? Eh?

    This abrupt turn left Qiao Jing utterly shocked.

    Qiao Jing even started to doubt her own ears.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qiao Jing barely opened her mouth when Zhan Qipei seized the moment to press his advantage.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted instantly! Her wide eyes filled with disbelief!

    Her brain froze, and it took a long time before she came to her senses.

    By the time she regained herposure, the man was still lost in expanding his territories obliviously.

    Qiao Jing could bear it no longer, and with a push on the man¡¯s shoulders, she managed to shove him away and instinctively raised her hand to deliver a p.

    ¡°p¡ª¡± The sound was exceptionally loud.

    Tang Yan heard themotion and hurried in.

    Upon entering, his eyes were instantly drawn to the handprint on his boss¡¯s face.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s furious expression, it was clear who had delivered that p.

    As Tang Yan stood there, bewildered and shocked, Zhan Qipei suddenly smiled.

    ¡°Heh heh¡­ heh heh heh¡­¡± Zhan Qipei smiled, extending his hand and grasping Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, which was as delicate and white as the moon, and slowly lifted it.

    Qiao Jing reflexively jerked her hand, but Zhan Qipei pulled on it firmly, unwilling to let go.

    ¡°What on earth are you trying to do?¡± she eximed.

    Qiao Jing struggled to break free, mostly because the man¡¯s hand was sorge that whenever he grasped her wrist, it was tightly restrained and difficult to escape.

    A happy and pleased look shone in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, with the corners of his mouth turned up.

    ¡°You saved me once before, and then did that thing to me, and now you¡¯ve pped me. Both the former and thetter were the first in my life. Don¡¯t you think you should take responsibility? So, I¡¯ve set my heart on you for this lifetime. You have to stay with me until we¡¯re old and grey.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at Zhan Qipei, a very telling gesture.

    ¡°Mr. Zhan, I remember quite clearly, we only have ten more days left between us,¡± she said.

    ¡°After ten days, I won¡¯t go to the Civil Affairs Bureau with you,¡± Zhan Qipei said, gazing at Qiao Jing with utmost seriousness.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed, her eyes and brows tinged with anger, ¡°Zhan Qipei! What exactly do you mean?¡±

    Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and ced it over his left chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken a liking to you. You have to be my wife for life.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s sudden confession had left Qiao Jing momentarily speechless.

    Qiao Jing thought Zhan Qipei was ying her at first, but the man looked as earnest as could be, without a trace of jest.

    ¡°You¡­ You mean, you like me?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Zhan Qipei nodded without any hint of evasion.

    The mere nod from the man carried the gravity of a heavy promise.

    This look on the man¡¯s face, once again, left Qiao Jing dumbfounded.

    She was used to confessions; they no longer stirred much within her.

    But the spontaneous confession from Zhan Qipei had truly stunned her.

    Tang Yan curled his lips, exited from the doorway, and gently closed the door behind the two.

    The room was once again left with only Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Time ticked away by the second.

    Qiao Jing looked at the man¡¯s serious face and then at the hand he was holding before she finally spoke:

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense. How could one suddenly fall in love with someone? Moreover, if your grandfather hadn¡¯t coerced you with the threat of death on our wedding day, you probably wouldn¡¯t have shown up. Let¡¯s not even mention the incident where you hit me; you clearly told me afterward that you would never fall for me. Now you¡¯re saying all this, and I really don¡¯t understand you.¡±

 Chapter 147 - 140: Zhan Qipei Becomes a Wife-Pampering Maniac

    Chapter 147: Chapter 140: Zhan Qipei Bes a Wife-Pampering Maniac

    ¡°`

    When Qiao Jing finished speaking, she saw the man furrow his brows, his expression filled with self-recrimination and apology.

    Suddenly, the man took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it tenderly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault, I swear, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you a thousandfold, a hundredfold.¡±

    The man spoke with deep affection, his tone sincere, his eyes brimming with the reflection of Qiao Jing, as if he were looking at the entire world.

    Qiao Jing had never seen Zhan Qipei like this, her mind went nk to the point that she even overlooked the fact that the man had kissed her hand.

    It took a full minute before Qiao Jing snapped out of her daze, withdrew her hand, gave Zhan Qipei a puzzled look, then opened the door and left.

    Qiao Jing stood in the courtyard, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds.

    If it weren¡¯t for the scenery she was seeing being too vivid, she would definitely suspect she was just dreaming.

    After all, even in a dream, she couldn¡¯t possibly imagine the man making such a passionate confession to her.

    It didn¡¯t make sense.

    It truly didn¡¯t make sense.

    Perhaps it¡¯s because she was an expert in researching crops, not an expert in people, so she couldn¡¯t understand?

    Lan Yinyin called Fifth Master on the phone, detailing everything that had just happened without leaving out a single detail.

    After finishing, Lan Yinyin shakily waited for the response from the other end of the phone.

    The mission had failed again, so how would the Fifth Master punish her?

    ¡°Interesting, truly interesting¡­¡± A voice tinged with a hint of sickness came from the phone.

    Hearing this, Lan Yinyin was confused.

    What¡¯s interesting?

    Before Lan Yinyin could figure it out, she heard Fifth Master¡¯s voicee through the phone once again.

    ¡°This Qiao Jing, who exactly is she? I¡¯m bing more and more curious.¡±

    Fifth Master was sitting on the sofa, sipping red wine, gazing at the images on the LCD screen.

    In the images, Qiao Jing could be seen defeating the elite fighters he had sent.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing bring down all his well-trained experts, he put down his wine ss and pped his hands.

    ¡°Beautiful!¡±

    After speaking, Fifth Master stood up and walked close to the LCD screen, caressing Qiao Jing¡¯s face on the screen.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve encountered someone this interesting.¡±

    ¡°Long San.¡± Fifth Master called out.

    The person referred to as Long San entered, partially bowed his head, and waited for Fifth Master¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°Prepare my private ne, arrange the trip, in a week, I want to go to the capital.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡­ I will meet you in person.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Master, I will make the arrangements right away.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s injuries healed quickly, and after three days, he was almost entirely without major issues.

    On the fourth day, Zhan Qipei received a phone call from Su Manhan, saying that Zhan Yuanshan had been discharged from the hospital and there was a celebration for him at the old Zhan Family house, urging them to return early.

    Quite a few people came to the Zhan Family¡¯s old house this time.

    Zhan Yao¡¯s branch of the family came, as well as Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s second son, Zhan Hui, with his whole family in attendance.

    Additionally, Lou Xinrou also shamelessly showed up.

    ¡°Qipei hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡± Zhan Yao looked toward the main entrance.

    Everyone had arrived except Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s Qiao Jing dawdling, that¡¯s why they¡¯re dyed until now,¡± Su Manhan said displeased.

    Zhan Yao saw Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s face darken, then discreetly elbowed Su Manhan as a hint to watch her words in front of the old man.

    Su Manhan pursed her lips.

    What¡¯s the matter? Is Qiao Jing some kind of precious darling? Was it not allowed for her, who was currently Qiao Jing¡¯s temporary mother-inw, to say a few words?

    ¡°Fortunately, the divorce is in five days, and I can finally get this big rock off my chest,¡± she thought.

    ¡°`

    She wasn¡¯t allowed to say it, but she insisted on saying.

    Zhan Yao furrowed his brows, although he was a man, he simply had no way to deal with his wife.

    Zhan Yao turned his head to look at Zhan Yuanshan and, sure enough, the old man¡¯s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.

    Why wouldn¡¯t Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s face be dark? He had not easily brought together this happy event and was looking forward to Qiao Jing bing a member of his family after 100 days.

    Yet with the date almost upon them, there had not been any further progress between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    It was maddening!

    As opposed to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s headache, Zhan Ruiting was overjoyed.

    In this period, he had been keen to pursue Qiao Jing, but after all, she was his cousin¡¯s wife in name. Pursuing her too boldly would make it difficult for his cousin to save face.

    So he had to restrain himself.

    Five days! Just five more days and he could boldly pursue her without restraint.

    ¡°This is great!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, like Zhan Yuanshan, was also terribly vexed.

    Of course, she wasn¡¯t vexed by the impending divorce between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei. It was the pot of potatoes on the balcony that was troubling her.

    How should she write the research report?

    While everyone was preupied with their thoughts, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei arrived.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, Jing Girl, I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± Zhan Yuanshan said as he went forward, leaning on his walking stick.

    ¡°There was a traffic ident on the way and a jam, which dyed us for a while,¡± Qiao Jing exined as she took Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s pulse upon reaching his side.

    Seeing Qiao Jing so concerned about him made Zhan Yuanshan gleeful, his mouth grinning so wide he couldn¡¯t close it.

    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything seriously wrong for now, but it¡¯s best to continue with the maintenance.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± Zhan Yuanshan replied with the tone one uses with beloved children.

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s demeanor made everyone present feel sour.

    This was especially true for Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s two sons, who had never seen their father treat them the way he treated Qiao Jing.

    In their eyes, Zhan Yuanshan was a strict father, with high expectations, and their upbringing was akin to training soldiers.

    ¡°Grandfather, when are we going to eat? I¡¯m starving,¡± Zhan Nanqingined.

    ¡°Eat, eat, eat, that¡¯s all you ever think about. Look at you, you¡¯re getting so fat,¡± Zhan Yuanshan said irritably, ncing at Zhan Nanqing before turning his attention back to Qiao Jing, his face instantly changing like a performer in a Beijing opera.

    ¡°Jing Girl, you must be starving. Let¡¯s start the meal.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pulled a face in disbelief.

    She knew Zhan Yuanshan was partial, but even favoritism should have its limits, right?

    The family gathered around the dining table.

    Zhan Yuanshan gave Qiao Jing a shrimp, ¡°Here, try this and see if it¡¯s tasty?¡±

    Qiao Jing was about to reach for it when a pair of chopsticks darted into her bowl and took the shrimp away.

    All eyes were on this scene.

    The one who had taken the shrimp was none other than Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Yuanshan became angry, ¡°You little rascal, I was giving the shrimp to Jing Girl, what are you snatching for? There¡¯s more in the te, can¡¯t you¡ª¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan had not finished yelling when he saw Zhan Qipei put the peeled shrimp in Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Eat.¡±

    Silence.

    The entire dining room fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

    Everyone stared at the shrimp in Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl, questioning the world, questioning life itself.

    Not just the bystanders were dumbfounded, even Qiao Jing felt somewhat bewildered.

    Although Zhan Qipei¡¯s attitude towards her had changed dramatically over the past few days, this was the first time he had peeled shrimp for her in front of so many people.

    ¡°Qipei, what are you doing?¡± Su Manhan asked after regainingposure.

 Chapter 148 - 141: Zhan Qipei Wants to Feed Qiao Jing

    Chapter 148: Chapter 141: Zhan Qipei Wants to Feed Qiao Jing

    ¡°Peeling shrimp,¡± Zhan Qipei responded indifferently.

    Su Manhan subconsciously opened her mouth.

    She knows you¡¯re peeling shrimp, but was that her question?

    It¡¯s not ¡®okay¡¯, is it?

    Before Su Manhan could think of something else to say, Zhan Qipei peeled another shrimp and put it into Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    And it didn¡¯t end there. Zhan Qipei picked up a piece of fish, ced it on his own te, meticulously removed all the bones, and then ced it into Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl as well.

    At this act, Su Manhan and the others watched, dumbfounded.

    Zhan Yuanshan was so amused that he couldn¡¯t help but burst out in loudughter.

    ¡°Good, very good! That¡¯s what a qualified good husband does!¡± Zhan Yuanshan stroked his beard, his old eyes squinting with mirth as he looked at Zhan Qipei with great satisfaction.

    Qiao Jing looked at the shrimp and fish in her bowl, her expression one of awkward indecision¡ªneither to eat nor to abstain.

    In the end, Qiao Jing moved her chopsticks and ced the shrimp and fish into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°I have hands of my own; I can do it myself.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking, than she saw Zhan Qipei picking up a shrimp again and holding it up to her mouth.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re upset that I haven¡¯t fed you.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Everyone ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Zhan Qipei.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m here.¡±

    Qiao Jing took a breath, and facing the doting gaze of Zhan Qipei, found herself incapable of losing her temper.

    ¡°Do you want me to feed you, or will you eat by yourself?¡± Zhan Qipei said, moving the shrimp closer to Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, just a tiny bit away from touching her lips.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eye twitched wordlessly, her temples involuntarily pulsating as well.

    To be fed? Or to eat by herself?

    Between the two, Qiao Jing chose thetter.

    Sitting opposite them, Zhan Ruiting blinked and then looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Cousin, what¡¯s this¡­ Does this mean you¡¯re not nning to get a divorce?¡±

    Did Zhan Qipei grasp Zhan Ruiting¡¯s intention?

    He was taking aim at Qiao Jing!

    ¡°Not getting a divorce, not for a lifetime.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Su Manhan¡¯s chopsticks dropped to the floor.

    Zhan Nanqing drunkenly held a rib in her mouth, stunned!

    Zhan Ruiting, on the other hand, jumped to her feet, staring at Zhan Qipei with eyes full of disbelief.

    ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Zhan Yuanshanughed heartily, ¡°Good! It¡¯s right not to divorce! Truly worthy of the man I approved of, excellent judgment indeed!¡±

    Qiao Jing put down her chopsticks, turned her cold face towards Zhan Qipei, ¡°Whether we divorce or not isn¡¯t up to you. One hundred days were agreed upon, and it¡¯s one hundred days. Now, only five days are left.¡±

    The two locked eyes, for a full minute.

    One minuteter.

    Zhan Qipei picked up Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl and filled it with plenty of delicious dishes, then poured her a ss of juice.

    ¡°Eat up.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the mountain of dishes in her bowl, the ss filled with juice, and then at the man¡¯s face beaming with indulgence. She felt as though she had punched with all her might only to hit a mass of cotton.

    After the meal, Zhan Nanqing followed Qiao Jing out into the courtyard.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡¯re not keeping your word! Didn¡¯t you say you disliked my brother? So what exactly is going on between you two now?¡±

    Qiao Jing massaged her temple, ¡°Are you visually impaired? Can¡¯t you see it¡¯s your brother who¡¯s beenying on the charm nonstop? Didn¡¯t you notice that I¡¯m also troubled by it?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was left speechless by Qiao Jing¡¯s retort. After a couple of seconds, a guess urred to her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! You couldn¡¯t possibly be pretending to say that in front of me and Xinrou with the intention of making us drop our guard, focusing all our attention on Lan Yinyin. All so that while we¡¯re caught up in a struggle with Lan Yinyin, you¡¯d have the chance to conquer my brother?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing felt sure her spection was the truth and then looked at Qiao Jing as if she were a rat that had scurried out into the light.

    ¡°`

    Contempt.

    Qiao Jing chuckled lightly and shook her head.

    ¡°What are youughing at? Is it because I exposed your lies, so you¡¯re usingughter to cover it up?¡± Zhan Nanqing said, huffing with anger.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing like she was looking at an idiot.

    ¡°I¡¯mughing at you because you think too highly of yourself. You and Lan Yinyin are fighting a battle to the death? I only see the fish dead, the not yet torn.¡±

    ¡°You, you¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face turned red with suffocation, filled with shame and only wanting to find a mouse hole to crawl into.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point, don¡¯t change the subject! I¡¯m asking you, is it true like I said, that you deliberately told me you weren¡¯t interested in my brother and then went on to seduce him?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing grew more certain as she spoke.

    She had told herself, how could Qiao Jing possibly not like her brother? He was so outstanding that any woman would want to climb into his bed.

    Someone like Qiao Jing, a country bumpkin, must certainly be dreaming of transforming from a sparrow to a phoenix, from Cindere to a queen.

    ¡°Alright, I agree to cooperate with you,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Zhan Nanqing was stunned. ¡°What¡ªwhat cooperation?¡±

    Where did thate from all of a sudden?

    She was questioning if Qiao Jing had used shady methods to seduce her brother, and now she was talking about cooperation out of the blue.

    ¡°Not only is your vision poor, but your memory is also bad,¡± Qiao Jingmented with a sneer.

    ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s bad!¡±

    ¡°You forgot about the time you came to talk to me about cooperating,¡± Qiao Jing reminded her.

    ¡°When did I¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing was saying this when her eyes suddenly widened.

    ¡°You mean, cooperating to deal with Lan Yinyin?¡± Zhan Nanqing stared at Qiao Jing with wide eyes.

    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ll help you deal with Lan Yinyin, and in return, you need to do me a favor. Help keep your brother away from me, tell him to stop bothering me,¡± Qiao Jing said earnestly, without a trace of joking in her expression.

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback.

    It directly told her that Qiao Jing was not pretendingshe was sincerely disinterested in having any rtionship with her brother.

    Truth be told.

    Her feelings were veryplicated.

    On one hand, she was happy that Qiao Jing had no such ideas about her brother. On the other hand, why did she feel like her brother was being disdain by Qiao Jing?

    Her brother was so good. Why disdain him? Her brother being nice to you is your good fortune.

    She almost blurted out these words.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Zhan Nanqing stared at Qiao Jing intently.

    ¡°Otherwise, shall we sign a contract?¡± Qiao Jing suggested.

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing no longer doubted the sincerity in Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    ¡°No need for a contract. Let our cooperation be effective from now,¡± she said.

    After saying this, Zhan Nanqing felt an unpleasant taste in her heart.

    ¡°I¡¯m very curious, with your brother being so outstanding and girls liking outstanding men, why don¡¯t you like my brother?¡±

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her slender eyebrows and casually replied, ¡°Your brother isn¡¯t as outstanding as me.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Pfft! Narcissist.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips and, without paying any more attention to Qiao Jing, turned and walked away.

    She had not gone far when she heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice behind her.

    ¡°Have you finished the report? Hand it over tomorrow.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing paused mid-step, twitched the corner of her mouth, then marched into the vi, headed to her room. She had to stay up all night and pull an all-nighter to write the report.

    The next day.

    Zhan Nanqing arrived at Nantai Apartment with dark circles under her eyes as authentic as a panda¡¯s.

    She approached the door and pressed the doorbell.

    ¡°Coming,ing,¡± a man¡¯s voice, full of sunny disposition, came from inside.

 Chapter 149 - 142: Zhan Nanqing Insists on Entering the Research Institute

    Chapter 149: Chapter 142: Zhan Nanqing Insists on Entering the Research Institute

    Huh?

    Who?

    This voice definitely wasn¡¯t her brother¡¯s.

    Had Qiao Jing brought another man home?

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was pondering this, the door opened from the inside.

    ¡°Gan Lan?!¡± Zhan Nanqing eximed in surprise.

    She knew Qiao Jing and Gan Lan knew each other but had not expected Qiao Jing to bring Gan Lan home.

    Seeing Gan Lan¡¯s puppy-like demeanor, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s imagination began to run wild.

    Could it be that the real reason Qiao Jing didn¡¯t like her brother was that she preferred the puppy-dog type?

    ¡°Where¡¯s Qiao Jing?¡± Zhan Nanqing peeked inside as she asked.

    ¡°Miss Qiao¡¯s clothes got wet because of me, so she¡¯s gone to her room to change,¡± replied Gan Lan.

    This statement shocked Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°You, you, you say that again? You got¡ªgot, Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes wet? What were, what were you doing just now?¡±

    Oh my god!

    Had she heard that right?

    Even though Qiao Jing was in a contract marriage with her brother, they were still legally married.

    Qiao Jing was actually doing such things while married!

    And, no matter what, to bring someone home!

    Wasn¡¯t that just too much?

    She dared not imagine what would happen if her brother found out.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, spouting nonsense?¡± Gan Lan¡¯s shout snapped Zhan Nanqing back to reality.

    That was him; he couldn¡¯t tolerate anyone insulting Qiao Jing.

    Not even in his thoughts.

    His idol, Professor Qiao, was so outstanding and deserved the world¡¯s reverence!

    ¡°Who¡¯s spouting nonsense? Just now you yourself said that Qiao Jing got wet because of you and is changing clothes inside. Isn¡¯t it obvious what you two were doing?¡±

    ¡°You, you, you¡ªdare to insult my idol again and see what happens!¡± Gan Lan rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight with Zhan Nanqing.

    Normally, Gan Lan was a civilized cultural intellectual, maintaining the demeanor of a schr under most circumstances.

    It was just that when it came to Qiao Jing, he couldn¡¯t control himself.

    ¡°Your idol?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing paused, puzzled.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t a celebrity or an entertainer, so how had she be Gan Lan¡¯s idol?

    Could it be because of Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills?

    That seemed unlikely.

    Gan Lan studied agricultural field expertise in college; if he were to admire anyone, it would be a super agricultural mogul like Professor Qiao. How could he have idolized Qiao Jing, whose expertise was in medicine?

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss Qiao is my idol! Just now, Miss Qiao poured me a ss of water. Can you believe it, my idol personally pouring water for me? How could I not be excited? I was so thrilled that I identally failed to catch it and spilled the water all over Miss Qiao.¡±

    Hearing Gan Lan¡¯s exnation, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face turned slightly red.

    Alright, she had misunderstood.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing came out of the room after changing clothes.

    ¡°Is the report finished?¡± Qiao Jing asked, looking at the report in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Yeah, I did it casually. This level of a report is child¡¯s y for me,¡± said Zhan Nanqing with her chin held high, arrogantly.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s dark circles, and she arched an eyebrow subtly, not exposing the lie.

    Qiao Jing took the report from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hands, looked at it, and sat down on the couch.

    ¡°Thump¡ªThump thump¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s nervous heart was racing nonstop.

    Although she had acted nonchnt just now, she actually cared quite a bit.

    Zhan Nanqing unconsciously moved closer to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, as tense as a student waiting in the office for the teacher to grade their homework.

    Strange!

    Why would she think that way?

    After all, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t really her teacher, so why was she so nervous?

    Even when she was in school, she had never been this nervous in front of her teachers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, don¡¯t be nervous¡­¡±

    She had done her utmost to write this report, and she was very confident in her abilities.

    As long as it was something she wanted to do, she could generally aplish it with effort.

    Looking back, it seemed her life never involved particrly strenuous effort.

    That couldn¡¯t entirely be med on her, mainly because she was born into a very good situation¡ªit was unnecessary to strive, she could achieve things by lying t.

    Zhan Nanqing keptforting herself, yet as she watched Qiao Jing¡¯s face, one of utter seriousness and evident professionalism, she couldn¡¯t help but continue to feel tense.

    ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± with a sound, Qiao Jing turned the page and continued reading.

    Hiss¡ª

    Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath, suppressing her inner tension, and stood beside Qiao Jing.

    Five minutester, Qiao Jing¡¯s attention shifted away from the report, and she turned her head to look at Zhan Nanqing.

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing was on the brink of having the words ¡°nervous¡± clearly written on her face.

    Zhan Nanqing fixed her eyes on Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, waiting for her forting words.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, not too bad,¡± Qiao Jing objectivelymented.

    ¡°What? Not too bad? Are your standards too high, or are you pretending to understand when you don¡¯t?¡±

    Despite her nervousness, Zhan Nanqing had the pride of the Zhan Family in her bones; she was very confident in what she had written.

    She felt that what she had written was quite good.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words displeased Gan Lan.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand? In this field, if she doesn¡¯t understand, then nobody does!¡±

    What does that mean?

    Hearing Gan Lan say this, Zhan Nanqing was a bit confused.

    Gan Lan¡¯s words were not yet finished, ¡°You should be content! If she says you¡¯re not too bad, that¡¯s already a very high evaluation. Many people with significant achievements do not have the privilege of receiving herments.¡±

    Gan Lan¡¯s admiration grew as she spoke.

    Because Qiao Jing had reviewed it so earnestly, and as a peak figure in the agricultural field, to calmly review ayman like Zhan Nanqing¡¯s report without any pretense, reflected her down-to-earth nature.

    What¡¯s that called?

    Doing the most impressive things with the least showiness.

    Admiration!

    She admired her so profoundly that she was practically bowing down in reverence!

    The more Zhan Nanqing listened to Gan Lan, the more bewildered she became. Looking at Gan Lan now, those sparkling eyes gazing at Qiao Jing, it was as if she was watching a deity.

    What in the world?

    Why was Gan Lan so adoring of Qiao Jing? And the way he spoke earlier was very strange, too.

    All these questions, she hoped to understand them all once she entered the research institute.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯vepleted the report, and you said it¡¯s not too bad, so can I enter the research institute now?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Do you really want to enter?¡± Qiao Jing asked seriously, looking at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Of course I do! Otherwise, why would I have put so much effort into this thest few days? What are you suggesting? Are you thinking of reneging?¡± Zhan Nanqing indicated that if Qiao Jing went back on her word, she would definitely have it out with her.

    Because if Qiao Jing reneged, it would mean that Zhan Nanqing had been yed for a fool by her, having wasted so much time and thought on the report for nothing.

    Who wouldn¡¯t be infuriated by such a thing?

    ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight in advance; with your current level, if you were to join, you could only start as an assistant helping with printing and organizing documents, serving tea, and such tasks. Are you willing to do that?¡±

    The purpose of Qiao Jing saying this was to make Zhan Nanqing give up on her own, because if Zhan Nanqing really entered the research institute, it would mean that her identity would be exposed.

 Chapter 150 - 143: So Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao (1)

    Chapter 150: Chapter 143: So Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao (1)

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this kind of work? Pouring tea and being an assistant is the same everywhere, but I¡¯m going to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute to be an assistant. What¡¯s so embarrassing about that? It¡¯s an honor, okay?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing wasn¡¯t just ttering Professor Qiao; it was about Professor Qiao¡¯s status in their empire.

    Not to mention, just the fact that Gan Lan joined the research institute was enough for the Gan family to boast and hold a big feast. That alone proved how impressive it was to get into Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!

    When Zhan Nanqing said this, Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow slightly.

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t mind,e and report for duty tomorrow.¡±

    She agreed?

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned for a moment, ¡°You really can let me in?¡±

    She had wanted to ask that question for a while now.

    But even if she doubted her, what could she do? Originally, she had nned to get into the research institute through Lou Xinrou¡¯s second uncle, Manager Lou.

    Who would have known that Manager Lou would outright reject the idea and said he needed to ask for Qiao Jing¡¯s opinion?

    While Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, Gan Lan interjected.

    ¡°What she says goes. If she can¡¯t let you in, no one else would dare to.¡±

    Um?

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback again. Wasn¡¯t that overstating things a bit?

    It was as if Qiao Jing owned the research institute.

    The next day.

    Zhan Nanqing arrived early at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. In the past, the security guards always stopped her whenever she came.

    Although Qiao Jing had said yesterday that she could juste over directly tomorrow, standing at the entrance of the research institute, she still felt somewhat uneasy.

    She was worried that Qiao Jing was toying with her.

    What if she was stopped again by the two security guards at the gate when she got there?

    After hesitating for a minute.

    Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath and muttered to herself, ¡°Qiao Jing, if you dare to fool me, just you wait! I will definitely make you regret it!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had made up her mind. If Qiao Jing really tricked her, she didn¡¯t care what her grandfather and brother would think; she would go all out against Qiao Jing first.

    With this in mind, Zhan Nanqing stepped forward and walked towards the main entrance.

    Her body tensed up, whereas her heart was in turmoil.

    Finally, she passed by the two security guards and went in.

    ¡°I really got in?!¡±

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t lied to her!

    But¡ª

    Zhan Nanqing frowned and began to analyze carefully.

    This also proved that Qiao Jing had a say in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    This made her even more curious; what exactly was Qiao Jing¡¯s role in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was eager to go inside, she caught a glimpse of a ck Maybach slowly driving up out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that my brother¡¯s car?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stopped in her tracks, craning her neck to look.

    Soon, the car pulled over to the side and stopped.

    Then she saw the passenger door open.

    Qiao Jing got out of the car.

    Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing hade in her brother¡¯s car.

    And the driver was¡ª

    Zhan Nanqing focused her gaze on the driver¡¯s seat, then she saw the driver¡¯s door open.

    Indeed, it was her brother!

    My goodness! Did her brother dote on Qiao Jing that much? He actually drove Qiao Jing here himself?

    Didn¡¯t Qiao Jing say she didn¡¯t like her brother? Then why did she let him drive her?

    Could it be that Qiao Jing presented one face to her and another behind her back?

    After getting out of the car, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at Zhan Qipei and strode toward the research institute.

    ¡°Wait a second.¡± Zhan Qipei strode up with his long legs and intercepted Qiao Jing¡¯s path before pulling down his own scarf and insisting on putting it on her without so much as a word of exnation.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing began to take the scarf off.

    Just then, her shoulder was suddenly seized by the man.

    Before Qiao Jing could react to what he was about to do, he leaned in with his thin lips and kissed her on the forehead.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted instantly, and she reflexively raised her hand to p him.

    But before her hand could reach his face, it was caught by hisrge palm.

    Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and pressed it against his face.

    He applied a bit of force.

    ¡°Do you like hitting me that much?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with a seductive look in his eyes.

    This scene had Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

    The two security guards at the entrance were professionally trained, and no matter what happened, their emotions were never swayed.

    But¡ª

    At that moment, what they saw was their Research Institute¡¯s Professor Qiao being flirted with.

    And that had thempletely shocked!

    ¡°Enough!¡± Qiao Jing tugged at her hand, unable to pull it free.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s angry words had barely left her lips when Zhan Qipei suddenly lifted her hand to his mouth.

    With a soft ¡°pop,¡± he kissed it.

    Silence.

    Shock!

    Qiao Jing quickly withdrew her hand and stepped back to maintain a certain distance from Zhan Qipei.

    Instinct told her that if she didn¡¯t keep her distance from this man, he might very well take even more outrageous actions.

    Zhan Nanqing was already so stunned that her jaw was about to drop.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, if you go too far again, don¡¯t me me for not being polite to you!¡± Having dropped those words, Qiao Jing walked briskly towards the entrance with a mix of shyness and indignation.

    As she passed by Zhan Nanqing, she stopped.

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to stand by and watch? Have you forgotten our agreement from yesterday? I help you deal with Lan Yinyin, and you keep your brother in check!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth gaped even wider, at a loss for what to say.

    Earlier, when she had seen her brother bringing Qiao Jing, she was full of suspicions about Qiao Jing.

    Now, with eyes that were not blind and a heart that was not deaf, she could tell who was the one doing the clinging.

    To be honest, from her childhood to present, her brother had always been a cold and aloof, desirous tyrant CEO in her mind, attracting girls who would then make all kinds of overtures toward him.

    And just now, what had she seen?

    Her brother had been like a clingy ster, trying to stick to Qiao Jing, who did not seem to care at all.

    It was one thing for Qiao Jing not to care, but after being kissed by her brother, she even tried to p him.

    Moreover, she had clearly seen her brother coax Qiao Jing to smack his own face with her hand, patting it lightly against his cheek, and even smiling about it.

    This¡ªwhat on earth was going on?

    ¡°Do you have a tissue?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Somewhat dazed, Zhan Nanqing handed a tissue to Qiao Jing, who took it, wiped her forehead, and then tossed it into the trash can.

    Er¡ª

    From Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, Zhan Nanqing could see a look of disgust.

    At that moment, her feelings were indescribable with any words.

    Suddenly, a furious scolding erupted.

    ¡°Young man from the Zhan Family, you¡¯ve got some nerve! How dare you bully Xiao Jing!¡±

    The person speaking was none other than Xu Hongzu.

    The moment Zhan Qipei had kissed Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead, the exiting Xu Hongzu had witnessed it firsthand.

    d in the research institute¡¯sb coat, Xu Hongzu stormed out, huffing angrily.

 Chapter 151 - 144: So Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao (2)

    Chapter 151: Chapter 144: So Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao (2)

    Following behind Xu Hongzu were a dozen or so senior professors.

    Soon, Zhan Qipei was surrounded by a group of old men for a session of criticism and education.

    ¡°Zhan kid, don¡¯t you know there¡¯s such a thing as proper conduct between men and women?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, with his chin slightly raised, replied, ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only in a contract marriage, which is ending in a few days.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife,¡± Zhan Qipei emphasized.

    ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t do that sort of thing to Xiao Jing in public!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡±

    The group of old professors was about to explode with frustration at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Nanqing watched, wide-eyed and tongue-tied, feeling utterly shocked.

    She knew Xu Hongzu was very fond of Qiao Jing, but she didn¡¯t expect all the senior professors in the institute to dote on Qiao Jing so much; it was as if Qiao Jing was their own granddaughter.

    Does Qiao Jing really have such great charm?

    How had she not noticed it?

    With that thought, Zhan Nanqing turned to look and found Qiao Jing had already gone inside.

    She didn¡¯t even wait for me!

    Zhan Nanqingined as she hurried after Qiao Jing.

    Thoughts raced through her mind: It was her first time here; shouldn¡¯t this veteran employee guide her? How could she be so irresponsible?

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to catch up to Qiao Jing, she saw two staff members from the institute pass by Qiao Jing and called out, ¡°Professor Qiao, good morning.¡±

    ¡°Mm,¡± Qiao Jing nodded her head in acknowledgment.

    What???

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s steps came to an immediate halt, and she uncaringly dug at her ear.

    She must have been hearing things because it had been so long since shest cleaned her ears.

    That¡¯s when Zhan Nanqing saw a very renowned agricultural professor approaching them.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Professor Wang?¡±

    Speaking of which, this Professor Wang had been her mother¡¯s teacher in college.

    She also heard it from her mom, who had taken elective courses taught by Professor Wang during her university years.

    However, she had never heard Su Manhan mention that Professor Wang had joined Professor Qiao¡¯s institute as well.

    She would tell her mom about this when she got back.

    ¡°Professor Wang!¡± Zhan Nanqing greeted Professor Wang as she approached him.

    ¡°You are?¡± Professor Wang watched Zhan Nanqing with a scrutinizing look.

    ¡°My mother was your student; her name is Su Manhan, and she has married into the Zhan Family,¡± Zhan Nanqing hurriedly exined, ncing at Qiao Jing with raised eyebrows while she spoke.

    The implication in her eyes was clear: see how wide herwork was. Even without Qiao Jing, she could get into the institute through her connection with Professor Wang.

    ¡°Oh. I have a vague recollection,¡± said Professor Wang, purely out of politeness.

    With so many students, he couldn¡¯t possibly remember them all.

    ¡°That¡¯s great! My mom would be thrilled to know you work here. Professor Wang, when are you free? Come visit our ce sometime, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°We can catch upter; I have something to take care of.¡± Professor Wang interrupted Zhan Nanqing but handed a report to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°This is the report you asked me to do a while back; I¡¯ve just finished it. Please take a look and let me know if anything needs to be improved?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mind was thrown into disarray upon hearing Professor Wang¡¯s words, and her thoughts became a mushy mess.

    Qiao Jing took the report and started scrutinizing it carefully.

    Professor Wang stood there stiffly with tension, resembling a student who has entered the office and is watching the teacher grade papers.

    For Zhan Nanqing, Professor Wang¡¯s demeanor was strikingly familiar.

    ¡°Whoosh¡ª¡± Qiao Jing turned a page.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Professor Wang drew in a breath and waited quietly.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth slowly opened wider and wider as a look of growing surprise appeared on her face. She mechanically turned her head to look at Qiao Jing.

    As soon as she turned her head, she saw Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepen, her face adopting a stern expression.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    The moment Professor Wang heard this, he became fully focused on listening.

    ¡°This part is not well written; you should¡­ and there¡¯s a problem here too. Didn¡¯t I mention this during the meeting? Didn¡¯t you take notes¡­?¡±

    ¡°I did take notes, but there were some parts I didn¡¯t understand. Please guide me through them again.¡±

    ¡°Listen here¡­ this part¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth was agape, so shocked that her heart continuously churned with waves of amazement.

    At this moment, Gan Lan walked over.

    ¡°I told you so, if she says your work is not too bad, that means you¡¯re pretty good. Be content with that. Look at Professor Wang, a famous agricultural scientist, even he¡¯s getting criticized by her.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing blinked, then blinked again, sizing up Qiao Jing with eyes full of disbelief.

    ¡°She, she really is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mhm!¡± Gan Lan nodded her head with immense pride.

    ¡°Gasp¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing took in a sharp breath.

    As she was shocked, she also began to understand a few things.

    No wonder that time she and Lou Xinrou visited the research institute to see Manager Lou, insisting on getting Qiao Jing fired, only for them to end up with such an oue.

    No wonder Xu Hongzu and that group of old professors were all helping Qiao Jing¡­

    No wonder Qiao Jing had so many connections.

    But what puzzled her and her entire family the most was why her Grandpa Zhan Yuanshan had arranged such a marriage for her brother!

    Everyone thought Qiao Jing was just a farming bumpkin, but who knew how upscale the field she farmed was!

    ¡°Professor Qiao, thank you for your hard work. I¡¯ll go back and redo the report right away,¡± said Professor Wang, who, after being enlightened, happily carried the report and left.

    Zhan Nanqing, with stiff steps, approached Qiao Jing and opened her mouth, then opened it again.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression, Qiao Jing guessed what she was thinking.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone about this. I said the same thing to Grandpa Zhan at the start.¡±

    Hearing what Qiao Jing said, Zhan Nanqing suddenly understood.

    No wonder her grandpa never mentioned this matter. If he had, she and her mother would have never opposed the marriage.

    What a joke?

    They¡¯re talking about the top agricultural magnate of the empire, Professor Qiao! She had just recently won the country¡¯s highest science and technology award. Such a powerful figure is someone even wealthy families would scramble to court, not someone to cast out!

    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t understand why, if it were her with such achievements, she wouldn¡¯t frequently show off to make others envious.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s troublesome,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently.

    ¡°Ah?¡± Zhan Nanqing was momentarily taken aback.

    Qiao Jing, while observing the vegetables, said, ¡°Because I only want to do research and use my abilities to bring out more things that can benefit the country. As for being famous or such, I don¡¯t care.¡±

    These words from Qiao Jing left Zhan Nanqing feeling both shocked and ashamed.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t much older than her, yet Qiao Jing¡¯s achievements were something she couldn¡¯t reach in one lifetime, no! Ten lifetimes.

    And it wasn¡¯t just that, Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude and stature were something she could neverpare to.

    Suddenly, Zhan Nanqing remembered what Qiao Jing had said the day before.

    She had asked her why she didn¡¯t like her brother.

    Qiao Jing had replied that her brother wasn¡¯t as good as her.

    It seemed that was really the case.

    At the thought of Qiao Jing not liking her brother, Zhan Nanqing inexplicably became sorrowful.

 Chapter 152 - 145: Zhan Qipei Insists on Giving Qiao Jing the Black Card

    Chapter 152: Chapter 145: Zhan Qipei Insists on Giving Qiao Jing the ck Card

    After work, Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing had just stepped out of the research institute when they saw the Maybach parked at the entrance waiting for them.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing immediately felt a headacheing on and turned to look at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°You help me stop your brotherter.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s brows knotted, what if she didn¡¯t want to stop him?

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, Zhan Qipei got out of the car, holding a cup of milk tea for her.

    ¡°Your favorite coconut milk tea, still warm.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the milk tea in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand. She really wanted to drink the milk tea, just not keen on epting Zhan Qipei¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t drink it, no one else will fancy it, and I¡¯ll just have to throw it away,¡± Zhan Qipei said, deliberately ncing at the trash bin nearby.

    Qiao Jing had always been a frugal person, and the thought of perfectly good milk tea being wasted like that was just too much.

    ¡°You really know how to waste money, buying it just to throw it away,¡± Qiao Jing cast a disapproving nce at Zhan Qipei and then took the milk tea from his hand.

    Zhan Qipei curled his lips into a smile, gazing at Qiao Jing with a look full of indulgence.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m quite the spendthrift, so I need someone to control me. You would be perfect for that.¡±

    After he spoke, Zhan Qipei pulled a ck card from his pocket and held it out in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Here, for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, without exnation, pushed the ck card into Qiao Jing¡¯s palm and wrapped his ownrge hand around hers, enclosing the card within.

    ¡°As husband and wife, it¡¯s traditional for the man to earn outside while the woman manages the home. Naturally, the control of the household finances should be in the wife¡¯s hands.¡±

    Standing aside, Zhan Nanqing felt like she was just air, internally berating her brother for shamelessly throwing dog food her way.

    Comints aside, Zhan Nanqing noticed Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei standing together ¨C both so excellent in their own right, the beautiful woman and the handsome man looking exceedingly well-matched ¨C it made her think they were simply meant for each other.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and held the card back out to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m not short on money, and even if I were, I wouldn¡¯t use yours. President Zhan, I¡¯ve told you before, ours is but a contractual marriage. I won¡¯t fall for you, and you¡¯re not my type. There are only three days left. If you don¡¯t go to the civil affairs office by then, I¡¯ll unterally annul our marriage. Don¡¯t worry, I have plenty of ways to do that.¡±

    Qiao Jing was deadly serious, and it made Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turn sour instantly.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was tense, his thin lips pressed into a cold, straight line.

    The two locked eyes, neither backing down.

    Zhan Nanqing dared not even breathe too loudly as she witnessed the showdown, her heart racing with anxiety for her brother.

    What were they to do, with only three days left?

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking too soon. With three days left, how do you know I can¡¯t change your mind within that time?¡± Zhan Qipei said, his gaze confident as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows quirked. ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m curious then, what could you possibly do to change my mind?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was all ears as well, equally curious about what method her brother might have.

    After a minute of silent anticipation, Zhan Qipei finally spoke.

    ¡°I can seduce you.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    Both of them had never expected Zhan Qipei to say something like that.

    Because of Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing was dragged by Qiao Jing to the Nantai Apartment to act as a third wheel, to ensure Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate.

    On the way back, they picked up some groceries. As soon as they arrived home, Qiao Jing began bustling about in the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei pitched in to help.

    ¡°Chop those onions,¡± Qiao Jing instructed Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°And wash the greens as well.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Sure.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Is this way of cutting okay?¡± Zhan Qipei asked.

    ¡°A bit thick, cut it finer.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Watching the two of them cooperate so well, Zhan Nanqing felt this was what a real family should be like.

    Then she thought of her own parents, who did nothing together but shop and watch movies. The rest of the time, her father hung out with a bunch of friends ying billiards and fishing, and her mother grouped up with severaldies of high society to do their nails and go to spas, hardly ever engaging in life-filled activities like Qiao Jing and her brother.

    The scene looked quite harmonious, and she admitted she could watch it go on forever.

    But¡ª

    Suddenly, Zhan Nanqing thought of Lou Xinrou, her best friend who had been in love with her brother for so many years¡­ What a dilemma!

    Just then, the doorbell rang.

    Qiao Jing turned her head to look at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°You go answer the door.¡±

    ¡°Why should it be me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei also turned around, ¡°Because you¡¯re the one with nothing to do.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    Alright, she had figured it out; the couple was ganging up to pick on her.

    But¡ª

    It was true, she had nothing else to do.

    She didn¡¯t want to, either. The problem was, as a youngdy of means, she really didn¡¯t know how to do these kinds of things!

    Walking to the front door and pulling it open, her expression immediately turned unfriendly upon seeing Lan Yinyin.

    Without a second thought, Zhan Nanqing started to close the door, intending to shut Lan Yinyin out.

    But Lan Yinyin was prepared and stuck a foot in. Unless Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t care about crushing her foot, she couldn¡¯t possibly shut the door forcefully¡ªdid it matter if she broke it or not?

    But she didn¡¯t dare do such a thing.

    ¡°Good evening,¡± Lan Yinyin greeted Zhan Nanqing with a smile, pushing the door fully open with her hand and strode in arrogantly.

    Zhan Nanqing was so annoyed, she could hardly wait to throw Lan Yinyin out. But after doing her research, she knew that Lan Yinyin was a ck Belt Ninth Dan master, so she immediately discarded the idea.

    ¡°Hmph! The nerve of you toe uninvited, what a shameless act!¡± Zhan Nanqing scoffed.

    Lan Yinyin turned around and raised an eyebrow, ¡°As the honorable young mistress of the Zhan Family, how can you say such ugly things? Besides, I once saved your brother. As his sister, instead of showing gratitude, you insult me.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Just as Zhan Nanqing was rendered speechless by Lan Yinyin, Qiao Jing came out of the kitchen.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Qiao Jing asked indifferently.

    ¡°I, I¡¯m here to see President Zhan,¡± Lan Yinyin said, ncing around after hearing noise from the kitchen. ¡°Are you guys cooking? Let me help.¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to help?¡± Qiao Jing asked Lan Yinyin expressionlessly.

    Lan Yinyin nodded, ¡°I happen to be free.¡±

    No sooner had Lan Yinyin finished talking than Qiao Jing handed her two garbage bags.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you to take out the trash,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Lan Yinyin stared at the garbage bags in her hand, and after Zhan Nanqing, now it was her turn to be speechless.

    But she had said it herself, so it wouldn¡¯t be good not to do it.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take out the trash.¡±

    Lan Yinyin managed a smile uglier than crying and, carrying the two garbage bags, walked out the door.

    No sooner had she stepped through the doorway than she heard a loud ¡°bang¡±¡ªthe door was forcefully closed from the inside.

 Chapter 153 - 146: Asking Qiao Jing to Perform Surgery on Jhiang Cuifeng

    Chapter 153: Chapter 146: Asking Qiao Jing to Perform Surgery on Jhiang Cuifeng

    Lan Yinyin was instantly stunned.

    After being rigid for a few seconds, she turned her head back to look at the closed door, her speechless lips twitching.

    Inside the room.

    Zhan Nanqing stared at the door with wide eyes, then shifted her gaze to Qiao Jing.

    Impressive!

    Another day passed, and the day after tomorrow would be the day of the divorce.

    Qiao Jing was hoping for time to move quickly while Zhan Qipei racked his brains to avoid the divorce, even losing several strands of hair in the process.

    Early in the morning, Qiao Jing received a phone call from the hospital.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, are you avable toe to the hospital? There¡¯s a patient with severe heart disease, at risk of dying at any moment. Professor Zhao and the others are all at a loss, and only you can save her.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing stopped eating her breakfast.

    ¡°Tell me in detail about the patient¡¯s condition.¡±

    ¡°Sure, the patient is a 65-year-old woman, she¡­¡±

    After getting full information, Qiao Jing rushed to the hospital.

    There, she saw Jhiang Cuifeng lying on the hospital bed, with Qiao Licheng and Zheng Haijuan, her husband and wife duo, by her side, and Qiao Mengtong was also present.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± As soon as Jhiang Cuifeng saw Qiao Jing, she could not contain her anger.

    Speaking of which, the reason for the worsening of Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s condition was because, after Qiao Jing married into the Zhan Family, the Zhan Family gave her a lot of money. Consequently, Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s family had asked Qiao Jing for money several times, but she refused each time.

    Every time Jhiang Cuifeng thought about Qiao Jing spending her own money, her heart ached, which made her condition even worse.

    ¡°I know why you¡¯re here, to see me die, aren¡¯t you? Hmph! I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll disappoint you today. A very excellent doctor ising to perform surgery on me personally. I heard this doctor, Doctor Qiao, is connected with Divine Doctor Jing. So you won¡¯t see me die today!¡±

    After Jhiang Cuifeng finished speaking, Qiao Licheng also shouted at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Get out of here now! You make me furious just by being here! If you want me to forgive you, you would have to agree to marry Boss Hou after divorcing Zhan Nan, otherwise, you can forget about receiving my forgiveness in this lifetime!¡±

    The surrounding doctors and nurses were all shocked.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, do you, do you know each other?¡± the doctor asked.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°They used to be my family, but after they abandoned me, they weren¡¯t anymore.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke indifferently, her tone so detached as if she were merely narrating someone else¡¯s story.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing say this, the doctor and nurses were even more shocked.

    They all knew Qiao Jing¡¯s real identity, the widely known Divine Doctor Jing. However, they had all signed non-disclosure agreements, which prevented them from revealing this secret, so they used ¡°Doctor Qiao¡± instead of ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± as a reference.

    My God!

    This family actually abandoned Divine Doctor Jing. Are they sick?

    ¡°Doctor Qiao? You call her Doctor Qiao? What¡ªwhat do you mean? Don¡¯t tell me, the Doctor Qiao you mentioned, who knows Young Master Jing, is¡­ is her?¡± Qiao Mengtong was the first to catch on.

    At Qiao Mengtong¡¯s outcry, Jhiang Cuifeng and Qiao Licheng btedly realized the reference to ¡°Doctor Qiao.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Qiao Jing said calmly, looking at Jhiang Cuifeng and the others.

    Silence!

    The hospital room fell so quiet that the drop of a needle could be heard clearly, everyone staring at Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    ¡°How is this possible? Weren¡¯t you farming in the countryside?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong ignored what was said, instead snatching the medical card from the doctor beside her, scanning it quickly yet meticulously.

    ¡°The patient¡¯s condition is indeed very serious and needs immediate surgery.¡±

    Was Qiao Jing nning to perform surgery on Jhiang Cuifeng?

    Jhiang Cuifeng refused.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to perform my surgery! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re doing this on purpose, just to get back at me!¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng wouldn¡¯t dare let Qiao Jing operate on her, considering their families were at odds. If Qiao Jing did something to her during the surgery, she would have no ce to regret it.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes to meet Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s, her eyes half-closed, ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure, I don¡¯t want you to operate. I would rather die than have you operate on me!¡± Jhiang Cuifeng said, then turned to the doctor beside Qiao Jing, ¡°Doctor Zhao, please, I want you to do the surgery.¡±

    Doctor Zhao, holding back his anger, looked at Jhiang Cuifeng with a displeased expression and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your condition is too severe, I¡¯m not confident I can do it; I won¡¯t operate on you.¡±

    This olddy is really sick, Doctor Qiao rarely operates herself and she¡¯s refusing her surgery. You would think how many people in the world wish for Qiao Jing to take charge.

    Truly unaware of her blessings!

    ¡°Doctor Zhao, don¡¯t be modest. I know you¡¯re highly skilled, one of the best in the capital. You operating on me would definitely be better than that dead girl Qiao Jing.¡±

    Doctor Zhao took a deep breath, which was lucky he had high professional standards, or else he might have already cursed out Jhiang Cuifeng.

    Such infuriating people!

    And it wasn¡¯t just Doctor Zhao, the other medical staff and nurses were also quite annoyed by Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s words, secretly feeling aggrieved for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, like I said, I can¡¯t do it,¡± Doctor Zhao said in a very firm tone.

    Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s brows furrowed in urgency as she turned to the other doctors, ¡°Doctor Chen, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t either, your illness can only be properly treated by Doctor Qiao.¡±

    All the doctors spoke in unison.

    Seeing this, Jhiang Cuifeng understood and red spitefully at Qiao Jing, ¡°It¡¯s you! You¡¯ve bribed them so they won¡¯t operate on me, right? Qiao Jing, you¡¯re just a beast, how did our Qiao family ever produce such a beast like you!¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng cursed, suddenly clutching her chest.

    Her eyes bulged, mouth opened wide, her body twitching and turning purple.

    ¡°Hu¡ªHoo¡ª¡± Jhiang Cuifeng clutched at the clothes over her left chest, breathing heavily, looking like she was about to pass out.

    ¡°She¡¯s having a heart attack, prepare for surgery immediately,¡± Qiao Jing said indifferently.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the nurses moved Jhiang Cuifeng onto the mobile hospital bed.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong stepped forward to stop them.

    In their eyes, Qiao Jing was not trying to save Jhiang Cuifeng, she was trying to harm her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned fierce as she faced Qiao Licheng and others.

    ¡°What? You want to watch her die? If so, just say it, and I will definitely not intervene to save her. These doctors won¡¯t intervene either.¡±

    After Qiao Jing finished speaking, a nurse cooperatingly pulled out a cellphone and started recording Qiao Licheng and the others.

    If something really happened to Jhiang Cuifeng, it would not be their fault¡ªit would be Qiao Licheng¡¯s fault for dying her best timing for treatment.

    Qiao Licheng saw the nurse¡¯s cellphone and then saw Qiao Jing¡¯s cold and aloof face and Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s critical condition, and finally stepped aside.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, if you dare tamper with the surgery, you¡¯re going straight to jail!¡±

 Chapter 154 - 147: Divorce Day

    Chapter 154: Chapter 147: Divorce Day

    ¡°`

    Qiao Licheng called out to Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure.

    Qiao Jing turned around to look at Qiao Licheng and spoke with a tone filled with righteousness, ¡°I am a doctor.¡±

    Five words, resounding firmly, without the slightest ripple of emotion.

    Yet, they set off a storm in Qiao Licheng¡¯s heart.

    Qiao Licheng watched Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette enter the emergency room, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

    ¡°How did Qiao Jing be a doctor?¡±

    Hearing Qiao Licheng¡¯s mutter to himself, Zheng Haijuan and Qiao Mengtong both turned their gazes toward him.

    Indeed! How did Qiao Jing be a doctor? And just now, those experts and professors seemed to look to Qiao Jing for leadership.

    What exactly is going on here?

    Even if Qiao Jing is a doctor, she¡¯s so young, her medical skills couldn¡¯t possibly be that advanced, right?

    The surgery took a total of one hour and thirty-two minutes.

    The operation was very sessful.

    Doctor Zhao, with a stern face, told Qiao Licheng¡¯s family, ¡°The patient has passed the critical period, and not only that, thanks to Doctor Qiao¡¯s surgery, the likelihood of recurrence will be greatly reduced.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Licheng and the others all let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Um, Doctor Zhao,¡± Qiao Mengtong stopped the about-to-leave Doctor Zhao. ¡°Was the surgery really performed by Qiao Jing?¡±

    Doctor Zhao¡¯s anger erupted in an instant.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t her, would it have been you?¡±

    Doctor Zhao had indeed reached his limit; in his lifetime, he most admired Divine Doctor Jing. Back then, Divine Doctor Jing had even given him advice. It was precisely because of Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s guidance that he had today¡¯s achievements.

    In his eyes, Divine Doctor Jing was his teacher.

    Now someone was insulting his teacher, not just once, but repeatedly. That he had endured until now was truly due to his exceptional professional demeanor.

    If this had been ten or more years ago, in his younger days, his fiery temper would have red up long ago.

    Doctor Zhao nced at Qiao Licheng¡¯s family with displeasure and left the ward huffily.

    Qiao Licheng and the others exchanged nces, speechless for a long time.

    After a while, Qiao Mengtong ventured a guess.

    ¡°Could it be that Qiao Jing bribed these doctors to deliberately stage this whole act?¡±

    This suspicion had actually crossed the minds of Qiao Licheng and his wife as well.

    But upon careful consideration, including Doctor Zhao, all were renowned professors and directors; they probably wouldn¡¯t joke about their own reputations, right?

    Especially Doctor Zhao; his indignant demeanor from earlier seemed very authentic and natural, without a trace of acting.

    If it was indeed an act, then one could only say that Doctor Zhao was an Oscar-worthy actor who had missed his calling in acting.

    It was iprehensible, unbelievable¡­

    Thest day arrived.

    Qiao Jing prepared her marriage certificate, identity card, and other documents in her bag, then ced the divorce agreement she had previously prepared in front of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Mr. Zhan, please sign this.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was etched with gloom, wishing he could burn a hole through the divorce agreement with his re.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a divorce.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to be unreasonable?¡± Qiao Jing frowned.

    ¡°Call it what you will, I won¡¯t sign it.¡± Zhan Qipei said, and then he proceeded to tear up the divorce agreement.

    Qiao Jing turned and went back to her room, then came out with a stack of divorce agreements and ced them in front of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Take your time tearing them.¡±

    Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    Looking at the stack of divorce agreements, Zhan Qipei¡¯s already sullen face darkened several degrees more, gloomy as if it could drip water at any moment.

    He had tried every possible way to be nice to the girl over the past few days, hoping she would be moved, but she showed no such interest in him.

    Never in his life had he felt such defeat.

    ¡°What exactly will it take for you not to divorce me?¡± Zhan Qipei waspletely at a loss with this young woman before him.

    To be fierce, he could not bear it.

    ¡°`

    It hurts, but she wouldn¡¯t let him suffer.

    ¡°This is what I should be asking you, what will it take for you to agree to a divorce with me?¡± Qiao Jing was also unbearably frustrated.

    Although she could have used other means to forcibly divorce Zhan Qipei, ording to thew, they had to be separated for at least a year before she could go to the civil affairs office to get a divorce.

    So, it would be best if Zhan Qipei coulde around and go to the civil affairs office with her right now to get it done.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were tightly pursed, his face as cold as a frigid wind, and after a moment of silence, he spoke, ¡°Only if I die.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qiao Jing was genuinely infuriated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    ¡°You¡¯re really shameless!¡±

    ¡°Ding dong¡ª¡± The sound of the doorbell rang.

    Zhan Qipei shifted his gaze from Qiao Jing and went to open the door.

    The visitor was none other than Zhan Ruiting.

    ¡°Cousin, I came today to remind you that it¡¯s time for you to get a divorce.¡±

    Zhan Qipei took a deep breath.

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    With a ¡°bang,¡± Zhan Qipei forcefully closed the door.

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± The sound of a vibrating cell phone arose.

    Qiao Jing looked at her own phone; the call was from Xu Moqian.

    She touched the screen to answer.

    ¡°Sister Jing, congrattions! You finally got a divorce today!¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing lifted her eyes towards Zhan Qipei.

    Headache.

    How could she knock him out and carry him to the civil affairs office if he wouldn¡¯t go with her?

    Even if she really did carry him there, it wouldn¡¯t work¡­

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± The sound of a vibrating cell phone came again.

    This time it was Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone, and the call was from Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, have you and Qiao Jing gone to the civil affairs office yet?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei knew that Lu Zijiao was probing on behalf of his brother.

    ¡°Not divorcing! I will never get a divorce in this lifetime.¡± After saying this, Zhan Qipei clenched his teeth and hung up the phone.

    ¡°Ding dong¡ªding dong¡ª¡± The doorbell rang again.

    Who else was here to prompt him to get a divorce?

    Zhan Qipei, with a murderous expression, once again pulled open the door.

    ¡°Not getting a divorce, not divorcing! Get lost!¡±

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± The door closed again.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s nose was nearly ttened.

    She knew today was the day Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing were supposed to divorce, so she made a special trip over, but before she could even speak, she was fiercely yelled at by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Not divorcing¡­¡± Lan Yinyin murmured, it seemed Zhan Qipei had truly fallen for Qiao Jing.

    It must be because a few days ago, Qiao Jing saved Zhan Qipei in the countryside, so he fell in love with her.

    ¡°Damn Qiao Jing! All of this was supposed to be mine!¡±

    Lan Yinyin was seething with hatred! It appeared she would have to find a suitable opportunity to carry out her revenge n sooner rather thanter.

    After hanging up the phone with Li Qianran, Qiao Jing suddenly received a call from above.

    There was an earthquake in Lichuan County, with over a hundred casualties, and the authorities hoped Qiao Jing could go there for the rescue effort.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way now.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Zhan Qipei saw the serious look on Qiao Jing¡¯s face and guessed that something significant had happened.

    ¡°There¡¯s been an earthquake in Lichuan County, many people are victims, I need to hurry over for the rescue,¡± Qiao Jing said, rapidly gathering her things.

    ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡± Zhan Qipei said, not caring whether Qiao Jing agreed or not, he picked up the car keys, waiting for her.

    Qiao Jing frowned, her words of refusal yet to leave her mouth when she heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice interject.

 Chapter 155 - 148 Both Are Buried Together

    Chapter 155: Chapter 148 Both Are Buried Together

    ¡°The situation is urgent, we can¡¯t dy; one more minute wasted could mean someone¡¯s permanent departure,¡± Zhan Qipei said.

    Having said that, Qiao Jing no longer refused.

    One hourter, Zhan Qipei drove Qiao Jing to Lichuan County.

    As soon as they arrived, Qiao Jing immediately got out of the car and began the rescue.

    Zhan Qipei, like an assistant, stayed close by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, helping her out.

    ¡°Help¡ªsave me¡ª¡± a weak voice came from not far away.

    Qiao Jing followed the sound and her gaze finally fell on a pile of ruins.

    Zhan Qipei saw it too.

    If they were not mistaken, someone was buried beneath that debris.

    After exchanging nces, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei wasted no time and quickly approached the ruins.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to start, she was stopped by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Zhan Qipei said, then rolled up his sleeves and forcefully pushed away the cement and rebar b crushing the ruins.

    Qiao Jing stood by, watching. At this moment, her view of Zhan Qipei changed significantly.

    In the past, to her, Zhan Qipei was an untouchable figure of nobility, always flourishing in the upper circles.

    But now, Zhan Qipei felt much more grounded to her.

    Soon, together, they managed to rescue the person buried under the ruins.

    ¡°Your hand is injured,¡± Qiao Jing noticed a long cut on the back of Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, likely caused while moving the cement b.

    The cut was deep and bleeding non-stop.

    He really didn¡¯t have to suffer like this; if he hadn¡¯te to this ce with her, he could be sittingfortably in his warm office working or resting right now.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, suddenly the ground beneath them shook.

    Oh no!

    It was an aftershock!

    ¡°Creak crack¡ª¡± The half-copsed building beside them started to fall towards her.

    Everything happened too quickly, Qiao Jing had no time to dodge.

    ¡°Careful!¡±

    As the voice dropped, Zhan Qipei lunged at Qiao Jing, pressing her beneath him and bearing the crashing roof beam and ruins with his sturdy back.

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± A heavy groan sounded.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart suddenly tightened, and she opened her eyes to look at the man propping himself up over her.

    Her pupils dted sharply!

    The man¡¯s lips were oozing blood, his body reeked of it, and hisplexion was as pale as paper.

    Even so, he was still using his arms, propped on either side of her body, to shield her from everything.

    Everyone¡¯s made of flesh and blood, and at this moment, Qiao Jing felt an unprecedented stirring in her emotions, watching Zhan Qipei with a look that no words could describe.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡­ I can hold on, until¡­ the¡­ rescuerse,¡± Zhan Qipei gritted out intermittently.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk! Conserve your strength!¡± Qiao Jing was pinned down and couldn¡¯t move.

    It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t move at all, but she feared that any movement might cause the surrounding structures to copse even more. In such a case, both she and Zhan Qipei would be in an even worse situation.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhan Qipei said and then stopped talking, saving his energy tost a bit longer.

    He couldn¡¯t fall now; if he did, Qiao Jing would get hurt.

    Time passed by every second, and in this pitch-dark ce, it seemed like an eternity.

    Qiao Jing was rtively okay; she didn¡¯t have any serious injuries.

    But it was different for Zhan Qipei; as time went on, the stench of blood filling Qiao Jing¡¯s nostrils grew stronger.

    In these circumstances, Qiao Jing could only make out the man¡¯s pale face in the faint light, unable to assess his bodily injuries.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    Zhan Qipei opened his eyes and managed a very weak smile at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, don¡¯t¡­ worry. I can still¡­ hold on for a while.¡±

    The more Zhan Qipei said this, the worse Qiao Jing felt inside.

    Qiao Jing stared at the man¡¯s face, which should have been handsome and spirited, but now it was covered with dust, and there was a trace of blood that had not yet dried at the corner of his mouth.

    After a moment of silence, Qiao Jing pulled out a hand and reached to the man¡¯s face, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, intending to make him a little morefortable.

    Suddenly, she saw the man smile.

    Even now, he could still smile?

    Before she could voice her question about why he was smiling, she heard the man¡¯s contented voice spill out.

    ¡°Worth it.¡±

    Huh? Qiao Jing lightly lifted an eyebrow, her eyes slightly bewildered.

    Then the next second, she found herself lost in the man¡¯s affectionate, loving eyes.

    At that moment, she understood the meaning behind the man¡¯s words just now.

    It was as if a feather had drifted onto the calm surface of ake, rippling out one circle after another, slowly spreading outwards.

    A long time passed, and Qiao Jing had always been the kind of person who kept her cool in the face of trouble, able to remainposed even if the sky were falling.

    This temperament was mainly due to her upbringing and the severe experiences she had hadter in life.

    But now, Qiao Jing was like an ant on a hot pan.

    Seeing the man, steady as a rock, propped over her with closed eyes and not moving at all, Qiao Jing grew even more anxious.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei? Zhan Qipei?¡± Qiao Jing called out twice, but the man didn¡¯t respond at all.

    This really shocked Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei!¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her voice and called out again.

    However, the man still had no reaction.

    Qiao Jing forced herself to calm down, silently feeling for signs of life.

    The man was still breathing, his heart was still beating, but it was bing increasingly faint.

    Zhan Qipei must have been severely injured, most likely losing too much blood.

    ¡°Is anyone there? Is there anyone?¡±

    Qiao Jing dared not move carelessly, so she used herst bit of strength to shout.

    A minute passed.

    No one came to their rescue.

    Five minutes went by.

    Still, no one showed up.

    Half an hour had passed, and they couldn¡¯t afford to dy any longer.

    ¡°Is anyone there?! Is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Master? Is that you, Master?¡±

    God knows how relieved Qiao Jing was to hear that voice!

    ¡°Zhou, Zhou Fu¡­ hurry, fast¡­¡±

    ¡°It really is the Master! Master is inside, we need more people! Quick, quick, quick! Come over here! Save us, we need to save them!¡±

    Zhou Fu was shouting while moving stones, and eventually, with the concerted effort of a few others, first, they saw Zhan Qipei and then Qiao Jing, whom Zhan Qipei was supporting and protecting in his arms.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dy! Get him treated immediately! Zhou Fu!¡± This was Qiao Jing¡¯sst bit of energy; after she spoke these words, she fainted from sheer exhaustion.

    When Qiao Jing woke up, it was already the next morning.

    As soon as Qiao Jing opened her eyes, she saw Zhou Fu sitting by the bed.

    ¡°Master, you¡¯re awake? You scared me to death.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze swept around the room anxiously and asked, ¡°Zhan Qipei, where is he? How is he doing?¡±

    ¡°He is seriously injured, two of his ribs got broken, and his leg is severely damaged, he¡ª¡± Before Zhou Fu could finish his words, Zhan Qipei suddenly came through the door, leaning heavily on crutches.

 Chapter 156 - 149 Zhan Qipei Lies in Qiao Jings Bed and Refuses to Leave

    Chapter 156: Chapter 149 Zhan Qipei Lies in Qiao Jing¡¯s Bed and Refuses to Leave

    Looking at Zhan Qipei, who was wrapped in bandages all over, Qiao Jing subconsciously opened her mouth slightly, feeling an indescribable taste in her heart.

    Before she could even react, the man hobbled over to the bed with his crutch, his eyes scanning up and down her body, filled with nervousness and worry.

    ¡°Why did you get up? You¡¯ve got broken ribs, and still you climb out of bed, do you have a death wish?¡±

    No sooner had Zhou Fu finished speaking than Zhan Qipei moved towards him abruptly.

    ¡°Is she alright? Where is she hurt?¡±

    It was clear to anyone that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t care about his own body at the moment, his hurried visit was due to his deep concern for Qiao Jing¡¯s condition.

    Zhou Fu nced at Qiao Jing and then at Zhan Qipei before clearing his throat, ¡°Master, she¡¯s fine, just minor injuries all over.¡±

    Zhan Qipei visibly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Zhou Fu¡¯s first sentence, but before he could fully rx, he heard the following sentence from Zhou Fu.

    ¡°You¡¯re injured? Where are you hurt?¡± Zhan Qipei tossed aside his crutch and sat down on the bed, throwing back the covers. Without a word, he started feeling around Qiao Jing¡¯s body, lifting her clothes and preparing to pull down her pants.

    [Skill]: Basic Breathing Method LV1 (25%);

    Pei Jinye looked at his attribute panel and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    ¡°There¡¯s no going back now. I had promised my editor that I¡¯d definitely publish my book by the end of the month, but now readers won¡¯t be able to curse me for dying a ¡®cut-short eunuch¡¯ I guess¡­¡±

    Pei Jinye actually wasn¡¯t from this world; he was originally a struggling novelist from Blue Star, barely making ends meet, asionally relying on red packets from the gods in his group chats for aid. Half a month ago, he swore to be a literary god with a single book, but after having his opening rejected twenty-three times, just as he was pulling an all-nighter revising for the twenty-fourth time, he suddenly lost consciousness and woke up in this world.

    Based on the information he had gathered so far, it was Star Calender 403, and an artificial intelligence named [Star Ring] had linked the Five Continents of the world, bing a barrier for human beings, leading human civilization in rapid advancement.

    More importantly, under the guidance of [Star Ring], human beings had gained a pathway to Transcendence!

    Once one sessfully awakened, it meant that they could understand the sequence of the Transcendent, bing superior to other people!

    Pei Jinye was lucky, he wasn¡¯t undocumented when he crossed over.

    He was now a high school student from No.2 Middle School of Da Peng City, luckily the original owner of the body was low-profile and unremarkable, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about being identified as an ¡°alien¡± and caught by the artificial intelligence here.

    During the past half month, Pei Jinye diligently attended sses every day, trying to absorb as much knowledge about this world as possible, especially not daring to miss the Breathing Method Course, which had been designated as a key subject for examination.

    In this world, if you wanted to awaken, you either had to be willing to spend money to hire a higher-level Transcendent to assist in the awakening, or you had to diligently practice the Basic Breathing Method to a profound level, awakening the Extraordinary-Human Genes within your body.

    Unfortunately, Pei Jinye¡¯s family just sold their housest week to raise money, and after managing to hire a Transcendent, still failed to achieve awakening.

    Unless he awakened now, he could immediately apply for Federation Housing Allocation, solving the survival problem of his entire family.

    But clearly the first option was no longer viable, leaving only the second.

    Perhaps hard work paid off, as after half a month of relentless practice, his Basic Breathing Method sessfully went from 24.8% to 25%¡­ If nothing unexpected happened, he would probably meet the conditions for awakening as a Transcendent in about a hundred years.

    ¡°You better go back and rest,¡± Qiao Jing had just finished speaking when Zhan Qipei suddenly clutched his chest, pretending to be in pain, and then hey down on her bed right in front of her.

    ¡°My ribs are severely injured, I can¡¯t move, I¡¯ll just sleep here for now.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhou Fu ¡°¡­¡±

    They knew his ribs were severely injured, but just a second ago, he was still lively inspecting her injuries, and he didn¡¯tck strength at that. Yet the next second, he became so listless, lying on the bed, refusing to leave.

    It was so obvious, they just wanted to stay in Qiao Jing¡¯s bed, didn¡¯t they?

    ¡°Hey, you¡ª¡± Zhou Fu had just started to speak when he was drowned out by Qiao Jing¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Just let him stay here.¡±

    What???

    Zhou Fu seriously doubted his ears. His master had just allowed Zhan Qipei to stay, and even share a bed with her.

    Could it be that his master really had feelings for Zhan Qipei?

    Zhou Fu thought back to what happened yesterday.

    Honestly, when he pried open the ruins and saw what was inside, his heart was deeply touched.

    Zhan Qipei truly protected Qiao Jing with his life.

    To be honest, he had always felt, including now, that Zhan Qipei was unworthy of his master. However, after this incident, he still felt Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t worthy, but now he was qualified to be with his master.

    ¡°I¡¯ll step out first then,¡±

    Zhou Fu didn¡¯t want to be a third wheel and swiftly left.

    Before leaving, he very thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

    After Zhou Fu had left, the room was left with only Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, very quiet.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted from the door to Zhan Qipei.

    Originally, she had intended to exchange a few words with Zhan Qipei, but when she turned her head, she saw that Zhan Qipei had fallen asleep beside her.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing had a guess in her heart.

    She guessed that the man hade to look for her as soon as he woke up,pletely disregarding the injuries on his body, mustering all his strength toe to her. After confirming she was safe and sound, he couldn¡¯t support his body any longer and fell asleep like this.

    Havinge to this conclusion, Qiao Jing suddenly felt an indescribable stirring in her heart.

    This inexplicable stirring was exactly like the day before, when the man had protected her with his remaining strength.

    At that moment, the ringtone of the phone sounded.

    The call was from Xu Moqian.

    If Xu Moqian was calling her at this time, it was definitely because he had learned of her ident.

    The ringtone was too loud. Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei beside her and directly hung up, then typed a text message and sent it to Xu Moqian.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    No sooner had she sent these three words than she received a video call from Xu Moqian.

    Qiao Jing had intended to hang up, but identally clicked to answer.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you really okay?¡± Xu Moqian stared at the screen intently.

    The screen was limited; it could only show Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m really fine,¡± replied Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. If you¡¯re really fine, why are you only showing me above your neck? Are you injured somewhere on your body?¡± Xu Moqian¡¯s face was filled with disbelief.

    Qiao Jing nced sideways, catching a glimpse of Zhan Qipei asleep close beside her. She thought that she could only show him above the neck, for if she showed below that angle, then Zhan Qipei would appear in the frame with her.

    ¡°See, you¡¯re not speaking. Not speaking means you¡¯re conceding; you are indeed injured. Tell me, which hospital are you in right now? I¡¯lle to you.¡±

    Qiao Jing took out her medical record book and flipped through it page by page for Xu Moqian to see.

    ¡°See? It¡¯s just a superficial wound.¡±

    Xu Moqian, seeing the clear ck on white text of the medical records, finally began to rx.

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a superficial wound, you can¡¯t neglect it. My grandfather and the rest became so anxious when they heard about your ident, they nearly rushed over all together.¡±

    ¡°Then tell Grandpa Xu to not worry. That¡¯s all for now; I¡¯m hanging up,¡± Qiao Jing said, fearful that continuing the conversation might give her away.

    ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t disturb your rest any longer. I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±

    As for Qiao Jing¡¯s haste to hang up, Xu Moqian didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming she simply needed rest.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Just as Qiao Jing was about to hang up the phone, suddenly a strong arm extended over, wrapping around her front, pulling and tugging her onto the bed.

    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Xu Moqian instantly got jumpy, bulging his eyes at the phone. The phone¡¯s screen was mostly obstructed by the nket at this point, only allowing a faint glimpse of the man¡¯s arm and hand.

 Chapter 157 - 150: Dont Get Divorced

    Chapter 157: Chapter 150: Don¡¯t Get Divorced

    ¡°Sister Jing?! Sister Jing??!!¡±

    Xu Moqian called out several times before Qiao Jing responded.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, hang up.¡±

    Right now, she was held tightly in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, totally unable to move.

    The truth wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t move, but rather that the man was badly injured, especially around his ribs. What if she exerted a little strength and his injuries got worse?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay???¡± Xu Moqian¡¯s lips twitched wordlessly, his eyes cold as he stared at the man¡¯s hand on the screen.

    What do you mean it¡¯s okay? Was he blind, or did his IQ just drop?

    ¡°Sister Jing, tell me honestly, which hospital are you at? I promise I won¡¯t kill this jerk!¡±

    Right now, Xu Moqian¡¯s mind was filled with all kinds of unspeakable scenarios.

    Like Qiao Jing being pinned down by the man.

    Although he felt that with Qiao Jing¡¯s physical prowess, something like that wouldn¡¯t happen, still, nothing good everes from a man and a woman left alone together.

    ¡°Beep beep beep¡ª¡± the sound of the phone¡¯s low battery alert went off.

    Damn it!

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you there? You¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian was cut off before he could finish speaking by a sudden male voice.

    ¡°Too noisy.¡±

    That voice¡ªXu Moqian recognized it immediately; it wasn¡¯t anyone else but Zhan Qipei!

    Great, this Zhan Qipei, he¡¯s obviously after my Sister Jing!

    Damn it, he hadn¡¯t even won over Sister Jing yet. What gave this guy the right to take advantage?

    ¡°Beep beep beep¡ª¡± the phone powered off due to a dead battery.

    ¡°Son of a¡ª!¡± Xu Moqian cursed.

    SMACK¡ªa pnded on the back of Xu Moqian¡¯s head.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t pick up bad habits, like cursing!¡± Xu Hongzu scolded, fuming with anger.

    ¡°Grandpa, this is an emergency.¡±

    ¡°No matter how urgent, you can¡¯t curse. Ever since you were small, I¡¯ve taught you to be civilized and have quality, to use reason and never to resort to violence, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Grandpa!!! Sister Jing, she¡¯s been pinned to the bed and taken advantage of by Zhan Qipei!¡±

    ¡°What? That scoundrel¡ªget moving! What are you still doing here? Go at once!¡± Xu Hongzu kicked Xu Moqian¡¯s butt so hard, he sent him flying out of the researchb.

    Xu Moqian rubbed his behind, looking back at the researchb, and mumbled.

    ¡°And you¡¯re scolding me? That kick was so harsh. What happened to the demeanor of a great agricultural mogul? Seems like I¡¯ve just inherited your traits.¡±

    ¡°What was that? You little rascal¡ª¡± Xu Hongzu raised a potted nt, ready to throw it.

    ¡°No, no, no! Sister Jing had such a hard time growing that, if you smash it, how will you exin to Sister Jing?¡±

    At that, Xu Hongzu took a look at the pot in his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m off, goodbye Grandpa! See ya!¡± After getting into the car, Xu Moqian blew a kiss to Xu Hongzu.

    Xu Hongzu, seething, yelled, ¡°What gibberish is that? Speak Chinese to me from now on!¡±

    Xu Moqian pressed the gas pedal, and sped away like the wind.

    In the hospital room.

    Qiao Jing watched Zhan Qipei closely; the man had his eyes closed, sleeping deeply. It was evident, the ¡°too noisy¡±ment earlier was said in a half-conscious state.

    Qiao Jing shifted slightly, and the man¡¯s arm tightened even more around her.

    He used so much force; he wasn¡¯t afraid of hurting himself.

    At this, Qiao Jing stopped moving andy t in the man¡¯s arms.

    The man¡¯s breaths followed one after another, brushing over the top of her head, slightly cool.

    Feeling the breaths on her head, Qiao Jing could tell that the man¡¯s physical condition wasn¡¯t especially good.

    Suddenly, the image of the man fiercely protecting her until he fainted, still supporting his own body to shield her, jumped into Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    She lowered her eyelids slightly, masking the unrest in her eyes and the indescribable feelings underneath.

    As she thought about it, she unknowingly closed her eyes and fell asleep.

    She didn¡¯t wake up until around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    The moment she opened her eyes, she saw the man staring at her intently.

    Intuition told her that the man might have been staring at her ever since he woke up.

    She had slept so soundly, it was rare for her to not wake up with someone watching her like this.

    ¡°When did you wake up?¡± asked Qiao Jing, pretending as if nothing had happened as she extricated herself from the man¡¯s embrace.

    After all, it was hard to mention such a thing; if she did, it would be even more awkward, so she simply acted as though nothing had ever happened.

    When he lost the warm, fragrant, soft jade from his arms, Zhan Qipei frowned slightly in dissatisfaction.

    ¡°I just woke up not long ago.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Qiao Jing sat up, deliberately moving to the side, creating some distance between them.

    But as soon as she moved away from the man, he shifted closer to her.

    Qiao Jing moved again, creating distance once more.

    The man moved closer again, this time even nearer than before, almost pressing against her.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°You owe me a birthday.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words sessfully diverted Qiao Jing¡¯s attention.

    Reminded by Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing then remembered this matter. In fact, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t forgotten; some days earlier, Zhan Qipei had celebrated her birthday, which had moved her, so at that time, she promised to return the favor on his birthday.

    His birthday was yesterday, the day they divorced. Originally, she nned to throw Zhan Qipei a birthday party or give him a gift after the divorce. Instead, the sudden events of yesterday threw all her ns into chaos.

    ¡°Fine, how do you want to celebrate? Or rather, what kind of birthday gift would you like? I¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than she saw the man suddenly bring his face close to hers, his eyes alight with pleasure as he watched her.

    Before she could react as to why he was making such a move, he smiled at her.

    This close, that brilliant smile suddenly bloomed before her, dazzling Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes and throwing her heart into disarray.

    This was not Qiao Jing¡¯sck of self-control, but rather, the man at this moment was too enticing, too tempting.

    This type of temptation was not about gender; it was simply gorgeous, peerlessly elegant.

    While Qiao Jing was entranced by the sight, the man leaned even closer, opened his thin lips slightly, and said:

    ¡°The birthday gift I want is only one thing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Qiao Jing managed to keep herposure as best as she could, at least appearing normal on the surface.

    Luckily, she was quite skilled at concealing her emotions, so at this moment, she appeared rtively normal on the outside.

    ¡°Don¡¯t divorce.¡± Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with unwavering determination in his eyes.

    Hearing the man say this, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows instantly furrowed tightly, and then her lips pursed.

    Seeing the difficulty on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, Zhan Qipei felt an inexplicable nervousness in his heart.

    After a brief silence, Qiao Jing gave her response.

 Chapter 158 - 151: Another 100 Days Agreement

    Chapter 158: Chapter 151: Another 100 Days Agreement

    ¡°Change the subject.¡±

    Zhan Qipei knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy.

    ¡°One year, just one year. After one year, if I can¡¯t make you fall for me, I¡¯ll go to the civil affairs bureau with you.¡±

    With a pleading look in his eyes, Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing, seeming almost pitiful now.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened even more.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart was incredibly conflicted. On one hand, she knew clearly that she had no romantic feelings towards Zhan Qipei. On the other hand, the image of another man risking his life to save her lingered in her mind, unable to be dismissed.

    Zhan Qipei felt that he was just one step away from sess, maybe this would do it.

    ¡°Hiss¡ªum¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei raised his hand to his chest.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did it affect your ribs?¡± While speaking, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand reached out to his chest, inspecting downwards.

    Zhan Qipei grabbed her hand, letting her continue, which was overwhelming for him.

    Wherever the girl touched, it felt like a small spark that could set a field aze, burning bright and hot.

    ¡°Is that okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing exhaled a rough breath and nodded.

    ¡°One hundred days, still one hundred days, not a day more.¡±

    Although one hundred days seemed too shortpared to a year, Zhan Qipei could see that this was Qiao Jing¡¯s final line of tolerance.

    ¡°Alright, one hundred days then.¡±

    He just couldn¡¯t believe that he wouldn¡¯t win Qiao Jing over within one hundred days!

    ¡°Ding ding ding¡ª¡± After two knocks, someone outside, impatient, pushed the door open directly.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯vee to rescue¡ª¡±

    At this point, Xu Moqian waspletely dumbfounded.

    On the bed, Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing were incredibly close, almost about to kiss Qiao Jing.

    Not only that, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand was on Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest, and Zhan Qipei had just been holding her hand.

    The scene before him was indescribably flirtatious!

    Xu Moqian felt like a million bolts of lightning were striking him on the head.

    ¡°You, you, let her go!¡± Xu Moqian rushed towards Zhan Qipei, ready to throw a punch!

    ¡°Xu Moqian! Stop it! He¡¯s injured!¡±

    Fearful that Xu Moqian would hurt Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing reflexively hugged Zhan Qipei, protecting him in her arms.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was buried in her soft curves, and he felt like he was floating on cloud nine.

    While Zhan Qipei floated, Xu Moqian was driven to madness.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you actually protecting him! I¡¯ve known you for so many years, and he¡¯s only known you for a few days? You¡¯re actually protecting him, I¡¯m so heartbroken!¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned and exined, ¡°He was severely injured because of me, several of his ribs are broken, he can¡¯t withstand your punches right now.¡±

    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t¡ª shouldn¡¯t be holding him like that! Look at him, his entire face is, is¡ªall pressed against you!¡±

    Xu Moqian was utterly furious!

    Back when he was in college, Qiao Jing¡¯s physique was famously admired among their male peers!

    But out of respect for Qiao Jing¡¯s capabilities, he only looked, never daring to even think about it.

    And now, the ce he didn¡¯t dare to dream about, was being vited by another man.

    How could he not be angry?

    Reminded by Xu Moqian like this, Qiao Jing only then realized, having been focused solely on protecting Zhan Qipei, she hadn¡¯t thought that much.

    Now looking down, uh¡­

    Although Qiao Jing was adept at hiding her emotions, her face suddenly flushed with embarrassment at that moment.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing began to speak, she saw the man clutching his chest again.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly sealed as he appeared to be enduring great pain.

    ¡°You better lie down, let me check on you!¡±

    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need, I¡¯ll just endure it, and it will pass.¡±

    ¡°Zhan Qipei! Lie down right now!¡± Qiao Jing grew angry.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhan Qipei obediently nodded his head and honestlyy down.

    Qiao Jing quickly unbuttoned Zhan Qipei¡¯s shirt and began checking his chest inch by inch.

    Xu Moqian almost had his eyes bulging out as he tracked Qiao Jing¡¯s movements downward.

    To tell the truth, if he weren¡¯t afraid of Qiao Jing hitting him, he really wanted to stop her and throw Zhan Qipei out the window.

    Speaking of which, the Zhan Qipei he knew was cold, solemn, with an iron-fisted and resolute approach to decision-making.

    Looking at Zhan Qipei just now, there was none of the usual cold-blooded demeanor, just like an obedient puppy, doing whatever Qiao Jing asked of him.

    He was pretending!

    Zhan Qipei must have been feigning helplessness to gain Qiao Jing¡¯s sympathy.

    Fortunately, the 100 days were already up.

    ¡°This injury of yours is not light; you need to rest well for a while,¡± Qiao Jing said as she released her hands.

    Was that checked so quickly?

    In the past, Zhan Qipei would have marveled at Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills, but now, he wished her skills weren¡¯t so proficient, so she could check him for a little while longer.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    Looking at such an obedient man, and the endless adoration in the man¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing did not know what to say for a moment.

    Actually, quite a few people had pursued her in the past, and logically speaking, she should have had experience in this area.

    But the way Zhan Qipei looked at her was different from others; others admired her, but Zhan Qipei¡­ how should she describe it precisely?

    After thinking for a long time, Qiao Jing finally thought of a word.

    ¡ªCrazy.

    That¡¯s right, it was madness, obsession.

    While Qiao Jing was deep in thought, Xu Moqian¡¯s sudden voice interrupted her thoughts.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you processed the divorce with him yesterday, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, ¡°I was nning to go with him yesterday, but then this incident urred in Lichuan County, and I had to rush over here.¡±

    Not divorced yet?

    With Fang Mu in the Infinite Tower, it was equivalent to having six or more Grandmaster Creators.

    It could fulfill all the Creator resource gaps of a faction, and have a substantial surplus.

    In addition to Fang Mu, the faction boasted a Master Creator and Jiang Weng, the Forging Spirit Grandmaster.

    The Forging Spirit Grandmaster could forge spiritual instruments for the Infinite Tower continuously, even capable of creating Ghost Devices.

    The Infinite Tower possessed high-end resources that were unmatched by other factions, and as an Earth Evil Spirit, Liu Xi could elevate the prestige of the Infinite Tower.

    This allowed the newly established Infinite Tower to bear the semnce of top-tier factions!

    This was the first time Qin Shao, Shui Miao and Shu Liangjun heard Fang Mu mention the Infinite Tower.

    They were aware of Fang Mu¡¯s identity as a disciple of Qixing.

    A disciple of a Grandmaster Creator represents the dignity of the Grandmaster Creator with his every action.

    Therefore, Fang Mu could not possibly make up the affiliation of his faction at will.

    It indicates that it¡¯s true that Fang Mu ims to be from the Infinite Tower!

    However, it¡¯s unknown whether Qixing joined this faction or built it!

    Shu Liangjun had mostly been focusing on how to extend his lifespan over the past few decades, thus not giving much thought to other matters.

    ¡°Jing¡ªSister Jing, you, you haven¡¯t fallen for him, have you?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian a speechless nce, ¡°You have quite the imagination. The reason I agreed to another 100 days is because I once owed him a birthday, and also¡­ he risked his life to save me, consider it a repayment.¡±

    ¡°Phew¡ª¡± Xu Moqian sighed deeply, quickly raising his hand to pat his chest, ¡°You scared me, I thought you really fell for him. I was just saying, you don¡¯t even fancy me, how could you fancy him? If you really wanted to marry someone, I¡¯m much better than him.¡±

 Chapter 159 - 152: Qiao Jing, Shes My Daughter-in-Law

    Chapter 159: Chapter 152: Qiao Jing, She¡¯s My Daughter-in-Law

    As soon as Xu Moqian finished speaking, he saw Zhan Qipei staring at him with dangerously narrow eyes, eyes that seemed to hold ice daggers poised to stab holes into Xu Moqian.

    ¡°What are you looking at? I said what I said, so what?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Zhan Qipei clutched his chest, feigning agony, and he copsed toward Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had no time to think, quickly reaching out to support Zhan Qipei, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, you need to heal properly, getting too emotional is not good for you.¡±

    What the heck? Xu Moqian really wanted to beat Zhan Qipei to death. How shameless can you be?

    ¡°I am your husband, and he said those words in front of me. If I had no reaction, do you think I would still be a man?¡±

    Though Zhan Qipei spoke up, he reclined half his body into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms with no intention of moving away.

    Qiao Jing turned to Xu Moqian, ¡°Stop provoking him here, he¡¯s ill. Please leave, and we can talk about whatever it ister.¡±

    Xu Moqian ¡°¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian felt so aggrieved he wanted to cry.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you discarding me? I am your number four! How could you¡ª¡±

    ¡°You lie down first, don¡¯t move around, let me check your leg again,¡± Qiao Jing said to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei nced at his leg, ¡°It won¡¯t be incurable in the future, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with my medical skills, it won¡¯t be long before you could even participate in a track meet,¡± Qiao Jing assured him.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, then I¡¯m preserving your ¡®happiness¡¯.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at Zhan Qipei, speechless. They were having a reasonable conversation one second, and the next, he started joking around?

    ¡°I think you¡¯re perfectly fine,¡± Qiao Jing said as she pinched Zhan Qipei¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Hiss¡ªquitefortable, you can continue.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s mouth was agape wide enough to fit an egg, no, a goose egg.

    These two, it wouldn¡¯t be amiss to say they were flirting and teasing each other.

    It wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei that mattered here, but Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude toward him seemed a bit more yful than usual.

    Not to mention, just the fact that Qiao Jing pinched Zhan Qipei¡¯s thigh. This childish act of revenge, if he hadn¡¯t witnessed it himself, he would never believe Qiao Jing could do such a thing.

    The more he thought about it, the more uneasy Xu Moqian felt.

    ¡°Could it be¡­ Sister Jing has really fallen for Zhan Qipei?¡±

    No way!

    Whether it was true or not, he had to intervene!

    That evening.

    When Su Manhan learned that Zhan Qipei was injured, she rushed over with Zhan Yao and Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qipei, how did you get injured so badly?¡± Su Manhan said, distressed, as she approached the bedside and saw the bandages on Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing, carrying a tray of fruit, entered the hospital room and immediately saw Su Manhan giving her a sharp look.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! It¡¯s all because of you! If it weren¡¯t for you, why would Qipei evere to such a ce? And how would he get injured? You¡¯re nothing but a jinx! Luckily, Qipei divorced you. Otherwise, you would have killed him one day!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing started by pulling Su Manhan slightly, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that, maybe there¡¯s more to the story?¡±

    ¡°What more could there be, she¡¯s a curse, wherever she goes, disaster follows. Why did she have toe to Lichuan County? If she hadn¡¯te here, would your brother have been dragged into this mess? She¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Zhan Qipei shouted abruptly.

    The hospital room fell silent instantly.

    Su Manhan stared at Zhan Qipei with disbelieving eyes, she hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to erupt in anger like that.

    Zhan Qipei threw off the nket, intending to get out of bed.

    ¡°Qipei, let¡¯s talk things over slowly, your injuries are serious, don¡¯t get out of bed,¡± Su Manhan said worriedly.

    Zhan Qipei acted as if he didn¡¯t hear her, with one leg out of the bed already and reaching for the other.

    Su Manhan knew her son¡¯s temperament well; when his stubbornness kicked in, no one could talk him out of it. It wouldn¡¯t matter if it was her and Zhan Yao speaking; even if Old Master Zhan himself came, Zhan Qipei might not listen to what he said.

    Just then, a beautiful female voice suddenly came from the doorway.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Qiao Jing said, just three words, and Zhan Qipei immediately stopped his movements.

    Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei, who frowned and then drew the leg he had extended back onto the bed.

    Su Manhan¡¯s jaw nearly dropped at this scene.

    Her son was this obedient? Was this even her son?

    Qiao Jing approached the bedside, looking irked at Zhan Qipei, ¡°I told you not to move, why can¡¯t you take my words to heart? Do you think my hard work in treating you is a joke?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, it won¡¯t happen again,¡± Zhan Qipei apologized very straightforwardly.

    Facing such a readily apologetic man, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know what else to criticize.

    Zhan Qipei shifted his gaze from Qiao Jing and looked sternly at Su Manhan.

    ¡°Qiao Jing came here in response to the nation¡¯s call to participate in the rescue. She risked her own life, getting buried under the debris to save more people. Even so, Qiao Jing again joined the rescue efforts soon after she woke up without full recovery. To criticize someone like her the way you did, I find it highly inappropriate.¡±

    Upon hearing such words from Zhan Qipei, Su Manhan might still dislike Qiao Jing, but as a human, she felt a slight twinge of shame deep inside.

    Of course, due to pride, she would absolutely not show that shame, and ended up just clenching her jaw, not speaking, nor apologizing to Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing with aplex gaze filled with a bit of admiration. She realized the more she interacted with Qiao Jing, the more she felt the distance between them wasn¡¯t just vast¡ªit was astronomical.

    Among those present, probably only she knew that Qiao Jing¡¯s identity was not just Doctor Qiao from the hospital, but also the top agricultural mogul of their empire.

    With such a mighty status, she could have easily stayedfortably in her research institute, shielded from wind and rain, yet she chose to participate in this dangerous rescue mission and almost lost her life.

    Such character was truly admirable!

    After a lengthy silence, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice rose again.

    ¡°Also, I solemnly dere that Qiao Jing is my wife, the woman I, Zhan Qipei, swear to cherish for all my life. Hence, I don¡¯t want to hear those words again, and you shouldn¡¯t speak them in front of her either.¡±

    The words Zhan Qipei spoke resonated powerfully, echoing in the ears of Su Manhan and everyone present.

    Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei, stunned; the man¡¯s expression was incredibly serious, as if every word he had just said weighed a tonparable to Mount Tai!

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes were as wide as they could be, ¡°Qipei, you, you mean¡ªweren¡¯t you two already divorced? Howe, how are you still¡ª¡±

    ¡°I asked her to give me another 100 days, and after much persuasion, she agreed,¡± he replied.

 Chapter 160 - 153: The Consequences of Targeting Qiao Jing

    Chapter 160: Chapter 153: The Consequences of Targeting Qiao Jing

    Quiet.

    So quiet you could hear a pin drop.

    Everyone was stunned by the words of Zhan Qipei, as if they were scorched on the outside and tender on the inside.

    After the silence, Su Manhan was incredibly worried!

    She had been anxiously waiting for the 100 days to pass so she could finally rid herself of Qiao Jing, the crude and uncultivated daughter-inw from the countryside, but now she was told she had to endure another 100 days.

    And this time was different from thest 100 days, thest time was a marriage arranged forcibly by Zhan Yuanshan between Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing. This time, it was Zhan Qipei himself who had asked Qiao Jing.

    What mattered was ¨C the word ¡°asked¡±.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over. My son¡¯s soul has been bewitched by that vixen Qiao Jing!¡±

    That very night, Su Manhan called Lou Xinrou over to have a small meeting together with Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°What kind of tricks has Qiao Jing used? She¡¯s got Qipei so spellbound. What do we do now?¡± Su Manhan said with a headache.

    Lou Xinrou was so anxious her eyes turned red, ¡°Didn¡¯t Qiao Jing say she didn¡¯t like Brother Pei? She even told us not to focus on her. Turns out she was deceiving us! She¡¯s so scheming!¡±

    ¡°You! Raised in a greenhouse, how could you everpete with Qiao Jing! You believed whatever she said? With Qipei being so outstanding and her having been the young madam for so many days, how could she possibly give up that position?¡± Su Manhan grew angrier the more she thought about it.

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyebrows were knotted in frustration.

    ¡°I think Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t lying; she doesn¡¯t have any intention of continuing as the young madam of the Zhan Family.¡±

    Qiao Jing is, after all, Professor Qiao. With her status, if she were to make her avability public, wouldn¡¯t prestigious noble families be queuing and scrambling to propose? The threshold of the research institute might even be trampled t.

    As Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, she noticed that Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou were both looking at her.

    ¡°Nanqing, why are you defending her? Have you been enchanted by that wild girl Qiao Jing too?¡± Su Manhan said irritably.

    Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth to speak but there were some things she wanted to say yet couldn¡¯t.

    Headache.

    Su Manhan¡¯s gaze shifted from Zhan Nanqing to Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Xinrou, I still hope you can be my daughter-inw. Work hard, put in some effort.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Aunt Su, I¡¯ll do my best!¡±

    With the encouragement from Su Manhan, Lou Xinrou was filled with fighting spirit.

    While Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou were anxious, Zhan Yuanshan was overjoyed.

    Upon learning about the matter between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter and even called Xu Hongzu to announce that he would soon be a grandfather.

    This made Xu Hongzu extremely angry, and consequently, Xu Moqian got a beating.

    ¡°Youd, you¡¯ve been pursuing her for so many years without any progress. I lost to that old coot Zhan Yuanshan when I was courting your grandmother. If you lose too, you might as well not carry the Xu surname!¡±

    Xu Moqian smacked his lips, ¡°If I lose, that¡¯s just poor gics.¡±

    After saying this, Xu Moqian got beaten up again.

    A few dayster, Zhan Qipei was transferred to Imperial Capital Hospital.

    Qiao Jing left the hospital to go to the supermarket to buy some groceries, intending to make a nourishing meal for Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei had been seriously injured protecting her, so she felt obligated to take care of him until his recovery.

    Before going to the supermarket, she needed to return to her apartment to get some clean clothes for Zhan Qipei.

    Just as Qiao Jing arrived at the apartment, she saw Qiao Licheng waiting at the door.

    ¡°Where have you been, girl? I¡¯ve been waiting for several days!¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just leave me alone? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re really annoying?¡± Qiao Jing said to Qiao Licheng with a cold look in her eyes, her words dripping with impatience.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Each time they met, Qiao Licheng was left speechless by Qiao Jing¡¯s biting remarks.

    ¡°Stay away from me.¡± After saying that, Qiao Jing took out her keys and went to the door.

    Before she could unlock the door, Qiao Licheng quickly blocked her way.

    ¡°Qiao Jing,e with me to the hospital. Your grandmother has suddenly fallen ill, and it¡¯s serious!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Qiao Jing looked at Qiao Licheng, puzzled.

    She was confident in her skills; Jhiang Cuifeng was someone she had operated on personally. By all ounts, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues.

    ¡°What are you standing around for? Are you not going to the hospital with me? You were the one who performed the surgery, and now that there¡¯s a problem, it¡¯s your responsibility. Let me tell you, if anything happens to your grandma, I will sue you and the hospital as well!¡± Qiao Licheng threatened Qiao Jing, puffing himself up.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t mind being sued by Qiao Licheng, but the hospital was Lu Zijin¡¯s, and she didn¡¯t want to involve Lu Zijin because of this issue.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    She wanted to see what kind of trick Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng were trying to pull.

    Seeing Qiao Jing relent, a sly smile of victory appeared on Qiao Licheng¡¯s face.

    Finally, sess! Their Qiao Family had a chance at salvation!

    Soon enough, Qiao Jing followed Qiao Licheng to the hospital.

    ¡°Your grandma is inside, hurry up and check on her!¡± Qiao Licheng urged Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing could sense the urgency in Qiao Licheng¡¯s voice and guessed that this matter was not as simple as it seemed.

    After a two-second silence, Qiao Jing pushed open the door and went in, only to see Hou Bo sitting on the bed, with a dozen strong bodyguards standing around him.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± the door was forcefully closed by Qiao Licheng.

    ¡°Click,¡± it locked.

    The next second, Qiao Licheng¡¯s voice came from outside the door.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯m begging you, ourpany is in crisis, and we just can¡¯t get the finances to turn around. If this continues, within three months, thepany will definitely go bankrupt. Now that you¡¯re no longer part of the Zhan Family, please help me and be nice to Boss Hou.

    Boss Hou said, as long as you take good care of him today, he will be generous and not hold your past actions against you. Plus, he will treat you well; he¡¯ll buy you jewelry and handbags, whatever you want. Stop being so stubborn. Every woman has to get married in her lifetime, and Boss Hou is a very good choice,¡± Qiao Licheng said.

    A passing nurse overheard Qiao Licheng¡¯s words and quickly ran off to find Lu Zijin.

    Qiao Jing looked at the door expressionlessly and coolly replied, ¡°Who said I¡¯m divorced from Zhan Qipei now?¡±

    Qiao Licheng was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled, ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t try to scare me with that. I¡¯ve counted the days. Well, I won¡¯t say much now. You might hate me at the moment. But I promise, you will thank me in the future.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Qiao Jing sneered, ¡°It seems I have been too kind to the Qiao Family in the past, allowing you to step all over me time and again. Qiao Licheng, you will regret this. Once I get out, I will make sure the Qiao Family goes bankrupt even faster! In one day.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing speak like this, Qiao Licheng felt a chill in his heart.

    What¡¯s going on?

    Qiao Licheng wrapped his arms around himself and rubbed them together.

    ¡°Come here.¡± Hou Bo spread his legs, gestured to Qiao Jing with a curl of his finger, andmanded.

 Chapter 161 - 154: Lu Zijin Rushes to Save Qiao Jing

    Chapter 161: Chapter 154: Lu Zijin Rushes to Save Qiao Jing

    Hou Bo¡¯s intentions were clear, he wanted Qiao Jing toe forward herself.

    Qiao Jing looked at Hou Bo with a cold, chilling gaze, her eyes listless.

    ¡°I¡¯ve investigated you, a scourge to society. People like you, if left unchecked, only harm others. Today is a good opportunity to beat you up, and nobody will know about it.¡±

    Hou Bo¡¯s face suddenly turned ugly. ¡°Hmph! You refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit, all of you, get her and hold her down!¡±

    All these bodyguards were specially hired by him, each one a master among masters. He knew Qiao Jing was a skilled fighter but he simply couldn¡¯t believe that, faced with so many people, she could escape unscathed likest time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t harm her face! And try not to hurt her too much. But if she resists fiercely, don¡¯t be polite to her.¡±

    Hou Bo looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s angelic face, her skin soft as a peeled egg, and swallowed his saliva.

    Today, no matter what, he wanted to have a taste of her.

    Thinking this, Hou Bo pulled his belt off his waist, waiting for Qiao Jing to be subdued, then he would let her know the consequences of provoking him, Hou Bo!

    Qiao Jing flexed her wrists and twisted her neck, not waiting for those people to charge at her, she took the initiative and struck out at them.

    A shoulder throw, a sweeping kick, a vertical chop¡ªcries of pain suddenly erupted.

    Hou Bo, dumbstruck, watched as Qiao Jing fiercely fought, frozen in ce with his belt in hand, his mouth wide open, unable to believe his eyes.

    He knew Qiao Jing was fierce, but he had no idea she could be this fierce.

    These bodyguards were all elite among bodyguards! He had spent a lot of money hiring them, each of theirbat capabilities not inferior to those of the Zhan Family¡¯s bodyguards, and now just in a short while? They were all beaten down by Qiao Jing, unable to get up.

    Just as Hou Bo was shocked, Qiao Jing, with a pair of sharp eyes, suddenly looked over at him.

    Hou Bo frantically backed away, retreating two steps, then steeled his body, readying himself to confront Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t you know good fortune when you see it? My Hou family¡¯spany in the capital is considered quite significant. If you join me, I will dismiss all the women around me and cherish only you. Anything you want, I will buy for you,¡± Hou Bo said,

    after finishing his speech, Hou Bo took out his bank card, ¡°I will give you 500,000 right now.¡±

    Five hundred thousand¡ªthat was no small sum. Many women would sell their souls for just a few hundred or thousand. Qiao Jing, just a country girl who subsisted on farming ie, probably hadn¡¯t seen so much money in her life.

    That¡¯s what Hou Bo thought. However, as if she hadn¡¯t heard a thing, Qiao Jing walked towards him with icy cold eyes.

    Hou Bo got goosebumps instantly as he saw her approaching, ¡°I¡¯ll double it¡ªto one million! Just strip right now, and the one million is yours¡ª¡±

    Hou Bo hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing suddenly lifted her foot and kicked him hard in the stomach.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A scream like that of a ughtered pig erupted.

    Hou Bo clutched his stomach, his expression twisted in agony, sweat poured from his brow, and he slid down the wall.

    ¡°You, you wretched girl, how dare you¡ªstrike me! Just you wait! You¡¯re dead! You and your entire family will¡ª¡±

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Qiao Jing kicked again, and a deafening scream followed.

    Qiao Jing continued kicking, kicking until Hou Bo couldn¡¯t make a sound, yet she did not stop.

    In the corridor, a nurse was running and pointing.

    ¡°Just ahead, in that room! I saw it with my own eyes, Doctor Qiao was locked up there!¡±

    Lu Zijin ran anxiously, fearing even a hair on Qiao Jing might be harmed.

    Upon hearing themotion, Qiao Licheng looked towards Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Who are you people? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I am the director of this hospital, and Qiao Jing is a doctor here! She¡¯s also my friend!¡± Lu Zijin red coldly at Qiao Licheng as he spoke.

    ¡°Director? You are the director of this hospital?¡± Qiao Licheng looked at Lu Zijin, who appeared to be in his early thirties at most, not quite fitting the image of a director.

    Right, he had just said he was Qiao Jing¡¯s friend. Could this young man be pretending to be the hospital director just to rescue Qiao Jing?

    Considering this, Qiao Licheng felt it was very likely the case.

    ¡°What Qiao Jing? My daughter isn¡¯t here.¡± Qiao Licheng blocked the door, not letting them through.

    ¡°Nonsense! I clearly saw Doctor Qiao being locked in there by you!¡± the nurse angrily pointed at Qiao Licheng and yelled.

    ¡°The one talking nonsense is you. My family is inside resting. If you keep causing trouble, I¡¯ll call security to kick you out!¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Licheng finished speaking than a group of security guards appeared.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time, these two are causing a disturbance, quickly throw them out!¡±

    Qiao Licheng shouted fiercely, but not a single security guard moved.

    At that moment, the security team leader stepped forward to Lu Zijin and said, ¡°Director.¡±

    Director?!!

    This address from the security team leader startled Qiao Licheng greatly, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at Lu Zijin.

    This young man was truly the director of this hospital?

    And this young man had earlier imed to be Qiao Jing¡¯s friend.

    Qiao Jing actually knew the hospital director! And it seemed they were on good terms.

    This damn girl, having such extensive connections, why wouldn¡¯t she help their family? Did she not know that the blood flowing in her veins belonged to the Qiao Family?

    ¡°Pull him aside and open the door!¡± Lu Zijin¡¯s heart and mind were consumed with worry for Qiao Jing¡¯s safety, his heart seemingly tortured by mes.

    ¡°Yes!¡± The security guards responded and without another word, pushed Qiao Licheng aside.

    Qiao Licheng stared dry-eyed at the hospital room door. More than ten minutes had passed, and Hou Bo had brought so many elite bodyguards; Qiao Jing must have been subdued by now.

    If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the moment the door opened, he would see Qiao Jing being brutally mistreated by Hou Bo.

    That unbearable scene, witnessed by Lu Zijin, would be unimaginable!

    With a ¡°bang,¡± the hospital room door was kicked open, and then everyone saw bodyguards sprawled on the floor and Qiao Jing repeatedly kicking Hou Bo.

    Instantly, Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, his mouth opened into an ¡®O¡¯, his gaze fixed on Hou Bo¡¯s face, swollen like a pig¡¯s head.

    Honestly, if he hadn¡¯t recognized Hou Bo¡¯s clothes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed that the person Qiao Jing was kicking around like trash was Hou Bo.

    And those bodyguards lying all over the floor, he had heard Hou Bo boasting before, each one of these elite bodyguards brought specifically by Hou Bo had the fighting capability of ten men.

    Yet¡ªall of them had been taken down by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was that formidable?

    Qiao Licheng was so shocked he even thought of taking Qiao Jing for a paternity test.

    Could he have sired such a formidable child?

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you all right?¡± Lu Zijin quickly ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, his eyes scanning her body up and down.

 Chapter 162 - 155: Zhan Qipei Publicly Kisses Qiao Jing

    Chapter 162: Chapter 155: Zhan Qipei Publicly Kisses Qiao Jing

    The people entering the room all froze for a moment.

    They looked at the figures lying haphazardly on the floor and at Hou Bo, who had been kicked until his face was swollen like a pig¡¯s.

    Was this question really appropriate?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Find a couple of people to take him for treatment, and don¡¯t forget, he should pay for his own medical expenses,¡± Qiao Jing straightened her clothes and said.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Zijin nodded and immediately had the security guards carry out Qiao Jing¡¯s instructions.

    Qiao Licheng shamelessly approached, looking at Qiao Jing and said, ¡°Qiao Jing, do you know the director of this hospital? Why didn¡¯t you mention it earlier? If I had known, no matter how Boss Hou threatened me, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you here. Fortunately, you¡¯re alright. Can you introduce me, and possibly lend some money to the Qiao Family first?¡±

    Lu Zijin thought he had seen thick-skinned people before, but never to this extent. Honestly, if this man were not Qiao Jing¡¯s father, he would have thrown him out long ago.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing waved her hand. ¡°Throw him out too.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Licheng suddenly became so angry he couldn¡¯t contain himself.

    Seizing an object nearby while Qiao Jing was not paying attention, he hurled it at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Lu Zijin stretched out his arm to block.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± Lu Zijin¡¯s arm was struck, and a muffled grunt resounded in Qiao Jing¡¯s ears.

    Qiao Jing clenched her teeth and red furiously at Qiao Licheng.

    ¡°Throw him out!¡±

    Qiao Jing was truly angry. She hated involving others because of herself, especially when it affected her friends.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you little bastard! Son of a bitch! How could you treat me like this! I am your father! Be careful of getting struck by lightning when you step outside!¡±

    The nurse couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took medical tape to seal Qiao Licheng¡¯s mouth.

    Qiao Jing turned to look at Lu Zijin¡¯s arm, ¡°How bad is it? Let me check it quickly.¡±

    Lu Zijin touched his arm, furrowing his brow.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡±

    Qiao Jing could tell Lu Zijin was enduring the pain. Unlike her, he was just an ordinary frail man. Given how forcefully Qiao Licheng had struck him, and she had even heard Lu Zijin¡¯s muffled grunt, how could it be nothing?

    ¡°Quick, take off your coat, let me see.¡±

    Take it off? Take off his clothes in front of her?

    Lu Zijin¡¯s face blushed slightly, ¡°I, I really don¡¯t need to, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± Qiao Jing said and reached out to pull at Lu Zijin¡¯s clothes.

    At that moment, not far outside the door, Lu Zijiao was pushing Zhan Qipei, who was in a wheelchair, rushing over.

    ¡°It¡¯s right up ahead! I heard people in the hospital saying someone was bullying Qiao Jing, and my brother rushed over first, right here¡ªuh¡ªfront¡ª¡±

    Good heavens! What¡¯s happening?!

    Lu Zijiao stared dumbfounded at the scene inside the hospital room, Qiao Jing had pulled Lu Zijin¡¯s shirt up halfway, exposing his torso.

    Is it really that dramatic?

    Suddenly!

    Lu Zijiao felt the air around him drop to several degrees below zero!

    Lu Zijiao mechanically turned his head to look at Zhan Qipei.

    Hiss¡ª

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was nothing short of terrifying!

    Qiao Jing also caught sight of Zhan Qipei out of the corner of her eye and hesitated. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be recuperating in the hospital? What was he doing here?

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Before Qiao Jing could speak, Zhan Qipei pushed his wheelchair toward her.

    Before Qiao Jing could react, Zhan Qipei suddenly grabbed her arm, pulled, and drew her into his embrace.

    Qiao Jing sat on Zhan Qipei¡¯sp, her pupils suddenly dting.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, what are you doing? Your leg is still injured!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head, only to have her mouth covered by the man.

    The incident happened so suddenly that no one had expected it.

    Lu Zijiao covered her mouth, her eyes as wide with shock as could be.

    Lu Zijin was initially shocked and then furious, ¡°What are you doing? Let her go!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips parted, tightly restraining Qiao Jing, and he looked up emotionlessly at Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you that, she¡¯s my wife, what were you two doing just now?¡±

    After snapping out of her daze, Qiao Jing looked up to see the man¡¯s face darken with excessive jealousy.

    So, was it because of this that he kissed her in front of so many people?

    ¡°You misunderstood, just now his arm was hit by something, and I was checking his wound.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation, Zhan Qipei¡¯s mood slightly eased.

    Yes, just slightly.

    ¡°If his injury wasn¡¯t on the arm, but somewhere else? Like the ce where I wasst injured, would you check him as well?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing knew what Zhan Qipei was implying.

    ¡°I am a doctor, it is my duty.¡±

    After Qiao Jing spoke, she saw the man¡¯s already somber face grow even darker, as if it could drip water.

    ¡°So, would you? Hmm?¡±

    Those brief four words were imbued with boundless danger and coldness.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei seemed caught in a tempest, hating the thought of Qiao Jing performing such procedures on other men, wishing he could justly execute her on the spot, lock her at home, lock her on the bed, and have her belong only to him for life.

    Of course, he only dared to think about it. If he really did that, Qiao Jing would certainly hate him.

    He didn¡¯t just want her body, he wanted her heart as well, so he could never actually do something like that to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it, I don¡¯t want to hear,¡± Zhan Qipei replied with a stern, grim face, his cool thin lips tightly pressed into a curveless line of ice.

    He feared he would hear an answer he did not want to hear, and what if in a moment of impulse he could not control himself and really executed Qiao Jing on the spot?

    Qiao Jing shifted her body, with the man¡¯s arms restraining her, she couldn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let go of me, your leg is injured, don¡¯t be reckless!¡±

    Zhan Qipei exhaled deeply then let go.

    Qiao Jing quickly got up from Zhan Qipei¡¯s body, and just as she did, her wrist was caught by Zhan Qipei.

    This guy, just relentless.

    Qiao Jing looked down at her and Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands, ¡°You can let go now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, as if he hadn¡¯t heard, looked toward Lu Zijin, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, stay away from her in the future. Otherwise, I won¡¯t show Lu Zijiao any consideration.¡±

    Lu Zijiao, hearing Zhan Qipei say this, twitched her mouth speechlessly, thinking to herself, you sure talk a good game, when have you ever shown consideration?

    Lu Zijin frowned, looking at Qiao Jing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you two already divorced?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Qiao Jing pulled at her hand again, the more she pulled, the tighter he grasped.

    Lu Zijin slightly opened his mouth, looking at the hands Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were pulling together, and drooped his eyelids, covering the thoughts in his eyes.

    Afterward, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei left the hospital together.

    ¡°I mean, you can let go of my hand now, right?¡± Qiao Jing said tly.

    Zhan Qipei lifted Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and brought it to his mouth.

 Chapter 163 - 156: Xiao Jing, I Treasure You

    Chapter 163: Chapter 156: Xiao Jing, I Treasure You

    ¡°Pop¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing quickly pulled her hand back, stepping several steps backward. She first looked at her own hand and then stared at Zhan Qipei with disbelief.

    Here he goes again!

    Ever since he found out she was the one who had saved him back then, he had often taken liberties with her.

    She had let it slide before, but now he was pushing it even further!

    She had to warn him, otherwise he would definitely do something even more outrageous to her in the future.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, do I seem that cheap in your eyes? You think you can kiss me whenever you want, hold me whenever you wish? Do you really disregard me that much?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Zhan Qipei replied almost instantly.

    ¡°I see you as a treasure, the greatest treasure of my life. Since you¡¯re a treasure, I want to hide you away where no one can find you. But you¡¯re too radiant, too hard to ignore. There¡¯s always someone coveting my treasure. Xiao Jing, what should I do?¡±

    As Zhan Qipei said this, his eyes were filled with affection, his tone intoxicating.

    Qiao Jing had initially intended her words as a warning for Zhan Qipei to keep his distance, but instead, the man confessed to her so passionately.

    Especially those eyes that kept watching her, as if he was looking at the entire world.

    Facing such a man, Qiao Jing was at a loss for words, unsure of what to say.

    Looking at the man in the wheelchair, remembering that his injuries were because of her, she found herself unable to voice any rebuke.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Qiao Jing said as she pushed the wheelchair.

    After a pause, Qiao Jing added, ¡°Don¡¯t just kiss me whenever you feel like it in the future.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Zhan Qipei said with utmost certainty.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qiao Jing felt infuriated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    ¡°Unless¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei suddenly changed his tone and turned to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°you stop seducing me.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused, ¡°Me, seducing you? When have I ever seduced you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, his thin lips parting slightly as he spoke with a hint of amusement, ¡°All the time.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    *

    After Qiao Licheng returned to the Qiao Family home, he was throwing things around and stamping his feet.

    ¡°Damn that wretched girl! Knowing the hospital¡¯s dean and not telling me! It¡¯s absolutely hateful!¡±

    Zheng Haijuan looked worried, ¡°What are we going to do now? We can¡¯t manage the funds, and Qiao Jing, with her malicious behavior, refuses to help. If this continues, thepany will go bankrupt in less than three months.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Licheng suddenly remembered the words Qiao Jing had said at the hospital.

    She said she could bankrupt the Qiao Family in one day!

    ¡°Hmph! Who does she think she is? Looking at herself in the mirror, she says she can bankrupt our Qiao Family in one day? Our Qiao Family will go bankrupt in one day? Does she still think she¡¯s Mrs. Zhan? It¡¯s been over 100 days now!¡±

    Even if it hadn¡¯t been 100 days, she was just married off in a contract¡ªwho would care about her? Who would help her?

    As Qiao Licheng thought this, his cellphone rang, and it was a call from thepany assistant.

    Why would thepany assistant call him at this hour?

    Once he picked up the call, Qiao Licheng heard the assistant¡¯s extremely anxious voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad! Boss, something terrible has happened!¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s scalp tingled, ¡°Speak up, don¡¯t just yell ¡®it¡¯s bad¡¯ at me! It¡¯s annoying to hear!¡±

    ¡°Boss, thepany has gone bankrupt!¡±

    These words were like a bolt from the blue, suddenly exploding above Qiao Licheng¡¯s head.

    ¡°What did you say? Bankrupt¡ªbankrupt¡ªbankrupt? Now, right¡ªright now?¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Licheng¡¯s exmation, Zheng Haijuan, Jhiang Cuifeng, and Qiao Mengtong each felt as if they had been struck by lightning. Their brains buzzed, they couldn¡¯t believe their ears, and they all stared at Qiao Licheng.

    They hoped they had heard wrong or that Qiao Licheng had misheard.

    Qiao Licheng was thinking the same thing, anxiously waiting for his assistant¡¯s words.

    ¡°It¡¯s true! We¡¯re bankrupt!¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s mind went ¡°buzz¡ª¡± his vision went dark, and like a copsing skyscraper, he copsed onto the sofa.

    Seeing Qiao Licheng¡¯s reaction, Zheng Haijuan and the others followed suit, slumping onto the sofa.

    ¡°How could this happen? How could this happen? Wasn¡¯t it said that we were at least three months away from bankruptcy? How could they dere bankruptcy just like that?¡± Qiao Mengtong mumbled in a broken, despondent tone.

    Just a second ago, she had been a high-societydy, and now she was as downcast as a stray dog. How would she buy luxury goods or her favorite clothes and bags in the future?

    Hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯sment, Qiao Licheng was reminded of the emotionless words Qiao Jing had said to him earlier that day.

    ¡°Today? Did Qiao Jing say today? Could it really be because of Qiao Jing?¡±

    ¡°What Qiao Jing? Dad, what are you talking about? Does this¡ªdoes this have something to do with Qiao Jing? It couldn¡¯t be, could she have that much influence? Didn¡¯t the 100 days pass? Shouldn¡¯t Qiao Jing have divorced President Zhan by now?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s analysis had already been silently considered by Qiao Licheng before.

    Suddenly, Qiao Licheng thought of someone, Lu Zijin.

    ¡°That hospital president?!¡±

    About the hospital¡¯s president, Lu Zijin, Qiao Licheng had already mentioned him while he was fuming earlier, hadn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Could it really be Qiao Jing? Did Qiao Jing shamelessly get involved with the hospital¡¯s president and thus did that to the Qiao Family? But a small hospital like that, could it really have the capability to bankrupt the Qiao Family within a single day?¡±

    Listening to Qiao Mengtong¡¯s analysis, Qiao Licheng calmed down considerably.

    Right? He was too hasty just now, hasty to the point of losing his sanity.

    It was just a hospital. Even if the other party had the capability to bankrupt the Qiao Family, could they really reduce them to this state in just one day?

    ¡°So, this means that this incident has nothing to do with Qiao Jing; it¡¯s all just a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about whether it¡¯s a coincidence or not for now. Let¡¯s think about how to deal with the uing issues,¡± Zheng Haijuan said as she rubbed her temples.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Jhiang Cuifeng sighed deeply, her expression bing extremely fierce.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Qiao Jing! If only that girl had given the money to the Qiao Family right from the start!¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng truly despised Qiao Jing now, holding onto so much of their money and not giving it back to them. If the Qiao Family had that sum of money, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up on the road to bankruptcy.

    After that night, the Qiao Family¡¯s status as a wealthy family was utterly gone.

    This was also a fitting retribution for the Qiao Family¡¯s ruthless excesses.

    Not just the Qiao Family, but also the Hou family.

    Hou Bo, beaten ck and blue by Qiao Jing,y in a VIP hospital room, grinding his teeth and wishing he could tear Qiao Jing apart.

    ¡°You guys, bring Qiao Jing to me immediately! By any means necessary, if I don¡¯t teach him a lesson today, I won¡¯t take the Hou surname!¡±

    The bodyguards exchanged looks, their faces showing hesitation.

    They had all seen Qiao Jing¡¯s capabilities; she was not someone they could handle.

    ¡°What are you still standing here for? Go now!¡± Hou Bo picked up his phone and hurled it at the bodyguards.

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The bodyguard, clutching his bleeding forehead, went out.

    He had just stepped out when he was kicked back in.

 Chapter 164 - 157: Xu Moqian Proposes to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 164: Chapter 157: Xu Moqian Proposes to Qiao Jing

    All three bodyguards were kicked to the ground, sprawled out with their limbs iling, wailing loudly.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Hou Bo¡¯s eyes widened as he looked toward the door.

    Zhan Qipei entered slowly in his wheelchair.

    ¡°You are¡ª¡±

    Before Hou Bo could finish, he saw Tang Yan pushing the wheelchair through the door.

    Hou Bo¡¯s eyes instantly widened, and his gaze abruptly shifted from Tang Yan back to Zhan Qipei.

    If he didn¡¯t know who the person in the wheelchair was by now, he might as well have grown his brain for nothing.

    ¡°You are President Zhan?!¡±

    Zhan Qipei lifted his heavy, dark eyes, his piercing gaze shooting toward Hou Bo like icy daggers.

    Although Zhan Qipei, seated in his wheelchair, was technically looking up at Hou Bo, anyone witnessing the scene could feel as though Zhan Qipei was looking down on an ant.

    As Hou Bo met Zhan Qipei¡¯s prating gaze, his heart skipped a beat, the chill felt as if ice had formed on his body.

    What was happening? Why was President Zhan looking at him with such a terrifying gaze? Had he done something to offend him?

    Hou Bo looked toward the several bodyguards lying on the ground, guessing what might have happened.

    President Zhan¡¯s visit was clearly not a friendly one, and likely one of his men had crossed the line and provoked the other party.

    Damn it! Hou Bo cursed inwardly. Who was the blind one? Of all people to provoke, it had to be Zhan¡¯s own Yama Raja!

    ¡°President Zhan, if you¡¯re here because someone under mymand has offended you, I¡¯ll immediately have that idiote over to bow his head in apology and atone however you deem fit!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s calm and obscure eyes narrowed as he pointed a finger at Hou Bo.

    ¡°What?!¡± Hou Bo¡¯s heart nearly skipped a beat.

    ¡°Me? You¡¯re saying I¡¯ve offended you? No, that¡¯s a grave misunderstanding! I¡¯ve been injured and lying in the hospital for nearly a day, how could I possibly have offended you?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing.¡± The two words were uttered from Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth.

    Upon hearing that name, Hou Bo¡¯s heart almost missed another beat.

    ¡°Qiao, Qiao, Qiao Jing? Isn¡¯t she, didn¡¯t she divorce you?¡±

    ¡°Who said that?¡± The look in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes was endlessly cold and sharp as he stared at Hou Bo.

    Hou Bo almost bit his tongue, ¡°No, no, hasn¡¯t it been 100 days yet?¡±

    Zhan Qipei produced a marriage certificate, which had a red background photo of him and Qiao Jing, ¡°Not 100 days, but a lifetime.¡±

    The gravity of Zhan Qipei¡¯s statement was so intense and frightening that it nearly made Hou Bo¡¯s heart jump out of his throat.

    ¡°President Zhan, you¡¯re not joking with me, are you?¡±

    Hou Bo stared dumbfounded at Zhan Qipei, whose expression remained inscrutable, revealing no fluctuations, making it all the more difficult to doubt the truth of his words.

    Hou Bo¡¯s mouth gaped wide enough to fit a goose egg, ignoring his injuries, he knelt straight down in front of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I was wrong! I shouldn¡¯t have coveted your wife! I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive me!¡±

    While speaking, Hou Bo began to p himself hard, as if fearing that a light blow would not earn Zhan Qipei¡¯s forgiveness.

    The next day.

    The capital was in uproar.

    The Qiao family went bankrupt, and Zhan Corporation acquired Hou¡¯spany at a low price.

    It all happened overnight, prompting everyone to wonder if the two families had offended the same force, otherwise how could their demise align so coincidentally?

    Of course, these were only spections, and as outsiders, theycked the capacity to investigate it fully.

    Even if they had the ability, who would dare to delve into the depths of the Zhan family?

    Qiao Jing was in the research institute tending to vegetables when Xu Moqian walked in.

    ¡°Sister Jing, do you think Zhan Qipei was just bored? Why else would he acquire Hou¡¯spany? I don¡¯t know what Hou did to offend him?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced briefly at Xu Moqian, then withdrew her gaze after a few seconds and continued tending to the newly grafted vegetables.

    Seeing that his attempt to engage Qiao Jing had not caught her attention, Xu Moqian tookrge steps to her side, wanting to say something but feeling embarrassed to speak, and just paced around her.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled as she turned back to look at Xu Moqian.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to approach with the freshly printed documents in hand, a sudden hand reached out and yanked them away.

    Zhan Nanqing stared wide-eyed at Gan Lan, who held a finger to her lips, signaling Zhan Nanqing to stay silent.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Gan Lan, confused. What the hell?

    Gan Lan jerked her chin towards Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian, hinting Zhan Nanqing not to go over there because there was a good show to watch.

    Zhan Nanqing followed Gan Lan¡¯s indication and saw Xu Moqian standing in front of Qiao Jing.

    Though these two were often together, something about the atmosphere seemed off.

    ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± Xu Moqian cleared his throat, took a ring box out of his pocket, opened it, and knelt on one knee in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, and you don¡¯t dislike me, so why don¡¯t you do me the honor of marrying me?¡±

    A proposal?!!

    Both Zhan Nanqing and Gan Lan were shocked by Xu Moqian¡¯s bold moves.

    Especially Zhan Nanqing, whose emotions were so mixed that no words could describe them.

    Now Qiao Jing and her brother weren¡¯t divorced yet, which meant that Qiao Jing was technically her sister-inw. She was witnessing another man proposing to her sister-inw, which felt incredibly weird.

    Zhan Nanqing was particrly eager to see Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction. She couldn¡¯t possibly just ept, could she? If that were the case, her best friend Lou Xinrou would lose a formidable rival.

    But why did she feel reluctant to see that happen?

    Qiao Jing nced at the ring with a calm expression, showing no significant reaction.

    She had indeed been surprised a moment ago.

    Just ¡°surprised.¡±

    No other emotional ripples followed.

    ¡°You want me to marry you, but what¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s question took Xu Moqian aback.

    What¡¯s in it for her?

    Money?

    Qiao Jing might be richer than his family.

    Fame?

    Qiao Jing was more famous than his grandfather.

    And Qiao Jing was attractive, hardworking, knowledgeable in medicine, and most importantly¡ªshe was an excellent cook.

    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m handsome,¡± Xu Moqian stammered.

    Xu Moqian never thought the day woulde when he¡¯d have to rely on his looks.

    ¡°But you¡¯re not as handsome as Zhan Qipei,¡± Qiao Jing replied straightforwardly, implying nothing else.

    On hearing this, Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes bulged with frustration!

    Some rejoiced, others fretted.

    Fretting was Xu Moqian; rejoicing was Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded with satisfaction, finding Qiao Jing¡¯s view very pleasing.

    That¡¯s right. Her brother was much more handsome than Xu Moqian.

    ¡°What do you mean? How am I not as handsome as him?¡±

    ¡°Face,¡± replied Qiao Jing.

    Xu Moqian ¡°¡­¡±

    Fine, fine, fine! If he wasn¡¯t as handsome as Zhan Qipei, then he¡¯d show off his strong physique.

    With that thought, Xu Moqian stood up, said no more, and took off his shirt, flexing his muscles in front of Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 165 - 158: Your Figure is Not as Good as Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 165: Chapter 158: Your Figure is Not as Good as Zhan Qipei

    ¡°`

    ¡°Look at this body of mine, it¡¯s been specially trained! What do you think?¡±

    Pfft! Shameless!

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    Not to mention Zhan Nanqing, even Gan Lan covered her eyes, unable to watch.

    Qiao Jing breezed past Xu Moqian.

    ¡°His physique is better than yours.¡±

    After Qiao Jing said that, she stopped paying attention to Xu Moqian and turned to water the vegetables.

    As she was watering, Qiao Jing suddenly realized it had be too quiet behind her, an unusual kind of quiet.

    Unexpectedly!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mind shed back to what she had just said.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s physique is better than Xu Moqian¡¯s.

    What did that imply? It meant she had seen Zhan Qipei¡¯s physique!

    Upon further thought, the fact that she had seen Zhan Qipei¡¯s physique indicated that she and Zhan Qipei had some unspeakable affair.

    No wonder it had suddenly gotten so quiet, right?

    ¡°Sister Jing! Did that bastard Zhan Qipei bully you?¡± Xu Moqian bellowed loudly.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing suddenly had a headache.

    Qiao Jing turned around and saw Xu Moqian rolling up his sleeves, looking ready to kill.

    Before she could exin, Zhan Nanqing burst out and shouted at Xu Moqian, ¡°Who are you calling a bastard? What did my brother do to offend you, and what right do you have to insult him?¡±

    ¡°So what if I insult him? He bullied my Sister Jing; he deserves to be cursed.¡± Xu Moqian waspletely unwilling to back down just because Zhan Nanqing was a woman.

    In his life, he had never let anyone have their way, except for the people he cared about.

    Like Qiao Jing.

    Unfortunately, given Qiao Jing¡¯s capabilities, she barely needed him to ¡°give in¡±.

    ¡°My brother and Qiao Jing are legally married, can that even be called bullying? If a married couple doesn¡¯t do that sort of thing, that¡¯s sick!¡± Zhan Nanqing, hands on her hips and head raised, was every bit as imposing as Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Deserving? Your brother is no more than cow dung, not worthy of being with my Sister Jing, this beautiful flower!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Unable to listen anymore, Qiao Jing interjected, ¡°Enough!¡±

    ¡°But, Sister Jing¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian had barely started when Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll have you thrown out of my research institute.¡±

    Xu Moqian obediently shut his mouth.

    ¡°Beautiful! Humph, humph!¡± Zhan Nanqing strutted around, head held high like a rooster who had just won a fight.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing annoyed, and Zhan Nanqing pouted. Although she felt resentful inside, she didn¡¯t verbalize it because of Qiao Jing¡¯smanding presence. She simply held her peace.

    If Su Manhan had seen Zhan Nanqing¡¯s behavior, she would have been extremely surprised.

    Because Zhan Nanqing had been spoiled by Su Manhan and Zhan Yao since she was a child, when she lost her temper, neither of them knew what to do with her¡ªonly Zhan Qipei could manage her.

    Yet at that moment, Zhan Nanqing was making concessions to Qiao Jing, something even she herself had yet to realize.

    Qiao Jing, speechless, looked at Zhan Nanqing and Xu Moqian, ¡°Both of your imaginations could qualify you to be scriptwriters. I saw Zhan Qipei because I¡¯ve treated his injuries, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation, Xu Moqian breathed a sigh of relief and remembered the scene from Lichuan County Hospital, where Qiao Jing had checked Zhan Qipei¡¯s injuries.

    ¡°`

    Qiao Jing had once performed surgery on Zhan Qipei, removing a bullet from him.

    Although the two had physical contact, Qiao Jing was a doctor, and such things were unavoidable. If he had to make a big deal out of it, it would just make him seem too petty as a man.

    It was time to get off work.

    Originally, Zhan Nanqing had nned on tidying up her things and leaving, but seeing Qiao Jing still working on her research report, she wondered if it would be toozy of her to just leave?

    She was already worlds apart from Sister Jing, and with Sister Jing working so hard, the gap would only widen further. Nanqing feared she would fall even further behind as time went on.

    An hour passed, and after Qiao Jing finished her work, she heard some noiseing from the greenhouse and went to see. It was Zhan Nanqing tending to the vegetables inside the greenhouse.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    Hearing these two words, Zhan Nanqing turned around and curled her lips, ¡°As if I need yourpliments.¡±

    Although Zhan Nanqing said so with her mouth, deep down, she actually felt quite aplex surge of emotions being praised by Qiao Jing.

    It was probably a greater sense of achievement than beingplimented by a teacher or principal during her school days.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left sote?¡± Qiao Jing asked as she walked over.

    ¡°You¡¯re working so hard, of course, I have to do the same. I will definitely surpass you in the future,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, her face turning slightly red.

    She was talking big, and she didn¡¯t even believe herself.

    ¡°Hmm, not bad, good ambition. Actually, surpassing me is not that hard. I¡¯m just an ordinary person with two eyes, one nose, and a mouth. As long as you¡¯re willing to put in the effort, you may have the chance to surpass me in the future. And you¡¯re still young, full of potential,¡± Qiao Jing said, not as an encouragement to Zhan Nanqing but as an honest statement from the heart.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s serious and meticulous face, and if she hadn¡¯t felt that Qiao Jing¡¯s words weren¡¯t sarcastic, she would have jumped up and cursed at Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Is that so Versailles?

    Calling her young? She¡¯s only a few months younger than you, okay?

    Zhan Nanqing thought about the big talk she had just spouted, andpared it with Qiao Jing¡¯s words spoken in the tone of an elder, and with thatparison, she felt like a bronze yer standing before the ultimate king.

    Now, she really wanted to take back what she had said earlier.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re working so hard, then let me help you out.¡± Qiao Jing handed over the freshly organized treatment to Zhan Nanqing, ¡°This research report is a draft I hurriedly put together when I was short on time. There are many ws, and some logical coherence issues. Take it back, sort it out well. Give it to me in a couple of days.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the stack of materials in her hands, as thick as a book. Speaking of which, she had seen Qiao Jing busy with this all afternoon. In less than three hours, she wrote such a report?

    Unbelievable!

    While Zhan Nanqing was internally criticizing, she began to flip through it.

    And the more she read, the stronger her criticism grew.

    It was so rigorously written, almost wlessly, and yet, Qiao Jing had told her it was a hastily put-together draft due to time constraints?

    Draft!

    Damn! (This is a very green and healthy civilized expression)

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯m going to lock up,¡± Qiao Jing said, leading the way.

    Zhan Nanqing, clutching the thick stack of research reports, felt as if thousands of grass-mud horses were stampeding through her heart.

    As they just stepped out of the research institute, their eyes were caught by a pink luxury car parked on the side of the road.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Zhu Tingting¡¯s car?¡± Zhan Nanqing recognized it immediately. ¡°Did Zhu Tingting get out of prison?¡±

    Thest time in the mall, Zhu Tingting had a confrontation with Qiao Jing. It was a big scene that ended up with the police being called, and Zhu Tingting was taken away by them.

    At that time, she felt Captain Zhao was quite angry, and now she understood why¡ªit was because Zhu Tingting had insulted one of their empire¡¯s agricultural tycoons.

    And the insults were so nasty, no wonder Zhu Tingting wasn¡¯t let out even after the Zhu Family and her husband went to the police station.

    Zhu Tingting got out of the car, eyes bulging with rage, staring at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally caught up with you! Now, kneel down and p yourself a hundred times, or else, hmph! Just wait for a fate worse than death,¡± she eximed.

 Chapter 166 - 159 Jealousy Towards Qiao Jing

    Chapter 166: Chapter 159 Jealousy Towards Qiao Jing

    Has shee to seek death again?

    Zhan Nanqing nced at the bodyguards beside Zhu Tingting, thinking to herself, doesn¡¯t Zhu Tingting have a brain? Even if she wanted revenge on Qiao Jing, she should have picked a ce with no people around.

    This is Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute!

    Moreover, there¡¯s one thing Zhu Tingting didn¡¯t know. That is, Qiao Jing is actually Professor Qiao himself!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze swept over the five or six bodyguards, ¡°Are you going toy a hand on me?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! What, scared? If you¡¯re scared, kneel down immediately!¡± Zhu Tingting looked down at Qiao Jing with her chin up, full of disdain in her eyes, almost spilling over.

    Qiao Jing turned back to Zhan Nanqing next to her and said, ¡°My phone is out of battery, you call 110.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t soft, everyone present could hear it.

    Zhu Tingting, fuming, thought in her mind that Qiao Jing was deliberately saying it to scare her.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t think Qiao Jing was just putting on a scare. Back when her brother and Qiao Jing got married, Qiao Jing had called the police and sent her brother to the police station on their wedding day.

    And Deng Yunran from the Deng Family also got arrested because Qiao Jing called the police.

    ¡°You, just you wait, I¡¯ll deal with you next time!¡± Zhu Tingting, so enraged she felt like slicing Qiao Jing into thousands of pieces with her re.

    ¡°Why wait for next time? Got the guts,e at me now! Bringing so many people, making such a big scene, and just leaving like this? What a disgrace!¡± Zhan Nanqing said mockingly as she watched Zhu Tingting.

    Zhu Tingting and Zhan Nanqing were archenemies from childhood, Zhu Tingting couldn¡¯t stand Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mockery.

    ¡°Who are you calling disgraceful? Say it again if you dare?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about you, coward!¡±

    ¡°You, you¡ª¡± Zhu Tingting, consumed by rage, threw herself at Zhan Nanqing without thinking of the consequences.

    Zhan Nanqing dodged, but the research report was snatched by Zhu Tingting.

    ¡°Give it back to me!¡±

    ¡°Give it back, alright, I will.¡± Zhu Tingting¡¯s face broke into a wicked smile, and before Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes, she started tearing up the research report.

    Zhan Nanqing watched with wide eyes, ¡°You, stop, that¡¯s a report personallypiled by Professor Qiao¡ª¡±

    Zhu Tingting¡¯s hands stopped tearing the report abruptly, paused for more than ten seconds, then lowered her head to look at the documents in her hands.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stretched her neck out long, ¡°Zhu Tingting, you¡¯re doomed! That report took Professor Qiao several days topile, it¡¯s extremely important, and now you¡¯ve destroyed it, how are you going to exin it to Professor Qiao?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned his head to look at Zhan Nanqing, who winked back at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing silently chuckled, keeping the secret to himself.

    ¡°No, impossible, a report personallypiled by Professor Qiao, how could it possibly¡­ how could it possibly be with you?¡± Zhu Tingting, frightened, her tongue tied.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, check it yourself, there¡¯s Professor Qiao¡¯s signature at the end.¡±

    Zhu Tingting hurriedly flipped it open, couldn¡¯t understand the professional jargon, and continued to flip until thest page, where she saw the signature ¡°Qiao.¡±

    Shocked!

    Zhu Tingting¡¯s heart almost leapt out of her chest.

    She hadn¡¯t really destroyed Professor Qiao¡¯s hard work, had she?

    If that was really the case, and Professor Qiao got angry and came looking, even her father and her husband wouldn¡¯t be able to cover for her!

    At that moment, a bodyguard whispered a few words to her, and Zhu Tingting¡¯s expression visibly rxed.

    ¡°You just entered the research institute, how could Professor Qiao possibly give such an important research report to you? It¡¯s just a ¡®Qiao¡¯ signature, it doesn¡¯t mean anything, Qiao Jing¡¯s surname isn¡¯t even Qiao, who are you trying to scare?¡±

    Hearing Zhu Tingting say this, Zhan Nanqing felt a headacheing on; she couldn¡¯t expose Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, but tolerating it wasn¡¯t in her nature either.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was getting anxious, Qiao Jing¡¯s calm voice suddenly rang in her ear.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, just wait for the research institute toe knocking, definitely before tonight.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, with Qiao Jing¡¯s word, it was as good as sentencing Zhu Tingting to death!

    Awesome!

    ¡°Stop pretending, the two of you taking turns like that, do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Zhu Tingting said with hands on her hips.

    Qiao Jing pointed towards the gate of the research institute.

    ¡°Let me remind you, there are surveince cameras here. Next time you want to cause trouble, pick a ce where there are no people. You can leave your money at home but bring a bit more of your brain.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re actually calling me brainless!¡± Zhu Tingting was so angry she could burst.

    ¡°Pfft¡ªhahaha¡ªI¡¯m dying ofughter!¡± Zhan Nanqing burst intoughter, holding her stomach.

    She had witnessed Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp tongue on the very first day she met her.

    There wasn¡¯t a single curse word, yet it was infuriating enough to make someone explode.

    Prior to this, she had been the prime victim of Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp remarks, and now she was witnessing her archrival Zhu Tingting, infuriated to the verge of death by Qiao Jing.

    Honestly, it felt incredibly satisfying!

    Insanely satisfying!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than she saw a ck Maybach driving over.

    ¡°It¡¯s my brother!¡± Zhan Nanqing taunted Zhu Tingting with a raised eyebrow.

    Zhan Qipei?

    Zhu Tingting couldn¡¯t keep control of her eyes, tracing the car as it stopped.

    Although she was already married, Zhan Qipei had once been the man she desperately wanted.

    The car door opened, and Zhan Qipei, dressed in a dark coat, got out, leaning on a cane.

    Having not seen him for a long time, Zhu Tingting realized Zhan Qipei had be even more masculine. Even with a cane, his charm was irresistible.

    Zhu Tingting watched mesmerized, and her legs uncontrobly moved towards Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°President Zhan, it¡¯s been a while, you¡ª¡±

    Before Zhu Tingting could finish her sentence, Zhan Qipei walked past her and approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why are you wearing so little?¡±

    Zhan Qipei took off his coat and draped it around Qiao Jing.

    Although Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t feeling cold, she couldn¡¯t deny the warmth of the coat and theforting heat from the man.

    Zhu Tingting turned around only to see Zhan Qipei looking at Qiao Jing with affectionate eyes, as if she was everything in his life, wishing he could spoil her to the skies.

    This side of Zhan Qipei was something she had never seen before.

    Her image of him was a man cold and ruthless, bloodthirsty, and devoid of warmth.

    She thought such a man would never have a woman by his side in this lifetime.

    Thus, feeling disheartened, she agreed to the marriage arrangement her father had made, marrying an older man.

    But now¡ª

    seeing this scene was something she couldn¡¯t ept!

    What does this mean? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be aloof and uninterested in any woman?

    Was she inferior to Qiao Jing or what?

    Why treat her and Qiao Jing so differently?

    The more Zhu Tingting thought, the angrier she became, her gaze towards Qiao Jing filled with even more hatred!

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, do you really disregard my words that much? I told him you should take it easy and stay in bed as much as possible, and not move around too much.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s face was etched with displeasure, her eyes brimming with anger.

    Zhan Nanqing was somewhat stunned; she rarely saw anyone scold her brother like this, except for their grandfather.

    ¡°Sorry for making you worry. It¡¯s just that the capital hasn¡¯t been very peaceful these days. There have been frequent incidents where young girls are approached under the pretext of asking for directions, and then led to harm. Seeing that you were still not off work sote, I couldn¡¯t help but worry.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing found it hard to let forth the reprimand she had intended.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, get in the car.¡± Zhan Qipei personally opened the door for Qiao Jing, had her sit in the passenger seat, then leaned over to fasten her seatbelt.

    ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Qiao Jing pushed against the man¡¯s chest, creating a distance between them.

 Chapter 167 - 160 Qiao Jing Was Followed Again

    Chapter 167: Chapter 160 Qiao Jing Was Followed Again

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dare to push too hard, after all, the man¡¯s leg was still injured.

    Zhan Qipei, after helping Qiao Jing close the car door, hobbled from the front of the car to the driver¡¯s door with the support of his crutch, pulled it open, andboriously got in.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bear it and reached out to give the man a hand.

    Once Zhan Qipei was seated inside, he turned to Qiao Jing with a smile that felt like a breath of spring.

    That smile seemed to drain all the color from the world for a moment, leaving Qiao Jing momentarily mesmerized, her eyes wobbled, her breathing became erratic, and even her heartbeat uncontrobly quickened.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the man¡¯s deep voice was intoxicating and beguiling, as if drawn from a cello.

    She stepped on the elerator and drove the car out.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Qiao Jing hastily called out to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhan Qipei stopped the car and turned his head in confusion to look at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing pointed towards the rearview mirror where Zhan Nanqing had been left standing like a fool.

    She looked quite pitiful.

    ¡°You forgot your sister.¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned, ¡°When did she get here?¡±

    No sooner had Zhan Nanqing opened the car door than she heard Zhan Qipei suddenly utter this line, imagine the size of the mental shadow she must be feeling right now.

    Zhu Tingting witnessed this scene with wide eyes and also with a heart full of jealousy.

    If looks could kill, Qiao Jing would have been shed a thousand times by Zhu Tingting¡¯s gaze by now!

    Why? Why was she married to a wretched old man while this filthy country woman had won Zhan Qipei¡¯s affection?

    Just look at how Zhan Qipei gazed at Qiao Jing, as if he would lift her to the heavens if he could.

    The more she thought about it, the more jealous she became, and since Zhu Tingting already had a grudge against Qiao Jing, she nned to settle both old and new scores together.

    Zhu Tingting looked maliciously at the surveince camera above the entrance to the research institute.

    Thank you for reminding me, she will make a move against you, and she will find a ce without surveince to do it!

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing was followed as soon as she left the house.

    Who?

    The same group that attempted to kidnap Gan Qiqi?

    Speaking of which, ever since she saved Gan Qiqi, she had been stalked by those people, andter, she was ambushed by them. It was just unfortunate that they were too cunning; otherwise, the mastermind behind it all would have been caught.

    Qiao Jing actually hoped that the people following her this time were them.

    Zhu Tingting was stealthily observing Qiao Jing with a fierce gaze, ¡°Teach her a good lesson today, let her know the consequences of offending me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Remember, find a deserted ce.¡± It sounded simple, but as soon as Qiao Jing walked onto the main street, it was crowded with people, and it was really hard to take any action without being noticed.

    However, things developed in the direction Zhu Tingting wanted.

    Qiao Jing soon entered a deserted alley.

    ¡°This is perfect, Qiao Jing! It seems even the heavens are against you. Such a rare opportunity, go get her!¡±

    A group of bodyguards rushed into the alley upon receiving themand.

    Ten minutester, Zhu Tingting craned her neck to peer inside the alley.

    ¡°Huh? Strange? Why is there no noise at all? They should have finished ande out by now, it¡¯s been so long.¡±

    Could it be that something unexpected had happened?

    Was it because someone saw her, so she didn¡¯t make her move until now?

    But if that was the case, someone should have contacted her to report the situation!

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer! I need to go in and see for myself.¡±

    Out of patience, Zhu Tingting stopped hiding and came straight out.

    As soon as she emerged, she was knocked to the ground by two police officers who appeared suddenly, her face pressed against the ground.

    ¡°Ow, ow, ow¡ª¡± Zhu Tingting grimaced in pain; there was no doubt that her face must have swollen from the force used by the officers.

    The pain was secondary; what mattered most was the humiliation.

    Passersby stopped one after another, watching the excitement with strange looks and pointing fingers at her.

    Zhu Tingting felt she had never suffered such an enormous humiliation in her life.

    No!

    This was the second time. Because of Qiao Jing, she had experienced almost the same treatment in a mallst time.

    While Zhu Tingting thought this, she saw Qiao Jing walking toward her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? You, how¡ªhow are you unharmed?¡± Zhu Tingting stammered, hardly able to speak properly.

    How could she not be surprised? She had sent so many skilled bodyguards, and Qiao Jing was just a frail girl. Yet there was Qiao Jing, safe and sound, with a healthy, glowingplexion.

    Qiao Jing, who was unscathed, not to mention without a trace of fright.

    ¡°The crime you¡¯vemitted this time is not something that can be settled with just ten days of detention,¡± Qiao Jing said expressionlessly to Zhu Tingting.

    ¡°You, you¡¯re talking nonsense! Those people earlier had nothing to do with me! Don¡¯t frame me! I am the young mistress of the Cheng Family, the precious daughter of the Zhu Family! If you pin baseless charges on me, neither the Cheng Family nor the Zhu Family will let you off!¡± Zhu Tingting yelled fearlessly at Qiao Jing, relying on her dual identities.

    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Qiao Jing chuckled softly, ¡°I haven¡¯t even said that you hired someone tomit violence, and you¡¯re hurrying to disassociate yourself from those people? Saying you¡¯re brainless is indeed spot on.

    Zhu Tingting¡¯s eyes widened like saucers, and her mouth hung open, unsure what to say next, fearing that the more she said, the more mistakes she¡¯d make.

    So, she decided to stay silent; after all, she was the young mistress of the Cheng Family, the beloved daughter of the Zhu Family¡¯s main branch, with her husband and her father to save her. She had no need to be scared.

    However¡ª

    In the following days, whether it was the Cheng Family or the Zhu Family, no one came to see her; it was as if she had evaporated from the face of the Earth.

    ¡°Someone! I want to see my father! I want to see my husband! Have you not informed them toe?¡±

    Zhu Tingting made such a fuss that Captain Zhao came over personally.

    ¡°The day you were imprisoned, the station called your family. They said¡ªyou might as well serve your time properly,¡± Captain Zhao looked at Zhu Tingting impassively as he spoke.

    ¡°No! Impossible! They would never say such a thing! You¡¯re lying to me! You¡¯re all deceiving me!¡± Zhu Tingting¡¯s face contorted as she screamed.

    ¡°So, do you think our police department is handling your case unfairly, or are you suggesting that Zhu Family and Cheng Family didn¡¯t know to report your disappearance and look for you?¡±

    Captain Zhao¡¯s words made Zhu Tingting¡¯s face instantly stiffen; the more she thought about it, the more something seemed off.

    That¡¯s right! If she had been missing for so many days, there¡¯s no way the Zhu Family and the Cheng Family wouldn¡¯te looking for her, right?

    Could it have been suppressed by the Zhan Family?

    That seemed unlikely. Although the Zhan Family was the richest in the capital, they weren¡¯t powerful enough to cover the sky with one hand. Moreover, she was a living person.

    But if it wasn¡¯t the Zhan Family, then what was going on?

    ¡°I want to see my father, see my husband!¡±

    ¡°If they don¡¯te, there¡¯s nothing I can do. The crime of intentional homicide carries a sentence of three to ten years. You might as well get used to prison,¡± Captain Zhao looked at Zhu Tingting with a look that said she deserved it.

    Zhu Tingting was utterly terrified.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone. I just hired people to teach Qiao Jing a lesson. I want to sue!¡±

    Captain Zhao looked at Zhu Tingting coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this. You¡¯ll have a chance to go to court. After all, we follow due process, but I¡¯d kindly remind you to prepare yourself in advance. The person you¡¯ve hurt is a national key scientific personnel, and the charge is not light.¡±

 Chapter 168 - 161 Fifth Master Hits on Qiao Jing

    Chapter 168: Chapter 161 Fifth Master Hits on Qiao Jing

    National key scientific personnel!

    These words struck Zhu Tingting like a bolt from the blue, making her head buzz with a ringing sound.

    She couldn¡¯t understand how Qiao Jing, clearly just a filthy peasant, had be a national key scientific personnel?

    To think about it! She had already noticed that Captain Zhao¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing was not normally respectful, and she didn¡¯t think Captain Zhao would lie about such a matter.

    ¡°National scientific personnel¡­ How did Qiao Jing be a national scientific personnel? What exactly is going on?¡±

    As soon as Zhan Nanqing arrived at the research institute, she immediately questioned Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Did you hear about what happened to Zhu Tingting?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes bore into Qiao Jing, and her intuition told her that this incident was very likely rted to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Be honest, did you know about this beforehand?¡±

    ¡°A couple of days ago, during the day, she brought some people to teach me a lesson, but in the end, I taught them a lesson instead,¡± Qiao Jing said without letting it interfere with her work.

    So that was it.

    Zhan Nanqing had seen Qiao Jing¡¯s terrifyingbat ability before. ¡°Wait a minute, during the day? Are you saying Zhu Tingting brought people to trouble you in broad daylight? She dared to take action?¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t that brainless. I deliberately led them to a secluded alley,¡± Qiao Jing stated.

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s pupils dted.

    ¡°You realized they were stalking you from the start?¡±

    ¡°I noticed as soon as I left the door,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Hisss¡ªZhan Nanqing took a sharp breath.

    That keen?

    She recalled a time when she and Qiao Jing did not get along, and she too had thought about getting someone to teach Qiao Jing a lesson, though she never got the chance to follow through.

    Now looking back, she couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved.

    Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t acted on it.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit; you keep working,¡± Qiao Jing said, handing the watering tools to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Just out for a walk, to get some fresh air, to find some inspiration.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡±

    Halfway out, Qiao Jing turned back to look at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°You need to finish your work and earn the sry I¡¯m paying you.¡±

    Damn!

    Zhan Nanqing twitched her mouth in speechlessness, thinking who cared for that sry; the money wasn¡¯t even enough to buy her a piece of clothing.

    However much sheined, now that she was working under Qiao Jing and Qiao Jing had spoken, she had no choice but to honestly stay at the research institute.

    While Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, she suddenly received a call from Su Manhan.

    ¡°Hello? Mom, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Nanqing, when do you get off work today? Come home early, and call your brother too. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve all been together, so let¡¯s go to a restaurant and have dinner together.¡±

    ¡°I get off work at the usual time. Dinner tonight, right? I¡¯ll reach out to Qiao Jingter.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call her! Annoying,¡± Su Manhanined at the mere mention of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t, my brother will.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t start with me about her now; just thinking about her gives me a headache,¡± Su Manhan changed the subject, ¡°Anyway, how is it going at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? Are you adjusting well?¡±

    ¡°Not bad, I¡¯ve learned quite a few things.¡±

    Although Zhan Nanqingined in her heart about Qiao Jing, who wasn¡¯t at all polite in making use of her, the truth was she had indeed learned quite a lot from Qiao Jing during this time.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s very good.¡± Su Manhan¡¯s tone was full of joy as she spoke, ¡°Work hard, you¡¯re the pride of our family.¡±

    The fact that Zhan Nanqing had joined Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute had made Su Manhan extremely proud. These past few days during card games and gatherings, she always had this topic on her lips.

    ¡°Our Nanqing is aplished now, having joined Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. It makes me, as a mother, so proud! By the way, I discussed with your dadst night; the Gan family threw avish celebration for Gan Lan joining the institute. We n to hold a celebration for you too, and it can¡¯t be any less grand than the Gan family¡¯s.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face immediately flushed red.

    How embarrassing!

    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to have a celebration. I¡¯m just an assistant here, it¡¯s not the same as Gan Lan.¡±

    ¡°How is it not the same? Nanqing, don¡¯t sell yourself short. Gan Lan is also just interning, and though you¡¯re just an assistant, you¡¯re Professor Qiao¡¯s assistant. That puts you way above Gan Lan!¡± Su Manhan was already eager to show off her precious daughter to everyone in their circle.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily, thinking, what would you feel if you knew she was currently helping out Qiao Jing?

    ¡°Let¡¯s settle on that. I¡¯m going to book the hotel for the celebration now, invite people from our circle¡­ the invitation has to be ssy, with gold embossing, and the hotel¡¯s decoration must not be of inferior standard¡­¡± Su Manhan got carried away as she went on.

    Zhan Nanqing was sweating just listening to her.

    ¡°Mom, really, there¡¯s no need, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to arrange it now; we¡¯ll talkter. Beep¡ª¡± The phone cut off.

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Finished, finished, finished, if Qiao Jing finds out about this, who knows what she will think of me? Ahhhh¡ª¡±

    I can¡¯t face anyone now!

    Zhan Nanqing covered her face, squatting on the ground and wailing miserably, looking utterly forlorn.

    As soon as Qiao Jing came back, she saw this baffling scene, ¡°What happened to you? Why the yelling?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes were as round as they could be, ¡°You, how did youe back?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I forgot my phone.¡± Qiao Jing picked up her phone from the countertop, and after giving Zhan Nanqing a weird look, she left.

    Now Zhan Nanqing truly wanted to find a mouse hole to crawl into.

    After leaving the institute, Qiao Jing bought some fruit and headed toward the welfare center.

    As she walked, suddenly a deep voice came from behind her.

    ¡°Excuse me, may I ask for directions?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, turned around, and her eyes slightly sparkled.

    The man had silver-gray hair, extraordinarily pale skin, almost giving off a mixed-race vibe. His overall attractiveness was on par with Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Where are you heading?¡±

    ¡°International Hotel.¡± As Wu Xirui spoke, he intentionally shed what he considered his most charming smile at Qiao Jing.

    In the past, when he looked at other women with that gaze, they would melt under his charm and do anything for him.

    So he was confident that Qiao Jing would be captivated by his appearance.

    ¡°The International Hotel is quite a distance from here, you should use your phone¡¯s navigation.¡± Qiao Jing spoke indifferently and turned to leave.

    She left? Just like that? Wu Xirui stood there, staring after Qiao Jing in stunned silence.

    In a nearby car, Lan Yinyin caught the entire scene, her eyes filled with schadenfreude as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    Mess with the Fifth Master, and you¡¯ll see! His methods will make you wish you were dead rather than alive.

    ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Wu Xirui hurried after her, ¡°I¡¯m not very good with technology, could you please show me the way?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced toward a taxi on the road, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just hail a cab? I¡¯m quite busy, I don¡¯t have time.¡±

 Chapter 169 - 162: Praising Zhan Nanqing and Criticizing Qiao Jing

    Chapter 169: Chapter 162: Praising Zhan Nanqing and Criticizing Qiao Jing

    Wu Xirui could tell that Qiao Jing had not been lured in by him at all; she didn¡¯t even bother to waste her time paying attention to him.

    This woman¡­

    was truly interesting; it wasn¡¯t in vain that he had traveled a long distance toe here.

    ¡°My friend told me that the International Hotel is nearby, it seems unnecessary to take a taxi specifically. Please, trouble yourself to show me the way, I¡¯ll be very grateful.¡±

    Qiao Jing, with her eyes half-closed, scrutinized Wu Xirui intently, judging by the man¡¯s actions she thought of the recent criminals who approached female university students for directions, only to harass them.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing felt that Wu Xirui was likely that kind of criminal. Relying on his shy and appealing appearance to attract female university students andmit crimes.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll show you the way,¡± Qiao Jing said, then began to walk ahead.

    Wu Xirui tousled his hair, a devilishly charming smile appearing on his face, the expression of having his preypletely within his grasp.

    He just knew that no one of the opposite sex could resist his charm.

    As they walked, Wu Xirui saw Qiao Jing walking into a police station.

    What is she doing?

    Curious, Wu Xirui followed her in, and just as he got behind Qiao Jing, he heard her say to a police officer in uniform, ¡°This man is suspicious, he insisted that I show him the way, I suspect he is the criminal who has recently been harassing university students.¡±

    Hearing this, the highly intelligent Wu Xirui suddenly felt his mind go nk.

    The situation had turned out far beyond his expectations.

    Before he could even react, he was handcuffed and taken away by the police for interrogation.

    Outside, Lan Yinyin¡¯s jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

    Of course, more than surprise, Lan Yinyin felt ¡°frightened¡±!

    Who was Wu Xirui? In Area A where M country is located, he was a figure who could make the ground shake with a stomp of his foot!

    For her, he was a devil she dared not even look up to or provoke.

    Yet, he had been sent to jail by Qiao Jing and even handcuffed.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin sucked in a cold breath, and after Qiao Jing left, she hurried into the station.

    Not long after, Wu Xirui was able to clear his name and leave the police station by revealing his identity.

    ¡°This Qiao Jing¡­ hehehe¡­¡± Wu Xirui chuckled softly, raised his hand to his mouth, opened his thin lips, and bit on his slender, overly pale fingers.

    Seeing Wu Xirui in this state, Lan Yinyin decided to take revenge for him, and settle both her and Qiao Jing¡¯s ongoing and past grievances.

    Recently, her mission had failed time and again because of Qiao Jing, leading to Wu Xirui¡¯s utter disappointment in her.

    If she could properly teach Qiao Jing a lesson this time, she would definitely regain Wu Xirui¡¯s trust.

    With this thought, Lan Yinyin clenched her fist, and a sinister gleam shone in her half-lowered eyes.

    That evening, Zhan Qipei personally went to pick up Qiao Jing; the family dined together in a private dining room at the restaurant.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Qiao Jing sitting beside her, curled her lips, and thought she knew that even if she didn¡¯t call her, her brother would have.

    Just then, Su Manhan¡¯s boastful and prideful voice resounded.

    ¡°Nanqing, congrattions on joining Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, you are truly the pride of your father and me.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked under the table, wanting to crawl under it.

    Su Manhan nced at Qiao Jing and asked, ¡°Our Nanqing, as you know, has won the favor of Professor Qiao and has be his assistant. What kind of work are you doing in the institute?¡±

    ¡°Mom, stop asking, let¡¯s just eat,¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face turned as red as a cooked shrimp, yet Su Manhan still couldn¡¯t see it.

    ¡°I¡¯m just asking. She always keeps it a secret. What¡¯s there to hide? She¡¯s practically my daughter-inw now. What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t I, as a future mother-inw, ask?¡±

    Su Manhan had asked Zhan Nanqing on her first day at the institute, but Zhan Nanqing said that after joining the institute, she signed a confidentiality agreement and could not disclose details.

    If it weren¡¯t for that, she wouldn¡¯t be asking Qiao Jing to her face now.

    Zhan Qipei stepped forward to speak for Qiao Jing, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what job she¡¯s doing, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, too, was curious about Qiao Jing¡¯s role; previously, he and his family thought that she was ying the role of a doctor in the institute.

    However, he found that Qiao Jing had been busy with vegetablestely and even saw a research report by ident one day¡ªthe details in it were professional and beyond what ayman could achieve.

    Once he learned that Qiao Jing was the Divine Doctor Jing, he grew even more curious.

    If Qiao Jing had already established dominance in the field of medicine and had be a world-renowned medical magnate, why engage in agricultural research?

    ¡°Qipei, aren¡¯t you being too protective of her? I¡¯m not causing her any trouble; I¡¯m just asking a question. Surely you can¡¯t be so protective that even I can¡¯t ask her a question, right?¡± Su Manhan¡¯s face was not looking very good.

    Qiao Jing put down her chopsticks, not wanting to make things difficult for Zhan Qipei, ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad to say.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened instantly.

    Was she going to speak out? Was she going to tell her mom and dad the truth?

    Truth be told, Zhan Nanqing was somewhat looking forward to seeing the reaction of Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and her brother when they learned that Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao.

    It would definitely be shocking!

    After all, when she found out that day, she felt as if thunder had struck her.

    ¡°It¡¯s just watering the nts, sowing seeds, recording their daily conditions, and asionally having meetings. That¡¯s all, very simple,¡± Qiao Jing said lightly, all of it the truth.

    To Su Manhan, however, these true words were nothing but contemptible.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve just been doing what farmers do! Well, it makes sense, given that you¡¯re originally from the countryside; these things are easy for you, hardly anyone is more familiar than you are.¡±

    Su Manhan thought she understood now¡ªno wonder Qiao Jing could get into Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, it was because she was skilled in agriculture.

    Su Manhan¡¯s words were full of sarcasm, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips tightened, his face cold as winter, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t agree with you. Isn¡¯t everything we¡¯re eating on this table grown by farmers? By saying this, are you belittling their hard work?¡±

    ¡°You¡ªI¡ªI¡¯m not looking down on them,¡± she was merely scorning Qiao Jing, not other farmers, which had nothing to do with her, Su Manhan, but Qiao Jing was different, she was her daughter-inw!

    For heaven¡¯s sake, because of Qiao Jing, she hadn¡¯t dared to y cards with those richdiestely. Every time she yed cards with them, they would talk about Qiao Jing.

    It was bad luck for her to have encountered this situation, an agricultural daughter-inw from the countryside! It was truly bad luck.

    It was only a few days ago that Zhan Nanqing joined Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, which gave her some face back.

    ¡°Enough, both of you say less,¡± Zhan Yao had to intervene, or else this meal would be unbearable.

    A few minutester, Su Manhan started talking again, ¡°We¡¯ve discussed that Nanqing joining Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute is a great joy, so we n to throw her a celebration banquet, grander even than the Gan family¡¯s!¡±

 Chapter 170 - 163: Can You Help Me Scrub My Back?

    Chapter 170: Chapter 163: Can You Help Me Scrub My Back?

    ¡°`

    It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over¡­

    Zhan Nanqing kept telling herself it was over, she now had no face to see Qiao Jing.

    She had been anxious all afternoon, wondering what Qiao Jing would think after learning about this.

    After giving Zhan Nanqing a proud nce, Su Manhan turned to Qiao Jing, ¡°Don¡¯t say I¡¯m ying favorites, you¡¯re now nominally one of the Zhan Family, and even though you¡¯re just watering nts and gardening at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, I¡¯m still willing to let you join this banquet. I¡¯ll say you and Nanqing are both from the Research Institute and celebrate for you both at the same time.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I don¡¯t like to draw attention to myself,¡± Qiao Jing declined.

    Su Manhan¡¯s breath hitched in her throat, ¡°You, what do you mean by that? Are you implying that I¡¯m too ostentatious?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up, calm andposed, ¡°If you insist on taking someone¡¯s casually spoken words personally, I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°You, you, you¡ªdo you mean to say that I¡¯m judging your noble intentions with my petty mind?!¡± Su Manhan stammered, flustered.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, clearly bing impatient, ¡°Are you suffering from a persecutionplex? Do you think everyone in the world wants to be your enemy? Whatever I say, you think I¡¯m opposing you?¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing stood up and scanned the room.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯m not very wee here. Your family should enjoy your gathering, I won¡¯t disturb you further.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing turned to leave.

    But after just one step, her wrist was caught by Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing was lethargic, ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave with you,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice overpowered Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Qiao Jing looked slightly bewildered. Was he ready to upset his mother for her sake?

    ¡°Qipei! Let her go, you stay,¡± Su Manhanmanded, looking at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei stood up, his grip on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand never loosening.

    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, you all go ahead and eat.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei led Qiao Jing by the hand and left the private room.

    ¡°This is infuriating¡ªhuff, huff¡ªI¡¯m so angry¡ª¡± Su Manhan kept patting her chest, ¡°Once a son grows up, he¡¯s really no longer under your control, running after a woman all day long.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing chimed in, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what my dad does too, always hovering around you every day?¡±

    Su Manhan ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°When adults are talking, children should keep out!¡± Su Manhan said irritably, ncing at Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing shrugged her shoulders and picked up her chopsticks to eat her vegetables.

    As for the conflict between Qiao Jing and Su Manhan, it wasn¡¯t really her ce toment. Throughout history, how many mother-inw and daughter-inw rtionships were good?

    And Qiao Jing¡¯s identity was another matter. If Qiao Jing didn¡¯t mention it, she had no right to bring it up.

    Just let it be.

    After leaving the hotel, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but say:

    ¡°Actually, you didn¡¯t have to do that. She¡¯s your mom. No matter how harsh her words to me or how little she likes me, it¡¯s all because of you. She¡¯s looking out for you, from your perspective. If she had no blood rtion to you, she wouldn¡¯t care less about whom you married.¡±

    Hearing this from Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze softened when he looked at her.

    ¡°She treated you that way just now, and yet you still speak for her. How lucky am I to have married such a kind-hearted wife.¡±

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, were his sentiments not a bit too stretched for a simple conversation?

    ¡°`

    ¡°I¡¯m not speaking for her, I¡¯m just stating the facts. My mom died early, and I never felt a mother¡¯s love from childhood to adulthood. It wasn¡¯t until I saw that video, during my illness, she took care of me all the time, talking to me with tender eyes and a gentle voice. In the end, she left this world for my sake, so in my view, every mother is selfless. No matter what happens, they would always be by their children¡¯s side.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the countless stars in the sky and spoke with a deep sense of feeling.

    Standing to the side, Zhan Qipei kept his gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, watching her slender figure which, under the night¡¯s embrace, seemed even more delicate, invoking a sense of heartache in the onlooker.

    Finally, Zhan Qipei opened his arms and pulled Qiao Jing into his embrace, wrapping her frail body with his broad shoulders.

    He whispered into her ear with a low, husky voice.

    ¡°I will protect you for a lifetime and won¡¯t let anyone bully you.¡±

    Qiao Jing, who had initially been ready to push the man away on instinct, suddenly heard his sincere words and couldn¡¯t help but feel a softness in her heart, touched by the sentiment.

    Just as Qiao Jing was beginning to bask in the man¡¯s good intentions and warmth, he whispered again near her ear, ¡°Although I can¡¯t let you find your mother again, I can let you be a mother.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing was speechless, twitching the corners of her mouth before pushing the man away and giving him a meaningful look.

    The force of Qiao Jing¡¯s push wasn¡¯t strong, mainly because she was considering the man¡¯s current leg condition.

    Zhan Qipei looked down at where he¡¯d been pushed to, a numbing sensation spreading between his shoulder des, his eyes instantly filling with a sense of pleasure.

    Usually, Qiao Jing¡¯s pushes were forceful, but this time they were so gentle. As light as a feather brushing past, it seemed she had learned to be tender towards him.

    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Zhan Qipei had said those words on purpose, just to lighten the mood as the girl missed her mother excessively.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly. As clever as she was, she caught the man¡¯s intention and felt warmth in her heart once again.

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to; I¡¯m not that fragile.¡±

    ¡°No, you are fragile, and you do need my protection,¡± Zhan Qipei continued Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Alright, this conversation couldn¡¯t go on any further.

    As Qiao Jing prepared to leave, the man¡¯s voice suddenly rose again.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious, you¡¯re clearly a brilliant doctor, unrivaled in your skills, so why would you go to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute to work as a researcher?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned back to look at Zhan Qipei and answered honestly, ¡°Because my interest in medicine is just a hobby, agronomy is my lifelong pursuit.¡±

    Her words struck Zhan Qipei with an unprecedented shock. Just a hobby, and you became the nation¡¯s most famous Divine Doctor Jing?!

    If Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t know Qiao Jing as a genuinely low-profile person, he would have thought she was boasting to him.

    This only piqued his curiosity further.

    ¡°Just a hobby and you¡¯ve reached such heights ¡ª so what are your achievements in agronomy?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, deeply looking at Qiao Jing.

    With delicately arching brows as if painted, Qiao Jing replied, ¡°Academic research is an endless path. I don¡¯t talk about achievements, and I don¡¯t care about these superficial honors. I just like to tinker with these crops, cultivate vegetables, which makes me feel like returning to the countryside and ignoring the world¡¯s noise. People can y tricks and plot against you, but crops won¡¯t.

    Growing melons yields melons, and nting beans yields beans. The more you work, the more you get in return, so that¡¯s why I focus on researching crops.¡±

    ¡°I understand now, and I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡±

    Zhan Qipei realized what Qiao Jing meant. She enjoyed that kind of life close to the fields, a life not concerned with achievements, just immersed in its essence.

    As for what Qiao Jing¡¯s actual achievements in agronomy were, it no longer mattered.

    Such a low-profile nature was indeed very simr to the legendary Professor Qiao.

    Truth be told, if Qiao Jing weren¡¯t just 23, he would have doubted if she were Professor Qiao herself.

    After returning to the apartment, Zhan Qipei once again grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°Could you help me rub my back?¡±

 Chapter 171 - 164: Only Not Obsessive About Cleanliness Towards You

    Chapter 171: Chapter 164: Only Not Obsessive About Cleanliness Towards You

    Qiao Jing stared wide-eyed at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I have an injury on my rib and my leg, and I haven¡¯t bathed for several days. Even though it¡¯s winter, not bathing for so many days makes me feel very ufortable. Especially my back, I can manage to wipe the front myself, but I can¡¯t reach the back,¡± Zhan Qipei exined.

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°You could ask Tang Yan to help you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m notfortable with other people touching me, I¡¯m a germaphobe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a germaphobe? And yet you¡¯re asking me to scrub your back?¡± Qiao Jing said incredulously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with you,¡± Zhan Qipei asserted.

    He almost blurted out the words ¡°I like it when you touch me.¡±

    If he had said that out loud, Qiao Jing definitely wouldn¡¯t have agreed to scrub his back.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just trying to take advantage of me by saying that?¡± Qiao Jing skeptically sized up Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Your words are not fair. I¡¯m the one undressed, and I¡¯m the one being touched, so if you think about it, by scrubbing my back, you¡¯re the one taking advantage,¡± Zhan Qipei said, looking at Qiao Jing in a great mood.

    Qiao Jing was speechless.

    ¡°If you still don¡¯t trust me, you can send a message to Lu Zijiao and ask him. He has no reason to lie to you, or you could ask Zhan Nanqing,¡± Zhan Qipei continued.

    Zhan Nanqing was not an option, as she was a gossip; if Qiao Jing asked her about this, Zhan Nanqing would surely probe until everything was out in the open.

    After thinking it over, Qiao Jing decided to send a message to Lu Zijiao.

    She wasn¡¯t very close with Lu Zijiao. She had his WeChat only because, not long ago, Lu Zijiao had actively and enthusiasticallye over to add her.

    Out of consideration for Lu Zijin, she had agreed.

    ¡°Does Zhan Qipei have a germaphobia?¡±

    The Lu family was gathered together for a meal.

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±

    Upon receiving the message, Lu Zijiao immediately opened it to look.

    ¡°Huh? Oh my gosh!¡± Lu Zijiao eximed suddenly.

    Lu Zijin and his parents stopped eating and looked at Lu Zijiao with puzzled expressions.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Lu Zijin turned to ask.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! It¡¯s Qiao Jing, she sent me a message!¡± Lu Zijiao stood up and handed his phone to Lu Zijin.

    Lu Zijin eagerly took the phone to see the message but saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s name and his expression turned sour.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? Why does that name sound so familiar?¡± Mother Lu asked.

    Father Lu suddenly remembered, ¡°Isn¡¯t she the 100-day country daughter-inw from the Zhan Family?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s her!¡± Lu Zijiao replied.

    Seeing how excited Lu Zijiao was, Father Lu and Mother Lu exchanged nces and asked, ¡°What? Do you like her?¡±

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao choked on his own saliva, pointing to Lu Zijin, ¡°My brother, it¡¯s my brother, not me.¡±

    Father Lu and Mother Lu, shocked, turned to look at Lu Zijin simultaneously.

    It would only be a slight surprise if Lu Zijiao liked Qiao Jing. Qiao Jing was beautiful, and it made sense if Lu Zijiao was enchanted by her beauty.

    After all, ever since Lu Zijiao started junior high, he often brought pretty ssmates home.

    But their eldest son, Lu Zijin, was different.

    Lu Zijin had been academically excellent since he was a child, consistently the top student in school, and even in his thirties, he hadn¡¯t had a girlfriend, instead focusing on his medical research.

    They once thought that the responsibility of continuing the family line would fall on their second son.

    Little did they know their bookish son had also been struck by the dart of love.

    What was even more unexpected to them was that Lu Zijin had fallen for a country girl who was the Zhan family¡¯s daughter-inw.

    No, counting the days, it should be over 100 days now. That country girl named Qiao Jing was no longer with the Zhan family.

    Considering this, Mother Lu said to Lu Zijin, ¡°If you truly like her, then bring her home. We don¡¯t care about her background. As long as she is someone you like, that is enough.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy, though,¡± Lu Zijiao shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Mother Lu and Father Lu were puzzled. ¡°Could it be Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t like your brother?¡±

    ¡°I guess she doesn¡¯t have that kind of feeling for him yet,¡± Lu Zijiao said, noticing that Lu Zijin slightly furrowed his brow.

    ¡°Then this girl really is quite something, not throwing herself at us just because we are a wealthy family. It shows she¡¯s not a gold digger.¡±

    Mother and Father Lu¡¯s impression of Qiao Jing improved greatly.

    ¡°Zijin, girls like this are rare nowadays. You must work hard and marry her as soon as you can,¡± Mother Lu was already impatient to hold her grandchildren.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not something that can be aplished just by my brother¡¯s efforts. Qiao Jing and Young Master Zhan haven¡¯t divorced yet,¡± Lu Zijiao said.

    ¡°What? That¡¯s not right. It¡¯s been 100 days,¡± Mother Lu calcted the days, ¡°It definitely has been more than 100 days.¡±

    Putting down his chopsticks and sitting up straight, Lu Zijiao said, ¡°Yes! Indeed, it has been over 100 days, but Young Master Zhan won¡¯t let Qiao Jing go, shamelessly clinging to her and preventing her from divorcing him.¡±

    This revtion astonished Mother Lu and Father Lu.

    ¡°How can this be?¡±

    ¡°Well, the thing is, a while back, Young Master Zhan was chased by an assassin¡­¡± Lu Zijiao recounted the whole story from beginning to end.

    ¡°And that¡¯s it. Young Master Zhan inexplicably fell for Qiao Jing without knowing that she had saved his life, so he had me look for her. Now that he knows, would he willingly let her go? Just a few days ago during the Lichuan earthquake, they were buried together under the rubble, and Young Master Zhan nearly lost his life trying to save Qiao Jing.

    You didn¡¯t see how Young Master Zhan spoils Qiao Jing now. I¡¯m not exaggerating one bit; he treasures her as if she would melt in his mouth and fears she would fall through his fingers. With Young Master Zhan persisting like that, even a block of ice would melt. So I reckon it won¡¯t be long until he thaws out Qiao Jing¡¯s icy exterior.¡±

    The more Lu Zijiao spoke, the more shocked Mother Lu and Father Lu became.

    Because ording to Lu Zijiao¡¯s description, Zhan Qipei spoiled her to such an extent, yet Qiao Jing still hadn¡¯t been moved.

    This girl was proving to be quite a challenge!

    ¡°Look at my brother, like a block of wood, not even confessing his feelings to her. Competing with Young Master Zhan for Qiao Jing is going to be tough!¡± Lu Zijiao shook his head as he spoke.

    Lu Zijin grimaced, handing the phone back to Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that Ick courage; it¡¯s just that I know I¡¯m not worthy of her. I am making an effort,¡± he said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t agree with you at all. You¡¯re my brother, the eldest son of the Lu family, and the director of the hospital. Your medical achievements far exceed those of your peers. What¡¯s there to not be worthy of?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know anything!¡± Lu Zijin was getting anxious. Qiao Jing had many pursuers in the past, but now things were different¡ªhis rival was Zhan Qipei!

    Listening to the heightened tension in Lu Zijin¡¯s voice,bined with his previous words, Lu Zijiao couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°When I asked you before, you didn¡¯t answer me. You couldn¡¯t cure Old Master Zhan¡¯s illness, and neither could all those famous doctors and professors. So why could Qiao Jing cure him?¡±

 Chapter 172 - 165: The Lu Family Suspects Qiao Jings Identity

    Chapter 172: Chapter 165: The Lu Family Suspects Qiao Jing¡¯s Identity

    Lu Zijiao¡¯s words once again shocked Father Lu and Mother Lu.

    ¡°Qiao Jing understands medicine too? Was it her who cured Old Master Zhan¡¯s illness?!¡±

    Although the Loo family¡¯s dealings with the Zhan Family were normal, Father Lu and Mother Lu still roughly knew about Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition.

    He was seriously ill, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say his life was in danger.

    Moreover, the Zhan Family had searched the entire world for renowned doctors to cure Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s illness, but there was no particrly significant result.

    Yet Lu Zijiao had just said that Qiao Jing had cured Zhan Yuanshan.

    How could this not be surprising?

    Suddenly they remembered what Lu Zijin had said, that he wasn¡¯t worthy of Qiao Jing.

    So, was it true, like they analyzed, that Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills far surpassed their son¡¯s?

    Could it be?

    Father Lu and Mother Lu were frightened by their own thoughts.

    It wasn¡¯t that they were boasting as biased onlookers, but with their son¡¯s achievements in the medical field, he had long surpassed his peers. Back when Lu Zijin was still a student, he had already been favored by many renowned medical professors and could definitely be called a genius.

    Qiao Jing, just barely over twenty years old, was nearly ten years younger than their son. If Qiao Jing¡¯s medical prowess really surpassed their son¡¯s, wouldn¡¯t that mean Qiao Jing was a genius among geniuses?

    Everyone was looking at Lu Zijin, waiting for his response.

    Lu Zijin¡¯s eyebrows knotted, ¡°I promised to keep this a secret for her, so I cannot say.¡±

    Lu Zijiao sighed in disappointment. He knew that Zhan Qipei not speaking, Lu Zijin not speaking, wasn¡¯t because they regarded him as an outsider, but because ofmitments and various reasons, it was inconvenient to tell him.

    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to say it, I¡¯ve guessed it already. So many famous doctors couldn¡¯t cure him, but Qiao Jing could. It must be rted to Divine Doctor Jing as in the legends.¡±

    As soon as Lu Zijiao finished speaking, he saw a subtle change in Lu Zijin¡¯s expression.

    Lu Zijiao saw Lu Zijin¡¯s reaction, and so did Father Lu and Mother Lu.

    It seems this is true!

    Lu Zijiao suddenly sat up straight, smiling cheekily at Lu Zijin, ¡°Brother, I guessed right, didn¡¯t I? Let me guess again, if I¡¯m not mistaken, Qiao Jing must be Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s apprentice, right?¡±

    Lu Zijin opened his mouth, eyebrows further tightening.

    ¡°Haha! Look at your reaction; I know I guessed right!¡± Lu Zijiao¡¯s face showed a ¡°I just knew it¡± expression.

    Lu Zijin opened his mouth again, his facial expression bing even more bizarre.

    ¡°So Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s apprentice,¡± Father Lu said.

    ¡°No wonder she could cure Old Master Zhan¡¯s illness, and no wonder you said you weren¡¯t worthy of Qiao Jing, Zijin,¡± Mother Lu said, as if suddenly enlightened.

    Lu Zijin looked at the three who had all misunderstood, unsure how to exin.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s apprentice,¡± he said.

    ¡°Bro, we all know now, you want to keep this secret for Qiao Jing. Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Lu Zijiao assured, patting his chest.

    Lu Zijin, troubled, ¡°She really isn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, she isn¡¯t. From today, no, starting now, Mom and Dad and I will forget this matter. You can rest easy, I absolutely won¡¯t mention it,¡± Lu Zijiao assured repeatedly.

    Father Lu and Mother Lu chimed in, ¡°We won¡¯t tell either.¡±

    Lu Zijin ¡°¡­¡±

    Well, it seems this cannot be exined.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing had also received a message from Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Young Master Zhan has had this problem ever since he was young. I¡¯m his brother who grew up with him, we even bathed together, and he stillined about me.¡±

    Zijiao: ¡°??? Why are you asking this all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Has Young Master Zhan started to despise you? No way, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, that would be perfect, if he despises you, my brother definitely won¡¯t. Just now my dad and mom also mentioned that they really like you, why don¡¯t youe over to our house? I guarantee, once you¡¯re at our ce, there definitely won¡¯t be any mother-inw and daughter-inw conflicts.¡±

    Zijiao kept sending messages non-stop.

    Qipei happened to see thisst message when he came over.

    Originally, Qipei hadn¡¯t nned on snooping around, mainly because Zijiao kept sending one message after another nonstop, which was making him quite unhappy.

    My wife, you just can¡¯t stop chatting, can you?

    Thinking this, Qipei sent Zijiao an emoji of a knife dripping with blood.

    Zijiao ¡°¡­¡±

    After sending the message, Qipei put down his phone and looked towards Qiao Jing, ¡°Now do you believe what I told you?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, looking at the man¡¯s body. As a doctor, she had performed countless surgeries both big and small, but she had never bathed a man before.

    Not correct.

    There was one.

    ¡°Just scrubbing the back, I have scrubbed backs for others before.¡±

    Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.

    ¡°Who? Men or women?¡±

    ¡°Both,¡± Qiao Jing answered truthfully.

    A sinister air seeped up from the floor, quickly spreading throughout the room.

    Qiao Jing, seeing Qipei full of menacing air, thought to herself how quickly he could change moods, faster than the weather.

    Qipei pressed his lips tightly together, struggling to contain the anger that was on the verge of erupting, and said through clenched teeth, ¡°As for the past, I had no authority or ability to question it. But now, you¡¯re my wife. You can only scrub the back for me alone!¡±

    What could he do? Who let him meet Qiao Jing sote?

    ¡°Is it really necessary?¡± Qiao Jing was rendered speechless.

    Qipei¡¯s face was filled with a cold harshness, ¡°Not necessary? You think I don¡¯t care because I¡¯m not your man! Qiao Jing, I¡¯m serious!¡±

    Qipei discarded his crutches and limped towards Qiao Jing, pinning her directly against the wall.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Qiao Jing looked at Qipei¡¯s leg. Although the man¡¯s leg had recovered a bit over these days of recuperation, it wasn¡¯t time to throw away the crutches yet.

    Qipei ced his hands on either side of Qiao Jing¡¯s head, using them for support while firmly imprisoning her in his territory.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m crazy. This sort of thing would drive any man mad.¡±

    Even though all those incidents had happened before he met her, just the thought of Qiao Jing scrubbing the backs of other men could drive him into a frenzy.

    She was his, entirely his! He absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow anyone else a touch!

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes to meet the man¡¯s, sharp as an eagle¡¯s, domineering and crazed.

    ¡°Promise me now, from now on you won¡¯t scrub the back of any other man, only mine,¡± Qipei looked deep into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, his gaze so intense, as if he wanted to engrave her into his bones.

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, her eyes and brows revealing a hint of annoyance.

    Ever since she was a child, she disliked it when people spoke to her in amanding tone, and she hated being forced to do things even more. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Qipei had once saved her life, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to help him scrub his back at all.

    ¡°Qipei, you have no right to order me around. We¡¯re just in a contractual rtionship, agreed for 100 days, after which we¡¯ll go our separate ways. We¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the man¡¯s thin lips sealed hers.

 Chapter 173 - 166: Zhan Qipei Goes Mad

    Chapter 173: Chapter 166: Zhan Qipei Goes Mad

    It was no longer the gentle entangling of before, but a crazed conquest.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s anger red up immediately, and she bit down.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± The man stopped his movements, furrowed his misty eyebrows, hung his head slightly, and a few strands of hair fell across his forehead, adding a bit more obsessiveness and wickedness to his appearance.

    The man¡¯s chest heaved unevenly, hisshes, longer than the woman¡¯s, hid the emotions in his eyes.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let go, or I won¡¯t be polite to you.¡± Saving her did not mean that she had to let him take advantage of her just because he had saved her.

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± the man¡¯s voice was low and shaky, carrying a bit of a petnt tone.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± It was the first time in Qiao Jing¡¯s life that someone had infuriated her to the point that she couldn¡¯t speak.

    Two secondster, the man lifted his face, his gaze falling once again on the girl¡¯s lips. At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind, which was to possess her at all costs.

    If he couldn¡¯t have her heart, he at least wanted to possess her body!

    No sooner said than done!

    Zhan Qipei, enduring the pain in his leg, moved toward Qiao Jing once again.

    Qiao Jing, quick on her feet, lifted her hand, palm up, against the man¡¯s chin, and twisted it aside.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, how old are you? Aren¡¯t you tired of making a fuss? Is it really necessary to get so angry just because I bathed a few kids at the orphanage?¡±

    Hmm?

    Zhan Qipei was stunned, froze for a good few seconds, then slowly turned his head to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Kids? How old?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt a headacheing on.

    ¡°About five or six years old.¡±

    Zhan Qipei thought about the physical growth of five- and six-year-old boys.

    Well¡­ that¡¯s tolerable.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    Heughed?

    This man really was like the weather, changing at a moment¡¯s notice.

    ¡°So, can you let go now?¡± Qiao Jing eyed Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm with a speechless look.

    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Zhan Qipei was in a good mood now, willing to listen to anything Qiao Jing said.

    However¡ª

    Just before letting go, he couldn¡¯t resist, leaned in, and dabbed a kiss on Qiao Jing¡¯s lips.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted suddenly, her face flushing with anger.

    ¡°How could you¡ª¡±

    ¡°My leg hurts.¡± Zhan Qipei let his whole body hang on Qiao Jing, wrapping his arms around her waist and not letting go.

    Qiao Jing looked down at the man¡¯s leg, which was quivering slightly. As a doctor, she could tell if Zhan Qipei was faking or if it was genuine.

    It really hurt.

    After all, his leg injury was quite severe.

    ¡°You know it hurts now? Weren¡¯t you quite lively just now?¡±

    Zhan Qipei let Qiao Jing say whatever she wanted; since he had kissed and hugged her and she hadn¡¯t pushed him away, he was very happy.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take a bath today with that injury,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do, I smell all over, I can¡¯t stand it any longer,¡± he replied.

    If he didn¡¯t bathe, then the promise of a back scrub was off?

    Looking at the big man clinging to her like a shameless rogue, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes suddenly curved, a rare mischievous gleam appearing in them.

    ¡°Oh? So you knew you were smelly? Hanging on me when you¡¯re that stinky, don¡¯t you even consider my feelings?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was immediately taken aback, had he just been rejected?

    At that moment, in an effort to protect his male pride, Zhan Qipei quickly got off Qiao Jing, lifted his arm, and smelled it.

    ¡°Does it really smell that bad? Why doesn¡¯t he notice? Could it be that he¡¯s used to it, but others can¡¯t stand it?¡±

    Thinking that the girl he liked had rejected him, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression grew even graver at this moment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wash by myself.¡±

    Having said that, Zhan Qipei picked up his crutch and limped toward the bathroom.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei like this, Qiao Jing secretly smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for you to wash yourself. We agreed that I would help you scrub your back.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± These words Zhan Qipei really didn¡¯t want to say; in fact, he had long nned to have Qiao Jing help him scrub his back. But he didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to dislike him even more.

    Seeing how stubborn Zhan Qipei was, Qiao Jing said exasperatedly, ¡°I was kidding you, it¡¯s not that smelly.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stopped in his tracks, turned around, and a swirling gloss appeared in his dark eyes.

    A momentter.

    In the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei took off his shirt, and then proceeded to take off his pants.

    ¡°Hey! Hold on, otherwise I¡¯ll really leave you alone,¡± Qiao Jing protested.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it before,¡± Zhan Qipei said, looking back at Qiao Jing with a smirk.

    Qiao Jing put down the bath ball, ready to leave.

    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t take it off.¡±

    Qiao Jing came back.

    While scrubbing the back.

    Since Zhan Qipei also had rib injuries, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dare to apply much pressure, maintaining the force and gently wiping.

    The temperature in the bathroom was already high, and its venttion was not very good; now with Qiao Jing gently wiping his back, it felt like a cat¡¯s paws caressing him.

    Zhan Qipei felt even more breathless.

    He regretted it, wishing he had never let the girl scrub his back. Now he could see and feel, but couldn¡¯t enjoy it¡ªwasn¡¯t this just torturing himself?

    Tonight, it seemed he was destined to be sleepless.

    Zhan Nanqing also couldn¡¯t sleep, overwhelmed by the events of the day.

    ¡°So embarrassing! Too embarrassing!¡±

    It was her mom¡¯s idea¡ªwasn¡¯t it just Qiao Jing entering her research institute? Was there a need to make such a fuss and throw a party? And to make matters worse, to speak those words in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡ªso embarrassing!¡± Zhan Nanqing buried herself in the pillow, howling.

    At that moment, Lou Xinrou called.

    ¡°Nanqing, I heard your mom is throwing a celebration party for you?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mood soured even more.

    She could even surmise that the entire upper echelons of the Empire probably knew about it by now.

    ¡°Nanqing, there¡¯s something¡­ I want to ask you¡­¡± Lou Xinrou hesitated.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just, I¡¯ve noticed that your attitude towards Qiao Jing has changed a lot from before. Now, Brother Pei insists on marrying none but Qiao Jing; have you tacitly acknowledged the fact that Qiao Jing is going to be your sister-inw?¡± Lou Xinrou had wanted to ask Zhan Nanqing this for a while.

    ¡°No!¡± Zhan Nanqing yelled loudly, her voice slightly shaky.

    Of course, she hadn¡¯t epted the fact that Qiao Jing was going to be her sister-inw.

    It¡¯s just¡­ she didn¡¯t know how to describe her feelings.

    Anyway, she just couldn¡¯t express it.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lou Xinrou said, feeling a sense of relief after hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words.

    ¡°You tell me, what exactly happened between Qiao Jing and Brother Pei? Why did Brother Pei suddenly fall for Qiao Jing? Didn¡¯t Qiao Jing say she wasn¡¯t romantically interested in Brother Pei? Do you think Qiao Jing is deliberately deceiving us, making us let our guard down? So cunning! This Qiao Jing, she¡¯s just horrible!¡± Lou Xinrou grew more indignant as she spoke.

    ¡°What does this have to do with Qiao Jing? My brother has fallen for Qiao Jing, but Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t like my brother!¡± Zhan Nanqing blurted out, then realized the other end of the phone had suddenly gone silent.

 Chapter 174 - 167 Qiao Jing Has a Fever?

    Chapter 174: Chapter 167 Qiao Jing Has a Fever?

    Two secondster, Lou Xinrou¡¯s voice rang out again.

    ¡°Nanqing, are you speaking up for her?¡±

    Moreover, without even considering it, she had directly retorted on Qiao Jing¡¯s behalf after saying Qiao Jing was scheming.

    ¡°I¡¯m not speaking up for her, I¡¯m just stating the truth. I¡¯m with her every day, I see it clearly, Qiao Jing has zero interest in my brother, in fact, she¡¯s quite annoyed by him,¡± Zhan Nanqing said frankly.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression turned strange.

    The conversation had be delicate at this point.

    ¡°Nanqing, I believe you, Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t like Brother Pei. That said, Qiao Jing is really something, managing to tame Lan Yinyin so easily.¡±

    Lou Xinrou had heard from Zhan Nanqing about how Qiao Jing had forced Lan Yinyin to take out the trash and then locked her out.

    It was Qiao Jing¡¯s style.

    It had to be admitted, Qiao Jing was indeed much more skilled than her and Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Nanqing, what do you think, if I ask Qiao Jing to help me pursue Brother Pei, would it be sessful?¡±

    Lou Xinrou thought, with Qiao Jing¡¯s capability, she might make it happen with her help.

    Zhan Nanqing furrowed her brows, and after a moment of silence, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t help you with this, you should talk to Qiao Jing yourself.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I need to personally handle this matter,¡± Lou Xinrou clenched her fists, her face showing a determined expression.

    Three dayster.

    Lou Xinrou sought out Qiao Jing, and Zhan Nanqing came along.

    The two followed Qiao Jing towards the research institute.

    Yes, they walked.

    Because Qiao Jing had a habit of exercising in the morning and it wasn¡¯t too far from the Nantai Apartment to the research institute, only a thirty-minute walk, so Qiao Jing used this time for her eco-friendly morning exercise.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, have you considered the matter I mentioned?¡± Lou Xinrou asked anxiously.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Lou Xinrou, ¡°I won¡¯t help you.¡±

    ¡°Why?!¡± Lou Xinrou raised her voice and shouted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like Brother Pei? Then why won¡¯t you help me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a different matter. I not liking Zhan Qipei is one thing, who and how you pursue is totally none of my business,¡± Qiao Jing continued walking.

    Zhan Nanqing followed behind the two, keeping her mouth shut.

    It really wasn¡¯t a good time to interfere.

    That¡¯s when Zhan Nanqing saw Lou Xinrou open her bag and take out a bank card.

    ¡°Here is a total of five million, and this ne, which my grandmother gave me for my 20th birthday, is worth over twenty million. All these are yours if you agree to help me.¡±

    Hss¡ª

    Zhan Nanqing silently gasped.

    As a best friend, she felt embarrassed for Lou Xinrou at that moment.

    Frankly, for Lou Xinrou to offer so much was indeed a heavy blow. For ordinary folks, it was definitely enough to livevishly for several generations.

    But¡ª

    Qiao Jing was no ordinary person!

    She had learned at the Red Cross Society that Qiao Jing¡¯s donations exceeded these amounts every time.

    Moreover, there was Qiao Jing¡¯s status.

    Trying to sway Qiao Jing with money was an insult to the entire agricultural researchmunity.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze casually passed over the card and ne in Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand, her eyes void of any ripple.

    ¡°No matter how much money you give me, I won¡¯t help you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lou Xinrou asked, her eyes reddening in urgency.

    ¡°Because love should be fought for by oneself, your current behavior has already lost its integrity,¡± Qiao Jing said before she picked up her pace and began to jog.

    Lou Xinrou watched Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, clenching her teeth. She turned her head towards Zhan Nanqing who was approaching, ¡°Do you think Qiao Jing is crazy? This is five million! And I even offered her this ne worth twenty million, and she still refuses! Why won¡¯t she ept it?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth; she knew why Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t ept it, because Qiao Jing herself had more money than she could ever spend.

    ¡°Help me¡ªhelp!¡± cries for help came from not far away.

    What had happened?

    Qiao Jing stopped, and together with Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou, they looked in the direction from which the cries wereing.

    ¡°The sound ising from over there!¡± Zhan Nanqing pointed into the alley.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± Qiao Jing quickened her pace and rushed over.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou exchanged a nce and followed her.

    Soon, they saw three hoodlums bullying a girl.

    ¡°That¡¯s despicable! To do such a thing in broad daylight!¡± Zhan Nanqing said indignantly.

    ¡°Keep your voice down. If they notice us, we¡¯ll all be in trouble,¡± Lou Xinrou said as she tugged at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°We can¡¯t just ignore it, can we?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll leave first, then call the police.¡±

    Right after Lou Xinrou finished speaking, she saw Qiao Jing dash up like a bullet.

    She just rushed in like that? She¡¯s a girl too, wasn¡¯t she afraid¡ª

    ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡ª¡± In a few moments, Qiao Jing had knocked all the hoodlums to the ground.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. She is that formidable?

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Well done!¡± Zhan Nanqing jumped up and shouted excitedly.

    Lou Xinrou turned her head to look at Zhan Nanqing, and seeing his face filled with excitement, shifted her gaze and looked down, her expression sullen.

    ¡°Wuu wuu wuu¡ª¡± The girl who had been bullied crouched down, holding her arms, her clothes torn and tattered, looking as pitiful as one could be.

    Qiao Jing took off her jacket and draped it over the girl, ¡°It¡¯s all right now, I¡¯ll send them all to the police station, and they will receive the punishment they deserve.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you,¡± the girl sobbed, her eyes full of gratitude as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Where¡¯s your home? Shall I take you back?¡±

    ¡°No need to trouble you, my home is nearby, I can walk back on my own.¡± The girl took a step and her knees buckled.

    Qiao Jing, quick to react, quickly caught the girl.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    Feeling a pain in her finger, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and looked at it.

    Something had pricked her fingertip, drawing a little blood.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was my bracelet that pricked you,¡± the girl said apologetically as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced at the bracelet on the girl¡¯s wrist, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a tiny prick, as small as a pinhole, and it¡¯s already stopped bleeding. Are you sure you can walk home on your own?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The girl nodded, pulling at her clothes, ¡°Can you give me your contact information? Once I get home and wash this, I¡¯ll return it to you when it¡¯s dry.¡±

    ¡°No need to return it.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t ept that, you helped me, and I still shouldn¡¯t take your coat,¡± the girl insisted.

    Eventually, Qiao Jing gave her contact information to the girl.

    After watching the girl leavepletely, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dy any longer and continued on her way to the research institute.

    As she walked, Qiao Jing suddenly felt unbearably hot, and the situation seemed to get worse.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand to touch her forehead. It was very hot, but not in a normal way.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed their actions and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have a fever?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Not yet? Your face is so red,¡± Zhan Nanqing said as he raised his arm to ce it on Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    ¡°It¡¯s burning! Qiao Jing, you have a fever, don¡¯t go to the research institute, hurry to the hospital?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, she suddenly received a call from the girl.

    ¡°They have aplices! Save me!¡±

 Chapter 175 - 168 Zhan Qipei Rushes Over

    Chapter 175: Chapter 168 Zhan Qipei Rushes Over

    Hearing that cry for help, Qiao Jing¡¯s face changed dramatically.

    ¡°No good!¡±

    What had happened? What could make the usually indifferent and calm Qiao Jing show such an expression? Zhan Nanqing was puzzled and confused.

    ¡°Where are you now?¡± Qiao Jing asked with a tense face, turning on the speakerphone as she did.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent you my location. Hurry up ande over! Otherwise¡ªno good, they¡¯ve discovered me. Smack¡ª¡±

    The sound of a p was particrly crisp and loud.

    ¡°You stinking title! Daring to make a secret phone call! It seems you¡¯re in a hurry to get punished.¡±

    ¡°Big brother, shall we take care of it together? Hehehe¡ª¡±

    The call ended with a ¡°beep.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned and was about to rush out when she was stopped by Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Your head is so hot, and you¡¯re still running a fever. If you go alone, aren¡¯t you afraid that not only you may not save the person but also end up getting into trouble yourself?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t worry about that now. She¡¯s in the demolition building nearby!¡± Qiao Jing said and quickly ran off.

    Zhan Nanqing stomped her feet in urgency, ¡°Qiao Jing was in such a bad state just now, no, no, I must call my brother quickly!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had just taken out her phone when Lou Xinrou covered the screen with her hand.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is so capable, she won¡¯t have any problems. Didn¡¯t you see how she just now, unarmed, brought down so many people?¡± Lou Xinrou had her own ulterior motives for saying this.

    ¡°You have no idea how hot Qiao Jing¡¯s head was, if not 40 degrees, it must have been 39 degrees. She is indeed very capable, but who knows how many people the other side has, what if theyunch a surprise attack? This is no joke, I need to call my brother right away and have him send people over.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing tried to pull her phone back, only to find that Lou Xinrou had suddenly grabbed it firmly.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Lou Xinrou with suspicion, ¡°Xinrou, what are you¡ªdoing?¡±

    Lou Xinrou pursed her lips, and her drooping eyes became even more sinister.

    ¡°Nanqing, tell me, if Qiao Jing gets vited, would Brother Pei still like her?¡±

    Hearing these extremely malicious and wicked words, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    She and Lou Xinrou had grown up together, and in her eyes, Lou Xinrou was a kind-hearted girl with a pure and steadfast love. She could never have imagined that one day, Lou Xinrou would speak such words.

    To be honest, setting aside her current change of heart towards Qiao Jing, even in the past, no matter how much she disliked Qiao Jing and had used many underhanded tactics, she had never thought of forcing Qiao Jing out in such a way.

    After all, her previous hostility towards Qiao Jing mainly stemmed from Lou Xinrou constantly crying before her, troubled by love. Believing she was Lou Xinrou¡¯s good friend, she felt obligated to help her, which led her to confront Qiao Jing time and again.

    ¡°Xinrou, do you realize what you just said?¡±

    Qiao Jing risked her life to save someone, and it was bad enough that Lou Xinrou stood by and did nothing, but to have such malicious thoughts, was this still the pure and kind-hearted Lou Xinrou she knew?

    Lou Xinrou looked up and saw Zhan Nanqing eyeing her weirdly, only then realizing the gravity of what she had just said.

    When she realized, Lou Xinrou quickly let go of the phone, ¡°I was just saying, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing frowned but said nothing in the end.

    Besides, now was not the time to think about these things. The situation was critical, and it was urgent to save people.

    ¡°Beep¡ªbeep¡ªbeep¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei was in a meeting, and just as he had connected his phone to the LED screen, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s call came through.

    Zhan Qipei declined the call and looked at the senior executives, saying, ¡°The content of this meeting is very important; the materials¡ª¡±

    ¡°Beep¡ªbeep¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows knitted together slightly.

    ¡°Cough, cough¡ªPresident Zhan, why don¡¯t you take the call? It could be an emergency,¡± said a senior executive.

    Zhan Qipei decisively hung up again. His ability to lead Zhan Corporation to its current pinnacle was inseparable from his resolute methods and leadership capabilities.

    He had once stipted that, unless in special circumstances, such as his wife giving birth or a family emergency, it was absolutely forbidden to answer phone calls during meetings.

    ¡°Let¡¯s continue the meeting, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ding!¡± A message from Zhan Nanqing came through.

    ¡°Qiao Jing has had an ident!¡±

    ¡°tter¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei suddenly stood up, pushing the chair aside.

    The conference room instantly fell silent, and the next second, everyone saw Zhan Qipei taking his phone and leaving to return the call.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was so gloomy it looked like a storm might break at any moment.

    The senior executives exchanged nces in confusion.

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡­ If I remember correctly, isn¡¯t that the name of President Zhan¡¯s ex-wife?¡±

    ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Tang Yan nced towards the office door, ¡°Qiao Jing and the boss aren¡¯t divorced.¡±

    ¡°Not divorced? Really? I attended President Zhan¡¯s wedding, and it¡¯s been more than 100 days.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know, the¡ª¡± Tang Yan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Qipei suddenly pushed the door and came in.

    ¡°Tang Yan! Quickly arrange for someone,e with me to rescue Qiao Jing!¡± After saying that, Zhan Qipei took out his car keys and strode out of the office.

    ¡°Boss, wait for me, I¡¯ll make arrangements quickly!¡± Tang Yan followed him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind was filled with worry entirely for Qiao Jing¡¯s safety. Just now, Zhan Nanqing had mentioned on the phone that Qiao Jing had developed a high fever. Rushing to her aid was urgent, how could he not be anxious?

    The scene shifted to Qiao Jing, following the address sent by the girl, rushing to the demolition building.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Qiao Jing made a sound of difort, her vision suddenly became blurred, and her body temperature was rising higher and higher, the situation getting increasingly dire.

    ¡°No, help! Wuuu¡ª¡± That voice!

    Qiao Jing clenched her teeth, shook her head, and forcibly suppressed the difort in her body, charging towards the direction of the voice.

    Finally, inside an old demolition building, she saw a girl, with two men ripping at the girl¡¯s clothes, bullying her.

    ¡°Let her go!¡±

    Qiao Jing had just charged in when she was instantly surrounded by a dozen or so people.

    Each of these men was burly, clearly trained fighters, and not just any average tough guys.

    Qiao Jing slightly squinted, her gaze circling the room before finally resting on the girl.

    The girl got up from the ground, straightened her clothes and hair, and revealed a sinister smile at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Keep up the good work, humiliate her to death. The backer said that as long as we finish this job, we¡¯ll get five million, and then we can go abroad to enjoy ourselves.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing realized she¡¯d been set up.

    The backer? Who is it? Qiao Jing¡¯s mind raced.

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to figure things out, those burly, trained fighters started approaching her.

 Chapter 176 - 169 Qiao Jing Wont Let Zhan Qipei Touch Her

    Chapter 176: Chapter 169 Qiao Jing Won¡¯t Let Zhan Qipei Touch Her

    Qiao Jing chose to strike first, leaping forward with an arrow step, taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s stunned moment tond a heavy punch right on their cheek.

    ¡°Ah¡ª-¡± A scream echoed.

    But that was not the end. Qiao Jing followed up with a kick to the opponent¡¯s knee.

    Another scream, and they knelt on the ground.

    Qiao Jing frowned as she looked at the person on the ground. ording to the force of her punch just now, they should have been unable to get up.

    It seemed her physical condition was very poor.

    Right then, a girl¡¯s voice suddenly rang out.

    ¡°All of you, go at once, she¡¯s been tricked by me, poisoned, and will soon lose all strength.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted rapidly. She raised her hand and looked at the needle-sized wound on her fingertip, her eyes growing colder by the second.

    It turned out this was not an ident, but a meticulously designed trap aimed at her!

    Thinking about it, this tactic reminded her of something familiar¡ªLan Yinyin had used a simr method against Zhan Qipei before.

    This was a minor wound she had found when sheter examined the man. She had told Zhan Qipei about it at the time, but Zhan Qipei kept it to himself in order to lure out the big fish behind Lan Yinyin.

    Could the gold master the girl mentioned be Lan Yinyin?

    While fighting, Qiao Jing was analyzing the situation, feeling sure she wasn¡¯t mistaken.

    This borately set up scene was very much in line with Lan Yinyin¡¯s meticulous and deeply calcted nature.

    Qiao Jing grabbed the cor of the person in front of her, but just as she was ready to punch, she suddenly felt a burning heat in her lower abdomen, so intense that she lost consciousness in an instant.

    Seizing the opportunity, the enemy counterattacked, reaching for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Along with the low and cold voice, the person attempting to grab Qiao Jing was sent flying by a long leg that suddenly appeared.

    ¡°Ah¡ª-¡± Their head turned, and they passed out.

    Qiao Jing struggled to open her weak eyes, turning her head to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You, you came?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte.¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s anxious gaze swept up and down Qiao Jing before settling on her feverishly red face.

    ¡°Nanqing said you had a fever, how did it get so bad?¡± Zhan Qipei said as he ced his hand on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead.

    The man¡¯s marble-cool touch on her face gave Qiao Jing the sensation of a volcano meeting an iceberg, nearly causing her to lose herposure.

    Zhan Qipei noticed the girl¡¯s abnormal reaction, her face glowing red, her beautiful eyes as if filled with sparkling autumn water, misty and alluring, making it difficult for Zhan Qipei to contain himself.

    ¡°You, this is¡ª¡±

    Coming to her senses, Qiao Jing lifted her hand to sweep away Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm, biting down hard on her lower lip, turning it purple with blood to maintain her consciousness.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s self-harming behavior, Zhan Qipei felt an unbearable pain in his heart, ¡°Don¡¯t treat yourself like this, where are you hurting? I¡¯ll take you to see a doctor.¡±

    ¡°I, I¡¯m fine, they¡­ they¡¯re getting away!¡± Qiao Jing looked towards the girl and the group of trained warriors.

    At that moment, Tang Yan arrived with backup in time and swiftly subdued the enemies.

    Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou hade with Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother Pei, is your leg okay?¡± Lou Xinrou asked with concern.

    She had just watched Zhan Qipei kick to defend Qiao Jing despite his leg injury not being fully healed. Why was he so reckless with himself?

    Zhan Qipei was too preupied to bother with Lou Xinrou, his frown deepening as he watched Qiao Jing closely.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the hospital.¡± Zhan Qipei said as he reached for Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    So cold¡­

    Qiao Jing snapped out of her daze half a secondter and lifted her hand to push away Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Hey! Brother Pei is concerned about you, how can you treat Brother Pei like this!¡± Lou Xinrou, unable to contain her anger, shouted at Qiao Jing. ¡°Brother Pei, let¡¯s not bother with her, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood still, his deep and wise ck eyes unwavering as they stared at Qiao Jing.

    The girl had a peach-likeplexion, eyes brimming with autumn waters, and her body temperature frighteningly high¡­ All these reactions were strikingly simr to his own a few days earlier.

    Suddenly!

    Zhan Qipei guessed something, his pupils dted as he stared intently at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been¡ª¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡±

    Qiao Jing struggled inwardly, having been seen through by him.

    ¡°You really have,¡± Zhan Qipei confirmed his suspicion.

    Qiao Jing bit her lower lip, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll find a doctor myself.¡±

    Sometimes, healers can¡¯t heal themselves, and this was one of those times.

    Zhan Qipei grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist firmly, ¡°In this situation, you¡¯ll find a doctor? Which doctor? Zhou Fu? Or Lu Zijin?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Qiao Jing tugged at her hand.

    ¡°Do you really want them to see you in this sorry state?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, making Qiao Jing hesitate.

    It didn¡¯t matter whether it was Zhou Fu or Lu Zijin, especially Lu Zijin. Though he had never said anything, she could feel it, but she had never pointed it out.

    Just as Qiao Jing was feeling a headache, Zhan Qipei bent down, slid his arm underneath her knees, and picked her up horizontally.

    Zhan Nanqing covered her mouth, her eyes wide open in shock.

    Lou Xinrou, however, was full of envy, her eyes red, her hands fisted at her sides and clutching her clothing tightly.

    ¡°You, put me¡­ down.¡± Tormented by a strong desire, Qiao Jing¡¯s speech started to falter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move around, or I¡¯ll kiss you,¡± Zhan Qipei said with a domineering yet tender tone.

    Qiao Jing frowned, knowing from past experience that the man might really do it.

    Now, she had a fire burning inside her, and if he truly kissed her, he might consume thest of her reason.

    ¡°Take me¡­ back, back to the apartment.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhan Qipei hurried Qiao Jing into the car and ordered Tang Yan to drive off without waiting for Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou to approach.

    ¡°Brother Pei! Brother Pei!¡± Lou Xinrou chased after them for a few steps before stopping, stomping her feet in frustration.

    ¡°This Qiao Jing, it¡¯s just a fever, isn¡¯t it? Does she need to be so dramatic? She must be pretending to be that distressed to gain Brother Pei¡¯s sympathy!¡± Lou Xinrou said furiously.

    Zhan Nanqing shifted her gaze away from the departing car, ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t seem to be faking it. And based on her character, she wouldn¡¯t bother putting on an act.¡±

    ¡°Nanqing! What¡¯s wrong with you? Always speaking up for Qiao Jing! I¡¯m your best friend, not her. What is she, anyway? Just a country bumpkin with a cunning face!¡± Lou Xinrou screamed, her eyes almost splitting with rage.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the twisted and ferocious face before her, her eyes growing even more unfamiliar.

    Lou Xinrou snapped out of it once she noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s bewildered and stunned expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I lost my temper, I shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡±

    While speaking, Lou Xinrou knelt on the ground and started to cry softly.

    Zhan Nanqing sighed and walked over to Lou Xinrou, patting her on the back, ¡°Silly woman in love! I shall never fall for anyone in my lifetime.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, Lou Xinrou¡¯s emotions crumbled, and she burst into tears.

    When Zhan Qipei brought Qiao Jing back to the apartment, she was like a steamed dish, ready to be enjoyed and consumed.

 Chapter 177 - 170: What are You Looking At! My Wife

    Chapter 177: Chapter 170: What are You Looking At! My Wife

    Seeing Qiao Jing like this, Zhan Qipei felt entirely wrong.

    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, a ball of fire intensifying and burning within him.

    Damn it!

    Zhan Qipei loosened his tie with one hand, forcibly suppressing the beast stirring inside him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    With that, Zhan Qipei bent down toward her.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing bit back her words in refusal.

    ¡°But in your current state, if this continues, your body will suffer.¡±

    As Zhan Qipei spoke, he began unbuttoning her shirt.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei¡­ if you, if you want to help me in this way¡­ our 100-day agreement¡­es to¡­ an end,¡± Qiao Jing said weakly and intermittently.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements halted abruptly, his eyebrows knitting into knots.

    ¡°You mean, you would hate me?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Qiao Jing had not finished speaking, ¡°but I¡­ wouldn¡¯t want to see you¡­ ever again¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei rose from Qiao Jing¡¯s body, closed his eyes, and exhaled deeply.

    After a moment of silence, his eyes suddenly opened and he extended his arms to embrace Qiao Jing, heading toward the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei gently ced her into the bathtub, ¡°I¡¯ll use cold water to cool you down, it will be very chilly, just bear with it.¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing¡¯s throat was so scorched she could hardly speak, she could only nod in response to Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    Turning on the shower, the icy water hit her burning skin, a painful contradiction that Qiao Jing could barely endure, her teeth clenched tight. It was torture that not just anyone could withstand.

    Fortunately, it was enough to slightly alleviate the heat within her body, preventing her from losing her mindpletely.

    Zhan Qipei called Tang Yan, urging him to hurry back with the medicine.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve already bought it, I¡¯m right at the door.¡±

    Tang Yan knew that given his boss¡¯s fondness for Qiao Jing, he wouldn¡¯t take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state.

    Zhan Qipei brought in the medicine, urging Qiao Jing to take it.

    Half an hourter, there was not the slightest easing of Qiao Jing¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Strange? Why isn¡¯t the medicine working?¡±

    Qiao Jing bit her lower lip, her voice hoarse, she struggled to say, ¡°It should¡­ be the same asst time, it requires¡­ needs something substantial to¡­ happen¡­¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened as if to merge with the night.

    ¡°It was Lan Yinyin¡¯s doing!¡±

    ¡°I guess, it¡¯s¡­ possible.¡±

    After Qiao Jing spoke, another wave hit her, tormenting her into shivering.

    ¡°It seems this is the only way,¡± Zhan Qipei once again started unbuttoning his shirt.

    Last time he was affected by the medicine, he had Qiao Jing, Divine Doctor Jing by his side. Now the situation was reversed; he didn¡¯t possess her medical skills to treat her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡± Qiao Jing began to protest, but Zhan Qipei stepped forward with long strides, closing the distance between them.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei!¡± Qiao Jing growled out loud.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together, ¡°Just consider it a dream.¡±

    ¡°I am not that naive!¡± Qiao Jing dered determinedly.

    Zhan Qipei saw how much Qiao Jing was resisting and was at a loss for what to do.

    ¡°You, call Zhou Fu¡­ Consider this favor¡­ as owed by me¡­¡± Qiao Jing mustered all her strength to push against the man¡¯s shoulder.

    However, for Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing¡¯s current strength felt like a kitten¡¯s paw, soft and boneless.

    Owe him a favor?

    Zhan Qipei pondered for two seconds.

    100 days would pass quickly; what if he couldn¡¯t make Qiao Jing fall in love with him in that time, could he use this favor to request another 100 days?

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll call Zhou Fu.¡±

    Not long after, the doorbell rang.

    Zhan Qipei nced outside, it must be Zhou Fu.

    He then looked at Qiao Jing, her entire body soaked with water, the true contours beneath the wet clothes faintly discernible. He would not allow anyone else to see Qiao Jing like this.

    Zhan Qipei went to open the door for Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my master? How is she doing now?¡± Zhou Fu asked urgently, carrying a medicine box and about to rush inside.

    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Zhan Qipei stretched out an arm to stop Zhou Fu.

    ¡°How can I wait when my master is in such a serious condition?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in the bathroom, it¡¯s inconvenient.¡±

    Huh? Zhou Fu¡¯s eyes instantly widened, ¡°You, you didn¡¯t do anything to my master, did you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gave Zhou Fu a speechless look, ¡°If I had, would I need you?¡±

    Hearing these words, Zhou Fu let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Zhan Qipei took a bathrobe and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

    Then he lifted Qiao Jing out of the bathtub, peeled the wet clothes off her, and helped her into the bathrobe.

    During this process, Qiao Jing almost lost herposure several times when touched by the man¡¯s cool hands.

    And so, her hands were not idle at all, asionally grabbing and scratching on Zhan Qipei¡¯s body.

    ¡°Are you done?¡± Zhou Fu called out anxiously from outside.

    Zhan Qipei, holding Qiao Jing, pushed the door open and came out.

    Zhou Fu looked at the state of the Qiao Family¡¯s daughter and was a bit dumbfounded; in the many years following his master, it was his first time seeing his master in such a vulnerable state.

    ¡°What are you looking at? She¡¯s my wife!¡± Zhan Qipei said irritatedly.

    Zhou Fu withdrew his gaze, shrugged his shoulders, ¡°You¡¯d better get her on the bed.¡±

    Zhan Qipei sat down by the bed, then ced Qiao Jing on hisp, holding her.

    Zhou Fu ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Put her down!¡±

    ¡°Just consider me as a bed,¡± Zhan Qipei said, cradling the tender and fragrant beauty in his arms with such tenderness, he simply could not bear to put her down.

    Zhou Fu didn¡¯t want to talk.

    The situation with Qiao Jing could not be dyed any further, and Zhou Fu immediately took her pulse.

    ¡°This medicine is really overbearing!¡± Zhou Fu said through gritted teeth, ¡°Who is so cruel to have given my master such a drug?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes narrowed, a dangerous gleam shining within them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now, do you have a way to suppress it?¡±

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have a way, then I wouldn¡¯t deserve to be my master¡¯s disciple,¡± Zhou Fu said confidently.

    Hearing Zhou Fu say this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s feelings were somewhatplex, both happy and a little disappointed.

    ¡°Then get on with the treatment!¡±

    Zhou Fu took out the silver needles and started applying them to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Qiao Jing bit back the pain and made a sound.

    ¡°Be gentle!¡± Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing close, his heart aching unbearably.

    Zhou Fu was speechless and twitched the corner of his mouth, ¡°Who¡¯s the doctor here, you or me? This cannot be cured just by being gentle. Don¡¯t worry, my master¡¯s body can bear this pain.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say, she¡¯s not your wife, so of course you aren¡¯t heartbroken.¡±

    Zhou Fu ¡°¡­¡±

    Truth be told, if Qiao Jing weren¡¯t his master, he would have already started arguing with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhou Fu continued with the acupuncture, increasing the force as necessary.

    ¡°Mmmhm¡ª¡± Qiao Jing moaned in pain again.

    Zhan Qipei immediately bent down and kissed her forehead repeatedly, hisrge hand gently patting her back.

    ¡°My Xiao Jing, don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here¡­ There, there¡­¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was as if he were coaxing a child.

 Chapter 178 - 171: Zhan Qipei Settles Accounts with Lan Yinyin

    Chapter 178: Chapter 171: Zhan Qipei Settles ounts with Lan Yinyin

    This scene almost made Zhou Fu¡¯s eyes pop out.

    He felt that what Zhan Qipei was holding in his arms was not the mature master known as the cold Snow Lotus, but a baby needing love and care.

    He was so shocked that he almost couldn¡¯t perform acupuncture.

    With each needle Zhou Fu ced, Zhan Qipei would coo and cajole in a tone that sounded like a loving father doting on his daughter.

    It was simply unbearable to watch.

    Zhou Fu admitted that this acupuncture treatment would be the biggest challenge of his life!

    ¡°Alright!¡± Zhou Fu straightened up, wiped the sweat off his forehead with his hand, clearly sweating profusely.

    ¡°You can leave now.¡± After issuing the eviction order, Zhan Qipei carried Qiao Jing to bed, pulled up the covers, ced Qiao Jing into his embrace, and cushioned Qiao Jing¡¯s head on his arm.

    His other arm went around, ced on Qiao Jing¡¯s back, patting gently on and off.

    Zhou Fu took a deep breath, fine! He better leave quickly.

    As soon as Zhou Fu opened the door, he saw Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou standing at the doorway, with Lou Xinrou seeming to burst in.

    Without a word, Zhou Fu quickly closed the door.

    ¡°She just went to sleep, so you better not disturb her.¡±

    Lou Xinrou bit her lip and tentatively asked, ¡°Mr. Zhou, is Qiao Jing alright?¡±

    Zhou Fu could tell from Lou Xinrou¡¯s question that she was worried something might happen between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I am a disciple of Divine Doctor Jing, do you think she would be in any danger with me here? You¡¯re really underestimating me,¡± Zhou Fu said, looking expressionlessly at Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, please don¡¯t misunderstand, I just wanted to ask,¡± Lou Xinrou replied apologetically.

    Great! Nothing happened, so Qiao Jing won¡¯t get involved with her Brother Pei in that way.

    ¡°You better head back quickly.¡± Zhou Fu left after dropping that remark.

    Zhan Nanqing patted Lou Xinrou¡¯s back, ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to overthink, Qiao Jing really isn¡¯t interested in my brother in that way.¡±

    Lou Xinrou nodded, and before leaving, she looked back at the closed door and exhaled a breath of relief.

    ¡°What? The mission failed?¡±

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s face showed disbelief as she answered the phone.

    ¡°How is that possible? The n was so thorough, how could Qiao Jing be alright?¡±

    Just as Lan Yinyin finished speaking, she heard Fifth Master¡¯s voice suddenly sound behind her.

    ¡°What happened to Qiao Jing? What did you do to her?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lan Yinyin quickly hung up the phone and turned to look at Wu Xirui, who had appeared from nowhere.

    ¡°Fifth Master, you, why are you here? If you need anything, just let me know, I¡¯m at your service anytime. There¡¯s no need for you toe here personally,¡± Lan Yinyin said, bowing deeply with her head down, looking utterly subservient.

    Wu Xirui sat down in front of the couch, crossing his legs, ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my earlier question.¡±

    Earlier?

    Lan Yinyin remembered then!

    ¡°Fifth Master, it¡¯s like this; previously, Qiao Jing disrespected you and sent you to the police station, so I gathered some people to administer the medication you provided¡­¡±

    Lan Yinyin recounted the day¡¯s events and her careful, thorough n to Wu Xirui, ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but the n somehow failed.¡±

    ¡°Come here,¡± Wu Xirui said expressionlessly, gesturing to Lan Yinyin with his hand.

    Seeing this, Lan Yinyin thought perhaps Fifth Master needed her?

    Thinking this, Lan Yinyin felt a surge of happiness. If she could be Fifth Master¡¯s woman, she would definitely be blissfully happy.

    Lan Yinyin suppressed the thrill in her heart and walked conscientiously to Wu Xirui¡¯s side.

    As she approached, she saw Wu Xirui suddenly lift his foot and forcefully kick her in the lower abdomen, flipping her over with the kick.

    Lan Yinyiny sprawled on the ground with her limbs akimbo, her face as pale as paper.

    ¡°Fifth Master, why, why¡­ are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing is the one I¡¯m interested in. How dare youy a hand on her?¡± Wu Xirui said, his grey eyes, filled with a bloodthirsty chill, fixed on Lan Yinyin.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s words struck Lan Yinyin like bolts of lightning, bombarding her relentlessly.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s mind went nk, unable to believe her own ears.

    The Fifth Master is interested in Qiao Jing? Why?

    She didn¡¯t understand. Just a few days ago, Qiao Jing had sent the Fifth Master to the police station.

    ¡°What happened afterward?¡± Wu Xirui asked coldly.

    ¡°I, I¡¯ll call right now and ask, right away!¡± Lan Yinyin scrambled up from the ground, enduring waves of pain from her abdomen, and redialed the phone.

    ¡°Zhou Fu has been there? Good, I got it.¡± Lan Yinyin¡¯s phone was on speaker, so Wu Xirui heard everything that had been said on the call.

    ¡°Zhou Fu has been there, so it seems like there¡¯s no issue,¡± Wu Xirui muttered to himself, then his icy gaze fell back on Lan Yinyin, causing her to shiver.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one month to be Zhan Qipei¡¯s woman. Otherwise¡ªyou know very well what awaits you.¡±

    Under Wu Xirui¡¯s deadly gaze, Lan Yinyin turned deathly pale, her lips quivering non-stop.

    ¡°Yes, I, I definitely won¡¯t let you down! Absolutely not!¡±

    Lan Yinyin now had no way out. She had to use every trick in the book to seduce Zhan Qipei, or else she couldn¡¯t bear to think about what might happen to her.

    Overnight passed, and when Qiao Jing woke up, she found herself lying in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms.

    The man¡¯s clothes were disheveled, and his neck and arms were covered in marks, likely left by her the previous night when she wasn¡¯t fully conscious.

    As for whether they had taken the final step, she was both a woman and a doctor¡ªshe was very clear about that.

    Just as Qiao Jing was lost in thought, she suddenly heard the man¡¯s deep, mellow voice by her ear, disturbing the early morning quiet.

    Quite lethal indeed.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Zhan Qipei said, looking deeply into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, checking her current physical condition.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Qiao Jing rose from Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace.

    As she sat up, the shoulder of her robe suddenly slid down, exposing her soft, glossy shoulders and beautiful back.

    Quick-witted, Qiao Jing grabbed it, timely covering the most crucial parts.

    Zhan Qipei, propping his head with one hand and a smile curling his lips, watched Qiao Jing intently.

    ¡°Are you trying to seduce me?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at him, her look one of silent reproach, then she said nothing more, threw off the nket, got out of bed, and walked towards the bathroom.

    When she emerged, she saw Zhan Qipei dressed in a suit, ready to leave.

    Today was Saturday. Where was he going so early in the morning?

    She wasn¡¯t particrly nosy. His legs were his own; he could go wherever he wanted. Still, the expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was very stern.

    He looked like he was about to kill someone.

    Curious, Qiao Jing cracked the door open a sliver, her gaze following Zhan Qipei to Lan Yinyin¡¯s door.

    He raised his hand and knocked.

 Chapter 179 - 172: The Person Who Saved Me Was Qiao Jing

    Chapter 179: Chapter 172: The Person Who Saved Me Was Qiao Jing

    Early in the morning, what was he doing looking for Lan Yinyin?

    He couldn¡¯t possibly be settling scores with Lan Yinyin just because of her, could he?

    No sooner had this thought urred to Qiao Jing than she immediately denied it herself.

    It definitely wasn¡¯t.

    Initially, when Zhan Qipei was schemed against by Lan Yinyin, first with drugs and then by an ambush in Autumn Water Vige that left him severely injured, he endured it all in order to draw out the person behind the scenes, so how could he possibly give up just because she said to give up.

    While Qiao Jing was thinking this, Lan Yinyin opened the door.

    ¡°President Zhan?¡± Lan Yinyin looked at Zhan Qipei with surprise in her eyes.

    She had been neighbors with Zhan Qipei for such a long time, yet Zhan Qipei had never sought her out. Even when she approached Zhan Qipei, he always gave her the cold shoulder.

    Was the sun rising from the west today?

    Or could it be that Zhan Qipei had finally sumbed and wanted some tenderness with her?

    With this thought, delight surged secretly in Lan Yinyin¡¯s heart.

    Perfect! Just now, she was worrying about how to climb into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed, and now a turnaround had appeared. It was as if heaven was helping her!

    Today, she must grasp this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and take the man down in one fell swoop!

    ¡°May Ie in?¡± The expressionless depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes hid a dark and profound gleam.

    Lan Yinyin, nowpletely immersed in her own fantasies, failed to see any hint of his true intentions.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll get you slippers!¡± Lan Yinyin enthusiastically weed him and, after ushering Zhan Qipei into the room, a nce from the corner of her eye caught Qiao Jing through the crack in the neighbor¡¯s door.

    Lan Yinyin cast a victorious and smug look at Qiao Jing. Aren¡¯t you always so aloof? Always pressing down on me? Now you can only watch helplessly as your man enters my room, and there¡¯s nothing you can do. Is your heart bleeding, and your eyes tearing up?

    Thrilling!

    It was too thrilling!

    Lan Yinyin deliberately closed the door loudly, but as she turned around, she was kicked in the abdomen by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Umph¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin, in pain and covered in cold sweat, turned pale as paper, clutching her abdomen and slowly kneeling down.

    It took her a good ten seconds or so before she could slightly recover from the excruciating pain, raising her head and staring at Zhan Qipei with a disbelieving and confused look.

    ¡°Why, why?¡± she asked.

    Zhan Qipei stood in front of Lan Yinyin, tall and imposing, with a cold expression and eagle-sharp eyes.

    ¡°Tell me, did you do what happened yesterday?¡± he demanded coldly.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s pupils suddenly dted. Yesterday¡¯s incident? Qiao Jing¡¯s situation¡ªso he came to find her because of Qiao Jing, suspecting her involvement.

    ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lan Yinyin yed dumb.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes slightly, the depths of his dark eyes swirling with danger.

    ¡°The drug she was poisoned with yesterday and the one you used on me before are exactly the same. Dare you say this has nothing to do with you?¡±

    Shocked!

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s pupils once again widened a fraction.

    He knew? Knew that it was she who drugged him before?

    How was that possible? She had been so secretive, how could he have known?

    What puzzled Lan Yinyin the most was, if Zhan Qipei had long suspected her, why had he waited until now to confront her?

    ¡°Last time¡¯s incident truly has nothing to do with me! I swear! If I¡¯m lying, may I die a terrible death!¡±

    There is a saying that makes sense: if swearing could solve problems, then what¡¯s the need for police? That was the case right now.

    ¡°The two consecutive assassination attempts in Autumn Water Vige both rte to you all. Tell me, who is the mastermind behind all this?¡± Zhan Qipei asked with a cold voice.

    Lan Yinyin looked at Zhan Qipei agape, confronting his intelligent gaze that seemed to see through everything.

    She panicked, she was shocked.

    She underestimated this man!

    Yes! She had always underestimated this young master of the Zhan Family!

    This man, personally chosen by Zhan Yuanshan as his sessor, was also the one against whom Fifth Master had meticulously nned for years before making his move.

    How could such a person be easily yed by her?

    Confronting Zhan Qipei at this moment, Lan Yinyin knew she couldn¡¯t continue to feign ignorance without consequences.

    ¡°When did you discover it?¡± she asked.

    Lan Yinyin didn¡¯t understand; she thought she had hidden it well, without giving herself away. Where did she slip up and arouse Zhan Qipei¡¯s suspicions?

    ¡°From the moment you appeared,¡± Zhan Qipei replied indifferently.

    What?! Lan Yinyin¡¯s face was filled with disbelief.

    From the beginning?

    He had been suspicious of her from the start?

    ¡°How do you know that the person who saved you back then wasn¡¯t me?¡± Lan Yinyin couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes half-closed, ¡°Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She was asking him a question; what did Qiao Jing have to do with it?

    Before Lan Yinyin could understand, she heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice rise again.

    ¡°The person who saved me back then was Qiao Jing.¡±

    Shock!!!

    Lan Yinyin had never been so astonished in her life.

    Her eyes widened, her mouth agape to the extreme.

    Suddenly, she understood everything.

    No wonder Zhan Qipei was so fond of Qiao Jing. No wonder she thought she had performed perfectly, yet she was still under a man¡¯s control, at the foot of Five Finger Mountain.

    So this was where the problemy.

    Fifth Master, oh Fifth Master, your n was soprehensive, but you didn¡¯t anticipate the critical factor of Qiao Jing, did you?

    ¡°My patience is limited; tell me, who is the mastermind behind you?¡± Zhan Qipei demanded.

    Hearing this, Lan Yinyin¡¯s face revealed a bitter smile, ¡°Speaking out means death, remaining silent I might still live. If you were me, would you speak?¡±

    Lan Yinyin was very clever; she knew well that if she spoke out, with Fifth Master¡¯s ruthless methods, she certainly wouldn¡¯t survive.

    If she didn¡¯t speak, Zhan Qipei, in order to pry the truth from her, would surely leave her a way out.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s cold gaze met Lan Yinyin¡¯s as he began to speak with his thin lips slightly parted, ¡°If I were you, I would speak. Because¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei deliberately paused there, and in those few seconds, Lan Yinyin tensed to an unprecedented level.

    ¡°Because¡ªnot speaking, you might live. But I will make you understand that sometimes living is worse than dying.¡± As Zhan Qipei finished speaking, a bone-chilling coldness rose from the ground, filling the entire living room, enveloping Lan Yinyin within it.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s mouth was dry, her eyes widened in terror.

    In Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes, Zhan Qipei at that moment had an aura like Hell itself, no less intimidating than Wu Xirui.

    An existence just as terrifying!

    In the end, Lan Yinyin was taken away by Tang Yan. Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted from the ashen-faced Lan Yinyin back to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Did you just expose her identity?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Qipei nodded.

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you going to keep her around to follow the trail and find out the force behind her?¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, she met the man¡¯s affectionate gaze.

    The man raised his hand,nding it on Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Because I simply will not allow any potential dangers to linger around you.¡±

 Chapter 180 - 173 Because You Are My Wife

    Chapter 180: Chapter 173 Because You Are My Wife

    As the man¡¯s voice faded, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart quivered and stirred.

    So it really was that impossible guess she had harbored in her heart previously.

    Did Zhan Qipei really put all his ns on hold because of her?

    ¡°Why¡­ why are you so good to me?¡±

    During this time, Qiao Jing felt that Zhan Qipei was exceptionally good to her, and whatever decision he made, he fully considered it from her perspective, prioritizing her stance.

    She thought this kind of behavior was something only a mother could exhibit so selflessly.

    Even if it were a mother, most people couldn¡¯tpare to even half of what Zhan Qipei did, much less a tenth.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled up slightly, his gaze on Qiao Jing was as tender as it could be.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    What does she think? If she knew, would she be asking you?

    Just as Qiao Jing was inwardlyining, the man looked at her seriously and said, ¡°Because you are my wife, if I don¡¯t treat you well, who will I treat well?¡±

    The man spoke in a very natural tone, which made it hard to doubt any falsehood in his words.

    Qiao Jing stared at the man, slightly stunned.

    She admitted, Zhan Qipei might really see her as his wife.

    At the same time, she also knew clearly that she had no such thoughts or intentions towards Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°To be honest, do you want to hear it?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed, his eighth sense as a man told him that he might not like what Qiao Jing was about to say next.

    But if she wanted to speak, he couldn¡¯t stop her.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re quite a decent person,¡± Qiao Jing honestly said.

    Zhan Qipei raised his eyebrows, he liked hearing that.

    However, Qiao Jing shifted her tone, ¡°We are very suited to be friends.¡±

    The way Qiao Jing gasped while speaking almost threw Zhan Qipei off his rhythm.

    He just knew, a man¡¯s eighth sense wouldn¡¯t deceive him.

    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll start as friends, and then as husband and wife.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    That¡¯s not what she meant, okay?

    Qiao Jing knew the man said it on purpose, and also knew that with his stubborn nature, he wouldn¡¯t give up his decision, no matter how clearly she spoke.

    Nevermind, just let it happen naturally.

    After all, there were only 90 days left.

    Just three months, fleeting in an instant.

    Wu Xirui received the news that Lan Yinyin was captured by Zhan Qipei, his face revealed a sinister, morbid smile.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei¡­ truly worthy of being the sessor personally chosen by Old Master Zhan, Lan Yinyin was discovered so quickly.¡±

    He was very curious, where did Lan Yinyin slip up?

    ¡°Bring someone.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the person waiting outside came in.

    ¡°Fifth Master.¡±

    ¡°Send a few more people to bring Lan Yinyin to me. Remember, bring her alive. I have questions for her.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As night fell,

    Zhan Qipei received a phone call from Tang Yan.

    ¡°President Zhan, someone has kidnapped Lan Yinyin.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to deploy more people around?¡± Zhan Qipei had guessed that someone would definitelye to take Lan Yinyin away tonight, so he had asked Tang Yan to station additional personnel around to catch the enemy easily.

    ¡°The intruder is skilled! Strong. And they seem to know the vi¡¯syout quite well.¡±

    Hearing Tang Yan¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei raised his hand and touched his chin, sinking into thought.

    ¡°Are you suspecting there¡¯s a mole?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility, otherwise, the people I sent wouldn¡¯t have been dealt with so easily,¡± Tang Yan analyzed.

    ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±

    Tang Yan asked tentatively, ¡°So, should I continue sending people to investigate?¡±

    ¡°No need, if they hide like sewer rats, they might be hard to find. Rather than wasting time and energy, it¡¯s better to wait for them toe to us.¡±

    Zhan Qipei guessed that since the opponent¡¯s target was him and the n had not seeded, they would definitely not give up easily.

    Qiao Jing, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s serious face, asked in confusion, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Lan Yinyin has been kidnapped,¡± Zhan Qipei replied.

    ¡°Did they escape?¡± Qiao Jing guessed.

    ¡°No wonder I married you, you¡¯re so smart,¡± Zhan Qipei suddenly smiled broadly, looking at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes subtly at Zhan Qipei, are you trying to have a serious conversation here? Can¡¯t you be serious?

    ¡°Thanks, I know I¡¯m smart, you don¡¯t need topliment me. Everyone in the world praises me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was amused by Qiao Jing¡¯s deliberately narcissistic demeanor, his wife was indeed adorable.

    ¡­

    Lan Yinyin was brought before Wu Xirui and told him everything she knew.

    ¡°No wonder. No wonder he figured it out. Qiao Jing¡­ Hmm¡­ quite an unexpected figure indeed! What surprised me even more is that Zhan Qipei had known all along that you had ulterior motives, yet kept you by his side, waiting to catch this big fish. But because of Qiao Jing, he decided to remove the bait, you.¡±

    ¡°It shows that Zhan Qipei really cares about Qiao Jing. Since Zhan Qipei cares so much about Qiao Jing, I must take her away from him and let him taste what it¡¯s like to have his wife stolen.¡±

    Wu Xirui decided not only to take Qiao Jing from him but also to make her pregnant with his child in the shortest possible time, to drive Zhan Qipei toplete despair!

    Listening to Wu Xirui¡¯s words, Lan Yinyin felt unbearably jealous. Why was it always Qiao Jing?

    Zhan Qipei was saved by Qiao Jing, and even Wu Xirui had feelings for her. While Lan Yinyin believed that her looks and figure were not inferior to Qiao Jing¡¯s, she had to endure so much suffering.

    This isn¡¯t fair!

    Just as Lan Yinyin was cursing Qiao Jing in her heart, Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze fell on her.

    ¡°I thought you might be of some use, but it turns out you¡¯re totally useless.¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s sudden voice frightened Lan Yinyin terribly.

    ¡°Fifth Master, spare my life! Spare me! Considering that I¡¯ve dedicated myself topleting tasks for you tirelessly, I may not have merits but I have put in the efforts! Please give me another chance to serve you, I¡¯m willing to go through any trials for you,¡± she begged while kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down her face.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re willing to do anything?¡± Wu Xirui looked at Lan Yinyin with eyes as sharp as knives.

    Confronted by such a demonic gaze, Lan Yinyin was so scared her goosebumps ran down her spine. Swallowing her saliva, she replied, ¡°I¡ªI am willing.¡±

    ¡°Good, very good!¡± Wu Xirui stretched out his hand, grabbed Lan Yinyin¡¯s chin tightly without any tenderness, lifted it and looked it over.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to send you for stic surgery, you might be useful in the future.¡±

    stic surgery? Lan Yinyin¡¯s heart trembled fiercely, terrified, but she was even more afraid of the consequences of refusing Wu Xirui.

    Finally, she could only ept Wu Xirui¡¯s arrangements, as he made cuts on her face.

    Hate!

    It was all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault, she believed that one day, Qiao Jing¡¯s fate would be worse than hers!

    Three dayster.

    A celebratory banquet hosted by the Zhan Family and Zhan Nanqing was held at a five-star hotel.

    ¡°Dang dang dang¡ª¡±

 Chapter 181 - 174: Qiao Jing is the Center of Attention Again

    Chapter 181: Chapter 174: Qiao Jing is the Center of Attention Again

    The sound of knocking echoed.

    ¡°Nanqing, why aren¡¯t you out yet? All the guests who should be here have arrived, we¡¯re just waiting for you, the main character, to make your appearance,¡± Su Manhan called from outside.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at herself in the mirror, dressed in an incredibly expensive gown, her neck and hands adorned with jewelry that was worth a fortune.

    All these were carefully prepared by Su Manhan for Zhan Nanqing to celebrate her bing a member of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    ¡°How am I going to face Qiao Jing! Awooo¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dang dang dang!¡±

    ¡°Nanqing, are you ready?¡± Su Manhan was still knocking on the door and urging.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready! I¡¯m ready!¡± Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath, embracing a do-or-die resolution, stepped out of the room, and joined Su Manhan to head to the banquet hall.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze swept around, quickly locating Qiao Jing among the sea of people.

    Qiao Jing was sitting on the sofa, surrounded by several little boys, each staring at Qiao Jing with wide eyes as if observing the most beautiful flower.

    Fortunately, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t looking her way; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have known how to respond to Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    Should she hide? Or should she hide?

    At that moment, Lou Xinrou, carrying an evening dress, came over.

    ¡°Nanqing, you look so beautiful today! You¡¯re shining and radiant! Truly worthy of being today¡¯s star of the show! You¡¯re definitely the center of everyone¡¯s attention.¡±

    The center of everyone¡¯s attention? Are you sure?

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze returned to Qiao Jing, who was being offered sweets by some boys, while others trotted over with servings of mousse pudding for her.

    In their homes, each of these little boys was pampered like a little lord, but here, they all became servants to Qiao Jing.

    Even their parents¡¯ words fell on deaf ears, as they all clung around Qiao Jing, unwilling to leave.

    There were also many wealthy second-generation spoiled brats nearby, attracted by Qiao Jing¡¯s beauty and charisma, constantly sneaking nces her way.

    Today, Qiao Jing was wearing the most ordinary of dresses without a single highlight, and yet, she still was the brightest star at the event.

    ¡°Nanqing, I¡¯m so envious of you! My grades have always been better than yours, and I¡¯ve invested myself fully into medicely, hoping to stand out early and make my parents proud. To make¡­ to make Brother Pei see my effort and excellence. I never imagined you would get ahead of me and be a member of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. I¡¯m truly dying of envy¡­¡±

    Hearing Lou Xinrou say this, Zhan Nanqing thought to herself: If you knew Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao, would you still envy me?

    Others came forward one after another to shower Zhan Nanqing with all kinds of ttery, which was nothing but clich¨¦d praises she¡¯d heard far too much of.

    ¡°Your daughter is truly remarkable, look at our child, if only they could be half as excellent as yours.¡±

    It was always these same remarks.

    With these thoughts, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mind once again turned to Qiao Jing.

    She suddenly felt she could understand Qiao Jing a bit more, understand why she chose to keep such a low profile.

    Just imagine, if Qiao Jing¡¯s identity was revealed, then wouldn¡¯t she constantly hear these suck-ups and their insincerepliments everywhere she went?

    Just listening to this for a short while was unbearable for her; if it were every day¡­

    Hisss¡ª

    Zhan Nanqing hugged her arms and shivered, the thought alone was terrifying.

    At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, Zhan Nanqing caught a glimpse of Zhan Qipei walking toward Qiao Jing.

    Once he reached Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t say a word and directly sat next to her, draping his arm behind her on the sofa, then swept a possessive gaze over the children.

    From this scene, Zhan Nanqing could see the childishness in his behavior.

    He was actually jealous of a few kids, her brother was truly matchless!

    Su Manhan tugged at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Nanqing, Auntie Wang told me she wants to introduce you to her son.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing?!!

    Gan Lan walked toward Qiao Jing, ignoring Zhan Qipei¡¯s res and chatting enthusiastically with Qiao Jing.

    Even though Zhan Qipei looked pretty scary, nothing could stop Gan Lan¡¯s heart that was set on her idol.

    In the crowd, Qian Haisheng and Qian Yuang were watching Qiao Jing and Gan Lan closely.

    ¡°No wonder the Gan family refused to cooperate with our Qian Family for Qiao Jing. They must have known that Qiao Jing was the legendary Divine Doctor Jing,¡± Qian Haisheng said with a gloomy face.

    Qian Haisheng thought he had guessed right, but it was not the case at all.

    ¡°Dad, so we¡¯re just going to let our n for revenge against the Gan family go?¡± Qian Yuang asked.

    ¡°How could that be?! Your grandfather and Old Master Gan were once close as brothers. They went into business together but had a falling out over disagreements. They parted ways, each betting on who would seed more. Later on, the Gan family thrived while your grandfather faced failure and bankruptcy one after another. Despite his pride, your grandfather asked Old Master Gan for a loan, hoping for aeback.

    But Old Master Gan haughtily told him that your grandfather¡¯s management was the problem and that even if he started a newpany, it would still end in bankruptcy. His contempt was such that your grandfather, humiliated, fell into depression and died.

    On his deathbed, your grandfather gripped my hand tightly and told me to make something of myself and to ensure that the Gan family received their just desserts!¡±

    Every time Qian Haisheng thought of his father¡¯s unwillingness and resentment before his death, his fist clenched with a crack, and veins bulged on his arm.

    ¡°So, dad, what¡¯s your n?¡± Qian Yuang looked at Qian Haisheng¡¯s clenched fist and asked.

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s cunning eyes settled on the little Gan Qiqi, ¡°Gan Lan is the Gan family¡¯s precious granddaughter, and in several generations, the Gan family hasn¡¯t had a girl, so to deeply hurt the Gan family, we must target Gan Qiqi.¡±

    ¡°So many days have passed, and the Gan family¡¯s protection of Qiqi is probably not as tight as it was before. Tonight, I¡¯ll hire a group of mercenaries to wait at the kindergarten¡¯s gate,¡± Qian Yuang said.

    Qian Haisheng raised his hand, ¡°There¡¯s no need to hire assassins, have you forgotten Qiao Jing¡¯s friend, that fatty Wen Binbin? Isn¡¯t he an assassin? If we get our hands dirty with assassins and Qiao Jing traces it back to us through his connections, then what?¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do? We can¡¯t use our people or hire assassins, so how are we supposed to kidnap Qiqi?¡±

    Qian Haisheng narrowed his malicious eyes, ¡°Mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°Ah! How could I have forgotten that? We can hire a foreign mercenaries¡¯ squad, let them do the job, and then no one will be able to trace it back to them,¡± Qian Yuang eximed.

    The next morning, Qiao Jing received a call from Country Yi.

    ¡°Sister Jing, we¡¯re nning to visit the Empire today, do you have time to have a meal together?¡± The caller spoke in extremely fluent Arabic.

    Qiao Jing replied in the samenguage, ¡°Anytime works for me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Why have you suddenly decided toe to the Empire? Do you have a mission?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, a big one! But let¡¯s not talk about this for now, it¡¯s time to board the ne. Talk to youter.¡±

    ¡°Sure, okay.¡±

    In the afternoon, around four o¡¯clock, Gan Lan suddenly started having stomach pains.

    ¡°This is bad, I¡¯m not going to make it!¡± Gan Lan, clutching her stomach, looked anxiously toward the entrance of the research institute.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°I promised to bring Qiqi here today, she said she missed you, hiss¡ªouch, ouch¡ªmy stomach can¡¯t take it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restroom. I¡¯ll pick her up for you,¡± Qiao Jing said as she started to take off herb coat.

 Chapter 182 - 175: Dont be afraid, I will protect you

    Chapter 182: Chapter 175: Don¡¯t be afraid, I will protect you

    ¡°This¡­ this won¡¯t do! How could we trouble you to pick them up? I should¡ªouch¡ª¡±

    That¡¯s it, I can¡¯t go on. If I continue, I¡¯m afraid I will embarrass myself in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve been feeling bored staying here anyway. A walk would be good.¡± Qiao Jing took her phone and left.

    Gan Lan looked at Qiao Jing with a moved expression, thinking that Professor Qiao was such a wonderful person!

    Outside the kindergarten.

    In a van, there were six people, all well-covered and holding tools, staring at the kindergarten¡¯s gate.

    The leader pulled out a photo, and on it was Gan Qiqi.

    ¡°Take another look, guys, don¡¯t mix it up. We¡¯re getting big money for this job. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go have dinner with Sister Jing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Sister Jing. I wonder how she¡¯s been? Has she gotten even prettier?¡± said Abler, one of Qiao Jing¡¯s diehard fans.

    No sooner had Abler spoken than the person beside him stared intently forward, ¡°Sister Jing has indeed be more and more attractive over time. She¡¯s shed her youthful air, and now she carries a real woman¡¯s charm. That figure, truly a sight to behold!¡±

    ¡°My god! I ran so hard, my legs are about to break.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t run like this in years, and I¡¯m almost weary to death.¡±

    The audience gradually arrived at the Martial Arts Arena, some ran all the way to grab the best viewing spots, panting with exhaustion.

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t sister arrived yet?¡±

    Lin Jinlei, seeing the increasing crowd of spectators, was a bit frantic.

    ¡°If sister said she woulde, she will definitelye. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lin Yixuan had absolute faith in his sister, his obsidian-like eyes shining brightly.

    ¡°Maybe Master was held up?¡±

    Shitou¡¯s small eyes shone brightly, hinting, ¡°The County Exam is near, someone is tutoring with the Imperial Sword, even Master may not be able to leave easily.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting now!¡±

    Wang Meng red at him irritably.

    ¡°Here shees!¡±

    Lin Yixuan¡¯s gaze brightened suddenly, looking up at the sky.

    ¡°Chirp.¡±

    At the same time, the giant eagle let out a long cry, and dove down from the sky.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s the giant eagle!¡±

    ¡°There is someone on the eagle!¡±

    ¡°Is it a little girl?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it, isn¡¯t that the Duke of Zhen¡¯s Eldest Miss?¡±

    ¡°My god, she¡¯s flying straight down from the sky, isn¡¯t she going to fall off the eagle¡¯s back?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t stand it, I¡¯m so nervous, my heart is about to give out.¡±

    Hearing the eagle¡¯s cry, the Martial Arts Arena was suddenly boiling with excitement.

    The crowd gathered in front of the arena was extremely shocked and then extremely frightened.

    All of them, anxiously looking up at the sky, felt their hearts beat violently as the giant eagle approached the ground.

    ¡°Another little girl?¡±

    ¡°What the hell are they up to?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, what else could she be here for? KFC? Obviously, she¡¯s here to pick up a kid.¡±

    Abler¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°No way, I haven¡¯t seen Sister Jing for years and her kid is already this old? But that can¡¯t be right. If Sister Jing had a child, howe we haven¡¯t heard anything about it?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you thinking about? Have somemon sense, okay? We met Sister Jing just two years ago, and she was still on her own then. How could she possibly have a child?¡± Sha Te rolled his eyes at Abler in exasperation.

    Abler patted his chest in relief. It was good that wasn¡¯t the case.

    As they were watching, the gates of the kindergarten opened, and the sses came out in an orderly sequence.

    ¡°Look! That little girl!¡± Sha Te pulled out the picture again forparison.

    ¡°That¡¯s her! Get ready to move!¡±

    ¡°Captain, why does the Qian Family want us to snatch a little girl? She¡¯s so cute, they wouldn¡¯t want to kill her, would they?¡± Abler couldn¡¯t help feeling somepassion.

    ¡°What¡¯s with all the foolish talk? We¡¯re mercenaries; this is our business. If you can¡¯t stomach it, then you¡¯re out.¡±

    ¡°Tch! I was just saying,¡± Abler shrugged off thement.

    All those who had joined the mercenary squad were living life on the edge, savoring blood with every breath. It was unavoidable, given the turmoil in Country Yi.

    If they could live a peaceful life, who would choose this existence of constant danger?

    ¡°She¡¯sing out! Now¡¯s the time! Move in!¡± Sha Te, with a stern killer¡¯s expression, got out of the car.

    The next second¡ª

    they saw Gan Qiqi trotting towards Qiao Jing with her little short legs.

    ¡°Sister Qiao!¡± Gan Qiqi hugged Qiao Jing¡¯s legs warmly.

    Qiao Jing pulled out a lollipop she had bought on the way and handed it to Gan Qiqi.

    Gan Qiqi smiled sweeter than sugar, ¡°Thank you, Sister Qiao, Sister Qiao is really nice, the very best in the world¡ªthe best¡ª¡±

    At this point, Gan Qiqi became conflicted. ¡°That is, besides my mom and dad!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and my brother is also great, but hees after you,¡± Gan Qiqi added.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh and shook her head, then tousled Gan Qiqi¡¯s little head. ¡°You¡¯d better not say that to your brother. I¡¯m worried he might get jealous.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t, if someone else was ced before him, he¡¯d definitely get mad, but if it¡¯s Sister Qiao, he definitely won¡¯t. I guarantee it!¡± Gan Qiqi said, striking her little chest with the savvy of someone beyond her years.

    Qiao Jing was once again amused by Gan Qiqi¡¯s clever antics when suddenly, she caught sight of several familiar figures.

    Turning her head, she saw that these people were all wearing uniform attire, their faces covered with masks, and donning goggles and hats.

    ¡°Is it you guys?¡± Qiao Jing took a few more nces before she recognized them.

    Sha Te and the others were somewhat taken aback.

    ¡°Did you alle here specifically to find me? How did you know I was here?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    Sha Te and hispanions ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing, observing each person standing as still as a post, frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯te specifically to find me?¡±

    Indeed, what were the odds?

    Speaking of which, she hade to pick up Gan Qiqi because Gan Lan was suddenly suffering from stomach pains. Otherwise, she would not havee at all.

    ¡°Wait a minute! Could it be that you¡¯re here on a mission?¡± Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes and asked.

    Abler scratched the back of his head, then removed the mask and goggles from his face. The others followed suit.

    ¡°Sister Jing, it¡¯s not convenient to talk here. Let¡¯s change locations,¡± Sha Te stepped forward and suggested.

    Upon hearing Sha Te¡¯s words, Qiao Jing looked down at Gan Qiqi, who was eating candy. Her starry eyes slightly drooping, she had already guessed most of it.

    Inside the cafe.

    Qiao Jing and Sha Te, along with the others, sat down face to face.

    ¡°Who hired you?¡±

    Sha Te¡¯s face showed difficulty.

    ¡°I understand, mercenary teams have their rules; even under the threat of death, they must not betray information, otherwise, they would be the target of a industry-wide manhunt,¡± Qiao Jing was well aware of this.

    ¡°Yes, Sister Jing, you¡¯ve been with our team before, you know the rules of our profession, so we really can¡¯t reveal anything to you,¡± Sha Te sighed.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted, and she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m also a member of your team, so telling me doesn¡¯t count as leaking information to outsiders.¡±

    Sha Te pped his forehead, ¡°Smart, Sister Jing, you¡¯re the clever one! We blockheads didn¡¯t think of that!¡±

    ¡°Captain, you call yourself a blockhead, don¡¯t lump us in with you. We all have human brains,¡± Abler teased.

    As soon as Abler finished speaking, Sha Te pped the back of his head, ¡°Get lost! We¡¯re all on the same team; if I¡¯m a blockhead, so are all of you!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± The group burst intoughter.

    ¡°Right, Sister Jing, what are you nning to do next? Do you need our help?¡± Sha Te asked earnestly.

    Qiao Jing set down her coffee and nodded.

    The scene shifted.

    The Qian Family and the mercenary team met at the factory near the docks as nned.

    Qiao Jing held Gan Qiqi¡¯s hand and encouraged her with words offort, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I will protect you.¡±

 Chapter 183 - 176 Qiao Jing Hostage

    Chapter 183: Chapter 176 Qiao Jing Hostage

    ¡°Mm-hmm, Qiqi isn¡¯t scared! Sister Qiao is Qiqi¡¯s hero, with Sister Qiao by my side, Qiqi isn¡¯t scared at all,¡± Gan Qiqi said as she lifted her head, herrge eyes filled with immense admiration while looking at Qiao Jing.

    Ever since the day Qiao Jing had suddenly appeared and rescued her from the kidnappers, the image of Qiao Jing as a hero had been deeply imprinted in Gan Qiqi¡¯s mind.

    It was only because Qiao Jing was a woman that Gan Qiqi didn¡¯t dream of marrying her when she grew up.

    ¡°Sister Jing, people are here,¡± Sha Te said, pointing to the person who walked in.

    Upon seeing the neer, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted slightly.

    Was it them?

    The Qian Family?

    Why would they want to buy Gan Qiqi¡¯s life?

    If she remembered correctly, hadn¡¯t the Qian family always had a good rtionship with the Gan family?

    Upon seeing Gan Qiqi, a satisfied expression spread across Qian Haisheng¡¯s face.

    He had finally captured Gan Qiqi!

    Great! He had now begun the first step of his revenge n. Next, he nned to drag the Gan family little by little into hell.

    Thinking this, Qian Haisheng¡¯s face turned as gloomy as the weather outside.

    The sky was overcast, on the verge of a thunderstorm.

    ¡°As expected of the Scorpion Squad, the remainder of your reward has been transferred to your ount. Now hand over the person to me and leave the Empire at once to avoid the Gan family tracing it back to you. Oh, and the escape vehicle is arranged; it¡¯s right outside.¡±

    Qian Haisheng had specially prepared a luxury car for Sha Te and his team, which was rigged with a time bomb. He trusted the mercenaries¡¯ professional ethics, but he trusted even more that dead men tell no tales.

    Qian Haisheng motioned for his bodyguard to bring Gan Qiqi over.

    ¡°Little girl,e here!¡± the bodyguard barked viciously at Gan Qiqi, and without waiting for a response, he reached out to grab her braid.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils sharpened, a fierce chill shing in her eyes as she reached out to grab the man¡¯s wrist, stopping him from pulling on Gan Qiqi¡¯s braid.

    Qian Haisheng frowned and sized up the well-covered Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing said coldly, ¡°She¡¯s just a child. Do you have nopassion at all for being so fierce?¡±

    As her words fell, Qiao Jing applied force to her wrist, then more force.

    ¡°Crack¡ªcrack, crack, crack¡ª¡± a chilling sound of bones snapping echoed.

    ¡°Ahh¡ªah, ah, ah¡ª¡± the bodyguard erupted in agonized screams, like a pig being butchered.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Qiao Jing exerted herself, sending the bodyguard flying with a kick.

    The kick sent him flying several yards away.

    Abler¡¯s eyes glowed hotly as he watched Qiao Jing, recalling the times when she was in their mercenary squad; each time he saw Qiao Jing take action, he couldn¡¯t help but admire her immensely.

    Abler¡¯s gaze heatedly followed Qiao Jing¡¯s legs, so slender and long, appearing incredibly delicate and boneless. Yet, it was these same legs that could unleash such formidable power.

    Frankly, he had more than once been tempted to touch and squeeze Qiao Jing¡¯s legs to see what exactlyposed them?

    Of course, this remained merely a thought. If he ever actually did it, he feared his ribs would be broken by those slender, pale legs before he could even touch them.

    What¡¯s going on?!

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, and before they could investigate further, they saw Qiao Jing raise her hand and pull off the disguise on her face.

    ¡°Is it ¡ª is it you?!¡±

    Qian Haisheng couldn¡¯t fathom why Qiao Jing would be here.

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s gaze shifted,nding on those waiting.

    ¡°Scorpion Squad, pah! Professionalism? This is what you call professionalism?!¡±

    Facing Qian Haisheng¡¯s scathing words, Sha Te responded with chin lifted neither haughtily nor humbly, ¡°Master Qian, you can take your medicine wrongly, but you shouldn¡¯t speak recklessly. She is also a member of our mercenary squad, and I have never leaked any secrets to her.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Qian Haisheng¡¯s eyes burst with incredulous shock, staring unblinkingly at Qiao Jing, ¡°You, aren¡¯t you Divine Doctor Jing? How, how could you be, be a member of the Scorpion Squad?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her delicate eyebrows, ¡°So what? What does my joining the mercenary team have to do with who I am?¡±

    Listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Qian Haisheng¡¯s mouth gaped into an O-shape.

    No wonder he was surprised, who could have imagined that the esteemed Empire Divine Physician, instead of enjoying good days, would run to the politically unstable Country Yi? Living a life licking blood off the edge of a knife.

    Just as Qian Haisheng was shockingly astounded, Qiao Jing stepped forward, standing in front of Gan Qiqi.

    ¡°I truly didn¡¯t expect that the mastermind behind the child kidnapping would be you. Haven¡¯t the Qian family and Gan family always had business dealings? Why did you kidnap Gan Lan?¡±

    Qian Haisheng gritted his teeth, a murderous intent misting in his eyes.

    It was impossible; even if Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, she had to die here today, otherwise, it would be him, his Qian family, that would suffer.

    ¡°The Gan family and my Qian family share an irreconcble hatred. I hope you¡¯ll stay out of this. As forter, whatever benefits you and the Scorpion Squad want, you can name your terms; I can give them to you.¡±

    While Qian Haisheng said this, he was thinking about how to kill them without anyone noticing.

    Fortunately, the rendezvous was at the dock, where there were few people. After killing them allter, he¡¯d toss them into the car. The car could drive unmanned, and at that point, he¡¯d let the car drive into the sea, bodies sinking to the ocean floor.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need any benefits, juste with me to the police station and close the case,¡± Qiao Jing said, having already notified Captain Zhao and others toe and set up around the area.

    ¡°Not good!¡± Qian Haisheng suddenly realized, his eyes widening like brass bells, ¡°Retreat quickly!¡±

    By the time Qian Haisheng shouted this, it was already toote. Captain Zhao led his men to the factory exterior, surrounding itpletely.

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s expression darkened; it seemed his only option was to take hostages and leave.

    Luckily, he had made preparations in advance.

    Acting decisively, Qian Haisheng pulled out a packet of explosives and said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Give me Gan Qiqi! Otherwise, we all die together here.¡±

    ¡°I bet you don¡¯t dare,¡± Qiao Jing said coldly, her eyes half-squinted.

    Qian Haisheng bit down hard, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen into your hands today. If I really go to jail, even if I¡¯m released after serving my time, the Gan family won¡¯t let me go. So, I absolutely cannot be caught! I have no way out; pushed to the limit, I might really take us all down together!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed into a line, her lips cool, pondering the best strategy.

    ¡°Give her to me, let them take her away, and I assure you no harm wille to her.¡±

    ¡°What if I disagree?¡± Qiao Jing pulled Gan Qiqi behind her.

    Qian Haisheng lit a lighter, aiming it at the fuse of the explosives, his expression manic, ¡°Then we all die together!¡±

    After a full minute of deadlock, Qiao Jing was the first to speak, breaking the impasse.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hand her over to you; you just want a hostage, I¡¯ll be that hostage.¡±

 Chapter 184 - 177: Injured

    Chapter 184: Chapter 177: Injured

    What? She wants to be a hostage?

    Captain Zhao stood at the entrance and heard the words loud and clear, his heart churning with shock and awe.

    Compared to Captain Zhao, the members of the Scorpion Squad weren¡¯t worried at all.

    Having experienced several life-and-death situations with Qiao Jing, no matter how battered they were, Qiao Jing always came out fine, fine as if they weren¡¯t on a mission together, fine as if Qiao Jing was just there on vacation.

    Qian Haisheng frowned, ¡°You as a hostage?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Am I not significant enough?¡± There was a hint of defiance in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Qian Haisheng looked at Qiao Jing, then at Gan Lan; although Qian knew Qiao Jing was indeed Divine Doctor Jing, Captain Zhao might not be aware of it.

    Qiao Jing guessed Qian Haisheng¡¯s concerns and continued the conversation, ¡°If my identity as Divine Doctor Jing isn¡¯t enough, how about adding my identity as Professor Qiao? That should be significant enough, right?¡±

    ¡°Boom¡ª ¡± Thunder struck from the heavens, resounding in the sky and buzzing in Qian Haisheng¡¯s brain.

    Ah, seriously, what was Grandfather thinking? Why did he have to invite the granddaughters of his friends toe home and study with her?

    They were just here to share her misery!

    Luckily, there was the pleasing First Son to look at, otherwise, she would have gone crazy listening to those boring heavenly books every day.

    Lin Qingluo nced at the three dispirited girls from the general¡¯s family with sympathy, sighed quietly, and focused on the lecture.

    *

    On the 16th day of the first month, Lin Jinyu took his four brothers, bade farewell to their elders, and returned to Mystic Canyon.

    Feng Yi apanied his mother and sister on the journey, escorting them back.

    Wang Meng and Shitou stayed behind, responsible for supervising the six young boys¡¯ martial arts training in the Duke¡¯s residence.

    Little Twelve and Little Thirteen also happily joined the martial arts training under their brothers¡¯ lead.

    The two young boys imitated their brothers¡¯ movements, practicing the Lin n¡¯s basic martial arts techniques. Their clumsy and cute appearance made the entire Martial Arts Arena burst intoughter.

    Once the New Year passed, Lin Yixuan couldn¡¯t stay in the pce any longer, so he sneaked out of the pce under various pretenses and came to Duke of Zhen¡¯s residence to practice martial arts with Wang Meng and Shitou.

    During her breaks from studying, Lin Qingluo also came to the Martial Arts Arena to stretch her body and teach the teenagers.

    With her brothers away, she was the eldest sister.

    The six younger brothers were very obedient.

    Whenever their sister came to the Martial Arts Arena, they would joyfully gather around her, like six happy little horses, frolicking around her.

    Little Eight Lin Jinhao was eleven years old, and Little Nine Lin Jinlei was ten. The two believed their martial arts skills were top-notch among the brothers, so they often entangled their sister to spar with them when their brothers were not around.

    Pretending to learn from each other, they couldn¡¯t even touch the corner of their sister¡¯s clothes.

    However, the two were not discouraged and became more motivated after every failure, disying the Lin n¡¯s characteristic fearless spirit.

    **

    Wei Shumin was very considerate and grateful for Lin Qingluo¡¯s kindness to her. She took great care of her little mistress¡¯s diet and daily life.

    Lin Qingluo often joked with her, saying that a ten-year-old girl was worrying like a thirty-year-old aunt.

    If one didn¡¯t know better, they would think she was her sister!

    Zizhu was still as carefree as ever, following Wei Shumin around every day, happily circling around her mistress.

    Her simple and honest smile made everyone feel rxed andfortable.

    With thepany of the two maids, Lin Qingluo had given up on the idea of selecting new maids. She clearly told her grandmother and mother that the two girls were enough and that there was no need to add more people.

    The olddy initially disagreed, feeling heartache for her granddaughter.

    However, when her beloved granddaughter disyed a sweet smile and called her grandmother sweetly, her heart would melt instantly.

    All her reluctance was left behind, and she held onto her precious granddaughter tightly, not wanting to let go.

    Ye Xue¡¯e knew her daughter was right and let her make her own decisions without imposing any restrictions.

    Thus, the matter of choosing new maids for the Fluttering Snow Residence came to an end.

    From then on, Wei Shumin and Zizhu, as first-ss maids, stayed at the Fluttering Snow Residence and served by Lin Qingluo¡¯s side.

    Seeing Qiao Jing free herself, Qian Haisheng panicked and quickly pulled out the explosives.

    Qiao Jing had already been threatened by the explosives once and certainly wouldn¡¯t be threatened a second time.

    Immediately, she threw her knife, aiming at Qian Haisheng¡¯s arm and sending it flying towards him.

 Chapter 185 - 178 What Happened to Your Right Hand?

    Chapter 185: Chapter 178 What Happened to Your Right Hand?

    The knife flew out and struck Qian Haisheng¡¯s knife-wielding hand with unerring uracy.

    As the knife buried into the back of Qian Haisheng¡¯s hand, he erupted with a piercing scream of agony.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡ª¡±

    Although Captain Zhao reacted in the shortest time to such a sudden turn of events, he was still a step slower than the Scorpion Squad, which had coordinated with Qiao Jing before.

    After Qiao Jing made her move, they immediately rushed forward, snatched the bomb from Qian Haisheng¡¯s grasp, and swiftly subdued him.

    Captain Zhao was the first to reach Qiao Jing¡¯s side, looking at the injured arm of Miss Qiao.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, how are you? I¡¯m taking you to the hospital right now!¡±

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, lifted her arm, and examined the wound, ¡°It¡¯s not serious.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately began to stop the bleeding and bandage herself up roughly.

    ¡°Can you manage like this? Shouldn¡¯t we go to the hospital first?¡±

    Towards Qiao Jing, Captain Zhao dared not be negligent.

    ¡°Are you doubting my medical skills?¡± Qiao Jing said this only because she didn¡¯t want to trouble Captain Zhao.

    ¡°How could I? How could I?¡± Captain Zhao frantically waved his hands in denial.

    Who would dare question Young Master Jing¡¯s medical expertise?

    His concern was purely for the injury Qiao Jing had sustained.

    ¡°Alright, I wouldn¡¯t joke about my own body. It¡¯s just a scrape, it¡¯ll be fine in a few days. You should hurry and take the suspect back now, get on with the interrogation.¡±

    Having put it in such a way, if Captain Zhao said anything more, he would indeed be doubting Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills.

    ¡°You few, take him to apprehend Qian Yuang. We can¡¯t let the Qian Family¡¯s people get away!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Qian Yuang was lying in the hospital room, incessantly grilling Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, how much longer before I¡¯mpletely healed?¡±

    Having abstained for so long, Qian Yuang found life to be especially empty.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Isn¡¯t this the first time I¡¯m treating such a serious condition? Everything is experimental,¡± Zhou Fu replied impatiently.

    Hearing Zhou Fu¡¯s response, Qian Yuang silently twitched the corner of his mouth.

    Using him as a testing subject was one thing¡ªeveryone knew it, but did Zhou Fu really have to bring it up to his face?

    While Qian Yuang was internallyining, the door to the hospital room was pushed open from the outside, and two uniformed police officers walked in.

    ¡°Are you Qian Yuang?¡±

    ¡°I am¡ªbut what¡¯s this about?¡± Qian Yuang asked, bewildered, looking at the two men.

    ¡°Your Qian Family is involved in a kidnapping case, and you have injured Professor Qiao. We are here to take you in,¡± the police officer said formally.

    ¡°What?!¡± Zhou Fu was even more agitated than Qian Yuang.

    ¡°My master is injured!¡±

    Shock!!!

    Upon hearing Zhou Fu¡¯s words, Qian Yuang¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

    Zhou Fu¡¯s master was Qiao Jing. And Zhou Fu had just said that Professor Qiao was his master!

    So¡ª

    ¡°Come with us.¡±

    Stunned, Qian Yuang was escorted away.

    It was 8 PM when Qiao Jing returned from the police station.

    Upon opening the door, she saw Zhan Qipei sitting on the sofa alone, with a dark expression and an icy aura enveloping him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Qiao Jing frowned in concern. ¡°Who has upset you?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with cool and stern eyes, uttering each word softly.

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, ¡°Me? I didn¡¯t do anything; how could I have upset you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s stern face showed his displeasure, ¡°You didn¡¯t keep your word.¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and then suddenly remembered.

    She had promised to make dumplings today and told him not to eat out.

    ncing at the time, it was already 20:03.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡±

    With so many things happening today, she had forgotten about it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten,¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused, ¡°air.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I went back on my word. Something came up today and dyed me. Why didn¡¯t you call?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted,nding on Qiao Jing¡¯s pocket.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing quickly took out her phone.

    It had turned off at some point.

    ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t have waited until now. You could have eaten something else first to fill your stomach.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, she heard the sound of Zhan Qipei¡¯s empty stomach rumbling.

    Alright¡­

    It was her fault, after all.

    ¡°We won¡¯t have time for dumplings; it¡¯s toote. Let¡¯s cook some noodles,¡± Qiao Jing suggested as she pulled open the fridge door, naturally reaching for the handle with her right hand.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    Hearing the noise, Zhan Qipei turned his eyes to look at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced at her arm before letting go with her right hand and using her left hand to open the fridge instead.

    Not only that, she used her left hand to grab the ingredients as well.

    As Qiao Jing turned around after getting the ingredients, she was startled to find Zhan Qipei standing behind her without her noticing.

    ¡°What happened to your right hand?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s right hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just bumped it a little.¡± Qiao Jing was never the type to make a fuss over such things and didn¡¯t like telling others about them.

    ¡°Bumped it? Let me see.¡± Zhan Qipei reached out to touch Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    ¡°No need, thank you,¡± Qiao Jing said, stepping aside and heading to the kitchen.

    ¡°Let me see!¡± Zhan Qipei spun around and grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hiss¡ªummh¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei had identally grabbed the spot where Qiao Jing was injured, causing her to break out in cold sweat and turn pale from the pain.

    Noticing the slight tremor in Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, Zhan Qipei quickly let go, his gaze once again settling on her arm.

    The next second, he saw the fabric of Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeve getting redder, the color spreading extensively.

    This smear of red greatly shocked Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    She¡¯s bleeding!

    Is it that serious?

    And yet she downyed it as a minor bump.

    ¡°Let me see!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows knitted in distress, his heart nearly twisted in concern.

    ¡°I said it¡¯s really nothing,¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish speaking, she hear the ¡°zzzip¡ª¡± sound of a zipper being opened by the man.

    Wide open.

    It wasn¡¯t that her reaction wasn¡¯t quick enough, but that her right hand was injured and her left hand was holding ingredients.

    She had seen the man¡¯s movement just now but was unable to stop him in time.

    ¡°Thud¡ª¡± Qiao Jing dropped the ingredients from her hand and reflexively moved to push the man¡¯s shoulders.

    The man, quick with his eyes and hands, caught Qiao Jing¡¯s left hand, speaking in an extremely gentle tone, ¡°Don¡¯t move around. You¡¯re bleeding. Be a good girl; I won¡¯t do anything to you. I just want to help you with your wound.¡±

    The man disyed a beauty refined and elusive as mountains in mist, his gaze and brows filled with immense concern.

    He looked as though it wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing who was hurt, but as if his own heart had sustained the injury.

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned by the man¡¯s demeanor ¨C there was none of his usual domineering air.

    It¡¯s not that he wasn¡¯t domineering, rather that his forcefulness was wrappedyer byyer in tenderness, slowly melting away her coldness.

    Finally, she epted the man¡¯s suggestion and nodded.

    ¡°I can take it off myself.¡±

    But before Qiao Jing had finished speaking, the man had quickly removed her jacket.

    Leaving the inner garment¡­

 Chapter 186 - 179: Zhan Qipei Tends to Qiao Jings Wounds

    Chapter 186: Chapter 179: Zhan Qipei Tends to Qiao Jing¡¯s Wounds

    Although Qiao Jing was wearing loose casual clothes, getting them off was a hassle due to her injured right arm.

    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t just strip in front of a man, could she?

    Just as Qiao Jing was feeling troubled, Zhan Qipei brought over a pair of scissors.

    Knowing what the man was about to do, Qiao Jing voluntarily extended her right arm towards him.

    Zhan Qipei, holding the scissors, cut through the fabric slowly and carefully.

    As the material was gradually snipped away, the girl¡¯s snow-white skin and the crimson blood appeared before Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    The man¡¯s lips were tightly pursed as he carefully tended to Qiao Jing¡¯s wound.

    All the while, Qiao Jing kept her eyes on Zhan Qipei. Usually, she found him rather childish, always shamelessly flirting with her.

    But at that moment, the man was utterly serious, treating the wound with the meticulousness of handling a national affair.

    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Zhan Qipei said, looking up to meet Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    It was so pure that it made one long to delve into it and appreciate the beauty within.

    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± Qiao Jing said, withdrawing her hand and breaking Zhan Qipei¡¯s train of thought.

    ¡°What happened to your hand? Who hurt you?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, his tone cold and edged with chill.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t intended to tell Zhan Qipei the truth, she hadn¡¯t even nned on telling him about the injury.

    But now that he had discovered it, if he wanted to investigate, he would soon find out how she had been hurt.

    So hiding it seemed pointless, and she informed him about the Qian Family.

    ¡°Was it Qian Haisheng who hurt you?¡± There was an endless killing intent in Zhan Qipei¡¯s narrowed dark eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s already been arrested, there¡¯s no need for you to do anything extra.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± Zhan Qipei agreed verbally, but his mind was already devising a n.

    ¡°Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle¡ª¡± The sound of a stomach rumbling broke the silence.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted to the man¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, I¡¯ll go cook.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than another ¡°gurgle, gurgle, gurgle¡ª¡± of a hungry belly echoed.

    This time it was not Zhan Qipei, but herself.

    She had been so preupied with the affair of the Qian Family that she¡¯d forgotten to eat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Before Qiao Jing could stand up, she was stopped by the man¡¯srge hand pressing on her shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing injured, how could Zhan Qipei bear to let her cook? If he really let Qiao Jing cook, he would be utterly unqualified as a husband.

    ¡°You cook?¡± Qiao Jing eyed Zhan Qipei skeptically.

    She had tasted the noodles made by Zhan Qipei. Without any exaggeration, the first time she cooked at the age of four was a hundred times tastier than his.

    At the very least, it was swallowable.

    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei detected the implied meaning in her words.

    ¡°Trust me this time, I specifically learned from my mom, and it¡¯s edible.¡±

    Since Zhan Qipei had put it that way, Qiao Jing felt it was hard to refuse.

    Soon after, two steaming bowls of noodles were ced on the table.

    Zhan Qipeiid chopsticks in front of Qiao Jing, his eyes concealing a trace of hope.

    ¡°Hmm, sure,¡± Qiao Jing hesitated for half a second before picking up her chopsticks and lifting the noodles, her pupils slightly brightened.

    At the bottom of Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart, there was a ¡°thump,¡± whether this reaction indicated the dish was delicious or not?

    Although he had previously received personal coaching from his mother and had her approval, he still couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit nervous at the moment.

    Honestly, before meeting Qiao Jing, the word ¡°nervous¡± had never been in Zhan Qipei¡¯s dictionary.

    Now, anything involving Qiao Jing always easily stirred his emotions.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei¡¯s expectant eyes, smiled, and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s quite tasty.¡±

    For Zhan Qipei, those four words felt like enormous praise.

    His thin lips curved, spreading wider and wider, brightening his entire demeanor instantly.

    Such a man caused Qiao Jing¡¯s heart to flutter slightly, and she found herself unintentionally staring at him a bit longer.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m finding, more and more, that we¡¯re quite suited to be friends.¡±

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing with a bittersweet smile, ¡°Does that mean our friendship has taken another step closer?¡±

    Qiao Jing could tell what Zhan Qipei implied by his next words¡ªcloser to a marital rtionship.

    Though she understood, Qiao Jing had no intention of following up on his words.

    She continued eating her noodles.

    The next day, the entire Imperial Capital was thoroughly shocked.

    The Qian Family was also considered one of the premier families in the Imperial Capital, and overnight, the capture of Qian Haisheng and his son shook everyone. To everyone¡¯s surprise, the recent child abduction case that stirred widespread panic had been orchestrated by them.

    It was shocking enough, but to discover they had also intended to take Professor Qiao hostage and had injured him was more disturbing.

    Professor Qiao was the most renowned agricultural schr in the country, celebrated locally and internationally, truly a pride of the Imperial people!

    The audacity of Qian Haisheng to harm Professor Qiao was an enormous crime.

    As shocking to the people of the Imperial Capital was the Zhan Family¡¯s move. With lightning speed and ruthlessness, they had acquired all the properties under the Qian Family¡¯s name in the shortest time.

    The Xu Family was involved as well; both families coborated to thoroughly destroy the Qian Family¡¯s base in the Imperial Capital.

    ¡°Thump thump thump¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing hurried down from upstairs, her entire demeanor one of utmost urgency.

    ¡°Nanqing, you came out just in time, I have something to ask you,¡± Su Manhan called out to Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing was changing one shoe, her brows furrowed.

    ¡°How is Professor Qiao now? Is his injury severe?¡±

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s question, Zhan Nanqing indicated that she wanted to know as well. That¡¯s why she was rushing downstairs so quickly, getting ready to go to Nantai Apartment to see for herself.

    She had inquired over the phone just before, but it was her brother who answered, saying that Qiao Jing was still sleeping and not to disturb her.

    Though she felt it wasn¡¯t quite appropriate to go now, her mind was restless; she couldn¡¯t be at ease without seeing for herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and see.¡±

    ¡°Right, hurry and see what¡¯s going on. This Qian Family really courting death, taking Professor Qiao as a hostage, isn¡¯t that dering war against the entire empire? Utterly despicable!¡± Su Manhan said through clenched teeth, fuming.

    Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth, watching Su Manhan¡¯s expression change in a very odd, subtle way.

    ¡°What are you standing around for? Hurry and go see! Wait, I¡¯lle with you,¡± after saying this, Su Manhan grabbed her purse and walked towards Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing widened her eyes at Su Manhan, ¡°You¡¯reing with me? What are youing for? I¡¯m not going to the institute¡ªcough! You can¡¯t enter the institute anyway.¡±

    ¡°I know outsiders aren¡¯t allowed in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, I¡¯ll just drop you off, I¡¯ll wait outside for your news,¡±

 Chapter 187 - 180 Qiao Jing is Not Human

    Chapter 187: Chapter 180 Qiao Jing is Not Human

    Seeing Su Manhan¡¯s insistence, Zhan Nanqing felt anxious in her heart.

    ¡°Mom, since Professor Qiao has been injured, she definitely won¡¯t be at the research institute. So I n to go to her home to check on her.¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s pupils shone brightly, ¡°You know where Professor Qiao¡¯s house is?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    A look of utmost pride appeared on Su Manhan¡¯s face, ¡°That¡¯s my daughter for you! You even know where Professor Qiao lives. It seems that Professor Qiao really thinks highly of you, doesn¡¯t treat you as an outsider at all!¡±

    Uh¡­

    Zhan Nanqing kept her mouth agape and looked at Su Manhan, thinking not only did she know where Professor Qiao¡¯s house was, but you knew as well, right?

    And you¡¯ve been there several times already.

    ¡°What are you still dawdling here for? Hurry up and go!¡± Su Manhan urged Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with me, Mom?¡±

    ¡°You child, have you lost your mind? That¡¯s Professor Qiao¡¯s home, and Professor Qiao has always been low-profile. Very few people know what she looks like, let alone where she lives.

    The reason she told you is because she really appreciates you, trusts you, and considers you as one of her own. If I were to follow you there, it would be like you¡¯ve betrayed her, and that could upset her.

    Alright, enough said, hurry up and go, and call me as soon as there¡¯s any news.¡±

    After Zhan Nanqing left, she scratched the back of her head, as everything felt weird to her.

    Never mind that for now, let¡¯s hurry and see how Qiao Jing is.

    By coincidence, just as Zhan Nanqing arrived, she saw Gan Lan standing at the door, about to ring the bell.

    Gan Lan was filled with self-reproach; if it hadn¡¯t been for their Gan family, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t have been injured.

    The one who opened the door was Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°How is Professor Qiao?¡± Gan Lan asked anxiously.

    Zhan Nanqing also waited anxiously for Zhan Qipei¡¯s response.

    ¡°She¡¯s tired, resting, and sleeping,¡± Zhan Qipei blocked the door, showing no intention of letting the two in.

    ¡°Can I wait for her to wake up?¡± Gan Lan tilted his head, trying to nce inside the room. If he couldn¡¯t see Qiao Jing today, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight.

    ¡°No,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s refusal was very straightforward, ¡°She needs proper rest and can¡¯t be disturbed by anyone.¡±

    Gan Lan pursed his lips; he didn¡¯t want to disturb Qiao Jing, but he just couldn¡¯t help feeling worried.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came from inside the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m not severely hurt.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was like a calming charm, greatly easing Gan Lan¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Professor Qiao!¡± Gan Lan¡¯s eyes fixed on Qiao Jing, scanning her from top to bottom, then bottom to top, making Zhan Qipei really want to kick him out.

    ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± Gan Lan quickly approached Qiao Jing¡¯s side, and in his urgency, he was about to reach out to touch her.

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her right arm, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a scrape from a knife.¡±

    Though Qiao Jing said this, herplexion still didn¡¯t look very good.

    ¡°Have you had it checked at the hospital?¡± Zhan Nanqing stepped forward to ask.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly as she gazed at Zhan Nanqing with a worried look, somewhat stunned.

    Zhan Nanqing returned Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, wondering to herself why Qiao Jing was looking at her with such a strange expression just for asking that question?

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m a doctor myself,¡± Qiao Jing said, diverting her gaze.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Nanqing then btedly remembered that Qiao Jing was indeed a doctor.

    It wasn¡¯t that she deliberately forgot; it¡¯s just that recently, Qiao Jing had always presented herself as Professor Qiao in front of her.

    Because of this dazzling identity, she momentarily overlooked the fact that Qiao Jing was also a doctor.

    Talking about it, she had indeed overlooked that matter before. Now that she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but be curious, how did Qiao Jing manage to be an agricultural tycoon while also mastering medical expertise to such an extent?

    Is this even human?

    But then again, Qiao Jing had achieved so much at just 23 years old, he was hardly human to begin with.

    The next day, Qiao Jing received news that Qian Haisheng and his son Qian Yuang had both escaped from prison.

    A citywide manhunt was underway, and despite searching all day, the authorities hadn¡¯t caught them.

    Dressed in the most ordinary clothes and in disguise, Qian Haisheng and his son were eating beef noodles in a secluded alley.

    ¡°This noodle dish is just too disgusting, the worst I¡¯ve ever had!¡± Qian Yuang tossed his chopsticks aside.

    The noodle stall owner red at Qian Yuang.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry, my son has just been dumped, and he¡¯s not in a good mood. Please, don¡¯t take it personally!¡± Qian Haisheng hurriedly exined to the noodle stall owner.

    Upon hearing this, the stall owner stopped fussing over Qian Yuang and even looked at him with a bit more sympathy.

    ¡°Dad, you¡ª¡±

    Qian Yuang was abruptly silenced as Qian Haisheng pped him on the forehead.

    He hissed in a low growl, ¡°We¡¯re on the run for our lives. If you want to die, if you want to get caught, don¡¯t drag me down with you!¡±

    Qian Haisheng scolded him, his frustration apparent.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I know I¡¯m wrong, okay? But this noodle, it¡¯s just too bad, not fit for human consumption!¡± Qian Yuang said disdainfully, looking at the noodles in his bowl.

    ¡°Just endure it. At least it fills you up. Once we¡¯re done, we need to hurry and head towards M country. I have assets there, and nobody knows about this.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Qian Yuang replied, picking at the noodles in disgust.

    As he was doing so, he suddenly spotted someone familiar and his eyes widened in shock.

    Qian Haisheng noticed Qian Yuang¡¯s reaction and looked in the direction of his gaze, perplexed.

    It was him!

    Wen Binbin!

    The chubby friend of Qiao Jing, the hitman, what was he doing here?

    ¡°Hey there¡ª¡± Wen Binbin greeted them and took a seat.

    ¡°Boss, give me a serving of braised beef noodles, please.¡±

    ¡°Would you like knife-shaved noodles or hand-pulled noodles?¡±

    No sooner had the owner finished asking than Qian Haisheng had left one hundred yuan and taken off.

    ¡°Hey! You can take your change!¡± The owner shouted after Qian Haisheng and his son.

    Without turning back, Qian Haisheng and his son quickly made their escape.

    ¡°What a pair of weirdos, are they crazy?¡± the owner muttered to himself.

    Wen Binbin stood up.

    ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡± asked the owner.

    ¡°I will eat. Hand-pulled noodles, please. Those two are friends of mine. You can deduct from there. I¡¯m just going to the restroom, I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Wen Binbin said.

    The owner didn¡¯t doubt Wen Binbin¡¯s words; after all, when Wen Binbin hade in, he had greeted the father and son.

    They didn¡¯t respond much, but from their expressions, they seemed to know him.

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll start cooking,¡± the owner said.

    Qian Haisheng and Qian Yuang rushed towards the docks.

    ¡°Dad, why do you think Wen Binbin suddenly showed up? Coincidence?¡±

    Qian Haisheng¡¯s face was as taut as it could be, ¡°I hardly think so. Qiao Jing was just injured not long ago, and he showed up now. And the men I sentst time, they saw him boarding a ne with their own eyes. So, I suspect he might havee here for us.¡±

 Chapter 188 - 181: Leng Qing Takes Action, Avenging Qiao Jing

    Chapter 188: Chapter 181: Leng Qing Takes Action, Avenging Qiao Jing

    Just as Qian Haisheng finished speaking, a familiar voice emerged from above their heads.

    ¡°Indeed, the head of the Qian family! Such deeply calcted analytical skills are truly impressive!¡±

    Upon hearing these words, both Qian Haisheng and Qian Yuang shivered in unison, their heads snapping upwards. Wen Binbin was squatting on top of the wall, looking down at them.

    ¡°Hi, we meet again.¡± After greeting the two again, Wen Binbin leaped down from the two-meter-high wall andnded firmly on the ground, hisyers of fat not hindering his movement at all.

    It was just a bit too much opulence for someone so corpulent.

    Frightened, Qian Haisheng and his son stepped back repeatedly, ¡°What, what do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this asking the obvious? Didn¡¯t you just analyze it yourself? I¡¯m here to kill you and your son, otherwise why would Ie all the way from the Capital for no reason if not to entertain you?¡± Wen Binbin said as he drew his knife.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk this through! I have money, I can give you a lot of money! As long as you don¡¯t kill me, you can have as much as you want!¡± Qian Haisheng hastily said.

    Wen Binbin looked puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t the Zhan family and Xu family divide up your properties? Where would you still have money?¡±

    ¡°We do! We still have properties in M country that the Zhan family and Xu family know nothing about. If you let us go, we¡¯ll give you half of those properties.¡±

    Wen Binbin narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°What if I give you all of it? Just let me go, and I¡¯ll agree to anything.¡± Qian Haisheng ventured.

    Hearing this, Qian Yuang became anxious.

    ¡°Dad! If you give him all our money, how are we going to survive? What are we going to eat? What will we use?¡± Qian Yuang, ustomed to a life of luxury, did not want to endure poverty.

    Qian Haisheng wished he could smack his brainless son to death. What¡¯s the use of wanting money when you¡¯re about to lose your life?

    Wen Binbin nced at the time, ¡°The noodles should be ready by now.¡±

    As Qian Haisheng awaited Wen Binbin¡¯s response, he was suddenly met with this remark.

    ¡°What, what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means it¡¯s time to send you on your way.¡± Wen Binbin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a murderous look evident.

    Qian Yuang clenched his teeth and turned to run.

    ¡°Trying to run? I don¡¯t even need this!¡± Wen Binbin eximed in disdain as he threw the knife in his hand,¡±Whiz¡ª¡± it flew, striking Qian Yuang¡¯s chest urately.

    Qian Yuang copsed with a thud, lying in a pool of blood, his bulging eyes fixed on Wen Binbin.

    ¡°Yu¡¯ang!¡± Qian Haisheng ran over, crying out in heartrending agony.

    ¡°Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, my assassin codename is Leng Qing,¡± Wen Binbin introduced himself.

    Shock!!!

    The hearts of Qian Haisheng and his son churned with tumultuous waves, disbelief ringing in their ears; this significantly overweight man was indeed Leng Qing, the top assassin of the alliance.

    It was simply too unbelievable!

    Looking back, they had spent money on assigning a task to the top assassin Leng Qing to kill Qiao Jing in the alliance. Who could have foreseen that Qiao Jing knew Leng Qing and that they were good friends?

    ¡°How could this be¡­¡± After Qian Yuang said this, his eyes rolled back, and he died.

    ¡°Next up is you.¡± Wen Binbin took steps toward Qian Haisheng.

    Qian Yuang¡¯s face showed a bitter smile. He had thought his n was wless, and if it had proceeded smoothly, it could have definitely led the Gan family into despair.

    Who would have thought that Qiao Jing would suddenly appear, out of nowhere?

    Not to mention Divine Doctor Jing and Professor Qiao.

    It seemed that fate did not want the Qian family to avenge this grudge.

    Thinking about it, he closed his eyes, waiting for life¡¯s curtain to fall.

    There was no way out, especially now when he was facing Leng Qing, from whom no one had ever escaped.

    After handling everything, Wen Binbin washed his hands and returned to the noodle stall.

    ¡°Just off the stove.¡± The owner served the braised beef noodles.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Wen Binbin politely said to the owner and then dialed Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Bro Jing, I¡¯ve taken care of that father and son for you, and I found out that the Qian Family still has their own business in M country¡­¡± Wen Binbin spoke while eating his noodles.

    On receiving the call, Qiao Jing voiced his confusion, ¡°When did you arrive in the Capital? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a surprise for you? Those people deserved what wasing.¡± Wen Binbin had finished half the bowl and then shouted to the owner, ¡°Boss, three more bowls.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes twitched speechlessly.

    ¡°You¡¯re already this overweight, yet you still eat so much? Aren¡¯t you worried about hindering your movements? Do you want me to prescribe you some weight loss pills?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no! I don¡¯t want to lose weight. If I were thin, I wouldn¡¯t dare to eat this much.¡±

    Qiao Jing was speechless.¡±

    ¡°And this won¡¯t affect you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been working outtely.¡±

    Qiao Jing puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going on a diet? And you¡¯re working out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing special workouts to figure out how to stay agile while keeping my weight.¡± Wen Binbin said proudly.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched speechlessly again, but had to admit, in this respect, Wen Binbin was indeed talented.

    While Qiao Jing was mentallyining, suddenly a man¡¯s voice, deep and melodious like a cello, drifted into his ears.

    ¡°Why sote and still on the phone, who are you talking to?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned his head to look at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Wen Binbin, my friend from the Capital, you¡¯ve met him.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Zhan Qipei slightly raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes fixed on the mobile in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    After pausing for a second, Zhan Qipei intentionally raised his voice and moved closer to Qiao Jing, ¡°Sote and he¡¯s calling you, you two must be really close.¡±

    ¡°Hiss¡ªSour!¡± Wen Binbin grimaced upon hearing that.

    The owner turned to look at Wen Binbin, ¡°That sour? I didn¡¯t add vinegar, but there¡¯s some next to you. Add it to taste.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about the noodles being sour.¡± Wen Binbin exined to the owner, then said into the phone, ¡°One night of spring worth a thousand gold, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Oh! Just a friendly reminder, you¡¯re injured now, try to restrain yourself a bit, don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡± Qiao Jing spat out the word and hung up the phone without mercy.

    Wen Binbin shrugged and continued eating his noodles.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression noticeably improved after hearing Qiao Jing say ¡°Get lost.¡±

    ¡°By the way, I have something to talk to you about,¡± Qiao Jing put down the phone and said to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhan Qipei naturally sat beside Qiao Jing, close enough that the distance could be ignored.

    Qiao Jing nced at the gap between them and ultimately didn¡¯t mention it.

    ¡°The Qian Family still has assets in M country, you should send someone to take over thest of the Qian Family¡¯s properties there.¡±

    After Qiao Jing finished speaking, he noticed that Zhan Qipei was staring at her with an inquisitive gaze.

    ¡°Did Wen Binbin tell you this?¡± Zhan Qipei guessed.

 Chapter 189 - 182: Wu Xirui Pursues Qiao Jing

    Chapter 189: Chapter 182: Wu Xirui Pursues Qiao Jing

    It wasn¡¯t strange for him to guess such a thing. Wen Binbin had just called, and then Qiao Jing brought this up with him. If it wasn¡¯t rted, it would be too much of a coincidence.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, not hiding anything from Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to his chin, ¡°How did Wen Binbin find out?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned. Wen Binbin¡¯s identity was not something she could reveal carelessly, she hadn¡¯t even mentioned it to Lin Xiuxiang.

    Speaking of which, Wen Binbin had once pursued Lin Xiuxiang, but at that time he had already ballooned into a ball, and Lin Xiuxiang certainly didn¡¯t like fat men.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ask,¡± Zhan Qipei said, seeing that Qiao Jing was reluctant to talk, and didn¡¯t press further.

    ¡°However, I do have another question.¡±

    This question was of more interest to Zhan Qipei than the previous one.

    ¡°The fact that the Qian Family has properties in the M country, why didn¡¯t you tell Xu Moqian but told me instead? Is it because you don¡¯t want the ¡®nutrients¡¯ to flow into others¡¯ fields?¡±

    Thinking it might be that reason, a clear look of pleasure appeared in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes and brows.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei speechlessly, ¡°You really have a wild imagination. It¡¯s just the principle of proximity, alright?¡±

    If Xu Moqian were next to her right now, she would definitely tell Xu Moqian, it was that simple.

    Hearing this answer, Zhan Qipei was initially nning to be unhappy, but then he thought better of it. It wasn¡¯t worth upsetting himself over.

    ¡°No matter what you say, that¡¯s what I think,¡± he maintained his happy demeanor while looking at Qiao Jing with a smile.

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen people with thick skins, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone with a skin as thick as yours,¡± she retorted.

    Zhan Qipei felt even better, ¡°That just means I¡¯m special in your eyes.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the handsome face before her, and she had to admit that if it wasn¡¯t for his exceptional good looks, she would have hit him already.

    The next morning, Zhan Qipei received a message from an undercover agent.

    ¡°Boss, the father and son of the Qian Family were killed after their jailbreak?¡±

    ¡°Who did it?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed, suddenly thinking of the phone call Qiao Jing received the previous night.

    ¡°No one saw it, but judging from the wounds on their bodies, it¡¯s very likely to have been the work of Leng Qing,¡± Tang Yan analyzed.

    ¡°Leng Qing? The top assassin of the alliance?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils slightly dted, showing a touch of shock.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a guess, not too certain. But there¡¯s a high probability,¡± Tang Yan replied.

    Zhan Qipei walked over to the window, his gaze falling on Qiao Jing who was exercising below.

    Could Wen Binbin really be the top assassin of the alliance, Leng Qing?

    His wife had connections so wide even he felt inferior.

    But¡ª

    Zhan Qipei thought about Wen Binbin¡¯s physique. Would that two hundred pound figure really belong to the almost 100% sessful top assassin of the alliance, Leng Qing?

    Zhan Qipei imagined Wen Binbin taking on a mission in his mind, and no matter how he thought about it, the scene seemed odd with that bulky figure.

    While thinking, Zhan Qipei noticed that Qiao Jing stopped exercising and started walking towards the outside of the apartment.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei call her, Qiao Jing looked up.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡±

    ¡°You still have injuries on your body.¡±

    ¡°I know, I¡¯m just strolling around casually.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you,¡± Zhan Qipei said and immediately came down.

    Tang Yan chased after him, ¡°Boss, you have a business trip scheduled for today!¡±

    Speaking of coincidences, Zhan Qipei had already nned his itinerary for the next few days, and it just so happened he was going to the M country. He could take the opportunity to acquire the Qian Family¡¯s properties.

    ¡°Postpone the schedule; I¡¯m going for a walk with her,¡± Zhan Qipei said this seriously, without a hint of joking.

    Tang Yan opened his mouth as if he wanted to persuade Zhan Qipei, but then, considering Zhan Qipei¡¯s temperament, he knew it would be useless no matter what he said. Therefore, he turned his head towards Qiao Jing and cast a pleading look her way.

    Tang Yan was about to get engaged to Lin Xiuxiang, and since Qiao Jing treated Lin Xiuxiang like a younger sister, Tang Yan was, in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, like a brother-inw to her.

    She would definitely help with this favor.

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t go either.¡± Qiao Jing turned around and went back.

    Zhan Qipei could not help but give Tang Yan a stern look, as he clearly understood Qiao Jing¡¯s intentions.

    Don¡¯t think he didn¡¯t see your little act just now.

    ¡°Get ready, we¡¯re going on a business trip.¡±

    Tang Yan stepped back, putting a little distance between himself and Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing also stopped walking towards the apartment, Zhan Qipei let out a helpless chuckle and shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you when I¡¯m back.¡±

    Such cheesy words made Qiao Jing feel somewhat ufortable.

    Tang Yan looked up to the sky, his expression screaming, ¡°Who am I? Where am I?¡±

    Not long after Qiao Jing left the house, she saw a familiar handsome man appear in front of her.

    Wasn¡¯t this the strange man who asked her for directionsst time?

    Qiao Jing had a deep impression of Wu Xirui for two reasons: firstly, because he was a mixed-race man with a high level of attractiveness that matched Zhan Qipei¡¯s.

    Secondly, after she had taken Wu Xirui to the police station that day, she received a call from Captain Zhao.

    He rified that the man was the Executive Director of an overseas tycoonpany, who had just arrived in the Empire that morning and couldn¡¯t be the culprit who had been asking female college students for directions and then making indecent advances recently.

    As Qiao Jing was staring at Wu Xirui, he confidently walked towards her.

    Was heing to settle scores with her?

    If they were to talk about who was in the wrong first for that incident, Qiao Jing knew she owed an apology.

    ¡°We meet again,¡± Wu Xirui said with a smile looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I misunderstood you that day.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize; I didn¡¯t take it to heart. Besides, the police told me that the area around the university town hasn¡¯t been very safe recently, with a few people targeting female college students by asking for directions as a pretext for their indecent pursuits. So it¡¯s understandable that you mistook me,¡± Wu Xirui said.

    As Wu Xirui spoke, he paused for a moment before adding, ¡°If you really feel bad about it, you can invite me to a meal.¡±

    For some reason, Qiao Jing always felt that Wu Xirui had ulterior motives, yet she didn¡¯t get a malicious vibe from him.

    ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m going for a walk now. Besides, it¡¯s not time for lunch yet.¡±

    Eight-thirty in the morning for lunch? It would also be toote for breakfast.

    ¡°I was nning to go for a walk as well. Since I¡¯m idle, I¡¯ll join you,¡± Wu Xirui said as he began to take off his suit jacket, folded it neatly, and draped it over his arm.

    The more Qiao Jing looked at Wu Xirui, the weirder he seemed.

    He¡¯s idle?

    A big boss of a tycoon group like him saying he has nothing to do¡ªwho would believe that?

    Not to mention, there¡¯s Zhan Qipei, also a big boss of a conglomerate, busy from dawn till dusk, even heading to M country for business first thing in the morning.

    Qiao Jing was not a mind reader to know what Wu Xirui was thinking; if Wu Xirui didn¡¯t say it, she had no way to guess.

    It couldn¡¯t be that Wu Xirui had taken a fancy to her and was now stubbornly pursuing her.

    In the end, she didn¡¯t pay him any mind and just ran her own run.

    Wu Xirui followed her all the way, asking all sorts of questions.

    ¡°Do you run every day?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±

    ¡°What kind of food do you like? Chinese? French?¡±

    ¡°With your beauty, there must be a lot of people chasing after you, right?¡±

 Chapter 190 - 183: Wu Xiruis Heartthrob for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 190: Chapter 183: Wu Xirui¡¯s Heartthrob for Qiao Jing

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, nced sideways at Wu Xirui, and said, ¡°You look pretty handsome, didn¡¯t expect you to be such a chatterbox.¡±

    Wu Xirui was pleased by Qiao Jing¡¯sment that he looked ¡°pretty handsome.¡±

    Actually, he had grown tired of being praised for his looks since he was young, but for some reason, when Qiao Jing said it, it made him happy.

    Maybe it was because Qiao Jing¡¯spliment seemed without ulterior motive, quite in, and her eyes didn¡¯t show any hint of amazement, right?

    She was simply stating the fact.

    ¡°Being good-looking has nothing to do with whether you¡¯re a chatterbox or not.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Wu Xirui and then fell silent.

    Qiao Jing stopped talking, but Wu Xirui kept on babbling nonstop.

    Qiao Jing was used to it and treated it as if she was listening to the chirping of insects and birds, ignoring Wu Xirui and continuing to run.

    After an unknown period of time, Qiao Jing suddenly realized that it had be quiet around her, and not only that, there were no more footsteps either.

    Where is he?

    Qiao Jing stopped and turned around to see Wu Xirui clutching his chest and supporting himself on a tree by the roadside, breathing with difficulty.

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Qiao Jing approached, perplexed.

    Although Wu Xirui was in such difort, he still managed a strained smile for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I won¡¯t die.¡±

    Looking at Wu Xirui¡¯s face, which was so white itcked any hint of color, Qiao Jing could tell it didn¡¯t seem like ¡°nothing.¡±

    ¡°Let me check on you.¡± Qiao Jing reached out to check Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse.

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t show any sign of resistance and let Qiao Jing take his pulse.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils suddenly dted.

    ¡°Ischemic heart disease?¡±

    And apanied by angina and heart failure.

    ¡°Your medical skills are really impressive, to diagnose that so quickly,¡± Wu Xirui said, grabbing his shirt over his chest and sliding down to sit against the trunk of the tree.

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°You knew you had this problem, and yet you ran with me.¡±

    And they had run for a quite long time, ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Wu Xirui¡¯s mouth curled into a wry smile, and he chuckled softly, ¡°I like sports, not just running, swimming, mountain climbing¡­ I challenge all kinds of extreme sports.

    Only then can I feel the intensity of my life. Thump thump thump! Listen, how loud it beats. If one day, it suddenly stops beating, stops making sound, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll be truly dead.¡±

    ¡°You really are odd,¡± Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butment.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Wu Xirui had heard many people say something simr to him.

    They are not him; how could they understand someone who lives so close to death?

    Indeed, in this world, other than himself, everyone else is just ordinary.

    Unbearably ordinary people!

    As Wu Xirui was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice suddenly rang above his head.

    ¡°Maybe I can cure you.¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s pupils widened suddenly, and after being stunned for a full three seconds, he slowly lifted his head to look at Qiao Jing.

    The girl¡¯s face was full of a ¡°serious and meticulous¡± expression, without a trace of joking.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Wu Xirui asked, more startled than he had ever been in his life.

    ¡°You can cure my disease?¡± The reason Wu Xirui had be so extreme, embracing a life so close to death, was because he had sought out famous doctors far and wide, and none could cure his illness.

    Every treatment made him feel like ab rat, injected by doctors in white coats.

    After so much effort, there was no effect at all.

    Eventually, hepletely gave up on treatment and chose to live his most carefree life in the shortest amount of time avable to him.

    It was exactly because of this that his time was running out. He moved up his ns, wanting to witness the Zhan Family¡¯s downfall by his own hands.

    ¡°There is confidence, but I can¡¯t be certain. Your condition is very serious, and ording to the current level of medical development, it¡¯s not enough topletely cure your illness,¡± Qiao Jing said matter-of-factly.

    Wu Xirui sneered in his heart. He knew it. Qiao Jing was just saying that; there wasn¡¯t much certainty, just like those others who had treated him like an experimental rat.

    ¡°80%. I have an 80% certainty,¡± Qiao Jing thought for a moment and said.

    What?!

    Wu Xirui was shocked.

    An 80% certainty? Those world-famous doctors at best had given him a 50% chance, equivalent to a flip of a coin. Qiao Jing actually said 80%, had he heard wrong?

    ¡°Are you joking with me?¡± Wu Xirui found Qiao Jing¡¯s words too incredible and raised his voice in disbelief.

    ¡°I¡¯m not one to joke, nor would I make jokes about such matters,¡± Qiao Jing said, her expression neither warm nor angry, showing no happiness or irritation.

    Qiao Jing told the truth; the most painful aspect for a patient isn¡¯t the physical illness, but the mental torment, the suffering on the inside.

    If one were to joke about such matters with a patient, allowing a glimmer of hope to arise in their hearts only to tell them it was a joke, it would transform hope into despair for them.

    Wu Xirui stared fixedly at Qiao Jing, attempting to find a trace of jest in her face, but there was none.

    So she was serious.

    Wu Xirui cracked a smile and said, ¡°Do you really want to try?¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that. Do you dare to let me try?¡± Qiao Jing countered.

    ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Wu Xiruiughed out loud, holding his chest, ¡°What¡¯s there to dare? Let¡¯s just try it.¡±

    Nothing existed in this world that Wu Xirui dared not do¡ªwhat¡¯s more, he was now looking forward to what Qiao Jing could do. How would she treat him?

    This Qiao Jing, as he had thought, was indeed interesting. His trip to the imperial capital was not in vain.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s injuries took a full week topletely recover.

    Friday, sunny.

    Another big event had urred in the imperial capital, causing an uproar outside, but Qiao Jing in the research institute knew nothing about it.

    ¡°This Zhan Qipei, I told you he was no good long ago, but Sister Jing, you still didn¡¯t believe me!¡± Xu Moqian stormed in angrily, clutching his phone.

    ¡°Hey? Why are you cursing my brother again!¡± Zhan Nanqing had been busying herself diligently behind Qiao Jing since the morning, so she was unaware of what was happening outside.

    ¡°Me curse your brother? He¡¯s asking for it!¡± Xu Moqian retorted unabashedly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Each of you, say one word less.¡± As soon as Qiao Jing spoke, the arguing between them came to an abrupt halt.

    Qiao Jing put down the tools in her hand and turned to look at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Having received Zhan Qipei¡¯s help several times, Qiao Jing was grateful. So when she heard Xu Moqian speaking ill of Zhan Qipei, she felt a bit unhappy.

    However, upon reflection, Xu Moqian was a friend like a brother to her. He wouldn¡¯t have spoken that way without reason, right?

    Xu Moqian opened his phone and passed it to Qiao Jing, ¡°You¡¯ll know once you see it yourself.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Zhan Nanqing leaned over to look.

    The phone screen disyed a sensational Weibo post, with an image of Zhan Qipei and a very beautiful woman together, the woman holding a bunch of flowers as they appeared to be conversing.

    The woman in the photo was no ordinary person but the current small screen sweetheart of the entertainment industry, Ming Youling.

 Chapter 191 - 184: Zhan Qipei Rushes Back to Explain

    Chapter 191: Chapter 184: Zhan Qipei Rushes Back to Exin

    ¡°Didn¡¯t my brother go on a business trip abroad? How could he be with her?¡± Nanqing asked dubiously, then stealthily nced at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was indifferent, just as usual, showing no emotions.

    ¡°Take another look at thements below,¡± Xu Moqian huffed.

    Qiao Jing and Nanqing scrolled down.

    ¡°A match made in heaven, what a perfect couple!¡±

    ¡°Look at the bouquet of roses in her hand, such arge bunch, it was clearly prepared carefully by that handsome guy.¡±

    ¡°My wife is finally off the singles market, and the guy looks so handsome, he totally matches my wife.¡±

    ¡°To the person above, stop using the word ¡®wife¡¯. Now Ming Youling is someone else¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°Ah, ow ¨C although it hurts, I still wish you both happiness! Hey buddy, you better not mistreat our idol!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    All thements were of this sort.

    Seeing this, Nanqing again sneaked a peek at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, which remained as calm as ever, without any ripples.

    Alright, it seemed that Qiao Jing truly had no romantic interest in her brother, so even with such a misunderstanding, she waspletely indifferent.

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think you can use my brother of cheating from just one photo! You¡¯re being too one-sided,¡± Nanqing said unconvincedly as she looked at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Humph! Do you think I would be so upset over just one photo? Take a look at this! It¡¯s definitive proof!¡± Xu Moqian retorted.

    After saying that, Xu Moqian opened a video.

    It was an interview with Ming Youling.

    Reporter: ¡°Teacher Ming, what would you like to say about the photos from today?¡±

    Ming Youling blushed, coquettishly lifted her hand to brush her hair back behind her ear.

    ¡°He and I are just ordinary boyfriend and girlfriend, please don¡¯t gossip.¡±

    Although Ming Youling exined it that way, it was clear to any discerning eye that she was fond of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°See? I didn¡¯t make it up, your brother is definitely cheating!¡± Xu Moqian thrust the phone screen in front of Nanqing, raising his eyebrows as he spoke.

    After finishing, Xu Moqian turned his head to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you should hurry and divorce Zhan Qipei! That guy is two-faced. He doesn¡¯t deserve you!¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian say this, Nanqing suddenly became anxious.

    ¡°Just one video doesn¡¯t prove anything. Maybe Ming Youling likes my brother, and he isn¡¯t interested in her at all. Yes! That must be it, my brother is so outstanding, many people like him, surely Ming Youling is just making a mountain out of a molehill to grab his attention.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? If that¡¯s the case, then why hasn¡¯t your brother even called to exin?¡± Xu Moqian retorted.

    Nanqing, in her anxiety, kept stealing nces at Qiao Jing, ¡°That ¨C that must be because my brother is busy! He¡¯s overwhelmed with work on his business trip abroad.¡±

    ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re young and don¡¯t understand. Let me tell you, if a man is always too busy to talk to a woman, it means he doesn¡¯t care about her.

    That¡¯s just what men are like; most of them have a scumbag nature. If they have time to hang out with friends drinking and ying sports, they can surely find the time to talk to their wives.¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words left Nanqing with a twitching corner of her mouth, thinking to herself, aren¡¯t you a man too? Saying this, is it really appropriate?

    As Nanqing was thinking this, Qiao Jing stopped her work, took off her work clothes, and walked outside.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where are you going?¡± Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but call out.

    ¡°Clocking out,¡± Qiao Jing said, leaving after dropping those words.

    Nanqing felt that something was off and followed Qiao Jing out.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t listen to Xu Moqian¡¯s nonsense. My brother is not that kind of person.¡±

    Xu Moqian saw Zhan Nanqing chasing after him and followed suit.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯m not talking nonsense. Zhan Qipei did have an affair, and it¡¯s all blown up now. He hasn¡¯t called you once, which shows he doesn¡¯t care about you.¡±

    While speaking, Xu Moqian noticed that Qiao Jing, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped, and Zhan Nanqing stopped as well.

    Why did they suddenly stop?

    Xu Moqian curiously followed the direction Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing were looking, and his eyes widened in shock.

    Zhan Qipei leaned against the car door. Seeing Qiao Jinging out, he immediately walked towards her.

    ¡°How are you back? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be on a business trip for half a month?¡±

    ¡°I dealt with things ahead of schedule,¡± Zhan Qipei said tenderly, his gaze fixed on the girl in front of him, never shifting for a second.

    Not seeing each other for a day felt like ages, but for Zhan Qipei, not seeing Qiao Jing for seven days felt like seventy-seven ages.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her exquisitely arched eyebrows. He took care of half a month¡¯s work in just a week? He must have really pushed himself.

    Qiao Jing wanted to ask why he pushed himself so hard, but seeing the man¡¯s tender, doting gaze filled with endless longing, she suddenly understood why he rushed back.

    ¡°The thing about the photo was a misunderstanding. Our branch in M-country was looking to have Ming Youling as a spokesperson, and we happened to meet. As for what she held in her hand, it was a gift from her fans, which has nothing to do with me,¡± Zhan Qipei exined.

    ¡°So, did you rush back for this misunderstanding?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Yes. I was worried you¡¯d misunderstand.¡±

    ¡°Then you could have called.¡±

    ¡°Exining in person is more sincere.¡±

    Standing by, Zhan Nanqing felt like she was being force-fed dog food. She stepped back and then turned with a smug look towards Xu Moqian.

    Her expression was clear. See? Her brother was not the kind of jerk you described, and the reason he didn¡¯t call was because he¡¯s more sincere than youing back in person. You got that?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t misunderstand, and I wasn¡¯t bothered,¡± Qiao Jing said, speaking the truth.

    Zhan Qipei heard her words, and his heart suddenly felt a twinge.

    He had traveled a thousand miles toe back, and she couldn¡¯t say a few words he¡¯d like to hear?

    Never mind, he wouldn¡¯t quibble with her. Thinking too much would just make him feel worse.

    However, he still needed to handle the situation with Ming Youling.

    Zhan Qipei immediately took out his phone, dialed Ming Youling, and put it on speaker.

    Ming Youling was having her makeup touched up backstage. When she received Zhan Qipei¡¯s call, she excitedly told her makeup artist to stop.

    Zhan Qipei was calling her!

    Could this mean that her seduction in M-country had an effect on Zhan Qipei?

    At this thought, Ming Youlingughed out loud.

    The makeup artist and assistant were confused as they stared at Ming Youling.

    What was she suddenly going crazy about?

    Ming Youling looked at the assistant and makeup artist with an expression that regarded them as ignorant fools, ¡°Let me tell you, it¡¯s the President of Zhan Corporation calling me!¡±

    Jealous, aren¡¯t you? Envious, right?

    Just wait until she bes the President¡¯s Wife of Zhan Corporation, you¡¯ll be even more jealous!

 Chapter 192 - 185 Qiao Jing was Attacked by Fans

    Chapter 192: Chapter 185 Qiao Jing was Attacked by Fans

    Zhan Corporation¡¯s President?

    Is that true?

    They had met the president of Zhan Corporation in the States because of an endorsement matter involving Ming Youling.

    At that time, Ming Youling even made some small talk with the other party, and then, just this morning, photos of the two of them together somehow made it onto the inte, causing quite a stir.

    Strange, didn¡¯t they just meet once? Howe their rtionship suddenly seems so good? Could it be that Ming Youling was secretly chatting up the guy from Zhan Corporation without telling anyone?

    If that were the case, their status would rise along with Ming Youling¡¯s.

    In order to show off her special rtionship with Qipei, Ming Youling deliberately put him on speakerphone, letting her assistant and makeup artist listen in, so they would be even more polite to her in the future, as she might very well be Mrs. Zhan of Zhan Corporation.

    A ¡°beep¡± sound indicated the call connected.

    ¡°President Zhan, do you need something?¡± Ming Youling suppressed the excitement in her heart and asked in a voice feigned to be both coy and gentle.

    Underneath Ming Youling¡¯s anticipatory mood, Qipei¡¯s cold and dark voice came through the phone.

    ¡°Right now, make a public rification that I have nothing to do with you. You have five minutes. If you don¡¯t announce it by then, I¡¯ll make sure you disappear from the entertainment industry immediately.¡±

    Ming Youling was scared stiff.

    She thought and thought, but she never imagined the situation would turn out like this.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll rify right away, that¡ª it¡¯s just fans andizens making wild guesses, I didn¡¯t mean anything else¡ª¡±

    Ming Youling didn¡¯t finish speaking before the call was cut off.

    Her face turned red and purple with embarrassment; she was too ashamed to look at her assistant and makeup artist.

    Without looking, she knew they must beughing at her internally.

    Ming Youling regretted it. If only she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have put it on speakerphone. Now she had made a big fool of herself.

    However, what she couldn¡¯t understand was why Qipei was so heartless toward her?

    After Qiao Jing had taken a shower, she couldn¡¯t sleep and was idly flipping through her phone when she came across Ming Youling¡¯s rifying Weibo post.

    @Ming Youling, ¡°Regarding the interview video from today, I see that manyizens have misunderstood, so I want to exin to everyone here: the person in the photo has nothing to do with me. It was only due to work that I got to know him.¡±

    Ming Youling¡¯s exnation did not win over theizens; they thought she was afraid that a public romance would affect her work.

    Otherwise, it could be her agency forcing her to make such a post.

    So, the result was that people became even more convinced about Ming Youling¡¯s romance with the man in the photo.

    The discussions about Ming Youling¡¯s love life grew more intense over the following days.

    That day, like usual, Qipei went to pick up Qiao Jing from the research institute.

    ¡°What would you like for dinner?¡±

    Qiao Jing nned to stop by the supermarket to check out the fresh vegetables.

    ¡°Anything¡¯s fine,¡± Qipei said truthfully. He used to be a bit picky, but Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was so delicious that even spinach, which he hated the most, became a delicacy under her exceptional culinary skills.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just buy whatever looks good.¡±

    As they arrived at the supermarket, Qiao Jing got out of the car and noticed people staring at her and Qipei.

    It wasn¡¯t just one person; a group of people was looking at them, pointing and whispering.

    ¡°Look, that guy, isn¡¯t he the one from the photo?¡±

    ¡°It really looks like him; after all, you don¡¯t see such good looks just anywhere on the streets.¡±

    Someone took out their phone, brought up the photo, and startedparing.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely him! I¡¯m certain, he looks exactly the same!¡±

    ¡°How strange? Wasn¡¯t this man having a secret affair with Ming Youling? Howe he¡¯s with another woman?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t deny it, this woman is really pretty, not at all inferior to Ming Youling.¡±

    ¡°To be fair, I think this girl is prettier than Ming Youling.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, let¡¯s get things straight, you two above are focusing on the wrong thing! This woman knew full well that the man was with Ming Youling and she still had the nerve to hook up with him.¡±

    ¡°Mistress! This woman must be the mistress!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The scolding grew louder and louder, Qiao Jing found it hard not to hear.

    Zhan Qipei heard it too.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened as if a storm was brewing, but he¡¯d only taken a step when Qiao Jing¡¯s voice stopped him.

    ¡°We came out to buy groceries, not to argue with a bunch of brainless mad dogs.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and those nearby heard it clearly; the faces of those who had just been cursing her turned an asphyxiated shade of purple.

    ¡°You¡¯re the mad dog! Shameless! A mistress seducing someone else¡¯s boyfriend, I despise people like you the most!¡± This passionate speaker was a fan of Ming Youling.

    This female fan had already been bottling up fury, and incited by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, she picked up a recently purchased egg and threw it at Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and just as she was about to dodge, her vision was suddenly blocked by a man¡¯s broad shoulders.

    ¡°Smack¡ª¡± the egg hit Zhan Qipei on the back.

    Qiao Jing frowned, stepped out from Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, and went around to his back, where she saw a stain marring the white shirt. Her face immediately took on an imperious expression, which she directed straight towards the fan who had thrown the egg.

    Upon locking eyes with Qiao Jing¡¯s icy gaze, the female fan was so frightened she took several steps back, and then remembered how many people were there. What could she do to her? She couldn¡¯t possibly beat her up, right?

    ¡°Apologize.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was cold, her gaze was icy, and with her words, a terrifying low pressure descended.

    The female fan backed away again and turned to run.

    After stuffing the shopping bag into Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands, Qiao Jing leaped forward with the speed of an arrow, leaving onlookers speechless.

    In five or six seconds, Qiao Jing had caught up with the fan.

    The female fan gasped in terror, but before she could turn around, Qiao Jing grabbed her by the cor.

    The female fan was so scared that she lost herposure, thrashing and roaring like a wild beast.

    ¡°Let go of me! What gives you the right to grab me? Let go of me now! I¡¯m calling the police!¡±

    The female fan was terrified, she had genuinely not expected the frail-looking Qiao Jing, who seemed to be a weak damsel incapable of standing up to a breeze, to actually move so fast. Moments before, if she hadn¡¯t seen it wrong, Qiao Jing had leaped over the railing, demonstrating agility that was astounding.

    While the female fan was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent voice sounded in her ear.

    ¡°Call the police? Who started this?¡±

    It had indeed been the female fan who threw the egg first. When Qiao Jing pointed it out, the fan knew she was in the wrong but still felt defiant.

    ¡°Who asked you to seduce Ming Youling¡¯s boyfriend? You have no shame! You deserve it!¡±

    Just then, Zhan Qipei approached, took out a little red book from his pocket.

    The marriage certificate.

    Zhan Qipei opened the red book and disyed it in front of the female fan.

    The fan¡¯s eyes almost popped out of her head.

 Chapter 193 - 186: Top Male Star Confesses to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 193: Chapter 186: Top Male Star Confesses to Qiao Jing

    ¡°This, this is¡ª¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s marriage certificate!

    They are legally married!!!

    What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t this man Ming Youling¡¯s boyfriend?

    How could it turn out that she was the one who had misunderstood after all this time?

    Thinking back on her own behavior just now, the female fan felt an overwhelming sense of shame.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± the female fan bowed at a 90-degree angle to Qiao Jing as an apology.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me, just say sorry to him,¡± Qiao Jing found it unbearable when others were implicated because of her.

    That¡¯s why she had reacted towards the female fan as she did earlier.

    The female fan nced at the back of Zhan Qipei, her heart filled with remorse.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t know!¡±

    As the female fan apologized, she started to resent Ming Youling in her heart.

    She was a die-hard fan of Ming Youling, she would always know about Ming Youling¡¯s interviews and appearances as soon as they were announced, so she was familiar with every detail about her.

    Yesterday, during an interview, the shy demeanour that Ming Youling showed was caught by her immediately, Ming Youling was indirectly admitting her rtionship with Zhan Qipei.

    But now¡ª¡ª

    It was all fake!

    So now she seriously suspected that Ming Youling had deliberately led them on.

    ¡°Uh, I stained your shirt. How much is it? I¡¯ll pay you back,¡± the female fan asked Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei thought for a moment and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t remember clearly, around a hundred thousand or so.¡±

    The female fan?!!!

    ¡°You, you¡¯re not joking with me, are you?¡±

    After all, even if it was a scam, if you said a thousand or two, she could ept it and just consider it bad luck.

    A shirt worth a hundred thousand? What kind of joke is that?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t bother with the female fan anymore and turned to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°I have a spare set of clothes in the car. I¡¯ll go change. You wait for me.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Jing nodded her head.

    Zhan Qipei took out his keys and walked towards the luxury car, the Maybach.

    The female fan¡¯s eyes widened instantly. Is this Zhan Qipei¡¯s car?

    ¡°Beep beep¡ª¡ª¡± The lights around the car lit up, and Zhan Qipei opened the door and got in.

    In her astonishment, the female fan took out her phone and searched for the car model.

    She could tell the car was expensive, but she didn¡¯t know exactly how much. She looked it up.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡ª¡± The female fan gasped.

    Tens of millions!!!

    The female fan was so scared that her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground.

    So it seemed that the man had not been joking when he said his shirt cost a hundred and some thousand.

    It¡¯s all over¡­ wuu wuu wuu¡­ it¡¯s all Ming Youling¡¯s fault. Why did she have to make that face and say those misleading things during the interview?

    She was confused just now, but now she understood, because this man¡¯s identity was far from ordinary¡ªMing Youling wanted to cozy up to a major financial backer!

    Shameless!

    Ming Youling, as of today, she¡¯s no longer a fan!

    No, she¡¯s an anti-fan!

    Li Xiu¡¯e, Sister Qiao, and Doudou were all willing to help take care of the young children.

    However, Little Baby only clung to her; if he left her, he would cry heartbreakingly with breathlessness, causing others to feel pity.

    Feeling helpless, Su Qingluo could only hold Little Baby and enter her guest room.

    Just as she sat down on the bed to rest, his little face turned red. He started to cry, and then a warm liquid soaked her front.

    ¡°Mom, the little brother wet me.¡±

    The soft and tender voice, filled with immense grievances, echoed through the inn¡¯s windows.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Su Hu and Li Xiu¡¯e hurried over from the neighboring guest room upon hearing the cries. Seeing their daughter¡¯s pouting mouth and disheartened expression, they couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    From then on, the anxiety and fright experienced on the road dissipated because of this little episode, and their previous panic was gone.

    *******

    Li Xiu¡¯e went downstairs and asked the inn¡¯s waiters for a bathtub and hot water to bathe the two children.

    Little Baby seemed to understand he had done something wrong. His cheeks were flushed with shame, and his tearful eyshes fluttered, unable to meet his sister¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Good baby, get clean, and then Sister will take you downstairs to eat something delicious.¡±

    Li Xiu¡¯e prepared the bathwater and quickly undressed the little one. She put him in the tub and coaxed him to take a bath.

    Su Qingluo squatted in front of the tub, helping her mother pour water.

    Seeing Little Baby wanting to cry again as he left her embrace, she pinched his little nose,ughed, and talked to him, diverting his attention.

    ¡°Good baby, tell Sister your name.¡±

    ¡°Xuan¡¯er.¡±

    Little Baby, with tear-filled eyes, pitifully stretched out his little arms, ¡°Hug me, Sister.¡±

    ¡°After you take a bath and smell nice, Sister will hug you.¡±

    Su Qingluo pointed at her wet clothes and intentionally made a disgusted expression, ¡°Smelly, not nice to smell.¡±

    ¡°Wu wu.¡±

    Little Baby understood and thought that his sister disliked him. His mouth puckered, and tears flowed again.

    ¡°Ah, why are you crying again?¡±

    Helpless, Su Qingluo removed her wet, dirty clothes, stepped into the tub, and bathed with him.

    Both children were of innocent age; Li Xiu¡¯e saw nothing wrong with it. She poured water quicker, and soon both children were clean.

    She dried them off and held both little ones in bed. Little Baby had no spare clothes, but luckily Su Qingluo was young, so her clothes were suitable.

    Li Xiu¡¯e dressed Little Baby in his sister¡¯s pink floral clothes, revealing his white and tender little arms and legs. Apart from his exceptionally eye-catching cheeks, at first nce, there wasn¡¯t much difference between him and a rural child.

    Sister¡¯s clothes smelled just as sweet as hers.

    Little Baby was particrly happy wearing his sister¡¯s clothes, without any shyness in wearing a girl¡¯s clothes. Seeing that his sister had also dressed, he stuck to her, reaching out his little arms for a hug.

    ¡°Xuan¡¯er, be good. If you want to pee, just tell Sister; don¡¯t hold it back. If you hold it for too long, your belly will hurt.¡±

    As she held Little Baby, Su Qingluo gently poked his little belly, reminding him earnestly¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to be wet again.

    ¡°Belly hurts.¡±

    As Little Baby felt her tender little finger poke his belly, his little body shuddered with pain, and he pitifullyined.

    Being a celebrity meant the whole world would vie for his wife, which was a hassle.

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much, just visiting a friend.¡±

    Relieved by Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Zhan Qipei let out a breath.

    Soon, Qiao Jing arrived at the entrance of the drama set.

    Thanks to Cao Feiyu¡¯s prior notice, Qiao Jing managed to enter smoothly.

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought, she woulde to this drama set,¡± Zhan Qipei stood by the window in the resting room, watching.

 Chapter 194 - 187 Be My Girlfriend

    Chapter 194: Chapter 187 Be My Girlfriend

    Qiao Jing was on the phone with Cao Feiyu.

    ¡°You¡¯re there? Wait for me, I¡¯m touching up my makeup, I¡¯ll be done soon!¡± After ending the call with Qiao Jing, Cao Feiyu immediately urged the makeup artist beside him.

    ¡°Hurry up, make me look handsome, I have a big event in my life to deal with today!¡±

    The moment the assistant heard this, a bad premonition instantly arose. Looking up at Cao Feiyu, the assistant asked, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯ll know soon,¡± Cao Feiyu said to the assistant through the mirror with a dance in his eyebrows.

    The assistant¡¯s bad premonition became even more serious, ¡°Cao Feiyu, I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t mess around! You¡¯re a top influencer, your every move affects the entire entertainment industry. It doesn¡¯t matter if you die, but don¡¯t make us lose our jobs.¡±

    Cao Feiyu didn¡¯t respond, because he was currently immersed in the scene where he would confess to Qiao Jingter.

    Qiao Jing would definitely be moved by his sincerity!

    The more he thought about it, the happier he became.

    Qiao Jing was leisurely strolling around the set; it was her first time here, and she was quite curious, looking around everywhere.

    The director was discussing the script with several actors, one of whom was Ming Youling.

    While the director was talking, he caught sight of Qiao Jing wandering around out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes instantly lit up.

    ¡°A natural beauty! Unparalleled temperament! She is a born star!¡±

    Upon hearing the director¡¯s words, Ming Youling and the others turned their heads to follow the director¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Is it her?¡± Ming Youling recognized Qiao Jing at a nce.

    The girl in the photo!

    When Ming Youling saw Qiao Jing¡¯s photos before, she was unbearably jealous. At that time, she held on to ast glimmer of hope, hoping that Qiao Jing was just photogenic and not that pretty in person.

    But now¡ª

    The real person had unexpectedly appeared before her, and she found that Qiao Jing did differ slightly from the photos, but it was not because she was too photogenic, but rather too stunning!

    One need only look at the director¡¯s reaction to understand.

    Too beautiful!

    The director turned to Ming Youling, ¡°Do you know her? Then help me make an introduction, bridge a connection. Such a fine prospect, if I let her slip away, I¡¯d regret it for the rest of my life!¡±

    Ming Youling was filled with envy and resentment!

    When she coborated with you before, she had never seen you this proactive!

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her, I mistook her for someone else.¡±

    The director frowned and murmured to himself, ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to do it myself.¡±

    After that, not bothering to discuss the script any further, the director strode towards Qiao Jing in just a few steps.

    ¡°Are you an extra?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯m visiting the set.¡±

    ¡°Visiting? Who is your friend?¡± No sooner had the director spoken when someone shouted.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you finally came!¡±

    That voice was¡ª

    Cao Feiyu!

    Surprised wasn¡¯t just the director, but also Ming Youling.

    Although Ming Youling was a star herself, she had her idol, and her idol was Cao Feiyu. In fact, she had entered the entertainment industry to close the distance between herself and her idol.

    Listening to how Cao Feiyu had just called for Qiao Jing so affectionately, what exactly was their rtionship?

    Rtives?

    That shouldn¡¯t be right; she clearly remembered that Cao Feiyu was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage.

    Just when everyone was full of doubts and wonders, Cao Feiyu suddenly produced a bundle of fiery red roses from the back of his hand as if by magic, and held them out in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, be my girlfriend. I promise to listen to everything you say. I¡¯ll cook, wash your clothes, and even bring you water to wash your feet!¡±

    Silence.

    Shock!!!

    Everyone in the crew was stunned by Cao Feiyu¡¯s bombshell deration.

    Cao Feiyu was an irreceable top-tier celebrity in the empire¡¯s entertainment industry, and calling him a national heartthrob wasn¡¯t an exaggeration at all.

    Not only that, but Cao Feiyu had always maintained a clean image with no scandals, which was particrly remarkable in theplicated entertainment industry.

    And now, the national heartthrob had publicly confessed to a girl!

    How could that not be surprising!

    Zhan Qipei watched with half-closed, dark eyes that shimmered with a dangerous glint, looking at Cao Feiyu as if looking at a dead man.

    Here came another contender for his wife.

    And a highly impressive one at that.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted to Qiao Jing; he wanted to see how she would respond.

    As Zhan Qipei thought this, Qiao Jing extended her hand.

    Was she about to ept the flowers? Did she agree? Did she really consider him, her husband, as nothing more than a decoration, as dead? How could she ept flowers from another man behind his back!

    In everyone¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing seemed ready to take the flowers and ept Cao Feiyu¡¯s confession.

    After all, it was Cao Feiyu!

    With his off-the-charts good looks and sky-high poprity.

    In the face of Cao Feiyu¡¯s confession of love, what girl wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse?

    With a snap, Qiao Jing flicked her finger against Cao Feiyu¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Are you sick? Need a cure?¡±

    As Qiao Jing¡¯s voice fell, the surroundings were so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

    They had guessed it; it was exactly this oue¡ªso unexpected that it took everyone by surprise.

    Or was it that the girl did it on purpose, to show her restraint and that she was not someone to be trifled with, hence her deliberate act?

    Cao Feiyu rubbed his forehead where the girl¡¯s finger had touched, feeling a cool andfortable numbness.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, I¡¯ve always liked you a lot, it¡¯s just that I never found the right opportunity. Today, on my birthday, I took the chance to seriously confess to you.

    I know there are many who pursue you, and among them, I might not be the best, but I can assure you, I will never betray you in this lifetime!¡±

    Cao Feiyu raised his hand as if to swear, his sincerity was undeniable.

    Not only a top idol, Cao Feiyu was also an aplished actor who had won countless awards, so at this moment, his gaze conveyed deep affection and unwaveringmitment with captivating intensity.

    Now, everyone on the scene was even more convinced that Cao Feiyu was not joking; he was indeed serious!

    As thoughts swirled, everyone¡¯s attention focused back on Qiao Jing.

    How fortunate was this girl? To be confessed to by Cao Feiyu¡ªshe was sure to ept him, without a doubt.

    Zhan Qipei stood there quietly, watching Qiao Jing with eyes harboring obscure and murky shes of light. Enveloped by an atmosphere as tumultuous as a tornado, he emitted a silent and spine-chilling aura.

    If she dared nod her head in agreement, he vowed he would immediately cklist Cao Feiyu.

    Tang Yan backed away a little, distancing himself from Zhan Qipei.

    Too creepy.

    After a brief silence, under the gaze of the awaiting crowd, Qiao Jing finally spoke.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently with a nod, ¡°I¡¯ve got it, you¡¯re very serious, so I¡¯ll also tell you seriously, you¡¯re not my type, I can only think of you as a friend.¡±

 Chapter 195 - 188: Zhan Qipeis High-Profile Confession

    Chapter 195: Chapter 188: Zhan Qipei¡¯s High-Profile Confession

    She was rejected!

    Oh my God!

    She actually rejected him.

    Everyone present couldn¡¯t believe their ears.

    The gloomy expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face vanished in an instant, his lips curved into a smile, disying a look of satisfaction.

    Once Tang Yan felt the tension around him ease, he looked toward Zhan Qipei.

    The man¡¯s face was radiantly dazzling.

    Even his teeth were showing in his smile.

    Seeing their normally cold and reserved boss like this, Tang Yan thought to himself that all men were indeed the same; he had seen his own reflection in the mirror when he was with Lin Xiuxiang.

    Just like his boss¡¯s expression right now.

    ¡°Tang Yan.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei calling him, Tang Yan stepped forward.

    ¡°Boss, do you have any instructions?¡±

    ¡°Go prepare¡­¡±

    *

    Cao Feiyu blinked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Is there room for negotiation?¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Qiao Jing replied, very decisively.

    Late, thinking about it, isn¡¯t Cao Feiyu someone she had known since childhood? Shouldn¡¯t she have been a bit more tactful?

    ¡°I¡¯m already married, as you know.¡±

    ¡°But, didn¡¯t you already get a divorce?¡±

    The conversation between Cao Feiyu and Qiao Jing stirred up a hugemotion amongst the crowd.

    This girl was married before? Cao Feiyu was actually pursuing a divorced woman?

    ¡°Due to some special reasons, I am not divorcing for now,¡± Qiao Jing honestly answered.

    ¡°Then when will you get a divorce?¡±

    ¡°It will still take over two months.¡±

    ¡°Then should I confess to you again after two months?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°Even if I get divorced, I won¡¯t ept your confession.¡±

    Cao Feiyu felt like he was being stabbed by several knives at once.

    Truth be told, it hurt even more than when Qiao Jing had outright rejected him just before.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you really are ruthless.¡±

    Qiao Jing wondered, was she really? If it were someone else, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with extra exnations orfort, but at least just now she had expressed herself more gently.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± The director cleared his throat, walking over.

    ¡°Cao Feiyu, what¡¯s all this about? Suddenly causing such a scene, it¡¯s lucky I had just issued a notice that no one is allowed to leak this, otherwise, all the major media tforms would crash. Do you understand that your actions just now could have blown up the entertainment industry?¡±

    As he spoke, the director patted his chest, although he had been in the industry for many years and had seen all sorts of situations. He was still frightened by Cao Feiyu¡¯s impulsive actions, almost having a heart attack.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that first. Do you know this girl? She¡¯s really married? That¡¯s really a pity.¡± The director looked at Qiao Jing with a very regretful expression, shaking his head.

    Hearing this, Cao Feiyu knew immediately that the director was considering scouting her.

    ¡°Her marriage was due to an arrangement by the elders, reluctantly setting a 100-day marriage agreement, which will end when the time is up.¡±

    ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± The director said, surprised, then showing a thrilled expression. ¡°Then you must introduce me to her, this girl is too beautiful! A true goddess, especially the aura she exudes, truly captivating!¡±

    Cao Feiyu had known it would be like this.

    ¡°Stop trying to get her attention. If you dare to lure her into the entertainment industry, someone from above will definitelye to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Above? What above?¡± The director looked at Cao Feiyu,pletely confused.

    Cao Feiyu curled his lips, shrugged his shoulders, and said nothing further.

    ¡°I can see it now. You¡¯re just afraid that if she bes famous, it¡¯ll be even harder for you to pursue her, so you¡¯re saying this on purpose. Fine, if you won¡¯t introduce me, I¡¯ll find her myself,¡± the director said with annoyance.

    Cao Feiyu sat down, watching the director with the eyes of someone watching a good show. ¡°How about we make a bet? If you can get her into the entertainment industry, I¡¯ll work for you for a year, free of charge.¡±

    The director took a few steps forward but suddenly stopped when he heard what Cao Feiyu said, turning back to look at him with a mix of scrutiny and confusion.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to record it so I can say it all over again?¡± Cao Feiyu wasn¡¯t afraid of ending up working for free.

    People generally be celebrities for two reasons: for money or for fame.

    Thergest shareholder of the empire¡¯s number one traditional medicine pharmacy, Wonderful Hall, is Qiao Jing. With branches of Wonderful Hall all over the country, totaling three hundred, the annual profits are unimaginable to the average wealthy person.

    Therefore, in Qiao Jing¡¯s dictionary, the words ck of money¡± simply do not exist.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing has another lesser-known identity, that of the nationally renowned agriculture expert, Professor Qiao!

    The prestige associated with her name is something Cao Feiyu could never match. If she wanted fame, she could have shown her face long ago. Yet to this day, the people across the nation have no idea what she looks like.

    ¡°Fine, since you said that, there¡¯s no need for recording. I¡¯ll go and get her over here now, and when the timees, all you have to do is keep your promise.¡±

    The director, full of energy, approached Qiao Jing. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the director of this troupe.¡±

    As he spoke, he handed his business card to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Oh, is there something you need?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. Actually, I¡¯m here to ask if you¡¯re interested in joining our circle? It¡¯s quick money and quick fame. I assure you, if you¡¯re willing toe, you won¡¯tck resources. What do you think? Interested in considering it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Cao Feiyu burst outughing uncontrobly.

    His gloom from being rejected earlier waspletely dispelled.

    Look at that. Anyone who talks to Qiao Jing ends up being rejected, so he didn¡¯t have anything to be embarrassed about anymore.

    At that moment, Cao Feiyu looked at the director as if he were looking at arade in misfortune.

    The director recovered, red at Cao Feiyu irritably, but then looked at Qiao Jing with good temper.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to make money?¡±

    ¡°I have my own businesses under my name, and I don¡¯tck money for the time being,¡± Qiao Jing honestly answered.

    The director was somewhat surprised. So, this girl is an entrepreneur?

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be famous? With your looks, your future achievements could definitely surpass Cao Feiyu and make you a global goddess!¡± The director couldn¡¯t help but exaggerate.

    But given Qiao Jing¡¯s beauty, the possibility of this happening was very high.

    Qiao Jing shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m quite happy on my own. Fame is troublesome, you lose all privacy, and you have to rush around for appointments and fly everywhere. It¡¯s annoying. I prefer gardening and cooking.¡±

    This response gave the director a headache. He had seen content people, but had never met someone as down-to-earth and unambitious as Qiao Jing.

    Cooking, gardening.

    That¡­ was a real challenge for him.

    ¡°Pfft¡ªhahaha¡ª¡± Cao Feiyu could no longer hold back hisughter at the director¡¯s bizarre andplex expression. He wasughing so hard he doubled over.

    Laughing as he was, Cao Feiyu suddenly stoppedughing as he looked up at the sky, his eyes widening, and he burst out a curse.

    ¡°Damn!¡±

 Chapter 196 - 189 He Comes in a Shower of Rose Petals

    Chapter 196: Chapter 189 He Comes in a Shower of Rose Petals

    Upon hearing Cao Feiyu¡¯s exmation and seeing him gaze upwards, everyone curiously followed his gaze to look up.

    Holy shit!!!

    Not just everyone else but even as Qiao Jing looked up, those words almost slipped from her mouth.

    Two helicopters hovered in mid-air, dragging a banner that read, ¡°Qiao Jing is my woman, who dares topete with me?¡±

    With such a shameless disy, Qiao Jing could guess who it was without asking.

    Is he here too?

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to look around, rose petals suddenly began to drift from the sky.

    To be precise, it started raining rose petals, continuously falling,nding on Qiao Jing¡¯s head as well as the heads of the onlookers.

    Cao Feiyu was totally unable to stay seated; his eyes almost bulging out.

    ¡°Who is this? Chasing someone and making more of a spectacle than me!¡±

    The rain of rose petals continued without stopping,sting for ten minutes with no sign of stopping. Many people nearby the set were drawn over, inching closer to look up.

    Soon, this scene climbed onto the trending searches, eliciting envy from countless young girls and older women alike.

    Everyone was imagining themselves in the shoes of the girl named Qiao Jing, wishing they were the protagonist of this ordeal.

    Another ten minutes passed, and the director, seeing the petals piling up so much that they were almost covering the shoes, eximed.

    Did they bring all the roses in the entire capital here?

    ¡°Seriously, when will this end? Renting this space costs money, and this dy is going to cost a fortune!¡±

    The director called over the stage manager, ¡°Check who is doing this and tell them to stop immediately.¡±

    They couldn¡¯t have picked any other time but had to cause a stir just when their big boss was here, were they deliberately making trouble?

    He was sure the big boss was watching by now.

    Speaking of the devil, just as the director thought this, he saw Zhan Qipei walking towards them through the rain of rose petals.

    This was bad, the dy had been so long, the boss was surely angry.

    The director hurried towards Zhan Qipei, ¡°President Zhan, this, I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind this tiresome stunt. If I catch them, I will¡ª¡±

    Before the director could finish, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice suddenly rose from behind him.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored? All these roses didn¡¯t cost you anything?¡±

    Talking about throwing flowers, but pulling a stunt with that kind of banner, what was that all about?

    Luckily she had a strong ability to endure, otherwise she would have walked away long ago.

    Zhan Qipei turned to Qiao Jing with an indulgently tender smile, ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    The director, caught in the middle, blinked and afterprehending, he stepped back once, then again, looking at Qiao Jing then at Zhan Qipei, suddenly recalling his earlier words.

    Er¡ª

    ¡°Tell them to stop.¡± Qiao Jing looked up at the helicopters above.

    ¡°Do you like it? Answer me first,¡± Zhan Qipei stepped forward, gazing at Qiao Jing with adoring eyes without blinking.

    Ming Youling¡¯s eyes were already red with jealousy, but what could she do? Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t like her, and if she imprudently tried to get closer, it might just burn her.

    Cao Feiyu eyed Zhan Qipei, thinking, Who is this guy? Where did he pop up from? His looks could evenpete with his own!

    But none of that was the point; the real question was, what exactly was the rtionship between this guy and Qiao Jing?

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brow, ¡°First, tell them to stop.¡±

    ¡°First, answer me,¡± Zhan Qipei insisted.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t answer first?¡± Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows, showing no intention of yielding to Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei faced each other, neither willing to back down.

    The director standing aside thought to himself, oh Alexander! Thinking this girl was truly a female hero!

    Truthfully, he had never seen anyone dare to confront Zhan Qipei like this.

    The next second¡ª

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows revealed a hint of helplessness, ¡°Should I have them stop first?¡±

    Is he backing down already?

    The director opened his mouth wide, clearly more surprised than when Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had just arrived.

    Qiao Jing was also stunned; she hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to concede first.

    This man¡­ hasn¡¯t he always been domineering?

    How¡­

    Through this incident, Qiao Jing¡¯s impression of Zhan Qipei changed somewhat.

    The rose petals rained down, and Ming Youling looked at Qiao Jing with eyes full of extreme jealousy, wishing she could switch ces with Qiao Jing.

    There is no limit to jealousy, only more jealousy. Cao Feiyu came beside Qiao Jing, nced at Zhan Qipei, then back at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, who is this? Why do you have so many admirers? Let me count, 1, 2¡­ 8, 9¡­¡±

    The more Cao Feiyu counted, the darker Zhan Qipei¡¯s face became.

    What to do if his wife is too popr?

    This question had troubled him until now.

    ¡°Compared to you, are my admirers enough to look at?¡± Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow and retorted.

    ¡°It¡¯s different, I¡¯m a public figure, you¡ªah!¡± Cao Feiyu suddenly thought of something, his eyes widened as he stared at Zhan Qipei and eximed, ¡°Is he the one from the Zhan Family?!¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, admitting it.

    Having received Qiao Jing¡¯s affirmative answer, Cao Feiyu¡¯s eyes widened even more.

    ¡°Then, are you still going to divorce him?¡±

    Before, he had thought that Qiao Jing and the man from the Zhan Family were married only because of their elders¡¯ arrangements, and that neither the man nor the woman had special feelings for each other.

    But now the developments far exceeded his imagination.

    Look at all these rose petals scattered on the ground, they were almost covering his feet.

    And those two helicopters carrying banners.

    Qiao Jing is his woman¡ª

    Listen to that domineering tone, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s pursuing Qiao Jing.

    No wonder, after all, Qiao Jing is so outstanding; it¡¯s no surprise that the guy from the Zhan Family suddenly found her likable.

    It wasn¡¯t different before, a lot of excellent men were chasing Qiao Jing.

    All these are not the point, the point is Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude herself.

    If Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t agree, even if a princees, she would tell him to mind his own business.

    ¡°Wait until the dayes.¡± Qiao Jing responded.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s answer pleased Cao Feiyu, but it darkened Zhan Qipei¡¯s face when he heard it.

    But it was only for a few breaths¡¯ time, as Zhan Qipei quickly adjusted himself.

    ¡°Are you cooking tonight, or should we go out to eat?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like cooking today,¡± Qiao Jing thought for a moment and responded.

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go out to eat. A ce with local specialties recently opened in the Western Suburbs, want to try it out?¡± Zhan Qipei suggested.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Cao Feiyu watched the super natural dialogue between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, feeling that their rtionship seemed extraordinarily close.

    He wondered if Qiao Jing was starting to be won over by Zhan Qipei, little by little?

    This thought scared Cao Feiyu, and he quickly pulled Qiao Jing aside.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you couldn¡¯t possibly have fallen for him, have you?¡±

    ¡°Which eye of yours saw that?¡± Qiao Jing nced at Cao Feiyu, speechless.

 Chapter 197 - 190: President Zhans Superb Tactics Against His Love Rival

    Chapter 197: Chapter 190: President Zhan¡¯s Superb Tactics Against His Love Rival

    Qiao Jing¡¯s wordsforted Cao Feiyu greatly; he knew that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t easily fall for someone else.

    Could this be considered a constion after a failed confession?

    Cao Feiyu looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s ethereally beautiful face and gave a bitter smile as he shook his head.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, won¡¯t you really consider me? I think I¡¯m quite decent.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t consider it.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s refusal was as straightforward as ever.

    Cao Feiyu felt the icy staresnding on his back, and without needing to look back, he knew it was Zhan Qipei watching him.

    Not fearing death, Cao Feiyu turned his head and red back at Zhan Qipei.

    Merely ring wasn¡¯t enough, he strode up to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m afraid of you just because you¡¯re the big boss of the Zhan Family. You and Qiao Jing are not suited; stay away from her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes which held a chilling glint and coldly said, ¡°I recall you are an artist signed under my entertainmentpany. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being cklisted by me?¡±

    ¡°cklist me if you must. If I lose my job and can¡¯t make a living, I¡¯ll just stick by Xiao Jingjing every day and let her support me,¡± Cao Feiyu said with a do-or-die attitude.

    ¡°Living off a woman?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s words carried a hint of mockery.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with living off a woman? I have good looks, at least Xiao Jingjing finds me easy on the eyes. I¡¯m not asking Xiao Jingjing to support me for nothing; I can doundry, cook, mop the floors, and warm her bed for her.¡±

    When Cao Feiyu mentioned ¡°warming the bed,¡± he clearly felt the chill emanating from Zhan Qipei, which was so cold it made people¡¯s skin crawl.

    At that moment, Cao Feiyu was trembling with fear.

    This didn¡¯t mean Cao Feiyu was weak. Although he was now a top celebrity,pared to a seasoned corporate president who had battled through the business world, he simply couldn¡¯t match up.

    Especially since Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t just any corporate president; he was the renowned richest man of the capital! He had started running major operations before finishing college and had led the Zhan Family to new heights with his decisive and swift actions.

    Such a seasoned figure may appear gentle, calm, and noble, but behind that demeanor was a terrifying power that could turn the sky upside down with ease, truly intimidating to behold.

    ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind,¡± a voice devoid of any warmth came from Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips, ¡°I won¡¯t cklist you, and I will even heavily skew resources in your direction to make you more popr.¡±

    ¡°And then make me so busy with endless work that I won¡¯t have time to cling to Xiao Jingjing?¡± Cao Feiyu continued Zhan Qipei¡¯s thought.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak but slightly lifted his chin, a gesture that seemed to confirm it.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Cao Feiyu gasped and took a step back.

    Sure enough, befitting the foremost CEO of the Zhan Family, his method of causing harm without a trace of blood was truly peerless.

    Cao Feiyu then turned around toin to Qiao Jing, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, he¡¯s bullying me¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow and looked over at Cao Feiyu, ¡°Bullying you? It doesn¡¯t seem like Zhan Qipei has such tendencies.¡±

    Cao Feiyu ¡°¡­¡±

    The just arrived Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing felt a chill on the top of her head. Looking up, a snowkended on her eyshes, sticking there and slowly melting.

    ¡°It¡¯s snowing.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s lips gradually curved into a smile as she reached out to catch the snowkes.

    Zhan Qipei stood beside her, silently watching the girl in the snow. Snowkes sparsely fell into her hair and eyebrows, and onto her long, curling eyshes, where two more snowkesnded. The whole scene was so unrealistically beautiful; she seemed not to belong to this world.

    Watching Qiao Jing like this, Zhan Qipei was momentarily lost in a trance.

    His feet moved uncontrobly towards Qiao Jing. Sensing someone approaching, Qiao Jing suddenly turned and lifted her gaze. Her eyes, brimming with autumnal mist, and her slightly raised, enchanting phoenix eyes met Qipei¡¯s gaze.

    With that look, Qipei immediately felt a choking sensation in his breath. If it weren¡¯t for the fear of ruining this beautiful moment, he almost couldn¡¯t control himself from pulling the girl into his arms right then and there.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled. ¡°Is there something dirty on my face?¡±

    ¡°Um,¡± Qipei nodded his head, then slowly raised his hand towards Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Qiao Jing instinctively wanted to dodge.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move, it¡¯ll just take a second.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was soft and enticing, making it hard to refuse.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dodge again, allowing Qipei¡¯s hand to touch her eye.

    The man¡¯s slightly rough fingertips touched her eyshes, and Qiao Jing reflexively blinked.

    This scene stunned everyone present.

    Everyone held their breaths, not daring to breathe heavily. Among the fluttering snowkes, the man was iparably handsome, like a god, and the woman was stunningly beautiful, like a goddess.

    Together, whether in appearance or aura, they were a perfect match.

    Many girls watched with stars in their eyes, feeling as though they were watching a real-life romantic idol drama.

    Cao Feiyu could no longer stand it and was about to intervene. However, he was abruptly stopped by the director.

    ¡°What, you think you don¡¯t have enough work already? Want the big boss to keep adding more to your te?¡±

    ¡°But they¨D¡±

    ¡°They haven¡¯t done anything excessive. Besides, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this girl must be the big boss¡¯s countryside wife, right?¡±

    The news about the President Zhan marrying a countryside wife was known almost throughout the empire, and the director was no exception.

    Cao Feiyu didn¡¯t respond, which was as good as admitting it.

    ¡°They are husband and wife, even if it¡¯s just a contractual marriage, it¡¯s legally valid. You are the outsider here. If you interfere now, you¡¯ll be the mistress meddling in other people¡¯s emotions. If this were to get out, it would be a stain that you, Cao Feiyu, could never shake off for the rest of your life,¡± the director persuaded.

    ¡°Where do I have time to worry about that, my wife is about to be snatched away, I don¡¯t care about stains or not,¡± Cao Feiyu said and then charged.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Aren¡¯t you afraid of staining your image, of disappointing all your supportive fans?¡± the director¡¯s words seemed to work this time.

    Cao Feiyu stopped in his tracks, his expressionplex.

    He was now a public figure, an idol in the hearts of many. His fans were not only captivated by his looks but proud of his unblemished reputation, believing he couldn¡¯t do wrong.

    If it turned out like the director said, and he became known as a home wrecker and a mistress, wouldn¡¯t his fans feel embarrassed?

    They might even end up questioning life and the world.

    ¡°Alright, alright, you can¡¯t force fate. With my seasoned judgment, I can see that this girl doesn¡¯t have that kind of feelings for President Zhan, so what¡¯s yours will be yours eventually. Your status as a national heartthrob is your powerful weapon to pursue her. If you ruin yourself now, what will you have topete with President Zhan?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Cao Feiyu realized the logic in it.

    Small sacrifices could prevent greater disasters; he decided to hold back for now.

    Just as Cao Feiyu was thinking this, Qipei took off his coat and draped it over Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 198 - 191: Zhan Yuanshan Gave Qiao Jing a Special Red Envelope

    Chapter 198: Chapter 191: Zhan Yuanshan Gave Qiao Jing a Special Red Envelope

    ¡°`

    ¡°The snow is getting heavier, let¡¯s go back,¡± Zhan Qipei gathered Qiao Jing¡¯s coat at the front, and as a show of his gentlemanly manner, slightly lifted his hands, careful not to touch where he shouldn¡¯t.

    Qiao Jing noticed this subtle gesture and a nearly imperceptible ripple flickered in her eyes. She lowered her gaze and nodded slightly, ¡°Mhm.¡±

    As the two of them walked away, numerous girls clutched their hands to their hearts, brimming with envy.

    It was unclear if they envied Qiao Jing or Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Just drop dead from jealousy! When you two get divorced, the one standing next to Xiao Jingjing will be me! Xiao Jingjing and I are the natural couple, made for each other by heaven and earth.¡±

    Cao Feiyu¡¯s words seemed nonchnt, but inside he was bursting with envy. Despite his reluctance to admit it, the scene before him showed just how well-matched Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were, their interaction perfect to a fault.

    After the heavy snow, the New Year arrived.

    On New Year¡¯s Eve, Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei to Purple Garden.

    Su Manhan¡¯s mood was quite good until she saw Qiao Jing, then her face immediately soured.

    ¡°Jing Girl is here,e here, here¡¯s a red envelope for you,¡± Zhan Yuanshan took out a red envelope he had prepared in advance and stuffed it into Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    The envelope wasn¡¯t thick; it seemed to contain only two or three notes.

    In contrast, the red envelopes for Zhan Qipei, Zhan Nanqing, and Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s younger rtives were all a thick stack.

    Zhan Nanqing pulled out the money from inside the red envelope and counted it.

    ¡°Ten thousand.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t much, but receiving red envelopes during the New Year was all about the festive spirit.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze shifted,nding on the thin red envelope in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Why so thin?

    That didn¡¯t seem right; Grandpa Ming clearly adored Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, why don¡¯t you open it and take a look?¡± Zhan Nanqing edged closer to Qiao Jing and asked.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t low, and Su Manhan and Zhan Ruiting heard it too; everyone grew curious about the red envelope in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Everyone felt it was odd, just like Zhan Nanqing.

    After all, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s doting on Qiao Jing was well known to all.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing interesting; receiving red envelopes is just for the festive joy, the amount doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Qiao Jing spoke indifferently and proceeded to stuff the red envelope into her pocket.

    ¡°I want to see it if you¡¯re not going to look!¡± Zhan Nanqing was dying of curiosity and snatched the red envelope from Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Her instinct told her that Qiao Jing¡¯s red envelope was anything but ordinary.

    Zhan Ruiting and Lu Zijiao, who hade to pay a New Year¡¯s visit, leaned in as well; they also wanted to know what made Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s red envelope to Qiao Jing so special.

    Upon opening it, they were simultaneously stunned, shocked!

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Lu Zijiao couldn¡¯t help but swear.

    Lu Zijiao¡¯s exmation drew the attention of the elders like Su Manhan as well.

    What kind of red envelope was it? Was all thismotion really warranted?

    Could it be that the old man had given Qiao Jing a vi or some significant property? Or perhaps transferred a portion of Zhan Corporation¡¯s shares to Qiao Jing?

    Su Manhan was thoroughly frightened by her own thoughts¡ªif it was as she spected¡­ especially since Grandpa Ming¡¯s shares were no small matter!

    At this, Su Manhan¡¯s forehead broke out in a dense sweat, and she walked over to Zhan Nanqing and the others with stiff steps.

    ¡°What did he give, what did he give?¡±

    Lu Zijiao unfolded the paper inside the envelope to show Su Manhan.

    ¡°`

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes immediately widened.

    ¡ªZhan Qipei¡¯s deed of sale.

    The old man was practically selling Zhan Qipei to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hehehe¡ª¡± Zhan Yuanshan chuckled as he approached Qiao Jing, ¡°What do you think, Jing Girl? Do you like this red envelope of mine?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could answer, Lu Zijiao began reading aloud the deed of sale.

    ¡°Starting today, my grandson Zhan Qipei belongs only to Qiao Jing, to be smacked, scolded, and cough cough cough¡ª¡±

    As she read this part, Lu Zijiao¡¯s face turned red, and so did her ears; she gave Zhan Yuanshan a thumbs-up.

    ¡°Awesome!¡±

    Truly the work of an old hand at this! Such an unexpected move.

    What is this, even?

    Zhan Nanqing nced over the contract, and instantly her face turned even redder than Lu Zijiao¡¯s.

    The terms of this contract seemed as if they¡¯d been dipped in dye; they were shamefully, utterly indescribable.

    If this were published as a novel, it would definitely be censored.

    In the end, the contract fell into Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands. Zhan Qipei looked it over nonchntly, and after he finished, he looked at Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Pretty good.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Zhan Yuanshan stroked his beard, quite satisfied with his own handiwork.

    Although Qiao Jing had not seen all of the contract¡¯s content, based on the reactions of Zhan Nanqing and the others on the scene, she could more or less guess some of it.

    Neither the old nor young had any shame.

    Speaking of which, Qiao Jing had been present when Zhan Yuanshan and her grandfather had set up the 100-day marriage affair. Still, she had been too young at that time andcked the ability to object.

    She vaguely remembered Zhan Yuanshan insisting doggedly on her grandfather, face unabashed, demanding she marry his grandson.

    Her grandfather, who was originally one of Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s subordinates, had also taken a bullet for Zhan Yuanshan on the battlefield, and his health was deteriorating ever since, was never well, so he too wanted to find her a support. In the end, he agreed to the marriage.

    After the meal, Su Manhan joined Mother Lu and several others in a game of mahjong.

    While ying mahjong, Su Manhan looked over at Qiao Jing. Zhan Ruiting and Lu Zijin, along with several other young family members, were crowded around Qiao Jing. Zhan Qipei just sat beside Qiao Jing, his hand resting on the back of the sofa behind her, emanating a vibe of ¡°she¡¯s my wife, no one else can have her.¡±

    Su Manhan found this scene rather headache-inducing.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t get it, do young people these days just look at outward appearances? Don¡¯t they value substance at all?¡± Su Manhan couldn¡¯t hold back her critique.

    Mother Lu and the others knew right away who Su Manhan was referring to.

    Mother Lu, with a kind look, turned her gaze away from Qiao Jing, ¡°I think this girl is quite good, and what¡¯s more, I¡¯ve heard from Zijin and his brother that Qiao Jing even knows medical skills and some martial arts; she¡¯s a rare talent.¡±

    ¡°What talent? A blind cat ran into a dead mouse and saved the old man. Martial arts? Ha! She¡¯s just a country person with a sturdy build. Do you really think she knows martial arts? To me, she seems crude!¡± The words that came out of Su Manhan¡¯s mouth grew increasingly unpleasant.

    Mother Lu frowned, ¡°Do you think you might be too prejudiced against her?¡±

    ¡°What prejudice? Don¡¯t be deceived by that girl¡¯s appearance. She seems harmless now because you outsiders are here. You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s like to me on regr days.

    She never calls me ¡®Mom¡¯; I could let that slide, but she gives me cold shoulders and even argues with me often!¡±

    Su Manhan wished she could drive Qiao Jing out right now, to prevent her from attracting any more unwanted attention and tarnishing the Zhan family¡¯s reputation.

    Mother Lu couldn¡¯t listen anymore and retorted, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you told her not to call you ¡®Mom¡¯?¡±

    Mother Lu hadn¡¯t witnessed the incident, but having known Su Manhan for so many years, she knew what kind of person she was. Plus, considering Qiao Jing came from the countryside, the truth of the matter was probably as she described.

 Chapter 199 - 192 Qiao Jings Eidetic Memory

    Chapter 199: Chapter 192 Qiao Jing¡¯s Eidetic Memory

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened, truly surprised that Mother Lu would speak so highly of Qiao Jing.

    Before Mother Lu could finish, she said, ¡°I think this girl is quite good, beautiful, and kind-hearted. Plus, I¡¯ve heard Qiao Jing is also at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, and she cooks delicious meals, very diligent too. A girl like her is hard to find these days, so I was thinking, how great would it be if she were my daughter-inw!¡±

    Mother Lu hadn¡¯t expressed it directly, but anyone with ears could tell that she wanted Qiao Jing as her daughter-inw.

    Su Manhan looked at Qiao Jing again, who was sitting on the couch holding a thermal mug, looking totally indifferent, the very image of a fierce daughter-inw.

    She just couldn¡¯t understand it. It was one thing for Qiao Jing to have so many suitors, but even an elder like Mother Lu seemed to really like her.

    This girl was clearly so unrefined.

    By evening, Su Manhan and the others hadn¡¯t finished ying mahjong.

    Zhan Nanqing had run out to watch the snow and fireworks, leaving only Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Ouch, my stomach hurts!¡±

    Su Manhan suddenly felt a stomach ache and turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Qipei, take my ce for a couple of rounds. I need to use the restroom.¡±

    ¡°No way, no way. Your son is so good at mahjong. Last time he yed with us for a while, he cleaned us out, like he had a cheat code. We¡¯re not ying with him.¡±

    Mother Lu and the others quickly refused, and then Mother Lu¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°How about we let her y?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion.¡±

    Mother Lu and the others agreed, but Su Manhan was not pleased.

    However, she really couldn¡¯t hold it any longer, feeling a bit of indigestion from what she ate.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t lose all the money for me!¡± Su Manhan instructed apprehensively.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Qiao Jing sincerely replied.

    She had never yed mahjong from childhood to adulthood, not to mention mahjong, the recreational activities people her age engaged in, she had barely tried any of them.

    She didn¡¯t care to participate in those childish activities, thinking it better to spend the time reading medical books, or thinking about how to improve grain yield or how to breed new varieties of crops. Those were the issues she found more meaningful.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how? You don¡¯t even know how to y mahjong? You¡¯re truly¡ª¡±

    Dumb, these two words Su Manhan held back out of consideration for Zhan Qipei¡¯s feelings.

    After all, it was the holiday season, and so many rtives and friends were visiting. Qiao Jing might not care if she embarrassed herself, but Su Manhan would feel ashamed.

    ¡°Qipei, maybe you¡ª¡± Su Manhan turned around only to find Zhan Qipei had disappeared.

    Zhan Qipei had intentionally left to create a chance for Su Manhan and Qiao Jing to get to understand each other better.

    With Zhan Qipei gone, and the other younger members outside, Su Manhan had no choice but to let Qiao Jing step in.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you. These three together, and then¡­¡± After briefly exining the rules to Qiao Jing, Su Manhan, unable to hold it any longer, urged her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold it anymore; sit down and y a couple of rounds for me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± With that, Su Manhan covered her stomach and dashed towards the restroom.

    Qiao Jing stood by, frowning slightly, headache intensifying as she nced at the mahjong table.

    She really didn¡¯t want to y.

    Mother Lu waved at Qiao Jing with a friendly and smiling look in her eyes.

    ¡°Qiao Jing,e here,e here quick!¡±

    Qiao Jing always reciprocated respect as much as it was shown to her. Su Manhan was rude to her, so she felt no obligation to be pleasant.

    But with Mother Lu, who clearly showed kindness, she would respond politely.

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiao Jing nodded her head and walked over to sit at the mahjong table.

    Mother Lu continued to watch Qiao Jing with a beaming smile, growing fonder of her by the minute.

    ¡°She taught you too fast, didn¡¯t she? You didn¡¯t understand, did you? Let me go over it again.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, no need, I got it.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words surprised Mother Lu very much.

    Understood?

    Su Manhan had rushed through the exnation just once, and she had understood it? That couldn¡¯t be, could it? Was she that smart?

    Or was it that Qiao Jing actually knew how to y mahjong and had pretended not to, not wanting to y for Su Manhan?

    Mother Lu figured that must be the case, but the development that followed made her start to doubt again.

    Qiao Jing kept staring at their hands, and when she saw them shuffling the mahjong tiles, she imitated them, shuffling the tiles in the same way, and then watched slightly behind the beat to see how they sorted the tiles.

    Qiao Jing was quite fast, arranging a whole set of mahjong by herself into a long line, leaving the three slower yers, clearly short of tiles, stunned for a moment before they each took some from Qiao Jing¡¯s set.

    ¡°You really haven¡¯t yed before?¡± Mother Lu couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°First time,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Su Manhan had only told her how to form hands, not how to sort or sift the tiles.

    Now Mother Lu believed her, Qiao Jing really hadn¡¯t yed before.

    ¡°Then do you know how to form a hand?¡± Mother Lu asked with interest.

    ¡°Yes, Madam Zhan exined it to me very clearly just now,¡± Qiao Jing remembered very clearly.

    Madam Zhan¡­ that title¡­ The three of them exchanged nces, but no one spoke.

    As for how well Qiao Jing did in the game, it didn¡¯t matter anymore, as long as Qiao Jing just kept ying her tiles, which Su Manhan should be done with soon.

    ¡°Three of circles,¡± Mother Lu yed a tile.

    ¡°Pung,¡± Qiao Jing ced her tile.

    Mother Lu was stunned for a moment, thinking she learned quite fast.

    ¡°Five of bamboos.¡±

    ¡°Chow,¡± again Qiao Jing ced her tile.

    ¡°Red Dragon.¡±

    ¡°Mahjong,¡± Qiao Jing pushed her tiles forward.

    Silence.

    Mother Lu and the other two fixed their eyes on the tiles Qiao Jing had pushed forward, wondering whether she really had a winning hand, or if she misunderstood and thought she had won when she actually hadn¡¯t.

    Upon closer inspection, hey! She really did have a winning hand.

    ¡°You learn incredibly fast!¡± admiration filled Mother Lu¡¯s eyes.

    Considering Su Manhan¡¯s impatient exnation, frankly speaking, even for those who understood the game, it was a bit tough to follow, let alone for an outsider like Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing surprising, I generally remember everything I learn right away,¡± Qiao Jing said, not boasting but merely stating a fact.

    That impressive?

    The other twodies might have been skeptical about Qiao Jing¡¯s im, but Mother Lu truly believed it.

    Because she had heard from the Lu brothers that Qiao Jing became a professor at Imperial Capital University at the age of twenty and, if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Qiao Jing was likely a prominent disciple of Divine Doctor Jing.

    How could someone like Divine Doctor Jing easily ept a disciple?

    No wonder, Qiao Jing¡¯s talent was even more formidable than she had imagined!

    This Su Manhan, she definitely doesn¡¯t know these things, otherwise, her attitude towards Qiao Jing would not be like this.

    ¡°Next round, next round.¡±

    The mahjong tiles were reset, but this time Qiao Jing didn¡¯t rush through sorting the tiles as before, but did so urately and precisely.

    Mother Lu noticed this detail as well and felt even more certain of her guesses.

    ¡°I¡¯ll start, nine of circles.¡±

    ¡°Shuffle¡ª¡± Qiao Jing pushed down her tiles.

 Chapter 200 - 193: Zhan Qipei Gives Qiao Jing a Gift

    Chapter 200: Chapter 193: Zhan Qipei Gives Qiao Jing a Gift

    Quiet.

    Everyone was stunned.

    After a brief moment of shock, all eyes simultaneously fell on the hand of tiles Qiao Jing had justid down.

    Hiss¡ª

    A pure suit!

    Was her luck off the charts?

    They had just shuffled the mahjong tiles!

    Well, they had no choice but to start over.

    Qiao Jing: ¡°Bang!¡±

    Qiao Jing: ¡°Chow.¡±

    Qiao Jing: ¡°Kong.¡±

    Qiao Jing: ¡°Self-drawn.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Aiyo¡ª¡± Su Manhan rubbed her stomach, about to reach for a tissue to end the game when suddenly another wave hit her.

    It must have been the fruit she ate too much of.

    How was Qiao Jing doing ying for her by now?

    This girl was so clueless she hadn¡¯t even touched mahjong tiles before.

    The more Su Manhan thought about it, the less she thought of Qiao Jing.

    Twenty minutester, Su Manhan came out of the bathroom leaning on the wall, and Qiao Jing was still sitting at the table ying.

    As soon as Su Manhan arrived, she immediately looked at the money in front of Qiao Jing, fearing that not a single cent was left.

    Although the Zhan Family was wealthy and didn¡¯t care about such a small amount of money, who wanted to lose at mahjong?

    The moment Su Manhan took a look, she was stunned.

    The pile of money was almost too high to stack any more.

    What was going on?

    Before Su Manhan could voice her question, Mother Lu spoke up first, ¡°You¡¯re back just in time, Qiao Jing is amazing. If this continues, we¡¯ll lose our wallets entirely.¡±

    Really that amazing?

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the table in front of Qiao Jing, who was about to win again¡ªbut Qiao Jing needed thest Red Dragon.

    There had already been two Red Dragons yed on the table, with just one left¡ªthe odds were incredibly low.

    Besides, at this stage of the game, anyone who knew a bit about mahjong would understand that someone was likely aiming for that single Red Dragon, so even if they couldn¡¯t win, they would hold onto that Red Dragon tightly in their hand.

    Her hand wasn¡¯t going to win.

    While Su Manhan was thinking this, Qiao Jing had already drawn her tile.

    I can¡¯t believe it!

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes instantly widened.

    ¡°Win¡ªwin!¡± Su Manhan was more excited than Qiao Jing, swiftly knocking down the tiles.

    ¡°Another win, that¡¯s over twenty consecutive wins now. Qiao Jing, are you using cheats?¡± a noblewomanined.

    At first, the noblewomen were slightly annoyed, watching only one person win constantly was not very interesting.

    Now, they were actually impressed and started watching Qiao Jing¡¯s game as if it were a spectacle.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you must be a lucky star, right? Are you always this lucky?¡± Mother Lu asked with a big smile looking at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Pretty much.¡±

    Perhaps because after she was born, fate had been too harsh on her, not only nearly causing her demise but also leading to her mother¡¯s early departure from this world.

    Soter in her life, her fortune turned around to be much luckier than the average person.

    ¡°You really are a lucky star! To tell you the truth, I like you a lot, Qiao Jing. I feel we click well. You shoulde over to my ce more often. I heard from Zijin that the two of you are very good friends, so don¡¯t be a stranger with us¡­¡±

    Su Manhan just couldn¡¯t understand why Mother Lu liked Qiao Jing so much. What was so good about Qiao Jing, a country bumpkin?

    The other two wealthydies joined in, ¡°Qiao Jing, I like you too. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been living alone all this time. I have only one son, no daughters; I really want to take you as my god-daughter.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s knowledge of medicine had been mentioned by Mother Lu to the two wealthydies earlier. Her medical skills were extraordinary, her talent unparalleled. If they could take her as a god-daughter, it was a deal they couldn¡¯t possibly lose.

    ¡°I have three sons. My eldest is already married but the second and third are still single. If you have time, I could bring them over to introduce to you?¡±

    Listening to their back-and-forth, Su Manhan just couldn¡¯t make sense of it.

    Zhan Qipei was also baffled. He¡¯d just gone out for a little while¡ªwhy had these people stopped ying mahjong and startedpeting for his wife?

    Indeed, his previous thoughts had been correct. He had to keep his wife tied to his belt, never letting his guard down for a moment. The slightest rxation, and it was very possible that someone else could whisk her away in the blink of an eye.

    At 11 p.m., people in the imperial capital had already started setting off fireworks one after another, weing the arrival of the new year.

    It waste, and since both Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had drunk a bit, they decided not to return to Nantai Apartment but to stay over.

    Zhan Qipei, dressed in a wraparound bathrobe, came out of the bathroom after taking a shower.

    Qiao Jing stood on the balcony, her expression calm as she looked up at the fireworks in the sky.

    Zhan Qipei walked to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, his gaze falling on the beautiful and refined profile of the girl. He felt that her face was even more dazzling and beautiful than the fireworks above.

    ¡°I have a New Year¡¯s gift for you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei turned and walked towards the wardrobe.

    With a curious look, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze followed him as Zhan Qipei pulled out an exquisite gift box from the pocket of a hanging suit.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Qiao Jing asked as she took it.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you know if you open it?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to guess and started to unwrap the gift directly.

    ¡°Lipstick?¡±

    She never used it.

    ¡°Lip balm,¡± Zhan Qipei corrected.

    He knew Qiao Jing didn¡¯t like wearing lipstick, which was why he had chosen to give her lip balm.

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t like wearing lipstick except for on special asions.

    But she would often use lip balm, especially in the dry and cold winter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to try it?¡± Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing about to put away the lip balm, a trace of barely visible disappointment crossing his eyes.

    What¡¯s there to try?

    Qiao Jing originally wanted to say that, but then she thought better of it¡ªafter all, it was the man¡¯s thoughtfulness. Just trying it on wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    With that thought, Qiao Jing took the lip balm out of the gift box.

    She twisted it open, touched the stick to her lips, and gently applied it.

    As Qiao Jing concentrated on applying the lip balm with her head lowered, she had no idea that Zhan Qipei was staring intently at her lips, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing slightly.

    A deep surge passed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest as he stared at the girl¡¯s soft lips, nearly losing control.

    He couldn¡¯t be med; her lips were simply too tender and soft.

    The balm against them was visually stimting to an rming degree!

    After Qiao Jing finished applying it, she pursed her lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite moisturizing, the scent is faintly fragrant¡ªnot too strong, just a little bit. I really like it,¡± Qiao Jing said as she looked up and caught the man staring at her.

    She didn¡¯t think too much of it, assuming he was worried she¡¯d say it was not to her liking.

    ¡°As long as you like it,¡± Zhan Qipei felt as though he had wasted the effort of his shower. It was just watching a girl apply lip balm, but he hadn¡¯t expected to work up a sweat again.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t prepare a New Year¡¯s gift for you. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll make it up to you tomorrow.¡± Qiao Jing had been taught since she was little to reciprocate favors¡ªif someone gave her something, she couldn¡¯t just ept it without giving something in return.

    ¡°No need. I just wanted to give you something,¡± Zhan Qipei said.

    ¡°Still, name something. As long as it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, fiery with desire,nded on Qiao Jing¡¯s lips once again.

 Chapter 201 - 194: Various Bigwigs Pay New Year Respects to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 201: Chapter 194: Various Bigwigs Pay New Year Respects to Qiao Jing

    Qiao Jing was not foolish, she guessed what the man was thinking about as he stared at her lips.

    This damn man, really is¡ª

    ¡°You look gentle and refined, like a true gentleman, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Lustful?¡± Zhan Qipei picked up where Qiao Jing left off.

    Qiao Jing raised her exquisitely delicate eyebrows, ¡°That¡¯s what you said.¡±

    Seeing the small expression on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, Zhan Qipei thought she was extremely cute.

    ¡°Yes, I said it. Besides, I¡¯m a man. When facing the person I like, having such thoughts is normal, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    By now, Qiao Jing had be immune to men¡¯s frequent confessions.

    Just ignore it.

    ¡°So, do you want to?¡± Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips as he continued to gaze at Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth.

    Qiao Jing threw him a look, letting him figure it out on his own.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes showed a hint of regret, he knew it would end like this.

    Thinking, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on the lipstick in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, he slightly squinted his eyes, fell silent for two seconds, then spoke, ¡°Lend me the lipstick for a sec.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Although puzzled, Qiao Jing still handed over the lipstick to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°My lips are dry.¡± After saying this, Zhan Qipei twisted open the cap and applied the lipstick carefully across his lips.

    Initially, Qiao Jing did not think much of it, but then, noticing the subtly lifted corners of the man¡¯s lips, a peculiar look gradually appeared in her eyes.

    When she focused again, the smirk on Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips had vanished, reced by a very normal, very serious expression.

    Huh?

    Was she overthinking? Or was the man thinking too much? Did he smile just now or not?

    ¡°There.¡± Zhan Qipei handed the lipstick back to Qiao Jing, looking as if nothing had happened, while inside, his heart was aze as if in fire.

    Especially his lips, now tingling and feeling electrified from the moisturizing lipstick.

    The more Qiao Jing stared at the lipstick, the more bizarre her feelings grew.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction and guessed what she was thinking. He deliberately shifted his gaze and said, ¡°Do you have a phobia of germs? Then just throw the lipstick away. I¡¯ll buy you a new er.¡±

    Qiao Jing snapped out of her thoughts, and casually ced the lipstick on the bedside table.

    ¡°I¡¯m not like you, I don¡¯t have that many quirks. This lipstick is quite nice, to throw it away after just a couple of uses would be too extravagant and wasteful.¡±

    Grandpa Zhang had always taught her to be thrifty and frugal, telling her that no matter how much money she made in the future, she should never forget this traditional virtue. Qiao Jing had always kept these words close to her heart.

    After the night had passed, everything outside was nketed in pristine white snow.

    Standing by the window, looking into the distance, she felt particrly at ease.

    ¡°Get ready, we¡¯re going to visit Second Grandpa today,¡± Zhan Qipei came in and said.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s Second Grandpa, Zhan Kaiyang, was Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s younger brother. Although the two families didn¡¯t interact much on regr days, they still visited each other during festivals and holidays.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei to Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s home.

    While the Zhan Family chatted, and since Qiao Jing was not familiar with them, she felt bored and started checking her phone.

    Just as she did, she received a message from Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Master, are you home today? I want toe over for New Year¡¯s greetings.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not home in the morning, I¡¯ll be back in the afternoon,¡± Qiao Jing replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me New Year¡¯s greetings, just go give it to your own family.¡±

    ¡°You are my master, you are my family. I should rightly give you New Year¡¯s greetings.¡±

    Seeing this message, a warm smile formed at the corners of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, warmth spreading straight to the bottom of her heart.

    After Grandpa Zhang passed away, she had almost no family left.

    Lin Xiuxiang was one of them, regarding others, although she had many good friends, only good friends, they were still quite different from family.

    Zhan Qipei saw the blissful smile cresting at Qiao Jing¡¯s lips and curiously nced over at Qiao Jing¡¯s phone.

    So it was because of this¡­

    ¡°You have me too, I¡¯m your husband, and I¡¯m also your closest family right now.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow, unwilling to discuss this topic that would lead nowhere.

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± Another message arrived.

    Who was it sending her messages now?

    Zhan Qipei once more peered at Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, afraid that a wolf mighte snatch his little white rabbit.

    Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case.

    It was just¡ª

    He hadn¡¯t expected the message sender to be the Master of Chinese Painting, Old Master Han, Han Zhiyu.

    What surprised Zhan Qipei even more was that Han Zhiyu was alsoing to wish Qiao Jing a happy Chinese New Year.

    Logically, since Qiao Jing was the younger one, shouldn¡¯t she be the one to wish Han Zhiyu a happy New Year?

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±

    Several beeps in a row.

    Qiao Jing picked up her phone and stepped out, leaving Zhan Qipei knowing that she didn¡¯t want anyone to follow her or see.

    When he quickly nced earlier, it seemed like the people messaging her had notes like ¡°Professor,¡± ¡°Master,¡± ¡°Minister,¡± and such.

    Not sure if he had seen it wrong, but he even saw a notebeled ¡°Governor.¡±

    Which Governor? The one from their Imperial Capital?

    Zhan Qipei lifted his hand to his chin, analyzing the situation meticulously.

    Qiao Jing was no ordinary person; after all, she was the renowned Divine Doctor Jing from the Imperial Capital and she herself was an Imperial Capital local. So even if it was really that person sending Qiao Jing greetings, it would make sense.

    But it could also be that he had seen it wrong. Although ¡°Divine Doctor¡± was a strong title, it wasn¡¯t national team level. The title of Divine Doctor waspletely given out of admiration for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±, Zhan Qipei also received a greeting message from the Governor.

    Their Zhan Family was the leader of the Imperial Capital¡¯s industries and he was the richest man in the Empire, so that person sent him messages every year.

    Curiosity suddenly piqued in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart. If he borrowed Qiao Jing¡¯s phone and opened that person¡¯s user information, everything woulde to light.

    Of course, Zhan Qipei was just thinking about it. If he really did it and Qiao Jing found out, she would definitely be very angry.

    That said, regardless of whether it was that person messaging Qiao Jing, it didn¡¯t concern him. He was only interested in Qiao Jing herself, not about whether she was the Divine Doctor Jing.

    Qiao Jing, holding her phone, walked in the garden until someone obstructed her path.

    Looking up, the person blocking her wasn¡¯t anyone else but Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s grandson, Zhan Nan.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Qiao Jing had just spoken when she felt someone approaching from behind and stopped.

    Qiao Jing looked back with a hint of wariness in her eyes.

    A face identical to Zhan Nan, it was Zhan Nan¡¯s twin brother, Zhan Bei.

    The brothers eyed Qiao Jing with a look that was nearly like sizing up prey.

    Qiao Jing was familiar with such gazes; when she used to walk on the streets and encountered ruffians, those social parasites would look at her just like this.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ª your skin is really white, feels whiter than snow,¡± Zhan Nan said, lecherously gazing at Qiao Jing¡¯s face and neck while stroking his chin.

    Zhan Bei did the same, ¡°She¡¯s also got a good figure, not a D but at least a C?¡±

 Chapter 202 - 195: Qiao Jing Teased by the Zhan Family Brothers

    Chapter 202: Chapter 195: Qiao Jing Teased by the Zhan Family Brothers

    ¡°`

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look in your eyes? It¡¯s way beyond a C, it has to be a D.¡±

    ¡°Look at how slender her waist is, like a willow, feels like it could bend with a gust of wind. I¡¯m really curious, with such a thin waist, how can she have the strength to handle farm tools, to do farm work?¡±

    ¡°And then look at her legs, so slim and long, they look absolutely delicious!¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were taking turns with their remarks, getting more and more lewd, more and more unbearable.

    Qiao Jing half-squinted her cold eyes; fists hanging by her sides clenched.

    ¡°Hey¡ªlook, the beauty is getting angry!¡± Zhan Nan burst intoughter.

    ¡°Hey! We¡¯re praising you, why can¡¯t you appreciate it?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, we brothers came looking for you for a good reason.¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei kept talking as they moved closer to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing watched them warily, gauging the distance between them. If they crossed the line, if they exceeded her bottom line, she didn¡¯t care if they were rtives of Zhan Qipei, she would beat them so badly they¡¯d be searching for their teeth all over the ground.

    ¡°Why so fierce? We¡¯ve already said we came to you with good intentions.¡±

    ¡°Step closer, and I will make you regret today¡¯s actions,¡± Qiao Jing said coolly, staring at the two men.

    The two brothers frowned unhappily.

    ¡°Putting on airs, who do you think you are?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed, her face ice-cold.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re upset that I called you a kept woman? The 100-day agreement you had with my older cousin has already passed, and now you¡¯re still staying by his side. What does that tell us? Doesn¡¯t it just show you shamelessly crawled into my older cousin¡¯s bed, using that seductive body to lure him in?

    Anyway, you like that sort of thing, and with my cousin as just one man, and the two of us brothers, you¡¯re definitely getting the better end of the deal.¡±

    ¡°My brother¡¯s right. As long as you¡¯re willing to take care of us, you can have money, jewelry, or bags¡ªwhatever you want.¡±

    Qiao Jing could no longer tolerate it and spoke with icy precision.

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    Qiao Jing was irritated, and so were Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei by her attitude.

    ¡°You country woman, thinking that you can shamelessly climb into my older cousin¡¯s bed and stay by his side forever, be the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam? Look at yourself, you¡¯re nothing but a bumpkin. Shameless¡ª¡±

    With a loud ¡°smack,¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hold back her p in the slightest, and Zhan Nan¡¯s face instantly swelled visibly fast.

    Zhan Nan, feeling his swollen and painful face, stared at Qiao Jing with incredulous eyes, fury reaching its peak.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve! How dare you hit me! Zhan Bei, hold her down for me, see if I don¡¯t whip her to death!¡±

    ¡°Brother, her face is so pretty, don¡¯t hit her face, yeah? If you want to get even, just rip off her clothes,¡± Zhan Bei said, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the front of Qiao Jing¡¯s body.

    Just then, a deep and spine-chilling voice suddenly sounded behind Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see today who dares to strip my wife¡¯s clothes.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were instantly jolted, a chill running down their spines, goosebumps exploding all over.

    How could they be so unlucky to be caught red-handed by Zhan Qipei?

    Even though Qiao Jing was just an insignificant country person, she was now, nominally, Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife. Even if the punishment wasn¡¯t severe, they would at least be reprimanded and lectured.

    The two had a sh of inspiration, exchanged nces, and immediately had an idea.

    ¡°Older cousin, don¡¯t get it wrong, we didn¡¯t mean that. It was Qiao Jing, she was the one who tried to seduce us first. We rejected her, but she shamelessly continued to seduce, and that¡¯s why my brother said those words in a fit of rage, wanted to tear open her clothes to see just how cheap she is!¡±

    ¡°You say she¡¯s cheap, hmm?¡± Zhan Qipei spoke in a tone that was neither warm nor cold, emotionless.

    Qiao Jing could feel that Zhan Qipei was angry, and very much so.

    ¡°`

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were only busy pushing all the me onto Qiao Jing,pletely oblivious to Zhan Qipei¡¯s unusual behavior.

    ¡°Yes, Big Cousin! You don¡¯t know how cheap she is, she¡ª¡±

    ¡°p¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s p was even harsher than the one Qiao Jing had delivered just before.

    Zhan Bei, who received the p, was sent sprawling onto the ground with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

    Clutching his face, Zhan Bei looked somewhat stupefied; he truly hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to suddenly strike him.

    They were cousins, after all. Even if he really had touched this country girl, at most Big Cousin would have scowled at him, but he wouldn¡¯t actually get physical, right?

    Moreover, he hadn¡¯t done anything but call the other party cheap, and for that he got beaten to this extent?

    ¡°Cough cough¡ª¡± Zhan Bei coughed twice, spat out some blood, and along with it, two teeth.

    Shocking!

    How much force had Big Cousin used? To actually knock his teeth out?

    Zhan Nanqing rushed over upon hearing themotion and, upon arrival, saw this scene before her eyes, then her gaze fell upon Qiao Jing¡¯s face that looked like it could easily stir up trouble.

    Mentally clicking her tongue, she roughly guessed what had happened.

    The disturbance had drawn not only Zhan Nanqing but also Zhan Kaiyang and the parents of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    Cao Rushan, the mother of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, saw her two sons beaten to such a state, each looking more like a pig¡¯s head than the other, barely recognizable, and she felt a pang of heartache.

    ¡°Nan Nan, Bei Bei, who did this to you? How did you end up like this?¡±

    ¡°It was me.¡± Qiao Jing stepped forward.

    Cao Rushan whirled her head around, her eyes nearly bursting with rage as she faced Qiao Jing, about to curse her out loud, but then she saw Zhan Qipei step forward, blocking in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I did it.¡±

    The words Cao Rushan was about to curse got stuck in her throat.

    Towards Qiao Jing, such a lowly country person, she could easily pinch and curse at will. Even confining her and subjecting her to inhuman torture would just be a matter of moving her lips.

    But Zhan Qipei¡­

    Although by seniority Zhan Qipei was her junior, by status, he was the head of the Zhan Family, so she couldn¡¯t just berate him openly.

    ¡°I did it, he deserved it,¡± Zhan Qipei spoke with indifference.

    Cao Rushan silently clenched her teeth, looking towards Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    ¡°Why did she hit you?¡±

    Cao Rushan was convinced that it was Qiao Jing who had beaten Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei. Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were merely to shield Qiao Jing.

    Seeing their opportunity, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei hurriedly began to speak.

    ¡°Mom, Big Cousin misunderstood us. This Qiao Jing¡ªshe seduced us, wanting us to buy her bags and jewelry. Big Cousin saw it and thought we were harassing her,¡± Zhan Bei put on a look as wronged as could be.

    ¡°Absolutely! She seduced us, Big Cousin, you have to believe us!¡± Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei chimed in together.

    ¡°Shameless!¡± Su Manhan muttered under her breath.

    Zhan Nanqing looked up at Su Manhan, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t think this is Qiao Jing¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°What? After all this, you¡¯re still speaking up for Qiao Jing?¡± Su Manhan raised her voice.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, ¡°Anyway, just watch.¡±

    Zhan Qipei took a step forward, his face filled with cold anger as he looked at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    ¡°She seduced you? I have to warm her bed every night, yet she kicks me off the bed with one foot. Seduce you guys? Are you even worthy?¡±

 Chapter 203 - 196: Qiao Jing is the Biological Mother of My Future Child

    Chapter 203: Chapter 196: Qiao Jing is the Biological Mother of My Future Child

    As soon as Zhan Qipei spoke, the whole scene immediately fell silent.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed suddenly, and she cast a speechless look at Zhan Qipei.

    You exin if you must, but did you have to be so detailed about it? She didn¡¯t care, but did you not care about your own dignity?

    Zhan Nanqing closed her mouth. She felt that if she continued to gape, she would be stuffed to death by the disy of affection.

    ¡°Are you deliberately defending Qiao Jing?¡± Cao Rushan said to Zhan Qipei, unconvinced.

    ¡°Think what you will, Qiao Jing is my wife, now and in the future¡­ the mother of my child, and I¡¯mying it out here. If anyone dares to bully her again, don¡¯t me me for turning heartless!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s sharp gaze swept across Cao Rushan and the Zhan siblings.

    The three instantly broke out in cold sweat.

    That¡¯s when Zhan Kaiyang arrived.

    Upon seeing Zhan Kaiyang, the three, like grabbing a lifesaving straw, quickly began toin.

    ¡°Dad, this Qiao Jing bullied your grandson and even beat them up like this!¡±

    Zhan Kaiyang had already heard about the situation before his arrival, which is why he hurried over.

    Looking at the highly swollen cheeks of the Zhan siblings, his old face became as unsightly as it could be.

    The Zhan siblings were his beloved grandsons, his pride. He had cherished them since childhood, and now a country girl had beaten them; how could he not be furious.

    At that thought, Zhan Kaiyang red at Qiao Jing with aged eyes and sharply inquired, ¡°Why did you hit them?¡±

    ¡°They deserved it,¡± Qiao Jing replied without submissive or arrogance.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fearless demeanor instantly infuriated Zhan Kaiyang, who had long been ustomed to authority.

    ¡°Humph! What a temper! Qipei, as her husband, isn¡¯t it your duty to properly discipline her? I think there¡¯s no need to discipline her anymore. Such a person does not deserve to enter my Zhan Family¡¯s door. I don¡¯t know what big brother was thinking, letting this trash marry into my Zhan Family. Just drive her out! And never let her set foot in my Zhan Family¡¯s house again!¡±

    A cold and silent aura suddenly enveloped Zhan Qipei, and everyone realized that Zhan Qipei was angry!

    ¡°Second Grandpa, she is my wife, Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife. I won¡¯t tolerate the Zhan siblings bullying her, nor will I allow you to unjustly scold her because you are an elder. Calling her trash? That¡¯s essentially calling me trash as well. Since you look down on us and don¡¯t want us to step foot in your house again. Well then, from today, I¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were not yetplete when he was interrupted by Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, there¡¯s no need! This is between them and me.¡± Qiao Jing knew what Zhan Qipei was about to say, and she was about to leave.

    As far as the Zhan Family was concerned, she was just a passerby. She didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei to have any disputes with any rtives of the Zhan Family because of her.

    Especially since the person in question was Zhan Qipei¡¯s Second Grandpa.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing resolutely, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, you are my wife, and I will protect you well. Don¡¯t worry, let me handle this matter.¡±

    With that, Zhan Qipei turned to face Zhan Kaiyang again, ¡°I give you two options, either let the Zhan siblings apologize to her, and Second Grandpa, you must apologize to Qiao Jing as well, or I, Zhan Qipei, will never step into this ce again!¡±

    Shock!!!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words could truly be described as shocking.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s grandfather and Zhan Kaiyang were brothers, and although they interacted less frequently, both families had never had conflicts and had generally gotten along well.

    Now, because of a country girl, things had escted to this point of rupture, who wouldn¡¯t be shocked?

    ¡°Damn it, Qiao Jing!¡± Su Manhan cursed silently in her heart.

    From the start, she hadn¡¯t felt wrong. Qiao Jing was a disaster, a cmity.

    Since Qiao Jing entered her door, one misfortune after another urred. First, she beat her daughter, andter she caused her son to be buried under rubble, almost dying.

    Today, on New Year¡¯s Day, they even severed rtions with their branch of the family, all because of Qiao Jing.

    All of this was because of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked up at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, which was incredibly serious and resolute.

    She had anticipated that he would say such things but, upon hearing them, felt differently.

    That feeling¡­

    Indescribable.

    Very strange.

    Mixed with a hint of¡­ palpitations¡­

    Zhan Kaiyang looked at Zhan Qipei with a shocked expression on his stern old face and said coldly, ¡°Qipei, are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Do you think this is something to joke about?¡± Zhan Qipei replied, standing his ground with a calm and collected gaze.

    ¡°All for this country girl?¡± Zhan Kaiyang clenched his teeth, his wrinkled eyes suppressing a fury about to erupt.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes and, ncing at Qiao Jing by his side, coldly said to Zhan Kaiyang, ¡°She is my wife.¡±

    The atmosphere cooled down, bing even more tense and explosive.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei watched the unyielding standoff between Zhan Qipei and Zhan Kaiyang, their fear growing boundlessly.

    They were merely attracted to Qiao Jing¡¯s good looks and figure, thinking they could take advantage of her, but their actions had escted to this extent.

    They had thought that even if they slept with Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei found out, at most he would scold them.

    Little did they know, they hadn¡¯t even touched a hair on Qiao Jing¡¯s head, but were pped by her instead. Clearly, they were the ones suffering misfortune, yet they were biting back?

    What exactly was going on? Could it be that Zhan Qipei truly had feelings for Qiao Jing?

    Su Manhan, no longer able to bear it, approached and asked Qiao Jing, ¡°Tell me, did you seduce them first?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced briefly at Su Manhan and spoke indifferently, ¡°Evidence.¡±

    With just those two words, Su Manhan had to swallow everything she was about to say back down her throat.

    Zhan Nanqing pulled Su Manhan aside and said, ¡°Mom, just stay out of this. You didn¡¯t see what happened, and saying this could hurt people.¡±

    Su Manhan sneered, scrutinizing Zhan Nanqing with a suspicious and inquiring gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you always speak in favor of Qiao Jing. What¡¯s going on with you? Weren¡¯t you opposed to Qiao Jing marrying your brother even more than me before?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t know how to respond to Su Manhan¡¯s words at the moment.

    Just then, Zhan Yuanshan arrived, assisted by Zhan Ruiting.

    As soon as Zhan Kaiyang appeared, Zhan Ruiting had foreseen that this issue would not be easily resolved.

    Although Zhan Qipei was the head of the family, Zhan Kaiyang was his grandfather¡¯s generation, making the situation difficult to handle. Thus, he quickly sought Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s help.

    ¡°Big brother, you¡¯ve arrived just in time. Your daughter-inw shamelessly seduced my grandson and then counterattacked by using them of bullying her. Your good grandson is wholeheartedly protecting her, even to the point of severing ties with our branch of the family for her sake. What do you think we should do about this?¡±

 Chapter 204 - 197 Zhan Qipei Protects His Wife as He Does His Life

    Chapter 204: Chapter 197 Zhan Qipei Protects His Wife as He Does His Life

    Zhan Kaiyang felt that Zhan Qipei had been bewildered and lost his reason because of Qiao Jing, to actually defend her like this. Fortunately, Zhan Yuanshan arrived just in time, or else¡ª

    ¡°Foolish nonsense!¡± Zhan Yuanshan bellowed angrily.

    The imposing aura of the foremost war general on the bordends wasn¡¯t something ordinary people could withstand. Although Zhan Yuanshan was getting on in years, the formidable presence honed from years on the battlefields was etched into his very bones.

    Upon hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s thunderous roar, Zhan Kaiyang¡¯splexion improved slightly, while Zhan Nan, Zhan Bei, and Cao Rushan wore cold smirks as they looked towards Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing.

    They all thought Qiao Jing was in for some bad luck.

    Leaning on his walking stick and huffing indignantly, Zhan Yuanshan approached Zhan Kaiyang, ¡°You really are getting more foolish with age! Would my chosen granddaughter-inw seduce your grandson? Just look at how shifty-eyed your grandson is. Relying on the family¡¯s favorable conditions, he idles his days away, if not chasing after women, then on the way to do so. Your two grandsons are not even worthy of carrying my granddaughter-inw¡¯s shoes! And you still defend them?

    I¡¯m telling you, you spoil those two rotten brats too much, raising them to be no better than waste!¡±

    After hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, Zhan Kaiyang and Cao Rushan, along with her sons, stared dumbfounded.

    So the ¡°foolish nonsense¡± Zhan Yuanshan shouted earlier wasn¡¯t directed at Qiao Jing, but at him, Zhan Kaiyang?

    ¡°Big brother, why are you the same as Qipei? All protecting her? I know she¡¯s the one you chose for Qipei, but you can¡¯t just shield her in everything, can you?¡± Zhan Kaiyang argued, unconvinced.

    ¡°Yes, great-grandfather! I really didn¡¯t do that kind of thing to her; we swear! If we bullied Qiao Jing just now, may we be struck dead by a car the moment we step out the door!¡± Zhan Nan raised his hands, trying to look as pitifully wronged as possible.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Zhan Nanqing curled her lips, ¡°If swearing did any good, what would we need the police for?¡±

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing, shut your mouth!¡± Zhan Bei was seriously pissed off.

    They told her not to talk, but she insisted on talking.

    ¡°You said you swear, right? Okay then, make it something harsh. If you did it, may you be rendered impotent from now on! Come on, swear!¡±

    ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re going too far!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Zhan Yuanshan stepped forward with his cane in front of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you onest chance, apologize to her!¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, unable to stand up to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s imposing manner, were shaking like quails, trembling non-stop.

    ¡°Big brother, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Zhan Yuanshan cut off Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s speech.

    ¡°Big brother, you say I¡¯m senile; I think the one who¡¯s really lost his mind is you!¡± Zhan Kaiyang was livid.

    He had to be; he couldn¡¯t just watch his precious grandsons being frightened like this. What if it caused them psychological trauma?

    ¡°I¡¯m senile? I believe the one who can¡¯t tell right from wrong is you! What Qipei means is what I mean as well. You and those two little brats immediately owe my granddaughter-inw an apology, or else our two families won¡¯t need to associate anymore!¡±

    Those words were serious!

    Although Zhan Qipei had said the same earlier, he was, at the end of the day, only representing himself as a grandson.

    But Zhan Yuanshan was different; he represented his entire branch of the family.

    ¡°Big brother, are you serious?¡±

    ¡°I always mean what I say! So, will you apologize today or not?¡±

    The atmosphere tensed up to the extreme again.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, ncing at Zhan Qipei and then at Zhan Yuanshan. Although the trouble was started by Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, it wouldn¡¯t have blown up like this if it weren¡¯t for her presence.

    Just as Qiao Jing took half a step forward, her foot still in the air, Zhan Qipei caught hold of her wrist.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say,¡± Zhan Qipei held onto Qiao Jing¡¯s hand without letting go, ¡°but it¡¯s unnecessary. You are my wife, and if you¡¯re being bullied or aggrieved, then it¡¯s my business as your husband to settle the conflict, not hide you away. Otherwise, I may as well not call myself a man.¡±

    ¡°Qipei is right!¡± Zhan Yuanshan looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Jing Girl, you don¡¯t need to feel guilty. They¡¯re the ones in the wrong here!¡±

    Zhan Kaiyang was fuming with anger, and it seemed that they were determined to protect Qiao Jing, no matter what.

    ¡°I will investigate this matter thoroughly and prove to you that the fault lies with Qiao Jing, my grandson did nothing wrong!¡±

    Zhan Kaiyang trusted Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei just as much as Zhan Yuanshan and his grandson trusted Qiao Jing, neither side willing to give in.

    ¡°One day, you¡¯ll regret this!¡± Zhan Yuanshan spat out these harsh words before leaving.

    What a joke! His granddaughter-inw, the agricultural tycoon Professor Qiao, would seduce his two grandsons? Are they even worth considering?

    Zhan Yuanshan had these thoughts swirling inside and wanted to express them, but he promised Qiao Jing that he wouldn¡¯t disclose anything to anyone until she left the Zhan Family. If it weren¡¯t for that, he would have really liked to tell Zhan Kaiyang directly a moment ago.

    A magnate in agriculture, seducing two do-nothing heirs like Chen Tianning? That would be daydreaming!

    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯ll return these words to you just as they are!¡± Zhan Kaiyang thought to himself that it was lucky there were no surveince cameras here, otherwise, they would see how they were protecting Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Nanqing, Zhan Bei, if you¡¯ve been wronged, don¡¯t worry. Once this girl Qiao Jing leaves the Zhan Family, I¡¯ll capture her so you can take your revenge.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa!¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were also considering how they would take revenge on Qiao Jing.

    They couldn¡¯t wait to get their revenge, of course, not in front of Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei exchanged nces, with a malicious smile forming in their eyes.

    It¡¯s just dealing with a country girl. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.

    The year passed by quickly, and industries began to resume work.

    On the afternoon of the eighth day, Zhan Nanqing received a message from the bank about a deposit.

    5800.

    ¡°What is this, where¡¯s the money from?¡± Zhan Nanqing murmured in confusion.

    ¡°It¡¯s your sry,¡± Qiao Jing said as she approached.

    ¡°What? Sry?¡± Zhan Nanqing had never been paid a sry in her life.

    ¡°Not enough?¡± Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re only in your internship period, and frankly, you¡¯re quite expendable at the research institute. This internship sry is quite generous already.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay me. This money isn¡¯t even enough for me to buy a handbag,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, disdainful to ept it, yet the figure ¡°5800¡± fascinated her.

    She had everything handed to her since childhood, spent money like water. To her, money was just a series of digits.

    Not very significant.

    But this 5800, this tangible sum, made her happier than getting 500,000.

    ¡°If you¡¯re working for me, how can I not pay you? What do you take this ce for, a sleazy institute?¡± Qiao Jing picked up her cup and took a sip of tea.

    ¡°5800 might not be much, but you can buy a lot with it. There¡¯s no need to always go for luxury items. If you took that money to the supermarket, you could buy loads.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the money on her phone, her brows furrowed tightly, and after pondering for two seconds, she couldn¡¯t help but ask out of curiosity, ¡°When did you start making money?¡±

 Chapter 205 - 198: Professor Qiao is Divine Doctor Jing

    Chapter 205: Chapter 198: Professor Qiao is Divine Doctor Jing

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°When I was in the first grade of elementary school?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Zhan Nanqing seriously doubted she was hallucinating.

    ¡°First grade of elementary school? How is that possible?¡±

    She acknowledged that Qiao Jing was very impressive, but no matter how impressive, that wouldn¡¯t mean starting to make money from the first grade, right?

    ¡°It was you who asked me, and now you don¡¯t believe my answer,¡± Qiao Jing set her water cup aside and began to work on the task at hand.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed how Qiao Jing seemed unwilling to exin anything, and she thought about how Qiao Jing didn¡¯t like to disclose her identity as Professor Qiao to the public¡­

    Honestly, based on her understanding of Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t seem like someone who would bluff, so could the reality be just like what Qiao Jing said, that she started making money from the first grade?

    But how old is a first grader?

    She recalled her own time in the first grade, when she didn¡¯t want to get up in the morning, looking forward to the end of ss when she could go home and eat snacks.

    ¡°How did you make money when you were in the first grade?¡±

    ¡°Doing household chores, winning schrships,¡± Qiao Jing spoke without stopping her work.

    Schrships? Oh right, how could she have overlooked that?

    It¡¯s not that she deliberately ignored this fact, but because she had never received a schrship in her life.

    It wasn¡¯t that her grades were bad, but those who received schrships were always the ones with the top grades.

    ¡°Since first grade, you must have received so many schrships that your hands got tired, right?¡±

    As Zhan Nanqing said this, there was an indescribable feeling of envy in her heart. And a bit of sourness too.

    Just like in the past, although her family was wealthy and didn¡¯tck money, every time there was an assembly at school, seeing the excellent students receiving schrships always made her eyes turn red.

    ¡°Not many times,¡± Qiao Jing replied honestly.

    ¡°How is that possible? You¡¯re not just saying that to avoid discouraging me, are you?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing¡¯s words at all. Qiao Jing was the number one agricultural magnate in their empire, a mythical figure whose status was even higher than Xu Hongzu¡¯s.

    For such a person, weren¡¯t schrships in school practically her prerogative?

    Qiao Jing nced sidelong at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°I only attended elementary school for two years before skipping to middle school, and I didn¡¯t stay long before skipping to high school. Later, I was rmended for admission to the Capital¡¯s Agricultural University.

    Grandpa Zhang said he was afraid that I, being so young, would be bullied by adults in the university, so he suggested I temporarily abstain from going. I took a few years off, learned some martial arts, and then returned to the Agricultural University to continue studying.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s jaw almost dropped!

    Indeed, intelligence limits the imagination! She had thought Qiao Jing would be first in her ss every year, but it turned out that the real genius didn¡¯t need schrships at all, skipping grades directly, not even needing to sit for the college entrance exams.

    She also took time off to do other things and still achieved what others could only dream of attaining in their entire lives.

    ¡°You¡¯re not human!¡± Overwhelmed, Zhan Nanqing turned and ran toward the restroom.

    Before reaching the restroom, she overheard a female professor chatting with a janitor.

    The conversation caught her attention.

    ¡°What happened to your back?¡± the female professor asked.

    ¡°Old problem, it¡¯s been hurting for decades,¡± the janitor replied, holding her back.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you sought treatment?¡±

    ¡°I have, but it¡¯s incurable.¡±

    ¡°Then you should see Professor Qiao for treatment,¡± suggested the professor.

    ¡°Professor Qiao knows medical treatment?¡± the janitor asked in surprise.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know then. Our Professor Qiao is actually the Divine Doctor Jing of immense reputation mentioned outside. If you seek her help, she¡¯ll surely give you miraculous healing.¡±

    Qiao Jing is the Divine Doctor Jing?!

    This ¡ª how is that possible?

    That Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao, she had alreadye to ept.

    But now someone was telling her that Qiao Jing was also the widely acimed Divine Doctor Jing, renowned all over the country!!!

    No matter how capable a person is, it shouldn¡¯t be to this extent, right?

    However ¡ª

    Zhan Nanqing suddenly recalled the conversation she just had with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°All right¡­ it looks like ¡®person¡¯ is no longer a fitting word to describe Qiao Jing.¡±

    Isn¡¯t fate just too unfair?

    Zhan Nanqing felt thatpared to Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing was like an immortal masterpiece meticulously sculpted by Nvwa over several years, while she was just a y pellet flung out casually by Nvwa.

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± Zhan Nanqing received a message from Su Manhan.

    Without knowing when, Su Manhan had created a small group chat that, apart from the two of them, also included Lou Xinrou.

    Su Manhan, ¡°Qiao Jing is too good at causing trouble. Someone like her absolutely can¡¯t be tolerated in our Zhan Family.¡±

    Lou Xinrou, ¡°Ever since Qiao Jing arrived, Brother Pei has never given me another nce.¡±

    Lou Xinrou, a sad face with tears emoji.

    Su Manhan, head-patting emoji.

    Su Manhan @Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Now that you have the most contact with Qiao Jing, can¡¯t you find out her weaknesses?¡±

    Upon reading this, Zhan Nanqing really felt like replying.

    Weaknesses? Well, she¡¯s Divine Doctor Jing.

    Weaknesses? Yes, she¡¯s Professor Qiao.

    Honestly, Zhan Nanqing really wanted to send this message. Heaven knows she was feeling pretty lonely being shocked by herself. Couldn¡¯t someone share the burden?

    Moreover, Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was delicious, her martial prowess was formidable, she was all-around excellent.

    The more Zhan Nanqing thought about it, the more she felt like her brother really wasn¡¯t a match for Qiao Jing.

    Huh?

    Speaking of Zhan Qipei, Zhan Nanqing suddenly remembered something.

    ¡°Is my brother being so nice to Qiao Jing because he already discovered that she¡¯s Professor Qiao or Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Should she find an opportunity to test him?

    Impulsive as she was, Zhan Nanqing acted on her thoughts immediately.

    Without a second¡¯s dy, she sent the edited message to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother, do you know what role Qiao Jing ys in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?¡±

    Zhan Qipei originally hadn¡¯t wanted to bother with Zhan Nanqing during work hours, but upon ncing at the message and seeing the name ¡°Qiao Jing,¡± he immediately set aside what he was doing and opened the message.

    ¡°You want to tell me? I thought you signed a non-disclosure agreement. You can¡¯t speak of it,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Eh????¡± Zhan Nanqing scratched the back of her head, muttering to herself, ¡°Could it be that my brother doesn¡¯t know Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao?¡±

    ¡°Are you nning to tell him?¡± A cold voice suddenly rang out behind Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing, startled, felt the hairs on her body stand up and quickly turned to face Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You, you, howe you don¡¯t make a sound when you walk?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s clear gaze fell on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s cell phone, prompting Zhan Nanqing to quickly exin, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, I signed a confidentiality agreement, I won¡¯t tell my brother, and I won¡¯t tell anyone!¡±

    Qiao Jing continued to stare at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone with obvious skepticism.

    Not very convinced.

    Zhan Nanqing, growing anxious, continued to exin, ¡°I swear, I really had no intention of revealing your identity to my brother. I only asked him to see if he already knew about you.¡±

    Now, there was no need to test any further; her brother clearly was unaware, or else Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t have that icy look right now.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing said, not pursuing the matter further.

    Watching Qiao Jing walk away, Zhan Nanqing let out a deep sigh and patted her chest.

    Huh?

    ¡°Why was I so scared of her?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked at her arm and noticed her hair was still standing on end.

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei sent a new message.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡±

    Having slowly recovered from her scare, Zhan Nanqing continued to draft a message to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother, why do you like Qiao Jing?¡±

 Chapter 206 - 199: The Retribution of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei

    Chapter 206: Chapter 199: The Retribution of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei

    ¡°She and I are destined to be together,¡±

    Hearing this answer, the rapidly changing expressions on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face were simply indescribable.

    If she had to describe it, it was like the difort of overeating.

    ¡°Actually, the person who saved me wasn¡¯t Lan Yinyin,¡± Zhan Qipei slowly exined.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhan Nanqing was stunned for a moment. ¡°Not Lan Yinyin? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Lan Yinyin approached me with ulterior motives, she¡¯s very likely to be connected to the person who tried to assassinate me a while ago¡­¡±

    The more Zhan Qipei spoke, the more shocked Zhan Nanqing became.

    She really hadn¡¯t expected such a huge conspiracy behind Lan Yinyin and couldn¡¯t help feeling scared afterwards.

    ¡°Brother, when did you find out that Lan Yinyin wasn¡¯t the one who saved you?¡±

    ¡°When she appeared?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth in surprise, ¡°You knew from the beginning? Then why, why didn¡¯t you expose her? Keeping her by your side, you¡ªoh!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stopped mid-sentence, suddenly guessing Zhan Qipei¡¯s intention.

    ¡°Are you trying to bide your time and catch the big fish?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°But how did you know she wasn¡¯t the one who saved you at that time?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing clearly remembered that Zhan Qipei said the person who saved him had superb medical skills and was also highly skilled inbat, and there were few people who could meet such criteria.

    Lan Yinyin fitted these criteria and even gave a rough ount of the incident back then, so how did her brother figure out that Lan Yinyin wasn¡¯t the one who saved him?

    ¡°Because the one who saved me was Qiao Jing,¡± Zhan Qipei said, looking at the image of Qiao Jing on theputer desktop, his mouth curving into a smile and his eyes revealing an undeniable affection.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes instantly widened in astonishment.

    So that was the reason!

    At the same time, Zhan Nanqing finally understood something¡ªno wonder her brother had fallen for Qiao Jing. It turned out to be an act of gratitude for saving his life.

    Zhan Nanqing lifted her hand and patted her own head.

    ¡°How did I not guess this before?¡±

    Qiao Jing was incredibly skilled; it wasn¡¯t the first or second time she had seen Qiao Jing in action. It was simply awesome.

    And Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills, the unparalleled Divine Doctor Jing¡­

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡±

    Zhan Nanqing received another message from Su Manhan tagging her.

    ¡°Nanqing, what are you up to? Why haven¡¯t you popped up? I¡¯m asking you, what are Qiao Jing¡¯s weaknesses and ws?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s thoughts came back, and she typed a message without hesitation and sent it.

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡¯s weakness is that she is too strong, there are not many men who can hold their own against her.¡±

    ???

    Upon seeing this message, both Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou were mentally stuck, unable to react at all.

    What does that mean?

    The workday was over.

    Today Zhan Qipei was held up with work and couldn¡¯te to pick up Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll drive you home,¡± Zhan Nanqing said to Qiao Jing, who was ready to call a taxi.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m nning to visit the welfare institution.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan had just set a date for their marriage, and she wanted to go help with the preparations.

    ¡°Oh, then do you want me to take you there?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked again.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing with curiosity, sizing her up from head to toe.

    Zhan Nanqing felt goosebumps all over from Qiao Jing¡¯s intense gaze.

    ¡°What are you doing, why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled slightly, ¡°Are you being so nice to me now?¡±

    She¡¯s being nice to Qiao Jing now?!

    The words made Zhan Nanqing feel incredibly ufortable, and the back of her ears even started to redden.

    ¡°Who, who¡¯s being nice to you? Don¡¯t tter yourself! I¡¯m not!¡±

    After speaking, Zhan Nanqing pulled open the car door, got in, stepped on the gas pedal, and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

    Qiao Jing chuckled and shook her head, continuing to wait for a taxi by the side of the road.

    It might have been rush hour because Qiao Jing had been waiting for over ten minutes without a car in sight.

    ¡°Looks like I should take some time to learn how to use ride-hailing apps from Xiangxiang.¡±

    Qiao Jing had hardly ever interacted with ride-hailing apps or games; people¡¯s energy is limited, and she believed her abilities were limited too, capable only of engaging in scientific research, casually reading medical books, and, when tired or needing a break, going for a drive to rx.

    As for the myriad of apps avable on phones, she was neither willing nor had the energy to fiddle with them.

    Qiao Jing waited another five or six minutes, but still couldn¡¯t catch a taxi.

    ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s just a forty-minute walk away, quite close actually. I¡¯ll treat it as exercise.¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing set off than the car parked by the roadside began to move slowly.

    In the leading car, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei kept their eyes fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure.

    ¡°She¡¯s alone now. The moment we get the chance, have them subdue her. She dared to hit me; I want to let her know the consequences ofying her hands on me!¡± Zhan Nan touched his face, which wasn¡¯t hurting anymore after several days, but the sense of humiliation was still there.

    ¡°Brother, what if we really do ¡®it¡¯ to her and she goes and tells Big Brother Zhan what happened?¡± Zhan Bei worriedly said.

    ¡°Scared of what? Just blindfold her eyes, force her to swallow a couple of bottles of medicine. When she¡¯s lost in a drunken stupor and burning with desire, unconscious, are you still afraid she¡¯ll figure out it was us?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve thought this through.¡±

    Zhan Nan watched Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette with an expression of determined conquest.

    To take a shortcut, Qiao Jing walked through quiet alleys and backstreets.

    ¡°Now¡¯s the chance! Send them in! Be quick about it, throw a bag over her head, and bring her to the car.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    As Qiao Jing walked, she suddenly felt someone approaching from behind, and not just one person.

    Qiao Jing immediately stopped and turned around to look.

    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± A scream followed.

    The three strangers following her were all taken down by Wu Xirui.

    ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°Quite a coincidence. I just happened to be driving by and saw them tailing you, so I conveniently took care of them all,¡± Wu Xirui said while taking a handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously wiping it.

    Seeing Wu Xirui like this, Qiao Jing thought of Zhan Qipei.

    Both men were not just handsome; they shared the same fastidiousness.

    Huh?

    Qiao Jing stared intently at Wu Xirui. Although Wu Xirui was mixed-race and his hair color was different from that of a typical Asian, his eyes seemed somewhat simr to Zhan Qipei¡¯s.

    Wu Xirui looked up and caught Qiao Jing staring at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there dirt on my face? Or ¡ª are you seduced by my good looks?¡± Wu Xirui asked with a smile.

    Qiao Jing indifferently withdrew her gaze and looked at the three men lying on the ground, saying to Wu Xirui, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, you¡¯re going to treat my illness, and I stepped in to save you, consider it quid pro quo,¡± Wu Xirui said, his eyes then falling on the top of Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qiao Jing noticed Wu Xirui¡¯s line of sight.

    Why was he looking at her head? Did she have something on her head?

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Wu Xirui said, raising his hand to pick a petal that hadnded on Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    ¡°Click¡ª¡± With the sound, Zhan Nan snapped a photo and sent it to Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 207 - 200 Who Are You With?

    Chapter 207: Chapter 200 Who Are You With?

    ¡°Brother, what are you doing?¡± Zhan Bei asked, puzzled.

    After sending the photo, Zhan Nan¡¯s face revealed a sinister smirk.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t our eldest cousin care a lot about her? What do you think his reaction would be if he saw Qiao Jing getting close with another man?¡±

    Zhan Bei¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°By doing this, our eldest cousin will definitely kick her out of the house!¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Then once she is kicked out, we¡¯ll grab her, confine her, and torture her however we want.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe¡ª¡± Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei snickered evilly.

    Qiao Jing stared at the petals in Wu Xirui¡¯s hand, ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    ¡°Are you free this weekend?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Are you asking me out on a date?¡± Wu Xirui raised an eyebrow and without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, continued, ¡°Though I am quite busy, since it¡¯s you who¡¯s inviting me, I¡¯m more than willing to make time for a date.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at Wu Xirui, speechlessly, ¡°It¡¯s just for consultation, don¡¯t bother if you won¡¯t attend.¡±

    After dropping those words, Qiao Jing turned and walked away.

    ¡°Sorry, I speak like this; don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Wu Xirui said, thinking Qiao Jing was mad.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think much about it; I still have things to do.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going? Can I give you a ride?¡± Wu Xirui followed and asked.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡± The sound of the phone vibrating interrupted Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Qiao Jing pulled out her phone and saw it was a call from Zhan Qipei.

    Wu Xirui also noticed the iing call disy on Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, slightly squinting his eyes.

    Qiao Jing pressed the answer button and ced the phone against her ear.

    ¡°Where are you? Who are you with?¡±

    Huh? Qiao Jing paused, stopped walking, and looked around. She didn¡¯t see Zhan Qipei anywhere.

    She had thought Zhan Qipei was nearby when he suddenly asked that.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± There was a suppressed tone in the man¡¯s voice.

    Hearing his words, Qiao Jing sensed something unusual.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡± A sound came.

    Qiao Jing received a message from Zhan Qipei.

    It was a photo.

    In the photo, Wu Xirui was reaching his hand above her head.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing immediately understood.

    ¡°Where did this photoe from?¡± Qiao Jing looked around once more, finally fixing her gaze on a car parked not far away.

    That car¡­

    ¡°Brother! Look, she¡¯s looking this way.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink; she¡¯s just looking.¡±

    No sooner had Zhan Nan finished speaking than Qiao Jing started rushing toward them.

    ¡°Damn! Has she spotted us?¡±

    ¡°Stop talking and drive!¡±

    Zhan Bei stepped hard on the elerator. Although Qiao Jing was fast, two legs couldn¡¯t catch up with four wheels.

    By the time Qiao Jing chased them, the car had already driven away.

    ¡°Hello? Hello?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice came from the phone, quickly sensing that something was amiss.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Who sent you that photo just now?¡± Qiao Jing asked again.

    Zhan Qipei stroked his eyebrows, ¡°It was sent anonymously, why?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her hand to her chin and pondered. This car looked familiar; it seemed she had seen it in the garage thest time she visited Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s house.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Qipei called out anxiously.

    Qiao Jing pulled her thoughts back, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei clenched his fist, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his expression as cold as the winter wind.

    Something must have happened. Was he not supposed to mention it? Was she treating him like an outsider?

    ¡°Tell me!¡±

    Qiao Jing could hear the urgency in his voice.

    ¡°Just now, a few people were following me. At first, I thought I was just being watched, but then I saw a car hurriedly driving away nearby.¡±

    So this was not just a simple tracking but something with purpose and nning.

    If the n failed this time, there would be a next time.

    This was dangerous.

    ¡°Did you see who did it?¡± Zhan Qipei urgently asked.

    Qiao Jing slightly frowned, but she hadn¡¯t nned on telling Zhan Qipei about her analysis from earlier.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Because of her, the Zhan family, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s branch, and Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s branch were no longer on speaking terms.

    She only thought the car looked familiar, but it might not necessarily be the same one.

    Yet if she thought about it, she and Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had formed a grudge some time ago. It was not impossible for them to seek revenge afterward.

    ¡°Where are you now? I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡± Zhan Qipei grabbed his coat and headed out.

    ¡°Boss, where are you going? Boss Wang has arrived and is about toe up,¡± Tang Yan said in a deep voice. Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t turned on the speakerphone, but Qiao Jing could hear clearly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need toe over. The n failed, and the car has disappeared without a trace. They probably won¡¯te again tonight,¡± Qiao Jing quickly said.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll be at the orphanage soon. Even if those people are bold, they wouldn¡¯t dare to cause trouble at the orphanage.¡±

    Qiao Jing could figure this out, and Zhan Qipei could naturally figure it out too.

    Still¡ªhe just couldn¡¯t feel at ease.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stille over and check.¡±

    He still didn¡¯t feel assured.

    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with him; he¡¯s just my patient, and I happened to bump into him,¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s words stopped Zhan Qipei in his tracks.

    Zhan Qipei understood Qiao Jing¡¯s character. In this kind of situation, there was no need for her to lie, nor did she deign to tell such a lie to him.

    ¡°You¡¯re exining to me? That means I¡¯m in your heart; you don¡¯t want me to misunderstand.¡±

    As he spoke, the corners of Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth turned up.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t see Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression, but she could tell from his voice that he was delighted.

    ¡°Think whatever you like. I still have to rush to the orphanage. I¡¯m hanging up now,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Qiao Jing knew well that even if she continued to exin, he couldn¡¯t listen. He would only see it as her being afraid of him misunderstanding, which is why she exined.

    Wu Xirui spoke after Qiao Jing had hung up the phone: ¡°Do you want me to help you check?¡±

    ¡°No need to bother you; I have a way of finding out.¡± Qiao Jing had thought it over. When she got the chance, she would ask Xu Moqian to find out who was trying to harm her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t reject my kindness. You¡¯re willing to treat my illness. I don¡¯t have much to offer in return. I can¡¯t just ept your kindness for nothing¡ªmy conscience wouldn¡¯t allow it,¡± Wu Xirui insisted.

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Wu Xirui, ¡°Kindness for nothing? Let me tell you, Mr. Wu, you might be misunderstanding something here. I never said I would treat you for free.¡±

    Wu Xirui was stunned, ¡°You want to charge me?¡±

    Qiao Jingughed, ¡°Try going to a hospital and see if they treat you without charging?¡±

    Wu Xirui shook his head in disappointment, ¡°And here I thought you were treating me for free because you thought I was handsome.¡±

    Wu Xirui wasn¡¯t truly disappointed; he was just putting on an act for Qiao Jing to see.

    In fact, not only was he not disappointed, but he was also quite pleased.

    Because he had really discovered a gem¡ªthis Qiao Jing. The more he interacted with her, the more pleasant surprises Qiao Jing brought him.

    It¡¯s no wonder¡­ Zhan Qipei cherished her like a treasure.

 Chapter 208 - 201 I fell in love with you at first sight

    Chapter 208: Chapter 201 I fell in love with you at first sight

    ¡°So how much are you nning to charge me? If it¡¯s too expensive, I can¡¯t afford it. I¡¯ll have to pay in kind,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes subtly without saying a word.

    ¡°No money? The global executive director of the Overseas Group, and you¡¯re telling me you have no money?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been investigating me? I didn¡¯t realize you were so interested. Actually, you didn¡¯t need to bother; if you had asked me, I would have told you everything,¡± Qipei responded.

    Qiao Jing figured it out; with Wu Xirui¡¯s mouth and his character, there was no point in taking him too seriously.

    ¡°I heard it from Captain Zhao,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Ah¡ªthen I¡¯m really disappointed. I thought you had someone investigate me specifically.¡±

    As their conversation was underway, rain suddenly began to pour down from the sky, quickly and urgently.

    ¡°I better drive you there,¡± Wu Xirui suggested.

    Although Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to trouble Wu Xirui, the rain was getting heavier, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to get wet if she could ride in a car.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Eventually, Qiao Jing got into the car with Wu Xirui.

    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I want to ask for your help with,¡± Wu Xirui said, ncing at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she inquired.

    ¡°I have a banquet to attend in a couple of days. I don¡¯t have a femalepanion. Could you do me a favor and apany me?¡± he proposed.

    Qiao Jing looked at Wu Xirui with suspicion, ¡°You¡¯re short of femalepanions?¡±

    With Wu Xirui¡¯s extraordinary status, noble as he was and handsome as one in a million, other than his not-so-serious mouth, the entire condition of this man was exceptionally good. Such a person short of femalepanions?

    Tell that to the ghosts, they wouldn¡¯t believe it either!

    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a shortage, but those women have too much of an agenda. I¡¯m just afraid of being devoured by the wolves,¡± Wu Xiruimented as though he were the most pitiable.

    Qiao Jing was speechless; this person might appear harmless, but in reality, he was no simple character.

    Could a simple character be the CEO of the Overseas Group?

    Moreover, a normal person with his condition would be resting and healing properly.

    Instead, he was challenging himself with various intense sports.

    Anyone who saw him as a sheep was frankly an idiot.

    ¡°What exactly are you after? Why must it be me?¡± she demanded.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t foolish, quite the opposite in fact.

    Meeting Wu Xirui wasn¡¯t simple from the start, and what followed was one coincidence after another¡­ how could there be so many coincidences?

    The car stopped, and Wu Xirui, leaning his hand on his chin, stared at Qiao Jing with interest.

    ¡°If I said, ¡®It was love at first sight with you,¡¯ would you believe it?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked back at Wu Xirui expressionlessly, her face void of any additional emotions.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently.

    Wu Xirui frowned, ¡°Is that your reaction?¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Qiao Jing retorted.

    ¡°Huh¡ªhahaha¡ª¡± Wu Xirui burst intoughter, ¡°You really are interesting.¡±

    Qiao Jing opened the car door and got out.

    ¡°Umbre.¡± Wu Xirui handed an umbre to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing politely said.

    ¡°Will you agree?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could decline, Wu Xirui continued, ¡°My health has been deteriorating recently. At the banquet, my archenemy will appear. There will inevitably be intense conflicts and disputes between him and me, which might cause my condition to worsen drastically, and I might just pass out,¡± Wu Xirui said in a pitiful tone.

    Qiao Jing could take or leave what Wu Xirui said; she didn¡¯t take itpletely seriously.

    ¡°I will go, treat you, and then I will leave,¡± she stated.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pick you up Saturday night,¡± Wu Xirui had achieved his goal, his eyes filled with an unmistakableughter, revealing a hint of a dark glint mixed within his smile.

    ¡°Boom¡ªboom¡ªboom¡ª¡± The thunder startled Zhan Qipei, who had been resting with his eyes closed.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re awake,¡± said Tang Yan, who was driving. ¡°We¡¯re almost there, just about ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zhan Qipei responded tly and turned on his phone to open the photo that had been sent to him anonymously.

    He stared intently at the man in the photo. He was back.

    Did he know Qiao Jing? Was it a deliberate approach, or purely coincidence?

    Ten minutester, they arrived at the orphanage.

    Qiao Jing came out of the orphanage holding an umbre.

    As soon as Qiao Jing got into the car, she noticed the man staring at her.

    ¡°Those guys were no good at fighting, they couldn¡¯t hurt me. Besides, I didn¡¯t even fight back.¡±

    ¡°Was it him who made the move?¡± Zhan Qipei opened the photo, pointing at Wu Xirui in the image.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Jing honestly replied.

    ¡°How do you know this person? Howe he just happened to appear near you to y the hero?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, his eyes dark and inscrutable.

    ¡°It was a coincidence. I was asking for directions, and then we got to know each other.¡±

    ¡°Just a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then let it be.¡± Qiao Jing was always like this; if someone asked her something, she either didn¡¯t want to say it, or she¡¯d just tell it straight.

    Whether the other person believed it or not was their concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, I just find this coincidence too suspicious,¡± Zhan Qipei hurriedly exined, concerned that Qiao Jing might misunderstand his doubts.

    Qiao Jing remained silent, looking out the car window as the rain fell harder, blurring the street scenery like a mosaic.

    ¡°Those people following you, I will investigate thoroughly, you don¡¯t have to worry, I will not let anyone hurt you,¡± the man¡¯s voice was like water, deep and resonant, bringing an inexplicable sense of security and assurance.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth slightly parted, a warm feeling inexplicably surging in her heart.

    ¡°By the way, I have an event this Saturday. Do you have time to apany me?¡±

    ¡°This Saturday?¡± Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows.

    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong? Do you have other ns this Saturday?¡± Zhan Qipei frowned.

    Qiao Jing thought about the appointment she had just made with Wu Xirui; she always kept her word and never broke promises.

    ¡°I need to see a patient.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t mention that she was going to see Wu Xirui, to prevent Zhan Qipei from getting needlessly jealous.

    ¡°Can¡¯t it be postponed?¡± Zhan Qipei really wanted Qiao Jing to apany him, but¡ª

    ¡°Never mind, I won¡¯t force you.¡±

    It was probably for the best if she didn¡¯t go; every time he took Qiao Jing to a party, she ended up being eyed by a pack of wolves.

    If he went to the party, he couldn¡¯t avoid mingling with some bosses for business discussions. What if he got distracted, and one or two unruly wolves approached Qiao Jing?

    On Saturday morning, Qiao Jing received a message from Wu Xirui.

    ¡°I¡¯ve picked out a dress for you, along with jewelry, shoes, and a bag. The courier should be arriving soon. I really hope you can wear this set to the event.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, ¡°I¡¯m just going to treat you.¡±

    Wu Xirui: ¡°But you can¡¯t just wear a T-shirt and jeans, can you? Although it¡¯s not impossible, if you were dressed like that, you¡¯d definitely be the center of attention.¡±

    Reading this, Qiao Jing thought for a moment; if she really dressed like that, it would indeed make her stand out remarkably.

    ¡°Ding-dong¡ª¡± The doorbell rang.

    The courier had arrived.

    It must be the package Wu Xirui sent her.

    As Qiao Jing opened the door to go out, she saw Zhan Qipei signing for the courier.

 Chapter 209 - 202 - The Storm Arrives

    Chapter 209: Chapter 202 ¨C The Storm Arrives

    ¡°I¡¯ve collected your stuff for you,¡± Zhan Qipei said, arriving beside Qiao Jing with arge box in his arms.

    He was very curious about what was in the box, as the courier had told him earlier that the contents were worth over a hundred million. What on earth had Qiao Jing bought that was so valuable?

    Moreover, he and Qiao Jing had been living together for four months now, and Qiao Jing rarely bought things online, let alone something so expensive.

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Qiao Jing moved the package to her room without any expression and closed the door before she began to unpack it.

    This behavior of Qiao Jing made Zhan Qipei even more puzzled. What could be in there that he couldn¡¯t see?

    Could it be¡ª

    Underwear and¡­ undies?

    What kind of underwear could be worth a hundred million? Made of gold and diamonds?

    Although curious, it was Qiao Jing¡¯s privacy, and it was not appropriate for him to ask.

    ¡°Ding dong¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei knocked on the door, ¡°I¡¯m heading out, there¡¯s no need to wait up for me or leave the light on; I¡¯ll probably be back veryte.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing replied, she received a message from Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Did you receive the item?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    Qiao Jing had just finished unpacking; it was a light pink evening gown, along with some jewelry, shoes, and handbags.

    It looked expensive.

    ¡°How much was it?¡±

    Wu Xirui immediately called her.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like to casually ept things from others, so think of this as a loan from me; just return it to me after you wear it tonight,¡± Wu Xirui said.

    With Wu Xirui saying this, it would seem too unkind of Qiao Jing to refuse again.

    Although she always felt that Wu Xirui¡¯s intentions for getting close to her weren¡¯t simple, at least for the moment, he hadn¡¯t done anything to hurt her.

    She had always been of the mindset, ¡°If no one offends me, I won¡¯t offend anyone,¡± so there was no need to arbitrarily make enemies.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll return it to you after tonight.¡±

    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll pick you up tonight.¡±

    ¡°I can take a taxi¡ª¡± Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Wu Xirui interrupted her.

    ¡°There might be a thunderstorm tonight, and with you dressed in something so valuable, it wouldn¡¯t be good if it got rained on.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing checked the weather on her phone.

    Indeed, there was rain forecasted for tonight, and it looked to be heavy.

    Getting wet herself wasn¡¯t a big deal, but the dress and essories weren¡¯t hers; getting them damaged by the rain would be her responsibility.

    ¡°Then, if it¡¯s not too much trouble for you, you cane over.¡±

    Around six-thirty that evening, Wu Xirui personally drove over.

    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived,¡± Wu Xirui called Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I see you, I¡¯ming down,¡± Qiao Jing had been standing on the balcony just now and had seen Wu Xirui¡¯s car arrive.

    Three minutester, Wu Xirui looked at her, dressed in the evening gown he had specially prepared for her, his eyes revealing an immensely astonished look.

    ¡°I knew it, that evening gown suits you so well.¡±

    Wu Xirui made a move to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ready to touch the back of her hand.

    But Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Wu Xirui the opportunity. As he reached out, she walked right past him, opened the car door, and sat down.

    A helpless yet interested smile appeared on Wu Xirui¡¯s face. He wasn¡¯t the least bit angry at Qiao Jing¡¯s behavior; on the contrary, he was excited.

    Soon, the car arrived at the hotel where the banquet was being held.

    After getting out of the car, Wu Xirui extended his hand toward Qiao Jing, meaning for her to take his arm.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted slightly; clearly, she was reluctant.

    ¡°Give me some face, will you? Look, isn¡¯t everydy here holding onto someone like this? There¡¯s no other meaning, it¡¯s just a simple courtesy,¡± Wu Xirui said, stretching his arm towards Qiao Jing again.

    Although Qiao Jing was still unwilling in her heart, she understood¡ªit was just simple courtesy.

    In the end, Qiao Jing extended her hand and took Wu Xirui¡¯s arm, apanying him as they walked inside.

    In the banquet hall, Zhan Qipei was drinking red wine alone.

    ¡°Eh? Young Master Zhan, why didn¡¯t you bring Qiao Jing with you? In the past, didn¡¯t you always keep her close at your side? It¡¯s very unusual today! Tell me honestly, did you two have a fight?¡± Lu Zijiao asked with confusion.

    Zhan Qipei put down his ss and nced at Lu Zijiao, ¡°Are you saying that as soon as Qiao Jing and I have a fight, your brother should swoop in immediately to take advantage?¡±

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, with that remark, you¡¯re treating me like a stranger, and that doesn¡¯t sit well with me,¡± Zijiao replied.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Zhan Qipei raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you suggesting that whenpared with your brother, he¡¯s the outsider, not me?¡±

    That question from Zhan Qipei made Zijiao feel uneasy.

    ¡°Ah¡ªthis is between you and my brother; I¡¯d rather not get involved.¡±

    The truth wasn¡¯t that Lu Zijiao didn¡¯t want to get involved, but that his brother was a closed book, a block of wood, who simply wouldn¡¯t see sense no matter what was said. Even if he tried to push from the sidelines, it was useless.

    Since that was the case, he decided to do nothing. Let Zhan Qipei do as he pleased, and his brother as well; it was all up to their own abilities.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question from before. Why didn¡¯t you bring Qiao Jing with you? Could it really be like I guessed, that the two of you had a fight?¡±

    ¡°She had a patient to see; she said she didn¡¯t have the time,¡± Zhan Qipei replied lightly, swirling his wine ss.

    ¡°Oh. I see¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao picked up his ss, tilted his head back to take a sip, and suddenly spat it out.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhan Qipei frowned, as the wine Zijiao had spit out had sshed onto him.

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ªno, it¡¯s not¡ªYoung Master Zhan, look, cough cough cough¡ªtake a look, what¡ªis going on?!¡± Zijiao said, eyes wide, pointing toward the doorway.

    Confused, Zhan Qipei followed the direction of Zijiao¡¯s pointing and saw, at a nce, Qiao Jing walking into the hotel¡¯s entrance arm in arm with Wu Xirui. His face instantly darkened.

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡± Zijiao patted his chest, not caring that the choking was severe, and continued, ¡°Young Master Zhan, what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say she was seeing a patient? Why is she here with another man? And that man is¡ªhe¡¯s him!¡±

    Zhan Qipei put down his wine ss and stood up, his entire demeanor radiating a keep-away chill, striding over to Qiao Jing with a disregard for all else.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ª¡± Lu Zijiao clicked his tongue, ¡°Herees the storm.¡±

    ¡°Rumble rumble rumble¡ª¡± Thunder rolled and lightning shed outside.

    Zijiao looked out the window and said, ¡°This is really¡ªquite apt for the asion!¡±

    The thunder had drawn Qiao Jing¡¯s attention for a moment, but when she looked back, she caught a glimpse of Zhan Qipei striding toward her in her peripheral vision.

    Why was he here as well?

    Come to think of it, he had mentioned he was attending a business banquet today. It was just unexpected that it would be this one.

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish speaking, Zhan Qipei grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him.

    Her feet, d in stiletto heels, made her bnce precarious when Zhan Qipei suddenly pulled her, causing her to stumble uncontrobly forward and fall toward the man¡¯s chest.

 Chapter 210 - 203 Zhan Qipeis Utmost Fury

    Chapter 210: Chapter 203 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Utmost Fury

    Just as she was about to fall onto the man, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind, keeping her body bnced.

    Qiao Jing turned around to look at Wu Xirui, the one who had just grabbed her other wrist was none other than Wu Xirui himself.

    A cold air instantly rose from under Zhan Qipei¡¯s feet, encircling his entire body, and headed towards enveloping both Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Let go,¡± these two words were spoken by Zhan Qipei to Wu Xirui.

    With a crooked smile, Wu Xirui not only didn¡¯t let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand but instead, in front of Zhan Qipei, deliberately tightened his grip.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s action deeply riled up Zhan Qipei, and in an instant, his anger burned to its boiling point, his fists clenched in preparation to strike.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction, looked towards Wu Xirui, and tugged at her hand, but couldn¡¯t pull it free.

    Wu Xirui was standing off fiercely against Zhan Qipei, neither willing to give in to the other.

    Qiao Jing again attempted to pull her hand free from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grasp, but still couldn¡¯t, which infuriated her.

    ¡°Let go,¡± she directed the words at Zhan Qipei, and also at Wu Xirui.

    ¡°She told you to let go, didn¡¯t you hear?¡± Zhan Qipei spoke with a cold voice, his face so somber it seemed to merge with the darkness of the outside night.

    ¡°Heh¡ª¡± Wu Xiruiughed mockingly with a curled lip, ¡°It sounds to me like she¡¯s asking you to let go. You¡¯re holding her so tightly, look, you¡¯ve even turned her red. Don¡¯t you feel a bit sorry for her?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, his gaze slightly shifted towards Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, which was indeed somewhat red, and he loosened his grip a little.

    Seeing this, Wu Xirui abruptly pulled Qiao Jing over to himself.

    Zhan Qipei became enraged! He reached out to push Wu Xirui and snatched Qiao Jing back from Wu Xirui¡¯s hands.

    Wu Xirui faltered backward from Zhan Qipei¡¯s push, taking several steps back before colliding with the edge of the dining table with a sound.

    ¡°Mm-hmm¡ª¡± A muffled groan of pain followed.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face paled, his forehead glistening with beads of sweat, and his right hand clenched tightly over the front of his left chest as his breathing grew disorderly.

    Qiao Jing, seeing Wu Xirui in this state, judged that it was an onset of his illness. She was about to go over to treat Wu Xirui when Zhan Qipei pulled her back.

    ¡°Why are you going over there? I¡¯m your husband!¡±

    A firestorm of anger churned within Zhan Qipei; this woman had actually deceived him. To refuse toe with him, she made up the excuse that she had to treat a patient, yet she attended a banquet with another man.

    Moreover, that man was none other than Wu Xirui!

    If it weren¡¯t for the sliver of rationality Zhan Qipei still possessed, he would have already taken Qiao Jing away by now and dealt with the situation crazily.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let me go first, let me get to him. He is ufortable, human life is at stake, this isn¡¯t the time for foolishness. I¡¯ll exin to youter,¡± Qiao Jing said as she struggled free from Zhan Qipei and went to Wu Xirui¡¯s side.

    Zhan Qipei stood still, his mind filled with Qiao Jing¡¯s words just now.

    Foolishness¡­ ha¡­ to think she called him foolish¡­

    The more he thought about it, the angrier Zhan Qipei became.

    And just then, Wu Xirui threw a victorious smile at Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing, fully upied with treating Wu Xirui, took no notice of this.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips pressed tightly into a curveless line of ice as he tookrge strides towards Qiao Jing, grabbed her hand forcefully in his own, and made sure she stopped touching Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Qiao Jing winced in pain; this time, Zhan Qipei truly hurt her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, who is more important in your heart, him or me?!¡± Zhan Qipei ground out through his teeth.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted, ¡°Zhan Qipei, I told you, stop this foolishness. He is not well right now. I promised him, I¡¯d cure him.¡±

    Zhan Qipeipletely disregarded Qiao Jing¡¯s words, continuing, ¡°Let me phrase it differently, if both he and I were about to die, who would you save first?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei ask this, Qiao Jing suddenly recalled a joke she had seen online.

    ¡°If your mom and I both fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?¡±

    It was the same type of unreasonable troublemaking.

    Annoying.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t that many ¡®ifs¡¯.¡± After saying this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to engage with Zhan Qipei further, forcefully withdrawing her hand to take Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s fist clenched with a crackling sound, as if fire were consuming him!

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ve seen your choice!¡±

    With that, Zhan Qipei turned around and left.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan? Young Master Zhan?¡± Lu Zijiao looked at the angrily departing Zhan Qipei and then at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What on earth is going on? Young Master Zhan, wait for me!¡± In the end, Lu Zijiao chased after Zhan Qipei and left.

    Qiao Jing withdrew the nce she had been casting at the departing Zhan Qipei, her eyelids half-lowered, her long and thick eyshes casting a fan-shaped shadow over her eyes beneath the light overhead, concealing the emotions in her eyes.

    Wu Xirui kept staring at Qiao Jing, trying to guess what she was thinking, but her face was without a ripple or stir, utterly inscrutable.

    Eventually, he couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to follow and see?¡±

    Qiao Jing pulled back her hand, looked up at Wu Xirui, ¡°You need to rest well now.¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t very serious; his pale face was likely due to his lower back hitting the corner of a table, yet he had grasped at his heart¡­

    He was faking it.

    Why fake it?

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Wu Xirui saw Qiao Jing about to leave and quickly called out to stop her.

    ¡°That¡¯s all for today. I¡¯ll treat you when I have time.¡± Qiao Jing looked down at her clothes, her tone indifferent, ¡°I¡¯ll return these clothes to youter.¡±

    After speaking, Qiao Jing turned around and left.

    ¡°Are you going after him?¡± Wu Xirui once again stopped Qiao Jing, ¡°He left you alone, why would you chase after him? Women shouldn¡¯t indulge men too much, or else you¡¯ll be the one who suffers.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at Wu Xirui. ¡°Thank you for your advice, but I have my principles when ites to handling things.¡±

    Without wasting more words with Wu Xirui, Qiao Jing picked up her evening gown and walked toward the hotel entrance.

    ¡°Rumble rumble rumble¡ª¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing reached the hotel entrance, thunderous sounds roared overhead.

    ¡°You finally came out!¡± Lu Zijiao, slightly drenched from the rain, was anxious like an ant on a hot pan.

    Qiao Jing frowned, hesitated for two seconds, then asked, ¡°Where is he?¡±

    Lu Zijiao gestured with his chin toward the outside of the entrance.

    Hmm?

    Qiao Jing paused for a moment, then quickly walked out of the hotel entrance.

    She turned her head to see a man drenched like a drowned rat, his face hardened and unsmiling, leaning silently against the wall without moving.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Qiao Jing did not expect that Zhan Qipei, after being so furious, would still stay and wait for her.

    Zhan Qipei slowly turned his head to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question yet?¡±

    Qiao Jing took a breath, ¡°You stayed just for my answer?¡±

    ¡°If he and I were both dying, whom would you save first?¡± Zhan Qipei, his deep and dark eyes as profound as the sea, stared intently at Qiao Jing in front of him.

 Chapter 211 - 204: The Answer Qiao Jing Gave

    Chapter 211: Chapter 204: The Answer Qiao Jing Gave

    Qiao Jing fixed her gaze on the man, whose eyes were profound, his dark pupils reflecting only her, as if they couldn¡¯t contain anyone else.

    The water droplets from the man¡¯s hair trickled down his forehead to his face, over his nose, yet he paid no heed, just kept staring intently at Qiao Jing.

    Lu Zijiao scratched the back of his head, and began to inwardly meditate.

    The atmosphere stiffened, and the man continued to stand in the rain, watching, and inexplicably, Qiao Jing¡¯s anger red up.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t answer today, will you just stand here in the rain forever?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, continuing to gaze unwaveringly at Qiao Jing.

    Two secondster, Qiao Jing turned and walked away.

    ¡°This¡ª¡± Now Lu Zijiao was more anxious than the emperor himself!

    She just left?

    Isn¡¯t that too heartless?

    No wonder his older brother never dared to confess his feelings to Qiao Jing. It wasn¡¯t that his brother was too meek to confess, but that even if he did confess, he would only be rebuffed.

    If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, his brother was worried that after confessing, they couldn¡¯t even be friends anymore.

    This was very obvious from Zhan Qipei¡¯s demeanor. Look at Young Master Zhan, he chased her to this extent, only to end up like this.

    What does this imply? It could only mean that Qiao Jing was truly out of most people¡¯s league.

    Zhan Qipei watched the increasingly distant silhouette of the girl, his expression bing even more somber.

    Lu Zijiao walked up to Zhan Qipei, patted him on the shoulder, and just as Lu Zijiao was thinking of how to console Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing, who had walked some distance, suddenly stopped.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s scattered gaze refocused sharply on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing slightly opened her mouth and uttered a word.

    ¡°You.¡±

    Qiao Jing gave her answer!

    It was him!

    It was him, Zhan Qipei!!!

    A dazzling light shed in the depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s somber eyes as he strode towards Qiao Jing, his long legs covering the ground in quick steps.

    ¡°You, are you serious?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned around, looked at Zhan Qipei, ¡°You saved me before, it¡¯s only reasonable that I save you in return.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation wasn¡¯t about her being cold and heartless, but rather that she had no romantic feelings for Zhan Qipei. Since there were no such feelings, there was no need for ambiguity.

    So, this was her exnation.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t care about Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation. Whatever the reason, Qiao Jing had given him the answer he most wanted.

    Merely this, was already enough.

    ¡°I really do have a special ce in your heart,¡± Zhan Qipei said,ughter escaping as he grasped Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulders.

    Qiao Jing looked down at the hand on her shoulder, frowning slightly, but she didn¡¯t rush to shake him off.

    ¡°The rain is getting heavier, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand slid from Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder to grasp her hand.

    Lu Zijiao watched the pair get into the car, smirked, shook his head and muttered to himself, ¡°I worried over nothing for them, only to be fed a face full of dog food in the end.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªbig brother, oh big brother, look at Young Master Zhan, then look at yourself. I guess in this lifetime Qiao Jing is unlikely to be my sister-inw.¡±

    Wu Xirui arrived at the hotel entrance, his eyes containing a smile that was not quite a smile, watching the car disappear.

    ¡°This is just the first step, what follows¡­¡±

    ¡°Heh¡ª¡± Wu Xirui¡¯s mouth twitched upward, his face filled with a sinister smile.

    After returning to Nantai Apartment, Zhan Qipei asked Qiao Jing to take a shower first.

    Qiao Jing, too, had been drenched in rain. After quickly taking a hot shower, she stepped out of the bathroom and said, ¡°You go wash.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had been in the rain longer, and with winter not fully past, there was a good chance he might catch a cold in this weather.

    ¡°No rush.¡± Zhan Qipei had changed into a clean bathrobe, and his hair, having been wiped with a towel, was still a bit wet.

    Qiao Jing, puzzled, sat across from Zhan Qipei, ¡°Is there something you need to talk to me about?¡±

    Zhan Qipei fell silent for two seconds before he spoke, ¡°How exactly do you know Wu Xirui?¡±

    Qiao Jing sensed something unusual in his tone, ¡°Do you have a history with Wu Xirui?¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing asked this question, Zhan Qipei stood up and walked towards the balcony.

    Seeing his attitude, Qiao Jing was even more sure of her guess¡ªthere was definitely somethingplex between Wu Xirui and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I was just asking, if it¡¯s inconvenient for you to say, then never mind.¡±

    Qiao Jing had barely finished speaking when Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice followed.

    ¡°Actually, were it not for me, the person to inherit the Zhan family assets would have been my aunt.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Qiao Jing expressed her confusion. Zhan Qipei had an aunt? Why had she never seen her? Nor had she heard anyone mention her.

    Zhan Qipei continued from where he had left off, ¡°My aunt was extraordinarily talented from a young age, always the top student in primary, secondary, and university studies. Not only that, but she also possessed an exceptional talent for business. She was fully dedicated to leading the Zhan family to new heights.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing faintly picked up on something.

    ¡°What happenedter?¡±

    Qiao Jing guessed that her unawareness of Zhan Qipei¡¯s aunt¡¯s existence must be rted to Zhan Qipei taking over as the head of the Zhan family.

    ¡°My grandfather also thought highly of my aunt, but in the end, he passed Zhan Corporation to me. My aunt, upset, left the capital with her family. Before leaving, she swore that one day, my grandfather would regret not entrusting the Zhan family to her.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing thought her guess was indeed correct.

    ¡°Why then did your grandfather not pass the head position of the Zhan family to your aunt? Was it because she¡¯s a woman?¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t it,¡± said Zhan Qipei. ¡°My grandfather said that my aunt was too eager for quick sess and immediate benefits. Though thepany would undoubtedly prosper under her direction, it would also face major drawbacks.

    How should I put it? My aunt¡¯s business philosophy starkly contrasted with the original intentions my grandfather had when founding thepany. She was too profit-oriented. For example,

    Take Angel Welfare Institute. If my aunt were in charge, she wouldn¡¯t care about personal sentiments; she would only pursue profits, and Angel Welfare Institute would definitely be demolished.¡±

    Qiao Jing understood: Zhan Qipei¡¯s aunt was someone who would do anything to achieve her goals, someone too cold and ruthless.

    And Zhan Yuanshan was not that kind of person at all.

    ¡°What is Wu Xirui¡¯s rtionship with your aunt?¡± Qiao Jing pondered for a couple of seconds before asking.

    ¡°You guessed it?¡± Zhan Qipei was not at all surprised. As perceptive as Qiao Jing, with him exining as much as he had, if she hadn¡¯t guessed it, she wouldn¡¯t be Qiao Jing.

    ¡°He¡¯s my aunt¡¯s son.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, connecting this to what Zhan Qipei had just shared, and the harsh words his aunt had left with.

    ¡°So, Wu Xirui came back here to take revenge on your Zhan family?¡±

    Speaking of which, Wu Xirui had mentioned a couple of days ago that his sworn enemy would appear at the banquet.

    Now it seemed that the ¡®sworn enemy¡¯ he referred to was Zhan Qipei.

    Since he was Zhan Qipei¡¯s aunt¡¯s son, here in the capital for revenge, he surely knew about her rtionship with Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 212 - 205: You Want a Child?

    Chapter 212: Chapter 205: You Want a Child?

    Qiao Jing recalled the several encounters she had had with Wu Xirui, and she had long suspected that things were too coincidental.

    However, up to now, Wu Xirui had done nothing to harm her, so she had not delved deeper into the matter.

    Now that she thought about it, everything suddenly became clear.

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing thought of something; her eyes lit up, and she looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You said that the person who tried to assassinate you in Autumn Water Vige¡ª¡±

    She stopped there because, firstly, she had no evidence, and secondly, it was Zhan Qipei¡¯s family matter, and it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her, an outsider, to make wild guesses here.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it too, but there¡¯s no evidence,¡± Zhan Qipei sat down, half-lowering his eyelids, his brow furrowed as he thought analytically about the matter.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s attention was drawn to the droplets of water condensing on the man¡¯s hair. The droplets grew until the strands of hair could no longer hold them, and they fell.

    Qiao Jing clearly saw a barely visible expression appear on the man¡¯s face.

    It must have been because the droplet was too cold, which caused the man a slight difort.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it, go take a shower quickly, be careful of catching a cold.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words made Zhan Qipei put all his worries behind him, and a deadly enchanting smile bloomed on his face. He leaned toward Qiao Jing, resting his hand on the back of the sofa behind her, enveloping her in his embrace.

    ¡°Are you concerned about me?¡±

    At this moment, the man¡¯s posture was too overbearing. Qiao Jing hated people who were domineering toward her, but the man¡¯s face wore a gentle and indulgent smile, making it seem as though he was cradling her in his palms, afraid she would fall, cherishing her as if she would melt in his mouth.

    It made her hard to start disliking him.

    Qiao Jing felt a bit ufortable with the man speaking to her from such a close distance. Oddly, her heartbeat inexplicably sped up a bit.

    Qiao Jing pushed the man¡¯s shoulders, creating some distance, ¡°Go take your shower quickly. We are living under the same roof, and if you catch a cold, you might pass it to me. It¡¯s fine if I get sick, but theb is mostly filled with older professors, and it would be terrible if they caught it from me.¡±

    ¡°Your fault,¡± Qiao Jing added.

    The smile on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face widened slightly, ¡°You¡¯re putting such a big hat on my head, I can¡¯t bear that. Alright, I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡±

    Zhan Qipei got up, and Qiao Jing also stood.

    Just as Qiao Jing was supporting herself on the sofa, preparing to stand up with Zhan Qipei, he suddenly pretended to slip, toppling her onto the sofa.

    ¡°Sss¡ª¡±

    The man¡¯s face knocked against the one in front, causing Qiao Jing a slight pain.

    Zhan Qipei had only intended to take the opportunity to hug the girl, but he stepped on her clothing by ident and really fell, his face getting buried into it.

    Though the benefit was great, the knock was a bit too hard.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to do that. Are you alright? I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you badly?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was both anxious and heartbroken, fearing his nose was too hard and had hurt the girl.

    In his anxiety, he quickly pulled away the clothing in front of the girl.

    With a ¡°smack,¡±

    a heavy pnded on his face.

    Zhan Qipei felt the p was worth it because the benefit was simply too enjoyable.

    Unfortunately, it was just a look.

    Twenty minutester, Zhan Qipei came out of the bathroom.

    ¡°Achoo¡ª¡± Qiao Jing sneezed.

    ¡°Did you catch a cold?¡± Zhan Qipei became anxious, and before he could get closer, he himself couldn¡¯t help but let out a loud sneeze.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei, and the two stared at each other, eyes locked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the medicine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei brought over the medicine and water.

    ¡°Take the medicine first.¡±

    ¡°Have you taken yours?¡± Qiao Jing sniffled, her nasal blockage severe.

    ¡°You go first.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, then took the medicine and water from his hands.

    Suddenly, a fleeting distortion crossed Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, his legs weakened, and he slowly sat down, raising his hand to his forehead.

    After Qiao Jing finished taking the medicine, she noticed something was off with the man.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever, do you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to touch his forehead, his eyes darkening slightly.

    ¡°No.¡±

    He would absolutely never tell Qiao Jing that he had a fever.

    He and Qiao Jing had been caught in the rain together, yet he ended up with a fever, while Qiao Jing just caught a cold. What did that indirectly imply?

    His constitution was inferior to Qiao Jing¡¯s!

    No man could ept such a thing.

    Even though he had been in the rain longer than Qiao Jing, it still wasn¡¯t eptable.

    Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, which was flushed, his neck also red, and upon listening closely to his breathing, it seemed a bit heavy.

    All these signs indicated that the man most likely had a fever.

    Having deduced this, Qiao Jing stood up and reached out to touch the man¡¯s forehead.

    Before her fingertips could make contact, the man grabbed her wrist, stopping her motion.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m just tired, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, analyzing the man¡¯s stubborn nature, probably guessing some things, but chose not to point them out.

    ¡°What, you won¡¯t let me touch? You dislike me?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s deliberate provocation proved quite effective as Zhan Qipei immediately released her hand.

    Qiao Jing slightly bent forward, a sly gleam appearing in her eyes as she continued reaching for the man¡¯s forehead.

    Boiling hot.

    At least 40 degrees Celsius.

    To think he would deny having a fever for the sake of his pride, this man really was¡ª

    Qiao Jing shook her head speechless, but just as she turned around, Zhan Qipei grabbed her clothes.

    ¡°Where are you going? Are you afraid of catching my illness, trying to keep your distance?¡±

    Holding her forehead in frustration, Qiao Jing said, ¡°You really think I¡¯m that heartless? When I was sick, you brought me water and medicine. You think when you¡¯re sick, I would avoid you? I¡¯m not that awful.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing added, ¡°Go back to your room to rest; we don¡¯t have any fever reducers left. I¡¯ll go buy some.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too much trouble, you¡¯re still ill, I¡¯ll just drink some hot water,¡± said Zhan Qipei, expressing concern for his wife.

    ¡°I only have amon cold, you think I¡¯m like you, suffering from such a high fever?¡±

    No sooner had Qiao Jing finished speaking than Zhan Qipei stood up, his expression cold and serious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a fever, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to work now,¡± Zhan Qipei said before returning to his room, opening hisptop, ready to work.

    ¡°Snap¡ª¡± Qiao Jing raised her hand and shut theptop.

    Why did this man insist on suffering for the sake of pride?

    Zhan Qipei opened a drawer and took out some documents.

    Qiao Jing pped her hand down on them.

    ¡°Are you a child?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked up, ¡°Are you hoping for a child?¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing clenched the hand resting on the documents.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Zhan Qipei was sick, she really felt like hitting someone.

    ¡°Lie down on the bed and rest,¡± Qiao Jing pointedly said with a hint of anger.

    Zhan Qipei showed no inclination toply, instead asking, ¡°Do you prefer a boy or a girl?¡±

 Chapter 213 - 206 Staying in Qiao Jings Bed and Refusing to Leave

    Chapter 213: Chapter 206 Staying in Qiao Jing¡¯s Bed and Refusing to Leave

    Qiao Jing took a breath.

    ¡°You¡¯re not talking, which means you like both men and women? Alright, I¡¯ll make an effort to get you twins, one of each.¡± Zhan Qipei talked to himself and imagined it in his mind.

    A picture of Qiao Jing giving birth, lying on the bed, hugging a baby on the left and another on the right.

    His brows furrowed. With two children, Qiao Jing¡¯s left and right sides were upied. So where would he sleep?

    That was a serious question.

    Qiao Jing stood to the side, looking down at the man, with no idea what sort of nonsense he was thinking about.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t lie down, I¡¯m really going to leave you be,¡± Qiao Jing said with furrowed brows, her patience nearly exhausted.

    Zhan Qipei could tell that Qiao Jing was getting angry.

    Every time the girl got angry, he had no way to handle her.

    In the end, he could onlypromise and obey Qiao Jing, lying down obediently on the bed.

    Fifteen minutester, Qiao Jing returned with the medicine and found that the man was not in the room.

    Where did he go? The bathroom?

    Qiao Jing turned to look at the bathroom; the door was open.

    The kitchen?

    Unlikely.

    ¡°Could it be¡ª¡±

    Suddenly thinking of something, Qiao Jing headed to her own room.

    After seeing Zhan Qipei lying on her bed, using her pillow, she was speechless and twitched the corners of her mouth.

    It was really so.

    When Zhan Qipei heard some noise, he slowly opened his eyes, weary, and turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± His voice hoarse and dry.

    Hearing the man¡¯s pitiful voice, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t say much, brought the medicine over to the bedside, and ced her hand on the man¡¯s forehead.

    Even hotter.

    ¡°Mmm¡­fortable¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei caught Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and pressed it against his own forehead.

    Qiao Jing speechlessly tried to pull her hand back, but although the man was seriously ill, he was still very strong, pressing her hand against his forehead, then his face, and after the face, his neck, and then downward¡­ further down¡­

    Qiao Jing abruptly stopped her hand, turning it into a fist, a vein throbbing in her temple.

    ¡°Are you going to take your medicine or not? If not, I¡¯m leaving,¡± she said.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei finally behaved.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get up, help me,¡± Zhan Qipei extended his hand.

    Qiao Jing looked at the man suspiciously. Just moments ago, he was strong enough to grab her hand, and now he couldn¡¯t get up?

    ¡°Huff¡ªhuff¡ª¡± Zhan Qipeiy on the bed, breathing weakly, looking like he was seriously ill.

    Pretending? Or really sick?

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t tell for the moment, but oh well, considering that he had taken care of her when she was sick just a while ago, she decided to help him get up.

    Zhan Qipei was almostpletely leaning on Qiao Jing, his head tilting onto her body, breathing in the girl¡¯s faint, fresh scent, unlike the perfumesyered on socialites. Qiao Jing¡¯s scent was sweet and enticing, captivating him.

    After Qiao Jing helped Zhan Qipei up, she handed the medicine to him.

    Qiao Jing meant for Zhan Qipei to take the medicine himself, but to her surprise, he just opened his mouth, waiting to be fed.

    What made Qiao Jing really mad was that Zhan Qipei closed his eyes, not looking or caring.

    Qiao Jing looked at the man¡¯s open mouth, the corners of her mouth slightly curving up, her eyes shining with a sly, mischievous smile.

    So you want me to feed you?

    Okay.

    Qiao Jing made her move.

    ¡°Cough cough¡ªcough cough cough¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei coughed out loud, almost coughing up tears, ¡°Are you trying to murder your own husband?¡±

    Qiao Jing shot Zhan Qipei a nce, ming her for being harsh? Don¡¯t think she didn¡¯t know anything. Just now, when she was helping you up, you deliberately leaned your nose and mouth towards the back of her neck and ears.

    And you even touched her earlobe.

    That was a ce on a girl you shouldn¡¯t touch, had her endurance not been so good, she might¡¯ve shown an embarrassed expression.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve finished your medicine, you can leave,¡± Qiao Jing started to give the eviction order.

    After taking a couple of sips of water, Zhan Qipei pulled up the nket andy down.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyelids twitched. She had thought that since the man had taken over her bed, she would just go to his.

    But then she thought, why should she be the one to leave? Shouldn¡¯t it be Zhan Qipei who leaves?

    With that thought, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and reached out to pull the nket off the man.

    Qiao Jing pulled hard, and so did Zhan Qipei.

    The two of them tugged and pulled, but neither managed to wrestle the nket away.

    Qiao Jing got angry. She had many suitors, shameless ones at that, but none as brazen as Zhan Qipei.

    The more he acted like this, the less she wanted to give up her bed to him.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to pull with all her might, the man suddenly let go.

    Qiao Jing, by inertia, leant backward, reflexively grabbing onto the nket tightly.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei suddenly sat up, yanked the nket, and in one swift motion, pulled both the nket and her onto the bed.

    Zhan Qipei moved quickly, embracing Qiao Jing in his arms, covering them with the nket, and kissed her forehead.

    A ¡°smack¡ª¡± sound echoed.

    ¡°Be good, stop fussing, let¡¯s sleep.¡±

    Veins bulged on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead as she pushed the man forcefully.

    This guy had obviously been feigning that half-dead look just to let her help him up and take advantage of her on purpose.

    Qiao Jing struggled with all her strength, and Zhan Qipei was clever. When he pulled the nket earlier, he wrapped Qiao Jing in half of it. With this full-body wrap method and being tightly held in his arms, Qiao Jing, with only one hand exposed, couldn¡¯t break free for the time being.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, be good, if you keep fussing and don¡¯t sleep, I¡¯ll have to eat you.¡± Zhan Qipei did not threaten her; instead, it was precisely what he deeply longed for.

    With Qiao Jing wrapped up, only one hand exposed, it would be effortless for him to get a taste if he wanted.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qiao Jing struggled again, pushing forcefully, but the more she struggled, the tighter Zhan Qipei wrapped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you to stop fussing; you wouldn¡¯t listen. Since you so desire to be punished, I shall not disappoint.¡±

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t contain his longing any longer, gazing at the girl¡¯s lips that had turned red from her efforts, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils dted; it was rare for her to feel a sense of danger.

    At this moment, she felt like food on a man¡¯s te, and the man was like a wolf that hadn¡¯t eaten in a long while.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, if you don¡¯t stop this nonsense, I¡¯m moving out tomorrow!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words instantly sobered Zhan Qipei up a bit. The burning desire started to wane slowly.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s sleep,¡± Zhan Qipei said as he dragged Qiao Jing into his embrace, holding her affectionately and closing his eyes.

    He¡¯s really not touching her? Qiao Jing was surprised that her words were so effective, especially considering how ravenous the man had seemed just before.

    ¡°Hey, can you let me go first?¡± Qiao Jing lightly patted the man¡¯s cheek with the hand that was exposed, producing a faint sound.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even frown, his eyes remained closed.

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow slightly, staring intently at the man.

 Chapter 214 - 207: Henceforth, The Monarch Holds No Early Court

    Chapter 214: Chapter 207: Henceforth, The Monarch Holds No Early Court

    A minute passed.

    The man didn¡¯t move.

    Two minutes passed.

    The man still didn¡¯t move.

    Five minutes passed.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were sore from watching, yet the man continued to lie there.

    ¡°Huff¡ªhuff¡ª¡±

    A somewhatbored breath exhaled from the man¡¯s nose, dull and heavy, and his forehead began to seep with a dense sweat.

    Was he asleep?

    Qiao Jing tentatively increased the force of her hand on the man¡¯s face and patted slightly.

    ¡°Pat, pat, pat¡ª¡±

    In his sleep, the man drew his brows together like misty smoke and continued to sleep.

    It seemed he really was asleep.

    Qiao Jing lowered her head to look at the arm pressing in front of her; just as she moved a bit, the man¡¯s condition reflex drew her into his embrace.

    Was he asleep or not?

    An exasperated and helpless expression appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Both angry and helpless.

    She reached out to the man¡¯s face again, this time not to pat but to pinch.

    Unfortunately, the man¡¯s face was chiseled, with not an ounce of excess flesh, making it impossible to pinch.

    Forget it, no more fussing; anyway, he wouldn¡¯t do anything improper to her.

    Qiao Jing lowered her head again and her gaze returned to the man¡¯s arm in front of her. The man¡¯s arm wasn¡¯t directly pressing on her but arching like a bridge, encircling her.

    Normally, when a person falls asleep, their arm would naturally rx. The man¡¯s ability to do this seemed to really show he cared about her¡­

    As she thought this, a warm sensation gradually seeped into Qiao Jing¡¯s heart, a little sour and a little sweet.

    How to describe this taste, Qiao Jing had no intention of delving further.

    It was best to just let nature take its course.

    The next day, when Zhan Qipei woke up, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t yet awakened.

    Zhan Qipei looked at the girl lying in his embrace, his face breaking into a smile of pure contentment.

    As he watched her, his gaze concentrated on the girl¡¯s slightly parted lips.

    Her petite, cute teeth peeked out as if calling to him, inviting him toe inside for a visit.

    In the early morning, what man could resist such a temptation?

    ¡°Huff¡ªhuff¡ª¡± His breathing began to quicken.

    Zhan Qipei pinched the girl¡¯s chin, the touch on the pad of his finger feeling unbearably good!

    It must be said, the girl¡¯s skin was smooth and delicate like the finest piece of mutton-fat jade.

    His fingers pinching her chin, he gently lifted, aligning her lips with his own.

    Zhan Qipei could no longer endure, and he leaned down, preparing to press on.

    ¡°Ding dong¡ªding dong¡ª¡±

    The doorbell rang.

    Zhan Qipei frowned impatiently.

    Who would ring the doorbell early in the morning?

    Never mind that, with such a treat in front of him, he had to savor it thoroughly; as for the consequences¡­

    He¡¯d just have to take a beating from Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei prepared himself once more, ready to kiss.

    ¡°Ding dong¡ªding dong¡ªding dong ding dong¡ª¡±

    The doorbell was still stubbornly ringing.

    Even if Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t want to deal with it, there was no way to ignore it anymore¡ªthe girl had already woken up.

    Zhan Qipei quickly let go of her hand before Qiao Jing opened her eyes.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± Qiao Jing had just woken up, and her voice, soft and mellow, made Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart flutter with tenderness.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, doesn¡¯t matter, let¡¯s just go back to sleep,¡± Zhan Qipei said, continuing to hold Qiao Jing without letting go.

    Aftering to her senses, Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei a speechless nce and then tried to get out of bed.

    ¡°You stay in bed, I¡¯ll go answer the door.¡±

    As Zhan Qipei said this, his gaze fleetingly swept across Qiao Jing¡¯s front, careful not to let her notice and linger too long.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t dressed to go out; her neckline was wide open. Although it was only slightly undone, it couldn¡¯t contain her good figure.

    Like when an average person wears a V-neck¡ªif you¡¯re not well-built, only your ribs show. If you¡¯re slightly better built, you get a glimpse of cleavage.

    But with Qiao Jing, if she wore a V-neck, it was like she was wearing lingerie to seduce.

    Zhan Qipei put on his shoes and trudged outside, thinking who could be so blind to ring his doorbell early in the morning after a full meal? Didn¡¯t they know a newlywed couple like them shouldn¡¯t be disturbed?

    ¡°Cousin, why aren¡¯t you up yet? I remember you used to get up early,¡± Zhan Ruiting said while peeking inside. ¡°Where¡¯s Qiao Jing? I¡¯m looking for her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°I used to get up early, but now I have my cousin-inw, and she¡¯s so enticing I just can¡¯t hold morning court anymore.¡±

    ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªyou¡ª¡± Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes widened, and his face flushed so red it looked like it could bleed¡ªwas it from anger or embarrassment?

    ¡°Humph!¡± A few secondster, Zhan Ruiting¡¯s emotions gradually settled.

    ¡°Keep boasting, but don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re purposely saying that just to discourage me. If Qiao Jing liked you, she would have liked you a long time ago¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t need to unt it to me deliberately.¡±

    The Zhan family wasn¡¯t made up of fools. Zhan Qipei was exceptionally talented, and Zhan Ruiting wasn¡¯t dumb either.

    At that moment, a clear, somewhat sleepy female voice came from the room.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    Yawning and bleary-eyed, Qiao Jing emerged from the room.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing in her pajamas, Zhan Ruiting was dumbfounded, and the roses hidden behind his back dropped to the floor.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, took a step forward, and blocked Zhan Ruiting¡¯s line of sight.

    His wife had just woken up¡ªhow could he let another man see her like that?

    Zhan Ruiting, with his thick skin, squeezed his way in, and Zhan Qipei immediately went to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and pulled her back to the room.

    ¡°Hey! Cousin, aren¡¯t you being a bit too stingy?!¡±

    After pulling Qiao Jing back to the room, Zhan Qipei came out and leisurely rolled up his sleeves as he walked towards Zhan Ruiting.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Zhan Ruiting immediately bounced up and turned to run outside.

    He had trained for a couple of years, but he was no match for Zhan Qipei.

    Just as Zhan Ruiting¡¯s front foot stepped out, he heard a ¡°thud¡±¡ªthe door closed.

    Zhan Ruiting pursed his lips in dismay and then started talking to himself, ¡°No good, I must hurry and pursue Qiao Jing. If it goes on like this, I¡¯m afraid my cousin will really be ¡®the early bird that catches the worm.''¡±

    After resting for three days, Qiao Jing¡¯s cold was almostpletely better.

    The fourth morning, she got up early to exercise, feeling as if her bones had gone soft from not exercising for several days.

    As usual, Qiao Jing ran around the park and, in the middle of the run, saw Wu Xirui leaning against a post, waiting for someone.

    When Wu Xirui saw Qiao Jing, he smiled at her.

    Obviously, he was waiting for her.

    Qiao Jing, with a distinctly unhappy look on her face, approached Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Have you been using me all this time?¡±

    Hearing this, Wu Xirui¡¯s dark eyes shimmered with amusement, ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound so ugly. I don¡¯t have much ill will towards you. Besides, didn¡¯t I tell you it was love at first sight for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face grew colder still, ¡°You use me and still have the nerve to smile about it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not smiling about it; I was born like this. Alright, if I¡¯ve made you angry, I offer my apologies and invite you out to make up for it,¡± Wu Xirui said, reaching out to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils constricted, and the next second, she grabbed Wu Xirui¡¯s hand and, with a judo throw, sent Wu Xirui flying.

 Chapter 215 - 208: You Still Have Me in Your Heart

    Chapter 215: Chapter 208: You Still Have Me in Your Heart

    With a loud ¡°thud,¡± he mmed heavily onto the ground.

    ¡°Hmm¡ª¡± Wu Xirui let out a muted groan as he struggled to get up from the ground, clutching his heart while looking at Qiao Jing.

    From inside a nearby car, a woman whose features were both enchanting and bore a resemnce to Qiao Jing, about three parts simr, stared at Qiao Jing with a pair of vicious, sinister eyes.

    This person was none other than Lan Yinyin, who had just had her stic surgery a few days ago.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s resemnce to Qiao Jing was all per Wu Xirui¡¯s instructions, iming that it would make it easier to get close to Zhan Qipei, all for the sake of the uing n.

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s gaze shifted from Qiao Jing to Wu Xirui.

    This Qiao Jing is doomed! How dare shey a hand on Fifth Master. Fifth Master is known as Yama Raja in M-country. Those who mess with him end up terribly, let alone hitting Wu Xirui!

    As she thought about it, Lan Yinyinughed, her facial features gradually distorting.

    That look was as if she had already seen Qiao Jing¡¯s devastating end!

    ¡°Thinking of fighting back?¡± Qiao Jing asked expressionlessly, looking at Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui, leaning against a pir and sitting on the ground, looked up andughed dryly.

    ¡°I¡¯m a man, how could I strike a woman?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Lan Yinyin let out a puzzled sound.

    Why is this happening?

    Shouldn¡¯t Fifth Master be angry? Shouldn¡¯t the bodyguards hidden around strike at Qiao Jing?

    Why is he stillughing?

    Qiao Jing looked at Wu Xirui¡¯s pale face, furrowed her brows, and after a two-second silence, she stepped over to Wu Xirui.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you onest time, answer me straight. Are you using me!¡±

    Looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s stern and merciless demeanor, the yful smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face slowly faded, and the two gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, neither starting to speak first.

    After a prolonged silence, Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze.

    ¡°Fine, since you don¡¯t wish to speak, I won¡¯t force you.¡±

    After speaking, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Wu Xirui any additional looks and turned to leave.

    ¡°Hey! How can you be so heartless? Are you really going to leave me here alone?¡± Wu Xirui¡¯s voice was as pitiful and aggrieved as could be, making him seem like an abandoned pet that Qiao Jing had discarded.

    Lan Yinyin watched, dumbfounded.

    Lan Yinyin raised her hand to rub her eyes.

    She must be seeing things. The always bloodthirsty, fiercely cruel, and merciless Fifth Master, how could he possibly show such a vulnerable side?

    As for Wu Xirui¡¯s words, Qiao Jing acted as though she had not heard, continuing to walk on.

    Wu Xirui stared fixatedly at the merciless back of Qiao Jing, a wicked smile curling at his lips.

    He had never encountered anyone who treated him this way before. This feeling of being disregarded was very thrilling to him.

    ¡°Hey, hey! Qiao Jing, you¡ªhiss¡ªhmm¡ªhuff¡ªhuff, huff¡ª¡± His breathing grew more and more unstable. Wu Xirui, clutching at his chest, began to breathe heavily, hisplexion turning deathly pale, andrge beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead.

    Lan Yinyin watched anxiously, just about to step out of the car, when a nce from Wu Xirui forced her back.

    This nce frightened Lan Yinyin terribly, her heart pounding, feeling as if she had just stepped one foot into Hell.

    Qiao Jing sensed something was off with Wu Xirui behind her and slowed her pace slightly.

    ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡ª¡±

    With another ¡°thud.¡±

    Upon hearing this noise, Qiao Jing immediately turned around.

    Wu Xiruiy on the ground, clutching his heart, hisplexion as pale as paper, his mouth open, looking like he was about to die.

    Human life is paramount, Qiao Jing wasted no more time and ran quickly to Wu Xirui.

    When Wu Xirui saw Qiao Jing approaching, a pale smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°You, you¡­ you still have¡­ still have me in your heart.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth! If you keep talking, you¡¯ll be gone from this world!¡± Qiao Jing detested people like Wu Xirui who recklessly disregarded their own lives.

    ¡°Alright, alright¡­ I won¡¯t speak.¡± Wu Xirui continued to sh that pale smile as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing opened Wu Xirui¡¯s suit jacket andid him t, starting to treat him immediately.

    Lan Yinyin was dumbstruck, her eyes filled with disbelief.

    She too knew about Wu Xirui¡¯s illness¡ªit was serious, and he could have died any day.

    Yet now, under Qiao Jing¡¯s urgent treatment, his condition was visibly under control¡­

    How could this be possible?

    In the past, Wu Xirui had sought treatment from countless famous doctors, all to no avail.

    Could Qiao Jing really cure Wu Xirui¡¯s illness?

    This was one of the reasons Lan Yinyin was shocked.

    Furthermore, more shocking to Lan Yinyin than this was Wu Xirui¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had thrown Wu Xirui over her shoulder, and while she was expecting to see Qiao Jing¡¯s downfall, Wu Xirui wasn¡¯t angry at all and kept smilingly looking at Qiao Jing.

    Looking! At! Qiao! Jing!

    Indeed, staring intently at Qiao Jing, his eyes unblinking.

    ¡°What exactly is going on? Could it be that Fifth Master has truly taken a liking to Qiao Jing?¡±

    As soon as this thought emerged, a wildly jealous expression appeared on Lan Yinyin¡¯s face.

    Her expression became increasingly hideous and terrifying, her clenched fingers digging into her palm, her rear teeth squeaking as she bit down hard.

    ¡°Impossible! Fifth Master would never fall for a country bumpkin like Qiao Jing!¡±

    Lan Yinyin kept persuading herself that Wu Xirui was only pretending to be deeply in love with Qiao Jing in order to take revenge on the Zhan Family.

    Yes!

    It must be so!

    Thinking this, Lan Yinyin¡¯s jealous mood eased slightly.

    Twenty minutester, Qiao Jing stopped the pressure on Wu Xirui¡¯s body, exhaled a breath of murky air, and used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±

    Wu Xirui stood up, leaning on a pir, his right hand over his left chest, ¡°You really are amazing, better than all the doctors I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    Saying this, Wu Xirui squinted his narrow eyes slightly and paused for two seconds before continuing, ¡°When I was in M country, I heard that there¡¯s a famous divine doctor in the capital, Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s words were probing, and the gaze heid on Qiao Jing was somewhat measuring and inquiring, trying to discern clues from her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face remained faint and unrippled, showing neither happiness nor anger.

    ¡°Oh.¡± She uttered indifferently, nothing more.

    Wu Xirui leaned his face closer to Qiao Jing, ¡°Do you know Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly arched an eyebrow, ¡°Is it any of your concern?¡±

    Wu Xirui smiled, ¡°Of course not, I was just curious to ask.¡±

    Wu Xirui had long wanted to know the answer to this question. Months ago in Autumn Water Vige, when Zhan Qipei was shot in the leg and seriously injured, he heard that Qiao Jing was the one who performed the bullet removal surgery at home, and ording to the information he had people gather, Zhan Qipei¡¯s surgery was very sessful.

    Then there was the matter with Zhan Yuanshan.

 Chapter 216 - 209 Qiao Jing Is Forced to Go on a Blind Date

    Chapter 216: Chapter 209 Qiao Jing Is Forced to Go on a Blind Date

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition was something he was very familiar with; he had heard about it years ago while in the United States. Zhan Yuanshan was old and seriously ill, and it seemed he wouldn¡¯t live much longer.

    At that time, his mother was still alive, and he hesitated about whether to go back to see her, but in the end, he did not. His mother ended up passing away first.

    Leaving him alone.

    Before she died, she made him promise to avenge her.

    Later on, he received news that Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition had gradually begun to improve.

    At the time, he found it strange, because ording to the information he had, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s illness was so severe, beyond the help of medicine or doctors, and his family had already begun making advance arrangements for his funeral.

    But then Zhan Yuanshan miraculously recovered.

    Thinking of this, Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, his already narrow eyes squinting into slits.

    ¡°Do you really not know Divine Doctor Jing?¡± Wu Xirui leaned in closer and asked Qiao Jing again.

    Qiao Jing stepped back to maintain a certain distance from Wu Xirui, his gaze shifting andnding on Wu Xirui¡¯s left chest.

    ¡°Rather than that, shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about yourself? Since bing a doctor, I have treated countless patients. To survive, those people don¡¯t know what sins they¡¯ve borne.

    But you don¡¯t take yourself seriously at all, recklessly damaging your own body. This time, I managed to stabilize your condition, but I won¡¯t always be by your side every time. Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying?¡±

    ¡°Afraid, of course I¡¯m afraid, who isn¡¯t? But¡ª¡ªfear doesn¡¯t help.¡±

    Wu Xirui showed a rare solemn expression as he said this.

    Everybody wants to live, his mother wanted to live, so did he; but fate was unkind. Despite his family¡¯s wealth, what good was it?

    As these thoughts crossed his mind, Wu Xirui suddenlyughed, looking at Qiao Jing, he continued, ¡°Now I¡¯m not worried anymore, with you here, you definitely won¡¯t let me die, right?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Wu Xirui¡¯s smiling eyes, partly nonchnt, partly inscrutable.

    ¡°I promised you, I would cure your disease. I do what I say; from now on I¡¯ll visit you once a week.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing no longer lingered and turned around to continue his slow jog.

    He had just run a little way when he heard Wu Xirui¡¯s voice from behind.

    ¡°I indeed want to use you.¡±

    At these words, Qiao Jing abruptly stopped, and after a moment of silence, turned back to look at Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui lit a cigarette, took a puff, and then exhaled.

    Qiao Jing kept staring at the cigarette in Wu Xirui¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that smoking elerates the process of arterial sclerosis and worsens myocardial ischemia?¡±

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t seem intent on extinguishing the cigarette, ¡°One can¡¯t live constantly worrying about this and that. If we give up everything, what¡¯s the point of living?¡±

    Qiao Jing continued to stare at the cigarette expressionlessly, ¡°Suit yourself, find someone else to treat you.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I won¡¯t smoke anymore, alright?¡± Wu Xirui¡¯s words startled Lan Yinyin.

    Not smoke anymore?!

    Lan Yinyin, having followed Wu Xirui for many years, knew well that Wu Xirui liked to smoke when he had nothing else to do. The doctors¡¯ advice was useless; in the end, they were the ones to suffer.

    Wu Xirui ced the cigarette in his pocket.

    ¡°What, nning to take it with you, to smoke when I can¡¯t see?¡± Qiao Jing said indifferently, ¡°I believe my medical skills are quite good, but they are not so good that I can cure you if you don¡¯t quit smoking.¡±

    With a helpless smile on his face, Wu Xirui took the cigarette out of his pocket and tossed it into the trash can.

    ¡°Does that satisfy you now, Doctor Qiao?¡±

    Lan Yinyin¡¯s eyes bulged with surprise; Wu Xirui¡¯s actions left her increasingly shocked and bewildered.

    Was Wu Xirui really just trying to snatch Qiao Jing away from Zhan Qipei? Even if that was the case, was Wu Xirui going too far?

    After Qiao Jing left, Lan Yinyin got out of the car and walked over to Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Fifth Master, that bitch Qiao Jing is so rude to you, do you want me to find an opportunity to secretly teach her a lesson?¡±

    As soon as Lan Yinyin finished speaking, she saw Wu Xirui slowly turn his head, gazing at her with eyes as if looking at a dead person.

    ¡°Would you like to p yourself, or shall I do it?¡± Wu Xirui said coldly, staring at Lan Yinyin. She felt as if she had caught the attention of a demon from hell, her back went cold, her hair stood on end, and her legs trembled uncontrobly.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Wu Xirui¡¯s face showed an impatient expression.

    Lan Yinyin snapped out of it, not daring to dy any longer, and raised her hand to p her own face.

    ¡°p¡ªp p¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin kept hitting her face, leaving distinct red and white marks, showing how harshly she was hitting herself.

    Throughout the process, Wu Xirui¡¯s face did not show an ounce of extra expression, just watching coldly and indifferently.

    ¡°p p p¡ª¡± The sound of ps continued, one after another, Wu Xirui did not signal her to stop, and Lan Yinyin didn¡¯t dare to stop.

    ¡°Remember, if you dare to insult her again, I will make your life a living hell!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Lan Yinyin choked back, cursing Qiao Jing in her heart.

    It was all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault!

    She got her into this mess!

    What happened to Fifth Master? Why was he so protective of Qiao Jing?

    Why?!

    ¡°Also, in the next couple of days, I will arrange for you to be sent to Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed as soon as possible.¡±

    Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t wait to see Zhan Qipei and Lan Yinyin rolling in the sheets, and then Qiao Jing would appear right at that moment.

    He was certain that, given Qiao Jing¡¯s temperament, there would no longer be any chance between her and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Buzz buzz buzz¡ª¡± The vibration of the phone rang out; the call was from the deputy director of the orphanage.

    This deputy director once took care of Qiao Jing when she was at the orphanage and was very fond of her.

    ¡°Hello? Teacher Qian, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing! You haven¡¯t forgotten about our meeting today, have you?¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered what the deputy director had told her on the phone a few days ago.

    She said that Qiao Jing was not getting any younger and that Lin Xiuxiang was getting married. If Qiao Jing continued to be alone, she might end up an old maid.

    That¡¯s generally the way the elderly think, afraid that their children and descendants will grow old without anyone to marry.

    At that time, she refused, but she couldn¡¯t withstand the deputy director¡¯s earnest persuasion. She even lied about being married, but the deputy director just wouldn¡¯t believe her.

    Finally, feeling too embarrassed to let down the deputy director¡¯s kindness, she reluctantly agreed.

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way now.¡±

    Qiao Jing checked the previous chat record sent by the deputy director and found the address of the blind date.

    ¡°Huh? Red Star Cafe, why does this name sound so familiar? It seems I¡¯ve heard it somewhere.¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t recall where she had heard it, and rather than continue to ponder, she decided to simply go first.

    On the way to the cafe, there was a rear-end collision and traffic, so Qiao Jing was three minuteste.

 Chapter 217 - 210: Zhan Qipei Caught Me on a Blind Date

    Chapter 217: Chapter 210: Zhan Qipei Caught Me on a Blind Date

    Qiao Jing had just arrived at the caf¨¦ when she was drawn into a conversation between a brother and a sister.

    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this Qiao Jing? She¡¯s sote? Doesn¡¯t she have any sense of time?¡± the sister said irritably.

    The brother frowned, ¡°I just got a message from her, saying she was stuck in traffic.¡±

    ¡°Brother! You¡¯re so gullible! She says it¡¯s traffic, and you just believe it? Whatever she says, you swallow? Our family isn¡¯tcking; plenty of people want to marry you. There¡¯s no need to cater to her whims.¡± the sister said, displeased.

    The brother opened Qiao Jing¡¯s photo, ¡°But she¡¯s really pretty.¡±

    The sister sneered at the photo, ¡°Give me a break, photo deceits are somon nowadays. Look at those inte celebrities; they look like aunties without makeup. And this person in the photo, look at those big, bright eyes, the cute little nose, and that pretty mouth, not to mention the skin, and her figure¡ªmy God, it¡¯s frightening.

    Such perfect people don¡¯t exist in this world, okay? I bet her real self isn¡¯t even close to ¡ª¡±

    She had not finished her sentence when she saw Qiao Jing standing at the door.

    Damn!

    The sister¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled, full of disbelief.

    The brother noticed his sister¡¯s reaction, turned his head in confusion, and stared, not even realising when he had stood up.

    ¡°Hello, hello,¡± the brother stuttered, quickly pulling out a chair, serving Qiao Jing.

    The sister pursed her lips, thinking her big brother was being too attentive.

    So what if she¡¯s pretty? Their family is well-off; it¡¯s not too much for her brother to marry a beauty.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re from the countryside? You¡¯ve always been farming in the fields?¡± the sister scrutinized Qiao Jing as if evaluating merchandise.

    The more she looked, the more jealous she felt. She hadn¡¯t noticed earlier, but now, up close, she saw Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t wearing any makeup.

    Coming without makeup, that¡¯s so disrespectful to her brother.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her elegantly thin eyebrows, ¡°What, you look down on country folk?¡±

    ¡°Sis!¡± the brother red at his sister.

    The sister red back at her brother, thinking he was really something, getting dazed by a pretty face. This was a significant matter like marriage; one shouldn¡¯t just judge by appearances. Some investigation was still necessary.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think so poorly of us, I didn¡¯t say I look down on country folk; I was just asking.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s me,¡± Qiao Jing responded truthfully.

    At this point, Qiao Jing was running out of patience.

    ¡°I have something¡ª¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish, she was interrupted by the sister¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just say it, I have a pretty good impression of you. You also know my brother¡¯s situation by now. Our family got two apartments in the capital from a housing demolition. Plus, my family runs a business, a fruit stand that¡¯s not small, making at least two to three thousand daily in pure profit.

    So, a lot of people are after my brother, but he¡¯s picky; he doesn¡¯t like anyone who¡¯s not good-looking. You are quite nice, and my brother is very satisfied.¡±

    The brother blushed, embarrassed, asionally ncing at Qiao Jing sitting opposite him.

    One word¡ªbeautiful!

    Unbelievably beautiful.

    The sister hadn¡¯t finished speaking, ¡°If you marry into our family in the future, just forget about going back to the countryside to farm. If our rtives and friends found out that my brother married a country woman who farms, we might as well throw our family¡¯s face away.

    Also, our family runs a fruit stall business and we get up early in the morning. We don¡¯t require you to join our business, you just need to get up around five in the morning, cook for my parents, and throw the family¡¯s clothes in the washing machine. Just take care of the housework and when childrene along, just focus on staying at home and taking care of them.¡±

    The sister felt that her words were already quite generous, not even requiring Qiao Jing to work, just to take care of the housework and children, which she thought was really easy.

    Qiao Jing stood up and looked at the siblings sitting opposite her, speaking indifferently, ¡°I can¡¯t meet your demands, you should find someone else.¡±

    This statement made the brother anxious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! My sister didn¡¯t mean any harm, she meant that in the future you wouldn¡¯t have to work hard outside, just stay at home and enjoy life. Housework is something you can do if you wish.¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡± The sister tugged at his clothes.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be like this, you¡¯re marrying a wife, not an ancestor! We all live together, why should she be exempt from doing anything?¡± the sister said, dissatisfied.

    ¡°Mind your own business! It¡¯s not you getting married!¡± the brother snapped.

    The sister felt wronged, her brother had never been angry with her before, he was always so good-tempered, but the moment they had this matchmaking session, he turned harsh with her.

    This woman is probably a jinx!

    ¡°My sister is outspoken, please don¡¯t be offended,¡± the brother hastily apologized to Qiao Jing, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to live with my parents and my sister, then we can move out and live separately. Our family owns two houses, so that won¡¯t be an issue.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned.

    ¡°Actually, I am already married, but Teacher Qian just doesn¡¯t believe it, insisting that I¡¯m making excuses.¡±

    The brother didn¡¯t take Qiao Jing¡¯s words seriously. ¡°I know you¡¯re still angry, that¡¯s why you said that. In the future, when you live with me, we¡¯ll do the housework together, and if really necessary, we can hire a maid¡ª¡±

    ¡°Brother! Are you crazy? Do you know how expensive a maid is? Our family is indeed wealthy, but not to the extent that we can afford to hire a maid to serve her. I guarantee that if our parents find out about this, they will definitely not agree.

    Moreover, you know that our parents want you to find someone honest and hardworking, not someone decorative like her.¡±

    Qiao Jing, tired of listening to the siblings¡¯ argument, turned around and walked away.

    As Qiao Jing walked away, the brother, in panic, pushed his sister aside and hurried after her.

    He hadn¡¯t caught up when he saw Qiao Jing stop up ahead.

    Standing in front of Qiao Jing was an exceptionally handsome man.

    The brother, being a man himself, suddenly felt totally inferior.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei asked simultaneously.

    Zhan Qipei answered first, ¡°This caf¨¦ belongs to mypany.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei say this, Qiao Jing then realized, no wonder it sounded familiar¡ªit belonged to Zhan Corporation.

    ¡°And you?¡± Zhan Qipei then asked.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Before Qiao Jing could respond, the brother came over.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, who¡¯s this?¡± the brother asked, eyeing Zhan Qipei as if he was a rival in love.

    He thought he heard earlier that this caf¨¦ belonged to this man. Was that true, or had he heard wrong?

    Qiao Jing stood beside Zhan Qipei, looked at her brother seriously and replied, ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying to you earlier, I really am married.¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his long eyebrows and examined Qiao Jing with his head tilted.

    ¡°Impossible! If you were married, how could Dean Qian have allowed us to have this matchmaking?¡± the brother eximed in disbelief.

 Chapter 218 - 211: Lan Yinyin Sneaks into Zhan Qipeis Room

    Chapter 218: Chapter 211: Lan Yinyin Sneaks into Zhan Qipei¡¯s Room

    ¡°A blind date?¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s usually calm eyes shone with a dim and obscure luster.

    Qiao Jing could tell that the man was jealous, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin.

    ¡°Regarding this matter, I¡¯ve already exined it before. I mentioned to Teacher Qian about my marriage, but she just wouldn¡¯t believe it. No matter what I say, it doesn¡¯t get through, so today I came here, not to have a blind date with you, but just to tell you about this,¡± she said.

    At this point, Qiao Jing nced at the Red Star Cafe and continued speaking to her brother, ¡°Today¡¯s expenses are on me.¡±

    Then, Zhan Qipei chimed in, saying to her brother, ¡°Aspensation, you cane here and enjoy the service for a month.¡±

    After Zhan Qipei said this, if the siblings couldn¡¯t guess that this cafe belonged to Zhan Qipei, then they must be fools.

    Zhan Qipei lifted his hand and checked his watch, ¡°It¡¯s mealtime now, shall we eat together?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Then, the two of them got into the multi-million-dor Maybach and drove off.

    The siblings stood on the side of the road, four eyes staring at the departing shadow of the car, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.

    It took quite a while before the two of them recovered from their brain freeze.

    Once they came to, the brother lowered his head. Compared to that incredibly handsome and outstanding man, he had no ground forparison.

    The sister¡¯s expression, on the other hand, was much morepelling.

    Thinking about what she had said earlier, making Qiao Jing doundry, cook, take care of children¡­

    How embarrassing!

    At the traffic light, the car stopped.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°Do you need to exin?¡±

    Qiao Jing propped her elbow on the car door and rested her chin in her hand.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say it just now? There¡¯s nothing to exin.¡±

    The girl¡¯s sparse and ordinary words sounded somewhat heartless to Zhan Qipei.

    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing having rified things earlier, he wouldn¡¯t be asking her now, but rather having a meal first before discussing anything else.

    ¡°Don¡¯t me me for being jealous. If it were me tangled up with another woman in an unclear rtionship, you would be unhappy too.¡±

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t happen,¡± Qiao Jing replied without a second thought.

    Instantly, a surge of anger welled up in Zhan Qipei, ¡°Do you want to try and see?¡±

    Qiao Jing was slightly stunned, then stared at Zhan Qipei with an expressionless face.

    Without saying a word, just staring.

    It only took three seconds for Zhan Qipei to admit defeat.

    ¡°I was just making aparison; don¡¯t get any wrong ideas. I would never do anything to betray you,¡± he stated.

    Qiao Jing still didn¡¯t speak and shifted her gaze back to the car window.

    The scene shifts, and Wu Xirui is making a phone call.

    ¡°Everything is arranged for the banquet tomorrow night. I¡¯ll create an opportunity for you. You get into the private room early, strip down, and lie in bed,¡± he ordered.

    ¡°Yes, Fifth Master, I definitely won¡¯t let you down this time!¡± came the reply.

    With a ¡°beep,¡± the phone call ended.

    Wu Xirui picked up the dart next to him and shot it towards the wall, hitting the bullseye. A crooked smile spread across his lips, revealing a sinister grin.

    The next day.

    At the dinner gathering in the evening.

    Several bosses took turns toasting with Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei was getting somewhat drunk, the bosses exchanged nces and then invited Zhan Qipei to drink again.

    ¡°President Zhan, cheers to a pleasant cooperation.¡±

    All the bosses raised their sses, and Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t back down.

    After finishing this drink, Zhan Qipei¡¯s vision began to blur.

    ¡°Boss, are you okay?¡± Tang Yan whispered in concern.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Zhan Qipei exhaled deeply and raised his hand to his temple.

    The other bosses, seeing Zhan Qipei like this, spoke up, ¡°President Zhan, we¡¯ve drunk too much. I feel quite dizzy; please excuse me, I¡¯m going to find a room to rest a bit.¡±

    ¡°I should be going too,¡±

    Seeing that the other bosses were leaving, Tang Yan looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Boss, should I book a private room for you to rest for a while?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, staggering to his feet, knew he would definitely be treated like a drunkard by Qiao Jing if he returned in this state.

    With that thought, he decided to rest in the hotel for a while and then go back when he felt a little better.

    ¡°Boss, do you need my help to support you?¡± Tang Yan asked.

    ¡°No need,¡± Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and kept a straight face, trying his best to remain clear-headed.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Zhan Qipei entered the private room.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?¡± Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t expected to run into him here.

    Strange. Doesn¡¯t he go back to Nantai Apartment every day? Why isn¡¯t he going back tonight?

    Did he have an argument with Qiao Jing?

    Xu Moqian stroked his chin, analyzing the situation, and he observed that Zhan Qipei seemed very drunk just now.

    Could it really be that they had an argument and that was why Zhan Qipei came out to drown his sorrows?

    While Xu Moqian was secretly analyzing in his head, the appearance of a woman instantly grabbed his attention.

    ¡°This woman¡ªshe somewhat resembles Sister Jing.¡±

    Xu Moqian stared at the woman carefully. Upon a closer look, they didn¡¯t seem that simr.

    What he perceived as differences was the aura and charm emanating from the two women.

    Especially the eyes of the girl. They didn¡¯t shine brightly like stars as Qiao Jing¡¯s did; this girl¡¯s eyes appeared to hide unspeakable schemes and tricks.

    Lan Yinyin stopped in front of Zhan Qipei¡¯s room door.

    Hmm? Xu Moqian¡¯s interest intensified.

    Lan Yinyin took a key card out of her bag, and with a ¡°beep,¡± she swiped it and entered.

    ¡°Eh??? ¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes widened in shock. So, Zhan Qipei was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing! He professed his love for Qiao Jing and clung to his Sister Jing, yet he was sneaking around with another woman behind her back. This was outrageous!

    Xu Moqian rolled up his sleeves and charged toward the door, lifting his foot to kick it.

    Just as he was about tond the kick, Xu Moqian stopped himself.

    ¡°What if I kick the door in and that woman runs away? Later, when I tell Sister Jing about this, I won¡¯t have any proof!¡±

    After thinking it over, Xu Moqian decided to call Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hey, Sister Jing, you need toe over right away.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qiao Jing asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Hurry! Zhan Qipei is cheating!¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, I¡¯m not lying to you! I saw it with my own eyes. Zhan Qipei went in first, and then that woman followed him.¡±

    Qiao Jing could tell whether Xu Moqian was speaking the truth or lying.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei¡­ he¡­ really called for an escort?¡±

    Based on what she knew about Zhan Qipei, she felt he wasn¡¯t that type of person¡­

    ¡°Right, Sister Jing, that woman looks a bit like you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s expression became grave.

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the location.¡±

    Ten minutester.

    After taking a shower, Zhan Qipei walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair as he headed toward the bed.

    He hadn¡¯t reached the bed when his footsteps suddenly halted, and he looked coldly at the girl on the bed.

    Upon seeing the girl¡¯s face, he paused slightly.

 Chapter 219 - 212: Qiao Jing, Go to Hell!

    Chapter 219: Chapter 212: Qiao Jing, Go to Hell!

    ¡°Qiao Jing?¡± After calling out the name, Zhan Qipei immediately sobered up a considerable amount.

    ¡°You¡¯re not Qiao Jing,¡± his face grew dark.

    Although he was drunk right now, his mind muddled and his vision blurry,

    he could feel that the person lying on the bed was definitely not Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Who are you? Why are you here? Get out.¡±

    Lan Yinyin lifted the nket, and Zhan Qipei quickly turned away.

    With a ¡°bang¡±¡ªthe door was kicked open from the outside.

    Qiao Jing stood at the doorway, her gaze instantly drawn to Lan Yinyin lying on the bed.

    ¡°Holy shit! Are my eyes deceiving me?¡± Xu Moqian quickly turned away, covering his eyes and wailing loudly.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I swear I didn¡¯t see anything just now! Zhan Qipei must have seen it all! He¡¯s tainted!¡±

    Zhan Qipei ¡°¡­¡±

    This Xu Moqian, clearly having seen everything, still had the gall to ce the me on his own head.

    Zhan Qipei looked towards Qiao Jing, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything.¡±

    Qiao Jing saw very clearly that right after she kicked the door open, the man was facing away from the bed, towards her side.

    Of course, none of these details were her main concern.

    The focus was the woman lying on the bed.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes fixed on the woman¡¯s face, which bore a startling resemnce to her own.

    ¡°She¡¯s had stic surgery.¡±

    As the Divine Doctor Jing, Qiao Jing realized at a nce that Lan Yinyin had gone under the knife.

    ¡°stic surgery?!¡±

    Both Zhan Qipei and Xu Moqian were smart men, and they both read the hint of conspiracy and scheming behind Qiao Jing¡¯s words at once.

    To deliberately undergo stic surgery to look like Qiao Jing, and then strip and crawl into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed¡­

    ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Qiao Jing approached the bed, looking down at Lan Yinyin with disdain.

    ¡°I just got a phone call saying they sent a call girl here, so¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Qiao Jing cut her off.

    ¡°Stop making up stories, how did you get in just now? You used a room card, didn¡¯t you?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp gaze was firmly trained on Lan Yinyin.

    Lan Yinyin bit her lip hard, her eyes filled with boundless hatred for Qiao Jing.

    All because of Qiao Jing! If not for her, her face wouldn¡¯t have had to endure so many knives.

    Heavens knew how much she hated her own face now, so much so that she didn¡¯t want to look in the mirror every morning.

    Beforeing here, Wu Xirui had made it very clear to her. If she failed this mission again, they would throw her into the sea to feed the sharks.

    It was a matter of life and death either way! Better to take someone down with her before dying.

    With this thought, Lan Yinyin sprang out of bed with a roll, leapt off, and in a frenzy of rage, lunged towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, just die!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows chilled, she knew who she was?

    While Qiao Jing was pondering who the other party could be, Lan Yinyin was already charging at her.

    ¡°Out of my way!¡± Zhan Qipei turned, delivering a kick to Lan Yinyin¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± Lan Yinyin¡¯s screams erupted like a pig being ughtered, as her body flew backward as if hit by a speeding train, and crashed heavily against the wall.

    Xu Moqian turned his head to look at Lan Yinyin, and immediately gasped in shock.

    ¡°Hiss¡ªZhan Qipei, that kick was way too harsh, wasn¡¯t it? Her figure was actually not bad, but look what your kick has done, it¡¯s all caved in, can¡¯t even tell men from women now.¡±

    In her groggy state, Lan Yinyin, hearing what Xu Moqian said, looked down at herself and with that one nce, she waspletely done for.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted from Lan Yinyin and turned to Zhan Qipei. Before she could speak, the man had already copsed onto her.

    ¡°I¡¯m drunk, take me back.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing? Why are you taking advantage of Sister Jing? Let go of her, if you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯m going to fight you!¡± After several yells from Xu Moqian, unable to bear it any longer, he started pulling on Zhan Qipei¡¯s clothing.

    ¡°Old Four, stop messing around, he really is drunk,¡± Qiao Jing said, her eyes signaling Xu Moqian to stop.

    ¡°Sister Jing, he is taking advantage of you, and you¡¯re still defending him?¡± Xu Moqian was about to explode with anger.

    Qiao Jing cast a sidelong nce at the man¡¯s half-drunken, handsome face and remembered the scenes of when the man had taken care of her when she was sick.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take him back first.¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes widened as much as possible. He had made his point so clear, yet Qiao Jing still intended to take Zhan Qipei back.

    And now the two of them were basically clinging together.

    Also, where was Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand?

    Having it on Qiao Jing¡¯s waist was one thing, but to hold her so tightly was clearly an attempt to take advantage of her, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Sister Jing, let me handle him. You two being like this¡­ it¡¯s not appropriate.¡±

    Heaven knows how envious and jealous Xu Moqian was of Zhan Qipei at that moment; he had known Qiao Jing for so many years and had never been so close and intimate with her.

    Look at the chin Zhan Qipei rested on Qiao Jing¡¯s corbone. Just now, he wasn¡¯t sure if his eyes were ying tricks on him, but he thought he saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth sweep intentionally or unintentionally over the girl¡¯s body.

    He thought he must have seen it wrong, right? If Zhan Qipei really intended to kiss Qiao Jing, would she still be soposed? She¡¯d certainly toss him away on the spot.

    ¡°Never mind, he has a phobia of germs; he won¡¯t let you touch him,¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s words interrupted Xu Moqian¡¯s thoughts.

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes instantly widened to the extreme, his look full of disbelief.

    Finally, he watched helplessly as Qiao Jing supported Zhan Qipei to leave, and just as they were about to disappear from his sight, Zhan Qipei suddenly opened his eyes and smiled at Xu Moqian.

    Damn!

    Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t stand it any longer!

    ¡°Sister Jing, he¡¯s faking it; I just saw him open his eyes. Throw him away quickly!¡±

    Qiao Jing cast a sidelong nce at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, the man had his eyes closed, and his breath was tinged with the smell of alcohol.

    ¡°Old Four, stop making a fuss, you¡¯re overthinking it. I live with him every day, if anything were going to happen, it would have happened by now. Besides, do you think he could force himself on me if I didn¡¯t want him to? You really underestimate me, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, not that at all! Sister Jing, you¡¯re underestimating men in this respect. Even though you have strongbat power, men are just no good, really, listen to me!¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian essentially cursing himself, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was quite subtle, and in the end, she still ignored him and helped Zhan Qipei back to Nantai Apartment.

    Worried, Xu Moqian followed Qiao Jing all the way home.

    ¡°Why are you following along?¡± asked Qiao Jing as she helped the man to the bed.

    No sooner had she spoken than she suddenly pulled him to the bed and pulled up the covers.

    Xu Moqian was stunned, watching the covers constantly changing shapes, seething with rage.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you bastard! How dare you bully my Sister Jing!¡±

    Xu Moqian pulled back the covers with a swoosh, just in time to see Zhan Qipei pinning Qiao Jing beneath him and kissing her.

    Xu Moqian instantly felt as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt.

 Chapter 220 - 213: Zhan Qipei, Im Going All Out Against You

    Chapter 220: Chapter 213: Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m Going All Out Against You

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m going all out against you!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t even kissed her small lips yet!

    ¡°Fourth brother, don¡¯t get physical, he¡¯s really drunk!¡±

    Qiao Jing flipped over, positioning herself in front of Xu Moqian.

    Xu Moqian was a bundle of rage and frustration!

    ¡°Sister Jing, I can¡¯t just stand by and watch you get deceived by him, today I must beat him up!¡±

    Xu Moqian rolled up his sleeves, grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s cor, while Zhan Qipeiy motionless in bed.

    ¡°Hey! Get up! If you don¡¯t get up now, I¡¯m really going to smash this fist into your face!¡±

    After Xu Moqian shouted, he realized Zhan Qipei was still motionless, just like before.

    ¡°Fine! You¡¯re good at ying dead! Let¡¯s see how long you can keep this up!¡± With those words, Xu Moqian raised his fist and aimed it at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    Before the fist could hit Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, Qiao Jing stopped it.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± Qiao Jing frowned, clearly unhappy.

    ¡°But he took advantage of you!¡± The image of Zhan Qipei pinning Qiao Jing down was something Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t ept.

    ¡°It was an ident.¡±

    ¡°Then, then let me identally kiss you too!¡±

    Right after Xu Moqian spoke those words, Qiao Jing caught a glimpse of Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand moving.

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath and looked sternly at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°I know you care about me, but I can protect myself well, and I know what to do and what not to do.¡±

    Qiao Jing made it so clear that if Xu Moqian continued to make a fuss, it would surely annoy her.

    After all, Qiao Jing was intelligent, wise, mature, andposed, not just any ordinary girl.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing had formidablebat power, so if she didn¡¯t want it, it would be quite unlikely for Zhan Qipei to force anything on her.

    ¡°Then you¡¯d better be careful and protect yourself well.¡±

    ¡°Mhm, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Xu Moqian looked back three times with each step, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°Am I really leaving?¡±

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡± Qiao Jing closed the door.

    Xu Moqian ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Truly heartless, worthy of being my Sister Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing returned to the room and said to Zhan Qipei lying on the bed, ¡°Are you going to keep pretending?¡±

    Zhan Qipei made no response.

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows, waited two seconds, then turned to leave.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡± Zhan Qipei finally called out her name.

    Qiao Jing turned her head back to look at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Not pretending anymore?¡±

    At this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face disyed a wry smile.

    This woman, he really couldn¡¯t handle her whether he was gentle or aggressive; she truly left him no options.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t pretending. I really did drink too much,¡± he said while rubbing his temples.

    Qiao Jing had also realized that Zhan Qipei really was drunk, but not as badly as he had made it seem.

    As for the man acting that way, he probably did it for Xu Moqian to see.

    There was another reason Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t considered, which was that the man wanted to be physically close to her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now. Have you guessed who that woman was?¡±

    Zhan Qipei fell silent, trying to remember.

    ¡°She deliberately disguised herself as you¡­ It seems she knows me very well, knows I can¡¯t resist you, so she wanted to take advantage of me while I was drunk.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently at the man, wondering why the conversation had turned to involve her.

    ¡°I just thought of someone,¡± he said.

    ¡°So did I.¡±

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei faced each other, then spoke simultaneously.

    ¡°Lan Yinyin¡­¡±

    The scene shifted, and Wu Xirui downed the red wine in his ss in one gulp.

    ¡°Tell Lan Yinyin she can go now.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    This Lan Yinyin, always more trouble than she¡¯s worth, he had arranged everything so perfectly, and yet she still managed to mess up the mission. All those years raising her for nothing.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Wu Xirui called to his assistant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her go to her death just yet, it would be a waste after raising her for so many years. Send her to the entertainment club, make her the top socialite, and have her take good care of the business there for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡­

    The wedding day of Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan was drawing nearer.

    That day, the sun shone brightly, and the sky was cloudless.

    Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang had agreed to go shopping for some wedding necessities.

    Suddenly, a harsh roar erupted from the surging crowd.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks when she heard the voice, and Lin Xiuxiang, who had her arm linked, stiffened as well.

    Just by hearing the voice, the two of them could tell who it was, Qiao Licheng.

    Today, after Qiao Jing finished buying gifts, she had apanied Xiuxiang to the snack street to shop for food, not expecting to encounter Qiao Licheng.

    Turning around, they saw Qiao Licheng was apanied by Jhiang Cuifeng.

    When Qiao Jing saw Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng, her expression darkened and her delicate brows furrowed, watching as the two approached with aggressive strides.

    She already suspected that their arrival meant they were going to cause a scene with her.

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s smile vanished upon seeing the two, and she protectively pulled Qiao Jing behind her, staring down Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng.

    A few secondster, Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng had approached them, having already calcted their agenda.

    They definitely nned to extort something from Qiao Jing now that they had bumped into her!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, why didn¡¯t you respond to Dad¡¯s messages?¡± Qiao Licheng asked as he rubbed his hands, his scheming visible to Qiao Jing, though it left her cold inside.

    Qiao Jing remained silent, recalling the daily messages from her father asking for money, which she never replied to; she eventually blocked Qiao Licheng¡¯s number.

    Yet even so, Qiao Licheng didn¡¯t give up, persistently sending her messages from different numbers, iming that the downfall of the Qiao Family was entirely Qiao Jing`s fault.

    He never considered who had plotted against her, trying to push her into hell.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s cold demeanor, Qiao Licheng began to feel anxious.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯m your father, your real father! You can¡¯t just ignore my calls and messages,¡± he pleaded.

    Jhiang Cuifeng, with a hardened old face, also chimed in to fan the mes.

    ¡°Have you forgotten about me and your dad?¡±

    Themotion attracted the attention of several passersby, who started to gather around.

    ¡°What messages should she reply to? Your daily demands for money from Qiao Jing?¡± Lin Xiuxiang retorted, visibly upset at the shameless demands of the two.

    Hearing their conversation drawing a crowd, Qiao Licheng raised his voice, putting on a pitiful and sorrowful disy.

    ¡°How can you say that! Isn¡¯t it natural for a daughter to care for her parents? How can Qiao Jing ignore us?¡±

    After addressing Xiuxiang, he turned to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, we may have wronged you in the past, but now our family is nearly starving. You can¡¯t just leave us hanging! Plus, your grandma is suffering from a severe heart condition and needs money for treatment. You¡¯re married well now, with more money than you can spend each month.

    Please, I beg you to spare just a little, just a little, what you spend in a day would be enough for your grandma¡¯s treatment.¡±

 Chapter 221 - 214 Counterattack

    Chapter 221: Chapter 214 Counterattack

    When Jhiang Cuifeng heard Qiao Licheng say that, she immediately clutched her chest in cooperation, feigning a state of being on herst breath, continually putting on a pitiful act.

    She breathed heavily, ¡°hu-huff¡ªhu-huff¡ª¡± like she was cranking an air blower.

    Qiao Licheng immediately started patting her on the back, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get excited, take care of your health.¡±

    This scene made the eyes of the onlookers directed at Qiao Jing even stranger, and the volume of the whispering grew louder.

    Lin Xiuxiang let out a gasp, rolled up her sleeves, ready to dispute with the two, but Qiao Jing stopped her.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, don¡¯t bother with them.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t say another word to these kinds of people.

    ¡°But they¡¯re talking about you¡­¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s fighting spirit diminished a lot, and she hesitantly looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Qiao Jing took Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, ready to leave, but was forced to halt by the shameless maneuvers of Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was about to leave, Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng threw themselves in front of them without hesitation.

    Qiao Licheng knelt down before Qiao Jing; quick to react, she dodged to the side, preventing Qiao Licheng from kneeling before her.

    Although she didn¡¯t regard Qiao Licheng as a father, the fact of their blood rtion was something she couldn¡¯t change.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, dad is begging you, don¡¯t ignore us, give us some living expenses.¡±

    As Qiao Licheng spoke, tears started to drop from his eyes.

    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t give us living expenses, you have to at least provide for grandma¡¯s medical expenses.¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng, clutching her heart,y on the ground crying and wailing as if the sky was copsing.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, I really can¡¯t take it much longer, the doctor told me the day before yesterday that if I don¡¯t get to the hospital for treatment and surgery, I won¡¯t have much longer to live.¡±

    This spectacle made the bystanders¡¯ voices rise even louder, some even clenched their teeth in anger.

    ¡°That youngdy looks decent enough, didn¡¯t expect her to be such a person.¡±

    ¡°Look at those luxury items in her hand, I recognize them all! She has money for those but not to support her family?¡±

    ¡°And her grandmother has a heart condition regardless, she should at least provide for medical and living expenses.¡±

    ¡°What misfortune to raise such a daughter, an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.¡±

    ¡­

    Thements from the bystanders also reached the ears of Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang.

    Being publicly talked about, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t take their words to heart and was instead taking Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, preparing to take another route.

    Lin Xiuxiang looked at the luxury items in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, which were bought to give to her.

    The increasingly unpleasantments kept popping out of the mouths of the passersby, and Lin Xiuxiang could no longer hold back.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t stop me this time.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang naturally understood her best friend; Qiao Jing disdained exining herself to irrelevant people, but she couldn¡¯t tolerate others insulting Qiao Jing like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, surnamed Qiao, how can you have the nerve to ask Qiao Jing for money?!¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I have the nerve? I¡¯m her biological father! I raised her, and if there¡¯s no merit in that, there¡¯s still hard work.¡±

    Hearing the passersby¡¯s support, Qiao Licheng couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit proud inside; he was using moral public opinion to coerce Qiao Jing, to see if she would give them money under the public¡¯s watchful eyes.

    ¡°Ho? Do you really have the nerve to say you¡¯ve raised Qiao Jing, aren¡¯t you and Jhiang Cuifeng the ones who left her in the snow?¡±

    When Lin Xiuxiang blurted out this revtion, it was like a fuse that set the crowd abuzz; the onlookers exchanged nces and then turned their attention back to Qiao Licheng and the other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t nder me, trying to start rumors and smear my name, is that it?¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face went pale for a moment when he heard Lin Xiuxiang speak the truth, but under everyone¡¯s gaze, he couldn¡¯t admit to it no matter what.

    Jhiang Cuifeng clearly didn¡¯t have the same mental fortitude and started to think about beating a retreat, whispering something in Qiao Licheng¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Shall we leave?¡±

    ¡°Leave what? So many people are watching, she just wants to defame us!¡±

    Qiao Licheng deliberately raised his voice so that all around could hear.

    Qiao Jing stood arms crossed, watching the farce, ready to whisk Lin Xiuxiang away at any moment.

    When Qiao Licheng caught Qiao Jing¡¯s cold gaze, he guiltily diverted his eyes.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor prompted the bystanders to speak up again.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something? Your friend is ndering your dad, and you don¡¯t care?¡±

    ¡°What should I say?¡±

 Chapter 222 - 214 Counterattack_2

    Chapter 222: Chapter 214 Counterattack_2

    Upon hearing this question, Qiao Jing retorted with one of her own, casting a sidelong nce at the bystanders. Her aloof demeanor and stunning looks naturally made people feel distant.

    But to the bystanders¡¯ surprise, the look in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes suggested that the truth was not as it seemed.

    ¡°You deny it? If you think I¡¯m making this up, shall we ask the police if it¡¯s alright?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang, furious, was about to dial the emergency number in front of Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng.

    This finally made Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng feel guilty, and they got up from the ground.

    ¡°Call the police for such a trifle?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re feeling guilty.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang waved the number ¡°110¡± in front of them, about to press the call button.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call! Isn¡¯t it enough if I don¡¯t take her money?¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face turned pale.

    The bystanders were all stunned.

    What¡¯s going on?

    Wasn¡¯t it this girl who was so unfilial, refusing to support their father and grandmother?

    How could it be¡ªreally¡ª

    ¡°We wronged the young girl. People like them are not fit to be parents!¡±

    ¡°Get out of here, we¡¯re sorry! Miss, we misjudged you.¡±

    The scolding immediately shifted to Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng.

    And the first one who couldn¡¯t stand it was Jhiang Cuifeng, her face pale, feeling waves of difort in her chest, her figure swaying.

    The bystanders now knew the truth and wouldn¡¯t fall for their act anymore.

    ¡°Still acting? Just get out of here.¡±

    ¡°The older they get, the more shameless they be.¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face was a mosaic of colors, and he supported Jhiang Cuifeng, escaping under the barrage of insults from the people.

    ¡°Tongtong, let¡¯s not mind them, shall we continue our shopping?¡±

    Qiao Jing said in a soft voice, her expression much gentler when facing Lin Xiuxiang.

    Several dayster, Qiao Jing was busy at the research institute.

    After a full day¡¯s work, she decided to go out to buy groceries.

    As soon as she got out, however, a sudden downpour fell from the sky, hitting the vendors¡¯ counters with a pitter-patter, and small droplets hit the ground, forming a thin curtain of water.

    At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

    Qiao Jing paused slightly and turned to look. Zhan Ruiting was standing behind her, umbre in hand, having appeared at some point.

    But Qiao Jing had no intention of entertaining him, her dress already soaked through.

    Zhan Ruiting took a few steps forward and the ck umbre appeared above Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    ¡°Why have youe?¡±

    Qiao Jing lowered the car window and ced her bag inside the car before turning around.

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s gaze was fixed on Qiao Jing, he said somewhat embarrassedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s raining, I came to pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing was dressed in a light blue dress, which had been rather loose but clung to her body like a second skin after being soaked by the rain.

    The dress outlined her curvy figure, revealing enchanting curves, and the pale skin of her corbone waspletely exposed to the air, followed by her prominent chest.

    Her hair, which usually cascaded down her shoulders, now clung wetly to the sides, but Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent expression, coupled with her beautiful eyes, gave off a cold beauty reminiscent of an ice queen.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s graceful figure made it difficult for any man to not have his thoughts run wild, and Zhan Ruiting was no exception.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll give you my coat, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s drenched appearance, Zhan Ruiting immediately reacted and intended to take off his suit jacket for her to wear.

    Suddenly, another male voice interjected between the two.

    ¡°You¡¯re neither as tall as me nor as good-looking, your coat would be just like wearing nothing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei said coldly and sarcastically as he strode forward, forcefully separating Zhan Ruiting to the side and took off his own suit jacket to drape over Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was his wife, after all, it was not Zhan Ruiting¡¯s ce to step in.

    The umbre over Qiao Jing¡¯s head also became the one held by Zhan Qipei.

    As she put on the jacket, the scent of the men¡¯s cologne he used enveloped Qiao Jing; she frowned slightly but did not push it away, feeling a bit cold indeed.

    ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re wrong to say that, what do you mean I¡¯m not as tall as you? I¡¯m at least nearly the same height as you!¡±

    Zhan Ruiting said defiantly, and seeing Qiao Jing already wearing the jacket, he could only begrudgingly put his own jacket back on and stealthily red at Zhan Qipei.

    After catching Zhan Ruiting¡¯s nce, Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and with arge hand, he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s tender chin and leaned in to kiss her soft, red lips.

    In an instant, the man¡¯s overwhelming presence descended, leaving Qiao Jing stunned for a moment; her eyes locked onto Zhan Qipei¡¯s as the sensation on her lips made her lose herposure.

    Due to their height difference, Qiao Jing had to tilt her head back, and Zhan Qipei, out of the corner of his eye, darkened his gaze upon seeing something but suppressed the heat rising within him.

    For Zhan Ruiting, this was nothing short of a provocation! His hand holding the umbre trembled with anger, but facing Zhan Qipei, he still felt somewhat intimidated.

    Qiao Jing also furrowed her attractive brows and pushed Zhan Qipei away, ¡°Zhan Qipei, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kissing my wife, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± The man¡¯s voice carried a bit of a rogue¡¯s charm.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Qiao Jing raised her hand as if to p his face.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing her reaction, deliberately leaned in closer, making it easier for her to strike.

    Staring at the handsome face in front of her, which was shamelessly asking for it, Qiao Jing hesitated, not sure whether to strike or not.

    Zhan Qipei saw the hand Qiao Jing had raised stay suspended in the air, his mouth curled in amusement, and he provocatively nced at Zhan Ruiting.

    Zhan Ruiting felt utterly frustrated! But there was nothing he could do. Qiao Jing was now Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife in name, and his sister-inw as well, he surely couldn¡¯t just go up and snatch her away, could he?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to entertain the two men, opened the car door, and got in.

    ¡°Wife, wait for me,¡± Zhan Qipei called as he opened the driver¡¯s door and got in.

    Then, without giving Zhan Ruiting a chance to react, he stepped on the gas hard and sped away.

    By the time Zhan Ruiting came back to his senses, the car had already driven off a long distance.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Zhan Ruiting stamped his foot and sighed.

 Chapter 223 - 215 Valentines Day

    Chapter 223: Chapter 215 Valentine¡¯s Day

    Qiao Family.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s face was dark and gloomy as he sat down on the sofa with Jhiang Cuifeng.

    Qiao Mengtong, who rushed out at the sound, was also startled by the look on Qiao Licheng¡¯s face, asking cautiously.

    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng immediately clutched at her chest and began to cry out in pain.

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t that little bitch Qiao Jing! And that woman with her! How dare they publicly embarrass us!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, very perceptive, stepped forward to soothe Jhiang Cuifeng.

    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s not the first time that little bitch has done this.¡±

    Suddenly, with a loud bang, a teacup shattered on impact!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you little wretch!¡±

    Qiao Licheng roared in anger.

    The noise startled Jhiang Cuifeng as well,

    ¡°Qiao Jing! How could I have borne such an ingrate! Do you really think that marrying into the Zhan Family has made you a phoenix who has ascended to the top of the tree? Now that you¡¯re divorced, do you still see yourself as the young mistress of the Zhan Family?¡±

    Qiao Licheng cursed viciously, then suddenly, like a madman, he knocked everything off the table.

    The floor was strewn with chaos, shattered teacups, remnants of a teapot, fragments of porcin, and a smashed apple.

    ¡°Mom, go back to your room,¡±

    Qiao Licheng said to Jhiang Cuifeng after ncing at her.

    Jhiang Cuifeng dared not stay any longer; if she did, she feared her heart condition might really act up. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    Only Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong were left in the living room.

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, having witnessed Qiao Licheng¡¯s frenzy, was now a bit scared, afraid that the next thing to be thrown might hit her.

    ¡°Tongtong, I knew a big boss in the business world before, a director in the entertainment industry, would you be willing to go? This is a good opportunity.¡±

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s dark gaze fixed on Qiao Mengtong as he asked.

    Needless to say, this opportunity was very important for Qiao Mengtong; with it, she could gain the status to take revenge on Qiao Jing.

    She struggled internally for a while, then finally clenched her teeth and nodded emphatically.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go, when is it?¡±

    Only after hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s agreement did Qiao Licheng¡¯s expression soften a little as he spoke earnestly.

    ¡°I will make contact for you; Tongtong, you must seize this chance.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Dad, rest assured, I will definitely not disappoint you.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s mind had already begun to imagine the scene after Qiao Jing¡¯s divorce.

    Divorced and with neither money nor status, wouldn¡¯t Qiao Jing be an easy target for her to im justice?

    Seeing how sensible Qiao Mengtong looked, Qiao Licheng felt somewhatforted. ¡°Hello? Director Qi, this is Qiao Licheng. About the matter you mentioned to mest time, please arrange a time.¡±

    ¡°What? Tonight? Alright, alright, send me an address.¡±

    The phone call ended there, and Qiao Mengtong, not expecting to go so soon, looked a bit conflicted.

    She was very clear about what she needed to do during this visit, but this was the only path avable to her now.

    Nighttime.

    Inside a luxurious hotel.

    Qiao Mengtong, looking at the information on her phone, urately found the room, inwardly praying that it wasn¡¯t some potbellied man inside.

    Just as her hand touched the doorknob, the door opened from the inside.

    A portly middle-aged bald man was sitting on the bed, his white shirt clinging tightly to the rolls of fat on his belly, a disgustingly revolting sight.

    Director Qi¡¯s eyes were deadlocked on Qiao Mengtong standing before him, his mouth nearly drooling.

    ¡°Mengtong,e sit down. You¡¯re dressed quite provocatively today. Are you that eager?¡± He snickered creepily.

    Director Qi rubbed his pudgy hands together, his gaze fixed on Qiao Mengtong.

    To amodate Director Qi, Qiao Mengtong had specifically worn a revealingce dress today, never expecting him to be such a paunchy figure!

    This caused Qiao Mengtong¡¯splexion to turn several shades paler; the previous man¡¯s words and gaze stabbed her heart like needles.

    Seeing Qiao Mengtong just standing at the doorway with a clueless expression, Director Qi¡¯s face also darkened.

    ¡°Mengtong,e over and sit. Why are you standing there?¡±

    ¡°Here Ie, sorry! Director Qi.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong suppressed the disgust in her heart, trying to turn her head away so she wouldn¡¯t have to see Director Qi¡¯s face, smothered in fat, or his reflective bald head.

    ¡°No problem, Mengtong. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mistreat you.¡±

    Director Qi¡¯s hands immediately began to wander restlessly, groping Qiao Mengtong¡¯s body with leering eyes.

    In the end, Qiao Mengtong clenched her teeth tightly and turned her head away, allowing Director Qi¡¯s hands to roam over her body¡­

    But Director Qi was an old pervert; he insisted on forcing Qiao Mengtong to look at him, pulling her face forcefully towards his greasy one.

    Qiao Mengtong clenched her fists in hatred, her nails digging deep into her flesh.

    Qiao Jing! If it wasn¡¯t for you, how could I have fallen to this point!

    Just wait until today is over; you¡¯ll see how I¡¯ll get my revenge once I rise to the top!

    I will tear that face of yours apart, who are you putting on that lofty charade for!

    ¡ª

    On the other hand, at this moment, Zhan Qipei was busy with something else.

    Valentine¡¯s Day was approaching, and he hadn¡¯t been able to attend the weddingst time, a knot in his heart. He wanted to take this opportunity to make it up to Qiao Jing.

    On Valentine¡¯s Day, Qiao Jing would definitely receive a lot of invitations from people like Zhan Ruiting, Xu Moqian, and Lu Zijin.

    The thought darkened Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression by several shades, his thin lips pressed into a t, curveless line.

    Zhan Qipei knew very well that if he personally invited Qiao Jing, she wouldn¡¯te and might even ept someone else¡¯s invitation.

    Unable to control himself, he pictured Qiao Jing spending Valentine¡¯s Day with someone else, and his face turned instantly gloomy.

    Zhan Qipei thought of someone who could help him and immediately drove to his destination.

    ¡°Ding-dong¡ª¡± The doorbell rang.

    ¡°Coming.¡±

    Upon opening the door, Lin Xiuxiang saw Zhan Qipei standing outside, apanied by Tang Yan.

    ¡°I need to speak with you,¡± Zhan Qipei said to Lin Xiuxiang expressionlessly.

    ¡°What is it? Is it about Qiao Qiao?¡±

    After asking, Lin Xiuxiang immediately guessed that Zhan Qipei was there for Qiao Jing. ¡°Yes, can you do me a favor?¡±

    ¡°On Valentine¡¯s Day, help me get Qiao Jing onto the cruise ship. I¡¯ve already prepared a wedding dress for her¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei shared his meticulously nned scheme with Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°But what if Qiao Qiao doesn¡¯t want to go?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang hesitated, unsure whether Qiao Jing would be willing to go.

    ¡°I want to make it up to Qiao Jing. I wasn¡¯t there on our wedding day; I want to host a wedding ceremony for her again.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s long eyebrows knitted together, his eyes and brows brimming with an almost uncontroble sense of remorse.

 Chapter 224 - 216 Preparing to Propose

    Chapter 224: Chapter 216 Preparing to Propose

    ¡°But if Qiao Qiao finds out I¡¯ve lied to her¡­ I¡¯m afraid she might be upset,¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang showed a troubled expression, worried that Qiao Jing would get angry.

    Tang Yan sneakily nced at Zhan Qipei and then at his fianc¨¦e.

    He was stuck in the middle and really found it difficult.

    After hesitating for two seconds, Tang Yan decided to still say a few words on behalf of his boss.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, just help the boss out, he really likes Miss Qiao and wants to spend the rest of his life with her.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang looked at Tang Yan and then stared at Zhan Qipei hesitantly for a long time.

    Tang Yan was also aware of Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s predicament and didn¡¯t continue to persuade; may the boss have good luck.

    After a few minutes of silence in the air, Lin Xiuxiang made a concession under Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Okay then, please send me the time and address. I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll be able to bring Qiao Qiao with me, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you a text,¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood up and hurriedly left; he was busy arranging every part of the cruise ship.

    After that day, Zhan Qipei¡¯s time spent at thepany was noticeably less by half.

    Tang Yan, holding a document in his hand, just handed it over and said, ¡°Boss, the document¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish speaking, Zhan Qipei raised his hand and looked at his wristwatch, ¡°Time¡¯s up, deal with the document tomorrow.¡±

    No sooner had he finished speaking, Zhan Qipei left Tang Yan with only a departing figure.

    In the office, Tang Yan still holding the document, hadn¡¯t reacted yet, and by the time he came to his senses, Zhan Qipei was nowhere to be seen.

    Valentine¡¯s Day.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang made a phone call to Qiao Jing, but still felt hesitant.

    What if Qiao Jing found out that she helped Zhan Qipei take her to the cruise ship, would she be angry with her?

    But she had already promised Zhan Qipei¡­

    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m here, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Qiao Jing was still wearing herb uniform, having just walked out of theb when she answered the call.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s voice trailed off halfway through.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Qiao Jing took off herb uniform and nced at the call screen that was still active.

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to go take wedding photos, would youe with me?¡±

    In the end, Lin Xiuxiang plucked up the courage to speak, having already promised Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Sure, when?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the sky outside, nodded slightly to the person greeting her, and walked out.

    Thinking of Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s uing wedding to Tang Yan, she agreed.

    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll take you to try on the wedding dress and then take you with me afterward, okay?¡±

    ¡°Can Ie to pick you up?¡±

    Qiao Jing hailed a taxi from the roadside, still chatting with Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°No, no need, I¡¯ll just send you the address then, I¡¯ll hang up first, okay?¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s reply, Lin Xiuxiang hurriedly ended the call.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to put away her phone, she received another call, thinking it was Lin Xiuxiang, she instinctively hit the ept button.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    The voice of Lu Zijin came through.

    ¡°Do you have any ns for tonight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m apanying Xiangxiang to try on wedding dresses,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    On the other end, Lu Zijin seemed to sigh, ¡°Alright, then I won¡¯t disturb you two.¡±

    ¡°Mhm, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±

    No sooner had she ended this call, another call came in.

    The caller was Zhan Ruiting.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, who were you just on the phone with?¡±

    Zhan Ruiting¡¯s voice rose with a hint of urgency, worried that Qiao Jing had already been invited out by someone else.

    He had painstakingly prepared a candlelight dinner today!

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Are you free tonight? Can we have dinner together?¡± he asked.

    Qiao Jing detected the hope in Zhan Ruiting¡¯s words and arches her eyebrows lightly before responding directly,

    ¡°Sorry, I have ns tonight.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    Zhan Ruiting sounded as disappointed as a sick little dog could be.

    ¡°Well, okay, it¡¯s not Tang Yan who¡¯s looking for you, is it?¡± Zhan Ruiting asked with wide eyes, dreading the possibility she¡¯d nod and say ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s reply, Zhan Ruiting breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn¡¯t his cousin.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright then, actually¡ª¡± As Zhan Ruiting was speaking, he heard a ¡°beep¡ª¡± and the call was cut off.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing hung up on Zhan Ruiting than she received a call from Cao Feiyu.

    Qiao Jing had just pressed the answer button and hadn¡¯t had the chance to speak when the other party preempted her,

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, happy Valentine¡¯s Day! I¡¯ve got a gift for you tonight, guess what it is?¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to guess. She was used to Cao Feiyu¡¯s antics and replied with a touch of impatience,

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up.¡±

    ¡°Ding ding ding, it¡¯s me! I¡¯ve even booked a private room hoping to spend a wonderful evening with you~¡± Cao Feiyu said excitedly.

    ¡°Are you sick?¡±

    Qiao Jing asked drily.

    ¡°Yes, I am sick! And you know your client, Divine Doctor Jing, and he¡¯s one of the top romantic concerns in our capital! I¡¯m lying on a big bed in the private room, waiting for Xiao Jingjing toe treat me.¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    Qiao Jing uttered exasperatedly.

    ¡°But Xiao Jingjing, I¡¯ve already booked the room¡ªdon¡¯t you feel bad leaving me alone to keep an empty room?¡±

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡± Qiao Jing pressed the end call button without hesitation.

    Just as she hung up, she saw the taxi driver peeking at her through the rearview mirror.

    Qiao Jing knit her brows slightly and asked coolly with a hint of confusion, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    The taxi driver, caught off guard by Qiao Jing¡¯s sudden question, mumbled, ¡°No, no problem. I was just curious because so many people have invited you out.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t help but think, his passenger was genuinely beautiful, even more so than any celebrity or star he¡¯d seen on TV, which is probably why so many people were inviting her out.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    Qiao Jing lifted her brows and lowered her gaze to her phone but didn¡¯t see any messages from Zhan Qipei.

    She felt surprisingly at ease not hearing from him today.

    A message from Lin Xiuxiang soon arrived. There were a few hours left before their agreed time, so Qiao Jing opted to go home to cook.

    After opening the door to her quiet home, Qiao Jing made herself a few dishes, enjoyed her meal, and took a short rest.

    Lin Xiuxiang had arrived at Yueji Pavilion before Qiao Jing and sessfully obtained that custom wedding dress.

    Seeing the carefully prepared wedding dress, Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°That¡¯s quite considerate.¡±

    The ring of her phone was abrupt¡ª it was Qiao Jing calling.

    Lin Xiuxiang hurriedly answered, feeling somewhat guilty,

    ¡°I¡¯m here, where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on the third floor! Qiao Qiao, hurry over.¡±

    To cover for herself, Lin Xiuxiang had also picked out a wedding dress and ced it in another room.

    After arriving on the third floor, Qiao Jing found Lin Xiuxiang. Before she could speak, the person in front of her became excited.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, this is your wedding dress,e try it on.¡±

 Chapter 225 - 217: Proposal

    Chapter 225: Chapter 217: Proposal

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at Qiao Jing¡ªthe wedding dress would definitely look great on Qiao Qiao!

    ¡°And yours? Aren¡¯t you wearing a wedding dress?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly. Today, the main character of the wedding dress photoshoot shouldn¡¯t have been her, but Lin Xiuxiang.

    Moreover, she wasn¡¯t the bride, so why would she wear a wedding dress?

    Qiao Jing had thought she was just going to wear a bridesmaid dress or some other formal gown and apany Lin Xiuxiang for a few photos.

    But this wedding dress seemed more fitting for today¡¯s protagonist.

    ¡°Mine is in the next room, try yours on first and let me see how you look.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang tried her best to appear normal, keeping her gaze steady.

    Otherwise, Qiao Jing, being so perceptive, would definitely notice she was lying.

    ¡°Mine is a wedding dress? Are you sure? Not a bridesmaid dress?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave the delicate wedding dress another look. With her taste, she considered the dress to be of high quality.

    It was evident how much Tang Yan cared and put effort into Lin Xiuxiang.

    And Lin Xiuxiang hadn¡¯t made a mistake in her choice of person.

    But she didn¡¯t want to shift the focus onto herself.

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s take a wedding photo together.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang clung to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, pleading coquettishly.

    ¡°No, this wedding dress was prepared by Tang Yan for you,¡±

    Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°But Qiao Qiao, I want to take a wedding photo with you. What if there isn¡¯t another chance? I want to do it now¡ª¡±

    While talking, Lin Xiuxiang was also pushing Qiao Jing toward the changing room.

    By the time she finished speaking, Qiao Jing had been pushed into the changing room, and Lin Xiuxiang thoughtfully closed the door behind her.

    After a while, the changing room door opened.

    Qiao Jing emerged, wearing the wedding dress that Zhan Qipei had personally ordered to be custom-made.

    This wedding dress had been rushed through days of work by a team led by a top global designer; its style was more of a piece of art than a mere wedding gown.

    Its design, patterns, and fabric were meticulously crafted, with borate patterns that weren¡¯t burdensome,plementing Qiao Jing¡¯s face and figure.

    The dress had a waist-cinching design that highlighted Qiao Jing¡¯s slender waist and her proud curves.

    The pristine white of the gown looked even more exquisite against her snow-white skin, avoiding themon issue of the dress appearing whiter than the person.

    Even with a bare face, Qiao Jing looked breathtaking. If she were to put on makeup, it would be the icing on the cake.

    Lin Xiuxiang eximed in awe.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! You look so beautiful, I¡¯ll get the makeup artist toe over and do your makeup, I¡¯m going to try on my wedding dress now¡ª¡±

    After dropping that remark, she briskly left the room.

    The makeup artist also walked in carrying a makeup box.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s intuition told her something was off, but she didn¡¯t dwell on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s reasons.

    Seeing the makeup brought by the makeup artist, Qiao Jing slightly raised an eyebrow, hesitated for a while, but ultimately let the makeup artist do her makeup.

    After all this fuss, as Qiao Jing was about to go find Lin Xiuxiang, she received a message.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, there¡¯s a problem with the photographer that¡¯s making me rush to the cruise, there¡¯ll be a car waiting to take you when youe downstairs, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±

    The initiator, Lin Xiuxiang, was already on her way home by taxi, worried if Qiao Jing would be angry with her.

    A cruise?

    Qiao Jing was somewhat puzzled, got into the car as Lin Xiuxiang had instructed, and ignored the admiring nces from the people around her as she left the building.

    It wasn¡¯t until she arrived at the cruise that Qiao Jing understood Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s intentions.

    At the same time, she received another message from Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, don¡¯t be angry, I had no choice but to agree to Zhan Qipei. I thought he was sincere, so I agreed to his request.¡±

    Qiao Jing turned off her phone, wanting to leave the cruise but then realized it had already set out to sea, yet she wasn¡¯t angry with Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s actions.

    Soon after, the pale yellow lights came on.

    Zhan Qipei stood directly opposite Qiao Jing, wearing a custom-made suit and holding a bunch of roses.

    Qiao Jing recognized this setup; the cruise was recreating the decorations from their wedding day.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing in a wedding dress standing before him, his eyes lit up instantly, he clearly felt his heartbeat elerate and his ears grew warm.

    The woman, usually bare-faced, now had on a delicate makeup, her beautiful phoenix eyes filled with alluring temptation and her slightly curved red lips were irresistibly enticing.

    The sun was setting, the afterglow turning magical, thest rays of sunshine spilled over the sea in a gentle hue, reflecting on both of them.

    Zhan Qipei walked up to Qiao Jing, knelt on one knee, and opened the diamond ring box he had prepared.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, will you marry me?¡±

    Qiao Jing disyed a surprised expression, paused for two seconds and then spoke impassively,

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, we are only husband and wife for a hundred days, and a third of that time has already passed. I said I wouldn¡¯t interfere with your freedom, nor would Ie to love you.¡±

    She didn¡¯t need Zhan Qipei to do these things; she was only fulfilling her grandfather¡¯s wish.

    Her cold voice pierced Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart like ice, and he remained kneeling, the same as before.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t attend the wedding before, so¡ª¡± Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this for me? I said I don¡¯t care.¡±

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes, her attention drawn to the beautiful sea. After nightfall, she could only see the lights on shore and the lights of the cruise.

    The sea breeze tangled Qiao Jing¡¯s long hair, disheveling the hairstyle previously done by the makeup artist.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei gave a self-deprecating smile.

    Yes, she didn¡¯t show the smile he had hoped to see upon seeing what he had prepared; how could she ever agree to his proposal.

    However, he didn¡¯t want to give up just yet.

    Zhan Qipei walked over to Qiao Jing and tidied her hair.

    On a nearby table was a bottle of her favorite wine, specially acquired from overseas by him, and besides that, the table bore various exquisite dishes.

    Although in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart, none of these tasted as good as those prepared by Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner then.¡±

    Zhan Qipei intended to lead Qiao Jing to the dining table, but she didn¡¯t move.

    Her aloof figure kept a certain distance from Zhan Qipei at all times.

    ¡°No need, let the cruise dock. I¡¯ll go back to eat.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s words were not unfeeling but she felt there was no need for ambiguities when they were unnecessary.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, do you really not want to have dinner with me? I even prepared the wine you like drinking.¡±

 Chapter 226 - 218: Qiao Jing Gets Drunk

    Chapter 226: Chapter 218: Qiao Jing Gets Drunk

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart felt even colder, his lips pressed tightly and his eyebrows knitted together.

    When Qiao Jing opened her mouth to exin, she noticed the bottle of wine on the dining table and quickly walked over to it, tenderly picking up the bottle.

    ¡°¡¯82 Lafite.¡±

    Qiao Jing recognized it at a nce.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing sit down, Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart eased slightly.

    Qiao Jing deftly opened the bottle and poured herself a full ss of wine, then lifted her eyes to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Would you like some?¡±

    Her love for wine was also known by very few; after all, she was picky about her wine and would not touch anything apart from those that suited her taste.

    But the red wine Zhan Qipei had brought happened to be the kind Qiao Jing loved the most.

    Zhan Qipei was aware that she liked red wine, probably from overhearing that phone call with Zhou Fust week. He had inadvertently mentioned it.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Qiao Jing, unwilling to move away.

    Qiao Jing ignored his gaze and poured him half a ss, then felt somewhat reluctant to part with it.

    After all, this wine was priceless on the market; many wine lovers tended to collect it rather than have the heart to drink it.

    ¡°Is there a change of clothes here?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at the wedding dress she was wearing, thinking it would be such a pity if red wine were to drip on it.

    ¡°Yes, in the room. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei said as he was about to get up.

    ¡°No need, I can get it myself. Where do you keep the clothes? I¡¯ll leave the wedding dress here for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing had already stood up, waiting for Zhan Qipei to direct her.

    Once she reached the room Zhan Qipei had mentioned, Qiao Jing immediately took off the wedding dress she was wearing.

    She gentlyid the wedding dress on the bed and opened the wardrobe in the room.

    However, the clothes in the wardrobe made Qiao Jing hesitate; it was clear that the clothes were men¡¯s shirts and trousers, not at all meant for women.

    Between dirtying the wedding dress and wearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s shirt, Qiao Jing chose thetter.

    When Qiao Jing reappeared on the deck wearing a white shirt a size toorge for her, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes lit up again.

    Those were the shorts he had prepared especially for Qiao Jing, just in case. His shirt was much toorge for her.

    But Zhan Qipei felt content, as if this proved Qiao Jing belonged to him.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pale and smooth legs,parable to those of the world¡¯s top models, were exposed to the air, creating the effect of a missing bottom half.

    But Qiao Jing didn¡¯t notice this; her mind was only on that bottle of wine.

    ¡°Drink less,¡± Zhan Qipei said, seeing a slight flush on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, worried she might overdo it.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t get drunk.¡±

    Qiao Jing added a bit more wine to her ss, then unsteadily stood up and nced towards the swimming pool not far away.

    ¡°Is there a swimming pool on the cruise ship?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied, his concern growing for Qiao Jing¡¯s swaying figure as he got up and followed her.

    Qiao Jing had already reached the edge of the pool; under the influence of alcohol, she carelessly slipped, losing control of her body as she fell towards the pool.

    ¡°Qiao Jing!¡±

    Zhan Qipei dashed forward in a sh, tightly embracing her just as she was about to fall into the pool.

    A ssh followed.

    The sound of falling into water.

    Water sshed from the pool onto the deck as Zhan Qipei, holding Qiao Jing, climbed back onto the deck.

    Once they reached the deck, Zhan Qipei was truly taken aback. The contours of Qiao Jing¡¯s proud figure were faintly visible beneath her wet, white shirt. Looking further down, her smooth legs were dotted with lingering droplets of water. Her bare feet tread upon the floor, toes still tinged with pink.

    Even more devastating was the moment Zhan Qipei met Qiao Jing¡¯s starry eyes. Gone was her usual aloofness, reced by a pair of hazy, phoenix eyes exuding strands of charm and sensuality.

    Her long eyshes were adorned with a few droplets of water, her hair sticking to her shoulders. The soaked white shirt clung tightly to Qiao Jing¡¯s skin, highlighting her curvaceous silhouette.

    With just one nce, Zhan Qipei felt his heartbeat might stop. Then, he thought to himself,

    Only he was allowed to see Qiao Jing like this.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll take you back to change clothes,¡± said Zhan Qipei.

    He forcibly suppressed the heat surging in his heart and the warmth that threatened to continue rising, as he took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and led her toward the direction of another room.

    He was certain Qiao Jing was drunk.

    Qiao Jing cooperated, following behind Zhan Qipei, and went directly to the bed in the room, where shey down and closed her eyes.

    By the time Zhan Qipei found one of his own shirts, Qiao Jing had already fallen asleep in the drenched shirt.

    Zhan Qipei hesitated. If she slept like this, wet and mmy until morning, she¡¯d catch a cold without a doubt.

    After a lengthy internal struggle, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand reached for the cor of Qiao Jing¡¯s shirt, undoing the first button.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements were adept but, in his haste, he touched a ce he should not have.

    The man¡¯s body stiffened, as he fought to steady his breath, forcing himself to shift his gaze back to the task and swiftly undo the remaining buttons.

    Just as he was about to take off the shirt, Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly cool hand caught Zhan Qipei¡¯s wrist. Her voice, cool and emotionless, asked,

    ¡°Let go! What are you doing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to wake up, and his expression betrayed his surprise.

    Had she sobered up? How was he to exin his actions?

    All the buttons of Qiao Jing¡¯s shirt had been undone. Would she think he was taking advantage of her?

    ¡°You got too drunk and fell into the pool. I¡¯m helping you change,¡± Zhan Qipei said with a subtly strained expression, shifting his gaze to something else.

    If he looked any longer, he feared he might lose control.

    Qiao Jing arched her eyebrows slightly, as if trying to recall what had just happened, her memories fragmented and unclear.

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± she said emotionlessly, reaching to refasten the buttons as if nothing had happened, then stepping forward to leave the room.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Zhan Qipei.

    Using his long legs to his advantage, Zhan Qipei reached the door before Qiao Jing, blocking her path.

    Qiao Jing lifted her starry eyes, sizing up the man¡¯s tall frame, and reached out, attempting to push him aside.

    ¡°The wine is not finished yet; it can¡¯t go to waste.¡±

    Wasting food was something Qiao Jing could never bring herself to do, even if it was a bottle of wine, which certainly wouldn¡¯t taste as good if left open overnight.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already had too much; you can¡¯t drink anymore. Change your clothes and rest,¡± said Zhan Qipei, softly squinting his dark eyes, standing firm in front of the door handle, holding the hand that Qiao Jing had lifted in his palm.

    ¡°Are you trying to stop me?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s expression darkened as she pulled her hand away.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you. You just need to change since your clothes are wet,¡± said Zhan Qipei, brushing his eyebrows, which seemed like mists of smoke, his lips tightly sealed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll change after I finish drinking,¡± Qiao Jing said, and reached again to push the man¡¯s shoulder. He didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°The wine can wait for now,¡± Zhan Qipei stood his ground with his strength.

    He could see that Qiao Jing was still not sober.

 Chapter 227 - 219: Zhan Qipei, Let Me Go

    Chapter 227: Chapter 219: Zhan Qipei, Let Me Go

    She grasped that her strength was much less than usual.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t waste words with Zhan Qipei, instead, she tightly sped the man¡¯s shoulders with both hands, her steps somewhat chaotic, trying to pull him away from the door.

    Zhan Qipei, who had always been concerned about hurting Qiao Jing, saw that the woman wanted to leave and no longer held back. He reached out to wrap his arm around her waist and forcefully pulled her towards himself.

    Qiao Jing immediately turned around, intending to exchange a few moves with Zhan Qipei, but didn¡¯t expect the man to slip suddenly, bringing both of them crashing down to the ground.

    A muffled thud resounded as Zhan Qipei¡¯s broad back smashed into the floor, followed by a groan from him.

    Their lips met, bodies pressed tightly against each other, Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing locked eyes for a moment.

    Without any hesitation, Qiao Jing pushed against Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest to rise, but the man¡¯srge hand firmly imprisoned her in his embrace.

    ¡°Let go!¡±

    Qiao Jing struggled for a long time but, because she was drunk and couldn¡¯t muster her strength, remained trapped against Zhan Qipei¡¯s body.

    The man beneath her, however, did not react and continued to hold her without letting go.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let go of me.¡±

    Qiao Jing repeated the demand, this time with an authoritative tone.

    She was getting angry, the man was being overly controlling.

    Still, Zhan Qipei made no move. Under the influence of the alcohol, Qiao Jing¡¯s anger reached its peak, and she bit down onto the man¡¯s chest.

    A circle of teeth marks imprinted onto the man¡¯s shirt, yet he still showed no intention of releasing her.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, her cool gazending on Zhan Qipei¡¯s belt.

    ¡°Since you insist, I¡¯ll just have to perform another surgery on you!¡±

    Qiao Jing, in agitation, reached for Zhan Qipei¡¯s belt, but because she was drunk her hands were uncooperative, and after several attempts, she still couldn¡¯t unbuckle it urately.

    Zhan Qipei tensed up, his dark eyes intently gazing at the woman on top of him, and through gritted teeth, he asked.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    With a slight raise of her eyebrows, Qiao Jing¡¯s hands remained on the man¡¯s belt.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one clinging to me! If you don¡¯t let go now, I¡¯ll really perform surgery on you!¡±

    Qiao Jing responded evenly, but her tone carried an added threat.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let you do it.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice, deep as a cello, resonated beside Qiao Jing¡¯s ear.

    At the sound of Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was jolted. Before she could react, everything began to spin.

    Zhan Qipei had turned the tables on her¡ªhe was now on top!

    The following morning.

    Qiao Jing opened her eyes, still quite dazed, recallingst night¡¯s events. She silently sat up in bed, not minding that there was no one beside her.

    The only thing on her body was a clean shirt, and beneath that, emptiness.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s facial expression revealed no emotion; she walked into the bathroom to wash up. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she momentarily paused while reaching for her toothbrush.

    The blush from the previous night had not yet faded on her fair face, leaving a slight trace, her lips slightly swollen, yet it did nothing to mar her beautiful visage.

    What truly concerned Qiao Jing was something on her body¡­

    She lifted the shirt¡­

    Bloodstains.

    Last night they had¡­

    It seemed, they had tangled up, and then she seemed to have bitten the man, even tearing his pants.

    As she thought about it, Qiao Jing¡¯s face gradually flushed with color.

    Qiao Jing put down the shirt, finished washing up, and walked out of the bathroom to face Zhan Qipei.

    The man was holding a bag in his left hand and a bowl of porridge in his right. Upon seeing Qiao Jing, he revealed a gentle smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡±

    Zhan Qipei ced the porridge he had brought on the table, considerately opening the lid to let it cool, and set the other bag on the bed.

    ¡°This bag contains new clothes, put them on. I will take responsibility for what happenedst night,¡±

    the man said earnestly.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,st night was just an ident.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression had already returned to normal. Without waiting for Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction, she took the bag on the bed and went into the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s smile also froze on his face the moment Qiao Jing uttered those words.

    He was not a man to shirk responsibility¡ªespecially since he liked her so much and had already prepared himself to spend his life with Qiao Jing.

    Last night was supposed to be an opportunity to deepen their emotional connection, but to his surprise, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t seem to take it to heart.

    Was he not good enough for Qiao Jing?

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows, his thin lips pressed into a tight, curveless line of ice.

    The bathroom door opened, and Qiao Jing had changed into the new clothes.

    ¡°When will the cruise ship dock?¡±

    She needed to go home to change back into her own clothes and take some contraceptive measures for the incidentst night. She also had to rush to work at the research institute in the afternoon.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing did not bring upst night¡¯s incident again, Zhan Qipei felt somewhat displeased inside and spoke sullenly,

    ¡°We¡¯ve already docked. Where do you need to go? I¡¯ll take you.¡±

    ¡°Home.¡±

    Qiao Jing opened the door and walked straight out, with Zhan Qipei tidying up the untouched congee on the table before following behind her.

    The small car was parked stably in the parking lot.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t go straight upstairs; instead, after getting out of the car, she turned and walked in another direction.

    ¡°Where to? I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    Zhan Qipei got out of the car as well, still carrying the congee with him.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need, it¡¯s close by. You can go back first,¡±

    Qiao Jing said before walking away and disappeared after turning into another alley.

    Zhan Qipei had no choice but to return home and reheat the congee that had gone cold for Qiao Jing.

    Inside the pharmacy.

    Qiao Jing quickly found what she was looking for on the shelf and brought the box of birth control pills to the cashier.

    ¡°Twenty-five.¡±

    At the cash register was a young girl who, looking down, scanned the contraceptives¡¯ barcode and lifted her head slightly when taking the money from Qiao Jing.

    After seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance, the girl holding the money was stunned.

    This woman was incredibly beautiful! Even as a woman herself, she couldn¡¯t help but be moved!

    ¡°Please give me the change.¡±

    Qiao Jing handed over a fifty-yuan note and nced at the time on her phone. She had work that afternoon, so she spoke up,

    ¡°Oh, oh, right, wait a moment.¡±

    The girl came back to her senses and gave Qiao Jing another look after confirming the medicine was indeed birth control, unable to help but nce at her a few more times.

    After giving the correct change, the girl was about to bag the pills in a ck bag when they were taken from her hand.

    ¡°No need for a bag.¡±

    Qiao Jing stuffed the box of pills into her pocket and hastened her steps back home.

    ¡°You¡¯re back. The congee is heated just right, have some to fill your stomach,¡±

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t gone to thepany today and nned to stay at home all day.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t decline, as taking medicine on an empty stomach was indeed not good for the body.

    She finished the bowl of congee, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression finally softened.

    As for the events ofst night, they didn¡¯t cause much of a ripple in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 228 - 220 Taking Birth Control Pills

    Chapter 228: Chapter 220 Taking Birth Control Pills

    But Zhan Qipei did not speak. His dark eyes deepened, for what he truly hoped for was that Qiao Jing would let him take responsibility, binding him to her side for life would be perfect.

    ¡°Thank you for the porridge.¡±

    Qiao Jing got up and returned to her room. She took off the clothes Zhan Qipei had prepared for her and changed into her usual T-shirt and jeans.

    She took out a box of birth control pills from her pocket, nced at the instructions casually and then put it back in her pocket before leaving the room.

    Qiao Jing did not see Zhan Qipei in the living room, but she did not mind and was ready to go to the kitchen to pour some water to take her medication.

    ¡°Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, wearing an apron, his hand that usually held a pen was now clutching a spat, and what was in the pot was¡­

    A lump of something pitch ck.

    Qiao Jing could not recognize what the original ingredients were. She was somewhat surprised. Zhan Qipei actually cooking himself?

    Moreover, he was wearing a pink apron Lin Xiuxiang had bought for her, creating a stark contrast with Zhan Qipei.

    The apron, bought ording to Qiao Jing¡¯s height, reached down to her calves, whereas on Zhan Qipei, it barely reached his upper thighs.

    ¡°I came to drink some water.¡±

    Qiao Jing did not pry into Zhan Qipei¡¯s affairs and simply picked up a ss of water and returned to her room.

    Seeing Qiao Jing change back into her own clothes left Zhan Qipei feeling somewhat empty inside.

    After the door closed again, he turned back and began to study the object in the pot.

    Qiao Jing skillfully opened the pill box, took out a pill and ced it in her palm, while tossing the empty package casually on the nightstand.

    It was only after swallowing the birth control pill that Qiao Jing felt at ease. Just as she threw the pill box into the trashcan, the door to her room was opened.

    Zhan Qipei hurried in, distracted by the pumpkin cakes he had been frying especially for Qiao Jing, afraid they would burn and be misshapen.

    Suddenly, he remembered he had not knocked and thus stood frozen at the doorway.

    ¡°I¡¯m making pumpkin cakes, but it looks like I need your help¡­¡±

    He was halfway through his sentence when he noticed something on the nightstand.

    A quiet, empty pill packety there.

    ¡°What is this medicine?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart pounded a few times as a suspicion formed in his mind.

    Could it be birth control pills?

    ¡°Cold medicine.¡±

    Qiao Jing answered casually, leading Zhan Qipei towards the kitchen.

    The burnt and slightly stuck pumpkin cakes were still in the pan.

    Qiao Jing dumped the pumpkin cakes from the pan into the trash can, guiding Zhan Qipei by hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, when frying things like this, you need to brush on ayer of oil to prevent sticking.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Zhan Qipei responded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve fried a good one, do you want to try it?¡± Qiao Jing ced the well-fried pumpkin cake on a te.

    Zhan Qipei nodded and took the spat from her hand, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to leave the kitchen, she suddenly felt a surge in her stomach, and her face turned a bit pale in an instant!

    She suppressed the difort rising in her heart and rushed into the bathroom, where she began to vomit next to the toilet.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t care less about the pumpkin cake and quickly followed Qiao Jing. Seeing her in this state, he hurried to the kitchen, fetched a ss of water, and brought a pack of tissues.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± As Qiao Jing calmed down, Zhan Qipei quickly pulled out several tissues for her.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Qiao Jing took the tissues, wiping her mouth.

    Zhan Qipei then handed her the ss of warm water.

    After drinking the warm water, Qiao Jing finally felt better, pressed the flush button, ¡°Thanks, I need to go out for a bit.¡±

    The vomiting had surely expelled the medication, so she needed to buy some more.

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to respond, Qiao Jing hurried out of the house.

    Her unusual reaction made Zhan Qipei think of the pills she had just taken, and he went straight to Qiao Jing¡¯s bedroom.

    The man hesitated at the door, wrestling with his thoughts for a while before he decided to head towards the trash can, still very concerned about what medicine it was.

    If Tang Yan were also here, he would definitely be shocked.

    The richest man in the capital, the owner of Zhan Corporation, was now rummaging through a trash can!

    Zhan Qipei found a medicine box and saw the ring three words at a nce.

    Contraceptive pills.

    These words poured cold water over Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart.

    It seemed he needed to try harder.

    Zhan Qipei returned to the kitchen to continue mastering the pumpkin pancakes, hoping to make a perfect one for Qiao Jing.

    In the pharmacy, Qiao Jing found the contraceptive pills again, this time taking two to prevent throwing up again.

    The cashier¡¯s eyes widened when she saw Qiao Jing again, buying two more pills?

    Her man must be quite something.

    But¡ª

    ¡°Sis, don¡¯t me me for being nosy, but I think it¡¯s better if a man makes this kind of mistake. I rmend this to you, many men buy this brand of ¡®umbre¡¯.¡±

    The cashier handed two boxes of ¡®umbre¡¯ to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing silently twitched the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Thank you. No need.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing turned and left.

    When Qiao Jing got home, Zhan Qipei was still in the kitchen frying pumpkin pancakes.

    She went straight to her room, swallowed the remaining two pills in two doses, and experienced the same result.

    Within five minutes of taking them, she began to feel nauseous and vomited.

    Her stomach tormented Qiao Jing repeatedly for a while.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, pausing to think. Her period had just ended a day ago, and she was still in her safe period.

    She shouldn¡¯t be pregnant.

    After all, the chances of getting pregnant during the safe period are rtively low.

    A few dayster, inside Wonderful Hall.

    ¡°Miss Lou, I do not take apprentices.¡±

    Zhou Fu felt a headacheing on just looking at the girl in front of him. It had been over a month and she still hadn¡¯t given up,ing every day.

    ¡°I¡¯ve clearly refused you already, I said I would not take apprentices.¡±

    But Lou Xinrou still hadn¡¯t given up. She was determined to master medicine thoroughly to cure Grandpa Zhanpletely! That way, Brother Pei would notice her!

    Once she had cured Grandpa Zhan, he would surely let her marry Brother Pei.

    Then the day for Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei to divorce would arrive!

    The title of Mrs. Zhan would be hers.

    So that was the driving force behind Lou Xinrou¡¯s daily, tiresome visits to Wonderful Hall to plead with Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, please believe in me, I will study hard, I can definitely make it, and I won¡¯t let you down. Please take me as your apprentice.¡±

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t take apprentices, can¡¯t you understand human speech, or what?¡±

    Zhou Fu frowned, his patience having been pushed to its limit.

    Even though Lou Xinrou was recognized as a talented woman in her circle, he had seen her speak rudely to his master

    ¡°I have beening here for over a month now, every day. I am very earnest! Mr. Zhou, take me as your apprentice, I really, really will not fail your expectations!¡±

    Lou Xinrou pleaded persistently, as achieving her goal would be possible if Zhou Fu took her as an apprentice!

    ¡°Miss Lou, I do not take apprentices. No matter how many times youe, the result will be the same. This is so annoying!¡±

 Chapter 229 - 221: Slap in the Face

    Chapter 229: Chapter 221: p in the Face

    Zhou Fu stood with his hands behind his back, not nning to waste any more time with Lou Xinrou, and decided to head back inside Wonderful Hall.

    After all, Lou Xinrou came every day to beg for a few minutes, stood at the door for about ten minutes, and then left, so he really didn¡¯t need to spend time with her every day.

    ¡°Mr. Zhou, please consider me, I really will study hard.¡±

    Lou Xinrou held a bag over her head to block the sun, continuing to plead.

    As long as she begged a few more days, Zhou Fu would surely soften and agree to her request.

    Zhou Fu had no intention of paying any more attention to Lou Xinrou, stepping into Wonderful Hall, only to see someone that brightened his eyes instantly.

    ¡°Teacher¡ªMiss Qiao, why didn¡¯t you give me a heads-up beforeing? I would have brewed your favorite Pu¡¯er tea!¡±

    Seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s 180-degree change in attitude, Lou Xinrou felt a surge of annoyance and sourness in her heart.

    She had been pestering Zhou Fu for a month, thinking of herself as the noble daughter of the Lou Family, born with a silver spoon, ustomed to getting whatever she wanted, when had she ever had to lower herself like she did now?

    Yet after all her effort, Zhou Fu¡¯s attitude towards her was still pretty much the same.

    So dismissive.

    And then,paring that to Zhou Fu¡¯s treatment of Qiao Jing at this moment, they were like two different people!

    The more she thought about it, the more stifled she felt.

    She had always been puzzled, how did Qiao Jing get to know Zhou Fu? And why did Zhou Fu treat Qiao Jing so well?

    Qiao Jing sat down unceremoniously.

    ¡°Let me go brew some tea for you,¡± Zhou Fu offered enthusiastically.

    ¡°You can have them brew it,¡± Qiao Jing said, picking up an orange from the table.

    ¡°They won¡¯t brew it to your liking like I can. Just sit for a bit, I¡¯ll have it ready for you in no time.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhou Fu, who had hurriedly left, with skeptical eyes. Her apprentice was always one to rise early only for profit, eager to please when he wanted something, and he must have been up to something.

    And based on past experience, if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, her apprentice was likely faced with a challenging case and wanted to consult her for advice.

    As soon as Zhou Fu left, Lou Xinrou approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You really make yourself at home, this is Mr. Zhou¡¯s seat,¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently, continuing to peel her orange.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face turned ugly with frustration, remembering the past, every time she faced Qiao Jing, no matter what tactics she used, she always seemed to be the one who ended up embarrassed.

    She refused to believe it!

    She couldn¡¯t possibly lose to her every single time.

    With this in mind, a sudden idea struck Lou Xinrou, and she hatched a n.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I don¡¯t know how you got to know Master Zhou, but there¡¯s something I can tell you, Master Zhou is going to take me on as his apprentice soon,¡± Lou Xinrou said, lifting her chin, waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction.

    As expected, Qiao Jing indeed reacted, and quite significantly at that.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Lou Xinrou, her brows gradually knitting together.

    ¡°Are you from Medical University?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I am a top student at Medical University, currently interning at a triple-A hospital,¡± said Lou Xinrou with a tone filled with pride.

    Qiao Jing frowned dissatisfiedly, and at that moment, Zhou Fu returned.

    ¡°Master, here¡¯s the tea I brewed for you, give it a try.¡±

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t in a hurry to drink the tea, instead, she looked at Lou Xinrou and said to Zhou Fu, ¡°Are you taking her as your apprentice?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Zhou Fu¡¯s eyes went wide, evenrger than a bull¡¯s eyes, and after being stunned for two seconds, he turned to Lou Xinrou and pointing at himself, he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you as an apprentice? When did I agree to this?¡±

    With Zhou Fu¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face turned red in an instant, a humiliating blush that made her wish she could disappear into a mouse hole.

    ¡°I will make you take me on as your apprentice!¡± In the end, Lou Xinrou brazenly left him with thatst statement.

    ¡°I¡ªI almost wanted to curse,¡± Zhou Fu found himself at the brink of swearing, but upon seeing that Lou Xinrou was just a young girl, he swallowed back his words and looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You heard her, she¡¯s talking nonsense. If I were to take her as my apprentice, I certainly would have told you, and I would need your consent, how could I possibly ept an apprentice in secret.¡±

    Those words shocked Lou Xinrou considerably.

    Zhou Fu reporting to Qiao Jing about taking apprentices was a joke. Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t Zhou Fu¡¯s master¡­

    Just when Lou Xinrou was muttering to herself in disbelief, suddenly, someone started convulsing on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

    ¡°Oh no! Someone is having an epileptic seizure!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Zhou! Mr. Zhou, please save my husband!¡± a woman cried out in desperation.

    The situation was urgent and there was no time to dy; Zhou Fu hurriedly moved to the patient¡¯s side.

    The patienty curled up on the ground, eyes vacant and body twitching.

    It was indeed the signs of an epileptic seizure.

    Zhou Fu quickly began to treat the patient.

    Lou Xinrou squeezed past Qiao Jing, her eyes signaling: Don¡¯t get in the way, don¡¯t interfere with her learning medical skills from Zhou Fu.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with Lou Xinrou¡¯s provocation and stood aside to watch.

    As seconds and minutes ticked by, not only did the patient¡¯s condition fail to stabilize, it actually worsened.

    It wasn¡¯t that Zhou Fu¡¯s medical skills werecking, but that the patient¡¯s condition was too severe.

    Zhou Fu himself, with a grave expression, his brow furrowed deeply, sweat beading on his forehead, was working on the patient.

    Zhou Fu was now using some of the Acupressure Therapy techniques that Qiao Jing had once taught him, his hands relentlessly busy over the patient¡¯s body.

    The situation was extremely serious, and the people gathered around didn¡¯t dare to breathe too loudly, fearing they might disrupt Zhou Fu¡¯s treatment.

    Watching the patient¡¯s condition grow increasingly grave, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows slightly knitted, she had just stepped forward when Lou Xinrou stretched out a hand to block her.

    Lou Xinrou could tell that Qiao Jing was intending to step in.

    Howughable. If Mr. Zhou couldn¡¯t cure the illness, could you? Do you really think you¡¯re Divine Doctor Jing, Zhou Fu¡¯s master? If you were Divine Doctor Jing, she¡¯d be on her knees calling you ¡®grandma¡¯ right this moment.

    ¡°Move aside!¡± Qiao Jing said firmly, pushing Lou Xinrou out of her way.

    As soon as Zhou Fu saw Qiao Jing was about to take action, he didn¡¯t hesitate but stepped aside immediately, making space for Qiao Jing.

    What¡¯s happening?

    The scene left the crowd dumbfounded.

    Before the spectators could react, Qiao Jing had already begun to treat the patient, using techniques from the same lineage as Zhou Fu¡¯s.

    And whether it was their illusion or not, they felt that the young woman¡¯s techniques seemed more skillful, more sophisticated and mysterious.

    Then looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s youthful and beautiful face, they came to a conclusion.

    It must be an illusion.

    This girl looked to be in her early twenties, whereas Zhou Fu was a senior student of Divine Doctor Jing and highly skilled in medicine. How could she be more capable than Zhou Fu?

    Experts know the drill, while theyman just watches the excitement.

    No matter how you put it, Lou Xinrou did study in a medical department, and she could discern some things.

    Knowing is precisely why it¡¯s shocking!

    The dexterous finger techniques Qiao Jing employed on the patient were clearly more consummate than those Zhou Fu had used.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡ªBrilliant! Worthy of being the master!¡± Zhou Fu muttered softly under his breath.

    What?!

    Lou Xinrou turned her head sharply to look at Zhou Fu, who was closest to her. His voice was soft, but she still caught snippets of what he said.

    He said¡ªMaster?

 Chapter 230 - 222: Qiao Jing Takes Action

    Chapter 230: Chapter 222: Qiao Jing Takes Action

    She didn¡¯t hear wrong, did she?

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart was in turmoil, her face full of doubt about life and the world.

    At this moment, her mind was in a mess, utterly disordered, and she didn¡¯t know how to think.

    ¡°All right,¡± Qiao Jing exhaled deeply, drew back his hand, and stood up.

    ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± Zhou Fu handed over a cup of water.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother with formalities with Zhou Fu, naturally taking the cup from his hands and taking several gulps.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth, already ajar, dropped even wider.

    The woman helped the patient to stand and repeatedly thanked Qiao Jing and Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zhou, and this¡ª¡ª¡±

    Looking at Qiao Jing, the woman wasn¡¯t sure how to address him.

    ¡°Her surname is Qiao,¡± Zhou Fu introduced Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Qiao, thank you both so much. If it weren¡¯t for you, my husband might have already passed away from his illness,¡± the woman said with tearful gratitude.

    ¡°It was just a small effort. Your husband¡¯s condition is still very serious, but it¡¯s not incurable. I¡¯ll write a prescription for him now. Whether you want to brew it yourself or have our pharmacy do it for you, that¡¯s up to you.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, Zhou Fu, like a little pharmacy assistant, considerately handed over paper and pen to Qiao Jing, then stood aside and watched.

    ¡°The prescription is wellposed, even better than I expected; splendid! Truly splendid! There is no end to learning; I still have much to learn!¡±

    At this moment, Lou Xinrou waspletely stunned, not knowing how to think anymore.

    She felt she couldn¡¯t keep lying to herself.

    After the prescription waspleted and the patient was sent off, Qiao Jing picked up the cup on the table again, opened it and looked inside¡ªempty.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pour some for you,¡± Zhou Fu was exceedingly attentive, picking up the teapot to refill Qiao Jing¡¯s cup.

    Qiao Jing raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Zhou Fu, ¡°Just say what you want to say.¡±

    ¡°Nothing special, just pouring you a cup of water,¡± Zhou Fu said, a bit sheepish.

    ¡°Oh, is that so? Well, I have things to do, so I¡¯m leaving,¡± Qiao Jing pretended to get up.

    ¡°No, no, no, don¡¯t!¡± Zhou Fu stopped Qiao Jing in his tracks, ¡°You really can see right through my intentions every time.¡±

    ¡°The truth is, I¡¯ve encountered a very difficult patient. He suffers from severe coronary ischemia. I¡¯ve tried many methods, but am at a loss for the moment. So I wanted to invite you over to have a look,¡± Zhou Fuid it all out.

    ¡°Coronary ischemia?¡± Upon hearing these four words, Qiao Jing thought of someone.

    Wu Xirui.

    Speaking of which, Wu Xirui was also suffering from such symptoms.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you. When?¡±

    Qiao Jing wanted to observe more of this condition, as it would help her research and find the most suitable treatment.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t set an appointment yet; I will call and let you know afterwards,¡± Zhou Fu responded.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Not long after, Qiao Jing left, leaving Lou Xinrou standing there like a post, motionless.

    It took a full ten minutes for Lou Xinrou to recover from her shock, then she muttered to herself.

    ¡°Could it be that Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing?!¡±

    No, no, no!

    This idea had crossed Lou Xinrou¡¯s mind countless times today.

    ¡°How could that be? How could Qiao Jing be Divine Doctor Jing? Divine Doctor Jing is Zhou Fu¡¯s master, a famous divine doctor in the empire! How could someone like that be as young as Qiao Jing? If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t Qiao Jing be a genius among geniuses?¡±

    She had analyzed this point before as well.

    She thought it must be a coincidence that Qiao Jing was particrly proficient in treating asthma.

    As the saying goes, among any three people walking together, I will find my teacher.

    Just like in the hospital, where each doctor is mostly only good in their own field.

    It¡¯s not like a doctor specialized in internal medicine could perform surgery on patients.

    The logic is the same.

    Although all these were just her spections, she felt that these guesses had a higher possibility than the spection that Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing.

    Thinking of this, Lou Xinrou patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I really let my imagination run wild to even think of this. If Nanqing knew I suspected Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, she would certainlyugh at me to death,¡± she said.

    A few dayster.

    Su Manhan was sitting on the living room sofa, cracking sunflower seeds, while Zhan Yao was watching the news on TV.

    ¡°Recently, Professor Qiao has made another small breakthrough in research¡­¡±

    The host was broadcasting the news in her standard Mandarin.

    After hearing the news, Su Manhan put down the sunflower seeds in her hand and turned to Zhan Yao to ask, ¡°Husband, what kind of person do you think Professor Qiao really is?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s undoubtedly a pir of the nation,¡± Zhan Yao answered truthfully, his heart filled with respect for Professor Qiao.

    Professor Qiao¡¯s research achievements had indeed enabled their country¡¯s agricultural technology to make great progress!

    Even the members of the Zhan Family had to give face to Professor Qiao, the giant in agriculture, which showed how high her status was.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. I mean, do you think Professor Qiao is a man or a woman? And how old do you think she is?¡± asked Su Manhan.

    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure about that.¡± Zhan Yao also pondered for a moment, as Professor Qiao had never shown her face to the public, and nobody knew her gender or what she looked like.

    Seeing Su Manhan¡¯s curious expression, Zhan Yao added, ¡°No matter what Professor Qiao is like as a person, her achievements are irreceable.¡±

    ¡°I just want to see what she looks like. Nanqing is working in theboratory now, so I¡¯m going to take a look over there,¡± Su Manhan said, and then she began to gather her things, ready to head out.

    Zhan Yao nced at Su Manhan and said nothing.

    At the entrance to the research institute.

    Su Manhan was nning to go straight in when she was stopped by the security guard.

    ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am, who are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°I am Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mother; she is working inside,¡± Su Manhan replied.

    Su Manhan reported her rtion, thinking she could use that to directly enter theboratory, but the security guard still firmly stopped her.

    ¡°You can call Mrs. Zhan toe out. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter and leave the research institute at will,¡± the security guard said.

    After hearing this, Su Manhan¡¯s face fell, ¡°What do you mean by unauthorized personnel? Am I unauthorized personnel? My daughter works inside, and I just want to take a look. Besides, my daughter Nanqing is now Professor Qiao¡¯s first assistant.¡±

    The security guard still stood in front of Su Manhan, ¡°Ma¡¯am, family status does not grant ess to enter at will.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you make an exception? Here¡¯s ten thousand yuan. I just want to go in and see my daughter,¡± Su Manhan said, taking a bank card out of her bag and peering into the research institute.

    The security guard did not even look at the bank card, and with a stern face devoid of expression, he said, ¡°As I have already said, family members cannot go inside.¡±

    What he stated was indeed a fact; Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute was not somewhere one could enter just because they were family¡ªit was a rule!

    Su Manhan became so angry that she was almost hopping, ¡°Why are you so inflexible?¡±

    The security guard silently watched Su Manhan¡¯s actions without making a sound.

    Rules are rules, no matter the status of the person.

 Chapter 231 - 223: Marrying Xu Moqian

    Chapter 231: Chapter 223: Marrying Xu Moqian

    ¡°Just wait, I¡¯m calling my daughter toe out!¡± Su Manhan said, making a phone call to Zhan Nanqing right in front of the security guard, ¡°Nanqing, I¡¯m outside the research institute now. The security guard is stopping me from entering; hurry up ande out.¡±

    ¡°Mom, why did youe? I¡¯m working right now, really.¡± Zhan Nanqing answered the call; everyone around her was busy working, and she couldn¡¯t just abandon her work.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m very curious about what kind of person Professor Qiao really is, so I came today.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was shocked, could it be that her mom wanted to force her way in and that¡¯s why the security guard stopped her?

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei, fearing Su Manhan might cause trouble, quickly excused herself with a word to Qiao Jing and hurried out from the research institute.

    Upon exiting, she saw Su Manhan confronting the security guard. Seeing her mother in this state gave Zhan Nanqing a headache, ¡°Mom, why did youe?¡±

    ¡°See! My daughter came out. Can I go in now?¡± Su Manhan raised her chin and said to the security guard as soon as she saw Zhan Nanqinge out.

    The security guard nced at Zhan Nanqing but still didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Ohe on, why won¡¯t you let me in! My daughter is here now!¡± Su Manhan frowned.

    ¡°Mom, other than the staff, no one is allowed to enter the research institute casually.¡± Zhan Nanqing pulled Su Manhan aside and gave an apologetic look to the security guard.

    Really, her mom was such an embarrassment!

    ¡°How about you sneak me in? I just want to have a look,¡± Su Manhan whispered.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s suspicion was confirmed. She had signed a confidentiality agreement at the institute; she absolutely could not reveal any information about Professor Qiao, ¡°The security guard is right here, how am I supposed to sneak you in?¡±

    ¡°Wait until Professor Qiaoes out, then you can just secretly tell me, it won¡¯t be a problem. Besides, I¡¯m your mom, I won¡¯t tell anyone else and make it difficult for you,¡± Su Manhan whispered, ncing secretly at the people around.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t even have to think before she refused, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that I signed a confidentiality agreement; no matter what you say it¡¯s useless, I won¡¯t tell.¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s face turned hues of anger; her daughter had been raised in vain.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t tell, then I¡¯ll just guess. I¡¯ll stay here all day today; I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t wait until Professor Qiaoes out.¡±

    After Su Manhan said this, it just happened to be the time for the research institute to close. Su Manhan stared with wide eyes, scrutinizing every personing out from the institute.

    In her mind, Su Manhan ruled out the few old professors who had juste out; she had seen them before.

    Not too muchter, Su Manhan spotted an unfamiliar face walking out of the research institute.

    Su Manhan immediately grabbed Zhan Nanqing and asked excitedly in a low voice, ¡°Is it this man? I haven¡¯t seen him before; is he Professor Qiao?¡±

    As she spoke, Su Manhan scrutinized Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression in the dim light, trying to catch any trace of a clue on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face.

    But Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t cooperate in the slightest, ¡°I need to get back to work.¡±

    ¡°No way! You stay right here with me.¡± Su Manhan grasped Zhan Nanqing¡¯s arm tightly, preventing her from leaving, ¡°Could it be this woman?¡±

    Su Manhan inquired about the female professor who came out.

    Zhan Nanqing ignored her.

    After the random guessing, Su Manhan saw Qiao Jing¡¯s figure and her face showed utter contempt.

    She directly passed by Qiao Jing, looking at the person behind her; anyway, Professor Qiao couldn¡¯t possibly be Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing chuckled inwardly, Mom, the person you think is least likely is actually Professor Qiao.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Xu Hongzu, and she excitedly grabbed Zhan Nanqing, pointing to a certain man, ¡°Is it the man beside Elder Xu? He must be Professor Qiao, right?¡±

    No sooner had she finished speaking than Qiao Jing and Xu Hongzu walked past the two of them.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zhan Nanqing, then looked toward Su Manhan and asked, ¡°Was it this matter that had you rushing out just now?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s attempt to apologize to Qiao Jing wasn¡¯tpleted before she was forcefully interrupted by Su Manhan.

    ¡°What does it matter to you what Nanqing does? She is Professor Qiao¡¯s personal assistant; do you have any say over her?¡± Su Manhan¡¯s face was filled with disdain for Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression became extremely weird andplex, tugging at Su Manhan¡¯s clothes with an unsightly face, ¡°Mom, please stop talking.¡±

    ¡°What am I saying that¡¯s wrong? Nanqing, I¡¯m speaking up for you, ah. Qiao Jing isn¡¯t Professor Qiao, what are you afraid of? With her kind of country girl who came from the countryside, being able to step into the institute was something she must have begged and prayed for!¡±

    Su Manhan proimed haughtily.

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s sarcasm, a change appeared on the normally indifferent and aloof face of Qiao Jing. She slightly raised her delicate brows, ¡°Yet you can¡¯t even manage to get through the door of the institute, can you?¡±

    The cold expression on Qiao Jing¡¯s face deeply agitated Su Manhan, making her words even more unpleasant.

    ¡°Hah! That¡¯s because Professor Qiao hasn¡¯t met me yet; she would definitely let me in. Besides, I am Mrs. Zhan; you¡¯re just a bumpkin! What high ground are you pretending to have?¡± Su Manhan blustered, puffing up her cheeks despite the swell.

    Xu Hongzu, having heard Su Manhan insulting Qiao Jing, was already stewing with discontent. Had it not been for the fact that they were at the entrance of the institute, he would have already erupted.

    Now¡ª

    Hepletely ran out of patience!

    ¡°Su Manhan, let me tell you, if you continue to talk to Xiao Jing like that, I¡¯ll have someone throw you onto the street, believe it or not?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with her; let¡¯s go have lunch.¡± Qiao Jing had no intention of wasting more words on Su Manhan and turned to leave.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, wait a moment.¡± Xu Hongzu called out.

    It was then that Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, crossing her arms and waiting for Xu Hongzu, ¡°Don¡¯t be too long; I still need to go grocery shopping.¡±

    ¡°Su Manhan, is this the way people from the Zhan Family speak? Every single action you take affects the face of the Zhan Family.¡± Xu Hongzu¡¯s face turned quite stern with authority when he spoke, ¡°If what you just said to Xiao Jing were to be known by the other noble houses, what do you think would happen?¡±

    ¡°Never mind the other noble houses, my Xu Family would think the quality of the Zhan Family members is generally low.¡±

    He regarded Qiao Jing as his own granddaughter and would absolutely not tolerate anyone randomly insulting her.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing¡¯s capabilities were even a level below his, Xu Hongzu!

    Su Manhan was choked by Xu Hongzu¡¯s words, opening her mouth but not daring to retort.

    She knew very well that her status was not as high as Elder Xu¡¯s. If she caused a conflict with Elder Xu, it would mean causing a conflict with the Xu Family, and the repercussions would be significant!

    Zhan Nanqing saw the situation deteriorating and nearly wanted to find a hole to crawl into. If her mother ever found out that Professor Qiao was Qiao Jing, the look on her face would be worth seeing.

    And now, she was still Qiao Jing¡¯s assistant. If thismotion continued, she was sure not to benefit from it, ¡°Mom, just stop, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Su Manhan gave one fierce re at the unconcerned Qiao Jing, who stood off to the side, and angrily led Zhan Nanqing away.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, does Su Manhan always treat you like this? Then why don¡¯t you marry my grandson? I have long wished for you to be my granddaughter-inw.¡± After Su Manhan left, Xu Hongzu returned to his usual tone.

 Chapter 232 - 224: Jealousy and Rivalry

    Chapter 232: Chapter 224: Jealousy and Rivalry

    Qiao Jing responded and skipped the topic, ¡°I don¡¯t care what she said, marrying the fourth¡­ Uh, shall we go buy groceries together?¡±

    ¡°Off we go, I¡¯ve been craving a meal made by Xiao Jing for a long time. Aren¡¯t you considering our Moqian at all? He wouldn¡¯t dare treat you poorly, and neither would our Xu Family,¡± Xu Hongzu followed Qiao Jing, grumbling behind her.

    Qiao Jing ignored Xu Hongzu and headed straight towards the market.

    When Qiao Jing returned home carrying bags, Zhan Qipei had not yet returned.

    Xu Hongzu looked around the living room. ¡°Zhan Qipei isn¡¯t here?¡±

    ¡°Not yet back.¡± Qiao Jing ced the bags on the kitchen table and tied on an apron.

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu felt a bit happy and schemed, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call Moqian over, just so happens he hasn¡¯t had lunch yet.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiao Jing rolled up her sleeves, took a fish out of the bag, and began to prepare it.

    Xu Hongzu immediately snapped a photo of Qiao Jing¡¯s back and sent it to Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Stinky boy,e eat!¡±

    If the stinky boy could win Qiao Jing as his wife, it would be great. Why should all the good women end up married into the Zhan family!

    ¡°Coming right away!¡± Xu Moqian replied swiftly and immediately took his car keys and drove to Qiao Jing¡¯s house.

    Proud of himself, Xu Hongzu also tried to act young by posting the picture he had just taken on his social circle with the caption: Xiao Jing cooking herself, my stinky boy and I are blessed!

    After posting, he didn¡¯t look at his phone anymore and went into the kitchen to watch Qiao Jing work on the fish.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, would this fish work with a hot and sour recipe?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Xu Hongzu gleefully watched Qiao Jing cook, unaware that his social media post had attracted someone unexpected.

    ¡°Ding Dong¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the door, it¡¯s probably Moqian. You keep doing your thing,¡± Xu Hongzu stopped Qiao Jing from heading to the door, went to the entryway himself, ¡°Stinky boy, why are you only¡ª¡±

    Upon seeing who it was, Xu Hongzu suddenly fell silent and expressionlessly tried to close the door.

    ¡®How can I not close the door? I came to see my granddaughter-inw, and have a meal; isn¡¯t that allowed?¡¯ Zhan Yuanshan grumbled, ¡®Dare to try and close the door, I¡¯ll have my granddaughter-inw kick you out!¡¯

    ¡®Yo! You sure do smoothly call her your granddaughter-inw, Xiao Jing doesn¡¯t even really like your grandson.¡¯ Xu Hongzu retorted, not backing down an inch. While distracted by Zhan Yuanshan, Xu tried to forcefully close the door.

    Just as the door was about to shut, Zhan Yuanshan raised his voice and shouted toward the inside, ¡°Jing Girl! I¡¯m here!¡±

    This sessfully caught Qiao Jing¡¯s attention, and she came out of the kitchen, ¡°Grandpa Zhan?¡±

    ¡°Jing Girl, I¡¯m telling you, Xu Hongzu isn¡¯t letting me in!¡± As soon as he saw Qiao Jing, Zhan Yuanshan began toin, taking the opportunity to walk inside.

    Xu Hongzu, unhappy with Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, argued back, ¡°What do you mean I didn¡¯t let you in! Xiao Jing, Zhan Yuanshan is up to no good, he showed up uninvited, and I don¡¯t even know where he saw the news!¡±

    ¡°me yourself for posting on social media,¡± Zhan Yuanshan countered.

    Xu Hongzu groaned, realizing his oversight.

    The two stubborn old men could not stop arguing, and Qiao Jing was somewhat helpless, ¡°Let¡¯s eat together then, sit down, and I¡¯ll be just a moment.¡±

    She poured a ss of water for each of the men and then went back to the kitchen to continue cooking, while the two in the living room gave each other unpleasant looks.

    ¡°See? That¡¯s my granddaughter-inw,¡± Zhan Yuanshan stroked his beard, boasting to Xu Hongzu.

    Xu Hongzu immediately retorted, ¡°Haha, we still don¡¯t know whose family the flower will end up in.¡±

    The doorbell rang again, and Xu Hongzu revealed a smug smile. ¡°My lousy son has arrived; you just wait for Xiao Jing to be my granddaughter-inw.¡±

    This time it was Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Lousy kid, you finally made it,e in quickly, Xiao Jing is cooking.¡±

    Upon seeing this, Zhan Yuanshan inevitably felt some dissatisfaction with his ineffective grandson, Zhan Qipei¡ªhis rival had shown up at the door, and the boy was still not back!

    He immediately called Zhan Qipei.

    The other party quickly answered, ¡°Grandpa?¡±

    ¡°Your rival has shown up at your doorstep and you¡¯re still not home! If Jing Girl runs off with someone else, don¡¯t bothering home!¡± Zhan Yuanshan said angrily and hung up the phone in a huff.

    Qiao Jing, who was focused on cooking in the kitchen, naturally had no idea about the drama outside.

    ¡°Hello, Grandpa Zhan,¡± Xu Moqian greeted politely.

    Zhan Yuanshan grunted heavily, reluctantly nodding his head.

    ¡°Never mind him, go and help Xiao Jing,¡± Xu Hongzu pushed Xu Moqian to the kitchen door.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disturb Jing Girl,e and sit! Otherwise, do you want to try a move or two with me, Grandpa Zhan?¡± Zhan Yuanshan said, needing to stall some time since his grandson was unimpressive.

    Xu Moqian was at a loss right away, given that Zhan Yuanshan was not easy to provoke.

    ¡°Forget it, Grandpa, I¡¯ll just sit down. I¡¯m afraid I might not hold back well.¡±

    ¡°You little rascal! You¡¯re missing such a good opportunity?¡± Xu Hongzu said, his old face turning red as he pped Xu Moqian on the back.

    Xu Moqian felt he was wronged! Zhan Yuanshan was blocking him, so he surely couldn¡¯t actually fight him, right?

    In the end, the three of them sat down on the sofa, enjoying a rare moment of harmony, solely because there was one person sitting between Zhan Yuanshan and Xu Hongzu.

    The doorbell rang again, and upon guessing the visitor, Zhan Yuanshan lifted his chin and snorted, ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll go open the door.¡±

    ¡°No need to trouble yourself, I¡¯ll go,¡± Xu Moqian volunteered and opened the door. Upon seeing the person outside, he was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted.

    He knew it, Zhan Qipei that shameless guy, just knew how to cling to his Sister Jing.

    The moment Moqian showed up, Zhan Qipei knew he would rush back as well.

    Upon seeing Xu Moqian, Zhan Qipei gathered his brows like wisps of smoke, his lips tightly pursed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go help Sister Jing!¡± Xu Moqian rushed to enter the kitchen, but before he could, Zhan Qipei stopped him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Zhan Qipei opened the kitchen door and closed it.

    This scene made Xu Hongzu¡¯s face turn red with anger, ¡°I just told you to go, and you didn¡¯t. Now you regret? Toote!¡±

    Xu Moqian knocked on the door and shouted loudly, ¡°Zhan Qipei! Have you no shame, open the door!¡±

    No response came from inside.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t open the door, and Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with their jealous squabbles.

    Xu Moqian ended up being crestfallen, sitting on the sofa with a face full of mncholy.

    ¡°My grandson and my granddaughter-inw are cooking together; why should you outsiders interfere? You¡¯re lucky if you get to eat my granddaughter-inw¡¯s cooking,¡± Zhan Yuanshan boasted, emphasizing the words ¡®granddaughter-inw.¡¯

 Chapter 233 - 225: Qiao Jing Caught in the Middle

    Chapter 233: Chapter 225: Qiao Jing Caught in the Middle

    Xu Hongzu snorted coldly and turned his head away without speaking.

    Inside the kitchen.

    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Qiao Jing was stir-frying fish in the pan and was somewhat surprised to see the person arriving.

    ¡°Yeah, what kind of fish are you making?¡± Zhan Qipei nced at the other vegetables in the bag and took the initiative to start washing them.

    Qiao Jing turned her head back to focus on the fish in the pan, ¡°Pickled vegetable fish, Grandpa Xu loves it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei remembered Xu Hongzu and Xu Moqian, the grandfather-grandson duo, and his expression darkened slightly, but he couldn¡¯t help but assist Qiao Jing in chopping the pickled vegetables.

    It was hard to pinpoint when exactly, but Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing had developed a certain tacit understanding when cooking together, and with a man helping, the cooking speed increased a lot.

    Five dishes and a soup were served on the table, and the aroma enticed the three people in the living room to quickly take their seats by the dining table.

    The seating of the five people was quite clever, with Zhan Qipei sitting on the left side of Qiao Jing, and Xu Moqian on her right.

    The two elderly men sat beside their respective grandsons, as if they were divided into factions.

    ¡°This is what you call, ¡®a couple shares the load, and work bes easy,''¡± Zhan Yuanshan happily said, stroking his beard and ncing at Xu Hongzu.

    ¡°You brute, modifying sentences at will?¡± Xu Hongzu grumbled angrily.

    Zhan Yuanshan and Xu Hongzu were about to start arguing, but Qiao Jing interrupted them, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood up and personally served Qiao Jing a bowl of soup, cing it in front of her.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing expressed her thanks.

    Seeing the couple acting so harmoniously, Zhan Yuanshan was very pleased; his grandson was indeed on the right track.

    Xu Moqian, not wanting to be outdone, noticed that Qiao Jing had finished the rice on her te and immediately took the bowl from her hands, ¡°Sister Jing, let me serve you some rice.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Qiao Jing drew the corners of her mouth speechlessly.

    Now it was Xu Hongzu¡¯s turn to smile with satisfaction, tauntingly ncing at Zhan Yuanshan.

    See, what your grandson can do, my grandson can do as well.

    After Qiao Jing took the bowl from Xu Moqian¡¯s hands and routinely said thanks, she was about to pick up a piece of sweet and sour sparerib when a familiar pair of hands reached out.

    Zhan Qipei picked a piece of sweet and sour sparerib for Qiao Jing, ¡°I know you like this, you don¡¯t need to thank me.¡±

    Qiao Jing blinked and hummed an acknowledgment, ready to eat her meal.

    Xu Hongzu, who had witnessed the entire exchange, started making faces at his grandson, clearly signaling him to also pick some food for her.

    Xu Moqian quickly understood his meaning and picked a piece of fish for Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister Jing, this part of the fish is the softest and tastiest, try it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, sitting on the left side of Qiao Jing, gave Xu Moqian an icy re.

    However, thetter was undeterred by Zhan Qipei¡¯s look and even picked more food for Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Yuanshan sent a look towards Zhan Qipei and then to Qiao Jing.

    Then, the following scene unfolded.

    A small mountain began to form in the bowl in front of Qiao Jing, with Zhan Qipei adding a bit before Xu Moqian followed suit.

    Finally, when the bowl could no longer hold anything else, both found another clean bowl, with Zhan Qipei peeling shrimp for Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian picking the bones out of her fish.

    Qiao Jing looked at them expressionlessly and put down her chopsticks, ¡°Stop adding more, just eat your own food.¡±

    She then picked out the untouched food from her bowl and returned each to its dish, ¡°Neither has been touched; Grandpa Zhan, Grandpa Xu, please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Zhan Qipei and Xu Moqian exchanged nces, seeing the same emotion in each other¡¯s eyes, before finally putting down their chopsticks.

    Only after the two had finally settled down did Qiao Jing start to eat.

    After the meal, Qiao Jing personally saw the three to the door, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, shall I take you back? Old Four, you take Grandpa Xu back.¡±

    ¡°No need, no need, the driver is waiting for me downstairs. I¡¯ll be leaving first,¡± Zhan Yuanshan cheerfully said, not giving Xu Hongzu and his grandson a chance to speak and quickly closed the door.

    How could he let them disturb his grandson and granddaughter-inw¡¯s world for two?

    Xu Hongzu took several deep breaths to calm himself down, ¡°You brat! Such a good opportunity gone, huh?! I told you to be morepetent!¡±

    The house returned to tranquility, and when Qiao Jing was preparing to tidy up the dishes, Zhan Qipei followed her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wash, you just put them in the sterilizer.¡±

    After washing the dishes, Qiao Jing left the kitchen straight away, intending to go back to her room to read for a while.

    Zhan Qipei washed his hands, and hurriedly followed Qiao Jing, reaching out to grab her hand.

    But Qiao Jing walked so fast that he only caught her sleeve, and Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t control his strength well.

    A tearing sound followed immediately.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cor was pulled down, sliding to her right arm.

    ¡°I just wanted to ask¡­ why did Xu Moqiane?¡± Zhan Qipei stared at the exposed shoulder and swallowed hard.

    ¡°Grandpa Xu called him over,¡± Qiao Jing pulled her cor back and frowned as she looked at her clothes that hade undone at the seams.

    She couldn¡¯t throw it away; it could still be worn if sewn back together.

    The cor had be very loose due to the unraveling and had slipped down more than just a bit.

    ¡°Shall I sew it back for you? Or I can buy you a new one,¡± Zhan Qipei forced himself not to imagine other things and turned to look for needle and thread.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly, feeling somewhat surprised¡ªZhan Qipei knew how to sew?

    After she changed into another shirt in her room and came out, she found Zhan Qipei standing at the door with needle and thread, ¡°You know how to sew?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Qipei told a tant lie.

    Zhan Qipei sounded at ease when he actually had just sneakily watched a video tutorial.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, then took out the shirt she had changed out of.

    Zhan Qipei looked serious as he picked up the needle and sat down on the sofa to start threading.

    The man furrowed his brow, his thin lips were pursed tightly without his knowing as he continually attempted to thread the needle.

    ¡°Hiss.¡± After being pricked once more, Zhan Qipei decisively wiped away the bead of blood and continued with his threading attempt.

    The action of wiping blood was not lost on Qiao Jing, who also realized the fact that Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t sew.

    Her brows knitted slightly, a nearly imperceptible ripple of emotion surfacing in her eyes, and a strange feeling crossed her heart.

    A rare hint of distress appeared on her cool face.

    ¡°Let me do it,¡± Qiao Jing took the needle and thread from Zhan Qipei, moistened the thread end with her fingertip pads and deftly passed it through the needle eye, quickly tying a knot.

    She started to stitch her shirt, each movement proficient.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing how adept Qiao Jing was, realized how clumsy his own actions had been, and couldn¡¯t help feeling slightly embarrassed.

    ¡°The bandaids are in the medicine box,¡± Qiao Jing said while sewing the cor.

    She¡¯s concerned about him, right? It proved that he was still in her heart.

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s just a little pinprick. I¡¯m not that delicate,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing was about to finish sewing the shirt when Zhan Qipei quickly thought of something and rushed back to his own room, taking out a pair of dress pants.

    Without any hesitation when faced with his tailor-made ck dress pants, Zhan Qipei cut the threads near the zipper and brought the pants back to the living room.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, these pants are also damaged, can you help me sew them?¡± he asked.

    When Qiao Jing saw where Zhan Qipei¡¯s pants were damaged, her gaze was a bit peculiar.

    Nevertheless, she said nothing and took the pants from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands, starting to sew them in front of him.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing¡¯s adept actions, and his dark eyes deepened; he remembered their first encounter, the day she had also ¡®operated¡¯ on him like this.

 Chapter 234 - 226: The Consequences of Underestimating Qiao Jing

    Chapter 234: Chapter 226: The Consequences of Underestimating Qiao Jing

    The pair of trousers that Zhan Qipei had intentionally torn were restored to their original condition in no time.

    Qiao Jing did not notice the subtle nces of the people around her, and after mending the clothes, she stood up.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Zhan Qipei said, staring at the damaged part of the trousers.

    Without halting her steps, Qiao Jing returned to her room with the blouse she had sewn, ¡°No need.¡±

    That afternoon, Qiao Jing received a message from Master Han.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I¡¯m hosting a charity auction, are you interested?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not go,¡± Qiao Jing replied, her slender fingers tapping on the keyboard.

    She had never been interested in events that required her to make a public appearance.

    ¡°The money from the auction will be donated to children in mountain areas and at the welfare institutes,¡± Master Han immediately responded to Qiao Jing¡¯s message, touching on the point that mattered to her.

    Qiao Jing looked down at the message from Master Han and agreed without a second thought, ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°I will have someone send the invitation to your house, remember to take it.¡±

    Qiao Jing did not reply to the message, instead returning to her busy work at the research institute.

    ¡°Are you going to the auction?¡± Zhan Qipei asked upon returning home in the evening, noticing the invitation on the table.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Jing replied after ncing at the red invitation.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°I¡¯ve also received an invite. Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°Either way is fine,¡± Qiao Jing responded indifferently,

    Several dayster.

    Qiao Jing stood in front of the hotel where the charity auction was being held.

    Reporters wielding cameras were standing around the luxurious hotel entrance.

    To attend today¡¯s auction, Qiao Jing had finished her ongoing tasks half an hour early and rushed over from the research institute.

    It was only after standing at the entrance that Qiao Jing remembered Zhan Qipei had nned toe with her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived early; no need to wait for me,¡± Qiao Jing sent a message to the other party.

    The other party immediately replied to her message, ¡°Alright, our seats are arranged together.¡±

    Qiao Jing put away her phone, ready to enter.

    As she approached the entrance, the security stopped her, ¡°Hello, please show your invitation.¡±

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, then slowly furrowed her brows¡ªshe seemed to have forgotten the invitation at the research institute.

    After finishing her work, she had hurried to the auction venue and forgotten about the invitation.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t produce the invitation after a while, an odd expression emerged in the doorman¡¯s eyes, ¡°Miss, if you don¡¯t have an invitation, please don¡¯t attend the auction, alright? This high-society auction isn¡¯t a ce for the poor or country bumpkins like you.¡±

    After saying this, the doorman measured Qiao Jing with an overtly scrutinizing gaze, momentarily stunned by her stunning face but it did not prevent him from looking down on her as he continued to speak.

    ¡°The guests invited to the auction are all high-ss individuals. You dare toe dressed so shabbily? Not even wearing makeup¡ªare you here to be a joke? Or perhaps you¡¯re here to seduce the wealthy?¡±

    What the doorman did not know was that the clothes he considered shabby, just the blouse alone, were worth a year of his sry.

    ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were as deep as a pool of ck water, and her emotionless tone inexplicably sent chills down one¡¯s spine.

    The doorman was also intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, growing timid.

    The reporters seemed to smell gossip nearby and approached with their cameras.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she going in?¡±

    Two reporters asked.

    Qiao Jing naturally wouldn¡¯t answer their questions and took out her phone, intending to contact Han Zhiyu.

    Seeing the journalists arrive, the gatekeeper decided to retaliate against Qiao Jing for her earlier attitude towards him and began blustering, ¡°Journalist friends, look at this woman. She doesn¡¯t even have an invitation and she¡¯s here to attend the auction. I tell her off and she tells me to shut up! You guys be the judges! I¡¯m just a gatekeeper, I get paid to do my job, right? And she still won¡¯t leave!¡±

    The journalists exchanged nces.

    ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ve got to report this.¡±

    The journalist who said this received a cold look from Qiao Jing, and he silently turned off his camera.

    ¡°Exactly, report it, let more people know that someone like her exists! I think she came here to hook up with wealthy men inside,¡± the gatekeeper added fuel to the fire.

    The journalists immediately began to gossip.

    ¡°Women like her are so disgusting.¡±

    ¡°Look at how she¡¯s dressed, it¡¯s so shabby. No wonder she would do something like this, probably ran out of money.¡±

    Qiao Jing overheard these words, while at the same time, her call got through.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao, I was just dealing with the auction matters, what can I do for you?¡± Han Zhiyu¡¯s voice came through, tinged with an apology.

    ¡°I forgot my invitation, how do I get inside?¡± Qiao Jing said, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, but just loud enough to be overheard by the gatekeeper.

    Convinced that Qiao Jing was pretending to be more than she was, the gatekeeper said sarcastically, ¡°I think you didn¡¯t forget it, you never had one, right? Calling anyone won¡¯t help! The organizer is Master Han!¡±

    The journalists got ready to film the scene once more.

    Qiao Jing noticed out of the corner of her eye. She moved swiftly, went up to one of the journalists, and turned off his camera, ¡°If you want to keep your camera, don¡¯t film.¡±

    ¡°Ouch, what can you do to me? Smash my camera? You couldn¡¯t afford to pay for it!¡± The journalist got angry and tried to turn on his camera again right in front of Qiao Jing.

    But his actions paused when another person came out.

    Seeing Han Zhiyu emerge from the hotel, the gatekeeper began toin, ¡°Master Han, this woman doesn¡¯t have an invitation and wants toe in. I can¡¯t drive her away; should I get some people to throw her out?¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth! She is a distinguished guest!¡± Han Zhiyu rebuked the gatekeeper for hisck of perception and turned to approach Qiao Jing. ¡°Miss Qiao,e with me, the auction is about to start.¡±

    The gatekeeper and the journalists had been hoping to see a spectacle but instead were surprised.

    Master Han himself came out to greet someone!

    Who on earth was this woman? To be treated so courteously by Master Han, putting aside his auction work to greet her?!

    ¡°Apologize.¡± Qiao Jing stopped in front of the gatekeeper.

    The gatekeeper¡¯sment about her trying to hook up with someone had touched a nerve.

    The gatekeeper was taken aback, sweat forming on his forehead, and he quickly bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, my bad just now. It was my fault for being judgmental. Please be magnanimous and don¡¯t hold it against me! I have elderly and children at home, and I rely on this job to support my family! Please don¡¯t ask Master Han to fire me¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing, having received the apology, didn¡¯t bother to listen to the rest of the gatekeeper¡¯s plea and left him with a cold, ¡°You will bear the consequences.¡±

    Han Zhiyu followed Qiao Jing into the hotel. Before entering, he looked back at the gatekeeper.

    The gatekeeper immediately understood the implication in Han Zhiyu¡¯s gaze: he was about to lose his job.

 Chapter 235 - 227 Qiao Jing Shoots for Six Hundred Million

    Chapter 235: Chapter 227 Qiao Jing Shoots for Six Hundred Million

    The reporters, fearing they might be affected by Han Zhiyu¡¯s demeanor, immediately picked up their cameras and walked away.

    Inside the auction.

    Since Qiao Jing had arrived early, there were only a few scattered guests seated by then.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, let me take you to your seat.¡± Han Zhiyu, worried that Qiao Jing might not know the location assigned to her in the invitation, nned to lead her to her seat.

    Qiao Jing did not give Han Zhiyu the chance to take her to her seat; she easily found it and settled down.

    She had nced at the invitation a few days earlier and had remembered her location.

    ¡°You can go ahead.¡± Qiao Jing dismissed Han Zhiyu and sat down to look at her phone.

    After a while, someone took the seat to her left.

    Without looking up, the aura of the person let Qiao Jing know who it was.

    Zhan Qipei still had a bottle of water in his hand, which he opened for her and ced beside Qiao Jing, ¡°Have some water. Why did youe so early?¡±

    ¡°Not thirsty, I was afraid of beingte, so I came early,¡± Qiao Jing was looking at the photos Lin Xiuxiang had sent her.

    They were of Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan¡¯s bridal suite.

    Qiao Jing carefully examined the photos, feeling the only shortfall was that the living room sofa looked too spacious.

    ¡°What¡¯s being auctioned today?¡± Qiao Jing asked aloud.

    Zhan Qipei tightened the cap again, ¡°Master Han¡¯s calligraphy and paintings, Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical books, and some trinkets.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Jing responded.

    As time passed, the auction began.

    ¡°Good afternoon,dies and gentlemen. Wee to this charity auction¡­¡±

    The host on stage was reading the opening remarks.

    Zhan Yao and Su Manhan arrived just in time and took their seats next to Zhan Qipei, leaving a space on Qiao Jing¡¯s right.

    Everyone hade for Master Han¡¯s calligraphy and paintings, as well as the legendary medical books of Divine Doctor Jing!

    Lou Xinrou also heard about the medical books; she followed Lou Pinshu to the auction and happened to sit not far from the Zhan family.

    ¡°Next up is andscape painting by Master Han! The starting bid is ten million!¡±

    The host lifted the cloth covering the painting, disying it to everyone.

    Upon hearing of Master Han¡¯s painting, the guests excitedly raised their paddles, beginning to outbid each other.

    ¡°Twenty million!¡±

    ¡°Twenty-five million!¡±

    ¡°Twenty-eight million!¡±

    The guests continued to raise their bids, and Lou Pinshu also called out a price of thirty-five million.

    Upon seeing thisndscape painting by Master Han, his eyes instantly lit up; anyone knowledgeable in this field would recognize that the painting was a masterpiece!

    Moreover, Master Han¡¯s paintings were invaluable and impossible to purchase with money.

    Given that Master Han was advancing in age, he might soon stop painting, making this painting possibly hisst work.

    One of his paintings had once fetched three hundred million! The price for this one would surely not be low either.

    While everyone was fiercelypeting for the painting, Zhan Qipei raised his paddle.

    ¡°One hundred million.¡±

    The painting, previously estimated at only fifty million, had its price doubled by Zhan Qipei!

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei speak up, everyone silently put down their paddles.

    When everyone thought the owner of this painting would be Zhan Qipei, someone in the crowd raised their paddle, ¡°Two hundred million.¡±

    In an instant! Everyone was looking for the person who had made the offer.

    Wu Xirui was sitting in a corner, watching everyone in the room. After seeing the painting, he became interested, originally nning to wait for the smaller yers to gradually raise their bids before he would offer the highest price himself.

    But after Zhan Qipei made his bid, Wu Xirui curled the corners of his lips and, without hesitation, doubled it.

    Qiao Jing also put down her phone when she heard the auction item was a painting by Han Zhiyu.

    The second time she felt the gazes upon her, Qiao Jing quickly followed that gaze and saw the person.

    It was Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Three hundred million,¡± Zhan Qipei raised his paddle again.

    Thispetition sparked interest among the other guests; it was like watching gods battle!

    These two gods were none other than Zhan Qipei, the richest man in the capital, and Wu Xirui, who had an extensive influence overseas.

    Everyone watched as Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui continuously outbid each other, all curious as to who would finally take the painting home.

    Qiao Jing nced at Wu Xirui and slightly frowned.

    Su Manhan noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s small gesture and jeered sarcastically, ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen so much money before? Even though the old man gave you a little money,pared to the prices Qipei is throwing out, it¡¯s nothing but a drop in the ocean.¡±

    Seeing that Qiao Jing ignored her, Su Manhan got even more sarcastic, ¡°You bumpkin, who hasn¡¯t seen the world, better go back. Don¡¯t embarrass our Zhan Family any further.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Zhan Qipei frowned, displeased.

    Su Manhan took a breath and stopped speaking.

    Zhan Qipei poured a cup of water and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Qiao Jing was indeed thirsty, took it, and after a couple of sips, she looked up at the painting on the stage.

    ¡°Do you like this painting? I¡¯ll buy it for you,¡± Zhan Qipei noticed her gaze.

    However, Qiao Jing shook her head, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll buy it myself.¡±

    This scene made Su Manhan grit her teeth in frustration, ¡°Hmph, do you even have that much money? And you, Qipei! Is this how you treat your mother? She¡¯s nothing but an outsider!¡±

    ¡°She is my wife, your daughter-inw!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s frown deepened.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei stand up for her, a ripple stirred at the bottom of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, and a tender spot in her heart seemed to sink.

    ¡°Three hundred million for the second time!¡± the auctioneer eximed excitedly.

    ¡°Four hundred million.¡± Wu Xirui, always watching Qiao Jing¡¯s side, darkened his gaze when he saw Zhan Qipei giving her water and raised his paddle.

    At this price, the crowd was abuzz!

    ¡°This time Master Han¡¯s painting is a whole hundred million more than thest!¡±

    ¡°It seems like this painting will definitely go to Fifth Master.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already four hundred million, it probably won¡¯t go any higher.¡±

    No sooner had the guest finished speaking than someone leisurely lifted a paddle!

    ¡°Six hundred million.¡±

    The moment this bid was announced, the whole ce exploded into discussions about the bidder.

    They all recognized the person who made the bid, Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s temporary wife!

    The protagonist of the discussion, at that moment, was thinking that it would be nice to win the painting to give it to Lin Xiuxiang as a gift.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened instantly, and forgetting any pretense of decorum, she quickly marched over to Qiao Jing and pointed at her nose, scolding, ¡°Have you lost your mind? How can you be so wasteful! Daring to spend our Zhan Family¡¯s money when you¡¯re not even the real daughter-inw?! Do you think our moneyes from the wind?!¡±

    Six hundred million! That was no small amount! Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s calm demeanor made Su Manhan incredibly angry, and Zhan Yao also frowned in displeasure.

 Chapter 236 - 228 Divine Doctor Jings Medical Book

    Chapter 236: Chapter 228 Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s Medical Book

    Lou Xinrou watched with the attitude of an onlooker and saw the dissatisfaction of Su Manhan and Zhan Yao.

    She dared to make such a high bid on her own and even let her Brother Pei pay for it. Maybe Brother Pei will start to dislike Qiao Jing!

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, his thin lips pressed tightly together, and he said in a deep voice, ¡°Mom! There are some things I don¡¯t want to repeat.¡±

    Su Manhan, angered by Zhan Qipei, sat down with a stoic face, returning to her seat.

    The auctioneer nced at Wu Xirui and Zhan Qipei¡¯s seats and, seeing no reaction from them, finally brought down his gavel with a thud, announcing, ¡°Six hundred million for the third time! Congrattions Miss Qiao!¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s sharp gaze turned towards Qiao Jing. He stood up, walked over to her, and asked, ¡°Do you like this? I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡±

    When Zhan Qipei saw Wu Xirui walking their way, he stood up and blocked his path, ¡°No need for you to buy it, I¡¯ve bought it to give to my wife.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯ll buy it myself.¡±

    Qiao Jing also rose, amid everyone¡¯s gaze, and headed backstage alone.

    Wu Xirui then leisurely returned to his seat, not before giving Zhan Qipei a provocative nce.

    Zhan Qipei responded with a cold look and sat back down in his seat.

    Next to him, Su Manhan muttered under her breath, ¡°A sly fox seducing left and right.¡±

    ¡°No way, is Qiao Jing really going backstage to pay by herself?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that she¡¯s using the Zhan Family¡¯s card to make the payment?¡±

    Su Manhan, who also heard the surrounding chatter, said, ¡°Qipei, did you give her your card?! You actually gave so much money to an outsider!¡±

    ¡°Qipei, six hundred million isn¡¯t a small amount,¡± Zhan Yao also spoke up, clearly not pleased with Zhan Qipei¡¯s actions.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t reply but kept his gaze fixed on the direction Qiao Jing had left.

    His silence was taken as acquiescence by Su Manhan.

    Hmph, once Qiao Jing and Qipei divorce, she would definitely get that money back!

    When Qiao Jing arrived backstage, she was personally weed by Han Zhiyu.

    Meanwhile, Lou Pinshu also headed backstage, hoping to get a glimpse of Master Han¡¯s face and take a closer look at the painting before leaving. However, he happened to run into the scene of Qiao Jing making the payment.

    He stood outside the door, not entering, waiting for the conversation inside to end.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re the one who made the bid, I¡¯ll give you a fifty percent discount. If you want any other paintings, I can make a few more for you to send over, no need to go to such expense,¡± Han Zhiyu instructed the staff to take the card from Qiao Jing¡¯s hand to handle the transaction.

    ¡°Thank you, one is enough,¡± Qiao Jing politely replied, ¡°How has your health beentely?¡±

    ¡°Much better, thanks to you,¡± Han Zhiyu and Qiao Jing sat down on the sofa.

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, ¡°Then let me take your pulse for a moment.¡±

    After a while, she spoke seriously, ¡°You still need to pay attention to rest more, and convalesce.¡±

    Han Zhiyu obeyed the medical advice, nodding his head.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and stood up, ready to depart.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out,¡± Han Zhiyu apanied Qiao Jing to the door.

    Lou Pinshu, who had overheard the entire conversation, had a look of shock on his face.

    Just who is Qiao Jing? To receive such special treatment from Master Han.

    And that card she just used, it was a ck card!

    What shocked Lou Pinshu even more was the conversation he had just overheard between Qiao Jing and Han Zhiyu. Qiao Jing had taken Han Zhiyu¡¯s pulse¡ªcould it be that it was Qiao Jing who had cured Master Han¡¯s illness?!

    ¡°¡±¡±

    Could it be that Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing, given that she was able to cure Master Han and receive such preferential treatment?

    Lou Pinshu left a question in his heart that no one could answer.

    After learning that Qiao Jing had paid, the host at the front desk reopened the microphone and announced, ¡°Miss Qiao has bid for thendscape painting on her own behalf, donating six hundred million to children in the mountainous areas!¡±

    As this statement was made, the previous shock and discussion were nowhere to be seen.

    Instead, the entire venue fell silent.

    If Qiao Jing had used the Zhan Family¡¯s credit card to pay, the host would have said that the Zhan Family had bid for the painting, not that she had done so on her own behalf.

    The implication of these words was clear: Qiao Jing had six hundred million of her own and had paid the money!

    The most shocked person was undoubtedly Su Manhan. How could Qiao Jing possibly have so much money? Could it be given by Zhan Yuanshan?

    But Zhan Yuanshan shouldn¡¯t have given Qiao Jing that much money, right?

    Zhan Yao¡¯s originally furrowed brows tightened further. Qiao Jing was indeed different; at least the fact that she could produce six hundred million suggested she was not someone with a simple identity.

    Lou Xinrou was also stunned, turning her gaze toward the Zhan Family¡¯s seats. Upon seeing the equally shocked Su Manhan, she could only retract her eyes with frustration.

    Wu Xirui, sitting in a corner, curved the corners of his lips and narrowed his long, narrow eyes, having withdrawn his bid after seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s offer, just to see if she could actuallye up with that much money.

    And to his surprise, she really had paid such arge sum.

    Suddenly energized, Wu Xirui beckoned, and someone immediately approached him, ¡°Fifth Master.¡±

    ¡°Find out if that money was truly paid by Qiao Jing herself,¡± Wu Xirui licked his lips.

    The person by his side responded and walked away.

    Wu Xirui rhythmically tapped his fingers against the armrest of his chair, viewing the next few auction lots with disinterest.

    ¡°Fifth Master, we¡¯ve found out, she paid the money herself,¡± the subordinate soon returned and leaned over to Wu Xirui to report.

    Wu Xirui chuckled lightly; Qiao Jing was intriguing, and his interest in her grew.

    When Zhan Qipei learned that Qiao Jing had paid, he exited the page where he had been preparing to transfer the money to her.

    ¡°Qipei, did you give Qiao Jing money behind the scenes?¡± Su Manhan, still not willing to believe that Qiao Jing could have six hundred million, persistently inquired of Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei frowned and said, ¡°No, it was her own money.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? How could she have so much money? It wasn¡¯t given by the old master, was it?¡± Su Manhan clutched her purse tightly, no longer interested in the items being auctioned on stage.

    Qiao Jing paying the money herself undoubtedly was a heavy p to her face!

    How could she possibly have that much money?

    ¡°Enough,¡± Zhan Yao said, prompting Su Manhan to finally quiet down and sit still in her seat.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei stood up, ready to leave.

    ¡°Qipei, aren¡¯t you interested in Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical book?¡± Zhan Yao noted Zhan Qipei¡¯s intent to leave.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Qiao Jing,¡± Zhan Qipei replied.

    Divine Doctor Jing was right there beside him, in person; he didn¡¯t need to bid for any medical book.

    Su Manhan stopped Zhan Qipei, ¡°Qipei, she must still be backstage now. Please take a seat. The Zhan Family can¡¯t just go back without bidding on anything.¡±

    Zhan Qipei hesitated for a long time before sitting back down. Later, he sporadically bid on a few decorative items.

    When the venue once again buzzed with excitement, it was for Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical book!

    This was the legendary medical book of Divine Doctor Jing!

    ¡°¡±¡±

 Chapter 237 - 229: Auctioning Medical Books

    Chapter 237: Chapter 229: Auctioning Medical Books

    Divine Doctor Jing, who had never shown his face, possessed the most exquisite medical skills in the capital. Securing this medical book was undoubtedly the greatest wealth, and who knows, it might even garner Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s favour!

    Moreover, ording to their spection, since Divine Doctor Jing was auctioning the medical book, the legendary Divine Doctor Jing was most likely sitting among these guests.

    Who exactly was it?

    That remained unknown.

    Lou Xinrou hade specifically for this today, her eyes lit up, and she had beenpeting with several households for a long time, constantly raising her bidding sign.

    At this moment, Lou Pinshu was still on his way back to the venue,pletely unaware that Lou Xinrou had already driven the price of the medical book up to one hundred million.

    ¡°One hundred and fifty million!¡± an elderly man bid a high price.

    Lou Xinrou gritted her teeth and raised her bidding sign, ¡°Two hundred million!¡±

    She was determined to get this medical book!

    ¡°Three hundred million!¡± the elderly man continued topete with Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou, unwilling to show weakness, said, ¡°Four hundred million!¡±

    ¡°Six hundred and fifty million.¡± the elderly man¡¯s vigor seemed to wane, apparently no longer intending to continue bidding.

    ¡°Seven hundred million!¡± Lou Xinrou quoted a price.

    The medical book was ultimately acquired by the Lou Family, and Lou Pinshu, who had just returned to the venue, had just learned about it.

    ¡°Grandfather, this medical book is of great use to me! I¡¯ve bought it now, and not paying would disgrace our family, so please go and pay,¡± Lou Xinrou said.

    Eventually, Lou Pinshu went backstage with a grim face and paid.

    Having acquired Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical techniques, a triumphant smile spread across Lou Xinrou¡¯s face.

    She couldn¡¯t wait to open the medical book and after casually reading a few pages, felt full of confidence in herself.

    The content inside seemed so simple, she was certain she could easily master it!

    Once she had mastered the medical techniques detailed in the book, Mr. Zhou would surely take her as his disciple! After all, by then, she would be a practitioner of Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical techniques.

    Lou Xinrou clutched the medical book tightly in her hands as she followed behind Lou Pinshu.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that the contents of Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s book were not as simple as they appeared.

    Those who understood medical techniques would think it easy at first nce, but on personally attempting to learn, one would realize that every single step contained within was veryplex.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was standing in a hall not far from backstage.

    Originally nning to leave directly, she thought of Zhan Qipei and took out her phone to send him a message, ¡°I¡¯m heading back first.¡±

    It seemed as though he had been waiting for her message, and he replied instantly, ¡°Wait for me, let¡¯s go back together.¡±

    Qiao Jing, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s message, hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°How long?¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied, ¡°Right now, after I see this.¡±

    The jadeite ice on stage had caught Zhan Qipei¡¯s interest, and he nned to stay and bid on it before leaving. Now that the Zhan Family had acquired a few items, they could leave early.

    Qiao Jing responded faintly, ¡°Alright.¡±

    She sat down on a sofa in the hall, idly browsing the news on her phone to pass the time.

    The lobby¡¯s people were keenly observant. The manager, who had seen Han Zhiyu personally escort Qiao Jing in, guessed that her identity was no trivial matter and began to act with eager courtesy.

    The manager poured Qiao Jing a cup of tea, ttering her, ¡°Miss, is there anything else you need?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted from her phone screen for a second, nced at the manager, then returned her attention to her device.

    The manager bowed slightly, a smile on his face as he left.

    When Lou Xinrou entered the lobby, the first person she noticed was Qiao Jing and the manager beside her, nodding and bowing.

    Why was the manager of this top-ranked hotel in the capital being so polite to Qiao Jing?

    Lou Pinshu also noticed this scene, her expression subtle, her suspicions seemingly closer to confirmation.

    Recalling the medical manual in her possession, Lou Xinrou¡¯s initially jealous rage calmed down, and, feeling emboldened, she approached Qiao Jing, boastfully lifting the manual, ¡°Qiao Jing, see what wonderful thing I have in my hand?¡±

    Seated on the sofa, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were downcast, her emotions unreadable, her delicate fingers scrolling on her phone¡¯s screen, apparently oblivious to Lou Xinrou¡¯s words.

    Completely treating Lou Xinrou as if she were air.

    The hand holding the medical manual stiffened; Lou Xinrou hadn¡¯t expected that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t even nce at the medical manual she had unted!

    The surrounding people cast strange nces towards Lou Xinrou, making her face look extremely ugly.

    Immediately, Lou Xinrou withdrew her hand and spoke sarcastically, ¡°You country bumpkin, you don¡¯t recognize what¡¯s valuable, do you? This is Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical manual! You couldn¡¯t buy it even if you wanted to!¡±

    Upon hearing the words ¡°medical manual,¡± Qiao Jing finally reacted, turned off her phone, and looked up at the medical manual in Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand.

    Her medical manual had been photographed by Lou Xinrou?

    Seeing Qiao Jing staring at the manual in her hand, Lou Xinrou haughtily lifted her chin, ¡°It¡¯s no use envying me, this is mine! Besides,st time it was just your good luck that you saved that patient!¡±

    Maintaining her measured gaze, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes moved between Lou Xinrou¡¯s face and the medical manual, before she eventually withdrew her gaze and ignored Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou was again infuriated by Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, ¡°What are you ying at, acting all high and mighty? I know you want this medical manual; it¡¯s worth a fortune! Once I master the content of this manual, Mr. Zhou will surely take me as his apprentice!¡±

    ¡°The contents of this medical manual are iplete.¡± Qiao Jing spoke in an emotionally t tone, as if stating a mundane fact.

    Lou Xinrou, cing the manual into her bag, said nonchntly, ¡°So what? This is Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical manual, and it¡¯s far better than having nothing at all!¡±

    This time, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak further with Lou Xinrou, sitting on the sofa waiting for Zhan Qipei toe out.

    ¡°Did you hear that? Mr. Zhou will take me as his apprentice!¡± Lou Xinrou, dissatisfied with Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor, continued to taunt.

    Qiao Jing merely responded with a faint ¡°Oh,¡± and said no more.

    ¡°Lou Xinrou, when did I ever say I¡¯d take you on as an apprentice?!¡±

    Zhou Fu stormed in through the entrance, and upon seeing Qiao Jing, approached her respectfully, ¡°Miss Qiao, I absolutely won¡¯t take her as an apprentice. I¡¯ve told you before, taking an apprentice is a major decision, and I would surely discuss it with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, ¡°I understand.¡±

    Zhou Fu had exined this several times.

    Facing Lou Xinrou, Zhou Fu¡¯s expression changed, ¡°Lou Xinrou, I¡¯m not taking any apprentices, so stop fantasizing, and stop mentioning my name outside. I¡¯m not acquainted with you.¡±

    Lou Xinrou wasn¡¯t expecting Zhou Fu¡¯s sudden appearance, ¡°Mr. Zhou! I¡¯ve photographed Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical manual and will soon master the contents. Wouldn¡¯t you consider taking me as an apprentice then?!¡±

    ¡°The medical manual was photographed by you?¡± Zhou Fu paused, turning to exin to Qiao Jing, ¡°I came here today to photograph your¡­ Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s medical manual, but there was a dy at Wonderful Hall, and she ended up photographing it.¡±

 Chapter 238 - 230: Borrowing Wine

    Chapter 238: Chapter 230: Borrowing Wine

    Qiao Jing replied, ¡°Hmm, the content of this book¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter to you whether you shoot it or not.¡±

    After all, Zhou Fu was her apprentice, he could have just told her directly if he wanted to learn.

    But Zhou Fu didn¡¯t see it that way; this was something his master had meticulously researched, and he didn¡¯t want it falling into others¡¯ hands.

    The two talked, treating Lou Xinrou as part of the background, forgetting that she was even there.

    Lou Xinrou was very dissatisfied with being ignored and opened her mouth to say something more.

    ¡°Xinrou,¡± Lou Pinshu interrupted her.

    He had watched the whole process from the side; he hadn¡¯t stopped Lou Xinrou previously because he wanted to see Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction to the medical book and his suspicions seemed somewhat confirmed after seeing Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Grandfather! Qiao Jing is bullying me!¡± Lou Xinrou thought Lou Pinshu was backing her up and immediately started toin.

    Zhou Fu¡¯s expression darkened, angrier at Lou Xinrou¡¯s shamelessness.

    But what Lou Pinshu said next shocked Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Impolite,¡± Lou Pinshu reprimanded Lou Xinrou sternly, then turned and apologized to Qiao Jing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao. My granddaughter is ignorant; I¡¯ll take her home now.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Lou Pinshu somewhat unexpectedly and replied, ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Stunned, Lou Xinrou was led away by Lou Pinshu, and when she came to her senses, she felt incredibly wronged. Her grandfather had never treated her like this from her childhood!

    And he had even apologized to Qiao Jing!

    It was clearly Qiao Jing who was at fault!

    After Lou Xinrou had left, Zhou Fuined a few words to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Master, how can that Lou Xinrou be so shameless? I¡¯ve never seen anyone like this!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. Are you interested in the medical book?¡± Qiao Jing asked, nced at the time on her phone, frowned, and hadn¡¯t cooked yet.

    Zhou Fu wasn¡¯t expecting Qiao Jing to ask him that and his face showed his delight, ¡°Of course I¡¯m interested. I want anything from Master. Are you thinking of giving it to me?¡±

    ¡°No, I was just asking.¡± Qiao Jing saw the person she was waiting for and put away her phone.

    The delight on Zhou Fu¡¯s face immediately disappeared, ¡°I thought you were going to give me one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving; you should go back too,¡± Qiao Jing said as she stood up and walked to the door.

    Zhan Qipei quickly followed, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, we need to buy some groceries,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Zhou Fu stood watching their retreating figures side by side, suddenly feeling like a third wheel.

    After dinner, they each returned to their own rooms. Although Zhan Qipei wanted to talk to Qiao Jing, it was already eight o¡¯clock by the time they finished dinner because of the auction.

    This was the time Qiao Jing usually took her bath; she picked up her clothes and headed to the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei went back to his room to deal with the work he hadn¡¯t finished that day.

    About half an hourter, Zhan Qipei got up and left his room, heading to the kitchen to get a ss of water when he happened to run into Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had juste out of the bath, still trailing some steam, her body emitting the enticing scent of shower gel, her ck, soft hair resting on her shoulders, and her fair face dotted with a few small water droplets, as if her skin had been soaked through.

    She was holding clean clothes in her hand, but those clothes were already half wet, and at this moment, Qiao Jing was only wrapped in a bath towel, which just outlined her figure.

    This automatically brought to mind the image of Qiao Jing drenched on the cruise ship in Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind.

    Suddenly, Zhan Qipei felt his mouth dry, and a heat at his chest tended to move downward. He cleared his throat twice, a n forming in his mind, ¡°How did the clothes get wet?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hold them steady, they fell on the ground.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she returned to her room with the wet clothes.

    Zhan Qipei opened a high cab in the kitchen, took out a bottle of red wine from inside, and casually fried two steaks, cing them on a te.

    After cing the steak and red wine on the table, Zhan Qipei knocked on Qiao Jing¡¯s room door, ¡°I fried some steak.¡±

    ¡°We just had dinner not long ago, why did you fry steak?¡± Qiao Jing opened the door and looked at Zhan Qipei standing at the doorway.

    Zhan Qipei noticed she had changed into a set of clean clothes, ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner was prepared in a hurry, I was worried you didn¡¯t eat enough.¡±

    A sudden whiff of steak aroma drifted from the dining table, prompting Qiao Jing to move her feet towards the table.

    She indeed hadn¡¯t eaten much tonight, and wasn¡¯t expecting Zhan Qipei to notice.

    The two bottles of red wine were also opened, and each of the tall sses contained half a ss of wine.

    Qiao Jing sat down, ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± After sitting, she took a sip of red wine right away, but discreetly pinched her brow, quickly rxing it.

    Zhan Qipei noticed this small movement. If that had been Qiao Jing¡¯s favorite wine, she would have had a subconscious reaction, slightly squinting her eyes like a squirrel savoring a delicious pine nut, delicately savoring the vor in her mouth.

    ¡°This wine¡¯s alcohol content is also high, but it¡¯s not the same asst time; I¡¯ll have some more shipped over next time.¡± Zhan Qipei drank the wine in his ss in one go and began cutting Qiao Jing¡¯s steak for her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s favorite wine was hard to obtain, and Zhan Qipei had already specifically contacted overseas agencies, only recently finding a few bottles among several collectors, yet to be sent over.

    She nced at the wine on the table and said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, I can cut the steak myself.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Zhan Qipei verbally agreed, but his actions didn¡¯t stop; he skillfully finished cutting and pushed it towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t feel much like talking.

    Midway through, Zhan Qipei suddenly stood up, returned to his room, and as if covering something up, took out a set of clean clothes and ced them on the table outside the bathroom.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing thought she heard several sounds of a door lock, but she didn¡¯t delve deeper, focusing instead on savoring the wine in her hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Qiao Jing was somewhat puzzled about what Zhan Qipei was trying to do.

    Zhan Qipei replied, ¡°Just preparing the clothes in advance, I¡¯ll take a shower after eating.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to ask; almost an entire bottle of red wine was evenly split between the two.

    After that meal, both Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei felt a bit tipsy.

    Zhan Qipei cleaned up the tes, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed a response and also returned to her own room, her thinking slowed down by the effects of the alcohol.

    ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± A series of knocking sounds urred.

    Qiao Jing slowly got up and opened the door, seeing Zhan Qipei wearing only a bathrobe, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    A strong smell of alcohol hit her face next, and Qiao Jing was a bit stunned, asking, ¡°Did you drink again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I opened another bottle¡­¡± As soon as Zhan Qipei¡¯s words fell, he slipped, and his body fell towards Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 239 - 231 Qiao Jing

    Chapter 239: Chapter 231 Qiao Jing

    Qiao Jing also instinctively caught Zhan Qipei. In an instant, the strong smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of Qiao Jing¡¯s shower gel.

    Qiao Jing, supporting Zhan Qipei, intended to walk him to his room and asked, ¡°Why did you drink so much?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± A hint of lucidity shed in Zhan Qipei¡¯s drunken eyes.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak. She helped Zhan Qipei to his room and tried to unlock his door but found it jammed.

    The door lock clicked twice but didn¡¯t budge. Qiao Jing blinked her eyes. ¡°Is it broken?¡±

    Zhan Qipei clung to Qiao Jing, wrapping his arms around her shoulders without a word.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, then took Zhan Qipei back to her own room, ced him on her bed, and prepared to sleep on the couch herself.

    Her slender wrist was grabbed by arge hand that pulled her forcefully into his embrace. A deep voice resonated next to her ear, ¡°Where are you going? The bed is here.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s other hand pressed on Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, preventing her from leaving.

    Qiao Jing clearly felt that her ability to think had slowed down a lot. She stared at the ceiling, lost in thought for a while, then simply pulled over the nket and covered herself with it, closing her eyes.

    Simply covering herself with a nket to sleep on the bed, Zhan Qipei¡¯s door would need to be fixed.

    After closing her eyes, Qiao Jing was unaware that the supposedly drunk person beside her suddenly opened his eyes. The drunken haze waspletely absent from his eyes as he stared at her sleeping face in the dark night.

    The next day, Qiao Jing was awakened by the ringing of a phone. She opened her sleepy eyes only to see Zhan Qipei¡¯s muscr chest.

    She was somewhat disoriented and stared at Zhan Qipei for a few seconds before she turned away her gaze.

    The phone continued to ring, pulling Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts back. She struggled out of Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace, grabbed the phone from the bedside table, and tapped to answer.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! I¡¯m back in the country! Did you miss me?¡± Ni Yue¡¯s voice came through, tinged with a hint of joy.

    Hearing Ni Yue¡¯s voice, Zhan Qipei, who had been feigning sleep, immediately opened his eyes and stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s phone with a guarded face.

    He certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten thest time Ni Yue had made moves on Qiao Jing and changed her clothes!

    Zhan Qipei asked somberly, ¡°Who?¡±

    He of course recognized the voice and deliberately asked.

    On the other end, as if hearing something unbelievable, Ni Yue¡¯s voice grew louder, ¡°What?! My Qiao Qiao baby! You¡¯re not lying to me, right? Why is Zhan Qipei by your side? Why is he there when you just woke up?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could reply, Ni Yue said with heartfelt pain, ¡°My Qiao Qiao, you actually cheated! You¡¯re actually in bed with Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m so heartbroken¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened.

    Cheating? She was clearly his wife! If Ni Yue harbored any inappropriate thoughts towards his wife, he would never let her get close to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, we drank too muchst night,¡± Qiao Jing said with some headache.

    Ni Yue immediately blurted out, ¡°Qiao Qiao¡ªwhat do you mean drank too much? Could it be that you guys¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯m hanging up now, I¡¯ll call you back after I freshen up,¡± Qiao Jing decided not to exin any further.

    Given Ni Yue¡¯s imagination, the more she exined, the darker it would get.

    Before leaving the room, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t forget to tell Zhan Qipei, ¡°I¡¯ll call someone to fix the lockter.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After quickly freshening up, Qiao Jing returned a call to Ni Yue, taking the initiative before she could speak, ¡°What¡¯s up? Don¡¯t ask about this morning¡¯s incident.¡±

    ¡°Xiangxiang is getting married soon, and I ordered a bridesmaid¡¯s gown that I will bring over to youter,¡± Ni Yue reported truthfully. After finishing this sentence, she immediately added, ¡°Qiao Qiao, did you really cheat~¡±

    ¡°You really are¡ª talking all over the ce in such a messy way. Tell me, when are youing? Are youing with Xiangxiang?¡± Qiao Jing cut her off, not allowing Ni Yue to continue.

    ¡°Xiangxiang said she has something to do, so I wille by myself. I¡¯m almost there! On the way to your ce already.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Jing hung up the phone, intending to take a few photos of the lock on Zhan Qipei¡¯s door, but found that the door was already open.

    Qiao Jing stood in ce, her scrutinizing gaze fixed on Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, as if trying to see through those dark eyes to understand his thoughts, ¡°Is the lock fixed?¡±

    ¡°Mm, I fixed it myself. Is Ni Yueing?¡± Zhan Qipei met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, unflinchingly letting her size him up.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s arriving soon.¡± Qiao Jing could not discern anything from Zhan Qipei¡¯s face and withdrew her gaze.

    The doorbell rang, and Zhan Qipei went to open the door himself.

    Ni Yue, with an exquisitely wrapped bag in hand, lost her smile when she saw Zhan Qipei, ¡°Why are you the one opening the door?¡±

    ¡°If not me, then who?¡± Zhan Qipei answered coldly.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s displeased expression, Ni Yue mumbled something and entered, passing him, ¡°Qiao Qiao~ I¡¯m here! Try on this bridesmaid dress.¡±

    She took the bridesmaid dress she designed from the bag, holding it up in front of Qiao Jing, ¡°I feel it suits you perfectly, as expected from me!¡±

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll go try it.¡± Qiao Jing took the bridesmaid dress and went back to her room. Ni Yue followed closely behind, closing the room door in front of Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei stood outside the room door, his gaze dark as he stared at the closed door, took a few steps forward, trying to hear the conversation inside.

    ¡°Wow! I just knew my Baby Qiao Qiao would fit perfectly, let me touch your waist.¡± Ni Yue¡¯s voice came out, ¡°Wuu, your waist is so slim, and the touch is just like before, so tender!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened further, and just as he stretched his hand to knock, the door opened from the inside.

    It must be said, Ni Yue is a rare genius in design. This bridesmaid dress, specially made for Qiao Jing, fitted perfectly!

    The color of the bridesmaid dress was a light coffee tone, delicate yet without outshining the bride.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, how about I marry you? Really, I will treat you well,¡± Ni Yue, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, didn¡¯t care about Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, pulled Qiao Jing from Ni Yue¡¯s grip, ¡°Stay away from her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a woman.¡± Qiao Jing, seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s irrational jealousy, gently pulled her hand away, standing back beside Ni Yue.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face grew even darker, his irritation rising when the person he wanted to bring back by his side spontaneously left¡ªhow could he not be angry?

    He furrowed his brows, which were like misty smoke, and his thin lips formed a straight line without any curve. What could he do, Qiao Jing was too good-looking, apparently attractive to both men and women.

    Zhan Qipei felt an unprecedented sense of crisis. Previously, he had only been on guard against men, and now he had to guard against women as well!

    He wished he could tie Qiao Jing to himself, constantly bind her to him, so that everyone would know, Qiao Jing was a married woman.

    Yet, Ni Yue was deliberately stirring Zhan Qipei up, ¡°Qiao Qiao, won¡¯t you consider marrying me? We can go abroad to get a marriage certificate!¡±

 Chapter 240 - 232: Flirting

    Chapter 240: Chapter 232: Flirting

    ¡°Ni Yue!¡± These two words nearly burst through Zhan Qipei¡¯s clenched teeth, a dangerous gleam swirling in his narrowed eyes.

    His wife, she truly ys both sides.

    Ni Yue clicked her tongue, ¡°It¡¯s no use what you say. As long as Qiao Qiao agrees, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was so dark it seemed he could drip water, his gaze eerily fixed on Ni Yue.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with the two of them, walking out to the balcony for some peace and quiet.

    A few dayster, the wedding day of Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan arrived.

    Qiao Jing was wearing the bridesmaid dress prepared by Ni Yue and looked at herself in the mirror for a while. She frowned slightly and asked, ¡°What does Xiangxiang¡¯s wedding dress look like?¡±

    Ready with her phone, Ni Yue promptly found Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s attire for the day and handed the phone to Qiao Jing, ¡°Here, this set, pretty isn¡¯t it? I designed it, how could it possibly be ugly?!¡±

    Looking at the photo of Lin Xiuxiang, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes overflowed with tenderness, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly.

    The person in the photo smiled sweetly at the camera, her makeup was exquisite, and the wedding dress was very fitting. Her eyes were filled with anticipation and joy.

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Qiao Jing once again examined herself in the mirror, ensuring that as a bridesmaid she was proper without being too outstanding. She looked for a full minute, and only then did she rx, allowing Ni Yue to give her a light makeup.

    Even though she didn¡¯t want to wear makeup, she was Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s bridesmaid, and wearing makeup would show that she took the wedding seriously.

    Ni Yue used a light color palette for Qiao Jing¡¯s makeup, grumbling as she applied it, ¡°Looking in the mirror so many times¡­ are you worried about being too brilliant and stealing Xiangxiang¡¯s thunder?¡±

    The two had been friends for quite some time, and Ni Yue could tell what Qiao Jing was thinking at the moment.

    Without speaking, Qiao Jing tacitly agreed.

    ¡°You can rx! When I designed this bridesmaid dress, I took that into ount. It¡¯s very in, so don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Ni Yue applied a milk tea-colored lipstick to Qiao Jing, looking at her beautiful face with some excitement, ¡°Purse your lips together, let me see!¡±

    Qiao Jingplied and pursed her lips, nced at herself in the mirror, and only when she confirmed that nothing about her stood out did her furrowed brow slowly smooth out.

    ¡°My Baby Qiao Qiao, you truly are the most beautiful person I¡¯ve seen! And your skin, so smooth and delicate like a peeled egg, let me touch it.¡±

    Ni Yue touched Qiao Jing¡¯s face as if handling a piece of exquisite white jade, with a careful and satisfied smile.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dodge, allowing Ni Yue to touch her face as she nced at the time, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to enter.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang had assigned Qiao Jing the task of carrying the ring box, intending for her best friend to witness up close the moment she got married.

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    When Qiao Jing entered, everyone¡¯s eyes inevitably fell on her.

    Her unparalleled face, now more enchanting with a touch of light makeup, left the men in the audience dazzled, and her demeanor drew continuous admiration.

    The light mocha-colored bridesmaid dress was meticulously refined, with a waist-hugging design that sketched out Qiao Jing¡¯s slender figure, revealing captivating curves.

    In terms of both appearance and figure, she was first-ss all around.

    Lin Xiuxiang had no rtives, and the family side only had Dean Qian, along with several teachers from the welfare institute seated.

    On Tang Yan¡¯s side, however, there were quite a few rtives. Their eyes lit up upon seeing Qiao Jing.

    If they didn¡¯t know what the bride looked like, they might have mistaken Qiao Jing for the bride.

    Among the crowd, there was one person whose eyes were gleaming as he stared at Qiao Jing. This person was Tang Yan¡¯s cousin, Tang Jing.

    The moment Qiao Jing appeared, he had fixed his gaze on her.

    Tang Jing spoke to the person next to him, ¡°Isn¡¯t she just too beautiful? I¡¯ve never seen such a pretty girl before!¡±

    Qiao Jing did not pay attention to those gazes; instead, she nodded slightly to Dean Qian over there, and joined Ni Yue on the stage, standing on the bridesmaid¡¯s side, waiting for Lin Xiuxiang to make her entrance.

    Standing nervously in front of them was Tang Yan, who kept looking towards the direction of the door, his hands trembling slightly.

    Dean Qian was no longer in his original ce; instead, he had gone to Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s side.

    When the doors of the hall opened, the bride officially entered.

    Dean Qian, holding Lin Xiuxiang, walked the red carpet and handed her over to Tang Yan. Only after giving several words of advice did he let go of her hands.

    The wedding dress Lin Xiuxiang wore was carefully designed by Ni Yue, making her look even more beautiful as she approached Tang Yan with eyes full of anticipation and joy.

    The moment Lin Xiuxiang made her entrance, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze stayed on her.

    Witnessing the scene of Lin Xiuxiang getting married was very meaningful to her, stirring up some indescribable emotions in her heart.

    But she knew she was happy because Lin Xiuxiang was marrying a man worthy of her trust.

    When it came time to exchange rings, Qiao Jing, holding the ring box, stood between the two, and as she saw the tears sparkling in Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s eyes, her own eyes started to moisten as well.

    Tang Yan took the ring and personally slid it onto Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s finger.

    After the wedding ceremony wasplete, Qiao Jing and Ni Yue stepped down from the stage.

    Just as they stepped down, Ni Yue¡¯s phone began to ring. She walked to the side, took a call, and after a few hums, she returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side with an apologetic expression, ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao, I have a draft I haven¡¯t finished. I need to head back and rush it, sorry. I had promised to keep youpany. Please wish Xiangxiang happy marriage for me, and I¡¯ll deliver the gift to her home in a few days~¡±

    ¡°No problem, you go on,¡± Qiao Jing said as she took a seat at the table with the family of Lin Xiuxiang.

    Ni Yue then hurriedly left the venue as well.

    As Qiao Jing was about to pour herself a ss of red wine, a stranger approached her. She didn¡¯t pay much attention and just poured herself a drink.

    ¡°Hello, I am Tang Yan¡¯s cousin, Tang Jing,¡± Tang Jing introduced himself upon approaching her.

    Qiao Jing nced at Tang Jing, replying indifferently, ¡°Hmm, hello.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Tang Jing scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name? Could you tell me, please? It¡¯s just that¡­ uh¡­ I¡¯ve noticed you for a while now.¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing,¡± she replied with her name.

    Tang Jing poured Qiao Jing a ss of juice, offering it with gentlemanly manners, ¡°Women shouldn¡¯t drink too much alcohol. Have some juice instead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Qiao Jing murmured her thanks politely but did not touch the ss of juice.

    Not far away, Tang Yan saw this exchange and his heart skipped a beat. Damn, what was his cousin doing, pouring juice for his boss¡¯s wife? With such eagerness, could it be he had taken an interest in his boss¡¯s wife?

    ¡°Miss Qiao, do you have any hobbies or interests you do in your free time?¡± Tang Jing continued to inquire.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment before gently shaking her head.

    Left with no choice, Tang Jing asked another question, ¡°Could we possibly exchange WeChat contacts, to get to know each other better?¡±

 Chapter 241 - 233: Competing with Zhan Qipei for a Wife

    Chapter 241: Chapter 233: Competing with Zhan Qipei for a Wife

    ¡°`

    He reached for his cell phone in his pocket.

    Just arriving, Tang Yan, upon hearing Tang Jing¡¯s words, was scared out of his wits, immediately held down the hand in his pocket, and said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Take your time drinking, I need to speak with my cousin about something.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Qiao Jing swirled the red wine in her ss, responding with a sound.

    Tang Yan immediately pulled Tang Jing aside, ¡°Cousin, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see? Why did you drag me here? I¡¯ve taken a fancy to that bridesmaid, is she the sister of your sister-inw or something?¡± Tang Jing was still staring at Qiao Jing, somewhat dissatisfied with Tang Yan for pulling him away.

    Before Tang Yan could say anything, both of them saw another slender figure walk up to Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei sat down to the left of Qiao Jing, talking to her about something.

    Seeing this, Tang Jing¡¯s eyes widened. He pushed away Tang Yan¡¯s hand, preparing to walk over to Qiao Jing, ¡°Look what you¡¯ve done, distracting me and now someone else has beaten me to it? He dares to snatch the person I have my eye on? I¡¯m going over there to give him a lesson.¡±

    Upon hearing Tang Jing¡¯s words, Tang Yan immediately reached out to hold back the person looking for trouble, breaking out in a cold sweat, ¡°Cousin, you cannot go over there!¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I go? I was here first! There¡¯s a firste-first-served order to everything!! He took advantage of my absence to snatch the person I was interested in, why are you still stopping me?¡± Tang Jing said discontentedly, making a move to push Tang Yan away.

    Tang Yan gripped Tang Jing¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°No, cousin, you really can¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Tang Yan! Why are you bending your elbow out?¡± Tang Jing was clearly very angry, forcibly breaking free from the hand gripping him.

    Tang Yan blocked Tang Jing and nced over at Zhan Qipei, relieved they hadn¡¯t noticed him, then whispered, ¡°Cousin, that¡¯s my boss!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Tang Jing¡¯s movement froze instantly, his disbelief evident as he looked over at the person sitting beside Qiao Jing, then he retracted his gaze, unable to believe what he had just heard, and asked for confirmation again.

    ¡°Your boss? The one from Zhan Corporation?¡±

    Although he had never met Zhan Qipei, he was aware of who his cousin¡¯s boss was.

    That was the capital city¡¯s wealthiest man!

    Tang Yan nodded, thankful that he had stopped his cousin just now. If President Zhan knew his wife was being hit on by his cousin, he couldn¡¯t even imagine what would happen to him¡­

    Tang Jing¡¯s face also turned a shade paler, realizing the consequences could have been unimaginable if he had actually gone over topete with Zhan Qipei for Qiao Jing.

    After stealing a nce at Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, Tang Jing cautiously withdrew his advancing foot, turned around, and patted his chest, saying to Tang Yan, ¡°It¡¯s good you stopped me. If you hadn¡¯t told me, I might already be over there starting a fight with him.¡±

    ¡°I should go back and keep Xiuxiangpany, cousin, take care of yourself!¡± Tang Yan said, and went over to Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s side.

    Tang Jing was still feeling a bit terrified. He nced at Qiao Jing again, but identally made eye contact with Zhan Qipei, who was looking at him. He shivered instantly and took off running.

    ¡°That man was just looking at you.¡± Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, which were exquisite like misty smoke, watching the retreating back of Tang Jing whose gaze had lingered on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze and saw it was Tang Jing, then retracted her own, ¡°Hmm, no need to bother with it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei then withdrew his gaze.

    Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan¡¯s wedding had been over for two or three days now, but the couple had no ns whatsoever to go on a honeymoon yet.

    ¡°`

    ¡°You¡¯re married now, why haven¡¯t you gone on a honeymoon?¡±

    Qiao Jing sent a message to Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang replied to the message quickly with a voice note, ¡°Thepany is very busy right now. Tang Yan told me they¡¯re negotiating a five-hundred-million-yuan project. It¡¯s a very important deal, and he¡¯s too busy to leave it and help out. He wants to go with me, but with such a big project, he just can¡¯t.¡±

    But Qiao Jing furrowed her brow, ¡°No matter how important that deal is, it¡¯s not as important as your honeymoon.¡±

    Couples tend to feel more affectionate towards each other after going on a honeymoon trip.

    If you miss that period right after your wedding, the honeymoon just wouldn¡¯t feel the same.

    Lin Xiuxiang gave a nomittal hum, her voice betraying a fleeting despondency, ¡°Actually, we can go on a honeymoon anytime, it doesn¡¯t really matter. It¡¯s a five-hundred-million-yuan project, and since Tang Yan is also Qipei¡¯s assistant, he can¡¯t just leave, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Qiao Jing caught the momentary sadness in Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s voice, ¡°But a honeymoon is a very significant period in one¡¯s life.¡±

    The children all yed to their heart¡¯s content and they proposed toe again during their next holiday.

    Su Qingluo, of course, weed them warmly, indicating with a wave of her small hand that she would take them to a more beautiful valley for their next outing, eliciting a wave of eager cheers.

    With reluctance, the children boarded the ferry to return home, each escorted by their attendants.

    Su Qingluo saw off her ssmates, and along with the Little Prince, headed home horseback, escorted by threerge dogs.

    The Little Prince had a great time.

    Despite the teasing he endured, which left a slightly unpleasant impression of the three cheeky sisters, his curiosity for new things was unaffected.

    Once home, the Little Prince was noticeably preupied, eating less than usual and sleeping restlessly.

    After fussing for a few days, under Su Qingluo¡¯s deliberate encouragement, he finally let out the truth.

    He wanted to go to the Academy with his sister.

    ************

    A five-and-a-half-year-old child going to school was unheard of, at least in Woniu Vige and the surrounding rural areas.

    When Su Qingluo heard that the Little Prince wanted to go to school, it took her aback. Her first thought was of the sticky little fellow starting to cry again.

    She had already lost to his tears more than once.

    With his little mouth pouted and big eyes looking pitifully at you, tears steadily falling down his face.

    The feeling ¡ª it was heartbreaking to say the least.

    Just one look was enough to make you feel guilty, as if you had done something unforgivable.

    In the end, out of felt sympathy, she would agree to his wishes.

    ********

    Going to school was a big deal, she couldn¡¯t make the decision alone, so she had to summon the two Imperial Shadow Guards to discuss the matter with them.

    Moving from the peaceful nest of Woniu Vige to the noisy Academy would put more pressure on the guards in their mission to protect the Little Prince.

    The two Shadow Guards didn¡¯t dare to be careless. That same day they sent a message by carrier pigeon, formally reporting the matter to the Empress.

    The Empress wasforted to learn that her son was in good health. She immediately issued a decree awarding the Su n with substantial rewards.

    As for the matter of schooling, after careful consideration, she did not agree to send her young son to the Academy.

    At the Noble Lord¡¯s suggestion, a Female Official with both virtues and skills was dispatched from the Imperial Court to teach the Little Prince at the vi.

    At the same time, the Empress also approved to select children of decent character from the nearby counties, who would study alongside the Little Prince aspanions.

    *******

    The Empress¡¯s rewards and decree were promptly dispatched, arriving at the Su House in Mingshui County and the imperial vi across the river coinciding with the Academy¡¯s next holiday.

    Su Ziqin and Su Zixuan epted the Court¡¯s rewards in ce of their parents, and their humility and manners were once again praised by the Female Official who delivered the decree.

    Meanwhile, in the Imperial Vi,nterns were hung and banners were raised in a joyous celebration.

    The Vi, empty for two years, finally weed its true young master. The eagerly waiting Pce Maids and Attendants were thrilled and spirited, looking forward to the arrival of the Little Prince.

    **********

    The Little Prince¡¯spanions were to be chosen from among the academically outstanding children in nearby towns. These children will attend sses at the Imperial Vi, taught by the Female Official from the Imperial Court.

    Giving theckey a sidelong nce, Liu Xin scoffed, ¡°Then, ording to the current time, President Zhan is already divorced from her. Why is Qiao Jing back in thepany? Could it be that she¡¯s trying to seduce President Zhan?¡±

    Theckey looked as though he¡¯d juste to a realization, ¡°Manager Liu, you truly have Fiery Eyes! She must be trying to hook up with President Zhan to remarry him! After all, how could she bear to divorce someone as capable as him?¡±

 Chapter 242 - 234: Trouble for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 242: Chapter 234: Trouble for Qiao Jing

    After hearing theckey¡¯s reply, Liu Xin felt much more satisfied. She spoke purely because she knew thisckey was the biggest gossip in thepany.

    Given her status, it was inconvenient for her to voice these things, so she chose to manipte herckey¡¯s approach, relying on him to spread the news.

    By then, everyone in thepany would think that Qiao Jing was nothing but a vain showoff.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Bring me the documents I couldn¡¯t resolve a few days ago,¡± Liu Xin said nonchntly, pretending she didn¡¯t care. In fact, that unfinished work was her own, but with her status as a senior executive, she could im it was Manager Tang¡¯s unfinished work. Anyway, Qiao Jing, being an outsider, wouldn¡¯t know.

    Since she wanted toe back and flirt with President Zhan, dump all that work on Qiao Jing to teach her a lesson.

    Theckey¡¯s face still gleamed with gossip. Hearing Liu Xin¡¯s words, he quickly hummed in agreement a few times and walked out of the office.

    Theckey had always been willing to follow Liu Xin because she was a supervisor who also gave him some perks from time to time, which proved beneficial.

    Qiao Jing was sitting in front of Tang Yan¡¯sputer, watching him mark the unfinished work for her. There were five folders in total.

    Inside these five folders were various scattered tasks and documents, but Tang Yan had speciallypleted 30% of each to make it easier for Qiao Jing.

    He didn¡¯t dare to truly abandon his responsibilities by dumping all the work on Qiao Jing. In case she got overwhelmed¡ª not only would his wifein, President Zhan would probably be even angrier.

    Qiao Jing read through all the documents at a remarkable pace, deeply memorizing each one, and began to work on them.

    While she was working on the documents inside the first folder, the office door opened, and Qiao Jing nced briefly at the doorway, then returned her gaze to the screen.

    Liu Xin saw Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor and thought to herself disdainfully, ¡°Putting on airs.¡±

    She snorted and ced the most difficult document on the desk, feigning sincerity, ¡°This is work Assistant Tang failed toplete. Hurry up and get on with it.¡±

    This document was actually aplex task Liu Xin had specifically sought out, thinking that a novice like Qiao Jing would surely fail toplete any of it.

    Liu Xin had deliberately brought it over to trouble Qiao Jing. She set down the documents, ready to watch Qiao Jing fumble through them.

    ¡°Are all these from Tang Yan?¡± Qiao Jing casually nced at Liu Xin and the thick document, asking.

    Liu Xin haughtily raised her chin, assertively saying, ¡°Of course. I want them done by this afternoon.¡±

    She deliberately raised her voice. The office door was left open, so that the employees outside could hear everything being said inside.

    The general management office wasn¡¯t very far from the staff area, and with the pantry in the same direction, many employees passed by.

    And Liu Xin¡¯sckey had already spread the rumor that Qiao Jing was trying to seduce Zhan Qipei like wildfire.

    So now, a group of employees had already gathered around the doorway, peeking inside.

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes, showing no particr emotion, and took the rtively thick document, casually flipping through it, but in fact, she memorized everything.

    After looking it over, Qiao Jing casually put the document aside.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work on this document? At least you should allocate it properly,¡± Liu Xin¡¯s voice was loud enough for those at the door to hear clearly.

    Qiao Jing stopped typing, nced sideways at Liu Xin, and said, ¡°You¡¯re very noisy.¡±

    These three words made Liu Xin¡¯s face sour, ¡°Noisy? I¡¯m just urging you to finish the work. Start immediately, this needs to be done this afternoon!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± Qiao Jing created a new document.

    Liu Xin, as if hearing a ridiculous joke, scoffed, ¡°Are you sure? You just nced at the document briefly. Are you sure you memorized everything? If there¡¯s an issue with the document, you¡¯ll be responsible!¡±

    The document was long andplex, and she struggled to handle it even with the document in front of her.

    Qiao Jing merely nced briefly, but what could that one nce reveal?

    Did she really remember everything? Did she truly think her memory was a scanner?

    I¡¯ve never seen someone act so pretentious.

    Liu Xin¡¯s deliberately raised voice made sure everyone at the door heard clearly.

    They began whispering amongst themselves.

    ¡°Did you hear what Liu Xin said? I also saw Qiao Jing nce at the material and then handle it, even though it was quite thick.¡±

    ¡°Just bragging, who can¡¯t do that? I could manage the documents without even looking.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s really shameless, isn¡¯t she? Desperate to remarry, huh? Running after President Zhan all the way to thepany!¡±

    They thought their discussions were quiet, but everything was heard by Qiao Jing.

    Upon hearing thestment, Qiao Jing slightly arched her delicate, misty eyebrows and remained unresponsive.

    Following that, Qiao Jing earnestly began processing the document, her pale fingers typing swiftly on the keyboard, creating even a blur that Liu Xin noticed!

    Liu Xin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Qiao Jing, convinced she was just typing randomly.

    The ttering of the keyboard reached the doorway, and they exchanged looks, questioning if the fast typing indicated that the material really had been memorized.

    Noticing Liu Xin had not left, Qiao Jing spoke in a cool tone, ¡°Go out, close the door.¡±

    She did not want anyone to disturb her while she was working.

    Liu Xin, acting as if she didn¡¯t hear, shuffled her feet and moved behind Qiao Jing, managing to see the words she typed and opened her mouth in surprise.

    She really was processing the documents!

    A quick nce revealed she had urately analyzed several sentences in the material.

    ¡°Go out! Don¡¯t make me say it a third time,¡± Qiao Jing frowned prettily, noticeably irritated as she nced at Liu Xin.

    The authoritative tone of Qiao Jing made Liu Xin feel defiant, scheming a new trick in her mind.

    Once Liu Xin left, the sound of typing in the office ceased, and Qiao Jing took a photo of the document and sent it to Tang Yan, ¡°Your job?¡±

    ¡°Not mine! That¡¯s Liu Xin¡¯s, why do you have it?¡± Tang Yan replied quickly.

    Tang Yan¡¯s words confirmed Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicions; she said nothing, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    She had been skeptical when Liu Xin handed her the documents, but she had kept silent for Zhan Qipei¡¯s sake.

    The sound of typing resumed.

    Soon, it was lunchtime. Qiao Jing shut down theputer and headed to thepany¡¯s cafeteria with her phone in hand.

    Along the way, employees looked at Qiao Jing with curious eyes, but no one spoke.

    While queueing in the cafeteria, Qiao Jing also attracted everyone¡¯s attention. A little follower squeezed next to her, ¡°Is this Miss Qiao, President Zhan¡¯s ex-wife?¡±

    Qiao Jing just gave theckey a cold look and remained silent.

    ¡°Why are you taking over Assistant Tang¡¯s position? Do you want to get back with President Zhan and remarry him?¡± theckey said sarcastically.

 Chapter 243 - 235: Attacking Qiao Jing from All Sides

    Chapter 243: Chapter 235: Attacking Qiao Jing from All Sides

    Seeing that Qiao Jing ignored her, she pouted and continued, ¡°It seems like for someone who has enjoyed wealth and privilege like you, going back to a life of poverty is really hard for you!¡±

    Such an outstanding man as President Zhan surely isn¡¯t suited for this kind of woman!

    The position of the President¡¯s Wife¡ªhow could she, Liu Xin, not have ever coveted it? Seeing a country girl like Qiao Jing climb up there immediately, jealousy was driving her insane.

    The other employees waiting in line were also watching the excitement with the mentality of watching a drama unfold.

    Two bold ones, both women, were whispering behind theckey about Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Totally shameless.¡±

    ¡°President Zhan definitely won¡¯t remarry her, a woman so greedy for vanity doesn¡¯t deserve him!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze remained on the food the whole time, ignoring the sarcasm behind her. After ordering some dishes, she politely thanked the auntie and nned to find a spot to sit down and eat.

    Zhan Qipei had also messaged a few instructions because he was outside discussing a deal with apany, originally intending to have food delivered to Qiao Jing.

    But Qiao Jing had declined, finding it more convenient to eat at thepany.

    ¡°This bumpkin is exceedingly greedy for vanity; raised without a mother¡¯s care, I wonder where she learned to hook up with men¡ªah!!!¡± Theckey hadn¡¯t finished speaking when a bowl of scalding soup was sshed onto her.

    Seaweed soup dripped from theckey¡¯s head, with even some seaweed stuck in her hair, creating a very sorry scene. She red at Qiao Jing and, gritting her teeth, said, ¡°Qiao Jing! How shameless can you be! I tell the truth and you dare ssh me?!!¡±

    The cold look in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes was as lifeless as deadwater. This time, her chilly tone sent a chill up theckey¡¯s spine, ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents teach you? Talking behind someone¡¯s back and insulting people to their face is truly uncultured.¡±

    What theckey said undoubtedly touched on Qiao Jing¡¯s sensitive spot; she wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to talk about her mother.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one without a mother¡¯s raising, sshing me because I hit a nerve!! Let me guess, your mom¡¯s dead, right? That¡¯s why you became an orphan with no one to teach you, looking to hook up with men?¡± theckey continued sarcastically.

    Qiao Jing quickly stepped forward and pped theckey hard across the face. She didn¡¯t restrain her strength, causing theckey to stagger back several steps and fall to the ground.

    Theckey, holding her swollen half of the face, looked up at Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    The surrounding employees were also stunned.

    Is she crazy, still thinking she¡¯s still the President¡¯s Wife?

    It¡¯s her first day at thepany, and she dares to hit someone just like that?

    Isn¡¯t Qiao Jing afraid that President Zhan will get angry and fire her?

    Her icy gaze fixed on theckey¡¯s eyes, her words carried a threatening tone, ¡°If I ever hear such words again, the consequences won¡¯t be so simple. If your parents don¡¯t teach you how to behave, I can.¡±

    After that, Qiao Jing found a spot, sat down, and quickly finished her lunch.

    Theckey, looking miserable and frightened by Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, took a minute toe around and then fiercely red at Qiao Jing before hurriedly leaving the cafeteria.

    The other employees were also shocked by Qiao Jing¡¯s actions¡ªshe was so fierce?

    Liu Xin took special time during lunch to sneak into the general manager¡¯s office, entered the password, and opened theputer.

    She knew Tang Yan¡¯s workputer password.

    During busy times, Tang Yan would asionally ask Liu Xin to help print documents, so he had given her the password.

    Thepany¡¯s secrets were all in a notebook that Tang Yan carried with him and there was no risk of leaking any secrets.

    Qiao Jing was using thatputer to organize documents.

    Liu Xin easily found the folder with Qiao Jing¡¯s organized documents and opened it to nce over the document.

    Qiao Jing had actually organized everything!

    Liu Xin couldn¡¯t believe her eyes as she browsed through the document several times, only to find that Qiao Jing¡¯s word choice was not only precise but all terms were marked with professional nomenture.

    This was undoubtedly a harsh p on her face.

    Liu Xin quickly deleted the data Qiao Jing had prepared and then shut down theputer.

    When Qiao Jing returned, she saw the somewhat messy desk and frowned.

    Upon opening theputer and seeing her organized data gone, her expression darkened even more.

    She asked Zhan Qipei for permission to enter the surveince room and then hurried in, only to find that a segment of the footage was missing. Qiao Jing tapped on the keyboard and restored that segment of surveince.

    After seeing Liu Xin¡¯s figure, Qiao Jing took out her phone to record this segment of video and stood up to head back to the executive office.

    On the way back, Qiao Jing received a call from Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei, carrying a lunch box, only showed a gentle smile after seeing Qiao Jing, ¡°Have you eaten? I brought food back, almost at thepany.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    Zhan Qipei noted the colder tone in Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, colder than usual.

    Zhan Qipei, sensing a change in Qiao Jing, asked in a deep voice, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I have eaten,¡± Qiao Jing replied. She could handle this matter on her own and didn¡¯t need to tell Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei sent a message from his phone, patiently asking, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±

    He had only gone out to close a business deal and found his wife¡¯s voice much colder on his way back.

    Could it be that someone took advantage of his absence to bully his wife?

    ¡°Someone deleted my data, but I can handle it,¡± Qiao Jing opened her phone, looking at the video she had saved.

    Liu Xin had sneaked into the executive office during her lunch, fiddled with theputer, and then hastily left.

    Qiao Jing told Zhan Qipei this not toin but because Liu Xin was an employee of Zhan Qipei¡¯s Company, and directly confronting Liu Xin would be disrespectful to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes stared at the person on the monitor, silent.

    He soon received a replied message, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s face visibly darkened. After replying to the message, he said frostily, ¡°Wait for me to return.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Jing prepared to restore her data before dealing with Liu Xin.

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing prepared to restore the data.

    Liu Xin walked in directly without knocking, ¡°Qiao Jing, have you finished organizing the data?¡±

    This time she had not even closed the door but had even notified her assistant.

    ¡°Soon,¡± Qiao Jing tapped on the keyboard, her emotions not readily apparent, nor did she immediately bring up Liu Xin deleting the document.

    Liu Xin had a smug expression, ¡°I clearly told you that it must be done by this afternoon, howe it¡¯s not ready yet?!¡±

    She knew Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t possibly have finished the document at thest minute; she had deleted everything, even the surveince specifically.

    Qiao Jing really was a pushover easily manipted by others, only she was worthy of President Zhan!

    ¡°It¡¯s just past lunchtime, not yet afternoon,¡± Qiao Jing replied indifferently, hitting the enter key, and the previously prepared document was restored.

    Liu Xin pressed aggressively, ¡°You couldn¡¯t even organize the data in one morning? I did say this afternoon, but you could havepleted it by noon, why can¡¯t you finish it now!¡±

 Chapter 244 - 236: Do You Think You Are Still Madam Zhan?

    Chapter 244: Chapter 236: Do You Think You Are Still Madam Zhan?

    ¡°`

    At the entrance to the general management office, several people were gathered, led by the little follower, who was backed by two other women.

    Qiao Jing recognized the people who stood behind Liu Xin, mocking her¡ªthey were the ones who had appeared in the cafeteria.

    The little follower had changed her clothes, and although her face was still swollen, she had regained her scornful expression, ¡°Can¡¯t evenplete your work, yet you dare toe to thepany? How embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, even daring to hit an employee in the cafeteria?¡±

    ¡°Lucky for her I have a good temper. If it were me, I would have called the police and had her arrested long ago.¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t suppress her anger any longer and suddenly stood up. Her eyes were icy, her brow cold, and her whole body exuded a terrifying sharpness!

    ¡°What do you want to do? Hit me again? This is President Zhan¡¯spany! It¡¯s not a ce where you can behave wildly!!¡± Liu Xin retreated a few steps, intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s imposing manner, yet still obstinately spoke.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing ignored her, Liu Xin added another shout, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re still Madam Zhan?¡±

    ¡°She is,¡± came a deep, cold voice suddenly.

    When the other employees saw Zhan Qipei, they immediately stood up from their positions, greeting, ¡°Good morning, President Zhan.¡±

    President Zhan seldom came to the office area; usually, Assistant Tang was the one who came here on his behalf. What brought him here personally today?

    Zhan Qipei walked over with an unsmiling, gloomy face, gathering his long, mist-like eyebrows, his thin lips forming a straight line devoid of any curve, and strode over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    The man¡¯s tall figure shielded Qiao Jing from the malicious nces of Liu Xin and the others.

    A ripple surged in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, and something tender in her heart seemed touched once more.

    The light two words from Zhan Qipei just now had stirred up a huge ssh in everyone¡¯s hearts!

    ¡°President Zhan? What do you mean ¡®she is¡¯?¡± Liu Xin asked, puzzled.

    Hadn¡¯t they divorced? Why was Zhan Qipei still calling Qiao Jing Madam Zhan? What was going on?

    Zhan Qipei, however, did not exin anything to Liu Xin. When he learned about the incident in the cafeteria today, his expression immediately darkened.

    He was away for just one morning, and someone dared to bully his wife?

    ¡°Apologize.¡± Zhan Qipei looked at the little follower with a chilly gaze. Just standing there, he exuded an aura like the living King of Hell, lowering the atmospheric pressure around him considerably.

    The little follower¡¯s legs began to tremble, and she walked over to Qiao Jing, timid and trembling, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Go to the finance department to settle your wages,¡± Zhan Qipei stated coldly, turning his gaze toward Liu Xin.

    The little follower nced at Liu Xin before leaving, covering her face with a look of grievance as she headed to the finance department.

    Liu Xin¡¯s legs were shaking, ¡°President¡­ President Zhan, I¡­ it was her, she failed toplete the task¡­ so¡­¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to be so important in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart!

    What was so good about Qiao Jing, who was so vain and materialistic? Why was Zhan Qipei still protecting her?

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing and motioned for her to handle it.

    Qiao Jing immediately opened her phone and yed the surveince video.

    Upon seeing this video, Liu Xin was so frightened that tears streamed down her face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao, I was bewitched, I was wrong! Please forgive me, I didn¡¯t mean to delete your data.¡±

    Fearing that she might share the assistant¡¯s fate, she quickly begged for mercy.

    ¡°The finance department,¡± Zhan Qipei said sinctly.

    Although Liu Xin was resentful, she dared not say anything more and left for the finance department with her tail between her legs.

    The employees in the office area had aplicated look on their faces after witnessing this scene.

    ¡°`

    They thought President Zhan, upon learning about the cafeteria incident, would angrily fire Qiao Jing for her violent behavior.

    But to their surprise, President Zhan announced that Qiao Jing was still Madam Zhan and even fired Liu Xin, who had worked in thepany for several years!

    From this, they gleaned one piece of information: Qiao Jing was very important to Zhan Qipei.

    Those who had mocked Qiao Jing at the entrance to the general manager¡¯s office now felt fear and buried their heads even lower, afraid that she would see them.

    Qiao Jing had intended to handle these matters herself, but Zhan Qipei had taken care of everything for her and even fired those few people.

    ¡°Come to my office, you¡¯ve been tired for most of the day. Take a good rest,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, which had been stern, softened when facing Qiao Jing, and even his tone of voice differed from how he spoke to others.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to follow Zhan Qipei. After dealing with several tasks that morning and encountering those people, she did indeed need to rest a bit.

    The remaining employees exchanged nces, sneaking peeks at the departing figures of the two.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s office had an en suite resting room,plete with a bed and wool nket, ¡°Rest here for a while, I¡¯ll call youter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll set my rm, you¡­,¡± Qiao Jing paused, ¡°How¡¯s work going?¡±

    Zhan Qipei realized what Qiao Jing was asking about this morning¡¯s coboration, ¡°It¡¯s settled, I¡¯m sorry for my absence and the trouble you encountered, is there a lot of work?¡±

    ¡°Not much, I can handle those things myself, thank you,¡± Qiao Jing lowered her eyes, obscuring her emotions from view.

    Zhan Qipei stepped out of the restroom and closed the door for Qiao Jing, ¡°Call me if you need anything, I¡¯ll be right outside.¡±

    Qiao Jingy down on the bed, and perhaps because it was Zhan Qipei¡¯s resting room, she could sense his presence in the bed.

    Before long, the quiet resting room was filled only with the steady breathing of Qiao Jing.

    When Zhan Qipei tiptoed to open the door, holding a cup of water, and saw Qiao Jing asleep, he gently set the cup on the table.

    He sat down beside the bed, looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s peaceful sleeping face, feeling a stir in his heart.

    Eventually, Zhan Qipei bent down and quietly ced a kiss on the smooth forehead of the Qiao family¡¯s member.

    His dark eyes moved down from Qiao Jing¡¯s face, lingering on her stomach for a long while.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze darkened, pondering what if Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t taken the contraceptive pill.

    Could she be carrying his child?

    Would it be a boy or a girl? Or perhaps twins or even fraternal twins?

    But Zhan Qipei knew these spections wouldn¡¯te true as Qiao Jing had already taken contraceptive pills.

    A sense of destion crossed his face, and he gently caressed Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    After waking up, Qiao Jing quickly prepared breakfast. Having eaten her share, she headed to the research institute.

    When Zhan Qipei finished washing up and came out, Qiao Jing had already left.

    As he was about to leave the house, he halted at the entrance, nning to give Qiao Jing a surprise.

    Normally the two would tidy up their own rooms, and the living room was always neatly arranged by Qiao Jing, thereby not giving Zhan Qipei a chance to lift a finger.

    Moreover, since they usually didn¡¯t mess up the house¡¯s decorative pieces, tidying up was rtively easy.

    Zhan Qipei sent Tang Yan a message, then set his phone aside and began to tidy up the living room.

    On the other side, Tang Yan from Zhan Corporation was now looking at the message on his phone with aplex expression, along with a pile of documents, and looked up at the ceiling exasperatedly.

    What to do with a boss who takes a holiday whenever he pleases?

 Chapter 245 - 237 Zhan Qipei Discovers Qiao Jings Identity

    Chapter 245: Chapter 237 Zhan Qipei Discovers Qiao Jing¡¯s Identity

    Zhan Qipei had not been cleaning for long before he finished tidying up the living room, and then he moved on to Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s room was neatly arranged by him, and Zhan Qipei swept the floor with a broom.

    Under Qiao Jing¡¯s desk was arge cardboard box.

    Zhan Qipei had no intention of rummaging through the box, he bent down intending to shift it aside to clean the dust underneath the desk.

    During the process of moving the box, Zhan Qipei caught sight of something very familiar, a trace of doubt flickered through his dark pupils.

    It was a wooden box he had seen at Professor Qiao¡¯s award ceremony, used for holding trophies.

    Scenes from the banquet reyed in his mind.

    Qiao Jing had said she would give it to Professor Qiaoter; why was the trophy still here after so much time?

    Could she have forgotten to return it?

    But for such an important trophy, considering Qiao Jing¡¯s memory, she should not have forgotten to give it back.

    Zhan Qipei set the broom aside and opened therge cardboard box.

    After opening the box, the contents inside made Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements stiffen slightly.

    Inside were various trophies, certificates, and medals of the highest national level, as well as other awards.

    Importantly, the awardee was Professor Qiao.

    Why would Qiao Jing have Professor Qiao¡¯s things here?

    If it was like thest banquet situation, Qiao Jing should only have one of Professor Qiao¡¯s trophies, not the other items.

    So, what was going on now?

    Zhan Qipei felt a great deal of confusion and had a spection as he looked over these items.

    Could it be¡ª

    At that moment, the doorbell rang.

    Qiao Jing was standing at the front door, and it was Xu Hongzu who had just pressed the doorbell.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, could Zhan Qipei be at home? I¡¯m worried it might be disruptive,¡± Xu Hongzu feared someone mighte to open the door.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for an emergency at the research institute, they would not havee to disturb Qiao Jing today.

    Let¡¯s go back one hour.

    The water pipe at the research institute had suddenly burst, and water had begun gushing in, damaging some equipment.

    The staff had immediately started repairs and rescue operations, especially since the institute had a very important discussion meeting scheduled for today.

    The institute¡¯s meeting room was also flooded, water everywhere.

    In the end, Qiao Jing suggested holding the meeting at her ce, and everyone followed along.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s at work today, it¡¯s a workday,¡± Qiao Jing unlocked the door with her fingerprint, leading Xu Hongzu and the other professors inside.

    Upon hearing the doorbell, Zhan Qipei had put the cardboard box back in its ce and was about to leave the room when he heard other voices.

    ¡°Who would have thought the research institute¡¯s water pipe would suddenly burst?¡±

    ¡°I hope the machinery is fine, along with some of the documents¡ªd they were rescued in time.¡±

    Xu Hongzu looked around the living room and only after making sure no one was present did he speak, ¡°Today was an ident, as long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with the meeting, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei inside the room paused, peering out.

    The research institute was close to Qiao Jing¡¯s house, which was why she had brought everyone here.

    Qiao Jing sat down at the dining table, Xu Hongzu and two others sat to her left, and the rest of the people scattered to her right.

    Zhan Qipei hid in the room, secretly watching the people outside of Qiao Jing and Xu Hongzu, and he recognized some of them too.

    They were all experts from the research institute, only behind Xu Hongzu in status, and their names would also appear in the news from time to time.

    And at that moment, all those agricultural magnates had gathered around Qiao Jing and taken their seats.

    Zhan Qipei slightly frowned, closely observing the situation outside.

    His heartbeat quickened, that spection of his seemed about to be confirmed.

    Qiao Jing nced at the staff members sitting around her and stood up, ¡°What would you like to drink?¡±

    The meeting had been lengthy,pounded by the seriousness of today¡¯s issue, it was going tost at least an hour.

    ¡°No trouble, no trouble, how can we let you serve drinks?¡±

    ¡°If anyone should be pouring, it should be us, how can we bother you with that?¡±

    Xu Hongzu also spoke up, ¡°Yeah, Xiao Jing, there¡¯s no need for that, we can pour for ourselves.¡±

    Qiao Jing halted her steps, ¡°This is my home, consider it a courtesy of the host.¡±

    In the kitchen, she poured several sses of water. Xu Hongzu and the others followed her in, each taking their own ss, not allowing Qiao Jing to bring it out for them.

    The group took their seats again, and the meeting began.

    Zhan Qipei listened attentively to their conversation.

    ¡°ording to the current experiments, the research on grafting vegetables seems to be proceeding smoothly, but there are also some minor issues¡­¡± one of the experts asked.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her attractive brows, ¡°No problem, when we worked together on hybrid corn research before, didn¡¯t we also encounter simr issues?¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jing, do you have any solutions?¡± Xu Hongzu asked.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows came together.

    Xu Hongzu was the country¡¯s second agricultural tycoon, yet he was taking Qiao Jing¡¯s lead on such matters?

    Qiao Jing was also very serious, and after a two-second silence, sheid out her n in an organized manner.

    The other experts listened intently to Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Even after Qiao Jing finished, they were still not fully recovered, mulling over the n she had proposed.

    Xu Hongzu reacted faster than the others, having already grasped the meaning behind Qiao Jing¡¯s words, he said excitedly, ¡°Xiao Jing! If this research is sessful, it will be a significant contribution to humanity!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face showed little emotion, she simply hummed softly in agreement.

    She was well aware of the importance of this research and knew that there could be no mistakes, or all the effort put in so far would be wasted.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s excitement grew, ¡°By then, our country will reach a new height in the field of agriculture! Just likest time with your hybrid rice research!!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils narrowed sharply.

    It was as expected!!!

    The other experts also showed excited expressions on their faces; once they had rified Qiao Jing¡¯s n, it became as clear to them as if they were looking in a mirror.

    ording to Qiao Jing¡¯s n, their only oue was sess! Failure was impossible!

    All of them looked to Qiao Jing as the leader, and the other experts said excitedly,

    ¡°I believe our research will definitely be sessful!¡±

    ¡°I too am very confident in this research.¡± Xu Hongzu¡¯s eyes shone as if he had already foreseen the sessful oue.

    One of the experts stood up with a swish, walked over to Qiao Jing, his face flushed with excitement, shaking her hand vigorously, ¡°The n you just mentioned¡­ it has enlightened us. It let us see where the problem lies, and I have a premonition that this time we will definitely seed!!!¡±

    Qiao Jing did not pull away, responding with a faint smile to the expert.

    She knew that the people working under her were truly passionate about their work, and it was normal for them to be overly excited when they heard the correct n.

 Chapter 246 - 238: Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao

    Chapter 246: Chapter 238: Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao

    But why did she feel as if there were eyes on her?

    Qiao Jing urately found the stare, only to realize it wasing from her own room.

    Could she have been mistaken? How could there be someone in her room?

    After the expert shook hands with Qiao Jing, he returned to his seat and drank the water from his cup in one gulp, hoping to calm himself.

    Unbeknownst to the others, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened at the sight of Qiao Jing shaking hands with the expert, his gaze lingering intensely on their sped hands.

    No matter who the other person was, Zhan Qipei was not pleased to let anyone else touch Qiao Jing.

    And just now, Qiao Jing had actually smiled at him!!

    Qiao Jing listened intently as everyone discussed the current n, not speaking but asionally pointing out errors.

    Xu Hongzu also discussed seriously with the other experts, with a paper and pen in front of him, where he had already made preliminary notes.

    Qiao Jing patiently waited for their discussion to conclude.

    The meeting gradually came to an end, and the passionate discussions around the table also ceased.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing stood up, her tone particrly earnest, ¡°So this time, thank you all for your hard work, and I hope that we can achieve great sess.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s faces bore smiles, as if the research had already seeded.

    After Qiao Jing said that today, they suddenly had an epiphany and understood where they had gone wrong before.

    ¡°No trouble at all!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s encourage each other!¡±

    Xu Hongzu was also full of confidence in this research, and his admiration for Qiao Jing grew stronger.

    Before Qiao Jing, there had not been anyone of her age who could achieve so much on their own.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, we¡¯ll be going back first; I need to go to the research institute to record the n you just mentioned,¡± Xu Hongzu¡¯s mind was filled with the words Qiao Jing had just spoken, and he had noted them all down.

    However, Qiao Jing shook her head, ¡°It can¡¯t be fixed in a short time anyway, let¡¯s give everyone a day off today, and I will post the n in the work group.¡±

    The days of intense work had left everyone looking somewhat tired, but they had already brushed it off just moments before.

    But she still nned to give everyone a day off, as today¡¯s n was enough for them to ponder over back home.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go first then, thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Qiao Jing apanied everyone to the door, and as she was about to go further, they stopped her, signaling that they could go downstairs on their own.

    She did not insist further and allowed everyone to go down by themselves.

    When Qiao Jing returned to the living room, she found an additional person on the sofa.

    Her mind went nk for a moment, but she quickly understood what was happening. The stare she felt was not her imagination, it was Zhan Qipei¡¯s.

    ¡°You heard everything,¡± Qiao Jing stated, also noticing a familiar cardboard box at Zhan Qipei¡¯s feet.

    In hearing Xu Hongzu and the expert¡¯s discussion, Zhan Zhan Qipei had understood everything, and his suspicions were confirmed.

    Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao.

    He took the trophies and certificates out of the box, set them on the table, and said with a chuckle, ¡°I thought I was already impressive, but it turns out my wife is even more remarkable. I guess I need to work even harder.¡±

    He even felt like he wasn¡¯t worthy of Qiao Jing, and this reinforced a thought in his mind, his wife was so incredible, he absolutely couldn¡¯t let anyone steal her away.

    Qiao Jing gave a faint smile, shook her head, and put the trophies and certificates back, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to work today? How did you find these?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go, Tang Yan will help handle it. I was nning to clean up the house. I found them under your desk while cleaning,¡± Zhan Qipei replied truthfully.

    Meanwhile, Tang Yan was busy sweating bullets at thepany.

    After listening, Qiao Jing nodded slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about my identity.¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused, furrowing his brows slightly, ¡°Can¡¯t I even tell my mom?¡±

    Upon knowing that Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao, he had thought about telling Su Manhan.

    Because that would stop Su Manhan from making things difficult for Qiao Jing, and he hoped his mother would ept his wife.

    But it seemed Qiao Jing could guess his thoughts before he even spoke to Su Manhan about it.

    The casual smile faded from Qiao Jing¡¯s face, reced by a serious expression, ¡°I know your intention because your mom currently dislikes me, and you want to use my identity to make her ept me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, which was taken as agreement.

    ¡°But if you judge someone solely by their identity without getting to know them, epting, and admiring them just because of that identity, it¡¯s pointless,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    She naturally understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s thoughts and guessed that he might tell Su Manhan.

    However, she did not want Su Manhan to ept her just because she was Professor Qiao.

    ¡°I don¡¯t value things external to myself, and the title of Professor Qiao is merely an empty title to me. I am just Qiao Jing, a simple person who likes to work in agriculture.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke in an indifferent tone.

    After listening, Zhan Qipei too reflected for a moment and realized his wife was indeed right.

    Indeed, a person should not be judged by their achievements or the type of achievements they have.

    And so, the matter was dropped.

    That morning.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao¡ª¡±

    The voice of Ni Yue came through the phone, sounding a bit downcast.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Qiao Jing was sitting at home, holding a medical book in her hands.

    Ni Yue wailed, ¡°I¡¯ve run out of inspiration, I can¡¯t draw,e hang out with me? I¡¯ll take you to the club to dance!¡±

    As soon as Ni Yue mentioned dancing, she perked up as if infused with excitement, and since Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t responded, she began to plead, ¡°Oh my dear Baby Qiao Qiao, these past few days I¡¯ve been tortured by design drafts, just let me dance to rx a bit. I don¡¯t want to go unless youe with me, will youe with me?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the time, it was eight in the evening, and agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t wear long sleeves and pants, oh, it¡¯s very hot inside¡ªgotta hang up now, I¡¯m going to drive and pick you up!¡± Ni Yue swiftly hung up the phone, changed into a new outfit, and rushed downstairs.

    Qiao Jing went back to her room, picked out a white short-sleeved top and denim shorts, changed, and went downstairs.

    In the club, lights blurred together, with colorful neon lights shing non-stop, Ni Yue in the middle of the dance floor, was twisting her body and waving her arms to the deafening music, as if to fling her troubles away with the music.

    At the bar, Qiao Jing held a bottle of beer, casually drinking, her expression indifferent, her gaze fixed only on Ni Yue, seemingly oblivious to the noisy environment around her.

 Chapter 247 - 239: Jealous of Ni Yue

    Chapter 247: Chapter 239: Jealous of Ni Yue

    Quite a few suitors had already approached her, but all were dismissed by Qiao Jing with a cold attitude.

    Ni Yue suddenly stopped dancing, sweating profusely as she returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, took a swig of beer, stood up ready to return to the center of the dance floor, but then came back and pulled the person sitting at the bar.

    ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao, dance with me~ I¡¯m scared of getting hit on when I¡¯m alone out there!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled faintly, ¡°Who could take advantage of you?¡±

    She was led by Ni Yue to the center of the stage.

    Ni Yue grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and started to dance, and once she got into it, she let go, jumping to the rhythm of the music.

    Qiao Jing also followed the beat, dancing along with Ni Yue.

    But her movements were the most restrained in the dance floor, she just swayed her body to the music, and danced with her hands on the beat, asionally interacting with Ni Yue.

    In the private booth closest to the dance floor, two men were sitting.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei opened one bottle of beer after another, with several women around each of them, two of which were even sitting on theirps, while the others were drinkingpanions.

    ¡°That Qiao Jing really needs to be taught a lesson! Although it¡¯s been a long time, I still feel some pain in my face; it pisses me off, I have to make her suffer!¡± Zhan Nan covered the side of his face that had been hit by Qiao Jing, fuming with anger.

    Zhan Bei also looked dissatisfied, ¡°Then we need to think of a good n, we have to avoid Big Cousin, or we¡¯ll get scolded again.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, why does Big Cousin protect that cousin of ours so much? What¡¯s so good about her?¡±

    Zhan Nan said through clenched teeth, determined to return the humiliation he suffered when the time was right.¡±

    Zhan Bei casually touched the woman in his arms and sneered, ¡°I think she really sees herself as some paragon of chastity, probably has rolled in Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed several times! What a pretense.¡±

    No sooner had he spoken, Zhan Bei caught a glimpse of someone in the dance floor, wearing a short sleeve and shorts, showcasing her long legs, dancing to the music.

    Zhan Bei eximed, ¡°Bro, take a look at who that is.¡±

    He pointed in the direction of the stage.

    Zhan Nan followed his direction and saw Qiao Jing in the center of the dance floor, ¡°I thought she was someone decent, but it turns out she¡¯s just a whore. No wonder she hasn¡¯t divorced after 100 days, she must have seduced Big Cousin in bed to stay.¡±

    The two of them stared fixedly at Qiao Jing, Zhan Bei taunted, ¡°She seems to really like unting herself, even intentionally wearing short sleeves and shorts here; who is she trying to seduce this time?¡±

    ¡°ying decent,e on, Zhan Bei, let¡¯s go have a chat with her.¡± Zhan Nan pushed the woman sitting on him away and stood up.

    Zhan Bei followed closely behind, making their way through the crowd to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Zhan Nan reached out and patted Qiao Jing on the shoulder.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was interacting with Ni Yue. She turned her head and saw Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    She gave them no additional expression, indifferently turned back around, and continued interacting with Ni Yue.

    ¡°What, giving you face but you ignore us?¡± Zhan Nan reached out to pat Qiao Jing again.

    Qiao Jing subtly turned aside, avoiding Zhan Nan¡¯s hand, never turning around.

    Seeing her restraint, Zhan Bei moved in front of Qiao Jing and spoke, ¡°If you¡¯re that impatient forpany, why not apany us two brothers to open a room and really enjoy ourselves.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, impatiently uttered a single word, ¡°Scram.¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei suddenly became infuriated, exchanging a look before revealing sleazy smiles. They reached out with their hands¡ªone to the left and one to the right¡ªtrying to grab Qiao Jing.

    If she wasn¡¯t going to follow them obediently, then they couldn¡¯t be med for getting physical!

    ¡°Hey! What do you two think you¡¯re doing? Let go of my Baby Qiao Qiao!¡± Ni Yue also sensed something amiss and reached out to stop the two.

    Zhan Bei noticed Ni Yue as well, and a wicked thought arose upon seeing her face, ¡°You also want to join us? Then great, my brother and I can take turns¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, his words were reced by a scream. His hands had been dislocated at some unknown point, followed by a swift gust of wind!

    After Qiao Jing had finished with his hands, she threw a punch to Zhan Bei¡¯s face, causing him to stagger several steps backward. The sleazy smile on his face was reced with a ghastly pallor, and after coughing a few times, his palm was filled with blood and two teeth!

    This sudden turn of events left Zhan Nan momentarily stunned. Upon seeing his brother¡¯s pained expression, he cursed angrily, ¡°Dammit! You dare hit my brother? I¡¯ll kill you today!¡±

    He stepped forward to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s arm but found his own arms grabbed instead. In an instant, both his arms were dislocated simultaneously!

    Zhan Nan cried out as a shoe sole came flying toward his face, leaving a clear imprint on his visage. His body fell onto Zhan Bei.

    The brothers¡¯ wails rose, and pressed by Zhan Nan, Zhan Bei howled in pain, ¡°Bro, you¡¯re crushing me¡­¡±

    Zhan Nan cursed again, his nose definitely out of ce now!

    He managed to move a bit to the side, enduring the pain.

    Seeing such a scene, the other customers had already fled to other ces to watch, fearing that trouble would spread to them.

    Upon realizing who had been beaten, they started to murmur among themselves.

    ¡°That woman really knows how to fight.¡±

    ¡°Those two getting beaten up look like the young masters of the Zhan Family, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh my god, it really is them! She actually hit the members of the Zhan Family? She¡¯s got a death wish, hitting the Zhan Family¡¯s people! Does she have the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard?¡±

    Chapter Twenty-Three

    Qiao Jing ignored the bystanders¡¯ discussions and walked toward Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    Both of them were still reeling, unable toprehend what had just urred. They saw Qiao Jing standing triumphantly before them.

    The brothers exchanged nces, unaware that Qiao Jing was so capable of fighting!

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was like a living King of Hell, her eyebrows cold, her gaze sternly fixed on the two, a heavy and oppressive aura enveloping Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei like a fierce storm.

    Even though she hadn¡¯t spoken a word, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei could see a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes, sending a shiver down their spines.

    Lying awkwardly on the ground, all they could do was look up at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You dare to fight with us?!¡± the brothers roared in unison.

    ¡°Who else should I fight with if not you?¡± Ni Yue, seeing Qiao Jing take action, had stood aside. She only approached after the fight was over.

    She knew that with Qiao Jing making a move, there would be no good end for the two men.

    Besides, her Qiao Qiao¡¯s skills were such that she didn¡¯t need any help at all.

    Ni Yue walked over to the two men, chuckling, ¡°You¡¯re the kind of trash that only thinks with your lower half.¡± She lifted her foot, d in high heels and stood over Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

 Chapter 248 - 240 Zhan Nan and Zhan Beis revenge

    Chapter 248: Chapter 240 Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s revenge

    ¡°Since you love using that part of your bodies to think, I might as well make it so they can¡¯t think anymore.¡± Ni Yue¡¯s stiletto heels mercilessly stomped down there, even vindictively twisting her ankle.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    The wails of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei came simultaneously.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back.¡± Qiao Jing checked the time and spoke out.

    After all, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were members of the Zhan Family, and she didn¡¯t n to be lethal; otherwise, it would cause trouble for Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Qipei.

    Let these two brothers suffer enough to not dare provoke her again was sufficient.

    Only then did Ni Yue withdraw her foot from the two and walked over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao, when youe across these kinds of people, just give them a ruthless beating! I still think it¡¯s not enough; I¡¯d be happier if we crippled them!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace! Shut your mouth!¡± Zhan Nan roared.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression shifted slightly, and she put on a glove before squatting down next to them.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei immediately shivered. They were still reeling from the pain, and now this woman was going to hit them again?!

    ¡°Qiao Jing! I advise you not to touch us again, or you¡¯ll regret it!!¡± Zhan Bei said fiercely, he and Zhan Nan had never felt so humiliated in public!

    Today, they were beaten up like this by a woman; if word got out, how could they continue to mix with others?!

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give the two men a nce, she reached out and adjusted Zhan Nan¡¯s arm, first dislocating and then setting it back.

    ¡°Ahhhh! Qiao Jing! You just wait!!¡± Zhan Nan cried out immediately, and after his arm was reset, he quickly got up, attempting to pull Zhan Bei and leave, only to be frozen in ce by a cold stare from Qiao Jing.

    After hearing his brother¡¯s scream, Zhan Bei tried to scoot away but couldn¡¯t move his hands. He awkwardly shifted his behind, trying to get farther away from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Ni Yue¡¯sughter filled the air.

    Upon hearing it, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s faces turned as colorful as a palette.

    After repeating the same procedure on Zhan Nan, Qiao Jing stood up, removed her glove, and tossed it aside, ¡°If you want to experience today¡¯s events again, feel free to repeat those words.¡±

    With darkened faces, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei helped each other up, ring at Qiao Jing and Ni Yue, then turned to the other onlookers and threatened, ¡°If anyone dares to take photos or videos and spread this incident, you¡¯d better not let us find out.¡±

    The other onlookers said nothing, quietly hiding their phones after snapping pictures.

    The two turned to leave, but Qiao Jing called out from behind to stop them.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, having just been beaten by Qiao Jing, were deeply afraid of her at this moment.

    Zhan Bei felt a dull pain in his chest, and Zhan Nan¡¯s face was already showing a bruise, along with a shoe print.

    At her call, their figures stiffened, and their legs trembled uncontrobly as they turned around with a very aggressive tone, ¡°What now? What else do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°You broke something, so you owe money,¡± Qiao Jing said, ncing at the mess all around. The two had knocked over a table when they fell, spilling the fruit te and beer all over the floor.

    Zhan Bei¡¯s face turned incredibly sour, ¡°What? You broke it while you were beating us, and now you want us to pay?!¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her fists, ¡°What, haven¡¯t had enough beating?¡±

    The two brothers, fearful of her fist making contact with their faces, begrudgingly paid the damages.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, both disfigured, supported each other as they left the bar and got into the driver¡¯s car.

    ¡°When we get back, we¡¯ll tell grandfather and mother to teach Qiao Jing a lesson! We were injured even worse this time, I refuse to believe she can still make excuses!¡± Zhan Nan touched his face only to find a hand full of blood!

    His nosebleed had been kicked out!!

    ¡°We need to pull some strings; how can Qiao Jing fight like that?! Had we known, we would¡¯ve called for backup!¡± Zhan Bei had arge bruise on the left side of his face, and the blood in his mouth hadn¡¯t stopped, spraying bloody spittle as he spoke.

    ¡°Hurry home!¡± Zhan Nan urged the driver to go faster, as the pain between their legs was the most unbearable.

    After themotion caused by Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t in the mood to continue either, ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±

    ¡°Let me take you, Qiao Qiao, I¡¯m done here too. Those two guys must¡¯ve been crazy, ruining our fun,¡± Ni Yue said, picking up her car keys and swinging them in her palm.

    Thus, the two left under the watchful eyes of everyone in the bar.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, do you know them?¡± Ni Yue asked only after they were in the car.

    Qiao Jing closed her eyes, nning to rest for a bit, ¡°Mm, from the Zhan Family.¡±

    Ni Yue clicked her tongue and started the car, ¡°The Zhan Family? It was Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Right, how did you know?¡± Qiao Jing asked.

    ¡°Sheesh, who in the capital doesn¡¯t know about that pair of twins? They¡¯re notorious for relying on their family name to y around wildly.¡± Ni Yue exined.

    Suddenly, something urred to her, ¡°Are they Zhan Qipei¡¯s cousins? They must¡¯ve done this sort of thing more than once, right? Did Zhan Qipei speak up for you?¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s words brought back memories for Qiao Jing, of how the man had been willing to sever ties with his own family for her sake, touching a soft spot in her heart.

    Thinking of Zhan Qipei softened Qiao Jing¡¯s expression a bit, ¡°He did speak up for me, and even without his help, I wouldn¡¯t have suffered. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Ni Yue looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Does he know you went out tonight?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Qiao Jing fell silent for a few seconds, and upon checking her phone, she saw several missed calls and messages, which she replied to before setting the phone down again.

 Chapter 249 - 241 Zhan Qipei Acts Like a Child

    Chapter 249: Chapter 241 Zhan Qipei Acts Like a Child

    ¡°`

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei returned home and immediately presented their swollen faces to Cao Rushan.

    ¡°Mom, look, Qiao Jing beat us up!¡± Zhan Nan¡¯s face still bore the imprint of a shoe, which angered Cao Rushan greatly.

    Zhan Bei chimed in, ¡°Mom, she knocked out two of my teeth! She flirted with us, and when we ignored her, she just started hitting us!¡±

    Seeing Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei in such a state, Cao Rushan became furious and immediately pulled her sons to go find Su Manhan.

    When Qiao Jing got home, she happened to meet Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze. He was sitting on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the direction of the door, and he immediately stood up when he saw the person he was waiting for appear.

    Upon seeing the clothes Qiao Jing wore, a hint of obscure light shed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils. He moved closer to the woman, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me before going to the bar? I could have picked you up.¡±

    ¡°You were at thepany at the time, and Ni Yue brought me home, it¡¯s fine.¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about Zhan Qipei and was about to head to her room.

    Zhan Qipei saw her about to leave and grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold dressed in so little? Next time you go to the bar, I¡¯ming with you. You can¡¯t wear so little.¡±

    When he heard that Qiao Jing had gone with Ni Yue, Zhan Qipei¡¯s jealousy red up immediately.

    Why would Ni Yue take his wife to a bar?

    ¡°Ni Yue said not to wear too much. Besides, I can¡¯t go to the bar dressed in thick clothes, right?¡± Qiao Jing said indifferently.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened instantly upon hearing this.

    What exactly was Ni Yue thinking? Did he have designs on his own wife?

    And he even suggested that his wife wear less? Was he trying to take advantage of the situation?!

    Zhan Qipei observed the short-sleeved top Qiao Jing was wearing. Because of her impressive figure, it appeared rather tight, outlining her shape prominently, along with the denim shorts that ended just above her knees, revealing her legs that could rival those of a world-ss supermodel.

    He couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing go to the bar with Ni Yue again.

    Zhan Qipei, holding onto Qiao Jing, prevented her from returning to her room, and asked, ¡°Did anything happen at the bar?¡±

    Hearing the question, Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment. The incident with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei wasn¡¯t something major, and she didn¡¯t want to tell Zhan Qipei about it.

    Otherwise, considering Zhan Qipei¡¯s previous grand gesture, she worried that it would lead to another fight because of her.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Qiao Jing replied softly.

    Zhan Qipei pulled her closer to himself and smelled smoke and alcohol on her, furrowing his brows, ¡°Have you been smoking?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just from being in the bar, I don¡¯t smoke.¡± Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and sniffed her own arm; indeed, there was a smell of smoke.

    Qiao Jing frowned; she didn¡¯t like the smell of smoke, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower now.¡±

    Suddenly, a strong hand was ced on Qiao Jing¡¯s slender waist, and before she could react, she found herself wrapped in Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace.

    The scent of his male hormones enveloped Qiao Jing, and she listened to the steady beating of his heart, which seemed to pulse into her own heart with every beat.

    Then, a fuzzy head buried itself into her neck.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s nose was filled with the cool, light fragrance of Qiao Jing mixed with traces of smoke and alcohol. He inhaled deeply, as if afraid he might catch the scent of another man.

    Qiao Jing felt ticklish from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hair and reached out to push him away, ¡°I smell of smoke, I¡¯m going to shower now.¡±

    But Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t budge and gradually tightened his grip on her.

    Hisrge hands were ced on Qiao Jing¡¯s soft waist, and his calloused fingertips gently rubbed her through her clothes.

    ¡°Let go, what are you sniffing for?¡± Qiao Jing said, somewhat exasperated.

    The man¡¯s hair prickled against her neck with each movement, the warmth of his breath cast all over it, causing Qiao Jing to shrink her neck.

    ¡°`

    ¡°I¡¯m checking if there¡¯s anyone else¡¯s scent.¡±

    Suddenly blurting out those words, Zhan Qipei caused Qiao Jing to reveal a faint smile, ¡°No, let go.¡±

    She didn¡¯t believe Zhan Qipei could smell anything; aside from the scent of smoke and alcohol, there was nothing else on her.

    If one really had to mention someone else¡¯s scent,

    perhaps the scent of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei would linger on her fists.

    ¡°There is!¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s muffled voice came from the nape of Qiao Jing¡¯s neck.

    He embraced her and fell back onto the sofa without waiting for Qiao Jing to answer for herself.

    Like a big wolf dog, Zhan Qipei kept leaning into Qiao Jing, trying to absorb more of her scent.

    Pressed down by him, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t get up; her hands braced against Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest, trying to push him away, ¡°There¡¯s no one else¡¯s scent.¡±

    ¡°I smelled it,¡± Zhan Qipei asserted, his big hands starting to get restless, gliding over Qiao Jing¡¯s back.

    Qiao Jing was amused and annoyed, ¡°Then tell me, whose scent is it?¡±

    Zhan Qipei lifted his head from her neck, his face wearing a satiated expression, his dark eyes staring intently at Qiao Jing without speaking.

    Looking into Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing felt as if she was looking into a vortex, likely to be sucked in if she wasn¡¯t careful.

    Why is he suddenly acting like a child?

    Qiao Jing sighed and pushed him away again, ¡°I need to take a bath now, I don¡¯t like the smell of smoke.¡±

    As she tried to sit up, a tingling sensation came from her waist; Zhan Qipei¡¯s calloused fingertips had slid into her clothes unknowingly.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t in the mood to continue ying with Zhan Qipei, she pushed him forcefully, ¡°I said I need to take a bath.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened further, and he pressed Qiao Jing down again, speaking in his low, mellow voice, ¡°How about not going to the bar anymore? If you go, can I go with you?¡±

    He knew how attractive his wife was; surely someone at the bar would try to chat her up.

    Moreover, the clothes she wore highlighted her impressive figure, and he was well aware of what those men were thinking.

    Just thinking of Qiao Jing being approached by others made Zhan Qipei¡¯s jealousy churn over and over.

    ¡°You need to let go of me first,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Zhan Qipei persisted, ¡°Then answer my question first.¡±

    After a standoff, Qiao Jing reluctantly agreed, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll agree to it, okay?¡±

    She also had a strange feeling in her heart.

    Why is Zhan Qipei suddenly acting like a child today?

    But at this moment, Zhan Qipei was not inclined to let Qiao Jing go so easily; seizing an opportunity, he buried his head back into her embrace, ¡°Wait a bit more before bathing, and I muste with you next time. If Ni Yue invites you, I want to go too.¡±

    Whether men or women, no one could get close to Qiao Jing. She closed her eyes briefly, her phoenix eyes fixed on Zhan Qipei, and her voice returned to its usual indifferent tone, ¡°Okay, get up now.¡±

    The smell of smoke had lingered too long on her, and she needed to shower quickly.

    Zhan Qipei finally sat up with reluctance, and as Qiao Jing got up, she identally touched¡­ her movement paused briefly.

    The man¡¯s eyes filled with suppressed desire looked over, his breathing became somewhat heavy, and as he nned to embrace her again, the phone began to ring.

 Chapter 250 - 242: Forcing Her to Apologize

    Chapter 250: Chapter 242: Forcing Her to Apologize

    Qiao Jing took Zhan Qipei¡¯s cellphone out of his pocket and ced it in front of him, ¡°Answer the call.¡±

    Zhan Qipei licked his dry lips and pressed the answer button.

    ¡°Qipei,e here immediately with Qiao Jing!!¡± Su Manhan¡¯s tone was filled with anger.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zhan Qipei asked, watching Qiao Jing walk toward the bedroom.

    Su Manhan, very agitated, took several deep breaths before she could continue speaking, ¡°Bring her here, right now! She knows very well what she has done!¡±

    The call was then disconnected, and just then Qiao Jing came out of the bedroom with her clothes, having heard the content of the call, ¡°Wait for me to take a shower.¡±

    Zhan Qipei hummed in acknowledgment and put down his phone, his eyes following Qiao Jing into the bathroom with a fierce gaze.

    Qiao Jing showered quickly without wasting any time, changed into a usual top and jeans, and followed Zhan Qipei into the car.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you ask what¡¯s the matter?¡± Seeing that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t asked her, Qiao Jing took the initiative to speak.

    Zhan Qipei kept his eyes on the road ahead, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I won¡¯t ask.¡±

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Zhan family¡¯s ce was not as good.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already called Qipei toe over,¡± Su Manhan told Cao Rushan.

    Cao Rushan¡¯s expression finally rxed a bit as she waited for Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing to arrive.

    When the two arrived, they immediately saw Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were both wounded, and they had even gone to the extent of getting a medical assessment report; their faces were covered in medicine, and they were sloppily sitting on the sofa.

    ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! Look at the state you¡¯ve put my sons in!¡± Cao Rushan, seeing Qiao Jing arrive, immediately mmed the medical report on the table.

    Zhan Kaiyang also had a stern expression as he spoke to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Qipei, you can¡¯t keep protecting Qiao Jing like this. The injuries on Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei aren¡¯t fake!¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, feeling secure, crossed their legs and watched Qiao Jing with schadenfreude.

    With their mother and grandfather present, Qiao Jing definitely couldn¡¯t escape this time!!

    Qiao Jing was definitely going to be driven out of the Zhan Family! The evidence was there, Big Brother would definitely believe the evidence!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, apologize to my sons. I don¡¯t care what Qipei says today; the evidence is right here!¡± Cao Rushan felt extremely heartbroken when she saw her sons return with swollen faces.

    Upon finding out that it was Qiao Jing who hit them, she became furious.

    This little jinx, always opposing them! They couldn¡¯t catch her outst time, but this time she¡¯d see how she could argue!

    ¡°I did hit them, they know very well what they did,¡± Qiao Jing said.

    Before she could exin further, Cao Rushan sneered, ¡°I thought you would have the nerve to deny it, but now that you¡¯ve admitted it, not only do you need to apologize andpensate, but also kneel down and apologize! My sons have never suffered such humiliation!!¡±

    Zhan Kaiyang also hummed in agreement, ¡°Qiao Jing, today you must apologize to my two grandsons. The evidence is there, and you¡¯ve admitted it! No matter what they did, you had no right toy hands on them!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together, his expression cold as ice, as he stood in front of Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan gave Qiao Jing a harsh nce, this Qiao Jing was truly a jinx! Always causing trouble for the family, and now she even managed to beat Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei up like this!

    Having kept quiet until now, Zhan Nanqing stepped forward, ¡°We can check the bar¡¯s surveince.¡±

    By her side stood Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou hade today to find Zhan Nanqing but ended up running into this scene, secretly reveling in it.

    When she heard Zhan Nanqing defending Qiao Jing, Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression subtly changed and she lowered her voice, ¡°Nanqing, why are you defending her?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Lou Xinrou with aplex expression but didn¡¯t respond.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, sitting on the sofa,ughed; they hade prepared, having already destroyed the bar¡¯s surveince footage.

    After all, it was them who had instigated the provocation against Qiao Jing first in the footage. If others saw it, it would be their problem.

    ¡°Fine! Go ahead and check, who¡¯s afraid? It was Qiao Jing who started the physical altercation, go check the surveince!¡± Zhan Nan eximed as he mmed the table and stood up agitatedly.

    Zhan Bei chimed in cooperatively, ¡°It¡¯s as though we¡¯re to me for getting hit? You make it sound like we provoked her first?!¡±

    Upon hearing the brothers¡¯ words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her face showing confusion.

    Why were they so eager to check the surveince?

    Could it be because they had tampered with it, hence their boldness?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t make a statement but kept Qiao Jing protected behind him.

    Following Zhan Qipei, Tang Yan made a phone call, ¡°Send over your surveince footage from eight to ten tonight.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, please hold on!¡± The manager was somewhat surprised by Tang Yan¡¯s call but still instructed his staff to retrieve the footage for that time block.

    ¡°What?! The surveince is damaged and lost?¡± The manager suddenly raised his volume, in disbelief.

    After confirming repeatedly, the manager exined to Tang Yan, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the surveince for that period is lost, and it¡¯s difficult to recover.¡±

    It was only then that Tang Yan hung up the call.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei with a sinister gaze.

    The two brothers were intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s look and immediately shifted back a bit.

    ¡°The surveince is lost, hard to recover, did you tamper with it?¡± Zhan Qipei asked assertively.

    Zhan Nan felt guilty but still braced himself to speak, ¡°Why would we delete the surveince if we were the ones hit? I think it¡¯s Qiao Jing who doesn¡¯t want the truth revealed and sabotaged the surveince herself! How can she be so malicious?!¡±

    ¡°Big cousin, we are the victims, only someone out of their mind would delete the surveince! How could this possibly be our fault?! It was Qiao Jing who approached us first, and when we refused, she got angry and attacked us.¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei supported each other in their arguments. After hearing their story, Cao Rushan was even more furious, swiftly walking over to Qiao Jing she raised her hand high, intending to p Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei stepped to the left, grabbed Cao Rushan¡¯s hand, ¡°Dare toy a hand on her and see what happens?¡±

    In his voice, the threat was unmistakable, and Cao Rushan felt the grip on her hand getting stronger, even continuously increasing in force.

    She frowned tightly, and as she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark, almost dripping face, her boldness diminished significantly, and she scoffed, pulling her hand away.

    ¡°Qipei, at this time you still protect Qiao Jing? Won¡¯t you let her apologize to your cousins? Moreover, she actually went to the bar? Such a woman does not deserve to enter our family!¡± Su Manhan fanned the mes from the side.

    Zhan Qipei looked towards the two brothers on the sofa, scoffed, and said, ¡°Qiao Jing attacked you for no reason? She would attack you without provocation? Besides, two men got beaten up by one woman, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Big cousin! What are you talking about? She was displeased with usst time and when she ran into us at the bar this time, she directly attacked us!¡± Zhan Nan quickly defended himself.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing a few times and murmured to himself, it would be better if Grandpa were here.

    He had gone on a trip with some oldrades these past few days and was not at home, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have escted to this severity.

 Chapter 251 - 243: Qiao Jing proposes to repair the surveillance system

    Chapter 251: Chapter 243: Qiao Jing proposes to repair the surveince system

    Zhan Qipei gathered his long eyebrows, and Tang Yan had called for thepany¡¯s professional personnel to repair the surveince.

    Everyone was watching Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements, waiting for his response.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were still not panicked; after all, they had spent arge sum of money to hire that person.

    They had seen the surveince footage themselves, and that segment was utterly destroyed!

    Even Zhan Corporation¡¯s professional personnel would not be able to restore it.

    Once again, the sound of a telephone ringing filled the air.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s expressions did not change in the slightest. After all, it couldn¡¯t be restored, so what was there for them to fear?

    Zhan Qipei also noticed the brothers¡¯ expressions and began to feel suspicious.

    Why did these two look so smug and fearless? Could it be that they had tampered with something in advance?

    Tang Yan handed the cell phone to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°President Zhan, I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t fix it. The surveince seems to have been hacked, and no traces were left behind,¡± the person on the other end of the phone said.

    Zhan Qipei hummed in acknowledgment and hung up the phone.

    A smug smile appeared on the brothers¡¯ faces as they began to taunt, ¡°I think it was Qiao Jing who did it on purpose!¡±

    When the situation was getting out of hand, Qiao Jing stood up, ¡°I can fix the surveince, maybe.¡±

    When she spoke these words, everyone except Zhan Qipei showed a scornful smile.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei wanted tough even more. The surveince had been sabotaged by someone they paid a hefty price for, and professional personnel couldn¡¯t fix it. How could she, a woman from the countryside, repair it? They openlyughed in front of everyone.

    ¡°Hahaha, what a joke!!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you can fix the surveince?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked, ignoring the brothers¡¯ughter and widening her eyes.

    Even though Qiao Jing was the daughter of Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing.

    But she had never heard that Qiao Jing had any involvement with electronic technology.

    And just now, Zhan Corporation¡¯s professional personnel couldn¡¯t fix it, so how could Qiao Jing possibly do so?

    ¡°Give me aptop,¡± Qiao Jing said indifferently.

    Zhan Nanqing proactively offered her ownptop, cing it on the living room table.

    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to save face, aren¡¯t you? The professionals couldn¡¯t fix it, and you think you can? I think you just don¡¯t want to apologize to my son!¡± Cao Rushan red viciously at Qiao Jing, her eyes seeming to want to bite off a piece of her flesh.

    Lou Xinrou, standing next to Zhan Nanqing, also wore a look of disdain on her face.

    It seemed today, Qiao Jing was going to take a fall here!

    Zhan Kaiyang also expressed his dissatisfaction, ¡°Stop wasting time with these useless efforts! Get on your knees and apologize to my grandson, and we can put this matter to rest!!¡±

    Before Su Manhan could speak up for Qiao Jing to apologize, her unfinished words were blocked by the sound of typing on the keyboard.

    Those jade hands danced on the keyboard, moving so fast that only shadows could be seen!

    Strings of code scrolled rapidly across theptop screen, and soon everyone saw the bar¡¯s surveince.

    But Qiao Jing¡¯s movements did not cease. After urately locating a certain time segment, she finally pressed the Enter key.

    Zhan Bei¡¯splexion whitened along with the sound of the Enter key, ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    The brothers saw themselves in the surveince footage, approaching to pat Qiao Jing on the shoulder, then reaching out with one hand each to grab her, yet they ended up getting beaten up by her.

    When the surveince footage ended, the living room fell into a deathly silence.

    Apart from Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing, everyone¡¯s face was filled with disbelief; Qiao Jing had actually managed to fix the surveince!

    That was something even the professional personnel couldn¡¯t do. How had Qiao Jing, the girl from the countryside, managed it?

    The speed of her typing just now, the code that appeared on the screen, and the actions of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei in the surveince, no doubt served as a p in the face for everyone present.

    Su Manhan was stunned. In her eyes, it was mere luck that Qiao Jing had cured the old man¡¯s illness. How could a girl from the countryside have such high technical skills?!

    ¡°Wow! Qiao Jing! You¡¯re amazing! You can even repair surveince systems!¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes gleamed as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    At this moment, Zhan Nanqing was nearly a fan of Qiao Jing¡¯s, carrying an endless admiration for her in her heart.

    Qiao Jing, revered as Divine Doctor Jing and Professor Qiao, to think she also possessed such high technical skills! How perfect could a person be? Was there anything she didn¡¯t know? Cao Rushan dared not speak, her eyes turned to those who had confidently imed Qiao Jing had thrown herself at their two brothers.

    Zhan Kaiyang came to his senses and red at his disappointing grandson, ¡°It turns out to be a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s go home for now.¡±

    Cao Rushan, apanied by Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, intended to sneak away with her tail between her legs when someone behind them called out.

    ¡°You think you can just leave like this? Let Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei apologize to Qiao Jing.¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s low voice resounded.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei didn¡¯t dare to oppose Zhan Qipei at this moment, after all, the surveince footage and facts wereid out before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    With no other choice, they half-heartedly apologized to Qiao Jing, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was not nning to let the two brothers off easily, ¡°Apologize to Qiao Jing the same way you demanded an apology from her earlier.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Cao Rushan asked incredulously, ¡°You want your cousins to kneel down and apologize to Qiao Jing?!¡±

    Zhan Kaiyang, who had originally felt guilty, now found himself emboldened again, ¡°Qipei, aren¡¯t you being too harsh, making your two cousins kneel for an outsider?¡±

    How could he allow his beloved grandsons to kneel and apologize to an outsider? They had already been beaten up, and to have them kneel and apologize now would be even more humiliating!

    ¡°I have said it before, Qiao Jing is my wife, not the outsider you all speak of. By name, she is Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s aunt by marriage. They framed and harassed their own aunt, they should kneel and apologize,¡± said Zhan Qipei firmly.

    Zhan Kaiyang snorted coldly, ¡°And if they don¡¯t kneel?¡±

    How could he let the younger generation climb over his head?!

    ¡°Tang Yan.¡± Zhan Qipei called out.

    The next second, the door was opened once again. Tang Yan, who had been standing outside with his bodyguards since early morning, heard his name called by Zhan Qipei and immediately entered with the bodyguards.

    The bodyguards moved swiftly to Zhan Kaiyang and his group, grabbing their hands, ready to force them to kneel.

    Cao Rushan suddenly became frantic, ¡°Sister-inw, is this necessary? It¡¯s just a child¡¯s y, why make it so serious?¡±

    ¡°Qipei, we¡¯re all family here, there¡¯s no need to take it this far,¡± Su Manhan also tried to persuade him, considering Qiao Jing an outsider in her heart.

    ¡°Kneel,¡± Zhan Qipei stated decisively.

    Upon receiving the order, the bodyguards forced all four people to kneel in front of Qiao Jing.

    They also clenched their lips tightly, refusing to apologize.

    ¡°When you apologize, that¡¯s when you can stand up,¡± Zhan Qipei left them with these words.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei folded first, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Qiao Jing had not expected Zhan Qipei to go to such lengths for her. After today¡¯s events, he would certainly sever ties with Zhan Kaiyang and the others.

    Zhan Qipei was willing to cut ties with his rtives of many years for her sake, which moved Qiao Jing. Today, she had intended to have Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei apologize.

    But she wouldn¡¯t have let them kneel because she still considered Zhan Qipei¡¯s rtionship with them.

    Yet, Zhan Qipei took the initiative to cut ties with Zhan Kaiyang and the others.

    ¡°Qipei¡­ this is really too much!¡± Su Manhan spoke out, trying to intervene, but Zhan Qipei remained cold and silent.

    Only after Zhan Kaiyang and Cao Rushan apologized did he allow the bodyguards to let them go.

    Ripples formed in the depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Meanwhile, Lou Xinrou, who had been watching the drama unfold with envy swelling inside her, clenched her teeth. Brother Pei had gone to these lengths for Qiao Jing!?

    What was so good about Qiao Jing that Brother Pei insisted on protecting her?

    To the point of being willing to cause a fight with Zhan Kaiyang and the others for her sake!

 Chapter 252: 244: Do you like it stronger?

    Chapter 252: Chapter 244: Do you like it stronger?

    Zhan Kaiyang hummed heavily and left with his family.

    Qiao Jing ignored Lou Xinrou¡¯s gaze and watched the rueful retreat of Zhan Nan and his family.

    After the drama ended, Zhan Qipei decisively took Qiao Jing back home.

    The next day at noon.

    Zhan Qipei brought the dishes to the dining table for Qiao Jing.

    Just by looking at the four dishes and one soup on the table, his stomach began to stir.

    ...

    Zhan Qipei swallowed his saliva. Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking skills were quite impressive; the aroma of the food could waft to the neighbors.

    But then he suddenly remembered something and could only restrain himself, looking at thevish meal on the table.

    Zhan Qipei served Qiao Jing a bowl of soup and ced it on the table, ¡°Time to eat, I¡¯ll clean up the kitchen after I¡¯ve finished eating.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qiao Jing came out when the kitchen was already cleaned up by her.

    After she sat down and finished a bowl of soup, Zhan Qipei also started eating.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have any soup?¡± Qiao Jing noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl contained only rice.

    Zhan Qipei shifted his gaze away from the soup, ¡°I drank some already.¡±

    He was still very tempted by the soup Qiao Jing had cooked, but unfortunately, he had to control himself and couldn¡¯t even have the soup.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl, which had not a speck of oil and contained only rice.

    She did not expose Zhan Qipei¡¯s lie.

    About five minutester, Qiao Jing sensed something was off.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened. Zhan Qipei had recently been eating very little, even skipping the soup.

    Normally, he would eat two to three bowls of rice, but now he was down to one, and he seldom took much from the dishes.

    If cooked based on their normal appetites, the amount was just right, but now there were leftovers.

    This made the thrifty Qiao Jing somewhat distressed about the wasted food, so she decided to ask, ¡°Have the meals I¡¯ve been making recently not been to your liking?¡±

    But logically speaking, Zhan Qipei shouldn¡¯t have lost his appetite suddenly since the food usually tasted about the same, and he had always enjoyed it previously.

    Zhan Qipei averted his eyes, afraid to look at Qiao Jing, and replied, ¡°Not at all.¡±

    Though he had been trying hard not to let Qiao Jing notice by reducing his frequency of taking dishes, he was still found out.

    ¡°But there have been leftovers recently,¡± Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, looking at the dishes on the table and starting to recall her cooking steps.

    Could it be that she messed up some step? But she didn¡¯t think there was any change in taste when she ate it.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei remember; recently, because of his own reason, Qiao Jing had been eating more of the dishes than usual.

    He thought of an excuse, saying, ¡°Perhaps we bought too much. We can buy a little less.¡±

    ¡°I buy groceries based on our regr portions,¡± Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, trying to read something from his face.

    If there are leftovers, then there is only one reason: someone¡¯s appetite has decreased.

    Zhan Qipei thought to himself, because his wife¡¯s cooking was too delicious, he couldn¡¯t control his eating, and he had recently gained weight¡ªwhat should he do?

    During this period, he had gained twenty pounds, but he didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to misunderstand that he was eating less because he disliked the food.

    The meals were not just to his liking; they were extremely delicious.

    ¡°The food suits my taste very well, it¡¯s delicious,¡± Zhan Qipei exined.

    ¡°Why do you eat so little?¡± Qiao Jing asked patiently.

    She didn¡¯t want to waste food, and eating the extra portion meant for Zhan Qipei would make her too full.

    Qiao Jing had bought just enough food for their appetites, and eating Zhan Qipei¡¯s portion too would be somewhat forced.

    Zhan Qipei hesitated for a while but still did not tell the truth, ¡°No, I eat the same amount as usual.¡±

    ¡°You usually eat two or three bowls of rice, and now you¡¯re only eating one? You haven¡¯t been drinking soup recently either.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was stunned; he hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to remember how many bowls of rice he ate. It seemed she really cared about him.

    Zhan Qipei opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say to defend himself.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak either but put down her chopsticks and looked at Zhan Qipei, waiting for his next exnation.

    The two of them remained in a stalemate for a while, Zhan Qipei under Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    In the end, Zhan Qipei backed down, somewhat helplessly saying, ¡°Because I¡¯ve gained about ten pounds recently and want to control my weight. The food is delicious, but if I keep eating like this, my weight will continue to rise.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s exnation, Qiao Jing studied him from head to toe with a measuring look.

    However, from Zhan Qipei¡¯s appearance, it still didn¡¯t look like he had gained weight; instead, his build seemed much more solid.

    After all, with Zhan Qipei¡¯s height, his current weight was normal; previously, he was underweight.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze, ¡°You don¡¯t need to control your eating. Getting a bit bulkier is good; you were too thin before. You look better now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Really? I look better than before?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not lying to you,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    At this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s mood improved considerably, ¡°So, you like it a bit bulkier?¡±

    Qiao Jing did not respond to Zhan Qipei¡¯s question. Seeing that he still refused to eat, Qiao Jing thought of an alternative and said, ¡°I can make you a cup of Intestine Cleansing Tea. Drink it after the meal, and you won¡¯t gain weight.¡±

    Dieting is not a good method for losing weight; that cup of Intestine Cleansing Tea can expel excess fat and impurities from the body.

    After hearing this, Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s figure, noting how his hand could encircle her slender waist and those long, lean legs without any excess fat.

    Ever since he met Qiao Jing, he thought she had a better figure than those international models.

    Living together, he found that Qiao Jing also had a good appetite, not eating any less than a man.

    But importantly, Qiao Jing¡¯s figure remained slim, the same as when he first saw her, while his own weight had gained a full ten pounds.

    Could it be that Qiao Jing was able to maintain her figure because of that tea?

    ¡°Do you not gain weight because you drink Intestine Cleansing Tea, and that¡¯s why no matter how much you eat, you don¡¯t gain weight?¡± Zhan Qipei curiously asked.

    If that was truly the case, then he wouldn¡¯t have to diet so harshly.

    ¡°No, I just don¡¯t gain weight,¡± Qiao Jing said tly as she picked up some meat with her chopsticks and ced it in her bowl.

    Her tone was so matter-of-fact that it didn¡¯t seem like she was boasting, but rather stating a fact.

    This ability to eat without gaining weight was something many women dreamed of, yet Qiao Jing felt indifferent about it.

    Zhan Qipei also gave Qiao Jing an envious look, knowing he needed to control his weight, or by middle age, he might be a portly man.

    Otherwise, why would he leave such delicious food untouched?

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you Intestine Cleansing Tea, so you don¡¯t have to control your portion size,¡± Qiao Jing reminded him, signaling for Zhan Qipei to finish his meal.

    Reassured by Qiao Jing¡¯s promise, Zhan Qipei finally moved his chopsticks and ate two more bowls of rice. ¡°Is the Intestine Cleansing Tea homemade by you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I figured it out when I had some free time,¡± Qiao Jing said, noting that Zhan Qipei had stopped restricting his diet, and her furrowed brow rxed.

 Chapter 253: 245 Wu Xirui Confesses

    Chapter 253: Chapter 245 Wu Xirui Confesses

    Several dayster.

    Zhan Qipei sat at the head of the conference room, silent.

    Tang Yan, holding a folder, stood beside Zhan Qipei, sneaking a nce at him.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was slightly stern, radiating a strong chill that gave off a suffocating pressure. He pursed his thin lips, his gaze fixed on the executives present.

    The other executives were looking down, not daring to meet his gaze, waiting for Zhan Qipei to speak. The entire atmosphere was very tense and oppressive.

    When Zhan Qipei finally spoke, the hearts of the executives lifted.

    ...

    The cooperation with Wonderful Hall was originally entrusted to a certain executive, but after failing to negotiate, they sought help from other executives. They utilized their resources but were of no help.

    So, for not being able to secure the deal with Wonderful Hall, everyone present bore some responsibility. They all feared that Zhan Qipei would me them for this issue.

    ¡°Wonderful Hall,¡± Zhan Qipei uttered these three words indifferently.

    The executives let out a sigh of relief and slowly spoke up.

    ¡°President Zhan, thepany from the Overseas Group is not willing to back down and is determined topete with us for Wonderful Hall¡¯s medicinal material supplies.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful Hall has almost finalized the agreement with them, and only the signing of the contract is pending.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t outbid them, as Wonderful Hall has made their stance very clear.¡±

    The other executives turned towards the person who was speaking, their faces filled with shock.

    How could he dare to speak such discouraging words at this time?

    When Zhan Qipei heard thest remark, his dark eyes directly fixed on that executive, the fierceness in them unabated, ¡°The contract hasn¡¯t been signed yet, and you think we can¡¯t negotiate it?¡±

    The executive, feeling a chill down his spine under Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, stammered, ¡°President Zhan, I didn¡¯t mean that. It¡¯s just that ording to the information we have, the other side has already negotiated the deal, with only the contract left unsigned.¡±

    ¡°Do any of you have any good suggestions?¡± Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t pay any more attention to that executive, instead looking at Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan immediately understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s intent and passed the folder on.

    ¡°President Zhan, why don¡¯t we try talking with Wonderful Hall about the cooperation again?¡±

    ¡°We can offer a higher price than thatpany.¡±

    ¡°But it seems that Wonderful Hall doesn¡¯t care about the price as much as they care about the order of precedence?¡±

    The executives offered their views, but none seemed viable.

    In the end, Zhan Qipei did not express his opinion and concluded the meeting.

    Back in his office, Zhan Qipei had a headache due to the Wonderful Hall matter, habitually pinching his brow to ease the difort.

    He unlocked his phone, and upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s photo on the screen saver, his mood lightened significantly.

    Zhan Qipei found Qiao Jing¡¯s WeChat and sent her a message, ¡°When do you get off work? I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t go to work today. I¡¯m treating a patient.¡± Qiao Jing replied quickly, as she happened to be reaching for her phone to contact Wu Xirui.

    A guess formed in Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind, could she be treating Wu Xirui?

    He started typing a message, wanting to ask Qiao Jing whom she was treating. After entering and deleting several sentences, he felt they were too blunt and deleted the messages in the chat box.

    Qiao Jing just watched as the chat page header showed ¡®typing¡¯ repeated several times. She sent a message, ¡°Treating Wu Xirui.¡±

    Zhan Qipei deleted the sentence he had typed, ¡®Who are you treating?¡¯ The gloominess brought on by the Wonderful Hall issue evaporated, softening the rigid contours of his face.

    His wife was being forthright with him, not even needing him to ask, she had told him directly.

    Zhan Qipei curved the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint of a smile, ¡°Would you like me to pick you up?¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± Qiao Jing had arrived at the entrance of Wu Xirui¡¯spany building and replied.

    Zhan Qipei remembered something and sent a message to Qiao Jing, ¡°Mom and Dad want us toe over for dinner tonight.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Jing replied to thest message and then put her phone back in her pocket.

    The receptionist recognized Qiao Jing and took her to the private elevator for Wu Xirui.

    The elevator went straight to the top floor, and the office of Wu Xirui was right there when the doors opened.

    At that moment, Wu Xirui was looking at a document when he heard the sound and looked up, smiling at Qiao Jing, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± There was no trace of emotion in Qiao Jing¡¯s tone.

    ustomed to Qiao Jing¡¯s personality, Wu Xirui took the initiative to sit down on the sofa and extended his hand for her to take his pulse.

    Qiao Jing ced her hand on Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse. After a short while, she took her hand back, put the medicine she brought on the table, and took out a row of silver needles.

    ¡°Do you still remember the painting you won at the auction?¡± Wu Xirui asked, staring at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced at Wu Xirui with her phoenix eyes, made a sound of agreement, and continued her search for the silver needles without interruption.

    Rolling up his sleeves as if casually, Wu Xirui asked, ¡°Do you have other assets under your control? Or is that the money you¡¯ve saved from being a doctor? Six hundred million is not a small sum.¡±

    ¡°I saved it myself.¡± Qiao Jing began to sterilize the silver needles, replying offhandedly.

    Wu Xirui rolled up his sleeve cuffs and stretched his hand out in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing treated him using the previous method.

    Watching Qiao Jing as she inserted the needles, Wu Xirui asked, ¡°What do you think of me?¡±

    Qiao Jing, focused on her treatment, did not respond to Wu Xirui¡¯s question. She didn¡¯t stop inserting needles, nor did she give him a nce.

    However, Wu Xirui wasn¡¯t annoyed at all. ¡°Actually, I like you even more than Zhan Qipei does. Your engagement is over, right? Would you consider me?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Wu Xirui a faint nce and ignored him.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have any reaction at all?¡± Wu Xirui pressed.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to be so indifferent to his words, not even bothering to speak a word to him.

    Looking at the time, Qiao Jing replied, ¡°I¡¯ve heard such things too many times before, so I don¡¯t feel anything.¡±

    But Wu Xirui suddenly burst intoughter, not concealing his scrutinizing gaze, whichnded straight on Qiao Jing.

    Even with her cold and distant demeanor, Qiao Jing¡¯s face did not lose its charm. Her phoenix eyes, seemingly void of emotion, somehow managed to captivate. Combined with her chilly aura that kept others at a distance, she was like an unblemished Snow Lotus in the cold, refusing to be tainted.

    Further considering her figure, which could rival that of a top world supermodel, Wu Xirui admitted that Qiao Jing was top-notch in every aspect and many people were pursuing her, to no avail.

    Once the time was up, Qiao Jing removed the silver needles, finished sterilizing them, and put them away before getting up to leave, ¡°Take your medicine on time.¡±

    Wu Xirui watched Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, the smile still on his face, as his interest in her rose several notches.

    Unknown to both of them, Su Manhan had happened to pass by just as Qiao Jing entered thepany.

    She recognized Qiao Jing at a nce and, after realizing she was going to apany, she deliberately recorded a video and sent it to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Qipei, I told you she¡¯s a temptress, and you wouldn¡¯t believe me! She must be trying to seduce the boss here. I¡¯ve said it before; she doesn¡¯t deserve to enter our Zhan Family¡¯s door. Why won¡¯t you listen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that I was the one who discovered this today. If people from other families had seen it, who knows how they would mock the Zhan Family!¡±

 Chapter 254: 246 Su Manhan Wants to Call Qiao Jing Sister

    Chapter 254: Chapter 246 Su Manhan Wants to Call Qiao Jing Sister

    Zhan Qipei saw the video and replied, ¡°I know, she has already spoken to me about it.¡±

    When Su Manhan saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s reply, her eyes widened with disbelief. After confirming that she wasn¡¯t seeing things, she immediately made a phone call, preempting him with, ¡°Qipei, are you saying you knew about her going to thispany?!¡±

    Zhan Qipei hummed in affirmation but didn¡¯t say anything further.

    ¡°Is she going there to seduce the boss? How can you be so calm?! How could such a person be allowed into the Zhan Family? You have been defending her, even to the point of falling out with your cousin! Is she worth it?¡± Su Manhan¡¯s voice was filled with resentment.

    ¡°The matters of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei are their problems, and the victim is Qiao Jing,¡± Zhan Qipei said, somewhat angrily and with a colder tone, pinching the bridge of his nose, continuing, ¡°Mom, she went there for medical treatment, and she had informed me beforehand.¡±

    He knew the real reason Qiao Jing had gone there, but due to her identity, it was inconvenient to say, so he found another excuse.

    ...

    ¡°Hmph, with her half-baked medical skills, can she even cure anyone? You¡¯re still protecting her at this point! Forget it, I¡¯m hanging up now, remember toe home for dinner tonight.¡± Su Manhan did not persist and hung up the call.

    When Qiao Jing arrived at the Zhan¡¯s, she noticed that Zhan Yao¡¯s expression was not too good. She followed Zhan Qipei¡¯s side without speaking.

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t give Qiao Jing any good expressions either, only Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze lingered on her, ¡°Brother, Qiao Jing,e and eat.¡±

    Zhan Qipei sat down across from Su Manhan with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qipei, how is the progress with that batch of raw materials for the medicine?¡± Zhan Yao started the conversation.

    He had heard some news too and wanted to see what Zhan Qipei¡¯s version would be.

    ¡°Thatpany is an overseas one, right? What is Wonderful Hall¡¯s stance on this?¡± Su Manhan nced at Qiao Jing.

    She remembered that thepany Qiao Jing went to was the Overseas Group Company thatpeted with Zhan Corporation for pharmaceutical materials.

    Could it be that she went so far as to seduce the boss who is hostile to Qipei?

    Upon hearing the words ¡°Wonderful Hall,¡± a ripple of emotion emerged in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she nced at the man sitting beside her.

    ¡°An overseaspany has stepped in. What we know now is that thispany has an advantage because they have some connection with the secondary shareholder of Wonderful Hall. They have already agreed on terms, and only the contract signing is pending; currently, ourpany is at a disadvantage,¡±

    Zhan Qipei exined.

    Zhan Yao also furrowed his brows, unable to think of a good solution to the problem.

    ¡°Then what should we do? Should we try offering them a higher price?¡± Su Manhan suggested.

    Zhan Qipei pinched the bridge of his nose, ¡°I¡¯ve already tried; the secondary shareholder of Wonderful Hall won¡¯t agree. They have ties with that overseaspany and are unwilling to give in to us.¡±

    The whole family was thoroughly vexed by the situation, and during the meal, Zhan Nanqing suddenly remembered something.

    Last time, Qiao Jing brought out a nearly century-old ginseng that was given to grandfather. Given the age of that ginseng, it was likely Wonderful Hall¡¯s treasured item!

    Considering Qiao Jing¡¯s connections, acquiring it wouldn¡¯t have been difficult, but she must know someone from Wonderful Hall to have managed to get the ginseng from them.

    ¡°The ginseng you gave to grandfatherst time, wasn¡¯t that Wonderful Hall¡¯s treasured item? Do you know someone like a top executive from Wonderful Hall¡¯s store?¡± Zhan Nanqing asked aloud,

    Qiao Jing put down her chopsticks and was about to speak when,

    Su Manhan interrupted her, her words dripping with mockery.

    ¡°What capabilities could she possibly have? Our Zhan Family can¡¯t even finalize the deal, and Nanqing, you actually think she can just contact someone from Wonderful Hall and it will be settled? That¡¯s a huge joke.¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, which were like long branches of wistful willows, a hint of dissatisfaction in his dark eyes, as he put down his chopsticks.

    Su Manhan saw the look on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face and reined in a bit.

    ¡°I can do it.¡± The certainty in Qiao Jing¡¯s tone almost made Su Manhan believe her.

    But Zhan Nanqing had some belief in Qiao Jing. She knew the other¡¯s identity well; what if she really couldnd this deal?

    Su Manhan let out a scoff, ¡°Heh, if you can clinch this deal, I might as well call you ¡®Sister¡¯.¡±

    When Zhan Yao heard Qiao Jing¡¯s words, a skeptical look appeared on his face, and he frowned at Su Manhan¡¯s somewhat thoughtless remark.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Su Manhan, who sat beside her, then looked back at Qiao Jing.

    She had a premonition that if Qiao Jing actually seeded in negotiating the deal, wouldn¡¯t her mother really have to call her ¡®Sister¡¯?

    Qiao Jing made a phone call right in front of them, ¡°Let Zhan Corporation handle the pharmaceutical materials matter¡­¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor, Su Manhan still couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Oh, who do you think you are? Wonderful Hall will just listen to you with one phone call?¡±

    A hint of indifference and coldness appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked at Su Manhan.

    The sound of a ringing mobile phone broke the silence. Zhan Qipei picked it up and saw it was Tang Yan calling. He pressed the answer button.

    The quiet dining table allowed Tang Yan¡¯s voice to be heard clearly.

    With joy in his voice, Tang Yan raised his volume, ¡°President Zhan, the matter with Wonderful Hall has been settled; they said they want to cooperate with us.¡±

    ¡°Mm, you go and talk to the other party,¡± Zhan Qipei ended the call and reiterated the conversation, ¡°Wonderful Hall has agreed to coborate with us.¡±

    He naturally trusted Qiao Jing, but that she could wrap up the deal for him with just a phone call was beyond his expectations.

    The disdain on Su Manhan¡¯s face had not yet receded and was now frozen in disbelief as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had actually done it?!

    Her casual words could secure such a deal? Wonderful Hall was so amenable to her?

    At this moment, Su Manhan¡¯s face felt burning hot with humiliation, conveniently ignoring the statement she made about calling Qiao Jing ¡®Sister¡¯.

    Zhan Yao looked at Qiao Jing with aplicated expression in his eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Wonderful Hall? What kind of connection do you have with their people? How can a single phone call change their mind?!¡± Su Manhan still found it hard to believe.

    Qiao Jing replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    Su Manhan was left speechless by this retort, aware that she was in the wrong, and she silently lowered her head to continue eating without recalling her earlier words about calling Qiao Jing ¡®Sister¡¯.

    The table couldn¡¯t stay quiet for a minute before Zhan Nanqing looked at Su Manhan with a very peculiar gaze and poked her.

    Su Manhan felt the persistent poking at her arm and turned to look at Zhan Nanqing, only to be met with that odd look.

    Why was her daughter looking at her like that?

    But Zhan Nanqing kept poking Su Manhan, the strange look never leaving her face, prompting Su Manhan to finally speak up, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What do you want to say?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Qiao Jing, then at Su Manhan, her expressionplicated as she looked at her mother with that peculiar gaze.

 Chapter 255: 247 Could it be pregnancy?

    Chapter 255: Chapter 247 Could it be pregnancy?

    Su Manhan muttered under her breath, wondering why her daughter was acting so strange. One moment she was looking at her, and the next at Qiao Jing. What was going on?

    Wait a minute¡­ Qiao Jing?

    Suddenly, a phrase she had once uttered shed in Su Manhan¡¯s mind.

    ¡°If you can clinch this deal, I might as well call you my sister.¡±

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze and looked back at her with a hint of confusion.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes immediately turned to Su Manhan, as if to remind her of something.

    ...

    Qiao Jing followed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s line of sight, giving Su Manhan a casual nce.

    By that moment, Su Manhan had already recalled the words she had said earlier. She felt slightly guilty when Qiao Jing looked at her and worried that she might actually have to call her ¡®sister¡¯.

    Fortunately, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t linger on her for long, and Su Manhan breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you just¡­¡± Zhan Nanqing saw that Su Manhan wasn¡¯t reacting and began to speak.

    Before she could finish, Su Manhan quickly interrupted her, ¡°No talking while eating!¡±

    Su Manhan gave Zhan Nanqing a stern nce. Couldn¡¯t her daughter understand? She was actually thinking about bringing that matter up again.

    She had said it offhand, not expecting Qiao Jing would really be able to do it.

    The others at the table looked towards Su Manhan, sensing something subtly off in the atmosphere.

    Of course, Qiao Jing remembered Su Manhan¡¯s words, but she didn¡¯t want to make Zhan Qipei¡¯s mother feel ufortable.

    After the meal, Su Manhan scurried back to her room. She racked her brain but couldn¡¯t figure out what rtionship Qiao Jing had with Wonderful Hall.

    It was then that Su Manhan received a message from Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Aunt Su, I heard that Qiao Jing managed to close a deal for Brother Pei? And it was with Wonderful Hall? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I want to know what¡¯s going on too. With just one phone call, she got the other party to agree to cooperate with Qipei.¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t know how Lou Xinrou got the information so quickly.

    In fact, deep down, Su Manhan had always wanted Lou Xinrou to be her daughter-inw, which was why she shared various matters with her.

    After all, Qiao Jing¡¯s background couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Lou Xinrou¡¯s, not even a bit. They were worlds apart.

    With her face full of disbelief, Lou Xinrou couldn¡¯t believe that even Su Manhan was out of the loop?

    She tapped her keyboard and replied, ¡°Could she have got herself involved with the big boss of Wonderful Hall? Perhaps he¡¯s keeping her, and using her looks, she might have convinced him to help¡ªthat wouldn¡¯t be impossible.¡±

    Su Manhan read Lou Xinrou¡¯s reply, pondered over it, and thought there might indeed be a possibility. She should be on guard and mention it to Qipei.

    But this thought was quickly dismissed by Su Manhan. If she went to talk about this with Qipei, he might not believe here, and it could even cause friction between her and her son.

    It would be better to keep an eye on Qiao Jing from now on. Thest thing she wanted was for Qiao Jing to do something humiliating that could involve the Zhan Family.

    Lou Xinrou saw that Su Manhan hadn¡¯t responded to her message and bit her lip in frustration before putting down her phone.

    Inside the Overseas Group Company, Wu Xirui also received the news. The faint smile on his face disappeared, ¡°Wonderful Hall cancelled their order?¡±

    He had already negotiated everything with Wonderful Hall, and they were only one step away from signing the contract, but suddenly they gave the raw materials deal to Zhan Qipei?

    The second shareholder of Wonderful Hall said with an embarrassed smile, ¡°Fifth Master, it was our boss¡¯s decision, I can¡¯t interfere.¡±

    The boss? Who was this boss? Why was he helping Zhan Qipei?

    Wu Xirui was already feeling dissatisfied, but his tone betrayed no emotion, ¡°Can I meet with the boss then?¡±

    The second shareholder quickly agreed, ¡°Please wait, Fifth Master. I¡¯ll call the boss and ask.¡±

    The call ended, and Wu Xirui¡¯s hand, resting on his office desk, began rhythmically tapping the surface as he waited for a call back from the second shareholder.

    The second shareholder didn¡¯t dare dy and immediately phoned Qiao Jing, ¡°Boss, due to that order for medicinal material, Fifth Master wants to meet with you.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Qiao Jing replied and hung up the phone.

    The second shareholder, not daring to say anything else, simply ryed the message back to Wu Xirui with another call.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face visibly darkened at a rapid pace.

    Who exactly was the big boss of Wonderful Hall? How could Zhan Qipei get her to cancel the deal that was nearly closed?

    ¡°Go check who the big boss of Wonderful Hall is?¡±

    Wu Xirui ordered.

    Several dayster.

    Qiao Jing was concentrating on her work when suddenly, a wave of nausea surged in her stomach, and she immediately covered her mouth and rushed into the restroom.

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±

    After retching into the washbasin for quite some time without throwing up anything, Qiao Jing furrowed her brow and began to recall what she had eaten that day.

    She couldn¡¯t find any ipatible foods on her menu for the day or any dishes that were prepared incorrectly.

    Moreover, since she had purchased the vegetables, there should be no chance of food ipatibility. So what was going on?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter here?¡± Xu Moqian¡¯s voice came from behind her.

    He hadn¡¯t seen her when he came in but went over to the restroom when he heard noises, just in time to find Qiao Jing retching over the basin.

    He was startled and walked over with a few tissues from the desk, offering them to Qiao Jing.

    She waved her hand, her face pale, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Just as she was about to step out of the restroom, she turned back and retched a few more times.

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes instantly widened, and a thought spontaneously popped into his head, ¡°Could it be pregnancy?!¡±

    To Xu Moqian¡¯s brainlessment, Qiao Jing gave him an eye-roll as a response.

    After seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, Xu Moqian breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I was just kidding. Did something you ate cause this?¡±

    The thought that had just urred to him had sprung from nowhere, but after calming down, he thought it over and felt it was rather unlikely.

    In his mind, Qiao Jing, such a perfect woman, wouldn¡¯t likely have children so soon, and there was no man worthy of her. She could live carefree on her own.

    Xu Moqian patted his chest; he was merely scaring himself.

    Zhan Nanqing walked in with documents in hand and overheard their conversation, ¡°But what if there really is a child?¡±

    Her gaze fixed intensely on Qiao Jing¡¯s abdomen. She genuinely hoped for a pregnancy; then she could be an aunt.

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian began to doubt again. Why would she feel nauseous without reason?

    His eyes also fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s abdomen, his expression one of confusion.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take your pulse to see if you¡¯re pregnant?¡± Zhan Nanqing suggested.

    After all, Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, who simply needed to lift a finger to know the condition of her body.

    However, Qiao Jing did not listen to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words. If she took her pulse, it could be seen as an admission of guilt or even an acknowledgment that she had been involved with Zhan Qipei.

    But in fact, she had been involved with Zhan Qipei. This thought made her frown again, and she sat back down at her own seat to continue working, ignoring the two people behind her.

 Chapter 256: 248: Inviting Qiao Jing to be a Judge

    Chapter 256: Chapter 248: Inviting Qiao Jing to be a Judge

    Zhan Nanqing muttered something quietly and opened the materials she had brought over, handing them to Qiao Jing, ¡°Here are the materials you asked me to print.¡±

    ¡°Distribute them to the other staff.¡± Qiao Jing said expressionlessly, as if nothing had happened just before.

    Zhan Nanqing received them, and before leaving, she secretly nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    If only she were really pregnant, how wonderful that would be. Then she could be the aunt of Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s child. She couldn¡¯t help but feel it would bring her great honor to say it out loud.

    Lou Xinrou popped into Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mind, causing her to frown and feel conflicted.

    Although she really wanted Qiao Jing to be her sister-inw, Lou Xinrou was also a friend she had grown up with¡­

    ...

    Secondster, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s earlier thoughts had significantly dissipated.

    Xu Moqian was still in theb, cautiously gave Qiao Jing a look, and asked again, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to check your pulse?¡±

    The surrounding space returned to silence. Qiao Jing calmed down and began to reflect on the scene of her retching earlier, murmuring in her mind.

    Even though she took emergency contraception afterward, she vomited it upter, but it was during her safe period, so the odds of pregnancy were very low. She probably wasn¡¯t pregnant.

    But the symptom earlier did resemble a pregnancy reaction. Yet it was clearly her safe period, plus the medication had been in her stomach for some time before she threw up.

    By that time, some of the medicine had likely been digested. The possibility of being pregnant wasn¡¯t too high, so why did she retch?

    This time, Qiao Jing also couldn¡¯t determine her exact condition. She hesitated for a while, then slowly raised her hand, ready to check her pulse to find out for sure.

    Perhaps because she was a bit nervous, she could feel her heartbeat quickening. What if she was really pregnant? That wasn¡¯t included in her medical expenses.

    Just as her fingers touched her pulse, a voice filled with joy interrupted Qiao Jing¡¯s diagnostic motion.

    ¡°Professor Qiao! Professor Qiao! Research has made a breakthrough! Come and have a look!¡±

    Although the person hadn¡¯t arrived at Qiao Jing¡¯sb yet, the voice had traveled from far and near.

    Secondster, a flurry of rushed footsteps came from theb doorway; the person was clearly running in excitement.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, hurry and check our research results!¡±

    Sounds simr to celebrations were alsoing from otherbs. Qiao Jing put down her hand, hurriedly stood up, and followed the neer to review the findings.

    That afternoon, Qiao Jing received a phone call.

    When she saw the caller ID, she was somewhat surprised since they hadn¡¯t been in contact for a while.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Qiao. Have you been busytely?¡±

    ¡°Not too bad, what¡¯s up?¡±

    After saying that, Qiao Jing continued, ¡°Is there something you need? Just say it.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t take up much of your time then. Actually, it¡¯s like this. There¡¯s an uing pianopetition, and my chronic rheumatism has red up, leaving me in a lot of pain. I can¡¯t make it, so I was wondering if you could help me by serving as a judge.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just an amateur. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be much help,¡± Qiao Jing politely declined.

    After hearing her response, Master Chen said, ¡°You¡¯re being too modest. I really have no way to participate and can¡¯t find a suitable recement. I¡¯ve thought it over, and you¡¯re the only one who can help me.¡±

    He was telling the truth. As far as ying the piano was concerned, even he felt inferior to Qiao Jing. If she were to serve as a judge, she¡¯d be many times more professional than himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I truly am an amateur, not as professional as you guys,¡± Qiao Jing also thought about thepetition.

    This was a grand pianopetition held every three years in the capital.

    Thispetition held a status second only to the worldpetition in the pianomunity, well-known figures were sure to attend.

    The three judges selected were also of national caliber, and Master Chen was the most capable among them domestically and even had an international reputation.

    ¡°Thepetition starts tomorrow, and I really can¡¯t find anyone else. I ce great importance on this event. I hope you can indeed rece me,¡± Master Chen pleaded earnestly.

    ¡°What time does it begin tomorrow?¡± Qiao Jing frowned and responded.

    Speaking of which, Master Chen had once been her piano mentor, somewhat like a teacher to her. Later, she had surpassed him.

    ¡°It starts at eight in the morning. I¡¯ll speak to the organizers, and you can just show up then!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll be prepared to go.¡±

    Meanwhile, in a WeChat group.

    The group only included Su Manhan, Zhan Nanqing, and Lou Xinrou.

    Su Manhan tagged Lou Xinrou, ¡°Xinrou, are you going to participate in this pianopetition?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already registered,¡± Lou Xinrou sent a voice message, her tone cheerful.

    Zhan Nanqing cheered Lou Xinrou on, ¡°I believe in you! After all, you¡¯ve been studying piano for seven or eight years. You can definitely achieve excellent results.¡±

    ¡°Plus, you¡¯ve won first and second ce in otherpetitions before. You can certainly do it again!¡±

    Su Manhan also sent a message, ¡°Nanqing and I will apany you tomorrow. You¡¯re sure to win a prize, go for it.¡±

    Lou Xinrou smiled and curved her lips, thanking them.

 Chapter 257: 249 What? Qiao Jing is a judge?

    Chapter 257: Chapter 249 What? Qiao Jing is a judge?

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing got up early to wash and get ready to go out.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to work so early today?¡± Zhan Qipei nced at the current time, 7:30 AM.

    Usually, Qiao Jing left the house at 7:50 AM.

    ¡°I¡¯m attending a pianopetition, so I¡¯m heading over early,¡± Qiao Jing said as she changed her shoes in the foyer. She was very punctual, especially for events likepetitions, always arriving ahead of time.

    Zhan Qipei was somewhat surprised, ¡°You¡¯re participating in a pianopetition? I had no idea you could y the piano.¡±

    ...

    He felt a sense of pride, but then something else came to mind, and he said with regret, ¡°I have an important meeting today, so I regret that I can¡¯t apany you. But I¡¯ll be cheering for you in my heart!¡±

    He had heard about this significant pianopetition, but hadn¡¯t paid special attention to it since he wasn¡¯t involved in the music world.

    Qiao Jing hesitated but didn¡¯t mention she was going to be a judge. She fastened theces of her white shoes, ¡°I¡¯ll just take a cab over. It¡¯s almost time for you to go to work.¡±

    Zhan Qipei made a phone call, asking his driver to use his car to take Qiao Jing there, and he took another car to the office. Qiao Jing didn¡¯t insist further and got into Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    When she got out of the car, she encountered a few people she hadn¡¯t expected.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes nearly brimmed with jealousy when she saw Qiao Jing stepping out of Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    Brother Pei isn¡¯t going to work at this time, but instead, he is dropping off Qiao Jing here?

    Su Manhan recognized the car at a nce, ¡°Qipei isn¡¯t going to work, instead, he¡¯s dropping you off here?!¡±

    She now thought that her son had been brainwashed by Qiao Jing, neglecting his work to drive her over here during work hours!

    Without exining anything, Qiao Jing nned to enter the venue early.

    She hadn¡¯t gone far when Lou Xinrou stopped her, ¡°Qiao Jing, what are you doing here? Are you here to participate in the pianopetition? Can you y the piano?¡±

    Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, eager to see Qiao Jing¡¯s response.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here topete,¡± Qiao Jing replied calmly.

    Su Manhan mocked, ¡°I knew it, how could you possibly y piano? Are you here to watch? But as an outsider, you probably won¡¯t even understand it.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing also looked troubled, whispering a word of caution to Su Manhan, only to receive a cold stare in return.

    She muttered something under her breath, but then fell silent.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak further with them; with only ten minutes until thepetition started, she turned and went inside.

    Lou Xinrou and the others entered the venue at the same time as her, Su Manhan leading Zhan Nanqing to the spectator seats, their gaze stuck on the direction Qiao Jing was heading, leaving them dumbfounded.

    Why isn¡¯t she sitting in the back among the spectators? Could she be taking a seat in the front row of the VIP seats?

    The VIP seats, essible only by the prestigious Zhan family through their status as the wealthiest family in the capital, were not supposed to be where Qiao Jing headed. Why was she walking towards the front row?

    The VIP seats were upied by notable people, and yet Qiao Jing was heading there?

    ¡°She must have gone the wrong way,¡± Su Manhan thought, a sneer spreading across her face, convinced that finding a seat was yet another thing Qiao Jing could mess up, causing embarrassment to the Zhan family.

    Lou Xinrou nodded, ¡°Probably heading to the restroom, but why isn¡¯t she going towards the corridor? If she goes this way, everyone can see her; Aunt Su, it would look bad if other families notice this.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had been silent, listening to the two talk until they saw Qiao Jing pass through the first row.

    What on earth was she trying to do? Su Manhan wondered.

    When they saw Qiao Jing walk to the judges¡¯ table, Su Manhan thought, surely she wasn¡¯t there to flirt with those masters?

    Only when Qiao Jing was seated between Master Wang and Master Li did the three of them stand there astonished.

    Lou Xinrou was not asposed anymore, ¡°What¡¯s going on? She¡¯s sitting in Master Chen¡¯s ce; where has Master Chen gone?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing also opened her mouth in surprise, ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    At that moment, a staff member approached Qiao Jing, removed Master Chen¡¯s namete, and reced it with Judge Qiao¡¯s namete.

    The host also exined the situation on stage, ¡°Good morning to all participants. Master Chen couldn¡¯t attend thispetition due to personal reasons, he asked Judge Qiao to take his ce. Please be informed.¡±

    The audience muttered among themselves, having never seen this substitute for Master Chen before, they even doubted whether Qiao Jing was capable of fulfilling the role.

    But since the host said it was Master Chen who personally chose his substitute, they had no choice but to half-believe in Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Could Qiao Jing be a friend of Master Chen?¡± Zhan Nanqing suddenly blurted out.

    Su Manhan immediately denied it, ¡°How could she possibly know Master Chen? She can¡¯t even y the piano, where would she have met Master Chen?¡±

    ¡°Could she be a rtive of Master Chen?¡± Zhan Nanqing continued to specte.

    Su Manhan gave her daughter a speechless look, ¡°Qiao Jing is from the Qiao Family, and you know those people. Where did such a rtivee from?¡±

    ¡°I bet it¡¯s all backstage dealings, she might have even done something unscrupulous to get this position. Otherwise, how could she possibly rece Master Chen?¡± Lou Xinrou coldly snorted, forcing herself to look away from Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing stayed silent, her gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, holding back the words she wanted to say.

    The pianopetition officially began.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s contestant number was neen, so there was still some time before her turn.

    During this time, the three of them were sizing up Qiao Jing, watching her seriously grade the participants.

    ¡°Next up is contestant number eighteen, please have contestant number neen prepare.¡±

    The host¡¯s voice brought the three of them back to reality, and Lou Xinrou stood up to go backstage to prepare.

    Backstage, Lou Xinrou was extremely nervous, listening to the song yed by the previous contestant and spacing out.

    Su Manhan also found some time to take Zhan Nanqing backstage, and seeing Lou Xinrou in a daze, started to encourage her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I believe you can win an award.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Xinrou, I¡¯ve heard you y the piano, and you¡¯ve won so many awards before, you can definitely do it, go for it!¡±

    Lou Xinrou smiled, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Su, thank you, Nanqing, I will win an award for you to see!¡±

    The two who came to encourage her then returned to the audience.

    The previous contestant was bowing and exiting the stage, and Lou Xinrou gave Qiao Jing a smug look before going on stage.

    She thinks she, aplete outsider, is qualified to be a judge just because she managed to get this opportunity, and now follows the previous judges in giving nearly simr scores as if she really has the capability?

    Soon, Qiao Jing probably won¡¯t even understand the piece she ys, which she specifically chose, the ¡°Piano Concerto No. 3.¡± She had been practicing it for thispetition for the past three years.

    Lou Xinrou went on stage, while Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing in the audience were shouting her name, cheering her on.

    Qiao Jing could hear their voices, but her gaze was fixed on the piano, her expression unchanging.

    Even when Lou Xinrou went on stage, she had no reaction.

    Lou Xinrou hated Qiao Jing¡¯s haughty demeanor. She bowed to the audience and sat at the piano, focusing intently on ying her prepared piece.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually ¡®Piano Concerto No. 3!¡¯ Such a difficult piece!¡±

    ¡°My goodness, I didn¡¯t expect someone to choose this piece.¡±

    ¡°And she seems to be ying quite well!¡±

    Professional judges sitting at the judging table also showed excited expressions, with Master Wang and Master Li seated beside Qiao Jing.

    She took the center seat, closed her eyes, and listened carefully to Lou Xinrou¡¯s ying, frowning slightly upon hearing a fundamental mistake.

    The piece ended, and Lou Xinrou bowed, waiting for the judges to grade her.

    Master Wang and Master Li gave her scores in the Ab range.

    Qiao Jing gave a score in the Ba range.

    When Lou Xinrou saw the low score given by Qiao Jing, she questioned discontentedly, ¡°Judge Qiao, I believe I did not make any significant mistakes during my performance, why did you give me such a low score?¡±

 Chapter 258: 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Have the Qualifications to Be a Judge?

    Chapter 258: Chapter 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Have the Qualifications to Be a Judge?

    ¡°She made a most fundamental error, ying the wrong note during the key change,¡± Qiao Jing said indifferently.

    Lou Xinrou gritted her teeth, ¡°The other judges gave me an A, and you¡¯re giving me a B just for that? Besides, I didn¡¯t y a single note wrong when I was ying at a fast tempo.¡±

    ¡°ying the wrong note during a key change is a mistake that shouldn¡¯t happen, not even beginners make such an error,¡± Qiao Jing did not intend to change the score, considering the mistake to be uneptable.

    It was a mistake not even a beginner would make, yet Lou Xinrou made it. Although she had some minor slip-ups in other areas, Qiao Jing believed that the error during the key change was indeed inexcusable.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes reddened as she stood on stage, refusing to step down, ¡°The other judges didn¡¯t mark me down for this.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has different standards for scoring, in my eyes, you only merit a B grade,¡± Qiao Jing said, as she put down her scoring board, ¡°The next contestant can prepare toe on stage.¡±

    ...

    The host hadn¡¯t expected such a situation; he was just about to go on stage to urge Lou Xinrou not to dy thepetition when a female voice rang out from below.

    Su Manhan stood up from the VIP seats, pointing at Qiao Jing with anger, ¡°You have no right to sit there! That is Master Chen¡¯s seat! I don¡¯t know what connections you¡¯ve used, what kind of backing you have, or if you are rted to Master Chen, but you can¡¯t even y the piano. What right do you have to be a judge?!¡±

    The audience murmured in response after hearing this.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the case. No wonder she¡¯s so young. Look, she¡¯s sitting next to Master Wang and Master Li, both well-known figures in the industry, and she has taken the most prestigious Master Chen¡¯s ce!¡±

    ¡°I was saying, how could such a young woman be as skilled as the experienced Master Chen? How did Master Chen let her be a judge in his stead?¡±

    ¡°I guess she used her face to get through the back door. At the beginning, when I saw the change of judge, I was somewhat worried she wasn¡¯t professional enough, and now it turns out she can¡¯t even y the piano! My goodness, does her previous scoring even count?¡±

    In an instant, everyone was led astray by Su Manhan¡¯s rhythm, looking at Qiao Jing with scorn.

    Seeing the audience turn against Qiao Jing, Su Manhan was somewhat pleased. Then, with a sniff, she said, ¡°Using your connections is one thing, but deliberately giving her a low score out of personal vendetta, I truly despise such an act of private retaliation!¡±

    Thement exploded among the audience like a bomb, stirring up amotion.

    ¡°I knew it! I heard this contestant y so well, how could she not get at least an A, but she was directly given a B. Turns out there was animosity towards the contestant.¡±

    ¡°I think her scoring shouldn¡¯t count, let the organizers rece this judge!¡±

    The murmurs from the audience grew louder, reaching Su Manhan¡¯s ears. She looked triumphantly at Qiao Jing, wanting to see panic on her face.

    But Qiao Jing sat calmly in her ce, listening to the questioning of the others.

    Su Manhan couldn¡¯t see any trace of panic on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Hmph!

    Pretending!

    I want to see just how long you can keep up this act!

    Lou Xinrou on the stage, too, curled her lips into a smirk. After forcing tears to fall, she began to embellish the truth, ¡°Judge Qiao, regardless of whatever personal grudges we may have, I hope you won¡¯t let them affect your judgment. Thispetition is very important to me.¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she nced at Su Manhan in the audience.

    When Su Manhan caught that look, she subconsciously wanted to look away. Hearing the audience questioning Qiao Jing gave her courage, and she stared back defiantly.

    Master Wang spoke up, ¡°Everyone, please remain calm. Our scores have been very fair, and this contestant indeed made the error that Judge Qiao mentioned.¡±

    ¡°Professor Qiao is right, each person has different scoring standards, and besides, she came personally appointed by Master Chen. You can all trust Master Chen,¡± Master Li also added in support.

    However, the words of the two masters did not calm the audience. On the contrary, they became even more agitated.

    ¡°If she can¡¯t even y the piano, what business does Master Chen have sending her here?!¡±

    ¡°Why are Master Wang and Master Li speaking up for her? Could it be that they also have a connection with her?¡±

    ¡°Bringing in an outsider to judge, mixing personal grudges with official duties, is this what you call fairness?!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the audience¡¯sments, Zhan Nanqing also felt anxious, at a loss for how to react in the moment. She was caught between Lou Xinrou and Qiao Jing, not knowing whether to speak up or remain silent.

 Chapter 259: 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Qualify to Be a Judge_2

    Chapter 259: Chapter 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Qualify to Be a Judge_2

    Her gaze shifted back and forth between Lou Xinrou and Qiao Jing, helplessly seated and anxious.

    People in the audience continued to talk, even those who hadpeted earlier joined in, feeling that their scores shouldn¡¯t have been so low.

    ¡°Leave the judges¡¯ panel! You¡¯re not worthy!¡±

    ¡°Change the judge! I object to the score she gave me!¡±

    ¡°Ayman better get out of here fast, don¡¯t defile the piano, just leave!¡±

    ¡°Going backstage was disgusting enough, and now deliberately giving low scores, I think she can¡¯t stand to see others do well! Truly disgusting!¡±

    ...

    Su Manhan chuckled sarcastically and noticed that Qiao Jing suddenly stood up.

    Everyone instantly fell silent, as Su Manhan thought Qiao Jing was about to leave.

    ¡°Can¡¯t stand it anymore, right? Hurry up and leave!¡±

    The crowd thought the same as Su Manhan; surely, she felt embarrassed and was preparing to leave.

    When everyone was ready to see Qiao Jing leave the scene in defeat, they found that she actually walked onto the stage!

    Su Manhan was stunned. What was Qiao Jing going to do? Could she be nning to get physical with Lou Xinrou?!

    Lou Xinrou instinctively took two steps back, distancing herself from Qiao Jing, and asked softly, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even give her a nce and continued walking.

    Zhan Nanqing had an unrealistic thought in her heart¡ªcould it be that she was going to y the piano? But wasn¡¯t she unable to y?

    Secondster, Qiao Jing sat down in front of the piano, her slender hands on the keys, emitting a cool demeanor, her face still expressionless.

    She pressed down the piano keys and started ying. It was the ¡°Piano Concerto No. 3¡± that Lou Xinrou had just performed.

    But what waspletely different from Lou Xinrou was that Qiao Jing yed more smoothly! She was very absorbed in ying, and although her face remained indifferent, the audience seemed to see confidence on her face.

    Her fingers lightly struck the keys, heavenly notes flowing from her fingertips like babbling brooks and mountain streams, entrancing people into rapture, immersed in the sound¡­

    As the piece concluded, the echoes lingered, and the audience found it hard to tear themselves away.

    The audience realized what it meant to say, ¡°The music exists only in heaven and is seldom heard by mortals,¡± as they were immersed in the melody withouting back to their senses.

    Evenypeople could tell that Qiao Jing¡¯s piano skills were leagues better than Lou Xinrou¡¯s¡ªnot just smooth, but unimaginably delightful.

    Master Wang and Master Li stood up and apuded for Qiao Jing, admiration in their eyes.

    ¡°You truly deserve to be Master Qiao. Having the chance to hear you y such a piece today is a true fortune.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed, since Ist heard you y, I¡¯ve learned so much. There really are higher skies beyond our own, and extraordinary talents beyond our understanding!¡±

    ¡°You tter me too much. The two masters also y exceptionally well,¡± Qiao Jing responded.

    ¡°No, no, we¡¯re the ones who are humbled by your modesty,¡± Master Li said with a look of honored surprise.

    The audience waspletely stunned; this scene was absolutely unheard of!

    The contestants and professionals also recognized that it would take them ten years to even reach fifty percent of Qiao Jing¡¯s level.

    Qiao Jing nodded to the two masters on the judging panel, ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s not all that impressive.¡±

    She then took her seat back on the judging panel, and now everyone quieted down, looking down, not daring to make eye contact with Qiao Jing.

    They had just criticized her, even saying she couldn¡¯t y the piano, and yet she could not only y but yed magnificently, to the point where even Masters Wang and Li felt inferior.

    Perhaps her level was even higher than Master Chen¡¯s!

    Su Manhan was also shocked and immediately returned to her seat, whispering to Zhan Nanqing, ¡°Nanqing, have you ever heard that Qiao Jing can y the piano?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know she could y either. She¡¯s amazing! Even I could tell she¡¯s better than Xinrou¡­¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice trailed off as Lou Xinrou came back.

    Lou Xinrou was stunned as she listened to Qiao Jing¡¯s performance, bingpletely absorbed until the music ended and she slowly came back to reality.

    Then she faced the odd looks from the audience, as if they were ming her for misleading everyone. She didn¡¯t dare stay any longer; Qiao Jing¡¯s rendition had left her face burning with shame.

    After listening to it, Lou Xinrou realized Qiao Jing indeed had the qualifications to be a judge.

    At this moment, Master Li and Master Wang were chatting with Qiao Jing, but their voices didn¡¯t reach this far.

 Chapter 260: 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Qualify to Be a Judge_3

    Chapter 260: Chapter 250: Does Qiao Jing Really Qualify to Be a Judge_3

    The audience could only see the enthusiastic demeanors of the two maestros, which contrasted sharply with Qiao Jing¡¯s polite yet somewhat distant manner.

    Thepetition continued.

    At six o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the contest ended, and everyone began leaving the venue.

    The Qiao Family also stood up and joined the crowd in exiting through the departure gates.

    Zhan Nanqing approached Qiao Jing and asked, ¡°When did you learn to y the piano? Howe you never mentioned that you could y?¡±

    ¡°I had some exposure to it as a child, learned for a few months, it wasn¡¯t necessary to mention,¡± Qiao Jing said, looking ahead.

    ...

    Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou caught up with Zhan Nanqing when they overheard this remark.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth, her expression somewhat vacant.

    She learned this much in just a few months? That¡¯s so Versailles.

    But then she thought of Qiao Jing¡¯s other two impressive identities and she let it go.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, she was grabbed from behind by someone.

    Su Manhan gave Zhan Nanqing a re, ¡°Why are you following her? She practiced for a few months and reached this level, are you going to admire her now? Are you nning to abandon Xinrou?¡±

    ¡°How could I? How could I abandon Xinrou? She¡¯s my close friend! Besides, I didn¡¯t mean that at all, I genuinely think Qiao Jing is incredible. Her medical skills are so good, her piano mastery that strong, and there¡¯s also Qiao¡­¡± Zhan Nanqing suddenly stopped speaking, closing her mouth, almost letting something slip.

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t pay much attention to what Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t finished saying, ¡°Qiao Jing must have said that on purpose. She must have practiced that piece for a long time, otherwise how could she y so well? Nanqing, don¡¯t you turn your elbow outwards!¡±

    Even though Su Manhan said this, her gaze towards Qiao Jing changed slightly.

    Qiao Jing actually had such an incredible skill.

    Lou Xinrou inwardly agreed with what Su Manhan said, ¡°I¡¯m so useless, no wonder I can¡¯tpete with Qiao Jing¡­ not even in piano ying¡­¡±

    ¡°There there, don¡¯t be sad, Xinrou, what¡¯s the use of such high talent? Qiao Jing has a bad character, I will never ept her as my daughter-inw,¡± Su Manhan consoled with some sympathy in her heart.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t say anything, merely hoping her mother would remember her own words and not regret themter when she found out Qiao Jing¡¯s identity.

    As Qiao Jing was about to hail a cab to return home, she spotted a familiar car. Could it be Zhan Qipei hade to pick her up?

    At that moment, she received a message from Zhan Qipei, ¡°I¡¯ve sent a driver to pick you up.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, originally working at the office, had only learned about his wife¡¯s role as a judge after receiving a message from Zhan Nanqing. He then inquired about the end time of the event and arranged for a driver to pick her up.

    He had also managed to get home before Qiao Jing arrived.

    As Qiao Jing opened the front door, she suddenly encountered a dark figure lunging at her. She instinctively stepped back, but the person urately embraced her.

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, she was lifted into the air, ¡°What are you doing? Put me down.¡±

    Zhan Qipei refused to let go and spun around with Qiao Jing in his arms several times, ¡°My wife is not only the foremost agricultural expert Professor Qiao, but she is also the best doctor in the capital, and she can y the piano, even serving as a judge in a pianopetition. I¡¯m so proud! It truly befits me, such good judgment!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, cynical about such narcissism.

    She pushed at Zhan Qipei, trying to get down, ¡°Can you put me down now?¡±

    Zhan Qipei held onto Qiao Jing¡¯s waist tightly, reluctant to let go, ¡°If I had known, I would have rescheduled the meeting to apany you to the piano contest, just to see what my wife looks like as a judge.¡±

    He carried Qiao Jing towards their bedroom.

    In a whirl, Qiao Jing found herself lying on Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± This time Qiao Jing pushed the person away from her.

    As Zhan Qipei tried once more to return to the bed, Qiao Jing suddenly felt nauseous, a wave of vomiting washing over her.

    Her face turned somewhat pale as she clutched her stomach and rose to her feet.

    The scene frightened Zhan Qipei, who immediately stood up from the bed, and cautiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I press on something?¡±

    Qiao Jing waved her hand, unable to speak at the moment. Herplexion wasn¡¯t good, and a dense sweat broke out on her forehead, forcing her to sit on the bed to recover.

    ¡°Is it because I made you dizzy? Are you okay? Do you still feel sick? Drink some water and take it easy,¡± Zhan Qipei hurriedly poured Qiao Jing a ss of water, looking at her with self-reproach.

    Seeing him act like a child who had done something wrong, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it a little funny. Worried that he might overthink, she suppressed the difort in her stomach and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll call the doctor toe over, just wait a second,¡± Zhan Qipei said as he took out his phone. But before he could dial the number, Qiao Jing stopped him.

    She found Zhan Qipei¡¯s hurried actions somewhat amusing, ¡°I¡¯m a doctor myself.¡±

    ¡°A physician cannot heal thyself, I¡¯d better call Zhou Fu over,¡± Zhan Qipei switched to a different app, intending to call Zhou Fu.

    ¡°No need to call. Don¡¯t make such a fuss, I can just take my own pulse,¡± Qiao Jing stopped Zhan Qipei and reached out to check her pulse.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fingertips touched her pulse, and Zhan Qipei kept an eye on her hand, waiting for her to describe her condition.

    As seconds ticked by, an unusual expression appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, her pupils quivered slightly, and she took her pulse again uncertainly.

    The result was the same as before, and her peculiar expression was fleeting, as she feigned an air of it being no big deal.

    However, Zhan Qipei caught the emotion on Qiao Jing¡¯s face and became somewhat anxious, watching her intently with a look of concern, ¡°How is it? If it¡¯s not okay, I¡¯ll go and call Zhou Fu.¡±

    Could she have contracted a serious illness and be reluctant to tell him for fear of worrying him?

    Yet, Zhan Qipei had another thought, which he quickly dismissed. How could he think she was pregnant? He had seen her taking birth control pills with his own eyes.

    But inside, Qiao Jing was experiencing a massive upheaval.

    How could she be pregnant!

    It was supposed to be a safe period.

    How did it happen!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed involuntarily, and she grew increasingly anxious.

    In all her life, she had never encountered something as tricky as this.

    And moreover¡ª

    Being pregnant was one thing, but to be expecting triplets!

    Triplets!!!

    These were three lives, and it would be too selfish of her to just terminate them.

    Moreover, this matter must not be revealed to anyone, especially Zhan Qipei, it had to be kept a secret!

    ¡°I ate something that was too cold, my stomach doesn¡¯t feel good, but it¡¯s nothing serious,¡± she replied.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, acting as if nothing had happened.

    Yet, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t put his mind at ease and observed Qiao Jing¡¯splexion all evening.

    When it came time to sleep, he chose to stay in Qiao Jing¡¯s room, moving hisptop over to work with her.

    ¡°Go back to your room to sleep,¡± Qiao Jing said, flipping through a medical book in her hand, while the person in her peripheral vision remained.

    ¡°I need to stay here. You¡¯re not feeling well; if you experience any difort, I can take care of you immediately,¡± Zhan Qipei insisted, refusing to leave regardless of what Qiao Jing said. When it was time to sleep, she pulled up the covers and went to sleep without further argument.

 Chapter 261: 251: Qiao Mengtong to Become Mrs. Zhan?

    Chapter 261: Chapter 251: Qiao Mengtong to Be Mrs. Zhan?

    Early the next morning.

    When Qiao Jing opened her bleary eyes, she nced at the clock on the bedside table.

    7:20? she blinked, quickly rousing herself. Normally, her biological clock woke her at six o¡¯clock; today, it was dyed by more than an hour.

    It must be due to the pregnancy that she was experiencing increased sleepiness.

    Qiao Jing looked over to the spot where Zhan Qipei had stayed the night before. He was gone, and she had no idea whether he returned to his own room to sleepst night.

    She got out of bed, opened the door, and heard noiseing from the kitchen.

    ...

    Following the sound, Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei, dressed in a suit, busy at work.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei had just heated a cup of milk. When he turned and saw Qiao Jing behind him, he ced the milk on the table and instructed, ¡°Your stomach isn¡¯t good, don¡¯t drink it cold. Is there anything else you need?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, then turned to wash up. It was better to let Zhan Qipei think she had a stomachache. Otherwise, if he found out the truth, it would certainly lead to a big fuss.

    By the time Qiao Jing came out of the bathroom, Zhan Qipei had already prepared a steaming hot bowl of noodles and ced it together with the warm milk, ¡°Come have breakfast.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, watching her finish breakfast before retracting back to the room and retrieving a bag.

    He took out the stomach medicine from inside, set it on the table, and poured her a cup of hot water, cing it beside Qiao Jing.

    ¡°We¡¯re out of stomach medicine at home. I bought some this morning. Take one pill after meals, three times a day.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t touch the stomach medicine. She was pregnant now and couldn¡¯t take medication casually, as it might affect the baby in her belly.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t moved. He poured a pill from the bottle into his palm and extended it toward Qiao Jing.

    From Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, Qiao Jing could tell his intention. He needed to see her take the medication before he could go to work with peace of mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m quite full right now; I¡¯ll take the medicer. You go to work first.¡±

    ¡°Alright, but make sure you remember to take it,¡± Zhan Qipei replied, cing the pill back into the bottle and walking towards the entryway.

    As he opened the door to leave, he reminded her once more, ¡°Remember to take your medicine, and don¡¯t drink anything cold.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± hummed Qiao Jing in response, watching Zhan Qipei depart.

    Once he was gone, Qiao Jing immediately took a pill from the medicine bottle and dropped it into the toilet, pressing the flush button.

    Zhan Qipei was very meticulous. He would certainly check when he came back home for lunch. If she didn¡¯t dispose of at least one pill, he would find out that she hadn¡¯t taken her medication.

    ¡°Good, eat while it¡¯s hot.¡± Zhan Qipei replied to the message very quickly.

    Qiao Jing chose a time when there were fewer customers and went to her favorite beef noodle shop.

    The owner, recognizing Qiao Jing as a regr, greeted her warmly, ¡°The usual?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please,¡± Qiao Jing replied. She found a seat and settled down across from the tv in the noodle shop.

    After serving her a bowl of beef noodles, the owner went back to the kitchen to work.

    While eating, Qiao Jing noticed a familiar face on the television. Qiao Mengtong was currently wearing a bikini, advertising a summer drink.

    In the photo, she was dressed very revealingly, performing several provocative poses, even cing the drink in front of herself and hopping on the spot.

    In the advertisement, Qiao Mengtong was twisting her body, and at that moment, a male model wearing swim trunks walked over.

    Qiao Mengtong brought the drink she was holding close to the male model and sat down next to him. They were very close, and she picked up an ice cream from beside her to feed to the male model, and vice versa.

    ¡°Oh no, why is this ad ying? Sorry, I¡¯ll change the channel right now.¡± The owner came out of the kitchen and found the TV ying a risqu¨¦ ad, and immediately switched the channel.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, indicating she didn¡¯t mind, but she was still surprised when she saw it. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Mengtong to end up as a small-time celebrity, dressed like that.

    Thinking about the downfall of the Qiao Family, she could understand. In her heart, she believed that the Qiao Family had brought their current state upon themselves.

    A person appeared in front of Qiao Jing, wearing a mask and sunsses,pletely covering their face.

    She recognized at a nce that it was Qiao Mengtong, who was carrying on as if she were a true celebrity.

    Why was Qiao Mengtong here?

    At that time, there weren¡¯t many people in the shop, and Qiao Mengtong took off her mask and walked over to Qiao Jing.

    Seeing the bowl of beef noodles in front of Qiao Jing, she uttered a sarcastic remark, ¡°Now that you¡¯re no longer Mrs. Zhan, have you blown through all the money they gave you? Have you fallen so low that you have toe to this little noodle shop to eat?¡±

    As she was passing by, Qiao Mengtong spotted Qiao Jing sitting inside the noodle shop.

    Thinking about her own recent circumstances, she didn¡¯t hesitate and headed straight for the noodle shop. She wanted to tell Qiao Jing just how well she was doing.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even raise her head, contently eating her noodles.

    ¡°Let me tell you, I¡¯m a big star now. You, losing the title of Mrs. Zhan, are nothing, not even fit to carry my shoes!¡± Qiao Mengtong said brazenly, her face unabashed.

    As if the one who had slept with the director wasn¡¯t her, and she had already be a big star.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was ignoring her, Qiao Mengtong continued to elevate her own worth, ¡°You country bumpkin probably don¡¯t check the trending searches, right? I¡¯ve been in the top three on Weibo hot search, just one ad can make me tens of millions.¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡± Qiao Jing didn¡¯t spare Qiao Mengtong a nce as she uttered the word indifferently.

    Continuing with her sarcastic tone, Qiao Mengtong retorted, ¡°Telling me to get lost? You should feel blessed to even see me! So many of my fans would kill for a glimpse of me, and here you are, ignorant and audacious enough to tell me to get lost?¡±

    At that point, Qiao Jing had no desire to even acknowledge Qiao Mengtong¡¯s presence, and simply took a sip of her steaming noodle soup.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor, Qiao Mengtong was fuming, biting her teeth in anger. What was she acting all high and cold for?

    She took out two thousand yuan from her bag and mmed it on the table, ¡°I see you¡¯re so pitiful¡ªtake this two thousand yuan as a gift from my stupidity. How does that sound? You haven¡¯t seen this much money since you left the Zhan Family, have you?¡±

    Finally, Qiao Jing reacted. She lifted her head leisurely and said, ¡°You are indeed cheap.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, ¡°What did you say?! I¡¯m cheap? I think you¡¯re the cheap one here!¡±

    Just then, the TV channel the owner had switched to began ying Qiao Mengtong¡¯s summer beverage advertisement.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze moved to the TV and then back to Qiao Mengtong, the implication clear.

    Discarding all integrity for money, shooting such borderline advertisements.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s anger red even more, she mmed her hand on the table with a loud ¡°bang,¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re still the young mistress of the Zhan Family? I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re not, but I am!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Qiao Mengtong expressionlessly, finishing off the beef noodles in her bowl, quietly waiting for her to go on.

    Realizing that Qiao Jing was looking at her, Qiao Mengtong instantly held her chin up smugly, ¡°Surprised, aren¡¯t you? Just as you were kicked out of the Zhan Family, I¡¯m about to be Mrs. Zhan!¡±

    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m the only woman by Zhan Nan¡¯s and Zhan Bei¡¯s sides. They treat me so well, and they also promised me that in the future, I¡¯ll be the wife of one of them!¡±

 Chapter 262: 252 Utterly Shameless

    Chapter 262: Chapter 252 Utterly Shameless

    Qiao Jing was somewhat surprised by Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hooking up with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    However, judging by the character of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, it was most likely that Mengtong had been deceived.

    Qiao Jing casually said, ¡°You¡¯ve been yed by them.¡±

    The promise of making a woman the legal wife,ing from the mouths of the Zhan brothers, had no credibility at all, and only Mengtong would be willing to believe them.

    Qiao Mengtong didn¡¯t take Qiao Jing¡¯s words to heart; instead, she felt that Jing was envious of her, andughed out loud.

    ¡°Are you just jealous of seeing me do well? They are good to me, and you say they are ying me? I think you¡¯re just jealous and envious of me!¡±

    ...

    Seeing no reaction from Qiao Jing, Qiao Mengtong, in order to let her know how well she was doing, continued to say, ¡°You were just kicked out by the Zhan Family, and now I¡¯m about to be Mrs. Zhan, so you¡¯re intentionally saying these things to drive a wedge between us?¡±

    Qiao Jing listened expressionlessly to Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s continued indifference, Mengtong snorted in her heart.

    Ha, acting high and mighty? Wait till I be Mrs. Zhan, and then we¡¯ll see if you can still keep up that act!

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how much these two brothers love me, they almost fought over me. Oh my, who should I choose?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Mengtong¡¯s pretense of distress and found it utterly ridiculous; her gaze even held a hint of pity.

    Qiao Mengtong noted Qiao Jing¡¯s look and felt puzzled.

    What¡¯s going on? Why is she looking at me with that expression? Is she pitying me?

    I¡¯m about to be thedy of the Zhan Family, what right does Qiao Jing have to pity me?

    Qiao Mengtong was instantly so angry she trembled; she couldn¡¯t maintain herposure and burst out cursing.

    ¡°You should feel sorry for yourself! I¡¯m to be Mrs. Zhan, do I need your pity?¡±

    Mengtong¡¯s words made it seem as if she was already thedy of the Zhan Family.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with Qiao Mengtong. To avoid trouble with the owner due to any shrewish behavior from Mengtong, she moved her bowl to another table.

    Suddenly!

    A series of urgent cell phone rings sounded; the caller seemed very anxious. Seeing that Mengtong didn¡¯t answer, they hung up and called again.

    Qiao Mengtong knew who was calling her as she had set a special ringtone for them.

    Her face momentarily stiffened, then in an instant, it passed. Holding her head high with pride in front of Qiao Jing, she pressed the answer button.

    ¡°Where are you? Hurry over!¡±

    There was a hint of impatience in Zhan Nan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m outside right now, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Mengtong heard the impatience in his tone, she managed to control her trembling hand subconsciously, and pulled out a victor¡¯s smile.

    But to Qiao Jing, that smile seemed vulnerable, for she had noticed Mengtong¡¯s fleeting facial rigidity.

    Although she didn¡¯t know why Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had chosen Mengtong, she knew that the brothers weren¡¯t very good to her; after all, they were famously licentious and reckless in the capital.

    Furthermore, from her own encounters with the brothers, she knew they were not good people:scivious andcking manners. Mengtong was clearly deceived.

    Qiao Mengtong hung up the phone.

    ¡°You see? Zhan Nan called me toe over. Are you envious? I can enter the Zhan household at will, unlike you!¡±

    Then, she pulled out one thousand yuan from her bag and mmed it onto the table as if to vent her anger.

    ¡°I pity you, so I¡¯m giving you one thousand yuan more. You don¡¯t get this much money even being a ¡®worthless person,¡¯ do you?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced sidelong at Qiao Mengtong, disdaining to speak to her. Without a second look at the few thousand yuan on the table, she paid for the beef noodles and left the noodle shop.

    Qiao Mengtong morosely watched Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, feeling like she had punched cotton¡ªshe was the one getting more angry!

    ¡°Stinking table, acting all high and mighty, you spurn the face offered. Once I enter the doors of the Zhan Family, I¡¯ll see to it that I give you a hard time!¡±

    She nced at the money on the table, gritted her teeth, turned back and put the bills back in her bag.

    Qiao Mengtong trembled as she reached for the doorknob of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s home; fear was beginning to take root in her due to the brothers¡¯ twisted games.

    Because sometimes they yed for keeps, and each time she was summoned, she had to join in their games.

    She took a deep breath, consoling herself.

    It was just a peculiar predilection, nothing more, they still valued her, or they wouldn¡¯t just y these games with her.

    After all, they had promised to make her Mrs. Zhan; surely that was no joke.

    With this thought, Qiao Mengtong finally managed a smile and opened the door.

    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t walk in, crawl in! Crawl in like a dog!¡±

    ¡°Close the door!¡±

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei ordered one after the other.

    Qiao Mengtong immediately shut the door and, as the brothers hadmanded, got down on all fours and started crawling in like a dog.

    She clenched her teeth in secret; the brothers hade up with a new way to toy with her today. The role they demanded of her was even more humiliating!

    But for the sake of bing the young mistress, she bore it, for one day she wouldmand the wind and summon the rain!

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were ted at the sight and burst into boisterousughter.

    They chose Qiao Mengtong for this game simply because she bore a slight resemnce to Qiao Jing in her brows and eyes!

    Otherwise, why would they bother ying with Qiao Mengtong for so long?

    They merely wanted to see Qiao Mengtong¡¯s humiliated expression, then from the resemnce in her eyes and brow, they could picture Qiao Jing.

    After all, Qiao Jing and Qiao Mengtong were half-sisters with the same father, and there was always a slight resemnce between them.

    In their minds, they could pretend it was Qiao Jing obeying theirmands like a dog.

    When Qiao Mengtong crawled to the brothers¡¯ feet and tried to stand up, Zhan Bei stepped on her back, forcing her down on her knees.

    ¡°Bark like a dog! Now!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong forced out a smile uglier than a cry and barked several times.

    Zhan Nan, finally finding the resemnce to Qiao Jing in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s features, excitedly pped her face.

    He didn¡¯t intend to hold back the force of the p, which left one side of Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face swollen.

    Only then did Zhan Nan feel somewhat soothed from the p he had received from Qiao Jing before.

    Zhan Bei tossed a dog bowl onto the ground from the table and poured a bit of water into it.

    ¡°Today you¡¯re the dog, lick it up just like a dog would.¡±

    Despite the burning pain on her left cheek, Qiao Mengtong heeded Zhan Bei¡¯s words and began to lick the water from the dog bowl.

    Theirughter followed.

    While she drank, she lifted her head, her eyes filled with expectation as she looked at the two men, believing her obedience must be pleasing to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    She had heard of such games; she could ept the brothers¡¯ peculiar predilection, after all, it granted her the position of Mrs. Zhan.

    Zhan Nan, disying a near-mad grin, shoved Qiao Mengtong¡¯s head back into the bowl.

    ¡°Drink! Hurry up and finish it; Zhan Bei has prepared dog food for you.¡±

    Zhan Bei from the couch fetched a bag of dog food he had prepared earlier and opened it.

    Qiao Mengtong, choking on several mouthfuls of water from the bowl, didn¡¯t dare to dy and hurried to finish all the water.

    Zhan Nan gripped Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hair, pulling her up and ncing at Zhan Bei next to him.

    ¡°Pour the dog food!¡±

    After Zhan Bei poured the dog food, he spat in it several times, insisting that Qiao Mengtong eat it all.

 Chapter 263: 253: Continue to Slap Qiao Mengtongs Face

    Chapter 263: Chapter 253: Continue to p Qiao Mengtong¡¯s Face

    Qiao Jing had been fooling Zhan Qipei for three days, and this noon happened to have something to do, so she took a stomach medicine in front of him from the medicine bottle.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit, I¡¯ve got the medicine with me.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to drive you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was very pleased that Qiao Jing took the initiative to carry the medicine herself.

    The way Qiao Jing looked in pain that day was deeply engraved in his mind.

    Zhan Qipei, worried that the incident might happen again, watched Qiao Jing take her medicine responsibly every day.

    ...

    ¡°No need, I can take a taxi.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the time; she had arranged to meet Lin Xiuxiang at the mall at one o¡¯clock.

    Zhan Qipei took out his ck card from his wallet and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Use my card.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, put the ck card back, and as she bent down to tie her shoces at the entrance, she didn¡¯t forget to speak to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at his card that had been returned, feeling somewhat upset inside; he wanted Qiao Jing to spend his money.

    But on second thought, his wife was Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing, who might have even more money than him; he had to earn more money for his wife to spend! Zhan Qipei followed closely behind Qiao Jing, holding car keys, looking like he intended to go out with her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have work this afternoon; I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    ¡°You can take me, but you don¡¯t need to apany me, you go to work.¡±

    Qiao Jing straightened up and stared directly at Zhan Qipei. She knew that if he took her there, he would surely think of apanying her to shop.

    She had to preemptively dismiss Zhan Qipei¡¯s idea because if he came along, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep the stomach medicine a secret.

    Besides, considering the workload of Zhan Corporation, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t have that much free time.

    Zhan Qipei, having his thoughts read by Qiao Jing, pursed his thin lips and conceded.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    When Qiao Jing arrived at the bottom of the mall, Lin Xiuxiang had just arrived, waving at her.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! Over here!¡±

    Qiao Jing got out of the car and only went over to Lin Xiuxiang after watching Zhan Qipei drive away.

    She put the stomach medicine into another small bottle and followed Lin Xiuxiang into a branded bag store.

    ¡°The dean¡¯s birthday is in a few days, so I asked you out to buy him a gift.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang exined her reason foring.

    Qiao Jing was also aware of the dean¡¯s birthday and guessed why Lin Xiuxiang had invited her out.

    She had initially nned to go to Wonderful Hall to get some top-quality medicinal materials for the dean, and this trip could be an opportunity to pick up an extra gift.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, let me tell you, I heard from others that this store¡¯s new arrivals are particrly attractive!¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang smiled and led Qiao Jing to the counter.

    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s take a look.¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled, seeing how excited Lin Xiuxiang was, her eyes curving into crescents.

    When she saw the name of the store, she suddenly felt it looked familiar.

    She recognized it as belonging to the Zhan Family and said nothing, just followed Lin Xiuxiang.

    Once inside the store, Lin Xiuxiang headed straight for a bag ced in the center of the shop.

    ¡°I heard from them that the one disyed in the center of the store is beautiful! Wait, let me check the price.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang nced at the price and felt as if lightning had struck on a clear day; she silently put the bag back.

    Although she usually recognized some brands, this brand was too luxurious, beyond her usual scope of knowledge, so naturally, she did not know about its price range.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, why don¡¯t we look at other stores instead?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang noticed the salesperson looking at them strangely and came straight over; wanting to avoid embarrassment, she tried to lead Qiao Jing away.

    ¡°No need, let me see.¡±

    Qiao Jing was aware of Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s concerns and took the women¡¯s bag, nced at the price tag, and examined its quality.

    The quality and appearance of the bag were decent, and indeed suitable for the dean, she thought. Just as she wanted to check how manypartments it had, the salesperson snatched it back.

    The salesperson carefully ced the bag back on the disy shelf, her face full of disdain as she sized up Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang from head to toe.

    Finally, as though she had confirmed something, she let out a cold snort through her nose.

    ¡°Hmph, neither of you is wearing any branded clothes, yet you dare to browse in a brand store?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang heard this and nced at the in attire of both Qiao Jing and herself, furrowing her brows but not speaking.

    ¡°Do you need to wear branded clothes to enter your store?¡±

    Qiao Jing coldly looked at the salesperson. This sort of looking down on others was not new to her.

    She positioned Lin Xiuxiang behind herself and addressed the salesperson.

    The salesperson, arms folded, regarded Qiao Jing with an air of indifference as she spoke.

    ¡°People who can¡¯t even afford brand-name clothes, can they afford this kind of bag?¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing or Lin Xiuxiang to reply, the salesperson began to boast about the bags on disy as if showing off.

    ¡°This bag is the treasure of our store! Do you know what brand our store is?¡±

    As she mentioned the store¡¯s treasure, it seemed to fill the salesperson with endless confidence, and she lifted her chin while continuing.

    ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t know and that¡¯s why you dared toe in. This is a global limited edition, five hundred thousand for one. You still dare to touch it? Can you afford topensate if you damage it?¡±

    Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang didn¡¯t speak, just listening to the salesperson going on about the bag on her own ord.

    Although Lin Xiuxiang liked the bag too, she did not appreciate the salesperson¡¯s attitude, frowning and thinking about taking Qiao Jing and leaving.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, let¡¯s not buy anything here.¡±

    ¡°Heh, I figure you want to buy but can¡¯t afford it!¡±

    The salesperson sneered, her eyes fixated on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, afraid she might touch the bag again and damage it.

    Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She stood shoulder to shoulder with Qiao Jing, confronting the salesperson.

    ¡°Why do you speak like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth, what about it? Could it be that you actually have the money to buy?¡±

    The salesperson looked at them with scorn, her eyes almost rolling back in her head.

    Lazy to argue with the salesperson, Qiao Jing said, ¡°Wrap this up.¡±

    When the salesperson heard Qiao Jing say she wanted the bag, she reacted as if it was some joke, speaking with sarcasm.

    ¡°Wrap it up? Unless you have the money, don¡¯t order me around and waste our time! We are very busy here.¡±

    Qiao Jing gazed at the salesperson with an indifferent expression, yet her eyes were sharp, piercingly fixed on her.

    She took the bag from the disy shelf, looked up at the salesperson, and said,

    ¡°I want to buy this bag. As an employee, don¡¯t you pack merchandise for customers?¡±

    The salesperson was stunned by Qiao Jing¡¯s piercing gaze, a chill running up her spine, causing her hair to stand on end.

    Could this really be someone from a wealthy family? That kind of temperament wasn¡¯tmon.

    But she hadn¡¯t seen these people before, and their clothes, in and simple, didn¡¯t look like those of wealthy people at all!

    With a half-doubting attitude, the salesperson took the bag to the front desk to start wrapping it.

    Someone else walked into the store, someone both Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang knew.

    Qiao Mengtong had waited several days before daring to step out, afraid others would see the injury on her face.

    After spending time with Zhan Nan and receiving some money, she nned toe to this store to buy a bag and spend some of that money, but she ran into Qiao Jing.

    Noticing something was off inside the store, she stood outside for a while, waiting until she saw the salesperson ready to wrap before walking in.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the money, wrapping it for her would just be wasting time! Trying to look rich when you¡¯re not?¡±

    The salesperson immediately looked up upon hearing this, and seeing that it was indeed Qiao Mengtong, switched to a ttering demeanor.

    ¡°Oh my, what wind has blown Miss Qiao here today? You are our esteemed guest today. Come,e, let me pour you some tea to sit a while.¡±

 Chapter 264: 254: Swallowing the Bag Performance

    Chapter 264: Chapter 254: Swallowing the Bag Performance

    She nodded and bowed as she poured tea for Qiao Mengtong and asked her to sit on the sofa in the reception area.

    Recently, Qiao Mengtong had made a tidy sum of money because of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei and had bought several bags in this store in one go.

    Seeing her spend so freely, the sales associate immediately memorized Qiao Mengtong¡¯s voice and face.

    Lin Xiuxiang, seeing the sales associate¡¯s starkly different attitude, felt somewhat angry. She didn¡¯t want to spend another second in the store and asked,

    ¡°Not going to continue with the packing? Qiao Qiao and I are in a hurry.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, the sales associate was hardly willing to pack for them anymore and started to mock,

    ...

    ¡°Miss Qiao just said you can¡¯t afford it anymore, and I should still package for you? Wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of my time?¡± Qiao Mengtong gave Qiao Jing a provocative look and arrogantly lifted her chin while sipping the tea the sales associate had poured for her.

    Her entire face seemed to be emzoned with the words, ¡°This is the difference between you and me.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang, watching Qiao Mengtong¡¯s smug appearance, felt somewhat unhappy and muttered quietly,

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about that, it¡¯s just being a D-list celebrity¡­¡±

    Qiao Mengtong also heard this remark and held a grudge in her heart. Seeing the bags that had not been packed on the counter, she pointed to them and said,

    ¡°I fancy that bag, pack it up for me. She doesn¡¯t have the money to buy such an expensive bag.¡±

    The sales associate quickly agreed several times and began to curry favor with Qiao Mengtong energetically.

    ¡°Miss Qiao really has good taste. The globally limited edition bag willplement your noble temperament, it¡¯spletely an essory item!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong relished the sales associate¡¯s praise and nodded in satisfaction, giving Qiao Jing a re.

    The sales associate was sharp-eyed and immediately noticed the animosity between Qiao Mengtong and Qiao Jing, choosing to say some unpleasant things.

    ¡°Unlike some people, dressed up like a country bumpkin, wanting to buy such an expensive bag! I¡¯m not wasting my time packaging for you.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong was increasingly pleased with the sales associate¡¯s words and offered a tip,

    ¡°If there¡¯s a chance in the future, I might make you a manager.¡±

    This store was actually a property of the Zhan Family and was somehow connected to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei. If they put in a word, it was indeed possible for the sales associate to get a promotion.

    After hearing this, the sales associate was overjoyed and started to pack the items at the counter.

    Qiao Mengtong finished the tea the sales associate poured, ced it aside, and looked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re not Mrs. Zhan anymore, so whye to a store like this to buy bags? Can you afford it?¡±

    ¡°You just touched it, right? If it¡¯s scratched, your entire worth couldn¡¯t cover the damages! Spending your days in a shabby noodle shop, and now you show up here to shop?¡±

    Qiao Jing, with an indifferent expression, listened to all Qiao Mengtong had to say before she calmly spoke,

    ¡°What if I can afford it?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong let out a coldugh, sure it was the biggest joke she had heard all year, and defiantly said,

    ¡°If you can afford it, I¡¯ll perform an act of swallowing the bag on the spot, shall I? Swallow that bag whole.¡±

    She was so certain Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t afford it; otherwise, she would never have dared to say such a thing.

    Lin Xiuxiang just waited to enjoy the show, determined to capture the moment Qiao Mengtong performed the act of swallowing the bag!

    Her Qiao Qiao couldn¡¯t possibly not afford a bag,

    She detested people who looked down on others like that.

    She looked at Qiao Mengtong with some pity; swallowing a bag would definitely cause indigestion.

    But Qiao Mengtong deserved it for speaking of Qiao Qiao in such a way.

    ¡°What are you looking at? A country bumpkin dares to call me a D-list celebrity?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong snapped at Lin Xiuxiang.

    Qiao Jing walked up to the sales associate and ced her ck card on the table.

    ¡°Pack that bag for me, I was here first.¡±

    When the sales associate saw the ck card, her eyes almost popped out of her head, and she looked up at Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    It was a ck card!!

    How could she possibly have a ck card? Dressed so shabbily from head to toe, there¡¯s definitely no money on this card.

    ¡°Do people today just love to show off without the means? Birds of a feather flock together; I bet your friend is also the type who loves to put on airs,¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t listen anymore as the other party spouted unpleasant words over and over.

    If the sales associate had just talked about her, she could bear it, but thatst remark had also mocked her friend.

    Lin Xiuxiang was like a sister to her, and she absolutely wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone speaking about Lin Xiuxiang in such a manner.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice was devoid of emotion, her icy tone resonating in the store.

    ¡°Say one more word, and you can forget about keeping your job. A sales associate like you tarnishes the store¡¯s reputation.¡±

    The sales associate scoffed, ¡°I have to see if your card can even go through! And here you are daring to talk about firing me, do you think you are¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the card machine beeped. The ck card had actually seeded in making the payment!!

    The sales associate¡¯s mouth hung open wide enough to nearly fit an egg.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face immediately turned extremely sour, apanied by shock on her face, she stood up straight.

    Where did Qiao Jing get so much money? Hadn¡¯t she left the Zhan Family? Could it be that the money the Zhan Family gave her still hadn¡¯t run out?

    Just the other day, she had exhausted herself, swallowed her pride, and yed along with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei for so long, suffering bruises all over her body, only to get those hundreds of thousands.

    So, just how easily could Qiao Jinge up with that sum of money? Just how much money had the Zhan Family given her originally?

    The sales associate thought she had misheard, but when she checked again, she confirmed that the payment had indeed gone through!

    While this was happening, Qiao Mengtong tried to sneak away with her tail between her legs, but Lin Xiuxiang called out to her.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to demonstrate eating the bag?¡±

    Hearing these words, Qiao Mengtong stiffened, not turning her head.

    How did Lin Xiuxiang still remember what she had said earlier? How could she know that Qiao Jing actually had the money to buy that bag?!

    Her feet seemed to sprout wheels of wind and fire, and she sprinted away.

    Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang exchanged nces and burst intoughter.

    At that moment, a familiar voice came from the entrance.

    ¡°Xiangxiang, what are you doing here?¡±

    When Tang Yan saw their figures from outside, he thought he had seen wrong, but upon hearing their voices, he walked in.

    Lin Xiuxiang was also surprised and went over to Tang Yan.

    ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing, are you here to buy a bag?¡±

    ¡°This is President Zhan¡¯s store, I make a point ofing here once a month to check it out,¡±

    Tang Yan exined.

    Only then did Lin Xiuxiang show an expression of sudden realization.

    The sales associate was startled at Tang Yan¡¯s appearance.

    Seeing how familiar Qiao Jing and her group were with Tang Yan, the sales associate¡¯s face turned pale with fear and she immediately began to apologize to the two women.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,dies, I was wrong earlier. Please don¡¯t hold it against me, I will never make such a mistake again. Please forgive me!¡±

    Tang Yan, discerning a hint from the associate¡¯s words, asked the two women,

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Has something happened?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang was not the type to tattle, and she casually brushed it off.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just that Qiao Qiao and I came to buy a bag to give to the dean.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nothing,¡±

    Qiao Jing agreed, taking the bag the sales associate had wrapped.

    Seeing that both women said as much, Tang Yan didn¡¯t want to embarrass them and after escorting them out of the store, he made a phone call.

 Chapter 265: 255 Never Loved You

    Chapter 265: Chapter 255 Never Loved You

    Tang Yan soon learned the whole story.

    He sent a message to the HR department, dering that such a salesperson had no right to stay in the store!

    After all, the person she bullied was Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang!

    One was the boss¡¯s wife, and the other was his wife!

    When Tang Yan returned to thepany, he reported to Zhan Qipei about the dismissal of the salesperson, as well as the incident of Qiao Jing and her friend shopping for bags in the store.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, which seemed like misty smoke, pursed his thin lips, and slightly narrowed his dark eyes.

    ...

    Bullying his wife was not something that could be settled with just a dismissal.

    Although Zhan Qipei¡¯s face showed no expression, Tang Yan could still feel the low pressure emanating from his boss and knew that he was angry.

    ¡°No shop under thepany is allowed to hire this salesperson, and also, use connections andworks to make sure she can¡¯t make a living in the capital,¡± Zhan Qipei said in a seemingly nonchnt way, announcing the end of the saleswoman¡¯s career.

    Tang Yan immediately understood thetter half of Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and left the office to handle the matter.

    As Qiao Jing was preparing to leave the mall with Lin Xiuxiang and get into the car to go home, she received a phone call.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing! It feels like an eternity has passed since Ist saw you! Have you missed me at all?¡±

    Cao Feiyu, as usual, started the conversation with all sorts of cheesy words.

    Qiao Jing coldly replied with a single sentence, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Aiyaya, do you not miss me, Xiao Jingjing? Why so cold, my heart is broken¡­¡±

    Cao Feiyu¡¯s voice carried a thick sense of loss.

    Through the phone, Qiao Jing felt like she could see Cao Feiyu¡¯s dramatic expressions, and she deliberately said, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll hang up.¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey, wait a minute, Xiao Jingjing! My bad, my bad, I¡¯ve got a new movie starting, and I wanted to invite you toe to the opening ceremony to see me!¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t really want to go because based on past experiences, she worried that Cao Feiyu would make another scene with a marriage proposal or confession on set.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°Are you really going to reject me, Xiao Jingjing? We haven¡¯t seen each other for so long. If you don¡¯te, I¡¯lle to your house to find you.¡±

    Cao Feiyu was as stubborn as ever.

    Qiao Jing knew his personality and felt somewhat helpless.

    ¡°Why must you be so shameless?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve known me long enough, it would be strange if I weren¡¯t shameless. Come on, Xiao Jingjing~¡±

    Cao Feiyu pouted and responded to her remark.

    Hearing Cao Feiyu¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless, but those words also sparked her memories.

    Cao Feiyu had grown up with her and had always been shameless, even to the point of being clingy.

    As a child, Cao Feiyu often stole her snacks, and she would beat him until he submitted before she let him go.

    After her interrogation, Cao Feiyu admitted that he thought she was weak and easy to bully, so he snatched her food every day.

    But Cao Feiyu was undeterred, continuing to steal her snacks daily, and even after a beating, he would cling to her, refusing to leave.

    Before Qiao Jing could finish reminiscing about her childhood memories, Cao Feiyu, thinking she was unwilling toe, started to throw a tantrum.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, are you really noting? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll trulye to your house to find you!¡±

    Cao Feiyu¡¯s voice brought Qiao Jing back to the present.

    She knew well the little schemes in Cao Feiyu¡¯s mind, intending toe to her house and then find an excuse to linger. And Zhan Qipei was quite the jealous type; when his jealousy red up, he could be quite annoying, and it was certain that trouble would arise if both men shed.

    To avoid the hassle, Qiao Jing still agreed, ¡°Fine, give me the time and ce.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong was still near the mall entrance, not having left yet, nning to buy the bag after Qiao Jing left.

    Seeing Qiao Jing standing at the entrance on the phone, Qiao Mengtong walked over directly, trying to eavesdrop on her conversation.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯sst words, Qiao Mengtong showed a contemptuous smile.

    Just as expected! If Qiao Jing has a ck card, it must be because she¡¯s kept by some old man. She¡¯s probably fixing a time to go to a hotel!

    No wonder she has a ck card, Qiao Jing, who is kept by a sugar daddy, is truly despicable!

    Not like her, for she is now a celebrity! Standing next to someone as poor and sour as Qiao Jing, she even feels it¡¯s a loss of face.

    ¡°Who was that sugar daddy you were talking to just now?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong waited until Qiao Jing had hung up the phone before she started mocking her.

    Qiao Jingpletely ignored her and started to walk away, not expecting to run into Qiao Mengtong at the mall.

    If Lin Xiuxiang were here, she would definitely make Qiao Mengtong perform the ¡°swallow the bag¡± trick; the thought of that scene made the corners of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth turn up.

    Thinking that Qiao Jing was mocking her, Qiao Mengtong stopped her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! I recentlynded a new role, and it¡¯s the second female lead. I¡¯ll definitely be more and more popr in the future!¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Qiao Jing uttered that word indifferently and left without looking back, leaving Qiao Mengtong alone, jumping up and down in frustration behind her.

    Qiao Jing found Lin Xiuxiang at the bubble tea shop, who was buying bubble tea.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, have this one! The strawberry vor is delicious!¡±

    Qiao Jing took the bubble tea from Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, helped her into the car, and then hailed another cab to head to the research institute.

    In the evening, after finishing her work at the research institute, Qiao Jing stepped out and nced at thete hour.

    ording to the time Cao Feiyu sent her, it would start in an hour and a half.

    At that moment, Cao Feiyu¡¯s call came through as if timed perfectly.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you¡¯re off work now, right? Can you buy me a cup of bubble tea on your way here? Our Xiao Jingjing is so kind, you certainly wouldn¡¯t refuse me, right?¡±

    With that one sentence, he blocked any of Qiao Jing¡¯s refusals. She got into the taxi, helplessly saying,

    ¡°You really don¡¯t stand on ceremony, do you?¡±

    ¡°Why should I be ceremonious with you? What¡¯s mine is yours, and what¡¯s yours is mine, right? I want the Oreo crumble with a milk cap!¡±

    Cao Feiyu had already started ordering his favorite vor, leaving Qiao Jing to helplessly facepalm.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I won¡¯t bring it? And you¡¯re even so brazen as to specify what vor you want?¡±

    ¡°No way, are you seriously not going to get it for me? Really? Can you really bear not to bring me bubble tea?¡±

    Cao Feiyu asked three questions in a row.

    Qiao Jing had already gotten out of the car, bought a cup of bubble tea, and got back in, casting a nce at the price of the bubble tea, she teased him on purpose.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy it, but you¡¯ll have to pay. Otherwise, I won¡¯t bring it.¡±

    ¡°Boo hoo, Xiao Jingjing, you don¡¯t love me anymore. You even want to charge me for a cup of bubble tea¡ªI¡¯m truly heartbroken!¡±

    During Cao Feiyu¡¯s whining, he had already entered the film set, and his gaze hardened when he spotted a person appearing on set.

    Qiao Mengtong also immediately noticed Cao Feiyu, the top-tier star, and eagerly sidled over to him.

    ¡°Hello, Senior Feiyu.¡±

    Upon hearing the title Qiao Mengtong gave him, Cao Feiyu got goosebumps all over his body.

    He quickly took several steps back and lowered his voice, speaking into the phone,

    ¡°I¡¯ve arrived at the set, so I¡¯ll hang up now, ha. We¡¯re such good friends, do you really have the heart to take my money?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s correct your earlier statement: I¡¯ve never loved you, goodbye.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue joking around and hung up the phone.

    After hearing the busy tone on the phone, Cao Feiyu put away his mobile, the smile on his face disappearing as he looked at Qiao Mengtong beside him.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 266: 256: Let Qiao Jing Slap Himself Twice

    Chapter 266: Chapter 256: Let Qiao Jing p Himself Twice

    Cao Feiyu had grown up with Qiao Jing; naturally, he knew all about the Qiao Family¡¯s affairs, and he harbored hostility towards everyone in the Qiao Family.

    His Xiao Jingjing had been abandoned in the snowy field back then because of this mother and daughter! How could he possibly not despise them?

    The smile on Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face instantly stiffened.

    She had been curious about who could be so familiar with Cao Feiyu. Right after the phone call ended, his attitude changed immediately,pletely different from how he had been on the call.

    Cao Feiyu¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Mengtong was not good, which made her look terribly upset, yet she had to maintain a pleasing smile.

    ¡°I just wanted toe over and chat with you. It¡¯s my honor to work with Senior Feiyu this time.¡±

    ...

    Although this female supporting role was also stuffed into the film through Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s influence.

    ¡°Call me by my name, I have nothing good to talk about with you.¡±

    Because he was in the film crew, Cao Feiyu did not say the second half of the sentence ¡°you¡¯re very disgusting.¡± He turned around and entered the makeup room without giving Qiao Mengtong or her palette-like face a single nce.

    Qiao Mengtong also felt the disdain in Cao Feiyu¡¯s words, somewhat embarrassed, but fortunately, he entered the makeup room, no longer forcing her to face him.

    The other supporting actors and extras in the crew had witnessed this scene; they were too far away to hear their conversation.

    Seeing Cao Feiyu chatting with Qiao Mengtong, they subconsciously assumed the two knew each other and were quite familiar.

    An extra came over to gather information.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong, I just saw you chatting with Cao Feiyu. Do you two know each other?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong immediately put on a generous smile and answered the female extra.

    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±

    Technically, she did know Cao Feiyu, and regardless, she had to save face in front of others.

    ¡°You actually know Cao Feiyu?!¡±

    The female extra¡¯s face was full of surprise; she hadn¡¯t anticipated that an eighteenth-tier actress like Qiao Mengtong could have connections with a top-tier star like Cao Feiyu.

    Qiao Mengtong proudly nodded, boasting.

    ¡°Of course, I know him well! Otherwise, why would I have been chatting with him just now?¡±

    The female extra looked at Qiao Mengtong with envy, uttered a sour ¡°Oh,¡± and ran back to tell the other extras about it.

    Within minutes, Qiao Mengtong received many envious nces from the other extras, feeling herself elevated high, with great prestige.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing also arrived at the film set with milk tea. She nced around, did not see Cao Feiyu but spotted Qiao Mengtong.

    Qiao Mengtong also noticed Qiao Jing and seeing her holding a cup of milk tea, walked over and began to taunt.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Is this milk tea for your sugar daddy? Your sugar daddy is an old man, right? Don¡¯t you know milk tea is bad for greasy middle-aged men?¡±

    Qiao Jing coldly nced at Qiao Mengtong and ignored her, waiting for Cao Feiyu toe out.

    If Cao Feiyu heard this remark, he would definitely have argued with Qiao Mengtong.

    Because he was the ¡°old sugar daddy¡± Qiao Mengtong mentioned.

    ¡°Not talking? What are you doing at the film set? Don¡¯t tell me you also want to be a star?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong crossed her arms and stood beside Qiao Jing.

    Others had noticed the scene here, and they also nced over, especially the female extra who had just learned that Qiao Mengtong knew Cao Feiyu.

    Qiao Jing intended to look for Cao Feiyu, but as soon as she took a few steps, she felt Qiao Mengtong following her.

    Seeing Qiao Jing ignoring her had already made her upset, and this time she definitely couldn¡¯t let here out of this unscathed!

    She was determined to embarrass Qiao Jing in front of everyone!

    Seeing Qiao Jing trying to leave, Qiao Mengtong reached out to grab her.

    Qiao Jing realized what was happening, and she stepped aside to avoid Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand, feeling toozy to entangle with such people.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand hovered awkwardly in mid-air, and she quickly drew it back, starting to boast to Qiao Jing about her getting the role of the second female lead.

    ¡°I told youst time that I was going to be the second female lead, right? I know a lot of directors, they all have resources and connections. If you want to survive in this circle,¡± she paused before continuing.

    ¡°You better apologize to me. My fans can¡¯t even get in touch with me, and you dared to dodge me just now?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned and pulled out her phone to check the time. Where could Cao Feiyu be at this moment?

    Seeing Qiao Jing furrow her brows at her phone, Qiao Mengtong thought she was worried about not meeting her sugar daddy.

    ¡°Can¡¯t meet your sugar daddy? How about this, beg me a few times, and maybe I can reluctantly help you. I don¡¯t have very high demands, just p yourself hard in the face twice in public.¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Qiao Mengtong from start to finish and found her very boring. It was always the same nonsensical talk.

    Qiao Mengtong once again felt like she was punching cotton. She clenched her fists in anger, ¡°You don¡¯t want the face I¡¯m giving you?¡±

    At that moment, Qiao Jing felt Qiao Mengtong was like a buzzing fly, annoyingly loud everywhere.

    She turned around and red at Qiao Mengtong, ¡°Say one more word, and I¡¯ll have someone throw you out of the crew.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, dark like a deep pool, and couldn¡¯t help feeling intimidated.

    With Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp look just now, Qiao Mengtong felt a chill running up her spine, her hair standing on end!

    What¡¯s going on? It was just a look from her, how did it scare me so much?

    However, Qiao Mengtong quickly reminded herself that Qiao Jing was no longer the mistress of the Zhan Family¡ªwhere did she get the power to throw her out? She was just puffing herself up a moment ago!

    That¡¯s when she opened her mouth to retort against Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Do you think this is your house? Thinking you can just throw me out as you please? I think it¡¯s more like you, an irrelevant person, should be thrown out!¡±

    When Qiao Jing had just arrived, she noticed a sign at the entrance of this crew, belonging to a filmpany started by Zhan Qipei.

    She indeed had the ability to have Qiao Mengtong thrown out.

    At this moment, Cao Feiyu emerged from his private dressing room.

    He had just finished taking headshots, and with the intricate makeup on his face, his handsome features were even more striking!

    The moment Cao Feiyu appeared, he captured the attention of everyone present, and their focus shifted away from Qiao Jing.

    The female extras couldn¡¯t help but swoon over him.

    ¡°Feiyu is really too handsome! He truly deserves to be the top star in the industry! His face is a knockout!¡±

    ¡°And Feiyu has over eighty million fans, oh my goodness, no wonder, that face really is a knockout, and his acting is so good too!¡±

    ¡°He is the new Movie King! I can¡¯t imagine what kind of woman could win Feiyu.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Indeed, Qiao Mengtong was dazzled by Cao Feiyu¡¯s appearance too, staring at him infatuated, her eyes filled with admiration.

    She saw Qiao Jing standing still and spoke up, ¡°Is this your first time seeing Cao Feiyu in person?¡±

    Still getting no response, Qiao Mengtong was stubborn and walked up to Qiao Jing, lowering her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve met Cao Feiyu many times, and he even praised my acting. Aren¡¯t you envious?¡±

    ¡°If you p yourself in the face twice now, in front of everyone, I can try to help introduce you to him, and maybe he¡¯ll give you an autograph or even take a photo.¡±

    Their attention not on Qiao Mengtong and Qiao Jing anymore, they turned to gaze at Cao Feiyu¡¯s face.

    At that moment, Cao Feiyu gave a big smile in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

 Chapter 267: 257 Ive come to take you home

    Chapter 267: Chapter 257 I¡¯vee to take you home

    Cao Feiyu waved excitedly in our direction.

    Qiao Mengtong immediately became excited¡ªCao Feiyu was greeting her!

    She purposefully used a darling nickname to provoke Qiao Jing, wanting to unt her closeness with Cao Feiyu and make Qiao Jing envious of her.

    ¡°Did you see that? I told you I¡¯m very close with Feiyu, and he¡¯s even greeting me. p yourself twice, and I can get him to give you an autograph right now.¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Qiao Mengtong a look as if she was regarding a lunatic, feeling even more speechless about her.

    Besides, when did Cao Feiyu and Qiao Mengtong be so close?

    ...

    Cao Feiyu seemed to have spotted something and got a bit excited. Ignoring the makeup artist who was fixing his clothes, he headed straight towards Qiao Jing.

    The makeup artist who was following him tried to keep up, but Cao Feiyu gestured for her to stay where she was.

    The female extras nearby noticed Cao Feiyu moving in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction and assumed he was heading towards Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°No way! Is Feiyu going to see Qiao Mengtong?¡±

    ¡°I just asked her if she knew Cao Feiyu, and she said not only does she know him, they¡¯re pretty close.¡±

    ¡°So it really is like that, huh? Hey, they couldn¡¯t be¡­ you know¡­ that kind of rtionship, right?¡±

    The conversation beside her only embellished Qiao Mengtong¡¯s fantasies even more.

    It seemed she held a pretty high position in Cao Feiyu¡¯s mind; he ran over to her even without his clothes being properly arranged.

    It was too unbelievable. If word of this got out today, she would definitely be quite popr!

    She had specifically dressed up for today to join the cast, putting on a delicate makeup look. Could it be that Cao Feiyu was attracted to her?

    What to do now? Even Cao Feiyu seemed to fancy her, yet she didn¡¯t want to give up on Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei. Surely, she was a hundred times better than Qiao Jing.

    Otherwise, how could so many men like her?

    At this time, Cao Feiyu had also reached the two of them. Qiao Mengtong struck what she thought was a fetching pose, attempting to greet him.

    ¡°Cao¡ª¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you finally came! I¡¯ve missed you so much. This milk tea is mine, right? I knew you wouldn¡¯t forget to buy it for me.¡±

    Cao Feiyu took the cup of milk tea from Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, inserted the straw into the cup, and took a big sip.

    Qiao Mengtong, upon hearing Cao Feiyu¡¯s words, stared at the two, mouth agape. The words she hadn¡¯t finished saying were swallowed back down.

    Her fixed smile was reced by shock, and her raised hand didn¡¯t know where to rest.

    All she wanted right now was to find a hole to crawl into. Wasn¡¯t Cao Feiyu supposed to be looking for her? Why did he run over to Qiao Jing?

    And why did the two of them seem so familiar with each other?

    The female extras around them clearly hadn¡¯t anticipated this scene either.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Qiao Mengtong say she knew Cao Feiyu?¡±

    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s actually acquainted with that girl beside her, and they seem quite intimate too. Feiyu called her Xiao Jingjing?¡±

    ¡°Look at Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face; it¡¯s frozen, right? She probably tricked us earlier. Also, who is that girl? She¡¯s so pretty.¡±

    Qiao Jing sidestepped a hug that Cao Feiyu intended for her.

    ¡°Milk tea will make you gain weight. Your manager doesn¡¯t care? I¡¯ll go get him.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong watched Qiao Jing with schadenfreude¡ªhow dare she tell Cao Feiyu he¡¯d gain weight?

    She remembered Cao Feiyu hated threats the most; Qiao Jing was as good as dead!

    After hearing that, Cao Feiyu stopped sipping his milk tea and made a pitiful face.

    ¡°Wait! Xiao Jingjing, that¡¯s so heartless of you. You say such hurtful things the moment we meet. I¡¯ll just drink a little bit, please don¡¯t tell my manager, okay?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong couldn¡¯t believe that the person in front of her was Cao Feiyu, her mouth agape in shock.

    Cao Feiyu didn¡¯t scold Qiao Jing?! And he was even indulging her?!

    With an expressionless face, Qiao Jing said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting fat?¡±

    ¡°Afraid of what? This is specially fed by Xiao Jingjing. If I get fat, so be it. But enough about that, Xiao Jingjing, I really missed you. Not only have we not seen each other for so long, but you also don¡¯t n toe to my start-up ceremony!¡±

    Cao Feiyuined about Qiao Jing¡¯s ¡®crimes¡¯ with a look of grievance.

    ¡°I recall that we met not long ago.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, reminding him.

    Cao Feiyu pretended not to hear and kept clinging to Qiao Jing, saying things others had no chance of hearing.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time! Xiao Jingjing, do you not know what ¡®a day apart feels like three seasons have passed¡¯? How about this, from now on you can live at my ce, or I can live at yours, so we can see each other every day.¡±

    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ve thought it over, just marry me. I¡¯ll take care of you every day, doing theundry, mopping the floors, sweeping, cooking, it¡¯ll all be on me! Plus, free bed-warming service included!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, who was closest to the two, heard every word clearly!

    Her mouth dropped open wide enough to fit an egg, stunned. Was that really Cao Feiyu?!

    And Qiao Jing said they had met not long ago? Had they been meeting in secret frequently?

    How could that be?! How could Qiao Jing possibly know Cao Feiyu? One is a big star, the other is a bumpkin; how could they possibly know each other?!

    ¡°Get lost,¡± Qiao Jing said curtly.

    And with that, she turned on her heel and started to walk away as if she intended to leave the set.

    Cao Feiyu immediately hustled to keep up with her, even beginning to whine yfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so heartless, Xiao Jingjing, do you really not love me anymore?¡±

    Watching the two leave, Qiao Mengtong stood there, dumbfounded.

    How could this be? How could they be so familiar with each other? And the things Cao Feiyu said, they shook her world view!

    What exactly is the rtionship between Qiao Jing and Cao Feiyu? From the looks of their conversation, it seems entirely one-sided on Cao Feiyu¡¯s part!

    The female extras standing further away couldn¡¯t hear their conversation clearly, only catching bits about Xiao Jingjing.

    As Cao Feiyu left, they also dispersed, a few of theirments reaching Qiao Mengtong¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong really has a thick face, aiming so high as to catch Cao Feiyu¡¯s attention.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! I knew it, how could such a nobody like her know Cao Feiyu? She was just boasting.¡±

    ¡°She even said she was close to Feiyu, look at her getting pped in the face now. I was envious of her at the time.¡±

    These words felt like ps to Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face, her cheeks burning as eachmentnded.

    Not to mention, she had imed she¡¯d get Qiao Jing an autograph and the like! With Cao Feiyu practically ready to take Qiao Jing home, would he still need her introduction?

    The start-up ceremony began, and the lead actor Cao Feiyu left Qiao Jing with reluctance, took a few stylized photos, and a group photo with everyone.

    Seeing that Cao Feiyu was about to leave after taking the stylized photos, Qiao Jing nned to leave as well, but he noticed and stopped her.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, wait for me to finish, and I¡¯ll take you out for dinner. I¡¯ll be done soon!¡±

    Qiao Jing also didn¡¯t mind. She didn¡¯t have anything else to do that evening, so she decided to stay until the ceremony was over.

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing received a phone call. She nced at Cao Feiyu who was still taking photos, then walked to a less crowded spot and pressed the answer button.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m now waiting for you at the entrance of the set. It¡¯ste, and I¡¯vee to take you home.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was standing outside the set entrance, his gaze lingering on the doorway.

 Chapter 268: 258: Zhan Qipei vs Cao Feiyu

    Chapter 268: Chapter 258: Zhan Qipei vs Cao Feiyu

    Qiao Jing responded with a yes and hung up the phone.

    At this time, Cao Feiyu had also just finished up and found himself alone.

    Qiao Jing walked up to him, ¡°I need to head back now, we¡¯ll eat next time.¡±

    Cao Feiyu pursed his lips, since Qiao Jing had already agreed, she wouldn¡¯t break it casually unless something came up.

    Could it be that Zhan Qipei was urging her to go home?

    Thinking this, Cao Feiyu felt like he was facing a great enemy, grabbing Qiao Jing and bombarding her with questions.

    ...

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to go eat with me? Why do you suddenly need to go back? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Zhan Qipei is outside the crew, he wants to pick me up and take me back.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to dy Zhan Qipei¡¯s time any further and kept walking as she answered Cao Feiyu.

    Cao Feiyu immediately showed a vignt expression, indeed, Zhan Qipei hade to snatch his Xiao Jingjing from him again!

    The thought alone made Cao Feiyu stick close behind Qiao Jing, fearing that she might be taken away by Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What? He¡¯se to pick you up? Are you going to abandon me for him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m abandoning you. Why are you still following me?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t stop walking, and Cao Feiyu at her side didn¡¯t stop either.

    Cao Feiyu¡¯s eyes widened as he began to argue with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Have you been possessed? You¡¯re not my Xiao Jingjing! Give my real Xiao Jingjing back! She would never abandon me!¡±

    Qiao Jing no longer paid any attention to Cao Feiyu, who was acting like a drama king.

    While they talked, they had reached the entrance of the crew, and when Cao Feiyu and she came out, he instantly spotted the conspicuous Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s height made him hard to overlook, and coupled with the suit that made him stand out among others, especially that icy face, he was quite striking.

    Cao Feiyu felt the sharp, icy gaze on him and defiantly red back, moving closer to Qiao Jing.

    The gaze grew colder, giving Cao Feiyu the feeling that if stares could kill, Zhan Qipei might have killed him hundreds of times.

    Facing Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, Cao Feiyu felt a chill down his spine, which slightly intimidated him, but he still stubbornly stared back.

    So what if you¡¯re my boss? Humph, who told you topete with me for Xiao Jingjing? I¡¯m not afraid of you! I would sacrifice everything for love!

    Zhan Qipei ignored Cao Feiyu and when he shifted his gaze to Qiao Jing, that icy sharp look instantly softened.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, who had secretly followed Qiao Jing out, was utterly shocked upon seeing Zhan Qipei.

    What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei already divorced? Why is he stilling to pick her up in person?

    Moreover, why is Zhan Qipei¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing so good? He¡¯s even saying things like ¡°let¡¯s go home¡±!

    Why are two such outstanding men like Cao Feiyu and Zhan Qipei pursuing Qiao Jing? What¡¯s so good about her?

    First, I was slept by the director, and then tormented by the two Zhan brothers like this. Why should Qiao Jing be pursued by these two men?

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s jealousy was going crazy inside. Her fingernails were deeply embedded in her palms, her teeth grinding noisily, and her face twisted in a grotesque expression that would surely startle anyone seeing it.

    ¡°Did you drink something cold?¡±

    Zhan Qipei noticed the bottle of mineral water in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, raised his brows, and touched her hand, finding some droplets of water.

    His dry fingertips slowly rubbed over the water in the palm of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, helping her to dry the undried droplets.

    ¡°Why did you drink something cold when you have your period? Also, I told you before that you shouldn¡¯t drink cold beverages.¡±

    He still remembered how ufortable Qiao Jing was, and to his dismay, she had drunk something cold behind his back.

    Moreover, today was precisely the first day of Qiao Jing¡¯s period, when drinking something cold was strictly forbidden.

    Qiao Jing paused, the mineral water in her palm had been frozen, which Cao Feiyu had taken out from his dedicated fridge because he was worried she might get thirsty.

    But why did Zhan Qipei remember so clearly?

    Qiao Jing was inevitably touched inside because it¡¯s quite rare for a man to remember the timing of a woman¡¯s period.

    Cao Feiyu also froze, why did Zhan Qipei know so precisely about Qiao Jing¡¯s period? Didn¡¯t that mean the cold mineral water he gave her was jeopardizing her health?

    Qiao Mengtong clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, hiding nearby as she secretly listened to the three people talking.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, still feeling the warmth of Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingertips in her palm, yet she felt somewhat touched.

    ¡°Huh? She hasn¡¯t arrived today?¡±

    She was pregnant now, how could she possiblye?

    Zhan Qipei had brought Qiao Jing to the car, he definitely hadn¡¯t gotten the time wrong.

    ¡°It was dyed.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much else and walked toward the car with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei hummed in acknowledgment, after all, the timing couldn¡¯t be exact every month, he didn¡¯t forget to remind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°When you doe, tell me. You must tell me, I¡¯ll cook something for you to drink.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused slightly, nodding gently.

    Cao Feiyu¡¯s eyes widened, why do you need to report your period to him?!

    On the side, Qiao Mengtong frowned deeply, Zhan Qipei was actually going to cook something for Qiao Jing? The CEO was so nice to Qiao Jing?! And the two of them were clearly divorced!

    While they were talking, they had reached the car, and Qiao Jing got into the car.

    Cao Feiyu, still standing there, immediately followed, blocking the car door that Zhan Qipei was about to close.

    ¡°Wait, I want to go with Xiao Jingjing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Cao Feiyu with a chilly gaze, casually spitting out a sentence.

    ¡°Where are you going? To Africa to shoot a film?¡±

    Go to hell!

    Cao Feiyu, with his head half-lowered, kept rolling his eyes, feeling like a herd of F-words was galloping through his mind.

    This man is really damn petty!

    Cao Feiyu, feeling aggrieved, looked toward Qiao Jing and grumbled.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, he¡¯s bullying me.¡±

    Qiao Jing also turned her head back, holding back augh, looked toward Zhan Qipei, nodding in agreement.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good suggestion. It would be nice for him to act in Africa.¡±

    She deliberately paused, looking at Cao Feiyu, and spoke leisurely.

    ¡°Besides, I remember his childhood dream was to ride on an elephant, so just let him go shoot a film and fulfill that wish.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Cao Feiyu became even more aggrieved, pursing his lips, showing a sad expression.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you¡¯ve changed, you¡¯re actually teaming up with Zhan Qipei to bully me, even saying you¡¯re sending me to Africa to shoot a film, which was clearly just a casual childhood remark. I¡¯m heartbroken and leaving now.¡±

    After saying that, he turned and walked towards the film crew. Having walked a few steps without hearing anyone behind him calling his name, he folded back.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, aren¡¯t you really going to hold me back? Aren¡¯t you going to coax me at all?¡±

    Qiao Jing closed the car door for Zhan Qipei, rolled down the window, and seeing Cao Feiyu¡¯s pretend sorrowful face, she spoke deliberately cold.

    ¡°Go on, don¡¯te back. I¡¯m heading home.¡±

    Cao Feiyu dramatically clutched at his chest, casting a hurt look at Qiao Jing, and trudged towards the film crew with drooping shoulders.

    ¡°Alright, Xiao Jingjing, this time I¡¯m truly heartbroken and leaving.¡±

    Qiao Jing knew what Cao Feiyu was like, so she didn¡¯t say anything.

    Zhan Qipei started the car and headed home.

    Once the two had left, Cao Feiyu returned to his usual demeanour, and on his way back to the set, he saw Qiao Mengtong with a contorted face.

    Why is she here? She looks like she wants to eat someone.

    Cao Feiyu furrowed his brows and hurried back to the film crew.

 Chapter 269: 259: Wu Xirui Wants to Cooperate with Wonderful Hall

    Chapter 269: Chapter 259: Wu Xirui Wants to Cooperate with Wonderful Hall

    A weekter, as Qiao Jing had juste out of the institute, she received a message from Zhou Fu.

    ¡°Master, an elderly family member of mine passed away, so I need to return to my hometown. I¡¯ve messaged you to request leave, but I¡¯ve also taken on a few patients and won¡¯t have time to sit in at the clinic. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to trouble you to cover my clinic duty these next few days.¡±

    Qiao Jing replied swiftly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    It just so happened that she had also finished her work at the institute during this period and had the time to sit in at Wonderful Hall.

    The next day, Qiao Jing arrived at Wonderful Hall at her usual work time.

    As soon as she stepped into Wonderful Hall, she saw Lou Xinrou sitting on a stool inside.

    ...

    What was Lou Xinrou doing here?

    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Jing noticed the intern badge hanging on Lou Xinrou¡¯s chest that she btedly remembered this matter.

    Zhou Fu had mentioned to her before that Lou Xinrou was so persistent that it gave him a headache. No matter how he tried to send her away, she insisted on staying at Wonderful Hall.

    She even sat in the shop for several hours every day. At first, when Lou Xinrou remained silent, it was better, butter, probably because she saw that Zhou Fu ignored her, she became incessantly chatty.

    Then, she casually suggested that if it really didn¡¯t work out, they could let Lou Xinrou stay to intern.

    However, there really wasn¡¯t anything significant in Wonderful Hall that could be assigned to Lou Xinrou to do; at most, she could assist with minor tasks and handle some herbs.

    Qiao Jing still remembered Zhou Fu¡¯s reluctance in his tone. It was only after considering the fact that it was her suggestion that he pondered for a moment and reluctantly epted it.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing arrive, Lou Xinrou looked down at the weighty badge on her chest as if it gave her boundless confidence.

    She straightened the badge on her chest and boasted to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Look, I have now be an intern at Wonderful Hall. He¡¯s just a person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Although he verbally refused to take me as an apprentice, he still let me intern at Wonderful Hall.¡±

    Lou Xinrou also picked up her intern badge and waved it in front of Qiao Jing before continuing.

    ¡°I told you before, didn¡¯t I? Master Zhou will definitely take me as his apprentice. He must think I¡¯m talented, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have taken me on as an intern. Once my internship is over, I¡¯ll be able to be his apprentice!¡±

    After listening, Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows and smiled.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Lou Xinrou detected the disdain in Qiao Jing¡¯s voice and felt extremely annoyed!

    What did Qiao Jing mean by that? Did she think what she said was wrong?

    But Master Zhou must have seen her talent, which was why he took her on as an intern. And now that she was an intern, how far could bing an apprentice be?

    Yet, whenever she thought about Master Zhou calling Qiao Jing ¡°Master,¡± she felt inferior.

    But it was just a ¡°Master,¡± perhaps for some other area; it couldn¡¯t possibly be Divine Doctor Jing.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just envious of me!¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored her and took a seat to flip through medical books.

    Meanwhile, the deputy manager of Wonderful Hall was in the VIP room entertaining a special guest.

    The deputy manager had the person following him pour a cup of hot tea for Wu Xirui,

    Meanwhile, the deputy manager of Wonderful Hall was in the VIP room entertaining a special guest.

    The deputy manager had the person following him pour a cup of hot tea for Wu Xirui, cing it in front of him and apologizing for thest cooperation issue.

    ¡°I must apologize to Fifth Master about that coboration. I seemed insincere on the phonest time, so I specifically invited you to Wonderful Hall today to have tea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fifth Master. Although I agreed to the coboration, the big boss firmly decided to go with the Zhan Family, and I was powerless,¡± said the deputy manager with a look of helplessness.

    Upon hearing the term ¡°big boss,¡± Wu Xirui¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, concealing danger and curiosity. He thoughtfully touched his chin.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure whether I should ask about or not.¡±

    The second boss felt somewhat nervous as he faced Wu Xirui¡¯s sharp gaze, and he hurriedly answered.

    ¡°Ah, Fifth Master, please speak, whatever I can answer, I will definitely tell you.¡±

    Wu Xirui was quite satisfied with the second boss¡¯s attitude and revealed a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes.

    ¡°Is the big boss of Wonderful Hall Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Upon hearing this question, the second boss paused slightly before immediately adopting a slick and smooth attitude.

    ¡°Ah, Fifth Master, that¡¯s something I really can¡¯t reveal.¡±

    Wu Xirui noticed the second boss¡¯s momentary hesitation and felt a vague guess forming in his mind.

    Seeing that Wu Xirui did not respond, the second boss quickly shifted the topic, fearing that he might ask about the identity of the big boss again.

    ¡°How about this, Fifth Master, let me treat you to another meal, to show more sincerity.¡±

    Wu Xirui also readily agreed and brought up the real intent of his visit.

    ¡°We should definitely have a meal, but that¡¯s a separate matter. My main purpose foring here is to discuss another business deal.¡±

    The second boss immediately perked up and asked, ¡°What business?¡±

    ¡°I n to open a branch of Wonderful Hall overseas. I¡¯m sure the second boss is aware of my Overseas Group. I hope to use this opportunity for a better cooperation with Wonderful Hall.¡±

    Wu Xirui took a sip of tea, waiting for the second boss¡¯s response.

    Upon hearing this, the second boss thought carefully; this was a great opportunity.

    With Wu Xirui¡¯s channels, it would not only expand Wonderful Hall¡¯s influence and increase its fame, but it might also pave the way for international expansion!

    However, because of the unexpected result of thest deal, the second boss didn¡¯tmit in his own name, only expressing his point of view.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea and has high feasibility,¡± he said.

    Wu Xirui raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Does that mean the second boss agrees?¡±

    The second boss quickly waved his hands and exined to the other party.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless if I agree, we all follow the big boss¡¯s orders¡ªit¡¯s whatever the big boss says that counts.¡±

    If he agreed on his own ord this time and the big boss didn¡¯t wish to cooperate, it would mean offending the Fifth Master yet again.

    He certainly didn¡¯t want to offend Wu Xirui again; it could even drag Wonderful Hall into trouble.

    Wu Xirui also frowned, feigning distress, and after a while, he finally spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but could I possibly meet with the big boss in person and talk directly with her? That way, there wouldn¡¯t be any unexpected issues, right?¡±

    His real goal was to meet this so-called big boss and see for himself who she was; thest coboration had unexpectedly involved Zhan Qipei.

    The second boss looked troubled; he knew Qiao Jing disliked being in the spotlight and thought of a solution.

    ¡°Fifth Master, it¡¯s not easy for me to say. How about I make a call to the big boss?¡±

    Wu Xirui nodded, and the second boss hurriedly stood up to make the call outside.

    ¡°Big boss, there¡¯s an Overseas Group that wants to cooperate with our Wonderful Hall to expand channels overseas¡­¡± The second boss ryed Wu Xirui¡¯s proposed n with emphasis on the benefits, refining the proposal he had been told.

    Qiao Jing thought briefly, quickly grasping the interests involved, and responded, ¡°Hmm, I think it¡¯s possible, but it depends on how much dividend they want.¡±

    If they could open an overseas branch of Wonderful Hall, it was undoubtedly more beneficial for them.

    However, if the other party wanted a high dividend, the proposal might be rejected.

    ¡°We can¡¯t settle it directly; let¡¯s find time for a meeting in the next few days to discuss it further.¡±

 Chapter 270: 260: Wu Xirui Beguiles Qiao Jing

    Chapter 270: Chapter 260: Wu Xirui Beguiles Qiao Jing

    The second manager also hastily responded with a few affirmatives, admitting that the big boss had thought things through well, and Wu Xirui hadn¡¯t mentioned how much of a share he wanted.

    If he wanted seventy percent when the time came, and Wonderful Hall received only thirty percent, then this would be a losing deal.

    The preliminary n was set, and as the second manager was about to hang up the phone, Qiao Jing suddenly thought of something and asked a question.

    ¡°Whichpany wants to cooperate with us?¡±

    ¡°SA Overseas Group.¡±

    After saying this, the second manager also nced at the tightly closed door of the VIP room.

    ...

    When Qiao Jing heard this, she was somewhat surprised. Wasn¡¯t this Wu Xirui¡¯spany? Why did they suddenly want to cooperate with Wonderful Hall?

    Could it be because thest cooperation hadn¡¯t worked out, he wanted to negotiate another?

    The call was then disconnected, and as Qiao Jing was thinking this, the second manager came down from the second floor with Wu Xirui.

    When Wu Xirui saw Qiao Jing, a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. He hade to discuss cooperation, and she was just downstairs? Was this a coincidence?

    ¡°What are you doing at Wonderful Hall? Are you here for the clinic?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, her emotions steady, ¡°Yes.¡±

    She was sitting right there; what else would she be doing if not seeing patients?

    ¡°I¡¯vee here to talk business.¡±

    As Wu Xirui said this, his gaze lingered on Qiao Jing¡¯s face for a few seconds, trying to discern something from her expression.

    But Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was as indifferent as usual.

    Wu Xirui thought carefully, remembering the auction where Qiao Jing had spent a huge amount of money on that painting alone, a fact about which he had always been suspicious, having sent people to investigate but without finding any clues, and not knowing how she had so much money.

    Moreover, his myocardial ischemia, despite having ess to the world-leading medical technologies in the United States, couldn¡¯t be cured.

    While abroad, he had heard of the renowned Divine Doctor Jing in his own country, yet he had never had the opportunity to meet her.

    Divine Doctor Jing was elusive and unconventional, rarely seen and seldom epting invitations, so he also hadn¡¯t managed to invite her to treat his condition.

    But Qiao Jing could treat his illness¡ªcould she be connected to Divine Doctor Jing, or even, could she be Divine Doctor Jing herself?!

    Wu Xirui thought and felt it unlikely, looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s youthfully clear face, barely in her early twenties.

    Divine Doctor Jing, highly respected and skilled, and internationally renowned¡ªhow could she be so young?

    But from the second manager¡¯s reaction, he could tell that Wonderful Hall definitely had ties to Divine Doctor Jing, but as to what those ties were, it remained unknown.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t seem to care much, withdrawing her gaze from Wu Xirui and looking down at the medical book on her table.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, I won¡¯t leave for my lunch break, it saves you the trip to mypany for a check-up, you can just look at it here.¡±

    Wu Xirui sat in front of Qiao Jing, his long, narrow eyes intently fixed on her.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was about to see a patient, the second manager didn¡¯t disturb them anymore.

    Qiao Jing exhaled softly a single word, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Since the lunch break was rather idle, Qiao Jing closed her medical book, preparing to check Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse then and there.

    Wu Xirui voluntarily rolled up his sleeves to his forearms and extended his arm towards Qiao Jing.

    His affectionate eyes, full of emotion, steadfastly gazed at Qiao Jing, unable to tear away; such a look could have bewitched any ordinary woman.

    Qiao Jing reached for Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse, her gaze direct and unflinching; she showed no reaction.

    Her face remained impassive, untouched by Wu Xirui¡¯s captivating eyes, her heart still without a ripple.

    Wu Xirui slightly narrowed his eyes, unblinkingly staring at Qiao Jing, the corners of his eyes naturally enchanting.

    However, in front of him was Qiao Jing, who could remain unflustered no matter what.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t reacting, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t help but start a conversation.

    ¡°How is it? A lot better than before, right? I haven¡¯t smoked recently.¡±

    Qiao Jing answered, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m feeling a bit better.¡±

    Wu Xirui revealed a satisfied smile.

    ¡°So, is there any reward?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Wu Xirui a nk look speechlessly.

    ¡°Your body is your own; not smoking is a wise choice, not a bargaining chip for you to get benefits from me.¡±

    Wu Xirui curled the corner of his lips, Qiao Jing¡¯s response was as he expected. He leaned in a bit closer, speaking in a toneced with regret.

    ¡°Alright then.¡±

    Lou Xinrou, who had just returned from buying a cup of milk tea outside, witnessed this scene. She quickly took out her phone and snapped a photo of the two.

    Looking at the photo of Wu Xirui, whose gaze wasden with sentiment, she couldn¡¯t believe there was nothing going on between him and Qiao Jing!

    Using her good looks to flirt around everywhere, how could such a woman be worthy of Brother Pei? Brother Pei definitely didn¡¯t know about this yet!

    Lou Xinrou suddenly had an idea and sent the photo to Zhan Qipei.

    But if Brother Pei saw it, would he think she was being petty or that she was scheming?

    No, she couldn¡¯t let Brother Pei misunderstand her.

    Lou Xinrou immediately retracted the message that had been sent less than a minute ago and forwarded it to the small group with Su Manhan and the others, attaching a message.

    ¡°Encountered them at Wonderful Hall.¡±

    Su Manhan was the first to see the photo and snorted coldly.

    She knew this vixen, Qiao Jing, could never keep herself in check¡ªhere she was, finding another man already!

    Her son still kept defending Qiao Jing, not allowing anyone to speak a word of criticism.

    But it wasn¡¯t her son¡¯s fault, mainly because Qiao Jing was too good at pretending; her son was still in the dark.

    One day, I will definitely expose her true colors, make her reveal her foxy tail, and have Qipei kick her out of the house!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, this vixen! When no one is watching, she starts flirting with others. It¡¯s a good thing Xinrou came across this, or if other family members had seen it, it would have shamed the Zhan family!¡±

    ¡°Aunt Su, it¡¯s just the two of them in Wonderful Hall now. I saw them as soon as I got back, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t send it to anyone else.¡±

    Lou Xinrou added fuel to the fire.

    ¡°I think because it was only the two of them in the store, they dare to flirt like this! Wait a minute!¡±

    Su Manhan magnified the photo, squinting her eyes as she scrutinized Wu Xirui¡¯s face repeatedly, almost spitting out a mouthful of old blood from anger.

    ¡°That man is the one whopeted with Qipei for the Wonderful Hall business before! I saw Qiao Jing going to hispany a while back.¡±

    ¡°Qipei said she went there to treat someone, but I felt it was impossible. Turns out she really went there to seduce someone! Betraying us all! I wouldn¡¯t ept such a daughter-inw!¡±

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing also saw the message. She silently switched to her chat page with Qiao Jing and sent her a message.

    ¡°How do you know the boss of SA? He waspeting with my brother¡¯spany for business; did you know that?¡±

    At that time, Qiao Jing was treating Wu Xirui and wasn¡¯t looking at her phone, naturally unable to reply to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s message.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, packaged some medicinal herbs, and ced them on the table, ¡°Here¡¯s your medicine, take it regrly.¡±

    ¡°A new French restaurant opened in the capital, are you interested in trying it out with me? The chef there is world-renowned, it would be a shame to miss it.¡±

    Wu Xirui picked up his medicine and extended the invitation to Qiao Jing.

    Without any hesitation, Qiao Jing declined, ¡°No thanks.¡±

    Wu Xirui wasn¡¯t annoyed, merelymented, ¡°You really are heartless.¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored him and started reading the medical book on the table.

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t linger, taking his medicine as he left Wonderful Hall, but not without leaving a remark.

    ¡°If you feel like going,e find me, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at him, focusing intently on the medical book in her hands.

    The deputy manager had also brought back a preliminary contract and several printed documents, cing them in front of Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 271: 261: Drive Lou Xinrou Out

    Chapter 271: Chapter 261: Drive Lou Xinrou Out

    ¡°Big Boss, here¡¯s what I¡¯ve just rushed out. Have a look, President Wu¡¯s proposals are also included,¡±

    Qiao Jing took it and flipped through a few pages at random.

    Because the project was of great importance, the second boss dared not to overlook a single detail, and had printed out everything mentioned during the conversation with Wu Xirui.

    This resulted in a lengthy and detailed contract and documentation. Qiao Jing set the materials aside, nning to take them home to read.

    She took out her still vibrating phone¡ªalthough she had heard it vibrate while she was taking Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse just before.

    Zhan Nanqing?

    ...

    Qiao Jing clicked into the chat and, seeing the message sent by Zhan Nanqing, understood something and replied.

    ¡°The rtionship between a patient and a doctor.¡±

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and turned to look at Lou Xinrou, who was standing at the door with a cup of milk tea in her hand, engrossed in whatever she was saying on her phone.

    Her face still held an excited expression, delighted by Su Manhan¡¯s disdain for Qiao Jing, she joined in the disdainful talk about Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing knew why Zhan Nanqing would ask her that; she must have seen something.

    And how had she seen it?

    Only Lou Xinrou could have leaked the happenings of Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool voice rang out inside Wonderful Hall, containing a warning tone.

    ¡°If you take another photo and leak things from Wonderful Hall, don¡¯t bothering in tomorrow.¡±

    After hearing this, Lou Xinrou looked up, the sinister smirk on her face not yet receded.

    She just stared at Qiao Jing as if she had heard the funniest joke.

    You think you can just send me away because you said so? I¡¯m an intern personally taken in by Master Zhou!

    That¡¯s what Lou Xinrou thought to herself, and she said it out loud as she stepped forward towards Qiao Jing.

    She mmed the milk tea down on the table in front of Qiao Jing, beginning to mock her.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Who are you to Wonderful Hall? You think you can just send me away because you say so? I was personally brought in as an intern by Master Zhou!¡±

    ¡°Leak it? Hah! Whether I take photos or send them, is it any of your business? Do you really think you¡¯re the boss here?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt that she really shouldn¡¯t have casually mentioned letting Lou Xinrou intern at that moment.

    She hadn¡¯t seen Lou Xinrou take the initiative to distribute medicine either, as she went out to buy milk tea before lunch break.

    All these things showed that Lou Xinrou was not a dedicated person, and Qiao Jing¡¯s patience had reached its limit. She looked over at the second boss.

    ¡°Have finance settle her internship wages and let her go. There¡¯s no need for her to intern anymore; Wonderful Hall does not need such people.¡±

    Lou Xinrou couldn¡¯t stay calm anymore. She raised her voice sharply, her screech grating on the ears. At that moment, she wanted to smash the cup of milk tea onto Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What right do you have to send me away?! Master Zhou allowed me in! What authority do you have to dismiss me?!¡±

    ¡°Just now flirting with that man, and now you turn around and use me of leaking Wonderful Hall¡¯s matters? I think you¡¯re the one feeling guilty! You don¡¯t deserve Brother Pei!¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Lou Xinrou a cold nce and uttered a single word, ¡°Leave.¡±

    At that, Lou Xinrou was thoroughly enraged. She reached out to grab the milk tea to throw at Qiao Jing.

    But Qiao Jing¡¯s response was quicker than Lou Xinrou¡¯s¡ªher hand swiftly grabbed the other¡¯s wrist, immobilizing her.

    The milk tea in Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand fell, about to hit the table.

    In an instant!

    Qiao Jing caught the milk tea and tossed it into the trash bin, then let go of Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing wiped her hands with a tissue as if she had touched something filthy, wiping them over and over again.

    Lou Xinrou watched Qiao Jing¡¯s series of actions, shaking with anger, her teeth grinding audibly. Her nails dug so deep into her flesh that she was unaware of the pain.

    On what grounds did Qiao Jing have the audacity to send her away?! The second boss was right there, he surely knew she was brought in by Master Zhou!

    Qiao Jing was nothing but an outsider to Wonderful Hall! She couldn¡¯t possibly send her away!

    Lou Xinrou spoke to the second boss beside her.

    ¡°Second boss, I was brought in by Master Zhou¡ª¡±

    ¡°No need to say more.¡±

    The second boss¡¯s face also darkened. Could Lou Xinrou really have dared toy a hand on the big boss?!

    He walked over to Lou Xinrou, made a gesture of invitation, and spoke the polite words in the coldest tone.

    ¡°Miss Lou, please leave.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was the daughter of the Lou Family, he wouldn¡¯t even bother to be polite.

    Lou Xinrou looked at the second boss in disbelief, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.

    ¡°Second boss, I said I was brought in by Master Zhou. What right does she have to dismiss me? Why should I have to leave just because she says so?!¡±

    She never expected the second boss to actually side with Qiao Jing, especially when she was clearly brought in by Master Zhou!

    Master Zhou¡¯s status in the Wonderful Hall was countless times higher than Qiao Jing, an outsider¡ªwhy should she be expelled?

    The second boss was somewhat speechless. Of course, it was because Qiao Jing was the big boss!

    He didn¡¯t voice this thought, but his silent, cold face made his stance clear.

    Seeing the attitude from the second boss, Lou Xinrou stared fiercely at Qiao Jing, her words bing even more unpleasant.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you promiscuous woman, you will never be worthy of Brother Pei! Dismissing me after I catch you flirting with another man? Master Zhou will surely settle the score with you!¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t want your money either.¡±

    After saying these harsh words, Lou Xinrou stormed out without looking back, cursing Qiao Jing in her heart hundreds of times over.

    As the second boss listened to the words spilling from Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth, he frowned. Was this person really the daughter of the Lou Family?

    It was just a matter of checking the patient¡¯s pulse¡ªhow could she interpret that as Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui flirting?

    Thinking this, the second boss nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent expression and felt even more that Lou Xinrou was making a mountain out of a molehill.

    With the big boss¡¯s indifferent demeanor, others couldn¡¯t flirt with her even if they wanted to, unless it was one-sided from the other party!

    ¡°Big boss, do we not need to pay her wages?¡±

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want it, then don¡¯t give it. Has she even worked during this time?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned a page of the medical book, showing little reaction to the earlier events.

    The second boss thought it over and realized she probably hadn¡¯t, and shared what he knew with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°She did work, but only did what we told her to, never taking initiative. I¡¯ve even caught her skipping work before, and despite being reprimanded several times, she hasn¡¯t changed.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded lightly, focusing on the medical book in her hands.

    The second boss didn¡¯t disturb Qiao Jing any further.

    At six in the evening, Qiao Jing sent off thest patient and took the contract and documents to the vegetable market.

    By the time Qiao Jing got home, Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t returned yet.

    She ced the contract and documents on the living room table and turned to enter the kitchen to cook dinner.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei opened the door to the house, he smelled the enticing aroma of Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking.

    After changing his shoes, he passed by the kitchen and hurriedly said,

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with some work, and then I¡¯lle help in ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°No need, I can handle it myself.¡±

    Qiao Jing stirred the meat in the wok, adding some soy sauce for color.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond, thinking only of finishing his work quickly to assist his wife.

    As he walked through the living room, he noticed something on the table.

 Chapter 272: 262: Qiao Jing is Injured

    Chapter 272: Chapter 262: Qiao Jing is Injured

    Zhan Qipei halted his steps; the blue folder on the table was conspicuously obvious. He nced at Qiao Jing in the kitchen.

    What could be inside? Research institute materials?

    Qiao Jing never brought work home usually; was it because it¡¯s very important this time? Just how important was it?

    He hesitated for a while but eventually walked over to the table and flipped it open, only to find various documents from Wonderful Hall.

    When Zhan Qipei saw the three words ¡°Wonderful Hall,¡± the suspicions he had before surged back into his heart.

    Previously, after a single phone call from Qiao Jing, an order from Wonderful Hall hadnded in his hands, and that was when his doubts about the connection between the two first took root.

    ...

    The rumors had been saying that the big boss of Wonderful Hall was Divine Doctor Jing. Alongside that phone call from Qiao Jing, his conjectures grew even more certain.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei pick up the entire folder. He hadn¡¯t wanted to go through it initially, as prying into someone else¡¯s privacy was not right.

    But Qiao Jing was his wife, not just someone, so looking at it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    With that thought, Zhan Qipei started to go through the documents.

    They truly were important documents, and they were about Wonderful Hall¡¯s ns to expand their overseas channels.

    Such crucial documents had been brought home by Qiao Jing; indeed, his wife was the boss of Wonderful Hall.

    No wonder that with a single phone call from her, the order had been transferred to his hands.

    She was his wife, after all, aplished in every role.

    Suddenly!

    Zhan Qipei saw the name of an overseas corporation.

    ¡°SA Overseas Group?¡±

    His expression changed immediately upon seeing the group¡¯s name. He knitted his brows. That was Wu Xirui¡¯spany.

    Upon examining the uses mentioned inside the document carefully, Zhan Qipei immediately understood that the contract was concerning Wonderful Hall¡¯s cooperation in expanding overseas.

    As Zhan Qipei was engrossed in the contract, Qiao Jing came out of the kitchen with a te of food, noticing that he was looking at that contract and documents.

    Qiao Jing also saw the stern look on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face and guessed that he was feeling jealous.

    Without saying anything, she returned to the kitchen and brought out another te with sweet and sour ribs, cing it on the dining table.

    Zhan Qipei was brought back to his senses by the aroma of the food. Seeing that Qiao Jing was watching him, he pursed his lips and reced the contract to its original spot.

    He hesitated for a moment, wondering whether to ask her or not. If he didn¡¯t ask, would she go into partnership with Wu Xirui?

    Just the thought of Qiao Jing sitting together and discussing work with Wu Xirui darkened Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression by degrees. It can¡¯t be like this!

    ¡°Are you going to partner with Wu Xirui?¡±

    Zhan Qipei still asked tentatively.

    Qiao Jing lifted her gaze to Zhan Qipei, her face expressionless, ¡°Do you hope that I partner with him?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes gleamed with anticipation as he stared at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Can my hopes take precedence? If I prefer that you don¡¯t partner with him, will you not do so?¡±

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyelids, concealing her emotions, and after a moment, she replied to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I can take your words into consideration.¡±

    Zhan Qipei moved closer to Qiao Jing, speaking cautiously, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to partner with him.¡±

    Having said that, he kept his gaze fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, observing her expression.

    Qiao Jing picked up on the careful tone in his voice, feeling that at that moment, Zhan Qipei seemed like arge, dispirited dog; if she were to refuse him, his ears would droop.

    But she herself was also hesitating.

    She had once attempted to use her connections to push Wonderful Hall¡¯s expansion overseas, but since it¡¯s not in the empire, the process encountered resistance.

    Late due to certain reasons, she had put the n on hold, letting it develop naturally.

    However, Wu Xirui¡¯s SA Overseas Group was thriving abroad. If they were to cooperate, the pace of Wonderful Hall¡¯s overseas development could elerate significantly.

    All at once, the memory flooded Qiao Jing¡¯s mind of an earthquake where Zhan Qipei had shielded her with his body, an image she could never erase.

    Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei an answer.

    ¡°My rtionship with Wu Xirui is just that of an ordinary doctor and patient, and any coboration with him would also only be a normal business rtionship,¡±

    She exined to Zhan Qipei, not wanting to make him jealous over the cooperation¡ªhis jealousy was always troublesome.

    Zhan Qipei could hear the intent behind Qiao Jing¡¯s words; she was rifying her rtionship with Wu Xirui.

    But it also implied that Qiao Jing was nning to coborate with Wu Xirui.

    This made Zhan Qipei happy that Qiao Jing was exining herself but somewhat unhappy about her coboration with Wu Xirui.

    As her husband, however, he needed to consider her perspective; Zhan Qipei thought about it from her angle and his irritation promptly dissipated.

    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t interfere. But, I have a question for you, which I hope you can answer truthfully,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Zhan Qipei struggled internally for a while before voicing his question.

    ¡°Are you the big boss of Wonderful Hall?¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei also felt nervous. Would she tell him the truth or keep hiding it?

    A fleeting look of astonishment crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s face; she had an inkling of what wasing. Zhan Qipei must have seen the contract and information and probably guessed her identity already.

    She pursed her lips and finally nodded slightly.

    Zhan Qipei was even more delighted. Whether it was Professor Qiao, the foremost agricultural expert, Divine Doctor Jing with her exquisite medical skills, or the big boss behind Wonderful Hall,

    they all shared one trait: they didn¡¯t like being in the public eye.

    But Qiao Jing had been honest with him about all these identities, which proved she saw him differently than she did others.

    After clearing the air with Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing returned to the kitchen to finish the dish she had been working on.

    Zhan Qipei could no longer focus on his unfinished work and followed Qiao Jing into the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response, her head bowed as she sliced the tomatoes on the cutting board, though her mind was still on the previous conversation.

    Despite her decision to work with Wu Xirui, she couldn¡¯t quite shake a sense of difort.

    Could it be that her actions weren¡¯t so considerate towards Zhan Qipei? After all, she was now his wife, yet she had made a choice contrary to what he would have wanted.

    All of a sudden! A sharp pain shot through her fingertips.

    ¡°Hiss.¡±

    Qiao Jing reflexively withdrew her hand and saw that the tip of her index finger had started to ooze beads of blood, with little droplets blossoming on the cutting board.

    Zhan Qipei heard the noise from Qiao Jing¡¯s direction and turned to look. His heart seemed to skip a beat upon seeing the bleeding hand!

    He immediately walked up to Qiao Jing, grabbed her slender wrist, and without hesitation, took the injured finger into his mouth.

    By the time Qiao Jing realized what was happening, her wounded finger was already in Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth, and her heartbeat sped up a little.

    She felt a warm sensation on her fingertip and instinctively curled it.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for this trouble.¡±

    As Qiao Jing¡¯s finger retracted, she felt his tongue curl around her fingertip, wrapping tightly around the wound, preventing the blood from flowing out.

    This made Qiao Jing momentarily forget to pull her hand away.

    Feeling that he was not drawing back anymore, the soft tongue began to gently lick the wound, swallowing the beads of blood one by one.

    Only when the fingertip stopped bleeding did Zhan Qipei release her hand, as if he had let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bleeding anymore, it¡¯s okay now.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at her fingertip, then raised her eyes to Zhan Qipei.

    She could have just washed the blood off under the faucet and put on a bandage.

    But Zhan Qipei¡¯s series of actions were instinctual; he only wanted to staunch her bleeding instantly.

 Chapter 273: 263: Zhan Qipei Wants to Help Qiao Jing Take a Bath

    Chapter 273: Chapter 263: Zhan Qipei Wants to Help Qiao Jing Take a Bath

    Qiao Jing felt a tender spot in her heart had been touched.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s fingertip, which was no longer bleeding, and subconsciously licked his thin lips.

    This action did not go unnoticed by Qiao Jing, who said nothing but turned around to look for the first aid kit and retrieved a waterproof adhesive bandage.

    Zhan Qipei followed closely behind Qiao Jing and immediately stepped forward to take the bandage from her hand when he saw her pull it out.

    ¡°Let me help you with that.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned. It was just a bandage; she could do it herself.

    ...

    ¡°No need.¡±

    She took another bandage from the first aid kit, but before it had even been in her hand for a second, Zhan Qipei took it away.

    Turning her head to look at Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing felt it was the first time she saw his childlike side.

    She didn¡¯t argue with Zhan Qipei anymore; if she took another bandage, he would snatch it again. It was easier to just let him do it.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was finally letting him apply the bandage, Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled slightly and he took alcohol from the kit to disinfect the wound.

    Qiao Jing watched him somewhat helplessly and reminded him,

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be disinfected.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was very persistent about this matter and carefully wiped the wound with an alcohol-dampened cotton swab.

    ¡°No, it needs to be disinfected.¡±

    Qiao Jing said nothing more. A cool sensation came from the wound, and as she watched Zhan Qipei¡¯s absorbed expression, her lips curved into a smile.

    After he had carefully disinfected the area and applied the bandage, Zhan Qipei finally let go of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei stepped in front of her and asked doubtfully, ¡°You¡¯re going to the kitchen?¡±

    Qiao Jing continued to move forward a few steps.

    ¡°Yes, I haven¡¯t finished cooking yet.¡±

    Zhan Qipei immediately blocked Qiao Jing¡¯s path, carefully took her injured right hand, and said seriously,

    ¡°Your hand is injured, how can you think of cooking? What if the wound gets infected by water?¡±

    Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless, moved her injured fingertip, and her gaze fell on the bandage.

    ¡°This is waterproof.¡±

    ¡°Waterproof or not, I¡¯m cooking.¡±

    No sooner had Zhan Qipei spoken than he hurried back to the kitchen, closed the kitchen door, and fearfully locked it, lest Qiao Jing decide toe in.

    After turning on the exhaust fan, he pointed to the sofa in the living room, gesturing for Qiao Jing to sit and rest.

    Qiao Jing was silent for a while. Since Zhan Qipei wanted to cook, she might as well let him.

    She did as Zhan Qipei had suggested, sitting on the sofa and starting to browse through the folder.

    Qiao Jing read through materials and contracts quickly, but she memorized every use deeply. By the time she finished, Zhan Qipei had juste out of the kitchen with the dishes.

    ¡°Time to eat.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, about to wash her hands and dishes when Zhan Qipei stopped her again.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already washed the dishes, let me help you wash your hands so you don¡¯t wet the wound.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Zhan Qipei the chance, swiftly washed her hands, and sat down at the dining table.

    The meal was both speechless and exasperating for Qiao Jing as Zhan Qipei kept offering her food, and even suggested feeding her.

    Qiao Jing felt a sudden throb in her temples.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing so firmly refuse, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t insist any further and sat beside her, peeling shrimp.

    Not only that, but he also carefully picked out the fish bones and heapedrge pieces of fish into her bowl.

    Eventually, it was Qiao Jing who finished her meal early and stopped his meticulous service, which then allowed Zhan Qipei to slowly eat the rice in his own bowl.

    After he had cleaned up the dishes and utensils, Qiao Jing, having rested for a while, grabbed her clothes and prepared to head to the bathroom for a shower.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice rang out.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s footsteps paused slightly, and she turned to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zhan Qipei strode over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and volunteered eagerly.

    ¡°Your hand is injured, let me wash it for you.¡±

    At this, Qiao Jing could no longer bear it, she furrowed her brows and raised her injured finger in front of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°It¡¯s just one finger that¡¯s injured.¡±

    ¡°Even one finger is important!¡±

    Zhan Qipei spoke earnestly, in his heart, even a scratch on Qiao Jing caused him unbearable pain.

    Let alone that it was bleeding! How could he not worry?!

    Qiao Jing stopped arguing with Zhan Qipei and turned to enter the bathroom, but Zhan Qipei still followed behind her.

    It wasn¡¯t until she opened the bathroom door and went inside that Zhan Qipei also prepared to follow her in.

    Qiao Jing felt her temples throb again, she lowered her voice reluctantly and said.

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied and managed to follow Qiao Jing into the bathroom.

    Qiao Jing pushed Zhan Qipei out of the bathroom.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    Before Zhan Qipei could reply, Qiao Jing locked the bathroom door.

    Zhan Qipei stared at the closed bathroom door, feeling a bit disheartened after being shut out¡­

    When Qiao Jing finished bathing and came out of the bathroom, she found that Zhan Qipei was still in the kitchen at that time.

    Normally, he would be working at this hour, what was he doing in the kitchen?

    Qiao Jing walked towards the kitchen, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tall figure was facing away from her, his slender hands picked up a cup of fresh milk and poured it into a ss cup.

    Just then!

    Zhan Qipei suddenly turned around, saw Qiao Jing at the kitchen doorway, nervously looking at her finger, and sighed in relief after seeing the bandage was dry.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that it didn¡¯t get wet.¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipei heating milk, Qiao Jing asked, ¡°Did you not eat well?¡±

    Being preupied with peeling shrimp and picking out fish bones for her, he had hardly eaten anything himself, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, feeling inexplicably heartache.

    Zhan Qipei took the ss cup out of the hot water, cing it on the dining table.

    ¡°No, I recently noticed you haven¡¯t been sleeping well, you snore, but it¡¯s not very loud.¡±

    ¡°Drinking hot milk before bed is beneficial for sleep, I heated it for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing just felt something soft inside her copse once more, Zhan Qipei always had a way of touching her heart like this.

    Wait a minute!

    She suddenly froze, her gaze tinged with inquiry as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°How do you know I haven¡¯t been sleeping well at night?¡±

    She remembered that it had been a while since she and Zhan Qipei had shared the same bed, but he mentioned it as if it were recent?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze faltered, not expecting to slip up in his words.

    Recently he had been waiting for Qiao Jing to fall asleep and then secretly slipping into her bed, watching the time every day, sneaking back to his own room when she was about to wake up.

    He did not speak, making an excuse for himself while urging Qiao Jing to drink the milk.

    ¡°I heard it when I was passing by your room, drink the milk first, I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡±

    Zhan Qipei finished speaking and then returned to his own room, not giving Qiao Jing a chance to continue asking, fearing he¡¯d give himself away.

 Chapter 274: 264: Remember to Miss Me

    Chapter 274: Chapter 264: Remember to Miss Me

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment. Wasn¡¯t it said that the snoring sound wasn¡¯t very loud?

    But the sound instion of the room wasn¡¯t really poor, so how did she hear it when passing by?

    However, Zhan Qipei had already returned to his room, and she had no chance to further inquire. After finishing the hot milk, she went back to her own room.

    That inexplicable difort in her heart did not dissipate; on the contrary, it deepened much while Zhan Qipei was warming the milk for her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the contract, and her heart began to waver once again.

    Even though she had already made her decision, the image of her, buried under the rubble, with Zhan Qipei desperately sheltering her in his arms, resurfaced in her mind.

    ...

    At that time, Zhan Qipei was injured and weak himself, yet he firmly protected her above him, not budging an inch until the rescue team arrived.

    Not only did this image appear in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind, it was as if she had opened a box of memories, and those memories kept reying scenes of her life with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei taking care of her when she was sick, the scene of him putting her hand in his mouth to stop the bleeding, and that worried look in his eyes, carefully peeling shrimp and picking bones for her, the hot milk¡­

    The memories came to an abrupt halt, and Qiao Jing picked up her phone and sent a message to Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the coborationter.¡±

    After sending this message, Qiao Jing was surprised to find that the difort lodged in her heart had also vanished.

    With the help of the hot milk, it didn¡¯t take long for sleepiness to hit, and she closed her eyes.

    Five minutester, the door to Qiao Jing¡¯s room slowly opened.

    Zhan Qipei quietly entered the room, carefully closed the door with both hands, and even kept his breathing as quiet as possible. He walked sluggishly to Qiao Jing¡¯s bedside.

    He observed Qiao Jing for a while and, after making sure she was asleep, he slowly lifted the quilt and got into bed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand slowly wrapped around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, shifting toward her direction, and pulled her into his embrace.

    He gazed at Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeping face as if he were a mad artist admiring his most perfect piece of art.

    The love and tenderness evident in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes could immerse a person in their depth.

    Her unpowdered face naturally bore a cool aloofness, and her skin was pale, tender, and velvety. Even the soft fuzz on her face was clearly visible, with delicate eyshes casting a shadow on her lower eyelids.

    Looking further down, there were her pale pink lips, and Zhan Qipei remembered how soft they felt to the touch.

    This prompted a stirring within Zhan Qipei,pelling him to lower his head and nt a gentle kiss on Qiao Jing¡¯s face. He held her tightly, feeling her body warmth, and drifted off to sleep.

    Zhan Qipei taking care of her when she was sick, the scene of him putting her hand in his mouth to stop the bleeding, and that worried look in his eyes, carefully peeling shrimp and picking bones for her, the hot milk¡­

    The memories came to an abrupt halt, and Qiao Jing picked up her phone and sent a message to the second boss.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the coborationter.¡±

    After sending this message, Qiao Jing was surprised to find that the difort lodged in her heart had also vanished.

    With the help of the hot milk, it didn¡¯t take long for sleepiness to hit, and she closed her eyes.

    Five minutester, the door to Qiao Jing¡¯s room slowly opened.

    Zhan Qipei quietly entered the room, carefully closed the door with both hands, and even kept his breathing as quiet as possible. He walked sluggishly to Qiao Jing¡¯s bedside.

    He observed Qiao Jing for a while and, after making sure she was asleep, he slowly lifted the quilt and got into bed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand slowly wrapped around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, shifting towards her direction, and pulled her into his embrace.

    He gazed at Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeping face as if he were a mad artist, admiring his most perfect piece of art.

    The love and tenderness evident in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes could immerse a person in their depth.

    Her unpowdered face naturally bore a cool aloofness, and her skin was pale, tender, and velvety. Even the soft fuzz on her face was clearly visible, with delicate eyshes casting a shadow on her lower eyelids.

    Looking further down, there were her pale pink lips, and Zhan Qipei remembered how soft they felt to the touch.

    This prompted a stirring within Zhan Qipei,pelling him to lower his head and nt a gentle kiss on Qiao Jing¡¯s face. He held her tightly, feeling her body temperature, and slowly fell asleep.

    Upon receiving the second boss¡¯s message, Wu Xirui¡¯s long fingers rhythmically tapped on the office desk.

    This coboration was undoubtedly beneficial for Wonderful Hall, so why did the big boss want to refuse his partnership?

    The next day, it was Zhan Qipei who opened his eyes first. He moved gently, leaving Qiao Jing¡¯s side reluctantly to prepare breakfast.

    After Qiao Jing finished washing up and came to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, she found two bowls of steaming noodles and a cup of freshly ground soy milk already set on the dining table.

    She knew at a nce which bowl next to the soy milk was meant for her. After herst bout of morning sickness at home, Zhan Qipei varied the warm stomach-soothing drinks he made for her daily to have with breakfast.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei too had changed into fresh clothes, emerging from his room. Upon seeing that Qiao Jing had gotten up, he quickly shed the serious expression that hade from work troubles.

    ¡°Have you washed up?¡± he asked.

    Sitting down at her spot, Qiao Jing replied, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s have breakfast.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was still preupied with the matter of cooperation, and during the meal, he sneakily nced at Qiao Jing several times before he hesitated and finally spoke up.

    ¡°When are you signing the contract with SA?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t stop eating as she voiced the decision she had made the night before.

    ¡°Not signing it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was stunned, he put down his chopsticks, and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you preparing to cooperate with them? Why aren¡¯t you signing all of a sudden?¡±

    Qiao Jing exined matter-of-factly.

    ¡°There are some issues that need further discussion. I¡¯ve decided not to consider partnering with them for now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression shifted subtly, and then heughed, suddenly leaning his face close to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    His voice was deep and sexy, with a husky maic quality that resonated in Qiao Jing¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Is it because of me?¡±

    That face, akin to a finely crafted sculpture, suddenly loomedrge in Qiao Jing¡¯s vision, allowing her to see every detail on his face, especially those deep, dark eyes.

    His breath fanned her face, making her nose tickle.

    Why is he suddenly so close?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes flickered, her gaze shifted away to avoid looking directly into Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    She felt she was nearly swayed by the emotions in those eyes.

    Zhan Qipei caught the subtle changes in her expression. Although Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond, her expression had already revealed her answer.

    Indeed, he thought, she still had a special ce for him in her heart!

    Yesterday, after considering things from Qiao Jing¡¯s perspective and weighing the pros and cons, Zhan Qipei also thought that cooperating with Wu Xirui was the rational choice.

    But this morning, Qiao Jing suddenly said she wasn¡¯t signing the contract, and that must be because of him.

    Zhan Qipei was quite pleased. A chuckle escaped his lips.

    Thatughter was like the siren¡¯s mesmerising call, tugging at the listener¡¯s heartstrings.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s ears reddened without her realizing, and listening to Zhan Qipei¡¯sugh, she felt an unexined sensation stirring within her.

    The sound seemed not to just reach her ears, but to prate directly to the depths of her heart.

    Zhan Qipei returned to his original position, a smile still ying on his lips.

    Even while he was driving Qiao Jing to the research institute, the curve of his lips never diminished.

    Qiao Jing looked ahead, recalling how Zhan Qipei insisted on driving her to the research institute before leaving the house.

    It was probably because she wasn¡¯t cooperating with Wu Xirui that he was so insistent and joyfully stubborn, as if he wouldn¡¯t go to work if he couldn¡¯t drive her.

    Sometimes, when Zhan Qipei was stubborn, she didn¡¯t know what to do with him.

    ¡°I can take a taxi. There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself driving me; you need to go to work too.¡±

    Zhan Qipei spoke with a smile.

    ¡°Driving my wife to work is my duty. How can going to thepany be more important than you going to the research institute? Tang Yan usually arrives at the office before me anyway.¡±

    His implication was that Tang Yan could handle things first if needed.

    Tang Yan, already at work at Zhan Corporation, would certainly force out a bitterugh upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and wouldn¡¯t dare object.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t argue further with Zhan Qipei, instead fixating on the rapidly recedingndscape outside.

    About ten minutester, Zhan Qipei smoothly parked the car at the entrance of the research institute, not forgetting to remind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°We¡¯re here, remember to miss me.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei somewhat speechlessly, not answering him, and got out of the car by herself.

    Under Zhan Qipei¡¯s lingering gaze, she quickened her steps into the research institute.

    While she was in the middle of her work, Xu Moqian¡¯s voice rose up behind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing! Here I am again. It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? Have you missed the times Ie to see you?¡±

    Now, Xu Moqian was different from before; the Xu Family had started to let him take over somepany affairs, making him too busy to hang around the research institute.

    Qiao Jing paused. Within a single day, she had heard ¡®miss me¡¯ from two different men. An expression of speechlessness crossed her face.

    Do men all like to say the words, ¡®miss me¡¯?

 Chapter 275: 265: If Im Pregnant, Theres No Way You Could Be Pregnant

    Chapter 275: Chapter 265: If I¡¯m Pregnant, There¡¯s No Way You Could Be Pregnant

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at Xu Moqian, continuing with her work at hand.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re really quite idle,¡± she noted.

    Xu Moqian shrugged his shoulders, found a stool to sit, and said, ¡°I heard from the old man that you guys have been working on a project recently, so I came to check on the progress. Wait a moment, why do you look so pale?¡±

    He swallowed the rest of his words as soon as he noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s pallor.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach clenched again, and she bent over, clutching her mouth, her face growing paler as she retched several times.

    She knew this was a normal reaction to pregnancy, but having Xu Moqian witness it twice, she was sure he was going toe up with his own wild theories again.

    ...

    Just when Qiao Jing felt a bit better and was ready to get back to work, the urge to vomit surged once more.

    She rushed to the bathroom and retched into the sink for a while.

    Seeing her like this, Xu Moqian didn¡¯t even have time to speak before he hurriedly poured a cup of hot water for Qiao Jing and brought over a pack of tissues.

    After a moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach eased somewhat after drinking the hot water, and she went back to her seat to rest for a bit before continuing with her work.

    Xu Moqian, sitting nearby, couldn¡¯t understand why Qiao Jing was suddenly like this. He didn¡¯t n on puzzling it out and decided to just ask her directly.

    ¡°What¡¯s actually wrong with you? Both times I¡¯vee by you¡¯ve felt like vomiting?¡±

    Xu Moqian said jokingly, ¡°Could it be that you think there¡¯s some kind of smell on me? Only after smelling it you feel nauseous?¡±

    After he finished speaking, he put on a hurt expression and sniffed himself to confirm there was no odor, then grumbled to himself.

    ¡°I shower every day, and I neither smoke nor eat anything with a strong vor, so where could any smell being from?¡±

    Listening to him, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it slightly amusing; she had to admit, his imagination was quite rich indeed.

    But if she denied it, then Xu Moqian would just assume she was pregnant, so Qiao Jing simply chose not to respond to him.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was ignoring him, Xu Moqian overturned his previous suggestion himself.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, if you found me disgusting, you would¡¯ve started vomiting earlier, but this is something recent, could it be¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian suddenly thought of something, his eyes widening as he stared at Qiao Jing, unable to finish his sentence.

    The idea that Qiao Jing might be pregnant jumped into his mind again. Initially, he had dismissed this guess, which is why he had joked that it was his own fault this time.

    But Qiao Jing retching again forced him to reconsider his suspicion. Who would just retch for no reason?

    Xu Moqian opened his mouth.

    ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re really pregnant?¡±

    Not in the mood to deal with Xu Moqian, Qiao Jing turned a page of the research material and read carefully.

    Xu Moqian was shocked by the thought in his mindst time, he could im it was because Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t feeling well, but vomiting again this time?

    This made him more convinced of his suspicion, and he took on the air of someone determined to get to the bottom of the matter, pestering Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Your silence means consent! Sister Jing, say something to me, even one word is fine. Don¡¯t let it be like what I¡¯m imagining?!¡±

    Throughout his talk, Xu Moqian kept staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, but still, he received no response.

    Now Xu Moqian grew even more agitated, his voice rising considerably, his mouth agape as if he could almost stuff an egg into it.

    ¡°No way? Really? Damn, I need to go and settle things with Zhan Qipei!¡±

    His Sister Jing, she was actually, pregnant!

    That dog of a man, Zhan Qipei, was truly unworthy of his Sister Jing!!

    Xu Moqian immediately rolled up his sleeves in a fighting gesture, mumbling under his breath.

    ¡°That dog, Zhan Qipei, how dare he?¡±

    Qiao Jing just felt Xu Moqian was being incredibly noisy and furrowed her brows.

    ¡°If you keep making noise, I¡¯ll throw you out, and don¡¯t you evere back to the research institute.¡±

    Xu Moqian finally calmed down, closed his mouth, worried that Qiao Jing might really stop letting hime to the research institute in the future.

    He had also not taken his eyes off Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, and Xu Moqian was still curious. Was Qiao Jing really pregnant or not? Did she not want to deal with him or was she actually pregnant?

    Xu Moqian felt stuck in the middle of the question, neither here nor there, so he decided to ask Qiao Jing once more.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you actually pregnant or not?¡±

    This time, Xu Moqian finally got a response.

    ¡ª¡ªA roll of the eyes.

    After rolling her eyes at Xu Moqian, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to him.

    That eye roll seemed to act like a tranquilizer shot for Xu Moqian; he thought about it carefully.

    He knew it, he was just making a big deal out of nothing. As a modern independent and strong-willed woman, how could Qiao Jing possibly be pregnant?

    Finally, Xu Moqian breathed a sigh of relief, and his face returned to its usual expression.

    ¡°Indeed, as such a formidable woman, even if I were pregnant, it would be impossible for you to be.¡±

    Qiao Jing, hearing this, paused and gave Xu Moqian a speechless look.

    What did that mean? Was he saying she looked sturdy or what? Was he implying she couldn¡¯t get pregnant?

    Does he have a death wish?

    ¡°You can go back, I need to work now.¡±

    Xu Moqian, having been given the boot, was stunned. When she worked, she wouldn¡¯t notice anything outside her window and waspletely immersed in her work; no one could disturb her.

    He had sat beside Qiao Jing watching her work before, but howe she suddenly wanted him to leave today?

    ¡°But Sister Jing, me staying here while you worked never bothered you before.¡±

    Qiao Jing stared at Xu Moqian for a while, then shifted her gaze to the door, her meaning was quite clear.

    This time, Xu Moqian feared she would tell the old master and use him of interrupting her work, which would surely lead to incessant nagging, so he chose to leave.

    ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t disturb your work, I¡¯m heading back first.¡±

    It was only after Xu Moqian had left that Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze returned from following him, and the nausea she had been suppressing surged uncontrobly.

    She quickly walked to the bathroom, bent over the sink, and vomited for a while.

    When she raised her head, Qiao Jing saw in the mirror that her lips had turned pale, and herplexion somewhat haggard.

    The pregnancy nausea was too intense.

    Qiao Jing put aside her work; as a doctor, she knew she needed to rest. If she continued working, the pregnancy nausea might get even worse.

    She left the research institute and took a cab home to rest.

    Zhan Nanqing was having a rare day off at home today, not going to work, when Su Manhan insisted on dragging her to Qiao Jing¡¯s house for a surprise inspection. She wanted to check the cleanliness to see if her brother was being mistreated.

    She was bing more and more speechless with her own mother, who also wanted to check if her brother was being neglected.

    How could that be possible? She could tell her brother had gained a few pounds.

    Besides, they had already shared a meal cooked by Qiao Jing, which was better than the food made by the expensive chef at their home.

    If that was considered ¡°mistreatment,¡± then she would also like to stay at Qiao Jing¡¯s ce to be ¡°mistreated¡± as well.

    As soon as Qiao Jing arrived home, she went to the toilet, where she dry heaved over the sink for a while, but nothing came out.

    All that seemed to do was upset her stomach, leaving Qiao Jing with cold sweat on her forehead.

    Looking at herself in the mirror again, she found herplexion even paler than at the research institute, looking quite ill.

    Tired, she emerged from the bathroom and had just settled on the couch, not yet having a chance to lie down, when the doorbell suddenly rang.

    The person outside seemed very impatient, pressing the bell several times over.

 Chapter 276: 266: Qiao Jing Fainted

    Chapter 276: Chapter 266: Qiao Jing Fainted

    Just as Qiao Jingy down, the doorbell rang, and her mood, already quite annoyed, did not make her want to get up to open the door.

    Eventually, she simply closed her eyes pretending not to hear as Qiao Jing just wanted to fall asleep and rest for a while.

    But the doorbell kept ringing non-stop, not even waiting for the first ring to finish before the second one started.

    The constant ringing of the doorbell made it clear that the person outside would keep ringing until she opened the door.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, suppressed her irritation inside, and finally unable to take it anymore, she got up to open the door.

    As she stood up, she stumbled, nearly falling forward!

    ...

    In a split second, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand supported herself on the table, maintaining her bnce.

    The doorbell kept ringing, as if urging her to hurry and open the door.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips slightly, and her steps were a bit erratic as she walked to the door.

    When she saw that the people outside were Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression did not change.

    What were they doing here at this time?

    Su Manhan, seeing Qiao Jing only opening the door at that moment, said with dissatisfaction,

    ¡°What were you doing inside? Why did it take so long to open the door? You weren¡¯t pretending not to hear us, were you?¡±

    Su Manhan dragged Zhan Nanqing inside, and she immediately began to nitpick around Qiao Jing¡¯s house.

    ¡°Why is there still water on the floor of your bathroom?¡±

    ¡°And how could you just throw clothes on the sofa? Look at this, the shoes are also a mess. Is this how you keep your house? Is my son really living in this pigsty?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the clothes and shoes she hadn¡¯t managed to put away because she felt unwell and the floor that got wet when she dry heaved.

    She pursed her lips and said nothing, not bothering to deal with Su Manhan.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed that Qiao Jing¡¯splexion was not good, that her frail body seemed it could fall over with a puff of wind; she walked over to her side.

    ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Is it your period?¡±

    Su Manhan scoffed.

    ¡°What does it matter to you? We¡¯re all women, who hasn¡¯t had periods? There¡¯s nothing worth caring about.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was somewhat speechless at Su Manhan¡¯s words, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face and didn¡¯t ask further.

    Feeling a bit thirsty after all herints, Su Manhan continued nitpicking as if looking for a bone in an egg.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been here so long, talking until we¡¯re parched and hungry, and you couldn¡¯t even offer us a cup of water?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pointing out these ws for your own good, to spare you from embarrassing the Zhan family, and look at you, not even the basics of hospitality, no manners at all!¡±

    A twitch suddenly struck Qiao Jing¡¯s temple; she had no energy to argue with Su Manhan over this nonsense.

    She returned to the sofa,y down again, turned her back to them, and closed her eyes to rest.

    Su Manhan¡¯s anger was immediately ignited by Qiao Jing¡¯s action.

    She walked to the front of the sofa,shing out at Qiao Jing¡¯s frail silhouette.

    ¡°What kind of attitude is this? Is this how you treat your guests? No wonder you¡¯re from the countryside, trulycking any manners.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get up and pour me water? I think Qipei really hit bad luck marrying you for eight lifetimes! You married into the Zhan family and still didn¡¯t learn a bit of manners, anyone outside could serve guests better than you!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression also turned sour as she gently tugged at Su Manhan¡¯s sleeve, hoping to stop her from speaking.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed tightly; her body already felt terrible, and now Su Manhan, like a buzzing fly, just wouldn¡¯t stop irritating her more.

    She felt her patience reaching its limit, but Su Manhan kept relentlessly spouting various absurd criticisms.

    Qiao Jing could no longer control her emotions, and her icy voice rang out in the room.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Those two words also silenced Manhan, and the living room then quieted down.

    Manhan¡¯s eyes widened, she red fiercely at Qiao Jing¡¯s back, as if trying to stare a hole through it.

    Qiao Jing actually dared to talk to her like that? It was simply outrageous! Which daughter-inw dared to talk to their mother-inw like this?

    Indeed, Qiao Jing was not fit to be her daughter-inw at all!

    As Manhan thought this, she directly burst out scolding.

    ¡°You are utterly audacious. I am at least half a mother to you, and this is how you talk to me? Who taught you this?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯m telling you! I am saying this to you today entirely for your own good, and not only do you not appreciate it, but you also dare to tell me to shut up?¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t listen any longer, not wanting to face this constantly buzzing fly. Manhan definitely wouldn¡¯t leave on her own.

    Since they would stay here, it would be best for her to leave herself. Qiao Jing stood up and walked toward the door.

    Manhan realized what Qiao Jing intended and started shouting at the top of her lungs.

    ¡°You stop right there! You can¡¯t even stand hearing me say a few words to you?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t stop her steps at all.

    ¡°Are you deaf? I told you to stop! What¡¯s wrong with me educating you a bit? And now you throw a tantrum with me?¡±

    Manhan was furious and followed a few steps behind Qiao Jing, making a move to catch up.

    Qiao Jing, without looking back, kept walking, her hand already on the doorknob, ready to leave.

    Manhan¡¯s eyes bulged, and she immediately chased after her, blocking Qiao Jing¡¯s way.

    ¡°What do you mean by this? Qiao Jing, by marrying into our Zhan Family, you must abide by the Zhan family¡¯s rules. You know very well that I am saying this for your good. Your behavior is indeed inappropriate!¡±

    Qiao Jing was no longer able to listen to Manhan¡¯s words. All she felt was that the other person was buzzing noisily, annoying her mind as well.

    She felt she couldn¡¯t restrain her temper any longer, bypassed Manhan, and opened the door.

    Thispletely set Manhan off, her anger reached its peak, and without thinking about anything else, she just wanted to stop Qiao Jing, and instinctively grabbed the corner of her clothes.

    The home¡¯s door was already opened by Qiao Jing, and Manhan, holding onto her clothes, pulled in the direction of the room, trying to bring her back.

    After all, she knew that family shame should not be publicized; otherwise, the face of the Zhan family might bepletely lost.

    Qiao Jing, already in poor condition, was pulled back by Manhan, saw ck suddenly, staggered, and was about to fall to the ground.

    Zhan Nanqing hurriedly stepped forward a few steps and supported the fainting Qiao Jing.

    Seeing this scene, Manhan scoffed.

    ¡°Pretending, are you? Do you want my son to see this and then have him argue with me, to ruin the rtionship between mother and son?¡±

    ¡°Too bad Qipei is not here now, you can put away your scheming! I really don¡¯t understand why Qipei always protects a vixen like you.¡±

    Qiao Jing opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the person before her gradually became blurry, and breathing became difficult. The scorching heat in her stomach was what made her most ufortable.

    At this moment she couldn¡¯t utter a word, her brow tightly furrowed, the feeling of wanting to vomit appeared again, but by now, Qiao Jing had no energy left to retch.

    If not for Zhan Nanqing¡¯s support, she would probably have fallen to the ground.

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t stand by and watch Manhan¡¯s actions anymore and stood up to defend Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s enough! Look at Qiao Jing, she is genuinely unwell!¡±

    Manhan was just about to berate Zhan Nanqing when she turned and saw Qiao Jing¡¯s pale, bloodless face; she was shocked and stunned.

 Chapter 277: 267: Finding Out Qiao Jing is Pregnant

    Chapter 277: Chapter 267: Finding Out Qiao Jing is Pregnant

    ¡°Mom, Qiao Jing¡¯s lips have gone white, and she¡¯s sweating all over, why are you making such a fuss over nothing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, unable to hold back another jab at Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan also felt somewhat guilty and let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, muttering aint.

    ¡°I just gave her a little tug, didn¡¯t I? I bet Qiao Jing is faking it to frame me.¡±

    It was just a light pull, and Qiao Jing suddenly fainted? How could that possibly happen?

    How could a healthy person faint just from a tug? It must be Qiao Jing feigning this state to frame her!

    ...

    Zhan Nanqing took a few deep breaths before she was able to control herself and stop talking to Su Manhan. If her mom knew that the person she pulled until they fainted was Professor Qiao, she would certainly be shocked.

    If this dy affected Qiao Jing¡¯s work at the research institute, her mom might face consequences.

    ¡°How do you feel? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?¡±

    After Su Manhan stopped her incessant chatter, Qiao Jing felt her headache abating. She leaned on Zhan Nanqing for a while before she could barely stand on her own. She shook her head.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    She ignored Su Manhan and, pushing away Zhan Nanqing, intended to go back to her room to rest.

    Walking alone, Qiao Jing took a few steps with a somewhat unsteady gait. She stumbled along the way, nearly falling several times, but fortunately, she was leaning on the wall, preventing her from crashing to the ground.

    Zhan Nanqing, unable to let go of her concern, ignored Su Manhan¡¯s look telling her not to meddle and went to support Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan couldn¡¯t stand seeing her daughter helping Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why bother with her? She¡¯s just pretending. Let¡¯s go, back home.¡±

    As Qiao Jing tried once more to push Zhan Nanqing away and return to her room by herself, her vision darkened sharply once again, and her body uncontrobly tilted to one side.

    Just as she was about to fall and have a close encounter with the ground, Zhan Nanqing quickly caught Qiao Jing.

    When Zhan Nanqing realized that Qiao Jing hadpletely fainted, her heart skipped a few beats.

    She hurriedly took out her phone and dialed 120, supporting Qiao Jing over to the sofa and propping her up on it.

    What should she do? Why did she suddenly faint?

    The sound of the ambnce quickly resonated from downstairs, and Zhan Nanqing opened the front door, descending the stairs with the medical team.

    During this time, Su Manhan didn¡¯t dare to hold Zhan Nanqing back any longer. If something serious happened to Qiao Jing, she couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility.

    Zhan Nanqing apanied Qiao Jing to the hospital alone, as Su Manhan had already gone home. She stared intently at the closed door of the emergency room.

    If something unexpected happened to Qiao Jing, and she kept it from her brother, he would definitely me her.

    But if she called her brother and exined, it would likely cause a conflict between him and their mom.

    Should she tell her brother or not?

    The wait felt excruciatingly long. During this time, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s anxiety intensified. She was very worried about Qiao Jing¡¯s well-being, as well as the potential argument between her brother and their mom.

    Zhan Nanqing paced anxiously back and forth in front of the emergency room. After ncing at her phone for the time, she put it back down, silently praying for nothing to happen to Qiao Jing.

    Finally!

    The doors to the emergency room opened, and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes brightened at the sound, rushing to meet them.

    Qiao Jing was still in aa, lying on a gurney with her face still looking very pale, as a nurse pushed her toward the ward.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s continued pallor, Zhan Nanqing became even more concerned. She followed closely behind the doctor, inquiring about Qiao Jing¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Doctor, how is she? Why would she faint so suddenly?¡±

    The doctor nced at Zhan Nanqing, ¡°There¡¯s no major problem, but¡ª¡±

    As he spoke, the doctor furrowed his brow. This was a matter of patient privacy, and he was unsure whether he should divulge it.

    Upon hearing the word ¡°but,¡± Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart lurched. But what?

    If there¡¯s no major issue, why even mention a ¡®but¡¯?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, doctor? But what?¡±

    The doctor hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you the patient¡¯s family member?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing thought to herself that even though their family didn¡¯t recognize Qiao Jing, she still counted as her family member and nodded.

    After confirming Zhan Nanqing¡¯s identity, the doctor continued with the rest of his unfinished words.

    ¡°But she¡¯s had a bit of fetal distress and needs good care.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned, what? Qiao Jing was pregnant?

    This news left Zhan Nanqing frozen in ce, her mind racing back to the scene when Qiao Jing was retching in theb. Could it really be that she was pregnant?

    Without a doubt, this child had to be her brother¡¯s.

    She didn¡¯t even have to think about it; given Qiao Jing¡¯s standoffish nature, no one could get close to her.

    It must have been her brother¡¯s shamelessness, climbing into Qiao Jing¡¯s bed on his own, otherwise, how could there be a pregnancy?

    Just then, the doctor¡¯s tone shifted from his previous gentle demeanor to scolding Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°The patient is carrying three babies in her belly. How does your family usually take care of the patient? One ought to be attentive to a pregnant woman¡¯s health, especially since she¡¯s carrying more than one! How could you let her experience fetal distress?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing waspletely dumbfounded now, so much so that she didn¡¯t even notice the doctor leaving.

    Being pregnant was one thing, but triplets?! What on earth had her brother done?!

    When Qiao Jing woke up again, the first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was the bright white ceiling, and the familiar scent of disinfectant made her realize she was in a hospital.

    She looked toward the side of the bed and was about to get up when she noticed Zhan Nanqing seated next to her.

    Qiao Jing guessed that it was Zhan Nanqing who had brought her to the hospital, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stared at Qiao Jing and mumbled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me¡­¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t been for my mother insisting on causing trouble today, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Though she didn¡¯t pull too hard, she was still responsible for this oue.

    Qiao Jing sat up and suddenly noticed that Zhan Nanqing was looking at her rather oddly.

    She didn¡¯t ask further and got ready to go to the restroom. Zhan Nanqing also stood up.

    ¡°Take it slow, where are you going?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing watched Qiao Jing, reaching out to support her, fearing she might fall or bump into something.

    Qiao Jing dodged the help and cast an inquiring nce at Zhan Nanqing, answering, ¡°To the restroom, I can go by myself.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing preparing to go to the restroom alone, Zhan Nanqing hurried forward a few steps and cautiously supported her.

    ¡°No! I¡¯ll help you, be careful.¡±

    The more Qiao Jing watched Zhan Nanqing¡¯s careful behavior, the stranger it seemed, and almost simultaneously, she had a guess.

    ¡°Do you know?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nodded, confirming it.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, knowing there was a risk of being discovered whening to the hospital for a checkup, but she hadn¡¯t expected her pregnancy to be known so quickly.

    However, fortunately, the person in the know wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei. She instructed Zhan Nanqing,

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing wore an ¡®I knew it¡¯ expression, guessing her brother was unaware of the situation.

    If her brother knew Qiao Jing was pregnant, he¡¯d surely be desperate to tell the whole world, to announce that he had a child, that he was going to be a father.

 Chapter 278: 268 Zhan Qipei Notices Something Amiss

    Chapter 278: Chapter 268 Zhan Qipei Notices Something Amiss

    ¡°They would have notified us for sure, not kept it hidden until now.¡±

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t brought Qiao Jing to the hospital today, she probably wouldn¡¯t even know she was pregnant.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing shifted her gaze to Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, her eyes filled with happiness. She was going to be an aunt! And not just to one, but to three children!

    The thought of three little ones calling her ¡°auntie¡± in the future, and her sister-inw being the number one agriculture mogul Professor Qiao,bined with Divine Doctor Jing, made Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart burst with joy.

    Just then, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face popped into Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mind, and she began to feel conflicted.

    But Qiao Jing was already pregnant now; they couldn¡¯t possibly ask her to abort the baby, especially since it was three living beings¡­

    ...

    They had to keep it a secret from Xinrou; otherwise, she would be heartbroken and cry endlessly if she found out.

    Zhan Nanqing felt a sense of guilt towards Lou Xinrou, but she couldn¡¯t really choose one over the other.

    She shook her head, trying to dismiss these thoughts for now and focused on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, asking, ¡°How far along are you?¡±

    Qiao Jing sat back on the hospital bed and tiredly rubbed her temples.

    ¡°A little over a month.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing bit her lip, unsure whether to ask her next question.

    But after thinking it over, she decided that she had to probe on behalf of her brother. Zhan Nanqing followed up, asking, ¡°So, are you nning on never telling my brother?¡±

    After a night¡¯s rest, Qiao Jing had recovered quite a bit and had resumed her usual indifferent expression.

    ¡°This is something between your brother and me.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing could tell from Qiao Jing¡¯s response that she didn¡¯t want to share this matter with her brother.

    But she also knew why she didn¡¯t want to tell him. Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t interested in her brother.

    It was definitely her brother shamelessly taking advantage when Qiao Jing was drunk or not feeling well, climbing into bed and refusing to leave!

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing lost in thought, Qiao Jing prompted her.

    ¡°There are 49 more days.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback, her look towards Qiao Jing filled with confusion. What about 49 days?

    Qiao Jing, seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s confusion and realizing she didn¡¯t understand, continued, ¡°After 49 days, I will leave the Zhan Family and won¡¯t cause any more conflicts between Zhan Qipei and his mother.¡±

    Her words clearly indicated an intent to sever ties. Zhan Nanqing also caught on that Qiao Jing nned to take the children and leave the Zhan Family, keeping everyone in the dark.

    But Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to cause further friction between her brother and their mother, counting down the days until her departure, which made Zhan Nanqing feel even more ufortable.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t borate further with Zhan Nanqing and went to the bathroom.

    By the time Qiao Jing came out of the bathroom, night had already fallen outside.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at her phone; it was already past six. Her brother would be getting off work soon.

    However, the doctor had instructed that Qiao Jing needed to be hospitalized for observation for two or three days to ensure that everything was okay before she could be discharged.

    Zhan Nanqing felt a headacheing on. Even if she didn¡¯t mention Qiao Jing being hospitalized, her brother would definitely suspect something if she didn¡¯t return home for two or three days.

    Given her brother¡¯s nature, he would turn Beijing upside down if Qiao Jing didn¡¯te home for even one day without telling him where she was.

    Before Zhan Nanqing could think of a solution, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone on the nightstand rang.

    Zhan Nanqing saw at a nce that the caller was her brother, and her own nervousness spiked as her eyes followed Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly.

    How would Qiao Jing deceive her brother? He was so smart, could she really fool him?

    And what if her brother found out?

    The moment Qiao Jing pressed the answer button, Zhan Nanqing involuntarily held her breath.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a littlete getting off work today. Are you still at the research institute? I¡¯lle pick you up.¡±

    The deep voice of Zhan Qipei came through.

    Zhan Nanqing anxiously watched Qiao Jing, eager to hear how she¡¯d exin.

    Qiao Jing was not the least bit nervous as she casually made up an excuse.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to a friend¡¯s house and won¡¯t be back tonight.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression instantly darkened.

    Going to a friend¡¯s house? Noting home tonight? Staying over at a friend¡¯s ce?

    Which friend was worth Qiao Jing staying the night at her ce? Was she expecting her husband to be left alone in an empty house?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was tinged with jealousy.

    ¡°Which friend? Xu Moqian, Cao Feiyu, or Lu Zijin?¡±

    Qiao Jing could hear the tant jealousy in Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice, the jealousy had spilled over again, and she exined somewhat speechlessly.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the orphanage to find Xiuxiang. I¡¯ll be watching movies with the kids tonight, teaching them to bake cookies, so I won¡¯t being back tonight.¡±

    After getting a reasonable exnation, Zhan Qipei finally rxed.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pick you up for work tomorrow.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing beside him was dumbfounded. When her brother, that icy mountain, said that, his tone actually rose?

    And why did her brother act like a child when he was jealous, even bringing up several names?

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment and then hung up the phone. She could send a message to Zhan Qipei tomorrow morning saying she¡¯d take a taxi to the research institute.

    Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t suspicious and drove home.

    As he walked to his own room, there was a sudden clink under his foot.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked down at his right foot, moved it aside, and discovered a small round object that he had stepped on. He bent down to pick it up.

    Wasn¡¯t this an earring?

    But Qiao Jing never had the habit of wearing earrings. Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, filled with suspicion, stood up straight, and examined the earring closely for a while.

    The earring seemed familiar, was it his mother¡¯s? Had his mother been here today?

    Zhan Qipei remained silent for two seconds, then looked around the house. His gaze paused when itnded on the sofa.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s coat was still on the sofa. She had worn it out today, and if she had gone out again, she wouldn¡¯t have left the coat there.

    Instead, it looked more like she had left in a hurry and didn¡¯t even have time to put on her coat.

    Zhan Qipei decided to call Qiao Jing. As he flipped to the contacts page and saw that familiar number, he suddenly realized.

    Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t tell him the truth, otherwise, she would have mentioned it on the phone just now.

    Zhan Qipei switched to another contact and called Su Manhan.

    The call wasn¡¯t answered for a while, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart gradually grew anxious.

    At thest second before the automatic hang-up, Su Manhan answered.

    Zhan Qipei immediately asked, ¡°Mom, did youe to my ce today?¡±

    Su Manhan had anticipated Zhan Qipei asking her this. She often picked on Qiao Jing, and the other party must harbor resentment towards her.

    Qiao Jing would definitely seize this opportunity toin to her son. She nned to brush it off casually.

    ¡°I¡¯m now ying cards, can¡¯t hear you, bad signal, it¡¯s noisy¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei caught on to the hints in Su Manhan¡¯s words and kept pressing.

    ¡°Did youe here today or not?¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t want to admit it. After all, her intention was to correct Qiao Jing¡¯s bad habits. Who could have imagined fainting from just a light pull? How could that be her fault?

    She directly chose to feign ignorance, ¡°I didn¡¯t go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was deep as he looked at the earring in his hand.

    ¡°Then why is your earring here at my ce?¡±

 Chapter 279: 269: Where on Earth is Qiao Jing?

    Chapter 279: Chapter 269: Where on Earth is Qiao Jing?

    From Su Manhan¡¯s reaction, he was certain that she was hiding something from him.

    Su Manhan¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat as she touched her ear and realized that an earring was indeed missing!

    It must have been lost while she was chasing after Qiao Jing¡ªhow could Qipei have found it?

    At this point, Su Manhan also knew she couldn¡¯t keep things hidden any longer, swallowed hard, and continued to pretend she couldn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°What are you saying? I can¡¯t hear you, I¡¯m ying cards and it¡¯s too noisy here, I can¡¯t hear you.¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t give Zhan Qipei the chance to question her and hung up the call.

    ...

    She didn¡¯t want to face her son because she knew he was very smart, and speaking further would certainly give her away.

    But she also worried that Qiao Jing might take this opportunity to tattle to her son, which would definitely lead to another argument with her.

    Zhan Qipei silently stared at the disconnected call. If his mother had gone there, then Zhan Nanqing was almost certainly there too.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone rang in the hospital room; she picked it up and froze at the caller ID.

    ¡°My brother?!¡±

    This was bad¡ªwhy was her brother calling her? Could it be that he knew about this?!

    But Qiao Jing had just said she was going to the welfare home, and her brother seemed to believe her, so why call her now?

    Zhan Nanqing gave Qiao Jing a look pleading for help.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to call Zhan Nanqing. Her exnation just now had been wless, everything had fallen into ce logically.

    So this call might not be rted to her, but regardless, she needed to be cautious.

    Qiao Jing gestured with her eyes for Zhan Nanqing to not let anything slip and to be safe by putting the call on speakerphone.

    ¡°Put it on speaker.¡±

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing felt an immense pressure, her finger trembling slightly as she pressed to answer the call.

    She clenched her teeth, swiftly pressing the answer key¡ªsooner orter, she was going to face the music!

    After the call connected, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak immediately, and a somewhat eerie silence pervaded the hospital room.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heartbeat pounded nervously as she clutched at her clothes, instinctively swallowing hard.

    With the other party remaining silent for so long, Zhan Nanqing wondered if her brother was intentionally intimidating her, so she gathered her courage to speak first.

    ¡°Brother¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Where is Qiao Jing?¡±

    Normally, Zhan Nanqing could have said she didn¡¯t know.

    But Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice now was exceptionally cold, as if it came from the depths of Hell, chilling to the bone.

    This only scared Zhan Nanqing further, causing her to falter, her heart skipping a beat, unable to respond immediately.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his dark eyes, a cold light flickering within, even more certain now that the mother and daughter had met Qiao Jing today and kept it from him.

    ¡°Where is Qiao Jing, exactly?¡±

    His voice remained deep and emotionless, and Zhan Nanqing could feel a chill through the phone. She opened her mouth but could not utter a word.

    It wasn¡¯t her fault! Her brother¡¯s presence was like that of the living King of Hell climbing out from Hell, she didn¡¯t dare to lie.

    Zhan Nanqing looked as though she was facing a formidable enemy, and Qiao Jing could not stand by idly anymore, not wanting to make things harder. Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence was not something just anyone could withstand.

    She took the phone from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand and said into the phone, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, resting at the hospital. I will head back soon.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s tense body finally rxed, and she looked at Qiao Jing with immense gratitude.

    As long as she didn¡¯t have to listen to her brother¡¯s voice, which could freeze someone even through the phone, that was enough.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression softened a bit after he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, but her words made him anxious again.

    ¡°Which hospital? What¡¯s the room number? I¡¯m on my way now!¡±

    Hearing the hurried footsteps on the other end of the phone, Qiao Jing ryed the hospital and room number to him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there immediately!¡±

    With that, the call ended.

    After hanging up the phone, Zhan Nanqing quickly patted her chest to calm herself down.

    ¡°My brother is too terrifying¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing handed the phone back to Zhan Nanqing andy back down on the hospital bed to rest.

    Something urred to her, and a ripple of emotion appeared in her phoenix eyes as she gently ced her hands on her stomach.

    Zhan Qipei, in too much of a hurry, didn¡¯t control his strength when opening the door, and it mmed loudly.

    Zhan Nanqing, who was sitting beside Qiao Jing, jumped in fright, her body shaking.

    Qiao Jing showed no emotional fluctuations and lifted her gaze to look at Zhan Qipei.

    But what she saw was Zhan Qipei¡¯s disheveled appearance.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hair was messy, a few strands falling over his eyelids, not seeming to bother him.

    He had pulled open his tie for venttion, and his suit, which had been ironed without a wrinkle, now looked rumpled.

    It was easy to imagine how he had run over here.

    Qiao Jing stared nkly for a moment at Zhan Qipei¡¯s weary appearance; he normally paid meticulous attention to his attire and appearance.

    He couldn¡¯t stand even the slightest crease on his suit jacket and insisted on smoothing it out before wearing it, and he wouldn¡¯t allow any upward curl in his hair.

    This prompted a warm current to flow through Qiao Jing¡¯s heart, but she knew even more certainly one thing.

    Forced love is not sweet, she felt no romantic interest in Zhan Qipei.

    She could not repay Zhan Qipei¡¯s affection simply because he liked her. There was no such principle in the world.

    Relieved at seeing Qiao Jing safe and sound, Zhan Qipei walked to the bed, his hot gaze scanning her up and down as though he were carrying out a search.

    Eventually, his eyes rested on Qiao Jing¡¯s pale face, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart clenched in pain.

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat ufortable under his intense gaze, as if she were naked and being scrutinized by him.

    She slightly turned her head to dodge Zhan Qipei¡¯s unreserved gaze, her expression still poised and calm.

    ¡°What happened? Where do you feel ufortable?¡± Zhan Qipei immediately asked.

    Qiao Jing could not reveal the real situation to Zhan Qipei and found a suitable excuse to fend him off.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been too tiredtely, not resting well.¡±

    With that, she moved the hand that was on her stomach back under the nket and calmly took a sip of water.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart sank further, guessing that it must have been the strain from the research institute and Wonderful Hall that had made Qiao Jing so busy.

    How had he failed to notice Qiao Jing¡¯s exhaustion?

    Usually able to catch the subtlest expressions on her face, he hadn¡¯t noticed the fatigue this time; he had been neglectful.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you home to rest; the hospital is never asfortable as home.¡±

    Qiao Jing also knew that staying in the hospital any longer would raise Zhan Qipei¡¯s suspicions, so she agreed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She got up, prepared to go home with Zhan Qipei, when Zhan Nanqing in the room couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, rushed over, and stood between them.

 Chapter 280: 270: Zhan Qipei Rushes to the Ward

    Chapter 280: Chapter 270: Zhan Qipei Rushes to the Ward

    ¡°Brother, Qiao Jing can¡¯t be discharged yet; the doctor said she must stay in the hospital for observation for two or three days.¡±

    When Zhan Nanqing said this, she felt a bit apprehensive; it was her first time going against her brother.

    But the doctor said that Qiao Jing¡¯s condition required hospital observation, and she could only be discharged after confirming everything was alright.

    Disturbance of the fetal aura could be serious or minor, but what if something else happenedter?

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei furrowed his long, misty eyebrows, feeling somewhat suspicious.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that she just needed a few days of rest? Why does she need to stay in the hospital for two more days?¡±

    ...

    If the doctor said she needed hospital observation, then Qiao Jing¡¯s condition might be worse than what she was saying.

    Zhan Nanqing stealthily nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly and didn¡¯t exin further, afraid that the more she talked, the more likely she¡¯d reveal the truth.

    Zhan Qipei also noticed the stealthy nce Zhan Nanqing had cast and followed her gaze towards Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Her belly? What about it?

    Could it be¡ª

    A sense of rm instantly surged in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart. Zhan Nanqing must not speak, or else she might not be able to keep the secret from Zhan Qipei.

    No! Her pregnancy absolutely couldn¡¯t be revealed to him! Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to sever ties with the Zhan Familyter.

    At this moment, none of the three spoke, maintaining a somewhat eerie silence.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze remained on her belly; why was he staring at her belly? Could it be that he was bing suspicious?

    But she felt she was doing a good job of concealing the truth¡ªwhen she intended to deceive someone, it was hard for others to see through it.

    The tense atmosphere lingered between the three of them, and Zhan Nanqing, not knowing where to rest her eyes, eventually opted to look down at the floor.

    Could her brother figure it out?

    Zhan Nanqing hoped her brother would guess the truth because then she could easily be the aunt of the three children.

    But she had just promised Qiao Jing not to tell her brother, and if Xinrou found out about it, she would surely be heartbroken.

    Zhan Nanqing started to feel conflicted.

    It was Zhan Qipei who first broke the silence, his gaze still fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    ¡°Could it be your stomach is feeling unwell again? Did you drink something cold behind my back?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression revealed a sh of surprise, which disappeared as swiftly as it came, and she quickly returned to her usual demeanor.

    She hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to still be preupied with her stomach issues, thinking that was why she was feeling unwell.

    However, this was actually good for her; at least she could use this as an excuse to keep deceiving Zhan Qipei. Qiao Jing simply agreed.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, who was next to her, lifted her head in disbelief; this was the first time she thought her brother was so foolish.

    She had always considered her brother the smartest and most capable man in the world, with the craftiest methods.

    After all, Zhan Qipei¡¯s reputation was not only famous in the capital but also listed internationally. Her brother was decisive and shrewd in business, with intelligence beyond what most people could imagine. So why was he acting foolishly this time?

    She had hinted so clearly just a moment ago, yet her brother really thought the issue was Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach? Could there really be such a foolish man in the world?

    Zhan Nanqing was almost frantic with worry for Zhan Qipei, wanting to tell the truth but unable to do so.

    Just as she nned to give her brother a meaningful look and hint again, she noticed that his eyes were solely on Qiao Jing, not ncing at her at all.

    Forget it, since he won¡¯t even nce at her, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin; in the end, it was an issue between the couple.

    Besides, she had promised Qiao Jing not to disclose the matter, so what came next would be up to her brother¡¯s fate.

    ¡°I¡¯ve emphasized to you not to drink anything cold.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was filled with concern, tinged with a bit of displeasure. He would also get angry if she didn¡¯t take good care of her body.

    Qiao Jing, somewhat fatigued, rubbed her temples and dropped a sentence.

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯m not feeling well, I¡¯m going to rest.¡±

    She feared that if she faced Zhan Qipei for a longer time, he would detect something amiss, so she made an excuse to go and rest.

    Zhan Qipei hurriedly stepped forward to steady Qiao Jing, looking at her with eyes that treasured her like a precious gem, stubbornly escorting her to the bedside.

    After tucking Qiao Jing in, he lightened his footsteps and, along with Zhan Nanqing, left the hospital room.

    Seeing that her brother hade, Zhan Nanqing felt there was no need for her to stay.

    ¡°Brother, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll go back first.¡±

    Actually, she was more afraid that if she stayed any longer, her clumsy acting would give away her lie to her brother.

    Zhan Qipei called out to Zhan Nanqing, his dark eyes full of suspicion, closely observing her facial expressions.

    ¡°Wait, did Qiao Jing really faint because her stomach was upset?¡±

    Qiao Jing had always been in good health. Even though she had minor stomach issues, she hadn¡¯t been severe enough to be hospitalized before.

    Previously, a bit of medication and rest would have sufficed to make her recover. So why was she admitted to the hospital this time?

    Moreover, the incident had happened after his mother and sister went to the apartment while he was not at home. What exactly had happened between his mother and Qiao Jing?

    Could it be that their visit to the apartment and Qiao Jing¡¯s hospitalization werepletely unrted events?

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling somewhat guilty, blinked several times and diverted her gaze elsewhere.

    Only she knew how panicked she was at that moment; why was her brother looking at her as if he were interrogating a suspect?

    Zhan Nanqing felt a chill down her spine as nervous sweat broke out; now she was even more uncertain whether she could deceive her brother. She weighed her options silently before finally speaking.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. When I went to her ce, she fainted the moment she opened the door.¡±

    Heavens! Why did she mess up at such a critical moment? So nervous she was stuttering! Her brother couldn¡¯t possibly notice, could he?

    Zhan Qipei once again looked at Zhan Nanqing with a scrutinizing gaze, silent for a moment, as if giving her a chance to tell the truth.

    Zhan Nanqing clenched her own hands nervously in her heart, silently praying, please don¡¯t notice, please don¡¯t notice¡­

    When she saw Zhan Qipei take something out of his pocket, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes immediately widened with shock.

    Those were Mom¡¯s pearl earrings!

    This morning when Mom left, she had deliberately put them on to show off to her, so how did they end up in her brother¡¯s hands?

    Zhan Qipei watched Zhan Nanqing¡¯s reaction, his eyes narrowing slightly, his tone involuntarily turning cold.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you onest time, does this have anything to do with you and Mom?¡±

    Although it was a question, Zhan Qipei spoke in a derative tone that inexplicably sent a chill down one¡¯s spine.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard her brother¡¯s cold tone again, she got goosebumps and, with a hardened scalp, uttered two words.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze lingered on Zhan Nanqing, disbelieving her words.

    Meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, her palms sweating, Zhan Nanqing sighed deeply in her heart. Oh well, might as well speak up; she knew she couldn¡¯t hide it from her brother. Time toe clean.

    ¡°When I got to her ce, Mom was indeed nitpicking and said some unpleasant things, but she didn¡¯t physically harm her. She just tugged at Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes slightly, and then she fainted.¡±

    After speaking, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t feel any relief, as Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was as cold as a chilling wind, the angles of his profile were taut.

 Chapter 281: 271: Zhan Yuanshan Upholds Justice for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 281: Chapter 271: Zhan Yuanshan Upholds Justice for Qiao Jing

    Zhan Nanqing felt even more panicked inside. Her brother was clearly angry, but no matter what, Su Manhan was their mother. Although she was afraid of her brother, there were some things that still needed to be said.

    At the very least, she couldn¡¯t let the rtionship between her brother and their mother be even more strained.

    ¡°Brother, you know what Mom is like, her mouth is always sharp but she doesn¡¯t have bad intentions, and she really didn¡¯ty a hand on anyone.¡±

    After finishing this sentence, Zhan Nanqing gauged Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression and, noticing that her brother¡¯s expression had softened a little, continued speaking.

    ¡°Mom just thinks that Qiao Jing is a country girl and that she will bring you some trouble. She also believes that Qiao Jing approached you with an ulterior motive.¡±

    Zhan Qipei uttered a sentence indifferently.

    ...

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that? It¡¯s precisely because I know that I¡¯ve been tolerating it until now.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned. What did her brother mean by that? She really didn¡¯t want to see her brother and their mom arguing again.

    She immediately asked, ¡°So, are you going to make trouble for Mom?¡±

    Zhan Qipei did not answer Zhan Nanqing, standing silently to one side, his gaze turning toward the entrance of the hospital room.

    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±

    The elevator door opened with a sound, and Zhan Yuanshan walked out, leaning on a cane.

    Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing were surprised to see the visitor. How had Grandpae?

    Zhan Nanqing paused for a few seconds, then asked, ¡°Grandpa, how did youe here?¡±

    No one had informed Zhan Yuanshan about Qiao Jing being hospitalized, so how did Grandpa find his way here?

    At that moment, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s stern face was a match for Zhan Qipei¡¯s; after all, Zhan Yuanshan was a Great General in the past, his formidable aura was no less than anyone else¡¯s.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯te, Xiao Jing would¡¯ve been bullied to death!¡±

    After chiding in a low voice, he then turned his reproachful gaze toward Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°As Xiao Jing¡¯s husband, can¡¯t you even protect her? Xiao Jing has been bullied into hospitalization, and she¡¯s not an ordinary person. What if something serious happens to her, who will take responsibility?¡±

    ¡°If this dys Xiao Jing¡¯s work, humph¡­¡±

    Shaking his sleeve in dismissal, Zhan Yuanshan stopped speaking; then, with a look of disappointment toward Zhan Qipei, he walked towards the hospital room.

    ¡°How is Xiao Jing now? Let me go see her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stepped forward to block Zhan Yuanshan, exining, ¡°She just fell asleep. If you go in now, she¡¯ll have to get up and chat with you, and her body won¡¯t be able to take it.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s steps finally halted and he stopped a short distance from the hospital room door.

    ¡°This matter can¡¯t just be left as it is. I¡¯ve known about your mom¡¯s temper for a long time. I used to overlook it because of your dad, and even Xiao Jing told me it was no big deal.¡±

    Upon saying this, Zhan Yuanshan became so agitated that he tapped his cane on the floor, producing a dull sound.

    ¡°Xiao Jing even spoke in her defense, but look at her. Time and again she¡¯s troubled Xiao Jing, and this time I really can¡¯t stand it any longer. She must give me an exnation!¡±

    Having said all that, Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing also knew that this matter could not just be easily dismissed.

    Zhan Qipei did not voice his opinion, implicitly agreeing with Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s approach.

    Zhan Nanqing was not so calm. Her grandfather had spoken, and they would definitely have to go home and have an argument with their mom.

    What should she do?

    On the way back to Purple Garden, she couldn¡¯t think of any solution, and for the first time, she felt reluctant to enter her own home.

    Zhan Qipei unlocked the front door.

    Zhan Yuanshan walked in with a furious momentum and scanned the living room but did not find Su Manhan.

    Zhan Yao was just sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper when he saw Zhan Yuanshaning in so aggressively. He was somewhat puzzled.

    What happened? Could it be that some major incident urred?

    He put away the newspaper and stood up.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dad? Why are you so angry?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan let out a cold snort, his cane tapping on the ground with a thudding sound.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it all thanks to your wonderful wife? Get her out here!¡±

    Zhan Yao waspletely baffled. What could his wife have done to make his father this angry?

    What did she do to offend the old man?

    Su Manhan, who had been in the room, also heard themotion and came downstairs, only to find Zhan Yuanshan and her two children standing in the living room.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips when he saw Su Manhan.

    Zhan Nanqing kept making eye signals to her mother, feeling as if she was in the midst of a battlefield, and her grandfather was quite scary when he got angry.

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t understand the look in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes. She turned to look at Zhan Yuanshan and, seeing that the old man was angry, became worried.

    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not in good health; getting angry isn¡¯t good for you. What¡¯s made you so angry today?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan let out a cold huff from his nose. It seemed Su Manhan still didn¡¯t know what she had done, his anger making him stamp his cane.

    He huffed and puffed, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! I already know about Xiao Jing¡¯s situation. How could youy a hand on her? Xiao Jing is in the hospital now!¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for his habit of bragging to those doctors about having such a granddaughter-inw, and the fact that Qiao Jing happened to be admitted to that hospital, he probably wouldn¡¯t have known about this at all!

    After sending people to inquire at the research institute and then checking the surveince at Qiao Jing¡¯s home, he finally learned the whole story.

    Zhan Yao¡¯s face showed surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected her toy a hand on Qiao Jing.

    Although she had been unpleasant in speech before, it had never escted to physical violence. How could it have led to hospitalization this time?

    Zhan Qipei cast aplex nce at Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan saw the look in her husband and son¡¯s eyes as if she really was like some street hooligan, yet she hadn¡¯tid a finger on Qiao Jing!

    This made Su Manhan feel very wronged. She began to defend herself, her voice carrying a hint of grievance.

    ¡°I did nothing! I just grabbed her a bit, hoping to get her toe back. I never thought of hitting her.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, I am the wife of the Zhan family; I couldn¡¯t possibly do something so shameful, and I would never disgrace the Zhan family!¡±

    They looked at her as if she¡¯dmitted some horrendous crime. How could she know that just by pulling on Qiao Jing, she would faint?

    Zhan Nanqing also opened her mouth to testify for Su Manhan.

    ¡°Grandfather, my mom really just grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes, she didn¡¯t hit her.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan didn¡¯t want to listen to Su Manhan¡¯s exnation, and it didn¡¯t matter even if someone testified.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your excuses. Xiao Jing is hospitalized now, and things have escted to this point, so you must give me an exnation today.¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened, feeling both wronged and angry in her heart.

    ¡°What exnation? What exnation do I owe you?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan, leaning on his cane, stood firmly beside Zhan Qipei and said to Su Manhan, ¡°Xiao Jing is the granddaughter-inw I approve of; you shouldn¡¯t target her like this. Qipei, what do you think should be done about this?¡±

    He wanted to leave the matter to his grandson to see how Zhan Qipei would handle it. If he dared to let Xiao Jing be wronged, he wouldn¡¯t me his cane for not having eyes.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t want to make things any harder for Su Manhan and stated the lowest demand he could.

 Chapter 282: 272: I Will Divorce Zhan Qipei Right Now

    Chapter 282: Chapter 272: I Will Divorce Zhan Qipei Right Now

    ¡°`

    ¡°Mom,¡± you are partly to me for this incident,¡± no matter how hard you pulled on her, it wouldn¡¯t have happened if you hadn¡¯t argued with her. She fainted because she wasn¡¯t feeling well, which Nanqing told me. So you owe her an apology.¡±

    Su Manhan was so angry sheughed, pointing at herself incredulously.

    ¡°Qipei, I¡¯m her mother-inw, her senior, and also thedy of the Zhan Family. Qiao Jing is just a country girl. Why should I apologize to her? What a joke!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s countenance had softened a bit when Zhan Qipei asked for the apology, but now it red again when he heard Su Manhan¡¯s reluctance.

    He dropped a harsh line.

    ...

    ¡°If you don¡¯t apologize to Xiao Jing, I will no longer recognize you as my daughter-inw!¡±

    After Zhan Yuanshan spoke, he left Purple Garden furiously, leaning on his walking stick and entered another car.

    Su Manhan was dumbfounded¡ªcould it be that the old master would actually disown her as his daughter-inw over a country bumpkin like Qiao Jing?!

    She had been with the Zhan Family for so many years, while Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t even been there for one. How could Zhan Yuanshan be so protective of her?

    To treat a country girl as his own granddaughter, what on earth made Qiao Jing so worthy of such treatment from Zhan Yuanshan and his son?

    Watching the car carrying Zhan Yuanshan drive away, Su Manhan started wailing, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself.

    ¡°I would rather die than apologize to Qiao Jing! Zhan Yao, why didn¡¯t you speak up for me just now? Couldn¡¯t you tell Grandpa Zhan I didn¡¯ty a finger on her?¡±

    Regardless of which of her titles she put forward, she outweighed Qiao Jing. Why should she, a senior, apologize to a junior?

    Just now, aside from her daughter saying a word for her, the other two were as mute as fish. She could barely understand Qipei; after all, that was his wife.

    But why wasn¡¯t her own husband speaking for her?

    ¡°Zhan Yao, can¡¯t you even speak a word for me?¡±

    Zhan Yao was also in a tough spot, as he couldn¡¯t just go against Grandpa Zhan in that situation and risk upsetting him even more.

    Seeing that Zhan Yao remained silent, Su Manhan flopped down on the sofa, not even ncing at Zhan Qipei. Her son had long been disloyal; what hope did she have in him?

    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing, how could she have ended up in such a plight?

    She must bepletely ipatible with Qiao Jing!

    Driven to desperation by Su Manhan, Zhan Yao risked it and made a call to Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Dad, about this matter¡ª¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan knew what Zhan Yao wanted to say and cut him off.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to discuss about this matter unless she apologizes.¡±

    The call was ended there, not giving Zhan Yao a chance to respond.

    Zhan Yao knew how stubborn the old man could be and said with difficulty to Su Manhan, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just apologize? There¡¯s no persuading Grandpa Zhan.¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened¡ªwere these words reallying out of Zhan Yao¡¯s mouth?

    ¡°When we married, you said such sweet things! About how you would look after me¡­ And now? You¡¯re actually telling me to apologize to a junior! Clearly, it wasn¡¯t my fault, yet you¡¯re pushing me to apologize.¡±

    ¡°I never should have believed your pretty lies! To be deceived intoing to the Zhan Family, I must have run into eight lifetimes of bad luck! If only I had known¡­¡±

    The household was inplete turmoil, making it unbearable for Zhan Nanqing to stay. She nced at her brother.

    Zhan Qipei saw that Grandpa Zhan had gone so far as to make such a fierce statement, severing ties, so it was difficult for him to say anything against his mother.

    Neither stayed any longer; they got back into the car they hade in.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Zhan Nanqing in the back seat.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°`

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t know where she should go for a moment, so she simply decided to follow wherever her brother went.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡±

    When Qiao Jing woke up from her sleep, the first person she saw was Zhan Qipei, whose tall figure was hard to overlook as he sat by the hospital bed.

    Propping herself up, Qiao Jing sat up and noticed that Zhan Nanqing was also still there.

    Why was Zhan Nanqing still in the ward at this time? Given her personality, shouldn¡¯t she have gone home by now?

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had woken up, Zhan Qipei immediately poured a cup of hot water and handed it to her.

    Qiao Jing was quite thirsty and did not refuse. While she drank the water, Zhan Qipei spoke again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my mom wille to apologize to you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s motion of drinking water paused for a moment as she put down the cup, guessing some of the situation in her heart.

    Only Zhan Yuanshan intervening could make Su Manhan lower her stance toe and apologize to her.

    But she was, after all, going to leave the Zhan Family. She didn¡¯t want to cause discord to the point of outright hostility over her.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it has nothing to do with her. I was feeling unwell myself, and she just tugged at my clothes without much force.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, who had been sitting in the background, was taken aback by Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Although her mother hadn¡¯t used much force, Qiao Jing¡¯s physical condition had already been poor at the time, and it was her mother who had gone over to pick on her during that period.

    Otherwise, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t have fainted. In any case, her mother was still partly to me.

    Yet Qiao Jing took all the responsibility upon herself without saying a single word of me toward her mother, not wanting to drag her mother into the matter.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s view of Qiao Jing underwent a drastic change. Initially, she was merely in awe of the other¡¯s medical knowledge and Professor Qiao¡¯s achievements.

    But after getting to know more about her, she realized Qiao Jing¡¯s character was nothing like she had previously thought, creating a strong sense of guilt within her.

    It turned out that she had been measuring a noble¡¯s heart with her petty mind, having said some unpleasant things before¡­

    The more Zhan Nanqing thought about it, the more guilty she felt, and no wonder Qiao Jing was such a sessful woman. She was open-minded, quite unlike ordinary people who bear ill intentions and suspicion toward others.

    She felt it was normal not to reach Qiao Jing¡¯s heights, as those significant figures seemed to have a broad mind by nature.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart ached more for her. How could his wife be so kindhearted? She had been bullied into hospitalization yet didn¡¯t n to pursue the other party¡¯s responsibility.

    He would have to protect her even better in the future, or else she would genuinely be bullied even more severely. And now, only he could protect his wife.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond, Qiao Jing, unsure of his attitude, decided to tackle the issue at its root and personally made a call to Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan, the hospital matter is my fault, and it has nothing to do with Auntie Su. It was due to my physical difort at the time.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan grunted.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, I¡¯ve turned a blind eye for your sake in the past, but now she¡¯s bullied you into the hospital, and you¡¯re still speaking up for her?¡±

    Knowing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s stubbornness, Qiao Jing continued to persuade him.

    ¡°I¡¯m really okay. I don¡¯t want to blow things up.¡±

    Once Zhan Yuanshan was set on something, he would see it through, and this time he directly refused, regardless of what Qiao Jing said.

    ¡°I told your grandfather that I would take care of you and not treat you unfairly. Now that you have been aggrieved, I must make her apologize to you.¡±

    Knowing that Zhan Yuanshan was a man who wouldn¡¯t turn back until he hit the wall, Qiao Jing thought of a solution.

    ¡°If you really make Auntie Su apologize to me, then I¡¯ll divorce Zhan Qipei right now and leave the Zhan Family.¡±

 Chapter 283: 273: Su Manhan Runs Away from Home

    Chapter 283: Chapter 273: Su Manhan Runs Away from Home

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart suddenly tightened as he fixed his deep gaze on Qiao Jing.

    How could his wife use this to threaten Grandpa Zhan? No matter what, his wife could not divorce him!

    But Qiao Jing was the type who would do as she said, and if Grandpa Zhan did not agree, she might indeed divorce him.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and moved a bit closer to Qiao Jing, wanting to hear how Grandpa Zhan would respond.

    Grandpa Zhan sighed inwardly. Since Xiao Jing had brought this up in their conversation, he could not continue to pursue the matter with Su Manhan.

    How could he let Xiao Jing leave the Zhan Family?

    ...

    Grandpa Zhan helplesslypromised and took a step back.

    ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s listen to our Xiao Jing. We won¡¯t ask her to apologize to you, so Xiao Jing, you cannot leave the Zhan Family either. From now on, I absolutely will not let you be wronged again!¡±

    After ensuring the matter was settled, Qiao Jing did not disturb Grandpa Zhan any further.

    ¡°Mm, then I won¡¯t bother you any more. I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, she lowered her eyelids, knowing that she would eventually have to leave the Zhan Family.

    When Zhan Qipei saw that the call had ended, aining tone rose in his voice.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk about divorce with Grandpa either, what if Grandpa didn¡¯t agree? Do you really want to divorce me?¡±

    Qiao Jing could even hear a hint of grievance in his words, and she found it slightly amusing as she turned around.

    ¡°Grandpa would have agreed.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, like someone determined to get to the bottom of things, pressed, ¡°But what if he really didn¡¯t agree?¡±

    Qiao Jing put her phone back on the nightstand and looked at Zhan Qipei, who seemed downcast, and chose tofort him.

    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®what if¡¯.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nced at the time, stood up, and after greeting them, returned to Purple Garden.

    She had to inform her mother that Grandpa Zhan had said she didn¡¯t need to apologize, otherwise her dad would certainly be troubled by her mom for a long time.

    As soon as she opened her home¡¯s door, she heard Su Manhan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Zhan Yao, don¡¯t meddle with me! I just say I shouldn¡¯t have married you. I am going to run away from home.¡±

    The house was in utter chaos, and the living room table was a messy disaster, with apples and bananas scattered all over the floor ¨C clearly, Su Manhan had lost her temper.

    Zhan Nanqing sighed. Su Manhan was dragging a suitcase, while Zhan Yao was gripping the handle, refusing to let go.

    Both of them hadn¡¯t noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s return. Zhan Yao was at his wit¡¯s end and didn¡¯t know what to say, he could only hold onto the suitcase to keep her from leaving with it.

    Su Manhan kept on ranting.

    ¡°Let go! Why should I stay in the Zhan Family? You don¡¯t trust me, you let me be wronged, what¡¯s the use of me being here, it¡¯s better if¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing felt overwhelmed by themotion. Why was her mother so troublesome?

    She interrupted Su Manhan from continuing the fuss and rted the events at the hospital.

    ¡°Qiao Jing has already spoken to Grandpa Zhan over the phone. This matter has nothing to do with you; she said it was her own health issue. Grandpa Zhan has also relented and said you don¡¯t need to apologize.¡±

    The moment she uttered these words!

    The living room went silent.

    Su Manhan was stunned and momentarily forgot to struggle with Zhan Yao for the suitcase. The words she was about to say were swallowed back down.

    ¡°`

    It took her a while to realize what Zhan Nanqing had said, and she muttered to herself.

    ¡°Who asked her to plead for me?¡±

    Su Manhan let go of the suitcase she had been holding and walked over to the couch, slumping down onto it.

    Seeing that she had finally stopped making a fuss, Zhan Yao dragged the suitcase back to his room, to prevent her from suddenly wanting to y the run away from home drama again.

    Su Manhan sat on the couch, talking to herself.

    ¡°Why would she speak well of me? Who is she trying to impress?¡±

    She suddenly thought of something and looked at Zhan Nanqing. Her daughter looked as though she had been conquered by Qiao Jing, which made her suspicious.

    Could it be that Qiao Jing is so scheming that she¡¯s trying to win me over by hook or by crook, to make me ept her? She saw that even Zhan Yao might be epting Qiao Jing!

    In the past, when she spoke ill of Qiao Jing, he didn¡¯t say much, but now, when she spoke badly of her, he would even defend Qiao Jing.

    As for her stepson, he had been conquered by Qiao Jing long ago, always protecting her and following her around, utterly disregarding his mother¡¯s words!

    Howe she¡¯s the only one left with any sense in their family?

    The more Su Manhan thought about it, the more she couldn¡¯t understand. Was Qiao Jing really trying to win her favor, so she could enter the Zhan Family on good terms, by speaking on her behalf?

    She furrowed her brows and got up to return to her room.

    Zhan Nanqing was d her mother had stopped causing trouble and also returned to her own room to stay put.

    The first thing Su Manhan did upon returning to her room was to take out her phone, and just as she was about to look for the group chat with the three of them, she suddenly remembered her daughter possibly being conquered by Qiao Jing.

    She switched to the private chat page with Lou Xinrou and sent her a message.

    ¡°Xinrou, Qiao Jing actually spoke up for me in front of the old man. What do you make of that? Do you think she really meant to help me?¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t mention the entire incident, only speaking vaguely.

    When Lou Xinrou read the message, she felt a twinge of rm. Was Aunt Su moved by Qiao Jing¡¯s actions?

    No! Aunt Su was her right-hand ally in the Zhan Family; she couldn¡¯t let her join Qiao Jing¡¯s camp!

    She immediately started crafting a reply, putting a negative spin on everything.

    ¡°How could that be, Aunt Su? Think about it, with Qiao Jing¡¯s personality, how could she help you out of thin air?¡±

    ¡°I think she just wants to win your favor, to get you to ept her, so she pretentiously spoke for you in front of Grandpa Zhan. Remember when I took that photo? She actually kicked me out. How could she be so kindhearted?¡±

    Su Manhan read Lou Xinrou¡¯s reply several times over and responded.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan was very angry about this matter. If she hadn¡¯t spoken up for me, she could have gotten her wish of making me apologize to her. But she gave up my apology to gain my favor?¡±

    Lou Xinrou frowned and mulled over how to respond, eventuallying up with a good excuse.

    ¡°Aunt Su, which is more important to you, apologizing or staying in the Zhan Family for a lifetime? Of course, it¡¯s more important to stay in the Zhan Family.¡±

    After reading this message, Su Manhan strongly agreed, realizing it was just as she thought. The country girl was indeed deep in scheming; she had almost been conquered by Qiao Jing herself.

    She knew it. How could Qiao Jing be so kindhearted? It turns out she ultimate goal was to secure a ce in the Zhan Family, huh! Impossible!

    As long as she was in the Zhan Family, Qiao Jing would never be able to stay with peace of mind!

    ¡°Right, Xinrou, howe I didn¡¯t think of that? She¡¯s really too conniving.¡±

    Seeing Su Manhan¡¯s reply, Lou Xinrou breathed a sigh of relief, d that she had managed to pull Aunt Su back to her side.

    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it, Aunt Su. She¡¯s got bad character and heavy schemes, probably because she¡¯s from the countryside and isn¡¯t used to seeing so much money like the Zhan Family has, so she¡¯s desperately trying to stay.¡±

    ¡°`

 Chapter 284: 274: Zhan Qipei Helps Qiao Jing Wash Her Feet

    Chapter 284: Chapter 274: Zhan Qipei Helps Qiao Jing Wash Her Feet

    Zhan Qipei returned home, brought some items to the hospital, and ced them on the sofa beside him. He then took a hard stool and sat beside Qiao Jing¡¯s hospital bed.

    The sofa was some distance from the bed, but he just wanted to stay close to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nced at the big bag and guessed it was her change of clothes. Had Zhan Qipei gone home just to bring these?

    By then, it was alreadyte, and Zhan Qipei had to work the next day.

    ¡°You can go back now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was stunned. He should go back? His wife was hospitalized, and as her husband, how could he leave?

    ...

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay the night.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked seriously at Zhan Qipei, ¡°You still have to work tomorrow. I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to hinder Zhan Qipei¡¯s work because of her, especially since she could take care of herself, albeit feeling a bit weak.

    Zhan Qipei acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard her and started peeling an apple for Qiao Jing.

    Seeing his stubbornness, Qiao Jing sighed internally.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I can manage here on my own. You have to work tomorrow, you should go back and rest.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had just finished peeling the apple, ced it on a te, and started cutting it into small pieces.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to Tang Yan. I won¡¯t be going to the office tomorrow. He will handle things, and if he can¡¯t, he will send them to me. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qiao Jing helplessly put her hand to her forehead.

    ¡°But are you sure Tang Yan alone can handle so much work? I¡¯m fine by myself.¡±

    Tang Yan wasn¡¯t omnipotent, Qiao Jing knew the workload of Zhan Corporation, and Zhan Qipei, as the boss, couldn¡¯t just decide not to show up.

    Zhan Qipei also felt a bit upset after hearing this. His wife always said she could manage alone, that she could take care of herself.

    He knew Qiao Jing indeed had the capability to take care of herself, and she could also support those around her.

    Yet, as her husband, his job was to be stronger, to be Qiao Jing¡¯s safe harbor and provide her with support.

    He didn¡¯t want to leave Qiao Jing alone.

    ¡°I brought my clothes here, I¡¯m not going back.¡±

    Qiao Jing got up from the bed, nning to walk to the sofa to check if he really had brought his own clothes as well.

    Zhan Qipei saw her getting out of the bed and immediately stood up, nervously reaching out to support Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing slightly sidestepped, avoiding his hand, and seriously said to Zhan Qipei, ¡°I¡¯m not injured. There¡¯s no need to be so anxious; I can manage by myselfpletely.¡±

    She almost started to believe that she indeed was injured and unable to take care of herself due to Zhan Qipei¡¯s fuss.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened, but he remained by Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Upon opening the bag and seeing her change of clothes, as well as Zhan Qipei¡¯s own change of clothes,

    ¡°When I got home, I found that there was a power outage. I saw the message from the property management that there was an issue with the electrical circuit, and the power would be out all night,¡±

    Zhan Qipei added, stealing nces at Qiao Jing¡¯s expression.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t so easy to fool. A power outage? That seemed too coincidental.

    Zhan Qipei, worried that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t believe it, pulled out his phone, found the message from the property management and showed it to her.

    ¡°It really is a power outage.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded indifferently, picked up her phone and checked it. The property management had indeed sent her a message about the power outage as well.

    But, wasn¡¯t it too coincidental?

    ¡°The neighborhood won¡¯t be without power all night. It¡¯ll probably be resolved quickly.¡±

    Zhan Qipei thought to himself, this won¡¯t be resolved tonight.

    He feigned nonchnce, ¡°We¡¯ll just see when ites back on.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips. Now that their home was without power, she couldn¡¯t very well send Zhan Qipei back, especially since he had brought his clothes over of his own ord.

    Qiao Jing said nothing more and took out a medical book Zhan Qipei had brought for her, and returned to her hospital bed to begin reading.

    Zhan Qipei fetched a bathrobe from the bag and entered the hospital¡¯s bathroom.

    The sound of water began rustling loudly.

    The sound of water from the bathroom continuously echoed in Qiao Jing¡¯s ears; she furrowed her brows, distracted for the first time while reading.

    She traced the source of the water sound and looked towards the bathroom.

    The bathroom ss was frosted, and she could vaguely make out a robust silhouette moving inside.

    Qiao Jing calmed herself, withdrew her gaze, and returned to her reading, sessfully blocking out all external distractions this time.

    The bathroom door clicked open.

    The first thing he did upon exiting the bathroom was to look at Qiao Jing, who was deeply absorbed in her book; he suddenly felt it was futile to have tied his belt so loosely.

    Was his wife not interested in him at all?

    ¡°Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei tentatively called out.

    Only then did Qiao Jing react, lifting her head to look at Zhan Qipei standing at the bathroom doorway.

    Zhan Qipei was d in a pure ck bathrobe, his belt seemingly forgotten and loosely hanging from his waist as if it might fall off at any moment.

    His neckline was slightly open, revealing his muscr chest. The thin bathrobe clung tightly to his body, subtly outlining his sexy abs.

    Even through the bathrobe, one could sense his evenly distributed muscles, giving a reliable impression.

    His damp ck hair draped over his forehead, water droplets sliding along his sharply defined jawline, dripping into the neckline.

    Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing staring at him, a smile curling his lips while he carelessly grabbed a towel and began to rub his hair.

    As he moved to dry his hair, his neckline gaped even wider, but Qiao Jing looked away as if she hadn¡¯t seen anything.

    This made Zhan Qipei feel rather frustrated. He nced down at his physique¡ªdid he really have no appeal?

    He sighed, his eyes reflecting slight disappointment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash your feet,¡± Zhan Qipei approached Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing put down the medical book in her hands, and without a second thought, rejected the offer.

    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash.¡±

    Qiao Jing put down the clothes in her hands, rolling her eyes at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m not injured. There¡¯s no need to be so anxious.¡±

    ¡°What if you faint in there? You¡¯ve fainted at home before, what if it happens while you¡¯re showering? What if the water turns cold in this cold weather?¡± Zhan Qipei was very persistent on the matter, arguing his points logically.

    His series of questions made Qiao Jing somewhat exasperated, and she sighed, resigning, ¡°Fine, fine, fine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes instantly brightened. He voluntarily picked up her clothes left on the sofa¡ªhis wife had agreed to let him help her bathe!

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to bathe.¡±

    Given the cold weather, there wasn¡¯t a need to bathe every day. She took back her clothes from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands and came out of the bathroom dressed to find Zhan Qipei still wearing that bathrobe.

    Qiao Jing knit her brows.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡±

    ¡°Not cold.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, noticing she hade out, walked back into the bathroom and fetched a basin of hot water, finding Qiao Jing adjusting the air conditioner¡¯s temperature.

    It seemed his wife wasn¡¯t entirely indifferent towards him.

    Zhan Qipei ced the basin by the sofa and took hold of Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate wrist, pressing her to sit on the sofa.

    ¡°Wash feet.¡±

    Qiao Jing struggled during the process, but Zhan Qipei seemed quite insistent, tightly holding her wrist without hurting her.

 Chapter 285: 275: Zhan Qipei Clings to Qiao Jings Feet

    Chapter 285: Chapter 275: Zhan Qipei Clings to Qiao Jing¡¯s Feet

    She ended up pressed down onto the sofa, Qiao Jing somewhat helpless, nning to get up when a pair ofrge hands seized her exposed ankles.

    Qiao Jing instinctively wanted to retract her feet, but the hands, callused slightly, made her feel a ticklish sensation.

    In Chinese culture, a man¡¯s head and a woman¡¯s feet are not to be casually touched, and although Qiao Jing was independent and strong, taking care of herself in all matters, she was after all a woman.

    At this moment, the hands holding her ankles had a very strong presence.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands were veryrge, taking off her shoes with ease, he effortlessly lifted her foot into his palm.

    Qiao Jing wiggled her toes, trying to pull back, but her foot was trapped in the cradle of his hand, unable to move.

    ...

    After several attempts, she gave up; Zhan Qipei simply didn¡¯t give her any chance to withdraw them.

    When Zhan Qipei felt Qiao Jing stop struggling, he ced her foot into the warm water, and meticulously scrubbed her toes, not missing any crevice.

    Qiao Jing reflexively pulled her foot back a little.

    ¡°Can you wash faster?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was scheming inwardly, his eyes slightly narrowed, a trace of a smile flickering across them.

    ¡°Washing slowly ensures it¡¯s done thoroughly.¡±

    The callused fingertips kept rubbing against her toes as he bent his head down, intently gazing at Qiao Jing¡¯s foot.

    Her toes were plump and tender, hinting at a pale pink, and her toenails were neatly trimmed.

    Finally, when the water cooled down, Zhan Qipei, worried about Qiao Jing getting cold, quickly lifted her foot out and took a towel that was ced aside to help dry her feet.

    The towel was taken by Qiao Jing, who sat on the sofa to swiftly dry off and then returned to the hospital bed to lie down.

    By now, the night had deepened further, and the clock had struck eleven; Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, who was seated beside her.

    ¡°Where will you sleep?¡±

    The hospital room was a VIP luxury single, and the bed was certainlyrge enough for two, but Zhan Qipei was worried about crowding Qiao Jing, especially since she was not in good health.

    So he dismissed the idea of climbing into bed and walked over to the sofa instead.

    ¡°I can sleep right here.¡±

    Once Zhan Qipeiy down, his height meant that a good portion of his legs dangled off the edge, forcing him to curl up.

    Qiao Jing, seeing Zhan Qipei in this state, felt a bit unsettled; after all, he stayed to keep herpany through the night, and now he was cramped on the sofa, on top of the cold weather.

    She hesitated before finally speaking up.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit chilly tonight, do you want to¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes dimmed, a look of surprise on his face, as he quickly sat up from the sofa, interrupting Qiao Jing before she could finish.

    ¡°Do you want toe to sleep in your bed?¡±

    His gaze was fixed on Qiao Jing, his tone carrying a hint of jest.

    As both were ready to rest, Zhan Qipei had turned off the lights in the room, but Qiao Jing could still see his face clearly in the moonlight, and those dark eyes.

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, he continued to speak.

    Zhan Qipei said jokingly, ¡°Then would you let me in?¡±

    Qiao Jing paused and frowned, giving Zhan Qipei a peculiar look.

    Zhan Qipei also noticed her expression, realizing she had misunderstood him.

    He lightly raised his arched eyebrows, a captivating smile on his lips, his scorching gaze resting on Qiao Jing, sizing her up from head to toe.

    Qiao Jing felt as though she were being X-rayed, as if she were bare for all to see.

    She knit her brows, pulling the nket over herself with an expressionless face, and muttered softly,

    ¡°Sicko.¡±

    Qiao Jing turned over, using her back to face Zhan Qipei. She had asked him a serious question, and he replied with a bit of hooliganism in his tone.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s back, and eventually couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft chuckle.

    Qiao Jing, with her back to him, heard the chuckle and closed her eyes in annoyance, choosing to ignore him.

    Zhan Qipei also closed his eyes and fell asleep.

    When Qiao Jing woke up the next day, Zhan Qipei was no longer in the hospital room. She didn¡¯t mind; there was breakfast on the bedside table and a small sticky note.

    The note was written in the man¡¯s strong, forceful handwriting.

    ¡°Drink while it¡¯s warm, I¡¯ve stepped out.¡±

    By this time, Zhan Qipei had already arrived at Purple Garden. His face was tight, and he had an air of ¡®keep away.¡¯

    Su Manhan was also justing out of the house, and she happened to meet Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, noticing her son¡¯s expression.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t want to have a conflict with her own child, and the old master had already said there was no need for her to apologize. She just wanted to walk past Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Su Manhan¡¯s intention and called out directly.

    ¡°Mom, I have something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    Su Manhan stopped in her tracks. She didn¡¯t know how to respond to Zhan Qipei; her instinct was to walk in the other direction, pretending she hadn¡¯t seen him to avoid confrontation.

    But since he had called out to her, she couldn¡¯t pretend not to hear.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    She knew Zhan Qipei wanted to talk about Qiao Jing.

    The mother and son moved to the living room.

    Zhan Qipei sat opposite Su Manhan and picked up a cup of water.

    Su Manhan sighed as she looked at her grown son. She hadn¡¯t expected their rtionship to be so tense because of a woman.

    But with both the old master and Qiao Jing saying an apology wasn¡¯t necessary, what did her son want to talk to her about?

    Was he still not giving up on the idea of making her apologize to Qiao Jing?

    At this thought, Su Manhan¡¯s expression darkened.

    There¡¯s no way she would apologize to a junior!

    Zhan Yao sat between the two, ncing at Su Manhan and Zhan Qipei, but remained silent.

    An eerie silence continued in the living room.

    ¡°Mom, I remember Grandpa and Grandma also had a love affair that was unequal in terms of family status,¡± said Zhan Qipei.

    Su Manhan was puzzled by Zhan Qipei bringing this up at such a time.

    Zhan Qipei anticipated his mother would not easily relent and continued.

    ¡°I remember when I was little, you told me you envied the love between Grandpa and Grandma. Despite the difference in social status and family backgrounds, they were deeply in love.¡±

    ¡°I also remember you saying love is mysterious and isn¡¯t bound by worldly constraints. Such love is purer, and you envied it too.¡±

    Zhan Qipei put down the water ss and looked straight at Su Manhan.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not wrong, am I?¡±

    Su Manhan furrowed her brow tightly, knowing what Zhan Qipei would bring up next. She pursed her lips and stayed silent.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was indifferent, showing no excess emotion, making it impossible to discern his feelings.

    ¡°How are Qiao Jing and I any different from Grandpa and Grandma? What exactly is wrong with her?¡±

    Su Manhan huffed and started digging up dirt on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°She might seem good in front of you, but she¡¯s different with me, not polite at all, and very rude. On her first day here, she even shed with your sister,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei listened patiently, then continued to question.

    ¡°But who had the bad attitude first? And how was your attitude towards her?¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Su Manhan was taken aback, her mind shing back to their first encounter with Qiao Jing, whose clothes were so unfashionable¡­ As she thought more and more, her frown deepened, and her lips pressed tightly together, unsure what to say.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t wait for Su Manhan to answer and kept talking.

    ¡°Never mind the attitude, you never epted Qiao Jing from the start, did you? When you dislike someone, everything they do seems wrong in your eyes.

    Mom, have you truly tried to understand Qiao Jing?¡±

 Chapter 286: 276 Xu Moqian Proposes to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 286: Chapter 276 Xu Moqian Proposes to Qiao Jing

    Su Manhan muttered softly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to understand either, I have nothing to say to her.¡±

    Her brows were tightly furrowed, yet there was an indescribable feeling in her heart.

    Zhan Qipei said no more and stood up, ready to leave.

    When Su Manhan saw Zhan Qipei stand up, she was startled.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ...

    Zhan Qipei straightened out his suit.

    ¡°To take care of her at the hospital.¡±

    He didn¡¯t continue the conversation with Su Manhan and turned to walk towards the door.

    Su Manhan stared nkly at Zhan Qipei¡¯s retreating figure, her expression somewhatplex.

    What her son said wasn¡¯t wrong, but how could she just ept Qiao Jing after a few words?

    Although her attitude towards Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t very good in the past.

    But Qiao Jing was also quite rude to her, and she remembered all these things clearly!

    The next morning dawned.

    Only Qiao Jing was left in the ward, as Zhan Qipei had been sent off to work by her.

    Xu Moqian, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand and carrying a fruit basket, arrived at the entrance of the hospital room, and at first nce, he saw Qiao Jing leaning against the window, his eyes immediately drawn to her.

    The trees outside swayed with the breeze, the birds on them chirping away, and the sunlight fell on her, enveloping her in a golden glow.

    Her already fair skin appeared even more snow-white and translucent under the sunlight.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian the impression of a cold and beautiful white fox, out of ce with the outside world.

    She was wearing a somewhat oversized hospital gown, making her figure look slender and slightly frail.

    A sudden breeze blew in from outside, stirring therge hospital gown she was wearing. She reached out to pull together the coat on the outside to prevent the wind from blowing the gown underneath around.

    Xu Moqian was transfixed by this scene.

    In his heart, Qiao Jing had always been independent and strong, capable of resolving anything effortlessly, making people around her depend on her, and he was one of those who chose to depend on her.

    This gave him the illusion that even if others fell, Qiao Jing would never topple.

    However, when he saw the image of Qiao Jing falling, his heart ached along with it; after all, she was a woman too, and she needed someone to protect her.

    Xu Moqian sighed inwardly, shook his head, and thought that Qiao Jing still needed a man¡¯s protection.

    It seemed he still needed his broad arms to protect Qiao Jing.

    He took a few steps forward, came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and, seizing the opportunity, knelt on one knee, putting the fruit basket aside. Now he held the lilies in both hands, looking up at Qiao Jing¡¯s back.

    When Qiao Jing heard footsteps entering the room, she pulled her gaze from the window and turned around just as Xu Moqian was already kneeling.

    ¡°Sister Jing, would you marry me?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat dazed looking at Xu Moqian¡¯s face, her thoughts suddenly pulled back to their university days.

    Back then, Xu Moqian had also knelt on one knee with a bouquet of flowers to confess to her. Back then, he dressed quite mboyantly and talked about making her his girlfriend or something; now, he had upgraded to a wife.

    The face before her was more mature than the Xu Moqian in her memory, but he was repeating the same act from their college days.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, he was still as childish as before. She nced at the lilies in Xu Moqian¡¯s hands and smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone propose with lilies.¡±

    Xu Moqian heard Qiao Jing¡¯s subtle rejection and scratched his head as he stood up. Looking at the lilies in his hand, meant for visiting the sick, he tentatively spoke.

    ¡°Maybe I shoulde back another day with roses? I¡¯ll get nine thousand nine hundred and ny-nine of them, a huge bunch, and then kneel down with a diamond ring¡ªthat would feel more ceremonial.¡±

    He remembered that those girls said they really valued a sense of ceremony, so Qiao Jing probably did too, right?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t answer his question, but frowned when she heard that he wanted to buy so many roses.

    ¡°If you have extra money, I suggest you donate it to the Red Cross, to the children in the poor mountainous areas.¡±

    Xu Moqian picked up the flowers and fruit basket he had in his hands, ced them all on the table, and then returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    He leaned against the window on the other side of Qiao Jing, internally struggling with whether he should ask that question or not.

    But after thinking about the scene he witnessed as soon as he entered the hospital room, Xu Moqian made up his mind. He had to ask¡ªthis question was very important to him.

    ¡°Sister Jing, do you really not have feelings for Zhan Qipei?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian a speechless look and rolled her eyes at him.

    ¡°Does it look like I do?¡±

    Xu Moqian broke into a smile upon receiving the answer he had hoped for.

    ¡°Of course not, your taste is very good, not falling for Zhan Qipei. That Zhan Qipei, heh, I¡¯m way better than him!¡±

    It seemed he still had a chance, and if that was the case, he could put the n he had in mind into action¡ªand he had to help Qiao Jing escape the misery of this marriage as soon as possible!

    Xu Moqian tentatively began to speak.

    ¡°There¡¯s still over forty days before you and Zhan Qipei divorce, right? I have an idea that could allow you to divorce him sooner.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Xu Moqian with a skeptical gaze.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Xu Moqian opened his mouth, about to share his n.

    Just at that moment!

    Another person arrived at the door of the hospital room. Lin Xiuxiang knocked on the door and, upon seeing Qiao Jing, disyed a warm smile.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, I¡¯vee to see you. How are you feeling?¡±

    She noticed another person in the room.

    ¡°Xu Moqian? You came to visit Qiao Qiao as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you two talk.¡±

    Xu Moqian swallowed the words he hadn¡¯t managed to say, but it was alright¡ªhe had already made up his mind.

    Since Sister Jing had said she didn¡¯t like Zhan Qipei, he would help her out, so she wouldn¡¯t have to suffer at the Zhan Family anymore and could revert to her previous independent and carefree self.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dwell on what Xu Moqian didn¡¯t get to finish saying and walked toward Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright now, I¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow.¡±

    She led Lin Xiuxiang to the sofa to sit down.

    Lin Xiuxiang, noticing the fruit basket and flowers already on the table, ced the bag she brought on the other side.

    ¡°I¡¯ve brought you some cookies, baked personally by the children at the welfare home.¡±

    Sheughed as she recalled how the children had gathered around, moring about wanting to go to the hospital with her.

    ¡°When the children heard you were ill, they all wanted toe visit you, but I couldn¡¯t bring them all, so they said they would bake cookies for you to eat.¡±

    Qiao Jing sat quietly to one side, listening to Lin Xiuxiang finish talking, her gaze resting on the bag with a cartoon bear print, feeling a warm sensation in her heart.

    ¡°Then when you go back, please say thank you to them for me.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang took out a small piece of cookie from the bag and ced it in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank for? The children learned their cooking skills from you; even these cookies were baked with the recipe you taught them, so you deserve some credit.¡±

    ¡°Besides, you often buy them new clothes and treats. They say you¡¯re very kind and they really like you.¡±

 Chapter 287: 277: Lin Xiuxiang is to be taken away by force

    Chapter 287: Chapter 277: Lin Xiuxiang is to be taken away by force

    The cookies were freshly baked that morning, still warm, and theirforting heat seemed to travel from Qiao Jing¡¯s palm straight into her heart.

    Images of the children appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind, bringing a soft smile to her face.

    ¡°I just wanted to do that, I don¡¯t need anything in return, as long as they are happy and joyful, that¡¯s enough for me,¡± she said.

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t bother them further, as he had to think more about how to implement his n. He bade Qiao Jing farewell.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯ll be going first, you two take your time chatting,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing nodded gently in response.

    ...

    Lin Xiuxiang smiled and took out her phone.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, I want to show you some videos and photos the kids asked me to take for you,¡± she said.

    The first item in the photo album was a picture of the children from the orphanage.

    As she handed her phone to Qiao Jing, Lin Xiuxiang reminded her, ¡°They insisted that you watch all of them.¡±

    Seeing the children¡¯s innocently bright smiles, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile along with them.

    Upon opening the first video, several little girls were huddled together, holding flowers they had picked from who knows where, their faces filled with concern.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, please take good care of yourself and get well soon, and remember to eat the cookies we made,¡± they said.

    ¡°And also, we miss you so much, when will you have the time toe see us?¡±

    ¡°Remember toe visit us, okay?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing let out a quietugh and continued watching another video involving a group of little boys before moving on to a group photo of everyone.

    After she had looked at all the photos and videos, she meant to give the phone back to Lin Xiuxiang but noticed that her friend was staring nkly at the bag of cookies.

    Qiao Jing could sense that Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s mood had suddenly dropped while she was preupied with the phone, her mind drifting away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Qiao Jing.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s thoughts snapped back, but her facial expression was still somewhat dazed as she hadn¡¯t had time to adjust it.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just probably didn¡¯t sleep wellst night,¡± replied Lin Xiuxiang.

    Qiao Jing took back her gaze and returned the phone to Lin Xiuxiang.

    Having known each other since childhood, they were both deeply familiar with each other¡¯s personalities.

    Qiao Jing knew Lin Xiuxiang must be hiding something from her, but also knew that asking would be futile.

    If Lin Xiuxiang wasn¡¯t willing to talk, it was either because she didn¡¯t want to worry Qiao Jing or didn¡¯t want to burden her, so she definitely wouldn¡¯t divulge anything.

    Without pressing the issue, they chatted about other matters concerning the orphanage.

    Eventually, Lin Xiuxiang nced at the time and pped her forehead.

    ¡°I almost forgot, I have a ss soon, I need to go, Qiao Qiao,¡± she said.

    ¡°Okay,¡± replied Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing escorted her to the door of the ward and watched her walk away. Once Lin Xiuxiang was out of sight, she pulled out her phone.

    She found Tang Yan in her contacts and dialed his number.

    ¡°How has Xiuxiang beentely?¡± she asked.

    Tang Yan was curious about why the boss was suddenly asking him this, but he couldn¡¯t answer her question.

    He had promised Xiuxiang he wouldn¡¯t tell Qiao Jing, but he didn¡¯t know how to avoid spilling the truth and hesitated during his response.

    ¡°No¡­ Xiuxiang has been pretty goodtely,¡± he said.

    From Tang Yan¡¯s reply, Qiao Jing understood that something was definitely being kept from her, and she guessed that Lin Xiuxiang had asked Tang Yan not to tell her.

    ¡°It¡¯s Xiuxiang who asked you not to tell me, right? I know she doesn¡¯t want me to worry, so she won¡¯t talk about it with me, but the less she tells me, the more worried I be,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always treated Xiangxiang as my sister,¡±

    ¡°I know her personality, and she likes to keep things to herself, but I don¡¯t want her to always have to shoulder everything on her own.¡±

    Tang Yan also began to feel troubled, he felt that Qiao Jing was right.

    Besides, this wasn¡¯t a trivial matter, and Qiao Jing would find out eventually no matter what. Thinking of how Xiangxiang had been troubled by this for several days made him feel even more distressed.

    When Qiao Jing realized there was no sounding from the phone, she continued speaking.

    ¡°She and I are family, her issues are my issues,¡±

    ¡°no matter what it is, I won¡¯t find it bothersome. I don¡¯t want her to see me as an outsider!¡±

    In the end, Tang Yan sighed and spoke.

    ¡°Xiangxiang¡¯s family hase to find her, they want to take her away.¡±

    Qiao Jing had not expected this, and her face showed a momentary nkness.

    Tang Yan continued.

    ¡°Xiangxiang¡¯s home is far from the capital, her family was here to talk business and they wanted to take Xiangxiang back home on the way.¡±

    ¡°But Xiangxiang doesn¡¯t want to go, she told me that she can¡¯t bear to leave the welfare institute, the children, and especially not you.¡±

    Hearing thest sentence, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart raced a few beats faster, and a warm current flowed through her, softening her voice.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    The call ended there.

    The next day, against Zhan Qipei¡¯s objections, Qiao Jing went through the hospital discharge procedure.

    Zhan Qipei nagged Qiao Jing all the way to the welfare institute.

    ¡°Are you really okay now? Do you feel ufortable anywhere? I¡¯ll go buy some more stomach medicine for you.¡±

    Thinking about those stomach medicines gave Qiao Jing a bit of a headache, and she helplessly rubbed her forehead.

    ¡°The doctor said I could observe for two or three days at home, I¡¯m not ufortable anywhere, no need to buy medicine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei knitted his brows, his tone full of worry.

    ¡°After you get to the welfare institute, are you going to work at the institute? Why not rest one more day?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly nodded, she had also thought that if she went to the welfare institute today, she might stay until the afternoon before going home, and would likely not have time for the institute.

    Moreover, when the experts at the institute heard she was hospitalized, they all said her health was the most important, telling her to rest at home and that they would contact her if there were any questions.

    Especially Xu Hongzu, who upon hearing she was hospitalized, immediately phoned her, telling her to rest at home for a month before returning and warning her if she sneaked in to work, he¡¯d have someone send her back home to rest.

    But she was clear about her own physical condition that she could continue working, and Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei an answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to work tomorrow.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression finally eased a bit, and he stopped the car in front of the welfare institute.

    ¡°I¡¯lle to pick you upter. Contact me immediately if you feel ufortable anywhere.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response and closed the car door.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi back, you go to work.¡±

    When Qiao Jing arrived at the welfare institute, she immediately saw Lin Xiuxiang, who was sweeping the floor.

    She was clearly daydreaming, and the broom in her hand moved sporadically, even sweeping dust onto her own shoes without realizing it.

    A little boy kicking a ser ball identally sent it soaring in an arc through the air, eventually hitting Lin Xiuxiang on the head.

    The boy ran scared to Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s side, picked up his ser ball, and bowed deeply before standing up straight again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, teacher! I didn¡¯t mean to, does it hurt? I¡¯ll go get some medicine for you.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang lifted her head; her eyes looked somewhat vacant as she shook her head at the boy.

    ¡°No need, go y.¡±

    The boy then left with his ser ball to y further away.

 Chapter 288: 278: Treating Qiao Jing Like a Poor Ghost

    Chapter 288: Chapter 278: Treating Qiao Jing Like a Poor Ghost

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart leapt into her throat when she saw the ser ball heading straight for Lin Xiuxiang.

    She quickened her pace toward Lin Xiuxiang, but the ball was too fast and she couldn¡¯t stop it in time; fortunately, Lin Xiuxiang was not seriously hurt.

    However, apart from touching her head where the ball had struck, Lin Xiuxiang had no other reaction. Lin Xiuxiang decided not to leave.

    Qiao Jing hurried over to Lin Xiuxiang and gently rubbed the spot where she had been hit.

    As a result, Lin Xiuxiang was like a block of wood, not reacting at all, her face still looking nk.

    ¡°Hit by the ball and knocked silly? How could you be so out of it?¡±

    ...

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s unfocused eyes finally lit up, and she slowly turned her head to look at the person standing by her side.

    ¡°You¡¯re the silly one.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang rolled her eyes in exasperation before asking,

    ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡±

    Qiao Jing took Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s broom to help her sweep up the rubbish in the area and then sat down beside her on the steps.

    ¡°The kids missed me, so I came to see them.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang blinked her eyes in confusion, but the kids were in ss right now, unable toe out and meet with her.

    Why would Qiao Jinge at this time?

    Of course, Qiao Jing knew this too. Her main reason foring was for Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°I know, I came to see you. What were you thinking about just now?¡±

    When the children in physical education ss saw Qiao Jing, they stopped what they were doing and thought about heading toward them, but when they saw the two of them talking, they stepped back.

    Another teacher remembered that there were test papers yet to be distributed, so after consulting with the children, he brought them back to the ssroom.

    Lin Xiuxiang casually patted her shoes clean of dirt.

    ¡°Nothing, just thinking about some stuff.¡±

    Qiao Jing handed her a tissue and said bluntly, ¡°Thinking about your family matters?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang was taken aback and furrowed her brow.

    ¡°Did Tang Yan tell you? Didn¡¯t I tell him not to tell you? How did he go behind my back to tell you?¡±

    Qiao Jing picked up the tissue Lin Xiuxiang had dropped on the ground and threw it into the trash can.

    ¡°Don¡¯t me Tang Yan, it was me who pressed him for it. You know what I¡¯m like, I have to know what I want to know, and I won¡¯t stop until I do. He had no choice but to tell me.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused for a moment, then yfully flicked Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Also, you can me yourself for zoning out yesterday and letting me notice. Your acting can¡¯t fool me.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang finallyughed, slightly irritated, ¡°Is my acting really that bad?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed softly, revealing a faint smile as well.

    Lin Xiuxiang showed a troubled expression, chin in hand, giving Qiao Jing a pitiful look.

    ¡°They want to take me away, but I really don¡¯t want to leave you all, I can¡¯t bear to.¡±

    Ripples formed in Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes as she gave a fair response.

    ¡°Then follow your own wishes.¡±

    She wanted Lin Xiuxiang to stay, but the final decision was still in Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hands.

    Just at that moment.

    A car stopped at the entrance of the welfare institute.

    A man and a woman got out of the car and headed straight for Lin Xiuxiang after arriving at the institute.

    Lin Xiuxiang also saw the two individuals and quietly exined to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°That¡¯s my sister, Jiang Ning, and the man next to her is my brother-inw, Chen Jingling.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the two of them and nodded gently, if they treated Xiangxiang well, she too would hope that Xiangxiang could go home.

    The two stood up.

    There was a resemnce between Jiang Ning¡¯s eyes and brows and Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s, obviously family.

    ¡°Have you packed your things? We¡¯re leaving right now.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang was still hesitating and had not packed, so she answered truthfully.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t packed yet.¡±

    Jiang Ning¡¯s face immediately darkened, and her tone was filled with impatience as she began to urge.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you a heads-up yesterday to pack your things? Why haven¡¯t you packed yet? Go back and pack now, quick!¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that mom and dad told me I must take you back, I really couldn¡¯t be bothered to wait here for you, wasting so much time.¡±

    Chen Jingling followed behind Jiang Ning without speaking, his eyes surreptitiously ncing at Qiao Jing.

    After hearing Jiang Ning¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, pursed her lips, and scrutinized the other party with an assessing look.

    Sister Xiangxiang¡¯s tone was far from courteous andcked any joy one might expect from someone about to take a long-lost sister back home.

    And from thest statement, she could tell that she merely treated it as a task.

    If Xiangxiang returned to such a family, would she be happy?

    Lin Xiuxiang stood still, her brows tightly furrowed, still hesitating and unable to make a decision.

    She longed for aplete family, but she couldn¡¯t bear to part with everyone here.

    Seeing Lin Xiuxiang standing still, Jiang Ning¡¯s tone grew even more impatient.

    ¡°Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and pack your things. I really don¡¯t have the time, okay? What were mom and dad thinking, insisting on taking you back?¡±

    After all, she was the youngdy of the household, and for this abruptly found sister, she felt a certain degree of discontent in her heart.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened, but she remained silent, as this was Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s own affair, and she had to make her own decisions.

    Though she was Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s best friend and treated her like a younger sister, she had no right to interfere with her choices.

    If Lin Xiuxiang decided not to go, she would definitely not allow anyone to forcibly take her away.

    Seeing Lin Xiuxiang still unresponsive, Jiang Ning could no longer bear it and directly started dragging her out.

    After being pulled for a couple of steps, Lin Xiuxiang clenched her teeth, suddenly stopped, and her gaze became resolute.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going back, I want to stay here.¡±

    Jiang Ning, incredulous, widened her eyes, turned to look at her so-called sister, and couldn¡¯t help butugh with anger.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t go back, you¡¯ll just stay in this lousy welfare institute? There¡¯s nothing here. Haven¡¯t I told you? Our family does business and we have money.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better for you toe back and be the second youngdy? Whatever you want, you will have it. Why insist on staying in this broken ce and suffer? What on earth are you thinking? Is your brain just for show?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang still didn¡¯t budge; she had made up her mind to stay in the welfare institute. She couldn¡¯t let go of her feelings for the children or leave Qiao Jing behind.

    Jiang Ning, mutteringints, continued to drag and pull Lin Xiuxiang towards the door.

    ¡°Hurry up, once youe with me, don¡¯te back to this broken ce. What¡¯s here that¡¯s worth your nostalgia? This poor and shabby ce, even dogs wouldn¡¯t stay!¡±

    Qiao Jing quickly stepped beside Lin Xiuxiang, shielding her behind herself, her phoenix eyes dark as deep pools, her cool voice breaking the silence.

    ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t want to go, did you not hear her?¡±

    If Lin Xiuxiang had made her decision, she wouldn¡¯t let someone forcibly take her away.

    Jiang Ning sized up this person who had suddenly appeared; upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s extraordinary face and her transcendent aura, she was taken aback.

    As she wondered about Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, she noticed that Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes were ordinary, clearly cheap wholesale market stuff, and internally, Jiang Ning lumped her in with the poor.

    Jiang Ning looked at Qiao Jing disdainfully and asked in a scornful tone, ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 289: 279: Qiao Jing is My Real Sister

    Chapter 289: Chapter 279: Qiao Jing is My Real Sister

    ¡°I¡¯m Xiuxiang¡¯s good friend who grew up with her at the orphanage, Qiao Jing,¡± Qiao Jing said with an aloof face that revealed no emotion whatsoever.

    Jiang Ning sneered and her gaze toward Qiao Jing became even more disdainful and contemptuous. She had thought she was facing a delicatedy raised in a greenhouse, like a tender flower, only to find out she was an orphan raised in an orphanage!

    Her tone became sharp and harsh.

    ¡°What are you pestering my sister for?¡±

    Qiao Jing, expressionless, replied, ¡°She said she¡¯s not going back with you.¡±

    Jiang Ning rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing.

    ...

    ¡°She just hasn¡¯t thought it through, and besides, what¡¯s it to you?¡±

    She turned to speak to Lin Xiuxiang, but her eyes kept darting towards Qiao Jing.

    The words that followed were meant not only for Lin Xiuxiang but also for Qiao Jing to hear.

    ¡°You are now a wealthy heiress too; in the future, don¡¯t hang out with these poor people. It¡¯s obvious she has no ss. Why does she interrupt when we sisters are talking? She really thinks she¡¯s somebody.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Jiang Ning, not bothering to speak. She didn¡¯t take these words to heart.

    Lin Xiuxiang, protected behind her, frowned tightly. Jiang Ning¡¯s words were too offensive, and even as her real sister, she shouldn¡¯t speak to Qiao Jing like that.

    Xiuxiang was well aware of how good Qiao Jing had been to her, treating her like a real sister, iparably better than this so-called biological sister!

    She absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to insult Qiao Jing!

    Just then,

    Jiang Ning red at Qiao Jing maliciously and tried to take Lin Xiuxiang away, bypassing her.

    Qiao Jing stood firm like a solid wall of flesh, blocking Jiang Ning at every turn, preventing her from approaching Lin Xiuxiang.

    Jiang Ning, frustrated, pushed at Qiao Jing, trying to shove her away, while uttering all sorts of nasty words.

    ¡°Are you some kind of pauper who can¡¯t understand humannguage? Lin Xiuxiang and I are blood sisters. Not only did you interrupt our conversation, but you also won¡¯t let me take her home?¡±

    ¡°Move aside quickly, keep your distance. Don¡¯t let that stench of poverty rub off on me.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly sidestepped, causing Jiang Ning to lunge at empty air.

    Jiang Ning was going too far!

    Lin Xiuxiang took a step forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Qiao Jing, and shouted at Jiang Ning, ¡°You have no right to talk about Qiao Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing quickly responded, showing a faint smile, and a warm current flowed once again into her heart.

    But Jiang Ning was far from calm, looking at Lin Xiuxiang with a face full of shock.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯m your real sister, okay? Why are you taking the side of an outsider? Also, make it clear, I¡¯m here to take you home, it¡¯s her who¡¯s been stopping me, understand?!¡±

    Chen Jingling, who had been silent up until now, also spoke up in support of Jiang Ning.

    ¡°Xiuxiang, she¡¯s your sister. How can you take the side of an outsider?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t feel like saying anything to these two thick-skinned people, nor did she want to interrupt what Lin Xiuxiang was saying.

    At this moment, it was certain Xiuxiang wanted to say more.

    Lin Xiuxiang faced Jiang Ning and Chen Jingling calmly andposedly.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao is my best friend. When I was at my lowest, she was the one who helped me. There was a time when I had a high fever of forty degrees, and for three full days, the fever didn¡¯t subside. It was Qiao Qiao who stayed by my side day and night. What about you?¡±

    Jiang Ning, when questioned, looked away, but she had reasons to refute Lin Xiuxiang, murmuring discontentedly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about any of this.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang wasn¡¯t phased by Jiang Ning¡¯s response, her eyes slightly reddening, her voice trembling ever so slightly as she spoke.

    ¡°You gave birth to a brother and abandoned me for over twenty years. Now you just want to swoop in and take me away whenever you please? And you even dare to insult my friend?¡±

    ¡°What are you to me? What right do you have to take me away or insult my friend? Make it clear, it was the orphanage that raised me. It was she who grew up with me.¡±

    Xiuxiang paused, took a deep breath to control her emotions, and spoke slowly but firmly.

    ¡°Not you.¡±

    Jiang Ning was extremely angered by Xiuxiang¡¯s words. She had never seen someone so foolish and retorted displeasedly.

    ¡°But I am your biological sister, a sister rted by blood. She¡¯s just a stranger, with no blood rtion to you whatsoever.¡±

    Xiuxiang, with a steadfast gaze, looked directly at Jiang Ning, her words resonating with conviction.

    ¡°In my eyes, Qiao Qiao is my real sister. Go ahead, leave. I¡¯m not going back with you. I have a good life here.¡±

    Jiang Ning clenched her fists tightly and took several deep breaths to calm down before questioning Xiuxiang again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Are youing or not?¡±

    Her sister hadn¡¯t even returned home, yet she was already turning her back on them. What a burden to bring home! Wouldn¡¯t it be like carrying a heavy load?

    Seeing Xiuxiang like this, it was very likely that she would be an ingrate in the future. Why on earth did her parents insist on taking her back?!

    Xiuxiang turned her back, not bothering with Jiang Ning anymore, and walked away without looking back, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, don¡¯t leave tonight. How about I cook you something delicious? You¡¯ve just been discharged from the hospital. I¡¯ll make you a ck chicken soup to nourish your body.¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and nodded his head, saying affectionately, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    The two entered the room and closed the door.

    Jiang Ning stared at the tightly shut door, jumping up and down in frustration, pointing to the room, then turning to speak to Chen Jingling next to her.

    ¡°Husband, do you see what she¡¯s doing? It¡¯s infuriating! I kindly offered to take her home and she doesn¡¯t appreciate it. She actually wants to spend her whole life here as a poor person!¡±

    Chen Jingling was also dissatisfied with Xiuxiang¡¯s behavior and walked outside with Jiang Ning.

    ¡°She has decided to stay here, so let her. She chose to be a poor person. Why bother convincing her? Let¡¯s go take care of business first.¡±

    Jiang Ning huffed coldly and followed Chen Jingling out.

    She thought Xiuxiang was just too used to being poor, doomed to rot in that shabby orphanage forever. When there was a better life waiting for her at home, she refused to return?

    Well, she better not regret itter and beg to be taken home!

    Xiuxiang brought out the ck chicken soup she had prepared and ced it on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯d nned to cook it and bring it to you, but since you came over first, there¡¯s no need for me to deliver it.¡±

    Qiao Jing served Xiuxiang a bowl of soup and pushed it in front of her.

    ¡°You¡¯re the chef, you¡¯ve worked hard. You drink first.¡±

    Xiuxiang smiled sheepishly and served herself a bowl.

    ¡°Who am I to be called a chef? If only my cooking was half as delicious as yours.¡±

    The two finished their lunch in a pleasant atmosphere, tacitly avoiding the topic of the earlier incident.

    Having made their decision, that matter was now in the past.

    Qiao Jing thought it over. Although Xiuxiang didn¡¯t say it, she must still be concerned about the Jiang Ning issue.

    She decided to take Xiuxiang out for a stroll, to clear her mind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the mall? And maybe stop by the snack street for some treats.¡±

 Chapter 290: 280: Sucking Up to Tang Yan, Putting Down Qiao Jing

    Chapter 290: Chapter 280: Sucking Up to Tang Yan, Putting Down Qiao Jing

    Upon hearing about shopping, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s gloominess due to Jiang Ning was swept away, and she immediately agreed.

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang took a taxi to downtown¡¯s shopping mall where they quickly bought a few pieces of clothing they liked and nned to head to the snack street next.

    During their shopping spree, Qiao Jing also bought a bag and gave it to Lin Xiuxiang as an early New Year¡¯s gift before she reluctantly epted it.

    Exiting the mall, they followed the crowd toward the direction of the snack street.

    On a parking spot by the street, there was a small car, inside which sat someone they knew.

    ...

    Jiang Ning, who was idly looking at the scenery outside the window, caught a glimpse of two familiar figures in the corner of her eye. She had just had a quarrel with them that morning and had a deep impression of them; she recognized Lin Xiuxiang and Qiao Jing in one nce.

    She saw that each of them was carrying several shopping bags but couldn¡¯t make out what they had bought from afar.

    She sneered inwardly, certain that the items were from some cheap street stalls.

    However, just as Jiang Ning thought this,

    Lin Xiuxiang passed by the car.

    Jiang Ning suddenly could see the logos on those shopping bags clearly!

    Her mouth opened wide in shock, and she even rubbed her eyes in disbelief, thinking she might have seen wrong.

    After rubbing her eyes three times, she confirmed that she wasn¡¯t mistaken.

    Those items weren¡¯t cheap street goods at all!

    Everything they had bought was from luxury brands favored by the wealthy. But why did Lin Xiuxiang have the money to buy those?

    Most importantly, the brand of the bag Lin Xiuxiang carried was the most eye-catching¡ªit was one of the top three luxury bag brands!

    Wasn¡¯t Lin Xiuxiang at the welfare institute? Why was she spending so much, able to afford these items?

    Just then, Chen Jingling opened the car door and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± he said.

    Jiang Ning pointed in the direction of Lin Xiuxiang, saying, ¡°Look over there.¡±

    Chen Jingling followed Jiang Ning¡¯s pointed finger and also noticed the two figures.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t one of them your sister? What about it?¡± he asked.

    His gaze lingered on Qiao Jing for a few seconds.

    Full of confusion, Jiang Ning didn¡¯t notice this detail and withdrew her hand.

    ¡°Look at the stuff she¡¯s bought¡ªall big brands! How could she afford them?¡± she asked.

    This remark reminded Chen Jingling, who took another look at Lin Xiuxiang and indeed noticed, just as Jiang Ning had said, which made him a bit perplexed too.

    ¡°Yeah, I had someone check. She¡¯s just teaching at the welfare institute; how could her sry ever afford these?¡±

    Suddenly, Jiang Ning remembered something.

    ¡°I heard she got married. Could it be her husband is very rich?¡±

    Chen Jingling paid no heed to this idea.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± he replied.

    He felt rather displeased about Lin Xiuxiang; not only did she show no respect to his wife, but she also went against their wishes.

    He had tried to speak nicely to no avail, so he thought, let her be.

    Jiang Ning was very curious about Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s husband and hesitated a bit before speaking.

    ¡°Should we follow them, see what¡¯s going on?¡± she suggested.

    Chen Jingling frowned, his tone displeased.

    ¡°Is that necessary? Since she doesn¡¯t want toe back, why bother about her matters? She¡¯s not even considered a part of the Jiang family anymore; let¡¯s leave her alone.¡±

    Only then did Jiang Ning withdraw her gaze from them, muttering quietly,

    ¡°True, she chose not toe back herself. She better not beg meter, wanting to return home.¡±

    Chen Jingling started the car, ready to drive away.

    Just at that moment!

    They saw a man in a suit walking towards Lin Xiuxiang.

    Chen Jingling instantly recognized the man in the suit and became visibly excited.

    ¡°It¡¯s Assistant Tang!¡±

    Jiang Ning, seeing how excited Chen Jingling was, grew curious herself, especially about why the man was heading towards Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Who is that man in the suit? Do you know him?¡±

    Chen Jingling, excited and slightly thrilled, nodded.

    ¡°You know about Zhan Corporation, right? He¡¯s QiPei¡¯s personal assistant, Assistant Tang, Tang Yan, President Zhan¡¯s right-hand man!¡±

    Jiang Ning was shocked; she had never imagined that the man worked at Zhan Corporation and held such a high position.

    But why would such an impressive man know Lin Xiuxiang?

    She is just a teacher at an orphanage; how could she possibly know such an influential person?

    Yet they spoke as if they were very familiar with each other, seemingly well-acquainted.

    Before Jiang Ning could finish her surprise, her jaw almost dropped again.

    Tang Yan took a service strap from Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand and stayed close to her, serving her intimately.

    Lin Xiuxiang also smiled at Tang Yan, and the two of them appeared very close.

    Jiang Ning guessed that Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s husband might actually be this Tang Yan?

    If that were true, no wonder she was unwilling to go back with them.

    Chen Jingling also noticed the closeness between the two and decisively turned off the ignition and pulled out the car keys.

    ¡°I just went to discuss a twenty-million raw materials wholesale partnership, but couldn¡¯t strike a deal. However, if we leverage Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s connection, they will definitely extend courtesies for Tang Yan¡¯s sake.¡±

    With this thought, he immediately opened the car door and got out.

    Jiang Ning immediately understood Chen Jingling¡¯s intention; by aligning well with Lin Xiuxiang, they could mention this opportunity to Tang Yan and secure the twenty-million contract.

    Fearing Lin Xiuxiang and the rest would leave, they virtually sprinted over.

    Just as Jiang Ning reached them, she grabbed Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s arm, sporting a hypocritically sweet smile, feigning deep sisterly affection.

    ¡°Sister, what a coincidence running into you here. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going shopping? I would havee with you!¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang waspletely baffled by Jiang Ning¡¯s attitude.

    Just this morning, her sister had been so impatient. How did she suddenly switch to acting like they were best sisters?

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her delicate eyebrows, ready to watch what drama these two would y out.

    Jiang Ning, thinking it was about the right moment, turned around and introduced herself to Tang Yan.

    ¡°Hello, I am Xiangxiang¡¯s elder sister, Jiang Ning, and this is my husband, so, Xiangxiang¡¯s brother-inw. Are you her husband?¡±

    She even emphasized the word ¡°elder.¡±

    Tang Yan nodded politely, confirming his rtionship with Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Tang Yan.¡±

    Jiang Ningughed, feigning a sudden realization.

    ¡°I knew you must be my brother-inw! My little sister is so lucky to know such an outstanding person. How did you meet? Never mind, we¡¯re all family now, so how you met doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    She then adopted a look of feigned distress.

    ¡°Such a pity I couldn¡¯t attend your wedding.¡±

    Seeing that Jiang Ning had almost wrapped up her side of the conversation, Chen Jingling immediately switched to a sycophantic manner.

    ¡°Brother-inw, hello! I am Xiuxiang¡¯s brother-inw, Chen Jingling.¡±

    After ncing at Tang Yan, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes lingered on Chen Jingling for a second, formting a rough hypothesis in her mind.

 Chapter 291: 281: They Offended the Boss Lady!

    Chapter 291: Chapter 281: They Offended the Boss Lady!

    ¡°`

    Their family runs a business, so they must have recognized Tang Yan¡¯s identity and had a favor to ask him, which is why their attitude toward Lin Xiuxiang suddenly became so amiable.

    This morning Jiang Ning said some nasty things, but by the afternoon her demeanor hadpletely changed, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes what was going on.

    Seizing the moment, Chen Jingling asked, ¡°Brother-inw, do you know about the Zhan¡¯s subsidiarypany¡¯s project on raw material wholesale?¡±

    Tang Yan thought for a moment and indeed recalled such a project at the subsidiary.

    ¡°Are you talking about the one worth twenty million?¡±

    ...

    Chen Jingling¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and he nodded excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, that¡¯s the one. I couldn¡¯t negotiate a deal with them. Brother-inw, do you think you could, perhaps, put in a good word for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing, who had been observing from the side, heard this and knew that her suspicions were correct.

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have suddenly be so nice to Xiuxiang.

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t agree; he noticed that Lin Xiuxiang didn¡¯t seem to get along particrly well with them.

    Otherwise, Xiuxiang would have been chatting with this sister with a smile on her face just now.

    Moreover, he knew the reason why Xiuxiang had been abandoned, and inside, he felt somewhat dissatisfied with this family.

    Because he knew these things, he had the ability but was unwilling to help, unless Xiuxiang asked him to.

    ¡°These partnerships are decided by the marketing department; I¡¯m just an assistant at thepany and can¡¯t help.¡±

    After saying this, he looked towards Lin Xiuxiang, worried that Jiang Ning might bully her.

    Lin Xiuxiang tried to break free from Jiang Ning¡¯s grasp, but thetter clung to her tightly, rendering her unable to move.

    ¡°Let me go.¡±

    Jiang Ning muttered to herself, how could her sister be so blind? How could she let go at a time like this?

    What if Tang Yan saw that their rtionship wasn¡¯t that good and refused to help? What then?

    She continued to cling to Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s arm, shifting her gaze to the shopping bags in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing must have used Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s money to buy those! How could such a poor person have so much money?

    Jiang Ning was quite irritated; her sister¡¯s money should also be considered part of their family¡¯s. How could it be given to someone else? And it seemed she had bought quite a lot.

    Her expression changed, and she feigned concern.

    ¡°Xiuxiang, listen to your sister. She bought so much with your money, didn¡¯t she? She must be after your money. You shouldn¡¯t associate with her anymore.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s so poor, she likes totch onto people like you, and then finds excuses to have you pay for her. I knew it, how could you possibly be fooled by such a pauper. You were tricked.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t take it anymore and forcefully withdrew her arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said before, don¡¯t specte about my friends willy-nilly!¡±

    She had been criticized twice in one day about Qiao Qiao. Did they really think she had no temper? There is a limit to everything, and if there were a third time, they shouldn¡¯t me her for losing her cool!

    Qiao Jing shook her head gently at Lin Xiuxiang to indicate that she was fine.

    It was only then that Jiang Ning shut her mouth, worried that if Lin Xiuxiang got angry, their deal might fall through.

    Tang Yan frowned when he heard what Jiang Ning said.

    Chen Jingling, although rejected, did not give up and continued to persuade.

    ¡°Brother-inw, we¡¯re all family here, no need for false modesty. You¡¯re President Zhan¡¯s right-hand man, how could you not be of help?¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m asking is for you to give them a heads-up, that¡¯s all. Hey, let¡¯s not stand around talking, let¡¯s go get some diner.¡±

    There was a restaurant nearby, and Chen Jingling began pulling Tang Yan toward it.

    Seeing this, Jiang Ning once again took Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s arm and followed behind Chen Jingling and the others.

    ¡°`

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t bluntly refuse them; after all, they were rtives rted by blood to Xiangxiang, and it wouldn¡¯t look good to cause too much of a scene.

    Finding herself left behind, Qiao Jing suddenly realized that Xiuxiang¡¯s piece of clothing had been left with her, and she intended to catch up and return it.

    Just then, Jiang Ning turned around and noticed Qiao Jing trying to follow, her eyes filled with disdain, and her tone turned even more unpleasant.

    ¡°This is our family¡¯s business; what does it have to do with an outsider like you? Why would you follow us? Are you trying to mooch a meal? Keep dreaming!¡±

    Chen Jingling also looked at Qiao Jing. When he was at the welfare institute, he had noted that Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance and demeanor were top-notch.

    He had never seen such a beautiful woman;pared to his wife, Qiao Jing was celestial, while his wife was the opposite.

    If Qiao Jing was a fairy who had descended to earth, then his wife was like someone who had bounced out of a mud pit.

    Previously at the welfare institute, Chen Jingling had been too preupied with watching Jiang Ning and Xiuxiang argue to take a closer look at Qiao Jing.

    Now he noticed that upon closer inspection, not only was Qiao Jing¡¯s face attractive, but her figure was also exceptionally fine!

    Even though she was wearing a loose T-shirt, one could still glimpse her impressive stature; one could only imagine whaty beneath her clothing.

    The tight jeans she wore outlined her long legs, worthy of a world-ss supermodel.

    Chen Jialuo¡¯s gaze wandered, and he unconsciously swallowed.

    Jiang Ning caught her husband¡¯s look, daring to stare at another woman¡¯s face and even swallow his saliva?!

    Furious, she red at Chen Jingling, showed no mercy as she stomped on his foot, and stared viciously at Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she spoke indirectly.

    ¡°You can¡¯t make friends with some people, okay? It¡¯s bad enough they covet your money, but with them unting their looks, what if they pull a stunt like in those TV dramas, where your best friend steals your husband?¡±

    ¡°And with your brother-inw being so outstanding, some people might inevitably feel tempted, so be careful.¡±

    Xiuxiang and Tang Yan had already stopped walking when Jiang Ning spoke the first sentence, the couple in unison furrowing their brows.

    At this moment, Tang Yan was extremely anxious inside; if the boss heard this, his job would be at risk!

    Jiang Ning¡¯s words became uglier, and Xiuxiang felt a surge of anger in her chest; this was the third time she had insulted Qiao Qiao.

    She didn¡¯t need such rtives!

    Just as she was about to argue with Jiang Ning, Tang Yan signaled with a nce and stopped her, indicating he could handle it.

    ¡°There might be a way to discuss this cooperation.¡±

    Tang Yan intentionally left his sentence hanging, keeping Jiang Ning and Chen Jingling on tenterhooks.

    At his words, they both halted in their tracks, looking at Tang Yan with expectant eyes.

    Did that mean he could help them with the cooperation?

    Tang Yan turned around and nced at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her what she thinks?¡±

    Jiang Ning and Chen Jingling were stunned for a moment, ncing at each other and seeing confusion in each other¡¯s eyes.

    What the hell? What did he mean?

    What¡¯s the point of asking this poor thing? What decision could she make?

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t wait for an answer from the two, but turned to Qiao Jing, speaking to her with great respect.

    ¡°Madam Boss, what do you think is the best way to handle this?¡±

    Jiang Ning and Chen Jingling werepletely stunned, their eyes bulging as they looked at Qiao Jing, so surprised that their mouths could have fit an egg.

    What? Qiao Jing was Tang Yan¡¯s boss? Did that mean she was the young mistress of the Zhan Family?

    That meant they had offended the boss¡¯s wife!

 Chapter 292: 282 Divorce Agreement

    Chapter 292: Chapter 282 Divorce Agreement

    Jiang Ning and Chen Jingling¡¯s faces were so ugly, the business deal was definitely off.

    The two no longer mentioned taking Lin Xiuxiang home, exchanged nces, and left in silence.

    Lin Xiuxiang, watching their dejected figures, chuckled.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, they probably didn¡¯t expect you to be so amazing either, I really hate people who look down on others, and they talk in such an ugly way, I guess they won¡¯te again.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much, just showed a faint smile.

    Tang Yan tentatively asked, ¡°Xiuxiang, have you made up your mind not to go with them?¡±

    ...

    Lin Xiuxiang affectionately hooked Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, rubbing her face against hers.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not going with them. I can¡¯t bear to leave my Qiao Qiao and others.¡±

    Not long after, Tang Yan helped Qiao Jing hail a cab, then left with Lin Xiuxiang.

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing returned to her usual work routine, waking up on time and preparing breakfast.

    After she had eaten her portion, Zhan Qipei also came out of his room on time.

    He quickly finished his breakfast, grabbed the car keys, and followed Qiao Jing downstairs.

    ¡°The weather forecast said it will rain today, I¡¯ll pick you up in the afternoon, don¡¯t take a taxi back by yourself.¡±

    Although Qiao Jing usually took a taxi back from work, he still wanted to offer, just in case one day he could pick her up.

    Qiao Jing, with a faint expression, refused.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Taking a taxi could solve the issue, there was no need to bother Zhan Qipei, he had his work too.

    When she arrived at herb, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered something.

    She had forgotten an important document at home.

    Qiao Jing changed out of herb coat, was just stepping out of theb, nning to go home when she ran into someone.

    She looked up at him.

    Xu Moqian, excitedly approaching, realized Qiao Jing was heading out and paused.

    ¡°Sister Jing? Where are you going?¡±

    He had heard from the old man that Qiao Jing had rested well and was returning to work today, so he had speciallye over.

    His n would still require getting the keys to Qiao Jing¡¯s house.

    Qiao Jing stopped walking.

    ¡°Going home to get some documents.¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.

    Here was his chance!

    Heaven was truly helping him!

    He began to eagerly speak.

    ¡°Let me get them for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and said faintly, ¡°No, I¡¯ll go get them myself.¡±

    Things she could do herself, she didn¡¯t need to trouble others to do for her.

    Xu Moqian made a sound of disappointment but didn¡¯t give up, seeing it as a perfect opportunity he couldn¡¯t miss.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go, I¡¯m not busy, almost growing a beard here, I¡¯m headed out now. Where are the documents?¡±

    He began to walk out, not giving Qiao Jing a chance to reject him.

    With no other choice, Qiao Jing put her work clothes back on.

    ¡°On the desk in my room.¡±

    She watched Xu Moqian¡¯s departing figure with some amusement, curious to see when he would realize he didn¡¯t have the keys.

    Xu Moqian hurriedly acknowledged several times, just as he walked out of theb, he turned back again.

    He patted his head and muttered a sentence.

    ¡°Gone dumb, haven¡¯t I?¡±

    It was probably because the n was about to seed, and his brain got overly excited, causing his intelligence tog behind.

    Xu Moqian walked up to Qiao Jing and spread out his hands.

    ¡°I forgot to take the keys.¡±

    Qiao Jingughed and took out the keys from her pocket, teasing Xu Moqian in a joking tone.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d only remember you didn¡¯t have the keys when you got to my front door. Has your brain caught up now?¡±

    Xu Moqian groaned and looked at Qiao Jing with a somewhat aggrieved expression, grabbing the keys from her hand and hurriedly walked out.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you¡¯re too mean, you knew I forgot the keys and didn¡¯t remind me.¡±

    After leaving the institute, Xu Moqian felt that the sky today seemed bluer than before; he was very excited and immediately drove to Qiao Jing¡¯s house.

    When he opened the door to Qiao Jing¡¯s house, he felt his heartbeat speeding up a lot.

    The first thing he did was go to Qiao Jing¡¯s room, find the documents, and then head to Zhan Qipei¡¯s room.

    Standing at the door to Zhan Qipei¡¯s room, Xu Moqian took a deep breath. The n was about to seed!

    He took out the item he had prepared early in the morning and mmed it hard on Zhan Qipei¡¯s desk.

    It seemed like an act of venting his anger.

    After doing all this, he revealed a triumphant smile.

    Now let¡¯s see if you can avoid divorce; no more shamelessly clinging to my Sister Jing after this!

    Xu Moqian whistled cheerfully and left, taking the documents Qiao Jing needed back to the institute.

    Zhan Qipei got off work a bit earlier than usual today and bought some dishes Qiao Jing loved to take home.

    He had volunteered yesterday to cook dinner today.

    After all, it was usually Qiao Jing who cooked, so this time he nned to cook dinner for both of them, to give her a break.

    His phone battery was low by the time he left work; he was worried that if he took a while cooking and the phone automatically turned off, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t be able to reach him if she called.

    His phone battery was low by the time he left work; he was worried that once he started cooking, his phone might automatically turn off, making him unreachable if Qiao Jing tried to call him.

    Just as he reached his desk to pick up the charger, Zhan Qipei saw a piece of white paper on the desk.

    He paused. The paper wasn¡¯t his.

    Zhan Qipei picked up the paper and the first thing he saw were the ring five words.

    Divorce Agreement!

    He opened the agreement in silence and saw that someone had already signed the name at the bottom.

    Qiao Jing.

    The handwriting was Xu Moqian¡¯s, deliberately imitating Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    After writing more than a dozen drafts, he finally produced the most convincing imitation of the agreement, enough to deceive Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei, who was adept at conducting business, rarely showed a flustered expression in his dark eyes.

    He immediately recalled thest phone call Qiao Jing had made to Zhan Yuanshan, mentioning divorce.

    Was that not a joke then? Did she really not want to spend even thest 28 days with him, so eager to divorce?

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, his lips tightly pressed, his face frosty as he stared at the agreement.

    His hands tightly clenched the agreement, veins bulging, causing the paper in his hands to be even more crumpled.

    A chill suddenly surged up from Zhan Qipei¡¯s feet, instantly dropping the room¡¯s temperature by several degrees Celsius!

    After a long silence, a rustling sound suddenly erupted in the room.

    Zhan Qipei tore the divorce agreement into scraps, crumpled them up, and threw them all into the trash can.

    His face tense, his dark eyes fixated on the wad of paper scraps in the trash can.

    Suddenly, the phone on the desk rang.

    Zhan Qipei immediately saw the caller; it was Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 293: 283: The First Time Zhan Qipei Doesnt Go Home

    Chapter 293: Chapter 283: The First Time Zhan Qipei Doesn¡¯t Go Home

    Upon seeing her name, he couldn¡¯t control his thoughts from drifting back to the moment when she signed her name on the divorce agreement.

    He felt his heart ache faintly, the bitterness gradually spreading to his whole body, as if paralyzing his limbs.

    A full minute passed before Zhan Qipei finally picked up his phone, his movements still somewhat stiff, his hand trembling slightly. She couldn¡¯t possibly be calling to urge him to sign the divorce papers, could she?

    Thinking of this possibility, his hand gripped the phone tightly, reluctant to press the answer button.

    Until the call automatically disconnected, Zhan Qipei had not answered the phone.

    The phone screen immediately went dark, reflecting his tense face.

    ...

    Qiao Jing found it strange, why didn¡¯t he answer the call?

    She redialed the number.

    As Zhan Qipei saw the phone screen light up again, the nickname he had for Qiao Jing was ¡°wife,¡± which he used to find very pleasing to the eye, as it dered she was his.

    But now, those two characters gradually started to sting his eyes, he stared at the nickname, lost in thought. Soon, she would no longer be his.

    The phone continued to ring, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression became more rigid, his face solemn, his temple throbbing suddenly.

    The phone was about to disconnect automatically again when he pressed the answer button at thest second.

    Qiao Jing let out a sigh of relief when the call connected.

    ¡°Are you home yet?¡±

    After hearing this, Zhan Qipei looked towards the trash can. Was she asking if he had seen the divorce papers? Was she trying to pressure him to sign them?

    He pursed his lips tightly, unwilling to speak.

    Qiao Jing, getting no reply for a long time, asked with some confusion.

    ¡°Are you still there?¡±

    Zhan Qipei forced his mouth open before finally answering her question.

    ¡°Hmm, I haven¡¯t gone back yet.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded with an ¡°oh,¡± then continued to ask.

    ¡°Then when are youing home tonight? Do you want me to help cook dinner?¡±

    She recalled Zhan Qipei saying he would cook tonight, so she hadn¡¯t hurried back home.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice rose, a touch of huskiness in his tone.

    ¡°I have a very important meeting tonight, I¡¯m busy, it will go veryte.¡±

    Talking to Qiao Jing seemed to require all his effort, as this was the first time he lied to her.

    Qiao Jing nced at the work in her hands, roughly estimating the time.

    ¡°Until when?¡±

    She still had to prepare the dinner, needing to know when the meeting would end to decide whether to make Zhan Qipei¡¯s portion or not, to avoid waste.

    A bitter smile appeared on Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome face. Did she really hope that much for him to sign the divorce papers?

    ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me, I won¡¯te home tonight.¡±

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s mind, she couldn¡¯t help recalling a time when Zhan Qipei¡¯s Company had a billion-dor cooperation, which he worked on all night and then rushed home.

    That night she just happened to get up to use the bathroom and saw Zhan Qipei, his weary expression not yet hidden away, his eyes also red with bloodshot, clearly showing he had worked overtime for a long time.

    Despite being so tired, he still hurried back home that night.

    Could this meeting be more important than a billion-dor deal?

    Or had thepany encountered a major problem?

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, she suddenly heard Zhan Qipei say a sentence.

    ¡°I have something here, gotta hang up first.¡±

    With a tone, the call was disconnected, leaving no chance for Qiao Jing to react.

    As she listened to the busy signaling from her phone, she paused for a moment and looked at the phone screen.

    Usually, when they talked on the phone, Zhan Qipei would wait for her to hang up first. Once, she was too busy with work and, after their call, she forgot to disconnect and casually ced the phone aside.

    When she finished her work and picked up her phone, she was still on the call!

    Zhan Qipei said he couldn¡¯t bear to hang up and insisted on waiting for her to do so first. He yearned to spend hours on the phone with Qiao Jing.

    Was this meeting really that urgent?

    However, judging by Zhan Qipei¡¯s unusual reaction, it probably was very urgent, so she didn¡¯t dwell on it.

    After hanging up the phone, Zhan Qipei, lips tight, went to the kitchen and put all the groceries he had bought into the fridge.

    Then he left.

    As long as he didn¡¯t go home, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t urge him to sign the divorce papers, and he could pretend as if nothing had happened.

    After finishing her busy work, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t need to bother with aplex meal since Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯ting home; a simple bowl of noodles would suffice.

    When Qiao Jing got home and was about to cook noodles, her phone rang. It was a call from Ni Yue.

    The moment the call connected, Ni Yue spoke first, her voice filled with joy.

    ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao! I¡¯ve missed you so much~ Did you miss me?¡±

    Qiao Jing yed along and said one word.

    ¡°Missed.¡±

    Ni Yue blew a kiss across the phone and continued cheerfully.

    ¡°You know what? I just finished that design draft that was giving me a headache. I¡¯m so happy now!¡±

    Qiao Jing also remembered that project that had left Ni Yue uninspired and troubled, to the point of going out for drinks with her.

    ¡°Hmm, it took quite a while, right?¡±

    Ni Yueughed heartily, opened the door of her house, and continued to chat with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yeah, it was such a headache. I¡¯m on my way to your ce now, heading to the bar. Charge! I¡¯ming to pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at her not-yet-noticeable belly. Going to a bar while pregnant would be somewhat inconvenient; she declined Ni Yue¡¯s invitation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some things to take care of; I¡¯d better not go.¡±

    Ni Yue,fortably seated in her car, started to coo.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao~ Baby Qiao Qiao~ I remember you¡¯re off work now, why note with me? I¡¯ve finally finished my draft and I¡¯m feeling thrilled; just apany me, please~¡±

    She even honked the horn a couple of times.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m in the car already. Do you really have the heart to not apany me?¡±

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helpless, rubbed her forehead and set down the noodles she hadn¡¯t started cooking yet.

    ¡°When will you arrive?¡±

    As soon as Ni Yue heard Qiao Jing¡¯s response, she knew the other party had agreed. She promptly started her sports car and sped off.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in no time! Wait for me, Baby Qiao Qiao, love you~¡±

    Qiao Jing heard the sound of wind through the phone and cautioned.

    ¡°Drive carefully, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    Ni Yue giggled, and then she ended the call.

    Qiao Jing looked at her attire: a regr T-shirt and jeans. Considering the weather outside, she put on a coat before leaving the house.

    She waited downstairs for a while, and soon she could hear the roar of a sports car.

    The sports car quickly pulled up in front of Qiao Jing, and after lowering the window, she saw Ni Yue in the driver¡¯s seat.

    Wearing a ck pair of sunsses, Ni Yue hooked her finger on the bridge of the sses as she saw the person outside, revealing her beautiful eyes.

    ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao, I¡¯m here~ Hurry, get in the car, I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±

 Chapter 294: 284 Zhan Qipei Lies

    Chapter 294: Chapter 284 Zhan Qipei Lies

    Ni Yue hurriedly rushed to the bar and took Qiao Jing to sit at the counter.

    She pouted her lips, coated in lipstick, and leaned towards Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Baby, give me a kiss. I came to find you right after I finished my draft. See how much I love you!¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused and gently pushed her face away.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re happy, but don¡¯t use that foreign etiquette on me.¡±

    Ni Yue pursed her lips and mumbled a response.

    ...

    ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯ve just missed you too much; it¡¯s an overload of longing. Bartender, two Blue Hawaiis, please.¡±

    Before the bartender could respond, Qiao Jing quickly interjected; she couldn¡¯t drink now.

    ¡°One will do; I¡¯m not drinking that today.¡±

    Ni Yue was a bit puzzled and leaned closer to Qiao Jing¡¯s face, staring intently as if confirming something.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my Baby Qiao Qiao being this good-looking, I would have thought I brought the wrong person. Isn¡¯t this your favorite? You always order it whenever wee.¡±

    ¡°Could it be you¡¯re changing your taste? Hmm¡­¡±

    After thinking it through carefully, Ni Yue listed another cocktail¡¯s name.

    ¡°How about Passion Coast?¡±

    The bartender looked at Ni Yue and then at Qiao Jing, waiting for them to decide.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, not wanting those.

    ¡°No need, just a ss of milk will be fine.¡±

    Ni Yue was immediately taken aback, her eyes widened, then she leaned in again towards Qiao Jing, asking incredulously.

    ¡°Youe to a bar to drink milk? Are you serious? Have you started drinking milk while I was drawing?¡±

    The bartender was also seeing someonee to a bar to drink milk for the first time, and was stunned.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, we don¡¯t have milk here, but we have several other drinks if you¡¯d like to choose one?¡±

    Ni Yue straightened her posture and did not continue to question Qiao Jing about the milk.

    ¡°Then how about a Red Bull instead?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows and pursed her lips; pregnant women can¡¯t drink energy drinks either.

    ¡°Just an orange juice then.¡±

    After hearing the final order, the bartender quickly prepared an orange juice for Qiao Jing and made a Blue Hawaii for Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue sipped a little of her drink, remembering how Qiao Jing had waited alone downstairs for her.

    ¡°Hey, did your guy let you out today? Normally he clings to you like chewing gum. It¡¯s surprising that he let youe to the bar to y with me today.¡±

    Qiao Jing took a sip of her orange juice, frowned slightly, and answered softly.

    ¡°He said he¡¯s busy tonight, having a meeting.¡±

    Ni Yue spat out a sound, her tone very aggressive as if something hade to mind.

    ¡°Men are always like this, using being busy as an excuse, but he must be seeing someone else or getting tired of seeing the same face every day and going out to enjoy himself.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, responding indifferently, ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be that kind of person. Besides, what does it have to do with me?¡±

    Ni Yue downed a big gulp of her drink, treating the cocktail like beer, and started spewing words.

    ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao, you rarely interact with men; hence, you don¡¯t quite understand. Let me tell you, when my parents divorced, it was just like this.¡±

    ¡°My dad did the same, always finding excuses for being busy and noting home. Later, my mom caught him at the club with a young girl.¡±

    She snickered, as if to vent her frustration, she took another forceful sip of her drink, which was nearly empty.

    ¡°Let me tell you, all men are pigs! All those excuses about being busy, I¡¯ve heard them so often I could get calluses on my ears. I¡¯m sure, your man, he must have someone else on the side, finds you annoying now.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils trembled slightly, and a fleeting unnaturalness appeared on her face, which quickly vanished.

    She said in a nonchnt tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore, just 28 days until the divorce.¡±

    Ni Yue giggled and affectionately nudged Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Right, who cares about him, wee to the bar to have fun, why talk about men, brings bad luck! It¡¯s better for us women, the two of us living together would be better than finding a man.¡±

    She paused, her tone serious, ¡°Qiao Qiao, why don¡¯t you just stay with me?¡±

    Listening to Ni Yue¡¯s nonsensical words, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in silence.

    ¡°Are you drunk?¡±

    Ni Yue, ever so carefree, draped her arm over Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°How could I be? Who am I? I¡¯m Ni Yue! Everyone might get drunk but not me, Baby Qiao Qiao, have you forgotten how much I can drink? I¡¯m like a drinking champion!¡±

    Qiao Jing pushed away the person leaning on her, finding it somewhat amusing.

    ¡°Being good at drinking isn¡¯t described as being a ¡®drinking champion¡¯.¡±

    Ni Yue clung to Qiao Jing like an essory, wrapping her arms around her and refusing to let go, still mumbling.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Qiao Qiao, I¡¯m serious, wouldn¡¯t it be better if we just stayed together instead of being with men?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt that Ni Yue must be really drunk to be saying such things.

    This time, without Qiao Jing having to push her away, Ni Yue suddenly let go, clutching her stomach.

    ¡°This is bad, why is my stomach suddenly hurting so badly? Qiao Qiao, I need to use the restroom, wait for me. When I get back, we¡¯ll go another three hundred rounds with the drinks, and I¡¯ll show you my capacity!¡±

    Qiao Jing watched Ni Yue¡¯s hurried figure and couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly, always so impulsive.

    She withdrew her gaze, sipping orange juice alone at the bar, looking towards the stage.

    The lights in the bar were colorful and shing brilliantly, the music deafening. Women in revealing outfits swayed their hips in the dance floor, their bodies wildly gyrating to the music, their faces wearing a look of trance.

    Suddenly!

    In the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, who was looking down, making it hard to see clearly because of the lighting, but she was very familiar with that silhouette¡ªit seemed like Zhan Qipei.

    She stared intently at that direction, and in a moment, the person lifted his head.

    Qiao Jing saw that fleeting, stunningly handsome face, it was indeed Zhan Qipei.

    Hadn¡¯t he said he was busy, that he had an important meeting? How could he be here?

    Could it be, as Ni Yue said, that he found her annoying or was he out with someone else?

    But if that wasn¡¯t the case, why lie? He clearly had time to be at the bar, so why wasn¡¯t he home?

    Hadn¡¯t he promised to cook today?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest rose faintly, her furrowed brows slowly rxed and she felt reassured.

    After all, it didn¡¯t have anything to do with her; their rtionship like this was fine, noninterfering, whatever he did had nothing to do with her.

    Zhan Qipei, sitting not too far away, was looking at his own ss of wine, and in one go, finished his drink.

    Lu Zijiao sat next to Zhan Qipei, examined him from top to bottom, figured something out, and began with a teasing tone,

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you home with your lovely wife, instead asking me to drink with you here?¡±

    ¡°Also, you¡¯re just sitting here drowning your sorrows alone,pletely ignoring me.¡±

 Chapter 295: 285: Qiao Jing Goes to the Bar, Coincidentally Meets Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 295: Chapter 285: Qiao Jing Goes to the Bar, Coincidentally Meets Zhan Qipei

    Lu Zijiao looked at the table where two bottles of red wine were already empty, and wondered, Zhan Qipei actually still wanted to keep drinking?

    His gaze shifted from the wine bottle back to Zhan Qipei, thoughtfully stroking his chin.

    ¡°Could it be, you two had a fight?¡±

    Otherwise, how could Zhan Qipei possibly not be at home with his wife and instead be here drinking?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s action of drinking paused for a moment, his eyebrows knitted together as he filled his empty ss with wine.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight.¡±

    ...

    Lu Zijiao stared at Zhan Qipei with a skeptical look, trying to see if he was lying.

    But that perennially unchanging ice-cold face of the other party was such that even if he looked for a century, he wouldn¡¯t see any sign.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t fight, then why aren¡¯t you at home with her, drinking sullenly here alone?¡±

    Zhan Qipei swirled his ss, his dark eyes ncing at Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°Indeed, we didn¡¯t fight.¡±

    Lu Zijiao didn¡¯t believe those words one bit, he knew all too well that Zhan Qipei would cling to Qiao Jing for practically twenty-four hours a day, and now he was here drinking alone?

    ¡°Tell me about it, maybe I can give you some advice. I don¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t fight. I know what you¡¯re like,¡± insisted Lu Zijiao.

    Zhan Qipei took another swig of his drink, his chest heaving slightly, and his deep voice rang out.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a fight. When I got home, I found something on my desk.¡±

    Lu Zijiao¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued, and he asked eagerly, ¡°What thing?¡±

    What could have made Zhan Qipeie here to drink sullenly¡ªis it that serious?

    Zhan Qipei said gravely, ¡°Divorce agreement, Qiao Jing signed it.¡±

    Lu Zijiao immediately sucked in a breath of cold air, thinking, my goodness, that¡¯s even more terrifying than a fight.

    No wonder Zhan Qipei looked so awful and sat here drinking his sorrows away, but why on earth did Qiao Jing draft that divorce agreement all of a sudden?

    He began to press for answers.

    ¡°What¡¯s really going on? There must be a reason for this. Did you do something that upset Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei hesitated, ced the ss on the table, and listened as Lu Zijiao continued.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s obliviousness, Lu Zijiao formed a hypothesis in his mind.

    ¡°I guess you did something that made her angry, but you¡¯re unaware of it.

    It¡¯s just like my mom and dad fighting; often it¡¯s my mom silently fuming while my dad doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s done to upset her.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei thought it made sense. He smoothed his misty long brows and began thinking hard about whether he had done something to anger Qiao Jing.

    He leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, recalling the recent events with Qiao Jing, but it seemed he hadn¡¯t done anything out of line.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s troubled expression, Lu Zijiao started to offer advice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to remember; you won¡¯t be able to. Men can never guess what annoys a woman, just like my dad¡ªhe can never guess why my mom gets angry.¡±

    ¡°The saying ¡®a woman¡¯s heart is as unfathomable as the ocean¡¯s bottom¡¯ isn¡¯t untrue. I think you¡¯re better off just asking her directly or doing something to make her happy and appease her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s furrowed brows rxed, and he began to reflect on himself.

    He should not be out here but should have gone back earlier to ask Qiao Jing directly, and then buy some gifts to cheer her up.

    He had to rify this matter, no matter what.

    Zhan Qipei also realized he was avoiding the issue, and acknowledged that this approach was utterly wrong.

    He stood up, noticing that his coat had wrinkles, and subconsciously smoothed it out with his hand.

    ¡°Put the drinks on my tab. You keep having fun,¡± he said.

    As soon as Lu Zijiao heard this, he knew that Zhan Qipei was nning to head home. He immediately stood up, blocking his way.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been home with your wife all this time, and you rarelye out when we call you. Now that you¡¯ve finally made it out, it¡¯s just past ten o¡¯clock. Can¡¯t you at least stay out until half-past eleven before going back?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was more eager to get home and resolve the issue with Qiao Jing, trying to sidestep Lu Zijiao.

    Lu Zijiao stood in front of Zhan Qipei, continuing to speak.

    ¡°Besides, if you go back now, Qiao Jing might still be fuming. Seeing you might make her even angrier, which would just make things worse, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to let her cool down first. By the time you go back, everything might have blown over. If there¡¯s still an issue, you can just coax her a bit.¡±

    Zhan Qipei hesitated, preferring to address issues immediately rather than letting them linger.

    But what Lu Zijiao said wasn¡¯t without reason, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s steps halted.

    Seeing this, Lu Zijiao knew he had a chance, pulling Zhan Qipei back to their booth to sit down.

    ¡°Trust me on this. My dad was the same way. Right after an argument, he would go straight to my mom, but instead of pacifying her, it only made her angrier.

    Then my dad would go out to cool off for a while, and by the time he came back, my mom would be singing by herself,pletely happy, and all the problems would have vanished.¡±

    He spoke with utter conviction.

    ¡°Believe me, based on my years of observing my parents, this strategy is foolproof.¡±

    Finally, Zhan Qipei settled down, persuaded.

    Lu Zijiao opened a bottle for himself. With years of witnessing his parents¡¯ dynamics, he hadpletely figured out his mother¡¯s personality¡ªa little cooling off, and any issue could be resolved.

    At another booth.

    Wu Xirui and a few friends were sitting together, drinking.

    A group of dissolute young men huddled together, with the bar¡¯s most expensive beers arranged on the table.

    Young Master Liu opened a bottle of Ace of Spades to wash his hands, then opened a bottle of Brandy, topping up everyone else¡¯s sses.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s slender fingers rhythmically tapped on the table, the other hand leisurely swaying his ss, his peach blossom eyes squinting merrily as he watched everyone.

    After taking a sip of his drink, Young Master Liu felt the booth was a bit boring with just the guys.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we call over a few pretty girls to have some fun?¡±

    Young Master Wang showed a mischievous smirk, pping his hands in agreement.

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Wu Xirui took a drink and slowly spoke.

    ¡°Not interested.¡±

    Young Master Liu thought Wu Xirui was just being coy¡ªafter all, what man doesn¡¯t like women?

    He grew excited, taking out his phone to make arrangements.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re all out to have a good time, let¡¯s do it right. I¡¯ll get three beauties to join us for some fun.¡±

    Before long, three girls approached Young Master Liu.

    They wore bikinis with a sheer coat over them, fis stockings on their legs, and were sprayed with a strong perfume¡ªan obvious sign of flirtatious nature.

    The leader of the trio leaned against Young Master Liu, cing her hands on the man¡¯s chest and speaking in a coquettish voice.

    ¡°Young Master Liu, how much booze are you ordering today?¡±

    Young Master Liu whistled and casually pinched the woman, saying with a cheeky smile.

    ¡°Depends on your performance. The prettiest one among you, go take care of Fifth Master.¡±

    Another woman consciously moved to Young Master Wang¡¯s side.

    Young Master Wang immediately opened a bottle of Ace of Spades and poured it over the woman¡¯s body.

 Chapter 296: 286: Wu Xirui Uses Handsome Man Trick to Deliberately Attract Qiao Jing

    Chapter 296: Chapter 286: Wu Xirui Uses Handsome Man Trick to Deliberately Attract Qiao Jing

    The most attractive woman, upon hearing that she was to serve the Fifth Master, deliberately loosened her shoulder strap.

    She took steps toward Wu Xirui, speaking in a coquettish voice, ¡°Fifth Master~¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s smile instantly vanished, and his voice uncontrobly turned cold.

    He ndly spat out one word.

    ¡°Scram.¡±

    The woman hadn¡¯t even fully approached Wu Xirui when his words frightened her into awkwardly scrambling back to her feet, her face showing embarrassment.

    ...

    The smiles on Young Master Liu and Young Master Wang¡¯s faces also stiffened momentarily.

    The first to recover was Young Master Liu, whoughed a couple of times to ease the awkwardness.

    ¡°It seems the Fifth Master doesn¡¯t like this type, let¡¯s switch to another.¡±

    He nodded towards a direction, and immediately another woman walked over.

    ¡°How about this one, pure and cute?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also a mature type, Fifth Master, choose whichever you like.¡±

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t even nce at these women and continued drinking his red wine.

    Young Master Liu and Young Master Wang exchanged looks, both seeing confusion in the other¡¯s eyes.

    All the good-looking ones in the bar had been called over, yet the Fifth Master didn¡¯t take a fancy to any of them.

    What type does the Fifth Master actually like?

    As they were privately pondering this, they suddenly saw Wu Xirui stop drinking and his gaze shifted in a particr direction.

    Both were momentarily stunned, what was the Fifth Master looking at so intently?

    Following Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze, they looked past several people dancing in the dancefloor, and only with some difficulty did they find that person.

    Young Master Liu gasped, and Young Master Wang noticed too, Wu Xirui was watching the woman sitting at the bar, sipping orange juice.

    The colorful lights of the bar illuminated Qiao Jing¡¯s face, her features delicately beautiful, her phoenix eyes calm and inscrutable, making it impossible to read her emotions.

    Her cool demeanor exuded a strong sense of aloofness, making her seem out of cepared to the mixed environment of the nightclub.

    Young Master Liu, with a keen eye, knew that Wu Xirui liked her type and immediately started to tter him.

    ¡°So the Fifth Master likes this type, huh? She really is quite beautiful; I¡¯ve never seen such a beauty before.¡±

    Young Master Wang chimed in as well.

    ¡°Right, when did Beijing get someone so beautiful? No wonder the Fifth Master likes her. Fifth Master, shall I call her over for you?¡±

    Wu Xirui put down his wine ss and stood up, walking towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Young Master Liu and Young Master Wang exchanged nces again.

    Only after Wu Xirui had walked some distance did they begin to converse.

    Young Master Liu pinched the face of the woman in his embrace and shed a rascally smile.

    ¡°Looks like the Fifth Master wants to hit on her himself. We shouldn¡¯t disturb him then, let¡¯s just enjoy ourselves.¡±

    Young Master Wangughed a couple of times and nodded.

    ¡°But that woman is truly exceptional. She¡¯s lucky to have caught the Fifth Master¡¯s eye, otherwise, I would have made a move.¡±

    Qiao Jing was sitting at the bar, sipping her orange juice, one hand propping her chin. Her phoenix eyes slightly squinted, she leisurely swirled her drink as if it were wine, looking every bit the content plush cat.

    The sound of someone taking a seat next to her reached her ears, she assumed it was Ni Yue returning and casually nced to the side.

    Upon clearly seeing who was next to her, she looked slightly surprised, lightly arching her delicate, smoke-tinted brows.

    ¡°Wu Xirui?¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face broke into his trademark smile, his peach blossom eyes unreservedly gazing at Qiao Jing, not hiding the infatuation in his eyes.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you here. What a coincidence.¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze and responded indifferently.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t mind Qiao Jing¡¯s cold demeanor; he had gotten used to it long ago and started to look for a topic.

    ¡°Are you alone?¡±

    The orange juice in Qiao Jing¡¯s ss had run out, and he ced the empty cup back on the bar.

    ¡°With friends.¡±

    Wu Xirui narrowed his eyes and his smile faded, his voice also grew colder by a degree.

    ¡°With Zhan Qipei?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard the name, he thought of how Zhan Qipei had deceived him. His eyebrows knitted slightly, then rxed.

    ¡°A good friend.¡±

    Wu Xirui then put his smile back on.

    ¡°Oh, I see, so it¡¯s not with Zhan Qipei?¡±

    Qiao Jing paused, then turned to look at Wu Xirui, his eyes fixed on thetter¡¯s face, ready to observe his micro-expressions.

    ¡°It seems you care a lot about Zhan Qipei. Are you really nning toe back for revenge?¡±

    The smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face disappeared immediately, and his usually cheerful peachy eyes rarely turned cold.

    He didn¡¯t respond to Qiao Jing¡¯s question but instead asked the bartender for a bottle of champagne.

    ¡°A bottle of champagne.¡±

    Seeing how quickly Wu Xirui¡¯s expression changed, Qiao Jing eyed him critically until the champagne was handed to him, during which time he didn¡¯t speak.

    Wu Xirui used a bottle of champagne to change the subject, and Qiao Jing noticed he didn¡¯t want to continue discussing that matter.

    Neither of them resumed the conversation.

    Not far away, Lu Zijiao, after deciding to stay, ordered several bottles of Brandy.

    He looked at the people dancing wildly in the center of the dance floor and suddenly felt an urge.

    ¡°Just sitting and drinking is a bit boring, shall we go y in the dance floor?¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood up.

    Lu Zijiao thought he had agreed and was about to break into an enthusiastic smile, but was stopped by Zhan Qipei¡¯s next words.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had no interest in everything in the bar at the moment, only wanting to go home to see Qiao Jing and exin things to her.

    Lu Zijiao eximed in disappointment and gestured towards the dance floor by nodding his chin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave so quickly, didn¡¯t you promise me to stay a little longer? Come with me over there¡ª¡±

    He stopped mid-sentence after spotting a figure, seemingly unsure if it was just his imagination.

    Lu Zijiao blinked hard, then saw the figure clearly.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, who had just taken a few steps toward the exit, stopped in his tracks, a look of surprise on his face.

    Qiao Jing was here too?

    Before he could turn around to look, Lu Zijiao¡¯s slightly puzzled voice came over.

    ¡°The one next to Qiao Jing, is that Wu Xirui?¡±

    Upon hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s name, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face grew colder, and the air around him dropped by several degrees all at once.

    Lu Zijiao felt the change in Zhan Qipei¡¯s aura and shivered, touching his arm that had goosebumps.

    ¡°Why did it suddenly get so cold¡­¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression, he immediately knew where this low pressure wasing from.

    It was over, Zhan Qipei was angry, his demeanor was like the living King of Hell that no one would not be afraid of.

    Did he say something wrong¡­

    When Zhan Qipei saw the image of Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui sitting together, his pupils shuddered, those dark irises seemed to flinch as though the sight itself was an affront.

 Chapter 297: 287 Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui Start Fighting

    Chapter 297: Chapter 287 Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui Start Fighting

    Hadn¡¯t Qiao Jing told him that she and Wu Xirui were only in a doctor-patient rtionship?

    Then why did the two of them appear in the bar at the same time, and why were they sitting so close to each other? Especially Wu Xirui, who kept leaning in toward Qiao Jing and joking with her, his face beaming with happiness.

    Could it be that the rtionship between a doctor and a patient also includes going to bars for drinks?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s clenched fists revealed bulging veins, and his temples throbbed uncontrobly, his lips pressed into a straight line without any curve.

    His deep eyes stared fixedly at the two of them.

    Just at that moment!

    ...

    The ss in Wu Xirui¡¯s hand suddenly tilted, and the drink spilled out, soaking Qiao Jing¡¯s leg.

    His expression froze for a moment, and he immediately set down his ss.

    ¡°Sorry, it was an ident.¡±

    Wu Xirui pulled out several tissues, reaching out intending to help clean it up for Qiao Jing.

    Before Qiao Jing could refuse Wu Xirui, a strong and forceful arm suddenly encircled her waist.

    She instinctively wanted to strike out at the person, but that arm promptly pulled her toward him with force.

    This caused Qiao Jing¡¯s body to uncontrobly fall against him, and by the time she recovered her senses, she was already wrapped in his embrace.

    When Qiao Jing looked up and saw Zhan Qipei, she froze for a moment, retracted her hand that was ready to chop, and a hint of confusion floated in her eyes.

    How did Zhan Qipei get here? Wasn¡¯t he drinking over there just now?

    ¡°How did youe?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s long, ethereal eyebrows were tightly furrowed, his thin lips pressed firmly together, the low pressure around him withdrawn, his chest heaving heavily once.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯te, he was going to wipe your leg.¡±

    Wu Xirui, after observing the instantaneous changes, was stunned for a moment. When he regained his senses, he shot Zhan Qipei a challenging look.

    The moment Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes lifted to meet Wu Xirui¡¯s, the air pressure around him dropped several tens of degrees again!

    Meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes filled with displeasure and wariness, Wu Xirui was very pleased, his peach-blossom eyes curving once more, smiling again on his face.

    ¡°I just identally spilled the drink on her leg and was going to clean it up, why are you so worked up?¡±

    Wu Xirui knew exactly what words would provoke Zhan Qipei, and he continued smiling as he spoke.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s just a marriage of convenience that ends when the agreed timees, is there a need to be so tense?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened even further, as if it could drip water, and he coldly spat out four words.

    ¡°None of your business.¡±

    Ni Yue had juste out from the restroom and was dumbstruck upon seeing this scene.

    How did Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui end up here? And with such a stance, were they about to fight?

    Wasn¡¯t she just using the bathroom? How did it be a battlefield when she came out?

    Ni Yue wanted to ask Qiao Jing what was happening but seeing her held in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, she didn¡¯t dare to approach, lest the trouble involved an innocent bystander like her.

    Her gaze moved beyond Zhan Qipei andnded on Lu Zijiao.

    Ni Yue skirted around the two potentiallybative men, softly stepping over to Lu Zijiao and whispering.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I just went to the bathroom, what happened?¡±

    Lu Zijiao was equally baffled.

    ¡°How would I know?¡±

    How could he have known Qiao Jing was here? He was even more clueless as to why she was sitting with Wu Xirui.

    Ni Yue looked at Lu Zijiao with disdain and muttered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here and you don¡¯t know what happened? This is why you can¡¯t rely on men.¡±

    She looked up at the two in the center of the battlefield and continued to observe the situation.

    Wu Xirui raised an eyebrow and spoke to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Oh? It has nothing to do with you? You can¡¯t tell what I want to do?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed.

    Zhan Qipei protected Qiao Jing behind him, his tone carrying a warning.

    ¡°Your grudge against the Zhan Family should be directed at me alone, do not involve her. If I catch you bothering her again, I can have you thrown out of the capital at any time.¡±

    Wu Xirui chuckled, his peach blossom eyes filled with a sickly intensity as he touched his forehead.

    ¡°What an arrogance, although the Zhan Family is the capital¡¯s first family, it doesn¡¯t mean the capital belongs to the Zhan Family. Ie and go as I please, without the need to notify your Zhan Family.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest rose and fell deeply, his facial contours tense.

    He looked at Qiao Jing, feigning a deep infatuation.

    ¡°I was smitten with her at first sight, Qiao Jing and I are a match made in heaven; haven¡¯t you heard that ¡®gentlemen prefer fairdies¡¯? What¡¯s wrong with me pursuing her?¡±

    The fury Zhan Qipei had been suppressing in his chest burst out!

    He took a step forward, grabbing Wu Xirui by the cor with a chilling gaze straight at him.

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t resist but raised his hands, still smiling at the corners of his mouth.

    ¡°You¡¯d better have the ability to actually strike me.¡±

    Without any hesitation, Zhan Qipei¡¯s fist nearly struck Wu Xirui¡¯s face at that instant!

    Qiao Jing grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s wrist, preventing him from moving until the other¡¯s strength receded, before she spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think; I just happened to run into Wu Xirui.¡±

    Zhan Qipei must have misunderstood, thinking she came with Wu Xirui.

    Though there was no need for her to exin so much to Zhan Qipei, she had to rify the situation; otherwise, it would be troubling if he thought she was flirting with another man during their engagement period.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes narrowed, his hands still grasping Wu Xirui¡¯s cor.

    ¡°Are you defending him?¡±

    Qiao Jing responded seriously, ¡°No, I am just stating the facts.¡±

    The veins on Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands stood out as he gripped Wu Xirui¡¯s cor, continuing to exert force.

    Lu Zijiao saw the situation escting and immediately stepped forward to mediate.

    ¡°Let it go, don¡¯t actually start a fight, there are so many people in the bar.¡±

    Ni Yue looked worriedly at the group. Others in the bar also noticed themotion, turning their heads to watch; it wouldn¡¯t be good if a fight really broke out.

    Zhan Qipei showed no sign of letting go, his dark eyes fixed on Wu Xirui¡¯s face that was grinning but not smiling.

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t care that he was being held by the cor; he smiled back at Zhan Qipei, waiting for him to make a move.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, enough!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice grew colder.

    ¡°Do you really want to make a big deal out of this? Don¡¯t you believe what I said?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand paused for a moment before slowly loosening and pushing Wu Xirui backward.

    Wu Xirui stumbled back several steps before steadying himself, lowering his head to straighten his cor, and then looking up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Heh, I thought you were going to hit me.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced coldly at Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui shrugged nonchntly, making a zipping motion across his mouth to indicate he¡¯d stay quiet.

    Zhan Qipei, with a grave expression, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s slender wrist and led her outside the bar.

 Chapter 298: 288: Zhan Qipei Forcefully Kisses Qiao Jing

    Chapter 298: Chapter 288: Zhan Qipei Forcefully Kisses Qiao Jing

    Qiao Jing was led by Zhan Qipei all the way out to the bar.

    It was only when they reached a less crowded area that Zhan Qipei finally released Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    The stifling feeling in his chest seemed to have finally found an outlet.

    Zhan Qipei turned around with a gloomy face, his dark eyes meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful ones.

    ¡°Why were you drinking with Wu Xirui? Didn¡¯t you tell me that you two were just doctor and patient? Does being doctor and patient include going out for drinks at night?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, displeased by the usation and retorted without answering.

    ...

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you had a very important meeting?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was startled for a moment, realizing it was he who had lied first. His tense expression softened, and his tone became much gentler.

    ¡°You first answer me, why were you drinking with Wu Xirui?

    Also, you clearly saw me, so why didn¡¯t youe over to find me, but stayed there drinking with him?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, looking into Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes and finding suspicion, sadness, and anger there.

    She had already exined herself in the bar, but Zhan Qipei just wouldn¡¯t believe her, and she didn¡¯t want to exin any further.

    ¡°This is my affair, and it has nothing to do with you, just like Wu Xirui said. Our marriage was set for a certain duration, and we would divorce when that time came. Moreover, we had agreed not to interfere with each other¡¯s lives. I have kept to that, what about you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression went nk for an instant. When this simr phrase hade from Wu Xirui, he only felt angry.

    But when these words came from Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth, it felt like a blunt knife was grinding over and over on his heart.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened again, his lips pinched into a straight line without any curve, his tone much heavier.

    ¡°At least we are not divorced yet, why did you have to drink with Wu Xirui? He was even about to wipe your leg!¡±

    His temples throbbed abruptly, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do anything excessive to Qiao Jing, only desperately suppressing his emotions.

    Qiao Jing, feeling exhausted, rubbed her temples. This was the first time Zhan Qipei and she had argued, and although she thought she could handle it, she hadn¡¯t expected it to be such a headache.

    She took a deep breath and slowly spoke.

    ¡°Do you really not trust me that much?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was stumped by this question. How could he possibly not trust Qiao Jing?

    He had believed every word she said before without any reservation, but now, just thinking of her drinking with Wu Xirui made his rationale reach the brink of copse.

    ¡°I do trust you! It¡¯s one thing for you toe to a bar, but the way you two talked looked very intimate. If I hadn¡¯t intervened, would you have let him wipe your leg?¡±

    ¡°Zhan! Qi! Pei!¡± These three words almost popped out from between Qiao Jing¡¯s teeth.

    She rarely got this angry, but Zhan Qipei¡¯s words had really crossed the line.

    Just then, a drop of cold rainnded on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, slightly calming the anger that had risen within her.

    After calming down a bit, Qiao Jing looked up to see that the originally clear and starry night sky was now dark and overcast.

    The raindrops falling on her face grew more intense, making Qiao Jing even more irritable.

    Taking a deep breath and with a cool expression, she faced Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I have said all I need to say, with a clear conscience, and I don¡¯t want to undergo your interrogation anymore.¡±

    Having said that, Qiao Jing paused, her expression turning even colder and more distant as if to push people thousands of miles away.

    This made Zhan Qipei instantly nervous.

    The next second, Qiao Jing continued from where she had left off.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let¡¯s divorce.¡±

    The way Qiao Jing said it was not asking for approval but stating a fact.

    She wanted a divorce!

    There was no room for negotiation.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted, his handsome face filled with astonishment and disbelief.

    He realized that she had indeed been prepared from early on to divorce him. No wonder she had been drinking with Wu Xinrui.

    He opened his mouth, his gaze towards Qiao Jing somewhat dazed, his hands hanging by his thighs began to tremble uncontrobly as he struggled to utter the following words.

    ¡°Divorce me and then go find Wu Xirui and be with him?¡±

    Without a word, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes. Zhan Qipei¡¯s unreasonable annoyance made her feel very troubled, unwilling to exin any further.

    ¡°We really are not suitable for each other.¡±

    From the beginning, she had noticed that they were not suitable, so indeed they were not.

    After saying these words, Qiao Jing turned around without hesitation and walked towards the distant curtain of rain.

    The cold rain hit Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, trickling along his hair strands into his eyes, blurring his vision gradually.

    But in his eyes, Qiao Jing and everything else in the world seemed separated; he could still clearly see her cold and resolute silhouette.

    Gradually, ayer of fine, slight pain seemed to appear on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, the cold rain as if turning into sharp silver needles, incessantly pricking his face.

    His expression remained gloomy, his burning heart seemingly extinguished by the rain, turning icy cold.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands and feet seemed to start bing icy, his bitterness and anger intertwining in his heart.

    Suddenly!

    Scenes of Qiao Jing drinking andughing with Wu Xirui started to automatically loop in his mind.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s breathing grew much heavier. The thread named rationality that had been tightly stretched, snapped when he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette about to disappear around the corner.

    He quickly moved forward, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s slender wrist, forcefully turned her around, and pushed her against a wall with an overhead shelter, preventing them from getting drenched in the rain any further.

    The first thing that struck Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes was the hurt expression on Zhan Qipei, which involuntarily made her think of a soaked little dog in the rain.

    The dull pain in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart surged again. He opened his mouth to speak those words but inexplicably lost his voice.

    Qiao Jing was in no mood to continue arguing with Zhan Qipei, trying to pull her hand back.

    ¡°I have nothing to discuss with you, let go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, as if stung by these words, yelled uncontrobly.

    ¡°Do you really want to divorce me that much? There¡¯s only twenty-eight days left, don¡¯t you want to spend them with me? The divorce papers are ready, just waiting for my signature?¡±

    But only he knew that from the moment Qiao Jing mentioned divorce, he had already lost his rationality.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    Hmm?

    Divorce papers?

    Before she could ask, a kiss stopped her unfinished wordspletely.

    This kiss contained Zhan Qipei¡¯s anger. He gently bit her vermilion lips as if to punish, intending to leave his mark on her lips.

    Yet, in the end, he could not bear to hurt Qiao Jing, instead drawing the air from her lips, prying open her teeth.

    Qiao Jing had initially felt a strange sensation surge in her heart upon seeing his puppy-like expression.

    But his forceful kiss skyrocketed her anger, her hand pressing against Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest, trying hard to push him away.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s strong arms firmly imprisoned her waist, pulling her close in front of him, restricting her movement and leaving her no chance to resist.

 Chapter 299: 289: Are You Sick?

    Chapter 299: Chapter 289: Are You Sick?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows were closely furrowed as her gaze shifted to Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips. Her chest gently heaved once, her mind made up, she opened her red lips and bit down hard on the man¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    A pained grunt came from the man¡¯s mouth, and his movements halted at that moment.

    Qiao Jing gritted her teeth, and taking advantage of this moment, she pushed the man away vigorously, leaning against the wall and panting slightly.

    The rising temperature between the two abruptly dropped, returning to normal.

    Once Qiao Jing recovered, she saw where the man¡¯s lip was broken, tiny beads of blood oozing out, his proud chest heaving irregrly, fury burning in his eyes, and a chilling coldness at the bottom of them.

    ...

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, are you sick, or what!¡±

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand, wiping the blood from his lips with his thumb. After the blood smeared into a red stain on his thin lips, he licked them, the sweet metallic taste gradually spreading in his mouth.

    He weakly hooked the corner of his lips.

    ¡°Yes, I am sick, and you are my medicine.¡±

    Hearing the man¡¯s words and observing his actions, Qiao Jing momentarily lost her focus.

    ¡°Although I¡¯m quite skilled in medicine, sorry, I truly can¡¯t cure this kind of illness. I¡¯ve definitely decided on the divorce!¡±

    Upon hearing thest sentence, Zhan Qipei¡¯s body trembled, feeling even colder, and forced a bitter smile.

    ¡°I will never sign the divorce papers. The one you left on my desk, I¡¯ve already torn it up!¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned.

    What? Divorce papers?

    Only then did she remember what Zhan Qipei had just said.

    ¡°What divorce papers?¡±

    Zhan Qipeiughed derisively.

    ¡°Stop pretending. Since you¡¯ve decided to divorce me, what¡¯s the point in acting now?¡±

    Qiao Jing waspletely baffled, muttering to herself.

    What¡¯s going on? What exactly happened? Howe she didn¡¯t know anything about any divorce papers?

    Just then!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phone suddenly rang, interrupting their conversation.

    She looked doubtfully at Zhan Qipei but decided to first see who was calling.

    The phone screen disyed a name.

    Xu Moqian.

    Why was he calling at this time?

    Qiao Jing pressed the answer button, and just as she ced the phone to her ear, the other side¡¯s excited voice came through.

    ¡°Sister Jing! How did it go? Did Zhan Qipei sign the divorce papers?¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, Xu Moqian continued smugly.

    ¡°I specially prepared it for you. I didn¡¯t tell you because I wanted to surprise you, so he couldn¡¯t bother you anymore.¡±

    Now Qiao Jing understood the whole situation and was even more speechless.

    ¡°Wow, you really did a ¡®spectacr¡¯ job, just wait for it!¡±

    ¡°Is it signed? Hahaha, I just knew¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing hung up the phone.

    Because of the rain, there were no pedestrians around, Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing squeezed into a spot that could barely shelter one person.

    The two were very close, which allowed Zhan Qipei to hear the content of that phone call.

    Zhan Qipei was stunned, his face filled with astonishment, he loosened the grip around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, and somewhat frantically lowered his head.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei looking like a child who had done something wrong, Qiao Jing¡¯s anger dissipated, and she even found it somewhat amusing.

    After all themotion, the entire ordeal turned out to be a misunderstanding.

    Looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s lowered head, she subconsciously reached out and touched it.

    The wet ck hair clung to his forehead, and Qiao Jing lifted his bangs for him.

    She exined onest time.

    ¡°I was at the bar with Ni Yue. When she went to the bathroom, Wu Xirui came over and sat down. I wanted to avoid him, but then you came over.

    As for the divorce agreement, I guess I don¡¯t need to exin too much, right?¡±

    Zhan Qipei hummed in acknowledgment, his previously dull eyes started to brighten.

    As soon as Ni Yue and Lu Zijiao came out, they saw¡ª

    Zhan Qipei, without a word, took off his own coat, and although it was already wet, he persistently held it over Qiao Jing as he led her to the car.

    The two onlookers then set their minds at ease and returned to the bar.

    Lu Zijiao breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Looks like this couple is back together, nothing to do with us now.¡±

    Ni Yue gave Lu Zijiao a look.

    ¡°Back together? I think they arepletely ipatible! They should just get a divorce.¡±

    Lu Zijiao made a noise of disapproval, ¡°Encourage reconciliation, not separation, don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Ni Yue rolled her eyes, ¡°How can I marry Qiao Jing if Xiao Jingjing doesn¡¯t get a divorce?¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Zijiao¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Really? Is this woman¡¯s mind so impure?

    Come to think of it, he seemed to have heard Zhan Qipei mention something about Ni Yue before¡­

    Oh no!

    ¡°Poor Young Master Zhan, not only does he have to guard against men, but also women. Tsk tsk tsk¡ª¡±

    As soon as Zhan Qipei got back to the car, the first thing he did was to turn on the air conditioning inside and turn up the heat.

    Qiao Jing also took off her soaking wet coat and ced it on herp.

    The two of them rode in silence. However, Qiao Jing could feel Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes sneaking nces at her multiple times, uncontrobly curling the corners of his mouth.

    Once the wet pair got home, Zhan Qipei, without even having time to take off his shoes, quickly went to Qiao Jing¡¯s room, grabbed a few tissues to dry his hands, then opened the wardrobe.

    He chose a tight-fitting sweater, thinking it was warm, and grabbed some other clothes before rushing out.

    Just as Qiao Jing had taken off her shoes, she saw Zhan Qipei carrying her clothes over.

    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± she asked.

    Zhan Qipei thoughtfully ced the clothes in the bathroom frame and pushed Qiao Jing inside.

    ¡°Go take a shower, you don¡¯t want to catch a cold.¡±

    Qiao Jing was about to ask a question when the bathroom door was shut by him. He knocked on the door from the outside, urging her to hurry up and not to catch cold.

    After Qiao Jing finished showering, she heard soundsing from the kitchen.

    Wearing slippers, she walked to the door and found Zhan Qipei still in his wet clothes, busy at the dining table, not sure what he was cooking.

    Zhan Qipei, as if he had a telepathic connection with Qiao Jing, turned around and saw her.

    He turned off the stove and lifted the lid off the pot.

    Qiao Jing smelled the scent of ginger and guessed what he had cooked.

    Zhan Qipeidled out a bowl of ginger soup and ced it on the table, instructing, ¡°Sit down and drink this to warm your stomach.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, you go take a shower first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, who was actually a stickler for cleanliness, managed to cook a bowl of ginger soup for her despite the sticky wetness on his body after the rain.

    He agreed, took some clothes, and as he passed the dining table and saw Qiao Jing drinking the ginger tea, he entered the bathroom reassured.

    After Zhan Qipei finished showering, he smelled a delicious aroma as soon as he opened the bathroom door.

    Qiao Jing had cooked two bowls of noodles and fried two eggs, which she ced on top of the noodles. From the corner of her eye, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure.

    ¡°Come, eat noodles.¡±

 Chapter 300: 290 Zhan Qipei Notices Something Unusual about Qiao Jings Belly

    Chapter 300: Chapter 290 Zhan Qipei Notices Something Unusual about Qiao Jing¡¯s Belly

    After a warm bowl of noodles hit his stomach, Zhan Qipei felt himself rx.

    He had taken on the task of washing the dishes, and Qiao Jing had returned to her own room.

    As usual, Zhan Qipei prepared a cup of hot milk and brought it into Qiao Jing¡¯s bedroom, cing it on the table.

    ¡°Drink some hot milk before sleep. If you catch a cold, make sure to tell me. I¡¯m just next door, and you cane find me,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing hummed softly and turned a page of her medical book.

    It was then that Zhan Qipei returned to his own room, set an rm, and started working on the tasks for the next day.

    ...

    When the rm went off, Zhan Qipei immediately shut hisptop and tiptoed to the door of Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    He had set the rm for the time Qiao Jing usually fell asleep. Every time it rang, he would go to her bedroom door to check on her.

    After making sure there was no sound from inside, Zhan Qipei gently ced his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned the lock.

    Only the night light was on in the bedroom; Qiao Jing had turned off the main light.

    With the experience of the past few times, Zhan Qipei expertly made his way to the side of Qiao Jing¡¯s bed and carefully climbed up.

    As hey beside Qiao Jing, he noticed her brows were tightly furrowed and her hand rested on her stomach, curling herself up.

    Suddenly, Zhan Qipei noticed something; the tight sweater outlined Qiao Jing¡¯s figure, and he saw her stomach seemed a bit protruded.

    Had she gained weight recently?

    But hadn¡¯t Qiao Jing said she doesn¡¯t gain weight easily? And with the Intestine Cleansing Tea, how could she have put on weight¡­

    His thoughts were interrupted by a soft grunt from Qiao Jing. He leaned down, intending to smooth her brow but hesitated, fearing he might wake her.

    The thought of his loss of control that evening filled him with a deep remorse. After going home, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t mentioned it, but he knew he was at fault and had let her get drenched in the rain.

    Although he wanted to tamper with Xu Moqian, considering both Qiao Jing¡¯s feelings and the rtionship between the Zhan and Xu families, he could not bring himself to act against Moqian.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing muttered softly in her sleep, her brow furrowing tighter as she shrank into the covers.

    Zhan Qipeiy next to Qiao Jing, gently cradling her stomach to warm her, the slight bulge under his hands reminding him.

    Her stomach was a bitrger than before.

    Yet, she hadn¡¯t eaten much that evening. Surely she hadn¡¯t really gained weight, he thought.

    Was Qiao Jing just bragging to him, fearing he might not like it if she was overweight?

    But to his surprise, Qiao Jing, usually so reserved, also had this adorable side where she was boasting to him.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled into a smile, nearlyughing aloud but immediately stifled it.

    Perhaps gaining a bit of weight wouldn¡¯t be bad; she was too thin, hardly having an ounce of extra flesh on her.

    Also, he was quite overweight. It was lonely being the only one, and having Qiao Jing join him in putting on weight wasn¡¯t too bad.

    After all, they ate the same meals. How could all the weight gain be only on him?

    Zhan Qipei chuckled and pulled Qiao Jing into his arms, then suddenly heard the person in his arms murmur again.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, emitting a puzzled sound.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    What? Baby? Did I hear that right?

    Who was Qiao Jing calling ¡°baby¡±?

    Was she calling me?

    After all, apart from Qiao Jing, there was only him at home.

    She must be referring to me!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face broke into a wide smile, and he lowered his voice toward Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeping face.

    ¡°You are indeed my most precious treasure,¡± he whispered.

    With those words, a gentle kissnded on Qiao Jing¡¯s smooth forehead.

    Zhan Qipei carefully enveloped herpletely in his arms, gazing down at Qiao Jing with eyes that treasured her, his affection and adoration nearly overflowing.

    The next morning.

    After Qiao Jing had finished washing up, she went to the kitchen to make breakfast only to find Zhan Qipei already busy there.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei? What made you get up so early today?¡± she asked.

    Zhan Qipei had just finished cooking a pot of porridge and brought it to the dining table.

    ¡°I got up to make you porridge. Are you feeling alright anywhere?¡± he asked.

    Qiao Jing shook her head. She quietly walked into the kitchen and squeezed two cups of soy milk.

    She was not someone who couldfortably ept another¡¯s unteral contributions without giving something in return.

    If someone was kind to her, she would reciprocate that kindness.

    Zhan Qipei apanied Qiao Jing to the research institute before he went to work.

    Qiao Jing, as usual, changed into her work clothes and walked into her own research office, only to find that someone was already there.

    It was Xu Moqian.

    She slightly raised her delicately faint eyebrows and expressionlessly walked to her own ce.

    At the sound, Xu Moqian immediately looked up.

    ¡°Sister Jing!¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Xu Moqian, sat down at her desk, and began to review the previous day¡¯s work.

    Xu Moqian uttered a puzzled sound.

    He had done such an important thing, and Qiao Jing had even praised him over the phone for doing a splendid job. Why was she so cold towards him today?

    Shouldn¡¯t she be smiling and saying, ¡°You did well, I divorced him,¡± or something like that?

    ¡°Sister Jing? You¡¯ve returned to being single. Why can¡¯t I see any happiness in you?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing stopped her work, turned around, and her gazended on Xu Moqian¡¯s face, revealing a smile.

    ¡°Do you see me happy?¡±

    The n Xu Moqian had mentioned at the hospital was that divorce agreement.

    He had ced it on Zhan Qipei¡¯s desk while he was helping with the materials, thus facilitating her divorce.

    Seeing this smile on Qiao Jing, a chill ran up Xu Moqian¡¯s back.

    Why couldn¡¯t he see any happiness in that smile at all? It was a smile that didn¡¯t reach the eyes!

    ¡°Sister Jing, don¡¯t look at me like that¡­ I¡¯m a bit scared¡­¡±

    Only then did Qiao Jing put away that smile and spoke seriously, ¡°You have two options. One is that you can¡¯te to the research institute ever again, and the second is, apologize to Zhan Qipei.¡±

    Xu Moqian instantly widened his eyes, disbelievingly looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What? Why should I apologize to him?¡±

    Qiao Jing, feeling somewhat exasperated, rubbed her temples. If she had taken Xu Moqian¡¯s so-called n seriously, yesterday¡¯s mix-up wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    ¡°Because that divorce agreement you made caused some misunderstandings between me and Zhan Qipei.¡±

    Xu Moqian blinked, understanding that Qiao Jing meant they were not actually divorced.

    But to apologize to that young man from the Zhan Family, absolutely impossible!

    Unless he died!

    With a strong sense of righteousness, Xu Moqian voiced out four words.

    ¡°I won¡¯t apologize!¡±

    Qiao Jing just uttered a light ¡°oh¡± and refocused on her work.

    Xu Moqian froze, oh that¡¯s it? Did that mean he didn¡¯t have to apologize?

    Before he could rejoice, Qiao Jing¡¯s next words made the smile that hadn¡¯t even fully formed on his face fade away.

    ¡°Then don¡¯te to the research institute for a while.¡±

    Xu Moqian instantly stood up from the couch.

    ¡°No, no, that won¡¯t do; then I¡¯ll apologize, alright?¡±

    After which he muttered softly.

    ¡°I hope he divorces soon¡­ It¡¯s about time anyway¡­¡±

    An apology he could manage, but staying away from the research facility was not an option! How else could hee to visit his Sister Jing?

    Zhan Qipei was getting such a bargain.

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s quiet mutter, Qiao Jing pointed towards the door.

    ¡°You can leave now.¡±

    Xu Moqian was stunned; was she really going to drive him away?

    ¡°Sister Jing, didn¡¯t I agree to apologize? Why are you still sending me away?¡±

    Qiao Jing, somewhat amused, looked at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to apologize? Go apologize then. It doesn¡¯t count unless he tells me you did.¡±

    Xu Moqian, who originally thought he could dy as long as possible and maybe Qiao Jing would forget, had ten thousand curses storming through his mind at this moment.

    Damn! He was actually going to apologize to his rival, Zhan Qipei?!

    Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t move his feet for a long time, as if they were nailed to the floor of the research room.

    Realizing Xu Moqian was trying to stall for time and brush it off, Qiao Jing started a countdown to help him make his decision.

    ¡°Three¡­ two¡­¡±

    That was when Xu Moqian panicked and reluctantly said, ¡°Alright, alright, Sister Jing, I¡¯ll apologize right now.¡±

    He dashed out of the research office as if on fire, afraid that Qiao Jing would default to his first choice.

 Chapter 301: 291: Are Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing a Natural Match?

    Chapter 301: Chapter 291: Are Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing a Natural Match?

    Xu Moqian looked up at the sky.

    Yesterday he thought the sky was exceptionally blue, and his mood was great.

    But today, even though the sky was still so azure, he felt as if everything inside him was pitch ck.

    It was definitely all because of Zhan Qipei!

    All his fault!

    Xu Moqian mentally drew several circles to curse Zhan Qipei, having cursed him thousands of times already, but he still had to go and apologize to him.

    ...

    He let out a long sigh, elongating the sound.

    ¡°Ah¡ª in this wide world, Sister Jing is still the greatest¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian started his car, preparing to go to Qiao Jing¡¯s ce, when suddenly he remembered it was a workday.

    At this time, Zhan Qipei definitely wouldn¡¯t be at home, so he made a U-turn and headed in the direction of Zhan Corporation.

    Zhan Qipei was dealing with work on hisptop when his office door was suddenly knocked.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Tang Yan walked in with a strange expression, looking at his boss, unsure whether to speak or not.

    After all, if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the rtionship between his boss and the person outside was that of rivals.

    Zhan Qipei noticed that Tang Yan had been silent for a rather long time and looked up at him.

    Tang Yan was weirdly looking at him, causing Zhan Qipei¡¯s typing to pause momentarily.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Only then did Tang Yan speak.

    ¡°Xu Moqian is outside.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was somewhat surprised, he hadn¡¯t yet gone to settle ounts with Xu Moqian, and the man hade to him instead, prompting him to raise an eyebrow.

    Given Xu Moqian¡¯s current situation, there was absolutely no way he hade to hispany to discuss work.

    ¡°Here to see me?¡±

    Tang Yan nodded stiffly.

    ¡°Should I let him in?¡±

    He just hoped there wouldn¡¯t be a world war breaking out, or he might get caught in the crossfire.

    Before Zhan Qipei had a chance to respond, the office door opened once more.

    Xu Moqian walked in like he owned the ce, noticing Zhan Qipei sitting on his office chair in silence, he humphed twice.

    ¡°You took so long to let me in, I had toe in myself then.¡±

    He believed Zhan Qipei had deliberately kept him waiting outside!

    Xu Moqian dared not say this out loud, though, in case Zhan Qipei went to tattle to Sister Jing and he ended up in trouble.

    But surely Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t some elementary schooler, resorting to tattling like this, right?

    Xu Moqian looked around the office, expressing his dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Your office environment isn¡¯t bad, but it¡¯s too in, nothing in it. Your taste really isn¡¯t that great, too boring.¡±

    No sooner had he finished speaking, he sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and from the corner of his eye noticed the fruit bowl on the table. Without any hesitation, he grabbed an apple and started eating.

    After finishing the apple, Xu Moqian grabbed a few grapes and tossed them into his mouth, with no intention of exining why he was there.

    Zhan Qipei watched Xu Moqian¡¯s behavior, his eyes slightly narrowed, and his deep voice echoed in the office.

    ¡°What do you want with me?¡±

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t stop peeling the orange, humming through his nose and muttered aint.

    ¡°Pfft, you think I¡¯m happy toe looking for you? I don¡¯t want to see you, so don¡¯t tter yourself.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Sister Jing, I wouldn¡¯t bothering.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s name, Zhan Qipei stalled for a moment and took his hands off the keyboard.

    ¡°What does she want you to do?¡±

    He knew that the issue with the divorce agreement was Xu Moqian¡¯s doing, so why did Qiao Jing have hime over?

    Was she not worried that he would hold a grudge over this and start a conflict with Xu Moqian?

    Xu Moqian sneered at Zhan Qipei with disdain, muttering to himself, did he really dare to pretend he didn¡¯t know why he was here?

    Really, taking advantage and ying innocent.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Sister Jing, why would I evene here?

    ¡°Have mee over to apologize, what else could it be?¡±

    Xu Moqian threw a peeled orange into his mouth and reached for a bunch of grapes, spitting the seeds into the trash can as he ate.

    His legs crossed at the ankles even gave a little shake, and in the end, he said reluctantly,

    ¡°Sorry, okay?¡±

    Zhan Qipei stared at Xu Moqian¡¯s careless demeanor and remained silent.

    Tang Yan, who tried to make himself invisible like wallpaper, was shocked by Xu Moqian¡¯s purpose for being here¡ªhe hade to apologize.

    But after seeing Xu Moqian¡¯s attitude, he quietly sneered to himself.

    I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re apologizing for, but what¡¯s the deal with you ravaging the office fruit te?

    Zhan Qipei closed his notebook, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the nearly empty fruit te.

    ¡°Is this your attitude for apologizing?¡±

    Xu Moqian immediately became unhappy, tossing the grapes in his hand carelessly and rolling his eyes without any concern.

    ¡°Be grateful I¡¯m apologizing at all, still picking on me? I, Young Master Xu, never apologize to anyone. If it weren¡¯t for Sister Jing, I wouldn¡¯t apologize for shit.¡±

    With Xu Moqian¡¯s lordly attitude, no one would believe he was here to apologize¡ªit looked more like he was here to pick a fight.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t care though and picked up his phone, turning on the camera.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll send a video of you apologizing to her right now.¡±

    The moment Xu Moqian heard this, he jumped up infuriated and saw the camera aimed at him; he immediately pointed at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°This is a matter between us men, don¡¯t drag Sister Jing into it! You¡¯re acting like a little schoolboy tattling to the teacher? So childish!¡±

    He had thought Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t that childish, at least not to the point ofining to Qiao Jing.

    But who would have thought, not only is this guy childish, he¡¯s damn petty too!

    Zhan Qipei agreed with the first point and nodded, but didn¡¯t put down his phone.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, this is a matter between us men, implying that because of your actions, I misunderstood my wife, causing us to have a dispute, making her suffer.

    I¡¯m doing this as revenge for her. I took a photo of you just now, and if you don¡¯t apologize properly, I¡¯ll have it sent out.¡±

    Xu Moqian blurted out a ¡°f*ck¡± in disbelief, his eyes widening as he lowered the leg he had been resting.

    ¡°It¡¯se to this?! I thought I was shameless enough, but you¡¯re even more shameless than me, you lowlife!¡±

    He red fiercely at Zhan Qipei, refusing to back down.

    Zhan Qipei also fixed his gaze on Xu Moqian, his dark eyes inscrutable.

    Tang Yan, seeing his worrying premonitione true, wanted to p his own fortune-telling mouth.

    Caught between the two men, he nced at Zhan Qipei, then at Xu Moqian, wondering if he should leave¡­

    But without a word from Zhan Qipei, he didn¡¯t dare to leave the office casually; after all, it was he who had brought the person in, no wait, it was Xu Moqian who came in by himself.

    Zhan Qipei leisurely swung his phone as his thin lips slowly emitted one word.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    Xu Moqian paused.

    What the hell?

    Zhan Qipei continued counting down.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    This time Xu Moqian caught on. Sister Jing had threatened him with a countdown not so long ago! Was Zhan Qipei ying the same trick?

    ¡°What do you mean? Stop just counting down!¡±

 Chapter 302: 292: The Sachet is Poisonous

    Chapter 302: Chapter 292: The Sachet is Poisonous

    Zhan Qipei finally stopped and spoke indifferently.

    ¡°If I count to one and you haven¡¯t apologized like you should, I¡¯ll take another photo and send it to her, saying this is how you apologize.¡±

    Actually, during his first threat to Xu Moqian, he hadn¡¯t taken a photo, but this time, he was serious.

    Xu Moqian snorted menacingly, threatening Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Try taking one, see if I believe¡ª¡±

    Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t finished his words when Zhan Qipei, with an expressionless face, said the final number, as if announcing Xu Moqian¡¯s doom.

    ...

    ¡°One.¡±

    Xu Moqian cursed under his breath, feeling a flood of frustration rush through him.

    MMP!

    This time he endured it!

    He immediately bowed deeply at a ny-degree angle, gritting his teeth as he said those three words.

    ¡°Sorry, not sorry!¡±

    After apologizing, Xu Moqian flopped back onto the couch.

    ¡°Okay, are you satisfied now? Can the photo be deleted? I even bowed this time, how sincere!¡±

    Tang Yanughed inwardly, thinking how ¡®sincere¡¯ that was.

    Zhan Qipei, who hadn¡¯t taken any photo, ced his phone aside. Having received the apology, he no longer paid attention to Xu Moqian and reopened hisptop to resume his work.

    ¡°You can leave now.¡±

    Xu Moqian, furious, pulled the fruit te towards himself and propped up his legs again, continuing to eat the fruit.

    He wasn¡¯t going to leave today without finishing it!

    Xu Moqian ate the fruit as if venting his anger, his gaze fixed on Zhan Qipei.

    It was as if he was biting into Zhan Qipei with each crunch of the apple, the sounds growing louder.

    He had intended to irritate Zhan Qipei, hoping that the other party would be unable to bear it and would ask him to leave, after which he would throw in a few provocative remarks before departing.

    But Xu Moqian discovered that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even nce at him once, focusing solely on his work, treating him as if he were air.

    He took several deep breaths, angrily plunking the grapes back into the fruit te, unable to eat any more!

    Forget it, staying with this perennially icy face was only angering him¡ªit wasn¡¯t worth it.

    Xu Moqian abruptly stood up and walked out, but not before giving Zhan Qipei a spiteful re.

    The scene shifted, as under Lou Xinrou¡¯s persistent coaxing, Zhan Nanqing had agreed to apany her to the Nantai Apartment.

    When they arrived at the door, Zhan Nanqing was still hesitant; seeing Lou Xinrou moving to ring the doorbell, she quickly stepped forward to stop her.

    ¡°Xinrou, there are some things I think it¡¯s better to tell you in advance. Actually, I think Qiao Jing is quite decent; she¡¯s not that bad. Besides, it was because my grandfather arranged the marriage that she married my brother, it wasn¡¯t her choice.

    You cane to see my brother, but I don¡¯t want any conflicts between you and Qiao Jing.¡±

    She had apanied Lou Xinrou because thetter had kept saying she wanted to see her brother, and she couldn¡¯t find a way to refuse, so she had agreed.

    But she feared it might cause some unnecessary trouble, especially because Qiao Jing was pregnant and couldn¡¯t afford to be upset. What if a fight broke out?

    She just hoped to discourage Lou Xinrou from this idea.

    ¡°I assure you, Qiao Jing truly doesn¡¯t like my brother. Plus, it¡¯s just over twenty days left. If you really want to see my brother, it might be better to wait these twenty or so days.

    Otherwise, I fear it might end unpleasantly, and my brother might think even less of you.¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s smile stiffened, and she couldn¡¯t help but grumble internally.

    We were close friends who grew up together; what do you mean by this? Are you speaking for Qiao Jing?

    What do you mean by ¡®it might end unpleasantly¡¯? How have I caused a ruckus? I haven¡¯t done anything, and you¡¯re using me of causing trouble?

    She lifted another smile on her face, holding Zhan Nanqing¡¯s arm and giggling.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, how could I possiblye here to make trouble? I just came to see Brother Pei, and besides, they are still nominally husband and wife. I understand that.¡±

    Lou Xinrou spoke while taking a sachet out of her bag, waving it in front of Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°I just wanted to bring a gift this time, this is a sachet I prayed for at the temple. They say the form is very good for one¡¯s health. Hasn¡¯t Qiao Jing been sick a lot recently?

    I thought of her when I was praying for the sachet and brought one for her too.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned for a moment, she hadn¡¯t expected Lou Xinrou to be so nice to Qiao Jing,ing to deliver a sachet.

    She thought about it carefully, and it made sense, Xinrou had grown up with her and she knew she was kind.

    Although Xinrou saw Qiao Jing as a romantic rival, she was still kind-hearted.

    Zhan Nanqing felt somewhat guilty, she had thought Xinrou hade to make trouble.

    ¡°Sorry, Xinrou. I shouldn¡¯t have suspected you with a viin¡¯s heart, I misunderstood you.¡±

    Lou Xinrou smiled and shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we grew up together since we were young, I won¡¯t take your misunderstanding to heart. We¡¯re good sisters, I won¡¯t be so petty.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing finally breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to press the doorbell.

    The door was quickly opened, and both Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou were stunned when they saw who it was.

    Zhan Qipei was wearing a pink Hello Kitty apron, holding a spat, clearly in the midst of cooking, looking like a domestic man.

    Zhan Nanqing quickly recovered.

    ¡°Bro, why are you the one cooking today?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s smile stiffened when she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s apron.

    ¡°Yes, Brother Pei, isn¡¯t Qiao Jing at home, asking you to help with cooking? Are you tired?¡±

    Zhan Qipei ignored Lou Xinrou¡¯s words and replied to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is feeling a bit unwell,e in.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing thought of the child inside Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat, looking very tense.

    ¡°What? Qiao Jing is feeling unwell? Did she go to the hospital? What¡¯s making her ufortable?¡±

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to answer, she rushed straight into Qiao Jing¡¯s room, wanting to see how she was doing.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was tidying up her room, dragging a box out from under the bed, intending to move it under the desk.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened at once, and she quickly stepped forward, snatching the box from Qiao Jing¡¯s arms and cing it aside.

    Her tone was tinged with a hint of reproach.

    ¡°How could you be moving boxes around? Don¡¯t you know the state of your own body? What if you bumped into something?¡±

    Heaven knows how frightened she was seeing Qiao Jing moving the box alone; what if she had fallen or bumped her belly? What then?

    This series of actions made Zhan Qipei and Lou Xinrou feel somewhat odd.

    It¡¯s just moving a box, is there a need to be so tense?

    Realizing her overreaction, Zhan Nanqing paused for a moment then quickly made up an excuse.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it said she wasn¡¯t feeling well? I helped her move the box so it wouldn¡¯t be too heavy and fall on her feet or something¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing knew what Zhan Nanqing was nervous about and felt somewhat helpless.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s not that dramatic, just moving a box.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing observed Qiao Jing¡¯s face, noticing it was a bit pale, and her heart tightened again.

    ¡°What are you standing here for? If you¡¯re ufortable, go lie down on the bed and rest. Have you seen a doctor yet?¡±

 Chapter 303: 293: Lou Xinrou is About to Bump into Qiao Jings Belly

    Chapter 303: Chapter 293: Lou Xinrou is About to Bump into Qiao Jing¡¯s Belly

    Zhan Qipei looked at his sister¡¯s nervous expression and felt even more puzzled inside.

    ¡°How hadn¡¯t I noticed before that you and Qiao Jing were so close?¡± he asked.

    This question from Zhan Qipei was exactly what Lou Xinrou wanted to ask. She stared at Zhan Nanqing with aplex look, tinged with a bit of gloom.

    She had long noticed that Zhan Nanqing¡¯s feelings toward Qiao Jing were different and no longer aligned with hers, although she hadn¡¯t mentioned it before.

    Zhan Nanqing paused, looked guiltily at Qiao Jing, and then made up a random excuse.

    ¡°What could I do? Grandpa is so protective of her. He got so angry over that incident with mom, insisting that she apologize to Qiao Jing.

    ...

    If I didn¡¯t help her move the box, what if she got hurt? What would happen if Grandpa scolded me? Would you, Brother, stand up for me then?¡±

    The excuse seemed far-fetched, and Zhan Qipei still felt it was very strange.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s dark gaze lingered on Zhan Nanqing, she did not ask out loud, but she, too, felt very strange.

    Why had Zhan Nanqing suddenly be so nice to Qiao Jing?

    Seeing that the situation was nearly out of control, Qiao Jing quickly changed the topic.

    ¡°How did youe here?¡±

    Continuing this line of questioning, given Zhan Qipei¡¯s intelligence, might reveal too much.

    Zhan Nanqing caught onto this diversion and responded to Qiao Jing with an exmation.

    ¡°I heard you were sick, so Xinrou and I came to see you. Oh, right, Xinrou even went to the temple to get a sachet for you. It¡¯s supposed to refresh the mind and is very beneficial for your health.¡±

    Lou Xinrou, with a hypocritical smile, handed over the sachet she had prepared earlier.

    ¡°Yes, this is it. Keep it, it¡¯s good for your health,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the sachet, but she said nothing.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t take it immediately, worried that Lou Xinrou might misunderstand, took it herself and sniffed it.

    A refreshing fragrance hit her, and she turned and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Smell it, it really is very aromatic. I kind of want it for myself,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing took the sachet from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand, smelled it slightly, and looked unwell.

    The stated effects were indeed true, but something special had been added, yielding an additional effect.

    If a woman wore it for a long time, it could cause infertility, and if a pregnant woman smelled it for long, it could easily lead to miscarriage.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Lou Xinrou, her eyes darkening. She had always known that Lou Xinrou still harbored feelings for Zhan Qipei and wanted to interfere; for this, the other side had used many cunning methods.

    However, she had not expected that as a woman, she would do this to her.

    Qiao Jing opened her mouth slightly, wanting to say something, but then she nced again at Zhan Qipei and his sister.

    Not just Zhan Nanqing, Zhan Qipei had also grown up with Lou Xinrou, so in the end, she did not reveal this matter.

    Qiao Jing casually threw the sachet into the corner of the bedside table, as far from the bed as possible.

    Lou Xinrou saw the sachet ced so far from the bed and her expression became a bit strange.

    The person selling the sachet had said that even if not worn next to the body, it had to be ced very close, at least on the bedside, or else it would have no effect.

    She couldn¡¯t let the sachet go to waste!

    Lou Xinrou walked toward the bedside table, not forgetting to ¡®kindly¡¯ remind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to keep this close to your body. Let me ce it on your bedside for you.¡±

    Suddenly!

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s left foot tripped over her right foot, and she instantly lost her bnce, falling toward Qiao Jing.

    And her head was aimed at¡ª

    Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach!

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart immediately leaped, her nerves tensely strung into a straight line, uncontrobly shouting out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t press on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach!¡±

    Qiao Jing instinctively protected her stomach with her hands, as the episode happened too abruptly for anyone to anticipate.

    This left her no time to avoid Lou Xinrou, only to shield her stomach with her hands.

    Just as Lou Xinrou was about to crash into Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach!

    Zhan Qipei abruptly grabbed Lou Xinrou by the cor of her neck like an eagle clutching a chick, casually dragging her to the side.

    He walked over to Qiao Jing with a tense look, supporting her and quietly inquiring about her condition.

    ¡°Are you okay? Did you get hit? Are you feeling unwell? Did it scare you?¡±

    Qiao Jing, seeing Lou Xinrou lunging towards her, still felt a bit of panic in her heart.

    After all, she was not alone but four people.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, she didn¡¯t touch me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, still unsure, meticulously examined Qiao Jing, and only after confirming there were no issues, did he breathe a sigh of relief.

    After he calmed down, he suddenly recalled what Zhan Nanqing had said, and his gaze fell onto Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    Her stomach?

    What was wrong with her stomach?

    Why was Zhan Nanqing so anxious?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was tense, with no words spoken.

    At this moment, Lou Xinrou also recovered, and seeing how tenderly Zhan Qipei was inquiring after Qiao Jing, jealousy crazed her heart.

    As Zhan Qipei gripped her, the cor was strangling her neck, burning with pain, and she hadn¡¯t even touched Qiao Jing!

    After this unexpected incident was over, Lou Xinrou shamelessly suggested staying for dinner.

    Zhan Nanqing also wanted to try her brother¡¯s cooking, so she simply decided to stay as well.

    Zhan Qipei made a few dishes that Qiao Jing liked and set them on the table.

    During this time, Lou Xinrou suggested she make a dish for everyone to try, her gaze fixed on Zhan Qipei, looking for anticipation in his expression.

    But Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even nce at her, attending only to Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing was very supportive.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d like to taste Xinrou¡¯s cooking too.¡±

    The four of them took their seats on opposite sides of the dining table, Zhan Qipei proactively served a bowl of rice to Qiao Jing and ced it in front of her.

    ¡°Eat.¡±

    Lou Xinrou was inwardly itching with irritation yet had to force a smile.

    ¡°Brother Pei, the dishes you made are really delicious; this is the first time I¡¯ve eaten such tasty dishes!¡±

    She keenly ttered Zhan Qipei, attempting to catch his attention.

    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t paying her any mind, Lou Xinrou picked up the dish she had made and ced it in Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°This is the dish I made, your favorite Buddha Jumps Over the Wall; try it and see how it tastes.¡±

    Zhan Qipei knitted his brows and pursed his lips tightly.

    Zhan Nanqing poked Lou Xinrou with her finger, leaning close, and quietly reminded her.

    ¡°Did you forget? My brother has a germ phobia, he doesn¡¯t like it when others serve him food, even my mom doesn¡¯t do that.¡±

    Lou Xinrou gasped, then apologized to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I guess I got too excited because Brother Pei¡¯s cooking was so delicious, I forgot.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced indifferently at Lou Xinrou and set down his chopsticks.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    He silently served another clean bowl of rice and brought it back.

    Just then, Qiao Jing identally picked up an onion.

    She looked disdainfully at the onion on her chopsticks; she hated onions, yet she could not waste food.

    Qiao Jing tightly furrowed her brows, hesitating whether to eat it or not.

    Zhan Qipei noticed this, knowing onions were in the dish Lou Xinrou had made, and aware that she disliked onions, he never used them in his cooking.

    He extended his bowl towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Put it in my bowl.¡±

 Chapter 304: 294: Zhan Qipei Learns of Qiao Jings Pregnancy

    Chapter 304: Chapter 294: Zhan Qipei Learns of Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy

    A warmth flowed through Qiao Jing¡¯s heart; he actually remembered that she disliked eating onions.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Without hesitating further, she put a chopstick full of onions into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl and continued eating her meal as if relieved of a burden.

    Zhan Qipei, acting as if it was nothing, directly ate the onions.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s facial expression instantly darkened upon seeing this.

    Wasn¡¯t it said that he had a germ phobia? Why then could Qiao Jing¡¯s Brother Pei eat it?

    ...

    Moreover, her chopsticks hadn¡¯t been used yet, and he had been disgusted by them. As for the ones Qiao Jing used, they might even have her saliva on them, why didn¡¯t he find that disgusting?

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s grip on her chopsticks gradually tightened as she silently swallowed her anger.

    After Qiao Jing had eaten half a bowl of rice, she furrowed her brows, looking at the unfinished rice in her bowl.

    She was already full and yet reluctant to waste any food.

    Qiao Jing rubbed her stomach, feeling really stuffed¡­

    Zhan Qipei noticed her movements and paused his chopsticks.

    ¡°Are you full?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, reluctantly looking at the rest of her rice and sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat a little more.¡±

    She had just finished speaking and was about to reach for her chopsticks to finish it.

    Suddenly, a hand reached out and took the bowl from her hands.

    Qiao Jing paused and looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    The man, without any hesitation, quickly ate all of her leftover rice.

    Lou Xinrou, sitting opposite them, watched all this. Her Brother Pei even eating Qiao Jing¡¯s leftovers, after having tolerated her picking the dishes!

    Regardless, how could Qiao Jing not refuse when Brother Pei was willingly eating her leftovers?

    How could she treat her Brother Pei like that?!

    Lou Xinrou, feeling somewhat resentful, nced at Zhan Qipei. Really, Brother Pei was spoiling Qiao Jing too much.

    Her teeth itched with irritation, yet she couldn¡¯t outright confront Qiao Jing.

    Otherwise, she would have no excuse toe and see Brother Pei afterwards.

    Fortunately, only about twenty more days remained, and after that, she could be with Brother Pei.

    Besides, with Aunt Su¡¯s help, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t possibly stay by Zhan Qipei¡¯s side forever.

    At this thought, Lou Xinrou nced at Zhan Nanqing next to her, unable to believe that the friend she had yed with since childhood could betray her.

    But no matter, having Aunt Su as her strong support was enough!

    Zhan Nanqing, watching Zhan Qipei eat the leftovers, dropped her chopsticks in shock.

    Her eyes widened in disbelief, staring at Zhan Qipei, wondering if this was really her own brother.

    Her brother was actually eating leftovers?!

    He truly was pampering Qiao Jing to the skies!

    Even the food her mother picked for him he was typically unwilling to eat, having a germophobia so extreme that if a single grain of rice even got a drop of sauce on it, her brother wouldn¡¯t eat it.

    She had considered more than once why someone could be so severely germophobic.

    And now, looking at her brother enjoying Qiao Jing¡¯s leftover rice without a hint of disgust, even seeming to enjoy it¡­

    Zhan Nanqing blinked rapidly several times, making sure she wasn¡¯t seeing things.

    Yes, he was even enjoying it.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m full.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing put down her chopsticks, wondering how she could still eat now.

    Just the sight of them feeding each other was enough to fill her up!

    Zhan Qipei, without even looking up, hummed andpletely cleaned out thest grain of rice from Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    Zhan Nanqing was nowpletely dumbfounded. He wouldn¡¯t even let go of a single grain of rice?

    Was Qiao Jing¡¯s leftover rice really that delicious?

    She stood up to clean up her chopsticks, not able to stay in that ce any longer, especially since she was already full.

    Almost having been stuffed to death by their public disy of affection.

    Lou Xinrou also didn¡¯t stay longer. Seeing Zhan Nanqing cleaning up the dishes, she immediately stood up to help.

    She could no longer bear to watch Brother Pei and Qiao Jing together.

    Qiao Jing was really too much!

    After seeing them about to leave, Zhan Qipei put down his chopsticks and instructed Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go out to see them off. Leave the dishes until I get back, you rest well.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, then got up and sat on the sofa in the living room.

    After Zhan Qipei brought the two downstairs, he spoke to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±

    After he finished, he looked up at Lou Xinrou, his eyes clearly conveying a message.

    Lou Xinrou caught on that he was going to say something she shouldn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°Nanqing, I¡¯ll go over there and wait for you.¡±

    Then she walked ahead and stopped at the corner, standing by the wall ready to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    What could it be that she shouldn¡¯t hear?

    Her intuition told her that it definitely had to do with Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing was curious why her brother suddenly asked her to stay and specifically not to let Lou Xinrou hear.

    What exactly did he want to say?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brother?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression became serious, looking straight at Zhan Nanqing with a scrutinizing gaze.

    ¡°I know everything, you and Qiao Jing have been hiding it from me; you think I don¡¯t know anything? I just haven¡¯t said anything.¡±

    He had realized something was wrong when he was in the hospital; those two were hiding something from him. This was a chance to test it out.

    He definitely couldn¡¯t get anything out of Qiao Jing, but he could try with Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Zhan Qipei in shock.

    This meant.

    He knew everything!

    No way, did Qiao Jing mention it to her brother?

    No no no!

    This thought was immediately denied by Zhan Nanqing herself.

    If Qiao Jing had told him herself, there would be no need for her to keep it a secret.

    So it must be that her brother was exceptionally clever and guessed it himself.

    Thinking this, Zhan Nanqing sighed.

    Zhan Nanqing scratched her head and sighed helplessly.

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to tell you, Qiao Jing asked me not to say, and I only found out about it recently.

    It was when Qiao Jing faintedst time, I took her to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor told me she was pregnant, I was stunned.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was extremely shocked; a huge turmoil appeared on his usually calm face, and he clenched the hands that were resting on his thighs, thinking he had heard wrong.

    Wasn¡¯t she taking birth control pills? Taking birth control pills means she doesn¡¯t want children, doesn¡¯t it?

    Then why would she not abort the child and instead keep it?

    Why was Qiao Jing still keeping the child?

    As Zhan Qipei was guessing all the possibilities in his mind, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice rang in his ears again.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been very conflicted inside, all this time I¡¯ve been considering whether to tell you or not;

    But Xinrou really likes you, she¡¯s told me more than once that she wants to marry you, but Qiao Jing is pregnant, and she¡¯s not just pregnant with one.

    It¡¯s three babies! Triplets!!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing wrestled with the strap of her bag, continuing to speak.

    ¡°We can¡¯t really wait until divorce day and have Qiao Jing walk away with three children, right? It¡¯s too far-fetched for her to raise three children alone.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth opened, a strange light flickering in his dark eyes as a storm surged in his heart, overwhelming him.

    ¡°Three?

    You said three?¡±

    He actually had three children?!

    Zhan Nanqing paused, her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Didn¡¯t her brother know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy? Why was he so shocked when he heard about three children?

    Oh no, although her brother knew about Qiao Jing being pregnant, he might not have known they were triplets.

 Chapter 305: 295: Zhan Qipei Kissing Qiao Jings Belly is Discovered

    Chapter 305: Chapter 295: Zhan Qipei Kissing Qiao Jing¡¯s Belly is Discovered

    ¡°Yeah, the doctor told me it¡¯s triplets.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing silentlyined in her heart.

    Who the hell said my brother was infertile? It caused Mom to go to Divine Doctor Jing every day, wanting him to treat my brother.

    Mom definitely doesn¡¯t know yet, that my brother already has three children, right? Can you be infertile like that?

    And it¡¯s triplets in one go!

    Brother Pei is so amazing, all that talk about infertility was a bunch of lies.

    ...

    Hiding around the corner and eavesdropping, Lou Xinrou heard the word ¡°pregnant¡± and was so angry that her teeth were grinding, her long fingers digging deep into her palm without feeling, her face extremely gloomy.

    She looked up, her gaze urately finding the floor where they lived, and stared spitefully at the room where Qiao Jing was, her eyes filled with darkness and hatred.

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing have Brother Pei¡¯s child!

    Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t deserve it!

    She was the one who deserved to have Brother Pei¡¯s children, to be his wife.

    When Zhan Qipei learned that Qiao Jing was already pregnant, he didn¡¯t say much.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just leave you here then.¡±

    He turned and went back to the elevator, pressing the floor number feeling a little light-hearted.

    Without his knowledge, he had already be the father of three children.

    Zhan Qipei was overjoyed in his heart, but he did not n to reveal it.

    Since Qiao Jing chose to keep it from him, she did not want him to know. If he disclosed it, she might leave, and he didn¡¯t want to break the current harmony.

    As for the divorce that was due in a little over twenty days, he definitely couldn¡¯t go through with it!

    When Zhan Qipei returned home, the first thing he saw was the person sleeping on the sofa.

    As he passed the dining table, he noticed that the dishes and cutlery had already been washed.

    He felt somewhat helpless inside; he had clearly instructed her to let him do the dishes, so why had she still washed them secretly?

    Zhan Qipei tiptoed to the edge of the sofa, just as cautious as when he sneaked into Qiao Jing¡¯s room every night.

    Qiao Jing, not knowing when, had fallen asleep on the sofa, her resting face etched carefully in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart more than once already.

    Her face, like white jade, shone brightly, the fine down on her face clearly visible, her lips slightly parted.

    Zhan Qipei took a thin nket and covered Qiao Jing with it, afraid of waking her, he chose not to carry her back to the bedroom.

    As he covered her stomach, his movements paused, his gaze tenderly falling on her slightly protruding belly.

    He softly stroked it with his hand, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.

    No wonder he felt that her belly had been getting biggertely, he had even thought she was just getting fat.

    Zhan Qipei gently caressed Qiao Jing¡¯s belly over and over, and she showed no signs of waking up.

    No wonder Qiao Jing was so sleepy, and slept so deeply, it was because she was pregnant.

    His caressing paused, and he nted a gentle kiss on her belly.

    Zhan Qipei lingered, his eyes fixed on her belly in silence, as if trying to greet the three little ones inside through the belly.

    He wondered how the children would look. Would they resemble him more or Qiao Jing more?

    Boys or girls?

    Suddenly, Zhan Qipei thought of something, and he automatically considered the three children to be girls.

    Boys were too much trouble, they might evenpete with him for his wife, he couldn¡¯t let that happen.

    Zhan Qipei sat up straight, suddenly feeling that something was off.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was staring at him with wide eyes, her phoenix eyes filled with confusion!

    Zhan Qipei suddenly felt a jolt in his heart, a sense of being caught red-handed, but he couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing realize that he knew about her pregnancy.

    He stood up with a normal expression on his face, as if nothing had happened just now.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t let him off, sitting up straight.

    ¡°What were you just doing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied to Qiao Jing without any change in his countenance or shortness of breath, making up an excuse on the spot.

    ¡°I just saw a cockroach and wanted to help you get rid of it.¡±

    His tone was very serious, as if he were telling the truth.

    The color drained from Qiao Jing¡¯s face, her body stiffened for a second, and she subconsciously leaned closer to Zhan Qipei before looking warily around the couch.

    The house was clearly very clean and was cleaned every day; how could there be cockroaches?

    ¡°Where is it? Did you chase it away?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t expect a casually made-up excuse to reveal what Qiao Jing was afraid of.

    Having known Qiao Jing for so long, he had always seen her as someone who feared nothing, excelling in everything, and yet she was afraid of cockroaches.

    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of cockroaches?¡±

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, releasing the hand she had subconsciously wrapped around Zhan Qipei¡¯s waist, hurriedly standing up from the sofa to the floor.

    ¡°No, I just think they look disgusting.¡±

    Zhan Qipei watched as Qiao Jing, clearly frightened yet trying to act tough, forced herself to let go and stand on the floor.

    In his heart, he found her incredibly adorable.

    Not long after, Qiao Jing bought a bottle of cockroach spray and returned.

    She walked to the couch with a serious face, immediately starting to clear the area, spraying several times into every nook and cranny underneath the couch.

    Not just the couch, Qiao Jing then went over to the TV cab, sprayed it a couple of times, stood up straight, and looked for the next spot to target.

    Zhan Qipei had juste out of the room when he saw Qiao Jing with the cockroach spray, spraying all over the ce. He furrowed his brows; the fumes from cockroach spray are not good for a pregnant woman to inhale.

    Moreover, there were no cockroaches in the house at all, and at the rate she was spraying, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the entire house was filled with that odor.

    He strode forward, snatching the cockroach spray from Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You go out, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Qiao Jing reached out, wanting to take it back from him. She didn¡¯t trust Zhan Qipei to handle it, worried he might miss a spot. What if there was a cockroach left?

    The very thought of a cockroach made her skin crawl with goosebumps, making her very stubborn.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±

    Zhan Qipei refused to hand over the cockroach spray to Qiao Jing, gripping it tightly in his hand, and looked at her with concern.

    ¡°Your body can¡¯t handle this smell.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing froze for a moment. If it weren¡¯t for Zhan Qipei saying such, she might have forgotten in her fear that she was pregnant.

    Pregnant women should not inhale the fumes from cockroach spray, but¡­

    How did Zhan Qipei know that she shouldn¡¯t be inhaling these fumes?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked at Zhan Qipei with a probing gaze, trying to see something on his face.

    Zhan Qipei noticed this suspicious look from the corner of his eye. He knew she was doubting him, and he couldn¡¯t give himself away.

    He exined to Qiao Jing with feigned ease.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been in poor health recently, and although these sprays are not very harmful to humans, it¡¯s better to avoid them if possible.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak, but continued to stare at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

 Chapter 306: 296: Lou Xinrou Looking for Trouble Again

    Chapter 306: Chapter 296: Lou Xinrou Looking for Trouble Again

    After triple-checking that Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, tranquil as clouds and gentle as breeze, showed no hint of anything amiss, Qiao Jing finally let go of the guard in her heart.

    But what he said wasn¡¯t wrong, it was indeed bad for her health, so Qiao Jing stopped doubting and pushed open the door to stand in the corridor.

    The next morning.

    After getting up and finishing breakfast, Qiao Jing took her own pulse to confirm her body had recovered and was healthy, showing a faint smile on her face.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing that Qiao Jing¡¯splexion was no longer pale but instead had a healthy rosiness, felt his worry from work lighten considerably.

    ¡°Has your body recovered?¡±

    ...

    Qiao Jing nodded and started clearing her bowl.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t go for his car keys but exined to Qiao Jing instead.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some unfinished work, so you¡¯ll need to take a taxi to the research institute today.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, donned her coat, and left the house.

    Zhan Qipei prepared to return to his room to resume working on hisptop when he passed through the living room.

    Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something.

    The sachet that Lou Xinrou had sent over was lying in the garbage bin.

    The only item in the trash can was this sachet, which stood out starkly.

    It was Qiao Jing who kept the sachet; why had she thrown it away?

    Suddenly, he remembered Qiao Jing¡¯s strange expression after smelling the sachet yesterday.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei bent down to pick up the sachet and sniffed it.

    It indeed smelled as nice as Zhan Nanqing had said, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off.

    If there was nothing wrong with the sachet, why had Qiao Jing discarded it?

    Before leaving home, he took the sachet with him to thepany.

    Upon arriving at thepany, Zhan Qipei handed the sachet to Tang Yan.

    ¡°Take this to the hospital for a test.¡±

    Inside the research institute.

    While busy at work, Qiao Jing suddenly felt short of breath, as if her clothes were too tight.

    She had to put down her work and walk to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror.

    Her clothes had shrunk.

    After getting pregnant, a second development meant she needed to buyrger-sized undergarments.

    Qiao Jing pulled at the cor of her clothes and returned to her workstation to continue working, nning to go out and buy new underwear during her lunch break.

    In the afternoon, Qiao Jing headed to the mall.

    She went straight to the store, bought a few suitable sets, and then proceeded to a health products shop.

    Qiao Jing picked up some folic acid tablets and looked at several types of pregnant women¡¯s milk powder, preparing to choose the best one to take home and drink.

    It¡¯s important to supplement nutrition during pregnancy, and drinking specialized milk powder for pregnant women is a key part of that.

    Meanwhile, Lou Xinrou was apanying her friend Jiang Ling to the health products store.

    ¡°Lingling, what are you nning to buy?¡±

    Jiang Ling touched her own pregnant belly of nine months and smiled in response.

    ¡°Something to supplement nutrition. I heard that the maternity milk powder sold by this store is the best in the capital.¡±

    The two women approached within three shelves of Qiao Jing, and as Jiang Ling picked up a can of milk powder, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Xinrou, is that not the country bride that Zhan Qipei married?¡±

    Upon hearing this description, Lou Xinrou looked in the direction Jiang Ling was gazing and indeed saw Qiao Jing.

    Instantly, the scene from a few days ago at the dining table shed across her mind.

    Brother Pei treated Qiao Jing kindly, eating the dishes she offered, leaving leftovers¡­

    Lou Xinrou suddenly caught sight of the folic acid tablets Qiao Jing was holding and remembered about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    With this thought, her gaze instantly turned sinister as her eyes somberly fell upon Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    She must get rid of that child!

    These three little ones must not be allowed to live!

    Jiang Ling also saw the folic acid tablets in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and her expression became somewhat strange.

    ¡°Xinrou, is that country bumpkin holding folic acid tablets? What is she buying those for, don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s¡­¡±

    A conjecture shed through Jiang Ling¡¯s mind, and she startled herself with the thought.

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t possibly be carrying Young Master Zhan¡¯s child, could she?!¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face darkened, and she looked at Jiang Ling with dissatisfaction.

    How could she guess it right away? But she couldn¡¯t let Jiang Ling know the truth.

    ¡°How is that possible? Don¡¯t overthink it. She¡¯s probably buying it for Assistant Tang¡¯s wife. How could she possibly carry Brother Pei¡¯s child?¡±

    After giving it some thought, Jiang Ling muttered a sentence.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, if she were really pregnant it would have spread by now. Besides, how could a country bumpkin like her be worthy of carrying Young Master Zhan¡¯s child?¡±

    Knowing that Lou Xinrou fancied Zhan Qipei, she deliberately added another sentence.

    ¡°I think our Xinrou is the one who¡¯s truly a match for Young Master Zhan. When you be the Zhan Family¡¯sdy, don¡¯t just stay busy with the Young Master and forget to hang out with me.¡±

    As Lou Xinrou was about to find fault with Qiao Jing, she noticed another couple having a minor incident.

    The man who was shopping with his wife constantly stared over at Qiao Jing until his wife, noticing, angrily pinched her husband hard.

    ¡°Where are you looking!¡±

    Only then did the man reluctantly withdraw his gaze.

    The woman frowned at Qiao Jing before leaving the shop without saying anything further, pulling her husband along.

    Jiang Ling, who had noticed this scene, scoffed.

    ¡°Ugh, nothing but a temptress! Luring men everywhere, I just can¡¯t understand why Young Master Zhan still keeps her by his side. She¡¯s absolutely not worthy of him!¡±

    She seized the opportunity to shift her rhetoric.

    ¡°Our Xinrou is the one who¡¯s destined to be with Young Master Zhan.¡±

    Lou Xinrou hid her previously sinister gaze, adopting an innocent and pitiable expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why Brother Pei is still with her, perhaps she really is better than me¡­¡±

    She feigned an injured demeanor while stealthily observing Qiao Jing, seemingly very heartbroken.

    Upon seeing this, Jiang Ling¡¯s impression of Qiao Jing worsened, beginning to feel indignant on behalf of Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so; she must have used some despicable and shameless tactics to seduce Young Master Zhan. That¡¯s the only way she could have remained by his side.

    I despise people who only know how to break up families.¡±

    Lou Xinrou was quite pleased with Jiang Ling¡¯s words, speaking on behalf of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be that bad, could she? Brother Pei is too excellent, there¡¯s no woman who wouldn¡¯t like him.¡±

    She said these things to stir up Jiang Ling¡¯s dissatisfaction towards Qiao Jing, and it was sure to work.

    As expected, Jiang Ling¡¯s reaction matched what Lou Xinrou had envisioned; she frowned and sighed.

    ¡°Xinrou, you are too kind-hearted. She¡¯s behaving like that, and you¡¯re still speaking up for her. Just now, that man, with his wife right there, and Qiao Jing still dares to flirt with him.¡±

    Both of them chose to ignore the fact that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t done anything, and it was the man who had been staring at her on his own volition.

    As they spoke, Qiao Jing had picked out what she wanted and was heading towards the cashier.

    Lou Xinrou and Jiang Ling were near the shelf by the door, and an idea formed simultaneously in their minds.

    To support Lou Xinrou¡¯s cause, Jiang Ling took her to the entrance, blocking Qiao Jing who had just finished paying and was on her way out.

 Chapter 307: 297: Qiao Jings Impressive Figure

    Chapter 307: Chapter 297: Qiao Jing¡¯s Impressive Figure

    Jiang Ling crossed her arms and looked Qiao Jing up and down with an expression full of disdain.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t Qiao Jing? You know our Xinrou, don¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you greet your own friend?¡±

    Lou Xinrou smiled at Qiao Jing in coordination, greeting her first.

    ¡°What a coincidence to meet you here.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Lou Xinrou with a faint look. She wasn¡¯t about to be friends with someone who wanted her child dead.

    She could tell that these two were looking for trouble and had no intention of engaging with them, so she walked around them and tried to leave directly.

    ...

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s cold and aloof demeanor, Jiang Ling lost her temper and took a few steps forward to block her way.

    ¡°Xinrou is greeting you. Why aren¡¯t you responding? Are you really that arrogant?

    No matter what, she is still the young mistress of the Lou Family. You, a country bumpkin, getting to know Xinrou is really you reaching above your station!¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to waste her words on these people and changed her direction, intending to leave.

    Jiang Ling noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s intent to leave, thinking that she was scared, and together with Lou Xinrou, they blocked her way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself; you¡¯re just a temporary Mrs. Zhan, let me tell you, don¡¯t get too carried away!

    Soon Xinrou will be Young Master Zhan¡¯s new wife, and you can go back to your countryside for all your life.¡±

    She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°temporary,¡± intending to make Qiao Jing realize that she would soon lose this status.

    Lou Xinrou pretended to be concerned for Qiao Jing, pulled Jiang Ling aside and whispered.

    ¡°Jiang Ling, stop it. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Jiang Ling snapped her hand back with a face full of anger, pointing at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xinrou, why are you still defending her? You¡¯re just too kind. This person¡¯s status is so low, yet she¡¯s so arrogant. Only someone as patient as you would tolerate her!¡±

    As Qiao Jing walked towards another direction, hearing these words, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a light snort ofughter.

    ¡°Heh.¡±

    She turned her head back, slightly arching her delicate brows, and with eyes cold as ice, she directly pierced Jiang Ling with her gaze.

    Lou Xinrou, who would send a sachet that caused infertility in women, would definitely not be described as kind-hearted.

    When Jiang Ling met those chilling, extreme eyes, she felt as if she was being swallowed whole.

    That lightughter, although not loud, drifted unsettlingly into her ears.

    Jiang Ling shivered, feeling a chill run up her back, and for a moment, she forgot how to speak.

    Lou Xinrou was also frightened by Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    Her self-proimed sharp eyes paled inparison to Qiao Jing¡¯s intense and icy stare.

    By the time the two regained theirposure, Qiao Jing had already left.

    This was the second time Jiang Ling had encountered someone with such a powerful aura.

    Previously at a family business gathering, only Zhan Qipei had made her feel this intimidated¡ªQiao Jing was the second.

    Qiao Jing was merely a country girl; why did she have such a mighty aura?

    Probably because she had stayed by Young Master Zhan¡¯s side for a while, picked up a few tricks, and now she thought she was mimicking him impressively, trying to act big in front of her.

    After regaining herposure, Jiang Ling snorted coldly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone like this, of low status but so arrogant, surely she has no friends. Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re buying new lingerie.¡±

    Lou Xinrou shifted her gaze from where Qiao Jing had disappeared and resumed her smile.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing left the mall, she checked the things she had bought and paused when she got to the lingerie she had purchased.

    The clerk had given her the wrong size.

    She had no choice but to return to the store and find the sales associate.

    ¡°Hello, I got the wrong size.¡±

    The sales associate immediately put on a professional smile, came over to Qiao Jing, took out the clothes to check them, and saw that the size on the receipt didn¡¯t match the size of the clothes, sounding apologetic.

    ¡°Sorry, which staff member attended to you just now?¡±

    Qiao Jing knew what she meant and didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for the staff member, so she skipped that question.

    ¡°Just help me exchange it for a different size.¡±

    The sales associate led Qiao Jing to the area where her size was avable.

    ¡°Please wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go back to the warehouse to find you a brand new one. Do you need me to measure you again for the size issue?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, spotted a piece of lingerie, took it down, held it in her hand, felt the fabric, and tested thefort level.

    A sudden voice intruded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡±

    Jiang Ling, upon seeing Qiao Jing in the same store again and remembering her cold attitude earlier, spat in disdain¡ªtalk about enemies on a narrow road.

    The sales associate hadn¡¯t expected someone to abruptlye over to cut in, she nced at Jiang Ling and Lou Xinrou¡¯s figures, and gave an honest reply.

    ¡°Sorry, but thedy is holding a D cup, which you can¡¯t wear. If you were thinking of buying it for your friend, it¡¯s not suitable for her either.¡±

    Jiang Ling¡¯s face immediately turned unpleasant, furrowing her brows as she sized up Qiao Jing.

    Those proud curves, slim waist, and legs as long as a world supermodel¡¯s were enough to make her envious¡ªit was the body she desired the most.

    More importantly, Qiao Jing¡¯s face was unmatched; even she felt inferior.

    She wondered if when Nvwa was creating humans, she had especially sculpted Qiao Jing to be more beautiful, leaving the rest to be mere blobs of y.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face fell when she heard the sales associate¡¯s words, subconsciouslyparing the differences between herself and Qiao Jing.

    Though her legs were considered long among women, they were not as long and slim as Qiao Jing¡¯s, whose skin was so fair it reflected light.

    Looking down at the part mentioned by the sales associate, she saw her own size was A, nced at Jiang Ling, who was just a B, yet Qiao Jing was a D!

    Both of them went crazy with jealousy, yet due to the size mismatch, they couldn¡¯t take what Qiao Jing had bought.

    Lou Xinrou, with Jiang Ling in tow, went to another section to pick out items and then proceeded to check out, where they saw Qiao Jing also checking out.

    The sales associate, being responsible for the mix-up and worried about being reported, treated Qiao Jing very respectfully and personally assisted her with the checkout.

    ¡°Hello, that will be thirty thousand yuan. Because of our mistake with the merchandise, I¡¯ll give you a 20% discount, so it¡¯s twenty-four thousand yuan.¡±

    Qiao Jing was just about to say it wasn¡¯t necessary when someone else answered for her.

    Lou Xinrou and Jiang Ling approached the cashier counter and only overheard the part about the discount, disying an unmistakably contemptuous look on their faces.

    Jiang Ling, having been at a disadvantage earlier, was looking to regain some face.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, needing a discount to buy lingerie? How poor do you have to be¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when a shopping bag was presented to her.

    Qiao Jing casually uttered a sentence.

    ¡°You like it, don¡¯t you? Here, take it.¡±

    Jiang Ling was stunned, seeing that shopping bag made her quite angry¡ªQiao Jing was doing it on purpose!

    She knew very well that it wasn¡¯t the right size for her and yet she insisted on handing it over, was it just to point out her smaller size?!

    Lou Xinrou frowned and handled the situation by pushing the shopping bag back.

    ¡°Thanks a lot, but that¡¯s not what Jiang Ling meant.¡±

    The sales associate witnessed the whole process and forcefully pressed her lips together to refrain fromughing.

 Chapter 308: 298: Pushed Down the Stairs

    Chapter 308: Chapter 298: Pushed Down the Stairs

    After paying, Qiao Jing picked up her belongings and headed toward the elevator near the staircase.

    The closest elevator to this floor was the same one, and Lou Xinrou, Jiang Ling, and Qiao Jing were all going in the same direction.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s gloomy gaze fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure.

    She had long harbored dissatisfaction with the other woman¡¯s figure and face, both of which she couldn¡¯t match.

    As they approached the staircase, Qiao Jing¡¯s bottle of folic acid pills suddenly came into Lou Xinrou¡¯s view.

    The thought of Qiao Jing carrying Zhan Qipei¡¯s child resurfaced in her mind.

    ...

    A malicious thought crept into Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart as she passed by Jiang Ling and Qiao Jing.

    Push Jiang Ling down the stairs, then pin the me on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Jiang Ling, let¡¯s go downstairs and see if there¡¯s anything else,¡± she said.

    Jiang Ling hummed in agreement, brushing past Qiao Jing, who was about to enter the elevator.

    Just then!

    A gleam of excitement shed in Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes, and her hand reached out toward Qiao Jing, pushing Jiang Ling forcefully forward.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Why did you push Jiang Ling!¡± she eximed.

    ¡°Ah¡ª!!¡±

    Jiang Ling¡¯s piercing scream, along with Lou Xinrou¡¯s usation, filled the air as she uncontrobly lunged forward, teetering on the brink of tumbling down the stairs.

    In an instant!

    Qiao Jing, reacting with lightning speed, grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s wrist and with great effort pulled her back, preventing her fall.

    However, since Jiang Ling was pregnant, her weight was significant, and when Qiao Jing pulled her to safety, she felt her own belly jolt from the inertia.

    Once Jiang Ling was seated on the ground, she gasped for air, her face pale and beaded with cold sweat, an indication of her less than optimistic state.

    Subconsciously, Qiao Jing touched her belly, ufortable from the inertia.

    Seeing that Jiang Ling hadn¡¯t fallen as she intended, Lou Xinrou felt a twinge of regret; if the child had been lost, it would have been for the best. Then Qiao Jing would be held responsible for the crime!

    Jiang Ling, suffering from distress,y half on the ground clutching her belly, her head covered in sweat and her lips shivering incessantly.

    The sharp pain in her abdomen terrified her¡ªher child!

    She called out weakly,

    ¡°Call an ambnce¡­ ambnce¡­ ambnce¡­¡±

    Even in agonizing pain, she didn¡¯t forget to re at the ¡®culprit,¡¯ Qiao Jing.

    Seeing the one who intended to harm her child standing by indifferently, she shook with rage.

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡­ you maniac! I only criticized you a bit, and you actually tried to push me down the stairs, to harm me and my child! How could you be so cruel!¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, looking at Lou Xinrou with a scrutinizing gaze.

    Lou Xinrou immediately squatted next to Jiang Ling, checking her pulse.

    After taking the pulse, her expression darkened; the situation was serious and beyond her medical expertise.

    ¡°Jiang Ling, I can¡¯t help you with my medical skills, but I¡¯ll call an ambnce for you,¡± she said.

    She hoped even more for a miscarriage.

    After calling 120, she noticed Qiao Jing was still standing nearby, and other passersby had also started paying attention to the situation.

    Lou Xinrou put on a worried expression.

    ¡°Jiang Ling, where do you feel ufortable? Hold on for a little while longer, I¡¯ve called an ambnce,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing, no longer concerned about her own well-being, looked at Jiang Ling, whose belly was quiterge, appearing to be eight or nine months pregnant. The recent terrifying incident would undoubtedly have caused distress to the baby.

    She remembered the unpleasant things Jiang Ling had said to her before,

    Lou Xinrou had some medical knowledge, but the implication of her words after taking the pulse was undeniably that the situation was very grim.

    Not only is she a doctor, but now also a mother. As a doctor, she couldn¡¯t just let Jiang Ling lie there on the ground waiting for an ambnce. The situation was very urgent, and by the time the ambnce arrived, it would undoubtedly be more pessimistic.

    She couldn¡¯t bear to see Jiang Ling in this state, especially since the child in her belly was innocent.

    Qiao Jing crouched down beside Jiang Ling, preparing to take her pulse and assess her condition.

    Lou Xinrou red venomously at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly and stretched out her hand to deliberately push her with all her strength, aiming to knock her straight to the ground.

    I hope you fall and die so that your child dies with you!

    Caught off guard, Qiao Jing was pushed back a few steps by Lou Xinrou, but then she steadied herself. She had to leave Jiang Ling¡¯s side, unable to take her pulse.

    Her brows furrowed tightly, Jiang Ling¡¯s condition was not looking good, herplexion bing paler and paler. Although there was no bleeding at the moment, if she wasn¡¯t treated promptly, the likelihood of a miscarriage would increase dramatically.

    Lou Xinrou started yelling at the top of her lungs.

    ¡°What are you doing! You have already caused Jiang Ling so much harm, what more do you want?!¡±

    Her words immediately drew the attention of the surrounding crowd, and when they saw a pregnant woman lying on the ground, they quickly gathered around to watch.

    Bystanders pointed at Jiang Ling and whispered among themselves.

    Having achieved her goal of attracting attention, Lou Xinrou continued to use Qiao Jing of her ¡®crimes¡¯.

    ¡°Jiang Ling is nine months pregnant, almost due. How could youy a hand on her? Even if she said something unpleasant just now, you didn¡¯t have to push her down!¡±

    After saying this, she forced a few tears and looked at Jiang Ling with a face full of worry.

    The bystanders, upon hearing this, widened their eyes, and their whispers grew louder.

    ¡°Is she even human? This young girl has such a pretty face, how could she do something so cruel?¡±

    ¡°Her belly is so big, and still, sheid hands on her?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s about to give birth. No matter how big the grudge is, there¡¯s no need to push someone down like that, right?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lou Xinrou shielded Jiang Ling behind herself and pointed at Qiao Jing as if she truly was the culprit.

    ¡°What were you trying to do by getting close to Jiang Ling just now? She has been pushed down by you, do you still want to bully her?¡±

    Auntie among the bystanders couldn¡¯t listen anymore and took the lead to speak out, her eyes full of displeasure when she looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°To push someone down when they¡¯re nine months pregnant, is that even human? What could she have possibly said to make you want to kill to keep her quiet?¡±

    The other bystanders heard this and expressed their discontent with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No matter what, there is an unborn child in that belly. How could you bring yourself to harm it?¡±

    ¡°Regardless of what was said, you can¡¯t take it out on an innocent child!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing found herself the center of controversy.

    The surrounding public opinion continuously med her, and Lou Xinrou, hearing this, was very pleased, a smug smile spreading across her face.

    Qiao Jing, I¡¯d like to see how you exin this!

    Qiao Jing stood there, fixated on Jiang Ling¡¯s belly, not taking to heart any of the harsh words said by the crowd.

    What she was more concerned about right now was the state of the child in Jiang Ling¡¯s belly.

    But with Lou Xinrou protectively holding Jiang Ling, preventing her from taking her pulse, she was unable to diagnose the condition.

    Suddenly, someone in the crowd eximed.

    ¡°Oh my God! She¡¯s starting to bleed!¡±

    Jiang Ling, now in unbearable pain, bit her lip hard, hands guarding her belly. She felt a warm flow slowly trickling down from between her legs.

    Barely managing to sit up, she looked down to see a frightening expanse of crimson on her legs, her eyes widening in shock, andrge tears like soybeans immediately began to fall.

    She felt as if her world was copsing, her voice trembling as she spoke.

    ¡°My baby! My baby can¡¯t be harmed¡­ Xinrou, has the ambnce arrived yet?¡±

 Chapter 309: 299: Cant Keep It?

    Chapter 309: Chapter 299: Can¡¯t Keep It?

    Lou Xinrou immediatelyforted her from the side, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already called an ambnce; it should be here soon.¡±

    Jiang Ling¡¯s ghastly pale face eased slightly, but she felt waves of pain in her abdomen, and the pain was nearly suffocating.

    She desperately bit her lip, trying to alleviate the pain to the point that she didn¡¯t even realize her lip was bleeding.

    The pain in her abdomen grew more intense, and cold sweat covered Jiang Ling¡¯s forehead. Her agonized expression was unbearable for everyone present.

    ¡°My stomach hurts so much¡­ so much¡­ Xinrou, the ambnce, hurry them! My child¡­ my child must note to any harm.¡±

    Qiao Jing could no longer bear to see Jiang Ling in such a state and once again stepped forward, intending to check her pulse.

    ...

    Lou Xinrou tried once more to push Qiao Jing away,

    ¡°What are you doing here again? Do you want to harm her more?¡±

    This time, Qiao Jing did not dodge nor was she pushed away, instead, she pushed Lou Xinrou to the side.

    She red coldly at Lou Xinrou and slowly uttered a sentence.

    ¡°If you want her to die along with her unborn child, then keep stopping me.¡±

    The emotionless tone of Qiao Jing inexplicably sent a chill up Lou Xinrou¡¯s spine, causing her to momentarily forget to push her away.

    Qiao Jing squatted down next to Jiang Ling again, grabbed her hand, and was ready to take her pulse.

    Jiang Ling was startled; she desperately tried to pull her hand back, but she felt too terrible to stop her, and her speaking was intermittent.

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t touch¡­ me, don¡¯t harm my¡­ child, otherwise, my husband¡­ my dad won¡¯t let you go.¡±

    She tried her best to pull back her hand but could only re furiously at Qiao Jing, her eyes filled with disgust and wariness.

    Qiao Jing took hold of Jiang Ling¡¯s pulse and gripped it tightly, preventing any resistance from Jiang Ling.

    Then she said,

    ¡°I am a doctor.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling hesitated; she remembered Qiao Jing had treated Old Master Zhan and heard that her medical skills were quite good.

    However, Lou Xinrou had just said that Qiao Jing pushed her, intending to kill her child. How could she possibly want to save her? What if she harmed her during the treatment?

    Regaining her senses, she pulled her hand back with thest bit of strength she possessed.

    ¡°Xinrou¡­ she also said¡­ she took my pulse and told me to wait for the ambnce. How could you¡­ possibly¡­ help me?¡±

    After being repeatedly refused, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and stood up.

    ¡°I am giving you onest choice, whether or not you want me to examine you.¡±

    Seeing an opportunity, Lou Xinrou immediately began to instigate from the side.

    ¡°What exactly are you plotting? You almost caused Jiang Ling to fall earlier, and now you say you want to check on her health?

    Jiang Ling was just stating the facts, saying you came from the countryside, but there¡¯s no need for you to plot against her like this!¡±

    Already somewhat hesitant, Jiang Ling, upon hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words,pletely dared not let her check any further.

    ¡°Stay away from me! Don¡¯te any closer¡­ I think you want to kill my child¡­¡±

    Passersby were also speaking up in support of Jiang Ling.

    ¡°She actually really intends to help her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she has any good intentions; if she were really kind-hearted, why would she have pushed the person down?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s just acting nice because the situation blew up and she¡¯s afraid we¡¯d criticize her.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As the crowd continued to buzz with discussion, Jiang Ling suddenly let out a scream.

    ¡°My child!!!¡±

    Jiang Ling felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, convulsing into a ball, clutching her stomach while tears continuously streamed down her face.

    As she moved, the blood on the ground continued to spread, gradually soaking her trouserspletely red and forming a ring of blood that surrounded her lower body.

    Originally it was just a stomach ache, but now it had turned into a feeling of something rapidly falling in her lower abdomen!

    Lou Xinrou was tremendously frightened, being a doctor, she could tell that this was leading to a miscarriage.

    A trace of guilt brewed in her heart, after all, Jiang Ling was her good friend¡­

    Lou Xinrou nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, thinking that if she could use this opportunity to take revenge on Qiao Jing, then Jiang Ling¡¯s miscarriage would be very valuable.

    Because whether it is Jiang Ling¡¯s parental home or her husband¡¯s family, they are among the top in the capital; if she miscarries, Qiao Jing definitely will not be able to escape the consequences.

    By then, even Old Master Zhan might not protect Qiao Jing anymore.

    If the Jiang family and the Liu family together caused trouble for the Zhan family, theirbined strength was formidable and would definitely impact Zhan¡¯s.

    At worst, she wouldter be nicer to Jiang Ling and ask her family to help her family more.

    Jiang Ling¡¯s condition became increasingly critical, Qiao Jing blocked all the abusive voices from the outside and squatted down in front of her again.

    This time, she did not care too much, forcibly grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s hand, and began to take her pulse.

    Jiang Ling was even more frightened, terrified that the other party would cause her to miscarry. She endured the dragging pain in her lower abdomen and resisted desperately.

    ¡°Get away¡­ get away!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes stared at Jiang Ling¡¯s face, threateningly.

    ¡°If you struggle again, I will make you miscarry right now.¡±

    Jiang Ling was immediately terrified by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, frozen in ce like a quail, no longer daring to struggle.

    She worried that Qiao Jing would really make her miscarry, and then her child would be even less likely to survive.

    Once Jiang Ling calmed down, she stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s face and noticed that her frown deepened with each moment, causing her heart to panic even more.

    Her heart grew increasingly chaotic, and seeing Qiao Jing taking her pulse so seriously, she chose to trust her.

    But with Qiao Jing¡¯s furrowed brow, she worried that she might really miscarry.

    That won¡¯t do, her child cannot be harmed!

    Just then.

    Qiao Jing released Jiang Ling¡¯s hand and described the current situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s very serious, we might not be able to save it.¡±

    Jiang Ling¡¯s pupils immediately lost focus, she stared nkly at Qiao Jing, speechless.

    Lou Xinrou thought that a miscarriage would be for the best, as that would make Qiao Jing¡¯s situation worse; the Jiang family and the Liu family would not let her off.

    Desperate, Jiang Ling¡¯s tears flowed like a faucet, continuously streaming out as she touched her belly, starting to me herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby, I didn¡¯t protect you, it¡¯s mommy¡¯s fault, it¡¯s mommy¡¯s fault¡­¡±

    Suddenly, she thought of something, her tone shifted, and she red fiercely at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s you; you caused my child¡¯s death! I want you to pay for my child¡¯s life! My child won¡¯t let you off even as a ghost!¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Jiang Ling and warned her in a low voice.

    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t talk; it will affect my treatment.¡±

    Jiang Ling paused, still with tears on her face, staring at Qiao Jing.

    What does that mean? Didn¡¯t she say it was very serious, that it couldn¡¯t be saved?

    Although she had heard that Old Master Zhan was cured by Qiao Jing, it might just be because she was particrly skilled in treating that kind of illness.

    She was pregnant now, and each department in the hospital had its specialists; Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t possibly be an expert at everything, could she?

    While Jiang Ling was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand had already reached Jiang Ling¡¯s body, urately finding several acupuncture points, and she began to massage them.

    Jiang Ling stared nkly at Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, and as she moved, the feeling of weight dragging in her belly slowly decreased.

    With a shocked expression, she looked at Qiao Jing¡ªwas her medical skill really that good? Or was it just a coincidence?

    A few minutester, Jiang Ling felt the pain lessen more and more, and she regained a bit of strength in her body. She looked down at herself and saw that she was not bleeding anymore.

 Chapter 310: 300: Zhan Qipei Forcibly Takes Qiao Jing to the Hospital

    Chapter 310: Chapter 300: Zhan Qipei Forcibly Takes Qiao Jing to the Hospital

    Jiang Ling stared at Qiao Jing in disbelief, as she continued to massage herself.

    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Jing stopped that she felt her strength gradually return and the dragging pain in her abdomen began to ease.

    Lou Xinrou watched Qiao Jing¡¯s massage technique in astonishment.

    Thest time at Wonderful Hall, when Qiao Jing treated that epileptic patient, she had thought that Qiao Jing specialized only in treating epilepsy.

    However, the way Qiao Jing was massaging Jiang Ling was not only smooth, but as a medical student, she could see that Qiao Jing¡¯s hands were urately finding the acupoints and then pressing on them.

    The image of Zhou Fu calling Qiao Jing ¡°Master¡± suddenly popped into Lou Xinrou¡¯s mind.

    ...

    A thought she was unwilling to believe began to form in her heart.

    Could it be that Qiao Jing was truly Divine Doctor Jing?

    If not, why would Zhou Fu call her ¡°Master¡±? And why could Qiao Jing treat more than just epilepsy, but also this condition?

    As Jiang Ling¡¯s condition gradually stabilized, the onlookers all shut their mouths, realizing that Qiao Jing was truly saving a life.

    The sound of an ambnce siren grew from distant to near, and nurses with stretchers hurried up from downstairs, beginning to disperse the crowd.

    ¡°Make way, make way!¡±

    The onlookers no longer crowded around and cleared a path.

    The nurses took Jiang Ling onto the ambnce, and Lou Xinrou followed as well.

    Leaning against the wall to rest, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze followed the ambnce until it disappeared from her line of sight, and only then did she look away.

    Sitting on the ground, somewhat exhausted, she gently rubbed her abdomen.

    She had pulled Jiang Ling earlier and was jolted by the inertia; she was already feeling a bit ufortable, and then she used up some energy while treating the other.

    Qiao Jing took her own pulse, and only after confirming that she was just a bit tired and that the child was fine, did she breathe a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz¡ª¡±

    The ringing of the phone suddenly came, and Qiao Jing nced at the caller before answering.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice came first.

    ¡°You¡¯re still at the institute, right? My meeting just ended, and I promised to go shopping with you today. I¡¯m on my way to pick you up from the institute now.¡±

    After a pause, Qiao Jing stood up and walked towards the exit of the mall, her voice tinged with a hint of weariness.

    ¡°No need to pick me up, I¡¯m not at the institute.¡±

    Zhan Qipei picked up on the weariness in Qiao Jing¡¯s voice. Although she hid it well, he still caught it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Where are you? I¡¯lle and pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing, somewhat exhausted, rubbed her brow, her voice still a bit weak.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong, I can take a taxi back.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart suddenly leapt, his tone filled with concern and insistence.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me where you are now, with the Zhan family¡¯s resources, I can turn the capital upside down within two hours and find you.¡±

    He knew Qiao Jing¡¯s personality well; when she said everything was fine, it meant something was wrong. Moreover, she always bore everything alone and never spoke out.

    He could always detect the emotions that she hid beneath her facade of calm.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s exhausted voice, he pictured her curled up small frame beneath her hard exterior.

    Zhan Qipei was heartbroken and now only wished to scour the entire capital to find the woman he loved.

    Thinking of Zhan Qipei deploying all the bodyguards to search the capital for her, Qiao Jing felt a headacheing on.

    Given Zhan Qipei¡¯s temperament, they might even distribute flyers, issue missing person notices¡­

    Her temples throbbed abruptly; such a scenario must be avoided at all costs.

    Qiao Jing, left with no choice, opened her mouth and informed him of her location.

    ¡°At Wansheng Mall,¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep, cool voice rang out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing still felt as if Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice lingered in her ears.

    His words were like a sedative, and she realized that much of the weariness in her heart seemed to dissipate.

    When Zhan Qipei¡¯s car stopped in front of Qiao Jing, he didn¡¯t unlock the car right away but got out and approached her.

    He reached out, steadied her shoulders, and looked at her intently, carefully checking her from head to toe.

    After ascertaining that Qiao Jing was unharmed, the tense lines of his face softened somewhat, but he still couldn¡¯t put his mind at ease.

    The exhaustion hidden beneath her face had not escaped his sharp gaze.

    Zhan Qipei opened the car door for Qiao Jing and spoke in a gentle voice.

    ¡°Get in and sit down.¡±

    After leaning back against the soft seatback, Qiao Jing slowly closed her eyes, intending to take this opportunity to rest for a while.

    When Zhan Qipei got back in the car, he saw that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t even managed to fasten her seatbelt, a clear sign she was truly exhausted.

    He leaned toward Qiao Jing, pulled up the seatbelt, and fastened it for her.

    Qiao Jing could feel his breathing warmth and the sensation of his hands as they brushed past the fabric of her clothes.

    But she didn¡¯t have the energy to do anything at the moment; she just wanted to rest and recover.

    Without recklessly disturbing Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei adjusted the air conditioning to a higher temperature before he finally spoke.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Zhan Qipei suddenly remembered her weak voice over the phone, and his eyes fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Could it be that she was having trouble with her pregnancy?

    His long eyebrows knitted together, his handsome face filled with worry; he turned the car around, nning to take Qiao Jing to the hospital.

    After resting for a while, Qiao Jing felt better and opened her eyes only to find that the car was heading in a different direction.

    ¡°Where are you going? Aren¡¯t we going home?¡±

    Now that Qiao Jing had opened her eyes, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t dare look at her stomach again and kept his gaze straight ahead.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look well; I¡¯m taking you to the hospital.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and sat up straight.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine, just a bit tired. I¡¯ll be okay after resting a bit.¡±

    This time Zhan Qipei didn¡¯tpromise; he continued driving toward the hospital. If this had happened before, he might have agreed to take Qiao Jing home and look after her himself as she rested.

    But things were different now; she was pregnant. What if something were to happen to the baby?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows; she did not want Zhan Qipei to apany her to the hospital.

    If any exams were to be taken, and he saw the results, it would be bad if he found out about her pregnancy.

    She was adamant, and her cool voice arose between them.

    ¡°I am a doctor myself, and I¡¯ve already checked my pulse. It¡¯s just a little tiredness, there¡¯s no need for drama.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was not willing to let go easily, obstinately saying, ¡°No, you¡¯ve only just recovered. You can¡¯t risk anything.¡±

    Qiao Jing felt a headacheing on; when Zhan Qipei got stubborn, she could hardly persuade him, but she still couldn¡¯t go to the hospital with him.

    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need. I just want to go home and rest.¡±

    As the two were locked in an unsettled dispute, the ring of a cell phone suddenly sounded.

 Chapter 311: 301: Qiao Jings Emotion

    Chapter 311: Chapter 301: Qiao Jing¡¯s Emotion

    The phone was connected to the car¡¯s Bluetooth, and Zhan Qipei pressed the answer button, automatically activating the speakerphone.

    No sooner had the call connected, Su Manhan¡¯s voice, tinged with anger, came through.

    ¡°Qipei, where are you now? Is Qiao Jing with you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei heard that Su Manhan¡¯s tone was somewhat off and asked with confusion.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    He waited for Su Manhan to continue.

    ...

    Su Manhan snorted coldly.

    ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s all because of your precious wife¡¯s doing, isn¡¯t it?!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei nced in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

    What happened? Does it have something to do with Qiao Jing¡¯s current weak state?

    Su Manhan snorted coldly again, and directly spewed curses.

    ¡°I never imagined Qiao Jing could be so vicious, pushing Jiang Ling down the stairs when she was nine months pregnant. Now she¡¯s been taken to the operating room and hasn¡¯te out yet. Last time, I merely tugged at her clothes, yet she had the audacity to use me. I told you she was no good, but none of you believed me!

    ¡°Now the Jiang and Liu families havee knocking, dragging me to the hospital. Hurry up and bring her over to apologize to them. Her fate will depend on Jiang Ling¡¯s condition.¡±

    After blurting all this out without pause, Su Manhan had barely caught her breath when Zhan Qipei¡¯s response nearly made her keel over.

    ¡°She¡¯s feeling unwell; I¡¯m taking her to the hospital.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nned to take Qiao Jing to a private hospital to avoid an encounter with Su Manhan and the others.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and she walked a few steps more, distancing herself from the Jiang and Liu families, before raising her voice.

    ¡°She¡¯s feeling unwell? Looks to me like she¡¯s feeling guilty, choosing to run away from such a heinous act! The Jiang and Liu families said that if anything happens to Jiang Ling, our Zhan¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Zhan Qipei cut her off with his final words and ended the call.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is feeling unwell; I¡¯m on my way to the hospital with her. We can talk about the restter.¡±

    Listening to the dial tone, Su Manhan¡¯s face flushed with anger.

    Has Qiao Jing bewitched Qipei with some love potion? After doing something so malicious, Qipei still shields her?

    Seeing this, I must drive Qiao Jing out of the Zhan family! And I must get someone to look at Qipei.

    Otherwise, I fear that if Qiao Jing leaves, she¡¯ll take my son¡¯s soul with her, a true scourge, a siren!

    Unable to contain her fury, Su Manhan called Zhan Qipei again. She was struggling to deal with the Jiang and Chen families insisting on seeing the culprit.

    The first time, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t answer; the second time, the call was immediately hung up; and the third time, the phone was turned offpletely!

    Su Manhan¡¯s hands shook with rage, and after taking several deep breaths, she feared she might eventually be driven mad by her son.

    No, more likely by her daughter-inw.

    After Zhan Qipei turned off the phone, the car returned to silence.

    Nothing mattered more than Qiao Jing¡¯s health, and he had to take her to the hospital for a check-up no matter what.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei hung up the phone, he saw Qiao Jing staring at him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it.¡±

    Qiao Jing had a rough idea of the situation as soon as Zhan Qipei picked up the call.

    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Zhan Qipei said, smiling at Qiao Jing. His dark pupils reflected the girl¡¯s silhouette, his gaze as if he were looking at the entire world.

    Meeting such a pair of devoted and unwavering eyes, Qiao Jing¡¯s heartbeat elerated unexpectedly at that moment, her ear tips reddened, and a warm current seemed to flow through her heart.

    He was trusting her unconditionally¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital first.¡±

    After saying that, Zhan Qipei sped up, heading for the hospital.

    Qiao Jing lifted her hand and gently ced it on the man¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°I¡¯m really fine, truly.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced sideways at the hand on his wrist, his eyelids half drooping, hiding the emotions beneath.

    A few secondster, he gathered his thoughts.

    He looked up and met Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Really?¡± His voice was gentle and carried a trace of warmth, causing Qiao Jing¡¯s heart to flutter.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Qiao Jing nodded and removed her hand from his wrist.

    After the touch on his arm disappeared, a faint look of disappointment crossed the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you, now close your eyes and rest.¡±

    Hispromise stirred something in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart. She reclined in the seat only after he stopped insisting on taking her to the hospital, and then she began to speak about the content of the phone call earlier.

    ¡°About that phone call, I feel I need to go over it with you¡­¡±

    She then recounted every detail of the events that had taken ce in the mall to Zhan Qipei.

    After Zhan Qipei had heard the whole story, his thin lips pressed into a straight, unyielding line, and his face darkened as if it might start dripping with water.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible that Lou Xinrou pushed someone down to frame you.¡±

    Qiao Jing had not ruled out that possibility, but everything had happened so suddenly at the time that she hadn¡¯t been able to see clearly how Jiang Ling had fallen forward.

    Was it someone who had pushed her, or had she simply been careless?

    ¡°There is that possibility, but you have every reason to suspect that I¡¯m saying this deliberately to sow discord between you and Lou Xinrou.¡±

    A storm seemed to brew within the dark depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes as he gazed directly into Qiao Jing¡¯s, his voice somber as it flowed from his thin lips.

    ¡°I trust you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s words delivered an invisible impact to Qiao Jing, enveloping her.

    These four words reached the very bottom of her heart, like a huge stone dropping into a calmke, creating a ssh of great magnitude.

    Her pupils trembled slightly, and her gaze fell on Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips. After lingering for a few seconds, she diverted her eyes.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Jiang Ling is at the Central Hospital. Let¡¯s head there.¡±

    Zhan Qipei frowned, knowing that what awaited them was a tempest of trouble.

    However, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t in the best condition, and he didn¡¯t want her to get involved in dealing with it; he was enough to handle the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home to rest first.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were downcast, hiding her emotions as she slowly spoke.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of woman who hides behind a man?¡±

    Zhan Qipei grew even more concerned about Qiao Jing¡¯s health and still did not want her to apany him.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not, but you need to go home and rest first. I¡¯ll go check on things for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei with an unusually serious tone.

    ¡°Jiang Ling hasn¡¯te out of the operating room yet. I helped stabilize her before; I¡¯m already involved, and I must go there.¡±

    Indeed, she had managed to stabilize Jiang Ling for the time being, but that was only a temporary relief. Now, if Jiang Ling had not emerged from the operating room, her condition might have worsened, so Qiao Jing felt it necessary to make a visit.

 Chapter 312: 302: Report to the Police to Arrest Qiao Jing

    Chapter 312: Chapter 302: Report to the Police to Arrest Qiao Jing

    Zhan Qipei once againpromised and took Qiao Jing to the hospital.

    When they arrived at the maternity ward, Qiao Jing could see from afar the operating room at the end of the corridor, surrounded by a few people.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were among them, discussing something, while Lou Xinrou stood aside, arms crossed, watching everything unfold.

    Jiang Ling¡¯s mother, Hong Juanfang, noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure, and as soon as she saw the person apanying him, a furious re burst forth in her eyes.

    As Zhan Qipei arrived in front of everyone with Qiao Jing, they attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Hong Juanfang¡¯s anger skyrocketed, and she began to curse at Qiao Jing, pointing at her nose.

    ...

    ¡°You murderer! You harmed my daughter and even wanted to cause her to miscarry, what on earth did my Xiao Ling ever do to you?! How can there be such a wicked person in this world.

    If anything happens to Xiao Ling and my grandson, I¡¯ll make you, a murderer, pay with your life! I¡¯ll take you to court and have you sentenced to death!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was stern as he stepped forward and stood in front of Qiao Jing, protectively shielding her behind his unmistakable posture, and he nced coldly at the iling Hong Juanfang.

    Instantly, Hong Juanfang felt intimidated; the Zhan Qipei in front of her was not someone to be easily provoked, but since the whole thing was Qiao Jing¡¯s fault, she softened a bit, still babbling without relenting.

    ¡°It¡¯s no use you standing in my way, the Zhan Family protecting a murderer won¡¯t look good on your reputation when word gets out.¡±

    The authority in Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence was overwhelming, his dark pupils twinkling with a piercing glint, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet in an instant as he slightly parted his lips.

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    After locking eyes with Zhan Qipei¡¯s terrifying gaze, Hong Juanfang immediately lost her voice, shuddered, and retreated a few steps, frightened.

    Jiang Ling¡¯s husband, Liu Zheng, pulled his mother-inw back, forcefully suppressing his anger.

    ¡°My mother-inw spoke out of turn because she was upset, she didn¡¯t mean it, Young Master Zhan, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I just want a resolution, and if anything happens to my wife and child, Qiao Jing will have to take full responsibility.¡±

    Su Manhan, still holding a grudge about Zhan Qipei hanging up her call and turning off his phone, immediately seized the opportunity to speak up.

    ¡°With such a situation unfolding, Qipei, you¡¯re still defending Qiao Jing? She¡¯s created a massive problem, and by protecting her, you could implicate the Zhan Family.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing who did it.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice was extremely cold, his words resounding with such certainty that one would subconsciously believe him.

    When the people around them came to their senses, they actually found Zhan Qipei¡¯s words somewhat amusing.

    Upon hearing this sentence, Hong Juanfang¡¯s anger reignited, and she let out a coldugh, momentarily forgetting the person in front of her was Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing who did it, could it be that Xinrou did it? Xinrou and Xiao Ling are good friends; how could she possibly do such a thing?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her eyes guiltily shifting away.

    They couldn¡¯t possibly know it was she who pushed; the only one with a motive was Qiao Jing¡­

    Her thoughts were interrupted by a gaze thatnded on her, and as she followed it, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s incisive gaze was like X-ray vision, seemingly capable of prating her facade and seeing into her sordid, filthy heart.

    Lou Xinrou felt a flurry of unease under his intense scrutiny, extremely nervous; her hand by her side gradually clenched into a fist, as she reassured herself.

    It was impossible for anyone to know the truth; she was Jiang Ling¡¯s good friend, no one would suspect her. Just now, Hong Juanfang had said it couldn¡¯t have been her.

    As long as she insisted that it was Qiao Jing who pushed, she could definitely pin the me on her. She knew that spot was blind to the surveince cameras and couldn¡¯t be captured, which was why she dared to act so recklessly.

    Qiao Jing had no chance to clear her name!

    Although Liu Zheng was wary of Zhan Qipei, the Liu family and the Jiang family were not to be trifled with either.

    ¡°Jiang Ling is still in surgery right now; this matter must be ounted for.¡±

    Qiao Jing stepped out from behind Zhan Qipei, facing the group of fierce-looking people, she said expressionlessly.

    ¡°This is not my doing. What exnation do I owe you?¡±

    To the Jiang and Liu families, her indifferent attitude was like an unrepentant sinner denying her wrongdoings.

    Hong Juanfang was so frustrated her teeth itched. Paying no mind to Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence, she marched up to Qiao Jing, her finger nearly poking Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°You actually still won¡¯t admit it?! I¡¯m going to call the police and have you arrested right now!¡±

    Qiao Jing gazed steadily at Hong Juanfang with a serene demeanor and casually brushed the other woman¡¯s hand away as she spoke.

    ¡°Do you have evidence? Without evidence, on what grounds are you arresting me?¡±

    If the Jiang family had surveince footage proving it was her, they would not still be arguing with her.

    It happened in a blind spot of the surveince, Jiang Ling fell, Lou Xinrou meddled, and the me was pinned on her.

    But she was not the one who hadid hands on her.

    Su Manhan could no longer stand idly by and walked up to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°After doing such a thing, do you not have a shred of remorse? Do we really need to have you sent to the station before you¡¯d be happy?

    At the very least, you ought to apologize to them right now!¡±

    In her heart, she wished Qiao Jing would leave the Zhan Family immediately. The longer she stayed, the more trouble she caused, constantly bringing strife to the family.

    Qiao Jing let out a light snort, her phoenix eyes gloomy like a still pool of ck water as she faced everyone present.

    ¡°Why should I apologize for something I didn¡¯t do?¡±

    Even the typically rational Liu Zheng¡¯s expression started looking unsightly at this moment.

    Hong Juanfang¡¯s eyes widened with fury, as if she wanted to tear Qiao Jing apart.

    ¡°You still won¡¯t admit your wrongdoing? Not even willing to apologize? I¡¯ve lived for so many years, and this is the first time I have seen someone with such thick skin, with a heart so vicious. What on earth is the Zhan Family¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the doors of the operating room opened.

    Hong Xinrou and Liu Zheng no longer concerned themselves with Qiao Jing and immediately rushed over.

    The doctor hurried out of the room.

    ¡°The pregnant woman is having a difficult birth, and there¡¯s a high possibility that neither she nor the baby will survive!¡±

    Hong Juanfang, who was previously full of anger, stood rooted to the spot in shock; her aggressive aura extinguished. Liu Zheng¡¯s face turned pale.

    A difficult birth with the likelihood of losing both mother and child was undoubtedly a devastating blow to them.

    Liu Zheng stared at the doctor as if seeing a lifeline, stepped forward, and grabbed the doctor¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Doctor, please, you must save my wife. Money is no issue; whatever it takes, I beg you to ensure both my wife and child survive.¡±

    The doctor appeared troubled, spread his hands helplessly.

    ¡°My skills are limited; I will do my utmost to save them. Unfortunately, Doctor Qiao is not here. Otherwise, there might have been hope.¡±

    The central hospital of the imperial city was owned by the Lu family, and because of him, Qiao Jing asionally helped out here, making all the doctors aware of her existence.

    Hong Juanfang immediately asked, ¡°Where is Doctor Qiao? Quickly bring her here!¡±

    The doctor sighed, his tone full of regret.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao rarelyes to the hospital. She is the most skilled doctor we have, extremely proficient in medicine. Unfortunately, she seldom makes appearances here.¡±

 Chapter 313: 303: Qiao Jing Personally Performs Surgery

    Chapter 313: Chapter 303: Qiao Jing Personally Performs Surgery

    Just as the doctor was speaking, a familiar silhouette caught the corner of his eye, and his eyes instantly lit up.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, you¡¯re here too?¡±

    In an instant!

    All eyes were on Qiao Jing.

    Hong Juanfang, who had been jabbering just before, was stunned, her mouth still open, staring motionlessly at Qiao Jing.

    What? Qiao Jing is the ¡°Doctor Qiao¡± the doctor was just talking about?

    ...

    Can it be?

    Such a coincidence?

    Doesn¡¯t this mean she could save Jiang Ling?

    Just as Hong Juanfang was about to ask Qiao Jing to save her daughter, she suddenly thought, wasn¡¯t her daughter harmed by this so-called Doctor Qiao?

    How could she possibly save her daughter? What if she sabotages the surgery?

    Hong Juanfang took a deep breath, shouting angrily,

    ¡°How can such a malicious person be a doctor?!¡±

    The doctor was unaware of what was happening outside, but was furrowing his brow at the family¡¯sck of politeness toward Doctor Qiao.

    He emphasized,

    ¡°Please, family members, be more calm. The situation is very critical. If it¡¯s Doctor Qiao, there still might be hope.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked emotionlessly at Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng. If possible, she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to help.

    But she had already assisted Jiang Ling once before, and now that the situation had suddenly worsened, she decided to lead the surgery herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the surgery.¡±

    Liu Zheng, feeling the same as Hong Juanfang, hesitated for a moment when he heard Qiao Jing was preparing to lead the surgery and then stopped her,

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need your help to lead the surgery. You bear resentment towards my wife, what if you sabotage the operation?¡±

    After speaking, he turned to look at the doctor.

    ¡°Doctor, I hope that only the doctors already in the operating room perform the surgery, we don¡¯t need this Doctor Qiao.¡±

    The doctor looked at Qiao Jing ufortably, not understanding why these two family members were rejecting Doctor Qiao¡¯s treatment.

    There was clearly only Doctor Qiao who was confident enough, so why were they refusing her treatment?

    Standing aside and silent up to this point, Zhan Nanqing finally spoke,

    ¡°Auntie Hong, just let Qiao Jing in. She is very skilled. My grandfather is as fit as a fiddle all thanks to her, and the doctor also said that if Qiao Jing leads the surgery, Jiang Ling will have hope.

    Letting her in means there¡¯s a chance to save both lives. Right now, saving lives is critical. Besides, with so many people in the operating room, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything even if she wanted to.¡±

    Hearing this, Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng fell silent, their minds now wavering.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words made sense. If they didn¡¯t let Qiao Jing in, what would happen if they couldn¡¯t save Jiang Ling?

    Lou Xinrou, seeing them waver, grew anxious.

    If they really did save the child, in gratitude for Qiao Jing saving Jiang Ling and the child, the Jiang and Liu families were likely not to pursue her responsibility any further.

    That would ruin her ns!

    No, no, this cannot happen.

    Lou Xinrou considered her next words carefully, seeing that Qiao Jing was about to enter, and quickly said what she thought was most appropriate,

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you better not go in. The misunderstanding between you and Jiang Ling is profound, and if you go in like this, she might be even more distressed, and her body might not hold up.¡±

    She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°misunderstanding,¡± which could lead to wild spections.

    The expressions on Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng¡¯s faces immediately darkened, and these words yed out like a drama in their minds.

    After Qiao Jing had pushed Jiang Ling down, a misunderstanding had arisen between them.

    If she were allowed in there again, and Jiang Ling fainted at the sight of her, wouldn¡¯t that be dangerous?

    Hong Juanfang, terrified, shook her head decisively.

    ¡°No, Doctor, go back and continue the surgery, I don¡¯t want her to operate on my daughter.¡±

    The doctor, seeing that the family had made a decision, did not insist further. He spoke a word to Qiao Jing and nned to return to the operating room.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, I¡¯ll head back first then.¡±

    Qiao Jing saw that these two were adamant about not letting her perform the surgery, and hesitated for a moment.

    The doctor had just taken a few steps back when a nurse rushed out of the operating room, her steps urgent.

    ¡°Doctor Wang! The patient is bleeding profusely! We¡¯re barely keeping up!!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyshes fluttered, her lips tightly pressed together, and the next second, she followed the doctor straight to the operating room door.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s body jolted violently, she only intended to frame Qiao Jing, not really wanting Jiang Ling to die¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected things to get this serious!

    What should I do?

    What should I do?

    Lou Xinrou was panicking to the point of breaking out in a cold sweat.

    Zhan Nanqing, close to Lou Xinrou, noticed her strange expression and the slight trembling of her body.

    What¡¯s going on here? Why such a strong reaction?

    Jiang Ling is bleeding profusely, shouldn¡¯t Lou Xinrou be worried? Why is she so scared, and why does her expression look so odd?

    Suddenly!

    Zhan Nanqing harbored a terrifying suspicion in her heart. She was unwilling to believe it, but Lou Xinrou¡¯s reaction was just too bizarre.

    After forcefully suppressing the thought, she then looked towards the door of the operating room.

    Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng stood frozen upon hearing the words ¡°severe bleeding¡±. By the time they snapped out of it, Qiao Jing had already reached the door of the operating room.

    Liu Zheng was the first to react, striding forward to block Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, you cannot go in. What if my wife gets agitated at seeing you? Don¡¯t even think aboutying a hand on my wife!¡±

    Hong Juanfang quickly followed suit, staunchly blocking the door to the operating room.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you Qiao Jing, if something happens to my daughter and grandson, I will not let you off! Don¡¯t even think about sneaking in to harm my daughter, no chance!¡±

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath, suppressing the re of irritation that sprang up within her. The patient¡¯s condition was more important; she didn¡¯t want to waste words with these two.

    ¡°Move aside!¡±

    Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng desperately blocked the door, not giving Qiao Jing a chance to enter.

    The doctor and nurse had already returned to the operating room to continue the surgery; they didn¡¯t need Qiao Jing¡¯s help!

    Hong Juanfang, seeing Qiao Jing still attempting to move forward, reached out to push her.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Hong Juanfang¡¯s action, his aura became incredibly solemn, and with a swift stride, he knocked Hong Juanfang¡¯s hand aside, his thin lips parting slightly.

    ¡°Go.¡±

    Before entering the operating room, Qiao Jing met Zhan Qipei¡¯s inky ck eyes, filled with silent trust. Without hesitation, she stepped into the operating room.

    After the door to the operating room closed, Zhan Qipei swept Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°She is here to save Jiang Ling; with me here, no one can stop her.¡±

    This piercing and cold gaze lingered on Hong Juanfang for a moment. She shivered, feeling a chill rising from the soles of her feet and enveloping her entirely.

    Her body jolted violently, frightened into stepping back several paces.

    The light above the operating room door remained on while Zhan Qipei¡¯s tall figure blocked the entrance, his presence exuding nobility.

    No matter where he stood, simply standing there, the overwhelming sense of oppression he radiated seemed to freeze everything around him.

 Chapter 314: 304 Ive Always Been Here

    Chapter 314: Chapter 304 I¡¯ve Always Been Here

    The corridor was deathly silent; no one spoke again.

    Hong Juanfang retreated to Liu Zheng¡¯s side, hiding behind him as she stared at the tightly closed doors of the operating room, scenes of Qiao Jing plotting against Jiang Ling suddenly popping into her mind.

    She was startled and her concern for her daughter overshadowed her fear of Zhan Qipei, so she plucked up her courage to speak.

    ¡°Have you lost your mind? She¡¯s trying to harm my daughter, and you actually let her in! If anything happens to my daughter, the Jiangs and the Lius will fight to the death against your Zhan Family!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice was icy to the extreme, brooking no interruption.

    ¡°I said she¡¯s going in there to save Jiang Ling! Don¡¯t you understand? Huh?¡±

    ...

    Hong Juanfang dared not oppose Zhan Qipei any longer and silently walked to one side, beginning a long wait.

    Witnessing that Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng had ceased theirmotion, Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart was like an ant on a hot pan, anxiously spinning in circles.

    The child might be gone, but Jiang Ling must note to harm.

    But she had a huge hemorrhage; could Jiang Ling really be safe and sound?

    Lou Xinrou had only intended to frame Qiao Jing, to plunge her into an abyss of endless cmity; why was it turning out that neither the mother nor the child could be saved?

    Lou Xinrou shuddered even more at the thought that Jiang Ling might be brought out covered in a white sheet from the inside.

    Jiang Ling, Jiang Ling, you mustn¡¯t have any trouble!

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Lou Xinrou again, only to find her staring at the floor, lost in thought, trembling even more than before.

    Why was Lou Xinrou so afraid and nervous? There were only three of them there; if it wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing, then who else could it be?

    The terrifying suspicion in her heart surfaced again.

    What if the person who pushed Jiang Ling had been Lou Xinrou?

    But she couldn¡¯t just settle on this idea in her mind, after all, Lou Xinrou had been her friend since they were kids; if it really was her doing¡­

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t bear to think any further; if it really had been Lou Xinrou, would she have to tell someone else?

    Time passed excruciatingly slowly, and Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng, unable to stand any longer, approached Zhan Qipei once again.

    Liu Zheng suppressed his towering rage, his words almost popping out through clenched teeth.

    ¡°President Zhan, we are family members, we have the right to go in.¡±

    Hong Juanfang was so anxious she stamped her foot, looking as though she would rush in at any moment, but Zhan Qipei stood like a wall, blocking the door resolutely.

    ¡°What are you doing?! Don¡¯t think we don¡¯t dare to confront the Zhan Family, if anything happens to my daughter, the Jiangs and the Lius will fight you to the death!

    Even if we don¡¯t skin you, we¡¯ll take a bite out of your flesh!¡±

    Zhan Qipei paid no attention to the two of them at all, standing in front of the operating room and staring straight ahead, not sparing them a nce.

    Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng had no chance to enter and could only pace back and forth at the door of the operating room.

    Su Manhan, seeing how big the situation had be, was both angry and empathetic as she whispered to Zhan Yao.

    ¡°I tell you, even if the old master were here, it wouldn¡¯t help! Not only is Qiao Jing the Zhan Family¡¯s disaster, but her heart is also vicious.

    This involves two lives; unless Jiang Ling and her child bothe out safe, Qiao Jing¡¯s fate will only be worse.¡±

    Back when she was pregnant with Zhan Qipei¡¯s child, she had been grazed by a car and fell on the ground, stirring the fetus and almost causing a miscarriage!

    Her leg had bled, she was so scared she cried for half a day, and it was only after being sent to the hospital that they managed to save it.

    Jiang Ling was nearly pushed down the stairs; her situation must be far worse than hers was.

    Suddenly!

    The light in the operating room dimmed, and the door was opened along with it.

    The doctor came out first.

    ¡°Congrattions, mother and child are safe.¡±

    As Jiang Ling was wheeled out on the mobile hospital bed, Hong Juanfang saw the pallor on her daughter¡¯s face and tears instantly welled up and spilled over.

    She clung tightly to the edge of the bed, sobbing uncontrobly.

    Liu Zheng, a grown man, also shed tears.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you all, I¡¯m truly so grateful!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s gaze, except for Zhan Qipei¡¯s, was fixed on Jiang Ling.

    Su Manhan clutched Zhan Yao¡¯s hand tightly, joy evident on her face.

    Zhan Nanqing also breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that both mother and child were unharmed.

    While Lou Xinrou¡¯s face showed joy, it was mixed with some gloominess.

    How could Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills be so formidable? Jiang Ling¡¯s condition had been so critical, yet she actually managed to save the child?

    Qiao Jing was thest to exit the operating room. Everyone surrounded Jiang Ling¡¯s bed, following the nurses toward the ward.

    She felt a splitting headacheing on. Originally, during the rescue of Jiang Ling, she had been hit in the abdomen, and now after performing a lengthy surgery,

    it had consumed even more of her energy, making her body feel overwhelmed.

    Being able to persevere until the end of the surgery under physical difort was already enough, but the cost was an intense pain throbbing in her temples.

    Qiao Jing looked pale as she stood at the entrance of the operating room, appearing on the verge of copse. She took a few steps forward, her steps somewhat unsteady.

    She intended to get to a chair and rest, but as she lifted her foot, she suddenly stumbled.

    Her entire body pitched forward, but instead of the anticipated pain, she fell into a warm embrace.

    Qiao Jing was very familiar with the scent of the person holding her, but she struggled, attempting to stand on her own.

    Noticing her intent, Zhan Qipei hugged her tighter, his tender voice full of concern rising above her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to rest.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand moved to Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, drawing her into his embrace.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyshes fluttered, she nced sideways at the strong, muscr arm around her waist.

    The man¡¯s arm was thick, half of it encircling her waist, making her feel very secure.

    Had it been before, she would have hesitated not a moment to leave Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms; she had grown ustomed to being on her own.

    But at that moment, a thought emerged in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind: she wanted to rely on Zhan Qipei just for a while, a little while would be enough.

    She was tired.

    She didn¡¯t want to move anymore.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiao Jing murmured softly, allowing the man to hold her waist.

    Zhan Qipei, holding Qiao Jing, made their way to the rest room, all the while letting the girl lean on him so she wouldn¡¯t be so tired.

    He helped her lie down on the bed and then considerately poured her a cup of hot water, handing it to her.

    ¡°Are you very tired? Rest after drinking the water. I¡¯ll be right here, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s long eyshes trembled as she drank the hot water, and then her body uncontrobly copsed onto the soft bed.

    She let out a light sigh.

    ¡°The surgery was sessful.¡±

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing emerge from the operating room, her face etched with exhaustion, his heart was already aching unbearably.

    Seeing her now so tired that she directly fell onto the bed made him even more distressed for his wife.

 Chapter 315: 305 The Truth about the Sachet

    Chapter 315: Chapter 305 The Truth about the Sachet

    ¡°You¡¯re exhausted.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand caressed Qiao Jing¡¯s face, looking at her as if she were a treasured possession.

    In his eyes, nothing else in the world could exist except for Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing gazed into Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep, dark eyes, which held only her reflection.

    This reminded her of the time in the car when, despite her mentioning Jiang Ling¡¯s incident with just a single sentence, the man had believed her without any hesitation.

    A warm current passed through her heart, slowly flowing to every part of her body from the bottom of her heart, as if much of her weariness had dissipated.

    ...

    Qiao Jing uttered a sound of agreement and slowly closed her eyes.

    Zhan Qipei made sure she was properly covered with the nket and tiptoed out of the rest room.

    As soon as he opened the door of the rest room, Zhan Qipei saw a person who shouldn¡¯t have been there.

    At the same time he closed the door, the tenderness on his face disappeared without a trace,

    Had Lou Xinrou not clearly seen the tenderness on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face for that brief moment, she might have thought she was hallucinating.

    She had never seen Brother Pei show such an expression to anyone else.

    But she knew that the person inside the rest room was Qiao Jing.

    So, Brother Pei showed such tenderness to Qiao Jing?

    What made Qiao Jing deserving of seeing Brother Pei¡¯s tender side?

    Lou Xinrou suppressed the jealousy in her heart as she faced Zhan Qipei¡¯s cold, handsome features.

    ¡°Brother Pei, I didn¡¯t say Qiao Jing pushed Jiang Ling down; I merely described the situation at the time.

    We were all three at the top of the stairs, and it might have just been Jiang Ling¡¯s own carelessness that made her fall. She thought it was Qiao Jing who pushed her, but actually, I didn¡¯t see clearly, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    She came to rify not out of fear that Brother Pei would suspect her, thinking she had framed and ndered Qiao Jing on purpose.

    If that were the case, her image in Brother Pei¡¯s heart would suffer.

    Zhan Qipei, after listening to her story, didn¡¯t respond; he raised his gaze, scrutinizing her sharply.

    He nced at Lou Xinrou, staring at her face.

    As Lou Xinrou met Zhan Qipei¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, she felt a little guilty and broke into a cold sweat, clenching her hands slightly.

    Why was Brother Pei looking at her like that?

    Had he already exposed her?

    But that couldn¡¯t be! That spot waspletely out of the surveince camera¡¯s line of sight; it wouldn¡¯t have captured the three of them.

    If there had been a camera, how could she have dared to do such a thing?

    Brother Pei was just suspecting her, right? There definitely wasn¡¯t any evidence to confirm it was her.

    Or maybe Qiao Jing had spoken ill of her to Brother Pei!

    While she was continuing to guess, Tang Yan walked over.

    Tang Yan¡¯s eyesnded on Lou Xinrou and then became somewhat strange.

    He then looked at Zhan Qipei and didn¡¯t say a word.

    Lou Xinrou noticed the two men had something to discuss and nervously pursed her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going first then.¡±

    Once Lou Xinrou had gone some distance, Tang Yan¡¯s expression became very serious. He took out the sachet and a test report from his briefcase.

    ¡°Boss, the test results are in. There are some substances in the sachet that, if kept close to women for an extended time, can lead to infertility, and pregnant women who smell it too much may miscarry.¡±

    On hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯splexion immediately grew dark, as if there were clouds gathering above him, about to drip with moisture.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei angry, Tang Yan began to tremble.

    Zhan Qipei, with a grave expression, took the sachet from Tang Yan¡¯s hand and strode towards Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou hadn¡¯t gone far and was about to take a rest when suddenly she heard a rapid footsteps behind her, causing her some confusion.

    Who was in such a hurry?

    She turned around only to find that Zhan Qipei had caught up to her.

    Zhan Nanqing, who had just arrived at the rest room wanting to check on Qiao Jing, witnessed the scene of her brother, full of rage, charging toward Lou Xinrou.

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback. Why was her brother so angry? And it seemed directed at Lou Xinrou.

    What had happened?

    She stealthily followed him, hiding at a corner to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    When Lou Xinrou turned around, the first thing she saw was Zhan Qipei¡¯s terrifying, gloomy expression, which made her heart skip a beat.

    Could it be that Brother Pei had found evidence? But that shouldn¡¯t be, with no surveince, how could there be any evidence?

    Even if Qiao Jing said she was the one who pushed her, she just had to deny it vehemently, right? And Jiang Ling was on her side too.

    Logically speaking, Zhan Qipei shouldn¡¯t have any evidence. Why then did he look so upset?

    Zhan Qipei stopped walking in front of Lou Xinrou, clutching tightly the sachet that was supposedly good for one¡¯s health in his hand.

    Lou Xinrou suppressed her anxiety, reassuring herself that it was impossible to have evidence, before daring to inquire.

    ¡°Brother Pei, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something you need?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak but instead, threw the sachet at Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou was stunned. The sachet she gifted had appeared here; could it be¡­

    She stood frozen in ce, staring at the sachet, too scared to speak.

    Zhan Nanqing was startled, she covered her mouth and took a small step back.

    What was going on? The item in her brother¡¯s hand was¡­

    The sachet Lou Xinrou gave to Qiao Jing?

    Why was it in her brother¡¯s hand?

    What puzzled her more was why her brother would throw it at Lou Xinrou?

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice filled with anger carried over.

    ¡°The substance you ced inside this sachet, you know very well. Did you fill this with something that causes women to be infertile and give it to Qiao Jing, in hopes of her not conceiving my child?¡±

    Lou Xinrou was thrown off bnce, hurriedly trying to exin.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ Brother Pei, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Qipei cut her off, continuing with what he was saying.

    ¡°Furthermore, the examination results indicated that if a pregnant woman wears it over a prolonged period, it could lead to a miscarriage.¡±

    As he spoke, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened even further.

    Lou Xinrou suddenly widened her eyes, her pupils dting to their limits.

    How could Brother Pei know about this?

    Had he investigated the sachet? Why would he inquire about the sachet? She had yed her part so convincingly; how could he suspect the sachet?!

    Suddenly, the image of Qiao Jing treating someone shed through her mind.

    Could it be that Qiao Jing smelled something was off and thenined to Brother Pei?

    Zhan Nanqing, hiding around the corner, also widened her eyes when she heard this, almost crying out loud.

    How could this be? Why would Xinrou put such things in the sachet? Didn¡¯t she say it was good for health?

    But her brother wouldn¡¯t make such usations without cause; he must have found out something to be so angry.

    And what mattered most was thest sentence! Qiao Jing was pregnant, and prolonged exposure could even lead to a miscarriage!

    Could Lou Xinrou really be the one behind this?

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t expected that her childhood friend, whom she thought she knew well, could do something so vile.

    At this thought, Zhan Nanqing was furious, and moreover, Qiao Jing had three babies in her womb.

    If Qiao Jing and her brother hadn¡¯t discovered this, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

    Then today, the person who pushed Jiang Ling down the stairs¡­

    Zhan Nanqing looked up toward Lou Xinrou, thinking if she wanted to harm Qiao Jing, she had every motive to push Jiang Ling down the stairs and then frame someone else.

    Lou Xinrou pinched herself hard in the palm to calm her fears and pretended to bepletely unaware, her face filled with shock.

    ¡°Ah? How could this sachet cause infertility and miscarriage? The sachet was specially sought from the temple, I didn¡¯t know what¡¯s inside it. But the master told me it was good for health, which is why I gave it to Qiao Jing.¡±

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let Brother Pei know the truth about this matter!

 Chapter 316: 306: Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou Quarrel

    Chapter 316: Chapter 306: Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou Quarrel

    ¡°The master told me that this sachet is good for the body, that¡¯s why I gave it to Qiao Jing. I really didn¡¯t know what the form inside was, Brother Pei, don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, the gloominess on his face didn¡¯t ease in the slightest, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on Lou Xinrou¡¯s face.

    He radiated a dangerous aura, like a lion lurking in the dark forest, ever watchful of its prey, waiting for the prey to reveal a w.

    This was the first time Lou Xinrou had seen Zhan Qipei this angry; she was nearly suffocated by his oppressive presence.

    That scrutinizing gaze made her feel more and more guilty, causing sweat to begin forming in her palms.

    Lou Xinrou knew she had to look Zhan Qipei in the eye to appear righteous and confident, but his piercing gaze seemed to see right through her.

    ...

    Upon meeting those dark eyes, her heart couldn¡¯t stop panicking, and she subconsciously thought of the things she had done.

    Hidden around the corner, Zhan Nanqing was shocked beyond belief after listening to the whole story, her mouth was agape, as if it could fit an egg.

    She abruptly remembered Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction after smelling the sachet.

    After Qiao Jing smelled the sachet, she had ced it in the corner of the bedside table, far from her bed.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fleeting cold expression and furrowed brows shed through her mind.

    Qiao Jing was a Divine Doctor Jing, she surely could detect what ingredients were in the sachet.

    No wonder she had ced the sachet so far away, she must have known there was something wrong with it all along, so why didn¡¯t Qiao Jing say anything at the time? Clearly, she had sensed something wrong with the sachet¡­

    That¡¯s right!

    At that time, Qiao Jing had also nced at her and her brother; was it because she was taking into ount their rtionship with Lou Xinrou?

    Zhan Nanqing thought back to when she was so enthusiastic in helping Lou Xinrou deliver the sachet to Qiao Jing.

    Was she not indirectly harming someone?!

    A voice tinged with sobs rose up; Zhan Nanqing retracted her drifting thoughts and looked towards the source of the sound.

    Lou Xinrou had her hands behind her back, clenching her palm hard to squeeze out several tears.

    ¡°Brother Pei, why won¡¯t you speak? I really didn¡¯t mean to harm Qiao Jing. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can go with you to the temple. They really do have such sachets there¡­¡±

    She must not let Brother Pei find out the truth of this matter! Absolutely not!

    Otherwise, her image in Brother Pei¡¯s heart would be tarnished, and entering the Zhan Family would be more difficult.

    ¡°I really¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei cut off her words, his thin lips barely opening.

    ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me again, and stay away from Qiao Jing.¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s body jolted sharply; she stared at Zhan Qipei with disbelief in her eyes.

    Could it be that Brother Pei was actually telling her not to look for him, all for Qiao Jing?

    Did their bond since childhood mean nothing to him now that he wanted to sever ties with her for Qiao Jing¡¯s sake?

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s tears flowed like a faucet turned on, unstoppable.

    ¡°Brother Pei? I really¡­ It really wasn¡¯t me who did it, why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t spare Lou Xinrou another nce, leaving her with a cold remark.

    ¡°I will investigate this matter and clear it up. Before that, don¡¯te looking for me.¡±

    As soon as the words fell, Zhan Qipei turned and left, leaving only his silhouette to Lou Xinrou.

    The moment Zhan Qipei turned around, Lou Xinrou¡¯s tears immediately stopped.

    She stared at the man¡¯s tall figure, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh without her noticing, her expression was incredibly sinister.

    All because of Qiao Jing!

    How could Brother Pei treat her like this if it wasn¡¯t for Qiao Jing?!

    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing, she would have been with Brother Pei long ago. How could there have been so many issues!

    This time she was discovered, but she still has another chance to take action. The moment Qiao Jing is driven out of the Zhan Family, she will immediately have someone deal with that wretch.

    Once Qiao Jing leaves the Zhan Family, she¡¯ll be nothing! And her, she¡¯s the daughter of the Lou Family!

    Taking action against Qiao Jing, who has neither money nor power, wouldn¡¯t that be a cinch?!

    Zhan Nanqing, who was around the corner, saw the entire change in Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression, and felt somewhat afraid.

    She had never seen Lou Xinrou show such an expression before, giving her a feeling of strangeness.

    This made her wonder if she had ever truly understood Lou Xinrou¡¯s real face.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a while but eventually took the steps to approach Lou Xinrou.

    When Lou Xinrou saw Zhan Nanqing, a hint of confusion appeared on her gloomy face.

    Why has Zhan Nanqinge here? How much of what I just said did she hear?

    If I exin, Zhan Nanqing will definitely believe me. No matter how much her impression of Qiao Jing has improved, it can¡¯tpare to the friendship we¡¯ve had since we were young.

    With this thought, Lou Xinrou immediately reverted her face to its usual, gentle appearance.

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but admire this speed of changing faces. If it weren¡¯t for her having witnessed Lou Xinrou¡¯s twisted facial expression just a while ago, she wouldn¡¯t believe the other would reveal such a dark look.

    If Lou Xinrou were to enter a face-changingpetition, she would definitely win first ce.

    ¡°Xinrou, I heard everything just now.¡±

    Lou Xinrou was furrowing her brows tightly, her face still streaked with unshed tears, feigning a pitiful look towards Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Nanqing, really, it¡¯s not how you think. I truly didn¡¯t do that kind of thing.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression turned ugly; she looked Lou Xinrou up and down, hesitating to speak.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    She only hoped that what she heard was false, and she still couldn¡¯t believe that Lou Xinrou could do such a thing.

    She thought she knew everything about Lou Xinrou, thinking she was always kind and frail.

    But how would Lou Xinrou exin the sachet incident?

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou controlled her emotions, which were on the verge of exploding, and tears fell again.

    ¡°Then, do you want to ask me anything? It¡¯s okay if your brother doesn¡¯t believe me, but do you also distrust me?

    We¡¯ve been together since we were young, as good friends, best friends, and now you doubt me too?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face stiffened with a touch of guilt, and her tone softened considerably.

    ¡°I don¡¯t disbelieve you, Xinrou. I just want to hear the truth from you. Were you the one who made the sachet?¡±

    Confronted with Zhan Nanqing¡¯s questioning, Lou Xinrou stopped crying and burst out in emotion, letting out a cold snort.

    ¡°Nanqing, since you don¡¯t trust me, why ask me at all? Haven¡¯t I already said it wasn¡¯t me? Why do you keep asking?

    Didn¡¯t you already take Qiao Jing¡¯s side long ago?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing frowned. Lou Xinrou¡¯s words were rather unpleasant to hear.

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking Qiao Jing¡¯s side, Xinrou. The sachet contained substances that can cause infertility and even miscarriages. With such harmful contents, are you truly unaware?¡±

    Lou Xinrou raised her voice significantly, and her tone became very sharp.

    ¡°By asking these questions, you just don¡¯t believe me! You think I did it! There¡¯s no evidence, so why should you use me? Are you saying you actually saw me put the stuff inside?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned; this was the first time Lou Xinrou had ever fought with her, and her demeanor during the argument was entirely unlike her usual self.

    Instead, it reminded her of the dark, frightening face she¡¯d seen just before, making her feel like she was talking to a stranger.

 Chapter 317: 307 Transferred to the Mall Surveillance

    Chapter 317: Chapter 307 Transferred to the Mall Surveince

    But Zhan Nanqing immediately wondered if there was some truth to what Lou Xinrou had said.

    After all, they had no evidence to prove that it was Lou Xinrou who had put the item in the sachet. What if the sachet originally had those things inside it from the temple?

    But, what kind of temple would put such things in a sachet to harm people?

    No matter how she thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem reasonable.

    She shook her head to cast aside all those thoughts.

    ¡°Forget it, my brother will investigate this matter thoroughly. If it turns out you¡¯re wronged, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll apologize to you,¡± she said.

    ...

    She didn¡¯t want to think about these troubling matters any longer. She trusted her brother¡¯s abilities, confident that he would soon uncover the truth.

    Zhan Nanqing ran in the direction Zhan Qipei had left. She had expected to find her brother waiting at the lounge¡¯s entrance, but when she arrived, there was no sign of him, not even Tang Yan.

    Just as she was about to call her brother, a glimpse of a familiar figure caught her eye from the corner of her eye.

    Tang Yan, holding his phone in a hurry, rushed into the elevator. Zhan Nanqing immediately followed suit.

    Once they reached the ground floor, Zhan Nanqing saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure and followed Tang Yan over.

    Just as she was about to raise the issue of the sachet with Zhan Qipei, Tang Yan spoke up.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve checked the surveince footage from the mall,¡± he reported.

    Zhan Qipei was holding a bowl of medicinal soup and porridge that he had someone specially prepare. Upon hearing this, his expression suddenly turned grave.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and have a look,¡± he said.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard the word surveince, her heart jumped. With the surveince footage, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to see who had pushed Jiang Ling?

    Zhan Qipei nced at Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan immediately understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s intent and opened a segment of surveince footage he had saved on his phone.

    The area where Qiao Jing and the others were had no cameras overhead, and it was only by exploiting the angle of a stairwell camera that their figures could be seen.

    Since the location was quite far from the camera, the footage was blurry and not very clear.

    But from that angle, there was no way Qiao Jing could have done anything physical. On the contrary, Lou Xinrou appeared to make a slight lifting movement with her hand.

    However, it was at the exact moment she lifted her hand!

    Jiang Ling¡¯s body suddenly obscured Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand, making it impossible to see if she was the one who pushed someone down.

    Immediately after, Jiang Ling lost her bnce and lunged forward.

    In that instant, Qiao Jing grabbed Jiang Ling¡¯s hand and pulled her up to safety.

    Judging by the surveince footage, Lou Xinrou¡¯s motive was in any case far greater than Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    In the surveince, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t even raised a hand, and it was she who had pulled Jiang Ling back in the end.

    All three of them had their suspicions, but there was no concrete evidence to prove that Jiang Ling had been pushed by Lou Xinrou.

    Zhan Qipei rewound the surveince footage a bit and paused it where Lou Xinrou was lifting her hand, then spoke in a solemn voice.

    ¡°Are there any other cameras nearby?¡± he asked.

    Tang Yan shook his head, exining he had already reviewed all the surveince videos from this floor, including those from the stairwells, but only this camera captured anything useful.

    ¡°This is the only one,¡± he said.

    Zhan Nanqing was horrified by this segment of the surveince. Her heart felt like it was in her throat at the moment Jiang Ling nearly fell.

    But what concerned her even more was Lou Xinrou¡¯s action of lifting her hand¡ªwhat was she trying to do?

    Suddenly, the sound of urgent footsteps approached from behind them.

    Zhan Qipei turned around at the sound and saw a nurse running toward them.

    ¡°`

    Before Zhan Qipei could ask what happened, the nurse, panting and looking tense, pointed upstairs.

    ¡°The pregnant woman¡¯s family has caused amotion at the doorstep of Doctor Qiao¡¯s rest room. Our medical staff is trying to stop them. The family is very emotional and even threatened to smash the door, so I came to find you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression suddenly darkened, and the temperature around him seemed to drop by several tens of degrees!

    He handed the things in his hands over to Tang Yan and swiftly made his way toward the elevator.

    Just at that moment, the elevator had already ascended, and it would be some time before it came back down.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, turned around, and headed for the fire escape, going straight up to the fifth floor.

    Following behind him, Zhan Nanqing felt her legs go weak. Seeing her brother ascend without even taking a breath, she felt bitter inside.

    Just because her brother had good stamina didn¡¯t mean she did.

    ¡°Brother, wait for me¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t wait for the person behind him, heading straight to the rest room without pausing for a moment.

    Zhan Nanqing had to jog all the way to keep up with Zhan Qipei¡¯s pace until they reached the stairs to the fifth floor.

    From a distance, they could see several people blocking the doorway to the rest room. Hong Juanfang pushed past two nurses, and Liu Zheng immediately stepped forward, ready to knock on the door.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face became even more menacing. He quickly stepped forward and pped Liu Zheng¡¯s hand away.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei appear, Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng¡¯s airs diminished significantly.

    The medical staff let out a sigh of relief when they saw Zhan Qipei arrive.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei silently nodded. His eyes were as cold as ice, and he emanated a terrifying aura. His eyes, like those of a hawk, shone with an intimidating light.

    ¡°Scram.¡±

    The air pressure around him plummeted to freezing point, like the frost on an ice mountain, spreading an icy and deep aura around him.

    Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng felt an icy chill suddenly rise from their feet, making them shiver involuntarily.

    Hong Juanfang had been suppressed by Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence several times that day and dared not speak loudly anymore.

    Besides, Jiang Ling was already fine, and her grandson was safe.

    Despite the oppressive atmosphere, Liu Zheng still mustered the courage to speak.

    ¡°President Zhan, no matter what, Qiao Jing has to give us an exnation. She almost killed my wife, and she doesn¡¯t even want to apologize. That¡¯s not right, is it?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing could not stand it anymore. Standing aside, she reminded the two family members.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing, we wouldn¡¯t even know if the surgery would have been sessful. How can you turn against her?¡±

    Liu Zheng frowned, unsure of how to respond, when Hong Juanfang took over the conversation.

    ¡°One thing at a time. She did push my daughter. If it wasn¡¯t for her pushing my daughter, would all this have happened? And my grandson was even born prematurely!

    She pushed my daughter, then hypocritically helped with the surgery. Am I supposed to thank her for that?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing snorted coldly.

    ¡°Indeed, you should thank Qiao Jing.¡±

    Hong Juanfang seemed to hear the most ridiculous joke, her tone full of disdain.

    ¡°Thank her? For what? For pushing my daughter down?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, infuriated, took Tang Yan¡¯s phone directly, pulled up the surveince footage, and handed it to Liu Zheng with a not-so-pleasant tone.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing who pushed Jiang Ling down. See for yourself.¡±

    After watching the entire surveince video, the expressions on the faces of Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng changed like a palette of colors, looking several times moreplicated after watching it over and over.

 Chapter 318: 308: Lou Xinrou Gets a Lecture

    Chapter 318: Chapter 308: Lou Xinrou Gets a Lecture

    After viewing the surveince footage, Liu Zheng knew they had wronged someone, and Qiao Jing, who had been falsely used, didn¡¯t hold it against them, and even saved their mother and child.

    No matter what, the error was on their part, and they had wronged Qiao Jing for so long, even saying some harsh words.

    He returned the cellphone to Tang Yan and turned around to bow to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we misunderstood, please ask President Zhan to apologize to Doctor Qiao on our behalf, but, whether Xinrou pushed Jiang Ling or not still needs to be determined.¡±

    After watching the surveince footage, Hong Juanfang clenched her hands, feeling somewhat ashamed.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even lift a hand, didn¡¯t the old woman go too far?

    ...

    She also apologized to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I¡¯m not an unreasonable person, I misunderstood Doctor Qiao for so long. At that time, I was just too anxious, confused, and impulsive. The words I said were harsh too, when Doctor Qiao wakes up, I will definitelye and apologize in person.¡±

    After sincerely apologizing, Liu Zheng and Hong Juanfang left the resting room, no longer disturbing Qiao Jing.

    While the two were watching the surveince, Zhan Nanqing also stood by, repeatedly staring at the footage of Lou Xinrou raising her hand.

    She widened her eyes, staring intently at Lou Xinrou, her feelings extremelyplicated.

    Though it was very likely that Lou Xinrou was the one who pushed Jiang Ling, the footage could not directly prove everything.

    Zhan Nanqing still couldn¡¯t imagine that Lou Xinrou could do such a thing and was unwilling to believe that a childhood friend could be so malicious.

    They had grown up together, and Lou Xinrou¡¯s personality had always appeared as she saw it, how could she do such things¡­

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on his phone, his long eyebrows knitted like clouds of smoke, his handsome face turning cold as frost, a deeply suppressive aura continuously spreading out.

    His wife was wronged for so long, insulted with all kinds of harsh words, and she even agreed to perform surgery on Jiang Ling.

    He would not let Qiao Jing be wronged again. The sachet, Jiang Ling¡¯s matter, he would investigate each one thoroughly.

    Zhan Nanqing looked up at Zhan Qipei, the man¡¯s tense side profile and his thin lips making her realize he was angry.

    ¡°Brother, what do you n to do?¡±

    Before Zhan Qipei could reply, worried that her brother might actually take action against the Lou Family because of these incidents, she quickly added another sentence.

    ¡°Xinrou grew up with us, I know her character. Although from this angle it might seem like Xinrou pushed her, but she and Jiang Ling are good friends, why would shey a hand on her?

    Jiang Ling and Xinrou have known each other for a long time and their rtionship has always been good, how could Xinrou harm Jiang Ling without a reason? There¡¯s no motive, right?¡±

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his dark eyes, exuding an invisible oppressive feeling, and indifferently uttered three words.

    ¡°There¡¯s a motive.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing froze, slightly puzzled as she continued to ask.

    ¡°What motive?¡±

    Zhan Qipei lifted his eyes to nce at Zhan Nanqing and voiced his own suspicion.

    ¡°After pushing Jiang Ling down, she framed the me on Qiao Jing, hoping to use the Jiang and Liu families¡¯ hands to deal with Qiao Jing.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened, the guess delivering a tremendous shock to her. Her brother¡¯s words were not without reason.

    If Lou Xinrou really thought that way, how deep was her scheming? Did she not care about human life at all?

    Could this really be the gentle Lou Xinrou she remembered doing such a thing?

    But then she thought again, if Lou Xinrou could do something like the sachet incident, then wasn¡¯t pushing Jiang Ling down also possible?

    Lou Xinrou was indeed rendered terrifying by jealousy and love¡­

    Fearing what might happen if she ever became a threat to Lou Xinrou one day, Zhan Nanqing dared not continue this train of thought. Would Lou Xinrou also turn on her?

    Startled by her own ideas, Zhan Nanqing took a while to process the information before she finally spoke up.

    ¡°Brother, how are you going to deal with this?¡±

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone and saved the surveince footage.

    Curious, Zhan Nanqing stood on tiptoe in order to see the screen of her brother¡¯s phone.

    The surveince footage was to be sent to Lou Pinshu!

    Lou Xinrou, still seated in the hospital, suddenly received a phone call.

    ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lou Pinshu¡¯s tone was extremely stern as he scolded, ¡°Come back this instant!¡±

    Before Lou Xinrou could ask anything, the phone went dead with a beep.

    Why so serious? And both grandpa and my parents are here, looking rather unwell.

    Especially grandpa, I haven¡¯t done anything recently, so why is he looking at me as if he¡¯s trying to force a confession?

    ¡°Dad, Mom, Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s parents looked at her withplex expressions on their faces.

    Unable to bear seeing her daughter in such a frightened state, Mrs. Lou asked,

    ¡°Does the incident with Jiang Ling have anything to do with you?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. How did they know about this matter? Why was their information so fast?

    ¡°Mom, who told you about the incident with Jiang Ling?¡±

    Mrs. Lou¡¯s face darkened, surprised that instead of answering, Lou Xinrou was questioning her.

    Lou Pinshu¡¯s expression grew even uglier, as he stared at Lou Xinrou in silence.

    Without waiting for Mrs. Lou to answer, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face instantly changed to one of extreme grievance, as tears reddened her eyes and her voice cracked.

    ¡°Mom, are you suspecting that I pushed Jiang Ling down? Jiang Ling and I are good friends! How could I do something to her?

    How could you doubt me? I¡¯m your daughter! Don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am?¡±

    After exining herself, Lou Xinrou noticed that their expressions had not softened with her words, and their gazes remained odd, even suspicious.

    Suddenly feeling a pang in her heart, Lou Xinrou wondered why they were still looking at her that way after she had made things so clear.

    Moreover, what she said was entirely reasonable; they shouldn¡¯t doubt her any longer!

    With a stern face, Lou Pinshu took out his phone, opened the surveince footage, and ced it on the table.

    ¡°Come over and look for yourself.¡±

    This was the first sentence Lou Pinshu spoke since Lou Xinrou came home, and she was very puzzled.

    What did Grandpa want her to see?

 Chapter 319: 309 Apologizing to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 319: Chapter 309 Apologizing to Qiao Jing

    Lou Xinrou walked to the table full of doubt, and her pupils dted suddenly when she saw the footage on the phone screen!

    How could there be surveince? She had clearly checked earlier, and there were no cameras overhead.

    From this angle, it must be from the stairwell. Damn, how could she not have noticed the surveince in the stairwell?

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face turned ugly, her palms sweating profusely. She clenched her fists tightly, watching the footage of the three of them walking toward the staircase entrance.

    The surveince couldn¡¯t have captured her pushing Jiang Ling, could it?

    With this spection in mind, her heartbeat elerated. She pinched her palm to appear less scared, her eyes glued to the screen. In the footage, they were already at the entrance to the stairs.

    ...

    The angle and distance of this surveince camera were a bit off; it wasn¡¯t very clear. It shouldn¡¯t have recorded her pushing Jiang Ling¡­

    But if it hadn¡¯t recorded that, why would Grandpa be so angry?

    She bit her lip, staring intensely at the screen, only to see herself in the footage raising her hand!

    Her heart skipped a beat as she stared in disbelief at herself in the surveince video.

    How could it be? How could it possibly have captured that!!

    How did this surveince video end up with Grandpa? Who had sent it to him?

    Just at that moment!

    Her hand was blocked by Jiang Ling¡¯s body.

    The footage that followed showed Qiao Jing pulling Jiang Ling up.

    Lou Xinrou felt like she had just escaped from a hopeless predicament, experiencing a sense of rebirth from a close call.

    She took a deep breath, her breathing gradually returning to normal. Since the surveince didn¡¯t catch her in the act, she still had a chance to talk her way out of it.

    Lou Pinshu spoke in a deep voice, his expression very serious.

    ¡°You still won¡¯t admit that what happened to Jiang Ling involves you?¡±

    Tears welled up in Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes, her voice full of grievance.

    ¡°Grandpa? You¡­ do you suspect that I was the one who pushed Jiang Ling?¡±

    Lou Pinshu didn¡¯t speak but stared seriously at Lou Xinrou.

    Seeing that Lou Pinshu didn¡¯t believe her, Lou Xinrou turned to her parents, her eyes brimming with tears as she asked them.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, you don¡¯t believe me either?¡±

    Mr. and Mrs. Lou¡¯s expressions were ugly, their gaze towards Lou Xinrou filled with doubt and scrutiny.

    Lou Xinrou, stimted by the suspicion in her family¡¯s eyes, immediately burst into tears, looking as pitiable as ever, using them.

    ¡°We¡¯re family! It¡¯s fine if outsiders don¡¯t believe me, I can bear it. I thought, at the very least, my own kin would believe me, but now¡­

    Even you suspect me just like everyone else, why does everyone doubt me? I didn¡¯t push Jiang Ling, but everyone thinks I did, why?!¡±

    Lou Pinshu furrowed his brows, questioning her.

    ¡°In the surveince footage, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t lift a hand, but you did. What were you raising your hand for?¡±

    Lou Xinrou looked innocent, crying with tears streaming down her face, defending herself.

    ¡°I was just trying to get my bag that was in the direction of Jiang Ling, I truly didn¡¯t push her!¡±

    Mrs. Lou saw how Lou Xinrou cried, her heart ached for her. She faced her father¡¯s authority but still spoke up with determination.

    ¡°Dad, Xinrou was raised by me, I know best what kind of person she is, she wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Besides, the surveince didn¡¯t show her pushing Jiang Ling. Moreover, they were good friends, how could she possibly push Jiang Ling?¡±

    As she said this, Mrs. Lou looked back at Lou Xinrou, whose tears continued to flow, her eyes red and swollen.

    Mrs. Lou spoke again, her tone carrying certainty.

    ¡°Xinrou is my daughter, I gave birth to her, she isn¡¯t that kind of person, she couldn¡¯t have pushed Jiang Ling. Dad, please believe me.

    ¡°And you¡¯re not unaware of Xinrou¡¯s personality; she even gets upset over a dead stray cat by the roadside, let alone doing something that could harm others so deeply.¡±

    Lou Pinshu did not relent, his expression remaining very stern, his words carrying a deterrent force.

    ¡°The investigation into this matter will continue, and if it turns out to be Xinrou¡¯s doing, she will be dealt with ording to family rules.¡±

    As the head of the family, when he spoke to this extent, Mr. Lou and Mrs. Lou dared not say anything more.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyelids twitched as she looked fearfully at Lou Pinshu, starting to feel afraid.

    If she were to be dealt with ording to the family rules, the consequences for her would be dire¡­

    But then she thought, Brother Pei¡¯s investigation only turned up some surveince footage, which wasn¡¯t any solid evidence.

    The grandpa would definitely not find more conclusive evidence to prove that it was she who pushed Jiang Ling down the stairs.

    Lou Xinrou finally let out a sigh of relief, holding back her tears,forting herself.

    They definitely won¡¯t find out.

    In the hospital.

    Zhan Qipei quietly opened the door of the rest room with two insted containers in his hand.

    He looked towards the bed and saw Qiao Jing sitting up in bed, herplexion still somewhat pale.

    His heart ached. It had been difficult enough to nurse his wife back to health, and now these events had taken a toll on her again; he had failed in his responsibility as a husband.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze lingered on the two insted containers in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands for a second, then shifted away, looking towards the door behind him.

    ¡°Have they left?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t expect Qiao Jing to have heard the noise from outside the door. His expression changed slightly as he ced the insted containers on the bedside cab and took a stool to sit by the bed.

    ¡°Yeah, they apologized to you.¡±

    A flicker of surprise crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, her confusion evident.

    ¡°Apologized to me?¡±

    Themotion that Hong Juanfang and Liu Zheng made, it was as if they were about to tear the rest room door down, and then the voices abruptly became softer, and she couldn¡¯t hear the conversation from outside.

    But she hadn¡¯t expected those two to apologize to her. Weren¡¯t they convinced that she was the one who pushed Jiang Ling?

    Zhan Qipei opened the lids of the insted containers, releasing a rich soup aroma, and whiledling out the soup, he didn¡¯t forget to exin the situation outside to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yes, Tang Yan reviewed the surveince, you didn¡¯ty a hand on her, so they bowed and apologized, and told me to pass it on to you. Hong Juanfang said she wants to apologize to you in person once you¡¯re feeling better.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused for a moment, she had seen for herself that there were no cameras above their heads, so where did the surveince Zhan Qipei mentionede from?

    She responded lightly.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a personal apology, where is the surveince?¡±

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone, ced it in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and scooped some porridge into another bowl.

    ¡°In the footage, Lou Xinrou lifted her hand, but then Jiang Ling blocked the view, so it¡¯s unclear whether it was her who pushed.¡±

    Qiao Jing yed the surveince clip, watching it three times, each time pausing where Lou Xinrou raised her hand.

    She had also suspected that it was Lou Xinrou who pushed Jiang Ling.

    There were only the three of them at that time, and after thinking it over carefully, since Jiang Ling was a good friend, it seemed unlikely that Lou Xinrou would be that malicious.

    But after watching the footage, she felt it was very possible that Lou Xinrou was the one who pushed.

    Because Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand raising had that tendency.

    She continued to rey the surveince footage until arge hand reached over and pulled the phone from her hands.

    Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to look at Zhan Qipei, blinking her starry eyes with a hint of puzzlement.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 320: 310: Zhan Qipei Feeds Qiao Jing Soup With His Mouth

    Chapter 320: Chapter 310: Zhan Qipei Feeds Qiao Jing Soup With His Mouth

    Zhan Qipei ced his phone on the nightstand, picked up the soup, and handed it over to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°The investigation will continue, but for now, drink some soup. I had someone make it especially for you¡ªit¡¯s nutritious.¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipei holding it up like that, Qiao Jing stretched out her hand to take the bowl, knowing holding it must be tiring, but the man did not seem to have any intention of handing it over to her.

    Her hand paused, and she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei read the confusion in her eyes. He scooped up a spoonful of the hot soup, blew on it a few times, and brought it to Qiao Jing¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡±

    ...

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly. Why did he insist on feeding her?

    ¡°I¡¯m not injured.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly maintained his posture, his thin lips parting slightly.

    ¡°I know, but you¡¯re very tired now and need to rest. Just sit.¡±

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly, rubbing her brow.

    ¡°I¡¯ve recovered quite a bit. I¡¯m not so tired that I can¡¯t even hold a bowl.¡±

    Every time her health was concerned, Zhan Qipei would get as nervous as he was now, acting as though he wished to do everything for her, and she could never outstubborn him.

    Zhan Qipei remained unmoving, holding the spoon as he stared intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s lips.

    Qiao Jing reached for the edge of the bowl, trying to take it into her hands, but Zhan Qipei was gripping it firmly, making it impossible for her to take it.

    Rolling her eyes in speechlessness, her temples suddenly throbbed.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I said I can drink it myself.¡±

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, a hint of obsession shing in the depths of his dark eyes. He pursed his lips, and his uniquely deep and maic voice filled the space.

    ¡°I want to feed you.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes to Zhan Qipei, but identally met his narrow and profound gaze, feeling somewhat moved.

    ¡°Really, it¡¯s not necessary. I can drink by myself. Aren¡¯t your arms sore from holding it like that?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t helpless, nor were her hands injured. She was just a bit tired.

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly clutched the bowl, not letting Qiao Jing take it.

    Qiao Jing tried prying Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingers off the bowl, one by one. If this went on, his hand would stiffen, and the soup would get cold.

    She could take care of herself just fine.

    Finally, Zhan Qipei made a move, shifting the bowl towards himself to prevent Qiao Jing from taking it.

    Seeing how obstinate he was, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, feeling a bit angry.

    ¡°If you want to drink, you drink it. I¡¯ll make another bowl.¡±

    Zhan Qipei saw that his wife was getting angry, his expression stiffened, and he dared not continue his insistence on feeding her the soup, pushing the bowl forward.

    He had meant to give the bowl to Qiao Jing, but when he pushed it forward, he identally applied too much force, and the soup spilled onto her chest.

    ¡°I¡­ one moment, I¡¯ll find some napkins.¡±

    Watching Zhan Qipei frantically pulling out a few napkins and reaching to help wipe her clothes, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but let out a light chuckle.

    Why was he acting like a child?

    At the sound of herughter, Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements halted for a second, and it was then that his gaze inevitably settled on the wet spot on Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes.

    At that prominent ce, the fabric soaked with soup clung tightly to Qiao Jing¡¯s body.

    As he stared at that impressive area, a subtle, imperceptible desire flickered in the depths of his dark eyes,

    His mind suddenly filled with the image of Qiao Jing emerging from the swimming pool on the cruise ship that day, and the moments in the room afterward¡­

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, his gaze on Qiao Jing darkened, and it seemed as though his throat began to burn.

    He ced the tissue in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand but didn¡¯t help her wipe away the tears, afraid he might lose control if he did.

    ¡°Wipe your tears yourself, I¡¯ll go find you some clothes.¡±

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t noticed the look in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes just then; she only thought that his retreating figure, seemingly in a fluster, was a bit strange.

    ¡°There are no clothes here, just hospital gowns.¡±

    Zhan Qipei made an acknowledging sound and walked to the room¡¯s only cab. Upon opening it, he identally knocked his head against it.

    The cupboard door collided with Zhan Qipei¡¯s head, emitting a muffled thud, but he acted as if he felt nothing, staring nkly at the hospital gowns inside.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, wondering why the man suddenly seemed to have lost his soul, even bumping his head when opening a cab?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thoughts, adrift since that night on the cruise, were snapped back to the present as he took a new hospital gown from the cab and hurriedly returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Get changed, I¡¯ll step out for now.¡±

    After he closed the door of the resting room, the scent of hospital disinfectant filled Zhan Qipei¡¯s nostrils, finally cooling the fever in his heart somewhat.

    He had almost lost control¡­

    Qiao Jing, in the ward, frowned at the sight of the hospital gown.

    Everything was fine just a moment ago; how had he suddenly be like a soulless husk, even managing to bump his head while opening a cab?

    Zhan Qipei had left in such a hurry that he didn¡¯t even cover the thermos properly.

    All she could think about was not letting the soup get cold. Without giving it further thought, she covered the thermos and swiftly changed into the hospital gown.

    After changing, Qiao Jing opened the door to the resting room.

    The man¡¯s tall figure was blocking the doorway, his broad arms conveying a sense of reliability, as if they were always there to lean on.

    The hospital corridor¡¯s light cast on his side, elongating his shadow, and the dark silhouette enveloped Qiao Jing standing behind him.

    Qiao Jing watched this silhouette in silence, recalling how the man had positioned himself protectively in front of her on several asions. Her long eyshes trembled, and a surge of emotion she had never felt before filled her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei,e in and have something to eat.¡±

    The man turned around immediately upon hearing that familiar voice.

    A gust of wind from the window stirred Qiao Jing¡¯s loose hospital gown. Her somewhat pale face didn¡¯t convey fragility, but instead, ignited a protective desire in the man.

    Zhan Qipei felt a pang of heartache, a surge of wanting to hold the woman tight in his arms.

    She looked at Zhan Qipei indifferently, her beautiful phoenix eyes harboring traces of unfading exhaustion.

    Zhan Qipei thought of her slender body beneath the hospital gown, his heart wrenching as he led Qiao Jing back into the resting room.

    Having closed the door, he picked up the bowl from the table and filled it with fresh hot soup.

    ¡°Go sit on the bed. I¡¯ll feed you.¡±

    A momentary nkness crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s face. Hadn¡¯t he just dampened her clothes, and now he wanted to feed her?

    Her voice carried a tint of skepticism.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to feed me again?¡±

    She deliberately nced at her wet clothes and then set her eyes on Zhan Qipei.

    A rare hint of embarrassment appeared on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, his smoky, long eyebrows knit together, but the sight of the woman¡¯s frail appearance deepened his heartache, confirming his resolve to feed her.

    ¡°That was an ident; it won¡¯t happen again this time.¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, he quickly added another sentence.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to use a spoon, I¡¯ll feed you with my mouth.¡±

    Qiao Jing was both amused and exasperated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s brazenness, but knowing he was indeed capable of such a thing, she didn¡¯t want any more fuss and allowed the man to feed her the soup.

 Chapter 321: 311 Overwhelming Motherly Love

    Chapter 321: Chapter 311 Overwhelming Motherly Love

    The next day, after Qiao Jing got off work, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s car as usual.

    After getting into the car, she didn¡¯t stare out the window at thendscape as she normally would but instead suggested a trip to the hospital.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his long eyebrows and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the reason for going to the hospital?¡±

    Qiao Jing fastened her seatbelt and looked straight ahead.

    ¡°To get Jiang Ling a follow-up examination.¡±

    Zhan Qipei opened his mouth, wanting to tell her not to tire herself out. After just one day of rest, she was rushing to the hospital for a follow-up.

    ...

    The hospital wasn¡¯t without doctors to check on Jiang Ling, so why did his wife feel she had to be the one to examine her?

    But he knew his wife must be too anxious to leave it to others and wanted to see for herself, which is why she decided to go to the hospital.

    He watched Qiao Jing with a look of concern and eventually apanied her to the hospital.

    When Jiang Ling saw the door to the ward open and Qiao Jing walk in, she was stunned.

    Her expressionplex, she watched Qiao Jing without saying a word.

    Qiao Jing sat down next to Jiang Ling and spoke indifferently.

    ¡°Your hand.¡±

    Jiang Ling hesitated but, recalling the other¡¯s stern voice, she extended her hand, silently watching as the other took her pulse.

    Why would Qiao Jing push her down and then save her?

    She heard from the other doctors and nurses that if it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing, she probably wouldn¡¯t have survived herself.

    There¡¯s a saying ¡°physicians have benevolent hearts.¡± With Qiao Jing¡¯s exquisite medical skills and high esteem in the hospital, would she really push her down just because of a few unpleasant words?

    After taking her pulse, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and mentioned several precautions.

    ¡°You¡¯re not in serious trouble. Just keep warm, drink some strengthening tonics, and get plenty of rest.¡±

    Jiang Ling nodded her head after careful consideration. No matter what, Qiao Jing had at least saved her and her child¡¯s lives.

    She got up, intending to get out of bed to see Qiao Jing off from the ward.

    But Qiao Jing didn¡¯t leave; her gaze fell on the baby crib, where the newborn child gazed innocently around.

    The baby smacked its lips, waving its little hands in the air, itsrge eyes twinkling.

    Qiao Jing unconsciously touched her own belly, her phoenix eyes filled with a touch of tenderness. She watched the baby for a while before asking Jiang Ling,

    ¡°May I hold him?¡±

    Jiang Ling hesitated for a moment but finally agreed.

    She watched intently as Qiao Jing approached the baby crib, fearing that any carelessness might injure her child.

    But when she saw the way Qiao Jing picked up the baby, she realized she had been overanxious.

    Qiao Jing lifted the infant tenderly, her hand supporting the baby¡¯s head, gently cradling him in her arms.

    She gazed tenderly at the baby¡¯s delicate face, her eyes shining with maternal luster. She curled her lips into a soft smile.

    She reached out to gently touch the baby¡¯s face, her smile deepening.

    It seemed like the baby sensed the kindness of the person beside him and began to make babbling sounds.

    Jiang Ling watched Qiao Jing¡¯s beaming expression and was momentarily dazed.

    Was this truly the Qiao Jing she knew? The sight of that smile was almost captivating.

    She could tell that Qiao Jing liked children genuinely, not just for show. So could she really have been the one to push her down the stairs?

    Jiang Ling decided not to trouble herself with this thought and spoke up.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, was it really you who pushed me down?¡±

    Qiao Jing did not respond and gently ced the baby back into the crib.

    When she turned around, her usual indifference returned.

    ¡°Why would I push you?¡±

    With just a single sentence, Jiang Ling found all the responses she had prepared swallowing back down.

    Jiang Ling gazed at Qiao Jing¡¯s face in shock; however long she looked, she couldn¡¯t find any trace of deceit on the other¡¯s face ¡ª those indifferent eyes stared straight back at her without a hint of guilt.

    Her mind filled with doubt; if it wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing who had pushed her, then who could it be?

    All of a sudden!

    A terrifying thought dawned on Jiang Ling: could it be¡­ Lou Xinrou?!

    Before she could speak again to ask Qiao Jing, another person entered the sickroom.

    Zhan Qipei was holding a steaming cup of milk, and his dark eyes brightened when he saw Qiao Jing.

    He strode to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and handed her the hot milk.

    ¡°Drink some milk. Are you tired?¡±

    Zhan Qipei also brought over a stool and ced it next to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sit down and rest for a while.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the hot milk in front of her and reached out to ept it.

    ¡°Where did thise from?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pressed her to sit down on the chair and began to knead her shoulders, speaking in a gentle voice.

    ¡°Just went out to buy it. Drinking more milk is good for the body.¡±

    As Zhan Qipei was speaking, his gaze flicked to Qiao Jing¡¯s belly. Drinking milk was good for pregnant women; it could also provide nutrition for the baby.

    Qiao Jing nced at the hand on her shoulder, but the massage from Zhan Qipei indeed helped to relieve her fatigue, so she let the man proceed.

    However, she was puzzled, why did Zhan Qipei suddenly want her to drink milk?

    ¡°What?¡±

    It was then that Zhan Qipei realized he had nearly given himself away. He leaned in close to Qiao Jing¡¯s ear and lowered his voice.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you having trouble sleeping?¡±

    His voice, deep and maic, seemed to carry a seductive charm as it entered her ear, especially when he deliberately lowered it.

    Moreover, as Zhan Qipei spoke, his breath brushed against her neck, tickling her and causing her to slightly shrink away.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    When Qiao Jing remembered her insomnia, it seemed to make sense, but then she suddenly recalled that she should drink it before bed, shouldn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be before bed?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, thinking that he needed to change the subject quickly before he revealed too much.

    ¡°You don¡¯t necessarily have to drink it before bed. Drinking it regrly is also good for your health.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pursue the question further.

    Jiang Ling, who had been observing the whole process, felt as if she had inadvertently been showered with dog food. She was married too, but Liu Zheng had not been this thoughtful.

    She thought the two of them were quite a match. She could feel that their rtionship had reached a point that permitted no room for a third person.

    That reminded her of what Lou Xinrou told her before¡­

    The sickroom weed a few more visitors, and Jiang Ling found her room particrly lively that day.

    Several senior professors arrived, and their eyes lit up almost in unison when they saw Qiao Jing.

    The leading professor began to speak, his tone filled with reverence.

    ¡°We heard Doctor Qiao was at the hospital today, so we made a special trip. Fortunately, we caught you.¡±

    Another professor, wearing sses, chimed in.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, do you have a moment? We have some medical questions we¡¯d like to consult with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, and the emptied milk cup in her hand was taken by Zhan Qipei.

    The two of them followed the professors out of the sickroom.

    Jiang Ling was already shocked when she saw the professors. Although she was a person utterly ignorant of medicine, who had never taken an interest in it, she at least recognized the senior professors who had just entered.

    They were respected professors who had made significant contributions to the country, had featured in the news, and held in high esteem.

    Yet she heard them addressing Qiao Jing with ¡°You?¡±

    Jiang Ling¡¯s curiosity was piqued, and she sneakily made her way to the door of the sickroom, wanting to eavesdrop on what the professors were discussing with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, regarding research on human cells, we¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve conducted extensive studies. In that case¡­¡±

    The more Jiang Ling listened, the wider her eyes became. The professors all treated Qiao Jing with great respect, using honorifics, and the topics they discussed were profound.

 Chapter 322: 312: Zhan Qipei Clings to Qiao Jing Again

    Chapter 322: Chapter 312: Zhan Qipei Clings to Qiao Jing Again

    The people outside left the doorway of the hospital room, intending to continue their conversation in the conference room.

    Jiang Ling returned to the hospital bed and sat, frowning.

    During the conversation, she listened to the consideration the senior professors had for Qiao Jing. However, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t the least bit arrogant because of it.

    Furthermore, Qiao Jing spoke in a very polite tone, treated the senior professors with great respect, and answered all their questions individually.

    Someone with high status and exquisite medical skills like Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t be swayed by just a few words.

    Jiang Ling recalled how tenderly Zhan Qipei cared for Qiao Jing.

    ...

    No matter how she looked at it, it didn¡¯t seem like what Lou Xinrou had said, that Qiao Jing shamelessly clung to Zhan Qipei.

    Instead, she felt it was Zhan Qipei who doted on Qiao Jing. He regarded Qiao Jing highly.

    She initially thought Qiao Jing was the mistress, and that Lou Xinrou and Zhan Qipei were a match made in heaven, but now she reconsidered.

    Before Zhan Qipei got married, he had never been with Lou Xinrou, so where did the idea of a mistresse from?

    Moreover, she had heard that it was a marriage arranged by their parents, not something Qiao Jing had agreed to willingly.

    Looking at it this way, the situation between Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing waspletely different from what she knew.

    Jiang Ling felt mixed emotions, thinking back on all that Lou Xinrou had told her, which now seemed utterly unfounded.

    The door of the hospital room was pushed open again.

    Jiang Ling looked up and saw Lou Xinrou entering, her frown deepened.

    Lou Xinrou, seeing Jiang Ling¡¯s furrowed brow, worriedly started to ask.

    ¡°What happened? What happened? How do you feel?¡±

    Jiang Ling stared at Lou Xinrou for a long while and then shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Lou Xinrou breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Good it¡¯s nothing. I came to see how you were and even brought some soup for you to drink.¡±

    Jiang Ling nced at the vacuum sk that Lou Xinrou brought and wrestled internally.

    She hesitated for a long time before finally asking the other party.

    ¡°Was it Qiao Jing who pushed me down then?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s actions froze momentarily and her expression darkened for an instant.

    Damn it, even Jiang Ling had started suspecting that incident?

    But from her words, she must not have seen the security footage yet, or else she wouldn¡¯t be asking her that.

    After setting down the items, she sat beside Jiang Ling and took her hand, adopting a sisterly demeanor.

    ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t see clearly either, but I think she wouldn¡¯t be so petty as to push you just because of a few words. It¡¯s not likely.¡±

    Jiang Ling stared at Lou Xinrou semi-suspiciously as she continued speaking.

    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be such cruel people in the world, but don¡¯t worry, we will continue to investigate this matter. For now, have some soup.¡±

    Jiang Ling was not dumb; she could hear the implicit meaning in Lou Xinrou¡¯s words. Listening to this, it sounded like Qiao Jing had a bigger motive.

    Was it really Qiao Jing who had pushed her?

    While she pondered, images of Qiao Jing pulling her back at the stairs and helping her with surgery and postoperative checks flooded her mind.

    She became even more conflicted and suspicious. Could Qiao Jing really have pushed her?

    While the two chatted in the hospital room, someone stood outside.

    It was none other than Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing had initially nned to visit Jiang Ling but ended up hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words just then. Her face turned stern, and she did not go in.

    In the security footage, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯tid a hand on anyone. And now Lou Xinrou was still saying ¡°probably¡±?

    Zhan Nanqing stood quietly outside the door, hearing Lou Xinrou speak again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it; the fact that you¡¯re safe is all that matters.¡±

    Lou Xinrou noticed another chair on the other side of the hospital bed and asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Did someone juste by?¡±

    Jiang Ling nodded and opened the thermos.

    ¡°Yes, President Zhan and Qiao Jing were here just now.¡±

    Upon hearing they hade together, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face immediately darkened, and she suddenly felt a gaze on her.

    She knew it was Jiang Ling looking at her, and quickly reverted to her usual expression, tinged with some sadness.

    ¡°They came together? Why is Qiao Jing clinging to Brother Pei again¡­¡±

    Jiang Ling noticed the fleeting sullenness on Lou Xinrou¡¯s face, which was starkly different from her usual gentle demeanor, making her feel somewhat alienated.

    Upon hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s remark, she was stunned, and images of Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing together shed through her mind again.

    It wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing clinging to Zhan Qipei at all; it was entirely the man¡¯s unrequited advances toward the woman, nothing like what Lou Xinrou had suggested.

    The things Lou Xinrou had once told her hadpletely misled her about Qiao Jing.

    She had thought Qiao Jing was the mistress, intruding on the rtionship between Zhan Qipei and Lou Xinrou, but the reality was entirely different.

    But why would Lou Xinrou lie to her?

    Standing outside the door, Zhan Nanqing felt angry and somewhat sad after hearing this.

    Why would Lou Xinrou speak about Qiao Jing like this? It wasn¡¯t at all what she said in front of her.

    Was Lou Xinrou deliberately pretending in front of her, deceiving her?

    In her presence, Lou Xinrou would never speak so harshly, and anyone with eyes could see it was her brother who was pestering Qiao Jing.

    How did it be Qiao Jing pestering her brother when it came to Lou Xinrou?

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but feel increasingly disappointed in Lou Xinrou, continuing to listen to the conversation inside.

    Jiang Ling didn¡¯t respond to Lou Xinrou¡¯s im about Qiao Jing pestering, but instead repetitively brought up the earlier question.

    ¡°Was it really Qiao Jing who pushed me down? Did you see it?¡±

    Because she recalled a very important point that made her subconsciously think it was Qiao Jing who pushed her, she needed to verify it again with Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou hadn¡¯t expected Jiang Ling to insist on this matter, and her face showed some difort, then she feigned an innocent expression.

    ¡°Everything happened so fast at that moment, I didn¡¯t see clearly.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t outright say it was Qiao Jing who pushed Jiang Ling; that would be too deliberate.

    Jiang Ling eyed Lou Xinrou suspiciously, because she vividly remembered being pushed by Lou Xinrou, at that instant, she heard Lou Xinrou yelling.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, why did you push Jiang Ling?¡±

    Thinking of this, Jiang Ling couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t see clearly, why did you shout then, saying she pushed me?¡±

    Lou Xinrou was taken aback, her face turning ugly, as she hadn¡¯t expected there to be a w there.

    Jiang Ling, why did she have to remember that particr sentence so clearly?!

    Lou Xinrouposed herself, momentarily at a loss for how to respond to Jiang Ling, but thetter was still staring at her.

    Lou Xinrou bit her lip and gave a hesitant answer.

    ¡°At that time, just the three of us there, I saw Qiao Jing raise her hand like she was about to push you, but I couldn¡¯t see clearly.

    I also remembered our altercation in the store with her, and I subconsciously thought she did it with resentment in her heart.¡±

    Standing outside the door, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer; she was incensed, as the conversation clearly framed Qiao Jing as the culprit.

    But the surveince showed no such motion from Qiao Jing, rather it was Lou Xinrou!

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s current statement undoubtedly aimed to make Jiang Ling believe she was pushed by Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing pulled out her phone, opened the surveince app, and walked into the hospital room with a cold face.

    The two inside the room were startled by the sudden entrance of Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t even look at Lou Xinrou, but pulled out her phone.

 Chapter 323: 313: Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou Completely Fall Out

    Chapter 323: Chapter 313: Zhan Nanqing and Lou Xinrou Completely Fall Out

    She didn¡¯t rush to show the surveince to Jiang Ling, instead she stared at Lou Xinrou intently.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s tone was somewhat harsh, she felt both angry and sad, her close friend had truly disappointed her!

    ¡°Did you just tell Jiang Ling that Qiao Jing had a tendency to raise her hand?¡±

    Lou Xinrou stood frozen, looking at Zhan Nanqing. Facing the usation, her tone wasn¡¯t great either, but her words had been heard, and she couldn¡¯t im she hadn¡¯t said them.

    ¡°Nanqing, what are you trying to say?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath, but still couldn¡¯t control her emotions, her eyes filled with disappointment and anger.

    ...

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to nder Qiao Jing by saying that? Making Jiang Ling misunderstand that the person who pushed her was Qiao Jing.¡±

    Tears that Lou Xinrou forced out swirled in her eyes as she spoke emotionally.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! I just said what I saw! Nanqing, not only do you doubt me, now you¡¯re questioning me too? Are we really friends?!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing scoffed, Lou Xinrou¡¯s tears were only effective on the person she used to be when she was kept in the dark.

    Now she had seen through Lou Xinrou, these insincere tears wouldn¡¯t fool her!

    ¡°From the day you started lying to me, we were no longer friends. You know very well whether Qiao Jing made a move or not, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s voice rose significantly, and she looked at Zhan Nanqing incredulously.

    What exactly is happening? Why would Zhan Nanqing defend Qiao Jing? It seems she truly has turned her back!

    Her tone also began to sound unpleasant.

    ¡°When did I ever lie to you? Nanqing, why are you taking Qiao Jing¡¯s side? Are you and she the real friends? Does the friendship we¡¯ve grown up with since childhood pale inparison to a few months with Qiao Jing?!¡±

    Zhan Nanqingughed mockingly at herself, her so-called good friend had deceived her time and again with a hypocritical face.

    Pitifully, she had still intended to help Lou Xinrou pursue her brother. This kind of friend, she needn¡¯t bother.

    ¡°I remember clearly all the things you¡¯ve said before, aimed to drive a wedge between me and Qiao Jing. You¡¯ve deceived me enough; now you even want to deceive Jiang Ling? Hah! I can¡¯t believe I trusted you so much before.

    I¡¯m very disappointed. I thought we were friends, but you never considered me one of your own. Let¡¯s not contact each other anymore!¡±

    Lou Xinrou snorted coldly, her expression quickly darkening.

    ¡°It seems like you never considered me one of your own!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing watched as Lou Xinrou revealed her true colors, and snorted.

    Standing by, Jiang Ling was stunned after watching the two argue.

    ¡°Nanqing, why do you say Xinrou is trying to misguide me? Could it be, the person who pushed me really wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pulled out her phone, tapped the y button, and handed it to Jiang Ling.

    ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    With a puzzled look, Jiang Ling stared at the screen, and paused when she realized it was surveince footage.

    When Lou Xinrou saw Zhan Nanqing pull out her phone, her heart skipped a beat, guessing what it might be.

    Could it be the surveince footage her grandfather showed herst night?

    Her face grew increasingly uneasy, and as she tried to look at the phone screen, Zhan Nanqing blocked her view.

    After watching the entire surveince clip, Jiang Ling looked at Lou Xinrou with aplex expression.

    Lou Xinrou felt somewhat guilty,forting herself that the surveince hadn¡¯t captured her in the act, she could still exin to Jiang Ling.

    It turned out Zhan Nanqing had seen the surveince, that¡¯s why she broke off their friendship.

    It was just losing Zhan Nanqing as an assistant, she still had her most important helper.

    She believed that even if Aunt Su watched the surveince, she would definitely stand by her side.

    Jiang Ling handed the phone back to Zhan Nanqing, turned to Lou Xinrou, and though she tried to speak several times, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t linger, she walked out of the hospital room without looking back.

    Weekend.

    Zhan Nanqing moved several pots of vegetables out of her room while holding a folder.

    As she moved the vegetables downstairs, Su Manhan, justing out of her room, saw her.

    Su Manhan curiously watched Zhan Nanqing, wondering what her daughter was doing moving these items on a weekend.

    Still bringing the documents?

    She followed Zhan Nanqing all the way out of Purple Garden and saw the driver moving the vegetables her daughter had nted into the car.

    Su Manhan became even more curious, knowing that these vegetables were meant to be moved to the research institute, which wasn¡¯t even open today. Where was she moving them to?

    The car carrying Zhan Nanqing had already left, and she immediately got into another car at home.

    Following behind, Su Manhan found the route increasingly familiar.

    This direction, why did it seem like the way to Nantai Apartment?

    If Nanqing was taking these things, even if not to the research institute, she shouldn¡¯t be going to Nantai Apartment.

    Eventually, the car stopped in front of Nantai Apartment.

    When Su Manhan arrived, Zhan Nanqing was unloading the vegetables from the car, and the driver¡¯s offer to help was declined.

    She alone carried the several pots of vegetables toward the building where Qiao Jing lived.

    Following behind, Su Manhan was stunned. Were these pots of vegetables from the research institute so precious that her daughter had to carry them herself?

    She hurriedly stepped out of the car and stood at the entrance of Nantai Apartment, watching Zhan Nanqing go upstairs.

    Su Manhan stood near the door, took off her sunsses, and looked up towards Qiao Jing¡¯s home.

    After Zhan Nanqing arrived at Qiao Jing¡¯s home, she handed over the documents.

    Qiao Jing had Zhan Nanqing move the several vegetable nts to the balcony.

    From downstairs, Su Manhan saw the two of them appear on the balcony.

    She squinted her eyes, trying to see clearly what her daughter was doing.

    But the moment she saw Zhan Nanqing alone moving the vegetables to the balcony, she immediately widened her eyes and then furrowed her brows.

    Not only that, Qiao Jing was there, pointing and directing Zhan Nanqing.

    Then Zhan Nanqing picked up a watering can, began to water the nts, and, straining, shifted the pots around several times.

    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Jing said something else that Zhan Nanqing finally stopped moving them.

    Surprise was written all over Su Manhan¡¯s face. Had her daughter lost her mind? Why was she so obedient to Qiao Jing?

    And throughout the process, whatever Qiao Jing said, her daughter seemed to do automatically.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing dared to enve her daughter?!

    As soon as Su Manhan thought of this, her anger surged.

    It was enough that Qiao Jing had enticed her son away; now he dared to go further and enve her daughter? The world must be turning upside down!

    Fuming with rage, she rode the elevator directly to the door of Qiao Jing¡¯s home and knocked impatiently.

    When the door opened, she was stunned again.

    Zhan Nanqing was wearing a Hello Kitty apron, holding a bunch of vegetables in her left hand and a spat in her right, ready to cook.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Her daughter had never set foot in the kitchen from childhood and waspletely clueless about cooking, but now she was about to cook? What was going on?

    It wasn¡¯t just Nanqing, but Qipei as well. How could they have changed so much because of Qiao Jing?

    What kind of ¡°monster¡± was Qiao Jing that could bewitch people¡¯s hearts?

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t expected Su Manhan toe over, and remembering Qiao Jing¡¯s fainting incident, she was hesitant to let her mother in.

    ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡±

    Su Manhan huffed.

    ¡°How can I note?¡±

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to persuade Su Manhan to go back, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came over.

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing,e wash the vegetables.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Su Manhan, then at the vegetables in her hand, and quickly responded to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Coming,ing.¡±

    She paid no more attention to Su Manhan and hurried towards the kitchen.

 Chapter 324: 314: Su Manhan Gets Jealous of Qiao Jing

    Chapter 324: Chapter 314: Su Manhan Gets Jealous of Qiao Jing

    Su Manhan stood just outside the door, watching Zhan Nanqing rush inside, and then followed her as well.

    In the kitchen, Zhan Nanqing had already washed the vegetables and put them in a basket.

    Qiao Jing ced the vegetables on the cutting board and was just about to start chopping when Zhan Nanqing spoke up.

    ¡°Could you teach me how to cook?¡±

    She too held a kitchen knife in her hand, standing next to Qiao Jing, staring intently at the other¡¯s hands.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened instantly, looking incredulously at Zhan Nanqing.

    ...

    What? Her daughter actually wanted to learn to cook?

    Having never cooked in over twenty years and alwaysining about the kitchen smell, Zhan Nanqing was now taking the initiative to learn cooking?

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing indifferently and, seeing that she genuinely wanted to learn, brought over another cutting board.

    ¡°Wash another one, put it up here, and first watch me chop.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing cheerfully washed the vegetables and stood next to Qiao Jing.

    She watched intently as Qiao Jing chopped the vegetables, who deliberately slowed down his speed, allowing her to clearly see each step.

    The radishes Qiao Jing chopped were almost identical in shape, and the julienne potatoes were extremely fine.

    Zhan Nanqing, looking at this incredibly neat knife work, subconsciously swallowed her saliva and looked down at the radishes and potatoes on the cutting board.

    She could almost foresee the horrific condition these two vegetables would end up in under her knife.

    Qiao Jing stood by, signaling Zhan Nanqing to start chopping.

    With the first cut, Qiao Jing frowned slightly and stopped her.

    ¡°Your knife-holding posture is incorrect.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, disying an eager-to-learn attitude, immediately stepped aside.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes were nearly popping out¡ªwas this really her daughter?

    A demeanor so eager to learn was truly a rare sight!

    What sort of potion had Qiao Jing fed her two children?

    Qipei was one thing, but now even Nanqing seemedpletely swayed by Qiao Jing.

    Originally, Nanqing had been on her side; when had she switched to Qiao Jing¡¯s side?

    Su Manhan stood just outside the kitchen, staring at the two busying about inside.

    Only after they had finished cooking did she snap back to reality, washed her hands, and sat at the dining table.

    Although she disliked Qiao Jing, she had to admit, the food Qiao Jing prepared was really delicious.

    Qiao Jing had noticed Su Manhan arriving and had cooked a portion for her.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at the dishes on the table and then at her own cooking, which looked rather rough.

    She hesitated, holding the potato julienne and standing still, unsure whether to ce it on the table.

    ¡°This dish of mine¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing looked quizzically at Zhan Nanqing, who was standing rooted to the spot with a dish in her hands.

    ¡°Hmm? Put it on the table.¡±

    Oh well, if it looks bad, it looks bad.

    With that thought, Zhan Nanqing finally ced the dish on the table, which sharply contrasted with the dishes Qiao Jing had made.

    Her stir-fried vegetables looked as if they had been charred in the fire, not to mention the few chunks of potatoes within the potato julienne.

    She diverted her attention to something else because she really couldn¡¯t bear to look at the vegetables any longer.

    ¡°When did my brother¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, noise came from the door.

    Zhan Qipei was in the foyer changing shoes, smelling the delicious food with a frown.

    She didn¡¯t know she was pregnant and was still cooking.

    He quickly walked into the kitchen and, seeing Su Manhan, knitted his brows.

    ¡°Why did you cook? Didn¡¯t I say that I would do it?¡±

    As soon as Zhan Qipei walked in, he saw Su Manhan.

    ¡°Mom.¡±

    Seeing Su Manhan at home reminded him of the incident when Qiao Jing fainted.

    Su Manhan was still shocked by Zhan Qipei¡¯s mention of cooking herself; it took her a moment toe back to her senses.

    ¡°You¡¯re back,e and eat.¡±

    She mumbled to herself, wondering if her son was now responsible for cooking.

    What then was Qiao Jing doing at home?

    Qiao Jing was about to go back to the kitchen to bring out the tableware when Zhan Qipei, seeing her intention, stopped her.

    ¡°I can get it; you just sit.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing cooperated with her brother.

    ¡°Right, just leave these kinds of things to me and my brother; you just sit and wait.¡±

    Without further ado, the two of them entered the kitchen, took bowls from the cab, and didn¡¯t want to let Qiao Jing do anything.

    While eating, just as Qiao Jing was about to stand up to serve herself some soup, arge hand took the bowl from her.

    Zhan Qipei served her the soup and ced it in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had no choice but to thank him and finished the soup. When she tried to stand up to serve herself some rice, her bowl was taken again.

    This time, it wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei, but Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing held the bowl, but she didn¡¯t know how much Qiao Jing usually ate, looking slightly embarrassed, she quietly asked.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, how much rice do you eat?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could answer, Zhan Qipei took the bowl from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand and scooped three spoonfuls.

    When he ced the bowl in front of Qiao Jing, he added a remark.

    ¡°I¡¯ll serve it; only I know how much she eats.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was speechless at her brother¡¯s territorial remark.

    Really, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to steal his wife, what¡¯s with this deration of sovereignty?

    Su Manhan sat on the side, watching her children, feeling somewhat displeased.

    Why do they both treat Qiao Jing as if she¡¯s a revered ancestor?

    Just serving some rice, and they¡¯re both helping? It¡¯s not like Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t have hands.

    Even she, as their mother, had never enjoyed such treatment, so why should Qiao Jing?

    Su Manhan nced at her own empty bowl, then at Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing, realizing that neither of them intended to serve her soup.

    Her anger grew, and unseen by others, she red at Qiao Jing.

    Having sensed this gaze, Qiao Jing looked up at her briefly before concentrating on her meal again.

    In the short moment between her looking up and down, her bowl was filled with dishes.

    Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing seemed to bepeting over who could add more dishes to her bowl, continuously piling more into it.

    The rice in her bowl was already out of sight, and the dishes had piled up into a small mound.

    The corners of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly; she looked helplessly at the two of them.

    ¡°Enough, the bowl is going to overflow.¡±

    The siblings then stopped, and Zhan Qipei gazed at Qiao Jing.

    Seeing that they had stopped, Qiao Jing could finally start eating with ease, casually picking up a piece of meat and putting it into her mouth.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes flickered with displeasure¡ªthat piece of meat had been picked by Zhan Nanqing.

    How could his wife eat something ced by someone else first?

    Thinking this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s cold gaze gave Zhan Nanqing a sidelong nce.

    The air seemed filled with the sourness of an overturned vinegar jar.

    Zhan Nanqing shifted her gaze away speechlessly, as Qiao Jing had merely eaten the dish she served first.

    Was he even jealous of his sister?

    She thought her brother must have been a vinegar jar in his past life.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on a dish on the table.

    The dish was too unsightly, catching his attention immediately¡ªit definitely wasn¡¯t made by Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Who made this dish?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing immediately perked up.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    She stared at Zhan Qipei, waiting for her brother¡¯s verdict.

    Zhan Qipei knit his brows, his chopsticks never touching that dish.

    ¡°It¡¯s ugly.¡±

    His terse critique deepened the already insecure feelings of Zhan Nanqing.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s disheartened expression, Qiao Jing casually picked up a strip of potato.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s dimming eyes suddenly brightened, her face filled with expectation, waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯sment.

    Qiao Jing spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty good.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing shot a look of extreme gratitude at Qiao Jing; among those at the table, only Qiao Jing and she were willing to eat the stir-fried potato strips.

    Su Manhan sat nearby, watching the trio eat, feeling like an outsider.

 Chapter 325: 315 Lou Xinrou Sabotages Qiao Jings Dress

    Chapter 325: Chapter 315 Lou Xinrou Sabotages Qiao Jing¡¯s Dress

    But the dishes Qiao Jing made were so delicious that she had no time to contemte those maybes and what-ifs.

    If she ever kicked Qiao Jing out of the Zhan Family, she could consider hiring her as the Zhan Family¡¯s chef.

    She had thought about it before, but it was just a thought, after all, she and Qiao Jing really didn¡¯t get along.

    Besides, the daughter-inw she had in mind was Lou Xinrou.

    If Qiao Jing were to stay at home in the future, wouldn¡¯t that just add trouble for Lou Xinrou?

    Taking all these into consideration, she eventually dismissed the idea.

    ...

    Everyone finished the meal with their own thoughts.

    The next day, when Qiao Jing got home from work, she found a red, gold-embossed invitation on the living room table.

    She nced at it and saw it was an invitation to a gathering, with Zhan Qipei¡¯s name printed on it.

    Why had Zhan Qipei left the invitation here?

    Without giving it much thought, she withdrew her gaze, nning to head to the kitchen to make dinner.

    Zhan Qipei had juste out of his room and brightened at the sight of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re back? Dinner¡¯s ready.¡±

    He brought out the dishes that had been kept warm in the kitchen, one by one, and served Qiao Jing her meal.

    During the meal, Qiao Jing could feel that Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was constantly on her.

    The man wasn¡¯t even eating, just staring at her.

    Could staring at her fill his stomach?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, put down her chopsticks, and looked at the man with some confusion.

    ¡°Why are you just staring at me? Do I have something on my face?¡±

    A glint of light shed in Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes as he took advantage of the moment to pick up the invitation from the table.

    ¡°This event requires a femalepanion.¡±

    Qiao Jing cast a casual nce at the invitation, understanding Zhan Qipei¡¯s intention, but she didn¡¯t like to attend such high-profile social gatherings.

    She hesitated for a while but still declined Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes darkened, and he emphasized again.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t apany me, I¡¯ll be there alone.¡±

    Although Qiao Jing¡¯s face still wore an indifferent expression, hesitation flickered in her eyes once again.

    Zhan Qipei immediately seized upon the hesitation in her eyes and continued, his tone carrying a hint of grievance.

    ¡°Everyone else will have apanion, and I¡¯ll be the only one without one.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, a curious thought arising within her. If Zhan Qipei were arge dog, could she see his drooping ears?

    She pictured the gathering in her mind. Everyone with a partner, and Zhan Qipei standing alone on the side, looking quite pitiful.

    She looked up at Zhan Qipei but identally caught his intense, dark gaze. It was like a vortex, threatening to draw her in deeply.

    In the end, Qiao Jing nodded her agreement.

    After all, she had apanied men to gatherings more than once before.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened, making the white rice in his bowl taste much sweeter.

    He didn¡¯t actually need apanion; he just wanted Qiao Jing to be with him at all times, so much so that he wished he could tether her to his belt.

    Once he confirmed Qiao Jing would attend, he sent a message to Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan promptly contacted the chief manager of the WE private custom dress shop.

    The manager of WE, upon receiving Tang Yan¡¯s call and hearing that Zhan Qipei wanted a custom dress, was ecstatic and immediately agreed to the request.

    After all, the price Zhan Qipei was offering was the highest the shop had ever received since its opening.

    Although the wealthy in the capital liked to have their dresses custom-made at her shop, Zhan Qipei was undoubtedly the most generous.

    But what Tang Yan said next left her dumbfounded.

    ¡°President Zhan is ordering a bespoke female dress, with a waist size of¡­¡±

    Tang Yan reported the measurements Zhan Qipei had given him.

    The store manager was stunned; she had thought Zhan Qipei was ordering a suit for himself, but it turned out to be for a woman¡¯s dress?

    Who could this woman be, that President Zhan values so highly?

    ¡°Alright, our store has a treasure, a unique dress in the world. I¡¯ll take a photo and send it to you right away.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, the store manager took several pictures of the dress. Eventually, they decided on this set, and, coincidentally, its size was almost identical to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    They could pack it up and send it directly without needing to alter the size.

    Just then, new customers entered the store.

    Lou Xinrou went to WE, hoping to choose a dress to wear to a business gathering.

    She noticed that the two store assistants were huddled together discussing something and had note to greet her.

    Dissatisfied, she walked over and was about to call someone when she faintly overheard the name ¡®Zhan Qipei¡¯ and stopped in her tracks.

    She stealthily hid behind a dress and listened to the conversation of the sales assistants.

    ¡°The boss has received a big order, did you know about this?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know. The boss is over the moon, especially since it¡¯s President Zhan¡¯s order¡ªvery generous.¡±

    ¡°The important thing is that it¡¯s a female dress. I need to start packing it now to deliver tonight.¡±

    ¡°That dress was acquired by the boss directly from the chief designer in the US, and after making it, it became the store¡¯s treasure, very precious.¡±

    Jealousy raged in Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart; she knew to whom Zhan Qipei intended to give that dress.

    Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing, why is it always Qiao Jing? Why does she always have to be a thorn in my side?

    When will Qiao Jing leave Brother Pei and disappear from the world?

    And Brother Pei even bought WE¡¯s treasure for Qiao Jing¡ªthat¡¯s the work of Millette, a top US designer!

    Suddenly, two people entered the store, each holding a shopping bag.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the sales assistant? The dress size is wrong; help me exchange it.¡±

    One of the assistants immediately went over, but found that the dress wasn¡¯t in the store anymore; it was only avable in the warehouse.

    Seeing this, the assistant packing up put down the gift box under the counter and rushed out to attend to the customers, asking her colleague to find the dress.

    A smug smile curled the corners of Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouth.

    An opportunity hade!

    Taking advantage of the blind spot, she went to the counter and retrieved the dress.

    Upon seeing the full view of the dress, her eyes lit up; it was indescribably beautiful.

    But the thought of Qiao Jing wearing it made Lou Xinrou bite her teeth, clench her fists, and a malicious glint appeared in her gloomy eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted sewing tools in a drawer.

    Without hesitation, she grabbed a pair of scissors and tampered with the waist at the back of the dress.

    No one would notice anything amiss with the dress until Qiao Jing wore it and moved around.

    Then, Lou Xinrou would sit back and enjoy the show!

    Lou Xinrou ced the gift box back exactly as it was, acting as if nothing had happened, picked out a dress for herself, and left the store.

    The following evening, in the opulent hotel lobby, soft music yed as the upper echelon of the business circle attended the function.

    But Zhan Qipei, the most anticipated guest, hadn¡¯t yet appeared.

    Lou Xinrou had arrived early, her gaze fixed on the entrance, tinged with a hint of madness.

    Soon, Qiao Jing would arrive, and before long, she would be theughing stock.

    As Qiao Jing arrived at the hotel entrance wearing the open-back dress, she felt something odd about the zipper on her back.

    She furrowed her brow, taking Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm and apanying the man inside.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s furrowed brow and leaned in close to her ear, asking softly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, Zhan Qipei¡¯s warm breath tickling her neck.

 Chapter 326: 316: The Zipper Suddenly Burst Open

    Chapter 326: Chapter 316: The Zipper Suddenly Burst Open

    When the two of them made their entrance, everyone at the party simultaneously fell silent, all turning to look toward the doorway.

    Qiao Jing, arm in arm with Zhan Qipei, was wearing a pair of white high heels, and her dress featured a hem designed with sheer fabric that made her model-worthy long legs faintly visible.

    Her ivory dress also incorporated some sheer elements with a unique pattern design, featuring white roses blooming at the waist,plete with a figure-hugging silhouette that sculpted her impressive figure.

    To match her dress, she had applied light makeup, adding a touch of embellishment to her face, which was already beautiful without any.

    Zhan Qipei, feeling the weight of so many eyes on his wife, pressed his lips together thinly. When he saw the backless design of the dress, he wanted to take off his jacket and put it on Qiao Jing.

    But he felt that by covering her with the jacket, she would be like a pearl shrouded in mist, her brilliance hidden from everyone else.

    ...

    After a moment of indecision, he chose to let his wife shine, though he still somewhat discontentedly drew her a bit closer to himself.

    Qiao Jing, a bit confused, looked up at Zhan Qipei, only to see the man¡¯s taut side profile.

    What¡¯s the matter with him? Isn¡¯t he happy that I¡¯m apanying him to the event?

    It was only after they had moved further away that the crowd noticed the back of Qiao Jing¡¯s dress was backless!

    The beautiful bones of her shoulders were exposed to the air, her skin like snow, making the femalepanions in attendance blush with envy.

    People in the crowd had already started discussing.

    ¡°Wow, that looks really amazing.¡±

    ¡°The main point shouldn¡¯t be how good it looks, though, but why President Zhan¡¯spanion is Qiao Jing? Haven¡¯t they divorced yet?¡±

    ¡°President Zhan never brings a femalepanion to gatherings, not even when it¡¯s expected. And yet, today, he actually brought Qiao Jing?¡±

    ¡°Since they are here together at the gathering, they clearly haven¡¯t gotten a divorce. Based on the current situation, it¡¯s obvious how important Qiao Jing is in President Zhan¡¯s heart.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The few discussing this exchanged nces, more or less guessing the message Zhan Qipei wanted to convey.

    Lou Xinrou, standing right by these people, heard their conversation, and she red fiercely at Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful face and the other¡¯s cold demeanor, nearly driving her insane with jealousy.

    Clenching her fists tightly, her nails dug deep into her flesh, but remembering the trick she had yed, she gradually rxed her hand.

    Heh, go ahead and praise Qiao Jing all you want for now; she¡¯ll be embarrassed soon enough!

    Just a few more steps, and the zipper at the back of her dress will burst open, and the gown will fall down!

    Lou Xinrou excitedly watched Qiao Jing, eager to be the first to witness her embarrassing moment.

    Wu Xirui, sitting in a corner of the banquet sipping his drink, narrowed his peach blossom eyes when he saw Qiao Jing make an entrance, his gaze intense as he watched her.

    He swirled the ss in his hand, his eyes unwilling to leave Qiao Jing for even a second.

    Zhan Qipei noticed this piercing stare before Qiao Jing did. His eyebrows, like smoke, furrowed slightly as he traced the unadulterated gaze and located Wu Xirui.

    A shadowy chill flickered through the depths of his dark eyes.

    Upon locking eyes with Zhan Qipei, Wu Xirui arched an eyebrow and gestured with his ss slightly forward.

    Facing Wu Xirui¡¯s provocation, Zhan Qipei impassively averted his gaze, intending to take Qiao Jing to sit on a distant sofa.

    After walking a few more steps with Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing felt an increasing sense of something wrong at her back. Her instincts told her that there was a problem with her dress.

    Suddenly, a business partner approached and greeted Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°President Zhan, do you have any business deals you¡¯d like to discuss this time?¡±

    Qiao Jing recognized the business partner; he was the very deal that Zhan Qipei wanted to secure at this banquet.

    But the strange feeling at her back was a reminder that she couldn¡¯t drag this out any longer, and she steadied her steps.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the lounge first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, looking at Qiao Jing with some confusion, prepared to follow her every step of the way.

    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡±

    The business partner holding a wine ss hesitated, his face showing difficulty as he looked toward Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, rejecting Zhan Qipei. She didn¡¯t want to dy his business talks because of her.

    ¡°No need, I can go by myself.¡±

    The business partner understood that Qiao Jing was giving him an opportunity, and immediately began to engage Zhan Qipei in conversation about the cooperation.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, however, remained fixed on Qiao Jing, not listening to a single word the business partner was saying.

    Qiao Jing frowned, walking towards the lounge on her high heels¡ªa lot smaller in step this time.

    Only when Qiao Jing¡¯s figure had left his sight did Zhan Qipei withdraw his gaze and begin discussing the partnership with the business partner.

    Out of Zhan Qipei¡¯s sight, a figure followed Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing got to the lounge and closed the door, just as the zipper on the back of her dresspletely gave way, sliding off her body.

    With quick reflexes, she caught the piece of fabric at her waist, preventing the dress from slipping all the way off.

    There was a click, and the door to the lounge opened.

    Qiao Jing thought it was a public lounge and had not locked the door when she entered; the dress malfunction had been so sudden that she had not considered it would happen just as she entered the lounge.

    What she hadn¡¯t anticipated was the person entering would be Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui, upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s dress sliding down a few centimeters, revealing more of her figure as she awkwardly clutched at it, curled his lips into a smile.

    ¡°Do you need help?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, grabbing at her dress, paused briefly as she expressionlessly refused him.

    ¡°No, you go out.¡±

    Wu Xirui revealed his signature smile, his peach-blossom eyes creasing without a hint of actual merriment.

    Not only did he not leave, he even took a few steps forward.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want my help? Your current situation looks like it¡¯s not something you can handle alone, right?¡±

    Qiao Jing stood her ground, and even as Wu Xirui continued to advance, she did not take a single step back.

    The temperature around her was dropping rapidly, her voice lowered a few notches, tinged with warning.

    ¡°Get out!¡±

    Real mirth appeared on Wu Xirui¡¯s face as he took a few more steps forward, closing the distance between them.

    ¡°And what if I don¡¯t leave? Are you going to get physical with me? But it seems like you can¡¯t even protect yourself right now, right? If you make a move, your dress will just¡­¡±

    He deliberately left the sentence unfinished, his lips perpetually curled in a smirk, as he touched his chin.

    If it were regr, loose clothes, Qiao Jing could have simply tied a small knot and dealt with it.

    But the dress was a snug-fitting design with no excess fabric avable for her to make a knot.

    Wu Xirui had already walked up to Qiao Jing, reaching out his hand.

 Chapter 327: 317: Zhan Qipei Helps Qiao Jing Zip Up

    Chapter 327: Chapter 317: Zhan Qipei Helps Qiao Jing Zip Up

    This time, Qiao Jing had no choice but to take a few steps back, as coldness gradually crept into her brows and eyes.

    ¡°Wu Xirui, I¡¯m telling you onest time, get out,¡± she said.

    Her indifferent voice carried an assertiveness that brooked no arguments, her phoenix eyes coldly fixed on Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui was shaken by the aura emanating from Qiao Jing; it was the first time he had seen her angry.

    Far from being afraid, he was actually more excited, a pathological gleam shing in his peach blossom eyes.

    ¡°Do you really want to fight me? In fact, I¡¯m quite looking forward to seeing you try,¡± he said.

    ...

    He took a few steps forward again, and just as he was about to reach Qiao Jing, the door of the resting room was flung open once more.

    A tall figure strode in rapidly, quickly getting in front of Qiao Jing and grabbing Wu Xirui¡¯s hand.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was dark and terrifying, like a demon that had just crawled out of the depths of Hell, his whole body exuding a frightening presence that almost seemed to twist the surrounding space.

    He gripped Wu Xirui¡¯s hand tighter and tighter, as if he wanted to crush the other¡¯s bones.

    Wu Xirui frowned, trying to pull his hand away, but the strength of the grip made it impossible for him to break free.

    The smile faded from his face, and without hesitation, he dislocated his own hand to escape Zhan Qipei¡¯s grasp and then emotionlessly popped it back into ce.

    ¡°Oh? Why did youe here?¡± he asked.

    Zhan Qipei draped his coat over Qiao Jing and looked toward Wu Xirui with eyes as cold as frost, his body still emanating a chill air.

    ¡°Shut your mouth and get out,¡± Zhan Qipei said.

    He had felt a sense of unease in his heart when he noticed Wu Xirui¡¯s figure had disappeared from the banquet.

    So he had not hesitated to leave the partner he was conversing with and started searching for the person he was constantly thinking about.

    He had even encountered Lou Xinrou along the way but had not given her a second nce, checking every rest room one by one.

    In front of thest closed door, he quickly opened it, and the scene inside instantly set off a storm of emotions in him.

    Wu Xirui shook his hand and arched an eyebrow, ¡°The resting room is for public use; what right do you have to tell me to leave?¡±

    As it looked like the two were about to start arguing again, Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to look at Wu Xirui, her gaze cold and piercing.

    ¡°Wu Xirui, I gave you ast chance, in the future¡ª¡±

    Wu Xirui knew what Qiao Jing was about to say and cut her off prematurely.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave now. And don¡¯t say anything about not seeking you out, you¡¯re the only one who can cure my ailment,¡± he said.

    When Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t looking at him anymore, he didn¡¯t forget to cast an ambiguous nce her way, which Zhan Qipei took inpletely.

    Consequently, Wu Xirui left the resting room.

    The oppressive air in the resting room finally eased, and the somber expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face softened into its usual gentleness the moment he turned to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Is there a problem with your clothes?¡± he asked.

    Qiao Jing, draped in the coat that was filled with a man¡¯s scent, enveloping her, paused upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s question.

    She had thought Zhan Qipei would ask why Wu Xirui was with her or something simr, but when she heard his question, which only concerned her, the coldness that had not yet faded from her eyes and brows quickly dissipated.

    ¡°Mhm, the zipper broke,¡± she replied.

    She hesitated, and even though Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t asked, she still went ahead and exined the situation with Wu Xirui.

    ¡°This is a public resting room; I didn¡¯t lock the door. The clothes broke suddenly, and Wu Xirui, he¡­¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish, she swallowed her words upon looking into Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, which were filled with trust.

    Somehow, at some point, they had reached a rtionship where they no longer relied solely on words to trust each other.

    Zhan Qipei had Qiao Jing turn around and ced the coat aside.

    The woman¡¯s smooth and delicate skin was exposed to the air, with beautiful curves gracing her vicle. Under the warm yellow light, it gleamed with an enticing luster.

    This caused Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind to run wild, especially given the faint fragrance emanating from the woman¡¯s body. This scent was addictive like poppies, evoking memories of that night.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice suddenly came through.

    ¡°Can you still pull up the zipper?¡±

    Zhan Qipei snapped back to reality, hurriedly responded with an ¡°mm-hmm¡±, suppressed the restlessness in his heart, and reached out to help Qiao Jing with her zipper.

    The thread around the zipper had inexplicably broken, causing the zipper to slide to the bottom, but fortunately, it wasn¡¯t damaged.

    ¡°The zipper¡¯s not broken¡ªit can be pulled up. Let me help you.¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment. It was inconvenient for her to pull the zipper up herself, and among the people at the banquet, nobody seemed avable to help her other than Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Only then did Zhan Qipei start to grasp Qiao Jing¡¯s zipper, attempting to pull it up.

    Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation as the man¡¯s fingers, rough with calluses, asionally brushed against her back.

    Even though the contact was idental, her back felt scorching hot, as if the temperature of the skin where his fingertips touched was gradually rising.

    Although she had her back turned to Zhan Qipei, the presence of his hands was dominant, making it impossible to ignore.

    Qiao Jing felt an abrupt throb at her temple and asked.

    ¡°Is it done?¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows as the zipper caught at intervals. He had to pull it down repeatedly, trying again and again to pull it up.

    ¡°No, the zipper¡¯s stuck a bit.¡±

    During his movements, Qiao Jing felt the tingling sensation on her back intensify and couldn¡¯t help but urge him.

    ¡°Hurry up, please.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, too, was growing impatient. His otherrge hand rested on Qiao Jing¡¯s exposed shoulder, bringing his face even closer to her back.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s light scent filled his nostrils. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed twice, feeling dry in his mouth and throat, and he forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand, continuing to try to pull the zipper up.

    But he was unaware that the steady warmth from his palm and the heat from his breath on her back only made Qiao Jing furrow her brows even tighter.

    ¡°Your hand¡ª¡±

    ¡°Done.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pulled the zipper up again, and this time it slid smoothly to the top.

    As the man moved away from her back, Qiao Jing let out a sigh of relief, only to feel his familiar scent approach her again.

    Zhan Qipei draped his coat over Qiao Jing once more, even fastening the buttons for her, wrapping her up snug and secure.

    ¡°Although the zipper is up, to prevent it froming undone again, it¡¯s better to keep the coat on.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in agreement, not minding the precaution as she prepared to leave the rest room with Zhan Qipei.

    No sooner had she taken a step than she staggered forward, her legs numb from standing for so long. She lost her bnce and fell toward Zhan Qipei.

    With a thud.

    Both of them tumbled to the ground, and when Zhan Qipei¡¯s back hit the floor, a dull sound echoed.

    Qiao Jing, lying on Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest, heard the man¡¯s solid and strong heartbeat speeding up.

    Worried about crushing him, she propped herself on his body, trying to stand up, but suddenly Zhan Qipei let out a muffled grunt.

    Which made her freeze in her actions.

 Chapter 328: 318: Anxiously Protecting Qiao Jings Belly

    Chapter 328: Chapter 318: Anxiously Protecting Qiao Jing¡¯s Belly

    Qiao Jing asked with some concern.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    She was worried she had crushed Zhan Qipei and didn¡¯t dare to move an inch, remaining in that posture without budging.

    But she suddenly noticed that her stomach was being cradled by a pair ofrge hands.

    When Qiao Jing fell, Zhan Qipei¡¯s first reaction was to protect her belly, fearing that the fall would affect the baby.

    His gaze fixed anxiously on Qiao Jing, he asked in a worried tone.

    ...

    ¡°Did you hurt yourself anywhere? Are you ufortable in any way? You get up first, and I¡¯ll help you sit down and rest a bit.¡±

    This time was different from before, as Qiao Jing was pregnant, and the worry in his heart outweighed the stirrings of any other thoughts he might have had.

    He carefully helped Qiao Jing to her feet, his face tense as he guided her to sit on the soft sofa.

    Qiao Jing eyed Zhan Qipei with some suspicion.

    Why had he protected her belly when she fell?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but why did you put your hand on my stomach earlier?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heartbeat missed a beat, a flicker of panic briefly shed in his dark eyes, but he quickly concealed this fleeting emotion.

    He had to pretend to be natural in front of Qiao Jing, otherwise the woman might notice something was amiss.

    ¡°I wanted to protect your waist to lessen the impact, considering you were just discharged from the hospital not too long ago and had overexerted yourself the other day, I was worried about you overstraining yourself.¡±

    The man¡¯s exnation was quite usible, and the fact that she was pregnant had been very well concealed, so it was unlikely that Zhan Qipei would discover it.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing then dispelled her doubts, withdrew her suspicious gaze, and not wanting to waste any more time, she got up and left the resting room with Zhan Qipei.

    Lou Xinrou, whose clothes had remained intact despite Qiao Jing being gone for so long, followed them into the resting room.

    But Wu Xirui was even faster; seeing that the door to the resting room was closed, she didn¡¯t dare to barge in recklessly.

    Soon after, she saw Brother Pei enter as well, and she anxiously paced outside the resting room door.

    Wu Xirui hade out, but what was Brother Pei doing inside?

    Could it be that Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes had torn and she couldn¡¯t leave?

    That would be perfect! Even if Qiao Jing was hiding in the resting room now, she would definitely have toe out eventually.

    When Qiao Jing dide out, everyone would be able to witness her embarrassing state!

    While she was thinking this, footsteps approached from behind.

    Lou Xinrou quickly turned around and saw Qiao Jing, draped in Zhan Qipei¡¯s coat, walking out of the resting room with him towards the center of the banquet.

    Her dark gaze pierced sharply at Qiao Jing, as if trying to bore holes through her.

    Why was she wearing Brother Pei¡¯s suit jacket?!

    It must be because her clothes were torn, but with Brother Pei¡¯s jacket on, no one could see her embarrassment.

    Also, what exactly had happened inside? Why did Wu Xiruie out with such a somber face?

    By now, Qiao Jing had returned to the center of the banquet with Zhan Qipei, finding a spot to sit down.

    Zhan Qipei wanted to get some food for Qiao Jing, but she refused him, and just then a business partner approached, wishing to continue talking about cooperation.

    Qiao Jing directly told Zhan Qipei to go on with his own business.

    She subconsciously reached for a bottle of red wine to drink, then suddenly remembering she was pregnant, she opted for a bottle of orange juice instead.

    When Wu Xirui saw the coat on Qiao Jing, his eyes darkened for a moment, and he lifted his foot as if to walk over to her.

    Qiao Jing noticed Wu Xirui¡¯s move and gave him an icy stare, full of warning.

    Although Wu Xirui really wanted to stir up trouble with Zhan Qipei, thinking about what had just happened in the resting room and that Qiao Jing was still angry, he couldn¡¯t provoke her further.

    He had no choice but to give up the idea of approaching Qiao Jing and went back to his seat to sit down.

    Meanwhile, Lou Xinrou, not far from Qiao Jing, was staring at her, contemting moving a few steps forward to yank off that jacket.

    By the end of the banquet, Qiao Jing¡¯s gown had yet to yield the result that Lou Xinrou desired.

    She watched the retreating figures of Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing, her heart itching with jealousy. If not this time, then there would be a next.

    She refused to believe that Qiao Jing could dodge it every time!

    The next day, at noon.

    Qiao Jing nned to visit Wonderful Hall but bumped into several acquaintances near the entrance.

    Without giving them another look, she withdrew her gaze and intended to walk straight into Wonderful Hall, but a voice halted her.

    ¡°Wait! Qiao Jing?¡±

    Qiao Licheng, along with Jhiang Cuifeng and Qiao Mengtong, quickened their pace to reach the entrance.

    The sight of Qiao Jing¡¯s aloof demeanor instantly ignited his anger.

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, maintaining a distance from Qiao Licheng, and regarded them coolly.

    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±

    Qiao Licheng snorted and pushed Mengtong forward a few steps, with her chin held high and a tone full of disdain.

    ¡°What are you doing here? This is an area for high spending, and you¡¯ve been kicked out by the Zhan Family. How dare youe here? Could it be you have the money to spend here?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly arched her delicate eyebrows and stood aside with her arms folded, without taking a stance.

    A look of disdain filled the wrinkled face of Jhiang Cuifeng, who rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing, continuing with Qiao Licheng¡¯s words.

    ¡°Ha! A country bumpkin like you dares to spend here? As a divorcee from President Zhan, you¡¯re nothing, and you still have the nerve toe here? Moreover, you¡¯re thinking of entering Wonderful Hall?¡±

    While they spoke, they didn¡¯t notice the peculiar expression on Mengtong¡¯s face. She seemed somewhat guilty as she nced at the two.

    She had witnessed Zhan Qipei personally picking up Qiao Jing at the set, so they were definitely still together.

    And with Zhan Qipei cing such importance on Qiao Jing, how could they possibly be divorced?

    She did not tell Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng about it, fearing that like before, they would look to Qiao Jing for support.

    She did not want them to focus more on Qiao Jing and neglect her.

    After all, the status of Mrs. Zhanpared to her, a D-list celebrity, was like heaven and earth.

    If they knew Qiao Jing was still the Mrs. Zhan, they would surely fawn over Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked at them indifferently, her voice steady as she countered their question.

    ¡°Does the Qiao Family have the money to spend here now?¡±

    Qiao Licheng choked on her words, but he quickly steadied his mindset andughed smugly.

    ¡°Our Mengtong is now a big star. The family¡¯s loaded. You actually yed the high and mighty when we asked for your help, do you regret not helping us now?

    If you had helped us back then, maybe I would have given you some money to spend back in the countryside.¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng scoffed coldly, her eyes ring at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless to regret. I¡¯m not letting this bumpkin get close to us. Someone like you isn¡¯t even fit to carry Mengtong¡¯s shoes! You better roll back to your vige.¡±

    Unruffled, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes watched the duo performing their act.

    Qiao Licheng saw Qiao Jing maintaining her usual lofty demeanor and was so irritated his teeth itched. He consoled himself.

    Though Qiao Jing looked expressionless, she must be envious inside!

    After all, she was going to be a country bumpkin again while they were still rich. How could Qiao Jing not be envious of them?

    ¡°We¡¯ve bought back our family¡¯s vi, that must annoy you, right? And as for the position of Mrs. Zhan, you merely experienced it for a hundred days.

    On the contrary, Mengtong is fancied by the Zhan brothers. In no time, she¡¯ll be Mrs. Zhan herself, but for a lifetime, unlike your temporary gig!¡±

    Thinking of the behavior of the Zhan brothers, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, Qiao Jing scoffed.

    ¡°She¡¯ll never be Mrs. Zhan in your lifetime.¡±

 Chapter 329: 319: Counterattack

    Chapter 329: Chapter 319: Counterattack

    Jhiang Cuifeng knitted her brows then arrogantly raised her chin to speak in a condescending tone.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just jealous, jealous that Mengtong is Mrs. Zhan of the Zhan Family, while you are just a bumpkin from the countryside. You even thought about going to Wonderful Hall just now, not even considering if you¡¯re worthy!¡±

    Qiao Licheng looked toward the entrance of Wonderful Hall, then nced at Qiao Jing, and burst intoughter.

    ¡°You want to enter Wonderful Hall? Haha, don¡¯t tell me you came here to seek treatment from Master Zhou, you won¡¯t get an appointment. Give it up, Master Zhou is the close disciple of Divine Doctor Jing, it requires an appointment to see him.

    And do you think you can just easily get an appointment like it¡¯s a hospital? Let me tell you, without connections, you can¡¯t even get on the list. Mengtong has contacts in the entertainment industry, she got us an appointment right away. By any chance, do you have connections?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at them both with a gaze as if watching a ludicrous clown, remaining silent.

    ...

    Seeing Qiao Jing still silent, Qiao Licheng believed that the other party felt inferior and continued proudly.

    ¡°Do you still think you have the ability to treat Grandma? Before, it was just your good luck that identally improved Grandma¡¯s condition. Now that we have Master Zhou¡¯s appointment, we don¡¯t need your terribly poor medical skills anymore.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked expressionlessly at the two of them and dropped a remark.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need connections, and I won¡¯t help her with treatment.¡±

    She left abruptly without hesitation.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, Qiao Licheng felt infuriated but began to doubt whether his words really affected her.

    Since Qiao Jing said nothing, he felt like punching cotton, utterly unsatisfying.

    ¡°Where are you going? You really want to enter Wonderful Hall? Do you even qualify?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong watched the two continuously belittling Qiao Jing and couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted, looking at her with scorn.

    Bystanders stopped to watch what was happening around them.

    Displeased by Qiao Licheng¡¯s harsh words, a passerbymented.

    ¡°How could these two speak so harshly? What did the young girl ever do to them?¡±

    With one person speaking out, other passersby joined in.

    ¡°Yeah, the young girl looks quite pitiful all by herself, being spoken to so harshly by these two must feel awful.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand how they could say such things.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Licheng, seeing everyone criticizing him, immediately began to defend himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that we are speaking harshly, but I have raised an ingrate at home. Our family had financial problems, Grandma has a heart condition, and once she flew to the higher branch like a phoenix, she refused to help us.

    Not only did she never support her parents, she was even reluctant to pay for Grandma¡¯s medical bills, nearly leading to Grandma¡¯s death.¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng clutched her chest, supporting Qiao Licheng¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t understand, she¡¯s just a rebellious and unfilial daughter. She won¡¯t provide living expenses, let alone our medical bills ¡­¡±

    At this point, she put on a pitiful face.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my granddaughter earning some money, I might have died due to ack of medical funds.¡±

    The passersby who had been defending Qiao Jing suddenly looked at her with weird, disgusted expressions.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what it was, I regret speaking up for her. How could there be such unfilial children in the world?!¡±

    ¡°If I had such children, I would have strangled them to death long ago, what a waste raising her.¡±

    ¡°Humph, such people don¡¯t deserve to live in this world! Can¡¯t even spare money for medical expenses.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    All the harsh words swiftly shifted onto Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Licheng revealed a smug smile, satisfied with the insults hurled at Qiao Jing from the passersby.

    ¡°Letting you oppose us, now everyone is cursing you, you must feel terrible inside, right?¡±

    ¡°You deserve it!¡±

    ¡°Who asked you to be so defiant and unfilial!¡±

    Qiao Jing hardly paid them any attention, considering talking with such people a waste of breath. She was just about to walk into Wonderful Hall when Zhou Fu, furious, came out from inside.

    Upon seeing Zhou Fu, Qiao Licheng immediately switched to a ttering demeanor, walking to the entrance with Jhiang Cuifeng in tow.

    ¡°Master Zhou! We¡¯ve long heard of your exquisite medical skills and went through connections to get an appointment, we are the ones scheduled for a visit today, no need for you toe out and greet us.¡±

    Upon seeing Zhou Fu, Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s eyes brightened and she started speaking obsequiously.

    ¡°Yes, Master Zhou, no need to trouble yourself toe out¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she saw that Zhou Fu didn¡¯t spare them an extra nce, walked past them, and headed towards Qiao Jing.

    She watched Zhou Fu, astonished, thinking he had mistaken someone else for her.

    ¡°Master Zhou, we are the ones with the appointment, you¡¯ve got the wrong¡ª¡±

    Jhiang Cuifeng¡¯s remarks were cut off again.

    Zhou Fu approached Qiao Jing with utmost respect, even bowing slightly.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯ve arrived, why didn¡¯t you notify me in advance? If I had known you wereing, I definitely would have prepared some tea for you to drink ande out to greet you.¡±

    His words shocked everyone indescribably, especially the three members of Qiao Licheng¡¯s party; their mouths agape, almost able to fit an egg.

    Why is Master Zhou so polite to Qiao Jing?

    Qiao Jing is just a viger, how could she receive such respectful treatment from Master Zhou, even having tea prepared and personally greeted?

    The bystanders were also astonished as they looked at Qiao Jing, and suddenly, someone raised a doubt.

    ¡°Why would Master Zhou be so courteous to this unfilial person who does not support her parents?¡±

    This utterance ignited Zhou Fu¡¯s fury. While inside Wonderful Hall, he had heard some noise.

    He originally wanted to go out to check the situation, only to discover that the focus was on Qiao Jing, everyone using his master.

    Especially the words spoken by Qiao Licheng¡¯s family, which made his fury sky-rocket.

    How dare these people utter such shameless words?

    Moreover, his master¡¯s medical skills are unparalleled, and Qiao Licheng dares to say Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills are terrible?!

    And what right do the people on the streets have to casually judge his master?!

    Zhou Fu¡¯s temperament red out of control, his respectful smile disappearing as he could no longer hold back his profanity.

    ¡°You know nothing! Right after Miss Qiao was born, she was abandoned by these people, no, they¡¯re not people, they¡¯re beasts!

    The moment Miss Qiao was born, they threw her into the snow, almost dead, and now they still have the audacity to use and bite back?¡±

    His words left the bystanders sighing incessantly, turning their nces towards Qiao Licheng¡¯s trio upon learning the truth.

    They hadn¡¯t anticipated the truth to be like this, having just used Qiao Jing.

    Zhou Fu initially intended to take Qiao Jing inside but then, suddenly remembering something, he turned around and yelled at Qiao Licheng.

    ¡°Your appointment is canceled; I will not treat you. From today onwards, you are not allowed even half a step into any of the Wonderful Hall¡¯s branches, and furthermore, Wonderful Hall has no ¡®threshold¡¯ for Miss Qiao!¡±

    He deliberately emphasized the word ¡®threshold¡¯.

    Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes widened, disbelievingly staring at Zhou Fu.

    This statement was just said by him about Qiao Jing, and now Zhou Fu had singled it out, unmistakably pping him in the face!

    He hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Fu to know Qiao Jing and be aware of these issues, much less that he would unreservedly speak out in public.

 Chapter 330: 320: Teaching Zhan Qipei How to Make Buns Hands-On

    Chapter 330: Chapter 320: Teaching Zhan Qipei How to Make Buns Hands-On

    This caused the passersby¡¯s looks at Qiao Licheng and his group to be incredibly strange, mixed with disdain.

    ¡°So the truth of the matter is like this, look at their faces, they even dared to pretend to be pitiful just now.¡±

    ¡°We really wronged that poor girl, the truly vile people were these individuals.¡±

    ¡°They even dared to use first! They made us misunderstand, having such parents is really unlucky. If it were me, I would have arrested them and taken them to court already!¡±

    ¡°How can they still have the face to stand here? They think I have no temper, right? I¡¯m going to take a picture now and expose you¡­¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, upon hearing the word ¡®expose,¡¯ was frightened, clutching Qiao Licheng¡¯s arm.

    ...

    She was a big star now, she couldn¡¯t be exposed, as that would cause her to lose fans!

    ¡°Dad, Grandma, let¡¯s leave quickly, they¡¯re going to take photos soon, and I will be recognized online!¡±

    Qiao Licheng and Jhiang Cuifeng gritted their teeth and dejectedly followed Qiao Mengtong away.

    Qiao Jing watched Zhou Fu¡¯s indignant demeanor somewhat helplessly, she hadn¡¯t taken those earlierments to heart and was ready to directly enter the store, ignoring them further.

    ¡°I came to get some ingredients to make a nourishing soup.¡±

    Zhou Fu acknowledged with a sound, quickly picked out a few medicinal herbs, packed them, and handed them to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Master, are you feeling unwell? I will find some more for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, stopping Zhou Fu.

    ¡°No need, this is for cooking for the director to drink. Today is the thirtieth anniversary of the Angel Welfare Institute, so I¡¯m making some soup for them to drink.¡±

    Zhou Fu suddenlyprehended and nodded his head, seeing Qiao Jing off from Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing took a taxi directly to the welfare institute and when she arrived at the entrance, she saw the high-hanging celebration banner.

    ¡°Wishing Angel Welfare Institute a Happy Thirtieth Anniversary! May the children grow up safely!¡±

    Usually expressionless, a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

    As she walked into the welfare institute, several tiny figures ran towards her.

    And soon, there were a few ¡®little sandbags¡¯ hanging on Qiao Jing¡¯s legs.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, we missed you so much.¡±

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Sister Qiao, I missed you too! This is a flower I picked for you.¡±

    The little girl who said this was holding several wildflowers she had picked from somewhere, holding them up high, wanting Qiao Jing to ept her gift.

    Qiao Jing smiled and epted the little girl¡¯s flowers.

    ¡°Thank you, I missed you all too.¡±

    The little girls immediately giggled, surrounding and unwilling to leave Sister Qiao.

    A few boys who were a bit farther away, shyly walked over.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I¡­ we missed you too.¡±

    In their hands, they each held several letters, which they handed to Qiao Jing.

    The envelopes bore their childish, adorable handwriting, although a bit nted and twisted, it was still clear what they had written.

    ¡°Thank you all.¡±

    Qiao Jing epted them all, tousled their little heads, and walked into the welfare institute¡¯s kitchen.

    Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan were already busy inside, she ced the medicinal ingredients on the table, and the received gifts were carefully stored in a drawer, nning to take them home when leaving.

    The moment Lin Xiuxiang turned around and saw Qiao Jing, her eyes immediately lit up, and she instinctively ran over to her, opening her arms for a hug.

    Suddenly remembering her hands were covered in flour, she promptly halted,ughing as she said.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, you¡¯re here!¡±

    Tang Yan also greeted Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao.¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and lightly hummed a response, then expertly started unpacking the medicinal ingredients.

    The pot held the chopped ribs as she poured in the herbs and adjusted the fire before moving to Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s side.

    Without waiting for the other to react, Qiao Jing opened her arms and gave Lin Xiuxiang a hug.

    She did this to ensure Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s embrace wasn¡¯t left empty.

    Fearing she might dirty Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes, Lin Xiuxiang immediately backed her flour-covered hands away, chuckling softly.

    ¡°I knew Qiao Qiao would hug me.¡±

    Qiao Jing let go of Lin Xiuxiang and burst intoughter upon seeing the flour on her face.

    After wiping the flour off her face, she made a teasing remark.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the little ¡®flower cat¡¯ look?¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lin Xiuxiang disyed a troubled expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a little flower cat at all, it just got on me identally. I¡¯m trying to make buns, but they all turn out looking quite bad.¡±

    The kitchen door opened again as Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure appeared at the doorway.

    Qiao Jing was surprised, she had told him about her participation in the anniversary celebration, but he had not mentioneding along.

    Why did he suddenly show up today?

    Zhan Qipei, his hands carrying two bags of minced meat, showed a tender look in his eyes upon seeing Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I wanted to surprise you,¡± he said.

    He ced the minced meat on the table, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and prepared to make buns with Lin Xiuxiang and the others.

    Qiao Jing acknowledged with a word as all four of them stood at the table, starting to knead the dough.

    Five minutester, there were already fifteen buns in front of Qiao Jing, not only stuffed full of meat but also quite dainty.

    In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the buns in front of Zhan Qipei; the man had only made four.

    And they looked particrly¡­ odd.

    Qiao Jing sighed in resignation.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, watch me make one,¡± she said.

    The man called out immediately looked up, his eyes sparkling as he watched Qiao Jing.

    Hearing this, Lin Xiuxiang too wanted to learn, and stared intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s hands as she made the buns.

    Qiao Jing slowed her hands, making one in front of everyone.

    Lin Xiuxiang, as if enlightened, made some buns that looked quite simr to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    Although not as good as Qiao Jing¡¯s, they were certainly much better looking than her previous attempts.

    Seeing his wife had learned, Tang Yan immediately moved next to her, asking Lin Xiuxiang to teach him one-on-one.

    Zhan Qipei also tried making one following Qiao Jing¡¯s method, but it still turned out the same as before, quite unrecognizable.

    Such buns, if steamed, would surely expose the filling.

    He furrowed his long brows, feigning confusion, and moved next to Qiao Jing, holding her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try making one with your hand guiding me, let¡¯s see where I went wrong,¡± he suggested.

    This request made it impossible for Qiao Jing to refuse; she let him lead her hand as they began to make the bun.

    While she was concentrating on the bun, she was distracted by watching hisrge hand cradle hers, moving it rhythmically.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face remained calm as usual, but beneath her phoenix eyes, a hint of emotion stirred.

    She could feel the calluses on Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingertips asionally grazing her knuckles, stirring a strange feeling within her.

    Just as she thought about pulling her hand back, Zhan Qipei let go.

    He arched his brows, wispy as mist.

    ¡°I still haven¡¯t got it,¡± he said.

 Chapter 331: 321 Lin Xiuxiang is Pregnant

    Chapter 331: Chapter 321 Lin Xiuxiang is Pregnant

    Qiao Jing stared at the odd-looking item on the cutting board, the corners of her mouth twitching imperceptibly.

    She had already slowed down the pace so that he could clearly see each step, yet the result of Zhan Qipei¡¯s efforts was too tragic for words¡­

    She had no choice but to hold Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand and start to teach him how to knead the dough.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s slender hands, which could only cover half of his, but the soft touch was very satisfying to him.

    Tang Yan, standing to the side, widened his eyes when he heard Zhan Qipei im he couldn¡¯t learn.

    He looked down at the bun he had wrapped, then at the shapeless thing Zhan Qipei had made, and mumbled to himself.

    ...

    His boss learned things fast, and it was just a bun¡ªhow could he not learn it?

    It must be an act!

    Tang Yan withdrew his gaze, realizing that they were married people, and he could guess what the boss had in mind.

    It was nothing more than wanting to have more contact with Miss Qiao.

    He shifted his feet and sidled up to Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang suddenly felt her vision blur and a throbbing pain at her temples. Just as she was about to take a sip of water, she lost control and fell backward.

    Tang Yan caught a glimpse of her falling figure in the corner of his eye, his eyes widening as he quickly stepped forward, steadying Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Xiangxiang!¡±

    But Lin Xiuxiang had already slipped into a brief faint and couldn¡¯t respond to Tang Yan.

    The incident happened so suddenly that Qiao Jing, seeing Lin Xiuxiang faint, had her eyes flicker and her face filled with concern.

    She couldn¡¯t care less about the flour on her hands, she wiped them hastily on her clothes and hurried to Tang Yan¡¯s side.

    ¡°Xiangxiang?! Help her to the bed to lie down!¡±

    Tang Yan immediately picked Lin Xiuxiang up, carefullyid her on the bed, his tone filled with anxiety.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I¡¯m going to call an ambnce.¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped him and ced her finger tips on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s pulse.

    Waiting for an ambnce would be toote.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and remained silent.

    Tang Yan, on the other hand, was looking at Qiao Jing worriedly, as if his breath was about to stop.

    In his rush, he had forgotten that Miss Qiao was Divine Doctor Jing.

    Without Qiao Jing speaking, he didn¡¯t dare to disturb her, pacing anxiously in ce.

    Secondster, Qiao Jing moved her hand away from Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s arm, the worry in her eyes vanishing, reced with astonishment and joy.

    She was going to be an aunt!

    ¡°Xiangxiang is pregnant. She fainted just now due to overexertion. Let her rest for a few days.¡±

    Hearing this news, Tang Yan¡¯s eyes opened wide in shock, his concern instantly turning to ecstatic joy, and he began to babble.

    ¡°Really? Really? Xiangxiang is pregnant? How did I not notice, I am really¡­ Xiangxiang didn¡¯t mention the pregnancy, maybe she doesn¡¯t know either?¡±

    Qiao Jing stood up, making room for Tang Yan, then gave him a few instructions.

    ¡°Yes, the child is not even a month old yet, Xiangxiang probably doesn¡¯t know she is pregnant either. From today on, you need to take good care of Xiangxiang and not let her overwork herself.¡±

    Tang Yan nodded eagerly, his eyes filled with anticipation.

    ¡°I know, I know! Miss Qiao, don¡¯t worry at all!!¡±

    He gazed incredulously at Lin Xiuxiang, took a few steps forward, and sat by the bed.

    After looking at Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s belly for a long while, he carefully lifted his hand and gently touched her lower abdomen.

    Tang Yan turned his head back excitedly.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m going to be a father! Miss Qiao, are there any other precautions? Besides avoiding exertion, what should I prepare to nourish her body?¡±

    Mid-sentence, a question sprang to his mind, and he took a tentative look at Zhan Qipei.

    Previously, when he was with Xiangxiang, he had felt that the boss¡¯s eyes were a bit odd when he saw the two of them together.

    Now that he was about to be a father, and yet the boss and Miss Qiao had made no progress.

    His boss might think he was showing off, and then hold a grudge against him.

    No, no, can¡¯t mention this in front of the boss anymore. Better to keep my distance from him; otherwise, I might not be able to keep my job.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond to Tang Yan¡¯sment. He raised an eyebrow, what was there to talk to him about?

    He had already be a father, and not just to one child but three!

    Tang Yan had just be a father, far too slow inparison.

    Thinking this, he proudly nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly and couldn¡¯t help the corners of his mouth from curling up, almost wishing he could walk over and touch the woman¡¯s stomach right then.

    But now was not the time.

    Tang Yan felt his boss¡¯s gaze was a bit strange. Why was he staring at Miss Qiao¡¯s belly?

    But staring at Miss Qiao¡¯s belly wouldn¡¯t do any good; he couldn¡¯t stare a child into existence.

    In order to keep his job, he silently shifted his gaze and focused intently on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s belly.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, can Xiuxiang drink the soup you made?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, joy in her eyes as she seriously instructed a few points.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly what she needs to nourish her body. Also, make sure she doesn¡¯t eat anything cold, avoids overworking, and buy some prenatal milk powder and folic acid pills to keep at home¡­¡±

    Tang Yan listened earnestly with a serious face, eager to remember every single word without missing a detail.

    ¡°Okay, thank you, Miss Qiao.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes were fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, the tenderness in them almost overflowing.

    Before Qiao Jing noticed, he withdrew his gaze and inquired of the woman.

    ¡°How many babies is she carrying?¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, a look of nkness shing across her face, followed by her eyebrows knitting together as she looked at Zhan Qipei with suspicion.

    Why was he suddenly asking this question? Asking about multiple babies?

    Does being pregnant necessarily mean having twins or more?

    The thought suddenly crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s mind: what if she was carrying triplets?

    Could it be¡ª

    No sooner did the idea ur to her than she dismissed it.

    Impossible! She had kept her pregnancy well hidden. Zhan Nanqing wouldn¡¯t tell him; there was no way he could know.

    He must be just casually asking.

    Tang Yan¡¯s voice rose,

    ¡°Right, right, Miss Qiao, I also want to know how many children there are. Maybe there will be twins? If so, I¡¯ll be a father to two children¡ª¡±

    He swallowed the rest of his words, turning his gaze to Zhan Qipei.

    He had almost let it slip. If his boss got angry over this, it would be all over.

    But his boss still had that same unchanging icy countenance, yet why did he feel he could see pride in his boss¡¯s eyes?

    Huh?

    No way?

    Why would his boss be proud?

    Zhan Qipei knew what Tang Yan had left unsaid, and he snorted internally.

    Twins were no match for his triplets. He had three children, three!

    Aftering back to her senses, Qiao Jing answered Tang Yan¡¯s question.

    ¡°One.¡±

    Tang Yan uttered an ¡°oh,¡± suddenly remembering the soup still simmering in the kitchen.

    He immediately stood up, checked on the kitchen, found the soup ready,dled out a bowl, and brought it back to the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Xiangxiang, Miss Qiao; you continue to teach the boss how to make buns.¡±

    Zhan Qipei sent Tang Yan a pleased look.

    Qiao Jing agreed, and led Zhan Qipei back to the kitchen.

 Chapter 332: 322: Forcing Zhan Qipei to Drink Herbal Medicine

    Chapter 332: Chapter 322: Forcing Zhan Qipei to Drink Herbal Medicine

    Today¡¯s lunch was at the orphanage, and Lin Xiuxiang woke up not long after, insisting on helping them make buns.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate to send her back to bed and had Tang Yan and Zhan Qipei help with the bun-making instead.

    Zhan Qipei felt sorry for her and watched Qiao Jing¡¯s belly with concern.

    Clearly his own wife was also pregnant, so why couldn¡¯t he take a break?

    Thinking of this, he immediately sped up the bun-making process, hoping to prevent Qiao Jing from working too hard.

    During the meal, all the kids swarmed around Qiao Jing, chattering about something.

    ...

    Zhan Qipei was squeezed out by the children and watched the cluster of little boys around Qiao Jing with a deep gaze.

    When Qiao Jing noticed his look, she shook her head helplessly.

    This guy, how can he be jealous of children?

    After lunch, Qiao Jing got into the car, and went home with the man.

    Looking at the scenery outside the window, she suddenly thought of how Zhan Qipei had increased his speed in making buns, which made her curious.

    ¡°Howe you suddenly became so fast at making buns? Haven¡¯t you not mastered it yet?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand on the steering wheel paused as he considered how to answer Qiao Jing¡¯s question, but a phone call came in at that moment.

    He pressed the answer button, the phone connected to the car¡¯s Bluetooth, and automatically switched to speakerphone.

    Su Manhan¡¯s voice came through, tinged with a bit of urgency.

    ¡°Qipei,e home for dinner tonight.¡±

    She had specially prepared a medicinal brew, which was sure to cure Qipei; he needed to rush back in time to drink it while it was hot.

    Before Zhan Qipei could answer, there came the sound of Grandpa Zhan knocking his walking stick from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°And bring Xiao Jing along for dinner, or Qipei, don¡¯t bothering back either.¡±

    Su Manhan suddenly fell silent, waiting for Zhan Qipei¡¯s response.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing beside him, seeking her opinion.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, guessing that there must be a reason for Su Manhan to ask Zhan Qipei toe home for dinner.

    Even though she didn¡¯t want to go to Purple Garden, Grandpa Zhan had spoken, and she had to go; otherwise, it would be bad if she caused any dy for Zhan Qipei.

    After thinking it through, she gave Zhan Qipei a light nod.

    Su Manhan¡¯s anxious voice came through again.

    ¡°Qipei? Did you hear me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei only replied after Qiao Jing gave her consent.

    ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡±

    Then he hung up the call, but he was somewhat puzzled; his mother¡¯s voice just now, why was it so worried and urgent?

    What had happened?

    But what concerned him more at the moment was that Qiao Jing was willing to apany him home for dinner.

    If his wife was willing to go home for dinner with him, did that mean they had taken a step closer in their rtionship?

    Zhan Qipei was in a very good mood, his lips curling slightly, his tone carrying a hint of excitement.

    ¡°Then we won¡¯t need to buy groceries tonight.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded with a light hum.

    Purple Garden.

    As soon as Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei walked in the door, she smelled a strong scent of traditional Chinese medicine.

    She identified the purpose of the few medicinal dishes; they were for nourishing the kidneys.

    Moreover, thisbination of medicinal dishes, if consumed by a man, would undoubtedly make him robust, but the side effects could potentially overburden the body.

    When Zhan Qipei smelled the medicinal scent, his eyebrows furrowed slightly as he formed a guess.

    Called back home, could it be because they want him to drink this medicine?

    And what exactly was the purpose of this medicine?

    The moment Su Manhan saw Zhan Qipei, her eyes lit up.

    ¡°You¡¯re back, Qipei,e here, sit down quickly.¡±

    The dining table was already full, and the two empty seats were reserved for them.

    Zhan Nanqing was waving at Qiao Jing from across the table.

    Qiao Jing nodded at her and greeted Grandpa Zhan as she approached the dining table.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Hey, Xiao Jing, sit down and eat.¡±

    Once they were both seated, a bowl of herbal medicine soup was handed to Zhan Qipei.

    Su Manhan was looking forward to Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction, and when her son made no move to drink it, she couldn¡¯t help but hurry him.

    ¡°Drink it, Qipei, I had someone specially simmer this for you, it¡¯s been on the stove for hours. It¡¯s best to drink it warm.¡±

    The thick scent of herbal medicine spread through the air, and Zhan Nanqing coughed twice from the smell.

    ¡°Mom, isn¡¯t that smell a bit too strong? It must be really bitter. What¡¯s the point of making brother drink it?¡±

    Su Manhan lifted her chin and replied with a proud smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s for kidney nourishment, of course. Your brother¡¯s infertility needs to be treated.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyes upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words but said nothing.

    Compared to Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent expression, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corner of his mouth and pushed the bowl of soup to the side.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to drink this kind of thing.¡±

    Su Manhan furrowed her brows.

    ¡°No, you must drink it. This medicine is exceptionally good for nourishing the kidneys¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she was interrupted by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s violent coughing.

    Zhan Nanqing had been sipping her soup when she heard her mother¡¯s single-minded determination to nourish her brother¡¯s kidneys and choked on it.

    She energetically patted her chest while tears came out from coughing, and with a mixture ofughter and tears, she looked at Su Manhan.

    Did her brother still need to nourish his kidneys?

    Qiao Jing was pregnant with triplets!

    If her brother were to nourish his kidneys any further, he might end up with quadruplets next time.

    Su Manhan furrowed her eyebrows, mystified by her daughter¡¯s odd behavior.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a grown-up, how can you choke on soup?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t had time to catch her breath and wiped away her tears.

    She previously thought her brother was infertile, but after learning about Qiao Jing¡¯s triplet pregnancy, she hade to a realization.

    It wasn¡¯t that his body was incapable; it was that there were no women around him.

    After all, no matter how formidable a man is, he can¡¯t get pregnant by himself!

    At this thought, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze shifted to Qiao Jing¡¯s face and noticed a subtle change in her expression.

    Su Manhan looked worriedly at Zhan Qipei, pushing the soup back in front of him.

    ¡°How can you not drink it?! It¡¯s for your own good. You don¡¯t know, today I visited Mrs. Wang from the Wang Corporation. Her son is the same age as you, and I found out she is already a grandmother!

    You, on the other hand, show no sign of activity, so I immediately asked someone to find a special remedy. They say it¡¯s particrly effective. If that¡¯s the case, the day I get to hold my grandchild won¡¯t be far off.¡±

    When she saw Mrs. Wang holding her grandchild, the smile on her face was so gleaming it hurt Su Manhan¡¯s eyes and made her feel sour inside.

    Zhan Nanqing almost burst intoughter, then immediately stifled it.

    ¡°Mom, why are you still doubting whether my brother is infertile?¡±

    Su Manhan looked at Zhan Nanqing with disdain.

    ¡°He¡¯s already that old. If it¡¯s not a physical issue, howe he doesn¡¯t have any kids?¡±

    A crack appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she forced herself not to listen to Su Manhan and focused her eyes on her bowl instead.

    During the surgery she performed on Zhan Qipei, she could tell that it wasn¡¯t likely for the man to have that kind of issue.

    Besides, she was already pregnant now.

    However, she wasn¡¯t going to let a third person know about this matter.

    Zhan Qipei, with a peripheral nce, was eyeing Qiao Jing¡¯s belly with some pride.

    Unfortunately, this was something he couldn¡¯t share with Su Manhan.

    ¡°Mom, I really don¡¯t need to drink this. I don¡¯t have any health problems.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing desperately held backughter, ncing at Zhan Qipei, then at Qiao Jing.

    She pinched herself on the thigh to keep theughter that was about to spill from her lips at bay.

    At this moment, Zhan Yao also spoke up.

    ¡°Qipei, this concerns your health. Since the soup is good for you, you should drink it.¡±

    This time, Zhan Yuanshan agreed with Su Manhan, stroking his beard.

 Chapter 333: 323 Manhans Hostility Towards Qiao Jing

    Chapter 333: Chapter 323 Manhan¡¯s Hostility Towards Qiao Jing

    ¡°Drink, you must drink. Once you¡¯ve had a drink, take the opportunity to let Xiao Jing conceive my great-grandson. Then I can take my great-grandson out to y,¡± said Old Master Zhan, unable to contain his excitement.

    Su Manhan¡¯s expression instantly darkened. In her heart, Xinrou was the daughter-inw she acknowledged.

    She had urged Qipei, not to have a child with Qiao Jing, but with Xinrou.

    However, with her husband and son present, she couldn¡¯t voice her thoughts.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed her mother¡¯s expression and knew what she was thinking.

    Now, she no longer wanted Lou Xinrou to be her sister-inw. After dinner, she¡¯d have to talk to her mother about the surveince footage.

    ...

    Upon hearing Old Master Zhan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing twitched the corner of her mouth, and her delicate brows knitted tightly.

    She looked helplessly toward the elder.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan, actually, Qipei and I¡­,¡± she began.

    Zhan Yuanshan immediately interrupted Qiao Jing, speaking earnestly.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, I know what you want to say. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have much time left, only one more week. If you don¡¯t let me see my great-grandson, I¡¯ll be really upset!¡± he said, his gaze falling upon Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, his old face alight with anticipation.

    ¡°If you really care about this old man, let me hold my great-grandson as soon as possible.¡±

    Qiao Jing grew even more helpless and massaged her temples.

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan, you will live a long and healthy life,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing¡¯s difficulty and didn¡¯t want to discuss the topic any further.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat, Grandpa. Let¡¯s not talk about this now. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make an effort,¡± Qipei said, his words effectively silencing Zhan Yuanshan, who nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°That puts my mind at ease,¡± the old man acknowledged, then started to eat.

    After Zhan Yuanshan began to eat, Su Manhan no longer urged Qipei to drink the soup and simply started eating as well.

    When Qiao Jing heard what Qipei said, she nced at him sideways and shot the man a re.

    What did he mean by making an effort? She would never let such a thing happen again;st time was just an ident.

    Zhan Nanqing watched her brother for a while and, when she looked at Qiao Jing, caught her gaze.

    There was a warning in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded seriously at Qiao Jing, signaling that she would keep the pregnancy a secret.

    After the meal, Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing left Purple Garden.

    With her phone in hand, Zhan Nanqing approached Su Manhan.

    ¡°Mom, you remember the incident with Jiang Ling, right?¡± she asked.

    Manhan responded with a nonchnt hum, changed the TV channel, and sat cracking sunflower seeds on the couch.

    ¡°What about it?¡± Manhan inquired.

    Without hesitation, Nanqing disyed the surveince footage and handed the phone to her mother.

    ¡°Take a look at this,¡± she urged.

    Momentster, Su Manhan put the phone down, looking at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± she questioned.

    Zhan Nanqing spoke earnestly, trying to make her mother see Lou Xinrou¡¯s true colors.

    ¡°Xinrou has changed; she¡¯s not the Xinrou we knew before. I know you want her to be your daughter-inw, but the person she is now doesn¡¯t deserve to be my sister-inw,¡± Nanqing said persuasively.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and she looked displeasedly at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°In the footage, Xinrou just raised her hand; there¡¯s nothing showing her pushing anyone. What are you getting at? Xinrou doesn¡¯t deserve to be your sister-inw, so Qiao Jing does?¡± Manhan challenged.

    Zhan Nanqing felt a headacheing on. Her mother¡¯s prejudice against Qiao Jing ran too deep, and persuading her would be difficult.

    But she was unwilling to let go of this chance and continued, ¡°Mom, why is your hostility towards Qiao Jing still so strong? Xinrou really isn¡¯t the same as she used to be.¡±

    Su Manhan scoffed coldly and was unwilling to listen to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Xinrou has been like a child to me since I was young, and I know full well how kind she is. You must know as well, so why are you turning your back on her?¡±

    ¡°Before, I turned a deaf ear when you asionally spoke up for her, but now look at you, running to me to speak on behalf of Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t give up and continued speaking.

    ¡°Regarding the surveince issue, both my brother and I have concluded that it¡¯s highly unlikely Qiao Jingid a hand on anyone, and it¡¯s almost certain it was Xinrou who did it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. No matter what you say, I won¡¯t believe it. Besides, the angle of the video is tricky, and the quality is somewhat blurry; it can¡¯t prove that it was Xinrou who did it.¡±

    Su Manhan has been speaking up for Lou Xinrou all along.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment but, in an attempt to convince Su Manhan, brought up another matter.

    ¡°There¡¯s another thing you don¡¯t know about. Xinrou sent Qiao Jing a sachet with substances in it that cause infertility in women and miscarriages in pregnant women. She really isn¡¯t the Xinrou I knew.¡±

    Su Manhan was stunned for a moment, hardly believing what she had heard.

    Substances causing infertility? Xinrou would never do such a thing!

    ¡°Impossible! How could Xinrou possibly send such a thing? Even if there really was something inside, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have known about it. What kind of spell has Qiao Jing cast on you and your brother¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing saw that he simply couldn¡¯t persuade his mother and gave up for the time being.

    ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t talk about it anymore.¡±

    Su Manhan replied unconcernedly.

    ¡°Even if you talk about it, I won¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¨C

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing was on her way to the Red Cross Society and waiting for a taxi on the road when she heard a ¡°bang.¡±

    What followed was the chaotic sound of pedestrians¡¯ footsteps.

    Among these sounds, a feeble voice was also intermingled.

    ¡°Could someone help¡­ lift me up, young man¡­ please¡­ help me¡­¡±

    After hearing the voice, Qiao Jing looked up at the crowd that had gathered.

    An olddyy on the ground while the driver who had hit her drove away.

    The scene was left with just the onlookers and the olddy lying on the ground.

    The young man the olddy had addressed was taken aback and let out an ¡°Ouch.¡±

    ¡°Olddy, I really don¡¯t dare to help you up; I¡¯m afraid if I do, my BMW will turn into a bicycle.¡±

    The olddy continued to beg the passersby around her desperately.

    ¡°Help me, please, is there any kind soul who can lend me a hand? I¡¯m not a scammer, please save me¡­¡±

    Another passerby couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore.

    ¡°Young man, why don¡¯t you give her a hand? I¡¯ll record a video as proof, so even if she tries to swindle you, she can¡¯t. Does that work for you now?¡±

    The man looked displeased at the person who had spoken up.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you help? If you record the video, then you can do the helping, can¡¯t you? Why must it be me?¡±

    ¡°The olddy already called on you; just give her a hand, will you? I¡¯ve already offered to record it for you.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to do a good deed, you go help her. I can record it for you too.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The passersby were all egging each other on, continually recording with their phones held high, while the olddy lying on the ground continued to wail incessantly.

    However, not a single person was willing to lend a hand to the olddy.

    Suddenly, someone emerged from the crowd.

    Qiao Jing squeezed through the crowd and, upon seeing the olddy on the ground, helped her up without hesitation.

    ¡°Grandma, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?¡±

    Upon finally having someone willing to help her, the olddy¡¯s tears began to flow, and she clutched her waist.

    ¡°Young girl, I really thank you so much. Could you possibly help me call an ambnce?¡±

 Chapter 334: 324: Qiao Jing Donates 1 Million in the Name of Professor Qiaos Research Institute

    Chapter 334: Chapter 324: Qiao Jing Donates 1 Million in the Name of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute

    ¡°The ambnce is already on its way, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qiao Jing was supporting the olddy, standing by.

    The olddy kept thanking her, but Qiao Jing shook her head to indicate it was no problem.

    The man who had previously been worried about being scammed looked a bit embarrassed and quickly left.

    Other onlookers, upon hearing the sound of the ambnce, dispersed one after another.

    Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou hade out of the jewelry store a while ago, hands full of big and small bags, witnessing the entire process of Qiao Jing helping the woman from not too far away.

    ...

    Su Manhan stared at Qiao Jing and frowned slightly, feeling somewhat puzzled.

    Qiao Jing would actually help the olddy? Everyone else was afraid to help, worried it was a scam, and she went to help without a second thought?

    Was she not afraid that the olddy was trying to swindle money?

    Su Manhan started discussing with Lou Xinrou, who was beside her.

    ¡°Xinrou, when did I ever realize Qiao Jing was so kind-hearted? Isn¡¯t she scared the olddy is swindling money?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression turned dark for a moment, unnoticed by Su Manhan.

    She must not let Su Manhan develop any good feelings for Qiao Jing.

    With this in mind, Lou Xinrou lowered her voice and affectionately linked arms with Su Manhan.

    ¡°Aunt Su, think about it, with the Zhan family¡¯s power, would they be afraid of being scammed? If she gets scammed, she just needs to tell Brother Pei and he¡¯ll solve the problem, won¡¯t he?¡±

    Upon hearing what Lou Xinrou said, Su Manhan had an epiphany, and the strangeness she felt before cleared away.

    She thought Qiao Jing was some kind of good person, not afraid of being scammed just because she relied on Qipei to bail her out.

    She detested those who have no achievements of their own and only rely on others the most.

    Helping the person now, could it be that she guessed she was here and wanted to show off intentionally?

    She wouldn¡¯t be fooled by her like her two children, who easily fell under the spell, nor would she change her opinion of Qiao Jing!

    After helping the olddy onto the ambnce, Qiao Jing paid the medical fees before getting off.

    In her peripheral vision, she suddenly caught sight of two figures. She looked up and saw it was Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou.

    Their gazes were, as always, not very friendly.

    Indifferently, she withdrew her gaze and then got into a taxi.

    Upon arriving at the Red Cross Society, the receptionist immediately came out to wee Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯vee again. Where are you nning to donate to this time? Is it the impoverished western areas or the nursing home?¡±

    ¡°To the orphanage, one million,¡± Qiao Jing replied.

    She took out her bank card from her bag and handed it to the staff member.

    Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou had just arrived at the Red Cross Society when they heard Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Their eyebrows furrowed in unison, Su Manhan eyeing Qiao Jing¡¯s figure with some displeasure.

    ¡°Why do we run into her here too? Enemies really do cross paths¡ªwait, did she just say she¡¯s donating one million?¡±

    How could Qiao Jing possibly have so much money? Could it be that it¡¯s again the Zhan family¡¯s money?

    Could it be that Qipei himself gave the money to Qiao Jing? How could her son be so foolish?!

    And there¡¯s Qiao Jing, with no shame at all! Always using her son¡¯s money! It¡¯s one thing to use it, but to use it in such a way, spending someone else¡¯s money to buy herself a good reputation is infuriating!

    Lou Xinrou apanied Su Manhan into the hall of the Red Cross Society, looking worriedly concerned.

    ¡°Aunt Su, could it be that Qiao Jing is using Brother Pei¡¯s money to donate? Could Brother Pei have been deceived by her?¡±

    Su Manhan was thinking the same, growing more and more enraged.

    Qiao Jing stood at the service counter, and she noticed them when they came in.

    But she couldn¡¯t be bothered with them and waited for the staff member to return.

    A momentter, the staff member returned with Qiao Jing¡¯s bank card and handed it to her.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you have donated one million in the name of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. Thank you for your contribution to charity.¡±

    Qiao Jing put away her bank card and nodded slightly to the staff member.

    ¡°No need to thank me.¡±

    She immediately turned and left.

    Upon hearing that Qiao Jing had donated in the name of the research institute, Su Manhan breathed a sigh of relief.

    So it was the institute¡¯s money. She thought to herself, how could Qiao Jing possibly have that much money?

    If Qiao Jing had used the Zhan Family¡¯s money and donated in her own name, even if Qiao Jing were kicked out of the Zhan Family, she would find a way to get the money back.

    However, that said,

    What right did Qiao Jing have to make a donation in the name of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    Lou Xinrou also breathed a sigh of relief after hearing what the staff member said. ¡°I thought it was the money Brother Pei gave. That scared me. It¡¯s good that it¡¯s not.¡±

    After speaking, Lou Xinrou stood up, ¡°Aunt Su, I¡¯ll go over and make the donation first.¡±

    At this moment, Su Manhan was busy sending a message to Zhan Nanqing and responded with a grunt.

    Just as she was about to send it, worried that Zhan Nanqing might be at work and unable to reply to her message in time, she decided to call her directly instead.

    Zhan Nanqing was at work. When she saw Su Manhan¡¯s iing call, she nced at her busy colleagues and had no choice but to hang up.

    As she was about to reply with a message, the phone rang again. She pressed the end call button once more.

    But Su Manhan¡¯s calls kepting, relentlessly, as if she wouldn¡¯t stop until the call was answered.

    What could be so urgent?

    Zhan Nanqing had to take her phone and go to the restroom before she answered the call.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the big hurry? I¡¯m still at work!¡±

    Su Manhan huffed, her tone slightly displeased.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re at work, but this is urgent. You have no idea how highly Qiao Jing thinks of herself; she actually made a donation under the research institute¡¯s name.

    Nanqing, tell Professor Qiao about this. Make sure she teaches Qiao Jing a lesson. While it¡¯s good to donate, not just anyone is qualified to do so under the institute¡¯s name.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze swept around the research institute.

    Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao, and everything here belongs to her. If she isn¡¯t qualified to donate under the institute¡¯s name, then who is?

    Besides, stepping back ten thousand steps, even if Qiao Jing had no rtionship with their research institute, making a donation on their behalf, isn¡¯t that a good thing?

    Her mom really knows how to worry about the unnecessary.

    ¡°Where did you run into Qiao Jing? Don¡¯t tell me you also went to donate?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was just about to donate when I ran into her, and she donated a million. Is that money really from the institute? Could she have stolen it from there?¡±

    At this point, Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°No way, could the money really be stolen by Qiao Jing from there? Oh my¡ª¡±

    As Su Manhan¡¯s spections grew more and more absurd, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t stand to listen any longer.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re being too imaginative. Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute has a state-of-the-art security system. Do you really think just anyone can steal money from it so easily?¡±

    Hearing what Zhan Nanqing said, Su Manhan finally stopped her wild guesswork.

    ¡°Never mind that for now. I just saw Qiao Jing helping an olddy. I think it¡¯s all an act. She must have seen us and decided to pretend to be kind in front of us¡­¡±

    The phone kept babbling on, and Zhan Nanqing thought that if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that it was her mom on the line, she would have started an argument.

    ¡°Alright, alright, Mom, I need to get back to work. Hanging up now.¡±

    Su Manhan uttered an ¡°Eh¡± sound and was about to say something more when the call was abruptly cut off with a busy signal.

    She muttered discontentedly.

    ¡°Hmph, I let you go to work, not to forget your own mother.¡±

    Worried that Zhan Nanqing might forget to tell Professor Qiao, she specifically sent a message as a reminder.

    Zhan Nanqing saw the message and directly chose to ignore it.

    After Lou Xinrou had made her donation, she walked back and overheard Su Manhan¡¯s grumble. With a smiling face, she asked,

    ¡°Aunt Su, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Seeing Lou Xinrou, Su Manhan felt a bit better.

 Chapter 335 03-25 - 325 Encounter Robbery

    Chapter 335: Chapter 325 Encounter Robbery

    ¡°I just called Nanqing, and she hung up on me because she was busy with work. It¡¯s infuriating, but at least Xinrou is here to go shopping with me.¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face tensed upon hearing the name Zhan Nanqing, as she thought about her previous interactions with Zhan Nanqing¡­

    ¡°She might be really busy right now. Let¡¯s head back first.¡±

    Hand in hand, the two left the Red Cross Society. They intended to go straight home, but Su Manhan spotted a jewelry store across the street.

    ¡°Xinrou, let¡¯s take a look at that jewelry store? I think I¡¯m still missing a ne!¡±

    Lou Xinrou agreed and followed Su Manhan into the shop.

    ...

    While Qiao Jing was waiting for a taxi by the roadside, she noticed some gangsters with colorful hair pacing back and forth in front of the jewelry store.

    Her phoenix eyes narrowed, revealing a frosty depth as she closely watched every move of the gangsters.

    If she was not mistaken, those gangsters were nning a robbery.

    As Qiao Jing thought this, she caught a glimpse of two familiar figures leaving the jewelry store. Upon realizing it was Su Manhan and herpanion, her expression visibly faltered.

    Could it be that these gangsters had targeted them?

    Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou, still intimately linked, had even more shopping bags in their grips, evidently having made additional purchases, oblivious to the fact that they were being watched by the gangsters.

    Source: , updated on  ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0

    Upon seeing their targets emerge, the gangsters tossed away their unfinished cigarettes and surreptitiously followed.

    The cab Qiao Jing had hailed arrived just then, with the driver rolling down the window.

    ¡°Hello, where to?¡±

    Qiao Jing, still fixated on the direction Su Manhan and her friend had gone, only looked away when she heard the driver¡¯s voice.

    She pursed her lips, her gaze toggling between the taxi and the receding figures of Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou, uncertain what to do.

    For a long time, Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou had been nothing but nasty to her, targeting her at every turn.

    She could have easily pretended not to have seen anything and taken the taxi home.

    But if she didn¡¯t follow them now, the oue for Su Manhan and her friend might be disastrous.

    She couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing about this situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, some things havee up and I won¡¯t be taking the cab after all. I¡¯ll still pay the fare.¡±

    After hastily paying, she headed in the direction Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou had taken.

    It was already evening by then, and the sky was turning dark.

    As Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou walked on, they were stopped by a group of people as they were passing an alley.

    The leader, Blondie, had a vicious scar across his face and an unmistakably menacing appearance, clearly no good sort.

    Several others with variously dyed hair followed him, each armed with a lead pipe or a switchde.

    Neither Su Manhan nor Lou Xinrou had ever faced such a situation and were immediately struck dumb with fear.

    Blondie sneered at the two women, then signaled to his cohort.

    ¡°Surround them!¡±

    As he spoke, his gang circled around Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou, giving them no chance to escape.

    Blondie nodded with satisfaction, a cigarette dangling from his lips as his eyes fell on the shopping bags.

    ¡°You two just came out of the jewelry store, didn¡¯t you? Bought quite a few nice things, huh? Leave all those goods with me, and I¡¯ll spare your lives. Hand over your wallets and phones, too! Do it now!!!¡±

    Lou Xinrou shuddered at Blondie¡¯smand, hiding behind Su Manhan.

    Swallowing nervously, Su Manhan was quite frightened by Blondie, but as a member of the Zhan Family, she couldn¡¯t let a few words scare her into helplessness.

    She forced herself to calm down and began to speak.

    ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Mrs. Zhan from the Zhan Family, and you dare to rob someone from the Zhan Family? Don¡¯t want to live anymore?¡±

    Hearing this, one of the skinny gang members, who was as thin as a bamboo pole, turned his head and looked at Blondie, the leader.

    ¡°Boss, she says she¡¯s from the Zhan Family, the Zhan Family, that¡¯s the wealthiest family in our imperial capital. Are we really going to rob her? The Zhan Family will definitely cause us troubleter on.¡±

    Blondie spat out some saliva, ¡°Ptui!¡± and smacked Monkey on the head.

    ¡°Bullshit! Monkey, are you an idiot? Just because she says she¡¯s from the Zhan Family means she is? I could say I¡¯m the President of the United States, you believe that?¡±

    What followed was raucousughter from the gang members.

    Su Manhan tightly furrowed her brows, her heart in turmoil.

    Actually, when Blondie heard Su Manhan¡¯s words, he was momentarily startled, but he quickly dismissed the thought that had crossed his mind.

    How could they randomly encounter someone from the Zhan Family? These two women must be trying to scare them by bringing up the Zhan Family!

    Monkey, holding his head, rubbed it and nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Blondie took a drag from his cigarette, then furrowed his brows, the scar on his face moving with his expression.

    ¡°Quit your yapping! Leave the things I want, and I¡¯ll let you go.¡±

    Su Manhan originally didn¡¯t want toply, but when she saw the other gang members waving steel pipes and switchdes, she gritted her teeth.

    Lou Xinrou pulled on Su Manhan¡¯s clothes and whispered to persuade her.

    ¡°Aunt Su, let¡¯s just give it to them, or else I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll start using force¡­¡±

    The gang member closest to Lou Xinrou burst outughing, deliberately bringing the steel pipe closer to Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Boss, this girl says she¡¯ll give us the goods, she¡¯s quite sensible.¡±

    Lou Xinrou jumped at the proximity of the steel pipe and moved closer to Su Manhan.

    With no other options, Su Manhan reluctantly ced her shopping bags and the purse with her phone on the ground.

    Lou Xinrou also threw everything she had over, and tremblingly asked,

    ¡°Can we go now?¡±

    Blondie nced at the jewelry inside the shopping bag and nodded at the others.

    ¡°You know what¡¯s good for you.¡±

    The gang members began to squat in front of the shopping bag, rummaging through andying out nes and bracelets, their faces filled with greedy smiles.

    Su Manhan was also terrified deep down, wanting to leave this dreadful ce as soon as possible, in case the gang members changed their minds.

    Taking advantage of the situation, she pulled Lou Xinrou and started to head out.

    They had hardly taken a few steps when Blondie¡¯s voice came through,

    ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou stiffened, and just as they attempted to continue walking, they heard a series of hurried footsteps from behind.

    Blondie and a few of his underlings followed them, while the rest were still looking through the jewelry on the ground.

    Blondie¡¯s gaze fell on Lou Xinrou, revealing a sly smile. He took a puff of his cigarette and took a few steps forward.

    He blew all the smoke from his mouth towards Lou Xinrou¡¯s face.

    ¡°This chick is pretty hot. Why don¡¯t you hang out and have some fun with us?¡±

    Lou Xinrou, choked by the smoke, coughed violently, and upon hearing Blondie¡¯s words, her coughing became even worse.

 Chapter 336 03-25 - 326: Hanging by a Thread

    Chapter 336: Chapter 326: Hanging by a Thread

    Lou Xinrou was so frightened that her face lost all color, turning deathly pale as she desperately tried to hide behind Su Manhan.

    ¡°Aunt Su¡­¡±

    Blondie, seeing Lou Xinrou¡¯s terrified appearance, grew even more excited and leered at her disgustingly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hide, we¡¯re just ying around, right? What are you afraid of? I promise I won¡¯t hurt you, or you coulde with me. How about that?¡±

    Monkey gasped from the side.

    ¡°Boss, we have seven people here, how is one enough for us to have fun?¡±

    ...

    Blondie¡¯s gaze then shifted to Su Manhan, staring at her face for a long time.

    ¡°Wow, this older one doesn¡¯t look too bad either, with fair skin and pretty features. Though she seems a bit old, she¡¯d still be fun to y with.¡±

    Although Su Manhan was in her fifties, she took great care of herself, so her face looked to be only in her thirties, maybe even younger than thirty.

    ¡°What do you mean? Haven¡¯t we given you everything already?¡±

    Blondieughed mockingly.

    ¡°What, I want to have fun with you, and you¡¯re going to refuse? You think you can still get away?¡±

    Source: , updated on  ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï

    Su Manhan furrowed her brows tightly, bit her teeth, and pulled Lou Xinrou a few steps back, whispering in a voice only audible to them both.

    ¡°Xinrou, I¡¯ll count to three, and then we run back. Their attention is on dividing the jewels, so they¡¯re not focused. We can¡¯t escape from this side with Blondie.¡±

    Lou Xinrou looked up and nodded at Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan lowered her voice and began to count down.

    ¡°Three¡­ two¡­ one!¡±

    The two immediately turned their bodies and ran as hard as they could in the opposite direction.

    Blondie¡¯s curses followed from behind them.

    ¡°Damn! Chase them! Don¡¯t let them get away!¡±

    The sound of hurried footsteps followed, as Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou had already passed the shopping bags.

    Theckeys squatting on the ground only then realized, dropping the jewels in their hands and began chasing after Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou.

    Lou Xinrou, being younger, had much better physical conditioning than Su Manhan and naturally ran much faster.

    Initially, Su Manhan and Lou Xinrou were holding hands, but the cursing and footsteps behind them kept getting closer and closer.

    Lou Xinrou felt that Su Manhan was running too slowly, dragging her down, so she simply let go of her hand and ran forward on her own.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief that Lou Xinrou had let go of her.

    But at this moment, she was desperately running forward,pletely out of breath to speak.

    The person in front of her had already gained some distance, when suddenly Su Manhan was tripped by a stone.

    Immediately, she lost control and fell forward.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± Su Manhany face down on the ground.

    The pain set in, and she simply couldn¡¯t stand up, only able to call out to Lou Xinrou who was ahead.

    ¡°Xinrou! Come here and help me up, I can¡¯t get up!¡±

    Lou Xinrou heard her and turned her head back, but didn¡¯t stop her feet.

    The thugs were not far behind Su Manhan, and going back now would surely get her caught too.

    Moreover, she was about to reach the mouth of the alley, and she had a spare phone in her pocket to call the police once she got out.

    Thinking this, Lou Xinrou unhesitatingly turned her head back again and quickened her pace.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes grew even wider, incredulously staring at the departing figure of Lou Xinrou, her hands uncontrobly shaking.

    Lou Xinrou had actually left her behind to run by herself?!

    She had been protecting Xinrou the whole time, and now she had just left her behind and run off?!!

    Lou Xinrou had looked back; there was no way she didn¡¯t see her.

    Knowing full well the consequences for her if Blondie caught Su Manhan, Lou Xinrou still chose to abandon her!

    Now, Manhan, her face ashen, stared at the entrance of the alley, while Xinrou had already run out.

    At this moment, Blondie also caught up and yanked Manhan up from the ground.

    ¡°You dared to run?! That bitch was really fast, damn it, otherwise I would have caught her back!¡±

    After cursing a few times, he then red ferociously at Manhan.

    ¡°Originally, both of you were supposed to hang out with us, but now, even alone, you¡¯ll have to y along.¡±

    Having said that, one of his underlings reached his hand towards the hem of Manhan¡¯s clothes.

    Manhan¡¯s eyes widened, filled with terror, just at this critical juncture.

    Suddenly a leg extended forward, kicking straight at the underling who was reaching out toward her.

    With a ¡°Ah¡ª¡± apanied by a pig-like scream, the underling was kicked and sent flying.

    Who was it?

    Who came to her rescue?

    Feeling grateful, Manhan looked up, and upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s cool, indifferent face, she was instantly dumbfounded.

    She never imagined that the rescuer would be Qiao Jing!

    At this moment, Manhan¡¯s face showed aplex expression, her brows furrowing.

    Qiao Jing just stood there expressionlessly in front of Manhan, her icy gaze sweeping over the few thugs.

    ¡°Yo, this chick is hundreds of times prettier than the one before, and she knocked down three of my guys? Not bad, fiery temper, I like that, I haven¡¯t yed with such a fiery woman before.¡±

    Blondie¡¯s gaze towards Qiao Jing was utterly lecherous.

    Hearing Blondie¡¯s words, Manhan inwardly broke into a sweat for Qiao Jing.

    Although Qiao Jing¡¯s skills were good just now, there were still four of them left; could Qiao Jing really beat them all by herself?

    She thought of the fleeing Xinrou and looked in that direction, only to see her hiding around the corner, stealthily observing the scene here.

    Even at this moment, she showed no intention ofing to help, and Manhan waspletely disappointed in Xinrou.

    Xinrou was someone she had watched grow up. Yet, when such an incident happened, she didn¡¯t hesitate to abandon her and ran away non-stop.

    Manhan withdrew her gaze, turning it towards Qiao Jing.

    She opened her mouth, not knowing what to say for a moment.

    In this critical moment, the trusted Xinrou had abandoned her, whereas the disliked Qiao Jing had stepped forward to protect her.

    Her mind was filled with images of her constantly antagonizing Qiao Jing in the past.

    She also remembered what Nanqing had once told her, saying that her prejudice against Qiao Jing was too much.

    The more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt.

    Sigh¡ª

    With a sigh.

    Manhan opened her mouth worriedly to warn Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡­ be careful.¡±

    Blondieughedsciviously, and with his four men, even if this woman was skilled, she would not be able to beat them.

    He voiced a threat to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Pretty girl, why not have some fun with us? My three guys were caught off guard by you just now; don¡¯t think your fists and kicks can defeat the four of us.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with cold light, her voice cold but forceful.

    ¡°I told you to leave.¡±

    Blondie taunted with a grin, tossing the cigarette butt he was holding onto the ground, his big yellow teeth opening and closing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman dare to defy me like this before; you¡¯re the first. Guys, grab this chick, and let her serve us well!¡±

    At hismand, his underlings charged towards Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 337 03-25 - 327: Qiao Jing Is Injured

    Chapter 337: Chapter 327: Qiao Jing Is Injured

    Watching the three men charging towards her, each wielding a steel pipe, Su Manhan¡¯s face turned pale as paper with fright.

    She anxiously looked at Qiao Jing, starting to pray in her heart.

    Qiao Jing must not get into any trouble¡­

    But in the next second, she realized her worries were unnecessary.

    Qiao Jing agilely dodged the attack from the three men and shed to their back.

    The thugs suddenly froze, wondering how the person who was just there a second ago could disappear the next.

    ...

    ¡°Where is he??¡±

    ¡°Behind us!!¡±

    As soon as the words were spoken, Qiao Jing raised his hand and a gust of fierce wind followed, his fist smashing into the back of their heads, hitting precisely the most vulnerable acupoints.

    The thugs saw stars from Qiao Jing¡¯s punch and almost passed out.

    They cursed loudly and staggered around, finding the world had begun to double.

    They initially thought that dealing with one woman wouldn¡¯t require steel pipes, but one punch left them dizzy and needing to support each other to barely stand.

    Source: , updated on  ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï

    It was just one hit, how could it make them so dizzy?

    Blondie, seeing his underlings being bullied, spat out and picked up the steel pipe from the ground, cursing loudly as he swung it at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Damn it, I refuse to believe I can¡¯t catch you today, you little wretch!¡±

    Qiao Jing merely sidestepped and avoided the strike.

    Her gaze suddenly turned colder, and the temperature around her seemed to be dropping rapidly.

    Blondie was intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, he gritted his teeth, turned around, and attempted to swing the steel pipe at Qiao Jing again.

    But the moment he turned, Qiao Jing caught his w and, without hesitation, raised her foot and kicked fiercely at Blondie.

    Blondie staggered back several steps and copsed onto the ground, feeling a dull pain in the injured area.

    No sooner had he turned around than she had kicked; his reflexes were so slow he hadn¡¯t seen her lift her foot, and his underlings had been beaten simrly, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

    Having been in the underworld for so many years, he had never seen a woman who could fight like this!

    Due to her momentum, Qiao Jing¡¯s body uncontrobly moved back two steps, and a dense, cold sweat gradually appeared on her forehead.

    Even though she was usually skilled, her pregnant body couldn¡¯t withstand this much turmoil, and she was starting to struggle now.

    Su Manhan, seeing Qiao Jing like this, was extremely worried.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you alright?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the thugs sprawled on the ground, noticing that a few were trying to get up.

    Given her current physical condition, she couldn¡¯t afford to protect Su Manhan while dealing with the thugs, so she urged her.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you go first, then call the police.¡±

    When she had arrived, the thugs were attacking Su Manhan; she didn¡¯t have time to call the police, and her phone had broken during the fight.

    Su Manhan paused after hearing this.

    In such a dangerous situation, Qiao Jing was asking her to leave?

    Qiao Jing was nning to face the thugs alone¡­

    The scene of Lou Xinrou leaving without hesitation once again surfaced in her mind, making her feelings even moreplicated.

    As Qiao Jing was fighting all out to protect her, how could she abandon her like Lou Xinrou did?

    Su Manhan saw the cell phone next to the shopping bag and didn¡¯t n on leaving.

    ¡°My phone is there; I¡¯ll go get it and call the police.¡±

    Qiao Jing then intended to pick up the phone.

    Suddenly!

    Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a glinting de, heading straight for Su Manhan.

    Her heart skipped a beat. With swift hands and feet, she rushed forward and shoved Su Manhan aside with force.

    Su Manhan stumbled a few steps, fell, and before she could gather her senses, she heard a ¡°shriek¡ª¡± a sound like a knife slicing through fabric.

    What happened?

    Su Manhan¡¯s face turned deathly pale as she quickly turned around to check, her eyes widening the next second.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s white T-shirt was soaked with arge patch of red blood, and a long cut was opened on her arm, continuously bleeding.

    She noticed the switchde in Blondie¡¯s hand, still dripping with blood.

    If Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t pushed her away just now, that knife would probably have stabbed her¡­

    Blondie hadn¡¯t expected to be caught. Just as he was about to swear, Qiao Jing kicked him to the ground.

    The chill in her eyes grew colder, and the force under her foot kept increasing.

    ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Blondie gasped for breath, almost suffocating, his facial features almost crumpled together, unable to even curse.

    Su Manhan¡¯s heart was still pounding furiously, her hands trembling nonstop as she shakily pulled out her phone.

    ¡°Qiao¡­ Qiao Jing, you¡¯re hurt. I¡¯m calling the police right now, the ambnce will be here soon¡­¡±

    Before Su Manhan could finish her sentence, the sounds of ambnces and police cars were already approaching the alley simultaneously.

    Qiao Jing heard these two sounds, and her tense body finally rxed a bit. She leaned on Blondie, limping along without forgetting to look back at Qiao Jing¡¯s wound, her tone somewhat triumphant.

    ¡°No matter how tough you are, you still got stabbed by me, didn¡¯t you? If I ever see you again, I¡¯ll kill you, you little bitch!¡±

    Lou Xinrou saw the punk run off, then dared to walk towards Su Manhan from the entrance of the alley.

    ¡°Aunt Su, are you alright? Are you injured? I¡¯ve already called the police, they¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    Su Manhan trembled as she stood up, didn¡¯t even look at Lou Xinrou, and ran directly to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Upon seeing the wound up close, she frowned deeply.

    The wound was deep, and blood was still pouring out incessantly, spreading stain after stain on Qiao Jing¡¯s white T-shirt.

    Su Manhan took off the scarf from around her neck and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Use this to bind the wound, see if it can stop the bleeding. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed several acupoints on her arm, her lips turning somewhat pale due to extensive blood loss.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll just bandage it when I get home.¡±

    Su Manhan wanted to help bandage Qiao Jing, but she was afraid of touching the wound by ident and did not dare to make a move.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! The wound is so deep, it must be treated at the hospital; you need to listen to me, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Left hanging, Lou Xinrou¡¯s gaze darkened as she stared at Qiao Jing and then nced at Su Manhan, beginning to exin.

    ¡°Aunt Su, it wasn¡¯t intentional when I just now tried to¡ª¡±

    Nurses interrupted Lou Xinrou¡¯s words, rushing over with the stretcher from the entrance of the alley.

    ¡°Miss, step aside please.¡±

    They tried to help Qiao Jing onto the stretcher, but she shook her head.

    ¡°No need, I can walk by myself.¡±

    Su Manhan carefully supported Qiao Jing onto the ambnce.

    Lou Xinrou watched the two silhouettes, her gaze bing even darker, and after clenched her back teeth fiercely, she followed after them.

    Just as the nurses brought out the tourniquet, hydrogen peroxide, and bandages, Qiao Jing asked.

 Chapter 338 03-25 - 328: Zhan Qipeis Anxiety and Rage

    Chapter 338: Chapter 328: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Anxiety and Rage

    ¡°Could you lend these to me for a moment?¡±

    After she pressed a few acupoints, the bleeding slowed down considerably, and all that was needed now was to bandage it.

    The nurses were stunned and asked.

    ¡°Eh? What do you need these for? I¡¯m about to dress your wound.¡±

    With an expressionless face, Qiao Jing poured hydrogen peroxide on her wound and then skillfully bandaged it herself without needing anyone else¡¯s help.

    The nurses were shocked to see Qiao Jing grab the hydrogen peroxide and pour it on herself without hesitation.

    ...

    Hydrogen peroxide causes a lot of pain when ites into contact with a wound, especially a fresh one¡ªthe pain almost doubles.

    Yet, the patient in front of them didn¡¯t show any sign of pain on her face while disinfecting, as if she couldn¡¯t feel the pain at all.

    And that bandaging technique was even more professional and faster than theirs, leaving them momentarily confused as to who was the patient and who was the medical staff.

    After treating her wound, Qiao Jing leaned against the car and closed her eyes.

    The excessive blood loss made her feel quite weak; she needed a good rest.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was resting, Su Manhan didn¡¯t dare to disturb her and sent Zhan Qipei a message, briefly summarizing the situation.

    Source: , updated on  ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï

    ¡°Qipei,e to the hospital quickly, I was just robbed, it was Qiao Jing who saved me, she got hurt.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s call came through immediately.

    ¡°Mom, what happened? Where is Qiao Jing hurt?¡±

    Su Manhan opened her mouth, shifted to the side, and lowered her voice to exin.

    ¡°She took a knife for me, her arm is injured, and the wound is very deep.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps could be heard from the other end of the phone.

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, walked swiftly into the elevator with a frosty face, forcibly suppressing his anger.

    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±

    Su Manhan felt her son¡¯s oppressive atmosphere through the phone, steadied her mind, and recounted the whole incident.

    The sound of a car engine starting was heard from Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, and the call was then disconnected.

    Inside the hospital.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeping face, herplexion somewhat pale, her lips colorless, making her appear very frail.

    He reached out to smooth the furrows in Qiao Jing¡¯s brow, while his other hand was ced on her stomach, gently caressing.

    His eyes fell on the wound, and his gaze suddenly darkened, a fierce glint shing in the depths of his ck eyes, but what was more in his eyes was heartache and self-reproach.

    He had failed to protect Qiao Jing once again, letting her fall into danger, and this time she was seriously injured¡­

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand rested on the gauze that covered the wound, his fingertips trembling slightly.

    Qiao Jing suddenly muttered something in her sleep, startling him enough to immediately withdraw his hand.

    Watching the sleeping Qiao Jing, he bent down and left a warm kiss on her smooth forehead.

    A momentter, Zhan Qipei sat up straight, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s somewhat cold hand, wanting to transfer all his warmth to her.

    When he recalled what Su Manhan had said about ¡°Blondie,¡± dangerous light flickered in his eyes as he looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s wound.

    He would find and deal with each person that harmed Qiao Jing.

    Meanwhile, outside the hospital room¡¯s corridor.

    Su Manhan stood with her arms folded, silent, staring at Lou Xinrou across from her.

    Lou Xinrou knew Su Manhan was angry, but how could she possibly have gone back in that situation?!

    However, seeing Su Manhan¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing, she became very anxious.

    Was Aunt Su also going to side with Qiao Jing? That can¡¯t be!

    Aunt Su was herst trump card at the Zhan Family!

    Lou Xinrou put on a weak and scared facade, and asked.

    ¡°Aunt Su, are you angry with me?¡±

    Su Manhan huffed coldly, her attitude toward Lou Xinrou had be more than a little frosty as she questioned her.

    ¡°What do you think? I asked you toe back and help me, and you wouldn¡¯t. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jinging to my rescue, do you know what would¡¯ve happened?!¡±

    Without waiting for Lou Xinrou to answer, she continued.

    ¡°You knew, but you still didn¡¯te back to save me, even though I¡¯ve been so good to you. And when it came to crunch time, you chose to run away by yourself.¡±

    Su Manhan wasn¡¯t a fool; given that Lou Xinrou was capable of doing such a thing, it meant there was something inherently wrong with her.

    She wouldn¡¯t give Lou Xinrou another chance to get close to her. Indeed, Nanqing was right.

    Lou Xinrou was no longer the Xinrou they knew.

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou was in a panic, squeezing out a few tears and looking pitifully at the other woman.

    ¡°Aunt Su, I was just too scared at the time, I¡¯m really sorry, but I was really scared of them, and that caused me to lose my head¡­¡±

    As she said this, Lou Xinrou had a sh of insight, trying to divert Su Manhan¡¯s attention, tentatively beginning to speak.

    ¡°By the way, Aunt Su, could this all be a coincidence? Why did Qiao Jing suddenly appear when we were being robbed? Could it be¡ª¡±

    Su Manhan cut her off directly, no longer willing to believe a word she said.

    ¡°Enough! What are you trying to say? Are you suggesting Qiao Jing set this up on purpose? And then she came to rescue me, to make me change my opinion of her?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes brightened, and just as she was about to nod, Su Manhan¡¯s next words made her freeze where she stood.

    ¡°She got hurt trying to save me, and I believe her. Besides, even if it were a setup by her, you chose to abandon me. From now on, don¡¯te looking for me!¡±

    After saying this, Su Manhan walked into the hospital room without looking back and closed the door.

    In the hallway, Lou Xinrou was left alone, staring nkly at the door of the hospital room with a fierce hatred spreading across her face.

    It was all because of Qiao Jing; it was all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault!

    Not only had Qiao Jing caused her rift with Zhan Nanqing, but now Aunt Su wouldn¡¯t help her either!

    This robbery must have been a trap set by Qiao Jing just so Aunt Su would see her differently. Why wouldn¡¯t Aunt Su believe her words?

    Lou Xinrou clenched her fists tightly, her features twisted in a grotesque snarl, her eyes filled with malicious venom.

    Why hadn¡¯t that knife killed Qiao Jing?!

    The more she thought, the more she hated!

    ¨C

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her sleepy eyes, her nostrils filled with the smell of disinfectant, which brought her a bit more into consciousness.

    She attempted to lift her hand only to find it was being held, impossible to pull away.

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, ncing to the side to find Zhan Qipei fast asleep at the side of the bed, his suit crumpled and his hair messy, not much different from a bird¡¯s nest.

    She could guess why the man looked so disheveled; a simr scene had unfolded during her previous hospital stay.

    The morning sunlight poured in through the hospital room window, casting a gentle light on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze softened unconsciously, and only after sitting up did she notice that the man was sitting on a hard, ufortable bench.

    To take care of her by the bed, he hadn¡¯t gone to sit on the soft sofa on the other side, and there was aptop on the table, clearly showing he had stayed the night in the hospital room.

    A warm current flowed through her heart, stirring emotions deep within.

    She slowly tried to pull her hand away from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip, but as soon as she moved, the man opened his eyes.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected her motion to wake him and asked quietly,

    ¡°Did I wake you up?¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Zhan Qipei immediately woke up, the first thing he did was reach for the call button.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake? Wait a moment, I¡¯ll get the doctor toe check on you.¡±

 Chapter 339 03-25 - 329: Su Manhan Treats Qiao Jing Like Her Own Mother

    Chapter 339: Chapter 329: Su Manhan Treats Qiao Jing Like Her Own Mother

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she furrowed her eyebrows, her gaze sweeping over her own abdomen.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m much better now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei knew what Qiao Jing was worried about.

    ¡°Alright then, take your own pulse.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing sighed in relief and did not refuse.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression tensed as he scrutinized Qiao Jing, taking her in repeatedly.

    ...

    ¡°How is your body? Is there any difort? Do you feel dizzy? Does the wound still hurt?¡±

    The man shot out a string of questions, which made Qiao Jing somewhat helpless.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, much better.¡±

    The wound had been stitched up, and it could now slowly heal; having rested for a night, her body, which had originally felt a bit off, had also recovered a lot.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s wound with intense concern and finally spoke.

    ¡°The wound was stitched up yesterday; the doctor said it won¡¯t leave a scar, remember, you must tell me if there¡¯s any difort.¡±

    Source: , updated on  ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?

    Qiao Jing agreed, nning to get out of bed to wash up, but Zhan Qipei directly brought the toiletries to her bedside.

    He held a basin in front of Qiao Jing and handed her the toothbrush and mouthwash cup.

    ¡°You can spit the mouthwash water in here.¡±

    Qiao Jing rubbed her forehead helplessly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to exaggerate, I¡¯m not disabled, I can still wash up on my own.¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his eyebrows, which were like smoke, and stood by with the basin.

    ¡°No, the wound can¡¯t get wet.¡±

    Qiao Jing was bemused by his remark, pointing at the wound on her arm.

    ¡°My injury isn¡¯t on my hands.¡±

    Could she possibly ssh water on her arm while washing her face?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond, his dark eyes filled with stubbornness.

    After the previous experience with soup, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t try to grab the man¡¯s basin but instead got out of bed and walked into the bathroom to wash up.

    The door of the room opened after she had finished washing up, and the doctor came in with a nurse to check her wound.

    ¡°There¡¯s no issue now; the wound is healing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, worried about any oversight, kept asking.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    The doctor nodded his head, but Zhan Qipei relentlessly continued questioning.

    Finally, the doctor, now intimidated by Zhan Qipei, swore on his own name.

    ¡°President Zhan, I swear that Miss Qiao¡¯s body is fine; she just needs good rest to recover fully.¡±

    Only then did Zhan Qipei allow the doctor to leave.

    Qiao Jing watched this scene, her lips curled into an involuntary, wry smile.

    No sooner had the doctor left than someone else arrived.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte; the chicken soup needed to be simmered longer to enhance the vor.¡±

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, her expression as if she had discovered a new continent as she looked at Su Manhan.

    Why had Su Manhan¡¯s attitude taken such a sharp turn?

    Speaking so politely to her and even bringing her chicken soup?

    Before Qiao Jing could understand the matter, Su Manhan straightened up.

    Her tone turned very serious, her face apologetic as she began to speak.

    ¡°About yesterday, thank you, and also, I owe you an apology for my past attitude towards you; I¡¯m very sorry.¡±

    Only then did Qiao Jing realize that it was because of her saving Su Manhan yesterday that Su¡¯s attitude had changed so significantly.

    She looked up at Su Manhan, then shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Su Manhan felt even more ashamed; her narrow-mindedness had not matched Qiao Jing¡¯s generosity, and she had unjustly judged Qiao Jing before.

    She considerately scooped out a bowl of chicken soup from the thermos for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Drink some soup to fill your stomach; this is a free-range chicken raised by our family¡¯s helper, very nutritious, perfect for your recovery.¡±

    Qiao Jing was somewhat unustomed to Su Manhan¡¯s enthusiasm and did not know how to respond to her.

    Su Manhan looked at Qiao Jing, who was dazed and not drinking her soup, and spoke in a very gentle tone.

    ¡°Hurry up and drink it while it¡¯s hot. It won¡¯t taste good once it cools down.¡±

    This made Qiao Jing even more ufortable, feeling uneasy all over.

    She was used to Su Manhan previously having a bad temper with her, and she couldn¡¯t adapt to the current Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan noticed the soup was still steaming hot as Qiao Jing was about to drink it.

    ¡°Wait, the soup is too hot. Let me blow on it for you.¡±

    After blowing on it, she handed the spoon to Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Let me feed you, your hand is inconvenient.¡±

    Just then, Su Manhan felt a resentful gaze fixated on her and turned around to find it was her son.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and endured for a long while before speaking.

    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s my spot.¡±

    Su Manhan put down the bowl and grumbled discontentedly.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your spot? Is there a problem with me feeding Qiao Jing? Also, hurry up and go home to wash up. Look at yourself right now.¡±

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing came over with an apple, ready to peel it, when Su Manhan took it from her hands.

    She was stunned when she saw her mom personally peeling an apple, and rubbed her eyes.

    Huh? Was she seeing things? Was her mom peeling an apple?

    Her mom only ate apples that were peeled by others at home, and always had others serving her. It was shocking that she made soup this morning, and now she was even peeling an apple herself?

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s gotten into you? The sun didn¡¯t rise from the west today!¡±

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Nanqing and continued peeling the apple.

    After peeling the apple, Su Manhan got a te and cut the apple into small pieces, handing them to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I also brought porridge. I¡¯ll serve you the porridge after you finish the soup, and then you can have some apple after breakfast.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips. All this?

    Was she being fed like a pig?

    Despite thinking this, she ended up drinking the soup under Su Manhan¡¯s expectant gaze.

    Su Manhan stood up to serve porridge for Qiao Jing, noticing Zhan Qipei was still in the room, and started to shoo him away.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet? Go wash up and then head to work. I¡¯m here with Qiao Jing, and those rascals still haven¡¯t been caught; I can¡¯t swallow this anger.¡±

    Hearing the word ¡°rascals¡±, Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his eyes and ¡®Hmm¡¯ed in response.

    .

    Zhan Qipei left the house and drove towards a certain food stall.

    During the journey, Tang Yan called him.

    ¡°Boss, our men have surrounded the food stall, they haven¡¯t noticed yet.¡±

    The temperature around Zhan Qipei suddenly dropped several degrees, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged.

    ¡°Keep a close eye on them, don¡¯t let them escape.¡±

    Tang Yan acknowledged with a yes, hung up the phone, and then looked with a cold face towards the opposite food stall.

    Those who dared to harm his bossdy, just wait!

    ¡°Dammit!¡± Blondie cursed.

    ¡°Really damn unlucky! That damn woman, I really want to kill her!¡±

    Hearing this, the other underlings, unable to contain their anger, chimed in: ¡°Exactly! Look at my face, it¡¯s all distorted.¡±

    ¡°Could it be worse than Monkey¡¯s fate?¡±

    Monkey, already as thin as a stick, was almost done for with a single hit from Qiao Jing yesterday.¡±

    Monkey, his arm wrapped in a bandage and his nose ttened, spoke through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Boss, that woman made us lose face by beating us up like this.¡±

    Blondie, enraged, mmed his fist on the table, which aggravated his wound, making him cry out in pain.

    He took a moment to recover before he spoke.

    ¡°Damn bitch! To have dared to beat us up like this, if I see that bitch again, I¡¯ll kill her¡ª¡±

    A deep voice resonated from behind Blondie.

    ¡°Kill who?¡±

 Chapter 340 03-25 - 330: Zhan Qipei Personally Takes Revenge for Qiao Jing

    Chapter 340: Chapter 330: Zhan Qipei Personally Takes Revenge for Qiao Jing

    Blondie didn¡¯t recognize the voice at first, assuming it was one of his boys, and then he responded to the question.

    ¡°Who else could it be? It¡¯s got to be killing that bitch who made us suffer like this.¡±

    Monkey, upon hearing this voice, felt it was unfamiliar; when he turned and saw the situation behind him, he was so scared that he could hardly speak clearly.

    ¡°Boss¡­ Boss, should we¡­ should we run?¡±

    Right now, they were all crippled at the table, looking like they couldn¡¯t even run if they wanted to.

    Blondie chugged a swig of beer, heard Monkey¡¯s stuttering, and pped the back of his head.

    ...

    ¡°Run for what, why should we run? Just because we got beat up, now you turn into a stutterer?¡±

    The other underlings also sensed something wrong; when they turned around and saw the dark mass behind them, they were so scared that their skewers fell from their hands.

    ¡°Boss, this¡­ this¡­ what should we do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, what should we do?¡±

    Blondie, feeling it strange to see his underlings in such a panic, put down his beer and turned around.

    The first thing he saw was the man standing in the middle, with an extremely powerful presence and a gloomy face, staring right at him.

    Source: , updated on  ?¦Ï¦Í¨À0.§ã¦Ï

    If looks could kill, he felt he¡¯d already have died hundreds of times over.

    Then he saw that the man was followed by a dozen or so bodyguards, dressed in ck suits and robustly built, clearly well-trained, unlike his ragtag bunch of hooligans.

    Blondie was startled and blurted out a curse.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice rang out again, cold as a demon from Hell, heralding their doom.

    ¡°The ones who should be killed are you guys.¡±

    Blondie immediately widened his eyes, remembering his earlier statement.

    It was this man in front of him who had spoken; he had actually thought it was one of his underlings.

    ¡°Who are you¡ªwhat do you want to¡ªdo?!¡± Blondie asked, looking terrified at Zhan Qipei, while backing away.

    Suddenly!

    Out of the corner of his eye, Blondie noticed Tang Yan in the crowd.

    That person¡­ he looks somewhat familiar, as if he¡¯s seen him somewhere before.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    He remembered!

    This man was Zhan Corporation¡¯s number one golden assistant, Tang Yan!

    He had seen him on TV.

    No way?

    It¡¯s really Tang Yan?

    Blondie confirmed Tang Yan¡¯s identity several times, and after confirming it, he trembled even more.

    So the people they robbed were actually from the Zhan Family?

    They thought those two women were just bluffing, but it turned out they were indeed from the Zhan Family?!

    The gangsters wore looks of horror, continuously backing away, trying to escape.

    Blondie swallowed hard and shuffled a few more steps back, utterly cowed.

    What scared Blondie the most was that he could see how everyone was deferring to the man in the middle.

    This made him guess his identity.

    The leader of Zhan Corporation!

    The richest of the rich in the imperial city!

    With this thought, Blondie swallowed hard.

    It was a gulp of sheer terror.

    That he hadn¡¯t already knelt before Zhan Qipei was all the courage he could muster.

    ¡°President Zhan¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­ didn¡¯t know they were from the Zhan Family earlier, otherwise I definitely wouldn¡¯t have made a move. I wouldn¡¯t dare, not for ten times the guts¡­¡±

    Blondie saw Zhan Qipei maintain a fiercely chilly demeanor, just watching him with that expressionless face.

    Facing such a gaze from Zhan Qipei, Blondie felt like an ant, and this intensified the fear in his heart.

    ¡°President Zhan, I beg you! Please, just let us go as if we were a fart. I¡ªI¡¯m kneeling down, okay?¡±

    As he finished speaking, Blondie bent his knees and fell to the ground with a ¡°thud,¡± kneeling before them.

    The other gangsters, seeing this, didn¡¯t dare to stealthily escape either, especially since all of them were select bodyguards from the Zhan Family; even if they wanted to run, they wouldn¡¯t be able to.

    In the name of survival, dignity, and everything else were thrown out the window as they followed Blondie¡¯s lead, all kneeling on the ground, kowtowing, and begging Qipei for mercy.

    ¡°Please, spare us! We know we were wrong! Have mercy on us!¡±

    Qipei slightly narrowed his eyes, his prating gaze falling on Blondie. Recalling the wound on Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, a sh of ruthlessness streaked through his dark pupils.

    The air pressure around him dropped to its lowest point, his whole body emitting a thick intent to kill. The food stall felt like it had plummeted into a freezing pit, threatening to freeze everyone alive.

    ¡°Was it you who hurt her yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Her?¡± Blondie paused, ¡°Which ¡®her¡¯?¡±

    Qipei took out his phone, and the screensaver was an image of Qiao Jing.

    Upon seeing the woman on the screensaver, Blondie instantly recognized her.

    How could they not? She had beaten them to the point of begging for mercy from all and sundry.

    ¡°She¡ª¡± Blondie began, but Qipei cut him off.

    ¡°She is my wife. Was it you who hurt her yesterday?¡±

    Scared!

    Blondie was nearly scared out of his wits.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡ªI was wrong! I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive me!¡±

    In a desperate plea for forgiveness, Blondie raised his hand and began to viciously p his own face.

    ¡°Smack¡ªsmack¡ªsmack¡ª¡±

    Each p was louder than thest, his face swelling from the blows, but showing no sign of stopping.

    His face didn¡¯t matter; if he didn¡¯t hit himself, he feared today might be the end of his life.

    As Blondie was ovee with regret, a chilling and low voice sounded above his head.

    ¡°Take out the knife?¡±

    Knife?

    ¡°What¡ªwhat knife?¡±

    Blondie replied, trembling.

    ¡°The knife you used to hurt her,¡± the six words fell from Qipei¡¯s mouth, as cold as though they had just been taken out of a fridge, chilling to the bone, setting hairs on end, and turning one¡¯s spine icy cold.

    Hearing this, Blondie quickly took out the knife.

    With shaking hands, he raised the knife and presented it to Qipei.

    The next second, Qipei grabbed the knife and flipped his wrist.

    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡±

    Blondie, clutching his arm, let out squeals like those of a pig being ughtered.

    Qipei stood in front of Blondie, looking down at him from above with indifferent eyes that showed no trace of emotion, as if he was looking at a dead man.

    ¡°Gulp¡ª¡± Among the subordinates, someone involuntarily swallowed their saliva first.

    Then came a chorus of gulping sounds.

    Along with unceasing shivering.

    How could they not fear?

    The president of Zhan Corporation was known in the imperial capital as the living King of Hell.

    Provoking him was akin to signing up for Yama¡¯s Pce.

    Their boss, Blondie, had hurt the man¡¯s wife, and his fate would surely be worse than death.

    Of course, they didn¡¯t have the luxury of feeling sympathy for Blondie. They might not have directly hurt his wife, but as participants in the event, their fate might not be any better than his.

    ¡°Spare¡ªspare my life¡ªah¡ª¡±

    Blondie had barely begun his plea for mercy when his hand was pinned down by Qipei¡¯s foot.

    ¡°Dare to hurt my wife¡¯s hand, I¡¯ll have you pay back a hundred, a thousandfold today,¡± Qipei articted coldly.

    As the voice dropped, he began to grind his foot down.

    ¡°Ahhh¡ªahhh¡ª¡± The air was filled with endless screams of agony.

 Chapter 341 - 331 Qiao Jing Plans to Leave Zhan Qipei

    Chapter 341: Chapter 331 Qiao Jing ns to Leave Zhan Qipei

    Ten minutester, Blondie had be unrecognizable, and Zhan Qipei finally stopped kicking. His gaze shifted and fell upon the trembling delinquents.

    One particrly timid guy, upon being stared down by Zhan Qipei, was so terrified that he wet himself on the spot.

    Tang Yan approached, ¡°Boss, leave the rest to us.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Zhan Qipei nodded, straightening his clothes.

    He then took out his phone and dialed a number.

    ¡°Want somete-night snack? I¡¯m outside.¡±

    The tone of his voice was so gentle it could drip water.

    It waspletely different from his bloodthirsty demeanor moments before, as if he had transformed from Yama Raja to a different person entirely.

    Tang Yan smacked his lips and instructed his bodyguards to start cleaning up the ¡°trash.¡±

    The scene shifts.

    Inside the hospital room.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her delicate brows, thinking about the thugs, and made a phone call to Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Did you find those people?¡±

    Elements like Blondie had certainly done their fair share of wrongdoings; she could only imagine how many girls they had bullied and robbed. She had some guess as to why they could still roam free without facing thew.

    Girls were afraid to report them, with pictures in Blondie¡¯s possession.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes instantly turned cold¡ªshe must bring them to justice so they could no longer harm others.

    ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s quite strange,¡± Xu Moqian said.

    Upon hearing this, a puzzled look crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°When I started looking into it, they had already been arrested. Oh, and when they were taken in, they were all beaten up, noses bruised and faces swollen, iming they fell and hurt themselves.¡±

    ¡°Fell down themselves?¡± Qiao Jing slightly arched her beautiful brows.

    Xu Moqian shrugged on the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what they said. It¡¯s quite funny, don¡¯t you think? One might fall, but for all of them to have fallen is quite the coincidence.¡±

    At this point, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but smack his lips before continuing.

    ¡°Especially that Blondie, his arm was crippled.¡±

    ¡°Who did it?¡± Qiao Jing asked with knitted brows.

    Before Xu Moqian could reply, the face of that handsome man suddenly shed across Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    She then looked at her own arm.

    That Blondie, his arm had been crippled¡­

    A coincidence?

    If it really was a coincidence, it was too much of one.

    So was it¡ªZhan Qipei?

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this was very likely.

    As Qiao Jing was analyzing this in her head, Xu Moqian¡¯s voice once again came from the phone.

    ¡°Anyway, they got what they deserved, so there¡¯s no need for me to act. Sister Jing, I¡¯lle to see you at the hospital now.¡±

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei walked in with breakfast.

    Xu Moqian, thinking the call had disconnected, said ¡°hello¡± a couple times.

    Qiao Jing then came back to her senses and declined Xu Moqian¡¯s offer.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with an inquiring gaze.

    ¡°Did you handle the thugs?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was in the process of opening the lid of the porridge, but he didn¡¯t forget to answer Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, watching Zhan Qipei fuss over her, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a wave of emotions.

    After a few seconds of silence, she spoke, ¡°You don¡¯t need to do so much for me; I can handle it myself.¡±

    Zhan Qipei opened the lid of the porridge, turned to look at Qiao Jing, and the tenderness in his eyes was about to overflow.

    ¡°You saved my mom; this is what I should do. Besides, you¡¯re my wife.¡±

    Wife¡­

    She didn¡¯t know how many times she had heard Zhan Qipei call her that¡­

    Lost in thought, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed and her eyes lowered, concealing her emotions from view.

    ¡°Only five days left. When the timees, will it be you moving out of Nantai Apartment, or will I?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei to do so much for her anymore. Their wedding date was nearing, and they would soon part ways for good.

    Upon hearing these words, Zhan Qipei felt a jolt in his heart and gathered his long brows.

    ¡°Do we absolutely have to divorce?¡±

    Qiao Jing lifted her gaze toward Zhan Qipei, her phoenix eyes staring at the man¡¯s face, filled with determination.

    She pursed her lips, said nothing, and just quietly looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei understood the emotion in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes; his thin lips formed a straight line devoid of curves, his voice turned somewhat hoarse.

    ¡°I won¡¯t divorce.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened even more.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, why bother? We originally agreed on a hundred days, and because you saved meter, I continued the contract for another hundred days as a sign of gratitude.

    You¡¯re a smart man; you should understand that a forced melon isn¡¯t sweet.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s profile was tensed.

    ¡°I refuse to believe in that superstition.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Facing the man¡¯s stubbornness, Qiao Jing momentarily didn¡¯t know what to say.

    For a time, the hospital room fell silent.

    After a moment, Qiao Jing spoke again.

    ¡°No matter how much you insist, I am definitely going to divorce.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together, and his face appeared as dark as the instant before a storm.

    ¡°Give it another hundred days.¡±

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, not expecting Zhan Qipei to be so childish. She emphasized her tone.

    ¡°Do you think this is child¡¯s y? Deciding on another hundred days just because you want to?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, which were soft as mist, and his gaze firmly locked onto Qiao Jing, his peripheral vision on the woman¡¯s stomach.

    Despite her carrying his three children, why did she still want a divorce?

    Did she n to raise these three kids alone?

    No, that wouldn¡¯t do; it would be too exhausting and tough for Qiao Jing. He couldn¡¯t allow his wife to suffer.

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing had made up her mind and decided not to continue discussing the matter, opting to find another solutionter.

    ¡°You should have some porridge first.¡±

    Their conversation was overheard by Zhan Nanqing, who was outside the hospital room.

    She had just arrived to hear about Qiao Jing wanting to divorce her brother and her brows immediately knitted tightly together.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Qiao Jing bringing it up, she would have almost forgotten that her brother and Qiao Jing were in a contract marriage.

    Yet, her brother and Qiao Jing had been through so much together, and her brother adored Qiao Jing so much¡ªhow could Qiao Jing not like her brother?

    And on top of that, they had three children together¡­

    As Zhan Nanqing was pondering this, Su Manhan¡¯s voice sounded from behind.

    ¡°Nanqing, you¡ª¡±

    Zhan Nanqing jumped at Su Manhan¡¯s voice, warily nced toward the door of the hospital room, and fearing discovery, quickly pulled her aside.

    Su Manhan eyed Zhan Nanqing and saw her daughter¡¯s brows twisted as if in knots, which made her wonder.

    She nced at the hospital room¡¯s door, then back at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s reaction¡ªsomething must have happened inside, right?

    Su Manhan immediately became tense.

    ¡°What is it? Why aren¡¯t you going in? Has Qiao Jing¡¯s condition worsened?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing shook her head and leaned closer to Su Manhan, lowering her voice.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. You know the marriage contract between brother and Qiao Jing only has five days left, right? I heard Qiao Jing say that she wants brother to move out when it ends and then divorce.¡±

    Su Manhan was taken aback, as she hadn¡¯t even considered that.

    How could time have passed so quickly? Were there only five days left in Qipei and Qiao Jing¡¯s marriage contract?

    She was just starting to be kind to Qiao Jing, and now they were getting divorced?

    Su Manhan¡¯s mind raced with anxiety as she gripped Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°So what should we do?¡±

 Chapter 342 - 332: Only Five Days Left Until The Wedding

    Chapter 342: Chapter 332: Only Five Days Left Until The Wedding

    Zhan Nanqing was also anxious, frowning, but she had no way to solve the problem.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but my brother definitely wouldn¡¯t agree. Mom, let¡¯s not go in for now. I¡¯m going back to work, and you should go home.¡±

    Su Manhan had a headache, and so did Zhan Nanqing.

    After returning to Purple Garden, Su Manhan plopped down on the couch and stared nkly at the fruit te on the table as if it had a deep grudge against her.

    Zhan Yao noticed Su Manhan¡¯s unusual behavior, even when her favorite peachesy on the table untouched.

    What could make her look like this?

    ¡°Why the long face?¡±

    Only then did Su Manhane back to her senses, her tone full of distress.

    ¡°Only five days left of Qipei and Qiao Jing¡¯s engagement.¡±

    Zhan Yao uttered an ¡°oh¡±, understanding Su Manhan¡¯s meaning. She felt five days were too long and wanted Qiao Jing to divorce Qipei immediately. He began to console her.

    ¡°You¡¯ve endured it for almost two hundred days, just be patient for thest five days. Qiao Jing will leave the Zhan Family soon and you won¡¯t need to worry about these things anymore.¡±

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Yao somewhat angrily.

    ¡°What are you saying? I wish Qiao Jing would stay in the Zhan Family and let me worry for a lifetime. If she divorces Qipei, where can I find such a good daughter-inw? No, I can¡¯t let them divorce.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? I wish Qiao Jing would stay in the Zhan Family and let me worry for a lifetime. If she divorces Qipei, where can I find such a good daughter-inw? No, I can¡¯t let them divorce.¡±

    Hearing Su Manhan say this, Zhan Yao was stunned and looked at her with a strange expression.

    Did she really just say that? Wasn¡¯t she the one who hated Qiao Jing the most?

    ¡°What? You¡ªyou want Qiao Jing to stay in the Zhan Family?¡±

    Su Manhan nced at the puzzled Zhan Yao and began to exin.

    ¡°Of course. Yesterday, not only did Qiao Jing save me, she even took a knife for me. How could I possibly treat her as I did before? And I misunderstood her before; I always thought she was a vain person.

    But if she were vain, how could she possibly propose to leave the Zhan Family? I¡¯m telling you, you have to be good to her from now on and treat her like your own daughter.¡±

    Zhan Yao¡¯s jaw dropped enough to fit an egg.

    He hadn¡¯t ever actively troubled Qiao Jing since she joined the family.

    As for his attitude toward this daughter-inw¡ªthere was no particr attitude.

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t care what Zhan Yao thought and continued from where she left off:

    ¡°Qiao Jing and Qipei are talking about getting a divorce; what should I do? I don¡¯t want to lose such a good daughter-inw¡­¡±

    Zhan Yao took a while to ept Su Manhan¡¯s drastic change.

    ¡°Talking to me about this now is less useful than thinking about how to make Qiao Jing stay; there are only five days left. Have you ever thought that Qiao Jing wanting to leave the Zhan Family could be because of you?¡±

    Su Manhan felt a bit displeased and immediately retorted.

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±

    Zhan Yao slightly wrinkled his brows and began to analyze the situation for Su Manhan.

    ¡°Your attitude toward Qiao Jing was not good before, and you were even targeting her. Now that the marriage is approaching its end, how could she possibly stay in the Zhan Family and put up with your bad temper?¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t speak but thought it over carefully.

    It seemed true. If she were Qiao Jing, she would definitely choose to leave the Zhan Family too.

    It looks like she had to be extra nice to Qiao Jing.

    Starting from tomorrow, she would cook various nutritious foods for Qiao Jing to help her recuperate.

    The next morning, Zhan Nanqing went to the entrance to change her shoes.

    As she was about to leave for work, Su Manhan came over with a thermal bag.

    ¡°Nanqing, take this to the institute.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stared at Su Manhan in surprise.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    Su Manhan took out neatly packed lunch boxes from inside, each with a note attached to it.

    ¡°Rice, Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Peking Duck, Dragon and Phoenix¡­ ¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened, and she almost drooled.

    ¡°Wow¡ªThank you, Mom! Did the sun rise from the west today? You actually made so much delicious food for me?¡±

    To know, her mother was a typicaldy who ¡®did not touch the spring water with her own ten fingers.¡¯

    Although her mother had learned a few dishes during her idle time, she rarely cooked.

    Her making chicken soup for Qiao Jing yesterday was already very rare, and today she even made meals for her.

    The next words from Su Manhan shattered all of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s beautiful fantasies.

 Chapter 343 - 332: Five Days Left Until the Wedding_2

    Chapter 343: Chapter 332: Five Days Left Until the Wedding_2

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say this was for you to eat, this is specially prepared for Qiao Jing, so she can have my homemade food for lunch.¡±

    The next sentence from Su Manhan shattered all of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s beautiful illusions.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say this was for you to eat, this is specially prepared for Qiao Jing, so she can have my homemade food for lunch.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s smile on her face suddenly froze, and it took a few seconds for her to snap back to reality, looking at Su Manhan in astonishment.

    ¡°What did you say? It¡¯s for Qiao Jing? I didn¡¯t hear wrong, did I?¡±

    She thought she was hallucinating and started to dig at her ear,

    Su Manhan rolled her eyes silently and packed all the lunchboxes into the insted bag.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for Qiao Jing, oh, stop with the nonsense, just take it to her for lunch, I also prepared your meal, you can eat with her.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, holding the insted bag, felt a bit sour in her heart.

    ¡°Mom, so you¡¯re saying you made food for Qiao Jing on purpose, and I¡¯m just an afterthought? I haven¡¯t even eaten these dishes before, who exactly is your real daughter, huh?¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t pay any more attention to Zhan Nanqing, pushing her out the front door, urging her, ¡°Hurry up and go to work, or you¡¯ll bete.¡±

    Inside the research institute.

    Qiao Jing had justpleted a task and was sitting on the sofa resting when a familiar figure walked in.

    Xu Moqian held a bouquet of roses in his hands, cing it on the table, he sat down next to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, how are you feeling? Why did youe back to work after just a few days of rest?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the big bunch of roses, her temple abruptly throbbed.

    ¡°My health is good, so I came back to work. Remember to take the roses with you.¡±

    Xu Moqian looked at the bouquet of roses with a saddened expression.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, I bought them especially for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Xu Moqian, her tone bing much more serious.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you before, the money spent on buying roses could be donated instead.¡±

    Xu Moqian adjusted the position of the roses, speaking in a whining tone.

    ¡°I did donate, the money for the roses is separate, and if you don¡¯t want to keep them at the institute, we could have a ¡®rose lunch¡¯ at noon.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice came from the doorway.

    ¡°No need to go out for lunch.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at her, puzzled.

    Zhan Nanqing walked to the table, took all the lunchboxes out, and arranged them neatly.

    When Xu Moqian saw the notes on the lunchboxes, his mouth opened in surprise.

    ¡°Holy cow? So many?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, knowing they wouldn¡¯t be able to finish all the food, would that not be a waste?

    She asked, confused.

    ¡°Why did you bring so many dishes over?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing put away the insted bag, her tone carrying a hint of sourness, as if she was jealous.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bring all this, but my mom asked me to bring it all for you to eat, and she made it specifically for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned, staring at the notes on the lunchboxes.

    She had already been discharged from the hospital, so why did Su Manhan prepare so much for her?

    And each dish seemedplicated, likely having taken a lot of time to cook.

    She had never been treated this way by a female elder, and for a moment, she was somewhat at a loss.

    Xu Moqian froze with his hand reaching out for the lunchbox when he heard who had prepared the meal.

    ¡°Sister Jing, why has your nominal mother-inw suddenly be so nice to you?¡±

    He found it strange and was somewhat worried.

    He clearly remembered that Su Manhan really disliked Sister Jing, yet the current situation clearly showed an intent to treat Sister Jing well.

    But with such a drastic change in Su Manhan¡¯s attitude, wouldn¡¯t Sister Jing decide to stay at the Zhan Family?

    Why had this happened just when he was finally counting down thest five days?

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and put all the lunchboxes back into the thermal bag to prevent them from getting cold.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of what happened a few days ago.¡±

    After packing away the lunchboxes, she went back to work, and Zhan Nanqing followed her.

    That left only Xu Moqian sitting on the sofa, staring nkly at the thermal bag.

    This is bad, with Su Manhan being so nice to Sister Jing, she definitely intends to keep her here.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t have Sister Jing, he wasn¡¯t going to let that kid Zhan Qipei have her either.

    He wanted Sister Jing to be free and on her own; perhaps one day he might have a chance. But if Sister Jing stayed at the Zhan Family, he would have no chance at all.

    What to do¡­

    Before he knew it, it was noon. Qiao Jing put down her work and sat at the table.

    Zhan Nanqing also sat down at the table and took out all the lunchboxes.

    Once the covers of the lunchboxes were opened one by one, the aroma of the food wafted through the air.

    Xu Moqian¡¯s stomach embarrassingly rumbled, and he scratched his head awkwardly.

    ¡°This food smells amazing, but not as good as the ones you make, Sister Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Xu Moqian and didn¡¯t respond, instead, she started eating with her chopsticks.

    After lunch, she noticed there was still a lot of food left uneaten, but wasting food was against her principles.

    Zhan Nanqing stood up, intending to discard the leftover food, as that was what she was ustomed to doing after a meal.

    Just as she was about to lift the edge of a lunchbox, Qiao Jing stopped her.

    ¡°No need to throw it away, just leave it.¡±

    The lunchbox¡¯spartments were precisely divided into three sections, but before eating, Zhan Nanqing, wanting Qiao Jing to eat more, had given half of her own portion to Qiao Jing.

    This meant that all the leftover food in the lunchbox was Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    So Qiao Jing nned to bring it home in the evening, finish the leftovers, and then cook some new dishes for Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Nanqing paused for a moment but didn¡¯t ask any further questions.

    ¡°Ah? Okay.¡±

    Just as everything was packed up, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone rang. She nced at the caller and then at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Take the call; it¡¯s your break time.¡±

    Only then did Zhan Nanqing press the ept button, and Su Manhan¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°Nanqing, I¡¯m at the entrance of the research institute right now. Come out for a moment. I¡¯ve cut some fruit for Qiao Jing to eat. Help me bring it in.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing stiffened; her mother had prepared everything for Qiao Jing, seemingly ready to attend to Qiao Jing personally.

    She felt a pang of jealousy in her heart, but she still agreed.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ming out now.¡±

 Chapter 344 - 333: Su Manhan Personally Delivers Fruit to Qiao Jing at the Research Institute

    Chapter 344: Chapter 333: Su Manhan Personally Delivers Fruit to Qiao Jing at the Research Institute

    Su Manhan was holding a box, and when she saw Zhan Nanqinge out, her eyes lit up and she hurried forward.

    ¡°You just finished dinner, right? I timed my visit, take this in for Qiao Jing to eat quickly.¡±

    As she spoke, she pushed the box toward Zhan Nanqing.

    The box, which contained fruit, was transparent, and Zhan Nanqing could see several types of fruit inside. Had her mother made a fruit tter?

    And even brought it over personally!

    Zhan Nanqing held the box without moving and frowned as she asked Su Manhan.

    ¡°Mom, I understand you being nice to Qiao Jing, but aren¡¯t you being a bit too nice? You were making chicken soup and peeling apples before, don¡¯t tell me you cut the fruit yourself instead of having the maid do it.¡±

    Su Manhan stared at Zhan Nanqing with some dissatisfaction and pushed her toward the institute¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°Nonsense, of course I cut the fruit myself. She saved my life, I need to treat her extra well. Besides, you don¡¯t want your brother and Qiao Jing to get divorced, do you?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing did not understand and looked at Su Manhan puzzled.

    Why was her mother connecting being nice to Qiao Jing with her brother getting a divorce?

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want that, but what does that have to do with you being so nice to Qiao Jing?¡±

    For the first time, Su Manhan realized how naive her daughter was. She nced at the time, somewhat anxiously.

    ¡°Are you silly? Qiao Jing definitely wants a divorce because I used to treat her badly. I¡¯m taking thesest few days to treat her sincerely, to see if I can make her stay.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing finally understood Su Manhan¡¯s intention and felt less jealous.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    After pushing her into the institute, Su Manhan hurried back home, nning what to make for Qiao Jing the next day.

    Zhan Nanqing came in with the fruit and put it on the table.

    ¡°This is from my mom, for you to eat.¡±

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, her brows furrowed even more tightly.

    If it was just about thanking her for saving a life, she thought chicken soup had been enough.

    Su Manhan was now cooking meals and bringing fruit, which was really too much, making her even more ufortable.

    Xu Moqian was even more stunned, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

    Had he heard wrong? It was one thing for Su Manhan to make meals for Sister Jing, but now personally bringing fruit?

    He knew that the Zhan family lived some distance from the institute¡ªhad Su Manhan actually made the trip just to deliver fruit?

    In the long run, wouldn¡¯t his Sister Jing possibly be moved by Su Manhan and then choose to stay with the Zhan family?

    That wouldn¡¯t do!

    Xu Moqian looked at Qiao Jing and, seeing that she did not seem touched, ventured to ask.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you wouldn¡¯t be moved just by a meal and some fruit, would you?¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian say this, Zhan Nanqing got quite angry and red fiercely at him.

    ¡°Xu Moqian! What are you talking about?¡±

    His words were clearly trying to stir trouble between Qiao Jing and her mother.

    Considering Qiao Jing was about to divorce his brother, Xu Moqian adding fuel to the fire could elerate their divorce¡ªwhat then?

    Qiao Jing nced coolly at them both and did not eat the fruit.

    ¡°You eat it. I¡¯m going to work now.¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s words had also revealed to her what Su Manhan was really thinking.

    But she ultimately would not stay.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened, and she picked up the fruit tter and followed behind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, my mom made this especially for you. You should eat some, it would replenish your vitamins and be good for your health.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s stubborn demeanor, reminding her of Zhan Qipei. The siblings seemed simr in this regard.

    Eventually, she ate some fruit, and then Zhan Nanqing was willing to let her go to work.

    When Qiao Jing got home from work, she found someone already in the kitchen.

    The aroma of the dishes wafted out; she paused and checked the current time.

    It was only five in the evening; had Zhan Qipeie back already? Didn¡¯t he usually get off work at six?

    After changing her shoes, she approached the dining table and met Zhan Qipei, who had juste out of the kitchen.

    Qiao Jing focused on the pink apron the man was wearing, which contrasted starkly with his cold expression, creating a strong, cute dissonance.

    Plus, with Zhan Qipei wearing an apron and carrying dishes out of the kitchen, she felt like he was the perfect househusband.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jinge home, a light appeared in his dark eyes, and he ced the dish he was holding on the table.

    He hade home early specifically to cook for Qiao Jing, nning to make onest effort in these final days.

    No matter whether he could win an opportunity or not, as long as he disagreed with the divorce, they couldn¡¯t proceed with the divorce procedures.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t dream of divorcing him.

    ¡°You¡¯re back. I just finished cooking; it¡¯s all your favorite dishes.¡±

    Qiao Jing was still holding the leftovers from lunch, and seeing Zhan Qipei had cooked so much made her somewhat anxious.

    Fortunately, there was only a little left, otherwise, it would have been too much to finish.

    She hummed in response, sat down at the table, and took out the unfinished dishes.

    When Zhan Qipei saw the opened lunchbox, his eyes dimmed and his tone was tinged with loss.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat the food I cooked?¡±

    When had his wife cooked? Why didn¡¯t he know about it?

    But, if his wife didn¡¯t eat the food he cooked, did it mean he really had no chance at all?

    Qiao Jing paused in her movements, reheated all the dishes, and then returned to the table to sit.

    The man¡¯s face was still dim and lightless, which inexplicably made her feel guilty.

    ¡°No, this is what your mom made for me. I didn¡¯t finish it at noon, so I brought it back to continue eating.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression improved a lot upon hearing this, but he was surprised to learn it was his mother who had cooked the dishes.

    His mom not only made soup for Qiao Jing but also personally cooked so many dishes for her?

    Right then, his phone vibrated, and the screen lit up automatically.

    Thetest message was from Su Manhan.

    ¡°Qipei, hang in there! Mom is on your side! You must also take hold of this opportunity, whatever you do, don¡¯t let Qiao Jing leave the Zhan Family! You know she¡¯s my only precious daughter-inw.¡±

    After reading the message, a faint smile appeared on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, and he began to serve dishes into Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    As soon as they finished eating, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang.

    She paused slightly as she was about to clean up the dishes.

    She only paused for a second, but Zhan Qipei had already taken the bowl from her hand.

    The man¡¯s distinctive voice rang out.

    ¡°Go answer the phone.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and went to answer the call.

    The caller was Ni Yue.

    She pressed the answer button and instinctively held the phone a little further from her ear, as Ni Yue¡¯s first words were always loud when she called.

    But this time, the situation was beyond Qiao Jing¡¯s expectations.

    Although Ni Yue was still the first to speak, she deliberately lowered her voice, sounding mysteriously.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing,e over to my house; I have a surprise for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing was instantly intrigued and asked curiously.

    ¡°What surprise?¡±

 Chapter 345 - 334: Ni Yue Wants to Compete with Zhan Qipei for His Wife

    Chapter 345: Chapter 334: Ni Yue Wants to Compete with Zhan Qipei for His Wife

    Ni Yue, however, refused to tell, starting to tease with a coquettish tone in her voice.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll know once you get here¡ªhow could I spoil the surprise beforehand? Anyway, I promise you¡¯ll definitely love it; I spent a long time preparing it!¡±

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless, suppressing her curiosity and agreeing to it.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m heading there now.¡±

    Ni Yue giggled, saying, ¡°Love you, muah~¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing hung up the phone, preparing to change her clothes, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°Was that Ni Yue who called?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks and noticed Zhan Qipei staring at her with a resentful gaze, as if she were a heartbreaker.

    She helplessly answered the man.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression visibly darkened.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples suddenly throbbed, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    This dog of a man was at it again, always getting jealous ¡ª it was one thing with men, but he was even jealous of women, and even got jealous of the kids at the orphanagest time.

    She felt sorry for Zhan Qipei¡¯s future wife for a few seconds.

    After all, this man¡¯s jealousy was too much for anyone to handle.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, Qiao Jing simply went back to her room, changed into another set of clothes, and came out.

    She tied her hair into a casual ponytail, wore a loose white T-shirt with a coffee-colored coat over it, and gray wide-leg pants.

    A lot of people dressed in this type of outfit; it was verymon.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing intently, his tone full of jealousy as he spoke.

    ¡°You¡¯re dressing up like this to meet Ni Yue? Are you sure you and Ni Yue are just ordinary friends?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned thoughtfully, ncing down at her outfit.

    Wasn¡¯t it just a verymon casual wear?

    If she randomly grabbed someone off the street, they¡¯d likely be dressed simrly to her.

    So what was the problem with her wearing this to meet Ni Yue?

    If she and Ni Yue were not just ordinary friends, what other rtionship could they possibly have?

    This man must have a hole in his brain.

    She couldn¡¯t be bothered with Zhan Qipei and headed towards the entryway to change her shoes.

    But the man moved faster than her, reached the coat rack at the entryway, took down his own coat, and dressed swiftly.

    Zhan Qipei also picked up the car keys from the cab and quickly put on his shoes.

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, looking at Zhan Qipei as if he were about to go out, and she asked.

    ¡°Are you going out? Didn¡¯t Tang Yan call during dinner, saying that the video conference was about to start?¡±

    Zhan Qipei adjusted his smoke-like eyebrows but didn¡¯t answer Qiao Jing¡¯s question.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Ni Yue¡¯s house.¡±

    Qiao Jing exasperatedly held her forehead, this man was at it again.

    He always seemed desperate to stick by her side, insisting on driving her everywhere.

    ¡°You should really focus on your work.¡±

    She stepped past Zhan Qipei, put her shoes on and walked a few steps out when she heard footsteps following her, growing more speechless.

    Qiao Jing turned around, staring at the man.

    ¡°Are you really that idle?¡±

    Even for her to take a cab downstairs, did Zhan Qipei need to escort her personally?

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, still holding the car keys, staring intently at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m very busy.¡±

    Seeing he had some self-awareness gave Qiao Jing a bit of relief, and she retorted.

    ¡°If you¡¯re so busy, why do you still want to drop me off?¡±

    Zhan Qipei stepped forward a few paces, pressed the elevator button, and replied indirectly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time; I need to drop you off at Ni Yue¡¯s house immediately and then rush back home to work.¡±

    With a ¡°ding¡±, the elevator arrived.

    Qiao Jing rubbed her forehead helplessly, feeling that continuing this standoff was indeed no solution, and made a request.

    ¡°You can take me there, but you can¡¯t stay. After you drop me off downstairs, you have to go back to work.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, and his brows furrowed even more, his tone a bit strange.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I stay? What do you two want to do?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, knowing that the man was again wildly imagining things in his mind.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t take me, I¡¯ll take a taxi myself.¡±

    Zhan Qipei watched as Qiao Jing walked a few steps toward the door and quickly followed her, eventuallypromising.

    A momentter, the car stopped in front of Ni Yue¡¯s house.

    Before getting out of the car, Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei a somewhat uneasy look, and only after confirming he had no intention of unbuckling his seatbelt did she step out of the car.

    ¡°You go back.¡±

    Yet Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and didn¡¯t answer, nor did he start the car.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak to persuade him, she was suddenly embraced around the waist.

    She knew without guessing that the person behind her was Ni Yue.

    Qiao Jing reluctantly extricated herself from Ni Yue¡¯s embrace and nced at the vi behind her.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my surprise?¡±

    Ni Yue huffed softly, hugging Qiao Jing face-to-face, and started nuzzling against her cheek affectionately.

    ¡°What¡¯s more important, the surprise or me? Let¡¯s talk about that inside. I¡¯ve missed you so much, babe. Let me give you a kiss.¡±

    At this moment, the car hadn¡¯t driven away yet, and Zhan Qipei saw this scene. His gaze instantly darkened as he stared at Ni Yue.

    Suddenly, he noticed that Ni Yue¡¯s hands began to wander restlessly.

    Initially, Ni Yue was just holding Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, but now she even dared to move her hands downward!

    Did she think he didn¡¯t exist?

    Zhan Qipei, with a grim expression, got out of the car and stared at Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue shivered under Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, and her restless hand immediately stopped.

    She defiantly red at Zhan Qipei, but his look seemed almost like he wanted to y her alive. Reluctantly, she let go of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipeie down, Qiao Jing frowned.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise you¡¯d go back?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, refusing to speak, and silently followed behind Qiao Jing.

    In the end, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t outstubborn Zhan Qipei; unable to send him away, she had to let him follow.

    Ni Yue led Qiao Jing into her room and even added her own sound effects when opening the door.

    ¡°Ta-da¡ª¡±

    In the center of the room was a ck backless dress, revealing a whole expanse of backskin, with a V that extended down to the small of the back.

    Ni Yue excitedly walked over to the dress, beginning to describe it to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, this is tailored specifically for you, pretty isn¡¯t it? I spent a lot of effort on it, worked on it for over a month, and had youe over as soon as it was finished.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes brightened upon seeing the dress.

    Each dress Ni Yue designed for her was exactly to her taste, every time capturing precisely what she liked.

    Standing behind her, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t think so, his eyes filled with gloom.

    This backless dress was even more revealing than the one Qiao Jing wore at thest banquet.

    The V at the back almost extended down to the very bottom of her spine, and Ni Yue definitely did it on purpose.

    He just knew Ni Yue wanted to steal his wife!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s icy gazended on Ni Yue, frosty disdain filling his eyes and brows.

    Ni Yue felt somewhat baffled, what exactly was Zhan Qipei doing?

    Although she did indeed want topete with him for Qiao Jing, was it really that evident?

    Besides, she was the one who knew Xiao Jingjing first, if anything, it was Zhan Qipei who forcibly took what wasn¡¯t his.

    And it was just a dress after all. Her eyes darted about, ncing at the dress.

    A sh of insight struck her, and she thought of a way to irritate Zhan Qipei, something he couldn¡¯t fault her for, and she shed a smug smile, deliberately walking up to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, try it on and see how it looks. I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing you wear it since I started making this dress.¡±

 Chapter 346 - 335: The Boss Chases His Wife Instead of Working, What to Do?

    Chapter 346: Chapter 335: The Boss Chases His Wife Instead of Working, What to Do?

    Qiao Jing could not resist Ni Yue¡¯s enthusiasm and went into the bedroom¡¯s walk-in closet with the clothes.

    Ni Yue followed suit and before closing the door, she provocatively nced at Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, as gloomy as she had imagined, her mood greatly improved, and then she closed the door without hesitation.

    Zhan Qipei stood outside the door, his icy gaze seemingly trying to bore a hole through it.

    He walked up to the closet door, wanting to listen to the noises inside.

    The two were doing something inside, and Ni Yue¡¯s meaningful ¡°tsk tsk¡± sound came out.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands clenched into fists, the veins on the backs of his hands suddenly bulging.

    Inside, Ni Yue dragged out her words on purpose.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, no matter when, your skin is still as good as before. I noticed itst time. Let me help you change your clothes from now on, hehe~¡±

    She deliberately brought up thest time they changed clothes just to irritate Zhan Qipei outside.

    Qiao Jing was somewhat helpless, it was clear that Ni Yue meant to provoke Zhan Qipei.

    Really, one more childish than the other, just like kindergarten kids.

    She lightly spat out two words, sending them Ni Yue¡¯s way.

    ¡°Sicko.¡±

    Suddenly, footsteps inside sounded, Zhan Qipei hurriedly returned to his original position.

    The closet door opened, and Qiao Jing appeared, wearing a backless long dress. Her exposed skin at the back, along with her beautiful scap, sparked imaginations endlessly; plus the form-fitting design showcased her beautiful curves. Every movement seemed soul-hooking.

    Zhan Qipei stared intently at the woman, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he red at the others who were looking at Qiao Jing, his expression turning darker.

    Ni Yue designing such a dress for Qiao Jing, could it be she wanted his wife to wear it for her viewing?

    This made him even more certain that Ni Yue harbored inappropriate thoughts for his wife.

    He squinted slightly, his hostile gaze falling on Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue noticed his hostility and leaned closer to Qiao Jing, lowering her voice to whisper.

    ¡°Howe your hubby still watches you so closely¡ªhis eyes, as if they could devour me¡­

    By the way, I heard from Xu Moqian that your so-called mother-inw suddenly started treating you well¡ªcooking for you and bringing you fruits, does she know about your background?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, replying to her.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the matter? Did her conscience finally kick in?¡± Ni Yue immediately asked, curious.

    Qiao Jing told Ni Yue about the mugging incident from beginning to end, pulling up her sleeve.

    She revealed the wound on her arm that was almost healed.

    Ni Yue instantly widened her eyes, unconsciously uttering, ¡°OMG!¡±

    She looked at Qiao Jing with a face full of distress, tears starting to circle in her eyes, carefully blowing on the other¡¯s wound.

    ¡°Wuu wuu wuu, my Xiao Jingjing, my heart hurts for you. Does it still hurt? Where is that disgusting Blondie? I¡¯ll beat him to death!¡±

    Qiao Jing let her sleeve fall and looked up at Ni Yue, seeing how heartbroken she was, and couldn¡¯t help but soften her tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you see, the wound is almost healed. It will probably be healed by tomorrow or the day after. Those punks were beaten up and received the death penalty.¡±

    Ni Yue sniffled, forcing back her tears, now teary-eyed but cursing angrily.

    ¡°Good! They deserved it, totally.¡±

    Suddenly, a ringtone from a cellphone sounded.

    Both their gazes shifted towards the source of the sound, Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei heard the cellphone ringtone and furrowed his brow, his frown deepening when he saw who the caller was.

    He reluctantly pressed the answer button.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Boss, the meeting has been dyed for half an hour. When can youe to start it?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter.¡±

    Tang Yan on the other end didn¡¯t want to hang up either, and so he and Zhan Qipei were at an impasse.

    ¡°Boss, everyone is waiting, you could start the meeting, and Miss Qiao won¡¯t run away.¡±

    Zhan Qipei still didn¡¯t relent. He wanted to stick by Qiao Jing¡¯s side every second of every minute, not to mention the meeting would take at least an hour, and he couldn¡¯t bear to be separated from Qiao Jing for that long.

    ¡°Dy it a few minutes, we can start itter.

    Tang Yan knew when Zhan Qipei talked about dying for a few minutes; it would definitely be a few hours. He dared not hang up casually.

    Everyone was sitting in the conference room, just waiting for the boss. He was anxiously pacing, wondering what to do if the boss prioritized courting his wife over the meeting.

    ¡°We really can¡¯t dy any longer, boss, we¡¯ve already dyed half an hour.¡±

    This time, Zhan Qipei directly hung up the phone.

    Qiao Jing frowned, knowing it was Tang Yan¡¯s call. It had been half an hour since they left the house.

    This also proved that Zhan Qipei had dyed the meeting by half an hour.

    ¡°You should go back to the meeting.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was locked on Qiao Jing as he put away his phone, pretending to be rxed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an important meeting.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a skeptical gaze, half believing and half doubting.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Zhan Qipei hummed in affirmation, using Tang Yan as a shield.

    ¡°Tang Yan can handle it himself; he doesn¡¯t need me there.¡±

    No sooner had he finished his sentence than Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang.

    Ni Yue crossed her arms, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two.

    Seeing that the caller was Tang Yan, Qiao Jing guessed what was going on.

    She just pressed the answer button, and Tang Yan¡¯s distressed voice came through.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, please persuade the boss to have the meeting. This meeting is really important; it concerns a twenty-billion deal, and only the boss can handle it!¡±

    Qiao Jing responded with an acknowledgment, then hung up the phone and stared at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    The man had maintained a carefree expression before this call, but now his brows were furrowed, staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s phone with displeasure.

    The corners of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, her eyes emanating amanding aura as she intensified her tone.

    ¡°Go back to the meeting, immediately.¡±

    Zhan Qipei opened his mouth to make an excuse, but Qiao Jing added another sentence, quashing his intention to continue making excuses.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t go back, then you can stay here by yourself while Ni Yue and I go out.¡±

    The man pursed his lips tightly. In the end, he capitted, reluctantly uttering one word.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    After Zhan Qipei left, Ni Yue felt the tension in the room disappear and took a deep breath of fresh air.

    She flopped onto the sofa andy down, mumbling discontentedly.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, Zhan Qipei is like a walking iceberg; wherever he goes, the chill follows. He makes the atmosphere so heavy.

    Forget him for now. I¡¯ll take you out. I heard there¡¯s a culinary festival going on at the snack street, with free tastings and stuff, very lively, gogogo!¡±

    After saying that, Ni Yue sprang from the sofa like she was invigorated, rummaged through the wardrobe for a sweater, camisole, and shorts, and quickly changed beforeing over to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated, looking down at what she was wearing, then decided to change. She nced at Ni Yue, who was bare-legged.

    ¡°Wait for me to change my clothes; it¡¯s cold outside at night. You should wear long pants too.¡±

    Ni Yue patted her chest.

    ¡°I am the Bare-legged Warrior; I never get cold. But you go change back into your clothes, Xiao Jingjing. Only I get to see how pretty you are.¡±

 Chapter 347: 336: Qiao Jing Gets Hit On

    Chapter 347: Chapter 336: Qiao Jing Gets Hit On

    Qiao Jing was pushed back into the changing room by Ni Yue; they didn¡¯t leave until they had changed their clothes.

    The cold wind that faced them made Ni Yue shiver; she huddled up and silently moved closer to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing¡­ it¡¯s really quite cold¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her eyesnding on the little tank-top Ni Yue was wearing. Even though it was a sweater, it couldn¡¯t ward off the chill of the weather.

    Furthermore, the ultra-short shorts weren¡¯t doing anything to block the wind. If Ni Yue wasn¡¯t cold, who would be?

    She took a small step forward, stood in front of Ni Yue, and blocked most of the wind for her.

    ¡°I told you to wear more, you didn¡¯t listen; now you know it¡¯s cold?¡±

    Ni Yue touched her bare arms and took the hand of Muxia who was wearing a coat, chuckling twice.

    ¡°Now I¡¯m not cold. Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go, time to eat; once I eat, I won¡¯t feel cold.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head helplessly and took a taxi with Ni Yue to the snack street.

    Their first stop was, a Western restaurant selling steak.

    As Qiao Jing was about to enter, Ni Yue stopped her.

    ¡°Hold on, ces like this usually don¡¯t offer samples, it¡¯s those smaller stalls that do.¡±

    Ni Yue seemed to have thought of something and started swiping on her phone.

    A waiter at the restaurant entrance overheard Ni Yue¡¯sment and brought out a sample of steak from the counter.

    ¡°Miss, our restaurant also has a tasting event, you can try the taste and then decide whether to dine with us or not.¡±

    Ni Yue, who had been checking the restaurant¡¯s reviews, put down her phone immediately upon hearing this.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s quickly try it.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed, she just picked up a small piece of steak and was about to taste it when an abrupt voice rang out.

    ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t this Qiao Jing? What a small world, to bump into you wherever I go.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong stood behind them, arms crossed, wearing a mask, sunsses, and a hat,pletely covered up.

    Qiao Jing paid no attention to Qiao Mengtong, instead, she put that small piece of steak in her mouth, tasted it, and then spoke to Ni Yue beside her.

    ¡°The taste is good.¡±

    After Ni Yue took a sample, her eyes immediately sparkled, and she nodded vigorously.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s good too, Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s dine inside¡ª¡±

    The waiter, hearing their conversation, had his professional smile grow genuinely warmer, giving a slight bow and gesturing weingly.

    ¡°Ladies, pleasee inside.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong, seeing Qiao Jing treat her like air, was so angered that she quickly stepped forward, wanting to create a scene.

    When she saw the sample te of steak, she revealed a mocking smile, her tone taking on a disdainful sneer.

    ¡°You¡¯re trying samples? How disgraceful. Or is it that you¡¯re out of money?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Qiao Mengtong without stopping her steps.

    But Ni Yue stood still, she looked at Qiao Jing who disdained to engage and then at Qiao Mengtong who was trying to act superior but in reality looked like a clown.

    Since her Xiao Jingjing didn¡¯t bother with such scum, she would!

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong, what are you pretending for? We didn¡¯t want to bother with you just now, yet you push your luck, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s anger red with Ni Yue¡¯s words, she red back, pulling up her mask, afraid someone might recognize her.

    ¡°Heh, I think Qiao Jing isn¡¯t talking because I hit the mark, right? Even needs to sample a steak, what, the Zhan Family isn¡¯t giving you money anymore?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, gazing at Qiao Mengtong with eyes deep and dark as still waters, a chill flickered in their depths.

    Qiao Mengtong looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful in face, feeling the cool yetmanding aura emanating from her, it felt like every time her punchesnded on cotton.

    Though Qiao Jing said nothing, a mere look from her easily sent chills up her spine, causing envy inside her to nearly drive her mad.

    Ni Yue sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she addressed Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you if we taste or not? As for you,cking fame and yet acting all high and mighty, just a D-list celebrity trying to hide, why? Afraid someone will recognize you? Don¡¯t tter yourself too much!¡±

    ¡°Without makeup, your face wouldn¡¯t even draw a nce on the street, and I can see your ugly mug even through that mask. Stop bothering us and just leave.¡±

    Mengtong¡¯s eyes widened beneath her sunsses, each of Ni Yue¡¯s piercing words making her so angry she nearly stomped her foot right there.

    Just as she was about to retort, she noticed passersby looking over.

    Mengtong quickly pulled her hat down and stole a nce at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I won¡¯t stoop to your level!¡±

    After saying that, Mengtong hurried away.

    Ni Yue rolled her eyes and, linking arms with Qiao Jing, began toin.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen narcissists, but I¡¯ve never seen such narcissism. What an eye-opener.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Ni Yue helplessly, noticing her still puffed-up appearance, and poked her bulged cheek.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her ruin your mood.¡±

    Ni Yue then showed a smile and snuggled up to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Xiao Jingjing. Forget her, let¡¯s go eat steak.¡±

    Seeing that the coast was clear, the waiter finally invited them into the restaurant.

    After eating the steaks, they left the restaurant.

    Qiao Jing touched her stomach and looked down at it.

    It might have been the pregnancy, but her appetite seemed even bigger than before; two steaks hadn¡¯t filled her up.

    Looking around for a food stall, she wanted to find a ce to grab something more to eat.

    Ni Yue¡¯s eyes lit up when she spotted a barbecue stall, excitedly grabbing Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and leading her that way.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go to that barbecue stall and eat some more. I haven¡¯t had skewers in so long,¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the barbecue stall Ni Yue mentioned, thinking it looked decent, and nodded.

    They arrived at a table for two, where Qiao Jing looked at the menu, ordering skewers without any spicy seasoning, plus a drink of sweet water.

    Ni Yue ordered two pounds of spicy crayfish, noticing that Qiao Jing had ordered more lightly, and tilted her head.

    ¡°Hey, Xiao Jingjing, why aren¡¯t you eating spicy food? I remember it used to be your favorite.¡±

    Seeing the curious look on Ni Yue¡¯s face, Qiao Jing opened up.

    ¡°My stomach has been a bit upsettely. Just order for yourself; what I¡¯ve ordered is enough for me.¡±

    Ni Yue decisively changed to a pound of non-spicy and ordered a few bottles of beer.

    ¡°How could I hog it all to myself? You can have the non-spicy.¡±

    Not far from them, a table of men was sitting.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go to that barbecue stall and eat some more. I haven¡¯t had skewers in so long,¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the barbecue stall Ni Yue mentioned, thinking it looked decent, and nodded.

    They arrived at a table for two, where Qiao Jing looked at the menu, ordering skewers without any spicy seasoning, plus a drink of sweet water.

    Ni Yue ordered two pounds of spicy crayfish, noticing that Qiao Jing had ordered more lightly, and tilted her head.

    ¡°Hey, Xiao Jingjing, why aren¡¯t you eating spicy food? I remember it used to be your favorite.¡±

    Seeing the curious look on Ni Yue¡¯s face, Qiao Jing opened up.

    ¡°My stomach has been a bit upsettely. Just order for yourself; what I¡¯ve ordered is enough for me.¡±

    Ni Yue decisively changed to a pound of non-spicy and ordered a few bottles of beer.

    ¡°How could I hog it all to myself? You can have the non-spicy.¡±

    Not far from them, a table of men was sitting.

    The men at the table were dressed in high-end clothes, all notorious second-generation spoiled brats.

    ¡°Hey, Young Master Yang, look¡ªthere¡¯s a beauty over there.¡±

    Young Master Yang followed his good friend Young Master Chen¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 348: 337: The Fight Began

    Chapter 348: Chapter 337: The Fight Began

    Young Master Chen let out a yful ¡°yo-he,¡± and patted Young Master Jiang on the shoulder with a chuckling smile.

    ¡°Ah Jiang, don¡¯t boast. If you¡¯ve seen her, how could I possibly have not?¡±

    Young Master Jiang tried hard to search his mind for Qiao Jing¡¯s face; he seemed to indeed have seen her before but couldn¡¯t remember where.

    Young Master Yang suddenly took notice of Ni Yue, who was sitting beside Qiao Jing, and his smile became somewhat suggestive.

    ¡°Look at the one in the spaghetti strap top, she also seems pretty good-looking.¡±

    When Young Master Chen saw Ni Yue¡¯s face, he also got a bit excited.

    ¡°Today, I¡¯ve stumbled upon two great beauties.¡±

    After saying that, he stood up and straightened his clothes.

    Young Master Yang nudged Young Master Chen¡¯s shoulder and stood up as well; seeing Young Master Jiang still not seated, he asked.

    ¡°Youing or not?¡±

    Young Master Jiang picked up the ss in his hand and shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going. I haven¡¯t gotten tired of the new game I just started.¡±

    Young Master Chen chuckled in amusement and put his arm around Young Master Yang¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s just as well if you don¡¯te. Two beauties, one for me and one for Young Master Yang.¡±

    As Qiao Jing was drinking her sweet soup, someone suddenly took the empty seat beside her, not even asking before sitting down with his own stool.

    She nced sideways slightly and saw it was a strange man.

    Qiao Jing gently raised her delicate eyebrows and slowly breathed out two words.

    ¡°Move away.¡±

    Young Master Chen still had a smile on his face, and finding Qiao Jing so resistant only excited him further.

    He knew these women liked to y hard to get, and the one in front of him was definitely no exception. Based on his experience, he couldn¡¯t just go up to her so directly.

    ¡°Apologies, miss, I just wanted to get to know you; I didn¡¯t mean to trouble you.¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze, her cold voice rising again with an undisputed tone.

    ¡°Mhm, you can move now.¡±

    Young Master Chen didn¡¯t expect Qiao Jing to be so difficult to approach, and his smile stiffened.

    ¡°Beauty, why be so cold? I¡¯ll pay for your table; let¡¯s get to know each other, shall we?¡±

    Young Master Yang, sitting next to Ni Yue, chimed in, ¡°Getting to know us won¡¯t hurt, and you cane out with us more often.¡±

    Ni Yue, clearly irritated, rolled her eyes and stood up to squeeze past Young Master Chen, saying displeasingly,

    ¡°Who wants to know you? Excuse me, don¡¯t disturb us.¡±

    Young Master Chen nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s stunningly beautiful face, held back, and spoke up again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, just making friends. You two must be lonely eating alone, right? Why not join us at our table?¡±

    As he spoke, he tried to move closer to Qiao Jing but was blocked by Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue took off her gloves, crossed her arms, and stood in front of Qiao Jing, ring at the two men.

    ¡°I said, who cares to know you? Don¡¯te over and bother us.¡±

    Both Young Master Yang and Young Master Chen were clearly not used to rejection, and their smiles vanished ordingly.

    Young Master Chen looked at Ni Yue¡¯s attire, his initial feigned politeness gone without a trace, and spoke in a manner hard to stomach,

    ¡°What¡¯s with the high and mighty act? We¡¯re doing you a favor by hanging out with you, and besides, it¡¯s the middle of winter and you¡¯re dressed so scantily. Who are you trying to seduce? There¡¯s a limit to ying hard to get.¡±

    Seeing the two men¡¯s refusal to give them face, Young Master Yang also got angry.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push away a friendly hand. Not happy even when I say I¡¯ll foot the bill, you¡¯re really hard to please. What¡¯s with the attitude in front of me?¡±

    Qiao Jing, after hearing the insults thrown at Ni Yue, put down the skewer in her hand, her icy gaze sharp as daggers, piercing straight toward the two men.

    Her aura was incredibly powerful, causing even the temperature to drop by several degrees. With the light parting of her vermilion lips, she uttered a single word.

    ¡°Scram.¡±

    Young Master Chen and Young Master Yang were intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s presence, especially by her icy stare.

    They suddenly felt a chill run down their spines, and cold sweat broke out.

    Young Master Chen swallowed hard instinctively, cursing inwardly.

    Damn it, how could this woman have such a strong presence? He was actually scared.

    After a moment, a distinctly displeased expression surfaced on Young Master Chen¡¯s face.

    It was his first time being snubbed while hitting on someone, and with a sneer, hisnguage started to get uglier.

    ¡°You better ask around the capital about the Chen Family, who hasn¡¯t heard of our reputation? You¡¯re just relying on your looks, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t give a damn about you. Women like you, pretending to be all high and mighty on the surface, who knows what you¡¯re really doing in someone else¡¯s bed¡ª¡±

    He didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence before Ni Yue¡¯s hand struck his face with a crisp ¡°smack.¡±

    Ni Yue had used all her strength in that p, causing Young Master Chen¡¯s head to turn to the side. She flexed her wrist afterward.

    ¡°The Chen Family? Never heard of it. Only someone as filthy as you could think such low thoughts.¡±

    Young Master Chen was stunned by Ni Yue¡¯s p, holding his struck cheek and turning back to look at her.

    ¡°Goddamn, you dare to hit me?!!¡±

    Ni Yue pulled a tissue from the table, carelessly wiped her hands, and tossed the trash onto Young Master Chen.

    ¡°Scum like you deserve to be hit.¡±

    Young Master Yang hadn¡¯t expected Ni Yue to be so fierce, cursing under his breath.

    While Ni Yue was dealing with Young Master Chen, he moved a few steps forward, thinking to sneak an attack from behind.

    But before he could take a few steps, Qiao Jing¡¯s footshed out in an instant, flipping him over.

    The speed was so fast that Young Master Yang hadn¡¯t even reacted before he was lying on the ground.

    Seeing hispanion suddenly sprawled on the ground, Young Master Chen was taken aback.

    ¡°Young Master Yang? Why are you lying on the ground?¡±

    Just as Young Master Yang tried to speak, a throbbing pain shot through his chest, twisting his features in agony.

    Clutching at his chest, he red at Qiao Jing hatefully. He struggled to his feet with the aid of a chair.

    When Young Master Jiang saw themotion, he quickly put down his drink and rushed over.

    ¡°What the hell, you guys actually dared to hit my brother?¡±

    Young Master Chen¡¯s left cheek bore the vivid imprint of a p. Grimacing with rage, he shouted.

    ¡°Young Master Jiang, get everyone outside here now!! Today, I must torture these two women to death!¡±

    In less than half a minute, Qiao Jing and Ni Yue were surrounded by a dozen burly men.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was impassive as she nced at the men, her aura extremely oppressive.

    The men were somewhat intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s piercing gaze.

    Ni Yue hadn¡¯t expected them to call in so many people. She spat in Chen¡¯s direction and grumbled.

    ¡°So shameless.¡±

    Looking worriedly at Qiao Jing, her eyes fixated on her unhealed wounds, and then at the dozen men, she gritted her teeth.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you¡¯re still injured, so don¡¯t fight, okay? Leave them to me, you could maybe call the police first.¡±

    Ni Yue had barely finished speaking when one of the men was already sent tumbling to the ground by Qiao Jing¡¯s kick.

    Qiao Jing retracted her foot, ncing at Ni Yue.

    Now Ni Yue understood Qiao Jing¡¯s intention and, before the fight broke out, still didn¡¯t forget to give a reminder.

    ¡°If you can kick, just kick. We can easily take down these little bastards without using our hands.¡±

 Chapter 349: 338 Qiao Jings Pregnancy is Discovered

    Chapter 349: Chapter 338 Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy is Discovered

    Young Master Jiang had never seen such a brazen woman before,manding a dozen big men so boldly.

    ¡°Grab those two for me!¡±

    Young Master Yang also wanted to curse a few words, but the pain he was experiencing nearly made him unable to stand, let alone speak.

    Young Master Chen rolled up his sleeves and cursed aloud.

    ¡°Damn it, I don¡¯t believe this!¡±

    Less than five minutester, a dozen big meny scattered on the ground, sprawled out in every which way. Only Young Master Yang, who hadn¡¯t joined the fight due to a painful chest, was standing.

    Intense fear rose within him. He widened his eyes, staring incredulously at Qiao Jing.

    How is this woman so good at fighting?!

    Startled, he stumbled backward a few steps, leaning on a chair. Desperately suppressing the pain in his chest, he stammered out his words.

    ¡°Ladies¡­ my apologies, I was wrong, please, no more beating, spare my life.¡±

    Young Master Yang wished he could turn back time to five minutes earlier. He shouldn¡¯t have been led astray by lust.

    From the kick he had received from Qiao Jing, he had known just how formidable she was. He wanted to say something to stop it but couldn¡¯t speak; he also felt a fire raging inside him.

    After calling people in, he had originally wanted to enjoy the show, but seeing his two brothers and the brawny men screaming on the ground,

    why would he dare to be cocky now?

    Upon hearing Young Master Yang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing looked up at him.

    Young Master Yang shivered. There must be a bruise on his chest by now. If he got beaten again, he would surely end up in the hospital.

    ¡°No, no, no¡­ We shouldn¡¯t have been led astray, please let me off¡­¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s hair had be somewhat messy during the fight, adding a touch of rugged charm. Seeing Young Master Yang¡¯s pathetic state, she felt utter disdain.

    She had no intention of letting Young Master Yang off. She walked a few steps forward, raising her hand as if she was about to strike his face.

    ¡°You think you get to be let off just because you ask?¡±

    Young Master Yang¡¯s legs began to tremble, and he was so scared that he couldn¡¯t even speak. He had seen it, after all.

    This girl in the tank top might not be as fierce as the beauty next to her, but she was still a tough cookie.

    Just then, Qiao Jing, who was standing to the side, suddenly began to notice her vision blurring. She was about to rub her temples when everything went ck!

    She fell uncontrobly toward the sofa beside her.

    Young Master Yang, catching sight of this, quickly pushed Ni Yue aside in his panic.

    ¡°That beauty, isn¡¯t she¡­ your¡­ friend has fainted.¡±

    Ni Yue thought Young Master Yang was lying, but she hadn¡¯t heard Qiao Jing speak behind her and turned around.

    When she saw Qiao Jing copsed on the sofa, Ni Yue was shocked, rushing over to the sofa.

    She carefully helped Qiao Jing up, being careful to avoid her injuries.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing? Xiao Jingjing? What¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t scare me~¡±

    Ni Yue immediately called an ambnce and took her to the hospital.

    After a series of examinations, Qiao Jing was taken to the VIP ward to rest with an IV drip.

    The doctor came out of the ward and closed the door.

    Ni Yue approached anxiously, grabbing the doctor¡¯s arm.

    Xiao Jingjing has always been in good health; how could she faint after just one fight? Could it be because of her wound?

    She asked the doctor urgently.

    ¡°Doctor, doctor, how is my friend? Why did she faint? Did her arm wound split open?¡±

    The doctor¡¯s expression was grim as he nced at Ni Yue, who seemed clueless.

    ¡°Where are the patient¡¯s family members? Have they been contacted? It¡¯s best to inform the family about this.¡±

    It was only then that Ni Yue remembered that she should contact Zhan Qipei,

    ¡°Family can¡¯t get here anytime soon, so just tell me, I¡¯m her good friend, hurry up, you¡¯re killing me¡­¡±

    When the doctor heard that the family couldn¡¯t make it right away, he frowned in displeasure before he started to speak.

    ¡°The patient¡¯s arm wound is nothing serious, but she has agitated her womb.¡±

    Ni Yue finally breathed a sigh of relief, muttering to herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that the wound isn¡¯t serious, that¡¯s good, so she agitated her womb, huh.¡±

    She repeated thest two words she muttered over and over, agitated womb¡­ agitated womb¡­

    Wait a minute! What did the doctor just say?

    Agitated womb?!!

    Ni Yue¡¯s eyes instantly widened, and she nearly let out a curse. Her turn was a bit stiff as she nced at the door of the ward.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that wrong, did I? Agitated womb?? Doctor, you couldn¡¯t have made a wrong diagnosis, could you?¡±

    The doctor, upon hearing hispetence questioned, furrowed his brow and directly handed over the examination report to Ni Yue.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t doubt my expertise. The patient is carrying triplets. Just what happened that made her agitate her womb? Do you know how to take proper care of a pregnant woman? An agitated womb can be a minor or serious condition, but fortunately, the patient only fainted for a short while, and the babies are fine.¡±

    A nurse came over and called the doctor away.

    Ni Yue sat in the chair in the hallway, holding the examination report, staring at the words ¡®pregnant¡¯ and reading them over and over, dozens of times.

    It took a while before she fully digested the reality of the pregnancy, gritted her teeth, took out her cell phone, and made a call to Zhan Qipei.

    She had to have a serious talk with Zhan Qipei. Her Xiao Jingjing was pregnant!!

    The moment the call connected, Ni Yue¡¯s voice grew much louder.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, get to the hospital immediately, Xiao Jingjing fainted!¡±

    Upon hearing the four words that Qiao Jing had fainted, Zhan Qipei stiffenedpletely. He promptly ended the video call he was on without any hesitation.

    He smoothed his deeply furrowed eyebrows, his face as cold as a chill wind as he walked out, forgetting even to put on his coat, his deep voice revealing intense concern.

    ¡°Which hospital? What ward number?¡±

    He had only been apart from his wife for a moment¡ªhow had thingse to this?

    Indeed, he should be by his wife¡¯s side every single moment!

    When Zhan Qipei arrived in front of the ward door, he was slightly out of breath, his hand resting on the cold doorknob.

    As he opened the door to the ward, Ni Yue came storming out from inside.

    She dragged Zhan Qipei to the side of the entrance; in her anger, she even forgot to close the door.

    With fury on her face, Ni Yue pulled out the examination report and threw it at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Look at the mess you¡¯ve made! My Xiao Jingjing, a pure little cabbage, has been ruined by you, a pig! Pregnant with triplets, it¡¯s infuriating!¡±

    Zhan Qipei took the examination report, his eyes falling upon it.

    He had known about the pregnancy for a while, and what worried him more now was Qiao Jing¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Why did Qiao Jing faint? What happened?¡±

    Anger caused Ni Yue¡¯s chest to heave; she took several deep breaths.

    ¡°There was some trouble at the barbecue stand. Xiao Jingjing fainted because of an agitated womb. Tell me, when did you do this? And Xiao Jingjing is carrying three babies!¡±

    Just as she finished speaking, Ni Yue heard a ¡°thud¡± from behind.

    Turning around after the sound, she saw Qiao Jing sitting up in the bed.

    Qiao Jing had just woken up and, not seeing Ni Yue, was about to use her new phone to contact her when she heard Ni Yue yell at Zhan Qipei at the door of the ward.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing is carrying three babies!¡±

    Her eyes fluttered, the phone slipped from her hand, fell to the ground, and wentpletely ck.

    Zhan Qipei, hearing the noise from inside the ward, walked in quickly, his face filled with worry.

    Seeing the astonishment on the girl¡¯s face, he knew she had heard everything.

 Chapter 350: 339: Zhan Qipei Drives Ni Yue Out

    Chapter 350: Chapter 339: Zhan Qipei Drives Ni Yue Out

    Zhan Qipei walked up a few steps and held Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, his face showing worry while feigning a bit of surprise.

    ¡°You should go back to bed and rest. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were pregnant? How could you keep such a big thing from me?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing know that he had known about her pregnancy from the start; otherwise, his wife might get angry.

    Qiao Jing slightly turned her body, not allowing the man to wrap his arm around her waist. She nced at Ni Yue standing beside them, utterly stunned, feeling somewhat helpless.

    She opened her mouth to respond.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to say. It was just an ident, after all.¡±

    She had intended to keep it secret all along but hadn¡¯t expected it to be exposed because of today¡¯s ident.

    Ni Yue¡¯s eyes widened as she shifted her gaze back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    No way¡­ Was Xiao Jingjing keeping it a secret from Zhan Qipei all this time?

    Didn¡¯t that mean she was the one who let the secret out? What should she do now¡­

    Ni Yue was consumed with self-reproach, her face filled with guilt as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, I didn¡¯t mean to let Zhan Qipei find out. I didn¡¯t know you were keeping it from him, I, I, I¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, her gaze fell on her belly, and she gently touched it, as affection slowly spread in her eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t me you.¡±

    She had hoped she could keep it a secret until after the divorce, considering there were only three days left.

    However, now that it was out in the open, she felt somewhat relieved, no longer needing to hide it.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t me her for the incident, Ni Yue¡¯s face brightened with a smile again.

    She stepped forward and stood beside Qiao Jing, staring at her slightly protruding belly, her eyes sparkling.

    ¡°Actually, I noticed it when you were changing clothes. Your belly seemed a bit raised, and I thought you had gained weight. I was wondering how Xiao Jingjing could possibly get fat.¡±

    As Ni Yue spoke, she ced her hand on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly and became even happier.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you are amazing! Not only are you extraordinary in other ways, but you even surpass others in pregnancy¡ªothers have single or twins, and you went straight for triplets!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, speechless. Was this supposed to be apliment?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s icy gazended on Ni Yue¡¯s hand, his face darkening as if it could drip water.

    After Ni Yue touched it three times consecutively, his temples suddenly throbbed, and he stepped forward quickly, walking up to her.

    Ni Yue was startled and before she could react, Zhan Qipei had pped her hand away.

    ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re not letting me touch Xiao Jingjing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, his lips tightly pursed, sounding displeased.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    Only he was allowed to touch his wife¡¯s belly; nobody else should even think about it.

    Ni Yue, seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s possessive behavior, was annoyed and retorted back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, what¡¯s wrong with me touching? Xiao Jingjing didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was about to speak when Qiao Jing stopped him, her head aching as she watched the two of them.

    The pair argued back and forth ceaselessly.

    Adults, yet acting as childish as kindergarteners.

    ¡°Enough, Zhan Qipei, don¡¯t say anything more. Also, it¡¯s gettingte, Ni Yue, you should go home and rest.¡±

    Ni Yue pouted, but she was secretly pleased when Qiao Jing mentioned Zhan Qipei first, and she huffed.

    ¡°Then, Xiao Jingjing, you rest well. I won¡¯t waste words with Zhan Qipei anymore. Really, what a spoilsport.¡±

    She nced at Zhan Qipei and deliberately spoke out, ¡°In a few days, Xiao Jingjing will be single, and then Xiao Jingjing will be mine, and the children as well.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly and urged.

    ¡°Stop it, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Upon hearing Ni Yue¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened even more, and the temperature around him dropped significantly.

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    He knew it, Ni Yue wanted to take his wife from him, and now even his child?

    He would have to keep his wife and Ni Yue apart from now on, and the child too. This was his strongest rival, and he couldn¡¯t give her any chance.

    Ni Yue, seeing that she had seriously angered Zhan Qipei, leisurely strolled out with great satisfaction.

    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Xiao Jingjing, I wouldn¡¯t leave at all.¡±

    After Ni Yue left, the hospital room returned to calm.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei and spoke emotionlessly.

    ¡°Is there anything else? If not, I¡¯m going to rest.¡±

    There was nothing seriously wrong with her body, a good night¡¯s rest and she would be discharged in the morning, so she nned to rest early.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows, which had rxed after Ni Yue left, knitted together again.

    ¡°Regarding the pregnancy, I will take responsibility.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, emphasizing her tone.

    ¡°Only three days are left, the pregnancy was an ident, you don¡¯t need to take responsibility.¡±

    She couldpletely take care of these three children alone. Once the wedding date arrived, she would have nothing to do with the Zhan Family.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s firm attitude, spoke with furrowed brows.

    ¡°No, they are my children, I must take responsibility. I am a very responsible man, I will be good to you and the children, how about we don¡¯t divorce?¡±

    Qiao Jing tightly furrowed her brows, just as she was about to speak, her stomach suddenly felt ufortable.

    She immediately held her stomach and stepped back two steps before she could stabilize herself.

    Zhan Qipei was taken aback and quickly walked forward, supporting Qiao Jing by the waist.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s with your stomach? The doctor said you need to rest well, it¡¯s not good for you to get agitated.¡±

    A trace of annoyance flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s cold eyes, directed at herself.

    She had always been very independent, capable of handling all matters by herself, and she never relied on others. Usually, it was the others who depended on her.

    Unexpectedly, now that she was pregnant, not only was her physical condition not keeping up, but she had also fainted twice.

    Indeed, no matter how strong and independent a woman is, she bes very vulnerable during pregnancy.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing ufortable, did not bring up the matter of divorce again. He helped her onto the bed to lie down, his face full of concern.

    ¡°Rest well, I¡¯ll call the doctor toe check on you.¡±

    His heart was already tied to every move Qiao Jing made.

    Seeing her weak and hurt, his heart ached in bursts, wishing he could share some of her burden.

    Qiao Jing took her own pulse and stopped the man who was heading out.

    ¡°No need to call the doctor, it¡¯s just a normal pregnancy symptom.¡±

    Hisrge hand rested on her slightly bulging belly, gently stroking it as he asked softly,

    ¡°Does your stomach still feel ufortable?¡±

    Actually, he was quite happy inside because now he could legitimately touch his wife¡¯s belly.

    Before, it was only when his wife was asleep that he could sneak onto her bed and tenderly caress her belly.

    Seeing the man¡¯s anxious demeanor and his tender actions, ripples surfaced in Qiao Jing¡¯s cool eyes.

 Chapter 351: 340: Zhan Qipei Gives Qiao Jing a Belly Massage

    Chapter 351: Chapter 340: Zhan Qipei Gives Qiao Jing a Belly Massage

    Zhan Qipei quickly moved a stool, sat down next to Qiao Jing, and watched her with a worried look.

    ¡°I¡¯m much better now, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei gazed at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly for a while before speaking again.

    ¡°Are you hungry? I can have someone cook a bowl of porridge for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    ¡°No need to trouble yourself, I¡¯m not hungry.¡±

    She had already eaten plenty with Ni Yue earlier that evening, so it was unlikely that she would be hungry at this time, and she didn¡¯t have the habit of eatingte-night snacks.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s caressing motion on her hand didn¡¯t stop as if it could relieve Qiao Jing¡¯s difort.

    ¡°Will they kick you?¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by the question and a faint smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°Right now they can¡¯t kick at all. Are you asking this because you want to share my pain?¡±

    She had spoken the second half of the sentence in jest, not expecting Zhan Qipei to take it seriously.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows in thought, considering the possibility of the situation, then his expression eased as he earnestly asked.

    ¡°Is there any way I can share your burden? If there is, I wish I could transfer all your pain to myself.¡±

    His wife was Divine Doctor Jing; what if she could indeed develop some kind of drug to transfer pain?

    Qiao Jing burst intoughter, her eyes curving into crescents.

    ¡°Do you think I have superpowers? That I can transfer pain just because I want to?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes dimmed for a moment, then brightened again as he made a promise to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If I can¡¯t share the burden, I¡¯ll be twice as good to you, to make you happier.¡±

    After saying that, his gaze fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, and the tenderness in his eyes turned serious as he began to speak to the children in her stomach.

    ¡°You mustn¡¯t kick Mommy in the future, got it? Otherwise, when you grow up, I¡¯ll discipline you on behalf of Mommy.¡±

    Upon seeing this scene, Qiao Jing momentarily lost herself in the illusion that she and Zhan Qipei were a loving married couple by their own choice.

    An unexpected breeze blew through a window that hadn¡¯t been shut tightly, pulling her back to reality.

    She instantly sobered up but felt an inexplicable sense of loss in her heart.

    Zhan Qipei also felt the draft and quickly got up to close the window.

    Qiao Jing gazed at the man¡¯s broad back, lost in thought for a second, then lowered her eyes to her slightly bulging belly.

    Eventually, she had to return to reality.

    After Zhan Qipei had closed the window, he returned to sit next to Qiao Jing, hisrge hand once again covered her slightly swollen belly, touching it with meticulous care.

    His other hand wasn¡¯t idle either, he opened his phone and started browsing something.

    Once the hospital room quieted down again, Qiao Jing nced at the phone that had its screen smashed.

    Just as she thought about getting up to find something else to pass the time, the man beside her made a move.

    Zhan Qipei put down his phone, his warm hands resting on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, but he felt the clothes were somewhat obstructive.

    ¡°Can I lift up the clothes? Just up to the belly is fine.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, about to reject when she caught a glimpse of the man¡¯s still-lit phone screen out of the corner of her eye.

    The line of text on it caught her attention.

    ¡°How to massage a pregnant woman¡¯s belly?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei, hesitated, but ultimately didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse him outright.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine to massage over the clothes.¡±

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, adamant, and, fearing Qiao Jing didn¡¯t believe him, he picked up his phone and showed her.

    ¡°It says here, massaging over the clothes isn¡¯t as effective.¡±

    Qiao Jing stared at the line of text on the phone screen for a long while.

    Before she could speak, the man¡¯s hand tentatively lifted a corner of her garment.

    Qiao Jing, seeing the cautiousness on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, was reminded of a stray,rge dog, carefully asking if it could be taken in and, in the end, her heart softened.

    ¡°All right, go ahead and massage, but I¡¯m only a little over three months along, so don¡¯t do it for too long.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened as he partially lifted the woman¡¯s clothes, revealing her slightly bulging stomach.

    Following an online doctor¡¯s tutorial, hisrge hand stroked gently from left to right, from top to bottom, the corner of his mouth curling up with tenderness and deep love in his eyes.

    Qiao Jing feltfortable, yet there was also a tingling sensation.

    It had been fine through the clothes, but now Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand was directly touching her skin, which made her more sensitive.

    The callused pads of the man¡¯s fingers and the warm palms grazed back and forth against her stomach, uncontrobly causing her to tense her abdominal muscles.

    When Zhan Qipei felt the skin under his palm sinking, his movement abruptly froze, thinking he had done something wrong.

    He hastily raised his head to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why did your stomach sink in? Did I press¡­¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he felt the stomach return to its normal state.

    Qiao Jing saw the panic on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face. Did he really think he had pushed her stomach in?

    Herughter spilled out, her eyes smiling at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei then realized that he had been so nervous he had forgotten that people could contract their abdomen.

    He thought he had pushed the baby down.

    After continuing the massage for about ten minutes, Qiao Jing sneezed, and tears clung to her eyshes.

    ¡°Stop massaging, I want to sleep now¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked up at Qiao Jing and reluctantly let go of her, then nced at the clock.

    After tucking her in, he had someone bring a set of clothes for her. When he came out after his shower, Qiao Jing was already fast asleep in bed.

    Zhan Qipei lightened his footsteps and slowly walked to the bed.

    Caught between sleeping on the sofa and continuing to massage Qiao Jing, he chose thetter.

    The man lifted a corner of the nket andy down beside Qiao Jing, his hands once again caressing her stomach.

    Worried he might wake her, he had to content himself with gently stroking over her clothes.

    The next morning, when Qiao Jing woke up and shifted, she discovered a pair of strong arms around her waist.

    The man¡¯srge hand still rested on her stomach, and she could hear his steady breathing.

    Had he slipped into her bed while she was asleep?

    Qiao Jing turned slightly to face the man¡¯s stunning visage.

    Just as she thought to extricate herself from his embrace, Zhan Qipei opened his eyes.

    This scene felt oddly familiar to Qiao Jing, but now instead of lying beside the bed, the man wasying right next to her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cold voice broke the silence.

    ¡°When did youe up to sleep?¡±

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing¡¯s coldly beautiful face and her inquisitive eyes, he instantly became alert.

    He nced at the clock on the wall and realized it was already seven in the morning.

    Last night, he hadin on the bed and massaged Qiao Jing until he noticed her stomach felt a little cool, so he used the palm of his hand to keep it warm.

    He lost track of time and fell asleepte, which caused him to not wake up early enough and get caught¡­

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice trailed off a bit guiltily as he cleared his throat.

    ¡°Last night after you fell asleep, I touched your stomach and felt it was a bit cool, so I used my hand to warm it up, and then I identally fell asleep¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face for a while, and after not finding a trace of deceit, she did not press further.

    Just as she was about to get out of bed, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her ankle!

 Chapter 352: 341: Princess-Carrying in Public

    Chapter 352: Chapter 341: Princess-Carrying in Public

    Qiao Jing sharply inhaled a breath of cold air and lowered her head to look at her right ankle.

    Unbeknownst to her, her right ankle had swollen up considerably. She furrowed her brows tightly, beginning to recall yesterday¡¯s events.

    The fight had been too chaotic, and she guessed that she must have twisted it carelessly during that time.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s feet had just touched the ground when, hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, he almost lost his bnce.

    He hurriedly walked over to Qiao Jing, letting the woman lean on him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Qiao Jing stared at her injured ankle, with her right hand supporting herself on the bed, and shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Just as she tried to push the man away to stand firmly on her own, the man¡¯s hand on her waist suddenly tightened, making her lean into his embrace.

    Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and saw her swollen ankle, then his eyebrows knitted together even tighter, forming a deep furrow.

    ¡°When did you twist your ankle?¡±

    It had been finest night, so how did it swell up after just one sleep?

    Qiao Jing also wanted to know, but with yesterday¡¯s chaos, she couldn¡¯t remember.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Qiao Jing was helped by the man to sit down on the sofa, and Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t rush to leave.

    He squatted down and cradled Qiao Jing¡¯s foot in his hands, his frown growing tighter by the moment.

    ¡°You sit here, I¡¯ll go and call a doctor over to apply some medicine for you.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, the man had already hurried out of the ward.

    She felt somewhat helpless and bent down to lightly press on a few acupoints.

    Zhan Qipei quickly returned with a doctor, who was still wearing sterile gloves, presumably having been pulled away from surgery or about to start one.

    The doctor was sweating from his forehead as he immediately squatted down beside Qiao Jing. After quickly applying the medicine, he stood up and said with a bitter smile.

    ¡°President Zhan, I¡¯ve applied the medicine. Can I go back to my surgery now?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard that he was brought here halfway through, she furrowed her brows and intensified her tone.

    ¡°Why did you bring this doctor here?¡±

    The doctor was clearly about to perform surgery, and Zhan Qipei bringing him over undoubtedly dyed other patients¡¯ time.

    Zhan Qipei, realizing his wife was angry, began to exin.

    ¡°I was too anxious at the time and didn¡¯t think too much, so I just brought him over. He didn¡¯t tell me he had surgery to do.¡±

    Images of Zhan Qipei rushing out anxiously to find a doctor earlier shed through Qiao Jing¡¯s mind. Probably in his urgency, he hadn¡¯t asked many questions and simply brought the doctor over.

    Her furrowed brows finally rxed, and she guessed why the doctor hadn¡¯t mentioned the surgery¡ªit was simply because he was called by Zhan Qipei, and he dared not speak up.

    Without further dy, she nodded to the doctor.

    The doctor quickly took his medical kit and left the ward.

    Qiao Jing nced at the time and stood up, preparing to go home.

    But before she took two steps, a hand appeared at her waist, and she was scooped up into a princess carry by the man.

    Qiao Jing was startled in the moment she was lifted off the ground, instinctively wrapping her arms around the man¡¯s neck, and in the blink of an eye, she was in his embrace.

    ¡°What are you doing? Put me down.¡±

    Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing and tested her weight, revealing a smile.

    ¡°Taking you home.¡±

    No sooner had the words left his mouth than the man opened the door to the ward and carried Qiao Jing out withrge strides.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she began to pound on the man¡¯s chest.

    ¡°What are you doing?! So many people in the hospital are watching, put me down!¡±

    She didn¡¯t even need to look to feel the gazes of passersby on her.

    But the man holding her just wouldn¡¯t let go, insisting on carrying her out.

    Passersby all noticed the scene, and several of the younger women started seeing pink hearts after catching a glimpse of Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    However, when they noticed he was holding a woman in his arms, those pink hearts instantly vanished.

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of thisdy for having such a good husband, and it looks like she sprained her ankle¡ªhe¡¯s actually giving her a princess carry out!¡±

    ¡°Wow, wow, wow¡ªI¡¯m in awe, I¡¯m in awe, I¡¯d trade fifty years of my life for a husband like that, not only handsome but also so good to his wife.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m more envious of this guy; missy is so good-looking! It¡¯s my first time seeing such a beautifuldy, like an angel descending to earth.¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re a match made in heaven, a handsome man and a beautiful woman!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing felt her ears growing hotter as she listened, bit her lip, and lowered her voice out of fear of being overheard.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, put me down now!¡±

    Her skin wasn¡¯t nearly as thick as this man¡¯s; it was just a sprained ankle, not like she couldn¡¯t walk.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s footsteps paused.

    Qiao Jing thought the man was finally willing to put her down and was about to release her arms from around his neck, but instead he leaned down closer to her.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips approached Qiao Jing¡¯s ear and he spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°If you move again, I¡¯ll kiss you right in front of everyone.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, she heard the gasps of the bystanders, andbined with his breath in her ear, her earlobes felt like they were about to catch fire!

    She had wanted to struggle down herself, but knowing Zhan Qipei, he might actually do such a thing.

    Being kissed in public or getting a princess carry out, the former was far more embarrassing.

    Worried that Zhan Qipei would really kiss her, Qiao Jing settled down obediently, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s subdued demeanor, Zhan Qipei hooked up the corner of his mouth, revealing a satisfied smile.

    It seemed this was still the best way to keep his wife in check.

    Qiao Jing caught a glimpse of this smile from the corner of her eye and felt a twinge of annoyance. She ced her hand on the man¡¯s chest, maintaining a certain distance between them.

    Otherwise, all the way, she would have to listen to Zhan Qipei¡¯s robust and powerful heartbeat, echoing beside her ear.

    Zhan Qipei continued walking outside, still holding Qiao Jing as he left the hospital.

    Onlookers along the way cast envious nces at Qiao Jing.

    Sitting in the passenger seat, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even look at Zhan Qipei, instead staring out at the scenery, sulking.

    After arriving back at Nantai Apartment, Qiao Jing was prepared this time and dodged Zhan Qipei¡¯s attempt to hold her again.

    She moved slowly, and in the end, it was still Zhan Qipei who supported her back home.

    Once back home, Qiao Jing kept a stiff face, reluctantly thanking him.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She limped toward the bathroom, but Zhan Qipei, noticing her intentions, scooped her up again before she was aware of it.

    This time, Qiao Jing did not hesitate to push him away since there was nobody else at home to witness, and he could not threaten her.

    However, the ce wasn¡¯t big, and Zhan Qipei was gripping her waist firmly. It only took a few steps before he had carried her to the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei lifted the toilet seat, allowing Qiao Jing to stand beside him. He stared at her intently, feeling it would be difficult for her to remove her pants.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you take them off.¡±

    As he said this, he reached out toward Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing only felt her temples throb twice, and with quick reflexes, she grabbed his hand, almost hissing the words out between her teeth.

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei, get out!!¡±

 Chapter 353: 342: Zhan Qipei Insists on Going into the Bathroom with Qiao Jing

    Chapter 353: Chapter 342: Zhan Qipei Insists on Going into the Bathroom with Qiao Jing

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, showing no intention of leaving.

    ¡°Your foot is sprained and it¡¯s inconvenient. I¡¯ll help¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, he was pushed out of the bathroom by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing stood inside the bathroom, staring speechlessly at the tightly shut door.

    Through the frosted ss door, she could see a somewhat blurred figure still standing outside. This man was still there.

    She felt her patience had reached its limit and started to speak through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, go do your thing and stop guarding the door.¡±

    The man stood outside. With the sounds from the bathroom somewhat audible to him, how could she have the heart to use the toilet?

    Zhan Qipei heard the speechlessness in Qiao Jing¡¯s tone and did not dare to contradict his wife, but he worried too much to leave.

    ¡°No way, I¡¯m concerned something might happen to you. I¡¯ll wait here outside. Call me if you need anything.¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused to the point ofughter, with the corner of her mouth twitching and her chest heaving heavily.

    It was just a trip to the toilet, what could happen?

    Could she possibly fall into the toilet bowl?

    ¡°Last time I¡¯m asking, are you leaving or not?¡±

    Zhan Qipei saw how adamant she was and reluctantly took a step back.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go cook. Call me after you finish in the toilet, and I¡¯lle to help you.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t afford to upset his wife at this time, especially since it was a special period, but then again, he wouldn¡¯t usually do anything to make Qiao Jing angry.

    He hurried to the kitchen and started preparing lunch with ingredients from the fridge.

    Qiao Jing finally rxed after seeing the person leave.

    This man was truly hard to persuade¡­

    Meanwhile, downstairs at Nantai Apartment.

    Young Master Yang and Young Master Jiang were supporting each other, walking warily in case they aggravated their wounds by ident.

    Young Master Jiang¡¯s face was swollen badly, with a bruise around his eye socket, and one hand wrapped in a bandage.

    The most miserable was Young Master Liu, who had been beaten to the point where he now had to sit in a wheelchair, following behind the other two by turning the wheels with his hands.

    He had spoken the filthiest words yesterday, which resulted in Ni Yue stomping on his legs several times, causing him to be unable to walk today.

    He was fuming inside and roared for someone to find out Qiao Jing¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°That woman fainted and was taken to the hospital yesterday. I checked this morning and found out she¡¯s already gone home, she must be quite weak now. Young Master Yang, are these bodyguards you brought reliable?¡±

    Upon hearing Young Master Liu¡¯s words, Young Master Yang showed a smug smile and boasted confidently.

    ¡°Of course they¡¯re reliable, I spent good money on them. Couldn¡¯t they be reliable? That woman was so fierce yesterday, and in the end, she still passed out. Just watch how I¡¯ll handle herter!¡±

    His heart held significant dissatisfaction toward Qiao Jing and Ni Yue, since they not only injured him yesterday but also forced him to beg for mercy, a situation he had never experienced before as he grew up.

    Although he was somewhat afraid of Qiao Jing, his anger surpassed his fear. Besides, he¡¯d already blown his own trumpet, so there was no turning back now.

    Several burly bodyguards followed behind Young Master Yang, looking vicious.

    The corner of Young Master Jiang¡¯s mouth hurt, and he grimaced.

    ¡°Stop dawdling, let¡¯s go. How dare they hit me so hard!¡±

    The three of them, apanied by several well-trained bodyguards, took the elevator to Qiao Jing¡¯s floor.

    As soon as they rang the doorbell, Young Master Yang¡¯s bodyguards were ready and positioned at the front, prepared to reach out and grab someone as soon as the door opened.

    A momentter, when the door opened, the lead bodyguard immediately lunged forward to seize the person.

    Zhan Qipei, at the sight of such a figure rushing in, didn¡¯t say a word and kicked the person straight out.

    The bodyguard, not expecting to miss and get kicked, lost control and flew outwards, making a direct and intimate contact with the ground.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    The bodyguard mmed into the wall and nearly broke his waist, his face contorted in agony as cold sweat poured down.

    Seeing this, the other bodyguards quickly approached, trying to subdue Zhan Qipei.

    But their fate was identical to that of the lead bodyguard, and in a matter of seconds, they were all lying on the ground.

    Young Master Yang was stunned, looking in disbelief at the bodyguards sprawled on the floor, then raising his head to look at the man.

    Who was this guy? He could knock over his expensive bodyguards with a single kick??!

    The man was looking down from a superior position, his eyes cold as he gazed upon the defeated bodyguards, as if they were nothing more than lowly ants.

    Young Master Yang was intimidated by the man¡¯s imposing presence, frozen on the spot, his mind aplete nk.

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze, his eyesnding on the two men outside the door, his thin lips slightly parting.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Young Master Jiang and Young Master Liu werepletely bbergasted upon seeing who opened the door, not even sparing a nce at their brothers on the ground.

    Coming from reasonably wealthy families and having attended high society gatherings, they had naturally seen Zhan Qipei, the man of rumors, and recognized him immediately.

    So, could someone tell them why it was Zhan Qipei who answered the door??!

    Why would the CEO of Zhan Corporation be living in such aplex? Moreover, they had clearlye looking for Qiao Jing, so how did they end up facing Zhan Qipei?

    Young Master Liu looked at the door number, puzzled. They hadn¡¯t gone to the wrong ce, so why didn¡¯t Qiao Jing answer the door instead of Zhan Qipei?

    And more importantly, the fearsome Zhan Qipei was currently holding a spat, wearing a pink Hello Kitty apron?!

    Could this possibly be a scene from a fantasy drama?

    If it weren¡¯t for the emperor-like aura emanating from the man, which made it clear to them that he was indeed Zhan Qipei and not just a look-alike.

    Young Master Jiang was the first to regain hisposure and quickly put on an ingratiating smile.

    ¡°We were just taking a look around, President Zhan, what brings you here?¡±

    Hearing the words ¡°President Zhan¡± startled Young Master Yang into alertness, his previously nk mind quickly clearing up.

    President Zhan?

    Which President Zhan?

    Could it really be that President Zhan?

    Seeing the obsequious expression on Young Master Jiang¡¯s face, he had his epiphany.

    It had to be President Zhan of Zhan Corporation.

    Before Zhan Qipei could reply, a series of footsteps came from the living room.

    The three of them watched as Zhan Qipei¡¯s expressionless face visibly softened with tenderness at an observable speed.

    They were so frightened that they felt goosebumps, certain this had to be an illusion¡­

    That is until they saw Qiao Jing walking over from the living room, eyes bulging in shock.

    The woman they had beaten up was actually living with Zhan Qipei?!

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jinge out, he quickly stepped forward, reached out to hold her waist, and his tense face softened considerably.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me when you came out? I told you to let me help you when youe out.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, her gaze falling on the three men standing in the staircase area.

    She had juste out of the bathroom and saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s silhouette at the door, not returning for quite some time, as if someone hade. Curious, she had walked over.

    But Qiao Jing had not expected that the people who hade would be the same three men from yesterday. Her beautiful brows furrowed, and a cold frost began to form in her cool eyes.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t even sought them out to settle the score, and they had directlye to her?

    Could it be she hadn¡¯t hit them hard enough yesterday?

 Chapter 354 - 343: Put Me Down

    Chapter 354: Chapter 343: Put Me Down

    The three people in the stairwell were instantly dumbfounded. Young Master Jiang suddenly had a mental sh of a wedding scene, and his eyes widened in shock immediately after.

    No wonder he felt that Qiao Jing looked familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before¡ªit turns out she was actually Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife!!

    He had heard at the wedding that she was from the countryside and that the marriage had been set for 100 days.

    Back then, he had nced at Qiao Jing casually, stunned by her beauty, but after considering her rural background, he didn¡¯t take it to heart and buried himself in drinking instead.

    He lowered his voice and said to the two people beside him, ¡°This is President Zhan¡¯s wife.¡±

    Young Master Yang and Young Master Liu¡¯s bodies shook violently. They had actually offended Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife!

    But wasn¡¯t it supposed to be a 100-day marriage contract?

    The 100 days had long passed, so why were these two still living together?

    Zhan Qipei looked at the three men with an inquisitive gaze, then at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Do you know each other?¡±

    When had his wife be acquainted with these three, who just looked like second-generation spoiled brats?

    Howe he had no idea?

    Qiao Jing stepped forward, preparing to say something when she stumbled identally.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s attention instantly focused on the woman, and quickly steadied her.

    Then, he simply picked her up.

    ¡°How can you be so careless? Didn¡¯t I tell you to call me? I¡¯ll carry you to the sofa to sit.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned, cing her hand on the man¡¯s chest, establishing a certain distance.

    ¡°Put me down.¡±

    Why did this damn man always like to hold her in front of others? He really was thick-skinned.

    The three people outside the door were all gaping, shocked and unable to utter a word as they stared at Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Weren¡¯t the rumors outside saying that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were already divorced, and that their rtionship was terribly strained?

    But what they were seeing now didn¡¯t look like these two were divorced at all.

    Moreover, anyone with eyes could see that Zhan Qipei was particrly caring and indulgent towards Qiao Jing, and was even wearing a pink apron, intending to cook.

    The more they thought about it, the more frightened they became¡­

    Just at this moment!

    There was a ¡°ding¡± from the elevator.

    Before the elevator doors opened, Tang Yan¡¯s voice could be heard.

    ¡°Boss! I¡¯ve found out who hurt Miss Qiao yesterday, it was¡ª¡±

    Tang Yan had just stepped out of the elevator when he caught sight of the three people standing in the stairwell, stopping his words abruptly.

    Had these three actuallye to seek out the boss on their own? Could it be that they were here to ask for punishment?

    Zhan Qipei knit his eyebrows together, ced Qiao Jing on the sofa to sit, and strode to the door.

    The temperature around him was dropping rapidly, and a terrifying low pressure filled the air.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Feeling Zhan Qipei¡¯s oppressive aura, Young Master Yang and the others subconsciously took a few steps back, a chill crawling up their spines.

    They exchanged looks, ready to turn tail and run, but hampered by their injuries, they couldn¡¯t move quickly.

    Young Master Jiang identally stretched his mouth in a grimace and let out a pained yell.

    Young Master Liu¡¯s hands fumbled with the wheelchair, and he even identally scraped his hand until it bled.

    Tang Yan, seeing their intent to escape, blocked the elevator entrance.

    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s those three.¡±

    No sooner had the words left his mouth than Young Master Yang and the others felt a gloomy and icy gaze upon them, as if a sharp knife had pinned them to the spot.

    Youth Master Jiang stiffly turned around and, clenching his teeth, dropped to his knees with a ¡°thump.¡±

    ¡°President Zhan, please spare my life! I¡¯ll apologize to Miss Qiao, I¡¯m willing to crawl in and apologize¡­ Please, be merciful, don¡¯t be angry, you can hit me, scold me, anything, just don¡¯t harm my family, I beg you.¡±

    He knew all too well that he couldn¡¯t escape forever; with Zhan Qipei¡¯s means, even if he fled to the ends of the earth, he would still be found.

    The things he did would drag his family down too. He only lived so carefreely because of his family¡¯s influence; nothing could happen to them!

    It was better to apologize now and beg Zhan Qipei to let him off the hook.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s aura was immensely terrifying, as if even time was about to freeze.

    Under this almost warping atmospheric pressure, Young Master Yang and the others felt an intense suffocation, struggling to breathe.

    This sensation made their legs go weak, and they knelt down alongside Youth Master Jiang.

    Young Master Liu fell face-first from his wheelchair, but he didn¡¯t dare to get up; he could only lie there, his body trembling.

    ¡°President Zhan¡­ You are a magnanimous person who doesn¡¯t dwell on the offenses of others, we will apologize to Miss Qiao¡­ Please¡­ let me off the hook, I will work like an ox or a horse for you¡­¡±

    Young Master Yang had never seen such a horrifying scene and, out of fright, kept kowtowing repeatedly.

    ¡°Yes, yes, President Zhan, spare us¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at the three people kneeling on the ground, a dark shadow crossing his ck pupils; he raised his eyes to Tang Yan at the elevator entrance.

    Tang Yan immediately understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s intention and nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it, boss. I¡¯ll take care of it right now.¡±

    The three men kneeling on the ground widened their eyes even more upon hearing this. There was no doubt that this statement was their death knell!

    Youth Master Jiang shivered, ignoring the pain in his body, and began crawling towards Qiao Jing¡¯s house.

    ¡°President Zhan, please don¡¯t¡­ I will apologize to Miss Qiao¡­¡±

    He saw Qiao Jing sitting on the sofa and lifted a face smeared with tears and snot.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, please persuade President Zhan. We didn¡¯t really hurt you yesterday¡­ You are merciful, please spare us as if we were nothing more than a fart¡­ Can you?¡±

    Young Master Yang and Young Master Liu followed suit.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, we were wrong, please show mercy and forgive us, okay? Our families just run small businesses¡­¡±

    ¡°I was just bragging yesterday, Miss Qiao, please don¡¯t take it to heart, it¡¯s my fault, all my fault, I apologize to you¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing merely nced coldly at the three men, then withdrew her gaze.

    She was no saint; originally, she wanted to handle these three herself, but she didn¡¯t expect Zhan Qipei to find them before she did.

    And these three were like fools rushing in where angels fear to tread.

    Seeing no way out on either side, Youth Master Jiang could only crawl forward, pleading for himself.

    Zhan Qipei stepped back and, without hesitation, closed the door.

    Those people walking into his house made him feel it was dirty.

    The three men still in the stairwell were stunned; they didn¡¯t dare to knock on the door or call for someone, for that might lead to an even more miserable death.

    But besides begging for mercy¡­

    Suddenly, Youth Master Jiang pinned his hope on Tang Yan.

    When Tang Yan saw the few men looking his way, he returned to the elevator emotionless and closed the doors behind him.

    Who would dare toy hands on Miss Qiao? Among those around the boss, who didn¡¯t know how the boss treasured Miss Qiao and took great care of her?

    As for these few people, ending up with their families bankrupted was already letting them off lightly.

 Chapter 355 - 344: Did Su Manhan Discover That Qiao Jing Is Pregnant?

    Chapter 355: Chapter 344: Did Su Manhan Discover That Qiao Jing Is Pregnant?

    After peace was restored at home, Zhan Qipei poured a ss of hot water for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Rest well, I¡¯m going to cook.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had just brought the dishes out from the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

    Qiao Jing stood up, intending to open the door, but the man was one step ahead of her and reached the doorway.

    ¡°Just sit on the sofa.¡±

    After opening the door, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing walked straight in, not even ncing at the apron Zhan Qipei was wearing.

    They were used to it by now, and Su Manhan even felt that cooking should be her son¡¯s responsibility.

    Although Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was delicious, what if it exhausted her?

    Carrying a thermal pot in her hand, Su Manhan set it on the table, then walked over to Qiao Jing sitting on the sofa with a worried look on her face.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, why did you faint suddenly yesterday? How are you feeling now?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could answer, Su Manhan¡¯s peripheral vision caught sight of the bandaged ankle, and her eyes widened with concern and urgency.

    ¡°Eh? What happened to your foot?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue, not seeing her mother ever so concerned about her, her own daughter.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s movements were somewhat stiff as she retracted her foot and spoke up.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a sprained ankle.¡±

    She was still not used to Su Manhan¡¯s sudden change and felt somewhat awkward facing her.

    Su Manhan frowned deeply and stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s foot for a while.

    ¡°Today I made chicken soup to nourish your body. I didn¡¯t expect you to sprain your ankle. I¡¯ll make pig trotter soup for you to drink tomorrow.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing spoke up somewhat speechlessly.

    ¡°Mom, you think drinking whatever soup will help that specific part of the body? I think it would be better to buy some medicine to apply to Qiao Jing¡¯s ankle.¡±

    Su Manhan turned and red at Zhan Nanqing, muttering.

    ¡°What do you know? Medicines have side effects. Drinking soup is always better for a gentle nourishment than taking medicines.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing btedly remembered Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    Drinking soup is better than taking medicines, after all.

    Qiao Jing still wasn¡¯t used to Su Manhan¡¯s sudden turnaround.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to ept Su Manhan¡¯s kindness for no reason, especially since in a few days, she wouldn¡¯t be her daughter-inw anymore; there was no need for her to be so nice.

    Pretending to be angry, Su Manhan red at Qiao Jing and spoke discontentedly.

    ¡°How could making soup for you be trouble? You need to drink more to nourish your body.¡±

    With that, she turned her gaze to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Qipei, how have you been protecting Qiao Jing all this time? Also, from today onwards, you¡¯ll do all the cooking at home; don¡¯t let Qiao Jing do any household chores.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and his deep voice resonated.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need his mother to tell him; he had already nned to take over all the household duties and to learn how to care for the childter on. In short, he wouldn¡¯t let his wife get tired.

    Satisfyingly retracting her gaze, Su Manhan reached out to support Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Come, let me help you to the dining table. It¡¯s just about mealtime, right? You can drink the chicken soup I made as well.¡±

    Qiao Jing wanted to refuse Su Manhan, but she couldn¡¯t fend off her enthusiasm and allowed herself to be helped over.

    Only a few steps in, Su Manhan¡¯s peripheral vision suddenly caught a glimpse of Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach. She wasn¡¯t seeing things, was she?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach seemed a bitrger, didn¡¯t it?

    After helping Qiao Jing to her seat, Su Manhan pulled Zhan Nanqing aside, then turned back to speak to the two by the dining table.

    ¡°You guys go ahead and eat, I just remembered something, I need to tell Nanqing.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing followed Su Manhan to the living room,pletely confused. What did her mom need to tell her?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡±

    Su Manhan sneaked a peek at Qiao Jing sitting at the dining table and lowered her voice.

    ¡°Have you noticed that Qiao Jing¡¯s belly seems a bitrge?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her eyes widened slightly.

    Why was her mom asking such a question all of a sudden? Could it be that she had discovered something?

    But the fact that Qiao Jing was pregnant was something she had promised not to disclose to others; she had to keep it from her mom.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze flickered. She was a bit panicked but feigned calm as she replied.

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s denial, Su Manhan furrowed her brows and looked at her with a suspicious gaze.

    ¡°Really? Then why do I feel like her belly is a bit bigger than when she first came in?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes drifted, but she immediately thought of an excuse.

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just put on weight recently.¡±

    Su Manhan was still somewhat doubtful, but what Zhan Nanqing said wasn¡¯t without reason.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, afraid that Su Manhan wouldn¡¯t believe her, nodded vigorously.

    ¡°Of course, look at how you¡¯ve been cooking for Qiao Jingtely, and bringing her fruit and soup, you¡¯ve definitely fattened her up.¡±

    Su Manhan thought about it carefully, and it did make sense.

    Maybe she was just too eager for a grandson that she started to imagine Qiao Jing was pregnant, but she indeed longed for a grandson.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go back and eat.¡±

    After the two of them sat down again, Su Manhan noticed that Qiao Jing and the others hadn¡¯t started eating yet, they were waiting for them.

    Su Manhan eximed and stood up to open the thermos for Qiao Jing, her tone containing a hint of chiding.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you guys to start eating? Even if Qipei won¡¯t eat, you should have.¡±

    As she spoke, a steaming bowl of chicken soup appeared in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was still somewhat ufortable, but politely said thanks.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei strongly agreed in his heart.

    He could skip a meal, but his wife couldn¡¯t. He had tried to persuade her earlier, but his wife insisted on waiting for everyone else before eating.

    During the meal, Qiao Jing could feel Su Manhan¡¯s gaze frequently shifting onto her, but she didn¡¯t ask any questions.

    She just pretended not to notice and continued eating.

    Su Manhan¡¯s gaze wandered back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei and finally, she couldn¡¯t hold back and started to beat around the bush.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, and Qipei, do you remember Mrs. Wang that I mentioned to you twost time?¡±

    Qiao Jing recalled the events of that dinner and her face showed a hint of puzzlement as she nodded slightly.

    Zhan Qipei also responded with a ¡°hmm¡±, waiting for Su Manhan to continue.

    Su Manhan saw that both of them remembered and spoke with deep sincerity.

    ¡°She sent me a photo of her grandson yesterday, so adorable. Your grandpa, well, he also wants a great-grandson, and of course, I want a grandson too. When can you let us hold one?¡±

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing secretly rolled her eyes and muttered to herself.

    Just the other day at the dining table, her mom wanted her brother and Lou Xinrou to have a child, and today it was her brother and Qiao Jing¡¯s turn.

    Her mom¡¯s face changed faster than flipping a book, one moment this, the next moment that.

    This time, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze openly settled on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

 Chapter 356 - 345: Su Manhan Encourages Zhan Qipei to Take Bold Action

    Chapter 356: Chapter 345: Su Manhan Encourages Zhan Qipei to Take Bold Action

    Actually, he already had three children; it was just that this fact couldn¡¯t be let known to his mother.

    When others were bing fathers to one child, he had already be a father to three.

    Thinking of this, Qipei¡¯s dark eyes filled with pride as he stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Manhan noticed her son staying silent, just watching Qiao Jing, which she found somewhat strange.

    Why was her son staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s¡­ belly?

    Could it be her son also really wanted children? But what was the use of just thinking without taking action?

    Manhan coughed twice, hinting as she spoke.

    ¡°Action speaks louder than words.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eating paused as she noticed the man¡¯s tantly staring gaze still fixed on her belly.

    She mercilessly lifted her foot and stepped on the man¡¯s foot as a warning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you still have to go to workter? Hurry up and eat.¡±

    Manhan was watching her too, and if she didn¡¯t divert attention, what if it slipped out?

    Qipei then reluctantly withdrew his gaze, wishing he could reach out and touch his wife¡¯s belly if his mother wasn¡¯t there.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    He brushed his elongated eyebrows, his perplexed gaze falling on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Wait, when did I say I was going to work? With you injured, I can¡¯t be at ease, at least not until you¡¯ve healed.¡±

    Manhan nodded, her expression serious as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yes, Qiao Jing, Qipei¡¯spany isn¡¯t that busy, and since your foot is sprained and movement is difficult, let him stay home to take care of you.¡±

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless¡ªif Zhan Corporation wasn¡¯t busy, then which otherpany in the capital could possibly be busier than Zhan Corporation?

    If Tang Yan heard this, he would definitely be utterly disconste.

    She nced sideways at the man, decisively speaking out.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to work tomorrow, I¡¯m almost healed.¡±

    The next morning, Qipei was still sent off to work by Qiao Jing.

    Zijiao hurried to Qipei¡¯s office early in the morning, wanting to invite someone out to y.

    Since getting married, the asions Qipei went out to y with him had be fewer and fewer. Lately, he had been incredibly bored, so he had to run to the office to see if he could persuade someone to go have some fun.

    He had arrived quite early, yet Qipei, the boss, hadn¡¯t shown up yet; only he and Tang Yan were there, helplessly staring at each other, and in his boredom, he began to eat sunflower seeds.

    ¡°When is your bossing?¡±

    Tang Yan wanted to know too, when his boss woulde to work; yesterday, he hadn¡¯te at all, and many documents hadn¡¯t been reviewed by him.

    ¡°Lu Shao, I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    He was even more anxious than Zijiao; yesterday he had been busy to the point of spinning, nearly exhausted.

    Just as Tang Yan was thinking this, the office door opened.

    Qipei walked emotionlessly to his office chair and sat down, not even ncing at Zijiao, as files had already piled up on his desk like a small mountain.

    Hebed his elongated eyebrows and picked up the documents, but he didn¡¯t absorb a single word.

    Seeing Qipeie to work and start to handle the documents, Tang Yan¡¯s face almost burst into tears of joy.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve almost handled all these documents, they only need your review. And here¡¯s the contract, if you find no issues after reading, you can sign it.¡±

    Thank heavens, the boss finally came to work.

    Qipei didn¡¯t respond but continued to stare nkly at the words on the document.

    Only two days were left, yet his wife showed no signs of giving up her intention to divorce.

    Had all his efforts over these days been in vain?

    No, under no circumstances could he get a divorce from his wife.

    If Tang Yan knew that his boss hadn¡¯t taken in a single word of the document, he would probably have a fit.

    Completely ignored, Lu Zijiao froze; had this person not seen him?

    Just walked past him like that? Treated him like he was air? After he had specificallye all the way here for this?

    Lu Zijiao was now unhappy, but when he saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s furrowed brow, much of his displeasure disappeared.

    He stopped cracking sunflower seeds.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you frowning like that, let me guess? It¡¯s about Qiao Jing, right?¡±

    Aside from Qiao Jing, no one else could bother Zhan Qipei so much.

    Upon hearing Lu Zijiao¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, but his brows were furrowed so tightly they could almost kill a fly.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction, Lu Zijiao instantly understood, sure that it must be about Qiao Jing.

    After all, with Zhan Qipei¡¯s capabilities, he surely wouldn¡¯t be troubled by anything work-rted.

    Adding to that, the two of them seemed to be nearing their divorce date, Zhan Qipei was definitely troubled by this.

    ¡°No way, with your seasoned expertise in the business world, can¡¯t you think of a good solution?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his face showing some exhaustion, and after a long while, he finally spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m out of ideas with her.¡±

    These past few days, he had tried every solution he could think of, but Qiao Jing remained the same.

    Even though she hadn¡¯t brought up divorce again, he knew she was just waiting for the time to go andplete the divorce procedures.

    Lu Zijiao rolled his eyes internally and spoke discontentedly.

    ¡°What are you doing, I¡¯m trying to help you solve your problems and you¡¯re throwing me dog food? There are only a few days left until the divorce day, right? That is a bit urgent¡­¡±

    Suddenly, he had a sh of insight and thought of a solution.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea!¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Lu Zijiao with a skeptical gaze, growing more doubtful by the second.

    ¡°What could your idea be?¡±

    Lu Zijiao, feeling undervalued, red with widened eyes.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look down on people, you know. One should never underestimate the wisdom of the group, and besides, you have no experience in this matter, better listen to me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Lu Zijiao, who was still single to this day, feeling even more skeptical.

    ¡°You have experience?¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly raised his eyebrows, put away the document, and leaned back in his chair, looking at Lu Zijiao with a half-smile.

    They had grown up as close as brothers; he knew Lu Zijiao¡¯s character well¡ªhe always spoke his mind and never held anything back.

    Otherwise, Lu Zijiao would definitely be sleepless tonight.

 Chapter 357: 346: Zhan Qipei Plans to Cry, Make a Scene, and Threaten Suicide

    Chapter 357: Chapter 346: Zhan Qipei ns to Cry, Make a Scene, and Threaten Suicide

    Lu Zijiao dragged a chair over and sat down in front of Zhan Qipei, speaking with a serious tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over carefully, why don¡¯t you try a desperate measure.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at him with a puzzled expression.

    A desperate measure?

    What desperate measure could Lu Zijiao have?

    Under Zhan Qipei¡¯s expectant gaze, Lu Zijiao started talking, revealing his ultimate good method.

    ¡°The three steps: cry, make a scene, and threaten suicide¡ª I bet you haven¡¯t tried this one yet?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, speechless, shifted his gaze back to the documents on the table.

    Indeed, he shouldn¡¯t have hoped Lu Zijiao woulde up with any decent idea.

    Seeing that the other party was ignoring him, Lu Zijiao leaned closer to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you, this method will definitely work. If that doesn¡¯t do it, you can try jumping off a building or spending some time in the ICU. It¡¯s a pain game, you know?¡±

    He paused, then continued speaking.

    ¡°There¡¯s always a method that suits you. When my parents argue, my mom goes through the steps of crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide. My dad can¡¯t do anything but go along with whatever my mom wants.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at Lu Zijiao indifferently, his lips slightly parting.

    ¡°Are you treating me like your mom?¡±

    Lu Zijiao clicked his tongue in disdain and stood up, heading towards the door.

    ¡°I¡¯ve given you my suggestion, whether you try it or not is none of my business.¡±

    Without looking back, he walked out of the office with his hands behind his back.

    The office became quiet once again, with only Zhan Qipei and Tang Yan remaining.

    Zhan Qipei stayed silent for a long time, contemting the feasibility of the method Lu Zijiao had mentioned.

    It seemed like Qiao Jing really responds better to soft approaches. If he made such a fuss, his wife might actually put aside her thoughts of divorcing him temporarily.

    The idea was to dy as long as possible. If he were sick or ended up in the ICU, his wife surely wouldn¡¯t drag him out of bed to proceed with the divorce.

    So, it seemed Lu Zijiao¡¯s method might actually be worth a try.

    Zhan Qipei turned to Tang Yan and blurted out coldly,

    ¡°What do you think, should I jump off a building?¡±

    Tang Yan was startled by his words, followed by a speechless astonishment.

    If he were a character in aic book, several lines indicating speechlessness would probably be sliding down his forehead.

    But he couldn¡¯t just not answer Zhan Qipei and after struggling for a bit, he managed a stiff smile.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve learned how to joke.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t find the joke funny at all.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned very serious, his voice growing lower.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been working by my side for so many years, you know I never joke.¡±

    After some careful thought, he felt that Lu Zijiao¡¯s method was feasible and was already preparing his n mentally.

    Seeing the serious look on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, Tang Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a crack appearing on his face.

    ¡°Boss, are you actually nning to jump off a building?¡±

    He was praying his boss wasn¡¯t serious.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, his dark eyes gradually deepening.

    ¡°I¡¯m currently considering it.¡±

    Shit!

    Tang Yan couldn¡¯t help but curse silently in his mind.

    His boss really was considering it? He was actually serious?

    As he listened to the suggestions proposed by Lu Zijiao, he felt none of them were reliable, yet his boss not only took them seriously but also believed them?

    His brain automatically conjured up the image of Zhan Qipei crying and acting coquettishly in front of Qiao Jing, then threatening to jump off a building, which instantly sent shivers down his spine and covered him in goosebumps.

    The scene was simply unbearable to look at, and if others were to see it, they would definitely have their perceptions of Zhan Qipei overturned.

    But Tang Yan needed to keep his job and couldn¡¯t directly express his thoughts, so he just managed a stiff smile.

    ¡°Hehe, boss¡­ you decide¡­¡±

    He truly had no advice to give on this matter.

    Zhan Qipei shifted his gaze back to the documents, quickly began to work on them, and hurried to finish so he could go home to carry out the n.

    After finishing work at noon, Zhan Qipei¡¯s first move upon arriving home was to head to the kitchen to cook.

    But before he had taken many steps, he smelled the delicious aromaing from the dining table.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and quickly walked to the kitchen, finding Qiao Jing carrying dishes out.

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei return, she paused momentarily, then continued to bring the dishes to the table.

    ¡°You¡¯re back? Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips formed a straight line, devoid of any curve, and his long brows furrowed even more tightly.

    He moved forward, quickly took the te from Qiao Jing¡¯s hands, and set it on the table.

    Afterpleting these actions, Zhan Qipei quickly returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and reached out to support her waist.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before I left that I would cook from now on, and your foot injury hasn¡¯t healed yet, what if it gets worse moving around like this?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at her almost healed ankle, somewhat helplessly, ced her hand on the man¡¯s chest, and pushed him away.

    ¡°It¡¯s mostly better now, not that serious, I can manage to cook a meal.¡±

    She had given herself acupuncturest night, and it had almostpletely healed.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the woman¡¯s ankle, indeed less swollen, but he still didn¡¯t want to let go, insisting on helping her to a chair to sit down.

    Having no choice, Qiao Jing let him assist her by walking a few steps.

    During the meal, Zhan Qipei thought about the first step of his n.

    Fasting.

    But this fasting wasn¡¯t about not eating at all; that would definitely not sustain his physical needs, his n was to cut down his food intake by more than half.

    Midway through the meal, Qiao Jing noticed that the man sitting across from her had put down his chopsticks.

    And there was still more than half of his rice left in the bowl.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, and before she could ask, the man had already stood up.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat any more?¡±

    Zhan Qipei hummed an affirmative, prepared to take his bowl of rice to throw it out.

    Qiao Jing, puzzled, looked at Zhan Qipei, her frown deepening, a hint of displeasure shing through her cool eyes.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t waste food, or are you trying to diet?¡±

    This was entirely different from Zhan Qipei¡¯s usual appetite, even drastically reduced, which was indeed strange.

    And there was still so much rice left in the bowl, it would be very wasteful to throw it out.

    Zhan Qipei hesitated for a moment, then put the bowl back on the table.

    ¡°No, just not hungry, don¡¯t feel like eating.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell to the bowl, then back to the man, considering what to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you some hawthorn to whet your appetite.¡±

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, feigning distress as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Really can¡¯t eat any more.¡±

    This was also one of his self-suffering strategies, his wife was supposed to feel sorry for him, right?

    But in reality, what Qiao Jing felt sorry for was the rice.

 Chapter 358: 347 Intentionally Getting Sick

    Chapter 358: Chapter 347 Intentionally Getting Sick

    Qiao Jing looked seriously at Zhan Qipei for a good while, and, after confirming the man really couldn¡¯t eat anymore, she pursed her lips and thought of apromise.

    ¡°Then, will you save it for dinner?¡±

    Zhan Qipei agreed and put the bowl away properly.

    In the afternoon at the office, he began to prepare a second n.

    In the end, he prepared a total of three methods.

    After returning home in the afternoon, Zhan Qipei pretended to reluctantly finish the lunch he had left over.

    Throughout the entire meal, Qiao Jing felt the man was bing increasingly odd; he barely touched the food and seemed preupied with heavy thoughts.

    Could it be that he had encountered problems at work?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pry too much; worrying that bringing it up would only add to his distress, she finished off the remaining food. Zhan Qipei, while Qiao Jing was eating, took his change of clothes and entered the bathroom with a solemn expression.

    He was about to execute his second n, to take a cold shower and induce a fever.

    Zhan Qipei was concerned that a cold shower alone might not be enough; after showering, he hurried back to his room, closed the door, and reached for the air conditioning remote.

    After setting the air conditioning to sixteen degrees Celsius, he sat in front of his desk and began to work.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Zhan Qipei to feel his body temperature rapidly dropping, the surrounding cold air enveloping him.

    A bone-chilling cold rose within his body, but he maintained his previous actions, his eyes fixed on theptop screen as he typed away at the keyboard.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together, as if everything around him couldn¡¯t affect him.

    After handling his work, he stood up stiffly, turned off the air conditioning, and left the room.

    Seeing that the door of the adjacent room was closed, he then stepped out.

    Zhan Qipei hurriedly went to the bathroom, turned up the hot water, and quickly took a hot shower.

    In the cold winter, such contrived actions would surely result in a fever, even if one wasn¡¯t pending already.

    When Qiao Jing walked out of her room wanting to drink some water, she noticed that the temperature in the living room had dropped significantly, and there were gusts of wind blowing through.

    Because the air conditioning was on in the room, she was dressed quite lightly and shivered when the cold wind hit her.

    Her gazended on the balcony, where she noticed the window was open, with a familiar silhouette standing by it.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and set down her cup.

    After approaching Zhan Qipei, the cold wind from outside lifted her hair, and only then did she realize that the balcony¡¯s breeze was colder than she had thought.

    Yet Zhan Qipei seemed oblivious to it, wearing only a loose bathrobe with arge part of the cor open, with some droplets of water still clinging to his neck and chest.

    Confusion filled Qiao Jing¡¯s cool eyes.

    Hadn¡¯t he already taken a shower?

    Why take another?

    Just as she was about to reach out to close the window, the man beside her suddenly stepped forward.

    Zhan Qipei leaned out with most of his body, as if he were about to jump off the building.

    Qiao Jing was startled and quickly grabbed the man, forcefully pulling him back.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze from the window and spoke as if nothing was amiss.

    ¡°Nothing much, just taking a look.¡±

    She closed the window expressionlessly, turned around, and stared at Zhan Qipei with an inquisitive look.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you today?¡±

    To check out the scenery, did it really require him to lean most of his body out of the window? A little further and he might have fallen.

    She had felt something was off since noon, but it wasn¡¯t so obvious, so she didn¡¯t ask, but now with him seeking out the cold wind and even having thoughts of jumping off the building, Zhan Qipei definitely had encountered some issue.

    Without speaking, Zhan Qipei shook his head and looked over at Qiao Jing, realizing she was only wearing a thin nightgown.

    His heart suddenly skipped a beat; had his wife just been exposed to the cold wind with him?

    Zhan Qipei smoothed his brows, and the tenseness in his side profile softened, his eyes shimmering with deep self-reproach.

    He reached out and took hold of the woman¡¯s slender wrist, starting to lead her towards the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine; did you get cold? Go sit in the room, and I¡¯ll make you some ginger tea to drink to prevent catching a cold.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing touched the man¡¯s hand, she immediately felt the abnormally high temperature radiating from his body, almost scalding to the touch.

    She retracted her hand, and without waiting for Zhan Qipei to react, she ced her palm on his forehead.

    Zhan Qipei stood frozen in ce, motionless, his dark eyes fixed intently on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and, without a word, led him back into the living room and found a thermometer in the medicine box.

    Based on the scorching heat of the man¡¯s body, Zhan Qipei¡¯s fever had to be at least 39 degrees.

    She took out the thermometer from the medicine box, measured it, and it read 39.8 degrees.

    No wonder it was so hot.

    Qiao Jing then found several packets of medicine and ced them on the living room table, her tone tinged with reproach.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got a fever, don¡¯t you know? And you¡¯re standing by the window in the cold draft?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes sparkled.

    He just knew it!

    His wife would definitely feel sorry for him!

    The ruse had indeed worked.

    The man lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, his tone deliberately carrying a trace of grievance.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I had a fever¡­¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s pitiful expression, Qiao Jing¡¯s anger dissipated on the spot, reced by a somewhat inexplicable heartache.

    Her tone softened significantly.

    ¡°Drink these medicines all mixed together.¡±

    Zhan Qipei shook his head and stood up, trying to walk unsteadily back to his room.

    ¡°A nap will do.¡±

    However, he had only taken a few steps when he began to fall uncontrobly to the ground.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed abruptly, and she quickly stepped forward to steady the man with her hands.

    Upon closer contact with Zhan Qipei, she felt she was supporting a furnace, so hot that an egg could cook on it.

    She suppressed her anger and gritted her teeth.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you have a fever, and you need to take your medicine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly tried to walk on, not giving those medicines a nce.

    ¡°No, a nap will do.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pent-up anger was on the verge of erupting, but the man looked up at her with a hazy gaze.

    This drained her of her fury.

    She repeatedly told herself in her mind that he had a fever now, was a patient, and just needed patience.

    Qiao Jing started talking in a tone used to cajole children.

    ¡°Then let me help you back to bed to rest first, and you can take the medicer.¡±

    Yet Zhan Qipei, stubborn as a child, carefully removed her hand and started walking toward the bedroom on his own.

    Qiao Jing, speechless, twitched the corner of her mouth, picked up the packets of medicine from the table, stirred them, and brought them to Zhan Qipei¡¯s room.

    Seeing the man lying on the bed, feverish and confused, she lightened her steps and approached the bedside.

    She wasn¡¯t sure how Zhan Qipei had managed it, but the cor of the bathrobe he was wearing had opened even more, and the room was also cold, not even the air conditioning was on.

    Feeling somewhat headachy, she picked up the remote control and found that the air conditioning wasst set to 16 degrees.

    In this weather, Zhan Qipei actually set the air conditioning to 16 degrees?

    Qiao Jing looked doubtfully at the man lying in bed, but he was in no condition to answer her questions now.

    She nced at the man¡¯s gaping cor, hesitating for a while.

    If she let Zhan Qipei¡¯s bathrobe stay open like this, he would certainly not recover from his illness.

    Qiao Jing bit her lip and walked up to the bedside.

 Chapter 359: 348: Zhan Qipei Pins Qiao Jing Down

    Chapter 359: Chapter 348: Zhan Qipei Pins Qiao Jing Down

    Qiao Jing gave up on the idea of fetching a bathrobe for the man, poked Zhan Qipei¡¯s face with her hand, and urged him to move.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, get up and take your medicine.¡±

    When the man heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, he stirred but still didn¡¯t get up.

    Qiao Jing nced at the quilt crushed under Zhan Qipei and then at the man¡¯s bathrobe.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go back to sleep, get up and take your medicine.¡±

    But Zhan Qipei still didn¡¯t respond, lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly, reached over to lift him up from the bed, and used her hand to support his back so he sat up straight.

    She looked at the man and raised her voice.

    ¡°Take the medicine.¡±

    Only then did Zhan Qipei open his eyes. Seeing the bowl of medicine in front of him, he became somewhat alert and took it from her.

    Qiao Jing watched Zhan Qipei finish the medicine before she breathed a sigh of relief, but as soon as he had finished, without a word, he was ready to copse back onto the bed. She hurriedly pulled him to stop.

    ¡°Get off first; you¡¯re crushing the quilt.¡±

    He really wasn¡¯t making things easy for her.

    Zhan Qipei finally got off the bed, swaying unsteadily. Seizing the opportunity, he leaned on Qiao Jing, a glint of light shing in his dark eyes.

    But he was afraid of being too heavy and squashing Qiao Jing, so he only used half his strength, leaning partially against her.

    Qiao Jing felt like this man was like a ko¡ªwhere kos hug trees, he clung to her.

    She rubbed her temples, flipped the quilt on the bed, and then helped Zhan Qipei back onto it.

    ¡°There, now you can sleep.¡±

    After tucking Zhan Qipei in, her gaze fell on that strikingly handsome face, and she felt a stir of emotion inside.

    It had always been Zhan Qipei who took care of her before, but now the roles had reversed a bit, which could also be considered a way of repaying him.

    Qiao Jing prepared to return to her own room. Just as she walked a few steps, the image of the man leaning on her, with that burning body temperature, kept reappearing in her mind.

    She turned back to look at Zhan Qipei, and in the end sighed helplessly, hurried into the bathroom, and soaked a towel in cold water.

    When Qiao Jing returned to Zhan Qipei¡¯s room, she found that his quilt was flung open, revealing much of the bed.

    Her brows furrowed as she walked quickly to the bedside, ced the cold towel on the man¡¯s forehead, and tucked him in again.

    After applying the towel to the man, Qiao Jing then returned to her own room.

    The next morning, Qiao Jing got up on time.

    She was still worried about Zhan Qipei, who had a feverst night, and nned to make him a light porridge in the kitchen.

    When Qiao Jing entered the kitchen, she saw a silhouette bustling about.

    Zhan Qipei was standing in front of a pot of porridge, stirring it asionally, while another pot was heating up a cup of milk.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knit together as she took a few steps forward and reached out to touch the man¡¯s forehead.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened, and he rubbed his forehead against the palm of her hand.

    Feeling the heat from her palm, although it was slightly lower than yesterday, it was still very hot. Her tone revealed annoyance as she spoke.

    ¡°Why are you making breakfast when your fever hasn¡¯t gone down yet?¡±

    She always got up earlier than the man, but today, Zhan Qipei had awakened earlier than her despite his fever, and he was even making breakfast in the kitchen.

    It made her angry that he wasn¡¯t taking care of his health at all.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s concerned words, Zhan Qipei felt overjoyed on the inside, suppressing the urge to grin, as he spooned out a bowl of porridge from the pot.

    ¡°Got up to make breakfast for you. I said before, I would make every meal for you from now on.¡±

    His wife was both testing his temperature and saying she was concerned about him¡ªdid it mean that he still had a glimmer of hope?

    The more Zhan Qipei thought about it, the happier he became, and he ced the bowl on the dining table.

    Seeing her husband busy himself for her, Qiao Jing pursed her lips, and a ripple of warmth stirred within her cool eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do so much for me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to let Zhan Qipei continue to be so nice to her just because he liked her.

    It was unfair to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes dimmed, his lips pressed tight, remaining silent as he silently returned to the kitchen to ce the warmed milk on the dining table.

    ¡°Eat breakfast.¡±

    He had thought that he might have a chance, but it seemed he had hoped for too much.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing finish her breakfast, then silently went back to his room andy under the covers on his bed.

    Seeing the man in such a dispirited state, Qiao Jing pursed her lips, got up, prepared the fever-reducing medicine, and brought it to Zhan Qipei¡¯s room.

    It was daytime, yet Zhan Qipei¡¯s room was very dim, the curtains blocking out the light from outside.

    Qiao Jing saw the bulge on the bed, feeling a bit helpless, and ced the cup on the bedside table.

    ¡°Did you have breakfast?¡±

    A muffled voice came from under the covers.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the lump under the covers, knowing the person was awake, and instructed,

    ¡°Then drink the medicine first, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was so feverish, she felt uneasy about going to the research institute, so she had Zhan Nanqing send some documents to her phone.

    Qiao Jing returned to her room to review the documents.

    ¡°Ding dong¡ª¡±

    The sudden sound of the doorbell interrupted Qiao Jing, who was looking at the documents. She looked up at the clock on the wall.

    Eleven in the morning.

    She frowned slightly and opened the door.

    Su Manhan was holding a thermal bag; her eyes lit up when she saw Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I came to bring you some soup and food, you haven¡¯t cooked yet, right? I timed it just right.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, a weak voice came from Zhan Qipei¡¯s room.

    ¡°Qiao Jing¡­ I feel dizzy¡­¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, she hurried toward the room.

    Upon hearing that feeble voice, Su Manhan stood frozen in ce.

    Could that be the voice of her son?

    Why did it sound so weak?

    Zhan Qipei never sounded so fragile when he was feverish as a child, so why was it different now that he was grown?

    Zhan Qipei had always been very independent ever since he was young, never needing anyone¡¯s care, not even crying or calling out when he was sick. Yet today, he was like this?

    Was this really her son? He hadn¡¯t been switched at birth, had he?

    Curious, Su Manhan watched Qiao Jing enter the room, and then she went up to see what was happening.

    The door to Zhan Qipei¡¯s room wasn¡¯t closed, and she sneaked a peek from the side, eyeing the scene inside.

    Just as Qiao Jing reached the man¡¯s bedside and was about to ask what was wrong, her hand was seized.

    Before she could react, she was suddenly pulled by the man and found herself lying on the bed.

    What came urgently next was the man pressing directly on top of her, burying his head in the crook of her neck.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened as she tried to push the man away, but the hand on her waist was so strong that after several attempts, she couldn¡¯t push him off.

    The man¡¯s scorching breath sprayed on her shoulder, making it feel tingly.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, what are you doing? Let go of me.¡±

    What was wrong with this man? He pinned her to the bed without a word, and now his head, which was buried in her neck, was even slowly moving downward?!

 Chapter 360 - 349: Is it Okay Not to Divorce?

    Chapter 360: Chapter 349: Is it Okay Not to Divorce?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t answer, but slowly moved downward until his face was buried in the woman¡¯s towering chest, and only then did he stop.

    Using the excuse of his fever, he began to act coquettishly, holding the woman tightly in his embrace and feigning a bit of grievance in his tone.

    ¡°Can we not divorce, please? Don¡¯t leave me¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. She reached out, trying to push away the fuzzy head buried in her body.

    But with each push, he buried himself even tighter, and the hands around her waist gradually exerted more force.

    This entire scene was caught by Su Manhan, who stood at the doorway peeking in. She was thrilled, her smile almost reaching the heavens.

    She very considerately walked to the living room, ced all the contents from the thermal bag onto the table, then happily hummed a tune as she walked out.

    It seemed her son was ready to make his move; it wouldn¡¯t be long before she could hold her grandchild.

    Su Manhan rode back to Purple Garden, where she shared everything she¡¯d seen with Zhan Yuanshan.

    Upon hearing it, Zhan Yuanshan became excessively excited, his beard shaking with the nodding of his head, and he stomped his walking stick with force.

    ¡°Quick, prepare a table full of nourishing food for Jing Girl to eat; invite her toe back for dinner tonight.¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s face bloomed with joy, as she called the chefs to start nning the evening¡¯s meal. Once everything was ready, she phoned Qiao Jing.

    By the time Qiao Jing had extricated herself from Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, almost a half hour had passed.

    She was a bit surprised when she saw the thermal container on the table with no sign of Su Manhan.

    However, the food prepared in the thermal container meant she wouldn¡¯t have to bother cooking.

    Zhan Qipei also walked to the dining table with slightly heavy footsteps and asked upon seeing the thermal container.

    ¡°Did my mom bring this over?¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°mmm¡±-ed in response, dividing out Zhan Qipei¡¯s portion because of the incident of him pinning her to the bed earlier, she didn¡¯t want to talk to him for the moment.

    While she was halfway through her meal, she received a call from Su Manhan. But since her hands were greasy, she wasn¡¯t able to answer normally, so she switched on the speakerphone instead.

    Su Manhan¡¯s voice, filled with joy, came through.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t bother cooking tonight, juste home for dinner.¡±

    Qiao Jing froze for a moment; Su Manhan didn¡¯t mention Zhan Qipei at all, only making it clear that she shoulde over for dinner.

    This was theplete opposite of thest time she sat in Zhan Qipei¡¯s car when Su Manhan only invited her son toe back.

    She nced at the man who was still eating, but it was hard to refuse an elder¡¯s request, so she replied to the voice on the phone.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, who was in the midst of eating, paused, his gaze falling on the phone as his lips parted slightly.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯lle back for dinner too.¡±

    This time, Su Manhan spoke out of character.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether youe back or not, what¡¯s important is that Qiao Jing muste back, got it?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, feeling a bit strange. Why was she being singled out this time toe back?

    Zhan Qipei spoke up for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there something you need Qiao Jing for?¡±

    He still wanted to cling to his wife using his fever as an excuse, hoping she would change her mind.

    Why was his mom suddenly wanting to call his wife back?

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine as long as Qiao Jinges back; I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±

    Su Manhan hastily ended the call.

    In the evening, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei both arrived at Purple Garden.

    Upon seeing the visitors, Su Manhan¡¯s face was filled with joy, and she quickly walked up to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Su Manhan stretched out her hand to take Qiao Jing to the dining table, leaving Zhan Qipei behind, and couldn¡¯t contain her excitement as she spoke.

    ¡°Come and eat, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing still felt it was strange until she saw the table filled with sumptuous dishes, and her curiosity only grew.

    Was today a special day? Why were there so many dishes?

    And the focus wasn¡¯t on Zhan Qipei or Zhan Nanqing¡ªit was on her?

    Zhan Yuanshan sat at the table, his face beaming as if he had shed several decades.

    Only after Qiao Jing took her seat did Su Manhan return to her own ce.

    When Zhan Qipei saw his wife being led away, he felt a tinge of jealousy and hisplexion turned a few shades colder. Upon reaching the dining table, he nced at Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing shrugged her shoulders and looked in Su Manhan¡¯s direction, then shook her head indicating she was also clueless about the situation.

    Without asking further, Zhan Qipei took a seat beside Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Yao was equally unaware of what Su Manhan was up to¡ªthe feast was much morevish than thest time Zhan Qipei came home for a meal.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing with puzzlement, hoping to get some information from her.

    Zhan Nanqing could only shrug helplessly again¡ªwhy were both her brother and Qiao Jing looking at her?

    She had been unexpectedly called back from shopping by Su Manhan to eat, with the pretext that there was something important to discuss.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze and looked at the bowl in front of her, then gave Su Manhan another nce.

    She pursed her lips. With the Zhan family not saying a word, she was even less inclined to ask.

    Su Manhan was staring at Qiao Jing, particrly noting how thin she was, especially that tiny waist¡ªas slender as something inexpressible.

    Probably because she suffered too much hardship in the countryside as a child and often went hungry, leading to her current frailty, which would certainly make pregnancy more difficult than for the average person.

    Su Manhan couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry for Qiao Jing, regretting all the bad things she had done before and wishing she could travel back in time to p herself twice.

    Qiao Jing had suffered so much in her childhood, and yet she, as her mother-inw, still hadn¡¯t treated her better. No wonder she wanted to leave the Zhan family.

    ¡°You¡¯re so thin, you need to eat more to nourish your body, and besides, here¡¯s a special recipe I got from a rtive. It¡¯s said to make it easier for a woman to conceive. You¡¯re so frail, and your health isn¡¯t great, so hurry up and drink some.¡±

    Su Manhan pushed a bowl of dark soup in front of Qiao Jing and, worried she might not drink it, also prepared a small bowl of preserved fruit.

    ¡°It might be a little bitter, but just endure it, and after drinking, have some preserved fruit.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan followed Su Manhan¡¯s lead, looking at Qiao Jing with expectant eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Jing Girl¡¯s physique is many times stronger than the average person. I believe that Jing Girl can definitely get pregnant, and maybe she¡¯ll bring us several great-grandchildren at once! Consider it a pre-celebration for the arrival of my great-grandchild.¡±

    His excitement led his gaze to settle on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, as if by staring he could conjure a great-grandchild into existence.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    Her grandfather must be a prophet¡ªQiao Jing was indeed carrying more than one.

    Qiao Jing froze for a moment, then looked at Zhan Yuanshan with wary eyes and touched her own stomach.

    Normally, a pregnant woman wouldn¡¯t show until three months into her pregnancy, but because she was carrying triplets, her stomach was already showing a slight bulge.

    Could it have been noticed?

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, also finding the situation odd.

    ¡°Grandpa, why are you suddenly talking about these things?¡±

    With a meaningful look, Zhan Yuanshan chuckled as he spoke.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about, your mother saw everything at noon, the two of you on the bed¡­ heh heh heh¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing realized then, her temples suddenly throbbing.

    It turned out that the scene of Zhan Qipei on top of her this morning had been witnessed by Su Manhan, which exined why she had already left when Qiao Jing came out.

 Chapter 361 - 350: The Zhan Family is Incredibly Good to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 361: Chapter 350: The Zhan Family is Incredibly Good to Qiao Jing

    Qiao Jing put down her chopsticks and began to exin.

    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood; that kind of thing didn¡¯t happen¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, Su Manhan interrupted her with a face that said I get it, you don¡¯t need to say more.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, the youth these days, I understand. Let¡¯s eat and not talk about this.¡±

    Qiao Jing was slightly speechless and twitched the corner of her mouth, wanting to exin further.

    But seeing the attitudes of Su Manhan and Zhan Yuanshan, it was clear they had already concluded that they had done that sort of thing.

    However¡­ it seemed that they really had done that sort of thing.

    She stretched her hand and touched her stomach, ceasing her attempts to exin further.

    Su Manhan noticed that the soup in front of Qiao Jing was untouched and became somewhat anxious.

    ¡°Drink your soup, it¡¯s good for your health, and eat more of these dishes.¡±

    As she spoke, she kept adding more food to Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re so thin you¡¯ve hardly got any flesh on you; if you got pregnant, you definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±

    Feeling too bashful to refuse Su Manhan¡¯s kindness, Qiao Jing found her bowl piled high with food by the time she finished her soup.

    Upon seeing onions in her bowl, she furrowed her brows, knowing she couldn¡¯t possibly finish all the food she had.

    But she couldn¡¯t waste it either¡­

    While Qiao Jing was thinking this, a pair of chopsticks reached into her bowl.

    Zhan Qipei moved all the onions from Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl into his own and took a small portion of the other dishes as well.

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man and whispered a thank you.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Su Manhan, witnessing this scene, spoke up unhappily.

    ¡°Qipei, that was for Qiao Jing to eat; how could you take food out of her bowl?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Su Manhan and then picked the remaining bits of onion out of Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t like onions, and you¡¯ve served her too much food.¡±

    How could he possibly take his wife¡¯s food?

    He would rather have his wife eat more and put on some weight.

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯sment, Su Manhan was stunned, her gazending on the dish with onions.

    She couldn¡¯t help but criticize internally that perhaps her son didn¡¯t even know what his own mother disliked eating; however, criticisms aside, she was now more pleased with her son.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it, huh? Qiao Jing, is there anything else you don¡¯t like eating? Tell me, and I won¡¯t make those dishes for you in the future.¡±

    When she used to bring food previously, it asionally contained onions, but Qiao Jing had never mentioned it; could it be that she was too embarrassed to speak up and just ate them anyway?

    The vision of Qiao Jing eating onions shed through Su Manhan¡¯s mind, making her feel a bit guilty about making her eat something she disliked.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to shake her head and say there was nothing she avoided, the man beside her quickly answered for her.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t like onions, nothing too nd, and she also dislikes green onions andtro.¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned and turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Actually, I can eat anything.¡±

    If nothing went wrong, this was going to be herst meal at the Zhan family¡¯s home.

    There was no need to let the Zhan family know her preferences or for Su Manhan to remember these things, as she wouldn¡¯t ask her to bring food anymore.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Su Manhan looked serious and momentarily forgot she was at the dining table, taking out her phone.

    She set a reminder, recording everything Zhan Qipei had just mentioned.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    Qiao Jing saw the man wanted to say something else; she reached out and tugged at Zhan Qipei¡¯s clothes, stopping him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡±

    She didn¡¯t expect Su Manhan to take it so seriously as to use her phone to take notes. Just as she was about to speak to stop her, the voice of Zhan Yuanshan rang out.

    ¡°Jing Girl, do you have any other dietary restrictions? Tell us all about them so we can remember.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan was quite pleased with Su Manhan¡¯s action, as she was supposed to be kind to Qiao Jing, and he naturally supported her unconditionally.

    Seeing the old man¡¯s demeanor, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t feel it appropriate to say anything more.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, really, no need to trouble yourself.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan feigned anger and huffed.

    ¡°Jing Girl, what you¡¯re saying, how can preparing something for you be a bother? If you keep talking like that, I might actually get angry.¡±

    Qiao Jing opted for silence and continued eating her meal.

    After noting it down, Su Manhan immediately put away her phone.

    Zhan Nanqing felt somewhat jealous on the side.

    Her grandfather usually hated when people yed with their phones at mealtime. Once, during a meal, she had received a call. She merely reached out her hand, hadn¡¯t even touched her phone, when she was scolded.

    Yet when her mother took out her phone to note down Qiao Jing¡¯s preferences, her grandfather didn¡¯t utter a word of reprimand.

    Oh, really baffling, who is really his beloved granddaughter.

    After the meal, Qiao Jing stood up, said her goodbyes to Su Manhan and the others, and didn¡¯t rush home but walked around outside Purple Garden.

    She touched her stomach, it seemed more bulging than before the meal.

    Probably because she ate too much¡­

    Zhan Qipei silently followed behind Qiao Jing, watching her slim figure.

    A beam of moonlight quietly shone on the woman, then the next second, it was obscured by the clouds.

    Seeing the disappearing moonlight, his dark eyes dimmed, and the atmosphere around him grew heavier.

    That moonlight was like him, only briefly appearing in Qiao Jing¡¯s life, soon to vanish.

    After tomorrow, it would be the day they divorced. After the divorce, what would Qiao Jing do?

    If he made an effort to see her, would she hide away?

    If she hid, where would he go to find her¡­

    A pleasant voice brought the man¡¯s thoughts back.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    When Qiao Jing turned around and saw the man¡¯s dispirited look, he appeared quite pitiful.

    Upon hearing her voice, Zhan Qipei immediately snapped back to reality, a bitter smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Going home.

    Just one more day.

    Then it would no longer be a home shared by the two of them.

    ¨C

    The next morning.

    As soon as Qiao Jing entered her study, a loud ¡°bang¡± suddenly echoed in her ears.

    Following that, streamers floated down from the air,nding on her, then fell to the ground.

    Xu Moqian, still making his own sound effects, spoke with augh, his tone filled with exuberance.

    ¡°Ta-da¡ª congrattions, Sister Jing, you¡¯re getting divorced tomorrow! You¡¯re finally escaping this marital prison!¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Xu Moqian and looked down at the floor.

    The once-clean floor was now covered in streamers, a vein in her temple throbbed, and she raised her eyes to Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Clean this up.¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s action of twirling the confetti cannon stopped, and the smile on his face froze, reced by a look of grievance.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I was just celebrating your return to single life tomorrow, why am I the one sweeping¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing walked forward expressionlessly, responding to Xu Moqian¡¯s words.

    ¡°You made the mess, you clean it up.¡±

    Suddenly, her phone chimed with a notification.

 Chapter 362 - 351 Congratulations to Qiao Jing on the Divorce

    Chapter 362: Chapter 351 Congrattions to Qiao Jing on the Divorce

    Before Qiao Jing could check, a series of notification tones sounded, as if they had been timed.

    As she took out her phone, the notification sounds kepting, like a machine gun firing, until she silenced the phone.

    Qiao Jing opened WeChat, which had 99+ new messages, with the most recent one from Cao Feiyu.

    Just his chat box alone already had 99+ messages, and they were stilling in.

    She became a little headache, and opened the chat with Cao Feiyu.

    Cao Feiyu had sent not only text messages but also a series of firework emojis.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you are finally getting divorced, I¡¯ve finally waited for this day wuwuwu.¡±

    ¡°Does this mean you can consider me now? Hmph, without Zhan Qipei around, I can start pursuing you crazily.¡±

    ¡°You will definitely be too touched and then agree to me. Tomorrow I will buy a bunch of firecrackers and set them off at your house to celebrate properly.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I have to rush to a job tomorrow, I would definitely be there to see you get your divorce certificate!¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bear to read more than these three messages and began typing with her pale fingers.

    ¡°I have to work, stop messaging me.¡±

    After exiting Cao Feiyu¡¯s chat box, she nced down and saw that the number of messages from Zhan Ruiting was second only to those from Cao Feiyu.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you are getting divorced from my cousin tomorrow, right? Congrattions on your divorce, happy divorce!¡±

    ¡°What do you like to eat? After you and my cousinplete the divorce procedure tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you out for a meal.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly. Although she had no feelings for Zhan Qipei, she had never seen anyone wish a ¡°happy divorce.¡±

    At least she hadn¡¯t seen anyone around her receive such a congrattory divorce message.

    She responded with just a period and paid it no further attention.

    The next message was from Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Have you been busy recently? There¡¯s a surgery that¡¯s somewhat tricky for me. Do you have the time to lend a hand?¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned and questioned in reply.

    ¡°Even you can¡¯t handle it?¡±

    Lu Zijin hesitated; the surgery wasn¡¯t that difficult, actually. He just wanted to use the surgery as an excuse to spend more time with Qiao Jing.

    However, if he said he couldn¡¯t handle this surgery, Qiao Jing might think his medical skills were not up to par.

    ¡°Actually, I can handle it on my own, it should be sessful.¡±

    Qiao Jing typed a response.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, then. Handle it yourself, I¡¯m not feeling very well these days.¡±

    She reached out to touch her belly, trying to reduce her workload during pregnancy to avoid fatigue.

    Seeing the words ¡°not feeling well,¡± Lu Zijin hastened his reply.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Where does it hurt? Shall Ie over to check on you?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and made up an excuse.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just didn¡¯t sleep well.¡±

    Xu Moqian stood beside Qiao Jing and caught a glimpse of her phone screen.

    Although these guys were all pursuing Sister Jing, his biggest rival had been taken out.

    His chances were definitely the greatest!

    He felt like now was the time to gather these guys for a party or something, a celebration for all.

    This was surely the happiest news he had heard in his life.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to put her phone away and get to work, it vibrated once more.

    This message was from Ni Yue.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, you¡¯re finally going to be single again! I¡¯ll take you to the bar to drink tomorrow; we can party all night this time!¡±

    Suddenly, she remembered something.

    ¡°Ah, my silly head, I forgot you¡¯re pregnant. It¡¯s fine, we can go drink orange juice instead.¡±

    Qiao Jing declined the invitation without hesitation. Her body couldn¡¯t handle staying upte right now.

    ¡°Not going.¡±

    Before Ni Yue could whine, she directly switched her phone to airne mode.

    When Zhan Nanqing arrived at theboratory, she saw the scattered confetti on the floor and then nced at Xu Moqian.

    Tomorrow was the day her cousin and Qiao Jing were scheduled to process the divorce.

    Her cousin definitely didn¡¯t want a divorce, but Qiao Jing might not feel the same.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for quite a while before walking up to Qiao Jing, with a solemn expression.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, can you not divorce my brother? He really likes you¡­

    Although I know you don¡¯t like my brother, you can give it a try with him; he¡¯s a very responsible man.¡±

    As she spoke, her gaze fell to Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    Qiao Jing was about to answer when Xu Moqian interjected.

    ¡°What you¡¯re saying¡ªthere are plenty of people who like Sister Jing. Should Sister Jing give them all a try? In that case, Sister Jing, you should try with me first, right?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was so angered by Xu Moqian¡¯s words that she almost spat blood, yet she couldn¡¯t find anything to refute him and red fiercely at him.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words; she had already made her choice when she found out about the marriage arrangement.

    She nced indifferently at Xu Moqian, signaling him to cool it.

    Only then did Xu Moqian withdraw his gaze from Zhan Nanqing and went off to sweep the floor with a broom.

    After sweeping, he couldn¡¯t help but sit on the sofa, chattering away.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯ll take you out for a meal to celebrateter. I¡¯m going to bring out the champagne I¡¯ve treasured for many years.

    It¡¯s my precious treasure, but for Sister Jing, I¡¯m willing to part with it.¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing was so irritated she wanted to sew his mouth shut.

    She sneakily nced at Qiao Jing, who was still working with that same indifferent expression, and her heart eased.

    It seemed she hadn¡¯t taken Xu Moqian¡¯s words to heart, maybe Zhan Nanqing would try persuading her againter¡­

    After finishing that piece of work, Qiao Jing sat on the sofa to rest for a while.

    Zhan Nanqing bit her lip, still wanting to fight for another chance for her brother.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you really not willing to give my brother a try? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll only like you in his lifetime.¡±

    Xu Moqian whistled andughed out loud.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll only like Sister Jing in my lifetime too, but it¡¯s not like Sister Jing is willing to be with me. Sister Jing can¡¯t duplicate herself to be with everyone who likes her.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing clenched her fists, struggling to restrain the urge to hit someone.

    ¡°Why are you always around?!¡±

    Xu Moqian was about to retort when Qiao Jing interrupted them.

    She lifted her eyes to look at Zhan Nanqing, her cool gaze filled with determination.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already made my decision.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing sighed, said ¡®okay,¡¯ and went off to sit by herself.

    After work, as usual, Qiao Jing brought home food she had bought.

    Today, she had intentionallye home early, wanting to have the meal ready before Zhan Qipei returned.

    But when she arrived, there was already a pair of men¡¯s leather shoes at the entrance.

    Qiao Jing, carrying fresh groceries, walked to the kitchen to find Zhan Qipei serving the soup he had prepared.

    She frowned slightly but said nothing, storing the groceries in the fridge.

    That night, with an unspoken agreement, neither of them spoke a word during the meal.

    Throughout the evening, Qiao Jing could feel the man¡¯s gaze lingering on her frequently.

    While tidying up the dishes, she finally spoke.

    ¡°Is your fever gone?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements paused, and his lips formed a tight, straight line.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much, just left a reminder.

    ¡°Then remember to take your medicine.¡±

    She returned to the living room, picked up some documents, and went back to her room, closing the door behind her.

    With every second that passed, it tormented Zhan Qipei more. He looked up at Qiao Jing¡¯s firmly shut bedroom door.

    He got up and approached Qiao Jing¡¯s door, hesitantly cing his hand on the doorknob, wanting to open it, but in the end, he let go.

    Since Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t brought up divorce, it meant she hadn¡¯t changed her mind.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei received a message.

 Chapter 363: 352: Zhan Qipei Drinks Recklessly

    Chapter 363: Chapter 352: Zhan Qipei Drinks Recklessly

    He clicked on WeChat and nced at it, only to find that it was a message from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Brother, I asked Qiao Jing today, and her intention is that she definitely wants to divorce you. I tried to persuade her, but her attitude was very firm.¡±

    After reading this message, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face showed a bitter smile, and he withdrew his hand from the doorknob.

    He exited the chat window and went back to sitting in the living room.

    Everything in the apartment suddenly felt strange to him, though he had been living there for several months, and he was very familiar with everything¡­

    The silence in the living room was broken by the sound of his phone ringing.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even look at the caller ID before pressing the answer button.

    It was a bit noisy on Lu Zijiao¡¯s end, so he had to raise his voice a lot.

    ¡°How are things going with Qiao Jing? Did the method I suggested work?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond, his gaze falling on the several packets of fever reducer on the table.

    They had been left there by Qiao Jing.

    Knowing Zhan Qipei¡¯s personality, Lu Zijiao guessed the oue when he didn¡¯t get a response.

    If the method had been sessful, Zhan Qipei would definitely have been chatting happily with him, not choosing to remain silent.

    His tone of voice became much more serious.

    ¡°No way? Even crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide didn¡¯t work? It worked for my mom, so how could it be ineffective with you¡­¡±

    This was not a solution¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m at the bar now. Come over and have a few drinks with me, and let¡¯s think of another solution.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had originally nned to stay at home and look for another opportunity.

    But the message from Zhan Nanqing suddenly shed in his mind, he pursed his lips and replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ming now.¡±

    When Zhan Qipei arrived at the bar, he ordered several bottles of brandy and whiskey without a word.

    Lu Zijiao, seeing that Zhan Qipei was in a bad mood today, dismissed all the waiters nearby.

    Zhan Qipei sat next to Lu Zijiao, pouring himself one ss after another.

    Two minutester, one bottle of brandy was quickly emptied.

    Lu Zijiao was startled by Zhan Qipei¡¯s reckless drinking, which was as fast as drinking water. He was about to just grab the bottle and pour it into his mouth.

    He quickly intervened, grabbing Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand that was reaching for the bottle.

    ¡°What are you doing? No one ispeting with you, why are you drinking in such a hurry?¡±

    After identally touching Zhan Qipei¡¯s skin, Lu Zijiao instantly pulled back his hand from the heat.

    ¡°Holy crap! What¡¯s with you? Why are you so hot? Don¡¯t tell me you have a fever?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nonchntly hummed in response and continued to pour himself some more liquor.

    Just as he was about to reach for the bottle again, Lu Zijiao stopped him again, and ced the unfinished bottles back on the table.

    ¡°You¡¯re drinking while you have a fever? Are you out of your mind?!¡±

    From the moment Zhan Qipei entered the bar until now, in just a few minutes, he had already finished three bottles of brandy.

    The man sat in the booth, his expression dark. Deep, unfathomable eyes glowing beneath furrowed brows, his hands clutching the ss, veins protruding.

    He nced at Lu Zijiao, ignoring his advice, and again reached for the bottle.

    Lu Zijiao cursed under his breath and had the remaining bottles taken away.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, have you gone mad? Do you even want to find a solution? Drinking like this will only lead to divorcing Qiao Jing!¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s name, Zhan Qipei sobered up a bit and squinted his eyes slightly.

    ¡°Have the liquor brought back.¡±

    Lu Zijiao hesitated for a moment, then made a request.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t drink like you¡¯re on a death wish. If I had known you had a fever, I wouldn¡¯t have called you here.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded.

    Lu Zijiao finally had someone bring the drinks back.

    ¡°Have you thought of any solutions now?¡±

    Zhan Qipei opened the whiskey and poured another ss; his voice was low and slightly hoarse as he spoke.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve tried everything you mentioned.¡±

    His wife was determined to divorce him, no matter what he did, it was useless; he had tried everything.

    Lu Zijiao sighed deeply, furrowing his brows tightly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything for now¡­ how about you try pestering her relentlessly tomorrow?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond to Lu Zijiao¡¯s suggestion and swirled the ss in his hand.

    There must be a way still.

    Not far from the two men, a group of women was sitting together drinking.

    Lou Xinrou was about to drink when she heard one of her friends¡¯ voices.

    ¡°Xinrou, isn¡¯t that President Zhan? He¡¯s over there drinking.¡±

    Upon hearing her friend¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou immediately put down her ss.

    She looked in the direction her friend indicated and saw Zhan Qipei drinking.

    She suddenly remembered that Zhan Qipei was going to divorce Qiao Jing tomorrow, and she was thrilled.

    Lou Xinrou picked up her ss, stood up, and prepared to walk over to Zhan Qipei.

    The other women sitting in the booth ¡°oohed¡± in unison, watching Lou Xinrou with envious and jealous gazes.

    ¡°Is Xinrou going to find President Zhan?¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face showed a shy smile.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I am going to drink with Cousin Brother Pei.¡±

    Seeing the envious looks from everyone, she felt supremely smug inside.

    After all, Cousin Brother Pei was going to divorce Qiao Jing tomorrow, and her chance woulde!

    While Zhan Qipei was drinking, he suddenly caught sight of someone out of the corner of his eye.

    Seeing that it was Lou Xinrou, he furrowed his brows deeply, and his face immediately turned cold.

    Lou Xinrou hadn¡¯t even reached Zhan Qipei when she was intimidated by the forbidding aura emanating from him.

    She looked back at her friends sitting in the booth, bit her lip, and bravely walked forward.

    ¡°Cousin Brother Pei, regarding the sachet matter, I also had someone investigate; it turns out the maker identally put it inside, and they have already apologized to me, also Jiang¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Qipei coldly blurted out a word.

    ¡°Scram.¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s smile stiffened on her face, not daring to continue speaking.

    But her friends were still looking this way, and she didn¡¯t want to walk back to them.

    Lu Zijiao, seeing how obliviously persistent Lou Xinrou was, rolled his eyes dramatically.

    ¡°He told you to scram, why aren¡¯t you leaving? I can¡¯t pacify him when he¡¯s angry.¡±

    Lou Xinrou clenched her fists tightly, nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s stern face, then looked back at her friends.

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold as ice des falling on Lou Xinrou, instantly dropping the temperature around by several degrees.

    This finally scared Lou Xinrou enough to not dare stay any longer; she left the bar with gritted teeth.

    When Zhan Qipei got home, it was already ten o¡¯clock in the evening.

    He stood at the front door, opting not to use his fingerprint to unlock it but instead rang the doorbell.

    Qiao Jing had just finished bathing ande out; she looked at the time and walked to the door.

    She had just opened the door when a strong smell of alcohol hit her.

    She frowned deeply, but before she could speak, the man copsed onto her.

 Chapter 364: 353: Zhan Qipei Clings Desperately to Qiao Jing

    Chapter 364: Chapter 353: Zhan Qipei Clings Desperately to Qiao Jing

    Qiao Jing instinctively reached out to catch the man, but he smoothly ced his hand on her waist.

    Zhan Qipei held the woman¡¯s waist and buried his head between her neck.

    After smelling the scent of her body wash, he took several deep breaths.

    Feeling the man¡¯s burning temperature, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows even tighter and looked towards the living room table.

    She saw that the fever medicine on the table was still in its ce and pursed her lips, feeling slightly angry.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, walk on your own, don¡¯t lean on me.¡±

    Having a fever and not taking medicine was one thing, going out to drink was another.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t move. The hand ced on the woman¡¯s waist gradually tightened, buried in her neck, refusing to speak.

    Anger tinged Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she forcibly removed the man¡¯s hand and walked over to the couch in the living room.

    Her expression cooled down as she put the fever medicine back in the medicine box.

    Upon seeing his now empty arms, Zhan Qipei was stunned for a moment and looked at Qiao Jing with somewhat hazy eyes.

    He quickly walked to the edge of the sofa, grasped the woman¡¯s slender wrist, and pulled her in front of him.

    ¡°Could we not divorce?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s nostrils were filled with the man¡¯s alcohol smell, and her cold eyes held a rare hint of anger.

    ¡°I will definitely divorce you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s long brows tightened, his thin lips firmly pressed together.

    ¡°Why must you divorce me? Do you dislike me that much?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes to meet the man¡¯s dark pupils, saw the pleading in them, and hesitated.

    As the wealthiest man in the capital, this distinguished man looked at her with such eyes to avoid divorce, which quenched much of her anger.

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you; I just don¡¯t like you. We are not suitable.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s profile was tense, and his deep voice sounded.

    ¡°You have never opened your heart to me, always treating our marriage as a task. You never epted me, how can you say we are not suitable?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, hesitant, feeling there was some reason in what the man said, but she had made up her mind and would not change it.

    ¡°We have been together for a while now, and I can feel that we are not right for each other. Let¡¯s go and apply for the divorce proceedings tomorrow morning. From then on, our paths will diverge, and we will not interfere with each other.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing say this, the emotions Zhan Qipei had been suppressing these past days suddenly erupted.

    Empowered by the alcohol, he forcefully grabbed her hand, pulled her close with all his strength, and imprisoned her in his arms.

    Qiao Jing instinctively wanted to push the man away, but his grip was too strong; they were pressed tightly together, and she had nowhere to put her hands.

    Her brows tightly knitted, just as she was about to speak, a kissnded on her lips.

    The kiss carried Zhan Qipei¡¯s anger and a hint of grievance; his hand on her waist began to wander further.

    Feeling the woman in his arms trying to escape, he gently bit her, reluctant to exert force.

    Qiao Jing felt her spine being encircled by a pair of warm hands, sending a tingling sensation through her.

    Without hesitation, she bit the man in response.

    But it was as if the man felt no pain, and his kiss slowly moved downward from her mouth.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand grabbed the hem of Qiao Jing¡¯s nightgown, sneaked inside, and found the woman¡¯s sensitive waist, caressing ceaselessly with his calloused fingertips.

    When touched on the waist, Qiao Jing¡¯s body uncontrobly shivered, and the man¡¯s kisses had moved up to her neck.

    Her cool eyes filled with indignation, and anger once more tinged her gaze.

    Seizing the moment when the man had only one hand restraining her, Qiao Jing fiercely pushed him away.

    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡±

    Zhan Qipei staggered a bit from the push, his steps unsteady from the alcohol, and he backed up several steps, finally copsing onto the couch.

    After two seconds of silence, he looked up at the woman, his dark pupils showing a trace of self-mockery.

    His dark eyes looked at the woman, a self-deprecatingugh escaping him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve gone mad. Just thinking about you divorcing me hurts like crazy.¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Zhan Qipei, reaching to touch her neck, feeling waves of pain emanating from it.

    She coldly walked back to her room and took out a mirror to look at herself.

    Seeing the marks on her neck, her expression grew even colder, her temples throbbing abruptly.

    Was Zhan Qipei a dog? What was he doing nibbling all over her?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved several times before she managed to calm herself down.

    Her face expressionless, she opened a document, looking over the words on it.

    An hour passed, and Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t calm her heart.

    There were no sounds from outside the living room, and no footsteps in the corridor of the room; Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t seemed to return to his room.

    Qiao Jing bit her lip, contemting whether or not to go out and check.

    But after the way that dog of a man had hugged her, nibbling and kissing, not to mention groping all over, why should she care about him?

    However, Zhan Qipei had a high fever, and if he stayed on the living room sofa without going back to his room, it would definitely get worse.

    Qiao Jing bit her red lips and finally opened the door of her room.

    When she reached the living room, she immediately saw the man still lying on the sofa, but something seemed off about his state.

    Zhan Qipei was facing the sofa, his back towards Qiao Jing; it was unclear whether he was asleep.

    Qiao Jing walked a few steps forward and poked the man¡¯s back.

    ¡°Are you asleep? Get up.¡±

    Zhan Qipei moved his body but remained silent.

    Seeing that he was still awake, Qiao Jing gripped Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm, trying to pull him up.

    But the man deliberately resisted her, unwilling to get up.

    After several attempts, she let go of him, ready to turn back to her room.

    She had only taken a few steps when she bit her lip and walked back to the sofa.

    ¡°Are you getting up or not?¡±

    If possible, she also wanted to just leave Zhan Qipei on the sofa to fend for himself.

    But he was still running a fever, and sleeping in the living room all night, he might end up even more delirious by morning.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s muffled voice rose, still facing away from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Since we¡¯re getting divorced tomorrow, like you said earlier, from now on we¡¯ll go our separate ways, not affecting each other.

    My fever has nothing to do with you. Go back to sleep.¡±

    He was just a man without a wife to care for him, after all.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed abruptly, the corners of her lips twitching imperceptibly.

    This damn man was obviously being spiteful, even deliberately quoting what she had just said.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you onest chance, get up. I¡¯ll get you some fever reducer, or else I can have someone handle our divorce proceedings right now.¡±

    She decided not to argue with him, considering his fever.

    Upon hearing the word ¡°divorce,¡± Zhan Qipei immediately stood up from the sofa, his eyes feigning a bit of hurt as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m up now¡­¡±

    As her husband, having people handle divorce proceedingste at night wasn¡¯t out of the question.

    Qiao Jing ced the fever reducer on the table, dropping her final words.

    ¡°Take the medicine.¡±

 Chapter 365: 354: Zhan Qipei Was Hit by a Car

    Chapter 365: Chapter 354: Zhan Qipei Was Hit by a Car

    Zhan Qipei dared not dy, so he prepared the medicine himself and drank it.

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing got out of bed early and made breakfast.

    As she sat at the dining table eating porridge, she saw Zhan Qipei emerge from the room.

    Dark circles hung under the man¡¯s eyes, clearly indicating a sleepless night.

    Qiao Jing indifferently withdrew her gaze and adjusted her turtleneck sweater to cover all the marks from the previous day left by the man.

    ¡°Eat breakfast.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice was somewhat hoarse, and his face looked listless.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Neither spoke during the meal.

    After cleaning up her dishes, Qiao Jing went back to her room and pulled out a suitcase.

    She then opened the wardrobe and began packing clothes into the suitcase.

    Hearing the noises from the woman¡¯s room, Zhan Qipei rushed anxiously to the doorway.

    Seeing Qiao Jing packing her things, his dark eyes dimmed, with their marriage certificate and other items still on the bed.

    The red of the marriage certificate burned his eyes, and a glint of obsession shed in their depths.

    ¡°We are not getting a divorce.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in packing, looked up at the man, then continued her task.

    ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide. It¡¯s time today. Once I finish packing, I will proceed with the divorce.¡±

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei had no intention of moving out, she decided to move out herself.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his gaze fixated on Qiao Jing as he watched her pack one piece of clothing after another.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing zipped up her suitcase.

    She looked around the room to make sure she hadn¡¯t missed anything, then picked up the documents from the bed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei clenched his fists tightly, the veins in the back of his hand bulging as he suppressed the difort in his chest and slowly uttered a sentence.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going, I won¡¯t divorce you.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing preparing to move out was like being repeatedly sliced by a dull knife in his heart.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zhan Qipei and set the suitcase aside.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I canpletely disappear from your world.¡±

    She noticed the obsession in his eyes and continued.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that you can use the Zhan Family¡¯s power to find me. If I choose to hide, no one can find me, not even the president.¡±

    After spending some time with him, she knew what methods he would use to find her.

    However, if she truly decided to hide, there really was no one in the world who could find her.

    After seeing the confident and resolute light shimmering in the woman¡¯s eyes, Zhan Qipei bit his lip and hesitated.

    ¡°Do we really need to divorce?¡±

    Given Qiao Jing¡¯s abilities, she certainly could make it so no one could find her.

    He thought carefully, realizing that Qiao Jing disappearing from his world was more unbearable than a divorce.

    Qiao Jing nodded and looked at her packed suitcase.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go proceed with the divorce first. I¡¯lle back for these things.¡±

    Indeed, it would be troublesome to drag a suitcase to the civil affairs office.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s firm attitude, Zhan Qipei had no choice but to agree to apany her to the civil affairs office.

    On the way there, he thought of many methods but ultimately dismissed each one.

    It wasn¡¯t until he parked the car in the parking spot that he racked his brain but couldn¡¯t think of a suitable method.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate to open the passenger side door, ncing at the Civil Affairs Bureau across the street.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She had barely taken a few steps when the man blocked her path.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with a pleading gaze, his voice trembling slightly.

    ¡°Can you give me one chance to prove myself? Just once.¡±

    Only he knew that the hand holding the documents was already sweating profusely.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond to Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, but walked around him toward the road.

    Suddenly!

    A runaway dumper truck was heading straight toward Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

    The driver in the cab was desperately waving his hands, mouthing something in an attempt to get Qiao Jing to move out of the way.

    But the truck was in Qiao Jing¡¯s blind spot, and she hadn¡¯t noticed the situation there.

    As the truck neared Qiao Jing, the woman seemed to hear something and furrowed her brows.

    The tires of the dumper truck screeched loudly against the road, and Qiao Jing immediately realized the danger.

    As she turned her head, the dumper truck was already perilously close!!

    Qiao Jing instinctively stepped back but she was still within the range of the truck¡¯s impact!

    Zhan Qipei, hearing the noise of the tires rubbing, immediately looked up.

    When he saw the truck getting dangerously close to Qiao Jing, his pupils dted drastically.

    Just at that critical moment!

    Zhan Qipei took a quick lunge forward, moving swiftly to Qiao Jing¡¯s back.

    He grabbed the woman¡¯s delicate wrist and pulled her back forcefully, holding her tightly in his arms.

    Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing shifted direction, his back facing the edge of the dumper truck.

    Despite his quick reaction, he was still unavoidably grazed by the truck.

    The massive inertia of the truck made Zhan Qipei¡¯s footing unstable, and he ultimately couldn¡¯t keep upright and was pulled down to the ground.

    Before falling, he held Qiao Jing tightly in his arms, using his own body as a cushion for her.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s back mmed harshly onto the ground, and he couldn¡¯t help but groan.

    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±

    At that moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s mind went nk, only snapping back to reality when she heard the man¡¯s groan.

    The man protecting her had already passed out; she quickly stood up from the ground.

    The scene of the dumper trucking toward them and Zhan Qipei recklessly pulling her back yed repeatedly in her mind.

    If it weren¡¯t for Zhan Qipei, she might have already been struck down by the truck¡­

    Panic flickered through Qiao Jing¡¯s cool eyes, and her usually cold face now showed a rare look of desperation.

    She reached out and touched Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, her voice trembling, as she called out urgently.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei¡­ Zhan Qipei?!!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes were closed, his long eyebrows tightly furrowed.

    Arge patch of red had spread on the ground, stinging Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?! Say something¡­ hang in there, I¡¯m taking you to the hospital¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei still did not respond to Qiao Jing.

    The pained expression on the man¡¯s face made her tears suddenly uncontroble, dropping onto the man¡¯s pallid face.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips had lost their color, and he was in a state of unconsciousness.

 Chapter 366 - 355: Qiao Jing Treats Zhan Qipeis Wounds by Loosening His Clothes

    Chapter 366: Chapter 355: Qiao Jing Treats Zhan Qipei¡¯s Wounds by Loosening His Clothes

    Several secondster, Zhan Qipei seemed to feel the icy coldness on his face as his eyebrows twitched slightly.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s tears had stopped, and her fingers holding the phone were trembling, identally pressing a wrong number.

    Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of the man¡¯s eyshes trembling.

    Qiao Jing immediately set her phone aside.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?! How are you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei slowly opened his eyes, and after seeing the undried tear stains on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, he managed a pale, feeble smile.

    He wanted to lift his hand to wipe her tears away, but hecked the strength, instead softlyforting her with his barely audible voice.

    ¡°You are¡­ a doctor, just¡­ just treat me, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    It was only after hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words that Qiao Jing btedly realized her own profession; she reached out and took Zhan Qipei¡¯s pulse.

    Though the situation did not seem very serious, to be safe, he still needed to be taken to the hospital for examination.

    Finally, she dialed 120, and the ambnce arrived quickly, taking both of them to the hospital.

    Lu Zijin was sitting in his office going through medical records when the door suddenly opened.

    A nurse came in to report to Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Doctor Lu, Doctor Qiao is here.¡±

    Lu Zijin¡¯s face lit up with surprise, and he immediately put down the medical records and stood up.

    Qiao Jing really was a person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She had said she wouldn¡¯te yesterday, yet here she was at the hospital today.

    This showed that his position in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart was indeed different.

    ¡°Where is Doctor Qiao?¡±

    The nurse looked outside.

    ¡°Right outside.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lu Zijin quickly went out, and as soon as he left the office, he saw Qiao Jing, who was very close to Zhan Qipei.

    His figure stiffened, and his gaze fell on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was supporting Zhan Qipei¡¯s neck with her hand, leaning her face close to his ear as she inspected the wounds on his back.

    She didn¡¯t dare use her hands to support his back for fear of identally touching his wounds, so she had to inspect the injuries in this manner.

    Lu Zijin snapped back to reality, a trace of bitterness shing through his heart. Heposed himself and approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Lu Zijin, carefully moved Zhan Qipei back onto the hospital bed, making him face towards her.

    ¡°Arrange for the emergency room and equipment, I need to examine him.¡±

    Lu Zijin looked at Qiao Jing without any hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll assist you.¡±

    Upon hearing Lu Zijin¡¯s words, Qiao Jing instinctively wanted to refuse.

    Because Lu Zijin was not just a leading figure in the medicalmunity, but also the director of the hospital. It felt somewhat like overkill to trouble him.

    But having another capable person assisting her would lessen the risks, so in the end, she agreed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Lu Zijin swiftly arranged the emergency room, and together with Qiao Jing, they wheeled the mobile bed inside.

    Qiao Jing, dressed in sterile clothing and gloves, looked at the wounds on Zhan Qipei¡¯s back and her expression wavered.

    The clothing on the man¡¯s back was torn in many ces, looking like rags hanging off his body.

    The flesh around his wounds had burst open, and although the bleeding had been stopped in the ambnce, there were still some bits of gravel and pebbles in the wound.

    Qiao Jing started a careful examination of Zhan Qipei with the equipment.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei¡¯splexion was growing increasingly pale. Upon noticing that Lu Zijin might be staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s profile, his dark eyes deepened.

    His injuries had been initially treated in the ambnce, and he had regained some strength. He deliberately engaged the woman in conversation.

    ¡°Am I dying?¡±

    Qiao Jing paused for a moment, ncing at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? With me here, you won¡¯t die.¡±

    She pursed her red lips, her gaze reflecting a mix of urgency and unease.

    Seeing Qiao Jing with such an expression, Lu Zijin¡¯s face stiffened, and he slowly furrowed his brows.

    He¡¯d known Qiao Jing for so long, and during every surgery she led, she always appeared to be in total control.

    Even when removing tumors extremely close to the nerve lines from patients, she never showed any signs of tension.

    Qiao Jing had never revealed an anxious look before, but today, he saw it.

    It was because of Zhan Qipei¡­

    Zhan Qipei, noticing Lu Zijin was still staring at his wife, pursed his thin lips and continued speaking.

    ¡°If I died¡­ It might be for the best. Then no one would bind¡­ your freedom. When that timees, you can divorce if you want to, and I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Might as well be dead¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed suddenly, and her chest heaved violently as she held back her anger and spoke.

    ¡°Shut up! Stop talking, or I¡¯ll throw you out.¡±

    She knew Zhan Qipei was saying this on purpose, and she pressed lightly on the man¡¯s wounds as a form of punishment.

    Zhan Qipei then closed his mouth.

    After the check-up, Qiao Jing looked at the medical report from the instruments.

    Fortunately, Zhan Qipei¡¯s internal organs were not seriously harmed; it was just superficial skin damage.

    Qiao Jing put the medical report aside and took out the ointment she had prepared beforehand.

    She reached to lift the few pieces of ¡°tattered cloth¡± hanging on the man¡¯s back, revealing the fierce scars beneath.

    When the cool ointment was applied to the wounds, Zhan Qipei feigned a painful expression and groaned.

    ¡°Mmm¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in her application of the medicine, then withdrew her hands, her face filled with concern.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be gentler. Don¡¯t move.¡±

    Her movements became much gentler as she applied the ointment, her focus entirely on the wounds.

    Lu Zijin could no longer bear to watch and interrupted.

    ¡°Is there anything else I can help with?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at Lu Zijin, her attention wholly fixed on Zhan Qipei¡¯s wounds.

    ¡°No need, you go ahead and do your things, thanks.¡±

    Lu Zijin opened his mouth to say something but, ncing at Zhan Qipei lying on the hospital bed, ultimately chose not to speak.

    He walked to the entrance of the emergency room, and before leaving, he looked back at the two one more time.

    Qiao Jing was staring at the rags on Zhan Qipei¡¯s body, knitting her brows, finding it somewhat troublesome.

    ¡°These clothes are a bit of a hassle¡­¡±

    The clothes were hindering her speed in applying the medicine, and some of it was inadvertently getting on the clothes.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei immediately started unbuttoning his shirt without saying a word, deliberately making a pained moan.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing quickly put down the medicine in her hand, her brows tightly furrowed, her tone filled with dissatisfaction.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to undress yourself. Don¡¯t move; how dare you still move around like this with your injuries? What if the wound opens up again?¡±

    She reluctantly reached out to help Zhan Qipei with his buttons.

    Lu Zijin, not wanting to witness the scene any longer, closed his eyes, opened the door of the emergency room, walked out, and then closed the door behind him.

    Before he could turn around, he heard a voice from behind him.

 Chapter 367 - 356: Su Manhan Arrives

    Chapter 367: Chapter 356: Su Manhan Arrives

    ¡°How is Young Master Zhan¡¯s condition? No serious problems, right? Why are you out here?¡±

    Lu Zijiao had received the news and sped all the way from home, arriving with his head covered in sweat from anxiety.

    Lu Zijin nced toward the end of the hallway, his voice tinged with a hint of loss.

    ¡°He¡¯s inside, Qiao Jing¡­ is also there. I heard from Qiao Jing that when she was about to be hit by a car, it was Zhan Qipei who saved her.¡±

    Lu Zijiao noticed something amiss, nced at the closed doors of the emergency room, and then at his brother¡¯s face, recognizing a subtle expression of loss that was hard to detect.

    He had vaguely guessed something and tentatively asked a question.

    ¡°Brother, have you given up?¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Lu Zijin revealed a self-deprecating smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never pursued her openly, so there¡¯s no question of giving up.¡±

    His feelings for Qiao Jing were concealed deep within his heart, not unted like others in pursuit of a girl.

    Perhaps she didn¡¯t even know that he liked her.

    Lu Zijiao sighed, patting Lu Zijin¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Ah, brother, there are plenty of good women in this world. You¡¯re tall and handsome, not only one of the big shots in the medicalmunity but also the director of the hospital. Are you really worried you can¡¯t find someone better than Qiao Jing?¡±

    Lu Zijin smiled and shook his head, then turned to look deeply at the emergency room door once more.

    ¡°There¡¯s no one better than Qiao Jing in this world.¡±

    From this sentence, Lu Zijiao could tell just how much his brother liked Qiao Jing.

    He felt a measure of sadness for his brother. He admitted that Qiao Jing, being Divine Doctor Jing, was indeed remarkable and attractive, but it wasn¡¯t like she was the only excellent woman in the world. There were other good women out there.

    Before he could speak, Lu Zijin continued on his own.

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s mainly because of me. I never actively took the chance.

    I¡¯ve known Qiao Jing for many years, even before Zhan Qipei knew her, but I didn¡¯t seize the opportunity. So, the result is what it is now¡­¡±

    As he said this, the smile on his face looked forced, with a touch of bitterness.

    Lu Zijiao, worried about his brother¡¯s state, offered another word offort.

    ¡°Brother¡­ don¡¯t be too sad.¡±

    Lu Zijin slowly exhaled deeply and diverted his gaze from the end of the hallway.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve long known this end woulde. I just didn¡¯t expect the day to arrive so soon¡­¡±

    He paused, then showed a smile of eptance.

    ¡°Perhaps¡­ it¡¯s for the best. Maybe Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei are better off together. At least Zhan Qipei dares to love and hate fiercely, and he would go to any lengths to protect Qiao Jing.¡±

    Lu Zijiao saw his brother seemed to recover a bit and sat down in a chair in the hallway.

    ¡°I never imagined that Young Master Zhan, who had always been indifferent to women, would fall in love. And his love is so passionate.

    Time and again, for the sake of Qiao Jing, he¡¯s willing to give up even his life. This time, he almost got hit by a car. I really admire him.¡±

    Lu Zijin lowered his gaze.

    ¡°If it were me, I would make the same choice.¡±

    Lu Zijiao coughed once, unsure of what to say tofort his brother.

    Lu Zijin¡¯s smile gradually transformed into one of resignation, as he looked up at the light on the ceiling.

    ¡°But in this world, there aren¡¯t that many ¡®ifs¡¯. It¡¯s just that Qiao Jing and I were fated but not destined¡­¡±

    The scene shifts.

    Inside the emergency room.

    Zhan Qipei, wanting to make things easier for Qiao Jing, stubbornly sat up in bed despite being advised against it, and he pushed his clothes aside.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be less strenuous for you if I sit up.¡±

    Qiao Jing, seeing the man¡¯s stubborn demeanor, didn¡¯t insist any further and quickly applied the medicine to Zhan Qipei.

    After applying the medicine, she pushed Zhan Qipei, who was in a hospital gown, to the VIP ward.

    As soon as the two of them arrived in the room, before they even had the chance to rest, the door to the ward opened.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s attempt to speak was interrupted.

    Su Manhan walked in with a thermos in her hand, a look of concern on her face.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing standing there, she hurried over and circled around Qiao Jing.

    After confirming that Qiao Jing was alright, she let out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? How do you feel?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei lying on the hospital bed and then at Su Manhan, who was solely focused on her, feeling a bit helpless.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s Zhan Qipei who got hurt.¡±

    She saw Su Manhan¡¯s state and how she hadpletely forgotten her own son.

    Su Manhan suddenly came to her senses and ced the thermos on the bedside table before sitting down on a chair.

    ¡°Qipei, how are you feeling?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and nced at the thermos.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, the weight lifted off Su Manhan¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Qipei, well done! A real man is one who can protect his wife, and thankfully both of you are okay.¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly hooked the corner of his mouth, very satisfied.

    If a man can¡¯t even protect his own wife, then he doesn¡¯t deserve to be called a man.

    His heart clenched when he saw the car heading straight for Qiao Jing.

    In that moment, the only thought in his mind was to pull Qiao Jing back to safety, and his body followed his brain¡¯smand, swiftly saving her.

    He didn¡¯t dare to think about what could have happened if he hadn¡¯t pulled Qiao Jing back in time.

    Zhan Nanqing had followed Su Manhan into the room and noticed that her mother was first to check on Qiao Jing before her brother.

    She couldn¡¯t help butment inwardly that it wasn¡¯t enough for her mother not to dote on her own daughter, but if her mother knew Qiao Jing was pregnant, her brother might even fall out of favor.

    Su Manhan opened the thermos, and a rich aroma of chicken soup wafted out.

    This chicken soup, which she had stewed in the morning intending to take to Nantai Apartment, suddenly had to be delivered to the hospital instead after receiving the call about her son and daughter-inw¡¯s car ident.

    She quickly made her way to the hospital, relieved that the issue wasn¡¯t too serious.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, this soup was originally cooked for you to drink, but Qipei¡ª¡±

    Before Su Manhan could finish, Qiao Jing interrupted her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei¡¯s injury is severe, let him drink it, I¡¯ll order takeout.¡±

    Su Manhan immediately stood up, blocking her path, and took out a lunch box.

    ¡°Takeout is so unhealthy, this lunch box was specially prepared for you, and you should drink some of the soup too.¡±

    She forcibly pulled Qiao Jing over to sit in front of the bedside table.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, feeling unable to refuse but also unable toe up with any excuse to decline Su Manhan¡¯s offer.

    She looked at Zhan Qipei, intending to give the lunch box to him.

    After all, she had been protected by him without a scratch.

    Su Manhan noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s intention and reached out to ce the lunch box back on the bedside table.

    ¡°He has soup to drink; the lunch box is for you.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t let her daughter-inw go hungry, especially today when they had met with an ident on the way to get a divorce.

    She nned to be extra kind to Qiao Jing today.

    Zhan Qipei also nodded, indicating that Qiao Jing should eat the meal.

    After the meal, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t stay much longer, leaving the couple some private time.

    Qiao Jing checked the time, noting it was about time to change Zhan Qipei¡¯s dressing.

    The dressing needed to be changed more frequently on the first day after an injury.

    ¡°I¡¯ll change your dressing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei very actively took off his hospital gown, revealing his muscr build.

 Chapter 368 - 357: Qiao Jing Says, Not Divorcing Anymore

    Chapter 368: Chapter 357: Qiao Jing Says, Not Divorcing Anymore

    ¡°Put the medicine on.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze lingered on the man¡¯s bare chest, a sudden throb at her temple.

    ¡°How can I apply the medicine if you don¡¯t turn around?¡±

    Zhan Qipei uttered an ¡®oh¡¯ and then slowly turned his body.

    Qiao Jing saw through Zhan Qipei¡¯s deliberate act, rolling her eyes in speechlessness, yet her touch remained gentle as she applied the medicine.

    Approaching the man¡¯s broad back, she found herself enveloped by his familiar scent.

    The man¡¯s voice suddenly broke the silence.

    ¡°My ID card and household registration are still in the car.¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated in her actions, understanding clearly that his words meant that even if they reached the civil affairs bureau, he hadn¡¯t nned on divorcing.

    If that car hadn¡¯t been mentioned, she and Zhan Qipei would have found out at the civil affairs bureau that someone had neglected to bring their documents.

    The whole purpose was to stall for time; on the way back to get the documents, the man would surelye up with reasons not to divorce her.

    Qiao Jing remained silent, continuing to apply the medicine slowly.

    It wasn¡¯t until she was wrapping bandages around him that Zhan Qipei spoke again.

    The man¡¯s deep voice resonated.

    ¡°I can agree to a divorce, but can I make one request?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, silently wrapping the bandage and tying a knot.

    After Qiao Jing had finished dressing his wounds, Zhan Qipei slowly turned around, his dark eyes fixating on her face.

    ¡°After we divorce, can I still live with you?¡±

    He had thought it through; if Qiao Jing truly wanted to divorce him, it wasn¡¯t out of the question.

    Divorce didn¡¯t mean he would lose the opportunity to pursue Qiao Jing; he could still chase after her¡ªhe would just bepeting on even footing with others.

    But he was confident that he could win Qiao Jing back.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond, her thoughts swirling after the recent events.

    Staying married could also be an option; after all, Zhan Qipei had risked his life to save her.

    She indeed owed Zhan Qipei a chance.

    Zhan Qipei, interpreting her silence as difficulty in decision-making, showed a smile uglier than crying and made a concession.

    ¡°Then how about I don¡¯t live with you, but I pick you up and drop you off from work every day and cook for you at night, would that be okay?¡±

    A slight ripple stirred in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, she pursed her lips, but didn¡¯t answer Zhan Qipei¡¯s question.

    ¡°Do you n to recuperate in the hospital, or go home?¡±

    A bitter tinge crossed Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes, and after a long silence, he answered.

    ¡°Not going back to Purple Garden.¡±

    Did she intend to send him back to Purple Garden and leave him be?

    But he only wanted to be where Qiao Jing was.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted as she looked at the wound on the man¡¯s back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about what you mentioned after your wound has healed. Do you want to go back to Tai Apartment to recuperate?¡±

    ncing at the empty hospital room, she thought if he really had to recover in the hospital, she¡¯d need to go home and bring some belongings over.

    The wounds on Zhan Qipei¡¯s body could heal at home; she could prepare medicines to speed up the healing process.

    Zhan Qipei, seated on the bed, brightened immediately upon hearing her words.

    ¡°Then, will you go back with me?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment but didn¡¯t borate further.

    Zhan Qipei, before he could delight in her response, suddenly grasped an insight, and the light in his eyes faded as quickly as it appeared.

    Perhaps Qiao Jing was only feeling guilty because she saw him injured and intended to wait until his recovery to divorce him.

    He had thought she didn¡¯t want to divorce him anymore.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now. I¡¯ll have someone drive the car over.¡±

    ¨C

    The next morning.

    Zhan Qipei had just stepped out of his room when he caught a tempting aroma wafting from the kitchen.

    As he passed by Qiao Jing¡¯s room, he noticed the door was open.

    Inside, he saw her suitcase still in the same spot from yesterday, standing forlornly against the wall as if prepared to leave at any moment.

    Zhan Qipei straightened his smoke-like long eyebrows and pursed his thin lips tightly as he made his way to the kitchen.

    Qiao Jing had made a nutritious porridge and chicken soup, along with other dishes that were good for the body, but all were light in vor.

    She caught the man¡¯s motion toe over and help, but she stopped him.

    ¡°You go sit.¡±

    During the meal, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed the whole time, and he nced over at Qiao Jing several times.

    In the end, he made his decision.

    ¡°After breakfast, I¡¯ll apany you to the Civil Affairs Bureau to go through the divorce procedures,¡± he said.

    He had thought it through the entire night, and still decided to divorce Qiao Jing, not wanting to cause her any distress because of himself.

    He suddenly remembered that Qiao Jing was ready to leave at any time; he didn¡¯t want to keep her by his side forcefully.

    He could always win her back again.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s movement of drinking the porridge paused, and she lowered her eyes, concealing her emotions.

    ¡°I have something to doter.¡±

    She had made her decision yesterday, but she didn¡¯t know how to start the conversation with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei, remembering that Qiao Jing had to go to work, ate faster.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up after work, and we can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau together. Don¡¯t worry, I will go through the divorce procedures with you,¡± he said.

    As he spoke, he took out all the needed documents for divorce, prepared to end their marriage.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on those certificates for a moment before she looked away without a word.

    After he finished eating, Zhan Qipei got up to go to the bathroom.

    Once the man closed the bathroom door behind him, Qiao Jing stared at the marriage certificate and ID card among other documents, furrowing her brows.

    She nced once more in the direction of the bathroom and ultimately couldn¡¯t resist. Taking a few steps forward, she collected all the documents.

    When Zhan Qipei returned from the toilet, he noticed that the documents that had been on the table were missing.

    He furrowed his long eyebrows, a puzzled look on his face, and he opened the drawer of the table to take a look.

    But the drawer was empty, not even a shadow of an ID card inside.

    Zhan Qipei also bent over to check under the table, still finding nothing. He muttered to himself,

    ¡°I clearly put them here just now, how could they disappear?¡±

    It was then that Qiao Jing added,

    ¡°If you can¡¯t find them, just let it be.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s movement in searching for the documents immediately froze. He stunned for a moment, then slowly looked up at Qiao Jing, the puzzled look in his eyes gradually turning into disbelief.

    The man shot to his feet, the abrupt movement causing him to knock into the chair due to the fierceness of his action and jostling the wound on his back.

    Zhan Qipei involuntarily inhaled sharply.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze suddenly filled with concern as she looked at the man.

    ¡°Be careful¡ª¡±

    Her words were cut off by Zhan Qipei interrupting.

    Hepletely disregarded the pain in his back, his eyes sparking with anticipation.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked.

    Qiao Jing slightly lowered her head, her eyes falling into her bowl.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m going to wash the dishes.¡±

    Before she could walk back to the kitchen, her wrist was abruptly caught.

    The next second, she was cornered by the man against the wall, her back pressing against it.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei, but inadvertently locked eyes with his deep gaze.

 Chapter 369: 358: Zhan Qipeis Ecstatic Joy

    <strong>Chapter 369: Chapter 358: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Ecstatic Joy</strong>

    ¡°What are you doing? Your injury hasn¡¯t healed, be careful not to split open the wound.¡±

    Zhan Qipei no longer had the mood to pay attention to his own injury, his gaze intensely fixed on the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°What did you mean just now? What do you mean ¡®if you can¡¯t find it, then forget it¡¯?¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together and only after a long while did she slowly say a sentence.

    ¡°It means just what it says.¡±

    Did she really have to spell it out for Zhan Qipei to understand what she meant?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes shone even brighter, and a joyful expression appeared on his face.

    ¡°My documents were taken by you?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, intending to push the man away.

    ¡°They are under the sofa, if you really want to get them and divorce me, then go get them.¡±

    No sooner had she spoken than her body suddenly lifted off the ground.

    Qiao Jing was startled and instinctively wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s neck.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, a tidal wave of emotion surged in the depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, and for a moment, he was nearly submerged in the joy.

    He directly picked her up and walked around the living room, even spinning her a few times.

    ¡°Not getting them, not getting them, I would never divorce my wife, just leave them there.¡±

    His wife actually didn¡¯t want to divorce him anymore!

    His wife actually agreed not to divorce him!!

    Zhan Qipei was so happy, like a child who got his favorite toy, an incredibly happy smile appeared on his face, which had been as unchanging as an iceberg for a thousand years.

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless, and wanted to pat the man¡¯s back to get him to stop, but then suddenly remembered that his back was injured.

    Her hand moved to Zhan Qipei¡¯s neck instead, gently patting it.

    ¡°Alright, put me down.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, however, stubbornly refused to let go, and only after carrying Qiao Jing around every corner of the house did he agree to put her down.

    He feared he was dreaming, and stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, then pinched himself, and only when he felt the pain, he dared to believe it was real.

    ¡°Why have you decided not to divorce me?¡±

    He wanted to know what made his wife change her mind, after all, he had done so many things and she¡¯d never agreed to stay married to him.

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei pinch himself, she couldn¡¯t help butugh through her tears.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me before that I never tried to ept you, that I treated our marriage like a task?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart leaped to his throat, and his Adam¡¯s apple slid up and down nervously.

    He didn¡¯t dare to speak, but just stared straight at Qiao Jing, afraid he might say something wrong that would make her change her mind.

    Seeing the man¡¯s cautious expression, Qiao Jing felt an inexplicable ache in her heart.

    She looked at Zhan Qipei with a very serious expression.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to give you a chance, and also to give myself a chance, this time I will open up my heart to you, and try to ept you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes lit up even more, excitedly staring at Qiao Jing.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei so happy, an image unexpectedly popped into Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    If the man had a tail, it would definitely be raised high right now, and he would be wagging it like a dog.

    She was amused by this scene, showing a faint smile, her eyes curving as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei stood up, overjoyed, waddled to the dining table, picked up the chopsticks and bowls, and ran to the kitchen to wash them.

    When Qiao Jing wanted to stop him, the man hurried her back to the room to sit down.

    After washing the dishes, Zhan Qipei sent a message to his family.

    ¡°Qiao Jing has agreed to give me a chance, she won¡¯t divorce me.¡±

    The next second, his phone suddenly froze.

    A few secondster, messages started flooding in like a bombardment, popping up in big bunches.

    The first to respond to his message was Su Manhan.

    ¡°Really?! That¡¯s fantastic!! Qipei, you¡¯ve got to seize this opportunity! There¡¯s only one daughter-inw as good as her in the whole world!¡±

    Even Zhan Yuanshan, who rarely used his smartphone, couldn¡¯t help but pick it up after hearing Su Manhan¡¯s excited voice in the living room.

    Upon learning that Qiao Jing was willing to give his wooden-headed grandson another chance, he was so happy that his beard almost took flight.

    ¡°Qipei! If you don¡¯t keep Jing Girl in our Zhan Family, I¡¯ll kick you out. You stay where Jing Girl is, and don¡¯t even think abouting back home!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing excitedly sent a barrage of emojis, followed by a series of messages.

    ¡°Brother, you can do it! If she¡¯s willing to give you a chance, the day she bes my sister-inw won¡¯t be far away.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was the first to reply to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s messages.

    ¡°She¡¯s already your sister-inw.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but it¡¯s not the same. Once I¡¯ve sessfully pursued Qiao Jing, I can start calling her sister-inw directly.¡±

    The thought of the renowned Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing being her sister-inw filled her with such joy; Qiao Jing was the only sister-inw she acknowledged because she was such a wonderful person!

    Zhan Yao was, of course, also happy for Zhan Qipei. Anyone with eyes could tell how much his son loved Qiao Jing, and now that there was a chance, he felt a twinge of excitement as well.

    ¡°Son, seize the opportunity and win her over.¡±

    Zhan Qipei sent back a simple ¡°Okay¡± before dashing into Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    At this time, Qiao Jing was reading a medical book, ncing up as she saw him enter the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s smile faded a bit upon seeing the suitcase.

    ¡°Let me put the clothes from the suitcase back where they belong.¡±

    Otherwise, it looked like she could leave at any moment, and his heart couldn¡¯t bear that.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t protest, allowing him to fiddle with her suitcase.

    Zhan Qipei was stunned upon opening the suitcase.

    Instead of the packed clothes, the suitcase was empty.

    He immediately turned around, quickly walked to the wardrobe, and upon sliding the doors open, saw the neatly arranged clothes inside.

    He instantly understood that Qiao Jing might have been prepared earlier not to divorce him; that¡¯s why she had put the clothes back.

    His wife actually¡­

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, quickly approached the bed, and before she could react, he embraced her.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t see his face, but she could hear his heavy heartbeat and the breathing close to her ear.

    The medical book in her hands slid onto the bed as she let him hold her.

    A few minutester, Zhan Qipei still held the same posture, unmoving.

    Feeling her hands growing stiff, Qiao Jing pushed the man away.

    ¡°You should go back.¡±

    Although she had agreed to give Zhan Qipei a chance, it didn¡¯t mean she had already epted him.

    Zhan Qipei could tell what was on Qiao Jing¡¯s mind but wasn¡¯t discouraged.

    Just the fact that his wife was willing to give him a chance was already a sess for him; no one else even had that opportunity.

    Zhan Qipei hurried out of the room and before long returned with a cup of warm milk.

    ¡°Drink some warm milk before you sleep. I¡¯ll give your belly a massage too. I looked it up; five minutes is enough, massaging too long isn¡¯t good.¡±

    He started researching prenatal care tips and even looked up some recipes for pregnant women.

 Chapter 370: 359: The Whole World Thinks Qiao Jing Got Divorced

    <strong>Chapter 370: Chapter 359: The Whole World Thinks Qiao Jing Got Divorced</strong>

    The man¡¯s movements were somewhat clumsy, but each one contained his sincerity.

    Qiao Jing did not reject Zhan Qipei¡¯s kindness and drank the warm milk.

    ¨C

    The next day, Qiao Jing went to work at the institute.

    As she passed Xu Hongzu¡¯sb, she saw Xu Moqian was also inside.

    Qiao Jing did not stop, withdrew her gaze, and returned to her workstation.

    Inside Xu Hongzu¡¯sb.

    ¡°Xiao Jing finally divorced that kid Zhan Qipei, you little rascal, you¡¯d better seize this opportunity well and not let someone else snatch it away,¡±

    Xu Moqian confidently nodded and agreed.

    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. Without Zhan Qipei, there will definitely be no problem this time,¡±

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he looked toward Qiao Jing¡¯s office, urging Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Xiao Jing should havee to work by now, you go over there. Don¡¯t disturb her while she¡¯s working, and find some excuse to take her to lunch at noon, understand?¡±

    Finally, his grandson had a chance; he wanted Xiao Jing to be his granddaughter-inw.

    Xu Moqian patted his chest confidently and spoke.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa, I understand all this. I¡¯m leaving now,¡±

    He waved at Xu Hongzu and hurried to Qiao Jing¡¯sb.

    Qiao Jing was already working, and Xu Moqian, knowing better, did not disturb her, instead beginning to search online for a good restaurant to go to at noon.

    Another person walked into theb.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face was filled with joy, her chin even slightly lifted, as if she had some great news.

    Xu Moqian was curious, what could possibly make Zhan Nanqing so happy?

    Sister Jing had just divorced Zhan Qipei yesterday, and today Zhan Nanqing was actually this happy?

    Wasn¡¯t she against Sister Jing divorcing Zhan Qipei?

    Unable to contain his curiosity, Xu Moqian didn¡¯t wait for Zhan Nanqing to walk over to where Qiao Jing was working, he stopped her.

    He pulled Zhan Nanqing aside and asked in a lowered voice,

    ¡°What happened that has made you so happy? Sister Jing got divorced from your brother, and you can stillugh?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Xu Moqian, ¡°Hmph,¡± and couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer his question.

    ¡°None of your business, I¡¯m just happy,¡±

    Once Xu Moqian finds out Qiao Jing didn¡¯t get divorced, he¡¯s going to be livid.

    But he deserves it; who told him to chase after Qiao Jing every day, trying to steal her from his brother.

    Without looking back, she walked over to Qiao Jing and began working.

    Xu Moqian ¡°tsked¡± and muttered ament toward Zhan Nanqing¡¯s retreating back.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like talking, I don¡¯t like listening anyway, what¡¯s there to be smug about¡­ Anyway, Sister Jing and Zhan Qipei are divorced,¡±

    As soon as lunch break arrived, Xu Moqian immediately approached and began to offer his affections to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, shall I treat you to a meal? I heard there¡¯s a particrly upscale restaurant that opened downtown,¡±

    He wanted to make the most of this opportunity, although he knew others liked Sister Jing too, he was the one who could stay closest to her.

    After all, he coulde to the institute every day; others couldn¡¯t, which was one of his advantages.

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, Xu Hongzu also walked in.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, aren¡¯t you going to eat after work?¡±

    Qiao Jing suddenly remembered a shop near the institute, stood up, and walked out.

    ¡°Yes,¡±

    She suddenly felt like eating the food from that shop; it seemed that her tastes had be a bit picky after bing pregnant.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned at the coboration between the grandfather and grandson.

    Were these two really trying to steal her brother¡¯s girl?

    When would her brothere? If he didn¡¯te soon, his wife would be invited out to eat.

    Moqian thought Qiao Jing had agreed to go out to dinner with him, looking confidently at Xu Hongzu with a ¡°I knew it¡± expression on his face.

    Xu Hongzu, seeing that the first step was sessful, nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±

    The two of them followed Qiao Jing out of the research institute, and Nanqing silently followed behind.

    If Qiao Jing was going to have dinner with Xu Moqian, she would be responsible for tipping off her brother.

    Just as Qiao Jing reached the entrance, she spotted a familiar car parked in front of the institute.

    She paused, and the person in the car had already gotten out.

    Zhan Qipei walked straight up to Qiao Jing, not even ncing at anyone else.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to take you to dinner.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t told her this morning that he wasing to pick her up for lunch.

    ¡°Are you that idle? Isn¡¯t yourpany busy?¡±

    She knew the workload at Zhan Corporation, and himing over like this would definitely dy a lot of work.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes looked at Qiao Jing, revealing tenderness, as his deep voice sounded.

    ¡°No matter how busy, I have to have lunch with my wife.¡±

    As soon as he said this, everyone present was stunned.

    Xu Moqian and Xu Hongzu had already felt something strange when they saw Zhan Qipei.

    Weren¡¯t they already divorced? Why was he here to pick up Qiao Jing?

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯sst sentence, the grandfather and grandson were even more dumbfounded.

    Xu Moqian thought he had misheard and cleared his ears.

    ¡°What? Zhan Qipei, what are you saying? Isn¡¯t Sister Jing already divorced from you? How can you still shamelessly call her your wife?¡±

    Xu Hongzu was also trying to find an opportunity for his grandson, chiming in.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you¡¯re already divorced, it¡¯s inappropriate to still call Xiao Jing by that title.¡±

    Nanqing, mindful that Xu Hongzu was still there, forced herself to make her voice sound less gloating.

    ¡°Who told you that my brother and Qiao Jing are divorced?¡±

    She knew her brother wouldn¡¯t fail at a crucial moment like this.

    Otherwise, how could he pursue Qiao Jing?

    Upon hearing Nanqing¡¯s words, Zhan Ruiting, who had just gotten out of another car, was also stunned.

    He hurried over to the group, looking confusedly at Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What? Cousin, you didn¡¯t divorce Qiao Jing?¡±

    He had just thought of taking Qiao Jing out to eat because they had divorced, only to hear Nanqing¡¯s words, leaving himpletely bbergasted.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked toward Nanqing, his expression growing serious.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak carelessly.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Nanqing, then looked at the others, and began to exin.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei and I, indeed, are not divorced.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t nned on keeping it from the people around her, seeing them was an opportunity to exin.

    This news was like a bolt out of the blue, leaving everyone else present too surprised to speak.

    Zhan Ruiting became anxious and questioned Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you supposed to divorce by now?¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Ruiting¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned dark as he gave a cold look.

    He was fortunate his wife had changed her mind, otherwise, these covetous people would have had their chance.

    Zhan Ruiting, faced with that icy gaze, felt somewhat intimidated, but he was still eager to get an answer, watching Qiao Jing intently.

    Nanqing answered the question for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing gave my brother a chance, so they didn¡¯t divorce and are still legally husband and wife.¡±

    She deliberately emphasized the words ¡°not divorced.¡±

 Chapter 371: 360 Qiao Jing Speaks for Zhan Qipei

    <strong>Chapter 371: Chapter 360 Qiao Jing Speaks for Zhan Qipei</strong>

    The other three were stunned on the spot, and Zhan Ruiting had the biggest reaction. His eyes widened as he stared at Qiao Jing without stopping.

    Just as he was about to say something, his view of Qiao Jing was suddenly blocked by a ck figure.

    Wearing a ck suit, Zhan Qipei stood in front of Zhan Ruiting, shielding Qiao Jingpletely.

    He swept the men present with a cold re, retracting his gaze when it reached Xu Hongzu.

    ¡°Do you have any more business here?¡±

    It was normal for such an outstanding woman as his wife to be liked by others, but Qiao Jing was his, and nobody was allowed to covet his wife.

    Especially this cousin of his, whose eyes were practically popping out of his head as he stared at Qiao Jing.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s icy look deliberately lingered on Zhan Ruiting for a few more seconds.

    Zhan Ruiting felt intimidated by that cold gaze, but he still couldn¡¯t let go and shifted to the side to catch a glimpse of Qiao Jing and then continued to ask.

    ¡°Why suddenly give cousin a chance? What¡¯s really going on here?¡±

    Time was already up, and Qiao Jing didn¡¯t like cousin, so why suddenly give cousin a chance?

    Xu Hongzu frowned and spoke earnestly.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, what¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t force yourself, your happiness is what¡¯s most important.¡±

    He had been eagerly waiting for Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s divorce, finally, his good-for-nothing grandson had a chance, but now he couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the current situation.

    Xu Moqian was dumbfounded too, staring at Qiao Jing incredulously and asking.

    ¡°Sister Jing, is it true? You gave Zhan Qipei a chance?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing these people all wanting to tear her brother and Qiao Jing apart, clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s already past twelve, please take Qiao Jing to eat.¡±

    If this questioning by these two went on, it would never end.

    Zhan Qipei also didn¡¯t want to dy any longer, and when he turned to look at Qiao Jing, the darkness on his face vanished, reced by a very soft expression in his eyes.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The doubts of these people were not important now; what was most important was having a meal with his wife.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond to Zhan Qipei but instead looked up at Xu Hongzu with a very serious expression.

    ¡°Giving him a chance was something I seriously considered.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want her friends to feel that she was struggling to give Zhan Qipei a chance.

    This was a matter she had carefully pondered over; she didn¡¯t want others to question it.

    Everyone present could tell what Qiao Jing meant by her words.

    Shocked!

    Xu Moqian and Zhan Ruiting had their mouths agape, swallowing reflexively.

    Their eyes wandered back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing was actually seriously considering giving Zhan Qipei a chance?!

    Xu Moqian was even more shocked; just a few days ago, he had clearly heard Sister Jing say she had decided to divorce, so why the sudden change of heart?!

    Could it be that Sister Jing had fallen for Zhan Qipei? No! Impossible!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes shone, a hint of joy flitting across them, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    His wife had made the decision for him!

    His wife had spoken on his behalf!

    He was one step closer to his wife now!

    Seeing the smile that emerged on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, Zhan Nanqing suddenly felt her brother was rather easy to please.

    Before he met Qiao Jing, she had never seen her brother smile in all her life.

    It was just a single sentence from Qiao Jing, and it made her brother so happy.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Hongzu¡¯s frown deepened; he nced at his grandson, then at Qiao Jing, and waved his hand.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s Xiao Jing¡¯s choice, there must be a reason behind it, so I will say no more. Go and have your meal.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°Hmm¡±ed, and followed Zhan Qipei into the car.

    Zhan Ruiting, who was still standing in the same spot, hung his head in utter dejection.

    Seeing her cousin Zhan Nanqing so upset, Zhan Nanqing stepped forward to offer a word offort.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so downhearted, Qiao Jing and my brother really are fated to be together, that¡¯s why after all the twists and turns they¡¯ve ended up together again. You and Qiao Jing aren¡¯t fated, and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it, right?

    I think it won¡¯t be long before they¡¯re officially together. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not bad yourself, you can find a good woman too.¡±

    Zhan Ruiting lifted his head, looking at Zhan Nanqing with a resentful gaze.

    ¡°Is that supposed to beforting?¡±

    Telling him that the person he likes is about to be with someone else during his time of heartbreak, whoforts someone like that?!

    Should he give Zhan Nanqing a ¡®nice person¡¯ card?

    Xu Moqian, who was standing to the side, had an epiphany after hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words.

    He had wondered why Zhan Nanqing was still so happy after Sister Jing and Zhan Qipei divorced.

    As it turns out, Sister Jing and Zhan Qipei never got divorced!

    They¡¯d deliberately kept him in suspense, all with the aim of saving this big twist for now, to infuriate him to death, right?

    Receiving the discontended look from Xu Moqian, Zhan Nanqing hummed a tune and happily returned to the research institute.

    Xu Hongzu sighed, not expecting things to turn out this way, but he couldn¡¯t abandon the idea of having Qiao Jing as his granddaughter-inw.

    ¡°You brat, Xiao Jing only said she would give Zhan Qipei a chance. She didn¡¯t say she¡¯s agreed to him now. Don¡¯t be discouraged, keep it up, but just¡­

    Xu Moqian immediately looked up, eager to hear more.

    ¡°But just what?¡±

    Xu Moqian stroked his chin, looking in the direction where Qiao Jing had left.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t be so tant about it, otherwise, you¡¯ll get a reputation for going after a married woman.¡±

    He definitely couldn¡¯t let the Zhan Family take all the advantages; now that there was a chance, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t give up. Xiao Jing, such a wonderful woman, would be so much better joining the Xu Family!

    Upon hearing these words from Xu Hongzu, Zhan Ruiting¡¯s eyes brightened, looking toward the other man.

    ¡°Thank you, I feel like I still have hope now!¡±

    Xu Hongzu was taken aback for a moment, then snorted heavily upon realizing that the person speaking to him was another young man from the Zhan Family,

    ¡°I was talking to my grandson, not to you. What are you fighting for? If anyone has a chance, it¡¯s my grandson. Why do you Zhan family people love topete with my Xu family so much for people?¡±

    Zhan Ruiting, who had regained his spirits, didn¡¯t take in what Xu Hongzu had said and turned to run toward his car.

    Whatever happens, he still had a chance!

    Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud at the sight of Zhan Ruiting, who looked like an idiot.

    ¡°Grandpa, I guarantee that I stand more of a chance than that idiot, especially since I cane to the institute every day and have more opportunities to interact with Sister Jing.¡±

    Xu Hongzu furrowed his eyebrows, feeling somewhat uneasy.

    He always had a nagging doubt, which he hadn¡¯t felt before, because Xiao Jing had never shown any particr stance toward Zhan Qipei and always maintained a distant attitude; therefore, he believed his grandson had a chance too.

    But now that Xiao Jing said she would give Zhan Qipei a chance, it meant she was beginning to try to ept Zhan Qipei¡­

    Wait!

    Suddenly, Xu Hongzu thought of something and red at Xu Moqian with a look of frustration,

    ¡°What¡¯s the use ofparing yourself with that idiot? Your biggest rival right now is Zhan Qipei! It seems like you¡¯ve reached the pinnacle of stupidity¡­¡±

    He was so angry that he started to cough violently, unable to speak for a moment.

    If his grandson could say such a thing, perhaps there wasn¡¯t much hope left.

    Before Xu Hongzu had the chance to clear his thoughts, Xu Moqian dragged him away to eat.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing was brought by Zhan Qipei to a high-end restaurant in the city center, where they chose a window-side table.

    From this spot, they could take in the full view of the capital¡¯s scenery.

    The restaurant was decorated in a European style and even featured a musician ying a soothing piano piece.

    Qiao Jing turned away from the window and spoke to the man opposite her,

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pick me up this afternoon; I¡¯ll be seeing patients at Wonderful Hall, and Wu Xirui wille for a consultation. I¡¯ll take a taxi backter.¡±

 Chapter 372: 361: Wu Xirui Holding Roses to Pursue Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 372: Chapter 361: Wu Xirui Holding Roses to Pursue Qiao Jing</strong>

    Wu Xirui had already sent her a message this morning, saying he was going to see a doctor.

    She mentioned Wu Xirui¡¯s name only to avoid this damn man getting jealous again, because whenever she got back home, this damn man would surely make a scene with her.

    If he started gnawing and biting again, she couldn¡¯t stand it.

    Upon hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s name, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze darkened for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pick you up after I finish cooking dinner after work,¡± he said.

    Since Qiao Jing had frankly discussed it with him, it showed that she was considering his feelings.

    After they had finished dinner, Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing to Wonderful Hall.

    Watching Qiao Jing getting out of the car, Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes slightly, nced around, and did not see Wu Xirui¡¯s figure, not knowing when the other would arrive.

    While Zhan Qipei was thinking this, Tang Yan called.

    ¡°Boss, the meeting is about to start.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I know,¡± he replied.

    Not long after Zhan Qipei had left, someone entered Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing, who was reading a medical book, paused and looked up at the neer indifferently.

    ¡°Sit.¡±

    Wu Xirui was holding arge bouquet of roses; he nced at the counter, cing them at the spot closest to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush to see the doctor.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and nced at therge bunch of roses, roughly guessing what wasing next.

    She expected Wu Xirui was about to say something nonsensical again.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not here to see a doctor, then leave,¡± she said.

    She withdrew her hand, which had been ready to take his pulse, picked up the medical book, and prepared to continue reading.

    If he wasn¡¯t here to see a doctor, then she could spend more time with her medical book.

    Wu Xirui was not discouraged by Qiao Jing¡¯s cold demeanor; on the contrary, he became even more interested, raising his eyebrows slightly.

    ¡°No can do, these flowers were specially airlifted from M country to celebrate your divorce,¡± he said.

    He paused and looked at the roses with a pitying gaze.

    ¡°Congrattions on your divorce and congrattions to myself as well.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, but was also puzzled.

    ¡°Congrattions for what?¡±

    She felt that Wu Xirui might have problems not only physically but also mentally.

    After all, his thought process was not something ordinary people could understand.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face took on his trademark smile, staring intently at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to congratte myself for having the opportunity to pursue you.¡±

    Qiao Jing became increasingly speechless, ignoring Wu Xirui, her gaze returning to the medical book.

    ¡°I¡¯m not divorced.¡±

    Wu Xirui paused, quickly recalcting in his mind, then once again the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile, and he chuckled.

    ¡°Do you think I have a bad memory? The hundred days ended yesterday.¡±

    He suddenly thought of something, and a sickly light shed through his peach-blossom eyes.

    ¡°Do you feel lonely living alone now? How about I move in to keep youpany?¡±

    Qiao Jing put down the medical book in her hands and looked at him with a very serious expression, emphasizing her words as she repeated what she had just said.

    ¡°I am not divorced.¡±

    The smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face froze, he touched his chin, and swept his probing gaze over Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    But he couldn¡¯t find a trace of deception on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, and he rarely furrowed his eyebrows.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Wu Xirui expressionlessly and spoke slowly.

    ¡°Or are you cooking up something? I¡¯m asking you, are you here to see a doctor or not?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to waste time with Wu Xirui; she nned to see him off after finishing the treatment and preparing the medicine.

    Otherwise, if he stayed here, he would definitely be chattering non-stop by her ear while she was reading her medical books.

    Wu Xirui burst intoughter, his peach blossom eyes smiling tenderly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°The way you joke with such a serious face is really cute.¡±

    Qiao Jing was speechless to the extreme, toozy to deal with his remark, her expression ndly fixated on Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Are you going to get treated or not?¡±

    Wu Xirui switched to a sycophantic smile and immediately sat down, stretching out his hand.

    Just as he was about to ask why she wasn¡¯t divorcing, Qiao Jing had already started taking his pulse, so he had to shut his mouth.

    About half a minuteter, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and began describing Wu Xirui¡¯s health condition.

    ¡°Your condition has greatly improved. Keep it up, avoid excessive energy exercises, and steer clear of tobo and alcohol. Your body is your own. As your condition has improved, I¡¯ll prescribe a new medicine form for you.¡±

    She wrote a new prescription and instructed the store clerk beside her to prepare the medicine.

    Wu Xirui could tell that Qiao Jing did not want to continue discussing the divorce issue, so he simply didn¡¯t ask.

    He nced upstairs, then back at Qiao Jing, his eyes darkening as he tentatively spoke.

    ¡°I heard that Wonderful Hall is opened by Divine Doctor Jing, but I¡¯vee here so many times and have never seen Divine Doctor Jing in person.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Wu Xirui, not saying a word, waiting for him to continue.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze withdrew from looking upstairs.

    ¡°Having worked here for so long, have you ever seen Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    After saying this, he scrutinized Qiao Jing¡¯s face with an inquiring gaze, trying to find a trace of a clue.

    He had already suspected a connection between Qiao Jing and Divine Doctor Jing and wanted to test his theory with this opportunity.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes returned to her medical book as she answered him.

    ¡°Mm-hmm, I have.¡±

    She was Divine Doctor Jing, seeing herself every day.

    Wu Xirui was stunned, not expecting Qiao Jing to actually admit it; he thought even if she had seen Divine Doctor Jing, she would not tell him.

    He studied Qiao Jing¡¯s face intently but couldn¡¯t glean any information, somewhat disappointed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious about her. Could you introduce me to her, let me meet her perhaps?¡±

    Qiao Jing rejected the request without hesitation, her red lips slightly parting to utter two words.

    ¡°Cannot.¡±

    Wu Xiruiughed again, his gaze unflinchingly fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s expressionless face.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you could be so cute even when you¡¯re rejecting someone.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes without a word, her mouth twitching.

    ¡°The medicine is ready, aren¡¯t you going to leave?¡±

    No one had ever described her as cute, and she didn¡¯t find herself cute in any way.

    Wu Xirui stubbornly refused to leave, as if he were glued to the stool; he started looking for another topic of discussion.

    ¡°By the way, you¡¯re still working at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt a sudden twitch at her temple.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Why are you asking me?¡±

    Wu Xirui¡¯s mouth curled up, continuing to inquire.

    ¡°Next month, at the beginning of the month, Professor Qiao is preparing an academic exchange meeting. I¡¯ve heard that all the experts and professors from the empire are going to attend.¡±

    He paused, then threw out another question.

    ¡°Since you work in Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, do you qualify to attend?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t intentionally hide anything and responded truthfully.

    ¡°I will go.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t go, who would preside over the academic exchange meeting?

    Wu Xirui pretended to sigh regretfully.

    ¡°Actually, I would love to see Professor Qiao in person, but unfortunately, I am not an academic expert in this field.¡±

 Chapter 373: 362: Su Manhan Desperately Defends Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 373: Chapter 362: Su Manhan Desperately Defends Qiao Jing</strong>

    He put on a pitiful look as he gazed at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Professor Qiao specifically said that only experts and professors can attend; even those with high status don¡¯t have the eligibility to go,¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Wu Xirui¡¯s tone shifted.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, since you¡¯re eligible to go, can you help me sneak in? I¡¯m really curious about what Professor Qiao actually looks like,¡±

    Qiao Jing closed the medical book she was holding, leaned back in her chair, and looked at Wu Xirui with a half-smiling gaze.

    ¡°Since you know that only experts and professors can attend this meeting, and you¡¯re an outsider, how can I sneak you in?¡±

    She made it clear that only experts and professors involved in agriculture could attend, and there was a good reason for it.

    If the upper crust of the capital also came, they would certainly recognize her, having seen Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife before.

    She didn¡¯t like to stand out, nor did she wantypeople to know that she was Professor Qiao.

    Wu Xirui suddenly leaned closer to Qiao Jing, looking at her with affectionate, peach blossom eyes that carried a hint of pity.

    ¡°Really, you can¡¯t take me with you? You being eligible to attend means you could bring along someone, right?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and gave him a decisive answer.

    ¡°My eligibility to attend doesn¡¯t mean I can open a back door.¡±

    Meanwhile, outside the Wonderful Hall.

    Su Manhan was with her friend, also a wealthy Mrs. Chen, wanting to purchase some supplements from Wonderful Hall.

    Her main intention was to buy some medicinal ingredients to make a nourishing soup for Qiao Jing and also for her son, who had recently been injured and needed good nourishment to recover.

    But as she arrived at the entrance of Wonderful Hall, she happened to see Wu Xirui leaning close to Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan instinctively furrowed her brows and muttered to herself in annoyance.

    Where did this mane from, daring to seduce her daughter-inw?!

    Mrs. Chen also saw this scene; she had attended Zhan Qipei¡¯s wedding and recognized Qiao Jing right away.

    She watched the two inside Wonderful Hall with a look of amusement and tugged at Su Manhan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that your daughter-inw? Why is she so close to that man?¡±

    As she spoke, Mrs. Chen caught sight of therge bouquet of roses and feigned a surprised look.

    ¡°And there¡¯s arge bouquet of roses, too! That guy is pretty handsome, aren¡¯t the roses meant for Qiao Jing? Could it be¡ª

    Could it be that Qiao Jing is about to put a ¡®Green Hat¡¯ on your son?!¡±

    Su Manhan frowned tightly, looking at Wu Xirui¡¯s shameless manner, getting quite angry.

    ¡°Nonsense! If it were someone else, I might believe she¡¯d put a ¡®Green Hat¡¯ on my son, but Qiao Jing would never do such a thing!¡±

    The whole family held Qiao Jing in the palm of their hands, fearing that she might have a change of heart and seek a divorce from her son, so they definitely wouldn¡¯t judge her unfairly based on one-sided views.

    Besides, this Wu Xirui guy looked like a pretty boy, obviously up to no good, intentionally getting close to Qiao Jing.

    He¡¯s surely trying to seduce her daughter-inw!

    Ah! There¡¯s always someone trying to steal her son¡¯s wife!

    As Su Manhan grew angrier the more she looked at Wu Xirui¡¯s face, she walked briskly into Wonderful Hall with Mrs. Chen, radiating anger.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, what are you doing here?¡±

    After saying this, she red at Wu Xirui.

    No matter who they were or head of whichpany, trying to steal her daughter-inw was out of the question.

    Qiao Jing answered Su Manhan truthfully.

    ¡°Seeing patients.¡±

    She usually found time to sit in Wonderful Hall to see patients and had made it a habit.

    Moreover, with Wu Xiruiing over for a consultation today, she could go directly to Wonderful Hall without having to visit hispany, which made things much more convenient.

    Su Manhan was somewhat surprised; she knew Qiao Jing was a doctor, but she hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing could sit in at Wonderful Hall.

    Suddenly, she remembered the incident where Qiao Jing had made a phone call, and just like that, Wonderful Hall gave the order to Qipei.

    Qiao Jing must be very familiar with the people at Wonderful Hall to be able to practice there, she thought, and that made perfect sense.

    ¡°Then, get me some medicinal herbs to replenish one¡¯s health, two portions of each.¡±

    Qiao Jingplied with a sound, quickly picked out several kinds of herbs, packed them up, and ced them on the table.

    After paying, Su Manhan took another look at Wu Xirui.

    She needed to find a way to take Qiao Jing away; in any case, she couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing practice there today anymore.

    Otherwise, that pretty boy might cozy up to her daughter-inw again, seducing her daughter-inw.

    Su Manhan looked down at the fully packed shopping bags in her hand and thought of a n.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, my friend and I have our hands full. Could you switch with someone else to help me carry out the herbs?¡±

    Mrs. Chen was also holding several shopping bags, but actually, carrying a few more herbs wouldn¡¯t be difficult.

    She was curious, but since Su Manhan had already said so, she wouldn¡¯t interrupt.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, and seeing the shopping bags in Su Manhan¡¯s hand, she ultimately agreed.

    Before leaving, she didn¡¯t forget to turn back and instruct Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Take your flowers with you.¡±

    Wu Xirui shrugged his shoulders, didn¡¯t speak, and watched Qiao Jing with a smirking stare.

    Su Manhan noticed his gaze and deliberately slowed her pace, standing behind Qiao Jing, blocking Wu Xirui¡¯s view.

    After they left Wonderful Hall, the three of them walked towards where they had parked.

    Mrs. Chen stole nces at Qiao Jing several times along the way and, after pondering, she asked.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, I heard your daughter-inw Qiao Jing works at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute, right? And Nanqing is also there.¡±

    Su Manhan nodded.

    Qiao Jing nced sideways, not answering her question.

    Mrs. Chen didn¡¯t mind the reactions of the two and continued.

    ¡°I heard that Professor Qiao will attend that academic conference at the beginning of next month, where all the agricultural bigwigs will be there.¡±

    When she said this, she deliberately looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, do you qualify to attend?¡±

    Su Manhan was taken aback and looked at Mrs. Chen disapprovingly.

    Qiao Jing was only an ordinary employee at the research institute; how could she possibly be qualified to attend?

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s words were clearly meant to mock Qiao Jing.

    Just as she was about to speak up for Qiao Jing, a clear and beautiful voice preempted her.

    ¡°I can go.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Mrs. Chen showed a smile tinged with scorn, but she didn¡¯t make it too obvious.

    ¡°That academic conference, Professor Qiao said only those who have made significant contributions to agriculture can attend, it¡¯s not for just anybody to participate in.¡±

    Her words were undoubtedly a sideways dig at Qiao Jing, meant to make her aware of her own insignificance.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin and indifferently withdrew her gaze, ignoring the other party.

    After hearing this, Su Manhan¡¯s frown deepened, and she looked at Mrs. Chen very disapprovingly.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? Knowing full well that Qiao Jing cannot go, yet you still ask; are you trying to deliberately humiliate my daughter-inw?!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s steps halted momentarily as she looked up at Su Manhan, feeling slightly touched.

    In the past, Su Manhan would badmouth her in front of others, and now here she was, stepping forward and speaking up for her.

 Chapter 374: 363 Su Manhans Heart Aches for Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 374: Chapter 363 Su Manhan¡¯s Heart Aches for Qiao Jing</strong>

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Su Manhan for a long time.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t like Qiao Jing before, right? You couldn¡¯t wait for her to leave the Zhan Family, so why are you suddenly speaking up for her?¡±

    Was this really the Su Manhan she knew? The difference was so stark¡ªcould she have been possessed?

    Su Manhan was choked up by Mrs. Chen¡¯s words and immediately began to exin herself.

    ¡°When did I ever say Qiao Jing was no good? You must be hard of hearing. Don¡¯t talk nonsense, I love my daughter-inw the most.¡±

    After saying this, she stole a nce at Qiao Jing and, seeing her indifferent expression, breathed a sigh of relief.

    Mrs. Chen really didn¡¯t know how to read the room. Those were past issues, and bringing them up now¡ªwhat if Qiao Jing gets angry?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think it was a big deal as she was well aware of Su Manhan¡¯s previous attitude toward her.

    Mrs. Chen was so shocked that her mouth hung open.

    ¡°Ah?¡±

    The switch in Su Manhan¡¯s attitude made her head spin with confusion. Could it actually have been a misunderstanding on her part?

    Impossible. Mrs. Chen vividly remembered Su Manhan venting about Qiao Jing while they shopped together. Why the sudden change?

    Su Manhan did not continue the conversation with Mrs. Chen, fearing she might say something else and handed over some medicinal materials to Mrs. Chen.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving now, and don¡¯t you dare speak ill of my daughter-inw again.¡±

    If she stayed any longer, Mrs. Chen would surely continue digging up her past, and she couldn¡¯t afford to drag her son down.

    Qiao Jing said nothing more and followed Su Manhan to the car for their return to Purple Garden.

    Once inside the car, a strange silence hung in the air.

    Su Manhan sneaked several nces at Qiao Jing, hesitated for a moment, but eventually spoke.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t take to heart what Mrs. Chen said. The inability to attend the exchange meeting isn¡¯t a big deal. I won¡¯t let anyone bully you.¡±

    She paused, nervously clutching the bag in her hand. Her daughter-inw was so smart and certainly aware of the bad things she had said before.

    Su Manhan bit her lip and, steeling herself, stammered out her words.

    ¡°She said¡­ I spoke ill of you, and I did indeed¡­ uh¡­ say some things before. I apologize. Don¡¯t be angry, okay? And please don¡¯t take back the chance you¡¯re giving to Qipei because of me.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and looked earnestly at Su Manhan.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. It¡¯s fine, and I won¡¯t allow others to affect the decisions I¡¯ve made.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t understand why everyone seemed to believe that her giving Zhan Qipei a chance was said without thought.

    When had she ever been the kind of person to make decisions carelessly?

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Su Manhan¡¯s face lit up with joy, and she patted her chest.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief! You had me scared. I thought¡­ Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. We¡¯re having dinner at home tonight.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the current time¡ªit was only three in the afternoon.

    ¡°There is still plenty of time before dinner.¡±

    Going to Purple Garden now would leave her with nothing to do. She didn¡¯t have her medical books with her, and just sitting there would be somewhat boring.

    Su Manhan uttered a puzzled ¡°Ah?¡± before realizing what she was about to do.

    If she took Qiao Jing back to Purple Garden now, there would be no one else at home.

    Having Qiao Jing sit alone on the sofa waiting for time to pass would indeed be quite dull.

    She looked out the window and noticed they were near Wanxiang City, then asked the driver to pull over.

    ¡°Stop at the entrance to Wanxiang City.¡±

    She could use this time to buy some new clothes for Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked toward Su Manhan with a hint of confusion.

    ¡°Why are we going to Wanxiang City?¡±

    She had suggested an early time simply to have the chance to return to work a bit longer, but to her surprise, Su Manhan had brought her to Wanxiang City.

    Leaving all the shopping bags in the car and worrying that Qiao Jing might refuse to get out, Su Manhan gently nudged her, urging her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of the car first, and then we¡¯ll talk.¡±

    She absolutely had to dress up her daughter-inw properly, as wearing white shirts and jeans every day was just too monotonous.

    Whatever those rich youngdies had, her daughter-inw should notck either!

    With no other choice, Qiao Jing stepped out of the car and stood in front of the bustling entrance to Wanxiang City.

    ¡°Are you going to buy something?¡±

    She had only ever shopped with Xiangxiang or Ni Yue at most, never with an elder, so she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit out of ce.

    Su Manhan¡¯s gaze flickered, hesitating before finally speaking up.

    ¡°Yes, I want to buy a few outfits. Didn¡¯t you say we had plenty of time? I brought you here to pass the time.¡±

    Knowing Qiao Jing¡¯s personality, if she had outright said they were buying clothes for her, she would¡¯ve certainly refused.

    That¡¯s why Su Manhan nned to keep it a secret at first and wait until they were in the store to buy clothes in Qiao Jing¡¯s size.

    After all, it was all just shopping. It was more or less the same.

    Qiao Jing responded and followed Su Manhan into the elevator.

    As her thoughts turned to what style of clothes would suit Su Manhan, she considered offering some suggestions when the time came.

    Su Manhan pressed the button for the top floor, bringing them directly to the highest level of Wanxiang City.

    Themon clothes below were not suited for her daughter-inw. Plus, she usually shopped on the top floor herself, so Qiao Jing should enjoy the same treatment.

    She suddenly remembered how back in the countryside, Qiao Jing might have had to wear the same top for several years, and her heart ached unbearably.

    She guessed that in the mountain viges, there were likely many children like Qiao Jing used to be, and resolved to donate more money to the children in the mountains and engage in charity to prevent more children from living such hard lives.

    As for Qiao Jing¡¯s previous donation to the Red Cross Society, even though the patriarch didn¡¯t acknowledge it, she knew it must have been either his money or her son¡¯s.

    Qiao Jing noticed that Su Manhan was looking at her with eyes filled with both distress and pity.

    She furrowed her brows and looked down at herself, then turned around to see if anything was amiss but couldn¡¯t spot anything out of the ordinary.

    Why was Su Manhan looking at her with such eyes?

    Su Manhan pulled Qiao Jing straight into a well-known brand clothing store.

    The clothes here all started at six figures, patronized by the upper crust of the elite circle¡ªces where wealthydies would shop.

    Upon seeing Su Manhan, the sales assistant immediately put on an intimately weing smile, bowed slightly to them, and gestured for them to proceed inside.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, wee. Would you like to rest for a while and have some afternoon tea first?¡±

    Su Manhan shook her head and nced at Qiao Jing beside her.

    ¡°Show me some clothes that would suit her,¡± she replied.

    When Qiao Jing heard that they were going to buy clothes for her, she frowned and immediately refused.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to buy me anything; I have clothes.¡±

    The clothes she was wearing were actually custom-made for her by M¨¦lite in the States, along with some unique pieces designed privately for her by Ni Yue.

    She had specifically requested simple and elegant designs so as not to stand out, and she had gotten used to it.

    The clothes in this store were all very distinctive and luxurious in style¡ªsomething she did not like to unt.

    Besides, she would not let Su Manhan buy clothes for her.

 Chapter 375 - 364: Lou Xinrous Jealous Rage

    <strong>Chapter 375: Chapter 364: Lou Xinrou¡¯s Jealous Rage</strong>

    Su Manhan thought Qiao Jing was reluctant to spend money and felt even more pity for her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I know you grew up in the countryside and the environment wasn¡¯t very good, but now that you¡¯ve married into our Zhan Family, we will definitely not treat you poorly.

    If there¡¯s anything you want, just tell me, and I¡¯ll buy it for you. You¡¯re my only daughter-inw, who else would I pamper if not you?¡±

    Qiao Jing was speechless, tugging at the corner of her mouth, realizing that the pitiful look earlier was because she thought she was reluctant to buy clothes.

    ¡°No need, thank you, I have clothes.¡±

    She had heard people say that only children should be pampered more, but she had never heard anyone say that about a daughter-inw, that they should pamper their daughter-inw.

    Regardless, she would not spend other people¡¯s money, she had her own money and would not rely on others.

    Su Manhan saw that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t listen, and became somewhat anxious, looking her up and down and sighing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal with me, once you entered the door of the Zhan Family, you became a member of our Zhan Family. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to wear ordinary clothes every day, given your status as the young mistress.¡±

    She nced at the stunned salesperson and urged, ¡°Take us to look at the clothes.¡±

    The salesperson was still shocked by Su Manhan¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing. Hearing herself being addressed, she finally came back to her senses.

    ¡°Certainly, Mrs. Su and Miss Qiao, pleasee this way, we have released our winter collection.¡±

    Her gaze was stealthily sizing up Qiao Jing, her curiosity killing her.

    Working here, she naturally overheard some gossip from the upper sses. Su Manhan was said to despise Qiao Jing, this peasant daughter-inw, and couldn¡¯t wait to drive her out of the Zhan Family.

    Yet, her attitude today was theplete opposite of those rumors.

    Unknown to them, someone was standing outside the door at that very moment.

    Lou Xinrou had originally nned to buy a suit in this store to wear at her grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet in a few days.

    Instead, she encountered Su Manhan buying clothes for Qiao Jing, hiding outside while staring darkly at the interior.

    Aunt Su is actually buying clothes for Qiao Jing, even saying that Qiao Jing is part of the Zhan Family?!

    Hadn¡¯t Qiao Jing and Brother Pei already divorced? Why would Aunt Su still speak like that?

    In all the years she¡¯d known Aunt Su, she had never brought her to this store to buy clothes!

    Aunt Su was this store¡¯s supreme VIP. The treatment she received waspletely different from what she received!

    Yet Aunt Su actually brought Qiao Jing, this bumpkin, here!

    Thinking of this, Lou Xinrou clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deeply into her flesh without her realizing, jealousy raging within her.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, still rejecting Su Manhan¡¯s generosity.

    ¡°Really, it¡¯s not necessary, thank you.¡±

    If she liked the clothes from this store, she would buy them herself.

    Su Manhan frowned in frustration, a sh of insight suddenlying to her, she feigned apromising attitude.

    ¡°Alright then, could you help me see which clothes in this store look good? I want to buy a few for myself.¡±

    She could find out which clothes Qiao Jing liked and could buy them directly.

    But Qiao Jing did not give Su Manhan the opportunity. She walked around the store and picked out several outfits.

    These outfits were clearly suitable fordies of stature, very elegant, andpletely unrted to her style.

    Su Manhan liked the clothes Qiao Jing picked out, but in the end, she still couldn¡¯t buy an outfit for Qiao Jing, which left her feeling somewhat defeated.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me buy you clothes, if there¡¯s anything you like in the future, just tell me, or you can tell Qipei as well, don¡¯t be hesitant, or maybe¡­¡±

    As she spoke, she pulled out a card with floral edges from her bag and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Take this card and use it, I will deposit some money into it every month. Use it to buy whatever you want or eat whatever you fancy without shortchanging yourself.¡±

    Lou Xinrou, who was still peeking, instantly widened her eyes and bit her lip hard upon seeing the bank card.

    She recognized that bank card!

    This was the card Aunt Su used most often. When they were shopping together, Qiao Jing had identally seen the bnce once.

    There were tens of millions in there!

    Aunt Su actually wanted to spend it on Qiao Jing?!!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak, she suddenly felt a gaze staring at her.

    She furrowed her brows and looked towards the source of the gaze.

    There was no one at the door.

    Lou Xinrou leaned against the wall near the door, her breathing bing very rapid, her heart was extremely nervous, afraid that Qiao Jing would see her.

    Qiao Jing indifferently withdrew her gaze and pushed the bank card that Su Manhan had handed over back to her.

    ¡°No need, thank you, I have my own money to spend.¡±

    Su Manhan misunderstood Qiao Jing¡¯s words, thinking she was putting on a brave face to save money for the Zhan Family.

    ¡°Will you take my bank card or not? If you don¡¯t take it, I¡¯ll really get angry.¡±

    The more Qiao Jing acted this way, the more it pained her. Where could she find such a virtuous daughter-inw!

    Previously, she had even targeted Qiao Jing everywhere, and she suddenly felt she really wasn¡¯t a good person.

    After ncing at the time and picking a few outfits, and after Su Manhan tried on clothes, it was only four in the afternoon.

    ¡°Are you going to Purple Garden for dinner this afternoon? If we go now, I can help cook a few dishes.¡±

    Seeing how stubborn Su Manhan was, she reluctantly changed the topic.

    However, this indeed worked on Su Manhan. She subconsciously took back the card and took out her phone to check the time.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to Purple Garden, we¡¯re going back! That ce is your home, to go back home, and besides, how can we let you cook? There¡¯s a chef at home.¡±

    Qiao Jing took the opportunity as Su Manhan put the card away to start shifting the topic step by step.

    ¡°Is there anything else you want to buy?¡±

    Su Manhan shook her head, her heart eager to return to Purple Garden with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Nothing else, let¡¯s go back. The herbs I bought today at Wonderful Hall are to be boiled for you to drink.¡±

    She continued in a half-joking tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m being so nice to you, and you¡¯ve agreed with Qipei not to divorce. You can¡¯t run away secretly.¡±

    Lou Xinrou suddenly widened her eyes.

    What?!

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t divorced Brother Pei?!

    How could this be?!

    It was already time for the divorce, why hadn¡¯t it happened?

    Just as she was shocked beyond measure, she saw the two preparing to leave the store.

    Lou Xinrou immediately found a ce to hurriedly hide.

    Qiao Jing and Su Manhan left the store and walked towards the elevator.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s gaze darkly followed the pair as they walked away, jealousy gnawing at her.

    What did it mean?! Qiao Jing actually hadn¡¯t divorced Brother Pei?

    And that robbery must have been orchestrated by Qiao Jing, deliberately stirring up trouble between her and Aunt Su!

    The more she thought about it, the jealousy and hatred enveloped her like a storm, wildly devouring her sanity.

    She fixed her eyes onto Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure until the elevator doors closed.

    No matter what! She had to find a chance to severely teach Qiao Jing a lesson!

 Chapter 376 - 365: The Little Surprise Prepared by Zhan Qipei

    <strong>Chapter 376: Chapter 365: The Little Surprise Prepared by Zhan Qipei</strong>

    The scene shifted, and Qiao Jing and Su Manhan returned to Purple Garden.

    Qiao Jing saw the chefs in the kitchen bustling around non-stop, probably preparing dinner.

    ¡°I can go over and help stir-fry a few dishes.¡±

    Because Zhan Qipei had taken over the household chores, she hadn¡¯t cooked for a long time and inexplicably felt an itch to do so.

    Su Manhan refused Qiao Jing without hesitation.

    ¡°No, what if you get tired? Just sit and watch TV with me.¡±

    Zhan Yao, who had been sitting on the sofa watching the news, stood up and vacated his seat upon hearing this.

    ¡°You guys watch.¡±

    He deliberately changed the channel from the news and handed the remote to Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan muttered under her breath.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±

    Zhan Yao didn¡¯t stay any longer, returning to the study.

    Qiao Jing was pulled by Su Manhan to sit on the sofa, and the remote was stuffed into her hand.

    She was startled and looked at Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan enthusiastically pushed the fruit te on the table in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Eat some fruit, what drama do you want to watch?¡±

    She was considering which of the recently premiered romance dramas were worth watching to rmend to Qiao Jing but decided to let her choose instead.

    Qiao Jing shook her head and ced the remote back on the table.

    ¡°You watch.¡±

    She was clueless about TV dramas, as she usually watched the news.

    Su Manhan thought Qiao Jing was being shy and stuffed the remote back into her hand again.

    ¡°Choose whatever you want to watch, I don¡¯t have any preferences.¡±

    Then, Su Manhan silently watched as Qiao Jing switched back to the news channel.

    Her expression grewplex; she had assumed that Qiao Jing, like most young people, would enjoy TV dramas, but it turned out that she actually wanted to watch the news.

    Although she didn¡¯t like the dull and vorless news, her daughter-inw wanted to watch it, so she had no choice but to sit by and watch the news on the screen with Qiao Jing.

    An hourter, the chefs served up the dishes.

    Once again, Qiao Jing was escorted by Su Manhan to the dining table, and Zhan Nanqing had also returned from work.

    Seeing Qiao Jing, she felt a bit surprised, then, looking around with a puzzled expression, she approached the dining table.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my brother?¡±

    Why was Qiao Jing there alone? Usually, wasn¡¯t it that wherever Qiao Jing was, her brother would stick close by?

    Su Manhan¡¯s face showed a momentary nkness, and then she pped her forehead.

    ¡°Ah¡­ darn, I forgot to call Qipei back for dinner.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in some speechlessness; it seemed her brother had already fallen out of favor.

    Even for a meal, her mother had forgotten to call her brother back.

    No wonder she hadn¡¯t seen her brother; as it turned out, he had already been tossed aside by their mother.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to call Zhan Qipei, his call came through.

    She pressed to answer, ready to speak when the man preempted her with a deliberately aggrieved tone.

    ¡°Where are you? Why didn¡¯t youe home for dinner¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing detected a hint of grievance in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and paused.

    ¡°I¡¯m at Purple Garden, are youing over for dinner?¡±

    She had been so engrossed in the news that afternoon that she hadn¡¯t thought about Su Manhan not informing Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice came through, tinged with excitement.

    ¡°I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the table full of dishes and said,

    ¡°Go back to eat?¡±

    Zhan Qipei also looked at the things he had arranged and felt very satisfied in his heart.

    ¡°I¡¯ming over to get you now.¡±

    The things he had set up, his wife was sure to like.

    He couldn¡¯t wait to see Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction when she saw the gift.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, sensing a hint of anticipation in Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone.

    ¡°But, I¡¯ve made a lot of dishes.¡±

    A vague guess began to form in her mind, but she didn¡¯t want to waste the food.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his long eyebrows on the other end of the phone, knowing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to waste the food.

    ¡°We can pack it and take it home.¡±

    He wanted Qiao Jing to see what he had prepared right away.

    Qiao Jing thought it over and decided it wouldn¡¯t be wasting food, so she agreed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After the call ended, Su Manhan nced at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Is Qipeiing over for dinner? I forgot to call him.¡±

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and stood up.

    ¡°He said he¡¯ll take it home to eat, and he¡¯s on his way to pick me up now.¡±

    Though she didn¡¯t know what Zhan Qipei was nning, she didn¡¯t want to be looked at with those pitiable eyes.

    Su Manhan furrowed her brows, looking puzzled at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why? If everything is ready, why note and eat together?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head; she too wanted to know what Zhan Qipei was up to, even going as far as to take the food home.

    Su Manhan frowned and said nothing, wondering why he wanted to take the food home if there was plenty to eat here?

    Zhan Nanqing smacked her lips.

    ¡°Mom, let my brother take it home, he must have his reasons.¡±

    After saying this, she pulled Su Manhan to the side and lowered her voice.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about it. Maybe my brother wants to create some opportunity for a bit of privacy. Let¡¯s not disturb them.¡±

    Once Su Manhan heard the reasoning, she stopped objecting.

    In the end, Qiao Jing ended up carrying six packed containers and got into Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    As they arrived at the door, Zhan Qipei suddenly covered Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes with his hand.

    Qiao Jing was stunned and just as she was about to speak, the man¡¯s palm covered her lips, and he slightly leaned down.

    His distinctively deep voice sounded in her ear, his warm breath showering over her neck.

    ¡°Shh, don¡¯t speak yet.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand was on Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, leading her forward.

    Qiao Jing grew more curious and slightly furrowed her eyebrows. After a moment, she came to a stop.

    What on earth was this sly man up to? So secretive? And still covering her eyes?

    Zhan Qipei slowly removed his hand.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly, adjusting to the light so it wasn¡¯t as blinding.

    When she saw the scene arranged in the living room, she was taken aback.

    The table was adorned with arge bunch of roses, the floor scattered with rose petals, and a string of star-shaped lights hung on the wall.

    Even more striking, the rose petals formed a heart shape, with an exquisite gift box ced in the middle.

    ¡°What day is it today?¡±

    She pondered for a moment but couldn¡¯t think of any recent special asion.

    So, why had Zhan Qipei done all this?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t answer her question but took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and led her in front of the heart shape.

    He picked up the exquisite gift box, opened it solemnly, and insidey a ne, his expression very serious.

    ¡°Today we celebrate our ¡®No Divorce¡¯ anniversary.¡±

    Qiao Jing found Zhan Qipei¡¯s actionsughably absurd but refrained fromughing out loud because he was so earnest.

    She had heard of anniversaries for weddings and acquaintances, but never of a ¡®No Divorce¡¯ anniversary.

    ¡°A ¡®No Divorce¡¯ anniversary? Are you sure?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded solemnly and took the ne out of the box.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He carefully ced the diamond-studded ne around her neck.

 Chapter 377 - 366: Qiao Jings Dual Identity is Revealed

    <strong>Chapter 377: Chapter 366: Qiao Jing¡¯s Dual Identity is Revealed</strong>

    The next day at noon.

    Qiao Jing left the research institute and took a taxi to Han Zhiyu¡¯s collection gallery.

    She went straight to the reception room where Han Zhiyu was seated, waiting for her.

    ¡°Mr. Han.¡±

    When Han Zhiyu saw Qiao Jing, his eyes brightened, and he smiled.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯ve already prepared the tea.¡±

    He pushed the tea he had already brewed in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nodded and sat down across from Han Zhiyu.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Han Zhiyu extended his hand in front of Qiao Jing, waiting for her to take his pulse.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fingertips touched Han Zhiyu¡¯s pulse and, after a moment, she withdrew her hand.

    ¡°Mr. Han, your recovery is progressing very well. Continue with this momentum, and following the previous prescription to get your medicine will be just fine.¡±

    A hint of joy emerged in the depths of her eyes; Han Zhiyu¡¯s illness was almost fully healed.

    Lou Pinshu approached the entrance to the reception room and discovered the door was open.

    Just as he was about to walk in, he inadvertently overheard the conversation inside.

    Han Zhiyu¡¯s voice carried through.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I have a question, and I¡¯m not sure if I should ask.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and took a sip of tea.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be polite with me, just speak your mind.¡±

    Han Zhiyu watched Qiao Jing¡¯s face for quite a while before he furrowed his brow, looking very troubled.

    ¡°Although my health is gradually improving, I¡¯m getting older, and this old body can¡¯t keep up much longer. I¡¯m estimating that it won¡¯t be long before I n to retire.¡±

    Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to look at Han Zhiyu, feeling a bit regretful inside.

    After all, Han Zhiyu was at the pinnacle of the domestic art and calligraphy field, and she found his artwork to be truly legendary.

    ¡°You certainly deserve a good rest.¡±

    But indeed, Han Zhiyu was already of an advanced age, and retirement seemed the better choice.

    A look of reluctance appeared on Han Zhiyu¡¯s face as he frowned deeply.

    ¡°Miss Qiao and I have known each other for a while now, and you should know that it¡¯s really tough for me to let go of my career, which is why I have been hesitant to retire.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment and nodded slowly.

    This she definitely knew; otherwise, Han Zhiyu would have retired when he fell ill before.

    After saying this, Han Zhiyu stopped beating around the bush and revealed his inner thoughts.

    ¡°I wonder, Miss Qiao, if you would be interested in inheriting my mantle? I would impart all of my lifelong learning to you, and I would like you to help carry on my legacy.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly. She knew that Han Zhiyu was indeed old and that retirement was the better choice for him.

    However¡­

    Before she could respond, Han Zhiyu continued.

    ¡°Miss Qiao and I have known each other for some time, and you know how difficult it is for me to part with this art, which is why I¡¯ve been hesitant to retire.¡± Han Zhiyu¡¯s face showed a look of reluctance as he frowned deeply.

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment and nodded slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Han, although I do have some knowledge of traditional painting, I¡¯ve only pursued it as a hobby and I do not have the ability to inherit your mantle.¡±

    She not only had to attend to matters of the research institute but also to see patients, and on top of that, she was already pregnant.

    Despite regret, she truly didn¡¯t have the energy to take on learning anything new.

    Han Zhiyu could see the concerns in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart, as he himself had witnessed how Jiang Yu, with only a little mentoring from him, was able to achieve what many couldn¡¯t attain with years of effort.

    Reflecting on this, Han Zhiyu continued to persuade her.

    ¡°I know that as Professor Qiao, you¡¯re busy with the research institute and, being Divine Doctor Jing, you need to treat patients, but I could teach you in your free time.¡±

    This sentence was like a nuclear bomb that exploded in Lou Pinshu¡¯s heart.

    What?!

    Not only was Qiao Jing the Divine Doctor Jing?

    But also the legendary Professor Qiao?!!

    This¡ªhow could this be possible¡­

    How old was Qiao Jing?

    Although he had long suspected that Qiao Jing¡¯s identity was not that simple, he had never imagined.

    It would be like this!!!

    These two names had spread throughout the entire empire, but they had never shown their faces, always keeping a low profile and maintaining their mystery.

    At the same time, what he did not expect was that Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing turned out to be the same person!!

    Professor Qiao, Divine Doctor Jing, the initials of these two namesbined phically, just happened to be Qiao Jing¡¯s name!

    This was too unbelievable!

    The pleasant voice of Qiao Jing rang out again.

    ¡°Sorry, my abilities are really not enough.¡±

    Han Zhiyu understood what Qiao Jing meant and sighed.

    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±

    Lou Pinshu did not stay any longer, and he also gave up the idea of having Han Zhiyu take Lou Xinrou as his disciple.

    Furthermore, he was more doubtful about the previous im that Qiao Jing had pushed Jiang Ling down the stairs.

    However, there were no surveince cameras to confirm who actually pushed Jiang Ling, and since the other party said that the mother and child were safe and would not dwell on the matter, it ultimately came to nothing.

    Suddenly, scenes where Lou Xinrou targeted Qiao Jing everywhere popped into his mind.

    Lou Pinshu had previously wondered why Qiao Jing never paid attention to his granddaughter, but now he realized that the other party disdained to speak with his granddaughter; it seemed somewhat beneath her.

    He hurriedly left the gallery and went home, then continued to prepare for his own birthday banquet.

    Shortly after, Qiao Jing also left the gallery. Just as she walked out the door and was about to hail a taxi, a familiar car stopped in front of her.

    The car window slowly rolled down, revealing the exceptionally handsome face of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯vee to take you home.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was as melodious as if it had been drawn from a cello, and the gaze heid on Qiao Jing was even more gently indulgent.

    Facing such a gaze, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart identally fluttered for a moment.

    She quickly looked away and got into the car.

    As soon as she got in the car, she noticed an invitation card ced on the car¡¯s armrest box.

    She was curious and looked at the cover of the invitation.

    Before she could examine it closely, Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze from the corner of his eye and exined to her.

    ¡°It¡¯s Lou Pinshu¡¯s birthday banquet, inviting both of us to go together, will youe?¡±

    Upon hearing the character ¡°Lou,¡± Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brow but did not respond to Zhan Qipei¡¯s question.

    She picked up the invitation card and, once opened, found the invited names were hers and Zhan Qipei¡¯s, connected together.

    Even her name was in front of Zhan Qipei¡¯s.

    Qiao Jing put the invitation card back and agreed to go.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    She had no particr fondness for the Lou family, and if the invitation had only included Zhan Qipei¡¯s name, she would not have gone.

    But since her name was also on the invitation, she decided to attend the banquet.

    However, regarding her name being ced in front of Zhan Qipei¡¯s, she did not care much about that.

    Su Manhan¡¯s call suddenly came in, her tone still carrying a bit of worry.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, did you receive an invitation from the Lou family?¡±

 Chapter 378 - 367: The Guests Thought Su Manhan Was Not Good to Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 378: Chapter 367: The Guests Thought Su Manhan Was Not Good to Qiao Jing</strong>

    Qiao Jing nced briefly at the invitation and responded.

    ¡°Received.¡±

    ¡°Great, I will have someone deliver a gown to you;e to Purple Garden first, and I will take you in.¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment. If it were Su Manhan sending the gown, it would cost her a bit of money.

    Previously, Ni Yue had made a custom gown for her, which she hadn¡¯t worn many times; it would be perfect for the asion.

    Thinking of this, she did not agree to Su Manhan¡¯s offer to send a gown.

    ¡°No need to send a gown, I have one; I¡¯lle first¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, her phone was snatched away by arge hand.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his misty long eyebrows, surrounded by the scent of jealousy.

    ¡°Mom, Qiao Jing will enter with only me.¡±

    The person escorting his wife had to be him.

    Even his mom wouldn¡¯t do.

    This time, Su Manhan truly realized her son was fiercely jealous; she could sense the jealousy through the phone itself.

    ¡°Alright, alright, you two go ahead. I won¡¯t disturb the two of you,¡± she said.

    She had wanted to enter alongside Qiao Jing mainly to show how much she valued her daughter-inw.

    Previously, it had always been Qiao Jing and her son entering together, and coupled with those rumors, it seemed like her daughter-inw was not favored in the Zhan Family.

    If someone like Mrs. Chen appeared again, she wouldn¡¯t be able to outtalk them.

    But she also couldn¡¯t take away from the couple¡¯s time together; otherwise, she would be burdening her son.

    Su Manhan decisively hung up the phone.

    Zhan Qipei then returned the phone to Qiao Jing and continued driving, focusing straight ahead.

    Qiao Jing, observing the taut contour of the man¡¯s face and the pervasive scent of vinegar in the air, spoke in a half-joking tone.

    ¡°Open the window a bit; it smells like vinegar.¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused, deliberately raised his smoky, misty eyebrows, and sniffed around the car.

    ¡°Hmm? I don¡¯t smell anything?¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by this yful man, revealing a smile.

    ¡°Must be my imagination then.¡±

    Zhan Qipei smirked, a trace of amusement in his dark eyes.

    After a few seconds of contemtion, he spoke,

    ¡°The vinegar smelling from me?¡±

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was looking at the scenery outside the window. Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, she turned her head to look at him but didn¡¯t speak.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t admit to being jealous and found another excuse.

    ¡°I just think it¡¯s more convenient for you to enter with me.¡±

    If his wife knew he was jealous, he would appear rather petty, especially since he was even jealous of his own mother.

    Qiao Jing looked at the man¡¯s strikingly handsome face with an almost teasing gaze, maintaining her silence.

    From the time spent with him, she had learned that Zhan Qipei was indeed a jealous type.

    Not only was he jealous of other men, but also of women, children¡ªanyone who got close to her.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and focused on driving, not bringing up the topic again.

    He couldn¡¯t let his wife think he was a petty man.

    Once home, Qiao Jing went straight to her room and, in preparation, took out the gown designed by Ni Yue, cing it on a clothes rack.

    The banquet was scheduled for the following evening, at a hotel with its own swimming pool.

    The following evening.

    At the grand entrance of the hotel, security guards were meticulously checking the invitation letters of each guest.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gown was a ck, floor-length dress that covered her ankles but left her slender arms exposed.

    Zhan Qipei was very satisfied with the design this time, at least it did not reveal her back like thest time.

    Yet, he still wished to have Qiao Jing covered up tightly, ideally even her face hidden from others¡¯ views.

    The gown worn by Qiao Jing also incorporated some unique designs, with circles of ckce around her slender waist and roses running along the side to her right leg.

    On the hem of the gown, there was a distinct design unique to Ni Yue herself, a small forget-me-not flower.

    As Qiao Jing entered the venue on Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm, she drew the attention of everyone present.

    Zhan Qipei looked straight ahead with a very cold expression, but his face softened significantly when he looked at Qiao Jing.

    The quick change in his expression surprised the crowd, who began discussing in murmurs.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is wearing a dress designed by Ni Yue! The dress was personally designed by the chief designer of Yueji Pavilion!¡±

    ¡°Is that the point? The point is the way Young Master Zhan looks at Qiao Jing, look at that change in expression¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly, he has an icy demeanor when he looks at us, but turns tender the moment he sees Qiao Jing, tsk tsk, even Young Master Zhan falls for beauty.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the use? Besides Old Master Zhan and Young Master Zhan, Qiao Jing isn¡¯t favored much in the Zhan Family. Mrs. Su and Miss Zhan especially dislike her, even if she¡¯s not divorced now, it probably won¡¯t be long before she¡¯s kicked out.¡±

    The speaker was a woman in a pink dress, standing next to Lou Xinrou, sping her arm, looking very close.

    She had disliked Qiao Jing for a long time¡ªhow could a mere country bumpkin like her deserve Young Master Zhan?

    What did beauty matter? She was still a nobody without any significant background.

    Hearing her friend¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face turned pale for a moment, knowing well that the Zhan Family now treasured Qiao Jing.

    The impression of the upper-ss remained unchanged,pletely unaware of the shift in the Zhan Family¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing.

    But she couldn¡¯t let others know this, so she reluctantly began to persuade.

    ¡°Yan Ting, stop talking¡­¡±

    Yan Ting snorted coldly and patted Lou Xinrou¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Xinrou, I know you¡¯re kind-hearted. A person like Qiao Jing simply doesn¡¯t match Young Master Zhan. Moreover, you and Young Master Zhan have been childhood friends. How can she, an outsider, climb over your head?

    After all, both Mrs. Su and Miss Zhan dislike Qiao Jing. Just rx, and with your many years of ties with the Zhan Family, your position is definitely higher than Qiao Jing¡¯s.¡±

    The guests previously engaged in discussions shifted their attention towards Yan Ting with strange looks and started to walk away to other ces, distancing themselves from the two women.

    ¡°If Young Master Zhan heard this, she would be in big trouble¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly, and moreover, this is at Elder Mr. Lou¡¯s banquet, in front of so many people. She really has no sense.¡±

    ¡°Plus, anyone with clear eyes can see that Young Master Zhan likes Qiao Jing¡­¡±

    As people whispered among each other, a few more people entered the banquet hall from the entrance!

    It was Zhan Yao, Su Manhan, and Zhan Nanqing, making their way directly to Qiao Jing.

    Yan Ting crossed her arms, her face full of scorn.

    ¡°Ha! Mrs. Su and Miss Zhan have arrived, let¡¯s see if Qiao Jing can still be so smug.¡±

    Everyone knew that Mrs. Su and Miss Zhan didn¡¯t get along with Qiao Jing, and soon Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain herposure.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression grew increasingly strained, and she simply shut her mouth, refusing to speak.

    But the next moment, the scorn on Yan Ting¡¯s face disappeared, reced by shock.

    Because she saw¡­

    Su Manhan affectionately took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and gently patted the back of her hand.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for President Lou¡¯s sake, I wouldn¡¯t havee at all. Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat? I¡¯ll take you to the dessert area to check.¡±

 Chapter 379 - 368: Qiao Jing Wants to Swim in Public?

    <strong>Chapter 379: Chapter 368: Qiao Jing Wants to Swim in Public?</strong>

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s actions in the past were vivid in her memory, and she did not want to see Lou Xinrou now.

    But she reconsidered, realizing that the actions of the younger generation should not be imposed on the elders. After all, President Lou was an elder, and she should not disrespect him.

    Although she could not enter the venue with Qiao Jing, her public disy of affection towards Qiao Jing let everyone else know her intentions.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard the word ¡°dessert,¡± her eyes lit up and she smiled, moving closer to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat something together. My brother is probably busy discussing business with someone else right now, let¡¯s not bother him and just enjoy our meal,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the woman by his side, his long eyebrows gathered like mist, his eyes slightly displeased as he emphasized,

    ¡°Qiao Jing is my date.¡±

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing both rolled their eyes simultaneously.

    Here we go again.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, Zhan Nanqing spoke up first.

    ¡°Brother, mom and I just wanted to take Qiao Jing to have some food; we¡¯re not trying to steal your wife. Besides, someone might want to discuss business with dad too, so you two keep busy,¡± she said.

    She rolled her eyes in exasperation; her brother was probably treating her and her mother as rivals in love.

    With a frown, Su Manhan unhesitatingly led Qiao Jing toward the dessert section.

    ¡°Alright, you two keep busy. Qipei, I¡¯m just trying to be nice to my daughter-inw, not stealing your wife,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pursed into a straight, uncurving line, his facial contours tense.

    Although he was a bit jealous of his motherpeting with him for Qiao Jing, he was very relieved to see his mother being so kind to Qiao Jing.

    After all, his mother¡¯s previous attitude towards Qiao Jing had not been very good.

    He gazed at Qiao Jing with a look of reluctance, as if he had been abandoned.

    Feeling the stare of the man, Qiao Jing instinctively felt a sense of guilt.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving first,¡± she said.

    It wasn¡¯t as if she wouldn¡¯t return. Zhan Qipei¡¯s look made her feel like a heartbreaker.

    Zhan Qipei grunted in acknowledgment, his dark eyes still fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing stood on either side of Qiao Jing, escorting her towards the dessert section.

    That¡¯s how Qiao Jing was brought to the dessert section by the two of them.

    Su Manhan meticulously chose some cakes with less cream and found some snacks as well.

    ¡°These aren¡¯t too rich; just have something to fill your stomach for now. If you¡¯re not fullter, I¡¯ll cook something more for you when we get home,¡± she said.

    Zhan Nanqing, who was eating a cupcake, looked at Su Manhan with a hint of jealousy in her eyes.

    ¡°Mom, I want some too,¡± she said.

    With a curious nce, Su Manhan handed the food on the te to Qiao Jing, saying,

    ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m making this for Qiao Jing to nourish her body, stop meddling.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing retorted discontentedly,

    ¡°I need to nourish my body too!¡±

    With a look of disdain, Su Manhan nced at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°You¡¯re already that fat, and you still need nourishment?¡±

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach and then at her own, and made a surprising discovery.

    By all ounts, Qiao Jing should have been more than three months pregnant, yet her waist was even thinner than that of Zhan Nanqing, a girl in her prime!

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless, but she didn¡¯t want to offend Su Manhan, so she took what was offered.

    ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s no trouble,¡± she said.

    She could make something to eat by herself when she returned to Nantai Apartment.

    Knowing Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t drink because of her pregnancy, Zhan Nanqing brought over a ss of orange juice.

    ¡°Eating cake alone can be heavy, have some orange juice,¡± she suggested.

    The conversation among the three was clearly heard by Lou Xinrou and Yan Ting nearby, as well as by other guests around them.

    The guests present were even more astonished, their faces showing a look of surprise.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said before that Mrs. Su and Miss Zhan both especially disliked Qiao Jing? Why is it like this now?¡±

    ¡°It looks like the mother-inw and daughter-inw rtionship is very good, and Miss Zhan also seems to like Qiao Jing a lot,pletely different from the rumors!¡±

    ¡°Heh heh, it seems that someone¡¯s earlier sarcasm and ridicule were a bit off the mark¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The guests who had heard Yan Ting¡¯s words before looked at her with a sarcastic gaze.

    Yan Ting felt as though her face was being pped resoundingly, and she wanted to pull Lou Xinrou aside to question her thoroughly.

    After all, it was Lou Xinrou who told her that Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing especially disliked Qiao Jing, which emboldened her to make those earlier remarks. Now, she had utterly lost face.

    When she looked up, she saw Lou Xinrou¡¯s terrifying expression, her lips were even bitten until they bled, and she was staring intently in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

    Yan Ting was startled and immediately let go of Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand, quickly stepping back a few paces.

    Lou Xinrou noticed her reaction and immediately switched back to her usual gentle demeanor, pretending as if nothing was amiss.

    ¡°Yan Ting? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Yan Ting swallowed her saliva, her gaze towards Lou Xinrou was somewhat strange as she made an excuse to leave.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I need to find my mom.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the broken skin on Lou Xinrou¡¯s lips, she would have thought she had seen wrong earlier.

    Even though her own temperament wasn¡¯t great, Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression was even scarier than hers, as if she had be someone else.

    Lou Xinrou showed a gentle smile.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Once the surrounding crowd had mostly dispersed, her gaze turned incredibly malicious, ring fiercely at the three of them.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were surrounding Qiao Jing, chatting andughing with her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s ce should have been hers!

    Yet, it had been snatched away by Qiao Jing!

    She definitely needed to find an opportunity quickly to let Qiao Jing realize who rightfully belonged by Brother Pei¡¯s side!

    After Qiao Jing finished the contents of her te, Su Manhan made a suggestion.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s an indoor temperature-controlled swimming pool here, shall we go have a look?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes lit up, curious as well, she asked Qiao Jing,

    ¡°I¡¯d like to go have a look and soak a bit as well.¡±

    Without refusing the two women, Qiao Jing apanied them toward the swimming pool.

    Standing not far from them, Lou Xinrou also lifted her foot and followed them.

    While negotiating with apany¡¯s boss, Zhan Qipei noticed from the corner of his eye that Qiao Jing was heading to another area with Su Manhan and others, feeling somewhat puzzled.

    ¡°Boss Wang, what ce is that?¡±

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s question, Boss Wang hurriedly answered him.

    ¡°That¡¯s the swimming pool here, which Elder Lou had reserved.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned somewhat dark, a swimming pool?

    What was his wife doing there?

    Could it be that she wanted to go swimming?

    With so many people, his wife wanted to swim?!

    If she wore a swimsuit, wouldn¡¯t that expose her figure?!

    Zhan Qipei had no mood to continue discussing with Boss Wang and prepared to leave directly.

    But seeing that the negotiations were almost concluded, Boss Wang spoke up reluctantly.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, about the business cooperation, there are some details I¡¯d like to discuss a bit more with you. If you¡¯re busy, you can go first¡­¡±

    He spoke while ncing in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, his gaze withdrew and he resumed his usual slightly stern expression.

    ¡°Continue speaking.¡±

 Chapter 380 - 369: Qiao Jing is Pushed into the Water

    <strong>Chapter 380: Chapter 369: Qiao Jing is Pushed into the Water</strong>

    By the poolside.

    Qiao Jing nced at the azure pool. The water was crystal clear and of excellent quality.

    However, it was probably because everyone was here for the banquet that no one was swimming.

    The guests around the pool were standing by the edge, engaging in conversations with one another.

    Upon seeing the pool, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes lit up even brighter. She hurried to the edge of the pool, squatted down, reached out to touch the water, and then looked up in surprise.

    ¡°Mom, Qiao Jing, I suddenly really want to swim. Do you want to join me?¡±

    She looked around at the other people and, realizing that no one else wanted to swim, stood up.

    ¡°Strange, why isn¡¯t anyone swimming?¡±

    Su Manhan poked Zhan Nanqing¡¯s forehead with her finger.

    ¡°Are you here for the banquet or to swim? If you swim alone, wouldn¡¯t that be awkward?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing covered her forehead, sulkingly ¡°oh¡±-ed in agreement, thinking that it indeed made sense. If everyone watched only her swim, she¡¯d probably be extremely embarrassed.

    Qiao Jing stood on the side, watching the interactions between the two, and couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    While the mother and daughter were still bantering, a richly dressed and equally dignifieddy approached.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, I spotted you from afar, but I just got caught up chatting with someone. Now, I¡¯ve finally got the chance toe over and find you.¡±

    When Su Manhan saw the neer, she put away joking expression and revealed a proper smile.

    ¡°Good evening, Mrs. Liu.¡±

    Mrs. Liu took a few looks at Qiao Jing, and remembering Su Manhan¡¯s demeanor toward Qiao Jing, she asked indirectly.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite fond of your daughter-inw.¡±

    Su Manhan nodded, her gaze towards Qiao Jing filled with pride.

    ¡°She¡¯s the only daughter-inw I have, of course, I like her.¡±

    Her daughter-inw is skillful and beautiful, with a proper demeanor. If she doesn¡¯t like Qiao Jing, who would she like?

    Now that Mrs. Liu knew Su Manhan¡¯s attitude, her gaze towards Qiao Jing also took on a pleasing intention.

    ¡°That makes sense. Mrs. Su, would you like to join me for a ss of wine? I heard that Elder Mr. Lou has prepared a batch of particrly rare red wines from abroad today. I¡¯ve been wanting to try them and never expected to get the chance at the banquet.¡±

    She could take the opportunity to foster a good rtionship with Su Manhan and bring their families closer. If she could find a chance for cooperation with the Zhan Family, it would be a sure win.

    At this point, Yan Ting, holding a wine ss, slowly walked up behind Mrs. Liu.

    ¡°Mom, how did you end up by the pool?¡±

    When she saw Zhan Nanqing, her eyes brightened, and she wore a somewhat sycophantic smile.

    ¡°Hey! Nanqing, it¡¯s been a long time since west met, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Even though she had just spoken ill of Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t heard it, so it didn¡¯t affect her chatting with Zhan Nanqing.

    She herself wanted to establish a connection with Zhan Nanqing and, given that her mother had also tasked her with befriending Zhan Nanqing, she was not going to easily let go of this opportunity.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Yan Ting and frowned.

    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem very familiar with this person; she seemed to be the daughter of the Yan family.

    Mrs. Liu gave Yan Ting a meaningful nce, and thetter immediately understood.

    Yan Ting walked up to Zhan Nanqing and took her hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and have a few drinks to catch up, shall we?¡±

    At the entrance to the pool, there was a table piled with a small mountain of red wine bottles.

    Zhan Nanqing looked towards Qiao Jing. She had intended to stay with Qiao Jing and avoid the socializing.

    As she was thinking this, Su Manhan¡¯s voice rang in her ear.

    ¡°Nanqing, you should join us.¡±

    Although she did want to decline the two women, on a social asion like this, it didn¡¯t seem right to rebuff them.

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips and kept staring at Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan also noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze and naturally didn¡¯t wish to leave her daughter-inw by herself either.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, do you want toe with us?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go. I don¡¯t like crowded scenes.¡±

    Su Manhan thought it over¡ªQiao Jing indeed wasn¡¯t fond of these shy events¡ªso she didn¡¯t press the invitation further.

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be going first.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and watched as they walked towards the entrance of the swimming pool.

    During this time, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing frequently looked back at her, their reluctant expressions rivaled only by that of Zhan Qipei. Hidden in the shadows, Lou Xinrou, seething with anger after hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, felt her teeth itch with rage.

    Her gaze fell upon the swimming pool and lingered menacingly on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Suddenly, a malicious thought sprouted in her mind.

    If she were to push pregnant Qiao Jing into the swimming pool, a shock might cause a miscarriage!

    A cheap woman like Qiao Jing didn¡¯t deserve to bear Brother Pei¡¯s child!

    Only she deserved to carry Brother Pei¡¯s child!

    At that thought, she clenched her fists tightly, making a ¡°creak creak¡± sound, nced around, and, seeing that no one was paying attention to the area and there were few people at the pool, a hideous smile spread across her face.

    The opportunity had arrived!

    She charged forward quickly.

    Qiao Jing heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind her. She furrowed her brows and just as she was about to turn around, she felt a hand on her back.

    She realized something was wrong and immediately turned back, only to see Lou Xinrou¡¯s ferocious face.

    With madness in her eyes, Lou Xinrou violently pushed Qiao Jing forward, all the while repeating.

    ¡°Die, Qiao Jing!¡±

    And then!

    ¡°Ssh¡ª!!!¡±

    The originally calm water surface erupted with a huge ssh!

    This loud noise drew everyone¡¯s attention, and they all turned to look toward the pool.

    When they saw someone in the pool, they were stunned.

    ¡°Who was near the pool just now? Did they go for a swim?¡±

    ¡°I feel like they didn¡¯t go for a swim. With such a big ssh just now, a normal person wouldn¡¯t dive like that, would they?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Both Su Manhan, who had been drinking, and Zhan Nanqing froze.

    The only person beside the swimming pool was Qiao Jing!

    Their eyes widened in shock.

    Su Manhan immediately set down her ss, her face filled with worry.

    If Qiao Jing wanted to swim, she would certainly change her clothes. How could she swim in a dress?!

    Knowing that Qiao Jing was pregnant, Zhan Nanqing felt even more anxious now.

    Even if the water in the pool was warm, the cold air could cause a chill once she got out. Qiao Jing, pregnant, couldn¡¯t afford to be tossed around like this!

    The two hastened their steps, but a ck shadow moved faster than them, sweeping past and creating a gust of wind.

    By the time they recognized the ck figure, Zhan Qipei was already by the pool¡¯s edge.

    As Qiao Jing fell into the water, she didn¡¯t have time to react and inadvertently swallowed a mouthful of water, turning pale.

    Seeing the woman¡¯s pale face, concern crawled over the man¡¯s otherwise expressionless visage.

    After choking on water, Qiao Jing immediately held her breath, her brows tightly furrowed. Just as she was about to swim to the edge, she heard another ¡°ssh¡± beside her.

    Before she could react, she felt a pair of strong, firm arms around her waist.

    The man¡¯s familiar scent significantly calmed her down.

    But this was just a swimming pool, not even deep. She could have swum up by herself.

    What on earth was this man doing, jumping in?

    In the next second, both Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei surfaced together.

    After breathing in fresh air, Qiao Jing coughed out the water she had choked on.

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei gently patted the woman¡¯s back, his eyes conveying his worry.

    Qiao Jing soon recovered, mentally chiding herself.

    How could she not have reacted when she fell into the water? Maybe being pregnant really dulled her reactions¡­

    Could it be that she was also facing three years of pregnancy-induced silliness?

 Chapter 381 - 370 Qiao Jing Is Angry

    <strong>Chapter 381: Chapter 370 Qiao Jing Is Angry</strong>

    However¡­ the man before her might be even sillier.

    It was just a two-meter-deep swimming pool, nothing to her, but Zhan Qipei had just jumped in and became a drenched chicken alongside her.

    Qiao Jing lifted her gaze toward Zhan Qipei, whose wet bangs clung softly to his forehead, and his brows and eyes were misted with ayer of water.

    The water droplets fell along his jawline to his corbone, where his wet white shirt vaguely revealed his tight chest.

    After seeing this, she silently withdrew her gaze.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing rushed to their side and helped pull Qiao Jing out.

    Upon seeing the scene, the waitstaff immediately brought over dry towels.

    Su Manhan took a towel from the waitstaff and hurriedly draped it over Qiao Jing.

    ¡°How did you suddenly end up in the pool? What happened?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool gaze deepened, a chill tainting her brows and eyes, and she looked expressionlessly around her.

    Lou Xinrou ran away.

    After Zhan Qipei returned to the ground, his dark eyes swept around with an inspecting and icy look, his face so gloomy as if water was about to drip from it, and the temperature around him dropped several degrees.

    He took a dry towel handed over by the waitstaff and looked up at Qiao Jing.

    Her ck hair clung to her shoulders, and a few undried droplets remained on her fair face.

    Her ck evening gown was soaked, clinging tightly to her body, outlining her exquisite curves. She covered Qiao Jing with a towel, gazing directly into the woman¡¯s phoenix eyes.

    A flicker of obscure emotion passed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, fleeting in an instant, as he draped the towel over the woman.

    ¡°Who pushed you in?¡±

    When he had rushed over, Qiao Jing was already in the pool, but he hadn¡¯t seen anyone else around the edge.

    His wife wouldn¡¯t go swimming in her dress.

    As Zhan Qipei spoke, everyone present was stunned.

    Pushed in?

    Was Qiao Jing pushed into the pool?

    Su Manhan¡¯s face immediately darkened, as she used a towel to wipe Qiao Jing¡¯s hair and wrapped her up.

    Qiao Jing nced at the man soaked through, took off the excess towel from herself, and draped it over him.

    ¡°Dry yourself off.¡±

    Zhan Qipei felt a slight thrill in his heart when Qiao Jing draped a towel over him, but this thrill was quickly reced by anger.

    He narrowed his dark eyes and gathered his smoky brows, his lips tightly pursed.

    ¡°Did you see who pushed you?¡±

    Lou Pinshu hurried over after hearing about the incident.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    Someone falling into the swimming pool during his birthday banquet wasn¡¯t a big deal, and he wasn¡¯t nning to get involved initially.

    But after hearing that it was Qiao Jing who had fallen into the pool, he ran over almost using his hands and feet out of fright.

    That was Professor Qiao who had fallen in!

    Professor Qiao was a pir of the nation. If any ident happened at his banquet¡­

    The consequences were unimaginable!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes were as deep as a pool of dark water. Despite being wet, she didn¡¯t seem the slightest bit disheveled, but rather, her disarray added to her beauty.

    Her emotionless voice rose, sending chills up Lou Pinshu¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Mr. Lou should ask your granddaughter about it.¡±

    Previously, she didn¡¯t want to hold Lou Xinrou to ount, but the other party had crossed the line.

    This time it concerned her child, and she wouldn¡¯t endure.

    Lou Pinshu, burning with rage, sharply reprimanded someone by his side.

    ¡°Bring Lou Xinrou to me!¡±

    The crowd was surprised. Lou Xinrou was the granddaughter that Lou Pinshu took pride in, and his calling her by full name indicated the intensity of Old Master Lou¡¯s anger.

    A bystander hastily responded, ¡°Yes,¡± and ran off to find the person.

    The guests around had not expected this scene to unfold, and after hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, they all looked at each other in bewilderment.

    ¡°Is Qiao Jing implying that Lou Xinrou pushed her into the water?¡±

    ¡°Did anyone around here see anything?¡±

    ¡°No, everyone was drinking and chatting, and there weren¡¯t many people by the pool to begin with, so no one noticed.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    A girl in a light blue dress spoke up.

    ¡°There was nobody by the pool, so who could have pushed her in? Could it be that she deliberately fell in, hoping to gain Young Master Zhan¡¯s sympathy?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s temper red up instantly, and she took a few steps forward, wanting to argue with that person.

    It wasn¡¯t as if she was pushed in by someone; could she have fallen in by herself? When they left, Qiao Jing was still a few steps away from the pool, how could she have fallen in?!

    She recognized the girl in the light blue dress; it was the Tang Family¡¯s Miss, Tang Qingli, who had pursued her brother before. The mockery was definitely deliberate!

    She had only walked a few steps when Su Manhan pulled her back.

    Su Manhan nced at Qiao Jing and spoke softly.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got your back.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly in response to Su Manhan, her icy gaze like a de, turned towards Tang Qingli, her expression chilled and sharp as a knife¡¯s edge.

    ¡°Are you suggesting that in this dead of winter, I fell in just to make Zhan Qipei feel sorry for me?¡±

    Tang Qingli was intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s stare and subconsciously touched her arm, realizing she had broken out in goosebumps.

    She was sessfully silenced by Qiao Jing¡¯s retort and, seeing the Zhan Family siding with Qiao Jing, muttered quietly to herself.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that it really was like that, I was just guessing¡­¡±

    She had never liked Qiao Jing, and although in her heart Lou Xinrou wasn¡¯t any good either, she despised Qiao Jing more, especially since Qiao Jing had married Zhan Qipei.

    Moreover, she had just seen Zhan Qipei being so kind to Qiao Jing, driven by jealousy, she had made those mocking remarks.

    Just at that moment!

    Lou Xinrou was brought over.

    ¡°Grandpa, did you call me over for something?¡±

    Her face feigned confusion as if she knew nothing, unaware that her palms had already started to sweat.

    She had never expected that Qiao Jing would react so quickly and turn around, catching her in the act.

    But it didn¡¯t matter, as no one had been paying attention to them, and the cameras by the pool hadn¡¯t captured them.

    So even if Qiao Jing insisted it was her doing, there was no evidence to prove it.

    After all, the incident with Jiang Ling being pushed into the pool went by, she had stoutly denied involvement and it had passed¡ªthis time Qiao Jing certainly couldn¡¯t do anything to her!

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from Tang Qingli, her face impassively void of any excess emotion, inscrutable.

    Lou Pinshu, seeing Qiao Jing drenched, felt both fear and anger, berating Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Where did you just go? Was it you who pushed Qiao Jing?!¡±

    Someone like Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t make baseless usations against his granddaughter; he had already been suspicious of her character.

    Now that Qiao Jing had pointed out Lou Xinrou, it was very likely his granddaughter who had pushed her in!

    Lou Xinrou, facing Lou Pinshu¡¯s furious face, instinctively felt fear, her eyes starting to betray a look of panic.

    ¡°Ah? Grandpa, what do you mean ¡®push Qiao Jing¡¯? I don¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    Before she could defend herself, Lou Pinshu pped her across the face, producing a loud ¡°smack!¡±

    ¡°You still dare to quibble?¡±

    He saw the panic in his granddaughter¡¯s eyes and guessed that she was the culprit.

    If he didn¡¯t show some authority, what if Qiao Jing became angry and med the entire Lou Family for this matter?

    The dual identities of Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing were not something the Lou Family could afford to provoke!

    Moreover, the Zhan Family stood behind Qiao Jing.

    Most importantly, he, Lou Pinshu, believed that the upbringing he provided to Lou Xinrou from childhood was no worse than anyone else¡¯s, even stringent, and she should have grown into an upstanding person, yet shemitted such filthy deeds!

    It chilled him to the core, disgracing the Lou Family!

    Lou Xinrou covered her pped face, her eyes widening in shock.

 Chapter 382 - 371: Qiao Jing Wants to Strip Zhan Qipeis Clothes

    <strong>Chapter 382: Chapter 371: Qiao Jing Wants to Strip Zhan Qipei¡¯s Clothes</strong>

    She stood frozen in ce, her cheek burning from a hot sting, and without looking, she knew there was a bright red handprint on her face.

    Tears of grievance began to form as her grandfather hadn¡¯t even listened to her exnation before hitting her.

    For what reason?!

    She red fiercely at Qiao Jing, wanting to see her looking disheveled and pale.

    But at that moment, Qiao Jing was not disheveled at all and was protected by three people,pletely unharmed.

    And among those three people, two were the ones who used to be closest to her!

    All were stolen by Qiao Jing! It¡¯s all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault!

    Everything was Qiao Jing¡¯s fault!

    Why doesn¡¯t Qiao Jing just die?!

    Also, having just been pushed down, wouldn¡¯t that have hurt the baby?

    It would be better if Qiao Jing and the wretched child inside her were dead!

    Seeing this scene, Mrs. Lou immediately rushed to Lou Xinrou¡¯s side and supported her.

    At this moment, she was furious yet dared not speak, suppressing her anger and asked cautiously,

    ¡°Dad, why did you hit Xinrou?¡±

    Hitting Xinrou in front of everyone was a total disrespect to her, turning his nce to the slightly swollen handprint, it genuinely upset her as a mother.

    Lou Pinshu let out a heavy snort.

    ¡°She knows well what she has done!¡±

    After saying that, he looked towards Qiao Jing, his expression softened a lot and even carried a hint of apology.

    ¡°Sorry, Miss Qiao, it¡¯s myck of discipline; I apologize on behalf of my granddaughter. Sigh¡ª¡±

    The crowd exchanged nces, with nobody speaking a word.

    Publicly hitting Lou Xinrou had already shocked them greatly, as it was clearly a disrespect to his own granddaughter.

    What was even more important was Lou Pinshu¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing, which left the crowd too shocked to speak.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips; she was a person who valued evidence.

    ¡°Elder Mr. Lou, there¡¯s no need to rush this, why not look at the surveince footage first before making a decision, otherwise, people might think that I am using someone unjustly.¡±

    She looked towards a surveince camera in the corner of the pool.

    From Lou Xinrou¡¯s angle, she couldn¡¯t see another camera behind her capturing the scene very clearly.

    That¡¯s why Lou Xinrou was so bold.

    After hearing the word ¡®surveince,¡¯ Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression turned to shock, she incredulously lifted her head, staring at Qiao Jing.

    Impossible¡­

    Impossible!

    There shouldn¡¯t be any surveince!!

    But Qiao Jing¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look fake¡­

    She followed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s pupils dted twice their size, her face draining of color.

    ¡°No¡­ how could there be surveince?¡±

    Qiao Jing wrapped herself tighter in the towel, feeling a bit cold, furrowing her brows.

    ¡°You can check the surveince yourselves.¡±

    She didn¡¯t stay any longer, casting a nce at the man by her side.

    Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing and left.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, having seen Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression, already knew the truth.

    Neither of them felt like staying any longer; they gave Lou Xinrou a cold nce and left as well.

    Those present, after seeing Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression, began specting quietly amongst themselves.

    ¡°Looking at her face, could it really have been her who pushed¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, why not just check the surveince?¡±

    ¡°Then why did she push Qiao Jing down? But Young Master Zhan didn¡¯t hesitate at all and jumped down to hold Qiao Jing, it really makes people envious!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯splexion turned paler and paler, and she couldn¡¯t listen anymore. She covered her face and ran away.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had left, Lou Pinshu naturally would not publicly reveal the surveince, as it would disgrace the Lou Family no matter what.

    He stated solemnly, ¡°This matter ends here.¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone dispersed very perceptively.

    ¡°If it was Xinrou who pushed Qiao Jing in the surveince, she will be dealt with by familyw.¡±

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    Qiao Jing took the clothes handed over by Zhan Qipei and hurriedly walked to the bathroom.

    On the way home, the man had already turned on the car¡¯s heater, but the sticky feeling on her body made her ufortable.

    When she came out of the bathroom, she faced Zhan Qipei, who was standing at the door.

    The man was still wearing that soaked suit, not having changed his clothes.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and urged him.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you change? Go take a shower, or you might catch a cold.¡±

    Her gaze fell on the white shirt the man was wearing, and she suddenly remembered something, her expression turning worried.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei! Your back wound hasn¡¯t fully healed, why did you jump into the pool?¡±

    She anxiously tried to open Zhan Qipei¡¯s shirt to see how the wound on his back was.

    She had changed his dressing that morning, and the wound was almost healed, but with such a big action of jumping into the water earlier, what if the wound split open again?

    If the wound split open, touching water would easily cause the wound to be infected, and it might even lead to a fever.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and took off his coat. He hadn¡¯t changed clothes simply because he was still somewhat shaken and wanted to stay close to Qiao Jing at all times.

    ¡°Seeing you choke on the water in the pool, I just jumped in instinctively.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t bear to see Qiao Jing get into trouble in front of him, he couldn¡¯t handle it.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, but her eyes showed a worried expression.

    ¡°Go take a shower now, avoid the wound, and after youe out, I¡¯ll check it for you.¡±

    She paused, then continued from where she had left off.

    ¡°The pool is only two meters deep, it¡¯s not dangerous for me, and I can swim. But what about you, don¡¯t you remember the wound on your body?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, his dark eyes staring intently at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing felt a sudden throb in her temple but had no way to deal with Zhan Qipei, so she just pushed him into the bathroom.

    ¡°There¡¯s a bathrobe inside, bathe immediately, and be careful with the wound.¡±

    Her voice carried an undeniable tone as she closed the door for him.

    After ushering him into the shower, she went straight to the kitchen and cooked two bowls of ginger soup to prevent them both from catching cold.

    After drinking her share, she sat in the chair and took her own pulse, relieved that there was nothing seriously wrong with her body, just a bit chilled.

    Zhan Qipei quickly washed up, eager to make ginger soup for Qiao Jing.

    When he came out, Qiao Jing was sitting in a chair taking her pulse, and he stepped forward.

    ¡°How¡¯s your body feeling? I was going to cook¡ª¡±

    His sentence stopped when he saw the steaming ginger soup on the table.

    Without a word, Qiao Jing pushed the ginger soup towards him, urging him.

    ¡°Drink the ginger soup, and take off the bathrobe so I can check your wound.¡±

    Zhan Qipei felt delighted seeing how much Qiao Jing cared for him, his lips curling into a smile.

    His wife had given him a towel at the banquet, now she was cooking ginger soup for him and checking his wound.

    Could his wife have fallen in love with him already?

 Chapter 383 - 372: Zhan Qipei, Take Your Hands Off!

    <strong>Chapter 383: Chapter 372: Zhan Qipei, Take Your Hands Off!</strong>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes faltered when she saw the man¡¯s wound.

    The wound that was almost healed had burst open again, turning whitish after being soaked.

    She furrowed her brows tightly and took out some iodine to start disinfecting the man¡¯s wound.

    During the process, her brow was chilly and her face was solemn.

    After disinfecting the wound, she applied some ointment, and then wrapped it with a bandage.

    Having done all this, Qiao Jing stood up and earnestly instructed the man.

    ¡°The wound has burst open again, you can¡¯t touch water or eat spicy foods until it heals,¡± she told him.

    Just as the wound was nearly healed, her man had jumped into the pool to save her.

    This man really was¡­

    However, she had already treated the wound; it should not get infected and cause a fever again.

    Qiao Jing put the medicine back, and as it was gettingte and she was feeling sleepy, her eyelids began to feel heavy.

    She couldn¡¯t help yawning and made sure the man put his bathrobe back on before she went back to her room to sleep.

    In her semi-conscious state, Qiao Jing suddenly felt something like a ¡°furnace¡± beside her.

    In the cold winter, the heat from the ¡°furnace¡± felt incrediblyfortable, and she subconsciously moved closer to it.

    Her hand unconsciously rested on the ¡°furnace,¡± but it suddenly moved and emitted a groan.

    ¡°Mmm¡ª¡±

    Upon hearing this sound, Qiao Jing instantly became somewhat more alert and slowly opened her sleepy eyes.

    She then saw the man¡¯s handsome face close at hand.

    It startled her for a moment.

    A few secondster, Qiao Jing recovered and fixed her gaze on the man¡¯s face.

    His brows were so furrowed they could almost kill a fly, his lips tightly pursed, hisplexion somewhat pale.

    She blinked her eyes, realizing her hand was resting on the man¡¯s firm chest.

    But these were not the point; the temperature of the man¡¯s body made her sit up quickly.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s feverst time had been the same, his whole body almost smoking hot.

    Qiao Jing reached out and ced her hand on Zhan Qipei¡¯s forehead.

    Sure enough, the scorching heat in her palm proved that Zhan Qipei had a fever again.

    She guessed it was due to the recent infection in the wound.

    But although she had already disinfected and reapplied medication to the wound, the fact that he still had a fever was truly an unfortunate setback.

    She guessed that the man had not been in good healthtely, having not fully recovered, and had jumped into the pool for her the day before.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing let out a helpless sigh, walked to the living room to find the medicine box, prepared the fever-reducing medicine, and carried it back to the room.

    When she saw Zhan Qipei lying in her bed asleep, she paused, a question dawning in her mind.

    Why had this jerk run from his room to hers?

    But at this point, she couldn¡¯t dwell on it much longer; if he didn¡¯t take his medicine soon, Zhan Qipei might be delirious from the fever.

    Qiao Jing quickly walked to the bedside and pulled him up.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you have a fever, get up and take your medicine,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei frowned slightly, and upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, he slowly opened his eyes.

    His dark eyes carried a trace of haziness, deeply gazing at her.

    He hade to Qiao Jing¡¯s room after his fever spiked; he didn¡¯t want to take medicine, he just wanted to be with his wife.

    He nced at the cup in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and pursed his lips.

    He had been strong since childhood, rarely sick, and could count on one hand the number of times he had a cold, with fevers almost exclusively in his toddler years.

    Yet since he had met Qiao Jing, he had had several fevers.

    Was it fate¡¯s design to spare him as a child only to concentrate his illnesses now, so that his woman could take care of him?

    Looking at the current situation, that seemed very likely.

    Qiao Jing saw that the man was staring at her and didn¡¯t even nce at the medicine in her hand, causing her to frown.

    ¡°Can staring at me reduce your fever?¡± she asked.

    She handed the cup to Zhan Qipei, sat by the bed, and, to ensure he would take his medicine, kept her eyes fixed on him.

    Being pregnant made her more sleepy, and waking up halfway through sleep was especially taxing; she was struggling to keep her eyes open.

    She hurried him to finish his medicine so she could go back to sleep.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, Zhan Qipei ced the cup on the bedside table and pulled Qiao Jing to his side, making the woman lie down.

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, blinked, and forced herself to be somewhat more alert, pushing the man with her hand.

    ¡°What are you doing? Take your medicine.¡±

    If this jerk doesn¡¯t take his medicine, how can his fever go down?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t answer, his burning palm touched Qiao Jing¡¯s neck and he deliberately pinched the woman¡¯s earlobe with his fingertips.

    ¡°Let me kiss you.¡±

    He was a bit delirious from the fever now and needed to kiss his wife to feel better.

    The earlobe rubbed by his calloused fingertips made her instantly alert, and her toes uncontrobly curled.

    The temperature of the man¡¯s fingers was as high as his, and at the moment her earlobe seemed almost scorched.

    She pushed him with her hand.

    Zhan Qipei immediately let out a muffled groan on purpose.

    ¡°Mmm¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s movements stiffened, furrowing her brows as she looked up at him.

    Had she pushed too hard?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingertips still lingered near Qiao Jing¡¯s earlobe, taking advantage of her stunned moment to pinch it excessively again.

    Hey on top of Qiao Jing, avoiding her stomach, resting his head on her shoulder, his dark eyes deepening, his tone stubborn.

    ¡°Just let me kiss you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved once, and she pushed him off directly, her lips twitching slightly, somewhat speechless.

    ¡°No, get off.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t going to step back just because this jerk was running a fever.

    Zhan Qipei was pushed off but pressed against Qiao Jing again the next second.

    After pinching Qiao Jing¡¯s earlobe a few times, he realized that even her earlobe seemed off limits.

    He deliberately pinched it again, his fiery breath spraying on her neck.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but shiver, her eyes and eyebrows carrying a hint of annoyance, unaware of it.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei! Take your hands off and go take your medicine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei kept staring at the slightly reddened earlobe of the woman, his dark eyes growing even deeper, a vaguely understandable emotion shing through his eyes.

    He admired Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly annoyed expression, hooked the corner of his mouth, revealing a captivating smile.

    His deep, maic voice sounded as if it carried a bewitching charm.

    ¡°Let me kiss you, and then I¡¯ll take the medicine.¡±

    Qiao Jing felt her temples abruptly pulsing.

    She ced her hand against the man¡¯s firm chest, trying to push him away.

    ¡°Take it or leave it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to deal with this jerk, or else she might end up having him hold her and nibble and bite her again.

    Zhan Qipeiy motionless on top of her, gazing softly at the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have an even worse fever tomorrow.¡±

    Qiao Jing became even more speechless, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s your own fault for not taking the medicine, it¡¯s not my problem.¡±

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, cing his burning forehead against her shoulder, letting her feel the temperature of his forehead.

    The two remained in a stalemate for several minutes, Zhan Qipei still showing no intention of getting up.

    He seemed fully prepared to maintain this posture and sleep through the night.

    Qiao Jing felt the continuous heat from her shoulder and pursed her lips.

    After a moment, her chest rose and fell heavily, and she slowly exhaled.

    If she didn¡¯t do something, given Zhan Qipei¡¯s stubbornness, he might indeed refuse to take his medicine and just be stubborn with her all night.

    Fine, considering the man was sick, she would endure!

    Qiao Jing gritted her teeth as she spoke.

    ¡°Fine, a kiss then¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, the man¡¯s thin lips pressed against hers immediately.

    After a few seconds, she felt her lips gradually starting to tingle.

 Chapter 384 - 384 373 Insisting on a Kiss

    ?Chapter 384: Chapter 373: Insisting on a Kiss   Chapter 384: Chapter 373: Insisting on a Kiss                                   Qiao Jing endured for a full minute but could take it no longer. However, her mouth was now gagged, and she simply couldn¡¯t find the opportunity to curse at this despicable man.

    Just as she was about to push him away, it seemed he anticipated her intention and trapped her in his embrace with his arms.

    She struggled a bit only to find the man¡¯s strength was immense, making it impossible for her to break free!

    What was going on? Hadn¡¯t Zhan Qipei just been acting as if he were at death¡¯s door?

    How had his strength be so great all of a sudden?

    Since she couldn¡¯t break free, out of desperation, she bit him¡ªnot too lightly but not too harshly either.

    Wasn¡¯t it agreed to be just a kiss?

    Why did this kiss seem never-ending?!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements paused momentarily, but he didn¡¯t pull back, instead locking eyes with the woman and continuing to tease her earlobe with the pad of his finger.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes trembled, and she tried to push him away again.

    But as she attempted to do so, a pair of hands snaked under the hem of her clothes.

    At that moment, she was so startled her hairs stood on end.

    This was not over yet!

    Next, the man leaned closer to her ear and slowly uttered a sentence.

    After hearing what the man said, Qiao Jing slightly widened her eyes, her fair face flushing a faint red as she red at him.

    ¡ª¡ª

    The next morning.

    When Qiao Jing woke up, she felt sore all over her body. She propped herself up on the edge of the bed and stood.

    The space beside her was empty. She paid it no mind and massaged the sore areas of her body.

    She thought back to how the man had hugged her, nibbling and biting the night before, and couldn¡¯t help the twitch in her temple. Zhan Qipei had been like a big wolf dog, and the soreness of her body was all thanks to him.

    After resting for a few minutes, Qiao Jing slipped on her shoes and went into the bathroom. Just about to begin her morning routine, she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

    She stared at her face in the mirror, taken aback. The person¡¯s lips were somewhat swollen, and then there were these marks on her neck¡­

    This man, give him an inch and he takes a mile.

    After a while, she touched her waist and also felt soreness, some areas even mildly swollen.

    It was one thing for her neck to be bullied, but for him to not even spare her waist¡­

    The more she thought about it, the more speechless she became.

    A few minutester, after washing up simply, she walked out of the room.

    As soon as she stepped out, she met the maning out of the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei was carefully cing a pot of seafood porridge on the table.

    ¡°Good morning,e have breakfast.¡±

    After kissing his wife yesterday, he obediently drank his fever medicine, and his fever had subsided by now.

    Of course, the most important thing was that he had gotten a taste for it yesterday.

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth practically curling up to the skies, she was infuriated beyond belief.

    Had Zhan Qipei been a dog in hisst life?!

    It was bad enough he took advantage of her, but he had to nibble and bite her, too.

    While eating the porridge, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak a word, quietly sipping the congee from her bowl.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t mind her silence and considerately cleaned up the bowls and utensils for her, then supported her as she sat down on the couch.

    ¡°Are you feeling ufortable anywhere? Let me rub it for you. Also, is there anything you¡¯d like for lunch?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the man, said nothing, and set her gaze on a medical book.

    After being tormented all night, she had no strength to go to work now.

    Zhan Qipei also took the morning off, staying close to Qiao Jing¡¯s side without taking a step away.

    When it was almost noon, and he was about to get up to cook, the doorbell suddenly rang.

    Qiao Jing put down the medical book she was holding, intending to open the door, but the man was quicker.

    Upon opening the door, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were standing outside, each carrying several bags.

    With a concerned look on her face, Su Manhan asked,

    ¡°Qipei, how is Qiao Jing¡¯s health? Has she caught a cold?¡±

    As she spoke, she craned her neck to peek inside.

    Seeing Qiao Jing sitting on the sofa, she didn¡¯t wait for Zhan Qipei to answer and walked straight in.

    Just as she was about to head over to Qiao Jing, she remembered the items she was holding and had to retract her steps, heading towards the dining table instead.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Zhan Qipei, who was being neglected to one side, and felt that she and her brother were somewhat in the same boat.

    She had only heard of the saying, ¡°marry a wife and forget your mother.¡±

    Yet her brother had not done so, instead, it was her mother who, after getting a daughter-inw, forgot about her own children.

    Su Manhan took out everything from the bag one by one and ced them on the dining table.

    ¡°I timed my arrival perfectly, you guys definitely haven¡¯t eaten yet,¡± she said.

    She turned her head to look at Zhan Nanqing and urged her.

    ¡°Nanqing,e over quick, take out the items and get ready, let¡¯s eat together,¡± she said.

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°Oh¡±ed and went to the dining table, cing all the items she was holding down.

    Su Manhan then opened all the lids, and a waft of aroma escaped from the lunch boxes.

    After dealing with the lunch boxes, she immediately went to Qiao Jing¡¯s side without stopping.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you haven¡¯t caught a cold, have you? Come and drink some porridge I specially went to buy. You overexerted yourselfst night; for today, you should drink something light,¡± she said.

    Upon hearing the phrase ¡°overexerted yourself,¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s expressionless face showed a slight crack, and her ears turned a bit red.

    She knew that Su Manhan was talking about her falling into the water, but her mind couldn¡¯t stop conjuring up the exertions ofst night.

    But she quickly came to her senses and responded to the other.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei, after catching the sight of Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly red ears, was very pleased and sat down next to Qiao Jing.

    Upon seeing the lunch boxes on the table, Qiao Jing¡¯s face showed a trace of surprise.

    She knew the ce, Zhouhuan Restaurant; it was the busiest porridge shop in the entire capital.

    Not only was their porridge delicious, but it was also extremely nutritious, and all the ingredients were very fresh, making it very popr among the upper-ss citizens of the capital.

    Every morning, there would be many people queuing up; it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the queue for this porridge shop stretched from the front of the shop to the end of the street, and even if you wanted to make a reservation, it was quite difficult to secure one.

    Speaking of which, the owner of this shop is an old acquaintance of hers¡­

    She raised her eyes to look at Su Manhan, and something soft inside her copsed a little.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone to trouble,¡± she said.

    Su Manhan waved her hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s no trouble at all. Preparing things for you, I would never find it bothersome,¡± she said.

    During the meal, Zhan Qipei moved all the meat from his bowl to Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    He would eat the in porridge while all the nutritious parts should be eaten by Qiao Jing.

    His wife was pregnant now and needed more nutrition.

    After lunch, Qiao Jing was pulled to sit on the sofa by Su Manhan, and Zhan Nanqing also followed over.

    Zhan Qipei sat down next to Qiao Jing without saying anything, forcing Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing to sit on the single sofas instead.

    Su Manhan nced at her son, not wanting to deal with him, and turned her head to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Nanqing, it¡¯s almost time for the academic conference, isn¡¯t it? Your attending Professor Qiao¡¯s hosted conference is entirely a credit to the Zhan Family!

    Actually, I¡¯m still very curious about what kind of person she is, so capable that she can research such results like hybrid corn to benefit mankind,¡± she said.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes were filled with pride as he looked at Qiao Jing by his side.

    His wife is indeed amazing!

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing quietly nced at Qiao Jing.

    The Professor Qiao her mother was talking about was sitting right in front of them¡­

    Su Manhan noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze towards Qiao Jing and suddenly remembered the things Mrs. Chen had said while shoppingst time; she was a bit worried and sighed.

    ¡°Ah, Nanqing, can you find a way to take Qiao Jing with you? After all, she¡¯s your sister-inw. You can¡¯t just attend yourself and neglect her at home.

    Letting Qiao Jing participate in the academic conference will benefit her in some way,¡± she said.

    She also wanted Qiao Jing to get out more because her daughter-inw worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute too. Attending the conference might allow her to learn more about academic matters.

    She could do nothing about agriculture, and even with the Zhan Family¡¯s connections, she was no help, so she had to ce her hopes on Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing showed an awkward smile and chuckled dryly.

    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no need for me to take Qiao Jing there; she can go on her own,¡± she said.

    If Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t attend, who will host the conference?

    Su Manhan let out a puzzled ¡°Ah¡± and looked at Qiao Jing, asking out loud.

 Chapter 385 - 385 374 Zhan Qipei Refuses to Leave Qiao Jings

    ?Chapter 385: Chapter 374: Zhan Qipei Refuses to Leave Qiao Jing¡¯s Room   Chapter 385: Chapter 374: Zhan Qipei Refuses to Leave Qiao Jing¡¯s Room                                   ¡°Qiao Jing, do you really have an invitation?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded gently.

    A look of surprise appeared on Su Manhan¡¯s face, and she also breathed a sigh of relief for the other party.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief, that¡¯s a relief. I had thought of many ways before, but none worked to get the invitation. But¡­ is it because you work at the research institute that you qualify to go?¡±

    Previously, she had thought that when Qiao Jing said he could go, it was just to save face in front of Mrs. Chen. She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Jing actually had the credentials to attend.

    But since it was a conference organized by Professor Qiao, if everyone working at the institute could attend, wouldn¡¯t that set the bar a little low?

    So, what she was always curious about was, what role exactly did Qiao Jing y in the institute?

    Regarding Su Manhan¡¯s question, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much; he just gave a faint ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Since Qiao Jing didn¡¯t borate, Su Manhan didn¡¯t press further. She had asked before, but Qiao Jing had not responded. She didn¡¯t want to force him to reveal it.

    When Qiao Jing wanted to speak, he would naturally do so.

    The group chatted idly for a while.

    Su Manhan nced at the time and stood up.

    ¡°I still have to go have afternoon tea with the otherdies this afternoon. Nanqing and I will head back first, okay?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to be the third wheel anymore between the two, leaving them some private world to create opportunities for her son.

    Zhan Nanqing also stood up and walked behind Su Manhan.

    She just couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    Her brother had been staring at Qiao Jing the whole time, his eyes almost glued to him,pletely oblivious to her mom and her presence.

    So, it was better not to stay and be superfluous.

    Qiao Jing stood up and walked them to the door.

    On her way out, Zhan Nanqing identally caught a glimpse of the high-cored sweater Qiao Jing was wearing.

    Wait a minute.

    Did she see a hint of red?

    What was that?

    Before she could get a clear look, Su Manhan had already led her out of the door.

    A thought suddenly popped into Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mind, something red around the neck¡­

    Could it have been her brother¡¯s doing?!

    Such a mark, could it possibly mean¡­

    As an idea sprang to her mind, her eyes widened, and she looked at Su Manhan excitedly.

    ¡°Mom, did you notice Qiao Jing was wearing a high-neck sweater?¡±

    Su Manhan turned back to look at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°What about it? It¡¯s the middle of winter, wearing a high-neck sweater is perfect for keeping warm, and I¡¯m worried about Qiao Jing catching a cold.¡±

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing dismissed the idea of sharing her thoughts about the red mark with her mother.

    Inside the apartment.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to go back to sitting on the sofa, she received a call from Lin Xiuxiang and tapped to answer.

    ¡°Xiangxiang.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang replied, her tone cheerful.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! Have you missed me?¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her lips up into a faint smile and honestly replied to her.

    ¡°Missed.¡±

    It had been a while since she had seen Xiangxiang; how could she not miss her?

    And Xiangxiang was pregnant now; she was very eager to know how she was doing.

    But these things couldn¡¯t be fully discussed over a phone call; it was best to talk in person.

    Lin Xiuxiangughed, beginning to talk about her ns she had made early in the morning.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, let¡¯s go shopping together? I¡¯m in a taxi on my way to pick you up right now~¡±

    Qiao Jing agreed, talking while walking towards her room.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go change my clothes. Why did you think toe and pick me up first?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang teasingly started bantering.

    ¡°I want to see you right away. Now that I¡¯m pregnant, Tang Yan isn¡¯tfortable with me going to crowded ces; he only agreed because I said I¡¯d be with you.¡±

    Now Qiao Jing understood Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s intent.

    ¡°So you want to drag me along shopping with you?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang chuckled and said teasingly,

    ¡°Pretty much, pretty much. You¡¯re the only shopping buddy I want, I wouldn¡¯t dream of finding another. So, Qiao Qiao, go change your clothes. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±

    With that, the call ended.

    Just as Qiao Jing arrived at her bedroom door, she realized the man was still following her. She stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°Why are you still following me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes stared at Qiao Jing incessantly before he finally spoke.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    His wife was so beautiful and had such a great figure, what if she was taken away by some wolves outside?

    Qiao Jing walked into the room and searched for clothes in the wardrobe.

    ¡°Just going out for a bit.¡±

    Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing into the room.

    ¡°Are you going alone? I¡¯lle with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing took out a set of clothes andid them on the bed, looking up at the man standing beside her.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his eyebrows, which looked like misty smoke, and a stubborn look appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have some bodyguards follow you to protect you.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked straight at the man.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to having people follow me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t need bodyguards; she could protect herself on her own.

    Zhan Qipei still wasn¡¯tfortable with letting Qiao Jing go out alone and made apromise.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    If he wasn¡¯t by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, what if something happened?

    If possible, he would like to keep his wife attached to his belt when going out.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed suddenly.

    ¡°Today is Wednesday, won¡¯t you be neglecting your duties if you don¡¯t go to work?¡±

    She noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s health had improved a lotst night, and today he looked lively enough to jump around.

    If he doesn¡¯t go to thepany to handle the work, the workload at Zhan Corporation will just keep piling up.

    Although she didn¡¯t work at Zhan Corporation, she had been there before and knew that the workload was substantial.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    His wife¡¯s words sounded as if they were calling him an irresponsible man.

    He thought carefully, he was a man and needed to provide for the family; he couldn¡¯tck responsibility.

    He also needed to handle things at thepany well; otherwise, where would the moneye from to support the family?

    But, letting Qiao Jing go out alone¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m still not at ease about you going out alone.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips twitched speechlessly.

    ¡°I¡¯m going with Xiangxiang.¡±

    Besides, she was not some three-year-old child.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s behavior made her almost think she wouldn¡¯t know her way home.

    Upon hearing someone would apany her, Zhan Qipei felt reassured and didn¡¯t say anything more.

    Seeing that the man had no intention of leaving, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±

    She was preparing to change clothes before going out. Why was this man still standing here?

    Could it be that he wanted to watch her change clothes?!

    Zhan Qipei paused, his gaze falling on the clothes, a hint of subtlety shing in his eyes as he spoke slowly and deliberately.

    ¡°Watching, you.¡±

    A vein on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead throbbed violently, and without another word, she pushed him out of the room.

    Inside the room.

    Qiao Jing leaned against the door, her chest heaving heavily.

    She knew this shameless man was bad, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be even more shameless.

    Give him an inch, and he¡¯ll take a mile, right?

    If Zhan Qipei still had the audacity to try toe in, she might not be able to stop herself from getting physical.

    Qiao Jing looked at her stomach, changed into a casual outfit, and walked straight out of the house.

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly escorted her to the downstairs, not leaving until he watched Qiao Jing get into the car.

    Just as Qiao Jing settled into the car, a figure flung into her arms.

    She moved back a bit and caught Lin Xiuxiang, smiling helplessly.

    Lin Xiuxiang hugged Qiao Jing and rubbed against her, then nced at the rear-view mirror.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, Young Master Zhan looks really worried about you.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond to thement, instead helping Lin Xiuxiang sit up straight.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    Her gaze remained on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s stomach, softening even further at the thought that she was also pregnant.

 Chapter 386 - 386 375 Discovering Qiao Jing is Pregnant

    ?Chapter 386: Chapter 375: Discovering Qiao Jing is Pregnant   Chapter 386: Chapter 375: Discovering Qiao Jing is Pregnant                                   Lin Xiuxiang noticed Qiao Jing looking at her stomach, and she took thetter¡¯s hand, resting it upon her belly, with a smile beginning to form on her lips.

    ¡°My body is the same as before, but¡­¡±

    She paused, pinching her stomach flesh with Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, her eyes shimmering with joy, yet her tone carried a hint of distress.

    ¡°Tang Yan keeps buying me all these tonics recently, and I¡¯ve gained quite a few pounds.¡±

    Qiao Jing saw the hidden joy on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face and reached out to pinch her cheek.

    ¡°It¡¯s good for pregnant women to eat more and supplement their nutrition for the health of both the mother and the child.¡±

    If Tang Yan were not buying things for Xiangxiang to nourish her body, that would be the real cause for concern.

    She would even visit to demand an exnation on behalf of Xiangxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang pouted softly, grumbling in a low voice.

    ¡°What¡¯s good about it? I¡¯m going to be as fat as a pig before the baby¡¯s even born¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s stomach,forting her.

    ¡°Fat? You¡¯re not fat at all.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang wrapped her arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist and took her hand to put it around her own waist.

    ¡°Not fat? Look how thick mine is and how thin yours is! It¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    Her words were cut short as she suddenly felt Qiao Jing¡¯s waist seemed a bit thicker than before.

    Disbelieving, she felt around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist and eventually discovered it wasn¡¯t the waist that had gotten thicker but the stomach that had gotten a bit plumper; her eyes widened.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! You¡¯ve gained weight too?!¡±

    Qiao Jing opened her mouth slightly, her brows furrowed in thought for a couple of seconds before she decided to share the news with Lin Xiuxiang.

    As she prepared to exin, Lin Xiuxiang started talking to herself.

    ¡°But that makes sense. I¡¯ve heard Mrs. Su has been really good to youtely, sending over meals and fruits, it¡¯d be hard not to gain weight.

    This is perfect, Qiao Qiao and I can gain weight together, so I won¡¯t be lonely on my path to chubbiness.¡±

    Seeing that Lin Xiuxiang had shifted the subject, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue and instead checked her pulse for a bit and confirmed the state of her health.

    ¡°You still need to nourish yourself more recently; other than that, there¡¯s no issue.¡±

    She herself had been drinking pregnancy milk form and other nutritive supplements, as what she was carrying wasn¡¯t just one baby, and she definitely needed to nourish more than other pregnant women.

    With still more than ten minutes away from the mall, Qiao Jing suddenly felt sleepy.

    She leaned against the soft back of the seat, her eyelids growing increasingly heavy.

    She knew this sleepiness was brought on by pregnancy and couldn¡¯t force herself to snap out of it immediately, so she decided to close her eyes for a short rest.

    Lin Xiuxiang nced at the navigation and saw there was still some distance to go.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, we¡¯re still a bit far from the mall.¡±

    Her statement didn¡¯t receive a response, and she turned her head in confusion to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao?¡±

    When Lin Xiuxiang looked up, what she saw was Qiao Jing already resting against the back of the seat and dozing off, the steady sound of her breathing by her ear.

    She immediately shut her mouth and cautiously withdrew her arms that were embracing the other person.

    But now she found it even more peculiar. Qiao Qiao usually didn¡¯t nap; even if she was exhausted from work, she¡¯d hold out until her work was done.

    To fall asleep now, just from leaning back in the car?

    She scrutinized Qiao Jing¡¯s face with confusion, muttering in her mind.

    There¡¯re no dark circles either; she doesn¡¯t appear to have slept poorlyst night, so why the sudden drowsiness?

    Come to think of it, this did resemble her own symptoms of sleepiness after she got pregnant, able to sleep anywhere.

    She remained silent until the car stopped in front of the mall¡¯s main entrance, then she spoke up to call Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, we¡¯re here.¡±

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her heavy eyelids, her brows slightly furrowed.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out.¡±

    The first stop on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s nned trip was a milk tea shop, and she rushed excitedly to the counter.

    ¡°Hello, one kumquat lemon, no sugar.¡±

    The clerk confirmed again.

    ¡°Without sugar, it will be quite sour.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded her head, she started to like sour foods more and more after getting pregnant, and now she almost needed something sour at every meal.

    She turned her head to ask Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, what would you like to drink?¡±

    Qiao Jing also wanted something sour, she nced at the menu casually and spoke in a light tone.

    ¡°Same as you.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang ¡°Eh¡¯d¡± in surprise, staring at Qiao Jing with a puzzled look continuously.

    She took Qiao Jing to the side, waiting for their lemon tea.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, haven¡¯t you always disliked sour things?¡±

    She remembered that Qiao Qiao not only didn¡¯t like them, but she wouldn¡¯t even touch anything sour, so why the sudden change today?

    After Qiao Jing got pregnant, her appetite changed as well, and she started to enjoy the things she used to dislike.

    Just as she was about to answer, her phone suddenly rang several times in a row.

    She took it out and saw it was a message from Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Have you arrived?¡±

    ¡°Where are you now? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°When will you be back? I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing typed a few characters, and was about to reply when the phone screen switched to an iing call.

    Caller, Zhan Qipei.

    Standing next to Qiao Jing, Lin Xiuxiang caught a glimpse of these messages, followed by Zhan Qipei¡¯s call.

    She ¡°tch tch¡¯d¡± a couple of times and took a few steps to the side.

    Qiao Jing hung up the call directly, opened WeChat to finish editing her message, and sent it off.

    ¡°Buying milk tea, no need to pick me up, I¡¯ll take a cab back.¡±

    She put the phone back in her pocket, ready to continue answering Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s question.

    The phone rang a few more times, interrupting her.

    She didn¡¯t need to look to know who sent the message, but she had already exined the situation simply and had no intention of continuing to message back.

    Lin Xiuxiang looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s pocket with a meaningful gaze.

    ¡°President Zhan really is attentive to you, huh? I¡¯m pregnant now and Tang Yan isn¡¯t nearly as concerned about me, that big oaf¡­¡±

    No sooner had she spoken than her own phone started ringing, calling was Tang Yan.

    With a slight raise of her arched eyebrows and a twinkle of amusement in her eyes, Qiao Jing said,

    ¡°There you have it, he¡¯s calling, right?¡±

    The two exchanged smiles, and Lin Xiuxiang walked to another spot to answer the call.

    When she returned after the call, Lin Xiuxiang didn¡¯t dwell on why Qiao Jing liked sour foods anymore, and took the cup of lemon tea the clerk handed her, passing one to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, let¡¯s go check out the maternity and baby store, see if there¡¯s anything useful.¡±

    The topic of why she liked sour foods just drifted away, and Qiao Jing took her to a maternity and baby store.

    This store was the same one that Qiao Jing had visitedst time.

    So she led Lin Xiuxiang with practiced ease to the maternity milk powder section.

    ¡°Get this can of milk powder, it has higher nutritional value than the others.¡±

    She had looked over andpared the nutritional information of each one in this sectionst time, and this can of milk powder had the highest nutritional value.

    She went to another shelf and picked up a box of folic acid tablets.

    ¡°Take some of these too when you get back, they¡¯re good for your health, and this¡­¡±

 Chapter 387 - 387 376 Arranging a Childs Betrothal

    ?Chapter 387: Chapter 376: Arranging a Child¡¯s Betrothal   Chapter 387: Chapter 376: Arranging a Child¡¯s Betrothal                                   Lin Xiuxiang looked at how well Qiao Jing understood pregnancy products, her gaze fell on the other¡¯s belly as she began jokingly.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, tell me the truth, you are always sleepy, always craving sour foods, and you know even more about pregnancy products than I do as a pregnant woman¡ªcould it be that you are pregnant too?¡±

    Qiao Jing was briefly stunned; actually, she had thought about sharing her own pregnancy news with Lin Xiuxiang just before.

    But she was interrupted.

    It seemed it was better for her to bring it up proactively.

    Lin Xiuxiang noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s momentary pause, and her smile immediately froze as she shifted her gaze back to Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    She blinked bewilderedly, looked at Qiao Jing, then back at her belly.

    After going back and forth a few times, a realization suddenly connected the dots in her mind.

    Her eyes widened in disbelief, her voice uncontrobly rising considerably.

    ¡°No way?! Qiao Qiao, are you really pregnant?!¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s shout was loud, drawing quite a bit of attention from those around them.

    But she wasn¡¯t in the mood to care about that now.

    Qiao Jing nodded, giving her response.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    At that moment, Lin Xiuxiang was even more excited, forcibly suppressing the urge to raise her voice even higher.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, you must tell me everything right now, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang put back the baby form and folic acid tablets she was holding and determinedly tried to lead Qiao Jing outside.

    At this point, she was too shocked to even care about the baby form.

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless, picked up a few more cans of form and boxes of folic acid tablets, and lined up at the checkout counter to pay.

    Lin Xiuxiang followed behind Qiao Jing, her heart racing like ants on a hot pan.

    Seeing Qiao Jing calmly lining up to pay, she paced back and forth impatiently, hoping the cashier would hurry.

    When it was finally Qiao Jing¡¯s turn, she directly took out several hundred yuan bills and ced them on the table.

    ¡°Keep the change, thank you.¡±

    She had already calcted the total before.

    The cashier was surprised by Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s actions and asked uncertainly.

    ¡°Miss, we haven¡¯t scanned the items yet; are you in a hurry?¡±

    At this moment, Lin Xiuxiang tapped into her memory.

    ¡°Three cans of form, three thousand five, two boxes of folic acid tablets, six hundred, four thousand one hundred in total; I have calcted the money inside.¡±

    She was very anxious now, if not for the fear that she would uncontrobly yell when hearing Qiao Jing talk about her pregnancy, she would have had Qiao Jing talk right there in the store.

    The clerk quickly counted the money Lin Xiuxiang handed over and checked the quantity. Seeing her urgency, she swiftly packed everything and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    As Qiao Jing was about to take them, Lin Xiuxiang grabbed them and, without another word, pulled her by the hand and headed out.

    Looking at Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hastily departing figure, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless.

    It was only after reaching the rest area on that floor that the two finally stopped.

    Qiao Jing was pressed by Lin Xiuxiang to sit on the couch, and after a stern cough, she began interrogating like an investigator.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, when did you get pregnant? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and began to exin to Lin Xiuxiang.

    ¡°Three months ago, I¡ª¡±

    But before she could finish, Lin Xiuxiang interrupted her, her voice filled with grievance.

    ¡°Wuu, wuu, wuu, Qiao Qiao, do you not love me anymore? Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you got pregnant three months ago?¡±

    Qiao Jing opened her mouth, trying to exin again when Lin Xiuxiang continued.

    ¡°I thought you had really put on weight, so you could get fat with me. But it turns out you¡¯re pregnant, and on the road to gaining weight, I¡¯m alone.¡±

    After she said this, she sat down next to Qiao Jing with a huff, her hands propping up her chin, eyebrows tightly furrowed.

    Having been interrupted twice, Qiao Jing finally found an opportunity to speak.

    ¡°Listen to my exnation, I originally intended to keep it a secret from everyone, but due to some idents, Zhan Qipei, Zhan Nanqing, and Ni Yue found out.

    I had wanted to tell you too, but we haven¡¯t met recently, so it got dyed by a few days.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang pretended to be angry and turned her head away, but her peripheral vision was secretly ncing at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    ¡°Hmph, why did you keep it from us?¡±

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly and took Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, gently massaging it.

    ¡°I was nning to divorce Zhan Qipei, so I didn¡¯t want them to know about the child¡¯s existence, as the child would be involved with them after the divorce.¡±

    She had originally nned to find a ce to rest after the divorce until the child was born, but unexpectedly, several people found out by mistake.

    Lin Xiuxiang reluctantly turned her head back, her tone still uncertain.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, her expression very serious and her tone intensified.

    ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang snorted softly and smack her lips, staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    ¡°Fine then, I¡¯ll reluctantly forgive you. Now tell me, how is your pregnancy going, is it a boy or a girl?¡±

    She was already secretly thrilled inside, she was going to be an aunt too!

    Who knows, maybe they could arrange a betrothal for the babiester?

    That way, she could be inws with Qiao Qiao!

    Qiao Jing reached out and gently touched her own belly, then touched Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s, a deep tenderness showing in her eyes and brows.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t deliberately check for myself.¡±

    If she wanted to know, she could easily find out if she was carrying a boy or a girl, but she didn¡¯t want to know the gender of the children too early.

    No matter if the child is a boy or a girl, she would love them.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m actually carrying triplets,¡± Qiao Jing added.

    Lin Xiuxiang was even more shocked now, her mouth wide open.

    ¡°What? Three?!!¡±

    Isn¡¯t that just unbelievable?

    Lin Ruoran¡¯s eyes were as wide as they could be, staring directly at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Although she had seen news about multiple births before, reality¡ªit was truly her first time.

    Wait a minute! That means¡ª

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯ll be the aunt of three kids?¡±

    She had originally thought about arranging a baby betrothal for Qiao Qiao¡¯s child!

    But Qiao Qiao is carrying three, which isn¡¯t enough to share!

    With three children, she definitely couldn¡¯t choose which child to arrange a baby betrothal with, for her every child of Qiao Qiao¡¯s is the best.

    However, she also doesn¡¯t know if her children will be the same gender as Qiao Qiao¡¯s, so baby betrothal is temporarily off the table.

    Qiao Jing nodded and murmured an agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll also be the aunt of your children.¡±

    She had already been looking forward to the birth of the three children, and now that Xiangxiang was pregnant too, that made four.

    She would also treat Xiangxiang¡¯s child as her own.

 Chapter 388 - 388 377 Su Manhan Lets Qiao Jing Call Her Mom

    ?Chapter 388: Chapter 377: Su Manhan Lets Qiao Jing Call Her Mom   Chapter 388: Chapter 377: Su Manhan Lets Qiao Jing Call Her Mom                                   Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s eyes gradually filled with anticipation as she touched Qiao Jing¡¯s belly with one hand and her own with the other.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, should we go buy some more baby clothes?¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and shook her head.

    ¡°We don¡¯t yet know if the baby is a boy or a girl. I¡¯m afraid the clothes might not match the gender, and besides,

    it¡¯s too early to buy now. Let¡¯s wait until the eighth month, and I¡¯ll go shopping with you then.¡±

    By that time, she could buy some toys, diapers, and other such items, which don¡¯t require choosing based on gender.

    Lin Xiuxiang looped her arm through Qiao Jing¡¯s as they started towards their next destination.

    ¡°You make a good point. Let¡¯s go shopping for those next time then.

    By the way, Qiao Qiao, I n to have fun with you until it gets dark before going back home. Otherwise, who knows when I¡¯ll next be able to go out.¡±

    As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help butin about Tang Yan again.

    ¡°Tang Yan is watching me too closely. I¡¯m about to lose my personal freedom.

    If it weren¡¯t for you being with me, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed me toe out at all. He keeps saying he¡¯s worried something might happen, that pregnancy is inconvenient, and all that¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing showed a helpless smile as Zhan Qipei¡¯s face crossed her mind.

    Not only did he want to apany her everywhere, he was even considering using bodyguards. He had just messaged her, supervising her like a watchdog.

    Plus, there was how he had stuck to her side recently¡­

    A thought crossed her mind¡ªthis bastard of a man wouldn¡¯t be thinking of keeping as tight a watch on her as Tang Yan did on Lin Xiuxiang, would he?

    She cast the thought aside. Even if Zhan Qipei wanted to, it was useless; no one could keep that close a watch on her.

    ¡°Pregnancy is indeed inconvenient, so you should be careful with your health, too.¡±

    Truth be told, she could understand Tang Yan¡¯s behavior¡ªshe was also very worried about Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s health.

    Lin Xiuxiang sighed softly and pressed the elevator button to go down.

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve taken leave from the orphanage too; I really miss the kids.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at her, slightly puzzled.

    ¡°Are you starting your maternity leave already?¡±

    She remembered that maternity leave typically started around three months before the due date.

    Lin Xiuxiang showed a troubled expression and blinked, leading Qiao Jing forward.

    ¡°No, but ever since I faintedst time, Tang Yan has been very nervous. He doesn¡¯t let me go to ces other than my sses, and he even proposed to the dean that I take a break.

    The kids and the dean didn¡¯t mind, so I just started resting at home. But I think it¡¯s a bit excessive; I only fainted because I was a little tired.¡±

    Qiao Jing gave it some serious thought and felt that Tang Yan was indeed being a bit overprotective.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send him a message and talk to him for you. But thest time you fainted, it was quite scary. Not just for Tang Yan¡ªI was scared too.

    Later on, I had someone send over some tonic medicine to help stabilize the pregnancy, which I had concocted myself.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang responded with a nod, stopping in front of a restaurant.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance, Qiao Qiao. Oh, and I specifically picked out this ce because I heard it has great food.

    After we finish eating here, let¡¯s have fun until nine before heading home!¡±

    Just as the two were about to enter the restaurant, the ringing of a cell phone sounded.

    She furrowed her brow, thinking it was Zhan Qipei, and was prepared to hang up and send him a message.

    Lin Xiuxiang stopped walking, waiting for Qiao Jing to finish the call before they went inside.

    Seeing the caller ID, Qiao Jing was taken aback.

    Su Manhan?

    She quickly pressed the answer button.

    ¡°Hello, Madam Zhan?¡±

    Su Manhan responded, and after hearing her own title, she pretended to be angry andined.

    ¡°What Madam Zhan? Just call me ¡®Mom¡¯ directly.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, said nothing, and waited for the other party to continue.

    Su Manhan did not get a response, but she did not dwell on the issue of what to call her and revealed the purpose of the call.

    ¡°I called to ask you toe home for dinner tonight. There¡¯s a small family gathering, and my sister and her family will be there.

    That means your aunts will be here too. Where are you now? I¡¯ll have Qipei pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the person beside her, her face showing difficulty.

    ¡°Do I need to go over now?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to offend Su Manhan, nor did she want to let Xiangxiang down.

    If she had to leave Xiangxiang halfway through shopping, she would feel as if she had broken a promise, after all, she had already agreed to the other party.

    Su Manhan heard the hesitation in Qiao Jing¡¯s tone and realized something was amiss.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? If youe over now, you can rest for a while before eating dinner, but if you¡¯re busy, you cer.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to tell Su Manhan that she wouldeter, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s phone also began to ring.

    After exchanging nces, Lin Xiuxiang went to the side to answer her call.

    Su Manhan, not receiving an immediate response, guessed that Qiao Jing must be busy.

    ¡°Are you busy right now? It¡¯s fine if youe overter.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, just about to speak, when Lin Xiuxiang returned with her phone in hand.

    Lin Xiuxiang was frowning deeply. After typing a message on her phone, she lifted it to show Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked up at the line of text.

    ¡°Tang Yan told me to go home. I said I wanted to y with you a little longer, but he insisted, saying he¡¯s already on his way to pick me up.¡±

    After reading the message on the screen, she felt relieved of her burden and replied to Su Manhan.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a taxi over.¡±

    Su Manhan, worried that Qiao Jing would hang up, hastily called out several times.

    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll have Qipeie over to get you, how can we let you take a taxi? It¡¯s too dangerous for a girl to be out there alone! Just wait, I¡¯m arranging for someone to pick you up right now.¡±

    After Qiao Jing finished the call, Lin Xiuxiang walked over with a frown.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, Tang Yan didn¡¯t tell me and just came to pick me up. Now I have to go back whether I want to or not. Who were you just talking to? Where are you going?¡±

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and took Lin Xiuxiang towards the entrance of the mall.

    ¡°Madam Zhan wants me to have dinner at Purple Garden. I was nning to postpone it for a little while, but now that Tang Yan ising to pick you up, there¡¯s no need to dy.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang showed a smile, her eyes filled with relief.

    ¡°Madam Zhan used to be so unkind to you, but now not only has her attitude towards you changed, she¡¯s actually really nice to you. I¡¯m relieved to see that, I was worried you were being bullied by her!

    Should I have Tang Yan drop you off first?¡±

    Just as she finished speaking, a sleek ck Maybach silently pulled up.

    The car window rolled down, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome face appeared.

    ¡°Get in.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, feeling a bit strange.

    It had only been a short while since she hung up the phone, and Zhan Qipei had already arrived. Could it be that he was already on his way when he made the call to her?

    Lin Xiuxiang also picked up on this and whispered closely to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, Young Master Zhan is here right after the call ended, could it be¡ª¡±

 Chapter 389 - 389 378 Is Zhan Qipei a Love-Struck Fool

    ?Chapter 389: Chapter 378: Is Zhan Qipei a Love-Struck Fool?   Chapter 389: Chapter 378: Is Zhan Qipei a Love-Struck Fool?                                   ¡°He didn¡¯t let you know in advance too, did he?¡±

    Qiao Jing also thought so in her heart; she nodded.

    ¡°Probably so.¡±

    When did this man learn to act first and reportter?

    Lin Xiuxiang nced at Zhan Qipei, then shifted her gaze back to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, are we the unfortunate sisters? Tang Yan also came to pick me up before telling me, not giving me any chance to refuse.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, another car stopped in front of them.

    Tang Yan got out of the car and quickly walked over to Lin Xiuxiang, greeting Qiao Jing first.

    ¡°Miss Qiao.¡±

    Qiao Jing gently nodded in response.

    Tang Yan held Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, nervously examining it several times before letting go.

    ¡°Are you tired today?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang pretended to be dissatisfied and pouted yfully.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only been shopping with Qiao Qiao for a few hours.¡±

    Her mouth voiced dissatisfaction, but her eyes sparkled with happiness.

    Qiao Jing watched the interaction between the two, revealing a faint smile.

    Suddenly, her hand was taken by someone.

    She nced sideways at the man holding her hand and quietly withdrew her hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei changed to supporting Qiao Jing by the waist, carefully helping her into the car.

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes somewhat speechlessly.

    She was pregnant, but that didn¡¯t mean she had be a porcin doll¡­

    Inside the Purple Garden.

    Qiao Jing had just reached the entrance when she smelled the aroma of food.

    She looked toward the living room and saw Su Manhan¡¯s family.

    Su Manhan noticed Qiao Jing and quickly walked over, taking her hand.

    ¡°Come here, Qiao Jing, this is your aunt. You¡¯ve met before but never really got a chance to know each other. Today is a good opportunity. Also, Grandpa and your dad are both busy today, they couldn¡¯t make it back.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and politely greeted her.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    Su Manqian¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing Qiao Jing.

    Such a genuine beauty!

    ¡°Hello, this is my husband, your uncle.¡±

    Indeed, her sister was right: this daughter-inw was not only pretty but also particrly poised.

    From Qiao Jing¡¯s behavior, she could tell that the girl was well-brought-up.

    More importantly, Qiao Jing had saved her sister.

    To step up during dangerous times showed just how good her character was.

    Her sister had indeed found a wonderful daughter-inw!

    Zhan Qipei followed behind Qiao Jing, temporarily ying the role of a background figure.

    Su Manhan led Qiao Jing to the dining table to sit down, then suddenly remembered something and looked around.

    She furrowed her brows, looking puzzledly at Su Manqian.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao Yang?¡±

    Su Manqian sighed, showing a helpless expression.

    ¡°I have no idea where he ran off to with his phone. He disappeared right after arriving and hasn¡¯t eaten anything.¡±

    Su Manhan spoke, ¡°Call him and tell him toe back for dinner.¡±

    Su Manqian showed a helpless expression on her face and took out her phone to make a call.

    A momentter, she took the initiative to hang up.

    ¡°Sister, Xiao Yang is probably ying games. He has Do Not Disturb on and won¡¯t answer the phone.¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, picked arge piece of fish meat, and ced it into Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl, speaking expressionlessly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡±

    He had no desire to deal with his so-called cousin; if his child turned out like his cousin, he would definitely make him understand why the flowers are so splendid.

    Of course, his and Qiao Jing¡¯s child would definitely not be like that.

    Thinking of this, he looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly with pride and a corner of his mouth lifted.

    Qiao Jing also knew that Su Manqian¡¯s family had a younger son, but she had no particr memory of him.

    Su Manhan¡¯s furrowed eyebrows gradually rxed, and she also started to eat.

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s eat first.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing bit her chopsticks and began to eat as well.

    After they had finished eating, Xiao Yang still hadn¡¯t returned.

    Qiao Jing looked toward the front door but still didn¡¯t see the Xiao Yang they talked about.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and moved closer to her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, what are you looking for?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    After all, it was the Zhan Family¡¯s affair. She wouldn¡¯t be overly curious or ask about it proactively.

    Zhan Nanqing pulled Qiao Jing to sit on the couch, and just as she was about to speak, she felt a cold stare.

    She looked towards the source of that stare.

    Sure enough, she saw her brother with a sullen face.

    ¡°Brother, can I just chat with her, really!¡±

    It was the same every day.

    You know your wife gets along with everyone, alright.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze returned to Qiao Jing, his eyes instantly bing incredibly soft.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed the change in her brother¡¯s eyes and rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    Really now!!

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, also feeling Zhan Nanqing¡¯s speechlessness.

    ¡°I rememberst New Year, although he showed up, he never made an appearance.¡±

    Not only that, back then they had searched for a long time before they found the mischievous kid.

    Speaking of which, in her own vige, there was also a mischievous kid, simr to Xiao Yang, addicted to games, disobedient, and always causing trouble everywhere.

    Initially, it wasn¡¯t her concern, but this mischievous kid just had to mess up, ruining their newly built vegetable garden.

    Afterward, she severely scolded him¡­

    It was because of this reason that Qiao Jing paid extra attention to this mischievous kid named Xiao Yang.

    As Qiao Jing was recalling this, Zhan Nanqing came over.

    ¡°Let me tell you, my cousin is really beyond saving.¡±

    Curiosity gradually filled Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she stared at Zhan Nanqing, waiting for her to continue.

    At this point, Zhan Nanqing sighed and shook her head.

    ¡°Xiao Yang is the youngest child in my aunt¡¯s family, so the adults spoil him a lot, giving him whatever he asks for.

    But it¡¯s because of this that my cousin started getting addicted to online games, no matter who advises him, he just wouldn¡¯t listen, and he¡¯s probably hiding somewhere ying games instead ofing to eat.¡±

    After listening to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing nodded and didn¡¯t continue to ask further.

    ying games might not be a dead-end, considering the mischievous kid she had once scolded is now a professional eSports yer and a big star adored by countless fans.

    Just then, feeling a slight stomach ache, Qiao Jing stood up, intending to go to the restroom.

    As she stood up, Zhan Qipei also stood up.

    She took a step, and the man followed closely behind her.

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath and turned around.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡±

    If Zhan Qipei dared to follow her there, she was really going to lose it!

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, his dark eyes staring motionlessly at Qiao Jing, then nced at her stomach.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Nowadays, if his wife wasn¡¯t by his side even for a moment, he felt uneasy. Even while working in the afternoon, his mind was full of thoughts of Qiao Jing.

    He shouldn¡¯t be turning into what people online call ¡°love-brained,¡± right?

    But he had handled all the work at thepany, so that probably didn¡¯t count, however¡­

    Even if he were love-brained, it wouldn¡¯t matter since the person he loved was Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hands, hanging by her thighs, clenched tightly; her eyes filled with a helpless frustration as she forcefully said,

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei!¡±

    What on earth did this man want?!

    Did he really intend to fly to the sky and be shoulder to shoulder with the sun?!!

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and spoke up from the couch.

 Chapter 390 - 390 379 Qiao Jings Rebellious Maneuver

    ?Chapter 390: Chapter 379: Qiao Jing¡¯s Rebellious Maneuver   Chapter 390: Chapter 379: Qiao Jing¡¯s Rebellious Maneuver                                   ¡°Hey, bro, why don¡¯t you buy some super glue and stick yourself to Qiao Jing? You have to follow her even to the bathroom? Are you gonna help her pull down her pants too?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯sst sentence, her temples twitched involuntarily.

    And to think, this dog of a man actually considered helping her with her pants before!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened as he nced at Zhan Nanqing.

    That look clearly said, mind your own business.

    Zhan Nanqing shrugged his shoulders, toozy to argue with Zhan Qipei anymore, and started browsing his phone.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, her lips twitching almost imperceptibly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡±

    If Zhan Qipei still followed her, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to tie him up and throw him into a room.

    This man was just too clingy¡­

    Only then did Zhan Qipei stop in his tracks and went back to sit on the couch.

    He adhered to the principle of ¡®must listen to my wife¡¯s words, except during special circumstances.¡¯

    When Qiao Jing came out of the bathroom, she touched her stomach, feeling quite full from the meal.

    She walked into the garden to take a stroll and noticed someone sitting on a bench.

    The person was a boy, facing away from her, his phone shaking in his hands now and then.

    She could feel his excitement, and he asionally blurted out several swearwords.

    ¡°Damn it! Go attack! Why are you hiding behind?!¡±

    ¡°You bunch of noobs! Why even y? You¡¯d be better off screwing bolts in a factory!¡±

    Qiao Jing stood there, already recognizing who it was.

    Just as she was about to take her walk elsewhere, she suddenly heard rapid footsteps behind her.

    Before she could turn around, a somewhat youthful voice rang out.

    ¡°Hey, who are you?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned around and looked at Zeng Xiangyang, who fit the sunny-boy type, except¡­

    Zeng Xiangyang was frowning deeply, one hand holding his phone, the other clutching his stomach.

    His face was a mask of pain, and seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t responding, he blurted out.

    ¡°Ah, regardless of who you are, can you finish this game for me first? My stomach is killing me; I need to run to the bathroom.¡±

    Although he wanted to go AFK because his team was so bad, it would cost him credibility points.

    He had already lost many credibility points from cursing people out, and if he went AFK now, his credibility wouldn¡¯t be enough to let him y anymore, which would truly be a death sentence for him.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s phone screen and saw that he was ying a very popr game, ¡®King of Glory.¡¯

    She answered truthfully.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only yed a few times.¡±

    In the past, Ni Yue had also dragged her into ying a few rounds, making her y several characters, but in total, she had only yed five characters.

    Zeng Xiangyang froze, and after processing this, he looked at Qiao Jing with an utterly disdainful expression.

    ¡°Only yed a few times?! Aren¡¯t you the noob of all noobs? If I let you y, can you even win for me¡­¡±

    Suddenly, his stomach rumbled loudly again. He gritted his teeth and shoved the phone into Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Forget it, just don¡¯t feed the enemy, I¡¯ll be right back!¡±

    After dropping these words, he dashed toward the bathroom.

    Qiao Jing picked up her phone, hesitating for a moment before sitting down next to the chair and starting to control the character.

    On the other side, in the toilet, Zeng Xiangyang was preupied with his own game.

    After using the toilet, he casually washed his hands and started running towards the garden.

    When he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s back, he grumbled internally.

    He had no idea how she messed up his game, and if she had fed a bunch of kills, he probably would¡¯ve cursed outright!

    He ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, and without a word, snatched his phone back from her hands.

    Zeng Xiangyang scoffed disdainfully and rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Let me see what kind of mess you¡¯ve made, rookie. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fed them a dozen¡ª¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he saw the game¡¯s settlement screen and realized he was the MVP!

    He scanned the scores casually and was speechless after seeing his teammates¡¯ negative scores.

    It wasn¡¯t until he saw his own score that he was stunned.

    His eyes were glued to the score screen as he looked back and forth multiple times, then turned to look at Qiao Jing and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Holy crap?! Were you the one ying?! Twenty kills, three deaths?!¡±

    Before he went to the toilet, he had only managed five kills and died three times. By the time he came back¡­

    This meant that the woman in front of him hadn¡¯t died even once while ying and had imed fifteen more kills?!

    That wasn¡¯t even the main point; the main point was that he was ying as Gongsun Li, a character that was difficult to handle.

    Moreover, with four inept teammates, this woman was essentially fighting one against nine, and still managed such impressive results to carry the team?!

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at the phone screen and hummed.

    While ying, she had checked the skill descriptions carefully and memorized them; just being cautious about the enemy¡¯s movements was no trouble at all.

    The game was quite simple indeed.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s face, initially full of disdain, immediately switched to admiration. His eyes shone as he stared incessantly at Qiao Jing, then shoved the phone back into her hands again.

    ¡°y another round for me, I want to see if it was really you.¡±

    Qiao Jing rejected his request and handed the phone back to Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°There¡¯s only me here; if I wasn¡¯t the one ying, do you think a ghost helped you y?¡±

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the boy in front of her was Zeng Xiangyang, the one obsessed with games.

    She could also tell that, when she took the phone, it was very hot to the touch, clearly it had been yed for a long time.

    Zeng Xiangyang put the phone aside, sped his hands together, and made a pitiful expression.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t believe you, it¡¯s just that you yed so well, even better than me, so I was a bit skeptical.

    But now I believe you. I¡¯m just two matches away from reaching the King of Glory rank, please help me,¡± he begged.

    Looking at Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s face, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    The Zhan Family genes really were something; Zeng Xiangyang had a puppy-dog look, and with his pitiful expression, it was hard for anyone to refuse.

    Zeng Xiangyang, seeing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond, became very anxious and continued to pester.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name? You¡¯re Qiao Jing, right?¡±

    He paused, his eyes darting around, and then he shed a sly smile.

    ¡°Mom and I were talking, and she said my cousin-inw is as beautiful as a goddess, super pretty, and now I think so too. You¡¯re not only good-looking but also great at gaming, so please, help me with just two more matches. If it weren¡¯t for those useless teammates, I¡¯d be at the King of Glory rank by now, but since you can even carry them, you¡¯re definitely better than me!¡±

    Qiao Jing was really at her wit¡¯s end and ended up helping him y another two rounds.

 Chapter 391 - 391 380 Cousins Wife Will You Accept Me as

    ?Chapter 391: Chapter 380: Cousin¡¯s Wife, Will You ept Me as Your Disciple?   Chapter 391: Chapter 380: Cousin¡¯s Wife, Will You ept Me as Your Disciple?                                   Living room.

    Su Manqian looked at Su Manhan with a troubled expression, her brows tightly furrowed.

    ¡°Sis, what should I do about Xiao Yang? I¡¯ve told him so many times, but he just won¡¯t listen, sigh¡ª¡±

    Su Manhan also frowned, feeling somewhat at a loss regarding this matter.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said all that can be said, and if he won¡¯t listen, there¡¯s nothing I can do. This isn¡¯t right; now he¡¯s not even eating. Where on earth has he run off to?¡±

    At this, Su Manqian let out another sigh.

    ¡°Where else could he have gone? He must be hiding to y games for fear of us scolding him.¡±

    Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing were sitting on the couch, listening to the two women talk.

    Upon hearing the words ¡°ying games,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s long brows knitted together.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s addiction to gaming was something he was well aware of, and he had mentioned it more than once before.

    But the kid hadn¡¯t taken it to heart, and so he¡¯d be reluctant to interfere.

    Zhan Nanqing, on the other hand, had the attitude of a spectator; she had already given up on trying to persuade her cousin.

    Su Manhan stood up, pulling Su Manqian with her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go find him and have hime back for dinner.¡±

    For Su Manqian, as a mother, helplessness was the overriding sentiment.

    ¡°He has a bad temper. If I say a few words to him, he gets furious. I¡¯ve discussed it with my husband; we¡¯ve confiscated his phone before, but he just turns around and buys a new one.¡±

    Just as the two prepared to leave, they faced Qiao Jing¡ªand to their surprise, she was with Zeng Xiangyang.

    The pair was taken aback.

    Why was Qiao Jing back with Xiao Yang?

    Before the two women could figure out what was going on, Zeng Xiangyang walked over, stuffing his phone into Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I promise, if you help me y one more match in the peakpetition, I won¡¯t bother you again. I¡¯m just one game away from reaching 2200 points!¡±

    This time, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t moved by his pitiful look and ignored him, walking back to the living room and nodding to both Su Manhan and Su Manqian.

    She then went straight to the couch and sat down, stretching her wrists.

    Zeng Xiangyang followed Qiao Jing to the couch, ignoring Zhan siblings seated there.

    He stuffed all the snacks he had brought into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Here, have something to eat, rest for a few minutes, then help me. Are you tired? Let me give your shoulders a rub.¡±

    As he was about to reach out and massage Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulders, a deep voice stopped him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze towards Zeng Xiangyang couldn¡¯t help but turn icy.

    He usually didn¡¯t bother with this cousin, but now the cousin even wanted to touch his wife?

    Zeng Xiangyang was still quite afraid of Zhan Qipei, silently retracting his hand that was almost on Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder, and swiftly changed the subject.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, no, sister-inw, have some food and rest. I¡¯ll open the chips for you, and I can twist off the c cap, too.¡±

    He had just witnessed Qiao Jing y those two rounds of King of Glory, his eyes barely keeping up with her.

    That speed of hand!

    That awareness!!

    Much more impressive than any of the experts he knew!

    Su Manhan and Su Manqian were dumbstruck, watching Zeng Xiangyang in disbelief.

    They exchanged a nce and saw the shock on each other¡¯s faces.

    They knew Xiao Yang was particrly unruly, never listening to anyone. You tell him off for one thing and he would retort with ten things.

    Moreover, because he liked only gaming, he had a very limited social circle and was generally rude to others.

    Apart from addressing his own parents, Zhan Qipei, and Old Master Zhan, he would call everyone else by their full names, without any regard for whether they were his elders.

    Now he was calling Qiao Jing sister-inw, offering all the snacks he brought specifically for her?

    Giving them to Qiao Jing was one thing, but also opening packages and twisting caps?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression grew darker and darker.

    Was his cousin actually sweet-talking his wife?

    If his wife wanted something to eat, wouldn¡¯t he know how to open it for her?

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression and couldn¡¯t help but make a snarkyment in her heart.

    Why is her brother like this?

    It¡¯s totally outrageous!

    A kid barely over ten is getting jealous?!

    But¡­ she also found it strange that her little cousin, who usually looked down on everyone and had a very bad temper, was now being so nice to Qiao Jing?

    Seeing that Zeng Xiangyang had even opened the chips and c for her, she really couldn¡¯t fend off his attentiveness.

    ¡°Last game.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately started nodding frantically, fearing that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t agree. He quickly pressed the matchmaking button and handed the phone to her with both hands.

    ¡°Cousin-inw, it¡¯s all on you!!¡±

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly and agreed to help him out once more.

    This game she chose Diao Chan, and right from the start, she coborated with the support to take first blood.

    ¡°First Blood!¡±

    As the sound effect yed, Zeng Xiangyang began excitedly pping his thigh, his entire face turning red with excitement.

    ¡°Amazing, amazing!! So amazing!¡±

    This exmation made everyone curious, and they all stared at Qiao Jing and Zeng Xiangyang.

    But since they didn¡¯t understand the game, they had to sit by and wait for it to end.

    Ten minutester, another sound effect came from the phone.

    ¡°Pentakill!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang jumped up from the sofa.

    ¡°Yes! Cousin-inw, push the crystal!! A pentakill, they¡¯re all dead; it¡¯s a great chance!!

    Cousin-inw, the Diao Chan you y is also amazing; you always dodge the enemy¡¯s damage with your second skill!¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Zeng Xiangyang a fleeting nce without a word and controlled her character to move toward the enemy crystal.

    Finally, at twelve minutes, they secured the victory for the game.

    In the game settlement screen, Qiao Jing was the godlike MVP, with the highest damage output.

    Her teammates all gave her thumbs up before exiting the game.

    After finishing that game, Qiao Jing returned the phone to Zeng Xiangyang, making sure not to give him a chance to ask her to y again.

    ¡°This was thest one.¡±

    She leaned back in the chair and looked with a bit of puzzlement at Zeng Xiangyang, who was still excited and red-faced.

    Was the game really that difficult?

    Why was Zeng Xiangyang so excited?

    Zeng Xiangyang took the phone with both hands and ran to pour Qiao Jing a cup of hot water, which he ced on the table.

    ¡°Cousin-inw, have some water. You can rest assured, I won¡¯t go back on my word. Also¡­ can I, talk to you about something?¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to drink water, she heard Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words and thought he wanted her to y the game again, so she promptly refused.

    ¡°No.¡±

    She had already yed several rounds for Zeng Xiangyang, and she wouldn¡¯t y for him again.

    Zeng Xiangyang became a bit anxious and let out a distressed sound.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean for you to help me y King of Glory, what I want is¡­¡±

    His face slightly embarrassed and avoiding eye contact, he stuttered out a sentence.

    ¡°Cousin-inw, take me as your apprentice, I¡¯ll do whatever you say from now on, if you tell me to go east I¡¯ll never go west.¡±

    Qiao Jing was rendered slightly speechless, her tone growing firmer.

    ¡°Right now, you should be focusing on studying, not getting addicted to ying games. Besides, I¡¯m not that good at this game.¡±

    She had heard from Zhan Nanqing that Zeng Xiangyang was still a sixth-grader, and she felt it wasn¡¯t right for him to be so absorbed in gaming.

    The first game she helped with was because he had not given her a chance to refuse.

    Afterwards, she was badgered into ying several more rounds, and the one just now was going to be thest.

    Zeng Xiangyang was struck by Qiao Jing¡¯sst statement and started shouting.

 Chapter 392 - 392 381 Desperately Clinging to Qiao Jings

    ?Chapter 392: Chapter 381: Desperately Clinging to Qiao Jing¡¯s Thighs   Chapter 392: Chapter 381: Desperately Clinging to Qiao Jing¡¯s Thighs                                   ¡°Cousin-inw, you can¡¯t be all ¡®Versailles¡¯! Your skills are so good, yet you say you¡¯re not ying well¡ªwhat does that make me? A newbie?¡±

    If even his cousin-inw wasn¡¯t impressive, then who was?

    Those skills were out of this world!!

    Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless as her mouth twitched.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡±

    Her point was the first part of the sentence, not thetter.

    Even though she had said so much in the first part, this kid just focused on thetter part.

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately caught on and patted his chest.

    ¡°Cousin-inw, as long as you take me as your disciple, I¡¯ll definitely study hard, just that¡­¡±

    His eyes shifted around as he chuckled twice, with a ttering intention.

    ¡°Can you teach me to y King of Glory during my holidays?¡±

    Seeing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s bargaining look, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate at all and rejected him outright.

    ¡°No deal.¡±

    She just wanted this kid to take the initiative to learn, not to learn for the sake of King of Glory.

    Su Manqian¡¯s jaw almost dropped in shock.

    My goodness!

    Is this really her son?

    Because the family pampered Zeng Xiangyang so much, her son was particrly hot-tempered.

    Whenever someone at home told him to study well, he would explode like a firecracker and start to talk back.

    He would always say, what¡¯s the use of studying when the family is rich, he could inherit thepany without doing or learning anything.

    And yet today, he was actually saying he would study properly?

    Zeng Tingyun was also shocked beyond words, he stared long at Zeng Xiangyang and even rubbed his eyes thinking he was seeing things.

    This can¡¯t be his son¡­ right?

    Su Manqian leaned close to Zeng Tingyun and lowered her voice.

    ¡°Husband, is that really Xiao Yang? He actually said he wants to study well? Could I have heard wrongly?¡±

    Zeng Tingyun dug his ears, also wondering if he had heard wrongly.

    He might believe such wordsing from someone else, but he couldn¡¯t believe those words woulde from his own son.

    Su Manqian thought she was dreaming and turned to look at Zeng Tingyun.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you pinch yourself to see if it hurts?¡±

    Before Zeng Tingyun could respond, she pinched him.

    ¡°Ah!!¡±

    Zeng Tingyun cried out in pain, clutching his arm, and shouted incredulously.

    ¡°Why did you pinch me?!¡±

    Su Manqian ignored Zeng Tingyun¡¯s cry of pain and nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡°If it hurts, it means we are not dreaming, so that really is our son.¡±

    Zeng Tingyun was stunned, staring at Zeng Xiangyang again for a long time.

    ¡°No way? If that really is our son, how could he possibly say such a thing?¡±

    He felt as though he was dreaming.

    Zeng Xiangyang still wouldn¡¯t give up, he moved closer to Qiao Jing and picked up a bag of chips, presenting it to her with both hands.

    ¡°Cousin-inw, if you teach me, I will definitely study well, you can count on that, a gentleman¡¯s word is his bond.¡±

    He had to seize this opportunity; the opportunity was right there, how could he not take it?

    His cousin-inw was more capable than anyone he had ever met!

    Qiao Jing became even more speechless, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°What does your studying well have to do with me teaching you to y games? Study is for yourself.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t agree to Zeng Xiangyang; whether he studied or not really had nothing to do with her.

    Zeng Xiangyang would never give up; he took out a potato chip and handed it over to Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Sister-inw! Please, teach me, I will study hard.¡±

    Victory was right in front of him, and he had to seize it.

    Otherwise, if he missed this opportunity, he was afraid he would never find another master so close to him in his lifetime.

    Qiao Jing still did not agree and returned the potato chip to Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°No.¡±

    She would not hesitate on this matter.

    Seeing this, Su Manqian became somewhat anxious.

    This would not do!

    Her son was finally willing to learn, and they absolutely could not miss this opportunity!

    She hurriedly walked to Su Manhan¡¯s side, pulled her to one side, and spoke in a hushed voice.

    ¡°Sis, did you hear that? Xiao Yang said he will study hard if Qiao Jing takes him as an apprentice.¡±

    Su Manhan nodded; she too was shocked when she heard Zeng Xiangyang announce his intention to study hard.

    ¡°I heard.¡±

    At first, she almost thought she had heard wrong, and only after Zeng Xiangyang repeated it a few times did she dare to believe it was really her nephew who had said this.

    Not only their Su family, but the Zhan family also knew about Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s personality. The likelihood that he would study hard was probably even smaller than the sun rising from the west.

    However, the facty before them; they had to believe it whether they liked it or not.

    Su Manqian stole several nces at Qiao Jing before she shifted her gaze back to Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°Sis, can you call Qiao Jing to the study for me? I¡¯ll go over to the study first.¡±

    She was not very close to Qiao Jing, so if she directly asked her to go to the study, Qiao Jing might not agree.

    Moreover, there were too many people here, and it was not convenient for her to speak.

    Su Manhan knew her sister¡¯s thoughtful intention and gently patted Su Manqian¡¯s hand in agreement.

    ¡°Okay, you go ahead; don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call her over.¡±

    Su Manqian looked at Qiao Jing uneasily a few more times and, with Su Manhan¡¯s promise, then started walking toward the study.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was still being pestered by Zeng Xiangyang, the child incessantly talking beside her ear, which was annoying her somewhat.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said no already, stop bothering me, go sit over there, stay away from me.¡±

    This child, how stubborn can he be, just like Qipei?

    Not giving up until he achieves his goal?

    Zeng Xiangyang took on an if-you-don¡¯t-take-me-as-your-apprentice-I¡¯ll-cry-and-make-a-scene kind of attitude.

    He just slumped onto the sofa, covering his chest with his hands, starting to act unreasonably.

    ¡°Sister-inw¡­ you¡­ if you don¡¯t take me as your apprentice, I might not live through tomorrow¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced dispassionately at Zeng Xiangyang and slowly spoke.

    ¡°Then you might as well start preparing now.¡±

    Why was his cousin always sticking to his wife?

    Enough with having numerous rivals in love; now even a child wanted to be his romantic rival?

    Speaking of which, at past gatherings, he didn¡¯t know whose mischievous kids would always cluster around his wife.

    It was annoying no matter how he looked at it.

    Su Manhan, who had just walked over, caught thesest few sentences and, speechless, rolled her eyes, looking at Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°You brat, what nonsense are you talking about!¡±

    This nephew of hers really caused people no end of trouble!

    Zeng Xiangyang subconsciously was about to start rebutting when he suddenly realized his aunt was going to fetch Qiao Jing, and he immediately shut his mouth.

    ¡°Qipei, you too, Xiao Yang is ignorant, but do you also have to be as ignorant as a child?¡± Su Manhan scolded.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pressed together, and he remained silent.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei like this, Qiao Jing once again didn¡¯t know for how many times she felt that this man was just like a child.

 Chapter 393 - 393 382 Zeng Xiangyang Defies Heaven Earth and

    ?Chapter 393: Chapter 382: Zeng Xiangyang Defies Heaven, Earth, and Air   Chapter 393: Chapter 382: Zeng Xiangyang Defies Heaven, Earth, and Air                                   After all, in some ways, this man really acted like an unreasonable three-year-old.

    Su Manhan approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, your aunt has a favor to ask of you. She¡¯s currently in the study; shall I take you there?¡±

    Whether her nephew could study well or not depended on whether Qiao Jing would agree to take him as a disciple.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, feeling a bit strange, but she still stood up and followed Su Manhan.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She and Su Manqian were not exactly on familiar terms. What could she possibly want her help with?

    A surprised smile appeared on Su Manhan¡¯s face as she pulled Qiao Jing toward the study.

    Zeng Xiangyang muttered discontentedly after watching Qiao Jing being led away.

    ¡°Why is aunt taking my cousin away? My cousin hasn¡¯t even agreed to take me as her disciple yet.¡±

    He was so close to convincing his cousin to take him as a disciple, and his aunt had to ruin it!

    Zhan Qipei heard Zeng Xiangyang¡¯sint and gave the kid a sidelong nce.

    He noticed that Zeng Xiangyang still had that careless demeanor, slumping on the sofa. His voice carried an undeniable authority.

    ¡°Sit properly.¡±

    Though Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice exuded an invisible pressure and Zeng Xiangyang really wanted to not listen, he did not dare.

    He still feared Zhan Qipei; after all, he had heard all about his cousin¡¯s reputation outside.

    Words like ¡°Iceberg poker face,¡± ¡°cold-blooded,¡± and ¡°ruthless¡± had all been associated with Zhan Qipei.

    In fact, that was indeed the case.

    All day long, he carried a solemn expression as if the whole world owed him money.

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately sat up straight on the sofa, eagerly looking toward the doorway of the study, his hand unconsciously reaching for his phone.

    Just as he touched his phone and was about to open it, he suddenly felt a cold gaze on his hand.

    He didn¡¯t even need to guess whose gaze it was. It was his Iceberg poker face cousin¡¯s.

    Of all the people present, no one else but his cousin could emit such a strong presence that terrified him.

    Agitated, he itched to retaliate but under Zhan Qipei¡¯s intense aura, he had no choice but to put his phone away.

    Zhan Nanqing, who had observed the whole scene, almost burst outughing at this point.

    She picked up the chips on the table and started munching on them, crunch, crunch.

    Zeng Xiangyang noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s actions, and immediately jumped up as if he had swallowed gunpowder.

    ¡°Why are you eating my chips? I didn¡¯t say you could have them!¡±

    Those were meant for his cousin!

    Zeng Tingyun frowned and spoke up.

    ¡°Xiao Yang, you shouldn¡¯t talk to your cousin like that.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang didn¡¯t listen, continuing to berate vehemently.

    ¡°Who let her eat my chips? Those were for my cousin, she hasn¡¯t even eaten them yet, why did you? Plus, look at how fat you¡¯ve gotten, why are you still eating chips?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t even finished chewing the chips in her mouth and almost choked on Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words.

    She put down the chips, took a napkin, and wiped her mouth while defiantly retorting.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to eat them, just say so, as if I covet your chips! I only had a few, I can buy you more if you want. And where have I gotten fat? It looks like you¡¯re trying to get on my nerves, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She admitted it was wrong to eat someone else¡¯s chips, but calling her fat was something she couldn¡¯t tolerate!

    Zeng Xiangyang scoffed and stood with his arms crossed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it when you stand next to your cousin?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stumped by Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s remark. Although she wanted to retort, what he said was true and she couldn¡¯t find a reason to argue back.

    Qiao Jing was indeed thinner than her, even though she was pregnant with triplets, she was still slimmer.

    If Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t been pregnant, she would have been even thinner than she is now. If Zeng Xiangyang had seen her like that, byparison, he definitely would have called her a pig.

    Her cousin really criticizes everything and everyone, never sparing a single one.

    Zeng Tingyun looked somewhat upset as he apologized to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nanqing. Xiao Yang is just a child, he doesn¡¯t know how to speak properly, let me apologize for him.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang stepped forward a few paces, snatched the chips from in front of Zhan Nanqing, and then plopped back down onto the sofa.

    ¡°Dad, what I said was the truth. Are we not even allowed to speak the truth now?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was nearly enraged to the point of being sick by Zeng Tingyun¡¯s words. She decided out of sight, out of mind, put on her headphones, and started browsing her phone.

    If she talked a few more words with this cousin, she might die young¡­

    Wait.

    It would be him dying young.

    Beat up this brat!

    Inside the study.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes brimmed with a touch of confusion as she looked towards Su Manqian and spoke.

    ¡°Mrs. Zeng, what did you need from me?¡±

    Su Manqian was delighted that Qiao Jing had agreed toe, hurriedly walking up to her.

    ¡°I wanted to ask you about something, something only you can help with.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her curiosity growing.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    What could it be that only she could help with?

    Su Manqian sat down in a chair with a troubled expression and exined her intentions to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°My Xiao Yang really likes to y games. He¡¯s grown up and the school books are still brand new, never even looked at once.

    Moreover, the teachers at school told me that Xiao Yang always sleeps during sses or ys games, and they can¡¯t control him.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, waiting for her to continue.

    In the time she had spent with Zeng Xiangyang, she too had noticed that he was a hardcore gaming enthusiast.

    Su Manqian frowned, looking worriedly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You know, as a mother, I definitely don¡¯t want to see Xiao Yang be like this, but everyone in our family has tried to persuade him, and he just won¡¯t listen. He¡¯s only focused on growing up and taking over thepany, and that¡¯s not eptable.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded with a hum.

    She agreed with this point; a true wealthy second generation isn¡¯t about spending money wildly, but about receiving a good education and being well-mannered and knowledgeable.

    Su Manqian continued talking.

    ¡°Usually, when we tell him to study hard, he nearly tears the house down. Now, he¡¯s willing to talk like this to you, and he still guarantees to study well. Would you help us out, take him as an apprentice and make him study?

    Otherwise, I really just don¡¯t know what to do anymore.¡±

    Su Manhan began to help persuade too.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, please help out, not just for my sister; I¡¯m also really worried about Xiao Yang.¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment but ultimately agreed to it.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    But she wasn¡¯t going to take Zeng Xiangyang as an apprentice directly.

    Both Su Manhan and Su Manqian exchanged smiles when they heard that the matter was settled.

    Xiao Yang was saved!

    Qiao Jing opened the door to the study and slowly walked back to the living room.

    Sitting on the sofa, utterly bored, Zeng Xiangyang quickly stood up when he saw Qiao Jing, his eyes sparkling.

    ¡°Cousin-inw! You¡¯re finally back! How about that matter I mentioned before? Will you take me as an apprentice?¡±

    He was still somewhat unsure inside since Qiao Jing had rejected him so many times before, and it was he who had shamelessly begged her to take him as an apprentice.

    However, this time, Qiao Jing¡¯s response was different from before.

 Chapter 394 - 394 383 Qiao Jing Gives Zhan Qipei a Massage

    ?Chapter 394: Chapter 383: Qiao Jing Gives Zhan Qipei a Massage   Chapter 394: Chapter 383: Qiao Jing Gives Zhan Qipei a Massage                                   ¡°Sure.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang was stunned for a moment, thinking he had heard wrong. He stared nkly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    He soon came to his senses and, without giving Qiao Jing a chance to change her mind, rushed to her side, almost clinging to her.

    He promptly changed how he addressed her.

    ¡°Master! Master!!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened upon seeing how close the two were, and his deep voice rose.

    ¡°Stay away from my wife.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang silently moved a few steps back, maintaining a short distance from Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing was scrolling through videos at that time, and suddenly her video froze, silencing her earphones. She heard her brother¡¯s remark and rolled her eyes in disbelief.

    Why would her brother say something like that?

    Wasn¡¯t he teaching the kid bad habits? Bringing up ¡®wife¡¯ like that at this time.

    Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless and twitched the corner of her mouth, ignoring Zhan Qipei¡¯s remark.

    ¡°Not yet, if you score 80 on every subject in your next test, I¡¯ll take you as my disciple.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s tion quickly faded.

    ¡°80 points?¡±

    One should know that his scores were usually in the single digits, randomly guessing multiple-choice questions before sprawling across his desk to sleep soundly.

    On a good day, he would get a few more multiple-choice questions right, but even then, his highest score had only just surpassed nine points.

    For him, 80 points seemed like an ¡°old¡± life¡¯s wish.

    Noticing something was off with Zeng Xiangyang, Qiao Jing pretended to reconsider.

    ¡°Forget it if you can¡¯t score that much.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang sighed several times, gritted his teeth, and agreed.

    ¡°Alright, 80 points it is. I¡¯lle to you immediately once I get them.¡±

    It¡¯s just 80 points, right? For the honor of being a ¡®Glory King¡¯, he was all in!

    Su Manqian was standing by the couch at this moment and almost cried with emotion when she heard Zeng Xiangyang talking about scoring 80 points next time.

    But she knew her son¡¯s capabilities. She wasn¡¯t expecting 80 points; if he could even get 10 points, she would need to light incense and pray to Buddha.

    It wasn¡¯t that her expectations were low, but that her son¡¯s exam scores had always been either goose eggs or deep-fried dough sticks.

    To them, 10 points were already too luxurious.

    Not to mention 80 points!

    If he really scored that much, their entire family would have to worship Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zeng Xiangyang, then sat down on the couch.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get it next time, then don¡¯t bother asking me to take you as my disciple.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang patted his chest, a confident look on his face.

    ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely score 80 points!¡±

    He was so happy, he almost took off on the spot. Then he suddenly saw Su Manqian beside him and excitedly ran up to her.

    ¡°Mom! Sister-inw said she¡¯ll take me as her disciple!¡±

    He howled that so loudly that Zhan Nanqing, who was wearing earphones, heard him. She was curious about what had made Zeng Xiangyang yelp so loudly.

    She took off her earphones and asked.

    ¡°What are you yelling about?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang ignored Zhan Nanqing, still excited, and turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Cousin, I¡¯m so envious of you, marrying a wife as amazing as Master.¡±

    After saying this, he took Su Manqian¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Mom, in the future, I also want to marry a wife as awesome as Master.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression immediately darkened upon hearing this sentence.

    Su Manqian also noticed the change in her nephew¡¯s expression.

    She remembered what her sister had told her, that Zhan Qipei was so jealous, he was even jealous of his own mother and sister. Her son, who often spoke before thinking, had definitely hit a nerve this time.

    She said with an awkward smile,

    ¡°Ah, the innocence of youth, don¡¯t take it to heart, Qipei.¡±

    But Zeng Xiangyang had not yet realized what he had said wrong, frowning as he spoke.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about ¡®the innocence of youth¡¯? When I grow up, I do want to marry a wife like Master. Is there a problem?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened even further as he lifted his gaze to Zeng Xiangyang.

    Zeng Xiangyang shuddered under the cold gaze of his cousin and hid behind Su Manqian.

    What did he say wrong?

    His master was so impressive; who wouldn¡¯t want to marry her and take her home?

    If only his master hadn¡¯t already been married, he would have wanted to marry her too.

    Zhan Nanqing helplessly massaged her forehead, stood up, and returned to her room.

    Her cousin was beyond help.

    And to think she was worried about her brother leading the kid astray, yet now the little brat was already thinking about getting a wife.

    The veins on Zhan Qipei¡¯s forehead bulged as he stood up and walked straight over to Qiao Jing, taking her hand.

    ¡°Mom, Qiao Jing and I are going back first,¡± he said.

    If he stayed any longer with his wife, his cousin might even start getting ideas about her.

    Qiao Jing was his wife!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples twitched suddenly.

    See? She had told you so.

    Zhan Qipei in this respect also acted like a child.

    Like a child who fiercely guards his favorite toy, no one else even allowed to look at it, always covering it up with something.

    But she wasn¡¯t a toy, yet men were always so stubborn, with such strong possessive desires.

    She could only speak up and bid farewell to Su Manhan and the others.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, I¡¯m leaving first.¡±

    Zhan Qipei quickened his steps as if something could catch up with him from behind.

    He escorted Qiao Jing back to the car, opened the door for her, and ced his hand on the roof to prevent her from bumping her head.

    After returning to Nantai Apartment, Qiao Jing sat down on the soft sofa, turned on the TV, and switched to the news channel.

    It was early, and she had already watched the medical program several times, so now she decided to watch some news.

    Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she spotted Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure.

    The man was pounding on his waist, lips tightly pursed.

    Qiao Jing stood up and approached Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does your waist hurt?¡± she asked.

    She noticed where Zhan Qipei was pounding; only someone with a sore back would assume such a posture.

    She reached out and touched Zhan Qipei¡¯s spine, pausing her fingers where he had just been pounding and pressing down.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    Zhan Qipei drew his eyebrows together, his expression one of pain.

    After getting a rough idea of what was wrong, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and looked towards the sofa.

    ¡°You probably sat too long and hurt your back. Shall I give you a massage?¡± she offered.

    As apany director like Zhan Qipei, she knew he had to sit in the office all day. Even when he went out for contracts, he still had to maintain a sitting posture.

    It was only asionally that he could squeeze a little time to go outside and move around, but that was very rare. It was inevitable that he would develop upational ailments, experiencing symptoms like backaches and soreness.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly and pursed his lips.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll find a masseuse in a few days,¡± he said.

    Even before Qiao Jing got pregnant, he was reluctant to tire her out, and now that she was pregnant, he wouldn¡¯t let her do this and that even more.

    Furthermore, massage was physically demanding; if it went on too long, Qiao Jing¡¯s hands might get sore.

    Qiao Jing noticed the way he looked at her belly and touched her stomach.

    ¡°I¡¯ve passed the three-month mark, and the critical period is over. Besides, I¡¯m in great shape; giving you a massage is not a problem,¡± she assured.

    Being pregnant was no big deal; it¡¯s not like she became weak and couldn¡¯t lift things.

    After hearing her words, Zhan Qipei suddenly remembered what happened on the cruise ship that day.

    She had drunk too much that night and had spent the night with him. With her physical constitution, no other man but he could have enjoyed it.

    A hint of ambiguity flickered in his dark eyes as he nodded and raised his gaze to her.

    ¡°Yes, your physical condition is indeed quite good,¡± he agreed.

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat uneasy under Zhan Qipei¡¯s strange gaze. She frowned and scrutinized him.

    What did that look mean?

    And what about what he had just said?

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing was filled with puzzlement.

 Chapter 395 - 395 384 Zhan Qipei is Pretending Again

    ?Chapter 395: Chapter 384: Zhan Qipei is Pretending Again   Chapter 395: Chapter 384: Zhan Qipei is Pretending Again                                   Chapter 384: Qiao Jing Helps with Undressing

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes shimmered with an unclear luster as he spoke.

    ¡°If three months have passed, then it should be fine.¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned, her face disying a look of confusion.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®it should be fine¡¯ after three months?¡±

    Was this man speaking in riddles with her?

    Or was he talking about the massage?

    ¡°Are you talking about a massage?¡±

    If it was about a massage, she definitely didn¡¯t need to be as cautious as before, since three months had indeed passed.

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, the corners of his lips lifting to reveal a smile with ambiguous meaning, then he followed with another statement.

    ¡°The danger period is over.¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned again, she wasn¡¯t unaware that her danger period had passed. She had mentioned it earlier, so why was Zhan Qipei repeating this?

    Suddenly, she noticed that his eyes were fixed on her, not veering away, his face even sporting a seductive smile that wasn¡¯t characteristic of him.

    If she didn¡¯t understand what this damn man was insinuating now, she would probably be a fool.

    What on earth was wrong with this damn man?

    What was filling his head?!

    It¡¯s best not to have sexual rtions in the first three months of pregnancy, and now, as soon as his ¡°danger period¡± was over, was this all he could think about?

    A vein throbbed on her forehead, her brows furrowed, and she dropped a remark.

    ¡°Your handsomely stunning face is truly wronged being with you.¡±

    She didn¡¯t pay any further attention to Zhan Qipei and turned to walk to her own room.

    However, she hadn¡¯t gone far when her wrist was grabbed by the man.

    Zhan Qipei pulled her into his embrace, forcibly cing her hand onto his waist.

    ¡°Were you justplimenting me?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave him an unamused look and attempted to pull her wrist away, but before she could, he gripped her hand tightly and drew her close once again.

    ¡°My waist hurts, won¡¯t you give me a massage?¡±

    Qiao Jing tried to pull her hand back, but the man¡¯s grip was too tight, leaving her unable to escape.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you didn¡¯t need it?¡±

    The man had just adamantly said he didn¡¯t need it, and now he was retracting his words?

    As the opportunity had passed, Zhan Qipei thought this while a glint of shrewdness crossed his dark eyes, and he pretended to be in pain, pressing on his waist with his other hand.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t massage me, and my waist ends up damaged, then your lifelong happiness¡­¡±

    He deliberately left his sentence unfinished, intending to make Qiao Jing guess the rest.

    His wife would surely feel sorry for him.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips twitched in annoyance, her eyes rolling.

    ¡°None of my business.¡±

    This damn man was definitely doing this on purpose. The unspoken part was nothing more than him being her man, concerning her lifelong happiness¡­

    Zhan Qipei pressed on his waist again, deliberately pulling a pained smile, his brows knitting together.

    ¡°Just five minutes.¡±

    He actually didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to massage him for too long either, or else his wife¡¯s hands might ache.

    Qiao Jing tried to pull her hand back again, yet the man still held on firmly, making her immobile.

    Her temples throbbed suddenly, and she tried to suppress the anger that was rising within her.

    ¡°Let go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips thinly, making a concession and probing with a question.

    ¡°If not five minutes, how about four minutes and fifty-nine seconds?¡±

    A vein on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead throbbed, and she forced a smile that was neither happy nor angry.

    ¡°Ha ha¡­¡±

    This man is truly no ordinary dog.

    Zhan Qipei hesitated for a moment before conceding again.

    ¡°Four and a half minutes, okay? Just help me for four and a half minutes, you can start a timer.¡±

    Qiao Jing grew increasingly speechless, giving Zhan Qipei a nce without responding.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, Zhan Qipei gathered his eyebrows, which were soft and mist-like, and his gaze towards the woman carried a hint of caution.

    ¡°Four minutes?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved dramatically as she rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Go lie down on the couch.¡±

    Does this dog man think he¡¯s haggling?

    Had it not been for her not wanting Zhan Qipei to pester her anymore, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed.

    In the future, she could consider letting Zhan Qipei do the grocery shopping. After all, this dog man¡¯s skin was truly thick, and he shamelessly clung to people.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes lit up, and he quickly went to the sofa andy down.

    Qiao Jing slowly walked over to the couch, sat down, and ced her hands on the man¡¯s spine, gently pressing down.

    After a moment, she found a few unusual spots.

    Frowning, she pressed on those spots.

    Zhan Qipei was enjoying the sensation of those slender hands moving across his back. When the woman¡¯s soft fingertips pressed on those spots, his brow furrowed involuntarily.

    This sensation¡­ was painfully pleasurable.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hands and stood up.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite serious.¡±

    There were several spots on the man¡¯s body that needed some serious pressing to adjust back into ce. Otherwise, if it continued like this, it would grow more severe after half a month.

    Zhan Qipei, thinking that Qiao Jing had risen because she was unwilling to continue massaging him, turned his head.

    ¡°The time isn¡¯t up yet.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to go to her room to fetch the massage oil, she heard this remark and turned back.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get the massage oil. I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t continue.¡±

    She noticed the man¡¯s gaze holding a trace of reproach, which also subtly included a clingy temptation.

    Seeing the man¡¯s exquisitely handsome face, Qiao Jing thought that if he were a woman, he would undoubtedly be a nation-toppling temptress.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips curved upward, and he gazed affectionately at the girl.

    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll¡­ wait¡­ for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing, speechless, quickened her pace, not bothering to exchange another word with the man.

    When she returned to the sofa with the oil, she found the man still in the same position, unmoved.

    However, now in order to apply the oil, he would have to take off his shirt.

    ¡°Take off your shirt.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pretended to struggle as he slightly lifted his hand, but it fell halfway.

    ¡°My shoulder hurts, I can¡¯t lift my arms. You help me.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t believe Zhan Qipei and said expressionlessly,

    ¡°Just now when you were grabbing me, you seemed to have a strong grip. Is it hurting now?¡±

    There was a faint red mark on her wrist, left behind when Zhan Qipei had gripped her hand to stop her from leaving.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and found a random excuse.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I was pulling you that I used up all my strength.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead vein throbbed.

    At this point, she could no longer hold back and ced the oil on the table.

    ¡°You¡¯re truly shameless! Apply it yourself or not at all!¡±

    Don¡¯t think she didn¡¯t know the man was doing this on purpose, just so she would help him take off his clothes.

    This tactic wasn¡¯t new; the man had used it more than once before.

    This time, she definitely wouldn¡¯t let this dog man get his way.

 Chapter 396 - 396 385 Zhan Qipei Deliberately Shows Off

    ?Chapter 396: Chapter 385 Zhan Qipei Deliberately Shows Off   Chapter 396: Chapter 385 Zhan Qipei Deliberately Shows Off                                   Chapter 385

    Zhan Qipei was not at all bothered by Qiao Jing calling him shameless; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.

    He straightened up from the sofa.

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of having shame? Can it get me a wife?¡±

    If he had been concerned about having shame from the beginning, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to coax Qiao Jing back.

    He knew his wife preferred a gentler approach over a forceful one; being tough would only drive her away, so he chose abination of both soft and hard tactics.

    Qiao Jing ignored Zhan Qipei and prepared to return to her room.

    ¡°Take it off or not, up to you; I¡¯m not bothered.¡±

    Later on, if this scoundrel had a sore back, he¡¯d better note crying to her.

    She had already thought of a way to help Zhan Qipei. Now, if this scoundrel was unwilling to strip for a massage, then he couldn¡¯t me her for not offering one.

    She picked up the essential oil from the table, and as she was about to turn around, the man¡¯s voice, tinged with resignation, rang out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll take it off.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity to have Qiao Jing massage him, after all, he might not be this lucky next time.

    Qiao Jing stood aside, staring directly at Zhan Qipei, waiting for him to undress.

    She watched as the man¡¯s slender hands moved to his cor.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, his lips curved upwards, and a faint gleam shed in his eyes.

    He deliberately slowed down the pace of unbuttoning, teasingly undoing each button one by one.

    As he opened the first button, he lifted his gaze towards Qiao Jing.

    A trace of puzzlement was written on Qiao Jing¡¯s cool face.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±

    She just hoped Zhan Qipei would let her finish the massage quickly so she could go to wash up and sleep.

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze, his smile bing somewhat enigmatic, and he undid the second button.

    After the second button was undone, his shirt cor was slightly open, revealing the well-defined vicle and the sleek lines that faintly showed beneath his white shirt.

    The air seemed to be thick with the masculine pheromones that belonged exclusively to Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing suddenly felt that she should perhaps excuse herself out of propriety, but then, she thought it was unnecessary.

    It was just the act of removing a shirt. If she made a special effort to avoid looking, it might seem too deliberate.

    Zhan Qipei continued unbuttoning, but as he opened the fourth button, he stopped his movements.

    This forced Qiao Jing to take in the sight of the man¡¯s firm chest and the expansive stretch of skin.

    Her mind was suddenly filled with confusion. As a doctor, she had seen countless bodies of both men and women.

    Yet, each time, her heart remained undisturbed.

    To her, the bodies of patients were no different; she had long grown ustomed to them.

    But just now, watching Zhan Qipei unbutton his shirt, button by button, and seeing his corbone, she actually contemted propriety.

    Even more so, upon glimpsing the expanse of chest that Zhan Qipei revealed, she felt the urge to look away.

    Zhan Qipei was casually leaning against the back of the sofa, his slender fingers hooked on the next button, slowly undoing it.

    The act of unbuttoning, which is normally the most mundane, somehow gave off a sense of abstinence when it was Zhan Qipei doing it.

    Qiao Jing stared intently at the man, unsure of how to react for a moment.

    Two voices waged war in her mind. One told her it was normal, no need to turn away, while the other reminded her this was Zhan Qipei, not like other people; she should avoid it.

    This left her increasingly perplexed.

    In her mind, what made Zhan Qipei different from anyone else?

    Before she coulde to a conclusion, she saw the man¡¯s upturned lips.

    The smile he now revealed, when ced on his face, carried a sense of abstinence yet was tinged with a hint of sexiness.

    Buttons that would normally take less than ten seconds to undo were deliberately drawn out by him for well over a minute.

    Zhan Qipei, after unbuttoning his shirt, carelessly ced it aside andy back down on the sofa. His thin lips parted slightly.

    ¡°Alright, you can start the massage now.¡±

    Qiao Jing snapped back to reality, putting aside her previous thoughts, and walked over to the sofa.

    She poured the essential oil into her hands and, after evenly coating her palms, pressed them firmly against the man¡¯s broad back.

    She pressed down on several spots, distributing more of the essential oil over various acupoints.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t see Qiao Jing¡¯s face, but the coolness of the woman¡¯s fingertips contrasted against the warmth of his skin provided a distinct sensation.

    Although he had felt something when she massaged him over clothing previously, the touch was not as intense as it was at this moment.

    The woman¡¯s soft palms continued to massage his back, evenly spreading the essential oil. Qiao Jing asionally adjusted her pressure on the acupoints.

    At this moment, he couldn¡¯t care less about the sour pain on his waist that was gradually subsiding. What he cared about was the woman¡¯s soft hands moving across his back.

    His dark pupils slowly filled with an indecipherable emotion, a me burning fiercely within him, wanting to spread from his limbs.

    He forcefully suppressed the restlessness in his heart, yet he could not quell the heat in his body.

    Qiao Jing felt the temperature in her palms rise progressively. She was well aware this wasn¡¯t her own warmth.

    She looked puzzled and lifted her hands, then, cing them back onto the man¡¯s skin, she found it had indeed be quite warm.

    It was indeeding from Zhan Qipei.

    She guessed the scoundrel was probably thinking something messy in his head.

    However, she couldn¡¯t care less about what he was thinking. After all, Zhan Qipei¡¯s overthinking was his self-inflicted torture.

    He deserved it!

    Zhan Qipei, unable to suppress the agitation in his body, furrowed his brows.

    Fortunately, he was lying with his back to Qiao Jing, so the woman wouldn¡¯t notice his abnormal state.

    However, his wife had passed the danger period, so if he forcibly¡­

    Just as Zhan Qipei felt he was about to lose control, the ringtone of a mobile phone rang out.

    It was Qiao Jing¡¯s phone.

    Hearing the ringtone, Qiao Jing paused in her massage. She nced at the caller ID, then at the essential oil on her hands.

    ¡°Can you answer for me? My hands are covered in oil. It¡¯s inconvenient.¡±

    Zhan Qipei grunted affirmatively and reached out to grab the phone from the table.

    After seeing the name of the caller, his eyes darkened. He pressed the answer button and switched on the speakerphone.

    Xu Moqian¡¯s voice came through as soon as the call connected.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you up for ate-night snack?¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to respond, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice preempted hers.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is busy. She¡¯s giving me a massage,¡± he said, his eyes narrowing slightly with a hint of darkness flickering within them.

    In the middle of the night, Xu Moqian actually wanted to invite his wife out?

    Does he think I¡¯m dead?!

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Xu Moqian immediately jumped up as if ignited.

    Explosively, he cursed,

    ¡°What the hell? Sister Jing is giving you a massage?¡±

    Could Zhan Qipei be deceiving him?

    Zhan Qipei set the phone aside.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s giving me a spa massage with essential oils, a full-body spa,¡± he emphasized deliberately on ¡®full body.¡¯

    Xu Moqian¡¯s voice suddenly rose, his eyes probably widening on the other end of the call.

    ¡°Sister Jing? What exactly is going on? Full body? Which kind of full body? It¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, is it¡ªthe type I¡¯m thinking of?!¡±

 Chapter 397 - 397 386 Qiao Jing Suddenly Embraced by a Man

    ?Chapter 397: Chapter 386: Qiao Jing Suddenly Embraced by a Man   Chapter 397: Chapter 386: Qiao Jing Suddenly Embraced by a Man                                   Chapter 386 What is it that Qiao Jing can¡¯t do?

    A sudden throbbing pulsed in Qiao Jing¡¯s temples as she red at Zhan Qipei irritably.

    But then she remembered that the man couldn¡¯t see her, realizing her re was in vain, which further annoyed her.

    This dog of a man was still as childish as ever¡­

    Xu Moqian, who had been getting no response, was now feeling extremely anxious.

    ¡°Sister Jing? What exactly is going on? Say something, will you?¡±

    Could it be that his Sister Jing was with Zhan Qipei¡ª

    Qiao Jing was utterly speechless. If she didn¡¯t speak up soon to rify, Xu Moqian¡¯s imagination would have scripted an entire action movie already.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a massage, a very professional massage.¡±

    The metaphorical stone that Xu Moqian had been carrying in his heart finallynded, and he slowly exhaled a long breath.

    ¡°Thank goodness, I thought it was¡ª¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Qipei interrupted him.

    ¡°Hmm, a very professional full-body massage.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved upward, his long eyebrows arching, clearly in a good mood.

    Xu Moqian on the other end of the phone was so agitated he began to hop, wishing he could immediately fly to Qiao Jing¡¯s ce.

    ¡°What?! Sister Jing, is it really just a very professional full-body massage?¡±

    His feelings were now like a roller coaster, soaring and plummeting.

    Could someone please tell him what exactly was happening?!

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes exasperatedly and pressed hard on a particr acupoint of Zhan Qipei.

    She had intended to make this dog of a man calm down a bit, but Zhan Qipei let out a muffled groan.

    ¡°Ss-uh¡ª¡±

    His groan, tinged with ambiguity, led Xu Moqian¡¯s thoughts further astray in the context.

    ¡°Sister Jing!! No way, right? No way, right? Are you really doing ¡®that¡¯ with Zhan Qipei?¡±

    If circumstances allowed, he would rush to Sister Jing¡¯s ce right now, and drag Zhan Qipei out for a severe beating, one that would leave him childless.

    Why does Zhan Qipei have any right?!

    How dare he defile his Sister Jing!!!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved heavily, her eyes gradually filling with indignation and exasperation.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei¡¯s got a screw loose, and you do too, don¡¯t you?¡±

    She coldly nced at the phone still on the call screen, no longer in the mood to chat with Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, hang up.¡±

    One person with a screw loose was enough, but when another one, who also liked to imagine things, was added into the mix, she couldn¡¯t take it.

    She definitely didn¡¯t want to continue chatting with two people who both had screws loose.

    Xu Moqian started yelling, clinging to hisst hope.

    ¡°Wait, Sister Jing! You haven¡¯t made it clear yet! What exactly are you doing? I¡¯m going to die of anxiety, I need to¡ª¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the call was abruptly ended.

    Xu Moqian stared at his phone screen with a troubled look, pounding his chest in distress, cursing himself.

    ¡°Xu Moqian! You¡¯re really useless!! Zhan Qipei and Sister Jing are doing something, and you¡¯re still at home waiting to have supper, what are you doing?!¡±

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    After the call was ended, the house returned to its tranquil state.

    Qiao Jing no longer talked to Zhan Qipei and quickened the pace of her massage.

    After the essential oils had all been absorbed by Zhan Qipei¡¯s back, she stopped her hands.

    She pressed on a few spots where the cirction was severely blocked and asked out loud.

    ¡°Do these spots still hurt?¡±

    She was touching Zhan Qipei¡¯s back, finding the muscles still very tense, likely still problematic.

    Although she could discern this, she still needed to proceed with further massage therapy based on the patient¡¯s feedback.

    Zhan Qipei grunted affirmatively; he was eager for Qiao Jing to continue the massage a bit longer.

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment, and if the massage oil wasn¡¯t effective, it might be helpful to try cupping therapy.

    She stood up, ready to go to her room to fetch the tools needed for cupping.

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to leave, Zhan Qipei quickly sat up.

    ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath.

    How is he here again?

    She was at home, where could she run off to?

    ¡°I¡¯m getting the cupping tools.¡±

    This guy is so clingy, even more than super glue!

    Her suggestion was to use Zhan Qipei instead of super glue from now on, which would definitely stick better.

    Upon hearing about cupping, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened.

    ¡°I¡¯lle with you and help you get them.¡±

    His wife meant that she would also help him with the cupping!

    The cupping tools were still very heavy, and she shouldn¡¯t get too tired.

    Moreover, the most important part was that he felt too happy today.

    Qiao Jing both massaged him and did his cupping.

    He wanted to mark this day as the happiest anniversary.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and walked straight back to her room, not even ncing at Zhan Qipei.

    What made Zhan Qipei think that she couldn¡¯t even carry a few items?

    After she returned to her room, she took out arger medical kit.

    Inside the kit were various tools, all veryplete and each one looked brand new.

    She skillfully pulled out one of the drawers and took out the needed tools.

    Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing to her room and saw her fiddling with a medical kit.

    He looked puzzled and saw that the tools inside were veryplete and exceedingly numerous, a dazzling line-up.

    There were even some tool brands that even an outsider like him recognized.

    Almost all the tools were from the top-ranked brands in the world.

    His wife actually had aplete collection, not missing a single one!

    She was incredibly skilled!

    He had seen this box when cleaning Qiao Jing¡¯s room previously, but he couldn¡¯t open it.

    The box used a fingerprint to open, and he couldn¡¯t open it no matter how much he wanted.

    After Qiao Jing took out the needed tools, she closed the box and wiped off the fingerprints with a wet cloth nearby.

    She had just turned around when she came face to face with Zhan Qipei walking toward her.

    She pursed her red lips, ready to walk out of the room with the tools, but the man immediately reached out and hugged her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t care about his sore waist and carried Qiao Jing to the living room.

    During this time, Qiao Jing struggled, but she couldn¡¯t pry open his fingers at all, as if he didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the two of them reached the living room together.

    Qiao Jing frowned her delicate eyebrows.

    ¡°Why are you being so strange?¡±

    He just lifted her up and took her to the living room without saying a word?

    Did she not know how to walk by herself?

    Zhan Qipei looked somewhat excited, but because his previous action was too strenuous, just as he was about to speak, a sharp pain shot through his back.

    He inhaled sharply and stretched out his hand to support his waist.

    ¡°Hiss¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei was genuinely in pain. She didn¡¯t care about his previous foolish behavior, and immediately pushed him down on the couch to lie down, sitting beside him.

    ¡°I told you to just sit, why did you have to follow me and even carry me?¡±

    Her eyes, usually empty, now zed with indignation as she stared at Zhan Qipei¡¯s back.

    Zhan Qipei recovered a bit before regaining his strength.

    ¡°Because my wife is so amazing, I wanted to hold her.¡±

    The tools in that medical box not only included those used for surgery but also tools for acupuncture, massage, and preparing medications, etc.

    What else was there that his wife couldn¡¯t do?

 Chapter 398 - 398 387 The Whole World Knows Qiao Jing Gave

    ?Chapter 398: Chapter 387: The Whole World Knows Qiao Jing Gave Zhan Qipei Cupping Therapy   Chapter 398: Chapter 387: The Whole World Knows Qiao Jing Gave Zhan Qipei Cupping Therapy                                   Chapter 387: unting on Social Media

    Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless and didn¡¯t respond to Zhan Qipei¡¯s remark, pressing on him to lie down.

    ¡°Lie still, don¡¯t move.¡±

    Zhan Qipeiplied with a sound andy obediently on the couch.

    Based on Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition, Qiao Jing set up cupping for him.

    The broad expanse of his back was now covered with many cupping jars, looking slightly absurd.

    Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei¡¯s back non-stop, a smile appearing on her face.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head only to see Qiao Jing¡¯s smiling face.

    His eyes shimmered, love rippling from them as he gazed steadily at the woman¡¯s delicate features.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei turn around, Qiao Jing¡¯s smile faded quite a bit, but the man still caught it.

    Zhan Qipei, curious, asked.

    ¡°What are youughing at?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the man¡¯s back, pursed her red lips, and her mouth curved upward.

    ¡°You really look like a pangolin like this.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want tough, but honestly, with all those cupping jars sucked onto his back, Zhan Qipei indeed resembled a pangolin.

    Zhan Qipei arched an eyebrow, his face showing puzzlement, and handed his phone to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Is that so? Then take a picture for me to see.¡±

    With nothing better to do, Qiao Jing opened the phone and took a picture of the man¡¯s back.

    Looking at the photo made her feel it was even funnier, and she smiled again.

    She quickly handed the phone back to Zhan Qipei, afraid that she would burst into unstoppableughter if she looked any longer.

    Zhan Qipei looked at the photo and recognized that it did look a bit like a pangolin.

    But that was okay; if Qiao Jing turned him into a pangolin, he was willing.

    Thinking that the cupping jars on his back were applied by Qiao Jing, he couldn¡¯t help but feel smug.

    He opened the Zhan Family group chat and sent out the photo.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is doing cupping therapy for me; she even massaged me just now.¡±

    He wanted to let everyone hear that his wife not only massaged him but also did the cupping therapy.

    Su Manhan, after seeing the photo, quickly replied to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What? You let Qiao Jing massage you and do cupping therapy? What if she gets tired?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t envious of Qiao Jing doing cupping therapy for Zhan Qipei; instead, she worried that Qiao Jing would get tired.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing this message, felt like a single dog squatting by the roadside kicked out of the blue and stuffed with a mouthful of dog food, unable to reject it even if she wanted to.

    Normally, she was used to seeing these two show affection, but now her brother, the millennial unyielding tree, had actually learned to unt his love life over the phone?

    She typed on the keyboard and sent out a sentence.

    ¡°Heh, brother, you¡¯re really lucky.¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied to Su Manhan.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t let her do it for long, just a few minutes, and she¡¯s resting now.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan happened to be checking messages at this time and, upon discovering the photo Zhan Qipei had sent, ¡°huffed¡± a sound.

    ¡°You lucky brat, not knowing the fortune you¡¯re in. It¡¯s one thing for Jing Girl to massage you, but to also do cupping therapy?¡±

    Zhan Qipei typed a few times on the keyboard and sent the message out.

    ¡°Grandpa, because my back hurts, Qiao Jing massaged me; she feels sorry for me.¡±

    After sending this message, Zhan Qipei exited and opened the chat page with Lu Zijiao.

    He sent the cupping photo to her.

    Lu Zijiao, always bored and ying with her phone, saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s message immediately.

    She thought it was something fun and clicked into it right away, only to find that Zhan Qipei had sent a photo of himself undergoing cupping therapy.

    And the background of this photo seemed to be Zhan Qipei¡¯s house?

    Why do cupping at home? No need to go to a massage parlor?

    He replied with a question mark, somewhat puzzled.

    Zhan Qipei was waiting for Lu Zijiao¡¯s reply and immediately sent the content he had pre-typed in the chat box.

    ¡°My wife is helping me with cupping jars and also gave me a massage.¡±

    Lu Zijiao was speechless. Such an act was simply inhumane!

    Now, Zhan Qipei was showing off his love life and unting his happiness, and he even made sure to send it to him specifically?

    Should he thank Zhan Qipei for thinking of him at this time?

    But he absolutely did not need that!!

    He angrily typed a particrly long string of text and pressed ¡®send¡¯ with extra force, as if to vent his frustration.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, could you not send me this kind of stuff in the future? Please do me a favor. Even though I¡¯m craving ate-night snack right now, it doesn¡¯t mean I want a dose of your PDA. You clearly know I¡¯m single, why do you still send these things to provoke me?¡±

    He probably didn¡¯t need to have ate-night snack anymore, just looking at the photos and texts sent by Zhan Qipei, he had his fill of PDA.

    He could even sense a smugness between the lines of Zhan Qipei¡¯s words¡­

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond to Lu Zijiao, and opened his Moments, which he hadn¡¯t checked in ages.

    He normally used WeChat just for work and contacting people, and never even opened his Moments.

    As soon as he opened Moments, the first post he saw was one from Zhan Nanqing not long ago, sharing a series of food pictures.

    He fiddled for a while but still couldn¡¯t find the button to post on Moments. Slowly furrowing his brows like misty clouds, he turned back to ask Qiao Jing.

    ¡°How do I post on Moments?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes held a hint of surprise. Was Zhan Qipei actually going to post on Moments?

    She pointed to the upper right corner of the phone and said,

    ¡°If you want to post a picture, tap the upper right corner. To post text, press and hold for three seconds.¡±

    She was somewhat curious to see what Zhan Qipei was going to post; she had seen his homepage before, and he hadn¡¯t even activated Moments.

    Zhan Qipei saw the camera icon in the upper right corner, but he hesitated to press it.

    There was a shrewd gleam in his dark eyes as he handed the phone to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I want to post a picture, but I don¡¯t know how. Teach me.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, took the phone from him, tapped the icon in the upper right corner, and then handed the phone back to him.

    The camera icon wasn¡¯t small¡ªhow could Zhan Qipei have missed it?

    Zhan Qipei stared at the phone screen and pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°If you do it yourself, I can¡¯t see. Come closer and teach me.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at him suspiciously but, after seeing no signs of lying on his face, she got up and sat down in front of Zhan Qipei.

    To make it clearer for Zhan Qipei, she had to sit even closer, bending slightly over as she performed the operation again in front of him.

    Zhan Qipei smelled the sweet fragrance of her body, and contentedly curved the corners of his mouth, then took the phone back.

    He selected the picture of the cupping jars and added a caption.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is helping me with cupping jars.¡±

    After posting the message, he tossed the phone aside.

    Curious about why Zhan Qipei wanted to post on Moments, Qiao Jing caught a glimpse of the still-bright phone screen from the corner of her eye.

    The first thing she saw was the photo she had taken for Zhan Qipei a few minutes ago.

    No wonder he had just asked her how to post on Moments; it turned out he wanted to share that photo.

    Although she felt that cupping was a very normal thing and it didn¡¯t matter whether it was shared on Moments, she could understand why Zhan Qipei wanted to post it.

    Because the man was quite childish, like a little kid getting a favored toy, eager to show it off to other children.

    The kids at the orphanage were the same, dying for the whole world to know they got a new toy.

    On the other hand,

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s post on Moments, Tang Yan¡¯s jaw almost dropped in shock.

    His first thought was that his boss¡¯s WeChat had been hacked?

    After all, Zhan Qipei¡¯s profile picture and Moments had always been empty, especially his profile picture, which was forever a pure ck image.

    Ever since he got to know the boss, Zhan Qipei had been using this dark,ckluster image as a profile picture. He had never posted on Moments or even viewed them. And today, he unexpectedly broke tradition by posting on Moments?

    Once he saw the content that Zhan Qipei had posted, he understood why his boss wanted to share on Moments.

 Chapter 399 - 399 388 Denigrating Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 399: Chapter 388: Denigrating Qiao Jing   Chapter 399: Chapter 388: Denigrating Qiao Jing                                   This was Miss Qiao cupping for her boss, and then her boss wanted to show it off.

    He enthusiastically liked the post andmented exactly what Zhan Qipei wanted to see.

    ¡°Wishing the boss and Miss Qiao a hundred years of happiness together!¡±

    But after Zhan Qipei made the post, he didn¡¯t look at his phone again, throwing the phone aside, waiting for the cupping time to pass.

    A few minutester, Qiao Jing removed the cupping jars and quickly cleaned up the tools.

    Zhan Qipei quickly stood up, wanting to follow Qiao Jing when, at that moment, the woman had already started walking towards the room.

    He pursed his thin lips, remembering Xu Moqian¡¯s words, and deliberately spoke up.

    ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want to go out for somete-night snacks?¡±

    Qiao Jing turned around and nced indifferently at the man.

    ¡°No.¡±

    When she got to the room door, ready to get a change of clothes to take a shower, the man followed again.

    Zhan Qipei stood at the door, arms folded, and began to imitate Xu Moqian¡¯s tone, with a tinge of jealousy.

    ¡°Sister Jing, wanna go out forte-night snacks?¡±

    By now, he already considered Xu Moqian his second biggest love rival.

    Xu Moqian actually had the nerve to call in the middle of the night, inviting a married woman out forte-night snacks?

    And it was his wife he was asking out for a midnight feast?

    Could it be Xu Moqian thought he was dead?

    When Qiao Jing heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, her body shook violently, and she furrowed her brows.

    She walked expressionlessly to the room door, pushed the man out, and closed the room door.

    This damn man was jealous again!

    And this time he even learned to talk in a sarcastic tone, imitating someone else¡¯s speech?

    Usually, she was used to hearing Xu Moqian talk, but when Zhan Qipei, this dog of a man, attempted it, especially with deliberate pauses, she felt goosebumps all over her body.

    After a while, when she heard no noise in the living room, she took her clothes and prepared to take a shower.

    But as soon as she opened the door, she ran into the man standing right outside.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened when he saw Qiao Jing holding clothes in her hand.

    ¡°Are you going to take a shower?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation. Wasn¡¯t that obvious?

    She hummed in acknowledgment and headed towards the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei stuck close behind her all the way to the bathroom door.

    ¡°After giving me a massage just now, are your hands sore? Can you lift them?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man, her red lips parting slightly.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    Zhan Qipei said without a blush or a skip of his heartbeat.

    ¡°If your hands are sore, I can help you bathe.¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused and astounded by the earnest expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face as he said those words.

    This dog of a man truly had no shame.

    She simply closed the bathroom door.

    She looked at the door of the bathroom; outside the frosted ss, there was still a blurry figure.

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t left.

    Her confusion grew; while the man was clingy before, he had never been this clingy.

    What exactly was up with this dog of a man today?

    Afterpleting her shower, she nned to bypass the man and return to her room directly.

    Zhan Qipei stepped forward and grabbed the woman¡¯s slender wrist, looking at Qiao Jing with puppy-dog eyes.

    Qiao Jing, now beyond irritation, asked helplessly.

    ¡°What on earth do you want to do?¡±

    Zhan Qipei straightened his brows and made a request.

    ¡°Can you give me a massage again next time?¡±

    After the massage Qiao Jing gave him, he did not want anyone else to massage him.

    He decided to preserve his chastity for his wife!

    Qiao Jing blinked, her face momentarily nk.

    So, after all that, Zhan Qipei wanted her to massage him?

    ¡°Alright alright, I agree, okay?¡±

    If she let Zhan Qipei pester her any further, it would soon be ten o¡¯clock. Was she even going to get any sleep?

    Only then did Zhan Qipei contentedly let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing arrived at the research institute. While she was working, her mobile phone suddenly vibrated.

    She furrowed her brows; the friends she had added on WeChat usually did not disturb her while she was at work.

    A sudden vibration now¡ªcould it be that there was an emergency?

    She unlocked her phone and discovered that the source of the vibration was a group chat.

    The 20th Agricultural University Professor Group Chat.

    This was a group chat for the professors tomunicate in the office when she used to work as a professor at the university.

    Although she no longer worked at the university, she had not left the group since she had been colleagues with everyone there.

    She had already set the chat to ¡°do not disturb¡±, so if there were messages now, it must be because everyone was being tagged.

    When she checked the group chat, she found out that not only had everyone been tagged, but also a new announcement had been posted.

    The person who posted the announcement had the group nickname, Gao Lihong.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, retrieving the person from her memory.

    It was a female professor who had worked in the same office as her previously.

    She scrolled through the messages from Gao Lihong.

    ¡°I have some good news for everyone. I registered to apply for a professorship at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute and have now passed the first round of interviews.¡±

    The announcement and Gao Lihong¡¯s message were identical as if it were intended to be seen by everyone.

    Other professors in the group soon responded to Gao Lihong¡¯s message.

    ¡°My gosh! Did I hear that right Lihong, it¡¯s Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?¡±

    Gao Lihong replied with a sentence.

    ¡°Right!¡±

    Immediately the group chat blew up.

    ¡°Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? And you¡¯ve passed the first round of interviews?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, Lihong, when did you apply behind our backs?¡±

    ¡°Lihong, you¡¯re really amazing. I¡¯ve turned into a lemon spirit. I applied too, but haven¡¯t passed the first round of interviews.¡±

    ¡°When will you start working, Lihong? Remember to tell us, so we can throw a celebration?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Gao Lihong waited until they finished sending messages and then picked a few to respond.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only passed the first round of interviews, I¡¯m not entering the job so soon. There¡¯s still the second and final round of interviews to get through before I can start working. I¡¯m not that amazing haha~¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at her phone screen without sending a message.

    The research institute indeed seemed to be hiring professors recently, but since she had delegated these matters to Xu Hongzu, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention.

    The group chat was still abuzz.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not amazing, then who is? You¡¯ve passed the interview at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be modest; I couldn¡¯t even touch the threshold. I¡¯ve heard that Elder Xu was leading the interview sessions!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve passed the first round, surely the second will be no problem either. Rest assured Lihong.¡±

    ¡°Looks like our group will have an agricultural mogul soon!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing read Gao Lihong¡¯s messages, all filled with thanks andpliments, and couldn¡¯t help but recall incidents from their time at the university.

    Gao Lihong, who usually sought trouble for the sake of it, had not given Qiao Jing a few stumbling blocks.

    In the end, however, it was Gao Lihong who suffered the setbacks.

    But Qiao Jing could understand why Gao Lihong behaved like that; before Qiao Jing arrived at the university, Gao Lihong had been the most popr female professor there.

 Chapter 400 - 400 389 Hatred for Qiao Jing Runs Deep

    ?Chapter 400: Chapter 389: Hatred for Qiao Jing Runs Deep   Chapter 400: Chapter 389: Hatred for Qiao Jing Runs Deep                                   But ever since she had arrived, everyone in the university had shifted their attention to her.

    So, it was normal for Gao Lihong to have an opinion about her, and she didn¡¯t take it too much to heart.

    The people in the group were still sending messages, discussing around what Gao Lihong had said.

    ¡°Lihong, don¡¯t be modest now, we¡¯ll all be clinging to your coattails soon!¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is a national-level research institute, to be honest, it¡¯s much better than being a professor at the university, just don¡¯t secretly screenshot this and send it to the dean, okay!¡±

    ¡°Screenshot taken as evidence, Professor Wang, if you don¡¯t transfer the money, I¡¯ll send it to the dean.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t torment me, if the dean gets angry, we¡¯re done for.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    At this moment, Gao Lihong¡¯s face was filled with a smug expression, as she typed her replies with glee.

    ¡°The way you all are talking, I¡¯ve started to feel like I¡¯m already part of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, don¡¯t congratte me so soon, what if it doesn¡¯t work out?¡±

    She deliberately said this to highlight her modesty, encouraging these people to keep praising her to the skies!

    Who doesn¡¯t like to be praised by others?

    She had already received a lot of adtion at the school, and being single, several of the male professors at the school naturally found her appealing.

    But then, that day arrived¡­

    Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a group photo on the wall and seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s elegant face, rage surged through her immediately.

    She picked up a dart and viciously threw it at Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Until Qiao Jing had arrived at the school and stolen all her limelight!

    Not only had all her admirers run to Qiao Jing, but Qiao Jing had also yed the high-minded one, outright rejecting people or ignoring them!

    How could she tolerate this?

    However, fortunately, Qiao Jing had left the schoolter, and she was able to return to her previous life.

    Soon someone in the group posted a message mentioning Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Back in the day, Qiao Jing was the best among us and had the best mix of qualities, I wonder how she¡¯s doing now? It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen her.¡±

    After seeing this message, Gao Lihong¡¯s eyes widened, and her teeth ground together noisily.

    Prior to that, it was true that Qiao Jing had been thriving in the school, excelling in all aspects more so than her.

    But she reconsidered, she was about to start working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, what was Qiao Jingpared to that?

    Could it be that she could work at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute too?

    Someone replied to the message.

    ¡°Thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank, Qiao Jing was just a bit good at teaching in college, what does that count for?

    Not like Lihong, she is about to be part of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute soon, that¡¯s a much higher status than Qiao Jing.¡±

    He was ttering Gao Lihong just to make her recognize him.

    After all, Gao Lihong was about to start working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, and him speaking well of her today might just help him get in along with her tomorrow.

    After reading this message, a smug smile spread across Gao Lihong¡¯s face.

    ¡°Not at all, don¡¯t exaggerate like that, I haven¡¯t started working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute yet!¡±

    Although she hadn¡¯t started yet, being as exceptional as she was, she was sure to pass the final interview tomorrow, and she¡¯d be working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute soon.

    The group was established by a highly respected professor at the university, second only to Qiao Jing.

    He suddenly chimed in at this time.

    ¡°Professor Wang, don¡¯t say that. Qiao Jing is our colleague too and she¡¯s also in this group, so saying this is a bit too much.¡±

    Soon others followed the professor and continued.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not nice to say that. What if Professor Qiao saw it, the impact would be huge.¡±

    ¡°Professor Wang, be careful what you say and do.¡±

    Professor Wang didn¡¯t care about that at all, and he tapped on the keyboard to reply to a few people.

    ¡°Afraid of what? Even if Qiao Jing is in this group, she wouldn¡¯te out and chat. Since she joined the group, I¡¯ve never seen her speak.

    Moreover, her being such a high-and-mighty person, how could she possibly take us seriously?¡±

    Without waiting for others to reply to his message, Professor Wang continued.

    ¡°You must have heard too that Qiao Jing was rmended all the way from primary to university, right? How could someone as outstanding as her stoop down to speak with us?¡±

    His words were filled with sarcasm, making the other professors a bit ufortable.

    ¡°Professor Qiao just prefers to be on her own, it doesn¡¯t mean she looks down on us, does it?¡±

    Professor Wang quickly refuted this professor¡¯s words.

    ¡°Ha, if she really respected us, why has she never attended any colleague gatherings?¡±

    Another professor suddenly jumped in, answering Professor Wang.

    ¡°Professor Wang, it seems like no one has ever invited Professor Qiao to our gatherings, so it¡¯s not her fault for not showing up.¡±

    Professor Wang smacked his lips, unyielding.

    ¡°Even if we did invite her, I guess she¡¯d say she is busy. Maybe she is relying on her pretty face to marry someone and be a trophy wife.¡±

    Everyone saw the intent behind Professor Wang¡¯s words, his lines were mocking Qiao Jing, even calling others trophy wives.

    ¡°That¡¯s going too far, isn¡¯t it? Professor Qiao¡¯s professional knowledge surpasses all of ours, and she is a very cultured person, yet you call her a trophy wife?¡±

    ¡°Howe I remember that you, Professor Wang, once pursued Professor Qiao? Howe you deny recognizing people today?¡±

    ¡°If I had a face as pretty as Professor Qiao¡¯s, why would I bother building a career? I¡¯d also find a good man to marry and live a peaceful life.¡±

    Professor Wang¡¯s face changed color, especially upon mentioning the message about his past pursuit of Qiao Jing.

    Back then, he was attracted solely by Qiao Jing¡¯s beauty, but who knew she was an unmeltable ice queen.

    ¡°How am I being too much? None of you have seen Qiao Jing, what if she really has married and be a trophy wife now?¡±

    The chat group erupted into uproar, and they were quarreling incessantly.

    Some people also sided with Professor Wang, actively speaking for him.

    ¡°I think what Professor Wang said is not unreasonable. No one has seen the current Qiao Jing, none of us knows how she is doing now, and if it¡¯s true as Professor Wang said¡­¡±

    ¡°Right, although Qiao Jing was indeed excellent back then, it doesn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t be a trophy wife.¡±

    Gao Lihong was thrilled reading these messages from everyone.

    She wished everyone would curse at Qiao Jing, as in her view, Qiao Jing was just a trophy wife.

    No matter how knowledgeable, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t get into Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    Anyways, she could, and her professional knowledge had also improved.

    Maybe she had already left Qiao Jing miles behind!

    The group admin couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, and put an end to the topic.

    ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s not argue because of Professor Qiao. We are all colleagues, there¡¯s no need for this. Besides, Professor Qiao isn¡¯t teaching at our school anymore.¡±

 Chapter 401 - 401 390 Gao Lihong Deliberately Sets the Tone

    ?Chapter 401: Chapter 390: Gao Lihong Deliberately Sets the Tone to Smear Qiao Jing   Chapter 401: Chapter 390: Gao Lihong Deliberately Sets the Tone to Smear Qiao Jing                                   Gao Lihong also took this opportunity to act like a good person and started to speak up for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Professor Liu is right, we are all colleagues after all, and Qiao Jing is indeed impressive, which I admit, but there¡¯s no need to argue anymore.¡±

    After Professor Liu spoke up to end the topic, no one continued discussing Qiao Jing and shifted the conversation to Gao Lihong.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Professor Gao? Is it only Qiao Jing who is impressive, and not you? After you pass the interview tomorrow, you¡¯re going to be a staff member of the Research Institute. How can Qiao Jingpare to you? Right, are you going to treat us after the interview tomorrow? I¡¯ve already picked out the ce.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, with such great news, you have to treat us to a meal to celebrate, right?¡±

    ¡°Treating you is not a problem, I¡¯m just worried that my skills might not be enough and I could be passed over in the second round of interviews. But I think, if Qiao Jing also came to the interview, she might possibly pass too.¡±

    Gao Lihong was only saying these things to appear humble; there was no way she could be passed over.

    After all, she was one of the top talents from Agricultural University!

    She had passed the first round of interviews, so the second round would definitely not pose a problem!

    Mentioning Qiao Jing was only to stir these people into another frenzy, to have them curse Qiao Jing a few more times, which would make her feel morefortable.

    The times when she was in the spotlight shed through her mind again.

    But then Qiao Jing burst onto the scene partway through and stole all her glory.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She picked up a dart again and threw it at the photo of Qiao Jing, one after another, until there were countless holes, and only then did she stop.

    Professor Wang continued to butter up Gao Lihong.

    ¡°Lihong, don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll definitely be fine. You passed the first round, don¡¯t be so doubtful of yourself. Qiao Jing has been out of school for so long, her professional knowledge must have long been forgotten. What¡¯s there topare with her?¡±

    Suddenly, a professor who had been lurking sent a message.

    ¡°I seem to have seen Qiao Jing enter Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institutest month.¡±

    As soon as this message went out, the group exploded again.

    Qiao Jing watched the previous chat with an expressionless face, until she saw this message and frowned slightly.

    Seen by someone?

    The people in the group didn¡¯t want to believe this professor¡¯s words at all, especially Professor Wang, who reacted as if he had been electrocuted and immediately jumped in.

    ¡°How could that be possible? You must have seen it wrong, right? It was probably just someone who looked like her?¡±

    The professors who were on Gao Lihong¡¯s side also started questioning this professor.

    ¡°You only said it ¡®seemed like¡¯ her, you didn¡¯t confirm it was Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Although Qiao Jing is quite impressive, she isn¡¯t so impressive as to be at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, right?¡±

    After a series of messages from them, the professor who had spoken began to doubt whether he had mistaken it as well.

    ¡°Oh, then I must have been mistaken, I¡¯m not sure, thought she looked like her from the side profile and figure. But I think Qiao Jing is really capable. She has the qualifications to go to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute; after all, she is the top talent of our Agricultural University.¡±

    When Gao Lihong saw those words, ¡°the top talent,¡± used to describe Qiao Jing, she clenched her phone tightly, and the veins on the back of her hand stood out.

    Ha! The top talent of Agricultural University?

    That title was meant for her!

    After she passes the second round of exams tomorrow, everyone will surely recognize that she is Agricultural University¡¯s top talent.

    What is Qiao Jingpared to her?

    Nothing at all! After tomorrow, she will be a member of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    And Qiao Jing? She¡¯s probably off somewhere being a vase!

    Inside the Research Institute.

    Qiao Jing stayed on the chat page of this group without expressing her opinion.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s unusual behavior and felt curious.

    You should know that nothing could disturb Qiao Jing when she was working.

    But today, surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t working; instead, she had been looking at her phone for so long.

    What on earth was in that phone that made Qiao Jing stare at it for so long?

    The more she thought about it, the more curious she became, feeling a bit itchy inside. She started to slowly move her feet and approached Qiao Jing.

    She sessfully peeked at Qiao Jing¡¯s phone screen and found herself in a colleague group chat.

    And the messages were all criticizing and bad-mouthing Qiao Jing, with someone named Gao Lihong ying the good Samaritan.

    At the same time, she saw the pinned notice at the top of the chat and frowned.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, if your colleaguees in for an interview tomorrow, is that really okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing set down her phone and resumed her work, speaking indifferently.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether theye or not.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t responsible for recruiting new staff; as long as those who were hired were capable and responsible, that was fine.

    Zhan Nanqing watched Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent expression and, holding back for a moment, suddenly blurted out.

    ¡°I actually hope she doese.¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped her work and looked at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Do you know her?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing quickly shook her head.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m just saying.¡±

    She had just seen how Gao Lihong spoke with a strong green tea vibe and deliberately set the pace in the group chat, feigning the appearance of a good person.

    And it was only after passing the first round of interviews that she made a point to post a notice, clearly wanting to be showered withpliments.

    She wanted Gao Lihong toe for the interview simply to let her see what status Qiao Jing truly held and for Gao Lihong to realize her own worth.

    How dare she stir the pot in the group? Saying Qiao Jing is amazing and purposely inciting others to badmouth Qiao Jing.

    She hadn¡¯t even met Gao Lihong yet but could tell this person was full of b*tchiness.

    Zhan Nanqing was quite enraged and continued to inquire.

    ¡°If she passes the interview tomorrow, would you let her stay and work here?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want such a vexing coworker around.

    As Qiao Jing shifted back to work, she took a moment to respond to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as things are done by the book. That matter is Grandpa Xu¡¯s responsibility.¡±

    Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute indeed needed new staff, and she wasn¡¯t one to quibble over a few words someone said.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s brow furrowed, her face full of distaste.

    ¡°But the rules of the Research Institute are set by you. You¡¯re Professor Qiao, after all. If you don¡¯t want her toe, she definitely won¡¯t be able to.¡±

    If she had to work with someone like Gao Lihong in the future, there was no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t end up arguing one day.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing and spoke in an even tone.

    ¡°She is indeed quite talented.¡±

    While working at the university, she had already gotten to know the varying levels of the professors¡¯ abilities.

    And Gao Lihong¡¯s ability was above average; it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her to work at the Research Institute.

    Zhan Nanqing pouted.

    ¡°Even if she is talented, she¡¯s still far behind you.¡±

    In her heart, if Qiao Jing were ranked second, no one would dare to im they were first.

 Chapter 402 - 402 391 Qiao Jings Favoritism Towards Zhan

    ?Chapter 402: Chapter 391: Qiao Jing¡¯s Favoritism Towards Zhan Nanqing   Chapter 402: Chapter 391: Qiao Jing¡¯s Favoritism Towards Zhan Nanqing                                   Qiao Jing did not answer Zhan Nanqing again, focusing on her work.

    The following noon.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to go for lunch, Zhan Nanqing followed her and suggested they eat out together.

    She nced at the time and agreed without hesitation.

    By the time the two finished lunch and returned, it was just the time for the second round of interviews.

    Zhan Nanqing, clinging to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, was still brooding over the message she had seen in the group chat yesterday.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, do you think your former colleague wille today?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless and nced sideways at her.

    ¡°Why are you more excited than I am?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, a bit curious, that¡¯s all.¡±

    As Zhan Nanqing was thinking this, a somewhat deep and neutral female voice sounded behind them.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? What are you doing here?¡±

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing both stopped in their tracks.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t recognize the owner of this voice, but Qiao Jing did.

    It was none other than Gao Lihong, who had been overly ostentatious in the group chat yesterday.

    Qiao Jing slowly turned around and faced Gao Lihong.

    ¡°Is there something you want?¡±

    Although she knew today was the second round of interviews, she hadn¡¯t expected to run into her.

    Zhan Nanqing sized up the woman in the business suit and sses before her.

    A good figure, but inparison to Qiao Jing, worlds apart.

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, this woman was probably Gao Lihong.

    Gao Lihong stood with her arms crossed, her face full of disdain.

    ¡°Huh, you actually work at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute?¡±

    It seemed that what another professor had said in the group chat yesterday was true, Qiao Jing did indeed work at the research institute.

    The more she thought about it, the more furious she felt, always sensing that she was a notch below Qiao Jing!

    Previously, at Agricultural University, Qiao Jing had stolen her limelight, and now she had even joined Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute ahead of her?

    Could it be that Qiao Jing now also had the capability?

    Qiao Jing did not intend to deal with Gao Lihong and was ready to return to the research institute with Zhan Nanqing to continue working.

    Gao Lihong, seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s intention to leave, quickly stepped forward in her high heels and blocked their way.

    ¡°You¡¯re still the same as before, always acting so high and mighty, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She paused, nced at the entrance to the research institute, and then spoke.

    ¡°So what if you joined Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute before I did? Through my efforts over these years, my level is not what it used to be. My professional knowledge is definitely not less than yours now, and my abilities are stronger.¡±

    ¡°This time, I will definitely trample you underfoot and let you know that I am the top talent from Agricultural University, not you.¡±

    Listening to Gao Lihong say such juvenile words, Qiao Jing found it somewhat boring.

    She casually nced at Gao Lihong, her red lips slightly parting as she slowly uttered one word.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Having said that, she walked straight into the research institute with Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t had the chance to speak up for Qiao Jing before she was led inside; she looked back at Gao Lihong.

    She noticed that the other woman¡¯s face looked terribly upset, stomping in frustration on the spot.

    That made her quite pleased, and she leaned in close to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, do you want to look back at Gao Lihong¡¯s face? It¡¯s colorful as a palette!¡±

    Qiao Jing grew increasingly helpless.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, just focus on your work.¡±

    The two figures gradually drifted away, disappearing from Gao Lihong¡¯s view.

    Gao Lihong¡¯s eyes zed with rage. Remembering that she was there for an interview and could enter, she quickly followed them.

    By the time she caught up with the two, she found that Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing were still in the lobby.

    Zhan Nanqing was pouring water by the water cooler, while Qiao Jing sat on the sofa waiting for her.

    And the direction they were in was precisely that of the conference room designated for interviews.

    Qiao Jing was flipping through some documents on the sofa when suddenly someone appeared in front of her.

    Gao Lihong walked past Qiao Jing with her chin held high, exuding arrogance.

    She deliberately stomped her feet harder while walking, the heels of her shoes making a loud sound against the floor, all to make her presence known.

    Qiao Jing averted her gaze and paid no more attention to Gao Lihong.

    Instead of wasting time talking to such a person, it was better to use that time to work.

    Gao Lihong, realizing that Qiao Jing did not even nce at her, clenched her fists in anger.

    The fury in her eyes threatened to burst forth as she stared unrelentingly at Qiao Jing.

    But the other partypletely ignored her, as if she were nothing but air!

    Even though her abilities were surely stronger than Qiao Jing¡¯s!

    It was possible that Qiao Jing had sneaked in before and only then managed to secure a minor position!

    Just as she thought to confront Qiao Jing, she realized the interview time was fast approaching, so she reluctantly gave up and headed towards the conference room.

    Zhan Nanqing had just returned with a cup of coffee and happened to witness Gao Lihong¡¯s haughty demeanor.

    She snorted disdainfully, a look of scorn on her face.

    ¡°What sort of person is this? She really thinks she¡¯s somebody, with her nose almost reaching the top of her head.¡±

    She¡¯s already so full of herself even before entering the institute. If Gao Lihong really joined the institute, wouldn¡¯t she think she¡¯s shoulder to shoulder with the sun?

    Qiao Jing put down her documents and nced at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Do you dislike her that much?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing frowned and replied irritably,

    ¡°Of course I do. How could I possibly not dislike her? And if she passes her interview, she¡¯ll probably act like she¡¯s on par with the sun.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow nonchntly and said,

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have her leave.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and it took her a few seconds to process the statement.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yesterday that you wouldn¡¯t deal with this?¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and didn¡¯t respond, her gaze returning to the documents.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment before speaking up, her brows tightly knitted.

    ¡°Forget it. Our institute is looking for talent. If she truly has the capability to work at the institute, then let her stay.

    We can¡¯t just dismiss her because I don¡¯t like her. I¡¯m not that barbaric or tyrannical, nor do I want the institute to lose a talent.¡±

    She truly wanted Gao Lihong to leave, but she had to consider the bigger picture and not just her own feelings.

    A glint of approval shed in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she turned to Zhan Nanqing, teasing her in a yful tone,

    ¡°Since when were you not always so barbaric and tyrannical?¡±

    Having known Zhan Nanqing for a while now, she was familiar with her personality.

    That such words came from Zhan Nanqing indicated to her that Zhan Nan had truly grown up.

    Zhan Nanqing red defiantly, ready to counter,

    ¡°What? When have I ever been like that?¡±

    Qiao Jing revealed a faint smile and continued to tease,

    ¡°When have you not been like that?¡±

    At least the Zhan Nanqing she knew before would never have thought about the bigger picture and considered other factors like she did now.

 Chapter 403 - 403 392 Qiao Jing go pour me a glass of water

    ?Chapter 403: Chapter 392: Qiao Jing, go pour me a ss of water   Chapter 403: Chapter 392: Qiao Jing, go pour me a ss of water                                   After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing took a sip of coffee, furrowing her brows tightly, her expression extremely serious.

    It was quite a while before she spoke.

    ¡°If I really am that barbaric and overbearing, should I change it?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Nanqing and shook her head.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to change.¡±

    She felt that Zhan Nanqing¡¯s personality was actually within an eptable range.

    Furthermore, Zhan Nanqing had the capital to let her personality be a bit more barbaric and overbearing.

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t understand Qiao Jing¡¯s words, her brow so tightly knitted it seemed as though it could kill a fly, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I was too barbaric and overbearing? Why do you say there¡¯s no need to change it now? Being barbaric and overbearing isn¡¯t apliment.¡±

    A smile appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes as she began exining to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Your family background is strong enough, you are the daughter of the Zhan Family, it¡¯s normal if your personality is a bit spoiled; there¡¯s no need to forcibly change it.¡±

    She could guess what Zhan Nanqing¡¯s life at the Zhan Family was like, with the whole family doting on the only daughter, they would surely spoil her to death.

    Thankfully, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s personality hadn¡¯t been shaped as exaggeratedly as Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s.

    That kid¡¯s personality was just too outrageous, the family¡¯s indulgence led him to lose direction.

    If Zeng Xiangyang could score the grades she requested, she could also take the opportunity while teaching him to buy tickets and take him to see the esports stage.

    Zhan Nanqing put down her coffee and turned to face Qiao Jing.

    ¡°The way I hear it, it doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re praising me. It sounds like you¡¯re saying I naturally have a bad personality?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her face as she walked towards theb, saying.

    ¡°It depends on how you understand it. Let¡¯s get back to work.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment and nced in the direction of the meeting room.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Although she wanted to sit there, waiting until Gao Lihong came out to inquire about the interview result before returning,

    she didn¡¯t want to dy the progress of her work, so she got up and followed behind Qiao Jing.

    Just as they were about to reach Qiao Jing¡¯s privateb, Zhan Nanqing suddenly remembered the cup of coffee she had poured earlier hadn¡¯t been finished.

    She had only had one sip!!!

    She looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s empty hands and spoke.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I forgot to take my coffee with me, I need to go back and get it. Oh, and what about your documents?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t stop her steps, intending to let Zhan Nanqing go back to the lobby on her own.

    ¡°I have a copy of that document in myb.¡±

    She had put it in her private cab, and the staff at the institute wouldn¡¯t touch her things.

    The important thing was she didn¡¯t want to waste time going back to fetch them.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes darted around, recalling the sight of Qiao Jing writing on that document in the lobby earlier.

    ¡°Did you write something on that document just now?¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in her steps and turned around.

    ¡°I wrote some notes. Why?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes brightened.

    ¡°It would be such a waste to leave notes behind that you don¡¯t need. Why don¡¯t we go back and get it together? Your cab has a fingerprint lock, and I can¡¯t open it.¡±

    Actually, she was eager to see if she could run into Gao Lihong to learn about the interview oue.

    She wanted Qiao Jing toe with her because if Gao Lihong failed the interview, her sister-inw could see the other person¡¯s reaction immediately.

    Once Qiao Jing arrived, she would surely infuriate Gao Lihong, considering her sister-inw held a position at the institute while Gao Lihong couldn¡¯t even pass the interview.

    But if Gao Lihong did pass the interview, that wouldn¡¯t be an issue either. It would be best for her to avoid provoking Qiao Jing.

    Her sister-inw didn¡¯t want to bother, but she could!

    Qiao Jing thought it over for a moment and agreed, walking towards the hall with Zhan Nanqing.

    She had indeed taken many notes in that material; she was going to need it for workter, and having the notes would be more convenient.

    When the two returned to the hall, they immediately spotted Gao Lihong sitting on the sofa, legs crossed arrogantly.

    Gao Lihong¡¯s face was filled with a smug expression, yet her brows were tightly knitted, looking around.

    She couldn¡¯t believe she hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Jing when she came out?

    Qiao Jing must have been afraid of finding out she had passed the interview and then ran off, right?

    Out of the corner of her eye, Gao Lihong suddenly caught a glimpse of Qiao Jing¡¯s figure, and her tightly furrowed brow slowly rxed, her chin lifted.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s timing was perfect!

    She had nned to wait for Qiao Jing here after work and tell her about the sessful interview if Qiao Jing didn¡¯t show up today.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from Gao Lihong and walked directly to her locker with Zhan Nanqing in tow.

    She didn¡¯t have time to waste words with others anymore; she had toplete a small milestone today.

    Seeing Gao Lihong¡¯s smug look, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face immediately darkened.

    It seemed Gao Lihong had passed the interview¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t be swaggering around otherwise.

    But so what if she had?

    Wasn¡¯t she still going to work for her sister-inw?

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes at Gao Lihong and joined Qiao Jing on the couch they had just sat on.

    The ignored Gao Lihong clenched her teeth, stood up from the sofa, and walked towards Qiao Jing.

    By this time, Qiao Jing had already taken out the material and locked the locker.

    Zhan Nanqing was sipping her remaining coffee, getting ready to apany Qiao Jing back.

    They were intercepted by Gao Lihong on their way out.

    Qiao Jing gave Gao Lihong an emotionless look and brushed past her.

    Gao Lihong, irked by Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent expression just now, clenched her fists tighter.

    She knew it¡ªQiao Jing was still the same, always acting aloof!

    That gaze just now inexplicably made her feel like an ant while Qiao Jing was someone high above.

    How could she tolerate this?!

    This time, she hade in first ce in the interview!

    What right did Qiao Jing have to look at her with that gaze just now?!

    The more Gao Lihong thought about it, the angrier she became, and she quickly caught up to Qiao Jing again, blocking their way to brag intentionally.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, we¡¯ll be colleagues from now on. I ranked first in the interview,¡± she said, pausing slightly, her tone mocking.

    ¡°What rank did you get when you entered the institute?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips twitched almost imperceptibly, somewhat speechless.

    She hadn¡¯t needed to interview to get into the research institute; without her, there wouldn¡¯t even be an institute.

    Like before, she didn¡¯t speak, unwilling to engage with Gao Lihong.

    Seeing Qiao Jing choose silence, Gao Lihong¡¯s smile grew even more contemptuous.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s silence surely meant that she had no rank back then or had just scraped inst ce.

    Gao Lihong knew it¡ªpeople like Qiao Jing could only worm their way in; they had no real skill.

    All her years of hard work hadn¡¯t been in vain. She had snagged the top spot while Qiao Jing was merely the bottom of the pile.

    Thinking this, she nced at the ss of in water on the table and started ordering Qiao Jing around.

    ¡°My water has gotten a bit cold, go pour me a ss,¡± she said.

 Chapter 404 - 404 393 Throw Qiao Jing Out

    ?Chapter 404: Chapter 393: Throw Qiao Jing Out   Chapter 404: Chapter 393: Throw Qiao Jing Out                                   Since Qiao Jing barely made it in, she, as the top scorer, should definitely be able to boss around these kind of low-level employees.

    After all, she is the top scorer, and Qiao Jing is just deadst!

    Nanqing directly threw her coffee into the trash bin, making a loud ¡°ng¡± sound.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Why should Qiao Jing fetch water for you?¡±

    Is it the courage given to you by Liang Jingru that lets you talk to Qiao Jing like this?

    Right now, she¡¯s annoyed by just the sight of Gao Lihong¡¯s face. If they became colleagues and she had to see that face every day, she might have nightmares about this extremely irritating face when she goes home at night.

    Then she would definitely beat Gao Lihong up hard in her dreams!

    This green tea type is so unpleasant as soon as she shows up, speaks in innuendos; does she really think she is someone important?

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got!!!

    Gao Lihong was startled by themotion Nanqing caused and, hearing what she said, immediately directed her anger towards Nanqing.

    ¡°And who do you think you are? Why do you get to point fingers at me? Are either of you better than me? I was first in the interview, what about you?¡±

    Nanqing let out a sarcasticugh.

    Soon, you¡¯ll know just who Qiao Jing is.

    The sarcasm in Nanqing¡¯s smile unsettled Gao Lihong and her remarks grew increasingly wild.

    ¡°How dare you look at me with that expression? Don¡¯t tell me you also came first in the interview? Given your younger age, I won¡¯t stoop to your level.¡±

    Her tone shifted as she looked at Qiao Jing again.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, go get me some water, or else someone like you, a low-level employee, is going to have a hard time here in the institute.¡±

    Nanqing now openlyughed. The induction hadn¡¯t even started yet, and Gao Lihong had already failed to recognize who was who.

    She calls my sister-inw a low-level employee?

    Professor Qiao is the institute¡¯s lowest level employee?

    This is seriously the biggest joke she¡¯s heard all year.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her delicate brows, her eyes grew cold, and a chilly aura began to emanate from her body.

    Her eyes were sharp, like des of ice, piercing straight towards Gao Lihong.

    Gao Lihong was intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s re, feeling a sense of fear rapidly rising in her heart, a chill running down her spine.

    She swallowed instinctively; her smug smile froze on her face.

    Odd, back in school Qiao Jing was the aloof type, hardly interacting with anyone, always alone.

    She had tried to mess with Qiao Jing a few times and never saw Qiao Jing get angry, huh!

    Today something is different¡ª

    Regardless, she couldn¡¯t lose face in front of Qiao Jing today. With this in mind, she stiffened her resolve and spoke up.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me with those eyes? Do you think I¡¯ll be scared just because you look at me that way? Please be aware of your status,

    low, level, employee.¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Gao Lihong a cold sidelong nce, pointing towards the door.

    ¡°Get out of here, the institute doesn¡¯t ept ancestors!¡±

    Her words struck with force, each one sharp and pointed.

    The employees in the hall noticed what was happening with Qiao Jing, their faces changing continuously. Gao Lihong smirked and took a few steps forward, standing in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words had provoked Gao Lihong, who pointed at Qiao Jing¡¯s nose and yelled out.

    ¡°What are you? Didn¡¯t I tell you that I entered the institute as the top scorer of the interview? Do you think you can just say a word and make me leave?¡±

    Speaking of this, Gao Lihong took a breath and proudly continued her previous remarks:

    ¡°Oh right, I forgot to mention, Professor Xu personally praised me just now. He said he would take special care of me in the future. Do you have this opportunity? Are you jealous of me?¡±

    After she finished speaking in one breath, she noticed that Qiao Jing was still looking at her with the same indifferent expression.

    Why is this? Shouldn¡¯t Qiao Jing be very envious of her?

    Back in college, Qiao Jing had snatched the title of first talented woman at Agricultural University from her, and now she had turned the tables and was suppressing Qiao Jing in Professor Qiao¡¯s institute.

    Didn¡¯t Qiao Jing feel any imbnce in her heart?

    She looked Qiao Jing in the eye, but she felt as if her own presence fell way shortpared to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t need to say a word, just standing there, her naturally overwhelming aura pressed Gao Lihong underfoot.

    This¡ª

    This annoyed her a lot!

    Qiao Jing must be just as Professor Wang had said, acting as a trophy in some wealthy family, thinking she¡¯s some rich young madam, so she behaves this way.

    If Nanqing could hear Gao Lihong¡¯s inward thoughts at this moment, she would definitely seize the moment, especially thatment about Qiao Jing¡¯s stronger presence.

    She would make Gao Lihong be more confident, removing the ¡°it seems.¡±

    After Nanqing heard Gao Lihong¡¯s words, she rolled her eyes hugely.

    ¡°Who would be jealous of you? Jealous of your thicker skin or yourck of manners? Or perhaps, jealous that your eyes are higher than your head?

    If I don¡¯t put you in your ce, do you intend to ascend to the heavens and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun? Oh no, I think you¡¯re ready to fly into outer space.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s originally somber expression eased a lot after hearing Nanqing¡¯s variety of sarcastic remarks, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile and shake her head.

    She suddenly realized that Nanqing and Zeng Xiangyang had one thing inmon: their words could infuriate people to death.

    Gao Lihong, already infuriated by Nanqing, was just about to retort when she saw the smile on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Her anger red up immediately. Qiao Jing had the nerve tough at her?!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, what are youughing at? And who is this nobody who¡¯s popped up? What bottom-tier employee are you?¡±

    She had just finished speaking when she caught a glimpse of Xu Hongzu approaching from the corner of her eye.

    At that moment, Xu Hongzu was walking towards them with rage, mes nearly bursting from his aged eyes.

    Gao Lihong¡¯s face once again wore a triumphant grin.

    ¡°Professor Xu is already on his way here. You two apologize to me now and pour me some water, maybe then I¡¯ll forgive you. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have Professor Xu kick you out.¡±

    Just now, Professor Xu personally said he would take her as his apprentice and even praised her several times. Now, Professor Xu was surely here to support her.

    Maybe Qiao Jing would get fired!

    Nanqing rolled her eyes and stood to the side with her arms crossed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not certain who will be kicked out yet.¡±

    This is Qiao Jing¡¯s research institute. Who can kick Qiao Jing out? Who dares to?

    Gao Lihong saw Nanqing¡¯s indifferent expression and thought it was odd.

    Still being defiant when facing doom? Aren¡¯t they afraid of being kicked out?

    It wasn¡¯t until she saw Qiao Jing¡¯s calm and breezy eyes that she felt an ominous premonition in her heart.

    After Xu Hongzu arrived, the security guard at the door also came in.

    ¡°Throw her out!¡±

    Gao Lihong lifted her chin, her mouth almost splitting to her ears, her tone filled with mockery.

 Chapter 405 - 405 394 Slapped in the Face

    ?Chapter 405: Chapter 394: pped in the Face   Chapter 405: Chapter 394: pped in the Face                                   ¡°Look, I gave you all a chance just now, and you didn¡¯t take it. Now that things have developed to this point, don¡¯t me me if you¡¯re kicked out,¡±

    especially you, Qiao Jing. You insist on acting superior, and it¡¯s you who got thrown out¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, the security guards took her by the arms, one on either side, and dragged her outside.

    Gao Lihong was stunned, staring incredulously at the guards as she started to shout loudly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person!! The one called Qiao Jing standing over there is the one who should be thrown out!!!¡±

    After she said this, she realized that everyone around her was looking at her as if she were insane.

    The faces of the guards even showed disdain?!

    What in the world was happening?!

    Before she coulde to her senses, she was already dumped outside the doors of the research institute.

    After everything was done, the guards returned to their posts, guarding the entrance of the research institute.

    Gao Lihong copsed onto the ground, stunned. She scrambled up from the ground, not caring about her disheveled hair or her current, disheveled appearance.

    ¡°Security, isn¡¯t there some mistake? Didn¡¯t Professor Xu tell you to throw Qiao Jing out?¡±

    The guards must have thrown out the wrong person!

    How could Professor Xu possibly allow the guards to throw her out?

    The guards, almost in unison, looked back at Gao Lihong with that same ¡®looking at a madman¡¯ expression.

    This woman actually dared to provoke Professor Qiao, she deserved it.

    And to have them throw out Professor Qiao?

    They were not crazy!

    Only the guard closest to Gao Lihong responded to her remarks.

    ¡°Please leave. No one is allowed to enter the research institute except for its staff!¡±

    Gao Lihong waspletely bbergasted. She took out her mobile phone, pulled up the message from the person in charge of the institute, and showed it to the guard.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already passed the interview, I¡¯m going to be a staff member of the institute from now on, why can¡¯t I go in?¡±

    The guard nced at the phone screen.

    At that moment, a new message chimed in.

    The guard spoke emotionlessly, urging her to leave.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but you haven¡¯tpleted the onboarding process, and moreover, your interview results have been revoked. Please leave immediately!¡±

    Gao Lihong¡¯s eyes widened, she snatched back the phone, and as she erged the text, she said,

    ¡°Who told you my interview results were revoked? I was the top candidate, how could I possibly¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, she saw the newly received message.

    ¡°Miss Gao, your interview result has been revoked, and you are cklisted from employment for life.¡±

    Gao Lihong¡¯s hand clutching the phone began to tremble uncontrobly as she stared in disbelief at the message over and over again.

    Between the lines, the message was clear¡ªshe had been put on the cklist at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!

    Just then, her phone vibrated once more.

    Frantic, she scrolled down the screen, hoping to see a message from the person in charge saying it was all a big mistake, sent wrongly.

    But it was nothing of the sort, just a piece of junk advertisement.

    Desperate to understand what was going on, she sent a message back.

    However, next to the message she sent was a red exmation mark.

    She had been deleted!!

    Gao Lihong¡¯s heart sank as she exited the chat with the person in charge. At that moment, someone in the university work group tagged her.

    ¡°Professor Gao, has the interview ended? How did it go?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Of course, Professor Gao passed.¡±

    ¡°When is Professor Gao going to treat us to a meal to celebrate?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Messages in the group chat celebrated Gao Lihong¡¯s sessful interview and her official employment at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    Her already pale face turned even whiter, as if she had swallowed a fly, those celebratory messages seemingly pping her in the face.

    She had originally passed, but it was because of Qiao Jing that she got thrown out!

    Qiao Jing must have been afraid she had surpassed her, so taking advantage of her status as an old employee, used dirty and despicable means, bribing Professor Xu to have her kicked out.

    But no matter, the day after tomorrow is the conference.

    She must find a way to attend Professor Qiao¡¯s conference!

    There, she would shine in front of Professor Qiao himself, gaining his recognition and steadfastly trampling Qiao Jing underfoot!

    Inside the research institute.

    After seeing the person thrown out, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother with it anymore and prepared to return to herb to continue working.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s anger had not subsided as he red in the direction of the institute¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, that person was my oversight during the review, don¡¯t be mad because of her, and don¡¯t take what she said to heart.

    I thought she had some ability, but I never expected her character to be so poor! She even dared to ask you to pour water? I should pour water over her head!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing showed a satisfied smile on her face, nodding in total agreement with Xu Hongzu¡¯s words.

    ¡°Exactly, exactly, Professor Xu, you know, that Gao Lihong just dragged your name into it, saying you would have Qiao Jing thrown out and that you were here to back her up.¡±

    Xu Hongzu snorted heavily in anger.

    ¡°How is that possible! Why would I protect her instead of my future granddaughter-inw?¡±

    The smile on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face suddenly stiffened, and she silently retracted her bared teeth and straightened her face.

    ¡°Professor Xu, Qiao Jing is my sister-inw.¡±

    She could somewhat understand now why her brother was so prone to jealousy.

    After all, so many people outside were coveting Qiao Jing.

    Even Xu Hongzu was!

    Only then did Xu Hongzu realize there was another Zhan Family member present, but he wasn¡¯t about to be polite to a Zhan.

    ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s just for now, who can say for sure about the future?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing clenched her teeth, wanting badly to retort Xu Hongzu, but since he was an elder, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to speak out, so she expressed her thoughts subtly.

    ¡°Professor Xu, Qiao Jing and my brother are very happy together right now.¡±

    She had to keep an eye on Qiao Jing in the research institute, because if Xu Moqian and Xu Hongzu, the grandfather and grandson, joined forces, they would still pose a significant threat.

    Xu Hongzu looked at Zhan Nanqing with a disdainful expression.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already said, it¡¯s only for now. What, you want to argue with this old man?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t let the Zhan Family take all the benefits!

    He still vividly remembered the days when Zhan Yuanshan fought him for a woman.

    That shameless Zhan Yuanshan, who should have been with him as childhood sweethearts, was snatched away by Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s relentless pursuit.

    And now here came that old turtle¡¯s grandson!

    Speechless, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth twitched, unable to squeeze out a word.

    If the person standing in front of her right now had been Xu Moqian, she would¡¯ve unhesitatingly called him a homewrecker.

    But unfortunately, it was Xu Hongzu in front of her.

 Chapter 406 - 406 395 Kneel Down and Kowtow

    ?Chapter 406: Chapter 395 Kneel Down and Kowtow   Chapter 406: Chapter 395 Kneel Down and Kowtow                                   Xu Hongzu opened his mouth and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll take it as you have no intention of arguing with me.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath, forbear!

    ¡°No more talking¡­¡±

    She had never thought that one day she, Zhan Nanqing, would have to be a ninja¡­

    No, even ninjas couldn¡¯t endure as much as she could.

    She might as well be a Ninja Turtle now.

    Actually, all of this was mainly out of respect for Qiao Jing.

    If she continued to argue with Xu Hongzu, it would put Qiao Jing in a difficult position being caught in the middle.

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s extremely frustrated expression, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, interrupting the conversation between the two.

    ¡°Alright, back to work,¡± he said.

    Zhan Nanqing felt relieved as if a burden had been lifted and ran towards the direction of Qiao Jing¡¯sb.

    If she stayed any longer and heard Professor Xu talk about wanting to poach people again, she might not be able to resist speaking up.

    Qiao Jing also returned to his ownb and put on hisb coat.

    By the time he hadpleted this small research project, it was already evening.

    During this period, Zhan Nanqing had wanted to stay and work overtime with him, but he eventually sent her away.

    He wouldn¡¯t exploit his employees; once it was time to leave, everyone could go home directly¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t request anyone to work overtime.

    After tidying up the things on the desk, he took off hisb coat.

    Qiao Jing walked out of the research institute and looked at the somewhat grey sky, ready to catch a cab home.

    Zhan Qipei had called her half an hour earlier, saying he woulde to pick her up after work.

    But she didn¡¯t know when she would be able to finish her work, so she didn¡¯t specify a time.

    Just as she was about to cross the street opposite the research institute, she suddenly heard the screeching sound of tires rubbing against the pavement.

    The noise made Qiao Jing think of thest time the dump truck had nearly hit her, and she immediately became more alert, quickly retreating several steps.

    Shortly after, there came a loud ¡°bang¡± from not far away!

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks and looked towards the source of the sound.

    Before her eyes, there appeared a very old bicycle with two kids on it, a boy and a girl.

    The children were dressed in ragged clothes, and the girl sitting at the back was holding a bag of stic bottles.

    The front of the bicycle had collided with a sports car parked by the roadside.

    The little boy, realizing he had done something wrong, quickly got off the bicycle and stabilized it.

    ¡°Sister, just sit tight,¡± he said.

    The little girl blinked herrge eyes, nodded, and timidly looked at the sports car.

    A young man got out of the sports car.

    Upon seeing that it was these two little beggars who had hit his car, he spit on the bicycle.

    ¡°You two little beggars hit my car? Can you afford to pay for it?¡± he shouted as he moved to kick the little boy.

    The little boy immediately knelt on the ground, knocked his head three times against the pavement before the man,y t on the ground and didn¡¯t dare to get up, and he also dodged the man¡¯s attempt to kick him.

    His voice was mixed with endless fear and horror; his small body trembled continuously as he spoke in an extremely humble and pleading tone to beg for mercy.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry, because my bicycle is too old, my brakes failed and I identally hit your car.¡±

    The man had no intention of letting the siblings off the hook, and viciously kicked the little boy lying on the ground.

    The little boy¡¯s forehead was still tightly pressed against the ground. Even after being kicked by the man, he didn¡¯t move, just clenched his fists tightly and endured the pain.

    The small body couldn¡¯t withstand such kicks from an adult. The boy grimaced in pain, his face turned purplish, andrge beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

    Seeing this, the man not onlycked any sympathy, but seemed to vent his frustration by kicking the little boy several more times. Unsatisfied, he raised his foot to kick the worn-out bicycle as well.

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of apologizing, huh? Do you have any idea how expensive my car is for you to dare hit it? What will youpensate with?¡±

    The little girl sitting in the car immediately started crying, her dirty little hands tightly clutching the bottle in her hand.

    ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    The little boy immediately rushed forward, grabbed the man¡¯s leg that was about to kick the bicycle, and began to plead.

    ¡°Uncle, please don¡¯t kick my bike. I can kneel down and kowtow to you again. I¡¯ve made a little money by collecting bottles, I¡¯ll give it all to you. If it¡¯s not enough, I can continue to collect bottles, save up enough money, and pay you back. Is that okay?¡±

    As he spoke, he took out a crumpled five yuan note and several one yuan notes from his jeans pocket that was torn in several ces.

    The man snatched the money from the little boy¡¯s hand, flung it in the air, and cursed angrily.

    ¡°Who the hell wants your lousy money? I¡¯m going to dismantle your broken bicycle today, what about it? Move out of the way or I¡¯ll kick you to death!¡±

    As he spoke, he harshly pushed the little boy.

    The frail body of the little boy couldn¡¯t withstand the man¡¯s shove, and he fell hard onto the concrete, his hands immediately scraped and bleeding.

    Seeing the man approaching the bicycle, where his sister was still seated, he bit his lip, enduring the pain, and crawled over to the man, humbly grabbing his pant leg.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t kick my bicycle. My sister is still on it. I have given you all my money. Please, I promise to save enough money to pay for the repairs.¡±

    The bicycle was their means of traveling to various ces to collect bottles, a find they had luckily discovered in a pile of garbage.

    If it was damaged, he and his sister would have to walk a long distance every day to collect more bottles. But they could only walk a short distance before it got dark, and they had to sleep under the bridge. Going out at night to collect bottles was far too dangerous.

    Without the bicycle, they would also lose many opportunities to collect bottles, and then they would have no money to buy steamed buns. He couldn¡¯t let his sister get hurt, nor could he allow the bicycle to be wrecked.

    The man, impatient, kicked the little boy away and violently dragged him up from the ground, delivering a heavy p.¡±

    ¡°Get lost! You see if I don¡¯t beat you all to death today. That bit of stinking money, who needs it? It¡¯s not even enough to plug the gaps between my teeth!¡±

    The little boy¡¯s cheeks swelled up quickly, blood appeared in his mouth, and his eyes welled with tears, but he still stubbornly spoke.

    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s enough if you hit me, but please don¡¯t hit my sister¡­¡±

    Across the street, Qiao Jing witnessed the entire scene. At this moment, she was extremely anxious, but it was a red light, and the road was busy with traffic. She couldn¡¯t find a chance to cross.

    She looked up at the red light, calcting the time.

    On the other side, the little girl saw her brother being beaten and bleeding, and from her initial soft sobs, she now opened her mouth and started to bawl loudly.

    She iled her little legs, trying to get off the bicycle, but the little boy, worrying she might not sit steady and fall, had secured her to the seat with a rope, making it impossible for her to get down.

    She took a stic bottle out of a stic bag, ready to throw it at the man.

    The little boy immediately spoke up to stop her.

    ¡°You mustn¡¯t throw bottles at people!¡±

    The little girl then withdrew her dirty little hands, sniffling as she spoke.

    ¡°Brother¡­ wuwu¡­ don¡¯t, don¡¯t hit my brother, you monster!¡±

    The man, aggravated by the little girl¡¯s crying, pushed the little boy aside again and raised his foot to kick the bicycle.

    The little boy¡¯s eyes immediately widened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!!¡±

 Chapter 407 - 407 396 Touching Qiao Jings Reverse Scale

    ?Chapter 407: Chapter 396: Touching Qiao Jing¡¯s Reverse Scale   Chapter 407: Chapter 396: Touching Qiao Jing¡¯s Reverse Scale                                   Just as the man was about to kick the bicycle, a long leg appeared out of nowhere and fiercely kicked his leg.

    The man waspletely unprepared, and since he was standing on only one foot when he lifted his leg, he was kicked by the person who hade.

    He was kicked back several steps and directly copsed onto the ground on his bottom.

    He grimaced with pain, holding his knee, tears nearlying out from the pain.

    The little boy, sitting next to the man, saw this scene and, fearing that the man would take his anger out on him, had no choice but to use his somewhat bloodied little hand to endure the pain and crawl to the other side.

    After keeping a safe distance from the man, he looked up at the person who had saved his sister.

    Qiao Jing was standing next to the bicycle, her brows and eyes filled with coldness, her phoenix-like eyes as deep as a bottomless dark pool.

    Her expression was icy cool, her gaze sharp like a knife de, piercing towards the man as she slowly began to speak.

    ¡°Stand up, apologize to them.¡±

    She had already been very anxious on the other side of the road, and as soon as the light turned green, she had hurriedly run over.

    She saw the little boy humbly kneeling down and kowtowing when the man still wouldn¡¯t let him go, feeling incredibly distressed.

    Perhaps because she was about to be a mother herself, she could not bear to witness such human tragedies.

    Moreover, she had observed that despite being beaten, the little boy had not shed a single tear, merely desperately trying to protect his sister.

    The deep bond between the siblings, how could this scene not touch people¡¯s hearts?

    The man had been massaging his swollen knee, but when he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s words, he stopped what he was doing.

    ¡°What? You want me to apologize to these two little beggars? They hit my car and you think they¡¯re in the right?

    I didn¡¯t kill them, and that¡¯s lucky for them! And who the hell are you, daring to hit me? Do you know who I am¡ª¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he was intimidated back by Qiao Jing¡¯s stern face.

    He shivered instantly, a chill rushing up from the soles of his feet, enveloping his whole body.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool voice carried an undeniable authority and an invisible pressure.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, stand up and apologize to them, and don¡¯t make me repeat myself!¡±

    As she spoke, she walked over to the little boy, helped the bruised boy up, and led him over to the side of the bicycle.

    The little boy was stunned briefly, then expressed his immense thanks.

    ¡°Thank you, sister.¡±

    Qiao Jing showed a faint smile, bent slightly to check the wounds on the boy¡¯s hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, let me see your injury.¡±

    The boy¡¯s hand was severely wounded, the gritty cement ground had peppered the wound with debris.

    After examining it, she let go of the boy¡¯s hand and gave the man sitting on the ground a cold sidelong nce.

    Being inexplicably hit had made the man very irritated, and Qiao Jing¡¯s words made him forget everything else, and he burst out swearing.

    ¡°Are you crazy? I see you¡¯re dressed quite poorly too, could it be that you know these two little beggars?

    If you don¡¯t know these little beggars, then get as far away from me as you can, mind your own business, or you¡¯ll regret it! I originally just wanted to beat them to death, why did you have to interfere?!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes grew even more intense, slowly walking up to the man, gazing down at him from amanding height.

    Her cool eyes were empty as her red lips parted emotionlessly, uttering a few words.

    ¡°I gave you a chance.¡±

    After dropping these words, she didn¡¯t hesitate to raise her hand and p the man across the face.

    She remembered, this man had hit the little boy on this half of his face.

    The incident of hitting the man¡¯s car was the little boy¡¯s fault, but strictly speaking, it was because the man had been driving in that direction, otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been a collision.

    Furthermore, concerning this matter, the little boy had proactively apologized, taking out all his money, even kneeling and kowtowing to ask for forgiveness, and promised that he would repay the man after earning enough money.

    But this man was far too proud, taking advantage of having money, driving a luxury car, he intended not to let the little boy go and even threatened to kill both children.

    It was outrageous!

    The man was dazed from the p Qiao Jing had given him, his hand covering the side of his face that had been hit, frozen in ce.

    When he recovered, he cursed under his breath.

    ¡°Damn, didn¡¯t your mom ever teach you to mind your own business? Or maybe you don¡¯t have a mom?

    Today, I¡¯m going to kill all three of you! How dare you, a woman, yell at me?¡±

    As he spoke, he stood up and swung his fist towards Qiao Jing.

    The two kids standing near the bicycle were terrified, and they spontaneously called out.

    ¡°Sister, be careful!¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her phoenix eyes, and a trace of ferocity quickly shed through them¡ªthis man had touched her raw nerve.

    She would not hold back anymore.

    The man noticed the change in Qiao Jing¡¯s aura and was so scared that he froze in ce, his legs beginning to tremble.

    This woman¡¯s presence is like the living King of Hell!

    His eyes looked as if he wanted to kill him, and having never seen such a demeanor before, he didn¡¯t dare to move.

    In the next second, he was kicked by Qiao Jing, flying through the air.

    With a ¡°bang¡±!

    It was the loud sound of a body mming against the concrete.

    The man nowy limp on the ground, unable to move at all.

    He struggled to lift his head and looked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡­ don¡¯t mess around, okay!¡±

    Today was truly his unlucky day!

    How did he manage to provoke such a living King of Hell?!

    That kick almost killed him!

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at the man, turning her attention towards the sports car and slightly raising her eyebrows.

    Then she looked at the little boy and girl and asked.

    ¡°Do you want to smash this car?¡±

    If it would help the kids vent their anger, she wouldn¡¯t mind paying for the car.

    The little boy quickly shook his head, his head almost spinning like a rattle-drum.

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t dare¡­¡±

    His young voice trembled noticeably.

    The rear of the car already had a small dent and a scratch from his collision, and he couldn¡¯t afford to pay.

    How could he dare to smash the car?

    The little girl¡¯s face still bore wet tear streaks as she nodded vigorously, then shook her head, her expression conflicted as she stammered,

    ¡°I¡­ I want to! This bad man bullied¡­ my brother, but my brother and I don¡¯t have any money¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing nced around, spotted a stone nearby, picked it up, and handed it to the little girl.

    ¡°Smash his car.¡±

    The little girl¡¯s hand grasped the stone, looking somewhat at a loss.

    ¡°It¡¯s not right¡­¡±

    She and her brother had to work very hard every day, collecting many bottles just to make a dor.

    She couldn¡¯t smash someone else¡¯s car.

    Seeing the little girl¡¯s hesitation, Qiao Jing weighed the stone in her hand and, without hesitation, threw it at the car¡¯s window.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    The car window shattered upon impact!

    After that, Qiao Jing picked up many stones from the roadside and mercilessly smashed them against the sports car.

    She felt it was a pity¡ªhad she had a steel pipe at hand, it would have been more convenient.

    The man lying on the ground widened his eyes as he cursed angrily.

 Chapter 408 - 408 397 Think Youre Great Because You Have

    ?Chapter 408: Chapter 397: Think You¡¯re Great Because You Have Money?   Chapter 408: Chapter 397: Think You¡¯re Great Because You Have Money?                                   ¡°Stop it, dammit! Do you have the money to pay for smashing my car?! My family is very wealthy, and we have a lot of connections. You¡¯re dead!¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly arched her brows, giving a stone to each of the two children.

    ¡°So what if you¡¯re rich?¡±

    The man was so angry he nearly jumped up on the spot, but he was in too much pain to move.

    ¡°Yeah, being rich is a big deal, so what? The amount of money I have is something you poor wretches couldn¡¯t earn in your lifetimes!

    Let me tell you, I¡¯m the eldest young master of the Gu Family! You¡¯ve definitely heard of the Gu Family name. Our Gu Family is a prestigious family in the capital, and if you dare to keep smashing, you¡¯re definitely dead!¡±

    Qiao Jing paid no attention to Gu Jiahao, nced at the children beside her, whose eyes were shining, and then she said casually.

    ¡°Just smash it, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here for you.¡±

    When the little boy and girl saw Qiao Jing smashing the car, they were very worried but at the same time felt somewhat relieved.

    They would never dare to smash the car themselves, but the sister who saved them not only beat up this man but also helped them smash the car to vent their anger.

    The little girl asked cautiously.

    ¡°Can we really do it?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±

    The little girl then mustered up the courage and looked at the little boy.

    ¡°Brother, help me untie the rope.¡±

    The little boy hesitated, unsure whether to untie the little girl.

    He looked up at Qiao Jing, hesitating.

    ¡°Sister, thank you for saving us, but we don¡¯t want to cause you trouble, we don¡¯t want you to pay for the damage.¡±

    Seeing how sensible the little boy was, the coldness in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes dissipated quite a bit.

    She reached out to ruffle the little boy¡¯s hair and emphasized her tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be alright with me here.¡±

    The little boy pursed his lips, blinking his big eyes, still hesitating.

    He didn¡¯t cry when he was hit, but now that he heard this sister say she had his back, he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears.

    He and his sister had been wandering the streets since they were young, and although they had met some kind people along the way, none of them were willing to stand up for them like this sister.

    Qiao Jing untied the little girl and helped her get down, then took the little boy by the hand and brought him to the side of the car.

    ¡°Go ahead and smash it, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    She just wanted the two kids to feel relieved.

    The little girl raised her little hand and, gathering all her strength, smashed it against the car door.

    A big dent instantly appeared on the car door.

    Gu Jiahao was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped; he never imagined the kids would actually dare to do it.

    After seeing the dent in the car, the little girl ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, hid behind her, and peeked her little head out to look at the car door.

    Qiao Jing left the rest to the little boy and started contacting someone on her phone.

    The little boy stood in front of the car, clutching a stone tightly in his hand; he turned back to look at Gu Jiahao, lying on the ground.

    Gu Jiahao noticed the little boy¡¯s gaze and immediately began to threaten.

    ¡°You little beggar, I dare you to smash one and see!¡±

    The little boy gritted his teeth, raised the stone, and smashed it against the sports car.

    Around him were some small stones Qiao Jing had prepared for him, and after he smashed one, he just kept on going.

    He didn¡¯t care about the wounds in his palms, his small face filled with anger, and didn¡¯t stop smashing until all the stones were gone and he felt relieved.

    He had already sincerely apologized, but this man still insisted on hitting him; beating him was one thing, but he even wanted to hit his sister!

    That was utterly loathsome!

    Aplete and utter bad guy!

    After the little boy finished throwing all the stones, Qiao Jing revealed a smile.

    ¡°Feel better now?¡±

    The little boy nodded, returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side with an awkward gait, the uncle¡¯s gaze having been terrifying.

    He nced at the wrecked car, feeling the frustration that had been clogging his heart slowly dissipate.

    Gu Jiahao just watched as his beloved sports car was smashed to pieces before his eyes.

    His teeth itched with fury, and he stared at the three people with eyes nearly bursting from their sockets, bellowing.

    ¡°You¡¯re dead meat! You poor ghosts, do you have any idea my car is worth more than you could earn in several lifetimes!¡±

    Just then, a man carrying a ck briefcase walked over.

    He bowed respectfully and handed the briefcase to Qiao Jing with both hands.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, everything you requested is here.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and took the briefcase.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Its contents were the reassurance she had for the two kids.

    Havingpleted his task, the man left.

    Qiao Jing unzipped the briefcase without any expression on her face and took a casual nce at the red bills inside.

    She carried the bag to Gu Jiahao, ced the somewhat heavy briefcase on the ground, and took out two bundles of money.

    The little boy and girl¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of a bag full of money.

    Moreover, the briefcase was veryrge; the money was almost spilling out.

    They looked at Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    So, this sister really could support them!

    They had been ready to pick up bottles for a lifetime to repay her, but now, she just brought out a whole bag of money!

    Qiao Jing ruthlessly hurled the money in her hand at Gu Jiahao, her lips parting slightly.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you always saying, money is so remarkable?¡±

    Gu Jiahaoy on the ground dumbfounded. Was this woman actually so wealthy?

    That bag probably contained nothing but money!

    As the hundred-yuan bills hit him, they also struck his wounds, causing him to let out a pig-like scream uncontrobly.

    ¡°Ah¡ª!! Stop throwing!!¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Gu Jiahao¡¯s pleas for mercy, picked up the bag, and turned it upside down.

    ¡°This money, it¡¯s enough for you to buy two more cars like this one.¡±

    The hundred-yuan bills rained down on Gu Jiahao from above, some even bundled, inflicting secondary damage on him.

    Those bundled notes seemed to spite him, targeting the wounds on his chest, provoking another agonized scream from him.

    ¡°Who the hell are you!! Once I find out, you¡¯re done for!! I¡¯ll have someone beat you to death!¡±

    He was from a wealthy second-generation family, and yet here he was, humiliated by money!

    If others found out, how embarrassing would that be?

    Who was this damn woman!

    After throwing all the money, Qiao Jing flung the bag onto Gu Jiahao.

    She turned around and walked towards the little boy and girl.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my ce first. Can you rest there for the night?¡±

    She already had a n for these two kids, to send them to an orphanage.

    But having gone through this ordeal tonight, they were visibly tired, and with the boy¡¯s injuries, she decided to let them rest overnight before heading to the orphanage.

    Surprise and gratitude simultaneously shed across the faces of the little boy and girl.

    The boy looked down at his dirty clothes and the wounds on his hands, frowning.

    ¡°No need to trouble you, sister. We can go back to our own home.¡±

 Chapter 409 - 409 398 Taking in Two Little Unfortunates

    ?Chapter 409: Chapter 398: Taking in Two Little Unfortunates   Chapter 409: Chapter 398: Taking in Two Little Unfortunates                                   Qiao Jing frowned slightly and took a quick nce at the two children before asking with puzzlement in her voice.

    ¡°Your home? Where is your home?¡±

    No matter how she looked at them, they didn¡¯t seem like children who had a home. If they did, their parents wouldn¡¯t let them end up like this.

    Both of them had clothes riddled with holes and were filthy from head to toe. Their hair was also messy, and they were picking up bottles, an obvious sign of being homeless kids.

    The little boy, feeling inferior, hung his head low, staring at his toes and nervously wringing his hands as he spoke.

    ¡°Our home is¡­ under South Bridge¡­¡±

    He and his sister had been homeless for as long as they could remember, usually sleeping in the dark space under South Bridge.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, a hint of helplessness and sympathy appeared. She was about to reach out and gently touch the boy¡¯s head when he dodged away.

    The young boy covered his head with his hands and apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister. I forgot to move away earlier, which is why you touched my head. It¡¯s been a few days since it rained, so my hair is really dirty because I haven¡¯t washed it.¡±

    Qiao Jing felt so heartbroken at the boy¡¯s words.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take you home to treat your wounds and have a bath. Is it alright if I send you to a welfare institution tomorrow?¡±

    Perhaps it was because she had be a mother that she couldn¡¯t bear such scenes even more now.

    And the two kids were so sensible, how could she bear to let them continue to wander on the streets?

    The boy¡¯s eyes brightened at the mention of the welfare institution.

    ¡°Welfare institution? Can we go to the welfare institution too?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in affirmation.

    The two kids jumped for joy on the spot, a look of excitement on the little girl¡¯s face.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, brother! If we go to the welfare institution, we¡¯ll have a ce to live, and we won¡¯t have to stay under South Bridge every day.

    Moreover, I heard that the kids there eat really well, they don¡¯t just eat steamed buns, they have meat and vegetables!¡±

    A happy smile also spread across the little boy¡¯s face.

    ¡°Then we won¡¯t have to pick up bottles every day.¡±

    Qiao Jing, watching the children¡¯s joyous expressions, her eyes curved into a smile.

    ¡°You two need to rest at my house for the night, and I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow.¡±

    Hearing this, the joyful expression faded from the little boy¡¯s face as he started to feel hesitant and troubled.

    ¡°But my sister and I are so dirty. If we go to your house, we¡¯ll make it dirty.¡±

    The little girl, who had bright eyes before, now looked dim and timidly hid behind her brother.

    ¡°Sister¡­ We¡¯re very dirty. Are you really going to take us to your house?¡±

    Her brother was right; both she and her brother were dirty, and going to the sister¡¯s house would dirty the furniture.

    Qiao Jing took the children¡¯s hands directly and led them towards the side of the road.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll take you back for a bath and you¡¯ll be clean.¡±

    She had already contacted someone earlier to have new clothes delivered to the apartment.

    What was important was that the boy had wounds that needed to be treated quickly.

    When Qiao Jing first took their hands, the children had drawn back their hands.

    The siblings clung tightly to each other and followed behind Qiao Jing.

    The little boy exined why they had reacted that way.

    ¡°Sister, thank you for offering to take us home, but our hands are very dirty, and we can walk by ourselves.¡±

    The little girl nodded vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°Thank you, sister! We can walk on our own.¡±

    Suddenly, the little boy remembered something, turned around, and looked back as if he wanted to return.

    ¡°Sister, I haven¡¯t taken my bike yet.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t insist on holding their hands and looked at the old, beaten bicycle not far away.

    ¡°That bicycle is too old. What if the brakes fail again and you have an ident on the road?¡±

    She knew that the little boy cherished that sole bicycle, because it was the only possession he had to his name.

    But she had to consider the safety of the two children. She had seen the bicycle; the brakes werepletely gone, and it had to be stopped with feet.

    And the bike chain was rusty, half hanging off, had Gu Jiahao kicked the bicycle just now, it would have surely fallen apart.

    The little boy looked back at the bicycle reluctantly, hesitated for a long time, and then followed Qiao Jing¡¯s steps.

    Qiao Jing took the two children in a taxi and returned to Nantai Apartment.

    After getting out of the car, Qiao Jing wanted to quickly bring them home to rest properly.

    Furthermore, the little boy¡¯s wound had already stopped bleeding, making it even harder to remove any gravel.

    The two children were shocked speechless when they saw such a high-endplex and stood there stunned.

    Seeing the children¡¯s reactions, Qiao Jing stepped forward, took the hands of the two children, and this time used a bit of force so they couldn¡¯t break free.

    ¡°We need to take care of the wounds quickly.¡±

    When she arrived at her front door with the children, they seemed even more constrained.

    Upon opening the door, the first person Qiao Jing saw was Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Howe you are back?¡±

    She remembered that when Zhan Qipei had called her, he had said he was still at the office.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to speak, he noticed the two dirty children beside Qiao Jing.

    He furrowed his smoke-like, long eyebrows, his face showing confusion.

    ¡°I came back early. Who are they?¡±

    Qiao Jing bent down to find two pairs of slippers to ce at the entryway and gently pushed the two little ¡°wooden figures¡± who were rigid in ce.

    ¡°Change your shoes.¡±

    The two children had been nervous at the doorway, and upon seeing Zhan Qipei, they became too frightened to move.

    They looked at Qiao Jing as if seeking help.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s expressionless face, then at the tense children, and felt a mixture of amusement and distress.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you go to the living room first. I¡¯ll exin in a minute,¡± she said.

    She could see that the children were afraid of Zhan Qipei, after all, this man usually had a stern face.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows drew even tighter together, but he did not stay where he was and walked towards the living room instead.

    The wife is the most important thing in the world.

    He couldn¡¯t ignore what Qiao Jing said.

    After Zhan Qipei left, the two children cautiously put on their slippers and stared with wide eyes as they took in Qiao Jing¡¯s home.

    Qiao Jing also changed her shoes and led the children into the living room. She turned to the little girl.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to bathe first,¡± she said.

    Meanwhile, the doorbell at the home rang.

    Just as she was about to get up to answer the door, Zhan Qipei had already gone over.

    Zhan Qipei came back holding a bag, ced it on the table, and asked again.

    ¡°Where did theye from?¡±

    He saw that the bag contained two sets of children¡¯s clothes and knew Qiao Jing intended to help the two children.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, the children became even more restrained.

    They were terrified of the tall man in front of them and ran to hide behind Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and stared at the two children.

    Qiao Jing took the bag from the man, removed a set of girls¡¯ clothes,

    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter,¡± she said and led the little girl to the bathroom. After adjusting the water temperature, she ced the clothes aside and instructed the girl,

    ¡°You cane out directly after the bath.¡±

    The little girl nodded her small head.

    Qiao Jing closed the bathroom door, and when she returned to the living room, she found the oddly matched pair, the tall man and the little boy, staring at each other.

    But the little boy was sneakily looking at Zhan Qipei, quickly averting his gaze after a brief nce.

    She could tell how scared the little boy was standing here alone after she had left.

    Zhan Qipei stared at the little boy non-stop, knitting his eyebrows together.

 Chapter 410 - 410 399 Zhan Qipei is Called Uncle and is

    ?Chapter 410: Chapter 399: Zhan Qipei is Called Uncle and is Unhappy   Chapter 410: Chapter 399: Zhan Qipei is Called Uncle and is Unhappy                                   He caught a glimpse of the woman in the corner of his eye and furrowed his brows even more tightly.

    ¡°Can we talk now?¡±

    He felt somewhat displeased when he saw the two children run behind his wife to hide because they were afraid of him.

    When had these two children met Qiao Jing?

    Was it just because he had failed to pick up Qiao Jing once that his wife had picked up two children from outside?

    Qiao Jing took out a medicine box and, with the young boy, sat down by the sofa.

    ¡°Wait for them to finish bathing, and then I¡¯ll exin to you. He has some wounds, and I need to treat them first.¡±

    After saying that, she took hydrogen peroxide and bandages from the medicine box, ready to treat the boy¡¯s wounds, only to find that he was still standing by the sofa.

    The little boy stood there with his body tensed, looking at the sofa as if he wanted to sit but did not dare to.

    ¡°Sister, I can just wash my hands myself, it¡¯s really not that much trouble,¡±

    Qiao Jing grabbed the little boy¡¯s wrist, made him sit directly on the sofa, and began treating his wounds.

    ¡°What are your names?¡±

    When the hydrogen peroxide was poured on the wound, the boy sharply inhaled a breath of cold air.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have names, my sister and I have been out on the streets for as long as I can remember.¡±

    He and his sister had always survived by collecting bottles, typically going about with hungry bellies.

    Qiao Jing paused in her actions and pursed her lips.

    ¡°Then how should I address you? I can¡¯t just keep calling out ¡®hey¡¯ can I?¡±

    Just as the boy was about to speak, his stomach suddenly made a noise.

    ¡°Gurgle¡ª¡±

    He paused, a slight blush spread across his little face, and he scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed.

    ¡°Sorry, Sister¡­ I couldn¡¯t help it, you can call me Pingping, and my sister Anan. I¡¯m not good at naming, but I know the meaning of peace and safety.

    That¡¯s what I wish for me and my sister.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted, a trace of emotion flitting across her eyes as she looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Have you cooked?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s ready. I didn¡¯t know when you would be back, and I was afraid the food might get cold, so I put it in a thermal container.¡±

    Qiao Jing made an acknowledging sound, quickly disinfected Pingping¡¯s wound, and wrapped it with a bandage.

    Just as she was about to check on Anan, Anan already came out of the bathroom, dressed in new clothes.

    Anan blinked her big eyes, clutched the corner of her clothes tightly, and looked down at the dress she was wearing.

    A big smile spread across her face, and she couldn¡¯t help but spin around on the spot, gently touching the dress with her hands repeatedly, as if she was afraid to wrinkle it.

    She walked briskly to Qiao Jing and, without saying a word, bowed deeply.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister! I can pick bottles with my brother to pay you back for the clothes.¡±

    She had never imagined that she could wear a dress, especially a new one!

    She had always worn the same old clothes, which were also picked up from somewhere else.

    Qiao Jing, seeing Anan so happy, couldn¡¯t help but smile as well.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to pay back, go and have your meal first.¡±

    She guessed that the two children must have not eaten for a long time after hearing Pingping¡¯s stomach rumbling.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t inquire further about the origin of the two children with Qiao Jing but went into the kitchen, took out the food from the thermal container, andid it out on the dining table.

    The aroma of the food kept wafting into the living room, causing Pingping¡¯s previously quiet stomach to rumble again.

    As Anan smelled the food, her stomach also began to rumble.

    The two children subconsciously swallowed their saliva and, with their big, clear eyes, simultaneously looked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Can we¡­ can we still eat?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave a wry smile, stretched out her hand, and ruffled the two little ones¡¯ heads.

    ¡°Of course, you can eat. Anan, go ahead.¡±

    Anan¡¯s eyes lit up, looking at Qiao Jing with adoration and gratitude.

    ¡°Sister, are you an angel? You¡¯re really nice!¡±

    Qiao Jing stretched out her hand and pinched Anan¡¯s face but couldn¡¯t pinch any flesh, looked at the two skinny little ones, and felt a pang of heartache.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an angel, just a regr person. Anan, your stomach is rumbling, go eat now.¡±

    Anan looked toward the dining table and swallowed again, but when she saw Zhan Qipei, she froze again.

    She hesitated for a long time, unable to take a step forward, clinging to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, too afraid to approach.

    Qiao Jing noticed Anan¡¯s gaze and looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°This uncle is a good person, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    When Zhan Qipei heard Qiao Jing call him uncle, he furrowed his brow, looking down at himself.

    Where did he look like an uncle?

    Did Qiao Jing mean that he looked old?

    His thin lips pressed into a straight line, and his voice resonated in a deeper tone.

    ¡°Why am I an uncle?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the troubled expression on the man¡¯s face and the corners of her mouth curled up.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not an uncle by age, are you then a brother?¡±

    Zhan Qipei clenched his brows tightly, his voice carried a hint of defiance as he continued to probe.

    ¡°But they call you Sister.¡±

    A brother and sister would sound more like siblings.

    But Qiao Jing actually called him uncle, could it be that his wife thought he was old?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples suddenly throbbed, and she was somewhat at a loss for words.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a title. Let Anan go eat first.¡±

    She saw Anan already reaching out and touching his own little stomach but hesitated to approach.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, still very concerned about the title.

    ¡°I am the elder brother.¡±

    If these two children called Qiao Jing ¡°Sister Jing¡± and called him ¡°uncle,¡± it would sound like he was an old man courting a younger woman.

    However, his wife would remain young forever.

    Qiao Jing became even more speechless; she rolled her eyes and led Anan to the dining table.

    ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯re the brother. Happy now?¡±

    She helped Anan to a bowl of soup and ced it in front of the little one.

    ¡°You drink the soup first. After eating, your brother can help you, and I¡¯ll take your brother to bathe.¡±

    Anan nodded understandingly and sat obediently in his chair.

    Zhan Qipei frowned disapprovingly.

    ¡°You¡¯re giving him a bath?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response, taking Pingping¡¯s small hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    She was not at ease letting Pingping bathe alone. After all, he could easily get his wounds wet by himself.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened as he stared at Pingping.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll wash him.¡±

    His wife was actually going to bathe another boy?

    This was the opposite sex!

    He absolutely could not let his wife help bathe other men!!

    If their future children were boys, Qiao Jing could not help bathe them either.

    He would hire professional assistance to care for the children or bathe them himself.

    In short, aside from him, no other men coulde near Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked down at Pingping, who was hiding behind her, knowing the child was scared of Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Pingping¡¯s wounds can¡¯t get wet. I can wash him. You stay and eat with Anan.¡±

    She also didn¡¯t trust Zhan Qipei to bathe Pingping, especially since this untrustworthy man had previously jumped into the pool despite knowing he had wounds himself.

    Lest he identally get Pingping¡¯s wounds wetter, which might lead to the same feverish condition Zhan Qipei had before.

    Zhan Qipei scowled deeply and walked straight to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wash him; you go and eat.¡±

    Qiao Jing knew that if she continued arguing with Zhan Qipei, it would never end, so she simply took Pingping by the hand and headed straight to the bathroom door.

    During this time, the man followed closely behind her. She seized an opportunity, quickly shut the door, and left Zhan Qipei out in the cold.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze lingered on the bathroom door, vaguely making out Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette.

    He reached out and turned the doorknob, found it locked, and gave up.

    He had originally nned to wait right outside the door, but he suddenly remembered that there was another little one sitting at the dining table. He hesitated for a moment.

    Considering it was a task assigned by Qiao Jing, he decided to go back and watch the other child.

    Inside the bathroom.

    Qiao Jing ced fresh clothes on the bathroom table as usual.

    ¡°Be careful when bathing. I¡¯ll help you wash ces like your neck.¡±

    Because of the reason that Pingping¡¯s wounds shouldn¡¯t get wet, she nned to wash only the boy¡¯s upper body.

    Otherwise, if the wounds got wet, they could be inmed.

    Pingping blinked his eyes, and two patches of red appeared on his face.

    ¡°Sister¡­ I can wash myself¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing led him to sit on a chair, adjusted the water temperature, and took the showerhead to rinse Pingping¡¯s neck.

    She also helped wash Pingping¡¯s hair, and after bathing him, she noticed that something on the boy¡¯s neck wouldn¡¯t wash off.

    Thinking it was dirt, she rubbed vigorously with a towel, only to find it still wouldn¡¯te off.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Pingping noticed where Qiao Jing was washing and exined to her.

    ¡°Sister, this is a birthmark on my body; it won¡¯te off.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, responded affirmatively, and put down the showerhead.

    ¡°Can you manage the rest by yourself?¡±

    Pingping nodded, and she then left the bathroom.

    Qiao Jing was somewhat preupied with therge birthmark on Pingping¡¯s neck, as it was quite significant.

    When she returned to the dining table, she noticed Anan had already finished eating and was sitting upright, starting to thank Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Thanks, Uncle¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow furrow and quickly corrected herself.

    ¡°Thank you, brother!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tightly knitted brows then rxed, and the tense contours of his face softened somewhat.

    Anan breathed a sigh of relief and patted his small chest.

    Qiao Jing was amused by their interaction. Zhan Qipei was too concerned about the title, wasn¡¯t he?

    As she arrived at the dining table, Pingping also came out of the bathroom.

 Chapter 411 - 411 400 Zhan Qipei is the Big Grey Wolf

    ?Chapter 411: Chapter 400: Zhan Qipei is the Big Grey Wolf   Chapter 411: Chapter 400: Zhan Qipei is the Big Grey Wolf                                   After the two little ones finished their meal, they ran to the living room and just stood there, unwilling to sit on the sofa.

    The two clung closely together, surveying the decorations in Qiao Jing¡¯s house.

    Qiao Jing came into the living room and had the two little wooden figurines sit on the sofa.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one spare bed in my house. Is it okay if you two sleep together?¡±

    Although she wanted the children to sleep in separate beds since boys and girls should be distinguished from a young age, there was only one bed in the guest room.

    Or¡­

    She looked up at the man beside her.

    ¡°Or Anan can sleep in my bed.¡±

    She knew that Zhan Qipei had a severe obsession with cleanliness and probably wouldn¡¯t allow the child to sleep in their bed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes immediately lit up, looking at the woman with a burning gaze.

    His wife was giving up the bed. Could it mean she would sleep with him?

    What luck?!

    Anan shook her head, nced at the soft sofa, and blinked her big eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to trouble yourself, sister. I can sleep on the sofa; it¡¯s very soft andfortable!¡±

    Pingping cautiously reached out to touch the sofa, her little face marked with restraint.

    ¡°Sister, my sister and I can sleep on the sofa.¡±

    Qiao Jing deeply sensed the restraint and caution on both little faces, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of heartache for them.

    Perhaps, for them, sleeping on the sofa was a luxury.

    Just as she was about to allow them to sleep in the bed, the deep voice of the man beside her rang out first.

    ¡°You sleep in the bed.¡±

    This way, he could share the bed with his wife.

    Maybe because of themanding presence Zhan Qipei had, Anan was startled by him and immediately leaned back against Qiao Jing.

    Pingping was slightly braver and didn¡¯t run behind Qiao Jing; instead, she stood by her side, looking at Zhan Qipei with a pair of harmless big eyes, her voice trembling.

    ¡°Sister¡­ we really can just sleep on the sofa¡­¡±

    Pingping had never seen such an imposing man and felt an overwhelming fear towards Zhan Qipei all of a sudden.

    Driven by fear, he also leaned against Qiao Jing, shivering as he reached out and grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Sister, we¡­ we really can sleep on the sofa.¡±

    Qiao Jing reached out and gently rubbed both little heads, ncing at the expressionless man.

    ¡°Can you make your expression a little gentler? They¡¯re scared.¡±

    Although her face might not be much different from the man¡¯s, she had tried to show a softer expression.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened immediately, his voice carrying a hint of confusion.

    ¡°Do I look very fierce?¡±

    His gaze lingered on the two children, pausing for a long time when it fell on Pingping.

    His wife had just been treating this unknown boy¡¯s wounds and had even bathed the child.

    Even though he wanted to perform these tasks for Qiao Jing, she said the children were afraid of him?

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, the man knitted his brows and pursed his lips tightly, increasing his tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time. You sleep in the bed.¡±

    It was a good opportunity to share the bed with his wife.

    He couldn¡¯t let these two little kids decide not to sleep in the bed; otherwise, how would he sleep with Qiao Jing?

    Pingping and Anan were already a bit afraid of Zhan Qipei, and seeing his stern face made them even more terrified.

    Anan directly buried her little head into Qiao Jing¡¯s chest, not daring to look at Zhan Qipei anymore.

    Pingping was also very scared and ran into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms, anxiously staring at Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing looked down at the two frightened ¡°little rabbits¡± and could only tightly hold them in her embrace.

    ¡°If they want to sleep on the sofa, then let them sleep on the sofa.¡±

    She looked up at the clock hanging on the wall, only to find that it was already 8:30 pm.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you two should go to sleep, I¡¯ll go get you some nkets.¡±

    Zhan Qipei saw the two little ones huddled in his wife¡¯s arms, and his face visibly darkened even further.

    He paused for a moment, his gaze returning to the two children.

    ¡°Am I that scary?¡±

    The two little ones trembled violently when asked. Pingping now dared not look at Zhan Qipei anymore and buried her little head directly in front of Qiao Jing.

    The two children had never seen such a scene before and were scared to the point of trembling.

    Tears began to swirl in Anan¡¯s big eyes again, and tear drops hung on her long eyshes. She dared not cry out loud, raised her head, and looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister¡­ I¡¯m scared of brother¡­ he¡¯s so fierce¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down and saw Anan¡¯s pitiful appearance. She instantly felt heartbroken.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s the Big Grey Wolf. I¡¯ll shoo him away; don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    She now felt more than ever that she was a mother, increasingly unable to bear seeing children look up at her with such helpless faces.

    Pingping pursed her lips and held onto Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes with one hand and Qiao Jing¡¯s arm with the other, not saying a word.

    Qiao Jing could feel that the little hand holding her was trembling slightly.

    She looked up at the man with a dark expression and sighed helplessly.

    ¡°You should go back to your room, they are really too scared of you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows were tightly locked as if pondering something, but after a moment, his brows gradually rxed.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me where theye from?¡±

    He could ept being called the Big Grey Wolf, which would make Qiao Jing the little white rabbit.

    Big Grey Wolf eats little white rabbit.

    It¡¯s only natural.

    Nature¡¯sw.

    Only then did Qiao Jing remember that she hadn¡¯t told him about where the two little ones came from. She began to exin simply and clearly.

    ¡°I met them after work. They had a small ident, so I brought them home.¡±

    She just wanted Zhan Qipei to go back to his room soon or else the two little ones might really start crying.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his dark eyes fixedly staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, his voice carrying a hint of jealousy.

    ¡°So next time, who else will you pick up and bring home?¡±

    Now both children were nestled in his wife¡¯s embrace, even burying their heads where he used to rest!

    Today Qiao Jing had picked up two of his rivals, and if tomorrow she picks up a few more, wouldn¡¯t his rivals just keep increasing as the days go by?

    Qiao Jing knew that Zhan Qipei was jealous and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    ¡°This was just a coincidence, go back to your room and rest. I have to find them some nkets. If nothing goes wrong, I¡¯ll send them to the orphanage tomorrow.¡±

    She had had enough of dealing with this man who could get jealous over any trivial matter.

    Moreover, was this man seriously jealous of two small children?

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, his gaze lingering on the backs of the children¡¯s heads for a moment before he finally walked back to his room.

    Qiao Jing gently patted the backs of the two little ones.

    ¡°The Big Grey Wolf is gone.¡±

 Chapter 412 - 412 401 How Could There Be a Sudden Fever

    ?Chapter 412: Chapter 401: How Could There Be a Sudden Fever   Chapter 412: Chapter 401: How Could There Be a Sudden Fever                                   The two little ones only then dared to turn their heads around, and upon seeing Zhan Qipei leave, they simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

    Qiao Jing watched the little chests of the two little ones heave at the same time and couldn¡¯t help but let out augh.

    ¡°Are you really not going to sleep in the bed?¡±

    Pingping solemnly nodded, sliding out from Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace and sitting properly on the sofa.

    ¡°Mmm, no need to trouble you, Sister,¡± Pingping said.

    Anan also nodded, a touch of reluctance to leave Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace, and sat down next to Pingping.

    She blinked her big eyes, gazing at Qiao Jing with a happy smile on her face.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister. What¡¯s your name? When my brother and I earn moneyter, can wee back and treat you to a meal?¡± Anan asked.

    Qiao Jing reached out to ruffle their heads and stood up.

    ¡°My name is Qiao Jing. Just sit here and wait for me,¡± she said.

    She needed to settle the two little ones quickly, as she still had to attend the academic exchange the next day and had to prepare some things for it.

    Pingping and Anan murmured their assent and continued sitting on the sofa.

    Qiao Jing returned to her room to find two quilts. Just as she re-entered the living room, she overheard the conversation between the two little ones.

    ¡°Brother, am I dreaming? Suddenly, I don¡¯t want to wake up; if I do, I won¡¯t see Sister Qiao anymore,¡± Pingping¡¯s childish voice was heard saying.

    ¡°Look at the wound on my body; it¡¯s still there, and it hurts a lot. It¡¯s not a dream. I don¡¯t want to leave Sister Qiao either,¡± Pingping added.

    Hearing the little ones¡¯ conversation, Qiao Jing paused in her action of holding the quilts, feeling an inexplicable touch in her heart.

    She stood in ce for a few seconds, then walked over to the sofa,id the quilts on it, and made the sofa up for the little ones.

    ¡°If you¡¯re sleepy, you can sleep. I have some things to take care of,¡± she said.

    She took out some packets of biscuits and two bottles of mineral water from the drawer and ced them on the table.

    ¡°If you get hungry at night, eat some biscuits. If you¡¯re still hungry,e knock on my room door,¡± she instructed.

    Pingping obediently nodded andy down on the sofa with Anan, covering themselves with the quilts.

    The two little ones even covered their faces, only their big eyes peeking out.

    Seeing the two little ones behaving so well, Qiao Jing finally eased her mind and returned to her room to start preparing the materials needed for the academic conference.

    The next morning dawned.

    As Qiao Jing was passing the kitchen, she noticed Zhan Qipei already making breakfast inside.

    She changed direction and headed to the living room.

    By then, Anan was up, sitting beside Pingping.

    Standing at an angle where Anan couldn¡¯t see her, Qiao Jing was just about to greet them when she suddenly noticed something was off.

    Anan¡¯s little face was etched with anxiety and hesitation, asionally ncing towards the kitchen and repeatedly reaching out to touch Pingping¡¯s forehead.

    She bit her lip, took a few steps towards the kitchen, then pulled back, returning to sit by the sofa once more.

    Concern written on her face, Qiao Jing had an ominous premonition and quickly approached them.

    Anan looked like she wanted to speak but was afraid to go into the kitchen, likely because Zhan Qipei was in there.

    Before Qiao Jing could ask what was wrong, Anan¡¯s eyes lit up the moment she saw her.

    Anan was so anxious she was nearly crying, tears swirling in her eyes, and she spoke with a trace of fear in her voice.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Brother feels so hot. Is he running a fever?¡± Anan asked.

    Qiao Jing reached out to touch Pingping¡¯s forehead and felt the child¡¯s temperature was extremely high.

    She quickly fetched the medical box, took out the thermometer and fever-reducing medicine.

    ¡°Did Pingping not cover himself properly with the quiltst night? How could he have suddenlye down with a fever?¡± she wondered aloud.

    When she left the previous night, the two little ones had been well covered with quilts on the sofa, so how could Pingping havee down with a fever today?

    Anan sat on the sofa; her small hands tightly sped together, her face full of tension.

    ¡°Brother, did you cover yourself well with the nket?¡±

    Pingping¡¯s forehead broke out in cold sweat as he frowned deeply, feeling someone touching him and starting to react.

    He slowly opened his eyes and saw that it was Qiao Jing in front of him, slightly embarrassed.

    His little face, already flushed from the fever, turned even redder, and his tender voice became a bit hoarse.

    ¡°Sister Qiao¡­¡±

    Upon hearing his own hoarse voice, Pingping was stunned and blinked dumbly.

    ¡°Am I running a fever?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response. She remembered the wound on Pingping¡¯s hand and carefully took his hands out from under the nket.

    The bandage on his hand seemed a bit peculiar, with several spots showing signs of wear, and even the sleeves of Pingping¡¯s clothes were damp.

    She didn¡¯t have the time to ask about the clothes and quickly prepared a cup of fever-reducing medicine.

    She noticed that the biscuits and bottled water were still unopened on the table, so she opened a box of biscuits and the bottled water.

    ¡°Pingping, you should eat something before taking your medicine.¡±

    After saying that, she nced at the time.

    It was seven-thirty in the morning.

    The academic conference would start at eight-thirty, giving her an hour.

    Pingping nodded his little head, sat up by himself, and had a simple breakfast.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister!¡±

    Qiao Jing handed the fever-reducing medicine to Pingping.

    ¡°Hurry up and drink the fever medicine.¡±

    Pingping reached out and took it, the bitterness quickly spreading in his mouth, causing him to frown unconsciously.

    His entire little face wrinkled together, disying a bitterly grim expression, but he soon let it go.

    After finishing the medicine, he ced the bottle back on the table.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I¡¯m sorry, I identally got a fever.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and reached out to rub Pingping¡¯s head.

    This child, apologizing for something like this?

    He was only six years old, and his sensibility was heartbreakingly touching.

    She took Pingping¡¯s hands in hers and asked, ¡°Why are your cuffs wet? The bandage has some marks on it too.¡±

    Pingping let out a sound of realization and instinctively nced in the direction of the bathroom.

    ¡°I identally got my cuffs wet while washing clothes yesterday, Sister Qiao. I¡¯m sorry, I was so tiredst night, I just left them in the basin after washing.

    It was my first day here, and I didn¡¯t know where to hang the clothes. I also didn¡¯t want to wake you, so I didn¡¯t tell you, and the clothes are still in the basin. Oh, I used theundry without greeting you first¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    After Anan fell asleep, he secretly went to the bathroom and cleaned both his and his sister¡¯s filthy clothes.

    He didn¡¯t want to trouble Sister Qiao any further.

    After hearing Pingping¡¯s words, Qiao Jing felt as if her heart had sunk.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong, no need to apologize. I will buy new clothes for you two; you don¡¯t need to keep the old ones.¡±

    She had gone straight back to her room after showering the previous night, preparing for the academic conference and seeing that both little ones were still asleep.

    She hadn¡¯t expected Pingping to wake up in the middle of the night and wash both his and his sister¡¯s clothes, which led to his fever today.

    Pingping furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you don¡¯t have to buy us new clothes, what we¡¯re wearing canst us a long time.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Pingping¡¯s pale little face due to his illness and felt even more heartache.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Finish your medicine and then get some rest. I have to go out for a bitter on.¡±

 Chapter 413 - 413 402 Qiao Jing is an Angel

    ?Chapter 413: Chapter 402 Qiao Jing is an Angel   Chapter 413: Chapter 402 Qiao Jing is an Angel                                   She had originally nned to send the two little ones to the orphanage today, but with Pingping now running a fever, it seemed that would have to be postponed for a few days.

    She helped Pingping change the bandage on his hand, and only after pulling up his sleeve did she stop her movements.

    There were no new clothes for the two little ones at home, and Pingping couldn¡¯t change his clothes either. They would still need to buy a few items for them.

    Pingping nodded his head, covered himself with the nket, and remained silent.

    When Anan saw that her brother was getting ready to rest, she lowered her voice.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, where are you going?¡±

    Qiao Jing stood up, taking Anan with her to the bathroom to get ready for Anan to wash up.

    ¡°I have work, andter Big Grey Wolf has to go to work too, we both won¡¯t be at home, can you take care of yourselves?¡±

    She thought it over carefully but still felt uneasy about leaving the two little ones alone at home, especially now that Pingping was feverish.

    ¡°We can, don¡¯t worry, Sister Qiao! I¡¯ll take good care of my brother,¡± Anan promised, patting her chest.

    Looking at Anan, Qiao Jing was reminded of her childhood self.

    She was abandoned in the countryside soon after her birth. Even though Grandpa Zhang treated her like his own granddaughter, her mature mentality far surpassed that of her peers, due to her unique experiences.

    When Qiao Jing returned to the living room with Anan, the scent of porridge wafted over from the dining table.

    ¡°Anan, you go have breakfast first.¡±

    She walked over to the sofa and took out a cooling patch from the medicine box to ce on Pingping¡¯s forehead.

    After doing all this, she suddenly realized that Anan was still following her, looking frightened.

    She knitted her brows in confusion and looked in the direction that Anan was staring at to find Zhan Qipei gazing over at them.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes darkened as he stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you also going to an academic exchange meetingter? Come and have breakfast.¡±

    He noticed the cooling patch on Pingping¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Is he running a fever?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in affirmation and led Anan by the hand to sit down at the dining table.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to find someone toe over and look after themter, I¡¯m notfortable with them being at home on their own.¡±

    She seriously considered who would be a better fit to watch them, or whether to hire a temporary worker instead.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips thinned, and his expression unwittingly turned a shade darker.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    His wife not only dressed Pingping¡¯s wound and bathed him, now she was also applying cooling patches and helping with the fever-reducing medication¡ªwhy was she so attentive to this child?

    Had Qiao Jing picked up two rivals for him from the streets?

    Qiao Jing opened her phone to look for suitable candidates and as she scrolled through the messages, she suddenly received one from Ni Yue.

    ¡°Baby Qiao Qiao, I just got back from abroad, I¡¯m at the airport, did you miss me?¡±

    ¡°I won effortlessly, here¡¯s the trophy!¡±

    Below this message was also a picture of the trophy.

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, then she remembered that Ni Yue had gone abroad for a designpetition a few days ago.

    She turned to look at the feverish Pingping and Anan, who sat quietly beside her drinking porridge.

    Although she would have liked Ni Yue toe and help take care of the two little ones, she felt Ni Yue wasn¡¯t very reliable.

    Ni Yue had an exceptional talent for design, but she was somewhatcking when it came to taking care of herself.

    In the end, it might turn out that the two little ones would be taking care of Ni Yue instead of the other way around.

    But right now, she couldn¡¯t think of a suitable candidate, and if she was to hire a temp, she would need to carefully choose someone; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have peace of mind.

    After much deliberation, she decided to ask Ni Yue for help.

    ¡°Do you have timeter?¡±

    Ni Yue replied to Qiao Jing¡¯s message quite promptly.

    ¡°Now that thepetition is over, of course, I¡¯m free. What¡¯s up? Qiao Qiao, are you asking me out?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then nothing could be better. I¡¯ve been missing you so much. By the way, where shall we go for fun first thing in the morning?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the time disyed in the top-left corner of her phone, 7:50 AM.

    The academic exchange meeting was about to start, and she needed to hurry.

    ¡°I have a favor to ask of you,e over to my house.¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s message came through again.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s about Baby Qiao Qiao, I will definitely do it for you, going through fire and water is no exaggeration!¡±

    ¡°Your dedicated assistant, Ni Yue, is on the way to your house; it will probably take another twenty minutes to get there, love you yo~¡±

    After receiving a positive response, Qiao Jing turned off her phone¡¯s screen and quickly finished her breakfast.

    Anan sneakily nced at Zhan Qipei, sitting opposite her, and saw his face was gloomy. She got startled and hastily finished the porridge in her bowl.

    She saw Qiao Jing had also finished her porridge and then began to fidget, trying to get down from the chair.

    Qiao Jing discerned Anan¡¯s intention and led her to the living room.

    ¡°Sit here, someone wille to take care of you guys shortly, I need to change clothes and leave.¡±

    When she mentioned taking care of ¡°you guys,¡± she still felt a bit unsure, after all, Ni Yue truly wasn¡¯t very good with such life skills.

    Anan nodded and ran to sit next to Pingping, her big eyes unwaveringly watching Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Okay, Sister Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing returned to her own room, changed into a set of clothes, and walked out of the bedroom door.

    From her home to the venue of the academic exchange meeting, she would arrive just in time.

    Zhan Qipei had just finished cleaning up the dishes and came out of the kitchen right when he ran into Qiao Jing.

    The woman was wearing a professional OL outfit, and because of her attractive figure, the loose-fitting white blouse had turned into a tight one, highlighting her proud curves.

    The white blouse enveloped Qiao Jing¡¯s slender waist, and her well-shaped curves wereid bare for all to see. The skirt only just covered above her knees, exposing her long legs that couldpete with the world¡¯s top models.

    The woman had her hair tied up in a high bun, with a fringe that entuated her face shape, making her already palm-sized face look even more delicate.

    A subtle emotion flickered through Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes as he pressed his thin lips together.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    He now desperately wished he could take his coat and cover Qiao Jingpletely, preferably with a mask and sunsses as well.

    But his wife was off to attend an academic exchange meeting, dressed in a business suit, and he could find no excuse to make Qiao Jing change into something else.

    He suppressed the strong annoyance in his heart and walked to the entrance to change his shoes.

    Qiao Jing nced at the two little ones on the sofa and approached them.

    ¡°If you get hungry and want lunch, just tell the sister who willeter, I won¡¯t be back until the afternoon.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t worried that the two little ones would go hungry; after all, Ni Yue was very good at ordering takeout, which was always expensive, meaning there would be no unhealthy food.

    Anan nodded her little head; her big, bright eyes fixed on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you look so pretty. Are you really not an angel?¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and shook her head, reaching out to ruffle Anan¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Anan, you¡¯re cute too, but I¡¯m in a hurry and have to go now.¡±

    Pingping, stirred from his drowsy state by their conversation, slowly opened his eyes, with the first thing he saw being Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful face.

    His cheeks reddened a few shades, resembling a ripe red apple, and he stammered out a sentence.

    ¡°Sister Qiao¡­ you, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at ¡°Little Apple¡± Pingping and smiled.

    ¡°Thank you both, I really have to go now.¡±

    Anan obediently sat next to Pingping, waving to Qiao Jing.

    The two little ones spoke in unison.

    ¡°Goodbye, Sister Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing walked to the entrance, changed her shoes, and was just about to open the door when suddenly, the doorbell rang at home.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s long brows knitted together like smoke and mist as he opened the door.

 Chapter 414 - 414 403 Zhan Qipei Accidentally Touches Qiao

    ?Chapter 414: Chapter 403 Zhan Qipei identally Touches Qiao Jing¡¯s Leg   Chapter 414: Chapter 403 Zhan Qipei identally Touches Qiao Jing¡¯s Leg                                   As the door opened, a figure suddenly lunged in, urately aiming for Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace.

    Anticipating this, Qiao Jing stepped back to avoid Ni Yue bumping into her stomach.

    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±

    Ni Yue, ignoring Zhan Qipei standing to one side, hugged Qiao Jing affectionately and rubbed her face against Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯m here~ I¡¯ve missed you so much. Is there anything I can help with?¡±

    She had just finished speaking when she felt an icy gaze fixed upon her.

    Knowing full well who it was without looking, she continued to cling to Qiao Jing just to provoke the onlooker.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression was so dark it seemed as if he could drip water.

    He took a few steps forward, grabbed Ni Yue by the cor as if she were a little chick, and forcefully pulled her off Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you talk while standing?¡±

    His eyebrows locked in a frown, now there were three rivals in the house.

    Ni Yue ¡°tsked¡± and smacked her lips.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being affectionate with Qiao Qiao? You jealous?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother with their bickering. She was in a hurry to attend an academic exchange meeting and thus spoke to Ni Yue:

    ¡°Could you look after the two kids for me? One has a fever, so you might need to change his cooling patch. For lunch, order porridge from Zhouhuan Restaurant for them. Just say it was ordered by me. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to wait in a very long line.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Ni Yue paused, a puzzled look crossing her face as she turned in the direction Qiao Jing was looking.

    When she saw the two little ones on the sofa, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

    Her gaze returned to Qiao Jing, shifting back and forth between her and the little ones several times.

    Seeing Ni Yue standing there speechless, Qiao Jing quickly covered her ears with practiced ease.

    The next second, Ni Yue¡¯s voice, amplified by several volumes, erupted.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! Did you just have kids while I was away for apetition?!!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation and, ignoring Ni Yue, headed straight for the door. Before leaving, she couldn¡¯t help but give a few more instructions.

    ¡°I¡¯m off to the academic exchange. Please take good care of them for me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing and closed the front door behind them.

    In the car.

    After fastening her seatbelt, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, still unmuted, began to sound off like a machine gun.

    A vein in her temple throbbed, bringing on a headache; she switched her phone to silent mode and replied to Ni Yue¡¯s messages.

    Suddenly, arge handnded on her thigh, even making an upward motion.

    Her ck stockings were hoisted slightly by the hand¡¯s motion.

    With eyebrows arched like wisps of smoke, she turned towards the owner of the hand.

    Zhan Qipei cleared his throat and, pretending nothing happened, withdrew his hand and spoke without changing his expression.

    ¡°I was trying to grab a tissue, I must have grabbed the wrong thing.¡±

    Qiao Jing eyed Zhan Qipei skeptically, but his face bore no trace of lying.

    With a hint of doubt, she retracted her gaze and handed him the tissue box.

    Was it really a mistake?

    Zhan Qipei casually pulled out a tissue, still savoring the silky sensation he had just touched.

    The woman¡¯s legs were still sheathed in ck stockings, clinging tightly to her long legs, that silky touch just now¡­

    He narrowed his dark eyes, a flicker of ambiguous emotion crossing his gaze.

    He nced at the red light ahead and sighed.

    Qiao Jing heard the man¡¯s sigh and put away her phone, her gaze fixed on the road ahead.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    A look of regret shed across Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    ¡°I really wanted to see you at the exchange meeting, but unfortunately, I can¡¯t apany you.¡±

    What he actually wanted was to watch Qiao Jing closely, worried that someone might dare to have designs on his wife.

    After all, Qiao Jing was so beautiful, and people outside were eyeing her covetously; he had to protect his wife.

    Qiao Jing frowned, watching the man with an expression of regret, and hesitated for a while before speaking.

    ¡°If you really want to go, I can take you inside.¡±

    Although she had made a rule that outsiders couldn¡¯t enter, if Zhan Qipei really wanted to go, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for her to take him inside.

    This could be considered a special exception she was willing to make for Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes brightened, and taking advantage of the wait at the red light, he turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°But wasn¡¯t it stipted at the exchange meeting that only professionals from within the field could attend?

    As far as I know, the meeting must abide by the rules, no matter how high someone¡¯s status is, they cannot break this rule.¡±

    He paused for a moment, then continued.

    ¡°Are you really willing to make an exception for me just this once?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t answer Zhan Qipei¡¯s question, feeling somewhat embarrassed by the man¡¯s intense gaze, she looked out the window.

    She didn¡¯t know why, but she could somehow justify making an exception for him just this once.

    Just once.

    Seeing that she was ignoring him, Zhan Qipei persisted in his questioning, even though the light had turned green, he continued without heeding it.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet.¡±

    If Qiao Jing was willing to make an exception for him, it would mean that he held a special ce in her heart.

    With that, he would be one step closer to sess!

    Qiao Jing nced at the rearview mirror and rolled her eyes somewhat speechlessly.

    ¡°The light¡¯s green, start driving, there are cars behind us being blocked by you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei remained unmoved.

    ¡°Tell me first, then I¡¯ll drive.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead vein throbbed, growing increasingly speechless.

    ¡°Why are you so stubborn?¡±

    As it turned out, she still didn¡¯t like it when this dogged man badgered her incessantly.

    Whenever Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t get the answer he wanted, he would cling to you relentlessly.

    ¡°How could I have pursued you if I weren¡¯t persistent?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes; Zhan Qipei spoke as if he had already won her over.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still chasing me? I¡¯ve just agreed to try and understand you; it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re officially together.¡±

    Having said that, she didn¡¯t continue the topic with Zhan Qipei because she knew that if it went on, they could talk until dark and still not finish.

    ¡°Do you really want to go or not? I can take you inside.¡±

    Zhan Qipei got his topic sessfully diverted, his face showing difficulty.

    ¡°I do want to go, but today there is a celebration event at the amusement park in the city center, I need to go to that,¡± he said.

    He thought about a n he had in mind, which he could now use as an opportunity to ask Qiao Jing.

    ¡°When the amusement park opens, would you be willing to go with me?¡± he asked.

    Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei a speechless nce.

    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t see through your trap?¡±

    There were so many ways he could have asked her; why did he have to ask if she would be willing?

    And when asking if she was ¡°willing,¡± he intentionally emphasized it.

    Zhan Qipei smoothed his brows that were as wispy as smoke.

    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t fall for my verbal trap.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Since you knew, why did you still ask me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei curved his lips, the depth of affection and tenderness in his eyes almost spilling over as he looked at Qiao Jing with a gaze full of sentiment.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡±

 Chapter 415 - 415 404 Professor Qiaos Seminar (1)

    ?Chapter 415: Chapter 404: Professor Qiao¡¯s Seminar (1)   Chapter 415: Chapter 404: Professor Qiao¡¯s Seminar (1)                                   Upon hearing those three words, Qiao Jing fell silent while a ripple formed in her cold eyes; she lowered her eyelids.

    The car stopped at the entrance of the exchange meeting.

    Qiao Jing nced at the time, there were still a few minutes before it started.

    She hurried out of the car and was about to enter when the man¡¯s deep voice rang out.

    ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up after it ends.¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head to look at Zhan Qipei, intending to refuse.

    But refusing the man would definitely lead to him pestering her, and she was in a rush to attend the meeting, so she had no choice but to agree.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing had just alighted from another car and saw Qiao Jing standing not far away; she waved her hand.

    Fearful that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t hear her, she deliberately raised her voice.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Wait for me! I¡¯ll go in with you!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice attracted the attention of others, who cast curious nces towards her.

    Unconcerned about the gazes of others, Zhan Nanqing ran over to Qiao Jing, slightly out of breath.

    She was afraid that Qiao Jing would go in directly without waiting for her; she hardly cared about anything else at the moment.

    After all, she still had to protect her from outsiders for her brother, keeping an eye on Qiao Jing.

    As Qiao Jing noticed her and was about to speak, footsteps sounded from behind.

    She turned her head to find Zhan Qipei catching up; she looked towards the man with a puzzled expression.

    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be attending a celebration?

    Why had he followed her instead?

    Zhan Qipei walked up to Qiao Jing, casting a nce at Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face also showed confusion as she looked towards the entrance and then at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother, are you going in too?¡±

    Zhan Qipei said nothing but led Zhan Nanqing to the side.

    This left Zhan Nanqing even more puzzled; what on earth was her brother up to?

    ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on? Why all the secrecy?¡±

    And why couldn¡¯t he speak in front of Qiao Jing?

    Zhan Qipei turned to check on Qiao Jing¡¯s direction, ensuring she couldn¡¯t hear them before speaking.

    ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous for Qiao Jing right now. Keep an eye on her for me.¡±

    He wanted to stay and watch over his wife himself, not trusting others to do it.

    But he simply couldn¡¯t get away from the amusement park, and he still had to n the route to take Qiao Jing around it.

    Zhan Nanqing looked back at Qiao Jing and noticed she was indeed dressed very sexily.

    It wasn¡¯t exaggerated, however, as it was very normal work attire, but it just seemed incredibly sexy on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Oh brother, rest assured, there¡¯s no need to even mention it; I¡¯d watch over her myself. Besides, Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao, who would dare to mess with her?¡±

    She had already nned to help her brother by keeping an eye on Qiao Jing, to prevent any interested parties from stealing his sister-inw away.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his eyes filled with reluctance as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was watching the siblings and caught Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze; his eyes seemed like a bottomless pit about to swallow her up.

    She wordlessly twitched the corner of her mouth.

    It¡¯s not like they won¡¯t see each other again, why was he looking at her with such a lingering gaze?

    And if he was looking at her this way even before she entered, wouldn¡¯t Zhan Qipei reveal an even more unbearable look once she was inside?

    Those who didn¡¯t know better might think they would never meet again.

    Zhan Qipei had thought of saying a few words before leaving, but time was really pressing, and he could only nod at Qiao Jing, making a gesture to show he would leave.

    Qiao Jing also nodded slightly.

    Zhan Qipei walked to the car with frequent backward nces, pausing for a while after closing the car door before finally leaving.

    Zhan Nanqing walked back to Qiao Jing¡¯s side andined.

    ¡°True to form, my brother, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brand of 502 glue, Qiao Jing, only you could handle him.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could reply, she continued.

    ¡°But you have to stick with my brother forever. I wouldn¡¯t be happy with anyone else as my sister-inw.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, looking somewhat helpless.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now. It¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure what her feelings for Zhan Qipei really were.

    If she still felt nothing for Zhan Qipei in the future, she would make the same decision as before.

    After all, getting pregnant was an ident, and she wouldn¡¯t force Zhan Qipei to take responsibility.

    Zhan Nanqing then withdrew her gaze, linking arms with Qiao Jing, and they entered together.

    They had barely taken a few steps when a familiar voice came from behind.

    ¡°Qiao Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in her steps, a look of surprise appearing on her face.

    ¡°Wu Xirui?¡±

    Wu Xirui nced at the direction where Zhan Qipei had left.

    He had seen the interaction between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei while he was in the car, and his smile immediately vanished.

    Now, as he approached Qiao Jing, he put on a fake smile again, staring intently at her with his peach blossom eyes.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m here¡«¡±

    Upon hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s rising intonation, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face turned sour, and she watched him warily.

    She took a small step forward, intentionally blocking the space between Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui.

    Why had her rival appeared just after her brother left?

    Did Wu Xirui have some kind of radar that could detect Qiao Jing¡¯s location?

    She nced around, fearing others might show up one after another.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with surprise.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    She had made it clear at this academic conference that no one except agricultural experts were allowed in.

    Wu Xirui raised an eyebrow, his peach blossom eyes curling, and he took out an invitation and a certificate from his pocket.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been idle recently, so I learned a bit about agriculture and got a certificate.

    It¡¯s only basic, but it qualifies me to enter.¡±

    He had learned this just because he heard Qiao Jing would attend and wanted a chance to sit with her during the event.

    A trace of surprise flickered through Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked at the certificate.

    ¡°Had you studied this before?¡±

    If not, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to get a certificate so quickly.

    But she remembered that Wu Xirui had always focused on business, so why had he suddenly stopped to get certified?

    Wu Xirui shook his head, putting the certificate back as he spoke.

    ¡°No, just picked up a bit this half-month.¡±

    Qiao Jing was somewhat surprised; to build a foundation and get a certificate in half a month was exceptionally talented.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    She checked the time; there was less than two minutes left to enter.

    Wu Xirui looked towards the entrance and stepped forward, trying to get beside Qiao Jing.

    ¡°The event is starting soon, shall I join you? I still don¡¯t fully grasp agriculture, and you¡¯ve been at Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute for so long, could I lean on you a bit?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing directly stepped in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Keep your distance from my sister-inw. This ¡®big leg¡¯ is only for me to cling to.¡±

 Chapter 416 - 416 405 Professor Qiao Symposium (2)

    ?Chapter 416: Chapter 405: Professor Qiao Symposium (2)   Chapter 416: Chapter 405: Professor Qiao Symposium (2)                                   She deliberately emphasized the words ¡°sister-inw¡± and ¡°child.¡±

    Originally, she had thought that, after all, she was the big boss of a corporate group and also had a special identity, that was Wu Xirui, her aunt¡¯s son. If it hadn¡¯t been for her brother, perhaps her aunt might have inherited Zhan Corporation. So, she felt a bit guilty.

    But now it seemed that she didn¡¯t need to be polite to Wu Xirui at all, since this man even dared to covet her sister-inw.

    Wishful thinking!

    Wu Xirui¡¯s smile on his face became slightly stiff, and the next second it returned to normal.

    ¡°I just had a few questions to ask her, what¡¯s with your overreaction?¡± he said.

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°hmphed¡± in response and, pulling Qiao Jing along, headed towards the entrance while muttering softly,

    ¡°Anyone could see right through your schemes¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything; she didn¡¯t have much time to chat with Wu Xirui now as she needed to prepare for her uing speech backstage.

    Wu Xirui stood still, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure until she disappeared from his sight, then he walked to the entrance to enter the venue.

    When he arrived inside, he found that the ce was almost full.

    Sure enough, it was Professor Qiao¡¯s seminar!

    He looked around for a week and didn¡¯t find Qiao Jing, only seeing Zhan Nanqing in the front row.

    He furrowed his brows, finding it strange.

    If Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t here, where had she gone?

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was backstage adjusting the microphone, shredding the script she had written the day before.

    She nced at herself in the mirror, ensuring her appearance was neat, before stepping onto the stage.

    The first thing the audience heard was the ¡°click-ck¡± of high heels on the floor.

    Half of the people present, who had never seen Professor Qiao, showed surprised expressions.

    They lowered their voices and whispered among themselves.

    ¡°That¡¯s the sound of high heels, isn¡¯t it? Is Professor Qiao a woman?¡±

    ¡°I always thought she was a man, a venerable and respected elder type.¡±

    ¡°Same here, but for me, whether she is a man or a woman doesn¡¯t matter; I just want to witness Professor Qiao¡¯s true face myself, to admire her.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, sitting in the front, heard the nearby discussions and proudly lifted her chin.

    Professor Qiao was not only particrly young but also a stunningly beautiful young woman.

    More importantly, she was her sister-inw!

    Wu Xirui, situated near the front corner of the stage, naturally also heard the surrounding discussions.

    He slightly squinted those peach blossom eyes, the smile on his face receding a bit.

    A bold guess formed in his mind¡­

    Gao Lihong was also in the audience, sitting near the front, her expression intense as she stared at the empty stage.

    She must find a chance to strike up a conversation with Professor Qiao!

    Professor Qiao would definitely appreciate her talent!!

    That way, she could work at Professor Qiao¡¯s institute.

    Then, she would be an official employee of the institute, and she could show Qiao Jing who¡¯s boss, seeing if Qiao Jing dared to dismiss her again!

    This time, it was Professor Qiao providing her support!

    As she thought this, a slender figure appeared on the stage.

    Gao Lihong immediately widened her eyes, eager to see the person she¡¯d been waiting for.

    She turned on the microphone, and her red lips parted slightly.

    ¡°Thank you all foring to the seminar I¡¯ve organized. The purpose of this seminar is to facilitate discussion and exchange among us.

    So, don¡¯t be so formal; the next five minutes are for everyone to interact, and after that, you may ask questions.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance caused those in the audience who had never seen her to absolutely erupt in shock.

    ¡°My goodness! She¡­ she is Professor Qiao? How could she be so young?¡±

    ¡°I simply can¡¯t believe my eyes, am I dreaming?! I had imagined various versions of Professor Qiao, but I never expected her to be as I¡¯m seeing now.¡±

    ¡°Me too! She looks just over twenty years old!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    They had all momentarily forgotten the purpose of their visit to this exchange meeting, almost entirely immersed in shock.

    Zhan Nanqing, who was closest to the podium, had a face full of pride as she leaned into the back of her chair.

    This was her sister-inw!

    Impressive, isn¡¯t it!

    Wu Xirui squinted slightly and curved his lips into a smile; different from his usual expressions, this time, besides surprise in his eyes, there was a newfound interest at the bottom of them.

    His fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his chair.

    ¡°Professor Qiao? Interesting.¡±

    Gao Lihong, sitting in the back rows, was more shocked than anyone present.

    The expectant expression on her face froze when she saw who was on the stage¡ªit was Qiao Jing.

    Could Qiao Jing be the highly respected and immensely contributive Professor Qiao?!

    How could it be possible?!!

    Could she have mistaken the person?!

    Could it be that the research institute had cast her out because of Qiao Jing¡¯s identity?!

    She couldn¡¯t believe it, sitting stunned in her chair, staring wide-eyed at Qiao Jing.

    How could Professor Qiao be Qiao Jing?

    She couldn¡¯t understand¡­

    She really couldn¡¯t understand¡­

    She guessed Professor Qiao had something that took him away, and Qiao Jing was recing him on the stage, maybe¡­ possibly¡­

    After the audience discussed Qiao Jing several times, they gradually calmed down.

    As five minutes had passed since they started watching, someone raised a hand.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gazended on the person asking the question.

    ¡°Hello, is there something you¡¯d like to ask?¡±

    The questioner was an elderly person, who stood up.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, about the vegetable grafting issue you are now researching, how is it progressing?¡±

    Qiao Jing recognized the elder; he was the president of Agricultural University.

    Her face wore respect, having received much help from this president at Agricultural University in the past.

    ¡°It is progressing very smoothly; there is still some time until sess, please await the good news.¡±

    The elder nodded, a respectful expression on his face as he bowed before sitting down.

    After him, the rest of the people also started eagerly putting forward questions.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, I have some questions about nting that I¡¯d like to ask you, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Professor Qiao, after you sessfully researched hybrid corn, did you discover anything new¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing maintained an appropriate smile on her face and answered everyone¡¯s questions using highly technical terms.

    Those who received answers felt immensely enlightened; returning to their seats, they regarded Qiao Jing with great respect, and unanimously looked at her with reverence.

    The reverent expressions on the faces around her made Gao Lihong feel increasingly ufortable.

    The first person to ask a question was the president of Agricultural University.

    Even the president showed such respect toward Qiao Jing¡­

    She listened intently to every word spoken by Qiao Jing without missing a single one.

    The level of expertise was beyond anyone else¡¯s reach, and Qiao Jing¡¯sposed demeanor in the face of every question conveyed a fact.

    Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao!

    Just then, sitting in a corner in the front row, Wu Xirui raised his hand.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, are you single?¡±

 Chapter 417 - 417 406 Professor Qiaos Seminar (3)

    ?Chapter 417: Chapter 406: Professor Qiao¡¯s Seminar (3)   Chapter 417: Chapter 406: Professor Qiao¡¯s Seminar (3)                                   Everyone¡¯s faces showed astonishment and shock upon hearing the question posed by Wu Xirui.

    They all cast curious nces at Wu Xirui.

    Who is this person? The question wasn¡¯t about agriculture, but about Professor Qiao¡¯s private life?

    How bold is he to ask about Professor Qiao¡¯s private life?

    Wouldn¡¯t Professor Qiao be angry?

    The corners of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched imperceptibly, as shepletely ignored Wu Xirui¡¯s question.

    But she noticed that Wu Xirui hadn¡¯t sat down yet and seemed to be waiting for an answer from her.

    Her temples throbbed abruptly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s skip this question. Next, please.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected Wu Xirui to attend the academic exchange, and now she could no longer hide her identity as Professor Qiao.

    Wu Xirui smiled and stared at Qiao Jing for a good while before sitting down.

    The experts all wore expressions of astonishment.

    Professor Qiao isn¡¯t angry?

    And this man seems quite familiar with Professor Qiao, could it be they know each other privately?

    ¡°Could Professor Qiao and that man know each other from outside?¡±

    ¡°It seems like it, or else why wouldn¡¯t Professor Qiao be angry?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, who was sitting in front of these people, heard what they were saying and was quite angered.

    Who asks such personal questions in public?!

    She wished she could call security to throw Wu Xirui out!

    No matter if he¡¯s the boss of somepany, even if the Heavenly King himself came, he shouldn¡¯t covet her sister-inw.

    And who cares about getting to know Wu Xirui?

    She would prefer if Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know Wu Xirui ¨C this man constantly sought out her sister-inw, trying topete with her brother for her.

    It was infuriating!

    Zhan Nanqing controlled her impulse to take out her phone and snitch, knowing that they were not supposed to use their phones during the exchange unless it was an emergency.

    She red fiercely in Wu Xirui¡¯s direction, hoping he would take the hint and back off.

    But Wu Xirui, he just kept staring at her sister-inw.

    Without even blinking!

    She took a deep breath to suppress the anger welling up inside her.

    If her brother were here, he would¡¯ve definitely had Wu Xirui thrown out already.

    The questions continued, and Qiao Jing was answering them one by one.

    Gao Lihong, who had prepared a stomachful of pitches and questions, was now speechless.

    Thinking back on how proud she had been at the institute, even asking Qiao Jing to pour her water, she now wished she could crawl into a hole.

    What¡¯s worse, she had been so arrogant, thinking Qiao Jing was just an old staff member¡­

    Now her face felt painfully hot with embarrassment.

    Professor Qiao checked the time and then said:

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a ten-minute break. During this time, everyone can interact with each other.¡±

    As her words ended, the sound of discussion gradually grew louder.

    Meanwhile, Gao Lihong remained in her dazed posture, out of sync with the lively exchanges around her.

    She had prepared so much, even assuredly thinking she could enter the research institute¡­

    She couldn¡¯t ept it!

    At that moment, her phone began to vibrate.

    She had no mood to pay attention to the exchange anymore and simply took out her phone to check the messages.

    It was from a group message sent by her colleagues.

    ¡°Professor Gao, did you attend the academic exchange meeting? Have you seen Professor Qiao in person?¡±

    ¡°What kind of person is Professor Qiao? Man or woman? Can you reveal just a little bit to me?¡±

    ¡°Right, Professor Gao, have you signed a contract with Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? When are you starting work?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Professor Gao, we have prepared our celebration banquet, inviting everyone, of course, except for a certain someone who acts all high and mighty.¡±

    No need to name names, it¡¯s clear that when someone mentions ¡°a certain someone who acts all high and mighty,¡± they¡¯re referring to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    Gao Lihong let out a cold snort as she looked at thest message, her face disying a bitter andplex smile that was hard to decipher.

    Curse all you want, curse to your heart¡¯s content, but wait until the day you realize that Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao¡ªlet¡¯s see if you can still spout the same words!

    As she thought this, theplicated smile on Gao Lihong¡¯s face grew even more pronounced.

    She would absolutely not reveal Professor Qiao¡¯s personal information, and it was not just because of the confidentiality agreement she had signed.

    She also wanted everyone in the group to offend Qiao Jing¡ªit couldn¡¯t just be her who made a fool of herself in front of him!

    The exchange meeting didn¡¯t end until two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.

    Qiao Jing went backstage for a sip of water and popped a throat lozenge, which finally eased the burning sensation in her throat.

    Just as she walked out the backstage door and was about to leave through a different passage, she ran into Wu Xirui, who was waiting outside the door.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    She had arranged a separate passage for herself to avoid meeting other people since the academic exchange meeting was over, and she didn¡¯t want to be disturbed by anyone.

    By the way, how had Wu Xirui found this passage?

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face bore his signature smile as he looked Qiao Jing up and down several times.

    He curved his lips and took a few steps forward, approaching Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to see our distinguished, Professor, Qiao.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation and moved a step to the left, intending to bypass Wu Xirui.

    She didn¡¯t have time to tussle with Wu Xirui now; she was worried that Ni Yue might not take good care of Pingping and Anan.

    Moreover, she needed to get in the car to have the time to contact Ni Yue.

    Wu Xirui, not giving up, strode forward and blocked Qiao Jing¡¯s path once again.

    ¡°Why so cold, Professor Qiao? It¡¯s been a while since west saw each other, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Qiao Jing grew even more speechless, a vein pulsing on her forehead and her face growing colder.

    ¡°Move aside.¡±

    The smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face deepened as he was about to speak, but then a furious voice erupted.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked rather unpleasant, bearing a slight resemnce to Zhan Qipei.

    She charged over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side with a fierce momentum, shielding her like a hen protecting her chick.

    Although she wanted to block Qiao Jing¡¯s face directly so Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t see her sister-inw, her height was unfortunately not quite tall enough.

    So she simply tiptoed slightly and unabashedly rolled her eyes at Wu Xirui.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear my sister-inw telling you to move? Why are you still shamelessly following her?¡±

    She had just arrived, intending to leave with Qiao Jing, when she saw Wu Xirui chasing after her and even blocking her way.

    How could she endure that?

    This Wu Xirui should feel lucky that her brother isn¡¯t here.

    Otherwise, with her brother¡¯s jealousy, especially towards men, he might trigger a World War right here!

    The smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face stiffened for a moment upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words.

    ¡°I just wanted to have a chat with Qiao Jing, she and I are friends. What does my business with her have to do with you?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was initially intimidated by Wu Xirui¡¯s imposing presence, but as soon as she thought of her brother, her courage surged.

    She wasn¡¯t even afraid of her brother, so why would she fear Wu Xirui?

    ¡°Zhan Qipei is my brother, and Qiao Jing is my sister-inw. They are legitimately married spouses. How is it none of my business if you¡¯re hitting on my sister-inw?¡±

 Chapter 418 - 418 407 Actually Wants to Snatch Someone from

    ?Chapter 418: Chapter 407: Actually Wants to Snatch Someone from Her Brother   Chapter 418: Chapter 407: Actually Wants to Snatch Someone from Her Brother                                   Wu Xirui narrowed his eyes, the smile on his facepletely gone, as he expressionlessly stared at Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in silence, mutteringints in her heart.

    Don¡¯t think that by staring at her with a poker face, she would be scared.

    Just as Wu Xirui was about to speak, Qiao Jing reached out to pull Zhan Nanqing, leading her outside.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of amusement and helplessness when she saw Zhan Nanqing standing in front of her.

    Zhan Nanqing wasn¡¯t as tall as her, and in her efforts to block Wu Xirui, she even stood on tiptoe, which made her desperate attempts to shield Qiao Jing appear somewhatical.

    The words Wu Xirui was about to say got stuck in his throat; just as he was about to follow them, a cold voice rang out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t follow any more.¡±

    He halted his steps, standing still and watching the two figures walk away.

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes again, then turned her head and shot a provocative nce at Wu Xirui.

    Actually thinking ofpeting with her brother for someone?

    As if!

    But¡­ why was Wu Xirui so obedient to Qiao Jing¡¯s words?

    She had tried hard to persuade, but Wu Xirui refused to leave and was giving her that dirty look?

    However, once she thought of Wu Xirui¡¯s undisguised interest in Qiao Jing, she understood.

    Zhan Nanqing turned her head back and stole a nce at Qiao Jing.

    There was no denying that Qiao Jing¡¯s face was iparable, and coupled with her exceptional abilities¡­

    It would be hard not to like Qiao Jing.

    If she were a man, she might have fallen for Qiao Jing too.

    Just as Qiao Jing reached the entrance, ready to hail a taxi, Zhan Qipei¡¯s car pulled up right in front of her.

    The car window slowly rolled down, revealing Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome face.

    Zhan Nanqing lit up upon seeing her brother arriving, and immediately began to tattle.

    ¡°Brother, Wu Xirui came this time too, he was shamelessly clinging to Qiao Jing, but don¡¯t worry, I stopped him.¡±

    Hearing the name Wu Xirui, a storm seemed to pass over the dark depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    He got out of the car and approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Get in.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Zhan Qipei.

    Had she heard wrong?

    With Qiao Jing also there, her brother was actually offering to give her a ride home?

    This gave her a sense of being unexpectedly and unbelievably favored, and she walked toward the back door of the car.

    At this time, Zhan Qipei came to the passenger side and opened the door for Qiao Jing.

    After Qiao Jing got in, he closed the passenger door and walked around to the driver¡¯s seat.

    Zhan Nanqing reached out and tried to pull the back door open, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    She frowned in confusion and tried pulling again, but the door remained firmly shut.

    The door was locked?!

    Looking up toward the driver¡¯s seat, Zhan Nanqing saw the two had already gotten in the car.

    She hurried to the front and knocked on the window.

    Zhan Qipei had already started the engine, but when he heard the knock on the window, he looked up and nced at the person outside.

    After a few seconds, he diverted his gaze, beginning to fasten his seat belt.

    Qiao Jing also heard the noise at the window, and she noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s window was already being rolled up again.

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing was standing outside the door, looking anxiously into the car.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei had no intention of lowering the window, she spoke up to remind him.

    ¡°Quickly roll down the window.¡±

    As Zhan Qipei was about to drive off, he rolled down the window upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s prompting.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing looked puzzled as she stared at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother, the back door is locked.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of perplexity flickering in his eyes.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was even more stunned this time.

    ¡°How am I supposed to get in the car if you locked the back door?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°What are you getting in the car for?¡±

    He remembered he hadn¡¯t said he would take Zhan Nanqing back; he now wanted to take Qiao Jing home to rest.

    After all, his wife had been speaking on stage for so long, she must be tired.

    Zhan Nanqing was dumbfounded and let out a confused ¡°Ah?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you telling me to get in the car? Weren¡¯t you going to take me back??¡±

    Don¡¯t tell her she heard wrong, she clearly heard her brother say to get in the car just now.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the time and rolled up the car window without hesitation.

    Before the window waspletely closed, he didn¡¯t forget to drop a line.

    ¡°I told Qiao Jing to get in, not you.¡±

    Qiao Jing, who had been listening on the side, now understood the situation and couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry a little.

    Just as she opened her mouth to let Zhan Nanqing get in the car, Zhan Qipei drove away.

    ¡°Why not take Zhan Nanqing back?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the rearview mirror, seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s figure growing smaller in the distance.

    She suddenly felt that Zhan Nanqing must be standing disheveled in the wind at this moment.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even nce at the rearview mirror, focusing only on the road ahead.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking you back to rest; she can take a taxi herself.¡±

    Nothing is more important than Qiao Jing, besides, it¡¯s not on the way.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei had no intention of turning the car around to pick her up, Qiao Jing sighed helplessly and sent Zhan Nanqing a message.

    ¡°You take a taxi back to Purple Garden.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t persuade Zhan Qipei, and by this time, they had already driven a distance away.

    Still standing dumbfounded in ce, Zhan Nanqing felt her phone vibrate and took it out to have a look.

    Only her own wounded world had been achieved¡­

    Her brother not only force-fed her dog food, but he also left her behind bluntly.

    So all her thoughts just now were wishful thinking?

    She thought her brother had finally seen reason, but it turned out she was overthinking it.

    She always knew her brother only had eyes for Qiao Jing.

    There¡¯s a saying: a married daughter is like water that¡¯s been poured away.

    For her brother, it was a husband with a wife is like water that¡¯s been poured away.

    Zhan Nanqing was speechlessly resigned and could only take out her phone to hail a car begrudgingly.

    Tai Apartment.

    When Qiao Jing stood at the doorstep, she still felt somewhat uneasy.

    After all, it was Ni Yue who was taking care of the two kids. No one knew what the house looked like at the moment, whether Pingping had a fever, or whether the two little ones were hungry.

    After sending the message to Zhan Nanqing, her phone had run out of battery and shut down, and she had not been able to contact Ni Yue till now.

    She felt like she was opening a mystery box¡­

    Qiao Jing paused for a second, hesitated for a second, and then opened the door to her home.

    But there was not a sound in the house, and her heart skipped a beat.

    She quickly changed into slippers and headed towards the living room.

    Zhan Qipei was behind her, closing the door for Qiao Jing.

    When Qiao Jing reached the living room, she found Zhouhuan Restaurant¡¯s takeout boxes on the table and Ni Yue fast asleep on the couch.

    The two little ones were sitting quietly on the other couch, not daring to make a sound.

    Pingping and Anan¡¯s eyes lit up when they saw Qiao Jing return.

    The two little ones quickly waddled their short legs off the couch and tiptoed over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Pingping, with a fever patch on his head, was about to shout when he suddenly remembered that Ni Yue was sleeping and lowered his voice.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you¡¯re back!¡±

    Anan tugged at Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes and spoke with a milky voice.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I missed you so much!¡±

    Hearing the words of the two little ones, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened.

 Chapter 419 - 419 408 Can I Sleep in Your Bed Tonight

    ?Chapter 419: Chapter 408: Can I Sleep in Your Bed Tonight?   Chapter 419: Chapter 408: Can I Sleep in Your Bed Tonight?                                   His thin lips were pressed into a straight line without curvature, his gaze dark as he stared at the two little ones.

    The two children were frightened by Zhan Qipei¡¯s look, immediately transforming into clingy sweets, sticking to Qiao Jing¡¯s thighs on either side.

    Qiao Jing stretched out her hand to ruffle the little heads, looking helplessly at Ni Yue who was asleep on the couch.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, have you had dinner yet? Are you still hungry?¡±

    Her suspicion from earlier had indeede true.

    Ni Yuey on the couch sleeping, while the two children sat on another couch, watching her sleep.

    Pingping shook his head.

    ¡°Not hungry, Sister Ni Yue bought us porridge.¡±

    He nced at the takeout boxes still on the table, quieted his footsteps, and hurried over to start putting all the boxes into the trash.

    Qiao Jing felt a pang of uncontroble pain in her heart, Pingping¡¯s maturity was heart-wrenching, and so was Anan¡¯s.

    She took Anan to the couch, wanting to help clean up, but Pingping stopped her.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I can clean up myself.¡±

    He was very grateful Sister Qiao had taken him and Anan in, and that Sister Ni Yue even bought them porridge.

    Thus, he wanted to do what he could to thank Qiao Jing.

    Anan also prepared to help Pingping, but was simrly stopped.

    ¡°Anan, no need to help.¡±

    Pingping quickly disposed of the remaining takeout boxes into the trash can.

    Anan pouted her lips, looking at Qiao Jing with a face full of grievance.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, my brother wouldn¡¯t let me help with sweeping the floor earlier. He wanted to clean the table before you returned,

    but he felt dizzy, so he just sat on the couch. He wouldn¡¯t let me clean up, saying he¡¯d do it once his dizziness passed.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed with deep concern, as she looked down at the impably clean floor that was nearly shining.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Qiao Jing peeled off the fever-reducing patch from Pingping¡¯s forehead and reached out to check his temperature.

    The temperature had dropped quite a bit, but it was still somewhat hot.

    ¡°Did Sister Ni Yue give you any fever medicine?¡±

    Pingping obediently nodded his head, pointing to a disposable cup on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken it, no need for you to worry, Sister Qiao.¡±

    Qiao Jing noticed that Ni Yue was still covered with Pingping¡¯s nket, she took the two children to her own room.

    ¡°Why is Sister Ni Yue asleep?¡±

    She remembered that when Ni Yue arrived in the morning, she showed no signs of tiredness, looking very spirited.

    How could it be that after she went out for a while, Ni Yue was asleep upon her return?

    Pingping blinked hisrge eyes, just as he was about to speak, he caught sight of Zhan Qipei standing in the doorway.

    He stepped forward a few paces, approaching Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Ni Yue said she was a bit sleepy, and went to sleep after watching us eat.¡±

    Anan nodded her little head and also moved closer to Qiao Jing, hugging her arm.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened a few shades as he stared at the two children.

    These two kids had only known Qiao Jing for one night.

    His wife, she actually brought these two kids straight into her room?!

    He didn¡¯t receive such treatment when he first moved in!

    Currently, with her back to Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing was unaware of the man¡¯s expression.

    But from the two children¡¯s behaviour, she could tell they were scared.

    Without even thinking, she knew Zhan Qipei was frowning at Pingping and Anan again.

    ¡°So you guys y in my room, and I¡¯ll go check on Sister Ni Yue outside, okay?¡±

    Pingping and Anan simultaneously nodded their heads, ran to the chair in Qiao Jing¡¯s room, and sat motionlessly, like two little wooden figures.

    Seeing the two little ones like this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°You can move around the house freely, but I don¡¯t have any toys at home for you to y with, so it might be a bit boring.¡±

    She thought about the child in her belly who was only three months along, so she hadn¡¯t prepared any toys to have around the house in advance.

    Pingping shook his head and, with Anan, sat very well-behaved on the chair, big eyes looking at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°It¡¯s not boring, thank you, Sister Qiao. Anan and I can just sit here.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, and just as she turned around, she met the man¡¯s darkening face.

    Without a word, she pulled Zhan Qipei and took him into the bedroom.

    ¡°Why are you always frowning? You¡¯ve scared the two little kids.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and gazed deeply toward the direction of Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    ¡°They went into your room.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation, unable to believe this ridiculous man was getting jealous again.

    ¡°So what if they went into my room? You¡¯ve been inside as well, and back when we were at the hospital, you even slept on my bed.¡±

    She was at her wit¡¯s end with this man, she had cured many diseases, but the one thing she couldn¡¯t treat was Zhan Qipei¡¯s jealousy.

    Zhan Qipei dered righteously, ¡°That¡¯s different, I¡¯m your husband, of course I can sleep on your bed.¡±

    At this, the man¡¯s dark eyes dimmed, a corner of his mouth lifted, and he changed tack.

    ¡°Can I sleep on your bed tonight as well?¡±

    He had not only climbed into Qiao Jing¡¯s bed in the hospital but many other times as well, after she had fallen asleep.

    She just didn¡¯t know it.

    Qiao Jing, at a loss for words, just walked out without looking back.

    ¡°In your dreams.¡±

    Aftering to the living room, Qiao Jing first poured herself a ss of water to drink and then sat down on the couch.

    She nced at Ni Yue, who was still sound asleep, and just as she walked over, she noticed signs that Ni Yue was about to wake up.

    With nothing better to do, Qiao Jing casually tapped on the table, waiting for Ni Yue to fully wake up before asking.

    Ni Yue slowly opened her eyes,y on the couch staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, then propped herself up from the couch.

    As she got up, she saw Qiao Jing sitting next to her and got a fright.

    ¡°Damn! Qiao Qiao, when did you get back?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows and nodded.

    ¡°I came back right after the conference ended. Didn¡¯t you rest well on the ne?¡±

    If she had known Ni Yue needed more rest, she would have found a temp and let Ni Yue go home to sleep.

    Ni Yue quickly shook her head.

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve rested enough, but I felt a bit sleepy just now, so I took a nap.

    Don¡¯t worry, Pingping and Anan have had their meal, but why did the people from Zhouhuan Restaurant just make it and deliver it when they heard it was for you?¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together.

    ¡°I know their owner. Which two packets of fever medicine did you give Pingping? His fever still hasn¡¯te down.¡±

    Ni Yue uttered an ¡°ah¡± and took out two packets of fever medicine from the medicine box.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t these the two packets you said to mix together and drink? The fever still hasn¡¯te down? Should we take him to the hospital to have a look?¡±

    She paused, then suddenly remembered something.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao! You haven¡¯t told me where the two of them came from, they just told me their names. They are so shy; they hardly talk to me.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the two packets of fever medicine with a headache.

    ¡°You got one of the packets wrong, but it¡¯s not a big deal, I¡¯ll just have him take more fever medicer.¡±

 Chapter 420 - 420 409 Want to Stick with Qiao Jing for a

    ?Chapter 420: Chapter 409: Want to Stick with Qiao Jing for a Lifetime   Chapter 420: Chapter 409: Want to Stick with Qiao Jing for a Lifetime                                   She knew all too well about Ni Yue¡¯s loud and brash personality, so she had purposefully told her the name of the fever-reducing medicine in full detail and emphasized it several times.

    Still, she got the wrong one, but at least it was also a fever reducer, just not as effective.

    Ni Yue smacked her lips and nced around the living room, a puzzled look on her face.

    ¡°Ah? So it¡¯s because I got the wrong medicine.¡±

    She shook her head, suddenly remembering the question she initially wanted to ask.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, can you tell me about their background? Howe you suddenly brought them home?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt a bit helpless but went ahead and exined Pingping and Anan¡¯s situation.

    After hearing the story, Ni Yue pped the table.

    ¡°What the hell? The Gu Family? Which Gu Family? Howe I¡¯ve never heard of them?¡±

    Her not having heard of the Gu Family attested to the fact that they were not part of the social elite; otherwise, she would have certainly known them.

    ¡°If I had been there, I would¡¯ve given him a couple of punches, it makes me so mad!¡±

    ¡°Tch!¡±

    ¡°Such people really don¡¯t deserve to live in this world.¡±

    Ni Yue ranted indignantly, one sentence after another.

    Qiao Jing could onlyugh helplessly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already taught him a lesson. When are you going back?¡±

    She had already handled the situation with Pingping and Anan, and even if Gu Jiahao came looking for her, it would be useless.

    As long as the children were not affected, that was what mattered.

    Upon hearing this, Ni Yue¡¯s face immediately took on a pitiful look.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, are you trying to drive me away? I¡¯ve juste back from abroad, and I¡¯ve missed you so much, and now you¡¯re kicking me out. Can you really bear to do that?¡±

    Qiao Jing watched Ni Yue put on her dramatic disy and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    She nced at the suitcase sitting to the side.

    ¡°All right, enough of that. When are you nning to go back?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t take Ni Yue in for the long haul, especially with Zhan Qipei around, and besides, Ni Yue had her own family to return to; it was the two little ones who had nowhere else to go.

    Bringing Pingping and Anan home had already made that scoundrel¡¯s face turn quite ugly.

    If Ni Yue were to stay as well, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face would probably turn as ck as a coal briquette.

    Only then did Ni Yue drop the act, sprawling on the soft sofa and letting out a woeful howl.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave my Baby Qiao Qiao. I want to stick with you for life¡ª¡±

    She had not finished her sentence when she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark re.

    She smacked her lips, rolled her eyes speechlessly, and thenpleted her sentence.

    ¡°I want to stick with my Baby Qiao Qiao for life~¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened visibly several shades, and his sharp gaze was mixed with a chill.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    He had juste out from the room and was nning to cook a meal in the kitchen when he bumped into a serious love rival sticking to his wife.

    And with Ni Yue, who deliberately provoked him before, he could tolerate it less.

    Ni Yue let out an ¡°Aiya¡± and lunged into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms, looking pitifully at her.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao~ he¡¯s kicking me out, you have to stand up for me~¡±

    Seeing that the two were about to start a fight, Qiao Jing intervened in advance.

    ¡°If you two are going to continue, go outside. And, Zhan Qipei, aren¡¯t you going to work?¡±

    Normally, Zhan Qipei would be at thepany working at this time. After bringing her home today, was he nning not to go?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes dimmed, his gaze filled with feigned grievance.

    ¡°I¡¯m staying home to cook for you.¡±

    Why did Qiao Jing address him first, instead of Ni Yue who was the intruder?

    If he deliberately showed a look of grievance, would his wife feel sorry for him?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples abruptly pulsated.

    ¡°I can do it myself.¡±

    She always felt that Zhan Qipei, that dog of a man, treated her as if she were incapable of managing her life.

    Not only did he insist on doing the cooking, but he wouldn¡¯t even let her open a door.

    It was only a pregnancy, after all; it wasn¡¯t that dramatic.

    Ni Yue noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression and her skin crawled.

    She looked at Zhan Qipei with eyes full of disdain, rolled her eyes silently, and stood up.

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, I¡¯m heading back now, I can¡¯t stay any longer, and I have to tidy up the clothes when I get back, which is going to be the death of me.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t stand to see Zhan Qipei with that kind of look any longer.

    How could she not know that the mighty CEO of Zhan Corporation could actually act pitiful?!

    She definitely had to find a chance to share this news as gossip with those around her.

    Qiao Jing responded and helped Ni Yue push her suitcase to the door.

    ¡°Let me know once you¡¯re home.¡±

    Ni Yue dragged her suitcase to thending of the staircase.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    If she stayed any longer, she might go blind from the shiness and could very well suffocate on dog food.

    As soon as Qiao Jing turned around, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s smug smile, contently watching the closed door.

    This dog of a man had been waiting for Ni Yue to leave; his face was as dark as anything before she left.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead veins throbbed, speechless, and she walked straight into the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cook, you go to work.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei to neglect his work because of her and didn¡¯t want Tang Yan, who was all the way at Zhan Corporation, to call desperately looking for people, like before.

    As if he didn¡¯t hear her, Zhan Qipei pushed Qiao Jing out of the kitchen, then decisively closed the door.

    To prevent Qiao Jing froming in, he even went so far as to lock it and turned on the venttion fan.

    He absolutely wouldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing get tired, especially since his wife was pregnant.

    He only hoped their kids would all be girls; he already had so many rivals in love.

    If they were boys, he would have three more rivals in love, and they would be the kind he couldn¡¯t scold or hit.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei being so stubborn as to lock the door, Qiao Jing simply ignored him and returned to her own room.

    She found that Pingping and Anan were still sitting in their chairs just as before, the two little ones looking at each other.

    Upon hearing footsteps, they both turned their heads simultaneously.

    ¡°Sister Qiao.¡±

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I missed you again!¡±

    Pingping and Anan immediately jumped down from their chairs and scurried over to Qiao Jing with their little short legs, staring at her with eyes as big as grapes.

    Qiao Jing smiled and yfully scraped Anan¡¯s little nose.

    ¡°We only haven¡¯t seen each other for a few minutes, and you miss me that much?¡±

    Anan hugged Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and rubbed against it vigorously.

    ¡°Miss! Always miss Sister Qiao.¡±

    Perhaps because he was a boy, Pingping felt a bit shy and didn¡¯t dare to hug Qiao Jing so directly.

    He blinked his big eyes, staring at Qiao Jing.

    The look in his eyes was as if he were seeing an angel.

    In fact, whether it was Pingping or Anan, in their hearts, Qiao Jing was the angel who had rescued them.

    Qiao Jing looked at Pingping, then at Anan, not seeing any simrity between the brows and eyes of the two little ones.

    The only thing that might be considered simr was that they both had big eyes and double eyelids.

 Chapter 421 - 421 410 I Cant Bear to Leave You

    ?Chapter 421: Chapter 410: I Can¡¯t Bear to Leave You   Chapter 421: Chapter 410: I Can¡¯t Bear to Leave You                                   An unrealistic idea unexpectedly sprang up in her heart.

    Come to think of it, she realized she had never asked if the two little ones were blood siblings.

    Because of the way they interacted, with Anan calling Pingping ¡°brother,¡± she had always assumed that they were real siblings.

    ¡°Pingping, are you and Anan blood siblings?¡±

    Pingping shook his head, answering truthfully.

    ¡°No, I met Anan on the street before. She was also alone with no home to return to.¡±

    Anan blinked her big eyes, her face lighting up with an innocent smile.

    ¡°Hehe, if Brother hadn¡¯t taken me in, I might have starved to death. I was so hungry back then, and Brother gave me thest little piece of bun he had on him.

    Later, Brother and I collected bottles together to buy buns, so we didn¡¯t go hungry.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, her eyes filled withpassion as she looked at Pingping.

    Pingping was a wandering child himself, taking in Anan despite barely being able to feed and clothe himself.

    Yet, the joining of two lonely children addedpanionship to their wandering journey, making it less solitary.

    Pingping showed a simple smile, scratching his head shyly.

    ¡°We did go hungry sometimes¡­ Sometimes there weren¡¯t enough bottles, and we had less money.¡±

    Anan poked Pingping¡¯s arm.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t go hungry. Brother is the best.¡±

    Seeing the pair in such a state melted Qiao Jing¡¯s heart so she couldn¡¯t help but pull them into her arms and ruffle their little heads.

    ¡°How about I take you to the welfare institute in a few days?¡±

    She was now somewhat reluctant to send them off to the welfare institute so soon. She wanted at least to buy them some new clothes before sending them there.

    She really liked these sensible little ones and even had the notion of letting them stay here longer.

    But, she was currently pregnant with triplets and also had to deal with work. Selfishly keeping them might not provide the all-around care they needed. It would be better to send them to the Angel Welfare Institute, where dedicated staff could look after them.

    Although embarrassed, Pingping eventually expressed his reluctance to leave Qiao Jing¡¯s side and nodded.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Anan pouted, tears starting to well up in her big eyes as she clung to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, if we go to the welfare institute, does it mean we won¡¯t see you anymore?¡±

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Anan to cry and was momentarily stunned.

    Seeing Qiao Jing not responding, Anan thought they would never see her again, and tears uncontrobly began to stream down, falling pitter-patter onto Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    She lifted her hand to wipe away her tears, her small mouth quivering as she sobbed.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I don¡¯t want to not see you; I¡¯m going to miss you¡­ When we go to the welfare institute¡­ could you maybee to visit us asionally?¡±

    Qiao Jing reached out to wipe Anan¡¯s tears and smiled with a look ofpassion.

    ¡°I was actually nning to visit you often, and the welfare institute has many children and teachers. You can y together.¡±

    Her heart couldn¡¯t bear to part with the little ones, even though she knew Pingping and Anan would be well off at the welfare institute. Still, she wanted to visit them often.

    Pingping gently patted Anan¡¯s back.

    Anan stopped her tears, her long eyshes still wet with tear droplets.

    ¡°Really? Then, can Brother and I also see you often, Sister Qiao?¡±

    Qiao Jing gently nodded, smiling as she pinched Anan¡¯s gaunt face.

    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡±

    Only then did Anan crack a smile, drying the remaining tears on her face with her hand.

    Qiao Jing led the two little ones to the living room couch, turning on the TV to a cartoon for them to watch.

    She, on the other hand, sat on the side reading a medical book.

    Time was passing by, second by second.

    Qiao Jing was deeply engrossed in her book when a man¡¯s deep, maic voice reached her ears.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused her reading to look up at the clock on the wall, only to find it was already six in the evening.

    She closed the medical book and nced at the two little ones.

    She was closely seated with Pingping and Anan at her sides, who probably heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice and became cautious again.

    Qiao Jing smiled and took both of their hands,ing to sit down at the dining table.

    During this time, Pingping and Anan cautiously nced at Zhan Qipei several times, noticing that the man¡¯s expression was not very good, and they moved closer to Qiao Jing.

    Even during the meal, they did not want to be apart from Qiao Jing and stuck closely to her sides.

    Qiao Jing smiled and served a considerable piece of meat to each of the little ones.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    The smile that appeared on Pingping and Anan¡¯s faces became a bit more restrained as they answered in unison.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister Qiao Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and was just about to continue with her own meal when a bowl suddenly extended in front of her.

    She looked up at the man.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and nced at the little ones¡¯ bowls, then at his own.

    ¡°I want you to help me serve the food too.¡±

    She was clearly his wife, yet Qiao Jing was serving the children and not him!

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat speechless and nced at the chopsticks in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you serve yourself?¡±

    This man used to treat her as if she couldn¡¯t manage life on her own, and now he¡¯s turned it around?

    Zhan Qipei cast a resentful look at the little ones and assertively said,

    ¡°You just served them.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t believe that Qiao Jing would favor the two kids.

    The point was, these kids had known his wife for less than two days.

    Yet, these kids were enjoying a privilege he never had before.

    Qiao Jing, growing even more speechless, pursed her lips subtly.

    ¡°Pingping and Anan are using spoons; it¡¯s inconvenient for them to serve themselves. If you won¡¯t serve yourself with the chopsticks, then just go hungry.¡±

    She now thought that Zhan Qipei, this silly man, probably treated Pingping and Anan as rivals in love as well.

    It seemed like, in his eyes, anyone around her or known to her, whether man or woman, old or young, was considered a rival in love by Zhan Qipei.

    Even the children were included on the list of rivals in love.

    The big eyes of the two little ones asionally peered at Zhan Qipei, their fearful looks mixed with curiosity.

    They each looked down at the meat in their bowls and then at Zhan Qipei.

    Pingping opened his little mouth, hesitated for a while and still chose not to speak.

    Anan frowned, her baby voice filled with confusion.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I have a spoon, so I can¡¯t serve Brother Zhan.

    Brother Zhan can¡¯t do it himself, so could you help him a little?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s grim expression softened as he stared at Anan.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Anan to have such endearing traits, even speaking up for him.

    He still didn¡¯t take back his bowl, choosing Qiao Jing serving him over saving his face any day.

    Why would he care about face when wooing his wife?

    If he had cared about face from the beginning, he and Qiao Jing might not have had their story to follow.

    If he missed his wife because of his pride, he would regret it for a lifetime.

    Qiao Jing reluctantly served a piece of meat into the man¡¯s bowl.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I served you now, happy?¡±

    That finally satisfied Zhan Qipei, and he took his bowl back.

    As night fell, after the two little ones fell asleep, Zhan Qipei came to the door of Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    ¡°The amusement park opens tomorrow night; I¡¯m taking you there.¡±

    He had already prepared the route; tomorrow night the amusement park would be just for the two of them.

 Chapter 422 - 422 411 You Have to Listen to Your Wife

    ?Chapter 422: Chapter 411: You Have to Listen to Your Wife   Chapter 422: Chapter 411: You Have to Listen to Your Wife                                   ¡°Go to the amusement park?¡±

    Qiao Jing considered for a moment before agreeing.

    It would be a good idea to take Pingping and Anan to the amusement park before heading to the orphanage.

    All children particrly adore rides like the carousel.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes instantly lit up, curling into a smile at the corners of his lips.

    The following evening.

    As Qiao Jing came home from work and was preparing to change her shoes at the entrance, Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure appeared before her.

    Her motion to change shoes paused as she looked up at the man in confusion.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, which had been bright, dimmed upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    A hint of disappointment showed on his face.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to go to the amusement park? Have you forgotten?¡±

    Qiao Jing stood up straight and nced toward the living room, noticing the absence of Pingping and Anan.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. Aren¡¯t we supposed to go after dinner? Where are Pingping and Anan?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, misty like smoke, and pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°There¡¯s a restaurant at the amusement park. We can eat there. They¡¯re on the balcony.¡±

    He had already arranged with the restaurant staff for the time and a set meal, preparing a candlelight dinner.

    Qiao Jing changed her shoes and went to the balcony, where she saw the two little ones standing beside the railing, gazing out at the scenery.

    She observed the healthy look on Pingping and Anan¡¯s faces, which brought a relieved smile to her own face.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan,e put your shoes on. Shall we go to the amusement park and have fun together?¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, both little ones¡¯ eyes brightened simultaneously.

    Anan ran straight to Qiao Jing and hugged her thighs.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! You¡¯re back!!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and extended her hand to ruffle Anan¡¯s fluffy little head.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back.¡±

    Suddenly, she felt a touch of emotion, imagining her own children, just like Pingping and Anan, waiting obediently at home for her to get off work.

    She had already started picturing the adorable looks of the three little ones she was expecting.

    Pingping¡¯s voice brought her thoughts back to reality.

    ¡°Amusement park?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at the obedient Pingping standing by her side and hummed in affirmation.

    ¡°Yes, the amusement park. Do you want to go?¡±

    Anan nodded excitedly, her big eyes sparkling as she looked up at Qiao Jing, her little face brimming with anticipation.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Brother Zhan and I passed by the amusement park before!

    We saw from outside that there are so many fun things inside! And all the kids were holding lots of colorful cotton candy!¡±

    Qiao Jing saw the anticipation on Anan¡¯s face, as well as the sparkling eyes, and smiled slightly.

    ¡°Later, after you¡¯ve yed all the fun things, I¡¯ll buy you cotton candy.¡±

    Anan nodded happily.

    ¡°Really? Thank you, Sister Qiao!!¡±

    Pingping¡¯s eyes also shone, as he looked at Qiao Jing uncertainly and tugged at the hem of her clothes.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, it costs money to buy tickets for the amusement park. If we go¡­¡±

    Upon hearing her brother¡¯s words, Anan¡¯s smile vanished immediately.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sister Qiao. I think it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t go. It will cost you a lot of money.¡±

    Qiao Jing saw the disappointment in Pingping¡¯s big eyes, but he had sensibly decided not to go.

    Anan, being younger, quickly changed her mind upon hearing Pingping¡¯s words.

    The two little ones were just too considerate, heartbreakingly so.

    Qiao Jing stretched out her hand to lead the two little ones, arriving at the entrance hall.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to spend money, the amusement park is owned by Brother Zhan.¡±

    She took out two pairs of new shoes from the shoe cab.

    ¡°Change your shoes.¡±

    When she had seen Pingping and Anan a few days ago, both little ones were barefoot, and their small feet were dirty.

    So she had specially measured their feet yesterday to buy shoes that would fit their sizes.

    Pingping¡¯s and Anan¡¯s eyes brightened even more at the sight of the new shoes.

    Pingping stared at the blue shoes with a hopeful gaze, stretching his hand halfway out before retracting it.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, did you spend a lot of money?¡±

    Anan carefully took out the pink shoes, touched them with her little hand, and then returned them to their ce, looking nervously at Qiao Jing.

    Before Qiao Jing could reply to Pingping, Zhan Qipei beside her spoke up with displeasure in his voice.

    ¡°Why do you have to bring them both along?¡±

    He had a bad premonition in his heart as soon as he saw Qiao Jing bringing the two children over.

    And once Qiao Jing had the two kids put on the shoes, he knew his premonition hade true.

    He had originally wanted to spend time alone with Qiao Jing, to experience a world just for the two of them.

    And now his wife was nning to bring two little ¡°light bulbs¡± along?

    Doesn¡¯t that mean the candlelit dinner he had prepared would also be ruined?

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man beside her and pursed her red lips.

    ¡°So you mean to leave them here alone?¡±

    She knew that Zhan Qipei wanted to take her alone, but if they only brought her, wouldn¡¯t it be sad for the two little ones to stay here by themselves?

    More importantly, she wanted Pingping and Anan to have a chance to go to the amusement park, as they had never had such an opportunity before.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened even further, his eyebrows tightly knit.

    Pingping noticed the tension between the two and gently tugged on Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, go with Brother Zhan, Anan and I can wait at home for you.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to see Sister Qiao and Brother Zhan fight or to cause trouble for Sister Qiao.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, locked in a standoff with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei hesitated for a while but eventually discarded the idea of forcibly leaving the children at home.

    A husband cannot disobey his wife¡¯s words.

    He opened the door, making apromise.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    At the entrance of the amusement park.

    Because Zhan Qipei had rented out the ce, at this moment, the park had only staff inside, looking quite deserted.

    Qiao Jing held a little one in each hand, and right now, they were curiously peeking into the amusement park.

    Pingping noticed the absence of people and turned his head with confusion towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, why is there no one in the amusement park?¡±

    He had seen other amusement parks filled with both kids and adults.

    Anan also nodded, looking at Qiao Jing with simr curiosity, repeating Pingping¡¯s question.

    ¡°Why is there no one?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the empty amusement park.

    ¡°Because Brother Zhan rented out the whole ce, there are no other guests at the moment, but there are staff members.¡±

    She felt a sense of loss in her heart, even though she did not like crowded ces, she still thought that amusement parks should be bustling with life.

    Zhan Qipei frowned as he led everyone to the entrance.

    The staff members immediately came out to greet them upon seeing Zhan Qipei, making a weing gesture.

    ¡°President Zhan, Madam, this way please.¡±

 Chapter 423 - 423 412 Zhan Qipei Eats the Cotton Candy Left

    ?Chapter 423: Chapter 412: Zhan Qipei Eats the Cotton Candy Left by Qiao Jing   Chapter 423: Chapter 412: Zhan Qipei Eats the Cotton Candy Left by Qiao Jing                                   When Qiao Jing had just walked in with the two children, a staff member approached them with three extrarge cotton candies in hand.

    She was taken aback and noticed that two of the cotton candies were pink and one was blue.

    As soon as Anan saw the cotton candy, his eyes lit up.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! This is what I was talking about, is this cotton candy?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and gave a soft ¡°mhm.¡±

    It was just¡­ wasn¡¯t the other pink cotton candy supposed to be for her?

    The staff member came up to the three of them, bowed slightly to Qiao Jing, and handed a cotton candy to each of the children, Pingping and Anan.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, this is what President Zhan had us prepare for you.¡±

    Pingping and Anan received the cotton candies from the staff member and turned their heads to look at Zhan Qipei.

    Pingping¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t filled with as much fear when he looked at Zhan Qipei, and he stammered out,

    ¡°Thank you¡­ Brother Zhan.¡±

    After Anan bit into the cotton candy, a blissful smile spread across her face, her big eyes sparkling like stars.

    ¡°Thank you, Brother Zhan! Brother Zhan is a good person!¡±

    Watching the two little ones, Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, his usually taut facial contour softened a bit, and he reluctantly uttered three words.

    ¡°No need to thank.¡±

    The kids didn¡¯t seem so annoying anymore.

    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t have any reason to dislike these children if they hadn¡¯t been clinging to Qiao Jing.

    The staff member then handed thest pink cotton candy to Qiao Jing.

    A crack appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s usually expressionless face as she looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    She hesitated for a moment, watching the staff member holding the cotton candy with such effort, and eventually reached out to take it.

    The staff member bowed again and stepped back, following behind the group.

    Qiao Jing was about to give the cotton candy in her hand to Anan when Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice rang out.

    ¡°This one is for you to eat.¡±

    There¡¯s a saying that goes around the inte, what other children have, their children must have too.

    Although ording to her age, Qiao Jing isn¡¯t a child anymore, but¡ª

    He could spoil his wife to the point that she¡¯s like a child.

    He would give Qiao Jing everything others had, but¡­ Qiao Jing was even more capable than him, fully able to satisfy herself, and it seemed like she didn¡¯t particrly need him.

    What he needed to do was give Qiao Jing a ce to rest, care for her in every way possible, so he decided to satisfy her in all these little things as much as he could.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s actions paused, and she looked at Zhan Qipei somewhat speechlessly, extending the cotton candy to him.

    ¡°If you want to eat it, eat it yourself.¡±

    This jerk not only liked to treat her as if she couldn¡¯t take care of herself, but now he was also treating her like a child?

    She was beginning to feel grateful that Zhan Qipei had reserved the ce; otherwise, if someone saw her, a woman in her twenties, eating this pink cotton candy, she¡¯d find herself childish.

    Zhan Qipei took it from her hand, sticking close to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat it now, I¡¯ll hold it for you, but if you¡¯re not going to eat it, I¡¯ll have to throw it away.¡±

    He said this deliberately because he knew Qiao Jing hated to waste food.

    She would never waste anything edible.

    So every time he did this, Qiao Jing was left without a way to argue.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples jumped abruptly, and to be honest, she felt like punching someone.

    Just as she was about to speak, the sight of Zhan Qipei at that moment made her burst intoughter.

    d in a ck suit ironed without a single wrinkle and wearing his beautiful, icy face, he was currently holding a soft, pink cotton candy in his hand.

    It reminded her of the time when Zhan Qipei, wearing her pink Hello Kitty apron, had cooked for her, creating a simrly stark contrast to his current appearance.

    Zhan Qipei had yet to realize the image he presented, feigning a regretful demeanor.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like sweets, can¡¯t help you finish it, I should just throw it away.¡±

    Qiao Jing walked a few steps forward with a smile, taking the cotton candy back from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste food.¡±

    If it had been convenient for her at that moment, she would have liked to capture the sight of Zhan Qipei¡¯s appearance just then.

    Because while cooking in the kitchen, Zhan Qipei had worn casual clothes, which didn¡¯t have as great a contrast as his current suit-d appearance did.

    Of course, it was just a fleeting impulse, and she wouldn¡¯t actually take a picture.

    Qiao Jing took a bite of the cotton candy, and the rich strawberry vor melted quickly in her mouth, the sweetness seeming to reach straight to her stomach.

    The sweetness was definitely excessive, and she wondered if the two little ones would get cavities from it. But seeing how Pingping and Anan were eating it for the first time and looking so happy, she didn¡¯t want to be a spoilsport.

    After eating nearly half, she could no longer stomach the overly sweet treat and decided to go on a ride instead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the carousel first, let the two of them y.¡±

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t eat any more and took the cotton candy from her, finishing the rest in just two bites.

    The same sweet strawberry taste melted in his mouth, and his furrowed brows seemed to ease with the sweetness, gradually smoothing out into an expression of pleasure.

    Because the cotton candy had been unfinished by Qiao Jing and carried the scent of her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes filled with confusion, staring at Zhan Qipei, and the more she watched, the odder it seemed to her.

    The man was smacking his lips at that moment as if savoring the taste.

    Her ears turned hot as she btedly realized that the cotton candy was what she hadn¡¯t finished, still wet with her saliva.

    And Zhan Qipei was enjoying it so much?

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like sweets?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and remained silent, continuing to walk ahead.

    He could ept food his wife had tasted; otherwise, throwing away the cotton candy would be a waste.

    No, he should say food his wife had tasted must not be wasted; he had to consume it all.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei not responding, Qiao Jing did not pursue the matter further, thinking it good that he wasn¡¯t wasting food.

    The few staff members standing by rubbed their eyes in disbelief, making sure they weren¡¯t dreaming, then all widened their eyes in shock.

    Although they were not from thepany¡¯s main branch, they had seen President Zhan several times during the construction of the amusement park and he had seemed just like the Cold-faced Yama Raja from the rumors.

    But now¡ªthis Cold-faced Yama was not only holding up food for Miss Qiao but had also finished the cotton candy Miss Qiao hadn¡¯t eaten?

    Especially when President Zhan was facing Miss Qiao, the expression he showed was entirely different from what they had seen or heard.

    Anan blinked her big eyes, following Zhan Qipei intently, and after biting her own cotton candy, she tugged on Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, why is Brother Zhan eating it so deliciously? It seems his cotton candy is even sweeter than mine. Could it be that he¡¯s never had cotton candy before?¡±

    After hearing Anan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell back on Zhan Qipei. The cunning man smacked his lips again, revealing a look of enjoyment.

    Her ears turned slightly red at once, and she said with annoyance,

    ¡°Because he¡¯s the Big Grey Wolf.¡±

    The wolf from ¡®perverted wolf.¡¯

 Chapter 424 - 424 413 I Dont Eat Children I Eat Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 424: Chapter 413: I Don¡¯t Eat Children, I Eat Qiao Jing   Chapter 424: Chapter 413: I Don¡¯t Eat Children, I Eat Qiao Jing                                   Anan seemed to understand yet was confused, nodding her head as she looked up at Zhan Qipei with a hint of fear in her eyes.

    Last time, Sister Qiao said that Brother Zhan was the Big Grey Wolf, and now she said it again. Could it be that Brother Zhan really is the Big Grey Wolf?

    Thinking this, the fear in Anan¡¯s eyes grew.

    ¡°So¡­ so¡­ does the Big Grey Wolf eat children? Could it¡­ no, not eat me? I am very well-behaved.¡±

    She stuttered, shrinking behind Qiao Jing and pulling Pingping closer, peeking out half of her head to look at Zhan Qipei walking ahead.

    ¡°Can it not eat my brother either? My brother¡­ is even more well-behaved than I am.¡±

    Pingping shielded Anan behind him,forting his sister.

    ¡°Brother Zhan won¡¯t eat children.¡±

    Anan tilted her little head, her face full of confusion.

    ¡°But¡­ Sister Qiao said Brother Zhan is the Big Grey Wolf.¡±

    In Anan¡¯s heart, she truly saw Zhan Qipei as the Big Grey Wolf.

    Hearing Anan¡¯s childlike and adorable words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it somewhat amusing.

    Zhan Qipei, who was walking ahead, heard the conversation behind him and stopped, turning his head back.

    He looked at the ¡°culprit¡± Qiao Jing, his lips curving into a smile as he walked up to her.

    The two little ones instinctively hid further behind Qiao Jing.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to exin to the little ones, a warm breath suddenly sprayed on her neck.

    Her phoenix eyes trembled, and she furrowed her brows. Before she could say anything, a deep voice sounded first by her ear.

    ¡°I don¡¯t eat children, I eat Qiao Jing.¡±

    While Zhan Qipei spoke, his dark eyes were fixed intently on her slightly reddened earlobe.

    He had intended just to lean in to say something, but he didn¡¯t expect to see Qiao Jing¡¯s earlobe turn red with embarrassment, and he unconsciously lifted his hand to touch it as before.

    Qiao Jing recognized his intentions and, furrowing her brows, pped his hand away.

    She gave Zhan Qipei a speechless stare andined as she led the two little ones forward.

    ¡°Not proper at all.¡±

    She knew this man had no good intentions when he approached, always saying something inappropriate.

    Indeed, a big flirt.

    And with the kids next to them, wasn¡¯t he afraid of setting a bad example!

    The two little ones, clueless and confused, raised their heads; they had heard Zhan Qipei¡¯sst statement too.

    Pingping quickened his pace, nearly jogging as he led Qiao Jing forward.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, why does Brother Zhan want to eat you? But¡­ don¡¯t worry, Sister Qiao. If we run faster, he won¡¯t be able to catch up.¡±

    He frowned, ncing back at Zhan Qipei who was following them at a leisurely pace, then spoke as if prepared for anything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Qiao, I will definitely protect you!¡±

    Anan also patted her chest, looking resolute. But when she turned around and saw Zhan Qipei, her confidence waned a bit.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! I¡­ I will¡­ protect you too!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the little ones, and she noticed that they still couldn¡¯t help showing fear when they saw Zhan Qipei.

    Even so, the two little ones still said they would protect her.

    A wave of warmth flowed through her heart, touching a soft spot. Seeing how earnest they were, she couldn¡¯t bear to let them stay frightened.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan, Brother Zhan is just joking, he won¡¯t eat me.¡±

    Except in another way¡­

    Thinking this, she felt the temperature of her ears rise again.

    Qiao Jing pinched her earlobe, the cool touch of her fingertips gradually lowering the temperature on her ear, and after a few seconds, she released her hold and, without looking back, strode forward with the little ones in tow.

    She wouldn¡¯t let that situation happen again.

    Zhan Qipei, that big lecher, could go by himself.

    Seeing Qiao Jing speed up, Zhan Qipei quickly followed, closely behind her.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the two kids, he would have been holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand already.

    The staff member trailing behind them had a smile uglier than crying on his face.

    He thought he was just responsible for leading the way and operating the machine, but now he had an additional job.

    Eating dog food.

    The group arrived in front of the carousel.

    The carousel music swirled around them, and the lights changed with the rise and fall of the music¡ªcolorful lights cast on the carousel made it look like horses of different colors were walking around in a kingdom, and the children riding it appeared like princes and princesses.

    When the lights turned pink, Anan¡¯s big eyes sparkled, reflecting the pink carousel in her eyes.

    Her little face was filled with anticipation and excitement, she tugged at Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes and pointed ahead.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! It¡¯s a pink carousel!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and nodded, her gaze slipping past Zhan Qipei and onto the employee.

    ¡°Could you please open the gate?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to deal with Zhan Qipei at the moment.

    This despicable man had dared to whisper those words into her ear, even with the two kids there.

    Fortunately, the kids didn¡¯t understand.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing turn around, his dark eyes immediately lit up.

    But the woman¡¯s gaze just swept past him, not even giving him a nce, instead looking towards the staff member?

    The employee quickly went to the entrance and opened the gate, bowing slightly.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, please.¡±

    Just as he was about to straighten up, he suddenly noticed his boss¡¯s gaze on him.

    He looked up and met Zhan Qipei¡¯s grim face and his extremely cold eyes.

    The employee, terrified, got goosebumps and bowed deeply at a perfect ny-degree angle, not daring to lift his head.

    Had he done something wrong¡­

    Pingping¡¯s big eyes were full of longing as he gazed incessantly at the carousel entrance, asking uncertainly.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, can we ride for free? Is it free?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and led the two little ones to the entrance.

    ¡°It¡¯s free, no charge, go in and have fun, I¡¯ll wait for you guys here.¡±

    The staff member swiftly moved to the children¡¯s side and guided them inside.

    Qiao Jing folded her arms and leaned against nearby railings, watching as the kids were helped onto the carousel by the staff.

    Pingping and Anan sat on the same carousel horse.

    Pingping reached out his hand to protect Anan, his little hand gripping tightly onto the pole attached to the carousel.

    His face carried a hint of worry, fearing that a slight mishap might cause Anan to fall off.

    Anan¡¯s face lit up with a big smile, her big eyes curving into crescent moons, her hands lightly patting the body of the wooden horse.

    ¡°Giddy-up! Go faster, wooden horse~¡±

    Pingping, his body tense, dared not move a muscle, his face devoid of the joy of riding a carousel. Seeing Anan excitedly moving around on the carousel only increased his concern.

    He softly warned Anan.

    ¡°Anan, be careful, don¡¯t move around too much.¡±

 Chapter 425 - 425 414 Suddenly Giving Her Roses

    ?Chapter 425: Chapter 414: Suddenly Giving Her Roses   Chapter 425: Chapter 414: Suddenly Giving Her Roses                                   Qiao Jing saw Pingping¡¯s nervous appearance and couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit amusing, so she spoke up to remind him.

    ¡°Pingping, there¡¯s no need to be so tense, the horse is very low, it¡¯s safe.¡±

    Pingping was stunned for a moment, looked down, and indeed the horse was very low and firmly made underneath its bottom.

    He had been too nervous just now to notice¡­

    Pingping somewhat embarrassedly smiled at Qiao Jing and scratched his head.

    Once Pingping was no longer worried about falling off, his face also revealed a smile simr to Anan¡¯s.

    He carefully touched the wooden horse¡¯s body, his big eyes filled with affection.

    When Qiao Jing saw the honest and innocent smile on Pingping¡¯s face, a feeling ofpassion inevitably arose in her heart.

    In her view, Pingping had no faults, and if there were any, it was that he was too sensible.

    She didn¡¯t wish for Pingping to be so sensible; she wanted him to be like other kids, or like Anan would be good.

    Not to be so cautious, always considering others first; that way, when Pingping grew up and entered society, he would be at a disadvantage.

    The sound of Anan¡¯sughter, like a silver bell, suddenly reached her ears.

    ¡°Hahaha~¡±

    Thisughter drew Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze back to the two little ones.

    Anan, while pping the carousel, was pulling on Pingping¡¯s hand and pointing at the colorful lights.

    ¡°Brother! Look! It¡¯s so pretty!!¡±

    Her face was brimming with a pure smile, and just as they were about to turn the corner and lose sight of Qiao Jing, she quickly raised her voice.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! We¡¯re going to turn the corner now, and you won¡¯t see us for a bit, don¡¯t miss us~

    No, no, Sister Qiao, you have to remember to miss us!¡±

    Qiao Jing watched Anan in her pink princess dress, with a smile on her face, looking particrly endearing.

    Even though she would see the two little ones in the next second, to make Anan happy, she still yed along with Anan¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll miss you.¡±

    Anan giggled a few times and waved her little hand when she saw Qiao Jing again.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! Brother and I are back~¡±

    Pingping also showed a smile, his eyes warmly fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile as well when she saw the two of them.

    ¡°I see you.¡±

    Suddenly, she noticed something.

    Why was it so quiet around her?

    When Qiao Jing turned her head, she found that there was no one behind her.

    Zhan Qipei had disappeared.

    She knitted her brows and turned her gaze back to the two little ones.

    She didn¡¯t care where Zhan Qipei had gone.

    But while watching the two little ones, she still couldn¡¯t help but be distracted and watch her surroundings.

    Several minutes passed, and Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯t returned.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, and she pursed her lips; after hesitating for a while, she still didn¡¯t take out her phone.

    It wasn¡¯t her business where Zhan Qipei went.

    Just as she thought this, something was suddenly stuffed into her hands that hung by her thighs.

    Qiao Jing was startled, and as she turned around, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes that were extremely bright under the night sky.

    For a moment, she couldn¡¯t react and nearly got sucked into the man¡¯s eyes, which were like bottomless abysses.

    She looked down at her palms and saw a bundle of red roses, still with droplets of water on them.

    ¡°Roses?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded and uttered, ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°I especially went to the flower shop in the amusement park to buy these, which is quite a distance from here. I wanted to get 9999 roses, but that was way too many to carry.¡±

    It was only then that Qiao Jing noticed the man¡¯s forehead was covered in a light sweat, his hair tips dampened by perspiration.

    She ced the roses she held back into Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Thank you, but I have to hold Pingping and Ananter, so it¡¯s not convenient for me to carry them.¡±

    On seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s damp hair, a ripple stirred within her eyes, a wave she didn¡¯t even understand herself.

    She had thought that Zhan Qipei had left, but he had actually gone to buy her roses.

    Thank goodness the damn man didn¡¯t actually bring back 9999 roses, otherwise just the thought¡­ was unbearable.

    Qiao Jing stopped paying attention to the man and turned to look at the two little ones.

    Watching Pingping and Anan ying so happily, she decided to take out her phone and snap a few photos of them.

    But before her hand even reached her pocket, Zhan Qipei once again thrust the roses back into her hands.

    Just as she was about to return the roses to him, her hand was enveloped by hisrger one, wrapped up tight without leaving any gaps.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s warm palm was transferring heat to Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly cool hand, enveloping her small hand tightly, not giving her a chance to slip away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give them back to me.¡±

    Caught off guard by the man¡¯s sudden domineering behavior, Qiao Jing looked down at the roses in her hand again.

    She lifted her eyes to look at Zhan Qipei¡¯s slightly wet hair tips, hesitating for a moment.

    In consideration of this being a token of Zhan Qipei¡¯s affection, she could ept this bunch of roses.

    But she couldn¡¯t just let this bastard lead her around, especially in front of Pingping and Anan. Wouldn¡¯t that set a bad example for the children?

    Qiao Jing tried retracting her hand, but Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip was far too firm, and after several attempts, she still couldn¡¯t break free.

    ¡°I can keep the roses, but let go of my hand.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips pressed into a straight line without a trace of curvature, his calloused fingertips pinching the back of her hand.

    Feeling the woman¡¯s delicate skin, he curved up the corners of his mouth, his mood extremely pleased.

    He continued to hold Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, lifting and shaking it.

    ¡°No, I want to hold your hand the whole time.¡±

    He also wanted those two kids to understand that Qiao Jing was his.

    They can¡¯t just casually hold his wife¡¯s hand.

    Rolling her eyes, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t believe it; the fake child was showing off in front of real children as if he were unting a toy.

    She quickly pulled his hand down, managing to avoid letting the little ones see.

    ¡°Let go.¡±

    A trace of stubbornness flickered across Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°No.¡±

    After a few seconds of standoff between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, she chose to give up on being obstinate with the bastard.

    Their recent conversation was just as childish as a kids¡¯ talk, terribly juvenile.

    Plus, she knew there was no reasoning with this bastard; she might as well let him hold her hand as he wished.

    With his mood greatly improved, Zhan Qipei joyfully held Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, once again reaching to pinch the center of her palm.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and red at Zhan Qipei.

    Grabbing was one thing, but what was with the touching?

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the carousel carrying the two little ones had already turned their way, she would have spoken up and scolded him.

    Zhan Qipei pretended not to notice Qiao Jing¡¯s look, his dark eyes shining as his gaze softened considerably while watching the little ones.

    The staff member at the control console caught a glimpse of this scene by chance, got startled, and immediately looked away.

    He hadn¡¯t meant to see it¡­

    He had been force-fed another dose of PDA¡­

    If he was going to follow President Zhan around for the rest of the day, was he going to be fed PDA non-stop?

    Does that mean he wouldn¡¯t need to eat dinner tonight?

 Chapter 426 - 426 415 It Cant Be a Candlelit Dinner Right

    ?Chapter 426: Chapter 415: It Can¡¯t Be a Candlelit Dinner, Right?   Chapter 426: Chapter 415: It Can¡¯t Be a Candlelit Dinner, Right?                                   It turned out he had to endure watching them the entire time.

    Because President Zhan and Miss Qiao still had many more rides to enjoy, he was responsible for following them throughout.

    Qiao Jing stood at the exit, waiting for the two little ones toe out.

    She had thought she would see Pingping and Anan with smiles still on their faces from earlier, but in the end, only Anan¡¯s face was brimming with a joyful smile.

    Pingping¡¯s smile, on the other hand, seemed forced, and his eyebrows were tightly furrowed.

    A hint of curiosity welled up in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked at Pingping and pulled the child in front of her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you enjoy yourself?¡±

    He had seemed just fine a moment ago; he didn¡¯t look unhappy at all.

    How could he have changed so suddenly?

    Pingping shook his little head vigorously, took a sharp breath through his nose, and his eyes reddened slightly.

    ¡°I had fun¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing asked patiently, her voice bing much softer without her realizing.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t look very happy?¡±

    Pingping hesitated for a moment, his big eyes gradually welling up with tears, and he bit his lip.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, thank you! When I grow up and earn money, I will surely earn a lot to repay you.¡±

    He still felt as if he were dreaming.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s arrival was like a beam of light shining into his dark life, illuminating his world and filling him with hope for the future.

    Now he not only had new clothes but also no longer went hungry. In a few days, he would go to the orphanage, and he wouldn¡¯t have to wander anymore.

    Anan¡¯s smile also became much more restrained as she stood by Pingping¡¯s side, nervously clutching at her skirt.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I will too, like brother, earn a lot of money to repay you.¡±

    Qiao Jing crouched down and gently patted the two children on their heads.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting, waiting for you to grow up and make something of yourselves.¡±

    From their time together these past few days, she knew Pingping¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t the type tofortably ept others¡¯ kindness.

    Pingping had tried to repay her in little ways, evident from him helping to clean the house and washing his own clothes.

    So, she epted Pingping¡¯s promise.

    Pingping wiped his tears and smiled again.

    ¡°Yes, Sister Qiao, I will definitely keep my word.¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡± Anan looked at Qiao Jing with herrge, blinking eyes.

    Standing to the side, Zhan Qipei softened his gaze when he heard the two little ones¡¯ words.

    Qiao Jing then took the two little ones to y in bumper cars and other rides.

    The amusement park was filled with theirughter everywhere.

    Aftering out of thest ride, Qiao Jing took both of their hands.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go have dinner.¡±

    When she came in, she had seen a map, and there was a restaurant on the west side, not far from where they were.

    It was already past seven o¡¯clock by then, past their usual dinner time.

    Pingping¡¯s stomach uncontrobly started to rumble.

    ¡°Gurgling¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh, looking toward Anan.

    ¡°Is your stomach being that cooperative?¡±

    Pingping¡¯s entire face instantly turned as red as a red apple, and he reached out to cover his stomach, trying to muffle the rumbling.

    Seeing this, Anan also reached out to help cover Pingping¡¯s stomach and even started to talk to it, putting her index finger to her lips.

    ¡°Shh, shh, shh! Stop making noise now!¡±

    But no matter how hard the two little ones tried to cover the stomach, Pingping¡¯s stomach rumbled again.

    Seeing Pingping¡¯s face so red, Qiao Jing¡¯s smile grew even deeper.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go have dinner.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression became somewhat subtle, and he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°They have just prepared dinner over there, we can go straight there.¡±

    He had only found out before leaving that Qiao Jing was going to bring the two children.

    But he had already arranged for a candlelight dinner to be ready in the afternoon.

    It wasn¡¯t impossible to have a candlelight dinner with these two children, if necessary.

    It was seeing that the two of them were very sensible that he reluctantly agreed to take them for the candlelight dinner.

    Surprise appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Ready? Did you ask them to prepare in advance?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded, said no more, and led the way, walking ahead a few steps before suddenly remembering that there was still a staff member who hadn¡¯t left.

    The staff member had been following them the whole time and was also in charge of the candlelight dinner this time.

    But he didn¡¯t want anyone else following them.

    Zhan Qipei stopped, casting a casual nce at the staff member.

    The staff member immediately understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s intent and hurriedly bowed, turned around, and even stumbled as he left.

    He was finally spared from being a third wheel. Earlier, when they went bumper car riding because the boss insisted on riding with Miss Qiao, he, a staff member, had to watch the two kids.

    That was already bad enough, but as a single man, he had been forced to endure being a third wheel the entire time.

    Now he could finally escape¡­

    Outside the restaurant entrance.

    As Qiao Jing saw the dim environment inside the restaurant through the ss window, a bad feeling inexplicably surged in her heart.

    Earlier, when they had left home, Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t nned on including the two kids in their outing.

    Just half an hour ago, Zhan Qipei had sent her roses.

    That dim restaurant¡ª

    Could it really be that he had prepared a candlelight dinner?!

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing nced sideways at the man with a questioning look and lowered her voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve prepared a candlelight dinner. It¡¯s not suitable with the two kids here.¡±

    She knew by the dog-like demeanor of Zhan Qipei that it wouldn¡¯t just be a simple candlelight dinner.

    If there were thousands of roses inside, along with other stuff¡­

    Er¡­

    Just thinking about that scene made her feel overwhelmed.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, deliberately showing a hint of disappointment on his face, and opened his mouth lightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a candlelight dinner.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t yetined about the two children disrupting his and Qiao Jing¡¯s time alone, so how could hein about the candlelight dinner he had prepared?

    If his wife was going to refuse to have a candlelight dinner with him because of the kids, he thought he might send Pingping and Anan to an orphanage the next day.

    That way, in the future, it would just be him and Qiao Jing at home.

    And to avoid future problems, no matter how busy he was, he woulde to pick up Qiao Jing from work.

    If he really didn¡¯t have time, he would send his staff to pick her up.

    Otherwise, if next time he ended up picking up a few more kids, he would be tortured several times over.

    Just then, Pingping and Anan¡¯s stomachs began to growl in unison.

    ¡°Gurgle¡ª¡±

    Faced with the choice between letting the two little ones stay hungry and having a candlelight dinner, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate to choose thetter.

    Suggesting that they remove the candles, she was worried about the presence of those bizarre items.

    After all, it was Zhan Qipei who had nned this, and she could reluctantly ept weird things, but she feared it would have a bad influence on Pingping and Anan.

    As she opened the door to the restaurant, the candles on the table lit up simultaneously.

    Explosion sounds akin to firecrackers rang in Qiao Jing¡¯s ears.

 Chapter 427 - 427 416 The Poor Little Two

    ?Chapter 427: Chapter 416: The Poor Little Two   Chapter 427: Chapter 416: The Poor Little Two                                   She nced sideways and noticed two waiters holding sparkler tubes, which they had activated by twisting the bottom switch the moment they walked in.

    The candles on the table were also lit when she entered, illuminating the dimly lit dining room.

    The sudden noise startled the two little ones, who ran behind Qiao Jing and shrank back.

    Qiao Jing gently patted the two little ones on their backs and gave Zhan Qipei an exasperated look.

    ¡°If there¡¯s any more mess afterward, have them all remove it.¡±

    She nced at the waiters standing on both sides.

    ¡°Please turn on the lights.¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked at the items arranged on the table, his dark pupils dimmed.

    He looked down at the two little ones, his lips tightly pursed, and after a moment of silence, he said to a waiter nearby, ¡°No need to prepare anything else afterward.¡±

    He had originally prepared several things, but they were no longer needed now.

    These two kids were indeed a trouble at this point.

    The waiter was stunned for a moment and quickly nodded.

    ¡°Understood, President Zhan!¡±

    Just as they were about to leave, they stared at the two little ones by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, their eyes widening the more they looked.

    Their boss actually had children already?

    And they were so big?

    But these two kids, the older one looked about six years old, and the younger one seemed not even five.

    President Zhan was famously indifferent to women in the capital¡­

    And he had married Qiao Jing just a few months ago. If this child was already six years old, could it be¡­

    Thinking this, the waiters froze on the spot, their gazes repeatedly sweeping back and forth over the two little ones.

    Qiao Jing noticed the gossipy looks of the waiters and pulled a wry smile.

    ¡°They are not Zhan Qipei¡¯s kids.¡±

    She knew what was on the waiters¡¯ minds because she saw Ni Yue¡¯s reflection in them.

    Ni Yue was gossiping with her like this yesterday too.

    The waiters did not expect Qiao Jing to talk to them, and their faces showed a sheepish but polite smile as they quickly left.

    Pingping and Anan noticed the candle on the table, curiously poking half a little head from behind Qiao Jing to look at the dining table.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, there¡¯s a candle there.¡±

    ¡°The candle is so bright! And¡­ I can also smell¡­¡±

    Anan took a deep sniff.

    ¡°It smells so good!¡±

    The moment she finished speaking, her stomach growled again.

    Qiao Jingughed and rubbed the two little ones¡¯ heads, then led them to the dining table to take their seats.

    After the lights in the dining room were turned on, the waiter came over to the table and extinguished the candles.

    Zhan Qipei had wanted to sit next to Qiao Jing, but the two little ones had taken up spots to her left and right.

    He could only sit directly opposite Qiao Jing.

    If these two children hadn¡¯t taken his spot, he might have reluctantly epted them staying at his home.

    But ever since these two children came, the spots next to Qiao Jing had been reserved for Pingping and Anan.

    Pingping and Anan hadn¡¯t noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze; they had never been to such a fancy restaurant before and were curiously looking around.

    Everything here looked expensive, and they were terrified of identally breaking any bowls or utensils, so they could only sit tightly on their chairs, cing their small hands on theirps, very restrained.

    The two little ones eyed the abundant dishes on the table and swallowed hard, their stomachs rumbling even louder.

    Realizing their stomachs were betraying them again, they felt embarrassed and wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into; their little cheeks were blushing, and their big eyes looked at Qiao Jing like two frightened little rabbits.

    Hearing the sound of their stomachs, Qiao Jing shook her head helplessly and then ced two bowls of rice in front of Pingping and Anan.

    ¡°What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll help you get it,¡± she offered.

    Pingping shook his head and, instead of using a spoon this time, he picked up the chopsticks and took a chopstick-full of greens for himself and Anan each.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I can get my own food!¡±

    Qiao Jing was immenselyforted when she saw Pingping using chopsticks to pick up food.

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll eat too,¡± she responded.

    She had thought that neither of the youngsters could use chopsticks, and she was hungry too, so she started eating as well.

    After Pingping finished the vegetables in his bowl, he looked at Zhan Qipei with wide eyes, opened his mouth, hesitated for a long time, and finally said a sentence.

    ¡°The restaurant food is delicious, but Brother Zhan cooks even better.¡±

    Anan squinted her eyes happily.

    ¡°Yeah! I think so too!¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and gave a nomittal ¡°hm,¡± not saying much more.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s slightly upturned corners of his mouth and knew the man was secretly enjoying the moment.

    Seeing the rtionship between the man and the two little ones had improved, she felt even more relieved.

    Zhan Qipei continued to add meat to Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl as they ate, but his movements paused slightly when he nced out of the corner of his eye at Pingping and Anan¡¯s bowls.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s look and followed his gaze.

    In Pingping and Anan¡¯s bowls there were only vegetables, they hadn¡¯t taken any of the meat dishes, instead having taken all the vegetables.

    The two little ones had noints, appearing to enjoy their food very much, always with smiles on their faces.

    Qiao Jing dropped her gaze, her motion of eating momentarily pausing.

    She saw that the little ones had learned to use chopsticks and hadn¡¯t paid much attention to them afterward, partly because she was so hungry herself and hadn¡¯t looked much at them while eating.

    She felt relieved noticing that their eating motions hadn¡¯t stopped, but it turned out they were only eating in rice and vegetables.

    Even though there was so much meat on the table, they hadn¡¯t eaten a single piece.

    If it weren¡¯t for her putting meat in their bowls at home, they probably would have focused on eating vegetables just like today.

    A strong feeling of guilt surged in her heart, she had neglected the two little ones¡­

    Qiao Jing started to eat again, took a piece of meat, and was just about to put it in Pingping¡¯s bowl when a hand moved faster than hers.

    She looked up at the man across from her.

    Zhan Qipei took a big piece of lean meat and put it into Pingping¡¯s bowl, then another piece into Anan¡¯s bowl.

    His movements didn¡¯t stop, like an relentless meat-serving machine, he ced several pieces of meat into the bowls of the two little ones, covering the rice before he finally stopped.

    The two little ones were immediately stunned.

    Pingping looked at his bowl which was suddenly filled with meat and raised his head to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, that¡¯s too much meat.¡±

    Anan had not expected this scene and stared at the meat in her bowl, swallowing hard.

    ¡°So much meat¡­¡±

 Chapter 428 - 428 417 Qiao Jing is a Little Fairy

    ?Chapter 428: Chapter 417 Qiao Jing is a Little Fairy   Chapter 428: Chapter 417 Qiao Jing is a Little Fairy                                   Pingping hesitated for a while, cautiously taking another clean bowl and preparing to clip the meat into it.

    Upon seeing this, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, and his face immediately darkened.

    He pursed his thin lips and awkwardly spat out two words.

    ¡°Eat meat.¡±

    Pingping, who was just about to pick up the meat, paused, blinking her big eyes as she looked at Zhan Qipei and finally uttered a sentence.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, I like eating vegetables, I don¡¯t like meat.¡±

    Hearing Pingping say this, Qiao Jing put down the chopsticks in her hand and turned to look at Pingping sitting next to her.

    When she saw Pingping¡¯s skinny body and the face devoid of any fat, her heart suddenly ached.

    When she had first met Pingping and Anan, the first thing she noticed was their frail bodies.

    The clothes they wore were almost ragged, and the material was particrly thin, both Pingping and Anan¡¯s faces were so cold they turned red.

    Thinking of this, she knitted her brows and reminded them gently,

    ¡°Pingping, both you and Anan need to eat meat to nourish your bodies, you know?¡±

    Pingping knew that Qiao Jing was feeling sorry for him; his throat tightened, his face lit up with a smile, and he ced the meat back into his own bowl.

    ¡°Okay, Sister Qiao.¡±

    After replying, he nced at the rich dishes on the table; despite the tempting aroma of the meat in his bowl, he still did not immediately start eating. After a few seconds of silence, he opened his mouth:

    ¡°But¡­Sister Qiao, meat costs a lot of money, you don¡¯t need to bring us to eat such expensive things in the future.¡±

    Anan also nodded, and she too didn¡¯t start eating right away.

    ¡°Yes, Sister Qiao, meat is expensive, my brother and I can eat other dishes.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak, Zhan Qipei¡¯s displeased voice rang out first.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want others to say that I mistreat children.¡±

    The two little ones, seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s grim expression, were somewhat scared.

    In the end, under Zhan Qipei¡¯s ¡°coercion¡±, Pingping and Anan finally picked up their chopsticks and ate a piece of meat.

    The two little ones eximed in unison, ¡°Thank you, Brother Zhan!¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly rxed his mountain-like, misty brows, pursed his lips, and remained silent.

    Seeing the two little ones blissfully eating the meat, a look of relief appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    But she still noticed a trace of worry on Pingping¡¯s face.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but internally exim again.

    This child was really too sensible.

    After finishing their meal, the group went to Wanxiang City.

    As soon as Qiao Jing and the two little ones got out of the car, she noticed Pingping and Anan suddenly stood still, staring nkly at the entrance of Wanxiang City.

    Theirrge eyes reflected the colorful neon lights and the towering Wanxiang City.

    This area was the most luxurious shopping district in the imperial capital, Wanxiang City.

    The vicinity of Wanxiang City was bustling with noise, and the people¡¯s attire was very meticulous, closely following thetest fashion trends.

    Pingping and Anan were stunned for a moment beforeing to their senses and clinging tightly to Qiao Jing.

    They bowed their heads, daring not to look at the people around them.

    During this time, Anan looked up again at Wanxiang City and said with a tone of envy and amazement,

    ¡°Sister Qiao, this ce is so beautiful, there are so many people, we didn¡¯t know about such ces before¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the two little ones clinging to her side, furrowed her brows again, and her heart suddenly panged.

    ¡°It¡¯s normal that you didn¡¯t know about this ce when you were on the South Bridge side before.¡±

    She knew why Pingping and Anan wanted to stay close to her, because they had been wandering since they were young and had gotten used to that nomadic life.

    Seeing them on such a bustling street, despite wearing new clothes, their hearts couldn¡¯t help but feel inferior.

    She didn¡¯t want the two little ones to feel so inferior, although she didn¡¯t know why Pingping and Anan¡¯s parents had abandoned such well-behaved children.

    But she would do her best to let them know that they were no different from other children and that they needn¡¯t feel inferior.

    Anan nodded her little head and shyly blinked herrge eyes as she watched the crowdse and go.

    Compared to Anan, Pingping quietly watched the flow of people without saying a word.

    Qiao Jing could feel Pingping¡¯s nervousness, as the little boy was tightly clutching the hem of her clothes at that moment.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on Pingping¡¯s hands and seeing the two little ones so tense, he furrowed his long brows.

    He walked over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, reached out his hand awkwardly, and caught Pingping¡¯s hand, standing with him to the side.

    Pingping hadn¡¯t reacted before he was already led aside by Zhan Qipei.

    He nced at his own hand, then looked up at Zhan Qipei¡¯s profile, and fear once again appeared in his big eyes.

    But after cotton candy and dinner, he and Anan were not so afraid of Brother Zhan anymore.

    Because Brother Zhan had treated them to cotton candy and had even served them meat¡­

    Yet¡­ Brother Zhan¡¯s expressionless face was still somewhat intimidating¡­

    Pingping looked anxiously at Qiao Jing, bit his lip, and still wanted to return to her side.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, approved of the man¡¯s approach, and when she looked down at Pingping, she noticed he was still a bit scared.

    ¡°Pingping, let Brother Zhan take care of you, he¡¯s not mean,¡± she said.

    Pingping nodded and maintained a certain distance from Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing took Anan¡¯s hand and walked toward the entrance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± she said.

    Pingping tilted his little head and looked at the entrance of Wanxiang City with curiosity.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, are you going shopping?¡±

    Qiao Jing responded with a hum.

    She had brought Pingping and Anan to Wanxiang City to buy them several more sets of clothes before they went to the orphanage.

    As Qiao Jing thought this, Anan timidly raised a hand.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, can I help you choose clothes? Don¡¯t worry, Sister Qiao, I¡¯ll pick really pretty ones for you! The kind that suits a fairy like Angel Sister Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by Anan, and she yfully flicked Anan¡¯s little nose.

    ¡°Okay, you pick. I¡¯m no fairy. Just pick whatever you like.¡±

    Anan pouted her little mouth and stared at Qiao Jing with grape-sized eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t care, Sister Qiao, you are a fairy, and you are also¡ªan angel! If Sister Qiao weren¡¯t an angel, why would you bring us home?

    In the past, there were many other older boys and girls who would sometimes give us food, but they never came close to us or took us home. Of course, we don¡¯t me them.

    We aren¡¯t their rtives, and they have no duty to take us back. Just giving us a little money and food is because they are very, very kind.¡±

    Her big eyes sparkling, swinging Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, wearing an innocent face, she continued,

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you are even better because you didn¡¯t despise us for being dirty and took us home. So, in my and my brother¡¯s hearts, you are our angel, Sister Qiao!!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Anan¡¯s bright smile and, thinking about the little ones¡¯ previous experiences, her heart couldn¡¯t help but ache.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan, you aren¡¯t dirty; everyone is clean after a bath,¡± she said.

    Just as Qiao Jing finished speaking, she heard a man¡¯s voice near her ear.

    ¡°Anan, she is an angel.¡±

    In his heart, not only was Qiao Jing his wife, she was also an angelic presence.

    If Qiao Jing had not appeared in his life, his world would have been like a ck-and-white painting.

 Chapter 429 - 429 418 You Are My Muse

    ?Chapter 429: Chapter 418: You Are My Muse   Chapter 429: Chapter 418: You Are My Muse                                   In this ck and white picture, he was like a robot dealing with work, continuously bustling along.

    Until one day, a colorful butterflynded in front of him, finally bringing color to his monochrome world.

    He tried with all his might to keep the butterfly by his side, he even thought about locking her by his side.

    Fortunately, the butterfly was ready to stay by his side for a while.

    The moment Anan heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, he immediately raised his head and gave the man a big smile.

    ¡°I knew it! Sister Qiao is definitely an Angel!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes subtly at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You¡¯re even learning to talk like a child?¡±

    Hearing him say she was an angel was fineing from Anan, after all, he was a child with a touch of innocence.

    But when the same thing came from Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth, she always felt it took on a different vor.

    A flicker of ambiguous emotion shed in the depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes, and he curved his lips into a smile.

    The man¡¯s originally deep voice turned slightly sensual at this moment, as he took a step forward and came to stand beside the woman.

    ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll change my phrase, you are my Muse Goddess.¡±

    The corners of their garments fluttered in the wind, pressing tightly against each other, creating the impression of two people entwined together.

    Qiao Jing met Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes, as the man¡¯s deep gaze stared at her intently.

    The man¡¯s deeply passionate, unyielding gaze made her inexplicably feel the illusion that she was imprisoned by him.

    As time slowly passed, the temperature at the tips of Qiao Jing¡¯s ears began to rise incrementally.

    She furrowed her brows and red at the man.

    ¡°Pingping and Anan are still here, behave yourself.¡±

    She was not unaware of what a manparing a woman to the Muse Goddess implied, a subtle expression of love.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips turned upward, with theughter in the depths of his eyes almost spilling over.

    To continue teasing the little woman, he deliberately leaned close to Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, his warm breath scattering across her ear as he gently parted his lips.

    ¡°So what if I¡¯m not proper? Besides, they wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    A sudden twitch coursed through Qiao Jing¡¯s temple, and she pushed him away with her hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me for now.¡±

    Her skin wasn¡¯t as thick as this shameless man¡¯s.

    She knew the little ones wouldn¡¯t understand, but there were quite a few passersby as well, which always made her feel ufortable.

    Zhan Qipei curved his mouth into a smile, leading Pingping as they followed beside Qiao Jing.

    The deep aura that usually swirled around the man seemed much softer at the moment, making him seem less formidable than before.

    This also made Pingping less afraid of Zhan Qipei, at least daring enough to look straight at the man now.

    When the four arrived at the entrance of the children¡¯s clothing store, Pingping realized something was amiss.

    He furrowed his brow, his small face filled with great confusion.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, why are we at a ce that sells children¡¯s clothing?¡±

    Both Pingping and Anan had thought Qiao Jing hade to such a high-end luxurious ce to buy clothes for herself.

    After all, Qiao Jing had already bought them lots of clothing before.

    And this ce looked so upscale, how much would it cost to buy clothes for them here?

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to buy clothes for you two!¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Jing turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei read the meaning in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes and directly took Pingping into the store.

    Upon entering the store, a clerk quickly came forward to greet them.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, the clerk¡¯s eyes lit up.

    With the two customers¡¯ striking appearances and their unique demeanors, it was clear they were either rich or noble.

    She nced at the two children again and immediately understood, deploying her best skill, ttery.

    ¡°Are the two of you parents here to buy clothes for the kids? Both children are so good-looking, they must have inherited that from their mom and dad.

    Especially the two parents, you¡¯re really a match made in heaven, so handsome and beautiful!¡±

    When Pingping and Anan heard the words ¡°parents,¡± ¡°mom and dad,¡± they froze on the spot.

    nkness and unfamiliarity spread across their little faces, and Anan¡¯s hand automatically fell from Qiao Jing¡¯s grip.

    Once Qiao Jing¡¯s hand was empty, she froze for a few seconds, then looked at Anan¡¯s face and then at Pingping.

    She could tell something was off with the two children, probably because they were stunned by the clerk¡¯s mention of mom and dad.

    Because for Pingping and Anan, the words ¡°parents,¡± ¡°mom and dad¡± were just too unfamiliar.

    In their memory, there were only brother, sister, uncle, aunt, and simr terms; they had never had someone y the role of parents.

    Now that the clerk had mistaken her and Zhan Qipei as the parents of Pingping and Anan, these roles suddenly appearing in their lives were bound to be a bit overwhelming for them to process at once.

    Zhan Qipei had actually been enjoying the praise about him and Qiao Jing being a match made in heaven, but he suddenly felt the wrist he was holding be feathery light.

    It was as if he were grasping at a marite; he looked down at Pingping and noticed the child was dazed.

    He furrowed his brows, which were like trails of smoke, and looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, signaling for the little ones to take a moment to themselves.

    The clerk failed to see the joy of beingplimented on their faces, and her professional smile immediately stiffened.

    Had sheplimented incorrectly?

    They were unhappy??

    Especially the two children, both were stunned.

    Pingping was the first toe to his senses, shaking his head with a voice that became a bit choked up.

    ¡°These are our brother and sister, I don¡¯t have¡­¡±

    His tender voice wasced with a touch of hoarseness.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have¡­ a dad¡­ or a mom.¡±

    Tears uncontrobly started to brim in Anan¡¯srge eyes, and her lips puckered as she reached out and took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand on her own.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, do we¡­ do we also have a mom and dad?¡±

    Upon seeing the state of the two little ones, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart suddenly ached.

    She pursed her red lips and reached out to wipe away Anan¡¯s tears.

    ¡°Of course, you do, and I believe that your mom and dad didn¡¯t intentionally leave you behind, maybe they are also looking for you.¡±

    Like them, she had no parents from birth and was almost frozen to death in the snow, but fortunately, Grandpa Zhang had taken her home.

    But these two had grown up relying entirely on themselves; her bringing Pingping and Anan home was a bit like Grandpa Zhang in those days.

    If Grandpa Zhang had been the one to encounter Pingping and Anan a few days earlier, he surely would have made the same choice she did.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell upon Qiao Jing¡¯s face; he looked again at the expressions emerging on the two children¡¯s faces.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Qiao Jing had had the same look of confusion when she was little.

    What was she like as a child?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows gathered, and as he looked at Pingping and Anan, his gaze softened significantly.

    The clerk, upon hearing this, realized she had spoken out of turn and immediately showed an awkward smile, starting to apologize.

    ¡°So it¡¯s like that, my apologies.¡±

    Pingping shook his head, then looked at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you really don¡¯t have to buy us any more clothes? We already have so many.¡±

    Qiao Jing saw Pingping¡¯s reddened eyes and felt a surge of tenderness, drawing him back to her side.

    ¡°It¡¯s for you to wear at the orphanage.¡±

    She had only bought them each a set of new clothes and a pair of new shoes, and Pingping already felt it was a lot.

    She decided she would buy them a few more sets.

 Chapter 430 - 430 419 I Want You to Pick Out Clothes for Me

    ?Chapter 430: Chapter 419 I Want You to Pick Out Clothes for Me Personally   Chapter 430: Chapter 419 I Want You to Pick Out Clothes for Me Personally                                   Pingping furrowed his brows, seriously rejecting Qiao Jing¡¯s offer.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, we really don¡¯t need you to buy more for us, we already have new clothes.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips.

    ¡°Pingping, and Anan, there are some things I want to say to you.¡±

    The two kids stood up straight subconsciously after hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s solemn tone, looking at her with nervous expressions.

    ¡°Yes! Sister Qiao, please speak, Pingping will listen attentively.¡±

    ¡°Anan will listen very attentively too!¡±

    Qiao Jing squatted down to make eye contact with the two kids and began to speak earnestly:

    ¡°Pingping, Anan, you¡¯re no different from other kids. You can also have new clothes, eat delicious food, and in the future, you can go to school at the welfare institute, so don¡¯t feel inferior.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to see the kids feeling inferior because they were homeless.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Pingping was startled and stared straight at her with his big eyes.

    ¡°But we¡­¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    ¡°No ¡®buts¡¯. Don¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    Pingping immediately shook his head.

    ¡°We do!¡±

    Anan clenched her small fists, her voice growing louder.

    ¡°I believe Sister Qiao¡¯s words too.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just belief; the two kids even took Qiao Jing¡¯s words as gospel.

    Only then did Qiao Jing reveal a smile and extended her hand to fondly tousle the kids¡¯ fluffy heads.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to buy clothes.¡±

    Looking at the Dazzling Line-Up of clothes, Pingping¡¯s eyes uncontrobly brightened, and he hesitated for a moment.

    His gaze shifted back and forth between Qiao Jing and the clothes, eventually nodding gently.

    Anan blinked her big eyes, watching Qiao Jing for a while, then her gaze fell on the various little dresses, her eyes filled with longing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, just one dress will be fine for me!¡±

    Qiao Jing took the kids¡¯ hands, standing at the divide between the boys¡¯ and girls¡¯ clothing sections.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be frugal, and don¡¯t feel embarrassed. Sister has a lot of money, more than I can spend. If you continue to be formal with me, I¡¯ll be unhappy.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, the two kids didn¡¯t dare to continue being formal with her.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice followed closely.

    ¡°What your Sister Qiao said is right. Her husband is the richest man in the capital; with me as her husband, she¡¯s practically walking with a bank.¡±

    The touching mood, once stirred by Zhan Qipei¡¯s interjection, was immediately dissipated.

    Qiao Jing almost rolled her eyes again, recalling how many times she had done so today because of this man.

    ¡°Pingping, will you go with Brother Zhan to look at the boys¡¯ side, while I take Anan to look at the girls¡¯ side, okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing, not in the mood to deal with Zhan Qipei, directly shifted the topic.

    Pingping pursed his lips, stealthily nced at Zhan Qipei, and after thinking it over, he spoke.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I¡¯ll go with you, let¡¯s buy Anan¡¯s clothes first.¡±

    Although he wasn¡¯t as afraid of Brother Zhan as before, he still felt ufortable being alone with him.

    Because¡­ Brother Zhan seemed really formidable¡­

    The salesperson, hearing that they were ready to buy clothes, was overjoyed and led the way into the girls¡¯ clothing section.

    ¡°Then allow me to introduce the clothing to you all. What color or style does the little one want to buy?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the salesperson indifferently, her red lips slightly parting.

    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯d like to choose on our own.¡±

    She wanted the kids to pick their own clothes, even though she knew Pingping and Anan wouldn¡¯t choose many. But from the look in their eyes, she could tell which ones they liked and could buy them outright.

    The salesperson showed a polite smile, bowed slightly to them, and then turned and left.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Qiao Jing nced over the various clothes draped on the counter before her gaze settled on a few mannequins.

    The outfits on these mannequins were also the most eye-catching.

    She looked down at Anan and noticed the child was staring intently at a princess dress worn by one of the mannequins.

    Qiao Jing walked over to the mannequin, took in the overall design of the dress, and then reached out to feel the fabric.

    ¡°Anan, do you like this set?¡±

    She knew why Anan would fancy this princess dress, for every little girl has a dream of being a princess, and Anan was no exception.

    Except for her, after all, ¡­ she hadn¡¯t had the time to think about these things when she was little.

    Anan nodded her head and nced again at the matching top and pants next to her.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, can I just get this dress?¡±

    Qiao Jing captured the look in Anan¡¯s eyes and made a mental note of the location of that outfit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this too, and is there anything else you like?¡±

    ¡­

    In the end, Qiao Jing picked out six sets of clothing for Anan, plus one princess dress.

    When she brought Pingping to the boys¡¯ clothing area, she was first attracted to a casual, loose-fitting set of spring clothes in the center.

    Qiao Jing led Pingping to the side of this outfit.

    ¡°Pingping, do you like this?¡±

    Pingping didn¡¯t answer Qiao Jing directly. Instead, he circled around the clothes and after seeing thebel at the neckline, he carefully picked it up to examine it.

    Upon seeing the several zeros written on thebel, he froze, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he reced the tag in its original spot.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, this has so many zeros, I don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t like it¡­¡±

    He might not have been to school, but at least he recognized numbers. This set of clothes could buy countless buns¡­

    This outfit must be very expensive!

    Qiao Jing caught the well-concealed liking in Pingping¡¯s eyes and her brows lifted slightly.

    She walked around with Pingping and eventually not only bought that first outfit but many more sets than he could wear.

    She just knew these two little ones would never speak up about what they wanted, so she had to read their emotions through their eyes.

    Throughout the shopping, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t say much, his eyes following Qiao Jing closely.

    Only he knew how many times he had felt a sting of jealousy.

    He wanted Qiao Jing to pick out clothes for him, too¡­

    But today was the kids¡¯ show, and he couldn¡¯t get a word in edgewise.

    Thinking of this, his gaze towards Pingping and Anan darkened subconsciously.

    Zhan Qipei walked up to Qiao Jing carrying the shopping bags.

    ¡°When will you take me clothes shopping?¡±

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, thinking of the neat row of suits in Zhan Qipei¡¯s wardrobe.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you already have a lot of clothes?¡±

    A stubborn glint passed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes as he pressed his lips tightly together.

    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±

    Qiao Jing tugged at the corner of her mouth, speechless.

    ¡°What¡¯s different about it?¡±

    Zhan Qipei stared intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s stunning face, taking a step forward.

    Forewarned by previous experience, Qiao Jing vigntly took a step back while holding the two kids, avoiding the man¡¯s potentially insubstantial words.

    Seeing her guarded stance, a shadow crossed Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes, and he deliberately showed a look of sadness on his face.

    His tone was tinged with feigned grievance as he spoke.

    ¡°Those weren¡¯t chosen by you. I want you to personally help me pick out clothes.¡±

 Chapter 431 - 431 420 Shall We Adopt Pingping and Anan

    ?Chapter 431: Chapter 420: Shall We Adopt Pingping and Anan?   Chapter 431: Chapter 420: Shall We Adopt Pingping and Anan?                                   Hearing the deliberately paused words ¡°by hand¡± from Zhan Qipei, a crack appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s previously expressionless face.

    She grew increasingly speechless and twitched the corner of her mouth, moving forward without looking back with the two little ones.

    After returning home.

    Qiao Jing settled the two little ones and waited for them to fall asleep before heading to the bathroom for a shower.

    As she was walking toward her own room, drying her hair with a towel, she noticed that the light in her room was on.

    Qiao Jing paused in her hair drying, quickening her pace.

    Arriving at the door of her room, she saw Zhan Qipei sitting at her desk, working on his notebook.

    Why would he be working in her room? Could there be something special in her room, or something that could specifically lure Zhan Qipei?

    Qiao Jing ced the towel aside and sat down at the edge of her bed.

    ¡°Why are you in my room?¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused in his typing and without hesitation, closed his notebook.

    Before he closed the notebook, Qiao Jing heard Tang Yan¡¯s voiceing from it.

    ¡°Boss! This is thest task¡ª¡ª¡±

    Tang Yan hadn¡¯t finished speaking when the video was turned off, followed swiftly by the closing of the notebook.

    Qiao Jing raised her faintly drawn eyebrows, her phoenix eyes filled with puzzlement.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question yet.¡±

    She wanted to know why this damn man showed up uninvited.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the towel the woman had ced aside and pressed his thin lips together.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you dry your hair.¡±

    Qiao Jing touched the ends of her slightly damp hair with her fingertips, which were faintly flushed, and then looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°It¡¯s already dry.¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his misty long eyebrows and, hesitating for a moment, found himself another suitable excuse.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t had a stomach massage for a while, let me massage it for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing feigned a thoughtful demeanor, furrowing her eyebrows.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really need a massage right now.¡±

    She was curious to see what Zhan Qipei was really up to today.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit, and he parted his thin lips slightly.

    ¡°Massage is good for the body.¡±

    Perhaps he should have stuck to his previous habit of waiting until Qiao Jing fell asleep beforeing over to climb into bed with her.

    This time he was too impulsive; he thought that using the excuse of a massage would make Qiao Jing agree to let him stay.

    Qiao Jing casually leaned against the headboard, nced sideways, and raised her eyebrows yfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious, what exactly in my room attracts you?¡±

    She asked knowingly, eager to see how the man would respond.

    ¡°There is.¡± A single word emerged from the man¡¯s sensually thin lips, his low, mellifluous voice as seductive as the sound drawn from a cello.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly, her vermilion lips parting slightly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Zhan Qipei lifted the corners of his mouth and stood up, approaching Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You.¡±

    A sudden pulse throbbed at Qiao Jing¡¯s temple, her ear tips grew warm, and tightening her lips, she spat out two words.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    She knew this damn man could never say anything proper.

    Zhan Qipei had already uttered several such unfruitfulments today, more frequently than before.

    What on earth had gotten into this damn man?

    Zhan Qipei sat beside Qiao Jing, his gaze lowered, always carrying a faint sorrow.

    He deliberately feigned an injured expression, cing his hands gently on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Let¡¯s limit it to five minutes.¡±

    He certainly couldn¡¯t climb into bed with Qiao Jing while she was awake now, but he could wait until she fell asleep toe in.

    After seeing Zhan Qipei adopt such an expression, Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, staring at the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°Just five minutes.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t agree, Zhan Qipei would surely pester her again.

    Compared to this obstinate man, she felt truly inferior.

    Zhan Qipei quickly sat down on Qiao Jing¡¯s bed, positioned himself beside her, and carefully began to massage her.

    His dark eyes fixated on Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly protruding belly, his hands moving with a gentleness and proficiency.

    Qiao Jing watched the man¡¯s cautious movements, her gaze falling on her own stomach.

    Suddenly, the image of the shop assistant mistaking her and Zhan Qipei as the parents of the two little ones surfaced in her mind.

    In the future, when she and Zhan Qipei went out with the three babies in her belly, would others recognize them as a family at first nce?

    What would the three babies say then? What would their little expressions look like?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the man¡¯s low voice.

    ¡°Should we adopt Pingping and Anan?¡±

    Qiao Jing was startled, and aftering back to her senses, she realized what she had just been thinking about.

    In her heart, she had already begun to envision her life ahead, a life that included Zhan Qipei.

    Since when had she started to include Zhan Qipei in her future ns?

    Zhan Qipei noticed the woman was daydreaming and arched his eyebrows.

    ¡°Qiao Jing?¡±

    What could be making Qiao Jing so deep in thought, as if she had lost her soul?

    Could it be the stray cats and dogs outside?

    That wouldn¡¯t do!

    Qiao Jing finally snapped back to reality, and upon thinking about Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, she furrowed her brows, surprise surfacing in her eyes.

    ¡°How did you suddenly think of adopting Pingping and Anan?¡±

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to answer, she continued.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about adopting them too, but it¡¯s not feasible; we have to work, we don¡¯t have that much time to look after them.

    If they go to the orphanage, they can get moreprehensive care and better education. The experiences of the children there are simr to theirs, so they won¡¯t feel out of ce.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to suggest adopting Pingping and Anan, because in her view, the man did not get along with the two little ones.

    Moreover, Zhan Qipei was jealous of Pingping and Anan; having spent the past few days with them, his attitude towards the little ones had been lukewarm.

    So hearing Zhan Qipei mention adopting Pingping and Anan, she was initially a bit incredulous.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, his massaging hands continuing without pause, and he pondered for a moment.

    ¡°I see that they are quite sensible, so I considered adopting them, but looking at the current situation, let¡¯s forget about it.¡±

    His wife made some very good points.

    Although he had considered the issues she mentioned and didn¡¯t think they were significant, thest point she made was the most important.

    If Pingping and Anan were always around children who had parents, they would inevitably feel a disparity, which could impact their growth environment.

    But if they went to the orphanage, they wouldn¡¯t have this problem.

    His wife is really thoughtful!

    She considered everything so thoroughly.

    Qiao Jing gave a hum, closed her eyes, and prepared to take a short nap.

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to send them to the orphanage tomorrow; I can¡¯t rest easy when they¡¯re at home alone while we¡¯re both at work.¡±

    Zhan Qipei agreed.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drive them there tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 432 - 432 421 Qiao Jings Pregnancy Discovered

    ?Chapter 432: Chapter 421 Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy Discovered   Chapter 432: Chapter 421 Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy Discovered                                   The following morning.

    After getting out of bed, Qiao Jing packed the two little ones¡¯ luggage and ced it into two backpacks.

    Zhan Qipei was responsible for making breakfast.

    When Pingping and Anan woke up, they saw two new backpacks by their sides.

    Qiao Jing received the little ones¡¯ puzzled gazes and revealed a faint smile.

    ¡°This is my farewell gift to you. Later, Brother Zhan will take you to the orphanage.¡±

    The two little ones nodded sensibly. Despite their reluctance to separate, they just hugged Qiao Jing without dying her from going to work, and they tried hard not to let the tears in their eyes fall.

    After arriving at the institute, Qiao Jing felt somewhat empty.

    She hadn¡¯t been apart from Pingping and Anan for even an hour and already felt the emptiness.

    If, in the future, the three babies were to step into society and grow up on their own, away from her, wouldn¡¯t she feel even more reluctant to let them go?

    At this thought, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand covered her stomach and she gently caressed it, her gaze softening.

    Just as Xu Hongzu walked into Qiao Jing¡¯sb, he saw her touching her stomach.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, are you not feeling well?¡±

    Qiao Jing snapped back to reality and lowered her hand.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Xu Hongzu waved his hand, mentioning the reason for his visit.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, after the academic conference, you left in such a hurry. I didn¡¯t get a chance to find you, and you were already gone.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Xu Hongzu with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Was there something you needed me for?¡±

    She had been in a rush to go home to check on Pingping and Anan after the conference and had left hastily, not realizing Xu Hongzu was looking for her.

    Xu Hongzu coughed, covering up his embarrassment.

    ¡°I was actually nning to hold a celebration for you. It¡¯s not toote to do it now, right? And I¡¯ll bring my good-for-nothing grandson along.¡±

    He was doing this especially to create an opportunity for his disappointing grandson. Of course, he couldn¡¯t show this in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing noticed Xu Hongzu¡¯s fleeting embarrassment and guessed something.

    ¡°It¡¯s not toote, but, Grandpa Xu, just don¡¯t try to set me up with your fourth grandson.¡±

    Xu Hongzu paused, thenughed awkwardly.

    ¡°You really can¡¯t hide anything from you. I, this old man, am truly defeated by you. It¡¯s also been a long time since I¡¯ve eaten with you. Let¡¯s go, just the two of us, without him. That disappointing kid, bringing him along would only make me angry.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and agreed.

    In the evening.

    Qiao Jing and Xu Hongzu had finished their meal and were preparing to leave the restaurant.

    Walking ahead, Xu Hongzu joked.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, it¡¯s truly a miracle that the Zhan family¡¯s boy didn¡¯t stick to you ande along today!¡±

    Qiao Jing helplessly shook her head.

    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t let hime.¡±

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s old eyes gleamed. He never passed up any chance to promote his grandson.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, let me tell you, my grandson won¡¯t cling to you like maltose. Besides, he inherited some of my genes, he¡¯s particrly good to his other half. Won¡¯t you really consider him?

    Also, our Xu family will definitely not treat you like the Zhan family did before. When you first arrived at the Zhan family¡¯s home, I heard that the mother and son duo from the Zhan family were particrly harsh on you, causing you quite a bit of distress.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face revealed a helpless smile once again.

    ¡°Grandpa Xu, the fourth young master and I are just friends. Are you so anxious to sell him off because you¡¯re afraid he won¡¯t be able to find a wife?¡±

    Xu Hongzu ¡°hmmphed¡± and said irritably:

    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it, that stinking kid getting married was a stroke of incredible luck! And these things aren¡¯t the point, the point is I want you to be my granddaughter-inw.¡±

    Qiao Jing helplessly held her forehead, suddenly feeling a bit of difort in her stomach, furrowing her lovely brows.

    ¡°Grandpa Xu, I need to use the restroom, you go ahead and leave first.¡±

    Xu Hongzu sighed and grumbled as he walked away.

    ¡°My grandson really has no one else wanting him, poor thing, poor thing¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by Xu Hongzu, and wondered whether the fourth-born knew what his grandfather said about him.

    A few minutester, Qiao Jing came out of the restroom, and as she prepared to leave, bumped into a group of people.

    She withdrew her gaze indifferently, as if she hadn¡¯t seen them, and headed straight for the exit.

    She hadn¡¯t gone far when she was called out to.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! What are you doing here?!¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t stop her steps; she definitely wouldn¡¯t waste her time on such people.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing refused to acknowledge her, Qiao Mengtong quickly walked a few steps forward and stopped her.

    Looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s stunning face and her always high-and-mighty demeanor, she was infuriated.

    Putting on airs again!

    But today, she hadnded a huge deal!

    To be able to show off in front of Qiao Jing and let her know how powerful she had be!

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you actually ignore me when I call you?¡±

    With a detached expression, Qiao Jing looked at the Qiao family and spoke faintly.

    ¡°Respond to you? Do you deserve it?¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Licheng frowned and took on a senior family member¡¯s attitude, scolding:

    ¡°Qiao Jing, is that how you speak to Mengtong?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Qiao Licheng indifferently, lightly lifting her gentle brows, and her cool voice emerged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to her, it¡¯s just that some people can¡¯t stop barking!¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡ª¡± Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes bulged with anger.

    Seeing this, Zheng Haijuan immediately reached out to soothe Qiao Licheng, deliberately giving Qiao Jing a look and her tone couldn¡¯t hide the smugness.

    ¡°Today is not the day for anger, Mengtong is about to sign a contract with the famous director, Gu Yunchen Director Gu!¡±

    The moment Qiao Mengtong heard Zheng Haijuan¡¯s words, she arrogantly lifted her chin.

    ¡°Hah! Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve certainly heard of Gu Yunchen, Director Gu¡¯s name, haven¡¯t you? Whatever Director Gu shoots bes a hit, and this time I¡¯ve secured the leadingdy role. I¡¯m about to be extremely famous!!¡±

    With her arms crossed, her face was etched with disdain.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what lowly, shameless tactics you used to stay by President Zhan¡¯s side temporarily, but don¡¯t get too pleased with yourself.

    It won¡¯t be long before Zhan tires of you. Also, a high-end restaurant like this, did youe on President Zhan¡¯s dime?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard the name Gu Yunchen, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes, and she furrowed her lovely brows.

    After hisst movie, the third brother had retreated back to his cave. Now he was making aeback without even telling her?

    Qiao Mengtong, mistaking Qiao Jing¡¯s silence for guilt, snorted coldly.

    ¡°Hah! Struck a nerve, haven¡¯t I?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue her thoughts regarding Gu Yunchen and was about to leave when the big screen TV in the restaurant broadcasted news that made her stop.

    ¡°Recently, Professor Qiao¡¯s academic exchange was aplete sess. Professor Qiao imed that the progress was very smooth and anticipated that in the near future, everyone would once again witness Professor Qiao¡¯s sess! The screen disyed a photo of Professor Qiao and an audio clip.¡±

    Subsequently, a blurry photo of Qiao Jing¡¯s back appeared on the TV screen, along with an audio clip that had been voice-processed.

 Chapter 433 - 433 422 Are You Born in the Year of the Dog

    ?Chapter 433: Chapter 422: Are You Born in the Year of the Dog?   Chapter 433: Chapter 422: Are You Born in the Year of the Dog?                                   Qiao Jing looked at the blurry photo of her own silhouette and furrowed her brows.

    The photo was taken while she was speaking on stage, but luckily it was only a silhouette, so it didn¡¯t have much impact.

    After seeing the news, Qiao Licheng¡¯s face was filled with admiration.

    ¡°It¡¯s truly beyond me what kind of parents could raise someone as formidable as Professor Qiao! She has made so many contributions to the country; I admire her from the bottom of my heart! What surprised me even more was that I never expected Professor Qiao to be a woman, a real heroine!¡±

    Zheng Haijuan looked up at the TV and also joined in the praise:

    ¡°Yes! Professor Qiao is truly impressive; the entire nation loves her, and I¡¯m no exception. Mengtong, you should learn from Professor Qiao, understand? Although you can¡¯t contribute to the country like Professor Qiao has, as a celebrity, you should possess influence like hers!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong nodded, feeling a bit jealous to hear her mother praise someone else, but she was very clear that Professor Qiao was a person hundreds of times more formidable than her.

    ¡°I understand, Mom.¡±

    After saying that, she curiously stared at the silhouette photo, wondering what Professor Qiao might look like from the back?

    But the more she stared at the photo, the more she felt that this graceful figure seemed familiar, a bit like¡­

    A bit like Qiao Jing!!!

    This thought, once it crossed her mind, scared her tremendously!

    However, the next second, she immediately denied it.

    How could Qiao Jing possibly be that impressive?

    Someone like Qiao Jing should be trampled underfoot by her for a lifetime!

    So, Qiao Jing definitely couldn¡¯t be Professor Qiao!

    With this thought, Qiao Mengtong red viciously at Qiao Jing, wishing she could tear a piece of flesh off of her, but since she couldn¡¯t, she could only re.

    While ring, she noticed that Qiao Jing was also watching the news, sneering with a curl of her lip and a disdainful snort.

    ¡°Looking won¡¯t do you any good; you¡¯ll never reach the status of Professor Qiao in your lifetime!

    I¡¯m at least a big star who¡¯s going to ascend to the pantheon of the entertainment industry. And you¡ªhaha! You¡¯re just a bloodsucker who depends on men. What do you have topare with me? And yet you dare act superior in front of me?¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from the television,pletely ignored the family, and didn¡¯t even spare Qiao Mengtong an extra nce as she headed straight for the door.

    Every time, Qiao Mengtong was infuriated by Qiao Jing, stomping her feet on the spot, as if her punches werending on cotton, and Qiao Jing didn¡¯t care at all about what she said!

    And every time she retorted, it caused her to defeat herself!

    Qiao Mengtong was literally about to explode with rage and quickly followed Qiao Jing to the doorway.

    Her malicious gaze followed Qiao Jing closely, seeing her walking alongside an old man.

    Qiao Mengtong narrowed her eyes, trying to make out who the person beside Qiao Jing was.

    Suddenly!

    Her heart skipped a beat; didn¡¯t the old man¡¯s silhouette look incredibly simr to the renowned Professor Xu?

    Qiao Mengtong quickly shook her head, trying to snap out of it.

    She must be going mad!

    How could Qiao Jing possibly know an agricultural tycoon like Professor Xu?

    With Qiao Jing¡¯s lowly status, just a rural person, she definitely couldn¡¯t know Professor Xu!

    She must be crazy to think today that Professor Qiao¡¯s silhouette resembled Qiao Jing¡¯s and even that Qiao Jing knew Professor Xu.

    It was absolutely impossible; if Qiao Jing knew Professor Xu, she could as well get to know international superstars!

    She must have seen it wrong, definitely.

    Tai Apartment.

    As soon as Qiao Jing entered, she saw Zhan Qipei working on the sofa.

    The man must have heard her opening the door, as he immediately closed hisptop.

    After changing her shoes, Qiao Jing walked over to the sofa.

    She settled down on the soft sofa, leaned back against the chair, picked up the remote control, and switched to the news channel.

    Zhan Qipei stood up and sat down next to Qiao Jing, gazing at the woman¡¯s profile for a long time.

    He couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer and approached Qiao Jing, encircling the woman in his arms without a word.

    Before Qiao Jing could react, her nostrils were filled with the man¡¯s scent.

    Just as she was about to push him away, Zhan Qipei buried his face in the crook of her neck.

    And that wasn¡¯t all, this damn man even took a sniff?!

    A vein on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead throbbed.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, were you born in the Year of the Dog?!¡±

    How had she not known that Zhan Qipei would go around sniffing after people?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, contentedly burying his face in her neck, reassuring himself repeatedly.

    ¡°Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t with you during dinner, was he?¡±

    He had actually wanted to join Qiao Jing, but when he heard it was Elder Xu, he ultimately let her go.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes to the extreme and tried to push him away.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t there, now get up!¡±

    Could this damn man¡¯s nose really smell a flower out?

    And besides, even if Xu Moqian had been there, could Zhan Qipei¡¯s sniffing really detect another person¡¯s scent on her?

    It was only then that Zhan Qipei rxed, a satisfied expression appearing on his face as he reluctantly let go of the woman.

    Qiao Jing moved to the side, and her gaze returned to the television, where a piece of news caught her attention.

    ¡°Recently, underwear thieves have been lurking in various neighborhoods. Security guards are urged to be vignt, as many female residents have had their undergarments stolen¡­¡±

    After seeing the news, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted together, an ominous feeling inexplicably rising in her heart.

    She instinctively nced toward the balcony. The floor she lived on was high up; if there really were thieves, they probably couldn¡¯t reach her apartment.

    Zhan Qipei also noticed the news and furrowed his brows, his dark eyes deepened.

    Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t keep that piece of news in her mind and got up to fetch a set of clothes to change into, heading towards the bathroom.

    Just as Qiao Jing came out of the bathroom, she ran into Zhan Qipei standing at the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you going to take a bath now?¡±

    She looked back at the clothes in the bucket.

    She had a habit of hand-washing clothes after taking a bath.

    And it was after she had finished washing the clothes that Zhan Qipei would prepare to bathe.

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, walked straight into the bathroom, and picked up the bucket filled with Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes, cing it under the tap.

    ¡°You go rest, I¡¯ll wash the clothes for you.¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the news earlier, he would have almost forgotten to wash his wife¡¯s clothes.

    Even though they had a washing machine at home, Qiao Jing always hand-washed her intimate clothing.

    Now that his wife was more than three months pregnant, it was best if she didn¡¯t do anything at all.

    Washing clothes was something that he should take care of anyway.

    When Qiao Jing saw the undergarments on top of the pile, her face went nk for a moment.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei look into the bucket and preparing to reach for the clothes, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.

    The words nearly burst through Qiao Jing¡¯s clenched teeth.

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei, I can wash them myself!¡±

    Today Zhan Qipei had a sudden urge to help her wash clothes?

    She could ept him helping to wash her coats and such, but her intimate garments werepletely off-limits.

    And this damn man! Did he have no intention of stopping after seeing her intimate clothing?!

 Chapter 434 - 434 423 That dog of a man insists on washing

    ?Chapter 434: Chapter 423: That dog of a man insists on washing her undergarments.   Chapter 434: Chapter 423: That dog of a man insists on washing her undergarments.                                   Zhan Qipei¡¯s movement to grab the clothes halted as he furrowed his brows and said naturally:

    ¡°From now on, let me wash your clothes for you; you need to rest well.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved heavily, and without any expression, she walked over to Zhan Qipei, reached out, and took the bucket back.

    ¡°I said no need, I can wash them myself.¡±

    She simply couldn¡¯t understand this man¡¯s way of thinking.

    How intimate it is to wash personal garments need not be mentioned, yet Zhan Qipei acted as though it was only natural, as if he was supposed to wash her clothes for her.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, worry written in the depths of his eyes.

    ¡°It will be very tiring to wash them by hand every day, or perhaps you can use the washing machine in the future.¡±

    The longer she was pregnant, the less he could allow Qiao Jing to do this and that.

    He had already decided that he would take over all the household chores in the future, and Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t need to do anything.

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath, frowned tightly, and in the end couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s just washing a few clothes, Zhan Qipei. Do you see me as someone incapable of living independently?¡±

    It was just washing clothes, a matter of a few minutes, hardly tiring at all.

    It was bad enough that he wouldn¡¯t let her cook; now he wanted to wash her clothes too.

    This man was getting more and more outrageous.

    Without a word, Zhan Qipei took the bucket back, stubbornly staring at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that the weather is very cold, and your clothes are quite thick and hard to wash. I should wash them for you.

    Plus, you¡¯ve been pregnant for over three months now. It¡¯s better to be careful.¡±

    Now Qiao Jing was thoroughly amused.

    At first nce, what this man said sounded sensible, but upon closer consideration, she only had a few clothes to begin with, and besides, she could wash them with hot water.

    She wasn¡¯t born with a golden key in her mouth; she was used to hand-washing clothes.

    What she really wasn¡¯t ustomed to was how Zhan Qipei now wanted to take over all the chores, not allowing her to do this or that.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang.

    She took out her phone and saw it was a video call from a teacher at the orphanage, guessing the purpose of the call.

    Qiao Jing, with a furrowed brow, nced at Zhan Qipei and instructed:

    ¡°It¡¯s probably Pingping and Anan calling. Go out, and don¡¯t wash. I¡¯m going to take the call.¡±

    To avoid making the little ones wait too long, Qiao Jing hastened her steps and sat on the living room sofa, pressing the ept button.

    The moment the call connected, Pingping and Anan¡¯s voices came through.

    ¡°Sister Qiao!¡±

    Seeing the two little ones¡¯ faces on the screen, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Hmm, have you made new friends at the orphanage?¡±

    Before sending the two little ones to the orphanage, she had specifically instructed them that they could ask a teacher to help make a video call to her.

    She didn¡¯t expect Pingping and Anan to call so soon.

    Anan was the first to reply to Qiao Jing¡¯s question, nodding excitedly with a smile on her face.

    ¡°Yes! Sister Qiao, today I met a lot of kids, Lili, Xiao Rou¡­ and many, many more!

    The teachers are also very nice to us! Brother also made a lot of friends!¡±

    Pingping nodded too, his face filled with joy.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, we¡¯re doing very well at the orphanage, you don¡¯t need to worry about us.¡±

    Anan immediately added:

    ¡°We miss you lots, Sister Qiao!¡±

    Seeing the sincere smiles on the two little ones¡¯ faces, Qiao Jing felt immensely relieved. She smiled.

    ¡°I miss you too.

    It seems that sending Pingping and Anan to the orphanage was the right decision. From their demeanor, I can¡¯t see a trace of inferiority.

    I n to pick up the two little ones over the weekend to y at our house for a couple of days, so we can see each other often.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan, how about I and Brother Zhane pick you up to y this weekend?¡±

    Pingping and Anan nodded vigorously, a glimmer of anticipation sparkling in their big eyes.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Anan noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure did not appear on the phone screen and asked curiously,

    ¡°Sister Qiao, where did Brother Zhan go?¡±

    A stiff smile shed across Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she nced towards the direction of the bathroom.

    She had been so engrossed in the phone call with the two little ones that she forgot Zhan Qipei was still in the bathroom.

    By now, he must be washing her clothes¡­

    She knew that when she told Zhan Qipei before leaving, that dog of a man would not listen.

    She should have dragged Zhan Qipei out directly.

    Qiao Jing stood up and quickly walked towards the bathroom.

    Before she reached the bathroom door, she could already hear the sound of running water from inside.

    Qiao Jing stood expressionlessly at the door, seeing Zhan Qipei hand-washing¡­

    Hand-washing her intimate clothing!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips twitched wordlessly, a hint of annoyance coloring her brows and eyes.

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei!¡±

    She thought, Zhan Qipei was after all the prestigious CEO of Zhan Corporation, so why was he so stubborn about washing her intimate clothing?

    Moreover, she had been on the phone for several minutes, and Zhan Qipei was still washing her intimate clothing?

    How long had he been rubbing them, wasn¡¯t he afraid of starting a fire from the friction?!

    Moreover, if she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she might not have felt so embarrassed, but now that she had, it gave her an indescribable and subtle feeling inside.

    This feeling made her somewhat ashamed¡­

    Zhan Qipei paused in his actions, looking at Qiao Jing with confusion.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    He noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze on his hands and began to wash even more meticulously to show off.

    Veins on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead throbbed violently, as she watched her intimate clothing being washed thoroughly by Zhan Qipei.

    Staring straight at him, did he feel ashamed or not?

    But this dog of a man seemed to feel no embarrassment at all, even enjoying the washing,pletely unaware that washing someone else¡¯s intimate clothes might be seen as inappropriate.

    ¡°Okay, okay, that¡¯s enough.¡±

    If she kept looking, her ears would start burning again.

    Zhan Qipei finally stopped and began to rinse the clothes repeatedly with clean water.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyelids twitched violently, she wanted Zhan Qipei to stop right now, not continue washing!

    Just as she was about to step forward a few steps and intercept the man, the kids voiced their surprise through the phone.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Qiao Jing paused and looked at the phone.

    Anan¡¯s face filled the entire phone screen, hisrge eyes blinking continuously, staring intently at Qiao Jing.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to remind Anan not to be so close to the phone, a remark from the child stopped her in her tracks.

    ¡°Brother,e quick and see, is Sister Qiao¡¯s ears red?¡±

    Anan was calling over Pingping, and the next second, the phone screen again showed both kids in the frame.

    Pingping and Anan simultaneously furrowed their brows, theirrge eyes blinking concernedly at the screen.

    Only then did Qiao Jing notice herself on the screen, her ears beginning to turn red.

    She cleared her throat and pinched her earlobe with her hand.

    ¡°No, you saw it wrong.¡±

    All because of Zhan Qipei, that damn man!

    And now Pingping and Anan had seen her embarrassed state!

    The two little ones quite believed what Qiao Jing said, retracting their curious gazes.

    Anan looked left and right at the screen, continuing to ask,

    ¡°Then it must be my mistake, Sister Qiao, where is Brother Zhan? Isn¡¯t he there?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man, finding him staring at her.

 Chapter 435 - 435 424 Stealing Qiao Jings Underwear

    ?Chapter 435: Chapter 424 Stealing Qiao Jing¡¯s Underwear   Chapter 435: Chapter 424 Stealing Qiao Jing¡¯s Underwear                                   Moreover, the man¡¯s gaze actually carried hints of ambiguity and seduction as he stared intensely at her.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and said irritably,

    ¡°I sent him out.¡±

    Anan let out a puzzled ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Why? Could it be that Brother Zhan was disobedient?¡±

    Pingping also looked at Qiao Jing anxiously and asked,

    ¡°Sister Qiao, did Brother Zhan make you angry?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zhan Qipei, her eyes and brows filled with annoyance.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Zhan Qipei heard Anan mentioning that Qiao Jing¡¯s ears were red and immediately stopped what he was doing.

    From that moment on, he kept his dark eyes fixed on the tips of the woman¡¯s ears, noticing indeed a faint pink hue.

    He curved his lips upwards, and his deep voice resonated.

    ¡°Hmm, I made her angry.¡±

    He knew why Qiao Jing was angry, but he could only let the woman stay angry a little longer.

    After all, helping his wife wash her underwear was only natural for him.

    The two kids brightened at the sound of Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice.

    Pingping didn¡¯t say much.

    Anan was a bit braver, hesitated for a moment, and then said,

    ¡°Sister Qiao, can I see you and Brother Zhan together?¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned, nced at Zhan Qipei who was holding her underwear, and said decisively,

    ¡°He¡¯s not avable.¡±

    If the two kids saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s appearance now, the impact would be huge.

    By now she had given up on the idea of making Zhan Qipei stop what he was doing, preparing to walk out of the bathroom.

    Let him do whatever he wants, she couldn¡¯t be bothered anymore.

    Just as she was walking out, a series of footsteps sounded from behind her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart suddenly thudded, and a scenario shed through her mind.

    Zhan Qipei carrying her undergarments, walking right out of the bathroom.

    She quickly turned around, her gaze firstnding on Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands.

    Seeing nothing in the man¡¯s hands, she finally sighed in relief.

    Zhan Qipei stretched out his slightly damp hands, pinched Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly warm ear tips, attempting to help cool them down.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and just as she was about to resist, the man¡¯s voice, deep like a cello, suddenly sounded by her sensitive ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move around, it will make Pingping and Anan suspicious, and leading kids astray isn¡¯t good.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing was speechless; it was him leading the kids astray, not her. How did it turn out to be her fault?

    Comining was one thing, but if she really reacted strongly now, maybe the kids would indeed notice something.

    Sensing that she had calmed down in his arms, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but smile joyfully.

    He pressed close behind Qiao Jing and looked up at his phone screen.

    ¡°Did you need me for something?¡±

    The kids instinctively stepped back upon seeing Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei together in the frame.

    Anan¡¯s little head was shaking like a rattle drum.

    ¡°No! I just wanted to see!¡±

    Pingping tilted her head, looking puzzled at the two people on the screen.

    ¡°Why is Brother Zhan pinching Sister Qiao¡¯s ears?¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, as the man continuously pinched her ear and wouldn¡¯t let go. That spot was one of the ces on a girl most sensitive to touch; although she was strong, she couldn¡¯t stand having her weakness manipted like this,

    Thinking this, she immediately waved her hand by her ear, drove the man away from behind her, and went to sit on the couch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, let¡¯s continue our chat.¡±

    Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of Zhan Qipei following her again.

    Qiao Jing suppressed the anger and petnce in her heart, considering the kids were still there, and said tactfully,

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still not clean? Didn¡¯t you like washing? Come out after you¡¯ve washed properly.¡±

    After saying this, the more she thought about it, the more she felt herst sentence was a bit odd.

    Come out after you¡¯ve cleaned up¡­

    Cleaned up?

    She seemed to have said something slightly ambiguous.

    If it were directed at someone else, she could have exined it, but the person she was facing was Zhan Qipei.

    That damn man would definitely¡­

    Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the man¡¯s sexy and bewitching voice.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle find you after I¡¯ve washed up.¡±

    Zhan Qipei emphasized the words ¡®washed up,¡¯ leaving Qiao Jing speechless.

    She watched the man go back to the bathroom, and only then did her tightly furrowed brows rx.

    Anan asked a very curious question.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, what do you need to wash up before you cane find you?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze drifted elsewhere, feigning nonchnce.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s talk about something else and ignore him.¡±

    After chatting for a while, Qiao Jing noticed it was gettingte, said a quick goodbye to the two kids, and hung up the phone.

    She nced in the direction of the bathroom; Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯te out yet.

    How long does it take for that damn man to wash a few clothes?

    Forget it, it¡¯s none of her business.

    Qiao Jing turned on the TV, nning to watch the news for a while.

    ¡°Recently, a flower thief has been spotted in variousmunities, but what he steals are not flowers but women¡¯s intimate apparel, and he always operates at night. He has not yet been caught. ording to eyewitnesses, the thief does not climb himself but uses a drone tomit the thefts¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, the ominous premonition in her heart growing stronger.

    This was the second time today she had seen this news piece, suggesting that the thief was very active.

    Her gaze once again fell on the balcony.

    Themunity¡¯s security was good; there should be no issues.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze.

    Momentster, Zhan Qipei walked out of the bathroom holding Qiao Jing¡¯s intimate apparel in his hand.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to him as he walked to the balcony with her clothing, ready to hang them up.

    She pursed her red lips and stood up, walking to the balcony.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hang them.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to see Zhan Qipei, that damned man, get any closer to her clothes.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t persist since he had already washed his wife¡¯s clothes.

    Just as Qiao Jing finished hanging the clothes and was about to return to the living room, she suddenly heard some strange noises.

    Her heart skipped a beat, and puzzled, she turned toward the source of the sounds.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his long brows, which looked like smoke, and narrowed his eyes slightly, looking out the window.

    Suddenly, a dark object appeared in both their fields of view.

    A drone!

    Qiao Jing immediately recalled the news report from today and quickly connected it with the drone.

    Moreover, the drone was heading straight for the balcony.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cold eyes instantly made out something¡ªa small hook was attached to the drone!

    And hanging from the hook was a piece of women¡¯s intimate apparel.

    She immediately understood the situation and quickly grabbed a hanger to take down her clothes.

    Just a while ago she had thought the thief wouldn¡¯te to hermunity, but just after she had finished hanging the clothes, he showed up.

    The drone was equipped with a camera, and the person controlling it began to retreat as soon as they realized they had been spotted.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes grew colder, her expression gradually icing over.

    After she took back her clothes, she took out her phone, ready to call security.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯srge hand pressed down on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing nced sideways, only then noticing that Zhan Qipei was already on the phone.

    However, the man¡¯s face was so stern at the moment it seemed almost dripping with water, his jaw clenched tight, his cold gaze intently following the drone as he confirmed its flight path.

    ¡°A drone is flying in the southeast direction from your location, the person is also in your area, follow the drone to find the person.¡±

    The call ended there.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to identify the thief¡¯s location so quickly, and she continued to fix her gaze on the drone following the man¡¯s line of sight.

    ¡°You¡¯re quicker than me?¡±

    The clothes hung on the drone, swayingically as it flew in another direction. If someone were to look up at that moment, they would see flying underwear.

 Chapter 436 - 436 425 The scene where two peoples heart

    ?Chapter 436: Chapter 425: The scene where two people¡¯s heart rates elerate before sleep   Chapter 436: Chapter 425: The scene where two people¡¯s heart rates elerate before sleep                                   Zhan Qipei furrowed his brow tightly, withdrew his gaze, and looked at the clothes in Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°After seeing the clothes, I knew, so I contacted someone in advance.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned delicately.

    ¡°Can they find the person?¡±

    The drone was remotely controlled and could potentially operate from several hundred meters away.

    Though the unmanned aerial vehicle seemed to flee in a rush, its body shaking continuously, its approach had been very steady, and judging by its appearance, it was not hard to tell that it had high-performance capabilities.

    If the drone came from far away from the residential area, the security guards might not find anyone. If they failed to catch this person, more women¡¯s clothes might be victimized.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were pressed into a straight line without a curve. His face softened in an instant when facing Qiao Jing.

    He reached out and re-hung her clothes.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s inside the residential area, can¡¯t get out.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone rang.

    A look of surprise flooded her eyes. Had they caught the person so quickly?

    After picking up the phone, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened once again.

    ¡°Caught him?¡±

    The guard hastily responded several times, his background noiseced with a few curse words.

    ¡°President Zhan, we¡¯ve caught him. We¡¯re calling the cops now to handle this, to send him over.¡±

    Zhan Qipei grunted in response and hung up the phone without another word.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve caught the person.¡±

    Who would have thought someone would dare to steal from his home?

    And to show up on the very day he had washed Qiao Jing¡¯s undergarments?

    Qiao Jing nodded, ncing at her undergarments.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±

    Fortunately, she and Zhan Qipei had just happened to be on the balcony; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have known her clothes had been stolen.

    She had thought the security in the residential area was good enough, yet someone still managed to slip in.

    But that drone was dark and inconspicuous at night, difficult for anyone to notice.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the faint sound of the drone¡¯s propellers, she would have gone back to the living room already.

    The frown on Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow didn¡¯t rx, but instead grew even tighter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go take care of this matter.¡±

    Since they dared to steal his wife¡¯s clothes, he would personally intervene.

    Qiao Jing responded with a nod and continued to sit on the sofa watching TV.

    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±

    She knew what Zhan Qipei intended to do. Once he got involved, the thief was very likely to receive a harsher sentence¡ªa fine reprieve from her having to lift a finger.

    Nheless, the thief was getting what he deserved.

    Zhan Qipei put on his coat and, with a face as cold as the biting wind, left the house.

    Qiao Jing sat on the sofa watching the news for a while, when sleepiness suddenly overtook her.

    She yawned, ready to turn off the TV and go back to her room to sleep, when a piece of news on the screen caught her attention.

    The anchor¡¯s voice was filled with joy, his expression lively as he announced:

    ¡°We¡¯ve just received word that the underwear thief has been brought to justice. Thest ce he appeared was in the Nantai Residential Area. After being caught by the guards, he was taken to the police station, and his previous records were even uncovered, leading to a speedy sentencing! Five to ten years!¡±

    After watching the news, a hint of surprise appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she looked up at the clock on the wall.

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t been gone half an hour, and the thief¡¯s records had already been turned upside down.

    True to Zhan Qipei¡¯s reputation.

    Qiao Jing turned off the TV and stood up to walk to her room.

    Before she had taken a few steps, her phone rang.

    She yawned again and saw that the caller was Zhan Qipei, so she tapped to answer.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    From the other end of the phone came the man¡¯s slightly heavy breathing.

    ¡°Hu¡­ Qiao Jing¡­¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in silence.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why does your voice sound like that?¡±

    How could this son of a bitch be making such a sound? Was he trying to get people¡¯s minds wandering?

    After taking a couple of deep breaths, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice returned to normal.

    ¡°Someone was in the elevator just now, so I ran up the stairs. I¡¯m very tired now, can youe and open the door for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing responded, hung up the phone, and shuffled in her slippers toward the door.

    As soon as she opened the door, a figure fell onto her.

    She couldn¡¯t hold back another yawn, pushed the man a bit, and found that he remained listlessly unresponsive.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?¡±

    Just now she heard that son of a bitch catching his breath, so he must have recovered.

    Moreover, the floor they lived on wasn¡¯t that high, and for someone with Zhan Qipei¡¯s stamina, going up the stairs should have been a piece of cake.

    She was starting to doubt the sincerity of Zhan Qipei¡¯s im of being tired.

    Zhan Qipei heard the tiredness and suspicion in Qiao Jing¡¯s words. Without time to exin himself and wanting to let her rest, he quickly stood up straight.

    ¡°Are you sleepy? I¡¯ll make you a cup of hot milk so you can sleep afterward.¡±

    After drinking a bowl of hot milk, Qiao Jing realized it was just past nine o¡¯clock.

    Normally, this would be her time for reading medical books.

    But now, with three babies in her belly, she couldn¡¯t keep the same schedule as before.

    She was about to lie down and rest when her phone suddenly beeped.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t n to reply, thinking she could reply after waking up tomorrow.

    But just as she was lifting the nket, her phone beeped again.

    After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Jing opened her phone and saw a message from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you free tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°My mom and I want to take you to Zhouhuan Restaurant for breakfast, but we have to go early, or it¡¯ll be crowded. I¡¯m letting you know in advance.¡±

    Upon seeing the words ¡°Zhouhuan Restaurant¡±, a ripple surged in the depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    A momentter, she replied with a simple ¡°okay¡±.

    It had been a long time since shest visited Zhouhuan Restaurant, and this would be a good opportunity to go check it out.

    However, she needed to let Zhan Qipei know in advance.

    After all, Zhan Qipei had taken over the responsibility for making breakfast and dinner at home, and due to her pregnancy-induced sleepiness, her waking time had been pushed back significantly.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t go to find Zhan Qipei in person but sent him a message instead.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to prepare breakfast for me tomorrow morning.¡±

    After sending the message, she put the phone back on the nightstand and turned off the bedroom light.

    She had just closed her eyes for a few minutes when she heard the sound of a door opening.

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes, but because the bedroom was lit only by a nightlight, the light was dim.

    She could only vaguely see a tall figure at the door, approaching her side.

    It wasn¡¯t until the man was close that Qiao Jing could see Zhan Qipei¡¯s attire clearly.

    Zhan Qipei was shirtless at the moment, revealing a muscr chest, with water droplets rolling down his corbone. A few even dripped onto her bed.

    Qiao Jing decisively closed her eyes; she didn¡¯t want this image in her head before sleep.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. What are you doing here?¡±

    Zhan Qipei watched her closed her eyes tightly, thinned his lips, and spoke in a deep voice.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t I prepare your breakfast? Are you going out to eat? Is the food at home not good?¡±

 Chapter 437 - 437 426 Qiao Jing Shes Completely Weak

    ?Chapter 437: Chapter 426: Qiao Jing, She¡¯s Completely Weak?   Chapter 437: Chapter 426: Qiao Jing, She¡¯s Completely Weak?                                   Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, detecting a hint of the privileged housewife¡¯s bitterness in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    But that term really shouldn¡¯t apply to Zhan Qipei.

    That scoundrel¡¯s tone almost made her believe she was a woman who had created chaos at the beginning and abandoned everything at the end.

    With her eyes closed, Qiao Jing exined,

    ¡°No, your sister just sent me a message, inviting me to have breakfast at Zhouhuan Restaurant tomorrow.¡±

    Zhan Qipei uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± the disappointment evident in his voice.

    Qiao Jing waited a bit longer but still didn¡¯t hear any signs of the man beside her leaving.

    When she slowly opened her eyes, she saw Zhan Qipei very close to her, almost as if he were about to climb into bed with her.

    And the nerve of this bastard, not showing any embarrassment at all!

    Just parading around her room bare-chested!!

    Zhan Qipei showed no signs of leaving. Just when she was about to push herself up from the bed, he made a move.

    Zhan Qipei sat at the edge of the bed, looking like he was about to lie down.

    Instantly, Qiao Jing saw through Zhan Qipei¡¯s intentions and stretched out her hand, prepared to push the man off.

    But she had forgotten for a moment that Zhan Qipei was shirtless, resulting in her handsing into direct contact with his chest.

    Even though Zhan Qipei had just gotten out of the shower, the heat from his skin felt warm to her palms.

    A vein in Qiao Jing¡¯s temple throbbed; she pushed Zhan Qipei a few more times, but the man remained immovable.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, it¡¯s the dead of winter and you are half-naked. Forget that, but instead of going back to your room, youe wandering into mine?¡±

    After several futile attempts to push him, Qiao Jing quickly retracted her hands as if they¡¯d touched something scalding.

    Zhan Qipei slightly arched his long eyebrows, his dark eyes intently fixed on Qiao Jing, filled with emotions that were nearly spilling over.

    ¡°I had just finished showering and saw your message about not being home for breakfast tomorrow, so I came over. I thought you didn¡¯t like what I prepared anymore.¡±

    He had set a special notification tone for Qiao Jing¡¯s messages, and the moment it chimed, he reached for his phone.

    Seeing the message, his first thought was that she was tired of the breakfast he made and didn¡¯t like it anymore.

    Eventually, he ran over to Qiao Jing¡¯s room without even bothering to put on his clothes.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing looked up at him, but the man¡¯s robust chest was so prominent it was hard for her to ignore it.

    Was he that anxious, running over here without even dressing?

    She rolled her eyes in speechlessness and, to avoid looking at Zhan Qipei again, let her gaze fall on her own quilt.

    As she watched, the drowsiness she had lost due to Zhan Qipei¡¯s disturbance once again overcame her.

    Her eyelids grew heavier, and she yawned deeply.

    ¡°It¡¯s all the same what I eat, there¡¯s nothing I particrly like or dislike, can you go back to your room now?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips tightened into a straight line, with no curvature, wanting to ask Qiao Jing another question.

    But seeing how sleepy she was, he couldn¡¯t bear to take up more of her time.

    He stood up, and before leaving, he couldn¡¯t resist voicing his dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Is what I make the same as what¡¯s outside?¡±

    He desperately wanted to know if he was special in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    He believed that the breakfast he made was definitely different from what was avable outside.

    After all, his was from her own home, while outside was just outside.

    Qiao Jing, her head dropping bit by bit with sleepiness, managed to muster the energy to respond to Zhan Qipei after hearing his question.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not the same.¡±

    The breakfast made outside was indeed different from what Zhan Qipei prepared.

    After all, one was at home, the other outside.

    Inparison, what¡¯s made at home is a bit more sanitary.

    That was Qiao Jing¡¯s thought, but for Zhan Qipei, it meant something else entirely. His dark eyes brightened, and he left the woman¡¯s bedroom, thoroughly satisfied.

    The next morning.

    After Qiao Jing got up, she nced at the time and realized it was already past seven in the morning.

    When she arrived in the living room, she found that Zhan Qipei had not yet left.

    There was still a sandwich and fresh milk on the dining table.

    Zhan Qipei was sitting on the living room sofa, and upon seeing Qiao Jinge out, he walked over to her.

    ¡°Have a little something to pad your stomach.¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment. The house was quite a distance from Zhouhuan Restaurant, and it would take some time to get there.

    If she took the car on an empty stomach, given her usual constitution, she actually wouldn¡¯t get motion sickness, but now that she was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t be sure if she would suffer from it or not.

    However, these were not the main concerns. The main point was that she could go to the Zhouhuan Restaurant on an empty stomach and eat there, but she couldn¡¯t starve the three children inside her.

    She agreed and finished the breakfast Zhan Qipei had prepared for her.

    Zhan Qipei then stood beside Qiao Jing, and after watching her finish breakfast, he picked up the keys from the shoe cab.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Zhouhuan Restaurant.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    ¡°I can just take a taxi, you go to work.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly followed behind Qiao Jing, his gaze lingering on her intensely.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak, her phone rang.

    She had a good guess about who it might be and took out her phone to check.

    Indeed, it was a message from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, have you left yet? We¡¯re almost there, and I bet the line is going to extend into the street again.¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to reply, Zhan Nanqing quickly sent a voice message.

    As soon as she opened it, Su Manhan¡¯s voice came through.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, is Qipei still at home? Have him drive you over. Oh, and make sure you eat something first; the queue is going to take a long time.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man beside her and tapped on the keyboard to reply.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei is about to go to work, I can just take a taxi.¡±

    The response from the other side came quickly, and another voice message popped up.

    It was still Su Manhan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do! Have Qipei take you. It¡¯s only work; being a littlete won¡¯t matter. He should take you first.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly helplessly touched her forehead and was about to reply when the man beside her made a move.

    Zhan Qipei opened the front door, shaking the car keys in his hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Jing decided not to waste any more time and got into Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    At the entrance of Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    The moment Qiao Jing alighted from the car, she saw the mother and daughter pair not far off and turned back to look at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded and watched as Qiao Jing joined Su Manhan and her, only then did he start the car and leave.

    Su Manhan nced in the direction where Zhan Qipei had departed and spoke earnestly to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, from now on, no matter where you go, have Qipei take you. If he really doesn¡¯t have the time, make a phone call, and have him send someone to pick you up. Don¡¯t go back on your own, understand?

    It¡¯s too dangerous for a girl to be by herself! Plus, you¡¯re so delicate, anyone could tell at a nce that you¡¯re the type who can¡¯t even truss a chicken, and they¡¯d specifically target you.¡±

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, wondering if she had heard wrong, and promptly dug at her ears.

    ¡°Mom, really? Do you think Qiao Jing is that weak?¡±

    Not capable of trussing a chicken?

    She clearly remembered thest time Qiao Jing, on her own and unarmed, faced off against several thugs without falling behind.

    The thugs even had weapons, and Qiao Jing still knocked them all to the ground.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Qiao Jing was pregnant, she would probably have knocked them down even faster thanst time, not even giving the other side a chance to strike.

 Chapter 438 - 438 427 Who Dares Speak to My Daughter-in-law

    ?Chapter 438: Chapter 427: Who Dares Speak to My Daughter-inw Like That?!   Chapter 438: Chapter 427: Who Dares Speak to My Daughter-inw Like That?!                                   Su Manhan nodded without hesitation.

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you think Qiao Jing is frail? Even though she took down so many people by herselfst time, didn¡¯t she still get hurt?

    If that¡¯s not frailty, what is it? Anyway, it¡¯s better to be cautious.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing blinked in bewilderment, thought it over carefully, and realized her mom was right.

    ¡°Alright, Mom, you¡¯re right. No matter how tough you are, you still need to be careful. Especially since Qiao Jing is now¡ª¡±

    She suddenly realized she was about to let slip and quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and looked up at the other party.

    She still intended to keep it a secret from the others for the time being, after all, she was only giving Zhan Qipei a chance, not agreeing to be with him right away.

    If everyone in the Zhan Family knew about her pregnancy now, it would be somewhat inconvenient.

    If something unexpected happened along the way, she couldn¡¯t guarantee that she would agree to Zhan Qipei.

    So regarding the pregnancy, she would wait until she and Zhan Qipei had officially confirmed their rtionship before letting others know.

    Zhan Nanqing caught Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze,

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s big reaction, Su Manhan looked at her, baffled.

    ¡°Why did you stop talking halfway through?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing chuckled dryly, averted her eyes with a bit of guilt, and her brain whirred into overdrive.

    ¡°Ah, especially Qiao Jing, who is so slender should be even more cautious, don¡¯t you think, Mom?¡±

    Satisfied, Su Manhan nodded and walked over to Qiao Jing, affectionately taking her hand and heading towards the long queue.

    ¡°Of course. Qiao Jing indeed has great skills, but¡­¡±

    She deliberately paused, suggesting through her words:

    ¡°Even the strongest people get tired and need a haven like everyone else, right? And this haven has to be strong enough to be relied upon.¡±

    Qiao Jing listened, slightly stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Su Manhan to articte what was deep in her heart.

    She wasn¡¯t a machine, she did feel tired at times, and the idea of having someone she could temporarily lean on¡­ seemed quite nice.

    If there wasn¡¯t such a person, it would be just as well, for she had long been ustomed to handling everything on her own, and rarely thought about depending on others.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s stupor, Su Manhan thought she was considering her son, and thus started pitching even more enthusiastically.

    ¡°Just like Qipei, with his status in the capital, he can definitely protect you.¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together and did not express any opinion.

    She knew the purpose behind Su Manhan¡¯s words, but¡­

    Zhan Qipei, to her, might be a temporary haven, one she could lean on when tired.

    But she didn¡¯t know if he could be the haven for her entire life.

    Standing beside the two, Zhan Nanqing nced at the long queue.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go queue up at the front first.¡±

    Only then did Su Manhan remember the purpose of their excursion and took out her phone, pulling up a picture.

    ¡°Nanqing didn¡¯t exin clearly yesterday. The reason for asking you to have breakfast today is because Zhouhuan Restaurant introduced a new bird¡¯s nest porridge, which justunched today. We, the Zhan family, can get VIP seating, skip the line, and go straight in.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the long line, guessing it must be due to the new product release that the queue extended all the way across the street.

    She also noticed the bird¡¯s nest and sea cucumber porridge advertised on the restaurant¡¯s disy screen.

    It seems the business for the second eldest was never short of booming.

    Qiao Jing nodded and was about to go queue up with Su Manhan and the others when a sharp, disdainful voice rang out.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? You again? What a small world!¡±

    Without stopping, Qiao Jing intended to walk straight ahead.

    She didn¡¯t want to waste time on Qiao Mengtong; she had already dyed her once yesterday.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s footsteps came to a halt, forcing Qiao Jing to stop as well.

    Qiao Jing looked at the mother and daughter somewhat helplessly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go line up, don¡¯t bother with her.¡±

    If she stopped to talk with Qiao Mengtong, thetter would surely spout some irrelevant things, trying to humiliate her.

    As long as her bottom line wasn¡¯t touched, she generally couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond.

    Su Manhan frowned, her face filled with hostility as she looked at Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°No way, I have to see who dares to talk to my daughter-inw like that.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Qiao Mengtong and then noticed the long queue, promptly pulling Su Manhan and Qiao Jing over.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go line up. Don¡¯t mind someone with a messed-up brain who likes to pick fights deliberately. Otherwise, it¡¯ll dy our time, and we¡¯ll have to line up for ages.¡±

    A small assistant followed closely by Qiao Mengtong¡¯s side.

    The assistant, overhearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, was infuriated, leveraging Qiao Mengtong¡¯s celebrity status while tilting their chin up slightly.

    ¡°Hah! Who are you to talk to Sister Mengtong like that? Do you know Sister Mengtong is a big star?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly and sized up Qiao Mengtong, who was wrapped up like a mummy.

    ¡°Who I am is none of your damned business! You¡¯re not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry to chat with Qiao Jing so casually!¡±

    The assistant¡¯s eyes widened, fuming with anger.

    ¡°Who are you calling a Tom, Dick, or Harry?!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing scoffed and lifted her chin toward Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious who I¡¯m talking about? Seeing her wrapped up like a mummy, she really thinks she¡¯s some big star? If you¡¯re unhappy with her being called a Tom, Dick, or Harry, then let¡¯s just call her a mummy.¡±

    The assistant was choked by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, noting that Qiao Mengtong was indeed wrapped up tightly and for a moment was unable to find a retort.

    Qiao Mengtong huffed, her mind shing back to the scene of Qiao Jing getting into the car yesterday, finding a point to insult Qiao Jing, and arrogantly raised her chin.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, who was that old man you were dining with yesterday? Could it be you¡¯ve been kept by some old geezer? And then you¡¯re living with that old man, and that¡¯s why you got into his car?¡±

    Thinking about it, that figure did look a bit like Professor Xu, but someone like Qiao Jing, how could she possibly know such an impressive professor?

    The assistant immediately echoed from the side.

    ¡°Sister Mengtong is so smart! That must be it!! Otherwise, who would share a car with an old mante at night.¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at the expressionless Qiao Jing beside her.

    Just as she was about to speak up for Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing beat her to it.

    Zhan Nanqing let out a derisiveugh.

    ¡°People with filthy minds can only think of dirty and obscene things.¡±

    She guessed that the person who had dinner with Qiao Jing was probably Professor Xu.

    Qiao Mengtong, stumped by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s retort, could only close her mouth for the moment and glowered at Zhan Nanqing vehemently.

    Su Manhan nodded in satisfaction, looking at Zhan Nanqing with admiration.

    ¡°Well done, I didn¡¯t even need to step in myself.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing proudly tilted up her chin.

    ¡°Of course, see who I am.¡±

    A helpless smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she looked at the two of them.

    Zhan Nanqing stuck her head out to look forwards and then withdrew her gaze,ining:

    ¡°Why are there so many people in front of the VIP as well, are we fake VIPs?¡±

 Chapter 439 - 439 428 Boss youve finally come

    ?Chapter 439: Chapter 428: Boss, you¡¯ve finallye   Chapter 439: Chapter 428: Boss, you¡¯ve finallye                                   Qiao Jing and Su Manhan hadn¡¯t yet responded to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words when the person beside them spoke up again.

    Qiao Mengtong, with her arms folded, nced at the assistant next to her and signaled with her eyes.

    ¡°Xiao Zhou, show them our queue number.¡±

    The assistant immediately took out a number te exclusive to Zhouhuan Restaurant from her bag, deliberately flipped it over, and revealed the number 70.

    Qiao Mengtong shot a look at Qiao Jing and reached out to take the number te from the assistant¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Heh, it seems that your VIP spot isn¡¯t that great, huh? My cousin is the manager of Zhouhuan Restaurant, and he has already ced us within the first 100, while you¡¯re still after the 100th. How does that feel, are you not envious and jealous? There¡¯s nothing you can do about it, I just have the connections, and you don¡¯t, right?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression suddenly grew colder, and a chill gradually spread through her eyes.

    ¡°Which manager?¡±

    Apart from number two, no one knew the rules of Zhouhuan Restaurant better than she did.

    The restaurant had never allowed cutting in line, and it was strictly prohibited. The manager that Qiao Mengtong mentioned had clearly vited the rules severely.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face showed a smug expression.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re so curious, I¡¯ll generously enlighten you. My cousin is the grand hall manager of Zhouhuan Restaurant, Manager Zhang, with a very high position. You¡¯re destined to be behind me! Unless you know the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant. But sadly, you don¡¯t.¡±

    Qiao Jing took note of this Manager Zhang and reached out to hold Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Confusion was written over the faces of Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Jing, we¡¯ve been in line for a while now. If we leave now, we¡¯ll lose out. Moreover, we came here specifically to queue up, didn¡¯t we, just for¡ª¡±

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she realized the direction Qiao Jing was taking them was actually toward the front entrance of Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    At this moment, Su Manhan was also bewildered, following Qiao Jing, and she exchanged nces with Zhan Nanqing.

    Both could see the same confusion in each other¡¯s eyes.

    As far as they knew, Zhouhuan Restaurant had a very strong backer, and the owner had emphasized that line-cutting was not allowed.

    Even their Zhan Family could only obtain a VIP spot, and there were still many people ahead of them.

    And now, Qiao Jing was actually leading them toward the entrance?

    What if they were stopped by the waiter when they arrived?

    Especially with Qiao Mengtong watching from behind, wouldn¡¯t it be a loss of face for Qiao Jing if they got stopped?

    Seeing Qiao Jing leading people forward, Qiao Mengtong realized the others intended to cut in line, so she immediately raised her voice and started to stir up the crowd.

    ¡°Everyone look! How can someone be so shameless as to attempt to cut in line? Moreover, Zhouhuan Restaurant has made it clear that, no matter how powerful or influential you are, in this ce, cutting in line is expressly forbidden. Not only is she cutting in line, but she¡¯s also doing so tantly in front of so many people, so directly heading towards the store entrance!¡±

    After hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing turned to look at her and rolled her eyes dramatically.

    Who has the nerve to talk? Isn¡¯t the real line-cutter you?

    But¡­ it seems like they¡¯re about to cut in line too¡­

    The surrounding customers, hearing this, turned their unfriendly gazes towards Qiao Jing.

    They were all enduring the cold winter weather to queue up, and some hade early in the morning, naturally they could not tolerate line-cutters.

    So their murmurs of disapproval magnified several times over.

    ¡°Exactly, the owner already said no cutting in line. We¡¯ve been waiting for so long and there are hundreds behind us. This woman looks decent, so how can sheck so much decency? Is the time we spent in line worth nothing?¡±

    ¡°I am a VIP customer of Zhouhuan Restaurant myself, and I didn¡¯t cut in line. How can she have the audacity to just walk in?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. Since the owner has made a rule against cutting in line, she will surely be stopped.¡±

    Right as this statement was made, Qiao Jing had already led the two towards the entrance of Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    Everyone looked on with the attitude of spectators, waiting to see the waiters turn them away.

    But the next scene caught everyone by surprise.

    The waiter at the door actually bowed at a full ny degrees to Qiao Jing!

    That was not all; the waiter¡¯s face was filled with utmost respect, and he then made a beckoning gesture for them to proceed inside!!

    Qiao Mengtong was immediately dumbfounded, her eyes widened, and her mouth was agape as if she could stuff an entire egg in it.

    She had begged for a long time to get a spot within the top hundred from her cousin, and she even paid some money for it.

    Yet now, Qiao Jing was directly leading people into Zhouhuan Restaurant?!

    Not a single person stopped them!

    This shouldn¡¯t be the case!

    What on earth was going on?!!

    Why on earth could Qiao Jing just walk in?

    The other customers began to whisper among themselves.

    ¡°Who is this person? Just walked straight in? The waiters didn¡¯t even try to stop her?¡±

    ¡°Probably someone from the boss¡¯s side, otherwise how could she have received such special treatment?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After all, those who were in line ahead were either rich or noble, and even they did not receive such treatment, so this woman probably was a friend of the boss or something.

    On the other side.

    Under the waiter¡¯s guidance, Qiao Jing and Su Manhan were directly led up to the VIP room on the third floor.

    It wasn¡¯t until they sat down in the room that Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t quite snapped back into reality.

    The rules inside the Zhouhuan Restaurant were so peculiar; they absolutely did not allow anyone to cut in line.

    Even their Zhan Family could not break their rules without being put on the cklist, which meant they would be unable to buy Zhouhuan Restaurant¡¯s porridge ever again.

    Su Manhan, who often came to Zhouhuan Restaurant to buy porridge, was particrly aware of the status of this VIP room on the third floor.

    When she came to eat here, she was at most on the second floor, and the third floor had only one very special VIP room, said to be for the owner¡¯s personal use.

    No other person could set foot on the third floor. How on earth had Qiao Jing managed it?

    And the waiter had led them up directly!

    Zhan Nanqing was guessing in her mind.

    Could it be because of Qiao Jing¡¯s identity as Professor Qiao?

    Or perhaps because of Divine Doctor Jing?

    Otherwise, how could she have been led straight up here?

    Su Manhan was still at aplete loss, her face full of confusion and curiosity.

    She directly asked Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, why can we go directly up here? And even to the VIP room on the third floor, I¡¯ve never had the chance to see this room before, the waiters said that even the Zhan Family can¡¯t do it.¡±

    Qiao Jing had no intention of concealing from the two, pursed her lips.

    ¡°I once saved the life of this restaurant¡¯s owner.¡±

    Upon realizing Qiao Jing¡¯s identity as a doctor, Su Manhan instantly understood.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±

    The waiter served tea to each of them and handed the menu with both hands to Qiao Jing, and took another two for Su Manhan and the others.

    During the meal, the new porridge they ordered had not arrived for quite some time.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to inquire with the waiter, the door to the room opened.

    A man with hair reaching the back of his neck, casually tied into a small ponytail walked in. He looked refined and gentle, exuding a fresh and clean vibe, with a smile on his face. He carried the porridge to Qiao Jing and set it down in front of her.

    ¡°Boss! You finally came!¡±

 Chapter 440 - 440 429 Another Rival for Her Brothers

    ?Chapter 440: Chapter 429: Another Rival for Her Brother¡¯s Affection?   Chapter 440: Chapter 429: Another Rival for Her Brother¡¯s Affection?                                   The waiter saw the man and immediately bowed.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re here.¡±

    The waiter¡¯s words made Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing pause in their eating and look toward the man.

    Surprise registered on both of their faces.

    It was well-known that the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant was very mysterious.

    This Zhouhuan Restaurant¡¯s owner had never shown his face, prompting jokes among customers that he was just as mysterious as Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing.

    Everyone had spected about what the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant might look like, guessing he could be a burly man or an elderly gentleman.

    But they had not expected the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant to be a man in his twenties, who was also very handsome.

    So it turned out that such a young man could manage Zhouhuan Restaurant to such an extent.

    Now, not only was the boss personally delivering porridge to them, but he was also calling Qiao Jing big brother?

    Could it be that Qiao Jing had saved the man¡¯s life, and he had acknowledged her as his boss as a result?

    While the two mulled over this, they heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Hmm, haven¡¯t been here in a while.¡±

    The man¡¯s gazended on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, staring intently at her with sparkling eyes, and he asked with implied meaning,

    ¡°Big brother, what have you been busy withtely?¡±

    He suddenly noticed the two people sitting next to Qiao Jing and looked puzzled.

    ¡°Who are they?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the people beside her and, remembering that the second brother had not attended the wedding, naturally he wouldn¡¯t recognize the mother and daughter Su Manhan.

    She gave a simple introduction.

    ¡°This is Madam Zhan, and this is the young miss of the Zhan family.¡±

    The man nodded in sudden understanding and politely said to the two:

    ¡°I see, hello, my name is Yu Yangqi.¡±

    Su Manhan offered a proper smile.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Su Manhan.¡±

    When Zhan Nanqing saw the smile on Yu Yangqi¡¯s face, she had an ominous feeling.

    Could it be¡­

    This person is another one of her brother¡¯s rivals in love?

    Could it be that Yu Yangqi had fallen for Qiao Jing after she saved him?

    Handsome men were always around Qiao Jing, and they all had extraordinary identities.

    Plus, with Yu Yangqi being exceptionally handsome, nearly matching her brother, didn¡¯t that make him even more of a threat?

    The more rivals, the greater the danger for her brother!!

    It looked like she would have to guard against one more person for her brother¡¯s sake.

    Sigh¡ª

    After all, Qiao Jing was her sister-inw.

    Suddenly, she felt two prods on her arm.

    Zhan Nanqing looked quizzically at the person prodding her and saw it was Su Manhan.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Nanqing and whispered a reminder:

    ¡°That¡¯s Qiao Jing¡¯s friend. He introduced himself, and you¡¯re just spacing out. How rude!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing responded indifferently with an ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Hello, my name is Zhan Nanqing, Qiao Jing is my sister-inw.¡±

    No sooner had she spoken than she noticed Yu Yangqi looking at her with a strange expression.

    But just as she tried to get a clearer look, she found he had reverted to his polite demeanor from before.

    How odd¡­

    Had she seen wrong?

    Su Manhan felt that Zhan Nanqing was acting a bit strange and frowned.

    ¡°I told you to introduce yourself. Why did you emphasize Qiao Jing¡¯s identity? Everyone knows Qiao Jing is part of our Zhan family.¡±

    Qiao Jing cast a brief nce at Zhan Nanqing without taking a stance.

    Her current identity indeed was Zhan Nanqing¡¯s sister-inw, and there was no issue with that description.

    Yu Yangqi felt it was bizarre, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it and pulled out the chair on Qiao Jing¡¯s left side to sit down.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a vignt look fixed upon Yu Yangqi.

    She already wished she had sat on Qiao Jing¡¯s left side. This man had deliberately chosen to sit so close to Qiao Jing, could it be intentional?

    He must be her brother¡¯s rival in love!

    Yu Yangqi cleared his throat.

    ¡°Boss, how¡¯s the matter I asked you to help with? Did you manage to make the connection for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised his eyebrows slightly and turned his head to look at Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t given up?¡±

    Yu Yangqi nodded vigorously, determination in his eyes.

    ¡°Absolutely not giving up!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ears perked up as she listened intently to their conversation.

    With a wary face, she frowned and shifted her chair closer to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What giving up? Giving up on whom?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing and noticed the vignce written all over her face.

    He guessed what Zhan Nanqing was thinking and exined somewhat helplessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not about me.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing paused, an incredulous ¡°Ah?¡± escaping her lips.

    Her gaze flitted back and forth between Qiao Jing and Yu Yangqi, somewhat skeptical of Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    If this Yu Yangqi didn¡¯t like Qiao Jing, howe his gaze just now was still shining so brightly?

    But Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t lie to her either¡­

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, then suddenly remembered about Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°Second, where¡¯s Manager Zhang from your restaurant?¡±

    Yu Yangqi furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Downstairs, what about him?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips pursed, her gaze gradually cooling.

    ¡°He gave someone the privilege to jump the queue.¡±

    She had never heard that Zhouhuan Restaurant allowed queue jumping; today she had just happened to encounter it and thus decided to help the ¡°second¡± regte some internal employee issues.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Yu Yangqi¡¯s expression darkened abruptly, and the smile vanished from his face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call him up.¡±

    Momentster, a man in a suit pushed open the door of the private room.

    Perhaps because he had done something sneaky, his gaze towards Yu Yangqi was somewhat evasive.

    ¡°Boss¡­ you were looking for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Manager Zhang like icy des, her arms folded, wordless.

    The rule of not jumping the queue at Zhouhuan Restaurant was explicit, not even employees were allowed to do so.

    Furthermore, this Manager Zhang had directly granted Qiao Mengtong a spot among the top 100 customers.

    Upon locking eyes with Qiao Jing, Manager Zhang subconsciously swallowed, his legs uncontrobly beginning to tremble.

    He had heard that a woman had entered the restaurant directly and had gone to the third floor¡¯s VIP private room.

    He immediately knew that the person who came was Qiao Jing.

    Moreover, his cousin had also arrived today, and the service staff at the door had told him there was almost a quarrel over Qiao Jing¡¯s direct entry to the restaurant.

    It couldn¡¯t be that his cousin had also gotten involved¡­

    Qiao Jing was the boss¡¯s honored guest!

    Moreover, the boss had said that Qiao Jing¡¯s status in Zhouhuan Restaurant was even higher than his own.

    All of these working people understood the boss¡¯s intentions; as long as Qiao Jing came, she could directly enter the VIP private room.

    But if the boss found out about him letting Qiao Mengtong cut in line, his job would be in danger!

    Cold sweat had begun to break out on his forehead, yet fearing discovery by Yu Yangqi, he forced himself to calm down.

    Seeing that Yu Yangqi remained silent, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and inquire.

    ¡°Boss? Is there something you need me for?¡±

    Yu Yangqi nced at Manager Zhang a few more times.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done?¡±

 Chapter 441 - 441 430 Direct Dismissal

    ?Chapter 441: Chapter 430 Direct Dismissal   Chapter 441: Chapter 430 Direct Dismissal                                   After hearing Yu Yangqi¡¯s words, Manager Zhang felt like he had been struck by a bolt of lightning and became instantly petrified on the spot.

    His eyes widened slightly, and cold sweat had already begun to slide down his forehead.

    Could Qiao Mengtong really have gotten involved?

    Could he have offended Miss Qiao??

    This was a matter of life and death for him!

    Manager Zhang slowly let out a breath of turbid air,

    ¡°Boss¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    At this point, he had no choice but to staunchly deny everything.

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s gaze quickly turned cold, and he let out a disdainful snort.

    ¡°Go settle your own sry! Did you take the rules I established for a joke? An employee leading the line-jumping?¡±

    Manager Zhang¡¯s sweat poured profusely; it seemed there was no hiding the matter, so he hurriedly begged for mercy.

    ¡°Boss! Please give me another chance for the sake of my five years working at Zhouhuan Restaurant. I truly recognize my mistake. I only let her jump the queue because she is my cousin, just this once!¡±

    If only he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have let Qiao Mengtong jump the queue!

    If not for the advantage Qiao Mengtong provided him, he wouldn¡¯t have let her cut in line!

    It was with great difficulty that he had worked his way up to his current position at Zhouhuan Restaurant, and now because of Qiao Mengtong, he was about to lose his livelihood?!

    He had only helped her jump the queue this one time, and it just had to be the time they found out.

    Yu Yangqi gave Manager Zhang a cold nce and discovered the man had not left after taking a sip of tea.

    His voice became colder as well.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet? Get out immediately!¡±

    Only then did Manager Zhang realize there was no room for redemption, and as he prepared to leave, he suddenly saw Qiao Jing.

    He ran to Qiao Jing like he was grasping at a life-saving straw, and with a ¡°plop,¡± he knelt down on the spot.

    ¡°Miss Qiao! I just heard that a woman was leading a charge against you outside; was it Qiao Mengtong?¡±

    It must have been Qiao Mengtong¡¯s doing!

    Qiao Jing remained indifferent upon seeing Manager Zhang¡¯s reaction and didn¡¯t even nce at the person on the ground.

    Orignally, the reason for the younger brother¡¯s injury was the once orderly line suddenly erupting into chaos, causing him to fall during the pushing and shoving, unable to get back up.

    Moreover, it turned out that the riot was caused by someone cutting in line, leading to everyone starting to shove each other.

    The innocent younger brother was trampled into a critical state, nearly losing his life.

    Therefore, the rule established by Zhouhuan Restaurant against line-jumping was extremely strict.

    Zhan Nanqing let out a cold snort.

    ¡°Ha! You know about it? You must be the cousin Qiao Mengtong mentioned, right? Not only did she cut in line through you, but she also bragged to us about it. What good is apologizing now?¡±

    Manager Zhang¡¯s face grew even uglier, seeing that Qiao Jing had no reaction, he tried to grab her pant leg but caught nothing but air.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I apologize on her behalf. Please speak with the boss on my behalf, give me another chance!¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Manager Zhang and spoke indifferently.

    ¡°You should leave.¡±

    She was not going to speak for Manager Zhang; this was a clear case of employee misconduct.

    Even if the person challenging her today weren¡¯t Qiao Mengtong, allowing someone to cut in line would have led to the same oue.

    Manager Zhang stood up with an ashen face, still not willing to give up, he inquired,

    ¡°Boss, I¡ª¡±

    The words had barely left his mouth when Yu Yangqi interrupted him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it again, get out!.¡±

    At that moment, Manager Zhang didn¡¯t dare to say anything more, he hung his head, dejectedly walking out of the private room.

    Zhan Nanqing started to see Yu Yangqi in a new light.

    Originally, from Yu Yangqi¡¯s appearance, she felt he didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of a businessman¡¯s craftiness.

    But she hadn¡¯t expected Yu Yangqi to act with such decisiveness, indeed showing a hint of a businessman¡¯s vor.

    Su Manhan nodded in satisfaction after seeing what Yu Yangqi had done.

    It seemed that making friends with Qiao Jing was not a waste at all.

    However, her daughter-inw¡¯s ability to judge character was definitely infallible, so why was she fretting unnecessary?

    Even if Qiao Jing encountered someone unworthy, Su Manhan was there to back her up!

    Zhan Nanqing suddenly remembered the topic Qiao Jing and the others had been discussing earlier and continued to ask.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not giving up on me, then who are you giving up on?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t rest until she had a clear answer.

    Qiao Jing saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s determination to get to the bottom of this and felt a headacheing on as she rubbed her forehead.

    Just as she was about to exin, Yu Yangqi beside her spoke up instead.

    ¡°Giving up? I¡¯m not giving up on Ni Yue, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±

    A nk expression appeared on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face, she blinked nkly and looked towards Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°Ni Yue?¡±

    Yu Yangqi nodded, eyes once again lighting up.

    ¡°Yeah, do you also know Ni Yue? Do you want to help me too?¡±

    He was currently in a period of tirelessly pursuing someone, so of course, the more helpers, the better.

    Zhan Nanqing shook her head dazedly, then nodded again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, no, no, I do know¡­¡±

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s smile, which had just appeared, faded again as he looked at Zhan Nanqing with a suspicious gaze.

    ¡°So do you know her or not?¡±

    Su Manhan, seeing her daughter suddenly acting foolish, felt some embarrassment.

    ¡°She¡¯s just having a short circuit in her brain, speaking a bit vaguely, don¡¯t mind her,¡± she said as she covertly poked Zhan Nanqing¡¯s thigh, trying to snap her back to reality.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth was speaking while her mind was trailing behind; she regained her senses only after Su Manhan poked her several times.

    ¡°I do know her, but I¡¯m not very close to her. I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    She had thought that Yu Yangqi was fond of Qiao Jing!

    That had scared her to death¡­

    Thank goodness, thank goodness¡­

    Otherwise, if her brother found out there was yet another rival for his affections, she wouldn¡¯t know where to turn to cry.

    Yu Yangqi sighed and turned his gaze back to Qiao Jing, beginning to pester again.

    ¡°Boss! You still haven¡¯t told me if you¡¯ve managed to ask her out for me, you haven¡¯t forgotten, have you? If you haven¡¯t asked her yet¡­ how about this, the meal you¡¯re eating today is on the house, consider it my thank you. Please, just ask her out for me.¡±

    Qiao Jing massaged her temples, speaking in utter exasperation.

    ¡°Have you forgotten the p Ni Yue gave youst time? Why don¡¯t you ever learn? Now whenever I try to ask her out, she has to confirm several times if it¡¯s really me she¡¯s meeting, so I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    She felt a little remorseful about doing this kind of thing, but she had only helped that one time for her Second Brother¡¯s sake.

    The Second Brother had learned his lesson after getting pped too.

    But the stubborn guy refused to give up, chasing after Ni Yue like a persistent pest.

    Ni Yue, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t muster any interest in romance at all and even considered all men to be pigs, not letting a single man get close to her.

    Yu Yangqi put all his hopes on Qiao Jing, and hearing her words, instead of being discouraged, he became even more spirited.

    ¡°Boss, you must have a way, please help me. It¡¯s just a p, what does it matter? She could p me a hundred times and I¡¯d still be willing, as long as it lets me win Ni Yue over. Whatever you want, just ask.¡±

    Qiao Jing pretended not to hear and sipped her tea, carrying on with her own things.

    Meanwhile, downstairs.

    Qiao Mengtong finally saw it was her turn and walked to the entrance with her queue number.

    The assistant¡¯s face was filled with excitement, clutching the strap of her bag in agitation.

    ¡°Sister Mengtong! We¡¯re actually going to get into Zhouhuan Restaurant so fast!¡±

 Chapter 442 - 442 431 Qiao Mengtong is Publicly Driven Out

    ?Chapter 442: Chapter 431: Qiao Mengtong is Publicly Driven Out   Chapter 442: Chapter 431: Qiao Mengtong is Publicly Driven Out                                   Qiao Mengtong snorted arrogantly and tilted her chin upwards.

    ¡°Of course, who do they think I am? Although Qiao Jing just went straight in, I know what she¡¯s like. She must have used some despicable means to get that opportunity.¡±

    The little assistant quickly agreed, nodding vehemently.

    ¡°Yeah, Sister Mengtong is right! The moment I saw Qiao Jing, I knew she was no good! Let¡¯s go inside and eat!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong walked up to the front desk clerk, presenting her ticket to the staff member.

    ¡°Can we go in now?¡±

    The server¡¯s earpiece buzzed, and she revealed an apologetic smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, but I need to listen to an emergency message first.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong furrowed her brows in impatience, just as she was about to scold the server, she noticed that the server put her hand down from her ear.

    She rolled her eyes, speaking in a hostile tone.

    ¡°You actually put off attending to me to listen to a message? Have you finished listening now? Can you have another server bring us inside?¡±

    The little assistant, buoyed by Qiao Mengtong¡¯s presence, put her hands on her hips.

    ¡°Is this the kind of attitude you have when serving customers? I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s urgent or not, take us in to dine right now.¡±

    The server swapped to a professional smile, gesturing for them to follow her.

    Upon seeing the gesture, Qiao Mengtong immediately strode towards Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    However, she had only taken a few steps when the server stopped her.

    ¡°What are you doing? Blocking a customer?! Do you know I¡¯m rted to Manager Zhang? You dare to stop even me?¡±

    The server made the inviting gesture again, reminding her:

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you misunderstood my gesture. I was asking you to go outside, not into the restaurant.¡±

    Only then did Qiao Mengtong notice that the server¡¯s gesture was indeed directing her outside, not inside.

    She widened her eyes, pointing her finger at the server¡¯s nose, almost poking it.

    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re asking a customer to leave? Are you deaf? I already told you I¡¯m a rtive of Manager Zhang, and you still¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish her rant, she saw Manager Zhanging out of the shop.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes brightened instantly, and she red viciously at the server.

    ¡°Just you wait, my cousin is right there, and in a moment, you¡¯ll be fired!¡±

    The server maintained her professional smile, not responding to Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words.

    Before Qiao Mengtong could speak to Manager Zhang, she noticed that he exited with a pale face.

    Moreover, he had taken off his jacket, was without his work ID, and was carrying a backpack in his hand.

    She approached him, puzzled, and asked:

    ¡°Cousin? What happened to you? Why are you out here?¡±

    When Manager Zhang saw it was Qiao Mengtong, he mmed his backpack onto the ground, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong! You have the gall to ask me?! If it weren¡¯t for you, how could I possibly be fired? If you hadn¡¯t pestered me to death to cut in the line, I would never have agreed! You owe me an exnation now!¡±

    The triumphant look on Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face froze, and she stood there dumbfounded, turning to look at the server by the door.

    The server smiled.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, as you can see, Manager Zhang has been fired, or rather, he should now be referred to as Mr. Zhang. Today, you were the only one who sought Mr. Zhang for assistance, which is why you can¡¯t go in.¡±

    The little assistant noticed the stares from the people around and tugged on Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Sister Mengtong, there are so many people looking at us, let¡¯s hurry up and leave. It¡¯d be bad if we¡¯re recognized,¡± said the assistant.

    Qiao Mengtong didn¡¯t want to confront her almost hysterical cousin, so she grabbed her assistant and ran in the other direction.

    At this moment, Manager Zhang was so angry that his teeth itched, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to chase after Qiao Mengtong and could only stand still.

    Qiao Mengtong had just run a few steps when she suddenly stopped, unwilling to give in, she looked up towards the upper levels of the Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    Why could that little bitch Qiao Jing get in there?

    What the hell was going on with her cousin¡¯s issue?

    Could it have been the matter of cutting in line that was found out?

    Could all this have something to do with Qiao Jing?

    As she looked up, she met someone¡¯s gaze.

    Qiao Jing was standing at the window of the third-floor VIP room, looking down on them from her high vantage, an innate powerful presence around her. Just this look from above made them feel surrounded by a chill.

    At this point, Qiao Mengtong wished she could find a hole to crawl into, especially since she had boasted in front of Qiao Jing just before and hadn¡¯t expected that she would be the one unable to enter in the end.

    Now that Qiao Jing was looking down at her, she instantly felt like a mere ant, while Qiao Jing was the Emperor.

    She lowered her head and, tail between her legs, ran off with her assistant.

    Standing by the window with Qiao Jing was Zhan Nanqing. Sheughed out loud when she saw Qiao Mengtong fleeing.

    ¡°Hahaha! Let¡¯s see if she dares to show off again, having the audacity toe unt herself in front of us?¡±

    Su Manhan put down her chopsticks, looking puzzledly towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing happily returned to Su Manhan¡¯s side and sat down.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong left, she couldn¡¯t get in, hahaha, you should have seen her slinking away just now. I forgot to take a video on my phone, but I should watch it whenever I¡¯m feeling down¡ªit¡¯d definitely make meugh my head off.¡±

    Hearing this, Su Manhan¡¯s mouth curled up into a smile as well.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I would have gone to see for myself. Qiao Mengtong has some nerve, talking to my daughter-inw like that! Does she really think the Zhan Family is dead or something?¡±

    Qiao Jing slowly returned to her seat without a word as she watched the mother and daughter continue to discuss the event.

    To make it easier for the waitstaff to clean upter, she tidied up her own dishes and utensils.

    Yu Yangqi was still not giving up, eagerly following Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Boss, I drove her away¡ªare you satisfied now?¡± he quickly said before Qiao Jing could reply.

    ¡°You must be satisfied, right? I didn¡¯t see it and even I¡¯m relieved. So, help me set up a meeting with Ni Yue just one more time, Boss. I believe you can do it, just thisst time!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved deeply, and she pulled at the corner of her mouth, somewhat at a loss for words.

    ¡°You said the same thingst time, that you¡¯d only need my help once, and after that, it was all up to you,¡± she said.

    She wasn¡¯t reluctant to help the second-inmand; she was worried he would get punched by Ni Yue again.

    Last time, when Ni Yue saw a man sitting next to her, she didn¡¯t say a word; she simply left.

    As a result, he chased after her like an idiot, and instead, Ni Yue pped him.

    Even so, he still hadn¡¯t given up, and she really didn¡¯t know what else to do.

    Yu Yangqi let out a long sigh, looking up at the ceiling.

    ¡°Boss, if you don¡¯t help me, I might end up alone for the rest of my life. I¡¯ve finally fallen for someone, so please, just help me out. I know you¡¯re close with Ni Yue. If I manage to get her, I¡¯ll give the Zhouhuan Restaurant as a dowry to you, my matchmaker. As for Ni Yue¡¯s family, I¡¯ve got that covered too.¡±

 Chapter 443 - 443 432 My Baby is Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 443: Chapter 432 My Baby is Qiao Jing   Chapter 443: Chapter 432 My Baby is Qiao Jing                                   Qiao Jing unhesitatingly refused Yu Yangqi, her expression indifferent as she said:

    ¡°I said I won¡¯t help.¡±

    Not only did she have to manage the research institute now, but there was also Wonderful Hall on her te, and if she had to take on Zhouhuan Restaurant as well, she definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it all.

    Besides, she didn¡¯t want to create more work for herself.

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s face fell instantly, but he persisted in badgering Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Boss, please just help me out, do you really have the heart to see me end up alone?¡±

    Qiao Jing curtly spit out two words.

    ¡°Have the heart.¡±

    Yu Yangqi ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing watched Yu Yangqi¡¯s relentless pestering, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°Um¡­ Qiao Jing, maybe you could help him?¡±

    If this kept up, it would never end, and Yu Yangqi was practically on the verge of grabbing Qiao Jing by the hand to ask for her help.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she wasn¡¯t particrly close to Ni Yue, she would¡¯ve already directly helped Yu Yangqi herself.

    Just to stop Yu Yangqi from bothering her sister-inw!

    Although she had already dismissed the rm in her heart, seeing Yu Yangqi and Qiao Jing standing so close still seemed inappropriate to her.

    It was for this reason that she spoke out in support of Yu Yangqi.

    Su Manhan frowned as she watched Yu Yangqi¡¯s antics.

    She knew Yu Yangqi wasn¡¯t interested in Qiao Jing, but she had to eliminate any unforeseen possibilities for her son.

    After all, she had only this one precious daughter-inw, and since Qipei was still pursuing Qiao Jing and the raw rice hadn¡¯t yet be cooked, it was best to keep the number of other sex around Qiao Jing to a minimum, leaving all opportunities to her son.

    In this regard, Zhan Nanqing and Su Manhan were of the same mind.

    Upon hearing the two of them, Qiao Jing slightly knitted her brows and nced at Yu Yangqi.

    Then she met Yu Yangqi¡¯s shining eyes¡ªlike ten thousand volts, they were piercingly bright, almost making her blurt out an agreement right then and there.

    But if she really agreed, she had no good way to exin it to Ni Yue.

    Speaking of which, this second brother wasn¡¯t just stubborn; having been rebuffed once before, he was unexpectedly not giving up this time either.

    Yu Yangqi, hearing someone speak on his behalf, immediately seized the opportunity and started to y the victim again.

    ¡°Boss, I promise this is thest time. You just arrange for her to meet me, just like thest time. It won¡¯t involve you at all, I¡¯ll make it seem like a coincidence, I won¡¯t betray you!

    Boss¡ªyou really have the heart to let me end up alone? You know me, aren¡¯t you confident in me yet? If Ni Yue were to end up with another man that you don¡¯t know, wouldn¡¯t you have to screen him?

    If she¡¯s with me, you won¡¯t have to do any screening at all, how easy would that be!¡±

    Qiao Jing contemted for a moment, then slightly arched her eyebrows.

    ¡°Thest time?¡±

    If she had to help, it wasn¡¯t impossible;st time, Ni Yue was so busyining to her about the second brother that she didn¡¯t even mention Qiao Jing not showing up.

    If this was really thest time, Ni Yue probably wouldn¡¯t link the two incidents together, likely focusing her attention onining about the second brother again.

    But she wouldn¡¯t help with this kind of thing a third time; she was agreeing only for the second brother¡¯s sake.

    And there was one thing¡ªthe second brother struck a chord with her. If Ni Yue really ended up with some man she didn¡¯t know at all, she would indeed feelpelled to intervene.

    So thest sentence the second brother said was right too¡ªif Ni Yue was with the second brother, she wouldn¡¯t have to bother with screening anyone.

    She just never expected that one day she would be a Matchmaker, helping to tie the knot for someone else.

    And this knot was one-sided; Ni Yue would probably cut it straight away¡­

    Seeing Qiao Jing finally ready to help him, Yu Yangqi quickly nodded, his tone sincere.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, thest time! Boss, you can rest easy, I¡¯ll definitely make an effort to get her to agree!¡±

    It was then Qiao Jing agreed.

    ¡°Okay, you pick the time and send it to me.¡±

    She looked over at Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing, who had finished their meal, and stood up.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading back first, after this it all depends on your fate. Don¡¯t ask me for help again after today.¡±

    If she ended up doing this three times in a row, Ni Yue would definitely suspect that she was involved in setting things up.

    If that happened, it would be hard for her to ask Ni Yue to hang out in the future.

    Yu Yangqi nodded, looking at Qiao Jing as if she were a savior.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re my god!!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly and ignored Yu Yangqi, turning to look at the other two.

    ¡°Anything else to order? If not, shall we head back? I¡¯ve got to go back to work soon.¡±

    After finishing work, she still had to n where to take the two kiddos for the weekend.

    She had already promised to bring Pingping and Anan over to y this weekend and intended to make preparations in advance.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing shook their heads at the same time, picked up their bags, and stood up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing could convenientlymute to work with Qiao Jing as she had taken two hours off just to have congee at Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    She had thought the queue would be long and had to apply for leave in advance.

    Unexpectedly, because of Qiao Jing, she now had plenty of time to go back to work after breakfast.

    Yu Yangqi also stood up and, with a beaming face, saw Qiao Jing and the others off all the way to the shop¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°Boss, please don¡¯t forget, my happiness is all in your hands now.¡±

    Qiao Jing became even more speechless and walked forward without looking back.

    Zhan Nanqing heard Yu Yangqi¡¯s words and turned around to have a look, but she found that Yu Yangqi had disappeared.

    She was stunned and rubbed her eyes.

    ¡°Howe he¡¯s gone?¡±

    Just a second ago he was talking, and the next he disappeared at the shop entrance?

    Could it be that Yu Yangqi knows how to teleport?

    This Yu Yangqi and Qiao Jing were truly a match: both mysterious, as if they were afraid someone would find out their identities.

    Neither would show their full selves.

    If she had an impressive identity, she would want everyone to know about it, so why did Qiao Jing and Yu Yangqi prefer to keep things hidden?

    Is this what they call keeping a low profile?

    Su Manhan looked at Zhan Nanqing with confusion and asked,

    ¡°What disappeared? Did you lose something?¡±

    Noticing that Zhan Nanqing had that dazed look again, she couldn¡¯t help but make a snide remark.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your belongings that you¡¯ve lost, you¡¯ve lost your intellect today.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing snapped back to reality immediately, catching Su Manhan¡¯s words and indignant, she began to retort.

    ¡°Mom! How can you be like this? How can you talk about your precious daughter that way? Have your feelings grown cold?¡±

    Su Manhan pretended to be indifferent and looked up at the sky.

    ¡°If you feel it¡¯s grown cold, you can add some salt. You used to be my treasure, but not anymore, I have a new treasure now.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was quite upset by the first part of the statement and nearly passed out in shock.

    But upon hearing the second half, her curiosity was instantly piqued, mixed with disbelief.

    ¡°New treasure? Did you set your sights on some new jewelry?¡±

    Her mom would treat any jewelry she liked like a treasure, wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch it, liked wearing it everywhere, a bit like showing off.

    Is she about to be reced by new jewelry??

    While Zhan Nanqing thought this, Su Manhan¡¯s gaze deliberately fell on Qiao Jing, and she tilted her chin towards her direction.

    ¡°Look, my new treasure is right there.¡±

    In her heart, Qiao Jing¡¯s status had actually caught up with Nanqing¡¯s, she was like her second daughter.

 Chapter 444 - 444 433 Qiao Jing Became the Teams Favorite

    ?Chapter 444: Chapter 433: Qiao Jing Became the Team¡¯s Favorite   Chapter 444: Chapter 433: Qiao Jing Became the Team¡¯s Favorite                                   Nanqing suddenly felt that things were starting to make sense.

    After all, who didn¡¯t know about her mom¡¯s partiality towards Qiao Jing?

    It even surpassed her own daughter! Calling her darling was no big deal.

    Luckily, it wasn¡¯t her brother who was the darling, or she really would have been upset.

    Now her mom didn¡¯t even know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy, and she was already this nice to her. What would her mom do if she found out in the future?

    Would ite to her mom feeding Qiao Jing every single bite of her meals?

    The moment this thought appeared, Nanqing¡¯s mind automatically filled in that image, and she immediately got goosebumps.

    She definitely couldn¡¯t stand that image¡­ it was just too mushy.

    When Qiao Jing heard Su Manhan calling her darling, a crack appeared on her usually expressionless face.

    She wasn¡¯t used to being called that, as no one had ever called her that before; it just made her feel mushy.

    But since Su Manhan and Nanqing were joking now, she didn¡¯t take it to heart.

    Nanqing directly started making a scene.

    ¡°Mom! You¡¯re really going to ditch your old darling!! You fickle woman¡­¡±

    She said this while stretching out to hug Su Manhan¡¯s arm,pletely bing a drama queen.

    Su Manhan frowned and half-jokingly pushed Nanqing away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I not allowed to change my darling? Fine, how about this: Qiao Jing is my darling daughter-inw, and you can be my darling daughter. Are you happy now?¡±

    Nanqing immediately frowned,ining,

    ¡°Why do you sound so reluctant? Am I not worthy of being your darling? You even make me add a pinch of salt to my dwindling feelings?¡±

    Qiao Jing just watched the mother and daughter argue, barely holding back augh.

    She had been fine just observing, but now that sheughed, the two arguing stopped and turned their gaze towards her simultaneously.

    Qiao Jing quickly suppressed herughter and reverted to her usual indifferent demeanor, coughing lightly to cover the sound of herughter.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Nanqing huffed and, with Su Manhan, approached Qiao Jing with a joking tone,

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where did you learn those tricks? Can you teach me? My mom¡¯s soul has been totally hooked by you, surely you must have fed her some soul-hooking potion!¡±

    Before, her mom¡¯s attitude towards Qiao Jing had been quite poor, but it changed drastically after Qiao Jing had saved her mom¡¯s life.

    She could understand this point, as Qiao Jing had saved a life and even got hurt in the process.

    Plus, she hoped her mom would ept Qiao Jing sooner.

    So when her momter started preparing food for Qiao Jing, she reluctantly got over her jealousy.

    But now her mom was directly calling Qiao Jing ¡°darling¡±!

    She was jealous!!

    Su Manhan poked Nanqing¡¯s forehead, looking disgusted.

    ¡°How old are you, still acting like a three-year-old? You want Qiao Jing to teach you soul-hooking? I haven¡¯t been soul-hooked; don¡¯t talk nonsense. Isn¡¯t it right for me to treat Qiao Jing well?¡±

    After hearing the words ¡°soul-hooking¡± and ¡°soul-hooking potion¡±, she suddenly remembered the things she had secretly thought about Qiao Jing before.

    She had said that Qipei and Nanqing must have been enchanted by Qiao Jing, their souls hooked away.

    And now she was the same¡­ it really was a bit embarrassing¡­

    With an utterly helpless smile, Qiao Jing changed the topic to prevent further argument.

    ¡°It¡¯s nearly time to start work. We¡¯re going to bete.¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t continue the topic and left in the Zhan Family¡¯s car.

    Before she left, she didn¡¯t forget to remind Nanqing,

    ¡°Remember what you promised your brother!¡±

    Nanqing muttered,

    ¡°I know, how could I possibly forget¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows in confusion and looked towards Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Why did she feel like this mother and daughter were speaking in riddles?

    And it seemed to be about her?

    Because just now, while Su Manhan was speaking, her gaze had fallen on her.

    Zhan Nanqing chuckled dryly, her gaze shifting elsewhere as she casually replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just something my mom asked me to do.¡±

    She dared not mention that within the Zhan family, an alliance had already been formed.

    An alliance to help Zhan Qipei chase after Qiao Jing.

    Even her mom had specifically instructed her to keep an eye out while at the research institute, probably because her mom had heard about Xu Moqian¡¯s matters from somewhere.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t wish to continue the topic, but she was somewhat curious.

    After all, it was about her, and she kind of wanted to clear it up.

    Just then!

    A taxi arrived in front of them.

    Zhan Nanqing, without a second word, pulled Qiao Jing into the car, also avoiding the continuation of their earlier discussion.

    Evening.

    The first thing Qiao Jing did when she got home was to video call Pingping and Anan.

    During her time at the research institute, she hadn¡¯t yet thought of a good ce to take them and nned to call to gather their opinions.

    As for why she hadn¡¯t seen Zhan Qipei in the living room, it was because he was busy in the kitchen at the moment.

    Moreover, he had locked the kitchen door again, turned on the inside extractor fan, not even giving her a chance to help.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, through the transparent ss door, caught the busy figure of the man in the kitchen and the steam rising from the hot oil.

    Cooking added a touch of homeliness to the usually serious Zhan Qipei.

    Watching Zhan Qipei make dinner suddenly gave her a sense of familial warmth.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand gently rested on her slightly protruding belly.

    It indeed felt somewhat simr¡­

    And she was also faintly looking forward to it¡­

    Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a child¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Sister Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze returned to her phone screen, realizing Pingping and Anan¡¯s call had connected.

    Seeing the two innocently cute faces, she disyed a gentle smile.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here. Brother Zhan and I wille to pick you guys up tomorrow afternoon to stay for a couple of days. Do you have any ces you want to visit?¡±

    Tomorrow was Friday, meaning the kids could stay at their house for a full two days.

    Originally, she wanted the kids to stay at the orphanage to bond with Lin Xiuxiang, but Lin Xiuxiang was still forced to stay at home, unable to interact with the siblings.

    Maybe Lin Xiuxiang was going stir-crazy at home, oftenining to her these days, things like.

    ¡°The endless tonics that are also very bitter, Qiao Qiao, I miss you,e help me out, I haven¡¯t drunk a single sip.¡±

    ¡°Qiao Qiao, shall we schedule another time to go out together?¡±

    ¡°The baby is stable after three months of pregnancy, I really don¡¯t know what they¡¯re worried about.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    She needed to find a time to check on Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s baby again, it had been a while since herst visit.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the children¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    Pingping was the first to respond to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a specific ce in mind, Sister Qiao, can I just stay at your house indefinitely?¡±

 Chapter 445 - 445 434 Pingping and Anan in Danger

    ?Chapter 445: Chapter 434 Pingping and Anan in Danger!   Chapter 445: Chapter 434 Pingping and Anan in Danger!                                   Anan¡¯s eyes, originally brimming with brightness, dimmed for a moment when she heard Pingping¡¯s words, but quickly recovered.

    ¡°Me too! Sister Qiao, I can also stay at your house for a whole day! We¡¯re already so grateful to be living at your house¡­¡±

    Although she really wanted to have another ride on the carousel, she knew she shouldn¡¯t bother Sister Qiao, so she cleverly refrained from asking.

    Qiao Jing caught the fleeting look of disappointment in Anan¡¯s big eyes.

    ¡°What is it, Anan? Where do you want to go? Just tell me, and Pingping too, don¡¯t hold back. Have you forgotten what I¡¯ve told you before?¡±

    Now, it was crucial to establish a correct worldview for Pingping and Anan from a young age.

    She had emphasized before that they could talk to her about anything, without restraint.

    Only after hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words did Anan blink her big eyes and voice the thoughts in her heart.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, if it¡¯s possible, can I ride the carousel one more time?¡±

    A smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The following evening.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s car stopped near the entrance of the orphanage.

    As Qiao Jing was unbuckling her seatbelt, Zhan Qipei lowered the driver¡¯s side window and got out of the car.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get them; you just wait in the car.¡±

    Qiao Jing murmured an acknowledgment and didn¡¯t insist on getting out.

    After all, it didn¡¯t really matter who went to fetch them.

    Just as she was about to refasten her seatbelt, a sneaky figure caught her attention.

    On closer inspection, she recognized the person as Gu Jiahao!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed as she closely monitored every move Gu Jiahao made.

    She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Jiahao to find the orphanage, and surely his presence boded nothing good.

    At least, his sneaky demeanor didn¡¯t look the least bit friendly.

    Suddenly, she saw two more figures in her line of sight.

    It was Pingping and Anan, carrying the new backpacks she had bought for them, heading toward the entrance of the orphanage.

    Upon seeing the two children, Gu Jiahao made his move and began walking toward the entrance.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened, but someone else acted faster than she.

    Zhan Qipei had already opened the driver¡¯s door and stepped out of the car.

    The man had clearly noticed Gu Jiahao too. His eyebrows, misty as smoke, lifted slightly as he checked with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a staff member from the orphanage, is it?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows were tightly knit, and a chill began to spread across her eyes and face, darkening her expression.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the Second-generation Spoiled Brat who bullied Pingping and Anan the other day.¡±

    She had thought that Gu Jiahao would approach her directly, but he had instead targeted the two children, especially today of all days.

    Normally, Pingping and Anan would stay inside the orphanage and note out to the entrance on their own.

    But today, having notified the orphanage teacher, the children were standing at the entrance with their backpacks, waiting for her, which gave Gu Jiahao the opportunity.

    She couldn¡¯t stand by and watch any longer, as Gu Jiahao had already approached Pingping and Anan!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to get out of the car, Zhan Qipei stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    As Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei, she noticed his expression had turned exceedingly grim, as if it were going to rain.

    She guessed that Zhan Qipei must have heard that the person bullying Pingping and Anan was Gu Jiahao, and now that Gu Jiahao had shown up at the orphanage, that was why he looked so grim.

    She hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to give up on going to help, content to watch from the car.

    Because she wanted to use this opportunity to see if the rtionship between Zhan Qipei and the two children could be thoroughly mended.

    After all, Pingping and Anan were still afraid of Zhan Qipei, and it would be wonderful if their rtionship could thaw this time.

    Outside the orphanage.

    Upon seeing Gu Jiahao, the children¡¯s faces immediately showed wariness. They stepped backward, retreating into the orphanage.

    Pingping stood in front of Anan with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Anan blinked herrge eyes and retorted defiantly.

    ¡°Big bully, get away! Don¡¯t you dare bully Brother!¡±

    As she spoke, she started looking for stones. Last time she threw them at Gu Jiahao¡¯s car, but this time it was for self-defense.

    Gu Jiahao noticed Anan¡¯s actions and smirked with ill intent.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d run off to the orphanage. No wonder I couldn¡¯t find you. But even if you¡¯re at the orphanage, what of it? I can still find you easily.

    You want to throw stones at me again? Dream on! That woman isn¡¯t here this time, I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯re going to run away! Today, I¡¯ll beat you to death even if¡ª¡ª¡±

    At this point, Gu Jiahao paused, then continued to speak.

    ¡°Even if that woman does show up, I¡¯ll beat her too. Don¡¯t think just because you ambushed me sessfullyst time that you¡¯re capable. That was just me being careless.¡±

    No sooner had his words fallen than he quickly ran toward Pingping and Anan.

    Pingping¡¯s heart instantly filled with rm. He turned his head to nce at Anan and urged her urgently,

    ¡°Anan! Run back and find the teacher, I¡¯ll hold him off for you!¡±

    Anan, looking dazed, nodded her little head and began running towards the ssroom. But before she could get far, she stumbled over a stone.

    ¡°Wuwu, Brother¡ª¡ª¡±

    Pingping clenched his teeth and quickly ran to Anan¡¯s side.

    He reached out to help Anan up, only to see that her knees were scraped and bleeding.

    ¡°Anan, can you still walk?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t possibly leave Anan behind and go back to find the teacher alone. He tried to stand and shout for the teachers in the ssroom.

    ¡°Teacher¡ª¡ª!!¡±

    Seeing that things were turning sour, Gu Jiahao hastened his pace and arrived in front of the two little ones.

    Without a word, he stretched out his hand to cover Pingping¡¯s mouth and picked up Pingping effortlessly.

    ¡°Ho? You kids even got to wear such nice clothes, and brand names at that? Who bought these for you? Or did you steal them?¡±

    Pingping stretched out his small hand, desperately wing at Gu Jiahao¡¯s hand, trying to make him let go.

    But how could a six-year-old boy have the strength of an adult?

    Anan, enduring the pain in her knees, ran up to Gu Jiahao and bit down hard on the hand that wasn¡¯t holding Pingping.

    ¡°Let go of my brother!¡±

    Taken off guard by the pain, Gu Jiahao released Pingping at once.

    ¡°Hiss! You little brat dare to bite me?! Today, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    He raised his hand, about to hit Anan.

    Anan, petrified, stood frozen on the spot, instinctively closing her eyes.

    Pingping¡¯s eyes widened, but it was already toote to protect Anan!

    Just then!

    Gu Jiahao¡¯s hand was caught by someone!!

    Anan didn¡¯t feel the expected p on her body and timidly opened her big eyes, seeing Zhan Qipei.

    Pingping also saw Zhan Qipei and breathed a sigh of relief at his arrival.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, you came!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s grim expression eased for a moment as he looked at the two little ones.

    ¡°Are you both okay?¡±

    Pingping and Anan shook their heads and quickly hid behind Zhan Qipei.

    Gu Jiahao had not yet noticed who the neer was and started cursing loudly.

    ¡°Who the hell are you, jumping out of nowhere and daring to stop me? Do you believe I could also take you down¡ª¡ª¡±

    His words were cut short the instant he caught sight of Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    This face¡­

    How could he not recognize this face!

    Previously, when he was unting his money and shamelessly sought an invitation to a business gathering just to make an appearance,

    he had heard people calling this man President Zhan!

    How many President Zhans could there be in the capital?

    Isn¡¯t it Zhan Qipei of Zhan Corporation?

    He must be incredibly unlucky, to have run into Zhan Qipei?!

 Chapter 446 - 446 435 Scolding Qiao Jing in Front of Zhan

    ?Chapter 446: Chapter 435 Scolding Qiao Jing in Front of Zhan Qipei   Chapter 446: Chapter 435 Scolding Qiao Jing in Front of Zhan Qipei                                   Gu Jiahao felt his soul about to leap out of his body, and just as he was thinking of freeing his hand, he heard a ¡°crack¡± at his wrist.

    A secondter, intense pain shot up from his wrist.

    ¡°Ah¡ª!!!¡±

    Gu Jiahao¡¯s scream nearly echoed through the entire welfare institute, rming the children and teachers in the ssroom.

    A teacher immediately went out to check on the situation and, seeing Zhan Qipei there, felt reassured and returned tofort her students.

    Although she didn¡¯t know why this stranger was being beaten, she was sure he was no good; after all, President Zhan wouldn¡¯t beat someone without a reason.

    Pingping and Anan were terribly frightened, nervously clutching at Zhan Qipei¡¯s clothes.

    They peeked out cautiously, half a head at a time, watching Gu Jiahao¡¯s condition.

    At that moment, Gu Jiahao was covering his wrist with a contorted face, spinning in ce from the pain, his forehead and back beginning to break out in cold sweat.

    Subconsciously, he wanted to curse out, but the thought of Zhan Qipei in front of him made him hold back the words forcefully.

    Gu Jiahao managed a smile uglier than crying, and shivered at the sight of Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark expression.

    ¡°President Zhan¡­ How¡­ How are you here? I haven¡¯t offended you, have I?¡±

    Wait a minute!

    Had he just heard those two little beggars call President Zhan ¡°Brother Zhan¡±?

    And had President Zhan just shown concern for these two little beggars?

    Could it be¡­ that these two little beggars have some connection with President Zhan??

    Gu Jiahao¡¯splexion became paler, staring in disbelief at Pingping and Anan.

    How did these two beggars get to know President Zhan?

    Pingping and Anan were even more scared by Gu Jiahao¡¯s re, hidingpletely behind Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed deeply upon seeing the two little ones¡¯ reactions, his expression darkening as a glint of ferocity shed through his abyssal eyes.

    His icy gaze pierced through Gu Jiahao, as if freezing the soul.

    ¡°From the Gu Family?¡±

    Even if Pingping and Anan were not his and Qiao Jing¡¯s children, he had epted them and wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to bully them.

    Gu Jiahao trembled all over, his legs uncontrobly quivering, his speech stuttering.

    ¡°President Zhan¡­ How¡­ How do you know I¡¯m from the Gu Family?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t going to meet his end here today, was he?!

    He had thought it odd how these two little beggars suddenly looked so well-dressed, and it turned out they had encountered President Zhan.

    Subconsciously swallowing, he steadied himself with a n in mind.

    ¡°President Zhan¡­ Listen to me, these two little beggars¡­¡±

    Realizing he had misspoken, Gu Jiahao pped himself across the mouth.

    ¡°These two kids are up to no good, President Zhan, don¡¯t be fooled by them. Did they y the sympathy card with you?

    Don¡¯t believe them, it¡¯s all an act. Just a few days ago, they crashed their bike into my sports car and didn¡¯t even apologize. That wasn¡¯t my fault, right? So, I came here today to settle the score with them, which is understandable, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Jiahao¡¯s twisting of truth, Anan immediately widened his eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! Brother apologized! And you still hit Brother! Brother Zhan, don¡¯t believe this big bad guy!¡±

    Pingping frowned lightly and tugged gently on Zhan Qipei¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, I apologized, but he wouldn¡¯t listen and got out of the car to hit me.¡±

    At this moment, he was still very nervous, afraid that Brother Zhan wouldn¡¯t believe him.

    If so, would he be a bad kid in Brother Zhan¡¯s eyes?

    Protecting the two children, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak for a while, watching Gu Jiahao with an expressionless face.

    Pingping and Anan, seeing that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t answer them, thought that he didn¡¯t believe them and despondently hung their little heads.

    Pingping¡¯s nose suddenly tingled, and tears began to swirl in his eyes.

    He hadn¡¯t cried when he was being bullied, but now that Brother Zhan didn¡¯t believe him, he felt incredibly wronged.

    The bully wasn¡¯t him, so why didn¡¯t Brother Zhan believe him?

    Anan¡¯s little face was full of worry, and her eyes were reddening too.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, Brother didn¡¯t lie, you believe¡ª¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, a pair ofrge hands rested on her and her brother¡¯s heads and gently rubbed them.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice rose in their ears.

    ¡°I believe you, you don¡¯t need to exin so much to me.¡±

    Pingping immediately lifted his head, tears uncontrobly plopping down.

    ¡°Brother Zhan¡­¡±

    Upon seeing Pingping¡¯s tearful disposition, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment.

    He had no experience with taking care of children, let aloneforting them, and now he was at a loss about what to do with Pingping crying.

    Fortunately, Pingping quickly stopped crying, sparing Zhan Qipei from further awkwardness.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei say he believed the words of the two little beggars, Gu Jiahao furiously red at them both.

    Frightened, the two children continuously hid behind Zhan Qipei before he continued speaking.

    ¡°President Zhan, don¡¯t listen to them, they even damaged my car at the time, and I, as an adult, why would I possibly squabble with two children?¡±

    As he spoke, he sneakily nced up at Zhan Qipei and seeing that the other¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t darkened further, but remained the same as before, thought he had a chance and spoke even more vehemently.

    ¡°Also, there was a woman at the time who actually passed them stones, teaching them to smash my car, and they really did it, who wouldn¡¯t be angry in such a situation?¡±

    While saying this, his gaze suddenly caught a glimpse of someone walking into the orphanage from the door.

    This individual was none other than the woman who had smashed his car with a stone a few days prior!

    Qiao Jing, unable to see inside from the outside, couldn¡¯t help but worry and walked straight into the orphanage.

    Her brows tightly knitted in concern, but upon seeing the two children sheltered behind Zhan Qipei, they gradually rxed.

    Thankfully she arrived in time, otherwise Pingping and Anan might have been bullied by Gu Jiahao once more.

    She quickly walked up to Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, crouched down, and checked over Pingping and Anan¡¯s bodies.

    The moment Pingping and Anan saw Qiao Jing, their eyes lit up.

    ¡°Sister Qiao!¡±

    ¡°Wahhh, Sister Qiao, that bad person is bullying us again!¡±

    Seeing Pingping¡¯s reddened neck from being strangled, and Anan¡¯s bruised knee, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knit tightly once again.

    She slowly rose, her demeanor chilling, her gaze sharp as a knife¡¯s edge, drilling directly into Gu Jiahao.

    ¡°Was it you who hit them?¡±

    Now that Qiao Jing had arrived, Gu Jiahao saw his chance to sling mud at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?! President Zhan, it¡¯s this woman, she was very aggressive at the time! She even threw a stone at my car! She obviously isn¡¯t anything good, President Zhan, these kids must have met you on the street, right?

    This woman even attacked someone, she¡¯s simply a violent maniac, you¡¯d better not stand so close to her, be careful, this woman definitely colluded with these two kids, they¡¯re plotting to swindle your money!

    These clothes the kids are wearing, they were bought by you, right? It must be this woman¡¯s doing, getting them to pretend to be pitiable to trick you, all three of them are no good!¡±

    Gu Jiahao, preupied with speaking, failed to notice that with each mention of Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim and terrifying, his aura chilling, like a demon crawling out from an abysmal pit.

 Chapter 447 - 447 436 A Personal Lesson

    ?Chapter 447: Chapter 436: A Personal Lesson   Chapter 447: Chapter 436: A Personal Lesson                                   By the time he realized what was happening, he had already been kicked flying.

    Gu Jiahaoy on the ground,pletely dumbfounded, clutching his chest without understanding why, extending his hand towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°President Zhan, why did you kick me? Was it them who deceived you, not me! I even kindly warned you to stay away from this woman¡­¡±

    How on earth had he offended Zhan Qipei?

    What virtue or ability did these two little beggars have to get in front of Zhan Qipei??

    They caused him to be beaten so badly, yet he dared not talk back!

    But this scene seemed somewhat familiar.

    Just a few days ago, he was also kicked flying by the woman in front of him. Today, Zhan Qipei gave him another kick.

    The injuries fromst time had not yet healed, and he was already hurt again. How could he be so unlucky!

    Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his dark eyes, the ferocity hidden inside flickered again, just as he was about to take action when Qiao Jing stopped him.

    He immediately understood that Qiao Jing wanted to handle the situation herself, so he left her in full charge.

    Him being there to back Qiao Jing up was sufficient.

    However¡­it seemed like his wife didn¡¯t need his help to cover for her.

    After all, his wife was a boss herself.

    Qiao Jing advanced a few steps, standing imposingly in front of Gu Jiahao, gazing down at the person on the ground from her superior position.

    Her icy gaze was like a sharp sword, capable of piercing directly through one¡¯s heart, and she slightly parted her red lips.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time, did you hurt them?¡±

    When Gu Jiahao saw that Qiao Jing was approaching him, to regain some face for himself, he braced against a tree and forcibly stood up.

    ¡°What if I did? You want to fight with me again?¡±

    He was not afraid!

    After all, it didn¡¯t seem like President Zhan and this woman were acquainted, at least President Zhan had not yet taken a stance.

    No matter what, he had to reim the face he lostst time!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curled upwards, but her face held no trace of a smile, her voice chanting like a demon, echoing in Gu Jiahao¡¯s ears.

    ¡°You will regret this.¡±

    The moment her words fell, another ¡°snap¡± sound filled the air.

    Following that, there was another scream from Gu Jiahao like a pig being ughtered.

    ¡°Ah¡ª!! Are you freaking crazy?!¡±

    The finger he was just pointing with, was indeed forcefully broken by this woman!

    Gu Jiahao¡¯s face grew paler, his forehead covered with sweat beads the size of soybeans.

    Qiao Jing ignored what Gu Jiahao said and turned to look at the two little ones.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan, turn around.¡±

    The two little ones¡¯ faces were full of confusion, but they obediently turned around.

    Zhan Qipei conveniently blocked behind Pingping and Anan, ensuring that even if they turned back, they wouldn¡¯t see what was happening on Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Gu Jiahao¡¯s eyes widened, and he backed up a few steps against the wall.

    ¡°What do you want to do? Not letting those two little beggars see? You¡ªyou¡ªyou¡­ don¡¯t get cocky! There are other people in this orphanage, right? If you dare to hurt me, they can all hear it! And the Gu Family won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cold eyes flickered with icy light as she pulled out two silver needles from her pocket.

    Upon seeing the chilling silver needles, Gu Jiahaopletely forget his pain and, terrified, he directly ¡°plop¡± fell on his knees on the ground.

    ¡°What¡ªare you trying to do? Dare to touch me and see!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fingertips lightly reddened as she held the silver needles, looking emotionlessly at Gu Jiahao.

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t calm down after seeing the two little ones injured, especially Anan, whose knees were already scraped and bleeding.

    The more she thought about it, the darker her expression became.

    Just as she was about to take action, she remembered that the little ones were still young and might not react well to seeing an act of violence.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing turned to nce at the little ones, but found that Pingping and Anan were obscured by Zhan Qipei.

    She met the man¡¯s dark eyes, recognizing the trust for her within them.

    Gu Jiahao, noticing the distance between himself and the silver needles while Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t paying attention, moved back a bit.

    Those needles are so long, if this woman was to stab herself, it would be over!

    If she identally hit a vital acupoint, wouldn¡¯t he be done for?

    Qiao Jing noticed Gu Jiahao¡¯s movements, turned her head back slowly, and fixedly stared at him with a cold gaze.

    Gu Jiahao felt a chill on his back from Qiao Jing¡¯s intense gaze and, despite himself, began to speak.

    ¡°So what if I¡¯m threatening you, President Zhan is here as well. If you dare to make a move on me, he can witness it! Why do you like standing up for those two little beggars? They are the kind that¡ª¡ª¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when a silver needle suddenly lunged toward him!

    Gu Jiahao was so scared that he couldn¡¯t even talk clearly, his face turning utterly pale, and his lips quivering.

    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡±

    Finally, the silver needle stopped right in front of his eyes.

    Should Qiao Jing move even a millimeter closer, the needle would prate Gu Jiahao¡¯s eyeball.

    Now, Gu Jiahao was so terrified that he didn¡¯t dare breathe heavily, let alone make any sudden moves, fearing the needle might identally strike his eyeball.

    He no longer dared to talk tough, knowing it might provoke her to thrust the needle through his eyeball.

    ¡°You, you stay still, please, I beg you, madam, you are my madam, alright? Please let me go, take away the needle, take it away¡­¡±

    This woman clearly wasn¡¯t normal!

    What normal person would carry such silver needles around!!

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t n to let Gu Jiahao off, clutching another needle in her other hand, she also aimed it around his eyes.

    She slightly squinted her cold eyes.

    ¡°Where would you like me to stab you?¡±

    She wanted to stab a few acupuncture points, making Gu Jiahao suffer for a few days or even a month.

    She hadn¡¯t yet decided whether to cause him a headache or a handache, considering his fondness for hitting others, it seemed fitting to treat his hands.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Gu Jiahao instantly widened his eyes, his pupils dting.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! You¡¯re not Nanny Rong, why do you carry all those needles? Don¡¯t stab me, I beg you, I will never speak out of turn again, never hit anyone again¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing, deep in thought, retracted her needles and stood up, arms crossed.

    Although she hadn¡¯t yet decided how to proceed, she definitely wasn¡¯t going to let Gu Jiahao off easily.

    Gu Jiahao saw Qiao Jing stand up and thought she might let him go, breathing a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Scared me to death¡­ scared me to death¡­¡±

    Just as he was about to pat his wildly beating heart, he felt pain in both hands.

    One hand was fractured by Zhan Qipei, and the fingers of the other hand were also fractured by this mysterious woman.

    His luck was undoubtedly terrible today!

    Gu Jiahao cursed Qiao Jing in his mind and tried to sit up.

    From the corner of her eye, Qiao Jing spotted Gu Jiahao attempting to stand, and her expression grew colder again.

    She squatted down again, the needle in her hand stabbing forward along with her movement.

    ¡°Did I say you could get up?¡±

 Chapter 448 - 448 437 Scared to Wet His Pants

    ?Chapter 448: Chapter 437 Scared to Wet His Pants   Chapter 448: Chapter 437 Scared to Wet His Pants                                   Gu Jiahao was scared into a tremor once again, slumping directly onto the ground.

    The two silver needles returned to his view, and his emotions were like a roller coaster, soaring and plummeting.

    His pupils contracted once more!

    ¡°What are you doing¡­ why are you here again? I don¡¯t ask you to stop immediately, just please¡­ please don¡¯t shake your hand!!¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her elegant brows and made up her mind.

    It would be better to let Gu Jiahao¡¯s hand hurt for half a month or so, to teach him a lesson.

    As she was thinking, her silver needles moved away from in front of Gu Jiahao.

    Instead of feeling relieved when he saw the silver needles move away, Gu Jiahao became even more tense.

    Considering the disy Qiao Jing had just put on with putting away the needles and then bringing them back, he was scared out of his wits.

    The next second, Gu Jiahao felt a sharp pain at his wrist.

    He looked toward his wrist and saw Qiao Jing sticking needles into him, which startled him greatly, and instinctively, he tried to struggle.

    ¡°Damn it! What are you doing?! Let go of me!!!¡±

    During the struggle, tiny beads of blood appeared at the site of the needle.

    Upon seeing the blood, Gu Jiahao nearly rolled his eyes back, almost passing away right then and there!

    A strange smell suddenly wafted through the air.

    In that moment, Gu Jiahao instantly knew what happened to him.

    A man in his twenties, the distinguished young master of the Gu Family, actually¡ª

    ¡ªhad been scared by a woman until he wet his pants!

    Now, that was a monumental embarrassment!

    After smelling the odor, Qiao Jing furrowed her elegant brows.

    With an exasperated eye roll, she let go of his hand, leaving the needle in Gu Jiahao¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, then don¡¯t move.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure if, during the process, Gu Jiahao¡¯s random movements could cause the silver needles to shift from their position.

    After all¡­ if she ¡°identally¡± stuck the wrong spot, the consequences would be gravely serious.

    Gu Jiahao stared wide-eyed, first at his wrist pierced with silver needles, then at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, don¡¯t move, just take the silver needles out, I beg you¡­¡±

    He wanted to pull out the silver needles but was afraid of a bloody mess, and even more afraid of identally sticking another spot.

    And this woman, she seemed to be skilled in acupuncture¡­

    Now that his life was in someone else¡¯s hands, he didn¡¯t dare make any reckless moves.

    A look of disdain appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she swiftly inserted the silver needles into several acupoints.

    She couldn¡¯t stand the smell and quickly withdrew the silver needles.

    Gu Jiahao felt a dull pain in his wrist when the silver needles were removed.

    He stared nkly at his wrist and then looked up at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡ª What have you done to me? Why does my hand hurt so much? You¡¯re finished! The Gu Family will never let you off! What¡¯s your name? Who are you with?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her delicate brows slightly, her expression cool as she stared at Gu Jiahao.

    Just as she was about to answer, the man beside her beat her to it.

    Zhan Qipei first took hold of Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, drawing her to his side, and spoke in a deep voice.

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡±

    This time, Gu Jiahao was utterly shocked, opened his mouth, but couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    This woman was actually Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife?

    Was she the woman named Qiao Jing?

    Was the person he had been troubling from the beginning Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife?

    He had naively believed that Qiao Jing had no connection to Zhan Qipei.

    He even thought Qiao Jing was in cahoots with the two little ones to deceive Zhan Qipei.

    Turned out he was the fool.

    Now he was done for! He had just revealed his identity!

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed abruptly, and an expression of extreme exasperation appeared on her face.

    She had thought about how to answer Gu Jiahao, but Zhan Qipei had begun once again, like before, to stress her identity.

    But now that Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were out, they couldn¡¯t be taken back, so she decided to let it go.

    Pingping and Anan couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity and turned their heads one after another.

    When the two little ones saw Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing standing together again, they knew the matter was settled.

    With their big eyes blinking, Pingping and Anan each chose someone to hold their hand and said in unison:

    ¡°Thank you, Brother Zhan!¡±

    If Brother Zhan hadn¡¯t rushed over today, the bad man would have hit Anan just then.

    So in their hearts, aside from Sister Qiao, Brother Zhan was their second angel.

    Zhan Qipei looked down at the Pingping standing beside him, his hand movement a bit stiff.

    He awkwardly rubbed the top of Pingping¡¯s small head.

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    Qiao Jing was very relieved to see that Pingping and Anan had finally broken the ice with Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    The pressure points she had needled on Gu Jiahao could keep his hand in pain for at least half a month.

    And because she deliberately needled a few extra spots, even if Gu Jiahao went to the hospital for a check-up, they wouldn¡¯t find anything wrong.

    Medication wouldn¡¯t help much, at most it would only provide a little relief.

    Pingping and Anan nodded their little heads.

    ¡°Okay, Sister Qiao.¡±

    As the group reached the entrance of the welfare center, ready to leave, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered something.

    She turned her head back and looked at Gu Jiahao, who was still slumped on the ground.

    ¡°Clean this mess up before you leave.¡±

    After dropping that line, the group left without looking back.

    In the end, only Gu Jiahao was left sitting in the welfare center¡¯s lobby, his mind subconsciously wanting to refute Qiao Jing, but he swallowed the words back.

    Because he now knew Qiao Jing¡¯s identity and dared not offend her any further.

    Moreover, he still couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong with his hand, which would throb from time to time, like countless ants biting, torturing him to death!

    To avoid being seen by others in the welfare center in such an embarrassing state, Gu Jiahao quickly stood up and began cleaning the floor, and after finishing, he promptly left.

    After returning to Nantai Apartment, Qiao Jing quickly found the medicine box.

    Originally, she had wanted to treat the little ones¡¯ wounds in the car, but there were no tools avable.

    Qiao Jing took out hydrogen peroxide and gauze from the box, and also grabbed a bottle of soothing cream.

    Since Anan had bled from falling, she decided to treat Anan¡¯s wound first.

    ¡°Pingping, I¡¯ll take care of Anan¡¯s wound first.¡±

    The bottle of soothing cream was for Pingping, to be applied to the red marks on her neck.

    Because they couldn¡¯t stop at the entrance of the welfare center, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t arrive in time.

    But luckily, the injuries to the two little ones weren¡¯t very serious.

    Pingping nodded her little head and sat obediently on the sofa nearby.

    While disinfecting Anan¡¯s wound, Qiao Jing asked:

    ¡°How did you fall? Did Gu Jiahao push you? What exactly happened at that time?¡±

    Pingping ¡°mmm¡±ed and briefly exined the situation at that time.

    ¡°He was grabbing my cor. I told Anan to go find a teacher, and she identally fell.¡±

    Anan, feeling the pain of the wound, scrunched up her little face and cried out:

    ¡°Sister Qiao, it hurts¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing immediately wiped Anan¡¯s wound with a clean piece of gauze.

    ¡°Does it feel any better now?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, who had been standing aside, had no intention of helping, as he knew nothing about medical treatment.

    But seeing Pingping sitting alone on the sofa, he hesitated for a moment.

    In the end, he stepped forward and picked up the bottle of soothing cream.

 Chapter 449 - 449 438 Won the Prize

    ?Chapter 449: Chapter 438 Won the Prize   Chapter 449: Chapter 438 Won the Prize                                   Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s movement and looked up at the man.

    ¡°Are you going to apply medicine to Pingping?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded, a look of awkwardness on his face,

    ¡°Yes, is there anything I should pay attention to?¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in the process of disinfecting Anan¡¯s wound and ryed the precautions to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Just use a cotton swab to apply a thickyer,¡± she advised.

    Originally, she had nned to treat Anan¡¯s wounds before moving on to Pingping¡¯s.

    But now that Zhan Qipei was willing to take the initiative to treat Pingping¡¯s wounds, it couldn¡¯t be better, as it would certainly help to further their rtionship.

    Zhan Qipei responded affirmatively and found a cotton swab in the medicine kit.

    When Pingping saw that Zhan Qipei was going to tend to his wounds, he seemed somewhat at a loss.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, I can do it myself,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Pingping¡¯s face and she noticed that the fear in the boy¡¯s eyes had vanished, which filled her with relief.

    After all, it was Zhan Qipei who had rushed over to save them from Gu Jiahao¡¯s actions just before.

    So, in the hearts of the two children, they certainly ced Zhan Qipei on the same level as her.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, using the cotton swab to dig out a spoonful of medicine from the jar.

    ¡°Lift your head.¡±

    Pingping blinked vacantly for a moment, then obediently lifted his head, revealing the wound on his neck.

    Upon seeing the injury on Pingping¡¯s neck clearly, Zhan Qipei¡¯splexion darkened instantly.

    His hand, holding the cotton swab, paused for a second before gently applying the ointment to Pingping¡¯s neck.

    There were parts of the red ring around Pingping¡¯s neck that were bleeding, a clear sign of how forcefully Gu Jiahao must have grabbed the cor, seemingly intent on strangling the child to death.

    Thinking about this, Zhan Qipei identally snapped the cotton swab in his hand without realizing it.

    He looked down at the broken swab that had fallen to the floor and then back at Pingping¡¯s wound.

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±

    The punishment for Gu Jiahao was still not enough.

    Even though he knew that the needles Qiao Jing jabbed into Gu Jiahao would make him suffer, Zhan Qipei felt he still needed to take action.

    Zhan Qipei did not immediately reach for another cotton swab; instead, he took out his phone and sent a message to Tang Yan before putting it away.

    Because Pingping noticed that Zhan Qipei was going to apply medicine to him, he kept his head raised even when he noticed the cotton swab had fallen.

    He made an effort to look down and caught sight of Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark expression.

    This time, Pingping, unlike before, did not show any fear; instead, he asked Zhan Qipei with concern,

    ¡°Brother Zhan, are you unhappy?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gloomy face then softened, and his furrowed brows gradually rxed.

    ¡°No,¡± he replied.

    Seeing how sensible the two little ones were, he¡¯d ¡°reluctantly¡± treat them as if they were his own children.

    And since his wife seemed to really like Pingping and Anan, he¡¯d ¡°reluctantly¡± ept them.

    But if they tried topete with him for his wife¡¯s attention, he¡¯d still be unhappy.

    His principle was¡ª

    As long as they didn¡¯t vie for his wife¡¯s love, anything was fine.

    Pingping simply uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± and did not pursue the matter further.

    Zhan Qipei then took another cotton swab, reapplied ointment, and continued treating Pingping¡¯s wound.

    Qiao Jing had meant to ask a few questions when she saw the cotton swab break in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand,

    but seeing the grown-up and the child start to chat, she chose not to disturb them.

    After treating Anan¡¯s wound, Qiao Jing stood up and tried to lift the two children¡¯s backpacks onto the sofa, only to find them unexpectedly heavy. She almost couldn¡¯t react in time.

    She had thought they were just normal backpacks, but they were as heavy as rocks.

    Qiao Jing looked at the two kids with a puzzled expression and managed to lift the backpacks onto the sofa with some effort.

    ¡°What¡¯s in your backpacks that they¡¯re so heavy? Be careful, or the weight might stunt your growth. You can¡¯t carry such heavy bags anymore.¡±

    Considering the slim builds of Pingping and Anan, carrying these hefty weights must be very difficult.

    However, she was a bit curious, what exactly did the two kids put in their backpacks to make them so heavy? Since the backpacks she bought had manypartments and could fit a lot of items, could it be that Pingping and Anan stuffed all their textbooks inside?

    She had just sent Pingping and Anan to the welfare institute less than a week ago. Were the kids already carrying these heavy ¡°stones¡± to school?

    How had she not noticed before that any of the children from the welfare institute had such heavy backpacks?

    After seeing her wound dressed, Anan instinctively wanted to walk over to Qiao Jing to exin what was in the backpack herself.

    But she hadn¡¯t taken a few steps before her wound started to throb subtly.

    Qiao Jing, catching Anan¡¯s movement from the corner of her eye, immediately spoke up to stop her.

    ¡°Anan, go sit back down. You¡¯ve just had your wound treated and can¡¯t move around!¡±

    Anan pouted and sat back down on the sofa, looking a bit aggrieved.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, our backpacks have our clothes and textbooks in them. That¡¯s all.¡±

    Pingping also quickly answered Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, there are books, homework, and clothes inside.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Can I have a look at your backpacks?¡±

    She remembered that the books from the welfare institute weren¡¯t that numerous; at least, they didn¡¯t weigh down the kids like a couple of rocks. What would they do if they got crushed?

    Since Pingping was currently having ointment applied, he couldn¡¯t nod and merely answered Qiao Jing in a low voice.

    ¡°Of course, you can.¡±

    Anan looked at her knee, somewhat disheartened, and let out a long sigh.

    ¡°Ah¡ªI wanted to personally introduce my backpack to Sister Qiao, no, my treasure chest!¡±

    Qiao Jing sighed with resignation and conveniently ced the backpack next to Anan.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll open it for you, and you can introduce it.¡±

    Anan¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded her little head, filled with anticipation.

    She wanted to tell Sister Qiao the news of her award!

    As Qiao Jing opened the zipper of the backpack, the first thing she saw was a thick dictionary.

    She curiously took out the dictionary from Anan¡¯s backpack and discovered it was the Xinhua Dictionary, which all elementary students in the country have used.

    She opened Pingping¡¯s backpack and found another thick dictionary there as well.

    As she took out the dictionary from Pingping¡¯s backpack, a look of surprise spread across her face.

    If it had been the Xinhua Dictionary, that would have been understandable. After all, the kids hadn¡¯t attended school before and would need the Xinhua Dictionary to help with their sses.

    But why was Pingping carrying such a thick English dictionary?

    No wonder the backpacks were so heavy; these two ¡®bricks¡¯ ounted for half the weight.

    Seeing Qiao Jing take out the dictionaries, Anan¡¯s face lit up with joy.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! These are rewards we earned from working at the welfare institute. The teachers said each of the most diligent children would get one.

    Brother got first ce in the next ss over! I got first ce, too.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing picked up the two dictionaries and furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Can you finish learning from them?¡±

    It would certainly be very difficult for the two young kids to study from both books at the same time.

    Moreover, they were just starting to learn the alphabet, so how could they possibly master twonguages?

 Chapter 450 - 450 439 Zhan Qipei has dinner with another

    ?Chapter 450: Chapter 439 Zhan Qipei has dinner with another woman   Chapter 450: Chapter 439 Zhan Qipei has dinner with another woman                                   Pingping and Anan nodded quickly in unison, saying:

    ¡°We can finish learning it!¡±

    Pingping spoke with great sincerity, expressing both his and Anan¡¯s goals.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, we want to study hard because, that way, when we grow up, we can repay you better for all your kindness!¡±

    Qiao Jing had no way to deal with the two little ones and could only shake her head helplessly.

    ¡°Alright, I know. Then I¡¯ll wait for you to grow up and repay me.

    Let¡¯s not go out to y tonight; we can go tomorrow, okay? Your injuries are too severe.¡±

    Especially Anan, who had even scraped his knee to the point of bleeding; she had no chance of taking them out tonight.

    The two little ones obediently nodded, indicating that they would follow Qiao Jing¡¯smands on everything.

    Qiao Jing took out two ¡°stones¡± from the little ones¡¯ backpacks and ced them on a table nearby, instructing Pingping and Anan.

    ¡°You can put this dictionary in the drawer, or you can keep it on the bed and sleep with it, but you must not carry it on your back, because it¡¯s too heavy, and you¡¯ll turn into little dwarfs.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Anan¡¯s little face immediately fell, and he muttered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a little dwarf¡­ I want to be a little tall person!¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by Anan¡¯s back, reaching out to tousle his hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a little tall person; it¡¯s growing up.¡±

    Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of some strange movements from the corner of her eye by Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei had already finished treating Pingping¡¯s wounds, and at that moment, he was looking at something on his phone, frowning intensely.

    Moreover, the man kept stealthily ncing over at her from time to time?

    What¡¯s wrong with this rascal man?

    Why is he acting so weird?

    Zhan Qipei looked up, meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicious eyes.

    He put away his phone and started to help Qiao Jing make arrangements for Pingping and Anan.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything more, not taking that act to heart.

    ¨C

    The following morning.

    When Qiao Jing got up and came to the living room, she found Pingping and Anan already awake, sitting on the sofa staring fixedly at the television screen.

    Her gaze fell on the television, only to discover that what was ying was an animated film from a long time ago.

    Although she wanted to help turn back to the animations that children now loved to watch, she found that Pingping and Anan had no interest in those and only wanted to watch the one from before.

    Qiao Jing decided not to intervene any further. The fact that the television was on told her all she needed to know about who had turned it on; her eyes then fell on Mr. Zhan Qipei, who was busy in the kitchen.

    Looking at the movie channel, it was obvious that it was from ten or twenty years ago. Zhan Qipei, like an old antique, hadn¡¯t yed some of the very popr contemporary animations for the little ones.

    After having breakfast with Pingping and Anan, Qiao Jing looked towards Zhan Qipei and suggested:

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take Pingping and Anan out shopping?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his smoke-and-mist-like eyebrows, his dark eyes staring unwaveringly at Qiao Jing.

    After a few seconds, his face showed a deep sense of guilt.

    ¡°Sorry, today I have a very important matter to attend to. I¡¯ll have to go out after breakfast. How about we go tomorrow?¡±

    Mainly because the situation this time was tricky, and if he didn¡¯t go, trouble would likelye knocking on his door.

    He didn¡¯t want to let any trouble interfere with Qiao Jing.

    He just wanted to have a world of their own with his wife.

    Qiao Jing paused in her eating, feeling somewhat perplexed.

    Zhan Qipei would usually follow her without hesitation, practically glued to her 24/7.

    Why was he acting so out of character today?

    But it was also good for her to have less entanglement.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s red lips parted slightly.

    ¡°Alright, you go ahead.¡±

    Pingping and Anan, curious, tilted their little heads and looked at Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, without any hesitation, he walked to the entrance to change his shoes, looking hurried.

    What on earth could be so urgent to get Zhan Qipei in such a rush?

    Could it be that Zhan Corporation had another billion-dor deal?

    After changing his shoes, Zhan Qipei left home straight away.

    Not until the door closed did Pingping and Anan begin to speak.

    Pingping, with a furrowed brow, looked at Qiao Jing, puzzled.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, what is Brother Zhan in such a hurry for?¡±

    Anan also ¡°mm-hmm¡± twice, herrge eyes staring in the direction of the door.

    ¡°Brother Zhan left without going shopping with us¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing extended her hands and poked Anan¡¯s drooping lips, bringing a smile back to her face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to, perhaps there¡¯s something at thepany, and besides, I¡¯m here to shop with you. Why the long faces?¡±

    As she spoke, she began to remove the bandage from Anan¡¯s knees and saw that the wound had scabbed over.

    Fortunately, the ointment she had applied to Anan¡¯s wound yesterday was the best she had formted, so the healing was quick.

    Now, with nothing more to dwell on, the little ones finished breakfast and followed Qiao Jing out the door.

    When Qiao Jing and the kids arrived at the entrance of Wanxiang City, she took their hands and was about to walk inside.

    Passing by a restaurant on the first floor, Pingping suddenly stopped.

    Qiao Jing looked puzzled as she walked up to the child and was about to ask what was wrong when she noticed Pingping continuously staring in one direction.

    With curiosity, she followed Pingping¡¯s gaze and the next second, through the transparent window¡ª

    She saw a man in a suit with his back to them, and opposite him sat a woman in a gown and high-heels.

    That man¡¯s silhouette was unmistakably Zhan Qipei¡¯s!

    The two were chatting, the woman¡¯s face adorned with a smile, seemingly enjoying a pleasant conversation.

    Qiao Jing froze for a moment, a trace of confusion and puzzlement flitted across her eyes.

    Was this the ¡®very important matter¡¯ Zhan Qipei referred to?

    Having a meal with this woman she had never seen before?

    And who was this woman? What was her rtionship with Zhan Qipei?

    Qiao Jing suddenly realized what she was actually thinking about and her brows furrowed.

    She casually withdrew her gaze from Zhan Qipei and took Pingping¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Pingping, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She and Zhan Qipei were just trying things out, she wasn¡¯t going to interfere with his life.

    So who he dined with was his business, and she had no right to interfere.

    And this woman, based merely on appearance and temperament, did seem well-matched with Zhan Qipei.

    If the two of them intended to be together, she was ready to step aside.

    After all, a melon forced off its vine is not sweet, and she had been prepared from the start. If someone more suitable for Zhan Qipei appeared during this time, she would leave.

    Moreover, the woman¡¯s smile was remarkably radiant, constantly fixing her gaze on Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing knew that Zhan Qipei had always shown little interest in women, or else he wouldn¡¯t have been single all these years.

    But now, he was dining with another woman¡­ so she assumed Zhan Qipei must see this woman as special.

    What kind of special, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to ponder, instead, she took Pingping¡¯s hand and walked in the other direction.

    Pingping was deeply puzzled; her body followed Qiao Jing, but her soul lingered at the entrance of that restaurant.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, was that person just now Brother Zhan?¡±

    Anan too had noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s silhouette and followed up with a question.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I also saw it, it looked just like Brother Zhan. Who is the woman with him?¡±

    After the kids asked their questions, they keenly caught Qiao Jing¡¯s momentary frown and her unountably downcast mood.

 Chapter 451 - 451 440 Accidentally Cut My Finger

    ?Chapter 451: Chapter 440: identally Cut My Finger   Chapter 451: Chapter 440: identally Cut My Finger                                   Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hide anything from the two little ones and answered them truthfully.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Zhan Qipei. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Pingping and Anan exchanged a nce, their faces filled with concern as they looked at Qiao Jing.

    Pingping cautiously nced at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, why are you unhappy?¡±

    Anan silently walked over to Qiao Jing and took her hand.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, don¡¯t be unhappy. You have me and brother here!¡±

    Qiao Jing, who usually showed no expression, now disyed a hint of astonishment on her face.

    How did these two little ones notice?

    She was indeed slightly ufortable, but it was just a little bit, and she believed she hid it well, hardly noticeable to others.

    Gathering her thoughts, Qiao Jing squatted down and gently rubbed both little ones¡¯ heads.

    ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy; you¡¯re thinking too much.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, truer than pearls.¡±

    A faint smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she suppressed the difort deep in her heart.

    She was an adult; how could she let two little ones worry about her.

    After hearing Qiao Jing confirm repeatedly, the two little ones finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue ying. I actually brought you here to buy some snacks today¡­¡±

    In the time that followed, Qiao Jing and the two little ones bought many things before returning home.

    Nantai Apartment.

    As soon as Qiao Jing put her shopping bags down, she suddenly remembered that she hadn¡¯t had time to buy groceries.

    She quickly walked to the refrigerator to see if there were any supplies left.

    After opening the refrigerator, she found it stuffed with vegetables.

    All were bought and stored by Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing took a carrot and corn from the fridge, her eyes wandering.

    Lately, it had always been Zhan Qipei cooking at home, but today she finally got a chance to cook for the little ones herself.

    Qiao Jing washed these ingredients and started dicing.

    While cutting the vegetables, the image of Zhan Qipeiughing and dining with a strange woman suddenly shed through her mind.

    She was distracted, and her fingertip stung.

    She cut her finger.

    Qiao Jing looked at her finger, blood continuously seeping out, quickly opened the faucet to rinse the wound until it no longer bled, then she went back to the living room to look for a bandage.

    What was she doing?

    How could she cut her hand just by cutting vegetables?

    Could it be because it¡¯s been too long since she cooked, and her knife skills had regressed?

    Qiao Jing frowned deeply, her expression gradually darkening as she pursed her red lips.

    Pingping and Anan noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s actions and toddled over to her side.

    Anan almost instantly saw Qiao Jing¡¯s finger, her eyes widening slightly.

    She had be much braver and directly reached for Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! What happened to your hand? There¡¯s blood!¡±

    Only then did Qiao Jing notice that her wound was again showing faint signs of bleeding; she quickly found a bandage in the medicine box and applied it to the cut.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a little ident just now, but it has stopped bleeding.¡±

    Pingping, furrowing his small brows without hesitation, carried a small stool and walked into the kitchen.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, let me help you cook.¡±

    Seeing Sister Qiao¡¯s hand injured made his heart ache in the same way it did when he saw Anan hurt.

    He didn¡¯t want Sister Qiao to get hurt.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile and shake her head as she looked at Pingping, who wasn¡¯t even as tall as the kitchen counter.

    ¡°Pingping, I¡¯m fine, I can do it myself. When you¡¯re a bit taller, I¡¯ll teach you how to cook myself, and then you cane help me, okay?¡±

    She felt a bit amused when she saw Pingping dragging a stool over to the side of the stove.

    But thinking about how Pingping genuinely wanted to help her, she had to hold back herughter.

    She could feel Pingping trying to find ways to repay her. Though clumsy, she could still sense Pingping¡¯s good intentions.

    Qiao Jing returned to the kitchen and continued to deal with the vegetables she hadn¡¯t finished cutting.

    Pingping didn¡¯t leave. He moved his little stool to the doorstep of the kitchen, standing on it and watching Qiao Jing cook with the stance of a guarding soldier.

    Anan also brought another stool over, scooting it next to Pingping¡¯s. After mbering up with her short little legs, her big eyes fixated unwaveringly on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! Let me and brother protect you!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at her two little guardians on either side, a gentle smile spreading across her face.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance, but can you really protect me?¡±

    Pingping immediately responded to Qiao Jing, nodding his little head seriously and patting his little chest with a solemn look.

    ¡°Yes! Sister Qiao, if you cut your fingers again, I have band-aids.¡±

    He spread out his little hand to show Qiao Jing the band-aids in his palm.

    Anan too patted her little chest and stood up straight.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, don¡¯t worry, with me and brother here, the knife monster won¡¯t dare to hurt you again!¡±

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helplessly, touched her forehead, put down the knife, and approached the two little ones, gently scraping their noses.

    ¡°That was just an ident. Come down now, standing so high you might identally fall.¡±

    Anan looked warily at the knife.

    ¡°No, the knife monster is still there, we can¡¯t leave!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head and looked at the lonely knife lying on the cutting board and couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud when she heard how Anan described it.

    ¡°Hahaha,e down now, and I¡¯ll make you some egg fried rice.¡±

    Having gone back and forth with the two little ones, she felt the inexplicable cloudiness in her heart dissipate.

    She didn¡¯t know why she had felt a bit irritated, but now she wasn¡¯t feeling it anymore.

    With thepany of the two little ones, her mood instantly improved.

    Pingping and Anan saw Qiao Jingugh and exchanged nces, both cracking a smile.

    They moved closer to each other and whispered:

    ¡°Mission aplished for the ¡®Make Sister Qiao Happy Squad¡¯!¡±

    Qiao Jing finished making the egg fried rice, served it up, and dished out a bowl for each of the little ones.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve cooked for you. Before, it was always Brother Zhan who cooked. Try this and see if it tastes better when I make it or when he does.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, both little ones acted as if they were entrusted with a very solemn task. They nodded seriously, scooped up a spoonful of fried rice, and put it into their mouths.

    A momentter, Pingping and Anan unanimously delivered their verdict.

    ¡°Sister Qiao¡¯s is tasty!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, her expression softening a lot.

    ¡°This afternoon, I¡¯ll take you to the amusement park again.¡±

    The two little ones¡¯ faces lit up with big smiles, and they started to cuddle Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    After resting a bit after the meal, Qiao Jing took Pingping and Anan to the amusement park to y.

    This time, because the park wasn¡¯t privately rented, it was quite bustling, and they yed till the evening, still not fully satisfied.

    Seeing that it was getting toote, Qiao Jing could only take Pingping and Anan back home.

    Just as they got home, her phone rang.

    Qiao Jing nced at the caller ID and saw it was Ni Yue. She suddenly remembered that today was the day she was supposed to help by setting up a date.

    But she had sessfully gotten Ni Yue out of the house, and by now, the two should have met.

    It wouldn¡¯t be a call to discover something and scold her, would it?

 Chapter 452 - 452 441 Zhan Qipei and Another Woman Checked

    ?Chapter 452: Chapter 441: Zhan Qipei and Another Woman Checked into a Hotel!   Chapter 452: Chapter 441: Zhan Qipei and Another Woman Checked into a Hotel!                                   Qiao Jing pressed the answer key.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s hurried breathing came through the phone. She took a deep breath, paused for a moment, and then began to speak.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, I didn¡¯t see you when I got to the restaurant, and guess who I saw?¡±

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her delicate eyebrows, feigning confusion:

    ¡°I got caught up in something and haven¡¯t made it over yet. Who did you run into?¡±

    She knew it was the second brother, but she had no idea how they were getting along this time.

    If the second brother still hadn¡¯t made any progress, or even got pped by Ni Yue again, she would not help them any further after this episode.

    Because if they were destined not to be together, no amount of matchmaking on her part would yield results.

    Ni Yue clicked her tongue with full disdain in her tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s that Yu Yangqi who I ppedst time. I ran into him again. What kind of fate is this? He¡¯s still clinging to me just like before.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, silently criticizing in her heart.

    It wasn¡¯t fate after all; it was her matchmaking handiwork.

    ¡°Hmm, and then? Did you drive him away again?¡±

    There was sudden silence on Ni Yue¡¯s end.

    Soon after, Qiao Jing heard Yu Yangqi¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Boss!¡±

    A flicker of surprise crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been driven away yet?¡±

    If the second brother hadn¡¯t been driven away by now, it was likely there was hope for him.

    After all, Ni Yue¡¯s previous reactions had been to either leave without a word or to resort to pping, just likest time.

    Yu Yangqi spoke discontentedly.

    ¡°Boss, what are you talking about? What do you mean by ¡®driven away¡¯? Ni Yue doesn¡¯t have the heart to drive me away now.¡±

    No sooner had Yu Yangqi finished speaking, Qiao Jing heard Ni Yue¡¯s voice over the phone.

    ¡°Damn it! Who doesn¡¯t have the heart to drive you away? Give me back my phone, and go stand over there!¡±

    The next second was followed by a crisp ¡°snap,¡± and then came Yu Yangqi¡¯s scream.

    ¡°Ow¡ª!!¡±

    The phone was quickly back in Ni Yue¡¯s hands, and she hemmed and hawed, seeming to have something she wanted to say.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing¡­ I wanted to ignore him, but he just kept following me after I left the restaurant. Then, as I was passing a nearby hotel¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing gave a nomittal ¡°Hmm,¡± waiting for Ni Yue to continue.

    Ni Yue¡¯s tone suddenly turned displeased.

    ¡°Guess what I saw?! What the heck is going on with your man? Going into a hotel with another woman?? At first, I thought I had seen wrong. I rubbed my eyes several times, but it was Zhan Qipei!

    Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s cheating. I¡¯m going to catch them in the act right now. I didn¡¯t drive Yu Yangqi away because I thought I could use an extra hand. Watch me tear that mistress¡¯s face apart! It¡¯s driving me crazy!¡±

    After hearing Ni Yue¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, ncing at the clock on the wall.

    The time was nine o¡¯clock at night.

    From morning until now, Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t returned home.

    Her heart should be without ripples, but why did she feel somewhat annoyed?

    When Qiao Jing realized the disquiet in her emotions, she furrowed her brows and closed her eyes for a moment.

    When she opened her eyes again, they had cleared, and she spoke in a subdued tone.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go up.¡±

    She wanted to trust Zhan Qipei, and she believed that her rtionship with Zhan Qipei had reached a point where they could trust each other implicitly.

    But today, Zhan Qipei was really acting out of character.

    She might understand going out for a meal, but what was Zhan Qipei doing at the hotel with that womante at night?

    Were they nning to spend the night?

    Considering their current rtionship, she and Zhan Qipei weren¡¯t divorced yet.

    If this damn man was staying at a hotel with another woman, it would constitute marital infidelity.

    Upon hearing this, Ni Yue rolled up her sleeves and marched toward the hotel, fuming with rage, without forgetting to speak to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing! I¡¯ve always told you, not a single man is good, they¡¯re all pigs!! Just divorce Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m with you, and right now I¡¯m going to catch them in the act! With all the gossip involving Zhan Qipei, we can definitely make a lot of money.

    I¡¯m so angry; if I¡¯d known Zhan Qipei was this kind of person, I wouldn¡¯t have let you be with him no matter what. And you¡¯re still giving him chances, no way!¡±

    Yu Yangqi, who was an innocent bystander, quietly corrected Ni Yue¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Ni Yue, I wouldn¡¯t do that, you can¡¯t generalize like this, I certainly wouldn¡¯t cheat¡ª¡±

    He was cut off by a re from Ni Yue before he could finish.

    Yu Yangqi had no choice but to swallow his words.

    After listening to Ni Yue, Qiao Jing helplessly massaged her forehead.

    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. Go ahead and do your things. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±

    Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t spent the night at the hotel yet, so she couldn¡¯t just conclude he was being unfaithful.

    She could wait and seeter on. If Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯t returned, she would give him a call to inquire.

    Ni Yue huffed and pulled back her foot, ready to leave, as she earnestly tried to persuade Qiao Jing.

    ¡°How can I ignore this? If he ends up bringing a mistress into the house in some grandiose drama, I¡¯ll storm to the Zhan Family and give them a piece of my mind! I want to see which shameless woman dares to seduce a married man!

    Xiao Jingjing, listen to me, divorce Zhan Qipei now, or call him right now to find out what¡¯s really going on. I can¡¯t stand it. If you don¡¯t call him and clear this up, I¡¯m going to burst in there and confront them!¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, her eyebrows knitted together.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive. You guys go back first. I¡¯ll call and ask him.¡±

    Clouds of doubt and difort seemed to gather in her heart at this moment.

    She wanted to get to the bottom of this situation right now.

    Ni Yue hesitated for a while but eventually agreed reluctantly.

    ¡°Alright, I trust you can handle it, but you still need to think about divorce. Xiao Jingjing, I think you can live well on your own, and with how capable you are, you¡¯re notcking for men. If it reallyes down to it, you might consider being with me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to see Qiao Jing constrained by marriage. She felt the best version of Qiao Jing was when she was free and unfettered.

    In her heart, Qiao Jing had always been a career-driven, strong independent woman, not bound by anything.

    And now, because of Zhan Qipei, he would get jealous even if she simply made ns to meet Qiao Jing.

    She had thought Zhan Qipei was bearable at first.

    Turns out he was no good at all!!

    Yu Yangqi became an innocent victim once more, but he didn¡¯t dare to refute Ni Yue¡¯s first part of the statement, focusing only on thest part.

    ¡°Boss, don¡¯tpete with me for Ni Yue, it took me so much effort¡­¡±

    Ni Yue gave Yu Yangqi a cold stare.

    ¡°Shut up! Just looking at men now makes me angry! You¡¯d better leave right now, or else I might lose control and start hitting someone!¡±

 Chapter 453 - 453 442 Zhan Qipei Lied

    ?Chapter 453: Chapter 442 Zhan Qipei Lied   Chapter 453: Chapter 442 Zhan Qipei Lied                                   Qiao Jing had no desire to listen to Ni Yue and their bickering anymore; there was a mysteriously urgent need to call Zhan Qipei.

    She wanted to know if Zhan Qipei would lie to herter.

    She ended the call and quickly took a seat on the sofa.

    Pingping and Anan noticed that something was off with Sister Qiao¡¯s emotions and exchanged nces.

    They gathered together and started to whisper amongst themselves.

    ¡°Brother, is Sister Qiao unhappy?¡±

    ¡°Mhm, it looks like we need to initiate the n to cheer Sister Qiao up again!¡±

    The two little ones immediately moved closer to Qiao Jing and sat down beside her, one on each side.

    Qiao Jing lifted her hand to rub the heads of the two little ones, then made a call to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡ªBeep¡ª¡ªBeep¡ª¡ª¡±

    For some unknown reason, perhaps because of Zhan Qipei¡¯s unusual behavior today, it took him much longer to answer the phone.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows in frustration, having waited a long time with no response, until finally in thest second before the call would have disconnected automatically, the call connected.

    ¡°Hello? What¡¯s up? I was just using the bathroom and couldn¡¯t pick up the phone right away.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing inexplicably felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

    She had been with this man for months, and his voice had be so familiar to her.

    But now, she felt a weird sense of estrangement.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze grew heavier, and her cool voice broke the silence.

    ¡°Where are you now? Do you want me to save some dinner for you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei carelessly wiped his still wet hands on his suit, bringing the phone closer to himself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten outside. I am now at¡­¡±

    He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on the woman sitting on the sofa.

    He couldn¡¯t say he was at a hotel right now; otherwise, Qiao Jing might misunderstand.

    If the misunderstanding escted, it would be disastrous, as he had only just managed to close the distance in his rtionship with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting at thepany.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, the hand Qiao Jing was holding her phone with tensed up considerably, her knuckles going slightly white.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    She dropped those words and decisively hung up the call.

    Zhan Qipei had lied.

    His intentions were now quite clear.

    But she couldn¡¯t understand¡ªif Zhan Qipei had found someone more suitable than her, why wouldn¡¯t he just tell her?

    She wasn¡¯t the type to cling and pester, couldn¡¯t he have just been upfront and clear?

    She couldn¡¯t pretend to know nothing and continue trying to date Zhan Qipei.

    Pingping and Anan blinked theirrge eyes, observing Qiao Jing¡¯s expression with caution.

    ¡°Sister Qiao?¡±

    Drawn back from her wandering thoughts by the two little ones, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze refocused.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here. What¡¯s up?¡±

    She needed to make a change.

    Pingping pursed her lips, her face full of worry.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, are you unhappy? Anan and I can y with you.¡±

    Anan nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Yeah, Sister Qiao, we can chat with you, let¡¯s watch TV together?¡±

    Qiao Jing showed a faint smile, stretching her hand to poke the little ones¡¯ faces.

    ¡°It¡¯ste now; you two should go to sleep. I¡¯m not unhappy, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    During her earlier phone call with Ni Yue, she had noticed that both of the little ones had yawned.

    With all the shopping this morning, plus spending the afternoon at the amusement park, Pingping and Anan surely had depleted quite a lot of energy.

    However, Pingping and Anan didn¡¯t leave, stubbornly sitting by Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, if you¡¯re unhappy, you can talk to us,¡± they said.

    ¡°Yeah! Sister Qiao, why don¡¯t we go downstairs for a walk?¡± one suggested.

    Even though they didn¡¯t know why Sister Qiao was unhappy, they didn¡¯t want to see her upset.

    Qiao Jing quickly adjusted her mood, looking seriously at the two little ones.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me? From where could you tell that I was unhappy?¡±

    She knew her mood wasn¡¯t great, but no matter what, she couldn¡¯t let the kids worry about her.

    How had she not noticed before that Pingping and Anan were so sensitive to people¡¯s emotions?

    Anan shifted closer to Qiao Jing, reaching out with her small hand to touch the other¡¯s furrowed brow.

    ¡°We believe you, but Sister Qiao, you¡¯re frowning,¡± she exined.

    After saying this, her little hand began to smooth Qiao Jing¡¯s brows.

    The tightness in Qiao Jing¡¯s brows eased with Anan¡¯s touch.

    ¡°There, it¡¯s fine now, thank you Anan for driving my worries away,¡± she said with a gentle smile, reassuring the kids.

    Pingping and Anan looked at Qiao Jing with a mix of skepticism and hope, still seated by her side.

    Qiao Jing picked up one child in each arm and ced them in their sleeping spots.

    ¡°Sleep now. I¡¯m no longer unhappy, thanks to the two of you.¡±

    Pingping and Anan finally believed Qiao Jing and obedientlyy down in their beds to sleep.

    Meanwhile, inside the hotel.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the woman ying with her phone on the couch, and spoke expressionlessly.

    ¡°Cousin, I¡¯ve already told you how to handle the project. If you need help, contact me.¡±

    His gaze dropped to the woman¡¯s swollen ankle, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling a headacheing on.

    This person was his younger female cousin, Zhan Yunyu.

    Normally, he would have been home by now, but Zhan Yunyu had sprained her ankle, necessitating his assistance.

    Zhan Yunyu set down her phone, staring incessantly at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    ¡°In such a rush to go back? Don¡¯t you worry about leaving your little cousin alone in the hotel? Isn¡¯t that unsafe?¡±

    Zhan Qipei gave Zhan Yunyu a fleeting look.

    ¡°Cousin, you shouldn¡¯t havee back from abroad alone, and you shouldn¡¯t keep it from my parents,¡± he remarked.

    His troublesome little cousin had had a fight with her husband and impulsively returned from abroad alone, bringing a project with her¡ªand she insisted that his family must not find out, meaning he had to sneak around to help her after her injury.

    Zhan Yunyu clicked her tongue and touched her belly.

    ¡°What else could I have done? Your uncle would definitely call your house looking for me. If I had gone to your parents, they would have surely given me away,¡± sheined.

    Zhan Qipei stroked his long eyebrows.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll give you away?¡±

    His little cousin was the most troublesome, acting childishly despite being in her thirties.

    When their grandfather was alive, he had constantly worried over his granddaughter¡¯s antics; every time she had a fight with her husband, she would frequently run back to China.

    Zhan Yunyu sprawled on the couch, an air of indifference about her.

    ¡°I trust you won¡¯t betray me. Are you in such a hurry to return because of Qiao Jing?¡±

    Even though Zhan Yunyu hadn¡¯t returned for Zhan Qipei¡¯s wedding, she had heard bits about Qiao Jing, and even Su Manhan asionally messaged her, always praising Qiao Jing.

    This piqued her curiosity about her niece-inw, whom she had never met.

    Zhan Qipei grunted an acknowledgment, noticing the time was nearly ten o¡¯clock. He walked to the door without looking back.

    ¡°Cousin, take good care of yourself. I¡¯m going home.¡±

 Chapter 454 - 454 443 Misunderstanding Ferments

    ?Chapter 454: Chapter 443 Misunderstanding Ferments   Chapter 454: Chapter 443 Misunderstanding Ferments                                   As Zhan Qipei was about to leave, Zhan Yunyu spoke up and stopped him.

    ¡°Qipei, where do you live? I¡¯lle over tomorrow morning after I wake up to visit my niece-inw. I wasn¡¯t able to make it back for your wedding, so I¡¯d like to pay her a visit,¡±

    She was intensely curious about Qiao Jing. Her famously unyielding cousin had actually bloomed after meeting Qiao Jing.

    Her rather stern and easily irritable sister-inw had also showered Qiao Jing with praises, which made her all the more eager to see Qiao Jing in person.

    Especially considering her hot-tempered uncle who, she heard, was exceedingly protective of Qiao Jing, and it was he who had brought Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei together.

    She really wanted to see what was so exceptional about this Qiao Jing that she had captured the hearts of the Zhan family.

    Zhan Qipei unlocked the room door and nced back at Zhan Yunyu¡¯s ankle.

    ¡°If your foot gets better tomorrow, you cane over, we¡¯re now staying at Nantai Apartment¡­¡±

    He had hardly been home all day, and just as he finished work in the afternoon and thought of rushing back, he received a call from Zhan Yunyu.

    He was now in a hurry to get home to see Qiao Jing, not having time to linger any longer with Zhan Yunyu.

    Half an hourter.

    Zhan Qipei unlocked his home to find it shrouded in darkness except for the soft yellow light of a nightmp in the living room.

    The two little ones on the sofa had already fallen asleep, but the person he yearned for was nowhere to be seen.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his misty brows and tiptoed to Qiao Jing¡¯s room door.

    He peeked through the door crack and saw the incandescent light inside, knowing Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t fallen asleep yet.

    Because she would switch to a night light when she went to sleep.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to turn the doorknob and enter, he suddenly remembered the light sweat on his body.

    He withdrew his hand, returned to his room to find some clean clothes, and decided to take a shower before going to see Qiao Jing.

    He had barely seen Qiao Jing today and now just wanted to see her soon.

    When Zhan Qipei had finished showering and came back to Qiao Jing¡¯s room door, he noticed the light inside had dimmed, and a warm, yellow glow peeked through the door crack.

    Zhan Qipei knew Qiao Jing was preparing to sleep, his dark eyes dimming slightly.

    Aside from breakfast that morning, he had only exchanged a few words with Qiao Jing during that recent phone call and hadn¡¯t said anything else.

    But¡­

    The thought of holding Qiao Jing to sleepter made him feel a bit better.

    Just as Zhan Qipei joyfully turned the doorknob, he found that it only rotated halfway before it stuck.

    He frowned, perplexity surfacing in his eyes, and carefully tried to turn it several more times.

    But the doorknob still rotated halfway and wouldn¡¯t turn any further.

    Could it be the lock was broken?

    Zhan Qipei suddenly noticed that the room key, which normally hung in the lock, was missing.

    It had been taken by Qiao Jing.

    But why would Qiao Jing take the room key?

    Could it be¡­

    Could it be that she found out about his sneaking over to sleep at night, and that¡¯s why she took the room key?

    Now he couldn¡¯t open the door because Qiao Jing had locked it?!

    Zhan Qipei was stunned, his face nk for a moment.

    But that shouldn¡¯t be the case, as he always made sure his wife was asleep beforeing over to sleep.

    Moreover, he would wake up instantly if the woman in his arms stirred, making it impossible that Qiao Jing would wake without his knowing.

    He would also leave the room early the next morning, pretending he had never been there.

    Then why would Qiao Jing lock the door?

    Zhan Qipei was puzzled, unable toe up with a reason even after a long while.

    Since he couldn¡¯t open the door, he had no choice but to abandon the idea of entering.

    He could only go to sleep filled with thoughts of her.

    The next morning,

    When Qiao Jing woke up, she checked the time.

    It was 7:30 AM.

    She furrowed her brows and subconsciously wanted to leave the room.

    She had just reached the doorway when all of yesterday¡¯s events swarmed her mind.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cold gaze fell on the door lock, and she pursed her red lips.

    She did not leave the room but instead sat on the small balcony of the room, pulling out a medical book to browse through.

    She was feeling quite conflicted and didn¡¯t really want to deal with Zhan Qipei, nor did she know how to face him.

    Zhan Qipei was keeping quiet, apparently keeping something from her, but she did not know for how long.

    She was not ready to rify things yet, as she wanted to see when Zhan Qipei would finally tell her the truth.

    No, she wouldn¡¯t wait that long.

    In a few days, if Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯t spoken to her, she would choose to leave.

    Inside the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei had already prepared breakfast, and the porridge in the pot had been heated over and over, yet Qiao Jing still hadn¡¯te out of her room.

    The two little ones had already finished their breakfast and were now sitting at the living room table doing homework.

    Zhan Qipei reached out to touch the bowl and found that the porridge had cooled again.

    He furrowed his brows tightly, realizing something was not quite right.

    Normally, by this time, Qiao Jing should have already gotten up, but he was almost ready to go to work, and he still hadn¡¯t seen her.

    Considering she had locked her room door the night before as well, he felt inexplicably anxious.

    If something had happened to Qiao Jing in the room, and he couldn¡¯t open the door, what would he do then?

    Zhan Qipei quickly walked to the door of Qiao Jing¡¯s room and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you up yet?¡±

    No one inside the room responded to him.

    Zhan Qipei, still hopeful, knocked on the door again.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, if you are awake, answer me. I¡¯ve already made breakfast.¡±

    The response to Zhan Qipei was still silence.

    Inside the room, Qiao Jing had already put down the medical book and looked up towards the door.

    She was no longer disturbed by Zhan Qipei keeping secrets from her; one night had been enough for her to manage her emotions.

    She wouldn¡¯t dy Zhan Qipei from finding someone better, but she detested deceit.

    She not only didn¡¯t want to deal with Zhan Qipei, she didn¡¯t even want to see him.

    Zhan Qipei, looking at the tightly closed door, had concern surfacing in his dark eyes. He reached out to turn the doorknob, trying to check on her.

    But a night had passed, and Qiao Jing¡¯s room door was still locked.

    He tried several more times, but the result was the same.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cold gaze was fixed on the repeatedly twisting doorknob, but after a moment, she withdrew her gaze.

    She had locked the door precisely to prevent him from freely entering her room.

    As for if Zhan Qipei decided to break down the door, that would be a perfect excuse for her to leave the apartment.

    Zhan Qipei was growing more and more anxious, feeling a desire to kick the door down.

    Just as he lifted his foot to kick the door, he heard Pingping¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Brother Zhan, don¡¯t kick the door.¡±

    Pingping marched over with his short little legs,ing to stand beside Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Sister Qiao yed with us for a long time yesterday and was very tired, so she might still be sleeping now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei raised his eyebrows, looking doubtfully at the children.

    ¡°Then why did she lock the door?¡±

    Pingping looked towards the tightly shut door, pondering for a moment.

    ¡°Maybe Sister Qiao is so tired she didn¡¯t want to be disturbed.¡±

    Zhan Qipei finally calmed down, lowering his voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to work now. When she gets up, remind her to heat the breakfast before eating.¡±

 Chapter 455 - 455 444 Zhan Qipei Brings Another Woman Home

    ?Chapter 455: Chapter 444: Zhan Qipei Brings Another Woman Home   Chapter 455: Chapter 444: Zhan Qipei Brings Another Woman Home                                   Pingping nodded her little head and agreed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhan Qipei walked to the entrance but still felt uneasy and thought about going back to check.

    However, remembering what Pingping had said, he worried about disturbing Qiao Jing.

    In the end, he sent Qiao Jing a message before leaving the house.

    Qiao Jing sat by the bay window and, after seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s car leave theplex, stepped out of the room.

    When she reached the living room, she caught a glimpse of the porridge on the dining table from the corner of her eye.

    Qiao Jing indifferently withdrew her gaze and approached the two little ones.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s footsteps, Pingping quickly looked up.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! Are you awake?¡±

    Anan put down her pen and directly threw herself into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Sister Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and nodded, ncing at the homework the little ones were doing.

    ¡°Have you learned to recognize words now?¡±

    If in just one week, Pingping and Anan had learned to read and do homework, she could be sure the little ones were very smart, even geniuses.

    Anan shook her head and answered truthfully.

    ¡°No, but Brother knows, Brother is really awesome! He reads the questions for me, I only know a little pinyin.¡±

    Pingping, feeling embarrassed, scratched his head and his little face turned slightly red.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that awesome, just that I¡¯ve learned some characters before¡­ Oh! Sister Qiao, Brother Zhan said to heat up breakfast before you eat it.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s smile stiffened for a moment but quickly returned to normal, her gaze then shifted to the dining table.

    Despite her wish to avoid everything rted to Zhan Qipei, she still couldn¡¯t bring herself to waste food.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t forget to respond to Pingping and Anan¡¯s words, she stretched out her hand and ruffled the two little fluffy heads.

    ¡°Pingping is so awesome? Even teaching your little sister to read questions, it looks like Pingping¡¯s repayment is just around the corner.¡±

    Pingping¡¯s little face grew even redder, like a red apple.

    ¡°Not really¡­ I just know a little¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Anan widened her eyes and retorted:

    ¡°Brother, why are you lying? The teacher taught us, we can¡¯t tell lies!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked puzzledly towards Anan.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Pingping? What lie did he tell?¡±

    From her understanding of Pingping, he was not a child who would ever lie. He liked to be straightforward and was very sincere in his dealings with others.

    This made her curious about what Anan meant by saying Pingping lied.

    Pingping also looked puzzled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, how did I deceive anyone?¡±

    Anan¡¯s voice was whiny as she said:

    ¡°Brother said he only knows a little, but Brother knows a lot, he lied to you, Sister Qiao.¡±

    Qiao Jing, amused, looked at Anan and taught her a word seriously.

    ¡°Anan, when Brother knows many characters but says he doesn¡¯t, it¡¯s not lying, it¡¯s being modest. Pingping is very sincere, of course, Anan is too.¡±

    After speaking, she silently murmured the word ¡®sincere¡¯ to herself.

    Why couldn¡¯t Zhan Qipei be honest with her?

    She didn¡¯t deliberately pay attention to what time Zhan Qipei came home in the end.However¡­

    Judging by this breakfast, Zhan Qipei must have made breakfast at home this morning,

    which proves that Zhan Qipei did not stay overnight in a hotelst night.

    But why did Zhan Qipei go into a hotel with a woman?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phone suddenly rang, and when she saw that the caller was Zhan Qipei, she immediately put her phone on silent and carelessly tossed it aside.

    After she finished breakfast, she nced casually at the missed calls.

    All the missed calls and the 99+ messages were from Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing flipped through them carelessly, just about to put the phone back, when she noticed a call.

    The caller was Zhan Qipei.

    A flicker of surprise crossed the cold depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, but she did not intend to answer.

    Just as she was about to put away her phone, it vibrated several times more, as if insisting she answer or else it would keep ringing.

    With no other choice, Qiao Jing, no longer caring what the caller ID said, pressed the answer button directly.

    The moment she answered the call, she did not speak, instead waiting for the other party to speak first.

    ¡°Master!¡±

    Pingping and Anan saw Qiao Jing on the phone again, immediately shut their mouths and curiously watched her.

    After hearing the voice on the other end of the phone, Qiao Jing paused, looked at the caller ID, and saw it was Zhou Fu.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    She had thought it was Zhan Qipei calling but was surprised to find it was Zhou Fu.

    Zhou Fu¡¯s voice carried a note of concern as he rified the reason for his call.

    ¡°Master, I need to visit a patient¡¯s home this afternoon. Could you please help me out at the clinic for a bit?¡±

    Qiao Jing first looked at the two youngsters, hesitated for a moment, and then replied, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She had originally nned to send Pingping and Anan back to the orphanage a bit early around five or six in the afternoon.

    But now that Zhou Fu needed her, she had no choice but to send the youngsters back to the orphanage even sooner.

    With that, the phone call ended.

    Qiao Jing exined the situation to the youngsters, and Pingping and Anan, understanding as always, nodded their heads and began to pack up their things.

    They packed their textbooks while mumbling, exhibiting a worryingly adult-like demeanor.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, when we go back to the orphanage, don¡¯t be sad.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Sister Qiao, we¡¯ll ask the teacher to call you whenever we can. Remember to miss us.¡±

    With an extreme sense of helplessness, Qiao Jing smiled and promised the youngsters.

    ¡°Okay, just remember not to pack the dictionary unless you want to turn into dwarfs. If you do, keep carrying it.¡±

    She had never expected to see the day when these youngsters would worry about her, showing such concerned expressions that she almost thought she and Pingping and Anan had switched roles.

    Anan was slightly scared by the mention of dwarfs and quickly agreed with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Mhm! Sister Qiao, we¡¯ll just put it down when we get there.¡±

    An hourter.

    Qiao Jing took the youngsters and hailed a taxi by the roadside to send them back to the orphanage.

    As she arrived at the entrance of the orphanage, Qiao Jing felt a wave of reluctance.

    She had already watched the youngsters walk into the orphanage, but she couldn¡¯t help herself and quickly followed them.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan!¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s call, the youngsters stopped in their tracks.

    Seeing Qiao Jing walking towards them, Pingping and Anan immediately broke into a run towards her.

    In the end, Qiao Jing and the youngsters embraced tightly, and she reached out to rub their little heads.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you out again next weekend.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the youngsters keeping herpany yesterday for a long time, trying their best to make herugh, maybe her mood would still be a bit gloomy today.

    The youngsters nodded earnestly, then headed back into the orphanage.

    When Qiao Jing reached her front door, just as she was about to unlock it, she thought she heard a woman¡¯s voice inside.

    She furrowed her brows, stepped back, and looked up at the door number.

    After confirming it was indeed her house, she grew even more perplexed.

    She wasn¡¯t home, so how could there possibly be a woman¡¯s voice inside?

 Chapter 456 - 456 445 Havent Seen Qiao Jing for a Full 24

    ?Chapter 456: Chapter 445: Haven¡¯t Seen Qiao Jing for a Full 24 Hours   Chapter 456: Chapter 445: Haven¡¯t Seen Qiao Jing for a Full 24 Hours                                   Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, not rashly opening the front door but peering through the peephole instead.

    She saw a dark silhouette in her line of sight.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly, recognizing who the person was.

    Zhan Qipei.

    But wasn¡¯t he supposed to be at work at this hour?

    Why had he suddenlye back?

    And there was also the sound of a woman¡¯s voice in the house?

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, and to avoid misunderstanding Zhan Qipei, she chose to press her ear against the door, trying to make out what the people inside were saying.

    The voice of Zhan Yunyu rang out.

    ¡°Eh? Where¡¯s Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone seemed quite helpless.

    ¡°She¡¯s not home. Why didn¡¯t you stay at the hotel? Has your ankle healed so quickly?¡±

    Zhan Yunyu answered:

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell youst night that I wasing over to see her today? But I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d already gone to the office; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have called you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°She¡¯s not at home now, and I need to go to work. You should go back to the hotel.¡±

    He originally did not want toe back, but the thought of being able to see Qiao Jing if he returned made him turn the car around without hesitation.

    Since Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t home, he might as well go back to work.

    Zhan Yunyu ced the gifts she had brought on the floor and sat down directly on the couch.

    ¡°No way, let me rest for a bit. I¡¯m pregnant now, can¡¯t you show some concern? I came all this way, and you want to send me away because she¡¯s not here? That won¡¯t do. I¡¯m also feeling a bit ufortable in my belly.¡±

    Zhan Qipei gathered his long brows.

    ¡°You can find a time to visit Wonderful Hall, or wait for Qiao Jing toe back and have her take your pulse.¡±

    After hearing this, Qiao Jing did not continue to eavesdrop.

    As a result, she did not hear Zhan Yunyu¡¯s next words.

    ¡°My little nephew from childhood was so much cuter, even though he was also an iceberg face, he wasn¡¯t like this now.¡±

    Qiao Jing stood up straight, lowered her eyelids, and turned to walk into the elevator.

    All she did was send Pingping and Anan to the welfare institute, but by the time she got back, Zhan Qipei had already brought someone home.

    Moreover, Zhan Qipei had rushed back from thepany for this person.

    Most importantly, this woman was pregnant.

    She had no idea when Zhan Qipei had gotten together with this woman, perhaps even before her.

    Then why was Zhan Qipei still with her?

    She couldn¡¯t understand Zhan Qipei¡¯s actions. Now that he had brought someone home, why didn¡¯t he contact her toe back and rify things face to face?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed tighter and tighter, her mind growing more troubled the more she thought about it, and finally, she had no choice but to put these matters aside for the moment as she took a taxi to the research institute.

    It was just the right time to finish the work she hadn¡¯tpleted earlier and she had to go to Wonderful Hall in the afternoon for a consultation.

    Maybe she would run into that woman.

    Upon arriving at the research institute, Qiao Jing quickly immersed herself in her work, devoting her entire attention to it.

    Her phone was always set to silent while working, with no one able to disturb her.

    Zhan Nanqing had just returned from printing documents when she saw Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? I thought you weren¡¯ting today.¡±

    Qiao Jing did not reply to Zhan Nanqing; her mood was not good at all, and she nned to use her work to calm herself down.

    The fact that Zhan Qipei and that woman went out for meals and stayed in hotels had already made her ufortable.

    But now, that woman was actually pregnant.

    Her emotions became even moreplex than before.

    Could it be that she was seen by Zhan Qipei as someone who would cling to him and not let go?

    Was that why he chose not to tell her?

    Qiao Jing paused, stretching out a hand to her chest.

    She could feel a faint ache in her heart, but she didn¡¯t know why.

    Maybe it was because she had been deceived¡­

    Seeing Qiao Jing silent, Zhan Nanqing was about to deal with her own work, but she became curious after noticing the other¡¯s strange behavior.

    She knew Qiao Jing would immerse herself in work and no one could disturb her.

    But why was Qiao Jing touching her chest?

    Could it be¡­ was Qiao Jing not feeling well?

    The thought made Zhan Nanqing immensely worried. She tossed the materials she had been holding aside and quickly walked over to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you not feeling well?¡±

    Qiao Jing snapped back to reality and nced sideways at Zhan Nanqing, shaking her head.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Probably the Zhan family didn¡¯t know about the matter, otherwise, considering Zhan Nanqing and Su Manhan¡¯s current attitude towards her, they wouldn¡¯t have kept it a secret on Zhan Qipei¡¯s behalf.

    She didn¡¯t want to tell the Zhan family about it; she wanted to see how Zhan Qipei would handle it first.

    If he continued to y ignorant with her, she wouldn¡¯t ept it.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing with skepticism.

    ¡°Really? Then what were you doing holding your chest just now?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response but didn¡¯t say anything more, instead turning her gaze back to the workbench.

    ¡°I need to work.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, worried about distracting Qiao Jing, quickly moved aside and began organizing the documents scattered on the table.

    Suddenly, she felt her cell phone, which she had put in her pocket, vibrate several times.

    Based on the principle that she should not ck off during work hours, she didn¡¯t want to look at her phone, but then the phone began to vibrate continuously, probably because someone was calling.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, took her phone out of her pocket, and wanted to see who was calling.

    The caller¡­

    Brother?

    Why was her brother calling?

    Zhan Nanqing sneaked a nce at Qiao Jing and, seeing that she wasn¡¯t paying any attention to her, quietly slipped into the bathroom.

    She swore, she wasn¡¯t trying to ck off!

    Her brother calling must mean there was an urgent matter, as he rarely initiated calls to her¡­

    Right after Zhan Nanqing answered the phone, Zhan Qipei spoke first.

    ¡°Is Qiao Jing at the research institute?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing could hear the urgency in Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone and nced over at Qiao Jing with puzzlement.

    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    It was the first time her brother sounded so anxious on the phone; to the uninformed, it might seem like a major crisis had urred.

    Suddenly, there was no sound from Zhan Qipei¡¯s end.

    Zhan Nanqing was even more puzzled and pressed urgently,

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Brother? Don¡¯t just stop halfway!¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and slowly began to speak.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t replied to my messages, and I haven¡¯t seen her for a whole day.¡±

    Since he had left home yesterday morning, 24 hours had passed without him seeing Qiao Jing.

    Now, she wasn¡¯t even replying to his messages, and he was nearly led to believe he had done something wrong.

    But after seriously thinking for a long time, he hadn¡¯t angered Qiao Jing recently; they had just happened to miss each other due to conflicting schedules that day.

    He had called Qiao Jing with no answer and learned from the teachers at the orphanage that Pingping and Anan had been sent back.

    And if Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t returned home, she was likely still at the research institute, which is why he called Zhan Nanqing.

    He was desperately longing to hear Qiao Jing¡¯s voice.

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback and let out a stunned ¡°Ah¡±.

    ¡°What? You haven¡¯t seen Qiao Jing for a day? Aren¡¯t you two living together? How could you not see each other?¡±

    Although one day might not seem long or short, for her brother, it probably felt like a century had passed.

 Chapter 457 - 457 446 Zhan Qipeis Anxiety

    ?Chapter 457: Chapter 446: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Anxiety   Chapter 457: Chapter 446: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Anxiety                                   Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips pressed tightly into a straight, curveless line of ice as he slowly began to speak.

    ¡°Because of some mishap, I missed the time to see her, and I haven¡¯t seen her all day. Let her take my call.¡±

    He now desperately wanted to hear Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, otherwise, he was utterly unable to concentrate on his work.

    At this moment, he hadn¡¯t absorbed a single word of the document before him.

    Zhan Nanqing felt a bit troubled as she stealthily nced at Qiao Jing, who was engrossed in her work.

    ¡°Brother, but she¡¯s working right now, I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll want to talk to you.¡±

    She knew all too well that her sister-inw hated being disturbed while working.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s low voice sounded again.

    ¡°Just tell her if she doesn¡¯t want to, then never mind.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t force Qiao Jing to interrupt her work; he could wait until he got home tonight.

    Zhan Nanqing furrowed her brows, hesitating for a while.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Zhan Nanqing slowly made her way to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    She hesitated for a long time, asionally sneaking peeks at Qiao Jing.

    Should she really ask Qiao Jing to put down her work and chat with her brother on the phone?

    Knowing her brother¡¯s temperament, he would certainly want to talk to Qiao Jing for a long time.

    Qiao Jing noticed the intermittent nces being cast her way and turned slightly to look.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback, not expecting Qiao Jing to notice her.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Nothing¡­ How did you know I was looking at you?¡±

    Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless and twitched the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Your nces could practically burn a hole through me, I had no choice but to notice. If there¡¯s something you need to say, just say it.¡±

    If she hadn¡¯t noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s looks, it would mean she had grown up for nothing.

    Zhan Nanqing furrowed her brows and stammered:

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ my brother asked you to take a call.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand paused.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Could it be that he was going to clear things up with her?

    She was quite curious as to how Zhan Qipei would exin the situation to her.

    Seeing Qiao Jing agree so quickly, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face showed a look of surprise.

    She agreed that quickly?

    She had thought Qiao Jing would finish her work before listening to her brother¡¯s call!

    After all, having worked at the research institute for so long, she had never seen Qiao Jing make a personal call to ck off during work.

    Qiao Jing put down her work and walked over to sit on theb¡¯s sofa with her mobile phone.

    When she turned on her phone and reached the call log, she found a whole row of calls from Zhan Qipei.

    She didn¡¯t even need to look at the messages in WeChat; she already knew they were from Zhan Qipei.

    If Zhan Qipei was so urgent, why didn¡¯t he just tell her the truth from the start?

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to return Zhan Qipei¡¯s call, his call came in first, and she tapped to answer.

    After the call connected, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t rush to speak but waited for Zhan Qipei to say something first.

    She wanted to hear what Zhan Qipei wanted to say on this call, whether he wanted to exin that woman¡¯s matter to her.

    Zhan Qipei was relieved when the call connected.

    ¡°Qiao Jing?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response, then said nothing more.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows on the other end of the phone, sensing something was off.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    As soon as he uttered the question, he realized he had asked something stupid.

    But he felt there was something indescribably strange.

    To say it was strange, not really, because Qiao Jing usually had this kind of calm demeanor, but his intuition told him that this time, something was not right.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at the work on her desk, her cool voice rising.

    ¡°At work, you don¡¯t have anything else to say?¡±

    Zhan Qipei was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to respond to Qiao Jing.

    He had called just wanting to hear Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, otherwise, he felt ufortably distressed.

    But now, having heard her, his mood didn¡¯t seem to ease; instead, it felt even heavier.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, thinking the call had been disconnected, and nced at her phone, only to see the call was still in progress.

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±

    She had thought Zhan Qipei called to exin about that woman.

    But Zhan Qipei still refused to speak.

    Zhan Qipei opened his mouth, just as he was about to answer her, the sound of the call being disconnected came through the phone.

    A ¡°beep¡±

    The call was disconnected.

    Zhan Qipei pressed his lips tightly together, staring at the disconnected phone screen with a cold expression.

    ¡°Tang Yan.¡±

    Tang Yan immediately responded.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m here, what¡¯s up?¡±

    He just hoped the boss would ask him about work, given that the contracts on his desk were piling up like a small hill, and yet the boss hadn¡¯t looked at a single one.

    He almost wished he was Zhan Qipei, ready to finish reading these documents and sign his name immediately.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes grew heavier, feeling uncertain whether Qiao Jing was angry or not.

    ¡°What reactions do women have when they¡¯re angry?¡±

    His instincts told him Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction was a bit off, as if she was angry.

    Tang Yan felt rather speechless; if he were a character in an anime, by now, three lines of speechlessness would¡¯ve slid down his head.

    ¡°Boss¡­ I can¡¯t be certain either, because there¡¯s a saying, ¡®A woman¡¯s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.''¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Tang Yan and then looked away, searching for something on hisptop.

    Tang Yan, realizing what Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze implied, widened his eyes in disbelief.

    No way?

    Did the boss think he was useless just now??

    But he wasn¡¯t a rtionship expert, so how would he know all this??

    However¡­ the boss was now typing on the keyboard, probably dealing with contracts or something simr.

    Tang Yan felt immensely relieved and thought about giving Zhan Qipei some advice as he walked over to theptop.

    Not knowing until he looked, he was startled once he did.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯sptop screen showed a Baidu search window, and the words ¡°reactions of a woman when she¡¯s angry¡± were disyed prominently, catching one¡¯s attention immediately.

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t know how to describe his feelings anymore, and nearly cked out.

    ¡°Boss, don¡¯t search anymore. I¡¯ll tell you how Xiangxiang reacts when she¡¯s angry, but Miss Qiao¡¯s reaction might not be the same.¡±

    He thought the boss was going to take work seriously, but there he was, searching on Baidu for how women react when they¡¯re angry.

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze from the screen and looked towards Tang Yan.

    ¡°You say, Baidu doesn¡¯t seem very reliable.¡±

    Since Lin Xiuxiang and Qiao Jing were best friends, there should be somemonalities in their reactions.

    The more he read on Baidu, the stranger it seemed, and there were many possibilities, not just one or two.

    A rigid smile momentarily seized Tang Yan¡¯s face, and he inwardly sneered.

    Boss, you realize it¡¯s unreliable, huh.

    ¡°Haha¡­ indeed, it¡¯s not very reliable. When Xiangxiang gets angry, she just ignores me, giving me the cold shoulder, and it takes a long time to coax her.¡±

    If his boss kept turning to Baidu for answers, trouble would likely ensue soon.

    After all, if you search Baidu for cough and cold, it will tell you that you¡¯re gravely ill and knocking on heaven¡¯s door, turning small illnesses into big ones.

    And for emotional issues, if one were to turn to Baidu for answers, a perfectly fine couple could end up arguing and breaking up because of it.

    Zhan Qipei pondered for a while.

    ¡°But, she doesn¡¯t seem to be giving me the cold shoulder.¡±

    Because Qiao Jing had just missed his calls by chance, it probably couldn¡¯t be considered the cold shoulder.

    When she was on the phone, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t seem any different than usual.

 Chapter 458 - 458 447 Missing the Chance to Meet Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 458: Chapter 447: Missing the Chance to Meet Qiao Jing   Chapter 458: Chapter 447: Missing the Chance to Meet Qiao Jing                                   She must have been busy with work when she hung up the phone in such a hurry.

    So, it probably wasn¡¯t a cold war.

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t know the whole story and didn¡¯t dare to ask proactively, so he couldn¡¯t answer Zhan Qipei.

    Gossiping about a superior¡¯s private affairs was a surefire way to lose one¡¯s job!

    Meanwhile, at the research institute.

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing got back to work seriously.

    Zhan Nanqing sensed that something was off; her woman¡¯s intuition told her that something had happened between Qiao Jing and her brother.

    Although Qiao Jing¡¯s usual demeanor was quite detached, today it seemed over the top.

    The workload wasn¡¯t heavy today, and Qiao Jing¡¯s eagerness to hang up the phone seemed like she didn¡¯t want to talk to her brother.

    The most important point!

    During the call, she had noticed that Qiao Jing¡¯s brows were furrowed, so there must be something wrong!

    Wanting to avoid any misunderstanding between Qiao Jing and her brother that could affect their rtionship, she decided to be the scout and investigate for her brother.

    ¡°Qiao Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in her movements, her brows knitted together.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    She saw the look on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face, as if she had something to ask her.

    Could it be that Zhan Nanqing had noticed something was off?

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, Zhan Nanqing felt even more certain about her suspicions.

    ¡°Did something happen between you and my brother? Any misunderstanding? Will you tell me?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, saying resolutely,

    ¡°No.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t taint Zhan Qipei¡¯s reputation; leaving quietly was her style.

    She didn¡¯t want to have a life-or-death struggle with Zhan Qipei before leaving.

    She vividly remembered everything Zhan Qipei had done for her and would always be grateful for his kindness.

    Zhan Nanqing scrutinized Qiao Jing with a suspicious gaze, her face filled with disbelief.

    ¡°Really? Then why were you in such a rush to hang up the call just now? Work isn¡¯t that heavy today, right? For you, it should be a piece of cake, something you could finish in two hours.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips slightly and nced at Zhan Nanqing with indifference.

    ¡°I have to go to Wonderful Hall for a consultation this afternoon. If I finish earlier, I can go there sooner.¡±

    She was indeed scheduled for a consultation that afternoon, and this reason could also serve to mislead Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded her head, as if she suddenly understood.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why. I thought you had an argument with my brother. It¡¯s good that everything is fine, you scared me.¡±

    Qiao Jing uttered an ¡°Mm¡± and paid no further attention to Zhan Nanqing.

    After finishing work at noon, Qiao Jing took a taxi to Wonderful Hall.

    After work, Zhan Qipei immediately drove from Zhan Corporation to the research institute.

    When he arrived at the entrance of the institute, Zhan Qipei called Qiao Jing, but there was no answer.

    He had no choice but to get out of the car and approach the security guard.

    ¡°Is Professor Qiao here?¡±

    The security guard recognized Zhan Qipei and replied respectfully,

    ¡°President Zhan, Professor Qiao left the institute five minutes ago.¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and was about to call Zhan Nanqing when he received a phone call from Tang Yan.

    ¡°Boss! There¡¯s a problem with a project, we need you toe back and take a look.¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t n on leaving; he was eager to see Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Which project?¡±

    Tang Yan immediately answered,

    ¡°The overseas fifteen billion project.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow was tightly furrowed as he looked at the entrance of the research institute.

    He hesitated for a long time before he spoke,

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back now.¡±

    And so, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei perfectly missed the chance to meet each other.

    After arriving at the Wonderful Hall, Qiao Jing, seeing no patients around, sat down on a chair and flipped through a medical book.

    Momentster, someone entered through the door.

    Qiao Jing heard the light footsteps of the other party and discerned that it was a woman.

    She looked up at the neer and recognized the woman.

    It was the woman who had dined with Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, but they quickly rxed.

    Zhan Yunyu was dressed in an expensive dress, her face adorned with delicate makeup, and her physique and appearance were exceptional.

    The moment Zhan Yunyu saw Qiao Jing, her eyes lit up; she hurried over and sat down in front of her.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here for medical consultation. I¡¯ve been pregnant for five months now, and I¡¯ve been feeling a bit unwelltely.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response, her cool gaze deepening as her fingertips rested on Zhan Yunyu¡¯s pulse.

    Five months¡­ That was earlier than her own pregnancy?

    Seconds passed, and Qiao Jing withdrew her hand.

    ¡°The baby is very healthy, but you have been overworking yourself recently. You need to rest well. I will prescribe some medicine for you to take.¡±

    Zhan Yunyu nodded vigorously, her gaze fixed on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡±

    Qiao Jing had a shop assistant pack up the medicine for Zhan Yunyu and ced it on the table.

    ¡°I would like to ask you a few questions.¡±

    Seeing this, the shop attendant tactfully went upstairs.

    Zhan Yunyu, before Qiao Jing could speak, preemptively addressed her.

    ¡°Wait a moment, are you Qiao Jing?¡±

    She hade specifically to see her niece-inw, and she was captivated by the woman sitting in the chair the moment she entered.

    This poise, this beauty, it must be her niece-inw.

    But she did not want to make an assumption unterally, after all, the person had not introduced herself as Qiao Jing, so she thought it best to ask first to avoid recognizing the wrong person.

    Qiao Jing did not hesitate and denied her identity.

    ¡°No, I am not.¡±

    She had heard from Ni Yue, to some extent, about mistresses rising in status within affluent households, causing a scene in front of the legitimate wife to fight for dominance.

    But she did not think the woman before her was a mistress, because she and Zhan Qipei were not officially together.

    She did not want to cause a scene with the woman, nor had she thought aboutpeting with the woman for Zhan Qipei, so she simply denied her own identity outright.

    Zhan Yunyu was taken aback for a moment, her expression showing regret.

    ¡°Ah, alright, I thought you were Qiao Jing. Is Qiao Jing in the shop now?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    ¡°She didn¡¯te today. I wanted to ask, how old are you this year? I need to make sure the medicine I just prescribed doesn¡¯t contain anything unsuitable for you.¡±

    Zhan Yunyu, realizing the person before her was not Qiao Jing, tucked away the excitement she had previously shown and adopted her usual manner when dealing with others.

    ¡°Thirty-three. Do you have any other questions? I can answer them all at once.¡±

    Although it was a pity not to meet her niece-inw, seeing the woman before her with such good demeanor and beauty, she felt like chatting more with her.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, sensing from their conversation that the other party was very well-educated.

    Moreover, her demeanor clearly indicated she was from a wealthy family, and her age was not much different from that of Zhan Qipei.

    Considering everything, she concluded that they were quite suitable for each other.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had no further questions for her, Zhan Yunyu began to introduce herself instead.

    ¡°I spend most of my time abroad, and I had heard of the Wonderful Hall¡¯s reputation before. Havinge here today, I see it truly is extraordinary. I now very much want to get to know you and be friends, if that¡¯s possible?¡±

    She appreciated beauty in all things, including people, so she particrly wanted to befriend Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing decisively rejected Zhan Yunyu¡¯s offer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She did not want to be overly involved with the other party, let alone get to know her.

    If things went as expected, this was both the first and thest time they would meet.

    Zhan Yunyu sighed.

    ¡°Alright then.¡±

 Chapter 459 - 459 448 Lu Zijin Sends Qiao Jing to Rest

    ?Chapter 459: Chapter 448: Lu Zijin Sends Qiao Jing to Rest   Chapter 459: Chapter 448: Lu Zijin Sends Qiao Jing to Rest                                   After Zhan Yunyu left, Qiao Jing became even more resolute in her desire to leave.

    She could feel that the woman from before, and Zhan Qipei, were both from equal social standings, born into wealthy and powerful families.

    Just as she was about to continue reading her medical books, she received a call from Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, there¡¯s a very tricky patient in the next province, they reached out to me, and after I briefly understood the situation, it¡¯s urgent, we need to rush over promptly. The patient¡¯s chest cavity has been prated by a steel pipe, and there are otherplications. I fear I might not be able to handle it alone, so I¡¯m preparing to have you assist me, are you avable to go?¡±

    Although he had moved on from Qiao Jing by now, they were still colleagues, so there was no question of cutting off contactpletely.

    As long as Qiao Jing was happy, that was what mattered.

    Even if it meant watching Qiao Jing¡¯s happiness from a distance.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and immediately put down her medical book, hurrying out.

    ¡°Uh, have you booked the flight?¡±

    Lu Zijin¡¯s response came swiftly.

    ¡°My family¡¯s helicopter is parked on the hospital¡¯s rooftop, where are you now? I¡¯lle pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing hailed a taxi by the roadside.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    After getting into the taxi, Qiao Jing sent a message to Zhou Fu, briefly exining the situation at Wonderful Hall, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

    By the time she and Lu Zijin arrived in the neighboring province, the sky had already darkened a bit.

    The two of them quickly descended from the rooftop of this hospital and hurried to the operating room.

    Qiao Jing began to don sterile clothing, put on a mask, and a surgical cap, among other things.

    ¡°How¡¯s the patient¡¯s condition?¡±

    As the nurse next to her was about to speak, Lu Zijin answered for her.

    ¡°The chest cavity has been pierced by a steel pipe, hended on his head when he fell, his brain nerves are damaged, with multiple fractures throughout the body, and severe internal bleeding.¡±

    After hearing the patient¡¯s condition, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows tightened.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    The nurse was startled by the tacit understanding between the two, originally thinking the female doctor had been addressing her.

    After all, she was the nurse from the hospital¡¯s main branch, and they had provided Director Lu with an especially long, detailed description.

    Yet, Director Lu summarized it in four sentences.

    ¡°Director Lu, what should we call this female doctor? Is she a professor at your hospital?¡±

    Lu Zijin¡¯s motion of donning his surgical cap paused for a moment.

    ¡°She is Doctor Qiao, not a professor at the hospital, just a doctor.¡±

    The doctors and nurses present furrowed their brows simultaneously.

    The risk involved in this surgery was indeed too great, it waspletely out of their control, which was why they had contacted Lu Zijin.

    Moreover, they had all been taken aback when admitting this patient.

    The difficulty of the surgery was simply ny-nine percent; the slightest carelessness could lead to the patient¡¯s death.

    Therefore, they were somewhat skeptical of Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills, since she was just an ordinary doctor in Lu Zijin¡¯s hospital.

    The leading doctor expressed doubt.

    ¡°Director Lu, are you sure Doctor Qiao can manage this operation?¡±

    Once one person raised doubts, other doctors began to speak up as well.

    ¡°Yes, Director Lu, we have to be extremely cautious, we can¡¯t afford any mishaps.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that we doubt Doctor Qiao¡¯s medical skills, you brought her here so she must possess the necessary abilities, but she is not a professor, which still entails some risk.¡±

    Qiao Jing was disinfecting herself with alcohol, ignoring their words.

    Lu Zijin frowned deeply, casting a nce at these doctors.

    ¡°If you do not trust her, feel free to perform the surgery yourselves.¡±

    How skilled Qiao Jing was as a surgeon, he knew all too well.

    Having known Qiao Jing for so many years, he had never witnessed any issues with surgeries she led.

    He did not want others to question Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills, which even he felt inferior to.

    The doctors didn¡¯t speak, their expressions gravely serious.

    They looked at each other, not daring to speak out in opposition.

    They had called for Lu Zijin toe to help because they were not confident in the surgery themselves.

    If they now said they didn¡¯t trust Qiao Jing, they would have to perform the surgery themselves.

    After Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin had put on their surgical gowns, they walked into the operating room.

    By the time the surgery wasplete, it was already the middle of the night.

    When the hospital¡¯s doctors and nurses came out of the OR, they couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise.

    ¡°The surgery was actually a sess!!¡±

    ¡°Director Lu, we really can¡¯t thank you enough. We owe it to you foring over; otherwise, we might have¡­¡±

    Lu Zijin removed her gloves.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me specifically, it was Doctor Qiao who led the surgery.¡±

    A fine sheen of sweat had broken out on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead, and she felt somewhat unwell.

    She leaned against the wall, taking several deep breaths.

    She had led nearly the entire surgery, which had taken a great toll on her energy, causing her to feel physically drained.

    During the surgery, the doctors and nurses witnessed Qiao Jing¡¯s precise suturing technique, as well as her method of treating the wounds.

    After that, they looked at Qiao Jing with admiration.

    Indeed, she was a doctor personally brought over by Director Lu, and her medical skills were certainly top-notch.

    There wasn¡¯t a single person present who dared im their medical skills were half as good as Doctor Qiao¡¯s.

    They had actually doubted Doctor Qiao¡¯s medical skills just before¡­

    The doctor who had led the earlier questioning immediately apologized.

    ¡°Doctor Qiao, thank you for rushing over to lead the surgery. I apologize for doubting you earlier. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Qiao Jing was not in the mood to pay attention to all this; she simply nodded lightly in response.

    Right now, she just wanted to rest for a while.

    The hospital director also rushed over. Upon hearing that Qiao Jing had led the entire surgery alone and that it was sessful, the idea of recruiting her crossed his mind.

    But with Lu Zijin still present, he didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate to say it outright. Instead, he hinted,

    ¡°Director Lu, with such exquisite medical skills, why is Doctor Qiao only a regr doctor?¡±

    Lu Zijin picked up on the director¡¯s implication and smiled.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be a professor, as ites with too many responsibilities. Now that the surgery is sessful, we should rest first.¡±

    He had already noticed that Qiao Jing was feeling unwell. Anyone thinking carefully would know that a high-intensity, focused surgery would certainly be exhausting.

    If he continued talking with these doctors, Qiao Jing might very well copse from fatigue.

    Seeing the situation, the doctors said nothing more.

    Lu Zijin stepped forward, supporting Qiao Jing¡¯s arm while maintaining a proper distance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s rest in the ward for tonight. If you¡¯re still tired tomorrow, we can return to the capital the day after.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, not putting all her weight on Lu Zijin, and slowly walked to the empty ward.

    After Lu Zijin helped Qiao Jing to the bedside, she left the ward, uttering a parting piece of advice before she went.

    ¡°Rest well.¡±

    The moment Qiao Jing touched the soft bed, she was too exhausted to talk, pulling up the nket without answering Lu Zijin.

    Lu Zijin carefully closed the ward door and left.

    It was already the early hours of the morning by the time the surgery was finished. Far away in the capital, Zhan Qipei had returned home in the evening and couldn¡¯t find Qiao Jing.

    He thought Qiao Jing was still at Wonderful Hall, but when he went there, he learned that Qiao Jing had left in the afternoon.

    He searched almost everywhere he could think of and still received no word of her whereabouts.

    Zhan Qipei sat in the empty living room, anxious, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

    Suddenly, his phone chirped once.

 Chapter 460 - 460 449 Zhan Qipei is Almost Driven Mad

    ?Chapter 460: Chapter 449: Zhan Qipei is Almost Driven Mad   Chapter 460: Chapter 449: Zhan Qipei is Almost Driven Mad                                   Zhan Qipei quickly picked up his phone and saw the message sent by his subordinate.

    ¡°President Zhan, Miss Qiao went with Lu Zijin to the neighboring province for surgery in the afternoon. The two of them took a helicopter there, and they haven¡¯te back yet.¡±

    After reading the message, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, and the hand holding the phone showed protruding veins.

    His fingers stiffly exited the chat box and opened the chat page with Qiao Jing.

    All the messages were from him alone.

    ¡°Where are you? It¡¯s sote and still not back, it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Send me your location, I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°If you can see this message, reply. It¡¯s veryte now, I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°Can you reply to my message?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The messages he sent were all like stones dropped into the sea, with no response.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingers quickly scrolled up, and it took a long time before he saw thest message Qiao Jing had replied to.

    That was a message from the day before yesterday.

    He then switched to the call log, which showed all the calls he had made, and except for that one call in the morning, none of the others had gone through.

    The call in the morning hadsted only about a dozen seconds.

    He had only exchanged a few words with Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei trusted Qiao Jing, but upon hearing that his wife had gone to another ce with another man and hadn¡¯t replied to his messages,

    he felt as if a blunt knife was grinding over his heart repeatedly.

    He could understand going for surgery, but why not answer the phone? Why not reply to messages?

    And moreover, why not tell him in advance and just leave with Lu Zijin?

    Zhan Qipei had been sitting on the cold living room floor for a full hour now, and his movements had be somewhat stiff.

    He dialed Qiao Jing¡¯s number again, clinging to hope.

    ¡°Doo¡ªdoo¡ª¡±

    Although he had heard the same waiting tone when he had called before, why did it seem like the waiting tone had lengthened by dozens of seconds after learning that Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin were together?

    It was as if a century had passed in his heart.

    Suddenly the waiting tone hitched, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes lit up instantly, thinking the call had connected.

    But the next second, the voice from the phone poured cold water over him.

    ¡°Hello, the phone you have dialed is turned off, please try againter¡­ Hello¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heartpletely cooled down.

    Before, when he called, it was temporarily unreachable, but now it had automatically turned off.

    His face turned grim, and he phoned Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan, who was still in his sleep, was awakened by the phone ringing, which he had specially set to ¡°Time to get up for work¡± for Zhan Qipei¡¯s calls.

    This caused him to reflexively sit up from bed and quickly grab the phone, carefully covering the microphone, fearful of waking Lin Xiuxiang beside him.

    But the move was futile; Lin Xiuxiang was already up. In her grogginess, she pushed Tang Yan right off the bed.

    ¡°Go outside¡­ noisy¡­¡±

    Tang Yan quickly bowed and walked out of the room, then pressed the answer button.

    ¡°Tang Yan, check thetest flights to Cloud City. Book me a ticket; I¡¯m heading there now.¡±

    Tang Yan, who had been yawning continuously, instantly snapped to attention upon hearing this.

    ¡°What? Boss? You¡¯re going to Cloud City now?¡±

    Zhan Qipei hummed in confirmation, then suddenly remembered he had several helicopters.

    ¡°No need for a ne ticket, have them bring my helicopter to the top of the apartment building.¡±

    Tang Yan was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°Ah? Boss, what are you going to Cloud City for? Yesterday¡¯s project isn¡¯t finished yet; we still need you to liaise.¡±

    Why is his boss up in the middle of the night, not sleeping, saying he wants to go to Cloud City?

    There¡¯s only one person who can make the boss so anxious.

    That¡¯s Miss Qiao.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed.

    ¡°Stop dealing with it, I have to go to Cloud City right now, I¡¯ll pay them the penalty fee.¡±

    He can¡¯t do anything without seeing Qiao Jing.

    He only wants to see Qiao Jing.

    Is work more important than his wife?

    The answer is obviously no.

    On the other end, Tang Yan waspletely in a daze.

    ¡°Boss, are you going to see Miss Qiao? What is Miss Qiao doing in Cloud City?¡±

    He suddenly remembered what Zhan Qipei had asked him this morning.

    Could it be that the boss and Miss Qiao had a fight, and then Miss Qiao ran off to Cloud City to give the boss the cold shoulder?

    Zhan Qipei was silent for a second before he spoke.

    ¡°She went to Cloud City with Lu Zijin for surgery and hasn¡¯t yet returned.¡±

    He can ept that Qiao Jing had surgery, and he can barely ept that she had it with Lu Zijin.

    But he can¡¯t ept that his wife went off somewhere without a word, doesn¡¯t reply to messages, and even has to spend the night outside!

    The image of Qiao Jing with Lu Zijin, staying in the same room, suddenly shed through his mind.

    Zhan Qipei only felt that his patience was reaching its limit, his thin lips tightly pressed into a curveless line of ice.

    Tang Yan sighed.

    ¡°Boss, Miss Qiao just went for surgery, after all. Besides, she definitely needs to rest after the surgery, having spent so much energy. If she rushes back from Cloud City to the capital overnight, won¡¯t that exhaust her?¡±

    He was now not only thepany¡¯s secretary but also the boss¡¯s emotional consultant.

    Zhan Qipei, who was teetering on the edge of losing his reason, calmed down a bit after hearing Tang Yan¡¯s words.

    ¡°But she didn¡¯t reply to my message, nor did she tell me in advance. No reply, and her phone is turned off.¡±

    He certainly didn¡¯t want to exhaust Qiao Jing, especially since she was pregnant.

    After Tang Yan put it that way, he now understood why Qiao Jing hadn¡¯te back.

    If he were in Cloud City, he certainly would not let Qiao Jing return to the capital either.

    Tang Yan checked the time; it was one in the morning.

    ¡°Since Miss Qiao went straight to Cloud City, that must mean the condition was urgent enough to hurry over. It¡¯s normal that she couldn¡¯t tell you in advance for a while. As for not replying and turning off her phone, Miss Qiao didn¡¯t have time to reply while in surgery, and the phone probably ran out of battery and turned off after such a long time.¡±

    After saying all this in one breath, Tang Yan felt he deserved a raise.

    Which otherpany¡¯s secretaries have to manage both work and the boss¡¯s emotions? Only him.

    And ever since his boss got married, he¡¯s been unreliable at times, sticking only to Miss Qiao.

    This resulted in him handling manypany matters, and the boss, who never listened to anyone else, only heeded Miss Qiao¡¯s words.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tightly knitted eyebrows finally rxed, thinking Tang Yan¡¯s words made sense.

    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    Seeing that he had finally managed to persuade him, Tang Yan cautiously inquired:

    ¡°So boss, about that project worth 1.5 billion¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei did not hesitate.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Cloud City now, I¡¯ll give them the penalty fee.¡±

    He now knew why Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t replied to his messages, but he was still going to Cloud City.

    He hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Jing for a whole day and a half, and every minute and second was torture for him.

    If he couldn¡¯t even see his wife, what¡¯s the point in talking about projects?

 Chapter 461 - 461 450 No Way Lu Zijin and Qiao Jing Slept

    ?Chapter 461: Chapter 450: No Way? Lu Zijin and Qiao Jing Slept Together?   Chapter 461: Chapter 450: No Way? Lu Zijin and Qiao Jing Slept Together?                                   Even Tang Yan, a person of such quality, couldn¡¯t help but curse in his heart.

    Fuck!

    He pleaded for so long, and it didn¡¯t work?

    He spoke earnestly and at length, but in the end, the boss still chose to give up on a deal worth 1.5 billion yuan?

    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s a 1.5 billion yuan deal we¡¯re talking about. Miss Qiao will definitely be back tomorrow. Please rx. Who knows, she might return while you¡¯re still asleep. If you go now, she¡¯ll be asleep, and won¡¯t you be disturbing her rest?¡±

    He said this because the boss was filled with thoughts of Miss Qiao, and only by bringing her into the conversation would it be effective.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his long eyebrows, considering seriously.

    What Tang Yan said made sense, going there now would disturb Qiao Jing¡¯s rest.

    He thought long and hard and eventually gave up on the idea of rushing over right away.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    After all, it was a deal worth over 1.5 billion yuan. He was a family man now. How would he have enough money for his wife to spend if he didn¡¯t make money?

    So, he had to bnce both love and career; otherwise, there¡¯d be no money to spend on Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei decisively hung up the phone and opened the chat page with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll book a flight for you. When will you return?¡±

    ¡°Let me know in advance when you¡¯reing back. I¡¯ll pick you up from the airport.¡±

    After sending the messages, Zhan Qipei went straight to Qiao Jing¡¯s room and ced his phone on the bedside table.

    Zhan Qipei stood by Qiao Jing¡¯s bed, and after a moment,y down on it.

    He buried his head in Qiao Jing¡¯s pillow, pulled up the nket, and wrapped himself uppletely.

    Zhan Qipei took a couple of deep breaths, soaking in the lingering fragrance of the woman on the bed.

    Only when he was enveloped by Qiao Jing¡¯s scent could he slowly drift off to sleep.

    The next morning.

    The first thing Zhan Qipei did upon waking was to check his phone. He unlocked the screen and his eyes lit up at the sight of the little red dot on WeChat.

    Not minding his somewhat disheveled hair from sleep, he opened WeChat full of anticipation.

    He hoped to see a reply in the pinned chat, but the red dot was from the message column of Zhan Nanqing.

    Overnight, he still hadn¡¯t received a reply from Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his long eyebrows and, with an icy mien, finished his washing up and called Tang Yan.

    It was just past seven in the morning, and he couldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    Tang Yan was getting ready to head to thepany for work, to start preparing for the meeting about the 1.5 billion yuan project.

    When he received Zhan Qipei¡¯s call, he felt a bit happy. The boss was actually calling so early; could it be that he¡¯d already arrived at the office?

    He quickly tapped to answer the call.

    ¡°Good morning, Boss. What can I do for you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei uttered seven words indifferently.

    ¡°Nantai Apartment, helicopter.¡±

    He wanted to see Qiao Jing immediately, right now; thepany project could wait.

    1.5 billion yuan wasn¡¯t as important as his wife.

    The smile that had just begun to spread on Tang Yan¡¯s face instantly froze.

    ¡°Boss, why are you suddenly going to Cloud City again? Hasn¡¯t Miss Qiaoe back yet?¡±

    And here he had thought the boss suddenly had a change of heart and wanted to arrive early at the office.

    But the boss called just to leave?

    The meeting he had painstakingly prepared for, and the main subject was going to leave??

    Zhan Qipei hummed a response, put on his suit jacket, and walked out the door.

    ¡°Tell them to hurry up.¡±

    Tang Yan put away the rigid smile on his face and spoke earnestly and at length:

    ¡°Miss Qiao hasn¡¯t returned probably because she¡¯s still resting. Boss, trust me, Miss Qiao will definitely reply to your message once she wakes up. I reckon the surgery endedte at night, and she has only rested this long. Please give Miss Qiao some more time to rest.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, ready to press the elevator button to go up, hesitated, and eventually, he pressed the button to go down.

    ¡°I am going to thepany now. If Qiao Jing hasn¡¯t returned by noon, get the helicopter ready to thepany rooftop.¡±

    He could hold out until noon, but if there¡¯s still no message from Qiao Jing after that, he would head to Cloud City no matter what.

    Tang Yan suddenly had an idea.

    ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t you ask Lu Zijin? He works with Miss Qiao and should be able to get information about her.¡±

    No sooner had he spoken those words than he somewhat regretted them; knowing his boss¡¯s temperament, surely there would be jealousyter.

    He wondered if he would get his sry docked for saying this¡­

    But that was the only option for now.

    Upon hearing the name Lu Zijin, Zhan Qipei furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    The call ended thereupon.

    Tang Yan was startled, giving his phone screen a puzzled look.

    No way, when did his boss be so easy to talk to?

    Just a ¡°Mm¡± and then end the call?

    When Zhan Qipei got into the car, he opened his contacts page and found Lu Zijin¡¯s number.

    The moment he saw that name on the screen, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows came together tightly, and he hesitated for a long time without tapping to call.

    He did not want to get news about his wife from another man.

    Especially not from a rival like Lu Zijin.

    It would seem as if there were issues in his rtionship with Qiao Jing, giving Lu Zijin an opportunity to step in.

    But he really wanted to know about Qiao Jing, yet he couldn¡¯t contact Lu Zijin.

    In the end, Zhan Qipei made a call to Lu Zijiao.

    Lu Zijiao was still in the throes of sleep at the time, and was particrly annoyed when he picked up the call.

    ¡°Who is it? Disturbing my sleep so early in the morning? Do you believe I¡¯ll block your number?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice sounded.

    ¡°Call your brother and ask if Qiao Jing is awake.¡±

    As soon as Lu Zijiao heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice, he was jolted awake and quickly got out of bed.

    ¡°Damn, what? Call my brother and ask if Qiao Jing is awake?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knitted, his expression extremely dark.

    ¡°Yes, right away.¡±

    Lu Zijiao, just having woken up and not fully alert, widened his eyes at Zhan Qipei¡¯smand and immediately called out with both first andst name.

    ¡°What? Damn! Zhan Qipei don¡¯t scare me! How could my brother possibly know if Qiao Jing is awake or not?!

    You¡¯re not telling me they slept together, are you?? If they did, how could you possibly be so calm?? Tell me clearly!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face grew several shades darker at Lu Zijiao¡¯s words; it was almost dripping with water.

    His grip on the steering wheel tightened, the veins bulging as his voice suddenly turned icy.

    ¡°Just call and ask, and if you keep guessing nonsense, I¡¯ll sew your mouth shut!¡±

    Right now, he felt like Lu Zijiao was deliberately stepping on his sore spot. He really wanted to transport himself to the Lu Family and grab Lu Zijiao out for a beating.

    Even growing up wearing the same pair of pants didn¡¯t make it okay!

    Lu Zijiao was so startled that he quickly ran to the bathroom and sshed water on his face to wake up.

    ¡°No, tell me what¡¯s going on first. What¡¯s the connection between Qiao Jing and my brother? Don¡¯t scare me! I¡¯ve just woken up, my heart is about to leap out from fright. What on earth is going on??¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest heaved heavily, as he suppressed the anger rising within him.

    ¡°They went to a neighboring province for surgery. You call now, this instant. Don¡¯t say it¡¯s me asking, you know how to question.¡±

    Lu Zijiao uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± but upon further thought, something seemed off.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you ask Qiao Jing yourself? Why ask my brother?¡±

 Chapter 462 - 462 451 Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Finally

    ?Chapter 462: Chapter 451: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Finally Connect on the Phone   Chapter 462: Chapter 451: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Finally Connect on the Phone                                   Zhan Qipei¡¯s aura turnedpletely cold.

    ¡°Lu Zijiao.¡±

    Lu Zijiao, as if feeling the chilling through the phone¡¯s receiver, reluctantly shut his mouth.

    ¡°Okay, okay, okay, can¡¯t I ask now? I¡¯m hanging up.¡±

    After hanging up, Lu Zijiao scrolled through his contacts to find Lu Zijin¡¯s number and mumbled aint.

    ¡°What does Qiao Jing waking up have to do with my brother? They¡¯re not even in the same room. Even if she woke, he wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    When he made the first call, nobody answered.

    Lu Zijiao found it strange¡ªhis brother wasn¡¯t usually still in bed at this hour.

    Could it be¡­

    No, no, that¡¯s impossible!

    His brother had already moved on from Qiao Jing, there couldn¡¯t be anything going on.

    He repeatedly dialed several more times, but still, no one answered.

    Lu Zijiao¡¯s eyes widened, and he began to pray inwardly.

    Please, brother, answer the phone¡­ It¡¯s hard for me to exin to Zhan Qipei like this!

    Despite numerous attempts, Lu Zijin did not answer the calls, and Zhan Qipei had already called. Lu Zijin had not picked up yet.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s caller ID, Lu Zijiao¡¯s heart uncontrobly began to race, and his fingers trembled as he pressed the answer button.

    ¡°Hello¡­ Young Master Zhan¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t in the mood for pleasantries with Lu Zijiao and stepped on the brake at a red light.

    ¡°Did he answer his phone? Has Qiao Jing woken up?¡±

    Lu Zijiao chuckled nervously twice.

    ¡°Ha-ha¡­ um¡­ He¡¯s probably busy, no time to answer the phone.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened further, and he narrowed them slightly, his gaze filled with chilling intent.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t answer the phone? Busy? Busy with what? Qiao Jing hasn¡¯t woken up, neither has he?¡±

    Lu Zijiao couldn¡¯t even force a smile anymore.

    Those words were particrly dangerous!

    ¡°No¡­ well, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m in the capital, how would I know what¡¯s happening in the neighboring province? I just heard that my brother went there for surgery. But you can rest assured, he¡¯s moved on from Qiao Jing, he doesn¡¯t like her anymore, he¡¯s not your rival.¡±

    All he could do now was ry this to Zhan Qipei to keep him from ming his brother.

    Otherwise, Zhan Qipei¡¯s jealousy was like igniting a world war, reminiscent of thest confrontation with Wu Xirui.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t believe Lu Zijiao¡¯s words, he could tell from Lu Zijin¡¯s look before, this was his absolutely certainty as a rival.

    Saying he¡¯s moved on, as good a woman as Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t someone easily forgotten.

    He couldn¡¯t let go of, nor be away from Qiao Jing anymore.

    ¡°He better not be involved with Qiao Jing.¡±

    He was desperate to teleport to Cloud City right now, but he knew Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t do such things.

    After all, previously he hadn¡¯t even had the chance to enter Qiao Jing¡¯s room, much less let Lu Zijin climb into her bed.

    His wife¡¯s bed, only he was allowed in!

    Noon.

    When Qiao Jing opened her sleepy eyes, she furrowed her brows.

    She shook her head slightly to awaken herself more, the post-surgical fatigue had dissipated somewhat after sleeping, but her body still felt inexplicably tired.

    Qiao Jing leaned on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before reaching for her phone on the nightstand, intending to turn it on. However, she found the phone had run out of battery and had turned off automatically.

    She pulled out the charger from the drawer and plugged in her phone.

    She needed to hurry back to the capital; there was still unfinished work at the research institute and today, Zhan Nanqing had some new material for her to review.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to get up and wash up, she suddenly noticed a delicately crafted bag out of the corner of her eye.

    She walked forward, opened the bag, and found a set of new clothes inside.

    Moreover, they were in her size, and right now, the only person around who could have done this was probably Lu Zijin.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much about it, took the new clothes, and went into the VIP ward¡¯s bathroom to take a shower.

    When she came out after the shower, her phone had turned on, and the messages that hadn¡¯t been receivedst night were now flooding in, ringing incessantly.

    Qiao Jing hurried to the bedside table, intending to send Zhan Nanqing a message first, when she discovered that all the WeChat messages were from Zhan Qipei.

    And now, Zhan Qipei was still incessantly sending her messages.

    She furrowed her brows and a look of confusion appeared on her face.

    Doesn¡¯t Zhan Qipei have to work?

    Moreover, today was a workday, was Zhan Qipei so free?

    As if possessed, Qiao Jing opened the chat page with Zhan Qipei and found that the man had already sent her several hundred messages.

    She couldn¡¯t even scroll up to the earlier ones and could only reply to thest message she saw.

    ¡°Are you awake? Send me a message, and let me know when you areing back so I can pick you up from the airport.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, her hand paused as she was about to type, contemting whether to reply to Zhan Qipei¡¯s message.

    In the end, she responded to him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m awake, no need to pick me up.¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t want to deal with Zhan Qipei for now, the man seemed very worried about her, so she still had to send a message to assure him.

    After all, she had undergone surgery without saying a word to anyone close to her beforehand.

    After replying to Zhan Qipei¡¯s message, Qiao Jing exited the chat box and sent Zhan Nanqing a message.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back this afternoon to check the documents.¡±

    She casually nced at the documents Zhan Nanqing had sent.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where did you go? I only knew you weren¡¯t home when I messaged my brother this morning.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the message yet? My brother is going crazy looking for you.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to reply to Zhan Nanqing, a call interface popped up on her phone screen.

    She nced at the caller.

    Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a while before pressing ept.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s anxious voice came through.

    ¡°Have you woken up? Are you resting alone in the ward? Did you rest well? Was the surgery sessful? Are you still tired?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard this barrage of questions from Zhan Qipei, her eyes flickered.

    It seemed like it had been quite a long time since Zhan Qipei had asked her so many questions.

    At least, back then she didn¡¯t know about the existence of this woman.

    Qiao Jing gave a faint ¡°Mhm,¡± and then there was no further response.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his handsome brows, his heart only wishing to see Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make a video call, are you okay to ept it?¡±

    He was too excited just now and had forgotten about the video call feature, so he had made a voice call instead.

    Qiao Jing fell silent for a few seconds.

    ¡°It¡¯s not convenient.¡±

    She was now unsure whether seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s face would put her in a worse mood again.

    Moreover, she had been intentionally reducing her contact with Zhan Qipei these past few days; making a video call with him now would seem like a waste of her efforts.

    She only hoped that Zhan Qipei would tell her the truth the next time they met.

    She could handle a peaceful rtionship with that woman, whose all-round conditions were excellent and truly a good match for Zhan Qipei.

    So, after she finished her surgery and returned to the capital, she would find a time to leave.

 Chapter 463 - 463 452 Zhan Qipeis Jealous Rage

    ?Chapter 463: Chapter 452 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Jealous Rage   Chapter 463: Chapter 452 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Jealous Rage                                   Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, his thin lips pressed into an icy line devoid of curvature, he pursued:

    ¡°Why is it inconvenient? Are you still not awake?¡±

    Qiao Jing rubbed her temples.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, a knock on the door interrupted her.

    Lu Zijin¡¯s voice came from outside.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, are you up? I brought breakfast, and after eating, we can head back to the capital.¡±

    Qiao Jing rose and walked slowly to the door, opening it.

    ¡°Okay, thank you. As for the patient, remind him to watch his diet. The hospital should be aware, but also have them get some medicine from Wonderful Hall; I¡¯ll have someone select the right herbs.¡±

    Right now, she needed to exin some post-surgery care instructions to Lu Zijin and didn¡¯t have time to answer Zhan Qipei¡¯s question.

    Lu Zijin nodded,mitting everything to memory.

    ¡°Alright, you have your breakfast first. Are you still tired? How do you feel?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, intending to take the breakfast from Lu Zijin¡¯s hands to keep him from getting tired just holding it, but he dodged.

    She looked at Lu Zijin with puzzlement, not forgetting to answer his question.

    ¡°I rested for the night; I¡¯m much better.¡±

    When she came out after the surgery, she indeed wasn¡¯t feeling well.

    The difficulty of that surgery was so high that it drained a great deal of her energy, andbined with the length of the procedure, she was utterly exhausted.

    If she weren¡¯t pregnant it would be one thing, but now she had to think about the three little ones in her womb.

    If she had to socialize with those doctors then, she might have copsed on the spot from fatigue.

    Fortunately, Lu Zijiao came to her rescueter.

    Lu Zijiao, holding the breakfast, asked:

    ¡°Can Ie in? The porridge is a bit hot; I¡¯ll put it on the table for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and stepped aside.

    ¡°Come in, I¡¯ll book my flight backter.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to trouble Lu Zijiao too much; she could book her own flight back to the capital. She had only taken his helicopter yesterday because the situation was urgent.

    Now that the matter was resolved, she could return to the capital on her own and deal with other matters as well.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t hung up on Zhan Qipei, so he could hear the two of them talking.

    But Qiao Jing had ced the phone on the nightstand, creating a distance between the device and them, making it hard for Zhan Qipei to hear clearly.

    Hearing their indistinct conversation, a vein pulsed on Zhan Qipei¡¯s forehead, and his grip on the phone turned his knuckles white from the pressure.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Are you with Lu Zijiao right now? What¡¯s this about noting in? Has he entered your room?!¡±

    Even though it was merely about entering a room, such words, said in front of Qiao Jing by anyone, uncontrobly made him think of other implications.

    Especially if it involved his romantic rival!

    Early in the morning, Lu Zijiao undoubtedly had ulterior motives for running to his wife¡¯s room!

    And to think Lu Zijiao even had the nerve to tell him that he had given up on his wife?

    If he had truly given up on Qiao Jing, why would he visit his wife¡¯s room so early in the morning?

    The temperature around Zhan Qipei plummeted rapidly, turning his office into what felt like an ice cer.

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Tang Yan silently lit a candle for Lu Zijiao in his mind.

    His boss was genuinely angry now, but still!

    Why did he have to get angry now, just ten minutes before the meeting was about to start? His boss might really head directly to the neighboring province now.

    Things had gone awry!

    Qiao Jing and Lu Zijiao were standing at the door,pletely unaware of Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice.

    Lu Zijiao ced the bowl of porridge he was holding on the nightstand and took off the lid.

    ¡°It would be more convenient to take the helicopter back with me. You don¡¯t need to book a flight; it¡¯s too troublesome.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly but still rejected Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°No need, I can just book a flight myself.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to trouble anyone, and these were all things she could handle herself.

    Lu Zijin did not insist further, but he reminded her with one more sentence.

    ¡°The flights from Cloud City back to the capital are tonight.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°hmm¡± in acknowledgment, indicating she understood.

    She nned to rush back to the capital after breakfast because she still had unfinished work.

    But if the flights were in the evening, that would be toote.

    She was now considering whether to have someone arrange for a helicopter toe over.

    However¡­ having someone bring a helicopter from the capital would be more hassle than just taking Lu Zijin¡¯s ne back.

    Otherwise, the helicopter pilot would have to make two trips, and it would also waste a trip¡¯s worth of fuel.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyelids twitched heavily twice as he clenched the fist not holding his cell phone.

    To ensure the other person could hear him clearly, he raised his voice.

    ¡°Lu Zijin! Get out of Qiao Jing¡¯s room immediately!!¡±

    He was going to Cloud City right this very moment; he couldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    He absolutely couldn¡¯t stand Qiao Jing being with Lu Zijin.

    Not even for a second!

    That was his wife!!

    Lu Zijin had been messing with the porridge when his phone suddenly blurted out that sentence, causing his stirring action to pause.

    He was close to the phone and heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s words clearly.

    ¡°I¡¯m preparing her breakfast. I¡¯ll leave afterward.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had reached his limit and gritted his teeth:

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it twice.¡±

    After uttering those words, he nced at Tang Yan beside him.

    Tang Yan naturally understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s meaning, but the meeting was about to start, and he couldn¡¯t let the main character run off.

    He feigned a puzzled look.

    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze turned icy as he looked at Tang Yan.

    ¡°Helicopter.¡±

    He just wanted to grab Lu Zijin and mince him into a thousand pieces.

    How dare he get near his wife?

    Before Tang Yan could respond, his attention waspletely captured by the woman¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone.

    Qiao Jing, upon seeing Lu Zijin speak, remembered that she hadn¡¯t hung up her call with Zhan Qipei.

    She quickly walked to the bedside table and picked up the phone.

    ¡°Why the yelling?¡±

    She could faintly hear Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice standing by the bed, which showed just how loud the man had been.

    Zhan Qipei breathed a sigh of relief subconsciously as the person on the other end of the phone changed back to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why is Lu Zijin in your room? Tell him to leave now. Which hospital are you at? I¡¯ming to Cloud City now.¡±

    He really couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, not even a minute or a second longer; he only wanted to take Qiao Jing home!

    Tang Yan, watching, was almost dying of impatience, hoping Miss Qiao could cate the boss, otherwise, the meeting would be ruined!

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, and upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone, her face also darkened.

    ¡°No need toe here; I¡¯ll return to the capital after I eat, hanging up now.¡±

    In the end, she chose to ride back to the capital in Lu Zijin¡¯s helicopter, which would also save on fuel.

    Zhan Qipei quickly acknowledged her words, afraid that Qiao Jing would hang up the phone.

    ¡°Wait! If you don¡¯t talk to me, I can find out myself and stille over.¡±

 Chapter 464 - 464 453 The Boss Only Listens to Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 464: Chapter 453: The Boss Only Listens to Qiao Jing   Chapter 464: Chapter 453: The Boss Only Listens to Qiao Jing                                   Tang Yan was so anxious he almost jumped in ce. Seizing the right moment, he approached Zhan Qipei and casually started to speak:

    ¡°Boss, the meeting will start in eight minutes. I have all the materials ready right here.¡±

    He only prayed that Miss Qiao would hear his words clearly.

    Because only Miss Qiao could handle the boss now.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed tightly, and his tone was displeased.

    ¡°Arrange for a helicopter, cancel the meeting.¡±

    He could no longer care about this project now, not even for 1.5 billion.

    Lu Zijin had run off to his wife¡¯s room, so how could he still have the mind to discuss business?

    And these two were even nning to fly back to the capital together?!

    Tang Yan¡¯s face showed a smile uglier than crying.

    ¡°Boss¡­ the person in charge from the other side has already arrived. If you go to Cloud City now¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei gave Tang Yan a cold nce without any hesitation.

    ¡°Did you not hear me?¡±

    Tang Yan could no longer force a smile.

    This deal was with apany that had a huge influence overseas, and the penalty fee for breaking the contract was up to a billion!

    The boss had actually chosen to pay the penalty fee without hesitation?

    Although he knew how important Miss Qiao was to the boss¡¯s heart, giving up a deal worth 1.5 billion outright seemed somewhat inappropriate.

    Qiao Jing perceived the difficulty in Tang Yan¡¯s words, and her delicate eyebrows knitted together.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, can¡¯t you stop acting like a child, doing whatever you want? You are the President of Zhan Corporation, don¡¯t be an absentee manager, leaving everything to your subordinates. Can¡¯t you stop being so capricious?¡±

    She really couldn¡¯t stand this aspect of Zhan Qipei. There had been various issues before because she didn¡¯t go to work, and she could understand the sentiment, but this sentiment was too burdensome.

    She couldn¡¯t handle it.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei was stunned. After a moment, he slowly began to speak.

    ¡°But, none of those are as important as you are.¡±

    In his heart, Qiao Jing¡¯s position had long surpassed everything else.

    So he would give up these projects without hesitation, just to see Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze wavered, and her heart was slightly moved, but before the feeling could spread, she promptly extinguished it.

    As important as her, huh?

    If he really valued her that much, then why did he go behind her back, and seek out others?

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing did not respond to him and thought she was hesitating, so he quickly continued speaking.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you can rest assured, even without this project, I have enough money to support you now. It¡¯s just losing one deal, and it¡¯s not even a major one.¡±

    He knew he must work hard to earn money to provide for the family, but right now, to see Qiao Jing first, he could give up a project.

    When Tang Yan heard Zhan Qipei say it wasn¡¯t a major project, he almost cked out and fainted.

    If 1.5 billion isn¡¯t considered a major project, then what is?

    And this deal was also rted to Zhan Corporation¡¯s expansion overseas. How could it not be a major project?

    Tang Yan looked up to the heavens as if pleading for mercy, then lowered his head to stare at the floor.

    What could he do? He was just an ordinary employee, after all.

    Right now, he wished someone could cure the boss¡¯s lovesick brain.

    Qiao Jing nced at Lu Zijin, noticing he had already retreated to the door, giving her sufficient space to make a phone call.

    She lowered her gaze, hiding her emotions.

    ¡°Lu Zijin is no longer in my room. After dinner, I¡¯m going back to the capital. There¡¯s no need for you toe over or to pick me up at the airport. That¡¯s it. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    This time, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t manage to stop Qiao Jing in time and the call was disconnected.

    ¡°Beep¡ª¡±

    Seeing his chance, Tang Yan immediately began to persuade Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Boss, Miss Qiao will be back this afternoon. Don¡¯t worry, after the meeting, you can see Miss Qiao, wouldn¡¯t that mean you have both your career and love? If you rush over now, what if you miss her timing again? Wouldn¡¯t that be a wasted trip?¡±

    Tang Yan¡¯sst sentence directly dispelled the thought in Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind of going to Cloud City.

    The reason he hadn¡¯t seen the woman in the past two days was precisely because their timings hadn¡¯t aligned.

    His intuition told him that there was a ny percent chance he would miss her timing again this time.

    So¡­maybe he should just wait in the capital for Qiao Jing to return.

    Zhan Qipei frowned and sat in the chair, lost in thought for a long time, until just one minute before the meeting was about to start, he finally moved.

    He stood up, straightened out his suit, and started walking out with long strides.

    Tang Yan immediately followed, carefully probing the situation.

    ¡°President Zhan, if you still want to go to Cloud City now, then just go. I¡¯ve already had someone park the helicopter on the rooftop, you can go up right now.¡±

    He was running out of options and couldn¡¯t contradict the boss, so he had to get the helicopter ready.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Tang Yan indifferently and said firmly,

    ¡°No need, let¡¯s go to the meeting.¡±

    He still remembered what Qiao Jing had said just now about him not being able to casually be an absentee manager, leaving everything to his subordinates to handle.

    It seemed he really did do that sometimes, and he hadn¡¯t even finished dealing with all the contracts on his desk.

    Not wanting Qiao Jing to see him as an irresponsible person, he decided to change his work habits.

    He would still center his life around Qiao Jing, but he would avoid unnecessary trips and handle his work with dedication.

    After all, his wife was already so capable; if he didn¡¯t work hard to earn more money, then it would probably end up being Qiao Jing supporting him.

    Tang Yan was stunned, hardly believing these words hade out of Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth, and he reflexively reached up to his own ear.

    ¡°President Zhan? Are¡­ I¡¯m not dreaming, right?¡±

    He must still be half-asleep and sleepwalking; in reality, the boss would probably be on his way to Cloud City by now.

    And he would have to face the foreign entrepreneurs alone.

    Now the boss was actually saying he wouldn¡¯t go and instead woulde to work?!

    He longed to live in a world where Zhan Qipei took work seriously.

    In the end, it was still the secretary who bore all the burdens.

    During their conversation, they had arrived at the door of the conference room.

    Zhan Qipei pushed open the door.

    ¡°The meeting begins now.¡±

    Tang Yan¡¯s eyes widened in shock, realizing he wasn¡¯t actually dreaming, and quickly followed Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Alright, President Zhan!¡±

    He wasn¡¯t dreaming after all?!

    Indeed, Miss Qiao was effective!

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing had just finished breakfast and was ready to head back to the capital with Lu Zijin.

    No sooner had she stepped out of the hospital room than she received another call.

    She thought it was still Zhan Qipei calling, furrowed her brows, and without looking, pressed to answer, her cool voice ringing out.

    ¡°What is it? Shouldn¡¯t you be at work?¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s voice came through from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, didn¡¯t I just finish the design drafts recently? Why are you hurrying me to do drafts again? Let me have a rest, okay? By the way, where are you now?¡±

 Chapter 465 - 465 454 Planning to Divorce

    ?Chapter 465: Chapter 454 nning to Divorce   Chapter 465: Chapter 454 nning to Divorce                                   Upon hearing Ni Yue¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing¡¯s tightly furrowed brows finally slowly rxed.

    ¡°I¡¯m in Cloud City, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s tone was filled with strong disdain as she spoke.

    ¡°Yesterday, Zhan Qipei almost turned the capital upside down like a madman, thinking I had hidden you away. He asked me several times, and it made me so mad!¡±

    A helpless expression spread across Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she pressed the elevator button to go upstairs.

    ¡°Mm, and then?¡±

    Ni Yue coughed once, her speech bing somewhat hesitant.

    ¡°Then, I wanted to ask about how you handled that matter, about that woman. I knew you¡¯d handle it well, which is why I didn¡¯t ask you earlier, but it¡¯s been a few days now. Can you give me a hint about what happened?¡±

    She had already prepared herself to root out that woman and give her a good lesson.

    Especially the Mistress rising above her rightful ce and putting the rightful partner in distress¡ªif that happened to her Xiao Jingjing, she¡¯dunch a Thomas Spin and punch that woman so hard she¡¯d be scrambling for her teeth!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to open her mouth to tell Ni Yue, she suddenly noticed there was someone else nearby and it wasn¡¯t convenient to talk.

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    She found that now, when bringing up this matter, her emotions werepletely undisturbed.

    This indicated she had swiftly sorted through her emotions and wouldn¡¯t be like before anymore.

    Qiao Jing texted Ni Yue a message.

    ¡°I¡¯m preparing to leave. That woman is a good match, well suited for Zhan Qipei.¡±

    Upon reading this message, Ni Yue cursed out loud.

    ¡°Damn it, Xiao Jingjing! How generous are you? Are you saying the Mistress has already met you? When did this happen?! She had the audacity to show up in front of the rightful partner, didn¡¯t she? I can¡¯t handle this. I¡¯m going to have someone investigate her!¡±

    No sooner had she spoken than someone replied to Ni Yue.

    ¡°Understood, Miss Ni. Leave it to me!¡±

    Ni Yue made a sound of disdain, her face full of revulsion.

    ¡°Go away, what are you doing here? I can¡¯t be bothered with you. Xiao Jingjing, that bastard Zhan Qipei is still keeping it from you, right? Just wait, he¡¯s going to regret it so much he¡¯ll be green with envy!¡±

    Even from behind the screen, Qiao Jing could imagine what Ni Yue¡¯s expression was like.

    She was probably rolling up her sleeves, all puffed up with anger, obviously not someone to be trifled with.

    Qiao Jing quickly spoke up to cut off Ni Yue, changing the topic; she had just heard Yu Yangqi¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, don¡¯t investigate. Where are you now? With Yu Yangqi?¡±

    She stopped Ni Yue because she knew that once Ni Yue said that and began to act, she would not let go until her mission was aplished.

    But she felt the woman was indeed a good match for Zhan Qipei, perfectly matching his status, and she didn¡¯t want to disturb their rtionship.

    Ni Yue, fuming, plopped down onto a couch.

    ¡°Yes, he had the gall toe to me, but he¡¯s not important. Xiao Jingjing, tell me, what about the three children in your belly?¡±

    Yu Yangqi muttered softly beside her.

    ¡°I¡¯m important too, alright¡­¡±

    Then he got a re from Ni Yue and was innocently caught in the crossfire.

    ¡°Men are no good, and you are no exception!¡±

    Qiao Jing suddenly regretted returning to the capital with Lu Zijin.

    Even though Lu Zijin maintained an appropriate distance from her, it was still inconvenient to talk on the phone, like about pregnancy and such which shouldn¡¯t be overheard by others.

    At that thought, she was grateful for the choice she had made earlier, not letting the Zhan Family know about her pregnancy.

    Back then, she had already considered what she would do in her current situation.

    And that was to leave with her kids.

    It was entirely possible for her to raise three children on her own.

    She could not only take care of herself but also manage three children well.

    Ni Yue, unable to receive a response from Qiao Jing, couldn¡¯t help but urge her.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing? Where are you?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the helicopter in front of her, ended the call, and fastened her seatbelt before taking out her phone again.

    In just the time it took to fasten a seatbelt, Ni Yue had already sent her over 99+ WeChat messages.

    Qiao Jing helplessly rubbed her forehead and began to type a reply.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the children myself.¡±

    After sending this message, she went to the WeChat home page and scrolled down to check for any messages she hadn¡¯t replied to.

    Then she saw Xu Moqian¡¯s message.

    ¡°Sister Jing, where did you go? I came to the research institute but didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    Qiao Jing replied to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m in Cloud City for surgery, now on my way back to the capital.¡±

    No sooner had she sent this message than she saw at the top of the chat window that he was typing a message, as if Xu Moqian was waiting by his phone for her reply.

    The next second, Xu Moqian¡¯s reply arrived.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up from the airport. The surgery must have been a sess with you there, right? How about we have a drink to celebrate? Sister Jing, it¡¯s been a long time since we went to KTV together. How about hanging out tonight?¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment; indeed, she had no other ns for the evening, and drinking with the fourth brother was a good way to avoid meeting Zhan Qipei.

    In any case, the n was to reduce contact with Zhan Qipei as much as possible and find an opportunity to move out.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Meanwhile, Lu Zijin sat nearby, his gaze asionally falling on Qiao Jing.

    A trace of regret passed through his eyes, but it was mostly resignation.

    Realizing that his gaze still naturally sought out Qiao Jing as before, he smiled helplessly and shook his head.

    He had let go, but some habits couldn¡¯t be corrected immediately.

    He acknowledged that he wouldn¡¯t be able to forget a good woman like Qiao Jing so quickly.

    But these things were no longer important; he had already made the choice to watch Qiao Jing be happy.

    Qiao Jing noticed Lu Zijin¡¯s gaze and looked up at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Zijin shook his head.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Qiao Jing, puzzled, withdrew her gaze and didn¡¯t ask anything else. In order to prepare for going out tonight, she needed to rest well, so she leaned back in her chair and took a nap.

    Upon returning to the capital, Qiao Jing said goodbye to Lu Zijin. When she left the hospital, she encountered Xu Moqian, along with Ni Yue and Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°How did you all get here?¡±

    She was so worried she hadn¡¯t told them where she wasnding. Could it be that they had managed to trace her steps and find her?

    Ni Yue stepped forward and opened her arms to embrace Qiao Jing, affectionately rubbing her face against Jing¡¯s.

    ¡°Of course, I missed my Xiao Jingjing. It¡¯s two o¡¯clock in the afternoon now; do you have other things to do? If not, I¡¯m going to whisk you away with me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t mention Zhan Qipei, having already blocked him.

    She was also worried that bringing him up in front of Qiao Jing would make her ufortable.

    The mere mention made her extremely annoyed, itching to beat up that mistress, let alone bringing it up in front of the person involved.

    Even if Xiao Jingjing didn¡¯t like Zhan Qipei, Ni Yue knew her character and how much she detested deception.

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing remembered something.

 Chapter 466 - 466 455 I Went for an Infusion Today Infusing

    ?Chapter 466: Chapter 455: I Went for an Infusion Today, Infusing Thoughts of You Tonight   Chapter 466: Chapter 455: I Went for an Infusion Today, Infusing Thoughts of You Tonight                                   She hadn¡¯t yet looked at the materials from the research institute, and she had nned to go back there in the afternoon.

    But now, it seemed that she wouldn¡¯t be able to go.

    Qiao Jing could only send a message to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Could you please turn the materials into a document and send them to me? I won¡¯t be returning to the research institute this afternoon.¡±

    Ni Yue saw Qiao Jing sending a message and instantly became alert, moving closer to the phone.

    ¡°Who are you chatting with? I¡¯m telling you, you better not deal with Zhan Qipei anymore. Let me know when you move; I¡¯lle and help you.¡±

    After seeing that she was chatting with Zhan Nanqing, Ni Yue rxed but still felt something was off.

    ¡°It would be best to cut ties with the Zhan family for good.¡±

    Yu Yangqi enthusiastically raised his hand.

    ¡°And me, boss, I¡¯lle help you move too!¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Yu Yangqi a half-smile.

    ¡°Are youing to help me move, or¡­¡±

    She meaningfully nced at Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s look and red menacingly at Yu Yangqi,ining,

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing! You¡¯ll make me sad by doing this! I¡¯ve already pledged my life to you, why are you still trying to set me up with that idiot?¡±

    Qiao Jing resignedly poked Ni Yue¡¯s face.

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    She had long been ustomed to Ni Yue¡¯s drama queen antics, so Yu Yangqi being around Ni Yue was proof enough of a potential drama.

    So, naturally, she would help.

    Yu Yangqi retorted unhappily, ¡°Ni Yue, I¡¯m not an idiot. I¡¯m absolutely devoted to you.¡±

    Ni Yue immediately broke out in goosebumps, her face full of disdain.

    ¡°Yu Yangqi, you¡¯d better not let me hear more cheesy lines from you, or it¡¯s going to be a fight to the death.¡±

    Yu Yangqi paused, looking puzzled at Ni Yue.

    ¡°Don¡¯t girls like these things? But that¡¯s what the inte taught me. Also, there¡¯s¡­ I went for an infusion today, an infusion filled with thoughts of you, and then there¡¯s another¡ª¡±

    He was interrupted by Xu Moqian, who spoke disdainfully,

    ¡°Stop, stop, stop, don¡¯t talk anymore. I thought I was straightforward enough, but you outdo me. Those words are so greasy, Ni Yue liking you would be odd.¡±

    Qiao Jing, too, was put off by Yu Yangqi¡¯s greasy words, rolling her eyes with a sigh, and sincerely suggested,

    ¡°Stay off the inte.¡±

    She now suddenly understood why Ni Yue was so repulsed by him.

    Ni Yue also rolled her eyes dramatically, hooked arms with Qiao Jing, and began walking forward whileining,

    ¡°Now you see why I can¡¯t stand him? If he used these clingy and annoying tactics on some other girls, it might work, but they are absolutely futile on me.¡±

    Yu Yangqi quickly followed Ni Yue,

    ¡°Wait, if you don¡¯t like it then I won¡¯t say it anymore!¡±

    Originally, Qiao Jing thought that with Ni Yue¡¯s personality, anyone pursuing her would have a tough time.

    Later, she felt that if it were him, plus her matchmaking, the difficulty might lessen a tiny bit, bing slightly possible.

    But now, looking at his emotional intelligence, pursuing Ni Yue seemed very unlikely.

    Not just unlikely, but highly unlikely.

    Ni Yue led Qiao Jing to the back seat of the car, sending Yu Yangqi to the front.

    ¡°You go sit in the passenger seat with Xu Moqian.¡±

    Yu Yangqi uttered a resigned ¡°Oh,¡± and reluctantly took the passenger seat.

    As soon as they got into the car, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone started to ring non-stop.

    Seeing this, Ni Yue immediately reached over, took Qiao Jing¡¯s phone from her hands, and stared at the screen suspiciously.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, quickly unlock your phone and let me see who¡¯s bombing you with messages. It couldn¡¯t be Zhan Qipei, could it? I¡¯ll help you block him; he¡¯s infuriating me!¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Ni Yue held the phone up to her face, and the facial recognition unlocked it.

    Ni Yue opened WeChat in front of Qiao Jing and found a message from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not Zhan Qipei, it¡¯s Zhan Nanqing asking about work-rted stuff.¡±

    Qiao Jing reluctantly took the phone and checked Zhan Nanqing¡¯s message.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent the document.¡±

    Then, the other party sent another message.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where were you yesterday? My brother was almost going crazy looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Are you back in the capital now?¡±

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mention of Zhan Qipei frantically looking for someone, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyshes gently trembled.

    ¡°I¡¯m back, but I don¡¯t have time to go to the institute, I¡¯ll check the materialster.¡±

    Her gaze fell on the second message, somewhat lost in thought.

    She could imagine Zhan Qipei¡¯s frantic, anxious demeanor, but she was curious.

    Hadn¡¯t Zhan Qipei already found someone more suitable?

    Why was he still holding onto her?

    Zhan Nanqing, upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s message, hesitated and bit her lip, restlessly running her fingers through her hair.

    She wanted to ask Qiao Jing where she was going, and whether she was headed straight home.

    Her intuition told her that there seemed to be indeed a problem between her brother and Qiao Jing, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have gone two days without seeing each other.

    Moreover, her brother had even mentioned to her that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t responding to his messages, and that she had said it wasn¡¯t convenient to take a video call this morning.

    Her mother didn¡¯t know about this yet, so for now, she was the only one who could scout for her brother.

    If Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t heading straight hometer, her brother would probably turn the capital upside-down again.

    So, should she ask or not?

    Qiao Jing just watched the chat header repeatedly showing ¡°typing¡­¡±.

    And it appeared several times, clearly showing she had something to ask.

    ¡°What¡¯s up? Just ask me directly.¡±

    Although she was already prepared to leave and nned to sever ties with everyone in the Zhan Family, maintaining contact with Zhan Nanqing was still necessary.

    After all, there were still many work handovers with Zhan Nanqing that couldn¡¯t be cut off immediately.

    Zhan Nanqing typed anxiously and repeatedly in the chat box.

    ¡°Are you going straight hometer? Can Ie over for dinner?¡±

    She thought carefully and then deleted it.

    After holding back for a long while, she only replied with a sentence.

    ¡°No worries, no worries.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow, didn¡¯t dwell on it further, and put her phone in her pocket.

    ¡°Where should we head first?¡±

    The driver Xu Moqian responded quickly:

    ¡°Let¡¯s go straight to the KTV. By the way, Sister Jing, why did Ni Yue offer to block Zhan Qipei for you?¡±

    When he heard Ni Yue talking about blocking Zhan Qipei, his heart couldn¡¯t contain his joy.

    If Zhan Qipei was blocked, didn¡¯t it mean he had a chance?

    Ni Yue wouldn¡¯t say she would help Qiao Jing block someone for no reason; something must have happened between them!

    Moreover, it must be something significant if it reached the point of blocking.

    His opportunity had arrived!

    While Yu Yangqi was searching on Baidu for ways to cheer up girls, he heard Xu Moqian¡¯s query and answered for them.

    ¡°Because Zhan Qipei cheated, he was seen entering a hotel with another woman by Ni Yue and me a couple of days ago.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian happily pressed the horn several times, but his happiness was soon reced by anger.

    ¡°What happened? Zhan Qipei cheated?! My Sister Jing is so good, and he dared to cheat on her? He really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him, does he?!¡±

    Ni Yue also nodded vigorously in agreement and added herints:

 Chapter 467 - 467 456 Heavy Heart

    ?Chapter 467: Chapter 456: Heavy Heart   Chapter 467: Chapter 456: Heavy Heart                                   ¡°Exactly. Zhan Qipei, that bastard, is so ungrateful. I¡¯m about to die of anger. Now Xiao Jingjing is preparing to divorce Zhan Qipei and then get together with me.¡±

    Qiao Jing helplessly nced at Ni Yue, not refuting the other¡¯s words.

    After all, it wasn¡¯t the first or second time Ni Yue had made such jokes; it was just friends teasing each other.

    Xu Moqian frowned and contradicted Ni Yue¡¯s words.

    ¡°No way, you can¡¯t get together with Sister Jing. Go be with Yu Yangqi instead.¡±

    He finally had his chance; how could he let Ni Yue snatch it away?

    Yu Yangqi immediately picked up where Xu Moqian left off.

    ¡°Yeah, Ni Yue, let the boss live it up on her own, and then you can just be with me, right?¡±

    Ni Yue stared at Yu Yangqi with irritation.

    ¡°What a bonehead! Haven¡¯t I said before that men are all pigs¡¯ trotters? You guys too, when women talk, men should not butt in!¡±

    She didn¡¯t trust men at all¡ªrelying on men was less reliable than relying on oneself.

    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t believe that Zhan Qipei would cheat; given his status, it was hard to believe that he wouldmit such an immoral act!

    Whoever it was, bullying her Xiao Jingjing was uneptable!

    Xu Moqian nced at Ni Yue through the rearview mirror and retorted without restraint:

    ¡°Don¡¯t generalize like that. There are still good men in this world, like me.¡±

    Yu Yangqi nodded vigorously in agreement.

    ¡°And me.¡±

    Ni Yue promptly raised the partition between the driver¡¯s seat and the backseat and muttered.

    ¡°Stop patting yourselves on the back. Out of sight, out of mind.¡±

    Qiao Jing watched the usual banter between the group, unable to hold back augh.

    She nced at the raised partition, lightly raising her delicate brows.

    ¡°Not nning to put it down?¡±

    Ni Yue deliberately shed a mischievous smile, shifted her body, and leaned closer to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why put it down? This kind of enclosed space is perfect for doing some naughty things¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing immediately put her hand up to block Ni Yue¡¯s face froming any closer, saying sternly,

    ¡°Stop fooling around.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure if Ni Yue, who had an open personality, might actually do something dangerous next.

    A peck on the cheek was fine, but if Ni Yue suddenly kissed her on the mouth, she wouldn¡¯t know how to react.

    Ni Yue wouldn¡¯t give up, rubbing her face against Qiao Jing¡¯s before finally pulling away. She dropped her usual yful demeanor for a serious one.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, when do you n to move out, and when will you handle the divorce procedures with Zhan Qipei?¡±

    Qiao Jing was surprised to see Ni Yue suddenly so serious.

    After hearing her words, she lowered her gaze, concealing her emotions.

    ¡°In the next few days.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to dy any longer, especially since she was pregnant now and risked exposure.

    The sooner she got a divorce, the better.

    Ni Yue said with a solemn tone:

    ¡°What about the three children in your belly? Xiao Jingjing, I know you¡¯re amazing, but it¡¯s going to be exhausting to work while taking care of three kids by yourself. I¡¯m worried about your health.

    asionally I have some international designpetitions to attend, so I can¡¯t always be in the country to help you, and Xu Moqian and the others are all burly men, how can they help take care of you? I¡¯m really concerned about you all, so maybe¡ª¡±

    She touched her chin with a worried frown, her brows furrowed in thought for a moment.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll stop going to the fashion weeks abroad and be the godmother instead, helping you take care of them.¡±

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, her eyes involuntarily trembling as a soft spot in her heart suddenly caved in.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll hire a wet nurse and a nanny when the timees.¡±

    She knew Ni Yue would worry about her, but she didn¡¯t expect Ni Yue to give up the international fashion week for her sake.

    Ni Yue was almost always invited to every show at the Mn fashion week, which would significantly boost her fame. If she stopped attending, she would miss out on a lot of business opportunities.

    She wouldn¡¯t let her friends sacrifice their careers because of her.

    Ni Yue frowned, still somewhat uneasy.

    ¡°Can an outsider be more attentive than me? Let mee and help.¡±

    Qiao Jing silently threw out a sentence that shut Ni Yue up.

    ¡°Last time, when you were taking care of Pingping and Anan, they watched you sleep. Were you looking after them, or were they looking after you?¡±

    She remembered clearly thest time, Ni Yue was sound asleep on the couch, with the two little ones sitting beside her, watching over Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue couldn¡¯t even take care of herself, how could she take care of the children?

    Ni Yue¡¯s face showed an awkward and impolite smile as she chuckled dryly.

    ¡°Haha¡­ That was just an identst time. I was too sleepy and identally fell asleep. Ah, Xiao Jingjing, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely take better care of my godson!¡±

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, smiling as she asked.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Ni Yue made an ¡°eh¡± sound, inexplicablycking confidence.

    ¡°Yes¡­ I guess, Xiao Jingjing! Now that you mention it, I feel like I don¡¯t have any confidence¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to tease Ni Yue and pulled down the partition. Just as she pulled down the partition, she met Yu Yangqi¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Lao ¡®Er, have you been twisting your neck and staring at the partition all this time?¡±

    The moment she pulled it down, the sight of Yu Yangqi startled her.

    His gaze was almost piercing through the partition.

    Ni Yue didn¡¯t even nce at Yu Yangqi, but leaned back in her chair to rest with her eyes closed, repeatedly muttering to herself.

    ¡°Out of sight, out of mind¡­ out of sight, out of mind¡­¡±

    Yu Yangqi nodded dejectedly and was about to turn his head back when his neck made a cracking sound.

    ¡°It¡¯s over!¡±

    He had been too preupied with looking back at the partition and didn¡¯t notice the time, identally maintaining that position for too long.

    Xu Moqian who was driving,ughed out loud, meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes through the rearview mirror.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯m telling you, just now Yu Yangqi was staring at that partition, and he wouldn¡¯t even respond when I called him to turn back.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head helplessly and nced around at the surrounding scenery.

    ¡°How long until we arrive?¡±

    Xu Moqian estimated the time.

    ¡°It takes about half an hour to get to the KTV from the hospital. Sister Jing, you rest for a bit first.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and leaned back in her chair to rest for a while.

    When she woke up again, it was Ni Yue¡¯s voice that roused her.

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, wake up. We¡¯re here, we¡¯re here.¡±

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes and became fully awake a few secondster.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    The group made their way to the KTV¡¯s private room reserved for them, a familiar route.

    As Qiao Jing and the others often came here to y, they eventually decided to permanently book this room.

    They arrived in the afternoon and immediately ordered some snacks.

    The first thing Yu Yangqi did was choose a love song and begin to sing passionately.

    ¡°You ask me how deep my love for you is, how much of my love is true¡ª¡±

    Ni Yue couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore, snatched the microphone from Yu Yangqi¡¯s hand, and dragged him down to sit on the couch by his ear.

    ¡°Yu Yangqi, are you sure you¡¯re a man in your twenties? Why would you sing such an old song?¡±

 Chapter 468 - 468 457 Zhan Qipei Turns into

    ?Chapter 468: Chapter 457: Zhan Qipei Turns into Yearning-for-Wife Stone, Waiting for Qiao Jing to Come Home   Chapter 468: Chapter 457: Zhan Qipei Turns into Yearning-for-Wife Stone, Waiting for Qiao Jing to Come Home                                   Xu Moqianughed heartily without any reservations at the side.

    ¡°Hahaha, you must be from thest century,¡± he said.

    Yu Yangqi frowned, puzzled as he nced at the song he had chosen.

    ¡°What, I searched for love songs, and it just popped up by itself, not my fault,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing looked up at the screen and indeed, the first song was that one.

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud too.

    ¡°Let¡¯s change it,¡± she suggested.

    This song was indeed a bit oldpared to current ones.

    But unfortunately, the second brother knew how to sing it, which instantly lowered the ss a bit.

    Who would imagine a man in his twenties, good-looking too, starting with an old song?

    The scene was indeed somewhat funny.

    She was now even more worried whether the second brother could actually win Ni Yue¡¯s heart.

    After all, Ni Yue was a internationally renowned designer, while the second brother was like a¡­

    She really couldn¡¯t bring herself to say those two words, because he was truly foolish.

    Yu Yangqi saw Qiao Jingughing at him too and looked confused.

    ¡°Boss, is it really that funny? It¡¯s not like I chose it,¡± he said.

    He¡¯d only intended to passionately serenade, yet wound up making a fool of himself again.

    How was he supposed to win Ni Yue¡¯s heart then?

    Would Ni Yue disdain him, likening him to a street dog??

    Xu Moqian wasughing so hard his stomach hurt, clutching his belly and lying down on the couch, beginning to imitate Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°Hahahaha, you ask me how deeply I love you~¡±

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s face instantly darkened, and he red at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Xu Moqian!¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing had already thrown all other concerns to the back of her mind and started making a ruckus with them.

    In the process, Ni Yue even insisted on handing the microphone to Qiao Jing, selecting a few songs for her.

    With no other choice, Qiao Jing sang a few songs.

    Only then did Ni Yue nod in satisfaction, took out her phone, snapped a few photos, and posted them to her Moments.

    After Qiao Jing finished thest song and returned to her seat on the couch, she felt her phone vibrate.

    She took out her phone and noticed messages and missed calls from Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°You¡¯re back in the capital? Where are you? Aren¡¯t youing home?¡±

    ¡°I heard from Nanqing that you¡¯re back in the capital. I¡¯lle pick you up, share your location with me.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the message? Where are you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue reading and was just about to reply to the man¡¯s message when Ni Yue pulled her toward the microphone.

    This caused Qiao Jing not to have time to respond to Zhan Qipei¡¯s messages, leaving her phone on the table.

    Seeing two men there, Ni Yue ordered a few sses of red wine.

    ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s see if you can hold your liquor. Give you guys a chance to prove yourselves.¡±

    Yu Yangqi didn¡¯t drink and opened a bottle of Coke.

    ¡°You drink; I still have to be responsible for taking Ni Yue home.¡±

    Ni Yue disdainfully nced at Yu Yangqi and clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Who said you¡¯re taking me home? I¡¯ll call a cabter.¡±

    Xu Moqian was the first to grab a bottle of red wine and chugged it down.

    ¡°Hey no, this is to celebrate Sister Jing¡¯s sessful surgery. We should pour some for Sister Jing first,¡± he said.

    As he spoke, he poured a ss of red wine and handed it to the woman.

    Seeing this, Ni Yue quickly drank the red wine for Qiao Jing.

    She remembered that Xiao Jingjing was pregnant, and pregnant women shouldn¡¯t drink.

    Xu Moqian looked towards Ni Yue with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Why did you drink Sister Jing¡¯s drink?¡±

    Ni Yue had just taken a sip of the drink and her mind suddenly heated up, struggling to find an answer.

    She seriously thought about what excuse she could make up to deceive Xu Moqian.

    However¡­ she felt that Xu Moqian could probably be easily fooled with some half-baked excuse.

    Seeing that Ni Yue could note up with an excuse, Qiao Jing made one up herself.

    ¡°I just had surgery yesterday, and I¡¯m still a bit tired, so I won¡¯t drink.¡±

    Although she had been pregnant for three months and her body was gradually stabilizing, it was still best to avoid alcohol.

    For her, the child¡¯s health was more important than anything. After finding out about her pregnancy, she had decided to avoid various things.

    Ni Yue¡¯s eyes lit up, and she quickly agreed:

    ¡°Ah, right, right, that¡¯s it. Xiao Jingjing was too tired, she even fell asleep in the car just now, so I just blocked the alcohol for her. What, you still want to get her to drink?¡±

    Xu Moqian quickly shook his head, almost like a bobblehead.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, just pretend I never said anything.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t dare to drink Qiao Jing¡¯s alcohol, not if his life depended on it.

    And¡­ he had already figured his n.

    Later, he could use the excuse of being drunk to have Sister Jing drive him back, looking for an opportunity on the way.

    After all, alcohol boosts courage, he could say anything using the alcohol as his excuse.

    Qiao Jing shook her head and pressed the service bell.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have someone bring a fruit juice over.¡±

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t say anything else and went back topete in drinking with Ni Yue.

    Yu Yangqi firmly refused to drink alcohol, even when Ni Yue taunted him for not being manly enough, he still refused.

    ¡°I need to drive you back. If we both get drunkter, how can the boss handle taking three people home alone?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Yu Yangqi with a hint of admiration in her eyes, a faint smile appearing on her face.

    ¡°Sure, Ni Yue, just let the second-inmand drink c on his own.¡±

    She felt quite reassured in her heart. At least, the second-inmand had some EQ and knew to take a girl home.

    But in other areas, she could not agree with him.

    At least, she knew exactly the little scheme he had in his mind during this opportunity¡ªto visit Ni Yue¡¯s house.

    She wasn¡¯t worried that he would take advantage of the situation, she knew exactly what kind of person the second-inmand was.

    Ni Yue huffed, and she and Xu Moqian drank one cup after another.

    By the time the two of them finally copsed on the sofa, it was already 10:30 in the evening.

    Qiao Jing watched the two of thempete in drinking the whole time and asionally sang a few songs to spice things up.

    She felt much more relieved, and when she picked up her phone to check the time, the first thing she saw wasn¡¯t the time, but the messages from Zhan Qipei popping up, each one asking where she was, with countless phone calls as well.

    Only then did Qiao Jing remember a few hours ago, just as she was about to respond to a message, Ni Yue had pulled her away.

    Which resulted in her forgetting to reply after she came back, busy watching the two mess around.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dy further and typed a message back to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°No need to pick me up, I¡¯m about to call a cab to go back now.¡±

    Her slender fingertips paused on the send button before finally tapping it.

    Yesterday, when she returned home, she had heard another woman¡¯s voice in the house.

    This time, she likely wouldn¡¯t encounter it.

    Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t foolish enough to let her and another woman encounter each other¡ªwouldn¡¯t that ruin the n?

    However¡­

    This scoundrel probably didn¡¯t know that she had already met that woman before.

    Meanwhile, inside Tai Apartment.

    All lights were dimmed as though nobody was at home, but if one carefully distinguished in the darkness, they could see a slender figure sitting by the couch.

    Zhan Qipei was staring nkly out the window, still waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s message.

    He was waiting for Qiao Jing toe home.

    Just then, the phone buzzed once.

 Chapter 469 - 469 458 Yu Yangqi Must Take Good Care of Ni

    ?Chapter 469: Chapter 458: Yu Yangqi Must Take Good Care of Ni Yue   Chapter 469: Chapter 458: Yu Yangqi Must Take Good Care of Ni Yue                                   It was the special ringtone he set!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes lit up simultaneously with the phone screen on the table.

    The dim light from the phone screen stood out starkly in the darkness around, and he quickly grabbed the phone, his fingers trembling slightly as he opened the chat page with Qiao Jing.

    Upon seeing the message from Qiao Jing, the brightness in his eyes instantly faded.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingertips trembled slightly as he quickly replied to Qiao Jing¡¯s message.

    ¡°It¡¯ste, I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips.

    ¡°No trouble, I¡¯m about to head back now, and if youe over, I¡¯ll have to wait for you.¡±

    Although letting Zhan Qipeie to pick her up meant she could use the time to avoid meeting with the man,

    she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it, not wanting Zhan Qipei to make a wasted trip.

    After replying to the message, Qiao Jing put away her phone and nced at Ni Yue lying on the couch, reeking of alcohol and asleep.

    ¡°Er Gouzi, you take Ni Yue home.¡±

    This also presented a chance for Er Gouzi, and she did not want to meddle in their rtionship.

    Ni Yue, in a daze, heard this sentence and immediately started waving her hand in the air, mumbling indistinctly.

    ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­ let Er Gouzi take me home¡­ what nonsense, Xiao Jingjing, you take me home¡­¡±

    She said, fumbling up from the couch and correctly lunging into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms.

    Even though she was drunk, Ni Yue did not forget that Qiao Jing was pregnant and avoided her belly.

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly.

    ¡°Can I carry you back to your ce by myself?¡±

    She actually could take Ni Yue home, but if she did, how would she create a chance for Er Gouzi?

    Now that Er Gouzi finally had a chance, she couldn¡¯t just squander it.

    Ni Yue was stunned for a moment, her gaze blurry, she pondered for a while, and her eyes lingered on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly before speaking vaguely,

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ guess I¡¯ll just take a cab home by myself¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing nced meaningfully at Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for you to take a cab alone at night. Isn¡¯t there a personal driver right here?¡±

    Yu Yangqi eagerly approached Ni Yue.

    ¡°Master Yu at your service! Don¡¯t worry, boss, I¡¯ll take good care of Ni Yue.¡±

    Ni Yue instantly sobered up a bit and looked at Yu Yangqi with a suspicious gaze.

    ¡°What are you trying to do? I¡¯m sober now, I¡¯ll take a cab myself.¡±

    Just as Ni Yue finished speaking, she began to feel drowsy again, feeling the effects of too much alcohol and her eyelids starting to droop.

    ¡°Wait¡­ Xiao Jingjing¡­ maybe I won¡¯t go home tonight¡­ I¡¯m so tired¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Yu Yangqi and then at Ni Yue, her intention very clear.

    She didn¡¯t speak but conveyed her meaning with her eyes.

    Yu Yangqi immediately understood what Qiao Jing meant and approached Ni Yue to help her up.

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll take her home first, haha, I¡¯ve called a cab for you. As for Xu Moqian¡­.¡±

    He paused, nced disdainfully at the drunken Xu Moqian, and made a face of disgust.

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn to be disgusted with him, and you can just leave him here.¡±

    Ni Yue felt something was wrong and began to struggle, pping at Yu Yangqi¡¯s face, but because she was too drunk, her hand slid down immediately after touching his face.

    Her eyes widened in disbelief.

    ¡°Damn¡­ this¡­ I¡¯m done for, Xiao Jingjing, I¡¯m too drunk to even hit properly, what am I going to do?¡±

    What if Yu Yangqi tried something inappropriate and she had no strength to fight back?

    Yu Yangqi smiled and looked at Ni Yue.

    ¡°Boss, Ni Yue is so adorable when she¡¯s drunk.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s facial expression stiffened for a moment, and the corner of her mouth twitched.

    ¡°Yeah, you guys head back,¡± she muttered.

    Now she finally understood what it meant when they say love is blind. As for Ni Yue¡¯s personality¡­

    It might, perhaps, be a little cute¡­

    Ni Yue waspletely drunk now, too weak to move, yet still babbling nonstop.

    ¡°Let go, where did this Er Gouzie from¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing watched the two leave the private room and slowly exhaled, ncing at Xu Moqian sitting on the sofa across from her.

    ¡°Old Fourth, let¡¯s head back, I¡¯ll call you a rideshare,¡± she offered.

    Xu Moqian nodded silently, standing up with somewhat shaky steps.

    While Qiao Jing was calling the rideshare, Xu Moqian had already reached the door of the private room, his entire body leaning against the wall.

    ¡°Old Fourth?¡±

    Xu Moqian steadied himself with the door handle and turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, can you walk me to my car? I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t make it on my own right now.¡±

    He was plotting in his mind what to sayter to seem moreposed, not so rushed.

    He finally had a chance and had to seize it well.

    Qiao Jing hummed in response and quickly walked over to Xu Moqian¡¯s side.

    She couldn¡¯t trust Old Fourth to go back alone in his current state¡ªwhat if he fell asleep on the ground before he even reached his car?

    No matter what, Xu Moqian was one of their own. She wouldn¡¯t be so heartless.

    The two of them walked out of the KTV and headed in the direction of Xu Moqian¡¯s parked car.

    Qiao Jing felt the evening breeze against her face and blinked.

    Just as she was about to check on Xu Moqian¡¯s condition, he stumbled, nearly falling over.

    Qiao Jing quickly reached out and grabbed Xu Moqian¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Old Fourth, has your tolerance gone down?¡±

    She remembered these guys generally had a good capacity for liquor, and tonight, it was only Ni Yue who had bravely drunk a bit too much.

    Based on Xu Moqian¡¯s usual tolerance, that amount of alcohol shouldn¡¯t have left him unable to walk.

    Xu Moqian¡¯s hand had already started sweating nervously, especially since Qiao Jing was holding his arm, making him even more anxious.

    ¡°Not really¡­¡±

    He had been too nervous just then, not noticing the road under his feet, almost making a fool of himself by tripping.

    At such a critical moment, he couldn¡¯t afford any slip-up.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything more, casually holding Xu Moqian¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto you as we walk.¡±

    Otherwise, if Xu Moqian ended up embracing the street in a close encounter, it would look rather unseemly.

    Xu Moqian gritted his teeth, initially wanting to refuse because the more Qiao Jing held him, the more nervous he got.

    But he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to pull his hand away and let himself stay tense.

    ¡°Thank you, Sister Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing casually nced at Xu Moqian and said nothing more.

    Just as they were about to reach the car, Xu Moqian suddenly stopped.

    Confusion flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Drank too much to walk?¡±

    Xu Moqian shook his head, standing beside Qiao Jing, his cheeks flushing a deep red.

    But his face was already red from the alcohol, so it wasn¡¯t particrly noticeable.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡­¡±

    Although Xu Moqian was now steady, Qiao Jing worried that if she let go, he might just flop to the ground, so she continued holding onto his arm.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Xu Moqian bit his lip, and with a determined look, he spoke up.

 Chapter 470 - 470 459 Xu Moqian Confesses to Qiao Jing Again

    ?Chapter 470: Chapter 459: Xu Moqian Confesses to Qiao Jing Again   Chapter 470: Chapter 459: Xu Moqian Confesses to Qiao Jing Again                                   ¡°Sister Jing¡­ I¡­¡±

    His words trailed off before finishing, and he inexplicably felt a bit guilty, his voice deting like a punctured ball, and he pulled back halfway through.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Just speak straightforwardly. No need to hesitate.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want her friends to feel so apprehensive that they stuttered and stammered while talking to her.

    She had long considered them a part of her family.

    Xu Moqian cursed himself several times for his feebleness before he spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Sister Jing, I just wanted to reminisce with you. Do you remember when we first met in college?¡±

    He ultimately decided not to confess right away but to take it slow, fearing an immediate rejection.

    Concerned that Xu Moqian might trip, Qiao Jing pulled him to the side under a streetlight, leaning shoulder to shoulder against the wall.

    ¡°I remember. What about it?¡±

    She recalled not only their first meeting but also the various things Xu Moqian rigged up for her at school, like confessing with flowers in public and even hanging banners. But she had dismissed those as childish antics at the time.

    She remembered the first encounters with everyone around her, all of which were fond memories with her friends that she wouldn¡¯t forget.

    Xu Moqian, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and continued.

    ¡°Sister Jing, did you think all those confessions I arranged in school were a bit silly?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded without hesitation.

    ¡°Yeah, pretty silly. Do all you kids like to do that?¡±

    She observed that the college students were always unabashed in expressing their love, probably Moqian as well, or else he wouldn¡¯t have made every event so grand.

    However, she had already made clear rejections to Xu Moqian, andter on, she could tell that his feelings for her seemed more like adoration, so she treated subsequent confessions as jokes.

    Xu Moqian coughed, his eyes bing somewhat shifty.

    ¡°Sister Jing, you¡¯re not some olddy in her seventies or eighties, you¡¯re only a few years older than me, how am I a kid? But never mind that now, Sister Jing, I¡¯m a bit rushed for time right now, I couldn¡¯t prepare as much as I used to¡­¡±

    The more Qiao Jing listened, the more puzzled she felt, her face full of confusion.

    ¡°What? Prepare what exactly?¡±

    Maybe it was the alcohol emboldening him, but Xu Moqian, with determination, finally blurted it out.

    ¡°Sister Jing! I like you! Consider being with me!!¡±

    Since the area around the KTV was mostly popted with bars and other entertainment venues at this time, the streets were somewhat deserted.

    With that, Xu Moqian¡¯s confession seemed to echo down the entire street.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily.

    ¡°Have you drunk too much?¡±

    She wanted to check if Xu Moqian was talking nonsense due to drunkenness.

    But when she looked up at Xu Moqian, her eyes met a pair of dark pupils.

    Unbeknownst to them, someone had appeared behind Xu Moqian, and it was none other than Zhan Qipei!

    It was unclear if Zhan Qipei had heard Xu Moqian¡¯s words just then.

    But¡­

    It wasn¡¯t her concern whether he had heard or not.

    Qiao Jing expressionlessly shifted her gaze away from Zhan Qipei, focusing on Xu Moqian¡¯s face.

    ¡°Old Four, have you drunk too¡ª¡±

    Her words were cut off by the sincerity in Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes.

    Her heart skipped a beat.

    Why hadn¡¯t Old Four given up on her yet?

    And now, looking at her with such sincerity, she was at a loss for how to reject him properly.

    Xu Moqian, with his bright and piercing eyes, stared incessantly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, I¡¯m not drunk, I¡¯m serious. Since Zhan Qipei has had an affair, why don¡¯t you just divorce him and find someone better?

    Like me, for example. My status might notpare to yours, but it¡¯s still decent. I can do household chores, and most importantly, I will never cheat.¡±

    He had just finished speaking when he felt as if someone was boring holes into his back, which felt odd.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her expression extremely serious.

    ¡°Young Qian, you really have had too much to drink.¡±

    Just as Xu Moqian was about to say something else, a deep voice interrupted him.

    ¡°Who did you say had an affair?¡±

    Zhan Qipei, with a face so grave it could almost drip water, strode meteorically between the two, forcibly distancing Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian.

    He had just arrived on this street and before he could even enter the KTV, he had heard Xu Moqian confessing his love.

    Daring to poach his person while he was away?!

    Xu Moqian, upon seeing that it was Zhan Qipei, could hardly contain his anger.

    ¡°You! You still have the face to ask? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten? I think you¡¯d better go and divorce Sister Jing right now!¡±

    He had finally found an opportunity today and couldn¡¯t let Zhan Qipei ruin it for him!

    This was his chance to turn the tables!!

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brow, misted with confusion, and looked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What affair? I didn¡¯t have an affair.¡±

    Xu Moqian, now emboldened by the alcohol, fearlessly faced Zhan Qipei¡¯s darkening expression and spoke up directly.

    ¡°Ha, Zhan Qipei, you still want to y dumb? I¡¯m telling you, Sister Jing is already preparing to divorce you and move out. Stop clinging to her already.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows creased tightly, his gaze fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, but he realized she was tacitly acknowledging Xu Moqian¡¯s words.

    ¡°What are you talking about? When did I ever cheat?¡±

    With such a wonderful wife, how could he possibly cheat?

    There must be some misunderstanding here!!

    No wonder Qiao Jing has been so cold toward him recently. Could it be because of this ¡°affair¡±?

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and remained silent, looking emotionlessly at Zhan Qipei.

    She didn¡¯t know why Zhan Qipei was still pretending to be oblivious, she wasn¡¯t so easily deceived.

    Something she hadn¡¯t expected was that Zhan Qipei would still y dumb after things had been made clear.

    Xu Moqian ¡°tsk¡±ed and took a few steps forward, trying to squeeze past Zhan Qipei to leave with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Jing, don¡¯t bother with him, let¡¯s go¡­¡±

    No sooner had Xu Moqian finished speaking than he felt a sharp pain in his wrist and before he could react, he was pinned against the wall by Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence grew colder by several degrees instantly, his lips tightly pressed in a straight line, his face as cold as a bitter wind as he red at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°You try toy a finger on Qiao Jing.¡±

    Xu Moqian began to struggle furiously.

    ¡°Who¡¯sying a finger on Sister Jing? I was taking her home!¡±

    This statement angered Zhan Qipei, a ferocious glint swept through his dark eyes, and he intensified the pressure of his grip.

    Xu Moqian cried out in pain.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei! Let me go!¡±

    Upon seeing this, Qiao Jing quickly stepped forward, furrowing her brows, her lips slightly parting.

    ¡°Let go!¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei momentarily paused his movement and subconsciously loosened his grip a bit.

    Seizing the opportunity, Xu Moqian quickly broke free from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grasp.

 Chapter 471 - 471 460 Contradiction Ignition

    ?Chapter 471: Chapter 460: Contradiction Ignition   Chapter 471: Chapter 460: Contradiction Ignition                                   He left and ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, hiding directly behind her, and began to use Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Sister Jing, Zhan Qipei hit me so hard, look how red my hand is.¡±

    Xu Moqian, while speaking, lifted his hand in front of Qiao Jing for her to see the red marks on his wrist, which were so red they almost seemed to bleed, indicating just how hard Zhan Qipei had struck.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face instantly sank when she saw Xu Moqian¡¯s injury, and her cool voice emerged.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you went too far.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to bully her friends, and Zhan Qipei had clearly intended to cause real harm just now.

    If Xu Moqian hadn¡¯t managed to break free, his hand would likely be broken by now.

    Zhan Qipei felt a stab of irritation seeing the two of them together, his frown growing deeper, and his face as cold as a gust of wind as he stared at them.

    ¡°It was him who said he wanted to take you home. Although you haven¡¯t cleared up the affair thing with me, I haven¡¯t cheated.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t possibly cheat, his heart already wholly entrusted to Qiao Jing.

    What exactly had led Qiao Jing to misinterpret his actions for so long?

    Moreover, a misunderstanding about cheating is serious¡ªit could even lead to divorce.

    He had only just obtained this hard-earned chance and certainly didn¡¯t want to divorce over a nonexistent issue.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart chilled further with Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, her expressionless face now bearing a trace of estrangement.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you could have simply told me you met someone more suitable. There was no need to hide it from me; I wouldn¡¯t cling to you desperately.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to deny it up until now, even though she had seen everything with her own eyes and heard it with her ears.

    Xu Moqian immediately echoed on the side:

    ¡°My Sister Jing could never be the type to cling desperately, and what¡¯s more, Sister Jing hates deception the most. You¡¯vepletely lost your chance now!¡±

    Qiao Jing, seeing Xu Moqian now with an attitude of enjoying the drama without fearing it might escte, rubbed her forehead with a headache and pushed him behind her.

    ¡°Kid, either stay quietly behind me or go back to the car now.¡±

    The reason she hadn¡¯t told Kid to go straight back to the car was that it would require passing by Zhan Qipei, who now wore a grim expression. She wasn¡¯t sure if Zhan Qipei would stop Kid, but given this scoundrel¡¯s character, he likely would.

    The sight deeply pained Zhan Qipei, but what tortured him like a slow cut was the distant look on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    He only ever saw such an expression when he first met Qiao Jing; he had almost forgotten that a woman could look at him that way, and it threw him into turmoil.

    Even when he had run a red light, his heart had never been this unsettled, despite the near misses with neighboring cars. His mind had been remarkably calm, focused on one thing only.

    He wanted to see Qiao Jing immediately.

    Only he knew that he drove at 200 miles per hour just to see her, risking everything just for that one glimpse.

    He had just parked his car and had not yet reached the KTV when he spotted Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette, but he couldn¡¯t feel happy.

    Because Qiao Jing was helping Xu Moqian walk.

    When Qiao Jing saw the hurt expression on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face, she furrowed her brows, but soon they rxed.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a suitable ce to talk. I was nning to find the right time to discuss it with you, but since we¡¯ve bumped into each other now, I¡¯ll be frank.¡±

    She paused, and her red lips slowly uttered a sentence.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let¡¯s get a divorce.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to drag things out anymore nor pretend she knew nothing about continuing to live with Zhan Qipei.

    She didn¡¯t mind if Zhan Qipei found another woman to live his life because he and that woman did seem very well-suited.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s statement, Xu Moqian almost burst into apuse.

    The emotions that Zhan Qipei had been suppressing in his chest broke free due to her words, spreading a mix ofplex feelings within him.

    His reason disappeared, too, and without a second word, he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist and forcefully led her towards where he parked his car.

    ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t allow you to divorce me like this, I didn¡¯t cheat. Exin to me what¡¯s going on after we get home.¡±

    Zhan Qipei dropped these words and then fell silent, his facial profile tense, clearly showing just how bad his mood was at that moment.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, an unhappy expression emerging on her face, her cool eyes growing heavier.

    She tried to break free from Zhan Qipei¡¯s restraint, but the man had already lost his reason, his grip bing unconcerned with restraint and gradually getting stronger.

    Qiao Jing felt a pain in her wrist and her voice grew colder as well.

    ¡°Let go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei smelled the alcohol on Qiao Jing and his face grew even more somber, subconsciously tightening his grip.

    Qiao Jing had been drinking.

    Even though it was not suitable for her to drink during pregnancy, Qiao Jing still did.

    She hadn¡¯t considered her own health.

    Thinking of this, the tense string in Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind snapped and he pressed Qiao Jing against the wall.

    Qiao Jing realized what Zhan Qipei wanted to do and pushed him away without hesitation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get physical with you.¡±

    Something seemed to be churning in the dark depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, ready to erupt.

    His face was cold as he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand again and started to walk out.

    Xu Moqian saw this and thought it was bad news.

    Zhan Qipei was obviously trying to take the person by force. He had finally mustered the courage to confess to Sister Jing once more; how could he let it be interrupted like this?

    He took a step and followed.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei! Let go of Sister Jing! Otherwise, today it¡¯s either you or me, how can there be cheating without admission?! Ni Yue saw with her own eyes that you entered the hotel with another woman, the evidence is irrefutable!¡±

    Upon hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s step instantly halted, he hesitated for a moment, then after two seconds of silence, he looked up at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Is it because of this?¡±

    He had been worried that Qiao Jing might misunderstand him, so he lied to the woman, saying he was in a meeting.

    Since Ni Yue had already seen him and his cousin enter the hotel, she would definitely talk to Qiao Jing, and on top of that, he was keeping things from her¡­

    So it was because of this that his wife had misunderstood him for several days?!

    Seeing Zhan Qipei loosen his grip a bit, Qiao Jing pulled her hand back.

    ¡°Not just that.¡±

    There was the dinner, as well as him bringing someone to their house, and the conversations she overheard¡ªeverything added up.

    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have convicted him just because he went to the hotel and came back that night.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist again, and forcibly took her to the car, locking the car door behind them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll exin when we get home. Trust me, I haven¡¯t cheated.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know what else might have caused the misunderstanding with Qiao Jing, but he was ready to exin everything.

    Seeing the certainty on the man¡¯s face, Qiao Jing began to harbor suspicions in her heart.

    If that wasn¡¯t considered cheating, then what was?

    Could there really be some misunderstanding in this matter?

    The car hadn¡¯t even started when Xu Moqian caught up, tapping the passenger-side window with a worried face.

    ¡°Sister Jing!¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled down the window.

 Chapter 472 - 472 461 Misunderstanding Resolved

    ?Chapter 472: Chapter 461: Misunderstanding Resolved   Chapter 472: Chapter 461: Misunderstanding Resolved                                   ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Xu Moqian stared at Zhan Qipei with a wary face, his hand even reaching into the car window, gently tugging at Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Sister Jing, are you really going back with him? But he has cheated.¡±

    If this opportunity was snatched away by Zhan Qipei again, who knows when the next one would be.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zhan Qipei and slowly began to speak.

    ¡°I still need to go back once.¡±

    Her luggage wasn¡¯t ready; she had to return to Nantai Apartment no matter what.

    Upon hearing the word ¡°cheating,¡± Zhan Qipei¡¯s face instantly darkened further, his voice deep and solemn as he spoke.

    ¡°I said, I didn¡¯t cheat!¡± These words were almost squeezed out through Zhan Qipei¡¯s teeth.

    A deeper suspicion took root in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart; Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was quite confident.

    Could it really be a misunderstanding?

    Xu Moqian did not hesitate to refute:

    ¡°Then what about you going into a hotelte at night with another woman? If that¡¯s not cheating, what is?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face remained cold; he rolled up the car window and pressed down on the elerator.

    The car raced off, leaving Xu Moqian swallowing its exhaust fumes.

    Xu Moqian was stunned for a moment, and by the time he came to his senses, Zhan Qipei had already driven far away.

    He clenched his fists, throwing a punch against the wall beside him, trying to vent his frustration on the wall as if it were Zhan Qipei.

    The next second, his phone began to ring.

    Xu Moqian pulled out his phone and saw a message from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°The designated driver is almost here, let him take you back, don¡¯t drive yourself.¡±

    After reading the message, Xu Moqian sniffed hard and muttered:

    ¡°Sister Jing still cares about me¡­ it¡¯s just that Zhan Qipei is really annoying!¡±

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    Qiao Jing walked expressionlessly towards her room, but before she had taken a few steps, her wrist was seized.

    She thought for a moment and turned back.

    ¡°How do you want to exin this?¡±

    She was curious to know what excuse Zhan Qipei would use to prove his innocence.

    She had seen it all with her own eyes. If it wasn¡¯t cheating, then what was it?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gloomy expression gradually softened as he began to exin to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°That person is my younger cousin. We went to the hotel that night because she had sprained her ankle. No one else was allowed toe because she had had an argument with my cousin¡¯s father. She secretly came back from abroad and didn¡¯t want my mother to know in case my cousin¡¯s father found out and took her back. I didn¡¯t tell you the truth about being in the hotel that day because I was afraid you¡¯d misunderstand.¡±

    But still, misunderstanding urred.

    He had never imagined that his cousin¡¯s issue would make Qiao Jing doubt him for so long, even considering a divorce?

    If he had known it would turn out this way, he would have told Qiao Jing the truth from the start.

    A look of surprise flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, her longshes trembling as she said doubtfully:

    ¡°Your younger cousin? The same person who dined with you, visited your house, and was at the hotel?¡±

    So, the person she had misunderstood for so long was Zhan Qipei¡¯s cousin?

    Those previousments she made, about Zhan Qipei and his cousin being well-matched¡­

    Luckily, no one else heard them¡­

    Zhan Qipei nodded, his furrowed brows slowly smoothing out.

    ¡°Have dinner? That day she had just returned to the country, so I went to pick her up from the airport and took her out for a meal, as I was the only contact she had in the capital at the moment, so I went there,¡± he exined.

    He said ying it this way with his cousin would certainly cause some unnecessary trouble, and now, wasn¡¯t it just so?

    It made his wife misunderstand him for so long.

    After all, he is the considerate husband of the Qiao Jing family¡ªif Qiao Jing asked him to go east, he wouldn¡¯t dare go west. How could he possibly have an affair?

    Zhan Qipei suddenly caught another sentence from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Come home? Weren¡¯t you not at home the day the cousin came over?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes shifted elsewhere as she pursed her red lips and briefly summarized.

    ¡°That morning I came back and heard a woman¡¯s voice inside.¡±

    That day, she also heard something about being pregnant and thought it involved a child with Zhan Qipei.

    It turned out, everything was a misunderstanding, a huge mix-up.

    After listening, Zhan Qipei walked over to the sofa, took out four exquisite gift bags, and ced them on the table.

    ¡°That day, the cousin wanted toe over to see you and even brought gifts, but it turned out you had gone out, so she left the gifts behind. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can call the cousin,¡± he offered.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, nced at the gift bags, and felt remorseful.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯m sorry about the cheating misunderstanding, for misunderstanding you for such a long time.¡±

    Now that she knew what had happened, and given the rtionship between the two of them, no further exnations were needed.

    She had been angry with Zhan Qipei for several days and ignored him, only to find out that it was all a misunderstanding in the end¡­

    It seemed she needed to find an opportunity to cook a meal and properly make it up to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei carefully ced the gifts down, his expression cautiously tender, and his tone sincere.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright as long as you¡¯re not angry. I wouldn¡¯t cheat on you, I definitely won¡¯t.¡±

    He had such a wonderful wife, how could he possibly have an affair?

    In his heart, no one in the world couldpare to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was always his number one.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, lowered her gaze, and didn¡¯t say much more.

    Suddenly, she remembered something.

    ¡°How did you know I was at KTV?¡±

    Just after she and Xu Moqian hade out of the KTV, she bumped into Zhan Qipei.

    But she hadn¡¯t told Zhan Qipei where she went that day. How did this man find his way here?

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone, opened his chat with Zhan Nanqing, and handed the phone to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Nanqing sent me a screenshot. I guessed you might be there.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at it and noticed a photo sent by Zhan Nanqing, a snapshot from a social media post.

    It was a photo taken by Ni Yue that also includes geotagging.

    But her figure wasn¡¯t in the photo; how could Zhan Qipei have driven straight over?

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her delicate eyebrows.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in this photo, so why did youe here directly by car? What if I hadn¡¯t been here?¡±

    She had noticed that when Zhan Qipei arrived, his hair was disheveled by the wind, and his suit that was typically without a wrinkle was now messy and creased in several areas, clearly havinge over in a hurry.

    Before Qiao Jing could answer, Zhan Qipei continued, his expression filled with concern.

    Zhan Qipei, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, came over to sit on the sofa.

    ¡°What would you have done if I hadn¡¯t found you today and why do you smell of alcohol? Did you drink?¡±

 Chapter 473 - 473 462 Zhan Qipei Blames Himself Wants to

    ?Chapter 473: Chapter 462: Zhan Qipei mes Himself, Wants to Help Qiao Jing Bathe   Chapter 473: Chapter 462: Zhan Qipei mes Himself, Wants to Help Qiao Jing Bathe                                   Before Qiao Jing could answer, Zhan Qipei continued, his brow filled with concern.

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now, you can¡¯t drink alcohol, it¡¯s bad for your health.¡±

    Qiao Jing rubbed her forehead helplessly, addressing the previous question first.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t exin things clearly to me tonight, I¡¯ll find time toe back tomorrow to pack my things, move out, and avoid you.¡±

    She had already made her n to move out and then divorce Zhan Qipei.

    To avoid meeting Zhan Qipei face to face, she would specifically choose to go back during work hours.

    Zhan Qipei thought ofing home from work to find the house empty and deserted, and his heart skipped a beat, instinctively blurting out.

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t leave.¡±

    How could he let his hard-won wife leave just because of a misunderstanding?

    Luckily, he ran into Qiao Jing tonight and had exined everything to her; otherwise, his wife might have left alone with the three children.

    Qiao Jing sank into the soft sofa and rxed.

    ¡°If the misunderstanding is cleared up, I won¡¯t leave. I promised to give you a chance. As for the smell of alcohol¡­ It¡¯s from ying with them, I was drinking juice. I¡¯m naturally clearer than you on the fact that I can¡¯t drink alcohol since I¡¯m pregnant.¡±

    It was only at this moment that she felt the cloud that had been looming in her heart finally dissipate.

    She had thought she had let go and felt nothing before, but now she felt aplete release.

    This sensation was odd and not like her at all.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei breathe a sigh of relief, but out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed a faint red mark on Qiao Jing¡¯s fair wrist.

    A fire ignited in his heart, and he was about to demand who was responsible.

    But in the next second, he remembered that it was he himself who had hurt Qiao Jing earlier.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was filled with guilt as he carefully took Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Do you have medicine? I¡¯ll apply some for you. I was too angry just now¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Right, I remember you got a bottle of medicine for Pingping¡¯s woundst time. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±

    The more he thought about it, the angrier he got with himself, raising his hand to p his own face.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing quickly intervened.

    ¡°What are you doing? Hitting yourself?¡±

    She realized that the hand she caught was almost unstoppable, showing just how much force Zhan Qipei was using.

    If that p hadnded on his face, it would surely have left a red mark and even swollen up.

    Zhan Qipei nodded without hesitation, his voice heavy with remorse.

    ¡°Yes, because I hurt you just now.¡±

    The woman he always carefully cherished had ended up hurt by his own hand?

    He resolved that in the future when he lost control, he should p himself first toe to his senses.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but be amused at Zhan Qipei¡¯s matter-of-fact demeanor.

    ¡°Do you want people at thepany to see their boss with a swollen face? If you do this, those who don¡¯t know better might think I¡¯m abusing you¡­¡±

    She immediately regretted her words as soon as she spoke; her rtionship with Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t really be considered as abusive yet.

    Because, for the moment, they were only married in name, not a true husband and wife.

    After thinking it through, Qiao Jing changed her wording.

    ¡°Those who don¡¯t know better might think I hit you. I¡¯m definitely not a violent person.¡±

    Actually, the red mark on her wrist wasn¡¯t that serious. Zhan Qipei was on the verge of exploding, but she could tell that, subconsciously, he still took her wellbeing into ount.

    Otherwise, her wrist might have ended up like Pingping¡¯s.

    Pingping¡¯s injury on his hand was not only a degree worse, with little droplets of blood oozing from the red marks, but the marks on her hand were just shallow red.

    So, she reluctantly forgave Zhan Qipei, although it did hurt a bit when he grabbed her at the time.

    When Zhan Qipei heard the words ¡°domestic violence,¡± his dark pupils instantly lit up, but as he heard Qiao Jing change her statement, his eyes dimmed again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not totally against the idea of domestic violence. You can hit me if I make a mistake, but for my wife¡¯s happiness, you can¡¯t hit¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze shifted elsewhere, meaningfully looking at Qiao Jing, his dark pupils flickering with an unusual brightness.

    He actually preferred Qiao Jing to use the term domestic violence to describe him because that would mean he and Qiao Jing were a family.

    However, his focus was on thest sentence, trying to gauge Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction.

    Qiao Jing immediately understood the words Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t finished, and the temperature at the tips of her ears shot up instantly.

    She pushed the man away expressionlessly and stood up to fetch the medicine box herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll apply the medicine myself. You should go wash up and sleep. I¡¯m not going tomit domestic violence.¡±

    What¡¯s with Zhan Qipei, shifting the topic to something else again?

    And especially such an improper topic. She was not going to pay any attention to this shameless man.

    Zhan Qipei expected Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, and without giving up, shamelessly followed her into the room.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say it anymore. I¡¯ll help you apply the medication. It¡¯s inconvenient with one hand.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused with the medicine box in hand and looked at Zhan Qipei with a half-smile.

    ¡°How is it inconvenient? I only hurt my wrist; I can apply the medicine myself.¡±

    With that, she scooped out a dollop of soothing cream and applied it to her wrist single-handedly as proof that she could.

    Mainly because any normal person can touch their right hand with their left. It was not an area that she couldn¡¯t reach and needed help for.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t give up and attempted to find other reasons.

    ¡°I can wrap the bandage for you. It¡¯s hard to do with one hand.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow.

    ¡°Just applying cream is enough; there¡¯s no need for a bandage.¡±

    It¡¯s not like she suffered a fracture; the red mark on the hand would disappear after applying the medicine and waking up tomorrow. Wrapping it in a bandage seemed like making a big deal out of a minor issue.

    Zhan Qipei continued to stare unwaveringly at Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, his dark pupils filled with stubbornness.

    ¡°No,ter you¡¯ll need to shower, and it should be waterproof. Right, let me help you with the shower; that way it won¡¯t be inconvenient for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples suddenly throbbed, and she quickly wrapped her right hand with a bandage using her left hand.

    Not only did she wrap it up, but she even tied a pretty bow to demonstrate her capability.

    In her many years as a doctor, there had been plenty of times she had to dress her own wounds single-handedly. It was just a matter of applying some ointment and tying a bandage.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, you can go out. I don¡¯t need your help.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood still, his gaze intently following Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°You just applied ointment on your wrist; you can¡¯t get it wet, and it¡¯s inconvenient to shower with one hand. Let me help you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved deeply, and her cool voice rang out.

    ¡°Get out.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know why Zhan Qipei never gave up on the idea of helping her shower, even when she had more serious injuries in the past, she had showered by herself. Now it was just a wrist turned red from a twist.

    Indeed, this man is nothing but indecent.

 Chapter 474 - 474 463 Ni Yue Punishes Yu Yangqi

    ?Chapter 474: Chapter 463 Ni Yue Punishes Yu Yangqi   Chapter 474: Chapter 463 Ni Yue Punishes Yu Yangqi                                   Atst, Zhan Qipei was still kicked out of the room.

    On the other side, Ni Yue was helped into the house by Yu Yangqi.

    Yu Yangqi first helped Ni Yue to the sofa to sit down, then looked around the first-floor room.

    ¡°Ni Yue, where is your room?¡±

    Ni Yue furrowed her brows, waving her hand in the air, and pointed vaguely in a direction.

    ¡°Second floor¡­ on the left side¡­ the second room¡­¡±

    Yu Yangqi followed the direction Ni Yue was pointing and noticed she was actually pointing to a room on the right.

    This made him burst intoughter.

    ¡°Hahaha, you mean ¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Ni Yue pped him across the face.

    ¡°Shut up, so annoying, chirping like a sparrow¡­ Er Gouzi, why do you chatter like a sparrow¡­¡±

    Yu Yangqi covered the side of his face that had been hit, eyes wide with shock.

    ¡°Why are you hitting people when I¡¯m helping you back home?! Is it the room on the left or the right?¡±

    At this moment, he felt a little tempted to just put Ni Yue to sleep in one of the rooms on the first floor.

    Ni Yue, apparently finding Yu Yangqi too noisy, reached out and covered his mouth.

    ¡°Stop talking¡­ Er Gouzi, Eunuch Yu¡­ hurry up¡­ hurry and help herdyship upstairs!¡±

    Yu Yangqi, realizing Ni Yue was starting to act out ¡°The Legend of Zhen Huan¡± in her drunken state, yed along in fear of another p.

    ¡°Yes, I shall help herdyship up the stairs, are you satisfied now?¡±

    He moved closer to Ni Yue again, supporting her arms with his hands, and caught the scent of alcohol mixed with a faint fragrance of perfume from her.

    And with Ni Yue¡¯s slightly elevated body temperature at the moment, he found his thoughts wandering.

    Yu Yangqi gritted his teeth, about to remind himself to stay alert when Ni Yue pped him across the face again, jolting him back to reality.

    Ni Yue pushed Yu Yangqi away and, gripping the stair railing, tried to climb up by herself, muttering,

    ¡°This Er Gouzi is useless, I have to¡­ do it myself.¡±

    She staggered forward unsteadily, nearly falling on the stairs.

    Yu Yangqi quickly caught Ni Yue¡¯s waist and pulled her into his arms, steadying her.

    ¡°It¡¯s really hopeless with you, why did I have to fall for you¡­¡±

    After hearing these words, Ni Yue sobered up briefly for a few seconds, frowning once more as she pushed Yu Yangqi away.

    ¡°Who needs your affection? You¡¯re like clingy gum, always sticking around and arguing with me. You think I¡¯m ttered by your love? Get lost!¡±

    She leaned against the wall, barely able to stand steady as the effects of the alcohol hit her again.

    Yu Yangqi hurriedly uttered several ¡°Ehs¡± and directly supported Ni Yue¡¯s waist, beginning to lead her upstairs.

    ¡°I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯m wrong, I only like you, and I¡¯m stuck to you now. I don¡¯t want to bother others, just you.¡±

    Ni Yue red at Yu Yangqi, annoyed, but having drunk too much to push him away any longer, she let him support her.

    ¡°Eunuch Yu¡­ do you want a rebellion, huh? Drag you down and behead you!¡±

    Yu Yangqi continued to y along with Ni Yue¡¯s nonsense.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll get you back to your room and then execute myself, okay?¡±

    He could only send Ni Yue back to her room to rest and then leave; he couldn¡¯t take advantage of someone in such a state.

    Plus, after being pped several times tonight, his face was a bit sore; he needed to go home and roll a cold egg over it.

    Ni Yue¡¯s expression rxed slightly and she ¡°hmphed¡±.

    ¡°At least you know your ce.¡±

    After some effort, Yu Yangqi finally got Ni Yue back to her room andid her on the bed, exhaling deeply.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally managed to get you up here.¡±

    He crouched down and helped Ni Yue take off her high heels, cing them to the side.

    Yu Yangqi ran to the bathroom again to get a wet towel and wiped Ni Yue¡¯s face.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    Ni Yue frowned in dissatisfaction, mumbling something.

    Yu Yangqi, standing at the bedside, couldn¡¯t hear clearly and, worried Ni Yue was ufortable, had to bend down close to her ear.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Only when he got close did he hear Ni Yue¡¯s words clearly.

    ¡°Eunuch Yu must not leave¡­ don¡¯t leave, drag Eunuch Yu off to be beheaded!¡±

    A frozen expression briefly crossed Yu Yangqi¡¯s face.

    ¡°Eunuch Yu will go out now. Are you satisfied, My Lady?¡±

    He waited a long time for Ni Yue¡¯s response, but when he looked down, he saw that her eyes were closed, and he couldn¡¯t tell if she was asleep.

    Yu Yangqi straightened up, but as he was about to leave, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.

    The next second, he was lying in bed, with Ni Yue swiftly sitting on top of him.

    Ni Yue slowly opened her eyes, still groggy, and pressed her hands against Yu Yangqi¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Eunuch Yu is disobedient, I will punish you myself!¡±

    Yu Yangqi was taken aback and stared nkly at Ni Yue above him.

    ¡°Ni Yue? What¡¯s wrong? I need to leave.¡±

    Right now, he didn¡¯t know if Ni Yue had sobered up from the alcohol or how she suddenly found such strength to pin him down on the bed.

    And that wasn¡¯t all, how could Ni Yue¡¯s movements be so quick??

    Ni Yue ced her hand over Yu Yangqi¡¯s mouth, looking very impatient.

    ¡°How dare you! Eunuch Yu be silent, don¡¯t speak!¡±

    Yu Yangqi gave up on reasoning with a drunk and decided to go along with what Ni Yue wanted.

    Seeing that Yu Yangqi had fallen silent, Ni Yue nodded in satisfaction and began randomly touching his face.

    All of a sudden, Yu Yangqi¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Ni Yue, and it took him a moment to blurt out.

    ¡°Ni Yue¡­ get down¡­ stop pressing on me.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ni Yue smacked him across the face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you¡­ to be silent¡­ and still¡­ you talk?¡±

    Ni Yue¡¯s p sobered Yu Yangqi up a bit, but he was acutely aware of his situation and knew he had to get up quickly.

    ¡°Let me get up first.¡±

    Ni Yue furrowed her brow and squeezed Yu Yangqi¡¯s face hard.

    ¡°Why do you talk so much¡­¡±

    She suddenly saw duct tape on the bedside table, cut a piece off, and stuck it over Yu Yangqi¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see you¡­ talk, so annoying¡­¡±

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s eyes bulged as he realized something was wrong, and he started to make muffled noises, attempting to reach up and tear the tape from his mouth.

    But Ni Yue was pressing down on him firmly, and his hands were pinned; he waspletely immobilized.

    Soon after, Ni Yue slowly leaned down,ying on top of Yu Yangqi, murmuring in his ear.

    ¡°Eunuch Yu, the punishment is about to start, you¡¯re done for, hahaha¡­¡±

    The next morning.

    When Ni Yue opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Yu Yangqi¡¯s face, which scared her so much that she immediately pushed him away.

    ¡°Damn? Yu Yangqi?! What are you doing here??!¡±

 Chapter 475 - 475 464 Ni Yue Buys Yu Yangqi for One Night

    ?Chapter 475: Chapter 464: Ni Yue Buys Yu Yangqi for One Night   Chapter 475: Chapter 464: Ni Yue Buys Yu Yangqi for One Night                                   Yu Yangqi was still asleep when Ni Yue pushed him, waking him up abruptly.

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Ni Yue nced down at herself, her anger surged immediately, and she pped Yu Yangqi across the face, swearing loudly.

    ¡°Damn it, Yu Yangqi! Did you take advantage of me? I was drunk, and you dared to climb into my bed?! After Xiao Jingjing and I trusted you so much, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re this kind of person!¡±

    She had asked Yu Yangqi to take her home yesterday because she trusted him, and he dared to climb into her bed?!

    Yu Yangqi was stunned by the p, covering the struck side of his face, his eyes widened.

    ¡°I took advantage of you? I climbed into your bed? Ni Yue, you were the one holding on to me, not letting me leave yesterday!¡±

    Not only had he lost his dignity and his body yesterday, but this morning he was also falsely used?

    This was a huge injustice!

    He had never been so wrongly used in his life!!

    Ni Yue frowned, her face full of disbelief.

    ¡°You¡¯re full of it. Me holding on to you and not letting you leave? I find you annoying at the best of times; it definitely must have been you shamelessly climbing into my bedst night!¡±

    Given how she usually treated Yu Yangqi, how could she possibly have asked him to stay?

    Unless pigs could fly, then she would have willingly asked Yu Yangqi to stay.

    Yu Yangqi, now furious, was at a loss for words, and he threw back the covers, revealing the handprint marks on his body.

    ¡°Ni Yue, if it weren¡¯t because I didn¡¯t record your drunken antics on my phone, and had no evidence, I would show you the video right now! But these p marks you left on me are evidence. You don¡¯t know how many times you hit mest night; my face and my body are covered.

    These handprint marks haven¡¯t even faded yet; you just pinned me downst night, and now upon waking up, you¡¯re ready to walk away and deny everything, right?¡±

    Yesterday was agony mixed with pleasure; he had endured so many hits, and the marks had not yet faded. To wake up and be used by Ni Yue of seizing the opportunity was outrageous!

    Now he felt like he was about to vomit blood from anger.

    When Ni Yue saw the handprint marks, red marks, and even some bite marks on Yu Yangqi¡¯s body, she paused, stupefied.

    This did indeed seem like her style¡­

    Could it have been thatst night she really had been the one holding onto Yu Yangqi, not letting him go?

    No way¡­

    Upon looking at her own body and then back at Yu Yangqi¡¯s, images fromst night involuntarily filled her mind.

    Uh¡­

    Those images were too eye-catching; better not to think any further.

    It seems she really shouldn¡¯t drink to the point of cking out anymore, or who knows what bigger trouble she might cause next time.

    Turning her gaze away from Yu Yangqi, Ni Yue coughed and felt somewhat guilty.

    ¡°Oh¡­ So, what do you want?¡±

    Without any hesitation, Yu Yangqi blurted out a response.

    ¡°You need to take responsibility for me.¡±

    This was a perfect opportunity to get together with Ni Yue, why not, right?

    It was just a few ps; being with Ni Yue,pared to that, was nothing.

    Ni Yue frowned, looking disdainfully at Yu Yangqi, and said:

    ¡°What do you think you are, a pure-hearted little boy? You want me to take responsibility for you? Yesterday was just an ident, we¡¯re all adults here, how can we fuss over such things?¡±

    Yu Yangqi was adamant and immediately brought up Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, you have to take responsibility for me. If you don¡¯t take responsibility, I¡¯ll tell the boss that not only did you hit me yesterday, but you also wronged me.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t just suffer a loss without gaining anything in return.

    Ni Yue let out an annoyed ¡°hey¡± and red at Yu Yangqi with irritation.

    ¡°What are you, a three-year-old? Are you really going to tattle on me? How much money do you want? Let¡¯s just settle this matter here and pretend it never happened. Just don¡¯t tell Xiao Jingjing.¡±

    In her eyes, all men were pigs, without exception.

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s expression darkened instantly, his eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°What kind of person do you think I am? You think you can get rid of me with some money?¡±

    He had been tirelessly pursuing Ni Yue for so long, and finally, a golden opportunity hade. He couldn¡¯t just let it slip away.

    Moreover, he was the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant, was he a man in need of money? So, Ni Yue thought she could buy him off for one night?

    Ni Yue, growing impatient, took a bank card out of her bag and ced it on the bedside table.

    ¡°Stop beating around the bush. There are five million in the ount, no password. Spend it however you like, just make sure you don¡¯t tell Xiao Jingjing, otherwise, it would tarnish my image in her eyes.¡±

    She had never dealt with such a clingy male friend before, who insisted on having a romantic rtionship. Why couldn¡¯t they just talk about money?

    Yu Yangqi didn¡¯t even nce at the bank card, getting up and following Ni Yue closely.

    ¡°Ni Yue, I told you I don¡¯t want money. I¡¯m not like those other guys. Just take responsibility for me. I¡¯ve pursued you this long. You took advantagest night, why not try out a rtionship with me?¡±

    Ni Yue got dressed, picked up her bag from the table, and walked out without looking back.

    ¡°Yu Yangqi, I told you, we are all adults here. This talk of responsibility is too childish. Moreover, what happened yesterday was an ident. Let¡¯s just leave it at that. We can still be friends if we pretend it never happened, but if you insist on taking it seriously, I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    Being in a rtionship was too troublesome. She¡¯d rather spend the time traveling around.

    Plus, she despised men and feltpletely unsuitable for romance. Engaging in a rtionship with her was simply a waste of time.

    Yu Yangqi clenched his teeth, staring intensely at Ni Yue¡¯s retreating figure.

    ¡°Fine, Ni Yue, I won¡¯t give up. You had the upper hand today, but I¡¯ve set my sights on you for life.¡±

    After pursuing her for so long, he wouldn¡¯t give up, especially since they had already done what couples do. They were practically a couple already.

    He didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t win over Ni Yue!

    Ni Yue paused momentarily then turned her head to nce at Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

    ¨C

    When Yu Yangqi returned to Zhouhuan Restaurant, he suddenly noticed that the light was on in the third-floor private room, with someone inside. He murmured to himself,

    The boss is here?

    He slowly walked to the door and pushed it open.

    ¡°Boss.¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped eating her porridge and looked towards the doorway.

    Seeing Yu Yangqi¡¯s attire, the corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but twitch.

    She had only not seen her deputy for one night, and now he was dressed in a mask and sunsses?

    Could it be that the deputy secretly made a career move behind her back?

    ¡°Number Two, what¡¯s with the disguise? You turning into a celebrity now?¡±

    Actually, with Number Two¡¯s looks, entering the entertainment industry wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all, just like Number Three.

    But to Number Three, only acting mattered. He hardly paid attention to anything else, rarely even finding time to look in the mirror.

 Chapter 476 - 476 465 The Most Miserable Man

    ?Chapter 476: Chapter 465: The Most Miserable Man   Chapter 476: Chapter 465: The Most Miserable Man                                   Yu Yangqi saw that Qiao Jing wasughing at him and, in anger, he took off the mask and sunsses from his face, revealing a visage marred with several palm prints, including a red mark over one eyelid.

    ¡°Boss, please stop making fun of me.¡±

    Qiao Jing froze for a moment when she saw the palm prints on Yu Yangqi¡¯s face.

    ¡°How did you get those marks on your face? Did Ni Yue hit you again when you took her home?¡±

    She remembered that when the second-inmand left the KTV, there were no palm prints on his face, at most, the drunk Ni Yue had lightly hit him a few times.

    How did he end up with so many more, and the marks looked so deep?

    Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye.

    The second-inmand¡¯s neck¡ª

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, there were not only finger marks but also other indescribable imprints¡­

    Could it be¡­

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a look of astonishment appearing on her face.

    ¡°Second (Inmand), what happened between you and Ni Yuest night? Didn¡¯t I just ask you to take her home?¡±

    She knew that he was not the kind to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state, but the traces on his body clearly indicated that something had happenedst night.

    Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many red marks on his neck.

    Yu Yangqi sighed, pulled down his cor, and exposed the palm prints and various bite marks and scratches on his chest.

    ¡°Boss, see for yourself. I originally wanted to keep this incident a secret, but I didn¡¯t expect that we would meet yesterday and you woulde today.

    I knew I couldn¡¯t keep it secret from you once I saw youing. I had agreed not to tell you, promising Ni Yue.¡±

    Seeing the almost ¡°scar-covered¡± Yu Yangqi, Qiao Jing frowned slightly, but soon her expression rxed.

    ¡°I messaged youst night to ask about your situation, but you didn¡¯t reply, so I came over today. Did Ni Yue do this to you? Did she drink too much yesterday and not let you leave?¡±

    She knew Ni Yue¡¯s personality well¡ªNi Yue was someone who liked to be in charge.

    It looked exactly like something Ni Yue would do.

    Yu Yangqi sat next to Qiao Jing, his face sporting a pathetic expression, and began toin.

    ¡°Yeah, after I woke up, she hit me again, thinking I had taken advantage of her vulnerability. I felt more wronged than Dou E, and it took her a while to believe me. She even said she¡¯d give me five million as if the incident had never happened.¡±

    Now he had lost his dignity, been wronged, and also had his feelings cheated.

    Was there a man more miserable than him in this world?

    He had actually thought that Ni Yue might agree to date him, but in the end, it was just him being delusional.

    Qiao Jing knew she shouldn¡¯tugh at this time, but when she heard that Ni Yue had offered money, she couldn¡¯t help holding back augh.

    That was indeed very much like Ni Yue.

    Yu Yangqi noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth curving into a smile, and his expression became even more pitiful.

    ¡°Boss, why are youughing at me again? Now, I¡¯m even more miserable. Not only did I lose my dignity and get wronged, but I also had my feelings hurt by my infatuation, and now you¡¯reughing at me. I can¡¯t take it anymore¡ªI can¡¯t take this misery¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing put away the smile on her face and seriously said:

    ¡°Second, Ni Yue is different from all the other women you¡¯ve met before, and you need to understand that.¡±

    Yu Yangqi, with half his face still aching slightly, nodded.

    ¡°Of course, I know that¡­ who else would hit me like she does¡­¡±

    Hisst remark almost broke Qiao Jing again.

    The second-inmand truly was too miserable.

    She suppressed theughter bubbling up inside her and continued speaking.

    ¡°Ni Yue is a little special, so she doesn¡¯t like men very much. If you really like her, be more patient with her. Her personality is just more forthright, she likes to have fun, and doesn¡¯t like being restrained by others, which is why she hasn¡¯t really been in a rtionship until now.¡±

    She said these things because something had happened between the two, and she could tell that the second-inmand really liked Ni Yue, so that¡¯s why she spoke so earnestly.

    In fact, she was quite willing to let Ni Yue be with the second-inmand. Although the two often argued, the second-inmand was someone she knew well, and she was well aware of his character.

    Yu Yangqi hung his head, murmuring.

    ¡°I understand, I can tell, but¡­¡±

    He lifted his head, his face brimming with curiosity.

    ¡°Boss, why does Ni Yue hate men so much?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose not to reveal the reason.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for Ni Yue to tell you herself. That¡¯s all I can share for now, just keep up the good effort.¡±

    She knew Ni Yue would be happy with the second brother, so she was currently acting as a wingman.

    However¡­

    If Ni Yue truly had no interest in dating, she wouldn¡¯t force it and would persuade the second brother to give up.

    After all, everyone knows that forced melons are not sweet.

    Yu Yangqi suddenly had a sh of insight, as if something clicked, and he jumped to his feet, bowing deeply to Qiao Jing without uttering another word.

    ¡°Boss! I¡¯ve figured it out! Thank you! I will definitely win Ni Yue over!!¡±

    The word ¡°give up¡± was not in his dictionary; he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease if Ni Yue were with someone else.

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned by Yu Yangqi¡¯s sudden bow, but then she couldn¡¯t help butugh when she heard what sounded like a vow.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯ve made your decision, that¡¯s fine. By the way, did you know that the third brother has made aeback to acting?¡±

    Her visit was also to inquire about the third brother¡¯s situation, as she hadn¡¯t received any messages from him regarding his return to acting, and was curious if the second brother had heard anything.

    Yu Yangqi straightened up, his face filled with surprise.

    ¡°Boss, what are you talking about? If he didn¡¯t message you, how could he possibly message me? He doesn¡¯t usually bother with me or Xu Moqian, only stays in touch with you, but¡­ when did he make aeback to acting?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    ¡°I heard it from someone else.¡±

    She didn¡¯t usually pay attention to entertainment news, it was just that she happened to have heard Qiao Mengtong mention it.

    Yu Yangqi looked incredulous, his eyes widening in shock.

    ¡°What? How could he not message you and make you hear about it from someone else? That can¡¯t be right.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but she didn¡¯t dwell on it.

    ¡°He might be busy preparing for the film set. I should get going, I need to get to work.¡±

    Yu Yangqi immediately put his mask and sunsses back on and escorted Qiao Jing to the door.

    The service staff at the door, seeing Yu Yangqi, thought he was some sneaky thief and reached out to stop him.

    ¡°Excuse me, could you please show your ID?¡±

    Yu Yangqi swiftly took off his sunsses.

    ¡°Do I need to show my ID too?¡±

    The employee immediately recognized the person in front of him, and his professional smile stiffened for a moment.

    ¡°Boss, no need¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing nearly burst intoughter before managing to hold it back.

    ¡°Second brother, you¡¯re all wrapped up like a zongzi, it¡¯s normal for people not to recognize you.¡±

    Yu Yangqi grumbled a retort.

    ¡°Even the boss is making fun of me¡­¡±

    Actually, he had been stopped just like this when he first came in; this service staff was not the same one as before.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing immediately rified for herself.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t making fun¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, her phone started ringing; the caller was an unexpected person.

 Chapter 477 - 477 466 The Relationship Between Qiao Jing and

    ?Chapter 477: Chapter 466: The Rtionship Between Qiao Jing and the Famous Director   Chapter 477: Chapter 466: The Rtionship Between Qiao Jing and the Famous Director                                   It was Gu Yunchen.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes betrayed a hint of surprise as she nced at Yu Yangqi.

    ¡°Second brother, I¡¯m leaving first.¡±

    Had the third brother finally remembered to contact her at this time?

    She was quite looking forward to seeing what kind of theme the third brother¡¯s new drama would be.

    Yu Yangqi nodded and saw Qiao Jing off to the taxi before leaving.

    Qiao Jing pressed the answer button.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    A cool and indifferent voice of Gu Yunchen sounded.

    ¡°Boss, my new drama has started filming, are you free toe over today?¡±

    Qiao Jing thought briefly and agreed.

    ¡°Okay, send me the address.¡±

    She and the third brother hadn¡¯t seen each other for quite a while, and now it was a good time to go and see him.

    Gu Yunchen gave a grunt and then hung up the phone.

    Soon, Qiao Jing received a location message.

    Inside the film set.

    Gu Yunchen was sitting in front of the monitor, watching the images on the screen.

    Qiao Mengtong was currently dressed in ancient costume, filming a scene in the set-up environment.

    This section mainly tells of a concubine dancing gracefully in the back garden, but they had already had several takes of it,

    and Qiao Mengtong¡¯s solo performance had already been shot several times.

    Gu Yunchen¡¯s brows furrowed tighter and his expression grew colder.

    ¡°Cut!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s movement stopped at the sound, and she cautiously looked toward Gu Yunchen.

    ¡°Director¡­ I can do it well, don¡¯t worry, maybe shoot someone else¡¯s part first? I¡¯ll go practice some more¡­¡±

    She had no background in dance, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t produce such a natural scene.

    This time, she had obtained her role through a bit of a special channel by climbing up from the assistant director before the director had finalized the casting.

    Last time the person she had spoken to about signing onto the drama was actually just the assistant director.

    She had heard that although Gu Yunchen was young and skilled, he also had a typically handsome face for the entertainment industry.

    Yet with such a face, he was usually cold and silent, focused solely on studying the scripts, which gave people an unapproachable vibe.

    Moreover, during filming, he was particrly serious. If an actor made a mistake, he wouldn¡¯t lose his temper like other old directors. Instead, his dark look could be terrifying, and he could rece an actor at any time, even leading ones.

    No actor didn¡¯t want to act in Gu Yunchen¡¯s films; he never had to worry about finding actors.

    She had barely scraped by these past few days, and she couldn¡¯t falter on this!

    Gu Yunchen¡¯s icy gaze fixed on Qiao Mengtong, his face ominously dark as he slowly spoke.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t shoot, then someone else will.¡±

    His film crew did not allow anyone who affected the progress.

    As for this female lead, he hadn¡¯t gone through the casting process.

    When he was in the cave, he had given the general theme to his coborator, the assistant director, who then directly signed a female lead, saying she was very suitable for the role. Apart from the scenes shot in the past few days that were passable, he had reluctantly agreed.

    But if this person called Qiao Mengtong couldn¡¯t act well, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to have her pack up and leave.

    The other actors around also started feeling dissatisfied, as the scene with Qiao Mengtong had already taken an hour or two, wasting a lot of time.

    ¡°Can this female lead act at all?¡±

    ¡°I remember she used to shoot those borderlinemercials, right? How did she be the female lead? Could it be¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Hearing the surrounding whispers, Qiao Mengtong felt furious inside, yet she couldn¡¯t show it.

    She immediately cast a pleading look towards the assistant director.

    Initially, the assistant director didn¡¯t want to get involved, especially since he didn¡¯t want to offend Gu Yunchen.

    But, owing to his private rtionship with Qiao Mengtong, he couldn¡¯t help but speak up for her.

    ¡°Director Gu, could we let her practice this segment a bit longer? Otherwise, it will dy everyone¡¯s time.¡±

    Gu Yunchen frowned and grunted in response.

    ¡°Shoot the male lead¡¯s scenes.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong immediately ran to the side to start practicing her dance.

    After the male lead¡¯s scenes were shot, it was Qiao Mengtong¡¯s turn again.

    Qiao Mengtong felt uneasily nervous; her practice just now was undoubtedlyst-minute. Although she was more fluent than before, her performance wasn¡¯t very stable.

    If she was lucky, she might get through it in one go, but if not, she would have to practice it several more times.

    Gu Yunchen¡¯s eyes fixed tightly on the monitor, his brow furrowed.

    ¡°Action!¡±

    Qiao Mengtong gritted her teeth and gave it her all, starting to dance energetically as per the script.

    She suddenly realized that her luck was good this time, her dance steps hadn¡¯t missed a beat, and she was about to make it through!

    Just as Qiao Mengtong was self-satisfied, Gu Yunchen suddenly called ¡°cut¡±.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s movement stopped abruptly, and she looked at Gu Yunchen anxiously and angrily, yet she couldn¡¯t dare talk back.

    ¡°Director Gu, I didn¡¯t make a mistake this time, right? Why did you call cut again?¡±

    She was just a bit away from finishing. Why did Gu Yunchen suddenly call cut?!

    Being able to dance continuously this time didn¡¯t mean she could do it next time; it was entirely based on luck!

    Gu Yunchen ignored Qiao Mengtong because his phone rang.

    It was definitely a message from the boss.

    ¡°The female lead, go take a rest, we¡¯ll shoot the next scene.¡±

    After dropping this phrase, he took out his phone in public and opened WeChat.

    Qiao Mengtong was so irritated she almost cursed on the spot; she had struggled hard, and just when she was about to make it through, Gu Yunchen began ying with his phone?

    Hadn¡¯t she heard Gu Yunchen hated when others interrupted his shooting?

    How could he interrupt the shooting himself to check his phone now?

    Who could be so important??

    Qiao Mengtong clenched her fists, angry yet unable to voice it, and she quickly walked out of the set to get some air.

    Qiao Jing approached the set entrance and, instead of entering rashly, texted Gu Yunchen first.

    ¡°Big Brother Three, I¡¯m here. Should Ie in directly?¡±

    Gu Yunchen quickly replied to her message.

    ¡°Yeah, Big Sister,e on in.¡±

    Qiao Jing then put away her phone, just about to enter when she encountered an infuriated Qiao Mengtong walking out.

    She didn¡¯t n to pay attention to Qiao Mengtong and was ready to go straight in.

    She was merely visiting the set and wasn¡¯t there to watch Qiao Mengtong indulge in her delusions of grandeur all by herself.

    Qiao Mengtong, upon seeing Qiao Jing, disyed a look of astonishment.

    As she saw Qiao Jing about to pass her by, she reached out trying to grab her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing toe to the set; justst time she had already humiliated her using her status as a female lead. Now, with the posture of a female lead, she could definitely crush Qiao Jing.

    The incident at Zhouhuan Restaurant was just an ident, if it weren¡¯t for that cousin whocked capability but still feignedpetence, causing her to lose face in front of Qiao Jing!

    This time she wanted to show Qiao Jing who the real female lead was!

    Qiao Jing slightly sidestepped, avoiding Qiao Mengtong¡¯s entanglement, and continued walking forward without stopping.

    Seeing her about to walk away, Qiao Mengtong immediately chased after her.

 Chapter 478 - 478 467 The World-Famous Director Actually

    ?Chapter 478: Chapter 467: The World-Famous Director Actually Wants to Take Qiao Jing¡¯s Advice   Chapter 478: Chapter 467: The World-Famous Director Actually Wants to Take Qiao Jing¡¯s Advice                                   ¡°Qiao Jing! Are you deaf? Can¡¯t you hear me speaking? How can you be socking in manners!¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, her icy gaze piercing straight toward Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face, as her cool voice rose.

    ¡°Do you have any?¡±

    She was very curious as to where someone like Qiao Mengtong got the courage to use others of having no manners.

    Qiao Mengtong, under Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, began to feel inexplicably guilty and her eyes started to shift uneasily.

    ¡°How can you say I don¡¯t have manners? At least I would stop when someone calls me; you just outright ignore people. How dare you use others?¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze, her red lips slightly parted.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to waste my time on people like you.¡±

    Having dropped that line, Qiao Jing resumed her stride.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes widened, and her face turned extremely ugly as her voice became shrill.

    ¡°What do you mean? What is ¡®people like me¡¯? What kind of person do you think I am?!¡±

    It was as if Qiao Jing¡¯s words were belittling her!

    She was a big star now!

    What right did Qiao Jing have to look down on her status?

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, Qiao Mengtong continued on her own.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I am now the female lead in Director Gu Yunchen¡¯s new drama. I am a popr star, the female lead. What are you? How dare you speak about me?

    It¡¯s an honor for you even to speak with me, and yet you dare to be sarcastic?!¡±

    Qiao Jing silently curled the corner of her mouth and left without looking back.

    She didn¡¯t want to waste her breath on this kind of person.

    After all, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s self-satisfaction wasn¡¯t just a one or two-day affair.

    Qiao Mengtong clenched her fists, grinding her teeth in anger.

    Before, her punches were like hitting cotton, but this time, she must retrieve her dignity from Qiao Jing!

    Now that she was wearing the costume of a female lead, she was sure it would get under Qiao Jing¡¯s skin even more!

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Stop right there! Don¡¯t reject the face I¡¯m giving you!¡±

    Qiao Jing nced back indifferently at Qiao Mengtong and continued to ignore her.

    Her visit this time was to see how the younger brother¡¯s filming was going, not to engage in idle talk with Qiao Mengtong.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t stop, Qiao Mengtong chased after her again, blocking her path.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you; are you treating me like air again?¡±

    Qiao Jing halted, her red lips slowly uttering two words.

    ¡°Move aside.¡±

    She really didn¡¯t want to waste her time, but Qiao Mengtong stuck to her like a persistent ster each time.

    Qiao Mengtong ¡°hmphed,¡± beginning to fiddle with the costume she was wearing.

    ¡°You don¡¯t feel like talking now? Haven¡¯t you seen it, I am the female lead. You¡¯ve heard of Director Gu, right?¡±

    Qiao Jing gently arched her slender eyebrows.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    Of course, she had heard of him; he wasn¡¯t just well-known, Gu Yunchen was her younger brother.

    However¡­ she was more curious, how Qiao Mengtong was chosen by her younger brother to be the female lead.

    She had seen somemercials Qiao Mengtong had done and inadvertently came across some of her web series while scrolling on her phone. She personally didn¡¯t think Qiao Mengtong¡¯s acting was very good.

    Furthermore, judging by the costume Qiao Mengtong was wearing, it appeared to be a period drama, and her temperament didn¡¯t really match the ancient attire. If she was cast in her younger brother¡¯s drama, it could potentially ruin it.

    She hoped her younger brother would find a more suitable actress for the female lead.

    Qiao Mengtong, arms crossed, boasted smugly:

    ¡°You must be aware of Director Gu¡¯s fame. Every drama he directs is a hit, and he personally signed me as the female lead. Soon, I will dominate the screens of the capital, and there¡¯s more¡­¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re still shamelessly clinging to President Zhan, huh? Do you believe that he will definitely abandon you soon? When that happens, you¡¯ll be left penniless. How about this, I¡¯ll be magnanimous and give you an autograph now. You can sell itter to make quite a bit of money. If you kneel down and call me ¡®sister¡¯ right now, I¡¯ll sign it for you.¡±

    Disdain surfaced in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she frowned.

    ¡°Do you have delusions?¡±

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes widened in anger, her fingernails digging deep into the flesh as she nced around.

    At this time, everyone else was on set filming, and no one was at the door.

    She stepped forward quickly, raising her hand.

    ¡°Delusions? Hah! I¡¯m a big star now, I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s delusional!¡±

    Qiao Jing had no desire to catch Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand; she found it repulsive.

    Just as she was about to sidestep and avoid her, a voice suddenly rang out.

    ¡°Put your hand down!¡±

    At the sound of the voice, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand stiffened in mid-air.

    Fear appeared on her face.

    It¡¯s over, Director Gu saw her trying to hit someone!

    Would Director Gu rece her because of this?

    But this was not her fault at all! It was Qiao Jing who had no real talent yet still acted so high and mighty!

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s gaze darkened as she red unceasingly at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing recognized the owner of the voice and looked in the direction it came from.

    ¡°Little Three? What are you doing here?¡±

    She had only been dyed outside for a moment, and there he was,ing out on his own.

    She had intended to dodge Qiao Mengtong and go straight in, but what if Little Three¡¯s arrival postponed the filming schedule?

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hand, frozen in mid-air, fell, and she looked at Qiao Jing with confusion.

    She hadn¡¯t misheard, had she? Qiao Jing actually called Director Gu ¡®Little Three¡¯?

    What exactly was their rtionship?

    Of course, these were not the main point. The key issue was, when did Qiao Jing get involved with Director Gu?

    She had never heard anything about Qiao Jing knowing Director Gu.

    Gu Yunchen ¡°mm-hm¡±ed, taking quick steps to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°I was watching from inside for so long and you didn¡¯te over, so I came out to check.¡±

    After he said that, his gaze fell on Qiao Mengtong.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯te out, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to see her true colors. Sure enough, letting others handle casting isn¡¯t reliable.¡±

    A look of surprise flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t choose the cast?¡±

    Gu Yunchen nodded and exined to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I gave the script to the assistant director in advance, and he arbitrarily chose a leadingdy for me. She just about passed muster the day before yesterday so I didn¡¯t say anything, but today she caused trouble. I also wanted you toe over to see how these actors were performing and give me some advice.¡±

    Shock was written all over Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face as she looked incredulously at the pair, who seemed to be on familiar terms.

    ¡°Director Gu¡­ you know her? Why would you listen to her advice? What qualifications does she have to advise you?¡±

    Being caught in the act of trying to hit someone by Gu Yunchen was bad enough, but now Director Gu was saying he wanted to take advice from Qiao Jing?

    Who in the country didn¡¯t know that Gu Yunchen is a famous director both at home and abroad?

    His presence was not only felt in Hollywood; his films had won countless awards, and every TV series he directed had won many awards in China as well.

    Actors who had worked on Gu Yunchen¡¯s TV series or films often became stars themselves, winning awards for Best Actor or Actress without exception.

    But now, Gu Yunchen was actually going to heed Qiao Jing¡¯s advice?

    She had never heard of Qiao Jing being involved in acting.

    What Gu Yunchen said next shocked Qiao Mengtong so much her eyes nearly bulged out of her head.

 Chapter 479 - 479 468 The Truth Exposed Qiao Mengtong

    ?Chapter 479: Chapter 468: The Truth Exposed! Qiao Mengtong Completely Disgraced!   Chapter 479: Chapter 468: The Truth Exposed! Qiao Mengtong Completely Disgraced!                                   ¡°If she isn¡¯t qualified, then no one in the world can guide and advise me.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong froze in ce.

    With that statement, could Qiao Jing be some hidden, well-known director?

    No! How could that be possible!

    How could Qiao Jing possibly have the ability to guide Director Gu?

    She had known Qiao Jing since childhood, albeit as adversaries, and knew exactly what Qiao Jing was capable of, which definitely wasn¡¯t much!

    ¡°Director Gu, you¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Gu Yunchen interrupted her.

    ¡°Change the lead actress, you can leave now.¡±

    Qiao Mengtong shuddered violently, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.

    ¡°What? Director Gu, why so sudden? Have I not been performing well these past few days?¡±

    She had barely managed to get this opportunity from the assistant director, during which she constantly tried to ingratiate herself with him, all for the sake of securing the role of the female lead.

    She wanted to ride the wave of sess from Gu Yunchen¡¯s film, and now, after a normal few days of filming, they wanted to rece her?!

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t lose this chance to rise to fame!

    But¡­ Director Gu had always been reserved and spoke little while filming and only pointed out issues when necessary, yet he had spoken so much with Qiao Jing just now.

    The few words she had heard Gu Yunchen speak over the past few days were not even close to the number he had exchanged with Qiao Jing.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing called Director Gu ¡°Third,¡± clearly indicating a deep rtionship!

    Regardless, she had to y the sympathy card and try to salvage any opportunity she could; otherwise, she was going to be reced.

    ¡°Director Gu, was it because you saw me raise my hand earlier? I can exin that, she was the one who insulted me first!¡±

    Gu Yunchen gave Qiao Mengtong a cold nce.

    ¡°Terminate the contract and rece her.¡±

    Just then, other staff members and actors, curious about why Gu Yunchen had been away so long, came over from the backstage.

    The moment they arrived, they heard Gu Yunchen¡¯s statement and their faces registered surprise simultaneously.

    ¡°Why suddenly change the female lead?¡±

    ¡°Director Gu must have his reasons for changing the female lead.¡±

    ¡°I actually think it¡¯s a good change; Qiao Mengtong¡¯s acting isn¡¯t that great, she messed up so many takes just earlier.¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you, it¡¯s not just her acting that¡¯s not up to scratch; she¡¯s been acting all high and mighty just because she¡¯s the lead.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    All the murmuring around her rang in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s ears, herplexion now as ugly as a painter¡¯s palette.

    Her face flushed and paled by turns, her fists clenched tightly as she forced a few tears out.

    ¡°Director Gu, I¡¯ve been filming for several days now, changing actors so suddenly seems rather abrupt, doesn¡¯t it? My performance hasn¡¯t had major issues either! If you¡¯re really not satisfied, I can keep trying until you are.¡±

    After saying this, she stealthily red at the people gossiping nearby.

    Why did these people have toe over and stir things up at this time?!

    If she was going to be reced, she could just sneak away quietly; now with so many witnesses, where could she even hide her face?!

    Gu Yunchen nced at Qiao Mengtong and spoke slowly, his words casting her into Hell.

    ¡°Your acting, not even matching some extras, botched dozens of takes today, and you still think you performed without issues?

    I don¡¯t know what dealings you had with the assistant director, but I¡¯ve already proposed terminating the contract. I want a recement, don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±

    Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, he was clearly aware of whatever deal Qiao Mengtong had struck with the assistant director.

    He reluctantly maintained the facade on ount of the co-productions he had shared with the assistant director.

    But now, Qiao Mengtong had dared to challenge the boss he respected¡ªhe would definitely not give the assistant director any more concessions.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s body started to tremble, her eyes widened as she looked at the assistant director with a pleading gaze.

    How could this be!

    How could Director Gu have found out about her and the assistant director!

    Now that Director Gu had spoken so, what would she do if the assistant director didn¡¯t help her!

    The assistant director pretended not to see, and took a few steps back, hiding in the crowd.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t spoken at all, standing beside Gu Yunchen and watching how he dealt with the matter.

    After all, she was just visiting the set, not a part of this drama¡¯s staff.

    When she heard the youngest¡¯sst statement, she wasn¡¯t surprised at all.

    She knew what kind of person Qiao Mengtong was¡ªif the performance wasn¡¯t up to par, the youngest would definitely not choose Qiao Mengtong.

    If it was said that she got the role of the female protagonist through the assistant director, then it would make perfect sense.

    The expressions on the faces of the onlooking staff and actors became somewhat subtle.

    ¡°Director Gu hit the nail on the head with that statement,¡± said one.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why, I wondered¡ªhow could Qiao Mengtong, with that acting skill, have been chosen as the lead?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, she thought she was all that as the female lead, not even deigning to look people in the eye, not realizing she climbed up using dirty means.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face grew even uglier. She looked up only to meet Qiao Jing¡¯s cold gaze and that aloof aura, all of which were provoking her.

    She resentfully averted her gaze and began looking for the assistant director in the crowd. Seeing his timid demeanor, she blurted out furiously:

    ¡°Assistant director, why aren¡¯t you speaking up for me now?¡±

    When she had curried favor with the assistant director before, he had constantly assured her he would ensure she got the female lead role and would support her rise to fame.

    And now he actually thought of disowning her?

    The assistant director hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Mengtong to call him out publicly and was so angry that his face turned red.

    ¡°Qiao Mengtong, shut up! No one can influence Director Gu¡¯s decisions! I have nothing to do with you!¡±

    They were already in an improper rtionship. By bringing it up now, was Qiao Mengtong aiming to sabotage them both!?

    Bringing this into the open, being exposed thereafter, Qiao Mengtong could forget about surviving in the entertainment industry ever again!

    And she still thought to drag him down with her?

    In her dreams!

    Some people had already started recording with their phones. Qiao Mengtong quickly covered her face with her hands, trying to hide herselfpletely.

    Qiao Jing noticed this scene and frowned.

    ¡°Youngest, don¡¯t spread this matter, otherwise it will affect your new drama,¡± he said.

    If Qiao Mengtong had just been a minor role, someone who climbed up using any staffer, it wouldn¡¯t matter if it got exposed.

    But now that Qiao Mengtong had be the female lead and held onto the assistant director¡¯s coattails, these two crucial roles could affect the reputation of the youngest¡¯s new drama.

    Gu Yunchen also thought of this and frowned.

    ¡°Delete the videos and terminate the contract with Qiao Mengtong. As for the assistant director¡­¡±

    The assistant director, hearing this, immediately started pleading for himself.

    ¡°Director Gu, I was just confused for a moment. Please, considering our past coborations, don¡¯t rece the assistant director. I assure you, I will find you someone even better for the female lead!¡±

 Chapter 480 - 480 469 Qiao Jing is Targeted by the Male Lead

    ?Chapter 480: Chapter 469: Qiao Jing is Targeted by the Male Lead   Chapter 480: Chapter 469: Qiao Jing is Targeted by the Male Lead                                   Chapter 469: Qiao Jing Targeted by the Leading Man

    Gu Yunchen paid no attention to the assistant director¡¯s words and left with onest statement.

    ¡°Rece the female lead, rece the assistant director.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone who disrespected his boss.

    Especially under the current circumstances, even if it meant recing an assistant director he had worked with multiple times, he felt it was a light consequence.

    After speaking, Gu Yunchen and Qiao Jing headed towards the set.

    Qiao Mengtong and the assistant director stood still at the same time, their faces ashen as if lifeless.

    Coming back to her senses, Qiao Mengtong red hatefully at the departing figure of Qiao Jing, wishing she could peel a piece of flesh from her body.

    Why is it always Qiao Jing?

    Why is it always Qiao Jing who makes her end up like this?!

    Clearly it was Qiao Jing who was in the wrong, it was Qiao Jing who first ignored people and even dared to use her of having a delusionary disorder, and only then did she prepare to take action!

    Why should Director Gu rece her?

    It¡¯s not her fault!!!

    The assistant director, looking at Qiao Mengtong next to him, was seething with anger.

    He was originally able toe out of this incident unscathed, but now because Qiao Mengtong had to say a few words, he ended up being reced!

    He had coborated with Gu Yunchen on several ys, and each one was a huge sess.

    Not just the actors, but the directors too were all eager to work with Gu Yunchen.

    That way, they could gain both profit and a good reputation as directors.

    Now, because of a no-name, bottom-tier starlet, he had not only ruined his reputation but also lost the chance to work with Gu Yunchen.

    Having offended Gu Yunchen today, there would likely never be another opportunity to cooperate in the future!

    The more the assistant director thought about it, the angrier he became, cast aside his image, and pped Qiao Mengtong hard across the face.

    ¡°Wretched woman! It¡¯s bad enough that youck integrity, but you also try to drag me down with you?!¡±

    The other crew members who hadn¡¯t left yet stopped to watch the scene unfold, their faces etched with curious and gossip-hungry expressions.

    Qiao Mengtong stood there, stupefied by the p, holding the side of her face that was swiftly swelling, feeling a burning pain.

    Her venomous gaze then fell on the assistant director as she gritted her teeth and said,

    ¡°Assistant director, why are you ming me now?! Weren¡¯t we supposed to cooperate? Are you turning your back on me just like that?¡±

    She knew that what happened today wouldn¡¯t get out, so she could afford to curse without regard for her image.

    Although she hated the assistant director in her heart, she still didn¡¯t want to offend him, otherwise, he would definitely set her up for future difficulties.

    But if a real argument broke out, it wouldn¡¯t matter; she would find a benefactorter. As long as she could use the same method to climb up from the assistant director, she could use the same tactics next time.

    The assistant director raised his hand to p Qiao Mengtong across the face again, but this time she dodged it.

    He lowered his hand, yelling furiously,

    ¡°You still have the audacity to speak! You¡¯ve been reced, so what, you want to fight to the bitter end with me? Hmph! Delusional. You think you¡¯re something special? Do you really believe you, a no-name, bottom-tier starlet with terrible acting, can make it big?

    I think you¡¯re the one with a delusionary disorder! Go on, keep dreaming!¡±

    The assistant director¡¯s words reminded Qiao Mengtong of something, it was just minutes ago that Qiao Jing had said the same thing to her.

    If it were someone else who spoke ill of her, she wouldn¡¯t be so angry, but how was Qiao Jing, such a lowly person, qualified to speak about her?!

    The fury overwhelmed Qiao Mengtong, her eyes nearly bursting with rage, her lips bitten until they bled without her even realizing.

    The assistant director, startled by Qiao Mengtong¡¯s twisted facial features, spat out in disgust,

    ¡°This must be a madwoman, what bad luck¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he hurriedly moved away from Qiao Mengtong as if avoiding the gue, ready to pack up his things and leave.

    The other crew members, seeing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s pathetic state, felt quite pleased.

    After all, Qiao Mengtong, relying on her status as the female lead despite her terrible acting, had grown arrogant and bossed the crew members around all day long.

    As for Qiao Mengtong¡¯s acting skills, they were just as Director Gu said: a random extra picked from the crew could outperform her.

    Look, wasn¡¯t this just getting what she deserved not long after getting cocky?

    Just as they were about to discuss this, they were startled by the sinister look in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Damn! Qiao Mengtong¡¯s gaze is so scary.¡±

    ¡°I feel like she¡¯d be perfect for the role of a spiteful supporting female. With that look of resentment and the natural viinous aura she carries, she¡¯s just made for the part.¡±

    ¡°If she yed it, I bet she could make it big.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Mengtong couldn¡¯t bear to listen to these words any longer, she red fiercely at the people discussing and scurried away with her tail between her legs.

    Inside the filming location.

    Qiao Jing was sitting in the director¡¯s chair, watching the monitor with a nonchnt gaze.

    Gu Yunchen stood by her side like a bodyguard, observing the scene the actors were presenting with his naked eyes.

    Qiao Jing noticed that the male lead had an issue with his Sword Dance scene and furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Third, can I call cut?¡±

    Gu Yunchen nodded, as if it were a matter of course.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re the director, and I¡¯m here to assist you.¡±

    With the approval, Qiao Jing¡¯s cool voice rang out.

    ¡°Cut.¡±

    The voice was neither loud nor soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, the actors hesitated about whether to stop or not, until Gu Yunchen¡¯s words dispelled their doubts.

    ¡°Miss Qiao¡¯s words are as good as mine.¡±

    The actors immediately ceased their actions, stealing nces at both Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen.

    Everyone was wondering about the identity of the woman sitting in Gu Yunchen¡¯s seat, who dared to have Director Gu standing while she sat, even taking over the director¡¯s duties.

    Everyone knew that Gu Yunchen, a well-known director, also had some strange temperaments.

    He did not entertain suggestions from anyone normunicate with outsiders of the industry.

    But now, Director Gu had not only voluntarily given up his seat but also stated that this woman spoke on his behalf.

    Who exactly was this woman?

    Could she be some hidden high-level big shot?

    While the crowd spected, Qiao Jing lightly raised an eyebrow and reyed the male lead¡¯s movements on the monitor.

    ¡°Third, go tell him, the Sword Dance posture is wrong.¡±

    She had read through this part of the script, and the male lead¡¯s Sword Dance movements were too delicate,cking the spirited and heroic vibe.

    She sent Third to convey the message because she knew she wasn¡¯t the official director of the film, so herments might not be fully convincing to the actors.

    Also, she viewed herself as an outsider, capable of offering just a small suggestion or two to Third.

    The male lead happened to be standing close to Qiao Jing and showed a displeased expression upon hearing her remark.

    ¡°No need to trouble Director Gu, why don¡¯t you show me how the dance should be done?¡±

    He was a current top-tier star, having participated in numerous projects that were invariably well-received. Director Gu hadn¡¯t said anything, so why was this woman starting to give him directions?

    Qiao Jing spoke indifferently:

    ¡°Your movements are too gentle.¡±

    The male lead revealed an unsightly smirk on his face.

    ¡°Then could you please demonstrate a few moves for me to observe?¡±

    He wanted to see if the woman before him truly had any skill.

    Qiao Jing nodded, agreed, stepped forward, and took the prop sword from the male lead¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 481 - 481 470 Young Master Zhan do you think that

    ?Chapter 481: Chapter 470: Young Master Zhan, do you think that person looks like Qiao Jing?   Chapter 481: Chapter 470: Young Master Zhan, do you think that person looks like Qiao Jing?                                   Qiao Jing gripped the sword hilt, stepping lightly, and smoothly climbed atop the prepared wooden piles on the set. Using her momentum, she bounced slightly and raced forward, leaving an impression as if she truly possessed the art of Qinggong.

    Her sword dance was a blend of softness and strength. If someone skilled in swordsmanship had been watching at that moment, they would have realized that each of Qiao Jing¡¯s moves was potentially lethal.

    Afternding securely from thest wooden pile, the tip of her sword still glinted with a cold chill.

    Even though she wasn¡¯t dressed in period costume, everyone on set felt as if Qiao Jing were the aloof senior sister from a martial arts school of ancient times.

    After the sequence ended, those present were still immersed in the scene of the sword dance, unable to extricate themselves for a long time.

    Qiao Jing returned the sword to the leading man and offered a reminder.

    ¡°Put some strength into your sword dance.¡±

    She had taken the shortest time to review the scenes they had filmed over the past few days. The leading man¡¯s acting was on point, but this particr scene needed improvement.

    That was the only advice she could give to the third one.

    It was then that the leading man came back to his senses, his gaze towards Qiao Jing shifting from disdain to admiration.

    ¡°Of course, Miss Qiao! Are you an actress? Why haven¡¯t I seen you before? Your acting is amazing!¡±

    He had been scrambling in the entertainment industry for so many years and had shot his fair share of period dramas. He was somewhat of a veteran, which was why he had initially looked down on this woman named Miss Qiao.

    Although Qiao Jing had only performed a bit of swordy, anyone versed in acting could tell that she was a hidden talent.

    He had thought she was just an outsider who knew nothing, but on reflection, how could anyone treated with such respect by Director Gu be ordinary?

    Qiao Jing shook her head and sat back down beside the third one.

    ¡°I¡¯m not from the entertainment industry.¡±

    She was already overwhelmed managing the research institute and Wonderful Hall. The second one even wanted to give her Zhouhuan Restaurant. If she were to add the entertainment industry to her te,

    it would take at least two Qiao Jings to handle it all ¨C but she couldn¡¯t split herself in two.

    Upon hearing her words, those around showed expressions of surprise.

    ¡°No way? Those moves were so smooth, and she¡¯s not even an actress?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve studied acting for five years, and if I were asked to perform that scene, I couldn¡¯t guarantee I¡¯d be as fluent as her. After watching her, I feel utterly inferior.¡±

    ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ The leading man praised her, so how could her acting be poor? Besides, why don¡¯t you think about it? How could a person known by Director Gu be ordinary?¡±

    Gu Yunchen cleared his throat softly and said:

    ¡°Boss, if you want to, you can be one too. Since you don¡¯t like to be in the spotlight as an actress, you could be a director like me.¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the boss¡¯ support before, he wouldn¡¯t have reached this point and earned the honors he now had.

    And most importantly, the boss had far more natural talent for directing than he did. There were even a few films that improved significantly thanks to her suggestions.

    He didn¡¯t want the boss¡¯ talent to be buried.

    Qiao Jing rejected Gu Yunchen¡¯s suggestion without hesitation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time, nor am I interested in that field, but I can help you take a look if you need it.¡±

    If she took on any more responsibilities, she was afraid she¡¯d be exhausted to death.

    Gu Yunchen didn¡¯t persist any further.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    He knew the boss had other work to attend to and understood that it was reason enough for not wanting to venture into the entertainment circle.

    What a pity¡­ the directing and acting worlds would be missing out on the best director and actress.

    In the crowd, the cameraperson had captured the scene of Qiao Jing¡¯s performance and, after processing it with proper mosaics, released it as a behind-the-scenes highlight.

    On the other side, Zhan Qipei, who was still working at thepany, suddenly received a message from Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, take a look at this video. Does the woman in it look like Qiao Jing to you?¡±

    Below the message was a shared Weibo link.

    Upon seeing the first half of the sentence, Zhan Qipei initially did not want to pay attention to it.

    Because Lu Zijiao usually had nothing to do than gossip and scroll through videos, and now he probably had found some fun stuff he wanted to show him.

    But all Zhan Qipei wanted to do now was to work hard, earn money to provide for his family, for Qiao Jing and their child, and had no time to entertain Lu Zijiao.

    However, as soon as he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s name, he subconsciously clicked on the link.

    After being redirected to Weibo, Zhan Qipei saw the text attached to the video.

    ¡°Behind-the-scenes of Director Gu Yunchen¡¯s new drama! Out of the crowd, a master suddenly steps in to guide the lead actor, the Sword Dance is so cool!¡±

    Zhan Qipei drew his brows together, and a hint of doubt surfaced in his dark eyes.

    If it was as Lu Zijiao said, and the person in the video was Qiao Jing, howe he did not know his wife had gone into the entertainment industry?

    Logically, at this time, Qiao Jing should be at her research institute working.

    Zhan Qipei clicked on the video and saw a woman¡¯s figure.

    Almost at the very first sight of the woman¡¯s figure, he recognized her.

    The woman who was performing the Sword Dance on wooden stakes was Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei stared motionless at the figure of Qiao Jing, and when he saw the woman stepping briskly on the wooden stakes, his heart suddenly lurched.

    What was the background of this film crew to dare let his wife be a free consultant?

    And why did Qiao Jing go to this film crew?

    All these were not the main point, the main point was¡ªQiao Jing was currently pregnant, with triplets in her belly, what if she missed a step and fell?

    Zhan Qipei stood up subconsciously, pushing aside the documents in his hands, and identally scattered other papers all over the floor.

    He did not care about it, reached for his suit jacket that was on the back of the chair, and began to head out.

    Tang Yan in the office was concentrating on processing documents at another table and was startled by the noise Zhan Qipei made.

    He patted his chest and murmured to himself.

    He was almost scared out of his wits¡­

    He had just looked up to see what was going on when he noticed that Zhan Qipei seemed ready to leave work again.

    Tang Yan felt like he wanted to howl at the sky.

    Why did his boss have to suddenly leave every two or three days?

    There were so many contracts that Zhan Qipei had yet to review and sign; if he left directly again, Tang Yan would have to deal with them himself.

    ¡°Boss¡­ Where are you going?¡±

    After seeing Qiao Jing safelynding on the screen of his phone, Zhan Qipei stopped in his tracks, and his tightly furrowed brows gradually rxed.

    ¡°Nowhere.¡±

    He could ask Qiao Jing about this when he got home; he was very worried about her health.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei sitting back down in his office chair, Tang Yan¡¯s face showed a relieved expression.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Although the boss did not seem alright, as long as he was not walking out, that was fine.

    Otherwise, the one to suffer would again be him.

    When Zhan Qipei was trying to exit the page, he identally scrolled down and saw thements of theizens.

 Chapter 482 - 482 471 Shocking Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen

    ?Chapter 482: Chapter 471: Shocking! Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen Embroiled in a Scandal!   Chapter 482: Chapter 471: Shocking! Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen Embroiled in a Scandal!                                   ¡°Judging from this figure, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s definitely a great beauty, and her acting is good too. Could she be the female lead?¡±

    ¡°The person above, haven¡¯t you seen the official stills? The female lead of this drama is Qiao Mengtong, whose acting and figure aren¡¯t that great. It¡¯s like heaven and earthpared to the woman in the video. In my opinion, this is a beautiful actress who doesn¡¯t want to reveal her name.¡±

    ¡°Following up, I¡¯m a crew member, and I¡¯ll let you in on a little secret: the female lead has been changed, tentatively. As for why, the official announcement will be madeter. The Miss in the video is indeed a great beauty, but she¡¯s not an actress.¡±

    Thements that followed were all praising Qiao Jing, and as Zhan Qipei read them, he couldn¡¯t help but smile with pride on his face.

    She¡¯s truly his wife!

    His wife is so talented!

    If his wife made her debut, he would definitely be the president of her fan club!

    No sooner had this thought urred to him than Zhan Qipei dismissed it himself.

    His wife was so beautiful, she was for his eyes only; others should not even think about it.

    Onement stuck out like a sore thumb among the others, instantly catching Zhan Qipei¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Did you guys not see the woman with the pixted face sitting in Director Gu¡¯s chair?¡±

    Thisment immediately got a lot of responses.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice until you mentioned it! How could she sit in Director Gu¡¯s chair?! She must be no ordinary person!¡±

    ¡°The two of them must have a good rtionship in private; otherwise, Director Gu wouldn¡¯t let her sit in his chair.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The replies under thisment became more and more outrageous, even suggesting that Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen were in a rtionship?!

    The proud expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face instantly stiffened as he watched the video again.

    This time, not only did he notice where Qiao Jing was sitting, but he also took note that the woman and the male lead were holding the same prop sword.

    His focus was more on the former, though.

    He had never heard the name Gu Yunchen before, nor had Qiao Jing mentioned it.

    So, who was this man who had suddenly appeared?

    Why did Qiao Jing seem to have a close rtionship with him?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened in an instant, and in a low voice, he said,

    ¡°Tang Yan, investigate a person for me.¡±

    Tang Yan¡¯s gaze moved away from hisptop screen, and seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turning terrifyingly dark, he asked,

    ¡°Investigate whom?¡±

    Just a moment ago, his boss had a look of joy on his face; how had it turned so dark in the next second?

    He could suggest his boss take up a course in face-changing opera.

    With a furrowed brow, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was fixed tightly on the screen showing Qiao Jing sitting in the director¡¯s chair, his thin lips parting slightly as he uttered three words.

    ¡°Gu Yunchen.¡±

    He had paused the video on his phone screen, where Qiao Jing was sitting next to a man dressed all in ck, standing guard-like by her side, so close their clothes were rubbing together!

    Tang Yan thought for a moment.

    ¡°Boss, I think I¡¯ve heard this name somewhere. Isn¡¯t he a well-known director? Why are we investigating him?¡±

    After hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of gloom, as if he were about to drip with anger.

    Puzzlement was written all over Tang Yan¡¯s face as he wondered what he had said wrong.

    But all he knew about this man was just that, and it wasn¡¯t incorrect.

    So why did his boss look so displeased?

    While Tang Yan was still trying unsessfully to understand, out of the corner of his eye he suddenly caught a glimpse of Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone screen.

    On the screen was a woman with a prominent mosaic blur on her face, standing next to a man.

    Although he couldn¡¯t recognize the woman behind such a heavy mosaic, he knew without a doubt that if the boss was so concerned, it must be Miss Qiao.

    ¡°So boss, why do we need to investigate Gu Yunchen? Is it because he knows Miss Qiao?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Tang Yan grew even more curious and continued to press for answers.

    ¡°Then what? Could it be¡­ that Gu Yunchen has some unknown coboration with ourpany? But ourpany hasn¡¯t signed such a contract!¡±

    In the end, the answer he received nearly made him ckout.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils deepened, he took a screenshot of this moment in the video and erged it.

    ¡°Because they were standing very close, and Qiao Jing never told me she knew this Gu Yunchen.¡±

    His mood had already soured when he sawizens casually specting about the rtionship between Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen.

    It was clear from the video that Qiao Jing and Gu Yunchen knew each other, and theizens, with their wild imaginations, went straight to guessing they were a couple.

    So why didn¡¯t Qiao Jing tell him about Gu Yunchen?

    It took Tang Yan squinting to see the closeness his boss was talking about.

    That was Miss Qiao¡¯s sleeve identally touching the hem of Gu Yunchen¡¯s upper garment.

    His professional smile stiffened for a moment.

    ¡°Boss, Miss Qiao surely knows a lot of people, but if you ask her when you go back, I believe she¡¯ll tell you. Do you still need me to investigate this?¡±

    Now he had an additional work task in mind.

    That was to keep his distance from Miss Qiao.

    The man on the screen, Gu Yunchen, had just brushed clothes with Miss Qiao, and the boss¡¯s expression had turned so dark.

    What if he identally bumped into Miss Qiao one day? Would he then risk losing his job?

    Zhan Qipei knitted his brows and pondered for a while, then felt there was some sense in what Tang Yan had said, and turned off his phone.

    ¡°No need to investigate further.¡±

    He should not privately investigate the identity of people around Qiao Jing; such actions indicated ack of trust in her.

    Their rtionship was no longer like it used to be.

    Between the two of them, a single nce was enough to convey what a thousand words could not.

    Only then did Tang Yan breathe a sigh of relief and went aside to deal with his work.

    When Qiao Jing returned home, she found the living room lights were off.

    Standing at the entrance changing her shoes, she nced curiously at the clock on the wall. By the moonlight, she could barely make out that it was eight o¡¯clock in the evening.

    She had been dyed at the institute in the afternoon and had messaged Zhan Qipei, who said he was at home preparing dinner.

    So in theory, Zhan Qipei should be at home at this time. Why was the living room light off?

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to turn on the living room light, she heard a rustling noise.

    She immediately became alert, discerning a dark figure advancing towards her from the shadows.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?¡±

    Could it be that this damn man was deliberately not turning on the light to scare her?

    But how could she possibly be frightened by this?

    Instead of answering Qiao Jing, the dark figure quickened its pace.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, ready to react, preparing to subdue her assant with a punch the moment it pounced on her.

    In the blink of an eye, the dark figure shed behind her.

 Chapter 483 - 483 472 Zhan Qipei Turns into a Clingy Person

    ?Chapter 483: Chapter 472: Zhan Qipei Turns into a Clingy Person   Chapter 483: Chapter 472: Zhan Qipei Turns into a Clingy Person                                   Just as Qiao Jing was about to hit the other person with a back elbow strike, the dark figure wrapped around her waist.

    Upon feeling the familiar scent of the other person, the tension in her body instantly rxed, and she rolled her eyes in silence.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, what are you ying at?¡±

    The man behind her didn¡¯t answer, so Qiao Jing simply turned on the living room light.

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    She had thought there was a thief in the house just now, and she had put her full force into that strike.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Zhan Qipei, that clingy man, stopping her before she could hit, she might have really hurt someone.

    Then, Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei take out a prop sword from somewhere and stuff it into her hands.

    ¡°Teach me.¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, a hint of confusion rising in her eyes.

    ¡°You want me to teach you Sword Dance?¡±

    She didn¡¯t know Zhan Qipei was interested in this?

    Could it be a whim?

    But even if it was a whim, why would he suddenly decide to learn Sword Dance?

    Suddenly, the scene from this morning when she was instructing the male lead in Sword Dance shed through her mind.

    Qiao Jing immediately understood; Zhan Qipei had seen something to act this way.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, leaned in close to Qiao Jing, and deliberately blew his hot breath on the woman¡¯s neck, his deep and maic voice resounding by her ear.

    ¡°Yes, I want you to personally teach me Sword Dance, just like how you taught someone else this morning.¡±

    He had to deal with the matter of the male lead first, then ask about Gu Yunchenter.

    After all, important matters should be brought upst.

    Qiao Jing shivered slightly and pushed Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that Zhan Qipei would bring up what he saw happening on the set himself.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows, light as smoke, lifted, her phoenix eyes gleaming with hidden light, and her red lips parted slightly.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was stunned for a moment, and the hand around the woman¡¯s waist slightly eased its grip.

    She agreed just like that¡­?

    He hadn¡¯t even used his clingy ster tactic, so why had she agreed so readily?

    It didn¡¯t seem like Qiao Jing.

    Because even when he had been drunk before, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t agreed that easily.

    While Zhan Qipei was still in a daze, Qiao Jing walked out of his embrace.

    Zhan Qipei felt a sudden emptiness in his arms and looked at Qiao Jing with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Why are you leaving? Didn¡¯t you agree to personally teach me?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a smile that was not quite a smile and curved her lips up.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted me to teach you the same way I taught him? I didn¡¯t have any physical contact with him, so naturally, I won¡¯t have any with you.¡±

    She knew what Zhan Qipei was thinking. He simply wanted to use this as an opportunity to be close to her.

    But given this man¡¯s character, he was probably jealous now and likely to do something surprising while she taught him, so she wasn¡¯t nning on teaching him directly.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression froze for a moment, his long brows gathered like smoke.

    ¡°No, you have to personally teach me, or I won¡¯t learn.¡±

    He had intended to use this as an opportunity to press Qiao Jing onto the sofa, and now she said she wouldn¡¯t teach him directly?

    He knew it; Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t be so easygoing about this.

    Qiao Jing ced the prop sword aside and rolled her eyes somewhat speechlessly.

    ¡°Okay, stop messing around. Do you think we¡¯re filming a martial arts drama?¡±

    This man actually got a prop sword, identical to the one she used this morning.

    How childish could he get?

    But she was a bit tired today and needed to wash up and go to bed, so she didn¡¯t have time to y this kind of game with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the prop sword, his thin lipspressed into a line devoid of any curve, like a frosty thread.

    ¡°You taught him this morning.¡±

    Qiao Jing inexplicably detected a touch of grievance in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, halted her steps towards her room, and turned to look at the man.

    ¡°I did teach him, but I just used his sword, that¡¯s all.¡±

    She knew this man¡¯s character; he got jealous even if she got a little close to another person of the opposite sex, no¡­

    Not just the opposite sex, he got jealous with women too, like when she was with Ni Yue.

    She was quite curious where Zhan Qipei found so much jealousy to spare.

    Zhan Qipei thought about it carefully and felt that what Qiao Jing said made sense. It was just holding the same sword after all, so he reluctantly decided not to fuss over it, and his furrowed brows slowly rxed.

    ¡°Is Gu Yunchen your friend?¡±

    Actually, his focus this time was on Gu Yunchen¡ªwho the man really was, and why he had suddenly appeared around Qiao Jing.

    Since he had known Qiao Jing, he had never heard this name nor seen this person; Gu Yunchen seemed to have popped out of nowhere today.

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    Right after answering, she realized something wasn¡¯t right.

    How did Zhan Qipei know about Third Brother?

    Not to mention that Third Brother usually didn¡¯t like to show his face, only appearing during award ceremonies, based on Zhan Qipei¡¯sck of interest in the entertainment industry, he shouldn¡¯t know Third Brother.

    Qiao Jing directly voiced the doubts in her mind.

    ¡°How do you know about Third Brother?¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s nickname for Gu Yunchen, Zhan Qipei was taken aback.

    ¡°Why is he called Third Brother?¡±

    Qiao Jing helplessly pressed her hand to her forehead.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s ranked third, so he¡¯s Third Brother, just like I call Xu Moqian Fourth Brother.¡±

    Wasn¡¯t that obvious? She now suspected that Zhan Qipei¡¯s intelligence had suddenly glitched.

    Without another word, Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing by the hand and sat down with her on the couch in the living room.

    ¡°Is there a Second Brother then?¡±

    So far, he only knew about the existence of Fourth Brother, Xu Moqian. He had never asked Qiao Jing why she called Xu Moqian Fourth Brother; it turns out it was based on ranking.

    Could all these people be little brothers recognized by his wife?

    He was very curious about how many more things were there about Qiao Jing that he didn¡¯t know.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t intend to hide it from Zhan Qipei and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, otherwise, where would Third Brothere from? Zhan Qipei, you today¡­¡±

    She said this and lifted her hand to touch the man¡¯s forehead to test his temperature.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever. I thought you suddenly became silly.¡±

    Zhan Qipei grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and rubbed it against the palm of her hand.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked about these things before, so I didn¡¯t know. Can you tell me who Second Brother is?¡±

    Qiao Jing only felt a tingling sensation in her palm because Zhan Qipei was rubbing his hair against it.

    She tried to withdraw her hand, but Zhan Qipei continued to hold onto it and wouldn¡¯t let go.

    ¡°Let go, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, and he decisively released Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, instead reaching out to hug her waist and buried his head in her shoulder.

    ¡°Tell me.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched helplessly, and after trying to push Zhan Qipei away a few times without sess, she simply gave up.

    ¡°Were you born a clingy ster?¡±

 Chapter 484 - 484 473 The Brat Next Door Became a Pro Player

    ?Chapter 484: Chapter 473: The Brat Next Door Became a Pro yer   Chapter 484: Chapter 473: The Brat Next Door Became a Pro yer                                   Zhan Qipei answered very naturally,

    ¡°If I don¡¯t stick to you, what if someone else tricks you away? And, who is ¡®second brother¡¯?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know how many times Zhan Qipei had left her speechless. These days, she rolled her eyes so much it almost surpassed her total for the past twenty years.

    ¡°Am I a three-year-old? Can someone just trick me away like that?¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond to Qiao Jing¡¯s question, but instead kept asking the woman about the identity of ¡®second brother¡¯.

    ¡°Who exactly is ¡®second brother¡¯?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt Zhan Qipei¡¯s breath spraying again and again on her neck and she stretched her hand in utmost helplessness, resisting the man¡¯s head.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s stubborn appearance, she simply told him.

    ¡°¡®Second brother¡¯ is called Yu Yangqi, the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant.¡±

    Upon hearing this answer, a shock appeared in Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils.

    No wonder Qiao Jing told Ni Yue to take care of Pingping and Anan by saying to just use her name at Zhouhuan Restaurant; it turns out the restaurant¡¯s owner had such a rtionship with his wife.

    As he thought it over, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened a bit, his eyes filled with a strong sense of possessiveness.

    ¡°Are they all your ¡®little brothers¡¯? Do those two have girlfriends?¡±

    How can his wife be so formidable?

    The ¡®second brother¡¯ she recognized is the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant, the ¡®third brother¡¯ is a well-known director, and as for the ¡®fourth brother¡¯¡­ it¡¯s that Xu Family kid.

    Qiao Jing detected the underlying meaning in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and pried his hand away.

    ¡°No, they¡¯re my good friends, not ¡®little brothers¡¯, and they don¡¯t have girlfriends. They don¡¯t like me that way.¡±

    Since she chose to help ¡®second brother¡¯ and ¡®third brother¡¯ back then, she already considered them friends.

    After getting along with them, she had long since regarded them as family.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei breathe a sigh of relief. Remembering another matter, his tone once again carried a hint of jealousy.

    ¡°Right, Zeng Xiangyang said that his exam results wille out tomorrow. He wanted your contact information, but I didn¡¯t give it to him. Just get in touch with my aunt yourself.¡±

    He also remembered Qiao Jing saying she wanted to take Zeng Xiangyang as a disciple, and somehow he didn¡¯t quite hope the young cousin would do too well.

    But he wasn¡¯t that petty. If the boy did well, it would relieve his aunt, but he couldn¡¯t have too much contact with Qiao Jing.

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly.

    ¡°Send him my contact information; it¡¯s too much hassle if he has to contact your aunt and then get in touch with him afterward.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of anticipation about how much Zeng Xiangyang would score, especially since the kid had solemnly promised herst time, and she wondered if he could deliver.

    Zhan Qipei pressed his thin lips together.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes showed a hint of helplessness, and she took out her mobile phone, pretending she was going to call Su Manqian.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t send it, should I just call and ask?¡±

    Zhan Qipei showed a helpless expression on his face and after a full minute of silence, he took out his own phone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send it to you.¡±

    If Qiao Jing called to inquire, his aunt might think he was being petty.

    Qiao Jing opened the WeChat contact card that Zhan Qipei sent over and saw that Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s profile picture was an anime cartoon character.

    But¡­ why did it look so familiar to her?

    She didn¡¯t click on Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s profile picture but sent a friend request.

    Qiao Jing stood up, nced at the prop sword on the table,

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower and rest. You can stay here and practice your swordy.¡±

    Without waiting for Zhan Qipei to reply, she quickened her pace back to her room.

    When Qiao Jing came back to her room after her shower, she saw the messages from Zeng Xiangyang disyed on her phone screen.

    In the time it took her to take a shower, Zeng Xiangyang had sent dozens of messages.

    ¡°Master, my resultse out tomorrow, and I¡¯ll definitely meet the goal you set for me. I¡¯m sure I can be your apprentice!¡±

    ¡°What are you up to, Master? Are you busy?¡±

    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve finished all my exams, can you take me for a few rounds of King¡¯s Glory?¡±

    ¡°Master, Master! Why don¡¯t we bind the master-apprentice rtionship in King¡¯s Glory? I bought you a King¡¯s Glory ount!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After seeing this varied assortment of messages, Qiao Jing felt somewhat of a headacheing on and rubbed her forehead before replying to the other party.

    ¡°Wait until the results are out before you call me Master. How much for the ount? I¡¯ll transfer it to you.¡±

    Earlier, it was Zeng Xiangyang waiting for her reply, but now it had be her turn to wait for Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s response.

    However, what she was more concerned about was the ount Zeng Xiangyang bought. Though his family was wealthy, that didn¡¯t mean money should be wasted. She could easily create a new game ount herself.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to put down her phone to read a few medical books, she received a reply from Zeng Xiangyang.

    The other party shared a live streaming link, along with a voice message.

    ¡°Master! I¡¯ll get back to youter, this is my favorite pro yer, Star¡¯s Yun. My WeChat profile picture is of him! I¡¯m currently watching him y a practice match against another team!

    ¡°In preparation for tomorrow¡¯s nationalpetition, everyone on Star has undergone closed training and they must be amazing now! The match just started, do you want to watch it with me, Master?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s tone was full of excitement and eagerness, it almost felt like it could spill out of the phone and reach her.

    On hearing the name ¡®Yun,¡¯ Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    No wonder she found Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s WeChat profile picture vaguely familiar; it was the mischievous kid who used to live next door to her in the countryside.

    Lin Yun.

    That guy, when he was young, he was the king of the kids in their vige. He was always up to no good, doing things like raiding bird nests and fighting with dogs. In short, he was a real nuisance.

    Eventually, he caused trouble for her, and she wasn¡¯t an ordinary kid. Dealing with such a brat, she never held back and beat him to the point where his own mother couldn¡¯t recognize him.

    After that, the kid kept challenging her, demanding one-on-one fights every couple of days.

    Later on, he became obsessed with gaming and joined a professional esports team right after high school.

    When she moved, she heard he had gone to y in professionalpetitions. After that, they never met again, but the brat had her contact information and used to message her every day.

    It only stopped recently because he had gone for closed training.

    Originally, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t interested at all, but Zeng Xiangyang kept persistently messaging her.

    ¡°Master, Yun is super skilled! His jungle and ganks are so strong. If they win first ce in the nationalpetition tomorrow, they¡¯ll go abroad for the next match. Come on, Master, watch it with me and we can discuss!¡±

    ¡°Me, me, me¡ª Damn! Master, Yun is actually picking up his phone right now, it looks like he¡¯s messaging someone. I¡¯ve never seen Yun message anyone before a match!¡±

    Immediately after, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang.

    She exited the chat with Zeng Xiangyang and found a message from Lin Yun.

    ¡°The Great Lord is finally free! Xiao Qiaoqiao, due to training, I couldn¡¯t bother you these days, such a pity. But now that I¡¯m free, you won¡¯t have a moment¡¯s peace!¡±

    ¡°I have a match tomorrow, and I¡¯ve left three front-row tickets for you. Whether youe or not is up to you. If you don¡¯t, you can either use the tickets to wipe your ass or just throw them away, whichever you prefer.¡±

    When Qiao Jing saw the name ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao,¡± her temples throbbed abruptly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, don¡¯t call me by that name.¡±

    Lin Yun had misheard her name before, and finding it amusing, refused to correct his mistake, continuing to call her by that nickname.

    However¡­ these three tickets¡­

    If Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s results tomorrow are impressive, she could take him to see the match up close.

    She could also get his signature for Zeng Xiangyang. Lin Yun, in times of boredom, had made a bunch of his own autographed items that he wanted to give to her, but she had refused them all.

    Lin Yun didn¡¯t listen to Qiao Jing, still hoping she woulde, and followed up with another message.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ve already given you the tickets. If you don¡¯te, that¡¯s on you. Those three tickets are fought over by everyone; if you don¡¯t show up, you¡¯re really missing out!¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to reply to Lin Yun, a voice call popped up, sent by Zeng Xiangyang.

    She nced at the medical books on her desk and after hesitating for a while, she ultimately decided to ept the call.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

 Chapter 485 - 485 474 Could He Be in a Relationship

    ?Chapter 485: Chapter 474: Could He Be in a Rtionship?   Chapter 485: Chapter 474: Could He Be in a Rtionship?                                   Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s excited voice rang out.

    ¡°Master! Are you watching the live stream?¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to reply, he continued on his own.

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re not watching, no problem, I¡¯ll describe it to you. Thepetition is about to start, Yun is still sending messages, and he has a smug smile on his face. Master, you¡¯re so skilled, can you analyze whether Yun is in love or not by his expression?¡±

    Having read this message, Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and replied:

    ¡°Are you that concerned about whether he¡¯s in love or not? However, I can tell you from my analysis that he is not in love.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang quickly countered Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried that being in love might affect his sword-drawing speed, oh no¡­ I mean it might influence his skills. Master, how do you know he¡¯s not in love?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched wordlessly.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to analyze?¡±

    She certainly knew Lin Yun wasn¡¯t in love, because Lin Yun had messaged her.

    Zeng Xiangyang made an ¡°Oh¡± sound, followed by the sound of frantic mouse clicking from the other end of the phone.

    Then, he heaved a long sigh.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, a trace of confusion appearing in her eyes.

    ¡°Why the sigh?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t think of anything other than games and scores that could make young master Zeng Xiangyang sigh like this.

    The scores hadn¡¯te out yet, so why was he sighing prematurely?

    Zeng Xiangyang frantically clicked the ticket purchasing button several times, but to no avail.

    His tone was filled with regret as he spoke.

    ¡°Master¡­ I didn¡¯t manage to get tickets for tomorrow¡¯s match, it¡¯s so annoying. Anyway, I¡¯ll stop now; I¡¯m going to find a scalper to buy a ticket. I have a day off tomorrow, and I want to go see Yunpete!¡±

    Qiao Jing minimized the voice chat interface and opened her chat history with Lin Yun.

    ¡°If your results are good tomorrow, I can take you to watch the match, from the very front row. I have three tickets.¡±

    She also had ns to take Zeng Xiangyang to watch the match.

    However¡­ whether Zeng Xiangyang performed well or not, she would take him to see it.

    If he were to buy from a scalper, the price would certainly be more than double. If Zeng Xiangyang went, the scalper would definitely see him as the type who is ¡®foolish with his money¡¯.¡±

    You can¡¯t pass up a free offer.

    Upon hearing these words from Qiao Jing, Zeng Xiangyang stood frozen on the spot, unable to restrain the phone from slipping out of his sweaty palm.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    The sound of the phone crashing to the ground came through, and Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit worried.

    ¡°Hello? Zeng Xiangyang?¡±

    This kid hadn¡¯t gotten into some trouble, had he?

    A momentter, some rustling sounds came through the phone, and Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s voice resounded again.

    ¡°Master¡­ I¡¯m here, just wait a moment, let me process what you just said. What do you mean you have three tickets? You aren¡¯t kidding, are you??

    These match tickets aren¡¯t easy to get at all, and you got three by yourself? That¡¯s not right, I didn¡¯t hear you mention about getting tickets when we talked just now. Master, where did you get these tickets from?¡±

    He had used up all his speed gained from being single for over a decade, yet he still hadn¡¯t managed to get a single ticket.

    And yet, Qiao Jing had secured three?!

    That was something he couldn¡¯t achieve even if he stayed single for thirty years!

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, considering whether to tell Zeng Xiangyang that she knew Lin Yun.

    From their conversation just now, it was clear that Zeng Xiangyang really admired Lin Yun.

    If she let him know that she knew Lin Yun¡­

    Her mind automatically conjured up the scenario of him finding out she knew Lin Yun.

    Zeng Xiangyang kept pestering her for help, like getting an autograph or contact details¡­

    To prevent this from happening, she dismissed the idea of letting Zeng Xiangyang know that she knew Lin Yun.

    ¡°I forgot to tell you when I was scrambling for tickets just now.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately denied what Qiao Jing had said.

    ¡°Master, don¡¯t you know that there¡¯s a limit on the tickets? A person can only buy one.¡±

    He had gotten everyone in his dorm to help scramble for tickets, yet not one of the four people had secured any.

    Although he was capable of getting tickets, he valued the thrill of the scramble.

    He had almost worn out his mouse clicking, but couldn¡¯t get even one ticket, which caused him immense emotional distress.

    Then, his master casually mentioned that she had three tickets?!

    This didn¡¯t make sense¡­

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and changed the subject.

    ¡°Are you going tomorrow?¡±

    If this kid kept asking, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain her lie.

    Since she had never been involved in esports, there was a danger of slipping up.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s attention was sessfully diverted, and rather than concerning himself with how Qiao Jing got those three tickets, he was more worried about whether he could make it to thepetition.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Master, don¡¯t worry, if I don¡¯t do well, I¡¯ll run around the capital naked¡ª¡±

    Qiao Jing immediately interrupted Zeng Xiangyang, not allowing him to finish his sentence.

    ¡°Stop, stop, stop! Don¡¯t just make reckless promises, are you that confident in yourself?¡±

    She knew what Zeng Xiangyang wanted to say, and if he did poorly tomorrow, wouldn¡¯t that be a p in the face?

    Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t reflect well on either the Zeng Family or the Zhan Family, and with her current standing, she couldn¡¯t allow Zeng Xiangyang to do that.

    Zeng Xiangyang instinctively patted his chest, looking absolutely sure of himself, but then he remembered that Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t see him and reluctantly lowered his hand.

    ¡°Of course I am, I¡¯ve prepared really well. Since thest time you set a goal for me, Master, I said goodbye to my phone, and only picked it up again today after the exams.¡±

    A hint of surprise flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You went two whole weeks without your phone?¡±

    Given Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s nature, that was quite uncharacteristic.

    She had seen how severe Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s inte addiction was before, so him quitting for two weeks was indeed a surprise.

    Zeng Xiangyang ¡°hmm-hmm¡±ed twice.

    ¡°Of course, impressive, right? To be your apprentice, I really invested in it. Master, I¡¯ve gotta go, I¡¯m about to start my live stream!¡±

    Qiao Jing made a sound of acknowledgment and hung up the phone.

    She now understood why Zeng Xiangyang was so confident.

    After all, if he spent those two weeks studying instead of on his phone, maybe he really could turn things around.

    Qiao Jing ced her phone on the bedside table, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, sleepiness quickly overtook her, and she slowly fell asleep.

    Minutester, Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    The man tiptoed to the bedside, his gaze lingering briefly on the phone on the bedside table.

    He had initiallye to bring Qiao Jing some milk to drink, but heard her on the phone inside.

    He thought she was busy and was about to leave, but just as he turned away, he heard a boy¡¯s voice inside the room.

    He paused at the door, sneaky as a thief, eavesdropping on the conversation inside, only to find that Qiao Jing and Zeng Xiangyang had just finished their conversation, so he didn¡¯t catch anything.

    But¡­

    Hearing Zeng Xiangyang talking to Qiao Jing on the phone already annoyed him deeply.

 Chapter 486 - 486 475 Taking My Little Cousin to Watch a

    ?Chapter 486: Chapter 475: Taking My Little Cousin to Watch a Professional Game   Chapter 486: Chapter 475: Taking My Little Cousin to Watch a Professional Game                                   Chapter 475: Zeng Xiangyang Turns into a Teen with Middle School Syndrome

    Indeed, he should not have provided Qiao Jing with Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s contact information.

    No sooner had they be friends than his wife was already on the phone with Zeng Xiangyang?

    Originally, he had maintained a lukewarm attitude towards Zeng Xiangyang, but ever since his troublesome cousin expressed such enthusiasm for Qiao Jing, his demeanor had undergone a drastic change.

    He could still force himself to let go of the incident at Purple Garden, but now Zeng Xiangyang had even called his wife directly!

    If he hadn¡¯t heard that Qiao Jing had already hung up and gone to sleep, he would certainly have gone in and had a few words with Zeng Xiangyang to have a heart-to-heart talk between cousins.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the sleeping Qiao Jing, his dark eyes growing heavier, theny down beside her.

    The next morning.

    After finishing breakfast on her way to the research institute, Qiao Jing received a message from Zeng Xiangyang.

    It was a report card.

    A very impressive report card!

    ¡°Master master, I told you I would definitely be your apprentice! Now that I¡¯ve hit the target you set and even exceeded it, you¡¯re officially my master now, right?¡±

    ¡°Master, when do Ie to get the ticket from you? Are youing to watch the match with me?¡±

    ¡°When are you free, master? I wish I could grow wings right now and fly to you.¡±

    A look of astonishment appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, mixed with several shades of joy.

    She curved her lips into a smile, genuinely happy for the other party from the bottom of her heart.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go this afternoon, I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±

    She had anticipated that Zeng Xiangyang would reach the target she had set, but did not expect him to exceed it.

    In just two short weeks, this was almost a quantum leap.

    While driving, Zhan Qipei caught a glimpse of Qiao Jing¡¯s smiling face from the corner of his eye, feeling somewhat jealous.

    ¡°What are you looking at that makes you so happy?¡±

    His wife was usually quite reserved, only showing a smile when she encountered something especially joyous.

    So what on Qiao Jing¡¯s phone was making her so happy?

    A sense of crisis inexplicably rose in his heart.

    Qiao Jing tapped on the report card again and handed the phone screen to Zhan Qipei during a red light.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy for your little aunt.¡±

    She thought it was quite a progress that Zeng Xiangyang had given up his phone for several months, not to mention his improved marks.

    Zhan Qipei nced indifferently at the phone screen, his gaze returning nonchntly.

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re really going to take him as your disciple?¡±

    After learning that the person chatting with Qiao Jing was Zeng Xiangyang, he still did not let his guard down.

    Just before, Zeng Xiangyang had expressed his desire to marry someone like Qiao Jing, how could he feel at ease letting them interact more?

    However¡­ there should be no one just like Qiao Jing in the world.

    Because Qiao Jing was always unique.

    Qiao Jing nodded and put away her phone.

    ¡°Right, I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t the kind of person whocked integrity, nor did she want to set a bad example for children.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened as he furrowed his brow like wisps of smoke.

    In the end, he still didn¡¯t voice the thoughts that were in his mind.

    He knew what kind of person Qiao Jing was and naturally wouldn¡¯t force her to break a promise.

    After finishing her work at noon, Qiao Jing took out her phone and nced at the time.

    The match was due to start at one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, and it was already half-past eleven.

    Just as she was about to ask Zeng Xiangyang for the address to pick him up, she discovered that an hour earlier, he had proactively sent over his location to her.

    As the taxi arrived at the vi district, Qiao Jing saw a figure standing in front of the gate from a distance.

    It was not until the taxi stopped in front of Zeng Xiangyang that she could clearly see the outfit he was wearing.

    The once energetic Zeng Xiangyang had now transformed into a teen with an adolescent¡¯s quirky style.

    On his head, he wore a hat emzoned with his WeChat profile picture, and his body was clothed in a ck shirt, also imprinted with the words ¡°Star¡¤yun.¡±

    All these were not the main point; the crucial part was the light-up sign he was holding in his hand, which made him look even more adolescent.

    Qiao Jing pulled at the corner of her mouth, somewhat speechless.

    ¡°What on earth are you wearing?¡±

    They were just going to a game, but Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s attire gave her the impression that they were not attending a match but rather heading to a concert.

    Zeng Xiangyang got into the taxi and proudly pulled at his shirt, as if to show it off.

    ¡°Master, this is called ¡®supporter¡¯s attire.¡¯ Almost every fan of yun has one; we all wear it to the matches,¡± he said.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and looked at the clothing with a hint of disdain in her eyes.

    The anime cartoon character on it was really too cute and didn¡¯t match Lin Yun¡¯s personality at all.

    Just then, a person appeared behind Zeng Xiangyang.

    Su Manqian approached and upon seeing Qiao Jing, a very grateful smile appeared on her face.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I heard from Xiangyang that you wereing today, so I didn¡¯t go looking for you. Xiangyang¡¯s progress this time has been astounding. If it hadn¡¯t been for your encouragement, he might not have worked so hard. Thank you so much for everything!¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and offered a faint smile.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with me; he achieved it all through his own hard work.¡±

    If it were just about encouragement, it wouldn¡¯t have been enough; it had to be Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s own willingness to work hard.

    Su Manqian was almost moved to tears as she grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal with me. I know Xiangyang¡¯s personality. If you hadn¡¯t been willing to take him as your apprentice and set goals for him, he would never have pushed himself so hard, even going several weeks without ying with his phone. I almost thought my son had been switched with someone else!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang, feeling a little embarrassed, covered his mouth and coughed.

    ¡°Mom, stop it, we need to leave. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll bete,¡± he said.

    Su Manqian finally let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Okay, you two head off, and be safe,¡± she said.

    Upon arriving at the venue, the first thing Zeng Xiangyang saw was a long line of people, which made him sigh.

    ¡°Master, how long do we have to queue?¡± he asked.

    Qiao Jing remembered her tickets were for VIP seating, which should not require queuing.

    She handed the tickets that Lin Yun gave her to the staff member.

    After a nce, the staff member immediately led Qiao Jing and herpanion towards the VIP entrance, sparing them the long wait.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as he stared incredulously at Qiao Jing¡¯s tickets.

    Not only did his master have three tickets, but they were all VIP tickets?!

    The two sessfully took their seats at the very front, and Zeng Xiangyang looked around excitedly.

    ¡°Master, master! Today, at this match, you are my god!¡± he eximed.

    Qiao Jing nced at the colorful light-up sign that Zeng Xiangyang had opened and massaged her forehead, feeling a headache starting to form.

    ¡°Just focus on the match,¡± she said.

    For the first time, she felt the urge to distance herself a little from someone.

    Because if Lin Yun saw her sitting with a ¡°fully armed¡± Zeng Xiangyang, he would surely take her for his fan and start bantering with her again.

    However, she ultimately held back, not wanting to hurt Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s feelings.

    After all, Zeng Xiangyang looked so excited and happy at the moment; if she suddenly said she wanted to switch seats and sit with someone in between, the kid would definitely be saddened.

    The match began, and the yers from both teams made their entrance.

 Chapter 487 - 487 476 Seizing the Victory

    ?Chapter 487: Chapter 476: Seizing the Victory   Chapter 487: Chapter 476: Seizing the Victory                                   After both teams took their seats, they entered the intense character selection phase.

    Qiao Jing nced at the screen on stage indifferently before shifting her gaze away.

    She wasn¡¯t very interested in this and didn¡¯t understand the game too well; she could only y a few characters, after all.

    Thementator¡¯s voice rang out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see who Star has banned this time¡­ they¡¯ve actually banned Han Xin, the character Yun is best at?! Could it be a new strategy?¡±

    No sooner had the words left his mouth than a scream erupted from the crowd.

    ¡°Yun! Hang in there!!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d crash into walls for Yun! Star is definitely taking first ce!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Screaming and cheering mixed together, causing Qiao Jing to rub her temples with a slight headache.

    She should have brought some medical books to distract herself; thankfully, Zeng Xiangyang, who was closest to her, wasn¡¯t chanting slogans like the others, or else her ears might not survive.

    Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, she heard Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s deafening voice.

    ¡°Yun! Hang in there!! The world¡¯s number one jungler!!!¡±

    Qiao Jing covered her ears with her hands and twisted her mouth, reminding Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°Keep it down.¡±

    If she were to watch the entire game in this environment, her ears might not survive.

    Mainly because she had a ¡°megaphone¡± right beside her.

    But¡­ this brat seemed quite popr.

    Looking around, a good half of the crowd wore the same clothes and hats as Zeng Xiangyang¡ªall fans of Lin Yun.

    Zeng Xiangyang coughed, reined in his excitement a bit, and started chatting with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Master, what hero do you think Yun will pick this game?¡±

    Upon hearing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing suddenly recalled the message Lin Yun had sent her that morning.

    ¡°I¡¯m generously letting you know the hero I¡¯ll be ying today in advance; nobody else gets this privilege.¡±

    She replied that she wasn¡¯t interested, but that brat Lin Yun had gone ahead and told her the character he¡¯d be ying. If their team manager were to find out, would he not explode with rage?

    Seeing Qiao Jing not saying anything, Zeng Xiangyang asked with curiosity:

    ¡°Master? What are you thinking about? Did you hear what I said?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and realized that it was Yun¡¯s turn to select a hero on the screen.

    ¡°I heard you. I think he¡¯ll pick Aguduo.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of a hero being locked in echoed from the screen.

    At the same time, everyone in the venue started cheering once again.

    The host¡¯s excited voice filled the air.

    ¡°Oh my God! Yun has actually chosen Aguduo!! We¡¯ve never seen Yun y this character in previous matches. Looking forward to his performance!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately raised the colorful lightboard in his hands and began to shake it nonstop, screaming along with the crowd.

    ¡°Ahhhh! Hang in there, Yun!! Master, how did you guess so urately?! Could you be a prophet?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt like her ears were about to burst, looking at Zeng Xiangyang somewhat helplessly.

    ¡°I just guessed randomly, Zeng Xiangyang. I¡¯ll go sit elsewhere; can you stay here on your own? Your voice is too loud.¡±

    If she stayed any longer, her ears might not survive.

    Had there not been the game live screen, she almost thought this was a concert.

    After all, Lin Yun¡¯s fans were truly numerous, both loud and many.

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately mmed up, his hand still waving the lightboard, his eyes glued to the big screen non-stop.

    ¡°How about I keep it down? Don¡¯t go sit elsewhere; I want to sit with you and discuss the details!¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned her delicate brows.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand all this.¡±

    She had only yed a few simple games, and discussing them in detail was probably beyond her.

    Zeng Xiangyang disyed a look of being struck down.

    ¡°Master, if you don¡¯t consider that understanding, what am I? Master, you¡¯re too modest. That¡¯s practically a humblebrag. My weak heart is already injured.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, hesitated for a moment, and made a request.

    ¡°If you keep your voice down, I won¡¯t change seats.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately nodded, fearing Qiao Jing would change her mind the next second.

    ¡°Okay, Master!¡±

    With no other option, Qiao Jing agreed to stay and watch the big screen with Zeng Xiangyang.

    The first blood was taken by Lin Yun. When he killed the opposing yer, a huge cheer erupted from the crowd, all shouting Lin Yun¡¯s name.

    Zeng Xiangyang also screamed, frantically waving the light stick in his hand.

    ¡°Master, did you see that just now? Yun actually pulled off aeback kill with a sliver of health left! My goodness, I knew the professional yers I like wouldn¡¯t be that bad, Yun is my idol!!¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°hmm¡±ed, ncing at Lin Yun¡¯s face on the screen.

    ¡°That move just now was indeed not bad.¡±

    She noticed Lin Yun¡¯s positioning dodged the opponent¡¯s Skills, and his first skill was ced perfectly to regain thest bit of health and take the first kill.

    In the first team fight, Lin Yun instantly took out the marksman from behind. Star came out with a two-for-three exchange, gaining a slight advantage.

    In the second team fight, Lin Yun made a slight mistake resulting in the enemy escaping with a sliver of health, and he was left with not much health himself, forcing him to retreat. But his teammates, without hesitation, followed up, seeing it as a good opportunity.

    Lin Yun gritted his teeth and coordinated a counter-attack with his teammates. Though he fell, the opposing side lost three yers¡ªthree for one, this exchange was worth it.

    The crowd inside the arena once again erupted with screams, nonstop shouting the names of Lin Yun and Star.

    During the third team fight, utilizing his economic advantage, Lin Yun, along with his teammates, led the opponents to an outright team wipe.

    In the end, Star naturally imed victory.

    Qiao Jing diverted her gaze, stood up, and looked towards Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    In her heart, she felt somewhat surprised because, before this, when Lin Yun was in the countryside, he was more upied with ying pranks on her and seldom showed off his gaming skills.

    She didn¡¯t expect this mischievous child to have developed so well in the e-sports field, his prospects were boundless.

    However¡­ Lin Yun¡¯s proud and irritating demeanor wasn¡¯t exactly endearing.

    Zeng Xiangyang was still immersed in the joy of victory, not snapping back to reality, staring nkly at the screen.

    Qiao Jing called out to him again.

    ¡°Zeng Xiangyang, it¡¯s time to go back.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang then came to his senses, hastily standing up.

    ¡°Okay, hey, wait for me, Master. I suddenly feel like going to the restroom.¡±

    As he spoke, he took off the hat he was wearing and stuffed it into Qiao Jing¡¯s hands along with the light stick.

    ¡°Master, Master, please hold these for me. I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯ll be quick! Just wait for me here!¡±

    Having said that, Zeng Xiangyang dashed off into the distance.

    A helpless expression appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she watched Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s receding figure.

    Just then, her phone began to vibrate incessantly.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to retrieve her phone, she remembered she was still holding onto things.

    They had already left the venue and were now near the exit with nowhere to ce the items.

    To avoid dirtying the hat, Qiao Jing decided to wear it on her head, and put the light stick down on the ground next to her.

    After unlocking her phone, she saw the messages from Lin Yun.

 Chapter 488 - 488 477 Zeng Xiangyang Sends a Message to Zhan

    ?Chapter 488: Chapter 477: Zeng Xiangyang Sends a Message to Zhan Qipei to Snitch   Chapter 488: Chapter 477: Zeng Xiangyang Sends a Message to Zhan Qipei to Snitch                                   ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, did youe to see my game or not? Never mind, I wasn¡¯t expecting you anyway. Whether you came or not, you owe me a meal since I won.¡±

    ¡°Where are you? You didn¡¯t actually sell the ticket I gave you, did you?! Damn it! I knew I shouldn¡¯t have given it to you.¡±

    After reading the message from Lin Yun, Qiao Jing typed her reply on the keyboard.

    ¡°I dide, and I¡¯m in the corridor now. Where do you want to eat?¡±

    Lin Yun replied to Qiao Jing promptly.

    ¡°Send me your location, and I¡¯lle to you. Wait, no, it¡¯s too crowded over there; I can¡¯te over or it¡¯ll cause a sensation. Go to the back door and wait for me.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to reply to Lin Yun, she overheard some girls chatting nearby.

    ¡°Yun is literally the man of my dreams! Not only is he handsome, but he also ys so well that I just want to sleep with him once!¡±

    ¡°I dere, our sisterhood is doomed. You and I are love rivals now; we can¡¯t get along, haha. I also wonder where their manager will take them to eat after the match.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to get Yun¡¯s autograph, but he never signs for his fans, doesn¡¯t interact with them on Weibo, and just leaves after the matches. I¡¯m so heartbroken¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing tugged at the corner of her mouth somewhat speechlessly. Listening to these fans, Lin Yun seemed like a cold and distant person, but actually¡­

    This little rascal had previously carted over a box of signed items saying it was for her when he could have easily made his fans happy by giving them away.

    Usually, he shakes at messaging her, but he might as well interact with his fans on Weibo instead.

    She caught the most crucial piece of information: the club manager was going to take their team out for a meal?

    And Lin Yun still wanted toe to see her for dinner?

    Qiao Jing messaged Lin Yun.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out to eat with your teammates?¡±

    Lin Yun sent several ellipses, then finally replied with text.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. If I invite you, you show up! Hurry up and get there. I fear if Ie there and you¡¯re not around, being discovered would literally be the end for me.¡±

    He would never admit he gave up going out with his teammates for a meal just to eat with Qiao Jing and even got scolded by the manager for it.

    Qiao Jing reluctantly put her phone away, nced at the current time, and sent a message to Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°After youe out, go straight to the back door. I have a friend who said he wants to join us for dinner.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang replied swiftly.

    ¡°Okay, Master, just a minute. Your friend ising too? Why didn¡¯t I see him?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t have time to exin so much to Zeng Xiangyang; if she waste, and Lin Yun was discovered by fans, it would be a big deal.

    Given Lin Yun¡¯s poprity, if he were found, the fans would surely crowd around him, making it impossible for him to leave.

    She put away her phone and dashed to the back door.

    Upon arriving at the back door, Qiao Jing set aside the light sign she had prepared for Zeng Xiangyang.

    Just as she was about to message Lin Yun asking when he would arrive, she caught sight of a figure from the corner of her eye.

    The figure was wrapped up tightly, wearing sunsses and a mask, and even donned a military coat, making the person look exceptionally bulky.

    Qiao Jing guessed who it was; at this time, the only personing from the back door and dressed so securely could be none other than him.

    That was Lin Yun.

    Truth be told, that green military coat looked absurdlyical on him.

    Upon spotting Qiao Jing, the eyes hidden beneath Lin Yun¡¯s sunsses brightened. He controlled his urge to quicken his pace and leisurely walked over to her side.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d bete, but I guess you wouldn¡¯t dare, especially after what you saw at the event, right? I¡¯m quite popr now; if you werete, that would mean you¡¯re the diva here, wait, is this¡ª¡±

    He cut himself off halfway, staring incessantly at the hat on Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    Qiao Jing hummed an acknowledgment and sent a message urging Zeng Xiangyang toe over.

    Although she didn¡¯t want Zeng Xiangyang to know she knew Lin Yun, under the current circumstances, she had no choice but to let him know.

    Lin Yun reached out, took the hat from Qiao Jing¡¯s head, and put it on his own, his tone smug.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this my fan¡¯s hat? When did you be my fan? You didn¡¯t want my autograph before; regretting that decision now? And what¡¯s this, you even have my support lightstick?¡±

    And this lightstick is one only my top-tier fans have, so not only are you my fan now, but also the head of my fan club?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not mine.¡±

    What she had feared before had nowe true¡­

    She had previously worried about sitting with Zeng Xiangyang and being seen by Lin Yun with those support items; knowing this kid¡¯s personality, he would definitely mistake her for a fan.

    Having just finished watching the match and thinking she could go back directly, she was now, due to a series of mischances, caught with the hat and the lightstick, indeed leading to a misunderstanding.

    However¡­ she was somewhat surprised by Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s secret identity. Although she knew Zeng Xiangyang was particrly fond of Lin Yun, she had not expected him to be the head of the fan club outright.

    Lin Yun clicked his tongue, picked up the dropped lightstick and studied it, beaming as he spoke.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, too shy to admit it? We¡¯ve known each other for so many years, and you still want to lie to me? Stop pretending, huh, there¡¯s nothing wrong with being my fan! Anyway, let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    Qiao Jing, growing increasingly speechless, rolled her eyes again, toozy to exin to Lin Yun that she wasn¡¯t a fan.

    ¡°Whatever you say, just wait a moment. I brought a kid along, and he¡¯s not back from the restroom yet.¡±

    Meanwhile, Zeng Xiangyang had reached the rear entrance. Just as he was about to approach Qiao Jing, he saw a man standing aside, bundled up like a rice dumpling.

    He frowned, hid on the side, and scrutinized the man, muttering:

    ¡°Who is this guy? He looks so odd. Could this be the friend Master mentioned? His taste in clothes is too poor; even wearing a military coat.¡±

    Upon seeing the man holding his lightstick and wearing his hat, his eyes widened instantly.

    ¡°Damn! Why is this weirdo wearing my hat and holding my lightstick so close to my Master?! Could he be nning something sinister against my Master?!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately took out his phone, opened the chat with Zhan Qipei, and stealthily took a photo of the man in the military coat, sending it over.

    ¡°Cousin, my wife-to-be and I were about to go eat, but there¡¯s this weird guy getting close to my wife-to-be and even took the stuff I gave her. You bettere quick!¡±

    While he might not be able to marry her, he certainly couldn¡¯t stand to see his not-yet wife be someone else¡¯s wife!

    After all, not everyone has a wife-to-be who is a kickass gamer.

    So, the first idea that sprang to his mind was to tell his cousin about it.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s message response was quick.

    ¡°Send your location.¡±

 Chapter 489 - 489 478 Are You Lin Yun

    ?Chapter 489: Chapter 478: Are You Lin Yun?!   Chapter 489: Chapter 478: Are You Lin Yun?!                                   Zeng Xiangyang was just about to send Qipei his location when he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Zeng Xiangyang,e over, it¡¯s time to eat.¡±

    She had already noticed a figure at the door and didn¡¯t pay much attention to it initially.

    But considering Zeng Xiangyang still hadn¡¯te over after so long, she nced towards the entrance.

    Upon closer inspection, she immediately spotted Lin Yun¡¯s conspicuously bright support attire, followed by Zeng Xiangyang hiding behind the door ying with his phone.

    Zeng Xiangyang quickly pocketed his phone and jogged over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Master.¡±

    After saying that, he reached out and snatched back his hat and support attire from Lin Yun¡¯s hands, caressing them as if they had just been dirtied.

    ¡°Master, who is this? It¡¯s one thing for this person to dress weirdly, but why are they taking my stuff?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and cleared her throat softly.

    ¡°He took it himself; let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    For now, she couldn¡¯t let Zeng Xiangyang know that this fully wrapped-up figure was Lin Yun.

    She was worried that Zeng Xiangyang, as Lin Yun¡¯s super fanboy, might uncontrobly shout out if he found out.

    Lin Yun, seeing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s outfit, realized it was he who was his fan, not Qiao Jing.

    His face immediately soured. This kid even called him weird and just now patted the light stick and hat¡ªwhat did that mean? Disgusted that he had touched them? How could anyone tolerate that?

    Even being his fan was no excuse; he confronted Zeng Xiangyang head-on.

    ¡°Who are you calling weird, you little brat? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you know Xiao Qiaoqiao, I¡¯d pick you up and toss you away.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang wasn¡¯t one to back down easily, either. Upon hearing Lin Yun say that, he instantly became a powder keg ready to explode.

    Yet, he felt that the man¡¯s voice sounded a bit familiar, somewhat like Yun¡¯s, but he was too preupied to dwell on it.

    ¡°What about it if I say you¡¯re weird? Take a look at yourself. Who herees to watch apetition wearing a mask and sunsses? Do you think you¡¯re a celebrity, getting recognized everywhere you go? And wearing a military green coat?¡±

    Lin Yun cursed under his breath and rolled up his sleeves, marching towards Zeng Xiangyang.

    Qiao Jing quickly intervened with a cold tone:

    ¡°Are we going to eat or not?¡±

    If she didn¡¯t stop them, they would likely start arguing right there¡ªand maybe evene to blows.

    Imagine Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s regret if heter found out the person he was scolding was his idol.

    Right now, she felt like she was taking care of children, one a troublemaker and the other an actual kid.

    If these two kids started fighting, it would certainly be ridiculously childish¡ªlike right now.

    Lin Yun and Zeng Xiangyang both quieted down and unanimously said:

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang walked up next to Qiao Jing, lowering his voice.

    ¡°Master, why is your friend so weird? Is he even normal?¡±

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helpless, touched her forehead.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when we get there.¡±

    Since they were holding a celebration for Lin Yun, he had chosen the location.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, I¡¯m taking you to a barbecue ce we often go to; their grilled dishes are delicious.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded without saying much.

    Zeng Xiangyang found it even more strange and whispered:

    ¡°Master, why does he call you Xiao Qiaoqiao? Is he giving you a nickname?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t answer his question; she couldn¡¯t change the fact that Lin Yun called her by her nickname.

    Finally, they arrived at a barbecue restaurant.

    Lin Yun was very familiar with the owner. He walked straight to the back and sat down, gesturing for the owner toe over.

    ¡°Boss, the usual, make it spicy.¡±

    As he said this, he nced at Zeng Xiangyang sitting next to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hey, kid, can you handle spicy food?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang stared at Lin Yun with a wary expression, unable to discern his actual expression due to the face mask and sunsses.

    But he could tell from Lin Yun¡¯s tone that he was particrly annoying, and having to consider Qiao Jing¡¯s presence, he managed to suppress his irritation.

    ¡°I can!¡±

    Lin Yun dug his finger into his ear with a ¡°tch¡± sound.

    ¡°If you can eat it, eat it. Why so loud? Boss, make it all spicy.¡±

    The boss acknowledged with a response.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s eyes bulged as he said through gritted teeth:

    ¡°Come on, can¡¯t you look normal? You¡¯re about to eat and still wearing a mask and sunsses, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re behaving like a lunatic¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Lin Yun had already taken off the items covering his face and removed his military coat, revealing the team uniform underneath.

    This left Zeng Xiangyangpletely dumbfounded, his eyes almost popping out and his mouth agape, suddenly stumbling over his words.

    ¡°You, you, you¡ªyou¡¯re Yun? What are you doing here? Master¡ªare you saying this is your friend?¡±

    So the person he had been cursing was his idol?!

    It¡¯s Yun?!!

    No way?!

    Their first meeting with Lin Yun was like this?!

    Qiao Jing casually nced at Zeng Xiangyang and nodded her head.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    Seeing the dumbstruck look on Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s face, she already had to force herself not tough out loud.

    Upon seeing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s expression, Lin Yun¡¯s face was filled with disdain.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m Lin Yun. You¡¯re that little brat who¡¯s my fan, right? Fans cursing their idols¡ªis that how it¡¯s done?¡±

    He had mistakenly thought Qiao Jing was his fan, which made him happy for so long, but it turned out this irritating brat was his real fan.

    Zeng Xiangyang instantly went from being an angry powder keg to a starry-eyed fanboy, his face beaming with admiration, his eyes practically sparkling.

    ¡°Sorry, Yun, I just didn¡¯t recognize you, okay? You yed so amazingly today! You were absolutely godlike!¡±

    Lin Yun red at Zeng Xiangyang and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need yourpliments. I think you¡¯re not really a fan, but a hater, right? I¡¯m going to revoke your fan membership.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang hastily ¡°eh¡±ed several times, fearing he would be stripped of his fan status in the next second.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t, I really do like you, I just didn¡¯t recognize you because you were wearing so much¡­¡±

    An image suddenly shed through his mind.

    ¡°Wait a second! I¡¯ve got something to do!¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pay attention to these two kids; there were hardly any people around now, and they were free to chat however they liked.

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately took out his phone and found that his cousin had sent him several messages. He quickly started typing a response.

    ¡°Cousin! It¡¯s all good now, I got it wrong earlier, that person was just asking for directions, he¡¯s already gone.¡±

    He pped his forehead in frustration, feeling an intense self-disgust.

    What on earth had he been doing just now?

    Not only had he cursed Yun, but he also snitched on him?!

    Anxious that Zhan Qipei might send more messages, Zeng Xiangyang immediately silenced his phone, then looked at Qiao Jing with stars in his eyes.

    ¡°Master, when did you meet Yun? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? It¡¯s one thing for you to be good at gaming, but to know a pro yer too! You¡¯re too amazing!!¡±

 Chapter 490 - 490 479 Is She Your Girlfriend

    ?Chapter 490: Chapter 479: Is She Your Girlfriend?   Chapter 490: Chapter 479: Is She Your Girlfriend?                                   Qiao Jing was just about to answer Zeng Xiangyang when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

    She took out her phone and saw that the caller was Zhan Qipei.

    She nced at the other two sitting at the table, hung up the call, and opened her chat page with Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Zhan Qipei replied to the message very quickly.

    ¡°Have you finished watching the match? I¡¯ming to pick you up.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the two beside her and refused Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m having dinner outside with Zeng Xiangyang. We¡¯ll take a cab backter, and besides, didn¡¯t you tell me this morning that you were attending a banquet?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei to leave the banquet early just to pick her up for such a trivial matter.

    Moreover, she still had to have dinner with these two kids, and if Zhan Qipei came over, he would have to wait for them.

    But none of these were the main point, the main point was that she was currently dining with Lin Yun.

    If Zhan Qipei saw them, he was probably going to get jealous again.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t reply to the message, but called her directly, making Qiao Jing realize that she had no choice but to answer the call, so she reluctantly tapped to ept.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    The man¡¯s deep voice was mixed with the sound of the wind and hurried footsteps.

    ¡°Send me your location. I¡¯m on my way. I¡¯ve already left the banquet.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned helplessly and sighed.

    ¡°Okay, be safe.¡±

    She knew from the sound on Zhan Qipei¡¯s end that he was already rushing over. It was toote to stop him now.

    Zhan Qipei then hung up the phone, satisfied, and Qiao Jing sent him her location.

    Lin Yun stared at Qiao Jing with a curious face, incessantly.

    ¡°Who was that?¡±

    At this time, the owner came over to serve the dishes, interrupting the conversation between the two.

    ¡°Xiao Lin, these are all very spicy. Can the other two handle it? Hey, who is this girl? She¡¯s so pretty. Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s your girlfriend?¡±

    Lin Yun stole a nce at Qiao Jing and, seeing that she still had an indifferent expression, was quite annoyed and immediately denied the owner¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Nonsense, how could she possibly be my girlfriend? I wouldn¡¯t date her!¡±

    Seeing that Lin Yun had denied it, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pay much attention to his words and ced a skewer of grilled chicken wings onto Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s te.

    Zeng Xiangyang had been gazing with starry eyes, his gaze flitting back and forth between Qiao Jing and Lin Yun.

    ¡°Boss, she¡¯s not Yun¡¯s girlfriend.¡±

    He now not only had a very impressive mentor, but also met his idol through his mentor¡¯s connections!

    He truly deserved such a mentor!

    He truly deserved such a mentor!!

    Lin Yun¡¯s face turned red with annoyance as he grabbed the chicken leg that Qiao Jing had ced on Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s te and stuffed it into thetter¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Who asked you? Little brat, just eat and keep your mouth shut. Can¡¯t you stop talking while eating?¡±

    Although deep down he did have a slight wish for Qiao Jing to be his girlfriend, there was no need for someone to dismiss their rtionship so abruptly.

    Now that Zeng Xiangyang knew the other person was Lin Yun, he wasn¡¯t upset by the scolding and happily took the chicken leg to his mouth.

    ¡°Alright! I got it! I¡¯ll keep quiet!¡±

    The owner apologized and left.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°Quick to change faces.¡±

    One second he was a powder keg, the next he became a little fanboy, not even getting upset when called a brat.

    It seems the power of an idol is indeed very strong.

    Zeng Xiangyang had been beaming ever since he found out the other person was Lin Yun.

    ¡°Hehe, Master, can yun treat me like everyone else? If he scolds me, so be it, as long as the technique is good, right? Master, can you tell me how you and yun met?¡±

    Qiao Jing opened a bottle of c and set it aside, then remembered she was pregnant and had forgotten for a moment.

    She pushed the c in her hand toward Lin Yun and answered Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s question truthfully.

    ¡°We were neighbors before, and he was a little prankster who only knew how to y tricks.¡±

    But those pranks from childhood didn¡¯t really matter. What still affected her was the nickname Lin Yun had given her.

    Not only did he call her that from a young age, but Lin Yun also stubbornly refused to change it.

    Zeng Xiangyang looked incredulous and curiously turned to Lin Yun.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Lin Yun also remembered the pranks he pulled as a child, now finding them too immature and felt slightly embarrassed as he scratched his head.

    When he saw the extreme curiosity on Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s face, he spoke fiercely:

    ¡°What¡¯s with all the questions, kid? Can¡¯t you just eat your food?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately mped his mouth shut, stuffing it with a drumstick.

    Lin Yun ¡°hmp¡±ed and looked towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Those were things from when we were kids, Xiao Qiaoqiao, why are you being so unreasonable, bringing up old stories? I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m now a well-known professional yer, and I have so many fans. It¡¯s not like the old days.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    She also felt that Lin Yun was no longer the same troublemaker he used to be; except for his personality, he had made quite a progress in other areas.

    Lin Yun proudly raised his chin slightly, crossed his arms, and leaned forward, closing the distance between himself and Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Where are you working now?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand paused as she was eating, holding back the truth.

    ¡°I¡¯m just doing some part-time work.¡±

    She really didn¡¯t want too many people to know her true identity. The fact that Zhan Qipei knew her identity was just an ident.

    The smug look on Lin Yun¡¯s face disappeared at once, a trace of distress shed through his eyes, but he still said haughtily:

    ¡°Part-time job must not pay well, right? It¡¯s both exhausting and tiring. How about this, I¡¯ll teach you how to y King of Glory, so you can joinpetitions too, okay? If you win apetition, you can make a lot of money.

    And I have the resources. Considering our many years of friendship, I¡¯ll reluctantly help you out.¡±

    Qiao Jing casually ate her skewers and shook her head.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m not interested in that.¡±

    She was curious why everyone around her wanted to bring her into their fields; even if she wanted to, she didn¡¯t have that much energy.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s eyes instantly widened, and he bit into his drumstick, mumbling unclearly:

    ¡°Master! You guess why I call you Master? It¡¯s definitely because you¡¯re awesome at King of Glory. If you¡¯re not interested, then why are you so good at it? I¡¯m really interested in King of Glory, but I¡¯m not as good as you. What¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t passion supposed to be the best teacher?¡±

    Lin Yun was stunned, somewhat surprised as he nced at Qiao Jing, and said suspiciously:

    ¡°What? Xiao Qiaoqiao is great at King of Glory? You sure?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know about Qiao Jing being skilled at gaming.

    He had tried to get Qiao Jing to y King of Glory with him before, but she refused. How did she suddenly be a pro in this brat¡¯s mouth?

    Zeng Xiangyang nodded his head and pulled out his phone, opening the ranked match page.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I was struggling to reach the rank of Honor of Kings, but it was my Master who helped me get there.¡±

    Lin Yun was still somewhat disbelieving and proposed a way that could prove Qiao Jing¡¯s skill.

 Chapter 491 - 491 480 Qiao Jing to Have a One-on-One with

    ?Chapter 491: Chapter 480: Qiao Jing to Have a One-on-One with Lin Yun!   Chapter 491: Chapter 480: Qiao Jing to Have a One-on-One with Lin Yun!                                   ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, how about you go one on one with me? You can y your best hero, and I won¡¯t use my best, okay? Let me see if you¡¯re really that amazing.¡±

    Although he felt that getting to Honor of Kings 50 Stars wasn¡¯t very hard, that was just from the perspective of a professional yer like himself.

    If it was Qiao Jing, he was quite curious to see what she could achieve.

    In his memory, Qiao Jing waspletely clueless about games, always hanging around the cornfield she farmed in the countryside. He even found her lifestyle utterly boring.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and decisively rejected Lin Yun.

    ¡°No way, I can¡¯t y.¡±

    Right now, she just wanted to finish her meal quickly. She didn¡¯t want to have Zhan Qipeie over and wait for her to eat, and she definitely didn¡¯t want him to run into Lin Yun.

    After all, this was the first time in her life she had encountered a jealous type like Zhan Qipei, and his jealousy was not minor at all.

    Zeng Xiangyang swiftly ced a chicken leg on the te and immediately started to make a fuss.

    ¡°Master, if you say you can¡¯t y, then what am I, a national standard Li Xin? Am I even unfit to y? My fragile heart has suffered a serious blow¡ª¡±

    Lin Yun showed a hint of surprise on his face when he heard Zeng Xiangyang had a national ranking.

    ¡°You mean to say, Xiao Qiaoqiao, aplete rookie to Honor of Kings, is even better than you, a national standard Li Xin? For real? With Xiao Qiaoqiao¡¯s newbie skills, are you serious?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately countered Lin Yun, directly calling out his name.

    ¡°For real! Why would I lie to you? Why else would I ept her as my master? Lin Yun Bro, even if you are an idol, you can¡¯t look down on my master!¡±

    Qiao Jing wordlessly twitched the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Zeng Xiangyang, do you want me to thank you?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected that Zeng Xiangyang, aplete fanboy of Lin Yun, would retort on her behalf.

    But this wasn¡¯t good news for her, because she knew Lin Yun¡¯s personality well¡ªnow that Zeng Xiangyang was going on about it, Lin Yun would only get more enthusiastic and definitely drag her into ying Honor of Kings.

    Zeng Xiangyang scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and chuckled twice.

    ¡°No need, Master, as your student, it¡¯s only right that I speak up for you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt a sudden throbbing in her temples, and her head started to hurt.

    Lin Yun didn¡¯t give Qiao Jing a chance to refuse; he took out his phone andunched Honor of Kings.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, hurry up and log in; I¡¯m logging in right now, you dare not to try me?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly lifted her elegant brow but still made no move.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t y with you? I¡¯m treating this meal, what do you have to threaten me with?¡±

    If she didn¡¯t put Lin Yun in his ce, the brat might forget the lesson she taught him when they were kids.

    Her being called by a nickname didn¡¯t bother her anymore; after all, it couldn¡¯t be changed.

    Still, she felt the need to correct his way of speaking from time to time.

    Lin Yun was taken aback by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, at a loss for what to say for a while before he finally retorted irritably.

    ¡°Suit yourself, don¡¯t y if you don¡¯t want to. Really, when else do you have a chance to y against a professional yer? I¡¯m offering to y Honor of Kings with you, and you don¡¯t want to, saying I should get you into esports but you refuse, what is it that you want?¡±

    As he spoke, he opened the game¡¯s team-up page and was about to use his main ount, seemingly ready to start matchmaking, when Zeng Xiangyang immediately stopped him.

    ¡°Wait! That¡¯s not okay! Didn¡¯t your manager say you shouldn¡¯t use your main ount for casual matches? Plus, you just finished a match and won a prize, isn¡¯t it too risky to use your main ount?¡±

    Lin Yun ¡°hmphed¡± and ignored him.

    ¡°Screw that, now that you mentioned it, I¡¯m already using my main ount, and a certain someone still doesn¡¯t want to have a showdown with me¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing rubbed her temples, feeling somewhat of a headache, and agreed to y.

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine, a one-on-one with you, okay?¡±

    If she didn¡¯t y a round with Lin Yun, this little brat would definitely nag her for a long time.

    Only then did Lin Yun nod in satisfaction and switched to his alternate ount.

    ¡°See? Wouldn¡¯t this have been easier? Do you have an ount? Should I give you one?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, used her WeChat ount to register a new one, and even had to go through the beginner¡¯s tutorial.

    ¡°Let me skip through the beginner¡¯s tutorial.¡±

    She had never registered for any games with her own ount before, having only yed a few times either with Ni Yue¡¯s or Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s ounts.

    So now, the game ount she had just registered was a starter ount, not onlycking in characters but also devoid of skins and inscriptions.

    Zeng Xiangyang saw how barebone¡¯s Qiao Jing¡¯s ount was and volunteered,

    ¡°Master, y with my ount. No, wait, I remember I bought you an ount before, y with the one I purchased for you. It cost a fortune, you must use it!¡±

    Only then did Qiao Jing remember she had forgotten about it and tapped Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s forehead with her finger.

    ¡°No need, how much was that ount? I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡±

    Even if she knew Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s family was wealthy, she couldn¡¯t just wastefully spend money.

    It was just a game ount, after all. She only yed asionally and there was really no need to buy a game ount. ying with the beginner¡¯s ount would be just fine.

    Zeng Xiangyang pouted, took Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, and quickly logged into the ount he had bought.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t much, not even as much as I spend in a day. Don¡¯t worry, Master, consider it my wee gift to you.¡±

    Lin Yun originally wanted to let Qiao Jing use his ount and felt a bit miffed to see Zeng Xiangyang cut in.

    ¡°You little kid, why are you spending money recklessly? I have plenty of ounts, why did you go and buy a V10 one?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t y Honor of Kings and didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Lin Yun¡¯s words, so she asked with a puzzled face,

    ¡°What does V10 mean?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s eyes widened, he sped his hands together in front of his chest, and looked toward Lin Yun with a pleading expression on his face, full of beseeching.

    ¡°Haha, V10 doesn¡¯t mean anything special. It just refers to the level.¡±

    Ever since he wanted Qiao Jing to be his master, he made a special effort to chat with his aunt and tried to understand Qiao Jing better.

    The result was his aunt telling him that Qiao Jing was a very frugal person. If she found out the ount he bought had cost a six-figure sum, he¡¯d be doomed.

    Lin Yun didn¡¯t spare Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s dignity, spilling the truth.

    ¡°V10 means this game ount has been topped up with a six-figure sum, and furthermore, let me see¡­¡±

    He took Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, nced over the game ount, and then handed it back.

    ¡°This ount also has many collectible skins. The seller clearly didn¡¯t negotiate the price, selling it at the original price or even higher.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and gave Zeng Xiangyang a brief nce.

    ¡°There was no need to buy it for me. I rarely y.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang chose to remain silent, quietly trying to make himself less noticeable.

    Seeing Qiao Jing and Lin Yun entering the hero selection screen, he suddenly felt like he had dug a hole for himself.

    On one side was his idol, and on the other, his master.

    Had he lost his mind just now, insisting that the two should have a one-on-one?

    Now, cheering for either side seemed inappropriate, so he once again opted for tactical silence.

 Chapter 492 - 492 481 Qiao Jing Wins

    ?Chapter 492: Chapter 481: Qiao Jing Wins!   Chapter 492: Chapter 481: Qiao Jing Wins!                                   After selecting her hero, Qiao Jing picked Diao Chan, a female hero with a high level of operability. She mainly relied on her Second Skill to deal damage and dodge attacks, but critical timing was essential to avoid damage.

    Lin Yun, on the other hand, chose Kai, a hero he had yed inpetitions but not often. However, he had won every match in which he had used this hero.

    Zeng Xiangyang silently shifted his chair closer to Lin Yun¡¯s side, his gaze settling on the other¡¯s phone as he started to speak, a bit sheepishly.

    ¡°Master¡­ If you lose to Brother Lin Yunter, don¡¯t be too sad, okay? It¡¯s normal for us ordinary folks to lose to professional yers. Even though you¡¯re also amazing, the person you¡¯re up against is Star¡¯s Yun. It¡¯s no shame to lose to him; after all, he¡¯s a world-renowned jungler.¡±

    Qiao Jing paid no attention to Zeng Xiangyang. Once she entered the game screen, she spent a few seconds re-reading Diao Chan¡¯s skill descriptions.

    Then, she nced at her equipment build again, staying in the Fountain for nearly half a minute.

    In this half minute, Lin Yun had already cleared the minion wave almostpletely.

    Zeng Xiangyang watched with intense impatience and reminded Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Master, don¡¯t stay in the Fountain,e out and farm the minion wave.¡±

    He now felt even more that his master had no chance of winning, as Brother Lin Yun¡¯s economy was already several hundred ahead of Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    In the game of Honor of Kings, economics are critical. If your economy is high enough, you can beat your opponent.

    But now, Qiao Jing had stayed in the Fountain for nearly half a minute without farming any minions.

    Qiao Jing closed the equipment page and controlled her character to move forward.

    ¡°I know, don¡¯t panic.¡±

    She had just been studying a new equipment set that was particrly suitable for dealing with a hero like Kai with high health and explosive power.

    Zeng Xiangyang shut his mouth, thinking anxiously:

    How can I not be anxious? The minion wave is nearly all gone, eaten up by Brother Lin Yun.

    Lin Yun was slightly surprised when he saw Qiao Jing starting the game with Diao Chan¡¯s Second Skill.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, your first choice is the Second Skill? Are you that confident you can dodge my skills?¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Lin Yun and concentrated on controlling her character.

    When Qiao Jing faced Lin Yun, she immediately used her Second Skill to dodge his crowd control skill. By the time she arrived, he had already cleared the minion wave, and now she could only wait for the next one.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s eyes widened with excitement.

    ¡°Damn, Master, that First Skill just now was so cool! If it hadn¡¯t been for the Second Skill, Yun could¡¯ve taken you down just bybining his First and Second Skills.¡±

    He suddenly felt hopeful for Qiao Jing again, though the hope was slight.

    Anyone using their brain would know it was unlikely for a casual yer to beat a professional one. Winning against the odds would mean abination of luck and skill.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zeng Xiangyang before turning her attention back to the game.

    ¡°Lin Yun, let¡¯s set a rule for winning. Let¡¯s not push to the crystal; whoever dies three times first loses.¡±

    Pushing to the crystal was too time-consuming. She preferred a quick battle.

    Lin Yun dly epted, boasting:

    ¡°Sure, Xiao Qiaoqiao, just don¡¯t beg me not to kill you instantly when the timees.¡±

    With this rule in ce, both yers became cautious, afraid a single slip-up could result in losing a kill.

    Still, during this time, Lin Yun came close to securing the first kill several times, but Qiao Jing managed to evade him every time.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s palms began to sweat with nervous tension as he excitedly watched Lin Yun¡¯s phone screen incessantly.

    He didn¡¯t stay on Lin Yun¡¯s side for long before running to Qiao Jing¡¯s side to watch the situation, darting back and forth between the two.

    The first kill was ultimately secured by Lin Yun, but he had been reduced to a sliver of health by Qiao Jing and only managed to get the kill under the protection of his own turret.

    Zeng Xiangyang let out a sigh and prepared to stay on Lin Yun¡¯s side for the long haul.

    ¡°Master, no matter what, you¡¯re still better and cooler at ying than I am. It¡¯s just the first blood, don¡¯t lose heart, haha¡­¡±

    He was a little uncertain when he said this; he, an amateur yer, dared not im to beat a professional yer¡ªthat would have been like an egg hitting a rock.

    At the same time, a kill sound effect rang out from his phone.

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately gathered his wandering thoughts and focused on the screen.

    ¡°Lin Yun bro, how did my master die this¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, he saw that Lin Yun¡¯s phone screen was ck.

    The kill score between them had reached a 1:1 tie.

    In just a few minutes, the second head-on confrontation began!

    Qiao Jing was free and idly guessing when Lin Yun¡¯s skills would be ready again.

    She could predict so urately mainly because she had previously helped Zeng Xiangyang y,

    Finally!

    Qiao Jing took the first ce!

    Zeng Xiangyang now chose to take back what he¡¯d said earlier¡ªanyone with a brain would know that ordinarily people can¡¯t beat professional yers.

    From now on, he would be the one without a brain.

    His master¡¯sst move was simply too cool, OK?!

    She dodged Lin Yun¡¯s skills with precise timing, each Second Skill not only avoiding Lin Yun¡¯s damage but also effortlessly dodging the tower¡¯s damage!

    Qiao Jing controlled Diao Chan to move back and forth within the range of her ultimate, leveraging the minion wave and Lin Yun, detonating one passive effect after another.

    After dying three times, Lin Yun seemed a bit stunned and was slow toe back to his senses.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao, you couldn¡¯t be lying to me that you don¡¯t know how to y, right? Howe you¡¯re ying so well?!¡±

    He had noticed that Qiao Jing¡¯s technique was professional-level.

    Meanwhile, a rowdy group of people walked into the front door of the barbecue restaurant.

    With his back to the door, Lin Yun of course couldn¡¯t see, but Qiao Jing had a clear view of the neers.

    She casually withdrew her gaze; other people¡¯s business had nothing to do with her, and she hadn¡¯t forgotten to answer Lin Yun.

    ¡°No, I just y casually.¡±

    As soon as her words fell, a figure appeared in front of her.

    A man with dyed blond hair, dressed in tight clothing, who just led the group of underlings into the ce.

    Out of politeness, Qiao Jing still briefly inquired about the other party¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Hello, can I help you?¡±

    Blondie nodded, took out his phone, and opened the QR code scanner.

    ¡°Of course, I have a matter, beauty. I noticed you before I even entered the shop; how about we add each other on WeChat?¡±

    Qiao Jing unhesitatingly turned down Blondie¡¯s request.

    ¡°No adding.¡±

    Blondie did not give up and kept holding his phone.

    ¡°Beauty, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re so pretty, I wanted to add you as a friend. You wouldn¡¯t embarrass me, right?¡±

    Lin Yun couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, his face turning very ugly, souring with frustration.

    ¡°Who cares if you¡¯re embarrassed? She already said she won¡¯t add you as a friend, and you¡¯re still making a show of apologizing with your phone? Are you deaf or what?¡±

    Blondie put down his phone and spat on the ground.

 Chapter 493 - 493 482 Lin Yun Will Be Banned from the

    ?Chapter 493: Chapter 482: Lin Yun Will Be Banned from the Competition   Chapter 493: Chapter 482: Lin Yun Will Be Banned from the Competition                                   ¡°Who the hell are you? Did I talk to you? Do you even know who I am? Boys, get in here!¡±

    As soon as Blondie finished speaking, the underlings who were sitting outside swiftly walked over.

    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s up? You haven¡¯t gotten this chick?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, boss, didn¡¯t you just say you could easily get this chick to spend the night?¡±

    Blondie spat, his spit flying everywhere, and cursed at Lin Yun:

    ¡°I could have had her easily if it wasn¡¯t for this turtle jerk popping out of nowhere and ruining my ns!¡±

    Lin Yun mmed his hand on the table, making a loud noise, and suddenly stood up.

    ¡°I am your damn uncle, I already said no WeChat and you still shamelessly stick around? I¡¯ve never seen anyone as shameless as you.¡±

    As he said this, he didn¡¯t forget to turn back and re at Qiao Jing angrily.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known you for so many years and never liked you, how did he even take a fancy to you? Always causing me trouble!¡±

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her finely shaped eyebrows and nced at a still bewildered Zeng Xiangyang.

    ¡°Go find a ce to hide.¡±

    Seeing the situation, a fight might break out soon; she needed to have Zeng Xiangyang hide in advance.

    She didn¡¯t care that Lin Yun often said hurtful things about her, after all, that child¡¯s nature was just like this, and he didn¡¯t really have any bad intentions.

    Usually impulsive like a powder keg, Zeng Xiangyang now became unusually calm, furrowing his brow tightly, he moved next to Qiao Jing and whispered.

    ¡°Master, Lin Yun can¡¯t fight. After this match, he has to participate in the World Competition. If it gets out that he fought, he¡¯ll be banned frompeting! Lin Yun, don¡¯t be impulsive!¡±

    After hearing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her indifferent expression turning very grave.

    ¡°I understand, you go first.¡±

    This matter concerned Lin Yun¡¯spetition, and they couldn¡¯t let the child mess it up.

    Zeng Xiangyang anxiously looked several times at Lin Yun, who was heated, and before leaving, he repeated.

    ¡°Master, you must not let Lin Yun fight, and if a fight happens, it mustn¡¯t get out.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, her cold gaze falling on Blondie.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    After receiving Qiao Jing¡¯s assurance, Zeng Xiangyang hesitantly headed toward the back kitchen, hiding before immediately pulling out his phone and calling Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Cousin! I¡¯m sending you my location now! Come quick to the BBQ restaurant, someone wants cousin-inw¡¯s WeChat, and she won¡¯t give it, it¡¯s about to turn into a fight!!¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brow, his thin lips pressed into a straight, cold line, and he floored the elerator, sending the speed soaring to 200km/h.

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±

    He had only been away from Qiao Jing¡¯s side for a moment, and someone was already plotting against his wife.

    It seemed that he would have to apany her everywhere except when she was at work.

    Before Zeng Xiangyang could even speak, the phone abruptly rang with the busy tone of ¡°du du du¡ª¡±.

    When he heard his cousin¡¯s cold voice, he couldn¡¯t help but shiver.

    His cousin truly lived up to the rumors, the nickname ¡®living King of Hell¡¯ was not in vain.

    Zeng Xiangyang hid inside the kitchen, peering through the transparent ss, quietly observing the situation outside.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly and looked at Lin Yun who was confronting Blondie.

    ¡°Lin Yun, ignore them,e back.¡±

    Blondie and his gang were probably local thugs, and only acted so arrogantly because they had the numbers.

    But she still couldn¡¯t let Lin Yun and this group of thugs get into a fight; if the incident were to be exposed, leading to Lin Yun being banned frompeting¡­

    She wouldn¡¯t let that happen.

    Lin Yun snorted coldly and turned back to look at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao! Didn¡¯t you hear him speaking so rudely? I¡¯mpletely ignoring everything else to help you, and you don¡¯t even thank me, yet you still want me to just let it go?!¡±

    He didn¡¯t know why he felt so angry when he heard someone speaking to Qiao Jing so rudely.

    Although he despised Qiao Jing, that didn¡¯t affect his desire to help Qiao Jing get even.

    Qiao Jing saw Lin Yun starting to revert to his old habits and was somewhat speechless as she twitched the corner of her mouth, giving him a reminder.

    ¡°Thepetition.¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Zeng Xiangyang reminding her, she wouldn¡¯t have even known that professional yers could get banned for fighting.

    Luckily, Zeng Xiangyang had told her beforehand, or the consequences would have been unimaginable.

    Lin Yun¡¯s movements suddenly stopped, and he was fixed in ce, motionless like a wooden figure.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    He had almost forgotten about his ownpetition, his mind clouded by Qiao Jing¡­

    Blondie saw that the two of them were busy chatting and ignored himpletely; he kicked over a chair to assert his presence.

    ¡°You two have time to chat here? Seriously, you ungrateful! And you, woman, didn¡¯t even bother to inquire about my reputation. I offered you my WeChat as a courtesy; if it weren¡¯t for your looks, I wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day.¡±

    The surroundingckeys chimed in.

    ¡°You ungrateful bitch! Riding on your looks, you must have slept with quite a few, right? Would sleeping with our boss for one night kill you?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, never seen someone so disrespectful before. The other women were all eager to throw themselves at our boss, but you, what, you think you¡¯re something special?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As Lin Yun sat next to Qiao Jing, he clenched his fists tight when he heard Blondie¡¯s words and immediately stood up.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao! Don¡¯t stop me this time! Their mouths must¡¯ve juste out from eating shit in the toilet! A bunch of thugs who should be working in factories screwing bolts instead of causing trouble?¡±

    Blondie was infuriated by Lin Yun¡¯s words, signaling his fellow thugs.

    ¡°Damn it! Attack! I¡¯ll make sure this cocky brat is searching the ground for his teeth today!¡±

    Blondie and hisckeys rushed forward all at once, reaching to grab Lin Yun¡¯s clothes.

    The anger ignited in Lin Yun, and his fist was about to hit the first thug¡¯s face when a slender hand reached out and grabbed the nearest thug.

    Qiao Jing effortlessly controlled a thug with one hand and pulled Lin Yun behind her with the other.

    ¡°Just stay here.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t let Lin Yun get banned because of her. For a professional athlete, having the opportunity topete in a worldpetition was hard-earned, and to miss it over something like this¡­

    Without a doubt, that would be a lifelong regret.

    No sooner had her words fallen than a ¡°crack¡ª¡± resonated through the air.

    Immediately followed by a pig-like scream reverberating around them.

    ¡°Ah¡ª! Boss, my hand is broken!!¡±

    Qiao Jing released the thug¡¯s hand and kicked the man over, her expression cold, her gaze sharp as a knife¡¯s edge settling on Blondie.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to start something?¡±

    If all went as expected, she alone could handle these few people, but¡­

 Chapter 494 - 494 483 Qiao Jing Sees Through the Other

    ?Chapter 494: Chapter 483: Qiao Jing Sees Through the Other Party¡¯s Lies   Chapter 494: Chapter 483: Qiao Jing Sees Through the Other Party¡¯s Lies                                   She was pregnant now, and she wasn¡¯t sure if her body could keep up, in case something unexpected happened.

    But the current situation left her no time to think so much; if these thugs really wanted to fight with her, then she had no choice but to brace herself and face them.

    Blondie was intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, sharp as ice des, feeling a chill running up his spine, as if he was deep in an ice cer.

    He nced at his underling lying on the ground, clutching his wrist and howling, then at Qiao Jing¡¯s wrists, so slender they looked like they could snap with a twist.

    How could this skinny woman have such tremendous strength?

    His underling was tall and strongly built, yet just now this woman had straight-up broken a man¡¯s wrist!?

    Not only that, but she also managed to knock down his nearly six-foot underling!

    Was this woman even a normal human being?

    Could it be that he¡¯d encountered a ghost?

    The underling on the ground, red-faced with anger at being knocked down by a woman, cursed out loud.

    ¡°Damn bitch, you and this underdeveloped-looking brat must be screwing each other; you don¡¯t even let me speak, boss, you have to stand up for me, my wrist is broken! Just you wait¡ªI¡ª¡±

    Before he could finish, Qiao Jing lifted her foot and stepped on him, gradually increasing the pressure.

    The underling felt a sudden sharp pain in his chest and grimaced in agony, unable to continue his rant.

    Qiao Jing looked down from above at the person under her foot.

    ¡°Not continuing?¡±

    After dropping that line, Qiao Jing lifted her gaze and looked coldly at Blondie.

    ¡°How do you want to settle this?¡±

    Blondie felt as if Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze could prate his body and strike at his soul.

    A sense of fear inexplicably arose in his heart towards this woman before him.

    ¡°Damn it! I must have seen a ghost!¡±

    The other underlings by Blondie¡¯s side asked one after another:

    ¡°Boss, why won¡¯t you let us hit them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, boss, the second brother got beaten so bad, aren¡¯t we going to step in?!¡±

    Blondie cursed softly and clenched his teeth when he saw the underling lying on the ground screaming in pain.

    But when he locked eyes with Qiao Jing again, he lost his nerve and shifted his target.

    ¡°Damn! Attack! Go for that man first!¡±

    Even though the woman in front of him looked frail, his instincts told him.

    This woman was definitely not to be trifled with!

    It would be smarter to change targets¡­

    Seeing this, the underlings immediately stepped forward, aiming to grab Lin Yun.

    Lin Yun couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and quickly pulled Qiao Jing aside.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao! What are you trying to prove as a woman? How does it look, letting a woman stand in front for a big guy like me? Where¡¯s my dignity??¡±

    Even if it meant getting banned, he wasn¡¯t about to let these thugs get the upper hand!

    Qiao Jing frowned, and out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed something sh from a reflective ss inside the store.

    It looked like the sh of a camera!

    And the only person valuable enough to be stealthily photographed right now was one.

    It was Lin Yun, the victor of today¡¯s match.

    With quick reflexes, she grabbed Lin Yun¡¯s hand, which was about to swing at the other guy¡¯s face, and said coldly:

    ¡°Lin Yun! Paparazzi!¡±

    Lin Yun¡¯s motion froze instantly.

    ¡°Damn! These damn paparazzi are really so annoying, following us everywhere!¡±

    Qiao Jing shoved Lin Yun behind her and with a swift kick sent a man flying towards her, emphasizing her next words with more force.

    ¡°You sit down!¡±

    There was no way she was going to let Lin Yun get hurt today.

    Zeng Xiangyang, who had been watching from the kitchen with trepidation, poked his head out from the doorway.

    ¡°Lin Yun, bro! Stay calm!!!¡±

    Lin Yun managed to suppress the anger bubbling inside him, red fiercely at the group, and sat down through clenched teeth, enunciating every word:

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll, call, the, cops!¡±

    The thugs didn¡¯t show any fear at the mention of calling the police; instead, they smirked smugly.

    ¡°Whatever, call them. Just by looking at you two, it¡¯s obvious you¡¯re not from around here. They¡¯re in with our boss, calling them is pointless!¡±

    Blondie¡¯s face briefly revealed a hint of difort, but he quickly concealed it.

    ¡°Go ahead and hit us, see if they care.¡±

    Lin Yun¡¯s hand, poised to dial, paused, and he looked up in confusion.

    ¡°For real?¡±

    Was his police report going to be pointless?

    Were these hooligans running unchecked, always causing trouble in this area?

    Qiao Jing caught the fleeting slip on Blondie¡¯s face, her voice cold and resonant.

    ¡°Lying.¡±

    She had the impression that these men were lying, and they had probably deceived many people with this lie to intimidate them; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be so at ease.

    She guessed the reactions of the people before must have been like Lin Yun¡¯s, intimidated into giving up the idea of calling the police.

    But she had seen Blondie¡¯s momentary unease.

    Besides, how could the state¡¯s people possibly be in cahoots with these lowlifes?

    Blondie was momentarily stunned, his foolproof lie exposed, and anger flushed out his fear; he didn¡¯t care to conceal it anymore.

    ¡°You damn bitch, get lost! Guys, if this woman really wants to y the hero, then let¡¯s beat her until even her mom won¡¯t recognize her! And that guy, hiding behind a woman like a coward, what kind of man is that?¡±

    The underlings surged forward with Blondie, quickly surrounding Qiao Jing.

    Just then, the barbecue restaurant owner emerged from the freezer to see the chairs smashed and the stand-off.

    Immediately, he set down the ingredients he had been carrying and dashed into the fray.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why has ite to blows? And you guys! What are you doing ganging up on a girl? Have you no shame?!¡±

    Blondie spat out disdainfully and picked up a ss bottle from the table, smashing it on the ground.

    ¡°You old fart, mind your own damn business and fuck off!¡±

    The enraged owner, right in front of everyone, reached for his phone to call the police.

    The underlings, sensing trouble, moved to stop the owner from calling the cops while brazenly linking themselves to influential figures.

    ¡°Old man, don¡¯t you know we¡¯re acquainted with the guys over there?¡±

    The owner scoffed dismissively, not buying their bluff, and without hesitation pressed the call button.

    ¡°Pah! What sort of people are they, and what sort are you? You really dare to gild yourself?¡±

    The underlings clenched their teeth and lunged to snatch the phone from his hands.

    The owner, limited by his age, managed tond a punch on one of them but quickly ran out of strength.

    With the owner on the verge of being restrained by the underlings, Lin Yun couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and swiftly made his way over to them.

    Zeng Xiangyang ran out from the kitchen instantly, grabbing Lin Yun¡¯s leg.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash! Lin Yun, bro, you¡¯ve got apetition to fight in, you can¡¯t hit anyone! You absolutely can¡¯t!¡±

    Lin Yun tried to shove Zeng Xiangyang away, but the kid clung on like glue, impossible to shake off.

    ¡°Get out of my way, what¡¯s this got to do with you?¡±

 Chapter 495 - 495 484 Qiao Jing is About to be Ambushed

    ?Chapter 495: Chapter 484: Qiao Jing is About to be Ambushed!   Chapter 495: Chapter 484: Qiao Jing is About to be Ambushed!                                   Qiao Jing had noticed the situation at the boss¡¯s side earlier and quickly knocked down several people in front of him before rushing over to the boss.

    ¡°Lin Yun, I¡¯m warning you for thest time, stay put!¡±

    The paparazzi outside must still be around, specifically watching this ce.

    As soon as Lin Yun, that brat, makes a move, the paparazzi will either snap photos and ask Lin Yun to pay to buy them off, or just expose them directly.

    If it¡¯s the former, that¡¯s still manageable, but if they get exposed, Lin Yun will miss such a great opportunity.

    Taking this chance, Zeng Xiangyang forcefully dragged Lin Yun towards the kitchen.

    ¡°Brother Lin Yun, let¡¯s leave first and not cause any trouble here. My cousin is already on his way here and will arrive soon, don¡¯t worry; also, the boss has already called the police.¡±

    He said this, but he was still somewhat worried about Qiao Jing being alone. He had been shocked by his master¡¯s skill earlier, his mouth hanging open until he finally closed it with his hand.

    ¡°How about this, Master¡ªalthough you¡¯re very capable, I still can¡¯t feel at ease. Let me help you, and Brother Lin Yun, you stay in the kitchen.¡±

    Lin Yun was nearly driven to explode by anger, yet he dared not go against Qiao Jing¡¯s wishes.

    It would indeed be troublesome if the paparazzi captured photos.

    Angry, he directly pulled Zeng Xiangyang and brought him into the kitchen as well.

    ¡°You little brat shouldn¡¯t stick around and make things worse either; you¡¯re really driving me mad. Does Xiao Qiaoqiao have to show off her strength? If they dare to injure Xiao Qiaoqiaoter, nothing, not even the worldpetition, will stop me; I might as well not go.¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang weakly asked,

    ¡°Brother Lin Yun, would the club manager die of anger if he heard you say this?¡±

    Though his idol had gone to several worldpetitions and their team had alwayse back with first ce, this time¡¯s worldpetition was even more important.

    This was because a dark horse team from abroad had emerged in this worldpetition, and everyone around the globe was looking forward to Star and this new team shing.

    Lin Yun clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding annoyedly.

    ¡°Can the worldpetitionpare with Xiao Qiaoqiao?!¡±

    How many years had he and Qiao Jing known each other?

    He could go to the worldpetition next time, but it was different if Qiao Jing got hurt.

    Zeng Xiangyang frowned, his words carrying a probing connotation.

    ¡°Brother Lin Yun, you would give up such an important worldpetition for my master, could it be that you like my master?¡±

    He definitely didn¡¯t want his idol to fall for his sister-inw.

    Otherwise, given his cousin¡¯s temperament, Brother Lin Yun would surely end up at a disadvantage!

    Lin Yun¡¯s face flushed red as if something sensitive had been touched.

    ¡°How could I possibly like her? What¡¯s there to like about her?¡±

    Did he like Qiao Jing?

    Probably not¡­

    No, wait, he did seem to like Qiao Jing a little, but just a tiny bit¡­

    Definitely just a tiny bit.

    Only then did Zeng Xiangyang rx, muttering,

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Thankfully you don¡¯t like my master.¡±

    Lin Yun¡¯s eyes widened, he reached out and grabbed Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s cor, pulling the person leaning against the door back in.

    ¡°What do you mean by that? What do you mean, ¡®Thankfully I don¡¯t like Qiao Jing¡¯?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t said he didn¡¯t like Qiao Jing, just that there was a tiny bit of affection!

    Zeng Xiangyang pursed his lips, recalling Zhan Qipei¡¯s stern face, and shivered slightly.

    ¡°Because of my cousin.¡±

    Even though he had once been the notorious King of Chaos, he was still genuinely afraid of Zhan Qipei.

    Everyone in the capital knew his cousin¡¯s name.

    Zeng Xiangyang asked in confusion:

    ¡°Who is your cousin? What does his liking Qiao Jing have to do with me? And you just said he¡¯sing over? What¡¯s heing for?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang, overly concerned about Qiao Jing, immediately took out his phone and made a video call to Zhan Qipei, ready to broadcast the situation outside in real time.

    ¡°My cousin is my cousin; in fact, my master is also my cousin¡¯s wife. I realized something was wrong and messaged him toe over and help.¡±

    The speed with which Zhan Qipei answered the video call was astonishing. Upon seeing the screen showing Qiao Jing confronting the thugs, a fierce glint shed through his dark eyes.

    ¡°Zeng Xiangyang, keep an eye on your cousin¡¯s wife. I will be there soon.¡±

    He wished he could sprout wings or learn to teleport and go directly there.

    His wife was pregnant at the moment!

    Even if Qiao Jing was in good health, she should not be moving so vigorously during pregnancy.

    He would clean up everyone harboring ill intentions towards Qiao Jing.

    Zeng Xiangyang replied with a nod, maintaining silence.

    Stunned by Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words, Lin Yun remained motionless for a moment before remembering the matter of Qiao Jing¡¯s 100-day marriage contract.

    Just then!

    A loud noise came from outside, breaking his train of thought.

    The boss had already sessfully been shielded by Qiao Jing and hidden in the kitchen. She now picked up a chair without hesitation and smashed it onto the thugs.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    The thug who was hity on the ground twitching, unable to move.

    Qiao Jing weighed the chair in her hand, her eyes cold as she looked up at Blondie.

    She pursed her red lips and said nothing, while her other hand, not holding the chair, protected her stomach.

    Blondie looked down at his men sprawled on the ground, then slowly raised his head to look at Qiao Jing again.

    The woman was now holding a chair, her hair slightly disheveled from the fight, but it did nothing to diminish her imposing presence.

    Blondie felt the hair on his body stand on end, and a chill ran up his feet to the crown of his head.

    He was certain now, he was truly looking at something otherworldly!

    This woman looked weak, but she was ferocious in a fight!

    None of his men were feeble; all of them were tall and sturdy, which is why they were sessful in this area.

    Yet this woman had single-handedly taken all of them down¡­

    What kind of monster was she?!

    To avoid destroying more stuff in the shop, Qiao Jing had gradually moved the fight near the entrance during the struggle.

    She casually ced the chair aside and parted her red lips slowly, letting out two words.

    ¡°Apologize.¡±

    She could feel her body was not doing well, her forehead beginning to sweat coldly, and her stomach hurting slightly.

    She let her left hand drop and casually checked her pulse with the fingertips of her right hand to see how her body really was.

    If the pregnancy was affected, she could not continue fighting.

    But having knocked down all of Blondie¡¯s subordinates, only Blondie was left.

    She couldn¡¯t let Blondie see she was feeling unwell at this moment, or he would certainly seize the opportunity to attack, and she was physically unable to keep up, which was a real problem.

    With the boss already injured inside the kitchen, Lin Yun unable to fight, and Zeng Xiangyang just a child, she had no one to rely on now.

    She could only rely on herself.

    Lin Yun saw someone rising behind Qiao Jing, holding a wine bottle, ready to smash it on her head.

    His pupils contracted as he rushed out of the kitchen.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Watch out behind you!!¡±

 Chapter 496 - 496 485 Qiao Jing and I Will Not Divorce

    ?Chapter 496: Chapter 485: Qiao Jing and I Will Not Divorce   Chapter 496: Chapter 485: Qiao Jing and I Will Not Divorce                                   Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, but the next second she saw an extremely fierce smile appear on Blondie¡¯s face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you don¡¯t die this time! Second brother, smash her now!¡±

    The person who attacked Qiao Jing with a wine bottle was the first to be knocked down, and at this moment, he harbored resentment and only wanted to fight Qiao Jing to the death.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat, a guess forming in her mind.

    There was an ambush!

    But at this time, was it still possible for her to dodge?!

    Lin Yun quickened his steps, wishing he could fly to Qiao Jing¡¯s side to help block it.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s eyes widened, and he could not even care about his most beloved phone, tossing it aside and running out.

    ¡°Master! Get out of the way!!¡±

    Everyone gasped as they saw the wine bottle about to hit Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    Just at this critical moment, the person holding the wine bottle suddenly flew out like a kite with a broken string.

    Qiao Jing only heard a ¡°bang,¡± the sound of flesh colliding with concrete reaching her ears, mixed with the explosion of the ss bottle shattering beside her feet.

    A patch of broken ssy near her feet, which could have easily cut her if she was not careful.

    Before she could react to what had happened, she felt a strong and powerful arm wrap around her waist, and then she was lifted into the air.

    During a whirlwind of confusion, she found herself in a warm embrace, surrounded by the familiar scent of a man.

    Without even looking up, Qiao Jing knew who the person in front of her was.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei?¡±

    She could feel Zhan Qipei¡¯s slightly hot hands tightly hugging her waist, protecting her securely as if afraid that she would suffer the slightest injury.

    Then, a deep voice came from above her head.

    ¡°Mm, I¡¯m here.¡±

    That single sentence from Zhan Qipei gave Qiao Jing an endless sense of security; ripples stirred at the bottom of her phoenix eyes, and a soft spot in her heart sank.

    She didn¡¯t say a word, only silently felt the warmth of Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace for a few seconds before she took the initiative to step out of it.

    Zhan Qipei led Qiao Jing away from the area with the broken ss and helped her to the side.

    ¡°You wait here; there¡¯s still one person standing.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his head fiercely toward Blondie, his presence fully ignited, his gaze frosty.

    Blondie was so frightened by that incredibly sharp and cold stare that he broke out in goosebumps all over, his legs gave out, and hey on the ground pretending to be dead.

    He could feel that thebined presence of these two people was extraordinarily powerful and intimidating.

    If he had felt like he was in an ice cer just now, then at this moment, he was truly in the eighteenth level of Hell.

    Zeng Xiangyang rushed over to Blondie in a sh, lifted his foot, and stamped fiercely on him several times to vent his anger, mercilessly berating:

    ¡°Pah! What are you even? Daring to fancy my master? Don¡¯t you even look at yourself in the mirror before bragging that you know this and that? I think you should quit your factory job, wasting the factory¡¯s money and taking up someone else¡¯s ce, people like you are just a waste of air when alive, and even thend when dead.¡±

    Blondie was nearly stamped into vomiting blood by Zeng Xiangyang, and hearing thetter curse him with all sorts of new insults made him even angrier.

    His expression turned extremely ugly, but with two powerful figures present, he didn¡¯t even dare to get up and could only let Zeng Xiangyang trample him.

    When Lin Yun saw Qiao Jing in the arms of another man, he stood frozen in ce, staring in disbelief at the two hugging each other.

    ¡°Xiao Qiaoqiao! Howe you don¡¯t react when just anyonees to hug you? Are you really that naive and sweet?!¡±

    Back when he was a child and yed a prank by idently grabbing Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, he was immediately struck by Qiao Jing until his hand turned red.

    Now some random guyes to hug her and she doesn¡¯t even resist?

    Does that mean he could hug her too?

    Qiao Jing extricated herself from Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace and steadied herself.

    ¡°He¡¯s not just anyone. Let me introduce him¡ªthis is Zhan Qipei, my husband as recognized by thew, and this is my friend, Lin Yun.¡±

    She had only mentioned to Lin Yun once before that she had a 100-day marriage contract, and neither he nor Zhan Qipei had met each other before. This opportunity seemed like a good time to get to know one another.

    However, under the current circumstances, there was no way these two could introduce themselves, so she simply had to do a brief introduction for them.

    Lin Yun recalled the scene where Zeng Xiangyang had just informed Zhan Qipei of his identity in the kitchen.

    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s not just anybody? And this is the head of the Zhan Family? He doesn¡¯t look all that impressive to me. But, didn¡¯t you have a 100-day marriage contract? The time is up, and you must be divorced by now, right? So why is he stilling after you?¡±

    While Lin Yun said this, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s iparably handsome face, he felt an indescribable strangeness in his heart.

    Upon hearing the word ¡®divorce,¡¯ Zhan Qipei¡¯s face instantly darkened, and he shot Lin Yun an unfriendly nce.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking my wife home. Do you have a problem with that?¡±

    He could see what Lin Yun was thinking, and he knew he couldn¡¯t let Lin Yun get close to Qiao Jing.

    Lin Yun¡¯s brow furrowed, and he stood there, stunned.

    ¡°What do you mean? You aren¡¯t divorced yet? But hasn¡¯t the 100 days been over for a while now?¡±

    For some reason, hearing the word ¡®husband¡¯ from Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth sounded very grating to him.

    He really wanted to go up there and take Qiao Jing away from Zhan Qipei¡¯s side, but these two, standing together, gave off a vibe that nobody else could break through.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and was just about to say something when she felt a sudden pain in her abdomen.

    She pressed her hands on a few acupoints to alleviate the pain.

    ¡°Due to some issues, we haven¡¯t divorced yet. Zhan Qipei, take me back now.¡±

    She needed to go back and rest properly; it wouldn¡¯t be good if she really upset the baby.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s actions and watched her with concern, quickly extending his hand to steady her waist.

    ¡°All right, someone here will take care of this.¡±

    Lin Yun watched their intimate demeanor, his face twisted with displeasure.

    ¡°Wait! Xiao Qiaoqiao, are you saying you¡¯re not divorced yet but will be in the future, right?¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to give up so easily, especially since it was just a 100-day marriage contract.

    Besides, who else could put up with someone as dense as Qiao Jing?

    It wouldn¡¯t take long, they were sure to get a divorce!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to reply, Zhan Qipei beat her to it.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Zhan Qipei halted, giving Lin Yun a cold sidelong nce. His thin lips parted, he enunciated each word deliberately:

    ¡°No, we won¡¯t get divorced.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced sideways and saw resolve written in the man¡¯s dark eyes.

    It was as if he was certain that they would not get divorced.

    Her eyshes fluttered, and she pushed Zhan Qipei gently to remind him.

    ¡°We are currently in a trial phase.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, said nothing, and bent down to scoop Qiao Jing into his arms, striding quickly towards the car.

    Lin Yun instinctively took a few steps forward, but by then, the two were already in the car.

    ¡°Damn it, you little brat, you better tell me right now, what exactly is the rtionship between Xiao Qiaoqiao and this Zhan Qipei?¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang disyed a look of indifference, casually shifting his feet to the side.

    He dared not reveal the romantic situation between his cousin and cousin-inw.

    He inadvertently stepped on Blondie, then, seeing his chance, he pressed down a few more times without hesitation.

    ¡°Ahh¡ª! You did that on purpose, didn¡¯t you?! They¡¯re gone now, I¡¯ll see what the two of you¡ª¡±

 Chapter 497 - 497 486 Zhan Qipei Wants to Stay in Qiao Jings

    ?Chapter 497: Chapter 486: Zhan Qipei Wants to Stay in Qiao Jing¡¯s Room?   Chapter 497: Chapter 486: Zhan Qipei Wants to Stay in Qiao Jing¡¯s Room?                                   He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when a siren sounded, drawing closer from afar.

    Blondie struggled to get up from the ground, but Zeng Xiangyang quickly ced both feet on him, pressing down with all his weight.

    ¡°You think you can run? All your otherckeys have been beaten so badly by my master that they can¡¯t even stand up, and neither will you. Plus, even if you run, it won¡¯t do you any good. Did you hear what my cousin¡¯s name is?¡±

    Blondie¡¯s face contorted painfully as he cursed out loud.

    ¡°What do I care what your cousin¡¯s name is! Even if the Heavenly King came, I wouldn¡¯t be scared! Get off me, you damn kid!¡±

    As he reached out to pull Zeng Xiangyang, one sentence from his adversary made him freeze in ce, not daring to move.

    ¡°My cousin¡¯sst name is Zhan; you¡¯re dead meat.¡±

    Blondie¡¯s eyes widened, a strong sense of fear suddenly rising from within, and he began to stammer.

    ¡°Last ¡­st name ¡­ Zhan? You¡¯re not trying to trick me, are you?! Which Zhan?¡±

    If it¡¯s the Zhan surname, there¡¯s only one family in the capital ¡­

    The only thing scarier to him than the Heavenly King was the capital¡¯s Zhan Family.

    In the capital, no one dared to mess with that family, and he just happened to run into them today?!

    No wonder that man from earlier looked wealthy and noble, and that woman ¡­

    Could it be he had run into the head of the Zhan Family and that the woman he had flirted with was the wife of the family¡¯s head?!

    No ¡ª could it really be?

    Was he that lucky?!

    Zeng Xiangyang, noticing the police sirens drawing nearer, pped his hands, stood up from the ground, and gave a few more kicks before he did.

    ¡°Think about it yourself, get lost to the side, go squat in prison!¡±

    Meanwhile, Lin Yun was still thinking about Qiao Jing. Seeing the policeing, he pulled Zeng Xiangyang away towards another direction.

    ¡°Kid, hurry up and spill why Xiao Qiaoqiao hasn¡¯t gotten divorced yet!¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang sighed, revealing a look of great distress.

    ¡°Lin Yun, I really don¡¯t know, how could a kid like me possibly know about my cousin¡¯s and his wife¡¯s affairs? Don¡¯t make it hard for me, Lin Yun, or you¡¯ll lose a fan leader.¡±

    He had only heard his master say that he was giving his cousin another chance; he was unclear about the specifics.

    And he still wanted to save his own life to y and watch the game!

    Lin Yun stared doubtfully at Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s face for a long time, unable to decipher anything, and extremely annoyed, he stepped aside.

    ¡°If I lose, so be it. What use are you to me?¡±

    His mood was so off, he didn¡¯t feel like speaking at all.

    Zeng Xiangyang widened his eyes, covered his chest with his hands, showing an injured look.

    ¡°Lin Yun! I¡¯m the president of your fan club. Is this how you treat me? I¡¯m very sad; now I need to add your WeChat and get an autograph to feel better.¡±

    This was the perfect opportunity to get Lin Yun¡¯s WeChat and autograph!

    If Lin Yun refused now, he could still ask his master for helpter.

    After all, his master could do anything!

    How lucky he was to have such an amazing master!!

    Lin Yun rolled his eyes speechlessly and scoffed:

    ¡°It¡¯s just for thatst sentence, huh? You little brat, I¡ª¡±

    His phone vibrated. After unlocking it, he saw a message from Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sign a lot of autographs before? If Zeng Xiangyang asks for your autograph, just give him one.¡±

    Lin Yun¡¯s ears turned red and he furiously tapped on the keyboard to reply to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you run off with someone else? Why bother messaging me?¡±

    Qiao Jing replied to Lin Yun that he wasn¡¯t feeling well and ended the conversation.

    Lin Yun¡¯s arrogance vanished instantly at Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll reluctantly agree, reluctantly.¡±

    He had noticed earlier that Qiao Jing¡¯splexion was off, and she was sweating coldly on her forehead.

    So, he showed mercy at this moment and stopped pestering her.

    After replying to her, he disdainfully nced at Zeng Xiangyang and opened his own WeChat QR code.

    ¡°I¡¯ll mail you the autographter. No other requests then, right, kid? If it weren¡¯t for Xiao Qiaoqiao¡¯s sake¡­¡±

    Zeng Xiangyang gleefully added himself as a friend on WeChat, hugging his phone and kissing it several times.

    ¡°Hahaha! My master is so awesome! I must thank him properly next time. Everyone in the fan club is definitely going to be jealous of me!!¡±

    Lin Yun hailed a cab and sent Zeng Xiangyang away.

    Meanwhile, inside Nantai Apartment.

    Qiao Jing was resting on the sofa and nced at the current time.

    ¡°Qipei, tomorrow¡¯s Friday. Are you going to pick up Pingping and Anan, or should I?¡±

    Qipei ced the hot water he had prepared for Qiao Jing on the table, his face filled with concern.

    ¡°If Pingping and Anan areing over, you¡¯ll have to take them out as well, but you¡¯re not feeling well today.¡±

    He just wanted Qiao Jing to rest properly and suggested that Pingping and Anan shouldn¡¯te over this week.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and checked her own pulse.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ll be fine after a night¡¯s rest.¡±

    She had already promised Pingping and Anan that she would have them over every weekend, unless something urgent came up, like being out of town for work, which would be the only reason to let the little ones stay at the orphanage over the weekend.

    She didn¡¯t want them to feel orphaned; they still had a brother and sister.

    Qipei gathered his smoky, mist-like eyebrows, pursed his thin lips, and his face conveyed deep worry.

    ¡°No, I saw you holding your stomach earlier. You¡¯re pregnant now, what if it affects the baby? How could you possibly be fine after just one night? Tell me the truth, how do you really feel? We should still go to the hospital for a checkup.¡±

    Qiao Jing tugged at the corners of her mouth reluctantly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve checked my pulse, it¡¯s fine. Tomorrow will be as usual, picking up Pingping and Anan.¡±

    She realized by now that no matter whether she was hurt or not, whenever something like this urred, Qipei would barrage her with questions like a machine gun.

    Qipei, with a furrowed brow, finally agreed.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    He poured another cup of hot water for Qiao Jing, ced it on the table, and instructed:

    ¡°Rest early. If you need anything, call me, or¡­¡±

    The man curled up the corners of his lips, leaned close to Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, and deliberately let his breath fan across her neck.

    ¡°If you want me to stay with you in your room, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Qiao Jing gave Qipei a side nce and noted the hint of fatigue on his face, recalling how he frequently nced towards the room while pouring the water.

    She pushed Qipei away with her hand.

    ¡°Go take care of your things; be serious.¡±

    She could tell that Qipei had work to do, probably facing some work-rted issues.

    The man looked distressed, clearly troubled by work obstacles.

    For someone as capable as Qipei, what sort of work could possibly stump him?

    Qiao Jing did not probe further. Considering her fatigue today, she nned to rest after washing up.

    At one in the morning, Qiao Jing slowly opened her sleepy eyes, nning to use the restroom.

    As she walked out of her room, she noticed that the door to the room next door was open, and the light was on.

    She looked at the current time, furrowed her brows, and slowly walked towards Qipei¡¯s room door.

 Chapter 498 - 498 487 Zhan Qipei is Caught by Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 498: Chapter 487: Zhan Qipei is Caught by Qiao Jing   Chapter 498: Chapter 487: Zhan Qipei is Caught by Qiao Jing                                   Zhan Qipei was still sitting at the desk, the screen of hisptop glowing, with a stack of documents beside him.

    Qiao Jing could see the man¡¯s tightly furrowed brows and the deep fatigue on his face.

    She thought about how if she hadn¡¯t gotten up in the middle of the night and encountered him, Zhan Qipei would have to get up early to make breakfast the next morning.

    Calcting carefully, Zhan Qipei could only sleep for six hours.

    Her eyes lowered, just as she was about to go in and ask about the situation, the man started to move.

    Zhan Qipei stood up, holding a cup, ready to grind another cup of coffee with the machine.

    As he turned around, he saw Qiao Jing standing at the doorway.

    His movement paused, and he immediately put the cup back on the table and quickly came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I wake you up?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s hoarse voice, her eyshes trembled slightly, and she smelled the strong scent of coffee on him.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re still working?¡±

    She had woken up halfway through her sleep, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s work had not yet finished; it seemed to be very tricky.

    She had not asked much after seeing him in the evening, but now, considering the situation, she wanted to see if there was anything she could help with.

    Zhan Qipei nced in the direction of the desk, his dark eyes deepening.

    ¡°Yes, go get some rest,¡± he said.

    The work he encountered this time was a bit troublesome, so it took a bit longer.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected to be found by Qiao Jing; he didn¡¯t want her to worry.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her beautiful eyebrows and her gaze fell on Zhan Qipei¡¯sptop.

    ¡°What partnership? Can I take a look? Maybe I can help. Also, don¡¯t worry about making breakfast tomorrow; let me handle it.¡±

    Although she knew Zhan Qipei could handle it on his own, she somehow didn¡¯t want to see him staying upte over this issue.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    ¡°I can handle it myself; you go rest, and I¡¯ll still make breakfast tomorrow,¡± he said.

    How could a big man like him ask his wife for help?

    He couldn¡¯t allow his wife to worry about him in return.

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her beautifully arched eyebrows and looked directly at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need my help? If I can¡¯t help, just tell me what¡¯s going on, maybe I could give some advice,¡± she said.

    Though she was an outsider in this field, she could still try to offer some advice.

    Besides, given her identity as Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing, she knew quite a few influential people who could possibly be of help.

    Zhan Qipei sighed helplessly.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll exin, and then you¡¯ll go to bed, alright?¡±

    He could tell from her expression that Qiao Jing wanted to understand the whole matter clearly, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep.

    Qiao Jing hummed affirmatively, waiting for Zhan Qipei to continue.

    Later, she might still have to keep an eye on Zhan Qipei to ensure he got some sleep; knowing his nature, he would definitely try to sneak back to work.

    Zhan Qipei, looking exhausted, reached out to rub his temple and started to speak.

    ¡°I have an important partnership with Nanjiang¡¯s Li Group; there are a total of threepaniespeting.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her delicately light eyebrows, a puzzled look in her eyes as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Which threepanies?¡±

    With the capabilities of Zhan Corporation, securing this partnership should have been straightforward, so why was Zhan Qipei so troubled?

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his handsome brows.

    ¡°One is Yan¡¯s from Nanjiang and also¡­¡±

    As he spoke, he paused, his lips tightly sealed, looking reluctant to continue.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei hesitant to continue, Qiao Jing grew even more curious.

    ¡°Which otherpany?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even more tightly, so tight they could crush a fly. After a moment of contemtion, he finally spoke.

    ¡°Wu Xirui has also joined in. We were in a position to take it, but the others acquired anotherpany. Now, twopanies have merged to counter Zhan¡¯s,¡± he said.

    He had been busy with this partnership deal for the past few days. Although Zhan Corporation had some partnerships in the Nanjiang area, this partnership with Li Group was more important than the others, so he had put a lot of effort into it.

    On hearing the name of Li Group, Qiao Jing¡¯s face showed a moment of surprise, then her brows furrowed.

    ¡°What did Li Group say?¡± she asked.

    It turned out Wu Xirui was also involved, no wonder Zhan Qipei had looked so odd earlier, unwilling to discuss it.

    She had heard of Li Group¡¯s reputation. Being the leadingpany in the Nanjiang area, it was normal for Zhan Qipei to value this partnership so highly.

    If Zhan Corporation were to partner with Li Group, it would be all gain and no loss for them, allowing them to greatly expand their business in that region.

    Wu Xirui also had his eyes on this deal. Whether his aim was to deliberately cause trouble for Zhan Qipei or genuinely to coborate with Li Group, it posed a threat to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s profile was tense as he shook his head.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s the merger of twopanies, we are now at a disadvantage,¡± he exined.

    Upon learning that Wu Xirui had acquired anotherpany, he knew they intended to target Zhan Corporation.

    If it were just Wu Xirui alone, he could have easily handled it.

    But this time, Wu Xirui hadid down arge sum of money to acquire anotherpany outright.

    As a businessman himself, he could see that Wu Xirui did not want Zhan Corporation¡¯s influence to expand further in Nanjiang.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you any advice right now, or maybe you can trymunicating with someone from Li Group,¡± she suggested.

    After carefully analyzing the current situation, she knew it was at a deadlock.

    Unless Li Group chose to work with Zhan¡¯s.

    But at this point, with Wu Xirui and anotherpany joining forces, Li Group was more likely to choose Wu Xirui¡¯s side.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tensed profile softened, and his furrowed brow gradually rxed, managing to conceal his fatigue well.

    ¡°I understand. All you can do for me now is get some rest. Otherwise, I can¡¯t stop worrying about you, and I can¡¯t focus,¡± he said.

    Whenever his wife was by his side, he could never concentrate on his work, always having Qiao Jing on his mind.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, then advised,

    ¡°Okay, you go and rest now, and we¡¯ll handle the work tomorrow,¡± she said.

    If she didn¡¯t intervene, this fool of a man would definitely neglect his health and keep working.

    It was already one in the morning, and if he kept working, it would probably go on until two or three.

    Zhan Qipei coughed and agreed.

    ¡°Alright, you go rest first, I¡¯ll stop working too,¡± he conceded.

    He could let Qiao Jing rest first. Later, he could just close the door and turn off the lights without her knowing he was still working.

    But why did he feel like¡­

    a little kid sneaking with a smartphone under the covers?

    Qiao Jing saw through Zhan Qipei¡¯s intentions and rolled her eyes in exasperation, poking his dark eye circle as she said,

    ¡°If you don¡¯t sleep now, you won¡¯t need to make breakfast for me tomorrow. I¡¯ll get up early and do it myself. Also, don¡¯t close the door. If I get upter and see it closed, I¡¯ll know you¡¯re working inside.¡±

    She despised staying upte because workingte and ruining one¡¯s health was not worth it at all.

    She wouldn¡¯t care if it were someone else, but this was Zhan Qipei.

    Putting aside the fact that they were nominally married, they were at least friends, and she didn¡¯t want to see Zhan Qipei staying upte.

    Especially since this fool would still have to drag his tired body out of bed early to make her breakfast.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened, and he agreed immediately.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll sleep now,¡± he said.

    His wife was showing concern for him.

    He couldn¡¯t ignore his wife¡¯s words!

    To show his sincerity, Zhan Qipei immediately shut down hisptop and switched the room¡¯s light to a nightlight.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to agree so easily, but it seemed he wouldn¡¯t continue working, so she went back to her own room to sleep.

 Chapter 499 - 499 488 Did Pingpings Father Come Knocking

    ?Chapter 499: Chapter 488: Did Pingping¡¯s Father Come Knocking?   Chapter 499: Chapter 488: Did Pingping¡¯s Father Come Knocking?                                   The next morning.

    Qiao Jing had set an earlier rmst night with the intention of preparing breakfast before Zhan Qipei woke up.

    But as soon as she stepped out of her room, she smelled a delicious aromaing from the kitchen.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed as she quickly made her way to the kitchen.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei was carrying a bowl of Bird¡¯s Nest porridge out of the kitchen, and his dark eyes brightened when he saw Qiao Jing.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake? Come have breakfast.¡±

    Seeing Zhan Qipei hustling around, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes instantly filled with frustration, and her tone unintentionally grew heavier.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell youst night to get some proper rest? I said I would make breakfast this morning. You¡¯ve hardly slept for three hours since yesterday. Do you want to ascend to heaven and be a fairy?¡±

    She had specifically set her rm half an hour earlier to prevent Zhan Qipei from sneaking out to help her with breakfast.

    But it was no use. She got up early, and this damn man got up even earlier than she did.

    Moreover, this porridge must have taken at least an hour to cook, proving Zhan Qipei had woken up earlier than she had imagined.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

    No¡­ it¡¯s probably not just one night of poor sleep.

    From the increasingly prominent dark circles under Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, it was clear that this coboration had caused him more than just a couple of sleepless nights, and she just happened to run into himst night.

    Zhan Qipei hooked up the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile.

    ¡°You can be the fairy, and I can be the civilian under your control. How about that?¡±

    He was trying to change the subject, as Qiao Jing¡¯s words at the beginning had unwittingly made him feel guilty.

    Because he really couldn¡¯t find any excuses. Could he say he got up at six in the morning to make porridge?

    Nope.

    Otherwise, if Qiao Jing found out that he had stayed upte and got up early, she would probably be even angrier.

    He knew that Qiao Jing, as a doctor, paid great attention to diet and rest, so he couldn¡¯t let her learn about his sleeping habits over the past few days.

    Qiao Jing was both angry and speechless, and a trace of disdain appeared on her face, the frustration in her eyes not yet dissipated.

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you, go back to sleep right now.¡±

    After saying that, she looked down at the still-steaming porridge, and just at that moment, her stomach began to grumble. She sighed helplessly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat some breakfast first.¡±

    After she finished, she would properly lecture Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei sat next to Qiao Jing and passed her a bowl of porridge he had cooled in advance.

    ¡°Have breakfast, and I¡¯ll catch up on sleep during the lunch break at the office.¡±

    Qiao Jing red at Zhan Qipei irritably and started to eat the porridge.

    After breakfast, as Qiao Jing was preparing to go to work, her phone rang.

    She took out her phone and saw that it was a call from Teacher Liu at the orphanage.

    A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes; they generally picked up Pingping and Anan in the afternoon, and that¡¯s when the teacher usually called to inform her of the kids¡¯ situations.

    The call in the morning seemed a bit unusual.

    Qiao Jing tapped to answer the call.

    ¡°Hello? Teacher Liu.¡±

    Teacher Liu, sounding joyful and a bit incoherent, responded from the other end.

    ¡°Miss Qiao! Pingping¡¯s¡­ Pingping¡¯s father¡­ He hase to the orphanage¡­ to find Pingping!¡±

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned but quickly realized what Teacher Liu was trying to say, her face showing a look of surprise.

    ¡°Are you saying that Pingping¡¯s father went to the welfare home to find Pingping? Did you confirm his identity? When did this happen?¡±

    She truly hadn¡¯t expected Pingping¡¯s parent to find him at this time since she had only recently gotten to know Pingping. If he were imed back now, she would be extremely reluctant to let him go.

    She had alreadye to see Pingping as a younger brother.

    More importantly, Pingping was already six or seven years old, which proved that he had been wandering outside for several years. She wondered if Pingping would be willing to go back to his original family.

    Since Pingping¡¯s father was looking for him, it showed that he still wanted Pingping. She was very curious about how Pingping was lost in the first ce.

    Zhan Qipei, who was nearby, overheard this and furrowed his brow, listening intently to the conversation that followed.

    Teacher Liu hurriedly hummed several times, struggling to calm his emotions.

    ¡°It was just yesterday. A man came and said he wanted to take Pingping back to his original family. He imed to be Pingping¡¯s father¡¯s assistant, as Pingping¡¯s father, due to his busy work schedule, couldn¡¯te.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, visibly displeased.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have time toe and im his own son?¡±

    Her impression of Pingping¡¯s father worsened¡ªwhat kind of job could be so demanding that it was more important than iming his own son?

    If Pingping was imed back, would Pingping¡¯s father have time to take good care of him?

    There was sudden silence from Teacher Liu¡¯s side, and it took a while before he hesitantly spoke up.

    ¡°Um¡­ Miss Qiao, I heard from the assistant that Pingping¡¯s dad runs argepany, and there¡¯s a big order recently, so he couldn¡¯te. It¡¯s the assistant who ismunicating with us now, and he mentioned taking Pingping for a paternity test.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead was tightly furrowed, and she pursed her red lips.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the welfare home now, and I¡¯ll handle everything concerning Pingping.¡±

    She really wasn¡¯tfortable leaving Pingping to this suddenly surfaced father of his, based solely on a paternity test.

    Moreover, after so many years, how had they suddenly found Pingping? What did they base their search on?

    And if Pingping was imed back, Anan would be alone.

    Teacher Liu promptly responded affirmatively a few times and then hung up the phone.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression slightly darkened as he opened the door to his home.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and pulled out her phone to book a taxi.

    ¡°No need, you go rest.¡±

    Zhan Qipei who was a real pain yesterday, slept veryte, and still insisted on getting up early to make breakfast for her this morning.

    If he followed her to the welfare home now, it would be unreasonable. She could handle Pingping¡¯s matters by herself.

    And she would definitely request to meet Pingping¡¯s father in person, supervise the entire paternity testing process, and seek Pingping¡¯s opinion.

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly stood still, his gaze following Qiao Jing intently.

    ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡±

    He was somewhat concerned about Pingping, finding his original family was crucial for the boy, and he wanted to make sure everything was correct.

    Qiao Jing, exasperated, twitched her mouth and looked up at Zhan Qipei, opening her phone¡¯s camera app, clicked on the camera function, and handed it to the man.

    ¡°You can look at your own dark circles; you¡¯re already a panda.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to walk around with a ¡°panda.¡±

    When Zhan Qipei saw his reflection on the screen, his dark eyes sparked, and he took Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, fiddled with it for a bit, and then handed it back to her.

    ¡°Alright, you go to the welfare home, I¡¯ll go home to rest and work from home.¡±

    Qiao Jing was slightly surprised by how easily Zhan Qipei agreed to go home, even though just a second ago, he was insisting on going with her, but the next second he agreed to go home and rest.

 Chapter 500 - 500 489 Zhan Qipeis Cunning Plan

    ?Chapter 500: Chapter 489: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Cunning n   Chapter 500: Chapter 489: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Cunning n                                   Before she could ask anything else, Zhan Qipei had already turned and gone back to the living room.

    Qiao Jing felt that things were getting stranger and stranger. She knew that when Zhan Qipei was stubborn, even she couldn¡¯t persuade him.

    Moreover, Zhan Qipei seemed to be in a good mood when he returned just now?

    Was it her illusion?

    Without giving it much thought, Qiao Jing entered the elevator.

    After leaving the residentialplex, Qiao Jing prepared to take out her phone to check where the cab she had hailed was.

    As soon as she unlocked her screen to check her messages, she saw that the default lock screen had been reced with a photo.

    It was a close-up of Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, with shiny dark circles under his eyes.

    But these dark circles did not detract from Zhan Qipei¡¯s looks; beneath his handsome, arched eyebrows were a pair of deep ck eyes, staring straight at the camera, with ambiguous emotions hidden within them. Below were a tall, straight nose and thin lips pressed together, his entire face sharp and angr, as if chiseled by a knife.

    Just then, she received a message from Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare change it.¡±

    Qiao Jing was immediately amused by Zhan Qipei¡¯s antics. She knew there was no way Zhan Qipei would be so agreeable and just go to sleep; his mood had been so good earlier because he had changed her phone¡¯s wallpaper.

    Now she didn¡¯t know whether to feelforted that Zhan Qipei had be so easygoing or to be annoyed that the dog of a man had changed her lock screen without permission and had the nerve to message her not to change it back.

    How could Zhan Qipei be such a childish man?

    As Qiao Jing unlocked her screen to reply to Zhan Qipei¡¯s message, she found that not only the lock screen but also the wallpaper had been changed to the photo she had just taken.

    She couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corners of her mouth, opened the chat with Zhan Qipei, and was about to reply when she received another new message.

    ¡°If I see that you¡¯ve changed it back when I get home, I¡¯ll change it back again, and we¡¯ll keep doing this, you change once, I change once.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, on the other end, was staring at the screen non-stop, a smirk ying on his lips.

    He had changed the wallpaper just so that Qiao Jing could see him wherever she went.

    If she could see him every time she opened her phone, she¡¯d certainly think of him.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s child-likements, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes, immediately exited the chat box, and decided to ignore Zhan Qipei.

    Just as she was about to change both the wallpaper and lock screen back to default, a taxi suddenly stopped in front of her.

    Seeing that her taxi had arrived, Qiao Jing had to put away her phone and get into the car to head to the orphanage.

    Upon arriving at the entrance of the orphanage, Qiao Jing noticed a rather expensive car parked nearby.

    Her cool gaze deepened as she quickly walked into the orphanage.

    Qiao Jing went straight to the ssroom where Pingping was, only to find Teacher Liu leading Pingping outside.

    ¡°Teacher Liu, where¡¯s the assistant?¡±

    Teacher Liu stopped in her tracks and her eyes lit up when she saw Qiao Jing, letting go of Pingping¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you¡¯re here. The assistant is now in the teacher¡¯s office; after ss, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    When Pingping saw Qiao Jing, the distressed look on his face finally eased, and he ran up to her side.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and, seeing Pingping¡¯s tightly furrowed brow, reached out to smooth it for him.

    ¡°Mmh, why the furrowed brow? Don¡¯t you want to go back?¡±

    Her mood also sank at the sight of Pingping¡¯s furrowed brow.

    Pingping shook his head, then nodded, murmuring,

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sister Qiao. I don¡¯t want to leave Anan alone.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, unsure of what to say for a moment.

    When she heard that Pingping¡¯s father wanted to take him back, she had also considered this.

    Having grown up together, if Pingping was suddenly imed and taken away, leaving Anan alone, she would definitely miss the person she was closest to.

    Pingping drooped his little head, feeling somewhat dejected.

    ¡°Sister Qiao¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to be imed and go back, leaving Anan alone.

    Qiao Jing understood what Pingping was thinking and reached out to rub his little head.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll first apany you to go and see.¡±

    She could tell Pingping still longed for his birth family, but also that he couldn¡¯t bear to leave Anan alone.

    However, before letting Pingping go back, she had to make sure everything was in order; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t feel at ease.

    Pingping nodded, tightly holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, following her toward the office.

    Qiao Jing nced in the direction of Anan¡¯s ssroom, asking Teacher Liu beside her.

    ¡°Does Anan know about this?¡±

    In the days they had spent together, she could feel that Anan was a child with some girlish airs.

    Although her insecurity from being a vagrant had covered it up, it started to show again after meeting her.

    So, if Anan knew about this, she was definitely hiding somewhere right now, secretly wiping away tears.

    Teacher Liu¡¯s face was filled with distress and concern, telling Qiao Jing about Anan¡¯s situation.

    ¡°Anan knows about this, but she hasn¡¯te looking for Pingping.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, not saying anything more.

    Anan probably didn¡¯te over because she feared she couldn¡¯t control herself from crying when seeing Pingping leave.

    Right now her heart was full of worry about Anan¡¯s condition; after all, she was a sensitive little girl.

    But judging from the current situation, she had to deal with Pingping¡¯s matter first, then see Anan.

    Qiao Jing quickened her pace, arriving hurriedly at the office door.

    Teacher Liu opened the door for Qiao Jing, who was stunned by the sight inside.

    She had never seen such a scene in all her life, an assistant with apetent demeanor sitting on a chair, surrounded by several bodyguards in ck suits.

    The assistant had been alone when he came to the welfare institute yesterday, but today he had brought so many bodyguards, appearing as if they were ready to take someone by force.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her elegant brows, pulling Pingping to go inside, but found the child standing still, unwilling to move.

    She looked at Pingping with confusion, noticing that Pingping was looking toward the end of the corridor.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Pingping raised his hand to point in the direction of the end of the corridor, speaking softly:

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Anan is hiding over there.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze followed the direction Pingping pointed, and indeed she saw a small piece of a skirt at the corner.

    The child seemed to realize something and reached out a small hand to pull back the exposed piece of the skirt.

    Qiao Jing was amused by Anan¡¯s little action, and she let go of Pingping¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Pingping, you go find Anan. Teacher Liu and I will go in first.¡±

    Pingping¡¯s face showed a relieved smile, and his tightly furrowed brows also rxed.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Qiao Jing watched Pingping walk to the end of the corridor, then tucked away her smile and went into the office.

    The assistant, seeing Qiao Jing enter, pushed his sses up on the bridge of his nose and reached out his hand.

    ¡°You must be Miss Qiao, right? Hello.¡±

    Qiao Jing also extended her hand and shook it politely.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me, hello.¡±

 Chapter 501 - 501 490 Take Pingping Away

    ?Chapter 501: Chapter 490: Take Pingping Away   Chapter 501: Chapter 490: Take Pingping Away                                   The assistant looked over Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder and frowned slightly when he couldn¡¯t find Pingping.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, hello, my surname is Jiang, you can just call me Jiang Xiong. May I ask if the young master hasn¡¯te over?¡±

    When Qiao Jing heard Assistant Jiang¡¯s reference to Pingping, she furrowed her brows and got straight to the point:

    ¡°Pingping has not agreed to go back with you yet. You can discuss his matters with me; I hope to get all the specific information about Pingping.¡±

    Since Pingping hadn¡¯t returned yet, she did not want to hear others arbitrarily changing his name.

    Moreover, the father who didn¡¯t have time toe and pick up his own son had already made a bad impression on her.

    Just how big of apany must it be for a father to neglect even his own son?

    Assistant Jiang¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, but quickly returned to his previous polite demeanor.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, the little master will return with us. Our boss has been looking for him for a long time. Thedy got depression after Pingping went missing. Now that we¡¯ve finally found the little master, we¡¯vee right away to pick him up.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows were tightly knit as she sat across from Assistant Jiang, her voice coolly ringing out.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want to hear. I want to hear how you lost Pingping and why it took until now to find him.¡±

    Based on the timeline, Pingping was now six years old. He had said that as long as he could remember, he had been wandering outside, which likely started around the age of three, wandering for at least three years.

    Yet, judging by the clothes and the demeanor of Assistant Jiang and the bodyguards, as well as the expensive car parked outside, they should have had the capability to find Pingping earlier.

    So why they only managed to find Pingping now was a point of curiosity for her.

    Assistant Jiang did not speak but looked directly into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    The office remained silent, and Teacher Liu felt intimidated by the scene, which resembled a negotiation.

    She desperately tried to make herself less conspicuous, shrinking back on the sofa. Then she looked across and saw Qiao Jing facing several people on the other side.

    Even with those well-trained bodyguards standing behind Assistant Jiang, Qiao Jing¡¯s presence easily overwhelmed them.

    One had to admit¡­ Miss Qiao was not only beautiful, wealthy, and kind, but her presence was also so strong.

    She was the very person Teacher Liu dreamed of bing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes deepened as her piercing gaze locked onto Assistant Jiang, showing no sign of backing down.

    Assistant Jiang felt a chill down his spine under Qiao Jing¡¯s stare but quickly regained hisposure, hesitating a long while before he spoke.

    ¡°Before this, I already knew that Miss Qiao was the person temporarily taking care of the little master, and that¡¯s why I am about to tell you the following. The little master went missing because thedy took him out and identally lost him. We¡¯ve expanded the search to the whole country, focusing on the Nanjiang area. We didn¡¯t expect the little master to be in the capital.¡±

    ¡°We were focusing on a birthmark on the little master¡¯s neck; it¡¯s very distinctive. Eventually, we traced it all the way to the orphanage,¡± he continued.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened. The capital was in the North, and Nanjiang in the South, quite a distance apart.

    Now she could understand why it took so long to find Pingping¡ªthe search was concentrated near Nanjiang, while Pingping was in the capital.

    But how did Pingping, having gone missing in Nanjiang, end up all alone in the capital?

    This was a question that could only be answered by Pingping himself.

    Surprised by thetter part of Assistant Jiang¡¯s exnation, she recalled the birthmark she had seen on Pingping during theirst bath, not expecting that they would find him based on that birthmark.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, then continued to inquire.

    ¡°What is the situation in Pingping¡¯s father¡¯s family? If you don¡¯t exin clearly, I will not let you take Pingping with you.¡±

    She still needed to understand the situation at Pingping¡¯s home; otherwise, she would not feel at ease letting Pingping leave with these people.

    Assistant Jiang¡¯s expression stiffened again, and he nced at Teacher Liu.

    Teacher Liu immediately understood Assistant Jiang¡¯s intent and stood up.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I¡¯m going out now.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and responded with a ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Only Qiao Jing, Assistant Jiang, and the bodyguard remained in the room.

    Assistant Jiang handed a paternity test to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, actually, I didn¡¯t have to tell you so much because we have already conducted the test, and Pingping is indeed the young master who went missing from our family. We could take the young master home with the paternity test, but our boss said we should be very polite to you.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows, took the paternity test, and carefully examined it, her attention focused on the name of the person tested with Pingping.

    Li Yuncheng?

    She seemed to have heard the name somewhere but just couldn¡¯t remember where.

    Wait a minute!

    Someone from Nanjiang, who runs apany, surnamed Li.

    A spection suddenly emerged in her mind.

    Could it be¡ª

    At this moment, Assistant Jiang spoke again.

    ¡°The young master¡¯s father is the boss of the Nanjiang Li Group, and there¡¯s a very important coborationing up. That¡¯s why I said the boss doesn¡¯t have the time toe and take the young master home, and thedy of the house can¡¯te over due to psychological reasons.¡±

    A hint of surprise shed through Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Pingping¡¯s father is the boss of the Li Group?

    Meaning, the coboration that had been troubling Zhan Qipei for several days was managed by Pingping¡¯s father.

    It might be a coincidence, but she wouldn¡¯t allow Pingping to get involved in this matter.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s furrowed brows gradually rxed, and she handed the paternity test back to Assistant Jiang.

    ¡°Pingping might not be able to make a quick decision, and you need to give him some time to think it over seriously.¡±

    What concerned her were the feelings between the two little ones. When she saw Pingping today, she could clearly sense that he was very hesitant in his heart.

    Even just now, when he came to the office door, Pingping had nned toe in with her but suddenly decided to go find Anan instead.

    She was increasingly worried about how the two little ones were conversing outside, wondering how they were getting along.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t sit still any longer and stood up.

    ¡°Assistant Jiang, I have to go now. I will reply to you about Pingping¡¯s matter as soon as possible.¡±

    She needed to go out and see how the two little ones were getting along, and whether Anan had been crying.

    She also wanted to ask Pingping how he managed toe from Nanjiang to the capital all by himself.

    Assistant Jiang frowned, his expression turning somewhat unsightly.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, regardless, the young master has toe back with us. He is the boss¡¯s only son, and everyone in the family values him greatly.¡±

    His boss had assigned him the task of bringing the young master back, and if the young master refused to go, it would be difficult for him to exin.

    Qiao Jing paused in her steps, turned back to look at Assistant Jiang, and said coldly:

    ¡°You should focus on what Pingping thinks, not what you think.¡±

    She now had a rough understanding of Pingping¡¯s family situation and could ensure that they truly valued Pingping and would treat him well in the future, which is why she felt reassured letting Pingping return.

    But more importantly, she wanted to hear Pingping¡¯s inner thoughts.

 Chapter 502 - 502 491 Can Brother Stay

    ?Chapter 502: Chapter 491 Can Brother Stay?   Chapter 502: Chapter 491 Can Brother Stay?                                   She knew that the wandering children were often curious and longed for their birth families, but in the end, whether they wanted to return depended on what kind of family environment they came from and how the wandering children were currently living.

    Pingping¡¯s situation was a bit different from other wandering children because he had Anan, who had been relying on each other for survival, and the two had long be an essential part of each other¡¯s lives.

    After dropping these words, Qiao Jing walked straight out of the office and came to the end of the corridor.

    At this moment, the two little ones were standing together, talking about something, but all that could be seen was Anan hanging his little head low.

    As Pingping took a step forward, Anan stepped back.

    Pingping anxiously stretched out his hand, trying to grab Anan¡¯s hand, but thetter dodged it.

    Seeing the interaction between the two, Qiao Jing frowned slightly and walked up to them.

    ¡°Pingping, Anan.¡±

    Although she could see that Anan was somewhat resistant to interacting with Pingping, she knew that Anan definitely wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would ignore someone just because they were about to be imed back home.

    Pingping lifted his head, his face filled with anxiety.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Anan is ignoring me.¡±

    Anan ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, hiding behind her, and said in a milky voice:

    ¡°Sister Qiao, you¡¯re here.¡±

    Qiao Jing detected the unhappiness in the child¡¯s tone and reached out to rub Anan¡¯s little head.

    ¡°Mm, Anan, can you tell me why you are ignoring Pingping?¡±

    She had to help the two deal with their rtionship so that even if Pingping really went back to Nanjiang, they could still use mobile phones to chat with each other.

    If the two maintained the current state and Anan stubbornly refused to talk to Pingping, having mobile phones tomunicate would be useless.

    Anan shook his head, still hanging his little head, unwilling to speak.

    Pingping¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he looked at Qiao Jing with a pleading gaze.

    ¡°Sister Qiao¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, nced at Pingping and gently nodded, then she observed Anan¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Pingping, go back to the ssroom for now and continue your lesson. I¡¯lle to find you after ss is over, okay? I¡¯ll talk to Anan. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    She guessed the reason Anan was unwilling to speak ¨C it was because Pingping was here.

    Therefore, she needed to have Pingping leave first before she could speak to Anan.

    After hesitating for a long time, Pingping finally turned and left.

    Once Pingping had left and it was just Qiao Jing and Anan left, Qiao Jing finally opened her mouth to ask Anan.

    ¡°Anan, you can talk now, right?¡±

    What she was worried about now was not that Pingping was being imed and taken back, but rather the rtionship between the two little ones.

    Anan finally lifted his little head, blinking his big eyes at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I don¡¯t want to talk to brother.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart twinged when she saw tears swirling in Anan¡¯s eyes and the child struggling not to let them fall.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to talk to Pingping?¡±

    Anan pouted his little mouth, looking aggrieved as he ran into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms, his voice turning to sobs, tears beginning to pour out uncontrobly.

    ¡°Sister Qiao¡­ I can¡¯t talk to¡­ brother, I¡¯m afraid if I talk to brother¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ll cry¡­ I don¡¯t want¡­ brother to leave, but, brother has to go home¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t be selfish¡­ wuwuwu¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing wrapped her arms tightly around Anan, feeling her shoulder getting moist with tears, and her heart ached even more for Anan.

    ¡°I understand, Anan, don¡¯t cry, be good. Listen, if Pingping leaves, he can still call you, and when he has time, he cane to visit, right?¡±

    Anan shook his head and then nodded, sobbing intermittently:

    ¡°But¡­ but¡­ brother¡¯s home is very far away¡­ Can he reallye¡­ to see me?¡±

    As Anan was still sobbing on her shoulder, Qiao Jing straightened the child up gently, her voice soft.

    ¡°Anan, Pingping hasn¡¯t decided to go back yet. He also needs time to think; don¡¯t worry just yet.¡±

    She only wanted to hear what was truly in Pingping¡¯s heart, understanding that the decision to return to his biological family was a significant one that would definitely take a long time to contemte.

    Moreover, Pingping was worried about leaving Anan behind.

    Anan sniffled hard, sucking back the snot that was about to drip out, and wiped her tears with her hand.

    ¡°So, can brother¡­ not leave?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and emphasized her tone, making a promise.

    ¡°If Pingping doesn¡¯t want to go back and wishes to stay at the welfare institute, I won¡¯t let them take him away.¡±

    Although Pingping is the only child of the owner of Li Group, if he says he doesn¡¯t want to return, she would do everything in her power to keep him here.

    If they forcibly took Pingping back, she felt that it would not make him happy.

    Anan immediately stopped crying, gazing at Qiao Jing with her damp,rge eyes, her tone careful and tentative.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, is that true?¡±

    Qiao Jing reached out and wiped away Anan¡¯s tears, nodding solemnly.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true, not cooked up.¡±

    Anan let out a ¡°pfft¡± and turned tears intoughter, while messily wiping the tears from her face.

    ¡°Alrighty then!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled and pinched Anan¡¯s face, taking the little hand and heading towards Anan¡¯s ssroom.

    ¡°Go back to ss.¡±

    After sending Anan back to ss, Qiao Jing went to Pingping¡¯s ssroom and waited outside for the ss to end.

    In the meantime, Qiao Jing searched online for information about Li Group.

    After carefully reading each entry, she put away her phone.

    Just then, the bell rang for the end of ss.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to enter to find Pingping, she came across the little guy running out.

    ¡°Pingping!¡±

    When Pingping saw Qiao Jing, his big eyes instantly lit up, and he stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! How is Anan? Why is she ignoring me? Is it because I¡¯m about to be imed and taken back? Is that why she¡¯s angry?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and spoke softly:

    ¡°No, she just didn¡¯t want to talk to you because she¡¯s very attached to you and feared she might cry.¡±

    The other children in the ssroom all peeked out their little heads, curiously staring nonstop at Qiao Jing and Pingping.

    Qiao Jing gave the children inside the ssroom a faint smile and led Pingping somewhere less crowded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk somewhere else. I have some questions I need to ask you.¡±

    Pingping nodded and let Qiao Jing take him to a quieter ce.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and asked with a solemn expression:

    ¡°Pingping, do you want to go back?¡±

    She had just looked up all the information on Li Group, understanding that thepany had considerable strengths, and as Jiang Xiong had indicated, Pingping was an only child and the sole heir to thepany.

    By all ounts, Pingping was obliged to return.

    Yet, if Pingping simply said he didn¡¯t want to, she would do everything possible to keep him here.

    Pingping frowned, hesitating as he looked at Qiao Jing and then in the direction of where Anan was.

    He bit his lip tightly and after a moment, he finally spoke.

 Chapter 503 - 503 492 I Dont Want to Leave Anan Behind

    ?Chapter 503: Chapter 492: I Don¡¯t Want to Leave Anan Behind   Chapter 503: Chapter 492: I Don¡¯t Want to Leave Anan Behind                                   ¡°Sister Qiao, although I still don¡¯t really understand my family, I still want to go back a bit because I really want to meet my mom and dad, but¡­¡±

    He paused, then continued, word by word.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to abandon Anan.¡±

    He had known since yesterday that he was going to be imed and taken back home, and had seriously considered it. He wanted to go back, but he also didn¡¯t want to leave Anan alone in the orphanage.

    Even though Anan could also live well in the orphanage, he still couldn¡¯t rest easy about Anan.

    Moreover, he and Anan grew up together, and he knew Anan¡¯s personality the best. If he left, he knew Anan would definitely cry.

    Pingping reached out and carefully grabbed the corner of Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes, his big eyes full of helplessness.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, what should I do?¡±

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, also pondering this problem.

    Now it was Pingping who wanted to go home, but couldn¡¯t bear the thought of leaving Anan alone, creating a dilemma.

    ¡°Pingping, have you talked to your family about Anan¡¯s situation?¡±

    Pingping shook his head and answered truthfully:

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t had muchmunication with Uncle Jiang. He just took me for a paternity test. He calls me young master and said he would take me home.¡±

    Qiao Jing remembered that paternity test. She had checked it; there was no possibility of forgery.

    That was because it came from Lu Zijin¡¯s hospital, where it wouldn¡¯t be possible to fabricate results with money, and besides, apany as big as Li Group wouldn¡¯t possibly bring home a child with no blood rtion.

    Since Li Group¡¯s people didn¡¯t yet know about Pingping¡¯s concerns, she needed to talk to them and find a solution.

    Otherwise, Pingping wouldn¡¯t feel at ease returning to his biological family.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened.

    ¡°I will talk to them about Anan¡¯s situationter. You just said that you still don¡¯t understand your family? Has he not told you about your family¡¯s information?¡±

    When she heard Pingping say he hadn¡¯t had much interaction with Jiang Xiong, suspicion arose in her heart.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Pingping finally took a deep breath and thought seriously for a while before speaking.

    ¡°Uncle Jiang told me that my family is in Nanjiang, we own apany. My mom had only me, and my name is Li Jingyan. My mom took me out to y and identally lost me.¡±

    Qiao Jing was taken aback when she realized Jiang Xiong had hidden the fact that Pingping¡¯s mother had a psychological disease.

    ¡°Pingping, do you want me to call you by your original name, or is Pingping better?¡±

    If Pingping was going back home, she needed to start getting him used to his original name as soon as possible.

    As for Jiang Xiong hiding the fact of Pingping¡¯s mother¡¯s psychological illness, she could understand the Li Family¡¯s reasoning.

    After all, Pingping¡¯s mother had developed depression because of losing him, and she must feel very guilty, not wanting Pingping to know about her illness, fearing he would worry about her.

    Pingping blinked in confusion, a look of unfamiliarity crossing his face.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, just call me Pingping. I¡¯m not used to that name.¡±

    He still hadn¡¯t decided whether to go back or not, so the original name might not even be necessary for him.

    Even if it was necessary, he still wanted Qiao Jing to call him Pingping.

    It felt very endearing.

    Qiao Jing nodded, voicing a doubt that had been lingering in her mind.

    ¡°Nanjiang and the capital are very far apart. How did you get from Nanjiang to the capital?¡±

    It would be impossible for Pingping to make it from Nanjiang to the capital on his own.

    A moment of nkness crossed Pingping¡¯s face, and he let out a stupefied ¡°Ah¡±.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, sensing that there was something strange about this.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    Could there be an inside story?

    But she hoped she was just overthinking, otherwise things would beplicated.

    Pingping tried hard to search his memory, but for quite a while couldn¡¯t reply to Qiao Jing¡¯s question.

    Seeing Pingping struggling to remember, yet unable to recall anything, Qiao Jing felt a pang of pity, so she stopped him from continuing to rack his brains.

    ¡°Pingping, if you can¡¯t remember, then don¡¯t think about it anymore.¡±

    Pingping shook his head, then suddenly a scene shed in his mind, and his eyes lit up.

    ¡°I remember now! Sister Qiao, when I first got lost, I wandered around aimlessly, and one day I went to the train station. I identally boarded a train, ended up in the luggage carriage, and then arrived here.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. Pingping, you go back to ss first, and I¡¯ll talk to Jiang Xiong about Anan.¡±

    Fortunately, it was just an ident. Had there been more to it, that would¡¯ve involved many otherplications.

    After all, noble families are often fraught with disputes, which couldn¡¯t stop her from overthinking.

    Obediently, Pingping responded and stood up.

    Qiao Jing led Pingping towards the ssroom, but before they reached the door, they could already see Anan standing at the entrance from afar.

    She nced down at Pingping and noticed a look of surprise and joy appear simultaneously on the child¡¯s face.

    Qiao Jing let go of Pingping¡¯s hand.

    Pingping immediately ran towards Anan with his little legs and stopped in front of her.

    ¡°Anan.¡±

    Qiao Jing stayed silent, leaving the space for the two little ones.

    She knew they shared a deep bond, for during their days of wandering, they had supported each other instead of relying on family like other children.

    She was curious why Anan had taken the initiative toe over at this time. Was there something she wanted to say?

    After all, Anan had previously told her that she was scared to talk to Pingping, fearing she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back her tears if she did.

    At this moment¡­

    Anan¡¯s voice suddenly interrupted Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I¡­ I want my brother to go home.¡±

    When she heard Anan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    It was only a short while ago that Anan had expressed her wish for Pingping not to leave, so why did she suddenly change her mind?

    Anan clenched her teeth, desperately trying to restrain the tears from falling, and looked up at the sky with her head tilted back.

    ¡°Because if brother goes back, he will have mom and dad¡¯spany, and¡­ brother also wants to go home.¡±

    Having said that, Anan dashed behind Qiao Jing, her face sporting a smile that seemed somewhat forced.

    ¡°I can manage just fine on my own! There are many other kids and teachers here, and Sister Qiao, brother¡­ you can go home without worry!¡±

    Qiao Jing, feeling immensely sympathetic, gently rubbed Anan¡¯s head but said nothing.

    Pingping, who had appeared hesitant at first, now had a serious expression, his eyes shining with a resolute light.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, if possible, I want to take Anan with me, or I¡¯ll stay here with her.¡±

    Anan was stunned, quickly looking up at Pingping, too shocked to speak.

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    ¡°I understand. You two go back to ss with peace of mind, I will take care of this.¡±

    She could try tomunicate with the Li Family, to see their stance on the matter.

    After all, Pingping had made his decision either to go with Anan, or to stay with her.

    As for whether Pingping would actually go back, it all depended on the Li Family¡¯s attitude.

 Chapter 504 - 504 493 Mother and Child Officially Meet

    ?Chapter 504: Chapter 493: Mother and Child Officially Meet   Chapter 504: Chapter 493: Mother and Child Officially Meet                                   After sending Pingping and Anan back to ss, Qiao Jing once again arrived at the office, ready to find Jiang Xiong¡¯s contact information.

    When she opened the door, she found Jiang Xiong and others still staying inside the office, apparently having no intention of leaving.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, and once again sat down opposite Jiang Xiong.

    ¡°Assistant Jiang, I need to contact Pingping¡¯s parents; Pingping has made his decision.¡±

    For such an important matter, she didn¡¯t want to justmunicate with Assistant Jiang; she insisted that Pingping¡¯s parents be present.

    Assistant Jiang did not immediately agree to Qiao Jing¡¯s request, replying:

    ¡°Has the young master decided to return with us?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and looked directly at him.

    ¡°Do you know that there is a person named Anan?¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s question, Jiang Xiong paused and thought carefully.

    ¡°I seem to have heard a teacher from the orphanage mention it, but I¡¯m not clear on the specifics. Who is Anan? What is her rtionship with the young master?¡±

    Qiao Jing had expected this response; her red lips slightly parted.

    ¡°Anan is a child who grew up wandering with Pingping. They have relied on each other since then. Pingping said he wants to either go with Anan or stay.¡±

    She had guessed that Jiang Xiong had no idea about Anan; otherwise, given Anan¡¯s rtionship with Pingping, he wouldn¡¯t have failed to mention her at all.

    After understanding the situation, Jiang Xiong frowned.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I can¡¯t make this decision. My sole purpose foring here was to take the young master back,¡± he said.

    He thought it would be difficult to convince his boss and wife to adopt a child with whom they had no blood rtion.

    Qiao Jing folded her arms and leaned back against the chair, her gaze falling on Jiang Xiong¡¯s mobile phone.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I need tomunicate with Pingping¡¯s parents. If Pingping¡¯s father is not avable, I will talk with his mother.¡±

    She believed it was the best choice Pingping could make and also a way to show the Li family how important Anan was to Pingping.

    Jiang Xiong¡¯s brows furrowed tighter, contemting the feasibility of the situation.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, thedy¡¯s mental state is not very stable, and the boss is currently in a meeting. Can we arrange a time for you to contact the boss after the meeting?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes darkened as she spoke in a cool voice.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to deal with this matter as soon as possible. If Pingping¡¯s mother is in a state where she absolutely cannotmunicate normally with others, I will not allow Pingping to go back. Besides, Pingping¡¯s mother just has depression, she canmunicate with others.¡±

    Although she hadn¡¯t specifically studied psychology, she had some understanding of depression and knew that one could stillmunicate normally.

    If that were not the case, she would be concerned about Pingping¡¯s safety upon his return.

    After hesitating for a while, Jiang Xiong took out his mobile phone, made a call, and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing took the phone.

    Secondster, the call connected, and an anxious female voice came from the other end.

    ¡°Jiang Xiong? Are you bringing Xiao Yan back? How is he right now? I want to have a video call with him, can I see him?¡±

    Qiao Jing quietly listened to the other party before slowly speaking up.

    ¡°Hello, I am Qiao Jing, and I need to discuss something with you.¡±

    The person on the other end paused for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Miss Qiao, hello, hello. I am Xiao Yan¡¯s mother, Hong Juanfang. I¡¯m very grateful for how you looked after Xiao Yan before.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and got straight to the point:

    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mrs. Hong, but I think you need to know about the existence of a person named Anan.¡±

    Mrs. Hong asked with curiosity:

    ¡°Anan? Who is she?¡±

    Qiao Jing continued:

    ¡°Anan is a very well-behaved girl who has grown up with Pingping, depending on each other for survival. Although they are not rted by blood, they are as close as real family.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Hong Juanfang suddenly fell silent.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t rush to push Hong Juanfang for an answer and waited for her to speak.

    Jiang Xiong watched Qiao Jing intently with a nervous expression, worried that Qiao Jing might say something wrong to upset Hong Juanfang.

    About a minuteter, Hong Juanfang¡¯s voice sounded again.

    ¡°I understand, Miss Qiao, I can guess what Xiao Yan decided to do, he wants to take Anan with him, right?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed affirmatively and waited for Hong Juanfang to make a decision.

    This time, Hong Juanfang didn¡¯t take as long to think.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I would like to have a video call with Xiao Yan and see him too, is that okay with you?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the time, which was just right for the end of ss, and agreed to it.

    ¡°It¡¯s convenient.¡±

    With that, the call was hung up, and she handed the phone back to Jiang Xiong.

    Jiang Xiong asked anxiously:

    ¡°Miss Qiao, what did the madam say?¡±

    Qiao Jing repeated Hong Juanfang¡¯sst sentence before getting up to bring Pingping and Anan over herself.

    Jiang Xiong immediately stopped Qiao Jing and instructed the bodyguards behind him.

    ¡°You guys go bring the young master and Anan over.¡±

    The bodyguards replied and quickly walked out.

    Before long, Pingping and Anan were brought over by the bodyguards.

    Anan got scared upon seeing this scene and ran to hide behind Qiao Jing, carefully eyeing Jiang Xiong.

    Pingping had already met Jiang Xiong before, so he was not as restrained and walked straight to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, is there something you called us over for?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and nced indifferently at Jiang Xiong.

    Jiang Xiong quickly took out his mobile phone, tapped it a few times, and then handed it to Pingping.

    ¡°Young master, thedy wishes to have a call with you and also wants to see Anan by your side.¡±

    Anan¡¯s eyes widened instantly upon hearing this.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, does he mean that my brother¡¯s mom wants to see me?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and brought Anan to Pingping¡¯s side.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m right here.¡±

    Her words undoubtedly gave the two little ones a pill of reassurance, allowing them to slowly rx.

    Pingping¡¯srge eyes shimmered with anticipation and hesitation as he bit his lip while staring at the phone screen, showing the words ¡®Waiting for the other party to answer¡¯, and clenched his little fists nervously.

    Anan hid behind Pingping, only daring to show hisrge eyes, staring incessantly at the screen.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the call was connected.

    When Pingping saw the woman on the screen, he was stunned, momentarily forgetting to even blink.

    He stared at Hong Juanfang¡¯s face for a long time without speaking.

    Anan looked timidly at the screen, trying to make himself smaller, wishing he could hidepletely behind Pingping.

    Qiao Jing originally didn¡¯t want to get involved, but neither side had spoken on this video call, which made her curious and prepared to step forward to have a look.

    Just then, Pingping looked up at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, she¡¯s crying¡­ Why is she crying?¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks and lowered her gaze.

    ¡°Because she is too happy.¡±

    She was not good atmunicating with the ¡°mother¡± role, but at that moment she could understand the other party¡¯s feelings.

    It was normal for a mother who had lost her child for three years to cry out of sheer joy upon finding them.

 Chapter 505 - 505 494 Adopting Anan

    ?Chapter 505: Chapter 494: Adopting Anan   Chapter 505: Chapter 494: Adopting Anan                                   The shaky voice of Hong Juanfang came through the phone.

    ¡°Xiao Yan?¡±

    When he heard this unfamiliar name, Pingping had not yet realized it was referring to himself.

    As Hong Juanfang saw Pingping looking this way, her tears once again uncontrobly started to flow, and she choked:

    ¡°Xiao Yan, I¡­I am your mother.¡±

    Only then did Pingping realize he had another name called Li Jingyan and furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Anan blinked herrge eyes and stared motionlessly at the screen.

    Qiao Jing sat back down in the chair, giving all her time to this family.

    Hong Juanfang lifted her hand to touch the screen, wishing she could reach through to Pingping himself.

    ¡°Xiao Yan, let me¡­ let me look at you, turn around and let me see, I want to see if you¡¯ve lost weight, when youe home, mother will fatten you up again to how you were, plump and healthy, Mommy is sorry¡­¡±

    Facing Hong Juanfang¡¯s tears, Pingping felt somewhat at a loss and looked towards Qiao Jing, not knowing how to react.

    Seeing Hong Juanfang crying, Anan spoke softly.

    ¡°Aunty¡­ don¡¯t cry¡­¡±

    In the quiet environment, Anan¡¯s mosquito-like voice managed to reach Hong Juanfang, who lifted her hand to wipe away tears and controlled her emotions.

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t cry, you are Anan, right? Don¡¯t hide behind Xiao Yan, don¡¯t be shy, let Aunty have a look at you.¡±

    Anan shrank back a little, still not daring to step forward.

    Pingping reached out to ruffle Anan¡¯s hair, facing the person on the screen who somewhat resembled him, yet was aplete stranger.

    He hesitated a long time before speaking, his words short and somewhat halting.

    ¡°Mom¡­Mom?¡±

    Hong Juanfang¡¯s tears once again uncontrobly started to pour out, but she struggled to control her emotions in front of Pingping.

    ¡°Hey, hey I¡¯m here! I am your mother¡­ I am¡­¡±

    Pingping frowned and slowly spoke.

    ¡°Mom¡­Mom? Please stop crying.¡±

    He felt a strong sensation of foreignness towards Hong Juanfang and the word ¡®mother¡¯; he couldn¡¯t remember events from when he was very young, but at the bottom of his heart, he felt a kinship with the person on the phone screen.

    Although they were strangers to each other, he still wanted to approach her.

    Hong Juanfang once again wiped her tears and coughed.

    ¡°Xiao Yan, you and Anan stand together, let me look at you both, tomorrow I will have Assistant Jiang bring you guys back, okay?¡±

    Hearing this, everyone present was stunned.

    A look of surprise flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes; Hong Juanfang had used ¡°you both¡± instead of ¡°you.¡±

    Just one phone call, and Hong Juanfang had already nned to adopt Anan as well.

    However, it seemed she could guess the other person¡¯s thoughts.

    Hong Juanfang just wanted Pingping toe home; she was willing to do whatever it took.

    Jiang Xiong was even more surprised, his eyes widening before he couldn¡¯t help but speak out.

    ¡°Madam, the boss doesn¡¯t know about this yet, and to adopt another child now, isn¡¯t that a bit too hasty?¡±

    The two little ones hadn¡¯t quite understood what Hong Juanfang had said and were still pondering, but now, as Jiang Xiong spoke, they instantly understood.

    Pingping¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.

    ¡°Mom, are you saying you can take Anan back with us too?¡±

    Anan also didn¡¯t expect that she would be so quickly considered for adoption, her eyes widening in disbelief as she looked to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sister Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing showed the children a gentle smile and nodded lightly.

    When Hong Juanfang spoke again, her tone had already regained its calm, clearly having seriously considered the adoption of Anan.

    ¡°Jiang Xiong, I¡¯ve said it, bring Xiao Yan and Anan back together. I will go to Cloud City myself to talk.¡±

    All she wanted now was for Xiao Yan to be able toe home.

    She could understand Xiao Yan¡¯s feelings and even more, his decision, after all, these two little ones had been relying on each other for so many years, and it wasn¡¯t realistic to forcibly separate them.

    Moreover, she really liked this bright and spirited little girl, and their home had the means to raise another child.

    Jiang Xiong agreed.

    ¡°Yes, madam.¡±

    Hong Juanfang gave a smile and her voice was filled with joy.

    ¡°Come here, Xiao Yan and Anan, get closer so I can take a good look at you.¡±

    Pingping and Anan obediently moved closer to the screen.

    Looking at the thin figures of the two children on the screen, Hong Juanfang felt a great pang of heartache.

    ¡°When youe home, I guarantee I can fatten you up and take you out to have fun, okay?¡±

    Pingping nodded solemnly and then his eyebrows furrowed, hesitating for several seconds before speaking:

    ¡°Mom, are you really sure about adopting Anan?¡±

    Hong Juanfang said with a smile:

    ¡°Why would I lie to you? I really like Anan too. Today, you go back and pack your things first. Assistant Jiang will help with the procedures, and you cane back tomorrow. Also¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll add Miss Qiao¡¯s contactter so we can still keep in touch often, and when I have the time, I¡¯ll take you back to the capital to y with Miss Qiao.¡±

    Only then did Pingping¡¯s tightly knitted brows rx, and a smile finally appeared on his small face.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Anan hesitated before stepping forward, slowly revealing her face.

    ¡°Auntie¡­ hello, Auntie¡­¡±

    The more Hong Juanfang looked at Anan, the more she liked her, and her mood improved greatly.

    ¡°Hello Anan, I won¡¯t keep you any longer now. Go back and get your things ready toe home, I¡¯ll go buy something for you two.¡±

    Pingping and Anan waved their little hands in unison:

    ¡°Goodbye!¡±

    After ending the call, Pingping¡¯s brows furrowed once again.

    Qiao Jing noticed Pingping¡¯s small movements and was about to ask when the child spoke up first.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, does Brother Zhan know about this? I want to y with Brother Zhan in the future too.¡±

    Anan nodded vigorously.

    ¡°Right, Sister Qiao, will we still be able to see Brother Zhan in the future?¡±

    When Jiang Xiong heard the word ¡°Zhan,¡± he was momentarily stunned and asked tentatively.

    ¡°Young master, who¡¯s this Brother Zhan you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    In the capital, the only family with the surname Zhan was the Zhan Family.

    And theirpany was currently involved in cooperation, with Zhan Corporation also participating, so he was particrly sensitive to that name.

    ¡°Brother Zhan is called¡­ Zhan Qipei,¡± Pingping replied.

    Jiang Xiong¡¯s eyes widened slightly when he heard the name Zhan Qipei.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing received a phone call.

    ¡°There¡¯s new progress in the research? Alright, I¡¯ll go back and check now.¡±

    After hanging up, Qiao Jing looked at Pingping and Anan, ¡°Something has suddenlye up at the research institute, I need to go back for a while. If there¡¯s anything, have your teacher call me.¡±

    The two little ones nodded, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s receding back with reluctance.

    After seeing Qiao Jing off, Jiang Xiong crouched down and asked Pingping and Anan.

    ¡°Young master, what¡¯s your rtionship with Zhan Qipei? Why do you call him Brother Zhan?¡±

    A look of trust appeared on Pingping¡¯s face as he answered earnestly.

 Chapter 506 - 506 495 Sudden Change of Heart Wu Xirui

    ?Chapter 506: Chapter 495: Sudden Change of Heart, Wu Xirui Angrily   Chapter 506: Chapter 495: Sudden Change of Heart, Wu Xirui Angrily                                   ¡°Sister Qiao and Brother Zhan saved us together, they were very kind to us, and we used to live with Sister Qiao and Brother Zhan.¡±

    Anan added a sentence.

    ¡°There was a bad person who bullied my brother before, and it was Brother Zhan who came to our rescue first, then Sister Qiao came too.¡±

    Jiang Xiong nodded, his face stern.

    ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll take you back to pack your bags first.¡±

    Meanwhile, in the conference room of Nanjiang Li Group.

    Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui sat opposite each other, the atmosphere between them very strange, full of tension and hostility.

    Li Yuncheng was seated between them with a contract ced in front of him.

    To clinch this deal, Zhan Qipei had called in a helicopter secretly after Qiao Jing had left in the morning and hade personally to meet with Li Group in Nanjiang.

    At this moment, his aura was so chilling that it spread a fear-inducing atmosphere, making the entire conference room seem immersed in this eerie vibe.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, his cold gaze directly shot at Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui leaned casually in his chair, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the table, slightly narrowing his peach blossom eyes.

    ¡°Director Li, have you decided who to give this contract to today?¡±

    He waspletely at an advantage, as having bothpanies push forward this cooperation was much better than just Zhan Qipei¡¯spany doing so.

    Li Yuncheng, being a businessman, was certainly clear about the pros and cons.

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze from Wu Xirui and looked towards Li Yuncheng.

    ¡°Director Li, it was originally a 60-40 split, but now it can be 50-50.¡±

    He had already made a concession, and this one percent in the split was a substantial amount.

    This project¡ªhe must win it.

    Not for anything else.

    But for the man sitting across from him, Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s sudden return, and hispany targeting the Zhan Family¡¯s industries, wasn¡¯t the main point; the critical issue was his relentless pursuit of his woman.

    This had crossed his bottom line.

    Li Yuncheng had been silent throughout, his brows tightly furrowed.

    The atmosphere in the conference room was almost suffocating, and the assistant following Li Yuncheng felt he could barely breathe.

    He had known earlier when he had gone to pick up the young master that he should have sent Jiang Xiong instead.

    But the boss highly valued the young master and had personally sent his own assistant to the capital.

    He, a mere assistant, really couldn¡¯t handle this scene which felt like facing Yama himself.

    Just then, his phone in his pocket began to vibrate.

    The assistant saw this as a chance to leave the conference room and immediately bent down to whisper.

    ¡°Boss, I need to step out to take an urgent call.¡±

    Everyone had an emergency phone during meetings, only used when something very urgent came up.

    Li Yuncheng nodded.

    The assistant immediately seized this lifeline of an urgent call and quickly walked out of the conference room.

    If he stayed any longer, he feared he would literally be suffocated by the terrifying pressure inside.

    He had not dared to make a sound inside.

    Seeing the call was from Jiang Xiong, the assistant pressed the answer button.

    Inside the conference room.

    Wu Xirui watched the assistant leave and joked:

    ¡°Director Li, your assistant seemed very eager to get out today. Why didn¡¯t Assistant Jiange instead?¡±

    Li Yuncheng disyed a pleasant smile.

    ¡°I have a very important task for Assistant Jiang.¡±

    Wu Xirui, with his trademark smile, stared at Li Yuncheng.

    ¡°What task could be more important than this deal today? I am quite curious, Director Li, can you share a few details?¡±

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, his thin lips pressed into an uncurved icy line, looking coldly at Li Yuncheng.

    He had already made a concession, but if that still wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy Li Yuncheng¡¯s demands, he could only watch helplessly as Wu Xirui snatched the deal away.

    Li Yuncheng smiled, picked up the pen, and was the first to sign his name on the contract in front of him.

    ¡°This is my family affair, so it¡¯s not convenient to discuss with President Wu,¡± he said.

    He paused, looked towards Zhan Qipei, whose already furrowed brows now looked tight enough to trap a fly.

    ¡°President Zhan, I¡¯m really sorry, but let¡¯s look for another opportunity to coborate next time. I trust you can understand where I¡¯ming from.¡±

    Nopany in the country would reject cooperating with Zhan Corporation, and he was no exception.

    However, this particr cooperation proved to be tricky. With the twopanies on Wu Xirui¡¯s side uniting and offering better terms, he had no choice but to politely decline the cooperation with Zhan Qipei.

    He might have been the first person to reject cooperation with Zhan Corporation.

    But as a businessman, interestse first, and he would gain more benefits by partnering with Wu Xirui.

    Hearing this from Li Yuncheng, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes grew even more somber, and he slightly opened his thin lips.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Although he did not want to lose to Wu Xirui, if they continued topete, it might lead to mutual destruction.

    If Qiao Jing were to find out, it would only upset her again.

    As for Wu Xirui¡­ purchasing anotherpetingpany at this time definitely cost him a fortune, resulting in a massive financial bleed.

    Wu Xirui extended his hand to take the contract from in front of Li Yuncheng, ced it in front of himself, and picked up the pen.

    The smile on his face grew more rampant, and his peach blossom eyes were filled with a provocative intent.

    Zhan Qipei ignored Wu Xirui¡¯s provocative demeanor, just stood up ready to leave the meeting room, and then ran into the assistanting back inside.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei about to leave, the assistant quickly spoke to stop him.

    ¡°President Zhan, please wait a moment!¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused, furrowing his brows again.

    The assistant didn¡¯t have time to exin much to Zhan Qipei, hurried over to Li Yuncheng¡¯s side, and whispered a few words to him.

    After hearing the assistant¡¯s words, Li Yuncheng¡¯s pupils visibly shook, and the next second, just as Wu Xirui was about to sign, he swiftly snatched the contract back from him.

    ¡°President Zhan, after reconsidering it thoroughly, I¡¯ve decided to sign the contract with you instead. As for the division, it remains at six to four in your favor,¡± he said.

    This sudden change stunned both Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s smile faded from his face.

    ¡°Director Li, what do you mean?¡± he asked.

    He was about to sign his name when Li Yuncheng suddenly changed his mind?!

    And to sign on terms set by Zhan Corporation at six-four in favor of Li Group?

    Had Li Yuncheng lost his mind?

    Li Yuncheng showed an apologetic smile and passed the contract to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Wu. I¡¯ve considered it carefully just now and decided to coborate with President Zhan instead. Let¡¯s look for an opportunity to cooperate next time,¡± he said.

    Compared to Wu Xirui, he had more respect for Zhan Qipei.

    After all, he had been in the domestic business circle for many years and only the reputation of Zhan Corporation had remained impressive from his early days of starting from scratch to the present.

    However, none of these were the key points that changed his mind.

    Wu Xirui clenched his teeth and darkly red at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Director Li, are you sure you want to sign this contract with Zhan Corporation, and on terms of six to four?¡± he asked.

    Li Yuncheng nodded and nced at the assistant beside him.

    ¡°Yes, President Wu, I am really sorry,¡± he said.

    The assistant immediately understood Li Yuncheng¡¯s intentions, came to Wu Xirui, and made a gesture to show him out.

    ¡°President Wu, this way please. I will see you out,¡± the assistant said.

    Wu Xirui incredulously widened his eyes, his gaze switching back and forth between Li Yuncheng and Zhan Qipei, and finally, he scoffed with a snide smile:

    ¡°Director Li, I¡¯ll remember today¡¯s events,¡± he said.

 Chapter 507 - 507 496 Qiao Jing Must Cross-Dress as a Man

    ?Chapter 507: Chapter 496: Qiao Jing Must Cross-Dress as a Man   Chapter 507: Chapter 496: Qiao Jing Must Cross-Dress as a Man                                   After dropping that sentence, Wu Xirui quickly walked outside.

    He realized that Li Yuncheng had no intention of exining why he suddenly changed his mind.

    He hade to Li Group fully prepared this time, intending to sign the contract in front of Zhan Qipei to spite him, but who could have predicted Li Yuncheng would renege?!

    He had even spent arge sum of money to acquire anotherpany, and now he truly was at a loss.

    After giving Zhan Qipei a cold nce, Wu Xirui turned and stormed out of the door.

    It wasn¡¯t until Wu Xirui had left that Zhan Qipei finally spoke to inquire of Li Yuncheng.

    ¡°Director Li, have you really thought it through? You want to coborate with me?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know what the assistant had said to Li Yuncheng to make him change his mind on the spot.

    Just as Wu Xirui was about to sign, Li Yuncheng had snatched the contract away, which was very strange.

    Li Yuncheng nodded; the courteous smile he had earlier disappeared, reced by one of immense gratitude.

    ¡°President Zhan, thank you for taking care of my son recently. Had I known earlier that you were the one looking after my son, I would have offered you this deal directly. A sixty-forty split in your favour would have been no issue at all.¡±

    Zhan Qipei was taken aback for a moment, and a hint of surprise shed in his eyes as he asked:

    ¡°Taking care of your son? Are you talking about Pingping?¡±

    Could it be that the person iming Pingping today was Li Yuncheng?

    Li Yuncheng nodded and briefly recounted the whole situation.

    ¡°President Zhan, I only just learned about this from my assistant. Three years ago, due to an ident, we identally lost Xiao Yan. We¡¯ve been searching all these years and only now have we found a clue. My assistant told me that Miss Qiao and you have been taking care of him?

    Miss Qiao is your wife, right? She knows more details because my wife has added her as a friend and chatted with her. You can ask Miss Qiao for the rest when you get back, but right now, we need to discuss the contract.¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t ask any more about Pingping and signed the contract with Li Yuncheng.

    He needed to rush back to the capital before Qiao Jing got home, as it would be problematic if his wife found out that instead of resting at home, he had sneaked off to Nanjiang.

    The capital.

    Qiao Jing arrived at the research institute and when she reached her designatedboratory, she noticed that Zhan Nanqing wasn¡¯t there.

    She had given Zhan Nanqing a document to organize, and now she needed to look it over, but the person was not there.

    Just as she was about to call Zhan Nanqing on her phone, she noticed the lock screen that Zhan Qipei had set that morning.

    She paused, then remembered that in her rush to get into the car that morning, she had forgotten to change the wallpaper back, and once she unlocked her phone, there was Zhan Qipei¡¯s erged handsome face again.

    With an exasperated twitch of her mouth, just as she was about to make the call, she heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice behind her.

    ¡°Oh¡ªQiao Jing, when did you get so close to my brother? The wallpaper for your lock screen has even changed to my brother¡¯s photo. Could it be the uncooked rice is about to be cooked?¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing immediately put away her phone and turned around to face her with an expressionless look.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who changed it, where¡¯s the document I asked for?¡±

    She should have changed the wallpaper while she was in the car to avoid being caught by Zhan Nanqing.

    It was all Zhan Qipei¡¯s fault, the jerk, for causing another misunderstanding about her.

    Zhan Nanqing wore an ¡°I get it, you don¡¯t have to exin¡± expression.

    She continued staring at Qiao Jing with a smile that wouldn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°The documents are all organized. I¡¯ll send them to you now; just went to the restroom for a moment, but about that wallpaper¡­

    If you didn¡¯t change it, could it be that my brother took your phone, took a selfie, and changed it himself?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temple throbbed suddenly, and she tightly pursed her red lips.

    ¡°Hmm, he changed it himself.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing uttered another ¡°oh.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother exining, to exin is to cover up, to cover up is to confirm the fact. How could my brother possibly have the nerve to secretly take your phone and change the wallpaper?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, grumbling inwardly:

    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t stolen, or secretly taken to change her wallpaper; it was done in front of her, openly and legitimately.

    Anyway, she could exin all she wanted, but Zhan Nanqing wouldn¡¯t believe her, so she simply couldn¡¯t be bothered to rify anymore.

    Seeing Qiao Jing ignoring her, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s smile immediately copsed, and she walked with heavy steps to the couch, sprawling out like a salted fish and staring at the ceiling while heaving a deep sigh.

    ¡°Sigh¡ª¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s sigh, Qiao Jing slightly raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    What could possibly make Zhan Nanqing so sorrowful?

    Zhan Nanqing managed a bitterugh, propping her face with both hands.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t actually go to the bathroom just now. I went to answer a call. It was from my archrival in university, her name is Lu Yingying. She said there¡¯s a college reunioning up.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response, looking at Zhan Nanqing quizzically.

    ¡°And then? What¡¯s there to sigh about over that?¡±

    Although she disliked attending such gatherings, she had known Zhan Nanqing for so long and knew that she was a girl who loved to have fun everywhere. Zhan Nanqing would definitely attend this kind of college reunion.

    Zhan Nanqing sighed again, her fingers incessantly drawing circles on the table, ring at it furiously without pause.

    ¡°Right! What¡¯s there to sigh about? Of course, I¡¯ll go to the reunion, but! But! But!¡±

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face marked by three buts, Qiao Jing understood just how angry she was at the moment.

    She looked at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°But what?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, grinding her teeth, said word by word:

    ¡°That archrival of mine, she dared to say that I¡¯m a single dog nobody wants! And she made it a point to tell me about her oh-so-wonderful boyfriend, it¡¯s infuriating!!

    I just choose not to date, otherwise, how could someone like me not find a boyfriend?! It¡¯s really maddening!!!¡±

    She wanted to focus on her career right now and y matchmaker for Qiao Jing and her brother. Where would she find the time to date?

    She simply didn¡¯t have the time or the interest! How dare Lu Yingying im she¡¯s an unwanted single dog?!

    Qiao Jing paused in the midst of reviewing documents, furrowing her brows.

    ¡°So how are you going to handle this?¡±

    She felt that Zhan Nanqing¡¯sst sentence was spot on.

    After all, with Zhan Nanqing¡¯s status, it would be impossible for her tock suitors.

    Zhan Nanqing, frustrated, ran her fingers through her hair, looking helplessly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Qiao Jing, you¡¯re so smart, can you think of something for me?¡±

    Qiao Jing put down her work and, with a thoughtful frown, seriously considered ways to help Zhan Nanqing.

    Before she could offer a solution, Zhan Nanqing, who had been watching her intently, suddenly lit up with an idea, a very good one at that.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it! Qiao Jing, could you possibly dress up as a man and pretend to be my boyfriend at the reunion? Lu Yingying told me that all the girls there have found boyfriends except for me. I¡¯m about to explode with anger; isn¡¯t this looking down on me?¡±

 Chapter 508 - 508 497 Zhan Qipei is Caught by Qiao Jing

    ?Chapter 508: Chapter 497: Zhan Qipei is Caught by Qiao Jing   Chapter 508: Chapter 497: Zhan Qipei is Caught by Qiao Jing                                   After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s idea, Qiao Jing was startled and frowned.

    ¡°Are you sure I can pull off cross-dressing as a man?¡±

    She had never tried dressing up as a man before, so she didn¡¯t know whether she would be recognized or not.

    If she were recognized, wouldn¡¯t that be even more embarrassing?

    Zhan Nanqing took out her phone, opened a shopping app, and began searching for wigs and other items.

    ¡°You can definitely do it, Qiao Jing, I believe in you! I¡¯m going to order some stuff for you now.¡±

    She had to score some points in front of Lu Yingying and the others; otherwise, she would be the only single person at the party and truly a lone dog.

    Her mind automatically conjured up an image of her disastrous situation: while everyone else was hugging and being lovey-dovey, what could she hug?

    All she could embrace were a ss of wine, the cold columns, walls, sofas¡­

    That would be too embarrassing!!

    Qiao Jing was furrowing her brows, contemting the feasibility of the idea.

    ¡°Why not let another guy pretend to be your boyfriend? I¡¯m a woman, after all; there will be inconveniences.¡±

    She paused, searching her mind for potential candidates.

    ¡°Like the fourth guy, or Lu Zijiao, I could ask them for help, or you could ask your guy friends for help?¡±

    A look of extreme distaste crossed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face, and she uttered a ¡°tsk.¡±

    ¡°Xu Moqian? I definitely don¡¯t want his help; I disdain him enough as it is, let alone having him pretend to be my boyfriend. He wishes! Besides, Lu Zijiao is famously known as a yboy in the capital. All the men I know there are well-known figures; they would be recognized if they went.¡±

    She paused, then pulled out a tissue from the desk and pretended to start wiping away tears.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡¯re my only hope now. If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll be the one hugging a cold column while others are hugging their boyfriends. After shing fish at RT Mart for ten years, my heart has turned as cold as the cutting board, but it still twinges with pain when something like this happens¡­¡±

    ¡°What fish at RT Mart?¡± Qiao Jing asked, confused.

    Zhan Nanqing pped her forehead and smacked her lips.

    ¡°Ah, I forgot you don¡¯t like surfing the inte. It¡¯s a popr meme online, just an inside joke. It¡¯s a way for young people to express their indifference, like ¡®lying t.¡¯

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing resort to an inte meme in desperation, Qiao Jing helplessly touched her forehead.

    ¡°Alright then, when and where is the party?¡±

    It seemed she had no choice but to help.

    Otherwise, it would indeed be quite pitiful for Zhan Nanqing to be the only one hugging a column.

    A happy smile finally appeared on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face as she resumed her search for the men¡¯s apparel needed.

    ¡°At the Fu Huang Hotel in the city center, tomorrow night at eight o¡¯clock.¡±

    Qiao Jing made a mental note of the time and nodded.

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    Just then, a news alert appeared on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone, and she unintentionally clicked on it and read the content aloud.

    ¡°Several days ago, a group of gangsters who liked to cause trouble were caught in front of a barbecue restaurant and sentenced to five years in prison?¡±

    When she heard ¡®barbecue restaurant,¡¯ Qiao Jing nced sideways at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Let me have a look.¡±

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, these were the thugs she and Lin Yun had encountered at the barbecue restaurant a few days ago.

    As for the five-year sentence, it was most likely Zhan Qipei¡¯s doing.

    Zhan Nanqing handed her phone screen to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Here you go, there are so many thugs these days. They have hands and feet; why act like a ¡®gai liu zi¡¯? Can¡¯t they just get a proper job?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the news, which indeed showed the photo of that barbecue restaurant.

    ¡°What does ¡®gai liu zi¡¯ mean?¡±

    Again, Zhan Nanqing pped her forehead and smacked her lips.

    She had forgotten ¡ª Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t keen on inte culture.

    ¡°It means a street wanderer, ¡®gai¡¯ is the word for street.¡±

    As the number one surfer on the inte, she could definitely be described as having 5G speed.

    But her sister-inw seemed like an antique no matter how you looked at her, always either watching the news or reading medical books, just like her brother who only ever looked at contracts.

    It seemed that in this respect, her brother and Qiao Jing were truly a perfect match.

    They are indeed a match made in heaven, destined by the stars!

    Qiao Jing uttered an ¡°Oh¡± and then returned to her work.

    By the time Qiao Jing got off work and came home, she found the living room seemingly empty, very quiet.

    Was Zhan Qipei not home?

    This bastard had changed her phone wallpaper, had promised to get some sleep at home, and now he dared to sneak out?

    Hadn¡¯t she told him to get a good rest at home?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her delicate brows, took out her phone intending to contact Zhan Qipei.

    When she turned on the phone screen, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s face again and was quite irritated, jabbing hard at the man¡¯s face with her finger before directly changing the wallpaper back to the default one.

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes and dialed Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone.

    At the same time, the door behind her opened, and the sound of a ringing phone carried through.

    When he opened the door and saw Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart skipped a beat, shifting his gaze away a bit guiltily.

    ¡°You¡¯re back, I¡¯ll go cook now.¡±

    He should have returned to the capital immediately after signing the contract, talking about the cooperation another time wouldn¡¯t have been a issue¡­

    Now look, he¡¯d been caught red-handed by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and stared expressionlessly at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, slightly squinting her eyes.

    ¡°Where did you go? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be resting at home?¡±

    Zhan Qipei held up the groceries in front of Qiao Jing and said without blushing or skipping a beat:

    ¡°I went to buy groceries.¡±

    Luckily he had checked the time on the ne and had made preparations in advance.

    Otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep it a secret this time.

    Qiao Jing arched her brows lightly, a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile ying on her face as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Buying groceries in a suit?¡±

    She imagined Zhan Qipei buying groceries in a suit, sticking out like a sore thumb among the uncles and aunties, and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    She suppressed the corners of her lips which were about to curve up, who goes grocery shopping in a suit?

    Even if this bastard Zhan Qipei had plenty of suits, it would be out of character for him to wear one to buy groceries.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, and he cleared his throat, knowing that he could no longer hide it and had to answer truthfully:

    ¡°I went to Nanjiang to sign a contract.¡±

    When she heard the words ¡°sign a contract,¡± Qiao Jing was momentarily taken aback.

    ¡°Sign a contract? You signed a contract with Li Group?¡±

    ording to what Zhan Qipei had previously shared with her, Zhan Corporation was at a disadvantage, so how could Li Yuncheng agree to sign a contract with Zhan Corporation?

    Could it be that Li Yuncheng knew about the rtionship between Pingping and Zhan Qipei?

    Zhan Qipei gave an ¡°Mhm¡± and took the opportunity to walk into the house, cing all the groceries in the kitchen.

    ¡°He knows I¡¯m acquainted with Pingping, by the way, how are things on Pingping¡¯s side?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pursue the matter of Zhan Qipei sneaking out of the house any further and focused instead on Pingping and Anan.

    ¡°Pingping will return to Nanjiang tomorrow. Pingping¡¯s mother is also prepared to adopt Anan, so Anan will go with them. I¡¯ll go to the airport to send them off tomorrow.¡±

    She was already beginning to miss the two little ones, Pingping and Anan, such understanding children that anyone would love.

    Fortunately, though, Pingping hadn¡¯t been abandoned with malice; he was well treated at home, and Anan had found a new family.

 Chapter 509 - 509 498 Pingping and Anan say goodbye to Qiao

    ?Chapter 509: Chapter 498 Pingping and Anan say goodbye to Qiao Jing   Chapter 509: Chapter 498 Pingping and Anan say goodbye to Qiao Jing                                   Zhan Qipei responded and began to prepare dinner.

    ¡°What time is the flight tomorrow? I¡¯ll apany you to see them off.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the message sent by Hong Juanfang.

    ¡°Ten in the morning.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª

    The next morning dawned.

    Qiao Jing got up early and changed into a more formal outfit, even applying a light makeup.

    When she emerged from her room, Zhan Qipei had already finished preparing breakfast.

    Seeing Qiao Jinge out of the room, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes instantly lit up.

    ¡°Come eat breakfast, did you put on makeup today?¡±

    He rarely saw Qiao Jing wear makeup, except on some important asions.

    But makeup merely entuated her natural radiance and highlighted the strengths of her face.

    Because his wife was beautiful even without makeup.

    Qiao Jing nodded and sat down across from Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Yes, because I¡¯m sending Pingping and Anan back, I dressed more formally.¡±

    She knew that she might not have many more opportunities to see the two little ones after today, so she dressed up formally.

    After all, as Li Yuncheng¡¯s only son, Pingping would undoubtedly receive better and more education upon returning, which would keep him busy.

    She had also discussed with Hong Juanfang the day before to ensure that Anan would receive the same treatment as Pingping.

    From their conversation, she could tell that Hong Juanfang also liked Anan very much, which reassured her to let Anan go with them.

    Moreover, with Pingping there, she was confident he wouldn¡¯t let Anan suffer any grievances.

    Zhan Qipei responded and picked out the most expensive suit from the wardrobe.

    At the airport.

    When Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei arrived at the terminal, they saw the two little ones sitting on chairs from afar, with Jiang Xiong and a few bodyguards standing guard beside them.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, the children immediately leaped off the chairs and scurried over to them.

    ¡°Sister Qiao! Brother Zhan!¡±

    Qiao Jing showed a faint smile and squatted down in front of the little ones.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    At that moment, her heart was filled with an intense reluctance to let them go, yet she couldn¡¯t keep them here.

    However, she could visit them in Nanjiang in the future, but that would be after the current research at the institute was a sess.

    Zhan Qipei lowered his head to look at the little ones, his thin lips parting slightly as he lifted a hand to ruffle their hair.

    Anan blinked her grape-likerge eyes and pursed her lips.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Brother Zhan, I don¡¯t want to leave you¡­¡±

    Pingping pressed his lips tightly, clutching the corners of Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, will we be able to see each other againter?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, reached out to pinch Anan¡¯s face, and looked sideways at Pingping.

    ¡°Yes, we can meet whenever I¡¯m free.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know when the next meeting with Pingping and Anan would be, but she was content knowing they would be well cared for.

    Anan sniffled hard, blinking rapidly to shove back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

    ¡°Then Sister Qiao, let¡¯s keep in touch, okay? Call us whenever you¡¯re free.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s smile deepened as she agreed.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Just then, the boarding announcement sounded.

    ¡°Passengers flying to Nanjiang on the Cloud City flight 0113, please proceed to gate A1 for boarding¡­¡±

    At that moment, Anan¡¯s tears came rushing out like a dam had broken, and she stepped into Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace with small quick steps.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Brother Zhan, you¡­ you have to remember to miss us!¡±

    Pingping¡¯s eyes also turned red, desperately trying to control his emotions.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, Brother Zhan, goodbye.¡±

    Qiao Jing stretched out her arms to embrace the two little ones, not forgetting to wipe Anan¡¯s tears away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, go board the ne.¡±

    She really didn¡¯t want to part with these two adorable, sensible kids.

    If she ever had to say goodbye to the three little ones in her belly like this, she feared her heart would follow them.

    Zhan Qipei nodded lightly, not saying anything else.

    Pingping and Anan still refused to budge, just standing beside Qiao Jing.

    The boarding announcement rang out again, prompting passengers to board the ne.

    Jiang Xiong saw that the two little ones still showed no signs of leaving and couldn¡¯t help but remind them.

    ¡°Young master, miss, it¡¯s time to board.¡±

    After hearing Jiang Xiong calling Anan, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes darkened, and she felt even more reassured about letting Anan go.

    She brought the two little ones to Jiang Xiong¡¯s side and let go of their hands.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Pingping and Anan still looked at Qiao Jing with reluctant eyes, pouting their little mouths in unison.

    When the boarding sound chimed again, Jiang Xiong had to urge the two little ones.

    ¡°Young master, miss, we really need to board now.¡±

    Hearing Jiang Xiong say this, Pingping and Anan started moving their feet sluggishly, walking towards the boarding gate under Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    Qiao Jing watched the backs of the two little ones, sighing softly.

    Suddenly, she saw them whisper something to each other, and the next second, they broke into a run back towards her.

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, somewhat surprised as Pingping and Anan ran back to her side, and she quickly stretched out her arms to catch them.

    ¡°Why did youe back?¡±

    Pingping tugged at Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes, prompting her to squat down.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, we want to take a picture with you, can you send it to my mom after it¡¯s taken?¡±

    Anan nodded vigorously, cooperatively making a peace sign.

    ¡°Sister Qiao, I¡¯ve already got the ¡®pores¡¯ ready.¡±

    With a serious tone, Pingping corrected:

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®pose,¡¯ not ¡®pores.¡¯

    Anan uttered an ¡°oh,¡± repeated it, but still didn¡¯t change the pronunciation.

    ¡°Pores!¡±

    Pingping sighed helplessly, giving up on the idea of continuing to teach Anan.

    The interaction between the two little ones amused Qiao Jing, who chuckled, handing her phone to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take the picture.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stepped back a few paces, lifted the phone, and adjusted the camera.

    Pingping stood beside Qiao Jing, showing a happy smile.

    Anan was making a peace sign beside Qiao Jing, showing a big, bright smile.

    Qiao Jing hugged the two little ones in her arms, her eyes and brows bent, her lips curled into a smile.

    After the photo was taken, seeing the anxious Jiang Xiong pacing, Qiao Jing returned the two little ones to his care, whispering:

    ¡°You really have to board now, no running back again.¡±

    The two little ones solemnly nodded their heads, ncing back three times with each step as they followed Jiang Xiong to the boarding gate, all the while waving their little hands at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing also waved back, smiling until the ne carrying the two little ones took off before she left.

    Once she got into Zhan Qipei¡¯s car, Qiao Jing opened her phone, wanting to look at the photo she had just taken with the two little ones.

    But when she unlocked her phone, she found that the lock screen and wallpaper had been changed back to Zhan Qipei¡¯s photo, again.

    And in the photo they had taken, her face upied nearly sixty percent of it, the edges of the picture barely caught the sides of Pingping and Anan¡¯s clothes, barely including them in the shot without leaving any margins.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, ncing at the man driving beside her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, why did you change my wallpaper again?¡±

 Chapter 510: 499 Zhan Qipei, This Shameless Dog of a Man!

    <strong>Chapter 510: Chapter 499 Zhan Qipei, This Shameless Dog of a Man!</strong>

    Zhan Qipei looked straight ahead and replied matter-of-factly:

    ¡°I already told you before, if you change the wallpaper I set, I¡¯ll just change it back.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed abruptly as she set the wallpaper back to the default once more.

    It seemed that in the future, she could not let Zhan Qipei touch her phone, or her wallpaper would definitely be changed to this jerk¡¯s photo again.

    She simply decided to solve the problem at its root and deleted the photo of Zhan Qipei, to avoid him messing with her wallpaper again.

    Zhan Qipei caught the motion from the corner of his eye and lightly furrowed his smoky, long eyebrows.

    ¡°If you delete my photo, I can take a new one next time and put it up again. Anyway, the photo you took of me has dark circles under my eyes, it¡¯s not good-looking.¡±

    Qiao Jing became increasingly speechless, her mouth twitching almost imperceptibly. She no longer bothered with the wallpaper situation.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, can¡¯t you leave a little more room for Pingping and Anan in the photos you take?¡±

    She saw that in the photo, Pingping and Anan were almost reduced to just showing their faces, Zhan Qipei, this jerk, seemed to wish he was the only one on the screen.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the photo and nodded with great satisfaction.

    ¡°I think I took a pretty good shot, I just identally zoomed in on your face, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother responding to Zhan Qipei and turned off her phone.

    On her way back, she received a message from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, the things I bought have arrived. When are youing over to my ce?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the current time and typed her reply.

    ¡°After work.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing immediately sent over several pictures, with messages following closely behind.

    ¡°No way, Qiao Jing, I¡¯ve prepared a lot, wigs and clothes all need you to try on. Why don¡¯t you take a day off today,e over early, and I¡¯ll help you dress up? Otherwise, if we¡¯re not fully prepared and you get exposed, what are we going to do?¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, not immediately replying to Zhan Nanqing, which prompted thetter to send a voice call.

    With a slip of her hand, she identally epted it.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s anxious voice came through, apanied by a series of crackling sounds in the background, it was unclear what she was fiddling with.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, where are you now? I¡¯lle pick you up. I¡¯m not at Purple Garden. I specially rented a room in the Fuhuang Hotel where we¡¯re meeting. The hotel has entertainment venues on the lower floors, and above are the rooms.¡±

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helplessly, pressed her forehead, thinking that today¡¯s work was almost finished and could be left until tomorrow, so she agreed toe over.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to pick me up. I¡¯m heading over now, hang on.¡±

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei raised his eyebrows, his dark eyes deepened, and he nced sideways at the woman.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze and looked out the car window, realizing it was peak rush hour, with a lot of traffic.

    And this jerk Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t even looking at the road, just staring at her?

    Without any hesitation, Qiao Jing extended her hand trying to turn Zhan Qipei¡¯s face away but identally ended up pressing her entire hand against his face.

    Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, she suddenly felt a warm touch in the palm of her hand.

    That was Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips!

    How could this jerk be so shameless?!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes shook, widening slightly, and she swiftly pulled her hand back, ring at him irritably.

    ¡°Zhan, Qi, Pei! Can you please focus on driving?¡±

    On the other end, Zhan Nanqing heard Qiao Jing¡¯s voice and immediately conjured up an unhealthy thought in her mind.

    ¡°Cough cough! Qiao Jing, did I just happen upon something I shouldn¡¯t know about? Oh right, make sure my brother doesn¡¯t find out about you cross-dressing. Knowing his character, he¡¯ll definitely get jealous. My room number is 1213!

    I¡¯ll hang up now, haha, I won¡¯t disturb you two¡­ cough cough cough¡­¡±

    The call ended there, and within a single day, Qiao Jing was misunderstood by Zhan Nanqing twice.

    Unable to bear it any longer, she clenched her fists, beginning to convince herself in her mind.

    Can¡¯t get angry¡­ Getting angry is bad for the baby¡­

    Zhan Qipei, having stolen a kiss from Qiao Jing, was in a good mood as a faint smile curled up his lips while his gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.

    ¡°I am driving properly.¡±

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t tell what his ¡®driving¡¯ implied.

    ¡°Just let me out here.¡±

    She shouldn¡¯t have expected Zhan Qipei, that dog of a man, to have any shame.

    After all, to her, Zhan Qipei was notoriously shameless; the act he just pulled off was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip on the steering wheel paused for a moment as he looked at Qiao Jing with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why do you suddenly want to get out?¡±

    Qiao Jing was browsing through the photos sent to her by Zhan Nanqing and casually answered Zhan Qipei¡¯s question.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab to Fuhuang Hotel.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows, wispy like smoke, furrowed once again.

    ¡°What are you doing at the hotel?¡±

    His good mood was instantly shattered by that question. He hadn¡¯t misheard her, had he?

    His wife was actually going to a hotel?

    Only then did Qiao Jing realize what she had just said, remembering the words specifically instructed by Zhan Nanqing, and she pursed her red lips.

    ¡°There¡¯s something.¡±

    She knew Zhan Qipei¡¯s personality; if that dog of a man found out what she was up to tonight, she certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to go out.

    And even if she did go out, Zhan Qipei would definitely follow her.

    Zhan Qipei finally rxed his furrowed brows.

    ¡°Let me drive you there.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t ask Qiao Jing too many questions, because he trusted his wife.

    If he didn¡¯t trust his own wife, then whom could he trust?

    Moreover, he knew Qiao Jing¡¯s character very well; she wouldn¡¯t do anything untoward.

    Qiao Jing nodded and continued to look through the pictures sent by Zhan Nanqing.

    A male wig and several pre-picked outfits indicated just how much effort Zhan Nanqing had put into this.

    Her phone vibrated again, receiving a new message from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯m heading downstairs to wait for you now. Let me know when you arrive; I need to take you to a nearby store to buy men¡¯s shoes; I forgot to get them and don¡¯t know your shoe size.¡±

    Qiao Jing tapped on the keyboard to reply.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After the car stopped in front of the hotel, Qiao Jing got out and sent a message to Zhan Nanqing.

    Just as she was about to look for Zhan Nanqing, a man¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind her.

    ¡°What time should Ie to pick you up?¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment; the gathering started at eight o¡¯clock in the evening, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to return until after ten.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll take a cab back. I won¡¯t be home for dinner tonight.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his dark eyes deepening with concern, his face etched with worry.

    ¡°Will you be by yourself?¡±

    Qiao Jing considered for a moment and decided to disclose Zhan Nanqing¡¯s name.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m with Zhan Nanqing. I¡¯ll go backter in the evening.¡±

    She knew what that dog of a man, Zhan Qipei, was worried about; just mentioning Zhan Nanqing¡¯s name should be safe enough.

    With his eyebrows that were tightly knit now eased, Zhan Qipei drove away.

    Zhan Nanqing, who had been hiding at the entrance, saw her brother leave and then scurried over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

 Chapter 511: 500 Qiao Jing, Stop Seducing Me

    <strong>Chapter 511: Chapter 500 Qiao Jing, Stop Seducing Me</strong>

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll take you to buy some shoes,¡±

    Qiao Jing was led by Zhan Nanqing to another street. As they passed an alley, they heard voicesing from inside.

    ¡°You poor kid, when are you going to pay back the money? If you don¡¯t pay up, I¡¯m going to your house!¡±

    ¡°Just give me a little more time, I¡­ I¡¯m already working five jobs simultaneously! Once I get my sry, I will definitely pay you first thing!¡±

    Upon hearing these voices, Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks and looked into the alley.

    At the end of the alley, a group of people gathered around a man who looked very gentle; however¡­

    The man was wearing what appeared to be a uniform issued by a hotel, a white uniform with several ck footprints and a bright red handprint on one side of his face.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly, assessing the situation inside.

    Just then, the group surrounding the man pped him again.

    ¡°Poor kid, I¡¯m telling you, you must pay me the interest within this month, or I¡¯ll go to your house and smash it up! There¡¯s no other high-interest lender like us who has given you extensions time and again.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if you had borrowed from another lender, just a month without payment and they would have chopped off your fingers. We¡¯ve only given you some superficial injuries; if you dare not pay in full next time, we will have no choice but to cut off your fingers!¡±

    The man bowed his head and didn¡¯t resist at all.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pay you as soon as I get my sry, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    The men in the alley noticed Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing and cursed:

    ¡°Where did these stinky girlse from, shoo, shoo, try meddling in our business!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the beaten man slowly raised his head, his gazending on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t see a plea for help in his eyes, but rather numbness, indicating he had grown ustomed to this lifestyle.

    Her brow furrowed tightly, just as she was about to step forward and help, she was stopped by Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s not meddle in others¡¯ business. Besides, who knows who¡¯s right and who¡¯s wrong here, and moreover, you¡¯re pregnant now, I can¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±

    Qiao Jing said nothing, her gaze still firmly on the man being beaten.

    Seeing what Qiao Jing was thinking, Zhan Nanqing earnestly advised:

    ¡°We came out to shop and buy new shoes, not to meddle in business. Moreover, they already mentioned, this guy has taken a high-interest loan, Qiao Jing, do you think people who take high-interest loans are good people?¡±

    If anything happened to Qiao Jing while they were out shopping together, it would be her responsibility to bear.

    She couldn¡¯t handle those consequences.

    Seeing Qiao Jing still had no intention of leaving, Zhan Nanqing directly grabbed her by the arm.

    She grasped Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, exerting all her strength to move her, and quickly walked to the other side.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Qiao Jing, it will take me several hours to get you all dressed up,¡±

    As Qiao Jing was taken away from the alley, she frowned upon hearing it would take a few hours to dress her up.

    ¡°A few hours?¡±

    It only took a few minutes to change her clothes and put on a wig, where did several hourse from?

    Zhan Nanqing nodded her head, quickly bought a suitable pair of shoes for Qiao Jing, and led her towards a hotel.

    ¡°Of course, after changing clothes and putting on the wig, we still need to make adjustments, like applying light makeup to make you look more like a boy. I even looked up several tutorials online!¡±

    Qiao Jing suddenly regretted agreeing to Zhan Nanqing. Had she known it would be such a hassle, she would have found someone else to help. She could have finished her work in that time.

    No wonder she had toe so early, it turned out there was still so much fuss to deal with.

    But now that she was here, she couldn¡¯t just go back, so she let Zhan Nanqing fuss over her.

    After returning to the hotel room, Qiao Jing changed into the male clothes and wig Zhan Nanqing had specially bought for her. After putting them on, she instinctively reached up and casually adjusted her hairstyle.

    When she came out of the bathroom, she bumped into Zhan Nanqing anxiously waiting outside the door.

    ¡°Do I need any further adjustments?¡±

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing emerge, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes nearly popped out in shock.

    The clothes and the wig Qiao Jing wore were a perfect match!

    The key point was that Qiao Jing also wore a pair of gold-framed sses, which gave her a refined yet rakish look that made her heart uncontrobly jump several times.

    This must be the legendary feeling of a racing heart¡­

    It¡¯s a good thing she had searched for a makeup tutorial online beforehand.

    It turned out Qiao Jing didn¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s help with makeup, as she already looked both handsome and stunning, ready to head straight to the party.

    Additionally, due to Qiao Jing¡¯s height advantage, she now looked even more like a boy, utterly indistinguishable.

    She might not be able to control her heart, blooming with feelings of spring¡­

    This sister-inw of hers was simply¡­

    Attractive to both men and women!

    It was quite normal for men to feel attracted to her sister-inw before because not only was she beautiful, but she was also outstanding.

    But unexpectedly, Qiao Jing in men¡¯s attire was also heart-fluttering!

    Zhan Nanqing nodded vigorously, her eyes shining brightly.

    ¡°No need, no need! Just like this!! Super handsome!!!¡±

    Today, with such a handsome Qiao Jing by her side, she wanted to see if Lu Yingying dared to call her a single dog!

    She guaranteed that today Qiao Jing would definitely outshine everyone.

    No, not just everyone! Outshine all the men!

    If it were possible, she would want to switch preferences right now, immediately.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, unsure as she looked at herself in the mirror.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    She had never tried this style before and didn¡¯t know if she would be exposedter on.

    Zhan Nanqing confidently said:

    ¡°I¡¯m sure! One hundred percent sure, one thousand percent sure, Qiao Jing, I¡¯m falling for you!¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for him being her brother, she would definitely want to have a proper rtionship with Qiao Jing.

    She personally dered that from today onwards, she was bending for Qiao Jing!!

    Qiao Jing casually adjusted her clothes, unustomed to the gold wire sses, and lifted them with one hand.

    This action elicited a scream from Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Ahhhh! Qiao Jing, my health bar is emptying, stop seducing me.¡±

    If she kept looking, she might truly fall for Qiao Jing on the spot and be a new rival for her brother.

    A hint of confusion appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as her gaze fell on Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°What do you mean? When have I seduced you?¡±

    Her attire was very normal and didn¡¯t reveal anything, so how was it seducing?

    Zhan Nanqing sighed and shook her head.

    ¡°Now I finally understand why my brother is so clingy with you.¡±

    After saying that, she murmured softly.

    ¡°So good-looking¡­ I want to hide you away at home¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t quite catch what Zhan Nanqing said and asked in confusion:

    ¡°What?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing coughed twice, pretending as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Nothing, nothing, let¡¯s go have some food first, I thought we would have to fuss for much longer, that¡¯s why I called you over early.¡±

 Chapter 512: 501: Qiao Jing Outshines All!

    <strong>Chapter 512: Chapter 501: Qiao Jing Outshines All!</strong>

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and took out her phone to check the current time.

    ¡°Tonight, when it¡¯s time, just take me directly to the private room. I need to handle today¡¯s work now.¡±

    She should have finished her work beforeing to find Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded her head and took a half-body photo with Qiao Jing, then posted it to the ss reunion group chat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing my family member tonight.¡±

    Her statement wasn¡¯t wrong, since Qiao Jing was indeed her family member, just that she was her sister-inw.

    Originally, because of the gathering tonight, the lively group chat quieted down for a few seconds upon seeing this photo.

    What followed was a series of congrattory messages.

    ¡°Is Nanqing bringing her boyfriend tonight?¡±

    ¡°Are we all bringing our family members tonight?¡±

    ¡°Wishing Nanqing and her boyfriend asting rtionship!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Seeing these messages, Zhan Nanqing showed a very satisfied smile.

    Until Lu Yingying¡¯s message appeared, her smile suddenly froze on her face.

    ¡°Yo, has our Miss Nanqing also found a boyfriend? I thought you wereing by yourself. Why isn¡¯t there a photo showing his face for everyone to see? Which family¡¯s young master is he?¡±

    The message was apanied by a picture Lu Yingying had sent, showing her and her boyfriend cheek to cheek, clearly disying their facial features.

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°hmmphed¡± and her face was full of disdain as she typed a reply.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see him tonight, why the rush?¡±

    Go ahead and talk now, Lu Yingying.

    Wait until you see Qiao Jing tonight, you¡¯ll probably be so surprised that you¡¯ll stare with wide eyes and possibly drool.

    Even posting a photo, she felt that the man in the photo wasn¡¯t half as good as Qiao Jing.

    Having mingled in the capital for so many years, she had seen all manner of handsome men and beautiful women, but Qiao Jing was the first to truly move her heart.

    Lu Yingying sent a few more sarcastic remarks before she finally stopped.

    With Qiao Jing¡¯s support, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t even bother to pay attention to Lu Yingying anymore.

    Anyway, tonight, Lu Yingying was definitely going to regret it.

    Eight o¡¯clock in the evening.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing arrived at the designated private room.

    Zhan Nanqing was the first to greet everyone, specifically calling out Lu Yingying¡¯s name.

    ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m notte, am I?¡±

    She paused.

    ¡°Lu Yingying, long time no see.¡±

    When Lu Yingying heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice, she put down her ss of wine and deliberately sat in her boyfriend¡¯sp, turning to look in her direction.

    ¡°Oh, look who it is! Isn¡¯t this our Miss Nanqing? Let me see what your boyfriend looks like¡ª¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when her gaze was instantly captivated by Qiao Jing in men¡¯s clothing.

    All the people in the private room also looked over, too shocked to speak.

    Qiao Jing nodded politely to everyone, lowering her voice and deliberately making it sound more masculine.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    Seeing the dumbfounded expression on Lu Yingying¡¯s face, Zhan Nanqing was extremely pleased and slightly lifted her chin with pride.

    ¡°Ahem, let me introduce you all. This is my boyfriend, Qiao Linting.¡±

    She knew that Qiao Jing would definitely outshine everyone!

    Now Lu Yingying was dumbfounded, wasn¡¯t she? Just a while ago she had a look of disdain, and now she was staring incessantly at Qiao Jing.

    The other ssmates were the first to recover and greeted Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hello Mr. Qiao, hello, you really are handsome, a perfect match for Nanqing!¡±

    ¡°To a century of happiness with Nanqing, ha!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing forced a faint smile.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    At that moment, she was feeling slightly ufortable since it was her first time attempting to cross-dress.

    She was worried that if her disguise was exposed, it would embarrass Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing affectionately linked arms with Qiao Jing, pressing close to her face.

    ¡°Thanks for everyone¡¯s blessings. I will indeed be happily matched with her for a century~¡±

    As she said this, she deliberately nced at Lu Yingying, who was still in shock, her smile growing even broader.

    ¡°Lu Yingying, weren¡¯t you rushing to meet my boyfriend in the group chat today? How about it? You¡¯ve seen him now, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Lu Yingying¡¯s face strained into a painfully forced smile as she nced back at her own boyfriend.

    Suddenly, she felt quite dismissive.

    ¡°Hehe¡­ I¡¯ve met him¡­¡±

    Her words from this morning, indirectly suggesting that Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend was inferior to her own, were probably picked up by everyone in the group chat.

    Now,paring her boyfriend to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s, hers was significantly less appealing!

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°tsked¡± and leaned closer to Qiao Jing, lowering her voice.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, did you see Lu Yingying¡¯s face? This really vented my frustration; it feels great! Thanks to you!¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and whispered:

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best not to be discovered, also, I can¡¯t drink alcohol.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nodded and eyed the various types of alcohol on the table.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, how could I possibly let you drink? Do you think I¡¯m out of my mind?¡±

    Bringing Qiao Jing here was quite risky already. If she let Qiao Jing drink, would her brother leave her alive?

    After Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing were seated, someone soon approached to offer drinks.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to decline, Zhan Nanqing swiftly intervened.

    ¡°Sorry, my boyfriend is allergic to alcohol.¡±

    The other party suddenly understood and ced the wine ss back on the table, smiling apologetically.

    ¡°Sorry about that; I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    As the wine ss was set back on the table, Zhan Nanqing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    Her heart almost leapt out; if Qiao Jing came into contact with even a drop of alcohol today, she wouldn¡¯t be a Zhan!

    Never mind her family name; her brother could literally disown her, dumping her in the middle of nowhere.

    Lu Yingying was thinking about how to oppose Zhan Nanqing. Since she couldn¡¯t outdo her in the boyfriend department, she had to find an alternative angle.

    Upon hearing that Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t drink, a hint of disdain shed in her eyes.

    ¡°Allergic to alcohol? Why evene to a gathering like this? Nanqing, better let your boyfriend go home and rest.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow and stared nkly at Lu Yingying, just about to speak when Zhan Nanqing gently patted her arm.

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes and retorted unapologetically:

    ¡°I wonder who it was that specifically asked this morning where my boyfriend was, and now you want him to go back. What, is being allergic to alcohol a crime?¡±

    Lu Yingying was left speechless by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s retort, unable to find another excuse.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing ¡°hmmphed¡± and leaned close to Qiao Jing¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you are specially here to support me, leave the rest to me.¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from Lu Yingying and nodded.

    It was just as well; she also worried that speaking more might give her away, so now she could minimize interaction with others.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach began to ache slightly.

 Chapter 513: 502: Qiao Jing Had a Stomachache Several Times

    <strong>Chapter 513: Chapter 502: Qiao Jing Had a Stomachache Several Times</strong>

    She gently ced her hand on her lower abdomen, furrowing her brows tightly, and nced sideways at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°I need to go to the restroom.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing quickly stood up, following behind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Hold on, Qiao¡ª¡±

    As soon as she said the sound of the word ¡°Jing¡±, she caught Lu Yingying¡¯s suspicious gaze.

    Lu Yingying next to her looked doubtfully at Zhan Nanqing, waiting for her to continue speaking.

    Zhan Nanqing immediately hit the brakes and silently gave herself a p in her mind.

    She had almost let it slip¡­

    She immediately held her stomach, feigning difort.

    ¡°Dear, my stomach hurts. Can youe to the restroom with me?¡±

    Although ces like Fuhuang Hotel are five-star and have good security measures, this entertainment area has many drunkards, so just in case, she still had to follow.

    After all, today was the day she had asked Qiao Jing toe and help, so she had to take good care of her.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, stood up, and left the private room with Zhan Nanqing.

    On the way to the restroom, the corner of Qiao Jing¡¯s eye suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure, and she slightly squinted her eyes.

    It was the man who had been beaten up in the alley earlier; his face was still swollen, still bearing the inted half of his face at work.

    Not sure what had happened, the man was constantly being shoved by several customers.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, deciding to stay back to observe the situation at the scene.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed that Qiao Jing had suddenly stopped and looked at her questioningly.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She noticed that Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was fixed on somewhere. She also looked in that direction and realized it was the man they had encountered at the entrance to the alley.

    The man was shoved again, and one of the customers picked up a wine bottle and smashed it on the ground, shattering the ss all over.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re broke? Do you know how much this shirt that you stained costs? Eighteen thousand! Are you going to pay or kneel down and clean up this mess?¡±

    The man hastily bowed in apology, squatting down to pick up the fragments.

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±

    Upon seeing this scene, Zhan Nanqing disdainfully clicked her tongue.

    ¡°Why is this guy so cowardly? I saw it earlier; it was that customer who identally spilled the wine on himself. This guy is so silly, just owning up to it.¡±

    She¡¯s never seen anyone so cowardly in her life, really! She couldn¡¯t stand it!

    Now that Qiao Jing had seen this, like her sister-inw¡ªkind-hearted and beautiful¡ªshe might go up and offer her help.

    Qiao Jing also saw that it was the customer purposely making it difficult, her frown deepening.

    She hadn¡¯t intervenedst time because Zhan Nanqing was there persuading her, and it involved a creditor collecting debts, so she didn¡¯t meddle.

    But this time it was clearly the customers causing trouble intentionally. She couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.

    Just as Qiao Jing took two steps forward, Zhan Nanqing pulled her back.

    Zhan Nanqing forcefully led Qiao Jing toward the restroom, not sparing a nce at the man from earlier.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, didn¡¯t you say you needed to use the restroom? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked back onest time at the man still squatting on the ground picking up ss pieces, trying to pull her arm away from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to help out.¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t show mercy to someone who was maliciously bullying and insulting another person¡¯s character.

    Just as she was about to pull her hand out of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s grasp, she felt a slight pain in her lower abdomen again.

    Zhan Nanqing continued to pull Qiao Jing toward the restroom, tirelessly rambling on.

    ¡°There are so many people opposite us, you better not go over there. And that guy is so silly, people bully him and he doesn¡¯t even fight back, really. Also, you¡¯re pregnant, definitely don¡¯t rush to help arbitrarily. Even if you are skilled, it¡¯s useless if something identally happens, right?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t consider me, then I have to consider myself, right? If something happened to you, my brother would definitely kick me out of the house, and it¡¯s not just my brother, my mom and my grandfather too. What if they decide topletely disown me? I¡¯d end up on the streets and then have to join the Beggars¡¯ Sect.¡±

    After listening to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s long speech, Qiao Jing tugged at the corner of her mouth in speechlessness.

    ¡°Is it really that exaggerated?¡±

    She almost couldn¡¯t help butugh when she heard Zhan Nanqing talk about disownment and joining the Beggars¡¯ Sect.

    How could the Zhan family possibly kick Zhan Nanqing out?

    Seizing the opportunity, Zhan Nanqing brought Qiao Jing to the restroom door and pushed her inside.

    ¡°Where did I exaggerate? I¡¯m telling the truth. Based on how much my brother treasures you, I would not only be kicked out of the house but might even be abandoned in the wilderness¡ªoh no, to exaggerate a bit more, I might even be thrown onto a deste ind in another country.¡±

    Now, anyone who knows my brother is aware of how much he treasures Qiao Jing.

    She dared not take the risk.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and nced in the direction of the man she had seen earlier.

    Noticing Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Zhan Nanqing urged:

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with him anymore, we aren¡¯t rted to him, and we don¡¯t have to help him. He is so timid for a boy, we can help him once but not for a lifetime.¡±

    Feeling the pain in her stomach again, Qiao Jing had to enter the restroom first.

    When she came out, ready to head back, she noticed that Zhan Nanqing was preparing to take her down another path.

    A hint of confusion appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Why not return the way we came? This way would take us on a much longer route.¡±

    In her mind, she was still thinking about the man from earlier and wanted to check on him on the way back, but Zhan Nanqing seemed to purposely want to avoid that area.

    However¡­ she guessed the reason for Zhan Nanqing¡¯s actions.

    It was simply out of fear that she might go and offer assistanceter, but she would only help after considering her own condition, not without thinking it through first.

    She was well aware of her physical condition; being pregnant didn¡¯t make her as fragile as porcin that shatters on touch.

    Otherwise, were all her years of training for nothing?

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling somewhat guilty, looked away and made up an excuse.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t really want to hang out with those people. Seeing Lu Yingying just irritates me. I¡¯d rather wander outside for a bit longer.¡±

    Qiao Jing helplessly touched her forehead and started walking in the direction they hade from.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back the way we came.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing wanted to stop Qiao Jing, but before she could even attempt it, Qiao Jing had already walked far away.

    She had no choice but to quickly follow.

    Upon returning to their original spot, they saw the man from afar, surrounded by a few customers. The lead customer was stepping on his shoulder, even holding a bottle threateningly while continuously spewing curse words.

    But the man still did not retaliate, letting the customers hit and curse him as they pleased.

 Chapter 514: 503 The fight broke out

    <strong>Chapter 514: Chapter 503 The fight broke out</strong>

    The man¡¯s inaction caused Qiao Jing to frown deeply and purse her red lips.

    Zhan Nanqing saw the man looking even more pitiful than before and rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    She had never seen a man so infuriating; he was being bullied outright and still kept silent!

    Suddenly, those customers developed a malicious amusement, and the leader pointed to his crotch.

    ¡°Crawl through here and I¡¯ll forgive you, but if you don¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m a regr at this hotel. I can not only make you pay mepensation, I can also get you fired.¡±

    The other customers were egging him on from the side.

    ¡°Hurry up and crawl! Our Young Master Xie has allowed you to crawl, and if you dare not, I¡¯ll break your legs!¡±

    ¡°You pauper, do you still want to hang around here? Our Young Master Xie is a regr and very close to the boss.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just crawling under a crotch, isn¡¯t it? Stop being so prissy. If you want to keep your job, crawl through quickly, otherwise if our Young Master Xie isn¡¯t happy about letting you crawl anymore, you¡¯ll regret it when it¡¯s toote.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The man sat on the ground, clutching his fists tightly, his lips trembling along but he kept his head down, saying nothing.

    After a moment, as if he couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer, he spoke softly:

    ¡°This job is very important to me, I can¡¯t lose this job. Can¡¯t you ask for something else?¡±

    Seeing this, one of the men picked up a wine bottle as if to smash it on the man¡¯s head, cursing.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Not happy even when given a face?¡±

    Just as the wine bottle was about to hit the man¡¯s head, it slipped straight from the assant¡¯s hand and flew out!

    The next second, the sound of ss shattering and screams echoed down the entire hallway.

    ¡°Aaaah! My hand!!!¡±

    The man who was originally holding the wine bottle was clutching his injured wrist, screaming continuously:

    ¡°Damn it! What the hell?! You little bitch, do you owe©¤©¤¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, his face met a p.

    A particrly crisp ¡°smack!¡± resounded through the air.

    Afterpleting this series of moves, Qiao Jing shook her hand and let her icy gaze fall on the men.

    Since this area was an open zone, that¡¯s how she noticed what was happening here.

    She wondered if these men had intentionally cleared out this floor for some reason. Except for peopleing out of the private rooms to go to the bathroom, no one else seemed to notice what was going on here.

    Zhan Nanqing stood behind Qiao Jing, pped her forehead, and heaved a long sigh.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let Qiao Jing go this way again¡­¡±

    Just moments ago, in the blink of an eye, Qiao Jing had disappeared from her sight.

    Then the screams made her snap back to reality, only to find that Qiao Jing had already run a distance away from her.

    As she was preparing to catch up, Qiao Jing was already throwing punches again.

    Qiao Jing was incredibly fast; Zhan Nanqing simply couldn¡¯t keep up.

    The leading Young Master Xie, seeing his brother being hit, immediately started rallying his other brothers.

    ¡°Motherfucker, who the hell are you? Daring to act so cocky, you even want to meddle in my business? Boys, beat him up for me!¡±

    The others had just gotten ready to roll up their sleeves and fight when they met Qiao Jing¡¯s extremely cold stare.

    They were instantly intimidated, feeling as if they were at the North Pole, so cold that their bodies started to tremble uncontrobly.

    Standing at the back, Young Master Xie didn¡¯t notice how gloomy Qiao Jing¡¯s expression had be. Seeing his brothers suddenly freeze, he pped one of them on the back of the head.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for? What good are you guys?!¡±

    The few men snapped back to reality and, without a word, charged towards Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing sensed something was wrong, took out her phone to call the police and message her brother, all the while urgently urging,

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Get back here!!¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to directlynd a flying kick and p someone¡¯s face.

    Although she thought the hit was good, the two of them, unarmed women, how could they possibly fight against several strong men?

    Even if Qiao Jing had great martial skills, a pregnant body couldn¡¯t withstand such rough treatment!

    With a slight sidestep, Qiao Jing dodged the first attack and then effortlessly brought a man down.

    Suddenly, Young Master Xie seemed to notice something; his face stiffened, and he froze on the spot.

    ¡°Wait! Stop fighting, get back here! Are you all deaf?!¡±

    The men stopped in their tracks, looking utterly confused.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Young Master Xie?¡±

    When Zhan Nanqing heard Young Master Xie, she paused her call.

    She looked at him questioningly, not forgetting to re at him.

    Howe she had never seen this person before, how could he know her?

    Seeing her reaction, Young Master Xie pulled someone in front of him, the previous ferocious demeanor nowpletely gone, afraid that Zhan Nanqing would recognize him, not realizing that she didn¡¯t know him at all.

    ¡°Miss Zhan, it¡¯s you? What a coincidence¡­ Is this your friend?¡±

    He had been to some gatherings before and had naturally seen Zhan Nanqing.

    If it had been anyone else he encountered today, it wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal, but it just had to be someone from the Zhan Family!

    Everyone in the capital feared the Zhan Family, and nobody dared to offend them since the head of the Zhan Family was known to be extremely ruthless.

    He wanted to stay alive, so he couldn¡¯t provoke her.

    Zhan Nanqing, realizing that the person opposite knew her and had stopped, put away her phone and red at them before speaking,

    ¡°You know me, so why aren¡¯t you leaving already?¡±

    It was even better that they knew her, as it might save her from trouble.

    Young Master Xie red angrily at the man sitting on the ground; just as he was about to kick him again, he suddenly felt a sharp gaze that made him feel as though he could be torn to pieces.

    Curious about where this gaze came from, he followed it and met Qiao Jing¡¯s cool face and sharp, knife-like eyes.

    Young Master Xie shivered, a cold sweat breaking out on his back, and he drew his foot back.

    No wonder his brothers had suddenly frozen in ce. Just being stared at by those eyes made him lose control and feel a chill down his spine, not to mention having witnessed her skills just moments ago.

    The thought that his own brother had been knocked down by this seemingly delicate ¡°man¡± brought a forcedugh from him.

    In the blink of an eye, it was as if a person had appeared out of thin air; in another blink, his brother¡¯s hand was kicked and injured, and in yet another, his brother was pped, all at lightning speed!

    He dared not provoke Qiao Jing any longer, especially with a member of the Zhan Family backing him up.

    ¡°Hello, hello, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding, don¡¯t take it to heart, haha, we¡¯ve got something to take care of, so we¡¯ll be leaving now¡­¡±

 Chapter 515: 504: Who Exactly Got a Room with Zhan Nanqing?

    <strong>Chapter 515: Chapter 504: Who Exactly Got a Room with Zhan Nanqing?</strong>

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at the few people and stared at them without saying a word.

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes dramatically.

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of wasting words, let¡¯s hurry and go!¡±

    Young Master Xie quickly scrambled to his feet, taking everyone with him, and peace was restored to the area.

    Qiao Jing suddenly noticed the man who had been beaten earlier, now silently squatting on the ground picking up the shards of ss.

    She furrowed her brows but did not step forward to stop him.

    She knew that the man¡¯s job was a server at the Fuhuang Hotel, and if she went up to stop him, it would be interrupting his work.

    Zhan Nanqing saw that the matter was already resolved, and she didn¡¯t want to stay any longer. She intended to leave with Qiao Jing right away.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, let¡¯s go. Everything has been handled, and there¡¯s no use for us to stay. Some people are just naturally like this. We can help him once, but we can¡¯t be there every time.¡±

    Qiao Jing took a look at the man still squatting to clean up, didn¡¯t say anything else, and prepared to leave with Zhan Nanqing.

    They had only walked a few steps when a voice came from behind them.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks, with a hint of surprise in her eyes, and turned to look at the speaker.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She originally thought this man was naturally reticent, the kind who would silently endure and never ask others for help when faced with these situations. Now that he was talking to her, she was quite surprised.

    The man quickly walked up to the two women, seeming hesitant to make eye contact with Qiao Jing. He hesitated for a moment, then stammered out his words.

    ¡°Thank¡­ Thank you¡­ But will I get fired?¡±

    The customer from earlier was a regr, and if he talked to the boss, this man was sure to be fired.

    Yet he absolutely could not lose this job, otherwise he would be out one source of ie.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the man with some disdain, and clicked her tongue.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name? I¡¯ll talk to the boss for you in a bit, okay?¡±

    Without even thinking, she knew Qiao Jing would help this man.

    After all, she knew the hotel owner, and a word from her would do.

    The man scratched his head with an embarrassed look.

    ¡°I¡­ My name is Chi Yuhang, sorry to bother you after you already helped me, and now have to do it again. I can exin. I really can¡¯t lose this job; it¡¯s very important to me.¡±

    As he spoke, Chi Yuhang bowed to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Thank you for saving me just now. May I be so bold as to ask your name?¡±

    He had actually wanted to dodge at the time, but with so many people there, he would surely have been caught and beaten again had he fled.

    So he decided not to run. It was just a hit from a bottle on his head causing some bleeding; he was used to it. To keep his job, he could only endure it and handle it himself when he got home.

    But then, to his surprise, someone saved him, and it was a girl, two girls in fact.

    What Qiao Jing saw in Chi Yuhang¡¯s eyes was no longer numbness but gratitude, which prompted her to nod her head.

    ¡°Qiao Jing.¡±

    As soon as she uttered these words, she realized she hadn¡¯t used a fake voice.

    Chi Yuhang paused for a moment when he heard her, taking a few seconds before responding to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Okay, Miss Qiao, thank you very much!¡±

    He wasn¡¯t concerned about the gender of the person who saved him; he just knew they were good people.

    Zhan Nanqing, with her arm looped through Qiao Jing¡¯s, led them towards the private rooms whileining:

    ¡°Qiao Jing, why do we meddle so much? He¡¯s such a wimp for a grown man¡­ Really¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak and apanied Zhan Nanqing back to the private room.

    Both of them sat down in their original spots, and Zhan Nanqing, seeing a few bottles of undrunk liquor on the table, reached for them and finished them off.

    What followed was Zhan Nanqing ying drinking games with others, and Qiao Jing kept herpany for a while.

    Not long afterwards, Qiao Jing suddenly felt a wave of sleepiness assail her, her eyelids growing progressively heavier.

    She took out her phone to check the time, only to find it was just nine o¡¯clock.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing, who was still drinking merrily beside her, hesitated for a moment, but decided to go upstairs and rest a while.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go upstairs and rest for a bit, I¡¯m a bit sleepy, call meter, and I¡¯lle down to pick you up.¡±

    Ever since she got pregnant, she found herself tending toward sleepiness, and her bedtime seemed toe earlier and earlier.

    If she continued to stay like this, she might just fall asleep on the sofa.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded, got up to walk Qiao Jing to the door but was stopped.

    Qiao Jing nced at the other people in the room who hadn¡¯t left yet and lowered her voice.

    ¡°No need to see me off, I can go up by myself.¡±

    She was supposed to be Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ¡°boyfriend¡±; it wouldn¡¯t make sense for a boyfriend to have his girlfriend escort him, now would it?

    Zhan Nanqing nodded, and only after receiving a message that Qiao Jing had safely returned to her room did she begin to drink freely.

    By the time Qiao Jing got back to her room, she was so drowsy she couldn¡¯t help it. She took off her jacket, ced her phone on the nightstand, and immediatelyy down on the bed and fell asleep.

    It wasn¡¯t until ten o¡¯clock that the door to the room was opened again.

    Zhan Nanqing sniffed her jacket and, finding it reeked of alcohol, threw it disdainfully onto the sofa, where itnded on top of the men¡¯s jacket Qiao Jing had worn that day.

    By this point, she was very drunk, her mind in a haze, staggering to the side of the bed.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone on the nightstand chimed.

    Zhan Nanqing picked up Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, squinting at the screen for a while, unable to make sense of it, only knowing a WeChat message hade through.

    She casually fiddled with it, setting the phone to silent mode before cing it back on the nightstand while muttering,

    ¡°Not even on silent while sleeping¡­¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Nanqing lifted the covers andy down beside Qiao Jing.

    On the other side, Zhan Qipei, alone in his room, couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. He sent several messages to Qiao Jing but got no reply.

    He also made several calls to Qiao Jing, all of which went unanswered.

    Zhan Qipei remembered what Qiao Jing had told him, that she was out ying with Zhan Nanqing today.

    He switched to the chat with Zhan Nanqing, and messages sent there met the same fate, sinking like stones in the sea, no one answering his calls either.

    Zhan Qipei knitted his brows, grabbed the car key on the table, and strode outside, meanwhile sending his people to Fuhuang Hotel to check for clues.

    Inside the Fuhuang Hotel lobby.

    Zhan Qipei took the phone and room card handed to him by the receptionist, the phone screen showing surveince footage of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s room¡¯s corridor.

    At 9:05 p.m., a man entered the room.

    At ten o¡¯clock, an intoxicated figure of Zhan Nanqing appeared on the surveince video, also entering the room.

    After watching the two clips, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed.

    Where was Qiao Jing?

    Wasn¡¯t it Qiao Jing who went out to have fun with his sister today?

    Who was this man in the surveince footage who went straight to a hotel room with his sister?

    Most importantly, this man had gone back to the room just after nine o¡¯clock, leaving his sister to drink herself into a stupor and return alone?

 Chapter 516: 505: Qiao Jing Caught Red-Handed by Zhan Qipei

    <strong>Chapter 516: Chapter 505: Qiao Jing Caught Red-Handed by Zhan Qipei</strong>

    When had his sister¡¯s judgment of people be so poor?

    The surveince video only showed the man¡¯s back, his facepletely unseen.

    This man¡¯s figure appeared quite thin. Was he really a match for his sister?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were pressed into a straight line, devoid of any curve. The hand holding the phone gradually tightened its grip, the knuckles turning a pale white from the force.

    ¡°When you checked in this morning, weren¡¯t there two of you? Are there no other cameras?¡±

    Now he didn¡¯t know where his sister was off to with some random man, and his wife had also disappeared?

    The waiter was startled by Zhan Qipei¡¯s icy aura and stammeringly began to speak:

    ¡°During the check-in¡­ it was only Miss Zhan alone. Later, I indeed saw another woman with Miss Zhan, but we really did not see theme out.

    President Zhan¡­ what you are viewing now are thetest two pieces of footage; there are more further back.¡±

    Zhan Qipei coldly nced at the waiter, then shifted his gaze back to the phone screen.

    It wasn¡¯t until he scrolled to this morning¡¯s footage and saw Qiao Jing¡¯s figure on the phone screen that his dark eyes briefly sparkled, his expression somewhat softened.

    The waiter, seeing this, felt the suffocating pressure surrounding him ease somewhat.

    Once Zhan Qipei saw the door open again and the people who emerged were Zhan Nanqing and a ¡°strange man¡±, his face darkened once more.

    Because the footage didn¡¯t capture the two people from the front, he couldn¡¯t clearly see the man¡¯s face.

    His wife? Where was his conspicuous wife?!

    Could she still be inside the room, not havinge out?

    Then where had this man sprung from?

    Had he been hiding in the room ahead of time?

    The waiter once again felt that intense suffocating atmosphere press down, scarcely able to maintain his professional smile.

    His emotions at this moment were like a roller coaster ride.

    His heart couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    Zhan Qipei, with a brooding face, went straight to the door of the room Zhan Nanqing had booked.

    His brow furrowed, he ced the card on the sensor.

    A ¡°beep¡± sound.

    The room door opened, revealing a pitch-dark interior, unclear to the eye.

    The waiter standing outside was extremely curious, but didn¡¯t dare to peek inside.

    The bodyguards stood guard at the door.

    Zhan Qipei had just stepped inside when he smelled a strong odor of alcohol and immediately turned on the room lights. There he saw two people lying on the bed and two pieces of clothing on the sofa.

    His face darkened further, and he swiftly approached the bed, his cold voice breaking the silence.

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing.¡±

    He wanted to see who exactly Zhan Nanqing was mingling with.

    Upon hearing the noise, Qiao Jing on the bed quickly opened her eyes and, wary, sat up.

    She paused upon seeing the man in front of her, her voice still tinged with sleepiness.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei? What are you doing here?¡±

    When Zhan Qipei realized the so-called ¡°stranger¡± was Qiao Jing, he was stunned for a few seconds, his previously dark expression quickly softening.

    ¡°Howe¡­ You rest well, I¡¯ll go and close the door for you.¡±

    He didn¡¯t yet understand the whole situation, but letting Qiao Jing continue to sleep seemed right.

    As for Zhan Nanqing, who was sleeping in a total mess beside her, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with her for now.

    No wonder he felt the man¡¯s silhouette in the surveince gave him a strangely familiar sensation; it turned out to be his own wife.

    Nothing in the world is as important as his wife.

    Having said this, Zhan Qipei quickly went to the room door and, without a word, shut it.

    The waiter outside jumped, blinking in shock.

    He hadn¡¯t seen it wrong, had he? Just now, on President Zhan¡¯s face¡­

    Was that tenderness???

    One moment his face was gloomy, and the next it had turned into an expression soft as water?

    Wasn¡¯t there another man in the room?

    How could President Zhan change expressions so quickly?!

    Inside the room.

    Qiao Jing had already sat up and reached to remove her wig, casually fixing her own hair.

    ¡°How did youe here? What time is it now?¡±

    She was really too sleepy just now, only managing to take off her coat and put down her phone before copsing on the bed to sleep.

    But, how did Zhan Qipei find this ce?

    She remembered that she and Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about the gathering.

    It was precisely because she was worried that Zhan Qipei would be jealous that she didn¡¯t tell him, but now, he had found his way here himself.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the wig on the floor, pursing his thin lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost eleven now, why the male disguise today?¡±

    When he first saw Qiao Jing, he was still somewhat unsure whether the person was actually his wife.

    After all, Qiao Jing¡¯s disguise just now was too much like a boy¡¯s.

    He had even thought, when did they get a male version of Qiao Jing?

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing, who was lying beside her, sound asleep, and helplessly touched her forehead.

    ¡°Today she had a college reunion, and she asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend.¡±

    She originally didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei to know about this, but since he was already here, there was no way to keep it a secret, so she might as well be upfront about it.

    Just then, Zhan Nanqing slowly woke up, frowning and reaching around irritably,ining:

    ¡°Why is someone talking, buzzing and buzzing¡­¡±

    The first person she saw was Qiao Jing, just as she was about to turn over and continue sleeping, she saw Zhan Qipei standing by the bed.

    Zhan Nanqing suddenly shivered, sitting up from the bed like a carp flipping over, wide awake.

    ¡°Brother? What are you doing here?!¡±

    When she first saw her brother, her heart inexplicably felt guilty since she was almost falling in love with Qiao Jing, ready to be her brother¡¯s new romantic rival.

    Her first reaction was that it felt like she had been caught in the act.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened as he gazed at Zhan Nanqing with a profound look.

    ¡°You asked Qiao Jing to be your boyfriend?¡±

    This was clearly his wife, yet his sister dared ask Qiao Jing to be her boyfriend?

    Zhan Nanqing coughed, involuntarily moving a little closer to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah¡­ just helping out, brother, you don¡¯t know, someone said your sister is an eternal singleton! Can you tolerate that?¡±

    Zhan Qipei spoke expressionlessly:

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I tolerate it?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment, rolling her eyes speechlessly.

    As expected, her brother only had eyes for Qiao Jing.

    She shouldn¡¯t have expected her brother to side with her.

    Qiao Jing, seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hair as messy as a chicken¡¯s nest, reached out to tidy it up for her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now, it¡¯s veryte, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    She had originally nned to rest upstairs for a while before going home, but now that Zhan Qipei hade, they could go straight back.

    Zhan Nanqing straightened up her appearance and got off the bed.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, wait a minute, your clothes are still in the bathroom, I¡¯ll take you there to change.¡±

 Chapter 517: 506: Zhan Qipeis Uncontrolled Jealousy Outburst

    <strong>Chapter 517: Chapter 506: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Uncontrolled Jealousy Outburst</strong>

    Zhan Qipei heard her, gathered his brows like misty smoke, and without saying another word, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist and walked outside.

    ¡°No need to change, forget about that outfit.¡±

    What on earth was going on with his sister now? First she had his wife pretend to be her boyfriend, and now she wanted to take his wife to change clothes?

    It made him think of thest time Ni Yue did something simr, taking the pretext of helping Qiao Jing change clothes to get handsy.

    Zhan Nanqing picked up on the implication in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, and grew even more speechless, rolling her eyes dramatically.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m taking Qiao Jing to change clothes, not helping her change, do you have to act this way? And you¡¯re letting her go back like this when her hair isn¡¯t even properly done?¡±

    She wouldn¡¯t mind helping Qiao Jing change, but thetter didn¡¯t need her help at all.

    Moreover, if she were to see Qiao Jing, a human charm king, in such enchanting scenes again, she wouldn¡¯t be her brother¡¯s sister anymore.

    She¡¯d have directly be her brother¡¯s love rival.

    Of course, these thoughts were only in her mind; she would never dare to say them out loud.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Zhan Nanqing, his thin lips parting slightly.

    ¡°You should take a look at your own hair.¡±

    On hearing this, Zhan Nanqing took out her phone, turned on the camera, and examined herself, only to find her hair looked like a bird¡¯s nest.

    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing tidying it up just now, it would certainly be messier.

    Even though Qiao Jing¡¯s hair was a bit disheveled at the moment because she had just taken off her wig,pared with Zhan Nanqing¡¯s, hers was still less wretched.

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, she casually reached up to sort through her long hair.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing, noticing that the woman was tidying up her hair, and gently helped smooth it with his hand.

    ¡°Let me help you, you can¡¯t see.¡±

    Qiao Jing considered it and realized that it was indeed inconvenient for her to fix her hair, so she simply let the man help.

    Zhan Nanqing stood opposite them, watching Zhan Qipei tenderly and affectionately help Qiao Jing with her hair.

    She closed her eyes, turned to look at the couch, and muttered in her heart.

    Can¡¯t bear to look, really can¡¯t bear to look¡­

    Howe she always ends up encountering such public disys of affection wherever she goes?

    Zhan Nanqing stared at the wig and the men¡¯s jacket lying on the couch, recalling the image of Qiao Jing in men¡¯s attire, and her heart involuntarily started racing again.

    Isn¡¯t there a popr saying online that with crossdressing there¡¯s only zero or countless times?

    For Qiao Jing¡¯s male disguise, it¡¯s also zero or countless times. If there¡¯s another asion in the future, she must see Qiao Jing in male attire again!

    Suddenly, she remembered something and quickly grabbed the wig and coat and handed them to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Wait! Qiao Jing, Lu Yingying and the others are still downstairs; what if you run into them? Can you wear this again for a while, and take it off after we go out?¡±

    Zhan Qipei answered definitively,

    ¡°No.¡±

    His so-called little sister had made Qiao Jing dress up as a man behind his back to be her boyfriend, that was one thing, but now to redo it all over again in front of him?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her delicate brows, hesitated for a moment, but still reached out to take it.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She needed tomit to the rolepletely; having kept up the disguise for so long at the gathering without being recognized, it would be a waste if she were spotted on her way back.

    Zhan Qipei frowned his misty brows again, tightened his grip on Qiao Jing¡¯s slender wrist, and his dark eyes were filled with stubbornness.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, nced indifferently at Zhan Qipei, and started fixing the wig.

    ¡°If we run into Zhan Nanqing¡¯s friendster, then all my efforts to dress up as a man tonight would have been for nothing.¡±

    After all, she had promised Zhan Nanqing, so she would try her best to fulfill it.

    It was just a matter of staying in disguise for a little while longer, it¡¯s not a big deal.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and said nothing more, his icy gaze falling on Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡±

    Nanqing muttered softly with a hint of defiance, grumbling quietly,

    ¡°You say there won¡¯t be a next time¡­ surely there will be a next time¡­¡±

    After all, she had been alone for a long time, and now that there was a ¡°handsome guy¡± avable, how could she let him go so easily?

    Qipei narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Nanqing with an inquiring gaze.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Nanqing quickly waved her hands and changed the subject.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ nothing¡­ Qiao Jing, do you need help?¡±

    If her brother overheard what she had just said, she definitely wouldn¡¯t see tomorrow¡¯s sun.

    The next time she needed Qiao Jing to cross-dress, she would have to keep it a secret from her brother.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, put her wig back on, and reverted to her prior disguise.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She was still a bit sleepy at this point and needed to hurry home to sleep.

    Zhan Qipei just watched his wife transform from a girl to a boy, feeling somewhat conflicted and a sense of ominous foreboding creeping into his heart.

    His wife was already beautiful, but now she looked so handsome in men¡¯s attire, what if women started falling for her too?

    Nanqing had only walked a few steps when she caught a glimpse of her own makeup, specially brought but unused, in the corner of her eye.

    She hesitated for a moment but then stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you and my brother go ahead, I¡¯ll catch up with you in a moment. I need to organize my makeup.¡±

    These cosmetics were all luxury brands, and several of the lipstick shades were hot sellers that had sold out. She was somewhat attached to them.

    Although her family was wealthy, she was now a working individual and understood that earning money was not easy.

    Qiao Jing nodded. She had just opened the door when she met the eyes of a waiter aglow with intense gossip, alongside several bodyguards gathered at the door.

    She furrowed her brows, a trace of confusion surfacing in her eyes as she turned towards the person beside her.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the scene unfolding before her seemed to be about capturing someone.

    A momentary nkness crossed Qipei¡¯s face, followed by a cough.

    ¡°Cough¡­ It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s go.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t very well tell Qiao Jing that he had brought these people to find her and incidentally catch the strange man who was with Nanqing, could he?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t ask any further, focused solely on getting home to sleep, and hastened her steps.

    The waiter surreptitiously watched the two departing figures, feeling as if he had just stumbled upon the first big scoop of the day.

    When he saw President Zhan looking tenderly at that ¡°man,¡± he nearly thought he was going blind with age.

    It wasn¡¯t until the ¡°man¡± spoke that he realized she was a woman, which meant she had to be President Zhan¡¯s wife.

    The couple might be loving, but why would Madam Zhan need to dress as a man?

    Could it be some new kind of kink?

    After the pair entered the elevator and the waiter was about to leave, he encountered Nanqing emerging from the room, and he felt as if thunder had struck on a clear day.

    With his vivid imagination, he conjured up an borate emotional drama.

    No wonder President Zhan was so angry when he saw the surveince footage; it turned out Miss Zhan and his wife had been sleeping together.

    Wait¡­ Madam Zhan dressed as a man sleeping with Miss Zhan¡­?

    Did he just stumble upon an explosive secret??

    As soon as Nanqing stepped out of the room, she noticed the shock on the waiter¡¯s face and asked with curiosity,

    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±

 Chapter 518: 507: Qiao Jing Gains a New Fangirl

    <strong>Chapter 518: Chapter 507: Qiao Jing Gains a New Fangirl</strong>

    This expression, identical to the one she had while eating melons, suggested there were melons involved in this hotel too?

    The waiter, questioned by the person involved, felt inexplicably guilty.

    ¡°Nothing, Miss Zhan. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing watched the waiter with a look of utter confusion and left with her things.

    She had actually thought there was some incredible gossip that ttered her.

    Meanwhile, in the hotel lobby.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had just stepped out of the elevator and ran into someoneing from another elevator.

    It was Lu Yingying and her boyfriend.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Lu Yingying before withdrawing her gaze and continuing on her way.

    Seeing Qiao Jing, Lu Yingying bit her lip and quickened her step to follow.

    ¡°Qiao Linting!¡±

    When she heard this name, Qiao Jing paused before realizing that it was the new name Zhan Nanqing had just given her.

    She stopped.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing stop, wore a look of confusion as he turned to the woman.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lu Yingying, pulling her boyfriend, hurried to the front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Linting, wait! I have some questions for you.¡±

    When she heard Zhan Nanqing arriving with her boyfriend, she felt disdainful and even thought that the boyfriend couldn¡¯t possibly match up to her own.

    However, the moment she saw Qiao Linting¡¯s face, her heart inexplicably raced.

    After the other party had left, she found herself unexpectedly reluctant to part with him.

    She was certain that she had fallen in love with Qiao Linting at first sight.

    The man standing next to Lu Yingying waspletely baffled.

    ¡°Yingying? What do you want to ask him? What¡¯s there to talk to him about??¡±

    Lu Yingying frowned and pushed him away.

    ¡°You go ahead, I have something to deal with. I¡¯ll find youter.¡±

    The man, confused, had no choice but to leave the lobby first.

    Qiao Jing still wasn¡¯t used to the sses on her nose, and she pushed them up again, lowering her voice.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Given that Lu Yingying was not amicable toward Zhan Nanqing and since the two were mortal enemies, and fearing moremunication with these people might expose her, she really did not want to interact with them any further.

    More so, since Zhan Nanqing would being down soon, and if she saw them chatting, she probably would get angry.

    After all, her current identity was as Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s gesture made Lu Yingying take a deep breath, and her heart beat even faster.

    ¡°Could you possibly give me your contact information? I have some questions that aren¡¯t convenient to discuss face-to-face.¡±

    No sooner had she finished speaking than she felt a cold gaze upon her.

    Curious, Lu Yingying followed the gaze and soon met the eyes of Zhan Qipei, who was standing behind Qiao Jing.

    She furrowed her brows, feeling a chill down her spine.

    Howe this man looked somewhat familiar?

    Mostly, why was he looking at her like that?

    Had she provoked him in some way?

    Although this man was also good-looking, she still preferred Qiao Linting.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly drawn in a rigid line with no curve, and his facial contours tensed, he answered on behalf of Qiao Jing first.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    He now understood fully, Qiao Jing really was loved by both men and women.

    Moreover, this woman was asking him for his wife¡¯s contact information right in front of him?!

    Lu Yingying cast an unhappy nce at Zhan Qipei and was about to retort sharply when she suddenly recognized him. Her tone immediately softened, and her gaze shifted to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I was asking him¡­¡±

    No wonder the man standing behind Qiao Linting seemed familiar. He was the rarely seen Zhan Qipei.

    Upon hearing Lu Yingying¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed his brows and also refused her.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    Lu Yingying frowned, stepped forward a few steps, and closed the distance to Qiao Jing, finding a random excuse.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I? I just wanted to add you as a friend to ask a few questions about Nanqing.¡±

    Right then, Zhan Nanqing came out of the elevator. Hearing Lu Yingying¡¯s words, she quickly walked over to Qiao Jing and affectionately linked her arm with his.

    ¡°If you have any questions, you can ask me directly. Why ask my boyfriend?¡±

    She never imagined Lu Yingying would go after Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s male attire really attracted attention!

    Lu Yingying¡¯s expression turned unpleasant, her gaze still tightly following Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Nanqing, I just wanted to get to know him, to be friends. You know my boyfriend, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Why did Zhan Nanqing have toe over at this very moment?

    If she didn¡¯t take the opportunity to get to know Qiao Linting today, she might not have the chance to meet him in the future.

    So she had to find an opportunity to get acquainted with Qiao Linting¡ªafter all, those two might not always be together, and maybe she would still have a chance.

    Zhan Nanqing directly rolled her eyes in front of Lu Yingying.

    ¡°You think I want to know your boyfriend? You¡¯re the one posting about him all the time, and he just happens to be in this circle in the capital. It¡¯s hard not to know him. Just because I know your boyfriend doesn¡¯t mean you can forcibly get to know mine. Is it okay if I¡¯m a little possessive?¡±

    Lu Yingying was left speechless by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s retort, only managing to stare intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing repeatedly mention ¡°boyfriend,¡± Zhan Qipei had a dark expression that looked almost like it could drip with disdain, his cold gaze fell on the two women standing next to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing.¡±

    Now, one of them was linking arms with his wife, and the other was asking for his wife¡¯s contact information.

    And he was being squeezed out from beside Qiao Jing?

    Zhan Nanqing shivered and looked back at Zhan Qipei, continuously signaling to him.

    They absolutely couldn¡¯t give themselves away in front of Lu Yingying!

    If they did, she would lose all her dignity.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression remained very stern as he prepared to step forward and pull Qiao Jing back to his side.

    Qiao Jing, knowing Zhan Qipei¡¯s character, looked back at him before he could approach and mouthed two words.

    ¡°Don¡¯te over.¡±

    She had held on until now and couldn¡¯t let it all go to waste.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows were so tightly knit they could trap a fly, yet he had to halt his steps.

    ¡°Can we go now?¡±

    If he let these two women get any closer to Qiao Jing, he worried his wife might be led astray.

    To put it precisely, turned.

    Qiao Jing looked at the speechless Lu Yingying and the exasperated Zhan Nanqing, then nodded her head.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go first.¡±

    Seeing this, Lu Yingying was about to follow them but was stopped by Zhan Nanqing, who discerned her intentions.

    As Zhan Nanqing walked away, she kept looking back at Lu Yingying and, to aggravate her, hugged Qiao Jing and rubbed against him.

    ¡°Lu Yingying, stop harboring thoughts about my boyfriend.¡±

    She had brought Qiao Jing here to support her, not for Lu Yingying to take a liking to him.

    Now, Qiao Jing was her boyfriend!

    Lu Yingying¡¯s face grew even more unsightly, and she stopped in her tracks, not following them anymore.

    Only then did Zhan Nanqing turn around, satisfied, and snorted.

 Chapter 519: 508: Unexpected Power Outage, Zhan Qipeis Joy

    <strong>Chapter 519: Chapter 508: Unexpected Power Outage, Zhan Qipei¡¯s Joy</strong>

    When she turned back, she collided with her brother¡¯s icy gaze, startling her so much that she choked on her own saliva and coughed out loud.

    After leaving the hotel, Zhan Nanqing quickly released Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and maintained a certain distance from him.

    ¡°Are you happy now, brother,¡± she said, ¡°just borrowing him for a little while, no need to be so stingy.¡±

    Although she really liked Qiao Jing now, she had to keep it from her brother.

    After all, Qiao Jing dressed as a man was incredibly handsome; her drool was almost dripping on the floor.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes were filled with coldness; without saying another word, he brought Qiao Jing to his side and led him to the car.

    ¡°Go back on your own.¡±

    If his sister really liked Qiao Jing, it wouldn¡¯t matter even if she was his biological sister; he still wouldn¡¯t let the two of them interact.

    He had already been worried when Qiao Jing was disguised as a woman, not only because men liked his wife, but also because of Ni Yue, who often opposed him.

    Now that Qiao Jing was dressed as a man, he immediately attracted two men.

    It seemed he really had to stick close to Qiao Jing at all times now, with more and more new rivals appearing.

    If it weren¡¯t for Zhan Nanqing working at the research institute, he would havepletely prevented the two from meeting.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing immediately withdrew her longing gaze from Qiao Jing andined:

    ¡°Brother! I¡¯ve been drinking, and you actually feel okay letting me, a girl, take a taxi ale at night?¡±

    But she was already used to this life; with Qiao Jing around, her brother wouldn¡¯t even give anyone else a nce.

    Even though she was his sister.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, opened the back door of the car, and said to Zhan Nanqing,

    ¡°Sit in the back.¡±

    After saying that, she gave an irritated re at the man beside her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, if you treated other women this way, I wouldn¡¯t say anything, but when it¡¯s your own family, you need to take them home. It¡¯s really unsafe for a girl to go home alone at night.¡±

    Initially, she had intended to have Zhan Nanqing ride back with them in the car because it was already past eleven o¡¯clock at night, and it was too dangerous for a girl to take a taxi alone. What if something happened?

    Especially since Zhan Nanqing had been drinking; it was even more dangerous.

    Zhan Nanqing ran over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, a look of utter distress on her face, and said:

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to days like these. How about this, Qiao Jing, let¡¯s take a taxi together, you can sleep over at my ce tonight? Let my brother drive back by himself.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened again; he seated Qiao Jing in the passenger seat and without hesitation, shut the car door, locking Zhan Nanqing outside.

    Qiao Jing, speechless, twitched the corner of her mouth, preparing to open the door to get out, only to find it locked from the inside.

    Her chest heaved heavily.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, unlock the door.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his tense facial profile rxing only when he was alone with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°A bodyguard will take her.¡±

    His original intention when he told Zhan Nanqing to go back on her own was for a bodyguard to drive her home.

    Qiao Jing looked up into the rearview mirror in the car and only felt relieved when she saw Zhan Nanqing climb into another car with the bodyguard.

    She took off the wig and sses, cing them beside her, and closed her eyes to rub her temples.

    When Qiao Jing opened her eyes, intending to put the wig and sses neatly away, she discovered that both items had disappeared.

    She blinked in confusion, her peripheral vision suddenly catching sight of the items moved to the back seat.

    She didn¡¯t even need to think to know whose doing it was.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples abruptly throbbed, her face showing helplessness as she turned to the man beside her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, why did you put the stuff in the back?¡±

    She had nned to tidy them up and then return the items to Zhan Nanqing, but this man had secretly moved them to the back seat while she wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    Zhan Qipei looked at the street and said without changing his expression:

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t possibly tell Qiao Jing that he had actually been thinking about throwing these things away, could he¡­?

    Qiao Jing was amused by Zhan Qipei¡¯s nonchnt lying demeanor.

    ¡°You mean to say they grew legs and ran to the back themselves?¡±

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with Zhan Qipei and went back to the downstairs of their home to wait, taking the two items and putting them in a bag.

    Once at home, Qiao Jing quickly changed into a loose set of pajamas andy down on her bed.

    She had just prepared to switch the light to a nightlight when, suddenly, everything went dark before her eyes.

    Then, the brightly lit residential area outside the bay window also followed suit and dimmed, plunging into darkness.

    Qiao Jing was startled and picked up her phone from the table.

    The situation was likely a sudden power outage, otherwise, themunity group chat would have sent a notification in advance.

    She opened the group chat and sure enough, saw a message from the property management.

    ¡°Dear residents, there has been a sudden short circuit in themunity¡¯s electrical system. We are working urgently to resolve it, please remain calm.¡±

    After reading the message, Qiao Jing was about to turn on her phone¡¯s shlight to go look for candles when suddenly a shadow appeared in front of her.

    What was that?

    On guard, Qiao Jing immediately turned on her phone¡¯s shlight.

    Zhan Qipei squinted through the sudden bright light, shielding his eyes with his hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s a power outage, be careful. I came over to look after you.¡±

    When he heard about the outage, he was overjoyed inside, feeling it was a godsend.

    Last time, he had deliberately arranged for the power outage, but now fate had given him another opportunity, and he had already nned out tonight¡¯s actions.

    Due to a couple of girls revolving around Qiao Jingtely, jealousy had already been building up in his heart.

    Now, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly and checked the time, theny back down on the bed.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±

    She had initially wanted to find a candle to use as a nightlight, but she didn¡¯t have a habit of waking up at night and could sleep all the way through to the morning; the power outage wouldn¡¯t affect her.

    Qiao Jing tucked herself in and closed her eyes to sleep, but a few secondster, she still hadn¡¯t heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s footsteps leave.

    She opened her eyes and, using the moonlight spilling in through the window, could just barely make out a dark figure standing by the bed.

    If she hadn¡¯t known in advance that it was Zhan Qipei, she might have been startled.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei? Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±

    Zhan Qipei came directly to the side of the bed, sitting down beside Qiao Jing with a muffled voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to keep youpany.¡±

    Qiao Jing pushed Zhan Qipei slightly, her lips parting slightly.

    ¡°Why keep mepany? It¡¯s just a power outage. I¡¯m not scared.¡±

    It was just a bit dark, and the property management had already mentioned that repairs were underway.

    At least, none of the people she knew were afraid of the dark.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, the next thing Zhan Qipei said made her face contradict her thoughts.

 Chapter 520: 509: I Want to Be with You

    <strong>Chapter 520: Chapter 509: I Want to Be with You</strong>

    ¡°But I want you to stay with me.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Qiao Jing froze for a moment before she realized the meaning behind Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    A hint of surprise surfaced in the depths of her eyes as she looked toward the man.

    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re afraid?¡±

    Howe she didn¡¯t know that Zhan Qipei was afraid of the dark?

    Moreover, as domineering as Zhan Qipei, she felt she would rather believe in pigs climbing trees than in Zhan Qipei being afraid of the dark.

    Zhan Qipei grunted in affirmation, and without further ado, he sat down at the edge of Qiao Jing¡¯s bed.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly, her suspicious gazending on the man¡¯s face.

    But due to the power outage, she could only make out the rough outline of the man¡¯s profile.

    Then, the man¡¯s dark silhouette began to approach her.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to shift aside to give Zhan Qipei room, a pair of strong and firm arms suddenly encircled her waist.

    Her temple pulsed unexpectedly as she lowered her head to nce at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    This damn man, taking advantage of the power outage, had naturally climbed into her bed and reached out to hold her?

    If it weren¡¯t for the property management¡¯s message, she would¡¯ve even suspected that this was arranged by Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei buried his face in front of Qiao Jing¡¯s elevated body, drawing in the fragrance of her body, rubbing against her, his face unblushing, his heart not skipping a beat as he said:

    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±

    These three words were said in an even tone, with hardly any ripple of emotion.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly; she would not believe a word this damn man said.

    The president of the formidable Zhan Corporation, the skilled Zhan Qipei, scared of the dark?

    He hadn¡¯t mentioned being scared when he turned off all the lights in her house to give her a gift before.

    So, the man was definitely pretending now.

    With this in mind, Qiao Jing did not hesitate to reach out and push the man¡¯s head.

    ¡°Get up.¡±

    After she said those words, she felt the arms around her waist begin to tremble slightly.

    This caused Qiao Jing to pause her motion, furrowing her brows.

    Zhan Qipei lifted his head from Qiao Jing¡¯s chest, stared at the woman¡¯s lifted chin in the moonlight, edged closer, and muttered:

    ¡°I want to stay with you.¡±

    He had almost forgotten to act scared just now; he didn¡¯t know if it was toote to pretend.

    But to someone as smart as Qiao Jing, hadn¡¯t he already given himself away?

    Who cares? Whether she guessed it or not, he wasn¡¯t going to let go.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, and at this moment, she too felt unsure whether the man was pretending or not.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let go. Go sit on the couch over there. The power will be back on soon.¡±

    Regardless, however scared he might be, he couldn¡¯t just keep holding her waist like that.

    Was he nning to hold her around the waist and sleep like that all night long?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes sank, staring straight at the woman¡¯s face.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Right now, he was hoping that the power wouldn¡¯te back on all night long, otherwise he was sure to be kicked out of the room by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing tugged the corner of her mouth speechlessly and looked down at Zhan Qipei.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly, his burning gaze seemed especially bright in the night, allowing her to clearly see him.

    The man¡¯s gaze seemed to have a prating power, as if he could see every true detail beneath her clothes, making her inexplicably ufortable.

    Zhan Qipei, noticing that Qiao Jing was silent, edged forward again, rested his head on her shoulder, and reached out to pull the covers over them both, feigning a pitiful look.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just stay for the night.¡±

    Even though he had already spent many nights here, sharing a bed with Qiao Jing while she was awake was different from sneaking in during the middle of the night.

    The darkness of night reduces one¡¯s vision but enhances both hearing and touch.

    Thus, Qiao Jing could clearly feel the warm breath Zhan Qipei blew in her ear, almost as if under the illusion that he was seducing her.

    The rm bells in her heart were ringing, and she became even more certain of her thoughts.

    She absolutely could not let Zhan Qipei stay on her bed!

    Just as she was about to kick him off, she heard the man speak in a aggrieved tone beside her ear.

    ¡°Just for tonight,¡±

    When she heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s pitiful tone, Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, hesitated, and considered the feasibility of letting him stay in her bed.

    If this bastard decided to make a move while she was fast asleep, and she couldn¡¯t react quickly enough, she might not even put up any resistance at all.

    Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a hand slip under the hem of her clothes.

    This damn man!

    Right as Qiao Jing was about to take action, the incandescent light in her home turned on, and the pitch-ck room was once again illuminated.

    But Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand hadn¡¯t been withdrawn yet!

    It was even moving around on her stomach!

    Feeling this, a vein on Qiao Jing¡¯s forehead twitched rapidly, and she clenched her fists with a ¡°crack-crack.¡±

    The next second, a ¡°thud!¡± was heard in the room.

    It was the sound of a body colliding with the floor.

    Zhan Qipei had ¡°moved¡± from Qiao Jing¡¯s bed to the floor, right at the moment the lights hade back on, she had kicked him off her bed.

    Just when he was about to be able to stay, the power returned!

    He was so close to spending the night in Qiao Jing¡¯s room. Why did the residential area have to fix the electricity so quickly?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression immediately darkened as he stood up.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with Zhan Qipei anymore; she pulled up her nket, turned her back to the man, and issued a clear eviction order.

    ¡°Get out, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    She shouldn¡¯t have hesitated earlier, giving Zhan Qipei the opportunity to make advances.

    Zhan Qipei stared intensely at Qiao Jing¡¯s back, took out his phone to check the homeowners¡¯ group chat, and discovered that the property management had already posted a notification that the repair was done.

    He rarely ever spoke in the homeowners¡¯ group, but he made an exception and posted a period.

    Although he had been kicked out now, it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯te back over after Qiao Jing fell asleep.

    Zhan Qipei made his footsteps lighter and left Qiao Jing¡¯s room.

    On the other hand, when the property management saw the period Zhan Qipei had sent, they immediately felt a sense of dread.

    Others were unaware of the identity of the resident, but as part of the property management, they were very clear!

    This was President Zhan!

    The head of Zhan Corporation in the capital!

    That period seemed to represent dissatisfaction; could it be that the slow repair offended him?

    The property manager didn¡¯t dare to ask Zhan Qipei directly, nor did they have his personal contact, so they had no choice but to approach Miss Qiao.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I apologize for the intrusion. May I ask if our slow electrical repair affected your life, and that¡¯s why President Zhan is angry?¡±

    In fact, it was precisely because of Zhan Qipei that they feared me and had been repairing the electricity as fast as they possibly could; they fixed the circuit in less than ten minutes.

    Thinking that they had performed so well, President Zhan should be satisfied, right?

    But he was not.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was getting up to change her nightlight and saw her phone screen light up; she nced at it.

    After seeing the message, confusion arose in her heart.

    Why would property management suddenly ask this?

    It wasn¡¯t until she saw the screenshot of the chat sent by property management that Qiao Jing instantly understood.

    Her gazended on the period Zhan Qipei had sent, and the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrobly.

    Although it hadn¡¯t affected her, it certainly affected Zhan Qipei¡¯s ¡°life.¡±

    It had messed with the bastard¡¯s preference of getting touchy-feely with her, and that¡¯s why he posted a period in the group chat.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in speechlessness and replied to the property management¡¯s message.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    The property managers all breathed a sigh of relief after receiving Qiao Jing¡¯s message.

    No problem then¡­

 Chapter 521: 510: Qiao Jing Suddenly Faints!

    <strong>Chapter 521: Chapter 510: Qiao Jing Suddenly Faints!</strong>

    The next morning.

    While working, Qiao Jing could constantly feel Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze burning into her side, unceasing and intense.

    She furrowed her brows and reminded indifferently:

    ¡°Focus on your work.¡±

    The work at the research institute had to be treated with full concentration; any mistakes were not allowed.

    Even if Zhan Nanqing was just assisting her, she needed to work diligently.

    Zhan Nanqing then snapped out of it and reluctantly withdrew her gaze, sighing heavily.

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing sigh, Qiao Jing looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked:

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t I already help you solve it yesterday? Why the sigh?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing sighed again deeply.

    ¡°Ah¡ªI forgot to take a photo with you yesterday.¡±

    Last night she was so busy watching Qiao Jing, shepletely forgot about taking photos.

    Now that she thought about it, she was filled with regret. If only she had taken more photos to secretly admire on her own.

    But no matter, she would definitely find an opportunity to have Qiao Jing dress up again!

    Qiao Jing helplessly touched her forehead.

    ¡°Is it just because of that?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nodded vigorously and pulled out her phone to show the only photo she took yesterday.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that worth sighing over? Do you know how handsome you were yesterday? I almost fell in love with you. And that Lu Yingying, she seemed to have taken a liking to you too, which really ticked me off. But it¡¯s understandable; you were just too, too handsome yesterday.¡±

    Qiao Jing was speechless in her mind.

    ¡°Yesterday is over, now you need to focus on your work.¡±

    She didn¡¯t feel any different, just changed her clothes; her face was still the same.

    Reluctance shone in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes as she stared at the photo for a long while before finally putting her phone away.

    She had to find an opportunity so that the next time Qiao Jing dressed up, she could take a load of photos and pin them up in her room to feast her eyes.

    Qiao Jing only looked away when Zhan Nanqing re-engaged in her work.

    The tasks of today were unlike the past, as her current work was critical to the sess or failure of the entire research project.

    So, she had to be even more invested than before.

    Zhan Nanqing also understood the importance of this task and, setting aside all distractions, seriously assisted Qiao Jing.

    During the lunch break, Qiao Jing was still busy working.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t left, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t dare to leave either, staying by Qiao Jing¡¯s side to pass her documents and experimental tools.

    It wasn¡¯t until one o¡¯clock in the afternoon that her stomach started growling loudly.

    Her stomach had already begun rumbling a while ago, but seeing Qiao Jing still working, she felt too embarrassed to leave.

    But now she really couldn¡¯t hold out any longer; she was starving.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Qiao Jing, still immersed in her work, and after hesitating, she finally spoke up.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, let¡¯s go have lunch first.¡±

    She was almost fainting from hunger.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond verbally to Zhan Nanqing, just nodded slightly, showing no intention of leaving.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned slightly and stepped forward to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat first, and we can continue workingter.¡±

    Having worked together for a while, she knew Qiao Jing was very absorbed in her work, especially with today¡¯s important tasks¡ªshe likely wouldn¡¯t be persuaded to leave easily.

    But no matter how busy work was, skipping meals was not an option. Qiao Jing was already so thin; if she skipped meals, wouldn¡¯t her health totally copse?

    Moreover, Qiao Jing was pregnant now, carrying triplets in her belly; what would happen if she didn¡¯t keep up with nutrition?

    No!

    Her brother and her mother aren¡¯t here; she needs to help supervise.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing out of the corner of her eye, her red lips slightly parting.

    ¡°You go ahead and eat.¡±

    She had to finish this research quickly to elerate the progress.

    That was her nature, once she decided toplete something, she would throw herself into it entirely.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing that he couldn¡¯t persuade Qiao Jing otherwise, had no choice but to leave first.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring a packed meal back for youter, and you must eat it then!¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded her head but didn¡¯t respond further.

    When Zhan Nanqing returned to the institute with the meal, he found Qiao Jing lying on the ground, her desk work unfinished, still wearing herboratory gloves¡ªclearly, she had fainted while working.

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned, standing frozen in ce. The bag slipped from his hand, scattering the contents of the meal box all over the floor.

    ¡°Qiao Jing?!!!¡±

    But she didn¡¯t respond; Zhan Nanqing felt a sudden jolt of fear and quickly rushed to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, crouching down to support her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing? How are you?? I¡­ I¡¯ll call an ambnce¡­¡±

    Oh my goodness, please don¡¯t let it be anything serious!

    She was nearly scared to death!

    Meanwhile, her heart was overrun with urgent concern!!!

    Seeing how pale Qiao Jing looked, with dense cold sweat on her forehead and her eyebrows tightly furrowed, Zhan Nanqing grew even more frightened, her hands trembling uncontrobly as she dialed.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing¡¯s tightly furrowed brows moved slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes, speaking in a weak voice:

    ¡°Is there any stomach medicine in the institute¡¯s first aid kit?¡±

    She was suffering from the same old problem, having previously developed severe gastritis due to irregr eating habits prompted by a busy work schedule, often forgetting meals.

    This had led her to take more care of her dietary habits, ensuring she ate even when busy.

    But this task was too crucial, and she identally lost track of time.

    Zhan Nanqing, panicking, helped Qiao Jing to her feet, her speech stammering with fright.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve already called an ambnce. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for a check-up, I always say¡ªyou should eat first, now look, you¡¯ve fainted!¡±

    The first thing Qiao Jing saw when she stood up were the scattered food on the ground, and she pursed her red lips.

    ¡°Stomach issue, it¡¯s nothing major, just remember to have someone¡­ clean this upter.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing let out a cry of exasperation, hurriedly supporting Qiao Jing and moving towards the exit.

    ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re still worried about that? Let me take you out first.¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed her hand against her stomach, easing some of the pain.

    Soon after Zhan Nanqing left, she began to feel sharp pain in her stomach, but she didn¡¯t care, focusing on the pressing work at her desk.

    It was only when the pain became too severe to work that she stopped to get something to eat.

    No sooner had she turned around than everything went dark, and she copsed, only waking up upon Zhan Nanqing¡¯s return.

    She initially hadn¡¯t wanted to go to the hospital, but the pain in her stomach was nearly making it hard to breathe.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s copse was kept from the other staff members except Zhan Nanqing to avoid affecting their normal work.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face was filled with concern, and she specifically instructed the ambnce to turn off its siren and stop at the back door.

    After getting Qiao Jing onto the ambnce, Zhan Nanqing quickly made a call to Zhan Qipei.

    But there was no answer.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei was in a meeting, and apart from calls from Qiao Jing, his phone would not have rung.

    Just as she was about to call Tang Yan for information, a nurse¡¯s voice directly interrupted her action.

    ¡°The patient has lost consciousness!¡±

 Chapter 522: 511: Is the Pregnancy About to be Exposed?!

    <strong>Chapter 522: Chapter 511: Is the Pregnancy About to be Exposed?!</strong>

    Nanqing¡¯s hands trembled in fright, and her phone slipped from her grasp; she no longer cared about her contacts as she quickly bent down to pick up the phone and put it back in her bag.

    ¡°What happened? Why did she suddenly faint?¡±

    She was deeply concerned about Qiao Jing¡¯s health, not just for Qiao Jing but also for the three babies in her belly.

    What if something terrible happened?!

    As the nurses were examining Qiao Jing, one of them found a moment to respond.

    ¡°Severe stomach pain can cause fainting. The patient is also in a state of fatigue. Has she been working continuously for a long time without rest?¡±

    Nanqing nodded anxiously.

    ¡°Is her stomach pain severe?¡±

    The nurse closest to Qiao Jing examined her for a while and administered an IV, suddenly recognizing Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Doctor Qiao from our hospital? How could she suddenly faint from stomach pain?!¡±

    The other nurses paused their actions, disbelief painting their faces.

    ¡°What? Doctor Qiao? Quick, contact the director! Arrange a private room for Doctor Qiao immediately!¡±

    Thus, Nanqing watched as the nurses divided into three groups, one taking care of Qiao Jing, another went to contact Zijin about the room arrangements.

    She contacted the best hospital in the capital, which happened to be Qiao Jing¡¯s workce, hence this scene unfolded.

    But¡­ Qiao Jing is sick and fainted; why contact Zijin?!

    If her brother arrivedter and ran into Zijin, what then?

    Wouldn¡¯t that be like love rivals meeting and unavoidable jealousy?

    To prevent Zijin from arriving before her brother, Nanqing immediately took out her phone and tried to contact Zhan Qipei again, but still couldn¡¯t reach him.

    She then called Tang Yan, but his number was unreachable as well.

    They must be in a meeting; this is bad¡­

    Meanwhile, in the hospital office, Zijin immediately stood up upon receiving the nurse¡¯s call.

    ¡°Send her directly to the VIP private room. I¡¯m heading out now.¡±

    Zijiao looked at Zijin¡¯s anxious demeanor curiously.

    ¡°Bro, who is it? Why are you so anxious?¡±

    He hade to the hospital today to chat with his brother because he was bored, only to encounter this scene.

    Before Zijin could respond, Zijiao asked expectantly,

    ¡°Could it be your new crush? Did you find someone so soon? Exactly, I said it, someone as outstanding as you surely¡ª¡±

    He was cut off by Zijin before he could finish.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s Qiao Jing. She fainted from a stomach problem.¡±

    Zijiao was initially stunned then blurted out, ¡°Damn.¡±

    ¡°What? Bro, haven¡¯t you already given up on Qiao Jing? Why did you look so worried just now?¡±

    After speaking, he realized he had spoken foolishly.

    Anyone would be worried if their friend fainted from illness; his brother¡¯s reaction was only normal.

    He almost thought his brother had rekindled old feelings, which scared him¡­

    If he had to choose between Zhan Qipei and his brother, it would be a dilemma of stabbing himself in both sides.

    He had thought about splitting himself in two more than once.

    The usually gentle Zijin showed a rare look of disdain and quickened his pace.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be something you say.¡±

    As Qiao Jing¡¯s friend and colleague, he would naturally be worried in such a situation.

    He always thought his brother was just yful, not foolish.

    But now, it seemed there was indeed a bit of foolishness.

    Zijiao scratched his head and hurriedly followed Zijin.

    ¡°I just didn¡¯t react promptly, okay bro, let¡¯s go together and see. Isn¡¯t Young Master Zhan with her?¡±

    Zijin shook his head.

    ¡°No, it was Zhan Nanqing who brought Qiao Jing to the hospital.¡±

    The scene switched.

    Qiao Jing was wheeled into the hospital, and a nurse directly pushed the mobile bed to take her for a full body examination.

    After seeing this, Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment and then stepped forward to ask:

    ¡°Is a full body examination necessary? Will the results be kept confidential?¡±

    She still remembered that Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy needed to be kept secret and not revealed.

    The nurse immediately answered Zhan Nanqing¡¯s question.

    ¡°Of course, only our medical staff will know.¡±

    Relieved, Zhan Nanqing nodded and let the nurses take Qiao Jing for the full body examination.

    While she was waiting outside, she saw Lu Zijin walk in, and Lu Zijiao sat down on a chair next to her.

    Suddenly, she realized something.

    The nurse said that no one outside the medical staff would know the results of the full body examination.

    But Lu Zijin who just went in is also medical staff!

    Could it be that Lu Zijin would find out about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy?!

    She wished to deem today an inauspicious day.

    First, Qiao Jing faints from a stomach ache, and then the news of Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy might be known by yet another person.

    This is disastrous¡­

    Lu Zijiao nced at Zhan Nanqing, who was lost in thought, and asked in confusion,

    ¡°Where¡¯s Young Master Zhan? Didn¡¯t hee?¡±

    Considering what he knew about Zhan Qipei, if anything happened to Qiao Jing, he would have rushed over immediately.

    Not just when something happened to Qiao Jing, but normally, Zhan Qipei would stick around her like superglue.

    If he isn¡¯t here, there must be something important.

    Zhan Nanqing ignored Lu Zijiao; she couldn¡¯t even cry anymore, let alone speak.

    She should have insisted on Qiao Jing joining her for a meal earlier.

    Then this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­

    And because of her negligence just now in letting Qiao Jing go for the full body examination, the pregnancy secret might be exposed¡­

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing in such a state, Lu Zijiao grew even more puzzled.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You look as if you¡¯re heartbroken. Young Master Zhan really didn¡¯te? I¡¯ll call and ask him.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing listlessly waved her hand.

    ¡°No need to call, my brother is probably still busy.¡±

    Just then, the examination room door opened, and Lu Zijin came out looking serious.

    ¡°Zhan Nanqing,e over here, I have something to ask you.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing sighed deeply and followed Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    She already guessed what Lu Zijin wanted to ask her about, it must be regarding Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    This is really the end.

    As the two exchanged secretive nces, Lu Zijiao grew curious.

    ¡°What¡¯s it about, brother? I want to listen too, can I join?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, already very annoyed, gave him a fierce re when she heard yet another person wanted to know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    ¡°Go away, why are you so nosy.¡±

    Lu Zijiao had no choice but to return to his chair, watching the two as they walked away.

    Once they reached the office, Zhan Nanqing sat across Lu Zijin.

    Lu Zijin held a medical report in his hand and did not directly show it to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Do you know about Qiao Jing¡¯s medical condition?¡±

 Chapter 523: 512: Does Xu Moqian Know as Well?

    <strong>Chapter 523: Chapter 512: Does Xu Moqian Know as Well?</strong>

    Zhan Nanqing nodded slightly and leaned back in her chair.

    ¡°Do you know if her stomach is still hurting?¡±

    She was now probing without any hope, just to see whether Lu Zijin knew about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    What if¡­

    Lu Zijin frowned, cing the examination sheet on the table.

    ¡°She¡¯s fine now after receiving an IV and has been transferred to rest in the ward. The thing I want to know is, Qiao Jing has been pregnant for almost four months; you are aware of this, right?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nodded again with an ashen face.

    As expected, what was inevitable hade after all.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware, but you can¡¯t tell anyone else about this, especially not big-mouths like Lu Zijiao, apart from my brother and me.¡±

    Since she could no longer hide it from Lu Zijin, she absolutely could not let Lu Zijiao find out.

    After all, Lu Zijiao was known as the megaphone of the Imperial Capital, aware of every piece of gossip.

    If Lu Zijiao got wind of it, not even a night would pass before everyone in the Imperial Capital would know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    Lu Zijin¡¯s forehead creased deeper as he held the report, applying force to it so that the paper was slightly crumpled under his fingers.

    ¡°Regarding the pregnancy, currently, only I am aware of it in the hospital, and the test results have only passed through my hands.¡±

    When he heard that Qiao Jing was almost four months pregnant, to say there was no stir in his heart would be a lie.

    After all, he had cherished Qiao Jing for so many years.

    He had thought that by choosing to stay friends with Qiao Jing, her rtionship with Zhan Qipei would not progress so quickly. Yet, now she was nearly four months pregnant.

    This meant that three months ago, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had already¡­

    A bitter smile appeared on Lu Zijin¡¯s face at this thought.

    In the end, he had never stood a chance, but he had no one to me but himself.

    He was a coward, a chicken who didn¡¯t dare to express his feelings.

    Zhan Nanqing became alert upon seeing the expression on Lu Zijin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Lu Zijin? What¡¯s wrong with you? Just because you found out about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy doesn¡¯t mean you should have that look on your face; it¡¯s so bitter I can scarcely stand to look at it. I suggest you give up on liking Qiao Jing as soon as possible; these things can¡¯t be forced.¡±

    Although she was a negligent hider, she had at least managed to keep the institute¡¯s staff in the dark, which provided some sce to her conscience.

    Therefore, she needed to muster her spirits and be an able bodyguard, helping her brother chase off his rival.

    Little did Zhan Nanqing know, she eventually fooled no one.

    Lu Zijin shook his head with a smile and tossed the examination result into the shredder.

    ¡°She and I are just friends, and besides, I think Qiao Jing knows far more about what a pregnant woman should pay attention to, so I won¡¯t offer any medical advice.¡±

    It took Zhan Nanqing a few seconds to grasp the meaning behind Lu Zijin¡¯s words after hearing them.

    Just friends?

    Did he mean that he now regarded Qiao Jing only as a friend?

    Wouldn¡¯t that mean that her brother had one less rival to worry about?

    Zhan Nanqing immediately sat up straight, her expression excited as she said:

    ¡°She¡¯s resting in the ward, right? I¡¯ll go buy her some porridge first. I¡¯ll take my leave, and hope you find someone better!¡±

    She was overjoyed inside, finally feeling like a capable bodyguard.

    After having tried to help her brother chase off rivals for so long, she had atst seen one off.

    Lu Zijin calmed himself down, and upon leaving the office, he encountered Lu Zijiao.

    Lu Zijiao, scratching his head in confusion, saw Lu Zijin and immediately started pulling him towards Qiao Jing¡¯s ward.

    ¡°Brother, what did you talk about with Zhan Nanqing? She looked as gloomy as someone who had just gone through a breakup before she went in, and when she came out, she was as perky as if she¡¯d been injected with chicken blood.¡±

    Sitting on the hospital corridor chair, he had already been very curious while looking at the closed door of his brother¡¯s office.

    Now that he saw the radical change in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mood, his curiosity was even greater.

    Lu Zijin saw where Lu Zijiao was heading and opened his mouth to speak.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t say anything, what were you doing in Qiao Jing¡¯s hospital room?¡±

    Lu Zijiao took out her cell phone.

    ¡°I went to check on Qiao Jing for Young Master Zhan, and to update him on the current situation.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª

    In the hospital room.

    When Qiao Jing woke up, she subconsciously moved her hand, trying to sit up, but after feeling the needle on the back of her hand, she leaned back onto the bed again.

    If possible, she still wanted to return to the research institute and finish the remaining work.

    But she had fainted from hunger, so she needed to pay more attention to her diet and health.

    Just then, the door to the hospital room opened, and Lu Zijin came in first, while Lu Zijiao was outside making a phone call.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was already awake, Lu Zijin quickly approached her, nced at the IV bag, and made some adjustments.

    ¡°How are you feeling now? You had a full body checkup when you were unconscious, and apart from gastritis, there¡¯s nothing else wrong.¡±

    Upon hearing about a full body checkup, Qiao Jing frowned, looking at Lu Zijin with inquisitive eyes.

    ¡°A full body checkup?¡±

    She had a full body checkup without her knowledge?

    Did that mean that Lu Zijin already knew about her pregnancy?

    Lu Zijin nodded, his gaze falling on Qiao Jing¡¯s abdomen, but he said no more.

    Noticing where Lu Zijin¡¯s eyes were, Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, a sense of foreboding in her heart, and she directly asked:

    ¡°Do you know about my pregnancy?¡±

    Lu Zijiao, who had just opened the hospital room¡¯s door, happened to hear this sentence and was frozen on the spot, still holding the doorknob.

    What had he just heard?

    Qiao Jing was pregnant?!

    Lu Zijin looked at Lu Zijiao, who now had a shocked expression, and frowned.

    ¡°Zijiao, you can¡¯t talk about this matter to anyone.¡±

    Considering Lu Zijiao was outside earlier, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t mention the pregnancy to Qiao Jing.

    But Qiao Jing had noticed, and by bringing it up first, she informed Lu Zijin about her realization.

    Lu Zijiao immediately made a ¡®zipping his lips¡¯ gesture and nodded, watching Qiao Jing with unabashed curiosity.

    ¡°I got it, Brother. Can you borate on the pregnancy?¡±

    He had jokingly called Zhan Qipei a single man before, yet Qipei had be a father behind his back, and he hadn¡¯t even found a girlfriend yet.

    This was unreasonable!

    Too unreasonable!

    Qiao Jing rubbed her temples with a slight headache, as she hadn¡¯t expected the pregnancy to be revealed to someone else.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions.¡±

    She had only wanted to confirm her own suspicions, yet Lu Zijiao had happened to open the door ande in.

    She preferred as few people as possible to know about her pregnancy, but now the number of those in the know was gradually increasing.

    Though Lu Zijiao was very curious, considering Qiao Jing¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem particrly good, he didn¡¯t dare ask more questions and instead shifted his attention to Lu Zijin.

    ¡°Brother, can you at least say how many months along she is?¡±

    He wanted to figure out exactly when Zhan Qipei had left his bachelor life behind to be a father.

    Just then, the door to the hospital room opened once again, and Xu Moqian appeared before them.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! How are you feeling? The ambnce went straight to the back door of the research institute. There¡¯s no serious condition with your health, is there? And¡­¡±

    He looked toward Lu Zijiao, asking in confusion:

    ¡°What pregnancy?¡±

 Chapter 524: 513: The Gossip Megaphone

    <strong>Chapter 524: Chapter 513: The Gossip Megaphone</strong>

    This question plunged the hospital room into silence, and Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned somewhat ugly.

    Today, she had already let two people know about her pregnancy, and if one more person knew, the mere thought gave her a headache.

    Especially Xu Moqian, if he found out, he would definitely make a fuss, shouting and yelling, and she was sure that soon everyone at the institute would know about it.

    Wait a second, how did Xu Moqian know about her fainting ande to the hospital?

    Faced with the question, Lu Zijiao remembered what his own brother had just instructed him, and promptly started ying dumb.

    ¡°What pregnancy? Why are you looking at me? Could it be that I am pregnant?¡±

    Xu Moqian nced at Lu Zijiao¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°You just said something about being pregnant for a few months.¡±

    Lu Zijiao noticed Xu Moqian¡¯s gaze and immediately covered his stomach, visibly annoyed.

    ¡°Damn, you actually believed that? How could a big guy like me be pregnant, Young Master Xu, I think your brain isn¡¯t working right.¡±

    He had just turned himself into a pregnant woman to keep Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy under wraps, hadn¡¯t he?

    Xu Moqian shot back without showing any weakness:

    ¡°What do you mean my brain isn¡¯t working right? As soon as I entered, I heard you asking about how many months pregnant, can¡¯t I ask?¡±

    He had thought that he finally had a chance to be alone with Qiao Jing, but as soon as he opened the door to the hospital room, he saw two men standing inside.

    Lu Zijiao clicked his tongue in annoyance.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you couldn¡¯t, but why are you so curious? You¡¯re even more gossipy than me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He was impressed with Xu Moqian¡¯s eager-to-know attitude now revealed.

    He casually made up an excuse to brush it off.

    ¡°At that time, I was asking my brother about how many months the patient in the next room is pregnant. Why are you so nosy?¡±

    He now fully understood that he must carefully conceal the news of Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    The price of knowing about it was there, but, Zhan Qipei was about to be a dad!

    This was something he had never expected; he had thought he would be a father before Zhan Qipei.

    So Zhan Qipei became a dad secretly, without the world knowing?

    Xu Moqian rolled his eyes.

    ¡°However gossipy I am, could I be worse than you, the loudspeaker?¡±

    Lu Zijiao was very annoyed when he heard others calling him by this nickname.

    ¡°Xu Moqian, don¡¯t think just because you¡¯re from the Xu Family that I wouldn¡¯t dare touch you!¡±

    Qiao Jing watched the two bickering, speechless, and twitched the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Alright, Zijiao, how did you know I was here?¡±

    She remembered that when she and Zhan Nanqing left, no one at the institute had noticed anything unusual.

    If Xu Moqian knew now, then did the people at the institute know about it?

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian then shifted his gaze back to her.

    ¡°Grandpa told me; he asked me toe take care of you, why did you suddenly faint? Right, Grandpa told me that only he knew about this. He wanted toe too but he suddenly got inspiration and couldn¡¯t get away.¡±

    His grandfather had not easily gained an opportunity for him, hoping he could have a private moment with Qiao Jing. Unexpectedly, there were two other men in the room.

    This shattered his pleasant illusions.

    Qiao Jing then breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

    ¡°Mm, it¡¯s good that people at the institute don¡¯t know.¡±

    Thest time she was injured, the staff at the institute found out and isted her from the institute, insisting she should recover well at home.

    She had also tried to go to the research institute before, she just wanted to pick up some materials, but the security guard stopped her and advised her to go home and rest properly.

    The staff at the institute were in cahoots, even the security guard was on their side.

    If they found out about this fainting incident, she would definitely be forced to go home and rest again.

    Xu Moqian walked quickly to the bedside and sat down, looking at the other person with a worried expression.

    ¡°How are you feeling now? Shall I get you a ss of water?¡±

    Lu Zijiao looked at Xu Moqian¡¯s eager demeanor, clicked his tongue disdainfully, and took out his phone to check his chat box with Zhan Qipei.

    However, the other party still hadn¡¯t replied to his message, he directly took a photo of the hospital room and sent out the room number.

    It¡¯s not that he wasn¡¯t brotherly enough, it was Zhan Qipei¡¯s own fault for not responding to the message and noting.

    There were already three men in the hospital room, and Zhan Qipei, as the husband, was still noting, and moreover¡­

    Among these three men, one of them was Zhan Qipei¡¯s rival.

    Meanwhile, inside Zhan Corporation.

    Zhan Qipei had just finished a meeting and returned to his office, suddenly feeling an ominous premonition.

    He instinctively unlocked his phone, wanting to look at Qiao Jing¡¯s photo on the lock screen to calm his nerves, only to see dozens of missed calls and WeChat messages.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly opened WeChat.

    When he saw that Lu Zijiao mentioned Qiao Jing had fainted, he swiftly grabbed the coat from his chair, threw it on, and marched out of the office withrge strides.

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, then checked the messages from Lu Zijiao and Zhan Nanqing.

    Seeing that Lu Zijiao said Xu Moqian was currently in the hospital room, taking care of Qiao Jing, his face instantly darkened, and he almost ran to his personal elevator.

    He quickly typed a reply to Lu Zijiao¡¯s message.

    ¡°Tell him to get out.¡±

    Lu Zijiao felt the vibration of his phone, took it out, and checked.

    Thank heavens, Zhan Qipei had finally replied.

    ¡°I can¡¯t drive him away, you¡¯d bettere quickly.¡±

    Once Zhan Qipei got in the car, he did not hesitate to floor the elerator, sending his speed soaring to two hundred, narrowly avoiding several close calls with other vehicles along the way.

    His hands tightened on the steering wheel, veins protruding, and his lips firmly pressed together, all to see Qiao Jing faster.

    On the other side, inside the hospital room.

    Qiao Jing took a sip of water and looked up at Lu Zijin.

    ¡°When can I be discharged?¡±

    She was almost done with her work, and it had been a long time since shest had a recurrence of her stomach ailment, but now there seemed to be no major issues after the infusion.

    So she wanted to go back and finish the remaining work.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the faces of the three men in the room darkened simultaneously.

    Lu Zijin furrowed his eyebrows and slowly said.

    ¡°At least not today, don¡¯t skip meals because of work again.¡±

    Xu Moqian immediately followed up on Lu Zijin¡¯s words:

    ¡°Yes, Sister Jing, my grandfather said that you should rest well these next few days and leave the rest to him.¡±

    Lu Zijiao also started to persuade.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you should rest for a while, after all, you¡­ cough, cough, cough.¡±

    His words had just ended when the door to the hospital room was suddenly flung open.

 Chapter 525: 514: The Tardy Arrival of Zhan Qipei

    <strong>Chapter 525: Chapter 514: The Tardy Arrival of Zhan Qipei</strong>

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure appeared in the sight of the few present.

    Upon spotting Xu Moqian seated at the bedside, his expression instantly darkened, and he strode quickly towards the bed, his face cold like a bitter wind.

    ¡°Move aside.¡±

    Xu Moqian initially did not want to get up, but considering the need for quiet in the hospital room and Qiao Jing¡¯s current physical condition, it could not be too noisy.

    If he did not move and thereby caused an argument with Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing would be the biggest victim.

    Taking this into ount, Xu Moqian reluctantly stood up.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the space Xu Moqian had cleared for him, his dark eyes deepened, and his sharp gazended on the other man.

    ¡°You, get out.¡±

    Xu Moqian, unwilling to back down, locked eyes with Zhan Qipei in defiance.

    ¡°Why should I leave? I¡¯m here to see Sister Jing. On the contrary, why don¡¯t you exin why you¡¯re sote?¡±

    He had already made so much space, and Zhan Qipei, the kid, should know better!

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, a sense of guilt welling up again inside him as he looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°Sorry, I was in a meeting.¡±

    When Qiao Jing came to the hospital, he had been in a meeting.

    Aside from Qiao Jing¡¯s calls and messages, he had blocked all othermunications during the meeting.

    Thus, it was only after the meeting that he had learned about Qiao Jing fainting.

    Qiao Jing clearly saw the apology that surfaced in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes and gently shook her head to indicate it was okay.

    Turning one¡¯s phone on silent during a meeting is basic etiquette; even if Zhan Qipei did note to the hospital, she would not have minded.

    After all, it was just stomach pain, nothing serious; she did not want to hinder anyone¡¯s work.

    Xu Moqian folded his arms, reiming the space he had given up.

    ¡°So a meeting is more important than Sister Jing, huh? Now that you¡¯rete, I can take care of Sister Jing; I¡¯m the one who poured her water.¡±

    Lu Zijiao, seeing this, immediately spoke up for Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Xu Moqian, you better get up. Her husband is here; do you want to be a third wheel?¡±

    Even though Zhan Qipei arrivedst, being his brother, he had to back him up.

    Xu Moqian red fiercely at Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°What business is it of yours? Why don¡¯t you mind your own business? Taking care of Sister Jing is my rightful duty, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    He didn¡¯t care about any Lu Family or not, even if the Lu Family was as prominent as his; he wasn¡¯t afraid of Zhan Qipei, so why would he fear the Lu Family?

    Lu Zijiao immediately rolled up his sleeves and took a few steps forward, intending to pull Xu Moqian up.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Just now calling me that annoying nickname was bad enough, now you wanna stick around and be a third wheel in front of my brother? I¡¯ve only ever understood that spouses look after each other by right; you¡¯re not her husband, so if anyone¡¯s causing a fuss, it¡¯s you, right?¡±

    Moreover, this involved not just the two of them, they both had children now, which was aplete change from the past.

    When Xu Moqian called him that most disliked nickname earlier, he had already felt irritated; now trying to be a third wheel in front of his brother, he definitely couldn¡¯t tolerate it!

    Xu Moqian dodged Lu Zijiao¡¯s hand and looked at Qiao Jing pleadingly, inching closer to her.

    ¡°Sister Jing! Save me!¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Xu Moqian and suppressed the smile tugging at her lips.

    The quarrel between Lu Zijiao and Xu Moqian was somewhat amusing.

    Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his dark eyes, his expression so gloomy it seemed like water could drip from it, and his aura grew increasingly chilly and imposing.

    ¡°It¡¯s too noisy, get out.¡±

    Lu Zijiao shivered, touched the goosebumps rising on his skin, and muttered,

    ¡°Why did it suddenly get so cold¡­¡±

    He nced at Zhan Qipei and felt a shiver as he sensed the powerful aura emanating from him.

    Lu Zijiao did not bother with Xu Moqian anymore and quickly retreated behind Lu Zijin.

    Xu Moqian had also noticed this point, and even though he felt slightly afraid inside, he still stood his ground and continued to confront Zhan Qipei.

    Who¡¯s afraid of whom?

    As a result, a few minutester, the oppressive atmosphere around Zhan Qipei deepened even further.

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes began to sting and swell, and involuntarily, goosebumps broke out all over his body.

    In the end, he gritted his teeth and, under Zhan Qipei¡¯s intimidating pressure, stood up reluctantly.

    ¡°Fine, fine, fine, if you want to sit here, then sit. I¡¯ll just go get another chair to sit on, okay?¡±

    Zhan Qipei coldly nced at Xu Moqian, his gaze then shifting to Lu Zijin.

    Besides him, there were three other men in the hospital room, two of whom were his romantic rivals.

    He couldn¡¯t allow so many people to keep watching over Qiao Jing.

    ¡°All of you, get out.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian immediately grew resentful.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, what do you mean by this? I came here to visit Sister Jing. What right do you have to kick me out?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Jing for several days. If it weren¡¯t for his grandfather noticing the scattered meals in Qiao Jing¡¯sb and checking the surveince to find out about this, who then helped him find the room number, giving him a hard-earned opportunity to visit.

    He certainly didn¡¯t want to be driven out so easily.

    When Lu Zijin received Zhan Qipei¡¯s unfriendly look, he didn¡¯t make too much of a statement.

    ¡°The patient needs to rest, let¡¯s go out first.¡±

    He paused, nced at Zhan Qipei who was guarding by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, and slowly spoke.

    ¡°Family members stay behind to look after the patient.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lu Zijiao immediately headed towards the door.

    He was already reluctant to continue staying here to be a third wheel, nor did he want to deal with the annoying Xu Moqian.

    Lu Zijin and Lu Zijiao both left the hospital room, leaving Xu Moqian as the only superfluous person.

    Qiao Jing, watching the two men re at each other, helplessly touched her forehead.

    ¡°Fourth brother, you go out first. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    She was very clear about Zhan Qipei¡¯s domineering nature. If Xu Moqian didn¡¯t leave, he would continue to scowl.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had spoken, Xu Moqian gritted his teeth and stood up.

    ¡°Then, Sister Jing, I¡¯ll go out first. Call me if you need anything. I¡¯ll be sitting outside.¡±

    Qiao Jing gently nodded her head.

    Once Xu Moqian had left, the oppressive atmosphere that lingered in the room finally dispersed.

    Zhan Qipei moved the chair Xu Moqian had sat on to the side and brought a new chair to sit next to the hospital bed.

    ¡°How is your body now? Do you still feel ufortable anywhere? Why didn¡¯t you eat?¡±

    It seemed that in the future, his duty would include making sure Qiao Jing ate her meals.

    Qiao Jing, now ustomed to Zhan Qipei¡¯s barrage of questions, answered each one in turn.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just busy at noon and didn¡¯t eat.¡±

    At that time, things were truly too urgent; she even fainted from pain before she could find any antacid.

    Zhan Qipei knitted his brows, which appeared soft yet misty, his face showing deep concern.

    ¡°No matter how busy you are, you must eat. From now on, I¡¯ll prepare stomach medicine for you every day and put it in your pocket.¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing frowned slightly.

    ¡°No need, I will be careful in the future.¡±

    Knowing Zhan Qipei, if he were to prepare stomach medicine for her, he would surely stuff an entire bottle in her pocket.

    She definitely didn¡¯t want to go out with a bottle of medicine in her pocket from now on.

 Chapter 526: 515: About to be Discovered?

    <strong>Chapter 526: Chapter 515: About to be Discovered?</strong>

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows tightly, a stubborn look appearing in his eyes.

    ¡°When did you get gastritis? Is it severe? Also, you absolutely mustn¡¯t skip meals because of work anymore. I will monitor you. I¡¯ll call you during your lunch break, or you can send me a photo of your lunch on time.¡±

    He could not let this happen again.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, her red lips parting lightly.

    ¡°I got gastritis because I didn¡¯t eat on time due to being busy with work. As long as I eat on schedule, it won¡¯t hurt.¡±

    After saying this, she stretched out her hand and gently touched her slightly protruding belly, feeling a sense of guilt.

    She had been too absorbed in her work today, forgetting that she was now eating for four.

    If she didn¡¯t eat, the three babies in her belly would also go hungry.

    Just as Qiao Jing was feeling self-me and guilt, a warm and dryrge hand suddenly covered the back of her hand.

    Zhan Qipei followed Qiao Jing¡¯s motion and gently stroked the woman¡¯s abdomen, his eyes showing even deeper tenderness.

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m not by your side, you need to take good care of yourself. We only didn¡¯t see each other at lunch, yet you didn¡¯t eat on time. If you keep doing this, then I¡¯ll quit my job and take you to lunch every day.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, speaking very seriously.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll eat on time by myself.¡±

    Before, her body belonged only to herself, but now there were three babies in her belly, so she couldn¡¯t continue to lose herself in work like before.

    Zhan Qipei tucked Qiao Jing¡¯s hands back under the nket, then ced his own hands on the woman¡¯s belly and gently stroked it while also massaging it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll massage for five minutes; you use my phone to contact Tang Yan and ask him to send over some porridge from Zhouhuan Restaurant for you to drink.¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to directly contact Yu Yangqi, the door to the hospital room opened again, disrupting the warm atmosphere inside.

    Zhan Nanqing entered, carrying a thermos. As soon as she opened the door, she saw her brother¡¯s tender gaze, not only that, but he was also intently massaging Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Being a ¡°forever single dog,¡± she felt a heavy blow¡ª a direct strike to her soul!

    This was probably not the right time for her toe, having stumbled upon such an intimate scene.

    Upon hearing the door open, Zhan Qipei turned his gaze, which now seemed somewhat somber, towards Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing, who was already feeling embarrassed and thinking of leaving the room, instinctively took a step back when her brother looked at her that way.

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Brother, Qiao Jing, I didn¡¯t mean toe at this time, ha, I came to bring Qiao Jing some porridge¡­¡±

    She thought about how those three people were sitting on the chairs in the hallway, especially Xu Moqian, whose face was almost as ck as the bottom of a pot. So, it turns out that her brother had chased him out.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t say how these two were forcibly feeding everyone dog food. Lo and behold, her brother gave her such a look.

    Did she really want to be the ultimate, invincible light bulb?

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing put down the cell phone in her hand and, on a whim, swatted away Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±

    She really should eat something to replenish her energy at this time, and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s arrival was timely.

    However¡­

    For Zhan Qipei, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s timing seemed less than ideal, given that the man¡¯s face darkened again.

    It was affecting his loving interaction with his wife¡­

    Zhan Nanqing, upon recalling that she was forced to watch their public disy of affection, stiffened up a bit, and carried the thermos to the bedside.

    ¡°This is specially bought from Zhouhuan Restaurant. As soon as they heard it was for you, they sent someone to deliver it by car.¡±

    Zhan Qipei lowered his eyes to look at the hand that had been swatted away, smoothed his long eyebrows, and in front of Zhan Nanqing, once again ced his hand on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, continuing the massage as if nothing had happened.

    Zhan Nanqing almost got blinded by the scene, quicklydled out a bowl of porridge, and hurried towards the door of the hospital room, muttering to herself.

    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t havee at this time¡­¡±

    She really couldn¡¯t bear to look; knowing she hade in, her brother still insisted on being affectionate with Qiao Jing right in front of her.

    She thought her brother had never experienced the pain of being single!

    Qiao Jing nced at the departing Zhan Nanqing, then at Zhan Qipei, who was seriously massaging her, and rubbed her temples with a sense of helplessness.

    ¡°No need to massage anymore; I¡¯ll eat something and then head back to the institute.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s previously rxed brows tightened again upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    ¡°No, after dinner, I¡¯ll apany you home to rest.¡±

    He hadpletely lost interest in working now; he just wanted to make sure Qiao Jing finished her meal.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows decisively.

    ¡°My stomach doesn¡¯t hurt anymore; I have a bit of work left to finish, then I¡¯ll head home.¡±

    Just then, her phone rang; the caller was Xu Hongzu.

    ¡°Hello? Grandpa Xu.¡±

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s calm voice came through, tinged with concern.

    ¡°Jing Girl, how are you feeling? What exactly happened?¡±

    Qiao Jing briefly exined her condition.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a stomach issue; don¡¯t worry.¡±

    After hearing her words, Xu Hongzu solemnly said,

    ¡°I¡¯m calling to tell you not to worry about work; I¡¯ll help you finish it up. You take good care of yourself, and also¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t know if his good-for-nothing grandson would bepetent enough; he had created this opportunity, and if it wasn¡¯t seized properly, he was ready to wash his hands of it.

    Qiao Jing hummed in confusion, waiting for Xu Hongzu to continue.

    Xu Hongzu hesitated before speaking.

    ¡°Has Moqian visited you? Is he taking good care of you?¡±

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to answer Xu Hongzu, a pair ofrge hands covered her stomach again.

    Immediately after, Zhan Qipei began massaging her again!

    And this time, his touch was even lighter than before, like a feather gently tickling her heartstrings.

    The man¡¯s warm hands even reached around to her waist, sending tingles through her.

    Qiao Jing red at Zhan Qipei, warning him with her eyes.

    Instead of stopping, Zhan Qipei became even more presumptuous. He moved close to her ear, his breathing growing heavy, and his hot breath blew against her ear repeatedly.

    Meanwhile, Xu Hongzu was still waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s response and became concerned when she suddenly fell silent.

    ¡°Jing Girl?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her hand intending to move Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away, but he acted faster than her, restraining her other free hand before she could.

    She furrowed her brows, detecting jealousy on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, probably having heard Grandpa Xu¡¯s words.

    After restraining Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands in the woman¡¯s waist grew even more unbridled.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened; several spots on her body were sensitive, the waist being one of them, and now Zhan Qipei was deliberately kneading it, causing waves of tingles.

    Yet, she dared not make a sound, fearing misunderstanding from Grandpa Xu, and could only signal the man with her eyes.

    Still, Zhan Qipei did not move his hands away; he even buried his head in her neck.

    Suddenly, she felt a pain on her neck.

 Chapter 527: 516: The Bastard Did It on Purpose

    <strong>Chapter 527: Chapter 516: The Bastard Did It on Purpose</strong>

    Qiao Jing looked down and saw that Zhan Qipei, that jerk, had left an indescribable mark on her neck!

    And it was very conspicuous!

    Zhan Qipei looked at the red mark on Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate neck, feelingpletely satisfied and ready to leave a mark somewhere else.

    He wanted everyone who had designs on his wife to know that Qiao Jing belonged to Zhan Qipei.

    When Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei wanted to continue elsewhere, her temples suddenly throbbed.

    She couldn¡¯t hold back anymore,pletely ignoring that she was still on a call, and she set the phone aside and pushed the man¡¯s head away from her.

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei!¡±

    So the jerk wasn¡¯t even pretending with her anymore and just made a move directly?

    Even if he was jealous, this was not the way to handle it!

    She was still on a call with Grandpa Xu. What if he misunderstood?

    On the other end, Xu Hongzu hadn¡¯t grasped the situation yet when he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s shout and asked in confusion,

    ¡°Jing Girl? What happened?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly, trying with all her might to wrestle free from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grasp, but to no avail, so she just lifted her other hand that was being intravenously treated.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let go.¡±

    She knew she couldn¡¯t push Zhan Qipei away now, so she had to try using the IV as an excuse to get him away.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing¡¯s hand receiving the IV, he immediately got off her and sat back down on the chair, his face full of concern.

    ¡°Did I press on you?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, toozy to deal with Zhan Qipei, and just as she was about to pick up the phone that was set aside, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face suddenly leaned in close.

    Right after that, the hand that was receiving the IV was carefully cradled in his palms, checked repeatedly.

    Qiao Jing pulled her hand back without hesitation and pushed Zhan Qipei¡¯s face away with her other hand.

    ¡°Go sit over there.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, that jerk, now cared to check her hand, seemingly disregarding the hand receiving the IV during his earlier advances.

    However, throughout the whole process, Zhan Qipei did indeed avoid her stomach and the IV-treated hand.

    Zhan Qipei, still not giving up, leaned into Qiao Jing again,ing close to her ear.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t press on you just now, did I?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt Zhan Qipei¡¯s hot breath by her ear, stirring the hair at her temples, which fluttered alongside.

    She, quite upset, pushed the man away again and red at him.

    Zhan Qipei, worried about pressing on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand that was receiving the IV, had to sit back down on the chair.

    Only then did Qiao Jing free her hand to answer the phone and respond to Xu Hongzu¡¯s question.

    ¡°Grandpa Xu, Moqian has already visited.¡±

    Xu Hongzu didn¡¯t speak, his old face turning red.

    He had just heard what Zhan Qipei said, something about not pressing on Jing Girl and such¡­

    Are young people nowadays this open?

    Even able to¡­ while on a call?

    Wait a second!

    Suddenly, Xu Hongzu remembered something.

    Where had his useless grandson run off to??

    Qiao Jing, seeing Xu Hongzu not saying a word and thinking the silence meant the call had been disconnected because she hadn¡¯t spoken for so long, nced at her phone screen and saw the call was still ongoing, confusion emerging in her eyes.

    ¡°Grandpa Xu?¡±

    Xu Hongzu then came back to his senses and coughed.

    ¡°Eh, Jing Girl, I¡¯m here. Where has that rascal Moqian run off to? Isn¡¯t he in the room now?¡±

    He had finally found a good opportunity, and that useless grandson didn¡¯t seize it well!

    It infuriated him enough to die!

    Meanwhile, Xu Moqian, standing guard outside the room, was utterly distressed, like a mute who has tasted gall, unable to voice his pain.

    He didn¡¯t know what had just happened inside; otherwise, he would have been furious on the spot.

    Now he could only stare intently at the tightly closed door of the hospital room; his heart was as cold as the chair beneath him.

    In the hospital room.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to respond, the cellphone was suddenly snatched away by a man.

    She paused for a moment, ready to take her cellphone back.

    If Zhan Qipei, who was feeling jealous, answered the call, some unpleasant remarks could arise.

    At that moment, her premonition came true.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice sounded.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone out; Qiao Jing has me to take care of her, there¡¯s no need for your grandson toe.¡±

    He deliberately left marks on Qiao Jing¡¯s body that belonged only to him, specifically for Xu Moqian and any other rivals to see.

    To let them know that the only person beside Qiao Jing was him.

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu was infuriated and it wasn¡¯t because of anything else but because Xu Moqian was disappointing himself.

    ¡°Why did my grandson go out? I specifically asked him to visit Jing Girl.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened.

    ¡°Qiao Jing needs to rest; I am family and need to be here to take care of her.¡±

    He intentionally emphasized the word ¡°family¡±, aiming to make it clear to Grandpa Xu who exactly was Qiao Jing¡¯s family.

    Upon hearing this, Grandpa Xu was momentarily at a loss for words to counter Zhan Qipei.

    Could his grandson truly have no chance at all?

    Qiao Jing, speechless, twitched the corner of her mouth, took back the phone, and said:

    ¡°Grandpa Xu, I¡¯ll hang up now; I need to rest for a while.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t stand Zhan Qipei, this despicable man, showing a possessive attitude towards Grandpa Xu. What was he trying to provoke?

    Even if he was being possessive because of jealousy, he shouldn¡¯t be asserting dominance over Grandpa Xu.

    Grandpa Xu then came to his senses.

    ¡°Okay, Jing Girl, take care of yourself.¡±

    His useless grandson truly was ipetent, missing opportunities even when they were right in front of him.

    It enraged him to no end!

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing red at Zhan Qipei with annoyance and said coldly:

    ¡°You get out too.¡±

    She was sure Grandpa Xu had overheard her scolding Zhan Qipei, and still, this despicable man insisted on behaving this way.

    Zhan Qipei immediately put on an innocent face, his gazending on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°I just wanted to help you massage a bit longer.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s chest heaved heavily, a smile appearing that was neither joyful nor genuine, as she pointed specifically to a mark on her neck.

    ¡°You call this a massage?¡±

    She realized that not only was Zhan Qipei¡¯s skin getting thicker by the day, but his lies were also bing more tant.

    While she was on the phone, he had taken the opportunity to kiss her, fearing others wouldn¡¯t notice.

    Luckily, she had only called out Zhan Qipei¡¯s name earlier; if she had inadvertently gasped, Grandpa Xu might have misunderstood.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, murmuring an acknowledgment.

    Qiao Jing ¡°¡­¡±

    Seeing that this despicable man had no intention of repenting, her eyes narrowed in anger.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, get out.¡±

    This time, she definitely wouldn¡¯t give Zhan Qipei another chance.

    After saying this, she didn¡¯t wait for Zhan Qipei to respond, but got out of bed herself, pulled the man up from the chair, and said:

    ¡°Are you going to leave on your own, or wait for me to pull out the IV and take you out with me?¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei immediately began walking out, anxiously saying:

    ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself; you rest well.¡±

    After all, he had already left his unique mark on Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 528: 517: Qiao Jing Makes a Huge Fool of Himself

    <strong>Chapter 528: Chapter 517: Qiao Jing Makes a Huge Fool of Himself</strong>

    Zhan Qipei opened the door to the hospital room and faced four people sitting in the corridor on chairs.

    Xu Moqian, seeing Zhan Qipeie out, nonchntly propped up his leg and his face was filled with disdain.

    ¡°Yo, were you kicked out by Sister Jing?¡±

    As he said this, he deliberately nced at Lu Zijin.

    ¡°It seems that even family members can¡¯t stay.¡±

    Lu Zijin smiled helplessly and shook his head.

    ¡°I need to get back to work, you guys talk.¡±

    Now that Qiao Jing was fine, he had to return to work as well.

    Actually, he just didn¡¯t want to get too involved in Qiao Jing¡¯s love life.

    Lu Zijiao, seeing his brother about to leave, immediately followed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going too.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to stay and watch a battlefield, nor did he want to see scenes of jealousy and envy.

    In the end, it was always the single ones who got hurt the most.

    He was the most severely hurt of them all. He thought both he and Zhan Qipei were single, considering Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t fully epted Zhan Qipei.

    Turns out Zhan Qipei was only single on the surface, secretly he already had a child!

    After the Lu brothers left, only Zhan Qipei, Xu Moqian, and Zhan Nanqing remained in the corridor.

    The corridor fell into a kind of eerie atmosphere.

    Zhan Nanqing suddenly realized something and widened her eyes at Xu Moqian.

    ¡°Xu Moqian! How did you get here?!¡±

    When Qiao Jing fainted, Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t at the research institute at all, let alone likely to know about Qiao Jing¡¯s fainting.

    Yet now Xu Moqian not only knew about it but also which hospital room Qiao Jing was in?

    Xu Moqian, seeing both Zhan siblings opposing him, turned hostile.

    ¡°My grandfather asked me toe and see Sister Jing, am I not allowed toe?¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing was instantly stunned.

    ¡°Elder Xu? How did he know about Qiao Jing fainting?¡±

    She had made sure the ambnce turned off its siren and took a back entrance ¡ª how had they been discovered?

    She thought she had covered it up well, yet it had still been found out??

    Xu Moqian folded his arms with a look of disgust curling the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Grandpa saw the spilled food on the ground and thought it was strange, so he checked the surveince.¡±

    Having said this, he stood up, ready to walk into the hospital room.

    Zhan Qipei blocked the entrance to the hospital room without expression, his icy gaze fixed on Xu Moqian as he said coldly,

    ¡°She needs to rest, you go back.¡±

    Although the marks on Qiao Jing¡¯s neck had not yet been seen by Xu Moqian, he couldn¡¯t let anyone other than himself enter the hospital room.

    Xu Moqian clenched his fists, ring at Zhan Qipei with a venomous look, and spoke deliberately slowly.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, why are you so petty? Can¡¯t I even visit Sister Jing?¡±

    Every time he had a chance, Zhan Qipei would interrupt him.

    Could it really be that he was fated not to be with Qiao Jing?!

    Zhan Qipei slightly squinted his dark eyes, and his sharp gaze contained a chill.

    ¡°Do you need me to spell out what you¡¯re really thinking?¡±

    He was well aware of what these rivals in love were thinking because Qiao Jing was too outstanding, all these men had ulterior motives towards her.

    But only he was Qiao Jing¡¯s legitimate man.

    Xu Moqian felt strangely as if Zhan Qipei could see right through him with that prating stare.

    He definitely still liked Sister Jing ¡ª after all, who wouldn¡¯t like someone as outstanding and beautiful as her?

    Besides, he had liked her since college. How could he just give up, especially with Grandpa also helping out?

    So he wanted to try again, only to meet a strong rival, Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips and sat down on the chair to watch the drama unfold.

    Just then, the door of the hospital room behind Zhan Qipei opened.

    Qiao Jing stepped out, holding a thermos, the IV needle removed from the back of her hand.

    ¡°Nanqing, take the thermos back with you, I¡¯ve finished with the fluids too.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she noticed that everyone present had fallen into an odd silence.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze flickered with the light of gossip, tinged with a hint of petty jealousy, as she stared non-stop at Qiao Jing¡¯s neck.

    What could her brother and Qiao Jing have been doing in the hospital room?

    Zhan Nanqing immediately coughed a few times, trying to signal to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ COUGH COUGH COUGH!!¡±

    Xu Moqian was frozen in ce at this moment, his stare fixed on Qiao Jing, visibly shocked.

    ¡°Jing¡­ Sister Jing¡­¡±

    When Qiao Jing felt their strange looks, she furrowed her brows, following their gaze.

    The next second, she saw the loose hospital gown she was wearing failed to cover the conspicuous mark on her neck.

    That dog of a man Zhan Qipei had deliberately left it in a visible ce to make sure others saw it!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face stiffened for a moment before returning to normal, calmly pulling up the cor to cover the mark.

    ¡°I¡¯m preparing to be discharged.¡±

    Right now, she couldn¡¯t stand to see Zhan Qipei for even a second more, first nearly being discovered by Grandpa Xu, and now that Zhan Nanqing and Xu Moqian had seen the mark on her.

    This dog of a man was being too deliberate!

    An expression like thunder on a sunny day crossed Xu Moqian¡¯s face, his eyeballs nearly popping out.

    ¡°Sister Jing¡­ you two¡­¡±

    What on earth were Zhan Qipei and Sister Jing doing in the hospital room while he and the others were outside?!

    Why did he have to see this?

    His feeble heart suffered immense damage!!

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together and nced at the culprit Zhan Qipei, then exined:

    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, I¡¯m going to handle the discharge procedures.¡±

    Zhan Qipei, who had been enjoying Xu Moqian¡¯s shocked expression, followed Qiao Jing¡¯s words immediately and kept pace with her.

    ¡°Stay in the hospital to rest today, and be discharged tomorrow; how does that sound?¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently, quickening her pace.

    ¡°I¡¯ll rest at home after getting discharged.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital room any longer, or more and more visitors woulde.

    The hospital gown she was wearing couldn¡¯t cover the mark under normal conditions; Zhan Qipei had left it very high up, where the cor couldn¡¯tpletely hide it.

    If other visitors were toe, wouldn¡¯t they all see this mark?

    Zhan Qipei quickly followed Qiao Jing, apanying her to handle the discharge paperwork.

    They left Zhan Nanqing and the still-stunned Xu Moqian behind in the corridor.

    Zhan Nanqing actually felt a bit sour inside; she felt like a lemon spirit.

    She had been fed dog food over and over again.

    However¡­

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes fell on the nearby Xu Moqian, feeling a bit sorry for him for the first time.

    Xu Moqian was far more miserable than she was.

    But she was not such an easy person; she intended to twist the knife.

    Who asked Xu Moqian to always enjoy bickering with her.

    ¡°Xu Moqian, you might as well give up early, Qiao Jing is with our Zhan Family,¡± Zhan Nanqing said.

    Xu Moqian,ing to his senses, red at Zhan Nanqing, irritated.

    ¡°If you speak less, no one would consider you mute!¡±

    He could handle being hurt, but Zhan Nanqing just had to twist the knife.

    It seems that the Zhan Family members were all no good!

 Chapter 529: 518: Yan Ya Plans to Continue Searching for Divine Doctor Jing

    <strong>Chapter 529: Chapter 518: Yan Ya ns to Continue Searching for Divine Doctor Jing</strong>

    Zhan Nanqing watched Xu Moqian being deeply affected and felt immensely satisfied, packing her bag and leaving.

    Inside the Nantai Apartment.

    After returning home, Qiao Jing continuously monitored the progress at the research institute online.

    Zhan Qipei poured a cup of hot water and ced it in front of Qiao Jing, then took a bottle of stomach medicine from the medicine cab at home and put it on the table.

    ¡°From now on, remember to carry stomach medicine with you, you absolutely must not skip meals. I¡¯ll have Nanqing help me keep an eye on you.¡±

    He dared not imagine if there was a next time and he was in a meeting and could not reach Qiao Jing¡¯s side promptly.

    In that case, he would me himself for a lifetime.

    Seeing thatrge bottle of stomach medicine, Qiao Jing felt a bit of a headache and rubbed her temples.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, I already said I would eat on time.¡±

    She did not usually carry a bag when going out, and it might be a bit difficult for her to put such arge bottle of stomach medicine in her pocket.

    Moreover, her pockets would bulge, which would not only look strange to passersby, but it would also be inconvenient for her to walk.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and took a smaller strip of stomach medicine from the box and ced it on the table, his lips parting slightly.

    ¡°If somethinges up, call me on your phone. During meetings, your calls are the only ones I can hear.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, a hint of surprise shed in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    What the man implied was that he had set a special ringtone just for her calls and messages.

    She upied a very important part in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart¡­

    Could she really bear such a heavy emotion?

    A ringtone interrupted Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the caller, realized it was Su Manhan, and pressed ¡®answer¡¯ before switching to speaker mode.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s up?¡±

    The voice of Su Manhan came through from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°I¡¯m currently at your doorstep. I know you¡¯re not home, so I called. What¡¯s the door code? I brought some things for nourishing the body.¡±

    Zhan Qipei stood up, walked to the entrance, and helped Su Manhan open the door.

    When Su Manhan saw Zhan Qipei, she paused, then hung up the phone.

    ¡°Eh? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work right now?¡±

    As Su Manhan spoke, she carried a delicately wrapped gift bag inside, noticing Qiao Jing¡¯s shoes at the entrance.

    ¡°Is Qiao Jing home as well?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded, taking the gift bag from Su Manhan¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Mom, let me take it.¡±

    Su Manhan stuffed the bag into Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Perfect, I¡¯ll go have a chat with Qiao Jing.¡±

    It had been several days since shest saw Qiao Jing, and now she was worried that her daughter-inw might have gotten thinner from not eating.

    When Qiao Jing saw that Su Manhan had arrived, she turned off her phone, preparing to pour her a ss of water.

    Su Manhan immediately stopped her.

    ¡°Hey hey hey! Why are you being so formal with me? Why are you pouring water for me? I¡¯m just here to see you.¡±

    A faint smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she sat back down on the sofa.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Madam Zhan.¡±

    Suddenly, she remembered the stomach medicine on the table, and promptly put everything into the drawer.

    If Su Manhan knew about her stomach aches and fainting due to not eating, she would probably be nagged for a long time.

    Su Manhan noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s action and asked nervously:

    ¡°Was that medicine just now? Are you sick?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the drawer and pursed her red lips.

    ¡°No, those were just vitamin tablets.¡±

    Given Su Manhan¡¯s current tense state, her choice just now was the right one.

    Only then did Su Manhan breathe a sigh of relief and took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ready to chat about daily life, when a sh of red caught her eye.

    It took her a moment to realize, and once she recognized what the mark was, her eyes widened, and she immediately began to glow.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, your neck¡­.¡±

    Ahhh¡ªher son had finally made it!

    Could she be holding her grandson very soon?!!

    Qiao Jing was startled for a moment and frowned, pulling at her own cor as she earnestly said,

    ¡°Madam Zhan, you misunderstand, nothing happened.¡±

    She thought she would be resting at home today and not meeting anyone else, so she wore something more loose andfortable, just like usual.

    But Su Manhan¡¯s visit was unexpected.

    The smile on Su Manhan¡¯s face suddenly froze, and she blinked,

    ¡°Ah? Nothing happened?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded earnestly.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want Su Manhan to think that something had happened between her and Zhan Qipei that might lead to pregnancy issuester.

    After all, if Su Manhan thought something had happened between her and Zhan Qipei, she would definitely be convinced that Qiao Jing would get pregnant.

    Seeing how serious Qiao Jing was, Su Manhan sighed and a look of regret crossed her face.

    She actually wished something had happened between the two, so she could embrace a grandson sooner.

    When she saw that mark, she was overjoyed, thinking it was just the young couple being shy.

    But seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s serious expression, she finally confirmed that truly nothing had happened between them.

    It was a false happiness; when would her son finally let her hold her grandson?

    Now, even if the young couple wasn¡¯t in a hurry, it was killing her, their mother.

    Seeing how upset Su Manhan was, Qiao Jing felt somewhat guilty and began to change the subject.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, what did you bring today?¡±

    After a good ten or so seconds, Su Manhan finally snapped out of her disappointment and took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand to the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei was currently arranging the things Su Manhan had brought over and kept working even as they approached.

    ¡°Mom, are all these things for Qiao Jing to drink?¡±

    Su Manhan shook her head and took out a few packets from among the many bags.

    ¡°These are for you.¡±

    She pondered seriously for a while; after being alone together for so long, surely some sparks must have flown between them.

    Nothing this time didn¡¯t mean nothing before.

    After all, thest time she had personally seen her son pinning Qiao Jing on the bed, and yet till now, there was still no sign of Qiao Jing being pregnant.

    She was now even more convinced that the problemy with her son¡¯s health. It seemed she still needed to continue searching for the rumored Divine Doctor Jing for help.

    Actually, she had been searching for Divine Doctor Jing for several months already but hadn¡¯t been able to find this mysterious healer. After Qiao Jing arrived, she had put the matter on hold for a while.

    Qiao Jing nced at the herbs in those bags and immediately recognized their purpose, slightly twitching the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, drinking all these at the same time could cause ¡®fire¡¯ buildup.¡±

    She could tell, in the matter of supplementing Zhan Qipei¡¯s kidneys, Su Manhan was indeed painstaking, having purchased so many kidney-nourishing herbs.

    But she couldn¡¯t rify for Zhan Qipei that his body truly had no issues.

    Zhan Qipei heard the implication in Qiao Jing¡¯s words and sighed helplessly.

    ¡°Mom, you really don¡¯t need to buy all these for me.¡±

 Chapter 530: 519: Is Su Manhan About to Discover the Pregnancy?!

    <strong>Chapter 530: Chapter 519: Is Su Manhan About to Discover the Pregnancy?!</strong>

    As soon as Su Manhan heard this, she immediately protested, revealing an anxious expression.

    ¡°No way, if I don¡¯t buy these, who will? Do you know how anxious I am? Mrs. Wang next door unts her grandson on social media every day, and every time I see it, I keep wondering, where is my grandson?¡±

    Every time she saw someone else holding a grandchild, she felt an unbearable envy.

    After all, Mrs. Wang¡¯s son wasn¡¯t much older than her own son, so why hadn¡¯t her son given her a plump, healthy grandson to hold yet?

    She wanted a grandchild, whether a boy or a girl!

    Zhan Qipei looked a tad helpless as he set the gift bag aside.

    He couldn¡¯t just tell his mom that she was already a grandmother of three children, could he?

    After listening to Su Manhan, Qiao Jing nced down at her slightly protruding belly.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, you won¡¯t get heartburn if you drink them separately.¡±

    She still couldn¡¯t tell Su Manhan about her pregnancy, so she would have to let Zhan Qipei continue the pretense of his ill health for the time being.

    Zhan Qipei rubbed his temples and hummed in agreement.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s acquiescence, Su Manhan finally looked satisfied and turned her gaze towards Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, have you put on a bit of weighttely? You are really too¡­¡±

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly rounded belly.

    Su Manhan¡¯s eyes instantly brightened, and she reached out to touch Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach.

    When Su Manhan touched her like that, Qiao Jing instinctively sucked in her stomach, her body stiffening on the spot.

    She was worried that Su Manhan¡¯s close contact with her belly might give away her secret.

    After all, Su Manhan was a mother herself and, coupled with her current eagerness for a grandchild, any misinterpretation about pregnancy could lead to an awkward situation.

    Zhan Qipei also stopped sorting things, his gaze nervously fixed on Su Manhan¡¯s hand on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Would his mom notice that Qiao Jing was pregnant?

    Qiao Jing felt so nervous that her palms began to sweat, as she looked down at Su Manhan¡¯s hand on her belly.

    ¡°Madam Zhan?¡±

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let Su Manhan find out about her pregnancy, or things would get veryplicated.

    Su Manhan nodded her head but didn¡¯t respond to Qiao Jing¡¯s words; instead, she kept feeling Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, as if verifying something.

    The texture felt simr to when she herself was pregnant¡ªcould it be¡ª

    Su Manhan gave Qiao Jing a suspicious nce.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, tell me the truth, are you¡ª¡±

    She was interrupted by Zhan Qipei before she could finish her sentence.

    ¡°No.¡±

    He knew Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want others to know about her pregnancy, so he would do his best to keep it a secret.

    Su Manhan red irritably at Zhan Qipei and casually tossed a bag on the table towards him, grumbling,

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask yet, and you¡¯re already answering for her? I was talking to Qiao Jing; why are you butting in?¡±

    After saying that, Su Manhan didn¡¯t pay any more attention to Zhan Qipei and once again looked sternly at Qiao Jing.

    A rare panic shed in the depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, her palms covered with a thinyer of sweat. She pursed her red lips, trying to calm herself down.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, please continue.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t yet figured out how to handle the situation if Su Manhan found out about her pregnancy.

    It was all too sudden now.

    Su Manhan withdrew her hand from Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, her serious expression suddenly reced by a happy one.

    ¡°Did you gain some weight recently? Tell me what you¡¯ve been eatingtely, and I¡¯ll help you cook.¡±

    She had thought it through carefully; her own pregnancy was twenty years ago, and by now she had nearly forgotten about it. Qiao Jing¡¯s belly was just a little raised. She had actually thought Qiao Jing was pregnant.

    She didn¡¯t want to be disappointed again, but at least Qiao Jing¡¯s belly had gained some flesh.

    Qiao Jing had been too thin before, so Su Manhan had been concerned that her body might not handle pregnancy well.

    But now that she had gained some weight, it was also time to prepare for pregnancy.

    And then there was her son, the most critical part was her son.

    She had to find Divine Doctor Jing as soon as possible to see what on earth was going on with her son?

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then unconsciously nced towards Zhan Qipei beside her.

    As a result, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, the man had been watching her the whole time.

    Qiao Jing also saw relief in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, and her tense body gradually rxed.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for all that fuss.¡±

    Thank goodness Su Manhan had not noticed¡­

    It wasn¡¯t that she deliberately kept it from Su Manhan, it was because although she had agreed to try being with Zhan Qipei, her feelings for the man were slowly changing, but it hadn¡¯t reached the final step yet.

    It hadn¡¯t reached the point where they couldn¡¯t live without each other.

    Simply put, the time wasn¡¯t right.

    If Su Manhan knew about her pregnancy, what if she and Zhan Qipei realized after getting to know each other that they were not suitable for one another?

    By then, they surely couldn¡¯t just force themselves to be together because of the child, because the elders cared about having a grandchild, right?

    So, for now, she couldn¡¯t mention her pregnancy.

    Su Manhan frowned, somewhat displeased.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯ve said it before, your matters are never a trouble, if you say that again, it¡¯s like you¡¯re treating me as an outsider, I¡¯m going to get angry.¡±

    She now had two very challenging tasks, one was to fatten up Qiao Jing, and the second was to find Divine Doctor Jing.

    The second task, if all went well, she would be able toplete very soon, because she had heard a bit about Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s whereabouts from friends these past few days.

    Seeing Su Manhan¡¯s stubborn demeanor, Qiao Jing sighed helplessly and just randomly called out a few dish names.

    Now she finally knew, the stubbornness of Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing came from whom, it turns out it was all from Su Manhan¡¯s character.

    Only that Zhan Qipei¡¯s stubbornness was even more severe than the other two¡¯s.

    After jotting down the dish names one by one, Su Manhan revealed a satisfied smile on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it all noted down, when youe home to eat, I¡¯ll specially cook these dishes for you. Right, I have something to do, I must go now, but I will give you a big surpriseter!¡±

    After dropping this statement, Su Manhan hastily left Nantai Apartment.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, feeling a sense of anticipation for this surprise, yet at the same time, an ominous premonition inexplicably emerged in her heart.

    She always felt that the surprise Su Manhan would give them wouldn¡¯t be a delight, but rather a shock.

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing was having breakfast when Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone started ringing.

    She nced at the caller and then at Zhan Qipei who was still making soybean milk, and pressed answer.

    ¡°Hello, Madam Zhan.¡±

    Su Manhan responded several times, her voice brimming with excitement.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Do you remember the surprise I mentioned to you and others yesterday?¡±

    Qiao Jing gave an ¡°Mhm,¡± with a hint of surprise in her eyes.

    ¡°I remember.¡±

    The surprise she mentioned just yesterday and it¡¯s already prepared this early morning?

    But why was that sense of foreboding in her heart growing stronger?

    Su Manhan spoke mysteriously:

    ¡°Can you and Qipeie over to Purple Garden right now? This surprise is somewhat urgent.¡±

    This important issue had to be addressed immediately; all family members had to be gathered together at once.

    Zhan Yao and Zhan Nanqing were also held back.

    Qiao Jing replied with a yes, hung up the phone, and informed Zhan Qipei.

    After finishing breakfast, the two headed for Purple Garden together.

    Inside Purple Garden.

    As Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei opened the door, the first thing they saw was Zhan Nanqing with a face turned red with emotion.

 Chapter 531: 520: The Real and Fake Divine Doctor Jing

    <strong>Chapter 531: Chapter 520: The Real and Fake Divine Doctor Jing</strong>

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled expression and asked aloud:

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She guessed from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression that she must be upset, and was it because of a confrontation with Su Manhan?

    Since she had known this mother and daughter, she had never seen them argue, but what was happening now?

    After seeing Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing angrily sat down on the sofa, arms crossed.

    ¡°Hmph! My mom said she found Divine Doctor Jing, a man. She imed she spent a lot of money to have him treat my brother. I told her not to trust people so easily, but she just wouldn¡¯t listen to me.¡±

    She knew the Divine Doctor Jing her mother had found was a fake, which was why she made such an effort to exin.

    Yet her mother retorted with things like it was impossible for anyone to impersonate Divine Doctor Jing, which absolutely infuriated her!

    She desperately wanted to shout at her mother that Divine Doctor Jing was none other than your beloved daughter-inw.

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, both Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were taken aback.

    A trace of surprise emerged in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she turned her gaze towards Su Manhan.

    Found Divine Doctor Jing?

    But¡­ Divine Doctor Jing was her.

    So, where did this male Divine Doctor Jinge from?

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, realizing that this was the unsettling premonition she had felt, someone was impersonating her.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s narrow eyes squinted, a cold gleam flickering in his dark eyes.

    Someone dared to impersonate Qiao Jing?

    That was simply courting death!

    Su Manhan, noticing both of their stunned expressions, stepped forward and pulled Qiao Jing to sit on the sofa, immediately starting to exin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Nanqing, Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s reputation is so renowned, how could anyone dare to impersonate him? Moreover, I leveraged many connections and went through several rounds before finding Divine Doctor Jing. Doesn¡¯t it perfectly match his mysterious characteristics?¡±

    She knew how much effort she had put in to find Divine Doctor Jing. It couldn¡¯t possibly be a fake one.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes deepened as she slightly furrowed her brows.

    She could understand why Su Manhan believed without a doubt that the impostor was Divine Doctor Jing.

    As Su Manhan said, she rarely used the identity of Divine Doctor Jing to treat others, which had created a highly mysterious image among the people of the capital.

    And Su Manhan¡¯s statement that it took a long time to contact this so-called ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± matched her mysterious characteristics even more.

    Seeing how certain Su Manhan was, Zhan Nanqing was so angry that she almost fainted, and let out another heavy ¡°hmph.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I told you, but you just wouldn¡¯t believe me. I thought it was something important, but it turns out you brought a fake Divine Doctor Jing here, hmph, I want to see who this fake Divine Doctor Jing really is.¡±

    The real Divine Doctor Jing was right in front of them, but she just couldn¡¯t reveal it.

    She must expose this fake Divine Doctor Jingter, how dare they impersonate Qiao Jing!

    She was so angry she could die!!

    Zhan Yao sensed something was amiss and looked at Zhan Nanqing with an inquisitive gaze.

    ¡°Nanqing, why are you so sure this Divine Doctor Jing is a fake? Do you know the real Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t expect Zhan Yao to ask her this and suddenly coughed.

    ¡°How could¡­ How could I possibly know Divine Doctor Jing¡­¡±

    Zhan Yao asked doubtfully:

    ¡°Then why do you think the one your mom found is a fake Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling somewhat guilty, nced at Qiao Jing. Her mind raced as she searched for an excuse.

    ¡°I¡­ well¡­ Didn¡¯t mom also try to find Divine Doctor Jing before? He said he wouldn¡¯te to treat, so how could he so readily agree now?¡±

    Zhan Yao then withdrew his suspicious gaze and said nothing more.

    He maintained a reasonable attitude towards the arrival of Divine Doctor Jing, as the situation was indeed a bit suspicious.

    Su Manhan poked Zhan Nanqing¡¯s forehead with her finger, frowning.

    ¡°Why do you always expect the worst? Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t find Divine Doctor Jing? When he arrives, you better not call him a ¡®fake Divine Doctor¡¯ at every opportunity,¡± she said.

    Zhan Nanqing, covering his poked forehead, shifted to the side and mumbled,

    ¡°Hmph¡­ you¡¯ll see soon enough.¡±

    At that moment, the door opened again, and the figure of an elderly man appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Upon seeing the neer, Qiao Jing slightly raised her lightly-smoked eyebrows.

    ¡°Is this Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    She actually didn¡¯t mind someone impersonating her, what mattered to her was whether the person was using her name to swindle and deceive others.

    Even if they weren¡¯t using her name, if she encountered such deceitful acts, she wouldn¡¯t stand idly by.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± stroked his beard and took a good look at Purple Garden, his small eyes hiding a greedy gleam.

    ¡°Indeed, I am Divine Doctor Jing. If Madam Zhan hadn¡¯t personally sought me out and offered a handsome reward, I wouldn¡¯t havee,¡± he said.

    He knew impersonating Divine Doctor Jing was the right choice, as it had led him to a big opportunity.

    This time, he could swindle arge sum of money.

    Seeing that ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± had arrived, Su Manhan signaled the butler with her eyes.

    ¡°Please, have Divine Doctor Jing take a seat and pour him a ss of water.¡±

    With Divine Doctor Jing here to treat her son, the day she could embrace her grandson was getting closer!

    The butler respectfully approached ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± and made a weing gesture.

    After ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± swaggeringly took his seat, the butler brewed a cup of top-quality Longjing Tea and handed it to him.

    Upon the arrival of ¡°Divine Doctor Jing,¡± Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his dark pupils, his piercing gaze settling on the man¡¯s face.

    Just as he was about to speak, Qiao Jing stopped him with a nce.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    After all, the man was impersonating her identity, and it was better for her to deal with it.

    Zhan Qipei nodded and remained silent.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± looked around at everyone present until his gaze met Qiao Jing¡¯s; meeting her insightful eyes suddenly gave him an inexplicable gut feeling.

    Internally, he scoffed disrespectfully, ¡°Tch, it¡¯s just a woman, what is there to be afraid of?¡±

    ¡°Madam Zhan, may I ask where your son has been experiencing problems?¡± he asked.

    Su Manhan hesitated for a moment, her expression turning somewhat awkward.

    ¡°Um¡­ well¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing directly interrupted Su Manhan and kept staring at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    ¡°Before you treat my brother, Divine Doctor Jing, I¡¯ve been experiencing some chest tightness recently. Could you take my pulse and suggest what medication I should take?¡±

    She wanted to see what skills this fake Divine Doctor Jing really had to dare impersonate Qiao Jing.

    Plus, the real Divine Doctor Jing was sitting right in front of the impostor, and she was ready to assist in exposing this chatan¡¯s identity.

    At these words, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s¡± face momentarily betrayed difort.

    ¡°Of course, I can.¡±

    To impersonate Divine Doctor Jing, he had prepared thoroughly. Although he couldn¡¯t actually take pulses, making up a few symptoms and randomly naming a few herbs was still within his capabilities.

    Reluctantly, Zhan Nanqing extended her hand towards ¡°Divine Doctor Jing,¡± waiting for his diagnosis.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± pretended to take Zhan Nanqing¡¯s pulse, closing his eyes and thinking for a while before speaking.

 Chapter 532: 521: Exposing the Fake Divine Doctors Identity

    <strong>Chapter 532: Chapter 521: Exposing the Fake Divine Doctor¡¯s Identity</strong>

    ¡°You¡¯ve been too tiredtely, you need to rest well and take some Ginseng Pine Heart Capsules.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue and, without saying another word, withdrew her hand and red at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡±.

    ¡°Hah! I don¡¯t have chest difort at all. You can¡¯t even diagnose that, are you really Divine Doctor Jing?¡±

    She was just trying to test ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± to see what he was made of, but it turned out he couldn¡¯t even take a pulse properly.

    Who had given this ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± the courage to impersonate Qiao Jing?

    Could it be Liang Jingru?

    The smug look on ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s¡± face stiffened for an instant before he quickly regained hisposure and stroked his beard, speaking earnestly:

    ¡°Youngdy, of course I saw through it, but I didn¡¯t expose you because you don¡¯t trust me, so I just went along with what you said.¡±

    After saying this, he looked at Su Manhan with a straight face.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, I didn¡¯t expect you to invite me so sincerely, but your family doesn¡¯t trust me. Should I not havee to consult?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing watched ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± talk in circles and her eyes widened with anger.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter with you? You diagnosed wrong, and now you¡¯re making excuses about going along with me? What are you¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, Su Manhan covered her mouth.

    Zhan Nanqing made two muffled sounds in protest, but to no avail, and could only re at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± with all her might.

    Su Manhan gave Zhan Nanqing a stern look and turned to ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± with an apologetic smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Divine Doctor Jing, the child is naive; please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    She had gone to great lengths to invite this Divine Doctor Jing, with the prospect of holding a grandchild in her arms. She couldn¡¯t allow her foolish daughter to drive him away.

    Zhan Nanqing was fuming. She was about to explode!

    She was in her twenties already! Did she still seem like a ¡°child¡± in her mother¡¯s eyes?!

    And this ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± was putting on airs. Did he really think he was the actual Divine Doctor Jing?!!

    But now that her mouth was covered, she was unable to speak and could only look at Qiao Jing with a pleading gaze.

    Qiao Jing, after receiving Zhan Nanqing¡¯s look, nodded slightly.

    She leaned back in her chair, arms folded, silently watching ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s¡± performance.

    She wanted to observe ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± a bit longer to see what kind of performance he would put on next.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± sighed deeply, exuding an uneasy expression.

    ¡°s¡ªI came here out of respect for Madam Zhan¡¯s sincerity; can you tell me about your symptoms now?¡±

    He would soon throw out a few random medicinal names, grab the money, and run.

    Su Manhan immediately nodded and quickly released her hand from over Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s my son; his health¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing saw the hand that had been covering her mouth loosen and seized the opportunity.

    ¡°Hold on, ¡®Divine Doctor Jing,¡¯ I was wrong just now. I was just a bit skeptical about actually meeting Divine Doctor Jing in person, so I wanted to test.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t keep being so obviously antagonistic toward ¡°Divine Doctor Jing,¡± otherwise her mother would definitely send her back to her room, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to stay and help.

    Seeing the change in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s attitude, Su Manhan abandoned the idea of sending her back to her room.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± swelled with pride again.

    ¡°Hmm, I understand, so can you tell me the symptoms now? My time is a bit tight; I have another patient waiting for me.¡±

    Right now, all he wanted was to get the money and make a quick getaway. He didn¡¯t recognize nor care to be called any Divine Doctor Jing, nor did he know how to treat any ailments.

    Zhan Nanqing caught herself just before blurting out a ¡°Tch¡± and instead spread her mouth into a fake smile.

    What a bluff!

    Pigs might fly!

    No, wait, it¡¯s elephants.

    A herd of elephants are floating in the sky.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes narrowed with a hint of coldness as she pursed her red lips.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing, I am a doctor myself, and today, I finally have the chance to meet you in person. I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask you, do you have time?¡±

    She could tell ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± was in a hurry at the moment, and if things were as expected, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± was anxious to take the money and run.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± hesitated for a moment, grumbling inwardly:

    Has he run into a doctor?

    But he didn¡¯t know anything about professional issues, could he give himself away?

    Zhan Nanqing also yed along with Qiao Jing, saying:

    ¡°Yes, Divine Doctor Jing, my sister-inw is a very ordinary doctor. She must have many professional questions she wants to ask you, after all, you are the famous Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    She deliberately paused after each syble of ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± to sarcastically stress the name.

    She hoped this ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± would know better than to persist in his folly and woulde clean on his own initiative.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± shifted his gaze away guiltily, just about to make an excuse to brush it off when Su Manhan¡¯s voice rang out.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing, my daughter-inw is also a doctor who must admire you greatly. It¡¯s a good opportunity for her to seek advice from you. Moreover, my daughter has always been suspicious of you, so why don¡¯t you just answer a few questions casually? That would convince my daughter of your authenticity as the real Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing secretly rolled her eyes and ranted crazily in her heart.

    Pfft, would the real Divine Doctor Jing need to admire an impostor like this?

    The living room suddenly fell silent for a few seconds.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s icy gazended on ¡°Divine Doctor Jing,¡± and her cool voice rose.

    ¡°What do you think, Divine Doctor Jing? It¡¯s just a few professional questions after all.¡±

    She wanted to see how well ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± performed professionally. If he didn¡¯t even know the slightly more difficult questions, how could he prescribe medicine to patients?

    Prescribing medicine indiscriminately could seriously endanger a patient¡¯s life.

    She just hoped that this so-called ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± wasn¡¯t a habitual offender, or else there would be too many victims.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, feeling even more guilty, and began to sweat profusely from his back. With so many eyes on him, he had no choice but to brazen it out:

    ¡°Of course, go ahead and ask.¡±

    Qiao Jing casually asked a few questions about what doctors and nurses should do during the emergency treatment of a patient involved in a car ident.

    As a result, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± couldn¡¯t answer a single one, and the confidence vanished from his face.

    Panic-stricken, he began to sweat heavily and tried to change the subject.

    ¡°I think these questions are very basic. You, as a doctor, should know them, and I don¡¯t need to answer them. This isn¡¯t really asking for advice. Madam Zhan, you should talk about Young Master Zhan¡¯s condition instead.¡±

    How would he know what to do to stop bleeding in a car ident?

    He¡¯s not a doctor!

    Qiao Jing slightly curled the corners of her lips, reading the panic in ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s¡± eyes, and switched to another question.

    ¡°Then let me change the question: how should a patient with a tumor pressing on their nerves be treated?¡±

    She wanted ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± to unravel himself. How could someone who knows nothing about the profession possibly be the Divine Doctor Jing?

    He doesn¡¯t even qualify to impersonate her!

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± clenched his teeth and feigned annoyance.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, these questions are too simple. I don¡¯t want to answer them. I came here specifically to treat Young Master Zhan, not to field questions.¡±

 Chapter 533: 522: Begging for Mercy on Knees

    <strong>Chapter 533: Chapter 522: Begging for Mercy on Knees</strong>

    Su Manhan felt that things were getting a bit strange, but right now she was anxious to treat Zhan Qipei¡¯s illness. She feared that ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± might leave if he was unhappy, and she simply didn¡¯t have the time to think too much.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s not answer any questions for now, Divine Doctor Jing, my son¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Her words were not yet finished when she was once again interrupted by Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not easy to meet Divine Doctor Jing. Why not call Master Zhou and ask him toe over? He could join us and help treat my brother¡¯s illness?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t let her mother blurt out the misunderstanding about her brother¡¯s kidneys.

    Moreover, this was a fake Divine Doctor Jing, who might take advantage of this situation to threaten the Zhan Family for money!

    If this ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± were to slip up and the whole Imperial Capital found out her brother had kidney problems, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn¡¯t wash away the scandal.

    Upon hearing this, Su Manhan¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    ¡°Right! The more people, the better the ideas. Divine Doctor Jing, why don¡¯t you contact your apprentice and have hime over to provide some advice?¡±

    Everyone in the Imperial Capital knew that Divine Doctor Jing had an apprentice, Zhou Fu from Wonderful Hall.

    If Zhou Fu could alsoe, that would be even better!

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s¡± facial expression instantly stiffened, revealing a forced smile.

    Where could he find Zhou Fu¡¯s contact details?

    Even if he had them, he couldn¡¯t actually call the man over!

    He thought for a moment and immediately found himself an excuse.

    ¡°No need, Madam Zhan, I can handle it myself. There¡¯s no need to trouble my apprentice.¡±

    Just as Su Manhan was about to speak, Zhan Nanqing preempted her, answering for the other party.

    ¡°Is Divine Doctor Jing feeling shy? No worries, my sister-inw is actually at Wonderful Hall helping with consultations and she has Mr. Zhou¡¯s contact information. She can call for you.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Nanqing desperately winked and gestured at Qiao Jing.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing making such an effort, Qiao Jing smiled helplessly, took out her phone, and followed along with what was said.

    ¡°Sure, I have it. I¡¯ll make the call.¡±

    Originally, she had wanted to use her professional knowledge to drive ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± away, but Zhan Nanqing went straight for the most lethal move.

    However, calling Zhou Fu to confirm the identity of Divine Doctor Jing really was the quickest and most convenient method.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± couldn¡¯t maintain his smile any longer and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

    F**k my life!

    Why do you two have to be so enthusiastic?

    Before he had the chance to stop her, Qiao Jing had already dialed Zhou Fu, putting the call on speakerphone.

    The party on the other end picked up almost instantly.

    Knowing how Zhou Fu would address her, Qiao Jing spoke before he could.

    ¡°Master Zhou, would you minding over to the Zhan Family? Your master, Divine Doctor Jing, is here treating Zhan Qipei, and he mentioned wanting to meet up with you.¡±

    Before Zhou Fu could even utter the word ¡°master,¡± he was stunned by Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Then, he quickly caught on, feigning ignorance.

    ¡°What? My master? When did he go to treat someone at the Zhan Family?¡±

    Seeing this, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± already had the idea of running away in his mind. He looked at Su Manhan, putting on an anxious facade.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, I think I should go see my next patient. Please get in touch with me when you¡¯re avable.¡±

    If he stayed any longer, he was likely to be exposed on the spot!

    Offending the Zhan Family would bring him no good.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± quickly stood up, intending to flee from Purple Garden. However, as he rose to his feet, they began to tremble uncontrobly.

    He steeled himself and rushed towards the door.

    Su Manhan was no fool; by this point, she could tell the man was an impostor.

    Herplexion darkened as she scolded:

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him out!¡±

    The butler, who had been standing by the door, heard this and opened therge gate.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± knew that his ruse had been exposed and, seeing that the butler had opened the door for him, simply dropped the act.

    He was overjoyed, his mouth almost splitting withughter.

    ¡°Hahaha! Fools, you actually helped me open the door?¡±

    But in the next second, the smile on ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡±¡®s face disappeared instantly.

    The doorway was blocked by a line of well-trained bodyguards. Before he could react, two of the bodyguards stepped forward, seized his hands, and brought him back into the living room.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s conversation with Zhou Fu was still ongoing.

    ¡°My master is currently resting. She didn¡¯t say she was going to hold a clinic session. Could someone be impersonating my master?!¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed affirmatively and nced at the restrained ¡°Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s an imposter. You don¡¯t mind if I deal with this, do you? After all, he¡¯s right in front of me.¡±

    Zhou Fu immediately replied:

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind. My master is resting now and won¡¯t bother with this matter. It would be great if Miss Qiao could help deal with it.¡±

    With each sentence the two exchanged, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡±¡®splexion grew a shade paler.

    Only then did Qiao Jing hang up the phone, her gaze icy as it fell on ¡°Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    ¡°Are you a habitual offender? How many people have you deceived before this?¡±

    Her primary goal now was to find out just how many people ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± had actually swindled.

    If there were more victims, she would need to address that.

    Feeling a chill crawl up his back under Qiao Jing¡¯s intimidating gaze, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± confessed without being asked to.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a habitual offender! This is my first time!!¡±

    He wanted to crawl and roll in front of Su Manhan to beg for mercy, but the bodyguards restrained him firmly, rendering him immobile.

    He had now offended the imperial Zhan Family; his life was as good as over!

    Upon hearing ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡±¡®s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s concerns were somewhat alleviated.

    ¡°Impersonating someone else in an attempt tomit fraud is a matter for the police to handle.¡±

    Hearing this, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± was so scared that he fell to his knees with a ¡°thump¡± and began begging Su Manhan for mercy.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, I was temporarily blinded by greed, please have mercy on me. I haven¡¯t spent a penny of the deposit you gave me, and I will return the money to you immediately, right now.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing wore an expression that said, ¡°I told you so.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I told you he was a swindler and you didn¡¯t believe me. Doesn¡¯t he just not look like Divine Doctor Jing? You¡¯ve asked him before and he refused toe; how could he suddenly change his mind?¡±

    Remembering how she had med Zhan Nanqing earlier, Su Manhan felt a twinge of guilt.

    ¡°I misunderstood you, Nanqing, sorry, my fault. But this man¡­¡±

    Her expression darkened again as she nced at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± lying on the floor.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll leave this matter to you to handle. I trust you, and since you work at Wonderful Hall, it¡¯s best you handle it. Oh! This has given me such a headache.¡±

    She regretted having trusted ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± so much, to the point of giving him a substantial amount of money.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became!

    Zhan Nanqing nodded with satisfaction and muttered under her breath.

    ¡°It should have been Qiao Jing dealing with this from the start, daring to impersonate her¡­¡±

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t hear Zhan Nanqing¡¯sment clearly and, rubbing her temples, went straight back to her room.

    ¡°Divine Doctor Jing,¡± seeing Su Manhan walk away without paying him any attention, immediately began to plead with Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 534: 523: Tell Su Manhan About Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Pregnancy?

    <strong>Chapter 534: Chapter 523: Tell Su Manhan About Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy?</strong>

    ¡°I, I, I¡­ Madam Zhan, you are a generous person, please let me go this time considering it¡¯s my first offense. I was momentarily possessed; I didn¡¯t swindle anyone, nor did I spend any money you gave me!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± with a cold expression, and the aura around her dropped another notch.

    ¡°You should be thankful you¡¯re a first-time offender, otherwise, your fate would definitely not be this simple.¡±

    She was extremely relieved that there were no other victims, for if there had been and they had been harmed, even to the point of endangering their lives, she would have been incessantly gued by guilt.

    After all, this ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± had been using her reputation to deceive and swindle people.

    Right now, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± deeply regretted his actions, his innards almost turning blue with remorse, as he tried to break free from the bodyguard¡¯s grasp. But the bodyguard firmly held him down, preventing any movement.

    He could only cry pitifully, with snot and tears, trying to appeal for Qiao Jing¡¯s forgiveness.

    ¡°Madam Zhan¡­ I¡­ I truly am a first-time offender! I will never deceive anyone again. It¡¯s not easy at my age. Can we handle this privately? Please don¡¯t send me to the police; I don¡¯t want to go to jail!¡±

    Everything could have gone smoothly; who could have anticipated the sudden appearance of the real Doctor Qiao Jing?

    He never expected the Zhan family would know Zhou Fu!

    If he got sent to the police station today, he¡¯d never see the light of day again for the rest of his life!!

    After all, he had offended the Zhan family!!!

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s¡± act.

    ¡°You still want to y the age card to gain sympathy? Save those words for the police. Who asked you to impersonate someone else?¡±

    And to top it all off, you had the nerve to do it right in front of the real Divine Doctor Jing.

    Meanwhile, the sound of police sirens rang out from outside Purple Garden.

    Upon hearing the police sirens, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± shuddered violently, somehow found the strength to break free from the bodyguards, and without a second word, kowtowed resoundingly to Qiao Jing and the others.

    ¡°Madam Zhan! Young Master Zhan! Miss Zhan! You are all magnanimous, please don¡¯t hold a grudge against this old man. I will return Madam Zhan¡¯s money immediately. Please, I beg you, don¡¯t send me to the police station, okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced coldly at ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± and parted her red lips to slowly utter four words.

    ¡°You reap what you sow.¡±

    Seeing that pleading was futile, ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± looked ashen-faced at the family in front of him.

    He now deeply regretted it; he had thought his first job would be a lucrative one, but it had been exposed right away.

    And as if that weren¡¯t enough, he would now have to spend the rest of his life in jail!

    Once Qiao Jing had spoken, the bodyguard began to escort ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± out.

    After the person was taken away, tranquility returned to the house.

    Zhan Yao, seeing that the matter had been dealt with, said his goodbyes and left.

    Zhan Nanqing felt a sense of relief and contentment.

    ¡°Finally got rid of that old swindler. He really infuriated me!¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from the doorway and shook her head helplessly.

    ¡°It¡¯s over now.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected that by maintaining an air of mystery, she would provide opportunities for some people to take advantage of her name and convincingly impersonate ¡°Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    It seemed she had to be more vignt about this in the future.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Qiao Jing and was about to continue her rant when she caught her brother¡¯s gaze.

    She smacked her lips, determined to avoid any more disy of affection, and decisively left the vi to go to her job at the research institute.

    Having dealt with the matter, Qiao Jing also needed to return to the research institute to work, and she looked at Zhan Qipei beside her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Zhan Qipei had been looking at Qiao Jing with his deep, dark eyes, and he opened his mouth to speak but ultimately chose to remain silent.

    After they both got into the car, Zhan Qipei hesitated for a long while before he finally spoke up.

    ¡°Should we tell mom about your pregnancy? She¡¯s always wanted a grandson, and the misunderstanding today happened because she was so eager to hold her grandchild.¡±

    He actually couldn¡¯t wait for the whole world to know that he was going to be a father, which would prove that he and Qiao Jing still had feelings for each other.

    But since Qiao Jing was unwilling to share the news, he had been helping her cover up as well. However, after today¡¯s incident, he felt even more certain of how much his mother wanted a grandchild.

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and pondered for a moment before speaking.

    ¡°No.¡±

    She and Zhan Qipei were just in the trial phase of their rtionship. Although she found the man agreeable, she had not yet decided if she could truly fall in love with him.

    If Su Manhan were to find out about her pregnancy, there would be manyplications involving the child.

    She didn¡¯t want that kind of trouble.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and said no more.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    He respected Qiao Jing¡¯s wishes. Since she had made this decision, he would continue to help her keep the secret.

    He believed that one day, Qiao Jing would ept him.

    One day, Qiao Jing would be willing to share the news of her pregnancy.

    Inside the research institute.

    After tying up the work from the previous day, the researchers made a significant breakthrough in their study.

    Cheers erupted in the meeting room after the meeting ended.

    ¡°We finally did it!¡±

    ¡°Yes! We¡¯ve been struggling with this issue for weeks, but Professor Qiao is amazing! She almost finished it in just one day!¡±

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Professor Qiao¡¯s efforts yesterday, we would probably have needed several more weeks to study, which would have dyed our progress. Thankfully, we have Professor Qiao!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing, seeing the joy on her colleagues¡¯ faces, couldn¡¯t help but let a smile curl at the corners of her lips.

    The hard work had not been in vain.

    Zhan Nanqing, of course, felt happy as well, but the thought that this achievement came at the cost of Qiao Jing fainting from stomach pain made it seem unworthy to her.

    No matter what, nothing was more important than Qiao Jing¡¯s health!

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s conflicted expression and gently patted the back of her hand.

    After the meeting came the lunch break. Qiao Jing nned to tidy her things in her research office before lunch, but Zhan Nanqing stopped her.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! You¡¯re heading back to theb? No, my brother said to make sure you eat on time!¡±

    Xu Hongzu, who had just left the meeting room, overheard this and approached Qiao Jing with concern.

    ¡°Jing Girl, I really didn¡¯t want you toe back to work so soon, but I couldn¡¯t stop you. However, if you don¡¯t eat now and go back to work, I¡¯m going to speak with security and not let you into the institute for the next few days!¡±

    Seeing the worried expressions on their faces, Qiao Jing felt a bit helpless and twitched the corners of her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and clean up, then eat. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Even if she didn¡¯t need to eat, the three babies in her womb did.

    She had to take care of the three babies.

    Xu Hongzu finally breathed a sigh of relief, leaving with a special reminder.

    ¡°You must eat and take good care of your health!¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and walked towards her own research office.

    Zhan Nanqing followed closely behind Qiao Jing, fearing she would neglect her meals just like the day before.

 Chapter 535: 524: The Real Divine Doctor Jing Is Right Before Your Eyes

    <strong>Chapter 535: Chapter 524: The Real Divine Doctor Jing Is Right Before Your Eyes</strong>

    Qiao Jing showed an extremely helpless smile and turned to look at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going back to pack my things.¡±

    Following her every step made her feel like a disobedient child who needed to be supervised just to eat.

    Zhan Nanqing shook her head, stubbornly following behind Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you pack, and then we¡¯ll go eat together.¡±

    She had an important task on her shoulders, and she had to make sure shepleted this task of supervising Qiao Jing¡¯s meals well.

    If something like yesterday were to happen again, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    After all, she had promised her brother to supervise Qiao Jing¡¯s meals.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing so adamant, Qiao Jing shook her head helplessly, then quickly returned to her study to pack her things.

    After packing, Qiao Jing prepared to head to the cafeteria to eat.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing that Qiao Jing was finally ready to have a meal, rxed her tensed nerves.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, let¡¯s go eat at a restaurant outside, there are a lot of people in the institute¡¯s cafeteria.¡±

    Although Qiao Jing, as Professor Qiao, could get her food without having to wait in line, she knew Qiao Jing¡¯s personality well¡ªQiao Jing would certainly queue up with other researchers.

    Queuing would take a long time, and to be more convenient, she usually went straight to an outside restaurant to eat.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, just about to continue to the cafeteria, when she received a call from Su Manhan.

    ¡°Hello? Madam Zhan?¡±

    Having just dealt with the ¡°Divine Doctor Jing¡± matter that morning, she wondered if something had happened again now that she was receiving this call.

    Su Manhan¡¯s voice came from the other end.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯m at the entrance of the institute right now,e out for a bit, I¡¯ve cooked some food for you.¡±

    Surprised showed in the depth of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, then she suddenly remembered Su Manhan asking her about recipes yesterday.

    As Su Manhan heard no response, she asked with confusion:

    ¡°Qiao Jing? Can you hear me? I specifically made those dishes you told me about yesterday. Eat more to put on some weight, okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing responded and quickened her pace.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming out now.¡±

    In truth, she didn¡¯t know how to interact with the Zhan family. She was more worried that now they were being so good to her, if in the future she still couldn¡¯t ept Zhan Qipei, wouldn¡¯t it mean she had let down their kindness?

    But she knew she couldn¡¯t refuse Su Manhan nor could she let her stand outside holding the lunch boxes for too long.

    Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing answer a phone call and walk outside, looking at her curiously.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did my brothere over? I told you, if you don¡¯t eat properly, my brother would definitelye over every day to take you for meals.¡±

    Qiao Jing turned to look at Zhan Nanqing, and said helplessly:

    ¡°It¡¯s Madam Zhan who hase over.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned, her face filled with question marks.

    ¡°My mother? Why did shee?¡±

    Upon arriving at the institute¡¯s entrance, they saw Su Manhan standing at the door holding several exquisite lunch boxes.

    Seeing theme out, Su Manhan¡¯s face lit up with a smile and quickly stepped forward to Qiao Jing, handing her the lunch boxes.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, take this back and eat it, oh, right! I also cooked Qipei¡¯s portion, why don¡¯t you bring it to Qipei¡¯spany and eat with him? I¡¯ll have the driver take you there.¡±

    Although she hadn¡¯t found the real Divine Doctor Jing this morning, she could still improve her son¡¯s health by cooking medicinal food for him to drink.

    Her son was fine in every aspect except his kidneys, which were failing him and driving her, an anxious mother, to the edge!

    Su Manhan took one of the thermos containers out, specifically separating it from the other lunch boxes.

    ¡°This is the soup I cooked for Qipei, don¡¯t mix it up with anything else.¡±

    Curious about what soup Su Manhan had concocted, Qiao Jing reached out to open the thermal jug and was immediately greeted by a strong scent of Chinese medicine.

    She sniffed and instantly recognized it as a herbal concoction specially designed to strengthen a man¡¯s kidneys and virility.

    It seemed Su Manhan had not given up on the idea of nourishing Qipei¡¯s kidneys, but now she simply had to grudgingly ept it as reality and reinforce the symptom of his supposed kidney inadequacy.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing that Su Manhan¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t acknowledge her presence, felt a tinge of jealousy. The strong aroma of the Chinese medicine provided her with the perfect opportunity to break into their conversation.

    ¡°Mom, what have you concocted for my brother this time?¡±

    Su Manhan sighed deeply, fatigue evident on her face.

    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s for your brother¡¯s health. It¡¯s unfortunate that we haven¡¯t been able to find the real Divine Doctor Jing to treat your brother, so I can only try to improve his health through these herbal soups.¡±

    Hearing Su Manhan consistently suggesting that Zhan Qipei had kidney issues, Zhan Nanqing struggled to suppress the corners of her mouth from turning up.

    Her brother was truly miserable, always believed by his mother to have health problems.

    Little did she know that the real Divine Doctor Jing was far away on the horizon, yet so close at hand.

    Qiao Jing closed the lid of the thermal jug, agreeing to the task.

    ¡°Madam Zhan, I¡¯ll just take a taxi there.¡±

    She had nned to eat in the cafeteria, but this little interruption meant she would now have to deliver the meal to Zhan Corporation and dine with Qipei.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned andined:

    ¡°Mom, I was originally nning to have lunch with Qiao Jing, and now you¡¯ve stolen her away.¡±

    Su Manhan poked at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face with disdain.

    ¡°How about Ie with you then?¡±

    Having said that, she smiled at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the driver take you there, and I¡¯ll take Nanqing to a nearby restaurant for a meal.¡±

    She purposefully put her son¡¯s and Qiao Jing¡¯s meals together to create more opportunities for the couple to spend time together.

    Couples need to spend more time with each other to foster their rtionship.

    Su Manhan, taking Zhan Nanqing by the arm, headed in another direction, leaving the driver with Qiao Jing.

    In the lobby of Zhan Corporation.

    Qiao Jing once again arrived at Qipei¡¯spany, some time having passed since she hadste to help out.

    She noticed that everyone in the lobby was busy with something, not sure what they were doing, and a few employees dressed as anime characters even walked past.

    With a puzzled look, Qiao Jing observed these people for a moment before turning her attention back and heading straight for the reception desk.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to see Zhan Qipei.¡±

    The receptionist was taken aback upon seeing Qiao Jing and instantly recognized her, eximing in shock:

    ¡°Miss Qiao?!¡±

    She remembered the scene thest time Qiao Jing was at thepany, and how President Zhan had protected his wife¡ªit was so domineering!

    Such a scene out of novels had unexpectedly unfolded before her eyes in real life.

    And Miss Qiao was just as beautiful as the heroines described in stories, not to mention she had a rich and handsome husband. She was almost envious to death, turning into a green-eyed monster on the spot.

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Do I need to make an appointment to go up?¡±

    The employee immediately shook her head and pointed to Zhan Qipei¡¯s private elevator.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, you can take that elevator directly up. President Zhan told me if you were toe to thepany, I should inform you that the elevator password is your birthday.¡±

 Chapter 536: 525 Qiao Jing Wants to Cosplay as a Bunny Girl!

    <strong>Chapter 536: Chapter 525 Qiao Jing Wants to Cosy as a Bunny Girl!</strong>

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stupefied. She hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to set his elevator passcode to her birthday.

    She quickly regained herposure.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Just as the employee was about to take Miss Qiao over there, the reception desk phone started ringing.

    A smileced with apology spread across her face as she bowed to Miss Qiao.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao, thepany is a bit busy today. Could you trouble yourself to go to the elevator?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and nodded slightly.

    ¡°No need to escort me.¡±

    To ride an elevator was a trivial matter; she wasn¡¯t some pampered heiress that needed someone to apany her for such a simple task.

    The employee apologized several times in session before hurriedly returning to the reception desk to answer the phone.

    Qiao Jing took steps towards Zhan Qipei¡¯s private elevator, brushing past several people in a hurry along the way.

    The employees¡¯ elevator was even more crowded; among them were several staff members dressed as anime characters.

    Qiao Jing grew more puzzled and thought for a moment.

    If she remembered correctly, this was called cosy, role-ying, right?

    But why would Zhan Corporation organize such an event?

    Qiao Jing watched a few cosy staff enter the elevator before withdrawing her gaze and stepping onto Zhan Qipei¡¯s private elevator, ascending directly to the man¡¯s office.

    However, the office was empty at the time.

    Qiao Jing ced the lunchbox and thermos she had brought on the table but didn¡¯t call Zhan Qipei directly.

    She could tell that Zhan Corporation was busy today, and Qipei was probably handling work or in a meeting at the moment.

    After a silent two seconds, Qiao Jing opened the lunchbox, and by the time she finished her meal, Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯t returned to the office.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and nced at the time.

    It had been so long, yet Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯t returned, nor had he replied to her messages.

    What exactly was keeping everyone at Zhan Corporation so upied today?

    Why were there employees ying cosy?

    Since when did Zhan Corporation get involved in these areas?

    The whirl of perplexing thoughts in her mind left Qiao Jing utterly confounded. After tidying up the lunchbox, she stood up and left the office.

    She decided to go downstairs to see if she could find Zhan Qipei so he coulde back and eat, or else the soup would have cooled downpletely, and, incidentally, witness firsthand what was keeping Zhan Corporation so busy.

    Just as Qiao Jing stepped out of the elevator, a female staff member also dressed as an anime character approached her.

    The staff member, in a rush, headed towards the employees¡¯ elevator and was about to brush past Qiao Jing when she stopped in her tracks.

    Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Qiao Jing, and she reached out to grab her wrist.

    ¡°You¡¯re an employee here too, right? Our event today is one person short. Can youe and give us a hand? Just cosy a character, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, and just as she was about to refuse, she was met with the other¡¯s pitiful expression.

    The staff member sped her hands together, praying.

    ¡°Please, please, which department are you from? Can I properly thank youter? I¡¯ve not been with thepany for long, and I¡¯m in charge of this event. If I don¡¯t do well, I¡¯ll get fired. We are just missing thest person now¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed to help.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    She actually didn¡¯t want to get involved in any of this because she had never been exposed to anime before and didn¡¯t know what character she was supposed to portray.

    But she could tell that this female employee was very hardworking, and helping her meant helping Zhan Qipei¡¯s Company, so she eventually agreed.

    The employee showed a big smile, took Qiao Jing by the elevator, and headed to the tenth floor.

    ¡°Ourpany has recently expanded into a new field and wants to try anime production, so we are organizing some promotional photography. The production images have already been shot, but I¡¯ve learned that having cosy photos can attract the eyes of people who like the second dimension even more.¡±

    Qiao Jing listened quietly to the employee¡¯s introduction, understanding the general situation.

    ¡°So what character do I need to portray?¡±

    ¡°The character you¡¯ll help us portray is¡­ Sakura Mai Senior, and the cosy is a bunny girl outfit¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, asking with a puzzled look:

    ¡°Bunny girl?¡±

    Was this ¡°bunny girl¡± the one she knew about?

    It didn¡¯t sound like a very normal outfit.

    The employee nodded, took out a bag, and pulled out the costume that was needed.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s this set, and don¡¯t worry, this anime character is not what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    She had specifically chosen Qiao Jing for this because her height was particrly suited to the anime character and could be authentic in portraying it.

    After all, there were few girls in thepany who were tall and slim, and more importantly, her face had an incredible beauty that would definitely help with the promotional photography.

    However, she was a bit worried whether Qiao Jing¡¯s figure could authentically represent the character because Qiao Jing was wearing a loose shirt and casual pants, making it impossible to discern her figure.

    When Qiao Jing saw the ck bunny ears headband, the sexy bodysuit, and the ck stockings in the employee¡¯s hands, her face instantly showed a trace of a frown.

    ¡°I have to wear this and take photos?¡±

    The outfit was too exaggerated, and she was afraid she couldn¡¯t ept it.

    Moreover, she had never tried this style before; even when Zhan Nanqing had her dress as a man, she hadn¡¯t found it this challenging.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reluctance, the employee put her hands together again and looked at her with a pleading gaze.

    ¡°Just one shot, one is enough, I¡¯m also in cosy, rest assured that no one will look at you strangely for cosying an anime character, what we strive for is authenticity, don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, her gazending on the cosy outfit. She pursed her red lips, her eyebrows tightly knitted.

    After a brief silence, she still decided to refuse.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please find someone else to help.¡±

    The cosy outfit was too sexy for her; she had never worn anything as sexy as this.

    So she couldn¡¯t ept it, especially since if Zhan Qipei came across her in this cosy outfit, that man would surely get jealous.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, the employee immediately took off the white, slightly translucent jacket she was wearing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my jacket to wear. You can just take it off when you take the photo, just one picture is needed, please help out, there¡¯s no one else in thepany who fits the role as well as you do. If I don¡¯t do this promotional event well, I¡¯ll really get fired.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned deeply, her eyes shifting back and forth between the employee and the cosy outfit.

    Thinking that her decision could affect the employee¡¯s job, she sighed and agreed.

    ¡°Alright, just one photo.¡±

    After all, she had already promised to help, and the employee had taken off her jacket to give to her. She would feel a bit guilty if she didn¡¯t agree.

 Chapter 537: 526: Discovered by Zhan Qipei, Forcibly Taken Away (1)

    <strong>Chapter 537: Chapter 526: Discovered by Zhan Qipei, Forcibly Taken Away (1)</strong>

    The female employee, seeing that Qiao Jing finally agreed, showed a tearfully grateful expression and handed her the bag she was holding.

    ¡°Thank you so much, do you want me to help you put it on? Also, for cosying the character, you¡¯ll need makeup and to wear colored contact lenses, would you mind?¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and reached out to take the clothes.

    ¡°I can dress myself, and there¡¯s no problem with the makeup and contact lenses.¡±

    Since she had epted wearing this cosy outfit, putting on makeup and contact lenses was even less of an issue.

    After saying this, Qiao Jing took the cosy clothes and walked into the changing room.

    The female employee stood at the door of the changing room, still feeling a bit uneasy.

    Although Qiao Jing was tall among women and her face was impable, she worried that Qiao Jing¡¯s figure might not match the character.

    Because the female character has an especially good figure, a fair-skinned, beautiful woman with long legs, and in reality, few people look good, tall, and also have a good figure.

    After all, these three attributes are what every woman dreams of, and if someone possesses all three at the same time, she is a super invincible beauty with no ws.

    But there are hardly any women in this world who are so perfect, so she was quite worried that Qiao Jing¡¯s figure might not be as slim and proportionate.

    However¡­ even if her figure wasn¡¯t great, it wouldn¡¯t matter, since Qiao Jing¡¯s face and height were still there, so there certainly wouldn¡¯t be too many problems.

    While she was thinking this, the door to the changing room opened.

    The female employee didn¡¯t have high hopes, but when she saw Qiao Jinge out, her eyes immediately began to sparkle, and she couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    ¡°Wow¡ª!!!¡±

    Did she find someone who walked right out of an anime?!

    How could it be such a precise representation?!

    She had just thought that Qiao Jing¡¯s figure wasn¡¯t very good, but it turned out she was overthinking!

    The figure matched almost exactly with the character in the anime, even better than the animated character!

    Having been in the cosy scene for so many years, she had never seen anyone who could replicate a character to such a high degree!!

    She had merely pulled in a random person, and unexpectedly, she turned out to be more amazing than those who had been cosyers for many years!!!

    Qiao Jing, not used to the outfit she was wearing, furrowed her brows slightly and put on the sheer white coat given to her by the female employee.

    ¡°Where do we go for the photo shoot?¡±

    All she wanted now was to quickly take the photos and change back into her own clothes.

    She had originallye down to find Zhan Qipei and to see what was causing all themotion today, but she somehow ended up being pulled in to model.

    The female employee raised her hand to wipe away the nonexistent drool and led Qiao Jing to sit on the sofa, then took out makeup and contact lenses.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do your cosy makeup and put on the contact lenses, then we can go take photos! The shooting area is just outside the changing room.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, took out the contact lenses and studied them for a while, but she had never worn them before and really didn¡¯t know how.

    Seeing this, the female employee immediately helped Qiao Jing put the contact lenses on and started applying makeup.

    She unconsciously took out the foundation, but when she stood up and saw Qiao Jing¡¯s skin, smooth as a peeled egg, she felt that applying foundation was utterly redundant.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just do some eye makeup and apply lipstick, and that should do, very quick.¡±

    It was her first time encountering someone with such good skin; she had done makeup for others before, but there were always some imperfections.

    But the woman in front of her now had incredibly wless skin, which made makeup application convenient.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t need to apply fake eyshes or anything of the sort, as her naturalshes were already long.

    Qiao Jing hummed in agreement, allowing the other to apply makeup on her face.

    About a few minutester, the female employee stopped, tidied up, and put away the makeup products.

    ¡°All done, all done. I¡¯ll take you out for the photo shoot, just remove the coat when taking pictures.¡±

    She was certain that the photos taken of Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even require any post-processing, and the original shots were already breathtaking!

    Upon hearing the word ¡°photography,¡± Qiao Jing quickened her pace.

    At the same time, Zhan Qipei and Tang Yan had just arrived at the photography area.

    Tang Yan was holding a folder, and after ncing at the photography area, he began to brief Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Boss, this is the new anime creation project that ourpany wants to develop. We¡¯re currently shooting promotional photos, and most of the models are ourpany¡¯s employees.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nodded lightly, his gaze sweeping across the photography area. Just as he was about to step away, a ck figure caught his eye.

    Qiao Jing was wearing a ck bunny ears headband. Under her slightly transparent white jacket was a tantalizingly form-fitting bodysuit that entuated her curvaceous figure, creating a stunning silhouette. Her legs, d in ck tights and resembling those of a top supermodel, were long and slender, and she was walking towards the photography area in ck high heels.

    However, even in such a provocative attire, Qiao Jing still radiated a divine, untouchable aura, which made people subconsciously avoid offending her.

    The sound of her high heels clicking against the floor seemed to pound on everyone¡¯s hearts, causing their heartbeats to involuntarily quicken.

    The moment he saw Qiao Jing in such a sexy outfit, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes instantly lit up.

    The people in the photography area were also captivated by Qiao Jing the moment they saw her, expressions of amazement spreading across their faces.

    ¡°My God, is she a famous coser? How can she replicate the look so perfectly!¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s not just replicating, in my eyes, she has surpassed the original character!!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been into cosy for ten years, and this is the first time I¡¯vee across someone who replicates the character so well, and she¡¯s also beautiful with an incredible figure!!!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    As Qiao Jing walked into the photography area in her high heels, the photographer was so mesmerized that he momentarily forgot to instruct her to pose.

    Noticing that the photographer was zoning out, Qiao Jing slightly frowned in displeasure.

    ¡°How do you want to shoot? I¡¯ll take only one photo.¡±

    She didn¡¯t like having so many people watching her, this was just an exception.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s prompt, the photographer finally came back to his senses.

    ¡°Just strike any pose you like!¡±

    Qiao Jing took off her jacket revealing her well-defined shoulders and a slender waist. As she turned around, everyone there caught a glimpse of her lower back and a bunny tail.

    The crowd gasped in unison again.

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    ¡°I dere her my goddess! Later, I¡¯m going to ask for her contact information.¡±

    ¡°I really like her, I even feel that the character I cosy is not as good as hers.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Hearing thesements, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression visibly darkened.

    She was his wife.

    And here these people were, discussing in front of him how good-looking Qiao Jing was and how great her figure was?

    Tang Yan, who had been wanting to continue with his introduction, noticed that his boss was staring intently in one direction,pletely ignoring his words.

    ¡°Boss?¡±

    He had been talking for a while, but his boss continued to stare fixedly in one direction?

    What on earth was so captivating to his boss?

    Following Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, Tang Yan looked towards the ck figure, then quickly averted his eyes.

    He dared not look any longer, or he might risk losing his eyes the next second!

    Zhan Qipei lost all interest in listening to Tang Yan and strode toward Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

 Chapter 538: 527: Discovered by Zhan Qipei, Forcibly Taken Away (2)

    <strong>Chapter 538: Chapter 527: Discovered by Zhan Qipei, Forcibly Taken Away (2)</strong>

    Just as the photographer was about to press the shutter, a ck figure once again appeared in the lens, blocking the entire view.

    He had never photographed such a good-looking person before, and now that he was being interrupted, he was in a very bad mood. Just as he was about to tell the person to leave, he suddenly realized that the person blocking the lens was his own boss?!

    He immediately put on the brakes, swallowing back the words he was about to blurt out.

    ¡°President Zhan, hello!¡±

    Zhan Qipei gave the photographer a cold sidelong nce and quickly took off his coat, wrapping Qiao Jing up tightly.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Although he really liked the way Qiao Jing was dressed at the moment, only he was allowed to see her like this.

    Before Qiao Jing could react, she was enveloped by the familiar scent of the man, wrapping her up tightly.

    She was startled for a moment and looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, and I can¡¯t exin it to you in a moment, but I have to take a picture before I can leave.¡±

    She had promised a female employee to take a picture just now and couldn¡¯t go back on her word, otherwise, it could affect the other person¡¯s work.

    But she didn¡¯t expect Zhan Qipei toe over at this time, that dog of a man was definitely going to be jealous again.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed like smoke, and without a word, he scooped Qiao Jing up by the waist.

    ¡°No pictures, I¡¯m taking you back to my office.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her delicate brows and was just about to struggle free when she heard exmations from others around her.

    ¡°Howe that beauty was carried away by President Zhan?!¡±

    ¡°No way, is that really the President Zhan who never lets any woman get close to him? He actually took the initiative to hold a woman?!¡±

    ¡°Ah, I recognize her! I was thinking earlier why that beauty looked so familiar; turn out she¡¯s the wife of President Zhan!¡±

    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m new here, is this for real? My goddess is actually my boss¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing felt her ears inexplicably heating up under the gaze of everyone around her, and she slightly turned her head to face Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, walk faster!¡±

    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that everyone had already seen her just now and covering her face would be pointless, she definitely would have asked Zhan Qipei to put her down.

    All she hoped for now was for Zhan Qipei to walk faster and spare her some embarrassment.

    Zhan Qipei looked down at Qiao Jing and noticed that the tips of her ears were slightly red.

    He curved his lips upward and deliberately, in front of everyone, lifted Qiao Jing slightly higher, whispering in her ear:

    ¡°No need to hurry, we can walk slowly.¡±

    Qiao Jing felt the deliberately hot breath Zhan Qipei sprinkled in her ear, causing her already slightly warm ear tips to ¡°add fuel to the fire.¡±

    She frowned, her phoenix eyes carrying an unwitting reproach.

    ¡°Zhan, Qi, Pei!¡±

    Her skin wasn¡¯t as thick as Zhan Qipei¡¯s!

    That dog of a man really had no shame and still wanted to drag her into it.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly red ear tips, his dark eyes twinkling with an elusive light.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei still showed no intention of speeding up, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly and pushed the man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, if you don¡¯t walk faster, I¡¯ll continue to let others take pictures of me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know if her sudden departure would affect the female employee, considering she had already promised, and they were ready to take the photos.

    Then Zhan Qipei suddenly came over, without a word, took her away, and it was in this manner!

    If she didn¡¯t leave quickly, she would lose face entirely.

    Seeing the girl could not take it anymore, Zhan Qipei finally picked up pace and brought the girl back to his office.

    While he was putting Qiao Jing down, his palm grazed something slightly bulging at Qiao Jing¡¯s waist.

    After getting down, Qiao Jing immediately took off the coat draped over her and angrily threw it onto the sofa.

    ¡°I had already promised someone I would let her take a photo, what are you doing taking me away all of a sudden?¡±

    She was a person who always kept her promises; since she had promised someone, she would certainly follow through.

    But because of Zhan Qipei, she had no choice but to leave directly.

    When Zhan Qipei heard the words ¡°take a photo¡±, his dark eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze intense with possessiveness as he stared straight at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Helping someone else model?¡±

    His wife, since when did she need to lower her status to model for someone else¡¯s photos?

    And dressed up as a bunny girl, no less.

    Qiao Jing, feeling the stark gaze of Zhan Qipei, frowned slightly and looked down at her clothes.

    She suddenly felt that she shouldn¡¯t have taken off Zhan Qipei¡¯s coat.

    But she had just taken off his coat in front of Zhan Qipei, and to put it back on now would feel like pping her own face.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, sat on the sofa with her arms wrapped around herself, barely covering a little more.

    ¡°Hmm, she was short of someone to help with a promotional photo, otherwise she¡¯d be fired, and I happened toe across her, so I went over to help, I was actually looking for you.¡±

    She didn¡¯t call Zhan Qipei directly, worrying it would interrupt their meeting, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into that female employee.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s face and noticed the woman¡¯s ears were gradually losing their redness, a flicker of unperceived disappointment passing through his eyes.

    ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t have dressed like this for someone else¡¯s photo shoot. Also, why did youe to thepany today?¡±

    It was only then that Qiao Jing remembered the true purpose of her visit to Zhan Corporation, her chest heaving sharply.

    ¡°Madam Zhan made soup for you to drink and asked me to bring it over for you.¡±

    She was almost outraged by Zhan Qipei into forgetting her actual purpose foring.

    After saying this, Qiao Jing stood up and went to the other side of the table, turning her back on Zhan Qipei to pick up the thermos on the table.

    The moment she turned around, she could feel, even with her back to Zhan Qipei, there was an intensely hot gazending on¡­

    Her waist.

    Zhan Qipei saw the white, fluffy bunny tail attached to Qiao Jing¡¯s cosy outfit at her waist.

    His dark eyes sank further, and he swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a bit parched.

    So the slightly bulging thing he had felt earlier was the tail on the costume.

    Zhan Qipei forcefully suppressed the restlessness in his heart and, just as he was about to explode, he bit his tongue to sober up a bit.

    In his eyes, the woman was the prey he had long coveted; he only wanted to deal with Qiao Jing on the spot, marking herpletely with his signature once again.

    Zhan Qipei, unable to restrain himself further, walked a few steps forward. As Qiao Jing turned around with the thermos, he reached out and grabbed the bunny tail on the woman¡¯s back.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s body jerked violently, involuntarily shivering, her waist retracting slightly.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, get your hand off.¡±

    She could feel that the bunny tail was attached to the clothing with mas, one inside the fabric, somewhat cold; and with his touch, her whole back was pressed against the cold ma.

 Chapter 539: 528: Insist on Pinching the Rabbit Tail Behind Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 539: Chapter 528: Insist on Pinching the Rabbit Tail Behind Qiao Jing</strong>

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly grasped Qiao Jing¡¯s rabbit tail and refused to let go, giving it a few squeezes.

    ¡°I really like this outfit of yours, but it¡¯s for my eyes only.¡±

    The soft sensation in the palm of his hand inevitably reminded him of other things, like that night on the cruise ship¡­

    Qiao Jing set down the thermos she was holding and pped Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away.

    ¡°Let go, go drink the soup yourself.¡±

    She should¡¯ve changed into another outfit beforeing up with Zhan Qipei, but her clothes were still in the changing room downstairs, giving this damned man an opportunity to take advantage.

    Zhan Qipei casually nced at the thermos and then returned his gaze to Qiao Jing.

    His hands remained busy as he reached up to pinch the rabbit-ear headband on Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    ¡°What kind of soup?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed abruptly, and once again she pped Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away.

    ¡°Zhan, Qi, Pei! Try touching me again and see what happens!¡±

    Today, Zhan Qipei had already challenged her patience several times, and her tolerance was limited.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on the backless cosy outfit Qiao Jing was wearing, revealing arge expanse of snow, white, pristine skin on her back.

    He felt his throat grow drier, as if a fire was burning within him.

    Qiao Jing ced the thermos on the table and stood up, intending to leave.

    She couldn¡¯t bother deal with Zhan Qipei any longer to avoid getting even angrier.

    Staying any longer, she thought, would just be inviting more aggravation.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing about to leave, he quickly followed her, forcibly turned the woman around, and imprisoned her in his arms.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    As his hand touched Qiao Jing¡¯s smooth back, he couldn¡¯t help but use his callused fingertips to gently caress her skin, slowly tracing the shape of her back.

    He was on the verge of losing control over the restlessness in his heart.

    Annoyance tinged Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress her rage.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the research institute to work. I¡¯m telling you for thest time, let go of me.¡±

    She really couldn¡¯t stand Zhan Qipei, this damned man who had made advances on her so many times in one day.

    Even if he was jealous, there had to be a limit, this damned man¡­

    Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a sudden cold sensation at her waist, and she looked up at the culprit.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei still had the mood to fiddle with the rabbit tail attached to the outfit?!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, and her expression darkened a few shades, as she reached out to grab the man¡¯s hand.

    But Zhan Qipei anticipated her move and caught her hand before she could react.

    Qiao Jing struggled a few times, and the atmosphere around her grew tense, her voice rising coldly.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei!¡±

    The area on her waist was particrly sensitive, and the repeated contact with the cold ma caused tingling and irritation simultaneously.

    She couldn¡¯t break free from Zhan Qipei right now because the man had specialized training, far stronger than any opponent she had previously faced.

    Actually, she could be on equal footing with Zhan Qipei, even surpass him, but right now she couldn¡¯t spare the attention to fight Zhan Qipei.

    After all, the man was still curiously ying with the rabbit tail on the costume, causing the cold ma to repeatedly touch her waist, distracting her concentration.

    Zhan Qipei knew Qiao Jing was really angry this time, so he decided to back off and quickly retracted his hand, pretending to be clueless.

    ¡°I was just curious, I haven¡¯t seen clothes like this before.¡±

    He would never tell Qiao Jing that he just wanted to touch the rabbit tail she was wearing.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei expressionlessly, and to prevent this scoundrel from continuing to touch other props, she directly removed the headband from her head and held it in her hand.

    ¡°If you¡¯re curious, how about I take off the clothes and let you wear them to touch to your heart¡¯s content?¡±

    Although the outfit wasn¡¯t hers, she could buy it and let Zhan Qipei touch it as much as he wanted.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows, soft as smoke, furrowed, and he immediately refused.

    ¡°No, I want to see you wearing it, it definitely won¡¯t look as good on me as it does on you.¡±

    He had originally thought that since Qiao Jing had worn the clothes, he could keep them and find an excuse to make her wear it again next time.

    Qiao Jing was so annoyed sheughed, rolled her eyes speechlessly, and without another word, put the headband she was holding on the man¡¯s head.

    ¡°You liked touching just now? Now you can touch all you want, I won¡¯t wear this set of clothes again anyway.¡±

    If she could free up her hands to take a picture right now, she would immediately snap a photo of Zhan Qipei wearing the bunny girl headband to use as leverage against himter.

    However, she felt that Zhan Qipei probably wouldn¡¯t care about the photo at all.

    Zhan Qipei feigned genuine curiosity and reached out to touch his ears.

    ¡°Hmm, touched.¡±

    He felt that touching his own, the headband didn¡¯t feel as soft as when Qiao Jing touched it.

    Maybe the headband varied from person to person?

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s genuinely curious look, a hint of suspicion emerged in the depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    She studied his face with an investigative gaze, trying to discern something from the man¡¯s face.

    But after a long while, she couldn¡¯t see anything unusual about Zhan Qipei, and a tiny bit of her irritation dissipated.

    Still, she didn¡¯t feel like talking to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei noticed that Qiao Jing was still not appeased and intentionally moved his head closer to her.

    ¡°Let me give you a touch.¡±

    He knew Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond well to force but could be coaxed with a softer approach, so using it to his advantage would allow him to get away with a little flirting without upsetting her.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing stared at Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark hair for a good while, her anger mostly reced by helplessness.

    She didn¡¯t even know what to say to Zhan Qipei anymore.

    This dog of a man, being the CEO of Zhan Corporation, was actually using such childish tactics to cate her.

    However¡­ whether Zhan Qipei was truly just curious when he touched the tail had yet to be tested.

    Just then, two voices emerged in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    One voice said that even if Zhan Qipei was curious, there was no way he should have touched the rabbit tail so many times, or else it was simply taking liberties.

    Qiao Jing was just about to agree with it in her mind when another voice started whispering in her ear that Zhan Qipei might have just been curious, which is why he touched it a bit more.

    As the two voices threatened to start arguing, Qiao Jing pursed her lips and immediately silenced them, averting a potential internal conflict.

    Feeling helpless, she raised her hand to rub her temples, nning to pull away from Zhan Qipei and leave directly.

    Instead, Zhan Qipei moved his head directly in front of hers and even nudged her with it!

    With no other choice, Qiao Jing humored him by carelessly touching the bunny ear headband on his head a few times, finding it exceptionally soft and cuddly.

 Chapter 540: 529: Qiao Jing Hits the News, Romance Revealed

    <strong>Chapter 540: Chapter 529: Qiao Jing Hits the News, Romance Revealed</strong>

    However, Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome facebined with this ck rabbit ear headband was somewhatical.

    When the man leaned in voluntarily for her to touch, the annoyance in her heart had already subsided by more than half.

    But she still couldn¡¯t stand Zhan Qipei, the dog of a man who was continually touching the rabbit tail on his clothes just now.

    Qiao Jing released the rabbit ear she had been holding and said coldly,

    ¡°I need to go back to the research institute for work. You drink your soup.¡±

    She was toozy to deal with Zhan Qipei any further and didn¡¯t want to dwell on whether to touch the rabbit tail or not.

    Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing was about to leave and stretched out his hand to catch the woman¡¯s slender wrist.

    ¡°Finish the soup with me, then I¡¯ll take you back.¡±

    He wanted to spend a little more time with Qiao Jing looking like this; after all, he was not usually so fortunate.

    After all, Qiao Jing usually wore very loose clothing and rarely dressed in such form-fitting garments that entuated her curvaceous figure.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand without hesitation and nced indifferently at the thermos on the table.

    ¡°Do you needpany to drink soup? Are you a kindergartener?¡±

    She knew Zhan Qipei was clingy, but it wasn¡¯t this bad before; she didn¡¯t expect the dog of a man to need herpany even to drink soup now.

    Even kindergarteners in school don¡¯t needpany to eat, yet Zhan Qipei, such an adult, actually had the nerve to ask for her apaniment?

    Zhan Qipei took the thermos, preparing to pour a bowl of soup for Qiao Jing.

    ¡°This should be a soup to nourish the body, I¡¯ll pour you a bowl too.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and stopped him.

    ¡°This soup was specially made by Madam Zhan for you, to nourish your body.¡±

    Zhan Qipei paused, and when he opened the thermos and smelled the strong medicinal scent, his eyes narrowed withplexity.

    ¡°Specially made for me? Another kidney tonic?¡±

    For a man like him, being suspected by his own mother of having kidney problems didplicate his feelings somewhat.

    But he couldn¡¯t prove that his kidneys were fine.

    For Qiao Jing¡¯s sake, he endured.

    Qiao Jing nodded, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯splicated expression; she suppressed the urge to curl up the corners of her lips.

    ¡°Yes, Madam Zhan is very concerned about your kidneys, worried about your kidney function.¡±

    Regarding the misunderstanding that Su Manhan had caused Zhan Qipei to be mistakenlybeled with poor kidney health, she felt a bit sympathetic toward him.

    After all, such a misunderstanding could be quite frustrating for a man, especially for Zhan Qipei, who also couldn¡¯t exin himself.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, and he curved his lips into a smile.

    ¡°You know whether my kidneys are good or not, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Qiao Jing felt her ear tips starting to heat up again; she furrowed her brows and stood up, ready to leave.

    She didn¡¯t expect Zhan Qipei, the dog of a man, to speak seriously.

    If she stayed longer, who knows what kind of indecent things she would hear from Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth.

    Zhan Qipei put the lid back on the thermos and draped his coat over Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you back.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked down at the man¡¯s oversized jacket on her; it was just the right size to cover most of her skin that was exposed to the air, so she simply wore it.

    After changing her clothes in the dressing room, Qiao Jing went straight back to the research institute.

    She walked toward herboratory as usual, but she noticed that the researchers along the way were looking at her with cautious eyes.

    And yet, they were taking out their phones every now and then to take a look?

    Normally, the researchers at the institute wouldn¡¯t y with their phones during work hours; nobody would break the institute¡¯s rules.

    But today, everyone uniformly took out their phones from time to time to check something¡ªwhat was going on?

    After noticing the anomaly, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked at a few researchers who were ying with their phones.

    Upon meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, the researchers immediately put away their phones.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Professor Qiao!¡±

    After her gaze lingered on the staff for a few seconds, Qiao Jing withdrew her eyes and nodded slightly.

    By the time she arrived at her research office, Zhan Nanqing, who should have been working, was sitting on the sofa, idly fiddling with her phone.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tighter, feeling increasingly puzzled.

    Why was everyone at the institute acting so strange today?

    And they were all on their phones, seemingly looking at something.

    Qiao Jing quickened her steps, came beside Zhan Nanqing, and saw that thetter was typing away furiously.

    The phone screen disyed an interface¡ªwas that¡­ Weibo?

    She didn¡¯t get a close look at what Zhan Nanqing was viewing; she only knew that Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t even reacted despite her having walked over and stood next to her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand rested on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s shoulder, and her lips parted slightly.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing jerked with fright, nearly having a heart attack as the phone slipped from her hand andnded on the sofa.

    ¡°Ouch! Qiao Jing, you scared me to death. Howe you walk without making a sound?¡±

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to reply, Zhan Nanqing picked up the phone again and continued typing.

    She was swamped with work, currently battling it out with the keyboard warriors online on behalf of Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her eyes and nced at the time, then reminded:

    ¡°It¡¯s past the lunch break now. What happened online today? Was there some important economic news? Why is everyone on their phones?¡±

    She was curious what kind of news was sopelling that all the institute¡¯s researchers were focused on their phones.

    And Zhan Nanqing now appeared to be utterly busy, although it was unclear what she was discussing.

    But Qiao Jing remembered that Zhan Nanqing had never been interested in economic news. How could she possibly be watching that kind of news?

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing sighed with extreme annoyance.

    ¡°How could that be? What does economic news have to do with our institute? What could possibly be so important that it has our entire institute¡¯s attention, if not for you, Professor Qiao?¡±

    It seemed her sister-inw was solely focused on work and cared a great deal about the country¡¯s affairs. But then again, that made sense.

    No wonder Qiao Jing could be such a big shot. Perhaps this was the difference between a bigwig like her and a rookie like herself.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, looking down at herself.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    When had she ever be involved with Weibo?

    She never showed her face in public, and aside from matters involving the institute, she would never appear on Weibo.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing still lookedpletely unaware, Zhan Nanqing handed over her phone.

    ¡°Here, see for yourself. Everyone at our institute has opened a Weibo alt to help clear things up for you and Lin Yun¡¯s female fans. But, speaking of which, how do you know Lin Yun? And you even went out to eat with him! Does my brother know about this? Did he turn into the god of jealousy again?¡±

    She and the other researchers had beenboring in Weibo¡¯sments section all day to clear Qiao Jing¡¯s name, but Lin Yun¡¯s female fans wouldn¡¯t hear a word of it, nearly driving her to explode on the spot.

    Qiao Jing epted Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone and her gaze fell onto the screen.

 Chapter 541: 530: Qiao Jing Gets Blasted on Trending Searches!

    <strong>Chapter 541: Chapter 530: Qiao Jing Gets sted on Trending Searches!</strong>

    What caught her eye was a photo of her and Lin Yun dining at a barbecue restaurant, where she was handing a Coke to Lin Yun.

    The caption read, ¡°Lin Yun¡¯s love affair revealed! Sitting together with his girlfriend,ughing and even drinking from her Coke?!¡±

    Upon reading the caption, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    At that time, she had only handed the Coke to Lin Yun because she had remembered that she should drink less soda, and it was an untouched one at that.

    Yet, to the paparazzi, not only had it be a Coke she had drunk, but she was also Lin Yun¡¯s girlfriend?

    Qiao Jing scrolled down, just about to see what was going on in thements when Zhan Nanqing snatched her phone away.

    She looked at him, puzzled.

    ¡°Lin Yun and I are just friends, why did you take my phone back?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected to hit the hot search just for eating barbecue, and what was important was that her face wasn¡¯t blurred in the photo.

    Zhan Nanqing, fuming, reopened thements section and continued to battle with Lin Yun¡¯s female fans.

    ¡°You better not look, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get high blood pressure after seeing this. I¡¯m already furious enough to have high blood pressure. Although Lin Yun is indeed quite handsome, he can¡¯tpare to my brother. You don¡¯t even like my brother, so you surely wouldn¡¯t fall for Lin Yun, right? Why are these fans so vicious?¡±

    Her brother, a wealthy and handsome CEO, didn¡¯t catch Qiao Jing¡¯s eye, so what were the chances for anyone else?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly, took out her own phone, found the trending topic, and started reading thements.

    Zhan Nanqing was engaged in a battle of wits with Lin Yun¡¯s female fans and didn¡¯t notice Qiao Jing¡¯s actions.

    Qiao Jing looked down at some of the topments.

    ¡°Can you marketing ounts stop speaking nonsense? You say she¡¯s his girlfriend, and that¡¯s it? But who is this woman? How can she get so close to Lin Yun! It¡¯s shameless!¡±

    ¡°She must have had stic surgery with the way she looks! And she even dared to hand her leftover Coke to our Lin Yun? How can her face be so shameless? She doesn¡¯t find it disgusting, but our Lin Yun does!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, who is this shameless woman? I want to expose her!!¡±

    ¡°My God, I¡¯m un-fanning, I always thought Lin Yun was single.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing, feelingpletely indifferent, finished reading the initialments that were attacking her and saw that below thesements were many replies.

    She randomly clicked on one and found a user named ¡°Nanqing is Your Layer¡± had replied with numerous messages.

    ¡°I know the girl in the picture; she and Lin Yun are just friends. What are you babbling about? Are you saying Lin Yun can¡¯t have female friends?¡±

    ¡°Did you see with your own eyes that the Coke was drunk by someone else? You let a few words from a marketing ount lead you by the nose?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who had the surgery, jealous that she¡¯s pretty?¡±

    Several other people were also defending her. Upon a closer look at their usernames, she could match them with the staff at the research institute.

    Seeing everyone desperately trying to clear her name, Qiao Jing felt a warm flow through her heart.

    But one username caught her attention.

    ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡±: Please do not spread rumors, awyer¡¯s notice has been issued.

    And this username appeared under everyment that ndered her. Later, for some unknown reason, it turned into a back-and-forth argument withizens.

    But each time, the replies were very official, standing out oddly in the chaoticment section.

    An impractical thought suddenly crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    This person¡¯s way of speaking, why does it remind her a bit of Zhan Qipei?

    Of course, it¡¯s just a passing thought, it couldn¡¯t really be Zhan Qipei; she knew very well that the man was busy today and wouldn¡¯t have time to check his phone.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dwell on it further. What was more pressing now was to handle the scandal; she didn¡¯t want to affect Lin Yun.

    After all, Lin Yun was set to participate in the worldpetition soon. Although such gossip scandals barely affected him and a simple rification from him would suffice, there was already a group of fans causing an uproar under the club¡¯s leadership, iming they would un-follow him.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, just about to contact Lin Yun to issue a rification, when she suddenly heard Zhan Nanqing shriek.

    ¡°Damn, Lin Yun actually posted on Weibo to respond to this!¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could check Weibo herself, Zhan Nanqing had already run to her with the smartphone in hand.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, look! Ouch, seems like Lin Yun doesn¡¯t have a great temper, but at least he helped you rify things.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

    Could that troublemaker Lin Yun have posted an angry rant on Weibo?

    Given Lin Yun¡¯s character, that was indeed very possible.

    Once she saw the Weibo post on the smartphone screen, Qiao Jing rubbed her temples, feeling a headacheing on.

    Sure enough, her premonition hade true.

    Lin Yun: ¡°Although I¡¯m not interested in her, what¡¯s with the personal attacks against her? Minding unnecessary business? Are you here to watch me y games or to pry into my private life? Those who said they¡¯d un-follow, just go ahead. I don¡¯t need you.¡±

    The responses to this rification from fans were split into two factions, one scolding both Lin Yun and Qiao Jing, and the other just focused on watching Lin Yun¡¯s matches.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned and pondered for a while.

    ¡°Hiss¡­ Why does Lin Yun¡¯s rification feel like it¡¯s making things worse?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded helplessly.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    She could tell immediately that the wild kid himself had posted the text, and if the club¡¯s manager found out, they might be furious.

    But now that the Weibo post was out and seen by fans, the situation looked set to be a bit moreplicated.

    Zhan Nanqing refreshed Weibo and found that Lin Yun¡¯s rification post had been deleted.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, Lin Yun¡¯s rification post is gone.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and took out her phone to contact Lin Yun while saying:

    ¡°Yes, deleting it was the right choice.¡±

    It was probably the club that noticed and forced the deletion of the post.

    While Qiao Jing was sending messages to Lin Yun, she didn¡¯t receive any reply. Just as she was about to check the marketing ount¡¯s Weibo post, she discovered that it had also disappeared.

    Not only that, but the ount that had posted it had been permanently banned.

    Qiao Jing knit her brows, feeling something was amiss. She hadn¡¯t asked anyone to handle the situation yet, so who had taken care of it already?

    Could it have been Lin Yun¡¯s club?

    Meanwhile, Zhan Nanqing was happily gobbling up more sensational news and immediately ran over to share it with Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, these people actually receivedwyer¡¯s letters! And the ounts that were scolding you earlier have also been permanently banned, now they¡¯re using alt ounts to whine about it! Hahahaha serves them right!¡±

    When Qiao Jing saw thesewyer¡¯s letters, thements from ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± sprang to mind.

    Could it have been ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± who sent thesewyer¡¯s letters to those people?

    Yet she didn¡¯t know anyone who used the ID ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡±, how could they be speaking up for her out of nowhere?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the Weibo profile picture of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡±, and suddenly it looked somewhat familiar.

    Just as she was about to take a closer look, she received a call from Lin Yun.

 Chapter 542: 531: Who Removed the Trending Search?

    <strong>Chapter 542: Chapter 531: Who Removed the Trending Search?</strong>

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t worry about those things online, I¡¯ll handle it here. How could I possibly fall for you with those paparazzi spreading rumors? I was too soft on them earlier, I should have known¡ª¡±

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was interrupted.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, manager!¡±

    Suddenly, the voice on the other end of the phone changed.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, hello.¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in response and nced at Zhan Nanqing, who was still snacking next to her, then walked a bit farther away with her phone.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    She had wanted to contact her subordinates to deal with this, but given the current situation, it seemed she didn¡¯t need to handle it herself.

    The manager cleared his throat and spoke seriously,

    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for the trouble caused by the trending search. It was my fault for not supervising Lin Yun properly, allowing him to post recklessly on Weibo. But I didn¡¯t expect you to handle the trending search quicker than our public rtions team. After the trending search was removed, rted hashtags were all blocked. Next, we will urge Lin Yun to issue a rification and awyer¡¯s letter. That should suffice.¡±

    Upon hearing the manager¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, a touch of surprise appearing in her eyes.

    ¡°The trending search wasn¡¯t pulled by you?¡±

    The manager on the other end was also taken aback and asked in confusion,

    ¡°No, we hadn¡¯t even gotten around to dealing with it when the trending search was already pulled.¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and didn¡¯t dwell further on the matter of the trending search.

    ¡°Hmm, is there anything else I can help with? I suggest that Lin Yun¡¯s Weibo ount should be managed by your club from now on.¡±

    Her most pressing matter now was to facilitate a rification to prevent Lin Yun¡¯s fans from arguing.

    If the Weiboments section is filled with fan arguments for a long time, it would definitely affect Lin Yun¡¯s performance in games, especially since this hotheaded kid tends to get easily influenced by emotions.

    Thus, to solve the problem at its root, Lin Yun should stay off Weibo until this matter is settled.

    The agent pondered for a while before speaking.

    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything else, but you might need to set up a Weibo ount to repost the rification when the timees.¡±

    Lin Yun, listening to them talk back and forth about rifications, felt somewhat bitter and moved closer to the manager.

    ¡°What¡¯s with all this rification? If they want to misunderstand, let them. But Qiao Jing, why do you seem so eager to clear the air immediately between us? You think I want to be associated with you, really¡­¡±

    He was actually reluctantly willing to let people misunderstand that he and Qiao Jing were a couple, but it turned out Qiao Jing was not even pleased and seemed eager to rify their rtionship.

    And he didn¡¯t even know how Qiao Jing was doing with that guy fromst time; it had been one hundred days already, and they were still together.

    Surely, it was because Qiao Jing was too naive and was getting fooled by someone else.

    Hearing Lin Yun¡¯s words, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in speechlessness.

    ¡°Manager, I¡¯ll set up an ount and repostter. I have something else to take care of here, so I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    She saw that Lin Yun, that clueless kid, didn¡¯t grasp the seriousness of the issue, which is why he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to rify.

    Fortunately, Lin Yun had his club¡¯s people to help deal with it; otherwise, she¡¯d have to step in.

    After hanging up, Qiao Jing dragged the still-snacking Zhan Nanqing back to their workstation.

    ¡°Focus on work.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t forgotten about the other researchers. She sent a message in the work group reminding everyone to concentrate on work.

    She had thought that once the trending topic was pulled, the staff would have put their phones down, but just a second after she sent the message, she received many replies, nearly jamming her phone at the chat screen.

    After reading the messages, Qiao Jing dived back into her work.

    After a while, her phone rang again, and it was still Lin Yun.

    She guessed the manager was calling to discuss the rification repost.

    As soon as the call was connected, Lin Yun¡¯s angry voice burst out.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Why are you so eager to dissociate yourself from me? Being associated with me is already good enough for you, yet you still despise me?¡±

    Qiao Jing, speechlessly, twitched the corner of her mouth and slowly began to speak.

    ¡°Do you know that if you don¡¯t rify quickly, it could affect your performance in thepetition and your fan base?¡±

    Especially at this critical moment when Lin Yun was about to participate in the worldpetition, based on what she knew about this brat, if the Weiboment section kept quarreling for a long time without allowing him to reply, he would definitely be frustrated.

    If he enters thepetition with that kind of emotion, it¡¯s likely there will be mistakes.

    She didn¡¯t want a rumor about her to indirectly affect Lin Yun¡¯spetition.

    Moreover¡­ if Zhan Qipei saw that she had such a scandal with Lin Yun, he would definitely turn into a jealous type again.

    There was already one incident at noon today, she didn¡¯t want to deal with a jealous Zhan Qipei again within the same day.

    Because when Zhan Qipei got jealous, he really didn¡¯t know the limits.

    Lin Yun, not caring at all, ¡°tsked¡± disdainfully.

    ¡°If they want to unfollow, then let them, I don¡¯tck those few fans. Those girlfriend-type fans are the most annoying, using my name to argue with others everywhere.¡±

    He had even thought about covering his face topete before, just to avoid the trouble caused by his appearance.

    Qiao Jing, feeling a headache, stretched her hand to rub her temples, and her red lips slightly parted.

    ¡°Where is your manager? Did you call just to tell me this?¡±

    She now just wanted to rify everything quickly, not letting the matter ferment further.

    Although the hot search entries had been removed, the inte has a memory, and everyone still remembers that she was Lin Yun¡¯s girlfriend.

    Just as Lin Yun was about to speak, he suddenly felt a pain at the back of his head and immediately covered it with his hand.

    ¡°Ow! Manager, why did you hit me?!¡±

    The manager, red-faced with anger at Lin Yun, snatched the phone from his hand without a word and scolded:

    ¡°Just go and practice your game reviews, stop bbering nonsense here.¡±

    Lin Yun, with a reluctant gaze, kept staring at his phone continuously and finally walked towards the training room unwillingly.

    The manager then found time to chat with Qiao Jing and started discussing the rification.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, the rifying Weibo post and thewyer¡¯s letter have been sent. Could you please repost them with your ount? Our official Weibo ount will help promote it.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded with a ¡°hmm¡± and then hung up the phone, quickly registering a new Weibo ount.

    After finding the club and Lin Yun¡¯s rifying Weibo posts, she immediately reposted them.

    Just as she was about to put away her phone, she saw a small red dot at ¡°my¡± section.

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, her hand slipped and she clicked on the red dot, only to find she had gained a follower.

    And the fan¡¯s ID was ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡±.

    Qiao Jing frowned, increasingly curious about who this person actually was.

    It was one thing to defend her in thements section out of the blue, but even the removal of hot search and handling thewyer¡¯s letter were done by him.

    Now, the moment she registered on Weibo, the person immediately followed her.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing opened the Weibo homepage of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡±.

 Chapter 543: 532 "Beloved Wife Jingjing" Turns Out to Be Him!

    <strong>Chapter 543: Chapter 532 ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± Turns Out to Be Him!</strong>

    After opening the other party¡¯s homepage, Qiao Jing realized that the Weibo ount ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± was just registered today.

    And besides reposting her rification post, there was nothing else on the Weibo homepage.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, highly curious about who ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± really was.

    Her gazended on the avatar of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing,¡± squinting her eyes slightly.

    She had already felt that the avatar looked familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

    Qiao Jing clicked on the Weibo avatar of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing,¡± and upon erging the image, she almost recognized the photo instantly.

    The photo was of a small ornament on Zhan Qipei¡¯s office desk, which she had glimpsed unintentionally during her visit to his office at noon today.

    Therefore, it was obvious who ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± was.

    Knowing ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± was Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing could not help but twitch the corner of her mouth speechlessly.

    Previously, she had thought that this person¡¯s wife was named Jingjing. Now that she knew ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± was Zhan Qipei, she instantly understood what this ID implied.

    ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± simply equaled loving wife, Jing Jing.

    This audacious man had even named himself tantly, and she had recognized it right away.

    Recalling thements ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± made in thement section, she could understand why this person spoke so officially and could directly issue legal notices.

    Because this person was Zhan Qipei.

    Therefore, the issuing of legal notices and the removal of hot search items were definitely Zhan Qipei¡¯s doing.

    While Zhan Nanqing, who was originally working, noticed Qiao Jing looking at her phone and sneaked out her own phone, hiding to ck off.

    After seeing the rification post and the change in the wind direction in thement section, Zhan Nanqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Theizens were almost allmenting under thewyer¡¯s notice issued by the Purple Garden, as well as Lin Yun¡¯s rification; not many peoplemented under Qiao Jing¡¯s Weibo, all wereing to apologize.

    She contentedly watched these apologies, scrolled down a bit, and saw a familiar ID.

    Zhan Nanqing leisurely opened the Weibo homepage of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing,¡± looked at it for a long time without understanding anything, and then exited out.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, who exactly is Beloved Wife Jingjing? While I was shing withizens earlier, I saw himmenting everywhere about sending legal notices to the others, do you think he¡¯s silly? How can one issue legal notices for this kind of thing? It¡¯s my first time seeing such an idiot.

    Butter, I saw that those people actually did receive legal notices, probably from Lin Yun¡¯s club. Just by looking at this person¡¯s Weibo, it¡¯s clearly a new ount, also registered today. This ID also doesn¡¯t seem like someone from a research institute, could it be some paid promoter you hired?¡±

    Only after she finished speaking did she realize that by talking, she had exposed the fact that she was sneakily ying with her phone.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Nanqing, her eyes filled with helplessness.

    ¡°It¡¯s your brother.¡±

    She was very curious how Zhan Qipei, who never checked Weibo, had found out about this situation.

    And he was even arguing withizens in thement section, replying to every single one.

    Moreover, Zhan Qipei kept emphasizing that she had no rtionship with Lin Yun, he said the same in everyment.

    That indeed matched Zhan Qipei¡¯s usual style.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the smile on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face suddenly froze, her eyes widened, and she opened the Weibo homepage of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± once again.

    ¡°No way, the idiot I just talked about is my brother? But my brother never reads Weibo, and with how busy thepany is, how could he possibly have the time to argue withizens in thement section??¡±

    However¡ª

    On second thought¡­ if it were her brother, then he could actually send legal notices to those who insulted Qiao Jing.

    Connecting the dots¡­

    Could it really be her brother?!

    The thoughts in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind were simr to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s, but the profile picture of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± was just an ornament on Zhan Qipei¡¯s office desk, that looked casually taken.

    Moreover, since neither she nor the club had withdrawn the trending topic, it must have been Zhan Qipei who did it.

    Only Zhan Qipei could, within a few minutes, withdraw a trending search while simultaneously blocking the paparazzi¡¯s ount and rted entries, and also send out legal notices to others.

    Qiao Jing opened the Weibo profile picture of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± again and handed the phone to Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°This ornament is from your brother¡¯s office desk, and he¡¯s the one sending out these legal notices for the Weibo trending topics, the fool you were just talking about is him.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the phone and then at Qiao Jing, her mouth agape in shock.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you must never tell my brother that I just called him a fool.¡±

    When she had seen her brother in thement section, telling people he would send them legal notices, she really thought there was something wrong with his mind and she also disliked him for not being apetent keyboard warrior.

    And now, the fool whose mind she thought was problematic turned out to be her brother!

    If her brother heard this, she would definitely be kicked out of the house overnight.

    Qiao Jing put away the phone, and to keep Zhan Nanqing from cking off further, she took away her phone too.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that bored. Focus on your work now and stop cking off.¡±

    The work progress today was definitely a bit slower than usual since some of the time was used to deal with the scandal.

    What she cared about was that her face wasn¡¯t blurred in that photo, and if someone had saved it and spread it again¡­

    Thinking about this, Qiao Jing sat in front of theptop in theb and opened an application.

    She needed to delete all the saved photos.

    After being warned by Qiao Jing to work diligently, Zhan Nanqing was about to get down to work when she saw Qiao Jing move to the side and open theptop.

    Her curiosity kicked in again, suddenly feeling an itch in her feet and wanting to walk a few steps to relieve it.

    But she remembered Qiao Jing¡¯s warning and struggled to rein in her foot that was about to step forward.

    However, when Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing¡¯s hands flying over the keyboard, she couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity any longer, tiptoeing slowly towards Qiao Jing.

    She nced at theptop screen and saw many lines of code appearing; Qiao Jing¡¯s typing was so fast, she couldn¡¯t keep up.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, what are you doing?¡±

    Last time she saw Qiao Jing code was in Purple Garden, due to the incident involving Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, restoring the damaged surveince.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zhan Nanqing beside her, pausing her typing for a moment.

    ¡°Deleting photos, didn¡¯t I tell you to focus on your work?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing coughed awkwardly, quickly shifting the subject.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just look for a bit and then go back to work, I¡¯m just curious¡­ what photos are you deleting? How are you deleting them?¡±

 Chapter 544: 533 Qiao Jing "Questions" Zhan Qipei

    <strong>Chapter 544: Chapter 533 Qiao Jing ¡°Questions¡± Zhan Qipei</strong>

    Qiao Jing briefly exined.

    ¡°Cleaning up that photo taken by the paparazzi, a simple program can be set up to track who has saved the photo and automatically delete it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to show her face in public, not even just a candid photo.

    She was just an ordinary citizen of the capital, not wanting to get involved in so many other matters.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard the words ¡°a simple program,¡± she was greatly shocked and remained nk for several seconds before speaking.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    To Qiao Jing, those words seemed as casual as typing a few letters ordinarily.

    Now, in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, she was someone who couldn¡¯t even type letters.

    How could her sister-inw be so proficient in so many things?

    It was like she was even more formidable than the big shots.

    To avoid further ¡°humiliating¡± herself, Zhan Nanqing hurried back to her job and worked diligently.

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    After Qiao Jing returned home, she found Zhan Qipei had, as always, prepared dinner.

    At the dinner table, she noticed Zhan Qipei had no intention of bringing up what happened on Weibo. It seemed he wanted to keep it from her.

    But she was curious about how Zhan Qipei knew about the incident on Weibo and why he was hiding it from her.

    After dinner, as soon as Qiao Jing sat down on the living room sofa, she spotted a ck bunny ear headband in her line of sight.

    Her facial expression stiffened for a moment, and she lifted her eyes to look at the man beside her.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, why is this here at home?¡±

    Before she left Zhan Corporation, she had clearly returned theplete outfit to the female staff member.

    So, how did this bunny ear headband end up being brought home by Zhan Qipei?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gazended on the bunny ear headband, pursed his thin lips, opened the drawer, and revealed the cosy costume inside.

    ¡°Thepany¡¯s employee said it was a gift for you, and asked me to bring it back.¡±

    Although the staff indeed mentioned giving the cosy costume to Qiao Jing, even if they hadn¡¯t, he¡¯d have thought about asking for it.

    After all, Qiao Jing in that cosy costume was simply too enchanting.

    He just didn¡¯t know if there would ever be another chance to see her wearing it again.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, staring at Zhan Qipei for a while. Only after she was sure there was no trace of lying on his face did she ept the cosy costume.

    To prevent Zhan Qipei from getting any wrong ideas, she warned in advance,

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep the costume, but I won¡¯t wear it a second time.¡±

    The costume was naturally attractive, but it was too revealing, and not quite appropriate for her.

    But since it was the kind-heartedness of the female employee, she had no choice but to ept it and keep it stowed away.

    The dark hue of Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes instantly dimmed, but he didn¡¯t dare to be too obvious about it and had to feign indifference.

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    After putting the cosy costume away, Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with inquiring eyes.

    ¡°Did you see today¡¯s trending searches?¡±

    She wanted to see why Zhan Qipei would act so mysterious and hide it from her, and even use a homophonic name for his Weibo ount.

    Speaking of which, that ID was exceedingly affectionate.

    A momentary daze appeared on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, followed by a quick return to normal.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Qiao Jing caught the moment of stupefaction on the man¡¯s face and curved her lips into a smirk.

    She didn¡¯t like to beat around the bush, so she directly pulled out her phone, opened the Weibo homepage of ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing,¡± and handed it to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Is this you?¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced indifferently at the phone screen and denied it without expression.

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    If Qiao Jing knew he had sent legal letters to everyizen who had spoken about her, he worried she might find him too childish, for this was indeed like a kid fussing over every little thing.

    Because he understood Qiao Jing¡¯s character, she definitely wouldn¡¯t take those onlinements to heart.

    But he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to speak ill of Qiao Jing.

    Therefore, in the legal letters he sent, he demanded that those people apologize to Qiao Jing.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei was still being obstinate, Qiao Jing clicked on the ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± avatar.

    ¡°Does this look familiar to you? Don¡¯t you also have a matching one on your desk?¡±

    The man¡¯s persistently stubborn demeanor reminded her of a meme Zhan Nanqing shared with her before.

    The dead are soft all over, only the mouth remains hard.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed like wisps of smoke upon seeing the avatar he had set.

    He had registered for a Weibo ount immediately after hearing the news from an employee who had seen Qiao Jing that day.

    As for the avatar, his photo album held nothing but pictures of Qiao Jing, so he had no choice but to snap a quick photo of something to use as his profile picture.

    Unexpectedly, that very thing ended up being the key to blowing his cover.

    In the end, he had no choice but to admit that ¡°Beloved Wife Jingjing¡± was indeed himself.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Only then did Qiao Jing put away her phone and looked up into Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep ck eyes.

    ¡°Why did you go to the trouble of hiding the fact that you created a Weibo ount from me?¡±

    She felt it wasn¡¯t something to be ashamed of, and if she hadn¡¯t discovered it, it might¡¯ve been fine, but now that she had, she was curious why Zhan Qipei needed to use a pseudonym.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips, his profile tense, before he finally spoke.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that sending legal letters to every person who insults you is very childish?¡±

    Without hesitation, Qiao Jing nodded, agreeing with Zhan Qipei¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s quite childish.¡±

    She hadn¡¯t expected that Zhan Qipei, despite how busy thepany was today, would take the time to deal with this matter, even going so far as to send legal notices to individuals.

    Just as childish as a little kid fussing over a trivial matter.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes darkened a bit, his brows knitting even tighter, a look of ¡®I knew it¡¯ appearing on his face.

    He had known she would find his actions childish, which was why he had kept it from her.

    Yet, he had still ended up exposing himself in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing saw the disappointment on his face, and her voice became uncontrobly softer.

    ¡°But thank you.¡±

    In truth, she didn¡¯t care about those attacks, as harsh words from those people wouldn¡¯t cause her any physical harm.

    Usually, she wouldn¡¯t bother with such matters as long as they didn¡¯t cross her bottom line.

    But upon seeing others striving to defend her, with Zhan Qipei even setting aside his work to back her up, a soft spot in her heart was instantly touched.

    Suddenly, she felt like the happiest person in the world.

    The gloom in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes brightened instantly, a sh of delight crossing the depths of his gaze.

    ¡°So, have you thought about how you¡¯re going to thank me?¡±

    Qiao Jing assumed that Zhan Qipei wanted her to cook a meal as a way to thank him, and was just about to agree when she noticed his gaze drifting to the cosy costume behind her.

    The warmth in her heart vanished without a trace, and her voice, now cool, echoed between them.

    ¡°In your dreams.¡±

    Zhan Qipei might have enjoyed a meal prepared by her hands, but now this sly man could forget about even getting that.

 Chapter 545: 534 Familiar Figure?

    <strong>Chapter 545: Chapter 534 Familiar Figure?</strong>

    The following morning.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s n for today was that after a lunch break, she¡¯d go straight to Wonderful Hall for clinic hours.

    As she finished up her work and prepared to leave the research institute for Wonderful Hall, Zhan Nanqing followed her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s motions in changing clothes halted as she turned to Zhan Nanqing, her eyes revealing a puzzled look.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to see patients at Wonderful Hall this afternoon, why are you following me?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing, carrying her own bag, naturallytched onto Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I have the afternoon off, right? I was thinking of going out to y with you, but since you¡¯re going to be on clinic duty, I¡¯ll juste with you. It¡¯s been a while since I visited Wonderful Hall anyway.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but show a helpless smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s so fun about Wonderful Hall?¡±

    When there weren¡¯t patients to see, she inevitably felt a bit bored, so she chose to read medical books while sitting.

    Moreover, Wonderful Hall was a pharmacy and a ce for seeing patients, not some entertainment venue. If Zhan Nanqing came along, she would surely end upining about being bored to death.

    Zhan Nanqing made a ¡°tsk¡± sound, still arm-in-arm with Qiao Jing as they walked outside.

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m with you, I won¡¯t be bored. Can I watch you see patients?¡±

    Ever since she had seen Qiao Jing dressed as a man, she had found herself increasingly fond of following her.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing so insistent, Qiao Jing could only agree.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    As long as Zhan Nanqing apanied her to the clinic just once and felt the boredom, Zhan Nanqing would surely note again next time.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had agreed, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face instantly showed a satisfied smile as they walked shoulder to shoulder towards the outside.

    She felt she was quickly bing Qiao Jing¡¯s little follower.

    But indeed, she followed Qiao Jing all the way to Wonderful Hall.

    When Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing got out of the carriage at the intersection opposite to Wonderful Hall, they were about to cross the street when they saw a familiar figure.

    And they both knew him.

    The man who had been beaten that night.

    Chi Yuhang.

    Chi Yuhang was still wearing his hotel uniform, but the shoe prints had vanished.

    Right now, he was assisting an elderly man towards Wonderful Hall, slowing his pace in consideration of the old man¡¯s health, only managing a slow walk across the crosswalk.

    But it happened to be the rush hour for work and school, everyone else had already crossed, and Chi Yuhang was still guiding the elderly man at a snail¡¯s pace on the zebra crossing.

    This provoked the impatience of drivers, who honked their horns repeatedly.

    Chi Yuhang bowed apologetically to the drivers, but he couldn¡¯t just carry his grandfather across because he was old and frail, and Chi Yuhang feared he might hurt him with a single careless move.

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Nanqing frowned.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, isn¡¯t that Chi Yuhang?¡±

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, her gaze falling on the elderly man beside Chi Yuhang.

    She slightly narrowed her eyes, and after observing the old man for a few seconds, she led Zhan Nanqing towards another crossing and quickly reached the entrance of Wonderful Hall.

    Zhan Nanqing was still looking back at Chi Yuhang and the elderly man slowly crossing the road and couldn¡¯t help but blurt out aint.

    ¡°Why is it him again? But¡­ why doesn¡¯t he just carry his grandfather across the street? Now he¡¯s causing a traffic jam.¡±

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and looked up at the traffic light, which was counting down to green.

    ¡°The old man is seriously ill; it¡¯s right for him not to carelessly carry him.¡±

    She could tell from the man¡¯s gait and the pale, thin face that the old man¡¯s condition was critical.

    If one were to carelessly carry the old man, or even hurry him along, it could likely result in injury.

    After all, the elderly are quite fragile, and even a minor mistake could lead to an ident, moreover, the man¡¯s depleted physique increased the chances of such incidents.

    Zhan Nanqing then sheepishly withdrew her gaze and paid no further attention to Chi Yuhang.

    ¡°So that¡¯s the situation. Let¡¯s go inside first. It¡¯s quite sunny and hot out here,¡± she said.

    Qiao Jing nodded and walked into Wonderful Hall.

    After she attended to a patient, Chi Yuhang and the old man still hadn¡¯t appeared at the entrance of Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, her eyes revealing a worried expression.

    She had noticed that Chi Yuhang intended to bring his grandfather to Wonderful Hall for treatment, but it had been almost ten minutes, and they had yet to show up.

    Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing constantly looking at the entrance and asked curiously,

    ¡°Qiao Jing? What are you looking at?¡±

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze and, after some consideration, stood up and walked towards the doorway.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a look,¡± she said.

    She was a bit concerned that Chi Yuhang might have taken his seriously ill grandfather back home or that something unexpected had happened, so she felt the need to go check.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing this, quickly followed.

    ¡°Wait for me! I¡¯ll go with you!¡± she said.

    When the two reached the entrance of Wonderful Hall, they nced around.

    In the end, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes settled on the tree closest to Wonderful Hall.

    Chi Yuhang was sitting there with the old man, his gaze fixed in the direction of Wonderful Hall.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Chi Yuhang was startled, his face full of surprise.

    Qiao Jing suddenly remembered that, earlier on, Chi Yuhang had mentioned to those who lent him money at high interest rates that he was working five jobs.

    Seeing Chi Yuhang and the old man sitting under the tree, hesitating toe into Wonderful Hall, she spected,

    Chi Yuhang did not have money for his grandfather¡¯s medical expenses.

    When Zhan Nanqing saw Chi Yuhang sitting under the tree with the old man, she asked with a puzzled face,

    ¡°Qiao Jing, what do you think Chi Yuhang is doing sitting under the tree with his grandfather? Aren¡¯t they supposed toe in for a consultation?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes darkened, and she stepped toward Chi Yuhang.

    Zhan Nanqing hurriedly followed, looking at Qiao Jing,pletely bewildered.

    ¡°Hey, hey, Qiao Jing, where are you going? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to Chi Yuhang ¨C what for?¡± she asked.

    By the time she spoke, they had already reached the tree.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Chi Yuhang almost instantly recognized her as the person who helped him, even though she was not wearing men¡¯s clothing; he still recognized her.

    He turned to nce at his grandfather, resting with closed eyes under the tree, and immediately stood up.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, hello!¡± he greeted.

    Qiao Jing nodded, her gaze shifting to the old man beside him.

    ¡°Hello, are you here to have a consultation at Wonderful Hall?¡± she asked.

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s face showed a hint of embarrassment and guilt, and he looked at the old man with concern.

    ¡°Yes, Miss Qiao, are you also here to see a doctor at Wonderful Hall?¡± he inquired.

    Zhan Nanqing was about to deny it when Qiao Jing stopped her.

    ¡°We just came to buy some medicine. Why haven¡¯t you brought your grandfather in for a consultation?¡± she asked.

    Chi Yuhang had a difficult look on his face, opened his mouth to speak but then shook his head without saying anything.

    How could he admit that he was worried he didn¡¯t have enough money for the consultation, so he hadn¡¯t brought his grandfather in?

    He should have taken on even more jobs. He had pleaded with his boss for a long time just to be paid half of his wages at the end of the day.

    After buying medicine for his grandfather and repaying a bit of his debt each day, he was left with only a few hundred yuan, certainly not enough for the consultation fee, let alone buying medicine.

    This time, he hade merely hoping to try for a consultation for his grandfather, nning to buy some cheaper substitutes from the drugstoreter.

 Chapter 546: 535: Qiao Jings Burst of Goodwill

    <strong>Chapter 546: Chapter 535: Qiao Jing¡¯s Burst of Goodwill</strong>

    Qiao Jing was now more certain than ever that Chi Yuhang refrained from taking the old man to the doctor because he didn¡¯t have enough money.

    She furrowed her brows in thought, considering a way that would allow the other party to seek treatment withoutpromising their dignity.

    ¡°My main purpose foring to Wonderful Hall today was to help with the consultations. I heard from the staff that Wonderful Hall has a subsidy standard. If a patient is critically ill, they can receive a free consultation and free medication.¡±

    Even the thick-skinned Zhan Nanqing realized something was off when she heard Qiao Jing say this and frowned, lowering her voice.

    ¡°Does Wonderful Hall have such a subsidy?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing with a serene look and spoke loud enough for everyone present to hear.

    ¡°There has always been this subsidy.¡±

    She had indeed established this subsidy standard when she first founded Wonderful Hall.

    But since they had not yet encountered anyone who needed this subsidy, it gave everyone the impression it didn¡¯t exist.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang¡¯s eyes instantly lit up.

    ¡°Is there really such a subsidy?¡±

    Could he really take Grandpa to Wonderful Hall for treatment?!

    Qiao Jing hummed affirmatively, and nced towards Wonderful Hall.

    ¡°I¡¯m holding a clinic there today. If you¡¯re willing, bring your grandpa to me for treatment.¡±

    Chi Yuhang hesitated for a moment and then took out the money that had be somewhat crumpled due to his nervous kneading from his pocket.

    ¡°Is this enough for the consultation fee?¡±

    Deep down, he really didn¡¯t want to take undue advantage of others; he thought he could first let his grandpa receive treatment and medicine, and then gradually repay the cost by working.

    Qiao Jing looked at the few hundred yuan in Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand and extended her hand to take it.

    ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡±

    She could tell what Chi Yuhang was thinking, so she took the money without hesitation.

    Zhan Nanqing stared at the two hundred yuan, immediately dumbstruck.

    She knew the normal consultation fees at Wonderful Hall were around one hundred yuan, but that was the price for other doctors at Wonderful Hall.

    This was Divine Doctor Jing personally treating the patient, epting only two hundred yuan, which also included many precious medications.

    This was clearly a loss-making business!

    Seeing this, Chi Yuhang immediately helped the resting elder to his feet.

    ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s go to Wonderful Hall for treatment.¡±

    The old man was slow to react, taking about a half a minute before responding.

    ¡°Okay, okay, okay¡­ Xiao Hang, doesn¡¯t seeing the doctor cost a lot of money? It¡¯s okay if I don¡¯t get treated; I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you with these old bones.¡±

    Chi Yuhang frowned and supported the old man, walking towards the direction of Wonderful Hall.

    ¡°Grandpa! How can we not treat the illness? Plus, you¡¯re not burdening me. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have survived till now.¡±

    Qiao Jing watched the grandfather and grandson¡¯s receding figures, her eyes slightly deepened.

    It reminded her of her childhood when Grandpa Zhang, because of a severe illness she had, went from door to door borrowing money, and sold virtually everything that could be sold in their household.

    Still, he was slightly short, and even sold his bed to gather enough money for her treatment.

    After Grandpa Zhang sold his bed, he slept on the cold floor every night, while she slept in afortable little bed.

    With her thoughts returning to the present, Qiao Jing silently resolved in her heart.

    She must help Chi Yuhang and his grandfather.

    Following behind Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing said softly,

    ¡°Qiao Jing, this Chi Yuhang seems quite filial¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing remained silent, gazing at the figures of the grandfather and grandson.

    After arriving at Wonderful Hall, Qiao Jing quickly made her way to her seat and sat down.

    Chi Yuhang helped his grandfather to a chair and sat him down before standing beside him.

    He carefully took the old man¡¯s hand andid it on the table.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, thank you for the trouble,¡± he said.

    As usual, Qiao Jing took out a patient registration form and wrote down the date.

    ¡°What is the patient¡¯s name?¡± she asked.

    Chi Yuhang immediately answered.

    ¡°Chi Chenyun.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, wrote the name on the registration form, and then felt Chi Chenyun¡¯s pulse.

    A momentter, she withdrew her hand and began writing on the registration form.

    Chi Yuhang, with a look of concern, watched Qiao Jing incessantly and took advantage of her writing to quickly exin his grandfather¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, my grandfather¡¯s illness is due to his old age and frailty,pounded by various chronic ailments. His condition has worsened, he has difficulty moving his legs, and he has no appetite for food. I¡¯ve taken him to see doctors and have bought medicine from the pharmacy, but there has been no relief.¡±

    Qiao Jing quietly listened to Chi Yuhang, her brows tightly furrowed. She tore off the registration form and handed it to an assistant.

    The assistant quickly took the form from Qiao Jing and went aside to prepare the medicine.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Chi Chenyun, her brows furrowed.

    ¡°What medicine have you been buying for the elderly gentleman?¡±

    After taking his pulse, she could tell that he must have been taking medicine, but it was not treating the root cause.

    It must be an issue with the medicine then.

    Chi Yuhang recited several medicine names he knew by heart, his face etched with nervousness.

    ¡°Is there a problem with these medicines? I chose them ording to the doctor¡¯s instructions, looking for ones with simr effects but cheaper so that my grandfather could afford them.¡±

    After hearing the names of the medicines, Qiao Jing¡¯s tightly furrowed brows slowly rxed.

    ¡°There¡¯s no problem, but the efficacy is not very strong, which is why the old man hasn¡¯t been cured.¡±

    Chi Yuhang, feeling somewhat guilty, bowed his head and asked,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ My sry isn¡¯t enough to buy such expensive medicines; that¡¯s why I settled for cheaper ones. It was my fault all along¡­ How much does the medicine from Wonderful Hall cost, Miss Qiao? I don¡¯t expect you to give it to me for free. Can I owe you for now? I¡¯ll pay you back as soon as I get paid from my job.¡±

    Chi Chenyun raised his hand to Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand, gently patting it and struggling to open his somewhat cloudy eyes to look at Qiao Jing sitting opposite him.

    ¡°Doctor, please don¡¯t me my Xiao Hang. Xiao Hang has been working very hard to earn money. If I can¡¯t be cured, just let it be. I can¡¯t be a burden to Xiao Hang,¡± he said.

    Zhan Nanqing, who had been sitting quietly on the side, suddenly spoke up.

    ¡°What about his parents?¡± he inquired.

    At the mention of his parents, Chi Yuhang replied without changing his expression,

    ¡°I don¡¯t have parents.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned for a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Chi Yuhang shook his head; these things did not bother him.

    Chi Chenyun slowly began to speak.

    ¡°His dad was a gambling addict. After umting a huge debt he couldn¡¯t pay off, he jumped off a building and left all his debts to Xiao Hang. His mother has remarried, leaving this poor kid all alone with just an old man like me to rely on.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, and she pressed her lips together.

    Her own childhood experiences were not much different, with ¡°biological parents¡± who were like decorations and a grandfather she relied upon.

    Just then, an assistant handed the packaged medicine to Chi Yuhang.

 Chapter 547: 536: Elite Gathering

    <strong>Chapter 547: Chapter 536: Elite Gathering</strong>

    Chi Yuhang immediately stood up and took the medicine with both hands.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, how much are these medicines? I¡¯ll note it down first and pay you backter.¡±

    He could earn money through his own efforts and then pay the other party back, so he couldn¡¯t ept others¡¯ kindness without reason.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing had already helped him once, and he felt embarrassed to ask her to help a second time.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and skipped over this topic, writing down her phone number on a piece of paper.

    ¡°Take it once after lunch and once after dinner, one packet each time. This is a three-day supply. Come back for more medicine after three days. If you have any questions, you can contact me.¡±

    She actually didn¡¯t even want to charge Chi Yuhang the consultation fee. To help a little was to help.

    Wonderful Hall had plenty of medicines; it was just a matter of handing a few to Chi Yuhang.

    Chi Yuhang took note of the time seriously and then gave Qiao Jing a deep bow.

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Qiao.¡±

    He knew that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t mentioned the cost of the medicine because she intended to give it to him.

    If he were to argue with her about it, then the problem would be his.

    Qiao Jing shook her head and said no more.

    She stood up, walked over to Chi Chenyun¡¯s side, and helped Chi Yuhang support the old man as they walked outside.

    ¡°I¡¯ve called a taxi for you. Just tell the driver where to go; he will take you home without charging you.¡±

    She knew that the few hundred dors Chi Yuhang had just given her were thest of his savings. If she didn¡¯t help with the taxi, she didn¡¯t know how Chi Yuhang would manage to get the old man home.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang paused; a taxi appeared in front of them.

    ¡°Miss Qiao, I¡­ I can¡¯t thank you enough! Don¡¯t worry; I will be able to repay you very soon.¡±

    He had just saved the money for his grandfather¡¯s medicine for several days. After he finished paying off his debts, he would be able to save more money to repay Qiao Jing.

    Chi Chenyun looked at Qiao Jing for a moment and then spoke up:

    ¡°Doctor, do you know my Xiao Hang? Are you friends with Xiao Hang? Could you possibly give Xiao Hang a little more time? He has paid off the principal to the loan sharks, but they keeping after him for the interest, so he can¡¯t pay off all his debts in time.¡±

    He had never seen his grandson make any friends, as his grandson worked multiple jobs a day and simply had no time to make friends.

    Now, it seemed that not only had he made a friend, but also a very kind-hearted one.

    Chi Yuhang immediately responded to his grandfather¡¯s question.

    ¡°Grandpa, Miss Qiao is not my friend; she¡¯s my benefactor. She helped me once before.¡±

    He didn¡¯t dare to simply assume anyone was his friend; how could a person like him possibly have friends?

    Upon hearing this, Chi Chenyun sighed.

    ¡°Oh¡­ well, thank you, Doctor Qiao, for helping Xiao Hang. I¡¯m just an old guy with nothing substantial to offer, and I¡¯m really sorry about that.¡±

    Qiao Jing felt even more moved as she looked at the grandparent and grandchild.

    She stepped forward to help open the car door, her red lips parting slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can contact me anytime if there are any problems.¡±

    Chi Yuhang nodded and helped Chi Chenyun into the car.

    What he didn¡¯t notice was that as he was getting into the car, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand lightly touched the pocket of his outer jacket.

    After the car started, Chi Yuhang had just reached into his pocket, intending to pull out his phone to check the time, when he suddenly touched something.

    His hand paused, and he pulled out the object, realizing it was the money he had given to Qiao Jing, along with a small note.

    Chi Yuhang immediately opened the note and read the line written on it.

    ¡°No need for the money, pay me back when you have some.¡±

    After reading the note, Chi Yuhang put the money and the note back in his pocket and watched Qiao Jing¡¯s figure in the rear-view mirror.

    Soon after, another person appeared in his sight, a friend of Miss Qiao.

    He had noticed before that this friend of Qiao Jing seemed to have a significant issue with him, which he had realized during their first meeting.

    Because up to now, the expression on everyone¡¯s face he had encountered was the same as that of Miss Qiao¡¯s friend.

    But today, it seemed to have changed, no longer the same as before.

    Only when he could no longer see the two figures in the rear-view mirror did Chi Yuhang finally look away.

    Meanwhile, in front of Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing had just returned to the clinic to continue her consultations when she noticed Zhan Nanqing standing next to her, staring in the direction Chi Yuhang had left.

    She looked at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled expression and asked,

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    She had noticed earlier that, after learning about Yuhang¡¯s background, Zhan Nanqing had maintained her silence, seemingly deep in thought.

    Zhan Nanqing then snapped back to reality, her face showing aplex expression.

    ¡°I was thinking that I had misunderstood Yuhang before. I thought the usury was his own debt. But even so, I look down on him for being so spineless. I¡¯ve never heard of aw that mandates children to pay off their parents¡¯ debts, and his dad definitely didn¡¯t leave him any inheritance. He didn¡¯t need to help pay off the debts, yet he foolishly did, even getting beaten up for it.¡±

    She now wanted to grab Yuhang by the ear and tell him there is no such thing as children being legally obligated to pay off their parents¡¯ debts, so he shouldn¡¯t be so spineless.

    Qiao Jing sat back in her chair, her eyes darkening.

    ¡°Those usurers don¡¯t think that way. They just want their money, and Chi Yuhang had already paid back the principal.¡±

    It seemed she needed to help Chi Yuhang deal with the usurer¡¯s issue, although he had no rtion to her. She saw her past self and Grandpa Zhang in Yuhang and his son.

    She still wanted to help them a lot because, for her, it was an easy task, whereas for Yuhang, it was quite difficult.

    She would handle the usury issue.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, uninterested in thinking about it any further.

    ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s talk about something else. I was just looking at my phone and saw Lu Zijiao posted on his social media. He¡¯s organized a gathering for tonight, a golfing event. Half of the capital¡¯s elite will be there. Will youe with me?¡±

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t y golf.¡±

    Although it was during her break time, she didn¡¯t really want to go to ces crowded with people, and she definitely did not know how to y golf.

    She usually focused on her work, and if she encountered something unfamiliar at work, she would take time to learn about it.

    For instance, herputer skills improved because herputer once malfunctioned and couldn¡¯t restore from backup, prompting her to spend time learning about it, among other things like calligraphy and painting.

    Zhan Nanqing eximed, ¡°Aiya,¡± and started clinging to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, coaxing her,

    ¡°If you don¡¯te with me, then I¡¯ll have to go alone. The only person I used to hang out with was someone from the Lou family, and it was always her and me going out, but I¡¯ve seen her true colors now and have cut ties with her long ago.¡±

 Chapter 548: 537: Why Not Let My Brother Teach You?

    <strong>Chapter 548: Chapter 537: Why Not Let My Brother Teach You?</strong>

    Actually, she had other friends, but she just wanted Qiao Jing to apany her.

    Because now, Qiao Jing¡¯s ce in her heart weighed more than any of the other friends.

    With no choice, Qiao Jing cast a nce at Zhan Nanqing and pursed her red lips.

    ¡°These are not the point, the point is I don¡¯t know how to y golf.¡±

    Since it was a golf gathering, surely everyone attending would have to y golf.

    But she had never been exposed to this type of ball sport, had no idea how to y, and was even more clueless about the rules of golf.

    And the timing was too rushed, practically right after she finished her shift and had eaten, she would have to rush over, leaving her no time to look up the rules and how-to online.

    Zhan Nanqing knitted her brows, pondering for a moment.

    ¡°This is indeed a problem, although I¡¯m not very good at golf either, but at least I¡¯m not a newbie and should be able to teach you a little.¡±

    She paused momentarily and then suddenly thought of someone,

    ¡°No wait, if you apany me then, my brother will definitely go too, why don¡¯t we let my brother teach you?¡±

    A flicker of surprise appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked sideways at Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Is Zhan Qipei really good at ying golf?¡±

    She had originally thought that Zhan Qipei was someone like her, too busy with work to have time to develop hobbies.

    After all, since she had met Zhan Qipei, the man, apart from work, was always following her around, and she had never seen him y golf.

    Pride surfaced on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face as she tilted her chin up slightly.

    ¡°Of course, who do you think he is? That¡¯s my brother. He¡¯s really good at golf. After all, an amateur scoring 70¨C80 strokes is already considered a pro, but my brother can score 65, when he personally teaches you, you¡¯ll definitely learn in no time.¡±

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing had no choice but to agree.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Only then did Zhan Nanqing show a satisfied smile, cuddling up to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, you¡¯re so nice. How about I just go with youter? My brother can drive himself.¡±

    Right now, all she wanted to do was to y with Qiao Jing every day, as for her brother¡­

    It wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t go by himself.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her delicate brows, the image of Zhan Qipei cooking emerging in her mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go over after I eat at home.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t eat at home, Zhan Qipei would definitely put on the airs of a mistreateddy of high society again.

    Zhan Nanqing sighed and reluctantly gave in.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back with you. I¡¯m going to freeload a meal.¡±

    Qiao Jing agreed, ready to see the next patient.

    ¡°You send him a message.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing nodded and sat back down to y with her phone.

    By evening, inside Nantai Apartment.

    As soon as Qiao Jing opened the door, she was greeted with the tantalizing aroma of food.

    Zhan Nanqing inhaled sharply, quickly changed her shoes, and hurried inside first.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, did my brother learn his cooking skills from you? I actually would prefer to eat your cooking.¡±

    Ever since she had tasted Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking, she couldn¡¯t forget that vor.

    Primarily because it was truly delicious!

    Not that she hadn¡¯t had her brother¡¯s cooking, but what her brother made was worlds apart from Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    After changing shoes, Qiao Jing walked in slowly, bringing Zhan Nanqing to the dining table.

    ¡°He learned by himself.¡±

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei, carrying dishes from the kitchen, saw Qiao Jing, and his dark eyes instantly brightened.

    However, upon seeing Zhan Nanqing by her side, his expression noticeably dimmed.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    After hearing what Zhan Qipei said, Zhan Nanqing was stunned as well, standing there in a daze.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®why did Ie¡¯? Brother, didn¡¯t you know I wasing over?¡±

    She remembered she had sent a message. Why did her brother seempletely unaware that she wasing over for dinner?

    Qiao Jing sensed something was amiss and furrowed her brows.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    She had specifically instructed Zhan Nanqing to send a message to Zhan Qipei because she was worried about exactly this scenario¡ªnot having dinner prepared for Zhan Nanqing.

    And now it seemed that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t know Zhan Nanqing wasing for dinner?

    Zhan Qipei knitted his eyebrows, which were as misty as smoke, and his gaze fell on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she wasing.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing thought she was suffering from a memory disorder and took out her phone to check.

    When she saw the message she had sent, she handed the phone to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Brother, I sent you a message, didn¡¯t you see it?¡±

    After sending the message, she went straight to watching videos and didn¡¯t pay attention to whether her brother had replied or not.

    But since she had sent a message, her brother should have been able to see it.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the phone screen impassively.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡±

    After getting off work, he hadn¡¯t received a message from Qiao Jing, so he hadn¡¯t thought to check his phone.

    Moreover, aside from Qiao Jing¡¯s messages which had a special notification sound, other messages didn¡¯t, and since Zhan Nanqing sent only one message, it was even less conspicuous.

    Zhan Nanqing, angered, took her phone back and eyed thevish dishes on the table, her voice rising with a sense of grievance.

    ¡°So I¡¯m the redundant one now?¡±

    She thought the food her brother had cooked smelled delicious when she walked in, but it didn¡¯t matter how tasty it was if there wasn¡¯t a portion for her.

    Then what was the point of hering here?

    She should have just gone straight to dinner with Qiao Jing at a restaurant and then to the party.

    Zhan Qipei pressed his lips together, giving Zhan Nanqing a look of ¡®you should know,¡¯ as he nced at her.

    The food he made didn¡¯t include a portion for Zhan Nanqing; her being there was pointless.

    Zhan Nanqing suppressed the rage in her heart and took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand directly.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, will you join me for dinner outside? Let¡¯s find a restaurant near the golf course, so we can head straight there after eating.¡±

    She shouldn¡¯t havee!

    She should¡¯ve done what she originally thought, taking Qiao Jing straight there and letting her brother go by himself.

    Even though she knew her brother only had eyes for Qiao Jing, it didn¡¯t mean that she should be denied food even when she took the initiative toe over!

    Even if there was dog food to eat, it couldn¡¯t really fill you up!!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, and he took a few steps forward to pull the woman back to his side.

    ¡°She¡¯s eating at home. Have the driver take you out to eat, and besides, why do you want to take Qiao Jing to a restaurant near the golf course?¡±

    He remembered Lu Zijiao had specifically called to ask him about a gathering rted to golf, but he had rejected it without hesitation.

    If there was time to y golf, he¡¯d rather spend it at home with Qiao Jing.

    But why did his sister want to take Qiao Jing there?

    Zhan Nanqing, looking at the two standing together, felt indignant.

    ¡°Qiao Jing is apanying me to a get-together. You didn¡¯t even cook for me, brother, so I don¡¯t want you to join the get-together.¡±

    She was so angry it hurt, and the only way to retaliate was to do the same to her brother.

    After all, her brother cared about Qiao Jing the most.

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, his thin lips parted slightly, and he slowly uttered two words.

    ¡°She won¡¯t go.¡±

 Chapter 549: 538: Im Qiao Jings Husband, Isnt It Normal to Be Clingy?

    <strong>Chapter 549: Chapter 538: I¡¯m Qiao Jing¡¯s Husband, Isn¡¯t It Normal to Be Clingy?</strong>

    Zhan Nanqing snorted coldly and grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s other wrist.

    ¡°Who said she isn¡¯t going? She promised to go to the party with me!¡±

    As she spoke, she tried to lead Qiao Jing outside but after a few steps, she couldn¡¯t pull her any further.

    Zhan Nanqing turned around and saw that Zhan Qipei was still holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Brother, let go, you didn¡¯t even make my food, and now you won¡¯t let me go out to eat with Qiao Jing? It¡¯s more convenient to eat at a restaurant near the court before going, and Qiao Jing has already promised to apany me, she definitely won¡¯t back out!¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows knitted like misty mountains, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, attempting to pull her back to his side.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to eat at home, and I will go to the party with her.¡±

    Since Qiao Jing was going to the party, he certainly would go as well.

    Wherever Qiao Jing went, he would follow.

    Also¡­ he now realized his own sister seemed to be overly clingy towards Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, bearing a probing gaze upon Zhan Nanqing.

    ¡°Why do you like clinging to Qiao Jing so much?¡±

    Could it be his sister was falling for Qiao Jing too?

    Sure enough, he knew his wife attracted both men and women.

    It seemed he had to guard not only against men but women too.

    Zhan Nanqing, realizing that Zhan Qipei was looking at her with the eyes of a rival, took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Brother, I just want Qiao Jing to apany me to the party, besides, if anyone is clingy towards Qiao Jing, how can theypare to you? Do you know your nickname is ¡®Zhan Qipei Brand Super Glue¡¯?¡±

    Although she really liked Qiao Jing, her and Qiao Jing¡¯s liking were not of the romantic type.

    But her brother, on the other hand, treated her as a rival in love straight away.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression immediately darkened, his gaze growing colder as he watched Zhan Nanqing with a guarded face.

    ¡°I¡¯m her husband, isn¡¯t it normal for me to be close to her?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing widened her eyes, angrily staring at Zhan Qipei without ceasing.

    ¡°Well then, by that logic, I¡¯m half a sister to Qiao Jing, isn¡¯t it normal for me to cling to her too?¡±

    Watching the two quarrel, Qiao Jing felt a sudden throb in her temple and forcefully withdrew her hand.

    ¡°Let go, I¡¯ll cook another batch of food.¡±

    Having her hand pulled back and forth between the two had been too much for her, and now they were even arguing in front of her?

    If it were just Nanqing being childish, that would be one thing; after all, she was a girl who had been pampered at home from a young age, and it was normal for her to have a bit of a temper.

    But could someone tell her why Zhan Qipei, an adult man, was still arguing over such trivial matters with his sister?

    The two of them were even treating her like a toy, each pulling at her like children fighting over a toy.

    And this was all over something that could be solved with just another meal, yet these ¡°children¡± still insisted on arguing here.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips pressed into a straight line with no curve, he nced sideways at the still angry Zhan Nanqing and spoke coldly.

    ¡°She goes out to eat, we eat ourselves, andter I¡¯ll go to the party with you.¡±

    He had only heard of the phrase ¡°guard against fire, theft, and girlfriends,¡± but now it seemed he had to ¡°guard against fire, theft, and little sister.¡±

    His romantic rivals were increasing rather than decreasing, and it was his own sister?

    Zhan Nanqing, watching her own brother look as vignt as guarding against thieves, rolled her eyes in disbelief.

    ¡°Brother, I know that Qiao Jing is my sister-inw, why are you guarding against me? Do you believe that from now on, I won¡¯t help you keep an eye on Xu Moqian at the institute and just let him get close to Qiao Jing?¡±

    Even if she had romantic feelings for Qiao Jing, it was the male guise of Qiao Jing that touched her heart!

    After all, Qiao Jing in men¡¯s clothing is so handsome¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t love it?

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his eyebrows, his gaze locked tightly on Nanqing¡¯s face before he finally spoke.

    ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t developed other feelings for Qiao Jing?¡±

    He remembered thest time Qiao Jing dressed as a man, his sister was looking at his wife with starry-eyed admiration,pletely smitten.

    And now, with Nanqing clinging to Qiao Jing, he felt like he just gained another rival in love.

    Nanqing felt a bit guilty when asked, but she dared not hesitate for too long, or else her brother would see through her.

    She firmly answered:

    ¡°No.¡±

    She just wasn¡¯t sure if having a crush on Qiao Jing in men¡¯s attire counted¡­

    Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his dark eyes, then finally withdrew his gaze and quickly followed Qiao Jing to the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cook, you go ahead and eat outside.¡±

    Qiao Jing twitched the corner of her mouth wordlessly but didn¡¯t insist on staying, heading back to the dining table to sit with Nanqing.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to argue about? Cooking is quick; I can share half of mine with you.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know whom to stop first when she saw the two siblings arguing over her. After all, they were both being incredibly childish.

    And then there was Zhan Qipei, that scoundrel of a man, even wary of his own sister. If she was about to give birth, to prevent any idents, wouldn¡¯t she be locked up at home like Xiangxiang, unable to go out?

    Nanqing immediately shook her head.

    ¡°No way, you have triplets in there; how can you go hungry? Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: I¡¯ll eat my brother¡¯s portion first. He¡¯s a grown man; he can handle being hungry for a bit. Besides, there¡¯s bound to be food at the gathering, enough for my brother to eat.¡±

    Her words, neither loud nor soft, were just right for Zhan Qipei, who was about to scoop some rice, to hear.

    Zhan Qipei came directly to Nanqing with the rice cooker and tapped her forehead forcefully.

    ¡°You go eat in the restaurant. The driver is waiting for you downstairs.¡±

    Though he agreed with not letting Qiao Jing go hungry, he couldn¡¯t let anyone eat his portion. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to chat with Qiao Jing at the dinner table.

    After all, he and Qiao Jing had both been busy all day, and dinner was the only time they could truly spend together.

    So he wouldn¡¯t let anyone interfere with his time with Qiao Jing.

    Nanqing covered her forehead, ring at Zhan Qipei with a face full of frustration.

    ¡°Brother! Forget it, I don¡¯t feel like talking to you.¡±

    After saying that, she turned to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, let¡¯s eat quickly. When we¡¯re done, we can leave first, letting my brother stay at home to eat alone. Besides, he can go to the court alone; he doesn¡¯t need us.¡±

    Seizing the moment, Nanqing started scooping up soup very actively, all eager to be the first to eat.

    Qiao Jing helplessly patted Nanqing on the back.

    ¡°Eat slowly; we¡¯ll go with your brotherter.¡±

    She truly hadn¡¯t expected the two to argue over such a trivial matter, and now, Nanqing, fearful that Zhan Qipei would snatch the food, began to wolf it down.

    Nanqing paused in her eating, looking confusedly at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Why wait for my brother? Isn¡¯t it better if we finish eating and leave first?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Having a car to take us makes it easier. Zhan Qipei, you go cook.¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at Nanqing, then withdrew his gaze and headed back into the kitchen.

    At this moment, Nanqing had transformed into a champion eater, yet she still remembered Zhan Qipei not checking messages or cooking for her, and as she ate, she deliberatelyined:

 Chapter 550: 539: Unexpected Touch!

    <strong>Chapter 550: Chapter 539: Unexpected Touch!</strong>

    ¡°This taste is too nd, this isn¡¯t spicy enough¡­¡±

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯sments, Qiao Jing initially thought that Zhan Qipei had made a mistake with the seasoning. She tried the criticized dishes one by one, but found that the vors were just right.

    She nced at Zhan Nanqing, who wasining while enjoying her food, and smiled helplessly.

    After the three of them finished dinner, they headed to the parking lot of theplex.

    Zhan Qipei opened the passenger door for Qiao Jing, letting her get in first.

    Qiao Jing looked out the window at Zhan Nanqing and remembered thest time Zhan Qipei had left her behind in the car.

    To avoid such a scene from happening again, she rolled down the window and spoke to Zhan Nanqing outside:

    ¡°Get in.¡±

    She still remembered the look on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face when she ended up inhaling exhaust fumes, finding it both amusing and a bit pitiful.

    Zhan Qipei paused in his steps and nced at Zhan Nanqing, his thin lips parting slightly.

    ¡°A driver will take you. You¡¯ll take another car.¡±

    He didn¡¯t want anyone else to disturb his time alone with Qiao Jing.

    If they hadn¡¯t needed to go to the same ce this time, his choice would still be the same as before, to drive away and leave the person behind.

    After all, there was still a driver around, and knowing his sister, she would definitely take a car.

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling indignant, red at Zhan Qipei and without another word, opened the rear car door and got in.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ride in the same car as you two. Why bother the driver to make a trip if it¡¯s on the way?¡±

    However¡­ she was a bit worried. If she rode in the same car as the two up front,

    would she turn into a superb, invincible third wheel?

    Wouldn¡¯t she then be able to light up the whole car?

    But now, with her in the car, her brother probably wouldn¡¯t do anything else to feed the dog¡­

    Just as she thought this, she saw Zhan Qipei leaning towards Qiao Jing to help fasten her seatbelt.

    Qiao Jing, seeing the man helping her with her seatbelt, remembered that she hadn¡¯t fastened it right after getting in because she was worried Zhan Nanqing wouldn¡¯t be able to get into the car and had started talking to her through the window.

    ¡°I can do it myself.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t know how to fasten a seatbelt; she had just forgotten. The navigation would remind her when they started driving, and she¡¯d remember then.

    Besides, with another person still on the seat, Zhan Qipei, that scoundrel, was leaning right in front of her, reaching out to fasten her seatbelt.

    Zhan Qipei, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, continued to fasten Qiao Jing¡¯s seatbelt, his fingertips grazing over her body as if unintentionally.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s leisurely manner, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate to raise her hand to swat away his hand and fasten her seatbelt herself.

    ¡°Snap!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand hit the back of Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, but his palm ended up on her chest because of this.

    Zhan Nanqing, sitting in the backseat, immediately covered her face with her hand.

    This scene was nearly blinding to her single-dog eyes; she had thought there might be some restraint with her around.

    Yet, not only was there no restraint, but it was even more explosive, resulting in a handnding right there because of an ident!

    She shouldn¡¯t have gotten in the car!!

    This isn¡¯t a kindergarten bus, she wanted to get off!!!

    A crack appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s otherwise expressionless face as she saw that Zhan Qipei still had no intention of moving his hand, and she said emphatically:

    ¡°Zhan, Qipei! Take your hand off!¡±

    She had only intended to swat Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away, but an ident like this happened instead.

    An ident was one thing, but Zhan Qipei, that jerk, didn¡¯t seem to want to remove his hand at all?!

    Most importantly, Zhan Nanqing definitely saw that scene just now, who knows what Zhan Nanqing is thinking right now.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei remove his hand from Qiao Jing¡¯s body, recalling the soft touch, a flicker of pleasure passed through the depth of his dark eyes.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who moved my hand.¡±

    He nced at the rearview mirror and saw that Zhan Nanqing was covering her eyes at the moment, so he simply raised the divider between the driver¡¯s seat and the back seats.

    He couldn¡¯t let anyone disturb him and Qiao Jing at this time.

    Originally covering her eyes in the back, Zhan Nanqing heard the sound of the divider going up and paused, then moved her hands away.

    Seeing the divider in front of her, an incredulous expression appeared on her face.

    No way?!

    Why would he raise the divider?!!

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing turned her head to nce at the divider, then her gaze fell on Zhan Qipei, her red lips slightly parting.

    ¡°It was just an ident just now, why didn¡¯t you remove your hand? Also, why did you raise the divider?¡±

    With what had just happened, it was already enough to cause a misunderstanding, the fact that Zhan Qipei decided to raise the divider at this time, wouldn¡¯t it make things worse?

    What if Zhan Nanqing misunderstood?

    Zhan Qipei straightened up and buckled his seatbelt.

    ¡°I forgot for a moment, as for the divider, I didn¡¯t want her to disturb us.¡±

    With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Qiao Jing restored the divider to its original state.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to disturb? If you¡¯re not driving, Nanqing and I will take a cab instead.¡±

    She noticed that Zhan Qipei, that jerk, now seemed to be less and less hesitant about lying. Did he really forget to move his hand?

    Could it really be that¡­

    Qiao Jing sighed and stopped thinking further; otherwise, she would be the one getting angry again.

    Zhan Qipei started the car and headed towards the golf course.

    Sitting in the back seat, Zhan Nanqing saw the divider restored to its original state and gazed incessantly at the two with a gossip-filled face.

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Um, there¡¯s someone else here in the back seat, be mindful of that, and I¡¯m still single, by the way.¡±

    In just those few seconds, her mind had already imagined various scenes not suitable for children.

    At that time, she was wondering, what if it took her brother a long time? Wouldn¡¯t that dy attending the banquet?

    But now, it seemed like nothing had happened between the two, and suddenly she felt somewhat disappointed. Why was that?

    With a twitch of her lips, Qiao Jing spoke out to rify:

    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, it was an ident.¡±

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to say something, her phone suddenly rang, and she had to check the message first.

    After unlocking her phone, she found that Lu Zijiao had created a group chat for a gathering, and everyone was chatting inside.

    Zhan Nanqing was also ready to join in but then she saw a name she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.

    Lou Xinrou.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, nced at the screen for a while, then looked at Qiao Jing again.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, Lou Xinrou was previously locked up by her grandfather, it looks like her confinement is over, and she is attending today¡¯s gathering too.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded indifferently with a ¡°Hmm¡± and said nothing more.

    She didn¡¯t care who was attending; she was just worried about Zhan Nanqing being lonely and was apanying her.

 Chapter 551: 540: The Civil War Among Women

    <strong>Chapter 551: Chapter 540: The Civil War Among Women</strong>

    On the golf course.

    Qiao Jing and herpanions walked into the golf course.

    At the moment, there were already many people inside, perhaps due to Lu Zijiao¡¯s hosting, aside from the golf course itself, tables and red wine among other things were set up everywhere, creating the atmosphere of a bar.

    As the three of them walked in, they attracted the attention of everyone present.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Young Master Zhan and Zhan Nanqing?¡±

    ¡°Did you miss someone? Qiao Jing is also here. They actually brought Qiao Jing to our elite gathering? Speaking of which, Qiao Jing is from the countryside, can she even y golf?¡±

    ¡°Xinrou, you¡¯ve run into an old acquaintance, huh.¡±

    Lou Xinrou watched Qiao Jing with a dark gaze, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug deep into her flesh without her realizing.

    What an old acquaintance!

    She had been grounded for an entire half-month and had barely endured until the time was up. Just as she was about to attend a gathering, she ran into the very person responsible for her being grounded!!

    The sight of Qiao Jing attending the gathering with Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing affectionately holding Qiao Jing¡¯s arm was like a sharp stab to her eyes.

    Obviously, all these spots should have been hers!

    After hearing the conversation, Lu Zijiao, who was originally drinking with some girls, immediately put down his ss and walked towards the group.

    ¡°Young Master Zhan, howe you¡¯re here? I specifically called you today, and didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯te?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t really expected Zhan Qipei toe to the gathering tonight; asking was merely a formality.

    After all, his brother had rarely frequented such entertainment venues since getting married. Hisst bar visit was only because the couple had argued, so he went out to drink the blues away with him.

    His role as a utility man was confirmed.

    Not waiting for Zhan Qipei to answer, Zhan Nanqing simply took Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and sneered at the other.

    ¡°Look, the reason why my brother suddenly came over is because I asked Qiao Jing to apany me to the gathering,¡± Zhan Nanqing said, scoffing.

    Seeing this, Lu Zijiao understood as clearly as if he were looking into a mirror.

    ¡°Hehe, so that¡¯s how it is¡­ Oh, by the way, we have a golf game nnedter, does Young Master Zhan want to show off a bit? Everyone here will be participating,¡± he suggested.

    He thought, how could Zhan Qipei possibly show up to the gathering all of a sudden? Turns out, it was to apany Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing beside him, took her hand and brought her back by his side, half-encircling her with his arm.

    ¡°No,¡± he said simply.

    He was there to apany Qiao Jing, not to y golf.

    He didn¡¯t feel at ease allowing Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing to attend the gathering by themselves; after all, now he had to guard not only against men but women as well.

    His wife wasn¡¯t on guard against other women, easily striking up conversations and chatting with others, like with Ni Yue and his sister.

    Lu Zijiao found himself momentarily speechless, ncing over at the golf course he had had the staff prepare with much care.

    ¡°Really? This gathering is for ying golf, and it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you y. You¡¯re not going to show us a little today?¡± he prodded.

    Zhan Qipei spoke with an expressionless face:

    ¡°I said no,¡± he once again affirmed.

    After a moment¡¯s serious thought, Lu Zijiao¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, do you want to y golf?¡±

    If Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t work out, then he¡¯d start with Qiao Jing.

    After all, Zhan Qipei listened to Qiao Jing the most.

    Qiao Jing nced at the nearby golf course and clubs and slightly furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Do I have to y? I don¡¯t know how to,¡± she admitted.

    The timing of the gathering was just too urgent, she had had only a quick nce over the rules in the car before arriving at the venue.

    So now, she waspletely clueless about golf.

    Lu Zijiao immediately gave the same advice he had given to Zhan Nanqing before, winking at Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°The big shot right beside you can surely teach you, Young Master Zhan, you¡¯re willing to teach Qiao Jing, right?¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Jing, and a glint of light shed through his dark eyes.

    ¡°I can teach you.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at the man beside her and hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She had just heard Lu Zijiao say that everyone would participate in thepetition, and since it was a golf tournament after all, if everyone else was ying and she wasn¡¯t, it would be somewhat embarrassing.

    Plus, with a ready-made coach at hand, she should be able to learn quickly.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had agreed, Zhan Qipei said nothing more and took the woman¡¯s slender wrist, leading her towards the golf course.

    At the moment, several people were practicing on the course, but they immediately cleared the field when they saw Zhan Qipei arrive.

    The sight of Zhan Qipei leading Qiao Jing to the golf course alone caught everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Is Young Master Zhan going to take Qiao Jing to y golf?¡±

    ¡°But why does Young Master Zhan have to apany Qiao Jing to y golf? How annoying¡­ If I were Young Master Zhan, I would have kicked her out long ago.¡±

    Lou Xinrou stared intently at Qiao Jing, wishing she could bite a chunk out of her.

    She nced at the friends standing by her side who were discussing Qiao Jing, restraining her emotions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about Qiao Jing like that, she¡¯s not that scheming.¡±

    The girl in the yellow dress grew even more unpleasant upon hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words.

    ¡°Xinrou, I know you know Qiao Jing, but she¡¯s taken what should have been yours, and you¡¯re still speaking up for her. Are you really that good-natured?¡±

    The girl with the ponytail looked at Qiao Jing with eyes full of jealousy.

    ¡°Lou Xinrou, I am reluctantly on your side for now since we have amon enemy, but don¡¯t really think Young Master Zhan is yours; don¡¯t be so shameless.¡±

    After hearing this from the ponytailed girl, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face stiffened, but she quickly returned to normal.

    ¡°Linglong, what are you talking about? How could I possibly think that Young Master Zhan is mine?¡±

    She was holding back now because an extra enemy was worse than an extra ally; Qiao Jing was now theirmon target.

    The girl in the yellow dress immediately stood up for Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Ye Linglong, why do you speak so rudely? Who wants you on our side?¡±

    Ye Linglong snorted coldly.

    ¡°Lou Xinrou knows what¡¯s in her heart very well, Huang Yunqing, don¡¯t let yourself be used.¡±

    Huang Yunqing frowned and turned to look back at Lou Xinrou.

    ¡°Stop ndering people; Xinrou is not that kind of vicious person. Right, Xinrou?¡±

    A false smile froze for a moment on Lou Xinrou¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, of course, you are my best friend.¡±

    Just as Zhan Nanqing happened to pass by Lou Xinrou, she overheard this and scoffed at the remark.

    ¡°Haha¡­¡±

    Best friends?

    These words were truly ironic.

    Lou Xinrou noticed Zhan Nanqing in front of her and clenched her fists again.

    ¡°Nan¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, Zhan Nanqing quickened her pace and walked away, stopping not far from Ye Linglong.

    Ye Linglong was about to mock Lou Xinrou when she saw Zhan Qipei holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand on the golf course.

 Chapter 552: 541: Qiao Jing is Mocked as a Country Bumpkin

    <strong>Chapter 552: Chapter 541: Qiao Jing is Mocked as a Country Bumpkin</strong>

    ¡°How shameless can Qiao Jing be! She actually asked Young Master Zhan to hold her hand while ying golf? How can he even stand her?!¡±

    Zhan Nanqing originally nned to sit by the side, but upon hearing this remark, she frowned and rolled her eyes in silence.

    ¡°My brother holding Qiao Jing as they y golf is none of your business, and what does it matter to you if he can stand her or not?¡±

    Although she wasn¡¯t in a good mood with her brother today, when the matter involved Qiao Jing, she had to speak up.

    She suddenly realized she had to guard not only her brother from romantic rivals but Qiao Jing as well?

    Oh no, that¡¯s not right.

    Her brother was hopelessly devoted to Qiao Jing; there was no need for her to fend off any rivals.

    Ye Linglong gave Zhan Nanqing a stern look, but because Zhan Nanqing was a member of the Zhan Family, she dared not say more, just silently swallowed her anger.

    Lou Xinrou and Huang Yunqing also heard this remark, and their expressions turned sour as well.

    On the golf course.

    Qiao Jing was holding a golf club, her hands enveloped in a man¡¯s dry and warm palms.

    She tried swinging the club a few times as Zhan Qipei guided her without actually hitting the ball away.

    She could clearly feel her back almost entirely pressed against the man¡¯s chest, with just a few thinyers of fabric between them, as he transmitted a constant warmth into her body.

    The sound of breathing by her ear, the slight friction of the fabric, made her feel quite ufortable.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try it on my own first.¡±

    She had watched a few videos on the way here, just trying to get a feel for it first.

    If she couldn¡¯t manage it, then she would ask Zhan Qipei for help.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze lingered on her jet-ck hair, and he reluctantly let go of her hand, the cool temperature of the back of her hand still lingering in his palm.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her eyes, adjusted her stance, and stared intently at the hole in the distance.

    She gently swung the golf club a few times and finally hit out with all her might.

    The golf ball traced a perfect parab in the air.

    All eyes at the venue followed the golf ball closely, and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes lit up as well.

    However, the golf ball did not make it into the hole as hoped; instead, itnded some distance away from the hole.

    Huang Yunqing burst outughing upon seeing this, pulling Lou Xinrou to look in the direction of the ball.

    ¡°Hahaha, Xinrou, Qiao Jing can¡¯t even y golf, how embarrassing is it for her to even attend this gathering?¡±

    Lou Xinrou also curled her lips in a sneer.

    ¡°You can¡¯t say that about Qiao Jing; after all, she has never yed golf before.¡±

    Ye Linglong also showed a scornful smile.

    ¡°Ha! Country bumpkins will always be country bumpkins! Go home and shuck corn!¡±

    The other women present, who had some interest in Zhan Qipei, could not help but mock aloud.

    ¡°No wonder Young Master Zhan was following Qiao Jing and even holding her hand in public, it turns out she can¡¯t y at all.¡±

    ¡°Typical country bumpkin, it¡¯s normal for her not to know how to y golf.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Young Master Zhan was so considerate trying to teach Qiao Jing, and she even pushed him away just now.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing could no longer stand the sound of these discussions, and she mmed her hand on the table, making a ¡°bang¡± sound.

    She stood up and confronted these people directly.

    ¡°Could any of you get it into the hole the first time you yed golf? Are you geniuses? If you¡¯re geniuses, then why didn¡¯t I see you in the championships?¡±

    The people who had just spoken up about Qiao Jing looked at each other with embarrassed expressions on their faces.

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t forgotten who had initiated this matter, and even made a specific emphasis on the topic of Qiao Jing being a ¡°country bumpkin.¡±

    She nced at Lou Xinrou and said:

    ¡°Lou Xinrou, Qiao Jing disdains your tricks and won¡¯t lower herself to talk to you, but I will help her.¡±

    A hidden smile on Lou Xinrou¡¯s face suddenly stiffened, and she pursed her lips, not daring to speak.

    Qiao Jing, who was on the field, naturally heard the discussions of these people and after giving a detached look at the few who had gossiped about her, she indifferently withdrew her gaze.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened and his cold gaze fell on those people. After pausing for a moment, his eyes returned to Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, and the next second, the man¡¯srge hands enveloped her hands again.

    Zhan Qipei firmly held Qiao Jing¡¯s hands, guiding the woman¡¯s arms to begin swinging the club, resting his head on her shoulder.

    ¡°Spread your feet slightly, lean your shoulders¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing, who had originally been focusing on Zhan Qipei¡¯s exnation, found herself distracted by the warm breath at her ear.

    Including the man¡¯s hair asionally brushing against her neck.

    Qiao Jing closed her eyes briefly and when she reopened them, her gaze was clear. After Zhan Qipei had exined once, she adjusted her posture.

    Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing assume a standard posture and slightly curved the corner of his lips.

    His wife was indeed incredible; she learned it all after he exined just once.

    Qiao Jing gently moved her hand, signaling Zhan Qipei to let go of her hands.

    But this wretched man showed no intention of loosening his grip.

    ¡°Zhan Qipei, let go, I¡¯ve got it now,¡±

    Before letting go, Zhan Qipei gently pinched the woman¡¯s soft hand back with fingertips covered in thin calluses.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned and gave Zhan Qipei an annoyed re.

    ¡°There are many people around now, be appropriate.¡±

    She had no inclination to be in a situation where Zhan Qipei was holding her in front of so many people.

    This shameless man might not mind, but that didn¡¯t mean she was shameless too.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened for a moment as he took a few steps back, prepared to watch his wife shine.

    Qiao Jing swung the golf club again, and this time it took her eight strokes to get the ball into the hole.

    She frowned thoughtfully, reflecting on the mistakes she had just made.

    Seeing this, Lou Xinrou¡¯s mood lifted again.

    Indeed, Qiao Jing, this country girl, could never match up to her.

    When she yed golf, Qiao Jing was probably still farming in the countryside!

    Her golf skills were above average, iparably better than Qiao Jing¡¯s by manyfold!

    Even after Brother Zhan had just taught Qiao Jing, she still hadn¡¯t learned.

    Ye Linglongughed out loud.

    ¡°Hahaha, it took you so many strokes to get the ball in the hole. I could do it in five, and yet Young Master Zhan just coached her and she still performed like this.¡±

    Huang Yunqing snorted, pulling Lou Xinrou closer.

    ¡°Xinrou, I remember you¡¯re quite good at golf, right? This is also apetition; why don¡¯t you go up andpete against Qiao Jing? You can definitely crush her!¡±

    A cunning glint shed in Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes, but she feigned an embarrassed expression.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right, after all, Qiao Jing isn¡¯t very good, and I might embarrass her if I go up.¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Linglong immediately stepped forward and walked towards the field.

 Chapter 553: 542: Qiao Jing, Care for a Match?

    <strong>Chapter 553: Chapter 542: Qiao Jing, Care for a Match?</strong>

    ¡°Whether you like it or not, I¡¯m going topete with Qiao Jing.¡±

    She wished to show Young Master Zhan that a useless vase like Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t even half as good as her.

    Lou Xinrou saw Ye Linglong getting ready topete, and she followed suit.

    She had been eager topete with Qiao Jing all along, wanting to utterly humiliate her in front of everyone.

    Qiao Jing had outperformed her a few times before, but that was mere luck; this time at golf, she was certain she could do it!

    Although she was only above average, dealing with ayman like Qiao Jing was a piece of cake.

    Both of them walked onto the field, standing on either side of Qiao Jing and picked up their golf clubs.

    Ye Linglong weighed the golf club in her hand and nced at Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, want topete?¡±

    Lou Xinrou also picked up a club at the same time, disying a seemingly friendly smile on her face.

    ¡°Long time no see, Qiao Jing. How about we y a match together? I saw you ying earlier; let¡¯s go by the standard strokes ¨C whoever reaches the standard wins, what do you say?¡±

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at the two people by her side and parted her red lips slightly.

    ¡°Whatever you want.¡±

    The balls she had hit earlier were just to get a feel for the game, and after thest ball went in, she had found her rhythm.

    If nothing unexpected happened, she would hole in one.

    Zhan Nanqing sat outside the field, her gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, her face full of concern.

    Lou Xinrou and Ye Linglong were clearly doing this on purpose, aiming to show themselves off by taking advantage of Qiao Jing¡¯sck of golfing skills.

    What bitchy green tea acts!

    It was infuriating!!

    But Qiao Jing¡¯s skills couldn¡¯t even match those of a beginner, and Nanqing couldn¡¯t rece her in the game either¡­

    The spectators began to get excited too, watching the few people on the field.

    ¡°Ye Linglong and Lou Xinrou are obviously doing this on purpose. Both of them are quite skilled at golf, and they want to show off bypeting against Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°But Qiao Jing¡¯s skills are indeed terrible; even after Young Master Zhan¡¯s coaching, she still can¡¯t learn.¡±

    ¡°And did Qiao Jing just say ¡®Whatever you want¡¯? Is that epting the challenge? Isn¡¯t she overestimating herself then?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The unpleasant murmurs of the crowd didn¡¯t change Qiao Jing¡¯s expression. She continued to swing a few times with her club, continuing to search for the right feel.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened instantly as his icy gaze swept over everyone present, and then, with his long eyebrows appearing softer, he approached Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Shall I teach you a few more times?¡±

    He had noticed that Qiao Jing had found her touch and mastered the correct golf swing so she would be fine in the uing match.

    However, he still wanted to help Qiao Jing get a sense of it again, as he was worried she might not be very practiced.

    Qiao Jing shook her head, stood up straight, and looked up at the man.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    The frown on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face rxed, and he stepped back, giving Qiao Jing space.

    What he needed to do was to have faith in Qiao Jing.

    Lou Xinrou and Ye Linglong, standing to one side, disyed contempt on their faces upon hearing this.

    But Ye Linglong did not bother to hide her scorn for Qiao Jing; contempt was spelled out on her face in two letters as she said with disdain,

    ¡°Still trying to show off, as if she doesn¡¯t know her own abilities.¡±

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face still bore that insincere smile as she took the first swing, sinking the ball in one stroke.

    Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief that this was actually her own level of y.

    After all, she usually made par, never having the chance to hole-in-one!

    Ye Linglong scoffed and rolled her eyes at the sight.

    ¡°Luck.¡±

    The other wealthy peers couldn¡¯t help but exim after seeing Lou Xinrou make a hole-in-one:

    ¡°Did I see that right, Lou Xinrou just made a hole-in-one?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t see wrong, but I know Lou Xinrou¡¯s level, she definitely can¡¯t make a hole-in-one, it must be luck this time.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of luck, scoring a hole-in-one on the first try is already quite impressive! What if she does it again on the second shot?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re dreaming, who in the world can make multiple holes-in-one? If someone can, I¡¯ll run around the capital naked three times!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    At that moment, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face was nearly bursting with joy. She subconsciously looked towards Zhan Qipei, hoping to see a look of surprise or praise on his face.

    But she found Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was fixed on Qiao Jing, as if Qiao Jing was the only person in the world!

    Lou Xinrou gritted her teeth in frustration and bit her lip.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I can give you a chance to go first for a few shots, and the score won¡¯t count, after all, you¡¯re new to this. If you y against me right now, wouldn¡¯t that be too tough on you?¡±

    Ye Linglong looked at Lou Xinrou with a ¡°are you serious?¡± expression.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re ying the saint now? But you¡¯re right, after all, Qiao Jing is just a country bumpkin who has never yed golf before. If wepete directly now, it would be bullying.¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored the conversation, focused on adjusting her angle, her gaze fixed on the hole in the distance.

    Ye Linglong noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s movements and burst outughing.

    ¡°Hahaha, Qiao Jing, still looking for the right angle? Sure enough, I should have let you go first¡ª¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, Qiao Jing took her swing, and the golf ball once again traced a beautiful arc.

    Zhan Nanqing, watching from the sideline, helplessly covered her eyes.

    She didn¡¯t want to see Qiao Jing failing to make the hole multiple times. Even if Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t angry, she would be.

    The next second, an excited voice came from inside the course.

    ¡°Holy crap! Qiao Jing actually made a hole-in-one?¡±

    ¡°No way, Qiao Jing just learned how to y, how could she possibly make a hole-in-one? It must be luck.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, didn¡¯t you see Qiao Jing¡¯s first few shots? They were worse than a novice¡¯s. It¡¯s definitely luck that got her the hole-in-one this time. I don¡¯t believe she can do it again!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After hearing the discussion, Zhan Nanqing was taken aback and lower her hand.

    Seeing the score recorded on the disy, she was shocked and her eyes widened.

    Qiao Jing actually did make a hole-in-one!!

    Compared to those outside, only Ye Linglong and Lou Xinrou could clearly see the hole-in-one happen, and they were both dumbfounded in unison.

    Especially Lou Xinrou, who had just managed a hole-in-one herself, suddenly felt her achievement less impressive.

    She had finally achieved a hole-in-one, yet Qiao Jing, aplete outsider, had also done the same.

    A golfer like her should be capable, but how could Qiao Jing, aplete novice, achieve this?

    Qiao Jing must have relied on luck!

    Qiao Jing ignored the discussions around her, swung her club again, proving to everyone whether it was luck that she made a hole-in-one.

 Chapter 554 - 543: Slap in the Face Hard!

    <h4>Chapter 554: Chapter 543: p in the Face Hard!</h4>

    Next was Qiao Jing¡¯s sessive hole-in-ones, each stroke sending the ball directly into the hole.

    Everyone was dumbfounded, and the field suddenly fell into silence.

    After finishing the continuous shots, Qiao Jing saw her score and satisfaction surged in her eyes.

    There was also a barely containable excitement.

    After all, she had not been sessful until now, but having suddenly mastered the technique, she was excited and happy.

    In her excitement, she looked up at Zhan Qipei and quickly walked toward him.

    But because she was overly joyful, she couldn¡¯t stop in time and directly collided with the man.

    Zhan Qipei quickly wrapped his arms around Qiao Jing¡¯s slim waist and drew the woman into his embrace, his deep voice sounding,

    "Truly impressive."

    Even he, with his many years of golfing experience, rarely achieved such results.

    Qiao Jing was stunned, then realized she had identally bumped into Zhan Qipei. She shifted her body but couldn¡¯t break free from his embrace.

    "Zhan Qipei, let go," she said.

    Although it was her who had identally bumped into him, what did this jerk mean by holding onto her like this?

    There were so many people here; she wasn¡¯t thick-skinned.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved up, his dark eyes gleaming.

    "As the teacher who taught you, don¡¯t I deserve a little reward?"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, ced her hand on the man¡¯s chest, and pushed hard.

    "I can agree to reasonable requests, but right now you must let go."

    Just as Lu Zijiao returned from outside and was about to go y golf, he saw Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei embraced.

    He was almost blinded by shock, and couldn¡¯t help but internallyin:

    Couldn¡¯t this couple be a bit more restrained in public, considering the feelings of us singles?

    Lu Zijiao suddenly realized that it was too quiet inside; everyone was staring non-stop at the couple. Puzzled, he casually pulled someone over.

    "What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t anyone talking? It¡¯s just a couple hugging, do you need to stare like that?"

    The person he pulled over was Huang Yunqing, who was still in shock from what had happened and couldn¡¯t speak.

    Zhan Nanqing was also stunned, rubbing her eyes in disbelief and staring intently at the scoring screen for a long time, almost staring a hole through it.

    After repeatedly confirming that Qiao Jing had indeed made every shot into the hole, she opened her mouth wide.

    "My God..."

    Seeing that Huang Yunqing was silent, Lu Zijiao walked straight to Zhan Nanqing who still managed to utter two words.

    "What exactly happened? Everyone¡¯s acting like they¡¯re mute, but at least you can talk, right?"

    Zhan Nanqing came back to her senses, her expression excited as she pointed at the scoring screen.

    "Lu Zijiao, look! Qiao Jing made every shot a hole-in-one!"

    Lu Zijiaomented with an "Oh" and wasn¡¯t very shocked.

    "Although it¡¯s rare for a novice to score a hole-in-one, it could be luck, but why are you all acting like you¡¯ve seen a world wonder??"

    Zhan Nanqing excitedly pped Lu Zijiao on the back, forcibly turning his head to the screen.

    "Look at the screen!"

    Lu Zijiao was almost spit blood from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s p, looking puzzledly at the screen.

    When he saw a row of scores marking holes-in-one, he instantly widened his eyes and blurted out, "Holy shit."

    "No way? Could there be a bug?"

    At that moment, people slowly came to their senses and started discussing Qiao Jing¡¯s consecutive hole-in-one aplishment.

    "Lu Shao, there¡¯s no bug! If we hadn¡¯t seen it with our own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t believe that anyone could achieve consecutive hole-in-ones."

    "Is this really a novice? Was Qiao Jing pretending not to know how to y earlier??"

    "I¡¯ve been ying golf for so many years, and a consecutive hole-in-one has only happened once before, and that was just for two shots. This beginner, however, just did several in a row? Is this a genius?!"

    "..."

    Ye Linglong and Lou Xinrou¡¯s mouths were agape with shock, as they stared fixatedly at the silhouettes of Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei still embracing.

    They were both jealous of Qiao Jing and couldn¡¯t believe what they had just witnessed.

    How is this possible?!

    How could the novice Qiao Jing achieve consecutive hole-in-ones?!

    But everyone had just witnessed it with their own eyes, so they couldn¡¯t deny that Qiao Jing¡¯s consecutive hole-in-ones were fake.

    They had bothe onto the field with the intention of utterly defeating Qiao Jing, but it turned out they were the ones who were thoroughly beaten?

    Qiao Jing could feel more and more gazes on her, but she was still embracing Zhan Qipei.

    She tried to pry loose Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand that was on her waist, but the man¡¯s grip was like it was glued on with 502 adhesive, firmly sticking to her waist.

    "Zhan Qipei! Let go quickly; there are a lot of people watching."

    She didn¡¯t want to be caught in affectionate acts with Zhan Qipei under everyone¡¯s gaze for several days in a row.

    Especially since it was Zhan Qipei, the man, forcing her.

    Zhan Qipei slightly raised his long eyebrows, his eyes showing a hint of charm that shouldn¡¯t belong to him.

    "We arewfully married; it¡¯s just a simple hug. Besides, they all know we¡¯re husband and wife."

    He really enjoyed the gazes of other people when he was with Qiao Jing.

    Because when others saw him with Qiao Jing, they knew she was his, and they didn¡¯t dare harbor other thoughts.

    A sudden throb pulsed at Qiao Jing¡¯s temple, and her eyes and brows tinted with anger.

    "Let go."

    Zhan Qipei still made no move, simply lowering his gaze to look at Qiao Jing, the affection and tenderness clear in his eyes.

    Qiao Jing, feeling the increasing stares from around them, could no longer bear it and bit the man on the neck.

    Zhan Qipei winced, his hands pausing slightly.

    In that moment, Qiao Jing quickly pped away Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand and quickly stepped back a few paces, maintaining a distance from him.

    She put the golf club back in its original ce, passing by Lou Xinrou and Ye Linglong.

    "Are we stillpeting?"

    Hitting those holes was not a fluke. She had calcted the angles and used precise power to swing, so it was normal for her to score.

    Because it wasn¡¯t difficult for her, she just hadn¡¯t learned the correct posture yet. After Zhan Qipei taught her, she could easily hit balls into holes.

    Lou Xinrou and Ye Linglong¡¯s faces were extremely displeased, their jealous gazes fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Lou Xinrou could no longer pretend, her expression turning very ugly.

    Being shocked by Qiao Jing¡¯s consecutive hole-in-ones was one thing, but publicly embracing Brother Zhan too!

    Their intimate disy deeply hurt her eyes and drove her mad with jealousy.

    Ye Linglong dropped her golf club, red fiercely at Qiao Jing, and strode away.

    Lou Xinrou didn¡¯t stay either. Without any pretense, she put her club away and hurried off the field.

    Next time, she would definitely regain her dignity!

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze indifferently, preparing to look for Zhan Nanqing.

    Her gaze returned to where Zhan Nanqing had been sitting, but she found that the spot was now empty.

 Chapter 555 - 544: Zhan Nanqingéˆ¥æªš Entangled Ex

    <h4>Chapter 555: Chapter 544: Zhan Nanqing¡¯s Entangled Ex</h4>

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and began to search for Zhan Nanqing¡¯s figure among the crowd.

    Finally, she saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s back on the other side of the corridor, which seemed slightly hurried, and...

    a strange man was following right behind Zhan Nanqing.

    A momentter, the figures of the two disappeared into the corridor.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows remained tightly locked, her gaze still lingering in the direction the two had left.

    She hadn¡¯t wanted to intervene in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s affairs, but she had noticed that Zhan Nanqing had disyed an impatient expression on her face.

    The man following behind Zhan Nanqing also looked somewhat displeased, his steps very brisk as if he had some urgent matter with Zhan Nanqing.

    After a brief consideration, Qiao Jing decided to follow them to prevent any trouble for Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing was leaving and quickly followed.

    "Where are you going?"

    "To find Nanqing, you stay here."

    She needed to see what exactly this strange man¡¯s rtionship was to Zhan Nanqing. If he was just a friend, she wouldn¡¯t intervene.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his footsteps not stopping.

    "What do you want with her?"

    All he wanted was to be next to Qiao Jing every second or simply take her home now.

    After all, they had already attended the gathering, and Qiao Jing had skillfully put those people in their ce. There was no reason to stay any longer.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes wordlessly.

    "Can¡¯t you just care about your sister for once? She just went to the back door with a guy. I¡¯m going to check on them."

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, his dark eyes deepening.

    "With a man?"

    Qiao Jing nodded. By the time they finished talking, Zhan Nanqing and the man had reached the end of the corridor.

    The corridor ended in a door that opened outward, leading to a seldom-used rear entrance of the golf course, which was quieterpared to other areas.

    That¡¯s why they could hear the conversation from outside.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice came through.

    "What do you want? If it¡¯s nothing important, just leave. We said we would go our separate ways, and you agreed. What are you doing here now?"

    A strange male voice answered.

    "I regret it, Nanqing. Can you give me another chance? I won¡¯t mess around anymore."

    Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue, her tone bing impatient.

    "Shut up, Zhou Yunze. We broke up ages ago, and now you¡¯re bringing this up? I¡¯m here for the gathering, not to talk nonsense with you."

    Zhou Yunze¡¯s voice quieted for a few seconds before speaking again.

    "Nanqing, I was wrong. I regret it now."

    Zhan Nanqing was toozy to entertain Zhou Yunze further.

    "You¡¯re really annoying. I don¡¯t want to waste words with you. Don¡¯te looking for me anymore!"

    Upon hearing this conversation, Qiao Jing immediately pulled the man next to her into the fire escape.

    But after a few seconds, when no footsteps came from outside, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and peeked out.

    Then she saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s wrist grabbed by the man called Zhou Yunze, and despite struggling for a while, Zhan Nanqing could not break free.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool eyes darkened, and just as she was about to go out and help, she heard a crisp "smack" in the air.

    It turned out Zhan Nanqing, using her other free hand, had directly pped Zhou Yunze across the face.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Zhou Yunze with a face full of disgust and immediately withdrew her hand when she saw the pain on his face causing him to release his grip.

    "Zhou Yunze, if you continue like this I¡¯ll call the police. This is harassment, and I already have a boyfriend!"

    Zhou Yunze, stunned by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, showed an incredulous expression on his face.

    "So it¡¯s true that they said you have a boyfriend? Who is it? Is he more powerful than the Zhou Family? Is he more handsome than me? Also, you came to the party alone; he didn¡¯t apany you, he must be no good."

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in speechlessness and without another word, began to walk away.

    "It¡¯s none of your business. Mind your own affairs."

    Her "boyfriend" just didn¡¯te, that¡¯s all. Qiao Jing was many times better than Zhou Yunze, no, that¡¯s not right...

    These two men are simply iparable, one is in the heavens, the other on the ground.

    Zhou Yunze, still unwilling to give up, followed behind Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, you¡¯re lying to me, right? Today¡¯s gathering included almost every reputable family in the capital, yet I didn¡¯t see your boyfriend. Is it that he didn¡¯t apany you, or does he not have the qualifications toe?"

    Zhan Nanqing could no longer contain herself, her anger rising and her voice involuntarily raising a lot.

    "Get lost! Why are you so annoying?"

    In the fire escape, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s expressions darkened respectively, and they exchanged nces.

    Qiao Jing pushed open the door of the fire escape, slightly turning her face away when facing Zhou Yunze, not letting him see her full face.

    "Nanqing."

    She didn¡¯t see this person named Zhou Yunze when she was at the scene earlier; he must have arrivedter.

    Now that this situation had arisen, she guessed that Zhan Nanqing would definitely want her to meet Zhou Yunze in male disguise, so now she couldn¡¯t let Zhou Yunze see her face.

    Even if he saw it, it wouldn¡¯t make much difference. Because her appearance in male disguise was still somewhat different from her current face.

    Zhan Qipei followed behind Qiao Jing, his expression grim as he came out.

    Zhou Yunze, biting his lip reluctantly, gave Zhan Nanqing onest look.

    "Nanqing, if you want me to give up, then bring your boyfriend to show me next time. Otherwise, I will keep following you."

    After tossing out these words, Zhou Yunze hurriedly walked away.

    He certainly did not dare to provoke Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Nanqing became even more speechless, rolled her eyes again, and muttered:

    "So annoying..."

    Zhan Nanqing looked towards Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, suddenly realizing something rming.

    "Brother, Qiao Jing, why did you twoe out of the fire escape?!"

    The two of them had gone into the empty fire escape, a man and a woman alone together...

    Could it be what she was thinking?!

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression, Qiao Jing knew she was overthinking again, and helplessly twitched the corner of her mouth.

    "Fill your head with proper thoughts."

    She had just been worried about being discovered by Zhan Nanqing and Zhou Yunze, which is why she dragged Zhan Qipei quickly into the fire escape.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face showed an "I understand, you don¡¯t need to exin" expression, meaningfully looking at Zhan Qipei.

    "Cough cough, that... My brother¡¯s suit is all wrinkled."

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, puzzled as she looked towards Zhan Qipei, noticing that the shirt on his cor was wrinkled.

    She then remembered that when she had dragged Zhan Qipei into the fire escape earlier, she had identally pulled on his tie and also grabbed his shirt.

    Qiao Jing rubbed her brow somewhat helplessly and exined:

    "I just worried about being found out, so I took your brother into the fire escape. Also, what¡¯s the deal with this Zhou Yunze?"

 Chapter 556 - 545: Qiao Jing in Menéˆ¥æªš Attire Again

    <h4>Chapter 556: Chapter 545: Qiao Jing in Men¡¯s Attire Again</h4>

    Zhan Nanqing sighed helplessly, just as she was about to exin to Qiao Jing, her cell phone suddenly vibrated twice.

    She took out her phone from her pocket and checked the message, unable to suppress a swear word from bursting out.

    "Damn it, this Zhou Yunze, how can he be so shameless?!"

    Qiao Jing knit her brows, her gaze falling on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone.

    "What happened?"

    Zhan Nanqing, fuming, put away her phone and gritted her teeth as she said,

    "Zhou Yunze wants me to bring my boyfriend to him tomorrow, he¡¯s already booked a spot at a restaurant for tomorrow night."

    It seems that the p she gave earlier wasn¡¯t hard enough, or at least Zhou Yunze still hadn¡¯te to his senses.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, knowing that she would have to dress up as a man again tomorrow, and asked with a frown of confusion,

    "Why is he pestering you? Haven¡¯t you two broken up?"

    She could already understand the gist from their earlier conversation, that Zhou Yunze hade back to pester Zhan Nanqing after the breakup.

    But why had Zhou Yunze suddenlye back to pester Zhan Nanqing? And why had he even agreed to stop going out and ying?

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes, a look of extreme disgust appearing on her face.

    "I broke up with him a long time ago, and a few days ago he suddenly went crazy saying he wanted to get back together. I couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and cklisted all his contact information, but then he kept changing his phone numbers to send me messages.

    Also, he used to be a yboy and now he suddenly tells me that he wants to reform himself for me and stop ying around. I don¡¯t care whether he goes out or not; I lost my feelings for him a long time ago."

    Having learned about the whole situation, Qiao Jing nodded, looking at Zhan Nanqing thoughtfully.

    "So, what are you going to do next?"

    Zhan Nanqing coughed twice, her gaze flitting to Qiao Jing hesitantly, and because of Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence, she restrained the smile that was almost appearing on her face.

    "I need to trouble you to dress up as a man again ande with me to meet him. That will surely put an end to his hopes."

    She had been thinking about how to find a reason to get Qiao Jing to dress as a man again, and now the reason had presented itself.

    It seems that aside from being annoying, Zhou Yunze still had some uses.

    Qiao Jing knew that this was a situation that required her to dress up as a man to resolve and didn¡¯t hesitate to agree.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow."

    Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t let Zhan Qipei throw away the male clothingst time; otherwise, she would have to prepare clothes and a wig now.

    Zhan Nanqing could no longer control the smile on her face, quickly walking over to Qiao Jing, and hugged her arm, rubbing against it.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re so kind. You still have the clothes fromst time, right?"

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    "Hmm."

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s smile grew even bigger as the image of Qiao Jing dressed as a handsome man shed in her mind.

    It looked like she was in for a treat again, but... dealing with her brother was going to be a problem.

    Zhan Nanqing cautiously nced at Zhan Qipei and tentatively asked,

    "Brother, could you let Qiao Jing help me out one more time?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were pressed into a firm, curve-less line. He looked at Zhan Nanqing for a long time before finally relenting,

    "Fine, but I will apany Qiao Jing there. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t get involved."

    If he hadn¡¯t witnessed the situation with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to let Qiao Jing cross-dress again.

    He was consenting only because this was his own sister and thus, was reluctantly agreeing to let her help.

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing that Zhan Qipei had agreed, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    "That¡¯s great."

    ©¤©¤

    The following evening.

    Qiao Jing disguised herself at home, looking nearly the same as thest time she had dressed as a man.

    When she walked out of her room, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s displeased gaze.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    She knew Zhan Qipei must be somewhat bothered by it, but she had to do this favor for Zhan Nanqing.

    If it weren¡¯t necessary, she wouldn¡¯t casually dress as a man.

    So Zhan Qipei¡¯s disapproval was of no use.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes bore into Qiao Jing¡¯s face, finally pursing his thin lips.

    "Hmm."

    Zhan Qipei drove Qiao Jing to the restaurant entrance, where they encountered Zhan Nanqing waiting outside.

    When Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing in male attire, her eyes instantly brightened, turning into a fangirl on the spot, staring non-stop with starry eyes at the other person.

    "Wow! Qiao Jing, let¡¯s hurry in. Zhou Yunze still stubbornly doesn¡¯t believe I have a boyfriend. I need to show him my handsome boyfriend and make him jealous!"

    Qiao Jing nodded and looked back at Zhan Qipei.

    "Are youing in with us?"

    Zhan Nanqing took the opportunity to link her arm with Qiao Jing¡¯s, affectionately nuzzling against her face.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on the ce where their arms were linked, his eyes growing heavier.

    "You two go ahead, I¡¯ll wait for you in the lobby."

    He just hoped that today there wouldn¡¯t be anyone else interested in Qiao Jing, especially women.

    It was then that Qiao Jing led Zhan Nanqing into the restaurant.

    "Where is he?"

    Zhan Nanqing pointed in a direction, her face full of disdain.

    "There, that annoying pest is over there."

    If it weren¡¯t for Zhou Yunze¡¯s appearance that could get Qiao Jing to cross-dress again, she wouldn¡¯t want to see him for another second.

    These past few days, he had constantly changed phone numbers to send her annoying messages. Even if she had the patience of a saint, she couldn¡¯t stand it.

    Moreover, she was not known for having a good temper to begin with.

    Zhou Yunze, sitting at a certain spot, stood up with a swoosh when he saw Zhan Nanqing arrive, a proud smile spreading across his face.

    However, his smile faltered when he saw Qiao Jing standing beside Zhan Nanqing.

    Qiao Jing noticed the change in Zhou Yunze¡¯s expression and led Zhan Nanqing by the hand to sit down across from him, intentionally lowering her voice.

    "Hello, I heard you wanted to see me?"

    Zhou Yunze was dumbfounded by the "man" sitting before him.

    No wonder Zhan Nanqing was so confident; her new boyfriend was way more handsome than him by several degrees.

    Inparison, he felt like an unwanted clump of y thrown out by Nvwa while creating people, whereas the other person was the wless human crafted by Nvwa with utmost care.

    Zhou Yunze¡¯s smile stiffened, and his gaze shifted to Zhan Nanqing.

    "Is this really your boyfriend?"

    Upon hearing Zhou Yunze¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing immediately became displeased.

    "What do you mean by that? If he¡¯s not my boyfriend, is he yours? Zhou Yunze, now that you¡¯ve seen my boyfriend, do you have anything else to say? Can you stop bothering me after this?"

    In order to prove her rtionship with Qiao Jing and because of her own selfish reasons, she directly reached out and embraced Qiao Jing¡¯s waist.

    Qiao Jing also took the opportunity to half-hug Zhan Nanqing in her arms, raising her eyes to Zhou Yunze.

    "Don¡¯t bother my girlfriend in the future."

    Zhou Yunze clenched his teeth, still not giving up, and started to pick on Qiao Jing¡¯s background.

    "Nanqing, I¡¯ve never seen this person in the capital. If he was someone of any significance, I would definitely have met him, but I haven¡¯t, which proves he¡¯s nothing. He wouldn¡¯t happen to be some poor kid from somewhere, would he?"

 Chapter 557 - 546: Qiao Jing is fervently pursued and confessed to by a scumbag woman

    <h4>Chapter 557: Chapter 546: Qiao Jing is fervently pursued and confessed to by a scumbag woman</h4>

    When she heard the words "poor boy," the image that automatically sprang to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mind was of Chi Yuhang holding crumpled money in his hand.

    She quickly shook her head, feeling somewhat baffled.

    Why would she think of Chi Yuhang at this time?

    It must be because the three words "poor boy" naturally matched with Chi Yuhang¡¯s identity.

    Zhou Yunze assumed that Zhan Nanqing¡¯s silence was an admission of guilt and finally found an opportunity to belittle Qiao Jing.

    "Nanqing, even if you don¡¯t reconcile with me, you don¡¯t need to pick a poor boy just to spite me, do you? My Zhou Family in the capital is only slightly lower in status than the Zhan Family, and yet you choose a poor boy? Are you looking down on me? Also, does Aunt Su know about your dating a poor boy?"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, and, to appear more masculine, she deliberately lowered them a bit, making her look more aggressive.

    Her gaze was like ice des, piercing straight at the other person, and her red lips slightly parted.

    "Another¡¯s background bes your reason to belittle them? No wonder Nanqing broke up with you. Someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve her."

    Now she was somewhat curious about why Zhan Nanqing had ever been with Zhou Yunze.

    But... thinking back on how Zhan Nanqing had treated her before,

    she could understand why Zhan Nanqing would have been with Zhou Yunze. Fortunately, Zhan Nanqing had since changed for the better.

    It was only then that Zhan Nanqing snapped back to reality and immediately continued along with Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    "Exactly, what business is it of yours what my boyfriend¡¯s background is? Does your family live by the sea? You¡¯re sticking your nose into everything. As long as I like him, even if he¡¯s an alien, that¡¯s fine. And there¡¯s no need for you to worry about my family matters. Okay, now that you¡¯ve met my boyfriend, you can give up. Stop bothering me from now on, will you?"

    In the past, she did somewhat look down on children from poor families, but she hardly ever encountered such people, since the ces she frequented simply didn¡¯t bring her into contact with them.

    However, after getting to know Qiao Jing, she realized that one¡¯s background should not be a reason to judge others, because from the very beginning, she had belittled Qiao Jing as a country bumpkin who knew nothing.

    As it turned out, Qiao Jing had two hidden powerful statuses, and it was her own prejudice against others¡¯ identities that caused her past discourtesy towards Qiao Jing.

    Not just Qiao Jing ¡ª when she saw Chi Yuhang, who more closely fit the identity of a poor boy, she no longer felt superior, because after all, he was very filial.

    Zhou Yunze clenched his teeth and red fiercely at the two people sitting opposite him.

    "I won¡¯t give up that easily. Nanqing, since you won¡¯t reconcile with me, then I¡¯ll just have to court you anew. Is that alright?"

    He had previously been bewitched and yed around, not cherishing his girlfriend Zhan Nanqing who had such an impressive background and who was also good to him, and now it was toote for any regrets.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knitted, her expression cool, and she looked at Zhou Yunze with a gaze sharp like a knife¡¯s edge as she slowly opened her mouth.

    "You want to interfere in our rtionship?"

    Now, through chatting with Zhou Yunze, she understood that he was not some pushover, so she had to do everything possible to help Zhan Nanqing cut off any contact between the two.

    Especially Zhou Yunze with his distorted values who continued to harass others persistently.

    Zhou Yunze felt a cold shiver run down his spine under Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, and a sense of fear began to rise within him.

    "I¡¯m not, I just want to court Nanqing anew."

    He was unwilling to give up on Zhan Nanqing easily, as she was the best of all the girlfriends he had ever had.

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her arching eyebrows and said coldly,

    "She now has a boyfriend. Don¡¯t bother Nanqing anymore, or else¡ª¡ª"

    She deliberately paused, the temperature around her dropping abruptly, her phoenix eyes narrowing slightly, and her sharp gaze lingering on Zhou Yunze¡¯s face for a few seconds.

    In those few seconds, Zhou Yunze felt as if he was being executed on the spot, the chill on his back intensifying as he subconsciously swallowed.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and slowly uttered four words.

    "You¡¯ll bear the consequences."

    If Zhou Yunze harassed her again, she would suggest to Zhan Nanqing to consider calling the police to handle it.

    There¡¯s absolutely no need to show any courtesy in this kind of situation.

    Having said that, Qiao Jing stood up, holding Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand.

    Zhan Nanqing picked up her bag and leaned her entire body against Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder.

    "Oh dear, I¡¯m so annoyed," she said. "Tell me, how can some people be so clueless?"

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing acting so dramatically, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    "It¡¯s fine now, isn¡¯t it?"

    Only then did a smile appear on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face. She hugged Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and whispered, "Thanks a lot. I have no idea why he suddenly had a brainwave to want to get back with me. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t even know whom to pretend was my boyfriend."

    Zhan Nanqing spoke so softly that only Qiao Jing could hear her.

    Zhou Yunze, who was behind them, watched the scene and was so angry his teeth itched.

    But he was not one to give up easily!

    Just as the two were about to head to the hall to leave, Zhan Nanqing suddenly let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and clutched her stomach with both hands.

    "It¡¯s terrible, my stomach hurts so much. Qiao Jing, you go with me to the washroom first?"

    Qiao Jing nodded and apanied Zhan Nanqing to thedies¡¯ room.

    She instinctively wanted to follow her in but suddenly remembered that she was dressed as a boy and had to wait in the corridor.

    Shortly after, the sound of handwashing came from the restroom.

    Qiao Jing put down her phone, looked up toward the bathroom door, and quickly walked to the doorway, ready to return with Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanq¡ª"

    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she saw someone she had only met once before.

    It was Lu Yingying.

    Qiao Jing held back the step she was about to take, quickly muttered an apology for mistaking her for someone else, and leaned against the corridor wall to continue waiting.

    She had not expected to run into Lu Yingying here by such a coincidence.

    When Lu Yingying saw Qiao Jing, her eyes instantly lit up.

    "Qiao Linting? What are you doing here?"

    Ever since thest gathering ended, she had asked around but couldn¡¯t get any news of Qiao Linting¡¯s whereabouts. She almost started to believe that he might be a nonexistent person.

    To investigate Qiao Linting¡¯s identity, she even went as far as to ask a private detective, but still couldn¡¯t find him. She was too embarrassed to ask Zhan Nanqing.

    And here he was today!

    Qiao Jing simply nodded lightly in response, not wanting to have much interaction with Lu Yingying.

    She sent a text to Zhan Nanqing asking when she mighte out and soon got a reply.

    "You go wait for me in the hall where there are sofas. I might be a while, and it must be tiring for you to stand."

    Only then did Qiao Jing put away her phone and walked out.

    Seeing this, Lu Yingying bit her lip and hurried after her.

    "Qiao Linting! Wait for me!!"

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, not wanting to deal with her, and quickened her pace.

    As a result, Lu Yingying chased Qiao Jing all the way to the hall and stopped her just she was about to leave.

 Chapter 558 - 547: Arenéˆ¥æª› You Interested in Women?

    <h4>Chapter 558: Chapter 547: Aren¡¯t You Interested in Women?</h4>

    "Qiao Linting, wait up! I have something to say to you!!"

    With no other choice, Qiao Jing had to stop in her tracks, lifting her eyes to look at Lu Yingying.

    "What is it?"

    If Zhan Nanqing saw her interacting with Lu Yingying, he would probably be unhappy.

    Moreover, considering how Lu Yingying had asked for her contact informationst time, it seemed she had mistaken her for a man and developed a fondness for her.

    Therefore, it was better for her to minimize contact with Lu Yingying.

    Lu Yingying walked forward a few steps, agitated, trying to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s hand but was deftly avoided.

    She was stunned, her expression turning unpleasant, yet she didn¡¯t want to miss this chance to talk to Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Linting, what do you think of me?"

    She wanted to take this opportunity to get Qiao Linting¡¯s contact information!

    And, for a man as handsome as Qiao Linting, who must be quite the yer, with just a little guidance from her, he would definitely be willing to be with her!!

    Hearing Lu Yingying¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her face expressionless as she looked back at Lu Yingying.

    "Please have some self-respect."

    Now she was even more certain that Lu Yingying had taken a liking to her, but she wasn¡¯t a man.

    Lu Yingying wore a smile on her face and, seeing that there weren¡¯t many people around, her actions became bolder.

    She moved closer to Qiao Jing again, and without a word, reached out to hug her arm, deliberately rubbing her body against Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    "Qiao Linting, I know you feel the same way. We¡¯re all adults, and it doesn¡¯t matter if we y around a little. Nanqing won¡¯t mind."

    Even if she couldn¡¯t break up Zhan Nanqing and Qiao Linting now, sleeping with Qiao Linting just once would still mean she hadn¡¯t lost out.

    What¡¯s more, once something happened between her and Qiao Linting, she could use it to break them up and naturally get together with Qiao Linting.

    As for her current boyfriend, kicking him to the curb would do.

    Feeling Lu Yingying¡¯s movements, surprise flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, her frown deepening as she quickly pulled her arm away.

    "Miss Lu, I¡¯ll say it again, please have some self-respect."

    She discerned the implication in Lu Yingying¡¯s words and deep down felt that Lu Yingying was being far too improper.

    Moreover, she remembered Lu Yingying had a boyfriend, and yet here she was making such advances towards her.

    It was utterly inappropriate.

    Lu Yingying hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Linting to reject her and her face was full of shock.

    "No, Qiao Linting, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re losing out on anything, and if you don¡¯t tell and I don¡¯t tell, how would Zhan Nanqing possibly find out?"

    She¡¯d never seen a man who guarded his chastity as much; everyone was an adult, and a bit of casual y shouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    Feeling vexed by the rejection and taking advantage of there being few people around, Lu Yingying¡¯s movements became even more exaggerated.

    Now she pressed her entire body against Qiao Jing¡¯s side, trying to rub up against her again.

    Forewarned by the earlier encounter, Qiao Jing immediately pushed Lu Yingying away and quickly stepped back to maintain a safe distance.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Lu, but I have to go."

    If she stayed any longer, she worried Lu Yingying would make even more outrageous moves.

    Today, Lu Yingying wore a slip dress. When Qiao Jing pushed her shoulder, she deliberately let the strap fall from her shoulder.

    "Qiao Linting, are you really rejecting me? We¡¯re all adults, there¡¯s no need to be so fussy about these things."

    Seeing that Qiao Jing remained indifferent, an idea sprouted in Lu Yingying¡¯s mind.

    "Could it be that you¡¯re not interested in women?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knit, and just as she was about to leave, she caught sight of an enraged figure from the corner of her eye, striding towards them.

    She narrowed her eyes slightly and recognized the other person, Lu Yingying¡¯s boyfriend.

    To avoid misunderstanding, Qiao Jing took a few steps back once again, creating distance between herself and Lu Yingying.

    She was worried that the earlier scene had been witnessed by Lu Yingying¡¯s boyfriend, which could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.

    The man charged up to Lu Yingying and, without saying a word, reached out to adjust her straps, gripping her wrist tightly, before violently turning to stare at Qiao Jing, his eyes nearly popping out in a look that seemed as if he wanted to tear Qiao Jing into a thousand pieces.

    "Lu Yingying, were you going to the restroom or here to seduce someone? Him again? Last time you sent me out, and now you¡¯re using the restroom excuse to meet him?"

    "Your imagination is too wild, I can¡¯t be bothered to exin!"

    Lu Yingying looked at Qiao Linting and her boyfriend in the same frame, they were as different as heaven and earth.

    In fact, her boyfriend was also handsome, butpared to Qiao Jing, he simply couldn¡¯t hold a candle.

    Seeing that Lu Yingying couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond, the man directed his rage at Qiao Jing instead.

    "You already have a girlfriend, why do you still want to seduce my woman!"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, pushed her gold-rimmed sses up her nose bridge and said indifferently,

    "I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I have nothing to do with her."

    She didn¡¯t want to stay and be misunderstood, preparing to leave immediately.

    Lu Yingying saw this and was anxious that she might not see Qiao Linting again, so she struggled to break free from her boyfriend¡¯s grip.

    "Qiao Linting! Don¡¯t leave!!"

    She had spent so much effort and resources and still couldn¡¯t find Qiao Linting; surely Zhan Nanqing had intentionally concealed him.

    This chance encounter had been hard toe by, and if she didn¡¯t make something happen with Qiao Linting now, it would be difficult to meet him again.

    Seeing Lu Yingying¡¯s behavior, the man was simply too enraged to speak, and he grabbed her firmly.

    "Lu Yingying, have you lost your mind?! And you, the guy over there, stay put! If you don¡¯t rify things today, don¡¯t think about leaving!"

    He had been waiting in the restaurant the whole time, and the moment he came out, he saw his girlfriend getting cozy with another man.

    Had he unknowingly been cuckolded?!

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to leave, Lu Yingying began to struggle, but her strength was obviously no match for a grown man¡¯s, so she turned around and snapped at him,

    "Loo Chao! Let go of me first, I¡¯ll exin to youter."

    Loo Chao, far from being cated, increased his grip.

    "What need is there for exnations? I just want to know, was it this man who seduced you?"

    Qiao Jing paused in her steps, and to avoid being misunderstood, she turned around.

    "Sorry, sir, it was your girlfriend who pressed up against me, not the other way around."

    It was indeed ridiculous. It had been Lu Yingying clinging onto her, and now somehow it had be her seducing Lu Yingying?

    She had clearly been trying to keep a distance from Lu Yingying this whole time; was this Loo Chao man blind?

    Lu Yingying red at Loo Chao.

    "Loo Chao, what are you doing?! I said I have things to discuss with Qiao Linting, can you stop making things up in your head?"

    Loo Chao, still holding Lu Yingying¡¯s wrist, dragged her in front of him.

    "I just saw how close you two were, what¡¯s the use of lying? And Qiao Linting, you¡¯ve got some nerve too, trying to hit on someone else¡¯s girlfriend."

    Listening to these groundless usations, Qiao Jing shot them a cold sidelong nce, not bothering to engage any further, and headed toward the exit.

    She had already exined herself; whether they chose to believe her or not was no longer her concern.

    As her desperation grew, Lu Yingying could only call out.

    "Qiao Linting! Is it really impossible for me to be your friend?"

 Chapter 559 - 548: Crazy About Shipping!

    <h4>Chapter 559: Chapter 548: Crazy About Shipping!</h4>

    Qiao Jing quickened her steps, not wanting to stay in this smog-filled ce any longer.

    She had only taken a few steps when a man¡¯s figure suddenly appeared in front of her, and before she could stop, she bumped right into him.

    The man seemed to have purposefully approached Qiao Jing.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to push him away and apologize, she recognized the familiar scenting from him.

    The next second, a strong arm encircled her waist, pulling her into a hug.

    The man¡¯s deep voice resonated in her ear.

    "She¡¯s mine."

    Lu Yingying, witnessing this scene, was stunned and looked at them incredulously.

    "No... Qiao Linting, President Zhan, you¡ªyou¡ªyou¡ªyou guys?"

    Loo Chao, seeing the two men hugging, disyed a disgusted expression, which he quickly concealed, especially since one of them was Zhan Qipei.

    "Young Master Zhan, make sure you¡¯re not mistaken, this is a man. Your significant other would definitely be angry if she knew."

    By now, everyone in the Imperial City¡¯s upper circle knew that Zhan Qipei was very affectionate toward someone named Qiao Jing.

    He had seen Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing attend gatherings together before, so he deliberately picked on a point that mattered to them.

    This action caught the attention of some younger girls who had juste out of the restaurant.

    Seeing that the pair hugging were both handsome boys, their eyes lit up immediately, and they began to chat excitedly.

    "Wow! I just came out to eat and I get to feast my eyes on this?"

    "You guys missed it, I heard the taller guy say in a very domineering tone, ¡¯He¡¯s mine.¡¯ My heart started thumping wildly."

    "Does anyone recognize this couple? I¡¯ve never seen such handsome guys before. I¡¯m totally shipping them."

    "..."

    Zhan Qipei, hearing the words "little couple," felt very pleased and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

    He had been checking the time in the car for so long and when they didn¡¯te out, he decided to check inside the restaurant.

    As soon as he entered, he saw Lu Yingying saying she wanted to be friends with Qiao Jing and remembered how she had clung to Qiao Jingst time, which immediately darkened his mood.

    So, uncontrobly, he stepped forward and pulled Qiao Jing into his arms.

    Qiao Jing, rubbing her temples with a headache, struggled out of Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace and lowered her voice.

    "Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m now Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend."

    She could have just walked away, but this jealous man had caused a misunderstanding, making them look like a homosexual couple now.

    Actually, this didn¡¯t affect her much, because besides Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing, no one else knew about her identity.

    But as for Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing, without saying another word, this jealous man wrapped his arm around her waist and even made a statement asserting his ownership?

    This had definitelyplicated the misunderstanding.

    Zhan Qipei then realized the issue, gathered his long, smoky eyebrows, and reluctantly took a small step back, maintaining a bit of distance.

    The girls, who enjoyed watching the drama unfold, frowned and voiced their dissatisfaction.

    "Why did this couple separate? Could it be that the taller one upset his wife?"

    "No way, they were hugging just now, how could they suddenly start fighting?"

    "Didn¡¯t you notice? The one with gold-rimmed sses whispered something to the man in the suit, and then they separated. Wuu wuu wuu, my ship has broken up."

    "..."

    Qiao Jing nced helplessly at the group after hearing their words.

    Seeing this, the girls all began to cough in unison and quickly took off, saying as they walked:

    "Cough, cough, cough, we didn¡¯t see anything, we don¡¯t know anything."

    "I¡¯m going to be socially dead, maybe they heard everything we said."

    "Run, run, run! If we don¡¯t run now, I¡¯m going to dig out a Barbie Dreamhouse right here with my toes!!"

    After the group had left, Qiao Jing looked at the two still dazed individuals across from her.

    She hesitated for a moment, and just as she was about to tentatively speak, she saw Zhan Nanqing approaching from not far away.

    As soon as Zhan Nanqing saw Lu Yingying, she frowned immediately and quickly walked over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    "Lu Yingying, why is it always you? Why do you keep haunting us??"

    She had just gone to the restroom, and upon returning, she faced Lu Yingying, her nemesis, standing opposite Qiao Jing again.

    Her intuition told her that Lu Yingying was up to no good again!

    Lu Yingying was upset upon hearing this, but because Zhan Nanqing was from the Zhan Family and Zhan Qipei was also nearby, she didn¡¯t dare to speak rudely.

    "What do you mean by haunting? I just happened to be here for dinner tonight."

    Zhan Nanqing eyed Lu Yingying warily and clung to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    "So why are you standing opposite my boyfriend? Are you trying to get his contact info again? Dream on!"

    Loo Chaoughed out loud, but his considerations were simr to Lu Yingying¡¯s, so he didn¡¯t dare to speak harshly and chose his words carefully instead.

    "Miss Zhan, you might not be aware, but Young Master Zhan was just seduced by your boyfriend, and they just hugged each other."

    After hearing Loo Chao¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing hesitated and looked at Qiao Jing, then at Zhan Qipei behind her.

    "What do you mean?"

    She suddenly had a bad feeling. What could have happened while she was away?

    But how could Qiao Jing, dressed as a man, be hugging her brother?

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, furrowed her brows, and found an excuse.

    "Just now, Lu Yingying approached me. Your brother saw it and tried to pull me away but identally used too much force and ended up pulling me to him. He meant to say I was yours, but because he identally touched me, he was stunned and didn¡¯t finish his sentence."

    She could only think of this reason to hide the incident, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was usible.

    However, if they were determined not to believe her, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin further.

    Furthermore, she would no longer need to dress as a man in the future, unless something unexpected happened.

    As for Zhan Qipei and Lu Yingying, they probably wouldn¡¯t dare to gossip about Zhan Qipei recklessly.

    Although Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t know the full story, she guessed the gist of it based on her understanding of her brother.

    To avoid exposing him, she immediately picked up on Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    "So that¡¯s what happened. Lu Yingying, don¡¯t me me for being blunt, but how thick is your face? You already have a boyfriend, yet you try to seduce mine? Are you love-deprived?"

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing get exposed in front of Lu Yingying, especially since she was her arch-enemy, unlike others.

    Lu Yingying was still in shock and couldn¡¯t recover, her gaze shifting back and forth between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    "Zhan Nanqing, I just saw them hugging with my own eyes, it doesn¡¯t look like what Qiao Linting described at all."

 Chapter 560 - 549 Helping Qiao Jing Take Off Her Clothes

    <h4>Chapter 560: Chapter 549 Helping Qiao Jing Take Off Her Clothes</h4>

    She still couldn¡¯t believe the scene she had just witnessed¡ªcould Qiao Linting possibly be gay?

    But Qiao Linting and Zhan Nanqing were in a boyfriend-girlfriend rtionship, yet she saw her embracing Zhan Qipei, who is already married. None of it made any sense.

    Zhan Nanqing coughed and turned her head to sneak a fierce nce at Zhan Qipei before turning back.

    "Didn¡¯t you hear what my boyfriend just said?" she began in a low voice, "He said it was an ident, and besides, Qiao Linting is my boyfriend. I¡¯m even clearer about what kind of person she is than you. My brother is already married and loves my sister-inw deeply. If you two dare to spread rumors, hmph..."

    She deliberately left her sentence unfinished, leaving the consequences for Lu Yingying and Loo Chao to imagine.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, slightly parted them, and slowly breathed out two words.

    "An ident."

    He had only meant to pull Qiao Jing close into his embrace, forgetting for a moment that she had been in men¡¯s clothing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression darkened, and she looked at Lu Yingying and Loo Chao with an icy re.

    "Stop spreading rumors."

    After dropping these words, she turned and walked toward the door.

    Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanqing followed suit.

    Only after the trio had left did Lu Yingyinge back to her senses and pulled Loo Chao, who was beside her.

    "It was Qiao Linting who just said he wanted to take me to a hotel. I was only trying to get closer to p him, and then you came, leading to that scene."

    She couldn¡¯t just dump Loo Chao immediately as they had been together for a while, and their families knew each other, with many coborations between them.

    Yet, she felt disheartened for not getting Qiao Linting¡¯s contact information¡ªwhen would she see Qiao Linting again?

    Honestly, she actually felt some disgust towards Loo Chao. She might have been close to seeding just now, as she suspected Qiao Linting was just pretending, and a little more persuasion might have done it, but she was interrupted unexpectedly.

    As for Qiao Linting and Zhan Qipei identally embracing, it probably was, as Qiao Linting said, just a coincidence.

    Loo Chao frowned and stared at Lu Yingying¡¯s face for a long time.

    "Are you sure?"

    He had seen it with his own eyes¡ªLu Yingying almostpletely pressing against Qiao Linting¡¯s left side.

    At that moment, he thought he was turning into a vast expanse of green grasnd, but Lu Yingying said it wasn¡¯t like that?

    Lu Yingying nodded, her facial expression carefully controlled, she affirmed confidently:

    "You don¡¯t believe me? I too just found out what kind of person Qiao Linting is. He even dared to suggest taking me to a hotel! Forget it, let¡¯s not dwell on it. It¡¯s all in the past anyway, and moreover, Qiao Linting is part of the Zhan Family. We can¡¯t afford to offend them."

    In fact, she didn¡¯t want Loo Chao to cause trouble for Qiao Linting, but even if he wanted to, he probably couldn¡¯t find him.

    Apart from her seeing Qiao Linting twice, she had never seen him anywhere else.

    Loo Chao snorted coldly, staring toward the direction of the door nonstop.

    "Right now, Qiao Linting is just Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend, not really a Zhan family member. If I do something to him privately, nobody will know."

    Lu Yingying didn¡¯t take Loo Chao¡¯s words to heart and let go of his hand.

    "As you wish."

    Anyway, you won¡¯t be able to find Qiao Linting.

    Meanwhile, inside Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    Qiao Jing was forcefully taken by Zhan Nanqing to the back seat, where they sat side by side, huddled together.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to speak, she caught Zhan Qipei¡¯s reproachful gaze.

    She red back defiantly in the rearview mirror.

    "Brother, you still have the nerve to look at me? Aren¡¯t you going to exin why you suddenly hugged my boyfriend in public?"

    She had nearly exposed herself just now, and if it hadn¡¯t been for using the Zhan Family¡¯s name to pressure her for a moment, Lu Yingying would certainly have told others.

    The image of Lu Yingying leaning in close to Qiao Jing shed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind again.

    His dark eyes deepened, and he fixed his gaze on Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing,e sit in the front passenger seat."

    An unfamiliar person had tried to snatch Qiao Jing just a moment ago, and now his sister had moved his wife to the back seat and even imed that he was her boyfriend?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and nced at Zhan Nanqing next to her.

    "I¡¯m fine sitting here."

    She had taken the back seat when she got in the car earlier, and moving to the front passenger seat now would mean getting out and back in.

    Plus, she knew Zhan Nanqing had many questions to ask her at the moment, so she had to stay and exin.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes darkened, and, in a fit of pique, he honked the horn several times and started the car.

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at Zhan Nanqing, in whose eyes the mes of intense gossip were burning, and spoke reluctantly.

    "What do you want to ask?"

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, dropping the joking demeanor from her face, and asked earnestly:

    "Qiao Jing, why did my brother suddenly hug you just now?"

    If she had been there, such a thing would never have happened because she would have been holding on to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm the whole time.

    This incident was most likely because her brother was jealous; otherwise, he would not have intervened so abruptly.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows were tightly knitted as she slowly began to speak.

    "Lu Yingying was implying various things, holding my arm and saying things that weren¡¯t very nice. Then your brother came over and hugged me, so it was misunderstood."

    Even if that sort of promiscuous lifestyle were something normal, she still could not understand Lu Yingying¡¯s behavior.

    Because Lu Yingying had a boyfriend, and considering her identity at that time, from the other person¡¯s perspective, she was nothing more than a stranger who had met her only twice. Yet, Lu Yingying had spoken such indecent words to her just now.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing immediately let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, dug out a tissue from her bag, and started to dramatically wipe Qiao Jing¡¯s sleeve.

    "Which hand did she touch? Your clothes are dirty! Take them off now! I knew she was no good, or she wouldn¡¯t be my nemesis."

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s exaggerated behavior, she couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips into a smile and took off her jacket.

    "You can take this outfit back with you. After today, I shouldn¡¯t need to dress as a man anymore, right?"

    She had already made herself clear to Zhou Yunze today, and if he was a normal person, he wouldn¡¯t harass Zhan Nanqing anymore.

    Zhan Nanqing immediately shook her head and ced the jacket back next to Qiao Jing.

    "No, you should keep the outfit for now. If you need it againter, it will be convenient for you to change. I¡¯m not sure if that lunatic Zhou Yunze wille to bother me again. You better be prepared."

    She wouldn¡¯t tell Qiao Jing that she wanted to see her in disguise as a man again.

    She even hoped Zhou Yunze woulde looking for her a few more times, so she could naturally have Qiao Jing dress up as a man again.

    She could feast her eyes once more!

    After saying this, Zhan Nanqing suddenly remembered something and quickly took out her cellphone.

 Chapter 561 - 550: Meeting Again

    <h4>Chapter 561: Chapter 550: Meeting Again</h4>

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled expression, just about to ask him when she was pulled over by him.

    Zhan Nanqing turned on the camera feature, pressing his face right up against Qiao Jing¡¯s, and hit the shutter button.

    But that was still not enough.

    Zhan Nanqing then took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, entwined their fingers together, and looked at the photos with satisfaction, a big smile spreading across his face.

    Noticing this, Qiao Jing also cooperated and curved her lips into a smile.

    Zhan Nanqing kept snapping photos with his phone for a while before finally letting go, then started to fiddle with his phone.

    However, during the time he was setting up the photos to post to his Moments, he could always feel a gaze on him.

    He didn¡¯t even need to think to know it was the gaze of his brother, who was clearly jealous again.

    But Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t care less about whether his brother was jealous; after all, Qiao Jing was now her boyfriend.

    Qiao Jing looked helplessly at Zhan Nanqing and saw him posting to Moments.

    She took her eyes off him and prepared to rest against the back of the chair when her phone suddenly vibrated a few times.

    Qiao Jing took out her phone and saw that Zeng Xiangyang and Lin Yun had sent messages.

    She first opened the chat with Lin Yun to read his message.

    "Let¡¯s find some time to have a meal together tomorrow."

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly and typed a reply.

    "What¡¯s up? Is there something?"

    Lin Yun quickly responded to Qiao Jing¡¯s message.

    "Can¡¯t I ask you out if there¡¯s no reason? Come if you like."

    Seeing Lin Yun¡¯s petnt message, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes wordlessly and exited the chat with him, then opened the chat with Zeng Xiangyang.

    "Master, can you have a meal with me tomorrow? And teach me to y King of Glory, and there¡¯s also... a rather abrupt favor to ask."

    Qiao Jing typed with a puzzled expression.

    "What is it?"

    She couldn¡¯t think of anything besides gaming that might be Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s so-called abrupt favor.

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s message came through.

    "Master, could you invite Brother Lin Yun too? I want to y with him, but he never agrees when I ask. So, I have to turn to you."

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, curious whether these two had a telepathy, messaging her at the same time with almost identical requests.

    She opened Lin Yun¡¯s chat again and typed a reply.

    "Time and ce."

    On the other end of the phone, Lin Yun "hmmphed," pretending to be reluctant as he typed his response.

    "Didn¡¯t you say you can¡¯t be asked out if there¡¯s no reason? Now suddenly you¡¯re avable for a meal? You¡¯re acting way more important than I ever could."

    After reading the message, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    "Are you going or not?"

    She knew that with Lin Yun¡¯s mischievous nature, he liked to say these annoying things, but he didn¡¯t mean any harm.

    She had tried to correct Lin Yun a few times before, but he would revert to his old ways in less than a day, so finally she gave up on the idea of teaching him.

    Only then did Lin Yun reply to Qiao Jing.

    "Tomorrow night, 8 PM, barbecue restaurant."

    The words ¡¯barbecue restaurant¡¯ gave Qiao Jing a bit of a headache, and she was reminded yet again of thest time rumors had started at a barbecue restaurant.

    "Let¡¯s change the ce."

    She definitely didn¡¯t want a repeat ofst time, and she had to keep her distance from Lin Yun this time, staying as far away from him as possible.

    Otherwise, if some paparazzi followed and took photos again, it would surely cause anothermotion.

    Lin Yun sent several speechless emoticons in a row, and before Qiao Jing¡¯s patience reached its limit, he finally replied to the message.

    "No need to change, rest assured, I will disguise myself when I go out. But I¡¯m almost annoyed to death. I¡¯m just a gamer, not some big star. Why do paparazzi follow me everywhere I go?"

    After much insistence from Lin Yun, Qiao Jing ultimately agreed to go to the barbecue restaurant.

    "Be careful when you go out, so that what happenedst time doesn¡¯t happen again."

    She herself wasn¡¯t affected by the incident, but Lin Yun, the public figure, was the one who was actually impacted.

    Although Lin Yun wasn¡¯t some idol superstar from the entertainment industry, just a gamer, his incredibly good looks meant that his poprity was no less than that of any hot celebrity.

    Seeing that Lin Yun had replied a few times acknowledging her message, Qiao Jing sent the time and location to Zeng Xiangyang.

    If it weren¡¯t for Zeng Xiangyang wanting to go, she might not have agreed to Lin Yun¡¯s request.

    She was concerned that another incident likest time could affect Lin Yun, especially with the worldpetition just around the corner.

    For some reason, she had a vague and uneasy premonition lurking in her heart.

    After sending Zhan Nanqing back to Purple Garden, they both returned to Nantai Apartment.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to take off her clothes, Zhan Qipei approached her, offering to help her take off her coat and wig.

    She looked up at the man who was currently pursing his lips, intently helping her take off her coat.

    "Zhan Qipei, I can do it myself."

    She could guess why Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t like her cross-dressing, because it made things inconvenient for this despicable man.

    When she was in disguise, this despicable man couldn¡¯t casually touch her or hold her, for example, or else it would lead to the situation that had just urred.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly pursed into a taut, uncurving line of ice as he quickly helped Qiao Jing take off the male coat and wig, revealing her lustrous ck hair once more.

    Just as he was about to carelessly throw the wig aside, Qiao Jing stopped him.

    "Don¡¯t just throw it anywhere, or else the hair will be frizzy. If Zhou Yunze asks for Nanqing¡¯s help again next time, I could still go and assist."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands paused as he knitted his brows.

    "Next time, let her find another guy to help her."

    He no longer wanted Qiao Jing to dress as a man. Considering what had happened that evening, the likelihood of Qiao Jing in disguise attracting rivals in love was even greater.

    Moreover, when Qiao Jing was in disguise, he couldn¡¯t hold her in his arms as he usually would without causing misunderstandings.

    This was too much trouble. Qiao Jing¡¯s disguise not only attracted female rivals for him but also restrained his hands.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and seriously responded.

    "But everyone has already assumed I am Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend, and it¡¯s toote to change that now."

    Having chosen to help Zhan Nan, she was determined to follow through to the end.

    If they switched boyfriends suddenly, not only would it be inconvenient, but given that the people of the upper ss in the capital all knew each other, it would be easy to be exposed.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, his dark eyes fixatedly looking at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing could feel the air thick with jealousy doubling, and to avoid Zhan Qipei, that despicable man, getting handsy with herter, she quickly made her way back to her room.

    ©¤©¤

    The next evening.

    After returning home and quickly finishing dinner, Qiao Jing prepared to go out to meet Zeng Xiangyang.

    The man¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

    "Where are you going?"

 Chapter 562 - 551: Zhan Qipei Doesnéˆ¥æª› Want Qiao Jing to Go Out

    <h4>Chapter 562: Chapter 551: Zhan Qipei Doesn¡¯t Want Qiao Jing to Go Out</h4>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s footsteps paused, and she turned to nce at Zhan Qipei.

    "I¡¯m going to meet Zeng Xiangyang and then have dinner with Lin Yun."

    Although she knew Zhan Qipei would be jealous, she still didn¡¯t want to hide it from him.

    After all, no matter who she went out to eat with, this man would get jealous, so it made no difference whether she told him or not.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, which were dense like mountain mists. The scene of Qiao Jing being followed by another woman yesterday was still vivid in his mind, and today she was going out to eat with another man again.

    Couldn¡¯t she stay out of trouble for even one day?

    With this thought, Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his dark eyes staring straight at Qiao Jing.

    "Can you not go?"

    Last time, it was because she had dined with Lin Yun that Qiao Jing had been involved in a scandal.

    He still clearly remembered thements attacking Qiao Jing personally.

    He didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to go out with Lin Yun again.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows and opened the front door.

    "I¡¯ve already promised them, and Zeng Xiangyang is going too."

    Once she had promised something to someone, she would not go back on her word and would make sure to do it.

    Moreover, she and Lin Yun were just friends, or rather, to her, Lin Yun was nothing but a childish troublemaker.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and hesitated for a long time.

    "I¡¯ll go with you."

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, seriously contemting for a moment.

    "Didn¡¯t Tang Yan call you during our meal earlier, asking you to have a meeting?"

    She actually didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei and Lin Yun to be together, primarily considering this man¡¯s personality. He was bound to be unnecessarily jealous by the end.

    Moreover, considering Lin Yun¡¯s childish nature, if he saw her bringing someone he didn¡¯t know, he would definitely say some annoying things.

    She had grown ustomed to Lin Yun¡¯s sharp tongue, but Zhan Qipei probably hadn¡¯t, and if the two of them started arguing, the situation could escte uncontrobly.

    Zhan Qipei nced towards the room, and after his gaze lingered for a moment, he withdrew it.

    "The meeting is canceled."

    Even apany meeting was not as important as Qiao Jing.

    In his heart, Qiao Jing was always his priority.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently and walked to the corridor.

    "Zhan Qipei, you should give Tang Yan a raise."

    If she were working under such an irresponsible boss, having to worry about this and that every day, and even get calls to remind him of meetings, she would definitely pack her things and leave immediately.

    It¡¯s a good thing Tang Yan didn¡¯t hear Zhan Qipei say the meeting was canceled, otherwise, she thought Tang Yan would definitely be furious, yet unable to say anything because the other party was his boss.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to close the door, Zhan Qipei ced his hand against it, and his deep voice came through.

    "Why should I give him a raise? Now that we don¡¯t need a meeting, I¡¯ll go with you. I don¡¯t want you to meet Lin Yun alone."

    He couldn¡¯t tolerate Qiao Jing meeting someone else alone, especially Lin Yun who had been involved in scandals with her.

    If the paparazzi caught them again and it went online, it would surely incite another bout of cyberbullying.

    A vein in Qiao Jing¡¯s temple suddenly throbbed, her face expressing helplessness as she looked at Zhan Qipei.

    "I said, Zeng Xiangyang will be there too."

    Was it that all her previous mentions of Zeng Xiangyang were in vain?

    To Zhan Qipei, did it just turn into her and Lin Yun being alone together?

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed so tightly he could almost have killed a fly with them.

    "Then I have to apany you even more."

    Originally, his main focus had been on Lin Yun, but now that Qiao Jing had mentioned it, it strengthened his resolve to apany her even more.

    After all, his cousin admired his wife greatly, though young, he was no pushover either.

    Qiao Jing became increasingly speechless, and uncontrobly rolled her eyes again.

    "You should work properly at home."

    It was after saying this that she realized she had somehow switched roles with Zhan Qipei.

    In most households, it was usually the woman who stayed at home to rest and manage the domestic affairs, but now, the tone she used made it sound as though she was telling Zhan Qipei to stay home and rest, taking care of the household, while she was responsible for working outside.

    But clearly, both of them had jobs, yet that moment made it hard not to imagine such a scenario.

    Zhan Qipei clenched his thin lips, just about to follow Qiao Jing out when his phone suddenly rang.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone, lightly raised her delicate eyebrows, and reminded him.

    "You have a meeting."

    Zhan Qipei looked down at his phone, wanting to hang up immediately, but just as he looked down, Qiao Jing had already closed the front door.

    He furrowed his eyebrows, nning to open the door and chase after her, but then he received a message from Qiao Jing.

    "Work well at home, don¡¯te out, have a meal with them."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened as he stared at the message from Qiao Jing for a while, and after much hesitation, he finally went to the balcony.

    Only when Qiao Jing¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight did he return to the room.

    Meanwhile, at the barbecue restaurant.

    Qiao Jing, apanied by Zeng Xiangyang, arrived at the barbecue restaurant they had visitedst time, deliberately surveying the surroundings before entering.

    Not seeing anyone suspicious, she then walked into the barbecue restaurant.

    As soon as she entered, she saw a man sitting alone, dressed in a military coat, wearing a hat and sunsses, and sporting a stubbly face.

    With the previous episode involving a military coat as a reference, the two of them almost instantly recognized that this man was Lin Yun.

    Qiao Jing, with Zeng Xiangyang, approached the dining table, strategically seating the child opposite Lin Yun while she sat at a side position.

    "What specifically did you want to talk about by calling me out here? Just to have a meal?"

    She was still a bit worried; after all, when she hung out with Cao Feiyu, she never encountered such things.

    It might also be because the worldpetition was imminent, Lin Yun was the most popr and strongest yer, thus also garnering a lot of attention.

    Actually, the main reason was that Lin Yun chose a roadside barbecue store, not some highly secretive restaurant.

    So, she still had some concerns about such roadside barbecue stores.

    Lin Yun red at Qiao Jing, his face immediately adopting an unpleasant expression.

    "Here we go again, can¡¯t I find you if there¡¯s nothing important, can¡¯t I just chat with you for a bit? I haven¡¯t been pretentious, yet you are the one acting all high and mighty, are you trying to infuriate me?"

    Zeng Xiangyang had already grown ustomed to Lin Yun¡¯s fiery temper, having seen plenty of "big scenes" during live broadcasts.

    So now, facing suchments from Lin Yun, he waspletely unfazed and could even eat a few more skewers of barbecue.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fingers rhythmically tapped on the table, ncing indifferently at Lin Yun.

    "Then what would you like to talk about?"

    She didn¡¯t even have to think about it to know that Lin Yun, the mischievous kid, would not say anythingforting.

    After all, Lin Yun¡¯s troublemaking nature was already etched deep in his bones, and he was bound to pick on her with some issues.

    But what Qiao Jing didn¡¯t expect was that Lin Yun¡¯s question was quite serious, and he even adopted a sincere expression.

 Chapter 563 - 552: Is Qiao Jing Actually a Farmer?

    <h4>Chapter 563: Chapter 552: Is Qiao Jing Actually a Farmer?</h4>

    "What exactly is your rtionship now with that guy fromst time? I remember you had only a hundred-day marriage contract; why are you still together?"

    Qiao Jing could feel the anxiety in Lin Yun¡¯s tone as he spoke.

    What surprised her even more was that this rascal, Lin Yun, asked her this question without saying anything about her being deceived.

    She pursed her red lips and answered Lin Yun truthfully.

    "The contract did end, but we renewed it for another hundred days because of some issues."

    Lin Yun quickly followed up on Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    "Even if you did renew the contract for another hundred days, that time should have passed by now, and you¡¯re still with him. Either you¡¯re out of your mind, or you¡¯re a naive girl beingpletely fooled by someone."

    Hearing Lin Yun¡¯s familiar style of taunting, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes subtly.

    She had expected this rascal to say nothing pleasant.

    But one thing puzzled her, why was Lin Yun so concerned about her affairs?

    Wasn¡¯t this rascal usually uninterested in anything other than taunting others?

    Seeing Qiao Jing silent, Lin Yun took it as an affirmation of thetter.

    "You better not tell me it¡¯s thetter, are you trying to anger me to death? Howe you¡¯re not as smart as you used to be before, when you were fighting me? You¡¯re only good at fighting me, huh?"

    A child who had been quietly eating skewers and watching Qiao Jing and Lin Yun with starry eyes suddenly spoke up.

    "Brother Lin Yun, don¡¯t worry, my master won¡¯t be deceived, my brother really likes my master."

    Upon hearing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words, Lin Yun instantly frowned and looked at Qiao Jing with a face full of disgust.

    "What exactly is going on? Qiao Jing, since when did you be so love-struck? Can you tell me?"

    Now, he wasn¡¯t angry at all, but rather jealous of the person who could be so close to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brow and exined to Lin Yun.

    "For now, we¡¯re just trying things out."

    She was merely giving Zhan Qipei a chance, but to Lin Yun, it sounded like she was love-struck.

    Lin Yun became even more upset and asked sarcastically:

    "So what work are you doing now?"

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment before answering Lin Yun¡¯s question.

    "I¡¯m working in agriculture."

    Although she didn¡¯t specify, her work was indeed rted to agriculture.

    So answering Lin Yun in this way wasn¡¯t really deceiving him.

    Lin Yun paused in confusion.

    Agriculture?

    Doesn¡¯t that mean working thend?

    If Qiao Jing¡¯s job involved working thend every day, wouldn¡¯t it be both tiring and tough?

    How could Zhan Qipei bear to let Qiao Jing engage in suchbor?

    Lin Yun felt especially sympathetic towards Qiao Jing, but due to his pride, he was too embarrassed to say it directly and had to find another way to express it.

    "Do you still remember thest time I told you toe and y eSports with me?"

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and gave a faint "Mm" in response.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Lin Yun clenched his teeth, almost spitting out each word from his mouth.

    "Didn¡¯t I y a game with you before? Later, I went back and talked to the manager, found the rey of the game we yed, and he said he¡¯d love to have youe to the club to y games. He asked me to see what you thought? I can help you make connections, so don¡¯t turn me down!"

    If it weren¡¯t for his many years of friendship with Qiao Jing, he wouldn¡¯t have helped.

    He was merely reluctantly helping Qiao Jing, no one else received such treatment.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and almost without hesitation, she refused him.

    "No need, I am very satisfied with my current job and not considering joining professionalpetitions. Besides, I¡¯m just an amateur yer who has only yed a few games; how could I possiblypete?"

    She really liked her current jobs and was very satisfied with both.

    As for other opportunities, she hadn¡¯t considered pursuing them and didn¡¯t have the energy to take on so much more.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zeng Xiangyang immediately put down his kebab, looking aggrieved.

    "Master, don¡¯t wound me. When you say you¡¯re an ¡¯amateur yer,¡¯ it really hurts my feelings. If you¡¯re an amateur, then what am I? A noob¡¯s noob??"

    He had watched many live streams of big streamers and professional yers because he really liked Honor of Kings.

    Comparing those streamers and most professional yers with Qiao Jing, who had only yed a few days, their game sense and hand speed weren¡¯t even close to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    That¡¯s why he was somewhat excited about what results Qiao Jing could achieve if she became a professional yer.

    Qiao Jing, feeling helpless, nced at Zeng Xiangyang and shoved another skewer of kebab into the child¡¯s hand, hoping to keep him quiet while eating.

    "You should know that I¡¯ve only yed a few games, I might not even count as an amateur, just a newbie."

    What she said was all true, plus she had no interest in the eSports circle.

    She was just managing to cope with the research institute and Wonderful Hall; adding anything more would definitely be too much for her.

    Moreover, Old Master Han had previously wanted her to inherit his mantle, which she also refused. The third son wanted her to enter showbiz, which she also refused. So, it was not about whether her ability was strong or not, but simply that she couldn¡¯t manage it all.

    Zeng Xiangyang sighed deeply, picking up the kebab Qiao Jing had handed him, and murmured:

    "Master, you should know Lin Yun¡¯s club never recruits females, and now they¡¯re willing to ept you because your skills are strong enough. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t consider it."

    He had a feeling that if his master were topete, she would definitely be a dark horse in the eSports circle.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s refusal, Lin Yun frowned deeply, looking incredulous.

    "Qiao Jing, I¡¯ve made the connections for you, and the club is willing to take you in, so why won¡¯t you join? Isn¡¯t earning money frompetitions much easier than earning money from farming? Our club even made an exception to recruit a female, and you still refuse?

    And there aren¡¯t any fields in Imperial Capital City; you have to go to the countryside to farm. Hasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei taken care of you? How can such a big Zhan Family let you end up farming?"

    He simply couldn¡¯t understand why Qiao Jing was giving Zhan Qipei a chance, descending to the backbreaking, tiring, and dirty work of farming and yet not divorcing!

    He felt that Qiao Jing was just trying to infuriate him!!

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected that her mention of "working in agriculture" would turn into farming in Lin Yun¡¯s mind.

    Although she did indeed need to nt and harvest corn when she was in the countryside, she no longer needed to now, and Lin Yun hadpletely misunderstood her intentions.

    She really wanted to crack open Lin Yun¡¯s skull to see what he normally thought about.

    Working in agriculture turned into farming?

 Chapter 564 - 553 Trouble Comes Knocking Again

    <h4>Chapter 564: Chapter 553 Trouble Comes Knocking Again</h4>

    If we go by what Lin Yun said, does that mean their entire research institute has be a farming operation?

    "Lin Yun, skip this topic. I¡¯m not going topete, I¡¯m quite satisfied with my current job," Qiao Jing said.

    Being unable to reveal her identity, she could only resort to farming for the time being, which wasn¡¯t so bad.

    Lin Yun red at Qiao Jing, his anger boiling with no outlet for release. He couldn¡¯t just smash things, nor could he strike someone, so what could he do...

    In a moment of heated anger, he reached up and tore off the fake beard glued to his face, hoping it would relieve his frustration.

    But because he pulled too hard, he ended up hurting his skin, and he yelped in pain.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but snicker.

    Lin Yun, clutching his chin in pain, red fiercely at Qiao Jing and cursed,

    "What are youughing at? Do you think you¡¯ll be able tough while farming? You reject a better, morefortable life for farming!"

    He paused and nced at Zeng Xiangyang.

    "You little brat! Do you have any idea what the Zhan Family is like to let Qiao Jing go off and farm?"

    Zeng Xiangyang, who had beenpletely baffled the whole time, finally understood Lin Yun¡¯s point and immediately began to defend Zhan Qipei.

    "Brother Lin Yun, you¡¯ve got it wrong. My cousin and aunt like my master a lot. They wouldn¡¯t bear to have my master do hardbor, much less have my master go farming! And about that trending topicst time, it was my cousin¡ª"

    His words were cut short by a look from Qiao Jing.

    Zeng Xiangyang immediately shut his mouth, not continuing with what he was about to say.

    Although he didn¡¯t know why his master stopped him from finishing, he knew it was right to listen to his master.

    If his cousin learned that Brother Lin Yun thought his master was suffering at the Zhan Family, his face would probably turn gloomy and transform into the Cold-faced Yama.

    Seeing that Zeng Xiangyang didn¡¯t continue, Qiao Jing¡¯s furrowed brows rxed.

    It was best not to let Lin Yun know about the retraction of the trending topic; otherwise, the brat would surely start on about not needing help to retract it.

    After hearing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words, Lin Yun felt a twinge of doubt. What was that unfinished statement about?

    However, he focused on the part of the statement Zeng Xiangyang did finish, not dwelling on the unfinished part and looked at Qiao Jing with a half-believing stare.

    "Really? Then what¡¯s this about the farming you mentioned?"

    Qiao Jing, exasperated, pressed a hand to her forehead and then frowned, saying coldly,

    "Let¡¯s drop that subject."

    If they continued, she worried it might blow her cover. It was enough that Lin Yun knew she did more than just farm.

    At that moment, the boss brought over thest of the grilled skewers and ced them on the table.

    "Lin Yun, you¡¯re not going to run into any trouble again this time, are you?"

    Lin Yun put away his unfriendly expression, but upon remembering thest incident, his face inadvertently soured again.

    "No,st time was just an ident."

    The boss chuckled twice, then looked at Qiao Jing.

    "Your friend is really good at fighting! Such skill in a girl is amazing. If your friend hadn¡¯t been therest time, I probably would¡¯ve been beaten to a pulp."

    Qiao Jing nodded lightly at the boss in greeting.

    "You tter me, boss. I just know a little self-defense, that¡¯s all."

    The bossughed heartily again.

    "Your skills are better than a big guy like me, and it¡¯s not just self-defense. I noticed that you aim for spots that cause a lot of pain but aren¡¯t lethal when you hit someone.

    "In this world, there are very few who fight without intending to kill, and to still keep your wits about you amid such a fierce fight, that¡¯s really rare!"

    A faint smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she shook her head.

    Lin Yun snorted coldly.

    "If I had stepped in, I would have been even more fearsome than her. I don¡¯t understand, when other girls face danger, they hide behind a guy, but you¡ª you rush forward. Next time something like this happens, stand behind me; can¡¯t I protect you?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and spoke slowly.

    "I don¡¯t need anyone to protect me."

    She knew that Lin Yun still cared about others, he just wasn¡¯t good at showing it.

    The words she spoke came from her heart; if possible, she hoped to never tire, to always handle everything on her own.

    But she wasn¡¯t a robot and would inevitably feel tired sometimes. Before meeting Zhan Qipei, the only ces where she could rest and rely on were her bed or couch at home.

    Since Zhan Qipei¡¯s appearance, it seemed she had rested beside the man more than once.

    Just as Qiao Jing was deep in thought, several people suddenly entered through the door, just likest time, those swaggering individuals with hair dyed in all sorts of colors.

    Green Hair, walking at the front, hadn¡¯t even reached the door before he started shouting.

    "Old Yang, it¡¯s the same as before, we¡¯ll run a tab today, and pay next time."

    As soon as the owner, known as Old Yang, heard this, his face immediately darkened, and he said unequivocally:

    "No way."

    Upon hearing this, Green Hair directly spat out the toothpick in his mouth and, exuding an aggressive aura, led his underlings inside.

    The owner stood up straight, preparing to confront the troublemakers.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, telling her this wouldn¡¯t be simple.

    Every time she saw someone looking so imposing, she knew something was off. She reached out a hand and nudged Zeng Xiangyang beside her.

    "Stay in the kitchen and don¡¯te out."

    No matter what, if these people were looking for trouble with the owner, she was going to help.

    After all,st time the owner hade out without hesitation to help them, so she would return the favor this time.

    Upon seeing the situation, Zeng Xiangyang grabbed his phone and ran to the kitchen.

    Why were they so unlucky?

    Coming to the barbecue joint twice, and both times encountering troublemakers?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as she vigntly watched the group of people, and during this, she looked up at Lin Yun, ready to call him to stay in the kitchen as well.

    If Lin Yun¡¯s identity was revealed during a fight, or if the paparazzi outside captured photos again, things would be troublesome once more.

    But when she looked at Lin Yun, she noticed something off about his expression.

    Lin Yun leaned inwards, moving from a position near the entrance to one against the wall, and he even seemed to want to face the wall?

    With a puzzled look, Qiao Jing gazed at him and asked in a lowered voice,

    "Lin Yun? What¡¯s wrong with you?"

    Lin Yun didn¡¯t speak but moved closer to the wall instead and pressed his hat down further, looking like he didn¡¯t want to be recognized.

    Qiao Jing felt even more that something was strange; after all, Lin Yun hadn¡¯t reacted this way when they encountered another group of thugs before.

    Then there was only one possibility left.

    Could it be that Lin Yun knew these ruffians?

 Chapter 565 - 554: Teasing Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 565: Chapter 554: Teasing Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows and lowered her voice again.

    "Go to the kitchen."

    Although she could not understand why Lin Yun was acquainted with these men, she could tell that he clearly did not want to be recognized by them.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lin Yun furrowed his brows, unable to control his rising voice.

    "No way! Last time you made me go to the kitchen, and now you want to send me there again? Am I still a man or not?"

    He had nearly suffocatedst time he was in the kitchen, and he absolutely could not do it again!

    At that moment, Green Hair had already walked up to Old Yang and spat disdainfully on the floor.

    "Old Yang, we¡¯ve known each other for so long, how can you be so disrespectful? We brothers are not refusing to pay you, right?"

    Old Yang clenched his fists, but did not act rashly, ncing once at the mess on the table outside.

    "Let me ask you, when have you ever paid? You always say next time, and it never happens. Do you really think I¡¯m a fool? I¡¯m telling you, from now on, I¡¯m not serving you guys anymore, and don¡¯t bother toe to my restaurant to eat."

    The color of the faces of Green Hair¡¯s followers turned gloomy on hearing this.

    "Old Yang, what do you mean by this? Don¡¯t bite the hand that feeds you!"

    "Be careful or we brothers will smash your restaurant!"

    "We did you a favor by dining at your ce, and that was already giving you enough respect!"

    Hearing this, the boss scoffed coldly, "Is that so? Well, I don¡¯t need the respect. See whichever establishment gets more respect, go curry favor with them."

    "Hey! You¡ª" Green Hair had just prepared to say something when his gaze was drawn by Qiao Jing sitting nearby.

    "Hey, isn¡¯t that Lin Yun¡¯s rumored girlfriend? She¡¯s just as pretty as in her photos. Lin Yun keeps denying she¡¯s his girlfriend, who¡¯d believe him!"

    Upon hearing this, Green Hair¡¯sckeys also looked towards Qiao Jing.

    "Indeed! Boss, thisdy is really beautiful, maybe we should..."

    Theckey deliberately did not finish his sentence, but everyone present understood what he meant to say next.

    Old Yang¡¯s face darkened, and he cursed angrily:

    "Keep your mouths clean! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about the nonsense you all do, I justck the evidence. Otherwise, I would have sent you to the station long ago, always harassing girls! I spit!"

    Hearing Old Yang¡¯s blunt words, Green Hat did not get angry but instead revealed a smug expression as if saying what can you do about me.

    "Old Yang, you say what you want about us, we won¡¯t hold this against you, you don¡¯t have any evidence, do you?"

    The otherckeys began tough arrogantly, and theirughter filled the barbecue restaurant.

    Old Yang was so angered that his face turned beet red, and he did not know what to say for a moment.

    From this exchange, Qiao Jing was even more certain that Lin Yun knew these men, and that made it all the more necessary to make Lin Yun stay in the kitchen.

    "Lin Yun, you stay in the kitchen with Zeng Xiangyang, and don¡¯t make me repeat it."

    She was now worried that if a fight broke out soon, these men would instantly turn into paparazzi, taking photos to threaten Lin Yun and the club.

    If it were exposed, it would surely cause a huge stir.

    But Old Yang¡¯s words had caught her attention, always harassing girls...

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lin Yun hung his head and remained silent, facing the wall and refusing to move.

    But his hands hidden under the table had already clenched into fists, trembling with the effort.

    He did not want any further association with these men nor did he want to see them again.

    He found it dirty!

    Green Hair noticed Qiao Jing was talking to someone else, and then he noticed another person sitting across, dressed in a military coat and wearing a hat.

    "Babe, who¡¯s this? Still wearing a military coat, what kind of bumpkin is this? Why aren¡¯t you with Lin Yun? Did you two break up?"

    The younger brothers¡¯ faces showed a greedy expression as they all stared at Qiao Jing.

    "Lin Yun is an old acquaintance of ours too. He definitely wouldn¡¯t mind us getting to know you better, babe. What do you think?"

    "Yeah, babe, Lin Yun used to hang out with us before. Who knew he¡¯d turn into somebody important and nevere back to see us, his old brothers?"

    "Who is this bumpkin in the military coat really? Babe, don¡¯t sit with him;e y with us instead?"

    Hearing these words, Lin Yun could no longer hold back and mmed his palm on the table.

    "I am your father!"

    If he held back any longer without taking action, he would be made a fool!

    To avoid inconvenience once the fight started due to the heavy military coat, Lin Yun immediately took it off and threw it on the ground.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and reached out to pull Lin Yun back.

    "You only have one choice now, go to the kitchen."

    She didn¡¯t know what Green Hair and the others meant by saying Lin Yun used to hang out with them, as she had not contacted this wild kid since she moved.

    It wasn¡¯t until after Lin Yun became a professional yer that he sent her a few messages, and they reconnected.

    So, she didn¡¯t know what had happened before Lin Yun became a professional yer.

    When Green Hair and the others saw Lin Yun¡¯s face, they were momentarily stunned.

    The first to react was Green Hair, who threw the cigarette he was holding onto the ground.

    "Wow! If it isn¡¯t our good brother Lin Yun. Long time no see, oh no, you¡¯re God Lin now, can¡¯t call you like before. God Lin, help us pay for our table, will you?"

    The younger brothers also started to jeer.

    "Isn¡¯t this the famous God Lin? What brings you here for dinner?"

    "Boss is right; since Old Yang despises us for not paying, why don¡¯t you cover for us first?"

    "..."

    Lin Yun clenched his fists and pulled his hand away from Qiao Jing¡¯s grasp.

    "I know them, just wait a second."

    After saying that, he red at Green Hair angrily.

    "Why should I pay for what you ate?"

    Green Hair burst outughing as he looked at Lin Yun.

    "Why? Because I used to lead you, how else would you have gotten to where you are today? Without me leading you, would you have had the chance to meet those people from the club? Now that you¡¯re famous, you begrudge treating us to a meal?"

    Seeing it was Lin Yun, the other guys also became more arrogant.

    "Exactly, if it weren¡¯t for us taking you through those shady inte cafes to y games, would you have been noticed by anyone?"

    "Had we known you were such an ingrate, we wouldn¡¯t have hung out with you."

    "Boss, we¡¯ve raised an ingrate. Back then, God Lin was begging us to take him out to y. Now he¡¯s climbing thedder and denies knowing us."

 Chapter 566 - 555 Danger

    <h4>Chapter 566: Chapter 555 Danger</h4>

    Lin Yun¡¯s expression turned even uglier as he said coldly,

    "You really know how to tter yourselves. What does it have to do with you that the manager took notice of me? Don¡¯t even say you know me; I find it revolting! You know why I stopped hanging out with youter? It¡¯s because you¡¯re all filthy!!"

    If he could travel back in time, he would definitely p his past self.

    He must have been blind to have gotten to know this bunch of people.

    Moreover, going to shady inte cafes to y games had nothing to do with these guys. He liked ying games anyway, and going to inte cafes was the most natural thing for him. These few people just happened to go along on the way, and now they were taking the credit for it?

    Green Hair¡¯s expression copsed in an instant. He picked up a bottle from the table next to him that had been finished but not yet cleared away and prepared to smash it on Lin Yun¡¯s head.

    "You really are asking for it!"

    Lin Yun had not expected Green Hair to resort to violence so directly. He clenched his fists and raised his hand, ready to block the blow.

    As long as the other side struck first, it would be self-defence, and he could fight back openly!

    Just as the bottle was about to hit Lin Yun¡¯s arm, Green Hair¡¯s hand was swiftly kicked away, and the bottle flew out of his grip, smashing into one of his underlings behind him.

    "Bang!"

    The ss bottle struck the underling harshly, producing a dull sound before it fell to the ground.

    The underling immediately clutched his injured stomach, showing a pained expression on his face.

    "Boss! How did the bottle end up hitting me?"

    Green Hair hadn¡¯t even recovered from the shock when he finally came to his senses and felt a piercing pain in the wrist of the hand that had held the bottle.

    He was sweating profusely from the pain. He hadn¡¯t seen clearly what happened but had been kicked out of the blue!

    Green Hair gripped his injured wrist tightly, scanning the surroundings warily. However, Lin Yun and Old Yang hadn¡¯t made a move; that left only one person at the scene.

    The woman in front of him who looked weak and delicate?!

    But the speed at which she moved had been so fast it was almost just a blur, and by the time he came to, he had already been kicked.

    What exactly was going on??!

    Green Hair immediately turned to look at his underlings and asked,

    "What the hell happened just now? Did you guys see it clearly? Don¡¯t tell me it was this woman who hit me??"

    If he had indeed been hit by this woman, wouldn¡¯t he lose all face?

    The underlings looked at each other, hesitant to speak at first.

    "Boss... if things are as they seem, it was her who hit you..."

    "I think I saw her kick you, but she was standing steady again by the next second, it was so fast I almost missed it..."

    Hearing this, Green Hair¡¯s face went from red to white, staring at Qiao Jing intently.

    "Guys! Grab this couple for me. I want to settle her in front of Lin Yun!"

    Before, it had always been him who bullied those women; no woman had ever dared to hit him!

    Today was the first!

    Neither of these two could escape!

    Green Hair, with his gang, started to pick up bottles from the table. They learned their lesson this time, and to prevent the bottles from falling out of their hands again, they broke the bottles in half on purpose, gripping the sharp end and stabbing towards Qiao Jing and the others.

    Old Yang nced over and rolled up his sleeves to help, but was stopped by Qiao Jing.

    "Boss, you don¡¯t need to trouble yourself this time."

    She paused for a moment and looked back at Lin Yun.

    "You go to the kitchen too. If you get photographed again, things won¡¯t be that simple."

    Old Yang, who also enjoyed watching matches, knew that Lin Yun wasn¡¯t suited for getting involved. He dragged and pulled the other man into the kitchen.

    "I¡¯ll help out as soon as I get him into the kitchen. You shouldn¡¯t be the one out front as a girl. I¡¯ll call the cops once I¡¯m in there!"

    Seeing Green Hair and his group approaching, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her gaze sharp as ice des, causing the temperature around her to drop dramatically.

    The men who were about to approach Qiao Jing were intimidated by the oppressive aura emanating from her.

    Their hands hesitated, but they quickly snapped back to reality, and were about to smash their bottles on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing merely sidestepped slightly to avoid one of the bottles and took the opportunity to kick at the man¡¯s stomach.

    The next second, theckey flew backwards with the bottle,nding on the ground, curling up and convulsing.

    Green Hair, startled by this scene, looked at Qiao Jing as if she were a monster and immediately warned the otherckeys.

    "Be careful, everyone! This chick¡¯s got some moves!"

    Qiao Jing eyed the bottles in their hands, her brows still furrowed, and swiftly hooked a metal stool with her foot to use for defense.

    Otherwise, with the opponents armed with sharp weapons and she without anything to defend herself, she could easily get cut.

    Green Hair and his group had been in the underworld for quite some time and were somewhat capable.

    Now, seeing that Qiao Jing was tough to deal with, they didn¡¯t confront her one after another, but surrounded her instead.

    Qiao Jing weighed the stool in her hand and swung it fiercely at one of the men, sending the person flying with a kick.

    In the process, to avoid being struck by the others, she rotated the metal stool quickly, forcing those who wanted to stab her with their bottles to step back a few paces.

    Green Hair, sensing that the situation was off, called over his brothers.

    "Damn it! Lin Yun, that coward, actually has a woman covering for him, and she knows how to fight! Brothers, grab more bottles!"

    Hearing this, theckeys immediately scattered to grab bottles.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cold eyes darkened, and in the time it took them to pick up bottles, she moved swiftly in front of Green Hair, kicking him over just as he was turning around with a bottle in hand.

    The next second, the barbecue restaurant erupted with Green Hair¡¯s pig-like screams.

    "Aaah¡ª!!"

    During this time, more bottles flew non-stop towards Qiao Jing, with the few still-standingckeys deliberately breaking the bottles in half before throwing them, aiming to draw blood!

    Qiao Jing quickly started to dodge, avoiding several bottles and using the stool in her hand to block several others that were about to hit her.

    Green Hair¡¯sckeys were standing next to the fridge, an endless supply of bottles in their hands.

    Old Yang, who was at that moment desperately stopping Lin Yun from rushing out of the kitchen, was filled with self-reproach upon seeing this.

    He shouldn¡¯t have ced the fridge outside!

    During her dodging, Qiao Jing expended a huge amount of energy, and just as she was about to dodge thest bottle, a sudden sharp pain in her stomach caused her to slow down for a moment!

    The three people in the kitchen saw this and instantly widened their eyes.

 Chapter 567 - 556: Qiao Jing Injured

    <h4>Chapter 567: Chapter 556: Qiao Jing Injured</h4>

    Qiao Jing had noticed this too, but it was already toote for her to dodge.

    The next second, she felt a sharp pain in her arm.

    Following that, a warm sensation surged forth.

    She had been cut.

    Qiao Jing nced down at the wound on her shoulder, where blood was already flowing down to her arm, dropping onto the floor one drop at a time.

    But she couldn¡¯t care less about the wound that was continuously bleeding, she immediately looked up at the several people charging towards her.

    A few underlings saw that Qiao Jing was finally injured, and immediately swung the bottles in their hands, rushing forward like madmen.

    Qiao Jing swiftly raised the stool in her hand to defend herself, but she felt another surge of pain in her arm.

    She had no choice but to lower her hand to alleviate the pain in her shoulder, raising her other uninjured hand and pressing on several acupoints.

    However, this also gave her opponents a chance. By the time she wanted to face them again, it was toote.

    She quickly stepped back to avoid their attack.

    Just then!

    A silhouette appeared behind the underlings.

    When Qiao Jing saw who the neer was, she furrowed her brows tightly and said coldly:

    "Lin Yun! Go back!"

    She didn¡¯t want a repeat ofst time¡¯s incident, and this time it involved a fight.

    Even though she had checked her surroundings before entering the barbecue restaurant to make sure there were no paparazzi, that didn¡¯t mean another batch couldn¡¯t follow the trail while they were eating¡ªthe noses of paparazzi in the entertainment circle were very sensitive.

    If there were paparazzi outside at this moment and they got photographed, things would escte.

    With the worldpetition imminent, if Lin Yun were to be caught fighting, he would definitely be banned frompeting.

    Lin Yun¡¯s gaze was fixed on the cut on Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, his fists clenched until the veins stood out, cursing angrily.

    "Go back my ass! If I went back now, I¡¯d truly be the coward they say I am."

    His tolerance had reached its limit when he saw Qiao Jing getting injured, and he rushed out immediately.

    He couldn¡¯t stand these people any longer. Initially, he had cut ties with them because he saw how Green Hair and the others bullied the weak and feared the strong,mitted robbery, assaulted girls, and all sorts of viiny. That¡¯s why he broke contact with the group.

    Even if his manager hadn¡¯t taken him to the club, he still would have left the gang.

    Qiao Jing, with tightly furrowed brows, dodged an iing bottle and kicked away the offender¡¯s hand.

    "I said, go back! You¡¯ll get banned¡ª"

    Her words were cut off mid-sentence by Lin Yun.

    "I¡¯ll get banned from thepetition, right? So be it! Do you really expect me to just watch you bleeding and fighting?! What kind of man would I be then?!!"

    While speaking, he grabbed the two underlings who were about to rush Qiao Jing, and without a word, he lifted his fists and smashed them hard into their faces.

    "I¡¯ve already hit someone, it¡¯s useless to stop now, don¡¯t get in my way!"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and sighed helplessly.

    But Lin Yun had already hit someone, further intervention was useless.

    All she could do now was hope there were no paparazzi outside.

    Lin Yun¡¯s fists struck the faces of two men, focusing most of his energy on the one who had thrown the bottle at Qiao Jing.

    "Saying your dad is a coward, huh?! I¡¯ll see to it that I cripple you today, let¡¯s see who the real coward is!"

    Luckily the manager, worried they would be potbellied from gaming all day without exercise, specially requested they train regrly at the gym.

    Otherwise, right now he might not have had enough strength to fight these people who usually ran amok, vandalizing and looting.

    With two opponents down, Qiao Jing had an easier time, handling the next two with ease.

    Soon, all of Green Hair¡¯s people wereid out on the ground.

    Qiao Jing slowly approached Green Hair and stepped on him, pinning him to the ground.

    Green Hair, having witnessed the whole thing, stared at Qiao Jing in horror, his face covered in fear and his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

    "What... what do you want?!"

    He hadn¡¯t expected a woman to be so skilled inbat, to have taken down most of them by herself?

    And they had even used all their techniques in fighting her, they had even taken up weapons, but still, they were all beaten down?!

    At this point, he even doubted the years they¡¯d spent together,pletely humiliated by this woman!

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, which were as dark as a deep pool, there was a tone devoid of emotion that inexplicably caused a chilling fear to rise from the depths of one¡¯s heart.

    "Nothing much, just sending you where you belong."

    Just as Qiao Jing finished speaking, the sound of police sirens wailed.

    Green Hair, rattled by Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, felt a cold shiver travel from his spine to the top of his head.

    He shuddered violently but was too frightened to move.

    However, the approaching sound of sirens made him want to scramble to his feet and flee, but Qiao Jing was holding him down firmly, and he couldn¡¯t even muster the strength to crawl.

    He clenched his teeth and cursed.

    "Pah! You damn bitch, don¡¯t think for a second that I¡¯m scared of you! If I go in today, once I get out, I¡¯ll make you regret it for the rest of your life!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows lightly lifted, as the air around her seemed to drop in temperature, as though it could freeze everything solid.

    "Really? I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever see the light of day in this lifetime."

    No sooner had she spoken than a series of rapid yet orderly footsteps came from the entrance of the barbecue restaurant, followed by a dozen police officers marching in briskly.

    The officers were momentarily taken aback by the sight of everyone knocked out on the ground, as well as the injured Qiao Jing and Lin Yun.

    The leading officer quickly approached Qiao Jing, while the others took out handcuffs and cuffed Green Hair and hispanions on the ground.

    "Ma¡¯am, where¡¯s the person who called the police? Also, regarding your injuries, we weren¡¯t informed that anyone was hurt when we were dispatched, so we didn¡¯t call an ambnce. We have contacted one now, and an officer will escort you to the hospital once it arrives!"

    Qiao Jing shook her head, leaning wearily against the wall.

    "No need, I can deal with it at home."

    Now she finally had a moment to inspect her wounds and saw that fragments of the beer bottle had embedded themselves in her flesh.

    Frowning slightly, she pressed a few acupressure points to slow the bleeding.

    Green Hair hadn¡¯t quite grasped what Qiao Jing said before he was dragged away, glowering at her venomously.

    "What do you mean I¡¯ll never get out?! Bullshit! This incident won¡¯t keep me locked up for long, you believe I could be out next week?!"

    No sooner had he spoken than the police officer sternly interrupted him.

    "Shut up! You are a suspected criminal!"

 Chapter 568 - 557: Lin Yunéˆ¥æªš Assault Exposed, Banned from Competing!

    <h4>Chapter 568: Chapter 557: Lin Yun¡¯s Assault Exposed, Banned from Competing!</h4>

    Green Hair finally shut his mouth and nced at his brothers who had been knocked unconscious before looking at Qiao Jing.

    Before he was taken into the police car, thest thing he saw in his line of sight was Qiao Jing, whose wound was still bleeding profusely, yet her silhouette remained upright.

    Just wait! Once he gets out, you¡¯ll see!

    Zeng Xiangyang and Old Yang rushed out from the kitchen, looking worriedly at Qiao Jing¡¯s wound.

    Old Yang began rummaging through the cabs in the store, trying to find a first aid kit. He then suddenly remembered that because they never used a first aid kit in the store, it had been thrown out somewhere and forgotten.

    "Sorry, I haven¡¯t used a first aid kit in so long that I don¡¯t remember where it is," he said.

    Qiao Jing managed to muster a weak smile.

    "It¡¯s okay."

    She couldn¡¯t go back immediately now. She needed to rest a bit and regain some strength before she could make it back; otherwise, it would be troublesome if she fainted on the way.

    Zeng Xiangyang was so nervous that he was sweating profusely, and his speech became stuttered.

    "Master! Are you alright? I, I, I¡¯ve called an ambnce!! It¡¯s over... it¡¯s over... Cousin is definitely going to be angry... Master, cousin is currently in the neighboring district, not here, he¡¯s on his way back now."

    He had sent a message to his cousin while in the kitchen, but his cousin was currently in another district discussing a partnership and wouldn¡¯t be able to make it back anytime soon, although he was already on his way back.

    If he told his cousin that his master was injured, his cousin would definitely hop on a helicopter and fly straight back!

    Qiao Jing shook her head and reached out to partially cover her wound.

    "No need for the hospital, I can handle it myself at home."

    This minor injury, she could handle by herself at home. If she went to the hospital, and Zhan Qipei found out, she would definitely end up hospitalized.

    Moreover, this time was different from the past. There had never been any external injuries before, but now that there was bleeding, Zhan Qipei would not just want her to stay in the hospital; he would insist on a full body examination.

    So, it was better to handle the wound herself at home before Zhan Qipei returned, to reassure him; otherwise, she was certain to be sent to the hospital immediately.

    Upon hearing this, Lin Yun¡¯s temper red up, and he punched the wall.

    "Qiao Jing! You¡¯re bleeding and you still want to handle it yourself at home? Do you think you¡¯re that skilled in medicine?! Can you really handle such a wound by yourself? With all those ss shards inside, each one you pull out is going to hurt like hell, and it¡¯s even more inconvenient with just one hand. Stop talking and go to the hospital now!"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently and pursed her red lips.

    "I said, I can handle it myself."

    Lin Yun¡¯s expression grew even grimmer, and just as he was about to continue persuading Qiao Jing, he caught a glimpse of someone at the door holding a camera through the corner of his eye.

    He wanted to get a clear look at the person, but in the next second, the person had disappeared.

    He frowned, already guessing who it might be.

    "Qiao Jing, a paparazzo snapped a photo."

    The expressions of everyone present darkened simultaneously when they heard this.

    Zeng Xiangyang, with a face full of concern, clutched Lin Yun¡¯s clothes nervously.

    "What do we do now? If the paparazzo exposes this, it will be disastrous! Lin Yun, you¡¯ll be banned frompeting!"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly, a chill spreading across her eyes.

    "Lin Yun, I told you not to get involved. It¡¯s already happened, let¡¯s not talk about that now. We need to find that paparazzo."

    She actually hadn¡¯t wanted Lin Yun, that reckless kid, to get involved from the start. But the reckless kid just wouldn¡¯t listen and suddenly rushed out to fight for her.

    Now that they¡¯d been captured by a paparazzo, if the person sought money to delete the photos, there might still be a chance to salvage the situation. But if the paparazzo went public, it would affect Lin Yun¡¯spetition prospects.

    However...

    Suddenly, a phrase from Old Yang sprang to mind.

    It wasn¡¯t like there was no solution.

    Lin Yun clicked his tongue and furrowed his brows.

    "Troublesome, if you don¡¯t want to fight, then don¡¯t. There¡¯ll be other chances next time."

    Qiao Jing could see the deep-seated regret hidden in Lin Yun¡¯s face, her eyes narrowing as she pursed her red lips.

    "Lin Yun, you¡¯re a professional yer too. You should know that at your age, it¡¯s the golden time. If you miss it, it¡¯s missed."

    She had never wanted to drag Lin Yun into this matter, but the situation had be so urgent, and she understood why this impetuous kid had got involved.

    Yet she felt sorry for Lin Yun. Fortunately, there was another solution.

    Zeng Xiangyang quickly chimed in:

    "Yes! Lin Yun, why don¡¯t you contact the manager to discuss this matter? The paparazzi definitely want money, they probably won¡¯t go public directly. If they use the photos to threaten, that would be even better. Plus, it was self-defense, we definitely have the right side!"

    After the troublemakers were taken away in the police car, the lead police officer approached Qiao Jing.

    "Ma¡¯am, we should take you to the hospital now, and afterward, pleasee with us to make a statement."

    Qiao Jing knit her brows tight and nced at the injuries on her body.

    "Sorry, I¡¯llplete the statement tomorrow. I need to go home and treat my wounds now."

    After she pressed a few acupoints, the bleeding had stopped.

    What she needed to do now was go home, remove the ss shards from her wound, and disinfect it before Zhan Qipei got back.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing insisted on going home, the officer had no choice but to let her go.

    "Alright, ma¡¯am, then we¡¯ll take the suspects away for now. We¡¯ll contact you if there are any issues."

    Qiao Jing nodded, took out her phone, and noticed that it was full of messages and missed calls from Zhan Qipei.

    To reassure Zhan Qipei, she opened their chat and sent him a message of safety.

    After taking care of everything, just as she was about to call a taxi home, she noticed that Lin Yun¡¯s phone began to vibrate intensely.

    Qiao Jing had a hunch.

    At this time, it was likely the manager calling.

    Lin Yun took out his phone and looked at it. Upon seeing the caller was the manager, he gritted his teeth and hesitated for a moment before he answered.

    Before he could say anything, the manager¡¯s roar came through the phone.

    "Lin Yun! What the hell were you thinking? Getting into a fight over a barbecue? Now the suspension notice hase straight down. What do you expect us to do? I shouldn¡¯t have let you go for that barbecue. Hurry back to the club! The worldpetition is nearly here, and you¡¯ve just gotten yourself suspended!!"

    Even though Lin Yun hadn¡¯t put the call on speaker, Qiao Jing and the others could still hear the manager¡¯s voice, incredibly loud.

    With foresight, Lin Yun held the phone far away as he answered, sparing his ears from torture.

    He remained silent, staring nkly at the call log.

    He truly hadn¡¯t expected his suspension notice to arrive so quickly.

    The call didn¡¯t end there; the manager continued to speak.

 Chapter 569 - 558 The Weary Zhan Qipei

    <h4>Chapter 569: Chapter 558 The Weary Zhan Qipei</h4>

    "Don¡¯t stay silent, hurry up and tell me what happened. The photo of you hitting someone has already been leaked, and Miss Qiao also appears in it, but her face wasn¡¯t captured,"

    The manager was clearly only able to speak these words after calming down, and Lin Yun wasn¡¯t so nervous anymore.

    "They started the trouble first, we were acting in legitimate defense,"

    The manager couldn¡¯t help but let out a curse.

    "Damn it! How do you guys always end up in these situations?! The people at the management are probably doing this on purpose. Not even a few minutes after the photo got out, your suspension notice came down. Those stuffed shirts aren¡¯t doing what they should be, just focusing on you guys. Forget it, forget it, just take Miss Qiao to the hospital first, thene back and deal with this mess with us."

    Lin Yun uttered a "hmm" and then hastily hung up the phone.

    He felt incredibly frustrated, not having a clue whether he would be able topete in the worldpetition, and now he was already being penalized.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Lin Yun, seeing the disheartened look on the face of the troublemaker and tightly pursed her red lips.

    "Lin Yun, you go back to the club first, I need to go home and treat my wound."

    She took a second nce at Zeng Xiangyang, who was clearly anxious, and reminded him.

    "I¡¯ve called two cars, Zeng Xiangyang is going out with me. I can¡¯t take you home right now."

    Zeng Xiangyang uttered a nk "oh" twice, clutching his phone tightly, inadvertently catching sight of the wound on Qiao Jing¡¯s arm again.

    "Master, are you really going to treat your wound by yourself? My cousin still doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re injured because when I sent the message, you hadn¡¯t been shed yet. What are we going to do? If only we had chosen somewhere else to eat..."

    Qiao Jing freed her uninjured hand and rubbed Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s head, leading the kid to the other car nearby.

    "It¡¯s okay, you go ahead. Just contact me if you need anything."

    Luckily, Zhan Qipei still didn¡¯t know she was injured. After treating her wound upon returning, she would be able to keep it from him.

    But she had better get home before Zhan Qipei does.

    Zeng Xiangyang got into the car with a worried face and even stuck his head out of the window before driving off.

    "Master! Let me know when you get home! Next time we won¡¯t go to a roadside barbecue stall!!!"

    Qiao Jing nodded and watched Zeng Xiangyang leave.

    After seeing Zeng Xiangyang off, she turned to look at Lin Yun and Old Yang.

    "Boss, I¡¯ll be going then, and you, Lin Yun, hurry back, don¡¯t make the manager worry."

    For the first time, she really wished she had wings to fly straight home, to keep the whole matter under wraps.

    Otherwise, that dog of a man Zhan Qipei would start another round of his overblown reactions.

    As for Lin Yun¡¯s matter, she would handle it as quickly as possible.

    Since the paparazzi chose to expose the photo directly, she would have to take another approach, a more correct and effective one than buying off the photos, but it would take a bit of time.

    Old Yang didn¡¯t dare dy Qiao Jing¡¯s wound treatment and nodded continuously.

    "Miss Qiao, you better go and treat your wound. I¡¯ll have to strengthen the management of the club, no riffraff will be allowed in."

    Lin Yun didn¡¯t speak and silently followed behind Qiao Jing, escorting her to another taxi.

    Seeing that Lin Yun showed no sign of leaving, Qiao Jing stopped and turned back to look at him.

    "Why are you still following me?"

    Lin Yun¡¯s footsteps halted, and he crossed his arms.

    "Who says I¡¯m following you? Is there a problem with my car being here too?"

    Qiao Jing nced at the empty street, cleared out as the police conducted their business.

    "Okay."

    She discovered that this brat Lin Yun was not only venomous with words but also stubborn.

    Aside from the taxi she hailed, there were no other vehicles on the street, yet he insisted he was going her way.

    But she couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue about such things; she just wanted to hurry home and take care of her wound.

    Qiao Jing got into the car without further conversation with Lin Yun.

    As the car was about to start, Lin Yun reluctantly spoke up.

    "Remember... take care of that wound quickly, and if it doesn¡¯t get better, go to the hospital. Don¡¯t try to be tough."

    He really didn¡¯t want to say this; if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that Qiao Jing was injured because of him, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about her at all.

    Qiao Jing responded with a "Hmm" and rolled up the window.

    Nantai Apartment.

    Standing in front of her door, Qiao Jing hesitated, peering through the crack to make sure the lights inside were off, then sighed in relief.

    Fortunately, she had made it back before Zhan Qipei got home; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been good for him to find out.

    Qiao Jing quickly unlocked the door with her fingerprint, and just as she was about to step inside, she saw, in the dim light from the hallway, a man¡¯s figure half-hidden in the darkness.

    She was startled for a moment, barely recognizing who it was.

    "Zhan Qipei?"

    After all, the man with hair tousled by the wind, a wrinkled suit, and sweat-soaked bangs clinging to his forehead was nothing like the usual Zhan Qipei.

    It reminded her of the time she was hospitalized, when the man had rushed over in the same weary state as now.

    She had been curious why Zhan Qipei had arrived home before her, but seeing his current state, she understood.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing unharmed in front of him, the worry that knitted his brow eased, and without a word, he pulled her into his embrace.

    "Thank goodness you¡¯re okay... I¡¯m sorry, something came up during the meeting tonight, I had to go to the neighboring district to sign a contract, and I came backte."

    Qiao Jing could feel Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart pounding wildly and the scent of his hormones.

    She wanted to respond to his words, to not make him feel so guilty, but...

    But the arm Zhan Qipei had wrapped around her touched her wound, pushing the ss shards deeper, causing her so much pain that she involuntarily inhaled sharply and couldn¡¯t speak.

    "Hiss¡ª"

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp intake of breath, Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements stiffened, and he quickly let go.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Before Qiao Jing could reply, he felt a warm dampness on his shirt. ncing at the shirt and spotting blood, his brows furrowed deeply.

    Seeing the blood on his shirt, Zhan Qipei immediately knew where Qiao Jing¡¯s wound was and looked up at her.

    In his gazey an open wound, the blood around it dried, yet the cut looked fierce.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes turned grave in an instant, his entire demeanor became tinged with a heavy atmosphere.

    "How did this happen? Did they hurt you when they got physical?"

    To avoid dying the treatment of the wound, he closed the door behind them without dy and led Qiao Jing into the living room.

 Chapter 570 - 559: Qiao Jing Took Off His Clothes Initiative

    <h4>Chapter 570: Chapter 559: Qiao Jing Took Off His Clothes Initiative</h4>

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together with a hint of resignation and did not speak right away.

    It seemed that she couldn¡¯t keep it from Zhan Qipei after all.

    Zhan Qipei had Qiao Jing sit on the sofa, immediately found the first-aid kit, and sat down beside her.

    When he leaned in and saw the wound on Qiao Jing¡¯s skin clearly, his brows furrowed even tighter.

    "Why is there ss?"

    He had originally thought the wound might just be a scrape that could be disinfected and bandaged, but now upon closer examination, he noticed small andrge shards of ss embedded in it.

    However, the first-aid kit did not have any tweezers to remove the ss fragments from the wound.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s deeply knotted brows and began to speak slowly:

    "An ident, I didn¡¯t expect to get hurt either. For the tweezers, go to my room, you¡¯ll find them in the first-aid kit under the desk."

    Her intention had been to treat her injury herself and then act uninjured when Zhan Qipei came back, pretending that it was just a minor conflict.

    But when she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s travel-worn appearance, clearly distressed on her behalf, a softened spot in her heart was touched, causing a stir in the depths of her eyes.

    She knew that Zhan Qipei was someone who normally cared a great deal about his appearance.

    However, now for her sake, he had repeatedly neglected his image.

    She couldn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t moved, she wouldn¡¯t even believe herself.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes sank again, but he didn¡¯t stay to ask questions right then and instead went to Qiao Jing¡¯s room. After quickly finding the tweezers, he hurried out and sat down beside her again.

    While treating Qiao Jing¡¯s wound, a sense of guilt surged in his chest.

    "Who did this? Are you injured anywhere else? Shall I take you to the hospital for a full-body check? Can you not dine with Lin Yun anymore? The two times you went to eat with him, both times there were incidents."

    If he had known this would happen again, he wouldn¡¯t have let Qiao Jing go out, or he would have apanied her.

    He shouldn¡¯t have gone to deal with the contract in the next district at this time.

    He had clearly promised before not to let such things happen again, yet now it had happened again, and just likest time, he couldn¡¯t make it back in time.

    Qiao Jing had long been ustomed to Zhan Qipei¡¯s barrage of questions and had expected him to suggest taking her to the hospital.

    "Don¡¯t worry about this, I will take care of it, I¡¯m not injured anywhere else, and Lin Yun didn¡¯t want this to happen either, both times were idents."

    She had already indirectly caused Lin Yun to be suspended. She would take care of this matter soon and didn¡¯t need Zhan Qipei¡¯s help because she could handle it herself.

    As for Zhan Qipei¡¯s suggestion not to dine with Lin Yun, she knew he was cing the me on Lin Yun.

    After all, every meal she had with Lin Yun had been eventful, so it was understandable that Zhan Qipei was worried about her going out to eat with Lin Yun again.

    Nheless, both incidents were indeed idental, so she wouldn¡¯t stop dining with Lin Yun because of this.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows gathered like mist-covered mountains; he began gently extracting the ss fragments from Qiao Jing¡¯s wound.

    However, while removing the ss, he identally caught her clothes several times.

    After a moment of hesitation, Zhan Qipei spoke up.

    "Could you pull down your clothes a bit? It¡¯s difficult to treat the wound like this."

    Qiao Jing looked at her wound and tried to roll the sleeve up to her shoulder.

    But since the long-sleeved top she wore was somewhat tight-fitting, the sleeve wouldn¡¯t go past her elbow.

    Her movements stalled, and she reluctantly pulled her clothes back down.

    Zhan Qipei also noticed that the sleeve cuff couldn¡¯t bepletely pulled up and furrowed his brows.

    "I¡¯ll go find some scissors to cut it."

    At this moment, he couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing take off her clothes just to treat the wound more conveniently.

    Otherwise, he definitely couldn¡¯t focus on treating the woman¡¯s wound.

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing knitted her finely arched eyebrows and pursed her red lips.

    "No way."

    The clothes she was wearing were rtively new, only a little torn by the bottle, which she could sew up and make look as good as new.

    If it were cut with scissors, the hole would berger and harder to mend.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, then pulled down her cor slightly, revealing her shoulder and the wound.

    "This way is more convenient, no need to cut."

    She still wanted to wear that piece of clothing for a while, so it couldn¡¯t just be cut and ruined.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t expect Qiao Jing to actually pull down her cor and was taken aback. Upon seeing the delicate skin of the woman¡¯s shoulder and the wound, his eyes immediately darkened.

    The slightly fierce wound looked particrly jarring against the woman¡¯s fair skin.

    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he sat down next to Qiao Jing again, striving to concentrate and carefully extracted the ss shards from her wound.

    "If it hurts, tell me, and I¡¯ll be more gentle."

    Qiao Jing let out a faint "Mhm" and paid him no more mind, quietly allowing Zhan Qipei to treat her wound.

    To her, this was not a serious injury at all. Earlier, she had involuntarily cried out only because Zhan Qipei had pressed down on it, otherwise she might have been able to keep it a secret.

    The living room remained quiet, and Zhan Qipei could even more keenly smell the fragrance emanating from the woman. His dark eyes sank, and his throat became somewhat dry.

    But when he smelled a trace of blood in the air, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, realizing he had almost been distracted.

    He immediately suppressed his restless thoughts, pulled his mind back, and continued to tend to Qiao Jing¡¯s wound.

    After he had removed all the ss shards from the wound and ced them on the table, the temperature around Zhan Qipei dropped another degree.

    "Who did this? I¡¯ll take care of it for you."

    There were at least a dozen pieces of ss embedded in Qiao Jing¡¯s flesh!

    He wouldn¡¯t let go of anyone who hurt Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing frowned, looking down at the man¡¯s hands carefully dressing her wound.

    "No need, I can handle it myself, don¡¯t worry."

    She could take care of it on her own, plus she happened to know some things Green Hair and his group had done, which would help her gather evidence more effectively.

    Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly felt a tingling sensation on her shoulder.

    Qiao Jing looked down towards Zhan Qipei and noticed that his hands had be somewhat clumsy, asionally touching her shoulder.

    With her shoulder now exposed to the air,bined with Zhan Qipei¡¯s fingertips, which were slightly calloused, she couldn¡¯t help but shrink her shoulder.

    "Zhan Qipei, can you hurry up?"

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei felt a bitterness he could not express. He wanted to hurry, but¡ª

 Chapter 571 - 560: Zhan Qipei is Going to Help Qiao Jing Bathe Again

    <h4>Chapter 571: Chapter 560: Zhan Qipei is Going to Help Qiao Jing Bathe Again</h4>

    While dressing the wound, his gaze kept drifting unconsciously onto Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate shoulders.

    The moment he saw her, his mind also began to uncontrobly ripple.

    But as soon as he remembered he was treating Qiao Jing¡¯s wound, he halted his thoughts.

    However, now as he was tying the bandages around Qiao Jing¡¯s wound, his hands asionally touched her exposed shoulder, making his movements increasingly clumsy.

    Qiao Jing cast her eyes downward and took the bandage from Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    "I can dress it myself."

    If she continued to experience Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands caressing her, she might not be able to help shivering.

    Given Zhan Qipei¡¯s nature as a scoundrel, he might even consider some wicked ideas.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips slightly, took the bandage back from Qiao Jing, and focused on dressing her wound carefully.

    "All right, are you sure you don¡¯t need my help with this?"

    He just wanted Qiao Jing to rest properly, he could take care of this matter himself.

    Thest batch of people who had confronted Qiao Jing were now imprisoned for life, and now these people had hurt Qiao Jing; he was determined to make them face even harsher consequences than before.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head as she spoke, pulling out her phone and logging into Weibo.

    "Hmm, I¡¯ll handle it myself."

    She opened her Weibo to see what the situation had escted into online.

    Last time, simply because of the rumors, she already attracted a lot of attention; this time, the suspension might cause that number to double.

    Upon opening Weibo, the top trending item was Lin Yun being suspended for assault.

    Qiao Jing clicked on Lin Yun¡¯s trending topic, which redirected her to another page.

    The first thing at the top was a photo of Lin Yun assaulting someone, and she narrowed her eyes slightly, recognizing the person in the photo as the one who had injured her with a bottle.

    At that moment, theckey had been beaten to a point where he could no longer fight back, so it appeared as if Lin Yun was unterally assaulting someone.

    Because it was seen from such an angle, everyone thought that Lin Yun had initiated the fight, and he had beaten someone who waspletely defenseless.

    However, in the next second after the photograph was taken, Lin Yun had already stopped because theckey couldn¡¯t move anymore, and this paparazzi intentionally released this photo, clearly with malicious intent.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and continued scrolling, seeing a notice about Lin Yun¡¯s suspension from the league.

    She clicked on the suspension notice, nced at thement section, and saw that it was mostly full of criticism towards Lin Yun.

    "I¡¯ve always said that Lin Yun is only good at gaming, he¡¯s got such a terrible temper, and now look, he¡¯s been exposed for assaulting someone, suspended huh?"

    "Although I¡¯m indifferent about Lin Yun, hitting others is simply wrong, and the person in the picture can¡¯t even move, yet Lin Yun kept hitting him ¡ª clearly, he intended to gravely injure."

    "I am a fan of Lin Yun, and I can¡¯t believe he would do something like hitting someone. Even though he gets uptight at times, I never thought he would resort to violence. I¡¯m unfollowing him."

    "Don¡¯t get so happy, who would hit someone for no reason? Isn¡¯t that crazy? Plus, Lin Yun himself must know, given that he¡¯s a professional yer about topete internationally, that he wouldn¡¯t initiate a fight, do you think he¡¯s stupid?"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing clicked on thement defending Lin Yun and saw that everyone below was cursing at this person.

    She pursed her red lips, exited Weibo, and sent a message to her subordinates.

    While she was on Weibo, Zhan Qipei had been sticking close by her side, refusing to leave.

    Qiao Jing, feeling somewhat helpless, rubbed her temples and cast a nce at Zhan Qipei.

    "Go do your own thing, I¡¯m fine now."

    She now had to deal with Lin Yun¡¯s assault overnight, the sooner the better.

    Otherwise, the online public opinion would ferment and be more severe, and she didn¡¯t know if that troublemaker Lin Yun had seen it.

    In her mind, she could automatically envision Lin Yun seeing thesements, her face turning bright red with anger, and cursing loudly.

    Qiao Jing then messaged Zeng Xiangyang and Lin Yun to assure them of her safety and contacted the club manager before she put away her phone.

    Zhan Qipei frowned tightly, his brows filled with deep concern.

    "It won¡¯t do, you¡¯re injured, the wound can¡¯t touch water, how are you going to batheter?"

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing looked up at the man.

    "Can¡¯t I just wrap it up? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re suggesting to help me bathe again?"

    Zhan Qipei nodded seriously and said earnestly,

    "Yes, I¡¯m worried that bathing alone might get the wound wet."

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently and stood up to take stic wrap out, carefully covering the bandaged wound.

    "Go handle your own matters, I can manage by myself."

    She knew that whenever bathing was mentioned, this damn man wouldn¡¯t say anything appropriate.

    It had been the same before. Even if there was a minor cut, no matter how small, this damn man confidently told her he¡¯d help her bathe.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips pressed into a tight, curveless line as he stared intently at the wound on Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder and said emphatically,

    "No, I promise I won¡¯t think of anything else."

    He hade backte already; now he should be even more attentive to Qiao Jing.

    If Qiao Jing identally wet the wound at home and it got infected, his negligence would be even more pronounced.

    After all, it was hisck of care for Qiao Jing; he didn¡¯t want that kind of incident to happen.

    Qiao Jing became increasingly speechless, pulled a face, then got up to get her change of clothes and quickly entered the bathroom, locking Zhan Qipei out.

    The cut on her body was neither severe nor trivial, but on closer inspection, it looked somewhat serious.

    After all, ss shards had lodged into the wound, so it was natural for Zhan Qipei to be so anxious.

    But to her, such injuries were minor. She had suffered more severe injuries in a few idents before and had been able to manage them herself, so she didn¡¯t really take this injury to heart.

    Zhan Qipei, isted outside the bathroom, didn¡¯t leave and stood by the door.

    "If you need anything, call me, I¡¯m right outside."

    Qiao Jing nced at the frosted ss door, behind which stood a tall and upright dark silhouette.

    She pursed her red lips and turned on the shower.

    Zhan Qipei stood quietly outside the door, listening to the soft sound of water from the bathroom, automatically picturing what it looked like inside at the moment.

    He swallowed, feeling an intense restlessness building inside him.

    Realizing that his thoughts were straying, he immediately pulled his mind back, but the image of applying medicine on Qiao Jing earlier surfaced in his mind again.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, and he nced back at the bathroom.

    "Qiao Jing, I have some unfinished work, I¡¯ll go back to my room first."

    If he stayed any longer, Qiao Jing would realize something was off the moment she came out.

 Chapter 572 - 561: Qiao Jing Is a Big Shot

    <h4>Chapter 572: Chapter 561: Qiao Jing Is a Big Shot</h4>

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "Mm," watching the silhouette at the door leave.

    A trace of confusion crossed the depths of her eyes. Why was Zhan Qipei so amenable today?

    But it was better that he had gone, or else she would have felt uneasy showering with someone standing guard outside.

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t head to the research institute as usual but went straight to the police station instead.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow, dense as mountain mists, furrowed deeply, his dark eyes filled with worry.

    "I¡¯ll go with you."

    He truly didn¡¯t trust Qiao Jing to handle these matters alone, even though he knew his wife was capable of handling them herself.

    However, Qiao Jing was injured now, and if she went to deal with various affairs at the police station, he worried it would be too much for her.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her eyebrows and nced sideways at the man.

    "No need, I can handle it myself. Don¡¯t you trust me?"

    The information she had her subordinates investigate yesterday had alreadye out. Now she only needed to provide the evidence to the police.

    The evidence in her possession could ensure that Green Hair and his ilk would never be able to walk free again, and it could even get them the death penalty.

    After all, what Green Hair and the others had done seriously vited thew.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, looking at Qiao Jing with eyes filled with concern.

    "I trust you, of course, I trust you. But won¡¯t making a statement be problematic? I can handle it for you; you should go home and rest."

    He had intended to have Qiao Jing stay home and recover these few days. If not for the need to give a statement, he wouldn¡¯t have let her out.

    Qiao Jing, somewhat speechless, twitched the corners of her mouth and looked down at her wound.

    "It¡¯s just a statement, it will be over quickly. You should go to the office. Besides, making a statement requires the presence of the parties involved. You¡¯re not me; how can you make the statement for me?"

    This injury won¡¯t affect her daily life, and she could still go to work as usual, let alone do something as simple as giving a statement.

    Moreover, the medicine she applied yesterday was concocted by herself, and the wound had already started healing. It wouldn¡¯t take many days before it would scab over, nothing like what Zhan Qipei was making it out to be.

    Zhan Qipei frowned tightly, still unwilling to leave until a ring of a phone broke the silence.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate eyebrows lifted slightly as she reached out to push Zhan Qipei into the car.

    She knew who would be calling at this time. It was none other than Tang Yan rushing Zhan Qipei to work.

    Because they had already left the house prettyte this morning, and by now, it was time for Zhan Qipei to start work.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing reaching out to push him, quickly dodged her hand, his expression fraught with worry:

    "I can get in the car myself. Be careful with your wound; don¡¯t strain yourself. What if the wound reopens?"

    Qiao Jing nodded in approval, seeing how self-aware Zhan Qipei was.

    "The wound will heal in a few days; no need to worry so much."

    Just as she was about to help Zhan Qipei close the car door, he swiftly pulled it shut before her with a loud "Bang!"

    Qiao Jing promptly released the car handle; otherwise, given the speed and force with which Zhan Qipei had closed the door, she might have been pulled along a few steps forwards.

    This darn man seemed really afraid she would help him close the car door...

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t leave immediately, hanging up on Tang Yan¡¯s call, his gaze intently following Qiao Jing.

    "You go inside first; I¡¯ll watch you enter."

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, exasperated. Was Zhan Qipei treating her like a child now?

    Watching her enter the police station to give her statement was the only way he¡¯d feel at ease?

    Without further attention to Zhan Qipei, she walked briskly into the police station.

    Only after watching Qiao Jing enter the police station did Zhan Qipei drive away.

    Inside the police station.

    Qiao Jing nced at the police officersing and going around her, who seemed to be busy with something.

    One of the officers managing the case from yesterday spotted Qiao Jing and immediately walked over.

    "Miss Qiao, if you need to provide a statement now, you¡¯ll have to wait a bit because our leader has unexpectedly arrived. I¡¯m very sorry, we need to attend to the leader first and the other officers are out on duty, so we¡¯re short-staffed at the moment."

    "May I meet your leader? I have very important evidence rted to yesterday¡¯s case."

    Qiao Jing knew who this leader was; Captain Zhao had made a special trip back to the capital from out of town just for the case rted to her from yesterday.

    The officer frowned and shook his head:

    "Sorry, Miss Qiao, it¡¯s not very convenient for our leader to meet with you right now as he has other important matters to attend to. And if you wish to meet with the leader to discuss this, I don¡¯t know how long you would have to wait."

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "hmm" and nced in the direction of the conference room.

    "I know, Captain Zhao came back for my case from yesterday, which is why I insist on meeting him directly."

    The officer was stunned for a moment and stared at Qiao Jing for quite some time.

    "You¡¯re not joking with me, are you?"

    Although he had received a message from Captain Zhao yesterday stating that today he would be meeting a very important person, this woman in front of him didn¡¯t seem like someone who would require a personal reception by Captain Zhao.

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, the officer¡¯s cell phone suddenly rang.

    "Hello, Captain Zhao! What can I do for you?"

    The deep voice of Captain Zhao came through.

    "Has Miss Qiao arrived?"

    The officer looked towards Qiao Jing and replied immediately:

    "She has, but we¡¯re short on manpower since some colleagues went out to work and others are with you. We can¡¯t spare anyone to take Miss Qiao¡¯s statement at the moment."

    As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a loud "bang!" from the other end of the line, as if someone had pped their hand down on a desk.

    Then came Captain Zhao¡¯s voice, filled with anger.

    "Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!!"

    The officer was startled and asked in confusion.

    "Captain Zhao? What¡¯s wrong?"

    After dropping a brief sentence, Captain Zhao hung up the phone.

    "You are all muddled! I¡¯ming out to personally receive Miss Qiao right now!!"

    When the officer heard the busy tone on the phone, he stood there bbergasted.

    He dumbly stared at his cell phone, then at Qiao Jing, who was sitting nearby.

    "Captain Zhao???"

    It was the first time he had ever seen Captain Zhao so agitated and even lose his temper like that.

    And he even said he¡¯de out to personally meet Miss Qiao?

    Could it be that Miss Qiao is the important person Captain Zhao had referred to?

    While he was pondering this, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind.

    Turning around, the officer saw Captain Zhao rushing out of the conference room and heading straight towards Qiao Jing.

    Immediately after, he witnessed¡ª

    ¡ªCaptain Zhao was exceptionally courteous towards Miss Qiao, and his usually stern face actually had a smile on it?!!

    Was he seeing things?!

    Was Captain Zhao, the Chief of the Capital¡¯s Bureau, really being so gracious towards a woman?

    He could now be certain that Miss Qiao was the important person Captain Zhao had been talking about.

 Chapter 573 - 562 Captain Zhao Personally Welcomes Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 573: Chapter 562 Captain Zhao Personally Wees Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing saw Captain Zhaoing out and stood up from the sofa.

    "Captain Zhao."

    Captain Zhao¡¯s face showed a respectful smile as he slightly bowed.

    "Miss Qiao, good morning! I apologize for keeping you waiting so long. I¡¯ll take care of the statement for you, and about the other evidence you mentionedst night, please tell me the details."

    "Captain Zhao, we are old friends, no need to be so polite. As for the statement and evidence, shall we discuss it in your office?"

    Immediately, Captain Zhao nodded, "Yes, yes, after you please."

    He had returned overnight by flight from a business trip after he found out that the case involved Qiao Jing and that she had been injured.

    To think that Qiao Jing was a pir of the nation, a vital figure, even a minor incident involving her was a loss to the nation.

    Moreover, this was in the capital. If anything happened to Qiao Jing and they did not handle it promptly, it would be their dereliction of duty!

    The utterly confused policemen watched as Captain Zhao respectfully apanied Qiao Jing into the conference room, leaving him standing there with a nk expression.

    Given Captain Zhao¡¯s demeanor, Miss Qiao¡¯s status might be more significant than he had imagined; otherwise, Captain Zhao would not be so respectful.

    No wonder Captain Zhao had been so furious earlier, calling him foolish.

    But¡ª

    He was extremely curious as to who exactly Qiao Jing was?

    Inside the conference room.

    Qiao Jing did not beat around the bush but went straight to the point, taking out the folder she had brought and cing it on the table.

    "I trust Captain Zhao has already reviewed the surveince footage from the barbecue restaurantst night. It was entirely those people¡¯s fault; we were acting in self-defense."

    Her visit this time was not only to ensure that Green Hair and his group faced thew but also for another more important matter.

    This morning, she had not forgotten to check Weibo and found that the number of people condemning Lin Yun had increased, and the club¡¯s Weibo page was inundated withments fromizens.

    She had contacted the manager yesterday, instructing the club to not respond yet, but to stay calm and wait for her to handle the matter today.

    Thus, her primary purpose today was to have the police issue a statement rifying that Lin Yun had acted in self-defense and had done so to protect her.

    The injuries on her body were proof of this.

    Fearing he might show insufficient haste, Captain Zhao quickly nodded, took the folder from Qiao Jing, and as he opened it, he said:

    "Yes, we have reviewed the surveince, andst night during the statement taking, they were all denying it, saying you started it. But once we showed them the surveince footage, they couldn¡¯t speak anymore. Plus, I found they have criminal records."

    Qiao Jing hummed, her gaze on the folder turning colder.

    "Not just criminal records¡ªsome of them have been in prison. I also found records of them robbing, assaulting girls, running up debts, smashing other people¡¯s shops, and other such deeds; all the evidence is inside."

    She had not expected that visiting the barbecue restaurant twice would lead to catching two groups of hoodlums causing trouble in society.

    And this group, led by Green Hair, was much worse than the previous one.

    Luckily, she had encountered both groups and brought them to justice, or else they would continue to cause trouble all over the capital.

    Captain Zhao leafed through the file, his expression growing more and more grave, his grip on the folder tightening.

    As Captain Zhao flipped to thest page, Qiao Jing slowly began to speak.

    "Is there any discrepancy or doubt?"

    Captain Zhao, brow furrowed, mmed his fist on the table, unable to contain his fury as he cursed:

    "These beasts!"

    Qiao Jing withdrew her cold gaze and looked directly at Captain Zhao.

    "Captain Zhao, I trust you can handle this matter well, but I mainly came here today for another reason."

    She had to make sure Captain Zhao and his team issued a rification soon so Lin Yun couldpete again and the online public opinion would dissipate.

    Captain Zhao solemnly put away the folder.

    "Whatever it is, please just say."

    Qiao Jing took out her smartphone and opened the notification about Lin Yun¡¯s suspension.

    "It¡¯s about this matter, Captain Zhao. You probably know I¡¯m with a professional eSports yer. He¡¯s now suspended for hitting someone, so I need the police to issue a rification tweet to let my friendpete again. He resorted to violence in order to protect me. I won¡¯t interfere with how exactly you word it; you can handle that."

    After looking at the suspension notice, Captain Zhao locked the folder in the cab.

    "Alright, Miss Qiao, I will certainly handle this case well. As for rifying for your friend, we will sort it out as soon as possible."

    "Thank you, I appreciate your help."

    "Miss Qiao, what are you saying? There¡¯s nothing troublesome about it. This is our job after all."

    The conversation concluded, and Qiao Jing left.

    She stood up and walked towards the door.

    Seeing Qiao Jing stand, Captain Zhao also rose to his feet.

    "Miss Qiao, let me escort you out."

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at Captain Zhao and gently shook her head.

    "No need, Captain Zhao, stay back. You should attend to the case instead."

    She still needed to find a quiet ce, contact Lin Yun and his manager, and let them know.

    Captain Zhao didn¡¯t insist on escorting her and watched as Qiao Jing left.

    "Miss Qiao, take care!"

    He needed to immediately handle the situation, especially since Qiao Jing herself had assigned it to him, so he couldn¡¯t dy for even a second.

    Qiao Jing returned to the lobby, saw it was rtively quiet, and then called Lin Yun.

    But the first time she called, nobody answered. She called again.

    Just before the call was about to disconnect automatically, Lin Yun finally picked up.

    "Hello? What¡¯s up? Ha¡ª"

    Lin Yun was in the middle of a big yawn when he spoke.

    Qiao Jing noticed the drowsiness in Lin Yun¡¯s voice and furrowed her brows.

    "Are you still sleeping?"

    Lin Yun sneezed and said slowly:

    "Yeah, I was on Weibo readingmentsst night. You have no idea how much effort it took me to hold back from cursing them out. And the manager was pressing me not to swear at them, which only made my night more miserable."

    Qiao Jing, feeling somewhat of a headache, rubbed her temples and gently parted her lips.

    "A rification will be out before noon, you don¡¯t need to worry about this anymore. Alright, that¡¯s pretty much it, continue with your sleep."

    After saying this, Qiao Jing hung up the call directly.

    She should have called the manager first; Lin Yun was just totally unreliable.

    Fortunately, the manager had been pressing Lin Yun yesterday not to randomly curse people online; otherwise, even if they cleared up the misunderstanding today, it would be useless, and he would just be saddled with anotherbel of being verbally abusive.

    Qiao Jing dialed the manager¡¯s number, and he picked up quickly.

    "Miss Qiao! How are things on your end? We really need Lin Yun to y this year; no one in our club has better jungle skills than him!"

 Chapter 574 - 563: Qiao Jing Quickly Handles Lin Yunéˆ¥æªš Affairs

    <h4>Chapter 574: Chapter 563: Qiao Jing Quickly Handles Lin Yun¡¯s Affairs</h4>

    Qiao Jing detected the anxiety and worry in the manager¡¯s tone and immediately gave him a reassurance.

    "It¡¯s handled, and unless something unexpected happens, Lin Yun should be able topete again before noon."

    Based on her understanding of Captain Zhao, she had specifically instructed him, and she knew Captain Zhao would definitelyplete it quickly. If it went swiftly, the police could issue a rification within about an hour.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the manager finally breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully,

    "I truly can¡¯t thank you enough, Miss Qiao. Actually, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been curious about for a long time, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s convenient for you to discuss..."

    Qiao Jing responded indifferently with a "Hmm" and gged down a taxi on the road.

    "Ask."

    The manager hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.

    "Miss Qiao, do you have some kind of hidden identity? Because of the matter with the hot search removalst time, and the fight yesterday, you almost always handle things with incredible speed, so I¡¯ve been really curious, who are you exactly?"

    With the incident involving the hot searchst time, even with their club¡¯s years of public rtions experience, they couldn¡¯t have managed to block the ount and remove the hot search so quickly.

    And the fact that Lin Yun was reinstated in thepetition within less than twenty-four hours of the fight led him to believe that, without any special identity, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t possibly manage that.

    Qiao Jing, who had gotten into the taxi, stated tly,

    "I am just an ordinary resident of Imperial Capital City."

    She indeed was just an ordinary citizen, albeit one knowledgeable in research and medicine.

    The manager did not inquire further, bid farewell, and then hung up the phone.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to put away her phone, she received a text message from Zhou Fu.

    "Master, there is a patient who needs a home visit tonight, I¡¯m just reminding you, so please don¡¯t forget."

    Qiao Jing had actually forgotten.

    It wasn¡¯t that she had a bad memory; it was because she had been busy handling Lin Yun¡¯s issue and had forgotten.

    Upon seeing the text from Zhou Fu, she remembered the patient she was supposed to visit that evening.

    After a few seconds, Qiao Jing quickly replied to Zhou Fu¡¯s message.

    "Hmm."

    The patient she was taking over tonight had a somewhatplicated condition, Zhou Fu would not have contacted her if he wasn¡¯t entirely sure.

    However, what caught his attention was that the family she was going to visit was also one of the wealthy households of Imperial Capital.

    He wondered if they knew her?

    Half an hourter.

    As soon as Qiao Jing returned to her researchb, she saw Zhan Nanqing cking off again, sitting on the sofa engrossed in her mobile phone with great amusement.

    She furrowed her brows, walked briskly over to Zhan Nanqing, and chastised her coldly,

    "Zhan Nanqing, are you cking off again?"

    Her contract with the research institute clearly stipted that during working hours, using mobile phones casually was not allowed unless it was an emergency.

    Zhan Nanqing hadn¡¯t behaved like this before. Last time, Qiao Jing could understand because it concerned her, and Zhan Nanqing just wanted to speak up for her.

    But what about this time?

    Zhan Nanqing was startled, and after seeing it was Qiao Jing, she patted her chest.

    "Qiao Jing, why do you keep scaring me?"

    This was the second time she was scared in a row; Qiao Jing moved so silently it was as if she knew Qinggong.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mobile phone, and she asked expressionlessly,

    "Why are you ying with your phone again?"

    She disliked doing other activities during work hours, and the staff at the institute should be the same.

    Otherwise, it would waste a lot of time and affect work efficiency.

    Zhan Nanqing suddenly stood up and turned off her phone.

    "I saw Lin Yun knew you, so when a friend who loves gaming suddenly called me and mentioned that Lin Yun waspeting again, I took a quick look. I swear! I only took a quick look!!"

    Surprise flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes. Had Captain Zhao already handled it that quickly?

    That was rather fast.

    But what she needed to deal with now was not the issue of the ban but the fact that Zhan Nanqing was cking off.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, her voice cold as she spoke.

    "Are you sure it was just one look?"

    From the moment she entered, she had seen Zhan Nanqing ying on her phone, and even as she neared the sofa, she hadn¡¯t reacted.

    Clearly, she had been looking for quite a while.

    Zhan Nanqing averted her gaze guiltily and coughed.

    "Uh... I can exin that. I saw a figure that looked a lot like you on the surveince video, so I looked a few more times. Honestly, was it you who went to eat with Lin Yun?"

    Qiao Jing helplessly twitched the corners of her mouth and nced toward the work desk.

    "It was me. You should get back to work now."

    After understanding what had happened, she wasn¡¯t so angry anymore, because she knew Zhan Nanqing¡¯s character well; normally she wasn¡¯t one to ck, and only diverted her attention for non-work-rted matters under special circumstances.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded vigorously and then quickly turned off her phone. Before getting back to work, she sneakily nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    Now it was no longer noticeable, but the injury was definitely real. She had seen in the surveince that a bottle had scraped Qiao Jing.

    But at this moment, she didn¡¯t dare ask Qiao Jing more, especially since she had just been caught cking. She would have to wait until after work to ask.

    Zhan Nanqing hurried back to her desk and continued working.

    Only after watching Zhan Nanqing return to her post did Qiao Jing take out her phone and check Weibo.

    Now the top trending topic was "Imperial Capital Police Bureau personally rifies for Lin Yun!"

    The second-ranking topic was "Lin Yun¡¯spetition resumed."

    She first clicked on the rification post, seeing the notice issued by the police and a small portion of the surveince footage.

    Luckily, in the surveince video, her face had been heavily pixted, revealing only half of her figure.

    In the footage, after she was hit by the bottle, Lin Yun had rushed out and beaten up the perpetrator.

    Anyone with clear eyes could see that Lin Yun was not only defending himself but also protecting her.

    Qiao Jing carefully read the notice issued by the police, noting that Captain Zhao¡¯s team had specifically revealed some past deeds of Green Hair and his associates.

    "After police verification, Huang, Liu, and Qi all have criminal records, and after being released from prison, repeatedly refused to reform,mitting robbery, assault, and other heinous deeds during this period. The victim, Lin Yun, acted in self-defense, assisting the police in capturing the suspects while also protecting another woman, contributing to society! This announcement is made tomend them."

    After reading this rification post, she opened another post about Lin Yun¡¯s resumed participation in thepetition.

    After confirming that Lin Yun had resumedpeting and seeing that the direction of public opinion online had started to change, Qiao Jing was just about to put away her phone when her manager called.

    Before she could even greet him, her manager¡¯s excited voice came through.

    "Miss Qiao! You¡¯re truly incredible. Soon after I hung up with you, the police actually issued a rification!! You have no idea, our club was in a total frenzy because of Lin Yun¡¯s issue! The PR team was so busy they didn¡¯t sleep all night, and now that kid, Lin Yun, is still asleep while the sun is shining hot!"

    Qiao Jing thought about the phone call she had with Lin Yun today and helplessly tugged at the corners of her mouth.

    "It¡¯s good that Lin Yun ispeting again."

    She felt as if the manager was like a worn-out father, weary from taking care of the mischievous child Lin Yun, spending a lot of energy on him.

    Everyone in the club was busy because of Lin Yun¡¯s case, while he himself was sleeping soundly at the moment.

    The manager quickly thanked her several times before hanging up.

    In his mind, Qiao Jing had be something sacred.

    Miss Qiao must be a hidden boss!

 Chapter 575 - 564: Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Reluctance to Part with Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 575: Chapter 564: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Reluctance to Part with Qiao Jing</h4>

    At dusk, Qiao Jing put on her mask after dinner, ready to visit a patient at their home.

    She had not yet reached the foyer when Zhan Qipei called out to her.

    "Where are you going? I¡¯lle with you."

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing getting ready to leave, immediately stood up and approached her, his expression tense:

    He was not at allfortable letting Qiao Jing go out alone at night, especially since the woman was still injured.

    In case she encountered trouble outside, Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder hadn¡¯t fully healed, and her movements wouldn¡¯t be as convenient.

    As her husband, he needed to apany her.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, somewhat speechless, and nced sideways at the clock on the wall.

    "I¡¯m going to see a patient, and you want toe too?"

    If they left home now, the timing would be just right, but if she chatted with Zhan Qipei here for half a day, it would definitely dy her.

    Not wanting to deal with Zhan Qipei, she opened the door.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows deeply as they seemed to loom like mountains through the mist.

    "I¡¯ll take you there."

    He needed to see for himself that Qiao Jing arrived safely before he could be at ease.

    The corners of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched uncontrobly, and she gave Zhan Qipei an annoyed nce.

    "Are you treating me like a child? Do you have to follow me wherever I go? Besides, I¡¯ve already called a taxi."

    She was just slightly injured, but Zhan Qipei always made a big deal out of it every time.

    Although she understood that Zhan Qipei was worried about her, having him follow her every time she went out was just too much.

    However, upon reflection...

    It seemed that even when Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t have anything particr to do, he still wanted to apany her whenever she went out.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his dark eyes flickering with a tinge of possessiveness filled with concern.

    "I¡¯m worried about you."

    Qiao Jing rubbed her temples helplessly and walked to the staircase.

    "I¡¯m just going to treat someone, not doing anything dangerous. You go about your business."

    After dropping that statement, she raised her hand and was about to shut the front doorpletely when Zhan Qipei pushed against it, showing no intention of forcing it open.

    Before Qiao Jing could ponder over his actions, his deep maic voice came through.

    "Come back early."

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei immediately closed the door, leaving no chance for her to respond.

    Qiao Jing stood stunned for a moment, and by the time she came to her senses, the door had already closed.

    Staring at the tightly shut door in front of her, she could still seemingly hear his recent words, "Come back early."

    Although she hadn¡¯t seen Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression just now, the handsome face that matched his voice automatically appeared in her mind.

    Behind the door, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was likely furrowed, his dark eyes steady, his thin lips tightly pressed.

    It gave her the feeling that Zhan Qipei was like an abandoned stray dog¡ªwhat was going on with that?

    Qiao Jing shook her head and thought no further, heading to the residence of the patient.

    Meanwhile, inside Purple Garden,

    Su Manhan and others had just finished dinner and were each doing their own thing.

    Su Manhan was sitting on the sofa, sending a message to Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing, have you had dinner yet? Did Qipei make you the tonic I brought over the other day?"

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was in a taxi, her phone ringing. She took it out to look.

    "I¡¯ve eaten, and it was made for me to drink, Madam Zhan, you don¡¯t have to worry."

    Su Manhan disyed three "good" emojis.

    "That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great. Oh, by the way, what are you doing right now? Are you busy?"

    "If you¡¯re not busy, how about I pick you up for some shopping? It¡¯s been a long time since we went shopping together."

    Qiao Jing nced at the scenery outside the car and slightly frowned.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Madam Zhan, I¡¯m a bit tied up with something. I¡¯ll apany you shopping another time."

    She had just replied when she received a message from Zhan Nanqing.

    "Qiao Jing, how is your injury? I saw you were upset this morning because I was cking off, so I didn¡¯t dare to ask you."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s pale fingers typed rapidly on her phone keyboard.

    "It¡¯s nothing serious."

    No sooner had she replied to Zhan Nanqing than Su Manhan sent another message.

    Qiao Jing swiftly switched to Su Manhan¡¯s chat window and saw the new message.

    "What are you busy with? You¡¯d better not tell me you¡¯re busy with housework at home. If Qipei dares to let you do housework, I¡¯m driving over right now to hit him!"

    Upon reading this message, a helpless smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    "Madam Zhan, you¡¯ve misunderstood; I don¡¯t have to do any housework. I¡¯m not at home right now; I need to go to the hospital to treat a patient."

    After reading this message, Su Manhan finally remembered that Qiao Jing also had another identity as a doctor at the hospital.

    "I see, that¡¯s okay then. But why do you have to go to the hospitalte at night?"

    "Doesn¡¯t the research institute close at four in the afternoon? Aren¡¯t there other specialists at the hospital? Why do they need a general doctor like you??"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and thought to herself:

    Because she had been busy at the research institute in the morning and because she was Professor Qiao¡¯s daughter, she sometimes stayedte in the afternoon to work a bit longer.

    As for thetter question, she wasn¡¯t actually going to the hospital to treat patients.

    She didn¡¯t forget to reply to Su Manhan, making up an excuse.

    "The patient¡¯s illness happens to be my specialty, and the other specialists are busy. I¡¯m free, so I¡¯m heading over."

    Su Manhan finally gave up the idea of asking Qiao Jing to go shopping and was about to put away her phone when she saw Zhan Yao looking solemn, hurrying outside.

    She furrowed her brows and called him with a displeased tone.

    "Where are you going thiste at night? You never used to go out at night; don¡¯t tell me you have some little affair outside!"

    Zhan Yao immediately stopped, looking helplessly at Su Manhan.

    "Don¡¯t overthink it, I¡¯m just going to Director Chen¡¯s house."

    After hearing Zhan Yao¡¯s words, Su Manhan stared nkly for a moment.

    "Director Chen? Wasn¡¯t his father seriously ill and recuperating at home? Isn¡¯t it inappropriate to visit someone¡¯s home at this hour? Even if you two are really good friends, that¡¯s not okay."

    Zhan Yao hesitated for a while but eventually did not tell the truth.

    "Old Chen himself called me over, said he wanted to ask me something. I¡¯ll also take the opportunity to visit Old Chen¡¯s father. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can call Old Chen and ask."

    He couldn¡¯t possibly reveal the real reason for his visit to the Chen Family; otherwise, his wife would definitely want toe with him. With her personality, she would persistently interfere, which could severely upset Divine Doctor Jing if he got annoyed.

    Old Chen had particrly instructed him, as the Chen Family had gone to great lengths and through several difficulties to invite Divine Doctor Jing to treat the illness, which must not be casually disclosed.

    Old Chen had told him because he remembered Qipei¡¯s infertility issues, suggesting he might try to request Divine Doctor Jing for treatment.

    Su Manhan snorted, pulled out her phone, and called Director Chen.

    "Go ahead, call. If you mess around, see if I don¡¯t break your legs."

    Director Chen quickly answered the call and exined the situation, then Su Manhan let Zhan Yao leave.

    However... something seemed too coincidental to her.

    Because Qiao Jing also happened to be going out to treat a patient at that time, and Zhan Yao happened to be visiting Director Chen¡¯s sick father at the same time.

    Could the patient Qiao Jing was seeing be Director Chen¡¯s father?

 Chapter 576 - 565: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Identity Is Accidentally Exposed!

    <h4>Chapter 576: Chapter 565: Qiao Jing¡¯s Identity Is identally Exposed!</h4>

    The thought had just emerged when Su Manhan immediately dismissed it herself.

    How could it be possible!

    After all, Director Chen and the others only ranked below the Zhan Family in the capital, so it wouldn¡¯t make sense for them to just seek out an ordinary doctor like Qiao Jing for medical treatment; it must have been a mere coincidence.

    Zhan Yao had arrived at Director Chen¡¯s ce before Qiao Jing, exchanging a few pleasantries with him.

    "Old Chen, are you serious? Did you really manage to bring in Divine Doctor Jing himself?"

    Director Chenughed heartily a couple of times before responding,

    "Of course, what kind of question is that? Do you think I¡¯d invite a fake one instead?"

    Zhan Yao recalled thest time an old man had impersonated Divine Doctor Jing, and his brow furrowed.

    "Old Chen, I¡¯m not afraid of beingughed at by saying this, butst time our family identally found someone pretending to be Divine Doctor Jing and nearly fooled all of us. I¡¯m just worried that you might have encountered an imposter this time."

    When he heard about Divine Doctor Jing, his heart filled with joy, for it was Divine Doctor Jing himself who was sure to be able to treat Zhan Qipei¡¯s infertility.

    Although he had never rushed it, he certainly hoped to hold a grandson or granddaughter in his arms to liven up the home.

    So when he found out that Divine Doctor Jing wasing over to treat someone, he immediately came over right after dinner.

    Director Chen patted Zhan Yao¡¯s shoulder reassuringly.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I got in touch with Zhou Fu of Wonderful Hall, Master Zhou himself. I¡¯ve been pestering him every day, begging for his help, exhausted all my efforts before he was finally moved and agreed to treat my father.

    "But after Master Zhou examined my father, he felt his own abilities were insufficient and feared dying my father¡¯s condition, so he helped me get in touch with Divine Doctor Jing."

    After listening to Director Chen, Zhan Yao¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "So that¡¯s how it is."

    It seemed that the Divine Doctor Jing mentioned by Old Chen was the real deal!

    If he could also take this opportunity to invite Divine Doctor Jing to his home, then his son¡¯s infertility would have a chance of being cured!

    That way, he could hold his grandchild sooner!

    Director Chen thoughtfully pondered for a moment before deciding to make a bet with Zhan Yao.

    "Old Zhan, if it weren¡¯t for youing over today and having this chat with me, my house would still be shrouded in low spirits due to my father¡¯s grave illness. But today, with Divine Doctor Jinging over and your visit as well, things are much better. How about we make a bet?"

    Zhan Yao sighed, understanding Director Chen¡¯s mood these past few days, for when the family¡¯s elder had fallen sick previously, their home had been filled with gloom until Qiao Jing appeared and cured the elder, allowing family life to go back to normal.

    He briskly agreed to the wager suggested by Director Chen.

    "Alright, what¡¯s the bet?"

    Director Chen nced toward the door and spoke with an air of mystery,

    "Let¡¯s bet on what kind of person Divine Doctor Jing actually is. It was said Divine Doctor Jing is very mysterious, elusive like a dragon that shows its head but not its tail. Having the honor to invite Divine Doctor Jing himself today, and we even promised Master Zhou that we wouldn¡¯t disclose any information about Divine Doctor Jing. I had to sneakily ask you toe, we absolutely must not be discovered."

    Zhan Yao was acutely aware of the seriousness of the matter, so he also promised to keep silent about it.

    "I¡¯ve always thought that with such powerful medical skills, Divine Doctor Jing must be a respected elder. Otherwise, how could he possibly possess such superior medical capabilities at a young age?"

    Director Chen smiled.

    "So, you think so too? What a coincidence! It seems we don¡¯t really need to make this bet. But I also think that Divine Doctor Jing must usually stay secluded in the deep mountains, rarely venturing out!"

    Both were in agreement that the fabled Divine Doctor Jing was an elder.

    Just then, Qiao Jing arrived at the location provided by Zhou Fu and pressed the doorbell.

    She saw a somewhat familiar car in the parking lot outside the vi, but she couldn¡¯t recall whose it was.

    She didn¡¯t pay it much mind, after all, she had seen far too many cars, not to mention the sports cars covered in dust in her underground garage; she couldn¡¯t remember how many there were exactly.

    Inside the vi, Zhan Yao and Director Chen heard the doorbell and immediately got up excitedly to answer the door.

    The two old friends exchanged a nce before they opened the door together.

    When Zhan Yao saw Qiao Jing outside the door, he froze on the spot.

    Even with a mask on, he could recognize her, but why was Qiao Jing here at this time?

    When Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to see Zhan Yao, she also hesitated for a moment.

    No wonder she found that car outside familiar; it turned out to be Zhan Yao¡¯s.

    Director Chen, upon seeing Qiao Jing, was puzzled.

    "Who are you looking for?"

    The person he had invited today was Divine Doctor Jing, not a young woman.

    Qiao Jing frowned tightly, took out her phone, double-checked the address, and after confirming there were no mistakes, she slowly spoke.

    "This is Director Chen¡¯s home, right?"

    At this time, she couldn¡¯t make up any other reasons, and seeing a patient was the top priority.

    It was only a matter of identity, and if Zhan Yao incidentally found out, it wouldn¡¯t matter.

    Director Chen furrowed his brow, looking at Qiao Jing incredulously.

    "Yes, but my guest today isn¡¯t you. Have you got the wrong ce?"

    Qiao Jing put away her phone, stood at the doorway looking straight at Zhan Yao and Director Chen, and finally, her gaze settled firmly on Zhan Yao.

    She hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Yao to be here, and if she continued the treatment, Zhan Yao would surely learn her identity.

    But ording to Zhou Fu¡¯s description, Director Chen¡¯s father¡¯s illness was very serious, and if she didn¡¯t treat him today, it could very well be life-threatening.

    Qiao Jing struggled for a moment, then pursed her red lips.

    "I am Divine Doctor Jing. If you need medical attention, let me in now, don¡¯t dy the patient¡¯s time."

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the air fell into silence, so much so that even a pin dropping to the floor could be heard distinctly.

    Zhan Yao and Director Chen both couldn¡¯t believe what Qiao Jing had said.

    Zhan Yao became stuttering, unable to speak properly.

    "You... what did you say? You say you¡¯re Divine Doctor Jing?!"

    Director Chen was immediately dumbfounded and sized up Qiao Jing from top to bottom before recognizing her.

    Wasn¡¯t this the country daughter-inw from Zhan Yao¡¯s family?

    Yet how could a person from the countryside exude an aura stronger than the two of them who had been in business for many years?

    This made him somewhat skeptical, but possibly, the person before him was truly Divine Doctor Jing.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, looking indifferently at the two people blocking the entrance.

    "It¡¯s me. So now, can you let me in to see the patient? My apprentice said your father is critically ill and needs me toe for a consultation personally, don¡¯t dy the patient¡¯s check-up time."

    For her, the patient¡¯s treatment time was always most precious. After all, for some critically ill patients, every second was golden time.

 Chapter 577 - 566 The Miracle Happened

    <h4>Chapter 577: Chapter 566 The Miracle Happened</h4>

    Director Chen looked at Qiao Jing skeptically, still feeling somewhat uneasy.

    "Are you sure you¡¯re Divine Doctor Jing? I¡¯ll call Master Zhou to ask for confirmation first; I¡¯m worried you might be an imposter. What if you harm my dad?"

    It was known that Divine Doctor Jing was a renowned figure in the capital, and by all means, shouldn¡¯t be so young, and certainly not from the countryside.

    After all, the educational resources in rural areas are limited; it¡¯s almost impossible for them to produce such an impressive figure.

    Zhan Yao also found it hard to believe. Although he had doubted Qiao Jing¡¯s identity wasn¡¯t simple, he never thought that Qiao Jing would reveal herself, iming to be Divine Doctor Jing?!

    But wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing just an ordinary doctor in the hospital? How could she possibly be Divine Doctor Jing?

    Qiao Jing looked at the two people still blocking the door, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, and her cool voice rose.

    "Suit yourself, but please let me in to see the patient now."

    She was very worried about the patient¡¯s condition and didn¡¯t want to waste time here.

    Director Chen looked at Zhan Yao and then at Qiao Jing with an embarrassed expression, but ultimately, he didn¡¯t let Qiao Jing enter the house.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao, I need to call Master Zhou to confirm your identity first."

    Even if Qiao Jing was Zhan Yao¡¯s daughter-inw, it was useless; he had to verify her identity before he could let her in to see the patient.

    Otherwise, a person from the countryside iming to be Divine Doctor Jing, who would believe that?

    Anyway, he didn¡¯t believe it.

    Zhan Yao also didn¡¯t dare to easily believe that Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, so he could understand Old Chen¡¯s method of making a call to verify.

    If Qiao Jing was not the real Divine Doctor Jing and caused Old Master Chen¡¯s condition to worsen, no one could bear the consequences.

    But... Qiao Jing didn¡¯t seem like someone who would impersonate Divine Doctor Jing!

    Just as Director Chen was about to dial the number, a rush of footsteps suddenly came from inside the vi. The person was the Chen Family¡¯s housekeeper, her anxious voice preceding her arrival.

    "Director Chen! Old Mr. Chen is not going to make it!! What should we do?! Has Divine Doctor Jing that you mentioned not arrived yet?"

    When Director Chen heard the housekeeper¡¯s words, his hand trembled violently, and he immediately put away his phone.

    "What?! Old Master Chen is not going to make it?!!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s beautiful eyebrows furrowed tight, her phoenix eyes sank, and without paying any more attention to the two blocking the door, she forcefully stepped through them and entered.

    Passing by the kitchen, Qiao Jing detected a faint smell of Chinese medicine.

    She pulled down her mask and discerned the various medicinals used from the aroma.

    These medicinals were indeed of outstanding quality, but two of thembined had a slight adverse interaction.

    Reaching the stairwell, Qiao Jing turned back and looked at Director Chen, her voice cold,

    "Which room?"

    There was no more time to be lost!

    Every wasted second was a second of the patient¡¯s golden time slipping away, leading to consequences that none of them could afford to bear.

    Seeing how serious Qiao Jing was and considering the housekeeper¡¯s extreme anxiety, Director Chen finally clenched his teeth.

    "The first room on the left, second floor."

    Since the real Divine Doctor Jing hadn¡¯t shown up yet, he had no choice but to take a gamble!

    After hearing Director Chen¡¯s words, Qiao Jing quickly picked up the medicine box and hurriedly walked toward the second floor.

    Zhan Yao¡¯s expression was firstplex as he watched Qiao Jing¡¯s receding figure before turning to Director Chen beside him with a face full of concern.

    "Old Chen, although Qiao Jing is my daughter-inw, you shouldn¡¯t consider my status. After all, this matter is rted to Old Mr. Chen¡¯s safety, and we can¡¯t take it lightly! Even if my daughter-inw is a doctor at the hospital, she is only amon practitioner. If Master Zhou couldn¡¯t cure the illness, can Qiao Jing?"

    It was not that he didn¡¯t trust Qiao Jing, but everyone in the capital, and even across the country, knew that the most exquisite medical skills first belonged to Divine Doctor Jing, followed by Master Zhou.

    If even Master Zhou, ranked second, was notpletely certain he could cure Old Master Chen, how could Qiao Jing, amon doctor, possibly do it?

    Unless Qiao Jing really was Divine Doctor Jing, but she really didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with Divine Doctor Jing.

    Director Chen was so anxious at the moment that he was sweating profusely and quickly followed.

    "Do you think I want this? We¡¯re out of options now, aren¡¯t we? Where else can I find another doctor in such short notice? Even if I could get another doctor here, it would be toote!"

    The two closely followed behind Qiao Jing, arriving at the entrance of Old Master Chen¡¯s room,

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Qiao Jing opened the door to the room.

    Before she even entered, she smelled the strong scent of traditional Chinese medicine, as though the whole room was steeped in a potion.

    Long ustomed to the scent of various Chinese medicines, Qiao Jing walked in with an indifferent expression.

    Following her, Zhan Yao and Director Chen both wrinkled their noses and covered them before continuing inward after catching the medicinal odor.

    After adjusting for a while, Director Chen finally released his nose and nced at Zhan Yao, who was still covering his.

    "Old Zhan, ever since the old master fell ill, the smell of Chinese medicine has never stopped in our house, especially in the old master¡¯s room. I¡¯ve almost gotten used to it¡ªI can bear it for a while and adapt. It¡¯s just tougher for you; thank you for putting up with it a bit longer."

    However... what caught his attention was that Qiao Jing walked into the old master¡¯s room with a nonchnt air, without even a frown???

    When they first began brewing Chinese medicine for the old master, the kitchen and his room were filled with the strong odor, and once, when the housemaid was unavable, he helped deliver the medicine. Even with a mask on, the strong scent was almost enough to drive him out of the room.

    And yet Qiao Jing now, without even wearing a mask, walked straight into the room unfazed?

    Director Chen didn¡¯t ponder further and looked towards Old Master Chen.

    When everyone saw Old Master Chen¡¯s condition on the bed, their hearts skipped a beat.

    Old Master Cheny there gasping for air, as if he would stop breathing at any second.

    His eyes were bulging, staring straight at the ceiling, his lips were deathly pale, his entire face devoid of color, and his legs were kicking chaotically on the bed.

    Seeing this, everyone could guess that these were signs Old Master Chen was near death.

    Director Chen was about to rush frantically to the bedside when Qiao Jing stopped him with a look.

    He didn¡¯t understand why Qiao Jing stopped him¡ªif he didn¡¯t go now, he might not get the chance to see his father for thest time!

    Zhan Yao¡¯s eyebrows were also tightly furrowed, not understanding Qiao Jing¡¯s actions.

    Qiao Jing ignored the confusion on their faces, walked swiftly to the bedside, checked Old Master Chen¡¯s pupils, and quickly pressed a few points on his body.

    After pressing the points, her movements did not stop; she switched to several other points and continued to press with varying pressure.

    After a short while, under the puzzled gaze of Director Chen and Zhan Yao,

    a miracle suddenly happened!

    Old Master Chen¡¯s condition visibly began to improve!!

    His previously iling legs stopped, his pupils refocused, his breathing stabilized quite a bit, though hisplexion was still very pale.

 Chapter 578 - 567: Qiao Jing Faces Repeated Doubts

    <h4>Chapter 578: Chapter 567: Qiao Jing Faces Repeated Doubts</h4>

    Director Chen and Zhan Yao saw it and their faces were covered with surprise.

    Had they seen it wrong?

    Had Old Master Chen¡¯s condition really been relieved so quickly just by pressing some acupoints?

    Moreover, Qiao Jing¡¯s movements in pressing the acupoints seemed very skilled, obviously not the actions of a usual doctor.

    Despite this, the two of them still did not believe that Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing.

    After all, Qiao Jing was a doctor, and it was normal for her to know some acupoints.

    What¡¯s more, Old Master Chen¡¯s condition had only eased a bit and hadn¡¯t stabilizedpletely.

    Maybe it was all just a coincidence, or perhaps Old Master Chen had a sudden burst of energy, which Qiao Jing happened to catch up with.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know what they were thinking, she pulled up her mask, opened her medicine box, and took out a set of silver needles.

    Director Chen and Zhan Yao jumped when they saw the row of unevenly sized, cold-gleaming silver needles.

    Director Chen spoke urgently and stopped Qiao Jing from taking out the silver needles.

    "Qiao Jing, you know how to perform acupuncture? Have you studied Chinese medicine?"

    Even if Qiao Jing had eased Old Master Chen¡¯s condition slightly, he couldn¡¯t risk letting Qiao Jing randomly needle his father.

    What if she made a mistake and it cost Old Master Chen his life?

    After all, this was no joking matter.

    Zhan Yao frowned tightly, anxiously said,

    "Yes, Qiao Jing, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t trust you, but, but... acupuncture requires a very familiar understanding of a person¡¯s acupoints."

    He and Old Chen had been good friends for more than a decade now. If something went wrong today due to Qiao Jing¡¯s carelessness and Old Master Chen had an ident, even if Qiao Jing was his daughter-inw, he couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility!

    Responsibility was one aspect, how could he face Old Chen afterward!

    "I understand Chinese Medicine, if you don¡¯t want to risk the patient¡¯s condition, be quiet."

    Qiao Jing nced briefly at the two of them, then took her gaze off and looked towards Old Master Chen lying thin and yellow on the bed.

    She observed Old Master Chen¡¯splexion for a while, had an initial guess, took out a few silver needles, and then urately and swiftly inserted them into several acupoints on Old Master Chen¡¯s body, moving very quickly.

    Director Chen and Zhan Yao watched with trepidation, but they dared not interrupt Qiao Jing; what if they affected her, and she inserted the needle incorrectly?

    The two watched as more and more silver needles appeared on Old Master Chen¡¯s body, Qiao Jing¡¯s moves not only didn¡¯t slow down but became even faster.

    Seeing this, the two grew more fearful.

    Was Qiao Jing really capable?

    A momentter, Qiao Jing finally stopped.

    As soon as Qiao Jing stopped, Director Chen immediately came forward to ask,

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve put so many silver needles in my dad; what if something goes wrong? Will you take responsibility for it?"

    He had already been a bit frightened when he saw the cold-gleaming silver needles, but now with so many of them inserted into a person, he shivered outright, feeling a chill run down his spine.

    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the main point. The old Chinese doctors he had hired before also put many needles in his father.

    But the problem was, none were like Qiao Jing, whose speed with the needles was so fast it nearly left trails of afterimages.

    With such speed, wasn¡¯t she afraid of hitting the wrong acupoint?

    Zhan Yao frowned as he watched Qiao Jing, remaining silent.

    Torn between an old friend and his own daughter-inw, he was caught in the middle, finding it hard to please both sides!

    He had tried to persuade Qiao Jing, but she hadn¡¯t listened. Now that the silver needles were already in Old Master Chen¡¯s body, if something happened afterward, the Zhan Family would do everything to protect Qiao Jing.

    With this thought, Zhan Yao took a long, deep breath in his heart.

    Qiao Jing initially wanted to quietly wait for time to pass, but now Director Chen¡¯s suddenments at her side displeased her, making her tone several degrees colder as she responded,

    "Keep quiet, it will be fine in a little while."

    She had a habit of preferring a quiet environment when treating patients.

    Although people talking nearby would not affect her at all, she still wanted to create a quiet space for herself and her patient.

    Because if family members are constantly murmuring various things by their side, it makes the patient feel nervous and uneasy, worried about not getting better and such.

    Director Chen opened his mouth, wanting to continue asking Qiao Jing, but when he saw her confident appearance, he suddenly hesitated.

    Could it be that Qiao Jing really was confident she could cure his father?

    He nced at Old Master Chen; now that the silver needles were all in ce, what more could he say? Whatever he said would be toote.

    Not long after, Qiao Jing removed all the silver needles from Old Master Chen¡¯s body.

    At that moment, everyone in the room could see that the previously pale face of Old Master Chen gradually regained its color, and his pale lips returned to their normal shade.

    Old Master Chen looked at Qiao Jing with immense gratitude in his aged eyes, and slightly propped himself up.

    "Thank... Thank you!"

    He could feel his body was much better than before, at least he now had some strength. Previously, he was so weak that hey in bed all day without the strength to move, even speaking sluggishly.

    Director Chen waspletely dumbfounded at this scene.

    "Dad?! You can sit up now?! How do you feel? Are you feeling better?"

    Upon hearing this, Old Mr. Chen looked at Director Chen and again tried to sit up, but after several attempts, he still couldn¡¯t manage it.

    "It¡¯s much better."

    At thisment, Director Chen excitedly ran to the bedside, his face one of utter shock as he looked at Old Master Chen and then at Qiao Jing.

    Before, his father had been lying in bed like a vegetative person; awake, but without the strength to move or speak except slowly.

    Now, he could actually prop up his body and spoke clearly!

    Zhan Yao hadn¡¯t expected this oue and stared wide-eyed in surprise.

    "Old Mr. Chen?"

    After hearing Zhan Yao¡¯s words, Old Mr. Chen responded and looked in Zhan Yao¡¯s direction.

    Director Chen was too astonished to speak; he now clearly understood that this was all thanks to Qiao Jing.

    He looked at Qiao Jing, his expression one of excitement, and asked:

    "Miss Qiao, how is my father¡¯s condition now?"

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brow and sat down by Old Master Chen¡¯s bedside.

    "Just a moment."

    After saying this, she lifted her hand to begin taking Old Master Chen¡¯s pulse.

    Director Chen saw Qiao Jing taking the pulse and immediately stepped back to where he originally stood, maintaining silence.

    He and Zhan Yao did not even dare breathe loudly at this moment, fearful of disturbing Qiao Jing¡¯s diagnosis.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Qiao Jing stood up.

    Just as Director Chen was about to ask about the condition, Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    "Let¡¯s talk outside."

    Qiao Jing led the way, with Zhan Yao and Director Chen following behind her to the stairwell.

    Qiao Jing stopped, turned around to face them, and began to speak slowly.

    "Old Mr. Chen¡¯s condition has temporarily stabilized, but due to his advanced age, his immunity is not as good as that of an average person, and overall, he is weakening, with his bodily functions also declining."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Director Chen looked at her in surprise.

    He had taken his father to the best hospitals in the capital and even abroad; the answers given by experts and professors were exactly the same as Qiao Jing¡¯s!

    Yet Qiao Jing was able to diagnose just by simply taking the pulse, while the hospital specialists and professors used various medical machines to detect his father¡¯s condition.

    Could Qiao Jing really be Divine Doctor Jing?

    Director Chen thought for a moment, then shifted his focus back to Old Master Chen¡¯s condition, asking without much hope:

    "Then, is there any chance to save my father?"

    He had already taken his father to various renowned hospitals, consulted many famous doctors, and even specifically asked doctors from abroad, but all the experts had essentially stated there was no treatment avable and advised him to prepare for his father¡¯s end.

 Chapter 579 - 568: Qiao Jing Really is Divine Doctor Jing!

    <h4>Chapter 579: Chapter 568: Qiao Jing Really is Divine Doctor Jing!</h4>

    So he didn¡¯t hold much hope anymore, his question was also out of filial piety, people are like that, clearly knowing there was no hope, yet they couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Just as Director Chen was thinking this, Qiao Jing spoke.

    "It¡¯s not that there isn¡¯t a way to treat him, it¡¯s just that it may require a very long time to recuperate."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Director Chen¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, hope reignited in him as if he had grasped a lifesaving straw upon seeing Qiao Jing.

    "Really? Can it really be treated? As long as it can extend my father¡¯s life by a few years, no matter how long it takes, I¡¯m willing!"

    He had previously rushed everywhere asking so many famous doctors, all of whom said there was no cure, yet Qiao Jing could actually promise a cure!

    How wonderful! His father finally had hope!!

    Zhan Yao¡¯s eyes widened slightly in shock, looking at Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    If you knew about Old Master Chen¡¯s physical condition, it was almost beyond saving. The fact that Qiao Jing had managed to pull Old Master Chen back from Ghost Gate Pass had already been very difficult, and now she said there was still a way to treat him?

    This was simply too incredible, right?

    It could even be called a medical miracle!

    But could Qiao Jing really cure him?

    Or was she just saying this to save face?

    It wasn¡¯t strange for him to think this way, for he knew how much Old Chen had been through for Old Mr. Chen, inquiring from famous doctors across the country and even around the world, all of whom had answered that there was no cure. Yet Qiao Jing said there was a way to treat him?

    So was it just putting on a brave face, or could she really treat it?

    Seeing Director Chen had made up his mind to help Old Master Chen with his treatment, Qiao Jing spoke:

    "Living a few more years is definitely no problem, and if he recuperates well, living another dozen years wouldn¡¯t be a problem either."

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Director Chen and Zhan Yao were absolutely stunned.

    Both their eyes widened, their faces filled with disbelief, unable to speak for quite some time.

    Deep down, Director Chen was bing more and more convinced of the truth that Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing. Who else could cure his father if not Divine Doctor Jing?

    With this thought, he hesitated for a moment before he couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud.

    "Then, how long would it take for my father to fully recover?"

    As long as his father¡¯s condition could improve a bit, even if it took two or three years for him to recuperate, it wouldn¡¯t matter. No, even four or five years would be fine!

    Qiao Jing lightly furrowed her brows and estimated the time in her heart.

    "It¡¯s hard to say..."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Yao consoled Director Chen:

    "Old Chen, looks like you¡¯ll need to spend several more years taking care of Old Mr. Chen¡¯s recuperation."

    The light in Director Chen¡¯s eyes dimmed, and he shook his head.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter, I am willing to spend ten years."

    As long as his dad could live that long.

    A trace of doubt appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked at the two men and said:

    "It won¡¯t take that long; at most, six months, or as little as two to three months should be sufficient for his recovery."

    She hadn¡¯t even mentioned the time required, yet these two had thought of ten years ahead.

    This time, Director Chen and Zhan Yao were even more shocked; they remained in the same position without moving, onlying back to their senses after a few seconds.

    Director Chen, ovee with emotion, bowed deeply to Qiao Jing and said sincerely:

    "Thank you, Miss Qiao! I will pay you double the consultation fee!"

    He had thought it would take at least two to three years for even a slight improvement in his father¡¯s condition, yet Qiao Jing said it would take only half a year to recuperate!

    Qiao Jing watched the exceedingly excited Director Chen and pressed her lips together.

    "There¡¯s no need."

    Her consultation fees weren¡¯t as high as the legends suggested, nor was she extremely selective in treating patients; it just depended on whether she was avable.

    The consultation fee is also the same as other doctors in Wonderful Hall, so there¡¯s no use for her to have too much money.

    Director Chen promptly asked,

    "Then what should I do to help my father recover, Miss Qiao?"

    Qiao Jing began to walk down the stairs while saying,

    "I¡¯ll first write a prescription. The medicine you¡¯ve been preparing, although helpful for your father¡¯s condition, isn¡¯t quite suitable whenbined because his immune system is too weak. When the two medicines are mixed together, the potency bes too strong. Later, take the prescription I¡¯ve given you, and get the medicine from Wonderful Hall."

    Director Chen was stunned. He remembered the medicinal meals he had always prepared for Old Master Chen but hadn¡¯t shown the prescriptions to Qiao Jing. How could she know there were ipatibilities in the medicine Old Master Chen was taking? Could it be that she had discerned this when she entered Old Master Chen¡¯s room?!

    Only someone who is very familiar with medicinal meals could distinguish them just by smell, and they must have spent a considerable amount of time with them.

    No wonder he had seen Qiao Jing unaffected by the strong smell of the Chinese medicine.

    Now he was even more convinced that Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing.

    As Qiao Jing was about to go downstairs, Director Chen couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and stopped her.

    "Miss Qiao, I still want to confirm something with you."

    Qiao Jing paused her steps and nced at Director Chen.

    "What¡¯s the matter? What is it?"

    Director Chen hesitated for a second before asking,

    "Miss Qiao, are you really Divine Doctor Jing?"

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to respond, a ruckus suddenly erupted at the door.

    "Is it over? Has my master finished the treatment?"

    The speaker was none other than Zhou Fu from Wonderful Hall.

    The housekeeper at the door saw the neer and respectfully replied,

    "Not yet, the treatment is still ongoing."

    Zhou Fu then breathed a sigh of relief and mumbled as he headed toward the stairs,

    "Thank goodness, thank goodness, I must hurry up and take a look, see if I can learn¡ª"

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he saw Qiao Jinging down the stairs.

    Qiao Jing looked down at Zhou Fu and slowly said,

    "It¡¯s finished."

    Zhou Fu was startle, and after a moment¡¯s realization, he pped his thigh in frustration.

    "Oh no, how could I have missed such a good learning opportunity? It¡¯s all because that patient¡¯s family member insisted on thanking me earlier. I told him it wasn¡¯t necessary but he kept insisting, and to top it off, I got stuck in traffic on the way here. Now I¡¯ve missed my chance to learn from my master."

    Hearing Zhou Fu¡¯s words, Director Chen and Zhan Yao immediately understood and exchanged looks.

    Qiao Jing really was Divine Doctor Jing!

    They had actually been questioning Qiao Jing all along, worrying that she was impersonating Divine Doctor Jing and not believing her.

    But in reality, Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, and they had almost missed the chance to treat Old Master Chen because they didn¡¯t believe in her.

    They really hadn¡¯t expected that the rumored Divine Doctor Jing would be so young; it was absolutely incredible, not at all the elderly figure they had imagined!

    So young people can be this amazing, truly impressive!

    Zhou Fu stepped forward a few paces, pulling Qiao Jing down the stairs and asking anxiously,

    "Master, please tell me, how did you treat him? What method did you use? I tried different approaches, and although there was some improvement, I couldn¡¯t achieve the best result."

    Qiao Jing pulled her hand back and looked helplessly at the eager Zhou Fu. "Wait a second, let me write down the prescription first and get them to fetch the medicine."

    When she reached the table, she realized there was neither paper nor a pen on it.

    Director Chen saw this and immediately started giving orders to the housekeeper.

    "Auntie Wang, what are you waiting for? Bring my best pen and paper over here, and let Divine Doctor Jing writefortably."

 Chapter 580 - 569: Pride, Qiao Jing is His Daughter-in-Law

    <h4>Chapter 580: Chapter 569: Pride, Qiao Jing is His Daughter-in-Law</h4>

    The nanny immediately hastened to fetch the finest pen and paper from the study and ced them before Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao, please."

    Qiao Jing nodded and picked up the pen, beginning to write on the paper.

    Director Chen approached Qiao Jing¡¯s side, watching her write the prescription, when he suddenly noticed the empty teacup.

    He pped his forehead and eximed, "Ah!"

    "How did I forget about making tea! Miss Qiao, would you like some tea? What kind of tea do you prefer? I have all kinds here."

    Qiao Jing paused her writing for a moment, then said indifferently,

    "Anything will do."

    Having said that, she continued writing the prescription.

    Upon seeing this, Director Chen immediately instructed the butler.

    "Butler, bring over our best batch of Longjing Tea, as well as Tieguanyin and any other fine teas, and prepare them for Miss Qiao."

    Qiao Jing nced at the butler, who was hurrying to prepare the tea, and slightly furrowed her brows.

    "You don¡¯t need to be so polite."

    She had wanted to say something when she saw the nanny bustling about with paper and pen, thinking that any sheet of paper and a ballpoint pen would do¡ªshe wasn¡¯t so particr.

    Now the butler was preparing so many cups of tea that she couldn¡¯t possibly finish, which truly seemed like a waste.

    A grateful smile appeared on Director Chen¡¯s face as he waved his hand.

    "I took my father to so many hospitals, and they all said he couldn¡¯t be cured. Only you, Divine Doctor Jing, could save my father and even fully restore his health. You saved my father¡¯s life, and making a few cups of tea for you is the least I can do."

    As Qiao Jing wrote the prescription, she had to allocate some of her attention to listening to Director Chen¡¯s words, which was quite a headache.

    Zhou Fu had also had his fill of listening, and couldn¡¯t resist chiming in:

    "Stop bbering; you¡¯re going on and on like a buzzing mosquito, disturbing my master as she writes the prescription."

    Director Chen nced at Qiao Jing, who was still writing, and quickly stepped back a few paces.

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stand farther away, so I won¡¯t disturb Miss Qiao while she¡¯s writing the prescription."

    As he spoke, he pulled Zhan Yao aside with him.

    Zhan Yao looked at Director Chen with a hint of confusion. He was about to speak when he remembered that Qiao Jing, who was not far away writing the prescription, might be disturbed and thus lowered his voice.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Director Chen also lowered his voice, fearful of disturbing Qiao Jing, and said with a wry tone:

    "I really envy you, Old Zhan. How did you find such an incredible daughter-inw? That¡¯s Divine Doctor Jing, you know. I would never have guessed you were hiding such a gem. But judging by your reaction earlier, howe you didn¡¯t know that Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing?"

    Zhan Yao nodded, his face still not having recovered from the shock.

    "I obviously didn¡¯t know either, or else how could I have possibly doubted her just now?"

    Director Chen nced in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

    "Old Zhan, don¡¯t you feel like we¡¯re whiling away in whispers like thieves, so as not to disturb a young person? It¡¯s quite amusing."

    Indeed, thebined age of the two men exceeded a hundred, yet they found themselves stealthily chatting on the side, keeping their voices low so as not to disturb a young person¡ªin his own home no less, having yielded his usual seat to her.

    But there was no helping it, for Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing¡ªthe one who had saved his father¡¯s life!

    Zhan Yao looked between himself and Director Chen a few times before nodding solemnly.

    "It does seem that way."

    The two men exchanged a look and simultaneously revealed a wistful smile.

    Director Chen heaved a long sigh.

    "The younger generation is to be feared! This capital seems to belong to the youth now, and we old fellows have finally reached the time to retire!"

    Zhan Yao furrowed his brow, putting on a stern look.

    "Old Chen, are you taking a dig at me? I retired long ago, and it¡¯s Qipei who has been managing thepany; you know that."

    Director Chen shook his head.

    "Who dares to mock you, I¡¯m just stating the facts. To be honest, I used to think Qiao Jing came from the countryside and her family background wasn¡¯t a match for Qipei. But now, it seems they are a perfect match, a couple made in heaven! I really was short-sighted back then!"

    Just as Zhan Yao was about to say something, Zhou Fu came over with the prescription.

    Zhou Fu looked at the prescription for a long while before he was willing to hand it over to Director Chen.

    "Here is the prescription, my master has written down everything including how many times a day to take it, take a good look for yourself."

    Director Chen immediately received it with both hands, gratefully looking towards Qiao Jing who was nearby.

    "Thank you! Thank you, Miss Qiao, thank you, Master Zhou!!"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and said softly,

    "Don¡¯t mention it, it¡¯s our duty as doctors. I¡¯ll be going back first."

    Just as she was about to bend over and pick up her medicine box, Zhou Fu snatched it away from her.

    "Master, I¡¯ll carry it for you. Where are you heading? I¡¯ll drive you back."

    Director Chen also quickly followed up,

    "Ah, yes, yes, Miss Qiao, let me drive you back. You¡¯ve really worked hard."

    Qiao Jing shook her head helplessly and took back the medicine box from Zhou Fu¡¯s hands.

    "No trouble necessary."

    Before she could even head towards the door, her phone rang.

    Qiao Jing took out her phone and saw that it was a call from Su Manhan.

    She pressed to answer the call.

    "Hello? Madam Zhan."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Zhan Yao immediately perked up his ears, curiously looking at Qiao Jing.

    Why did his wife suddenly call Qiao Jing?

    The conversation continued, and Su Manhan¡¯s voice came from the other end.

    "Qiao Jing, have you finished treating the patient? Tonight I made dumplings. Although everyone has already had dinner, dumplings can be a snack, and I didn¡¯t make too much. Also, Old Zhan is waiting for you toe back and join us for dumplings."

    Qiao Jing nced at the time and agreed toe.

    "Okay."

    Su Manhan said with augh,

    "Have Qipei pick you up, don¡¯t take a taxi by yourselfte at night. Be safe!!"

    Qiao Jing acknowledged with a word and hung up the call.

    After the call ended, Zhan Yao asked,

    "What did she say?"

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and answered truthfully,

    "Madam Zhan invited me over for dumplings, she made them tonight."

    Zhan Yao was startled for a moment, silently grumbling to himself.

    He was her husband for heaven¡¯s sake, why didn¡¯t she call him first abouting home for dumplings, but instead called her daughter-inw?

    But then again, if his daughter-inw were someone else, he¡¯d surely be jealous.

    However, his daughter-inw was none other than Qiao Jing, Divine Doctor Jing! With such an outstanding daughter-inw, he was too proud to even think of being jealous.

    Come to think of it, given the current situation, his son and daughter probably don¡¯t know Qiao Jing has such an impressive identity. Only he knew in the family, and he was quite pleased about it.

    After all, the fact that Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing is so important, and yet he¡¯s the only one in the family who knows it...

    While he was feeling rather smug, he suddenly remembered Old Zhan.

    Old Zhan had desperately wanted to match Qiao Jing with his son, and thank goodness it was a sessful match; otherwise, the Zhan Family would have missed out big time!

    And then, it finally dawned on him.

    No wonder when Old Zhan was ill, the hospital insisted on having Qiao Jinge over. It turned out to be because Qiao Jing had such a significant other identity.

 Chapter 581 - 570: Jealousy for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 581: Chapter 570: Jealousy for Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Yao, who was lost in thought, and thought about her identity having been exposed. She had no choice but to interrupt him.

    "Uncle Zhan, I have something I want to tell you."

    She had to ask Zhan Yao not to let anyone know she was Divine Doctor Jing. The more people who knew, the worse it would be.

    She didn¡¯t want so many people to know. Although her identity wasn¡¯t particrly impressive, as far as she knew, many people were looking for her. If everyone knew she was Divine Doctor Jing, it would probably attract a lot of attention.

    But now, she simply couldn¡¯t care for so many patients. Except for the emergencies she would attend to, like with Old Mr. Chen.

    If her identity as Divine Doctor Jing became public, would she still have any personal space left?

    Director Chen and Zhou Fu, sensing the situation, tactfully walked away, leaving room for their conversation.

    Seeing that everyone had moved away, Zhan Yao asked,

    "What is it?"

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brow and slowly began to speak.

    "About me being Divine Doctor Jing, don¡¯t tell Madam Zhan for now, and keep it from others as well."

    Zhan Yao nodded and immediately agreed.

    "Alright, I understand."

    He knew why Qiao Jing wanted to keep it a secret. Surely, if Su Manhan found out Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, she would definitely ask Qiao Jing to treat Zhan Qipei¡¯s infertility.

    But Qiao Jing was aware that Su Manhan had been worried about Zhan Qipei¡¯s infertility. Since Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing, she must have already privately cured Zhan Qipei, so they didn¡¯t have to worry so much anymore.

    As his thoughts reached this point, he suddenly remembered something, hesitated for a moment about whether to say it or not, but eventually asked,

    "If you don¡¯t let Manhan know about this, what about Qipei and Nanqing?"

    "They already know," she replied.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the smile that had just formed on Zhan Yao¡¯s face instantly froze.

    "Ah? Oh... okay, then I¡¯ll head back first and have Qipei pick you up."

    He had thought that he was the only one in the family who knew about Qiao Jing being Divine Doctor Jing, aside from his father, but it turned out his son and daughter knew even before him.

    Fortunately, Su Manhan was still there to cushion the blow, as long as he wasn¡¯t thest to know.

    Inside Purple Garden.

    As soon as Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei entered the house, they ran into Su Manhan waiting at the door.

    Seeing Qiao Jing arrive, Su Manhan immediately stepped forward, affectionately took Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, and led her toward the living room.

    "I¡¯ll take you to wash your hands, hurry up! We¡¯re all waiting for you."

    Qiao Jing looked back at Zhan Qipei, who was automatically ignored, and helplessly twitched the corner of her mouth.

    "Okay."

    She suddenly realized that Zhan Qipei¡¯s status in the Zhan Family seemed to have be somewhat diminished?

    Even Su Manhan, who always cherished Zhan Qipei, was now tantly ignoring him.

    When she came out after washing her hands, she found that everyone had already taken their seats.

    She had just reached her seat and hadn¡¯t even sat down when Su Manhan already arranged her utensils.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help butin,

    "Wow... it looks like my status in this family is getting lower and lower, unlike Qiao Jing!"

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing helplessly nced at him and pursed her red lips.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face also became slightly embarrassed as he watched Su Manhan arranging the utensils.

    He had wanted to set the utensils for Qiao Jing himself, but his mother had taken over.

    He thought he should be serving his wife, but his mother always took over his duties.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to pick up a dumpling for her bowl, someone was faster than her.

    Her bowl, empty a second ago, was suddenly piled with dumplings the next.

    She looked helplessly at Zhan Qipei and Su Manhan, who were almostpeting to stuff her bowl with dumplings.

    Her bowl was full, yet they took a new one to continue filling.

    More than half of the dumplings on the te had ended up in the two bowls in front of her, while the bowl in front of Zhan Nanqing contained only a pitiful two or three dumplings.

    A sudden throb pulsed at Qiao Jing¡¯s temples, and she pushed one of the bowls of dumplings toward Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, you eat. Madam Zhan, Zhan Qipei, no need to serve me anymore; it¡¯s too much, I can¡¯t finish it all."

    She had already eaten dinner earlier that evening, and if she were to eat both bowls of dumplings, wouldn¡¯t she burst?

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the bowl in front of her that contained only two or three dumplings and then at the bowl full of dumplings that Qiao Jing had pushed towards her.

    With such aparison, she felt like a beggar, unable to get enough food or warmth, while all the good things went to Qiao Jing.

    There was no need to make the favoritism so obvious!!

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, and he raised his gaze to look at Su Manhan.

    "Mom, Qiao Jing said you don¡¯t have to serve me anymore, I can do it."

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Qipei and scolded:

    "How dare you talk like that? Qiao Jing also said you don¡¯t have to serve her, and she¡¯s my daughter-inw. If I don¡¯t treat her well, who should I treat well?"

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, which were as heavy as mountains and misty as fog, and nced sideways at the woman next to him.

    "Qiao Jing is my wife, and it¡¯s enough that I treat her well; there¡¯s no need to trouble mom."

    Su Manhan set down her chopsticks and smacked her lips.

    "Listen to what you¡¯re saying. Try not treating Qiao Jing well for once and see what happens."

    Zhan Nanqing watched the two quarrel jealously over Qiao Jing and clicked her tongue, muttering softly.

    "Looks like it won¡¯t be long before there¡¯s no ce for me, Zhan Nanqing, in the Zhan Family..."

    As she spoke, she picked up a dumpling, dipped it in some vinegar, and popped it into her mouth.

    After tasting the tartness of the vinegar on the dumpling, she got goosebumps all over her body¡ªshe had identally used too much!

    However, it might also have been her own doing, as she was now just a vinegar pot, adding vinegar to vinegar!!

    After all, everyone in the family was nice to Qiao Jing, and she was just a poor child that nobody cared about.

    Even her father, who had always been nonmittal, had taken advantage of the chaos to serve a few dumplings to Qiao Jing, and at the time, she had thought she was seeing things.

    She rubbed her eyes several times then and realized that her father was indeed serving dumplings to Qiao Jing, and he tly hadn¡¯t served her a single one!

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helplessly, rubbed her forehead and interrupted the two who were still going at it.

    "Enough, let¡¯s eat the dumplings."

    If the two kept quarreling like this, they might as well not eat at all.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei stopped speaking; Su Manhan also began to use her chopsticks, and the earlier tension dissipated very quickly.

    Zhan Yuanshan looked at the harmonious scene at the dining table and showed a very satisfied smile, stroking his beard.

    This was the way a family should be!

    The antagonistic behavior that Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing had been engaging in earlier, what did that amount to?

    After the meal, Qiao Jing stood up and bid farewell to several people.

    "Grandpa Zhan, Uncle Zhan, Madam Zhan, Nanqing, I¡¯m heading back now."

    Zhan Yuanshan nodded his head, finding Qiao Jing more and more pleasing the more he looked at her.

    "Alright, Jing Girl, take care of your health, eat more, ande visit this old man more often."

    Zhan Yao and Zhan Nanqing also nodded their heads.

    Only Su Manhan did not immediately respond to Qiao Jing but walked over to her instead.

    "Qiao Jing, why don¡¯t you stay at Purple Garden tonight? It just so happens that Qipei¡¯s bedroom is empty, oh no, never mind,e sleep with me, and we can chat tonight. How nice!"

    At this, Zhan Yao blinked, asking instinctively:

    "Then where do I sleep?"

    Su Manhan looked at Zhan Yao with a disdainful gaze.

    "You sleep on the couch, or in Qipei¡¯s room."

 Chapter 582 - 571: Qiao Jing Blushed

    <h4>Chapter 582: Chapter 571: Qiao Jing Blushed</h4>

    Zhan Yao was just about to answer when he was interrupted by Zhan Qipei.

    "No way."

    Zhan Qipei swiftly came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and took the woman¡¯s slender wrist.

    "Qiao Jing ising home with me, Mom, don¡¯t make Dad sleep on the couch, it¡¯s really tough on him."

    He absolutely could not let Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden. Not being able to sneak into the bed was one thing, but another was that the wounds on Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder needed redressing.

    Zhan Yao furrowed his brows, looking puzzledly at Zhan Qipei.

    "I didn¡¯t say I mind sleeping on the couch."

    He now knew Qiao Jing was Divine Doctor Jing. With such an impressive daughter-inw, he dared not have anyints.

    Moreover, he didn¡¯t dare confront Su Manhan either.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were tightly pressed into a straight, icy line as his dark eyes deepened.

    When did his dad start acting like this? Why wasn¡¯t he standing on the same side with him?

    As the situation stalemated, Zhan Nanqing timidly spoke up.

    "Mom, actually I can chat with you too. It doesn¡¯t necessarily only have to be Qiao Jing; let¡¯s give them some couple¡¯s time."

    She had barely finished speaking when she received a sharp re from Su Manhan.

    "I just haven¡¯t seen Qiao Jing for a while, so I wanted to spend a night with her. It¡¯s also good for fostering a mother-inw and daughter-inw rtionship, right?"

    Zhan Nanqing immediately shut her mouth, muttering in her heart:

    With your rtionship with Qiao Jing as mother-inw and daughter-inw, if it improved any further, you might as well treat Qiao Jing like your own daughter.

    Oh no... Qiao Jing was already being treated like a real daughter by her mom, considering her status was even higher than hers.

    She felt like a "fake daughter," unloved and uncared for. Probably, the future family hierarchy at home would be: Qiao Jing, her grandfather, her mom, kitchen utilities, her dad, her, her brother.

    Qiao Jing massaged her temples, feeling a headacheing on.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Madam Zhan, I haven¡¯t taken a shower yet. It¡¯s more convenient to go home. Can I join you for shopping another time?"

    Actually, the main reason was that her wounds still needed attention, and it wouldn¡¯t be convenient to change the dressings or her clothes if she stayed at Purple Garden.

    Seeing Qiao Jing put it that way, Su Manhan had no choice but to let it go.

    "Alright, then next time we go out, I¡¯ll stay over with you."

    Seeing Su Manhan relent, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tense brows finally rxed, and he led Qiao Jing out of Purple Garden.

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    The first thing Qiao Jing did when she got home was to change her dressings.

    She sat on the couch and directly pulled down her cor, revealing the bandage around her wound.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to unwrap the bandage, a pair ofrge hands appeared in her line of sight.

    Zhan Qipei untied the knot of the bandage and gently unwrapped it circle by circle.

    When the wound on Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder was exposed, his dark eyes instantly lit up.

    "The wound is about to scab over!"

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes to look at the wound and responded faintly.

    "The medicine is working quickly."

    Just as she finished speaking, she suddenly felt a tingling sensation at the site of the wound.

    Qiao Jing shuddered violently, looked down, and there was Zhan Qipei, that despicable man, actually touching her wound with his fingers?!

    Her wound was a bit itchy as it was scabbing, and it felt even itchier as Zhan Qipei touched it with his calloused fingertips.

    Qiao Jing instinctively tried to withdraw her hand, but Zhan Qipei suddenly grasped her arm.

    She furrowed her brows in annoyance and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    "Zhan Qipei, let go."

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t listen, his hand clutching tightly Qiao Jing¡¯s arm exposed to the air, while his other hand was cautiously touching the woman¡¯s wound.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tighter and her eyelids twitched violently.

    "Zhan Qipei? Are you listening?"

    Normally, she would have pulled her hand back right away, but her wound was about to scab over, and pulling back suddenly could tear the wound open again, which would not be good.

    Even with good medication, the recovery of the wound after a second injury would slow down.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows tightly, gently fiddling with Qiao Jing¡¯s wound with his fingertips, his thin lips slightly parting.

    "Wait a moment."

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, a hint of annoyance glinting in her eyes, and she gritted her teeth and said:

    "Zhan, Qipei!"

    She didn¡¯t want to forcefully pull back her hand and cause a secondary injury to her wound, but the area around her wound was just too sensitive.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei realize that Qiao Jing was angry, and he paused in his movements.

    "It won¡¯t take long, there¡¯s a small piece of gauze on your wound, it might have been identally left there when unwrapping it."

    He had been focused on avoiding hurting Qiao Jing while treating her, so he hadn¡¯t noticed she was upset until now.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, her tightly furrowed brows quickly rxed, and her eyes showed a hint of apology.

    "Sorry, I misunderstood you."

    She had thought that Zhan Qipei was trying to take advantage of her, especially since the man did not exin but directly started touching her, and it was even at her wound, which had caused the misunderstanding.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say much, resuming working on Qiao Jing¡¯s wound.

    A momentter, Zhan Qipei pulled out the small piece of gauze and threw it into the trash can.

    "Done."

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes, her cool voice breaking the silence.

    "About just now¡ª"

    She hadn¡¯t finished her words when Zhan Qipei interrupted her.

    "You should take a bath and remember to be careful, avoid getting the wound wet, and if you want to make it easier..."

    He deliberately paused, his deep dark eyes intensely staring at Qiao Jing, his gaze bing somewhat scorching as he revealed a smile that shouldn¡¯t belong to him.

    "You can let me help you wash."

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, the hint of apology in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes instantly vanished, and her temples abruptly throbbed.

    This guy... not again...

    She had thought Zhan Qipei was finally being serious for a moment, but the moment this dog of a man spoke, it was still those words,

    She didn¡¯t understand why he was so obsessed with the idea of bathing her?

    "Thanks, I can wash myself."

    After dropping these words, Qiao Jing hurriedly went back to her room to get some clothes and walked into the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei stood behind Qiao Jing, watching her with clothes in hand as she entered the bathroom, slowly curling up the corners of his mouth.

    He just stood there, with no intention of leaving, watching the silhouette of the woman¡¯s curves through the frosted ss door.

    The reason he could discern Qiao Jing¡¯s curves through the shadow was naturally because more than three months ago,

    he had seen theplete Qiao Jing.

    That was a Qiao Jing only he had seen.

    At this thought, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about that wonderful night, his dark eyes deepening a bit, as if plunging into an abyss.

    He suddenly felt a dryness in his throat, a heat spreading from his heart to his whole body, and he urgently needed to cool down.

 Chapter 583 - 572: Following Behind Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 583: Chapter 572: Following Behind Qiao Jing</h4>

    Zhan Qipei reluctantly withdrew his gaze and quickly walked to the kitchen, pouring a ss of cold water to cool down.

    However, his gaze uncontrobly drifted toward the direction of the bathroom. When he saw that faintly discernible shadow behind the door again, his grip on the ss gradually tightened, his fingertips turning slightly white.

    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed again, knowing that if he kept looking, something would happen.

    He took a deep breath, pursed his thin lips, and struggled to withdraw his gaze from the bathroom. Just as he was about to head back to his room, the bathroom door suddenly opened.

    Qiao Jing, while drying her hair, stepped out from the bathroom, immediately meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s intense gaze.

    She paused, nced at the clock on the wall, and noted that about ten minutes had passed since she had started her shower.

    "Have you been standing here the whole time?"

    She had thought that Zhan Qipei had left to attend to his own matters, yet his posture suggested that he had been standing in the kitchen for a while.

    Zhan Qipei coughed, picked up his water ss, and walked toward his room.

    "No, I was about to go back to work."

    He was still notpletely calm, and he absolutely mustn¡¯t let Qiao Jing find out.

    Qiao Jing watched his slightly hurried retreating figure, her eyebrows lightly furrowed, her face full of confusion.

    What was going on with this guy?

    Why was he behaving so strangely?

    She couldn¡¯t drive him away before, but now he had be more conscious on his own?

    Thest time he had stood outside the bathroom, Zhan Qipei had left on his own, and now he had left of his own ord again?

    How could she not think it was not a case of Zhan Qipei suddenly developing a conscience, but rather that he was hiding something from her?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much further; if Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t bothering her, that was for the best.

    ¡ª¡ª

    The following day.

    After work at noon, Qiao Jing was getting ready to head straight to Wonderful Hall for her clinic.

    She had just packed her things when her cell phone rang.

    Qiao Jing nced at the caller ID and answered the call.

    "Hello?"

    Wu Xirui¡¯s voice came from the other end.

    "I need a follow-up today, should Ie to your office, or will youe to mine?"

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment and was just about to speak when Wu Xirui answered for her.

    "Or I¡¯lle to you, given I prefer taking the initiative with you. Where are you?"

    Upon hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s words, Qiao Jing pulled a wry smile.

    Since he had already decided toe to her, was there any need to ask?

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s silence, Wu Xirui pressed:

    "Hmm? Did you hear me?"

    Qiao Jing then slowly responded.

    "Wonderful Hall,e over for your follow-up now. I have patients to see this afternoon."

    Zhan Nanqing, who was nearby and heard Qiao Jing¡¯s conversation, curiously nced at her and perked up her ears to listen carefully.

    There were very few people who could contact Qiao Jing directly about a follow-up, and at least she hadn¡¯t seen any before.

    She was indeed curious to see who it was that even called Qiao Jing for this; didn¡¯t this mean the person also knew about Qiao Jing¡¯s identity?

    Wu Xirui acknowledged and then hung up the phone.

    After hanging up, Qiao Jing put away her phone and walked toward the door.

    Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing was leaving and immediately followed, taking a few steps before suddenly remembering she had forgotten her bag and hurried back to grab it.

    By the time she had her bag ready, Qiao Jing had already walked away.

    Zhan Nanqing looked down at the high heels she was wearing. Ignoring difort, she began to jog to catch up.

    "Qiao Jing! Wait for me!"

    The first thing Qiao Jing heard was the "ck ck ck" of high heels on the ground. She paused for a moment, and upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, she stopped.

    She turned back to look at Zhan Nanqing, a hint of confusion emerging in her eyes.

    "What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m heading to Wonderful Hall."

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes darted around, her face revealing a smile tinged with appeasement, hoping to hide the gossip in her eyes.

    "Can Ie with you? Also, who was on the phone with you just now? He actually called to say he was going to consult? Does he know you are Divine Doctor Jing?"

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing, the "Curious Baby," and answered all her questions one by one.

    "That was Wu Xirui on the phone. He doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m Divine Doctor Jing. Don¡¯t you have to work this afternoon?"

    The smile on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face disappeared instantly, reced by a cautious expression.

    "I switched shifts with Xiao Lin this afternoon. I want to go to Wonderful Hall with you."

    Actually, going to Wonderful Hall wasn¡¯t the main point; the main point was that she needed to protect her brother from Wu Xirui.

    What if Wu Xirui secretly tried to seduce Qiao Jing if she wasn¡¯t there?

    Even though she knew Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t bother with Wu Xirui, Wu Xirui had a very thick skin. If he kept trying to get close to Qiao Jing, that would not be good!

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, staring at Zhan Nanqing for a long while before slowly speaking.

    "Are you sure? Didn¡¯t you find it boringst time?"

    She had thought that after bringing Zhan Nanqing alongst time and letting her see how boring the consultations could be, she wouldn¡¯t want toe again.

    Yet here Zhan Nanqing was, wanting toe again?

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression stiffened for a moment, and she quickly replied:

    "Not boring."

    Saying it wasn¡¯t boring was a lie; after all,st time, apart from when Chi Yuhang showed up, she had spent the time ying with her phone because she really didn¡¯t understand the medical consultation process.

    But this time was different, as Wu Xirui wasing to see Qiao Jing for a follow-up. She had to go even if she didn¡¯t want to.

    Ah¡ª

    She had sacrificed so much for her brother and Qiao Jing¡¯s rtionship.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, and before she could decide, Zhan Nanqing, as if scared Qiao Jing would refuse, grabbed her and started walking out.

    "It¡¯s really not boring at all, I¡¯m not lying. Let¡¯s hurry, didn¡¯t you say you have patients to see? We shouldn¡¯t dy."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s furrowed brows finally rxed, and without wasting more time, she headed to Wonderful Hall with Zhan Nanqing.

    Inside Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing had just sat down when Wu Xirui¡¯s figure appeared at the door.

    Upon seeing Wu Xirui, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s internal rms went off, her eyes warily fixed on him, and she couldn¡¯t help but mutter to herself.

    She hadn¡¯t even warmed her seat when Wu Xirui arrived, so eager to see Qiao Jing?

    Not while she was there!

    The gaze of Wu Xirui fell on Qiao Jing, his peach blossom eyes curved, a falsely polite smile carrying a hint of sincerity as he sat across from her.

    "Qiao Jing, long time no see. How have you been recently?"

    Qiao Jing gave Wu Xirui a cool nce and casually replied.

    "Fine, extend your hand."

    She wanted to finish Wu Xirui¡¯s follow-up quickly and then move on to the next patient.

    Unlike usual, Wu Xirui didn¡¯t extend his hand right away but instead leaned forward, narrowing the distance between him and Qiao Jing.

    "We haven¡¯t seen each other for so long. Why don¡¯t we chat first about what¡¯s been happeningtely, any interesting stories?"

 Chapter 584 - 573: Zhan Nanqing Desperately Defends Against Wu Xirui

    <h4>Chapter 584: Chapter 573: Zhan Nanqing Desperately Defends Against Wu Xirui</h4>

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in speechless frustration and said coldly,

    "Are you here to see a doctor or to chat? There are other patients waiting for me to see them."

    Standing beside her, Zhan Nanqing immediately chimed in,

    "Exactly. She has more than just one patient to see. Don¡¯t waste the time of other patients. Hurry up and let Qiao Jing take your pulse and prescribe your medicine, and then you can leave."

    Just now, she had almost lost control and reached out to stand between Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui.

    How could Wu Xirui have such thick skin?

    He even pulled his chair closer to Qiao Jing?!

    Is he trying to piss her off??

    The smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face stiffened, and the little bit of sincerity in it vanished without a trace as he nced at Zhan Nanqing.

    "What business is it of yours what happens between Qiao Jing and me? Don¡¯t think that I can¡¯t do anything to you just because you¡¯re from the Zhan Family."

    This person called Zhan Nanqing had interfered with his moments with Qiao Jing more than once.

    His patience also had its limits.

    Zhan Nanqing made an indifferent "tsk" sound and, crossing her arms, leaned back against the chair.

    "You think you¡¯re in the right? Do you not know that Qiao Jing is my sister-inw, or what? Are you saying you want to take a swing at me with what you¡¯re saying?"

    If this were before, she might have taken Wu Xirui¡¯s status into consideration and been slightly more polite.

    Now that her rtionship with Qiao Jing was so good, how could she possibly still tolerate it?

    She was the youngdy of the Zhan Family, after all. No matter what, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t challenge the Zhan Family¡¯s status. She was not afraid!

    Moreover, she had such a formidable sister-inw. Was she afraid of a mere Wu Xirui?

    What a joke!

    Naturally, Qiao Jing was on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s side. She knitted her brows and said coldly,

    "Wu Xirui, if you¡¯re not here for treatment, then please leave. And don¡¯t even think aboutying a hand on Nanqing!"

    She would not allow anyone to harm her friend, and all the more so for Zhan Nanqing. Now, Zhan Nanqing was her sister.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, and on the spot, she turned into a little fangirl, blinking her starry eyes at Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing..."

    Why did Qiao Jing give her a feeling akin to a domineering CEO protecting his wife?

    If Qiao Jing¡¯s identity was swapped with her brother¡¯s and she became the CEO, she would certainly be able to hold her own!

    After all, Qiao Jing was a strong woman!

    Wu Xirui could no longer maintain his smile and, after giving Zhan Nanqing a cold look, extended his hand to Qiao Jing.

    "Look, I¡¯m here for the treatment."

    It seemed that today wasn¡¯t the day to get cozy with Qiao Jing. As for Zhan Nanqing,

    he had originally wanted to find an opportunity to start something, but since Qiao Jing had spoken in this manner, he couldn¡¯t challenge her limits.

    Otherwise, it would be very difficult for him to get close to Qiao Jing again, and even harder to snatch her away from Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing, whose brows were tightly furrowed, finally rxed them, her fingertips touching Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse. After a few seconds, she withdrew her hand.

    "You¡¯re recovering well. Just keep taking the medicine and avoid bad habits."

    After saying this, she was about to grab a pen to write a prescription when a wet wipe appeared before her.

    Looking up at the owner of the wet wipe, Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Nanqing was staring at her with a look of concern, and there was arge pack of wet wipes on the table.

    With a puzzled face, she asked,

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Her hands weren¡¯t dirty, so why the sudden offer of a wet wipe?

    Zhan Nanqing gestured meaningfully in Wu Xirui¡¯s direction and, seeing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t take it, immediately pushed the wet wipe into her hand without another word.

    "You just need to take it."

    She was magnanimous, not minding Wu Xirui¡¯s earlier remark, and now she refrained from showing disdain for him in his presence.

    Qiao Jing took the wet wipe and nced at Wu Xirui, whose face was gloomy at the moment, and immediately understood what Zhan Nanqing meant.

    She struggled to suppress a smile that threatened to show, held the wet tissue in her hand, and began to write a prescription for Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui noticed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s movement, and his face darkened even further, no longer bothering to maintain a fake smile.

    He clenched his fists and red at Zhan Nanqing with eyes like those of a venomous snake.

    Feeling the force of Wu Xirui¡¯s stare, Zhan Nanqing became somewhat frightened and directly moved her stool next to Qiao Jing.

    As soon as she sat beside Qiao Jing, she calmed down, lifted her chin slightly, and rolled her eyes at Wu Xirui right in front of him.

    Wu Xirui stood up, reaching out to pull Zhan Nanqing away.

    Just as his hand was about to touch Zhan Nanqing, a prescription was unceremoniously pped across his face.

    Qiao Jing quickly released her grasp, and the prescription fluttered down to the table as her cool voice rang out.

    "My hand slipped, what are you suddenly standing up for? Haven¡¯t I told you that you¡¯re not allowed to touch Nanqing?"

    She thought in the time it took to write a prescription, Wu Xirui decided toy his hands on Zhan Nanqing?

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but let out a "pfft" ofughter upon seeing Wu Xirui¡¯s face smudged with the prescription, but she quickly stopped herself.

    To avoid receiving Wu Xirui¡¯s threatening look again, she simply hid behind Qiao Jing, not even ncing at him.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid of Wu Xirui, but now that she had Qiao Jing to rely on, why wouldn¡¯t she embrace that support?

    She was almost willing to be an essory attached to Qiao Jing¡¯s leg, following wherever Qiao Jing went.

    Wu Xirui suppressed his anger, and when facing Qiao Jing, his peach blossom eyes curved, and he reinstated his smile.

    "I wasn¡¯t violent, I just stood up to take a look, that¡¯s all."

    The nearby employee, seeing the atmosphere had eased, stepped forward to take the prescription and began to prepare the medicine for Wu Xirui.

    The employee quickly wrapped up the medicine and handed it over to Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui took the medicine and lingered his gaze on Qiao Jing for a few seconds before departing.

    "I¡¯ll be going first."

    He had many other opportunities to interact with Qiao Jing and wouldn¡¯t cling to this one.

    Besides, with Zhan Nanqing, that nuisance present, there was little he could do anyway.

    Qiao Jing responded with a nonchnt "hmm," not even looking at Wu Xirui.

    After Wu Xirui left, Zhan Nanqing immediately jumped out from behind Qiao Jing.

    "Finally he¡¯s gone; he was so annoying. Right, Qiao Jing, please don¡¯t associate with him so much. He obviously has ulterior motives. And why does he want to chat about daily life with you? Isn¡¯t that just trying to pry into your life excessively?"

    Qiao Jing nodded, and just as she was about to see the next patient, she suddenly remembered something.

    She took out Chi Chenyun¡¯s medical record from the drawer and dialed the number on it.

    Soon, the call connected.

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s voice came through.

    "Miss Qiao, hello! What can I do for you? Hold on! Let me find a quieter ce to talk."

    Qiao Jing heard some background noise on Chi Yuhang¡¯s end, probably from his workce.

    "Alright."

    A few secondster, Chi Yuhang¡¯s voice became clear.

    "I can talk now. What is it, Miss Qiao?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze lingered on the medical record, pausing for a few seconds on the prescription line before speaking.

    "Has your grandfather finished the medicine?"

 Chapter 585 - 574: Zhan Nanqing Helps Deliver Medicine

    <h4>Chapter 585: Chapter 574: Zhan Nanqing Helps Deliver Medicine</h4>

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang was stunned and stammered:

    "Um... no..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s icy eyes deepened, and she spoke solemnly.

    "Chi Yuhang, the medicine I prescribed for you is only enough for the few days I specified. If you had prepared it for your grandfather as instructed, it should definitely be finished by now, but you did note to Wonderful Hall to get the medicine yesterday."

    The reason Chi Yuhang did note for the medicine was surely that he did not want to just take from Wonderful Hall without paying.

    Qiao Jing paused, then continued:

    "Your grandfather¡¯s illness is very serious; he cannot stop his medication, otherwise everything he has taken so far will be wasted. I also told youst time not to worry about the medical expenses; you can pay them back gradually."

    Chi Yuhang clenched his fists and took out a few hundred dors from his pocket.

    "Miss Qiao, I was nning to buy the medicine after I received my sry tonight. However, I was caught up with something today and did not go to work this afternoon, so I can¡¯t go to Wonderful Hall to get the medicine now."

    He certainly wanted to go to Wonderful Hall to get the medicine for his grandfather, but the money he had was only enough for one time, yet with today¡¯s sry included, he should be able to cover two doses.

    So, he was thinking of getting the medicine from Wonderful Hall after he got his sry tonight.

    Qiao Jing frowned deeply, saying coldly:

    "If you wait until tonight to get the medicine, your grandfather will have missed two doses. Where are you now? I¡¯ll have someone send the medicine to you."

    Before this, she had already emphasized to Chi Yuhang that he need not worry about the money, so he should not dy his grandfather¡¯s treatment now.

    She spected that Chi Yuhang hadn¡¯te to get the medicine this time, most likely because he had listened to Old Master Chi¡¯s words.

    After her previous discussion about the medical condition with Old Master Chi, she could sense that he was a man of pride despite his poverty, not wishing to always take from others.

    Chi Yuhang knew he had acted incorrectly this time by carelessly agreeing to his grandfather¡¯s abrupt decision to stop the medication, and he felt very guilty.

    He nced back at the field which he hadn¡¯t finished watering and hesitated for a moment.

    "Miss Qiao, I¡¯lle and get it myself."

    The reason he was so loud just now was that he was watering the fields and had specifically turned off the water to take the call.

    If he went to Wonderful Hall to get the medicine now, there would still be arge part of the field left unwatered, and he was worried the newly nted seedlings would die.

    But he couldn¡¯t trouble Miss Qiao, so he would have to give up on these newly nted seedlings.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and replied resolutely:

    "Send me the address, and I will have someone deliver it to you. It won¡¯t be a bother to me."

    Since Chi Yuhang had stopped working to do something else, it must mean that matter was very important.

    She wouldn¡¯t dy his affairs, and it was convenient for someone from Wonderful Hall to deliver it.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Chi Yuhang a chance to refuse and hung up the phone.

    While Nanqing was originally browsing her phone, she immediately put it down upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s conversation.

    After seeing Qiao Jing hang up the phone, she promptly asked:

    "What happened? Chi Yuhang didn¡¯te to get the medicine?"

    Qiao Jing responded with a "Hmm," her face still showing a trace of coldness, then she opened her chat with Chi Yuhang and waited a few seconds without receiving his location from him.

    All she saw at the top of the chat screen was a repeated notification, "The other party is typing..."

    After a while, she finally received the location Chi Yuhang sent.

    Only then did Qiao Jing¡¯s deeply furrowed brows rx. Just as she was about to instruct the shopkeeper to pack up the medicine for Chi Yuhang, several people suddenly entered through the door, one of whom looked extremely pale and weak, his clothes stained with blood on his chest and needing others to support him to stand steadily.

    She immediately realized the severity of the situation, stood up, walked over to the patient, looked back at the shopkeeper, and instructed:

    "Pack these medicines and deliver them to the location I just sent you."

    After he dropped that line, Qiao Jing and a patient walked into a room together.

    Nanqing stood there, dumbfounded, exchanging stares with the clerk for a few seconds.

    "Uh... I can¡¯t follow them in now, can I?"

    The clerk nodded and turned to start preparing the medicine.

    "Right, the patient just now seemed quite serious, which is why Miss Qiao took them into the examination room."

    He had just finished preparing the medicine and was about to deliver it when another patient arrived at the door.

    "I had an appointment for a consultation today. Where is the doctor?"

    The clerk hesitated, looking troubled as he nced at the medicine in his hand and then at the patient.

    He was the only one avable to help treat patients at Wonderful Hall. Although he wasn¡¯t as skilled as Divine Doctor Jing or Master Zhou, Divine Doctor Jing had gone to see another patient, and Master Zhou had also gone to someone¡¯s house for a consultation.

    Calling someone else to help would take time and dy the patient¡¯s condition. Nanqing noticed the clerk¡¯s difficulty, watched the medicines in his hand for a while, and finally sighed before walking up to him.

    "I¡¯ll help you deliver the medicines. Where to?"

    The clerk hesitated, as Miss Zhan was a friend and sister of Divine Doctor Jing, and he didn¡¯t want to trouble her without good reason.

    But it seemed there was no other option now.

    He handed the medicine to Nanqing, checked his phone, and showed her the screen.

    "It¡¯s in the suburbs."

    Upon seeing the location, Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "The suburbs?! That far??"

    She had thought of helping with the medicine delivery because she saw how busy Qiao Jing and the clerk were, and being the only one at Wonderful Hall who knew nothing about medicine. Plus, the fact that it was for someone she knew made her agree to help.

    She had thought it would be quick since it was within the city, and that she could just drive there, but now she was told that Chi Yuhang¡¯s home was in the suburbs?

    To go from downtown to the suburbs would take at least an hour¡¯s drive!

    Upon this realization, she started having second thoughts.

    Suddenly, she heard a patient¡¯s voice.

    "I am feeling unwell; can I get help now?"

    Nanqing gritted her teeth and took the medicine from the clerk.

    "Right, do give me the phone number from the medical record."

    The suburbs were vast, and it would be troublesome if she couldn¡¯t find the ce; it was safer to save Chi Yuhang¡¯s number.

    Seeing that Nanqing was willing to help, the clerk immediately found the medical record, quickly wrote down the address and phone number on a piece of paper, and handed it to Nanqing.

    "Thank you, Miss Zhan! Sorry for the trouble!"

    Nanqing reluctantly epted it and got into her car with the materials.

    An hourter.

    Nanqing¡¯s sports car stopped in the suburbs, she pulled down her sunsses, and looked around the deserted area.

    She looked at the navigation again, somewhat unsure, and saw that it indicated she had arrived at the destination, but there was not a single building around. Where exactly was Chi Yuhang¡¯s house?!

    Please don¡¯t tell her that Chi Yuhang¡¯s family was so poor they lived in a nearby cave??

 Chapter 586 - 575: Caveman on the Mountain Top?

    <h4>Chapter 586: Chapter 575: Caveman on the Mountain Top?</h4>

    Zhan Nanqing estimated the distance to that mountain cave with a nce and rolled her eyes in speechless resignation.

    "Why is it so far? The car can¡¯t even get through. If I didn¡¯t know it was 2022, I would have almost thought Chi Yuhang was some sort of caveman..." she muttered.

    She immediately gave up on the idea of going there. The road to the cave was so rough and bumpy, there was no way a car could pass.

    If she had to walk, it was damnably far. She certainly wasn¡¯t going.

    After grumbling a bit, Zhan Nanqing took out her phone and dialed the number she had saved.

    Chi Yuhang answered the call quickly.

    "Hello? Who is this?" he asked.

    Zhan Nanqing was already in a bad mood, and hearing Chi Yuhang¡¯s voice only reminded her that it was her search for him that led her on this wild goose chase. She was fuming.

    "Chi Yuhang! You live in a cave, how am I supposed to get there??" she eximed impatiently.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang was taken aback.

    "Miss Zhan? What do you mean, my home is in a cave? We don¡¯t live in a cave. Wait, why are you asking this? Are you the one delivering the medicine?" he inquired.

    Zhan Nanqing huffed in annoyance and said impatiently,

    "Who else would be delivering your medicine? Qiao Jing and the others are all busy. Never mind that. You said you don¡¯t live in a cave, so where exactly is your ce? The navigation led me here and I can¡¯t even find a single soul, just a few caves in the distance."

    Chi Yuhang furrowed his brows, set down the hose he was holding, and started walking towards his house.

    "My home isn¡¯t on the navigation system. It sets the position to nearby. I¡¯ll drive over to pick you up now," he said.

    He had forgotten to mention this to Miss Qiao and the rest, and now a mix-up had urred.

    It was his fault.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard that Chi Yuhang wasing to pick her up, she paused, nced at her limited edition sports car beside her, and asked in confusion,

    "You actually have a car?"

    Chi Yuhang simply responded with a "Hmm," and answered,

    "Bicycle. Did you take a taxi here? If so, it¡¯s still better that Ie to pick you up. Coming from there to my house would add another extra ten or so yuan to your fare."

    Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue in disdain and patted her sports car.

    "No need, I have my own car. Just tell me how to get to your ce," she said.

    She really thought too highly of Chi Yuhang to expect him to have a car. Her sports car wasn¡¯t good enough?

    But in all honesty, she hadn¡¯t expected Chi Yuhang¡¯s home to be so remote that it wasn¡¯t even on the navigation system.

    Chi Yuhang gave his bicycle a sidelong look, and considering Zhan Nanqing had her own car, he didn¡¯t press the issue.

    "Just keep driving ahead. In about ten minutes, you¡¯ll see a few houses clustered together on the side of the road. I¡¯ll wait for you outside then," he exined.

    Although his bicycle was old, he took good care of it, and it looked almost brand new.

    He guessed that Miss Zhan¡¯s status was no less extraordinary than Miss Qiao¡¯s, and since Miss Zhan said she had her own car, it would certainly be a better ride than his bicycle.

    Zhan Nanqing responded with a nonchnt "Oh," before hanging up and getting back into her car.

    Indeed, after driving for more than ten minutes, she saw a few houses huddled together, all tile-roofed, and very run-down.

    Standing in front of one of these houses was Chi Yuhang.

    Zhan Nanqing sped up, ready to hurriedly give the medicine and leave; she still needed to rush back to town to see Qiao Jing.

    From afar, Chi Yuhang saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s sports car approaching with a loud roar of its engine. He looked back at his bicycle, parked at the doorway.

    He pursed his lips and stopped thinking about it, directly withdrawing his gaze.

    Zhan Nanqing stopped the car in front of Chi Yuhang, took the medicine from the passenger seat, and quickly got out.

    She walked over to Chi Yuhang and handed the medicine to him.

    "Miss Qiao specifically instructed me that this medicine is different from thest one, just take it once at noon and once in the evening."

    Chi Yuhang carefully took it, expressing his gratitude:

    "Okay, thank you, Miss Zhan. It¡¯s really a lot of trouble for you."

    Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything more, turning around to leave.

    "If you really want to thank me, you should have rified the ce with me in advance, and I came this time only because Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t free. Don¡¯t expect me to personally deliver medicine to you again next time; it¡¯s really too troublesome."

    She had just turned around and not walked a few steps when Chi Chenyun¡¯s voice rang out from behind her.

    "Hey, youngdy! Wait a minute!"

    Zhan Nanqing paused, turned her head back to look at Chi Chenyun, and noticed that in just a few days, the old man¡¯s previously sallowplexion had regained some color.

    It seems it was all thanks to the medicine prescribed by Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing is really amazing, truly worthy of being called Divine Doctor Jing!

    Just by taking the pulse, she could easily understand the patient¡¯s condition, and the medicine she prescribed was also exceedingly effective¡ªOld Master Chi was a prime example.

    Zhan Nanqing originally intended to leave right away, but seeing that it was Chi Chenyun speaking, she felt it would be rude not to give the old man face, so she stopped.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing stop, Chi Chenyun prepared to walk out, using the door frame for support.

    Seeing this, Chi Yuhang immediately stepped forward to hold Chi Chenyun, frowning.

    "Grandpa! Why are youing out? Even if your body has recovered a bit, you can¡¯t just walk around any old way; what if you fall?"

    To show that he could stand on his own, Chi Chenyun withdrew his hand from Chi Yuhang¡¯s grasp and stood by the door.

    "Stop talking nonsense, Xiao Hang; I am feeling much better. After taking the medicine, I can even get out of bed and walk around. Besides, the youngdy hase all this way to deliver medicine to me; of course, I have to personallye out to wee her."

    After speaking, he looked toward Zhan Nanqing.

    "This time, it really has been troublesome for you toe here to deliver the medicine. If I had known, this old man wouldn¡¯t have been so stubborn and put you out to make the trip."

    Zhan Nanqing shook her head, her face revealing a polite smile.

    "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s no trouble at all, Grandpa Chi. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving now."

    She really wasn¡¯tfortable staying in such a remote ce. Aside from the few tile-roofed houses around, there were ins and forests, and she always found it a bit creepy.

    As Zhan Nanqing was about to leave, Chi Chenyun once again spoke up to stop her.

    "Youngdy, to thank you for bringing me the medicine this time, why don¡¯t youe in and sit down before you go? Have some water and rest for a while. After all, it¡¯s quite a drive from the city to here; you must be thirsty after driving for so long, right?"

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s smile stiffened slightly, and her gaze fell on the tile-roofed house behind the grandfather and grandson.

    From the outside, aside from being covered in ivy and having a somewhat tattered wooden door, the house seemed dimly lit.

    And being in the middle of the afternoon, when the sunlight was particrly strong, if the house was still so dark inside, one could imagine how damp it must be.

    In her heart, she actually wanted to refuse, but hesitated when she saw the sincerity on the old man¡¯s face.

    She was worried that if she declined directly, they might feel snubbed.

    Although she truly was somewhat ufortable with it¡ªafter all, she had never seen such a type of house growing up¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to hurt the old man¡¯s feelings.

 Chapter 587 - 576: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 587: Chapter 576: Qiao Jing¡¯s Phone Call</h4>

    Eventually, Zhan Nanqing agreed.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll just have some water then leave."

    Chi Yuhang slightly frowned upon seeing this and nced back at the furnishings in his home.

    He recognized the sports car that Miss Zhan drove, and although he did not know the exact model, he was certain that the car was incredibly valuable, which meant that the Zhan family must be rich and noble.

    But his own home was really too modest, and he was worried about neglecting his guest.

    Chi Chenyun saw that Zhan Nanqing had agreed and a smile appeared on his face as he turned and walked into the house.

    "Thene on in, I¡¯ll pour you a cup of water."

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment, then followed.

    It was not until she arrived at Chi Yuhang¡¯s home that she realized it was in even worse condition than she had imagined, greeted immediately by a musty and stale smell that made her sneeze involuntarily.

    She looked around the room, hoping to find a chair to sit on, but discovered that there was only one room, and the only furniture consisted of an old bed and rocking chair, as well as the small bamboo chair in front of her. Apart from these, there was no other furniture.

    Who could tell her, how exactly was one supposed to sit on such a small chair?

    If she were to sit on it, wouldn¡¯t this old and tiny chair break immediately??

    And not to mention the ivy covering the outside wall, it was even on the walls of Chi Yuhang¡¯s house?!

    Chi Chenyun, stooping over, brought over a cup, ready to pour water for Zhan Nanqing.

    As soon as Chi Yuhang saw this, he immediately took the cup from Chi Chenyun¡¯s hands and assisted the older man towards the bed.

    "Grandpa, you sit down. I¡¯ll pour water for Miss Zhan, that¡¯s fine."

    Chi Chenyun nced at Chi Yuhang and gently patted his hand with his gaunt hand.

    "Xiao Hang, she¡¯s our honored guest. It¡¯s just water, no trouble at all, don¡¯t worry."

    Zhan Nanqing saw Chi Chenyun insisting on pouring water for her and immediately spoke up to stop him.

    "No, no, no, Grandpa Chi, I can pour it myself, please go back to bed and rest."

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Chi Chenyun finally did not insist on pouring water for Zhan Nanqing.

    "I¡¯m old! Not much use anymore, Miss Zhan, please don¡¯t mind."

    Zhan Nanqing shook her head quickly.

    "Not at all, how could I mind?"

    Chi Yuhang quickly stepped up to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s side, poured a cup of hot water, and handed it to her.

    "Thank you foring to deliver the medicine. My grandpa is like this, very hospitable, please don¡¯t mind it. I need to go to the backyard to fetch water for washing my grandpa¡¯s face, so I can¡¯t keep entertaining you, my apologies."

    Every day at noon he would help wash his grandpa¡¯s face and such, so taking care of him in the evening could be a bit easier.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded and took the cup of water that Chi Yuhang offered.

    "It¡¯s okay, no problem."

    She couldn¡¯t wait to fly straight back to the city now; this tile-roofed house was simply too oppressive.

    However... she was a bit curious about what Chi Yuhang¡¯s backyard looked like.

    She watched as Chi Yuhang reached a small door, pushed it open, and instantly sunlight streamed in from the other side, bringing a few more rays of brightness to the gloomy house.

    Zhan Nanqing then noticed that there was a small door in the corner of Chi Yuhang¡¯s house. It was just too dark before that she hadn¡¯t seen it at all.

    Now, attracted by the light, she couldn¡¯t help but follow.

    Upon arriving at the backyard that Chi Yuhang had mentioned, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened slightly.

    "Eh, you actually have a backyard, and though it¡¯s not as big as mine, it¡¯s well kept, much better than I expected."

    Although the ce was all fields, it was at least much better than the small tile-roofed house.

    Chi Yuhang was drawing water by the well when he heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice, he paused and turned to look at her.

    "Well, it¡¯s not actually mine, I just nted some things here."

    Zhan Nanqing, deep in thought, stroked her chin, and was about to step forward to get a feel for the rural atmosphere, when a chorus of chickens crowing and ducks quacking reached her ears!

    She was so scared that she immediately withdrew her foot and instinctively moved closer to Chi Yuhang.

    "I-I-I¡ªHoly cow! What¡¯s that sound?! You keep chickens and ducks in your backyard?!"

    Since Zhan Nanqing and Chi Yuhang were already close, her leaning in brought them almost into contact with each other.

    Chi Yuhang set down the bucket he was holding and looked down at Zhan Nanqing, then stepped back a few paces.

    "Don¡¯t be afraid, they¡¯re quite cute and won¡¯t bite or fly at people. I bought them earlier toy eggs, so I could cook eggs for my grandpa."

    Zhan Nanqing took a careful look and realized that the chickens and ducks were in the grass nearby, maintaining a distance from her, showing no signs of flying at her.

    She finally rxed and patted her chest.

    "That¡¯s good."

    Only then did she realize how close she was to Chi Yuhang.

    Did she just... run towards Chi Yuhang?!

    But that¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? If she wasn¡¯t running towards the people, would she run towards the chickens and ducks?

    Chi Yuhang picked up the bucket again and started walking out.

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer and immediately followed.

    When Chi Chenyun saw Chi Yuhang, he said:

    "Xiao Hang, don¡¯t we have a chicken and a duck left? Why don¡¯t you ughter the chicken and stir-fry it for Miss Zhan?"

    Zhan Nanqing was taken aback upon hearing Chi Chenyun¡¯s words.

    "Grandpa Zhan, I didn¡¯t say I was going to stay for dinner, isn¡¯t this too much trouble for you?"

    Primarily because she saw that Chi Yuhang¡¯s home conditions weren¡¯t very good, except for the backyard chickens and ducks, there probably wasn¡¯t much else to offer her.

    Moreover, the chickens and ducks were bought by Chi Yuhang forying eggs. She had eaten chicken and duck meat before, and she couldn¡¯t be so selfish as to consume the onlyparatively expensive thing the family had.

    Chi Yuhang also frowned, pondering for a moment.

    "But Grandpa, you¡¯re not well now and need to eat eggs for nutrition. If we kill the chicken, then there will be no eggs."

    Chi Chenyun waved his hand.

    "If there are no chicken eggs, we can eat duck eggs. In fact, chicken and duck eggs are the same, and that chicken is tenderer; the duck is too old. We must offer the best when entertaining Miss Zhan."

    Zhan Nanqing smiled awkwardly and tactfully declined Chi Chenyun¡¯s hospitality.

    "No need, Grandpa Chi, I¡¯ve already eaten, and that really would be too much of a hassle for you. I have delivered the medicine, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave now!"

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was preparing to leave, her cell phone suddenly rang.

    Zhan Nanqing took out her phone and saw it was a video call from Qiao Jing.

    She nced at Chi Chenyun and then at Chi Yuhang, and to avoid the elderly man insisting again, she walked out while answering the call.

    "Hello? What¡¯s up?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came through.

    "Did you deliver the medicine?"

    After she came out from performing acupuncture on a patient, she learned that the medicine had been delivered by Zhan Nanqing. To be honest, she felt a bit bad for Zhan Nanqing.

    After all, Zhan Nanqing was the youngdy of the Zhan Family, and she certainly hadn¡¯t been to such remote suburban areas from childhood. She wondered if Zhan Nanqing was nowining about it or something.

 Chapter 588 - 577: The Unreasonable Auntie

    <h4>Chapter 588: Chapter 577: The Unreasonable Auntie</h4>

    Nanqing "Hmm"ed and, seizing the moment while Old Master Chi was on the phone and wouldn¡¯t interrupt her, quickened her pace and left Chi Yuhang¡¯s house.

    "I¡¯ve delivered it. I also said everything you wrote to Chi Yuhang. I¡¯m preparing to head back now."

    As she spoke, she had already returned to her car and opened the door.

    Just as she was about to get in, Qiao Jing called out to stop her.

    "Wait, hold up your phone so I can see how Old Master Chi¡¯s face looks now."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Nanqing¡¯s expression immediately stiffened.

    "What? I finally managed to get out, and now you want me to go back?"

    She was all set to make her getaway, and now Qiao Jing wanted her to return?

    What if Old Master Chi insists on having her stay for dinner again?!

    Seeing the dark look on Nanqing¡¯s face on the screen, Qiao Jing slightly lifted her eyebrows.

    "Finally got out? Were they not letting you leave?"

    Nanqing looked towards Chi Yuhang¡¯s house as if resigned to her fate and nodded vigorously.

    "Yes! Grandpa Chi insisted that I stay for dinner. How could I have the nerve to keep freeloading at his ce? Asking me to go back now is really putting me in a difficult position, isn¡¯t it?"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, deep in thought for a moment.

    "Staying for a meal is indeed not quite appropriate, especially since their family isn¡¯t well-off, but seeing the doctor is most important. So, go to Grandpa Chi first, and don¡¯t hang up the phone."

    Nanqing¡¯s chest heaved dramatically, and she sighed towards the sky.

    "Ah¡ªfine, fine, I¡¯m heading back now."

    By the time she returned to Chi Yuhang¡¯s house with her phone, she saw Chi Yuhang was wiping Chi Chenyun¡¯s hands and feet.

    Upon seeing this, Nanqing pursed her lips and muttered inwardly:

    It seems Chi Yuhang does have his merits, at least he is very filial.

    When Chi Chenyun saw Nanqing, he said enthusiastically:

    "Ah, Miss Zhan, you¡¯vee back? Changed your mind? Going to stay for dinner with us?"

    Chi Yuhang paused, then ced the towel back into the bucket.

    "Miss Zhan."

    Nanqing put on an awkward smile and, holding up her phone, approached Chi Chenyun¡¯s bed.

    "Grandpa Chi, my sister-inw wanted to see if you¡¯ve gotten any better, so I came back with the phone."

    Chi Chenyun, who had originally wanted to keep Nanqing for dinner, immediately took the phone upon hearing her words.

    "Hello Doctor Qiao!"

    Qiao Jing responded, staring at Chi Chenyun¡¯s face for a long while. Once she confirmed the old man had improved, her tightly knitted brows finally rxed.

    "Hello, Grandpa Chi. I just wanted to see if you were getting better. But now, looking at yourplexion, your recovery seems quite good; just next time, you can¡¯t stop Chi Yuhang from getting the medicine."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Chenyun¡¯s expression turned stern.

    "Doctor Qiao, how did you know? I just didn¡¯t want to always take your things."

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips seriously and said:

    "That¡¯s not taking, and Chi Yuhang will also pay for the medicine, albeit a bitte."

    Chi Chenyun looked at Qiao Jing on the screen and asked:

    "Doctor Qiao, when will you be free toe to my house next time? I¡¯ll have Xiao Hang cook a full table of dishes to properly thank you!"

    Qiao Jing, halfughing and half crying at Chi Chenyun¡¯s enthusiasm and hospitality, sighed helplessly but didn¡¯t forget to save Nanqing from her predicament.

    "I¡¯lle over for the next follow-up visit, so you don¡¯t have toe to Wonderful Hall. Let¡¯s skip dinner, and one more thing, please send Nanqing back to my ce. She¡¯s rather shy and feels embarrassed to stay for dinner at your ce."

    The named Nanqing immediately nodded in agreement.

    "That¡¯s right, Grandpa Chi, I really don¡¯t want to trouble you."

    Chi Chenyun nced at Chi Yuhang beside him.

    "It¡¯s no trouble. My Xiao Hang¡¯s cooking is really good. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to try it?"

    Nanqing inexplicably felt from Chi Chenyun¡¯s words that the old man was promoting his grandson.

    Before she could think of a way to refuse, she heard someone calling Qiao Jing on the phone, probably a patienting in for a consult.

    Nanqing took the phone back from Chi Chenyun and spoke to Qiao Jing:

    "I can handle the next part myself. You go ahead, I¡¯m hanging up now."

    After hanging up the phone, she turned to Chi Chenyun.

    "Grandpa Chi, really, it¡¯s not necessary. I have some things to take care of and need to go back now."

    Chi Yuhang also noticed that Nanqing truly did not want to stay and spoke up to ease the situation.

    "Grandpa, Miss Zhan is busy and needs to leave. Let¡¯s invite her for dinner some other time."

    Upon hearing Chi Yuhang¡¯s words, the awkward smile on Nanqing¡¯s face stiffened even more, but she knew he was helping her out and responded:

    "Yes, Grandpa Chi, I will definitely eat at your house next time!"

    How could there possibly be a next time?

    There will definitely not be a second visit!

    Only then did Chi Chenyun let it go.

    "Alright, Miss Zhan, you go take care of your matters."

    Only then did Nanqing breathe a sigh of relief and started walking towards the door.

    As soon as she reached the door, she ran into a fiercely charging woman. Before Nanqing could step aside, the woman bumped into her!

    At that moment, Nanqing cursed in her mind, frowning and looking displeased at the woman.

    Just when she was about to say something, the woman walked straight into Chi Yuhang¡¯s backyard.

    Seeing this, Chi Yuhang frowned deeply and nced at Chi Chenyun on the bed.

    "Grandpa, rest here. I¡¯ll handle this situation."

    After seeing the woman march directly to the backyard, Chi Chenyun also frowned, looking somewhat unsure as he watched Chi Yuhang.

    "Xiao Hang, we should still be polite, after all, she has helped us before."

    Nanqing, who had not yet left, stopped in her tracks when she heard the conversation between the grandfather and grandson.

    She curiously stared at the backyard, wondering who this woman could be.

    As far as she knew, Chi Yuhang¡¯s mother had remarried, and this mysterious woman who had barged in without a greeting was unknown to her.

    What was more important was why the grandfather and grandson seemed to act as if they were used to this?

    Before Nanqing could figure it out, there came amotion of chickens and ducks from the backyard.

    Suddenly, the woman came out with a chicken in her left hand and a duck in her right, also carrying some vegetables, wearing a satisfied smile.

    As the woman passed by Chi Yuhang and his grandfather, she greeted them.

    "Xiao Hang, Uncle Chi, I¡¯ll just take these chickens and ducks for now. I¡¯ll return them next time."

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s expression darkened as he stared intently at the chickens, ducks, and vegetables in the woman¡¯s hands.

    Those were the chickens and ducks they never wanted to eat, along with the vegetables he had painstakingly grown.

    Previously, the woman would oftene to their backyard to pick some vegetables and take some handy tools, which was tolerated, but now she even wanted to take the chickens and ducks. Could he still endure this?

 Chapter 589 - 578: Zhan Nanqing is knocked down and injures her foot!

    <h4>Chapter 589: Chapter 578: Zhan Nanqing is knocked down and injures her foot!</h4>

    Before Chi Yuhang had a chance to speak up and stop her, Zhan Nanqing directly blocked the doorway and forcefully stopped the person in their tracks.

    "Put down everything in your hands and apologize to me."

    She was too embarrassed to stay for dinner and trouble Chi Yuhang¡¯s family, let alone eat up the only valuable things they had at home. Yet this stranger of an aunt came out of nowhere, grabbing their chicken and duck, and vegetables without a word, and had the audacity to rudely bump her aside?!

    That wasn¡¯t what angered her the most, it was seeing Chi Yuhang looking as though he was about to let the woman take advantage without objecting!

    Moreover, this aunt¡¯s movements were so practiced, she obviously had taken advantage of others plenty of times before!!

    She was really curious, what would it take to make Chi Yuhang angry?

    The smile on the aunt¡¯s face had been insincere to begin with, but upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t hold it anymore.

    "Apologize for what? Who the hell are you? I¡¯m taking things from Xiao Hang¡¯s family, not yours. What are you shouting for?"

    Zhan Nanqing frowned, looking disdainfully at the aunt who exuded an aura of unruliness from head to toe.

    "And who are you? What gives you the right to take things from Chi Yuhang¡¯s home? Taking someone¡¯s belongings without being rted, do you have no shame? True to the mark of an olddy who loves to freeload!"

    This was the first time she had encountered someone with such thick skin; it was infuriating!

    The aunt clung tightly to the chicken and duck, not willing to let go, and hugged the vegetables close, stepping back as if afraid Nanqing would snatch her loot.

    "How dare you call me an olddy? Where am I old? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s old! You¡¯re old all over! And listen here, I¡¯ve been a neighbor of the Chi family for many years, we¡¯re very close! What¡¯s wrong with taking a few things?"

    Zhan Nanqing crossed her arms and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    "You¡¯re calling me old? Auntie, I¡¯m only in my twenties. It seems to me that as you¡¯ve gotten older, your skin has gotten thicker. And even if I were old, I wouldn¡¯t be like you, so shamelessly taking other people¡¯s stuff. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re close with him or not. I saw you bump into me when you came in, and now you¡¯re trying to get away with swiping his things without a word."

    She was determined to have a thorough argument with this unreasonable aunt today!

    The aunt wanted to point at Nanqing¡¯s nose and give her a piece of her mind, but she was unwilling to let go of the chicken, duck, and vegetables in her hands. She struggled to lift a chicken with one hand while pointing a finger at Nanqing with difficulty.

    "Get out of the way, I don¡¯t have time to waste on you. It¡¯s not my fault you didn¡¯t watch where you were going and got hit by me. Xiao Hang ain¡¯t saying anything, why are you making such a fuss?"

    Zhan Nanqing was startled by the chicken thrust in her face and quickly stepped back several paces, nearly tripping in the process.

    Once she regained her bnce, she red menacingly at the aunt.

    "I was at the door first. You saw me, yet you bumped into me before I could even step aside. Let¡¯s not talk about the bumping right now. Just put down the chicken, duck, and vegetables immediately. I¡¯ve never seen someone as shameless as you in my entire life!"

    Not only was this aunt unreasonable, but now she also had the nerve to me Nanqing?!

    She might just faint from anger right there and then. If only she knew, she wouldn¡¯t havee to deliver the medicine!

    But if she hadn¡¯te to deliver the medicine, she wouldn¡¯t have encountered such a thick-skinned aunt, and that mopey kid Yuhang would surely be taken advantage of by her again!

    Seeing that Nanqing was still arguing with her, the aunt knew she was in the wrong, but how could she possibly admit it was her fault?

    She gritted her teeth, stepped forward a few paces, and just pushed Nanqing aside.

    "It¡¯s your fault for not getting out of the way! Don¡¯t me me!"

    Zhan Nanqing was almost knocked over by the robust aunt, but she managed to catch herself on the door frame before falling.

    Before she had time to breathe a sigh of relief, the aunt directly swung the chickens and ducks in her hand, threatening to drive Zhan Nanqing away.

    With the harsh swing of the aunt, the chickens and ducks started squawking in fear.

    Startled, Zhan Nanqing immediately let go of the door frame and hastily stepped back.

    But she forgot that she was wearing high heels at that moment, and during her retreat, her heel suddenly twisted.

    Subsequently, she fell straight onto the ground.

    Zhan Nanqing sharply inhaled a breath of cold air, a pained expression surfacing on her face as she quickly clutched her ankle.

    "Damn it, olddy, don¡¯t you walk away! Today¡ªI must¡ª"

    Before she could finish her sentence, a pair of hands appeared out of nowhere around her waist.

    Furrowing his brow, Chi Yuhang held Zhan Nanqing gently as she stood up and asked with a worried expression,

    "Are you okay?"

    Zhan Nanqing red annoyed at Chi Yuhang, intending to push him away. But without his support, she would fall again.

    In the end, she begrudgingly tolerated it and let Chi Yuhang support her.

    Even in her current state, she didn¡¯t forget to rail at him.

    "Where were you earlier? I¡¯ve been arguing with her this whole time by myself, and you didn¡¯t say a word??"

    After making sure that Zhan Nanqing was propped up against the door frame, Chi Yuhang immediately brought over a bamboo chair and ced it behind her.

    "You sit down first. I was actually going to speak up, but you were so deep in the argument, I couldn¡¯t get a word in. However, the moment I saw hery hands on you, I came over as quickly as I could, but I wasn¡¯t in time, I¡¯m sorry."

    Only after Zhan Nanqing was seated securely on the chair did Chi Yuhang straighten up, his face growing stern.

    The aunt didn¡¯t leave immediately after seeing Zhan Nanqing fall but seemed eager to stick around for the excitement.

    "Xiao Hang, who is this woman anyway? You didn¡¯t say anything, why is she interfering so much? Really, she¡¯s disrupting the harmony among us neighbors."

    No sooner had her words fallen when Chi Yuhang snatched the chickens and ducks back, and the vegetables in her arms were also taken.

    Chi Yuhang, with a stern face, let go of the chickens and ducks and ced the vegetables on the ground beside him.

    "She is the sister of my family¡¯s lifesaver, who do you think she is?! I let things slide before, but it doesn¡¯t mean I will this time! She was just speaking up for me, and you pushed her down?!"

    The aunt was stunned by Chi Yuhang¡¯s words, looking down at her empty hands, then greedily nced at the vegetables on the ground and at the chickens and ducks running toward the backyard.

    "Chi Yuhang, what do you mean? I identally pushed her down earlier; why are you so irate with me? We have been neighbors for so many years, do you really want to make a big deal out of today? Didn¡¯t I help your family when you were down on your luck? Even if she is a lifesaver, does that mean I¡¯m not?"

    She had never seen Chi Yuhang lose his temper, let alone get physical with anyone. Today, just because she took some stuff and identally pushed someone down, he¡¯s getting angry with her?!

    And to think she had helped the Chi grandfather and grandson before!

    Hearing Auntie Wang¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang¡¯s frown deepened even more.

    "Auntie Wang, let me put it this way, if it weren¡¯t for my lifesaver, it¡¯s very likely that my grandpa would have died from his illness. Moreover, this misses had helped me before too. Their grace towards me is far greater, and I have not denied that you¡¯ve helped us in the past, which is why my grandpa and I haven¡¯t made a fuss."

 Chapter 590 - 579: Fury Upon Fury!

    <h4>Chapter 590: Chapter 579: Fury Upon Fury!</h4>

    He recalled what Auntie Wang had said about the help they received.

    It was nothing more than leftovers or stale buns from her household given to them, but they had neverined. Without Auntie Wang¡¯s leftovers, he and his grandfather might have starved to death.

    They always remembered that kindness. Until today, they had never minded any advantage Auntie Wang took, nor had they asked for anything back. But today!

    Today, Auntie Wang not only pushed Miss Zhan down but also tried to take away the two most valuable things in his home. He had no choice but to take issue with her.

    Zhan Nanqing was very pleased to see Chi Yuhang finally stand up for himself.

    However, the thought of her sprained ankle being the catalyst for this made her feel it wasn¡¯t worth it.

    Auntie Wang red at Zhan Nanqing, who sat in the bamboo chair, and pointed at Chi Yuhang, angrily scolding:

    "Taking a few things from you as repayment and you¡¯re not happy? You want to be nitpicky with me? I never should have helped you in the first ce!"

    Chi Yuhang frowned deeply, holding his ground as he stared back at Auntie Wang and slowly began to speak.

    "Auntie Wang, over the years, you have taken vegetables and some tools from my home. That should have already made up for the leftovers and the stale buns you gave to my grandfather and me, right?"

    When he was slightly older, he began to learn how to grow vegetables himself, aiming for self-sufficiency, and thereafter no longer epted Auntie Wang¡¯s "kindness."

    So to be exact, he and his grandfather had only consumed about half a year¡¯s worth of leftovers, but what Auntie Wang had taken from his home had long exceeded the value of those meals.

    Zhan Nanqing made a "tch" sound upon hearing Chi Yuhang¡¯s words.

    "You, Auntie, really have a thick face, daring to brag about how much you¡¯ve helped Chi Yuhang¡¯s family. How much could those leftovers and stale buns be worth? I wouldn¡¯t eat them even if you offered!"

    She had actually thought this auntie had made significant contributions and provided substantial help to Chi Yuhang¡¯s family, which is why they did not fuss over these things.

    But it turned out to be only some leftovers and stale buns. And this auntie actually acted as if she should be worshiped like an ancestor?!

    Upon hearing the words of the two, Auntie Wang¡¯s face turned shades of green and red as if it was a color palette,ically so.

    She pointed her finger at Chi Yuhang¡¯s nose, viciously saying:

    "Leftover food isn¡¯t food anymore? Chi Yuhang, your words seem to look down on the things from my home! How much have I actually taken from you? How could that possibly amount to half a year¡¯s worth of meals from my family?!"

    Chi Yuhang, with a stern face, counted off the items one by one.

    "Auntie Wang, today you wanted to take the chickens, ducks, and vegetables from my home, yesterday you took a few potatoes and a packet of salt, the day before yesterday you came to my backyard and took several tomatoes, and you even took the only decent stool from my house. When I wasn¡¯t home, you took my newly bought hoe, and there¡¯s a lot more. Do you need me to continue?"

    Although he had never spoken up about it, he almost remembered it all.

    This wasn¡¯t about being petty, but rather that he had to take out a portion of his already limited sry to rece them.

    Furthermore, it impacted the budget for his grandfather¡¯s medical expenses.

    Auntie Wang¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, and her finger pointing at Chi Yuhang began to tremble.

    "Chi Yuhang, as a grown man, do you really need to be so nitpicky? To record every single transaction?"

    Having said that, she turned and sought out Chi Chenyun for an argument.

    "Old Master Chi, your grandson sure doesn¡¯t remember favors, only the bad things I¡¯ve supposedly done!"

    Chi Chenyun¡¯s previously amiable expression disappeared, and his face grew stern.

    "Xiao Wang, you¡¯ve gone too far this time, pushing Miss Zhan down! Little Yuhang isn¡¯t being nitpicky; he¡¯s being frugal and keeping track of every expense."

    Auntie Wang¡¯s face turned red with anger, but upon thinking about how much she had taken from the Chi family over the years, she couldn¡¯t shake off a guilty conscience and quickly changed the subject.

    "Who says I pushed her? She insisted on wearing high heels and fell over by herself, what does that have to do with me?"

    Nanqing was originally massaging her ankle well, but when she heard Auntie Wang¡¯s remark, she got so angry that she pped the floor.

    "You actually still won¡¯t admit it? If it wasn¡¯t for you bumping into me and using chickens and ducks to scare me, would I have fallen?!"

    If she could walk right now, she would go up and tear into Auntie Wang.

    It was infuriating!!

    Feeling somewhat guilty, Auntie Wang averted her gaze and muttered as she walked away.

    "Well, if I don¡¯t take your family¡¯s stuff anymore, will that make you happy? Why be so petty?"

    Nanqing¡¯s anger grew as she watched Auntie Wang still im others were being too petty; she leaned on the wall, trying to stand up.

    "Olddy, don¡¯t you run off! You like taking advantage of others so much, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ll call the police and have you arrested for trespassing. You like breaking into people¡¯s homes? Let¡¯s see how many advantages you can take when you¡¯re in jail!"

    Seeing this, Chi Yuhang immediately went to Nanqing¡¯s side and pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her back into the chair.

    "Miss Zhan, you¡¯ve sprained your ankle, and you can¡¯t walk around freely right now or it will get worse."

    Nanqing looked at Chi Yuhang with disdain.

    "If you had stopped this old woman earlier, would my foot have gotten sprained? I¡¯m not one to speak ill of you, but can¡¯t you be a little firmer? If this olddy were my neighbor, I wouldn¡¯t indulge her¡ªI¡¯d tear down her house if I had to!"

    When Auntie Wang heard that Nanqing wanted to call the police on her, she quickened her steps to leave, fearing she would cause trouble.

    Before she left, she overheard Nanqing¡¯sst sentence and couldn¡¯t hold back her anger. She stopped and turned back, retorting:

    "Who do you think you are? Think you can just tear down other people¡¯s houses? Could you afford to pay for it if you did? You really think you can just tear down someone else¡¯s home. Just the door to my house is worth tens of thousands, and the whole building would cost hundreds of thousands!"

    Nanqing, ignoring the pain in her ankle, struggled to get up, but before she could stand, Chi Yuhang pressed her back down to sit in the chair.

    She could only let out an exasperated "tch."

    "Is there anything my family can¡¯t afford? My family is the capital¡¯s richest!"

    Auntie Wang turned back to look at Nanqing with a face full of mockery upon hearing her words.

    "Hahaha, you must be dreaming! Would the Zhan familye to such a remote ce?"

    After dropping that remark, Auntie Wang¡¯s figure disappeared from the entrance of the Chi house.

    Nanqing felt like a powder keg ready to explode at a moment¡¯s notice.

    No, more like a powder keg that had already exploded!

    She was now in a situation where she couldn¡¯t clear things up, allowing that benefit-loving olddy to think she was delusional!!

    Finally, Nanqing took out her phone and called Qiao Jing immediately.

    She, Nanqing, had never suffered such a humiliation in her life!

    But no one answered the call, and she then remembered that Qiao Jing was probably out seeing patients at this time.

    So she reluctantly took a picture of her swollen ankle and sent it to Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 591 - 580: Grievously Calling Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 591: Chapter 580: Grievously Calling Qiao Jing</h4>

    After sending the message, Zhan Nanqing leaned against the wall, trembling and trying to stand up.

    But after several attempts, she couldn¡¯t stand up and walk on her own; her foot hurt so badly before she even stood up that she was forced to sit back down in the chair.

    Seeing this, Chi Yuhang immediately approached, supporting Zhan Nanqing¡¯s waist with one hand and helping her with the other.

    "Sorry, Miss Zhan, but only by using my strength can you walk."

    Zhan Nanqing was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t walk on her own.

    Eager to get back to the city, she let Chi Yuhang support her.

    "It¡¯s okay, just hurry and get me back to the car; I need to return to the city."

    Ultimately, it was because she hade to such a remote ce that that woman didn¡¯t believe she was from the Zhan Family.

    She would nevere to this remote suburb again!!

    Chi Yuhang looked down at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s swollen ankle and frowned, stopping in his tracks.

    "With your foot injured this severely, how can you go back to the city?"

    Zhan Nanqing saw that Chi Yuhang was unwilling to help her walk and got even angrier, pping him on the head without any politeness.

    "Don¡¯t worry about me! I¡¯m going back to the city to find Qiao Jing to treat my foot! It¡¯s all your fault; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have sprained my ankle!"

    She was about to explode with anger; not only did her foot hurt, but she had also been looked down upon by Auntie Wang.

    What kind of bad karma was this?!

    Chi Yuhang hung his head guiltily, allowing Zhan Nanqing to hit him.

    "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t manage to stop Auntie Wang in time. You can hit me or scold me all you want, but with the way you are now, if you go back on your own, your foot will swell up even worse."

    He should have gone to Wonderful Hall to get the medicine himself. Now, not only had he troubled Miss Zhan to bring him the medicine, but he had also caused her to injure her foot.

    He should have stopped Auntie Wang directly; then none of this would have happened.

    Zhan Nanqing took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress the rage in her heart, but her words still carried a sting.

    "Of course, I will drive myself back. What else should I do, fly back? Also, you heard when I said I¡¯m from the Zhan Family, right? Do you know the Zhan Family?"

    She wanted to see if Chi Yuhang also thought she was bluffing.

    If Chi Yuhang also believed she was bluffing, she was ready to curse him out!

    She had always taken pride ining from such a good family, but now she was being treated as if she wasn¡¯t from the Zhan family, a humiliation she had never experienced before!

    Chi Yuhang nodded, looking at Zhan Nanqing with a worried expression.

    "Miss Zhan, although I live in the suburbs, I¡¯m still an Imperial Capital person; I definitely know of the Zhan Family. Of course, I believe you are from the Zhan family. But with the injury on your foot, it¡¯s very easy to get into an ident if you drive back on your own."

    He had known that Miss Zhan¡¯s family must be extremely wealthy or prestigious, and even before this, he had suspected as much.

    Because in the Imperial Capital, the only well-off family he knew with the surname Zhan was the wealthy Zhan Family, so when he saw Miss Zhan in her expensive sports car, he had guessed which family she belonged to.

    Zhan Nanqing clenched her fists tightly. Seeing that Chi Yuhang was unwilling to move, she shook his hand off and, leaning against the wall, hobbled forward.

    "If I don¡¯t drive myself back, are you going to take me? Can you even drive?"

    She didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer, she didn¡¯t dislike Chi Yuhang¡¯s home, but she hated what happened today.

    Sitting on the bed, Chi Chenyun heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words and immediately spoke up:

    "Miss Zhan, you can let Xiao Hang take you home. He just got his driver¡¯s licensest year, and it cost quite a bit of money, but that¡¯s because Xiao Hang used to be a designated driver, so he had to get it."

    As Chi Yuhang saw Zhan Nanqing limping forward, he quickly stepped up and supported her again.

    "If you don¡¯t mind, I can take you home."

    Zhan Nanqing paused mid-step, just as she was about to push Chi Yuhang away again and force her way forward, her phone rang.

    She took out her phone from her pocket and quickly answered the video call when she saw it was from Qiao Jing, feeling a sudden sting at the tip of her nose.

    Before she could speak, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came through first,den with deep concern.

    "Nanqing, what happened to your foot? Let me take a look, do you want me toe pick you up? I was too busy just now and didn¡¯t have time to check my phone."

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s face on the screen, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s nose felt even sorer, and she sniffed hard, speaking with a sense of grievance.

    "Qiao Jing, I was pushed over by a neighbor, Auntie Wang, from the Chi household. She likes to take advantage of others, and then, because of some things, I mentioned I¡¯m from the Zhan Family. She didn¡¯t believe me and used me of daydreaming..."

    Originally, she didn¡¯t think spraining her ankle was a big deal, but when she thought about how she came all this way to deliver medicine, not only to sprain her ankle but also to be told by Auntie Wang that she wasn¡¯t from the Zhan Family, she couldn¡¯t help but get even angrier.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, staring intently at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face.

    "I understand, I won¡¯t let you deliver medicine next time. First, show me the injury on your foot, and I¡¯ll teach you how to massage it to relieve the pain."

    Although she didn¡¯t know what kind of person Zhan Nanqing¡¯s neighbor, Auntie Wang, was, from the fact that she¡¯d pushed someone and liked to take advantage, Qiao Jing could guess the process of events to some extent.

    This time delivering medicine indeed put Zhan Nanqing in a difficult position, because the suburbs were too far away, and being from the Zhan Family, she obviously never dealt with those ces or some unreasonable aunts in the countryside, which is why she suffered this time.

    Zhan Nanqing pouted, flipped the camera around, and showed her ankle to Qiao Jing.

    "Here, just like this. I don¡¯t dare to touch it carelessly. I¡¯m going back to Wonderful Hall now so you can have a look."

    She wasn¡¯t like Qiao Jing, whose medical skills were so formidable. She dared not to massage randomly, fearing that if she touched something wrong, it might hurt to death.

    Seeing the injury on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s foot, Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened even more.

    "Did you go deliver the medicine by yourself? With your foot like that, how can you drive back?"

    With that, she stood up, ready to take a taxi to pick Zhan Nanqing up.

    But before she could leave Wonderful Hall, she heard a patient calling for her from behind.

    Zhan Nanqing heard it too, and without any hesitation to avoid disturbing Qiao Jing, she immediately spoke up.

    "Go on with your work. Chi Yuhang has a driver¡¯s license, and he knows how to drive. I¡¯ll have him take me home."

    Chi Yuhang immediately responded:

    "Doctor Qiao, rest assured, I¡¯ll safely take Miss Zhan home. This time it was my oversight; I didn¡¯t take good care of Miss Zhan, and she was bullied by our next-door auntie."

    Qiao Jing nodded and hurried back to her consulting desk.

    "Okay, be safe."

 Chapter 592 - 581 I can carry you to the car

    <h4>Chapter 592: Chapter 581 I can carry you to the car</h4>

    Zhan Nanqing was supported by Chi Yuhang all the way to the passenger side, where she reached out to open the car door, preparing to hobble into the car.

    Upon seeing this, Chi Yuhang immediately stopped Zhan Nanqing.

    "Hold on, Miss Zhan! If you get in by yourself like this, it¡¯s very easy to cause secondary injury."

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment, staring at her swollen ankle for a good while.

    "If I don¡¯t move up myself, how am I supposed to get in? Surely I can¡¯t jump up, can I?"

    She knew that if she sat in the car first and then slowly moved her foot in, she would likely bump her ankle, but she couldn¡¯t think of any better solution.

    Chi Yuhang furrowed his brow, pursed his lips, and looked away before speaking hesitantly.

    "Miss... Miss Zhan, if you don¡¯t mind, I can... carry... you... into the car."

    He had never been in close contact with girls since he was young, and he was worried that he might clumsily bump Miss Zhan¡¯s ankle.

    But he would do his best to take care of Miss Zhan!

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t hear thest few words that Chi Yuhang said, so she stuck her fingers in her ears.

    "Huh? What did you just say? If I don¡¯t mind, you can do what? Why was your voice as quiet as a mosquito?"

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s ears turned red, and he coughed.

    "I... I can carry you into the car, that way you can avoid lifting your foot..."

    After hearing what Chi Yuhang said, Zhan Nanqing was about to tease him a bit, but then she saw that his ears were actually turning red!

    She stared at Chi Yuhang¡¯s ears as if she had found something rare.

    "Chi Yuhang, your ears are turning red?"

    Had shee across a shy boy?

    It was one thing to stumble over his words, but now even his ears were turning red?

    On hearing this, Chi Yuhang immediately pinched his ears and put on a serious face as he said:

    "No, Miss Zhan, you saw wrong. Do you need me to carry you? It¡¯s more convenient, and it won¡¯t hurt your ankle."

    Before he had even finished speaking, Zhan Nanqing actively leaned on Chi Yuhang¡¯s shoulder, then wrapped her arms around his neck.

    Chi Yuhang was instantly stunned, standing as still as a log.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Chi Yuhang¡¯s ears getting redder and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a mischievous smile, deliberately leaning closer to him.

    "Didn¡¯t you say you were going to carry me into the car?"

    Today had really been an eye-opener for her; not only had she met an unbelievably thick-faced olddy for the first time, but she had also encountered a man as pure as a nk sheet of paper.

    She had hugged countless men and women and had long treated hugs as just anothermon form of interaction between friends.

    And now she had met a man whose face turned red from a hug, which spontaneously ignited a mischievous urge in her to tease him.

    Chi Yuhang, still dazed, "mm-hmmed" and awkwardly lifted Zhan Nanqing into the car.

    At first, Zhan Nanqing considered deliberately moving around to bother him, but for the sake of her own foot, she eventually gave up the idea.

    After safely sitting in the car, Zhan Nanqing intentionally acted as if she bumped her foot, drawing in a sharp breath.

    "Hiss¡ª"

    Chi Yuhang was startled, promptly withdrew his hands, and stood outside the car.

    "Miss Zhan, are you alright? Did I identally touch you?"

    Seeing Chi Yuhang¡¯s reaction, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud.

    "Pfft... No, you can get in and drive."

    She had discovered Chi Yuhang was quite amusing, and now she couldn¡¯t help but want to tease him even more.

    Chi Yuhang immediately nodded, came to the driver¡¯s seat, and started the car.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was thinking about teasing Chi Yuhang a bit more, her phone suddenly rang.

    The smile on her face instantly vanished as she pulled out her phone with an unhappy expression.

    She was just about toin about the caller interrupting her fun when she saw who the video call was from, and a smile quickly reappeared on her face as she promptly tapped to answer.

    "Qiao Jing! Are you free now?"

    Qiao Jing nodded and furrowed her delicate brows seriously,

    "Yes, show me your foot, I¡¯ll teach you how to massage it. I didn¡¯t get the chance to tell you just now."

    She was really worried about Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle, but today the clinic had been overwhelmed with patients. Only now did she have a moment to spare.

    Zhan Nanqing "Oh"ed, flipped the camera around, and gave a 360-degree, all-angle shot of her swollen ankle.

    "It¡¯s still so swollen, I¡¯m almost in agony here. How am I supposed to massage it?"

    At that moment, Chi Yuhang started driving towards the city center.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nanqing, with a joking tone, said,

    "Chi Yuhang, be careful, okay? My car is a little bit expensive. If you scratch it anywhere, giving me your household¡¯s chickens, ducks, and vegetables won¡¯t make up for it."

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing helplessly tugged at the corner of her mouth.

    "Chi Yuhang, don¡¯t listen to her, she¡¯s joking with you."

    Chi Yuhang did not take Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words to heart and kept his eyes on the road ahead while driving.

    "I understand, Doctor Qiao. Today¡¯s ident with Miss Zhan injuring her ankle at my ce is my fault, and I will take full responsibility."

    Because he had not stopped Auntie Wang in time today, which resulted in Miss Zhan injuring her ankle, he was willing to give Miss Zhan everything, even the chickens, ducks, and vegetables from his home.

    Zhan Nanqing red at Chi Yuhang with irritation and said disapprovingly,

    "My injury does have a little to do with you, but why are you taking full responsibility? It¡¯s not like you were the one who pushed me. Don¡¯t take on responsibility wrongly. I don¡¯t need you to be responsible for me, okay? Forget it, I don¡¯t want to talk to you right now. Just focus on driving."

    After saying that, she continued the previous conversation with Qiao Jing,

    "Qiao Jing, hurry up and teach me how to massage it. Ouch, it hurts so much."

    Qiao Jing, feeling helpless, looked at the swollen ankle on the screen, silently took a screenshot, marked a few spots, and sent it to Zhan Nanqing.

    "Look at the picture I sent you, just massage those spots lightly."

    Zhan Nanqing tried a few times to massage it herself, but in the end, she dared not proceed.

    "I can¡¯t, I¡¯d rather wait for you toe back and help me. I¡¯m too scared."

    Worry was written all over Qiao Jing¡¯s face, but there was nothing she could do through a phone screen.

    "Okay, when you get back to Wonderful Hall, I¡¯ll help you treat it."

    Over an hourter, inside Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing was treating a patient and caught a glimpse of someone hobbling in from the corner of her eye.

    She looked up and saw that Zhan Nanqing stubbornly refused to let Chi Yuhang help her. She hopped in on one foot, looking ratherical.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t immediately leave her patient to assist, so she looked toward Chi Yuhang, who was by Zhan Nanqing¡¯s side.

    "Chi Yuhang, could you help out?"

    Right now, she didn¡¯t care how silly Zhan Nanqing looked; her concern was what would happen if Zhan Nanqing fell down?

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s face was also filled with concern as he quickly stepped forward, ready to reach out and support Zhan Nanqing.

    At this moment, all Zhan Nanqing wanted was to throw herself into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms and pour out her woes from the day, thoroughly uninterested in dealing with Chi Yuhang.

    She dodged Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand, intending to continue hopping forward. But she carelessly bumped into a chair nearby and uncontrobly fell towards the ground!

 Chapter 593 - 582: Something Seems Off Between the Two

    <h4>Chapter 593: Chapter 582: Something Seems Off Between the Two</h4>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she quickly withdrew her hand that was taking a patient¡¯s pulse, wanting to immediately rise and rush over to Zhan Nanqing.

    But everything happened too suddenly, and even though Qiao Jing reacted quickly, it was stillpletely toote!

    Zhan Nanqing, her face ashen, stared at the ground not far from herself, instinctively raising her hand to cover her face.

    Why was she so unlucky today...

    Just as she was about to make intimate contact with the ground, she closed her eyes, unwilling to look any further.

    However, the expected pain did not ur, but instead, she bumped into an embrace.

    Zhan Nanqing was stunned for a few seconds, then slowly opened her eyes. As she looked up, she saw that Chi Yuhang had arrived at her side at thest critical moment and steadied her.

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand, while supporting Zhan Nanqing, couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly, his face full of concern.

    "Miss Zhan, are you alright?"

    Zhan Nanqing coughed once, standing up somewhat embarrassedly.

    "I¡¯m fine..."

    After seeing this scene, Qiao Jing slightly arched her finely drawn brows, said nothing, and returned to her chair to sit down, continuing to treat her patient.

    It seemed someone was faster than her.

    However... she couldn¡¯t help feeling that there was something a little off between these two people.

    Chi Yuhang, after helping Zhan Nanqing stand properly, immediately let go of his hand.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Zhan, I was too anxious earlier, I didn¡¯t mean to deliberately support your... waist..."

    His hand had been shaking uncontrobly when he first touched Miss Zhan¡¯s waist, yet he couldn¡¯t control it.

    He really wasn¡¯t good atmunicating with girls.

    At this moment, Zhan Nanqing had no intention of teasing Chi Yuhang. She just wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if everyone had seen that scene just now...

    She dared not jump around recklessly anymore, letting Chi Yuhang help her over to sit beside Qiao Jing.

    After diagnosing the patient in front of her, Qiao Jing finally had a moment to spare and nced at Zhan Nanqing by her side.

    "Not jumping around anymore?"

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Chi Yuhang¡¯s support, Zhan Nanqing would have been even more injured.

    Her foot was already sprained, and another fall like that, not to mention other parts of her body, her foot would definitely have suffered again.

    Zhan Nanqing coughed once, wanting to change the subject directly.

    "Qiao Jing... can you check my foot for me..."

    She personally dered today to be her unlucky day, deciding that she would never leave the house on this day in future years, and would just stay in all day!

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helplessly, pursed her red lips and looked down at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle.

    "Before I check your foot, shouldn¡¯t you say thank you to Chi Yuhang? If it hadn¡¯t been for him supporting you just now, you might already be lying on the ground."

    If she had known before sending the medicine that it was Zhan Nanqing who was delivering it, she would definitely have arranged for someone else to go.

    Otherwise, based on her understanding of Zhan Nanqing, firstly, Zhan Nanqing would definitely find going that far troublesome, and secondly, would find Chi Yuhang¡¯s humble home annoying, bing even more impatient.

    But fortunately, Zhan Nanqing was not the same Zhan Nanqing as before, and now she wouldn¡¯t judge others based on their family background as she did before, at most she would just feel that going to such a far ce was troublesome.

    However, she really didn¡¯t expect that this time, although Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯tin about the distance, she herself encountered trouble.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing immediately showed an unreceptive expression.

    Part of the reason her foot was sprained was because of Chi Yuhang, and it wasn¡¯t true that she didn¡¯t me him at all.

    Considering that Chi Yuhang had brought her back and supported her just then, she decided to let it go.

    So how could she possibly thank the "aplice" of the person responsible!

    Before Zhan Nanqing could answer, Chi Yuhang quickly replied:

    "Doctor Qiao, I should be the one thanking Miss Zhan. I not only owe her thanks, but I also owe her an apology for causing her to sprain her foot."

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s foot, then raised her eyes to look at Chi Yuhang.

    "Don¡¯t you still need to take care of your grandfather? You should go back first, I¡¯ve called a taxi for you, it¡¯s right at the door now."

    Upon hearing this, Chi Yuhang was stunned, and before he could speak, Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    "I¡¯m only responsible for calling the taxi; you¡¯ll have to pay the fare yourself."

    She wouldn¡¯t openly offer help to Chi Yuhang time and again, as she didn¡¯t want to hurt his pride.

    She now knew who Chi Yuhang took after ¡ª Chi Chenyun, and Old Master Chi, who was poor but not impoverished in spirit. To avoid receiving medication for free, he had simply stopped his medications on his own!

    So, she would make it a point to let Chi Yuhang spend a little money, within a range he could afford.

    Chi Yuhang finally rxed, nodded, and then turned his gaze to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle.

    "Then Miss Zhan..."

    Qiao Jing immediately interrupted Chi Yuhang, pressing her hand on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle.

    "I¡¯m here, you can go back."

    She not only had to massage Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle but probably also had to listen to Zhan Nanqing venting her frustrations, which would certainly take a considerable amount of time.

    Besides, Chi Yuhang had already brought Zhan Nanqing back, and he had many other things to do, so he couldn¡¯t stay any longer.

    Chi Yuhang looked at Zhan Nanqing hesitantly, pursed his lips, and slowly began to speak.

    "Miss Zhan, I¡¯m sorry¡ª"

    Before he could finish speaking, Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes and interrupted him.

    "Alright, alright, stop apologizing. My ears are about to sprout calluses from hearing it, just go back."

    Chi Yuhang hesitated for a moment, but ultimately turned and left.

    "Then I¡¯ll be going now, Doctor Qiao, Miss Zhan, thank you both."

    After Chi Yuhang left, the staff responsible for packing the medicine went straight upstairs, leaving only Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing in the Wonderful Hall.

    While listening to Zhan Nanqing passionatelyining about that neighborly auntie, Qiao Jing massaged her ankle.

    After talking for a long time, Zhan Nanqing noticed that Qiao Jing was merely nodding in response and eventually, she didn¡¯t even bother to nod anymore.

    Seeing this, she grumbled discontentedly,

    "Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? I¡¯ve been talking for so long!!"

    Qiao Jing paused her massaging movements, and slowly began to speak.

    "Hmm, it really is that auntie¡¯s fault, but now Chi Yuhang probably won¡¯t let her take advantage anymore."

    She stared intently at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle, furrowed her brows slightly in thought, and finally took out some silver needles from a medicine box beside her.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing then nodded in satisfaction.

    "Exactly, it¡¯s all that auntie¡¯s fault. If that foolish boy Chi Yuhang lets her take advantage again, that would be unfair to my injured foot!"

    She had just finished speaking when she saw the silver needles in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, gleaming coldly, and was quite startled.

    "Qiao Jing! You¡¯re holding silver needles... are you going to perform acupuncture on me??"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s needle-inserting movement paused briefly, and she hummed indifferently in acknowledgment.

    She found Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ankle injury to be quite severe, and if it relied solely on massaging and applying medicine, the recovery wouldn¡¯t be quick and would affect daily life.

    Zhan Nanqing watched the chillingly gleaming silver needles, and slowly swallowed.

    "Does it hurt?"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, speaking earnestly,

    "It might hurt a little, don¡¯t shy away from treatment."

    Ignoring Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, she raised her hand to start inserting the needle into the other¡¯s ankle.

    Just then, someone suddenly appeared at the door, stopping Qiao Jing¡¯s action.

 Chapter 594 - 583: Feeling sorry for Qiao Jing, giving Qiao Jing a massage

    <h4>Chapter 594: Chapter 583: Feeling sorry for Qiao Jing, giving Qiao Jing a massage</h4>

    "Wait!"

    Zhan Qipei strode forward with his long legs and quickly approached Qiao Jing. When he saw the woman tenderly taking care of Zhan Nanqing, his eyebrows furrowed like mountains in the mist.

    "What¡¯s going on here? Don¡¯t do it yourself, ask someone else to help her."

    He had juste from thepany, thinking of picking up Qiao Jing to take her home, when he saw Qiao Jing letting his sister ce her foot on her legs, ready for a massage and acupuncture.

    Although he didn¡¯t disdain his own sister, he hated to see Qiao Jing get so tired.

    Because before he arrived, he had already contacted the staff at Wonderful Hall to check if Qiao Jing was there, only to learn that the woman had seen many patients today and was still busy.

    This made him extremely anxious!

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei, a trace of confusion appeared in her eyes.

    "Why are you here?"

    She didn¡¯t remember telling Zhan Qipei that she would being in to see patients this afternoon, so how did he find out?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, and after a brief nce at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s swollen ankle, he withdrew his gaze,nding it on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    "I¡¯m here to take you home."

    Today, when he got off work, he came across a recipe for a soup specially made for pregnant women. Wanting to prepare it for Qiao Jing, he hurried over.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows slightly furrowed as she stared at Zhan Qipei for a while.

    "Okay, wait for me to treat Nanqing¡¯s foot."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow was deeply furrowed, and he pursed his lips.

    "Have someone else do it. You¡¯ve already seen many patients today, and you were at the institute in the morning. Don¡¯t overexert yourself."

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between them, then swiftly withdrew her foot.

    "Qiao Jing, let¡¯s forget it. After you massaged me, my foot doesn¡¯t hurt so much anymore. I¡¯ll just apply some medicine when I get home."

    Although her brother made her feel somewhat disdained, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to pick a fight with him at that moment.

    After all, between being disdained by her brother and being pierced with those long silver needles, she¡¯d rather choose the former. And the current Qiao Jing, gave her the immediate impression of Nanny Rong.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, ncing at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s foot and then at the silver needles in her hand.

    In the end, she put away the silver needles.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine for you to apply at home."

    She had indeed seen quite a few patients today and expended a lot of energy, but she could hold on a little longer.

    But the look in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes seemed to say that if she didn¡¯t go to rest immediately, he¡¯d forcibly take her away.

    And as for this man¡¯s method of taking her away by force, it was nothing more than carrying her off directly, and she really didn¡¯t have the energy to resist him now, so she went along with his wishes.

    Momentster, inside Nantai Apartment.

    Zhan Qipei, carrying groceries, hurried into the kitchen.

    "You sit and rest. I¡¯ll have dinner ready shortly."

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, and the moment she sat on the soft sofa, the fatigue of the whole day surged up.

    She had initially nned to watch the news before having dinner, but as soon as she leaned on the sofa, her eyelids grew heavier, and finally, unable to hold on, she closed her eyes.

    After Zhan Qipei had finished cooking, he came to the living room and found that the woman was already sound asleep on the sofa, even curling up slightly with her hand unconsciously ced in front of her belly, in a protective posture.

    He tiptoed over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Even after he sat down on the sofa, Qiao Jing still showed no reaction.

    Zhan Qipei frowned with concern and cautiously reached out to touch Qiao Jing¡¯s face, shielding her from arge part of the ring light with his hand.

    He slowly leaned toward Qiao Jing, listening to her steady breathing, a glint of pity shone in his dark eyes.

    Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing¡¯s peaceful sleeping face, the close proximity allowed him to see every detail on her face clearly, the slightly furrowed delicate brows, and her lightly pursed red lips.

    When his gaze fell upon Qiao Jing¡¯s red lips, his eyes deepened, a trace of obscure emotion shing through them, and he involuntarily drew closer to those lips, touching them gently.

    Concerned about waking Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei did not linger on the kiss for long. He sat up straight, muted his phone, and opened Baidu.

    He stared intently at the video on the screen,pletely unaware that Qiao Jing beside him was gradually waking up.

    As Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes, she noticed a pair of hands in front of her, blocking the light overhead.

    She furrowed her brows lightly and propped herself up to the other side, only to see Zhan Qipei engrossed in his phone, seemingly captivated by it.

    What could be so fascinating that it captivated Zhan Qipei? Could there be a major news event?

    Qiao Jing leaned forward curiously to peek over the man¡¯s shoulder, finally seeing the content on his phone screen.

    When she saw the phrase "How to massage to relieve fatigue" on the screen, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a warmth in her heart.

    She was a doctor right here, yet why did Zhan Qipei go to Baidu to search for it?

    Speaking of which, was Zhan Qipei learning this massage technique to help her massage?

    Before Qiao Jing could figure it out, she saw Zhan Qipei start to imitate the techniques from the video, beginning to massage himself with one hand.

    At this point, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t hold back anymore andughed out loud with a "pfft".

    "Zhan Qipei, what are you doing?"

    Why did this dog man seem not too bright?

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Zhan Qipei paused his movements, withdrew his hand that had been mimicking the massage, and a sh of embarrassment crossed his face.

    "Nothing, you¡¯re awake."

    Qiao Jing nodded, her gaze falling on the phone screen he hadn¡¯t managed to close yet.

    "You¡¯re learning how to massage?"

    As soon as he heard that, Zhan Qipei quickly shut off the phone, looking directly at her.

    "Yeah, I was thinking of massaging you."

    He had wanted to help relieve some of Qiao Jing¡¯s fatigue, hence he turned to the inte to learn, worrying that he might get the technique wrong, he had used himself as a "test subject" to try it out.

    Otherwise, it would be bad if he identally massaged the wrong spotter on when helping Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing lifted her delicate brows lightly, looking like wisps of light smoke, and inquired,

    "How well have you learned? Want me to teach you?"

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw Zhan Qipei earnestly looking at the screen and massaging himself with somewhat clumsy techniques.

    This reminded her of a baby learning to talk, echoing whatever others said.

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, his gaze firmly on Qiao Jing.

    "I¡¯ve learned it."

    A look of surprise crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s face, she looked at Zhan Qipei with some disbelief.

    "Are you sure? It¡¯s just a few videos you¡¯ve watched."

    Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and brought her over to his side, making her head rest on his thigh, he bent down slightly and whispered in her ear, his thin lips parting and joining, saying something easily misinterpreted.

 Chapter 595 - 584 Youéˆ¥æª™e Not Behaving Properly

    <h4>Chapter 595: Chapter 584 You¡¯re Not Behaving Properly</h4>

    "Wouldn¡¯t you know if you just tried it?"

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing instantly furrowed her eyebrows, sat up straight, her ears beginning to turn slightly red.

    "Are you being improper again?"

    She had thought that Zhan Qipei was serious about watching the video and immediately learning the massage techniques, but this scoundrel ended up making an inappropriate remark after all that waiting.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes were fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s ears, and noticing the faint blush on them, he curved his lips into a smile, which carried a hint of mischief.

    "Why ¡¯again¡¯? What¡¯s improper about it?"

    He remembered that he hadn¡¯t said this type of thing to Qiao Jing recently, except for at night when she slept, when he would gaze at her tranquil face and think about many things, but never had the chance to act on those thoughts.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in speechlessness, no longer wanting to engage with Zhan Qipei, and prepared to head to the kitchen.

    She shouldn¡¯t have expected this scoundrel to say something meaningful when it was just the two of them.

    But she hadn¡¯t taken many steps before her wrist was grasped by a somewhat hot hand.

    Qiao Jing paused and turned to look at Zhan Qipei.

    "Let go, let¡¯s eat."

    She had no desire to discuss anything massage-rted with Zhan Qipei anymore, nor did she want to hear more meaningless words.

    Zhan Qipei, this scoundrel, was simply too improper!

    Zhan Qipei slightly furrowed his brows, his eyes full of stubbornness, tightly holding Qiao Jing¡¯s slender wrist.

    "Let¡¯s have a massage first then eat, I¡¯ve already learned to massage, aren¡¯t you very tired? Let me help you."

    He may joke around, but he had seen all of Qiao Jing¡¯s tiredness; he didn¡¯t want the woman to be so weary.

    Qiao Jing paused again, looking at Zhan Qipei with a puzzled expression.

    "I¡¯m not tired, I rested for a bit and feel much better now."

    She had been extremely tired just earlier, which is why she fell asleep the moment she touched the sofa.

    Although she was still a bit tired now, it was much less so than before after resting for over ten minutes and having regained some energy.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s long eyebrows drew together like a mountain enshrouded in mist, and he pulled Qiao Jing back to sit facing him, forcibly making her rest her head on his legs again.

    "You were so tired that you fell asleep on the sofa without reacting when I came over. Let me massage you for a bit."

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was momentarily startled, a look of astonishment crossing her exceptionally beautiful face.

    "You came over and I didn¡¯t react? Are you sure?"

    She knew her alertness to her surroundings was high, especially when resting or sleeping. The slightest disturbance could wake her up, not to mention someone approaching her, even walking to the door of her room would rouse her.

    However, there was one scenario: in the presence of someone she trusted deeply, she would lower her guard because her subconscious saw them as being by her side.

    Like when she lived with Grandpa Zhang as a child, she wouldn¡¯t react until the old man stood by her bed to wake her up.

    But when had she started to see Zhan Qipei as her most trusted person? He was right by her side, and she hadn¡¯t reacted?

    Zhan Qipei nodded, ced his hand on a few of Qiao Jing¡¯s acupoints, and began to massage her as if he were copying from a book.

    "Yeah, I watched you for a while. Were you very tired today?"

    He actually still hid something; he hadn¡¯t just touched her face but had even secretly tasted the "jelly."

    Qiao Jing was about to say something more, but she suddenly realized that Zhan Qipei¡¯s massage techniques were correct, hitting all the right acupoints.

    Thest bit of tiredness lingering in her body also gradually dissipated with Zhan Qipei¡¯s massage.

    In her mind, she earnestly contemted that perhaps because she was so tired today, she had lowered her guard, allowing Zhan Qipei to break into herfort zone.

    The next morning.

    As soon as Qiao Jing arrived at the research institute, she saw Zhan Nanqing, who was sitting on the couch with a frown and a sorrowful face, and her left ankle, which was wrapped up like a dumpling.

    She went to her workbench to change into her work clothes, noticing that Zhan Nanqing still maintained that frowning, sorrowful expression, as if she harbored a deep grudge against someone.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is it because your foot is ufortable? I can perform acupuncture for you, which might speed up the healing. Also, didn¡¯t I tell you to rest at home yesterday?"

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Zhan Qipei¡¯s sudden visit yesterday, she would have treated Zhan Nanqing¡¯s foot before going home after work.

    Zhan Nanqing sighed deeply, her hands supporting her cheeks.

    "It¡¯s alright, no need for acupuncture. Staying at home was just boring; I¡¯d rather be here at the institute. At least I can chat with you."

    Although she knew Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t entertain her while working, she still preferred toe to the institute. After all, at home she had to listen to her mom nagging about her foot, which was less peaceful than being at the institute.

    However... that wasn¡¯t actually the most important reason.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly, looking at Zhan Nanqing with an inquisitive gaze.

    "Are you sure there¡¯s nothing else going on?"

    By now she pretty well understood Zhan Nanqing¡¯s character. Normally, if there was something on her mind, she would speak up directly; the more she tried to hide, the more serious it usually was.

    Based on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s current expression, it didn¡¯t look at all like everything was fine.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded, then shook her head, and finally sighed deeply several times.

    "Ah... no."

    Why was she so unlucky these days!

    Should she check the almanac before going out in the future?

    Qiao Jing felt the situation was getting increasingly strange. After changing into her work clothes, she didn¡¯t go to work but rather approached Zhan Nanqing.

    "What¡¯s really going on?"

    She actually preferred Zhan Nanqing¡¯s straightforward nature; the more she acted like this, the more it indicated something was up.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing with a face full of distress, messily scratching her hair.

    "I just knew you could tell."

    It seemed her ability to hide things needed some improvement...

    Qiao Jing helplessly tugged at the corner of her mouth.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression almost seemed to spill all her emotions across her face. How could she not notice?

    "You¡¯re just short of having ¡¯I have a problem¡¯ written on your face."

    Zhan Nanqing propped her hands against her cheeks, sighing helplessly.

    "Is it that obvious? Anyway, it¡¯s nothing but Zhou Yunze being an annoying clot again. These past few days have been utterly unlucky. The moment I stepped out the door, I stepped into ¡¯dog poop¡¯, running into Zhou Yunze, that pile of dog poop!"

    Hearing Zhou Yunze¡¯s name, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows.

    "What happened? Where did you run into him?"

    The warning she gave himst time was quite clear, yet Zhou Yunze still dared to bother Zhan Nanqing.

    It seemed the situation was bing somewhat troublesome.

    Remembering the scene this morning when she encountered Zhou Yunze right after she left home, Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    "Such bad luck, bumping into him the moment I stepped out. He even came directly to Purple Garden, and, when he saw my foot, do you know what he said?"

    Curious, Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing, waiting for her to continue.

 Chapter 596 - 585: Qiao Jing Crossdresses Again

    <h4>Chapter 596: Chapter 585: Qiao Jing Crossdresses Again</h4>

    Zhan Nanqing pped the sofa hard, grinding her teeth as she spoke:

    "First, he put on a surprised look, saying how heartbroken he was to see my injured foot and wanted to take care of me personally. That wasn¡¯t enough¡ªhe immediately put on a fake expression and, while talking, tried to lend me a hand and escort me to the research institute."

    When Qiao Jing heard that Zhou Yunze had tried to physically support Zhan Nanqing, she furrowed her brows tightly.

    "And then? Did he end up touching you?"

    She had kept dressing up as a man, including thest time, to keep Zhou Yunze away from Zhan Nanqing, and she could feel that her warnings had indeed had an effect.

    But this time Zhou Yunze had actually gone directly to Purple Garden, which definitely indicated a problem.

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly, grabbed a cushion from beside her, and started to jab it furiously, asionally pping it a few times as if it were Zhou Yunze.

    "That was right outside my front door. How could he have had a chance to touch me? I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of him and kicked him out without a word."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool gaze grew slightly heavier, and after two seconds of silence, she continued:

    "Starting today, remember to keep an eye on the area around your house. If he has shown up once, it¡¯s possible there will be a next time."

    She didn¡¯t ask about Zhan Nanqing¡¯s and Zhou Yunze¡¯s love history because since the two had broken up, there must have been personal reasons for it; however, she believed that it was right to not disturb each other after a breakup.

    Incessant pestering like Zhou Yunze was doing was not appropriate at all.

    It seemed like she needed to find another time to meet with Zhou Yunze again and rify things with him.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded vigorously, not forgetting to punch the cushion again and again.

    "I get it. If hees once, I¡¯ll fend him off once¡ªI mean, send him away once."

    Qiao Jing had thought she would need to find time tomorrow or in a few days to dress up as a man again to help Zhan Nanqing meet with Zhou Yunze, as she was a bit busy these days.

    But that afternoon, just as work was about to end, Zhan Nanqing received a phone call, prompting her to dress up as a man sooner than expected.

    Zhan Nanqing nced at her phone and saw an unknown number calling, feeling an ominous premonition.

    She originally didn¡¯t want to answer, but her hand slipped identally and she hit ¡¯answer¡¯, so she had to speak up.

    "Hello? Who is this?"

    Qiao Jing was changing into her work clothes, diverting some attention to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s actions.

    Originally, Zhan Nanqing was beating the cushion while answering the phone, but whatever was said on the other end of the line prompted her to m the cushion down on the sofa.

    "Screw off, don¡¯t make me swear at you. Try calling again, I dare you! Zhou Yunze, how shameless can you be? We¡¯ve broken up and you¡¯re still clinging on. When did I be aware that the noble Zhou scion liked to eat his own vomit, oh no, I¡¯m not your vomit; I¡¯m your dad!"

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly, her gaze falling on the phone.

    She didn¡¯t immediately speak up but was curious to see what Zhou Yunze would say next.

    Then she saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression suddenly darken as she snapped irritably:

    "Aren¡¯t you annoying? Expecting me to have onest meal with you? I eat with you and then you¡¯ll stop harassing me? I don¡¯t buy your crap!!"

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together, quickly stepped beside Zhan Nanqing, and took the phone from her, lowering her voice by several tones.

    "Mr. Zhou, I think I made myself very clearst time. Please stop harassing Nanqing."

    Zhou Yunze didn¡¯t expect the person on the line to suddenly change to Qiao Linting; he was stunned for a moment.

    After recognizing the voice on the other end, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit intimidated, remembering Qiao Linting¡¯s oppressive aura and rming gaze during theirst negotiation.

    But despite that, he couldn¡¯t simply give up.

    Zhou Yunze clenched his teeth and slowly began to speak.

    "I know I just have something to discuss with Nanqing, I want to have onest meal with her. After that, I won¡¯t bother her again, I have some words I need to say to her."

    Upon reflection, being in a rtionship with the daughter of the Zhan Family and having received a gift of water from her was enough to boast about for a lifetime. Although his family was also affluent and prestigious, there was still a considerable gappared with the Zhan Family.

    Now, he just wanted to find more reasons to get close to Zhan Nanqing. Initially, he hadn¡¯t treasured their time together and yed around; even though she hadn¡¯t been very devoted either, they had at least been together.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in speechlessness, emphasizing the words "my girlfriend" as she spoke.

    "If you have something to say, say it to me. Don¡¯t involve my girlfriend in excessivemunication."

    She now truly understood why Zhan Nanqing was so annoyed by Zhou Yunze, annoyed enough to take out her frustration on a pillow as if it were him.

    Zhou Yunze was already irritating enough with his repeated phone calls and harassment; now he came up with this ¡¯final dinner,¡¯ which sounded deceptive from the get-go. Anyone would be angered by this, let alone Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhou Yunze clenched his fists and stubbornly said:

    "I really have something I need to say to Nanqing, I just want to take her out for a meal¡ªI¡¯ve even reserved the restaurant."

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing Qiao Jing still on the phone with Zhou Yunze, impatiently moved forward a few steps, wanting to take the phone back.

    "Stop bothering with him. He can eat shit for all I care, let him go eat alone."

    Qiao Jing shook her head, slightly turned to the side, dodging Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand, and began to speak slowly.

    "Alright, I hope this is thest time you and Nanqing meet."

    After dropping that statement, she hung up the phone and handed it back to Zhan Nanqing.

    She was curious about what Zhou Yunze could possibly have to say that required a face-to-face meeting with Zhan Nanqing.

    However, after this meal, she intended to cut off Zhou Yunze¡¯s one-sided harassment for good.

    Once the call ended, Zhan Nanqing stared at Qiao Jing with a stupefied expression.

    "What do you mean ¡¯thest time we meet¡¯? Qiao Jing, you didn¡¯t agree to have a meal with Zhou Yunze on my behalf, did you??"

    Qiao Jing nodded and continued before Zhan Nanqing could speak:

    "Yes, let¡¯s see what he really wants to say."

    If Zhou Yunze was allowed to continue harassing her like this, it wasn¡¯t a solution; the best course of action would be to rify matters with him face-to-face.

    She was someone who addressed issues efficiently, often resolving them in just one or two attempts, so today would be thest time she would help Zhan Nanqing handle this, and they could put it behind them for good.

    Zhan Nanqing huffed at the thought of Zhou Yunze¡¯s face, bing increasingly irritated.

    "This is so annoying, I don¡¯t want to have a meal with him. Just seeing him makes me nauseous."

    Qiao Jing slightly arched her delicate brows, her expression indifferent as she spoke:

    "If you don¡¯t have a meal with him, he will keep pestering you. This is your chance to make things clear for thest time."

    Zhan Nanqing irritably ruffled her hair, and suddenly remembered thest time Qiao Jing dressed as a man.

 Chapter 597 - 586: Todayéˆ¥æªš Qiao Jing is Super Invincibly Handsome

    <h4>Chapter 597: Chapter 586: Today¡¯s Qiao Jing is Super Invincibly Handsome</h4>

    If she could just have Qiao Jing pretend to be her boyfriend once more, sitting through another dinner with that annoying Zhou Yunze wouldn¡¯t be impossible.

    But... she now had a new idea.

    Zhan Nanqing took out her phone and immediately ordered a few items, then looked towards Qiao Jing.

    "I bought a new set of clothes and a wig, much handsomer than thest set. How about youe back with me to Purple Garden?"

    She didn¡¯t really want to go to Nantai Apartment, firstly because it was dinner time, and if she went to her brother now, he would definitely ignore cooking her dinner again. She would just be a pitiful outsider. Fortunately, Qiao Jing could be her boyfriend again tonight.

    Secondly, her brother didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to dress as a man. If her brother found out, he would get jealous.

    Qiao Jing slightly knitted his brows, pondered for a moment, sent a message to Zhan Qipei, and then put away his phone.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    She understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s character. Ever since he caught her dressed as a manst time, she could feel his aversion towards her cross-dressing.

    If Zhan Qipei found out again this time, that bastard would definitely get jealous and stir up a whole lot of nonsense.

    At eight in the evening, inside the restaurant.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s wig was styled with a side part, revealing part of her smooth forehead, and she still wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses. Different fromst time, she was wearing a gray suit with a tie, and the ascetic vibe was amplified by the suit.

    She paused in her steps, ncing at Zhan Nanqing, who was clinging to her arm beside her.

    "Are you sure this set will work? Wasn¡¯t thest one looser?"

    Despite the chest binder she was wearing, there was still a slight curve that couldn¡¯t bepletely concealed.

    And this gray suit was somewhat fitted. She was worried about exposing herself.

    Zhan Nanqing affectionately rubbed Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and nced at the women around them who looked at her with envy, and proudly lifted her chin a little.

    "Of course it¡¯s okay. Look at those women around us; they are envious of me for having such a handsome boyfriend!"

    For the sake of being by his side tonight, she endured the pain to be Ziwei and went through acupuncture.

    Although her foot still hurt a bit, at least she could wear high heels and move slowly while leaning on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed his brow again, casting an indifferent look at the passersby who were watching them, before slowly retracting his gaze.

    "Stop quibbling. Dealing with Zhou Yunze is the most important thing right now."

    She didn¡¯t really like this kind of being the center of attention and just wanted to get the matter resolved quickly.

    Zhan Nanqing looked away, her face showing a smug little grin.

    "I got it, I got it. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never had such a handsome boyfriend before. The way those women look at you, their eyes practically sparkle with light!"

    Qiao Jing showed a somewhat helpless smile and didn¡¯t say much else.

    The two of them slowly made their way to the private room Zhou Yunze had booked.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to sit down, Zhan Nanqing made a move.

    Zhan Nanqing, who previously needed her assistance to walk, suddenly let go of her arm and limped over to Zhou Yunze.

    Zhou Yunze lit up at the sight, quickly standing up.

    "Nanqing, you¡¯re here, let me help you¡ª"

    Before he could finish his sentence, a pot of tea was sshed on his face.

    After throwing one cup, Zhan Nanqing unceremoniously grabbed a second cup of tea and threw it at Zhou Yunze as well.

    "You still want to help me? I don¡¯t know why you had the sudden idea of getting back together with me! I¡¯ve told you before, stop bothering me. Wasn¡¯t my boyfriend clear enough with youst time? You still dared to message me and even show up at my doorstep? If it wasn¡¯t for the cooperation between your family and mine, I would¡¯ve called the cops for harassment long ago."

    Watching this unfold, Qiao Jing was taken aback, looking up at Zhan Nanqing.

    She had intended to negotiate with Zhou Yunze, but Zhan Nanqing had gone straight to throwing tea.

    That said, Zhan Nanqing probably exploded because she¡¯d been harassed too many times, and because Zhou Yunze had just now tried to take advantage of the situation by offering her help, which led her to retaliate by throwing the tea.

    Zhou Yunze was instantly dumbfounded, standing there in a daze.

    "Nanqing, I really just want to talk to you for a moment, I¡¯ve said, this is thest meal today,"

    Zhan Nanqing returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and casually looped her arm through his, no longer bothering with Zhou Yunze.

    "I don¡¯t want to talk to him anymore, I want to cling to your thigh."

    She didn¡¯t want to waste her breath on Zhou Yunze. Besides, with Qiao Jing being so capable, he could surely deal with Zhou Yunze in no time. There was no need for her, a small fry, to get involved.

    Qiao Jing simply nodded, patting the back of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand gently, then turned his gaze towards Zhou Yunze, his aura cooling to an icy freeze in an instant.

    "Mr. Zhou, you¡¯ve repeatedly harassed my girlfriend. I have all the evidence, such as call logs, and you even went to her home to look for her. Your behavior has no difference from that of a stalker. If you continue to harass her, I will hand all the evidence over to the police."

    Getting the police involved would be ideal. Exposure would also damage the reputation of the Zhou Family.

    But that was thest resort. After all, Zhan Nanqing had mentioned that the Zhan Family and the Zhou Family had a business coboration, and they couldn¡¯t afford to tear each other apart so easily.

    Of course, if Zhan Nanqing were to bring this matter into the open, with the Zhan Family¡¯s protective nature, they surely wouldn¡¯t care about any business rtionship.

    However, Zhan Nanqing probably didn¡¯t want to affect the Zhan Family¡¯s interests because of herself.

    Zhou Yunze¡¯s gaze fixated on their linked arms, his fists clenched tightly in secret.

    Yet when he met Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, deep and serene as still, dark waters, a chill ran up his spine, goosebumps rising, causing his clenched fists to subconsciously loosen.

    "I¡¯m not harassing Nanqing, I¡¯m pursuing her again, which is why I called and contacted her."

    He knew he couldn¡¯t confront these two head-on, given the Zhan Family¡¯s status and the evidence Qiao Jing mentioned... If this got to the police, he would surely be at a disadvantage.

    In truth, he didn¡¯t necessarily need to be with Zhan Nanqing. He wanted to be part of the Zhan Family to strengthen the ties between his own family and theirs, allowing his family to develop more rapidly.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression darkened, his sharp gaze squarely on Zhou Yunze, and he spoke in a deep voice.

    "Nanqing already has me as her boyfriend, and she has clearly rejected you. She already said ¡¯no¡¯. Your continued contact constitutes harassment."

    After dropping that statement, without a trace of emotion on her face, she led Zhan Nanqing out, leaving Zhou Yunze alone in the private room.

    Zhou Yunze watched them leave with a hardened gaze, grinding his teeth, a new decision forming in his mind.

    If he couldn¡¯t get through to Zhan Nanqing, he could seek the help of someone else, someone who would undoubtedly save face for him.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing had alreadye out of the restaurant with Zhan Nanqing.

    Qiao Jing looked helplessly at Zhan Nanqing, who was humming a tune by her side.

    "You¡¯re in a good mood?"

    Zhan Nanqing snorted coldly, rolling her eyes wordlessly.

    "Of course! You have no idea how satisfying it was to ssh tea on him. These past few days, I¡¯ve been driven mad! Now I gave him a taste of a cool, carefree feeling for free, he should be thanking me."

    As she said this, Zhan Nanqing waved her hand dismissively.

    "Let¡¯s not talk about him anymore, it¡¯s a downer."

    It was rare for Qiao Jing to dress as a man, and she wouldn¡¯t appreciate it if she didn¡¯t, it would be a disservice to her eyes.

    She had specifically bought a gray suit today, just to see if it would give off the same vibe as her brother when worn by Qiao Jing. To her surprise, it really did have that domineering boss aura.

    Qiao Jing, feeling somewhat helpless, tugged at the corner of her mouth, then looked up at the taxi that had stopped in front of them, helping Zhan Nanqing into the cab.

    "Your foot hasn¡¯t healed yet, so don¡¯t think too much. You head back first."

    Zhan Nanqing furrowed her brow, staring at Qiao Jing through the car window.

    "What about you?"

    Qiao Jing jabbed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s forehead with her finger, pushing back the head that was about to jut out.

    "Are you silly? We¡¯re not going in the same direction. I¡¯ve hailed another cab."

    Zhan Nanqing looked down at her regrettable foot and let out a muffled "Oh," then withdrew her gaze.

    After watching the taxi drive away, the other taxi Qiao Jing had called arrived. Just as she was about to open the car door, a voice sounded from behind her.

    "Qiao Linting, what a coincidence."

 Chapter 598 - 587: Qiao Jing Canéˆ¥æª› Tolerate Anymore, Decides to Fight Back

    <h4>Chapter 598: Chapter 587: Qiao Jing Can¡¯t Tolerate Anymore, Decides to Fight Back</h4>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s grip on the car door handle paused for a moment, and her brows slowly furrowed as she said to the driver:

    "Sorry, Master, you can go ahead."

    She did not want to dy the driver from taking the next fare, and as for the person behind her, she couldn¡¯t quite remember who they were, but from the tone of their voice, it was clear that their intentions were hostile.

    And they were not going to let her leave easily.

    That¡¯s why she had asked the driver to leave first.

    After the driver left, Qiao Jing turned around and recognized the person who had called her.

    It was Lu Yingying¡¯s boyfriend, Loo Chao.

    "Is there something wrong?"

    She remembered meeting Loo Chao twice, and he had always thought that she had seduced Lu Yingying.

    But the truth was quite the opposite, she had told the truth, yet Loo Chao stubbornly refused to believe it, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her breath exining.

    Loo Chao approached Qiao Jing, his gaze fixed on her with a sinister look.

    "Of course, there is something, or I wouldn¡¯t have called you. It¡¯s quite strange to say, I¡¯ve used all of my family¡¯s power, and yet I couldn¡¯t find any trace of you. Could it be that you¡¯re really some unknown poor kid who clung to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s coattails because you were afraid of losing face, and had her help you conceal it?"

    He had saidst time that he would definitely trouble Qiao Linting, and since then he had started a carpet-search in Imperial Capital City, to locate Qiao Linting and teach him a lesson.

    But from that day until today, he couldn¡¯t find a single trace of Qiao Linting in Imperial Capital City, as if such a person didn¡¯t exist at all, and yet here he was running into him.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly, her face expressionless as she said:

    "What does my business have to do with you?"

    It was bound to be that he couldn¡¯t find Qiao Linting, because she wouldn¡¯t dress as a man unless necessary, and she had only visited a few ces in that guise.

    However, what puzzled her was why Loo Chao was looking for her?

    Could it be because of Lu Yingying¡¯s matter?

    She had initially thought, since Lu Yingying was a girl, she would at least save her some face, but Loo Chao¡¯s current stance made it clear he did not believe her previous exnations.

    It seemed that she would have to pull up the surveince footage, to show him Lu Yingying¡¯s true face, and convince him that it was Lu Yingying who had seduced her.

    When Loo Chao saw Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, he took it for granted that she was a gigolo relying on a woman, thinking he had found something to mock.

    "It¡¯s certainly my business. You wouldn¡¯t think that the incident where you seduced my girlfriend would just be forgotten, would you?"

    He would forever remember the scene where Qiao Linting seduced his girlfriend, it felt like ten thousand horses were stampeding through his heart, and his head turned into a vast green prairie.

    Which man could stand that?!

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly and reached up to adjust the gold-rimmed sses on the bridge of her nose.

    "I mean, are you having a problem with your ears? I¡¯ve already told you, I did not seduce your girlfriend."

    She was curious why Loo Chao was so stubborn in thinking that it was she who had seduced Lu Yingying.

    Based on the situation at the time, it seemed more like it was Lu Yingying who was pressing against her, and here was Loo Chao, blind and in denial,shing out unjustly.

    Loo Chao clenched his fists with agitated emotions, confronting Qiao Jing.

    "You say you didn¡¯t seduce her and that settles it? I saw it with my own eyes; you were pulling my girlfriend toward you!"

    Just then, Lu Yingying¡¯s figure appeared behind Loo Chao, and she smilingly looped her arm around his.

    "What¡¯s going on? Are you talking about someth¡ª"

    Her words were cut short upon seeing Qiao Jing dressed in a suit, her eyes uncontrobly beginning to sparkle.

    Meanwhile, Loo Chao, oblivious to Lu Yingying¡¯s unusual behavior, put his arm around his girlfriend¡¯s waist, only to find that she was frozen in ce, not moving to his side as usual.

    He called out in confusion,

    "Yingying?"

    Upon hearing the call, Lu Yingying finally remembered her boyfriend was still by her side. With reluctance, she took her gaze off Qiao Jing and snuggled into Loo Chao¡¯s arms.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Do you have business with Qiao Linting? You¡¯re not still holding a grudge and looking for trouble, are you?"

    Loo Chao nodded self-righteously.

    "What do you think? I haven¡¯t settled the score with him aboutst time when he flirted with you. Now that I¡¯vee across him, shouldn¡¯t I make things clear?"

    Qiao Jing looked at the couple snuggling in front of him, feeling extremely disgusted.

    "Sir, please get your facts straight. I did not flirt with your girlfriend. Also, as to who flirted with whom, your girlfriend knows best."

    He had tried his best to keep his distance, but he hadn¡¯t expected Lu Yingying toe onto him so directly, right in view of Loo Chao, no less.

    He didn¡¯t like being misunderstood, but he wouldn¡¯t exin himself more than three times.

    If others didn¡¯t believe him, there was nothing he could do.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, both had their thoughts.

    Lu Yingying¡¯s smile froze instantly, and she dared not say a word.

    Loo Chao pointed angrily at Qiao Jing, beginning to spew some foulnguage.

    "Where the hell do you get the face? I¡¯m the Loo family¡¯s eldest son; how could my girlfriend possibly fancy a pretty boy like you who only relies on women?"

    Knowing she was in the wrong, Lu Yingying tugged at Loo Chao¡¯s arm.

    "Enough, stop it. Let¡¯s go. There are so many people watching."

    Loo Chao pushed Lu Yingying away, pulling her behind him.

    "I can¡¯t just let it go with him, this pretty boy always hides behind Zhan Nanqing. Now that I¡¯ve finally caught him, I must settle this today."

    Lu Yingying, looking embarrassed, clung to Loo Chao¡¯s sleeve and whispered a reminder,

    "Are you crazy? There are so many people here, and this restaurant is a frequent spot for people in our circle. Many know us; how bad would it look if they saw?"

    Loo Chao nced at Qiao Jing with a sneer.

    "Heh! He must be here relying on Zhan Nanqing. I despise men who rely on women the most; it¡¯s humiliating. At that time, he dared to flirt with you, probably because he fancied your money and status."

    Listening to these absurd usations, Qiao Jing rolled his eyes in silence, toozy to engage with this ridiculous couple, and turned to leave.

    He wouldn¡¯t waste his time on these unworthy people. Besides, if he had no reason to continue dressing as a manter on, let Loo Chao misunderstand if he wanted to.

    It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid; he simply hated trouble!

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to leave, Loo Chao immediately called out to stop him.

    "Qiao Linting, don¡¯t you walk away! If we don¡¯t settle this ount today, try stepping outside. I¡¯ll have someone catch you right away!"

    Qiao Jing paused, turned back to look at Loo Chao, and said coldly,

    "You could check the surveince."

    At this point, only the surveince could sober up a man like Loo Chao, who suffered from delusions of cuckoldry.

    Upon hearing this, Loo Chao immediately agreed.

    "Fine! Check the surveince, right? Let¡¯s do it. After watching the surveince, I¡¯ll see how you, a pretty boy living off of a woman, will have anything left to argue!"

    After the mention of checking the surveince, Lu Yingying¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

 Chapter 599 - 588: Qiao Jing Pulls Up Surveillance to Present Facts

    <h4>Chapter 599: Chapter 588: Qiao Jing Pulls Up Surveince to Present Facts</h4>

    She seduced Qiao Linting first, motivated by her overwhelming desire to have him. Since the hall was scarcely popted, she approached him directly without considering the surveince cameras. Afterwards, she forgot to delete the footage, resulting in the hotel retaining it to this day.

    If the footage were to be reviewed now, Loo Chao would definitely know the truth!

    No!

    Loo Chao must not see the surveince footage!

    Lu Yingying forced a strained smile and grabbed Loo Chao¡¯s hand.

    "Loo Chao, let¡¯s go, please stop talking, there are so many people here. If ites out, wouldn¡¯t it dishonor the Zhan Family?"

    Loo Chao scoffed, thinking Lu Yingying was worried about provoking the Zhan Family, which is why she didn¡¯t want him to check the surveince.

    After pulling Lu Yingying back to his side, he continued standing face-to-face with Qiao Jing.

    "What¡¯s there to be afraid of? He and Nanqing aren¡¯t even an item yet, and besides, isn¡¯t this actually helping Nanqing by showing her this guy¡¯s true colors?"

    Qiao Jing pretended to agree and took out his phone, pretending to contact the hotel staff.

    "Yes, I also think it¡¯s a good opportunity to prove I haven¡¯t seduced anyone."

    Lu Yingying¡¯s expression turned increasingly unsightly, finally unable to contain her outbreak, and firmly grasped Loo Chao¡¯s hand, attempting to lead him away.

    "Loo Chao! Enough! There are so many people here, why check the surveince now? Can¡¯t we do it when it¡¯s just a few of us, without making it public?"

    Loo Chao was stunned by Lu Yingying¡¯s shout, frowning and looking at her iprehensively.

    "Yingying, what do you mean? Why can¡¯t we check it now? Having all these people around could actually help us."

    Upon hearing Loo Chao¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly curved his lips.

    After viewing the surveince, he hoped Loo Chao would still be as arrogant as he was now.

    Lu Yingying, struggling to suppress her rage, looked extremely displeased.

    "I told you! Don¡¯t check it here!!"

    Loo Chao didn¡¯t understand, "Why not? Having more people around is actually more advantageous for us!"

    The bystanders quickly grasped the situation.

    "That handsome guy with sses said to check the surveince, but this woman desperately doesn¡¯t want to. I think she¡¯s too scared to check because she¡¯s guilty!"

    "I¡¯m telling you, I just saw the handsome guy¡¯s girlfriend, and honestly, this woman isn¡¯t even close to as pretty as his girlfriend, not by a long shot. How could he ever be interested in this woman?"

    "Exactly, I saw them too. Though I¡¯m a bit jealous of her for having such a handsome boyfriend, they looked really loving just now. It¡¯s impossible that there was any cheating."

    "Also, the handsome guy with sses looks nothing like a kept man, he seems more like a capable CEO, and he speaks very appropriately. He never swore, unlike this couple who are jumping up and down in agitation!"

    "..."

    The murmurs of the crowd made Loo Chao and Lu Yingying¡¯s expressions turn even uglier, making them the focus of everyone¡¯s discussions.

    Loo Chao looked at Lu Yingying with suspicion and asked:

    "Tell me, what¡¯s really going on? Why won¡¯t you let me check the surveince? Could it be that you really seduced him?"

    Upon hearing this, Lu Yingying panicked and replied,

    "How could that be! I just think checking the surveince in front of so many people is really embarrassing. Plus, he had already pulled me close to him by then, everyone could have seen it!"

    Loo Chao looked at Lu Yingying skeptically, not fully convinced.

    While they were talking, Qiao Jing had already essed the hotel¡¯s lobby surveince footage.

    "Excuse me, I¡¯ve already brought up the surveince footage. Do you want to watch it now?"

    Although she didn¡¯t like arguing with others, the situation had escted. Dragging it out further would just be bothersome.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lu Yingying¡¯s eyes widened in shock, her face showing panic and guilt as she looked at the phone in his hand.

    "No! You can¡¯t y it!!"

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows and looked at Loo Chao.

    "To prove myself, I might as well show the surveince footage right now."

    Upon hearing this, other bystanders immediately craned their necks, scrambling to see the screen of Qiao Jing¡¯s phone.

    Just as she was about to press the y button, Loo Chao spoke up.

    "Wait! Forget it, I won¡¯t hold this against you."

    He had roughly guessed the truth when he saw Lu Yingying¡¯s guilty expression.

    It seemed indeed that Lu Yingying had initiated the flirtation, which was why Qiao Linting was so confident about checking the surveince footage.

    He had thought Qiao Linting was trying to y some kind of scam on him, but it turned out it was his girlfriend who had approached the other party.

    No wonder Lu Yingying had stubbornly refused to check the surveince footage on the spot.

    "Hah¡ª" Qiao Jing scoffed lightly.

    "You want me not to show it, and I won¡¯t show it? You want to insult me, and you do it? Who do you think you are?"

    "You¡ª"

    "What about you?" Qiao Jing re up, her eyes and brows filled with irritation and annoyance.

    Then, in front of everyone, she opened the video on her phone.

    The surveince footage from that night immediately came into everyone¡¯s view.

    The video¡¯s content was very clear; it was Lu Yingying who had approached Qiao Jing.

    While Qiao Jing had repeatedly refused, Lu Yingying shamelessly persisted.

    After watching the video, Lu Yingying¡¯s face turned extremely dark.

    She desperately wished it was all a dream, not reality.

    Standing nearby, Loo Chao¡¯s face turned darker than Lu Yingying¡¯s.

    Not just dark, butpletely green with jealousy.

    The bystanders¡¯ various mocking voices filled his ears.

    "Wow! How shameless can you be? She¡¯s already rejecting you and yet you keep clinging."

    "What¡¯s this? Didn¡¯t you hear their conversation? That woman still wouldn¡¯t admit it and med the other side for seducing her."

    "Exactly, I heard it. Earlier that woman¡¯s boyfriend misunderstood that handsome guy, and that woman didn¡¯t even try to exin."

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk¡ªsuch a ssic green tea bitch!"

    "..."

    The crowd¡¯s increasingly nastyments made Lu Yingying wish she could dig a hole and crawl into it.

    Qiao Jing, seeing that the matter was almost settled, couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste any more words on these two. She gged down another taxi.

    Loo Chao was about to erupt at Lu Yingying with questions when he turned around and realized she was no longer there. He clenched his fists tightly, his anger having no outlet; upon seeing Qiao Linting, he med everything on him.

    "Qiao Linting, what¡¯s so great about you? Even if you didn¡¯t seduce my girlfriend, the fact that you¡¯re a poor nobody doesn¡¯t change. You and Zhan Nanqing have no future at all. Zhan Nanqing is the Zhan Family¡¯s precious daughter, their only child. Do you think they would ept you as their son-inw?"

    He couldn¡¯t believe he could not regain some dignity from Qiao Linting today!

    Hearing Loo Chao¡¯s words, Qiao Jing gave him a sidelong nce with a detached expression, uninterested in responding, she continued monitoring the taxi movements on her phone screen.

    She had already received several messages from Zhan Qipei urging her toe home. If she didn¡¯t hurry back now, that despicable man could very well do something drastic.

    Loo Chao, seeing Qiao Jing ignoring him, nearly fainted with rage.

    "Qiao Linting! I¡¯ve already insulted you as a liteweight and a poor nobody, and you¡¯re not responding¡ªare you admitting it by staying silent?"

    He thought Qiao Linting would ignore him again, but his response nearly made Loo Chao spit blood in anger.

 Chapter 600 - 589: Why is Xu Hongzu So Kind to Qiao Jing?

    <h4>Chapter 600: Chapter 589: Why is Xu Hongzu So Kind to Qiao Jing?</h4>

    "Oh, think whatever you want."

    Right now, she just wanted to rush home, otherwise Zhan Qipei, seeing howte it was getting, would not only grumble at her but would certainlye out looking for her.

    If Zhan Qipei were to find out about her masquerading as a man, the dog of a man would most likely get jealous again.

    Loo Chao felt as if he had punched into cotton candy¡ª he had said all those words men hated most, yet Qiao Linting remained so calm, even saying he could think whatever he wanted?

    Any of those words he¡¯d thrown out just before would incite him to beat someone until they were searching the ground for their teeth, yet there Qiao Linting was, casually looking at his phone?!

    Was that even a man?

    Just then, a voice they both recognized sounded from behind them.

    Professor Xu had just left the restaurant and was saying goodbye to his friends.

    "Old Liu, Old Tang, let¡¯s meet up again next time!"

    Turning his head, Loo Chao saw that it was indeed Professor Xu, his expression brightening as he nced at Qiao Jing, who was waiting for a taxi nearby.

    "Qiao Linting, today you really lucked outing with Zhan Nanqing to the right ce. You even ran into Elder Xu¡ª oh no, my mistake, you, a nobody without status, probably don¡¯t even recognize Elder Xu. Let me tell you about him¡ª Elder Xu is second only to Professor Qiao in the agricultural industry. I¡¯m quite acquainted with him. Plus, I¡¯ve even met Professor Qiao in person!"

    He could finally regain some face in front of Qiao Linting; otherwise, he would have lost face in front of a poor nobody today!

    Although he wasn¡¯t very close with Elder Xu, at least Elder Xu recognized his family¡¯s elders, and he would definitely give him face in a bit.

    Upon hearing Professor Xu¡¯s voice, a sh of surprise swept over Qiao Jing¡¯s face for a second, but after listening to Loo Chao, she couldn¡¯t help but look at him speechlessly.

    How could she possibly not recognize Professor Xu? She knew him from a time when she didn¡¯t even know where Loo Chao was.

    And, when had she, as Professor Qiao, ever met Loo Chao?

    After saying this, Loo Chao immediately ran up to Professor Xu.

    "Professor Xu, good evening. What a coincidence!"

    Professor Xu, who had been ready to leave, stopped upon hearing Loo Chao and stared at him for a while, unable to ce him.

    "Who are you?"

    The ingratiating smile on Loo Chao¡¯s face suddenly stiffened, and he instinctively nced at Qiao Jing, noticing that she seemed not to have heard, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

    Good, she hadn¡¯t heard. Otherwise, it would have been too embarrassing!

    Thinking this, he resumed speaking and further lowered his voice.

    "Professor Xu, I¡¯m from the Loo family. You definitely know my parents."

    After hearing Loo Chao state his family, Professor Xu finally recollected.

    "Oh, so you¡¯re from the Loo family. What do you want at thiste hour?"

    Professor Xu wasn¡¯t exactly close with the Loo family but was more of an acquaintance, yet he would show a certain amount of courtesy.

    Loo Chao nodded vigorously, beginning to shift the topic onto Qiao Jing.

    "I wouldn¡¯t bother you if it weren¡¯t important. I remember Miss Zhan from the Zhan family works at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, your colleague, right?"

    Professor Xu nced at the time and grunted impatiently.

    He had to hurry home to sleep; he didn¡¯t have time to chat with this unrted person.

    Loo Chao gestured towards Qiao Jing, pretending that he didn¡¯t want her to hear, yet his voice was not at all controlled.

    "Professor Xu, you might want to warn Miss Zhan to be careful. Her current boyfriend, over there, is a gold-digging nobody after the Zhan family¡¯s wealth. Tell her to open her eyes wide."

    Xu Hongzu was growing increasingly impatient. He nced casually in the direction Loo Chao had indicated. Just as he was about to look away and dismiss the matter with a few perfunctory words, his eyes locked onto Qiao Jing.

    He immediately strode toward Qiao Jing, his eyes lighting up as he did so.

    Loo Chao, thinking he had seeded, followed eagerly, wearing a victorious smile and said with smug satisfaction,

    "Qiao Linting, I told you I knew Professor Xu. With Professor Xu¡¯s help, Miss Zhan won¡¯t take long to see through your true face¡ªyou worthless, penniless nobody!"

    He had finally regained some face!

    When Xu Hongzu heard Loo Chao addressing Qiao Jing, he frowned and took another look at Qiao Jing¡¯s current attire, deciding to hold back the "Xiao Jing" that was about to slip out.

    He didn¡¯t think Qiao Jing¡¯s male disguise was the point; it was thetter part of Loo Chao¡¯s statement that mattered.

    His old face darkened as he snorted coldly,

    "Loo family¡¯s boy, watch your mouth! Is she someone you can speak of like that?!"

    Loo Chao, who had been waiting for Xu Hongzu to join him in berating someone, was left dumbfounded by the remark.

    He stared nkly at Xu Hongzu, then at Qiao Jing.

    "Professor Xu, it wasn¡¯t me who swindled Miss Zhan¡¯s money. Why are you scolding me?"

    He clearly had asked Xu Hongzu toe and help him save face; how had it turned into him losing face instead?

    And he couldn¡¯t even talk back after being scolded because Xu Hongzu was not only a crucial figure in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, he was also the patriarch of the Xu Family!

    He was scolded and had no choice but to hold it in!

    Xu Hongzu snorted again and approached Qiao Jing quickly, not forgetting to scold Loo Chao along the way.

    "If I hear you say one more bad word about her, I¡¯ll have your parents lock you up and make you brush your teeth hundreds of times each day! Is this the education level of the Loo family? Teaching someone like you?"

    He couldn¡¯t bear to speak harshly to Qiao Jing, yet this brash youngster from the Loo family dared to be so insolent?!

    Qiao Jing had not intended to pay any attention to Loo Chao; she was about to get into a taxi and leave since her current identity was not suitable to greet Xu Hongzu.

    But to her surprise, Xu Hongzu recognized her in her disguise and even defended her.

    She didn¡¯t forget her current identity and cleared her throat, speaking in a low voice,

    "Elder Xu."

    Xu Hongzu nodded, his stern face breaking into a smile.

    "Hey, what a coincidence! Do you want me to take you home? It¡¯s quitete, and it¡¯s not safe for you to be out alone."

    Loo Chao still couldn¡¯t understand why he was being berated by Xu Hongzu like a subordinate. He waspletely puzzled, and before he could figure out what was happening, he saw Xu Hongzu treating Qiao Linting with the tender care one might offer their own grandchild and even with a touch of respect.

    Seeing this, he was even more bewildered.

    After all, Xu Hongzu was a significant figure in agriculture with an influential status in the empire. Even his parents spoke to Xu Hongzu with the utmost respect. For him, a younger member of the family, to talk to Elder Xu was a bold move in itself.

    And now, Xu Hongzu was being so polite to a poor nobody whose background was unknown?

    He was scolded without a chance to retort¡ªit was one thing. Still, Xu Hongzu, who was vtile just a moment ago, was now offering to drive Qiao Linting home?

    Even concerned for Qiao Linting¡¯s safety?

    Were the two of them that close?

    But even with a close rtionship, Xu Hongzu wouldn¡¯t typically show this kind of deference!

    Before he could make sense of it, Xu Hongzu¡¯s next move almost made his eyes pop out in shock.

 Chapter 601 - 590: Only where Qiao Jing is, is his home

    <h4>Chapter 601: Chapter 590: Only where Qiao Jing is, is his home</h4>

    Xu Hongzu unexpectedly stepped forward a few steps, personally opening the car door for Qiao Jing!

    Like a driver.

    At this moment, Loo Chao was no longer just standing there dumbfounded; he felt as if he had turned to stone.

    If he were to tell others what he had witnessed today, he was sure that no one would believe him!

    The agricultural magnate Xu Hongzu was not only a highly respected elder but also the head of the Xu Family. Yet here he was, being extremely polite and even going as far as to open the car door for someone with no notable background or status?!

    He almost thought that the man before him was someone impersonating Xu Hongzu.

    Qiao Jing nced at Xu Hongzu beside her, lowered her voice, and asked in her natural tone:

    "Grandpa Xu, how did you recognize it was me?"

    There was some difference between her male and female attires, and if there was any resemnce, it could probably only be seen in the brows, eyes, and figure. Yet, Xu Hongzu had recognized her immediately.

    Xu Hongzu smacked his lips.

    "How could I not recognize you? I thought you looked very much like you just from your silhouette, let alone seeing your face."

    As he spoke, he paused, turned back to look at Loo Chao who was still standing there dumbfounded, and rolled his eyes in disdain.

    "Do you know this rascal? Why did hee up to me out of the blue and start talking nonsense? And what¡¯s with your outfit?"

    Qiao Jing slightly frowned and got into the cab.

    "Just an insignificant person, he misunderstood me over something trivial. As for my outfit, it¡¯s tooplicated to exin right now, just pretend you never saw it. If things go as nned, I won¡¯t wear it again."

    Today would be herst negotiation with Zhou Yunze concerning the matter. If Zhan Nanqing was harassed again, she would not hesitate to hand over all the evidence to the police.

    She could tell that Zhou Yunze was no fool, knowing that these matters could affect the Zhou Family, so Zhan Nanqing was likely safe from harassment for the time being.

    Xu Hongzu nodded, did not ask Qiao Jing further questions, and helped her close the car door.

    "Then you go back by cab yourself; I won¡¯t see you off. Take care. This old man needs to go home to sleep."

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgment, cast a fleeting nce at Loo Chao, and rolled up the car window.

    From Loo Chao¡¯s perspective, Xu Hongzu and Qiao Jing were engaged in conversation, appearing very intimate, seemingly having a very good rtionship, and moreover...

    There was still that one point that he couldn¡¯tprehend.

    Wasn¡¯t Qiao Linting just a pretty boy who relied on women? Where did he get such great influence to receive such politeness from Xu Hongzu?

    After Qiao Jing left, Loo Chao, unable to fathom the situation, stepped forward a few steps, preparing to inquire Xu Hongzu.

    "Professor Xu, you and¡ª"

    Xu Hongzu raised his hand impatiently, cutting off Loo Chao¡¯s words.

    "Loo family boy, don¡¯t talk to me anymore. Also, I warn you, if you dare to speak disrespectfully to that person just now again, your Loo family¡¯s status, humph..."

    Before Loo Chao had time to make sense of it, Xu Hongzu had already left.

    He stared at Xu Hongzu¡¯s retreating figure, furrowing his brow.

    Who exactly was Qiao Linting? How could he possibly threaten the position of the Loo family?

    Could it be that Qiao Linting was not just a poor boy? And that his identity was even more significant than he had imagined?

    Otherwise, why would Xu Hongzu be so inexplicably polite to Qiao Linting??

    But now that Xu Hongzu had left outright, the truth remained unknown, and he didn¡¯t dare to chase after him to ask, leaving him no choice but to give up.

    ¡ª

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    Qiao Jing had already changed back into her usual clothes. When she opened the door, she found the living room was pitch dark.

    She frowned slightly, and peering through the faint moonlight, she nced at the living room but didn¡¯t see anyone¡¯s figure, even the lights in the two rooms at the end of the corridor were turned off.

    Could it be that Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t home?

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to press the light switch and take out her phone to contact Zhan Qipei about the situation, she caught sight of a dark shadow suddenly appearing in front of her.

    Without even thinking, she knew who the shadow was. Resignedly, she tugged at the corner of her mouth. Right when the other person was about to embrace her, she turned on the living room switch.

    As the light came on, she also found herself in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms.

    Qiao Jing reluctantly tugged at the corner of her mouth, looking up at Zhan Qipei.

    "Why did you turn off all the lights at home?"

    She had almost thought that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t returned home at all that night and had eaten out.

    It turned out Zhan Qipei was ying hide and seek with her, popping out right as she was about to turn on the light to find him.

    Not only popping out, but what did embracing her without a word mean?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, buried his head in the crook of Qiao Jing¡¯s neck, his hands tightly holding the woman in his arms, almost wishing he could meld her into his body.

    They maintained that position for almost another minute before Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and pushed Zhan Qipei gently.

    "Zhan Qipei, what¡¯s the matter with you?"

    She now felt that Zhan Qipei was not only clingy but also like a ko, and she was the tree that the ko was hugging tightly.

    Feeling Qiao Jing¡¯s resistance, Zhan Qipei slowly knitted his eyebrows, which resembled mountain-like mists, yet he still refused to let go.

    "It¡¯s already 9:30 PM."

    Qiao Jing nced at the clock on the wall, then slightly turned her head to look at the person leaning on her shoulder.

    "Yes, what about it?"

    Why was this clingy man suddenly mentioning the time? Could it be that he thought she came back toote?

    But she returned home immediately after handling those affairs. The time around 9:30 PM was just perfect for her to wash up and rest.

    Zhan Qipei, circling Qiao Jing¡¯s waist with his arms, gradually increased his grip, his dark eyes deepening as he slowly moved closer to her ear.

    "Don¡¯te back sote next time. I¡¯m really worried about your safety."

    After saying those words, his hand paused for a moment, and his eyes involuntarily nced towards the kitchen.

    "Have you had dinner?"

    Qiao Jing felt the warm breath on her ear, furrowed her brow, and ced her hand against the man¡¯s sturdy chest.

    "I have, now let go."

    Her ears were actually quite sensitive. Usually, it was fine, but whenever someone blew warm air into her ear, it tickled her.

    However, no one had ever spoken into her ear from her childhood until now. Zhan Qipei was the first, otherwise, she would never have discovered this sensitivity.

    But every time Zhan Qipei hugged her, this clingy man would always blow into her ears, and she couldn¡¯t manage to dodge it.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes instantly dimmed, withdrawing the nce he cast toward the kitchen.

    "I saved some food for you."

    Only he knew that when he was alone at home, the house that usually felt familiar suddenly seemed a bit strange to him.

    In the end, he concluded that only where Qiao Jing was, that was his home.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 602 - 591: Just Want to Be with Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 602: Chapter 591: Just Want to Be with Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing was stunned, and before she could even speak, Zhan Qipei had already let go of her.

    Only after Zhan Qipei had stepped back a few steps did she notice the man¡¯s somewhat gloomy expression.

    She hesitated for a moment, pursed her red lips, and slowly said,

    "I didn¡¯t eat very much, I want to eat a bit more, and also, didn¡¯t I say you didn¡¯t have to cook for me?"

    Although she had already eaten dinner with Zhan Nanqing earlier in the evening, fortunately, she usually didn¡¯t eat much at night, so it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to eat a little more now.

    It was mainly because she saw the expression on the man¡¯s face that she couldn¡¯t help but feel soft-hearted.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, the dullness in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes finally brightened as he held Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist and led her to the kitchen.

    "If you want to cook, let¡¯s cook."

    Without Qiao Jing joining him for dinner, it was no exaggeration to say that today¡¯s meal felt as tasteless as chewing wax.

    Qiao Jing nced at the insted lunch boxes Zhan Qipei had taken out and ced on the table, and somewhat helplessly touched her forehead.

    "Why so much? Did you just make these?"

    She had thought that the meal Zhan Qipei spoke of was specially saved for her, but these dishes, evidently just made not long ago, were still steaming hot, not like the kind that had sat in an insted box for a while and gotten somewhat cold.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, handed a clean pair of chopsticks to Qiao Jing after washing them.

    "Yes, just as you arrived, I had just turned off the kitchen lights, preparing to go back to the living room."

    In fact, after he had finished his meal, he had immediately turned off the living room lights and sat in the kitchen, searching the inte for pregnancy recipes.

    But some recipes he had never tried wereplex, so he made errors in a few dishes several times, causing him to stay in the kitchen until now.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing then understood why all the lights in the house were off. Looking at the rich dishes in the lunch boxes, she rubbed her temples with some headache.

    Given that she had already had dinner, she really couldn¡¯t eat so much by herself.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his dark eyes intently staring at the woman, his eyes filled withplex and indiscernible emotions.

    "Then where did you think I had gone?"

    Qiao Jing sat down at the dining table, a troubled expression emerging on her face as she casually answered Zhan Qipei¡¯s question.

    "Working overtime at the office, or somewhere outside."

    What she was worried about now was how to finish all these dishes, as it was indeed too much.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his long brows, his expression very serious,

    "I wouldn¡¯t just casually go out at night; I want to stay at home with you."

    His life had alreadye to be upied by arge part by Qiao Jing, and he didn¡¯t want anything other than work and the woman to take up his life.

    All he wanted was to work well and earn money for his wife to spend.

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slowly raised her eyes, her gazending on the man¡¯s face, which was filled with resolve.

    "Why do you insist on staying at home with me? You could be doing your own things."

    She didn¡¯t want, before she and Zhan Qipei officially got together, for her life to upy such a big part of the man¡¯s life.

    She wanted to give Zhan Qipei more freedom, not always revolving around her.

    Zhan Qipei tightly pursed his lips, stared at Qiao Jing for a while, then slowly spoke.

    "There is no specific reason, I just want to be with you."

    Before he met Qiao Jing, his life was filled with work, nothing but work.

    Only after he had met Qiao Jing did his life slowly begin to be richer, which is why he treasured the time he spent with her so much.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand holding the chopsticks paused, and her eyebrows and eyes drooped, making it hard to discern her emotions.

    Eventually, she packed up all the food and put it in the refrigerator.

    "We¡¯ll eat it tomorrow; it¡¯s too much, I can¡¯t finish it all."

    She had previously thought that Zhan Qipei was too clingy, and of course, she still felt the same way now.

    But when she heard Zhan Qipei say he just wanted to be with her, her heart actually skipped a beat.

    The words sounded almost like a love confession.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t say much else, but stood up and followed Qiao Jing to her bedroom door.

    Qiao Jing could feel that Zhan Qipei had been following her the whole way and stopped at the door to her room.

    "Why are you following me?"

    No sooner had she spoken than the man¡¯s familiar scent enveloped her again, wrapping her tightly within it.

    Zhan Qipei buried his face in Qiao Jing¡¯s neck, and when he looked up, he saw the small, pink blush on her earlobe.

    A hint of restraint shed through his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t help but lean close to her earlobe and touch it gently with his warm lips, lightly caressing it.

    Feeling a warm touch on her earlobe, Qiao Jing¡¯s body stiffened, followed by a tingling sensation that spread throughout her body.

    Just as she was about to push Zhan Qipei away, a deep voice came from beside her ear.

    "Promise me, don¡¯te home thiste again."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, poised to push, paused. She unexpectedly detected a hint of grievance in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words¡ªwhat was that about?

    But she couldn¡¯t see Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression at the moment, only imagine the man looking as sorrowful as an abandoned stray.

    This made her heart soften involuntarily, and she slightly parted her lips, agreeing.

    "Alright."

    What Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know was that upon hearing her response, Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved into a smile, his face showing no sign of grievance.

    He knew that Qiao Jing responded better to a soft approach than a hard one. If he had been insistent like before, it definitely wouldn¡¯t have worked.

    On the contrary, if he softened his attitude, Qiao Jing would agree, as was perfectly demonstrated just now.

    His mood barely had a few seconds to brighten before he was pushed away by Qiao Jing in the next moment.

    Qiao Jing touched her earlobe and felt relieved that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t bitten it and had only lightly kissed it; otherwise, her earlobe would definitely be wet now.

    "Zhan Qipei, are you really born in the Year of the Dog? Grabbing people and biting without a word¡ªcan you ever change that? Never mind, I won¡¯te back thiste if there¡¯s nothing special, go back to your room."

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t leave immediately, but rather steadfastly fixed his dark eyes on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, reading the suppressed restraint and impulsivity in his eyes, and involuntarily twitched her mouth.

    Tired of dealing with this dog of a man, she went back to her room and closed the door.

    They were both adults and naturally understood things; if she stayed any longer, given Zhan Qipei¡¯s current state, who knows what else he might do.

 Chapter 603 - 592: Insulting Qiao Jing as a Country Bumpkin

    <h4>Chapter 603: Chapter 592: Insulting Qiao Jing as a Country Bumpkin</h4>

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing arrived at the research institute, and saw Nanqing, who was in a particrly good mood, humming a tune while organizing documents.

    Seeing this, she slowly walked to the workbench and asked,

    "Zhou Yunze hasn¡¯t contacted you again, has he?"

    Nanqing nodded vigorously, unable to contain her smile.

    "Of course, with a handsome boyfriend like you to support me, how dare he bother me?"

    A helpless smile appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, she didn¡¯t respond to Nanqing¡¯s joking words, and immersed herself in her work.

    After work in the afternoon, Qiao Jing quickly packed up her things, ready to leave directly, as she had more important matters to attend to today.

    She needed to provide a follow-up consultation for Old Master Chen and prescribe new medicine.

    Seeing this, Nanqing, without saying a word, wanted to follow.

    "Are you going to Wonderful Hall? I¡¯ll go with you."

    Qiao Jing shook her head and nced at the time.

    "I have to give Old Master Chen a follow-up consultation, it¡¯s not convenient."

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and she quickly approached.

    "What? You¡¯re giving Old Master Chen a follow-up consultation? The Old Master Chen I know?"

    Qiao Jing nodded subtly, uttering a simple "Hmm".

    At this moment, Nanqing was overwhelmed with shock, staring at Qiao Jing incredulously.

    "My God, Qiao Jing!"

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, a hint of confusion emerging in her eyes as she looked towards Nanqing.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Nanqing, after her initial shock, calmed down and even felt that this was to be expected.

    "Nothing, nothing, just surprised to hear you cured Grandfather Chen, I visited him before too, but his condition wasn¡¯t very good, we all thought Grandfather Chen was nearing dusk, but that¡¯s normal, you are Divine Doctor Jing after all."

    Her sister-inw is Divine Doctor Jing! What difficult disease hasn¡¯t she seen?

    But now she had an even clearer understanding of just how amazing Divine Doctor Jing really was.

    Qiao Jing had literally pulled back someone who had one foot in the Ghost Gate Pass, basically snatching someone from King Yama!

    Qiao Jing did not say anything more and headed straight to the Chen Family.

    As she arrived in front of the vi, she found Director Chen¡¯s butler waiting at the door, apparently having been there for a while.

    Qiao Jing quickened her pace,ing up to the butler.

    "Thank you for waiting."

    She was a person very conscious of time; she always made sure to arrive within the time agreed upon with someone, if not earlier.

    The butler showed her a respectful smile, gestured towards the house, and opened the door for her.

    "It¡¯s my duty, Director Chen is upstairs taking care of the old master and specifically asked me to receive you."

    As Qiao Jing entered, she noticed another person in the living room.

    She had seen this girl before, during thest golf match, where she and Lou Xinrou hadpeted against her.

    She heard Nanqing mention in passing that Ye Linglong, like Lou Xinrou, was attracted to Zhan Qipei.

    Ye Linglong was sitting on the sofa eating an apple, and upon hearing the door open, tucked into an impatientint while watching TV.

    "Butler, just what kind of distinguished guest are you waiting for an hour early, who seems more important than me? You didn¡¯t even brew tea for me."

    The butler looked apologetically at Ye Linglong and exined,

    "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Ye, today¡¯s distinguished guest is very important to Director Chen and Old Master Chen, and indeed to the entire Chen Family, so I had to receive her in advance."

    Having heard what the butler said, Ye Linglong became incredibly curious.

    "I really want to see who is more important than me. I am my uncle¡¯s own niece!"

    After she spoke, when she saw who had arrived, she was immediately dumbfounded.

    After a moment of stunned silence, she quickly adopted a look of disgust and disdain, and spoke rudely to Qiao Jing:

    "Howe you¡¯re at my uncle¡¯s house? Is this a ce you deserve to be? Why don¡¯t you go back to your vige?"

    She thought some high-profile personality hade, which was why her uncle and the butler were giving so much importance, only to find out it was Qiao Jing, this country bumpkin!

    Just a country bumpkin, is she really worth all this attention?

    The reason Ye Linglong had such hostility towards Qiao Jing was because Qiao Jing now held the status of Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife.

    She simply disliked seeing Qiao Jing!

    Upon hearing Ye Linglong¡¯s words, the butler¡¯s smile immediately froze on his face, and looking somewhat panicked, he nced at Qiao Jing and quickly started to apologize on her behalf.

    "Sorry! Miss Qiao, the youngdy is ignorant, please don¡¯t take her words to heart."

    Qiao Jing nced at Ye Linglong dismissively and then looked away.

    "Hmm, let¡¯s go upstairs for a follow-up examination."

    She was not going to waste her time arguing with Ye Linglong. In her view, the patient¡¯s time was more important than anything else.

    Seeing the butler apologize for her, Ye Linglong was infuriated.

    "Butler! You mustn¡¯t let Qiao Jing go upstairs! What status does she have? What standing? Her presence in our home is an insult, and now you let her go to the second floor? What right does she have? And don¡¯t tell me the important guest you spoke of today was Qiao Jing!"

    She couldn¡¯t see how this country bumpkin Qiao Jing could possibly deserve to be considered a distinguished guest of the Chen family!

    She had heard that her grandfather¡¯s condition had improved, and she came today wanting to check on her grandfather¡¯s condition, but her uncle told her not to disturb her grandfather for now and suggested she stay at home and y.

    Thinking that her uncle and the butler said that a very important guest wasing today, she got curious and decided to stay and see who it was.

    Yet, she ended up running into Qiao Jing!

    Now the butler was even more scared, fearing that if Qiao Jing became upset, she might refuse to treat Old Master Chen. So, wiping his sweat, he tried to dissuade her:

    "Miss, please watch what you say. Miss Qiao is our distinguished guest today, and didn¡¯t Director Chen specifically instruct you today not to speak recklessly?"

    It was known that Miss Ye was usually an arrogant and domineering character, spoiled by her family members. Every time there was an issue, her family would cover for her.

    But today, even Director Chen might not be able to cover for her!

    Qiao Jing nced at Ye Linglong expressionlessly, not wanting to waste words with her anymore.

    "Let¡¯s go upstairs."

    Seeing Qiao Jing heading upstairs, Ye Linglong couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and quickly stood up, stepping in front of the two and confronted the butler:

    "Butler, are you mistaken? How could this country bumpkin be the important guest my uncle was expecting today? You must have made a mistake! I¡¯m going to ask my uncle!"

    After saying this, she suddenly noticed that Qiao Jing was carrying something in her hand and reached out to snatch it.

    "What are you holding? And you¡¯re taking it upstairs? Could there be something dangerous inside?! You¡¯re not nning to harm my grandfather, are you?"

    Qiao Jing noted Ye Linglong¡¯s actions and simply side-stepped slightly, causing the other to miss her grab.

    Her eyebrows tightly furrowed, her gaze sharp as ice des, piercingly fixed on Ye Linglong, her voice cold:

    "Move aside."

    Originally, she had no intention of paying any attention to Ye Linglong, nning to go upstairs to give Old Master Chen a follow-up examination.

    But now, Ye Linglong had directly blocked her, dying the examination time for Old Master Chen and wasting her time as well.

    Ye Linglong stubbornly blocked the stairway, refusing to move aside.

    "I don¡¯t believe a word the butler says, he must be mistaken. Qiao Jing, just get out of my uncle¡¯s house!"

    The butler was extremely anxious; no matter how much he pleaded, Miss Ye just wouldn¡¯t budge, and he couldn¡¯t just physically pull her away.

    Just then, the figure of Director Chen appeared on the second floor.

 Chapter 604 - 593: Trying to Drive Away Qiao Jing but Ended Up Being Scolded

    <h4>Chapter 604: Chapter 593: Trying to Drive Away Qiao Jing but Ended Up Being Scolded</h4>

    Ye Linglong¡¯s eyes instantly lit up upon seeing Director Chen, and she imperiously lifted her chin.

    "Hmph! My uncle is here, I¡¯ll have him throw out this country bumpkin immediately! Butler, you must have mistaken the identity. You¡¯re not unaware of who Qiao Jing is, she¡¯s just a viger, how has she be an honored guest?"

    Of course, as for Qiao Jing¡¯s status as the youngdy of the Zhan Family, she would not acknowledge it.

    In her view, even though Zhan Qipei was very affectionate towards Qiao Jing, their status was too different, and one day Zhan Qipei would definitely realize that Qiao Jing was not worthy of him.

    And the only person truly worthy of him was her, Ye Linglong.

    Having said those words, Ye Linglong then hurriedly walked toward the second floor to meet with Director Chen.

    The butler was now sweating profusely, his face filled with worry as he nced at Qiao Jing and then back at Ye Linglong, who was ascending the stairs.

    "Miss Qiao, please don¡¯t take it to heart, ha! I apologize to you on behalf of the miss! Miss Ye,e down quickly, don¡¯t say those things to Director Chen! Otherwise, Director Chen will get angry!"

    It should be known that Director Chen had gone to great lengths to invite Master Zhou, andter, due to an unexpected twist of fate, managed to invite Divine Doctor Jing himself. Without Director Chen¡¯s persistence earlier, they would not have been able to invite Divine Doctor Jing in person.

    If Miss Ye scared off Divine Doctor Jing this time, there would be no one left to treat Old Master Chen¡¯s illness!

    Upon hearing the butler¡¯s words, Director Chen looked at Ye Linglong, revealing a kind smile.

    "How could I possibly get angry with Linglong?"

    Ye Linglong, triumphantly raised her eyebrows and nced at the butler.

    "Did you hear that? How could my uncle possibly get angry at me? No matter what I say, he will not get angry, okay?"

    Director Chen followed Ye Linglong¡¯s gaze and noticed Qiao Jing standing with the butler. His eyes immediately brightened. Just as he was about to go greet her, Ye Linglong blocked his way.

    His brow furrowed slightly, and he looked at Ye Linglong with confusion.

    "What¡¯s wrong? What is it?"

    He was eager to greet Divine Doctor Jing! He couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to Ye Linglong at the moment.

    Ye Linglong pointed at Qiao Jing with a look of disdain and said:

    "Uncle, do you know her? Just when I was watching TV, she ran straight into our home, and she wouldn¡¯t leave even when I told her too! The butler insisted that this viger is today¡¯s honored guest. I¡¯ve told him several times that he¡¯s mistaken, but he won¡¯t listen!"

    The butler said in distress:

    "Miss Ye, Miss Qiao really is our honored guest, and it was I who invited Miss Qiao in."

    Ye Linglong didn¡¯t listen to the butler¡¯s exnation at all and continued to mock Qiao Jing frantically, not noticing Director Chen¡¯s increasingly unpleasant expression.

    "Butler! Why are you turning your elbow out? Or do you know Qiao Jing? What qualifications does a viger have to be the honored guest of the Chen Family?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s elegant eyebrows rose slightly, and the cool depths of her eyes grew heavier.

    "Don¡¯t waste my time."

    She didn¡¯t want to waste words with Ye Linglong, she just wanted to finish the follow-up visit for Old Master Chen and leave.

    Having said that, she took a step towards the second floor, but before she reached the staircase, Ye Linglong blocked her path.

    Ye Linglong rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing and crossed her arms over her chest.

    "It¡¯s you who should stop wasting our time! Hurry up and get out!"

    At this point, she looked back at Director Chen and noticed that his face looked extremely displeased. Thinking that her uncle was angry because of Qiao Jing¡¯s thick skin, she became even more aggressive.

    "Qiao Jing, can¡¯t you see the obvious? My uncle¡¯s face is so dark, why haven¡¯t you scrammed?!"

    After all, she had her uncle to back her up; she wasn¡¯t afraid of Qiao Jing!

    Now Director Chen¡¯s expression grew even darker, his brows furrowing deeply, and in a burst of anger, he pulled Ye Linglong back to his side and scolded:

    "Linglong! Apologize!"

    He had struggled to invite the Divine Doctor Jing, and he absolutely couldn¡¯t allow his disobedient niece to drive him away!

    Heaven knew when he heard Ye Linglong¡¯s words just now, he was both angry and anxious, his mind stop working.

    It was for this reason that he was now stepping forward to stop Ye Linglong¡¯s presumptuous and bold behavior.

    After hearing Director Chen¡¯s words, Ye Linglong was instantly dumbfounded, her face still bearing the scornful expression that she hadn¡¯t managed to retract, she turned incredulously to look at him.

    "Uncle? You... what did you just say? You want me to apologize? To that lowly person from the countryside??"

    She couldn¡¯t have been hallucinating just now, could she? Her beloved uncle, who always helped her out of trouble, was actually asking her to apologize to a country bumpkin?!

    What puzzled her even more was that her uncle had never been angry with her before, let alone scolded her, but Director Chen¡¯s angry face made it crystal clear to her that her uncle was truly mad now!

    No matter what, Qiao Jing was the one in the wrong! How could someone of Qiao Jing¡¯s status possibly be a distinguished guest of the Chen Family?

    Director Chen¡¯s face grew even darker, his tone bing heavier.

    "Linglong, apologize to Miss Qiao right now! She is the distinguished guest I have specially invited!"

    If it hadn¡¯t been for his promise to Master Zhou not to reveal that Qiao Jing was the Divine Doctor Jing, he would definitely have exposed Qiao Jing¡¯s identity right now to shut his niece¡¯s thoughtless mouth.

    Ye Linglong was utterly baffled, staring at Director Chen in shock.

    "Uncle, you¡¯re actually asking me to apologize to Qiao Jing! Are you really my uncle? How could my uncle possibly ask me to apologize to someone else?"

    She had never suffered such humiliation in her life. No matter how much trouble she caused or how many thoughtless things she did, her uncle never got angry.

    Yet now, just for saying a few words about Qiao Jing, trying to send her away, her uncle was actually angry!

    That Qiao Jing stole Young Master Zhan whom she had secretly admired for a long time;st time, she was openly intimate with him. She had been displeased with Qiao Jing already; now she had run to her uncle¡¯s house, what was wrong with her scolding her?

    Qiao Jing was nothing but a viger, not some high-status big shot. Why did her uncle want her to apologize?

    Director Chen frowned deeply, first showing a smile full of apology to Qiao Jing on behalf of Ye Linglong.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao, my niece is young and doesn¡¯t quite understand how to behave. Please don¡¯t take it to heart. I will have her apologize to you, alright?"

    Qiao Jing slightly pursed her red lips, nced at the current time, and her cool voice rang out.

    "There¡¯s no need."

    What was important now was not to get Ye Linglong to apologize; she merely wanted to conduct a follow-up exam on Old Master Chen.

    She hadn¡¯t taken those words to heart anyway.

    Upon hearing this, Director Chen came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and made a gesture asking her to go upstairs.

    "How can this be? If my niece did something wrong, I will certainly correct her. Miss, please don¡¯t be upset. Go upstairs first, don¡¯t just stand there."

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "Hmm" and quickly walked up to the second floor.

    She didn¡¯t even nce at Ye Linglong, nning to head straight into Old Master Chen¡¯s room.

    Seeing this, Director Chen hastily pulled the reluctant Ye Linglong over to Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao, please wait a moment. My father is much better now, let my niece apologize to you first, it¡¯ll be quick."

    After saying that, he turned toward Ye Linglong beside him, reminding her:

    "Linglong, apologize to Miss Qiao quickly."

    He feared that if they didn¡¯t apologize today, Divine Doctor Jing would be upset and might not return for subsequent visits, a consequence he could not bear.

    But the apology he expected didn¡¯te; instead, he heard even more unpleasant words.

 Chapter 605 - 594: Everyone Is Looking Towards Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 605: Chapter 594: Everyone Is Looking Towards Qiao Jing</h4>

    "I won¡¯t apologize to her! What right does that country bumpkin have to demand an apology from me? I¡¯ve been kind enough not to send her packing, Uncle! Why are you taking her side? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because she¡¯s married into the Zhan Family that you¡¯re considering their feelings, so you¡¯re asking me to apologize? Qiao Jing is nothing but a bloodsucker to the Zhan Family, why are you siding with her? It won¡¯t be long before she gets kicked out!"

    "Shut your mouth!"

    Director Chen¡¯s face was extremely unsightly at that moment, as he red at Ye Linglong who still had no idea she was wrong, and with an air of anger, lifted his hand, ready to strike Ye Linglong.

    Just then, Qiao Jing spoke up, "Director Chen, if you need to discipline your niece, I won¡¯t stop you. But I have other patients to attend to, so please make way for a moment."

    Hearing this, Director Chen hurriedly stepped aside.

    "Miss Qiao, I¡¯m sorry, I¡ª"

    Director Chen hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was interrupted by Qiao Jing.

    "I will go check on Old Master Chen first."

    With that said, Qiao Jing wasted no further time, walking straight through the space between Director Chen and Ye Linglong and into the room.

    After watching Qiao Jing enter, Director Chen once again raised his hand, prepared to hit Ye Linglong.

    Ye Linglong was startled and shrank back, her eyes cautiously watching Director Chen, as her earlier brazen aura faded significantly.

    "Uncle... What did I say wrong?"

    As Director Chen saw Ye Linglong looking like this, his hand that was just raised couldn¡¯t help but lower again. Gritting his teeth with frustration, he said:

    "Miss Qiao is our honored guest! A very important honored guest! It was she who improved your grandfather¡¯s condition, and when shees out, you must apologize to her."

    Upon hearing this, Ye Linglong¡¯s jaw almost dropped in shock; she looked incredulously towards the door to Old Master Chen¡¯s room.

    "What? Uncle, are you saying that Qiao Jing cured Grandfather¡¯s illness? You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?"

    She was not unaware of her grandfather¡¯s condition, and she knew that just a few days ago, her uncle and the rest had started preparing for her grandfather¡¯s funeral because his illness was so severe.

    To her astonishment, she had heard the news of her grandfather¡¯s improvement yesterday and almost thought it was fake. But today, after visiting her grandfather, she found that he really was much more spirited.

    However, she could never have imagined that it would be Qiao Jing who cured her grandfather!

    She had never heard that Qiao Jing¡¯s medical skills were that good; all she knew was that Qiao Jing was just an ordinary doctor at the hospital.

    She couldn¡¯t understand, couldn¡¯t understand at all, how her uncle, in his efforts to save her grandfather, had found many famous doctors.

    Yet those doctors were helpless; how could Qiao Jing possibly have cured her grandfather??

    "Why would I lie to you? It¡¯s Miss Qiao who cured him," Director Chen said with a serious expression.

    After saying this, he anxiously watched the tightly shut door, worried about upsetting Qiao Jing.

    Hesitant, he took Ye Linglong to the door, and knocked.

    "Miss Qiao, may we enter?"

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s answer, he lowered his voice and said to Ye Linglong beside him:

    "The moment you go in, apologize to Miss Qiao immediately; if you say any more unpleasant words, I¡¯ll throw you out!"

    Ye Linglong had never seen Director Chen so angry and shrank her shoulders in fright.

    Seeing how serious her uncle looked, she knew he wasn¡¯t faking it, and she had no choice but to believe him.

    It seemed that it was indeed Qiao Jing who had cured her grandfather.

    But the same question remained, how could Qiao Jing possess such incredible medical skills to cure her grandfather¡¯s illness?

    Of course, that wasn¡¯t the point anymore.

    The point was...

    Asking her to apologize to Qiao Jing was really too much of an imposition, wasn¡¯t it?!

    Right then, Qiao Jing had just removed the silver needles and looked up towards the door.

    "You may."

    The next second, the bedroom door opened.

    Qiao Jing, hearing the noise, began to pack up her silver needles as she spoke:

    "The patient¡¯s condition is gradually improving. I¡¯lle back for another acupuncture session in a few days."

    Upon hearing that Qiao Jing would return for another acupuncture session in a few days, Director Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief and pushed Ye Linglong forward.

    "Go and apologize."

    Forced to step forward, Ye Linglong approached Qiao Jing, clenching her teeth tightly, refusing to spit out even half a word after a long time.

    She hated Qiao Jing too much to even consider apologizing to her.

    After all, Qiao Jing¡¯s current status was something countless women longed for but could not attain.

    She had liked Young Master Zhan for many years, but he was like an iceberg, never paying attention to anyone, not even melting a bit when heated by fire, as if he were a perennial cier, seldom speaking, let alone ncing at her.

    Yetst time, Young Master Zhan actually held Qiao Jing while ying golf! Their posture was so intimate! She even witnessed a smile on his face that she had never seen before!

    Qiao Jing was already her rival in love, so how could she be expected to apologize to her rival? That was even more improbable!

    As the saying goes, rivals in love are especially jealous when they meet, and she was to apologize to Qiao Jing?

    No, Impossible!!!

    Qiao Jing nced at Ye Linglong, whose face was filled with unwillingness, and then slowly withdrew her gaze without forcing the other party.

    "There¡¯s no need."

    She had no interest in wasting time with Ye Linglong to listen to her insincere apology.

    Rather than stay and waste time, she preferred to return to the research institute to work. As for Ye Linglong, she had never taken her to heart.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Ye Linglong was overjoyed and lifted her chin up again, her expression returning to her usual arrogant demeanor.

    "You¡¯d better really not want me to apologize, because you¡¯ll regret it if you do, and even if you regret it, it¡¯s no use. I will never apologize to you no matter what!"

    Director Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his gaze shifting back and forth between Qiao Jing and Ye Linglong. He wondered if this might make Divine Doctor Jing even more upset.

    Just as he thought this, Qiao Jing was prepared to pack up her things and leave.

    Seeing this, Director Chen immediately spoke up to intercept her.

    "Miss Qiao, wait a moment! It is our failure in upbringing. Regardless, we still owe you an apology."

    After saying this, he shot Ye Linglong a re, gesturing with his eyes for her to act.

    But Ye Linglong felt in her heart that she was not in the wrong, and even felt aggrieved by Director Chen siding with someone else.

    "Uncle, she said she doesn¡¯t need an apology from me, so why do you insist on making me apologize?"

    This made Director Chen even angrier, and he sternly set his face again.

    "When I tell you to apologize, you apologize! Do you not understand what I¡¯m saying?"

    If Miss Qiao got upset today and then refused toe back for the next acupuncture session, what would they do then?

    As Director Chen was thinking this, Old Master Chen, who had been lying in bed, suddenly spoke up.

    "What¡¯s going on? Why does Linglong have to apologize to Doctor Qiao?"

    Upon hearing this, Ye Linglong thought Old Master Chen was on her side and feigned a wronged expression.

    "Grandpa, you¡¯re always the most reasonable. I just said a few words about Qiao Jing, and Uncle got so angry that he demanded an apology and even wanted to hit me... Please be the judge..."

    Her grandpa was famous for being protective. Just like her uncle, he had always been very biased towards family members.

    She didn¡¯t believe that her grandpa would side with outsiders like her uncle!

    But Old Master Chen¡¯s following words shocked Ye Linglong and made her start to doubt her life.

 Chapter 606 - 595: Zhan Qipei Eats with Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Hand

    <h4>Chapter 606: Chapter 595: Zhan Qipei Eats with Qiao Jing¡¯s Hand</h4>

    "Linglong, apologize to Doctor Qiao this instant."

    Ye Linglong was even more bbergasted now as she looked toward Old Master Chen and pointed at Qiao Jing, eximing:

    "Grandpa! Why are you all siding with Qiao Jing? Even if she luckily saved your life, you don¡¯t have to be so partial toward her! I¡¯m your granddaughter!"

    Old Master Chen didn¡¯t speak, but with those eyes that had regained a bit of their luster, he stared solemnly at Ye Linglong.

    Under Old Master Chen¡¯s intimidating gaze, Ye Linglong nced at Director Chen beside her, but seeing that he had no intention of helping her, she could only begrudgingly speak up.

    "I¡¯m sorry..."

    Qiao Jing had already packed her things and was walking out. Hearing the apology, she didn¡¯t even pause in her steps.

    Director Chen, thinking that Qiao Jing was leaving in a hurry because she was angry and hadn¡¯t heard the apology, red at Ye Linglong once more.

    "Louder, Miss Qiao didn¡¯t hear you."

    Ye Linglong clenched her teeth in defiance, staring daggers at Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure, wishing she could bore holes through her.

    "I won¡¯t! I¡¯ve already apologized!"

    As she reached the doorway, Qiao Jing stopped, turned back and gave a cool nce at Ye Linglong, who was clearly dissatisfied, then turned to meet the worried and fearful face of Director Chen, understanding what he was afraid of.

    "No need to apologize anymore, I wille to continue the treatment."

    After dropping that statement, Qiao Jing quickly left.

    To each their own; she had always been clear about such matters.

    Ye Linglong was Ye Linglong, and Director Chen and the others were themselves. She couldn¡¯t hold Director Chen and the others ountable because of Ye Linglong.

    That was her principle.

    ¡ª¡ª

    Inside Nantai Apartment.

    After returning home, Qiao Jing found that Zhan Qipei was still busy in the kitchen at this time.

    She furrowed her brow slightly, puzzled, and walked toward the kitchen.

    Zhan Qipei had prepared dinner early to avoid having her help, and usually at this time, he would either be waiting at the dining table or in the living room.

    But he was still in the kitchen at this hour, could it be that dinner wasn¡¯t ready yet?

    Only when Qiao Jing arrived at the kitchen did she see what Zhan Qipei was doing.

    The man was currently wearing a pink Hello Kitty apron, peeling an orange, with a fruit te beside him brimming with already sliced and peeled oranges.

    Zhan Qipei quickly finished slicing the oranges and was about to bring them out when he saw Qiao Jing standing at the doorway.

    "You¡¯re back? Let¡¯s eat."

    Qiao Jing nodded and sat down in front of Zhan Qipei.

    After dinner, Qiao Jing casually took a piece of orange and sat on the living room sofa, turning on the TV to catch up on the day¡¯s news.

    She had just settled down when Zhan Qipei sat down beside her, bringing the fruit te with him.

    Qiao Jing nced sideways at the te of oranges and noticed that, apart from the piece she had just eaten, the resty untouched in the te.

    She looked sideways at Zhan Qipei, her face filled with confusion as she asked:

    "Why aren¡¯t you eating?"

    Please don¡¯t tell her that Zhan Qipei expected her to eat this entire bowl of oranges by herself?

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and pushed the fruit te closer to Qiao Jing.

    "They are for you to eat."

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her delicate, smoke-like eyebrows and casually picked up a slice of orange.

    "Are you sure all these are for me to eat?"

    Heaven knows how she felt when she opened the refrigerator and saw a variety of fruitsid out inside.

    And now it seemed that Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t n to eat any of them at all, were all those fridge-full of fruits prepared just for her?

    Even though eating fruits can supplement vitamins, Zhan Qipei bought way too many, some might go bad before she even had a chance to eat them.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, his gaze falling on Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly reddened fingertips.

    "Hmm, what¡¯s wrong?"

    He had specially looked up which fruits were suitable for pregnant women to eat before buying them, wanting to supplement Qiao Jing with a variety of vitamins.

    With a somewhat helpless tug at the corner of her mouth, Qiao Jing pushed the fruit te towards Zhan Qipei.

    "You bought too much, we can¡¯t finish it. Never mind the refrigerator, I can¡¯t even finish all these slices of orange on the te, you should eat some too."

    If she were to eat this whole te of oranges by herself, it would probably be too much, but if two people shared, it would be just right.

    Just as she had this thought, she suddenly felt a moistness on her hand.

    When she came back to her senses, she found that rascal Zhan Qipei was actually eating the orange from her hand?!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to retract her hand, she suddenly felt something lick her fingertips and bump against something hard.

    Following that, the hard thing gently bit down on her fingertips.

    Zhan Qipei had only bitten half of the orange in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, the rest was pinched by the woman under her fingertips,pletely out of his reach.

    And because he had only eaten half, the orange being bitten in half caused the rich juice to flow down Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, making her whole hand sticky.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily, her brows tightly furrowed as she lifted her gaze to Zhan Qipei.

    "The fruit te is right in front of you, why are you eating from my hand instead of taking from the te?!"

    To im Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t doing this on purpose would be a story for ghosts!

    Not only had she just been licked, but her finger had also been bitten by that rascal Zhan Qipei!

    This Zhan Qipei must be canine by nature, otherwise why would he be licking and gnawing at her?!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes were fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and when he saw the shallow teeth marks at the tip of her finger, joy welled up in the depths of his eyes, subsequently curving his lips into a smile.

    "The one in your hand tastes better."

    He had left another mark on Qiao Jing¡¯s body, although not as many as the ones on the cruise ship, but this at least proved that Qiao Jing was his.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s unsatisfied expression, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, and upon hearing his words, she became even more speechless, promptly putting the remaining half of the orange back on the fruit te.

    "You can eat the rest, I¡¯m going to wash my hands."

    Her hand was now sticky from the juice, and she really couldn¡¯t stand it.

    As she looked at her hand, she spotted the small bite mark on her fingertip and recalled the sensation from earlier.

    First it was moist and soft as it enveloped her fingertip, then gently rubbed against her fingertip with teeth...

    Qiao Jing snapped back to reality and cast all those images to the back of her mind, unwilling to think of them any longer.

    Although she didn¡¯t turn around, she could feel Zhan Qipei¡¯s burning gaze following her all the way, which made her quicken her steps and enter the washroom.

    After watching Qiao Jing enter the washroom, Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze, which then fell on the half-eaten orange slice left behind, and the vision of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand smeared with juice automatically surfaced in his mind.

    His eyes darkened, and restlessness started to churn within him. He furrowed his brows, his gaze still not leaving that half-eaten piece of orange.

    When Qiao Jing came out of the washroom, she discovered Zhan Qipei was no longer in the living room, and that the remaining half of the orange on the fruit te had vanished, with the other fruits still intact on the table.

    She nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s room and noticed that the lights weren¡¯t even on. Just then, a burst of noise reached her ears.

 Chapter 607 - 596: Qiao Jing Was Mistaken for a Delivery Person

    <h4>Chapter 607: Chapter 596: Qiao Jing Was Mistaken for a Delivery Person</h4>

    The pitter-patter of water sounds came from the bathroom, and Qiao Jing lifted her eyes toward it.

    A ck, blurry figure was moving behind the bathroom door.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, with a hint of confusion emerging in the depths of her eyes.

    What¡¯s with this damn man, eating only that bitten orange?

    Then rushing to take a shower??

    After a moment of silence, she didn¡¯t think any further, withdrew her gaze, and returned to her own room.

    When she heard the sound of Zhan Qipei returning to his room, she picked up the change of clothes she had prepared earlier that morning.

    Arriving at the bathroom, she suddenly realized that there was no steam at all inside.

    Could it be that Zhan Qipei had taken a cold shower?

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and thought carefully, what Zhan Qipei showered with was none of her business.

    Besides, it could be that he felt too hot.

    After all, the weather was getting warmer now.

    She withdrew her thoughts and turned on the shower.

    ¡ª¡ª

    The next day at noon, Qiao Jing walked out of the research institute, ready to head to Wonderful Hall for her clinic hours.

    As she waited for a car by the roadside, she suddenly heard someone calling her name.

    "Qiao Jing!"

    She found the voice somewhat familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before.

    Just as Qiao Jing turned her head, she saw a woman dressed as a delivery person, riding an electric bike toward her and finally stopping it in front of her.

    She recognized the person at a nce.

    "Are you Liu Xiaoling?"

    Liu Xiaoling showed Qiao Jing a simple smile.

    "Yes, it¡¯s me."

    Qiao Jing nodded gently, revealing a faint smile.

    "You now work in the city?"

    Liu Xiaoling was her neighbor back in the countryside and had helped her out quite a bit, often bringing her homemade sausages and even looking after her cornfield.

    Liu Xiaoling nced down at the delivery uniform she was wearing and scratched her head somewhat embarrassedly.

    "Right, my brother needs to go to school, and the expenses have increased, so I came to deliver food. I didn¡¯t expect to bump into you here."

    Qiao Jing could see a hint of embarrassment in Liu Xiaoling, and she spoke softly.

    "Delivering food is good, it¡¯s a proper job. Just remember to stay safe while working."

    She didn¡¯t believe there was any superiority or inferiority in professions; everyone earned their results through their own efforts. There was no such thing as being better or worse than one another.

    So she didn¡¯t want Liu Xiaoling to feel ashamed about working as a delivery person.

    The embarrassment on Liu Xiaoling¡¯s face then disappeared as she looked directly at Qiao Jing.

    "Let¡¯s not talk about me. Since you moved to the city, I haven¡¯t seen you at all. How have you been, and what do you do for work now?"

    Qiao Jing turned to nce at the research institute and then back at Liu Xiaoling.

    "I¡¯m doing alright, and I¡¯m also working."

    She worked at the research institute, which was also a job, though it was working for herself.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Liu Xiaoling sighed, patting her shoulder.

    "Ah, to think that we¡¯re both in the same boat, fellow workers with worker souls, ¡¯All workers are above others.¡¯

    Qiao Jing¡¯s smile grew wider when she heard Liu Xiaoling using a popr inte catchphrase.

    "That¡¯s good," she said.

    As soon as those words were spoken, Liu Xiaoling¡¯s expression suddenly changed, her brow furrowed tightly, her face turned pale, and she immediately covered her stomach.

    "Hiss¡ª"

    Upon witnessing the scene, Qiao Jing paused before swiftly stepping forward to support Liu Xiaoling and help her off the car.

    "What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

    She intended to reach out and take Liu Xiaoling¡¯s pulse, but Liu Xiaoling¡¯s hands were tightly clutching her stomach, making it impossible for Qiao Jing to find her pulse.

    Liu Xiaoling bit her teeth, as a denseyer of cold sweat began to form on her forehead. She spoke with difficulty:

    "I... I might have... eaten something wrong... my stomach hurts..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed as she contemted massaging a few acupoints to alleviate the pain, but Liu Xiaoling was in so much pain that she had curled up and slowly squatted down on the ground, leaving Qiao Jing with no way to intervene.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak, she was interrupted by Liu Xiaoling¡¯s weak voice.

    "I... I need to use the restroom now."

    Qiao Jing nced around and helped Liu Xiaoling slowly rise to her feet.

    "I know where the nearby restroom is, I¡¯ll help you get there."

    As she spoke, she prepared to guide Liu Xiaoling towards the restroom, but didn¡¯t expect Liu Xiaoling to refuse to go.

    Liu Xiaoling wouldn¡¯t take a step and instead walked sluggishly towards her electric scooter.

    "No, I still have... onest delivery to make. I¡¯ll go to the restroom after I finish thest delivery... I¡¯m almost out of time."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened as she quickly stepped forward, opened the delivery box, and took out thest delivery order.

    "I¡¯ll deliver this for you, you go to the restroom. Oh, where is this to be delivered?"

    She could see that Liu Xiaoling was in a lot of difort, and since she didn¡¯t have much to do that afternoon, helping with a delivery wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Tears of gratitude filled Liu Xiaoling¡¯s eyes as she looked at Qiao Jing and flipped over the delivery slip for her.

    "I really can¡¯t thank you enough! This milk tea is... it¡¯s to be delivered to the star club, thankfully it¡¯s not heavy... take my scooter, sorry for the trouble."

    Before Qiao Jing could reply, a severe pain struck Liu Xiaoling¡¯s stomach again. She had no choice but to hold her stomach and walk towards the restroom while saying:

    "I really can¡¯t hold it in anymore, Qiao Jing, sorry to bother you! I¡¯ve changed my number, my phone is 137..."

    After hurriedly giving a string of numbers, she went into the restroom.

    In her heart, she still worried whether Qiao Jing had remembered her phone number as she had spoken too quickly.

    As she was thinking this, she received a text message on her phone.

    "I won¡¯t take your scooter, I¡¯ve taken the key out for you and left it in the corner of the wash basin."

    After reading Qiao Jing¡¯s message, Liu Xiaoling sent several messages expressing her gratitude.

    At the same time, she marveled in her heart at how exceptional Qiao Jing¡¯s memory was!

    Speaking of which, Qiao Jing had always been smarter than their peers since she was little.

    Meanwhile, in the taxi.

    Qiao Jing looked at the address on the delivery slip, recalling what Zeng Xiangyang had mentioned to her before.

    This star club seemed to be the one Lin Yun was affiliated with.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and checked the delivery slip on her phone.

    "What a coincidence."

    Inside the star club¡¯s lobby.

    Carrying the milk tea, Qiao Jing surveyed the room and did not spot anyone waiting for a delivery, except for a boy ying games on the sofa.

    She knit her brows and took out the delivery slip, then called the person who had ced the order.

    But the call was cut off after just a few rings.

    Qiao Jing looked at the phone she had just been hung up on with confusion and dialed again.

    This time, the call connected, and the voice on the other end ovepped with the voice of the boy ying games in the lobby.

    "Is it the milk tea that¡¯s arrived? I¡¯m sitting on the sofa in the lobby, just put it on the table, that¡¯s fine, that¡¯s fine, I¡¯m busy."

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, the person on the line hung up the phone.

    Without wasting any time, Qiao Jing walked towards the sofa.

 Chapter 608 - 597 Qiao Jing Delivers Takeout

    <h4>Chapter 608: Chapter 597 Qiao Jing Delivers Takeout</h4>

    She slowly made her way to the sofa and it wasn¡¯t until she ced her milk tea on the table that the boy ying the game showed any reaction, a testament to his engrossment.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to leave, she suddenly heard a furious voice at her ear.

    "Damn it! Why can¡¯t I cut to the marksman? The support is practically glued to the marksman; I don¡¯t have a chance to strike!"

    After hearing this, Qiao Jing paused mid-step and casually nced at the boy¡¯s mobile screen, spotted the w, and suggested:

    "If you go through the grass on the left, the enemy will lose sight of you."

    The boy¡¯s gaming hands hesitated for a moment, and without lifting his head, he said in a bad tone:

    "Who are you, giving me random advice?"

    Although he spoke dismissively, after hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, he took note and maneuvered his character through the left grass, sessfully getting behind the enemy marksman.

    He quickly executed a Combo, leaving the marksman critically wounded, but the enemy support reacted and came to the marksman¡¯s side to guard.

    As the enemy marksman and support stuck together, his own health bar was also plummeting, but he managed to dodge some of the damage with his positioning and, during that, quickly switched to the equipment page and changed an item.

    Qiao Jing noticed the fleeting equipment page and saw that the boy had made a mistake with an item. After hesitating for a moment, she still offered a suggestion.

    "With the enemy teamposition, you should buy a Ming Knife," she pointed out.

    The boy, hearing Qiao Jing speak up again, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Annoyed, he lifted his head and said:

    "I¡¯m a trainee with Star, do I need advice from a delivery person like you? Annoying, isn¡¯t it? And my hands were so quick when I changed the equipment; did you even see clearly? Hurry up¡ª"

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he caught sight of Qiao Jing¡¯s stunning beauty, which left him utterly astonished and, for a moment, he even forgot to control his character.

    And because of his hesitation, the enemy support¡¯s passive killed his character, greying out his screen instantly.

    The boy also heard the sound effect of his character being killed, quickly shifted his gaze back to his mobile screen, and upon discovering that his game interface had turned grey, his temper red up immediately.

    "Do you even know how to y games? Just go away, it¡¯s so irritating. If it weren¡¯t for your constant nagging, how could I have possibly died? I was about to get a triple kill just now!"

    At this moment, in front of him, no beauty was more important than his game!

    He was merely a youth trainee and if he didn¡¯t focus on gaming and rey analysis, he could easily be washed out. Having a delivery person interfere with his gaming was definitely irritating to him.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly and said coldly:

    "No one can criticize your poor y?"

    She had only intended to give a couple of pointers, seeing that this boy was from the same club as Lin Yun, the troublemaker she knew, and had happened upon him by chance. But this boy took none of her advice and vented his anger at her instead.

    She didn¡¯t like the feeling of her good intentions being treated like a nuisance.

    The boy exploded in anger upon hearing her, nced at his game screen that was still counting down the respawn time, and mmed his hand on the table, standing up.

    "What did you say? You¡¯re calling me bad? What gives a delivery person the right to call me bad? Do you think you¡¯re better than a club trainee? Have you even yed King of Glory before?"

    Qiao Jing gave the boy a fleeting nce and didn¡¯t bother replying.

    Fuming to the point of passing out, the boy grabbed his phone, intending to thrust it into Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    "Come on then, if you think I¡¯m bad, you y and show me, prove your own strength. Don¡¯t be an outsider giving me instructions, thinking you¡¯re a coach or something," he blurted out.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her eyebrows, her tone remaining indifferent:

    "So, you want me to y just because you say so?"

    The boy¡¯s eyes widened, and just as he was about to forcefully stuff his phone into Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, he heard the resurrection sound effect from the game.

    He immediately took his phone back and once again focused on ying the game.

    "Wait for me to finish this round, then I¡¯ll settle the score with you, don¡¯t you go anywhere!"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation and decided to leave, just as she received a call from Liu Xiaoling.

    "Qiao Jing, did you deliver the milk tea? I¡¯m still feeling a bit unwell and can¡¯te to meet you, sorry about that!"

    Qiao Jing nced at the milk tea on the table, "Hmm" was her response, as she began stepping towards the exit.

    "It¡¯s okay, the milk tea¡¯s been delivered, it¡¯s notte, right?"

    Liu Xiaoling replied with extreme gratitude:

    "No! Confirming the delivery now is just perfect, I really appreciate it, how much was the fare? I¡¯ll reimburse you and treat you to a milk tea, how about that?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and slowly began to speak.

    "No need, the fare isn¡¯t much."

    At this moment, the boy who was still ying the game suddenly noticed that the person who had been standing in front of him had disappeared. He looked up to find Qiao Jing on the phone, walking out, clearly intending to leave.

    Having lost interest in the game, he put away his phone and quickly caught up to Qiao Jing.

    "You think you can just leave after a couple of words from me, is that it? Dream on! I told you not to go. Stay and settle our score properly. At the very least, y a solo round with me, so I can see what you¡¯re made of, that¡¯s fair, isn¡¯t it?"

    Qiao Jing looked at the boy blocking her path, feeling a heavy pounding in her temples.

    "I don¡¯t have time, move aside."

    The boy, unconvinced, red at Qiao Jing as he pulled a phone out of his pocket and took another one out of the other pocket.

    "Where do you think you¡¯re going? I¡¯ve been ying star for so long and never been called a noob, and here you are, a delivery guy, first giving me two unwanted suggestions and then calling me a noob? You want this youth trainee or not? If you don¡¯t y a round with me, I¡¯ll give you a bad rating!"

    Liu Xiaoling on the other end of the phone, after hearing the boy¡¯s voice, paused and asked in confusion:

    "Qiao Jing, what¡¯s going on? Did something happen?"

    Qiao Jing nced at the boy¡¯s phone, her eyebrows furrowed.

    "It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ve got something to take care of, I¡¯ll hang up now."

    After saying that, she hung up the phone and raised her eyes to the boy.

    To avoid affecting Liu Xiaoling¡¯s performance, Qiao Jing begrudgingly agreed.

    "We can y, but forget the duel, I¡¯ll just win this unfinished round for you."

    If she told the boy who was already angry that she wasn¡¯t actually a delivery person, he definitely wouldn¡¯t believe her and would just retaliate with a bad review.

    In that case, the one who would be affected was Liu Xiaoling, not her.

    As for ying the game, it was just one round, no big deal.

    The boy looked at his phone screen, where his game character was idling in the Fountain, and the situation in their game had turned sour, with the enemy pushing to the high ground, a scenario that spelled certain defeat.

    "This round is definitely a loss, you sure you want to y? Don¡¯t say I picked on you afterward!"

 Chapter 609 - 598: Is Qiao Jing Bound to Lose?

    <h4>Chapter 609: Chapter 598: Is Qiao Jing Bound to Lose?</h4>

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "hmm" and took the cellphone from the boy, settling down on the couch in the hall.

    "If I win this round for you, that¡¯s enough, right? A duel would be too time-consuming."

    After saying this, she began to review the hero¡¯s Skills introduction.

    The boy, seeing Qiao Jing studying the Skills introduction, disdainfully scoffed.

    "You haven¡¯t yed this hero before? Even if you look up the Skills, it¡¯s useless, you don¡¯t know the Combos or anything."

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with the boy, carefully read through the Skills introduction, then headed to the Top Lane where a fresh group of minions had just reached the hignds; she experimented, trying out a Combo sequence.

    The boy paused, nkly blinking his eyes.

    Watching Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, he inexplicably felt that she seemed utterly unphased, not taking the disadvantageous situation seriously at all.

    Yet this round was definitely lost, as his team had only him with a positive record, and their economic disadvantage was substantial, his own economy only slightly better than three of the enemy team yers.

    In such a situation, he thought only someone like Lin Yun, the renowned champion, could turn the game around, not this delivery woman in front of him.

    Moreover, this woman hadn¡¯t even yed his hero before, how could she possibly win?

    Thinking this, the boy nodded his head, patting his chest.

    "If you win this round, not only will I admit you¡¯re skilled and apologize, I¡¯ll also perform a headstand hair wash for everyone to see!"

    Just then, a group of young men in uniformed team jerseys bustled in through the door, having just returned they overheard this and couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing.

    "Old Wang next door, who are you making a bet with? Even going as far as a headstand hair wash, that¡¯s intense, huh?"

    Qiao Jing lifted her gaze to the group, noticing that they were dressed the same way as the boy beside her, presumably all youth trainees.

    She shifted her gaze back to the screen, beginning to control the game character.

    The boy next to Qiao Jing, upon hearing his nickname being used, furiously red with his eyes wide open.

    "Damn it, Xiao Lizi, you shut up, will you? I¡¯m making a bet with a delivery person here. She¡¯s been criticizing, saying this and that doesn¡¯t work, acting all knowledgeable. After I retorted a few words, guess what she said?"

    The one called Xiao Lizi stroked his chin pensively, then finally snapped his fingers.

    "She said you¡¯re lousy, right?"

    ¡¯Old Wang next door¡¯ suddenly felt provoked by thisment, his eyes widening in shock.

    "How did you know?! Nevermind that, I challenged her to a solo and she wouldn¡¯t ept. She said she¡¯d help me win this round I¡¯m currently ying, and that would settle it. This round I am ying is doomed to lose; to avoid damaging my reputation, saying I¡¯m bullying a woman, I still suggested a duel, but she insisted on helping me finish this round, so I just let her."

    Xiao Lizi and the other few men, now curious, began to approach the couch, catching sight of Qiao Jing intensely focused on the game, all astonished by her appearance.

    "Old Wang next door, you say she¡¯s a delivery person? A courier?"

    Old Wang smacked his lips.

    "Yeah, that¡¯s right, the milk tea I ordered was delivered by her."

    Hearing "Old Wang¡¯s" words, the crowd started buzzing with discussions.

    "No way, there¡¯s such an attractive courier?"

    "Old Wang, you¡¯re being too petty. So what if she criticised you a bit? Challenging her to a solo, isn¡¯t that clearly bullying?"

    "You guys stop it. I also think this round is doomed to lose, with such a big economic gap, iplete equipment, and unable to deal enough damage. How could it possibly be won?"

    "..."

    Old Wang rolled his eyes and stood next to Qiao Jing, watching her gamey.

    "I told you we were surely going to lose this game. The random teammates we got matched with are all useless, yet she wouldn¡¯t listen and insisted on proving she could help me win the game. So I said I¡¯d wash my hair standing on my head."

    As soon as he finished speaking, they saw Qiao Jing quickly switching her equipment so fast that almost none of them caught a clear glimpse of it.

    Old Wang rubbed his eyes, watching Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    "Damn, did anyone see that? Did she just change her whole set of equipment?"

    Xiao Lizi nodded solemnly and replied,

    "Yes, even faster than we could change our equipment, and she sold the ones you bought earlier and bought a new set."

    Upon hearing this, Old Wang said, unconvinced,

    "So what if her hands are fast? It only matters if you can win the game. Besides, after selling the equipment, she lost a bunch of Gold Coins. She¡¯d have to start saving up again. Now that the enemy has cleared our jungle, I wonder where she¡¯s going to get Gold Coins to buy new equipment."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than everyone saw Qiao Jing¡¯s character turn into a shark, swiftly weaving through the river and gobbling up the minion waves on the top, middle, and bottomnes. Her other teammates hid at home, too scared toe out, worried about feeding. Thus, Qiao Jing alone harvested all the economy, and her Gold Coins significantly increased.

    But the opponents weren¡¯t fools, either. During this period, they chased Qiao Jing several times, but each time, Qiao Jing narrowly escaped with low health.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s movements, Old Wang¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock.

    "Did she just dodge more than half of the opponent¡¯s damage?"

    The other youth trainees were also stunned. The hand speed and extreme positioning they just witnessed were beyond what half of the people present could achieve, yet this woman pulled it off.

    Could it be that all their long periods of practice didn¡¯t measure up to a delivery runner??

    Xiao Lizi frowned deeply, staring nonstop at Qiao Jing¡¯s controlling hands.

    "Let¡¯s keep watching for now. Winning is what really matters."

    Upon hearing this, the other youth trainees regained some confidence and continued observing.

    Qiao Jing, unbothered by the young men around her, went back to base after clearing the minion waves and bought several new pieces of equipment with the Gold Coins she just earned. She sent a message asking the support to follow her.

    She then positioned her character in the bushes near the blue buff, with the support hunkering down alongside her.

    Qiao Jing intentionally gave up the red zone, letting the enemy take the red buff, and bought herself some time.

    She mentally calcted the respawn time of the blue buff, and at the first moment of its refresh, she connected it with a nearby lizard, stacking her passive to the max.

    With the help of the support, Qiao Jing quickly cleared the creatures in the blue zone and then headed to the topne, conveniently clearing the minion wave there too.

    When the enemy team grandly arrived at the blue zone, they found it empty and were stunned.

    At that moment, they noticed on the mini-map in their own red zone the avatar of the character Qiao Jing was ying.

    They were too engrossed in clearing the opposing jungle to remember their own!

    As the enemy quickly returned, Qiao Jing only managed to grab the red buff before retreating. Yet, she didn¡¯t go far. After giving the enemies false visibility of her departure, she and the support hid in the bushes next to the red buff.

    The other youth trainees were taken aback by this maneuver.

    "Is she nning a counterattack?"

    "But she¡¯s only with one support, how could they possibly beat five enemies?"

    "Even if the other teammates from home rush over now, it¡¯s totally toote, right?"

    "Now they¡¯re going to feed the enemy two kills again, how could they possibly win?"

    While they expressed their doubts, the enemy had already returned to their red zone. At that moment, Qiao Jing, controlling her character, transformed into a fierce shark and charged violently at the enemies!

 Chapter 610 - 599: Qiao Jing Steals the Show

    <h4>Chapter 610: Chapter 599: Qiao Jing Steals the Show</h4>

    They hadn¡¯t looked at their phone screens at all, convinced that Qiao Jing was bound to lose this turn, and a 2 vs 5 team battle had absolutely no hope.

    But in the next second, they heard the sound of a double kill!

    Old Wang sighed.

    "I told you so, now look, we¡¯ve lost two kills."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound effect for a triple kill erupted!!

    The youth trainees were stunned, and by the time they came to their senses, the sound effects for a quadra and penta kill followed in quick session!!!

    Finally, an announcer calling an acepletely dumbfounded them, and they unanimously turned to look at their phone screens.

    On the screen, the game character controlled by Qiao Jing stood with thest sliver of health, and the bodies of the support and all five enemiesy together.

    The other teammates who had arrivedte were also shocked by this scene, their characters standing still in the game.

    The youth trainees looked at each other in disbelief, especially Old Wang, whose eyes were nearly popping out of his head.

    "No way... I thought the sound of the double kill meant she and the support had died..."

    "When I heard the triple kill, I felt something was wrong. Just the two of them, if it were them who had died, how could there be a triple kill sound?"

    "So how exactly did she manage to win a 2 vs 5 fight and even kill all five opponents?"

    "Is there a rey? I need a rey. I didn¡¯t look at the screen at all just now and totally missed it."

    "..."

    Finally, only Xiao Lizi spoke up.

    "When the sound of the triple kill rang out, I nced over a few times. Her hands moved very quickly, and her passives were stacked up, plus... her positioning was amazing, dodging most of the lethal damage. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t do it."

    Upon hearing Xiao Lizi¡¯s words, all the youth trainees were stunned, looking at Qiao Jing with disbelief.

    "No way?! That good? Even Xiao Lizi feels inferior? Isn¡¯t Xiao Lizi the best among us?"

    "I mean, she¡¯s just a delivery worker, right? At most, she ys games in her spare time. Howe her skills are better than ours, and we are the professionals?"

    "If that¡¯s really the case, we might get scolded to death by our manager and coach, and then they¡¯d make us train for several more hours. She just ys a few games in her free time, and we practice daily but aren¡¯t as good as her."

    "..."

    Old Wang stared incessantly at Qiao Jing, noticing that the opponent did not immediately go to push the tower but instead cleared several minion waves, taking advantage of the time when the enemies were aced to take down the newly spawned Dragon King and Tyrant.

    He irritably scratched his head and muttered:

    "Am I really going to end up washing my hair upside down??"

    Thisment was overheard by Xiao Lizi, who was close to Old Wang, and, pretending to be sympathetic, he patted Old Wang on the shoulder with a sigh.

    "Ah, you might really have to perform the upside-down hair wash, especially since everybody got aced, and her y was so spectacr."

    Upon hearing this, Old Wang red at Xiao Lizi irritably and swatted his hand away.

    "Get lost, don¡¯t bother me. It¡¯s not certain we¡¯ll win yet."

    Hearing Old Wang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing lightly raised her delicately shaped eyebrows and replied while controlling her game character:

    "I told you, we would win."

    She had already secured a personal advantage, and as long as she coordinated well with the support, this game could be won without the need for the other three teammates.

    At that moment, none of the youth trainees dared to look down on Qiao Jing any longer; everyone waspletely focused on their phone screens, afraid to miss another spectacr moment like before.

    Old Wang thought about how he had to wash his hair while standing on his head, and his facial expression was as ugly as if he had eaten dung, but he didn¡¯t want to miss the exciting scenes of Qiao Jing ying the game, reluctantly stealing nces at the phone screen.

    After Qiao Jing had taken the dragon, she continued to farm the minion waves, leaving the jungle in her territory for her teammates, while she went to sweep the enemy¡¯s jungle clean.

    In the end, her gold skyrocketed at an incredible speed, eventually tying with the enemy¡¯s top economic yer.

    Before the enemy team could respawn, Qiao Jing had already let Da Long loose, advancing from the Bottom Lane, knocking down two of the enemy¡¯s defensive towers, pushing straight into their high ground.

    Just as Da Long was about to take down the high ground tower, the enemy respawned and cleared all thenes.

    Ever since the team wipe, the enemies had seen Qiao Jing as a thorn in their side and started to search for her on the map.

    The crowd also noticed this, initially thinking Qiao Jing was going to return to the Fountain for a temporary hideout, only to find her hiding with a support in another bush?!

    "Could she be nning to counter-kill the enemy again?"

    "This time I can finally see clearly, otherwise, just like before, all confused, and she would have won the team fight."

    "I want to see for myself just how skilled she is, how she managed to get a pentakill!"

    "..."

    This time, Qiao Jing was still crouching in an unexpected bush; when the enemies approached, she instantly shed behind the marksman and with onebo, took out the squishy marksman.

    As the other enemies reacted and rushed towards Qiao Jing, the youth trainees instantly became nervous, each of them wondering internally where they would have walked if it had been them.

    But every step of Qiao Jing was unexpected to them and the enemies, and she even managed to dodge most of the damage skillfully.

    Not only that, while moving, she used her Skills to stack her passives to the max on the enemy yers and, together with her support, harvested another wave of kills.

    Once again, the sound effect of a team wipe yed in the game.

    Along with the game sound effects, cheers from the youth trainees erupted.

    "Damn! This slick positioning, slick maneuvers, so showy!"

    "No wonder Xiao Lizi said even he feels inferior, this is really impressive."

    "We definitely can¡¯t let the manager and coach see this, or we¡¯re surely getting dragged into extra training."

    "Old Wang, when are you nning to wash your hair standing on your head?"

    Meanwhile, Old Wang¡¯s face was dark as can be, yet he couldn¡¯t deny that Qiao Jing¡¯s gaming skills were simply better than his.

    He frowned, staring at the phone screen, and couldn¡¯t help but speak up.

    "She clearly hasn¡¯t even yed this game character before, how is she ying so well? She was just looking at the Skill introductions a moment ago, and after a few nces, she started tobo with the minions."

    After hearing Old Wang¡¯s words, the youth trainees were shocked again, their mouths agape as they stared at the phone screen, Qiao Jing, rather than pushing the nexus, had gone to take the dragon and farm the minion waves again.

    "No way, she hasn¡¯t yed this character before?"

    "And Old Wang said she just nced at the Skill introduction and got the hang of it right away? Even executingbos? Is this what a genius looks like??"

    "This must be the so-called genius, but even a genius shouldn¡¯t be able to master it just by ncing at the Skill introductions."

    "..."

    As everyone was bustling with discussion, suddenly a voice came from the doorway.

 Chapter 611 - 600: Lin Yun is Here

    <h4>Chapter 611: Chapter 600: Lin Yun is Here</h4>

    "What are you bunch of rascals gathered here for? cking off again, aren¡¯t you?! Everyone¡¯s training is extended by an hour!"

    At the sound of the manager¡¯s voice, all the youth trainees present froze in ce.

    Xiao Lizi reacted the quickest. He slowly turned around, a pleasing smile appearing on his face.

    "Manager,e on, we just got back not long ago. Let¡¯s forget about extra training, huh? If you don¡¯t feel sorry for us, at least feel sorry for Old Wang. He¡¯s got to wash his hair while standing on his head today."

    Old Wang¡¯s eyes widened, and he pushed Xiao Lizi with his hand.

    "Pah! The game isn¡¯t even won yet, don¡¯t jinx me."

    The manager and Lin Yun walked in from the door together and looked at the youth trainees surrounding the sofa.

    After hearing Xiao Lizi¡¯s words, the manager¡¯s stern face softened a bit and he asked, puzzled:

    "Why on earth would you wash your hair standing on your head? Also, there¡¯s no room for negotiation about extra training. You need to do it! I¡¯ve been watching you from the doorway for a while now, not knowing what you¡¯re all excitedly discussing, right?"

    He and Lin Yun had been out for a few hours, and the moment they came back, they saw these troublemaking rascals cking off again.

    As if having Lin Yun, the most troubling of them all, wasn¡¯t enough, this group was really adding fuel to his fire!

    Seeing that there was no reasoning with the manager, Xiao Lizi turned to Lin Yun for help.

    "Lin Yun bro, you gotta help us out here. We really don¡¯t want extra training."

    Upon hearing someone call Lin Yun¡¯s name, Qiao Jing, who was ying a game, paused for a moment and looked towards the doorway.

    But the youth trainee in front of her blocked her viewpletely, preventing her from seeing anyone. She then took her focus back to the game, continuing her y.

    Lin Yun was just about to say ¡¯What¡¯s it to me?¡¯ when he was cut off by the manager.

    "Don¡¯t count on Lin Yun. He¡¯s even more of a headache than you all, he needs extra training too!"

    "Damn it," Lin Yun blurted out, turning to look at the manager, indignant:

    "What¡¯s this got to do with me? I wasn¡¯t cking; they were."

    The manager waved his hand dismissively, and said no more before turning to Old Wang.

    "Old Wang, what¡¯s all this about washing your hair while standing on your head? Who did you bet with?"

    Old Wang clenched his teeth, refusing to speak.

    Seeing this, Xiao Lizi "kindly" answered for Old Wang to the manager.

    "Manager, it¡¯s because there was a food delivery girl who called him a novice, and he couldn¡¯t stand it. So, he insisted on a head-to-head challenge. But the girl didn¡¯t want to, saying if she could help Old Wang win one particrly difficult game, they would be even. That¡¯s why Old Wang made a bet¡ªif that girl won the game, he¡¯d wash his hair while standing on his head."

    Frustrated, Old Wang kicked Xiao Lizi away, muttering under his breath:

    "Who asked you to be so ¡¯kind¡¯ and exin??"

    Hearing this, the manager roughly guessed what had happened, but he became even more puzzled.

    "So if it was a disadvantaged match, why would Old Wang still perform the head-standing hair wash?"

    He knew that although these rascals might ck off asionally, their skills were still intact and they yed high-level games. He was aware that once one side had a disadvantage in a high-level game, it was hard to turn the tables.

    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t believe that a food delivery girl could win the game.

    Xiao Lizi looked at Old Wang¡¯s stifled face and burst outughing.

    "Well, of course, because that beauty alone took down five kills twice, wiping out the enemy team five times, and right now she¡¯s still farming and taking the dragon."

    After hearing Xiao Lizi¡¯s words, the manager and Lin Yun looked at each other, then in unison turned their gaze towards the same direction.

    They were curious about who could be so skilled.

    The youth trainees noticed the manager looking their way and immediately stepped aside, running to stand behind the sofa where Qiao Jing was seated.

    When the manager and Lin Yun saw Qiao Jing, both paused for a moment again.

    In the end, Lin Yun was the first to recover, walking towards the sofa, his eyes lighting up uncontrobly.

    But when he saw the takeout milk tea on the table, recalling what Xiao Lizi had just said, he suddenly got heated and couldn¡¯t focus on the fact that Qiao Jing was still ying the game, and burst out,

    "Why is it you who came? Wait, are you here to deliver takeout?"

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Lin Yun, uttered a "hmm," and continued her game.

    Lin Yun¡¯s anger burned even hotter. He looked at the milk tea, then back at Qiao Jing.

    "Humph! I knew their family couldn¡¯t stand having you, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have you running around in the zing sun delivering takeout. I told you you were foolish, but you wouldn¡¯t believe me!"

    Upon hearing Lin Yun¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brow.

    "I¡¯m not a delivery person."

    Lin Yun, with a look of utter disdain, pointed at the milk tea on the table, extremely aggravated.

    "You still say you aren¡¯t, then what are you here for? I told you before toe and y in professional matches with me, but you just wouldn¡¯t. And the manager also said the club would ept you; now look at you, running about on an electric bike in the scorching sun while I sit in an air-conditioned room gaming. Isn¡¯t ying matches way easier than delivering takeout? How can you be so silly?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, the back of his head was met with a not-too-light tap from the manager.

    Lin Yun, rubbing the back of his head, looked towards the manager beside him.

    "Why did you hit me?"

    The manager¡¯s gaze lingered on Qiao Jing, who was still gaming, for a few seconds before reverting back and looking disdainfully at Lin Yun, who resembled a fool from andlord¡¯s house.

    "Is that how you talk to Miss Qiao? Considering she even helped you before, is this the kind of attitude you have?"

    After saying this, the manager turned to Qiao Jing with a sincere smile on his face.

    "Miss Qiao, consider what Lin Yun just said. Our team has excellent resources, and the sry isn¡¯t bad either. If you join our team, I can offer even better terms and make you an official member right off the bat. That would be no problem at all."

    He had wanted to recruit her into his team ever since he saw her ying, but that was before he knew Qiao Jing had a hidden identity.

    However, upon reflection, he realized having a hidden identity andpeting didn¡¯t conflict, so seeing Lin Yun trying so hard to persuade Qiao Jing, he joined in as well.

    Given her skills and game sense, a little training would undoubtedly qualify her for internationalpetitions.

    When the youth trainees heard what the manager said, they were all stunned.

    Xiao Lizi hesitated for a moment, then spoke up.

    "Manager, didn¡¯t you say to avoid rtionships distracting the yers and affecting their training and matches, our team wouldn¡¯t recruit any girls? And she¡¯d be skipping the youth trainee phase to be an official member directly?"

    The manager clicked his tongue, giving Xiao Lizi, who waspletelycking in tact, a stern re.

    "If your skills were as good as hers, I¡¯d let you be an official member too. Also, gender isn¡¯t an issue; as long as someone is talented, whether male or female, even if they were half-human, half-demon, I¡¯d take them!"

    Everyone: "..."

 Chapter 612 - 601 Qiao Jing Suddenly Faints!

    <h4>Chapter 612: Chapter 601 Qiao Jing Suddenly Faints!</h4>

    Qiao Jing had been engrossed in her game when she heard the manager¡¯s words, and only then did she look up at him.

    "Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in pursuing this area, I¡¯m just ying casually."

    Old Wang, seeing Qiao Jing ying the game while talking, sneaked a nce at the screen, praying:

    Talking while ying, multitasking, would definitely cost them kills.

    That way, he might not have to perform the handstand shampooing.

    However, when he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s still smooth movements and the kills she harvested even as she spoke, he was even more dumbfounded.

    He had nced at Qiao Jing while ying his game just a moment ago and had been killed outright in the game.

    Now not only had Qiao Jing nced at the manager and responded to him, but she hadn¡¯t died and had even taken enemy lives.

    Now he had to admit, Qiao Jing was indeed incredible at gaming, her skills several times better than his, and she legitimately had the right to say he was bad at the game.

    The manager sighed wistfully, wanting to continue persuading Qiao Jing.

    But Lin Yun spoke up even faster than he did.

    "Qiao Jing! Do you really n to deliver takeout for the rest of your life? There are easier and morefortable jobs out there, why wouldn¡¯t you choose one? Aren¡¯t you smart? Don¡¯t you know which is easier between delivering food andpeting?"

    At this point, Lin Yun¡¯s face was as ck as charcoal with anger, showing just how furious he was.

    Qiao Jing, somewhat speechless, twitched the corner of her mouth and continued to control her game, not forgetting to answer Lin Yun.

    "I¡¯m just helping a friend by delivering this on the way."

    Lin Yun, too angry to speak, stood by the sofa, staring at Qiao Jing.

    The youth trainees were all watching the two, and finally, Xiao Lizi stared at Qiao Jing¡¯s face for a long time, feeling vaguely familiar.

    Suddenly! A photo popped into his mind, and his eyes began to twinkle with gossip.

    "Brother Lin Yun, isn¡¯t she the beauty who was on the trending searches with you before? Could she be here at the club looking for you? Don¡¯t tell me you two are really¡ª"

    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when the manager waved him away.

    "Go on, that¡¯s nonsense. It was all the paparazzi talking nonsense, Lin Yun and Miss Qiao are just friends. Have you been deceived by the paparazzi too? Never mind that now, you guys need to get back and train immediately, otherwise I¡¯m calling the coach toe and get you. Whoever gets caught will get two extra hours of training."

    Hearing the manager¡¯s words, the youth trainees who had gathered around the sofa scattered, running swiftly as if their feet were on fiery wheels, fearing they would be caught for extra training.

    Only Old Wang lingered undecided, because while they had been talking, Qiao Jing had pushed through the opponent¡¯s defenses and won the game.

    Qiao Jing turned to look at Old Wang standing behind her and handed him the phone.

    "I won, remember to leave a good review."

    Old Wang hesitated, looking at Qiao Jing, and finally gathered the courage to speak.

    "That... about the handstand head washing, how should I send it to you to prove that I did it?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, saying softly:

    "No need."

    She was just not interested in affecting Liu Xiaoling¡¯s work, as for the handstand head washing, it didn¡¯t really interest her.

    Realizing he didn¡¯t need to do the handstand head washing, Old Wang breathed a sigh of relief and hurried away with the phone.

    Seeing that everyone had almost left, Qiao Jing looked at the sulking youngster and the worryingly fatherly manager.

    "I¡¯m leaving now, my friend isn¡¯t feeling well, I just brought the takeout along, and as forpeting, forget about it."

    She indeed was not interested inpeting, and she simply did not have that much energy.

    Lin Yun stared at Qiao Jing unwillingly, a stark contrast to the fiery anger he had shown just moments before, as he was now too upset to utter a single word.

    The manager saw that Lin Yun was unwilling to send her off, so he followed them.

    "Well then, Miss Qiao, but if you ever be interested and want topete, our team will wee you anytime."

    Qiao Jing nodded and took a step forward.

    But just as she reached the entrance of the hall, she suddenly felt everything go dark before her eyes, and her steps became unsteady.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, realizing it was a problem with her body; just as she raised her hand to press on an acupressure point, her body uncontrobly began to fall to the ground.

    She clenched her teeth, and before hitting the ground, she quickly moved her hand to protect her stomach, while her other hand firmly grasped the doorknob, slowing her fall.

    In the second before she lost consciousness, she felt herself sitting on the ground, and only after ensuring there was no danger did shepletely pass out.

    When Lin Yun saw Qiao Jing sway, he immediately had a bad feeling, and when he saw her about to fall, his body reflexively dashed towards her.

    By the time he reached Qiao Jing, she had alreadypletely passed out.

    The anger on Lin Yun¡¯s face had vanished, reced by a look of deep concern as he lifted Qiao Jing up.

    "Qiao Jing! Qiao Jing!"

    The manager also hurried over, equally fraught with worry upon seeing the scene.

    "Lin Yun, quickly take Miss Qiao to the medical room!"

    Without a second thought, Lin Yun bent down, picked up Qiao Jing, and ran toward the medical room.

    Along the way, Lin Yun asionally nced down at Qiao Jing, his face knitting into a frown.

    The manager, walking alongside, observed Lin Yun¡¯s expression and then looked at Qiao Jing, shaking his head quietly.

    After cing Qiao Jing on the hospital bed, Lin Yun immediately urged the doctor.

    "Hurry up and check on her! If you can¡¯t handle it, I¡¯m taking her to the hospital!"

    Although the club had a doctor and a medical room, and the medical equipment was quiteprehensive, he worried that their capabilities might not suffice, thinking a hospital might be safer.

    Upon seeing the patient being brought in, the doctor started his examination.

    "Manager, Mr. Lin, please step outside."

    Upon hearing this, Lin Yun stubbornly stood his ground.

    "No, I¡¯m staying right here."

    The manager, utterly helpless, nced at Lin Yun and pulled the stubborn young man away.

    "Come on, what good does it do for you to stay here? You¡¯re not a doctor. What if you interfere with the examination?"

    Upon hearing the manager¡¯s words, Lin Yun reluctantly followed him out.

    As soon as he reached the doorway, he took out his phone and pre-dialed 120 on his dialer.

    Seeing this, the manager clicked his tongue.

    "Lin Yun, do you not trust our club¡¯s doctors? You should know that we spent a lot of money on this medical room, specifically for your safety and the safety of the other youth trainees."

    Lin Yun was utterly uninterested in engaging with the manager and stared intently at the medical room¡¯s door.

    Just as he was struggling to restrain himself from entering the medical room, the door suddenly opened from the inside.

 Chapter 613 - 602: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Pregnancy Discovered Again

    <h4>Chapter 613: Chapter 602: Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy Discovered Again</h4>

    The doctor frowned as he walked out of the medical office, casually closing the door behind him.

    Before the doctor could speak, Lin Yun stepped forward and grabbed the doctor¡¯s hand, anxiously asking:

    "How is she? Why did she suddenly faint? Is it serious?"

    The doctor, pained by Lin Yun¡¯s grip, gasped sharply.

    "First, let go of my hand."

    Seeing this, the manager immediately tried to pull Lin Yun¡¯s hand away, but after several unsessful attempts, he resorted to scolding.

    "Lin Yun, have you lost your mind?"

    Only then did Lin Yun realize and looked down to see that he was gripping the doctor¡¯s hand tightly.

    He slowly released his grip and continued to ask:

    "Doctor, what exactly is wrong with her? I didn¡¯t use much force, and it wasn¡¯t stopping you from speaking."

    The doctor looked utterly helpless but, worried Lin Yun might grab him again, did not dare waste any more time and immediately answered the question.

    "This patient fainted because she¡¯s pregnant, and her physical condition is somewhat unstable."

    Even without looking, he knew the hand that had been grabbed would definitely be red all over.

    Just now, he felt like his hand was almost crushed; if the manager hadn¡¯t intervened, he might have ended up treating himself today.

    Upon hearing the doctor¡¯s words, both Lin Yun and the manager were too stunned to react and stood frozen in ce.

    Lin Yun stared nkly at the doctor, thinking he was dreaming. He pped himself, which brought him a bit back to reality.

    But to his surprise, he actually felt pain on the side of the face he had hit.

    "I¡¯m not dreaming? Then what exactly is happening? Doctor, could you have diagnosed her wrongly? How could she possibly be pregnant?"

    If he wasn¡¯t dreaming, then the doctor must have made a wrong diagnosis.

    In his mind, the likelihood of a man being pregnant was greater than Qiao Jing being pregnant, especially given how smart and independent she was, the idea of her casually having someone else¡¯s child was unthinkable.

    The manager also found it hard to believe because Qiao Jing was quite the boss and could rely on herself, so having children seemed premature for her.

    Moreover, he had never even heard about Qiao Jing getting married.

    But what worried him more was Lin Yun¡¯s reaction. On hearing the word ¡¯pregnant¡¯ from the doctor, this troublesome kid had started hitting himself, scaring him quite a bit.

    Seeing Lin Yun¡¯s disbelief, the doctor turned and went back to the ward to retrieve the medical report.

    "Lin Yun, is thatdy your friend? If not, I can¡¯t just give out her information to anyone."

    At this point, Lin Yun was in no mood for idle talk with the doctor and snatched the medical report from him.

    The doctor was initially reluctant to hand it over, but given Lin Yun¡¯s strength, if he resisted, the report would definitely have been torn apart.

    The manager sighed and exined to the doctor:

    "They are friends, they know each other, thank you for your efforts."

    Only then did the doctor breathe a sigh of relief.

    After taking the medical report, Lin Yun immediately began to study it, and the words "pregnant" deeply stung his eyes, causing his hand holding the report to tremble.

    After Lin Yun had finished reading the report, the doctor spoke:

    "Thatdy has been pregnant for over three months. Her condition had stabilized earlier, but there¡¯s no guarantee nothing will go wrong. It¡¯s normal for a pregnant woman¡¯s condition to be asionally unstable."

    Upon hearing she was over three months pregnant, Lin Yun¡¯s eyes widened and he took several steps forward, about to open the door of the medical room.

    He needed to clear things up, he had to ask Qiao Jing what was going on!

    The doctor saw this and hurriedly stopped him.

    "Mr. Lin, the patient is still in aa and needs a quiet environment to rest."

    The manager could understand how anxious Lin Yun was, but he still helped the doctor stop Lin Yun.

    "Lin Yun, Miss Qiao¡¯s condition isn¡¯t good right now, she needs to rest properly, so don¡¯t go causing any trouble."

    He truly hadn¡¯t expected that Qiao Jing had already been pregnant for over three months. Just finding out about the pregnancy was surprising enough, but now it turned out to be over three months.

    Didn¡¯t that prove that Qiao Jing had a boyfriend or a husband?

    But if that was the case, what would Lin Yun do?

    Lin Yun pushed the two aside, stubbornly wanting to enter the medical room.

    "Then I¡¯ll go in and not speak, just looking at her should be alright, right? Don¡¯t stop me!"

    If he didn¡¯t hear it from Qiao Jing herself, he wouldn¡¯t believe it!

    The doctor was really troubled, but still stood at the door of the medical room blocking Lin Yun.

    "This..."

    Suddenly, a loud "bang" came from inside the medical room.

    Lin Yun couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, he pulled the doctor aside and pushed open the door of the medical room.

    When he opened the door, he was met with Qiao Jing, who was bending down to pick up a cup.

    Just as Qiao Jing set the cup down, she met Lin Yun¡¯s gaze.

    But she found something odd about Lin Yun¡¯s expression; it was different from usual.

    What was with this mix of sadness and anger in his eyes?

    Not until Qiao Jing noticed the piece of white paper in Lin Yun¡¯s hand, and looked down at her own stomach.

    She gently ced her hand on her stomach and looked up at Lin Yun.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    When she first woke up and saw herself in the medical room, she was somewhat disoriented, but remembering how she had copsed at the door, she had guessed what might have happenedter.

    She had thought she was just there to rest, but seeing the white paper in Lin Yun¡¯s hands, which seemed to be her medical report, and then her pregnancy...

    Seeing Qiao Jing ce her hand on her stomach, Lin Yun¡¯s suppressed emotions finally exploded, pping the medical report onto the bedside table.

    "What¡¯s wrong? You have the nerve to ask me what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been pregnant for over three months, don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know! Tell me, how did that guy deceive you? How could you be so foolish? Weren¡¯t you the smartest kid when you were younger? Howe you seem to regress as you grow up?"

    While he was outside, he still hoped it was a misdiagnosis. Even seeing the medical report didn¡¯t convince him, but when he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s hand on her stomach, he understood immediately.

    Qiao Jing was truly pregnant.

    Seeing this scene, the manager immediately sent the doctor away, closed the door, and kept his eyes on the two inside the medical room, worrying that Lin Yun might do something excessive.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at the medical report, realizing it was just as she had thought, and wasn¡¯t too surprised.

    Right now, she was more worried about Lin Yun¡¯s state.

    "I wasn¡¯t deceived, don¡¯t worry."

    Seeing Lin Yun worried about her being deceived, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it somewhat funny; she thought that Lin Yun was the one more likely to be deceived.

 Chapter 614 - 603: I Donéˆ¥æª› Like Qiao Jing at All!

    <h4>Chapter 614: Chapter 603: I Don¡¯t Like Qiao Jing at All!</h4>

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lin Yun became even angrier, his hands by his thighs clenched into tight fists.

    "You still im you weren¡¯t deceived? What kind of spell did he cast on you to fool you like this? I think you¡¯re really getting dumber as you grow! Now you¡¯re even speaking up for him? How old are you to be getting pregnant?!"

    He didn¡¯t know why he felt so angry when he found out Qiao Jing was pregnant.

    But he was very angry, didn¡¯t want to see Qiao Jing with someone else, and even less to see her pregnant!

    Qiao Jing, speechless, twitched the corners of her mouth, her lips parting slightly.

    "Lin Yun, I told you, I wasn¡¯t deceived. I can¡¯t exin this matter clearly to you, and besides, I¡¯m in my twenties, not a minor who doesn¡¯t understand things."

    When she heard Lin Yun question her age, she almost thought she was underage.

    But about the pregnancy, she couldn¡¯t exin it to Lin Yun right away; she surely couldn¡¯t tell Lin Yun it was an ident, could she?

    If so, his emotions would definitely be more agitated then.

    Lin Yun clenched his teeth, stubbornly staring at Qiao Jing incessantly.

    "No matter your age, you¡¯re still very young, okay? Why must you get pregnant so early? What good does it do you? Moreover, aren¡¯t you going to divorce him sooner orter? Do you have any idea how troublesome having a child is!"

    Qiao Jing rubbed her temples somewhat headache, looking at Lin Yun helplessly.

    "Lin Yun, I will handle my own matters."

    She knew Lin Yun was worried about her, but had she not considered what Lin Yun was worrying about?

    Lin Yun took a deep breath, his brow furrowed.

    "If you could handle it well, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten pregnant!"

    He originally thought Qiao Jing only had a hundred-day marriage contract and would divorce when the time was up, but when heter saw Zhan Qipei appear and they hadn¡¯t divorced yet, he felt an inexplicable sense of crisis.

    When he found out about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy, he felt, for a moment, that he was more sad than angry.

    What was wrong with him?

    Qiao Jing furrowed her eyebrows, her eyes also darkened, she said coldly:

    "Lin Yun, just mind your own business. I know my own limits, and don¡¯t go spreading the word about my pregnancy."

    She knew the kid was worried about her, but this was a bit too much worry.

    If she didn¡¯t make things clear, Lin Yun might keep arguing with her.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lin Yun felt even more aggrieved, but he didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment.

    Seeing this, the manager quickly started to mediate.

    "Miss Qiao, don¡¯t take it too hard, Lin Yun is just too worried about you, and you Lin Yun, Miss Qiao already said she will handle it, and Miss Qiao is older than you, her ability to think through problems is countless times better than yours."

    Qiao Jing shook her head, got off the bed, and started walking out.

    "I have something to do, I¡¯m leaving first."

    Upon hearing this, Lin Yun instinctively followed behind Qiao Jing.

    "Where are you going?"

    Qiao Jing paused her steps, turned around, and nced at Lin Yun.

    "I¡¯m going home."

    After waking up, she called for a taxi nning to go home to rest as staying in the club wasn¡¯t a solution.

    Lin Yun wouldn¡¯t listen to anything and insisted on following Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much more, arrived at the club¡¯s main hall entrance, and found her taxi already waiting at the door.

    She hurriedly walked up, got into the car, and from the rearview mirror, she noticed Lin Yun was still following behind the car.

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly and lowered the car window.

    "No need to see me off; you can go back now."

    After saying this, she raised the car window again.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    The driver started the car and stepped on the gas.

    Lin Yun subconsciously followed a few steps forward, watching the car carrying Qiao Jing gradually move away until it disappeared; he showed no reaction.

    And just after Qiao Jing had left, the previously sunny weather suddenly turned overcast with a sign of impending rain.

    The manager noticed the changing weather and quickly walked up, intending to call Lin Yun back.

    When he reached Lin Yun¡¯s side, what he saw was a dispirited and soulless appearance.

    The manager tried to pull Lin Yun, but he couldn¡¯t move him at all, so he had to speak up:

    "It¡¯s about to rain; hurry back. Miss Qiao has already left, and you haven¡¯t even trained today."

    Lin Yun acted as though he couldn¡¯t hear anything, still standing in the posture he had when watching Qiao Jing leave, his gaze fixed in the direction she had gone, unwilling to retract it.

    Seeing that Lin Yun had turned into a statue, the manager sighed helplessly.

    "Lin Yun, Miss Qiao went home, what are you still doing here? It¡¯s about to rain, you?¡ª"

    Before he could finish his sentence, raindrops unexpectedly began to fall from the sky, immediately hitting the two of them.

    The manager, fearing that his suit would get wet, instinctively ran back, but after only a few steps, he noticed Lin Yun still standing stupidly in the original spot, allowing the rain tosh crazily against him.

    He clicked his tongue in disdain, halted his steps to return, and walked back to Lin Yun¡¯s side, pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and keeping the rain off the tip with his hand.

    After lighting the cigarette, he took out another one and offered it to Lin Yun.

    "Want a smoke?"

    The unresponsive Lin Yun finally moved when he saw the cigarette, ncing sideward at the manager.

    "Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t let us smoke?"

    The manager patted Lin Yun on the shoulder and said:

    "Except for the heartbroken, today I can give you a special pass, but only for one cigarette."

    Upon hearing the manager¡¯s words, Lin Yun, who had been about to take the cigarette, immediately withdrew his hand and angrily retorted:

    "Who said I¡¯m heartbroken? I¡¯m not heartbroken; I haven¡¯t even been in love, okay?"

    The manager smiled silently and shook his head, just standing there watching Lin Yun.

    Lin Yun, annoyed by the manager¡¯s gaze, shoved the offered cigarette away.

    "Take it away! I won¡¯t smoke!"

    The manager smiled, took back the cigarette, and after taking a puff, squinted his eyes and looked into the distance.

    "Lin Yun, heartbreak isn¡¯t such a big deal. When I was your age, I, too, had a crush on a girl. I was afraid she¡¯d reject me, so I never confessed. Eventually, she married someone else."

    Lin Yun was stunned, following up on the manager¡¯s words.

    "And then what?"

    The manager chuckled.

    "What else could there be? She got married. Sure, I was sad for a while, butter I thought it over and realized it wasn¡¯t such a big deal. After all, I didn¡¯t even have the courage to confess, so it serves me right that she became someone else¡¯s wife. I¡¯ve moved on long ago."

    At this point, the manager paused, cing his hand on Lin Yun¡¯s arm.

    "You should too. She¡¯s married with children now, you can¡¯t disturb her anymore."

 Chapter 615 - 604: Qiao Jing Walks into the Tigeréˆ¥æªš Den?

    <h4>Chapter 615: Chapter 604: Qiao Jing Walks into the Tiger¡¯s Den?</h4>

    After hearing the manager¡¯s words, Lin Yun fell silent for a while. The rain had already soaked his hair, blurring his vision as he watched Qiao Jing leave.

    He clenched his fists tightly. The cold rainwater drenched not only his body but also his heart.

    "What do you mean ¡¯see it clearly¡¯? I¡¯ve already said, I don¡¯t like Qiao Jing! How could I possibly like her?"

    Why did he have to be like this?

    What did Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy have to do with him?

    How could he possibly like Qiao Jing?

    The manager put away the smile on his face and dropped his cigarette to the ground, stamping out the burning end.

    "Can you put your hand on your heart and say you don¡¯t like Qiao Jing?"

    If someone else couldn¡¯t see it, he thought that was normal, since Lin Yun was always speaking harshly to Qiao Jing, making various jokes.

    But he was well into his thirties, how could he not see through Lin Yun¡¯s true feelings?

    Lin Yun was startled for a moment, slowly raised his hand, and ced it on his chest, feeling his heartbeat.

    Did he not like Qiao Jing?

    Maybe he did like her...?

    Maybe he didn¡¯t like her, after all, Qiao Jing was so naive, a few words from someone could easily carry her away. He despised women that foolish.

    The manager, seeing Lin Yun¡¯s silent manner, sighed and gently patted him on the shoulder twice.

    "Think it over yourself. I¡¯m not going to stand here in the rain with you. This suit of mine is quite expensive."

    Just as he was about to reach the entrance of the hall, he heard Lin Yun nearly shout a phrase.

    "I don¡¯t like Qiao Jing! When I say I don¡¯t like her, I mean it!"

    The manager couldn¡¯t help but show a smile of resignation.

    "Alright, alright, you don¡¯t like her, you don¡¯t like her. Are you satisfied now? Come back soon after you¡¯re done getting drenched, don¡¯t dy training!"

    "I¡ª" Lin Yun wanted to say something more, but the manager had alreadypletely left.

    He sighed, looked up at the sky, feeling an indescribable emptiness within.

    The next day at noon.

    Just after Qiao Jing got off work, she received a phone call. She nced at the caller ID¡ªWu Xirui.

    She pressed to answer, and before the other party could speak, she said:

    "A follow-up appointment?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Wu Xirui was startled, then chuckled.

    "Can we start with some small talk next time we call? Why so straightforward?"

    Qiao Jing slightly frowned and slowly spoke.

    "We have nothing to small talk about, where is the follow-up appointment?"

    She would normally exchange pleasantries with other patients, but with Wu Xirui, she¡¯d rather not.

    Because Wu Xirui was different from other patients. If Qipei knew about it, that jealous man would surely get jealous again, but he wouldn¡¯t say anything because it was about her medical condition.

    This thought startled Qiao Jing¡ªwhy did she suddenly think of Qipei, that incarnation of jealousy?

    She immediately withdrew her thoughts, pushing the emerging image of Qipei to the back of her mind.

    On the other end of the call, Wu Xirui¡¯s lips curved up, his fingers rhythmically tapping on the desk.

    "Why so cold? You don¡¯t even want to chat a bit? Aren¡¯t we friends?"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly, not bothering to engage with Wu Xirui, preparing to hang up the phone.

    Realizing that Qiao Jing was about to end the call, Wu Xirui quickly spoke before she could hang up:

    "Come to mypany."

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "Hmm," then hung up the phone and headed to Wu Xirui¡¯spany.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Nanqing, overhearing the words "follow-up appointment," became instantly alert.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re going for a follow-up with Wu Xirui?"

    Anyone who could call Qiao Jing about a follow-up appointment was likely Wu Xirui.

    She had to go over and see for herself!

    Qiao Jing nodded, taking off her coat.

    "Yes, it¡¯s for his follow-up visit."

    Zhan Nanqing watched Qiao Jing suspiciously non-stop, and nced at the phone she had just switched off.

    "Are you going to Wonderful Hall? I¡¯m going there too!"

    Qiao Jing helplessly looked at Zhan Nanqing, whose face was full of suspicion, and said while walking out:

    "Not to Wonderful Hall, I am going to hispany."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing instantly widened her eyes.

    "What? To hispany? Then I must go and see for myself!"

    If Qiao Jing went there, it was like amb walking into a tiger¡¯s den!

    Well, not that Qiao Jing was amb, but¡ªit just didn¡¯t feel safe!

    Qiao Jing paused, turning back to nce at Zhan Nanqing who followed behind her.

    "It¡¯s hispany, he won¡¯t let you in."

    After all, thest time at Wonderful Hall, Zhan Nanqing and Wu Xirui had an unpleasant encounter.

    Even if it hadn¡¯t happened, Wu Xirui certainly would not let a member of the Zhan family into hispany.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing pouted andined:

    "Psh, what¡¯s he so proud of? If you weren¡¯t going there for his follow-up, I wouldn¡¯t bother visiting hispany! Does he think hispany is that important? My brother¡¯spany is a hundred times better than his!"

    Qiao Jing smiled helplessly and left Zhan Nanqing at the institute.

    "Alright, just focus on your work at the institute."

    Unwillingly, Zhan Nanqing muttered an "Okay," and finally let Qiao Jing leave.

    Inside the office.

    Qiao Jing sat down in front of Wu Xirui but noticed that he showed no intention of reaching out his hand.

    She furrowed her brows and slightly parted her red lips.

    "Isn¡¯t it time for the follow-up?"

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Wu Xirui¡¯s peach blossom eyes curved, his smile widening.

    "The follow-up is necessary, but didn¡¯t I mention it over the phone? We are friends. It¡¯s been a while since west met, why not have a chat first?"

    Today, since Zhan Nanqing had note to disturb him, he definitely needed to seize the opportunity to be alone with Qiao Jing and try to get closer.

    Otherwise, he worried that the longer Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei spent time together, the harder it would be to drive a wedge between them.

    Silently, Qiao Jing twitched the corner of her mouth and darkened her look.

    "I said, I am here for the follow-up, not to chat."

    She wouldn¡¯t discuss other matters during a medical consultation, and as for the chat, she wasn¡¯t interested.

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t reply to Qiao Jing, nor did he extend his hand, just smiling at her amiably.

    Qiao Jing nced at the current time and said coldly:

    "One minute."

    She would not waste her time with Wu Xirui; if he really did not want the follow-up, that¡¯s fine, she could just go home and rest.

    Wu Xirui raised his eyebrows, nced at the clock on the wall, trying to talk more with Qiao Jing within that minute.

    "Qiao Jing, I remember we were friends first, and then doctor and patient, right? Since when did you start distancing yourself from me? Is it because of Zhan Qipei?"

    His purpose in approaching Qiao Jing was to snatch her away from Zhan Qipei, and if Qiao Jing was reluctant to talk more now, he would have even less of a chance to make his move.

    Qiao Jing looked straight at Wu Xirui, her cool eyes carrying a touch of aloofness.

    "It has nothing to do with him. I don¡¯t want to dy the follow-up. If you don¡¯t want it now, then find me another time."

    Wu Xirui¡¯s smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal before Qiao Jing lost patience, finally extending his hand.

    "Let¡¯s proceed with the follow-up first, we can chat after that."

    Just as Qiao Jing¡¯s fingertips were about to touch Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse, the office door suddenly opened.

 Chapter 616 - 605: Using Qiao Jing to Hurt Zhan Qipei

    <h4>Chapter 616: Chapter 605: Using Qiao Jing to Hurt Zhan Qipei</h4>

    The assistant hurried in, sweating with urgency, and looked at Wu Xirui.

    "Fifth Master, there¡¯s a problem with a project, and the other party is asking us toe over for a meeting right now."

    Upon hearing the assistant¡¯s words, Wu Xirui furrowed his brows, and his smile faded slightly.

    "Which partnership?"

    He had finally gotten some alone time with Qiao Jing; he wouldn¡¯t go unless it was an important partnership.

    The assistant answered anxiously:

    "It¡¯s¡ª"

    Before he could finish speaking, he realized Qiao Jing was still in the office and nced at her with some difficulty.

    After catching the assistant¡¯s nce, Qiao Jing stood up with an indifferent expression, ready to leave the office.

    "You two talk, I¡¯lle back for a follow-up next time."

    But before she could take a step, she heard the sound of Wu Xirui rising to his feet.

    "Wait."

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows instinctively, sidestepping, and sessfully avoiding the hand Wu Xirui tried to grab her with.

    Wu Xirui grasped at air, pausing briefly before quickly regaining hisposure and looking at Qiao Jing with a smiling eye.

    "No need to go, just sit here."

    After saying this, Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze darkened, and he nced at the assistant by his side.

    He wanted Qiao Jing to know he trusted her, perhaps to use it as a way to draw closer to her, and besides, the recent projects had no secrets; discussing them in front of Qiao Jing would be harmless.

    The assistant realized his mistake and quickly lowered his head.

    Qiao Jing knit her brows together and slowly spoke:

    "We¡¯ll do the follow-up next time."

    Even though Wu Xirui was showing trust in her, she didn¡¯t need his trust. She had no interest in Wu Xirui¡¯spany¡¯s projects nor in staying to listen to their conversation.

    The only reason she treated Wu Xirui was because of a promise.

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to leave, Wu Xirui quickly stepped forward to stop her.

    "No need to wait for next time, you can follow-up after the assistant and I discuss this matter."

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly and nced at the distressed assistant.

    "Then you go ahead with your work, and I¡¯ll wait outside."

    Wu Xirui, still blocking Qiao Jing¡¯s way, gave the assistant a meaningful nce.

    The assistant immediately understood Wu Xirui¡¯s intent and began to speak as if no one else were there:

    "It¡¯s the partnership in West City. Theirpany¡¯s boss is already waiting at Frank Restaurant; they want us to be there before two o¡¯clock."

    After hearing the assistant¡¯s words, Wu Xirui¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, the smile deepening on his face, then he turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing, since you¡¯vee today, let¡¯s do the follow-up before you leave."

    If he remembered correctly, his subordinates had told him that Zhan Qipei was also discussing a partnership at this restaurant today, and they had already started.

    If he went there now, he might just encounter Zhan Qipeiing out after finishing their meeting. If he could bring Qiao Jing along and create some misunderstanding between these two, that would be ideal.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, casting a casual nce at the clock on the wall, and noted it was already half-past one.

    "Don¡¯t you have a work meeting? Wouldn¡¯t it be okay to take time for a follow-up next time?"

    Moreover, Wu Xirui¡¯spany was precisely a half-hour¡¯s drive from Frank Restaurant. If they left now, they would just make it, but a follow-up would surely not just take a few minutes since she also needed to write a prescription.

    She didn¡¯t want to interrupt someone else¡¯s work, and there was no pressing need for the follow-up to be done today.

    Now Wu Xirui¡¯s insistence on having the follow-up today struck her as strange.

    Wu Xirui furrowed his brows, feigning concern for Qiao Jing.

    "Since you¡¯vee all the way here, I won¡¯t make you take a trip for nothing, and I¡¯ve been quite busytely. If we wait until next time for the follow-up, I don¡¯t know when that will be, and I¡¯m afraid the longer we postpone it, the worse it might be for your health."

    He had to bring Qiao Jing to that restaurant today, otherwise, his n would be difficult to carry out.

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment and raised her eyes to Wu Xirui.

    "But don¡¯t you have a cooperation talk? How could I give you a follow-up check-up?"

    She indeed considered Wu Xirui¡¯s cardiac condition. The longer the follow-up was dyed, the worse it would be; otherwise, if something unexpected happened and it wasn¡¯t detected in time, it could potentially cost a life.

    So she thought it wouldn¡¯t be a problem toe back for a follow-up tomorrow or the day after. However, after hearing that Wu Xirui was busy with work and couldn¡¯t confirm the time for the next follow-up, she hesitated.

    Wu Xirui caught Qiao Jing¡¯s hesitation, a glint of shrewdness shed in his eyes, which he hid with a smile before she could see it.

    "Why don¡¯t youe to the restaurant with me? The cooperation talk will be quick. You¡¯ll just need to wait for me for a while, and I¡¯ll treat you to a meal in the process."

    After hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s words, Qiao Jing pursed her lips in silence for a moment before slowly speaking.

    "Are you sure it¡¯s just for a while?"

    She could wait for Wu Xirui for a while, but she did not want to go there and end up waiting for several hours, as that would be a waste of time.

    Wu Xirui nodded his head and nced sideways at his assistant.

    The assistant understood, quickly opened the office door, and made a gesture of invitation.

    "Miss Qiao, this cooperation isn¡¯t thatplicated. It just needs Fifth Master¡¯s presence and a few words."

    Wu Xirui smiled contentedly, and then his gaze fixed intently on Qiao Jing.

    "Shall we go now?"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly and hummed an affirmative.

    "There¡¯s no need for a meal. I¡¯ll wait in the lobby."

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t mind this detail and followed behind Qiao Jing, taking a step.

    What he cared about was whether he could let Zhan Qipei see what he wanted him to see at the time. He had been worried that if he was inside a private room with Qiao Jing, it would be difficult for Zhan Qipei to witness the scene he intended.

    But if they were in the lobby, that would be perfect. Zhan Qipei would encounter them right when he came out of the private room.

    Inside Frank Restaurant.

    Qiao Jing sat on the sofa, boredly unlocked her phone, and started scrolling through today¡¯s news.

    She deliberately checked the time earlier. She would give Wu Xirui only ten minutes to wrap up the cooperation. If he didn¡¯te out for her follow-up after ten minutes, she would leave directly.

    Soon, she caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye.

    Qiao Jing thought she might have seen wrong, squinted her eyes slightly, then looked at the time in the upper left corner of her phone again.

    She knit her brows, a hint of confusion floating in her eyes.

    It had only been five minutes, and Wu Xirui was already done?

    What kind of cooperation could be settled so quickly?

    However, this was not the point. The point was the way Wu Xirui looked at the moment; he seemed somewhat hurried.

    When Wu Xirui saw Qiao Jing sitting on the sofa, he slowed his steps a bit, appearing more at ease.

    He then sat down beside Qiao Jing and ced two sses of red wine on the table.

    So that was why he had seemed a bit rushed when he approached.

    "We can do the follow-up now."

    Qiao Jing looked at Wu Xirui with confusion, her gazending on the two sses of red wine.

    "Why did you bring out red wine?"

    She was here for a follow-up, not to drink with Wu Xirui. Moreover, she couldn¡¯t drink alcohol.

    Wu Xirui nced at the clock intentionally or unintentionally, the corners of his peach blossom eyes curving.

    "I was worried you might be thirsty, so I brought out a ss of red wine for you."

    After saying this, he took a sip of the red wine, timing it perfectly.

    Now is the time!

 Chapter 617 - 606: Zhan Qipei Witnesses the Scene

    <h4>Chapter 617: Chapter 606: Zhan Qipei Witnesses the Scene</h4>

    Wu Xirui immediately clutched his chest, feigning a look of unbearable pain on his face. The wine ss in his hand slipped and smashed onto the floor, emitting a crisp sound.

    Shards of ss scattered everywhere, and the dark red wine spread along the ss fragments on the floor, blossoming into eerie blood-red flowers.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected anything like this to happen. After freezing for a second, she quickly regained herposure and leaned towards Wu Xirui, cing her hands near several acupoints on his chest and gently pressing down.

    "What¡¯s the matter, did you smoke when you went in?"

    This was clearly Wu Xirui¡¯s usual reaction when his illness acted up, but having an attack here was inconvenient¡ªthere was nowhere to perform acupuncture, and the crowded, bustling environment was far from quiet.

    Wu Xirui, pretending to be in distress, shook his head, and a cold sweat began to form on his forehead.

    "Just one puff... only took one puff..."

    He had just received the news while in the private room that Zhan Qipei had finished discussing a partnership and was heading out, so he immediately left that deal behind and rushed out.

    He had timed everything so that just as Qiao Jing was pressing his acupoints, Zhan Qipei would arrive in the lobby and witness the scene of Qiao Jing giving him the massage.

    By then, Zhan Qipei would surely suspect that something intimate happened between him and Qiao Jing, leading to a fierce argument.

    No man could ever ept the betrayal of his woman, not even the slightest hint of flirting with another man, and Zhan Qipei was no different¡ªin fact, even more so.

    Upon learning that Wu Xirui had smoked, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows tightly furrowed, and she said in a cold voice,

    "Lie down."

    She had to press a few acupoints on Wu Xirui first to alleviate his condition. Otherwise, it would certainly get worse.

    The scene attracted the attention of passersby, who cast curious nces their way.

    The waiter, seeing this, immediately came over to inquire.

    "Hello, what happened here? Can I help you with anything? Do you need an ambnce?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s actions paused as she nced at the waiter beside her.

    "Not for now."

    If her acupoint pressing could alleviate Wu Xirui¡¯s symptoms, there was no need for a hospital. They could find a quiet ceter for acupuncture treatment.

    The waiter looked worriedly at the two, hesitated for a moment but seeing they knew each other, he retreated.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei and his business partners walked from the private room to the lobby.

    Zhan Qipei was just about to take out his phone to message Qiao Jing when he heard his business associate¡¯s voice, tinged with shock.

    "President Zhan, is that... over there..."

    The business associate didn¡¯t dare to speak recklessly in front of Zhan Qipei and squinted for a good while to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things. Only then did he continue.

    "Isn¡¯t that President Wu and... uh... your wife?"

    He wouldn¡¯t dare to speak carelessly before confirming their identities, only speaking to Zhan Qipei after being certain.

    After all, Zhan Qipei had brought Qiao Jing to several gatherings before, and most people in the circle recognized them, including himself, hence he could identify Qiao Jing.

    But now... what was Qiao Jing doing pressing Wu Xirui¡¯s chest?

    Upon hearing his associate¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and looked up towards the sofa.

    Seeing Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui together, his dark eyes instantly grew stormy.

    He narrowed his dark eyes slightly, his gaze lingering on Qiao Jing¡¯s hands for a few seconds, before he took long strides and walked briskly towards the sofa.

    The business associate, noticing the scene, showed an awkward yet polite smile.

    "President Zhan, I¡¯m leaving first..."

    He didn¡¯t dare to stick around for this kind of spectacle.

    Zhan Qipei nodded expressionlessly, his face so gloomy it seemed like it could drip water.

    When Wu Xirui saw Zhan Qipei approaching with a darkened face, he slightly curled up the corners of his mouth.

    He knew that Zhan Qipei would definitely encounter this scene, his goal was about to be achieved!

    Qiao Jing was concentrating on pressing Wu Xirui¡¯s acupoints,pletely unaware of someone approaching her.

    After she simply pressed on two acupoints, just as she was about to ask Wu Xirui how he felt, the hand she had on his chest was suddenly seized by a pair of strong and powerful hands.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and looked sideways at the person.

    Seeing who it was, a look of astonishment appeared on her face, but she didn¡¯t forget that Wu Xirui was ill at the moment.

    She just nced at Zhan Qipei and then withdrew her gaze, speaking indifferently to exin,

    "Wu Xirui is having an attack."

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was about to continue pressing Wu Xirui¡¯s acupoints, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, thick and fog-like, and without another word, pulled the woman to his side.

    After being interrupted, a sense of urgency tinged Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes and brows.

    "Zhan Qipei, I¡¯m treating a patient."

    She didn¡¯t want Zhan Qipei to be irrationally jealous for no reason and to interfere with her treating a patient. If so, that man would be far too irrational.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze darkened, and he looked at Wu Xirui with a scrutinizing eye, speaking coldly,

    "He¡¯s pretending. Regardless, I¡¯ve already called an ambnce for him, you don¡¯t have to worry about it."

    Don¡¯t think he wasn¡¯t aware that during today¡¯s cooperation talk, there was someone who had a bit of a connection with Wu Xirui.

    He hadn¡¯t thought much of it initially, but when he came out, he happened to encounter Wu Xirui having an attack, and coincidentally, Qiao Jing was also there, which made him feel a bit strange.

    But these were not the main reasons he concluded that Wu Xirui was feigning illness; rather, it was the smirk he had glimpsed on Wu Xirui¡¯s face a moment ago.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and cast an inquiring look at Wu Xirui.

    If Wu Xirui was faking it, then it was incredibly convincing, because she had initiated emergency measures before even getting a chance to take his pulse.

    However, if it was pretend, then it fit with the doubts she had observed earlier.

    As for why Wu Xirui would feign an attack...

    At this thought, her eyes fell on Zhan Qipei, who was standing beside her with a gloomy face.

    It was likely to make Zhan Qipei see it.

    Zhan Qipei shielded Qiao Jing behind him, the temperature around him dropping sharply, as if he could freeze everything in the air.

    His expressionless gaze fixed on Wu Xirui, a powerful sense of oppression radiating from him, like a sharp de attacking the other man.

    "Wu Xirui, if you¡¯re a man, we¡¯ll settle our issues between us. Don¡¯t involve others, especially Qiao Jing."

    He knew Wu Xirui¡¯s purpose in doing this was nothing but the business with the youngdy and the Zhan Family. When the other party returned to the country, he had already prepared himself.

    He would never let his issues with Wu Xirui affect Qiao Jing, nor would he allow Wu Xirui to deliberately approach Qiao Jing and do anything to harm her.

    Furthermore, Wu Xirui¡¯s actions today wouldn¡¯t make him misunderstand Qiao Jing; he and Qiao Jing had long established a trust that needed no exnations, and he wouldn¡¯t get jealous over these few images.

 Chapter 618 - 607: Are You Angry?

    <h4>Chapter 618: Chapter 607: Are You Angry?</h4>

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Wu Xirui curved his lips upward, slowly sitting up from the sofa without feeling the slightest impact from the intimidating aura exuding from the other person.

    He lifted a hand to yfully toss the strands of hair hanging in front of his eyes upwards, fully revealing his charming, peach blossom eyes as he watched the two people before him with a smiling gaze.

    "Zhan Qipei, the matter between us isn¡¯t so simple. Qiao Jing merely pressed a few acupoints for me, and you use me of faking illness? Do I look like I have nothing better to do? If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing¡¯s massage and treatment just now, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to get up."

    He knew that Zhan Qipei had seen through him, but he couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing know he was deceiving her; otherwise, the distance between him and her would grow even further.

    As for what Zhan Qipei said...

    Hah!

    He wasn¡¯t going to let this situation resolve so easily.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her fine, mist-like eyebrows, her gaze steadily fixed on Wu Xirui¡¯s face.

    Regardless of whether Wu Xirui was genuinely ill or not, at least he could sit up now, proving that he was alright.

    But she disliked any patient faking illness, especially since Wu Xirui¡¯s intention was to use her. She would not be a tool for others to exploit, no matter who it was.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips were tightly closed, forming an uncurved line of coldness, as he cast a cold sidelong nce at Wu Xirui. Without saying another word, he quickly left with Qiao Jing in tow.

    Qiao Jing could feel the pair of hands holding hers gradually tightening, and Zhan Qipei was walking very fast. She surmised that the man was angry and simply followed him along.

    Seated on the sofa, Wu Xirui silently watched the retreating figures of the two, a sneering smile always on his lips. However, seeing Qiao Jing unquestioningly follow Zhan Qipei, his slightly squinted pupils couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly.

    His gaze fell on their tightly sped hands, and heughed softly to himself.

    "Heh!"

    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Jing¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight that he picked up the red wine ss belonging to Qiao Jing from the table, swirled it in his hand a few times, and suddenly gulped down a mouthful of wine.

    After he drank the wine, he set his gaze on the wine ss in his hand. Recalling that it was specially prepared for Qiao Jing to create a date-like atmosphere, which hadn¡¯te into y, he burst outughing.

    "Ha ha ha!"

    It seemed... he needed to put in more effort regarding Qiao Jing!

    The waiter, who had been full of concern, jumped in fright at this scene and hastily stepped back several paces.

    He had already been intimidated by President Zhan¡¯s formidable presence and had stiffened in ce, not daring to move. Now that the man had finally left, before he could even sigh in relief, he saw Fifth Master suddenly erupt with loudughter here.

    His fragile nerves couldn¡¯t take such turmoil, so he made his escape.

    Outside the door.

    When Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei had no intention of stopping, she knitted her brows slightly.

    "Zhan Qipei, let go of my hand first."

    Her wrist was being held too tightly by Zhan Qipei,

    Only then did Zhan Qipeie to his senses and immediately let go of the hand he was holding, lowering his gaze to the woman.

    Suddenly, he noticed that the delicate and fair wrist of Qiao Jing was now marked with a red ring from his grasp.

    A look of distressed guilt surfaced on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face as he lowered his gaze, gingerly lifting Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist that he had reddened.

    "I¡¯m sorry..."

    He had been too angry just now,pletely unaware that he was exerting too much force.

    It was his fault that he had inadvertently hurt Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing shook her head and withdrew her hand from Zhan Qipei, casually rubbing the reddened wrist with her other hand.

    "It¡¯s fine, are you angry?"

    Although Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t said a word all the way, she could feel the atmosphere around him.

    Furthermore, Zhan Qipei had even forgotten to control his strength when holding her hand, clearly indicating that he was indeed very angry, perhaps about her contact with Wu Xirui.

    But she didn¡¯t think that there was anything wrong with her pressing Wu Xirui¡¯s acupoints; regardless of whether he was pretending or not, as a doctor, she would provide treatment immediately.

    However, it was indeed an oversight on her part not to have taken Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse before administering treatment.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s furrowed brows slightly rxed.

    "Yes, but I¡¯m not angry with you."

    Faced with a look of confusion from Qiao Jing, she was about to ask who the man was angry with when he spoke up.

    "I¡¯m angry with myself."

    Qiao Jing was even more puzzled, her red lips parting slightly.

    "Why are you angry with yourself?"

    She thought that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t done anything wrong either; he didn¡¯t entangle himself with Wu Xirui unduly and had made it clear where he stood, which was the right choice.

    She had been somewhat angry earlier, thinking that Zhan Qipei was jealous again and wanted to interrupt her patient treatment.

    But when she spected that there might be another possibility for the whole incident, her anger faded away.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes dimmed, and he barely opened his thin lips.

    "I didn¡¯t handle Wu Xirui¡¯s matter well, leading to it affecting you, and I identally exerted too much force just now, hurting you."

    He needed to speed up dealing with Wu Xirui¡¯s affairs because the other party¡¯s strength was not to be underestimated, causing his own progress to be a bit slow.

    But progress was being made on his end, and he was gradually taking over Wu Xirui¡¯s influence within the country.

    As long as Wu Xirui lost his domestic influence, he would surely return to develop overseas and would no longer stay in the country.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to be angry over such a matter and said, somewhat amused:

    "It hasn¡¯t affected me."

    The image of Zhan Qipei standing in front of her and uttering those words shed through her mind, prompting a helpless smile.

    After this incident, piecing together previous events, she realized that when facing issues, Zhan Qipei would asionally stand by her side, tackling the problems together with her, giving her a sense of fighting shoulder to shoulder.

    But more often, he liked to shield her, wanting to block all troubles for her, showing how much he wanted her to rely on him.

    A soft spot in her heart was touched, stirring a ripple in the depths of her eyes.

    If she ever felt tired, Zhan Qipei¡¯s shoulders could indeed provide her with a bit of rest, for he was strong enough.

    As this thought crossed her mind, Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s furrowed brows and instinctively ced her hand on his forehead.

    By the time she realized what she was doing, she had already begun trying to smooth out the "twist" in his brows.

    Startled, Qiao Jing wanted to withdraw her hands, but Zhan Qipei quickly caught her wrist and, following her actions, finally fully unraveled his furrowed brows.

    At the same time, a heavy rain began to fall from the sky, droplets beating down on them one by one, quickly soaking their clothes.

    Qiao Jing originally intended to go to the restaurant to grab a spare umbre, only to find that the umbres prepared for guests had all been taken.

    Just as she took out her phone to call for a taxi, Zhan Qipei did something that took her by surprise.

 Chapter 619 - 608: Qiao Jing, Help Me Wipe It

    <h4>Chapter 619: Chapter 608: Qiao Jing, Help Me Wipe It</h4>

    Zhan Qipei actually took off the western suit jacket he was wearing and held it over her head?

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment, ncing up at the personally tailored suit above her head with a puzzled face, looking towards Zhan Qipei.

    "What are you doing?"

    Please don¡¯t tell her that Zhan Qipei wanted her to use his suit jacket to shield herself from the rain.

    If she remembered correctly, that suit jacket was the one Zhan Qipei wore most often, which showed how much the man liked it. And now he was using it to keep her from the rain?

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and then his lips curled into a smile.

    "The car is across the street, I¡¯ll hold the jacket for you as we go."

    He would never allow Qiao Jing to get drenched. It was just a jacket, after all.

    As for why he would prefer to brave the rain to take Qiao Jing home now, it was naturally because he did not want to bump into Wu Xirui, did not want the other man to take another nce at Qiao Jing.

    Moreover, the car was just across the street, not too far, so he could ensure that a majority of Qiao Jing¡¯s clothing stayed dry.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t quite understand Zhan Qipei¡¯s actions, slowly furrowing her brows.

    "Why rush through the rain? We can wait a while, until the rain stops."

    She really did not want to use Zhan Qipei¡¯s suit jacket as an umbre. It felt somewhat odd in a way she couldn¡¯t quite articte.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell upon the entrance of the hall behind them, furrowing his brow again.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, followed where he was looking, and saw that he was looking in the direction of the hall.

    She immediately understood Zhan Qipei¡¯s intention and pulled the corners of her mouth helplessly.

    "What about you?"

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s appearance, she estimated he intended to let himself get soaking wet, while instead having her leave alone holding the suit jacket.

    In fact, she didn¡¯t really mind Wu Xirui¡¯s presence, but Zhan Qipei did.

    She had never experienced a man holding his jacket over her head as an umbre, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit curious about it.

    Just then, Qiao Jing suddenly saw a couple nearby. The guy took off his jacket, holding it over both their heads, and they dashed out into the rain to get into a taxi.

    After watching this scene, Qiao Jing felt an impulse stirring within her and looked up at the man in front of her.

    Zhan Qipei had also observed this, and the smile on his lips deepened. He held the jacket over Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    "I don¡¯t need it, the jacket is just to shelter you from the rain."

    After saying this, he took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and walked forward a few steps.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Qiao Jing nodded, and just before darting into the rain, she took the opportunity when Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t paying attention to cover both of their heads with the jacket.

    "Now we can go."

    Zhan Qipei was taken aback, not expecting Qiao Jing to cover his head as well.

    But now that it was already draped over his head, it wasn¡¯t convenient to just remove it. He simply tilted the jacket as much as possible towards Qiao Jing¡¯s side. Even if his own clothes got wet patch by patch, he didn¡¯t care at all.

    They hadn¡¯t walked far before a waiter, holding an umbre, rushed out of the restaurant and began searching the crowd for Zhan Qipei.

    He looked around amongst the crowd seeking shelter from the rain for a long time but couldn¡¯t find Zhan Qipei, murmuring in confusion,

    "Where¡¯s President Zhan? Wasn¡¯t he just here?"

    He had noticed that the umbre stand at the entrance was empty, so ran back to the storeroom to get one. But when he came out, President Zhan was nowhere to be seen?

    Just as he was muttering to himself and turning around, he bumped into Wu Xirui, who had juste out of the hall.

    The waiter was startled, once again picturing the scene of Wu Xiruiughing uproariously on the sofa, and couldn¡¯t help but shudder all over.

    "Fi... Fi-Fi-Fifth Master..."

    Had it not been for Wu Xirui¡¯s identity, he would have regarded the man as a lunatic and called the cops to take him away.

    Laughing out loud for no reason was one thing¡ªhe sometimesughed when he thought of something funny himself¡ªbut the way Wu Xirui had justughed so loudly, almost maniacally, how could a normal person suddenly burst into such raucousughter?

    Wu Xirui paid no attention to the waiter, his gaze piercing like a venomous scorpion, fixated on the retreating figures of Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei in the rain, the smile stiff on his face.

    Things won¡¯t end this simply, Zhan Qipei.

    The waiter was frightened by Wu Xirui¡¯s gloomy expression and gaze, clutching the umbre tightly and subconsciously stepping back a few paces.

    Is this the aura of a big shot... and President Zhan too, he remembered that one look from President Zhan had nearly frozen him on the spot.

    The waiter didn¡¯t dare stay any longer, ready to take his umbre and walk back, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he wanted to see what Wu Xirui was staring at.

    Following Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze, he was shocked to discover the very President Zhan he was looking for, now walking in the rain using his suit jacket as a shield?

    Topletely disregard his image??

    Is this really President Zhan?!

    And President Zhan¡¯s back was almostpletely drenched, yet the woman by his side was well protected, hardly touched by the rain.

    Meanwhile, inside the car.

    Qiao Jing casually brushed off the rainwater on her shoulder, wanting to check if other areas got wet when she noticed that only that spot was damp.

    "Zhan Qipei, how are you doing?"

    She nced sideways at the man next to her, noticing that his white shirt was half-soaked through, with certain parts bing semi-transparent.

    The most striking were Zhan Qipei¡¯s robust pectorals and evenly distributed abs, which were somewhat outlined underneath the white shirt.

    But Zhan Qipei, as if he didn¡¯t feel it at all, started the car.

    "It¡¯s nothing."

    Actually, Qiao Jing was the most important to him; he didn¡¯t mind.

    Qiao Jing, unable to bear looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s clothes any longer, pulled out a few tissues and dropped them on the man¡¯sp.

    "Wipe your clothes."

    Although Zhan Qipei¡¯s shirt was that wet just to shelter her from the rain, she would feel very ufortable sitting all the way with a man who... was essentially wearing an almost non-existent shirt.

    Especially with Zhan Qipei, that dog of a man.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing with confusion, nced down at the tissues on hisp, and suddenly realized that his shirt had turned somewhat transparent after being soaked in the rain.

    His dark eyes dimmed, and he curled up a corner of his mouth, saying indifferently,

    "It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve turned on the air conditioning¡ªit¡¯ll dry soon."

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei had absolutely no intention of wiping his shirt, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    This dog of a man must have seen what his shirt looked like when he looked down. His refusal to wipe it now was definitely deliberate.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing was still staring at him, the emotions deep in his eyes gradually welling up, and his low voice sounded,

    "I¡¯ve thought about it, and it¡¯s probably easier to wipe it down, but it¡¯s not very convenient while I¡¯m driving. Could you help me wipe it?"

    Qiao Jing felt a heavy throbbing in her temples and, toozy to entertain Zhan Qipei, pulled her gaze back.

    Wipe it or not, it¡¯s not her concern¡ªif someone catches a cold, it won¡¯t be her.

 Chapter 620 - 609 Forced into a Blind Date

    <h4>Chapter 620: Chapter 609 Forced into a Blind Date</h4>

    A good night¡¯s dream.

    Fortunately,st night the two of them went back and brewed ginger tea to drink, so they were full of energy the next day.

    Noon.

    After Qiao Jing got off work, she was nning to head over to Wonderful Hall to see patients. Seeing patients was a secondary reason; the main reason was that today Chi Yuhang wasing to pick up his medicine.

    She was worried something likest time would happen, so she went straight to Wonderful Hall to watch Chi Yuhang take the medicine and leave before she could rest easy.

    When Zhan Nanqing saw Qiao Jing preparing to leave, she thought of the patient Wu Xirui, who had called yesterday for a follow-up, and vigntly stopped her.

    "Qiao Jing, where are you going? Let me go with you."

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly and nced back at the documents on the table.

    Before she could ask about the progress of the work, Zhan Nanqing very conscientiously answered.

    "I¡¯ve already finished organizing all the documents I need to deal with today. I can get off work early!"

    Qiao Jing reached out and rubbed her brow, looking at Zhan Nanqing.

    "I¡¯m going to sit in at Wonderful Hall. Are you sure you want toe? Don¡¯t you find it boring at all?"

    She had brought Zhan Nanqing to Wonderful Hall more than once before, and she could clearly sense that Zhan was bored; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be opening her phone and scrolling through videos or watching TV shows.

    She had originally intended to use the tediousness of seeing patients at Wonderful Hall to deter Zhan Nanqing from following her, but to her surprise, not only did Zhan not give up the idea of apanying her, she seemed even more eager.

    Zhan Nanqing also thought about being at Wonderful Hall; if Qiao Jing was busy seeing patients and didn¡¯t have time for her, she would indeed be bored just browsing on her phone.

    But she was worried about Wu Xirui, that thick-skinned man,ing to Wonderful Hall again to look for Qiao Jing. If she wasn¡¯t there, that would be troublesome.

    After all, Wu Xirui¡¯s skin was even thicker than her brother¡¯s, and who knows, if Qiao Jing ignored him, he might just sit there next to her.

    So she made up her mind to go with Qiao Jing.

    "I¡¯m not bored¡ªjust let me go with you, please~"

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing so stubborn, Qiao Jing sighed helplessly.

    "Alright."

    Inside Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing had just sat down when she heard the ringtone of a phone nearby.

    She nced sideways at Zhan Nanqing, who was focused on her phone, noticing her frowning deeply and hesitating to answer the call.

    Qiao Jing looked at her curiously and asked,

    "What¡¯s up? Whose call is it?"

    Zhan Nanqing sighed and hung up the call, tossing her phone aside.

    "My mom¡¯s."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed as she continued to inquire.

    "Why didn¡¯t you answer her call?"

    She rarely saw conflict between the mother and daughter, and since their rtionship was akin to sisters, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s refusal to answer seemed rather unusual.

    Zhan Nanqing propped her cheeks with both hands and sighed deeply again.

    "Why should I answer her calls? Every time I do, she tells me to go on blind dates. Just now, while chatting with her, I don¡¯t know what got into her¡ªdid she read some toxic ¡¯chicken soup for the soul¡¯ or something? She¡¯s insisting I meet these guys and telling me to see more of whoever seems good, urging me to date them, as if scared I won¡¯t be able to marry. But I¡¯m only in my early twenties!"

    She was truly baffled. How could she possibly not get married? What on earth was her mother thinking?

    She had only recently focused on her job instead of going out with friends to parties, and for some reason, this made her mom think she wouldn¡¯t find someone to marry?

    Moreover, in the upper circles of the imperial city, which man did she not know?

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but hook the corner of her lips, looking at her with a mixed expression of amusement and incredulity.

    "She¡¯s worried you won¡¯t be able to get married?"

    She felt that with Zhan Nanqing¡¯s qualifications, there was no possibility she couldn¡¯t get married.

    Furthermore, Zhan Nanqing was still young and didn¡¯t need to be talking about marriage just yet; dating would be fine at this time.

    Zhan Nanqing, upset, pped her thigh andined pointing at her phone,

    "Yeah! How could I not get married! She probably thinks I haven¡¯t been going out with otherstely, which is why she¡¯s like this."

    The phone¡¯s ringtone continued, but Zhan Nanqing showed no intention of answering it until the call hung up automatically. She then let out a sigh of relief.

    "Ah, why does my mom always¡ª"

    Her words were cut short by another burst of ringing from her cellphone.

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at the worried Zhan Nanqing, then nced at the still-ringing phone.

    "You should answer it, or Madam Zhan will keep calling."

    Dragging this on wasn¡¯t helping, and she knew that the Zhan family members were very stubborn. If she didn¡¯t answer, Madam Zhan would persist until the call was picked up.

    Zhan Nanqing then reluctantly grabbed the phone and pressed the answer button.

    "Hello?"

    Qiao Jing had originally wanted to see how Zhan Nanqing would handle the call, but just then, Chi Yuhang came over to pick up his medicine, and she had to divert her attention.

    "Did youe to get your medicine on time this time?"

    After saying that, she handed over the medicine that had already been prepared by her assistant to Chi Yuhang.

    Chi Yuhang scratched his head with a touch of embarrassment, showing a simple and honest smile.

    "Yes, I¡¯m sorry, Doctor Qiao, I really caused you troublest time."

    He paused, looking at Zhan Nanqing who was next to him.

    "Is Miss Zhan¡¯s foot better now?"

    Zhan Nanqing was currently in a heated argument with Su Manhan and didn¡¯t have the time to deal with Chi Yuhang.

    Qiao Jing had no choice but to answer for Zhan Nanqing.

    "It¡¯s better, don¡¯t worry."

    Chi Yuhang finally rxed, and took out a few hundred yuan from his pocket and ced them on the table.

    "Doctor Qiao, is this enough for the medicine? I never got the chance to ask you how much exactly was for my grandfather¡¯s medical fees?"

    Qiao Jing looked at the few hundred yuan on the table and took three one hundred yuan notes.

    "One hundred yuan per prescription, he took medicine three times, so three hundred yuan is enough."

    She didn¡¯t really want to take Chi Yuhang¡¯s money, but considering his personal dignity, she reluctantly epted a token amount.

    Even though the medicine cost far more than three hundred yuan, she didn¡¯t mind.

    Her initial purpose in starting Wonderful Hall was to help others, and being able to assist Chi Yuhang was more than gratifying.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang furrowed his brow and looked down at the medicine in his hands.

    "Doctor Qiao, I hope you¡¯re charging me the correct amount. Are you sure all this medicine is only one hundred yuan?"

    He didn¡¯t want to take undue advantage of Doctor Qiao; he wanted to pay exactly how much it should be.

    He worked so hard at so many jobs just to earn enough for his grandfather¡¯s medical bills. If Doctor Qiao was offering him a discount, he would feel uneasy.

    Qiao Jing pretended to be stern and furrowed her brows, saying coldly,

    "Don¡¯t you trust me?"

    She knew Chi Yuhang wasn¡¯t easily fooled, so she didn¡¯t expect him to believe her simply because she said the medicine was that cheap.

    Qiao Jing nced at the apprentice who was in charge of packing the medicine and slowly began to speak.

    "If you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask him. Besides, you were already getting a discount. That price is final."

    The apprentice immediately caught on and nodded seriously.

    "The price for your medicine is indeed what Doctor Qiao said, she¡¯s not deceiving you."

    In reality, even with a discount, the cost of those medicines could never be one hundred yuan, because all the drugs at Wonderful Hall were top quality, and the purchase costs alone were already high, yet Doctor Qiao sold them for less than cost.

    Chi Yuhang looked skeptically at the apprentice then back at Qiao Jing, choosing to believe them.

    "Alright then, Doctor Qiao, I won¡¯t disturb you any further, I¡¯ll be on my way."

    Qiao Jing nodded, "Hmm," she acknowledged.

    Before Chi Yuhang could turn to leave, everyone present heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯s roar of anger.

 Chapter 621 - 610 I Have a Boyfriend Now

    <h4>Chapter 621: Chapter 610 I Have a Boyfriend Now</h4>

    "Mom! I¡¯ve already said I¡¯m not going on blind dates! I have a boyfriend!!"

    Upon hearing Nanqing say this, Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned before her beautiful eyebrows knit together and she looked up at the other woman.

    She knew Nanqing was too angry and had only said this as an outburst under duress.

    But since Nanqing had made that statement, she would have to face the consequences, such as Su Manhan demanding that Nanqing bring her boyfriend home for a visit, things of that nature.

    And by then, she definitely couldn¡¯t pretend to be a man to help Nanqing anymore, since anyone who spent a lot of time with her would recognize her.

    Nanqing¡¯s call on the other end hadn¡¯t ended yet, and who knew what Su Manhan had said, but it made her even angrier.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll bring him home for you to see! I¡¯m not lying to you, I really do have a boyfriend!"

    After dropping this sentence in a huff, she hung up the phone.

    Chi Yuhang never expected to encounter such a situation either and was now in a dilemma, not knowing whether to stay or go. Tentatively, he greeted Nanqing.

    "Miss Zhan, hello."

    Nanqing was already on edge, and her bristling temper hadn¡¯t had the chance to subside.

    "Hello, my ass! Do I look okay to you?"

    After angrily cursing, she turned and sadly gazed at Qiao Jing, grasping her hand and shaking it.

    "Qiao Jing... what do I do?"

    She only realized her predicament after hanging up the phone. She could pass Qiao Jing off as her boyfriend to others, but that definitely wouldn¡¯t work with her mother.

    Her mother had eagle eyes when it came to these matters, having shown her countless photos of men in these few days, almost like a private detectivepiling all their advantages for her to get to know them better.

    Get to know them, my foot! She had no interest in such worldly desires right now!

    Qiao Jing helplessly tugged at the corner of her mouth, pondering for a moment.

    "I can¡¯t keep pretending to be your boyfriend. You¡¯ll have to find a suitable candidate among your friends to fake being your boyfriend and tide this over for now."

    She had foreseen that Su Manhan would want Nanqing to bring her boyfriend home. Now, there was no other solution but to find someone more skilled.

    Nanqing¡¯s brain was racing, but she couldn¡¯te up with a solution, annoyingly hitting her own mouth.

    "My stupid mouth shouldn¡¯t have bbered..."

    After grumbling this, she then responded to Qiao Jing¡¯s suggestion.

    "No, it won¡¯t work. My mom definitely knows the parents of the guys I know. As soon as she finds out, she¡¯ll rush to their houses and start calling them inws, boasting that if my brother can bloom like an iron tree, why can¡¯t I? I really don¡¯t know what she¡¯s worried about."

    Qiao Jing furrowed her beautiful brows and pursed her red lips.

    "Then you need to find a guy whom Lady Zhan doesn¡¯t know."

    But... as the Lady of the Zhan Family, how many wealthy and noble families in the capital weren¡¯t known to Su Manhan?

    The situation was bing somewhatplicated.

    Nanqing clicked her tongue and paced anxiously.

    "That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s bothering me, boys that my mom doesn¡¯t know... my mom doesn¡¯t know..."

    She searched her mind for a long time but could not think of any such person, severely frustrated, she scratched her hair.

    Just then, she suddenly caught a glimpse of Chi Yuhang from the corner of her eye.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze also fell on Chi Yuhang, and the tightness in her eyebrows finally rxed.

    "Chi Yuhang."

    Nanqing¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, and she rushed over to Yuhang, grabbing his hand.

    "You¡¯re the one!"

    The only boy she knew but her mother didn¡¯t know was Chi Yuhang.

    More importantly, her mother was also unaware of Yuhang¡¯s family background; she wouldn¡¯t be able to barge into his home and cause a scene.

    Choosing Chi Yuhang to pretend to be her boyfriend was just perfect!

    Chi Yuhang had been nning to leave, but after being snapped at by Zhan Nanqing, he forgot and stood still.

    Now, hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, he looked at her, bewildered, and asked:

    "What? What¡¯s up?"

    Qiao Jing watched Zhan Nanqing gripping someone else¡¯s hand tightly and couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit funny.

    "I¡¯ll let Nanqing exin it to you."

    She and Zhan Nanqing had thought of the same person, and indeed, Chi Yuhang was a pretty good choice.

    However, she felt that even if Chi Yuhang refused, judging from the way Zhan Nanqing was desperately clinging to his hand, he would have no choice but to agree.

    Zhan Nanqing coughed and realized she had gotten too excited, so she immediately released Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand, her smile carrying a trace of ingratiating intent.

    "I have a favor to ask you, would you be avable to help?"

    She didn¡¯t know if her harsh words to Chi Yuhang earlier had been taken to heart...

    But now, he was the only one who could help her. Even if he did take it to heart, she could apologize as long as he agreed to pretend to be her boyfriend and deceive her mother.

    Chi Yuhang looked at Zhan Nanqing questioningly; he had overheard the conversation between Qiao Jing and her friends and had a guess when he saw her ask for his help.

    "Miss Zhan... You¡¯re not asking me to pretend to be your boyfriend, are you?"

    "You already know, so why do you need my exnation? Never mind, just tell me if you¡¯ll help or not. Right now, you¡¯re the only one who can."

    If Chi Yuhang refused, she would truly be done for; her mother would surely get angry and then start showing her a bunch of photos, insisting she meet with those people immediately.

    Chi Yuhang looked at Zhan Nanqing ufortably and tactfully declined.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Zhan, I can¡¯t help with this."

    He was well aware of his status, which was nowhere near Zhan Nanqing¡¯s level. It wasn¡¯t just a difference between heaven and earth; the gap between them had stretched into outer space.

    Hecked the ability and courage to impersonate the daughter of the Zhan Family.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing stomped her foot in frustration, pointing at her foot, which she had injured some time ago:

    "Chi Yuhang, you remember how I hurt my foot, right? When it happened, you didn¡¯tpensate me, nor did you even bring a fruit basket to visit me. Are you really unwilling to do this favor for me now?"

    She had no choice but to use this threat on Chi Yuhang. It was indeed the most effective since her foot had been injured because of him. She couldn¡¯t believe he would refuse to help!

    When Chi Yuhang saw Zhan Nanqing¡¯s injured foot, a wave of guilt surged within him.

    "Then I will go buy a fruit basket for you right now, just wait here for me."

    After bringing Zhan Nanqing back home, he had indeed left immediately without taking her to the hospital, and due to work, he had not visited her since, which was admittedly wrong of him.

    But there were reasons for that; he had taken on several temporary jobs all at once before the incident and was terribly busy, which led to the dy.

    Hearing Chi Yuhang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but snort softly and looked at him.

    "Nanqing doesn¡¯t want a fruit basket; she wants your help."

    She really hadn¡¯t expected Chi Yuhang to be so blunt, straight-up offering to bring a fruit basket back for Zhan Nanqing.

    Zhan Nanqing was almost made speechless by Chi Yuhang¡¯s blunt behavior; she pinched the philtrum under her nose to avoid fainting from anger.

    "Exactly! I don¡¯t want your fruit basket. Is it so hard to pretend to be my boyfriend for a little bit? It won¡¯t take much of your time!"

    Chi Yuhang looked down at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s previously injured foot and hesitated as he looked at the two women.

    Was he... really suitable to impersonate Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend?

    Could he really help with this favor?

    No, no, that¡¯s not right. How could someone like him be of any help with this favor?

    Dressed in these cheap market stall clothes, he would feel insecure merely entering the Zhan family¡¯s residence, let alone pretending to be Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend.

    Just as he was about to refuse, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang.

 Chapter 622 - 611: Who Exactly Should We Ask for Help?

    <h4>Chapter 622: Chapter 611: Who Exactly Should We Ask for Help?</h4>

    Qiao Jing nced at the caller ID and found it was Su Manhan¡¯s call.

    A trace of confusion appeared in her eyes. Su Manhan had just had a quarrel with Zhan Nanqing, what could she want by calling her now?

    Could it be about Zhan Nanqing bringing her boyfriend over?

    Qiao Jing quickly tapped to answer the call.

    "Madam Zhan, what¡¯s up?"

    Zhan Nanqing, who had been chattering non-stop around Chi Yuhang, fell silent instantly when she heard how Qiao Jing addressed the caller.

    She let go of Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand, lightened her footsteps, and came beside Qiao Jing, leaning in close to listen to Su Manhan¡¯s words.

    Qiao Jing saw Zhan Nanqing sticking so close to her, desperately trying to listen to the call, and couldn¡¯t help but pull a wry smile.

    She had no choice but to turn on the speakerphone, that made Zhan Nanqing step back a little.

    Su Manhan¡¯s excited voice rose, her joy perceptible even through the phone.

    "Qiao Jing, Nanqing is bringing her boyfriend home tomorrow. You should alsoe back to Purple Garden tomorrow, and we can check him out together. This child really, I introduced her to so many people, how could she not be interested in any of them? Turns out she had a boyfriend all along, and she kept it from me."

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes widened, and she couldn¡¯t help but interject:

    "When did I say I would bring him home tomorrow? I just agreed to it, without setting a specific time!"

    She hadn¡¯t yet reached an agreement with Chi Yuhang; how could she bring him home so soon?

    And she didn¡¯t even know if Chi Yuhang was willing to help her. If he wouldn¡¯t help her, she had no idea who to bring home.

    Su Manhan, not expecting Zhan Nanqing to be right there, paused briefly, then continued:

    "I already told you, and you agreed, isn¡¯t it just meeting tomorrow? Or is he somepany CEO, busier than your brother? Your brother has time toe home, but he doesn¡¯t have the time toe over?"

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in exasperation and muttered under her breath.

    "It¡¯s not even about being busy; how can I find him when he doesn¡¯t even exist?"

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t catch what Zhan Nanqing said, and asked quizzically:

    "What did you say?"

    Zhan Nanqing realized she had almost let the truth slip and quickly covered her mouth, looking at Qiao Jing with pleading eyes.

    Qiao Jing shook her head somewhat helplessly but couldn¡¯t just leave Zhan Nanqing hanging and had to help her out.

    "She said that the timeframe is too tight, and she¡¯s afraid her boyfriend won¡¯t be prepared well enough."

    After hearing this, Su Manhan responded with understanding:

    "There¡¯s no need to prepare anything, juste over with Nanqing. I¡¯m not that picky, and also, tell Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend not to bring over any ginseng or deer antler gifts; we have plenty of that at home."

    Zhan Nanqing, frustrated, made a face at the phone and quietlyined to Qiao Jing.

    "She says she¡¯s not picky, but if she weren¡¯t, pigs would be climbing trees. She¡¯s passed on so many based on that pile of profiles..."

    Qiao Jing quickly covered the phone¡¯s mouthpiece and red at Zhan Nanqing with a warning look in her eyes.

    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, or if Madam Zhan hears you, I won¡¯t be able to help you either."

    Zhan Nanqing hung her head and muttered a sullen "Oh," then closed her mouth.

    Seeing the two of them silent, Su Manhan kept talking on her own.

    "Nanqing must be by your side now, right? She definitely can hear me speak. Tomorrow noon, bring someone to the house for a meal; I¡¯ll help you screen him. If he says he doesn¡¯t have time, I¡¯ll get angry. I¡¯m not asking for any gifts; just his presence is fine. If you can¡¯t even meet this request, tell Nanqing to break up with him early and continue meeting other men. There are plenty of outstanding men out there."

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing, then at Chi Yuhang.

    "Okay, I¡¯lle over with Nanqing after work tomorrow noon."

    Right now, she was worried that Chi Yuhang wouldn¡¯t be willing to do this favor, and Su Manhan had given them such short notice that it would be difficult to find another suitable candidate within a day.

    Therefore, she still preferred to pin her hopes on Chi Yuhang, trying to persuade him.

    Su Manhan seemed satisfied and hung up the call.

    After hanging up, there were a few seconds of silence in Wonderful Hall, which Zhan Nanqing soon broke.

    "We¡¯re doomed... What do we do now? My mom wants me to bring someone back tomorrow; she¡¯s really going for my life. Where am I going to conjure up a living, breathing person on such short notice©¤©¤"

    After herint, she turned her gaze to Chi Yuhang.

    "Chi Yuhang, you heard it just now, didn¡¯t you? My mom wants me to bring someone tomorrow, and there¡¯s so little time. I can¡¯t find someone else at the drop of a hat. You¡¯re the only one who can help me now. Could you do me this favor to make up for my sprained ankle?"

    Chi Yuhang had already decided to refuse Zhan Nanqing, but he hesitated after hearing the phone call.

    "I..."

    Logically, he should help her, as Zhan Nanqing not only spoke up for him in front of a neighbor aunt but also sprained her ankle because of him.

    But his concern wasn¡¯t that. If it was any ordinary girl, he would have agreed to help without hesitation.

    However, Zhan Nanqing was the daughter of the Zhan Family; their statuses were worlds apart. If he pretended to be her boyfriend, it would seem too much like aiming too high.

    Seeing Chi Yuhang¡¯s hesitation, Zhan Nanqing said discontentedly:

    "What do you mean ¡¯I¡¯? Why are you, a grown man, so indecisive? Just say yes or no. Pretending to be my boyfriend doesn¡¯t require you to spend money on anything. You just need to meet my mom, and once we get through this, I won¡¯t bother you anymore."

    After all, she just wanted her mother to know that she had a boyfriend so that she wouldn¡¯t be pressured to go on blind dates anymore.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing chimed in to persuade:

    "Chi Yuhang, you don¡¯t need to prepare anything excessive, just going to meet her once will be enough."

    Of course, she knew what Chi Yuhang was hesitant about. If it wasn¡¯t ast resort, she wouldn¡¯t be so adamant in convincing him.

    Chi Yuhang pursed his lips and looked down at himself.

    "Are you sure I¡¯m okay like this? I¡¯m not good with words, and I don¡¯t have formal clothes. Maybe you should find someone else?"

    His attire was hardly fitting to visit the Zhan Family.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard Chi Yuhang¡¯s words, she sensed hope and her tone softened.

    "Of course, you¡¯re fine as you are, you don¡¯t have a crooked nose or eyes. Moreover, you don¡¯t have to say much at my ce; my mom won¡¯t ask too many questions. As for your clothes... indeed, they look quite cheap."

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s eyes darkened, and he lowered his head.

    "You¡¯re right, you should find somebody else."

    A person like him indeed had no right to pretend to be of such a high status.

    When Zhan Nanqing saw Chi Yuhang turning to leave, she hurried forward a few steps, intending to grab his sleeve but identally caught his arm instead.

    Not caring about those details, she spoke up unhappily:

    "I haven¡¯t finished speaking yet, where are you going?"

 Chapter 623 - 612: Zhan Nanqingéˆ¥æªš Overbearing Advance

    <h4>Chapter 623: Chapter 612: Zhan Nanqing¡¯s Overbearing Advance</h4>

    Chi Yuhang had no choice but to stop in his tracks, but instead of looking at Zhan Nanqing immediately, he focused his gaze on his own wrist.

    He could feel the warmth of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s palm, making him somewhat ufortable.

    "Miss Zhan... your hand."

    He had never been so close to a girl in his life, yet he kept getting into these intimate encounters with Zhan Nanqing over and over¡ªfirst hugging her, and now...

    Seeing Chi Yuhang so embarrassed, Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes silently and let go of his hand.

    "It¡¯s just a hold, no big deal. It¡¯s only because you ran off before I could finish speaking, so I had to grab you in a hurry,"

    She found Chi Yuhang increasingly na?ve; she had never seen a man be so innocent.

    Qiao Jing, seeing how they interacted, shook her head helplessly and returned to her seat.

    She had tried persuading Chi Yuhang before¡ªthis matter was best left to Zhan Nanqing. If he really didn¡¯t want to, there was nothing she could do but seek someone else¡¯s help.

    While thinking this, out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed Chi Yuhang¡¯s ears turning red from Zhan Nanqing holding his wrist?

    Considering Chi Yuhang¡¯s background, she could understand, although Zhan Nanqing was the exact opposite of him, she might even deliberately tease him about it.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, she saw Zhan Nanqing suddenly hook her arm through Chi Yuhang¡¯s arm, shing him a meaningful smile.

    Qiao Jing watched the smile on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, shaking her head helplessly.

    Her premonition hade true.

    Once Zhan Nanqing hooked his arm, Chi Yuhang stiffened on the spot, unsure of what to do next.

    "I... Miss Zhan, why are you hooking your arm through mine?"

    Zhan Nanqing, with a smile, hooked Chi Yuhang¡¯s arm and even took a few steps toward him.

    "I¡¯ll be taking you to buy a suitter; just rx. I¡¯m holding your arm to prepare for tomorrow. Otherwise, when we go to my house, will you keep a distance of a hundred and eighty thousand miles from me? If so, my mom will immediately see through our ruse."

    Chi Yuhang, startled, let out an "Ah" and looked at his hooked arm, at a loss whether to pull away or not.

    "But, I haven¡¯t agreed yet."

    He remembered he had never agreed to apany her to the Zhan family; howe suddenly tomorrow he was supposed to go?

    Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    "I don¡¯t care. It¡¯s gotten to this point, you have to go regardless. I¡¯m taking you to buy a suit now. Are you free now?"

    Chi Yuhang pursed his lips, pondering for a moment.

    "I... am."

    It was his lunch break now, and he could use tomorrow¡¯s lunch break to visit the Zhan family.

    But he was still worried; after all, it was the Zhan family, the capital¡¯s wealthiest family.

    Zhan Nanqing, pulling Chi Yuhang along, started walking out, saying:

    "See, that settles it. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m taking you to buy a suit now. What you¡¯re wearing really isn¡¯t suitable."

    Chi Yuhang looked awkwardly at Zhan Nanqing, but he didn¡¯t know how to refuse and pull back his hand, so he just followed her.

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Nanqing forcefully taking charge, she rubbed her temples and then sighed.

    It was somewhat forceful, but it very much suited Zhan Nanqing¡¯s personality. Plus, now that they had the right candidate before them, they certainly couldn¡¯t just let him go.

    The following noon.

    Qiao Jing nced at the elegantly dressed Zhan Nanqing and took out her phone to check the time.

    "What did you say to Chi Yuhang yesterday? Is he going to Purple Garden by himself?"

    This was the first time she wasn¡¯t worried about being exposed, as the one pretending to be Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend was finally a boy.

    Besides, Chi Yuhang had a good personality. Although his family situation wasn¡¯t very optimistic, his speech was very proper and he was very polite. Soon, Su Manhan was sure to be satisfied.

    Zhan Nanqing applied some more lipstick and sighed helplessly while looking at herself in the mirror.

    "Stop talking. I took a lot of persuading yesterday before he finally agreed, and he didn¡¯t want to let me drive him, insisting on taking a cab to Purple Garden. But since he had agreed to pretend to be my boyfriend, I didn¡¯t feel right asking for too much."

    Qiao Jing nodded, and she and Zhan Nanqing headed to Purple Garden together.

    As soon as they got out of the car, they saw Chi Yuhang, who was already waiting at the entrance of Purple Garden, admiring the architecture and hesitating to ring the bell.

    Qiao Jing saw the astonishment on Chi Yuhang¡¯s face, but what caught her attention more wasn¡¯t just that. Unlike others who would stare unabashedly with extreme envy, and even a bit of jealousy, he did not.

    On Chi Yuhang¡¯s face, she saw astonishment and admiration, as well as determination.

    Perhaps seeing this had spurred him to be more ambitious.

    When Zhan Nanqing saw Chi Yuhang standing stiffly at the door like a statue, she quickly walked up to him in her high heels and naturally took his arm.

    "Dear, let¡¯s go inside."

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang couldn¡¯t help but stiffen, but the difort on his face quickly vanished.

    "Okay."

    Qiao Jing found it strange how Chi Yuhang¡¯s behavior seemed as if the two had practiced many times.

    Despite the fact that Chi Yuhang had turned red and stiff like a block of wood when Zhan Nanqing had taken his arm yesterday, today he managed to let her take his arm naturally and even epted the affectionate nickname?

    She didn¡¯t let this question confuse her and asked:

    "Nanqing, how did Chi Yuhang adapt so quickly?"

    Zhan Nanqing proudly lifted her chin, even rubbing her arm against Chi Yuhang¡¯s.

    "For a realistic effect, I dragged him in front of the mall¡¯s mirror and practiced dozens of times yesterday, which is why he can do this now."

    Qiao Jing nodded, everything was within her expectations.

    Feeling Zhan Nanqing¡¯s rub, Chi Yuhang¡¯s body stiffened again.

    "Miss Zhan, this wasn¡¯t part of yesterday¡¯s practice, you¡ª"

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Nanqing interrupted him.

    "Still calling me Miss Zhan?"

    Chi Yuhang choked on her words, staring at her for a while before finally struggling to say two words.

    "Nan... Qing..."

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly and unceremoniously pinched the back of Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand.

    "Is my name that long? I should have trained you more on this yesterday. If you stammer like this when calling my name, my mom will spot it right away. What will we do if she realizes?"

    Chi Yuhang "Oh"ed, and opened his mouth again to try calling Zhan Nanqing¡¯s name.

    "Nanqing."

    Then Zhan Nanqing finally nodded in satisfaction.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her mouth, revealing a faint smile. Just as she was about to let Chi Yuhang practice a few more times, something caught her eye in her peripheral vision¡ªsomeone who shouldn¡¯t be here.

 Chapter 624 - 613: People Who Shouldnéˆ¥æª› Be Here

    <h4>Chapter 624: Chapter 613: People Who Shouldn¡¯t Be Here</h4>

    It was Zhou Yunze.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted tightly, her red lips parted slightly as she reminded Zhan Nanqing,

    "Zhou Yunze is at Purple Garden."

    She was very curious why Zhou Yunze would appear at Purple Garden, and moreover, why he hade out of it with Su Manhan.

    Could it be that Zhou Yunze nned to start with Su Manhan?

    But that didn¡¯t make sense, because as the mother of Zhan Nanqing, Su Manhan would definitely know that the two of them had broken up. Why would she still meet with Zhou Yunze?

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing paused, turned back to look, but saw no car behind her.

    "What? He didn¡¯te."

    She had just finished speaking when she saw Zhou Yunze walking out together with Su Manhan.

    Zhan Nanqing immediately furrowed her brows, fire ring up in an instant as she red fiercely at Zhou Yunze.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Su Manhan and Zhou Yunze to approach the group.

    When Su Manhan saw Chi Yuhang, she nodded in approval, her face blossoming into a smile.

    "Nanqing, your boyfriend is so handsome. Why didn¡¯t you tell me? That suit fits him perfectly."

    Zhan Nanqing watched Zhou Yunze intently, gripping Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand even tighter.

    "Of course, I helped him choose this suit. It has to fit well."

    Chi Yuhang had not expected to encounter Zhan Nanqing¡¯s mother before he even had a chance to go in.

    Yet he didn¡¯t forget the training from yesterday and immediately greeted her politely.

    "Hello Auntie, my name is Chi Yuhang."

    Su Manhan smiled and nodded her head, stepping forward to meet them.

    "So it¡¯s Xiao Hang. I just happened to see you all hesitating toe in through the surveince, so I came out to see what was holding you up."

    After saying that, she quickly walked over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and asked in a lower voice,

    "Qiao Jing, what do you think of him?"

    Qiao Jing nced at Su Manhan and responded in an equally subdued voice.

    "I can¡¯t tell for now, but they seem to be very affectionate at the moment."

    The smile on Su Manhan¡¯s face deepened as she looked at Chi Yuhang with increasing approval.

    "That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great. All I want is for their rtionship to be good."

    Qiao Jing hummed softly in affirmation and narrowed her cool eyes slightly. Her expression was cold as she scrutinized Zhou Yunze with a probing gaze from head to toe.

    "Madam Zhan, who is this?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s inquiry, the smile on Su Manhan¡¯s face stiffened slightly as she nced at Zhou Yunze.

    "He is the eldest young master of the Zhou Family, named Zhou Yunze. Today he specially came at his mother¡¯s request to bring some gifts for my visit."

    Zhou Yunze felt a chill down his back under Qiao Jing¡¯s stare, a sense of fear inexplicably rising from his spine.

    He was so frightened that he almost forgot to respond to Su Manhan, but regainedposure and nodded in agreement after a moment.

    "Right, my mother sent me to see Auntie Su. Auntie Su, and who might this be?"

    It was their first meeting, no grievances whatsoever; why did she look at him with such eyes?

    Moreover, her intimidating gaze made him somewhat uneasy, yet it also strangely gave him a feeling of deja vu.

    Su Manhan, proud, looped her arm through Qiao Jing¡¯s and began to introduce her to Zhou Yunze.

    "This is my daughter-inw. You didn¡¯t attend Qipei¡¯s wedding previously, so you haven¡¯t met her, right? Her name is Qiao Jing."

    Zhou Yunze nodded in sudden realization, his smile carrying a trace of ingratiation.

    "So it¡¯s Miss Qiao, what a pleasure to meet you."

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly in response.

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s introduction to Zhou Yunze, there was a suspicion in her heart as to why they had decided to keep him around.

    If Zhou Yunze came for a visit out of the blue on his own, that would be fine, she could say she didn¡¯t have time.

    But Zhou Yunze brought his mother along, which meant the Zhou Family¡¯s name was at stake with this visit. Turning them away would be a sign of disrespect to the Zhou Family.

    It seemed that after a period of quiet, Zhou Yunze had resurfaced, and this time he was making his move through Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan saw that everyone was still standing outside and began to invite them in.

    "Let¡¯s go inside first, instead of standing here and talking."

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in front of Zhou Yunze and then walked ahead, arm in arm with Chi Yuhang.

    Zhou Yunze¡¯s smile froze on his face as he quickly followed behind them.

    "Nanqing, have you changed boyfriends? The guy I metst time wasn¡¯t this one, and this one seems much worse than the previous one."

    Upon hearing Zhou Yunze¡¯s words, aside from Chi Yuhang, everyone¡¯s expression darkened.

    Zhan Nanqing stopped in her tracks and retorted without any courtesy:

    "As long as he¡¯s better than you, it¡¯s fine."

    Su Manhan was also very dissatisfied with Zhou Yunze¡¯s remark. She frowned, her voice growing colder as she warned:

    "Zhou Yunze, that man is Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend."

    She wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to speak ill of her daughter¡¯s boyfriend, as such words would clearly suggest her daughtercked discernment!

    Considering Su Manhan¡¯s presence, Zhou Yunze worried about being thrown out and immediately closed his mouth.

    Qiao Jing and Su Manhan walked together at the back, and the group made their way to the living room.

    Qiao Jing did not immediately sit down on the couch but stopped Su Manhan.

    "Madam Zhan, when did Zhou Yunzee over?"

    Su Manhan nced at Zhou Yunze, her eyes carrying a hint of scorn.

    "He arrived not long ago, asking where Nanqing was. I¡¯m not oblivious to their rtionship. To prevent Nanqing from bumping into him upon her return, I deliberately mentioned that Nanqing was bringing her boyfriend home today, hoping he would take the hint and leave. But instead, he insisted on staying for a meal before leaving, showing apleteck of tact. He brought gifts and represented the name of the Zhou Family, so I couldn¡¯t just send him away directly. When I came out earlier, he followed."

    After understanding the whole story, Qiao Jing pressed her lips together.

    "Alright, I understand."

    Everyone took their seats, with Qiao Jing sitting opposite Zhou Yunze.

    Zhan Nanqing sat next to Chi Yuhang, and Su Manhan sat across from them.

    The living room table was filled with exquisite gift boxes, containing all sorts of nourishing supplements, such as bird¡¯s nest, and also some luxury skincare products from well-known brands.

    Clearly, these were all brought by Zhou Yunze.

    When Zhou Yunze noticed that Chi Yuhang hade empty-handed, he feigned kindness as he inquired:

    "Chi Yuhang, where are your gifts? I might have brought too much, and there¡¯s no more space on the table. Why don¡¯t you put your gifts on the floor?"

    After saying that, he turned to Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, some of these are specially prepared for you, and my mother has bought a few things for you, too."

    Chi Yuhang, caught off guard by the question, found it a bit awkward to respond:

    "Auntie, I brought a fruit basket, but it¡¯s still outside. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll go get it now."

    Although he was told by the auntie not to bring anything yesterday, he felt it would be impolite not to bring anything, so he still picked something up.

    He had ced the gift in a small pavilion outside, wanting to take a good look at the architecture of Purple Garden. However, he was suddenly brought inside before he could fetch it.

    But upon seeing the skincare products on the table, he felt his gift was iparable to Zhou Yunze¡¯s and somewhat embarrassed.

    Zhou Yunze burst intoughter upon hearing this.

    "A fruit basket? Are you sure? Do you really think Auntie Su¡¯s home is in need of a fruit basket?"

    No sooner had the words left his mouth than they were caught by a sharp remark from Su Manhan.

 Chapter 625 - 614: Understanding the Family Situation

    <h4>Chapter 625: Chapter 614: Understanding the Family Situation</h4>

    "We don¡¯tck fruit baskets at home, nor are we missing anything on the table, but what we dock is someone Nanqing likes. Xiao Hang, you don¡¯t need to go out and get a fruit basket, I¡¯ll have someone help with that."

    Su Manhan realized that Zhou Yunze was intentionally causing trouble!

    Still thinking about staying for dinner?

    Wishful thinking!

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s face once again brightened with a smile, and she snuggled Chi Yuhang¡¯s arm once more.

    "Right, my home is indeed missing a Chi Yuhang, don¡¯t you think?"

    Chi Yuhang coughed and his ears unavoidably reddened.

    "Um... yes."

    He had never dated anyone in his life, and if it weren¡¯t for rehearsing with Zhan Nanqing several times yesterday, he definitely would have given himself away had he tried to be this affectionate with a girl.

    Zhou Yunze was choked by Su Manhan¡¯s words and seeing Zhan Nanqing and Chi Yuhang¡¯s affectionate behavior turned his face alternating shades of red and white.

    But because Su Manhan was present, he couldn¡¯t utter any other excessive remarks and simply tried to subtly steer the conversation toward Chi Yuhang.

    "Auntie Su, since we¡¯re meeting now, shouldn¡¯t we get to know about the family background as well?"

    He had seen Zhan Nanqing¡¯s previous boyfriend, who had never appeared in the capital, nor did hee from a prominent family. And this one, he had never seen before either.

    He knew all the well-known young masters in the capital, and since he had never seen Chi Yuhang, it proved that thetter was either from an ordinary family or a poor boy.

    And what the wealthy families valued most was a match of equal social status; Su Manhan would never let Zhan Nanqing be with a penniless guy.

    Qiao Jing noticed that Zhou Yunze was deliberately leading the conversation onto someone else and specifically brought up Chi Yuhang¡¯s family background, evidently to elevate his own status and belittle others.

    At this thought, her eyes darkened again, and her piercing gaze stabbed at Zhou Yunze like an icy de.

    "Are you a member of the Zhan Family?"

    Although Su Manhan¡¯s attitude towards her had done aplete 180 and no longer scorned her for her rural background, she still held some concerns that he might react as he had when she first arrived at the Zhan Family.

    Because Su Manhan had only changed her opinion of her, she didn¡¯t know if he would change his opinion of all people from the countryside and stop evaluating someone based on their family background.

    Zhou Yunze was once again rendered speechless by the retort. He understood the implication of Qiao Jing¡¯s words, which was telling him to not meddle in other families¡¯ affairs.

    But how could he willingly ept it, allowing a poor boy to outshine him?

    He had been pursuing for so long yet hadn¡¯t managed to reconcile with Zhan Nanqing, and he surely couldn¡¯t stand this unknown poor boy gettingfortable!

    Observing the expressions of the others, he slowly spoke up.

    "Although I am not part of the Zhan Family, I did have a rtionship with Zhan Nanqing for a period of time. It was my fault before; I didn¡¯t cherish it properly, but I still hope she can find a truly good family."

    He emphasized the words "truly" with the intent of making Chi Yuhang realize his own position!

    What he didn¡¯t know was that the current Su Manhan no longer judged people based on their family status as she had before.

    Su Manhan could easily decipher the hidden message in Zhou Yunze¡¯s words and rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

    She let out a generous smile.

    "Indeed, we should really learn more about this. Xiao Hang, don¡¯t be nervous. I just want to understand your family background. Tell me, how many siblings do you have? What about other situations at home?"

    Chi Yuhang pursed his lips and pondered for a moment before finally responding truthfully:

    "I¡¯m an only child, my father is no longer alive, my mother remarried, and I now live with my grandfather. As for financial aspects..."

    As he spoke, he hesitated for a long time, choosing his words carefully, and finally summarized his family¡¯s situation in two words.

    "My family is in straitened circumstances."

    He was just pretending to be Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend once,, being honest wouldn¡¯t hurt, and it didn¡¯t matter if he was looked down upon; he didn¡¯t like to deceive people.

    Upon hearing this, Zhou Yunze sneered.

    "Hah? Even if your parents are gone, doesn¡¯t your family run a business? There must be something left, right? Why the financial straits?"

    Chi Yuhang shook his head.

    "No, my family is not in business."

    A smug smile appeared on Zhou Yunze¡¯s face, and he even stretched out his legs arrogantly.

    "So you mean to say, you¡¯re working now?"

    Chi Yuhang gave an "mm" sound but said no more.

    Zhan Nanqing stared at Chi Yuhang with resentful eyes, hissing to him:

    "Even though I didn¡¯t discuss with you yesterday how to answer this question, you didn¡¯t have to tell the truth, did you?"

    Although she meant no disrespect to Chi Yuhang, she couldn¡¯t be sure her mother wouldn¡¯t!

    After all, all the men her mother had sifted out for her previously were from the capital¡¯s elite circles, and they all came from families just a notch below the Zhan Family, never considering amon family.

    Moreover, Chi Yuhang¡¯s family situation was worse than that of amon family.

    Chi Yuhang looked at Zhan Nanqing with a somewhat resigned expression and whispered:

    "I don¡¯t like lying, and I¡¯m only pretending to be your boyfriend once. It won¡¯t happen again, so telling the truth doesn¡¯t matter."

    Pretending to be Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend to deceive Auntie Su already made him ufortable, and making up a rich second-generation identity would simply be "adding insult to injury."

    Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue and, toozy to speak with Chi Yuhang¡¯s blockheaded mentality any further, looked towards Qiao Jing with a plea in her eyes.

    Qiao Jing shook her head helplessly as well, her gazending on Su Manhan.

    She couldn¡¯t instantly change Su Manhan¡¯s mind about this matter, and since she couldn¡¯t control others to say they didn¡¯t mind.

    She worried that Chi Yuhang¡¯s self-esteem would be hurt.

    After hearing Chi Yuhang reveal his background, Su Manhan had been silent, her expression growing somewhat grave.

    She had thought that since she didn¡¯t know Chi Yuhang, it indicated he was from an ordinary background and had prepared herself for that, but she hadn¡¯t expected it to be this ordinary.

    And from the word "straitened" he used, she could tell his financial situation was not optimistic, perhaps even very poor.

    But Zhan Nanqing was her daughter whom she had cherished for so many years. Could she have a good life if she married him?

    Even if the Zhan Family had sufficient capital, she disliked men who relied on a woman¡¯s family; she didn¡¯t think such men were real men.

    Zhou Yunze was waiting for Su Manhan to show this expression, and upon seeing it, he immediately began to exaggerate:

    "Auntie Su, I think if Chi Yuhang is working and his parents are no longer here, while also taking care of a grandfather, such a family cannot bring happiness to Nanqing. You should consider carefully."

    After saying this, he shifted the conversation towards himself.

    "I have been pursuing Nanqing anew recently. Although the Zhou Family is not as big as the Zhan Family, at least we have a foothold in the capital and can take good care of Nanqing. Maybe you could consider letting me take care of her?"

 Chapter 626 - 615 Chi Yuhang Works at Professor Qiaoéˆ¥æªš Research Institute

    <h4>Chapter 626: Chapter 615 Chi Yuhang Works at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute</h4>

    Zhan Nanqing simply couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and mmed her hand on the table.

    "Zhou Yunze, you leave my house right now!"

    Even if Chi Yuhang wasn¡¯t her real boyfriend, he was at least somewhat her friend, what business is it of Zhou Yunze¡¯s?

    She didn¡¯t care about the Zhou Family or any other, simply being harassed by him was already annoying enough, and now he had the nerve toe into her house spouting nonsense, how could she possibly tolerate it?

    Zhou Yunze was startled, he hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Nanqing to suddenly lose her temper, but he wasn¡¯t concerned.

    "Nanqing, even if you don¡¯t ept getting back together with me, you can¡¯t just be with a poor guy like this."

    After all, he knew Su Manhan would definitely not ept Chi Yuhang, which gave him confidence, so he didn¡¯t need to mince words anymore.

    And as for a toad lusting after a swan¡¯s flesh, such a thing couldn¡¯t happen to his target.

    Upon hearing Zhou Yunze¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s face instantly sank, and with eyes as still as a pond of ck water, she stared solemnly at him.

    Her cool voice rose.

    "Zhou Yunze, this is a matter for the Zhan Family and it has nothing to do with you."

    She didn¡¯t like people like Zhou Yunze; family background wasn¡¯t the standard by which to measure a person, and regardless of their family background, others had no right to judge.

    Zhan Nanqing was also fuming, she picked up a gift box from the table and made to hurl it at Zhou Yunze, gritting her teeth and saying:

    "Take your stuff and get lost, who I¡¯m with is none of your business, and calling your parents won¡¯t help either!"

    She had never seen such a shameless person!

    Zhou Yunze was already feeling a chill down his spine from Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, breaking out in goosebumps, and now threatened by Zhan Nanqing like this, he hurriedly stood up, looking for a ce to hide.

    Chi Yuhang immediately intervened, grabbing the gift box from Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hands and cing it back on the table, then pulled her back to sit down by his side.

    "Zhan... no, Nanqing, don¡¯t be so impulsive, calm down."

    But Zhan Nanqing was already on the verge of exploding and Chi Yuhang¡¯s attempt to calm her down was like waving a red g in front of a bull; she sneaked a pinch at him.

    "He¡¯s already insulted you by calling you a poor kid, how can I stay calm? How can you be so patient?!"

    After saying this, she turned to look at Su Manhan.

    "Mom, don¡¯t be silent."

    Su Manhan, seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s actions and demeanor, finally let go of her hesitation and responded.

    "What am I supposed to say? Haven¡¯t I alreadye to understand Xiao Hang¡¯s family circumstances?"

    She knew her daughter wasn¡¯t foolish; if Chi Yuhang was not good for her daughter, Nanqing wouldn¡¯t be so defensive.

    After some thought, she seriously considered that if Chi Yuhang was ambitious, she would give them the chance to date.

    After all, being from the countryside didn¡¯t make one inferior; as long as they had the will to strive, everything was negotiable.

    At this thought, Su Manhan turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    A few months ago, she had made a mistake, and she was not going to repeat it now.

    Being from the countryside didn¡¯t mean one was born inferior, she wouldn¡¯t view people through tinted sses anymore.

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, everyone present was stunned.

    The most shocked of all was Zhou Yunze; his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Su Manhan.

    "Auntie Su, you... you don¡¯t have anything else to say? Chi Yuhang is just a worker! Can his status possibly match Nanqing¡¯s?"

    Su Manhan¡¯s expression turned icy, exuding the authority of the Lady of the Zhan Family, and an oppressive aura emanated from her.

    "Zhou Yunze, what exactly are you trying to say? You weren¡¯t supposed to be here today, but I let you stay; you should follow the rules of the Zhan Family. This is the Zhan residence, not the Zhou household!"

    She had already felt Zhou Yunze¡¯s repeated provocations against Chi Yuhang; and even though Chi Yuhang was not yet a member of the Zhan Family, he could at least be considered a part of it.

    Therefore, she would not let anyone else bully her Zhan Family!

    Zhou Yunze, seeing Su Manhan angered, dared not say more, but he was unwilling to give up and asked again with stubborn hope:

    "Auntie Su, I¡¯m concerned about Nanqing¡¯s life in the future. What if Nanqing is wronged? Can a worker bring her happiness?"

    Qiao Jing frowned, clouds of anger swirling in her eyes; her voice was cold and carried an air of indisputability.

    "So what if he¡¯s a worker? Chi Yuhang works at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. Is there a problem with that?"

    Just now, she had made her decision that she wouldn¡¯t let Chi Yuhang be disadvantaged here, considering he came to help Nanqing and shouldn¡¯t lose his dignity after providing assistance.

    If Zhou Yunze hadn¡¯t been here today, things might have passed without incident, but he had to appear at this moment.

    As far as she knew, Zhou Yunze currently had no job of his own and was merely living off the Zhou Family.

    Since Zhou Yunze insisted on making an issue of Chi Yuhang¡¯s background, she didn¡¯t mind granting Chi Yuhang a distinguished status.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the living room fell silent in an instant.

    Zhan Nanqing, in the know, was stunned; she had been shocked because her mother was unconcerned about Chi Yuhang¡¯s family background, and now Qiao Jing¡¯s words were like dropping a bombshell.

    But since Qiao Jing had said that, she could speak up for Chi Yuhang, at least she couldn¡¯t let Zhou Yunze look down on him!

    "Yeah, Mom, Chi Yuhang and I met at the Research Institute. When we work, we often help each other with organizing documents and such. We got to know each other, andter on, confirmed our rtionship."

    Su Manhan nodded with sudden understanding, and her approval of Chi Yuhang increased even more.

    "So that¡¯s how it is. I was curious how you two met. I hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask before you told me. If you¡¯re colleagues, then it¡¯s even better, you can look after each other at work."

    Zhan Nanqing smiled and took Chi Yuhang¡¯s hand, gleefully responding:

    "Of course, anything I can¡¯t do myself, he helps me with."

    Chi Yuhang, the person in question, was stillpletely bewildered.

    How did he not know he worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    Although he rarely concerned himself with things beyond his work, as a citizen of the Empire, he knew of Professor Qiao who made significant contributions to the country and agriculture.

    He had never dared to dream of working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute; how did Doctor Qiao suddenly make such a statement?

    Zhou Yunze watched the scene unfold before him, and for a long time, he couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    He had assumed that Chi Yuhang was just a worker at an electronics factory, or a restaurant, which was why he disparaged him without restraint.

    He could never have expected Chi Yuhang to be a staff member at a research institute!

    And working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute was an entirely different concept from any other kind of work!!

    Was he, in the end, the real fool?

 Chapter 627 - 616: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Shocking Plan

    <h4>Chapter 627: Chapter 616: Qiao Jing¡¯s Shocking n</h4>

    Qiao Jing gave Zhou Yunze a chilly sidelong nce, her red lips parting slightly as she slowly uttered three words.

    "Aren¡¯t you leaving?"

    Zhou Yunze was left speechless, unable to control his facial expression any longer.

    "I..."

    Zhan Nanqing gave Zhou Yunze a wordless stare.

    "What ¡¯I¡¯? Hurry up and go. Don¡¯t stay here and be an eyesore. Or do you enjoy being humiliated that much?"

    She really didn¡¯t want to see Zhou Yunze anymore, fearing that in the next second she might lose control and start throwing things to drive him out.

    Su Manhan was also very dissatisfied with Zhou Yunze and issued an expulsion order.

    "Zhou Yunze, you should leave first. We have some family matters to deal with."

    Zhou Yunze clenched his teeth, reluctantly nced at Zhan Nanqing, but he simply had no face to stay any longer and quickly left.

    Once Zhou Yunze had left, the strange atmosphere in the living room finally dissipated.

    Su Manhan promptly got up and sat between the only "couple" in the living room, with Chi Yuhang on her left and Zhan Nanqing on her right.

    She brought Chi Yuhang¡¯s and Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hands together.

    "Xiao Hang, see when you¡¯re next free to take me and Nanqing to see your grandfather. Or, if it¡¯s convenient for you, I can have the driver bring you both over."

    Chi Yuhang had never interacted with a grand dame from a wealthy family like Su Manhan, and her kindness made him somewhat uneasy.

    "Um... I..."

    He was now very worried that he might give himself away given his current state, but he truly didn¡¯t know how to answer her question.

    Because he would nevere to Purple Garden again, and he wasn¡¯t really Zhan Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Chi Yuhang¡¯s difort and answered on his behalf.

    "Mom, how about next time? The research institute is quite busytely, so it¡¯s hard to find time right now, and we actually need to leave now since our lunch break is almost over."

    Su Manhan let out a somewhat disappointed sigh, but she understood their busy work lives.

    "All right then."

    Qiao Jing was the first to stand up and bid farewell to Su Manhan. After Zhan Nanqing and the others had left the living room ahead of her, she was stopped.

    Su Manhan still looked a bit concerned as she watched the two leave and turned to question Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing, when you were at the institute, did you notice when they started dating?"

    Qiao Jing understood what Su Manhan was implying, pondered for a moment, found a way to circumvent the question neatly.

    "I didn¡¯t pay too much attention, as I have my own work to be busy with."

    Su Manhan shook her head, sighing wistfully.

    "Okay then, but I¡¯ll still need you to keep an eye on things in the future, to see what kind of person Xiao Hang really is. Even though from our conversations it¡¯s clear that Xiao Hang is polite and shows neither servility nor overbearingness, I still want to learn more about him. Otherwise, I won¡¯t feel at ease."

    After all, she only had this one precious daughter, flesh of her own flesh, and she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her making the wrong choice and taking the wrong path. That¡¯s why she took it upon herself to pick someone.

    Qiao Jing could understand Su Manhan¡¯s painstaking efforts, nodded, and agreed.

    "All right."

    Su Manhan reached out to pat Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder, saying:

    "I won¡¯t keep you any longer; you should go and attend to your work as well."

    Qiao Jing murmured in response and left Purple Garden.

    As soon as she stepped out, she saw Zhan Nanqing and Chi Yuhang still at the door.

    Chi Yuhang seemed to be asking Zhan Nanqing something.

    Zhan Nanqing, however, just shrugged her shoulders in a helpless manner.

    The corner of her eye suddenly caught sight of Qiao Jing, and her eyes lit up in an instant.

    "There, you go ask Qiao Jing, those weren¡¯t my words," she said.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, a hint of confusion surfaced in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes as she looked up at the other person.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    When facing Qiao Jing, Chi Yuhang became somewhat hesitant, unsure if he should ask about the job at the research institute.

    He originally should have treated thement by Doctor Qiao as an offhand remark and moved on, but he couldn¡¯t help asking Zhan Nanqing why she had said he worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    Because if that were the case, it would mean he was once again deceiving Su Manhan, and he didn¡¯t want to lie to someone just for the sake of saving face.

    Zhan Nanqing saw Chi Yuhang hemming and hawing without speaking and rolled her eyes in exasperation before speaking up for him to Qiao Jing.

    "He was just asking me why I suddenly said he was a staff member at the research institute, he doesn¡¯t want to lie to my mother again," she exined.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment and pursed her lips, her gaze falling on Chi Yuhang.

    "Chi Yuhang, are you willing to work at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?"

    She had already considered this when she made thement; the institute was indeed in need of someone to organize documents, and Chi Yuhang could take on the role.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    "Qiao... Doctor Qiao... what did you say?"

    He couldn¡¯t have misheard, could he? Doctor Qiao was actually asking him if he was willing to work at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    But even if he was willing it would be useless!

    He had no way to contact the person in charge of the research institute, and with his level of education, he would surely be passed over.

    Qiao Jing repeated herself patiently.

    "Are you willing to work at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? The institute still needs someone to organize documents," she re-emphasized.

    Before Chi Yuhang could reply, Zhan Nanqing interjected.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re not joking with me, are you? Although organizing documents is much easier than doing experiments, you still need to have some fundamental knowledge, right? If you can¡¯t understand the professional terms and various aspects in the documents, how can you categorize them?"

    She really hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to actually consider recruiting Chi Yuhang into the institute, but Chi Yuhang fundamentallycked that basic knowledge, so how could he work there?

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and nced helplessly at Zhan Nanqing before turning her gaze back to Chi Yuhang.

    "Chi Yuhang, are you willing? The institute¡¯s sry is higher than what you¡¯d earn from working five jobs at the same time," she said.

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s eyes sparkled, he couldn¡¯t deny that he was tempted. Plus, he could work regr hours without having to stay upte for night shifts and the like.

    But he worried that he wouldn¡¯t bepetent for the job, so he politely declined Qiao Jing, his voiceden with profound regret.

    "Sorry, Miss Qiao, my abilities fall short, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be up for the position. You should find someone else," he said.

    In fact, upon learning that Doctor Qiao worked not only at Wonderful Hall but also at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, he grew increasingly impressed and admired her.

    Yet,pared to that, he was even more astonished by the chance of him possibly working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, something he had never imagined.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded and added her thoughts:

    "Yeah, Qiao Jing, even though I know Chi Yuhang can do farming and knows a bit about agriculture, that doesn¡¯t mean he can handle document organization."

    No sooner had her words fallen than Qiao Jing¡¯s next sentence left her standing there speechless, her eyes bingplex as she looked at Chi Yuhang.

 Chapter 628 - 617 Versailles

    <h4>Chapter 628: Chapter 617 Versailles</h4>

    "Chi Yuhang, did you previously study at the Agricultural University?"

    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t let Chi Yuhang stay and work at the research institute without careful consideration, but when she had looked into his background previously, she hade across some information unintentionally.

    The documentation showed that Chi Yuhang only attended the Agricultural University for one year before he took a leave of absence. As for the reason he did so, she could guess¡ªit was nothing more than his family¡¯s grim financial condition, and the university tuition was simply something Chi Yuhang couldn¡¯t afford.

    What caught her attention was that, during his time at the university, Chi Yuhang¡¯s academic performance was very good, and he had even won severalpetition prizes.

    So, having Chi Yuhang sort out documents at the research institute should be no problem.

    Zhan Nanqing blinked in confusion, staring relentlessly at Chi Yuhang and then circling around him.

    "Is that true? It doesn¡¯t show at all, wow, you actually studied at the Agricultural University? I thought you had, at most, graduated from middle school. But, well... since you were at the Agricultural University, you must indeed be capable of organizing documents."

    When she heard Qiao Jing mention that Chi Yuhang was a student from the Agricultural University, she was so shocked that she could hardly speak, her expression turning into one of sudden realization.

    She knew Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t have let Chi Yuhang work at the institute for no reason; turns out Chi Yuhang was previously an Agricultural University student.

    Chi Yuhang was stunned, looking at Qiao Jing with bewildered eyes.

    "Yes, but... Miss Qiao, how did you know?"

    He had been on leave for over a year; at the time, his grandfather¡¯s health was deteriorating, so he had no choice but to take leave and devote all his time to working, barely making enough money to pay for the medication.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to answer, Zhan Nanqing cut in first.

    "Is how I knew really the point right now? The main thing is, do you want this opportunity to work at the research institute? The sry and benefits are good¡ªit¡¯s enough to make a decent living, and there¡¯s time for a lunch break, working nine to five."

    After saying this, she suddenly realized after the fact that she sounded like a multi-level marketer, almost desperate for Chi Yuhang to take the job at the institute.

    Upon realizing this, she cleared her throat and slowly began to speak:

    "Uh... it doesn¡¯t really matter whether youe or not. I¡¯m just introducing you to the work environment as a way to express my gratitude for today."

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing act this way, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but hook the corner of her lips upward, revealing a subtle smile, and then she looked at Chi Yuhang.

    "I noticed you had good grades in school, and as it happens, the research institute is short-staffed, so I was thinking of having youe over. You can give it some thought."

    She had indeed not expected Chi Yuhang¡¯s grades to be that outstanding, but now that she had noticed, she was willing to help if she could.

    Plus, this was money earned through his ownbor; Chi Yuhang would probably agree.

    As for the studio being short-staffed?

    What a joke!

    Professor Qiao¡¯s research institute!

    That was a ce every student studying agriculture would fight tooth and nail to enter; it couldn¡¯t possibly be short of people.

    She said this only so Chi Yuhang wouldn¡¯t feel indebted.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing looked curiously at Chi Yuhang, sizing him up.

    "Good grades? How good were they?"

    There were few people whose abilities impressed Qiao Jing, so this made her quite curious.

    Chi Yuhang pondered for a moment before answering truthfully:

    "Actually, they weren¡¯t as good as Miss Qiao said. As for academics, I was first in my ss, and I did win somepetition prizes¡ªusually first or second ce."

    When he participated inpetitions, it was also for the prize money to help support his family and buy medicine for his grandfather, so he hadpeted in all kinds of agricultural contests, big and small.

    After hearing Chi Yuhang speak, an exasperated "My god" slipped from Zhan Nanqing, her eyes widening slightly.

    "This is called ¡¯not very good¡¯? More like ¡¯Versailles¡¯ good, okay?"

    Although she had imagined Chi Yuhang¡¯s grades would be good, this was far beyond her expectations.

    You should know, just getting first in a single year at Agricultural University is already tough, not to mention how valuable thepetitions rmended by Agricultural University are.

    Now she finally understood why Qiao Jing wanted Chi Yuhang to work at the research institute, it was not only to solve his financial problems, but also to add another talent to the institute.

    Chi Yuhang, looking utterly perplexed, asked Zhan Nanqing:

    "What does ¡¯Versailles¡¯ mean?"

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly and looked at Chi Yuhang.

    "Don¡¯t you go online, or don¡¯t you surf the?"

    Before Chi Yuhang could answer, she replied to her own question:

    "Forget it, forget it, someone like you who works so many jobs every day must be dying of exhaustion. Where would you find the time to surf the inte? ¡¯Versailles¡¯ means to show off something you want to unt unintentionally, pretending not to show off on purpose."

    After learning the meaning, Chi Yuhang slowly furrowed his brows.

    "Miss Zhan, I¡¯m not ¡¯Versailles¡¯."

    He was only answering the question honestly and had no intention to show off.

    Seeing such a serious look on Chi Yuhang, Zhan Nanqing clicked her tongue in disgust.

    "Are you taking a joke seriously? With a blockhead like you, how could you even think of ¡¯Versailles¡¯?"

    Qiao Jing helplessly twisted the corner of her mouth and pulled Zhan Nanqing back to her side.

    "Alright, stop joking around, Chi Yuhang. You can go back and think about it. Once you¡¯ve decided, give me a call."

    She felt quite regretful about Chi Yuhang considering dropping out, as his grades and everything were excellent. As long as he continued with his studies, he would definitely be a distinguished agricultural expert. If it all went to waste, the agriculturalmunity would lose a talent.

    So she also hoped that Chi Yuhang would work at the research institute. In that way, he could learn additional knowledge while also making a contribution to the institute.

    Chi Yuhang nodded earnestly, with a solemn expression:

    "Doctor Qiao, I¡¯m willing to take on this position, but I¡¯m worried about not doing well at the beginning."

    He had already considered it thoroughly; the research institute offered good conditions, a nine-to-five job, and rest time, which he definitely couldn¡¯t find given his current situation.

    Although he hadn¡¯t asked how much the sry was, as long as it covered his grandfather¡¯s medical expenses, it was fine!

    Seeing how quickly Chi Yuhang agreed and his determination, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes inadvertently revealed a look of satisfaction.

    "Someone will be in charge of teaching you specifically."

    As she was speaking, she caught a glimpse of Zhan Nanqing ying with her phone from the corner of her eye.

    "You can have Nanqing teach you."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing immediately looked up.

    "What? Teach what??"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Chi Yuhang and she slightly tilted her chin in his direction.

    "Teach Chi Yuhang how to organize paperwork. It¡¯s convenient since the two of you know each other."

    Zhan Nanqing frowned and nced at Chi Yuhang, and suddenly, the scene her mother had painted for her about helping each other at work shed through her mind.

    Her face became a bitplicated. Howe this plot was beginning to unfold just like what her mother had said?

 Chapter 629 - 618: Birthday Banquet

    <h4>Chapter 629: Chapter 618: Birthday Banquet</h4>

    Giving her the impression that what started as yacting was turning real?

    No, no!

    Zhan Nanqing suddenly shook her head vigorously, casting aside all those thoughts.

    "I don¡¯t want to¡ªI¡¯m busy with my work. Have someone else teach him."

    She really didn¡¯t want to be teaching Chi Yuhang, that blockhead!

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, a hint of confusion emerging in her eyes.

    "Why don¡¯t you want to teach him? You¡¯re the best at organizing information in the research institute, that¡¯s why I asked you to teach him."

    Moreover, she thought these two knew each other, and otherwise, given Chi Yuhang¡¯s honest nature, he might feel awkward around other staff.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard Qiao Jing¡¯s praise, her mood improved significantly, and her tail almost wagged up to the sky.

    Since Qiao Jing had said that, she might as well agree begrudgingly¡ªwho else but her was the best at organizing data in the institute?

    Just as she was about to act reluctantly agreeable, Chi Yuhang suddenly spoke up.

    "Doctor Qiao, I can learn it on my own; I¡¯ll pick it up as quickly as possible without bothering anyone else."

    He saw that Zhan Nanqing was unwilling to teach him and didn¡¯t want to cause her any trouble, so he spoke up to help clear the air.

    Qiao Jing hesitated but ultimately decided to respect Zhan Nanqing¡¯s wishes with a faint "Hmm."

    "Then I¡¯ll arrange for someone else to teach you, and you can start work tomorrow."

    Zhan Nanqing became frustrated by the decisiveness of the two and immediately spoke up to stop them:

    "Who said I¡¯m not teaching him? Didn¡¯t you just say that I¡¯m the best at organizing data? I¡¯ll teach him reluctantly!"

    Qiao Jing, with a full face of confusion, looked at her.

    "Are you sure? If you agree, you¡¯ll be responsible for teaching Chi Yuhang starting tomorrow."

    Zhan Nanqing nodded and looked disdainfully at Chi Yuhang.

    "I know; I¡¯ll teach him. After all, I¡¯m the best at organizing data."

    Qiao Jing understood why Zhan Nanqing had suddenly agreed to teach; it was because of thatst sentence.

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s demeanor and shook her head helplessly.

    "Alright."

    ¡ª¡ª

    In the evening, just as Qiao Jing got home and sat down on the sofa, preparing to find a chance to help Zhan Qipei who was busy in the kitchen, she suddenly received a phone call.

    She nced at the caller, Ni Yue.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s mind, an approaching date surfaced, and she guessed the purpose of Ni Yue¡¯s call, then pressed to answer.

    "Hello?"

    Ni Yue chuckled mysteriously twice before slowly beginning.

    "Xiao Jingjing~ guess why I¡¯m calling? Think about it, are there any special asionsing up soon? Like¡ª"

    Having heard Ni Yue¡¯s words, Qiao Jing raised her delicate, picturesque eyebrows and cut her off.

    "Your birthday is the day after tomorrow."

    She had already noted the datest week and had been paying attention to whether Ni Yue wanted anything in particr.

    Finally, she saw aint in Ni Yue¡¯s social media feed about being so busy drawing design drafts that she had no time to go out, even struggling to find time to post on social media, and having to deal with a bunch of things when calling the boutique, which would certainly take a lot of time, so she had no opportunity to buy a new handbag that would be released tomorrow.

    So she was prepared to go buy that handbag for Ni Yue the next day.

    Ni Yue uttered an "aiya" and smacked her lips.

    "You know," shemented, "if I¡¯d known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have yed charades with you. Let¡¯s get one thing straight, I¡¯m not calling to ask for a present. I definitely don¡¯t want you to give me one, unless..."

    Qiao Jing, somewhat intrigued, continued to inquire:

    "Unless what?"

    Ever since she met Ni Yue, she had prepared a gift for her every year, so hearing that Ni Yue suddenly didn¡¯t want one this year took her by surprise.

    Ni Yue coughed twice, cleared her throat, then spoke with utmost sincerity,

    "Unless that present is called Qiao Jing. How about you give yourself to me as a gift? Ah¡ªtoo bad we¡¯re not on a video call, or I¡¯d be sending you seductive nces!"

    Qiao Jing, speechless, tugged at the corner of her mouth but couldn¡¯t help smiling at Ni Yue¡¯s levity.

    "Even without a video call, I can still receive your seductive nces. Come on, let¡¯s get to the point."

    She knew that Ni Yue¡¯s call wasn¡¯t just about asking for a gift; there had to be something else.

    One second, Ni Yue was joking around, and the next, she sighed, allowing Qiao Jing to imagine her frowning face through the phone.

    She asked, puzzled,

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is it about the design draft?"

    Ni Yue shook her head and sighed.

    "I need you to help me think about how to do the birthday party. I¡¯ve been so busy with the design draft, I just can¡¯t find the time to deal with it. I trust you the most; I¡¯m leaving it all to you."

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, a rough idea forming in her mind.

    "You always rent a hotel for your parties; how about a change of scenery this time? Like a barbecue in the park at night?"

    She had seen Ni Yue always hosting at hotels and wanted to help her find a different spot, where the outdoor air would be nicer.

    Ni Yue immediately replied,

    "Good, anything else? I¡¯ll listen to whatever my Xiao Jingjing says. Whatever you say goes."

    Qiao Jing, feeling helpless, massaged her temples and stressed her tone,

    "Ni Yue, be serious. This is your birthday."

    Since Ni Yue had entrusted her with full responsibility for her birthday, she intended to make it as special as possible.

    Ni Yue let out a downhearted "oh," but a secondter, she perked up again.

    "Forget it, I¡¯ll leave it all to you. Think about what to do, send me the details, and I¡¯ll have someone set it up. We can¡¯t let Xiao Jingjing get tired! I¡¯ve got to go¡ªsuddenly got a burst of inspiration for a design. Love you, mwah?!!!"

    With that, the call ended, and Qiao Jing shook her head in resignation as she stared at the now darkened phone screen.

    Always so impetuous.

    She had just put away her phone when she caught sight of Zhan Qipei sitting next to her, the man fixating on her with his deep dark eyes.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and cast her gaze down on the dining table.

    "Is dinner ready?"

    Zhan Qipei responded with a "hmm," his gaze still unwaveringly on Qiao Jing, following her every move as she stood up, and he immediately got up and followed behind her.

    Even without looking back, she could feel the intense stare from behind her.

    Eventually, she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and stopped by the dining table, turning to look at Zhan Qipei.

    "What do you want to say?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows, as dense as mountain mist, drew together, and his thin lips parted slightly,

    "I¡¯ming too."

    He actually didn¡¯t want to celebrate Ni Yue¡¯s birthday, since no one would want to celebrate a love rival¡¯s birthday.

    But since his wife was going, he had to follow too, since he couldn¡¯t stand the thought of not being there.

 Chapter 630 - 619 Where His Wife Goes, He Goes

    <h4>Chapter 630: Chapter 619 Where His Wife Goes, He Goes</h4>

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her delicate eyebrows, then slowly began to speak.

    "Are you sure?"

    She remembered that Zhan Qipei and Ni Yue had always been at odds, so this damned man suddenly saying he¡¯d attend the birthday party seemed a bit forced.

    If these two ran into each other there, it might turn out like before, with the scene resembling a battlefield.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was stern, his thin lips pressed into a hard line devoid of curvature, he gruffly replied with two words.

    "Sure."

    Wherever his wife went, he would follow.

    Qiao Jing cast a casual nce at Zhan Qipei, nodded, and said nothing more.

    Just as she sat down at the dinner table, her cellphone rang again.

    She thought it was Ni Yue calling back, but when she took out her phone, she found it was Yu Yangqi calling.

    Qiao Jing tapped to answer.

    "Second bro? Are you calling about Ni Yue¡¯s birthday?"

    Considering the timing, Ni Yue had just finished calling her, and then the second bro followed right after ¡ª he was probably going to talk about the same thing.

    Moreover, since the second bro had been pursuing Ni Yue, with her birthday approaching, he was bound to call to check with her on the situation.

    Before Yu Yangqi had a chance to speak, he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s question and chuckled twice.

    "As expected of big sis, you can¡¯t be fooled by anything ¡ª oh no, I mean you can guess everything."

    Seeing that Ni Yue¡¯s birthday was the day after tomorrow, he had specially called his big sis to probe and see if he could prepare something.

    "What do you want to ask?" Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to waste words with Yu Yangqi.

    Yu Yangqi coughed then cleared his throat, his voice serious as he began to speak:

    "Big sis, do you know if there¡¯s any gift that Ni Yue wants? Or do you know how her birthday party will be? Is it the usual?"

    He wanted to surprise Ni Yue at the birthday party, to take the chance to close the gap between them!

    He couldn¡¯t afford a repeat ofst time when he got used!

    He must win Ni Yue over!!

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows thoughtfully but couldn¡¯t think of anything other than that handbag that Ni Yue might want.

    "I don¡¯t know about the gift; pick one yourself. As for the birthday party, Ni Yue has left it to me to organize, and I haven¡¯t finalized the details. I only have a rough idea ¡ª it will probably be held in a park."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Yu Yangqi¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    "A birthday party in the park? Big sis! Let me handle this birthday party for you; can I help you with it? Leave it to me, you can rest assured!!"

    He had checked the weather forecast, and it was supposed to rain on the night of Ni Yue¡¯s birthday. Originally, he thought the party would be in a hotel, so it wouldn¡¯t be affected by the weather.

    But since it was in a park this time, it would be even easier for him to create a few ¡¯idental¡¯ surprises!

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a while, somewhat distrustful of Yu Yangqi.

    "But Ni Yue entrusted this to me; unless you talk to her and she agrees, then I¡¯ll let you do it."

    Although the second bro was pursuing Ni Yue, she wouldn¡¯t readily agree to him on such a principled matter.

    She had promised Ni Yue and had been entrusted by her to handle the matter explicitly, so she wouldn¡¯t just hand it over to someone else on a whim.

    Yu Yangqi sighed, his tone carrying a hint of pleading.

    "Big sis, if I talk about it with her, she¡¯d definitely tell me to scram. Can you help me talk to her?"

    If he went to Ni Yue, he¡¯d definitely fail, so he had to ask his big sis for help.

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, then pursed her lips.

    "I can try to speak to her for you. If you have any ideas now, you can share them with me. If it¡¯s feasible, I might let you handle a small part of the arrangements."

    No sooner had she finished speaking than Yu Yangqi piped up.

    "Boss, how about we go camping in the wilderness? I¡¯ll take care of buying a few tents, and I can handle all the sleeping gear,"

    he nned to take the opportunity to cause some trouble.

    Qiao Jing felt a bit intrigued by the idea but also worried about entrusting this task to Yu Yangqi, doubting his ability to handle it well.

    "That proposal works for me, but if you can¡¯t handle it, I¡¯ll take over,"

    She was afraid that if the second-inmand wasn¡¯t careful and bought the wrong items, it could ruin the birthday banquet.

    She had to prevent such a situation from happening.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Yu Yangqi felt inexplicably guilty and subconsciously touched his nose.

    "Leave it to me, you can trust me, Boss. Anyway, gotta go, I¡¯ll hang up now. I¡¯ll buy those things myself, no need for you to worry,"

    After saying this, he hurriedly hung up the phone, lest Qiao Jing detect something amiss.

    Qiao Jing frowned deeply, a vague premonition of disaster beginning to form in her mind.

    But she didn¡¯t have time to think further because Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze had be even more fervent.

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and looked up to meet Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    The two made eye contact for a few seconds, but eventually, Qiao Jing gave way.

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll take you, okay? But first, I have a condition, you must not argue with Ni Yue when the timees."

    She didn¡¯t want Ni Yue¡¯s birthday to be spoiled by a quarrel between her and Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei nodded and immediately agreed.

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t go to the research institute for work as usual; instead, she went to the brand store for the bag that Ni Yue wanted.

    She walked straight into the store and spotted the bag in the center at a nce, and there was only one.

    Qiao Jing slightly knitted her brows, unsure whether this was the bag Ni Yue wanted, so she approached the counter.

    "Hello, is the worldwide limited edition bag that was released today still avable?"

    She was worried that someone else might have bought the bag, so she hade over as soon as the mall opened.

    The sales associate had been smiling, but her expression became reserved upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s question.

    "Miss, I¡¯m sorry, but the bag is gone."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened as her gaze settled on the bag in the center of the store.

    "Isn¡¯t that the one in the center?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s remark, the sales associate¡¯s expression stiffened.

    "Err... yes, but it¡¯s gone. It¡¯s not for sale anymore; there¡¯s only one in the store."

    Qiao Jing, reading the salesperson¡¯s facial expression, arched an eyebrow, suspecting what might be going on.

    "If the bag is still here, doesn¡¯t that mean it hasn¡¯t been sold yet? Moreover, this bag was only put on disy after the store opened today, and I came right at opening time. Are you sure it¡¯s gone?"

    When she arrived, the sales associate was turning on the lights, meaning she was the first customer of the day.

    If the sales associate said the bag was no longer avable, then someone must have reserved it in advance.

    Yet, Qiao Jing had checked the official website and found that this globally limited edition bag could not be reserved in advance and belonged to whoever managed to purchase it first after it was put on sale.

    At that moment, several elegantly dressed women arrived outside the store, and, upon seeing someone already inside, they sighed and left one by one.

    This indicated that seeing someone inside, they assumed the bag was reserved for the first person to arrive at the store.

    Therefore, the sales associate¡¯s words suggested that someone had made an under-the-table reservation in vition of the policy.

    While Qiao Jing was considering this, someone approached the entrance.

    It was someone she knew.

 Chapter 631 - 620: Who Do You Want to Sell the Bag to?

    <h4>Chapter 631: Chapter 620: Who Do You Want to Sell the Bag to?</h4>

    Ye Linglong, carrying her handbag and wearing a pair of sky-high heels, walked in with a face full of arrogance.

    Upon seeing the back of Qiao Jing, she nced at her with disdain and snorted coldly to herself. In her mind, no one was going topete with her for a handbag¡ªnot on her watch.

    Since entering the room, Ye Linglong had not given Qiao Jing a proper look, especially since Qiao Jing¡¯s back was turned to her, so Ye Linglong didn¡¯t recognize her at first nce.

    "Where is the bag I wanted?" Ye Linglong asked as she approached the saleswoman.

    How dare someone think ofpeting with her for what she wanted?

    Hah! As ifpeting would do them any good! She had already instructed them in advance!

    The saleswoman could hardly contain her excitement when she saw Ye Linglong approaching.

    "Miss Ye, you¡¯ve arrived, the bag you wanted is still here! It¡¯s ced right there, nice and safe. I¡¯ll wrap it up for you now."

    She had taken a hefty ¡¯red envelope¡¯ from Miss Ye¡ªjust to hold a handbag. Why wouldn¡¯t she do it?

    After all, there was no way her bosses would find out, and it just so happened to be her shift today¡ªa perfect opportunity!

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, her cool eyes darkened, and she spoke coldly,

    "I was here first."

    For her, it wasn¡¯t that she must have this bag, because she could get Ni Yue a better one by her own means.

    But she had seen in Ni Yue¡¯s social circle that there was only this one, it was clear how much the other party liked this bag.

    And it was evident from the messages how much Ni Yue adored this bag, which is why she still wanted to purchase it for her.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Ye Linglong found the voice somewhat familiar; she immediately recognized the owner of the voice and finally looked directly at her.

    So it was Qiao Jing, no wonder she thought the silhouette of her rival looked familiar just now.

    Once she saw Qiao Jing¡¯s face clearly, she snorted "Tch" and haughtily raised her chin.

    "Qiao Jing? You came to buy this bag?"

    To think she had thought it was some blind fool daring topete with her for the bag!

    It turned out to be Qiao Jing, the blind fool!

    This time they had run into each other, she had to get back double for the grievances she suffered at her uncle¡¯sst time!

    Qiao Jing, hearing the insinuations in Ye Linglong¡¯s words, chose to ignore her, directing her gaze straight at the saleswoman.

    "This bag, it¡¯s already reserved by someone else?"

    Upon hearing this, the saleswoman¡¯s smile immediately stiffened on her face, and she said somewhat guiltily,

    "Who said that? This bag hadn¡¯t been reserved in advance, don¡¯t just make things up!"

    The main store had a clear policy that they did not ept any reservations in advance, so she had hidden it secretly.

    If she admitted it now, she would be handing over a reason for ckmail.

    Ye Linglong looked at Qiao Jing with disdain, openly rolling her eyes at her so that everyone could see.

    The eyeroll was as dramatic as they get.

    "Even if the bag hasn¡¯t been reserved in advance, can you even afford it? Have you seen the price?"

    A full million!

    Even though Qiao Jing was currently favored by the Zhan Family, she didn¡¯t think the Zhan Family would give Qiao Jing that much money.

    She had barely managed to scrape together this amount of money after much difficulty.

    The process was filled with all sorts of heartache.

    It started with her saying to her dad that she had no clothes to wear, then telling her mom she wanted to buy jewelry.

    She had approached both sets of grandparents, everyone except her uncle and grandfather.

    Her uncle and grandfather were still angry and wouldn¡¯t let her visit their house.

    Unless she sincerely apologized to Qiao Jing.

    She had already apologized to Qiao Jing at her uncle¡¯s homest time.

    Although it wasn¡¯t sincere,

    She was cursing in her heart while apologizing.

    But still, those words again, there was absolutely no way she would sincerely apologize to Qiao Jing!

    Because in her heart, Qiao Jing was just a country bumpkin who deceived the Zhan Family people and Zhan Qipei with her looks and cunning schemes.

    "You don¡¯t have any skills whatsoever."

    And she, she had been the precious daughter of a wealthy family, learning all sorts of musical instruments, chess, and painting since she was young.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Ye Linglong, a look was all it took before she shifted her eyes away, unwilling to waste her breath speaking with her.

    Looking towards the sales associate, she asked,

    "Who do you intend to sell the bag to?"

    Her primary purpose foring was to buy a gift for Ni Yue, as for Ye Linglong, she did not want to bother with her.

    After all, she still had other items to buy for Ni Yue, so she did not want to waste time here.

    The sales associate looked Qiao Jing up and down and then nced at Ye Linglong, instantly gaining confidence, she spoke boldly,

    "Of course it¡¯s sold to Miss Ye! Just look at your impoverished appearance, you can¡¯t afford it but dare toe to our store? Lucky I didn¡¯t let you touch the bag earlier, or who knows if you could afford to pay for it if you scratched it!"

    Although she did not know what the rtionship was between Miss Ye and this woman named Qiao Jing, one look was enough to tell Miss Ye disliked Qiao Jing, and she just had to continue along with her tone.

    Anyone with eyes could see that Miss Ye was of a much higher ss than Qiao Jing¡ªa world apart. Miss Ye wore thetest from Chanel, whereas Qiao Jing wore who-knows-what cheap white T-shirt and jeans, clearly a pauper!

    Moreover, Miss Ye was not only the youngdy of the Ye family, but her mother was from the Chen family, with Miss Ye¡¯s support, even someone from the Zhan Family could do nothing against her.

    The Qiao Jing before her was not any important person and had no connection with the Zhan Family, how could someone from the Zhan Family possibly intervene?

    Seeing the sales associate¡¯s response, Ye Linglong nodded with satisfaction, slowly moved to her side.

    "If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll promote you, go and wrap the bag for me."

    Upon hearing this, the sales associate¡¯s smile grew even wider, she bowed several times to Ye Linglong, overjoyed,

    "Thank you, Miss Ye! Wait a moment, I¡¯ll wrap the bag for you right away!"

    After saying this, the sales associate hurried to the center of the store, carefully picked up the bag and returned to the counter.

    Just as the sales associate was about to begin wrapping, she was stopped by Ye Linglong,

    "Wait, show her the price tag, let her see the world, so she won¡¯t embarrass herself out here."

    Her uncle and grandfather were not around this time; she definitely had to make Qiao Jing pay back double!

    Not only did she want to prevent Qiao Jing from buying the bag, but she also wanted to take the opportunity to humiliate her!

    She wanted to make Qiao Jing profoundly understand the gap between their statuses, like this bag for instance¡ªit was a perfect example!!

    The sales associate quickly nodded her head, fearing she might upset Ye Linglong, and flipped the tag on the bag.

    Ye Linglong sneered, her face full of disdain and smugness.

    "Qiao Jing, take a good look, this bag costs one million, not something you can afford. Even if you went back to the countryside and farmed for a lifetime, you couldn¡¯t earn that much money! Did you think this bag was like the cheap clothes you¡¯re wearing, that you could get it for a few dozen yuan? This bag is a global limited edition, you should really consider your own worth before youe here making a fool of yourself!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool eyes were empty, her expression indifferent as she looked at Ye Linglong, then casually pulled out a card from her pocket, cing it on the table.

    "There¡¯s a firste, first served policy here, I arrived first. If you insist on selling the bag to someone who cameter, then you are viting the rules, and I will make aint."

    The sales associate, who was in the middle of wrapping the bag, stopped abruptly at these words, her face turned pale, and she looked up at Qiao Jing, soon locking eyes with a pair of dark,ke-like eyes.

    What¡¯s going on?

    Why are this girl¡¯s eyes so terrifying?

    She merely exchanged a nce with Qiao Jing, and a chill crawled up her spine, spreading rapidly through her body.

    This caused her voice to take on a notably nervous tone.

    "I said, Miss Ye arrived first!"

    This is insane!

    How could this Qiao Jing, dressed in cheap market clothes, have such a strong presence?

    No, no, a woman dressed in cheap clothes couldn¡¯t have any presence.

    She must be scared because she heard she would be reported, worried about being exposed, definitely!

    Seeing the sales associate somewhat frightened, Ye Linglong rolled her eyes in disbelief, cursing under her breath.

    Coward!

    After cursing, she immediately spoke,

    "Don¡¯t stretch the truth! I arrived first; I was here as soon as the doors opened, I just went to the restroomter on, and you dare to think you came first?"

    Ye Linglong paused, then nced at the card Qiao Jing had ced on the table.

    "You might as well tell me, where did you get that card from?"

 Chapter 632 - 621: Qiao Jing is the Zhan Familyéˆ¥æªš Bloodsucker?

    <h4>Chapter 632: Chapter 621: Qiao Jing is the Zhan Family¡¯s Bloodsucker?</h4>

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with Ye Linglong, her icy gaze fixed directly on the sales clerk.

    "Check the surveince, if she came in first, then sell the bag to her."

    Before arriving at the store, she had seen the sales clerk unlocking the door from a distance. All the way to the store, she never caught a glimpse of Ye Linglong, so she was certain that these two were lying right now.

    If it weren¡¯t because Ni Yue¡¯s birthday was tomorrow, and the closest specialty store in the capital was in M country, which would take time to air-freight, otherwise, she would¡¯ve directly had it sent to the capital.

    Besides, she wasn¡¯t someone who could be easily bullied by others.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing mentioning checking the surveince, both Ye Linglong and the sales clerk¡¯splexions sank.

    The sales clerk, from Ye Linglong¡¯s earlier words, could tell that the other party was protecting her, and now she felt more confident, no longer afraid of being reported.

    "You think you¡¯re qualified to see our store¡¯s surveince? Moreover, do I need to lie to you? Miss Ye was indeed the first one here!"

    Ye Linglong red fiercely at the card on the table, her eyes brimming with envy. She clenched her fists so tightly that even when her nails dug deep into her flesh, she felt no pain.

    "Qiao Jing, why can¡¯t you just give up? Ha! I think you¡¯ve forgotten where youe from, haven¡¯t you? Using the Zhan Family¡¯s money to buy a bag, does Young Master Zhan know? It looks to me like Young Master Zhan has brought home a bloodsucker!"

    She knew that under these circumstances, Qiao Jing would not feign wealth and bring out a card with insufficient funds, making a fool of herself.

    But Qiao Jing is just a country girl after all, a farmer, how much money could she have?

    So, this card must be given to Qiao Jing by Young Master Zhan or Auntie Su. She didn¡¯t understand what the Zhan Family saw in her, not choosing someone of equal status, and to top it off, spending money on a bloodsucker!

    It was clear she was the most suitable person for Young Master Zhan in the entire capital! Moreover, her uncle¡¯s family was an old friend of the Zhan Family, so why didn¡¯t they form an alliance with her family instead of having Young Master Zhan end up with a country girl?

    The more Ye Linglong thought about it, the angrier she became, and her insults grew more vicious in her attempt tosh out at Qiao Jing.

    "You really dare to spend the Zhan Family¡¯s money? You seem quite happy to be a bloodsucker, don¡¯t you? How thick is your skin? I wonder if you brought some kind of sorcery from the countryside, bewitching Young Master Zhan and his family! But don¡¯t get too carried away, Young Master Zhan wille to his senses very soon!"

    After hearing Ye Linglong¡¯s words, the sales clerk was momentarily stunned and then understood Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, looking down on her even more.

    She smartly followed up on Ye Linglong¡¯s words.

    "Oh, I thought who it was! So it¡¯s the country girl who married Young Master Zhan that made the rounds in the capital! I can¡¯t believe it, marrying Young Master Zhan was already luck you couldn¡¯t even pray for, and now you dare to be the Zhan Family¡¯s bloodsucker? Doesn¡¯t it make you sick? I despise people like you who crave vanity! Spending money that isn¡¯t yours, you¡¯re really bold!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, her aura gradually waning, and she looked at the two with a grim expression.

    "Check the surveince, or swipe my card and sell me the bag."

    Their words had already annoyed her.

    She was determined to buy the bag today!

    And she would make sure this clerk received the punishment she deserved!

    Ye Linglong stepped forward, looking with utter disdain at the card on the table.

    "You actually dare to use the card meant for a bloodsucker? But it¡¯s a pity, even if you have the money to buy, so what? I am a VIP esteemed member of this mall, and I have priority purchasing rights in all its stores, so you¡¯d better step back a bit!"

    The sales clerk nodded in agreement.

    "Even the money from a bloodsucker like you feels dirty to me! Thankfully, Miss Ye has the priority right to purchase, I wouldn¡¯t take your dirty money!"

    Upon hearing about the "VIP esteemed members having priority purchasing rights," Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and retrieved the card from the table.

    She took out her wallet and began searching for another card inside.

    Ye Linglong "tsked" and continued,

    "You rummaging through your purse is pointless. I don¡¯t believe you have a VIP distinguished membership card either!"

    The salesgirl couldn¡¯t help but let out a snort ofughter, her tone filled with disdain.

    "Miss Ye, rest assured, our store¡¯s list of distinguished VIP members doesn¡¯t include her name. She couldn¡¯t possibly have higher priority purchasing rights than you, unless it¡¯s a ck card, but how could a country bumpkin possibly have a ck card? What kind of pipe dream is that?"

    No sooner had the salesgirl finished speaking than Qiao Jing took another card out from her wallet and ced it on the table.

    "Now I have higher priority purchasing rights than her."

    She remembered that in all the stores, the ck card had the highest priority purchasing rights, so it should definitelye in handy now.

    Originally, she nned to use the card with the smallest limit to clear out the bnce, which is why she took out this card with a few million left on it to buy the bag and reduce the amount of money a bit.

    She didn¡¯t expect the salesgirl to stubbornly refuse to consider firste, first-served, so she had no choice but to use the ck card.

    The smiles on the salesgirl¡¯s and Ye Linglong¡¯s faces instantly stiffened upon seeing the ck card on the table.

    The salesgirl¡¯s eyes widened, staring at the ck card on the table for a good while.

    Ye Linglong nced at the card casually before looking away, crossing her arms with disdain for the ck card.

    "Heh! You even dare to fake a ck card? For the sake of face, aren¡¯t you afraid of being caught?"

    It was one thing for Qiao Jing to have enough money to buy a bag, having be the Zhan Family¡¯s bloodsucker, it was normal to have some money.

    But this ck card, one didn¡¯t even need to look at it to know it was a tant fake.

    After all, the ck card Qiao Jing had taken out wasn¡¯t something just anyone could possess. This ck card involved invitations from M Country¡¯s banks being sent out all over the world, and only those who received an invitation could have this ck card.

    And Qiao Jing, with no background or status to speak of, how could she possibly have this ck card?

    The salesgirl and Ye Linglong shared the same thought, they wanted tough upon seeing the unique emblem of M Country¡¯s bank at the bottom right corner of the ck card.

    "Miss, my advice is not to pretend to be something you¡¯re not if you don¡¯t have the money, okay? Isn¡¯t it embarrassing enough?"

    Ye Linglong "hmphed" and picked up Qiao Jing¡¯s ck card, shoving it into the salesgirl¡¯s hand.

    "Since she likes to pretend to be richer than she is, you go and swipe this ck card. If it goes through, the bag is hers."

    After the salesgirl rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing, she looked at Ye Linglong with a sycophantic gaze.

    "Miss Ye, do we really need to swipe it? We know the card is fake without swiping it, why waste our time?"

    Ye Linglong¡¯s lips curled into a smile tinged with mockery.

    "No matter, go swipe it. I want to see what her face looks like when it doesn¡¯t go through. It¡¯s actually my first time encountering someone so bold as to fake a ck card!"

    She wanted to publicly p Qiao Jing¡¯s face¡ªthat would be real satisfaction!

    Wanting her to apologize before, huh? Now you¡¯ve got iting!

    The salesgirl nodded and immediately took the ck card to the card machine and swiped it.

    With a "beep,"

    The card machine¡¯s screen disyed the words "Transaction Sessful"!

 Chapter 633 - 622: Where did this lunatic come from? Get out!

    <h4>Chapter 633: Chapter 622: Where did this lunatice from? Get out!</h4>

    The two people present werepletely dumbfounded.

    When the saleswoman saw the words "Transaction Sessful" on the card reader, she widened her eyes in shock, her face filled with disbelief.

    "It... it went through?"

    Ye Linglong also widened her eyes, snatched the card reader, and tapped the screen twice, only to find the words "Transaction Sessful" still disyed!

    She gritted her teeth and red at the saleswoman by her side.

    "Impossible, absolutely impossible! Is this card reader broken? How could it possibly go through??"

    The saleswoman was also unclear about the situation, but since the receipt had been printed, it proved that the card was usable.

    Where did Qiao Jing get this ck card?

    With this thought, Ye Linglong snatched Qiao Jing¡¯s ck card and stared at it, turning it over and over for a long time.

    Finally, she came up with a possibility.

    "Qiao Jing, did you steal Young Master Zhan¡¯s ck card? Are you not only a bloodsucker but also a thief of Young Master Zhan¡¯s ck card? You¡¯re really bold! Aren¡¯t you afraid of the Zhan Family finding out?

    Not only that, you dare to use it in front of me, aren¡¯t you worried that I will call the police now?"

    Qiao Jing slowly curled her lips, her gaze mocking as she looked towards Ye Linglong, and finally, her sharp eyes pierced straight towards the two of them.

    "You can ask the saleswoman to check if it¡¯s really my card and see who is really overstepping their boundaries." Since Ye Linglong was so keen to see her embarrassed, she too wanted to see what kind of expression the other party would have when the results were out.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter whether you check or not, you definitely stole Young Master Zhan¡¯s ck card to show off in front of me! Since you want to check, then I¡¯ll oblige! Just don¡¯te crying when your face gets pped swollen, and the moment I find out it¡¯s stolen, I will immediately inform Young Master Zhan!"

    Qiao Jing shrugged emotionlessly and settled down on a sofa.

    She was just about to drink some water when she saw the saleswoman walking over from theputer with an incredulous look.

    The saleswoman, clutching the ck card tightly, looked very upset.

    "Miss Ye, the owner of this ck card is... is Qiao Jing."

    Ye Linglong¡¯s face, previously twisted with a crazed smile, suddenly became void of emotion as she snatched the ck card back.

    "How could this be? Are you insane? Did you check wrong??"

    The saleswoman nced towards theputer.

    "Miss Ye... it¡¯s true, I¡¯ve checked several times, and it always shows the owner is Qiao Jing."

    Ye Linglong¡¯s face instantly turned a motley of colors, like a palette, and she muttered to herself:

    "Impossible! How could this be... Qiao Jing how could you possibly have a ck card?"

    Qiao Jing arched her eyebrows slightly and walked emotionlessly towards them, reaching out to take back her ck card.

    "The card was charged, can I have my bag now?"

    She just wanted to buy the bag and leave, without any desire to deal with these two.

    Upon hearing that, Ye Linglong immediately grabbed the bag next to her and pointed at Qiao Jing, taunting:

    "I knew it! You must have put a cover on the card! Besides, what right do you have to own a ck card if not? Why is your vanity so huge?"

    After saying that, she red at the saleswoman.

    "Using a counterfeit ck card in the mall, how are you going to handle this?"

    The saleswoman immediately understood Miss Ye¡¯s implication and responded to her.

    "We would have the security detain the person and send them to the police station, I¡¯ll contact them right now!"

    Ye Linglong nodded in satisfaction as she watched the saleswoman make the call, then red fiercely at Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing, if you admit now that this ck card is fake and kneel down to apologize to me, I¡¯ll forget this incident happened and let you go unpunished. Otherwise, even if the Zhan Family intervenes, it¡¯s going to take some time to get you out of the counterfeit ck card situation!"

    At this point, Qiao Jing could not hold back her annoyance and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    How could Ye Linglong¡¯s imagination be so wild? Now her ck card was supposed to have a sticker on it??

    Even if security came and detained her, sending her to the police station, she could still counter-sue Ye Linglong for defamation.

    But she didn¡¯t want to waste time and nned to contact someone to handle the situation.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to make a call, a few security guards walked in through the entrance and came straight up to the counter clerk.

    "Who is making the fake ck card?"

    Ye Linglong sneered and pointed in the direction of Qiao Jing, saying:

    "Who else could it be? Do you think I would make a fake ck card? Isn¡¯t she the only one here who would make a fake ck card?"

    Upon seeing Ye Linglong, the security guards immediately realized what was going on and hastily nodded and bowed, saying:

    "Of course not, Miss Ye. How could you possibly make a fake ck card?"

    The security paused for a moment, then turned to look at Qiao Jing standing to the side. Upon seeing the woman¡¯s face, his eyes lit up, but his expression turned disdainful as he saw the clothes she wore.

    "Stop her! Call the police!"

    At themand of the lead security guard, the other guards immediately surrounded Qiao Jing, blocking her escape.

    Qiao Jing ignored these people and continued to search through her contacts.

    Just then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a security guard suddenly reaching out to grab her.

    Her eyes darkened, and the atmosphere around her grew even colder.

    Qiao Jing put away her phone and slightly turned her body.

    The security guard hadn¡¯t reacted yet and hadn¡¯t withdrawn his hand when he suddenly heard a "crack" at his wrist.

    His eyes widened in shock, and a scream escaped his lips.

    "Ah©¤©¤!!!"

    His wrist was broken!

    Seeing this, the other security guards stepped forward to attack Qiao Jing all together, intending to restrain her until the police arrived.

    But in the end, each of them was easily knocked down by Qiao Jing, who even provided aplementary wrist disassembly service.

    Ye Linglong and the counter clerk were shocked; several tall and strong security guards, just like that so easily taken down by Qiao Jing?

    As they were thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, sharp as a de, fell on them.

    Both of them jumped, instinctively stepping back a few paces.

    Ye Linglong swallowed hard and stammered:

    "Qiao Jing... you, you¡¯re finished! Now you¡¯re not only making fake ck cards, but also assaulting people!"

    Just when Qiao Jing was about to speak, a flurry of hurried footsteps came from the entrance, followed by a formally dressed woman walking in.

    The woman nced at the security guards scattered on the ground, furrowed her brows, and looked at the counter clerk.

    "What happened?!"

    Upon seeing the woman, the counter clerk nced guiltily at the bag and said:

    "Manager, it¡¯s that woman next to you. She tried to buy a bag with a fake ck card. I called the security to catch her and take her to the police station, but she beat them up... like this."

    Hearing this, the manager¡¯s face turned extremely ugly, ring at Qiao Jing.

    "Where did this lunatice from? Get out!"

    After saying this, she kicked one of the men lying on the ground.

    "Get up quickly! The boss is making rounds!"

    Upon hearing the words ¡¯the boss ising,¡¯ the security guards managed to get up from the ground despite the pain.

    Qiao Jing tightly furrowed her brows, observing the manager in front of her.

    It seemed the store here had not only low-quality counter clerks but also a manager who wasn¡¯t much better.

    She was curious; who owned this mall that hired these two to manage the shop, and did it mean that the owner wasn¡¯t a good person either?

    While she was pondering, a group of people walked through the entrance, the central figure nked by several bodyguards.

    Qiao Jing saw who wasing, and her usually expressionless face suddenly showed a crack.

    Why was it him?

 Chapter 634 - 623: Teaching Qiao Jing a Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 634: Chapter 623: Teaching Qiao Jing a Lesson</h4>

    The neer was none other than Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui slowly approached the store¡¯s entrance, his face sporting the usual insincere smile as he swept a nce inside.

    "Heard this store ran into some trouble?"

    Because Qiao Jing¡¯s figure was mostly obscured by the towering security guards, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t see her at all.

    As soon as she saw Wu Xirui, her attitude underwent aplete turnaround, saying with sycophantic ttery,

    "Good morning, Fifth Master. No real trouble, just a lunatic came into the store to shop and even used a counterfeit ck card. We were just about to kick her out when you arrived."

    The sales associate¡¯s face instantly lit up with a ttering smile, nodding and bowing to Wu Xirui.

    "Exactly, Fifth Master, don¡¯t worry. We can handle this right away, and it won¡¯t happen again in the store. Rest assured."

    Ye Linglong¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but brighten when she saw Wu Xirui, and her tone softened.

    "Fifth Master, do you remember me? I am Ye Linglong."

    Wu Xirui nced at Ye Linglong casually. Although he did not remember the woman before him, he still hummed indifferently.

    Ye Linglong looked at Wu Xirui with a smile full of triumph in her heart.

    She knew that Wu Xirui remembered her. She was well-known as a talented woman in the capital¡¯s high society; forgetting her was difficult.

    If things didn¡¯t work out with Zhan Qipei, she considered switching her attentions to Wu Xirui. After all, both men were incredibly handsome and powerful, and she matched them perfectly!

    Suddenly, Wu Xirui noticed that the security guards were all holding their wrists, their faces twisted in pain, and he asked with some confusion,

    "What¡¯s the matter with you guys?"

    The guards¡¯ faces turned red and white, but none of them spoke up.

    If Fifth Master learned that a group of tall and burly security guards had been easily taken down by a woman, wouldn¡¯t they lose facepletely?

    Not only would they lose face, but they would also lose their jobs. How could they possibly admit that?

    Seeing this, Ye Linglong stepped in to answer for the guards,

    "Fifth Master, they were injured by the person with the counterfeit ck card. She not only wanted to snatch a bag from me but also injured so many security guards for the sake of face, and now she is still in the store. What do you think we should do?"

    She only said this to provoke Wu Xirui into using his means to punish Qiao Jing.

    Wu Xirui was known to be ruthless in his dealings, and Qiao Jing had directly offended him with her actions.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that Wu Xirui would let Qiao Jing off easily!

    After she finished her sentence, Ye Linglong gave the sales associate beside her a meaningful look.

    The sales associate immediately understood Ye Linglong¡¯s intentions, nodded, and continued,

    "And, Fifth Master, she refused to admit it when we caught her with the counterfeit ck card. She even cursed at us, saying we were all sick, and threatened to smash up the store. Look how disrespectful she is to you!"

    Upon hearing this baseless usation, Qiao Jing frowned.

    Wu Xirui, standing nearby, raised his eyebrows, the smile deepening in his flirtatious eyes, seemingly quite interested in this person.

    "Oh? Who dares cause trouble in my ce? Still in the store? Where?"

    Ye Linglong saw that the guards showed no intention of budging, so she stepped forward and pushed them aside.

    "You start hiding as soon as the Fifth Master arrives, scared?"

    She knew that the Fifth Master would surely get angry, and now Qiao Jing was doomed!

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, feeling too indignant to bother with Ye Linglong.

    She stepped forward, retrieved her ck card, and picked up the already wrapped bag.

    "You¡¯ve charged my card; the bag should be mine now."

    Ye Linglong watched and, gnashing her teeth with anger, spat out,

    "Qiao Jing! Do you think you can just walk out with the bag like that? You¡¯ve already offended the Fifth Master. Don¡¯t think you can leave so easily!"

    After saying that, she turned to look at Wu Xirui, ready to nder Qiao Jing further when she suddenly noticed Wu Xirui staring intently at Qiao Jing. What felt strange to her was,

    Wu Xirui¡¯s smile seemed to take on a hint of pleasure?

    Thinking she might have seen it wrong, Ye Linglong didn¡¯t give it much thought and pointed her finger at Qiao Jing.

    "Fifth Master, it¡¯s her! The one with the counterfeit ck card who hit people, and insulted you!"

    Wu Xirui paid no attention to her, taking strides towards Qiao Jing instead.

    Ye Linglong and the shop assistant simultaneously disyed smug smiles on their faces.

    Qiao Jing was done for now! Fifth Master was going to take matters into his own hands!

    Just when everyone was waiting to see Wu Xirui teach Qiao Jing a lesson, they witnessed a scene thatpletely shocked them.

    After arriving at Qiao Jing¡¯s side, Wu Xirui spoke very familiarly:

    "Howe you¡¯re here? Coming to my mall and not letting me know in advance, so I could have arranged for someone to personally receive you."

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Wu Xirui and spoke slowly:

    "No need, I¡¯ve already made my purchase."

    She still had to prepare for Ni Yue¡¯s birthday tomorrow and didn¡¯t have time to waste with these people.

    It was only then that Wu Xirui noticed the bag in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and he said with a smile:

    "You like this bag? Never mind just the bag, if you like this store, I could give it to you outright. How about it? Do you want it?"

    Qiao Jing, speechless, twitched the corner of her mouth and headed for the exit.

    "No need."

    She didn¡¯t have the energy to manage so much, and besides, she wasn¡¯tcking a store like this one.

    Wu Xirui simply responded with an okay and then followed Qiao Jing, starting to ask about other matters.

    "Do you want to be a member of this mall? I could just issue you a card. But yours would be special, having a higher priority purchase right than other members."

    Qiao Jing grew more speechless, firmly declining Wu Xirui again.

    "No, thank you."

    She already had a ck card; another membership card would be superfluous.

    Moreover, even if she wanted a membership card for this mall, she would have applied through the normal process, no need for backdoor favors.

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t get discouraged and kept following Qiao Jing out of the shop, walking further and further away.

    The few people left inside the store, their mindspletely blown, couldn¡¯t believe their eyes.

    Especially Ye Linglong, who was close to exploding with anger.

    She stared wide-eyed, fixating on the retreating figures of Qiao Jing and Wu Xirui.

    "What¡¯s going on?!"

    Why was Wu Xirui so nice to Qiao Jing, but so dismissive towards them?

    What gave her the right?

    Not only did Wu Xirui offer to give the bag to Qiao Jing, but he even offered the whole store. What on earth was their rtionship?

    She just didn¡¯t understand what was so good about Qiao Jing, that Wu Xirui would go out of his way to follow her out? It was as if ackey was following his boss!

    The shop assistant and store manager¡¯s expressions turned sour, as they exchanged nces with the security guards.

    The store manager, being the most perceptive, spoke first.

    "We¡¯re done for; we¡¯ve offended Fifth Master. That woman just now seems to be his friend. And their rtionship appears to be rather close."

    After saying that, she red at the shop assistant.

    "What are you doing? What¡¯s going on here? Falsely using someone?! We¡¯re both going to be fired soon!"

    The shop assistant looked tearfully at the manager and hastily shook her head.

    "Manager, I didn¡¯t know, it was her who insisted onpeting with Miss Ye for the bag, and then she pulled out a ck card, but she¡¯s just a country bumpkin, how could she possibly have a ck card?"

    The store manager rolled her eyes in utter disbelief.

    "Whether she has a ck card or not, Fifth Master¡¯s attitude towards her is proof enough of their rtionship!"

    The shop assistant, seeking help, looked towards Ye Linglong, hoping she would step in and prevent them from getting fired.

    But at that moment, Ye Linglong was no longer in the store. Instead, she had chased after Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t gone far when suddenly she heard the sound of high heels clicking rapidly on the floor behind her.

    She paused her step, and the next second, a panting Ye Linglong blocked Qiao Jing¡¯s path.

 Chapter 635 - 624: Severely Slapped in the Face!

    <h4>Chapter 635: Chapter 624: Severely pped in the Face!</h4>

    Qiao Jing nced at Ye Linglong standing before her, slightly raising her brows.

    "Is there something?"

    She had originally been toozy to bother with Ye Linglong, but out of respect for Director Chen and Old Master Chen, she had been prepared to let the matter go.

    But now, Ye Linglong had not only followed her out but had also stopped her.

    If Ye Linglong were to say something unpleasantter, she shouldn¡¯t me Qiao Jing for not showing respect.

    Her eyes nearly bursting with fury, Ye Linglong clenched her hands into fists, hanging by her thighs.

    Then, she turned to Wu Xirui, forcing her tone to be calmer, and put on a strained smile.

    "Fifth Master, I came to buy this bag first, would you please just do me this favor?"

    No matter what, she absolutely couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing take the bag away; otherwise, she would lose face in front of her again!

    But she believed that Wu Xirui wouldn¡¯t refuse her, considering she had the backing of the Ye family and the Chen family.

    However, the next words out of Wu Xirui¡¯s mouth left her unable to maintain her forced smile.

    "Who are you? Why should I give you face here?"

    Ye Linglong¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Wu Xirui.

    "Fifth Master, what... what are you saying? You don¡¯t recognize me? Didn¡¯t you just say you remembered me? I¡¯m Ye Linglong, the daughter of the Ye family!"

    She had met Wu Xirui at a banquet before, where she had even gone over to toast him!

    Earlier, she had specifically asked if he remembered her, and Wu Xirui had said he did. So why was he suddenly iming not to remember?

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face still wore his usual smile, and his slightly narrowed peach blossom eyes gave away no emotion.

    "That was just politeness. Did you take it seriously?"

    He clicked his tongue thoughtfully while rubbing his chin.

    "Whether you take it seriously or not doesn¡¯t concern me, but let me give you a piece of advice. Qiao Jing is a very special friend of mine. If you dare to provoke her again, it¡¯s the same as provoking me."

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at Wu Xirui, wondering if he really needed to emphasize the word "special."

    Ye Linglong¡¯s hands began to tremble with anger, and she bit her lips so hard that even though the taste of blood began to fill her mouth, she didn¡¯t care.

    "Fifth Master, if you don¡¯t recognize me, that¡¯s fine, but do you know Qiao Jing is already married? Why are you so close to her?"

    At the mention of Qiao Jing being married, Wu Xirui¡¯s eyes dimmed.

    "What¡¯s it to you?"

    Stumped by Wu Xirui¡¯s retort, Ye Linglong could only direct all her resentment toward Qiao Jing, staring at her with a deeply shady gaze.

    Why do all the men she cared about flock to Qiao Jing?

    What¡¯s so good about Qiao Jing?

    Is it just because of her face?

    She didn¡¯t think she was any less attractive than Qiao Jing.

    And her family background was countless times better than Qiao Jing¡¯s!

    Now, not only had she lost the bag, but she had also lost face in front of Qiao Jing.

    She felt she had never been so humiliated in her life!

    Qiao Jing, too tired to deal with them, walked straight ahead, letting them talk amongst themselves.

    Seeing this, Wu Xirui quickly followed her.

    "Qiao Jing, don¡¯t walk so fast, wait for me."

    Qiao Jing paused momentarily, then looked emotionlessly at Wu Xirui.

    "Why are you following me?"

    Wu Xirui¡¯s peach-shaped eyes curved, and the corners of his mouth remained hooked, disying an affectionate demeanor.

    "I¡¯ll walk you out."

    Qiao Jing nced around; it was still early, and there weren¡¯t many people in the mall. Plus, with the vastness of the mall, she had no way to shake off the person trailing behind her.

    She could only quicken her pace toward the elevator, and to avoid hearing Wu Xirui offer to take her home, she had called for a taxi on her phone in advance.

    Ye Linglong¡¯s heart was wild with jealousy; her gaze never left Qiao Jing¡¯s back as her expression viciously twisted as if wanting to tear flesh from her.

    But she didn¡¯t have the ability to do so and could only stand there watching Qiao Jing leave.

    Meanwhile.

    Qiao Jing had just gotten into the taxi when she received a phone call.

    She nced at the caller ID and saw it was from Yu Yangqi.

    Qiao Jing pressed to answer.

    "Hello?"

    Her intuition told her that the second brother was up to some mischief.

    Yu Yangqi chuckled softly, "Hehe," and tentatively asked,

    "Big sister, well... I have a slightly awkward favor to ask... could you see your way to helping me out?"

    Hearing Yu Yangqi¡¯s hesitant words, Qiao Jing knew her intuition was right.

    "What is it?"

    Yu Yangqi touched his nose guiltily on the other end, his tone taking on a pleasing note.

    "Big sister, could you just agree to it first? I¡¯m having someone make you several bowls of porridge, the kind with lots of ingredients, okay?"

    Seeing Yu Yangqi resort to bribery, Qiao Jing somewhat helplessly rubbed her temples.

    "Why are you being so childish? You want me to agree first? What¡¯s the matter?"

    She wouldn¡¯t easily agree to the second brother, otherwise, with his wild ideas, if he nned something bizarre for Ni Yue¡¯s birthday party, it would definitely lead to trouble.

    Yu Yangqi was silent for a few seconds, then finally came out with a do-or-die attitude.

    "I want to slightly change the birthday party ns. After gathering at the park for a meal, I¡¯d like to take Ni Yue hiking. But if I bring it up myself, it wouldn¡¯t look good, so big sister, I need your help to assist me. It¡¯s not fair for Ni Yue to take advantage of me without ever dating me, right?"

    Hearing Yu Yangqi¡¯s words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly,

    "Is that all?"

    She had thought Yu Yangqi was going to propose some radical, uneptable new method.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Yu Yangqi understood her implication.

    "Yes, you mean you agree, right? You¡¯re so good to me, big sister! I¡¯ve also prepared a tent for you; I n to hike to the summit and spend the night, then watch the sunrise when day breaks."

    Qiao Jing thought about it for a moment, found it eptable, and agreed.

    "Okay."

    Camping on the mountain to watch the sunrise sounded quite nice after deeper consideration. She had been busy these days; it was also good to rx asionally.

    As for being an aplice, she couldn¡¯t refuse the second brother and had to agree.

    After all, the two of them were somewhat rted, and the second brother was adamant that Ni Yue had taken advantage of him and insisted on settling the score before he was willing.

    Yu Yangqi suddenly let out a cheerful "Yeah!" over the phone, and before Qiao Jing could say anything else, the call was disconnected.

    Qiao Jing showed a helpless smile, took out her phone, and started preparing for the park event, arranging for someone to set up the venue.

    She had thought of organizing something like a barbecue pic in the park, just calling a few of Ni Yue¡¯s close friends would suffice.

    Since Ni Yue had entrusted her to handle everything, to make this birthday different from any before, she had organized apletely unique party.

    After a little while, she finalized the n and sent out the whole procedure.

 Chapter 636 - 625: Iéˆ¥æª“ a Hypocrite, I Side with Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 636: Chapter 625: I¡¯m a Hypocrite, I Side with Qiao Jing</h4>

    Evening.

    Qiao Jing had timed it perfectly; she nned to celebrate Ni Yue¡¯s birthday right at midnight. She also decided to schedule the hike for afterwards, so that they could watch the sunrise on Ni Yue¡¯s birthday.

    Upon arriving at the designated park, she found Yu Yangqi already there, directing others as they set up various things.

    Qiao Jing took a quick look around to confirm that they had only invited Xu Moqian, Zhan Nanqing, Lin Xiuxiang, and two family members who had tagged along.

    These were Zhan Qipei, who was still parking the car, and Tang Yan, who was inseparably by Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s side.

    When everyone saw Qiao Jing¡¯s arrival, smiles spread across their faces.

    Xu Moqian was the first to approach Qiao Jing, and just as he was about to speak, Zhan Nanqing pushed him aside.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re here! Did Ni Yue say when she would arrive?"

    Qiao Jing checked the current time and answered,

    "She will be here in a moment."

    Xu Moqian looked at Zhan Nanqing with an unconvinced expression. He wanted to retaliate, but considering she was a girl, it didn¡¯t seem right to be rough with her.

    "I won¡¯t argue with you!"

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes wordlessly and "tsk"ed.

    "Do you think you could out-argue me if you wanted to?"

    Qiao Jing watched the two starting to bicker again and shook her head helplessly, then slowly walked over to Lin Xiuxiang.

    The two were actually not much different in their pregnancy timing, but Qiao Jing could already see a slight bulge in Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s abdomen.

    Lin Xiuxiang revealed a big smile, shrugged off Tang Yan¡¯s arm around her, and threw herself onto Qiao Jing for a big bear hug.

    "Qiao Qiao, you¡¯re here."

    Qiao Jing noticed that because of the hug, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s slightly bulging belly pressed against her own.

    Lin Xiuxiang noticed this too, and the two women, both soon to be mothers, shared a smile filled with tenderness.

    "How have you been feelingtely?"

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s face fell immediately after hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s question. She grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and pinched her own body, pouring out her woes.

    "I feel quite good, actually, but look, haven¡¯t I gained like ten pounds? It¡¯s all Tang Yan¡¯s fault! I told him not to cook so many body-nourishing tonics, and now look what¡¯s happened, I¡¯ve grown sideways."

    "Xiangxiang, you definitely need to nourish your body during pregnancy, and you don¡¯t look like you¡¯ve gained ten pounds at all. Besides, even if you got as fat as a little piggy, you¡¯d still be my Xiangxiang."

    Lin Xiuxiang nced at Tang Yan with some disdain and said,

    "Since when did you start spouting such cheesy lines?"

    Qiao Jing looked at Lin Xiuxiang, who was bothining and disying an even happier smile, her eyes beaming with joy.

    She chuckled, took Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, and started to take her pulse.

    "Let me take your pulse."

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded and sneakily ced her hand on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, gently touching it.

    "Qiao Qiao, why does my pregnancy show more than yours when you got pregnant before me? It must be because I¡¯m too fat."

    After finishing taking the pulse, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and yfully poked Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s somewhat plump face.

    "You were too skinny before; now, you¡¯re not fat, but just right. Plus, the baby is getting proper nutrition."

    Lin Xiuxiang smiled and affectionately rubbed Qiao Jing¡¯s face, then looked around.

    "Qiao Qiao, where¡¯s your other half? Didn¡¯t hee today?"

    Mentioning Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t an issue, but now that her man hade up, Qiao Jing remembered all the preparations he had made after learning about the camping and hiking ns for the day.

    Eventually, she let out a sigh.

    "He¡¯s still in the car."

    She had emphasized to him that she had experience hiking and didn¡¯t need to bring so many things for her.

    Having climbed many mountains to gather herbs before, the one behind the park posed no challenge to her, so there really wasn¡¯t any need for preparing various hiking gear.

    In the end, her words hadn¡¯t swayed Zhan Qipei, and he had insisted on apanying her on the hike.

    Lin Xiuxiang made an "oh" sound and, taking Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, led her to the mountain of gift boxes.

    "Qiao Qiao, even though we invited fewer people this time, the gifts are still as plentiful as ever."

    Qiao Jing ced the gift box she brought on the table and noticed that some of the names on the gift boxes weren¡¯t any of them, but some people she didn¡¯t recognize.

    "Boss, some of the gifts here were sent by Ni Yue¡¯s friends. Some of them are abroad, and some couldn¡¯t make it, so they had someone else deliver them," Yu Yangqi ran over and said.

    Qiao Jing responded with a sound.

    "Okay, then we¡¯ll wait for Ni Yue toe."

    Yu Yangqi took a nce at Qiao Jing and asked in a whisper:

    "Boss, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯te?"

    Just as he finished speaking, a figure appeared behind Qiao Jing, and a deep voice sounded.

    "Looking for me?"

    The expression on Yu Yangqi¡¯s face stiffened for a moment before he replied:

    "No, no, just asking."

    As Qiao Jing turned around to look at Zhan Qipei, she noticed he hade with arge backpack again, causing her temples to throb sharply.

    "Didn¡¯t I say you didn¡¯t need to bring all this?"

    She really couldn¡¯t make use of these so-called mountain climbing tools. It was just a small hill, and Zhan Qipei had brought a whole bunch of stuff, which had be more of a burden.

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly looked at Qiao Jing, his thin lips pressing together.

    "No, it¡¯s necessary. I¡¯ve already put a lot of things back."

    The truth was, he didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to go mountain climbing at all since she was pregnant, he wouldn¡¯t feel at ease no matter where she went.

    Not to mention letting Qiao Jing climb the mountain with other people, without him by her side.

    It was then that Yu Yangqi noticed the backpack on Zhan Qipei¡¯s back and suddenly had a bad feeling.

    "Boss, is he going too?"

    Qiao Jing "hmm"ed, and stretched out her hand to weigh Zhan Qipei¡¯s backpack, finding it much lighter.

    "Let¡¯s talk about itter, Ni Yue is almost here."

    Just as she had stepped out the door, she had weighed the backpack which felt as heavy as arge rock; she didn¡¯t know what Zhan Qipei had put inside.

    Just then, a red sports car pulled up at the entrance of the park.

    Ni Yue got out of the car and made her way to the decorated area when suddenly, a loud "bang" sounded next to her ear.

    Confetti cannons exploded next to Ni Yue¡¯s ear, showering her hair with colorful paper ribbons.

    After seeing the carefully arranged venue, Ni Yue¡¯s face broke into a huge smile, and she quickly approached Qiao Jing, reaching out to hug her.

    "Xiao Jingjing! You did such a beautiful job decorating! And these confetti cannons, even the ribbons falling down are heart-shaped!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened immediately upon seeing this, his gaze falling on the hands wrapped around Qiao Jing.

    Upon hearing Ni Yue¡¯s words, Yu Yangqi immediately boasted:

    "I prepared the confetti cannons, and I helped with the decoration too!"

    As soon as Ni Yue heard this, her smile quickly turned into a look of disgust, and she brushed off the heart-shaped ribbons that had fallen on her.

    "Who told you to do the ribbons? All these falling on the ground, are you going to sweep them upter?"

    Yu Yangqi blurted out an "Oh my god," staring at Ni Yue.

    "So, it looks good only if the Boss does it, but not when I do? Ni Yue, how can you be so hypocritical?"

    Ni Yue rolled her eyes, affectionately rubbing Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    "You can¡¯t judge me. I¡¯m biased, I¡¯m all for my Xiao Jingjing, so what?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened even more, his brows furrowing tightly.

    Considering the instructions Qiao Jing had given him before they arrived, he forcibly suppressed the urge to step forward and separate the two.

    He couldn¡¯t disobey his wife.

    Qiao Jing watched these two joyfully bickering friends and began to worry about the courting path of thetter.

    Who courts someone by bickering with them?

    She freed up her hands, and without Ni Yue noticing, she sent out a message.

    Then, another "bang" echoed in everyone¡¯s ears.

 Chapter 637 - 626 Qiao Jing Was Kissed Several Times

    <h4>Chapter 637: Chapter 626 Qiao Jing Was Kissed Several Times</h4>

    Fireworks exploded in the sky not far behind the group, the brilliant light instantly illuminating the entire night sky.

    For a moment, a feast of fireworks appeared before everyone, little points of light imprinted in their eyes.

    Ni Yue was rendered speechless by the fireworks at first, only speaking after they had faded away.

    "Xiao Jingjing, did you prepare these fireworks?"

    As she said this, she couldn¡¯t help but cast a disdainful nce at Yu Yangqi.

    Yu Yangqi, angered, widened his eyes and pointed at himself.

    "What! What do you mean by that? Are you not satisfied with the ones I prepared? Do they have to be prepared by the boss to be good enough?"

    Ni Yue nodded without hesitation, as if it were a matter of course.

    "Otherwise?"

    Yu Yangqi almost spat blood in anger, staring at Ni Yue, unable to speak for a long time.

    Qiao Jing looked at this pair of bickering friends and revealed an utterly helpless smile.

    "I prepared them."

    At this, Ni Yue finally broke into a satisfied smile, nestling her face against Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    "Thank you, Xiao Jingjing~ They¡¯re so beautiful! I absolutely love them!!"

    Upon seeing this scene, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned dark and ominous, staring intensely at the two faces pressed together.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s very intense gaze and furrowed her brows lightly in his direction as a warning.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s expression, furrowed his mountain-like, misty brows, and eventually resigned to pursing his lips and giving up.

    Only then did Qiao Jing take her eyes off Zhan Qipei, and with a smile, said:

    "As long as you like it."

    Ni Yue suddenly noticed the cake and barbecue grill not far away, her eyes lighting up instantly as she walked briskly towards them.

    "Xiao Jingjing, how did you know I¡¯ve been super craving barbecue thesest few days? It¡¯s all because of that design draft, I just didn¡¯t have the time, and now you¡¯ve made my dreame true!"

    Qiao Jing stopped Ni Yue, ncing towards the direction of the gifts.

    "Go open your presents first, the charcoal for the barbecue isn¡¯t lit yet."

    If there was no mishap, she would be the one doing the grilling.

    Because it seemed none of the others had much experience with barbecuing.

    "Ah?" Ni Yue eximed, realizing the charcoal indeed wasn¡¯t lit, and she reluctantly retraced her steps, heading towards the gifts.

    Her eyes immediately fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s gift box because it was the official packaging for the bag she had been wanting to buy.

    Ni Yue¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she reached for Qiao Jing¡¯s gift box first and, upon opening it, found a letter inside with Qiao Jing¡¯s signature.

    She didn¡¯t immediately open the bag but instead carefully picked up the letter, which to her discovery, also had a bank card inside.

    Ni Yue set the bank card aside and started to read the content of the letter in her heart.

    Yu Yangqi, curious to see Ni Yue so focused, leaned over, only to be pushed away.

    After reading the letter, tears welled up in Ni Yue¡¯s eyes, and she looked towards Qiao Jing, her eyes brimming with tears.

    "Xiao Jingjing..."

    Qiao Jing did not immediately understand, and slowly began:

    "Hmm, I¡¯m here, look at the gift first."

    After all, Ni Yue was usually a forthright person, and now seeing her with such an expression made her somewhat ufortable.

    She gave the gift to Ni Yue in the hope of making her happy, not to make her cry.

    Ni Yue pursed her lips, carefully cing the letter back in the gift box and made as if to envelop Qiao Jing in a bear hug.

    Qiao Jing looked at Ni Yue somewhat helplessly, reminding her:

    "Finish opening the gifts first, there are many more."

    Ni Yue took a sharp breath to hold back her tears and steeled herself.

    Yu Yangqi, seeing this, was thoroughly disgusted, took out a pack of tissues, and shoved them into Ni Yue¡¯s hand indifferently.

    "You¡¯re an adult, what are you crying for? It¡¯s so embarrassing. Hurry up and wipe your face."

    Ni Yue rolled her eyes, toozy to pay attention to Yu Yangqi, and ready to open the package from Qiao Jing.

    Although she hadn¡¯t seen which model it was, her intuition told her it was the globally limited edition bag she had been longing for.

    After unwrapping the package, Ni Yue saw the exact bag she had desired lying inside, her eyes instantly gleaming with excitement.

    She first touched the bag a few times, then quickly ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, hugging her waist without a word and fiercely kissed Qiao Jing¡¯s face several times.

    "Xiao Jingjing! I love you to death!! You actually got me this bag!"

    Qiao Jing simply couldn¡¯t withstand Ni Yue¡¯s enthusiasm and gave up resisting.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, his lips pressed tightly into a line devoid of any curve, and he tookrge strides over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, unceremoniously pulling Ni Yue away from her.

    Ni Yue red at Zhan Qipei, defiantly asking:

    "What are you doing?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was dark as he looked at Ni Yue, giving her a cold sidelong nce.

    "She¡¯s my wife."

    He had already endured it twice; how could he tolerate it when Ni Yue went as far as kissing Qiao Jing this time?

    What¡¯s more, Ni Yue was his rival in love,pletely different from other girls.

    Ni Yue tried to pull Qiao Jing to her side, but was blocked by a meat wall named Zhan Qipei.

    She was so infuriated by Zhan Qipei that she couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    "I know that."

    Zhan Qipei watched Ni Yue warily, using his body to shield Qiao Jing thoroughly.

    "You know and you still kiss her?"

    Luckily he came today, otherwise Ni Yue might have taken even more liberties with Qiao Jing.

    Ni Yue stared back at Zhan Qipei fearlessly.

    "Xiao Jingjing doesn¡¯t mind, so what¡¯s it to you? Right, Xiao Jingjing?"

    Qiao Jing, feeling a bit of a headache, rubbed her temples and slowly said:

    "Enough, both of you stop arguing."

    It seemed her earlier instruction to Zhan Qipei was as good as not given, but she had anticipated this, as this guy was truly a living embodiment of jealousy.

    But she really hadn¡¯t expected Ni Yue to actually kiss her.

    That wasn¡¯t the key issue; the key was she actually kissed her so many times.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, his tone carrying a hint of grievance that only Qiao Jing could detect, though he was faking it.

    "She kissed you first."

    Ni Yue was just as unwilling to back down, retaliating against Zhan Qipei.

    "Xiao Jingjing, today is my birthday; can¡¯t I give you just one kiss in my happiness?"

    Qiao Jing heard the undertone of grievance in Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice and looked at him with a sense of resignation.

    But remembering that today was Ni Yue¡¯s birthday, she nodded without hesitation and replied:

    "Of course, it¡¯s your birthday, you¡¯re the boss today."

    She was here to celebrate Ni Yue¡¯s birthday, and Ni Yue¡¯s happiness was the most important thing.

    If it wasn¡¯t an excessive request, she would agree, and now it was just a few kisses.

    Only then did Ni Yue reveal a satisfied smile, provocatively ncing at Zhan Qipei a few times, and walked quickly to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    "Then, Xiao Jingjing, shall we open the gifts together?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, staring intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, extending his hand to grasp her wrist.

    "Let her unwrap it herself."

    His patience had reached its limit; he would absolutely not tolerate Ni Yue taking any more liberties with Qiao Jing; he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    Ni Yue clicked her tongue irritably and rolled her eyes at Zhan Qipei.

    "Why do you care so much? Didn¡¯t you hear Xiao Jingjing say that my happiness is the most important?"

    Just as she thought she could sessfully take Qiao Jing away, Zhan Nanqing suddenly stepped forward.

 Chapter 638 - 627: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei flirting?

    <h4>Chapter 638: Chapter 627: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei flirting?</h4>

    "Um... Ni Yue, you should unwrap your own gift. As a single dog, I really don¡¯t want to watch my brother and Qiao Jing flirting anymore.

    You have no idea, just now when my brother saw you leaning towards Qiao Jing again, he couldn¡¯t help wanting to separate you two, but Qiao Jing gave him a re and he didn¡¯t dare to speak.

    Even if you don¡¯t care about my brother, please consider the feelings of this single dog here, not to mention, there¡¯s another couple here!"

    Ni Yue nced at Zhan Nanqing, thinking of him as the poor single dog, and reluctantly agreed to go unwrap the gifts herself.

    The cued Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan looked at each other and simultaneously showed a smile.

    Lin Xiuxiang coughed twice and cleared her throat.

    "Please don¡¯t drag the innocent into this, we two are definitely not flirting."

    She had also noticed the exchanging nces between Qiao Qiao and Zhan Qipei, she had seen all their interactions and couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth andugh secretly.

    Hearing this dialogue, Qiao Jing¡¯s temples suddenly throbbed.

    "Flirting?"

    All she did was to prevent Zhan Qipei from pulling her away and then arguing with Ni Yue, how did it turn into flirting?

    But that¡¯s not the point, it looks like her warning didn¡¯t work.

    Zhan Nanqing nodded, frowning as heined,

    "Yeah, you call that not flirting? Then tell me what do you call flirting? Like this?"

    After saying this, Zhan Nanqing began demonstrating "flirting" as if she had started a live drama.

    She bumped the nearest person with her shoulder and kept signaling with her eyes.

    "Like this? Isn¡¯t my imitation pretty good?"

    Zhan Nanqing had just spoken when she suddenly felt disgusted, since the nearest person was Xu Moqian, whose face was now very ugly.

    Thinking about how Xu Moqian liked Qiao Jing, she was undoubtedly stabbing him in the heart right now.

    But what about it?

    Why should she care if Xu Moqian was always teasing her and even liked her sister-inw?

    She enjoyed antagonizing Xu Moqian!

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t show Zhan Nanqing a good expression and stepped back a few steps.

    "Like hell, you brat, go stand over there!"

    He had felt it inappropriate when he saw Ni Yue close to Qiao Jing earlier, and now he realized that he waspeting with another for Qiao Jing¡¯s affection?!

    Doesn¡¯t that mean he has an additional rival now?

    Just when Zhan Qipei was already enough trouble, now Ni Yue seems to like Qiao Jing too, could this be a dream?

    It seems Sister Jing is truly outstanding, appealing to both genders; he could only hope there wouldn¡¯t be so many rivals.

    Zhan Nanqing scoffed, pushing Xu Moqian further away.

    "You¡¯re the brat here, hey, aren¡¯t you supposed to be a girl? Can¡¯t you speak more elegantly? People like you deserve to be single forever! Besides, I just called the nearest person to me, don¡¯t think I actually wanted to flirt with you!"

    Xu Moqian did not reply to Zhan Nanqing, just nced at her silently.

    Finally, he turned towards Qiao Jing and switched the topic.

    "Sister Jing, why don¡¯t we go barbecue?"

    He was not willing to just let Zhan Qipei stick with Sister Jing.

    As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, he could first join forces with Ni Yue to drive away the biggest threat¡ªZhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing looked at the position of the barbecue grill, and then at Zhan Qipei and Ni Yue.

    To avoid letting the two continue arguing over her, she nodded and moved to the barbecue grill.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei quickly followed her.

    "I¡¯ll help you."

    Xu Moqian was not to be outdone, directly pulling up a stool and sitting down next to Qiao Jing on the left.

    "Sister Jing, teach me how to barbecue? I¡¯ll grill with you."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face immediately darkened, and he moved a stool to Qiao Jing¡¯s left side, forcibly squeezing Xu Moqian away.

    He had just chased one away, and another one came?

    Xu Moqian directly moved his stool to Qiao Jing¡¯s right side, and the two switched ces.

    Qiao Jing looked at these two swapping ces and rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    "Can you two sit still, what¡¯s with all this moving around?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression grew colder as he coldly nced at Xu Moqian.

    "Yes."

    Xu Moqian, not to be outdone, red back at Zhan Qipei and said cheerfully:

    "Sister Jing, you start now, I¡¯ll learn on the sidelines!"

    When Lin Xiuxiang saw that the group was about to start barbecuing, she hurried over to help, but before she could get to the grill, Qiao Jing stopped her.

    "Xiangxiang, don¡¯te over here. Just sit over there and rest."

    Tang Yan helped Lin Xiuxiang to sit on a chair nearby.

    "Right, the smoke is too heavy over there, just rest here, and I will bring you some once it¡¯s cooked."

    Lin Xiuxiang frowned, her gaze falling on Qiao Jing.

    "What about you, Qiao Qiao?"

    It was clear Qiao Qiao was pregnant too, so why wasn¡¯t sheing over to rest with her?

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, about to say she was fine, but Zhan Qipei jumped in first.

    "She can¡¯t just sit around here either."

    He paused for a moment, turned his head to look at Qiao Jing, and said in a serious tone:

    "You go rest as well, I can handle the grilling."

    He considered the fact that Qiao Jing was pregnant and should avoid inhaling too much cooking fumes.

    Even if the others didn¡¯t know how to barbecue and ended up burning the food, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªnothing was as important as Qiao Jing¡¯s health.

    Qiao Jing pulled a wry smile, slowly opening her mouth:

    "No need, I can grill. Besides, don¡¯t you guys not know how to barbecue?"

    If they allowed those who didn¡¯t know how to barbecue to do it, the results could be disastrous.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t say a word but stubbornly looked at Qiao Jing, his deep eyes filled with resolve.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei stared at each other, neither willing to back down.

    After a few minutes of standoff, Qiao Jing, unable to outstubborn Zhan Qipei, sighed in resignation.

    "Fine, fine, fine, you guys grill if you want, but I have to teach you how first before I rest."

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his thick eyebrows, which were as dense as mist, contemting the feasibility of this proposal.

    If possible, he didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to teach them how to barbecue since just sitting beside the grill could make someone smell the smoke.

    Before he could answer Qiao Jing, she had already put several skewers of beef on the grill.

    Zhan Qipei said no more but watched Qiao Jing¡¯s barbecuing hands intently, eager to learn quickly.

    After all, he never even let Qiao Jing cook at home¡ªhow could he bear to let her barbecue and inhale so many fumes?

    In the end, Qiao Jing demonstrated only once before Zhan Qipei sent her away.

    "You go rest, I¡¯ve got it."

    Xu Moqian, who was standing by, hadn¡¯t evene to his senses. He had just started following along, but while his eyes had learned, his hands hadn¡¯t.

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to leave, and realizing not only that he couldn¡¯t interact with her but also hadn¡¯t learned how to barbecue, he grew anxious.

    "Sister Jing, could you grill one more time? I didn¡¯t catch it just now."

    He had hardly finished speaking when he received a cold re from Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 639 - 628: Personally Helping Qiao Jing Wear His Knee Pads

    <h4>Chapter 639: Chapter 628: Personally Helping Qiao Jing Wear His Knee Pads</h4>

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t be bothered with Xu Moqian and began to focus on grilling.

    Upon seeing this, Yu Yangqi also came over to help and specifically grilled a portion for Ni Yue.

    ©¤©¤

    It was midnight.

    Once again, several beautiful fireworks exploded in the sky, and at the same time, a birthday song started ying in the park. Yu Yangqi, pushing a cart with the birthday cake, arrived next to Ni Yue.

    He just looked at Ni Yue and finally said four words in a reluctant tone.

    "Happy birthday."

    Ni Yue didn¡¯t pick on Yu Yangqi¡¯s attitude and simply said thank you.

    Except for Zhan Qipei, everyone present came up to Ni Yue to wish her a happy birthday.

    Ni Yue responded to each one with a smile and moved to the cart to cut the cake.

    Qiao Jing suddenly noticed Zhan Qipei, who was pressing his lips tight and refusing to speak, and tugged at the man¡¯s sleeve.

    "What¡¯s the matter with you? You haven¡¯t wished Ni Yue a happy birthday yet."

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows deeply. In his heart, he was somewhat reluctant because he already regarded Ni Yue as a thorn in his eye.

    But since Qiao Jing pointed it out, and he wasn¡¯t someone to hold grudges over petty issues, he reluctantly approached Ni Yue.

    He squeezed out four stiff words.

    "Happy birthday."

    Ni Yue scoffed and thanked him, though it was clearly hard for her to do so.

    "Well, thank you indeed! Having Young Master Zhan wish me a happy birthday must be quite a challenge."

    To avoid another head-on conflict between the two, Qiao Jing quickly intervened and handed the cake-cutting knife to Ni Yue.

    "Let¡¯s cut the cake, Xiangxiang is about to fall asleep."

    She had noticed during the barbecue that Lin Xiuxiang was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open.

    She felt a deep sympathy for her at that moment because her pregnancy had also started making her drowsy, causing her to get sleepy early in the evenings.

    She had already reminded Lin Xiuxiang to let Tang Yan take her home to rest, but thetter insisted on staying to apany Ni Yue in cutting the cake before she would leave.

    Now Ni Yue noticed Lin Xiuxiang and immediately began to cut the cake, looking apologetically at her.

    "Sorry about that, I¡¯ll start cutting now, no dilly-dallying."

    Lin Xiuxiang forced herself to open her eyes, managing to look somewhat more awake.

    "It¡¯s okay."

    After the cake was distributed, Lin Xiuxiang hurriedly ate a few bites and then left with Tang Yan.

    Qiao Jing watched as the two of them departed and finally diverted her gaze back.

    The cake was quickly divided up, and Xu Moqian and Zhan Nanqing stood up, getting ready to leave as well.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at Qiao Jing before leaving and, seeing that they had no intention of leaving, asked in confusion,

    "Aren¡¯t you guys leaving?"

    Xu Moqian also stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at them.

    Ni Yue paused in eating her cake and looked at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled face.

    "Why leave? We¡¯ll go after finishing the cake."

    After hearing Ni Yue¡¯s words, Yu Yangqi suddenly realized he hadn¡¯t mentioned the n to hike up the mountain to her.

    Knowing full well it wouldn¡¯t work if he spoke up, he looked at Qiao Jing with pleading eyes, frantically signaling her to speak.

    With no choice, Qiao Jing pursed her lips and slowly started to speak,

    "Ni Yue, let¡¯s go hiking up the mountain to watch the sunriseter. We¡¯ll stay overnight on the mountain. Everything we need has been prepared."

    She saw the urgency in the younger brother¡¯s demeanor, as if he was terrified she wouldn¡¯t help and speak out.

    How could she not fulfill a promise she made?

    Zhan Nanqing and Xu Moqian, who hadn¡¯t left yet, formed the same thought in their minds when they heard these words.

    Zhan Nanqing first nced at the pitch-ck hill behind the park, and subconsciously swallowed.

    "Qiao Jing, can I go with you guys?"

    Despite the pitch darkness of the back mountain and the asional howling wind, her fear seemed to fade at the thought of being with Qiao Jing¡¯s group.

    But the thought of being with Qiao Jing and the others made her feel less afraid.

    Xu Moqian also spoke up.

    "Sister Jing, I want to go too!"

    Yu Yangqi waved his hand, trying to dismiss the two.

    "Go where? Young Master Four, just go home. I only bought two tents, one for me and one for the boss, and they¡¯re not very spacious. You can stille if you want, but you¡¯ll have to sleep in the bushes."

    Xu Moqian frowned and sized up Yu Yangqi from top to bottom.

    "You wouldn¡¯t be¡ª"

    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence before Yu Yangqi quickly interrupted him.

    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense, just go back!"

    It was then that Xu Moqian had a sudden realization and understood Yu Yangqi¡¯s intention.

    "Alright, alright, I¡¯m going now; don¡¯t rush me."

    After dropping that line, Xu Moqian left with a stride, not forgetting to drag Zhan Nanqing along with him.

    He supported Yu Yangqi in pursuing Ni Yue, so he wouldn¡¯t stay and get in the way.

    Ni Yue stood there stunned as the two walked away, then turned back to look at the forest, now shrouded in darkness.

    "Uh... although I¡¯m not afraid, it¡¯s so dark. How will we climb up? And it¡¯s still so early. How about we rest at a nearby hotel for a bit and set off when it¡¯s almost dawn?"

    Yu Yangqi hurriedly spoke up to squash Ni Yue¡¯s idea.

    "I¡¯ve already bought the tents. We can go straight to the mountain and spend the night; and don¡¯t worry about the cold at midnight, I¡¯ve got sleeping bags too."

    Halfway through his sentence, he paused, remembering he was speaking on his own behalf, and quickly brought Qiao Jing into it.

    "It was the boss¡¯s idea; she said she wanted to see the sunrise and that she¡¯s never camped outdoors before. She thought it would be fun and suggested it."

    Ni Yue didn¡¯t believe Yu Yangqi at all and turned to Qiao Jing, asking,

    "Xiao Jingjing, is it true that you want to climb the mountain? If it¡¯s your idea, then I¡¯ll apany you."

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, and just as she was about to answer, she saw the pleading look in Yu Yangqi¡¯s eyes.

    She sighed silently in her heart and replied,

    "Yeah, I want to see the sunrise."

    What could she do when it came to her sworn younger brother? She had no choice but to help him chase after Ni Yue.

    Only then did Ni Yue agree and stood up.

    "So are we going mountain climbing now?"

    Qiao Jing nced at Yu Yangqi, tossing the question his way while helping to smooth things over.

    "Ask Yu Yangqi for the details; I was too busy yesterday. He was the one who helped prepare everything."

    Yu Yangqi immediately picked up on the topic.

    "Right, I¡¯ve got all the climbing gear ready. We¡¯ll start climbing now, then take a short rest before continuing."

    Ni Yue responded with an "Oh."

    Seeing Ni Yue agree, Qiao Jing breathed a sigh of relief, then felt someone approaching from behind.

    She didn¡¯t move, knowing that Zhan Qipei had brought the backpack over.

    Zhan Qipei first took out a jacket and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    "It might be cold on the mountain top; wear some more."

    Qiao Jing took the jacket and quickly put it on. Then Zhan Qipei handed her knee pads,

    Qiao Jing paused, looking somewhat helplessly at Zhan Qipei.

    "I don¡¯t need these; it¡¯s not that extreme."

    Zhan Qipei, seeing that Qiao Jing refused to wear them, silently knelt down beside her and personally helped her put on the knee pads.

    Ni Yue couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue twice upon seeing this.

 Chapter 640 - 629: The girl you like, you can only spoil her yourself

    <h4>Chapter 640: Chapter 629: The girl you like, you can only spoil her yourself</h4>

    "Oh my god, Xiao Jingjing, do you have no sympathy for a single dog like me? I¡¯m getting goosebumps here, but I have to say... Zhan Qipei is quite impressive in this way."

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to respond to Ni Yue, Yu Yangqi interrupted them.

    "Who told you not to date me? Now you¡¯reining about not having a partner?"

    Ni Yue rolled her eyes speechlessly, ring irritably at Yu Yangqi.

    "None of your business."

    She was used to being carefree on the outside, how could she possibly tie herself down with a rtionship?

    All she was desperately trying to do was to get Qiao Jing away from Zhan Qipei, to enjoy the carefree life with her.

    What¡¯s so good about being in a rtionship? She would never date, let alone get married.

    Ni Yue walked over to Qiao Jing and, without a word, took her arm.

    "Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go."

    Qiao Jing nodded gently and took the lead with Ni Yue.

    Each holding a shlight, they started on the mountain trail made for climbing.

    Zhan Qipei and Yu Yangqi were left behind, the task of leading the way, something men should do, now taken over by the two women.

    The two tall men followed behind Qiao Jing and herpanion, suddenly giving off the vibe of two younger brothers following two big sisters.

    Zhan Qipei, really worried about letting Qiao Jing go alone, pursed his lips tightly and moved forward a few steps to grab her wrist.

    "Walk with me."

    The road ahead was so dark; he couldn¡¯t rest easy letting Qiao Jing lead the way. What if she tripped or hurt herself?

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, Ni Yue pulled her back protectively to her side, eyeing Zhan Qipei with suspicion.

    "What are you doing? I¡¯m just walking with Xiao Jingjing, not running off with her. Besides, in these wild woods, where could I possibly take Xiao Jingjing?"

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, his gaze falling on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, as the atmosphere around him grew suddenly tense.

    "It¡¯s dangerous for her to walk alone. I won¡¯t repeat myself a second time."

    This situation was different from before; now it was a threat to Qiao Jing¡¯s safety, and he wouldn¡¯t let it go with just a few words as he had previously.

    Qiao Jing noticed that Zhan Qipei was genuinely angry and her brows furrowed slightly.

    Although she knew Zhan Qipei was concerned about her, this seemed to be taking it a bit too far. She was already three months into her pregnancy and steadily stabilizing.

    Moreover, she wasn¡¯t so delicate that a minor bump would cause an issue; they were only climbing a mountain, after all.

    If today wasn¡¯t Ni Yue¡¯s birthday, she might have agreed to Zhan Qipei¡¯s request. Since it was Ni Yue¡¯s birthday, she intended to fulfill her friend¡¯s wishes as much as possible.

    With this thought, just as she was about to speak to Zhan Qipei, she not only heard Ni Yue¡¯s voice but also felt her gaze on her stomach.

    "Oh... oh, I remember now, I was having so much fun today I almost forgot. Xiao Jingjing, it¡¯s better if you go with Zhan Qipei."

    After dropping this line, Ni Yue stepped back, leaving space for the two in front.

    With her careless personality, if anything happened, she couldn¡¯t even take care of herself, let alone take good care of Xiao Jingjing.

    And now that Xiao Jingjing was pregnant, she dared not take it lightly.

    Yu Yangqi first looked gratefully at Qiao Jing, then curiously at Ni Yue.

    "Remember what?"

    What could make the stubborn Ni Yue suddenly give in?

    Ni Yue realized she was unwittingly walking shoulder to shoulder with Yu Yangqi and hastened her steps, trying to shake him off.

    Seeing Ni Yue moving forward, Yu Yangqi also quickened his pace.

    Ni Yue paused her steps and cast a perfunctory nce at Yu Yangqi.

    "What¡¯s it to you, why are you so curious? Are you a curious baby?"

    Yu Yangqi still didn¡¯t know about Ni Yue¡¯s pregnancy, and Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t mention it, so she felt it wasn¡¯t her ce to reveal it either.

    Moreover, she realized she always particrlycked patience with Yu Yangqi, perhaps due to some other rtionship she had with him.

    Yu Yangqi pretended not to care with a disdainful "tsk," yet his gaze never left Ni Yue.

    "Sure enough, I can¡¯t expect you to tell me, so I¡¯ll go ask the boss instead."

    After saying that, he looked towards Qiao Jing, ready to step forward and ask, but he noticed that Qiao Jing was currently walking very close to Zhan Qipei, and by going over now, he would undoubtedly be volunteering to be a third wheel.

    Yu Yangqi immediately withdrew the step he had taken, a trace of embarrassment shing across his face.

    Ni Yue noticed this and let out a "pfft" ofughter, feigning a well-meaning reminder.

    "Why not go ask? You¡¯d find out if you asked Xiao Jingjing, are you sure you don¡¯t want to ask?"

    Yu Yangqi knew Ni Yue was doing it on purpose but was helpless to do anything about it, which was incredibly frustrating!

    There was no helping it, the girl he liked could only be doted on.

    Meanwhile, up ahead, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were stuck in a stalemate.

    Qiao Jing looked at therge hand on her waist, and her usually expressionless face cracked a smile as she tugged at the corner of her mouth in silence.

    "I¡¯m walking on the inside, it¡¯s okay."

    If she had to climb a mountain with Zhan Qipei hugging her all the way up...

    She simply couldn¡¯t picture that scene and promptly cut off the thought.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Qiao Jing for quite a while in silence, and upon realizing she was as stubborn as he was, reluctantly withdrew his hand.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to continue walking, she noticed that the man¡¯s hand had shifted to support her arm instead.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temple throbbed heavily twice, but in the end, she held back.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Compared to having Zhan Qipei hug her throughout the walk, it was better to be supported by him.

    However, this made her feel as if Zhan Qipei was like a eunuch from a period drama,

    While she was the empress being assisted??

    The thought was too strange and off-kilter.

    Zhan Qipei, protecting Qiao Jing walking on the inside, aimed the shlight in his hand specifically at the path beneath her feet, asionally alerting her to rocks and pits ahead.

    But in reality, Qiao Jing¡¯s vision was excellent. Even without the shlight on her feet, she could still see the path clearly.

    However, she didn¡¯t interrupt Zhan Qipei, merely advising him once.

    "Don¡¯t just focus on my side, watch your own path as well."

    Although the forest had a designated trail leading upward, there were still many rocks and uneven spots on the ground.

    She could avoid them all, but Zhan Qipei, who was now putting all his concentration on her, might not be able to.

    This irritating man, looking after her without a nce at his own feet and just walking like that,pletely ignored his own safety.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, a gleam flickered in Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils.

    "It¡¯s fine."

    His wife was showing concern for him!

    Qiao Jing sighed lightly in some resignation and went along with him.

    But she had only taken a few steps when she felt the hand supporting her suddenly pull away, and the figure that had been standing by her side the whole time began to fall forward!

 Chapter 641 - 630: Are you feeling unwell anywhere?

    <h4>Chapter 641: Chapter 630: Are you feeling unwell anywhere?</h4>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes widened slightly, a hint of confusion appearing in their depths as she quickly reached out and grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s wrist.

    But in such an urgent situation, she couldn¡¯t muster all her strength immediately to pull an adult man back, and she ended up being pulled down to the ground by inertia instead.

    There was a loud "thump!"

    Qiao Jing fell onto a wall of flesh named Zhan Qipei, which significantly reduced the impact on her.

    She instinctively wanted to touch her belly, to protect her abdomen.

    But the man¡¯s actions were quicker than hers; therge hands under her palms were the first to shield her stomach.

    Shortly after, Qiao Jing heard a muffled groan by her ear.

    "Hmm..."

    Ni Yue and Yu Yangqi, who were following behind the two, were startled by the scene and quickly approached them.

    Ni Yue immediately helped Qiao Jing up, scanning her with a nervous expression.

    "What¡¯s going on? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?"

    Yu Yangqi nced at Zhan Qipei, still lying on the ground, and offered a hand to help him up, his face disying admiration.

    "Young Master Zhan, you¡¯re tough, a real man!"

    "I¡¯m fine."

    After saying this, Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a worried gaze.

    "Zhan Qipei, how about you? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?"

    Zhan Qipei smoothly stood up, casually dusting off his clothes and stepped toward Qiao Jing.

    He looked at her with concern in his eyes, a deep sense of guilt showing through.

    "Are you sure you¡¯re all right?"

    If it hadn¡¯t been for him, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t have fallen while trying to help.

    Although he had protected the woman¡¯s abdomen before she fell, he was still worried it might affect her health.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head.

    "I¡¯m okay."

    Zhan Qipei examined Qiao Jing from top to bottom several times, staring at her face for a long while, and only after being sure that there was nothing amiss did he withdraw his gaze.

    "Let¡¯s continue climbing."

    As Zhan Qipei turned around, Qiao Jing¡¯s peripheral vision suddenly caught something, and she immediately stopped in her tracks.

    Today, for the hike, the man hadn¡¯t worn his usual suit but casual clothes instead.

    At this moment, there were several tears in the man¡¯s clothes at the back, and from those torn areas emerged several patches of wounds, oozing trickles of blood¡ªthough not severe.

    But on such a path, there were far too many pebbles and little stones; any casual knock could result in bleeding, and it was also very dirty.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed tightly.

    "Did you get these scrapes from the fall just now?"

    For her, such a path was no more than a piece of cake, but now, because she was pregnant, she had to be more careful and couldn¡¯t shuttle through the woods as quickly as before.

    "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about it," Zhan Qipei said, giving Qiao Jing a reassuring smile.

    Qiao Jing, like Zhan Qipei had examined her just before, set her gaze on the man.

    "You were walking just fine, how did you suddenly fall?"

    For her, such a path was no more than a piece of cake; she was merely being cautious because of her pregnancy, stopping her from moving through the forest as swiftly as she used to.

    Even when she had rapidly moved through the woods before, she had never fallen once, yet the usually mature and steady Zhan Qipei had.

    However... she could probably guess the reason.

    It was because he was protecting her...

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, which were thick as mountains and misty as fog, and slowly said:

    "I wasn¡¯t paying attention."

    Just now, he had been too focused on Qiao Jing and hadn¡¯t noticed a small pit under his feet. He carelessly stepped into it and then stumbled.

    Although he had tried hard to steady himself, he ultimately failed. Fearing that he would drag Qiao Jing down with him, he immediately let go of the woman¡¯s hand.

    But what he hadn¡¯t expected was for Qiao Jing to suddenly grab his wrist, trying to pull him up, which indirectly caused her to be dragged down too.

    Fortunately, he ended up cushioning her fall. Otherwise, Qiao Jing might have been hurt.

    Qiao Jing slightly raised her delicate brows and asked:

    "You weren¡¯t paying attention? Didn¡¯t I tell you to watch your own step and not just look out for me?"

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and, without saying much, continued to walk forward, holding the woman¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell upon the wound on Zhan Qipei and then moved to the pack he was carrying.

    "Did you bring medicine?"

    Zhan Qipei hummed an affirmation.

    After looking at the surroundings, Qiao Jing nheless decided to wait until they reached the summit to treat Zhan Qipei¡¯s wound.

    Ni Yue, who was following behind, understood the meaning behind Qiao Jing¡¯s words. She clicked her tongue twice, then shook her head and turned to look at Yu Yangqi.

    "If you don¡¯t watch your step and fall, not only will I not help you up, but I¡¯ll also take the opportunity to step on you a few times."

    As soon as Yu Yangqi heard this, he immediately retorted:

    "Rest assured, if you fall, I surely won¡¯t. And if you were to fall, I would do just as you said."

    When it came toebacks, he could give as good as he got!

    Zhan Qipei, who was walking ahead, heard the two¡¯s conversation and his expression darkened slightly.

    One by one, they kept talking about falling as if he werepletely useless.

    Qiao Jing noticed the change in the man¡¯s expression and somehow guessed what he was thinking; she couldn¡¯t help but find it somewhat amusing.

    "Alright, let¡¯s focus on climbing the mountain now, we need to pick up the pace."

    Otherwise, at this slow pace, who knew when they would reach the summit.

    Zhan Qipei nodded but, as before, made sure Qiao Jing walked on the inside and continued to support her.

    The only difference was that he divided his attention to watch his own steps.

    An hourter, at the mountaintop.

    Qiao Jing nced at the time; it was nearly two o¡¯clock in the morning.

    The climb had taken them slightly over an hour, and drowsiness was setting in for her as well.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly and looked up at Yu Yangqi.

    "Where are the tents?"

    She usually went to bed around ten and staying up until twelve was already a challenge. Now it was nearly two o¡¯clock, and she was extremely sleepy. They needed to set up the tents quickly so she could rest.

    Yu Yangqi immediately took out two tents and then the tent assembly instructions,ying them on the ground, and handed one to Qiao Jing.

    "Boss, you take this one. I got this; I¡¯ll set up my own."

    He had watched the tutorial many times and was sure there would be no problem setting it up now!

    Qiao Jing nodded and took her tent, then started to set it up.

    Before she could even begin, Zhan Qipei had already snatched the materials from her hands.

 Chapter 642 - 631: So you and Zhan Qipei slept in the same sleeping bag

    <h4>Chapter 642: Chapter 631: So you and Zhan Qipei slept in the same sleeping bag</h4>

    "I¡¯ll set it up; you go rest,"

    Right after that, Zhan Qipei began setting up the tent with quick and nimble movements, swiftly fixing the two main support poles in ce.

    He then moved on to the second step, and not long after, the outline of a tent emerged.

    Qiao Jing sneezed and was just about to sit down beside a rock when she heard the sound of an argumenting from the other side.

    Ni Yue looked at Zhan Qipei¡¯s tent and then at the tent Yu Yangqi was setting up, her face showing clear disdain as she looked at thetter.

    "Can you even set it up correctly? You can¡¯t get it right even with the instruction manual?"

    Yu Yangqi looked at the tent that didn¡¯t look like much, and irritably ran his fingers through his hair.

    "It¡¯s not my fault! It¡¯s this darn tent; there¡¯s something wrong with it. I¡¯ve tried setting it up so many times, but can¡¯t get the support poles to stand up?"

    The devil only knows how he could read the manual over and over and still not learn. His eyes understood, but his hands did not; now he couldn¡¯t even get the basics right.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei had almost finished setting up his tent, while he still hadn¡¯t even managed to get the support poles sorted.

    Ni Yue snatched the manual from his hands and stared at it for a good while.

    "If you can¡¯t do it, you me the tent? Move aside, I¡¯ll set it up."

    Yu Yangqi quickly backed up a few steps, giving the space over to Ni Yue.

    "Alright, alright, it¡¯s all yours to set up."

    Eventually, Ni Yue ended up just like Yu Yangqi, aplishing nothing.

    Yu Yangqi coughed twice and asked in all seriousness:

    "Looks like you could use some help now, do you want me to help you?"

    Although he was reluctant to admit it, he and Ni Yue truly had a "couple¡¯s likeness" in this aspect.

    But... it was the likeness of a couple who couldn¡¯t do anything right.

    Ni Yue directly threw the manual she held back at Yu Yangqi¡¯s face.

    "What help can you offer? Forget it, it¡¯s not me who will end up sleeping outside anyway. I¡¯ll share the other tent with Xiao Jingjing, which is almost set up."

    Qiao Jing helplessly extended her hand to rub her temples and stood up to join them, taking the manual from Yu Yangqi¡¯s hand, nced at it casually before handing it back, and then squatted down beside the tent.

    "I¡¯ll help you guys set it up."

    She knew it wouldn¡¯t be sessful the moment she saw Ni Yue trying to set up the tent.

    After all, if Ni Yue couldn¡¯t even handle something as basic as cooking or take care of herself, how could she possibly know how to set up a tent?

    Yu Yangqi immediately stepped back several paces, giving space to Qiao Jing.

    "Okay, boss, thank you for the trouble!"

    Soon, Qiao Jing had a rough outline set up, and the tent that they had been unable to erect finally started to show some progress.

    Zhan Qipei, on the other hand, had already finished setting up his tent, deposited his backpack inside, and sat down in it, busy with something or other.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t look over at Zhan Qipei¡¯s side any more and sped up to help Yu Yangqi finish setting up his tent.

    "Done."

    Yu Yangqi and Ni Yue looked at the tent that was quickly set up and couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of admiration.

    "Wow©¤"

    "Boss, you are really amazing, setting it up fast and well. I watched the tutorial several times at home, and it¡¯s still not as good as you looking at the manual once."

    The moment Ni Yue heard this, she immediately chimed in without hesitation:

    "Of course! You think your brain is like Xiao Jingjing¡¯s? See the difference between your brain and hers."

    "Hey! What do you mean by that? How is my brain any different? I am at least the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant, I have a head for business, okay? It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not good at this stuff."

    Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Qiao Jing immediately cut off their conversation.

    "Enough, stop arguing. Let¡¯s divide the tents; I¡¯m too tired."

    She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open, and had only managed to set up the tent by sheer willpower.

    Yu Yangqi dared not waste any more time and took out the sleeping bags he had prepared in advance.

    "Oh no, I made a mistake, howe I only bought three sleeping bags?"

    Upon hearing Yu Yangqi¡¯s words, everyone present was momentarily confused.

    But Qiao Jing immediately understood Yu Yangqi¡¯s intention.

    It was nothing more than wanting him and Ni Yue to share a sleeping bag, creating a space for some intimacy.

    However, she felt, Ni Yue wouldn¡¯t agree so easily.

    The next second, her intuition proved correct.

    Ni Yue simply responded with a nonchnt "oh," and naturally said to Yu Yangqi:

    "Then you and Zhan Qipei sleep in one sleeping bag."

    Zhan Qipei had juste out of the tent when he heard this sentence, and his expression immediately darkened.

    "No way."

    Today Ni Yue had been hugging and nuzzling Qiao Jing, and even kissed her several times, and now, she wanted to sleep with his wife?

    Impossible!

    Upon hearing this, Yu Yangqi certainly didn¡¯t like it either, but he had no firm ground to refuse, so he could only look to Qiao Jing with a plea in his eyes.

    Qiao Jing caught Yu Yangqi¡¯s gaze, and her brows slowly creased as she pondered a solution.

    Ni Yue, considering Qiao Jing was pregnant, didn¡¯t waste more words with Yu Yangqi and helped him towards the tent Zhan Qipei had set up.

    "You two sleep or not, Xiao Jingjing and I will be fine."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s and Yu Yangqi¡¯s eyes both fell on the backs of the two women, fixedly staring at them.

    Yu Yangqi had already started to sweat with nervousness, worried that the boss and Ni Yue would just go to another tent to sleep, which would ruin his ns.

    Just as they were about to enter the tent, Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks.

    Yu Yangqi¡¯s lifted heart finally settled.

    Qiao Jing frowned, her brow furrowing as she looked up at Ni Yue.

    "Ni Yue, I need to treat Zhan Qipei¡¯s wound, and all the stuff I brought is over there with him."

    Although Yu Yangqi¡¯s preparation of the sleeping bags was unexpected and seemed a bit forced, she remembered her earlier promise to help him out, so she needed to find a way to smooth things over.

    Fortunately, Zhan Qipei had identally scratched his back just then, providing her with a reason; otherwise, she would have no excuse to go to the same tent as Zhan Qipei now.

    After all, she and Zhan Qipei would each have their own sleeping bags, so it wasn¡¯t a big issue.

    Ni Yue frowned deeply, staring at Qiao Jing for a long time.

    "Xiao Jingjing, can¡¯t he treat the injury himself? Or let Yu Yangqi help him."

    Upon hearing this, Yu Yangqi spread his hands.

    "I¡¯m not a doctor, I don¡¯t know how to treat wounds."

    Ni Yue red at Yu Yangqi with annoyance and then looked back at Qiao Jing, hesitating for quite a while.

    In the end, she relented.

    "Fine, but I have a condition, I want my own sleeping bag, and Yu Yangqi gets his own. Then we¡¯ll stay in the same tent. That¡¯s already pushing my limits. If you try to make me share a sleeping bag with him, I¡¯ll kick him out to sleep in the bushes outside."

    Yu Yangqi immediately put on an unhappy face.

    "You think I want to be in the same tent as you? If the boss didn¡¯t need help, I wouldn¡¯t bother with you at all."

    He said this, but his heart was blooming with joy; he was about to share a sleeping space with Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue looked at Yu Yangqi with a smile that was more of a grimace.

    "You better be."

 Chapter 643 - 632: Treating Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Wound

    <h4>Chapter 643: Chapter 632: Treating Zhan Qipei¡¯s Wound</h4>

    Qiao Jing watched helplessly as the two argued, interrupting their conversation.

    "Stop arguing."

    If this continues, it would never end.

    But... if Ni Yue and Yu Yangqi each took a sleeping bag, that would leave only one sleeping bag left.

    This meant she would either have to share a sleeping bag with Zhan Qipei or one of them would have to sleep without a sleeping bag.

    Ni Yue finally stopped paying attention to Yu Yangqi and turned her gaze towards Qiao Jing.

    "Xiao Jingjing, can I really not sleep with you? Or... can I have Yu Yangqi take the sleeping bag and sleep in the bushes? I don¡¯t mind just lying in the tent by myself."

    Upon hearing this, Yu Yangqi felt somewhat wronged and pursed his lips.

    "Do you dislike me that much?"

    It seemed the tutorial he saw online was entirely useless; it said to attract a woman¡¯s attention by bickering with her, but now that he tried, it backfired, making Ni Yue even more inclined to argue with him.

    He¡¯d better return to his usual self, otherwise the gap between him and Ni Yue might grow even wider, but then what?

    But why did he have to fall for Ni Yue? To have him sleep in the bushes in the dead of night?

    Forget it... if it¡¯s for someone he likes, he¡¯ll just endure it...

    As Qiao Jing saw they were about to start arguing again, her head throbbed, and she quickly made a choice, interrupting their conversation once more.

    "You and Yu Yangqi will each have a sleeping bag, and I¡¯ll share one with Zhan Qipei."

    She had no expectation for Ni Yue to agree to sleep in the same sleeping bag as Yu Yangqi. After all, it was already quite an achievement for the two to sleep in the same tent, let alone the same sleeping bag.

    However... it seemed she would now have to share a sleeping bag with Zhan Qipei.

    When Zhan Qipei heard Qiao Jing¡¯s words, his dark eyes immediately brightened, gazing at Qiao Jing with a burning look.

    His formerly knitted brows slowly smoothed out, and though he remained silent, not wanting to disturb Qiao Jing, his mind had already begun to fantasize about sleeping together with her.

    It had been such a long time since they hadst fallen asleep together, both aware of the other¡¯s presence.

    Today, finally, the opportunity had arrived!

    Ni Yue, on the other hand, gave a regretful "Hmm," ring disdainfully at Yu Yangqi. Without another word, she took a sleeping bag from his hands and walked into the tent without looking back.

    After Ni Yue entered the tent, Yu Yangqi quickly stepped up beside Qiao Jing, lowering his voice and said:

    "Boss, what should I do now? Ni Yue still won¡¯t agree to sleep with me."

    Qiao Jing slightly raised an eyebrow and responded:

    "Stop pretending to be the victim after getting a benefit. Be grateful she agreed to sleep in the same tent as you, and you dare to ask for more? If I hadn¡¯t given the sleeping bag to her, you might very well have to sleep in the bushes tonight."

    Yu Yangqi was stunned for a moment, ncing at the remaining two sleeping bags in his hands.

    "Was she actually going to make me sleep in the bushes?"

    In his mind, he automatically envisioned being kicked out of the tent by Ni Yue, forcing him to sleep among the bushes, and he internallyined:

    Yu Yangqi, as the owner of Zhouhuan Restaurant, had nowe down to possibly sleeping in the bushes...

    At that thought, Yu Yangqi sighed deeply before shaking his head.

    It was just too miserable!

    Qiao Jing noticed Yu Yangqi¡¯s mind was wandering and immediately spoke to bring him back to reality.

    "Do you think Ni Yue wouldn¡¯t do it?"

    She knew Ni Yue¡¯s personality: once she said something, if she took it seriously, she might really make Yu Yangqi sleep in the bushes.

    Yu Yangqi thought it over carefully, then nodded solemnly.

    "Yes."

    If this were based on Ni Yue¡¯s character, it indeed seemed like something she could do.

    But he would rather not use a sleeping bag than to let their leader suffer by cramming into one with Zhan Qipei.

    Just as he was about to hand both sleeping bags to Qiao Jing, tiny raindrops began to float down from the sky.

    Only then did Yu Yangqi remember the weather forecast mentioning a light rain in the early hours of the morning, which, unfortunately, started just as they hadn¡¯t finished distributing the sleeping bags.

    He paused, wanting to immediately give the sleeping bags to Qiao Jing, but Zhan Qipei suddenly appeared before him.

    After taking one of the sleeping bags, Zhan Qipei briskly walked into the tent with Qiao Jing and zipped it up.

    Yu Yangqi hadn¡¯t reacted yet and still stood disheveled in the wind.

    It was only after another raindrop hit his face that he came to his senses. After hesitating for a few seconds, he nced at the sleeping bag in his hands and then at the tent Qiao Jing had entered, its zipper already pulled up.

    In the end, he didn¡¯t bother Qiao Jing and the others and went into another tent with the sleeping bag.

    Inside the tent.

    Qiao Jing watched Zhan Qipei setting up the sleeping bag and surveyed the space it offered.

    It wasn¡¯t veryrge, but not too small either. There was plenty of room for one person, but for two, it might be a bit cramped.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and stopped pondering the issue. She opened the backpack Zhan Qipei had brought along.

    She intended to find some antiseptic or something to treat the man¡¯s wounds, but what she found were mostly items intended for her use.

    For example, a thermosbeled with "brown sugar ginger drink" and anotherbeled "maternity milk."

    Beyond that, there was a new set of clothes for her, various types of biscuits, and a container with fruit in it.

    Seeing these items, a barely perceptible wave stirred in the depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, suddenly feeling a warm current passing through her heart.

    She had been curious about what Zhan Qipei brought that was so heavy. Now, seeing it, it was all for her.

    But... as touched as she was, couldn¡¯t the jerk Zhan Qipei bring some of his own stuff and tools that might be useful?

    Unable to find medical supplies in the backpack, Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she raised her eyes to look at the man still arranging the sleeping bag.

    "Zhan Qipei, did you bring any disinfectant or cotton swabs?"

    Although Zhan Qipei¡¯s wounds weren¡¯t severe, basic disinfection was necessary, especially since the dirt and stones in the mountains could be dirty, and she was worried about infection.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s actions paused, and he nced at the backpack.

    "Only disinfectant."

    After saying that, he sped up his pace arranging the sleeping bag. Once done, he came over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, fished out a small bottle of medical disinfectant from the sides of his backpack.

    "This was prepared for you, in case you scratched yourself or something."

    What he hadn¡¯t expected was that this bottle of disinfectant would end up being used on him.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s frown deepened even more.

    Without cotton swabs, that meant she would have to use her hands to disinfect Zhan Qipei¡¯s wounds, and she would need to avoid the more serious ones by being extra gentle.

    Qiao Jing took the disinfectant, examined Zhan Qipei¡¯s wounds for a while.

    "Take off your shirt and turn around."

    As she spoke, she opened a smallmp from the backpack and was surprised to find it cast a warm yellow light.

    It was a stark contrast to the pitch-ck forest outside, still drizzled with a light rain.

    Inside the tent, it felt like a cozy little home.

    While Qiao Jing was thinking this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice suddenly erupted.

 Chapter 644 - 633: Qiao Jing Invites Zhan Qipei to Sleep Together

    <h4>Chapter 644: Chapter 633: Qiao Jing Invites Zhan Qipei to Sleep Together</h4>

    "All right."

    Qiao Jing then pulled her thoughts back, her gaze resettling on the man¡¯s back.

    Not only were there bruises from scrapes on the wound, but there were also some small fissures where the blood had already clotted, with some gravel still adhering to it.

    She frowned slightly, poured some antiseptic into her palm, and gently pressed her palm against Zhan Qipei¡¯s back. She then began to gently press down, spreading the antiseptic over the wounds.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t see Qiao Jing¡¯s face at the moment, but he could feel the slightly cool palm of her hand moving across his back.

    He slightly curved the corners of his lips and then arched his back to allow the girl¡¯s palm to fully press against his back.

    Worried about hurting the wound, Qiao Jing immediately withdrew her hand.

    "Don¡¯t arch your back."

    Zhan Qipei made an "oh" sound and settled down.

    Once Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei had stopped fidgeting, she began to disinfect the wound again.

    But before she could finish disinfecting the other wounds, this despicable man began pressing his back into her palm again.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, her eyebrows knitting tighter.

    "I told you not to move around. Doesn¡¯t it hurt when you press the wound like that?"

    Antiseptic on a wound was bound to sting; yet, this despicable man made such movements.

    Zhan Qipei lifted his lips and spoke, his voice low and maic.

    "It doesn¡¯t hurt."

    He just wanted to be a bit closer to Qiao Jing; such small wounds were nothing...

    Qiao Jing was instantly amused by his response, following which her expression turned stern, and her voice came out cool and clear.

    "Are you a child?"

    Realizing that Qiao Jing was a bit angry, Zhan Qipeipletely calmed down and stopped moving.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t immediately start disinfecting like before. She watched him for a while to ensure he had no intention of moving around again before she continued.

    The tent became quiet once more, the warm orange light illuminating the interior; outside, the persistent raindrops pattered against the tent, creating a "whooshing" sound.

    Drowsiness washed over Qiao Jing again, and her eyelids grew increasingly heavy.

    She lightly bit her lower lip to wake herself up a bit and hastened the pace of disinfection.

    Soon, she had finished disinfecting a few wounds on the man¡¯s back and some abrasions.

    Afterpleting this, she quickly put the antiseptic back into the bag and then moved to the side of the sleeping bag.

    "I¡¯m going to sleep."

    If she didn¡¯t go to sleep now, she might fall asleep right where she stood.

    As for sleeping together with Zhan Qipei, she no longer had the energy to consider that.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was about to rest, Zhan Qipei quickly donned his pajamas and came to the side of the sleeping bag.

    "I¡¯ll go in first and sort it out for you."

    As soon as this sentence was spoken, both of them realized there was something off about it.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes carried a trace of weariness, and she softly hummed in response.

    At this moment, she just wanted to sleep and had no energy to think about anything else.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing about to fall over from tiredness, pursed his lips.

    "Never mind, you go in and sleep first."

    He was worried that before he could organize the inside, Qiao Jing would fall asleep.

    Qiao Jing quicklyy down in the sleeping bag, falling asleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow.

    Zhan Qipei was stunned, unexpectedly she fell asleep so quickly, and his eyes filled with deep affection.

    To avoid waking Qiao Jing, he did not choose to sleep in the same sleeping bag with her, buty down in the spot closest to the sleeping bag.

    He reached out his hand, carefully cing it on the sleeping bag, loosely enclosing Qiao Jing.

    In her half-asleep, half-awake state, Qiao Jing seemed to feel something, touched the sleeping bag beside her, but felt nothing.

    She struggled against her sleepiness and slowly opened her eyes, looking to her side.

    The sleeping bag, which should have held two people, now held only her alone, and she muttered in confusion.

    "Hmm?"

    Qiao Jing slowly furrowed her brows, turned over, but found herself facing Zhan Qipei¡¯s magnified handsome face right beside her.

    She was startled for a moment before she noticed that the man was just lying there in the tent, covered with her thin coat.

    Qiao Jing tightly knitted her brows, stretched out a hand to test the temperature outside the sleeping bag, and recoiled from the cold.

    She took out her phone to check the time, 2:30 a.m.

    They hade into the tent at two o¡¯clock, and Zhan Qipei had been lying outside for half an hour?

    Qiao Jing gently pushed Zhan Qipei and slowly spoke:

    "Zhan Qipei,e inside and sleep."

    She hadn¡¯t discussed sleeping bag arrangements with Zhan Qipei earlier and had already assumed they would sleep together since there was no other option at the time.

    As it turned out, Zhan Qipei was now ying coy, insisting on sleeping outside just to prove a point, not that he was usually coy.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Zhan Qipei immediately opened his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke.

    "Huh? What¡¯s wrong?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and repeated:

    "Come in and sleep with me, it¡¯s too cold outside."

    Zhan Qipei raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes deepened, a flicker of obscure emotion passing through him.

    A seductive smile, which didn¡¯t quite suit him, appeared on his face, then he leaned forward purposely, his maic voice whispering into Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, pausing on every word.

    "I,e, in, and sleep, with you?"

    Qiao Jing heard the implication in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and rolled her eyes, speechless.

    Sure enough, she should not have expected Zhan Qipei to be serious for long.

    Just a second ago, she thought Zhan Qipei was still ying coy by not sleeping in the same sleeping bag with her, and the next second he started making such flippant remarks.

    Qiao Jing was so sleepy she couldn¡¯t be bothered with Zhan Qipei anymore.

    She wanted to push away the man close to her ear, but as soon as her hand touched his face, she felt the chilling cold in her palm.

    Qiao Jing retracted her hand quickly, narrowing her eyes slightly.

    She stared at Zhan Qipei for a while and finally sighed helplessly.

    "I¡¯m saying it onest time,e inside and sleep."

    If she let Zhan Qipei sleep out there all night, he would definitely have a fever the next day.

    Then she would have to take care of him again.

    Zhan Qipei curled his lips, quietly slid into the sleeping bag, and subconsciously reached out to pull Qiao Jing into his arms.

    Qiao Jing suddenly realized how adept Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements were, as if he had done it many times before.

    She moved back a bit, slightly increasing the distance between them.

    But before she managed to maintain it for a few seconds, her waist was forcibly pulled forward by a pair of strong hands, pressing her against his body.

    Qiao Jing quickly ced her hand on the man¡¯s chest, pushing so the intimate distance between them was slightly increased.

    "Zhan Qipei, let go."

    She had only epted to sleep with Zhan Qipei because there was truly no other option, not because she could tolerate being so close to him.

 Chapter 645 - 634 Sleepless Night

    <h4>Chapter 645: Chapter 634 Sleepless Night</h4>

    Zhan Qipei immediately closed his eyes, pretending as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything, and even rested his head on Qiao Jing¡¯s neck.

    The scratchiness of Zhan Qipei¡¯s hair tickled Qiao Jing, and she frowned slightly.

    "Let go, move your head away."

    They were already close to begin with, and now Zhan Qipei had rested his head on her too.

    At this distance, she could not only hear the man¡¯s breathing close at hand but also feel a strong heartbeating from her palm, one after another.

    A look of pleasure was written all over Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows, and his lips remained curled into a smile, but Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t see any of this.

    His tone feigned a hint of weariness.

    "I¡¯m tired, going to sleep."

    After saying this, he deliberately slowed his breathing, making it steady as if he had already fallen asleep.

    Listening to Zhan Qipei¡¯s even breathing, Qiao Jing paused, but she really couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face now and was unsure whether he was truly asleep or not.

    If he wasn¡¯t, she could push him away directly, but if he was, it would be rude to wake him.

    Helpless, Qiao Jing could only let Zhan Qipei be and slowly closed her eyes.

    When she woke up again, sunlight had already prated the tent.

    Qiao Jing squinted slightly and immediately became fully awake.

    She nced beside her and noticed Zhan Qipei was no longer there.

    Without giving it much thought, Qiao Jing quickly got out of the sleeping bag and checked the time on her phone.

    Seven in the morning.

    It had been quite a while since sunrise, and she wondered if Yu Yangqi and Ni Yue had managed to see it.

    Just as she was about to leave the tent, Zhan Qipei pulled open the tent zipper and walked in.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei paused for a moment before quickly walking over to the backpack, took out two thermoses, and handed them to her.

    "Awake? Have some water first."

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "Mm," took a couple of sips of water, and then felt better.

    She looked at the sunlight outside the tent and frowned slightly.

    "Are the others awake? Did they go to see the sunrise?"

    She might have been too tired the previous night and slept straight through to the morning.

    But she had definitely set an rm, wanting to get up and catch the sunrise with Yu Yangqi and Ni Yue. Howe her internal clock didn¡¯t wake her today, nor did the rm go off?

    At the mention of those two, a rare look of disdain crossed Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    "They¡¯re up, outside."

    Noticing Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, Qiao Jing looked at the man curiously.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    While speaking, she stepped out of the tent and came face to face with Yu Yangqi and Ni Yue.

    Yu Yangqi sneezed, his eyes ringed with heavy dark circles.

    Ni Yue, on the other hand, was the picture of refreshment, forming a stark contrast with Yu Yangqi.

    Qiao Jing arched her brows slightly and inquired:

    "Yu Yangqi, what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you sleep wellst night?"

    She had the impression that Yu Yangqi had not slept all night, giving off an utterly drained vibe.

    Yu Yangqi sneezed incessantly, his eyelids starting to fight each other again.

    "Uh...no problem..."

    Doubt surfaced in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, and her curiosity intensified as she turned to look at Ni Yue.

    "What happened to the Secondst night? Also, did you guys see the sunrise this morning? I got upte, I¡¯m sorry."

    Ni Yue put on an indifferent air, crossing her arms as she approached Qiao Jing.

    "Xiao Jingjing, why are you asking me? It¡¯s none of my business what he does. As for the sunrise... I just woke up too, I can check it outter when there¡¯s time. After tossing and turning all night, I really couldn¡¯t get up this morning."

    Qiao Jing nodded and replied:

    "Alright, we¡¯ll catch it next time."

    She should have expected it, Ni Yue would definitely not have been able to get up early today.

    Because ording to Ni Yue¡¯s lifestyle, it would be easier to take her life than to get her up around five in the morning.

    Qiao Jing looked back at Yu Yangqi, very curious about why he hadn¡¯t slept all night.

    "What exactly happened, Second?"

    Seeing Ni Yue¡¯s refreshed appearance, it didn¡¯t seem at all like anything had happened between themst night.

    If something did happen, like if the Second had shamelessly snuggled up to Ni Yue, chances are he would have been left with a ck eye.

    Yu Yangqi looked at Ni Yue with a hint of grievance, only to receive a disdainful roll of her eyes, and he reluctantly turned his gaze back.

    He signaled to Qiao Jing with his eyes and sent her a message on his phone.

    "Boss, I couldn¡¯t sleepst night. Imagine this, Ni Yue and I were in the same tent, so close, and guess what? She actually moved my sleeping bag to the far left and warned me that if I dared to move, she¡¯d kick me out."

    Qiao Jing caught Yu Yangqi¡¯s gesture and nced at her phone.

    She looked at Yu Yangqi¡¯s message in disbelief and quickly typed a reply:

    "Just because of this?"

    From the Second¡¯s description, it indeed sounded like something Ni Yue would do.

    But the Second wouldn¡¯t have been upset all night just over this, would he?

    Yu Yangqi was typing on the keyboard with a look of frustration.

    "No, I kept thinkingst night, how should I pursue Ni Yue correctly? I followed the online advice that said to attract a girl¡¯s attention, I should have some banter with her, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s working; Ni Yue seems to be getting even fiercer."

    After seeing Yu Yangqi¡¯s message, Qiao Jing finally understood his unusual behaviortely.

    "Stay off the inte for advice. Ni Yue doesn¡¯t respond well to a hard approach, but she rarely softens up, and not every soft approach works with her."

    No wonder the Second had been acting a bit off yesterday; it turned out he¡¯d been misguided by some inte nonsense¡ªthe method touted online doesn¡¯t work with everyone.

    Having sent the message, Yu Yangqi sneakily nced in Ni Yue¡¯s direction, only to see her preparing to lean in next to Qiao Jing, wanting to look at the phone together.

    He got a shock, his heart suddenly racing.

    If Ni Yue saw him talking about her like that, he¡¯d be done for!

    But that wasn¡¯t really talking behind her back, was it? He was just sharing the sad reality of his previous night.

    He had thought this camping trip would bring him closer to Ni Yue, but instead through an unexpected twist of fate, he¡¯d ended up ying matchmaker for Boss and Zhan Qipei!

    Just as Ni Yue was about to see the phone screen, Qiao Jing closed the chat window with Yu Yangqi.

    It was at that moment she suddenly realized that her phone had been set to silent without her knowing.

    She hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier when looking at the rm clock.

    But she clearly remembered that before going to sleepst night, in order not to oversleep, she had specifically set the rm and made sure the phone was not on silent.

    Now it seemed... there was only one person who could have touched her phone.

    Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to Zhan Qipei and slowly moved beside him.

    "Did you set my phone to silent?"

    Zhan Qipei slightly furrowed his brow and admitted the truth.

    "Yeah, I didn¡¯t want to wake you. Let¡¯s head down the mountain."

 Chapter 646 - 635: Missing

    <h4>Chapter 646: Chapter 635: Missing</h4>

    The following day.

    Qiao Jing was routinely reviewing the medical records at Wonderful Hall, and when she turned to Chi Chenyun¡¯s page, she remembered that she had made an appointment with Chi Yuhang yesterday to revisit Old Master Chi.

    With this thought, she took out her phone and made a call to Chi Yuhang.

    "Beep¡ªBeep¡ª"

    The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much of it, considering Chi Yuhang held many jobs, and he might not have time to check his phone at the moment.

    She put away her phone, and after a while, she called again.

    But the result was the same as before, still no answer, until the call disconnected automatically.

    With no sign of annoyance, Qiao Jing dialed once again, yet all three calls went unanswered.

    A foreboding feeling unexinably rose within her, and she slowly furrowed her brows.

    Yesterday she had clearly informed Chi Yuhang in advance about the re-examination today, and he had agreed, making it unlikely that he would break the appointment.

    Not answering the phone at this time was indeed abnormal.

    The frown on Qiao Jing¡¯s face deepened, and she directly made a call to Zhan Nanqing.

    Today was the weekend, and Zhan Nanqing wasn¡¯t working, so she picked up the phone quickly.

    "Hello? Qiao Jing? What¡¯s wrong?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t waste time and got straight to the point,

    "Do you still have the address to Chi Yuhang¡¯s house?"

    Zhan Nanqing smacked her lips.

    "I do, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Furrowing her brows tightly, Qiao Jing immediately replied,

    "Send it to me, I am heading to his house now."

    This time, her visit was not only to check on Old Master Chi but also to confirm why Chi Yuhang was not answering his phone.

    Zhan Nanqing uttered a puzzled "Huh?" and asked,

    "Why are you going to his house? You do know it¡¯s extremely remote, right? It¡¯s not only in the suburbs but even further than that. If it¡¯s not something urgent, don¡¯t go there, it¡¯s really too far."

    Qiao Jing detected the reluctance in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s tone, and somewhat helplessly, she pulled a wry smile.

    "I need to go there for the re-examination of Old Master Chi, isn¡¯t that important? Besides, I¡¯ve been unable to contact him, so I¡¯m nning to go there directly and check."

    She had to confirm the situation of the grandson and grandfather, especially Chi Yuhang; it wasn¡¯t like him to just disappear without any notice.

    Zhan Nanqing made an "Oh" noise, exited the calling screen, scrolled a bit, and sent the address to Qiao Jing.

    "Wait a minute, you said Chi Yuhang is unreachable? That shouldn¡¯t be the case. Also, once you get to the pinpointed location, you need to drive further for about ten minutes straight ahead to reach their house. Their house¡¯s entrance is the oldest and most rundown one, the second one on your left side."

    She remembered exactly which entrance she had fallen at!

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows even more tightly and quickly repeated the crucial information,

    "After arriving at the pinpointed location, drive forward for about ten minutes, the second house on the left."

    As she spoke, she walked out of Wonderful Hall, hailed a taxi roadside, and got in while continuing to chat with Zhan Nanqing.

    "Do you want toe with me?"

    She thought that if Zhan Nanqing could lead the way, it would be more convenient and prevent any mistake in finding the ce.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated, her mind automatically recalling the incident that happenedst time at Chi Yuhang¡¯s house, and subconsciously looked down at her ankle.

    She frowned slightly and pondered for a moment.

    "Not only is their house far away, but going there would also bring back some unpleasant memories for me, so I¡¯m definitely not going."

    Although she initially wanted to follow Qiao Jing when she heard that he was going, she reconsidered and ultimately decided against it.

    After all, there was no rival in love for her brother there, so there was no need for her to follow and watch over anything.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t insist, simply responding with a faint "Mm" before hanging up the phone.

    A momentter,

    Qiao Jing got out of the car and, as directed by Zhan Nanqing, entered the second house on the left.

    As soon as she entered, she was greeted by a damp smell and the temperature inside was much cooler than outside.

    Qiao Jing nced around but didn¡¯t see Chi Yuhang or Chi Chenyun, only some old furniture and a bed.

    She frowned, her eyes showing deep concern.

    Without wasting time, she immediately called Chi Yuhang.

    But at the same time, a ringing of a phone echoed through the house.

    "Beep©¤©¤"

    Following the sound, Qiao Jing found Chi Yuhang¡¯s mobile phone on the table, confirming at least that this was their house and that neither of them was home.

    But just how busy was Chi Yuhang to go out without even taking his mobile phone,

    especially after she had reminded him of his follow-up appointment today?

    As Qiao Jing was pondering this, she suddenly heard voices talking.

    She looked up towards the source of the noise and then noticed a small door in Chi Yuhang¡¯s home, quickly walking toward it.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to push open the slightly ajar door, she heard a very arrogant statement.

    "Thisnd could never be yours, you only set it up recently! Why are you still denying it?!"

    Then Chi Yuhang¡¯s voice followed,

    "Auntie Wang, since it has been built like this, then it surely wasn¡¯t built by encroaching on public resources. You can ask my grandfather about it. Everybody knows his character well. My family might be poor, but we wouldn¡¯t do something that goes against our morals!"

    Chi Chenyun¡¯s slightly somber voice picked up from where Chi Yuhang left off,

    "Xiao Wang, you can mess around with food, but not with words! Ever since thend was assigned to my family, including this backyard, I started farming here. It¡¯s only recently that we put up the fence. How did that turn into encroaching public resources?"

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing could almost piece together the situation and pushed the door open, stepping into Chi Yuhang¡¯s backyard.

    Her arrival immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention.

    Seeing Qiao Jing, Chi Yuhang was momentarily stunned, then hurried over to her side.

    "Doctor Qiao, how did you get here so quickly? I have some matters to handle here, could you please wait a moment?"

    Qiao Jing nodded lightly and then looked up at a burly woman standing across, noticing some onlookers who were probably vigers or simr.

    The woman standing opposite Chi Chenyun wore an extremely fierce expression.

    This must be the "Auntie Wang" she had just heard about, the one who had pushed Zhan Nanqing down.

    At this thought, her eyes darkened, and her gaze grew even colder.

    Auntie Wang noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s stare and suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

    Unustomed to such "injustice," she red back fiercely, resembling a w-swinging bear.

    "Chi Yuhang, I was just about to say the same thing to you. Howe you went to the other side? And who is this person? She isn¡¯t from around here, so how did she end up here?"

    Auntie Wang scrutinized Qiao Jing¡¯s face and clicked her tongue twice, sarcastically saying,

    "Well, well, what an event! Old Master Chi, do you remember the person your grandson brought homest time? It hasn¡¯t been long, and he¡¯s brought back another pretty one?"

 Chapter 647 - 636: Wanting to Forcefully Occupy the Backyard

    <h4>Chapter 647: Chapter 636: Wanting to Forcefully upy the Backyard</h4>

    Hearing Auntie Wang¡¯s words, the surrounding neighbors looked at Qiao Jing with curious and evaluating gazes.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s face, everyone was astounded by her appearance.

    Chi Chenyun couldn¡¯t possibly miss the implication in Auntie Wang¡¯s words and retorted unapologetically,

    "Xiao Wang, isn¡¯t your son not so young either? He¡¯s six or seven years older than my Xiao Hang. I saw you busily arranging match-making sessions for him recently. Has he found someone now?"

    Auntie Wang was choked by Chi Chenyun¡¯s words, her face turning somewhat unpleasant.

    "What does it matter to you whether my son has found someone or not?"

    Chi Chenyun responded directly,

    "Simrly, you have no right to interfere in my family¡¯s affairs, and moreover, this person is my lifesaver. If you continue to talk nonsense, don¡¯t me me for not being polite!"

    Auntie Wang, having learned her lesson from this incident, quickly changed the subject.

    "Let¡¯s not talk about this now. Just tell me, what exactly are you nning to do with the backyard? When are you nning to demolish it? Shifting the topic now, it looks like you¡¯re feeling guilty!"

    Qiao Jing slightly arched her delicate and smoke-like eyebrows, watching Auntie Wang expressionlessly.

    It was Auntie Wang who had shifted the topic to her initially, and now it was also Auntie Wang speaking about changing the topic.

    This person really was as unreasonable as Zhan Nanqing had described her.

    Yuhang couldn¡¯t stand it any longer when he heard Auntie Wang slinging mud again, even with his good temper.

    He nced at Qiao Jing and said,

    "Doctor Qiao, I¡¯ll help grandpa back, and you can give him a follow-up consultation. I need to handle this matter first so as not to dy your time."

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say it wasn¡¯t necessary, Auntie Wang interrupted aggressively once more.

    "Go back for what? How will he handle this matter if he goes back? Besides, it won¡¯t take much time. Just make things clear, and you can tear down the backyard fence, right?"

    She had lost out here with Yuhang before, and this time she was determined to extort a hefty sum.

    Not allowing her to take vegetables and poultry, right? Then she would make them tear down their yard!

    Seeing this, the surrounding neighbors nced at each other for a moment before starting to speak persuasively.

    "Let¡¯s talk about this matterter; Old Master Chi needs to see a doctor!"

    "Yes, and besides, the area isn¡¯t that big. Xiao Chi¡¯s family nted some vegetables inside; tearing down the fence would just ruin it."

    "Xiao Hu¡¯s mother, enough is enough. How long have you been arguing? They are living well; why insist on making them tear down their yard?"

    "..."

    They all knew what Auntie Wang was like, a person prone to taking advantage and being particrly domineering and imperious. Normally, they wouldn¡¯t provoke her unless it was necessary.

    But if they ever needed help with anything, Yuhang would alwayse to help if he was avable, such a good kid! They definitely had to speak up for his family!

    Seeing everyone siding with Yuhang, Auntie Wang¡¯s eyes widened with anger.

    "What you said... their family is upying public resources, and your hearts are just so big? I¡¯m not as generous as you! Today, I must seek justice!"

    While saying this, she nced at one person in the crowd.

    The person immediately understood what Auntie Wang meant and began to incite the crowd.

    "You all are being so generous, but if this piece ofnd is a public resource, then their family is breaking thew! Besides, once this courtyard is demolished, thend will be avable for everyone to use. How great is that? Why should they monopolize it? You all just love ying the saint, don¡¯t you?"

    The neighbors were stunned, exchanged nces, and ultimately, none of them spoke.

    They were no fools; they knew exactly what Auntie Wang was like. Yuhang had helped them a lot, how could they possibly kick him while he was down now?

    Yuhang gratefully nced at his neighbors, then looked towards Auntie Wang and continued to argue with her.

    "Thisnd isn¡¯t public. If it were, my grandfather would have never built a courtyard here!"

    Chi Chenyun¡¯s expression darkened, and he slowly began to speak:

    "Xiao Wang, are you deliberately picking a quarrel? Don¡¯t think that just because I¡¯m old, I¡¯m useless!"

    Auntie Wang¡¯s face stiffened for a moment; seeing that the neighbors remained silent, she sneakily nced at a rtive she had purposely ced in the crowd.

    After signaling to them, she quickly averted her gaze, fearful of being discovered.

    "So it¡¯s yours just because you say so? Well, I might as well im the whole vige is mine, but that doesn¡¯t make it true! Also, Old Lu, as far as I know, everything you¡¯ve nted died due to poor soil quality, right? Theirnd over here looks great; the vegetables they grow are much better than anything else. Just demolish the courtyard, and thend will be everybody¡¯s to do with as they please!"

    Spurred by this, Auntie Wang¡¯s rtive immediately began to join in the propaganda.

    "Leaving aside Old Lu¡¯s situation for a moment, the chives in my garden are also puny. Look at the vegetables in their courtyard; they¡¯re fantastic! I¡¯m no great saint, but if thend is public, then it¡¯s their family who¡¯s at fault for monopolizing thend and wronging us!"

    Upon hearing this, the neighbors all turned their gaze to the vegetables Yuhang had nted in the courtyard. Indeed, they were just as Auntie Wang and her cohorts had described!

    Not only were the vegetables thriving, but the tomatoes he grew were also big and red, looking extremely fresh!

    Old Lu, who had been mentioned earlier, instinctively swallowed his saliva as he eyed the lush vegetables, clearly envious.

    His own garden had almostpletely perished, and the few nts that survived were terribly small, practically inedible.

    Thinking this, he felt a stirring in his heart and tentatively began to inquire.

    "Xiao Chi, is thisnd really yours? If not, could you clear it so Uncle Lu can nt some vegetables? You know very well that all my crops have died. If I could nt on your patch, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d thrive!"

    Upon hearing Old Lu¡¯s query, Yuhang was stunned and then frowned.

    "Uncle Lu, thisnd is mine. I¡¯ve visited your house before. The reason your vegetables don¡¯t survive isn¡¯t due to the soil quality; it¡¯s because you¡¯re nting them wrong. I advised you before, but you said I was just a kid who didn¡¯t know better and didn¡¯t take it to heart."

    Old Lu was taken aback by Yuhang¡¯s response, at a loss for words.

    Qiao Jing casually nced at the vegetables Yuhang had nted and pursed her red lips.

    The quality of the soil did contribute to the healthy growth of the vegetables, but it wasrgely due to Yuhang¡¯s proper care.

    Moreover, there were hardly any weeds in that patch, and the vegetables still had dew on them, indicating they were well maintained, plus Yuhang was from the Agricultural University, so it made sense that he could cultivate such healthy vegetables.

    Oddly enough, Uncle Lu, who had initially supported Yuhang, was nowpletely turning the tables.

    But she could understand; after all, everyone is selfish, and seeing such fertilend, they inevitably desired to take it for themselves.

    However, if thend truly belonged to Yuhang and Auntie Wang was forcing them to demolish, they would be wrongfully upying someone else¡¯snd.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing¡¯s cool voice rose.

    "Auntie Wang, how do you know that Yuhang¡¯snd is meant for public use?"

 Chapter 648 - 637: Interesting Things

    <h4>Chapter 648: Chapter 637: Interesting Things</h4>

    Auntie Wang was at a loss for words when Qiao Jing confronted her, stammering and unable to reply.

    Finally, she bit her teeth and burst out defiantly,

    "I definitely wouldn¡¯t say such things about their family for no reason! Besides, you¡¯re friends with Chi Yuhang, aren¡¯t you? You must be speaking up for him now! I bet you¡¯re not here to treat Old Master Chi, are you? You¡¯re a reinforcement Chi Yuhang brought in, aren¡¯t you? How scheming!"

    How would she know if Chi Yuhang¡¯s familynd was public or not? She was simply taking advantage and had not bothered to investigate it herself.

    As long as she could incite the neighbors to join her, she believed there was no way they couldn¡¯t tear down Chi Yuhang¡¯s backyard!

    Qiao Jing saw through Auntie Wang¡¯s bluster and realized she didn¡¯t have any solid evidence but was deliberately picking a fight.

    After a brief moment of contemtion, Qiao Jing understood Auntie Wang¡¯s motive.

    It was nothing more than Nanqinging over thest time and causing Auntie Wang to lose face. Now, thetter wanted to take revenge.

    Upon hearing Auntie Wang¡¯s words, Old Lu seemed to gain confidence. At this moment, his only desire was to move his vegetables to their own backyard, disregarding everything else, and he chimed in,

    "Xiao Chi, consider it a favor for Uncle Loo. If it¡¯s not your family¡¯snd, then just take down the fence, all right?"

    Auntie Wang¡¯s rtives began to stir things up.

    "Chi Yuhang, don¡¯t make this ugly. Illegally monopolizing public resources is against thew, isn¡¯t it? And you¡¯ve been doing it for so many years. What do you have to say for yourself?"

    The other neighbors hesitated, but the sight of fresh vegetables in the garden was too tempting to resist.

    "If it¡¯s really publd... then what should we do?"

    "Although Xiao Chi has indeed helped us a lot, monopolizing public resources is definitely not right."

    "Xiao Chi, if thisnd isn¡¯t yours, give us a heads up, and we¡¯ll help you take it down. If it is yours, then don¡¯t take our words to heart."

    "..."

    As Qiao Jing listened to the neighbors¡¯ words, her brows furrowed deeply.

    In every word and gesture, the neighbors doubted Chi Yuhang, even though they had just been supporting his family. Now, influenced by a few words from Auntie Wang and others, they began to suspect his family too.

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing noticed all the neighbors¡¯ gazes fixed on the vegetables, realizing they coveted the lush garden out of sheer envy.

    Her frown deepened, and she turned to look at the grandfather-grandson duo. If they couldn¡¯t handle the situation, she was ready to offer assistance.

    At this moment, Chi Yuhang too was frowning deeply, motionless as he observed all the neighbors present.

    Chi Chenyun, angered by their doubts, said sternly,

    "Our family has absolutely not encroached on a single inch of public resources!"

    The elder¡¯s serious tone and solemn expression caused the neighbors to pause and meet Chi Yuhang¡¯s gaze, reminded of the many times the two had lent a helping hand over the years. They felt a twinge of guilt and were at a loss for what to say.

    Auntie Wang couldn¡¯t let the opportunity slip from her grasp.

    She pressed on relentlessly,

    "Old Master Chi, some matters can¡¯t just be settled by talking. Do you have any proof that thisnd is yours?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned stern, her aura chilling as she gave Auntie Wang a cold look. Not waiting for Chi Chenyun to answer, she spoke up first.

    "And what proof do you have that thend isn¡¯t theirs?"

    She believed in the integrity of Old Master Chi and Chi Yuhang. The grandfather and grandson were not the kind to take even a penny from her, so how could they be the type to seize publd?

    In contrast, it was Auntie Wang¡¯s character and conduct that were far less trustworthy!

    Auntie Wang was once again left speechless by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, she red fiercely at her opponent and said angrily:

    "This is our vige¡¯s business, what do you count for as an outsider? What right do you have to speak?"

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let this woman, who appeared out of nowhere, spoil her ns!

    Auntie Wang¡¯s words also made the neighbors dissatisfied with Qiao Jing. After all, these were their vige matters; they didn¡¯t want outsiders getting involved.

    Especially since she was speaking up for Chi Yuhang, that just made things worse for some of the people who wanted thend.

    Several peoples¡¯ tones also began to turn unfriendly.

    "Exactly, since when do outsiders get to meddle in our vige affairs?"

    "These are matters for our vige, it¡¯s not good to let outsiders get involved."

    "Better for outsiders to not talk, or else it¡¯ll just make things messier!"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother arguing with these people and directly sent a message to her subordinates.

    Once the investigation was out and actual evidence presented, Auntie Wang wouldn¡¯t be able to cause more trouble.

    Seeing Qiao Jing making a phone call, Auntie Wang stood with her arms akimbo, dismissively saying:

    "Calling someone? Trying to bring in reinforcements again? No matter how many you bring, it¡¯s no use! All outsiders, what right do they have to intervene in our vige matters?"

    The brows of the grandfather and grandson, from the Chi family, were nearly twisted into knots, and they could no longer restrain themselves.

    They could asionally endure a few words said about them, but Qiao Jing was their family¡¯s benefactor; they absolutely couldn¡¯t let her be targeted for no reason!

    Qiao Jing noticed that the grandfather and grandson were preparing to speak up for her, just then, her phone chimed.

    She immediately halted the grandfather and grandson, her gaze falling upon the phone screen, looking at thend allocation map from over a decade ago.

    First, she clearly saw that the current backyard indeed belonged to their family ording to the distribution.

    However... she noticed something even more interesting.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curled up, her gaze sharp as ice, piercing straight towards Auntie Wang, fixing on her.

    "Auntie Wang, are you so sure that thisnd isn¡¯t theirs?"

    Auntie Wang felt somewhat guilty under Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, but she still stubbornly said:

    "Yes, how could I possiblye here to use their family unjustly?"

    As long as she stubbornly denied without evidence, their family would have no way to deal with her!

    And now the neighbors were also leaning towards her side; she didn¡¯t believe that this woman in front of her could change the current situation.

    The smile that emerged on Qiao Jing¡¯s face didn¡¯t contain a trace of mirth, instead giving off a chilling sensation.

    She passed the phone to Chi Yuhang, "Chi Yuhang, you and your grandfather look at this map, and then you personally show this map to the neighborster."

    Chi Yuhang took Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, and upon seeing thend allocation map from years past, he looked incredulously at her.

    Although he knew Doctor Qiao¡¯s identity was no ordinary one, and that she was from the Zhan Family, her ability to quickly procure something from over a decade ago within minutes made him even more aware of how formidable her methods were.

    He nced at thend allocation map on the screen and saw that the backyard was indeed his family¡¯s, his face remained impassive. After all, he was clear about his grandfather¡¯s character.

    But he did see something that infuriated him, and after passing the phone to Old Master Chi, he looked towards Auntie Wang.

 Chapter 649 - 638: Let Qiao Jing Handle It

    <h4>Chapter 649: Chapter 638: Let Qiao Jing Handle It</h4>

    Qiao Jing decided to leave the matter for Chi Yuhang to handle by himself. Once the other party saw thend distribution map, he would know how to deal with it.

    Chi Yuhang was furrowing his brow tightly, looking at Auntie Wang.

    Just as he was about to speak, he was suddenly interrupted by Chi Chenyun.

    "Yuhang,e here, I was truly infuriated after seeing it, I need to go back and rest."

    After saying this, he looked toward Auntie Wang.

    "Huzi¡¯s mother, wait for Yuhang to help me back, then let hime back to deal with this issue! Your chicken farm not only upies half of thend allocated to our family, but the other half also encroaches on publd. How dare you use our family of wrongdoing?!"

    This statement was like a bomb thrown into the crowd, causing an uproar.

    "What? What does Old Master Chi mean by that?"

    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, does that mean Auntie Wang¡¯s chicken farm is the one encroaching on public resources? And that half of it is on the Chi¡¯snd?"

    "So in the end, is it their family who smeared the Chi Family?"

    "..."

    The direction of public opinion turned directly against Auntie Wang, catching her off guard.

    After hearing Chi Chenyun¡¯s words, Auntie Wang was dumbfounded, her eyes wide as she stared at him, but inwardly, she felt even more guilty.

    If Chi Chenyun hadn¡¯t said this, she wouldn¡¯t even have remembered such an incident, which her husband had mentioned before, but loving to take advantage of others as they did, how could they keep it in mind?

    When thend was divided years ago, her husband¡¯s family waste and didn¡¯t receive anynd. Since their home was close to the Chi family, taking advantage of Chi Chenyun¡¯s dy in starting construction, her husband just jumped the gun and forcibly upied it.

    After enclosing a part of the Chi family¡¯snd, her husband felt it was too small, so while others in the vige were unaware, he boldly enclosed the remaining unbuilt open space as well, thus half upying Chi Yuhang¡¯s familynd, half upying public resources.

    Over time, she just took for granted that thend where the chicken farm stood was her family¡¯s, forgetting for a moment that she was the one who had encroached on thend, hence her boldness in confronting Chi Yuhang today.

    Even so, what could Chi Yuhang and his family do to her?

    She didn¡¯t believe that Chi Yuhang and his family could produce any proof, after all, it had been more than a decade.

    Thinking this, Auntie Wang became arrogant again, lifting her chin.

    "What nonsense are you talking about? Do you have any evidence? Moreover, weren¡¯t we talking about Chi Yuhang¡¯s family issue? How did it shift to me? I think you¡¯ve been misled! Besides, Old Master Chi, I think you¡¯re just senile, spouting nonsense!"

    At this point, Old Lu also began to wholeheartedly support Auntie Wang.

    "Old Master Chi, you can¡¯t just say anything carelessly. If it¡¯s as you say, then the matter is not trivial at all!"

    Upon hearing Old Lu¡¯s words, Auntie Wang knew he was defending her, but she was very much aware of the truth in what Old Master Chi had said.

    This made her a bit guilty, but she was confident Chi Yuhang and his family couldn¡¯te up with any evidence, so she had nothing to fear now.

    Moreover, they hadn¡¯t really investigated this matter.

    If they had investigated earlier, how could she have led them by the nose?

    Wouldn¡¯t they have just presented the evidence and shut her up?

    As for only bringing up this matter now?

    Don¡¯t tell her they figured it out in such a short time.

    They were all ordinary people, who had no such capability to rify an incident from over a decade ago so quickly.

    Since she couldn¡¯t do it, she didn¡¯t believe it either.

    The more Auntie Wang thought about it, the more she believed her reasoning was sound, which straightened her spine a bit.

    Chi Chenyun was so angered by their words that he clutched his chest tightly, unable to speak.

    Chi Yuhang immediately stepped forward to support Chi Chenyun, casting a worried look at Qiao Jing.

    "Doctor Qiao, I¡¯ll take my grandfather inside first. Come in with me to give him a follow-up, and then I¡¯lle back to deal with these matters," he said.

    With my help, he now had concrete evidence that Auntie Wang had encroached on public resources and their property, so he wasn¡¯t worried about dealing with these people anymore.

    However, that added another moving n to his list.

    Seeing this, Auntie Wang spoke relentlessly:

    "Chi Yuhang, it¡¯s not that I want to make things difficult for you. Old Master Chi can go back due to his poor health, but you must stay and resolve these matters with us before you can leave!"

    She couldn¡¯t let Chi Yuhang and his family leave so easily; she had to resolve this issue right away to demolish the backyard for expanding her chicken farm.

    Qiao Jing looked at Auntie Chen¡¯s relentless behavior, knitted her brows tightly, and looked up at Chi Yuhang.

    "You take Old Master Chi inside, and I¡¯ll handle this for you," she said.

    She watched Chi Yuhang handle the situation for a while. Knowing him, she believed it might be difficult for him to confront someone as thick-skinned as Auntie Wang.

    Moreover, now that Old Master Chi was not feeling well, of course, his health was the most important thing. She could handle this matter quickly without bothering Chi Yuhang toe out again.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the grandfather and grandson from the Chi family looked at each other in surprise.

    After taking a few deep breaths, Chi Chenyun managed to calm down slightly, his brow furrowed.

    "This is too... too much of a trouble for you. It¡¯s sufficient for Xiao Hang to handle it," he said.

    It seemed he had no choice but to ept his age. However, now he was in a better condition than before, thanks to Doctor Qiao treating and prescribing medication for him. Otherwise, he might have passed out from anger by now.

    Chi Yuhang also quickly nodded, chiming in:

    "Doctor Qiao, don¡¯t trouble yourself, you¡¯ve already helped us a lot," he said.

    Seeing that Chi Yuhang wanted to add something more, Qiao Jing gently raised her hand to cut him off.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of it for you," she assured them.

    Seeing the determination in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, Chi Yuhang trusted her unconditionally. While supporting Chi Chenyun back, he said,

    "Grandfather, Doctor Qiao wants to help us. It¡¯s not good to keep refusing her, we¡¯ll find a way to repay Doctor Qiao next time."

    Chi Chenyun was still hesitant and looked back at Qiao Jing.

    "But...this..."

    Before he could finish his sentence, Chi Yuhang had already opened the door and helped him inside.

    In the backyard,

    seeing the grandfather and grandson walk away, Auntie Wang¡¯s eyes widened, and she hurriedly followed, incessantly mumbling:

    "Letting a youngdy handle this? I think these two are out of their minds! She hasn¡¯t seen as much of the world as I¡¯ve eaten meals! How could she dare to take the initiative to handle this? Who does she think she is?"

    Auntie Wang¡¯s rtives also followed, mocking and sneering at Qiao Jing.

    "Exactly, the way this grandfather and grandson handle things is just not up to par. Handling our vige¡¯s matters by bringing in an outsider, what kind of solution is that? Although Xiao Hu¡¯s mother is a bit fierce, let¡¯s ask ourselves, has she ever done anything to upset anyone here? She hasn¡¯t let outsiders handle our vige¡¯s affairs, has she?"

    The neighbors thought about it, nodded in agreement as they found the reasoning sound.

 Chapter 650 - 639: Accusing Qiao Jing of Faking

    <h4>Chapter 650: Chapter 639: using Qiao Jing of Faking</h4>

    "Yes, it¡¯s true that she liked to take advantage of situations, but she never did anything that substantively harmed our interests. She would absolutely never let outsiders handle our vige affairs."

    "This time, it¡¯s indeed these two, the grandfather and grandson, who made a mistake. It seems we can probably write off this plot ofnd."

    "Seeing how they left in such a hurry, who knows if what they said earlier was true. Leaving a little girl here, can she talk her way out of it? To me, it looks like they just wanted to escape."

    "..."

    Qiao Jing stopped Auntie Wang, her gaze falling on the person who imed there was "no harm done to everyone¡¯s interests," her voice cold and clear as it rose.

    "How can you be so sure that Auntie Wang has never done anything that harmed everyone¡¯s interests?"

    She deliberately paused, narrowing her eyes slightly, then stared at Auntie Wang with a scrutinizing look, asking word by word:

    "Auntie Wang, are you certain the chicken farm belongs only to your family?"

    Upon hearing someone say that Auntie Wang had not harmed anyone¡¯s interests, Qiao Jing let out a scoff from the bottom of her heart.

    She was curious what kind of expressions these people would have if they knew that Auntie Wang¡¯s family had not only upied Chi Yuhang¡¯s familynd but had also encroached on publd for over a decade.

    Confronted with Qiao Jing¡¯s question, Auntie Wang¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she became increasingly nervous.

    She noticed the looks from the neighbors around her, clenched her teeth, and finally lifted her head, saying with conviction:

    "Of course it is! If it¡¯s not my family¡¯s, would it be yours?"

    Although she didn¡¯t know why Chi Chenyun had suddenly asked her about that matter, maybe the old man got a jolt and remembered the issue of encroaching on his family¡¯snd.

    But even if he remembered, it was useless; she didn¡¯t believe Chi Chenyun could produce conclusive evidence. All she had to do now was to keep denying it.

    After Auntie Wang acknowledged it in front of everyone, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t waste any more words with her, simply took out her phone, and erged thend allocation map from back then.

    "Take a close look if Auntie Wang¡¯s family was allocated anynd that year, and whosend her current chicken farm is upying."

    She knew that with Auntie Wang¡¯s tenacious character, if she continued to argue back and forth like this, it would never end.

    So, she didn¡¯t n to waste time with Auntie Wang and decided to bring out the mostpelling evidence as the best solution.

    Auntie Wang couldn¡¯t see the phone screen clearly at all and thought the other party was just putting on a show, saying nonchntly:

    "Are you crazy? Who cares to look at your phone? Don¡¯t bring out some fake stuff to nder people!"

    The neighbors were momentarily stunned, then quickly gathered around Qiao Jing¡¯s phone screen with the enthusiasm they usually had for vige gossip.

    They stared at the phone screen for a while and then their eyes widened in shock.

    Those standing at the back who couldn¡¯t see began to push and shove, craning their necks to get a clear view of the phone screen.

    "What do those in front see? Make way!"

    "Don¡¯t block the path, we at the back haven¡¯t seen it yet!"

    "Let me have a look, tell me what you see at the front, too!"

    "..."

    Now a queue had formed to check the phone, and there was even a small line.

    Fortunately, there weren¡¯t too many people, and Qiao Jing had also specifically zoomed in on the vital areas, making them immediately clear.

    After examining thend allocation map from that year, the neighbors¡¯ faces darkened, and then, without a word, they all stared at Auntie Wang.

    Auntie Wang felt increasingly guilty under the neighbors¡¯ stares and looked at them with a puzzled face.

    "Why are you all looking at me like that? What did she show you?"

    As she spoke, she approached Qiao Jing, curious to find out the truth.

    She wanted to see for herself what kind of witchcraft this little girl was up to.

    But by this time, Qiao Jing had already put away her phone, folded her arms, and slightly raised an eyebrow.

    "Is there something the matter?"

    Auntie Wang was taken aback by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, feeling quite frustrated inside.

    Yet the peculiar gazes of those around her made her so curious¡ªwhat exactly had they seen that they were looking at her this way?

    Driven by her curiosity, she decided to set aside her pride for the moment.

    "Of course, there¡¯s something the matter. I want to see what fabricated nonsense you¡¯ve shown everyone!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curved into a smile as she reopened her phone and handed the screen to Auntie Wang.

    Once Auntie Wang saw thend distribution map on the screen, her face turned pale instantly, and she began to sweat coldly on her forehead.

    So it was because of this that everyone was looking at her like that, but no, that couldn¡¯t be right!

    How could this young girl possibly get her hands on and distribution map from over a decade ago?

    Even if the information on thisnd distribution map was true, she could just deny it, right? Then use the other party of falsifying it¡ªshe didn¡¯t believe the vigers would trust an outsider over her!

    With this in mind, Auntie Wang immediately put her hands on her hips and pointed at Qiao Jing¡¯s nose, scolding:

    "Look at you! Where did you get these fake images? How dare you deceive people with forgeries? Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting arrested for this illegal act? Everyone, don¡¯t ever believe this young girl¡¯s nonsense. We¡¯re from the same vige¡ªhow could I possibly deceive you? On the other hand, this outsider, she has ulterior motives and wants to divide us!"

    After saying this, she waited for her neighbors to echo her words.

    But an eerie silence settled in the air, and no one spoke up, not even Auntie Wang¡¯s rtives knew what to say in her defense.

    Seeing the reaction of the crowd, Auntie Wang was taken aback and began to question them.

    "Folks, you can¡¯t possibly believe her just because of a picture, can you? I can produce a picture right away too! Not just one¡ªI can make several! Don¡¯t easily fall for this girl¡¯s tales!"

    She had just gestured to her rtives for support, but even they were now refusing to back her up¡ªwhat on earth was going on?

    It was just a young girl; how could she have turned everyone against her so quickly?!

    It had been more than a decade since thend incident, and she refused to believe that anyone other than Chi Chenyun, the old man, knew about thend she had appropriated.

    After all, part of thend she took was from the old Chi family. It seemed inevitable to her that the size of their plot would decrease eventually. The old man, Chi Chenyun, had been confused all this while and now remembered, after all these years, but what good did it do when the matter was long settled?

    Unless there was a document of thend distribution map from that year, there was no way Chi would get hisnd back!

    Her family hadn¡¯t taken any other neighbor¡¯snd, so how could they possibly know about thend grab?

    Could they actually believe this young girl just because of a single picture?

    Just then, Qiao Jing swiped on her phone, switching to another image.

    This caused Auntie Wang¡¯s face to turn even paler.

    Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m

 Chapter 651 - 640: The Scheme is Exposed!

    <h4>Chapter 651: Chapter 640: The Scheme is Exposed!</h4>

    In another picture, a red seal was stamped in the bottom right corner, clearly marked with the date and the responsible person¡¯s signature.

    Even though thisnd distribution map had be somewhat yellowed, the bright red stamp was still there.

    The ssh of red deeply stung Auntie Wang¡¯s eyes. She instinctively took a few steps back and nearly lost her bnce, almost falling t on her face.

    After steadying herself, she continued to retreat while shaking her head and muttering to herself,

    "Impossible, impossible, who are you? How could you have done this in such a short time?"

    No wonder everyone had stopped talking. They must have seen the red seal and signature!

    What should she do now?

    Upon seeing Auntie Wang¡¯s demeanor, the neighbors knew she couldn¡¯t pretend any longer and began to coldly state:

    "Such a person is a pest in the vige! I can¡¯t stand to see this family for even a second longer."

    "She was so sure just now that the chicken farm belonged to her family, and now look what¡¯s happened. They don¡¯t even have a single plot ofnd. First, they took half of Old Master Chi¡¯s property, and then half of the public resources!"

    "Ha! And I just said that she hadn¡¯t done anything to harm our interests. Little did I know that she really had, and for over a dozen years! I regret it so much, I could p my own mouth!"

    "We need to give the Chis a proper apology... To think Xiao Chi helped us out so much before. Not only did we misunderstand them earlier, but we also got confused and started ming the grandfather and grandson. Luckily, we didn¡¯t demolish the backyard."

    "..."

    Their words left no room for mercy, they might as well have started sweeping Auntie Wang and her family out of the vige themselves.

    Auntie Wang was at a loss for words due to her neighbors¡¯ usations, her hands shaking uncontrobly with fear.

    With the criticism around her growing, Auntie Wang couldn¡¯t stay another second and covered her ears, wanting to run back home.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows tightly and immediately spoke up to stop her, using the very same words Auntie Wang had used to hassle Chi Yuhang and the others, and returned them verbatim.

    "Auntie Wang, you must stay and resolve this matter before you can leave. When are you going to demolish your chicken farm? And then return thend to Chi Yuhang and the rest?"

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Auntie Wang¡¯s steps hesitated for a moment before she turned around and red viciously at Qiao Jing.

    "Shut your mouth, you brat!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s statement reminded everyone that they had just been busy talking about Auntie Wang hogging thend and hadpletely forgotten to suggest a solution.

    Now they began to discuss among themselves, but their words were still directed at Auntie Wang.

    "That chicken farm has to be demolished, and all thend that needs to be returned must be returned!"

    "If you don¡¯t demolish it, we neighbors are more than willing to help you do it for free!"

    "I thought it was just like taking a small advantage, but it turns out to be such a serious issue, and it¡¯s been going on for years. Your family must have made quite a lot of money from that chicken farm. It has to be demolished!"

    "If you don¡¯t tear it down, then we can file awsuit against you, and even use you of nder. We¡¯re all witnesses!"

    "..."

    When Auntie Wang heard someone threaten to sue her, she jumped in fright and very reluctantly said,

    "I¡¯ll demolish it, okay? I¡¯ll do it tomorrow!"

    Though she didn¡¯t want to tear down the chicken farm that she had built with great difficulty, she had been exposed. If she refused to demolish it, these people might actually go and level it to the ground themselves.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t give Auntie Wang a chance to catch her breath and spoke with a voice that brooked no argument,

    "Demolish it by the end of today."

    She did this because Auntie Wang had treated Chi Yuhang and the others with the same attitude just before, going as far as to threaten to directly demolish the Chi family¡¯s backyard. So she returned the favor in kind.

    Auntie Wang red deathly at Qiao Jing, just as she was about to say it couldn¡¯t be done within a day, she was frozen by Qiao Jing¡¯s extremely cold gaze, a creeping chill covering her spine in an instant.

    She shuddered and subconsciously touched her arm as she inwardly cursed:

    "Why does that girl¡¯s gaze have to be so terrifying?"

    Seeing that Auntie Wang wasn¡¯t speaking, the neighbors were about to start gossiping again.

    Auntie Wang couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and covered her ears, shouting at everyone present.

    "I¡¯ll tear it down today, happy now?!"

    Having said that, she hurriedly ran towards her own home.

    Qiao Jing watched as Auntie Wang fled in a panic, pulling at the corners of her mouth in speechless disbelief.

    Auntie Wang¡¯s scheme to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice, and now she had received her just deserts.

    After this, Auntie Wang certainly wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke any more trouble; after all, her actions had been exposed. If she dared to deliberately make things difficult for the Chi Family again, she definitely wouldn¡¯t get away with it and might even be driven out of the vige.

    Just then, Chi Yuhang returned to the backyard. He nced around at the people and noticed that Auntie Wang was gone.

    He looked at Qiao Jing, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

    Doctor Qiao dealt with the situation so quickly!

    But now his family owed Doctor Qiao another favor, and he would definitely repay her properlyter on.

    Just as Chi Yuhang was about to bow and thank Qiao Jing, he was interrupted by Old Lu.

    "Xiao Chi, it was Uncle Loo who wronged you. I was just being foolish... how could I..."

    The other neighbors who had doubted Chi Yuhang also hung their heads in guilt, each beginning to apologize.

    "Xiao Chi, it was wrong of us uncles and aunties earlier. We definitely won¡¯t do this again, rest assured."

    "Indeed, we all knew what kind of person Xiao Hu¡¯s mother was, yet we still let her set the tone. We are truly sorry!"

    "If it¡¯s convenient, could you pass on an apology to Grandpa Chi on our behalf?"

    "..."

    Chi Yuhang didn¡¯t expect the turnaround to happen so quickly and didn¡¯t know what to say to everyone¡¯s apologies.

    He hesitated for a few seconds before responding to everyone.

    "It¡¯s okay."

    The neighbors sincerely apologized again, and Old Lu, along with a few others, specifically went to apologize to Chi Chenyun before they all dispersed.

    Once everyone had left, Qiao Jing followed Chi Yuhang into his house.

    As soon as she returned to the small room, she saw Chi Chenyun standing by the bed looking very spirited, even doing a set of stretches.

    Seeing Chi Chenyun so lively, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but curve up the corners of her lips, showing a faint smile, but this smile was also mixed with concern.

    She quickly approached the bedside and asked:

    "Grandpa Chi, how do you feel?"

    Chi Chenyun waved his hands cheerily.

    "I¡¯m fine now. You have no idea how much relief I felt when those people apologized! Doctor Qiao, I¡¯ve troubled you once again, and I¡¯m truly sorry for that!"

    Qiao Jing gently shook her head and took Chi Chenyun¡¯s pulse.

    "Your recovery is going very well, just keep taking the medicine,"

    After saying that, she turned to Chi Yuhang, "I have something to discuss with you."

 Chapter 652 - 641: Qiao Jing, I Have a Question to Ask You

    <h4>Chapter 652: Chapter 641: Qiao Jing, I Have a Question to Ask You</h4>

    Chi Yuhang nodded and followed a few steps behind Qiao Jing as they walked out.

    "Doctor Qiao."

    Qiao Jing looked at Chi Yuhang and pursed her red lips.

    "When do you n to start working at the research institute?"

    She had learned from Zhan Nanqing that Chi Yuhang was still working part-time, except he had quit his night shift. He used the evenings to study for his job at the research institute.

    ording to Zhan Nanqing, Chi Yuhang was worried about not handling his work well and nned to study at home for a few days more to ensure he could manage before officially starting at the research institute.

    However, what caught her attention was that Zhan Nanqing had recently oftenined about how quickly Chi Yuhang was learning things, implying the two of them were chatting every night nowadays.

    Chi Yuhang frowned slightly, pondering for a moment.

    "In a few more days, I should have it mastered pretty soon."

    Qiao Jing nced in Chi Chenyun¡¯s direction and after a two-second silence, she slowly began to speak:

    "Does your grandfather know about this?"

    If Old Master Chi knew that Chi Yuhang had secured a regr job, he would surely be very happy.

    Chi Yuhang shook his head.

    "Not yet, I n to tell grandfather after I officially start."

    If he couldn¡¯t handle the job when the time came, he wouldn¡¯t insist on staying at the research institute just to avoid causing trouble for Doctor Qiao and her colleagues.

    Qiao Jing gave a faint "hmm" in response, not saying much else.

    She then went back to Chi Chenyun¡¯s side, said goodbye to the grandfather and grandson, and left the vige.

    ----

    The Research Institute.

    Qiao Jing was fully focused on her work when suddenly someone came through the door.

    Xu Moqian entered as if he had wheels on his feet, rushing in hurriedly.

    His gaze quickly found Qiao Jing and he went straight to her side.

    Zhan Nanqing was originally reviewing documents, but seeing Xu Moqian in such a rush as though he had an emergency, she became very curious and put down her work.

    "Xu Moqian, what¡¯s the matter?"

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t even nce at Zhan Nanqing, nor did he answer her; he didn¡¯t even consider that Qiao Jing might be in the middle of work.

    He approached Qiao Jing and tentatively began:

    "Sister Jing?"

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Qiao Jing merely gave him a brief look and then redirected her attention back to her work, continuing with what she was doing.

    She wouldn¡¯t attend to other matters while working.

    Xu Moqian, desperate, blurted out:

    "Sister Jing, I have something I need to ask you."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hands paused for a moment, then she spoke slowly:

    "We¡¯ll talk about itter."

    After saying that, she ignored Xu Moqian and went back to her work.

    Now Zhan Nanqing was even more curious, frowning as she asked:

    "What¡¯s so urgent that it can¡¯t wait?"

    Only then did Xu Moqian cast a nce at Zhan Nanqing, nced at Qiao Jing, then back at Zhan Nanqing, deciding to try and gather some information from her.

    "Let¡¯s talk over by the sofa; we can¡¯t disturb Sister Jing¡¯s work."

    Even though he and Zhan Nanqing weren¡¯t on great terms usually, Zhan Nanqing had a good rtionship with Sister Jing¡ªperhaps he might be able to glean some news from her.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated, nced at her work, rushed through what she was doing, and then joined Xu Moqian by the sofa.

    "Out with it, why the urgency? You know Doctor Qiao doesn¡¯t like to be disturbed while she¡¯s working. Is it the end of the world or something?"

    Xu Moqian tightly furrowed his brows, not in the mood for joking with Zhan Nanqing, and probed indirectly:

    "I mean, do you know about Sister Jing and Ni Yue going mountain climbing and camping?"

    Zhan Nanqing nodded, then gave Xu Moqian the same look one might give an idiot.

    "Of course I know, weren¡¯t you there that day? Aren¡¯t you stating the obvious?"

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian began to suspect that she also didn¡¯t know about the matter and gave up on trying to gather information from her.

    He would rather wait for Sister Jing to finish work, and ask her personally.

    Zhan Nanqing saw Xu Moqian suddenly fall silent, just dumbly staring at Qiao Jing and immediately felt annoyed.

    "Xu Moqian, if you have something to say, just say it. After calling me over, what¡¯s with leaving your sentence half-finished? What are you trying to do?"

    She was already very curious and, in order to find out what was actually going on, she had put down her work, only for Xu Moqian to abruptly stop talking?!

    Xu Moqian clicked his tongue and reverted to his usual nonchnt demeanor.

    "What¡¯s the point of asking you? You don¡¯t know anyway, talking to you is a waste of words."

    Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes in speechlessness and cursed angrily.

    "Beat it! Speaking in halves will just make your tongue half as short! What a waste of my time."

    After dropping this line, she returned to her workstation and continued working with Qiao Jing.

    Xu Moqian remained unmoved, looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s back, feeling restless and uneasy.

    He frequently nced at his phone screen, mentally calcting how much longer until the workday ended.

    Two hourster, it was finally time to get off work.

    Qiao Jing also stopped her hands from working, changed out of her work clothes, and looked up at Xu Moqian, who was sitting on the couch.

    "What¡¯s up?"

    As the neer had arrived, she noticed that he was anxious, but since he didn¡¯t speak up directly, it meant it wasn¡¯t so urgent that she had to answer immediately.

    Anyway, the neer was always up to no good, often bustling around like the sky was falling, but every time he did have something to say, it was downright nonsensical.

    So she ignored the neer and nned to finish work before talking to him about it.

    Xu Moqian quickly tried to stand up, but because he had been sitting too long, he felt weak in his legs as soon as he got up and sat back down again.

    He clenched his teeth and forced himself to stand up, walking stiffly over to Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help butugh at the sight of Xu Moqian¡¯sical state.

    What was it that Xu Moqian was so anxious about?

    To her, at that moment, he looked like a person with an indomitable spirit, limping forward, which was just too ridiculous!

    Xu Moqian, somewhatboriously, made his way to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and then coughed.

    "Sister Jing... I came because I have a question for you."

    Seeing Xu Moqian¡¯s hesitant behavior, Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, her red lips parted, and she slowly uttered a word.

    "Speak."

    Zhan Nanqing sneered at Xu Moqian and couldn¡¯t help but ridicule him.

    "Why are you dithering like an old woman? Just earlier you left us hanging mid-sentence, and now you¡¯re still dawdling here?"

    At this moment, Xu Moqian was solely focused on getting clear about one thing and had no mood to bicker with Zhan Nanqing.

    "Sister Jing, how was the camping during Ni Yue¡¯s birthday a few days ago? I didn¡¯t attend, so I wanted to ask."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes reflected a hint of confusion, "It was quite good, what about it? If you have a question, ask directly."

    She could tell that what the neer truly wanted to ask wasn¡¯t that, but it must surely be rted to the camping.

    At the mention of camping, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s ears perked up instantly. She hadn¡¯t been able to go that day and had been dragged away by Xu Moqian, making her feel both upset and regretful.

    Xu Moqian hesitated for a moment, weighing his words, but his curiosity was getting the best of him, and he had to get to the bottom of it today.

    He bit the bullet and began:

 Chapter 653 - 642: Testing Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 653: Chapter 642: Testing Qiao Jing</h4>

    "How did you sleep that night? Was it too crowded for two people to rest in one tent?"

    Right now, he could only beat around the bush with some tentative inquiries. Otherwise, his intentions would be all too obvious.

    God knows how shocked and worried he was when he saw Yu Yangqi¡¯sints to him this morning.

    Yu Yangqiined that the camping trip failed to bring him and Ni Yue together, but, due to a mix-up, Sister Jing and Zhan Qipei ended up sleeping in the same tent.

    His heart had already skipped a beat by the time he read that much, but when he saw that Sister Jing and Zhan Qipei were even sharing a sleeping bag, he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and immediately put away his phone and rushed to the research institute.

    Knowing that a man and a woman were sharing a sleeping bag, what if sparks flew?! And that Zhan family kid looked like he had ulterior motives; what if he took advantage of Sister Jing?

    Qiao Jing found this question a little strange and slowly furrowed her brow.

    "No, it¡¯s no different from sleeping at home."

    When did the fourth child be interested in other people¡¯s sleep quality?

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes immediately widened in disbelief as he asked,

    "No different from sleeping at home? But Sister Jing, don¡¯t you sleep alone at home?"

    Could it be... Could it be that Sister Jing and Zhan Qipei had already progressed to sharing a bed at home?!

    Isn¡¯t hepletely out of chances then??

    Qiao Jing knew Xu Moqian had misunderstood and rolled her eyes in silence.

    "I sleep alone at home. There were limited tents yesterday, so two people shared one. Is there a problem with that?"

    If she shared a bed with Zhan Qipei at home, wouldn¡¯t that be something?

    This fourth kid really has some wild imagination, daring to think anything.

    Zhan Nanqing also found it a bit odd, sizing up Xu Moqian from top to bottom.

    "What kind of bizarre question are you asking? First off, your initial question is already ridiculous, okay? How much space could Qiao Jing and Ni Yue, two girls, possibly take up? How could they be crowded? You¡¯re not suggesting they¡¯re space-huggers, are you? Do you believe I¡¯d smack this size 37 shoe right onto your face?"

    Xu Moqian quickly shook his head and red at Zhan Nanqing.

    "Don¡¯t make false usations! How dare I gossip about Sister Jing? Besides, with Sister Jing being so slim, how could she possibly take up any space?"

    Qiao Jing nced at Xu Moqian and pondered for a few seconds, understanding what he was really trying to ask.

    She pulled a wry smile, her lips almost speechless before she slowly began to speak,

    "Was it the second brother who told you that I rested in the same tent with Zhan Qipei that night?"

    Xu Moqian had already guessed that Qiao Jing would figure out what he wanted to ask. He pursed his lips, not denying it.

    "I knew Sister Jing, you¡¯d guess... So, how did you sleep that night? I heard from Yu Yangqi that Zhan Qipei even fell and you had to treat his wounds."

    Upon hearing that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei slept in the same tent, Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t hide her tion, a smile spreading across her face.

    "Qiao Jing, my brother ended up troubling you to take care of him? How did he fall?"

    No wonder Xu Moqian was so anxious; it turns out he was worried about Qiao Jing and her brother getting into some heated action in the tent.

    But she and Xu Moqian hadpletely different feelings about it.

    This reminded her of a trendy inte meme, or rather, a song, "You¡¯re happy, I¡¯m not happy, someugh while others cry."

    Her joy¡ªXu Moqian couldn¡¯t understand.

    Qiao Jing checked the current time, deciding to go have a meal first. As she walked out, she answered both their questions,

    "After treating the wound, we went to sleep. By the time we climbed to the mountain top, it was already early morning, and I was very sleepy. As for how he fell..."

    She paused, recalling the reason Zhan Qipei had fallen, and couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her mouth.

    To save the man some face, she brushed it off casually.

    "I really don¡¯t know."

    Zhan Nanqing was overjoyed, her face brimming with happiness. She ceased her probing questions and hooked her arm with Qiao Jing¡¯s as they both walked out together.

    Xu Moqian, on the other hand, was frowning deeply, his expression as dark as a lump of coal. He followed behind Qiao Jing, looking utterly distraught.

    He needed to find an opportunity to seriously ask Sister Jing. Although Zhan Qipei was still on his trial period, he felt that something was increasingly off and needed to inquire to settle his mind.

    But Zhan Nanqing was still around at this moment, and if he asked now, not only would she retort, but she would surely tell Zhan Qipei about it in private.

    As he thought this, Zhan Nanqing suddenly stopped in her tracks.

    Zhan Nanqing clutched her stomach, furrowing her brows tightly, and quickly let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    "Qiao Jing, my stomach feels a bit ufortable. I need to use the bathroom¡ªI really can¡¯t hold it back. I¡¯m heading off first, ha! You go ahead to the cafeteria, I¡¯ll catch up with youter."

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanqing with some concern and nodded.

    "Go ahead."

    Zhan Nanqing replied and quickened her pace towards the restroom.

    Once Zhan Nanqing was gone, Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up.

    Worried that Zhan Nanqing would return and interrupt his inquiry to Sister Jing, he found an excuse to continue walking forward.

    "Sister Jing, let¡¯s head towards the cafeteria first; Zhan Nanqing will join uster."

    This was the opportunity heaven had given him, with Zhan Nanqing sent away, he could finally ask Sister Jing about Zhan Qipei!

    Qiao Jing had initially intended to wait on the spot for Zhan Nanqing, but when Xu Moqian suggested they move on, she decided to proceed to the cafeteria first.

    "Okay."

    After the two of them had walked some distance, Xu Moqian could not hold back any longer. He spoke up and asked:

    "Sister Jing, how is Zhan Qipei¡¯s trial period going?"

    He was now somewhat worried because Zhan Qipei had actually slept with Sister Jing, which was already surprising to him. How could Sister Jing have endured it?

    If Sister Jing had fallen for Zhan Qipei, then he had no chance at all!

    Qiao Jing, puzzled, hummed an "Hmm?" as she turned her gaze towards Xu Moqian.

    "No different than before."

    Even though he was on a trial period, she didn¡¯t feel Zhan Qipei was any different from before. Just like always, he wouldn¡¯t let her do anything, taking on all the household chores, and would fret over her even with the slightest injury.

    If she had to point out any difference, could it be that Zhan Qipei was taking even more care of her?

    After all, that damn man was so attentive he even insisted on washing her clothes.

    Xu Moqian frowned, anxiously switching to another question for Qiao Jing.

    "Sister Jing, what do you think of Zhan Qipei as a person? Or do you feel he is different from others in any way?"

    Qiao Jing saw Xu Moqian throwing out several questions again and slowly furrowed her brows, stopping in her tracks.

    "Moqian, what exactly do you want to ask? Just ask me directly, no need to beat around the bush."

    Moqian was acting really odd today. Sinceing to theb, he had been incessantly asking so many questions, and they were all about her and Zhan Qipei.

    She knew Moqian had yed the fool in college, trying various ways to confess his feelings for her, but now she couldn¡¯t let Moqian y the fool any longer.

 Chapter 654 - 643: The Out-of-Control Cleaning Vehicle!

    <h4>Chapter 654: Chapter 643: The Out-of-Control Cleaning Vehicle!</h4>

    Let¡¯s not talk about whether she¡¯s married or not, the fourth brother has already graduated from school, stepping into society, and is currently the heir being cultivated by the Xu¡¯s, with every word and action representing the Xu¡¯s, so he can¡¯t act like he did before anymore.

    If it was merely joking around with them in private, it would still be okay, but now with so many staffing and going in the research institute, she worried that the fourth brother might do something like confessing his love or sending flowers to her anytime, anywhere, which would not look good if seen by others.

    Xu Moqian looked at Qiao Jing with some hesitation, opened his mouth, then closed it, unsure whether he should ask.

    How was he supposed to say the words, "Do you like Zhan Qipei"?

    While he was thinking this, he suddenly saw an out-of-control cleaning trolley speeding towards Qiao Jing from behind!

    Due to the smooth floor, the trolley¡¯s four wheels were able to move forward with inertia, and the spot where Qiao Jing stood was just on a slight downward slope, making the trolley elerate!

    The cleaner was chasing after the trolley, but how could her two legs possibly catch up with the four wheels?

    All she could do was chase while shouting.

    "Be careful! Make way!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes widened, with no time to care about whether or not to speak about likes or dislikes, he was about to alert Qiao Jing when he saw that she had already made a move.

    Upon hearing the cleaner¡¯s voice behind her, Qiao Jing quickly turned her head to check the situation.

    But by the time she turned around, the cleaning trolley was nearly upon her.

    Qiao Jing instinctively stepped back to dodge the trolley.

    That move indeed helped her avoid the trolley, but she did not notice that there were several steps behind her!

    Xu Moqian reached out, wanting to pull Qiao Jing back, but the event happened so suddenly, his reactions were not fast enough.

    By the time he reached out, Qiao Jing had already missed her footing, and the trolley whizzed past the spot where she had just been standing, before finally crashing into a wall anding to a stop.

    After losing her footing, Qiao Jing quickly grabbed onto the nearby wall to stabilize herself, but she still managed to twist her ankle in the process.

    After regaining her bnce, she let out a sigh of relief.

    If she had fallen, the consequences could have been more than just a twisted ankle, it could have also endangered the child in her womb.

    Xu Moqian immediately took a few steps forward, supporting Qiao Jing and asking with concern,

    "Sister Jing, how are you? Wait for me, I¡¯ll call an ambnce, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital! It¡¯s all my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have asked you so many unnecessary questions."

    Qiao Jing saw Xu Moqian with a look of self-reproach as if he was about to cry, felt somewhat helpless, and forced a smile as she stopped him from calling an ambnce.

    "No need for an ambnce, I can take care of it at home."

    At that moment, the cleaner finally caught up, and upon realizing that the person injured by the out-of-control trolley was Qiao Jing, her worry and fear were even greater.

    "Professor Qiao! Are you alright? I¡¯m so sorry, I identally knocked it while mopping with my back turned to the trolley, which caused it to roll away. By the time I realized, it had already gone a distance, and I couldn¡¯t catch up immediately. Maybe... maybe you should fire me? I can¡¯t face staying in the institute now."

    Her mishap had caused Professor Qiao to twist her ankle, how could she stay in the institute after that?

    Qiao Jing looked at the cleaningdy,

    "Auntie Liu, don¡¯t worry too much, I will take care of my ankle myself, I don¡¯t me you, nor will I fire you."

    Auntie Liu was already over fifty years old, not as mobile, and it was normal for her not to keep up with the fast-moving trolley.

    She had met Auntie Liu picking bottles on the street and had learned that the older woman was trying to earn living expenses and also had to take care of her grandson left behind while her son and daughter ignored her, which was why Auntie Liu was picking bottles at her age.

    Thinking that the institute urgently needed a cleaner, she had invited Auntie Liu toe over, how could she fire her just for twisting an ankle?

    And it¡¯s not even a big deal, it¡¯s just a twisted ankle, she can just go home and treat it with acupuncture, firing the cleaning staff would be too severe.

    The cleaner still wasn¡¯t at ease and took several more looks at Qiao Jing¡¯s rapidly swelling ankle.

    "Professor Qiao... What should I do now? I am really so sorry!"

    Qiao Jing had no choice but to repeatedly assure that she was fine, which finally allowed Auntie Liu to reluctantly calm down and leave with the cleaning cart.

    At this point, Xu Moqian was no longer in the mood to ask Qiao Jing those questions, watching her swollen ankle, he was overwhelmed with self-reproach.

    "Sister Jing, I¡¯m so sorry..."

    Qiao Jing nced at Xu Moqian, no longer mentioning the twisted ankle.

    "Please help me out, I¡¯ll take a taxi home."

    She needed to get her ankle treated quickly so it wouldn¡¯t affect her work.

    Xu Moqian immediately took it upon himself to take Qiao Jing home.

    "Sister Jing, let me take you home, don¡¯t bother with a taxi, it¡¯s too troublesome."

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and, leaning on Xu Moqian¡¯s strength, slowly made her way forward.

    "That¡¯s fine."

    Xu Moqian thus supported Qiao Jing as they walked outside, arriving at the entrance of the research institute.

    He nced at his car parked not far away, then looked at Qiao Jing, his hand still not letting go of hers.

    "Sister Jing, I¡¯ll go get my car."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than a ck Maybach pulled up in front of them.

    Upon seeing the car, Qiao Jing knew who was inside it.

    It was Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei, with a gloomy expression, stepped out of the car and strode over to them.

    His eyes, cold as ice, fell upon the hand Xu Moqian used to support Qiao Jing, his thin lips tightened into a cold line, slowly parted.

    "Let go."

    Xu Moqian was taken aback by Zhan Qipei emerging from the car, and before he could react, Zhan Qipei had pushed him away.

    Zhan Qipei immediately noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s ankle, reached out to steady the woman, and the other hand directly encircled her slender waist, pulling her into his embrace, as if dering some sort of dominion.

    Immediately after, Qiao Jing heard the man¡¯s deep voicee from above her head.

    "Let¡¯s go home first."

    Qiao Jing looked down at her ankle, which indeed looked quite awful, swollen and bruised already so soon after the injury; she needed to address it urgently, not dying any further.

    She turned back to nce at Xu Moqian, giving him a nod.

    "Xiao Si (Fourth), I¡¯ll be going first."

    Xu Moqian then came back to his senses, and just as he was about to respond to Qiao Jing, a figure in a ck suit shielded Qiao Jing from view.

    Zhan Qipei nced sidelong at Xu Moqian and took Qiao Jing into the car.

 Chapter 655 - 644: Once Again, the Princess Carry for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 655: Chapter 644: Once Again, the Princess Carry for Qiao Jing</h4>

    Xu Moqian was quite irritated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, but since thetter had already gotten into the car with Qiao Jing, he couldn¡¯t chase after them to stop them.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if Zhan Qipei did it on purpose, but while reversing the car, he deliberately moved closer to Xu Moqian¡¯s side, almost, just by a hair, hitting his legs with the car¡¯s rear.

    Just as he was about to speak up and stop them, Zhan Qipei¡¯s car shot out like an arrow off the string, leaving Xu Moqian eating exhaust fumes.

    At that moment, Xu Moqian¡¯s face turned as ck as the bottom of a pot, staring at Zhan Qipei¡¯s car¡¯s tailpipe for a long while until the vehicle disappeared from view before he finally took his gaze back,

    He nced down at his empty hands and remembered the feeling of supporting Qiao Jing just moments before.

    Finally, Xu Moqian, frustrated, ruffled his hair and looked up at the somewhat gloomy sky, which seemed as turbulent as his mood at that moment.

    "Zhan Qipei definitely did that on purpose, pah! Anyway, since it¡¯s not a done deal yet, I refuse to believe that I can¡¯t win over Sister Jing!"

    He would definitely not give up on Sister Jing just because of these minor setbacks!

    With that in mind, Xu Moqian¡¯s spirits were revived as he looked around and, finding no one in sight, suddenly felt inspired and let out a loud howl.

    "Xu Moqian! You can catch up!!"

    Zhan Nanqing had just walked out of the research institute when she heard Xu Moqian shout such an adolescent line. The worry that had been on her face vanished, and sheughed involuntarily and without restraint.

    "Hahaha¡ª What are you doing, Xu Moqian?"

    She had gone past the canteen and hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Jing, so she was about to make a call to ask around when a janitor happened to be cleaning the canteen, approached her, and asked if she was looking for Professor Qiao?

    Then she learned that Qiao Jing had sprained her ankle and was heading towards the entrance of the research institute. She immediately rushed out to see if the other party had left yet?

    That¡¯s when she heard the line Xu Moqian had roared, almost bursting intoughter.

    Xu Moqian had not expected Zhan Nanqing to hear that line, and he was momentarily stunned.

    Originally feeling a bit embarrassed, as soon as he saw Zhan Nanqing sarcastically mocking him, he forgot all about his embarrassment and was filled with annoyance.

    "What are youughing at, you?!"

    Zhan Nanqing made a mocking noise and crossed her arms.

    "You say such a cheesy line yourself, and you don¡¯t want others tough? Do you need me to remind you what exactly you were saying just now?"

    Seeing her reaction, Xu Moqian immediately spoke out to stop her.

    "Shut up, will you! Annoying, much? Isn¡¯t it immature mimicking others?"

    Zhan Nanqing wanted to go head-to-head with Xu Moqian and repeated the line he had just said.

    "¡¯Xu Moqian, you can catch up!¡¯ So? Who can you catch up with? Don¡¯t say you¡¯re going after Qiao Jing, dream on!"

    Xu Moqian clenched his fists, silently reciting the mantra ¡¯a good man doesn¡¯t fight with women¡¯ a few times in his head to quell the anger.

    "It¡¯s none of your damn business!"

    He hade to realize that this Zhan Nanqing was deliberately making life hard for him, always seizing opportunities to belittle him.

    The elder and the younger of the Zhan family, none of them were good news! The elder one waspeting with him for Sister Jing, while the younger one was always putting him down!

    Meanwhile, inside Nantai Apartment.

    Qiao Jing was helped to the door by Zhan Qipei. She had tried to walk on her own during the journey, but the man just wouldn¡¯t let go, insisting on supporting her.

    She made several attempts but couldn¡¯t break free from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grasp, and finally allowed him to help her.

    It was only when Zhan Qipei was opening the door that Qiao Jing found the opportunity to withdraw her hand.

    After the door to their home was open, she leaned against the wall and slowly walked in.

    But before she could take a few steps, a strong hand wrapped around her waist.

    Immediately following, Qiao Jing felt herself suddenly lifted into the air, swept up into Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms.

    The man¡¯s enveloping presence assaulted her, seemingly wrapping her up inyers.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed lightly, and she struggled subconsciously, wanting to get down from Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace.

    But she was also mindful of the injury on her foot and didn¡¯t dare struggle too much, so she could only speak up,

    "Put me down."

    She now felt oddly relieved that Zhan Qipei, this damn man, hadn¡¯t carried her out of the car straight away, or she would have been carried all the way upstairs.

    At least now, they were at home, and only the two of them knew about it, which made her feel less embarrassed.

    Zhan Qipei, seemingly deaf to her words, quickened his steps and eventuallyid Qiao Jing down on the bed.

    After setting the woman down, he turned and left the room.

    Watching Zhan Qipei finally leave, Qiao Jing breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to get off the bed and fetch the medicine box from the room.

    She had already given herself a simple massage in the car, and it wasn¡¯t as painful as before; she could at least walk now.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to set her foot on the ground, someone hurriedly approached the door.

    Zhan Qipei walked in with an ice pack in his left hand and a medicine box in the right.

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to get off the bed, his thick eyebrows pulled together tightly, and he briskly walked to the woman¡¯s side and crouched down.

    Confusion flickered in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, as she had thought Zhan Qipei went out because he was busy, which would have given her time to deal with her ankle.

    But now it seemed that the man had left to fetch something.

    Just as she was about to speak up and try to handle the wound herself, her injured foot was gently cradled by Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand.

    Zhan Qipei carefully held Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate foot, the swollen and bruised ankle deeply paining his eyes.

    His palm fully pressed against the woman¡¯s foot, he went silent, dutifully applying the ice pack to her ankle without a word.

    Qiao Jing looked down, watching Zhan Qipei, who was crouched at the bedside, gently applying the ice pack to her ankle, and noticed his face filled with worry and heartache.

    She pursed her red lips and, without thinking, said,

    "It¡¯s not that serious."

    She didn¡¯t like seeing someone show this look of worry and heartache because of her; it made her feel as if she was affecting someone¡¯s mood for the day.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed even tighter, and his deep voice resonated with concern.

    "If this isn¡¯t considered serious, then what is?"

    Qiao Jing nced at the foot supported by the man and pondered for a moment.

    "It¡¯s nothing, it should be much better by tomorrow. Aren¡¯t you curious how I twisted it?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened, the heartache flooding them overflowing visibly.

    "That¡¯s not the point. The priority right now is to treat your injury."

    As he said this, he moved the ice pack again, applying it to a different spot.

    In the process, he adjusted Qiao Jing¡¯s foot once more, and the tips of his fingers identally brushed across the sole.

    Qiao Jing immediately felt Zhan Qipei¡¯s calloused fingertips brushing lightly over the sole of her foot, sending a ticklish sensation through her.

    Instinctively, she arched her foot, trying to pull it back, but the man gently grasped the sole, rendering her immobile.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze never left the woman¡¯s ankle, his voice heavy with worry as he spoke.

 Chapter 656 - 645: Heartache for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 656: Chapter 645: Heartache for Qiao Jing</h4>

    "Don¡¯t move."

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s focused expression, Qiao Jing had no choice but to stop fidgeting and slowly started to speak:

    "Mhm."

    What followed was a long silence between the two. Qiao Jing quietly watched as Zhan Qipei applied ice to her ankle, the man focusing intently on the task, not getting distracted for even a moment.

    After a while, Zhan Qipei finished icing her ankle and took out a tube of ointment from the medicine chest.

    "Use this ointment?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head, preparing to get out of bed and fetch her own medical kit.

    Because her own kit was moreplete,pared to applying ointment, giving herself a massage and acupuncture would heal faster.

    Zhan Qipei, seeing Qiao Jing shake her head, thought he had grabbed the wrong ointment and started rummaging through the medicine chest again.

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, Zhan Qipei had already found several other patches of ointment.

    "These?"

    Qiao Jing, somewhat helplessly, tugged at the corners of her mouth, her red lips slightly parting.

    "Not these. I¡¯ll just bring over my medical kit and give myself acupuncture."

    She found it both exasperating and amusing to see Zhan Qipei hurriedly searching for ointment.

    This man could be so single-minded at times.

    Zhan Qipei stood up, wanting to help Qiao Jing get her medical kit, but because he had been squatting for too long, he stumbled a bit.

    Qiao Jing, with quick reflexes, reached out a hand and grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm.

    After the man steadied himself, she noticed his body was somewhat stiff, probably because he had been squatting while icing her for too long and his legs had gone numb from suddenly standing up.

    Concern appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face as she spoke:

    "Rest a bit."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened momentarily, his forehead furrowing deeply.

    "It¡¯s nothing."

    He couldn¡¯t show any sign of fatigue or weakness in front of Qiao Jing, or his wife might think he wasn¡¯t manly enough.

    Whether or not Qiao Jing would think that way, he himself felt he wasn¡¯t manly enough.

    After dropping that remark, Zhan Qipei immediately strode toward the direction of Qiao Jing¡¯s medical kit.

    He quickly brought the medical kit over, ced it beside Qiao Jing, and even helped open it.

    "Which one do you need?"

    Seeing Zhan Qipei obviously not intending to let her take the silver needles herself, Qiao Jing, extremely helpless, reached up to rub her temples and then slightly bent down to take a set of silver needles herself.

    "I can do it myself."

    She had only sprained her ankle, not her upper body.

    Moreover, this stubborn man almost handed the medical kit directly to her, letting her take it herself. It was just a matter of bending down and reaching out her hand; why would she need help with that?

    Zhan Qipei, seeing he hadn¡¯t been helpful, pursed his thin lips. But as he wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about medical matters, he chose not to say much and just watched Qiao Jing perform acupuncture.

    Qiao Jing opened a set of silver needles and quickly took several, swiftly inserting them into several acupoints.

    As Zhan Qipei watched the gleaming, slender silver needles, he couldn¡¯t help but frown again.

    When he saw Qiao Jing swiftly insert the needles into herself, his pupils involuntarily shuddered.

    "Does it hurt?"

    This was his first time witnessing Qiao Jing give herself acupuncture, and he wasn¡¯t worried about her inserting the needles into the wrong points, given his wife was Divine Doctor Jing.

    Seeing such swift acupuncture technique firsthand, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel inside and worried even more if Qiao Jing was in pain.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at her ankle, pierced with several silver needles, and spoke calmly:

    "It doesn¡¯t hurt."

    As a doctor specializing in acupuncture, she had not only performed acupuncture on many patients but had also done it on herself numerous times.

    During her learning period, before performing acupuncture on patients, she had used herself as a sort of experimental subject, targeting many acupoints on her body.

    To her, this was all routine, like being bitten by a mosquito.

    Zhan Qipei stared at the slender silver needles for a long while and asked incredulously,

    "Does it really not hurt?"

    Qiao Jing nodded and nced at the current time.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow furrowed more and more, and finally, he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and stood up.

    "I¡¯ll go make some porridge for you."

    Although his reason was telling him that this was acupuncture, and Qiao Jing was a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and surely ustomed to it, and he himself had undergone acupuncture, which didn¡¯t really hurt him at all.

    But seeing those slender silver needles on Qiao Jing¡¯s body, he couldn¡¯t control his own thoughts and felt that the woman must be in pain at the moment.

    Qiao Jing hummed in agreement, mentally calcting the time.

    After a while, she removed the silver needles that had been inserted into her ankle, and at the same time, she also smelled the fragrance of porridge drifting in from the living room.

    Following the icing and acupuncture treatment, her ankle had mostly depuffed and the bruising wasn¡¯t so severe anymore.

    Qiao Jing casually grabbed a ster, applied it to her ankle, and just as she stepped onto the floor, prepared to go out and check things out.

    As soon as she reached the doorway, Zhan Qipei came over with a bowl of porridge.

    The moment Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing walking, his brows instantly knit together, his expression filled with concern.

    He quickly ced the porridge he was holding onto a nearby table, strode over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, and offered her his support.

    "Why have you started walking around so freely already?"

    Before Qiao Jing could even respond, Zhan Qipei led her back to the bedside and forcibly made her sit back down on the bed.

    This at least allowed her to take a few steps. As she had tried to retrieve the medicine chest earlier, she hadn¡¯t even touched the floor before Zhan Qipei intercepted her.

    "The acupuncture is finished, and I feel much better now."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei lowered his gaze to her ankle and noticed it wasn¡¯t as swollen.

    Yet, he still didn¡¯t rx his vignce and stubbornly insisted that Qiao Jing remain seated on the bed.

    "You stay seated here, I¡¯ll bring the porridge over."

    He said this as he walked out the door, pausing to look back at Qiao Jing.

    Only after seeing the womanfortably seated on the bed did he step away with peace of mind.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Zhan Qipei returned to the room with the porridge.

    Qiao Jing thought that Zhan Qipei was going to ce the porridge on the bedside table for her, but he did not and continued to hold the bowl.

    She instinctively reached out to take it, but Zhan Qipei showed no intention of handing her the porridge.

    Qiao Jing then realized this stubborn man definitely wanted to feed the porridge to her himself.

    "Wait a second."

    No sooner had she spoken than Zhan Qipei scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to her lips.

    A crack appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s usually expressionless face, as her temples throbbed intensely.

    "I can do it myself; my hand isn¡¯t injured."

    Her hunch was correct.

    Previously, when her hand had been injured, Zhan Qipei¡¯s insistence on feeding her porridge himself made some sense, but now that only her foot was injured, the man still wanted to feed her personally.

    Zhan Qipei stubbornly regarded Qiao Jing, still intending to feed her.

    Qiao Jing knew she could not out-stubborn him, so she simply reached out, grabbed the edge of the bowl, and looked straight at the man.

 Chapter 657 - 646: Eat What You Need, Supplement What You Need

    <h4>Chapter 657: Chapter 646: Eat What You Need, Supplement What You Need</h4>

    The two of them locked gazes for quite a while, Qiao Jing this time didn¡¯t retreat as quickly as before but instead clung tightly to the edge of the bowl, signaling the other with her eyes.

    After receiving the slightly threatening look from Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei reluctantly let go of his hand.

    "Then be careful when you drink it."

    He had originally intended to use this opportunity to personally feed Qiao Jing, hoping to facilitate a closer connection.

    But it seemed he still couldn¡¯t have his way, it looked like he would have to be even better to Qiao Jing.

    Only then did Qiao Jing take the bowl and begin to eat the porridge.

    ¡ª¡ª

    The next morning.

    After waking up, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly, subconsciously getting out of bed as she usually did.

    But a weak pain from her ankle drew her attention, she looked down and found that the sprain was much better than the day before.

    Qiao Jing breathed a sigh of relief and slowly made her way to the living room to find that Zhan Qipei was still preparing breakfast at this time.

    She watched for a moment and was just about to go in and help when Zhan Qipei already came out with the breakfast.

    What captured all her attention was that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t prepared the usual breakfast today but had simmered a pot of porridge and a pot of soup.

    And it was pig¡¯s feet soup.

    Could it be that Zhan Qipei, this bastard, also believed in "you are what you eat" and specially cooked pig¡¯s feet soup for her to drink?

    When Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing was awake, he quickened his pace and ced the prepared breakfast on the table.

    "Why didn¡¯t you call me? What if you had identally fallen?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze still lingered on the bowl of pig¡¯s feet soup and, without a word, she rolled her eyes and then looked towards Zhan Qipei.

    "I¡¯m almost fully recovered, why did you cook pig¡¯s feet soup?"

    She felt that the reality probably wasn¡¯t far from what she guessed, but what did this pig¡¯s feet soup have to do with her sprained ankle?

    Zhan Qipei nced at the soup on the table and replied truthfully:

    "To build up your body."

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips in some helplessness and sat down at the dining table.

    She knew Zhan Qipei had made this soup believing in "you are what you eat."

    But she couldn¡¯t just not drink it, otherwise, that would be wasting food.

    ©¤©¤

    Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    Qiao Jing was changing into a working uniform when she suddenly noticed Zhan Nanqing asionally ncing toward the door, seemingly waiting for something.

    "What¡¯s up? Waiting for someone?"

    Zhan Nanqing was startled, quickly withdrawing her gaze from the door.

    "Nothing much, just that Chi Yuhang said he would start working at the institute today. I¡¯m worried that the blockhead might not find his way here. But I¡¯ve already told him where ourb is, so if he can¡¯t find it, there¡¯s nothing I can do."

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing appeared somewhat surprised.

    "When heester, take him to familiarize with the surroundings, and make sure someone arranges his work pass as soon as possible."

    She had thought Chi Yuhang wouldn¡¯t start at the institute so soon, but he wasing today already¡ªit seemed he did learn things quite quickly.

    Last time she asked, Chi Yuhang was still worried about not being able to handle the work, which was why he hadn¡¯te over. Now, in just two or three days, he had already decided to officially start working.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned slightly, expressing her disdain:

    "Why do I have to be the one to show him around?"

    She didn¡¯t want to babysit that blockhead!

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her eyebrows, her eyes settling on Zhan Nanqing.

    "Aren¡¯t you someone¡¯s teacher now? Then could you, as his teacher, help out one more time and show him around to get familiar with the environment?"

    Only then did Zhan Nanqing reluctantly nod her head, unwillingly saying,

    "I¡¯ll just show him around once, and if he still doesn¡¯t get it afterwards, I won¡¯t bother with him."

    After finishing her statement, she paused and muttered.

    "But this guy learns so fast, probably once will be enough."

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly in agreement.

    "Alright, then I¡¯ll have to trouble Teacher Zhan."

    Meanwhile, outside of the research institute.

    Chi Yuhang had just stepped out of a taxi and was immediately awestruck by the sight of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. Standing outside, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of respect.

    He looked down at his clothes, brushed off the nonexistent dust with his hand, and started walking towards the entrance.

    What Chi Yuhang didn¡¯t notice was that someone he knew had appeared behind him.

    Auntie Wang had just finished her shopping at the vegetable market and as she passed by the research institute, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a figure.

    She thought she had seen wrong and stopped, squinting for a long time, and after confirming that it was Chi Yuhang, she was startled.

    What was Chi Yuhang doing here?

    And now he was... heading in the direction of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?!

    Upon realizing this, Auntie Wang hurriedly chased after him, blocking Chi Yuhang¡¯s way.

    Chi Yuhang hadn¡¯t expected to encounter Auntie Wang here, but he still greeted her politely.

    "Auntie Wang, good morning."

    Even though the recent incident where she tried to nder his family wasn¡¯t long gone, Auntie Wang, after all, had returned the other piece ofnd that belonged to his family and restored themunalnd to everyone.

    Auntie Wang still harbored grievances from the past two encounters and didn¡¯t show a friendly face to Chi Yuhang.

    With her arms crossed, she looked at Chi Yuhang from top to bottom with a mocking gaze.

    "Chi Yuhang, do you know what this ce behind me is?"

    Chi Yuhang was unfazed by Auntie Wang¡¯s attitude and gaze, and answered,

    "I know, it¡¯s Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. What about it?"

    He had an ominous hunch in his heart, telling him that Auntie Wang was about to start trouble here.

    Just as he thought this, Auntie Wang snorted withughter.

    "Ha! So you do know that this is Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? Then are you trying to go there? What for?"

    Having not gained an advantage in the past two encounters, today this kid had the cheek to want to enter the institute. She had finally found an opportunity, and wouldn¡¯t she enjoy mocking him?

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s premonition proved correct as he frowned, looking at Auntie Wang.

    "Auntie Wang, I¡¯m here to work."

    He knew that once he encountered Auntie Wang, things wouldn¡¯t stay simple.

    But he would try not to argue with her, as he needed to hurry to work and didn¡¯t have time to debate with her.

    As soon as Auntie Wang heard Chi Yuhang¡¯s words, she burst intoughter as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world, holding her stomach.

    "Hahaha! What did you say? You go to work at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? Are you joking internationally? But... if you were going there to be a cleaner, that would make sense. You¡¯re not actually there to sweep the floors, are you?"

    Chi Yuhang didn¡¯t take Auntie Wang¡¯s mocking to heart and pursed his lips.

    "I am an official employee there, responsible for organizing documents. I won¡¯t discuss this any further with you."

    Today was his first day on the job, and his work badge wasn¡¯t ready yet, so he couldn¡¯t prove his identity right now.

    But as soon as he walked in, Auntie Wang would definitely understand.

 Chapter 658 - 647: Slap in the Face

    <h4>Chapter 658: Chapter 647: p in the Face</h4>

    Auntie Wang let out a "yo-heave-ho" and the mocking smile on her face grew even more pronounced.

    She exaggeratedly pointed at the research institute behind her, and then pointed at Yuhang.

    "Yuhang, I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, but people should have some self-awareness. I know all about your situation. Youck both education and money, so how can you manage someone¡¯s documents without messing them up? That¡¯d be impressive."

    Yuhang didn¡¯t exin much to Auntie Wang since she didn¡¯t know he had attended Agricultural University.

    He nced at the time on his phone, furrowed his brows, and without further dy, started walking toward the direction of the research institute.

    "Auntie Wang, I have something urgent, so I need to go now."

    Auntie Wang saw that Yuhang was about to leave, quickly followed him, and stopped him again.

    "I haven¡¯t finished speaking. Where are you going? You can¡¯t just leave! Does Old Master Chi know about your shameless behavior? I used to think you were a good kid, but now you¡¯re not only impolite but also shamelessly trying to cling to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?"

    She paused, took out her phone, and forcibly kept Yuhang from leaving.

    "Don¡¯t go! I¡¯ll call Old Master Chi and ask him myself if he knows about your shamelessness!!"

    Yuhang¡¯s brows knit tighter, and seeing Auntie Wang really about to disturb Chi Chenyun, he finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.

    He forcefully pulled his hand away, and his expression turned cold.

    "Auntie Wang, I said I have to go, I have something urgent."

    He didn¡¯t want to fuss over these trivial matters with Auntie Wang, buttely, she had been troublesome too often, first trying to take advantage of his family with Zhan Nanqing, then trying to seize his family¡¯snd and getting snubbed by Doctor Qiao, and now she was preventing him from going to work.

    If he continued to endure, he would be trampled on like an ant.

    The moment Yuhang pulled his hand away, Auntie Wang staggered forward a few steps, which caused her phone to suddenly fly out of her hand and smash onto the ground.

    Auntie Wang¡¯s eyes widened instantly, and she quickly knelt down to pick up the phone, patting it with distress.

    "Oh my goodness, my phone... please, nothing better happen to you!"

    After trying several times to turn it on and finding that the phone waspletely smashed and wouldn¡¯t power on at all, she stood up and pointed at Yuhang¡¯s nose, cursing:

    "Yuhang, I gave you face, and you dare to get physical with me?"

    She had never expected that the usually silent and dull Yuhang would dare to retaliate!

    Back when he was bullied, he wouldn¡¯t even dare to speak a word, so howe he was daring to get physical with her now?

    Thinking this, Auntie Wang felt even more that she was the one wronged and humiliated, and she stood defiantly with her hands on her hips.

    "You are bullying an elderly person, do you know that? You¡¯ve got no respect for your elders!"

    If Zhan Nanqing were here right now, hearing Auntie Wang say this, he would surely dieughing.

    An honest person, Auntie Wang an honest person? If she were an honest person, then there are no honest people in this world.

    Yuhang nced at the time on the phone, realizing it was nearly time for him to report in.

    He didn¡¯t want to continue arguing with Auntie Wang, as he was well aware of her thick-skinned nature; this debate would surely be endless.

    Yuhang¡¯s expression turned cold again, his brow deeply furrowed.

    "Auntie Wang, I won¡¯t fuss over these issues, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a soft persimmon for you to squeeze."

    Hearing Yuhang talk tough, Auntie Wang felt even more that she was being bullied.

    She was being bullied? That shall not pass!

    She had never been bullied in her life!

    Auntie Wang stubbornly wanted to keep bothering Yuhang, but then she suddenly met his firm gaze, and saw his serious expression.

    She was taken aback, and muttered under her breath:

    "What the heck... why is he looking at me with that look... bad luck..."

    Only now did she realize that Yuhang had really changed from before.

    The timid and shrinking presence he used to have was gone, reced by the aura of a grown man.

    It was precisely because of that imposing aura that she felt overwhelmingly intimidated.

    Yuhang disregarded Auntie Wang and walked briskly towards the research institute.

    Watching Yuhang¡¯s retreating figure, Auntie Wang snorted coldly.

    "Even if I don¡¯t stop you, the security guards will catch youter, and I¡¯ll be waiting to see you embarrass yourself!"

    No sooner had she finished speaking than Yuhang had already reached the entrance of the research institute.

    As expected, the security guard stopped Yuhang.

    Auntie Wang smugly raised her chin, now feeling confident, and shouted:

    "Yuhang, don¡¯t embarrass yourself! I want to see how you¡¯ll get in¡ª"

    Before she could finish, she saw Yuhang say something to the security guard who then let him pass, even nodding slightly.

    Yuhang entered the research institute without hesitation, not even sparing a nce at Auntie Wang.

    Auntie Wang thought she might have seen it wrong, so she rubbed her eyes as she walked toward the research institute.

    Upon reaching the guard, she asked:

    "Did someone just go in?"

    The guard nodded, giving Auntie Wang a strange look.

    He had just seen this woman for some reason pestering an employee personally recruited by Professor Qiao.

    Only then did Auntie Wang confirm that she hadn¡¯t seen it wrong, pping her hands together.

    "Oh no! Why did you let him in? Why didn¡¯t you stop him? What qualifies him to enter? If someone like him can go in, then can¡¯t I?"

    The guard, overwhelmed by Auntie Wang¡¯s barrage of questions, felt dizzy.

    Now he found this woman even stranger and directly raised his nightstick, saying coldly:

    "Please leave immediately! No persons other than staff are allowed near the research institute!"

    Auntie Wang felt she was kindly warning him about letting an unrted person in, yet she was being rebuffed, and now she took on her domineering vige demeanor.

    "I kindly warn you that you let an unrted person in, and you¡¯re kicking me out instead? Then why didn¡¯t you kick him out? If he can go in, why can¡¯t I?"

    Talking as she went, Auntie Wang started to stride directly toward the research institute.

    Seeing this, the other guards immediately stopped Auntie Wang and brandished their batons.

    Auntie Wang was so frightened by the row of batons that she stepped back several times, gritted her teeth, and still stubbornly said:

    "I bet you, the head of security, took a bribe, didn¡¯t you? That Yuhang definitely gave you some money to save face and let him in. What about Professor Qiao? I¡¯m going to report this to Professor Qiao!"

    Upon hearing Auntie Wang¡¯s words, the guards exchanged looks with strange expressions.

    One of the younger guards couldn¡¯t help but ask the head guard a question.

    "Head guard, could it be that thisdy might..."

    At this, the guard tapped his temple.

    "Might have some issues here? Should we call and take her to the hospital?"

    Upon hearing this, Auntie Wang was so furious she nearly passed out, cursing loudly:

    "You¡¯re the crazy one, your whole family is crazy!"

    The guards didn¡¯t bother with Auntie Wang any longer, and the head guard physically dragged her to the side, well away from the research institute.

    "You better leave now!"

    Auntie Wang remained defiant, gripping the head guard¡¯s jacket fiercely and asked:

    "I know the person who just went in. He is just a poorborer! Why does he get to go in?!"

 Chapter 659 - 648: Discovering that Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao

    <h4>Chapter 659: Chapter 648: Discovering that Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao</h4>

    The chief of security looked at Auntie Wang speechlessly and provided an answer.

    "Mr. Chi is an employee of the institute, why wouldn¡¯t he be able to enter?"

    After hearing the chief of security¡¯s words, Auntie Wang was instantly stunned on the spot, disbelievingly staring at the research institute.

    "Are you sure? You¡¯re sure that Chi Yuhang is one of your research institute¡¯s staff members? Is he... is he a janitor?"

    Even if the chief of security was patient, Auntie Wang wore it thin.

    "Mr. Chi is not a janitor, and I won¡¯t reveal anything else! If you know Mr. Chi, you can go ask him personally," the chief of security retorted.

    After dropping that line, the chief of security returned to his post.

    Now Auntie Wang was utterly dumbfounded, staring nkly at the research institute.

    Could it be that Chi Yuhang really hadn¡¯t lied to her? He really wasn¡¯t working as a janitor in the institute but was organizing documents instead?

    If he worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute and even had the qualifications to organize documents... Professor Qiao and the others weren¡¯t fools; they certainly would have conducted an interview, and Chi Yuhang must have been qualified to get the job.

    Although she did not understand how Chi Yuhang passed the interview, she knew that all the people who worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute had real skills!

    Wouldn¡¯t that mean Chi Yuhang¡¯s status in the vige rose higher and higher?

    Chi Yuhang actually had some real talents! Now he¡¯s suddenly turned into someone her family couldn¡¯t even hope to match up to?

    No, no, she had to rush back to the vige and establish a good rtionship with Old Master Chi!

    That way, if there was ever a problem in the future, she could ask Chi Yuhang for help!!

    With that thought, Auntie Wang immediately took her vegetables and went home.

    Inside the research institute.

    After Chi Yuhang arrived in the hall, he headed to theb where Qiao Jing and the others were, as instructed by Zhan Nanqing, but when he saw something, he froze in ce.

    Zhan Nanqing was a little surprised to see that Chi Yuhang had sessfully found the ce.

    "You got here so fast? I thought you were really clueless, not even able to find your way here."

    Qiao Jing paused in flipping through the documents, lifting her gaze to Chi Yuhang, then ncing at Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, why don¡¯t you show Chi Yuhang around to get familiar with the surroundings?"

    Zhan Nanqing once again put on a disgusted expression, looking at Chi Yuhang.

    "Fine, dumbass, let¡¯s go."

    At this moment, Chi Yuhang was in an utterly shocked state and he didn¡¯t immediately respond to Zhan Nanqing.

    His gaze was fixed on the namete of theb, which read "Professor Qiao¡¯s Private Laboratory" in bold characters.

    This ce was actually Professor Qiao¡¯sb?

    So Professor Qiao is...

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s eyesnded on Qiao Jing, his face full of shock.

    "Doctor Qiao, you... you..."

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing Chi Yuhang¡¯s dumbstruck and stammering appearance, cut him off.

    "What ¡¯you¡¯? Just speak inly if you have something to say."

    Qiao Jing could tell what question Chi Yuhang wanted to ask and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

    Now there was no need for Chi Yuhang to ask further, with only endless reflections filling his heart.

    Not only had he met both Miss Zhan and Madam Zhan, but he had also met Professor Qiao?!

    This was something he had never imagined before; he thought his life would continue just like the past, desperately working to earn money for his grandfather¡¯s medical bills, not making friends, just passing the time away.

    But now, he suddenly met two important figures!

    Chi Yuhang bowed deeply at a ny-degree angle to the two of them without hesitation and said:

    "Doctor Qiao, Miss Zhan, thank you!"

    Zhan Nanqing was startled by Chi Yuhang¡¯s sudden bow and immediately stepped aside.

    "Don¡¯t do that, I can¡¯t ept it. Hurry and get up, I¡¯ll show you the way so you don¡¯t get lost in the research instituteter."

    Chi Yuhang stood there dumbfounded and let out an "Ah," then immediately straightened up and was led away by Zhan Nanqing.

    Qiao Jing watched the two of them leave together, shaking his head helplessly.

    Meanwhile, in the suburbs.

    Just as Chi Chenyun had taken a sip of water and was preparing to rest, someone suddenly burst into his home.

    He instinctively stood up, looking towards the door with a wary face, only to see...

    A person whose face was covered by several bags.

    But judging from the build, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell that it was Auntie Wang.

    Chi Chenyun just watched as Auntie Wang struggled to carry a pile of things in her arms, finally cing them gently on the ground.

    He asked, puzzled:

    "Xiao Wang, what are you doing?"

    Auntie Wang had a fawning smile on her face as she waved at Chi Chenyun.

    "Old Master Chi, wait a moment, ha! Let me bring all the stuff in first."

    Without waiting for Chi Chenyun¡¯s response, Auntie Wang had already dashed outside, bringing in loads of items one after another.

    Chi Chenyun narrowed his old eyes and recognized some of the items; they were farming tools and such that Auntie Wang had previously swiped from their house.

    His eyebrows creased slowly as he looked at Auntie Wang with suspicion.

    "Xiao Wang, what in the world are you up to?"

    He had no good impression of this neighbor anymore and didn¡¯t want any further interactions. Yet now, she hade right into his house.

    Auntie Wang had expended quite a bit of effort bringing these things in. She said breathlessly:

    "Isn¡¯t this me returning the things I took when I was foolish and greedy for little advantages? I¡¯m really sorry, Old Master Chi. I used to have a bad personality and loved to take advantage, but you¡¯ve forgotten all that, right? Everything I took before is here, and these vegetables, fruits, and eggs are all fresh from my own farm."

    Chi Chenyun looked at all the stuff on the ground, his frown growing deeper.

    "I won¡¯t dwell on past ounts. Keep these tools, but take the rest back home."

    He did not ept rewards without merit, and as for those vegetables and fruits that had been swiped, he considered them as returning a favor to the Wang family.

    Since she had already returned these tools and they could still be used, he would certainly keep them.

    Auntie Wang¡¯s face remained smiling, and she even helped to neatly arrange and categorize everything.

    "Old Master Chi, please don¡¯t hold this against me, a younger generation. I definitely won¡¯t be tempted by small gains in the future. These items are my way of apologizing; please ept them!"

    She paused, revealing her true purpose.

    "We¡¯re neighbors after all, we should help each other. I was too foolish before but I promise to change. Isn¡¯t that right, Old Master Chi?"

    She was really hoping that young man Chi Yuhang would help her family out in the future. As long as she sent out the gifts now, he surely wouldn¡¯t refuse herter.

    Chi Chenyun just felt that Auntie Wang was acting inexplicably, leaving him utterly confused and taking a while to react.

    "Xiao Wang, what are you trying to say? Why are you acting so strange today?"

    In the past, if someone in the vige dared not give Xiao Wang face, even if just by not greeting her, they would be gossiped about.

    Yet now that he was not giving her face, Xiao Wang was still greeting him with a smile?

    Could it be that Xiao Wang had been possessed by a ghost?

 Chapter 660 - 649: The Weasel Pays a New Yearéˆ¥æªš Visit

    <h4>Chapter 660: Chapter 649: The Weasel Pays a New Year¡¯s Visit</h4>

    Auntie Wang, upon noticing the situation, coughed and began to butter up.

    "Old Master Chi, howe you didn¡¯t share such good news with all of us neighbors, that Xiao Chi got a job at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? Actually, some of the things I brought are to return to you, some are as an apology, but the rest are gifts to celebrate Xiao Chi working at the institute."

    After that long speech, Auntie Wang continued without pause.

    "I always knew Xiao Chi had it in him, look, he¡¯s already working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, our vige really has produced a celebrity now!"

    Chi Chenyun was stunned, and now even more confused.

    "Wait, Xiao Wang, what exactly are you talking about? What about my Yuhang working at the research institute?"

    After hearing Chi Chenyun¡¯s response, Auntie Wang¡¯s ingratiating smile stiffened, assuming he was still dwelling on a previous issue and pretending to be oblivious.

    She clenched her teeth and stood up to leave.

    "I¡¯ll go home and grab some items; I¡¯ll be right back."

    Chi Chenyun still had no idea what was going on, surrounded by all these gifts, unsure about what to do.

    But he was curious, what was this about his Yuhang working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute that Xiao Wang mentioned?

    Although they didn¡¯t have a TV or anything, he still knew about someone as significant as Professor Qiao.

    Now Xiao Wang was iming his Yuhang had gone to work at the institute, and specifically at Professor Qiao¡¯s, which he hardly believed.

    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just any institute; it was the empire¡¯s most prestigious Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!

    It¡¯s not that he doubted Yuhang¡¯s capabilities, but he just couldn¡¯t believe such a thing would happen in their family, especially since Yuhang had been working odd jobstely, how could he possibly be working at an institute?

    Chi Chenyun thought for a moment, just about to take out his phone to call his Chi Yuhang for a thorough inquiry, when he was interrupted by the sounds of chickens and ducks squawking from outside the door.

    Auntie Wang walked in grinning, carrying a chicken in her left hand, a duck in her right, and bearing two bags of vegetables.

    "Old Master Chi, these are also my apology gifts. Please don¡¯t be too harsh on me, can we let bygones be bygones?"

    Chi Chenyun ignored the gifts and instead asked Auntie Wang,

    "Xiao Wang, did you just say that my Yuhang is working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?"

    Hearing Chi Chenyun willing to talk about something else, Auntie Wang thought there was hope and was very pleased.

    "Yes, Old Master Chi, you can¡¯t keep pretending you don¡¯t know. I know what I did before was wrong, but I¡¯ve made it all up to you now with these chickens, ducks, and vegetables. Won¡¯t you forgive me?"

    Unknown to them, several neighbors were watching at the doorway.

    They had beenfortably at home, and those living nearby, hearing themotion of chickens and their pping wings, thought a chicken might have gotten loose and came out to check.

    Seeing Auntie Wang carrying chickens, ducks, and vegetables into the Chi family¡¯s house was quite the scene.

    Curiosity naturally got the better of them, and they followed suit subconsciously.

    Seeing the Chi family¡¯s ground covered with various bags of vegetables, some farming tools, and chickens and ducks, they were immediately dumbfounded.

    All these items were brought over by Auntie Wang?

    The usually stingy Auntie Wang had brought so many gifts to the Chi family¡¯s house and had said so many nice things?

    They did not rashly interrupt but instead continued observing from the side.

    Chi Chenyun¡¯s eyebrows were almost twisted into knots, as he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason behind the matter.

    "What? Xiao Hang really went to work at the research institute, and I had no idea about this at all. He went out to work today just like any other day!"

    Auntie Wang saw that she had brought over so many things, yet Chi Chenyun was still ying dumb which kind of ticked her off, but she still didn¡¯t dare to speak her mind openly.

    She said cheerfully:

    "Old Master Chi, how can you pretend not to know? This morning when I went shopping, I saw Xiao Chi walk into the research institute with my own eyes, and I even asked the guard. They said Xiao Chi is actually a staff member at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!"

    Chi Chenyun was no fool, and he now understood the intention behind Auntie Wang bringing so many gifts.

    But he still found it hard to believe that Yuhang had gone to work in the research institute. For such a major happy event, how could Yuhang not have told him about it himself?

    The neighbors gathered outside, upon hearing Auntie Wang¡¯s words, stared wide-eyed and nced at each other.

    In each other¡¯s eyes, they saw disbelief and shock.

    It didn¡¯t seem right to say that the news was false, considering that Auntie Wang was so stingy. Who could make her give away so many gifts¡ª it was almost like taking her life.

    And now the fact that Auntie Wang had brought the gifts to the Chi Family meant it definitely could not be without reason.

    Chi Chenyun, just as puzzled as the neighbors, finally pulled out his phone and got in touch with Chi Yuhang.

    "Xiao Hang, is there something you¡¯re keeping from me?"

    At that moment, Chi Yuhang was familiarizing himself with the environment of the research institute. He immediately moved to a less crowded area upon receiving the call.

    "Grandpa?"

    Chi Chenyun clumsily pressed on the old-fashioned phone, fumbling for a long time before he managed to activate the speakerphone.

    "Xiao Hang, I heard from the neighbor Xiao Wang that she saw you going to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute this morning. She brought over many gifts and even said you¡¯re working at the institute. Is that true or false?"

    Upon hearing Chi Chenyun¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang paused, then furrowed his brow and said seriously:

    "Grandpa, I am indeed working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute right now. As for why I didn¡¯t tell you, I¡¯ll exin when I get back, but we can¡¯t ept the gifts Auntie Wang brought over."

    Having worked outside for so many years, he hade to understand the intentions behind such gestures all too well.

    Auntie Wang was simply trying to curry favor with his family by giving gifts, knowing that he genuinely worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, likely hoping that his family would help her in the future.

    Therefore, his family must definitely not ept these gifts

    Auntie Wang hadn¡¯t expected Chi Yuhang to be so firm, and her smile was really hard to maintain.

    But how could she afford to stir up trouble with Chi Yuhang¡¯s family again?

    She had no choice but to plead earnestly:

    "Xiao Chi, don¡¯t be like that. I admit I haven¡¯t treated your family well before. These gifts I brought are what I owe your family, so please don¡¯t feel indebted to me. If anything, it¡¯s me who owes you."

    Unable to hold back, the neighbors outside finally walked in.

    "Old Master Chi, I heard everything from outside! Xiao Chi is now working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute! That¡¯s really something to celebrate!"

    "Yes, I never imagined Xiao Chi could be so capable. This is really great! Our vige has never seen someone so impressive, and he¡¯s working in Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute too!"

    "That¡¯s something I wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream of. Professor Qiao has made so many contributions to the empire. With so much research and even hybrid corn¡ªwow! She¡¯s utterly revered by us farmers, and Xiao Chi gets to work closely with her! I¡¯m so envious!"

 Chapter 661 - 650: Delivering Food to Qiao Jing Again

    <h4>Chapter 661: Chapter 650: Delivering Food to Qiao Jing Again</h4>

    The phone hadn¡¯t hung up yet, and Chi Yuhang could hear the incessant congrattions from the neighbor on this side.

    He furrowed his brows and slowly began to speak:

    "Grandpa, I still have things to take care of here. Please have Auntie Wang take everything back. The other neighbors should also go home to rest; my grandpa needs to nap."

    He had not intended for anyone other than his grandpa to know that he was working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, but unexpectedly, all the neighbors found out.

    He was contemting whether he should earn some money and then move out with his grandpa.

    Chi Chenyun responded and then hung up the phone.

    The neighbors naturally also heard Chi Yuhang¡¯s words and looked at each other in disbelief.

    But Auntie Wang wasn¡¯t so willing. With so many people watching, how could she bring herself to take back what she had given?

    She had no choice but to continue tteringboriously, hoping to change Chi Chenyun¡¯s opinion of her so she could ask for their help in the future.

    "Old Master Chi, Xiao Chi is now working at such a prestigious ce as Professor Qiao¡¯s, I¡¯ve always known this kid could do it. We are truly happy for him from the bottom of our hearts. Please keep these gifts, I won¡¯t take them back, rest assured!"

    The other neighbors were also very perceptive; although Chi Yuhang had asked them to leave, there was now such a good opportunity to foster closer rtions, how could they easily give it up?

    Thinking this, they too followed Auntie Wang¡¯s lead and continued to tter.

    "Xiao Chi didn¡¯t want to tell you, probably because he wanted to surprise you. After all, it is working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, which I couldn¡¯t even dream of. Now that Xiao Chi has this opportunity, he surely wants to surprise youter."

    "Yes, as far as I know, the standards at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute are particrly high, one must have the relevant academic qualifications and skills to get in."

    "Isn¡¯t that obvious? If Professor Qiao himself is so impressive and has made so many contributions, the people under him must be exceptional too! Since Xiao Chi is working there, it proves that he has something special, otherwise how could he just happen to work there?"

    "..."

    Chi Chenyun, seeing the room full of people chattering, started to get a headache and spoke to send them away.

    "You all should go back first, I¡¯m going to rest now. Xiao Wang, you take these things back."

    The house had never been this lively before, and he knew very well why these neighbors had gathered now; he wasn¡¯t truly oblivious to their intentions.

    On the contrary, having lived through most of his life, not only could he perceive it, but he saw it quite clearly.

    But he still hadn¡¯t figured out Xiao Hang¡¯s matter, so the neighbors ttering him here was futile.

    Even if he had figured it out, he wouldn¡¯t ept ttery.

    Upon hearing this, Auntie Wang frowned, immediately got up, and started to head out.

    "I need to rush home for something! Old Master Chi, just keep them, it¡¯s all my heartfelt gesture!"

    Since the gifts had already been delivered to the Chi family, not taking them back would still leave them owing her a favor.

    Seeing Auntie Wang leave, the other neighbors exchanged nces, no longer insisting on staying and gradually dispersed.

    A tree may grow high, but leaves fall back to the root.

    At this time, Qiao Jing was unaware of the situation unfolding on Chi Yuhang¡¯s side.

    She continued her regr routine as usual.

    A few dayster.

    One noon.

    She was just about to head to the cafeteria to eat when she received a call from Su Manhan.

    "Hello? Madam Zhan."

    Zhan Nanqing, who was also about to go to the cafeteria, perked up her ears upon hearing it was her mom¡¯s call and moved closer to Qiao Jing to listen to what her mother wanted to say.

    Then Su Manhan¡¯s voice came through.

    "Qiao Jing! I made two meals, one of which is for Qipei. I have something to doter, so could you please deliver one to him?"

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment and agreed.

    "Okay, I¡¯ll go out now."

    Recent work had been quite heavy, demanding more time to handle. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she had nearly finished her tasks today, she wouldn¡¯t have nned to go to Zhan Corporation and would have asked someone else to deliver it.

    Zhan Nanqing, who had been listening by the side, pursed her lips and took the phone after Qiao Jing finished speaking.

    "Mom, do you even remember you have a daughter? It¡¯s one thing to cook for Qiao Jing, but why does my brother have a meal and I don¡¯t?"

    By now, she had grown ustomed to her mother favoring Qiao Jing, but she couldn¡¯t ept having the lowest status in the Zhan family!

    Su Manhan coughed and lowered her voice.

    "How about next time I make a kidney-tonifying soup for you too? Really, even over this youpete. Aren¡¯t I just trying to see my grandson sooner? If you really want, let me hold my grandson, and I¡¯ll make you body-nourishing soup every day. Speaking of which, how are you getting along with Xiao Chi? He¡¯s at the institute now, isn¡¯t he?"

    Zhan Nanqing, sensing the topic shifting to her, quickly fobbed off a few replies andpletely ignored thest question.

    "So it¡¯s that kind of soup. Then I don¡¯t want it. Just make it for my brother every day; I¡¯m going to the cafeteria."

    It was bad enough her brother was being pressured to produce offspring¡ªshe definitely did not want to be included.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t have a boyfriend¡ªwhere was she supposed to find a child to present to her mom?

    Thinking this, and to avoid her mom continuing to pry into her matters, she handed the phone back to Qiao Jing and sprinted towards the cafeteria.

    Just as Qiao Jing took the phone, she heard Su Manhan continuously nagging on the other end.

    "Why aren¡¯t you responding to me? I asked how you are getting along with Xiao Chi, did he just run off?"

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and looked at Yuhang standing beside her.

    Yuhang had been with her since the morning, working with Zhan Nanqing.

    During this time, Zhan Nanqing had even grumbled a bit because Yuhang was too efficient, inadvertentlypleting some of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s work as well.

    But the two of them got along quite harmoniously, unlike Zhan Nanqing and Moqian, whose interactions gave her a headache, just like sworn enemies.

    Seeing that Su Manhan was still asking on the other side, Qiao Jing spoke up for Zhan Nanqing.

    "Madam Zhan, they get along very well. Nanqing has gone to have lunch now."

    Seeing that Zhan Nanqing had left, and watching Qiao Jing on the phone, Yuhang hesitated before asking:

    "Doctor Qiao, can I have lunch somewhere other than the cafeteria? I need to go back to cook for Grandpa Chi."

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    "Sure, but going back and forth will take a long time. The meals in the cafeteria are free, you can take a packed lunch to eat with Grandpa Chi."

    After saying this, she began to walk outside, as Su Manhan was still waiting.

    When Yuhang heard that the meals were free, his eyes lit up.

    "Alright, thank you!"

    Su Manhan, with her keen hearing, caught the sound of Yuhang¡¯s voice and immediately spoke up:

    "Xiao Chi is there too? Qiao Jing, hand him the phone, I want to ask him something."

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and nced at Yuhang.

    "Yuhang, Madam Zhan wants you to take the call."

    She was not sure if Yuhang would agree¡ªbecause one of the conditions for him agreeing to pretend to be Nanqing¡¯s boyfriend was that he wouldn¡¯t have to help out afterwards.

    Now, having to talk with Su Manhan, she wasn¡¯t sure if Yuhang was willing.

 Chapter 662 - 651: Let Qiao Jing Work as a KTV Hostess?

    <h4>Chapter 662: Chapter 651: Let Qiao Jing Work as a KTV Hostess?</h4>

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Chi Yuhang was momentarily stunned.

    "This... okay then."

    Qiao Jing saw Chi Yuhang agree, a hint of surprise shed in her eyes as she handed over the phone.

    Fortunately, Su Manhan only asked a few simple questions and made some small talk before she stopped.

    When Qiao Jing took back the phone, she saw that Chi Yuhang was frowning, and Su Manhan on the other end had just finished speaking. Before he could respond, the phone was back in her hands.

    She looked at Chi Yuhang with a puzzled expression and then nced at the phone.

    "Madam Zhan, I¡¯m on my way out now, I¡¯ll hang up."

    Su Manhan responded with an okay and ended the call.

    As Qiao Jing walked, she noticed Chi Yuhang was still deeply frowning, and she suddenly saw that his ears had turned a bit red.

    This made her even more curious, and she asked:

    "What did Madam Zhan say to you?"

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s gaze flickered, and he lowered his head slightly.

    "Madam Zhan asked me... how long I¡¯ve been seeing Miss Zhan, when we n to get married... and she also asked me... how long after getting married we¡¯d consider having... children..."

    Qiao Jing almost couldn¡¯t helpughing, looking at Chi Yuhang with a look of amusement and sympathy.

    "Don¡¯t take it to heart, I have to go now."

    She had only heard Chi Yuhang give some vague responses earlier and thought it was just casual small talk, but it turned out to be these questions.

    It seems Su Manhan is quite pleased with Chi Yuhang, or she wouldn¡¯t have asked so many questions.

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s response was a bit stiff as he nodded.

    "Okay."

    Outside the research institute.

    Just as Qiao Jing stepped out of the doorway, she saw Su Manhan holding a delicate bag.

    When Su Manhan saw Qiao Jing, her face quickly brightened with a smile, disregarding the bodyguard holding the parasol for her, and walked directly up to her.

    "There are two portions in this bag, take them and share them with Qipei."

    Seeing that the rtionship between the two hadn¡¯t progressed, still the same as before, she decided to take matters into her own hands and create another opportunity for them to spend time together.

    Qiao Jing reached out, took the bag, and smiled lightly.

    "Sure, thank you, Madam Zhan."

    Su Manhan arranged for another driver to take Qiao Jing down to the Zhan Corporation¡¯s building.

    Qiao Jing, carrying the bag, approached the entrance only to run into someone she knew.

    It was Auntie Wang.

    But... what was Auntie Wang doing at the entrance of Zhan Corporation?

    She looked anxious, holding several gift bags that, from the packaging, appeared to contain Bird¡¯s Nest and other expensive gifts.

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, but she didn¡¯t n to get involved and was ready to go straight inside.

    After all, she still had work in the afternoon and didn¡¯t have the time to get entangled with Auntie Wang.

    Auntie Wang paced back and forth anxiously at the entrance, asionally ncing toward the Zhan Corporation¡¯s lobby, hesitating to enter.

    Just then, she caught sight of Qiao Jing approaching the doorway.

    Auntie Wang immediately remembered thest time Qiao Jing interfered with thend allocation when she saw her, even digging out thend distribution map from more than a decade ago, causing her family¡¯s chicken farm to be taken away as well.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she directly stopped Qiao Jing.

    "What are you doing here?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, nning to bypass Auntie Wang.

    She didn¡¯t want to waste time here because Auntie Wang could be endless and would definitely dy her.

    But how could Auntie Wang possibly let Qiao Jing leave easily?

    She directly blocked the door, stopping Qiao Jing in her tracks.

    Qiao Jing still couldn¡¯t be bothered with Auntie Wang, intending to go in another direction, but wherever she went, Auntie Wang followed, determined to block her way.

    Left with no choice, Qiao Jing stopped and furrowed her brows tightly.

    "What exactly do you want?"

    Auntie Wang, having finally managed to stop her, took a deep breath and looked Qiao Jing up and down.

    "I just asked what you are doing here? Do you know what this ce is?"

    Qiao Jing nced at Auntie Wang indifferently and responded emotionlessly:

    "Zhan Corporation, any problem?"

    Since she had been stopped, she might as well see what Auntie Wang was here at Zhan Corporation to do.

    But if Auntie Wang was going to be persistent for a long time, she didn¡¯t have time to continue ying along and would leave directly eventually.

    Auntie Wang looked at Qiao Jing with a disdainful gaze and scoffed.

    "Ha! It seems you also know this is Zhan Corporation, huh? So what are you here for? You¡¯re not also here to look for a job, are you?"

    Qiao Jing slightly arched her eyebrows, her expression indifferent as she looked at Auntie Wang, remaining silent.

    Taking Qiao Jing¡¯s silence as an admission, Auntie Wang continued:

    "What job could you possibly find here? Although Chi Yuhang is now working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, you are you, he is he. Do you think he will still care about you after his promotion?

    Speaking of which, does he still call you Doctor Qiao? I think you¡¯re just a doctor from some street-side clinic! What can you do here? You probably can¡¯t even qualify as a janitor, can you?"

    She paused, perhaps having thought of something, and haughtily lifted her chin.

    "Zhan Corporation is not like otherpanies; it¡¯s not a ce just anyone can enter, even for a janitor. But let me tell you, my son can work here as a security guard; he got in straight away, after all, our family did put in one hundred thousand yuan, and you can¡¯t even produce one hundred thousand yuan, can you?"

    Hearing Auntie Wang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slowly furrowed her brows, waiting for Auntie Wang to continue.

    Such matters of backdoor deals involving money should not be happening at Zhan Corporation.

    Because when she started working at Zhan Corporation a few days ago, she had read through all thepany¡¯s regtions and memorized them, which clearly stated that all positions could not be filled through any backdoor connections.

    Therefore, the fact now that Auntie Wang¡¯s son could be a security guard at Zhan Corporation meant someone inside was taking money to help, and she wanted to see who it was.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t speaking, Auntie Wang thought she was shocked by the figure of one hundred thousand yuan and disyed a scornful smile.

    "Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Were you scared by the one hundred thousand yuan? But it¡¯s understandable, a poor person like you could probably never earn one hundred thousand yuan in a lifetime! I¡¯m telling you, you better give up any thought of applying at Zhan Corporation. With someone like you, who¡¯s merely a vase, you might as well go to a KTV and apply to be a hostess or something; wouldn¡¯t you make money faster?"

    Just then, the manager of the HR department wasing towards the door with a smile on his face and a slightly hurried pace, as if expecting something.

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her eyes, her gaze falling on the manager.

    Seeing the manager emerge, Auntie Wang¡¯s face broke into a broad smile.

    "Look, the manager I know ising out; he must be here to tell my son that he can start working!"

    As she spoke, she carried the gift she had in her hands and walked forward.

 Chapter 663 - 652: Auntie Wang Almost Peed Herself

    <h4>Chapter 663: Chapter 652: Auntie Wang Almost Peed Herself</h4>

    Auntie Wang quickly approached the manager, holding up the gift in her hand.

    "Manager Khor, can my son start working now? This is a small gift from me, please ept it with a smile!"

    Manager Khor ignored Auntie Wang, his gaze passing over her to look at Qiao Jing who was standing at the door.

    Auntie Wang¡¯s ingratiating smile suddenly stiffened, and she looked at Manager Khor with confusion.

    "Manager Khor, this is the gift I brought. Aren¡¯t you going to ept it?"

    She had slipped money before, and the manager had epted it quickly; moreover, she had inquired around and learned that Manager Khor liked Bird¡¯s Nest and such. In order to get her son a job at Zhan Corporation, she had reluctantly indulged in buying these things.

    Yet now the manager wouldn¡¯t even nce at the gifts, instead looking toward that shabby doctor at the door?

    Manager Khor didn¡¯t spare a single look at Auntie Wang and immediately switched to a respectful demeanor.

    He brushed past Auntie Wang and quickly walked up to Qiao Jing, slightly bowing.

    "Madam, did you just arrive?"

    Upon hearing Manager Khor addressing Qiao Jing as "Madam," Auntie Wang¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    She blinked in astonishment, thinking she had misheard, but the manager¡¯s next words confirmed she hadn¡¯t imagined it.

    "Madam, are you here to see President Zhan? President Zhan is currently in a meeting; perhaps I should take you to his office first?"

    Qiao Jing looked at Manager Khor with an indifferent expression, her cold voice ringing out.

    "I can go there myself."

    After dropping that remark, she took steps towards the elevator.

    She had only walked a few steps when she stopped, turned around, and gave the manager a cold sideways nce.

    "I recall that Zhan Corporation has very clear rules against entering through bribery, and yet you are the HR Manager. I believe someone else would be more suitable for this position."

    Manager Khor¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

    He looked guiltily at Qiao Jing but didn¡¯t dare to argue, knowing the Madam was already aware, and any exnation was useless now.

    Manager Khor lowered his head and said:

    "Madam, rest assured, I will handle this matter and then I will resign on my own!"

    Auntie Wang was startled, and she fell down on the floor, watching in shock as Qiao Jing walked away.

    Could it be? She had been mocking for quite some time, and those she looked down upon were actually the Madam of Zhan Corporation?

    Did that not mean that she had offended the entire Zhan Corporation?!

    Thinking of this, Auntie Wang¡¯s legs grew weak and sweat poured down.

    This was really terrible! She suddenly remembered her mocking words in Chi Yuhang¡¯s backyard, and thought, "Is my family doomed now?!"

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing arrived at Zhan Qipei¡¯s office.

    She was holding a bag and had just opened the door to find Zhan Qipei already in the office, removing his coat.

    Zhan Qipei, hearing the door open and without looking back, said:

    "We¡¯ll handle that projectter."

    Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei had mistaken her for Tang Yan and slightly lifted the corners of her lips.

    On a whim, she responded.

    "President Zhan, which project are you talking about?"

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei paused in removing his coat, immediately turned his head to look at Qiao Jing.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing in his office, his dark eyes brightened instantly, and he walked directly towards her without even finishing removing his coat.

    "Why are you here?"

    Qiao Jing walked straight to the couch, ced the bag on the table, and took out a lunch box from it.

    "Madam Zhan sent me with food for myself, and asked me to bring some for you too."

    As she was speaking, she suddenly discovered another instion container inside the bag.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily, a feeling of premonition rising from within her.

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, this instion container definitely contained the kidney-nourishing soup Su Manhan cooked for Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei quickly walked over to Qiao Jing and stopped her from continuing to reach for the instion container.

    "You sit down, I will get it, and I¡¯ll pour you a bowl of soup at the same time."

    As he spoke, he opened the instion container, and a strong smell of Chinese medicine hit them.

    The two in the office immediately understood what kind of soup it was and fell into silence.

    Qiao Jing held back augh, looking at Zhan Qipei with a somewhat pitying gaze.

    "I won¡¯t drink this soup."

    She could smell that there were more varieties of Chinese herbs in it thanst time, making it even more potent.

    It seemed that to nourish Zhan Qipei¡¯s kidney, Su Manhan had indeed personally exerted herself, even to the extent of "exhausting all efforts."

    After smelling the soup, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face uncontrobly darkened, and his long eyebrows slowly furrowed like mountains veiled in mist.

    In the end, he directly covered the instion container and set it aside, his thin lips slightly parting as he blurted out three words.

    "Let¡¯s eat."

    Qiao Jing watched Zhan Qipei¡¯s grim face, forcibly suppressing the corners of her lips that threatened to curl up.

    "Okay."

    But all her little expressions were fully captured in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, and he pursed his thin lips.

    "You know whether or not I need to enhance my kidney."

    Hearing Zhan Qipei start to make some improperments again, the smile Qiao Jing had been forcefully suppressing gradually faded away.

    She rolled her eyes silently and pushed the lunch box meant for Zhan Qipei towards him.

    "Can¡¯t eating shut you up? If every time Ie, you say this, I won¡¯te next time."

    Although she had gotten drunk and nked out that night,pletely erasing the memory of that night, the scene she saw the next morning when she woke up was crystal clear to her.

    Just from the marks covering her body, she could guess the passionate scene that urred, which she was already trying to forget.

    But this mistaken man still brought it up from time to time, forcing her to recall the scene she saw. How could she not be angry?

    Only then did Zhan Qipei close his mouth, cautiously observing Qiao Jing¡¯s expression.

    "I won¡¯t say it anymore."

    Only then did Qiao Jing¡¯s face soften a bit, and she began to eat.

    After finishing the meal, as Qiao Jing was on her way back to the research institute, she suddenly received a message from Su Manhan.

    "Qiao Jing,e to Purple Garden for dinner tonight, just you and Nanqing."

    Upon seeing this message, a trace of puzzlement emerged in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Just her and Zhan Nanqinging alone for dinner?

    Is there something that only they three need to know, or something that needs to be handled by just them?

    Although Qiao Jing was puzzled, she still replied with an okay.

    When she returned to the research institute and saw Zhan Nanqing, she noticed thetter staring at her phone with a strange expression.

    Qiao Jing slowly approached Zhan Nanqing, asking,

    "What are you looking at?"

    Zhan Nanqing, seeing Qiao Jing had returned, firstined to her.

    "I was just wondering why my mom wants me and you toe back for dinner, and then I received a message from another person."

    After saying this, she lifted her phone, handing the screen over to Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 664 - 653: Targeting Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 664: Chapter 653: Targeting Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s phone screen, which disyed a strange text message.

    "Nanqing, this is Xinrou. Because you cklisted my previous number, I had to contact you with another number. I need to talk to you about something. I have discussed it with Auntie Su as well, and I have made up my mind. I will visit Purple Garden tonight to resolve all our past issues, and then I will personally apologize to Qiao Jing."

    After reading the message, Qiao Jing realized that Su Manhan had called her back to Purple Garden for this matter.

    Without a word, she handed the phone back to Zhan Nanqing, without expressing any opinion.

    Although she didn¡¯t quite believe Lou Xinrou¡¯s words, she had already promised Su Manhan to return, and she wouldn¡¯t go back on her word.

    Zhan Nanqing furrowed her brows tightly and stared at the message, examining it carefully for a good while.

    "Qiao Jing, do you believe what Lou Xinrou said? She actually said she wants to apologize to you and resolve everything from the past?"

    She still remembered all the things Lou Xinrou had done before; the woman had no credibility in her eyes anymore.

    Now suddenly saying she had thought things over and wanted to personally apologize to Qiao Jing made her suspicious that the offer was not genuine, that it was a trick.

    Qiao Jing slightly knitted her brows and pressed her lips together.

    "Let¡¯s go back tonight and see."

    She wasn¡¯t sure exactly what game Lou Xinrou was ying; they would find out tonight.

    If Xinrou was sincere in her apology, then she would decide based on the situation.

    In truth, she wasn¡¯t really angry with Lou Xinrou, or rather, she hadn¡¯t taken Lou Xinrou seriously at all.

    The only reason she had agreed to return to face this situation was in fact for Zhan Nanqing and Su Manhan.

    If it weren¡¯t for her presence, Lou Xinrou and Zhan Nanqing would still be close friends, and also the ideal daughter-inw candidate in Su Manhan¡¯s eyes.

    Now, however, things had changed.

    Of course, her thoughts weren¡¯t out of self-me or guilt.

    It wasn¡¯t her doing that Lou Xinrou had turned out this way.

    It was the other party¡¯s own crooked intentions that had led her down the wrong path.

    Zhan Nanqing responded with a word of acknowledgment and replied with a single "Okay" before dismissing Lou Xinrou from her mind.

    At dusk.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing arrived together at Purple Garden, and as soon as they entered, they saw Su Manhan sitting on the couch with a deeply furrowed brow and aplex expression.

    Lou Xinrou was sitting beside Su Manhan, pouring her tea.

    From the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed the two at the door; her eyes brightened dramatically, and a joyful smile appeared on her face.

    "Nanqing, Qiao Jing, you¡¯re here!"

    Su Manhan also turned to look at the two, slowly smiling.

    "You¡¯re here?"

    Zhan Nanqing, without even a nce at Lou Xinrou, only looked towards Su Manhan.

    Qiao Jing nodded and sat down on the couch with Zhan Nanqing.

    Qiao Jing briefly nced at Lou Xinrou, then withdrew her gaze to focus on Su Manhan.

    "Madam Zhan, did you ask me toe back for something specific?"

    In the call that she received, Su Manhan hadn¡¯t made clear why she wanted her to return, so she continued to pretend she didn¡¯t know.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Su Manhan¡¯s brows furrowed even more, her eyes carefully studying Qiao Jing¡¯s expression, tentatively saying:

    "Lou Xinrou wants to apologize to you, so I called you back."

    When she sent the message to Qiao Jing today, she still felt a bit uneasy, and her worry grew even more when she saw her arrival at the door.

    Because she didn¡¯t know if she had done the right thing. After all, Lou Xinrou had done many bad things before, each of which was a betrayal to Qiao Jing, so she was unsure if letting these two meet was the correct choice.

    After saying this, Su Manhan sat next to Qiao Jing and lowered her voice, saying,

    "Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t easily agree to let Lou Xinrou meet you. I¡¯ve observed her for a while; she has been continuouslying to the Zhan Family. Not only has she helped with many things, but she also confirmed with me repeatedly that she no longer has any feelings for Qipei. She now wants to apologize to us and reconcile, but I will leave this matter to you to handle, I will not interfere."

    Zhan Nanqing, sitting beside them, also heard Su Manhan¡¯s words and looked at Lou Xinrou suspiciously.

    "Mom, are you sure everything she said is true?"

    Why did she somewhat not believe Lou Xinrou¡¯s words?

    Su Manhan furrowed her eyebrows and slowly shook her head.

    "I guess."

    Qiao Jing once again furrowed her beautiful brows and looked at Lou Xinrou with a scrutinizing gaze.

    Lou Xinrou met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and unconsciously swallowed.

    "Qiao Jing, Auntie Su, Nanqing, I was wrong about everything before, I¡¯m sorry!"

    After saying this, she stood up and bowed deeply to the three of them.

    "I have no thoughts about Qipei now, it was all my fault before, I am very sorry!"

    Seeing Lou Xinrou bow, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing exchanged looks.

    Su Manhan frowned deeply for a while but still did not speak.

    She said it wasn¡¯t moving to her would be a lie; after all, Lou Xinrou was someone she had watched grow up, and now seeing the other party apologizing so sincerely, she couldn¡¯t help but be a bit lenient.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s tightly knitted brows slightly rxed, and she stealthily nced at Qiao Jing beside her.

    She suddenly remembered the more than twenty years of fun she had with Lou Xinrou; clearly, the other party wasn¡¯t like this before.

    But Lou Xinrou had indeed done those things, not only hurting Qiao Jing but also deceiving her for a long time. She had no right to forgive Lou Xinrou on behalf of Qiao Jing.

    The mother and daughter still chose to let Qiao Jing handle this matter.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t speak, Su Manhan slowly began,

    "Are you sure you won¡¯t do anything like before again?"

    Lou Xinrou nodded sincerely, her eyes even glistened with tears, and she said in an earnest tone,

    "I promise I will never do anything bad again. Thinking about it carefully now, I realize how foolish and malicious my actions were before, I¡¯m sorry! Auntie Su, Nanqing, Qiao Jing, please give me another chance!"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and didn¡¯t respond to Lou Xinrou¡¯s words.

    Seeing this, Su Manhan slightly pondered before she spoke again.

    "You must apologize to Qiao Jing seriously."

    She still remembered how Lou Xinrou had instigated matters between her and Qiao Jing in the past, making her disliking of Qiao Jing intensify even more.

    She also hadn¡¯t forgotten that time when Lou Xinrou abandoned her and fled alone, and even though she had apologized now, their rtionship would never return to how it was before.

    Lou Xinrou immediately nodded, looking very seriously at Qiao Jing and bowed to her again.

    "Qiao Jing, it was all my fault before, I¡¯m really sorry! Can you give me another chance?"

    After seeing Lou Xinrou¡¯s sincere apology, Su Manhan¡¯s furrowed brows finally rxedpletely, looking towards Qiao Jing beside her.

    "Qiao Jing, will you forgive her?"

    Her opinion would follow Qiao Jing¡¯s; if Qiao Jing forgave Lou Xinrou, then she and Nanqing could also let bygones be bygones.

    But their rtionship absolutely wouldn¡¯t return to how it was before since it was a fact that Lou Xinrou had instigated between them and Qiao Jing, causing them to constantly trouble Qiao Jing in the past.

    Qiao Jing looked indifferently at Lou Xinrou, parted her red lips, and slowly said,

 Chapter 665 - 654 Uncovering the Truth

    <h4>Chapter 665: Chapter 654 Uncovering the Truth</h4>

    "I never took your previous tricks seriously, as long as you don¡¯t do anything to harm me in the future, that¡¯s fine."

    From the beginning to the end, she didn¡¯t take any of Lou Xinrou¡¯s various provocations to heart, including the ridicules. The only thing that could truly anger her was physical assault.

    Because now she was no longer alone, with three babies in her womb, she needed to be even more careful and protective.

    But regardless of whether she was pregnant or not, anyone who dared toy a hand on her would not be easily forgiven.

    Lou Xinrou quickly shook her head, almost like a rattle-drum, her hands continuously waving.

    "No, no, don¡¯t worry! How could I every hands on you again? It was indeed my fault in the past, but my grandfather and the others have already given me a severe education. I¡¯ve realized now, it was out of jealousy due to love that I became like this, but I¡¯m not really that kind of person. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Nanqing!"

    Zhan Nanqing opened her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed tightly.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s reaction, Lou Xinrou¡¯s gaze flickered before she continued.

    "I usually donate to help stray animals, and I never scheme against others, let alone do anything to hurt anyone. It was all because of my overwhelming jealousy that led me to this point. But aftering to my senses, I¡¯ve let it go. Qipei only sees me as a sister, and I¡¯ll just regard him as a brother."

    Hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing pursed her lips and scrutinized the other person from head to toe.

    With a frown, she finally sighed and slowly said,

    "Xinrou was indeed not like this before, or else I wouldn¡¯t have be such good friends with her. She used to be a very kind girl, but then she probably did those foolish things because she loved my brother too much."

    Su Manhan also sighed, helplessly nced at Lou Xinrou, and then turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    "Ah, this child is also someone whom I¡¯ve watched grow up. The Zhan Family and the Lou Family are longstanding friends, and nobody wants those past incidents to happen, but I will respect your opinion."

    Even if Lou Xinrou is apologizing so sincerely and making so many promises now, it¡¯s useless. As long as Qiao Jing says she doesn¡¯t want to forgive, she won¡¯t forgive her.

    After all, she can¡¯t let her daughter-inw suffer for somebody else, and she won¡¯t let Qiao Jing be aggrieved for the sake of Lou Xinrou.

    Qiao Jing looked at Lou Xinrou expressionlessly, her cold voice resounding.

    "Let¡¯s turn the page."

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, and the corners of her mouth rose, her face full of joy.

    "That¡¯s great! Qiao Jing, thank you! Thank you for forgiving me despite everything. I came today not only to apologize but I also specifically sought out a chef from a five-star hotel, asking him to teach me, all so that I could personally cook a meal to make amends."

    As she said this, a barely perceptible shrewd glint shed across the depths of her eyes.

    She wasn¡¯t truly seeking reconciliation with Qiao Jing and the others by visiting and apologizing profusely.

    What right did someone like Qiao Jing have to deserve her genuine apology?

    Before, she had gone through many twists and turns in the ck market to find an odorless and tasteless abortion drug, which was also very effective.

    Even if Qiao Jing was a doctor, it was not easy to detect such a colorless and odorless drug, and the seller guaranteed her that even Divine Doctor Jing wouldn¡¯t be able to discover it.

    That¡¯s why she came to the Zhan Family household so boldly, having spent the past few days ingratiating herself with Su Manhan and then ying out the apology drama, all to cook this meal and poison it, ensuring that Qiao Jing would have aplete miscarriage!

    That cheap woman Qiao Jing didn¡¯t deserve to carry Brother Pei¡¯s children! Only she could!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t linger on Lou Xinrou¡¯s face, failing to catch the other party¡¯s emotions.

    Seeing that things seemed to be turning the page, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing exchanged nces and finally smiled.

    Zhan Nanqing actually still had some reservations about Lou Xinrou, but since Qiao Jing had said the matter was behind them, she was also going to try and ept the other party.

    She slowly approached Lou Xinrou, struggling to recall the way they had interacted before, and began to speak with some difficulty.

    "Xinrou, are you really going to cook for us?"

    Lou Xinrou nodded, her face beaming with a big smile as she reached out without hesitation and hugged Zhan Nanqing as if nothing had ever happened between them.

    "Yeah, Nanqing, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you and had a good chat with you, and today we finally have the chance. Auntie Su, Nanqing, Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll go start the cooking now; just wait for me a bit, it¡¯ll be ready soon! I even brought ingredients today, specifically picking out the ones you all like."

    She was sure she would seed this time!

    Seeing Lou Xinrou heading to the kitchen to cook, Zhan Nanqing followed.

    "Xinrou, how about I help you?"

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s steps hesitated for a moment, and her smile stiffened for an instant, but the moment she turned her head back, it was reced by the smile she had before.

    "Thank you, Nanqing, but no need, I can handle it all by myself. After all, I learned from a master, so don¡¯t worry! I will have it ready very soon."

    Zhan Nanqing then gave up on the idea of helping and withdrew her steps.

    Seeing this, Su Manhan asked:

    "Xinrou, why don¡¯t you let my family¡¯s chef give you a hand as well?"

    Her concern was that Lou Xinrou might not manage on her own, and with so many ingredients in the kitchen, cooking by herself would take a lot of time.

    Lou Xinrou smiled at Su Manhan and spoke in a half-joking tone.

    "Auntie Su, don¡¯t you believe I can cook well all by myself?"

    If she let someone else help, her n would certainly be exposed.

    She absolutely couldn¡¯t let anyone help!

    Seeing Lou Xinrou so adamant, Su Manhan had no choice but to let her busy herself in the kitchen, while she and Qiao Jing sat on the sofa in the living room.

    With Qiao Jing and the others all seated on the sofa chatting, Lou Xinrou finally breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head, and looked at the various vegetables ced in the kitchen.

    Her lips slowly curled into a hideous smile, her hand clutching a packet of powder tightly.

    She finally had the opportunity!!

    A momentter, Lou Xinrou brought all the cooked dishes to the dining table and called Qiao Jing and the others to eat.

    "Qiao Jing, Auntie Su, Nanqing, it¡¯s time to eat!"

    Everyone took their seats, and Su Manhan, looking at the dishes which seemed quite appetizing, felt a bit of anticipation and immediately took a bite of the food with her chopsticks.

    "Wow, Xinrou, although we haven¡¯t seen each other for quite some time, I didn¡¯t expect you to have improved your cooking so much. It¡¯s got the looks, the fragrance, and the taste!"

    Qiao Jing, looking at the spread before her, felt an ominous premonition rise within her.

    She slowly furrowed her brows, picking up some vegetables and putting them in her bowl.

 Chapter 666 - 655: Exposed (2)

    <h4>Chapter 666: Chapter 655: Exposed (2)</h4>

    Just as she was about to take a bite to taste it, Zhan Nanqing suddenly started speaking, drawing her attention.

    "The dish is indeed well-made, just not as good as Qiao Jing¡¯s," she said.

    Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to look at Zhan Nanqing and, feeling helpless, tugged at the corner of her mouth.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s personality was always blunt and straightforward, sometimes speaking without thinking and letting her words slip out directly.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression shifted subtly, and she seemed a bit downcast.

    But at this moment, she dared not show much of a reaction and could only offer an awkward smile.

    "Ah... as long as you find it delicious, that¡¯s good."

    What did she mean that the meal she made was just a bit worse than Qiao Jing¡¯s?

    Although she had eaten the food Qiao Jing made before, she believed her own cooking was not much inferior to hers, and even thought it tasted much better than Qiao Jing¡¯s, okay?!

    It was then that Zhan Nanqing realized she had misspoken and pped her forehead.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Xinrou, you know how I usually speak. Don¡¯t take what I just said to heart, okay! The dish you made is really delicious. What I meant just now is that the food Qiao Jing makes isn¡¯t something ordinary people canpare to, not even the chefs at five-star hotels, so it¡¯s not fair topare."

    Lou Xinrou could no longer maintain her smile, and her face darkened instantly.

    What did that mean? Did she not even have the right to bepared with Qiao Jing?!

    The culinary skills she learned from the five-star hotel didn¡¯t qualify her to bepared with Qiao Jing?

    Honestly, she didn¡¯t think Qiao Jing¡¯s cooking was that great; it was just a bit better than homemade food.

    Yet, in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing had been praised to the skies??!

    Su Manhan followed up on Zhan Nanqing¡¯sment.

    "Yes, Nanqing is right. My daughter-inw¡¯s cooking is indeed too delicious. Ever since I¡¯ve tasted her dishes, I¡¯ve almost wanted to fire the foreign chef we hired at home, sigh..."

    She paused, ncing at Qiao Jing.

    "Unfortunately, I can¡¯t bear to have Qiao Jing cook every day; it¡¯s too exhausting. We¡¯ll leave it to the chef to do the cooking, and we¡¯ll just enjoy it asionally."

    The more Lou Xinrou listened, the darker her face became, and her grip on her dress tightened, almost wanting to tear it apart.

    So they spoil Qiao Jing that much?!

    Auntie Su, you dote on Qiao Jing so much, yet she keeps her own pregnancy a secret from you¡ªwhat¡¯s the use of your doting? Doesn¡¯t it clearly show herck of trust in you?

    Fine, since Qiao Jing kept it so well hidden and liked to keep secrets, she would make sure the pregnancy ceased to exist!

    To avoid making it too obvious by cooking a separate soup just for Qiao Jing, she simply added the drug to every dish.

    As for the fact that Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing would also ingest the abortion drug, she didn¡¯t care; she only wanted Qiao Jing to have a miscarriage!

    Besides, it wouldn¡¯t cause much of an issue if Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing took a little of the abortion drug, given that neither of them was pregnant.

    With this in mind, Lou Xinrou curled her lips into a smirk, her gazending on the food in Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    Eat, Qiao Jing! Go on and eat!

    Feeling resigned, Qiao Jing nced at Su Manhan and revealed a faint smile.

    "Madam Zhan, let¡¯s eat," she said.

    Only then did Su Manhan stop praising Qiao Jing and, with a smile, said:

    "Alright, alright, let¡¯s eat, let¡¯s eat. Nanqing, you eat too."

    Qiao Jing also picked up her chopsticks to resume eating, but she suddenly felt a gaze fixed on her.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and followed the gaze, finding Lou Xinrou watching her.

    There was something strange about Lou Xinrou¡¯s expression, as if she was anticipating something. It seemed her gaze wasn¡¯t merely on Qiao Jing but on her hands as well.

    With all of Lou Xinrou¡¯s attention focused on Qiao Jing, she became puzzled when she noticed thetter had suddenly stopped moving. Lou Xinrou slightly raised her eyes only to meet Qiao Jing¡¯s scrutinizing phoenix eyes.

    Lou Xinrou was startled and hastily withdrew her gaze, flickering her eyes towards her own bowl and pretended to pick up her chopsticks to eat.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, suspicion flickering within.

    Her intuition told her something was off with Lou Xinrou, and she was looking at something in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Besides the chopsticks, there was only the bowl...

    With this thought, Qiao Jing picked up the vegetables from her bowl, examining them closely for a while before bringing them closer to smell.

    Something was wrong with the vegetables!

    Upon realizing the vegetables were off, Qiao Jing¡¯s face instantly cooled, and her brows tightly furrowed as she set the bowl aside.

    Su Manhan, sitting beside Qiao Jing, noticed her actions and asked with confusion,

    "What¡¯s wrong, Qiao Jing? You almost had a bite, why didn¡¯t you eat? Don¡¯t you like it?"

    Zhan Nanqing also saw this and half-jokingly said,

    "Could there be something wrong with the vegetables?"

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she blinked guiltily.

    She quickly put on a sincerely apologetic smile.

    "Qiao Jing, did I not suit your taste with the cooking? Sorry, I didn¡¯t know what vors you like, I only prepared what Auntie Su and Nanqing like. It¡¯s all my fault for not preparing in advance. What do you like to eat? I¡¯ll go make you a fresh dish right now."

    There was no way she could let Qiao Jing skip dinner just because it wasn¡¯t to her taste, she must go and make a new dish.

    Fortunately, she had bought several packages of the drug just in case, and now that she had used two, there was one left, perfectly suitable to add into Qiao Jing¡¯s own portion, to make the effect even stronger.

    Coldness crept into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, and the depths of her phoenix eyes were somber like a pool of ck water, her icy gaze piercing directly towards Lou Xinrou.

    She stared unemotionally at Lou Xinrou and said in a tone devoid of emotion,

    "Lou Xinrou, don¡¯te here anymore."

    The moment she saw the look in Lou Xinrou¡¯s eyes, she knew something was off; now that she had a whiff, it turned out to be true.

    These dishes had abortion drugs added to them.

    She had always maintained one principle: never to harm her child.

    And yet, Lou Xinrou had not only crossed her line once¡ªfirst sending a sachet to cause her miscarriage, now she had the audacity to drug the food!

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s apology earlier had sounded so genuine¡ªshe must have practiced countless times at home, to the point where Lou Xinrou believed it herself, no wonder she had deceived Qiao Jing too.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing looked over at the mother and daughter who were blissfully unaware.

    This incident couldn¡¯t be let go so easily. People like Lou Xinrou, if left unchecked in society, could potentially be a danger.

    Moreover, not only did Lou Xinrou deceive her, but she also cheated the trusting mother and daughter, who had also consumed the abortion drug!

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Lou Xinrou was instantly stunned.

 Chapter 667 - 656: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Domineering Comeback against Lou Xinrou

    <h4>Chapter 667: Chapter 656: Qiao Jing¡¯s Domineering Comeback against Lou Xinrou</h4>

    Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, sweat broke out in her palms, and nervously she clenched her fists.

    But she had prepared so extensively, she wouldn¡¯t be easily frightened into exposing herself by just a remark from Qiao Jing.

    Lou Xinrou put on a smile again and said with much self-reproach,

    "Do you really dislike these dishes? I¡¯m sorry, I truly didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I genuinely didn¡¯t know what you liked, I know exining so much now is useless, it¡¯s all my fault, I should have inquired about your preferences before cooking."

    She had thought her secret was exposed, but after careful consideration, it wasn¡¯t possible.

    The seller had reassured her multiple times that the drug could not be detected by others, Qiao Jing would absolutely not discover it!

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were stunned, looking at Qiao Jing with confusion.

    Zhan Nanqing came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and asked,

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Su Manhan nced casually at Lou Xinrou, then looked at Qiao Jing with a worried expression.

    "What happened?"

    Although she did not know what specifically had urred, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t ask Lou Xinrou to leave just because the food wasn¡¯t to her liking, she believed.

    Because from what she knew of Qiao Jing, she knew he was not the kind to be petty and miserly.

    If Qiao Jing really was that petty, he wouldn¡¯t have forgiven her and Nanqing back then, after all, her and Nanqing¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t much better back then, it was even quite excessive.

    Now that Qiao Jing was speaking this way, something must have happened.

    Lou Xinrou with an innocent face looked at Su Manhan and the others, putting on a very self-reproachful act.

    "Auntie Su, Nanqing, it might be because the dishes I made didn¡¯t suit Qiao Jing¡¯s taste, so she got a bit angry. But I already said I would make another batch, yet she is still angry with me... I can¡¯t help it..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s body temperature was gradually dropping, her expression turning frosty as she looked at Lou Xinrou, her voice clear and resolute.

    "Stop pretending here, your pretentiousness really disgusts me."

    She had already discovered the truth, yet Lou Xinrou still continued to deceive them, she truly had no mood to watch it anymore.

    Daring to harm her child, she wouldn¡¯t let Lou Xinrou off easily.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou pursed her lips, her expression turning somewhat ugly.

    "Qiao Jing, what do you mean? I have sincerely apologized to you, and even offered to make another meal, why are you still¡ª"

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she was interrupted by Qiao Jing.

    "Are you sure you haven¡¯t tampered with these dishes?"

    This question plunged the table into several seconds of silence, followed by Zhan Nanqing suddenly standing up, her face full of shock as she asked.

    "What? The food has been tampered with?"

    This reminded her of thest time Lou Xinrou brought a sachet to Qiao Jing, deeply worried, she looked at Lou Xinrou with suspicion.

    Su Manhan tightly furrowed her brows, her face full of shock as she looked at the well-presented dishes on the table.

    Previously, she could overlook Lou Xinrou¡¯s instigation of conflicts as petty squabbles, and Qiao Jing had forgiven her, she could ept her again.

    But she had never expected, Lou Xinrou would actually tamper with the food!

    And not only was Qiao Jing eating this meal, she and Nanqing had eaten it too, if Lou Xinrou really did drug the food, then she intended to harm them as well!

    Is this really the child she had watched grow up?

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lou Xinrou¡¯s face drained of color, she clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth.

    "Qiao Jing, what are you talking about? Sabotage? How could I possibly sabotage the food?"

    She couldn¡¯t admit to it herself, otherwise she would be doomed!

    But... how could Qiao Jing know that she had poisoned the food?

    Even though it was colorless and tasteless, she had specifically smelled the dishes afterward to confirm there was no odor and she hadn¡¯t seen the food change color. How did Qiao Jing find out?

    It¡¯s impossible!!

    Seeing Lou Xinrou continue to feign ignorance, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression darkened further, giving off an intense sense of oppression.

    Her emotionless tone inexplicably sent a chill down one¡¯s spine.

    "Since you won¡¯t admit it, I can take it to the hospital for testing. Either leave right now or I¡¯ll call the police, and this table full of dishes will be the evidence."

    Lou Xinrou could now confirm that Qiao Jing truly knew something was wrong with the food, and with the other maintaining such a firm stance, she was genuinely scared.

    If Qiao Jing conducted a hospital test and called the police, then the police would definitely arrest her!

    Moreover, if her grandfather and father found out that she had attempted to drug someone, she would definitely be kicked out of the family!!

    Lou Xinrou just stared at Qiao Jing for a while, her nails digging deeply into her flesh unknowingly, and she bit her lip until it bled, not caring at all.

    But she was worried that Qiao Jing might actually call the police and have her arrested, and since the other party didn¡¯t seem to be joking, she had no choice but to leave with her tail between her legs.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing saw this and immediately understood¡ªthe food really was tampered with.

    Otherwise, Lou Xinrou wouldn¡¯t have left so guiltily.

    Zhan Nanqing still remembered thest time Lou Xinrou had given her a sachet with something that could cause a miscarriage inside. If the drug used this time was of a simr type...

    She frowned and asked anxiously,

    "Qiao Jing, what kind of drug did she use? Are all these dishes tainted?"

    Qiao Jing hummed lightly and looked at the several dishes on the table.

    "None of you should eat them."

    When she was serving the food, she had specifically taken a bit from each dish, finally confirming that each one had been poisoned.

    Apparently, Lou Xinrou had gone to great lengths to make her ingest the abortion drug, daring to poison every dish, without even considering the health of Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing.

    Although the abortion drug was primarily aimed at causing miscarriages in pregnant women, it could also slightly affect non-pregnant individuals.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze upon the dishes grew colder as she slowly said,

    "Throw them all out."

    She didn¡¯t want to waste food, but until then, she had no choice but to dispose of everything on the table.

    As for Lou Xinrou drugging her, she would handle that. Although she had just let Lou Xinrou go, she didn¡¯t say she would let her off that easily.

    After dropping that remark, Qiao Jing greeted the other two and left Purple Garden to go home for dinner.

    This incident had crossed her limits; Lou Xinrou was recklessly pushing boundaries in her danger zone!

    Zhan Nanqing was even more infuriated now and immediately picked up a te to dump its contents into the trash.

    Her intuition told her the drugs Lou Xinrou had used were definitely not simple, and very likely were something like the abortion drug, given her prior behavior; this time was undoubtedly no better.

    She regretted believing Lou Xinrou¡¯s apology just a moment ago¡ªthe more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She shouldn¡¯t have trusted her!

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to dump the food into the trash, Su Manhan suddenly spoke up and stopped her.

    "Wait! Don¡¯t throw it away just yet!"

 Chapter 668 - 657 Testing the Dish

    <h4>Chapter 668: Chapter 657 Testing the Dish</h4>

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s movements paused, and she looked up at Su Manhan.

    "Why not pour it out? Leaving it here is such bad luck. I thought Lou Xinrou really made a table full of dishes to apologize, but it turned out to be a table full of poison for us to eat! Mom, let¡¯s not associate with the Lou Family anymore! From now on, let¡¯s not believe a single word Lou Xinrou says!"

    Su Manhan¡¯s face was grave, and her gaze was deep as she looked at the table full of dishes.

    "I¡¯m going to take it to the hospital for testing. I want to see just how ruthless Lou Xinrou is, what kind of poison she used! To daree to the Zhan Family and poison us personally!"

    After saying this, she had someone pack up some of each dish separately, wrapping them all up and heading to the hospital with Zhan Nanqing.

    Su Manhan handed the dishes to the doctor, and said coldly:

    "Prioritize my sample. I want to see the results as soon as possible."

    The doctor hurriedly took it with both hands, saying very respectfully:

    "Of course, Madam Zhan, we will start the test immediately. Rest assured, we will have the results as quickly as possible!"

    After saying that, the doctor rushed into theboratory.

    Su Manhan nodded, pulling Zhan Nanqing to sit down on the chairs nearby.

    "Nanqing, what kind of drug do you think Lou Xinrou gave Qiao Jing? It couldn¡¯t be something lethal, could it? I already had several bites just now."

    Zhan Nanqing frowned and pondered for a while, though she had a suspicion but could not voice it.

    She could not just say that she suspected the drug Lou Xinrou used was an abortion drug, could she?

    That would definitely confuse her mother, leading her to specte about Qiao Jing.

    Lou Xinrou probably didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to have her brother¡¯s child, which is why she attempted to interfere several times, and now after being caught red-handed, she ran away.

    Zhan Nanqing thought for a while and had to answer Su Manhan in another way.

    "It shouldn¡¯t be. Qiao Jing just now on the dining table must¡¯ve figured out what the drug was, so that¡¯s why she said the dishes had been tampered with. If it really were lethal poison, she would have made sure we got to the hospital in time. The strange thing about the drug Lou Xinrou used is that it had no taste, just like our usual home-cooked meals."

    Su Manhan suddenly understood and nodded.

    "Since it¡¯s not some lethal poison, why did Lou Xinrou drug us? And that act of apologising she put on really deceived me. Ah, if only I hadn¡¯t been soft-hearted."

    She had merely seen Qiao Jing forgive Lou Xinrou, and considering that she had watched the other girl grow up from a child, she had reluctantly epted her.

    But before her warmth could rise, it was extinguished by a bucket of cold water.

    Zhan Nanqing had also been wondering what drug Lou Xinrou had used, but following her thoughts about forgiving Lou Xinrou just now, she was furious.

    "From today on, Mom, neither you nor I should be soft-hearted! Regardless of whether she¡¯s someone you¡¯ve watched grow up, or whether she¡¯s a friend I¡¯ve known for over twenty years. Considering the current situation, it¡¯s clear her character is wed, the type that can¡¯t be changed. Let¡¯s not contact her anymore afterward, and even with the elders of the Lou Family, let¡¯s reduce our interactions!"

    She paused, rolling her eyes in speechlessness.

    "If my brother finds out what Lou Xinrou did with the poison, he will definitely be furious."

    Su Manhan¡¯s expression turned serious, and she thought deeply for a long time, then nodded heavily.

    "Let¡¯s not let Qipei know about this for now, or he will show absolutely no consideration for the Lou Family¡¯s face. Our families have been friends for generations, we should at least save them some dignity. Since Qiao Jing already knows what the drug is, she will surely handle it. Let¡¯s all stay calm for the moment, wait for the test results, and if it really turns out to be some harmful drug, I will not let Lou Xinrou off either!"

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she had an ominous premonition.

    If the drug Lou Xinrou used turned out to be an abortion drug, what then?

    If her mother found out, she surely wouldn¡¯t be able to speak about remaining calm as she does now.

    Just then, the door to the examination room opened.

    The doctor walked out, frowning deeply, holding ab report in hand.

    "Madam Zhan, the test results are in. You haven¡¯t eaten these dishes, have you?"

    Su Manhan immediately reached out to take theb report and read it carefully.

    Zhan Nanqing also hurried over to Su Manhan¡¯s side to look at theb report together.

    What was written on theb report was "abortion drug."

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she cast a probing nce at Su Manhan.

    This was it; her cursing mouth was right, Lou Xinrou really did put abortion drugs into the food.

    Fortunately, Qiao Jing noticed it before eating, but if...

    If her mother found out that the drug Lou Xinrou used was an abortion drug, wouldn¡¯t that reveal everything?

    After all, her mother wasn¡¯t a fool. She wasn¡¯t married, and Lou Xinrou always targeted Qiao Jing, so she would definitely guess that Qiao Jing was pregnant.

    When Su Manhan saw the words "abortion drug," her eyes widened immediately, and she looked at the doctor.

    "You, you all, are... sure you haven¡¯t made a mistake in your check? Abortion drug?"

    She wasn¡¯t seeing things, was she? Abortion drug?

    Lou Xinrou couldn¡¯t have randomly used an abortion drug on them; it must be because someone among them was pregnant and that person knew about it, which is why they harbored such malicious intent.

    Out of the three of them, the most likely person to be pregnant was... Qiao Jing!

    And Lou Xinrou was targeting Qiao Jing!!!

    "Madam Zhan, how could we possibly make a mistake with the check? This is the result after repeated checks and confirmation, only then did we dare present it to you for review," the doctor replied gravely.

    Su Manhan suddenly remembered Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly bulging stomach, and her eyes lit up in an instant.

    In her heart, she was both happy and angry at the same time, happy that Qiao Jing was pregnant, but furious that Lou Xinrou dared to drug her pregnant daughter-inw!

    She immediately grabbed Zhan Nanqing¡¯s hand, speaking with a highly agitated tone,

    "Nanqing, do you think Lou Xinrou drugged us because Qiao Jing is pregnant? After all, she really likes to target Qiao Jing, and you¡¯re not married or anything.

    This child, really, why didn¡¯t she tell me? I don¡¯t even know how long she has been pregnant. No wonder I¡¯ve been feeling that Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach seemed a bit raised recently. I thought she just finally gained some weight, but it turns out she¡¯s pregnant!"

    She finished expressing her happiness but then remembered Lou Xinrou¡¯s attempt to drug them, and instantly her anger surged.

    "I think Lou Xinrou has the gall of a bear and the courage of a leopard! How dare shey hands on the Zhan family¡¯s child!"

    Su Manhan suddenly realized that in her excitement, she blurted out a bunch of things, but her daughter waspletely calm, as if she had already anticipated this oue.

    She stared at her daughter, puzzled, and asked,

    "Why are you not excited? Qiao Jing is pregnant!"

    Zhan Nanqing forced a smile that did not reach her eyes and exaggeratedly pretended to be very excited.

    "Excited, excited! I¡¯m not just excited, I¡¯m also very happy! I was just so happy that I forgot to speak."

 Chapter 669 - 658: Am I the Last One to Know?

    <h4>Chapter 669: Chapter 658: Am I the Last One to Know?</h4>

    Su Manhan somehow felt that she couldn¡¯t detect any hint of joy in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s tone.

    But she was so incredibly happy at the moment that she couldn¡¯t care less about Zhan Nanqing¡¯s emotions, shaking the other¡¯s hand vigorously several times.

    "Nanqing, you hurry up and call your brother with the good news. I¡¯ll call your dad. Qiao Jing has even kept us in the dark; your brother must still be clueless. We¡¯ll inform them first. Such great news should be known to them immediately! Hahaha, I¡¯m finally going to be a grandmother! I even thought your brother had some health problems before, but it turns out I misunderstood him!"

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s arm, which Su Manhan was grabbing, hurt a bit, but she didn¡¯t dare to spoil her mother¡¯s good mood and silently endured the pain.

    After all, she was still feeling guilty about keeping secrets from her mom.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing not making any move, Su Manhan anxiously shook her hand again.

    "What are you standing there for? Call your brother and share the news!"

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling a little dizzy from the shaking, and seeing that the situation had progressed to this point, realized that hiding the truth any longer would be in vain. She reluctantly decided toe clean.

    "Mom, there¡¯s no need to call my brother. He knows about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy."

    If she called her brother now, with her mom listening in, there was no way to pre-arrange for him to pretend to be surprised.

    If her mom started to suspect something, it would only make things worse if discovered. She and her brother would be even more culpable, so it was better to report the truth directly to Old Madam now.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Su Manhan¡¯s smile stiffened, and then she sensed something.

    "What do you mean by that? You knew about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy too?"

    Zhan Nanqing slightly shrank her neck and, steeling herself, nodded her head, speaking in a voice even softer than a mosquito¡¯s buzz.

    "Um..."

    The next second, her ear was pinched by Su Manhan, not too lightly nor too heavily.

    "Oh, I see! You and your brother were in cahoots to keep it from me, right? If it weren¡¯t for today¡¯s ident, were you two nning to keep this from me until my grandchild was born?"

    Zhan Nanqing covered her ear in pain and quickly stepped back a few paces, moving out of Su Manhan¡¯s reach.

    "Ow... Mom, I didn¡¯t mean to keep it from you, it¡¯s really not my fault! At that time, Qiao Jing intended to keep it from all of us, and I only found out by ident. Do you remember when you dragged me to Nantai Apartment? That day Qiao Jing was lying on the couch feeling unwell, and you were finding fault with all sorts of things. Then she fainted, right?"

    Su Manhan furrowed her brow and thought about it, and indeed there was such an incident.

    The more she thought about her attitude towards Qiao Jing at the time, the angrier she got, wishing she could travel back in time and wake herself up with a scolding.

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Nanqing and grumbled:

    "You just had to touch on a sore point. Now you remind me again of how I mistreated Qiao Jing."

    Zhan Nanqing continued:

    "That day I took Qiao Jing to the hospital, and that¡¯s when I found out about her pregnancy after the check-up. Even my brother didn¡¯t know about her pregnancy at that time! Later, Qiao Jing specifically asked me not to tell anyone, so I kept it a secret. My brother also found out by ident."

    After hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s exnation, Su Manhan reluctantly let it go and thought of another person who was yet to be informed, which somewhat eased her mind.

    "Then I¡¯ll call your dad and let him know. He definitely doesn¡¯t know yet, and as long as I¡¯m not thest to find out, it¡¯s fine."

    As she spoke, she made a phone call to Zhan Yao.

    Zhan Yao answered quickly on the other end, anxious not to miss a second.

    "Hello? What¡¯s up?"

    Su Manhan, feeling quite proud of herself, tilted her chin up slightly and mysteriously said:

    "Guess what important thing I have to tell you?"

    Zhan Yao, seeing Su Manhan ying coy, had an ominous feeling in his heart, and his eyelids began to twitch involuntarily.

    "What important thing? Did you buy another vi?"

    With a click of her tongue, Su Manhan looked at Zhan Yao as his thoughts wandered far and wide, feeling even more certain that he didn¡¯t know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy.

    She opened her mouth with an air of triumph.

    "Qiao Jing is pregnant! I¡¯m going to be a grandmother! You¡¯re thest one to know about this."

    Zhan Yao was stunned for a moment, shocked for several seconds, and he couldn¡¯t even speak.

    Once he regained hisposure, what followed was an even greater joy.

    "What? Qiao Jing is pregnant? I¡¯m going to be a grandfather?! When did this happen?"

    The corners of Su Manhan¡¯s mouth almost reached the sky, she was so ecstatic.

    "I don¡¯t know exactly when Qiao Jing got pregnant, but as long as you know you¡¯re going to be a grandfather, that¡¯s good enough. Finally, it¡¯s my turn to show off my grandchild! Anyway, I¡¯ve got to go now, I just wanted to tell you."

    Zhan Yao hurriedly spoke, wanting to continue chatting with Su Manhan, but the call was abruptly disconnected.

    Feeling quite good, Su Manhan nced at Zhan Nanqing and slowly said:

    "You should be d I wasn¡¯t thest one to know, or I would have given you both a piece of my mind!"

    Zhan Nanqing, feeling somewhat guilty, shifted her gaze elsewhere.

    "I¡¯ve said this isn¡¯t my fault; ming me is pointless."

    Thankfully, her dad didn¡¯t know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy. Otherwise, the Old Madam of her family might really have lost his temper.

    Su Manhan had just calmed down a bit when her suppressed anger surged back up again.

    Her expression darkened in an instant as she looked at the words "abortion drug" on theb report.

    "This matter cannot be left as is, nor can it wait until tomorrow. That Lou Xinrou is so malicious, trying to harm my grandchild! No, not right¡ªgrandchild or granddaughter, it doesn¡¯t matter; boy or girl, as long as it¡¯s our child, I love them! I must go to the Lou Family right now and demand an exnation!"

    Seeing Su Manhan¡¯s angry expression, Zhan Nanqing timidly added:

    "Mom, actually, Qiao Jing isn¡¯t just carrying one child; she¡¯s pregnant with triplets. As for dealing with Lou Xinrou, shouldn¡¯t we calm down first and discuss it with Qiao Jing?"

    She could no longer keep it a secret. Since her mother already knew, she had no choice but toy all her cards on the table.

    When Su Manhan heard it was triplets, her face bloomed with joy.

    She excitedly spun around on the spot several times, incessantly asking Zhan Nanqing if it was true.

    After asking over a dozen times, Su Manhan finally let Zhan Nanqing be.

    But just the same, her rage grew even fiercer, and for once, she let loose with curse words.

    "Calm down my ass! How can I calm down over something like this? Lou Xinrou wanted to harm my three grandchildren! If she had seeded, Qiao Jing¡¯s health would have definitely beenpromised. She didn¡¯t just want to harm my unborn grandchildren, but also my wonderful daughter-inw. I can¡¯t calm down!"

    Zhan Nanqing shrugged helplessly and muttered under her breath.

    "And to think, just now someone said we should give the Lou Family face and stay calm..."

    She had guessed as much; if Lou Xinrou had tampered with abortion drugs, there was no way her mom would be able to stay calm.

    There it was, sleeves being rolled up for a fight at the Lou Family¡¯s door.

    Su Manhan, unable to wait, took out her phone and called Qiao Jing.

    Before long, the call was answered.

 Chapter 670 - 659: Settling Accounts with the Lou Family!

    <h4>Chapter 670: Chapter 659: Settling ounts with the Lou Family!</h4>

    Qiao Jing had already returned to Nantai Apartment and was resting in her room when she suddenly received this call.

    "Hello? Lady of the Zhan Family, what¡¯s the matter?"

    With ab report in her hand, Su Manhan hastened her steps as she walked out.

    "I¡¯ve sent the driver to pick you up. I¡¯ll take you to the Lou Family so Lou Xinrou can give you a proper apology! How dare she harm my three grandsons and such a precious daughter-inw, we cannot let this go so easily! Since Lou Xinrou doesn¡¯t know how to behave, I will make her family apologize to you, and then they can teach Lou Xinrou a lesson in how to be a person!"

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing froze for a moment, her brows slowly furrowing.

    "Lady of the Zhan Family... how did you find out about my pregnancy?"

    Although she didn¡¯t know how Su Manhan found out she was pregnant, now that the other party knew, it seemed she had no need to hide it anymore.

    After all, in the Zhan Family, except for Old Master Zhan who was still traveling and unaware, it seemed everyone else knew.

    Su Manhan let out an exasperated sigh and quickened her pace even more, as if she wished she could grow wings and fly to the Lou Family.

    "You child, if I hadn¡¯t brought those vegetables to the hospital and found out they contained an abortion drug, I would not have known about your pregnancy. After all, it¡¯s not me or Nanqing who is pregnant. Plus, when I noticed a slight bulge in your belly, I put two and two together."

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, Su Manhan continued to speak, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.

    "Why did you hide it from me? Were you worried that if I found out, I would stop loving you and only care about the child in your belly? That won¡¯t happen... Rest assured, I will definitely care for you even more! Or were you afraid that I would value boys over girls? You can be assured of this too, I promise that such a thing will never happen in our family.

    Although I verbally wish for grandsons, it¡¯s just a convenient way of speaking. I also love granddaughters very much, you can tell by how I treat Nanqing on a regr basis."

    At this very moment, Zhan Nanqing, who was being dragged out by Su Manhan, couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly upon hearing this.

    "Mom, I would believe you if you just slowed down a little bit! Your legs are practically like a sprinter¡¯s. You¡¯re not considering the feelings of someone in high heels at all."

    She could endure being dragged by the arm, but keeping up with her mother¡¯s pace while in high heels was another story. If not for her years of experience in wearing high heels, she would have struggled to keep up and might have already fallen.

    If her mother had wings, she would probably have already flown to the Lou Family by now.

    Su Manhan gave Zhan Nanqing a disdainful look and flicked her forehead, lowering her voice.

    "At this time, if you keep quiet, no one would think you¡¯re mute!"

    Zhan Nanqing covered her forehead in pain and was about to retort when she noticed that Su Manhan had indeed slowed down somewhat.

    She then reluctantly kept her mouth shut.

    On the other side, Qiao Jing sighed helplessly after hearing the conversation between the mother and daughter.

    "There¡¯s no such thing, Lady of the Zhan Family, don¡¯t overthink it."

    The reason she had hidden it was because she wasn¡¯tpletely sure about her own feelings and worried that if she couldn¡¯t stay with Zhan Qipei, the matter of the child would lead toplications, and so she chose to keep it a secret.

    But now that everyone knew, they knew.

    Only then did Su Manhan breathe a sigh of relief and followed up with a question:

    "Then why did you keep it from us? If we had found out only after you gave birth, raising three children on your own would be very hard, and I would feel for you."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes flickered, and a warmth flowed through her heart.

    "It¡¯s because of some other things, so it was kept a secret."

    She didn¡¯t tell Su Manhan the truth because she was afraid it would hurt her feelings.

    After all, Su Manhan had always been very concerned about the rtionship between her and Zhan Qipei. If she knew that she had always kept an escape route open, it would probably break Su Manhan¡¯s heart.

    Sensing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t wish to borate, Su Manhan didn¡¯t press her further.

    "So that¡¯s how it is, no problem, I respect your thoughts, but now that I¡¯ve identally found out, you¡¯re not angry, are you?"

    Qiao Jing offered a faint "Mhm" in response, redirecting the conversation back to what Su Manhan initially wanted to say.

    "Madam Zhan, are you asking me to go to the Lou Family now?"

    Su Manhan suddenly remembered the purpose of her call and pped her forehead.

    "Oh my goodness, yes, I¡¯ve sent the driver to pick you up. Qipei doesn¡¯t need toe; I can handle these matters by myself."

    She didn¡¯t be the Lady of the Zhan Family for nothing.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment and nced at the clock on the wall.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll head over now."

    She had intended to leave the matter till tomorrow since she had returned home from Purple Garden a bitte that evening, and she went to bed early. She wanted to let Lou Xinrou spend herst safe night peacefully, but the following days would not be as easy for her as they were now.

    However, Su Manhan insisted on dealing with the situation right away, faster than she expected.

    But, dealing with it this way was also for the best, not letting Lou Xinrou have the chance to sleepfortably.

    Su Manhan quickly agreed several times and hung up the phone straight away.

    Lou Family.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were the first to arrive. Upon learning of their arrival, Lou Pinshu stood up and went to the door to personally wee the mother and daughter.

    "Madam Zhan, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. What brings you to the Lou Family today? Eh, Nanqing has grown even more beautiful."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than he noticed the peculiar expressions on the faces of the mother and daughter, and by Su Manhan¡¯s expression, it was not hard to see that she was in an angry state, like the calm before a storm.

    But he had thought about it recently, and his family hadn¡¯t done anything to offend the Zhan Family.

    At that moment, Lou Xinrou happened toe out of her room, leisurely walking down the stairs, and raised her voice to instruct the nanny downstairs.

    "Auntie Tang, make me a cup of tea."

    Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she found herself facing the group of people standing at the hallway.

    Upon seeing Lou Xinrou¡¯s carefree demeanor, Su Manhan¡¯s temper red suddenly.

    "Old Master Lou, I won¡¯t beat around the bush, I¡¯m here for Lou Xinrou."

    It seemed that it was the right choice toe to the Lou Family personally. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have witnessed Lou Xinrou¡¯s carefree appearance, giving not only a sense ofpleteck of worry about being found out but also the impression that nothing had happened.

    Zhan Nanqing looked at the extremely rxed Lou Xinrou and rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    "Yes, Grandfather Lou, we have something very important to discuss with her. We need all the members of the Lou Family to be present for this matter. Are Uncle Lou and Auntie Yang at home?"

    A few hours earlier, she had been blind to forgive Lou Xinrou!

    Upon seeing their arrival, the smile on Lou Xinrou¡¯s face vanished in an instant as her eyes widened in shock at them.

    She stepped back nervously, "Auntie Su, Nanqing, what are you doing here?"

    She had been curious about who could warrant her grandfather¡¯s personal reception and hade downstairs specifically to see, only to find that it was Su Manhan and others seeking her out.

    But why would theye to find her at this time? Could it be to hold her ountable?!

    Just then, the doorbell of the Lou Family rang once more.

 Chapter 671 - 660 Protecting Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 671: Chapter 660 Protecting Qiao Jing</h4>

    As soon as Qiao Jing entered, she was faced with several people standing at the entrance.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Lou Pinshu¡¯s old eyes immediately brightened, and he spoke with even more respect.

    "Miss Qiao, howe you¡¯re here too? Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s not all stand around, pleasee sit with me on the sofa. Xinrou, go call your parents out."

    As he spoke, he started walking toward the sofa.

    Lou Xinrou was immediately stunned; she even had to call her parents out for such a grand disy.

    Could it be...

    Su Manhan and the others were here to demand an exnation in person?

    But hadn¡¯t that matter been let go already? Qiao Jing had let her leave, wouldn¡¯t it be fine as long as she never went to the Zhan Family again?

    Why had theye to her house now??

    Qiao Jing nced at Lou Xinrou, who was still standing on the stairs, slightly squinting her phoenix eyes, and after her gaze lingered on the other party for a few seconds, she withdrew it.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing stood on either side of Qiao Jing, like left and right guardians.

    Su Manhan affectionately linked arms with Qiao Jing, asionally ncing at her slightly bulging stomach.

    "Qiao Jing, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely help you get an exnationter. You just sit and wait for Lou Xinrou to apologize to you. With me here, they won¡¯t dare say a word against it."

    Although she really wanted to reach out and touch Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, to personally feel her grandson, what was more pressing was to get justice.

    Qiao Jing had originally wanted to deal with the matter herself, but since Su Manhan had already said so, she couldn¡¯t fail to give face to her, and reluctantly agreed.

    "Alright."

    Since seeing Lou Xinrou, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression had continuously been dark, not giving the other party any pleasant looks.

    She tantly red at Lou Xinrou with anger.

    "Qiao Jing, don¡¯t speakter. With my mom here, you won¡¯t suffer any losses, and I¡¯ll help too."

    Qiao Jing gently nodded her head, remaining silent.

    Lou Pinshu brewed a cup of tea himself and handed it to Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao, please have some tea first."

    Lou Xinrou, upon seeing this scene, was shocked and her eyes widened slightly.

    When she had a conflict with Qiao Jing before, it was one thing for her grandfather to side with Qiao Jing.

    But why was her grandfather still so respectful toward Qiao Jing now?!

    He had even personally brewed tea for Qiao Jing, and the tea used was his favorite and rare top-quality tea!

    This was a courtesy not even extended to Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing! What entitled Qiao Jing to receive it?

    Just as Lou Pinshu had finished pouring the tea for Qiao Jing, he noticed that Lou Xinrou was still stupidly standing on the stairs and rebuked her coldly:

    "Xinrou, I asked you to call someone, what are you foolishly standing there for?"

    Lou Xinrou, anxious and nervous, nced at the three people sitting on the sofa, her back already covered in cold sweat.

    She feared that Su Manhan and the others would tell her grandfather about her drugging them and did not want to leave; she wanted to keep an eye on everyone.

    But she didn¡¯t dare to disobey her grandfather¡¯s words and reluctantly moved her feet.

    "Alright..."

    Having said that, she made her way upstairs, looking back every three steps as she entered Mr. and Mrs. Lou¡¯s bedroom.

    Su Manhan took out a test report from her bag and ced it on the table.

    "Old Master Lou, I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you, please take a look at this test report for yourself."

    She didn¡¯t mind that Lou Pinshu was being so respectful toward Qiao Jing.

    In her heart, Qiao Jing¡¯s status at home ranked only second to Old Master Zhan, so it was only natural for her to be treated with respect.

    She wished so much to elevate Qiao Jing to the heavens with adoration, it was just a matter of having Lou Pinshu pour a cup of tea. If Qiao Jing were happy, she¡¯d even have the entire Zhan Family serve tea.

    Lou Pinshu had been curious about what Su Manhan and the others were doinging over today, and upon seeing them take out a test report, her sense of ominous premonition grew even stronger.

    She reached out to take the test report that Su Manhan handed over and froze for a moment when she saw the words "abortion drug."

    Lou Pinshu¡¯s brows furrowed and herplexion sank in an instant.

    "Madam Zhan, what does this mean?"

    Although he didn¡¯t yet know the specifics, this test report made him guess something.

    Su Manhan, with her arms crossed, spoke coldly:

    "Lou Xinrou came over to my house tonight, pretending to apologize with the intention of mending the rtionship. Qiao Jing agreed, and then she offered to cook for us. That¡¯s when your granddaughter put abortion drug in our food! Both Nanqing and I had a few bites. If Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t noticed, she might have eaten the food too!

    Do you know my daughter-inw is pregnant right now? Lou Xinrou was trying to kill my grandson!"

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Lou Pinshu was stunned and then furrowed his brows so tightly it was almost as if he could crush a fly.

    He nced at Lou Xinrou and the others, who were descending from the second floor with a grim expression, and asked somewhat uncertainly:

    "Madam Zhan, are you sure Xinrou did it?"

    He still couldn¡¯t believe that his granddaughter, whom he¡¯d watched grow up, could do such a harmful deed.

    But there was no reason for Su Manhan and the others to lie to him, and they even brought the test report with them.

    What was of even greater concern to him, though, was if it was truly his granddaughter who had administered the drug, it would not only be the Zhan Family¡¯s grandson at risk, but also Qiao Jing¡¯s child!

    Those were Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing!!!

    Su Manhan let out an unforgiving snort as she looked at Lou Xinrou and the othersing down the stairs.

    "Old Master Lou, I have no need to lie to you. I can perfectly well confront Lou Xinrou, even pull up surveince footage from my home! How will you handle this matter? I need a satisfactory solution."

    Lou Xinrou followed her parents Mr. Lou and Mrs. Lou down the stairs, spotting from a distance the somber expression on Lou Pinshu¡¯s face.

    She nced nervously at Su Manhan and the others and then suddenly caught sight of a piece of white paper in her grandfather¡¯s hand.

    Her eyes widened, her heart started to pound furiously, andrge beads of cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

    Subconsciously, she slowed her steps and hid behind her parents.

    Mr. Lou and Mrs. Lou, unaware of what had happened, greeted Su Manhan and the others with warm smiles.

    Mr. Lou greeted Su Manhan.

    "Madam Zhan, what brings you here today?"

    Mrs. Lou knew that Lou Xinrou had gone to the Zhan Family today to apologize and thought that the two families had reconciled, smiling as she spoke:

    "Are you looking for Xinrou? She just got back from the Zhan Family a little while ago!"

    Su Manhan sneered, her face void of any expression, as she replied:

    "Yes, she just got back from my home!"

    Mr. Lou and Mrs. Lou realized something was amiss, exchanged bewildered nces, and then both turned to look at Lou Xinrou together.

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s gaze began to flicker, and she clenched her fists nervously.

    Lou Pinshu caught the wavering in Lou Xinrou¡¯s gaze and noticed her subconscious move to hide behind her parents. He knew his granddaughter well enough to tell that she was hiding something from him.

    After hearing his daughter-inw¡¯s words, he only then learned that Lou Xinrou had been to the Zhan Family today, which when linked together...

    He was now thoroughly convinced of Su Manhan¡¯s words.

    Lou Pinshu, holding the test report and with a darkened face, stood up and walked toward Lou Xinrou.

 Chapter 672 - 661: Severely Taught a Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 672: Chapter 661: Severely Taught a Lesson</h4>

    Lou Xinrou nced over and saw the wrinkled medical report in Lou Pinshu¡¯s hand, and she stepped back several paces in guilt.

    "Grandfather..."

    Could this piece of paper be some sort of medical report?!

    Could it be... the dishes had been taken for testing so quickly?

    Without another word, Lou Pinshu forcefully pped the medical report into Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand, exuding an intimidating aura as he coldly demanded,

    "What did you do at the Zhan family today?! Look at what you¡¯ve done! Are you trying to kill me?!"

    Forced to catch the crumpled medical report, Lou Xinrou was startled by the words on it and involuntarily let go, letting the report fall to the ground.

    "I... Grandfather..."

    So Su Manhan and the others really had gone through with the tests!

    But didn¡¯t Qiao Jing say that as long as she left, they wouldn¡¯t test or call the police?!

    Qiao Jing must have done this deliberately! She wants to kill her!!

    This is just too hateful!

    Mr. Lou, who was clueless about the incident, saw the medical report fall to the ground, squatted down, and picked it up.

    After seeing three words on it, he paused.

    "Dad, what does this medical report mean?"

    Angered, Lou Pinshu grabbed a nearby walking stick and pounded it on the floor, producing a loud "thud."

    "What does it mean?! Your dear daughter went to cook for the Zhan family and dosed their food with drugs! And what she used was abortion drugs! Not only did Madam Zhan and Nanqing eat it, but even the pregnant Qiao Jing almost did!!"

    After saying this, he took a deep breath before continuing, his face a mix of disappointment and anger as he looked at Lou Xinrou.

    "She is trying to harm Qiao Jing!!!"

    Upon hearing Lou Pinshu¡¯s words, both Mr. and Mrs. Lou were stunned.

    Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mr. Lou turned his head to look at Lou Xinrou, who was hiding behind them.

    "Xinrou, did you do this?"

    He could never have imagined that his daughter wouldmit such an atrocious act!

    He had let other things pass before, but now, to resort to poisoning, how malicious could she be?!

    He knew there was a reason why Su Manhan and the others had insisted on gathering the whole family today¡ªit was for something like this!

    Mrs. Lou, meanwhile, looked at Lou Xinrou in disbelief, her voice trembling as she spoke.

    "Xin... Xinrou, weren¡¯t you supposed to apologize? Did you really... poison Auntie Su and the others? Please tell mom, you didn¡¯t do this!"

    After being interrogated by three elders, Lou Xinrou quickly lowered her head and took a few more steps back, her fists clenched tightly.

    "I... I..."

    At this point, she couldn¡¯t think of anything to argue; after all, both the dishes and the medical report were present. If she continued to pretend she knew nothing about it, it would be like treating everyone present as fools.

    She was furious!

    It was all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault for bringing this situation into her home!!

    With this thought, Lou Xinrou looked up and red viciously in the direction of Qiao Jing, her eyes shadowy as she stared relentlessy.

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her eyebrows and locked eyes with Lou Xinrou, her gaze icy cold.

    By this time, Lou Xinrou still had the nerve to threaten her with her eyes, apparently not feeling any regret for her actions.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Lou Xinrou¡¯s intimidating gaze and retorted unreservedly.

    "Lou Xinrou, who are you trying to scare with that look?!"

    Su Manhan immediately stood up and shielded Qiao Jing behind her.

    "Old Master Lou, I¡¯m sure from Lou Xinrou¡¯s behavior you can see it as well. Our families have been connected for so many years, and I never wanted to see Lou Xinrou turn out like this. But her drugging us is a fact, and I must have an exnation, starting with demanding a formal apology to Qiao Jing!"

    Mr. Lou, furious, stormed up to Lou Xinrou, dragged her down the stairs, and then raised his hand and pped her twice without a word.

    "p¡ªp¡ª"

    "Xinrou! Why would you do such a thing? You actually had the audacity to harm someone?!"

    Now that his daughter had done this, it was not only worsening the rtionship between the Lou and Zhan families, but it also made him doubt his own parenting methods.

    He could tolerate minor mischief, a scolding, or even grounding, but now it had escted to drugging someone; even as her biological father, he could not easily forgive her as if it were just a small matter.

    How could their family raise someone like this?!

    Lou Xinrou, stunned by the relentless ps, staggered and almost fell to the ground.

    As she came to her senses, she felt a fiery pain on both sides of her face, realizing without even touching that her face was swollen.

    Lou Xinrou held her cheek, wincing and grimacing in pain when she inadvertently touched her face, tears uncontrobly spilling out.

    "Dad, you hit me...?"

    Even if she had made a mistake, her dad shouldn¡¯t hit her, right?

    If it were her grandfather sternly punishing or hitting her, she could ept it, but her mother and father were the ones who loved her the most at home¡ªhow could they now raise their hands against her?

    And she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong! It was that wretched woman Qiao Jing who insisted on having Brother Pei¡¯s baby!

    Mr. Lou snorted coldly, trembling with anger.

    "Youmitted such an outrageous act and still ask me why I hit you? Have I raised a murderer over these years?"

    Mrs. Lou, although agreeing that her daughter was at fault, couldn¡¯t hold back her tears when she saw Lou Xinrou being hit, looking at her child with heartache.

    As Mr. Lou was about to hit Lou Xinrou again, she quickly stepped forward to stop him.

    "Enough, you¡¯ve already pped Xinrou twice. Don¡¯t hit her anymore; the most important thing is to let her apologize first!"

    Seeing Mrs. Lou intervening, Mr. Lou reluctantly withdrew his hand, ring at Lou Xinrou.

    "Go! Apologize to Madam Zhan and make sure you are sincere when you apologize to Miss Qiao!"

    Lou Xinrou stubbornly stood in ce, refusing to move, and just stared intensely at Qiao Jing.

    She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. How could a country girl like Qiao Jing possibly be worthy of Brother Pei?

    Apologize?

    She didn¡¯t want to!

    Mrs. Lou, seeing that Lou Xinrou refused to apologize, frowned and urged:

    "Xinrou! You made a mistake this time; go and apologize to Miss Qiao and the others now!"

    Being scolded by Mrs. Lou, Lou Xinrou widened her eyes, looking at her in disbelief.

    "Mom, you¡¯re scolding me too? But I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong. It must have been Qiao Jing who shamelessly drugged Brother Pei and then¡ª"

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Lou Pinshu¡¯s cane heavily struck her behind the knee, causing her to fall to her knees in pain, right in front of Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 673 - 662 Kowtow and Apologize

    <h4>Chapter 673: Chapter 662 Kowtow and Apologize</h4>

    Lou Xinrou cried out in pain in an instant.

    "Ah¡ª¡ª!!!"

    Mrs. Lou, rmed by the sight, subconsciously wanted to help Lou Xinrou get up, but Lou Pinshu stopped her with a look.

    Lou Pinshu, disappointed like iron not turning into steel, shook his head and gripped his walking stick tightly.

    "Lou Xinrou! You dare to speak insolently even now! Immediately apologize to Miss Qiao and Madam Zhan!"

    Struck hard, Lou Xinrou felt a sharp pain in her legs, and raising her head, she saw Qiao Jing, realizing she was kneeling before him.

    She clenched her teeth, enduring the pain and trying to stand up.

    Being beaten and scolded in front of Qiao Jing was one thing, but to apologize now?

    Only over her dead body!

    Just as Lou Xinrou was about to bend a leg, Lou Pinshu¡¯s walking stick pressed down on her shoulder, immobilizing half of her body.

    "Lou Xinrou, I am telling you onest time, offer a sincere apology to Miss Qiao."

    Mrs. Lou, feeling deeply pained at this moment, dared not speak out because of Lou Pinshu¡¯s presence, and could only pin her hopes on Mr. Lou.

    She whispered:

    "Won¡¯t you speak up for your daughter? She¡¯s already been hit and scolded, kneeling looks so disgraceful."

    Mr. Lou looked expressionlessly at Lou Xinrou, who was kneeling on the ground, and snorted coldly.

    "Don¡¯t persuade me or dad. As elders, we also bear responsibility for her turning out like this! If she had seeded with the drugging, she would be a murderer, facing prison!"

    Upon hearing the words "murderer," Mrs. Lou finally shut her mouthpletely, not daring to persuade anyone further.

    Lou Xinrou knelt on the ground, gritting her teeth and again trying to stand, but the cane on her shoulder made it impossible to move.

    She clenched her fists tightly, her fingernails digging deep into her flesh without feeling anything.

    Finally, she very reluctantly spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito¡¯s.

    "I... am sorry..."

    She knew this was thest chance her grandfather was giving her, and if she did not submit this time, the consequences would be even more severe.

    Su Manhan was not satisfied with the apology, frowning.

    "Old Master Lou, is this her attitude in apologizing?"

    Had Qiao Jing not realized something was amiss, she might well have lost her precious daughter-inw and their three unborn grandsons today!

    So whether the Lou family spoke harshly or acted violently today, she had to make Qiao Jing hear a sincere apology.

    Lou Pinshu was also very unsatisfied with Lou Xinrou¡¯s attitude in her apology, increasing the pressure on his walking stick a bit.

    "Lou Xinrou, show the proper attitude for an apology, be sincere! How did I teach you when you were younger? Did you just forget it all as you grew up?!"

    His granddaughter¡¯s actions had already angered him enough, but now this attitude in apologizing was just adding fuel to the fire!

    It seemed all his years of teaching had been in vain!!

    Lou Xinrou, feeling rebellious, struggled a few times trying to stand, but the cane was too heavy. With her legs also hurting, she could not get up.

    She bit her lip hard, until it broke and began to taste blood, then raised her voice.

    "Qiao Jing, I¡¯m sorry, Auntie Su, Nanqing, I¡¯m sorry! This was all my fault. I will never again have any dealings with the Zhan Family, nor will I bother you any further."

    From his higher position, Qiao Jing looked down at Lou Xinrou, his gaze piercing her like ice des, his lips slightly parted.

    "Is an apology all you have?"

    She would not go easy on Lou Xinrou. Trying to kill her child was not something that could be resolved with a mere apology.

    Upon hearing this, Lou Xinrou staggered for a moment, then her face contorted as if she wanted to tear Qiao Jing apart.

    "Because of you, I not only endured two ps and a cudgel but also knelt to apologize to you. What more do you want? What do you want besides an apology?!"

    Qiao Jing lightly arched her delicate eyebrows, her phoenix eyes devoid of any emotion, as her cold gaze intensively focused on Lou Xinrou¡¯s swollen cheeks.

    She slightly curled her lips in a smile, yet her face carried not a hint of amusement, her voice cold as ice, piercing to the bone.

    "Do you think an apology is enough for this matter?"

    Under Lou Pinshu¡¯s threat, Lou Xinrou¡¯s apology just now was not voluntary, but she had apologized at least.

    But this matter was not so easily resolved with an apology.

    Lou Xinrou had to look up to meet Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes; in that moment, she suddenly felt like a lowly, insignificant ant, while the other was like a godly being.

    That thoughtsted only a second in her mind before she dismissed it.

    It was absurd; Qiao Jing was just a country bumpkin, how could she ever entertain such a thought?

    Thinking this, Lou Xinrou was just about to continue spewing venom when she felt the cane on her shoulder press down harder.

    Then her shoulder was struck again, causing her to grimace in pain, unable to speak.

    Lou Pinshu solemnly apologized to Qiao Jing: "Miss Qiao, I am truly sorry, we have failed in our discipline. Rest assured, I will not let this matter rest like this, and I will deal with her using familywter."

    After saying this, he tapped Lou Xinrou¡¯s head with his cane.

    "Apologize to Miss Qiao by bowing your head!"

    Initially, he thought that if Lou Xinrou apologized properly, there would be no need to force her to kowtow or anything, but now, right after making a proper apology, she started being rude again!

    This time, Lou Xinrou was so shocked that her jaw nearly dropped. She struggled a few times attempting to raise her head, but the cane was still firmly pressed against the back of her skull, forcing her to kowtow unwillingly.

    "Qiao Jing, I¡¯m sorry!"

    Her grandfather, he actually made her kowtow in apology?!

    This was not only a loss of her face but also the face of the Lou family!

    Only then did Qiao Jing lift her eyes to Lou Pinshu, her gaze lingering on him for a few seconds before she looked away.

    "Fine."

    Although she wanted to deal with Lou Xinrou in her own way, since Lou Pinshu had already spoken, she had to give him some respect.

    Partly because Lou Pinshu was from her grandfather¡¯s generation and also the president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association.

    Moreover, and most importantly, she could see that Lou Pinshu was an upright person, including Mr. Lou, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have disciplined Lou Xinrou right in front of them.

    Su Manhan saw that Qiao Jing had said this and chose not to say anything further.

    "Then, Elder Lou, we will be leaving first."

    Lou Pinshu nodded, and Mr. and Mrs. Lou quickly escorted Qiao Jing and the others to the door.

    After Qiao Jing and the others left, Lou Pinshu retracted his cane and ced it aside.

    Lou Xinrou slumped onto the sofa, applying the hot egg her mother gave her.

    She had already been confined once; she felt nothing special about this incident. It was merely another confinement, so she began to speak without any reservations.

    "Grandfather! Why were you so polite to Qiao Jing? When she first arrived, not only did you use your favorite tea cake, but you also personally poured tea for her! Even Auntie Su didn¡¯t receive such treatment. What qualifications does a country girl have? Moreover, this wasn¡¯t my fault to begin with! If it hadn¡¯t been for Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance, the person marrying Brother Pei should have been me!"

 Chapter 674 - 663: Because Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing

    <h4>Chapter 674: Chapter 663: Because Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing</h4>

    Lou Pinshu narrowed those aged eyes and scrutinized Lou Xinrou carefully.

    If he hadn¡¯t confirmed that the person in front of him was truly his granddaughter, he might have suspected that his granddaughter was possessed by an evil spirit, to do such a malicious thing.

    But where exactly was the problem? His teaching methods were clearly correct, so why would his granddaughter do such a thing?

    Lou Pinshu grew increasingly angry as he thought about it, and he scolded,

    "You still don¡¯t know how to repent up to now! You still think it¡¯s someone else¡¯s fault? Lou Xinrou! I see that all my teachings were in vain! You have the gall tomit a crime like murder, and now do you still think it¡¯s Qiao Jing¡¯s fault in your heart? Haven¡¯t you realized your own mistake?!"

    Lou Xinrou was frightened by Lou Pinshu¡¯s roar, her neck shrinking guiltily as she retorted stubbornly,

    "It was indeed her fault! If she hadn¡¯t stolen Brother Pei from me, none of this would have happened."

    As soon as she finished speaking, she realized Lou Pinshu¡¯s expression had turned even more somber, and knowing he was still angry, she cautiously said,

    "Grandfather... please don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ll ept being grounded for two months as punishment."

    Lou Pinshu let out a coldugh.

    "Grounded? You think too simply of the matter."

    Upon hearing Lou Pinshu¡¯s words, everyone present was taken aback.

    Lou Xinrou looked at Lou Pinshu with a puzzled expression, asking in confusion,

    "Grandfather, what do you mean by this? Could it be that besides grounding me, there are other punishments?"

    Lou Pinshu¡¯s face was very serious as he dropped a bombshell that shocked everyone in the Lou Family to the core.

    "No, I am nning to kick you out of the house, let you temper yourself properly in society, grind away your youngdy¡¯s temperament before you return! While outside, you can also learn to restrain yourself. If I don¡¯t call for you, you are not to return to the Lou Family!"

    After hearing this, Lou Xinrou sat rigidly on the sofa, the egg in her hand dropping and smashing on the floor.

    Could it be a mistake?

    Her grandfather was actually nning to kick her out of the house? Just because of the drug incident?

    But the drugging didn¡¯t even seed, why should she be kicked out?!

    Mr. Lou furrowed his brows, ncing at Lou Xinrou¡¯s swollen cheeks, but remained silent.

    Mrs. Lou, on the other hand, began to cry, her tears flowing freely as she quickly went to Lou Xinrou¡¯s side. Looking at her daughter with a swollen face, she felt so pained that she took another hot egg and began rolling it on her daughter¡¯s face.

    "Dad, Qiao Jing and the others have left now, and not only has Xinrou been hit, but she was also struck by your cane several times, and just now she even kowtowed! Now you want to kick her out of the house, isn¡¯t that going too far?"

    She paused, fearful that Lou Pinshu really intended to cast out Lou Xinrou, and continued to plead,

    "Xinrou has already apologized and admitted her wrongdoing, just grounding her and not letting her go out should be enough, after all, she is your own granddaughter!"

    Lou Pinshu¡¯s expression did not soften at all following this plea, and he stubbornly said,

    "No! If I said I will kick her out, then I will kick her out, either send her to the countryside or abroad to cool off for a while beforeing back!"

    This incident was far too serious, and it couldn¡¯t simply be resolved by grounding her, particrly since he had promised Divine Doctor Jing to deal with her ording to the familyw.

    But when he established the familyw, he had never imagined that someone in the family would do such a vicious thing, and so had not set aw for this kind of act.

    As for the expulsion from the family, that was an idea he came up with on the spot, and a method he believed would be effectively punitive.

    Mr. Lou found the situation growing stranger by the minute, his brows furrowed tightly.

    It was only from Xinrou¡¯s words just now that he found out, his father, who was very traditional and somewhat prideful, had actually poured tea for a junior.

    This alone was strange enough to him, and another thing was, Xinrou had made mistakes before, but those were resolved with a scolding or confinement; it had never been as serious as today.

    And his wife was right, Xinrou had apologized, had not only been hit but had also kowtowed. The next step should be confinement for punishment.

    So why was the old man still so angry now? To the point of deciding to kick Xinrou out of the house? What was the reason?

    Mrs. Lou was unwilling to ept it, immediately pulling Lou Xinrou into her arms.

    "Dad, please don¡¯t be angry, and please don¡¯t kick Xinrou out of the house! She¡¯s still young and doesn¡¯t understand things. If she were to go to the countryside, how could she possibly survive? And abroad, unfamiliar with life there, what if something happened to her?"

    As she saw the old man¡¯s face growing darker, her heart became even more frightened, but for Lou Xinrou¡¯s sake, she braved on speaking.

    "No matter what, we can¡¯t kick Xinrou out of the house! Otherwise, how about wepensate the Zhan Family with some money? If that¡¯s not enough, we can apologize again and send some gifts."

    Lou Xinrou nodded in agreement, then added:

    "Grandfather, no matter what, Qiao Jing is still a country person at the end of the day. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s protected by the Zhan Family. Why bother kicking me out of the house for her? Moreover, there arepanies coborating with our family besides the Zhan Family."

    Upon hearing Lou Xinrou¡¯s words, Lou Pinshu¡¯s fury intensified. He went straight to the tea table, picked up the purple y teapot in the center, and without hesitation, smashed it towards Lou Xinrou¡¯s feet.

    With a "bang," the purple y teapot shattered into pieces on the ground.

    Shortly after, he scolded coldly.

    "Everyone shut up! When I say kick out of the house, it means kick out of the house!"

    This made Lou Xinrou and the others all close their mouths, not daring to utter another word.

    This was the old man¡¯s cherished purple y teapot, which others were not even allowed to touch, passed down from three generations, with even a thickyer of tea patina.

    The old man had always treasured it, and it was unexpected that in a fit of anger today, he had smashed it to pieces, showing how furious he was.

    But it really shouldn¡¯t be, was it necessary to smash the purple y teapot just over Qiao Jing, especially since she was simply relying on the Zhan Family¡¯s backing?

    Lou Pinshu¡¯s gaze fell on Lou Xinrou, and his deep and weathered voice resounded.

    "Xinrou, do you know who that country person Qiao Jing you speak of actually is?"

    Lou Xinrou shook her head in confusion and replied:

    "Who is who? Isn¡¯t Qiao Jing just a wild girl from the countryside? Could she possibly have some hidden identity? I don¡¯t believe it."

    Lou Pinshu sighed as he looked at the still unrepentant Lou Xinrou.

    "There¡¯s something I originally didn¡¯t want to tell you, but if I don¡¯t let you know, you alone couldpletely destroy the Lou family! And you will thoroughly offend Qiao Jing! By then, our Lou family might be ruined because of you!"

    Mr. Lou and the others felt even more perplexed as they listened, exchanging nces.

    Lou Xinrou asked doubtfully:

    "Grandfather, what do you mean by this? Are you worried I have offended Qiao Jing and consequently the Zhan Family? But the Zhan Family can¡¯t possibly go that far! At most, they would just cut ties with us."

    Lou Pinshu shook his head, his tone gravely serious:

    "No, just Qiao Jing alone is someone our Lou Family can¡¯t afford to offend because¡ªbecause she is Divine Doctor Jing!"

 Chapter 675 - 664: Kicked out of the house!

    <h4>Chapter 675: Chapter 664: Kicked out of the house!</h4>

    Upon hearing Lou Pinshu¡¯s words, everyone present was stunned, their faces simultaneously showing expressions of disbelief.

    In Lou Xinrou¡¯s mind, a scene suddenly appeared where she had overheard Zhou Fu calling Qiao Jing ¡¯Master.¡¯

    At the time, she simply thought it wasn¡¯t possible for Qiao Jing to be Divine Doctor Jing, so she didn¡¯t even consider that possibility and assumed it referred to some other type of master.

    Qiao Jing was actually Divine Doctor Jing?!

    So all the times she had fought with Qiao Jing over things at Wonderful Hall, in the other¡¯s eyes, she must have seemed like nothing more than a jumping clown??

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face disyed a smile uglier than crying as she lowered her head despondently, sinking into the sofa and muttering to herself:

    "No wonder Brother Pei likes Qiao Jing so much... Turns out Qiao Jing had this identity, not the country bumpkin I thought she was... So that¡¯s how it is... No wonder Brother Pei likes Qiao Jing so much..."

    To know just how great Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s reputation was throughout the entire empire, even Wonderful Hall was said to be owned by Divine Doctor Jing, and Qiao Jing was not just Divine Doctor Jing, but also the owner of Wonderful Hall.

    And she had thought Qiao Jing was truly just some country bumpkin with nothing special about her, totally unworthy of Brother Pei...

    In the end, she was the real clown.

    Mr. and Mrs. Lou exchanged shocked nces.

    They had never imagined that Qiao Jing could have such a status.

    Mrs. Lou, seeing Lou Xinrou¡¯s deste state, moved forward tofort her by patting her shoulder.

    "Xinrou, after this matter, you should stop thinking about Zhan Qipei. Our Lou Family will probably no longer have dealings with the Zhan Family. We just need to focus on doing our own thing. But you absolutely mustn¡¯t do such things again!"

    After delivering this stern message, she still wanted to speak up for Lou Xinrou. Otherwise, based on the patriarch¡¯s current mindset, her daughter would definitely be kicked out of the family!

    Although Qiao Jing¡¯s status as Divine Doctor Jing was indeed something that warranted their great respect, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of kicking their own daughter out of the house.

    "Dad, even though Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing and has the protection of the Zhan Family people, but--"

    She had not finished her sentence when Lou Pinshu raised his hand and interrupted her.

    "Do you think her identity is that simple?"

    Lou Xinrou, who had been hanging her head low, stood up quickly upon hearing this, approached Lou Pinshu, and grabbed his hand.

    Close to hysteria, she asked:

    "Grandfather, what do you mean by that? Does she have yet another identity?!"

    She couldn¡¯t ept that Qiao Jing had another identity! Absolutely not!

    Just being Divine Doctor Jing had already crushed her, and if there were other identities, then she...

    Lou Pinshu snorted coldly and shrugged off Lou Xinrou¡¯s hand.

    "She is not just Divine Doctor Jing; she is also Professor Qiao!"

    This revtion plunged the Lou family¡¯s living room into a silence as deep as death.

    Lou Xinrou, like a wooden doll, stood frozen, her eyes wide and mouth open in an ¡¯O¡¯ shape, staring nkly at Lou Pinshu.

    That was Professor Qiao! The renowned figure who had made significant contributions in the field of agricultural science!

    If her grandfather¡¯s words were true, then she couldn¡¯t evenpare to a single hair on Qiao Jing¡¯s head!

    Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Lou¡¯s jaws nearly dropped in shock.

    They would have never thought that these two personas could belong to the same person, and that person was right beside them!

    For Qiao Jing, a young girl, to hold both of these incredible identities concurrently was simply unthinkable!

    No wonder the patriarch was so respectful, personally pouring tea for Qiao Jing and even considering kicking Xinrou out of the family over this matter.

    Still clinging to thest shred of hope, Lou Xinrou asked:

    "Grandpa, how did you find out? Are you sure Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing and Professor Qiao?"

    Lou Pinshu snorted.

    "You don¡¯t believe me either? I overheard it from Master Han¡¯s conversation by chance, and Qiao Jing admitted it herself."

    Lou Xinrou¡¯s face turned ashen as she looked at Lou Pinshu and finally copsed onto the ground, sitting down with a thud.

    Why... why is it always Qiao Jing?!

    Isn¡¯t Qiao Jing just a country bumpkin? How could she have two such impressive identities?

    Lou Pinshu called for the nanny and said coldly,

    "Go pack her bags now, and have the driver take her back to the countryside."

    At this point, Mr. and Mrs. Lou werepletely out of options. If they tried to speak up for Lou Xinrou again, they would be opposing the elder.

    And considering Qiao Jing¡¯s two identities, their daughter would¡¯ve harmed the child of Professor Qiao!

    That child was a national priority for protection, and if Xinrou had seeded today, it would¡¯ve been more than just a murderer going to jail.

    The entire Lou Family could very well be dragged down as a consequence!

    Lou Xinrou sat on the ground with her head drooping, motionless, just waiting for Lou Pinshu¡¯s arrangement.

    Meanwhile, at Purple Garden.

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t let Qiao Jing return to Nantai Apartment, instead, she brought her back to Purple Garden.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to get out of the car, suddenly a hand supported her arm and tried to help her down.

    Qiao Jing looked helplessly at Su Manhan and forced a smile.

    "Madam Zhan, there¡¯s no need for such exaggeration."

    During the ride, Su Manhan had persistently asked her what she wanted to eat and even suggested she move into Purple Garden to have personal care.

    Those offers already seemed exaggerated to her, but she hadn¡¯t expected Su Manhan would want to support her even as she stepped out of the car.

    She knew the other party wanted to take good care of her, but she didn¡¯t really want to ept so many kindnesses from Su Manhan.

    Because she had always been considering an exit n, worrying that if she eventually felt ipatible with Zhan Qipei and chose to leave, Su Manhan would be hurt.

    Su Manhan stubbornly supported Qiao Jing, escorting her all the way to the living room sofa before she was willing to let go.

    "Qiao Jing, I¡¯ve asked someone to prepare some bird¡¯s nest for you to drink, to nourish your body properly. You are really too thin; I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to cope and might harm your health.

    After all, it¡¯s three children! Oh, and I¡¯m going to look for a maternity nanny right now, I have to find a good one; you cannot be overworked.

    Oh yes, I must go and prepare the rooms for my grandsons! I¡¯ve been longing for them for so long, and now I can hardly contain my joy."

    Qiao Jing watched as Su Manhan started to contact people with her phone, sighed helplessly.

    Zhan Nanqing sat down next to Qiao Jing and picked up an apple from the table, handing it to her.

    "Although my mom is indeed a bit over the top, it¡¯s just her personality. Besides, most of her friends have be grandmothers, so she feels left out. Now that she knows she is going to be a grandmother herself, she definitely wants to tell the whole world about it."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she gently ced her hand on her belly.

    "Mm, I know."

    Just as Su Manhan was about to brag to her friends, she suddenly remembered the thing Qiao Jing had kept from her.

    Her hand, poised to make a call, paused for a moment, and her gazended on Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly protruding belly as she tentatively asked,

    "Qiao Jing, may I tell my friends about this?"

 Chapter 676 - 665: Is Jing Girl Pregnant?

    <h4>Chapter 676: Chapter 665: Is Jing Girl Pregnant?</h4>

    Qiao Jing pondered for a while before finally agreeing.

    "Okay."

    Actually, she didn¡¯t want the news of her pregnancy to be widely known, but she knew that Su Manhan was very happy now and wanted to share this joy with others.

    Even though she realized that if she agreed, Su Manhan would let everyone in the upper echelons of the Imperial Capital know about it, she still didn¡¯t want to hold her back.

    With no other choice, she could only agree to let Su Manhan spread the news.

    A smile returned to Su Manhan¡¯s face as she happily picked up her phone and made a call to Zhan Yuanshan first.

    "Dad! Qiao Jing is pregnant! I¡¯m going to be a grandmother! You¡¯re going to be a great-grandfather!!"

    Zhan Yuanshan was traveling in another province and was asleep at the moment when a call woke him up, immediately causing him to be angry.

    Upon hearing what Su Manhan said, the anger he was feeling instantly froze in its tracks.

    "What? Jing Girl is pregnant? I¡¯m going to be a great-grandfather?"

    Su Manhan nodded vigorously, smiling so broadly that her face seemed to blossom.

    "Yes! Dad, when are youing back to have a look?"

    After he clearly heard this sentence, Zhan Yuanshan was jolted awake, bing instantly invigorated.

    "I¡¯ll have to stay here a little longer before I can return, but never mind that now, I¡¯m going to be a great-grandfather! Hand over the phone to Jing Girl; let me video call her and see for myself!"

    Su Manhan, smiling, hung up the phone and came over to Qiao Jing¡¯s side. While fiddling with the phone, she said:

    "I¡¯ve already had someone prepare Bird¡¯s Nest and soup for you, even if you¡¯re not hungry you should have a few sips. The Old Master now knows you¡¯re pregnant and wants to talk to you on the phone!"

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t help but tease upon seeing Su Manhan¡¯s flower-like smile.

    "Keep smiling like that, and your mouth corners are going to be shoulder to shoulder with the sun..."

    Before she could finish, she felt a sudden pain on her forehead.

    Su Manhan, having heard what Zhan Nanqing had just teased, didn¡¯t say a word before raising her hand and giving her a knock on the head.

    "Who are you talking about?"

    Zhan Nanqing covered her forehead in pain and scooted next to Qiao Jing, grumbling quietly:

    "Telling the truth these days gets you hit."

    Qiao Jing smiled helplessly, her eyes catching a glimpse of the phone screen which Su Manhan was using to make a call.

    "Madam Zhan, Grandpa Zhan is on the phone."

    Su Manhan then let go of Zhan Nanqing and handed the phone to Qiao Jing, turning to her own daughter and saying:

    "I¡¯ll deal with youter."

    Qiao Jing took the phone and saw the radiant face of Zhan Yuanshan on the screen.

    "Grandpa Zhan."

    She didn¡¯t even need to start a conversation with Zhan Yuanshan, his expression alone showed how happy he was.

    Zhan Yuanshan hurriedly responded with a few "ehs" and looked at Qiao Jing with a smiling face.

    "Jing Girl, how have you been feelingtely? How many months pregnant are you? Howe you didn¡¯t tell this old man?"

    He paused for a moment and then continued.

    "You know how much I¡¯ve been wanting a great-grandchild, were you trying to keep it a secret from me? nning to give me a surprise?"

    Qiao Jing could tell that although the old man¡¯s words were chiding, there wasn¡¯t a hint of me in them.

    She pressed her lips together in slight exasperation and replied:

    "Grandpa Zhan, I¡¯m sorry, there were some things so I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m over four months along."

    Zhan Yuanshan knew that Qiao Jing had her reasons for not sharing the news, so he didn¡¯t pursue the matter further and changed the subject.

    "You haven¡¯t told me how you are! If I weren¡¯t traveling in another province right now, and if it weren¡¯t for a few Old Zhanrades keeping me here for a while, I would be back right now to see my great-grandchild."

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s excited demeanor, somewhat worried about the other¡¯s health.

    "My health is quite good, Grandpa Zhan, try not to get too excited. Isn¡¯t it around this time that you usually rest?"

    She was concerned that Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s emotions might be too agitated, which could affect his health, and that would be a loss.

    Zhan Yuanshan waved his hand, repeatedly touching his beard.

    "Who needs sleep when I can think about my great-grandchild? Manhan, take Jing Girl for a prenatal checkup tomorrow, and send me the report to have a look."

    Right now, he could hardly wait to fly back to the capital, but he rarely got to gather with these oldrades-in-arms, so it would be inappropriate to leave abruptly halfway through.

    Fortunately, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could return. Otherwise, he would have flown back to the capital immediately because he couldn¡¯t wait to see Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Su Manhan readily agreed.

    "I understand, Dad."

    Qiao Jing sighed helplessly and slowly said:

    "Grandpa Zhan, I¡¯m a doctor myself; my health is quite good, there¡¯s no need to go to the hospital."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan instantly furrowed his brows, speaking in a serious tone.

    "No way! Jing Girl, I know you have excellent medical skills, but you have to consider me, an old man far away in the province. You need to get checked so I can see my great-grandchildren. If you don¡¯t agree to the checkup, I won¡¯t sleep tonight."

    Seeing the Old Naughty Boy on the other side of the phone, Qiao Jing had no choice but to agree.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll go for the checkup tomorrow."

    Zhan Nanqing gave Zhan Yuanshan another surprise just before he was about to hang up the phone.

    "Grandpa, Qiao Jing is expecting triplets."

    Upon hearing this sentence, Zhan Yuanshan widened his eyes, looking incredulously at Qiao Jing.

    "Jing Girl, really? Triplets? I have three great-grandchildren!!"

    Before Qiao Jing could reply, she saw Zhan Yuanshan stand up on the screen, causing the camera to shake violently, followed by his voice.

    "Hey! Old Zhao, let me tell you, I have three great-grandchildren!"

    "Old Liu, I have three great-grandchildren! I remember you only have two, right? I have one more than you!"

    "Old Fu! Stop sleeping, stop sleeping, I¡¯m going to be a great-grandfather!"

    "..."

    After showing off to his buddies for a while, Zhan Yuanshan finally hung up the phone with great satisfaction.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but let out a snicker.

    Zhan Yao came down from the second floor at this time, his eyes brightening upon seeing Qiao Jing.

    He hurried over to the couch but happened to encounter the nanny carrying soup over, so he took it from her and ced it on the table.

    "Qiao Jing, if you feel unwell at any point after this, you must tell us."

    Su Manhan looked at Zhan Yao disdainfully, pushed him aside, and said:

    "Pah, pah, pah! Qiao Jing won¡¯t feel unwell. You better go back to your room and mind your own business; men shouldn¡¯t butt into women¡¯s conversations!"

    Zhan Yao¡¯s mouth twitched speechlessly, but he didn¡¯t want to refute Su Manhan¡¯s remark and instead turned to go upstairs.

    Thinking back on all the things that happened today, Qiao Jing felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

    It was the first time since Grandpa Zhang¡¯s passing that she had experienced the feeling of home.

    Now that the Zhan family was so kind to her, with our joking bickering, she felt like she was part of the Zhan family, having blended in.

    Su Manhan served Qiao Jing a bowl of soup, cing it in front of her, ready to discuss something.

    Just as Zhan Qipei opened the front door, he overheard Su Manhan saying:

    "Why don¡¯t you stay at Purple Garden for this period? Qipei is a man; he might not be so meticulous in taking care of you during your pregnancy. Especially the month before your due date, you have to be even more cautious. It would be better if you moved here, more convenient."

 Chapter 677 - 666 Loved by Thousands

    <h4>Chapter 677: Chapter 666 Loved by Thousands</h4>

    As soon as Su Manhan finished speaking and was about to straighten her waist, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze.

    She coughed twice, attempting to use it to cover up the awkwardness.

    "Qipei, what brings you here?"

    "I¡¯m here to take Qiao Jing home, Mom. I will take good care of her."

    If he had note, his wife might have been whisked away by his own mother.

    Not long ago, he noticed that Qiao Jing had been out for quite a while and hadn¡¯t returned. After sending a message and asking about it, he learned that the news of his wife¡¯s pregnancy had been revealed, and she was currently at Purple Garden.

    He was clear on how it had been revealed, but since Qiao Jing had said she had handled it, he would not interfere any further.

    Seeing this, Su Manhan immediately intercepted him, shaking her head.

    "No, no, let Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden. I will take care of her personally."

    She really wasn¡¯t at ease with Qiao Jing staying at Nantai Apartment, not because she truly believed her son would not take good care of her, but there are some things that only a woman who has given birth could understand.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his eyebrows, his dark eyes deepening, and said stubbornly:

    "Mom, I can take good care of Qiao Jing."

    If he let Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden, it would make it even harder for him to climb into bed at night.

    He absolutely could not let her stay at Purple Garden!

    Besides, recently, he had also learned a lot about things pregnant women need to be cautious of, and he was confident that he could take good care of Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan also furrowed her brows, her face filled with worry.

    "Qipei, just listen to Mom. Let Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden, okay?"

    Zhan Qipei looked helplessly at Su Manhan and rubbed his forehead.

    "Mom, I¡¯ve already read up a lot on the science and learned plenty of recipes for pregnant women, so don¡¯t worry."

    If she stayed at Purple Garden, first and foremost the fact that he couldn¡¯t climb into bed with her was already something he couldn¡¯t ept.

    Moreover, once at Purple Garden, given his mother¡¯s character, she would definitely want to stick close to Qiao Jing and take all sorts of care of her, and that would forcibly reduce his alone time with Qiao Jing.

    He just wanted to live a world for two with Qiao Jing.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei so adamant, Su Manhan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered that her son had not yetpletely won over Qiao Jing.

    It was then she gave up on the idea of having Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden.

    "Alright then, if you don¡¯t have time to pick up Qiao Jing from work, just let me know, and I¡¯ll send the driver. Also, now that Qiao Jing is pregnant, I will definitely visit the apartment often, and you must not mind. Otherwise, let Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden. And at home, you must never let her do any housework. If she gets tired, I¡¯m holding you ountable!"

    Zhan Qipei immediately agreed.

    "Mom, I have never let Qiao Jing do any housework."

    Faced with the choice between having Qiao Jing stay at Purple Garden or his mother visiting frequently, he chose thetter without hesitation.

    Qiao Jing watched the two of them squabble over this matter and suddenly had an illusion.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t seem like Su Manhan¡¯s biological son, but rather a son-inw. Conversely, she felt like the biological daughter herself.

    It was like witnessing a scene where the mother-inw was worried about her biological daughter and the son-inw kept assuring her earnestly.

    Zhan Nanqing thought the same as Qiao Jing, and she sneakily leaned toward her, whispering:

    "Qiao Jing, don¡¯t you think this is like a mother-inw and son-inw? If someone didn¡¯t know better, they might think my brother isn¡¯t her biological child."

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and shared a smile with Zhan Nanqing.

    The following morning.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t go to work today as she usually did; she remembered the promise from yesterday.

    "I need to go to the hospital for a check-up, otherwise Grandpa Zhan will definitely make a fuss again."

    Suddenly, the scene where Zhan Yuanshan threatened Zhan Qipei with jumping off a building shed through her mind; if such a thing were to happen to her...

    Qiao Jing felt a headacheing on and stretched her hand to massage her temples. The event hadn¡¯t even urred yet, and she was already feeling the headache. Better to just obediently go for the check-up.

    After meeting up with Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing at the hospital entrance, the trio headed to the obstetrics and gynecology department.

    Thanks to Su Manhan¡¯s arrangements, the results of Qiao Jing¡¯s check-up came out quickly, showing that all three babies were healthy.

    Seeing that the check-up was done, Qiao Jing prepared to head to the research institute for work.

    But when she turned around, she noticed that Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were still huddled together, continuously staring at the ultrasound images.

    Just as she approached them, she heard them discussing the ultrasound.

    Su Manhan first extended her hand to touch the picture and then pointed excitedly at one of the children, discussing with Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, look how cute these three little ones are!"

    It was Zhan Nanqing¡¯s first time seeing an ultrasound, and the sight of the three little ones curled up together in Qiao Jing¡¯s belly instantly made her heart swell with maternal love.

    "My three nephews are so adorable!"

    Although the ultrasound could only show a general outline at this point, it was enough to satisfy her.

    The thought that none of her friends of the same age were aunts yet, while she already had three nephews, and considering how impressive the mother of these nephews was, made her feel incredibly proud.

    Qiao Jing observed their excitement without rashly interrupting them, deciding to leave after their discussion was over.

    Right after that, she saw Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing taking out their phones and snapping several photos of the ultrasound.

    Not just that, the two began to tap on their screens, apparently sharing the news with friends.

    Qiao Jing watched them with a hint of resignation and softly spoke.

    "Madam Zhan, I need to go to work."

    Just now during the examination, Su Manhan had already besieged the doctor with many questions,pletely forgetting the fact that she herself was a doctor, which took up quite a bit of time.

    Now Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing wanted to take pictures and share them with friends, it would take another chunk of time.

    She still had to go to the research institute for work and get her taskspleted first.

    After all, the research institute had a very important experiment recently that needed to be finished as quickly as possible.

    Only then did Su Manhan snap back to reality and stuffed the ultrasound and results into a bag.

    "Oh right, let¡¯s hurry then, I¡¯ll have the driver take you to the research institute. I was just messaging the old master, and after seeing the photos, he sent me several voice messages in a row, saying that he wants to give you a red envelope," she said.

    No sooner had she finished speaking than Qiao Jing¡¯s phone buzzed several times.

    Qiao Jing checked her phone and found that Zhan Yuanshan had sent her a transfer; her phone screen was filled with the iing transactions.

    She didn¡¯t click to receive but turned off her phone and walked towards the elevator.

    Zhan Nanqing had sneakily peeked earlier and was deeply stung by the row of transactions on the screen.

    And every single amount was the maximum allowed by the transfer software; she knew these weren¡¯t the limits for her grandfather.

    Once her grandfather returned, he would certainly give Qiao Jing a hefty red envelope.

    The three of them were waiting at the elevator entrance when the doors opened a momentter.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to step in, she saw two people who took them all by surprise.

 Chapter 678 - 667: The Three Little Ones in the Belly are Very Healthy

    <h4>Chapter 678: Chapter 667: The Three Little Ones in the Belly are Very Healthy</h4>

    Mrs. Lou was standing in the elevator, holding onto a person dressed very ordinarily and wearing a mask.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly, unable to recognize who Mrs. Lou was supporting.

    When Mrs. Lou saw that it was Qiao Jing and the others, she was stunned for a moment and moved towards the corner of the elevator with Lou Xinrou.

    The events that unfolded yesterday had already announced the severance of rtions between the Lou Family and the Zhan Family; now there was no need for greetings.

    At the moment, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing werepletely unaware of the situation in the elevator and were discussing the matters of the three little ones.

    "Nanqing, what do you think we should buy for these three little ones to wear? Should we get them all the same color or a different color for each?"

    "I think either is fine. After all, these three little ones are bound to be cute since their parents have such excellent genes. But I wouldn¡¯t want them to inherit my brother¡¯s cold disposition. Let¡¯s get in the elevator first, Qiao Jing still has to go to work."

    As the two were about to join Qiao Jing, they noticed she had stopped in front of the elevator doors.

    They nced curiously into the elevator and upon seeing Mrs. Lou, a trace of surprise appeared on their faces.

    But the two were in sync and pretended not to see her, acting as if she was air.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s gaze fell on the person beside Mrs. Lou, who was wearing a hat and mask.

    She stared at the person for a long time but couldn¡¯t recognize who it was, as it was almost impossible since that person kept their head down.

    But the more she looked at the ordinarily dressed person, the more familiar they seemed.

    Hearing the discussion of the others, Lou Xinrou abruptly lifted her head.

    Following that, she noticed that the floor Qiao Jing and Su Manhan were on was the gynecology department, and they were also carrying a small bag.

    Just now, she¡¯d heard Su Manhan and the othersughing while discussing Qiao Jing¡¯s baby, talking about various things.

    So why, after seeing her and her mother, did theypletely ignore them? Not even a greeting; was that necessary?

    It wasn¡¯t until Lou Xinrou lifted her head that Qiao Jing and the others recognized that the person in ordinary clothes, with a hat and mask, was Lou Xinrou.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a moment, about to suggest waiting for the next elevator, when Qiao Jing had already entered the elevator.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Heavens! She had felt it would be a bit awkward to take the same elevator as these two from the Lou Family!

    However, Qiao Jing entered as if nothing was wrong, as if she considered the Lous to be no great matter after all.

    Look at Qiao Jing,pletely treating the others as if they were thin air.

    Seeing this, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing also entered the elevator.

    Qiao Jing nced at the button for the first floor, which was already lit, and then stood to the side.

    It was just a chance encounter, and there was no need to avoid these two, lest it seem like they were afraid of them.

    Silence, somewhat odd, fell over the elevator.

    Finally, Su Manhan spoke up, breaking the silence.

    "Qiao Jing, be careful with your health when you¡¯re working, and don¡¯t overexert yourself, okay? Nanqing, help keep an eye on her at the institute."

    She had thought it over; encountering the Lou mother and daughter was nothing to feel awkward about, especially since they were the ones at fault.

    It was best to treat these people as if they were nothing, out of sight, out of mind.

    However... what she found somewhat strange was how differently Lou Xinrou was dressed.

    Lou Xinrou, who had been wearing designer clothes just yesterday, was now in the most ordinary, niche brand.

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing also started to treat Lou Xinrou and her mother as if they were air, and began to chat idly.

    "I know, I know, Mom, my brother already instructed me, how could I dare to be careless?"

    Qiao Jing watched the two of them, revealing a helpless smile but didn¡¯t speak.

    Su Manhan had alreadypletely ignored the Lou family mother and daughter as if they were air, and began discussing the child¡¯s matters with Zhan Nanqing again.

    "Luckily, the three little ones are all healthy. We should take this opportunity to get Qiao Jing to eat more and put on some weight."

    "Qiao Jing, have you bought clothes for the three little ones yet? Shall we find a time to go shopping together?"

    Qiao Jing nodded her head and agreed.

    "Sure, but we should wait a few months before buying."

    The threeughed and talked in the elevator, discussing various matters about the children¡¯s birth in the future, in stark contrast to the silence of the Lou family mother and daughter standing in the corner.

    Lou Xinrou watched the group¡¯s backs with a dark gaze, clenching her fists tightly.

    Even though she now knew that Qiao Jing was both Professor Qiao and Divine Doctor Jing, she still couldn¡¯t help but hate her.

    Because no matter who Qiao Jing was, her current plight was all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault!

    She had already been kicked out of the house today, and at this moment, she hardly had a penny to her name. Her face, swollen from a beating yesterday, hadn¡¯t gone down until this morning, and after begging her grandfather for a long time, she had managed to get the chance to go to the hospital for a checkup and get medication for her face.

    Mrs. Lou felt her daughter¡¯s gradually clenching fist and furrowed her brows, gently patting the back of her hand.

    Even now, how could her daughter not know to repent!

    Qiao Jing noticed someone staring at her from behind, and she slightly turned her head, casting a cold sidelong nce at Lou Xinrou.

    Upon meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Lou Xinrou quickly lowered her head, desperately trying to cover her face, for fear of being seen.

    Now, her feelings towards Qiao Jing were not only hatred but also a fear that came from the bottom of her heart about Qiao Jing¡¯s identity.

    No wonder she felt Qiao Jing¡¯s presence was so intimidating before, and her gaze so piercing¡ªso that¡¯s why...

    Soon, the elevator doors opened.

    Qiao Jing and her group went out first, and after walking a distance, Zhan Nanqing looked back in the direction of Lou Xinrou and muttered,

    "Mom, what¡¯s wrong with Lou Xinrou? She was wearing branded clothes yesterday, and today she¡¯s changed, and on top of that, she went out barefaced."

    Su Manhan couldn¡¯t even bother to nce at Lou Xinrou, affectionately linking arms with Qiao Jing.

    "What happens to her has nothing to do with us."

    Although Su Manhan said this, Zhan Nanqing thought the same.

    Still, she found it strange, so she sent a message to a bigmouth she knew in the circle and quickly learned about Lou Xinrou¡¯s situation.

    "I found out, Qiao Jing, Mom, the reason Lou Xinrou looked like that earlier is because Old Master Lou kicked her out of the Lou family, and it was the kind where she left with nothing. Not only that, but she was also sent to live in the countryside, and it looks like she won¡¯t being back anytime soon."

    Satisfied with what Zhan Nanqing had said, Su Manhan nodded her head.

    "Hmm, doing so is for the best, but I didn¡¯t expect that Old Master Lou would really be willing to kick Lou Xinrou out."

    Zhan Nanqing snorted coldly and put away her phone.

    "Lou Xinrou did that kind of thing; I think it¡¯s not too much to kick her out of the house. Qiao Jing, are you satisfied with this oue? I remember Old Master Lou promised you yesterday that the matter wouldn¡¯t end with a mere apology, right?"

    Qiao Jing hummed indifferently, not taking the matter to heart.

    As for the way Lou Pinshu was dealt with, she was quite satisfied at heart; after all, Lou Xinrou had always looked down on country folk, often using that to derogate her.

    Now that Old Master Lou had done this, it was probably to let Lou Xinrou experience life in the countryside.

 Chapter 679 - 668 Xu Moqian Learns of Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Pregnancy

    <h4>Chapter 679: Chapter 668 Xu Moqian Learns of Qiao Jing¡¯s Pregnancy</h4>

    The group dropped the topic of Lou Xinrou, and as the driver arrived, Su Manhan helped Qiao Jing open the car door.

    "Qiao Jing, Nanqing, you two head to work."

    Qiao Jing nodded and got into the car with Zhan Nanqing, heading to the research institute.

    Inside the research institute.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing arrived at theb where they worked. Just as they had donned their work attire, someone approached the door.

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s expression was somewhat strange at the moment, his gaze asionally falling on Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    "Xiao Jing, you..."

    He had been startled when he saw the Moments post from Su Manhan about bing a grandmother. His first thought was that Zhan Nanqing was pregnant; after all, in his mind, the rtionship between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t possibly have progressed so rapidly.

    But then he had given it more thought and realized that Zhan Nanqing wasn¡¯t even dating anyone at the moment, so it was unlikely to be her.

    Moreover, even if there was a pregnancy, that would make her a grandmother, not a granny.

    It wasn¡¯t until he received a deliberately sent message from Zhan Yuanshan¡ªa sonogram image made by Qiao Jing¡ªthat Old Man Zhan boasted to him for half a day. He hadn¡¯t believed it at first, but when he saw the name of the person examined, he knew it was true.

    But if that was the case, then wouldn¡¯t his rascal of a son have no chance at all?

    Qiao Jing paused in her work and looked up at Xu Hongzu.

    "What is it, Grandpa Xu?"

    As soon as she had finished speaking, she noticed Xu Hongzu¡¯s gaze on her lower abdomen and instantly understood what was going on.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t initiate the conversation but waited for Xu Hongzu to ask.

    Xu Hongzu hesitated, looking at Qiao Jing and finally, gritting his teeth, he asked:

    "Xiao Jing, about this pregnancy... I didn¡¯t believe it when I saw Su Manhan¡¯s Moments post, but Old Man Zhan sent me a sonogram just to spite me, nearly gave me a heart attack."

    How could this fine head of cabbage be dug up by the pig from the Zhan Family!

    Did he have a feud with the Zhan Family or what? First Old Man Zhanpeted with him over someone, and now Old Man Zhan¡¯s grandson is alsopeting with his grandson.

    What kind of karma is this?!

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes to her abdomen, her lips pursing helplessly.

    "The pregnancy is real, Grandpa Xu. Please don¡¯t talk about it with outsiders."

    Since the people she wanted to keep it from already knew, there was no need for her to keep hiding it.

    Fortunately, only people close to them were aware, as Su Manhan and Zhan Yuanshan had so far only told their close friends. She would give them a heads upter to keep it contained.

    Xu Hongzu now thoroughly believed it and was momentarily at a loss for words.

    In the end, he sighed.

    "Alright, I got it. I won¡¯t disturb your work any longer."

    The situation had developed to this point; Qiao Jing was indeed pregnant, and his bratty grandson was utterly hopeless now.

    Qiao Jing nodded and responded with a quiet "okay."

    Zhan Nanqing, who had been listening the whole time, waited until Xu Hongzu had left before releasing the words that had been bottled up inside her.

    "I think Elder Xu came just to fish for information, probably for Xu Moqian. Now they can definitely give up for good!"

    After returning to hisb, Xu Hongzu quickly took out his phone and called Xu Moqian. It took a while before the call was answered.

    "You rascal! Where did you run off to?"

    Xu Moqian was still sleeping at home at the time, rudely roused by the call. Just as he was about tosh out, he saw who the caller was.

    He didn¡¯t dare to provoke the Retired Emperor of his family and could only muster the strength to keep his eyelids open, sneezed, and slowly began to speak:

    "What¡¯s the matter, Grandpa? I, ha¡ªI¡¯m asleep right now."

    He finally had a chance to sleep in today, but he was rudely awakened by a phone call from his grandpa. What could be so urgent that it warranted a call from his grandpa?

    After hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Xu Hongzu scolded him with a face full of disappointment and anger:

    "Still sleeping! Do you know about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy?!"

    This good-for-nothing kid! The news about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy is spreading, and this brat is still soundly asleep at home!

    Xu Moqian stared nkly for a moment before leisurely stretching, and then he couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud.

    "Grandpa, you¡¯ve gotta be kidding me. Qiao Jing pregnant? That¡¯s never going to happen in this lifetime, right? I must still be dreaming. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going back to my dream. I¡¯m dead tired."

    He was definitely still groggy or maybe still dreaming, or perhaps he was hallucinating.

    Qiao Jing pregnant? How could that be possible?

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s eyes bulged with frustration provoked by Xu Moqian, and he unleashed a torrent of scolding, intending to verbalize the younger man into wakefulness.

    "You good-for-nothing! Get out of bed and wash your face right now, or p yourself to see if you¡¯re dreaming! Do you think I would joke about something like Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy?! I¡¯m sending you the ultrasound image right now, so you can see for yourself and wake up!"

    After dropping that statement, he hung up the phone in a huff and forwarded the picture sent by Zhan Yuanshan to Xu Moqian.

    The previously disbelieving Xu Moqian was scolded into a semnce of wakefulness.

    A sense of foreboding arose in his heart. He wiped his face with his hand, trying to be more alert.

    When Xu Moqian received the image forwarded by Xu Hongzu, he looked at it with a frown and uncertainty as he clicked on it.

    It wasn¡¯t until he saw the name of the person being examined, and the three fetuses in the ultrasound, that he froze in shock.

    Xu Moqian sprang up like a carp flipping out of water, jumped out of bed, dashed to the bathroom to wash his face, and looked at his phone again. Once he realized he wasn¡¯t dreaming, he stood utterly still.

    "How is that possible... That¡¯s Sister Jing... Sister Jing pregnant? Impossible, there must be some mistake!"

    He had told Qiao Jing himself that if he got pregnant, she never would.

    But now... he wasn¡¯t pregnant, and Qiao Jing actually was!

    How could this be?!

    Desperate for the full story, Xu Moqian drove at breakneck speed to the research institute to ask Qiao Jing in person.

    If it wasn¡¯t from Sister Jing herself, he would never believe it!

    Inside the research institute.

    Qiao Jing was initially focused on her work when a burst of hurried footsteps at the door forced her to put down her tasks to see what was happening.

    Upon seeing the neer was a sweating Xu Moqian, she furrowed her brows slightly, a hint of confusion crossing her face.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Why so urgent?"

    She saw Xu Moqian looking harried as if some great disaster was about to strike, clearly more flustered than thest time.

    After all, his forehead was covered in sweat, whether from rushing or from exhaustion.

    Zhan Nanqing also looked over upon hearing themotion and furrowed her brows when she saw Xu Moqian.

    "Why are you here?"

    A woman¡¯s intuition told her Xu Moqian¡¯s visit definitely wasn¡¯t a good sign, and it was one hundred percent something to do with Qiao Jing again.

    Xu Moqian ignored Zhan Nanqing and marched straight to Qiao Jing, saying:

    "Sister Jing! I have something very important to ask you, and I need you to answer me right now!"

    Qiao Jing responded with a nomittal "Hmm," waiting for Xu Moqian to continue.

    But when she waited for a moment, he didn¡¯t speak.

 Chapter 680 - 669: How do you feel about Zhan Qipei?

    <h4>Chapter 680: Chapter 669: How do you feel about Zhan Qipei?</h4>

    Qiao Jing looked at Xu Moqian with a puzzled face.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    She had put down the work in her hands, and was waiting for "Little Four" to speak, but then he suddenly stopped talking?

    Qiao Jing suddenly noticed that Xu Moqian¡¯s gaze was fixed on Zhan Nanqing, constantly signaling her with his eyes.

    Zhan Nanqing also felt it and clicked her tongue impatiently.

    "Why are you looking at me like that? Are you suggesting that I should leave?"

    Xu Moqian nodded without hesitation.

    "Yes, I have something to discuss with Sister Jing, and it¡¯s not convenient for you to be here."

    What he was about to ask was about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy, which would definitely involve Zhan Qipei. If Zhan Nanqing were here, who knew if she would turn around and spill the beans?

    Upon hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing rolled her eyes speechlessly.

    "What¡¯s so secretive that I can¡¯t hear it? I¡¯m not leaving. Just treat me as if I¡¯m not here."

    She hadn¡¯t wanted to bother with this matter, but Xu Moqian¡¯s mysterious and hurried demeanor made her curious.

    Also, since Xu Moqian had taken the initiative to ask her to leave, she was even more reluctant to go.

    Xu Moqian frowned tightly and spoke urgently:

    "Zhan Nanqing, you want to listen to our conversation too? Why are you so nosy?"

    Zhan Nanqing was so irritated by Xu Moqian¡¯s remark that she snapped back.

    "What do you mean I¡¯m nosy? Do you realize how you look right now, all mysterious and anxious? You seem like you¡¯re up to no good, and it¡¯s because my presence bothers you that you want me to leave!"

    Qiao Jing saw that the two were on the verge of starting an argument, and her temples suddenly throbbed.

    Just as she was about to speak to stop them, her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of someone.

    "Nanqing, Chi Yuhang is looking for you for something, you go ahead."

    At that moment, Chi Yuhang was standing at the entrance, holding some documents in his hand, ready to bring them to Qiao Jing for review.

    Upon hearing his name, he hesitated, looking puzzled.

    But after seeing the scene in theb, he quickly realized the situation.

    "Miss Zhan, there are some parts I don¡¯t understand, and I need your help."

    Zhan Nanqing nced at Chi Yuhang with disdain and still refused to leave.

    "I won¡¯t help. Aren¡¯t you a quick learner? Besides, I¡¯m busy right now. I don¡¯t have time for you."

    Chi Yuhang scratched the back of his head and looked at Qiao Jing with a somewhat embarrassed look, then at Zhan Nanqing.

    He felt the weight of his responsibility at this moment but had no choice but to keep speaking.

    "Miss Zhan, there are parts in this document I don¡¯t understand, and it¡¯s somewhat urgent. I need to show it to Professor Qiao soon."

    Upon hearing Chi Yuhang¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing let her arms fall to her sides.

    "Is it really that urgent?"

    Chi Yuhang nodded.

    Zhan Nanqing turned her head to look at Qiao Jing, hesitating.

    Before she could decide, Qiao Jing spoke up.

    "Go ahead, those documents are quite urgent indeed."

    She said this because she saw that "Little Four" was indeed very anxious and wanted to find an excuse to have Zhan Nanqing leave, considering it was not convenient to talk with her around.

    Otherwise, with the way "Little Four" and Zhan Nanqing were constantly bickering, it would take a long time, and then "Little Four" would have even less time to discuss the matter with her.

    Zhan Nanqing then reluctantly moved her feet, walking towards Chi Yuhang.

    "Fine, I¡¯ll reluctantly help him look. I¡¯ll be back soon. Xu Moqian, you wait for me toe back and settle this with you!"

    After she said that, she quickened her pace and went directly to Chi Yuhang¡¯s side, grabbing his arm and leading him outside so as not to waste time.

    Theb only regained its quietness after Zhan Nanqing left.

    Xu Moqian looked at Qiao Jing and spoke up directly.

    "Sister Jing, is it true that you are pregnant?"

    Qiao Jing lightly raised her eyebrows and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

    "Yes."

    The fourth had been so sweaty and had sent Zhan Nanqing away; she had thought he had something extremely urgent to say, but it turned out he was asking about her pregnancy.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s own confession, Xu Moqian staggered back a few steps and sat down on the sofa, looking like he had lost his soul.

    "So I am really not dreaming? But Sister Jing, how could you be pregnant?"

    Qiao Jing silently tugged at the corner of her mouth, looking at Xu Moqian.

    "Wouldn¡¯t I be able to get pregnant?"

    Listening to Fourth¡¯s words, it sounded like she would never get pregnant in her lifetime.

    Xu Moqian nodded rapidly, then felt that something was wrong and violently shook his head.

    "No, Sister Jing, I didn¡¯t mean that. What I mean is, how could you get pregnant so quickly? What exactly happened? It¡¯s not real, right? Did Zhan Qipei force you?"

    Facing so many questions from Xu Moqian, Qiao Jing furrowed her eyebrows and chose to answer him briefly.

    "There was no coercion, it was idental."

    After all, she had been drunk at the time and didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened that night; she only had fragmented memories.

    It was unfortunate she had identally drunk too much, and the contraceptive pill hadn¡¯t worked due to some ident.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian seemed to have his soul sucked out of him, lying lifelessly on the sofa like a boneless person.

    "But... it really shouldn¡¯t be..."

    That was Qiao Jing! The very independent and strong Sister Jing!

    He had already found it hard to believe when she got married, and now she was pregnant? How could that be?

    But he couldn¡¯t possibly suggest something like an abortion to Sister Jing; it wasn¡¯t his ce to bring that up, especially since Sister Jing herself had no thoughts of aborting, what was he thinking!

    Since Sister Jing was pregnant... did that mean hepletely lost his chance?

    Qiao Jing looked at Xu Moqian, who seemed to have lost his soul, murmuring to himself on the sofa, and waved her hand in front of him.

    "Fourth, snap out of it. Is there anything else?"

    She still had to continue working; there was enough work to keep her busy for a while.

    Xu Moqian then pulled his thoughts together and asked with onest ray of hope:

    "Sister Jing, can you tell me what your feelings for Zhan Qipei are now? What kind of feelings? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d give him a chance before? How did his probation period go?"

    If Sister Jing still has no feelings for Zhan Qipei, perhaps he still has a chance to strive for something, and in the future, he could help Sister Jing take care of the child.

    After all, it would be too hard for Sister Jing to take care of three children on her own, even with her capabilities.

    Confronted with Xu Moqian¡¯s question, Qiao Jing furrowed her eyebrows tightly, mulling over it for a while.

    "I¡¯m not sure, any other questions?"

    She really wasn¡¯t sure about her feelings for Zhan Qipei; specifically, she couldn¡¯t give a definite answer.

    Xu Moqian finally let out a sigh of relief and changed the topic to keep asking.

    "Sister Jing, then why did you keep your pregnancy a secret?"

    Since Sister Jing said so, that meant he still had a slim chance.

    However, considering that Sister Jing was already pregnant, he couldn¡¯t pursue her as openly as before.

 Chapter 681 - 670: Zhan Qipei Helps Qiao Jing Pack Her Personal Clothing

    <h4>Chapter 681: Chapter 670: Zhan Qipei Helps Qiao Jing Pack Her Personal Clothing</h4>

    Qiao Jing lightly furrowed her brows, remaining silent for two seconds before she began to speak.

    "It¡¯s because I was worried that, if I couldn¡¯t get along with Zhan Qipei, there would be some unnecessaryplications due to the child, so I kept it a secret."

    Xu Moqian finally managed to muster a bit of energy and sat up from the sofa.

    "Alright, I understand, Sister Jing, you go back to what you were doing."

    Qiao Jing replied with a faint "Hmm" and continued her work at the desk.

    By this time, Zhan Nanqing had already returned, eyeing Xu Moqian suspiciously and quickly approached Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    "Qiao Jing, what did this guy say to you?"

    As Qiao Jing flipped through her documents without pause, she briefly replied.

    "About the pregnancy."

    Zhan Nanqing crossed her arms, and with a "hmpf," she deliberately said:

    "Oh~ so he was asking about my nephew, huh~"

    Xu Moqian naturally picked up on Zhan Nanqing¡¯s bragging tone and red at her.

    He couldn¡¯t be bothered with Zhan Nanqing and greeted Qiao Jing.

    "Sister Jing, I have to go, I have something to attend to."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much, just nodding her head in response.

    In the evening.

    As soon as Qiao Jing got home, she saw two suitcases in the living room, one of which was hers.

    As to why her suitcase, which had been in her room, had suddenly appeared in the living room, she had to ask Zhan Qipei.

    Simrly, today was unusual too, as there was no smell of fooding from the dining table.

    Could it be Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t cooked today? But that shouldn¡¯t be the case.

    While Qiao Jing was thinking this, she suddenly saw Zhan Qipei walking out of a room.

    The man was holding a few clothes in his hands, presumably to put into the suitcase.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes brightened, and he ced the clothes to one side.

    "You¡¯re back."

    He was packing up, and Qiao Jing had juste home, a perfect time to pack the luggage together.

    First, Qiao Jing nodded, her gaze lingering on the suitcases and the clothes Zhan Qipei had just taken out for a few seconds before shifting her attention away.

    "Are you going on a business trip? But why would you take out my suitcase if you are?"

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and, taking Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, led her to sit by the dining table.

    "It¡¯s not for a business trip, it¡¯s for a trip with you. Let¡¯s eat first, I¡¯ll exin it to youter."

    As he spoke, he brought out the meals that had been kept warm in the container to the table.

    After dinner, just as Qiao Jing was about to ask Zhan Qipei what was going on, he got up to wash the dishes.

    Her curiosity was piqued; packing luggage and making such a fuss, was it all to take her on a trip?

    But she hadn¡¯t finished her recent work and had no time for traveling or the like.

    Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a piece of paper on the living room table.

    Qiao Jing quickly sat down on the couch and picked up the paper, discovering it was a flyer.

    Seeing the words on the flyer, she lifted an eyebrow and read aloud.

    "Hot springs?"

    As soon as her words ended, the man¡¯s voice rang out beside her.

    "Yes, I saw that there¡¯s a new hot spring resort that just opened in An City, and I wanted to take you there for a few days. Besides, you haven¡¯t taken any time off to rest since you got pregnant, so this could be a good opportunity for you to rest."

    He realized that he¡¯d spent too little time alone with Qiao Jingtely, so he came up with the idea of soaking in the hot springs, wanting to rx with her.

    Of course, his main aim was to take the opportunity to foster a closer rtionship with Qiao Jing during the time.

    Qiao Jing was also quite interested in the hot springs and fixed her gaze on the brochure for quite a while.

    "I¡¯ll finish my unfinished work and we can go tomorrow."

    After dealing with her work, soaking in the hot springs would be the perfect opportunity for her to unwind.

    After all, Zhan Qipei was right; she hadn¡¯t taken many days off since she got pregnant.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing agreed, Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved into a smile.

    "Good, I¡¯ve already had someone book the room in advance. If we¡¯re going to An City this time, let¡¯s take a week off."

    Qiao Jing "Hmm¡¯d" in response, looking bemusedly at the clothes on the sofa that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t managed to put away in time and the two suitcases in the living room.

    "Why the rush? And why did you take out my suitcase?"

    She had thought that Zhan Qipei was packing for an immediate business trip, intending to leave tonight and inadvertently taking her along.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s suitcase and answered matter-of-factly:

    "I packed your suitcase in advance so you wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard tomorrow."

    It had been a while since hest saw Qiao Jing¡¯s suitcase, which was when he thought she was going to leave him, causing him to now associate luggage with her departure.

    But this time, he was traveling with Qiao Jing.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned.

    "All my clothes are in there? Including my undergarments?"

    She emphasized "undergarments" when she spoke, worried that this damn man really had packed for her.

    Zhan Qipei nodded and began listing items in front of Qiao Jing.

    "Not just the undergarments, but also women¡¯s products, including the bathrobe needed for soaking in the hot springs."

    He had prepared everything in advance because he worried that packing would tire her.

    After all, he had taken over all the household chores, so it was only right for him to handle the packing as well.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily, almost grinding her teeth as she spoke:

    "You didn¡¯t need to be so thoughtful."

    There was no need to be so careful as to pack her undergarments; she could have easily done it herself after getting off work tomorrow.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his eyebrows, which were thick like mountain mists, and pursed his thin lips.

    "No, I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll get tired if you do it."

    His main purpose in taking Qiao Jing on a trip was to deepen their rtionship; secondary was to ensure she had fun and wasfortable. She needed only to rx, while he would handle everything else.

    Qiao Jing frowned deeply and stood up to take the suitcase, preparing to head toward the bedroom.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei quickly followed suit, taking the suitcase from Qiao Jing¡¯s hands and pushing it into her room.

    "I¡¯ll put it here; can you open it and check if anything¡¯s missing?"

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s usually expressionless face showed a rare crack.

    Her lips parted slightly, and her cool voice filled the room.

    "Next time, I can pack my own undergarments."

    She really wasn¡¯t used to others touching her personal belongings, and although Zhan Qipei did this to make things easier for her, she could handle it herself.

    Plus, this damn man Zhan Qipei wanted her to open the suitcase right in front of him to check, which meant that all the items would be seen by him again.

    Zhan Qipei agreed.

    "Alright."

    But if there was a next time where he could help Qiao Jing pack, he would still prepare everything for her in advance.

 Chapter 682 - 671: Hot Spring Resort

    <h4>Chapter 682: Chapter 671: Hot Spring Resort</h4>

    The next evening.

    Qiao Jing had just returned home from work when she saw the suitcase she¡¯d left in her roomst night back in the living room.

    She sighed helplessly, searching for Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure around the house.

    It was just a suitcase, and that damn man almost carried it to An City for her.

    Qiao Jing looked around the house but couldn¡¯t find Zhan Qipei anywhere.

    However, before she left for work in the morning, Zhan Qipei had clearly told her he would leave around this time, but now that she was home, the man was nowhere to be seen.

    Determined to enjoy the hot springs, she had rushed through her work today, and if that damn man was going to stand her up, she definitely wouldn¡¯t go out with him again.

    While she was thinking this, her phone suddenly rang.

    She picked it up and saw that it was a call from Zhan Qipei, quickly tapping to answer.

    "I¡¯m home."

    The first thing she heard from the other end of the phone was the sound of the wind, and... the sound of helicopter rotors?

    Immediately after, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice came through.

    "I¡¯ming to pick you up."

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t had a chance to ask what was happening when the call was disconnected.

    However... the sound of helicopter des had sparked a guess in her mind.

    Could that damn man have brought over a helicopter?

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to check the balcony, the door behind her opened.

    Zhan Qipei quickly approached Qiao Jing, one hand dragging the suitcase, and with the other hand, he took her slender wrist.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    When Qiao Jing saw that they were heading to the rooftop elevator, she immediately understood that Zhan Qipei had indeed brought a helicopter.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei beside her with a hint of resignation and spoke slowly.

    "We could have just booked a ne ticket."

    An City was just next door, not far from the capital, so normally, flying there would suffice; a helicopter was a bit much.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was filled with joy as he exined,

    "I spoke with the hot springs¡¯ management, and the helicopter cannd directly there."

    This was his first time taking a short vacation with Qiao Jing, and although it hadn¡¯t started yet, he was already enjoying the atmosphere of a sweet journey.

    Qiao Jing nodded her head but didn¡¯t say anything more.

    After boarding the helicopter, she saw someone she didn¡¯t expect to see.

    The pilot of this helicopter... was Tang Yan?

    Qiao Jing looked at Tang Yan with a puzzled face and asked,

    "Tang Yan, you know how to fly a helicopter?"

    Tang Yan subconsciously nced in Zhan Qipei¡¯s direction and noticed that he was also looking at him.

    He carefully chose his words, taking a while before he answered Qiao Jing¡¯s question.

    "As President Zhan¡¯s all-purpose assistant, I¡¯ve learned everything that can be learned."

    He surely wouldn¡¯t say that he had learned this skill solely because President Zhan had wanted to see Miss Qiao one night, instantly needing a helicopter to fly to the neighboring province; and he couldn¡¯t just get a pilot at three or four in the morning within minutes to President Zhan¡¯s house.

    So he decided to put in the effort and learn it himself, and it came in handy today.

    He had invested too much for President Zhan and Miss Qiao¡¯s rtionship, sigh...

    Who else would go to such lengths for their boss¡¯s love life?

    Qiao Jing nodded, suddenly thinking of Lin Xiuxiang.

    "Tang Yan, how is Xiuxiang¡¯s health recently?"

    Whenever Lin Xiuxiang came up, a smile appeared on Tang Yan¡¯s usually stern face.

    "She¡¯s in great health and keeps mentioning she wants to hang out with you, but she also knows you¡¯re busy, so she hasn¡¯t gotten in touch."

    Qiao Jing curled her lips into a faint smile.

    "I understand, I¡¯ll make time to hang out with her when I get back."

    Having said that and just about to take out the medical book she brought with her, Qiao Jing heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice.

    "Tang Yan, once we arrive, you can head back."

    He had Tang Yan pilot the ne for convenience, but he hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to strike up a conversation with him, effectively ignoring Zhan Qipei.

    He would still fly back with Qiao Jing in first sster.

    Tang Yan acknowledged and continued to focus on flying the ne.

    Though he didn¡¯t ask, being a man himself, he understood that his boss was jealous.

    After boarding the ne, Miss Qiao hadn¡¯t chatted with the boss at all, talking to him for a bit before settling down to read.

    Qiao Jing was slightly puzzled, arching one delicate eyebrow as she nced sideways at Zhan Qipei, only to notice that the man was furrowing his brows.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    The helicopter had already taken off by then and was flying smoothly. Had Zhan Qipei suddenly changed his mind?

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, pretending as if nothing had happened.

    "It¡¯s nothing, I just feel that flying is quite nice."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much of it and returned to reading her medical book.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened as he shifted closer to Qiao Jing, stopping only when their legs touched.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was engrossed in her book, oblivious to Zhan Qipei¡¯s subtle movements.

    ¡ª¡ª

    An City.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei walked straight into the lobby of the hot spring resort.

    Tang Yan brought in their luggage and, after cing it on a sofa nearby, hurriedly left.

    He didn¡¯t dare stay and be the third wheel to President Zhan, otherwise, with thetter¡¯s aura, he could turn the hot springs into ciers.

    Zhan Qipei led Qiao Jing to the sofa, inviting her to sit.

    "I¡¯ll go to the front desk to get the key. Wait for me here for a moment."

    Qiao Jing nodded and flipped open her medical book again.

    Just then, two men walked into the lobby.

    One of them, wearing a floral shirt, was about to head to the front desk for the key, but was suddenly pulled back by hispanion.

    He frowned impatiently and clicked his tongue.

    "What are you doing? Young Master Wang, I¡¯m going to soak in the hot springs right now. I hope you¡¯re not going to suddenly say you feel unwell and need to leave early when, in reality, you¡¯re going to pick up girls."

    The man beside him in the floral shirt pointed towards Qiao Jing and whistled.

    "Fu Ming, look over there, at that one sitting on the sofa reading a book."

    Fu Ming, a little impatient, followed Young Master Wang¡¯s gesture and saw Qiao Jing, pausing and standing still in shock.

    When he regained hisposure, his eyes began to shine brightly.

    "Damn, howe that woman is so beautiful?"

    After so many years in An City, this was the first time he hade across someone so attractive. Compared to the ones he had been with before, she was world¡¯s apart.

    Young Master Wang hummed twice.

    "Right? Why else do you think I¡¯d just grab you like that? She¡¯s top quality! Young Master Fu, how about we make a bet? You¡¯re so good at flirting, let¡¯s see if you can charm this ice queen. I bet you can¡¯t, because she¡¯s not like the others."

    "Bullshit, there isn¡¯t a woman I want that I can¡¯t get. I¡¯ll definitely charm her, just you watch!"

 Chapter 683 - 672: Qiao Jing Gets Hit On

    <h4>Chapter 683: Chapter 672: Qiao Jing Gets Hit On</h4>

    Young Master Wangughed and pped Fu Ming¡¯s shoulder, deliberately saying:

    "Go for it, Young Master Fu. If you can charm her, I¡¯ll gift you a sports car. If you can¡¯t, how about you gift me a vi? After all, you are the most famous rich second generation in An City, such a small amount of money surely wouldn¡¯t bother you, right?"

    Fu Ming pped away Young Master Wang¡¯s hand and slightly lifted his chin.

    "Heh! Then you better prepare the money for the sports car."

    Having dropped thatment, Fu Ming took strides toward the direction Qiao Jing was in.

    He walked straight up to Qiao Jing and sat down right beside her, staring intently at her profile.

    Realizing someone had sat down next to her, Qiao Jing nced at the person and then withdrew her gaze, speaking indifferently:

    "This is a single-seater sofa."

    When she saw this man, who seemed to have popped out of nowhere, sitting on the armrest of the sofa she was in, she found him somewhat hrious.

    However, she could guess some of the intentions of the man in the floral shirt.

    After all, why would a normal person go out of their way to sit on the arm of a single-seater sofa? It must be because he was up to something.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, the smile on Fu Ming¡¯s face intensified.

    Not only did she look good, her voice was also pleasant to the ear; now he was even more determined to win her over.

    "Hello miss, are you from An City?"

    As Qiao Jing turned a page, her hand paused and she gave Fu Ming a brief nce.

    "It¡¯s none of your business."

    Now she could confirm, this man in the floral shirt was indeed trying to flirt with her.

    To avoid unnecessary trouble, she decided she needed to get rid of him quickly, otherwise, when Zhan Qipei, that jerk, showed up, he would start getting all jealous again.

    Fu Ming was initially taken aback, but Qiao Jing¡¯s aloofness didn¡¯t deter him, and he continued smiling.

    "Miss, don¡¯t be so distant, I just want to make friends with you. It seems like you don¡¯t recognize me; may I introduce myself?"

    Qiao Jing ignored Fu Ming, closed the medical book, and looked up in Zhan Qipei¡¯s direction.

    The man wasmunicating with the reception, not yet noticing the situation over here.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was ignoring him, Fu Ming took it as a tacit eptance and began introducing himself.

    "I am Fu Ming from the Fu Family of An City. What¡¯s your name?"

    After hearing Fu Ming¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows, her gaze falling on him.

    "The Fu Family of An City?"

    She had some impression of this family because the Fu Family had once wanted to spend several million to hire her to treat an elderly person in An City, but she didn¡¯t go and let Zhou Fu handle it instead.

    She didn¡¯t need such a high treatment fee. She was somewhat familiar with the old man¡¯s health condition and could let Zhou Fu handle it alone.

    Fu Ming saw that Qiao Jing seemed to have some impression of his family, and his eyes immediately lit up.

    "Yes, yes, the Fu Family. Do you know me? I can exin that those rumors about me being a yboy are all false¡ª"

    Before he could finish his defense, Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    "I don¡¯t know you."

    Seeing this, Fu Ming didn¡¯t feel awkward and continued his pursuit of Qiao Jing.

    "Miss, can you tell me your name? I truly want to be friends with you, and we could hang out togetherter."

    Qiao Jing saw that Fu Ming was still not backing off and slowly furrowed her delicate brows, saying in a cold voice:

    "No need, you may leave now."

    Just as Fu Ming was about to speak again, he suddenly felt an icy gaze on his back, sending a chill down his spine.

    Driven by curiosity, he wanted to turn around and see who had such a powerful presence, when someone brushed past him.

    Zhan Qipei held the keys in his hand and walked straight up to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, taking the woman¡¯s wrist to dere ownership.

    "Got the keys to the room, let¡¯s go."

    It was just the time it took him to get a key, and someone already dared to covet Qiao Jing?

    It seemed that he had to keep Qiao Jing by his side at all times; otherwise, with his wife being so beautiful, the number of admirers would probably only increase.

    Hearing what Zhan Qipei said, Fu Ming realized the two knew each other, probably in a boyfriend-girlfriend rtionship.

    But for the woman he had his eye on, even if he had to fight for her, he would.

    With that thought, he pped his thigh, stood up, and blocked Qiao Jing and herpanion.

    Just as Fu Ming was about to speak, he saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s face and for the first time, he felt a sense of inferiority.

    In An City, he wasn¡¯t just able to woo so many girls with his wealth; his handsome face yed its part as well.

    But today, he had met his match; how could this ice queen¡¯s boyfriend be so good-looking?

    Zhan Qipei saw that the man who hit on Qiao Jing still dared to block their way, and a ruthless glint shed through his eyes.

    "Move aside."

    Facing Zhan Qipei¡¯s gloomy and terrifying expression, and icy gaze, Fu Ming swallowed hard, almost subconsciously.

    This task was turning out to be quite challenging...

    Just as he was about to smooth things over and give up on hitting on Qiao Jing, he suddenly saw Young Master Wang smiling at them, and the other¡¯s face clearly read, "I knew you couldn¡¯t get her."

    Although he didn¡¯t need the money for a vi, he couldn¡¯t lose face in front of his friends!

    He gritted his teeth and addressed Qiao Jing:

    "Miss, although I can¡¯t deny that I¡¯m a tad less handsomepared to him, I believe I¡¯m not ugly. And, you know, what¡¯s most important in a man isn¡¯t his looks, but his family background and status. I¡¯ve already told you, haven¡¯t I? I am the eldest young master of the Fu Family."

    He paused for a moment, sizing up Zhan Qipei from head to toe.

    "Right now, you two are either in a boyfriend-girlfriend rtionship or just friends, right? If it¡¯s the former, I don¡¯t mind; you just have to break up. If you¡¯re with me, I can buy you the most famous vi in An City, called Dragon Courtyard, to be our bridal home."

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, speechlessly waiting to see what other nonsense Fu Ming woulde up with.

    Zhan Qipei curled the corner of his lips slightly, the smile on his face not reaching his eyes, and he applied a bit more pressure to the hand holding Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Fu Ming inexplicably saw a hint of contempt in the man¡¯s eyes?

    Before he could get a clear look, Zhan Qipei was already leading Qiao Jing away.

    Due to his need to save face, Fu Ming blocked them again.

    "Wait! Miss, won¡¯t you consider it? If you¡¯re with me, not only will I make Dragon Courtyard our bridal home, but all the designer bags, clothes, cosmetics, and whatever you want, you can choose freely. I¡¯ll give you the life every woman dreams of. Just break up with him now, and I¡¯ll take you immediately to make all that happen!"

 Chapter 684 - 673: Soaking in the Hot Spring with Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 684: Chapter 673: Soaking in the Hot Spring with Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing pulled at the corner of her mouth wordlessly, her red lips slightly parted as she slowly spoke:

    "It¡¯s fine to say that to others, but to me? Do you think I¡¯m in need of money, or do you think he has less money than you?"

    Fu Ming¡¯s earlier speech was something she could achieve on her own; she fundamentally didn¡¯t need anyone else.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes lit up.

    It seemed he had surpassed everything else in Qiao Jing¡¯s heart.

    Qiao Jing held no good impressions of Fu Ming and, without paying him any further attention, she started walking toward the direction of the hot springs.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Fu Ming stood still, staring unceasingly at their departing figures, his brow furrowed in bafflement.

    How could a woman not be interested in these things? That shouldn¡¯t be the case! Previously, as soon as he presented such conditions, those women would throw themselves at him.

    As he thought this, Young Master Wang came over.

    Young Master Wang pped a hand on Fu Ming¡¯s shoulder,ughing as he said:

    "Young Master Fu, when will you have my vi ready? I knew you wouldn¡¯t be able to charm this ice beauty. After all, her demeanor is iparable to those from before."

    Fu Ming, visibly impatient, pped Young Master Wang¡¯s hand away and red at him.

    "Will you just shut up? This is indeed a bit challenging, but I¡¯ve not said I can¡¯t handle it. Just wait; I¡¯ll have her charmed by tomorrow!"

    He refused to believe that his methods of pursuing women wouldn¡¯t work on her.

    In An City, there was only who he didn¡¯t desire, none he couldn¡¯t have!

    Young Master Wangughed out loud.

    "Then I¡¯ll give you another two days. I¡¯m not in a rush anyway; my vi isn¡¯t going anywhere."

    After dropping this remark, fearing Fu Ming might drag him back to scold, he whistled and walked away.

    Fu Ming frowned for quite some time, then thought of a method all women would like.

    No longer in the mood for hot springs, he directly made a phone call to start preparations.

    Inside the hot spring pool.

    Qiao Jing changed into a swimsuit specially for soaking in hot springs, and Zhan Qipei¡¯s robe, which he had brought from her home, was on a chair nearby.

    When Zhan Qipei saw Qiao Jing emerge from the changing room, his dark eyes brightened.

    "You¡¯vee."

    Though the swimsuit she wore was rtively conservative, it still couldn¡¯t hide her graceful curves.

    When Qiao Jing turned her back, he could see her beautiful butterfly bones and the crisscrossing swimsuit straps knotted on her fair back.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was facing away from Zhan Qipei, looking at the hot spring¡¯s surface, oblivious to his gaze.

    "Hmm, I¡¯m going down first."

    She had just walked to the edge of the hot spring when she saw faint white mist hovering over the water surface, with several beautiful rose petals floating.

    Qiao Jing stepped into the water and found the depth perfect, just allowing the water to reach above her corbone; the warm water instantly rxed her.

    "Mmm..."

    Comfortable.

    Qiao Jing hummed softly and then slowly closed her eyes, savoring the warm water enveloping her.

    Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps near her ear.

    Qiao Jing knew Zhan Qipei hade over, but she ignored the man, still enjoying thefort the hot spring brought her.

    However, when she felt Zhan Qipei enter the water and start moving toward her, she slowly opened her eyes.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s strikingly handsome face was now right in front of her, the two almost shoulder to shoulder.

    Qiao Jing slightly frowned and nced at the vast hot spring.

    "This ce is huge."

    Her implication was, with such arge hot spring, there was no need to squeeze in with her.

    Moreover, she and Zhan Qipei were almost sticking together now¡ªwhat was this man thinking? Could it be that the water by her was somehow morefortable?

    Of course not.

    Zhan Qipei lowered his gaze to look at their shoulders, which were about to touch, and pursed his lips.

    "Hmm, I know," he said.

    He didn¡¯t go anywhere else and stayed by Qiao Jing¡¯s side because moving to another spot wouldn¡¯t help foster their rtionship.

    Qiao Jing, somewhat speechless, twitched the corners of her mouth, watching Zhan Qipei¡¯s matter-of-fact demeanor.

    "Since you know, why do you still have to squeeze next to me?" she asked.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak, his gaze fixed on Qiao Jing, filled with stubbornness, deep affection, and attachment almost spilling out.

    As Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei had no intention of moving, she was just about to shift to the side herself when she met the man¡¯s narrow and profound eyes.

    She could even see her own reflection in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, giving her the feeling that his eyes held nothing but her, unable to amodate anything else.

    Immediately after, she felt Zhan Qipei move closer to her side, their shoulders¡¯ skin touching once again.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes trembled, feeling that the temperature of their touching skin might be even higher than that of the hot spring water.

    She felt the continuous warmthing from Zhan Qipei¡¯s body and his deep gaze, inexplicably making her feel like she was being enveloped in his embrace.

    "Forget it, just stay here and soak," she conceded.

    She really couldn¡¯t do anything about Zhan Qipei, this infuriating man¡ªhe could soak wherever he wanted.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei curve the corners of his lips,fortably leaning by Qiao Jing¡¯s side without moving.

    "Can¡¯t soak too long, I set an rm, and we¡¯ll have to get up soon," hemented.

    He saw that Qiao Jing was just about to move to a farther spot to soak, but how could he allow that?

    He leaned directly on Qiao Jing, using her as a pillow and exerted a little force to lean on her.

    With his understanding of Qiao Jing, he knew she wouldn¡¯t just walk away but would allow him to lean on her like this.

    Qiao Jing gave a mild "Hmm," then looked at Zhan Qipei, who had turned her into a pillow, and furrowed her brows.

    She hesitated for a while, considering that if she suddenly left to soak somewhere farther away, this infuriating man might just fall directly into the hot spring.

    The image automatically formed in her mind, thinking that such a sight of Zhan Qipei would be tooical and funny. To save him some face, she reluctantly became his pillow for the moment.

    However, at this time, she could observe that Zhan Qipei¡¯s aura at this moment was very different from usual.

    The low, brooding presence that always surrounded him had vanished, revealing a gentleness like when he was with her in Nantai Apartment.

    The brows that were usually tightly knitted and the lips that were pursed into a t line had, at this moment, a bit of an upward curve.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei suddenly opened his eyes and met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, which had been observing him.

    He moved closer to Qiao Jing again, intentionally getting close to her ear, his warm breath cascading down her neck.

    With his maic voice, he gently spoke next to Qiao Jing¡¯s sensitive earlobe.

 Chapter 685 - 674: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Swimsuit Comes Loose!

    <h4>Chapter 685: Chapter 674: Qiao Jing¡¯s Swimsuit Comes Loose!</h4>

    "You¡¯re spying on me?"

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to suddenly open his eyes, and when she met his gaze, she was taken aback for a moment.

    Her eyes wavered and then she faintly withdrew her gaze.

    "No."

    She had only looked over a few times¡ªhow could that count as spying?

    But ording to the personality of Zhan Qipei, that narcissistic man, he¡¯d probably insistter that she had been spying on him.

    Zhan Qipei hooked up the corner of his mouth and leaned in once more, casually brushing his thin lips against Qiao Jing¡¯s earlobe.

    "So who was spying on me just now?"

    Qiao Jing felt her earlobe grazed by something warm and suddenly stiffened.

    She nced sideways at Zhan Qipei and only then realized just how close the man was to her, and that the warm thing was...

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips.

    Qiao Jing wordlessly tugged at the corner of her mouth and pushed Zhan Qipei away with one hand.

    "I wasn¡¯t spying, just casually looking a few times."

    She knew this narcissistic man would say that, so she couldn¡¯t even be bothered to respond.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell on the girl¡¯s slightly reddened earlobe, and the dark pools of his eyes deepened.

    "Fine, if you say you weren¡¯t spying, you weren¡¯t spying."

    His wife¡¯s earlobes were red¡ªdidn¡¯t that prove she was shy?

    Thinking like this, his mood brightened even more, and he couldn¡¯t help but lift the corners of his lips again.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s smile and instantly understood that the man was doing it on purpose.

    Her temples throbbed heavily twice, and she shifted to a position further away, putting some distance between herself and Zhan Qipei.

    This man... so childish.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t pursue her and nced at the cellphone on the edge of the hot spring, realizing it was about time, and got out first.

    He walked briskly to the chair and picked up the bathrobe he had brought for Qiao Jing.

    "You can soak for three more minutes, but you need to get out when time¡¯s up. I¡¯ve checked, and pregnant women can¡¯t soak in hot springs for too long."

    Qiao Jing hummed in acknowledgement, closed her eyes again, and enjoyed thefort the hot spring brought her.

    After a while, the rm Zhan Qipei had set went off.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t cling to thefort the hot springs offered and got out.

    Zhan Qipei had just turned off the rm on his cellphone when he looked up and saw Qiao Jing emerging from the hot spring, like a beauty stepping out of her bath.

    Her soft hair, after being drenched, hung wetly on her fair shoulders, dripping down, with crystal-clear droplets falling from the girl¡¯s lovely chin onto her delicate corbone before slowly sliding down.

    Zhan Qipei found his gaze uncontrobly following the water droplets as they moved downward and then caught sight of Qiao Jing¡¯s figure in the swimsuit that, soaked with water, clung even tighter to her body, perfectly outlining her exquisite curves.

    He felt his throat dry up and his heart begin to race with a burning, hot desire.

    Qiao Jing, who had beenbing her hair, suddenly felt an intense gaze upon her.

    When she looked up, her eyes met with Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark ones.

    She slightly narrowed her eyes and from the depths of the man¡¯s gaze, she captured a hint of his hidden emotions.

    "Zhan Qipei, the bathrobe."

    Zhan Qipei then came back to his senses and hurried over to Qiao Jing, but as he did, he caught a tantalizing scenting from her.

    The dryness in his throat intensified, and the beast he had been trying to suppress inside him seemed like it was about to burst out of its cage, ready to give in to his most primal impulses.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s breathing became heavier, and realizing the situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control, he swiftly closed his eyes, barely managing to restrain himself.

    He handed the bathrobe in his hand to Qiao Jing.

    "You wear it."

    If he kept looking like this, something would definitely happen, and the strangeness on his body would undoubtedly be discovered by Qiao Jing.

    If Qiao Jing found out, then the double room he had deliberately reserved for tonight would surely be for naught. In that case, she would definitely go book another room by herself, or find another ce to stay.

    However, he also felt somewhat fortunate that only he could see Qiao Jing like this.

    Qiao Jing reached out to take the bathrobe Zhan Qipei handed over, quickly put it on, and then stepped out.

    "Where is the key card for my room?"

    Right now, not only did she not want to stay with Zhan Qipei, whose state was a bit odd, but she was also sleepy after soaking in the hot springs and wanted to go back to her room to sleep and rest.

    Only after hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words did Zhan Qipei open his eyes. Seeing that the woman was wrapped up tight, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    At the same time, there was an indescribable sense of regret at the bottom of his heart.

    "They only had onest room left, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a double room."

    He had purposely arranged for them to be in the same room, to make it convenient for him to climb into bed at night.

    Qiao Jing paused, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed. After a few seconds of silence, she finally spoke slowly.

    "Okay, I¡¯m going back to rest."

    In such an unavoidable situation, she wouldn¡¯t mind whether or not she was in the same room as Zhan Qipei.

    Besides, a double room had two beds, so it¡¯s not like she had to sleep with Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei quickly put on his bathrobe and followed behind Qiao Jing.

    As he reached out to open the door, he didn¡¯t notice his own fingers identally hooked the belt of Qiao Jing¡¯s bathrobe.

    Just as he was about to open the door, Qiao Jing saw the bathrobe belt hooked by Zhan Qipei and furrowed her brows.

    But it was already toote for her to speak out at this moment; as Zhan Qipei opened the door, her bathrobe belt was pulled down.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in speechlessness and reminded him.

    "Zhan Qipei, your hand."

    Fortunately, it was just the bathrobe that hade loose, and she could just re-tie it.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei turned his head and, upon seeing the woman¡¯s bathrobee loose, his dark eyes flickered and he quickly closed the room door.

    "Sorry, I didn¡¯t pay attention just now. Let me help you tie it," he said, about to tie the belt of the bathrobe, moving even faster than Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and stepped aside to avoid Zhan Qipei¡¯s hands.

    "I can do it myself."

    She straightened her bathrobe, intending to re-tie the belt when she suddenly felt something odd with her swimsuit on her body.

    A strap of the swimsuit tied behind her seemed to being loose?!

    Just as she was thinking this, the strap of the swimsuit around her neck actually came untied!

    What was critical was that the upper part of her swimsuit relied on that now-loose strap for support. With the strap undone, the swimsuit on her body was beginning to fall.

    Qiao Jing slightly widened her eyes, about to reach out and hold onto the falling swimsuit when arge hand reached in front of her, firmly pressing down her swimsuit.

    She looked up at Zhan Qipei with surprise; his movements were even faster than hers?

    Regardless of the speed, the problem was Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand was ced where it shouldn¡¯t be, even though he intended to help.

    "You can let go now."

    Perhaps it was because she hadn¡¯t tightened the swimsuit strap. Some movements in the hot spring had been ratherrge, identally loosening it.

    Moreover, her bathrobe had been inadvertently pulled off. While putting it back on, she might have tugged at the swimsuit strap, causing it toe undone now.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 686 - 675: Proposing to Qiao Jing?!

    <h4>Chapter 686: Chapter 675: Proposing to Qiao Jing?!</h4>

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, the softness in the palm of his hand making him somewhat reluctant to move it away.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for him pressing down, he would not have seen that scene and might have truly been unable to suppress his urges.

    Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei was still unwilling to move his hand away, so she pped away the man¡¯s hand and with her other hand, pressed down on the swimsuit, saying coldly:

    "Turn around."

    It seemed that this wretched man really intended to keep pressing down on her swimsuit indefinitely, as he had just now shown no intention of removing his hand at all.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei immediately turned around, but the image of what had just happened kept reying in his mind, the sensation of softness lingering in his palm.

    He tightly pursed his lips, managing to temporarily chase those images out of his mind with some effort.

    Qiao Jing quickly finished tying her clothes back up, opened the door, and walked out first.

    "Give me the room card."

    Zhan Qipei handed the room card to Qiao Jing and followed behind her.

    When Qiao Jing arrived at the door of the room and opened it to see the arrangement inside, she was slightly startled.

    The nightstand between the two beds had roses on it, and the room looked like a couple¡¯s suite. Why were the beds so close together?

    There was only a narrow gap between them; they were practicallybined into one.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows slowly furrowed.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows gathered like mountains shrouded in mist, pretending to bepletely unaware.

    "I¡¯ll ask the front desk."

    He had specifically arranged the room this way so that it would be convenient for him to climb into bed at night, including the roses, which he had also ordered to be set up to make the room look more like a lovers¡¯ suite.

    Qiao Jing found it somewhat troublesome, but didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it. She went to the bathroom to change into a set of pajamas, then came out andy down in bed directly.

    "It¡¯s fine, just sleep on your side."

    Zhan Qipei could sleep wherever he liked, as long as he didn¡¯te over to her bed.

    She had already expended a lot of energy today, finishing her work and then soaking in the hot springs, putting her in afortable state.

    Now, as soon as she touched the bed, waves of sleepiness came over her, leaving no time to deal with anything else.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the current time, lightened his footsteps, turned off the room lights, and left only a bedsidemp on.

    After a while, once he ensured Qiao Jing was sound asleep, he quietly lifted the corner of her nket and slowlyy down.

    Zhan Qipei lowered his gaze to nce at the top of Qiao Jing¡¯s head, gently resting his chin there, contentedly inhaling the faint scent emanating from her body.

    He took Qiao Jing into his arms, his other hand quietly resting on the slight swell of her abdomen, and then he closed his eyes in satisfaction.

    The next morning.

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes and sat up in bed.

    Just as she was about to get out of bed, she heard a heavy door closing sound.

    "Bang!"

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, thinking someone was violently pounding on the door. She frowned, lifting her gaze towards the direction of the door.

    She saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure in her line of sight, the man currently frowning deeply, his face very grim, his hands still on the doorknob without moving away.

    It seemed that the loud door closing was caused by Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows in confusion and asked:

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    So early in the morning, Zhan Qipei had suddenly closed the door with such force. Perhaps something had happened outside.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Zhan Qipei¡¯s foreboding expression instantly softened. He took out his phone to contact someone while walking towards the bed.

    "It¡¯s nothing."

    There¡¯s absolutely no way Qiao Jing can see the stuff outside the door; it has to be dealt with immediately.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was even more puzzled and lightly raised her eyebrows.

    "Are you sure?"

    She looked at the brooding expression on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, which in no way seemed like nothing was wrong.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and began to change the subject.

    "It¡¯s nothing. The waiter just delivered the breakfast to the wrong room. Go freshen up, breakfast will be here soon."

    Qiao Jing nodded thoughtfully but still did not dismiss her suspicions.

    "Oh."

    If it was just as Zhan Qipei said, a simple mistake by the waiter, would it have warranted such a loud door closing and that grim expression?

    Zhan Qipei, seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t asking any further questions, started walking to one side with his phone and dialed a number.

    All he wanted now was to get rid of all the garbage at the door as quickly as possible.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei had no intention of exining what happened, Qiao Jing got out of bed and walked towards the door.

    She wanted to see for herself what it was that could make Zhan Qipei look so stern.

    Zhan Qipei, who was on the phone, furrowed his brows instantly upon seeing Qiao Jing heading for the door.

    "Wait, don¡¯t open the door!"

    But by then, Qiao Jing had already opened the door of the room.

    Upon seeing the scene outside the door, she was stunned.

    The things she saw were even more speechless-making than the scene she witnessed in the room yesterday.

    Right there outside stood Fu Ming, one hand clutching a huge bouquet of roses and the other holding a diamond ring box.

    Right now, he was fiddling with the ring box, and upon hearing the door open again, he said to Zhan Qipei without even lifting his head:

    "No matter how you threaten me, I won¡¯t leave. I¡¯ve said I¡¯m going to pursue your girlfriend."

    Speechless, Qiao Jing twitched the corners of her mouth, her red lips parted slightly and she slowly exhaled two words.

    "Move aside."

    She suddenly noticed that not only did Fu Ming have roses in hand, but the corridor was also covered with rose petals, which would probably take a good while to clean up.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Fu Ming suddenly looked up and when he saw it wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei, his eyes immediately lit up.

    He first opened the door opposite Qiao Jing and began to introduce:

    "Miss, this is something I¡¯ve specially prepared for you, it took me an entire night!"

    Having said that, Fu Ming immediately knelt on one knee and opened the diamond ring box.

    "I¡¯ve said before, I would give you the life all women want, and this is my sincerity."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s attention was not on Fu Ming, but instead, she turned her gaze towards the fountain opposite their room.

    "Did you do the roses in the fountain?"

    If the rose petals in yesterday¡¯s fountain were just a decoration, today¡¯s fountain had be a rose fountain.

    Just looking at the fountain filled with roses, she already didn¡¯t feel like taking a dip, for if she did, she¡¯d probably be overwhelmed by the strong scent of flowers, with roses all around instead of warm fountain water.

    It seemed her n to enjoy the fountain today had likely just gone down the drain.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t interested in his diamond ring, Fu Ming quickly stood up to avoid embarrassment.

    He saw Qiao Jing looking at the rose fountain he had specially prepared and nodded proudly.

    "Exactly, I thought roses suited you well so I had people send over all the roses in An City, all the most vibrant ones, throughout the night. What do you think?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, several people suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor.

 Chapter 687 - 676: Being Approached Again

    <h4>Chapter 687: Chapter 676: Being Approached Again</h4>

    After the leaders had entered, Qiao Jing realized there were more people behind them, and at a nce, there were at least ten of them.

    And each of these ten or so people held a broom in their hands, expression severe as they approached the doorway of her room.

    "Miss Qiao, we are the cleaning crew assigned to this task, may we begin the cleanup now?"

    Qiao Jing paused, turned to look at Zhan Qipei standing behind her with a cell phone in his hand, and instantly understood.

    She nodded.

    "Yes."

    The speed at which Zhan Qipei had arranged for the cleanup was quite fast.

    It turned out that the reason Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t let her go outside was because of the things Fu Ming had prepared. She had just woken up and thought something serious had happened when she saw his dark expression.

    But now, thinking about it, such matters indeed counted as serious in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    Fu Ming, seeing the items he had prepared all night about to be swept away, instantly widened his eyes and started to stop people.

    "These are all things I¡¯ve prepared."

    After saying this, he turned his gaze to Qiao Jing.

    "So you are Miss Qiao. I¡¯m very pleased¡ª"

    Before he could finish, a broom from one of the crew swept against his leather shoes.

    Only then did Fu Ming realize the crew members were still sweeping.

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop sweeping?!"

    The workers, who were vigorously sweeping up the roses, paid no attention to Fu Ming.

    Fu Ming, seeing that the crew ignored him, was quite agitated.

    "Hey, hey, hey, why are you still sweeping? Don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m the Fu Family¡¯s eldest son! I prepared all of these things. If you keep sweeping recklessly and cause me to fail in pursuing Miss Qiao, who will take responsibility?"

    He thought they would stop as soon as he spoke, but instead they acted as if they hadn¡¯t heard him at all!

    No sooner had Fu Ming finished speaking than Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice came from behind Qiao Jing.

    "Don¡¯t mind him, keep sweeping."

    "Yes."

    Before Qiao Jing could turn and look at Zhan Qipei, a pair ofrge hands grasped her wrist.

    She furrowed her brows slightly and looked sideways at the man beside her.

    "I can handle this."

    She had encountered this kind of flirting pursuit before and knew how to deal with it.

    If Zhan Qipei handled it, things may be even more serious.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips formed a line devoid of curvature, he took a step forward to ce Qiao Jing behind him, and then spoke slowly.

    "Leave this ce, I will not repeat myself."

    This morning, when he heard the knocking on the door, he thought it was the breakfast he had ordered early, but when he opened the door, he saw Fu Ming.

    And with roses in hand, clearly meant for Qiao Jing.

    How could he possibly allow such a thing to continue?

    Fu Ming showed no sign of leaving and replied confidently:

    "I am here to see Miss Qiao."

    He had rallied and was determined to pursue Miss Qiao; he wouldn¡¯t back down over such a trivial matter. Could he still im the title of Fu Family¡¯s eldest son otherwise?

    He simply couldn¡¯t believe that the arrangement he had made today, which all other women had been crazy about before, wouldn¡¯t appeal to Miss Qiao!

    Zhan Qipei narrowed his dark eyes and, with an expression as cold as the wind, rified his rtionship with Qiao Jing in one sentence.

    "You¡¯re looking for my wife?"

    If Fu Ming didn¡¯t leave on his own, he would resort to more forceful measures.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Fu Ming was stunned for a moment.

    "You¡¯re already... no, I¡¯m here to see Miss Qiao, what of it?"

    Although he had just found out that the two were already married, he had made a bet with Young Master Wang. Even if Miss Qiao was married, he couldn¡¯t give up so easily!

    With this thought in mind, Fu Ming looked at Qiao Jing again.

    "Miss Qiao, do you like the rose arrangement I¡¯ve set up especially for you?"

    Zhan Qipei sneered, his thin lips parting slightly.

    "The rose arrangement you set up? Take a look behind you."

    Fu Ming furrowed his brows, confusion written all over his face. He turned his head, and in an instant, he was stunned. "Damn it" slipped from his mouth.

    This... within the few minutes he had been talking, these dozen or so people had already swept the corridor clean and started dealing with the roses in the hot springs?!

    The arrangement he had spent an entire night on was almostpletely taken down within just a few minutes?

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t pay Fu Ming any more attention and closed the room door again, giving the other man a rude awakening.

    After doing all this, the coldness in his expression gradually dissipated. When he looked at Qiao Jing again, the chill in his eyes was reced by gentleness.

    "You should go wash up; breakfast will be delivered soon."

    As for Fu Ming outside the door, he would have someone send him away.

    Qiao Jing nodded and walked into the bathroom.

    When she came out from the bathroom, she found Zhan Qipei on the phone again, but this time his face was not gloomy but stern.

    She only ever saw that look on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face when he was dealing with work issues.

    Zhan Qipei just hung up the phone and met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    Thinking of the matter mentioned on the phone call, he started with a guilty tone,

    "Qiao Jing, the head of our Cloud City branch was in a car ident; things are quite chaotic at thepany, and they need someone to take charge, I..."

    Zhan Qipei, feeling responsible, didn¡¯t finish his sentence and just kept his gaze steady on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing waved her hand and sat down on the sofa, pulling out a medical book.

    "You go and deal with it."

    She knew Zhan Qipei must be facing a work-rted issue, or else he wouldn¡¯t have shown that expression.

    Zhan Qipei smoothed his eyebrows, his tone full of apology.

    "Sorry, I didn¡¯t anticipate this emergency. My original n was to travel with you to a tourist spot in Cloud City today. I¡¯ll return quickly after handling the situation."

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing frowned slightly and looked up at the man.

    "Why apologize? Just go."

    She didn¡¯t need someone to apany her to go out; she could wander around Cloud City by herself.

    Zhan Qipei saw her indifference in her face, his dark eyes dimmed, and the hand holding the phone tightened slowly.

    "I¡¯ve already arranged for someone to deliver your breakfast; there will be a driver to take you wherever you want to goter."

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "Mm."

    "Go ahead."

    Zhan Qipei had wanted to stay a little longer, but his phone suddenly rang again.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei had no intention of leaving, Qiao Jing stood up and helped him open the door.

    "They¡¯re urging you from thepany."

    Only then did Zhan Qipei leave the room.

    Watching Zhan Qipei¡¯s retreating figure, Qiao Jing inexplicably felt a bit of emptiness in her heart.

    However, this emotion quickly disappeared, and she didn¡¯t dwell on it.

    Noon.

    Qiao Jing received a message that Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t be back for lunch, and she found a Zhouhuan Restaurant branch nearby on the app.

    She turned off her phone and headed to Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    Upon getting out of the car, Qiao Jing saw a long queue from a distance.

    It seemed that the business was booming as usual, whether at the branch or the main restaurant.

    Just as she was about to head straight to the entrance, a voice suddenly came from behind her.

 Chapter 688 - 677: Wanted to Invite Qiao Jing for a Meal, but Got Humiliated

    <h4>Chapter 688: Chapter 677: Wanted to Invite Qiao Jing for a Meal, but Got Humiliated</h4>

    "Miss Qiao! What a coincidence to run into you here."

    Upon hearing this voice, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and nced sideways at the neer.

    She did not acknowledge the other party and had just nned to walk towards Zhouhuan Restaurant when Fu Ming stepped in her way.

    Fu Ming saw that Qiao Jing hade by taxi and thought she might be facing financial difficulties, ncing once at his own limited edition sports car.

    "Miss Qiao, I actually wanted to wait for you this morning and exchange contact information with you, but there were suddenly too many bodyguards on your floor and they wouldn¡¯t let me go up. If you¡¯re going somewhere for fun afterward, you can tell me. I¡¯m also staying at the resort nearby, I can give you a ride."

    As he spoke, he patted his limited edition sports car.

    "My car is prettyfortable, much better than a taxi."

    He assumed the roses this morning had failed only because that man had interfered.

    Now, he thought the conditions he offered shouldn¡¯t be refused.

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Fu Ming and then looked away.

    "No need."

    She hadn¡¯t used the car arranged by Zhan Qipei because the scoundrel had directly sent a stretched Maybach to pick her up, purportedly saying the extension was convenient and had prepared various things inside for her.

    Thinking of having to ride in this stretched Maybach during her visit to Cloud City, she found it too ostentatious and preferred a in taxi instead.

    Having dropped these words, Qiao Jing walked off towards Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    Fu Ming, surprised that Qiao Jing was not interested in his sports car, was momentarily stunned.

    By the time he came to his senses, Qiao Jing had already walked quite a distance. He hurriedly followed her and saw that she was headed to Zhouhuan Restaurant when he took out a VIP card from his wallet.

    "Miss Qiao, are you going to Zhouhuan Restaurant? I have a VIP card, which can get us an earlier number. If you wait in line yourself, it will take a long time. How about you join me?"

    He couldn¡¯t believe that she would disregard all the favorable conditions he had offered.

    If she even looked down on a VIP slot at Zhouhuan Restaurant, the challenge would be even greater.

    Qiao Jing nced at Fu Ming wordlessly, as indifferent as before, and continued walking towards the restaurant entrance.

    She absolutely did not need any VIP card; her acquaintance had already arranged a special card for her that allowed entry to her exclusive private room in both the main and branch locations.

    Seeing Qiao Jing heading straight for the restaurant entrance, Fu Ming followed her yet again.

    "Miss Qiao, you need to wait in line. If you go straight there, the waitstaff will turn you away. I have a VIP card that can get us to the front of the linee with me."

    It was his first time seeing someone without a VIP daring to walk directly to the entrance of Zhouhuan Restaurant.

    And everyone knew that Zhouhuan Restaurant enforced a strict no-line-cutting rule; even Miss Qiao¡¯s good looks wouldn¡¯t help!

    Qiao Jing was really getting annoyed by Fu Ming chattering next to her ear.

    Her temples throbbed as she said coldly,

    "No, thanks."

    By the time their conversation finished, they had already reached the entrance of the restaurant.

    The two immediately became the center of attention, with the waitstaff and customers at the front staring continuously.

    Fu Ming took out his VIP card and ced it on the table.

    "I¡¯m a VIP, and I¡¯m with thedy next to me."

    He might as well help Miss Qiao out of this bind¡ªit might even earn him some goodwill.

    The smiling server was just about to take Fu Ming¡¯s VIP card when he saw the one Qiao Jing pulled out.

    Instantly, the server¡¯s eyes lit up, pushed Fu Ming¡¯s VIP card aside, and looked at Qiao Jing with utmost respect, bowing deeply at a ny-degree angle.

    "Miss Qiao, pleasee inside!"

    As she spoke, she lit up themunicator and got in touch with the manager.

    Yu Yangqi had already issued instructions regarding Qiao Jing.

    The person who held this card could only be one person, Miss Qiao, someone even their boss had to respect.

    "Manager Wang, Miss Qiao is here, she needs you to personally attend to her," she said.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow as she noticed the waiter bowing so formally to her.

    "There¡¯s no need for that."

    She was only here for a meal, such reverence wasn¡¯t necessary.

    The waiter quickly straightened up as Manager Wang also hurried over and gave a slight bow to Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao, pleasee this way! I¡¯ll take you to the private room on the third floor!"

    Qiao Jing nodded her head and followed the manager inside.

    Fu Ming was instantly dumbfounded, and subconsciously wanted to follow Qiao Jing, but was stopped by the waiter.

    "Sir, it¡¯s not your turn yet."

    Fu Ming then came to his senses, looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s receding figure in bewilderment, then nced at the VIP card lying on the table.

    "What kind of card was she holding just now? Does she have higher privileges than a VIP member?"

    It was his first time seeing Zhouhuan Restaurant¡¯s Manager Wang rush out to greet someone like this.

    Moreover, Manager Wang was personally escorting Qiao Jing upstairs, to a private room on the third floor?!

    If Manager Wang hadn¡¯t said so, he would have thought the third floor was exclusively for the boss¡¯s use, since no one else besides the boss ever went up there.

    But as far as he knew, Zhouhuan Restaurant¡¯s boss was a man, so how could Miss Qiao use the third-floor private room?

    The waiter returned to the counter and while helping Fu Ming with his VIP card and getting his number, he answered:

    "Miss Qiao is a VIP guest of Zhouhuan Restaurant, and it¡¯s not convenient to divulge more."

    Fu Ming was even more puzzled now, he couldn¡¯t see how Qiao Jing resembled a tycoon¡¯s daughter, as he had never heard of the Qiao family in An City.

    However, he did hear about a Qiao family in the capital, which was nearly bankrupt; how could they possibly afford a trip to An City for a spa?

    So who exactly was Miss Qiao? She appeared to hold such a high status at Zhouhuan Restaurant?

    Seeing Fu Ming still standing there dazed, the waiter waved the number in front of him.

    "Mr. Fu, your number."

    Fu Ming snapped back to reality and took the number the waiter handed to him.

    So his earlier suggestion to use his own VIP card to help Miss Qiao cut in line in her eyes must have looked like a foolish act, right?

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing had already reached the third-floor private room and started enjoying her lunch.

    By the time Fu Ming arrived, Qiao Jing had already finished her lunch and was heading downstairs.

    Upon seeing this, Fu Ming didn¡¯t even bother about his own meal and directly followed behind Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao, do you have some secret identity? Why can you directly go to the third-floor private room?" he asked.

    Logically speaking, someone with such high status in Zhouhuan Restaurant shouldn¡¯t need to ride in a taxi when going out, right?

    Qiao Jing paused momentarily, turned her head to nce at Fu Ming, who was acting like a persistently annoying follower.

    "What¡¯s it to you?" she replied.

    She felt that Fu Ming had reached the point of embarrassingly tagging along behind her.

    This morning she had clearly exined her rtionship with Zhan Qipei, yet Fu Ming still followed her stubbornly, could he really be trying to encroach on a married person?

 Chapter 689 - 678: Consecutive Humiliations

    <h4>Chapter 689: Chapter 678: Consecutive Humiliations</h4>

    Fu Ming noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s impatience but still didn¡¯t give up, his words slick with ttery:

    "Miss Qiao, don¡¯t I just want to get to know you a little better? We could start off as friends and slowly get to know each other. I can guarantee, I¡¯m not much less than your husband!"

    Whether it was because of Miss Qiao¡¯s looks or his ownpetitive spirit, or even the bet made with Young Master Wang, he had to win Miss Qiao over!

    The more challenging Miss Qiao was to pursue, the more it spurred hispetitive spirit to win her over.

    Qiao Jing looked at Fu Ming expressionlessly and said coldly:

    "I have no interest in getting to know you."

    After dropping that sentence, she paced outward to leave.

    But Fu Ming still hadn¡¯t lost heart and insisted on following behind Qiao Jing.

    "It¡¯s alright, Miss Qiao, as long as I want to get to know you, that¡¯s what counts. Can¡¯t we at least be friends?"

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with Fu Ming and was ready to hail a taxi to return to the resort.

    Being unfamiliar with An City and with Fu Ming persistently tailing her, she decided to head back and venture out some other time.

    But as she stepped out of Zhouhuan Restaurant, the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of a ce that piqued her interest.

    Qiao Jing squinted her phoenix eyes slightly, halted her steps, and looked towards the Archery Range not far away.

    It had been a while since shest practiced archery, and encountering it today made her itch to try.

    Moreover, this store was the very one where she had registered, the Archery Range where she broke many records.

    However, this was a branch; the main store was in the capital.

    Fu Ming noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and eagerly pulled out another VIP card from his wallet.

    "Miss Qiao, do you want to do some archery? As it happens, I¡¯m also a VIP member of this establishment. I have memberships at all the upscale entertainment ces in An City."

    "Miss Qiao, instead of ying alone, why not join me? I¡¯m not only a VIP member in all famous ces within An City, but I also offer a free sports car ride for you. Isn¡¯t that great? And as for your husband, he¡¯s nowhere to be seen this early morning, while I can keep youpany!"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t spare Fu Ming a single nce and continued to walk straight into the Archery Range.

    Following closely, Fu Ming quickly took out his VIP card at the lobby counter and handed it to the staff.

    He coughed twice, feigning a domineering CEO demeanor, and said:

    "I¡¯m with thisdy here, clear two spots for us over there in the hall."

    The Archery Range was quite busy, and generally, people went to the shared area for archery. Those with private booths were rare.

    The staff member took the VIP card and was about to proceed with the service when he saw the exclusive card in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    He froze in disbelief, thinking he had seen wrong, and quickly rubbed his eyes.

    After rubbing his eyes several times and making sure he was not mistaken, he immediately stepped out from behind the service desk, epted Qiao Jing¡¯s card with both hands, and gave her a respectful bow.

    "Miss Qiao! You¡¯re here; I¡¯ll take you to your exclusive private booth."

    Hearing what the staff member said, Fu Ming could no longer keep up the smile on his face, and his expression stiffened.

    "Miss Qiao... so you have a private booth? That¡¯s alright, if you¡¯re going to y archery, do you need me to teach you? My archery skills are pretty good!"

    Even though Miss Qiao had a private booth, it didn¡¯t mean she was good at archery.

    He was considered skilled at archery in An City, and moreover, he could use this as an excuse to get closer to Miss Qiao.

    Now, he was even more curious about Miss Qiao, wondering how she could repeatedly produce items of higher status than his own, indirectly pping his face.

    Could it really be as Miss Qiao said before, that she wasn¡¯t short of money? But if she wasn¡¯t short of money, why would she take a taxi?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at Fu Ming; her gaze fell on the staff member.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    She didn¡¯t know if her archery skills had declined during this long period without practice.

    The staff member quickly nodded and walked ahead to lead the way for Qiao Jing.

    Seeing this, Fu Ming bit his teeth and hurriedly followed.

    The staff member thought Qiao Jing and Fu Ming knew each other, so when he followed them into the VIP room, they did not stop him.

    Qiao Jing knew this guy Fu Ming had followed her in and gave him a cold side nce.

    "Aren¡¯t you leaving?"

    By now she had seen enough of Fu Ming¡¯s thick-skinned behavior, he followed wherever she went.

    And she had already clearly refused him, yet he still insisted on following her.

    Fu Ming nced at the well-equipped VIP room and took a suitable bow and arrows for himself, saying eagerly:

    "I¡¯m here to teach Miss Qiao how to shoot, aren¡¯t I? My skills are definitely good; I never miss!"

    With that, he pulled back the bowstring and shot ten arrows in rapid session.

    Fu Ming, looking at his seven nine-ring and three eight-ring shots, proudly tilted his chin and turned to Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao, what do you think of my archery skills? Not bad, right? Do you need me to teach you?"

    He had achieved quite a few good results in this Archery Range and had even broken several records, but he was never able to surpass the one ranked first, Jing.

    After all, Jing shot ten arrows, each hitting the bullseye, and he had always wanted to meet this person but never had the chance.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face remained indifferent, not betraying any hint of her feelings.

    She casually picked up a bow, drew the bowstring in her hand, squinted one eye, aimed at the bullseye, and then released her hold.

    The arrow shot from Qiao Jing¡¯s hand carved a sharp trajectory through the wind, heading straight for the bullseye!

    When Fu Ming saw this, he felt as if he could hear the sound of the arrow slicing through the air beside his ear.

    Moreover, when he saw Qiao Jing¡¯s posture while drawing the arrow, he could tell she was an experienced archer.

    "Swish¡ª"

    The first arrow Qiao Jing released had already hit the bullseye¡ªdead center!

    When Fu Ming saw this, he was startled for a moment, yet he still kept a smile on his face.

    "It seems Miss Qiao is quite lucky. I¡¯ve nearly hit the bullseye a few times myself; just had a bit of bad luck following through."

    Qiao Jing nced at Fu Ming, drew her bow again, and shot nine arrows in session, each time hitting the bullseye, showing him that it was not luck but skill.

    Fu Ming stood there dumbfounded, his smile stiffening with each arrow she released.

    Now, seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s results, the smile on his facepletely froze. He thought he was dreaming and pinched himself secretly, immediately releasing his grip from the pain.

    After confirming he was not dreaming, he looked again at Qiao Jing¡¯s results.

    Ten in a row... all bullseyes?!

    Such an astonishing result; he had only seen it from the person known as Jing, who dominated the Archery Range leaderboard!

    The archery skills of the Miss Qiao in front of him could actuallypare to Jing, who had been topping the rankings for years?!!

 Chapter 690 - 679: Those Who Have Designs on Qiao Jing Will Bear the Consequences

    <h4>Chapter 690: Chapter 679: Those Who Have Designs on Qiao Jing Will Bear the Consequences</h4>

    Qiao Jing put down her bow and arrow and casually nced at Fu Ming.

    "You sure you want to teach me?"

    Although her archery skills were not that great, they were still better than Fu Ming¡¯s. She didn¡¯t need him to teach her at all.

    Fu Ming shed an embarrassed smile, looking at the few nine rings and eight-rings he scored, which contrasted sharply with Qiao Jing¡¯s ten consecutive nine rings.

    "I hadn¡¯t realized Miss Qiao was so skilled. There¡¯s no need for me to teach you. Do you have any ns for where to go next? I can take you there, and I¡¯m from An City, so I¡¯m very familiar with the area."

    It was the first time he had met someone so good at archery. He had originally thought Miss Qiao was just ying around, not really knowing how to shoot, but then he saw her impressive scores.

    Thinking back to how he had enthusiastically offered to teach Miss Qiao, even confidently scoring some nine rings and eight-rings, he felt a bit embarrassed.

    He had never met a girl so difficult to charm.

    Qiao Jing slowly furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with indifference.

    "I said no, thank you, and please don¡¯t follow me."

    Despite being rejected multiple times, Fu Ming didn¡¯t give up and rallied himself, still enthusiastically saying:

    "Miss Qiao, don¡¯t be so cold. We¡¯ve known each other for a day, right? We can at least be considered half-friends, so going out together shouldn¡¯t be a problem."

    After seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s all ten-ring performance, the staff quickly walked over and hastily handed her a bottle of water.

    "I heard from the people at the main store that you haven¡¯te to shoot for a while. And today, your level is still so exceptional!"

    Qiao Jing took the bottle of water from the staff, thanked him, and then left directly.

    Fu Ming followed behind Qiao Jing, asking with some confusion:

    "Miss Qiao, does what that staff member said mean that you¡¯ve always been this good at archery?"

    Qiao Jing ignored Fu Ming, automatically blocking out his voice, and took out her phone to call a taxi.

    Fu Ming saw that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t paying him any attention, but he didn¡¯t get angry. He inadvertently nced at her phone screen and realized she was about to call a ride and leave.

    He quickly drove his sports car over and stopped in front of Qiao Jing, honked the horn, and then rolled down the passenger-side window.

    "Miss Qiao, where are you headed? I¡¯ll take you. Riding in a taxi isn¡¯tfortable at all."

    Only when she heard the horn did Qiao Jing look up at Fu Ming and then shifted her gaze away.

    Seeing the taxi stop behind Fu Ming¡¯s car, she walked straight in the direction of the taxi.

    Fu Ming watched as Qiao Jing chose the taxi over his sports car, and couldn¡¯t help but twitch his mouth.

    Was she joking with him? Don¡¯t women love brand name bags, clothes, makeup, and things like sports cars and vis?

    Miss Qiao must not know that his car is a limited edition model. That must be why she¡¯s getting into a taxi instead!

    With this thought, Fu Ming leaned his entire body out of the window and called out to Qiao Jing as she was about to get into the taxi.

    "Miss Qiao! This is a sports car! Are you sure you don¡¯t want a ride?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s movements to open the car door didn¡¯t stop. She got into the taxi directly.

    "You can go now."

    The driver acknowledged and started the car, heading towards the hot spring resort.

    Soon enough, the driver noticed something odd and mentioned it.

    "Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s been a car following us. I saw the driver of that car calling out to you earlier. Do you know him?"

    Qiao Jing nced in the rearview mirror and saw that Fu Ming was indeed following behind in his car.

    She furrowed her brows slightly and indifferently withdrew her gaze.

    "Don¡¯t bother, just keep driving."

    She really didn¡¯t feel like dealing with Fu Ming right now; the petals he had scattered had already prevented her from taking a hot spring bath up to this point, and she was somewhat annoyed at having to wait for the staff to change the water. And now, he was shamelessly following her.

    Her patience was limited, and if he continued to follow her, she wouldn¡¯t mind taking some measures.

    A momentter, the taxi stopped in front of the hot spring resort.

    Qiao Jing got out of the car and headed straight for the entrance.

    She suddenly noticed a car at the entrance that was all too familiar to her.

    Zhan Qipei had returned.

    Zhan Qipei was standing beside his car and had also noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s figure. His dark eyes lit up as he stepped towards her.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to keep walking towards the entrance, Fu Ming¡¯s voice came from behind her.

    "Miss Qiao! Wait for me!"

    Fu Ming hastily parked the car and upon getting out, he realized that Qiao Jing was already heading to the resort¡¯s entrance.

    If Miss Qiao returned to her room, he would definitely not be able to go up to that floor again and would thus lose the opportunity.

    Moreover, since that man wasn¡¯t around today, he could spend some time alone with Miss Qiao, so he couldn¡¯t let her return so quickly.

    With this thought, Fu Ming ran up to Qiao Jing and, without any hesitation, reached out his hand to grab her.

    But before his hand could even get close to Qiao Jing, it was firmly caught, rendering him unable to move.

    Fu Ming, irritated, clicked his tongue and looked at the person grabbing him with a fiery expression, cursing at the same time.

    "Who the hell dares to get in my way? You believe or not¡ª"

    His words were cut off mid-sentence as he met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gloomy face that seemed about to drip with water and the sharpness in his eyes.

    Zhan Qipei tightened his grip on Fu Ming, his deep voice carrying a warning.

    "Didn¡¯t I make myself clear this morning?"

    He had just finished dealing with the branch office¡¯s matters and had rushed back, nning to have a brief honeymoon with Qiao Jing.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected toe back and see Fu Ming doggedly chasing after Qiao Jing.

    It seemed that throwing Fu Ming into the elevator that morning had been too gentle.

    Fu Ming, feeling the pain from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip, struggled and cursed through gritted teeth:

    "Damn it, is that necessary? Let go right now!"

    He struggled several times but found that the other¡¯s hand gripped him like a hook, impossible to shake off no matter how much he tried.

    Thispletely infuriated Fu Ming, who didn¡¯t care about his image anymore and began to curse loudly.

    "Are you sick or something? Let go! I¡¯ve been polite enough to you, and you dare to get physical with me? Have you not heard who the richest man in An City is? It¡¯s the Fu Family! If you know what¡¯s good for you, let go right now!"

    Zhan Qipei curled his lips into a smile that carried a chill, his thin lips parted slightly, and four words slowly slipped out.

    "An City¡¯s Fu Family?"

    Fu Ming desperately shook off Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand and answered:

    "That¡¯s right! The great young master of the Fu Family is your father! If you don¡¯t let go, and if you can still live well after this, then damn it, I¡¯ll take yourst name!"

    Zhan Qipei applied more force and flung Fu Ming aside, then took out the wet wipes he carried to clean his hands.

    "An City¡¯s Fu Family, I¡¯ll remember that. If you still have designs on my wife, you will bear the consequences yourself."

 Chapter 691 - 680: Talking Tough to Zhan Qipei

    <h4>Chapter 691: Chapter 680: Talking Tough to Zhan Qipei</h4>

    Fu Ming stumbled backward several steps due to inertia, using all his strength to barely stabilize himself.

    He rolled up his sleeve and nced at the arm that Zhan Qipei had grasped to find several bright red fingerprints imprinted on it!

    Fu Ming, infuriated, rolled down his sleeve, ready to confront Zhan Qipei.

    But by the time he had checked the marks on his arm, Zhan Qipei had already walked away, leading Qiao Jing by the hand.

    Fu Ming was so angry he nearly exploded on the spot.

    He watched Zhan Qipei¡¯s retreating back, gritting his teeth:

    "Wait for me!!"

    Zhan Qipei, walking ahead, seemed to hear that sentence, stopped his steps, and looked back coldly at Fu Ming.

    Fu Ming met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze and, as if provoked, shouted loudly.

    "You wait for me, and if you dare run, you¡¯re a coward!"

    Hearing Fu Ming¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei merely lifted the corner of his lips and continued walking forward with Qiao Jing, ignoring the other man.

    Qiao Jing, hearing this utterly childish statement, couldn¡¯t help but twitch her mouth.

    "Ignore him."

    Zhan Qipei nodded, and his somber face instantly cleared when he turned to look at Qiao Jing, leading the woman into the hall.

    Fu Ming watched as the two left and clenched his teeth before driving back to his house.

    When he arrived at his front door, Fu Ming deliberately rolled up his sleeves to reveal the red marks.

    He quickly opened the door and then mmed it shut with a bang.

    "Bang!"

    The loud bang immediately caught the attention of the housekeepers, who looked toward the door.

    Fu Ming, looking displeased, walked to the sofa, plopped down, crossed his legs, and addressed one of the housekeepers.

    "Where¡¯s my dad?"

    He wanted his father to handle this matter, knowing that once his father took action, that fool wouldn¡¯t be able to mix in An City anymore!

    The housekeeper, knowing Fu Ming was angry and not wanting to provoke him, hurriedly walked toward the study.

    "Young Master Fu, President Fu is working in the study; I¡¯ll go call him now."

    Fu Ming waved his hand impatiently.

    "Hurry up!"

    Upon receiving the news, President Fu immediately rushed out of the study and came over to the sofa.

    "Ah Ming, what happened? Who has upset you again?"

    Fu Ming, frowning impatiently, extended his arm out and started to vent.

    "Dad, someone hit me, look at my hand, he squeezed it like this."

    He wasn¡¯t worried at all about his father not helping him; after all, he was the Fu Family¡¯s only son, cherished not only by his father but also by his grandfather.

    No one in An City dared to mess with him until this man did today!

    When President Fu saw the fingerprints on Fu Ming¡¯s hand, he was instantly furious.

    "Who did this?! Someone dared to hit you?!"

    He was famously protective in An City, yet someone had dared toy a hand on his son?!

    Just thinking about Zhan Qipei got Fu Ming even angrier as he began to y the victim pitifully.

    "Yesterday, I went to a hot spring resort and took a liking to a girl; I wanted to marry her. Her repeated rejections would be tolerable, and I could bear it, but her husband hit me right away! He squeezed my hand like this!"

    President Fu¡¯s expression darkened, and he cursed angrily.

    "That woman actually dares to be so ungrateful? My son is interested in her, and that is the fortune of her ancestors¡¯ cultivation. Yet, she still dares to refuse you? And her husband has the audacity toy a hand on you? Did you tell him you are from the Fu Family?"

    Fu Ming nodded and straightforwardly listed Zhan Qipei¡¯s "crimes."

    "I did tell him, but that man wouldn¡¯t listen. It¡¯s not just that. The scene I set up overnight yesterday, that ungrateful woman, her husband even swept away everything I arranged. Today, when I approached that woman again, that man just went ahead and hit me."

    It was his first time encountering someone so hard to pursue, and that man even dared to hit him!

    Being the eldest young master of the Fu Family, he had never encountered such a situation from birth!!

    Upon hearing this, President Fu spat in contempt and pulled out his phone, ready to make contact.

    "I¡¯ming with you right now. I want to see who dares toy a hand on my son and disregard the Fu Family like this."

    Seeing his father about to intervene, Fu Ming revealed a satisfied smile.

    "Let¡¯s go, Dad."

    A momentter.

    Fu Ming and President Fu arrived in front of the hot spring resort, bringing along a dozen bodyguards who took positions at the entrance.

    In his anxiety, Fu Ming pulled President Fu inside, talking nonstop:

    "Dad, they wouldn¡¯t let me enter the floor where they are staying. They got two bodyguards guarding the elevator. At first, I thought something was happening on that floor that prevented ess, but then I realized they just didn¡¯t want to let me in, while everyone else could enter!"

    He paused, described all the events of yesterday and today, and said through clenched teeth:

    "And additionally, this morning after I had set everything up, that man closed the door, and suddenly, two people came and chased me away!"

    President Fu¡¯s expression grew darker as he nced around.

    "Where is that man?!"

    Fu Ming pointed upward, just about to lead President Fu to the floor where Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were, when he suddenly spotted the targets, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, standing in front of the reception desk, talking about something with their backs to them.

    Upon seeing the silhouette of Zhan Qipei, Fu Ming¡¯s anger red again, and he ringly pointed in their direction.

    "It¡¯s him! That¡¯s the man!"

    At that moment, Qiao Jing just happened to turn around and noticed Fu Ming pointing in their direction.

    Her brows furrowed slowly, a hint of confusion rising in her eyes.

    What is Fu Ming doing?

    When Fu Ming saw Qiao Jing turn around, his eyes brightened.

    "Dad, that¡¯s the girl I like."

    Upon seeing the appearance of Qiao Jing, President Fu was indeed impressed, nodding his head with utmost approval.

    "So that is my future daughter-inw. She indeed looks stunning, a perfect match for my son! Good! This foul kid dares to bully my son and even wants to steal my future daughter-inw. Today I¡¯ll teach him a lesson!"

    After dropping those words, President Fu hurried toward Zhan Qipei.

    Fu Ming quickly followed behind President Fu, smugly lifting his chin.

    "Your good days are over!"

    Just wait!

    His dad was about to subdue this ungrateful person soon! Then he would show him just how powerful he really was!

    And with his family¡¯s dozen bodyguards outside, he soon would make him kneel on the ground and personally apologize to him!

    President Fu, full of fury, reached behind Zhan Qipei and, without hesitation, raised his fist and threw it directly at him.

    Upon seeing this, Qiao Jing instantly furrowed her brows, and quickly extended her hand to try to catch President Fu¡¯s wrist.

    Zhan Qipei also noticed at that moment, and he moved faster than Qiao Jing, turning around before the punchnded on him.

 Chapter 692 - 681: Nearly Dead

    <h4>Chapter 692: Chapter 681: Nearly Dead</h4>

    President Fu saw the other person turn around and a triumphant smile spread across his face.

    Having learned boxing for a few years, he had initially worried that hitting the back wouldn¡¯t hurt as much, but now that the other person had turned around, if his fistnded on the chest, it would definitely cause internal injuries!

    Thinking this, President Fu looked towards Zhan Qipei, and upon seeing his face, his eyes widened in terror.

    This... this isn¡¯t President Zhan, is it?!

    The person his son mentioned was actually President Zhan...? Then the woman beside him must be President Zhan¡¯s wife?!

    It was all over now! His son didn¡¯t recognize President Zhan, but he did!

    It was over; his son had messed with the wrong person, now it was like pulling the tiger¡¯s whiskers!

    President Fu regretted deeply, but the punch he had already thrown was toote to take back.

    He clenched his teeth tightly, desperately controlling the force in his hand, managed to reign in the brute strength he had used, and instead gently patted Zhan Qipei¡¯s shoulder, while apanying it with a smile:

    "President Zhan, it really is you. From afar, I thought your silhouette looked familiar and wanted toe over to say hello."

    After saying that, Fu Ming wiped the cold sweat that had broken out on his forehead.

    If he had actually thrown that punch just now, not just him, but the entire Fu Family would have suffered the consequences!

    The thought of those consequences was simply unimaginable!

    When Zhan Qipei saw President Fu, his expression visibly darkened, the temperature around him plummeted rapidly, and he gave off a powerful aura that almost made it hard to breathe.

    His thin lips parted slightly, and he said slowly:

    "What¡¯s the matter, Fu Yun, do you want to fight with me?"

    The moment he had turned his back to them, he had already sensed the ill-intentioned gaze on his back.

    Initially, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it, but when he heard the footstepsing from behind, he realized something was off. Turning around to see Fu Yun trying to conceal his intentions with a pat on the shoulder, he knew that he had intended to start a fight.

    But he knew that Fu Yun wouldn¡¯t have the audacity to strike at him; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have suddenly stopped. Probably because...

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze settled on the man named Fu Ming, who had been shadowing Fu Yun closely, guessing some of the reasons.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words made Fu Yun break out into more cold sweat, too much to even wipe away.

    He bowed several times anxiously, stammering in his exnation:

    "How could I possibly! Don¡¯t joke with me, President Zhan. How could I dare to strike you? I just wanted to give you a back massage!"

    As he spoke, he was about to start massaging Zhan Qipei¡¯s back but then suddenly remembered his clean-freak nature and immediately withdrew his hand.

    "Sorry, President Zhan, I forgot about your cleanliness obsession for a moment. Why don¡¯t you go sit on the sofa, and I¡¯ll get you a cup of tea? I could pour you a drink as well."

    He had almost stepped on Zhan Qipei¡¯s red line again; if his hand had touched him one more time, he might not need his hands anymore.

    Upon seeing Fu Yun¡¯s drastic change in attitude, Fu Ming was dumbfounded, standing therepletely baffled.

    His eyes nearly popped out of his head as he asked:

    "Dad... what are you doing? Weren¡¯t you supposed to help me get back your daughter-inw? Why the sudden change?"

    Growing up, he had never seen his father show such eager manners nor speak so respectfully to anyone.

    His dad was the richest man in An City! How could he show such an attitude to this man?!

    Upon hearing this, Fu Yun red at his son, frustrated, how could he not understand the situation?

    Finally, because Zhan Qipei was still there, he had no choice but to step forward and p Fu Ming without saying another word.

    "p!"

    The sound of the p was exceptionally loud in the quiet hall.

    Fu Ming covered the pped side of his face with his hand, stunned by the p.

    "Dad... you¡ª"

    He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he was directly interrupted by Fu Yun.

    "Shut up, you fool! What are you babbling about? What, my daughter-inw? As if you¡¯re worthy. Miss Qiao is President Zhan¡¯s wife, where do you get the courage?"

    If he didn¡¯t interrupt his foolish son now, thetter would definitely blurt out even more shocking and senseless words.

    By that time, the entire Fu Family would be doomed!

    Fu Ming, still dizzy from the p, took a while to vaguely guess who Fu Yun was referring to when he mentioned President Zhan and asked in astonishment:

    "What? President Zhan... is it the President Zhan from the Zhan Family of the capital city? It can¡¯t be..."

    If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t he be dead meat?

    Seeing Fu Ming finallying to his senses, Fu Yun felt a slight constion, but under the current situation, he definitely couldn¡¯t let this matter slide easily.

    Because his foolish son had done many things, most importantly pursuing President Zhan¡¯s wife!

    In the upper circles of the capital city, who doesn¡¯t know that President Zhan adores Miss Qiao, and everyone in the Zhan Family likes her so much they would lift her to the skies?

    And today, his son was pursuing Miss Qiao; wasn¡¯t this asking for his own death?

    Fu Yun clenched his teeth and cursed:

    "What else? Which other President Zhan could there be? I think you really must have the audacity of a leopard to dare provoke anyone. Starting today, don¡¯t even say you are part of the Fu Family! I must throw you out toe to your senses!"

    As much as he couldn¡¯t bear to do this to his son, they had offended the entire Zhan Family.

    If it was just a matter of pping his son, that would seem too perfunctory! He had to ensure to satisfy President Zhan, otherwise, the Fu Family would be finished!

    Upon hearing the true identity of Zhan Qipei, Fu Ming instantly broke out in cold sweat, his whole body shuddering.

    "I... I..."

    If he had known this was someone from the Zhan Family of the capital city, not even ten doses of courage would have dared him to provoke them!

    Qiao Jing watched this highly dramatic scene, tugging at the corner of her mouth.

    One second, the man was ferociously trying to fight Zhan Qipei; the next, he was greeting him, the fist he swung turning into a gentle massage, and now this dumbfounded look on Fu Ming was somewhatical.

    As she was thinking this, her hand was suddenly held.

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly and looked toward the man beside her.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tightly knitted brows gradually rxed, and he asked aloud:

    "Is there anything else you want him to do?"

    He just wanted to handle this matter to Qiao Jing¡¯s satisfaction, because she had always been the one troubled by this.

    Qiao Jing nced at Fu Ming¡¯s frightened face, just about to speak, when Fu Yun¡¯s voice rang out again.

 Chapter 693 - 682: Escape from the Secret Room

    <h4>Chapter 693: Chapter 682: Escape from the Secret Room</h4>

    "You little scoundrel! Look at what you¡¯ve done, now get on your knees and apologize to President Zhan and Miss Qiao right away!"

    Upon hearing Fu Yun¡¯s words, Fu Ming¡¯s jaw almost dropped in surprise.

    "Dad, even though this is President Zhan, and I indeed did wrong, I can apologize, but are you sure you want me to kneel and apologize?"

    How could he, who had been pampered by his family all this way, easily kneel before others?

    Even though fear and trepidation rose in his heart upon realizing that he was facing the tycoon of the Empire Capital, he still refused to kneel.

    As the saying goes, ¡¯a man¡¯s knees are filled with gold,¡¯ how could he kneel so easily before someone else?!

    Fu Yun was about to explode with anger due to Fu Ming. Without another word, he grabbed his son¡¯s hand, twisted it behind his back, and then swiftly kicked at his knee.

    "Hurry up! If I tell you to kneel and apologize, then kneel and apologize. What¡¯s with all the nonsense?"

    If today he can¡¯t satisfy President Zhan, by tomorrow their Fu Family would be...

    No, not even tomorrow, without needing a whole night, President Zhan could easily ruin the Fu Family!

    He thought this, and it was not at all an exaggeration.

    Even though both the Fu Family and the Zhan Family were local magnates, he was merely the magnate of the small An City. Whenpared with the bustling Empire Capital, the difference was like night and day and it was not even worth mentioning!

    Fu Ming, having been kicked mercilessly by his dad, winced in pain but was still stubbornly refusing to kneel.

    Fu Yun, enraged, kicked him again only to find his son stubborn as an ox. He had no choice but to call in the outside bodyguards.

    "Go, press Fu Ming to the ground, and make him kneel and apologize!"

    Before Fu Ming could resist, he was already forcibly pressed down by the bodyguards and had no choice but to kneel, lifting his head to look at Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing in front of him.

    But he wasn¡¯t really foolish, initially he only resisted to save face, besides he hadn¡¯t said that he wouldn¡¯t apologize.

    Now that he had already knelt, of course, he was going to start apologizing.

    "President Zhan, Miss Qiao, I¡¯m truly sorry. Before, it was my fault for having inappropriate thoughts. Please, both of you, as adults, could you forgive the follies of a junior like me and let me off?"

    Today his face as the young master of the Fu Family waspletely thrown away here!

    When he thought back, these bodyguards, who were clearly brought by his dad to overpower President Zhan, had now be the ones to suppress him?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to drag things out with Fu Ming and his lot, considering she still wanted to go to the hot springs.

    Moreover, Fu Ming wasn¡¯t as bad as Lou Xinrou had been, and apologizing now was pretty much enough.

    Her lips slightly parted, she spoke up:

    "Alright, Zhan Qipei, let¡¯s go back."

    She hade here to rx in the hot springs, not to deal with all these various issues.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei stood up and followed behind Qiao Jing, responding with a sentence.

    "Okay."

    The two left the hall and headed toward the floor where they were staying, leaving only Fu Ming, who was still kneeling in the hall, as well as Fu Yun and the bodyguards.

    After Zhan Qipei and the others left, Fu Yun hurriedlymanded the bodyguards to release Fu Ming, and with a face full of pain, he said:

    "My son, although things have calmed down now, I still have to kick you out of the house for a while. Don¡¯t be mad or me me, who asked you to offend someone we simply cannot afford to offend? I¡¯ve already put out the word, so I absolutely have to follow through."

    Seeing that Fu Yun was serious, Fu Ming¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Damn, Dad, are you for real? I thought that after they left, this matter would just go away. Plus, Miss Qiao didn¡¯t say much just now, do you really have to kick me out of the house? I¡¯m going to tell Grandpa!"

    If he got kicked out of the house, he wouldn¡¯t even know how to survive outside.

    Fu Yun let out a deep sigh and gently patted Fu Ming¡¯s shoulder.

    "I¡¯m sorry, son, but telling your grandfather about this will be futile. If he knew it was the Zhan Family involved, his choice would be the same as mine."

    As more onlookers began to gather in the hall, Fu Ming quickly covered his face and hurriedly walked out.

    "Let¡¯s get out of here first. I don¡¯t want to lose face in this ce."

    ----

    In the blink of an eye, the vacation had reached its final day.

    Qiao Jing looked at the calendar note on her phone, realizing today was thest day of the holiday.

    She had rxed for a full seven days, during which she and Zhan Qipei had visited several tourist spots and enjoyed the hot springs for several days as well.

    On thisst day, Zhan Qipei suggested a new destination.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, and with some uncertainty, she asked,

    "Are you sure you want to go to an escape room?"

    Although she had heard about what escape rooms were like, she had never been to one.

    She was actually quite curious and wanted to try it, but considering it was thest day of her holiday, she had intended to pack up and go straight back, so she could return to work earlier.

    Zhan Qipei nodded, his eyes reflecting his resolve.

    "Yes, my subordinates mentioned an escape room that¡¯s quite famous for its challenging puzzles, and I¡¯d like to check it out with you."

    He had actually searched online for ways to enhance intimacy between couples; one of the tips was to take your girlfriend to a haunted house, where she would instinctively rush into the man¡¯s arms when scared, thus warming up the rtionship.

    Although he wanted to follow this advice, he felt that Qiao Jing would not be easily frightened by something like a haunted house. So he sent someone to find ces with a horror element in An City and finally selected this escape room.

    The investigation by his subordinates revealed that the escape room had very horrific elements, often resulting in the woman clinging tightly to her partner and refusing to let go.

    However, he was keenly aware that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t like other women, but he still decided to give it a try, even if it meant just having her rely on him for a bit.

    Seeing the fervor in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled.

    Why did Zhan Qipei seem so adamant about going? What was he scheming?

    In the end, Qiao Jing agreed to go.

    "Okay."

    Because she too found it intriguing and wanted to see for herself if the puzzles were as challenging as they were made out to be.

    A momentter,

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei arrived at the entrance of the escape room and entered together.

    Both of them noticed that from the outside, the establishment looked no different from any ordinary store, but once they opened the door, the interior was dimly lit.

    Perhaps to emphasize the theme, the interior was even decorated to resemble a hospital.

    Upon seeing the new arrivals, the front desk staff was about to stick to the routine and try to frighten them, but he quickly recognized the two guests as VIPs!

    He immediately turned on all the lights in the store and emerged from behind the slightly ajar door, saying respectfully:

    "President Zhan, Miss Qiao, wee! Did you bring any teammates with you?"

    Hearing the staff member¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was taken aback and furrowed her brows slightly.

    "What teammates? Do we need more people? It¡¯s just the two of us ying."

    It wasn¡¯t that she thought having teammates would be troublesome; rather, she was confident about having higher coordination and solving puzzles quickly with Zhan Qipei.

    If there were teammates, she might have to be considerate of their gaming experience.

    Otherwise, given the speed at which she and Zhan Qipei solved problems, they would probably be out in no time, and their teammates might end up leaving without having had the chance to solve anything,pletely bewildered.

 Chapter 694 - 683: Separating from Zhan Qipei

    <h4>Chapter 694: Chapter 683: Separating from Zhan Qipei</h4>

    The staff member was momentarily stunned and showed a troubled expression before tentatively speaking:

    "Um... Miss Qiao, the hospital theme for our escape room requires a team of six people to y because each person will be given an Identity Card to role-y with. I¡¯m really sorry, I forgot to mention this to you earlier."

    Upon hearing the staff member¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows.

    "But there are only two of us."

    If they really needed to form a team to y, then she would have to leave the puzzle-solving to her teammates; if she were to solve the puzzles herself, they would probably be out in no time.

    Zhan Qipei had not anticipated the necessity of teaming up with others either and furrowed his long brows.

    "Can¡¯t two people y?"

    He had brought Qiao Jing here with the intention of spending time alone with her to develop their rtionship. If other people joined them, it wouldpletely interfere with his ns to foster a rtionship with Qiao Jing.

    The staff member, intimidated by the aura of the two, grew even more afraid when considering their identities.

    He chose his words very carefully before slowly speaking.

    "Er... it¡¯s not that two people can¡¯t y, it¡¯s just... the experience might... not be as good..."

    With these two big shots in front of him, how could he dare to say no?

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and nced over at the game entrance.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    He and Qiao Jing could get through the escape room by themselves; they didn¡¯t need those so-called teammates whose presence would only hinder the development of his rtionship with Qiao Jing.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to walk into the passage with Zhan Qipei, she suddenly caught a glimpse of several Identity Cards on the table out of the corner of her eye.

    She paused in her steps, looking up at the staff member who had a troubled look on his face.

    After a brief moment of contemtion, she decided to adhere to the game rules.

    "Let¡¯s wait here for other yers toe, and we can form a team with them."

    When Zhan Qipei heard Qiao Jing¡¯s words, his long brows gathered like mountains shrouded in mist, and a touch of displeasure showed in his dark eyes.

    But he didn¡¯t voice any objection and instead agreed.

    "Okay."

    Although he didn¡¯t know why Qiao Jing had suddenly agreed, he was fine with just listening to his wife.

    Seeing that the two had finally agreed to join a team with others, the staff member let out a sigh of relief.

    "President Zhan, Miss Qiao, please take a seat on the sofa, and I will pour two cups of tea for you. It will just be a short wait, not too long! I¡¯ll contact some people immediately!"

    Qiao Jing nodded and went with Zhan Qipei to sit on the sofa.

    The staff member nced worriedly at the two and asked cautiously:

    "That... can I turn off the lights? Because this theme needs to create a horror atmosphere, so I need to turn off the lights."

    Qiao Jing responded indifferently with a "Hmm."

    Seeing that both had agreed, the staff member turned off the lights in the store once more, plunging it back into dimness.

    Soon after, two people walked through the door.

    The woman, holding the man¡¯s hand, wasughing and talking as they entered.

    Upon seeing the dim light in the store, the woman immediately stepped back, hiding behind the man.

    "You walk in front."

    The man responded with a "Yes" and protected the woman behind him, heading straight to the front desk to ask:

    "How many people does this game theme require in a group? How many are you short of?"

    No sooner had his words fallen than the door of the store was pushed open again.

    Qiao Jing looked up towards the door and noticed two boys had arrived, making it a group of six.

    She stood up and walked towards the front desk to approach the staff member.

    "We now have six people," she said.

    The staff member quickly stood up, not wanting to disappoint Qiao Jing, and came over with the Identity Cards.

    "The game can start now. Come and draw an Identity Card, then put on the corresponding costume, and you¡¯ll be ready to go in," the staff member told them.

    He had just been considering whether to reduce the difficulty of the game. Although President Zhan was certainly very capable, he didn¡¯t know whether Miss Qiao could solve the puzzles.

    However, he ultimately decided not to simplify the problems in order to maintain the bnce of the game.

    Another staff member brought several sets of clothes over, cing the Identity Cards on the table for the group to draw from at random.

    Qiao Jing casually picked one, turned it over, and discovered her role was a nurse.

    After checking her Identity Card, her gaze shifted to Zhan Qipei.

    His role was a doctor.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to say something, the staff member at the front desk opened another door, leading to a pitch-ck corridor.

    The staff member made a weing gesture and said, "The game has started. Please line up one behind the other in order of entrance."

    Qiao Jing led the way, with Zhan Qipei closely following behind her, then a young couple, and the two boys.

    As they stepped into the corridor, the door behind them was immediately shut.

    In an instant, their sight plunged into darkness.

    The corridor was so dark they couldn¡¯t see their hands in front of their faces. If not for the sound of footsteps from behind, Qiao Jing might have thought she¡¯d lost the others already.

    Qiao Jing calcted the time in her head. They had been in the corridor for a few minutes, but it seemed to have no end...

    And then, the footsteps from behind disappeared.

    She was immediately aware that something was off, furrowed her brows, and was about to turn around to check when a hand suddenly reached out in the darkness and rested on her shoulder.

    Qiao Jing reflexively caught the other¡¯s wrist, ready to throw the person over her shoulder, when she remembered that this was just a room escape game, and the person behind her was a staff member.

    She quickly let go and was guided by the staff member into a small room.

    Qiao Jing heard the sound of the door closing; the staff member had left.

    Her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness. Just as she was about to search for clues in the dark room, the door suddenly opened again, and a voice came through.

    "Ah... it¡¯s so dark in here, I wish I hadn¡¯t agreed to this game! At least I didn¡¯t get separated from you; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue ying."

    Following that was a male voice.

    "Don¡¯t worry, just stay close behind me. I will solve all the puzzles and lead you out," he said.

    As soon as he finished speaking, the lights in the room came on, allowing the three to clearly see each other¡¯s faces.

    Qiao Jing recognized from the voice that the neers were the couple, but apart from her and the couple, there was no one else in the room.

    She understood that the staff had split the team into pairs, probably to have themplete tasks separately.

    But as luck would have it, she had been separated from Zhan Qipei.

    The couple looked surprised upon realizing there was someone else in the room.

    The man, using the light in the room, clearly saw Qiao Jing¡¯s face and a look of amazement flickered in his eyes.

    Earlier, in the dim light outside, he had not seen her face clearly and had no idea she was so beautiful!

    But he didn¡¯t forget what their main goal was and started to introduce himself.

    "Considering the current situation, we seem to be teammates. Let¡¯s introduce ourselves. Hello, my name is Zhou Yunxiang, and this is my girlfriend, Li Yunyun."

 Chapter 695 - 684: Is Qiao Jing a Fox Spirit?

    <h4>Chapter 695: Chapter 684: Is Qiao Jing a Fox Spirit?</h4>

    Qiao Jing nodded upon seeing this and replied:

    "Hello, I¡¯m Qiao Jing."

    Since they had been assigned to the same team, it was necessary to get to know each other briefly.

    Zhou Yunxiang was truly dazzled by Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance; his gaze lingered on her face for a while, reluctant to move away.

    When Li Yunyun saw Qiao Jing¡¯s face, jealousy arose in her heart first, then her eyebrows knitted in displeasure.

    Just as she was about to pull Zhou Yunxiang aside, she noticed he was still staring intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Li Yunyun¡¯s eyes instantly widened in anger, and she pped the back of Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s head.

    "What are you staring at?!"

    Zhou Yunxiang then snapped back to reality and coughed.

    "Nothing, let¡¯s start looking for clues. We can¡¯t stay in this room forever, can we?"

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t noticed their interaction, as she was busy looking around the room for clues.

    She slowly walked over to the only table in the room, pulled open the drawer, and found a piece of paper inside.

    Upon seeing the Roman cipher written on the paper, she understood the meaning of the sentence at a nce.

    Zhou Yunxiang quickly walked over to Qiao Jing when he saw she had found a clue.

    "Qiao Jing, what clue have you found?"

    Seeing her boyfriend rush over to another woman, Li Yunyun¡¯s anger red up again.

    She strode forward a few steps and directly yanked Zhou Yunxiang back.

    "Why are you getting so close to her?! And why are you calling her name so affectionately, what¡¯s that about?"

    Zhou Yunxiang replied with a resigned expression:

    "Yunyun, I¡¯m looking at the clue. How can we get out if we don¡¯t look at the clue? If you think calling her by her name is too intimate, can I call her Miss Qiao, is that okay?"

    Li Yunyun unapologetically rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing and clung onto Zhou Yunxiang.

    "Why do you need to get that close to check the clue? Come back here!"

    Every time she saw Qiao Jing¡¯s face, she felt that the other was definitely a vixen, someone who lived off her looks.

    She was deliberately using the clue to attract her boyfriend¡ªclearly trying to seduce him!

    When she entered the store earlier, she had seen Qiao Jing sitting with a man, who seemed to be in a couple as well, but it was too dark at the time to see their faces clearly.

    But now, with Qiao Jing trying to seduce her boyfriend so openly, it must be because her own boyfriend was too ugly, which is why she was trying to lure hers away!

    Yes!

    That had to be it!

    Zhou Yunxiang looked at Li Yunyun utterly baffled, but he dared not refute her, eventually giving up the idea of deciphering the Roman cipher.

    "Alright then."

    Qiao Jing noticed Li Yunyun¡¯s hostility towards her, nced at her indifferently, and paid no attention to it.

    She ced the paper with the Roman cipher on the table and quickly walked toward the door, finding that it was a cipher-lock door, which corresponded with the Roman cipher.

    Qiao Jing reminded them:

    "You guys crack the code."

    Although she knew the password for the door at a nce, she chose to let her teammates have some sense of game experience by figuring it out themselves.

    Zhou Yunxiang hurriedly picked up the Roman cipher from the table and began to study it.

    Li Yunyun snorted and red at Qiao Jing with displeasure.

    "Pfft, if you don¡¯t know, just admit you don¡¯t know. What¡¯s with this talk about letting us figure out the code? Is it that hard to admit you don¡¯t understand?"

    Hearing Li Yunyun¡¯s words, Zhou Yunxiang paused in his examination of the Roman cipher and tried to restrain her in a low voice:

    "Yunyun, don¡¯t speak to Miss Qiao like that."

    Even though he knew his girlfriend was just like that, he absolutely couldn¡¯t indulge her and allow Yunyun to be so impolite to Qiao Jing.

    As soon as Li Yunyun heard this, her anger red up even more, and she promptly grabbed Zhou Yunxiang by the ear.

    "What do you mean? Are you taking Qiao Jing¡¯s side? Are you starting to turn your back on me?"

    Zhou Yunxiang helplessly grabbed Li Yunyun¡¯s hand and exined,

    "I¡¯m not, I just don¡¯t want you to speak about Miss Qiao like that, and I can solve this puzzle."

    Li Yunyun rolled her eyes and stood aside, refusing to speak.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bother dealing with Li Yunyun and waited by the door for Zhou Yunxiang to crack the Roman cipher.

    She had originally thought the escape room¡¯s puzzles would be somewhat challenging, but the first stage was just too simple.

    Sure enough, if she didn¡¯t let her teammates have a chance, they probably wouldn¡¯t experience much of the game since she could solve the Roman cipher in less than a minute and move on to the next stage.

    Zhou Yunxiang stared at the Roman cipher for a long time, deciphering the first few numbers but got stuck on thest one.

    "Thisst one is... Yunyun, wait for me a moment, I¡¯ll have it solved soon."

    Li Yunyun merely uttered an "Oh."

    Zhou Yunxiang strained and stared at it for a long time again, listing a couple of numbers, but still felt something was off.

    Finally, to verify whether those numbers were correct or not, he went directly to the doorway and tried each of the passwords he hade up with.

    But all the passwords were wrong.

    Zhou Yunxiang had no choice but to take out the piece of paper and start studying it once more.

    Seeing Zhou Yunxiang was wasting so much time, Qiao Jing spoke up to give him a hint,

    "Thest number is 5."

    If they proceeded at Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s pace, they might get stuck on the first stage.

    Since he had already solved a few numbers and was just missing thest one, it seemed better to give him a hint.

    Because she was looking forward to the puzzles in the next stage and didn¡¯t want to waste time on the simple first one.

    Li Yunyun sneered, crossing her arms and her face was brimming with scorn.

    "Do you even understand? Don¡¯t pretend to know if you don¡¯t, okay? You nced at that paper for a second and walked away, and I looked at it earlier, it¡¯s a Roman cipher. Are you saying you figured out thest number as 5 just with a nce?"

    Qiao Jing paid no attention to Li Yunyun and waited for Zhou Yunxiang to open the door.

    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste time arguing with Li Yunyun and dy their progress.

    Zhou Yunxiang, with furrowed brows, tried the number Qiao Jing mentioned. Suddenly, there was a click from the lock, and the tightly secured door slowly started to open a crack.

    Seeing Zhou Yunxiang open the door, Li Yunyun¡¯s face lit up with a smile.

    "Did you solve it? What¡¯s thest number? Tell it to Qiao Jing, so she knows she was just spouting nonsense."

    After saying that, she looked at Qiao Jing with a disdainful gaze.

    Zhou Yunxiang nced at Li Yunyun awkwardly and replied,

    "Thest number is 5, Miss Qiao was right."

    After hearing Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s words, Li Yunyun¡¯s face darkened immediately, the scornful look still not fully withdrawn.

    She asked incredulously,

    "What? She was right?"

    Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at the now expressionless Qiao Jing, her mind racing toe up with a possibility.

    "Psh, it was just a fluke, nothing to brag about. Let¡¯s go, hurry to the next stage and not waste time here."

    As Li Yunyun spoke, she opened the door of the room. Upon seeing the dim light in the corridor outside, she immediately pulled back her step and tugged Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s sleeve.

    "I¡¯m scared... Can you go first?"

 Chapter 696 - 685: Stitching Up the Wound

    <h4>Chapter 696: Chapter 685: Stitching Up the Wound</h4>

    Zhou Yunxiang nodded his head and was just about to leave when Qiao Jing took the lead and walked out.

    Upon arriving in the corridor, Qiao Jing looked left and right, noticing an eerie silence. The hallway, previously shrouded in darkness, was now dimly lit by a few incandescent bulbs, casting a ghostly aura.

    Qiao Jing quickened her pace and arrived at another door, turned the handle without hesitation, and entered.

    Zhou Yunxiang, still in another room, saw this and hurriedly pulled Li Yunyun along to follow.

    After reaching the second room, Qiao Jing realized that everything in there was all too familiar.

    Because the room was an operating theater. There was an operating table with nothing on it, and a nearby cart held various surgical instruments.

    She had thought she might encounter Zhan Qipei and the others at other levels, but judging by the current situation, it seemed unlikely for the time being.

    Li Yunyun took a look around the room and couldn¡¯t help but shiver, silently moving closer to Zhou Yunxiang.

    "Why does this operating room look so ominous, and it even feels a bit cold..."

    Hearing Li Yunyun¡¯s words, Qiao Jing spoke coldly and indifferently.

    "Because this is also a morgue."

    She had noticed upon entry that along the wall of the operating theater was a row of cabs for storing corpses.

    The puzzle or task toe would no doubt involve the refrigeration cabs.

    Li Yunyun was startled, clutching Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s arm and refusing to let go.

    "Yunxiang, you..."

    Suddenly, something urred to her, and she forced herself to release his arm with chattering teeth.

    "I want to solve the puzzle with you."

    In the first room earlier, she had felt a sense of unwilling resignation when she saw Qiao Jing reveal thest digit of thebination lock. And now, as Qiao Jing was already uncovering more clues ahead of her, it made her feel like the most useless member in the team.

    Therefore, she decided that from now on, she would find more clues and outshine that vixen Qiao Jing!

    Zhou Yunxiang smiled when he saw that Li Yunyun was willing to solve puzzles together and nodded.

    "Alright!"

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing eyed a pair of medical gloves on the table, slipped them on expertly, and moved to the refrigeration cab that wafted cold air.

    Just as she was about to pull open one of thepartments, an ancient voice suddenly echoed through the room.

    "Doctor Zhou, please suture the wounds of the patient whomitted suicide due to schizophrenia a few days ago. Nurse Qiao and Nurse Li, assist Doctor Zhou, and be careful of the patients who may act out!"

    The ancient voice came to an abrupt halt, and the operating theater was quiet once more.

    Then, a series of footsteps were heard from the corridor outside, apanied by the grating sound of teeth grinding and the frenzied banging on doors.

    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

    Li Yunyun was startled once again and instinctively wanted to hide behind Zhou Yunxiang when she suddenly remembered the agreement to solve the puzzle together.

    But at this moment, the people outside the door were definitely those patients. If the door was identally opened and she was walking around the room looking for clues, she would surely be the first to be caught.

    While she was thinking this, Qiao Jing had already taken action.

    Qiao Jing quickly moved to the door and effortlessly dragged over a few tables to barricade it.

    "Zhou Yunxiang, you¡¯re the doctor and need to suture the patient¡¯s wounds."

    Through the words spoken earlier, she had understood the backdrop of the theme they were engaged in.

    The theme she was ying was not an ordinary hospital but a mental asylum. They were role-ying the doctors and nurses of this mental asylum, tasked with solving puzzles while also performing individual assignments.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhou Yunxiang hesitated for a moment, scanning the room.

    "But I haven¡¯t seen any patients here."

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and cast a nce toward the refrigeration cabs.

    "Over there."

    She suddenly felt that if she had been in a group with Zhan Qipei, things would have been much better. At least she wouldn¡¯t have had to be overly concerned about her teammate¡¯s game experience. After all, if she and Zhan Qipei were in the same team, they would only have one teammate and could clear the game very quickly.

    Zhou Yunxiang was stunned for a moment and then followed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze.

    "Miss Qiao... you mean to say... the patient is in the cold storage cab?"

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and responded with a faint "Hmm."

    In this operation room, there was no one on the hospital bed. The only ce for a prop patient was the cold storage cab.

    Zhou Yunxiang nced at the cold storage cab, feeling inexplicably scared.

    "Alright then."

    Li Yunyun, noticing the two were chatting without including her, was not at all pleased.

    To assert her presence, she walked straight up to the cold storage cab and, without a second thought, pulled open one of the drawers.

    "What¡¯s the big deal about opening a drawer? Besides, what Qiao Jing said might not even be correct. The prop doesn¡¯t have to be in there¡ªit could be under the hospital bed!"

    After saying this, she nced inside the drawer and saw it was empty.

    Li Yunyun arrogantly lifted her chin.

    "See, I told you, there¡¯s nothing! If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll open the second one."

    As she spoke, she opened the second drawer, and just as she was about to mock Qiao Jing further, she saw what was inside the cab.

    What followed was Li Yunyun¡¯s scream.

    "Aaahhh¡ª!!!"

    Zhou Yunxiang immediately went over to her side, reaching out an arm to steady her.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Li Yunyun had reflexively closed the cab door in fear and was now pointing shakily at the second drawer.

    "That... there¡¯s someone... there¡¯s a person inside..."

    Upon hearing this, Zhou Yunxiang had Li Yunyun hide behind him and stepped forward to open the cab door she had mentioned.

    After opening the cab, he saw the prop patient inside, but upon taking a clear look, it wasn¡¯t just fear he felt¡ªhe was also disgusted.

    The prop in the cab was made extremely lifelike, and the wound mentioned in the task was not just any wound, but a long gash across the abdomen, with fake intestines spilling out.

    He seriously doubted that the shop had made it so realistic deliberately to scare the customers.

    Seeing the two of them just standing there motionless, Qiao Jing, somewhat exasperated, tugged at the corner of her mouth and approached the cold storage cab.

    After looking at the prop lying inside, she immediately reached in, pulled the prop out, and ced it on the adjacent operating table.

    "Zhou Yunxiang,e and sew up the wound."

    Both Zhou Yunxiang and Li Yunyun were shocked by Qiao Jing¡¯s actions and stood there frozen.

    Zhou Yunxiang, frowning, said with an indescribable expression:

    "Miss Qiao, did you just go ahead and pick up that prop?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow arched slightly, and she spoke with an indifferent tone:

    "What else? You need to start the task."

    If she hadn¡¯t taken the prop out, those two probably would have just stood next to the cold storage cab without moving, which would have caused another dy in their progress.

    Li Yunyun was currently hiding behind Zhou Yunxiang, not daring to nce at the prop on the hospital bed even once.

    Zhou Yunxiang, hesitant, looked at the prop on the bed and the exposed fake intestines, reluctant to take a step forward.

 Chapter 697 - 686: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Legendary Move, First Encounter in His Life

    <h4>Chapter 697: Chapter 686: Qiao Jing¡¯s Legendary Move, First Encounter in His Life</h4>

    If you want to me something, me how lifelike this mannequin was made. Just looking at it was enough to frighten him, let alone having to stuff the fake intestines back inside and sew up the wound.

    Moreover... he had no idea how to sew such things.

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhou Yunxiang hesitating, she frowned.

    Li Yunyun noticed that Qiao Jing was wearing gloves and immediately spoke up:

    "Qiao Jing, since you¡¯re wearing gloves, why don¡¯t you do it? You seem quite willing, so proactive."

    Although Qiao Jing had boldly taken out the mannequin just now, she would definitely be scared to death when it came time to stitch!

    She was just waiting to see Qiao Jing embarrass herself!

    Qiao Jing nced at the mannequin lying on the operating table, her gaze lingered on it for a few seconds before she looked up at the camera in the corner.

    "Can I perform the task instead of a teammate?"

    She knew the camera was used by the staff to monitor the situation and couldmunicate directly with them.

    If they insisted on Zhou Yunxiang stitching up the mannequin, they might have to wait until an indefinite period in the future.

    The reason she was wearing gloves was that she had nned to pull open the refrigerated cab earlier, to avoid direct contact with the cold door.

    The staff, who had been watching the surveince, looked troubled upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Although the game rules required a doctor to perform this solo task, they did not dare say no. After all, she was President Zhan¡¯s wife they wouldn¡¯t dare even if they had ten times the courage.

    Moreover, it was clear that the doctor was too scared to stitch up the wound, so continuing to wait would just be a waste of time.

    The staff quickly used the walkie-talkie to respond to Qiao Jing.

    "You can."

    With that response, Qiao Jing took the tools from the trolley, stuffed the exposed contents of the mannequin back inside, and began sewing up the wound.

    Zhou Yunxiang and Li Yunyun watched in amazement as Qiao Jing managed to stuff the fake intestines back without any expression and their mouths gaped open.

    Before they could close their mouths, they saw Qiao Jing¡¯s swift actions in sewing up the wound. It didn¡¯t take long for her to finish stitching up the mannequin.

    Li Yunyun¡¯s eyes were nearly popping out in shock as she watched Qiao Jing remove her gloves, ready to move on to the next stage.

    Before Qiao Jing could open the door, she called out to stop her.

    "Qiao Jing! Wait! Where are you going? There hasn¡¯t been a signal that the task isplete, and you stitched so quickly, it couldn¡¯t have gotten all twisted, right? Could it be that it was stitched so badly that¡¯s why the task wasn¡¯t signaled aspleted?"

    As she spoke, she forcefully pulled Zhou Yunxiang over to the operating table to look at the mannequin¡¯s body.

    Upon seeing the stitched wound on the mannequin, Li Yunyun was shocked once again.

    The stitches on the mannequin¡¯s wound weren¡¯t twisted at all but rather a very straight line.

    Shock was also written all over Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s face as he looked incredulously at Qiao Jing.

    "Miss Qiao... are you a doctor?"

    Qiao Jing did not respond to Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s question as she was figuring out how to open the door.

    When she had entered earlier, the door had opened automatically, so why couldn¡¯t it open now?

    Could it be that another puzzle needed to be solved? But it wasn¡¯t a coded door.

    While she was thinking this, a rustling noise suddenly came from behind her.

    Qiao Jing stiffened and quickly turned around.

    Zhou Yunxiang and Li Yunyun also turned their heads and discovered that the mannequin that had been lying on the operating table was gone!

    In its ce was a patient crawling out from under the bed, with loose hair and wearing a hospital gown!!

    Upon seeing the patient, Li Yunyun screamed instantaneously.

    "Ahhhh¡ª! Run!!"

    Zhou Yunxiang was also startled by the scene. Seeing that the person was about to crawl out from under the bed, he quickly ran towards the door with Li Yunyun.

    When Qiao Jing saw them running towards her, she stopped them.

    "You can¡¯t get out through this door."

    As she spoke, she furrowed her brows and walked towards the operating table.

    This shouldn¡¯t be a sealed space; there must be another exit that would let them out to the next level.

    Zhou Yunxiang, noticing her movement, quickly warned,

    "Miss Qiao, if you go there, you¡¯ll be caught!"

    Qiao Jing nced at the patient about to crawl out from under the bed and immediately used a small trolley and some other clutter to barricade the operating table.

    The NPC, who ording to the script should have emerged from under the bed and captured someone, was suddenly dumbfounded upon seeing itself surrounded by various objects, staring nkly at Qiao Jing.

    What kind of script is this?

    Having been an NPC at this facility for so long, this was the first time she encountered someone blocking her with so much stuff.

    What was she supposed to do next?

    In the control room, the staff members burst intoughter upon seeing their colleague standing dumbfounded.

    "Hahaha, I¡¯ve never seen Miss Qiao pull a move like that."

    "This... she just blocked it up? Ah Lin is totally bbergasted."

    "Let it be, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not specified that blocking is not allowed."

    "..."

    It was their first time seeing someone actually block an NPC with objects, and now they were unsure whether to instruct the NPC to remove the obstacles.

    While fiddling with the small trolley, Qiao Jing also found a shlight in one of the drawers underneath it. Turning on the light, she scanned the room and indeed found another door.

    She looked at Zhou Yunxiang and Li Yunyun, who were still foolishly standing at the original door, and slightly twitched her lips in annoyance but couldn¡¯t help reminding her two teammates.

    "There¡¯s another door here."

    She was indeed getting a headache. Her teammates were dying them too much.

    Zhou Yunxiang was the first to react, leading Li Yunyun over to Qiao Jing.

    "Where?"

    Qiao Jing shone the shlight on the door in front of her, slightly squinted her eyes, and observed the door, realizing that it was also a code lock door.

    However, this time, there were no more clues in the operating room.

    She had already checked every ce while moving stuff around and didn¡¯t find anything like the papers from thest time.

    Illuminated by the shlight¡¯s beam, Zhou Yunxiang finally noticed the code lock door and asked,

    "Miss Qiao, have you found any clues?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head, staring at the code lock door, her brows tightly knit in thought.

    Suddenly, the sound of a little cart¡¯s wheels scraping against the floor came from behind them.

    The three of them turned around simultaneously, finding the patient trying to push away the small trolley and other objects while emitting a strange roar and staring in their direction.

    At that moment, the lights in the operating room began to flicker on and off, casting light on the patient¡¯s face when illuminated, revealing his utterly pale face.

 Chapter 698 - 687: Cracking the Code, A Successful Face-Slap

    <h4>Chapter 698: Chapter 687: Cracking the Code, A Sessful Face-p</h4>

    Li Yunyun was so frightened she nearly couldn¡¯t help but scream again, but then she suddenly remembered Qiao Jing, who had been constantly seeking attention.

    She clenched her fists tightly, gritting her teeth desperately to hold back her scream, pretending not to be scared at all. However, her trembling body betrayed her.

    Li Yunyun¡¯s hands shakily touched the keypad lock, pretending to be fearless.

    "Yunxiang, there must be clues in this room, otherwise how will we get out? We need to find something quickly, otherwise... otherwise that patient is going toe out!"

    As time passed, the sounds of the patient pushing the cart and various other objects grew louder and more frequent, as if they were about to burst out at any moment.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and moved the shlight back to the door again, and in a moment of daze, she seemed to see something.

    After two seconds of silence, she noticed that there were a few words written in extremely faint red ink on the wall near them.

    Li Yunyun, who was closest to the wall, seized the opportunity when Qiao Jing shone the shlight past her and began to react.

    "Qiao Jing, why are you shining the shlight at me? Wait! Yunxiang, I saw it! There¡¯s something on this wall!"

    Meanwhile, behind them, staff members had already pushed aside several items, preparing toe out directly.

    Seeing this, Li Yunyun¡¯s face also turned a shade paler, but she did not retreat; instead, she squatted down next to the wall.

    Then, she deliberately used her body to block the words above, preventing Qiao Jing from examining them.

    "Yunxiang, let¡¯s hurry up and solve this puzzle here; that person is about toe out!"

    Zhou Yunxiang knew it was a clue and quickly crouched down, staring intently at the words with Li Yunyun.

    But the red letters were crooked and twisted, and they didn¡¯t resemble any number, Chinese character, or letter, making them impossible to interpret.

    Li Yunyun stared for a long time but couldn¡¯t make sense of it. The disturbances created by the NPC behind them grew louder, as if intentionally frightening them, reminding them that it was about toe out.

    This made Li Yunyun even more nervous, so she quickly shook Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s hand.

    "Do you see anything? This password... could the password be..."

    She nced at the keypad lock, bit her teeth, and walked over to try entering a few passwords at random, hoping to guess correctly.

    But they all disyed "password incorrect."

    Zhou Yunxiang also racked his brains for quite some time to no avail.

    After Li Yunyun moved away, the words on the wall finally appeared clearly, allowing Qiao Jing to see them.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the words, and she thoughtfully touched her chin, her brain working rapidly,ing up with several approaches.

    In the end, after eliminating various guesses, she deduced the correct password.

    She walked over to Li Yunyun¡¯s side and began to enter the password.

    Seeing this, Li Yunyun¡¯s face showed a mocking smile as she crossed her arms and stood aside.

    "Ha! You¡¯re going to open it? You¡¯re not just going to press a bunch of random keys, are you? If so, I¡¯d really look down on you! You did nothing the whole way here, you can¡¯t solve puzzles either. What use are you in the team? The passwords I entered were all carefully thought out by me, you¡ª"

    Before she could finish, the door was sessfully unlocked by Qiao Jing.

    Without even ncing at Li Yunyun, Qiao Jing walked right through.

    Upon seeing the door open, Li Yunyun instantly froze, the mocking smile bing stiff on her face, unable to utter a word.

    Zhou Yunxiang never imagined that the door would be opened so quickly. He had been pondering what the crooked symbols could be when Qiao Jing simply unlocked the door.

    And he was sure that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t just guessed the password by luck.

    After all, guessing one digit right might be luck, but who can guess four digits correctly in a row?

    Just as Qiao Jing opened the door, the NPC behind them finally pushed everything in front of them aside.

    "Bang!" Various items fell to the ground.

    Zhou Yunxiang immediately snapped back to reality, grabbed the stunned Li Yunyun and pulled her through the door. He quickly shut it behind them.

    As the door closed, an NPC lunged towards it, frantically scraping the door with its nails, creating a grating "screech screech" sound.

    "Yunyun, what were you thinking just standing there like an idiot?"

    Only then did Li Yunyune to her senses, nkly staring at Zhou Yunxiang for a good while before her eyes began to refocus. She shook her head.

    "No... nothing..."

    After saying this, she turned her gaze to Qiao Jing, who had already started looking for clues in the room.

    She had been talking to herself for quite a while,ining about how the other person did nothing along the way and didn¡¯t solve any puzzles, but then Qiao Jing simply opened the door.

    How could that be possible...? Those twisted and bent things didn¡¯t appear to be anything significant, so how did Qiao Jing solve the puzzle?

    Zhou Yunxiang, seeing the confusion on Li Yunyun¡¯s face, was also very curious about how Qiao Jing had managed to open the door.

    He looked at Qiao Jing and cautiously asked:

    "Miss Qiao, what was the password for that door? How did you figure it out?"

    Even though he had yed many escape room games, he had been stumped by that particr challenge.

    Who could tell him what those twisted and bent lines were expressing?

    Qiao Jing paused in her search for clues and nced at Zhou Yunxiang indifferently.

    "Mirror cipher," she stated.

    After dropping thisment, she continued searching for clues in the room.

    The situation had been too urgent just before. If she hadn¡¯t opened the door, the NPC behind them might have caught up.

    She had no time to worry about the feel of the game; her priority was to get past the obstacle, so she directly opened the coded door.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhou Yunxiang nodded his head, suddenly enlightened.

    "But... Miss Qiao, how did you know it was a mirror cipher? Because there are manymon passwords in escape rooms. I¡¯ve seen quite a few, but I really hadn¡¯t thought of that one."

    As she searched, Qiao Jing answered:

    "Process of elimination."

    At that moment, she had listed many strings of numbers in her mind along with various types of passwords, and in the end, only the mirror cipher fit the bill.

    When those twisted symbols were mirrored, they gradually began to resemble numbers. With a little touch-up, she easily arrived at the answer.

    Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s eyes lit up, and he looked at Qiao Jing with admiration.

    "So that¡¯s how it was, thank you, Miss Qiao."

    Hearing Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s words, Li Yunyun was so angry she clenched her teeth, and forcefully pulled him to her side.

    "What are you thanking her for? Hurry up and help me find clues!"

    She would solve the password for the third challenge!

    She would not let Qiao Jing, that little vixen, steal all the limelight. That password just now might have just been Qiao Jing¡¯s specialty, after all.

    She refused to believe that Qiao Jing was adept at solving all kinds of passwords!

    With this in mind, Li Yunyun immediately sprang into action, starting to look for clues around the room.

 Chapter 699 - 688: Intolerable, No Need to Endure Any Longer

    <h4>Chapter 699: Chapter 688: Intolerable, No Need to Endure Any Longer</h4><h4></h4>

    Perhaps because the previous level had been somewhat difficult, this one wasn¡¯t as hard, lowering the difficulty to give them a chance to catch their breath.

    Li Yunyun quickly found several clues and pieced together the fragmented scraps of paper to reveal the words on them.

    She directly pulled Zhou Yunxiang to her side, deliberately blocking Qiao Jing¡¯s line of sight, refusing to let the other party see.

    "Yunxiang,e look with me, is this a fence code?"

    Little did she know, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even need to piece the fragments together; just a nce was enough for her to memorize and mentally assemble the picture, and she had already figured out what the password was.

    Zhou Yunxiang nced at the letters on the pieces, nodding uncertainly.

    "It should be."

    Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Li Yunyun¡¯s face. This happened to be the type of code she was very good at solving, something she could crack with ease.

    With that thought, she said, "Leave it to me," then pushed Zhou Yunxiang aside and stared at the scraps of paper for about five minutes before she figured out the password.

    Li Yunyun went to the door and entered the password. When it showed as correct, she immediately raised her chin proudly, deliberately raising her voice.

    "Yunxiang,e quickly, I¡¯ve opened the door!"

    After saying that, she purposefully looked toward Qiao Jing, once again lifting her chin.

    "Qiao Jing, you started searching for clues earlier than us, yet how could you miss these pieces? And such an easy code you couldn¡¯t even solve. I¡¯m starting to think you were just guessing wildly before!"

    Upon hearing this, Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s expression changed, and he pulled Li Yunyun aside.

    "Yunyun! You can¡¯t talk like that. If it weren¡¯t for Miss Qiao opening the door in thest level, we might have been caught by the npc!"

    Li Yunyun did not take Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s words to heart at all. All she knew was that she was the one who opened the door to this level, and she was brimming with pride.

    "Zhou Yunxiang, keep defending Qiao Jing if you dare! She came in earlier than us, couldn¡¯t find even a single fragment, and couldn¡¯t solve such an easy code. What use is such a teammate?"

    Now that she finally had the chance to gloat, she was definitely going to hold onto this point to mock Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing raised her finely-arched eyebrows slightly,ughing with a snort.

    "Yes, such a simple code."

    She didn¡¯t solve the code because she wanted to leave some game experience for these two, not to give Li Yunyun a chance to mock her.

    Once or twice was still fine; she could ignore it. But now it was the third or even more times, and she wouldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer.

    As for their game experience, that was none of her business anymore.

    When Li Yunyun heard Qiao Jing repeating her words, she was startled for a moment, not immediately catching the meaning in Qiao Jing¡¯s tone.

    "What do you mean by that?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother with Li Yunyun and directly went on to the next level.

    After Qiao Jing had left, Li Yunyun finally realized that Qiao Jing had been mocking her for only being able to solve such a simple code!

    She clenched her fist and hurried into the next room, determined to find clues and unlock the door again, eager to prove Qiao Jing wrong!

    Zhou Yunxiang frowned and sighed.

    "Yunyun, let¡¯s just focus on ying the game."

    He almost felt like he wasn¡¯t ying an escape room game, but The Legend of Zhen Huan instead.

    Fortunately, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t the type to quibble over every little thing with Yunyun, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to y the game at all, just arguing instead.

    Li Yunyun "hmphed" and started looking for clues.

    She soon discovered a bottle containing a note. Recalling that Qiao Jing had also looked at this bottle earlier but hadn¡¯t found the clue inside.

    Li Yunyun rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating back, directly pulling out the note from the bottle and deliberately said loudly:

    "There¡¯s a clue here!"

    She knew that in the second level, it had been mere luck and Qiao Jing¡¯s expertise that had won the round. Now it was her turn to be the most useful.

    Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw Li Yunyun so quickly find a clue, and he hurried to her side.

    "Let me see, what is it?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at Li Yunyun and her group. She went straight to the coded door, raising her hand to start entering the password.

    From now on, she wouldn¡¯t care whether Li Yunyun and her group had a sense of game experience or not. After knowing what the password was, she would open the door directly.

    As for whether those two wanted to keep up or not, it was none of her business. What she wanted was to solve the puzzles and get out.

    When Li Yunyun saw Qiao Jing entering the password, she disdainfully said:

    "Qiao Jing, are you nning to give up and smash the pot? You want to open the door without finding a single clue? I advise you not to enter the password randomly, otherwise, if the password is wrong, there will be a punishment¡ª"

    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence when the door opened with a "click," showing the password was correct!

    Li Yunyun was dumbfounded. They had just found one clue, and Qiao Jing had already opened the door?

    Didn¡¯t the words she just said not only fail to p Qiao Jing¡¯s face, but instead p her own face?

    Before she could figure it out, Qiao Jing had already moved on to the next challenge.

    Zhou Yunxiang also stared nkly, looking incredulously at Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure.

    There wasn¡¯t time for him to understand because from somewhere came heavy footsteps and the sound of knocking on a door.

    In an instant, he realized that the uing challenges might involve NPCs, setting up a scene of a chase where they were unable to escape even with wings.

    With this thought, he pulled Li Yunyun into the next challenge.

    "Yunyun, we need to go."

    But what followed was, Zhou Yunxiang had barely arrived at the next room with Li Yunyun, or had just found the first clue, and Qiao Jing had already ced various other clues on the table and opened the door.

    In the meantime, some NPCs joined in, but by following behind Qiao Jing, they managed to evade their pursuit.

    Before long, they had left the escape room and returned to the original hall.

    When Qiao Jing came out, she saw at first nce that Zhan Qipei was sitting on the sofa with a gloomy face.

    On the other side of the sofa sat two young men who were somewhat trembling due to the man¡¯s aura.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s figure, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark pupils brightened and he quickly came to the woman¡¯s side.

    "Why did it take you so long toe out?"

    After entering and realizing that his team did not include Qiao Jing, he lost the mood to keep ying and directly and swiftly solved all the puzzles, achieving a rapid clearance.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and looked up at Zhou Yunxiang and his group.

    "Waiting for teammates."

    She truly hadn¡¯t expected that Zhan Qipei woulde out faster than her.

    But upon further thought, she could somewhat guess that Zhan Qipei probably hadn¡¯t cared about the game experience of the two young men and just quickly cleared his way out directly.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Zhou Yunxiang and the other person, gathered his brows that were heavy as mountains and misty as fog, and then turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    "Did they slow you down?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say a word, but took off the nurse¡¯s uniform she was wearing and returned it to the staff.

    At this moment, Zhou Yunxiang was still somewhat in shock.

    He had yed many escape rooms, but it was his first time experiencing this theme, and the difficulty of this ce was much higher than any he had yed before. He even doubted if he could have passed the challenges.

    Yet Qiao Jing had effortlessly solved the puzzles after just a few nces at the clues, and along the way, she had led them to avoid several NPCs.

    He had encountered a true master! Moreover, he experienced the feeling of being swiftly carried through the challenges.

    Thinking this, Zhou Yunxiang¡¯s eyes turned even more admiring when he looked at Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 700 - 689: Zhan Qipei Finally Getting Cared for?

    <h4>Chapter 700: Chapter 689: Zhan Qipei Finally Getting Cared for?</h4><h4></h4>

    He took a few steps forward and came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    "Miss Qiao, have you yed many escape room games?"

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows and looked up at Zhou Yunxiang.

    Thinking about how amodating Yunxiang had been during the game, she was about to answer him when her view was blocked by a figure.

    Zhan Qipei stood in front of Qiao Jing, blocking between the two of them.

    He pursed his lips and looked at Qiao Jing.

    "Let¡¯s go back."

    He had originally brought Qiao Jing here to bond, but he hadn¡¯t expected some unexpected events to ur.

    Far from bringing them closer, it had ended up with Qiao Jing teaming up with another man.

    Qiao Jing nced at the person deliberately standing between her and Yunxiang and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    This damn man, really... Yunxiang even has a partner, right beside him, and yet he gets jealous over this.

    And she could tell, Yunxiang just admired her for her quick puzzle-solving abilities,

    Qiao Jing took a step to the side and looked at Yunxiang.

    "No, it¡¯s my first time ying."

    Upon hearing this, Yunxiang was shocked and his admiration grew even more.

    "You¡¯re this good on your first try at an escape room? Then, Miss Qiao, you must be a really sharp thinker, right?"

    He had thought Qiao Jing was a veteran escape room enthusiast, but she was a first-timer?

    And yet, she yed better than him, a seasoned yer!

    The staff hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to be a first-timer either because when she solved the puzzles in the room, her speed was unbelievably fast.

    They had thought President Zhan was quick, but Miss Qiao was every bit his equal.

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and murmured a soft "Mhm."

    Suddenly, she found it odd that now, while talking to Yunxiang, Li Yunyun wasn¡¯t interjecting like she had been in the escape room.

    With this thought, she looked up at Li Yunyun, meeting her gaze just in time.

    Li Yunyun was still standing there, staring at Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei intently.

    After hesitating for a long while, she took a few steps forward and came to Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    "Um... Qiao Jing, wait for me for a second."

    After saying this, she hurriedly walked outside.

    Back inside, she had constantly felt that Qiao Jing was a seductress, thinking her own boyfriend was unattractive while Qiao Jing¡¯s boyfriend was very handsome, so she wanted to seduce her boyfriend.

    Now that she had gotten a clear look at Qiao Jing¡¯s boyfriend, his looks were impably handsome, many times better looking than her own boyfriend.

    Without exaggeration, Qiao Jing¡¯s boyfriend was the handsomest man she had ever seen.

    So, she had misunderstood Qiao Jing back inside, thinking she wanted to seduce her boyfriend and had said all kinds of harsh words.

    A wave of guilt surged through her, and thinking of a way to make it up to Qiao Jing, she walked out on her own initiative.

    Zhou Yunxiang didn¡¯t know what Li Yunyun was nning to do, and as he followed her, he asked,

    "Yunyun, what do you need from Miss Qiao?"

    Li Yunyun didn¡¯t speak; instead, she quickened her steps and headed outside.

    Hearing Li Yunyun¡¯s words, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows as a trace of confusion shed in her eyes.

    Although she didn¡¯t know what Li Yunyun suddenly making her wait and then leaving was about, she could clearly sense that Yunyun¡¯s animosity had lessened considerably.

    Otherwise, Li Yunyun would have started targeting her the moment she first spoke to Yunxiang.

    In no time, Li Yunyun returned, holding a bottle of water.

    She quickly approached Qiao Jing, handed her the water, and said softly:

    "Qiao Jing... I¡¯m sorry, I misunderstood you earlier..."

    It was not just that, she was indeed shocked by Qiao Jing¡¯s capabilities afterwards, so she hardly said anything more.

    After all, Qiao Jing couldpletely outss her in terms of abilities alone.

    Qiao Jing looked at the bottle of water in front of her, paused for a moment, and quickly reacted, reaching out to take the water Li Yunyun handed her.

    "It¡¯s okay."

    She was actually quite surprised inside; Li Yunyun had apologized to her?

    Seeing that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t holding a grudge, Li Yunyun felt even more that she had been unreasonable during their confrontation.

    She lowered her head and stammered as she began to speak.

    "Don¡¯t be angry... I really misunderstood you by ident, I¡¯m sorry."

    Seeing Li Yunyun¡¯s remorseful expression, Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth slightly curved upwards.

    "I said it¡¯s okay, I ept your apology."

    Since Li Yunyun had sincerely apologized and hadn¡¯t done anything more outrageous, even buying her a bottle of water, there was no need to hold a grudge.

    Li Yunyun saw that Qiao Jing truly forgave her, her eyes brightened, and just as she was about to step forward to continue chatting, a human wall suddenly emerged in front of her.

    Zhan Qipei forcefully stood between the two, and without a word, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    "It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s go back."

    Qiao Jing nced at the time and nodded.

    "Okay."

    She was still rushing to return to the capital to continue working.

    Seeing this, Zhou Yunxiang and Li Yunyun quickly greeted Qiao Jing and her party.

    "Qiao Jing! Goodbye!"

    "Miss Qiao, goodbye."

    Qiao Jing paused her steps, turned back, and bid farewell to the few people.

    The next day, in the capital.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to head to the institute for work, she opened the door and met Su Manhan who was standing at the door, about to ring the doorbell.

    She paused, then responded:

    "Madam Zhan, good morning."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Su Manhan¡¯s face showed a somewhat "dissatisfied" expression, and she chided:

    "Why do you still call me Madam Zhan, it¡¯s too formal! I¡¯ve said many times, you should call me mom."

    Qiao Jing revealed a somewhat helpless smile, looked at the clock on the wall, and realized it was alreadyte.

    Her gaze fell on the insted bag in Su Manhan¡¯s hand, and without having to guess, she knew what was inside.

    She spoke somewhat helplessly.

    "Then I¡¯ll call you Auntie Su, Auntie Su, I need to go to work now."

    She knew that Su Manhan was here this morning for a purpose, likely bringing some supplements or well-prepared soup, insisting on watching her drink it.

    Before Su Manhan knew she was pregnant, it was just the asional meal delivery.

    Now that she knew about the pregnancy, it had turned into daily meal deliveries, and just a few days ago, she and Zhan Qipei were on vacation in An City, dodging a week of meals.

    Su Manhan was not only delivering breakfast and lunch, but also dinner, and even created a personalized menu for her, instructing Zhan Qipei to cook ording to it.

    Hearing that Qiao Jing was going to work, Su Manhan furrowed her brows.

    "Whether you are at home or once you get to the institute, you have to drink the soup I made for you, understand? Where is Qipei?"

    When Qiao Jing saw that Su Manhan finally decided to care about her own son, she felt touched on behalf of Zhan Qipei for a moment and answered:

    "He¡¯s changing his clothes."

    Just as she had finished feeling moved for Zhan Qipei, Su Manhan¡¯s next words made her not know whether tough or cry.

 Chapter 701 - 690: Supervising Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 701: Chapter 690: Supervising Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    "What¡¯s taking so long to change clothes? You¡¯re about to go to work, and he¡¯s still not out? Is he not nning to take you to work?"

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but hook the corners of her lips and sighed in utter helplessness.

    "He¡¯ll be out soon, he¡¯ll take me," she said.

    Qiao Jing had thought that Su Manhan was finally showing some concern for Zhan Qipei, only to realize it was about whether he would drive her to work. Was Su Manhan spoiling her too much?

    Satisfied, Su Manhan finally nodded and handed the thermal bag to Qiao Jing.

    "Do you want to drink this soup now, or take it to the institute to drinkter?"

    Before Qiao Jing could answer, Su Manhan spoke up for herself,

    "You might as well drink it in the carter; I worry it might get cold otherwise."

    Qiao Jing, not wanting to refuse Su Manhan, nodded and took it over.

    "Alright," she replied.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei had also finished changing into his suit and came to the entrance hall.

    Seeing Su Manhan there, he was no longer surprised; he had long guessed that she woulde.

    After all, not allowing Qiao Jing to stay at Purple Garden was something he and his mother had arranged as a condition.

    Zhan Qipei greeted Su Manhan,

    "Mom, good morning."

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei emerge, Su Manhan¡¯s expression darkened and she crossed her arms.

    "Good morning, my foot. I¡¯m not having a good morning. I¡¯ve been here for so long already, and Qiao Jing has been standing here waiting for you. What took you so long to change? Hurry up and take Qiao Jing to work!"

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips in resignation and responded,

    "Alright, we¡¯ll go now."

    Afterward, Su Manhan followed closely behind Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei until they reached his car.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to get into the car and close the door, Su Manhan quickly did it for her.

    On the other side, as Zhan Qipei was about to get into the car, Su Manhan suddenly pulled him aside.

    She pulled Zhan Qipei aside and earnestly instructed,

    "Qipei, make sure you keep a close eye on Qiao Jing; don¡¯t let her eat any junk food or stuff from street vendors, it¡¯s bad for her health, understand?"

    She was nowing over every day to bring food for Qiao Jing, not only out of concern for her nutritional intake but also to supervise her, restricting her from eating from street stalls.

    After all, Qiao Jing was pregnant and absolutely must not eat carelessly; she and Qipei were fully responsible for Qiao Jing¡¯s daily needs.

    Zhan Qipei adjusted his eyebrows and acknowledged,

    "I understand, Mom. Don¡¯t worry."

    Now, he wasn¡¯t only watching over Qiao Jing at home but had even arranged his own "informant" at the institute, Zhan Nanqing, who monitored Qiao Jing every day.

    Because they learned from Zhan Nanqing that Qiao Jing used to like eating at a beef noodle shop near the institute, in order to avoid a recurrence, they had everyone keep an eye out.

    Su Manhan then let Zhan Qipei get into the car, while she returned to her own vehicle.

    Sitting in the car, Qiao Jing faintly heard the conversation between the two and, after Zhan Qipei got into the car, she asked with a puzzled face,

    "What did Auntie Su tell you?"

    She had only heard Su Manhan telling Zhan Qipei to keep a close eye on her, something about it being bad for her health.

    Since it concerned her, she couldn¡¯t help but be curious.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing, his mood pleasant as he smiled and gently stroked her slightly protruding belly, then slowly responded to her question,

    "Mom told me to watch over you, not to let you eat street snacks, including your favorite beef noodles."

    He and his mother were both very concerned that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t getting enough nutrients or that eating overly fried foods could not only affect the pregnant woman¡¯s health but also the baby.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned and fell into a brief reflection.

    "Oh."

    She never expected that, being as grown up as she was, she would still need to be watched by someone else, worried that she might eat something recklessly.

    After saying that, she opened the bag Su Manhan had given her and found a thermos inside.

    Upon opening the thermos, a rich aroma of soup wafted towards her. Qiao Jing nced inside and saw it was crucian carp tofu soup.

    Qiao Jing tasted a few sips and ended up drinking all the soup.

    ©¤©¤

    A few dayster.

    After getting up in the morning, Qiao Jing, as usual, went to the living room and saw Zhan Qipei still making breakfast in the kitchen.

    She slightly raised her eyebrows, determined to do something.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing stepped forward without hesitation towards the door.

    She tiptoed to open the door and lightly stepped out.

    Qiao Jing suddenly felt she resembled a thief, but to avoid being discovered by Zhan Qipei, she had no other choice.

    Soon, Qiao Jing reached a nearby breakfast spot, hearing the cries of vendors around her and feeling a familiar urban buzz.

    She nced around at the breakfast stalls and eventually sat down at a noodle shop.

    "Boss, a bowl of beef noodles, please."

    "Alright!"

    After ordering breakfast, Qiao Jing instinctively looked around, worried that Zhan Qipei might suddenly appear.

    In recent days, she had drunk various nourishing soups and other supplements, and she was tired of it.

    But Zhan Qipei and Su Manhan, for the sake of her health, kept a close watch, never allowing her to eat any street food.

    She knew of course that street food wasn¡¯t as clean as what was prepared at home, but having grown up in the countryside, she had enjoyed numerous diverse street snacks since childhood. Those snacks had vors no restaurant could match.

    So she had seized the opportunity today, slipping out of the house to taste the xiaolongbao and soy milk she hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time.

    Soon, the boss came over with the soy milk and xiaolongbao.

    "Your xiaolongbao are ready."

    Qiao Jing nodded and thanked him. Upon smelling the xiaolongbao, she immediately felt hungry.

    There she sat, at a street stall, beginning to eat the xiaolongbao.

    Meanwhile, a nanny van passed by these small stalls.

    Inside the van, Qiao Mengtong was having her assistant touch up her makeup as she rushed to her next appointment, idly observing the surroundings with a look of disdain on her face.

    "What kind of ce is this? It¡¯s so messy. Can you believe people actually eat breakfast here?"

    As she spoke, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a vaguely familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.

    Looking closer, Qiao Mengtong realized it was indeed someone she knew¡ªQiao Jing was sitting in front of a street stall having breakfast.

    Realizing the situation, her eyes gleamed with a mix of scorn and smugness.

    Had Qiao Jing fallen so low as to eat at street stalls? It definitely looked like she had been kicked out by the Zhan Family!

    She had known it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Zhan Family chased Qiao Jing out, and now, look! Indeed!

    Thinking about this, Qiao Mengtong slightly chinned up and nced at her assistant, urging:

    "Hurry up and finish my makeup!"

    She was eager to get out of the car to have a good look and to show her sister, eating at the street stall, how she had be a somewhat famous star under the patronage of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

 Chapter 702 - 691: Did You Not Brush Your Teeth This Morning?

    <h4>Chapter 702: Chapter 691: Did You Not Brush Your Teeth This Morning?</h4><h4></h4>

    The assistant hurriedly sped up the pace of touching up the makeup and quickly finished.

    Qiao Mengtong looked at herself in the mirror and nodded with satisfaction.

    "Driver, pull the car over, stop by the roadside stall where a woman is eating soup dumplings,"

    she wanted Qiao Jing to see with her own eyes just how well she was living now!

    The driver quickly parked the car beside the roadside stall where Qiao Jing was.

    Qiao Jing noticed the nanny car pulling up beside her and paused in her action of eating the soup dumplings.

    She nced at the nanny car out of the corner of her eye, staying alert, since the car was rather close to her.

    After the car stopped, Qiao Mengtong couldn¡¯t wait to get out of the car and approached Qiao Jing.

    "Well, if it isn¡¯t Qiao Jing? Eating at a roadside stall, are we?"

    She deliberately emphasized the words "roadside stall" and then sneered first at the soup dumplings in Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, then at her surroundings, fanning her nose in disdain as if she had smelled something unpleasant.

    Qiao Jing gave Qiao Mengtong, who was wrapped up like a mummy, a disinterested nce and didn¡¯t bother engaging with her, continuing her breakfast.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent manner, as if she didn¡¯t take her seriously at all, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes widened in anger.

    "Qiao Jing, how dare you treat me with such an attitude? Now that you¡¯ve been driven out of the Zhan Family, reduced to eating at a roadside stall, you still dare act so aloof?"

    Each time she was infuriated by Qiao Jing¡¯s cool demeanor, from her poise to the way she looked at her, Qiao Mengtong felt as if Qiao Jing considered everything beneath her, or perhaps that ordinary things were simply unable to catch her eye.

    Suddenly! Qiao Mengtong had an idea, crossed her arms, and used her stance to look down on Qiao Jing, trying to seem more imposing than her.

    Yet Qiao Jing continued eating her breakfast without giving her so much as a nce, which reignited Qiao Mengtong¡¯s anger.

    "Qiao Jing! Who are you putting on this lofty act for here? The Zhan Family has kicked you out, what ground do you have to act superior? Do you really think you¡¯re still thedy of the Zhan Family?"

    She paused and proudly lifted her chin.

    "Hah! Let me tell you, not only am I a popr actress now, but I¡¯m also close to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, and soon the ce of Mrs. Zhan will be mine! You can just keep eating at roadside stalls forever!"

    Qiao Jing became somewhat annoyed by the relentless chatter in her ear and furrowed her brows slightly.

    With a cool expression, she nced at Qiao Mengtong.

    Upon meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Qiao Mengtong felt an inexplicable fear, as though she were about to break out in a cold sweat.

    She suddenly realized that even though Qiao Jing was sitting down, her casual look carried an authority that seemed to be many times higher than hers.

    Thinking this, she clenched her fists in anger and kept staring intensely at Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing, why are you looking at me like that? Everything I¡¯ve said is true¡ªisn¡¯t it a fact that you were chased out by the Zhan Family? Or did I strike a nerve? Or do you think staring at me could get you back into the Zhan Family?"

    She paused, wracked her brain for several more ways to mock Qiao Jing, and then said:

    "Oh right, you do have a chance to return to the Zhan Family, I can help you. But first, I want to see if you¡¯re sincere. As long as you kneel down to apologize and clean my shoes or something, I could offer you a position as a cleaner in the Zhan Family, which is also a way back, how about it?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows creased with added impatience.

    She looked up at her expressionlessly, her lips parting lightly, and in a tone devoid of emotion, she said:

    "There¡¯s a mosquito."

    Despite the hurtful things Qiao Mengtong had said, those weren¡¯t the reasons Qiao Jing decided to speak to her.

    But Qiao Mengtong was just so incredibly boring, muttering to herself for ages, and it disrupted my breakfast.

    Qiao Mengtong was stunned for a moment, still not quite catching the drift of thatment.

    She instinctively blurted out a question:

    "What do you mean?"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation, toozy to engage with Qiao Mengtong any further.

    After a moment of thought, Qiao Mengtong finally understood that Qiao Jing found her as annoying as a buzzing mosquito.

    She clenched her teeth in anger and pointed a finger at Qiao Jing.

    "Don¡¯t try to deflect with those words, as if I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to. You¡¯re just down on your luck now, too scared to face me, so you¡¯re trying to distract me!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s speechlessness surged further, her lips twitching in response.

    She found that people like Qiao Mengtong had an impressive ability to imagine things.

    She had said just one thing, and the other could fabricate all sorts of wild stories from it.

    Just as Qiao Mengtong was about to continue speaking, her eyes suddenly fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly bulging abdomen.

    Thinking she might have seen it wrong, Qiao Mengtong quickly blinked and then stared hard at Qiao Jing¡¯s belly for a long while.

    After confirming she wasn¡¯t mistaken, and indeed the belly was bulging, she inquired:

    "You, you¡¯re pregnant?"

    Qiao Jing finished thest sip of her soy milk at a leisurely pace and looked up at Qiao Mengtong.

    "What¡¯s it to you?"

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s tacit confirmation, Qiao Mengtong pped her thigh and showed an ¡¯I-knew-it¡¯ expression, saying:

    "I see now; no wonder the Zhan Family kicked you out. You surely acted indecently, had an affair and gotten pregnant with someone else¡¯s child, and the Zhan Family just threw you out!"

    When Qiao Jing heard this, she was beyond words. If she were in aic, three vertical lines would have slid down her forehead.

    "You have quite the imagination."

    She was simply pregnant, but in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s mind, that had be infidelity, indecency, and all sorts of things.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s power of imagination and potential for making up stories were absolutely wasted, not being used for dramas about disputes within wealthy families.

    Seeing Qiao Jing deny her usation, Qiao Mengtong sneered.

    "Heh, don¡¯t even try to deny it. Who doesn¡¯t know about Young Master Zhan¡¯s infertility? Madam Zhan went to extremes to seek Divine Doctor Jing several times, all in vain, right? Although I heard these things through the grapevine, they¡¯re highly credible. After all, Madam Zhan did indeed seek out Divine Doctor Jing!"

    After pouring out all this in one breath, Qiao Mengtong crossed her arms and looked disdainfully at Qiao Jing, her following words even more offensive than thest.

    "If you say that baby is Young Master Zhan¡¯s, no one will believe you! With Young Master Zhan¡¯s infertility, where else could you have gotten pregnant? You must have messed around with some other man. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this promiscuous. How disgraceful! Are you that desperate for love?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, and without another word, she grabbed a steamed bun from the table and hurled it at Qiao Mengtong¡¯s mouth.

    "Did you forget to brush your teeth this morning?"

    She was too idle to engage because it was a waste of time, but there was absolutely no need for her to endure any more when Qiao Mengtong continued to spit out such unpleasant words repeatedly.

 Chapter 703 - 692: Want to Provide for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 703: Chapter 692: Want to Provide for Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Mengtong was dumbfounded when she was hit by the bun, instinctively reaching out to catch it.

    By the time she reacted, her face had flushed with anger, and she threw the bun to the ground.

    "Qiao Jing! How dare you throw a bun at me? I must have hit a nerve, and now you¡¯re hysterical, aren¡¯t you?!"

    As she spoke, she adopted a "do-or-die" stance, ready to confront Qiao Jing head-on.

    Just as Qiao Mengtong took a step forward, she suddenly saw a familiar car driving their way.

    It was Young Master Nan and Young Master Bei¡¯s car! They must have been passing by, saw her car, and specifically stopped to check on her!

    With that in mind, Qiao Mengtong nced at Qiao Jing, revealing a sinister smile before she stopped in her tracks.

    Qiao Jing had braced herself for confrontation, but when Qiao Mengtong suddenly stopped, it was quite unexpected.

    Frowning slightly, puzzled and about to look around, she heard Qiao Mengtong¡¯s voice, speaking in a shrill tone.

    "Young Master Nan, Young Master Bei~"

    Upon hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Qiao Jing felt a sense of revulsion and looked up in their direction.

    At that moment, Qiao Mengtong was running towards Young Master Nan and Young Master Bei, with an expression of utter grievance on her face.

    "Young Master Nan, Young Master Bei, did youe especially to see me?"

    Young Master Nan and Young Master Bei nced at each other, then at the person running towards them, responding with a perfunctory "Hmm," their faces betraying a hint of disdain.

    They suddenly noticed Qiao Jing standing to the side, and Zhan Bei curiously asked:

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re here too?"

    Both sets of eyes naturally fell on Qiao Jing, staring fixedly at her.

    Qiao Mengtong, oblivious to their peculiar reactions, wedged herself between the two men without a word, wrapping her left arm around Zhan Bei¡¯s and her right around Zhan Nan¡¯s, and deliberately rubbed their hands.

    After all this, she managed to squeeze out a few tears and pouted her lips.

    "I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here. Qiao Jing just bullied me! You might not know yet, but this shameless woman, Qiao Jing, doesn¡¯t know where she¡¯s been messing around, got pregnant with some wild man¡¯s child, and now the Zhan Family has kicked her out. I mentioned it to her, and she started throwing things at me."

    She paused, then shook the arms of Young Master Nan and Young Master Bei.

    "Young Master Nan, Young Master Bei, you¡¯ve got to get justice for me~"

    As Qiao Jing watched Qiao Mengtong¡¯s exaggerated and affected behavior, she felt increasingly nauseated.

    And Qiao Mengtong imed she was throwing things at her? Yet, judging by her pitiful, aggrieved act, one would think she had been hit with an atomic bomb instead of a bun.

    It was just a bun she threw at that unbrushed mouth, and she hadn¡¯t evenined about wasting her bun, but there Qiao Mengtong was, putting on a show.

    Upon hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Young Master Nan and Young Master Bei¡¯s eyes lit up, and they exchanged a nce.

    Ever since Qiao Jing had beaten them, they had been harboring a grudge, lying low to find the right opportunity.

    But they had been hesitant to act, and didn¡¯t dare to, because Zhan Qipei and others were backing Qiao Jing.

    Now that Qiao Jing had been driven out by the Zhan Family, it meant she no longer had any support, and they finally had their chance for revenge!

    They were determined to wipe away the disgrace and recover from the losses they had previously suffered!

    Zhan Nan took the lead, stepping forward to face Qiao Jing with a malevolent smile. He matter-of-factly scanned her from head to toe before saying:

    "I never thought you could still be such a flirt. You actually went out to find a wild man? When we brothers approached you before, you put on such a high and mighty front; now it seems, it was all just for show, right?"

    Zhan Bei followed suit,ughing sarcastically:

    "Exactly, at first you acted all high and mighty, like some paragon of chastity who couldn¡¯t even be touched. But now... it seems..."

    He deliberately paused, casting a meaningful nce at Qiao Jing.

    "It was all just a fa?ade, wasn¡¯t it? How about this, since you¡¯ve also been kicked out by the Zhan Family, why don¡¯t you just join the two of us? We¡¯ll definitely treat you well. If we could elevate Qiao Mengtong to such heights, we can surely do the same for you."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently.

    "Move aside."

    Promoting someone, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei? Their idea of promoting was just getting Qiao Mengtong to shoot some eye-catching ads, which hardly counted as promotion.

    She really didn¡¯t want to waste her time talking to these two brothers anymore, talking to them was simply a waste of time.

    Zhan Nan¡¯s expression turned somewhat ugly as he saw Qiao Jing was not pleased with their offer.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re not satisfied with what we¡¯re giving you? Do you have any other demands? We can satisfy all of them, especially..."

    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. But everyone present was an adult; how could they not understand his implication?

    After hearing Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s words, Qiao Mengtong was stunned and just stared nkly at them.

    What did these two mean? Why did it feel so inappropriate?

    Could it be that Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei also wanted to keep Qiao Jing as a mistress?

    No! Absolutely not!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned cold in an instant, her brows furrowing as she looked at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei with disdain.

    These three were just too disgusting, seriously ruining her breakfast.

    If she continued to eat and had to look at their faces, she might even throw up.

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together and stood up, heading towards home.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei exchanged nces and quickly stepped forward to block Qiao Jing¡¯s way.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s cool gaze darkened as she looked at them with a chill in her expression.

    "What do you want?"

    She really didn¡¯t want to see the faces of these three people again, it was just too repulsive.

    Zhan Nan smiled, revealing what he thought was a very charming smile.

    "What do you think? Since you¡¯re so flirty, why not juste with us, the two brothers? At least you¡¯ll still have a connection with the Zhan Family, something to brag about. Between the Zhan Family and that bastard, any smart person knows which to choose."

    Now Qiao Mengtongpletely understood the situation ¨C the two indeed intended to keep Qiao Jing as a mistress.

    Her future patrons and sugar daddies, how did they end up wanting to take on Qiao Jing?

    This was uneptable! Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei absolutely couldn¡¯t be snatched away by Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Mengtong stepped forward, inserting herself between Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei once more, deliberately rubbing against them and leaning her body directly onto them, speaking anxiously:

    "Young Master Nan, Young Master Bei, don¡¯t be fooled by the fa?ade of this woman Qiao Jing. She¡¯s actually very cheap and no matter what conditions you offer, she won¡¯t ept them, she might even think you¡¯re trash! How can you want a woman like that?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei furrowed their brows and forcefully pushed her aside.

    "Get lost, don¡¯t interfere with us."

    "Giving you face, huh? You¡¯ve got some nerve interrupting our conversation?"

 Chapter 704 - 693: Severely Taught a Lesson by Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 704: Chapter 693: Severely Taught a Lesson by Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, two grown men, had considerable strength; coupled with the fact that they showed no mercy, Qiao Mengtong was immediately pushed off bnce.

    She staggered several steps, trying to stabilize her figure, but because she was wearing high heels, she couldn¡¯t stand firm at all and ended up falling t on her back, followed by her screams of pain.

    "Ah!"

    Qiao Mengtong nced at her skirt that had ridden up and quickly adjusted it a few times before she barely managed to cover herself.

    Upon seeing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei both sneered simultaneously, their faces showing looks of disdain.

    Looking down from above at Qiao Mengtong sitting on the ground, Zhan Bei sneered.

    "You¡¯re not even one percent as good-looking as Qiao Jing. Who cares if she¡¯s cheap or not, as long as she¡¯s pretty, right?"

    Moreover, they had a feud with Qiao Jing, and they certainly nned to torment her severely after taking her under their wing!

    Seeing the opportunity to take Qiao Jing under his wing, Zhan Nan no longer pretended and was ready to ditch Qiao Mengtong, speaking mockingly:

    "With your figure and face, do you think we would be interested in you? If you didn¡¯t somewhat resemble Qiao Jing, why would we even consider taking care of you? Don¡¯t tter yourself."

    Hearing the words of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, Qiao Mengtong felt as if she had been struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded, looking at them with disbelief.

    "What... how could..."

    She had never imagined that Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei would take care of her for such a reason!

    They considered her a substitute for Qiao Jing!

    She thought it over carefully and realized that Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had suddenly approached her with the offer, when there had been no connection between them before.

    No wonder... they took care of her just because she looked a bit like Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Mengtong clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deeply into her skin, staring unwaveringly at Qiao Jing.

    "It¡¯s all your fault, Qiao Jing!"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes speechlessly and, not bothering to deal with these three people, she lifted her foot and directly headed towards Nantai Apartment.

    By now, Qipei would almost know that she was not at home.

    But before she had gone far, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei shamelessly followed her.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing stubbornly refused to follow them, Zhan Nan also got angry and was ready to resort to physical harassment.

    "What¡¯s wrong with your brain, huh? Would you rather be with some random men than with us brothers?"

    Anyway, Qiao Jing had already been kicked out of the Zhan Family¡¯s house; now, no one could stop them from touching her!

    With this thought, Zhan Nan reached out, attempting to grab Qiao Jing.

    As soon as Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Nan was about to make a move, she slightly shifted to the side and dodged the approaching hand.

    Immediately after, she grabbed Zhan Nan¡¯s arm with an expressionless face and in the blink of an eye dislocated his arm.

    The next second, Zhan Nan¡¯s screams, akin to those of a ughtered pig, could be heard.

    "Ahhhhhh!"

    Seeing his brother treated this way, Zhan Bei didn¡¯t hesitate to rush forward to help.

    But learning from past mistakes, he didn¡¯t recklessly attack Qiao Jing this time. Instead, he attempted to use the boxing skills he had learned, hoping to subdue her.

    To his surprise, before he could even throw a punch, Qiao Jing dislocated his wrist as well.

    Zhan Bei felt deeply humiliated; his boxing skills, which he prided himself on, didn¡¯t even allow him to throw a single punch at Qiao Jing, and instead, she ended up dislocating his wrist.

    Grinding his teeth in anger, he cursed:

    "Ah! Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve been thrown out by your cousin and his family, where the hell do you get the guts to hit us? Aren¡¯t you afraid of my grandfather, leaving you with no ground to stand on in the imperial city?!"

    Zhan Nan, supporting his dislocated arm, tried several times to pop it back into ce unsessfully, instead causing him to grimace in pain.

    Although both his and his brother¡¯s arms and wrists got dislocated, their mouths still worked!

    He swore non-stop, spewing anger, "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re dead meat! Now that you don¡¯t have your cousin and his family to protect you, I want to see how you¡¯re going to beg for mercy in front of my grandfather!"

    Upon hearing their words, Qiao Jing hooked her lips into a smile, yet not a trace of it reached the depths of her eyes.

    She lightly raised her arched brows, her phoenix eyes as deep as a bottomless pool, and with slightly parted red lips, she slowly uttered a word.

    "Oh."

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were taken aback, exchanging a nce, both seeing confusion on the other¡¯s face.

    Qiao Jing had just responded with one word, oh?! It seemed she truly didn¡¯t know the gravity of her situation, thinking she still held the status of the Zhan family¡¯s young madam after being shunned, pretending to be stupid and foolish here with them!

    Zhan Nan, infuriated by Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude of not taking them seriously at all, red with eyes wide, hisnguage bing increasingly filthy.

    "You promiscuous woman! What are you pretending for here? After you¡¯ve been thrown out, if we even look at you, that would be more luck than you could beg for in eight lifetimes, and you still act all high and mighty with me?"

    Zhan Bei immediately agreed, saying, "Exactly, being thrown out makes you just like trash, you know? You should be groveling at our feet, yet here you are acting all noble?"

    No sooner had the words left his mouth than a resounding pnded on his face.

    Indeed, Qiao Jing was the one who had delivered the p.

    Zhan Bei was stunned, quickly throwing a punch with his other, untouched arm.

    He thought he was fast enough, and given how close Qiao Jing was, he should have been able to knock her down.

    But who the hell could tell him why Qiao Jing could just catch his punch with her bare hands?!

    Without hesitation, Qiao Jing dislocated Zhan Bei¡¯s other wrist and kicked him to the ground.

    "I suggest you brush your teeth before leaving the house."

    She was already annoyed that these three had disturbed her breakfast, and now, not a single one could utter a decent word.

    Truly like a dog that can¡¯t spit out ivory!

    When Zhan Nan saw his brother lying on the ground screaming, he was about to start cursing too but was met with Qiao Jing¡¯s ice-cold re.

    Instantly, that look frightened him into silence, soon followed by a chill running down his spine.

    Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Nan had been about to speak and stepped forward to face him.

    She looked down imperiously at Zhan Nan, her emotionless tone paradoxically sending shivers down the spine.

    "And you."

    Zhan Nan suddenly felt as if Qiao Jing¡¯s words were like a death sentence being delivered by the Grim Reaper, causing him to shudder unconsciously.

    He quickly backed away several steps, threatening,

    "Just tryying a hand on me! My grandfather won¡¯t let you off! What, just because I called you out for being flirtatious, you can¡¯t handle the truth? I bet you¡¯re just feeling guilty, that¡¯s why you¡ª"

    Before he could finish, Qiao Jing raised her hand and pped him across the face.

    Soon a clear handprint appeared on his left cheek, while Zhan Bei¡¯s right cheek bore the imprint; each side of their faces sported a matching p mark.

    Qiao Jing had no intention of letting Zhan Nan off easily, dislocating his other arm as well, leaving the two brothers helpless.

    After doing all this, she took a paper napkin from the table to wipe her hands, casually throwing the used napkin on top of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, and then left the breakfast shop.

 Chapter 705 - 694: Discovered by Zhan Qipei?

    <h4>Chapter 705: Chapter 694: Discovered by Zhan Qipei?</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Mengtong, who had been watching the entire scene from the side, sat on the ground, looking dazedly at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, who were equally sprawled on the ground, unable to move.

    When Qiao Jing was fighting just now, he was really fierce...

    If she were to be beaten by Qiao Jing, she would definitely be beaten to a pulp!

    The onlookers by the breakfast shop started discussing amongst themselves after Qiao Jing left.

    "These two guys clearly aren¡¯t any good,ing up here spewing all sorts of offensive words and trying to forcefully take that girl away!"

    "Exactly, they just nder her with their mouths, absolutely shameless! The girl didn¡¯t even bother to pay attention to them, but they kept pestering her nonstop."

    "Do these two men really think money is omnipotent? They want to do whatever they please, and they got what they deserved for being beaten! And this woman, she must be kept by these two men! Shees up looking all delicate and frail, disgusting!"

    "..."

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, hearing the discussions of the bystanders, felt like they had lost all face, and it seemed that there were even people in the crowd who recognized them.

    If they stayed any longer, it probably wouldn¡¯t be long before everyone in the upper social circles would know about their embarrassing ordeal today!

    But at the moment, they were in such pain that they couldn¡¯t move, let alone make a phone call.

    Zhan Nan looked at Qiao Mengtong next to him and ordered:

    "Qiao Mengtong, give me your phone!"

    Having understood why the two of them kept her, Qiao Mengtong felt utterly disgusted and was hesitating whether to go over or not.

    She had actually thought these two brothers truly liked her, that they were interested in her, but it turned out they were just using her as a substitute!

    Even though she didn¡¯t want to continue being Qiao Jing¡¯s substitute, all her current resources were provided by Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei. If she fell out with them, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get any endorsements at all.

    Seeing Qiao Mengtong sitting still, Zhan Nan grew impatient and pressured her:

    "Are you freaking dead or what? Hurry up ande here! Give me the phone! Otherwise, I will pull all your resources, and you won¡¯t be able to get anything ever again!"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Mengtong scrambled up to her feet, and just as she was about to go over, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her ankle.

    Looking down, she realized that her ankle was swollen, probably sprained when the brothers had shoved her away.

    She bit her lip, endured the pain, and handed her phone over to Zhan Nan.

    "Young Master Nan..."

    Zhan Nan, seeing Qiao Mengtong holding out the phone but not intending to call anyone for him, was infuriated, channeling all the anger he had received from Qiao Jing onto her.

    Without hesitation, he spat, directing a stream of saliva towards Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face.

    "You¡¯re dead and can¡¯t move, right? First help us back to the car!"

    Disgust flickered through Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes from behind her sunsses, but she couldn¡¯t afford to show even a hint of it.

    She was relieved she wore a mask and sunsses; otherwise, she would be recognized by others, and the spit would havended on her face.

    Zhan Bei, struggling to sit up, cursed irritably:

    "What are you stupidly standing there for? Hurry up and help us up!"

    Qiao Mengtong, swallowing her pride, bent down and reached out to help Zhan Bei first.

    Zhan Nan, seeing this, immediately intervened.

    "Who told you to help one by one? Help us both up!"

    Qiao Mengtong hesitated, looking at the two with difficulty.

    "But, Young Master Nan... I can¡¯t help up two people..."

    Zhan Nan didn¡¯t listen to a word Qiao Mengtong said and threatened:

    "If you don¡¯t help both of us into the car together, starting now, I¡¯ll pull all your resources!"

    Qiao Mengtong shuddered violently and mustered all her strength to help both men to their feet.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei directly put their entire weight on Qiao Mengtong,pletely indifferent to her well-being.

    Qiao Mengtong first struggled to the side of the car, called down her assistant, and only after handing over Zhan Nan to the assistant did she feel much relieved.

    The onlooking passersby now discussed even more vigorously.

    "None of these three people are any good; they perfectly deserve each other, just don¡¯t harm anyone else."

    "That woman deserves it too, just looking at her face makes me want to vomit, and with a mask and sunsses on, she¡¯s clearly feeling guilty."

    "The woman¡¯s disgusting behavior is no less than these two brothers, and there¡¯s also¡ª"

    The passerby didn¡¯t finish speaking when Zhan Nan harshly cursed him out.

    "Are you fucking sick or what? Mind your own damn business! Get lost!"

    After he said that, he nced around at all the onlookers and roared:

    "Anyone who doesn¡¯t want to die had better scram!"

    When scolded like this, the passersby left, throwing around a few "crazy" remarks, and then dispersed all at once.

    Elsewhere.

    As soon as Qiao Jing got home, she saw Zhan Qipei sitting by the dining table, and the man was staring fixedly at the entrance without stopping.

    She felt somehow guilty, yet she still approached the dining table with an indifferent expression, picked up a spoon without saying a word, and prepared to start eating her porridge.

    She hadn¡¯t managed to eat much at the food stand earlier because she got interrupted by those three people, and now she was still a bit hungry; eating a bit more would be just right to cover it up.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes remained on Qiao Jing, watching as she finished her porridge, then he finally asked:

    "Where did you go?"

    After making breakfast in the morning, he hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Jing for a long time, thinking she was still asleep, he had intended to go wake her up.

    But when he arrived at Qiao Jing¡¯s room, he discovered she wasn¡¯t in her room at all, and after a quick check in the bathroom not finding anyone, he confirmed she must have gone out.

    But Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t said a word to him before going out, which was indeed a bit strange.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, her expression remaining indifferent as she replied:

    "I threw away some garbage."

    This morning when she left, she had taken the trash from her room¡¯s wastebasket with her, nning to use this excuse to fool Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows, suspicion shing across his eyes.

    "But I just threw out the trash from your room yesterday."

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows slightly furrowed.

    She hadn¡¯t noticed this detail, and using the excuse of throwing out the trash to fool Zhan Qipei now seemed too deliberate.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to find another excuse, Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone began to ring.

    Their conversation was interrupted, and Zhan Qipei nced at the caller id, noticing it was Su Manhan.

    He quickly tapped to answer and turned on speakerphone.

    "What is it, Mom?"

    Su Manhan¡¯s tone carried anger and concern, concern for Qiao Jing, while the anger was directed at Zhan Qipei.

    "Is Qiao Jing by your side?"

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing somewhat strangely, then hummed a response.

    "I¡¯m on speakerphone; she can hear you."

    Then Su Manhan revealed the main reason for her call.

 Chapter 706 - 695: Make the Zhan Family Drive Qiao Jing Out

    <h4>Chapter 706: Chapter 695: Make the Zhan Family Drive Qiao Jing Out</h4><h4></h4>

    "Qiao Jing, didn¡¯t Qipei make you breakfast this morning?"

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s question, Qiao Jing frowned slightly, feeling somewhat puzzled.

    "He did."

    Why did she always have a foreboding feeling?

    Could it be that after Zhan Nan and Zhan Beiined, they also mentioned where they saw her?

    She wasn¡¯t worried about the two of themining; she was just a little concerned that if Su Manhan knew about it, she would be even stricter with her diet¡ªthen she might not even be able to sneak out.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t find this kind of "discipline" repulsive; on the contrary, it gave her a warm feeling of family.

    She had always believed that if it wasn¡¯t their concern, who would bother to care about someone unrted to them?

    Therefore, it was evident that the Su family truly cared about her.

    On the other end, Su Manhan frowned immediately after hearing her words, asking with concern,

    "Did Qipei make it not tasty?"

    No sooner had Su Manhan finished her sentence than Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze fell upon Qiao Jing, his eyes revealing a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

    This question from his mother was also the one he wanted to ask because he had been following the recipes, and Qiao Jing always finished her meals without providing any feedback.

    So he was curious: did Qiao Jing actually find the food he made tasty?

    Qiao Jing met Zhan Qipei¡¯s expectant gaze and pressed her lips together in resignation.

    "No, his cooking is quite delicious."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s anxious expression melted away, his lips curling into a smile, his face alight with pleasure.

    It seemed that Qiao Jing did like the food he prepared.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Su Manhan sighed with relief and earnestly said,

    "Qiao Jing, I haven¡¯t specifically forbidden you from eating outside food, but now that you¡¯re pregnant, for the sake of your health, you should eat less of those street foods."

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing helplessly touched her forehead.

    "Okay, I know."

    It seemed that when Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei went toin, they also mentioned the ce.

    But didn¡¯t Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei think she had been kicked out? Why did they go to Purple Garden to tattle then?

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows drew together like mountain mist, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

    "Did you go out for breakfast this morning?"

    He knew something was off with Qiao Jing earlier; so she had snuck out for breakfast.

    This made him wonder: was what Qiao Jing said earlier to make him happy, and that¡¯s why she imed it was tasty?

    Otherwise, why would Qiao Jing go out for breakfast?

    Qiao Jing realized that since Su Manhan knew about it, it was natural that Zhan Qipei would as well.

    She gave a slight nod.

    "Mhm."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, his thin lips pressed into an uncurved line of ice.

    "Was it because I didn¡¯t make it tasty?"

    Qiao Jing saw a hint of disappointment on the man¡¯s face and guessed what he must be thinking.

    She immediately began to exin,

    "It¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t make it tasty; it¡¯s that I¡¯ve gotten tired of eating the same nutritious food for so long, and I wanted to try something different from outside."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s tightly knit brows finally rxed, and his lips lifted into a slight curve once more.

    Although he felt good when he heard Qiao Jing say that his cooking was delicious, he still gave her a serious admonition.

    "I can make something different next time, but you can¡¯t go out to eat anymore."

    For Qiao Jing¡¯s health, he wouldn¡¯t mind learning hundreds of dishes.

    As long as it was for Qiao Jing, he could do anything.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow slightly and hesitated for a long time before reluctantly agreeing.

    "Fine."

    It seemed she had no choice but to give up the idea of eating out since the mother and son had discovered her actions, making it difficult to slip away again.

    The conversation with Su Manhan wasn¡¯t disconnected, and suddenly some noisy chatter came from the other end, as if they were discussing something.

    Then, a series of footsteps followed, and the next second, Cao Rushan¡¯s voice came through.

    "Sister-inw, what do you mean by this? I brought our two kids here especially to ask if you really kicked out Qiao Jing, and yet you left to make a call and ignored us?"

    She didn¡¯t directly take people to look for Qiao Jing but came to Purple Garden because she wasn¡¯t sure whether Su Manhan¡¯s family had truly abandoned Qiao Jing or not.

    After all, it was a well-known fact in the upper circles of the capital that Su Manhan¡¯s family was extremely fond of Qiao Jing.

    Moreover, she hadn¡¯t heard the rumors about Qiao Jing being kicked out at all, and she was worried that if she confronted them directly and they hadn¡¯t kicked Qiao Jing out and found out about this, the situation would undoubtedly escte further.

    Yet Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei told her that Qiao Jing had already been driven out by the Zhan Family and was seen eating at a roadside stall. If she hadn¡¯t been driven out, why would Qiao Jing be eating at a roadside stall?

    Zhan Kaiyang coughed to assert his authority.

    Su Manhan wasn¡¯t afraid of Zhan Kaiyang at all, crossed her arms over her chest, and sat down on the couch.

    "Kick out Qiao Jing? How could I possibly kick out my beloved daughter-inw?"

    She was overjoyed to learn that this family had tried to bully Qiao Jing but failed to gain any advantage; on the contrary, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei ended up getting hit instead.

    She no longer had any good impressions of this family. Although Zhan Kaiyang was older than her and was her elder by generation, she wouldn¡¯t care about seniority if they tried to bully Qiao Jing.

    Thinking of bullying Qiao Jing? Not on her watch!

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were immediately dumbfounded, exchanging nces with each other.

    Zhan Nan asked in confusion, "Why not kick her out?"

    He was well aware of his cousin¡¯s incapacity, and now that Qiao Jing was pregnant, how could it possibly be the Zhan Family¡¯s child? She must have messed around outside!

    Zhan Bei thought the same, and both he and his brother clearly heard what Qiao Jing¡¯s sister, Qiao Mengtong, had said.

    Su Manhan looked at Zhan Nan with a puzzled face, her eyebrows knitting together with impatience.

    "Why should I kick out Qiao Jing? Why didn¡¯t you tell me when you and Zhan Bei got beaten by her?"

    This family came over to Purple Garden in force, iming they¡¯d encountered Qiao Jing at a food stall, had a conflict, got beaten up, and were now asking whether she had truly driven Qiao Jing out.

    What a joke! Kick out Qiao Jing? It would make more sense to kick them out!

    Zhan Bei, who saw that Su Manhan appeared utterly unaware of the issue, was full of confusion and expressed the thoughts he previously had.

    "Auntie Su, wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing kicked out because she was carrying an illegitimate child from someone else? She has been so indiscreet, are you still protecting her and haven¡¯t driven her out?"

    Upon hearing Zhan Bei¡¯s words, not only Su Manhan but also Zhan Qipei, who had heard the entire conversation, saw his expression darken visibly at a remarkable speed.

    Qiao Jing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s unusual mood and spoke up:

    "Let¡¯s hear them out first."

    She wanted to see, what exactly Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei wanted to fabricate about her?

    On the other hand, Su Manhan, enraged, widened her eyes in fury and scolded:

    "Watch your mouth! Qiao Jing indiscreet? The child she is carrying is my own grandchild! How dare you insult my grandchild by calling them illegitimate?!"

    She hadn¡¯t told the family about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy, specifically instructing friends in the know not to spread the word, so it was normal for them to be unaware.

    But even without knowledge, they had no right to insult Qiao Jing and her grandchild!

    Just as Zhan Yuanshan, who was on his way downstairs when he heard Zhan Kaiyang and the rest wereing, caught wind of this sentence from afar, his face instantly grew dark. Holding the cane firmly in his hand, he briskly made his way to Zhan Bei¡¯s side.

    Upon seeing this, Zhan Kaiyang and Cao Rushan¡¯s hearts skipped a beat.

 Chapter 707 - 696: Everyone Protects Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 707: Chapter 696: Everyone Protects Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    They hadn¡¯t yet grasped the meaning behind Su Manhan¡¯s words when Zhan Yuanshan came over with a stern face.

    They were not unaware of Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s temper¡ªthis expression certainly spelled trouble! Moreover, he was heading straight for Zhan Bei.

    Just as Zhan Kaiyang was about to speak up and stop him, Zhan Yuanshan had already raised his cane and fiercely struck Zhan Bei¡¯s leg!

    Zhan Bei fell to his knees on the spot, his body about to fall forward, but his hands were still not healed and could not support him on the ground.

    "Ah!!!"

    Just as his face was about to hit the ground, Zhan Kaiyang quickly pulled him back, managing to keep him kneeling instead of sprawled out.

    Cao Rushan, seeing what happened, couldn¡¯t bear it and hurriedly tried to help Zhan Bei up.

    "My son, does it hurt?"

    One should know that Zhan Yuanshan was once an unrivaled War General on the battlefield, and though he was old now, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse, and his strength was not to be underestimated. The consequences of his strike with the cane were foreseeable!

    Therefore, even if Zhan Yuanshan had just tapped lightly, given his strength, the person struck would definitely not be able to stand up the next day!

    Zhan Bei tried several times to stand up, but a piercing pain in his leg forced him to kneel down again.

    Zhan Yuanshan snorted coldly, not even giving Zhan Bei a nce, and walked over to Su Manhan.

    "Call Jing Girl over. I want this whole family to apologize to her properly!"

    He had just returned from out of town today, happily nning to have Jing Girle over for dinner to see his great-grandson, and then this happened!

    If he hadn¡¯te back, the words Zhan Bei said earlier would probably have resulted in just a few reprimands, definitely not enough to settle the score.

    Luckily, he came back and heard everything; otherwise, Jing Girl would have suffered the humiliation and the great injustice for nothing!

    Su Manhan nodded, and just as she was about to call Qiao Jing, she realized the call had not been disconnected.

    She nced at the furious Zhan Yuanshan beside her and slowly began to speak:

    "Dad, I was just talking to Qipei on the phone, and it¡¯s still connected; Qiao Jing is also listening."

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan was taken aback and quickly took her phone.

    The one-second stern-faced man became tender and affectionate the instant he took the phone.

    "Jing Girl, you and Qipeie to Purple Garden, alright? I¡¯m here today, no one can bully you! I¡¯ll make them all apologize to you!"

    Zhan Kaiyang found the huge contrast unbelievable when he saw it.

    He knew best how once his brother became angry, it was hard to stop; but facing Qiao Jing, he had tempered his rage so quickly?

    Thinking of this, he nced at Zhan Bei, who was kneeling on the ground and wailing, and spoke with some dissatisfaction:

    "Brother, Xiao Bei said the wrong thing, and I will educate him, but wasn¡¯t it a bit too much for you to strike him like that?"

    Zhan Yuanshan, still chatting with Qiao Jing, was suddenly interrupted by Zhan Kaiyang, and his face darkened once more, the cane in his hand making a "thud, thud" sound on the ground.

    "Too much? Bullshit! I¡¯m being merciful not breaking his legs!"

    He was protecting Jing Girl, who had not yet had time to befriend them, and yet Zhan Bei dared to insult her so foully¡ªhe would not be Zhan Yuanshan if he bore that!

    Moreover, he even dared to curse at his great-grandson?!

    After dropping this harsh statement, Zhan Yuanshan then held the phone to his ear again and spoke kindly:

    "Jing Girl,e over here, I¡¯ll wait for you. I¡¯m hanging up now."

    Qiao Jing responded and then hung up the phone.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei arrived at Purple Garden.

    Upon opening the door, the first thing Qiao Jing saw was Zhan Bei, kneeling on the ground, immobile. His wrists were wrapped in thick gauze, resembling two pig¡¯s trotters, ridiculously funny.

    On the other side, Zhan Nan wasn¡¯t faring much better, with both shoulders simrly bandaged in gauze, hanging stiffly at his sides, unable to move at all.

    Zhan Qipei saw the Zhan Kaiyuan family and furrowed his brows, his face as cold as a chill wind as he looked at them.

    When he saw Zhan Bei, a harsh, ruthless look shed in his eyes.

    He didn¡¯t deal with the matter right away, forcefully suppressing his rage as he led Qiao Jing to Su Manhan¡¯s side.

    Su Manhan quickly pulled Qiao Jing to sit down on the sofa, gently patting the back of her hand.

    "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve got your back," she assured.

    Zhan Nanqing was listening to everything, but seeing that her mother and grandfather were there, she didn¡¯t think they needed her, so she kept quiet throughout.

    She did, however, give the family plenty of scornful looks, which visibly upset Cao Rushan.

    Zhan Yao also realized that he was not needed in this scenario, so he didn¡¯t speak up either, but his dark facial expression clearly showed his attitude.

    Qiao Jing had originally intended to handle the matter by herself, but upon seeing Zhan Qipei and everyone else standing by her side, she felt a warm current pass through her heart.

    It seemed to her that within the Zhan Family, she had truly felt the sense of home.

    Zhan Qipei slightly narrowed his dark eyes, hisplexion grim and frightening, as he coldly stared at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, emanating a terrifying chill.

    "What¡¯s the matter with Qiao Jing?" he demanded.

    Although he didn¡¯t know yet why Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were beaten up like this, he was aware that since Qiao Jing had taken action, there must be a good reason for it.

    He didn¡¯t even need to guess to know that these two brothers must have said something offensive, which provoked Qiao Jing to strike.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected these two to have the audacity toe knocking after getting what they deserved.

    The two brothers shivered uncontrobly when they met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, feeling a chill rising from their feet.

    Looking at them, Zhan Qipei gave off the impression of a demon that had crawled out from Hell, and just by making eye contact, they felt a lethal suffocation.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei quickly lowered their heads, not daring to speak at all.

    Cao Rushan looked at her sons, beaten to such a state, with immense heartache, then turned to nce at Zhan Qipei.

    Even though she felt intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s look, she couldn¡¯t bear to see her sons wronged and responded defensively,

    "What¡¯s the matter? Look at how my sons have been beaten! If Qiao Jing isn¡¯t to be driven out, then you see how to deal with this! And thement made by Xiao Bei was a misunderstanding, I¡¯ll have him apologize to Qiao Jing, alright?" she proposed.

    Zhan Yuanshan banged his cane forcefully, frowning with anger as he burst out,

    "Won¡¯t you ask why your sons were beaten? And Zhan Bei¡¯s offense can¡¯t simply be settled with an apology! Casually calling Jing Girl indecent and saying my great-grandson is bast*rd?! I think you have the audacity of a bear and the guts of a leopard!"

    After saying this, he raised his cane and struck the ground again with force.

    At the sound of the cane, Zhan Bei instinctively shrank back, fearing that the next blow wouldnd on him.

    He looked at Zhan Kaiyang with pleading eyes, seeking help.

    He didn¡¯t dare to retort any of Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, for doing so would surely get him beaten even worse!

 Chapter 708 - 697: Well Fought

    <h4>Chapter 708: Chapter 697: Well Fought</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Kaiyang naturally couldn¡¯t bear to see his own grandson being wronged, so upon seeing the situation, he spoke up:

    "Regardless, hitting people is not eptable, and the way you hit him was so severe! Moreover, Qiao Jing has already hit my grandson more than once! This time, we must have an exnation!"

    Upon hearing Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly raised her elegant eyebrows.

    "Old Mr. Zhan, I think you need to know the whole story before you make your decision. Your two grandsons openly spread rumors that I was unfaithful, and even said that my child isn¡¯t my own. Do you think I should just tolerate it?"

    She paused, her gaze sharp as an ice de, piercing straight towards Zhan Bei, and let out a scoff.

    "Additionally, your two grandsons also boasted about wanting to keep me, ha!"

    With every word Qiao Jing said, Zhan Qipei and the others¡¯ expressions darkened.

    Zhan Kaiyang frowned, ncing at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    If it truly was as Qiao Jing said, it seemed that their problem was indeedrger.

    As he thought this, Cao Rushan suddenly spoke up.

    "So what? I¡¯ll have them apologize to youter. Isn¡¯t that the end of it? And it¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve hit my two sons, either. Almost every time, you¡¯ve hit them! ording to seniority, they are your younger brothers. Why do you like to be so petty with children?"

    Qiao Jing looked up at Cao Rushan, nearlyughing out loud at her words, and said coldly:

    "Children? Twenty-something-year-old babies?"

    She truly didn¡¯t know how Cao Rushan had the nerve to use her of being petty with children.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were simply reaping what they sowed, yet this family had the nerve to think she was the problem.

    Cao Rushan was at a loss for words after Qiao Jing¡¯s retort, unable to find words to argue back.

    At the side, Zhan Yuanshan, after hearing the whole story, hummed in approval.

    "Good! You did well! Jing Girl, if you hadn¡¯t hit them and I found out, I would have done it for you,"

    After he said this, he turned to look at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, his expression instantly reverting to its previous grimness.

    "Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, you two have such nerve? You actually dare to spread rumors about Jing Girl?!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face became extremely grim, as if dark clouds were gathering upon it, his gaze fixed intently on Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    "Spreading rumors about Qiao Jing? Who gave you the audacity?"

    The two of them shivered from Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s scolding, then felt a chill down their spines from Zhan Qipei¡¯s piercing gaze.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei initially didn¡¯t want to answer the question, but they also didn¡¯t dare not to answer, so they stammered a response.

    Zhan Nan¡¯s eyes shifted, quickly throwing the me on another person.

    "It wasn¡¯t us who spread the rumor about Qiao Jing. It was Qiao Mengtong who told us that Qiao Jing was unfaithful and carrying someone else¡¯s child. My brother and I were just nning to teach Qiao Jing a lesson,"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Bei hurriedly nodded in agreement:

    "Right, right, right, this has nothing to do with us two. We were misled. We will apologize to Qiao Jing right now!"

    It¡¯s all Qiao Mengtong¡¯s fault! She practically got them killed!!

    After hearing what the two said, Zhan Qipei cast a doubtful look at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly.

    "Indeed, it was Qiao Mengtong who said it first,"

    Seeing Qiao Jing acknowledge it, the brothers thought they had a chance to clear their names, and hastily said:

    "That¡¯s right, this really has nothing to do with us. We are also victims, deceived as well!"

    "Exactly, Qiao Jing, you also heard it was Qiao Mengtong who first talked to us, deliberately deceiving us, right? Then why don¡¯t you trouble her instead of troubling us?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curled up, but there wasn¡¯t a trace of amusement in her eyes.

    "I¡¯ll handle her side on my own. After she said that, you believed her without any hesitation, didn¡¯t you?"

    She was curious to see what excuses these two brothers coulde up with now.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips and, without expression, made a request without letting Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei off the hook.

    "Apologize to Qiao Jing."

    No matter what those two said, at the very least, they had to apologize to Qiao Jing first.

    He wouldn¡¯t allow his wife to suffer the slightest grievance.

    By his side, Zhan Yuanshan furrowed his brows upon hearing that Zhan Qipei¡¯s demand was simply this.

    "Qipei, this is too lenient," he said.

    His precious Jing Girl, whom he would protect at all costs, had been insulted so horribly by these two ignorant brothers. Could a mere apology resolve the matter so easily?

    Su Manhan also felt that such a punishment was too light and spoke up:

    "Qipei, you can¡¯t let them off so easily!"

    Zhan Qipei gave each of them a look of reassurance, indicating that he would handle the matter appropriately.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, realizing that an apology might be sufficient to resolve the issue and fearing that Zhan Qipei might retract his demand any second, simultaneously eximed:

    "Qiao Jing, we¡¯re sorry!"

    If only they had known that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t driven out in the first ce, why would they have said those things?

    It was all Qiao Mengtong¡¯s fault! But they definitely wouldn¡¯t dump Qiao Mengtong right now; they still had their anger to vent on her!

    Cao Rushan straightened her back in speech after seeing her children apologize.

    "That resolves it, right?" she asked.

    Zhan Kaiyang, seeing this, also came forward to smooth things over.

    "My grandsons have apologized, and there¡¯s nothing else. We¡¯ll be going now," he said.

    He was aware that his family was at fault in this matter, but his two grandsons hadn¡¯t made things clear at the time, iming they were injured by Qiao Jing, prompting them to bring the men over directly.

    However, now that the situation had developed to this point, they would turn the page with an apology.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly; his tone left no room for disagreement.

    "I told you to kneel and apologize, not to stand. Starting today, Zhan Corporation will terminate all partnership with Second Grandpa¡¯s family."

    His wife had been wronged, and it certainly wasn¡¯t something that could be simply resolved with an apology.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Zhan Kaiyang paused, frowning as he looked at him.

    "Qipei, you¡¯re being unreasonable," he said.

    Cao Rushan hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to say such things. She was already angry at the first half of his statement, but the second half left her stunned in ce.

    Terminate all partnerships with Zhan Corporation?!

    Several important partnerships at home were with Zhan Corporation, and they were promising and profitable.

    If those were terminated, wouldn¡¯t her family suffer a significant loss?

    Zhan Qipei looked indifferently at Zhan Kaiyang and said coldly:

    "Compared with what they have said, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m being unreasonable."

    After saying that, his gaze fell on Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei. His thin lips parted slightly, and he slowly uttered three words.

    "Didn¡¯t you hear?"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were naturally unwilling, but as they met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, their knees went weak.

    Zhan Bei had already been beaten by Zhan Yuanshan to the point of barely standing; now, having managed to stand with much difficulty, his knees gave in once more, and he fell to the ground again.

 Chapter 709 - 698: The Breakdown of the Relationship

    <h4>Chapter 709: Chapter 698: The Breakdown of the Rtionship</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Nan took one look and hurriedly tried to help Zhan Bei up, but suddenly felt the two gazes fixed on him turn even colder.

    His outstretched hand instantly froze mid-air as he cautiously raised his head to look at Zhan Qipei and Zhan Yuanshan.

    Both men were ones he deeply feared, and he dared not provoke them lightly, especially now with such dark expressions demanding him to kneel, his fear escted, and his legs began trembling uncontrobly.

    Seeing Zhan Bei kneeling on the ground again, Cao Rushan quickly stepped forward to help him up.

    "Oh my, Xiao Bei, how are you? Does your leg hurt?"

    Her voice had barely faded, and her hand had just touched Zhan Bei¡¯s shoulder when Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s authoritative voice rang out.

    "Cao Rushan, dare to help him and see what happens! Today, I, Zhan Yuanshan, am here, and they must apologize to Qiao Jing as Qipei has said!"

    Today he absolutely had to teach Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei a lesson; otherwise, they were going out of line, daring to bully Jing Girl again!

    Fortunately, Jing Girl was capable, always managing to teach those two ignorant brothers a lesson.

    Cao Rushan looked at her two children with a pained expression but, due to the intimidating presence of Zhan Qipei and Zhan Yuanshan, did not dare to make another move.

    Zhan Kaiyang tightly furrowed his brows, his face filled with displeasure.

    He turned to Zhan Yuanshan and asked:

    "Brother, is it really necessary to cause such a rift in our family over Qiao Jing? If we do as Qipei says, that would mean severing all ties between our two families!"

    His grandsons had merely misspoken, and they had already apologized. Yet Zhan Qipei had demanded more, and how could he tolerate it?!

    The idea of his grandsons kneeling, losing their dignity, and even ending the cooperation was aplete disregard for his face as an elder!

    Zhan Yuanshan nodded confidently,pletely ignoring what the other, Zhan Kaiyang, had said, and once again released his oppressive aura towards Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    "Zhan Nan, Zhan Bei, apologize to Qiao Jing, or don¡¯t me my cane for being blind!"

    Zhan Qipei expressionlessly watched the two, applying pressure with his intimidating presence.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nan turned for help to his mother and his grandfather, only to find both of them appearing powerless.

    ording to Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, if they upset the other party again, new demands could be made, and if Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s cane came down, he could certainly say goodbye to his legs.

    Zhan Nan bit down hard and, facing in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction, he and Zhan Bei simultaneously said:

    "Qiao Jing, we¡¯re sorry!"

    After seeing this scene, Zhan Qipei quickly walked up to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and asked:

    "Are you satisfied?"

    Qiao Jing nced indifferently at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei kneeling on the ground, then at Cao Rushan and Zhan Kaiyang, and slowly said:

    "Hmm, that¡¯s enough."

    After today¡¯s lesson, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei probably wouldn¡¯t dare to trouble her again, and with Zhan Qipei willing to sever ties with the Zhan Kaiyang family for her sake, she wanted to pursue it no further.

    No matter what, Zhan Kaiyang was Zhan Qipei¡¯s rtive, and severing ties would certainly lead to many issues.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was satisfied, Zhan Qipei finally dispelled the low pressure lingering around him.

    "Good."

    After saying this, he lifted his gaze towards Zhan Kaiyang and his family.

    "Someone will handle the affairs regarding thepany¡¯s cooperation."

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Zhan Kaiyang was momentarily stunned before reacting and nearly lost hisposure massaging his ear.

    "Qipei, do you really have to take things this far?"

    Zhan Qipei nodded expressionlessly, without uttering another word.

    Zhan Kaiyang noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s stubbornness and seriousness. He stopped talking to him and looked towards Zhan Yuanshan instead.

    "Brother, are you sure you want to go this far?"

    He had no desire to sever ties with Zhan Qipei and the rest, knowing full well that the benefits brought by Zhan Corporation far exceeded just that.

    If they really broke off the rtionship, wouldn¡¯t his family suffer a huge loss?!

    It was just a misunderstanding after all. Having his two beloved grandsons kneel had already been enough of a blow to his dignity, yet now they were insisting on cutting ties.

    "For Qiao Jing, is it really worth it?"

    Zhan Yuanshan naturally took Qiao Jing¡¯s side and nodded.

    "Why wouldn¡¯t it be? For Jing Girl, everything we do is worth it. Let¡¯s do as Qipei says."

    Seeing the grandfather and grandson¡¯s stubborn attitudes, Zhan Kaiyang said through gritted teeth:

    "Fine! Remember, this was your own decision!"

    After saying that, he looked at Qiao Jing with a face full of resentment, his mind beginning to concoct petty schemes.

    Just a woman, he didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to teach her a good lesson!

    Zhan Yuanshan saw the issue was nearly resolved and was about to take Qiao Jing to eat and see his great-grandson when he caught the resentful expression on Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s face.

    He furrowed his brows.

    Having been close brothers, he was decidedly familiar with Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s personality.

    Zhan Kaiyang was the type to hold grudges, and now, with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s actions causing aplete rift between the two families, he would naturally feel ufortable.

    But what concerned him was that Zhan Kaiyang kept staring at Jing Girl, and from his expression alone, it was clear he harbored resentment and certainly nned to cause trouble for Jing Girlter on.

    This couldn¡¯t continue. Zhan Kaiyang and Zhan Nan, Zhan Bei were different; if the former took action, it would surely be more extreme, and his methods more unpredictable.

    Although Jing Girl was strong, open attacks were easy to dodge while secret ones were hard to defend against; plus, being pregnant now, there would inevitably be times when she let her guard down, and she could fall into Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s trap.

    With this in mind, Zhan Yuanshan suddenly saw Zhan Kaiyang and others ready to leave. He stepped forward a few paces, taking Zhan Kaiyang aside.

    Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s face was full of displeasure, as if he were prepared to disown his rtives then and there.

    Zhan Yuanshan didn¡¯t care about Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s attitude and went straight to the point.

    "Don¡¯t trouble Jing Girl in the future. This was originally your grandsons¡¯ fault. Now that it¡¯s been resolved, if you bother Qiao Jing again, I won¡¯t be polite to you!"

    Zhan Kaiyang didn¡¯t say a word, just looking at Zhan Yuanshan.

    Zhan Yuanshan knew that Zhan Kaiyang wouldn¡¯t easily agree, so, out of frustration, he revealed Qiao Jing¡¯s identity.

    "Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao."

    Although he preferred not to disclose Jing Girl¡¯s identity, he knew the only way to deter Zhan Kaiyang from harming her was this.

    That way, Zhan Kaiyang would have to consider Jing Girl¡¯s status and wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly.

    Upon hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, Zhan Kaiyang scoffed disdainfully.

    "Ha! Brother, you¡¯re saying Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao? Though I¡¯m aware she works at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, there¡¯s no need to im she¡¯s Professor Qiao, is there?"

    He paused, ncing back at Qiao Jing.

    "If she¡¯s Professor Qiao, I¡¯ll chop off my head and use it as a stool for you! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware that you¡¯re saying this to deter me from troubling herter."

 Chapter 710 - 699: Zhan Qipei Reaches Out to Help Qiao Jing with Her Hair

    <h4>Chapter 710: Chapter 699: Zhan Qipei Reaches Out to Help Qiao Jing with Her Hair</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s temper was nearly bursting, his face filled with annoyance.

    "Whether you believe it or not, from now on you cannot trouble Qiao Jing anymore. Otherwise, my Zhan Family will never let you off!"

    "Heh!" Zhan Kaiyang chuckled sarcastically, his wrinkled old face full of disdain.

    It was clear from his expression that he didn¡¯t take Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words to heart, and with a flick of his sleeves, he left.

    Today, he had lost face because of Qiao Jing, and he would certainly take his revenge!

    And he wouldn¡¯t let the grievances with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei go either!

    Once the group had left, Zhan Nanqing switched into a frenzy ofining.

    "That Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei really have some nerve! Their reputations are already infamous all over the capital, and Zhan Kaiyang knows it but still insistently protects those two."

    She paused, then turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    "Qiao Jing, why did you go to a breakfast shop to eat this morning?"

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan was taken aback for a moment, then tapped his cane.

    "Qipei, did you make a breakfast that wasn¡¯t tasty, causing Jing Girl to have to go out to eat breakfast?"

    Qiao Jing, hearing the topic being brought up again among the group, immediately felt a headacheing and pressed her forehead.

    "No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve grown tired of the same dishes after having them for a long time, so I wanted to try something different from outside."

    She had always worried that if the Zhan Family found out she was eating out, they would be even more strict with her diet.

    And now, as expected, the entire Zhan Family hade to know of it.

    Exactly what one dreads wille to pass.

    Su Manhan was still somewhat worried about Qiao Jing and suggested that she should stay for a while.

    "Qiao Jing, why don¡¯t you stay at Purple Garden for a few days? I can make you a variety of breakfasts, some soy milk buns and the like from outside."

    Zhan Qipei saw his mother trying to coax Qiao Jing again and pursed his thin lips, interjecting to stop her.

    "Mom, I can make all those things. I¡¯ll do it myself when the timees, no need to bother you."

    Su Manhan spoke up:

    "It¡¯s no trouble. I¡¯m good at making these dishes, and if Qiao Jing wants to eat them, I¡¯ll make them for her. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking her to stay in Purple Garden forever, just for a few days."

    She really wanted to live with Qiao Jing for a few days, just to chat and spend time together.

    Yet, stubbornly, her son wanted to have an exclusive world with Qiao Jing. All she wanted was for Qiao Jing to live with her for a few days, not to take her away.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes deepened as he took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    "Mom, we¡¯re going back now."

    After dropping these words, he led Qiao Jing away.

    Fearing that if they dyed even a moment longer, Su Manhan would intercept Qiao Jing.

    Su Manhan hadn¡¯t even had the chance to react before the two of them had already gone several steps away.

    Watching Zhan Qipei guard against her as if she were a thief, she burst intoughter.

    "Alright, alright, go on and have your world for two, I won¡¯t disturb you."

    Qiao Jing quickly greeted everyone and left Purple Garden.

    Evening.

    As soon as Qiao Jing got home, she headed straight for her room, then took her change of clothes and went into the bathroom.

    She had expended a lot of energy on dealing with the Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei situation that day and, after working all day, she was truly exhausted.

    Zhan Qipei noticed something off about Qiao Jing and ced the cooked meals into the thermal container.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing emerged from the bathroom.

    Zhan Qipei lifted his gaze towards Qiao Jing, noticing that the woman was wrapped in a bath towel, drying her hair as she walked out.

    As he approached Qiao Jing, he felt the warmth still lingering around her.

    His gaze fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s exposed shoulder, where her dark soft hair rested, conveniently covering the woman¡¯s enticing corbone.

    During his breaths, he could smell the faint fragrance emanating from Qiao Jing¡¯s body, which hooked people every second.

    A subtle, hard-to-detect darkness flickered in the depths of Zhan Qipei¡¯s somber eyes, suddenly feeling a dryness in his throat.

    He forced himself to look away from Qiao Jing and parted his thin lips slightly.

    "Let¡¯s eat."

    Qiao Jing responded with a faint "Hmm" and wrapped all her damp hair in a towel.

    Just as she was about to step toward the dining table, she noticed Zhan Qipei leaning towards her, followed by a warm breath sprayed on her shoulder.

    Before she could react, a hand suddenly appeared in front of her proud chest.

    She paused in her steps, turned her eyes toward Zhan Qipei, and asked coldly,

    "What are you doing?"

    No sooner had her words fallen than she felt a tingling sensation on her chest as Zhan Qipei¡¯s calloused fingertips brushed across that area of skin, even giving it a pinch.

    Unable to bear it any longer, Qiao Jing raised her hand and pped Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away, inadvertently pressing the man¡¯s entire palm against her proud front.

    Zhan Qipei had not expected this to happen, and when he felt the softness in his palm, he was reluctant to move his hand away.

    His hand still resting there, his deep voice followed.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily, seeing that Zhan Qipei had no intention of moving his hand, she pped it away again, out of patience.

    "You¡¯re asking what¡¯s wrong?"

    This damned man stretched out his hand right in front of her, even touching her, with perfectposure?

    After she pped his hand away the first time and the ident urred, this damned man didn¡¯t even have the sense to move his hand away!

    Zhan Qipei looked at his hand, feeling as if the sensation and warmth were still lingering.

    He pursed his thin lips, seeing Qiao Jing about to head directly to the dining table in anger, he quickly spoke up to stop her.

    "I was just helping you with your hair."

    He had seen a strand of hair on Qiao Jing¡¯s chest and had instinctively reached out to remove it.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to suddenly p his hand, causing his entire palm to press against her.

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows raised slightly, suspicion written all over her phoenix eyes.

    "Are you sure you were just getting a hair?"

    After she spoke, she looked down at her chest and did not see any hair.

    What mattered to her was whether Zhan Qipei was lying or not, and the fact that this damned man wouldn¡¯t let go of her after the idental touch.

    After all, it was her who had inadvertently made Zhan Qipei¡¯s palm press against her by pping his hand.

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t believe him and raised his hand again, showing the woman the long strand of hair he was holding between his fingers.

    "Here it is."

    Luckily, he hadn¡¯t brushed off Qiao Jing¡¯s hair strand earlier, or he would have had no evidence to prove his "innocence."

    Qiao Jing narrowed her eyes slightly and noticed indeed there was a strand of hair in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, then realizing that she had misunderstood the man.

    Her furrowed brows gradually rxed, and she pursed her red lips.

    "Let¡¯s eat."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved up into a pleased smile as he took a seat at the dining table, visibly enjoying the moment.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s cheerful demeanor, Qiao Jing knew the man was probably so happy because he had seized an opportunity for casual intimacy.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing somewhat speechlessly tugged at the corner of her mouth, not bothering to speak to Zhan Qipei and started eating her meal.

    After the meal, Qiao Jing went straight back to her room and made a phone call to Zhan Nanqing.

 Chapter 711 - 700: A Way to Teach Qiao Jing a Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 711: Chapter 700: A Way to Teach Qiao Jing a Lesson</h4><h4></h4>

    The call was connected not long after.

    Qiao Jing was the first to speak, asking, "What did you want to tell me when we were at the institute? What is Grandpa Xu up to?"

    Meanwhile, Zhan Nanqing was sitting on the couch. Just as she was about to speak, she saw the front door open, and Zhan Kaiyang walked in.

    She instantly closed her mouth, staring cautiously at Zhan Kaiyang, deliberately not calling him "Second Grandpa," but using another term instead.

    "Second Grandpa Zhan, what are you doing at my house?"

    They had just severed ties that morning, and he was here again by evening?

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s way of addressing him, Zhan Kaiyuan sneered.

    "Changed your tune so quickly?"

    The rift had just urred not long ago, and Zhan Nanqing had already changed how she addressed him, which only made him more determined to settle ounts with Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nanqing felt somewhat embarrassed being asked that. After all, Zhan Kaiyang was her grandfather¡¯s brother, part of her grandparents¡¯ generation.

    She knew she had been rude, but the thought of Qiao Jing had made her lose control of her tongue.

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing felt uneasy under Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s scrutiny and did not want to face him, so she took her phone to the side to chat with Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing, on the other line, had heard the conversation as well, but she didn¡¯t speak up; instead, she sent a message to Zhan Nanqing.

    "Why did Zhan Kaiyange again? What¡¯s happening?"

    Could it be another attempt to find fault?

    Seeing the message from Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing quickly started typing a response.

    "I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s heading upstairs now, probably to see Grandpa. Let¡¯s keep chatting, don¡¯t mind him."

    Zhan Kaiyang went straight to the second floor, to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s door, and knocked.

    Although Zhan Nanqing said that, she was all ears, secretly listening to the noises upstairs and continuously updating Qiao Jing.

    She lowered her voice and whispered,

    "Zhan Kaiyang is knocking on Grandpa¡¯s door; I knew he was here to see Grandpa."

    Qiao Jing, watching Zhan Nanqing act like a live war correspondent, couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing had said before, Zhan Kaiyang was there to see Zhan Yuanshan and it had little to do with them, so she lost interest in the matter and steered the conversation back on track.

    "Have you forgotten what you wanted to tell me today?"

    Earlier that day at the institute, Zhan Nanqing had mysteriously said she wanted to tell her something but got too busy with work, and asked her to call when she got home.

    Now that she had made the call, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s attention seemed to be elsewhere.

    Zhan Nanqing hushed, quietly ncing in Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s direction.

    "Wait a sec, let¡¯s see what he¡¯s up to first?"

    Second floor.

    Zhan Yuanshan quickly opened the door and, seeing Zhan Kaiyang standing there, his face turned stern.

    "Just wait here! I¡¯ll go to the study to get it for you, but really, you should be ashamed! Asking for the painting back after you¡¯ve already gifted it!"

    The rtionship had just soured today, and Zhan Kaiyang was already demanding the return of calligraphy he had been given for his birthday, which was rather petty!

    But he was used to it, as his brother had always been like this. It was just a piece of calligraphy, after all; no big deal.

    Zhan Kaiyang waited with a cold face for Zhan Yuanshan to bring over the painting.

    Zhan Nanqing, after hearing the exchange upstairs, clicked her tongue.

    "So Zhan Kaiyang came to take the painting back from Grandpa. How petty, to take back a gift he gave."

    After ranting, she resumed speaking in a normal tone and began discussing the important matter with Qiao Jing.

    "Let¡¯s not bother with that petty Second Grandpa any longer, let¡¯s talk business. I heard today that the work at the institute is progressing smoothly and is about to achieve a milestone sess. Elder Xu is happy, and it seems he wants to organize a celebration or something."

    Zhan Kaiyang, who had previously been waiting on the second floor for the calligraphy artwork, walked a few steps towards the staircase upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, hoping to overhear some crucial information.

    After all, he was nning to cause trouble for Qiao Jing, and this banquet might just offer the perfect opportunity.

    However, Zhan Nanqing then started rambling about various dishes she wanted to eat, without ever mentioning details like the venue or time of the banquet.

    This left Zhan Kaiyang incredibly anxious as he thought, if he was going to eavesdrop on her conversation, she could at least not waste his time and energy with irrelevant chatter.

    Just when Zhan Kaiyang was at his wit¡¯s end, the volume of Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice suddenly dropped. Fearful of missing any important information, he moved a few steps closer to the staircase again.

    But he still couldn¡¯t hear Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words clearly and leaned half his body out.

    Zhan Yuanshan had juste out of the study with the calligraphy artwork and saw Zhan Kaiyang leaning his body out.

    He paused, carrying the artwork and walked forward.

    "I didn¡¯t even say I¡¯d give you the calligraphy, there¡¯s no need to jump off the building!"

    After hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, Zhan Kaiyang stiffened and slowly pulled his body back, stepping forward a few paces.

    "Give me the calligraphy."

    He was so preupied with trying to listen to Zhan Nanqing that he forgot Zhan Yuanshan was around.

    Being seen by Zhan Yuanshan was extremely embarrassing.

    Zhan Yuanshan, looking puzzled, directly handed the calligraphy to him.

    "Take it quickly, I¡¯m not fond of it anyway, to save yourself from ying the jumping-off-building act in my house."

    He mentioned jumping off buildings merely to threaten Qipei; had Zhan Kaiyang also picked up the tactic?

    Zhan Kaiyang took the calligraphy from Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s hands with a stiff expression and quickly walked out.

    Zhan Nanqing overheard their conversation and tried hard to suppress a smile, holding it back until her stomach hurt from the effort.

    As Zhan Kaiyang passed by Zhan Nanqing, he noticed her expression and his face darkened even more, hastening his steps.

    After Zhan Kaiyang left, Zhan Nanqing finally let out a loudugh,ughed for a while, and then told Qiao Jing about the incident.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Kaiyang returned home with the calligraphy.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were currently copsed on the sofa, waiting to be spoon-fed by the maids.

    Cao Rushan, seeing her two sons in this state, felt so distressed that she couldn¡¯t stop her tears from flowing.

    "Oh my boys, Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, how unlucky you are to encounter a jinx like Qiao Jing!"

    Both Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei couldn¡¯t move their hands now and were only able to be fed by the maids.

    For Zhan Bei, it was the worst; a seemingly gentle tap from Zhan Yuanshan had resigned him to a wheelchair, needing to be pushed around to move.

    Upon seeing this scene at home, Zhan Kaiyang was instantly furious and tossed the calligraphy aside.

    "Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, don¡¯t worry, Grandpa will seek revenge for you!"

    Upon hearing this, Cao Rushan wiped the tear-streaked face and spoke through gritted teeth.

    "Dad, how are you going to take revenge for the kids? These are your two beloved grandsons. They were beaten up just like that, and not only that, they only spoke a word and were forced to kneel. I can¡¯t stand this grievance!"

    She paused, seeming hesitant, then asked:

    "But Zhan Qipei and his folks are always protecting Qiao Jing, won¡¯t we have no chance to strike?"

    Zhan Bei, now unable to move his hands or walk, harbored the greatest resentment towards Qiao Jing.

    "Grandpa, look at what they¡¯ve done to me, can¡¯t you help me get revenge?"

    Zhan Nan immediately chimed in, "Right, grandpa, we¡¯ve been beaten so many times, always at a loss, and today we even lost our dignity being forced to kneel. Is there really no way to get back at Qiao Jing?"

    Zhan Kaiyang was already bubbling with fury, and hearing this only fueled his anger, prompting him to think of a n.

    "Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, don¡¯t worry, I already have a n to get revenge for you both!"

    He refused to believe he couldn¡¯t teach Qiao Jing a lesson this time¡ªif so, he might as well write his name backwards!

 Chapter 712 - 701 Who to Frame?

    <h4>Chapter 712: Chapter 701 Who to Frame?</h4><h4></h4>

    As he thought this, he immediately took out his phone and moved to one side to send out a message.

    "I heard your research institute is about to seed with something?"

    Soon, he received a reply.

    "Yes, we can seed by Monday. Is there something you need, Mr. Zhan?"

    Seeing the message from the staff member, a glint of cunning shed in Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s eyes.

    "Let¡¯s get straight to the point, I need you to deal with someone for me, steal the research report on Monday and give it to me. After that, I will need you to help me nder her, ensuring she is fired. You won¡¯t be short of a reward at that time."

    The moment the staff member heard this, his heart skipped a beat, and he cautiously inquired:

    "Mr. Zhan, whom do you want to frame?"

    If it was to frame someone of high virtue and reputation, then he would rather not get involved.

    After all, he wasn¡¯t courageous enough to frame an important staff member of the research institute.

    Not to mention, he dared not steal the documents lightly, which were very confidential files of the institute!

    Zhan Kaiyang, aware of the other¡¯s concerns, quickly reassured:

    "Don¡¯t worry, she is just a minor employee at your research institute."

    He thought that the only thing Qiao Jing could bring to the table was the identity of an ordinary employee at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    He wanted Qiao Jing to lose this identity directly; then she would be a jobless bumpkinpletely!

    The staff member, upon hearing that she was only an ordinary employee, rxed and agreed to the n.

    "Alright, Mr. Zhan, but you mustn¡¯t open and read it yourself at that time!"

    If it was only to nder someone, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    His main concern was the leakage of the document¡¯s content. If Professor Qiao conducted a thorough investigation and found out, he would be the one to suffer.

    "Rest assured, I would certainly not do anything to offend Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, or the nationally famous Professor Qiao..."

    Even as a member of the Zhan Family, he wouldn¡¯t dare tomit such an act.

    For one, Professor Qiao¡¯s reputation was widely recognized, and the influential tycoons who supported her were countless.

    He would not offend her over a single document.

    Secondly, in the capital, who didn¡¯t know that Qiao Jing was part of the national team? The test results from Professor Qiao¡¯s research were critical national documents; if he stole them, the consequences were unthinkable!

    With this in mind, the staff member finally set his worries aside.

    ¡ª¡ª

    On Monday, Zhan Kaiyang headed directly to the research institute and stopped his car by the roadside.

    He rolled down the window, looking towards the institute¡¯s entrance with an expectant gaze.

    At the same time, a sneaky staff member inside the institute, holding a bag, was walking towards the entrance.

    When he reached the entrance, he immediately spotted the luxury car across the street.

    His eyes lit up momentarily as he took out his phone and sent a message to Zhan Kaiyang.

    "Mr. Zhan, I¡¯ve brought what you wanted."

    Sitting in the car, Zhan Kaiyang saw this message, a triumphant smile appeared on his face, and he tapped the screen to reply:

    "Wait near the entrance."

    The staff member replied with an "ok" and then eagerly looked in the direction of Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s car.

    Zhan Kaiyang got out of the car and quickly walked toward the vicinity of the institute¡¯s entrance, gesturing to the staff member.

    The staff member, nervous and looking around, clutched the bag tightly and jogged over to Zhan Kaiyang.

    Upon seeing Zhan Kaiyang himself, he was momentarily taken aback, then a smile reappeared on his face.

    "Mr. Zhan, everything you requested is in the bag."

    He had thought that Zhan Yuanshan would send someone else to pick it up, but seeing that he came in person showed how much he valued this matter.

    This also meant he could get more money.

    Zhan Yuanshan directly reached out and took the bag, and after opening it and seeing the folders inside, the smile at the corner of his mouth grew even wider.

    "You¡¯ve worked hard. I¡¯ll need your cooperationter. I¡¯ll find an opportunity to frame her."

    He paused, then took out a thick envelope he had brought with him.

    "This is half of your payment, the rest I will give to you after the sess."

    The staff member hurriedly took it with both hands, and upon feeling the heavy weight of the envelope, their eyes started to gleam with excitement.

    "Thank you, Mr. Zhan, I will cooperate with you in the next steps. You don¡¯t need to find an opportunity; Elder Xu is preparing a banquet tonight. I think it would be a good chance to act during the banquet."

    Upon hearing the staff member¡¯s words, Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s old eyes lit up.

    "A banquet tonight?"

    As he said this, his voice was filled with excitement and the thrill of impending revenge.

    All the staff will be at the banquet. Just need to find the opportunity to put the documents on Qiao Jing, and everyone in the Research Institute will know about it. Qiao Jing will definitely be expelled!

    The staff member nodded, then a troubled expression appeared on their face, and they tentatively began to speak.

    "But... such a celebration banquet generally doesn¡¯t allow outsiders. However, rest assured, I will find a way to get you in!"

    Zhan Kaiyang nodded in satisfaction.

    "Good, contact me when there¡¯s news. The payment will be doubled."

    Upon hearing the words ¡¯payment will be doubled¡¯, the staff member¡¯s eyes shone even brighter.

    "Sure, don¡¯t worry!"

    Zhan Kaiyang, holding the bag, started walking towards his car.

    Just at this moment, Qiao Jing happened to arrive at the Research Institute, and as she was about to enter, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of her eye.

    She narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze lingering on Zhan Kaiyang for a few seconds.

    What made her somewhat concerned was that the person chatting with Zhan Kaiyang was one of the Research Institute¡¯s staff members?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s steps hesitated, and she watched with a scrutinizing look as Zhan Kaiyang passed by her.

    What was Zhan Kaiyang doing at the Research Institute?

    Before she could figure it out, she noticed that Zhan Kaiyang was also carrying a briefcase, which oddly struck her as strange.

    Zhan Kaiyang also noticed Qiao Jing and subconsciously nced at the briefcase in his hand before snorting coldly.

    "Hmph!"

    By tonight, Qiao Jing would know the consequences of opposing him!

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from Zhan Kaiyang, not thinking too much about it, not bothering with Zhan Kaiyang, and stepped into the Research Institute.

    The staff member watching this scene from a distance felt an ominous premonition rising in their heart.

    Why did Mr. Zhan seem to hold a grudge against Professor Qiao?

    No, that can¡¯t be right. How could that be possible? Professor Qiao is so nice; no one would have a conflict with him.

    With this thought, the staff member checked the time and realized that it was almost time to get back to work. After greeting Qiao Jing, they quickly headed towards the entrance.

    Qiao Jing, still inside the hall, saw the hurrying staff member and once again recalled the image of them conversing with Zhan Kaiyang.

    She furrowed her brows lightly and quickly approached the staff member.

    "Wait."

    The staff member, guilty due to having done something shameful, stepped back subconsciously upon seeing Qiao Jing.

    "Professor Qiao... do you need something?"

    Noticing the small step back and the somewhat odd expression of the staff member, Qiao Jing asked:

    "Do I look scary to you?"

    Why did this employee seem so frightened of her?

    The staff member quickly waved their hands and said with a forced smile:

    "No, not at all. How could that be? I¡¯m just in a bit of a hurry; I need to get back to work."

 Chapter 713 - 702 Celebration Banquet (1)

    <h4>Chapter 713: Chapter 702 Celebration Banquet (1)</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing slightly squinted her phoenix eyes, sizing up the staff member with a scrutinizing gaze before slowly speaking.

    "What does Zhan Kaiyang want bying here?"

    She found it strange when she saw Zhan Kaiyang appearing near the research institute. It grew stranger still when sheter observed the briefcase in his hands.

    In fact, she hadn¡¯t given much thought to the briefcase. To be exact, if it were just an ordinary briefcase, she wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about it. The problem was the staff member...

    Instinct told her that something was about to happen.

    Already feeling a bit guilty, the staff member swallowed when he met Qiao Jing¡¯s scrutinizing eyes. His brain whirred to fabricate an excuse on the spot.

    "He didn¡¯t say much. Didn¡¯t we announce this morning that our research institute achieved some phased sesses? I had some interactions with Mr. Zhan before, and since he happened to pass by the institute today, he called me out to say a few words of congrattions," said the staff member nervously.

    He paused, before continuing:

    "He wished for Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute¡¯s future work to go smoothly and to make greater contributions to the empire, hoping I would pass on the message."

    After listening to the staff member, Qiao Jing nodded thoughtfully, pondering for a moment.

    The congrattory message was quite formal, and moreover, Zhan Kaiyang didn¡¯t know she was Professor Qiao. It was normal for such words toe from him.

    In the end, Qiao Jing had no suspicions and waved the staff member away.

    When she arrived at her ownb, she discovered Chi Yuhang standing at the door, unsure how long he had been waiting.

    She approached with a hint of curiosity.

    "Are you here looking for Nanqing?"

    Zhan Nanqing, who was in theb, turned to look at the door instantly after hearing her name.

    Seeing Qiao Jing and Chi Yuhang at the door, she approached with a face full of nosiness.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Why are you calling me?" she asked.

    Qiao Jing looked helplessly at Zhan Nanqing¡¯s nosy face and asked:

    "How can your ears be so sharp?"

    Zhan Nanqing let out a "hehe" andughed twice.

    "Well, I heard you call my name, so I came over. What¡¯s going on?" she inquired.

    Chi Yuhang looked cautiously toward Qiao Jing, tentatively asking:

    "Professor Qiao, I... I have a question for you."

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and responded with a faint "hmm," waiting for Chi Yuhang to continue.

    Chi Yuhang scratched his head somewhat sheepishly and stammered:

    "It¡¯s just, tonight we have the celebration banquet, right? My grandfather... he..."

    Seeing Chi Yuhang¡¯s hesitance, Zhan Nanqing frowned, filled with curiosity.

    But judging by Chi Yuhang¡¯s demeanor, it seemed he would stutter for half a day without getting to the point.

    Impatient, Zhan Nanqing urged him, "Just say whatever it is, why all the hemming and hawing?"

    A moment of hesitation passed before Chi Yuhang finally plucked up the courage to speak.

    "Is it possible for me to bring my grandfather to the banquet tonight? He was very happy to learn about the sess of the research and has some congrattory words he would like to say to you in person. It¡¯s just... I¡¯ve heard that our research institute¡¯s celebration banquets are not open to outsiders... My grandfather is advanced in age, and he really wants to personally congratte you. I know it¡¯s not an easy request to make, but... but..."

    Before Chi Yuhang could finish speaking, Qiao Jing agreed without hesitation.

    "It¡¯s possible," she said.

    She had thought he had some important matter that he was struggling to speak about; it turned out to be such a trivial issue.

    It was just an additional guest for the banquet, which wasn¡¯t a problem.

    Zhan Nanqing frowned at Qiao Jing¡¯s quick agreement and covertly pulled her to one side, lowering her voice.

    "But we don¡¯t have such a precedent in our research institute. Only our own people can attend the institute¡¯s banquets," she said.

    After a pause, she sneaked a nce at Chi Yuhang, her frown deepening.

    "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m targeting Chi Yuhang, but if we allow Chi Yuhang¡¯s family toe, what about the others? What if other people want to bring family members too? Opening such a door might not be a good idea, right?"

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, but couldn¡¯t think of a solution.

    She had already promised Chi Yuhang that he could bring Old Master Chi, and it would not be good to go back on her word now, yet the issue raised by Zhan Nanqing was indeed a problem.

    Before she coulde up with a solution, Elder Xu¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind.

    "What¡¯s so troublesome about that? Why not let everyone bring one or two direct rtives and stipte that the staff cannot reveal Xiao Jing¡¯s identity? Wouldn¡¯t that solve the problem?" he suggested.

    Zhan Nanqing was startled by the sudden sound of Xu Hongzu¡¯s voice and stepped back a few paces, lightly patting her chest.

    "Elder Xu, why are you suddenly here?"

    "I was tired from work and took a casual stroll. As soon as I stepped out, I saw you two standing here fretting over this matter, and I offered a solution."

    After hearing the solution proposed by Xu Hongzu, Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes slightly brightened.

    It was only then that Zhan Nanqing remembered Xu Hongzu¡¯s words. Her eyes instantly brightened as well, and she grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s arm,

    "This is indeed a good idea. Qiao Jing, what do you think?"

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, then nodded her head.

    "That would work, as long as my identity is not revealed."

    Having the staff bring their family members to celebrate together, even just enjoying a meal, would make everyone happy.

    In any case, as long as her condition of not revealing her identity was met, any arrangement would be fine.

    On the other side.

    As soon as Zhan Kaiyang returned home, he saw Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei eagerly waiting for him.

    Upon seeing Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s return, their eyes immediately began to sparkle with anticipation, and they bombarded him with questions.

    "Grandpa, how did it go?"

    "Did you give Qiao Jing a severe lesson?"

    Zhan Kaiyang shook his head.

    "Not yet."

    His visit was for a more important matter. A direct confrontation with Qiao Jing was not the solution, especially since Zhan Qipei¡¯s family stood in the way.

    Hearing that Zhan Kaiyang hadn¡¯t disciplined Qiao Jing, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s eyes dimmed in disappointment.

    Zhan Nan sighed.

    "So, are we genuinely going to suffer a defeat?"

    Zhan Bei looked at the injuries he had nursed for several days, his hands and legs that had only just healed.

    "I was beaten up for nothing..."

    Zhan Kaiyang looked at the two brothers sighing andining, and scolded them.

    "Useless! Who said you two were beaten for nothing?"

    With those words, the brothers¡¯ spirits lifted, and they suddenly looked up.

    Zhan Nan looked at Zhan Yuanshan with a puzzled face.

    "But Grandpa, didn¡¯t you just say that you went out to discipline Qiao Jing? Now youe back and say you haven¡¯t disciplined Qiao Jing, what¡¯s going on?"

    Zhan Bei anxiously asked:

    "Grandpa, what do you mean by that? Did you think of another way to deal with Qiao Jing?"

    Zhan Yuanshan sneered, took a document bag from his bag, and ced it on the table.

    "Take a look, what is this?"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei leaned over the table, picked up the document bag, and began to study it.

    On the outside of the document bag were the words "Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute Research Report."

    Zhan Bei eagerly opened it up and examined its contents.

    "Isn¡¯t this Professor Qiao¡¯s research report and some important documents?"

    Zhan Nan also flipped through it several times, still unable to grasp the meaning of this folder.

    "Grandpa, didn¡¯t you say you were going to discipline Qiao Jing? Why bring this home?"

    "Don¡¯t flip through it randomly. I promised someone not to open it privately."

    As he spoke, Zhan Kaiyang took the documents back and sealed them again.

    After exchanging a nce with each other, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei simultaneously shrugged their shoulders.

    "With something this specialized, even if we took our time, we wouldn¡¯t be able to understand it anyway!"

    "Exactly."

 Chapter 714 - 703 Celebration Banquet (2)

    <h4>Chapter 714: Chapter 703 Celebration Banquet (2)</h4><h4></h4>

    Regarding what Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had said, Zhan Kaiyang did not harbor any doubts.

    Not just them, even he couldn¡¯t understand, after all, specialization is requisite in any field.

    After sealing the documents again, Zhan Kaiyang revealed a cunning smile and shared his entire n with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    "Tonight, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to take you to the banquet, where you can see for yourselves Qiao Jing being reviled by everyone, and then getting expelled!"

    After knowing the entire n, Zhan Nan and Zhan Beiughed out loud.

    "Tonight we will finally regain our honor!"

    "I¡¯ve been fed up with that despicable woman Qiao Jing for a long time; this time, I¡¯ll make sure she loses all her dignity!"

    Towards the evening.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing, among others, arrived early and took their seats at the table at the front.

    At that moment, Chi Yuhang followed Chi Chenyuning over, and several times he seemed to want to offer his arm to the elder, but was refused each time.

    Chi Yuhang greeted the two first.

    "Doctor Qiao, Miss Zhan."

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, her gaze settling on Chi Chenyun, who appeared to be in good spirits.

    Seeing that Old Master Chi seemed to have recovered well, she smiled faintly.

    "Grandpa Chi, how have you been feelingtely?"

    Chi Chenyun quickly nodded and said with a smile,

    "Thanks to you! Doctor Qiao, I never expected you to be the world-famous Professor Qiao¡ªcough, cough!"

    At this point, Chi Chenyun hurriedly stopped and gave a sheepishugh.

    "Look at me, almost letting the cat out of the bag."

    Qiao Jing smiled and pulled out a chair next to her.

    "It¡¯s fine, Grandpa Chi, and Chi Yuhang, please take seats here."

    Without waiting for Chi Chenyun to speak, Chi Yuhang quickly interjected,

    "No need, Doctor Qiao, my grandfather and I will sit at the back table."

    The seat distribution meant that the closer one sat to the front, the higher their status in the institute was, and he was just an employee who had recently be permanent. How could he sit at the same table as Professor Qiao and the others?

    Chi Chenyun also understood Chi Yuhang¡¯s intention and said with a smile,

    "Right, Xiao Hang and I will just sit in the back, I just wanted toe over and greet you."

    Watching the restrained behavior of the grandfather and grandson, Qiao Jing pursed her red lips.

    "It¡¯s okay, just sit at this table."

    As soon as her words fell, Xu Hongzu¡¯s voice rang by her ear.

    "Xiao Jing, isn¡¯t this seat next to you saved for me?"

    Upon hearing Xu Hongzu¡¯s words, Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, blinking slightly.

    She slowly turned her head and looked up at Xu Hongzu.

    "Yes, but..."

    Xu Hongzu immediately interrupted Qiao Jing, pretending to be upset.

    "Xiao Jing, doing this really hurts my heart. We agreed I would sit by your side, howe someone else is sitting here?"

    Qiao Jing coughed, using it to mask her embarrassment.

    Earlier, she had decided to let the grandfather and grandson sit at her table upon seeing how constrained they were.

    Then she instinctively thought to let Old Master Chi sit next to her but hadn¡¯t expected Grandpa Xu to witness this moment.

    Had she reacted in time, out of fairness, she would have arranged for the two elderly gentlemen to sit together.

    Just as she was about to exin, Chi Chenyun directly spoke out.

    The elder felt very embarrassed as he said,

    "Sorry, Professor Xu, actually, I¡¯m not supposed to sit here, I belong at the back table."

    Fearing that Xu Hongzu would get angry, Chi Yuhang quickly stepped in to exin.

    "Professor Xu, please don¡¯t misunderstand, I¡¯m going to the back table with my grandpa right now,"

    When Xu Hongzu saw the grandfather and grandson hurrying to apologize, he asked with a puzzled face.

    "Am I that scary? Why the rush to apologize? I was just joking with Xiao Jing. Since Xiao Jing invited you to sit here, let¡¯s sit together."

    Chi Yuhang waved his hands, seeming overwhelmingly ttered as he declined again.

    "No need, no need, thank you, Doctor Qiao, thank you, Professor Xu."

    Zhan Nanqing watched Chi Yuhang fussing about and simply stood up.

    She quickly pulled Chi Yuhang aside and then turned towards Chi Chenyun with a smile.

    "Grandpa Chi, please take my seat."

    She happened to be sitting next to Qiao Jing. By giving up her seat, she wouldn¡¯t be taking Xu Hongzu¡¯s ce.

    Chi Chenyun looked at Zhan Nanqing, a bit at a loss.

    "This, this... how can I ept this?"

    Zhan Nanqing eximed "Ah" and gently pushed down on Chi Chenyun¡¯s shoulder, making the elderly man sit down.

    "Grandpa Chi, please sit. I¡¯ll sit on another side with Chi Yuhang."

    When Qiao Jing saw Zhan Nanqing willingly giving up her seat so that both elderly men could sit next to him, a look of relief spread across his face.

    This appearance was as if he was watching an immature younger sister who had finally grown up and be sensible.

    The harmonious scene at Qiao Jing¡¯s table was seen by Zhan Kaiyang and the siblings, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, sitting in a corner.

    They all disyed a look of disdain simultaneously.

    Zhan Bei¡¯s mouth curled up, his face full of mockery.

    "I¡¯ll see how Qiao Jing continues to smileter!"

    Zhan Nan simply rolled her eyes.

    "She won¡¯t even have time to cryter! But why is Qiao Jing, a mere employee, allowed to sit in such a forward position? Moreover, why is she chatting with Elder Xu?"

    Zhan Bei sneered, slightly lifting his chin toward the direction of Zhan Nanqing.

    "Look, isn¡¯t that because Zhan Nanqing is there? You know very well how close the Xu Family is with Zhan Qipei¡¯s branch, and how good their rtionship is. Qiao Jing is just basking in their reflected glory. Otherwise, how could she possibly qualify to sit at the front table?"

    Zhan Nan nodded in agreement:

    "Exactly, without the Zhan Family, Qiao Jing is nothing! Once our n seeds today, she will have no choice but to go back to the countryside and farm!"

    Zhan Kaiyang, seeing that the two siblings were eager to see Qiao Jing be embarrassed, spoke reassuringly:

    "Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, don¡¯t worry, I will take revenge for you two precious grandchildren soon. Our n is foolproof!"

    He had alreadymunicated everything in advance with the staff and had also bribed a waiter responsible for serving dishes to ce the documents next to Qiao Jing while serving.

    Fortunately, he had seen Qiao Jing carrying a medium-sized handbag today, which was perfect for slipping the folder into.

    Upon hearing Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s words, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei wore satisfied smiles on their faces.

    "Thank you, Grandpa, you¡¯re the best to us."

    "Indeed, without you, Grandpa, we would certainly only be at a loss!"

    Zhan Kaiyang smiled and looked at the two, lightly patting Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei on their heads.

    "With Grandpa here, how could I possibly let you two suffer? Plus, it¡¯s all that country bumpkin Qiao Jing¡¯s fault!"

    While they were talking, guests began taking their seats one after another, and the waiters were busy serving dishes.

    One of the waiters, carrying dishes, approached Qiao Jing¡¯s table.

    Before taking action, he covertly nced in Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s direction and, seeing him nod, began the stealthy document cement.

    Using the cover of another colleague¡¯s body, he took out a document from his uniform and discreetly slipped it into Qiao Jing¡¯s bag lying beside her.

    Zhan Kaiyang watched the waiterplete the task before he finally rxed.

    Shortly after, Xu Hongzu went on stage, ready to begin his speech of gratitude.

    "Thank you all for attending this celebration banquet. Achieving this sess is something that makes us all very happy..."

    Below the stage, Zhan Kaiyang exchanged a nce with a staff member by his side.

    The staff member immediately got the hint and headed towards the backstage area.

 Chapter 715 - 704: Framing Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 715: Chapter 704: Framing Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing was sitting in the audience, watching Xu Hongzu preside over the speech on stage.

    Thinking about the sess of this research, she slightly curled her lips, revealing a faint smile.

    After briefly delivering a few official words of thanks, Xu Hongzu brought out the highlight of the event.

    "Actually, there¡¯s another very important thing at this banquet, and that is to have all the staff present y a small game. Everyone must review the research report again, as the documents are quite important¡ªit¡¯s good for everyone to recall them."

    Heaven is helping me indeed!

    Zhan Kaiyang, upon hearing this, stroked his beard and almost burst outughing with excitement.

    The staff in the audience, upon hearing this, cried out in unison with moans of dismay.

    "I thought it was some kind of fun game, but it turns out to be a work-rted game."

    "Oh well, it¡¯s for the sake of the research institute!"

    "Yes, but it should also help improve our memory of this asion, which is quite good."

    "..."

    Xu Hongzu, seeing that everyone in the audience had started discussing, nced at the staff next to him.

    A staff member, who had been prepared early on, spoke up:

    "Professor Xu, please wait a moment, I will go backstage and bring out the documents."

    Shortly thereafter, Qiao Jing saw a staff member dash out from backstage.

    She narrowed her eyes slightly, suddenly feeling an ominous premonition.

    On the other side, Zhan Kaiyang saw the staff member and his face revealed a cunning, triumphant smile.

    He looked at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei and said,

    "Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, the show is about to begin, and we¡¯ll soon help you regain your honor!"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s faces immediately bloomed with smiles as they entered a mode of extravagant praising.

    "I knew Grandfather would not let us suffer in vain!"

    "Yes, after all, Grandfather loves us the most. I don¡¯t know where Qiao Jing got the guts to hit us! This Qiao Jing has neither money nor background, it¡¯s just that she has some looks, which is why we liked her in the first ce, and she is ungrateful? Hah!"

    As the staff member received a signal from Zhan Kaiyang that he could start, he deliberately raised his voice, looking very anxious:

    "This is terrible!!!"

    The staff member¡¯s voice drew everyone¡¯s attention, and all eyes were drawn to him.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly, her gazending on the staff member.

    The staff member looked at Qiao Jing, then at Xu Hongzu, and hesitated.

    This important matter should actually have been reported to Professor Qiao first, but since there were outsiders at the banquet, it wasn¡¯t convenient to discuss it with Professor Qiao.

    Finally, the staff member approached Xu Hongzu.

    "Professor Xu! The research oue reports and documents are all missing!"

    As soon as these words were said, it was like a bomb had been dropped among the crowd, causing a total uproar!

    "What?! The documents are all missing?"

    "Doesn¡¯t this prove that someone has stolen the documents?"

    "It must have been someone present!"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes, then took out her phone to send a message to the hotel staff.

    "Seal the exits of this floor, don¡¯t let anyone leave."

    Since the incident had just urred, the person who stole the documents definitely hadn¡¯t left the scene yet.

    All she needed to do was to seal off the floor they were on, and then have each person searched one by one.

    Xu Hongzu furrowed his brows, his old face turned cold.

    "What happened? The data has been stolen?"

    After saying this, he quickly moved to Qiao Jing¡¯s side and lowered his voice to ask,

    "Xiao Jing, what do we do now?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and put away her phone, which disyed the surveince page.

    "Search. I¡¯ve already had this floor sealed off; no one can get out."

    She had already checked the surveince earlier, but strangely, aside from the staff who went in to fetch the data, no one else had gone in there.

    How had the data disappeared without a trace?

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Hongzu nodded his head and quickly returned to the stage.

    "Everyone, please quiet down. This floor has been sealed by us; I need everyone¡¯s cooperation in searching any personal belongings such as bags you might have."

    The staff members were very cooperative; those who had brought bags voluntarily opened them and set them aside while those without bags turned their pockets inside out, unzipped their jackets, and shook their clothes to prove they weren¡¯t hiding the data on themselves.

    After a round of checks, there were no data found in the bags or on any personnel or their families.

    Xu Hongzu found the situation exceedingly strange and furrowed his brows tightly.

    "Hey? It¡¯s nowhere to be found? What¡¯s going on? Could it really have disappeared into thin air?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s phoenix eyes darkened, and she swept her scrutinizing gaze over everyone present.

    As her gaze passed over a corner, she noticed Zhan Kaiyang and two others sitting there.

    Qiao Jing narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, a hint of doubt and vignce appearing in them.

    Why were these three here?

    Zhan Kaiyang, having noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, deliberately disyed a cunning smile towards her.

    He looked at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, and said with a smile,

    "Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, the show is about to officially start. Qiao Jing is about to be expelled!"

    Now that everyone present had been searched, only Qiao Jing was left. Next, everyone¡¯s attention would turn to Qiao Jing.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing would be embarrassed in front of everyone!

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were delighted; their corners of the mouth almost reached the sky.

    However, what happened next was beyond Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s expectation.

    Why wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s attention focused on Qiao Jing, the only person left unsearched?

    Zhan Kaiyang looked around at everyone present, puzzled, and then nced at Xu Hongzu.

    What on earth was going on? Had they forgotten to check Qiao Jing¡¯s bag?

    Zhan Kaiyang certainly could not let this oversight ur. He stood up and started to make a fuss.

    "Qiao Jing, hasn¡¯t your bag been searched yet?"

    A middle-aged woman also noticed this and looked puzzledly at the staff responsible for the search.

    "Right, her bag hasn¡¯t been searched."

    As soon as her words fell, her husband, who worked in the institute, pulled her aside.

    The middle-aged woman red fiercely at the man.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t I even speak now? Could it be that you¡¯re mesmerized by her good looks?"

    The man¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard his wife utter such words. He quickly bowed slightly in the direction of Qiao Jing and apologized with a smile.

    Then, he immediately pulled the woman close and whispered,

    "Do you know who she is? She is Professor Qiao! You absolutely mustn¡¯t let out a word of this! Otherwise, our good days are over!"

    Although he had to adhere to the rule of not disclosing Professor Qiao¡¯s identity, if he did not reveal the truth to his wife, she would certainly continue to makements that could offend Professor Qiao.

 Chapter 716 - 705 Do You Really Think Iéˆ¥æª“ That Easy to Deceive?

    <h4>Chapter 716: Chapter 705 Do You Really Think I¡¯m That Easy to Deceive?</h4><h4></h4>

    The woman, upon hearing this, was severely startled and quickly shut her mouth.

    Zhan Kaiyang nced at the staff responsible for the search and reminded them again.

    "You missed someone in the check."

    Zhan Bei scoffed disdainfully and said with a sarcastic tone,

    "It seems she probably holds no position at the institute, simply forgotten by everyone!"

    Zhan Nan also showed a mocking smile and added,

    "That must be it. Otherwise, after checking everyone else and not her, she must have been forgotten to the ends of the earth."

    Zhan Nanqing, seated beside Qiao Jing, rolled her eyes speechlessly upon hearing Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s deliberately loudments.

    "How did these three get in here?"

    Talking about Qiao Jing being forgotten due to ack of status at the institute? What an international joke!

    If Professor Qiao doesn¡¯t hold status at the institute, then who does?

    The only reason they didn¡¯t search Qiao Jing was that she couldn¡¯t possibly have stolen the research findings and documents¡ªthose were originally hers.

    The staff looked at Zhan Kaiyang and the others with puzzled expressions, none of them speaking up.

    When Zhan Kaiyang saw everyone¡¯s reactions, he paused, feeling that something was amiss.

    Why had nobody searched Qiao Jing¡¯s bag?!

    Unable to wait any longer, he spoke up to remind them,

    "Search Qiao Jing¡¯s bag. Everyone here has been searched except for her."

    The staff looked at each other, but no one moved.

    Their brains weren¡¯t sick¡ªsearching Professor Qiao¡¯s bag?

    If it were Professor Qiao taking the documents, it would be taking back what was hers. How could it be stealing?

    Qiao Jing noticed that Zhan Kaiyang was incessantly trying to draw everyone¡¯s attention to her, seemingly convinced that she had stolen the documents.

    She lightly raised her eyebrows and slowly curved her lips into a smile.

    "No need to search. I¡¯ll check myself."

    Since Zhan Kaiyang was so eager for the staff to search her, the documents were likely in her bag.

    Qiao Jing opened the bag she had brought with her and, sure enough, found the documents inside.

    Without a word, she took them out and handed them to Xu Hongzu.

    "They¡¯re with me."

    She had already guessed Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s intention¡ªit was nothing more than an attempt to pin the theft of important files on her and get her expelled.

    No wonder Zhan Kaiyang had brought Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei to the banquet at this time¡ªthey wanted to watch her get publicly expelled.

    However, unfortunately for them, she had no intention of expelling herself.

    Zhan Kaiyang internally cursed ¡¯idiot¡¯ when he saw Qiao Jing voluntarily taking out the documents from her bag.

    But this was exactly the kind of stupidity he needed¡ªperfect for his ns!

    Seeing a good opportunity, Zhan Kaiyang quickly spoke up,

    "So, it was you who stole the documents! Well done, Qiao Jing, I never imagined you¡¯d be bold enough to steal from Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!"

    This time, he refused to believe he couldn¡¯t teach Qiao Jing a lesson!

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei immediately started to stir up trouble from the sidelines.

    "Aftermitting such an act, aren¡¯t you going to expel her?"

    "For such a theft, expulsion is the least of it¡ªyou could simply call the police and have her arrested, right?"

    The staff all looked at Zhan Kaiyang and the others with strange expressions, inwardly snickering,

    Although these three people didn¡¯t know that Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao, wasn¡¯t saying this to their internal staff the same as not saying anything at all?

    And who had the authority to fire Professor Qiao, anyway? Professor Qiao firing them would be more like it!

    Zhan Kaiyang found it increasingly strange as all the staff remained unmoved, standing in their original positions.

    "Such an important matter, and you don¡¯t inform Professor Qiao so she can fire Qiao Jing?"

    The staff still ignored Zhan Kaiyang, their anxieties eased once they learned the documents were in Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei also found it odd and began to discuss, deliberately raising their voices.

    "No way! You won¡¯t get fired even for stealing documents?"

    "What are you staff thinking? Such an important matter as stolen documents, and yet you stand there like logs, not moving an inch?"

    Zhan Kaiyang snorted coldly and cursed angrily.

    "Since you all won¡¯t act, then I¡¯ll make the call myself and get Qiao Jing arrested. To think she¡¯d dare to steal from Professor Qiao, I see that Qiao Jing really wants to reach for the sky!"

    Qiao Jing threw a casual nce at Zhan Kaiyang and his group before looking away, her gazending on a staff member who had previouslymunicated with Zhan Kaiyang.

    She wasn¡¯t bothered by Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s attempt to frame her; what she cared about was finding out who had managed to sneak the documents out.

    The staff member began to tremble uncontrobly when meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, swallowing nervously as sweat increasingly drenched his back.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Kaiyang, busy with his ns to call the police, failed to notice the staff member¡¯s distress.

    Just as he was about to make the call to have Qiao Jing arrested, he saw the staff member suddenly kneel on the ground, right in front of Qiao Jing and Xu Hongzu.

    When his knees hit the floor, they made a "thud!"

    The staff member, now sweating profusely, trembled all over.

    He began to speak with a quivering voice:

    "The documents... It was me who took them secretly... I was wrong! I was deceived by some high-ranking person¡¯s lies, stole the documents, and then put them in Professor Qiao¡¯s¡ª"

    Before he could finish, he realized he was about to slip up and quickly corrected himself:

    "¡ªced them in Miss Qiao¡¯s bag, trying to set her up! Professor Xu, I won¡¯t dare again, please forgive me."

    If he had known that the person Zhan Kaiyang intended to frame was Professor Qiao, not even ten times the guts would make him dare to!

    And Zhan Kaiyang had even told him that he just wanted to set up an ordinary staff member, damn it!

    Was Professor Qiao an ordinary staff member?!

    If he didn¡¯t admit his mistake now, the consequences would be unimaginable!

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Kaiyang and the others were stunned.

    Zhan Nan, watching the staff member kneeling on the ground, whispered in criticism:

    "What on earth is this guy doing? Why would he suddenly confess? Damn it, he¡¯s here to screw up my n!"

    Zhan Bei joined in the criticism:

    "Grandpa, who did you hire to help out?!"

    Zhan Kaiyang furrowed his brows, confused as he looked at the staff member.

    What¡¯s going on? Why did he suddenly confess? He was so close to sessfully getting Qiao Jing thrown out of the research institute!

    As he thought this, the image of Zhan Yuanshan telling him that Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao suddenly shed through his mind.

    Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s frown deepened. Could it really be as his brother said, that Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao?

    Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t anyone search Qiao Jing¡¯s bag, and why would the staff member readily admit to this incident?

    No, that¡¯s impossible! How could Qiao Jing be Professor Qiao? She was just a country bumpkin from the sticks!

    He was sure this was all just a y acted out by the staff member to confuse him, orchestrated by his brother!

    At this thought, Zhan Kaiyang snorted coldly.

    "You really think I¡¯m that easily fooled?"

 Chapter 717 - 706 She Knows Who It Is

    <h4>Chapter 717: Chapter 706 She Knows Who It Is</h4><h4></h4>

    After hearing Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s words, Zhan Nan looked at him with a puzzled face.

    "Grandpa, what are you talking about?"

    Zhan Bei, very dissatisfied, red at the kneeling staff members and cursed "useless wretches" before choosing to remain silent.

    Zhan Kaiyang let out a coldugh and turned to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    "Xiao Nan, Xiao Bei, it seems this won¡¯t work out. This staff member was sent by Zhan Yuanshan! He lied to me before, saying Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao, and in order to make me believe it, he staged this y, intending to make me take his words for truth, so I wouldn¡¯ty a hand on Qiao Jing."

    How could he possibly be unaware of Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s intentions? They were nothing more than to give him the illusion that Qiao Jing really was Professor Qiao, tricking him into not daring to make a move!

    If he hadn¡¯t suddenly recalled this detail, he might well have been deceived, yet... unexpectedly, his brother went to such lengths to protect Qiao Jing, even bothering to put on such an act.

    On hearing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were stunned.

    Zhan Bei, somewhat unwilling to ept this, asked:

    "Grandpa, what do we do now? Is the matter just going to be left like this?"

    Zhan Yuanshan nodded his head and nced in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction.

    "For now, it can only be this way. Let¡¯s head back first. But I promise you, I won¡¯t let Qiao Jing off so easily. I¡¯ll find another opportunity!"

    If they didn¡¯t go back now, the next developments might be very troublesome.

    Since there was now a staff member to serve as the scapegoat, there was no need for them to stay any longer; they would have to look for another chance.

    Discontent was written all over the faces of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei; they red fiercely at Qiao Jing and clenched their fists tightly.

    Then, grinding their teeth, they said, "Fine, but next time, we absolutely cannot let Qiao Jing off!"

    Zhan Nan cursed tantly and left with Zhan Kaiyang.

    Last time, he was beaten so badly, first dislocating his wrist, then being unable to walk from leg injuries; he had experienced the life of a disabled person.

    If he were to let Qiao Jing off just like that, he would never be content!

    Their departure did not attract the attention of the others, as everyone¡¯s attention was currently on the staff member.

    Professor Xu¡¯s face turned red with anger, as he pointed at the staff member¡¯s nose and shouted:

    "What do you mean by ¡¯a certain gentleman¡¯? Who is it exactly? At a time like this, you¡¯re still covering for them? You really have the audacity to steal such important data from the institute!"

    After rattling off this string of words, Professor Xu paused and took a few deep breaths before continuing:

    "I remember you haven¡¯t been working at the institute for long, so what¡¯s the meaning of pulling a stunt like this now? Spill the beans immediately about who put you up to this!"

    The staff member, scolded by Professor Xu, didn¡¯t dare to speak and could only kneel with his head down.

    He stammered:

    "I... Professor Xu, I didn¡¯t mean to steal, it was just that person who told me he wanted to frame someone and needed the data for a bit of help. He promised not to open the data or hide it, that¡¯s why I agreed..."

    If it wasn¡¯t for the necessity, he still wouldn¡¯t dare to reveal Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s name; otherwise, he would lose not only his job but also a substantialpensation.

    He had thought he was merely framing an ordinary employee, in which case he could continue working and receive thepensation. He never imagined that the so-called ordinary employee would turn out to be Professor Qiao!

    Professor Xu, furious, mmed his hand on the table, making a loud "bang!"

    "You still refuse to give up that person¡¯s name?!"

    The staff member trembled all over, still stammering as he began to speak.

    "I... Professor Xu... it¡¯s¡ª"

    He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence before Qiao Jing cut him off.

    "No need to say it, I know who it is."

    As the kneeling staff member heard these words, his body stopped shaking, and he looked up at the towering Qiao Jing.

    When their eyes met, and he felt Qiao Jing¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, he heard a voice rising from the depths of his heart, urging him to tell the truth.

    He experienced two different sensations when facing Qiao Jing and Xu Hongzu, with the former instilling a sense of awe that welled up from his heart. Just one look from her was enough to make him want to spill all the truth.

    The staff member gritted his teeth and ultimately decided toe clean; he opened his mouth to speak:

    "It¡¯s¡ª"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t pay any attention to the staff member, but stood up straight and nced over the other staff present.

    "Everyone, please sit down and eat, it¡¯s all right now."

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the other staff members breathed a sigh of relief, returned to their seats, and started eating.

    Qiao Jing sat back in her chair, arms crossed, her face emotionless and inscrutable.

    "How much money did Zhan Kaiyang give you? Enough to make you abandon your job at the research institute?"

    If she were in this staff member¡¯s shoes, she would not hesitate to choose the stable job at the research institute.

    As Qiao Jing urately uttered the name of the person pulling the strings behind the scenes, the staff member¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "How... how did you know?"

    After he spoke, he hung his head in self-reproach.

    "I thought he only wanted to set up a regr employee, so I just helped him steal it. Because... he gave me five hundred thousand, and if the n seeded, he would give me the other half. I never expected it to be exposed; if it hadn¡¯t been, I would have had it all."

    After hearing the staff member¡¯s exnation, Qiao Jing¡¯s pupils darkened, and she said coolly:

    "There are not so many perfect oues in the world. Go settle this month¡¯s pay and leave the research institute."

    Knowing full well the problem was entirely his fault and having received his punishment, the staff member dared not say more, scrambling to stand up.

    He pped himself hard and quickly left the banquet.

    Having dealt with the matter, Qiao Jing picked up her chopsticks, ready to eat.

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t even care about her food, walking straight up to Qiao Jing and muttering:

    "I knew Second Grandpa and his people weren¡¯t here for anything good, and sure enough, this was all their doing! I¡¯ll tell Grandpa and the others when we get back!"

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Nanqing, frowning slightly.

    "Go back to your meal. There¡¯s no need to tell them about this."

    Zhan Qipei and the others were already at odds with Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s side, and if this were added to the mix, it would undoubtedly make matters worse.

    Although the issues indeed stemmed from Zhan Kaiyang and his group, she didn¡¯t want the rtionships within the Zhan Family to be even more strained on her ount.

    After all, she was uncertain if she would stay with the Zhan Family in the future; if she left, it wouldn¡¯t be good for the families to remain so bitterly estranged.

 Chapter 718 - 707: The Man Who Wouldnéˆ¥æª› Let Go

    <h4>Chapter 718: Chapter 707: The Man Who Wouldn¡¯t Let Go</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Nanqing smacked her lips before settling back into her seat.

    Qiao Jing was still thinking about how Zhan Kaiyang had framed her.

    Since Zhan Kaiyang had harbored intentions of framing her, it was a clear indication he wanted to harm her.

    It seemed that from now on, she would have to be more vignt towards any moves Zhan Kaiyang might make.

    As she was mulling over this, the voice of Xu Hongzu suddenly came from beside her.

    "Xiao Jing, are you still thinking about that Zhan Kaiyang? It infuriates me! That old boy Zhan Kaiyang has such gall, daring to bully Xiao Jing! Just because his brother is Zhan Yuanshan doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t touch him! I dare to mess with Zhan Yuanshan, let alone him, who¡¯s a generation younger than me. I could take care of him with ease!"

    Qiao Jing nced at the enraged Xu Hongzu and sighed somewhat helplessly.

    "Grandpa Xu, please eat your meal. There¡¯s no need for you to trouble yourself."

    Looking at Xu Hongzu¡¯s current state, she got the impression that he was ready to go out and have a showdown with Zhan Kaiyang this instant.

    Xu Hongzu huffed and red at Qiao Jing for quite some time before finally nodding, albeit reluctantly.

    "However, I believe nobody can bully Xiao Jing, to be honest. Judging by your capabilities, I can¡¯t even touch a hair on your head, let alone Zhan Kaiyang being a simple matter for you."

    He paused, picked up a piece of fish, and ced it in Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    "Enough of these annoying matters, let¡¯s eat."

    Qiao Jing nodded and refocused her attention entirely back onto the banquet.

    "Okay."

    An hourter.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing walked out the door together.

    As they reached the entrance, they saw a familiar car stopped in front of them.

    Zhan Qipei first lowered the car window on one side, then his gaze settled steadily on Qiao Jing. After briefly sizing her up to make sure she was unharmed, he got out of the car.

    He walked over to Qiao Jing and opened the passenger door.

    "Let¡¯s go home."

    Qiao Jing nodded, slid into the passenger seat, and raised her eyes to look at Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, get in and let him take you back as well."

    It was gettingte, and for Zhan Nanqing, a young girl, taking a taxi came with certain risks.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing nced at Zhan Qipei and pursed her lips.

    "I better not. After all, my brother isn¡¯t that easy to talk to. I¡¯ll just take a taxi."

    If she got into the car, her brother would definitely think of her as a third wheel, and an especially bright one at that.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, casting a faint nce at Zhan Qipei, and then spoke up:

    "It¡¯s fine, he will take you home."

    Zhan Qipei, who had initially wanted to suggest Zhan Nanqing take a taxi herself, closed his mouth upon being looked at by Qiao Jing like that.

    Zhan Nanqing noticed Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, dark as coal, and couldn¡¯t help but snort withughter.

    "Hahaha, Qiao Jing, look at my brother¡¯s face, it¡¯s so dark, almost like Bao Qingtian, how dare I ride in his car? It¡¯s okay, you two go back on your own, I¡¯ll just take a taxi."

    She felt her brother was totally henpecked; just now his face had turned that dark, and he didn¡¯t say a word in refusal, all because Qiao Jing had spoken.

    Qiao Jing frowned and turned to look at Zhan Qipei, only to find that hisplexion seemed no different than usual.

    She looked at Zhan Nanqing with a puzzled face.

    After witnessing Zhan Qipei¡¯s swift change of expression, Zhan Nanqing shrugged with some speechlessness, and made ament.

    "My brother changes his expressions so fast, it¡¯s like he¡¯s a professional face changer... Alright, Qiao Jing, you and my brother should head back first; my ride is here," Zhan Nanqing said, then headed toward another car.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything more and could only watch Zhan Nanqing leave.

    Just as Zhan Nanqing was about to get into the car, Chi Yuhang suddenly appeared beside her.

    Before she could see what the two were doing, Zhan Qipei had already started the car.

    Feeling utterly helpless, Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, then, not bothering to deal with him any further, took out her phone to send a message to Zhan Nanqing to ask about the situation.

    Right as she took out her phone, it beeped with a new message.

    When she opened it, she found it was from Lin Yun, who hadn¡¯t contacted her for quite some time.

    This young troublemaker hadn¡¯t sent her a message since finding out she was pregnant, and unlike before, hadn¡¯t been bothering her to chat about all sorts of things. She was relieved, thinking that Lin Yun had finally grown up.

    What he had sent this time were... two VIP tickets to the King¡¯s Glory World Competition, followed by a text message.

    "I have a match tomorrow, bring that little brat along to watch," Lin Yun messaged.

    Qiao Jing, realizing she had the day off and was indeed free to attend the worldpetition the next day, agreed to go.

    "Okay."

    Since Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s academic results and other aspects had been goodtely, she thought it would be nice to take him to watch thepetition as a reward.

    Right after she replied to Lin Yun, a message from Zeng Xiangyang came through.

    "Ah! Master! I didn¡¯t get VIP tickets for tomorrow¡¯s match! I must go to the scalpers again... Oh right, Master, can youe watch the finals with me tomorrow? It¡¯s so rare for a worldpetition to be held in the Imperial Capital, let¡¯s watch it together..."

    After reading Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s message, Qiao Jing simply took a photo and sent it to him.

    "I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow."

    Seeing the VIP tickets, Zeng Xiangyang hugged his phone and kissed it several times, bursting with excitement, and immediately called Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing inexplicably had a premonition and subconsciously moved the phone away from her ear before answering.

    As expected, as soon as she answered the call, Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s excited voice came through.

    "Master©¤! I love you! I©¤"

    Before he could finish, Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing¡¯s phone and interrupted him.

    "Say that again?"

    He thought Zeng Xiangyang was getting too bold, daring to confess his feelings to Qiao Jing?

    Hearing that the person on the other end of the call had changed to Zhan Qipei, Zeng Xiangyang tactfully shut his mouth, nning to speak when Qiao Jing got back the phone.

    But Zhan Qipei had no intention of returning the phone to Qiao Jing and just stared at the call screen.

    The air was filled with an eerie silence.

    Waited for quite some time on the other end, Zeng Xiangyang thought Zhan Qipei had returned the phone to Qiao Jing and was getting ready to discuss tomorrow¡¯spetition with her, only to find the call had just been dropped.

    Soon after, he received a message from Qiao Jing.

    "I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow, and we¡¯ll go together."

    Zeng Xiangyang quickly replied with an okay and sent several emoticons of nodding heads before putting away his phone.

    Meanwhile, in another car.

    Zhan Qipei was still driving with a dark expression on his face, deliberately wearing his "I am not pleased" for Qiao Jing to notice.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even need to look closely to notice, just feeling the atmosphere inside the car she knew, Zhan Qipei was jealous.

    She pulled a wry smile, somewhat speechless.

 Chapter 719 - 708: Suddenly Jealous of Two People

    <h4>Chapter 719: Chapter 708: Suddenly Jealous of Two People</h4>

    "You¡¯re jealous of a child?"

    And just now, when Zeng Xiangyang said ¡¯I love you,¡¯ it was obviously just a child getting too excited and blurting it out without thinking.

    Yet this damned man, he even gets jealous over this kind of thing.

    Zhan Qipei gathered his brows like mountains in mist and pressed his thin lips together, remaining silent.

    Qiao Jing, feeling somewhat helpless, rubbed her temples, sighed, and changed the subject.

    "Tomorrow I¡¯m going to the match with Zeng Xiangyang."

    She knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to change Zhan Qipei¡¯s jealous nature, so she could only try to divert the man¡¯s attention.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s already furrowed brows tightened further, and his thin lips formed a t, icy line.

    "What match? Why are you going with him? Can¡¯t he go by himself?"

    Although he knew Qiao Jing was trying to change the subject, he couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about her ns for the next day.

    Qiao Jing saw Zhan Qipei adopt a wary look and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    "He¡¯s been performing well recently and his grades are good. There happened to be two tickets, so I¡¯m taking him to watch Lin Yun¡¯s finals."

    It seemed this damned man could never shake off his habit of unreasonable jealousy.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened in an instant, his brows nearly pinching tight enough to kill a fly.

    "Do you have to go?"

    Allowing Qiao Jing and Zeng Xiangyang to go to the match together was already the limit of his tolerance. And now she was telling him it was Lin Yun¡¯s match.

    The presence of two men at once made it even more intolerable for him.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, her lips parting slightly.

    "I promised them, which means I¡¯ll see it through."

    She wasn¡¯t the type to break her word, especially since it was Lin Yun¡¯s final. If he won, he would be the world champion.

    Moreover, just from the tone of Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s voice when he spoke to her, she could tell how much he was looking forward to watching the match together. She definitely wouldn¡¯t back out at thest minute.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes grew heavy as he thought of another solution.

    "I¡¯ll go with you."

    He knew Qiao Jing was someone who kept her promises and wouldn¡¯t force her to break them.

    But he was determined not to let Qiao Jing spend the day alone with these two men.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei¡¯s obstinate expression, feeling a heavy pulse at her temples.

    "Don¡¯t you still have work tomorrow?"

    Even though she had the day off, it didn¡¯t mean Zhan Qipei did, and it was still a working day.

    But these weren¡¯t the main points. The main point was that Zhan Qipei was busy with a project she knew of. If he spent the entire day apanying her to the match, a lot of time would be wasted, and then Tang Yan might end up calling her to track him down again.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s remark, Zhan Qipei turned to look at her.

    "I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow."

    This was the extent of his final tolerance. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing knowing he had work, he would definitely insist on going.

    Otherwise, what if someone took advantage of his absence and spirited his wife away?

    When Qiao Jing saw that Zhan Qipei had finally dropped the idea of going, she nodded her head.

    "Okay."

    The next morning.

    When Qiao Jing sat down at the dining table, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s expressionless face. He seemed to be in a particrly bad mood.

    She picked up the spoon, ready to start eating porridge, but noticed that Zhan Qipei was still frowning heavily at her.

    Qiao Jing tried eating breakfast under such scrutiny but after a few sips of porridge, she felt as if Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze made everything tasteless.

    With no other choice, she put down the spoon and looked up at Zhan Qipei.

    "I¡¯m just going to watch a match. Lin Yun has hispetition and might not have time to see me. Even if I do go, it would just be to get Zeng Xiangyang an autograph or something."

    She really couldn¡¯t understand how this damned man could be so full of jealousy.

    Could it be that this damned man was truly the incarnation of the vinegar demon in his past life?

    Hearing that Qiao Jing might not meet Lin Yun softened Zhan Qipei¡¯s tense expression somewhat.

    "Mm, have breakfast. I¡¯ll take you there."

    His words had barely finished when Qiao Jing¡¯s cell phone began to ring.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze immediately shifted to Qiao Jing¡¯s phone on the table, his just-eased expression tightening again as he saw that the caller was Zeng Xiangyang.

    Qiao Jing tapped to answer, engaging the speakerphone.

    "Hello? What¡¯s up?"

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s excited voice came from the other side of the line.

    "Master, I¡¯m downstairs at your building! It¡¯s Nantai Apartment, right? My aunt gave me the address."

    Qiao Jing paused mid-sip of her porridge and nced at the current time.

    "Why have youe so early?"

    There were still three hours before the match started, and Zeng Xiangyang had already rushed over in a taxi¡ªwasn¡¯t that a bit too eager?

    Zeng Xiangyang hummed twice in response.

    "Of course! It¡¯s the grand finals! Lin Yun¡¯s grand finals! If we win, we¡¯ll be world champions! Master, which floor is your ce? I¡¯lle up to you!"

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s words plunged the room into silence.

    Qiao Jing lifted her eyes to Zhan Qipei, certain that this damned man would change his expression.

    As expected, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened at a visibly rapid pace, and he said coldly:

    "Wait downstairs."

    Zeng Xiangyang was startled to hear Zhan Qipei on the phone and asked uncertainly:

    "Cousin? You¡¯re there? Wait... You¡¯re living with my master?!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression remained dark.

    "You just found out? Wait downstairs for her to finish breakfast, then I¡¯ll take you both."

    Standing downstairs, Zeng Xiangyang felt as though he was caught in a whirlwind of confusion at these words, tentatively asking:

    "Ah? I¡¯m waiting down here? That¡¯s fine, I guess. How much longer until master finishes breakfast?"

    Although it seemed a bit pitiful to wait around like this, he didn¡¯t dare go against his cousin¡¯s wishes.

    After all, in his eyes, his cousin was the Cold-faced Yama.

    Zhan Qipei nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    "Later. Just wait."

    Feeling helpless, Qiao Jing stretched her hand to rub her temples, looking up at Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 720 - 709 Who is Cooking?

    <h4>Chapter 720: Chapter 709 Who is Cooking?</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing was worried that Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t want to go open the door. Just as she was about to stand up, she was stopped by the man.

    Zhan Qipei stood up and walked towards the entryway, expressionlessly opened the door.

    When Zeng Xiangyang heard the door open, his eyes instantly brightened, and a broad smile spread across his face.

    "Master! We¡ª"

    As soon as he saw that the person who opened the door was an expressionless Zhan Qipei, his smile immediately stiffened on his face.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Zeng Xiangyang with a gloomy face and did not step aside to let hime in.

    Zeng Xiangyang felt intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s stare and dropped his stiff smile for an awkward yet polite one.

    He gave a dryugh.

    "Hehe... Cousin... good morning..."

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t speak and continued to stare at Zeng Xiangyang with furrowed brows.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing, who had still been eating porridge at the dining table, sensed that something was amiss.

    Zhan Qipei had gone to open the door, yet Zeng Xiangyang hadn¡¯te in?

    She put down the spoon in her hand and went to the entryway, only to find the tall and the short staring intensely at each other.

    However, it was just Zhan Qipei relentlessly staring at Zeng Xiangyang.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Zeng Xiangyang looked as if he had grasped a lifeline.

    "Master!"

    Qiao Jing sighed in resignation, pulled Zhan Qipei to one side, and made room for Zeng Xiangyang.

    "Come in and sit for a while. I¡¯ll join you after finishing my breakfast."

    Zeng Xiangyang nodded, cautiously nced at Zhan Qipei, fearing he might be stopped again, then dashed toward the living room.

    After seeing Zeng Xiangyang sitting on the couch, Qiao Jing returned to the dining table to continue her breakfast.

    She had thought Zhan Qipei woulde back and sit down, but instead, the man went to the living room and took a seat facing Zeng Xiangyang.

    She rolled her eyes, speechless. To help Zeng Xiangyang escape the "peril" sooner, she hastened her breakfast pace.

    At that moment, Zeng Xiangyang, sitting on the couch, just wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

    He would undoubtedly choose to just stand downstairs and suffer the "torture" of his cousin¡¯s gaze over this any day.

    Wasn¡¯t it nice standing downstairs? Why did he have toe up?

    Soon, Qiao Jing finished her porridge and came over to the couch, looking at Zeng Xiangyang.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Zeng Xiangyang promptly stood up and immediately came to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, who was preparing to stand to send them to thepetition venue.

    "We can just take a cab."

    She had checked the address yesterday. Thepetition venue and Zhan Corporation were inpletely opposite directions; a round trip took at least an hour.

    That half an hour could be better spent letting Zhan Qipei go to work, otherwise Tang Yan would definitely call her to persuade the man to go to the office.

    She didn¡¯t know when it had started, but Tang Yan had already taken for granted that Zhan Qipei would be by her side.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows.

    "Aren¡¯t I supposed to take you there?"

    Qiao Jing nced at the current time and reminded him:

    "There¡¯s only a half-hour left before you start work, and going to thepetition venue alone will already take half an hour."

    Leaving those words behind, Qiao Jing headed toward the entryway with Zeng Xiangyang.

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips tightly and followed Qiao Jing closely.

    "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take you."

    What work is more important than his wife?

    And he had to check whether Lin Yun had secretlye to find Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the dining table, and she casually found an excuse.

    "The bowls haven¡¯t been washed yet."

    She specifically waited until now to remind Zhan Qipei, so that he could wash the dishes, allowing her to directly take a taxi there.

    Zhan Qipei was startled for a moment, and turned to nce at the bowls on the dining table.

    Just as he was looking in the direction of the dining table, Qiao Jing had already opened the door and walked out with Zeng Xiangyang.

    By the time Zhan Qipei realized he wanted to follow, Qiao Jing had already closed the door, and casually sent him a message not to follow.

    Once they entered the elevator, Zeng Xiangyang recovered from his shock that his cousin didn¡¯t hire a maid and took care of the housework himself.

    He nced at Qiao Jing standing beside him, and carefully asked:

    "Master, is it my cousin who handles all the housework at your ce?"

    Qiao Jing gently nodded and hummed a sound of affirmation.

    Although she also wanted to do housework, Zhan Qipei and the others strongly opposed it. She couldn¡¯t even enter the kitchen or touch the broom, at most, she could only take out the trash.

    Zeng Xiangyang sped his hands together, his face full of admiration as he looked at Qiao Jing, the expression somewhat exaggerated.

    "Master, only you could make my cousin do this. I would never have thought he would do housework."

    Keep in mind, his cousin was a member of the Zhan family, undoubtedly the kind they say was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

    Such a cold and ruthless cousin, actually handling the housework at home.

    Suddenly, he became curious again and asked another question.

    "Who cooks the meals?"

    Just don¡¯t tell him that even cooking is done by his cousin instead of hiring a chef.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s curious face, and slowly opened her mouth to say:

    "He does that too."

    Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s mouth fell open in shock, and he gave Qiao Jing a thumbs-up.

    "I¡¯m truly impressed, really impressed."

    With a "Ding," the elevator doors opened, and Qiao Jing walked out with Zeng Xiangyang.

    A momentter, at thepetition venue.

    Qiao Jing and Zeng Xiangyang, holding VIP tickets, took their seats in the front row.

    By now, Zeng Xiangyang was fully geared up, wearing Lin Yun¡¯s fan club attire, and even had on a supporter¡¯s headband, including the kind of glowing hand banner.

    Qiao Jing looked at Zeng Xiangyang somewhat helplessly and inquired:

    "Why go to all this trouble?"

    One would think it was a concert venue, not a professionalpetition site.

    Zeng Xiangyang "hummed" twice, slightly lifting his chin.

    "Because this time, it¡¯s Lin Yun¡¯s archrival we¡¯re up against, Luca from Country H, he¡¯s a jungler second only to Lin Yun. Now that the two teams are facing off, we fans definitely need to show our support!"

    Only then did Qiao Jing notice that the people in the venue were almost divided into two camps, one side waving Lin Yun¡¯s supporter signs, and the other side as Zeng Xiangyang mentioned, that Luca.

    However, in terms of numbers, Lin Yun¡¯s team had more fans.

    Suddenly, she noticed on the opposite VIP seats, a woman wearing a hat and sunsses, holding Luca¡¯s supporter sign.

    The VIP seats were almost entirely reserved by Lin Yun¡¯s fans, with only a few sparse ones for Luca¡¯s fans, and that woman wearing a hat and sses was hard not to notice.

    Qiao Jing inexplicably felt that the woman sitting opposite them looked familiar, her figure ovepping with Qiao Mengtong.

    She slightly narrowed her eyes, staring at the woman for a few seconds, and recognized her identity.

    Zeng Xiangyang suddenly noticed Qiao Jing staring in one direction, and curiously followed her gaze just to find it was Luca¡¯s fan, his face full of disdain.

    "Look, that woman is still holding Luca¡¯s sign. Ha! Watch this!"

    Saying so, he immediately turned on his glowing supporter sign, raising it above his head.

 Chapter 721 - 710 Tense Competition

    <h4>Chapter 721: Chapter 710 Tense Competition</h4><h4></h4>

    Just then, thementators on stage began the warm-up.

    Commentator A started,

    "This final is incredibly exciting. The oue of the match hinges entirely on who takes the match point in this round!"

    Commentator B nced over the audience with a half-joking tone,

    "It seems we¡¯ve got quite a crowd today, and they¡¯ve already split into two major factions, right? The spectacle is somewhat impressive."

    Qiao Jing shifted his gaze back to the screen.

    The screen disyed that yers from both teams had already entered and were sitting at their respective positions, starting to adjust their equipment.

    The camera frequently panned to Lin Yun¡¯s side, eliciting screams from the fans in the audience.

    Then, whether the cameraman did it on purpose or not, he managed to get Lin Yun and Luca on the screen at the same time.

    Luca¡¯s fans began to cheer loudly, and Zeng Xiangyang swung his light banner with great energy, then joined the fans in chanting slogans.

    "We fear neither wind nor rain, only Lin Yun not winning!"

    "Fly with confidence, Lin Yun! We will always follow you!"

    Hearing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s rather childish slogans, Qiao Jing lightly furrowed his eyebrows and tugged at the corner of his mouth with some resignation.

    Thementators kept introducing on stage,

    "The yers have just entered, and they can already feel the fans¡¯ enthusiasm."

    "I find it quite normal, after all, this is the final! Victory or defeat, it alles down to this!"

    "..."

    The match officially began, and the characters controlled by both sides walked out from the crystals.

    Zeng Xiangyang watched the big screen with a tense face, his concern evident as he watched Lin Yun weaving through the jungle and asked,

    "Master, who do you think will win?"

    Hearing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s worried words, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised.

    "Don¡¯t you believe in Lin Yun?"

    Normally, Zeng Xiangyang should consider Lin Yun the best in the world; it was unlikely for him to doubt the other side¡¯s victory.

    But now he was asking which side would win?

    Zeng Xiangyang let out an "aiya," frowned, and looked troubled.

    "You don¡¯t know, Master, but Luca soloed with Brother Lin Yun in three rounds before, and Brother Lin Yun only won one of them, the other two were ties."

    In his heart, he actually believed that Brother Lin Yun would win, but Luca¡¯s strength was not to be underestimated, which was why he was a bit worried.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze tightly followed the character controlled by Lin Yun, sparing some attention to observe the enemy¡¯s movements.

    After watching for a while, she slowly said,

    "Judging by the current situation, both sides are quite stable, but Lin Yun¡¯s economy is a bit higher than the opponent¡¯s."

    In her heart, she was still somewhat nervous for Lin Yun; after all, this was the global finals, and Zeng Xiangyang had mentioned, Luca was Lin Yun¡¯s most formidable opponent.

    Although she didn¡¯t understand much about e-sports, she still hoped that Lin Yun would win the championship, because, after all, a professional yer¡¯s prime years are limited.

    Heartened by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zeng Xiangyang found somefort and rallied his spirits.

    "Brother Lin Yun will definitely win! Give him the gold, and he can carry us to victory!"

    After saying this, he once again started shouting slogans at the top of his lungs.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s attention was on both teams, carefully observing their movements.

    The first sh between the two sides began, with Lin Yun immediately switching to stealth mode and sneaking behind the enemy through the bushes.

    With his economic advantage, he quickly secured the first kill.

    "First Blood!"

    The instant the sound effect rang out, the entire venue erupted, all chanting Lin Yun¡¯s name in unison.

    "Lin Yun! Lin Yun! Awesome!"

    Thementators on stage were also excitedly narrating.

    "Lin Yun has taken first blood here and has already gained a significant advantage in the early game!"

    "Just now, Lin Yun chose to nk and target the marksman despite there being three enemies. That was unexpected!"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing watched as the character controlled by Lin Yun was left with just a sliver of health and slightly narrowed her phoenix eyes.

    "Lin Yun made a mistake just now."

    Upon hearing this, Zeng Xiangyang subconsciously cursed.

    "You think you¡¯re so great, you¡ª"

    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he realized that it was Qiao Jing who had made the remark. He quickly covered his mouth and observed her expression.

    After confirming that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t angry, he adopted a humble demeanor, eager to learn.

    "I didn¡¯t mean what I just said, Master. It was a reflex... Master, where do you think Brother Lin Yun made the mistake?"

    His master¡¯s skills were on par with Lin Yun, and moreover, after just a few rounds at the king¡¯s level, he was already so impressive.

    It wasn¡¯t bragging; if his master trained for a few more days, he definitely could reach championship level!

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, watching as Lin Yun¡¯s character farmed in the jungle to regenerate health.

    "The opposing support was keeping an eye on the bush he was in. He should have circled around from another bush, and his health wouldn¡¯t have dropped so much."

    Zeng Xiangyang imagined the situation in his mind and found that it seemed really like what Qiao Jing described.

    "Master, you¡¯re amazing! But luckily, Brother Lin Yun didn¡¯t die. Otherwise, the first blood would have gone to the opponent!"

    What followed on the field was Lin Yun seizing the early advantage and beginning a killing spree. He won the first round in just half an hour.

    The venue suddenly boiled over, shouting Lin Yun¡¯s and Star¡¯s team name.

    Zeng Xiangyang, excited, suddenly jumped up and turned to Qiao Jing with a broad smile, his voice uncontrobly louder.

    "Master! Brother Lin Yun won!! I knew luca could never beat Brother Lin Yun, haha!"

    This shout was heard by the nearby audience, and since almost all the VIP seats were taken by Lin Yun¡¯s fans, they were celebrating with Zeng Xiangyang right now.

    It was only Qiao Mengtong, sitting opposite Qiao Jing, whose face darkened under her mask and began looking for the person who made thement.

    When she saw Zeng Xiangyang, she rolled her eyes, just about to make ament when she spotted Qiao Jing sitting next to Zeng Xiangyang.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, a sinister gleam flickered in Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes.

    She remembered the incident at the breakfast shopst time all too well! She had made up her mind not to let Qiao Jing off easily!

    Today seemed like a good day to seek an opportunity.

    Qiao Jing, who was still being pulled into sharing the joy by Zeng Xiangyang, suddenly became aware of a gaze staring at her.

    She furrowed her brows slightly but didn¡¯t pay attention to the gaze for now, instead, she looked at the victory screen of the match and nodded lightly.

    "Yeah, I saw."

    After responding to Zeng Xiangyang, Qiao Jing followed the source of the gaze and found it was that rascal Lin Yun looking in her direction.

    At this moment, the victorious Lin Yun on the field subconsciously looked towards where Qiao Jing was sitting.

    Since Qiao Jing was in the front row of VIP seats, Lin Yun saw her at first nce.

    Zeng Xiangyang, while cheering, happened to meet Lin Yun¡¯s gaze and frantically waved the light sign in his hand.

    "Master! Brother Lin Yun is looking over here!"

 Chapter 722 - 711 Won!

    <h4>Chapter 722: Chapter 711 Won!</h4>

    Qiao Jing gave a faint "Hmm" and then withdrew her gaze.

    But she suddenly noticed not only Lin Yun was staring at her, but there was another gaze, strikingly different from Lin Yun¡¯s.

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows and looked up towards the owner of that gaze, urately meeting Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes.

    Even though the other was wearing sunsses, she could feel that Qiao Mengtong was staring at her.

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her phoenix eyes, and her gaze gradually became icy.

    Feeling Qiao Jing¡¯s stare, Qiao Mengtong inexplicably felt a bit guilty and subconsciously lowered her head.

    She was obviously wearing sunsses, and Qiao Jing shouldn¡¯t be able to see her eyes, so why did it seem like the other¡¯s gaze had pierced right through her sunsses and met her eyes?

    No matter what, she was definitely going to find an opportunity to retaliate against Qiao Jing today!

    When Qiao Jing saw Qiao Mengtong lower her head, she withdrew her gaze and returned her attention to the screen.

    The second match began.

    Zeng Xiangyang was gripping the standing card in his hand nervously, no longer shouting slogans, but instead watching the screen intently.

    "Just don¡¯t tie... As long as we don¡¯t tie, we¡¯ll mostly win!"

    Seeing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s nervous appearance, Qiao Jing said tofort him,

    "Don¡¯t be so nervous, only their jungler is a bit difficult to deal with."

    As time slowly passed, Lin Yun still managed to gain some advantage in the early game, but because of a teammate¡¯s mistake in thete game, they were left with just Lin Yun, low on health, retreating to base, while the rest were wiped out.

    The opponents seized this opportunity to push into Lin Yun¡¯s high ground, plunging the situation into jeopardy.

    Zeng Xiangyang clenched his teeth, fixating his gaze on the character controlled by Lin Yun.

    Unfortunately, in the end, they still lost the match, and the score came to 1:1.

    At this sight, Qiao Mengtong immediately stood up with the banner in her hand and began celebrating.

    During the celebration, she asionally nced in the direction of Qiao Jing and snorted coldly.

    She knew Luca would win! The one Qiao Jing liked surely wouldn¡¯t win!

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with Qiao Mengtong, and after seeing Lin Yun¡¯s expression clearly through the big screen, she noticed he was frowning deeply, sitting motionless in his chair.

    She helplessly tugged at the corner of her mouth and sent him a message on her phone.

    "Good luck."

    Knowing Lin Yun as she did, she knew he must be in a foul mood right now, and it wouldn¡¯t be good if it affected the following matches.

    Zeng Xiangyang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his hand.

    "It¡¯s over, we¡¯ve actually been tied..."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than both teams¡¯ yers rose and headed to the rest area.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Qiao Jing received a reply from Lin Yun.

    "I know, no need to tell me, the championship is definitely mine."

    After seeing that Lin Yun was as determined as ever, Qiao Jing was finally able to rx, knowing his condition was not too bad,

    Soon, the third gamemenced.

    This was the deciding match of the final round!

    Zeng Xiangyang was so nervous now that he forgot to breathe, only remembering when he was gasping for air and suddenly snapped back to reality.

    He quickly took several deep breaths.

    "Master ... Master! What do we do now?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips resignedly, then slowly said,

    "I believe Lin Yun can win the championship."

    Although Lin Yun often had a prickly nature, it was clear from the other party¡¯s skills that they had spent a long time training to reach this level.

    Moreover, from the strength of both sides, it was of course Lin Yun¡¯s team that had the upper hand, and Lin Yun¡¯s level was above everyone else¡¯s. They had lost the second game because one of his teammates made a mistake.

    Zeng Xiangyang nodded vigorously, then clenched his fists tightly.

    The third gamested over an hour, with both sides evenly matched. During the final team battle, it was his teammates coborating with Lin Yun in a four-for-five exchange that allowed Lin Yun to achieve a pentakill.

    The character controlled by Lin Yun was hanging on by thest sliver of health as he quickly hit the recall button. After regaining half of his health in the Fountain and marching out with the minion wave, he secured the victory for this match!

    The moment the enemy¡¯s Nexus exploded, the entire venue erupted into cheers.

    Zeng Xiangyang stood up from his chair in an instant, waving his fansign frantically, tears streaming down his face.

    "Master! We won!! We won!!"

    A smile also appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    After the match ended, the audience gradually left the venue, and the yers returned to their respective team lounges.

    Qiao Jing stood up, ready to take Zeng Xiangyang home.

    Zeng Xiangyang was still so excited that he couldn¡¯t stop crying.

    "Mom, Master, Lin Yun bro has won the World Championship! Waaaa!!"

    Qiao Jing looked at Zeng Xiangyang, who was crying his eyes out, and sighed helplessly, taking out a pack of tissues from her bag and handing them to him.

    "Alright, wipe your tears."

    Zeng Xiangyang took the tissues from Qiao Jing and wiped his face in a mess. A sly glint shed in his eyes before he shed a smile at her.

    "Master... Can I talk to you about something?"

    Seeing Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s smile, Qiao Jing knew that the kid had a favor to ask.

    She got straight to the point:

    "Go ahead, what do you want me to help you with?"

    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Zeng Xiangyang wanted her to help him get Lin Yun¡¯s autograph or something of the sort.

    Zeng Xiangyang put on a serious face and coughed twice.

    "Master, could you take me to get Lin Yun bro¡¯s autograph? I¡¯ve always liked him, and now that Lin Yun bro has won the World Championship, it¡¯s going to be an autograph from the world champion!"

    Qiao Jing rubbed her forehead in resignation and took out her phone to contact Lin Yun.

    "Let me ask him for you."

    Just as she expected, Zeng Xiangyang wanted an autograph. But at this moment, Lin Yun might not have had the time, having just won the World Championship, he was likely busy celebrating.

    Just as she picked up her phone to send a message, she saw "typing" showing up in her chat with Lin Yun.

    A hint of curiosity rose in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Was Lin Yun also about to send her a message at this time?

    Soon enough, Lin Yun¡¯s message arrived as she had anticipated.

    "How about that? I told you I would win the championship, didn¡¯t I? Now, I¡¯ll do you a favor; bring that little rascal backstage for autographs or whatever he wants."

    Upon reading the message, Qiao Jing arched an eyebrow lightly and nced at Zeng Xiangyang beside her, his eyes flickering with stars and his face full of hope.

    Qiao Jing quickly replied to Lin Yun¡¯s message and then took Zeng Xiangyang to the backstage area.

    Seeing this, Zeng Xiangyang cried out tearfully,

    "Master, you¡¯re really my hero! Having you in my life is so incredible! If it weren¡¯t for you, I might not even have the chance to talk to Lin Yun bro."

    Qiao Jing ignored Zeng Xiangyang¡¯s flowery words and quickly walked the kid towards the backstage.

    Meanwhile, another person was also heading to the backstage with Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 723 - 712 Arrogant Lin Yun

    <h4>Chapter 723: Chapter 712 Arrogant Lin Yun</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Mengtong took off her sunsses and, holding a notebook, walked leisurely toward the backstage.

    Having spent some money and used her connections, she headed straight to the backstage, nning to get an autograph from Luca.

    But just as she turned the corner to the hallway of thepetitors¡¯ resting rooms, she suddenly caught sight of Qiao Jing and Zeng Xiangyang.

    She abruptly halted her steps and stood at the corner, secretly observing the two.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand and knocked on the door of the resting room.

    "Thud thud thud¡ª"

    It wasn¡¯t long before Lin Yun came out from inside.

    Upon seeing Lin Yun, Zeng Xiangyang immediately put on an adoring expression.

    "Lin Yun bro! You were amazing today!"

    Lin Yun nced at Qiao Jing and then turned to Zeng Xiangyang.

    "You go in, I have something to discuss with Qiao Jing. You can get autographs from them. I¡¯ll give you mer."

    Hearing this great news, Zeng Xiangyang quickly slipped into the resting room and thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

    Qiao Jing looked at Lin Yun with a puzzled face and asked,

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Why did Lin Yun give her the impression that he had something very important to tell her?

    She paused for a moment, not forgetting to offer her congrattions.

    "Congrattions on winning thepetition."

    Lin Yun nodded and then stared at Qiao Jing with aplex expression for a good while. He hesitated for quite some time before he slowly began to speak.

    "How have you been feeling...tely?"

    Ever since he learned about Qiao Jing¡¯s pregnancy, he felt that something was off with his mood, bing very irritable.

    In the end, he thought, maybe he really had fallen for Qiao Jing as his manager had said.

    But Qiao Jing was already married and pregnant. Shouldn¡¯t he stop pursuing her? Yet, his body was honest and couldn¡¯t help but invite her to watch his match.

    Qiao Jing knew Lin Yun was asking about her pregnancy, and she furrowed her brows slightly.

    "I¡¯m very well."

    She had thought Lin Yun this "naughty kid" had some other important question to ask her, but he was just inquiring about her health.

    Lin Yun clenched his fists, looked at Qiao Jing for a few seconds, and then slowly rxed them.

    "How are things between you and Zhan Qipei...?"

    Though he wanted to restrain himself from seeking out Qiao Jing, he just couldn¡¯t do it.

    If Qiao Jing hadn¡¯te to watch his match today, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could have stayed in form. The name Qiao Jing was like a heavy stone pressing on his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

    Hearing Lin Yun¡¯s words, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t cover up much and replied truthfully,

    "What do you mean ¡¯how¡¯? It¡¯s the same as before. Is there anything else? If not, I¡¯ll go fetch Zeng Xiangyang."

    Who knows if Zeng Xiangyang would cling on chatting with thepetitors inside.

    Lin Yun frowned deeply, and just as Qiao Jing was about to open the door of the resting room, he stepped forward a few paces and grabbed her arm.

    "Qiao Jing, can you please stop ignoring me?"

    After he spoke, he realized that these were not the words he was supposed to say and coughed to hide his embarrassment.

    "No, it should be you pleading with me, asking me not to ignore you."

    Qiao Jing halted her steps and looked at Lin Yun as if looking at a child.

    "When have I ever ignored you?"

    It¡¯s not like they had just stopped contacting each other recently for no reason; how did it turn into her ignoring someone?

    Suddenly, she sharply sensed someone at the corner.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her hand and stepped forward, intending to walk to the corner, but just then, the sound of a door opening made her stop in her tracks.

    Zeng Xiangyang poked his head out from the break room and, seeing that Qiao Jing and Lin Yun had stopped talking, finally stepped out.

    "Master, I¡¯m ready!"

    Qiao Jing turned back to nce at Zeng Xiangyang and was about to ask him to wait a bit longer when hurried footsteps came from around the corner, which soon receded in the distance.

    Her brows tightly furrowed, she hurried to the corner, hoping to see who it was when she came face to face with a cleaner.

    The cleaner, holding a mop in hand, was startled by the sudden appearance of Qiao Jing.

    "My goodness, you scared me to death..."

    Realizing it was just a cleaner, Qiao Jing frowned, still feeling that something was off.

    "Was anyone else here just now, besides you?"

    She could clearly sense that someone had been standing there not long before and had hurriedly left.

    The questioned cleaner was stunned for a moment, thought hard, and then shook his head.

    "No, I just remembered I didn¡¯t bring the mop with me, so I ran back to get it. I didn¡¯t see anyone on the way there or back."

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, looked up at the nearby fire escape, and her eyes darkened.

    Her intuition told her that the person who had been standing there wasn¡¯t the cleaner but someone else.

    Since the cleaner hadn¡¯t seen anyone else in the corridor, it proved that the person might have hidden themselves, possibly right behind this fire escape.

    Qiao Jing took a step towards the door of the fire escape.

    Atst, Qiao Jing¡¯s steps halted in front of the fire door, she reached out to the doorknob, and gently applied pressure, ready to push it open.

    Qiao Mengtong, who was hiding in the fire escape, leaned her back against the door, listening to the increasingly closer footsteps outside, her heart pounding wildly.

    She couldn¡¯t be about to be discovered, could she? If she was found out, what excuse would she find??

    Just then, Zeng Xiangyang, who had just gotten Lin Yun¡¯s autograph, suddenly approached Qiao Jing.

    "Master, let¡¯s go back! I¡¯ve collected all the autographs from the Star team! Hahaha!"

    Qiao Jing, about to open the door, paused mid-motion and furrowed her brows as she looked at Zeng Xiangyang.

    "Wait."

    With that, she pushed the door to the fire escape open, only to see the empty corridor.

    Zeng Xiangyang curiously looked into the fire escape where there was nothing to see.

    "What¡¯s up with this ce?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond, simply shut the door to the fire escape again.

    "It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s go."

    No one in the fire escape? Could it really be that she was overthinking?

    Zeng Xiangyang uttered an "oh" and began walking towards the exit.

    Qiao Jing turned back to greet Lin Yun before leaving together.

    Qiao Mengtong, hiding behind the fire escape door, breathed a sigh of relief. Once she heard Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating footsteps, she happily took out her phone, and opened the photo album.

    From the angle of the shot, one of the photos made it look like Lin Yun was holding onto Qiao Jing, suggesting a very intimate rtionship between the two.

    Looking at the photo, she revealed a sly smile of satisfaction.

    "Qiao Jing, oh Qiao Jing, I¡¯ve finally got you by the heel!"

    Fortunately, she had paid close attention today, or she wouldn¡¯t have been able to capture such a good photo!

    If she spent some money to buy a trending spot, sting this photo out there... hehe!

    Just-crowned world champion Lin Yun and the rumored affair with the wife of Zhan Corporation¡¯s heir, the scandal was bound to be explosive!

    But... what she wanted was far more than just leaking the photo; that would be letting Qiao Jing off too easily!

    She nned to use this photo elsewhere!

    With that thought, she exited the photo album and opened her messaging app.

 Chapter 724 - 713: Someone is Taking Pictures Secretly

    <h4>Chapter 724: Chapter 713: Someone is Taking Pictures Secretly</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Mengtong found Qiao Jing¡¯s phone number and swiftly sent the photos and text message over.

    "If you don¡¯t want these exposed in a moment,e find me at the caf¨¦ on Ronghua Road. A scandal involving Lin Yun, who just won the world championship, and the young mistress of Zhan Corporation, should be of interest to many, right?"

    After sending this message, Qiao Mengtong felt a sense of relief wash over her and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a smug satisfaction inside.

    It seemed she was finally going to turn the tables!

    Qiao Jing, today I¡¯m going to make you lose all face!!

    At this moment, Qiao Jing had just seen Zeng Xiangyang off in a taxi when she felt her phone suddenly ding with a notification.

    She was about to check it, her hand pausing just a moment from helping close the car door, when Zeng Xiangyang quickly pulled it shut and rolled down the window.

    "Master, aren¡¯t youing back?"

    Qiao Jing responded with a nonchnt "Mhm" as she took out her phone and started walking around to the other side of the car to get in.

    But as she took just a few steps, she saw the photo and threatening text message sent by Qiao Mengtong.

    Looking at the photo of herself and Lin Yun, she stopped in her tracks.

    Indeed, her intuition had been correct; someone had been standing at the corner, only she hadn¡¯t expected it to be Qiao Mengtong, and even more unexpectedly, that she hadn¡¯t found anyone after pushing open the door to the fire escape.

    Just then, she suddenly remembered that someone could hide behind the door to the fire escape; if she had gone to check at the time, she definitely would have found Qiao Mengtong.

    Zeng Xiangyang saw Qiao Jing standing by the car door, not opening it, and shifted his position toe to the window on her side, lowering it.

    "Master, what are you looking at? Why aren¡¯t you getting in?"

    Qiao Jing put away her phone, her expression indifferent:

    "I have something to do, you go on ahead."

    After dropping this line, she walked off in another direction.

    Although she had been involved in a scandal with Lin Yun before which was quickly rified, and both fans andizens tended to believe they were just friends...

    But this time was different. If a scandal involving Lin Yun broke out just after he had won the worldpetition, it would still have some impact, especially since the angle of the photo was indeed misleading.

    That brat, luckily he hadn¡¯t held her wrist; otherwise she really would be stained, unable to wash clean even if she jumped into the Yellow River.

    Not long after, Qiao Jing arrived at the caf¨¦ mentioned by Qiao Mengtong.

    She advanced a few steps and pushed open the door to the caf¨¦, immediately spotting Qiao Mengtong, sitting leisurely in the center of the store, sipping her coffee.

    Seeing Qiao Jing arrive, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s coffee-drinking hand paused, and then she slightly raised her chin.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯re here," she said.

    Qiao Jing gave a cursory nce to Qiao Mengtong, still wrapped up like a mummy, and sat down directly in front of her.

    Her red lips parted lightly, and she slowly uttered one word.

    "Speak."

    She didn¡¯t want to waste words with Qiao Mengtong.

    Qiao Mengtong put down her coffee cup and revealed a somewhat manic smile on her face.

    "Do you want me to delete that photo? Actually, I didn¡¯t just take one photo, you know. When they¡¯re exposed, it¡¯s bound to be explosive."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate eyebrows lifted slightly as she got straight to the point:

    "Terms."

    Although she knew that Qiao Mengtong wouldn¡¯t easily delete the photos, she was curious to see what kind of conditions the other party would propose.

    Qiao Mengtongughed out "ha-ha," shaking her phone in front of Qiao Jing.

    "I just love how straightforward you are. My terms aren¡¯t too excessive, just kneel down publicly to apologize to me, p yourself a hundred times, and admit that you¡¯re a bitch and a whore, that¡¯s all."

    She was going to take out her phone shortly, to take plenty of pictures. Today, she could finally turn the tables!

    Qiao Jing, oh Qiao Jing, who would have thought, you¡¯d have a day like this!

    Previously, it was always this bitch Qiao Jing who stole the spotlight, and because of her, she suffered torment from Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei to the point of half-death.

    Today, she could finally get her revenge on Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her phoenix eyes, shooting an icy re straight at Qiao Mengtong, her expression chillingly cold.

    Qiao Mengtong felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet straight to the crown of her head as Qiao Jing looked at her like that.

    This gave her a sudden ominous premonition. Why did Qiao Jing seem like she didn¡¯t care about those photos at all?

    If she truly didn¡¯t care about those photos, how could she possibly havee here?

    But these were not the points that concerned her the most. What was going on with Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor, looking like everything was under her control?

    Qiao Mengtong felt even more panicky when she saw Qiao Jing suddenly take out her phone and fiddle with it.

    "What do you mean? You don¡¯t want me to delete the photos anymore?"

    Hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Qiao Jing just indifferently raised her eyes to nce at her and then returned her gaze elsewhere.

    Her eyes fell on the phone screen, watching a string after string of code sh by.

    Before long, an album appeared on her screen, showing the most recently taken photos.

    Qiao Jing moved her fingers and directly deleted the few joint photos of herself and Lin Yun. Just when she was about to exit, her fingers identally slid up.

    What followed was an eye-witness to some indecent photos of Qiao Mengtong, and almost every once in a while, the man appearing in the photos with her changed.

    First there were Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, then some potbellied men, all sorts of them.

    Qiao Jing felt her eyes burn, and without hesitation, she deleted all those photos.

    Seeing Qiao Jingpletely ignore her, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s ominous premonition intensified. She immediately took out her phone and opened the album.

    She didn¡¯t believe that once she brought out the photos, Qiao Jing could remain so calm!

    But when she opened the album, she found all the photos stored there had been wiped clean!

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face froze, and she let out a gasp of shock.

    "Where are my photos? Where did they go?"

    As she said that, she exited the album and re-entered several times, only to find it was no use.

    After seeing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s current state, Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. She opened the screenshots she had taken earlier and handed her phone screen over to her, shaking the phone.

    "Are you looking for these?"

    Qiao Mengtong was startled mid-action while restarting her phone, looking irritably towards Qiao Jing with furrowed brows.

    "Don¡¯t bother me right now©¤©¤"

    She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she saw clearly what was on Qiao Jing¡¯s phone screen, which were full of photos of her with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, and with some directors and screenwriters.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s eyes widened in shock, as if they were about to pop out. She lunged forward, trying to snatch Qiao Jing¡¯s phone.

    "Ahh! You bitch, give me that phone!"

    Qiao Jing quickly retracted her phone, causing Qiao Mengtong to lunge at air, almost sprawling over the coffee table.

    In her frenzy, Qiao Mengtong also knocked over the coffee on the table, spilling it all over herself.

 Chapter 725 - 714 Threatening Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 725: Chapter 714 Threatening Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Mengtong nced down at her coffee-stained dress and quickly averted her gaze.

    Right now, she couldn¡¯t care less about that, her sole focus was on seizing the mobile phone from Qiao Jing¡¯s hands.

    She didn¡¯t know how that bitch Qiao Jing managed to erase her album and transfer it to her own phone, but those photos absolutely couldn¡¯t be exposed!

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had already left her seat, Qiao Mengtong hurriedly got up, reaching out to snatch the phone again.

    Qiao Jing casually sidestepped, easily dodging Qiao Mengtong¡¯s hands and causing her to lunge at nothing several times.

    "Don¡¯t bother wasting your energy."

    She didn¡¯t even need to move much to easily evade; Qiao Mengtong would definitely end up face-nting if she kept this up.

    Biting her lip, Qiao Mengtong saw that no matter what, she couldn¡¯t catch Qiao Jing¡¯s hand; provoked by that remark, she lunged with her whole body at the other woman.

    If she could just tackle Qiao Jing, she could take the phone!

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in disbelief, quickly stepping back several paces.

    It seemed that Qiao Mengtong really wouldn¡¯t turn back until she hit a wall.

    Just as Qiao Mengtong flung half of her body out, confident of victory, she saw Qiao Jing retreating several steps back.

    iling desperately with her hands, she managed to stabilize her body in an utterly ridiculous pose, using her hands to support herself off the floor.

    But her sunsses had fallen off, and her coffee-soaked clothes started to cling tighter.

    Suddenly, a man at the next table seemed to recognize Qiao Mengtong.

    "Isn¡¯t that the woman who shot the coconut juice ad at the beach?"

    The woman sitting next to the man, his wife, pinched his ear hard upon hearing this.

    "Whether she is or isn¡¯t, how dare you watch such eye-watering ads? That woman¡¯s name is... Qiao Mengtong, right? She¡¯s just out to make a spectacle of herself, always skirting the edge!"

    Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Qiao Mengtong covered the cloth over her chest and clumsily stood up from the ground.

    She walked briskly to where Qiao Jing stood and said through clenched teeth:

    "You actually transferred these pictures! Delete all of them now! Otherwise©¤"

    She was cut off before she could finish, by Qiao Jing.

    "Otherwise what? What can you do to me? What are you going to threaten me with?"

    She had already deleted all the photos of Qiao Mengtong she had taken and now held leverage over her.

    She wanted to see what Qiao Mengtong could possibly use to threaten her.

    Stumped by Qiao Jing¡¯s triple-barreled question, Qiao Mengtong stood frozen, staring dazedly at the other woman.

    Yeah... right now, it seemed she really couldn¡¯t do anything to Qiao Jing.

    After all, her photos were not only deleted, but her past photos were also erased by the other party, who copied a set, now holding it over her as leverage.

    Qiao Jing curled her lips into a smile, pocketed the phone, and just watched Qiao Mengtong.

    Teeth itching with rage, Qiao Mengtong gritted in annoyance.

    She couldn¡¯t beat Qiao Jing in a fight or an argument; she had even been ckmailed by her! And the Zhan family was fiercely protecting Qiao Jing.

    She just didn¡¯t understand what was so good about that bitch Qiao Jing.

    But now, being ckmailed by Qiao Jing, she dared not speak too sharply for fear that Qiao Jing would expose those pictures.

    Clenching her fists tightly, Qiao Mengtong feigned a look of defeat.

    "Then what do you want before you¡¯ll delete my photos?"

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrow slightly, looking at Qiao Mengtong with a smirk.

    "You¡¯ve already said it."

    Startled by Qiao Jing¡¯s statement, Qiao Mengtong was taken aback, not immediately grasping her meaning.

    After a while, she remembered her earlier request to delete the photos, all of those words about kneeling down to apologize in public, pping herself, and admitting she was a "cheap person" smashing the table and more.

    She clenched her fists so tightly that her flesh deeply embedded into her own skin without her even realizing it.

    Qiao Mengtong concocted in her mind a scene of her kneeling before Qiao Jing, begging for mercy.

    Just the thought of that image made her entire body tremble as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    "Does it have to be here?"

    She should never have chosen this coffee shop with the highest foot traffic, where so many people were gathered; if she kneeled now, she would surely be seen by many, maybe even recorded on video!

    Qiao Jing nodded expressionlessly, her red lips parting slightly as she slowly uttered four words.

    "Reap what you sow."

    All of this was chosen by Qiao Mengtong herself, and it had nothing to do with her, including the choice to do it in a coffee shop crowded with people.

    The schemes Qiao Mengtong had painstakingly devised never ounted for beingpletely overturned; she would never be the one to end up embarrassed.

    Qiao Mengtong eyed the onlookers around her, struggling frantically inside.

    No! She couldn¡¯t kneel to Qiao Jing in this ce!

    She set her face in a defiant expression towards Qiao Jing.

    "I won¡¯t kneel!"

    Qiao Jing nodded thoughtfully and took out her phone from her pocket.

    "Since you¡¯re unwilling, I¡¯ll just send it out; I¡¯ve already given you a chance."

    It was not that she was overly aggressive, but there was no need to show mercy when dealing with scum like Qiao Mengtong.

    This punishment was light enough, nothing more than letting the wicked suffer the consequences of their actions.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she didn¡¯t want to carry out a more severe punishment before the birth of her three children, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s fate would have been even more miserable than it was now.

    Qiao Mengtong nced at the people around her, squatted down to pick up her sunsses from the ground, and put them back on her face.

    After a long internal struggle, she finally clenched her teeth and kneeled in front of Qiao Jing.

    "I¡¯m sorry."

    Qiao Jing watched Qiao Mengtong impassively, her eyes narrowing slightly.

    "And then?"

    She wouldn¡¯t let Qiao Mengtong off so easily.

    Qiao Mengtong forced her hand to move stiffly to her face, raising it.

    But as her hand was about to strike her face, she hesitated.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing unlocked her phone, pulled up some photos, andid them out in front of Qiao Mengtong.

    As soon as Qiao Mengtong saw them, her hands began to tremble uncontrobly, yet she still refused to p herself.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and switched directly to a social media app, preparing the images.

    She raised her finger over the send button, poised to press it down.

    Scared, Qiao Mengtong began to p her cheeks relentlessly, her voice quivering as she said:

    "I am the cheap one, I am the failure, I am the cheap one!"

    Those photos absolutely could not be exposed! Her only livelihood now was in the entertainment industry, earning money by shooting smallmercials.

    If those photos were exposed, not only would she be cklisted, attacked byizens for a lifetime, but she would also lose any chance ofnding advertisements and would be utterly ruined!

    Without uttering a word, Qiao Jing took a seat on another chair, looking down at Qiao Mengtong from her elevated position.

    While pping her face, Qiao Mengtong realized that she and Qiao Jing had formed a dynamic where one was high above and the other lowly beneath.

    She was furious inside, yet she dared not show any dissatisfaction.

 Chapter 726 - 715 I Want You to Go with Me

    <h4>Chapter 726: Chapter 715 I Want You to Go with Me</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing stared expressionlessly at Qiao Mengtong, silently counting in her head.

    Once Qiao Mengtong had pped herself a hundred times, she opened her phone again, ready to delete the photos.

    However, she suddenly realized that Qiao Mengtong, perhaps stupefied, continued to p herself like a robot even after a hundred ps.

    Qiao Jing, somewhat speechless, tugged at the corner of her mouth and called out to stop.

    "Enough."

    Only then did Qiao Mengtonge to her senses and realize she was still kneeling on the ground, pping herself. She felt so ashamed she almost wanted to crawl into a hole.

    She tentatively touched her face, only for a burning pain to make her reflexively pull back her hand and gasp sharply.

    "Hiss©¤"

    Qiao Mengtong nced around and noticed everyone staring at her; a few even pulled out their phones to take pictures.

    However, she didn¡¯t mind, confident no one could recognize her with a mask and sunsses on.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s mind waspletely focused on those photos, utterly indifferent to the bystanders¡¯ stares.

    She got up from the ground on hands and knees, grinding her teeth as she said:

    "Qiao Jing, are you satisfied now? Can you delete the photos now?"

    Qiao Jing pulled out her phone and, in front of Qiao Mengtong, quickly deleted all the photos before walking toward the exit.

    She couldn¡¯t bother dealing with Qiao Mengtong anymore, nor did she want to keep those eyesore photos.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing delete all the photos, Qiao Mengtong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Her eyes dark and unyielding, she kept staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure as if trying to bore a hole through her back.

    A vicious smile spread across Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face as she let out a soft chuckle.

    "Hehehe..."

    Ha! Luckily, she had a backup n; she had sent those photos to a friend in advance and kept the chat records. When the time came, she would just save them again.

    Now that Qiao Jing had deleted all the photos, without any leverage against her, Mengtong could still use those photos to continue threatening her!

    Soon, it would be Qiao Jing kneeling on the ground!

    The onlookers, seeing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s fierce smile, were all startled and quickly averted their gazes.

    Just as she reached the door, Qiao Jing paused and looked back at Qiao Mengtong.

    Qiao Mengtong, not expecting Qiao Jing to turn around suddenly, hadn¡¯t managed to conceal her fierce smile in time.

    As Qiao Jing noticed Qiao Mengtong¡¯s smile, she slightly curved her lips upward with a coldugh:

    "Although I don¡¯t know if you have backups of those photos, I do. You better not have any crooked ideas."

    Originally, she only suspected a person like Qiao Mengtong might have a contingency n, so she had prepared one to counter her.

    But now it seemed that Qiao Mengtong indeed had backups.

    Indeed, one should never be merciful when dealing with such scum.

    After dropping this remark, she opened the door of the caf¨¦ and walked out.

    Qiao Mengtong waspletely dumbstruck, standing still, staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure.

    A sense of fear gradually spread from her heart to her limbs, causing her hands and feet to slowly grow numb.

    She had thought she could use the backup photos to threaten Qiao Jing, but to her surprise, thetter had also secretly prepared!

    That bitch, Qiao Jing!

    Meanwhile, as Qiao Jing was preparing to hail a taxi by the roadside, she suddenly received a call from Zhan Qipei.

    Looking at the caller¡¯s name reminded her that Zhan Qipei had said he woulde pick her up after thepetition.

    She had forgotten about it due to dealing with Qiao Mengtong¡¯s matter.

    Qiao Jing quickly pressed the answer button.

    "I¡¯m by the caf¨¦, I¡¯ll send you my location."

    Zhan Qipei uttered a grunt and nced at the two invitations ced on the front passenger seat.

    He drove to where Qiao Jing was located.

    Momentster, Qiao Jing saw a very familiar car appear in her line of sight.

    She watched the car stop in front of her, then the window rolled down, revealing Zhan Qipei¡¯s stunningly handsome face.

    Zhan Qipei got out of the car and opened the passenger door for Qiao Jing.

    "Get in the car first, I have something I want to tell you."

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes.

    Just as she was about to get into the car, from the corner of her eye, she suddenly spotted the two invitations on the front passenger seat and instantly understood.

    She responded affirmatively.

    "Alright."

    Meanwhile, Qiao Mengtong, with both hands clutched to her chest, walked out of the caf¨¦ in a disheveled state.

    Then, she immediately noticed the limited edition luxury car across the street, her eyes lighting up instantly.

    Which rich young master or wealthy person was this? How had she never seen him before?

    Right after, she saw Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure, who was at that moment opening the car door for... for Qiao Jing?!

    The stark contrast between Qiao Jing at that moment and her disheveled state was extreme.

    Qiao Mengtong clenched her fists in frustration and stared in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction, muttering to herself:

    "Bitch!"

    She really didn¡¯t understand what was so good about that bitch Qiao Jing that warranted such protection. It was just because she looked a bit prettier, after all, it¡¯s not like she wasn¡¯t attractive!

    Sitting in the car, Qiao Jing was at that moment browsing through the invitations.

    She noticed that one of the invitations was indeed addressed to her.

    Zhan Qipei started the car and was just about to speak when he noticed Qiao Jing had already seen the invitation.

    He pursed his thin lips and tentatively asked:

    "Can you apany me to tonight¡¯s business gathering?"

    He knew Qiao Jing disliked these high-profile events, so he specifically mentioned needing a woman to apany him.

    He had already decided that for all future gatherings, Qiao Jing would be his femalepanion, letting everyone in the imperial city know that any banquet he attended would be graced with femalepanionship.

    More importantly, having Qiao Jing as hispanion at every banquet also signified how highly he regarded women.

    Upon seeing the invitation, Qiao Jing¡¯s initial reaction was to refuse, but after hearing Zhan Qipei speak ofpanionship, she began to hesitate.

    After all, she knew Zhan Qipei disliked her interacting with other men, yet in the end, she agreed.

    Though it was a reluctant agreement.

    Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s hesitation and seized the moment to speak.

    "I want you to apany me to this."

    He knew well that Qiao Jing responded better to gentle persuasion than to force, so he always handled these matters delicately.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow lightly and nced at Zhan Qipei.

    "Let me think about it."

    Although she was off today, she had just finished watching a match, and if she had to rush to a banquet after only a few hours of rest at home, wouldn¡¯t it be too exhausting?

    Zhan Qipei was aware of Qiao Jing¡¯s concerns, his dense brows knitted together, his expression very solemn.

    "I won¡¯t force you. If you feel tired and prefer to rest at home well, I will stay with you."

    Giving up a business gathering to spend time with Qiao Jing was, without hesitation, his preferred choice.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes in exasperation.

    "Are you saying that if I go, you¡¯ll go, and if I don¡¯t, you won¡¯t?"

 Chapter 727 - 716: Forcing Qiao Jing to Make a Choice

    <h4>Chapter 727: Chapter 716: Forcing Qiao Jing to Make a Choice</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, and with his dark eyes, he just watched Qiao Jing, not saying a word.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s stubborn demeanor, Qiao Jing understood the man¡¯s mindset and, in the end, let out a helpless sigh.

    "I¡¯ll go with you."

    She knew the significance of these business gatheringsy in facilitating conversation and cooperation betweenpanies, and if Zhan Qipei went, he could secure many deals.

    But this damned man, Zhan Qipei, actually nned not to go if she didn¡¯t, either.

    Only then did Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes light up, and he couldn¡¯t help but speed up the car a bit.

    In the evening, at the banquet entrance.

    Qiao Jing nced at the guestsing and going around her and then at Zhan Qipei before she took the initiative to push open the car door and step out first.

    "You go park the car, I¡¯ll wait for you here."

    Zhan Qipei nodded, responded, and then drove off to the underground parking lot.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing stood at the entrance, waiting for Zhan Qipei¡¯s return.

    After waiting for a while and not seeing Zhan Qipei, she took out her mobile phone, ready to send a message and ask.

    Just then, Qiao Jing distinctly felt someone approach her.

    She paused in her typing, thinking Zhan Qipei had returned, and looked up at the person.

    "Let¡¯s go in¡ª"

    She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she realized that the person in front of her wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei, but Wu Xirui.

    Meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Wu Xirui shed his signature smile, looking at her with eyes crinkled in mirth.

    "Long time no see."

    Qiao Jing gave a slight nod in response.

    Observing the entrance to the banquet hall behind Qiao Jing, Wu Xirui¡¯s smile deepened.

    "Attending the banquet? Aren¡¯t you the one who hates ces where you need to show your face the most?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, speaking slowly:

    "It¡¯s none of your business. If there is nothing else, I¡¯m going in."

    If Zhan Qipei came back to find her still chatting with Wu Xirui, that damned man would definitely get jealous.

    To avoid that situation, she chose to enter the venue ahead of time.

    Seeing Qiao Jing heading straight inside, Wu Xirui followed quickly, stepping in front of her.

    This time, he didn¡¯t beat around the bush but got straight to the point:

    "Qiao Jing, the Zhan Family and me, which will you choose? Or are you saying you¡¯ll remain neutral, not getting involved in our affairs?"

    This time, he was fully prepared, not nning to y small tricks like before.

    This time, he was ready to either take over every industry and coboration of Zhan Corporation, or set up apany in opposition to Zhan Qipei.

    Hearing Wu Xirui speak, Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and subconsciously raised her hand to touch her slightly protruding belly.

    "What if I choose the Zhan Family?"

    In such a situation, whether for the sake of the baby in her womb or considering that everyone in the Zhan Family had been so good to her, she would choose the Zhan Family in her heart.

    She was, after all, somewhat aware of some matters between Wu Xirui and the Zhan Family. His asking her this question meant that there were significant moves toe.

    Seeing Qiao Jing had made her choice, the smile disappeared from Wu Xirui¡¯s face, reced with a forced grin.

    Heughed lowly.

    "So it seems, my charm is still no match for Zhan Qipei. Your identity is not only Divine Doctor Jing but also the world-renowned Professor Qiao. If you have chosen to help Zhan Qipei, it looks indeed like the Zhan Family has a greater chance of winning."

    He paused as he spoke, then his gaze fell on Qiao Jing once again.

    "However... I¡¯ve also umted so much over the years, and I¡¯ve spent a lot of effort to prepare against the Zhan Family, so I won¡¯t give up. Besides, I don¡¯t think that I am certain to lose."

    For all these years, he had prepared so much just to defeat Zhan Corporation.

    For that moment, he had exhausted a massive amount of energy, and this time, if he couldn¡¯t make Zhan Corporationpletely suffer a loss, he would at least strip ayer of skin from them.

    Qiao Jing tightly furrowed her brows, her face expressionless as she looked at Wu Xirui and discovered that his face was dark yet held a smile.

    "About your mother¡¯s matter, I have also heard a bit."

    She knew that Wu Xirui was definitely going to make a big move this time, and what consequences would arise from it were beyond predictability.

    Although she could use her own identity to help the Zhan Family, after all, she was not a businessperson, so it was actually somewhat troublesome.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the little bit of gentleness on Wu Xirui¡¯s face vanished, reced by gloom.

    He raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance as he asked:

    "Oh? What do you know?"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, speaking slowly.

    "This is your family affair, which I originally didn¡¯t want to meddle in, but I want to ask you a question."

    She paused before continuing:

    "If Grandpa Zhan had handed over the family business to your mother back then, how would Zhan Qipei or Uncle Zhan feel? They would definitely be ufortable in their hearts and would choose to seek revenge just like you. What kind of picture would that be then?"

    Although she knew it was unlikely to make Wu Xirui empathize, she still couldn¡¯t help but try.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s peach blossom eyes, always brimming with a yful curve, gradually grew cold, and he let out a coldugh.

    "I know what you¡¯re trying to say. Nothing more than you think I shouldn¡¯t take such actions. But I don¡¯t care about the process, I only look at the results. If it weren¡¯t for them, my mother wouldn¡¯t have died so early, so this vengeance, I will certainly seek."

    The notion that had cemented in his heart for so many years wouldn¡¯t change easily.

    Seeing that Wu Xirui¡¯s mind was made up, Qiao Jing knew her words were of no use and stopped paying him attention.

    Just then, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of Zhan Qipei walking in her direction.

    And... the man¡¯s face was gloomy beyond measure, as if he was about to drip water.

    Qiao Jing knew Zhan Qipei was jealous. With some speechlessness, she tugged at the corner of her mouth and stepped towards the man.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing actively walking in his direction, Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes instantly brightened, and his gloomy face vanished at once.

    He wasn¡¯t seeing things, was he? Qiao Jing was actually moving toward him?

    He didn¡¯t even need to dere his territory over Wu Xirui.

    Qiao Jing arrived next to Zhan Qipei, her red lips slightly parting.

    "Let¡¯s go."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved into a smile, his eyebrows filled with joy. Then he took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, guiding it to his arm.

    Seeing the two linking arms, he then nodded in satisfaction.

    "Good."

    This entire scene fell into Wu Xirui¡¯s eyes, darkening his expression instantly.

    With a gaze as cold and ominous as that of a venomous snake, he watched the two of them walking away.

    The ones who should die were from the Zhan Family, not his mother.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei¡¯s steps halted, and he turned back to look at Wu Xirui, sessfully meeting his gaze.

    A prelude to a battle of stares ensued, with neither of the two yielding in presence!

 Chapter 728 - 717: Not Good! Right Eye Twitching Disaster

    <h4>Chapter 728: Chapter 717: Not Good! Right Eye Twitching Disaster</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing noticed that Zhan Qipei had suddenly stopped and turned her head to look at the man, only to find him engaged in a silent battle of wills with Wu Xirui.

    She rolled her eyes speechlessly and let go of Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, preparing to enter on her own.

    When he felt Qiao Jing pulling away her hand, Zhan Qipei immediately withdrew his gaze and followed behind the woman.

    ¡ª¡ª

    The next day, at the research institute.

    Qiao Jing had just arrived at herboratory to find an additional person there that day, Xu Moqian.

    At the moment, Zhan Nanqing was sitting on the couch, hands folded across her chest, staring at Xu Moqian with a speechless expression.

    "What are you doing here?"

    Xu Moqian "tch"-ed and plonked himself onto another couch, even rudely propping his legs up in an exaggerated slouch.

    "I¡¯m here to see Sister Jing, not you. Why are you ring at me? You think ring at me will scare me or something?"

    Qiao Jing watched these two mortal enemies and pursed her lips helplessly, then started walking into theboratory.

    After hearing noise from the doorway, Xu Moqian shifted his gaze towards the direction of the entrance.

    When his eyes met Qiao Jing¡¯s, he immediately dropped his careless demeanor.

    "Sister Jing, you¡¯re here!"

    Zhan Nanqing stopped squabbling with Xu Moqian as well and stood up from the couch.

    "Professor Qiao, good morning!"

    Qiao Jing saw that neither of them continued arguing and nodded her head.

    Just as she was getting ready to start working, she suddenly felt her right eyelid twitch.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows but didn¡¯t pay it much attention; however, as she got to theb bench, her eyelid twitched again.

    Unable to help it, she raised her hand to rub her eye, hoping to alleviate the sensation, but found the twitching seemed to elerate.

    She had to repeatedly rub her eyes.

    Noticing Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, Zhan Nanqing asked with concern:

    "What¡¯s wrong? Is your eye ufortable?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, and after her eye felt a bit better, she lowered her hand and replied to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s question.

    "My right eyelid is twitching."

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s response, Zhan Nanqing joked:

    "Your right eyelid is twitching? Isn¡¯t there a saying, ¡¯left for wealth, right for disaster¡¯? Could it be... you¡¯re not going to have some bad luck today, are you? Why else would it keep twitching?"

    After saying that, she covered her mouth.

    "Tsk tsk tsk, I¡¯m just joking, don¡¯t take it to heart, okay?"

    Xu Moqian, not liking to hear that, directly snapped back at Zhan Nanqing.

    "What kind of joke was that? You predict only the bad and not the good? With that crow¡¯s mouth of yours, you¡¯re not cursing Sister Jing, are you?"

    Zhan Nanqing initially felt a bit guilty, but when Xu Moqian snapped at her like that, she snapped back.

    "Nonsense! How could I possibly curse Qiao Jing? Wasn¡¯t that obviously a joke?"

    Seeing the two of them about to argue again, Qiao Jing had to intervene.

    "Enough, I need to work."

    Her eyelid wasn¡¯t twitching anymore; maybe she had been overthinking it.

    Buttely, she really did need to be more cautious about her surroundings.

    Meanwhile, at Imperial Capital Airport.

    A ne from the M country had justnded, and about a dozen men with blond hair and blue eyes descended, all wearing ck suits.

    These mysterious men carried suitcases and all wore ck sunsses uniformly.

    When they arrived at the airport, they immediately attracted the attention of passersby.

    After all, it was notmon for foreigners to dress in such an enigmatic manner, looking like they belonged to some organization.

    The man leading the group noticed the gazes of the people around him and frowned, instructing:

    "Act discreetly, do not attract the attention of the people around us. Later on, we will split up and take action. We have now obtained Professor Qiao¡¯s personal information, and we will act ordingly. This Professor Qiao has made significant contributions to the Empire, causing our country¡¯s agricultural development to fallpletely behind the Empire; we cannot continue like this."

    He paused and nced at the current time.

    "If we kidnap Professor Qiao and bring him to our country, then our nation will be able to develop faster and surpass the Empire. The mission given by our superiors must bepleted within two days. As an old saying in the Empire goes, this mission, we must seed or die in the attempt."

    A row of men in ck nodded solemnly, and then quickly dispersed, blending into the crowd and disappearing in no time.

    At the same time.

    Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui were locked in a head-on confrontation over a piece ofnd.

    This piece ofnd was a coveted prime location sought after by all merchants in the Imperial Capital; not only was it in the city center, but it also had an extremely high flow of people. If it were to be developed into a shopping mall, it would certainly make a fortune.

    However, with Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui participating in the auction, other merchants quietly withdrew, opting to watch from the sidelines.

    After all, why would mere mortals get involved in a battle between deities?

    Zhan Qipei sat in his seat, his thin lips pressed into a straight line with no curvature, his eyes dark and brooding as he watched Wu Xirui.

    He could have secured thend within his budget, but with Wu Xirui¡¯s involvement, the price was sure to be driven up beyond his budget.

    If he gave up thend to Wu Xirui, although thetter would suffer a loss for a while, the long-term rewards would be far greater.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s fingers rhythmically tapped on the armrest, meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze without flinching, and instead looked back smilingly.

    "Zhan Qipei, what a coincidence."

    Upon hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s words, a trace of ruthlessness flickered in Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes, and a chilling aura emanated from him.

    He slowly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile, but the coldness did not reach his eyes.

    "Coincidence?"

    He knew that Wu Xirui had intentionallye to the auction because of him.

    He could feel thattely, Wu Xirui¡¯s moves were getting bolder, not only trying to poach his partners but also sabotaging him in various ways. And today, Wu Xirui had deliberatelye to the auction, clearly meaning to oppose him.

    It looked like Wu Xirui was officially starting his revenge.

    Wu Xirui did not immediately respond to Zhan Qipei¡¯s words and instead pretended to casually raise his auction paddle.

    "Fifty million."

    After uttering these words, he turned his head towards Zhan Qipei.

    "Indeed, a coincidence. We both have our eyes on this piece ofnd."

    Zhan Qipei pursed his lips and, ignoring Wu Xirui, lifted his own paddle.

    "One hundred million."

    He had to secure thend today, otherwise Wu Xirui would gradually catch up to Zhan Corporation in the retail sector. Besides, he had been eyeing thisnd for a long time.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei raise the bid, Wu Xirui once again lifted his paddle without hesitation.

    "One hundred and twenty million."

    For him, whether or not he secured the plot ofnd was immaterial. He was simply there to inconvenience Zhan Qipei, forcing thetter to spend more money, although indeed, thend would bring greater benefits if developed into a shopping mall.

    However, that was not his focus at the moment.

    This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om

 Chapter 729 - 718: Wu Xirui Clinging to Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 729: Chapter 718: Wu Xirui Clinging to Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Eventually, Zhan Qipei bought the plot ofnd for two hundred million.

    Wu Xirui also stood up satisfied, straightened his suit, and before leaving, revealed a thought-provoking smile.

    "Zhan Qipei, this is just the beginning," he said.

    Zhan Qipei sat in his ce without speaking, but thoughtfully stroked his chin.

    After Wu Xirui had left, Tang Yan cautiously observed Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression and tentatively asked,

    "Boss... shall we go back?"

    Zhan Qipei nced at Tang Yan, then curved the corners of his lips, stood up, and walked outside.

    He had known all along that Wu Xirui hade to cause trouble, deliberately raising the price. Although he had bought thend above his budget, the return he would getter would be far more than two hundred million.

    After all, he was not short of those two hundred million to invest in building a shopping mall, and furthermore, Zhan Family¡¯s mall was right next to this plot ofnd, which couldter be connected for expansion.

    In fact, he was the ultimate winner.

    Shortly afterwards, Zhan Qipei received a call from Su Manhan.

    "Qipei,e back to Purple Garden for dinner tonight! Your grandpa has something to say," she said.

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei responded, but also sensed something was off.

    His mother had unexpectedly, for the first time ever, not asked him to bring Qiao Jing along?

    Doubt flickered in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, then he slowly said,

    "I¡¯ll bring Qiao Jing with me."

    On the other end, Su Manhan made a "hey" sound.

    "Qiao Jing is already on her way back, how could I not invite her? I called her first, then I called you. Don¡¯t worry, if anyone was to be forgotten, it wouldn¡¯t be Qiao Jing."

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei helplessly touched his forehead and responded.

    Inside Purple Garden, the family was sitting at the dining table.

    Qiao Jing originally was eating quietly, but upon hearing Zhan Yuanshan speak, she put down her chopsticks.

    Zhan Yuanshan stroked his beard and said with heartfelt emotion,

    "Qipei, I¡¯ve heard about the recent affairs of thepany, but I¡¯m relieved knowing you¡¯ve handled them well."

    After this statement, everyone at the table had a slightly more serious expression.

    Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, not expecting Wu Xirui to act so swiftly.

    Zhan Qipei knew he couldn¡¯t hide these matters from his family, so he never intended to.

    His eyes deepened and his lips lightly parted.

    "Grandpa, I can handle it on my own," he said.

    He knew not to underestimate Wu Xirui¡¯s power, although most of his main forces were in the M country. Wu Xirui¡¯spany in M country kept sending resources back home and gradually began to take over territory in the capital.

    But Zhan Corporation wasn¡¯t weak either. Rooted in the capital for decades, how could they be defeated by apany that had returned to the country not long ago?

    Zhan Yuanshan looked at Zhan Qipei for a long time, finally sighed.

    "I know, I trust you. Actually, Wu Xirui isn¡¯t a bad kid either; he¡¯s just toopetitive, exactly like his mother. Indeed, I was somewhat unfair to Yingying back then. However, if I had to choose again, I would still entrust Zhan¡¯s business to Qipei to manage."

    As Zhan Yuanshan said this, he paused, his expression growing more somber.

    "This child is too ambitious, and Yingying was the same, rebellious in nature with thorns that were too sharp. It was because of this that I worried if the management of Zhan Corporation were entrusted to your aunt, it might be ruined in her hands. After all, her management philosophy and thepany¡¯s current model arepletely pr opposites. If there was a sudden shift in management philosophy, thepany might not survive," he said.

    After hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her phoenix eyes, a hint of depth crossing her gaze.

    This was the first time she hade to understand the situation back then; she had only heard a rough outline before. Now, hearing Grandpa Zhan borate, not giving thepany to Wu Xirui¡¯s mother back then was the right choice.

    Just as everyone was having a lively conversation, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone suddenly rang.

    All eyes in the room were drawn to Qiao Jing, making her somewhat embarrassed.

    Qiao Jing frowned and quickly turned her phone to silent.

    "Sorry."

    She had rushed to Purple Garden directly from the institute after receiving a call from Su Manhan, forgetting to turn on the silence mode on the way.

    Su Manhan quickly waved her hand.

    "No problem, why apologize? You first check the message. If it¡¯s urgent, I¡¯ll have Qipei drive you. We don¡¯t mind," she said.

    Sitting next to Su Manhan, Zhan Nanqing nearly choked with anger upon hearing these words.

    She had just made a motion to go get her phone and had been scolded half to death by her mother, and now, saying they didn¡¯t mind and even letting Qiao Jing leave straight away was too much.

    Her brother had a wife and forgot his sister, and her mother had a daughter-inw and forgot her daughter.

    Qiao Jing had originally intended to turn off her phonepletely, but then she saw that the person who had sent the message was actually Wu Xirui, the focal point of the discussion.

    She was silent for a few seconds, intending to open and nce at the message before shutting off her phone.

    After unlocking her phone, Qiao Jing casually nced at the message Wu Xirui had sent.

    "I¡¯ve been feeling unwell these past few days; can youe and check on me now?" it read.

    Qiao Jing deeply furrowed her brows and nced at the other people sitting at the dining table.

    She hesitated for a while but then decided to put her phone away, nning to respond to Wu Xirui¡¯s message after finishing her meal.

    On the other side, seeing that he hadn¡¯t received a response from Qiao Jing, Wu Xirui swirled his wine ss in one hand while rhythmically tapping the table with the other.

    He nced at the unresponsive phone screen, and the smile on his face slowly turned cold.

    After a brief silence, Wu Xirui opened the keyboard and sent another message.

    When Qiao Jing felt her phone vibrate silently with the receipt of the message, she pursed her red lips.

    This time, she didn¡¯t hesitate, and unnoticed by others, she turned on her phone and saw another message from Wu Xirui.

    "Because of the thing with Zhan Qipei, are you going to leave me to die?" it read.

    Seeing this message, she didn¡¯t know whether she should be angry or even angrier.

    She was worried that Wu Xirui was indeed in a dire physical condition, and since she couldn¡¯t set her mind at ease altogether, she couldn¡¯t eat well, which is why she checked his message again.

    But Wu Xirui¡¯s words seemed carelessly nonchnt, not rifying the actual difort in his health but instead bringing up Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily as she replied to his message.

    "Each matter in its own right, I will see to your treatment through to the end. After work tomorrow, I wille to check on you," she replied.

    As a physician, she could not possibly abandon treating Wu Xirui due to the issues with Zhan Qipei; that would be too irresponsible.

    When Wu Xirui received her response, a satisfied smile finally appeared on his face. He downed the wine in his ss and began tapping the keyboard rapidly.

    "Why can¡¯t youe today?" he wrote.

 Chapter 730 - 719: Being Followed

    <h4>Chapter 730: Chapter 719: Being Followed</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, tapping on the screen to reply:

    "You know very well whether you¡¯re faking illness or not, I¡¯ll being over tomorrow for your re-examination."

    After sending that message, she put away her phone and stopped paying attention to Wu Xirui.

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing walked out of the research institute together.

    While walking, Zhan Nanqing was scrolling through videos on her phone and became excited when she saw a new tasty shop opened by a certain store, enthusiastically grabbing Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    "Qiao Jing, are you going straight hometer? Ohe on, my brother has things to do at thepany today, he won¡¯te to pick you up, let¡¯s go out and have some fun, shall we?"

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly furrowed her brows, somewhat helplessly saying:

    "I have to go and re-examine Wu Xiruiter."

    Even though she was aware that Wu Xirui iming to be unwell yesterday was quite likely untrue, it was indeed time for his medical re-examination.

    Zhan Nanqing let out an "Ah," then sighed.

    "Okay, then can Ie with you?"

    Even though her family had recently had some business friction with Wu Xirui, it didn¡¯t affect her desire to supervise him and prevent him from getting close to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing recalled how Zhan Nanqing looked like she was facing a formidable enemy thest time she encountered Wu Xirui.

    Moreover, given the recent unpleasantness between the Zhan family and Wu Xirui, taking Zhan Nanqing along didn¡¯t seem like the correct choice.

    So she declined without hesitation.

    "I can go by myself."

    Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t insist on following and opened her camera to face herself, nning to tidy up her hair.

    Just as she had finished arranging her bangs in the phone screen, she suddenly noticed a few individuals dressed in ck standing in a corner behind them.

    Thinking she had seen wrong, Zhan Nanqing rubbed her eyes, only to find that the individuals had suddenly disappeared.

    Confused, she uttered an "Eh?" and turned her head to check, but still didn¡¯t see anyone.

    Could it be the bodyguards her brother hired to protect Qiao Jing?

    After giving it some thought, she decided this was indeed something her brother would do and thus didn¡¯t pay it any further attention.

    At the same time, Qiao Jing also sensed something was off and slowly furrowed her brows.

    She could acutely sense that these people were definitely not bodyguards sent by Zhan Qipei.

    Because the bodyguards Zhan Qipei sent would maintain a certain distance from her, but these people were indeed somewhat closer.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips again, took a few quick steps forward, pretending she wanted to turn her head back to speak with Zhan Nanqing.

    "Nanqing, where are you nning to goter?"

    While she was speaking, the corner of her eye surreptitiously nced at the location of the person tracking them, catching a glimpse of a ck figure.

    She could now be even more certain that the person following her was sent by someone else.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s question, Zhan Nanqing paused, then answered:

    "Huh? I¡¯m going to y a bit after work before heading home, do you want toe with me? But I just asked you, and didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re going for a re-examination?"

    Qiao Jing quickly walked up to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s side and lowered her voice.

    "Someone is following us."

    She hadn¡¯t been able to clearly see the whole appearance of the person, only catching that glimpse of a ck figure, and thus couldn¡¯t be certain who it was.

    Could it have been sent by Zhan Kaiyang? But logically speaking, their audacity shouldn¡¯t be great enough to make a move near the research institute.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanqing was startled, her eyes widening slightly.

    "Aren¡¯t those bodyguards sent by my brother?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate brows furrowed, and she squinted her phoenix eyes slightly. Using Zhan Nanqing¡¯s body as cover, she nced behind them again, trying to gather more information about those people.

    Perhaps they had sensed her scrutiny, as the group hid themselves away, refusing toe out into the open.

    She whispered, audible only to the two of them, "No."

    Zhan Nanqing now felt somewhat panicked, warily observing her surroundings.

    "Should we call the police then? Who are they following?"

    She had thought they were bodyguards sent by her brother, but they weren¡¯t.

    Seeing Zhan Nanqing beginning to panic, Qiao Jing immediately looped her arm through the other¡¯s, letting her lean on herself, while her other hand pressed down on Zhan Nanqing, preventing her from looking around indiscriminately.

    Upon considering who the group might be targeting, her eyes darkened.

    "We don¡¯t know yet who they are following, let¡¯s split up and contact each otherter. Don¡¯t look around anymore; we must avoid startling them."

    She could feel that those who were following them were most likely after her.

    Because just moments earlier, she had unintentionally caught a glimpse of a pair of blue eyes, fixed intently on her.

    Blue eyes... certainly not those of someone from the empire.

    If Zhan Nanqing continued to walk with her, she could likely be a liability.

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t dare to look around anymore and looked worriedly at herpanion.

    "But... if they¡¯re after you and I leave, what will happen? You¡¯re pregnant now, and if something happens... No, we should stick together!"

    If those people were targeting Qiao Jing, then leaving her alone would be dangerous, especially since she was currently pregnant with triplets!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s delicate brows frowned slightly, knowing that Zhan Nanqing wouldn¡¯t be easily swayed, so she changed her approach.

    "They are following one of us. If we keep walking together, we might all get caught in one sweep. Or even if they are following both of us, they would need to split their forces, making it easier for me to handle them on my end. Once we separate, if you realize no one is following you, handle the next steps on your own."

    She had certain self-defense capabilities, while Zhan Nanqing waspletely defenseless. Staying together would definitely slow her down.

    Zhan Nanqing hesitated for a long while before finally agreeing to split up.

    "Qiao Jing, be careful. I know you¡¯re capable, but you¡¯re pregnant. If they¡¯re after you, don¡¯t fight them. I¡¯ll contact my brother immediately," she said.

    Qiao Jing gave a light nod and walked in a different direction.

    Zhan Nanqing wanted to stand still and watch Qiao Jing walk away, but the situation was too urgent, she couldn¡¯t stop; otherwise, she might be discovered.

    She bit her lip and hurriedly turned to leave.

    A few minutes after Zhan Nanqing left, she felt like no one was following her at all.

    She immediately stopped, turned to check, and found that indeed no one was trailing her, which made her heart sink.

    If no one was following her, that meant those people¡¯s target was Qiao Jing!

    With this thought, Zhan Nanqing shakily took out her phone from her pocket and called Zhan Qipei.

    "Doot¡ªDoot¡ª"

    She dialed for quite a while, but until the call disconnected, no one answered.

    Zhan Nanqing quickly called Tang Yan, only to find the same result: no one answered.

 Chapter 731 - 720: Forcibly Abducting Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 731: Chapter 720: Forcibly Abducting Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Zhan Nanqing was so anxious that she broke into a sweat and turned back, wanting to look for Qiao Jing.

    But when she returned to where she started, she didn¡¯t see a single person.

    Zhan Nanqing¡¯s heart grew more and more panicked, she took out her cellphone and called Su Manhan. While making the call, she walked in the direction Qiao Jing had left.

    "Mom, Qiao Jing... Qiao Jing is being followed... What about my brother? He¡¯s not answering my calls..."

    What if something happened to Qiao Jing?!

    Su Manhan was originally sitting at home eating an apple, but when she heard Zhan Nanqing¡¯s words, she was startled, and her apple fell to the ground.

    "What happened? Who¡¯s following Qiao Jing? Where are you now? Where¡¯s Qiao Jing?"

    Zhan Nanqing was so anxious that she started crying. She hurried into the alley which Qiao Jing might have entered, but saw no one.

    "I don¡¯t know... I... Qiao Jing told me to split up... I¡¯m near the research institute now..."

    Su Manhan immediately understood the intention behind why Qiao Jing wanted to split up and anxiously headed to the second floor.

    "Why are you so foolish? Qiao Jing is so smart, how could she not know what¡¯s going on? She didn¡¯t want to drag you down, that¡¯s why she made you all split up! Your brother is currently in an emergency meeting at thepany and can¡¯t be reached! Quickly tell me more about the situation, I¡¯ll speak to your grandfather!"

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing had arrived at an alley near the research institute.

    She could feel that those people were all following her, and there were more than just one or two of them.

    Qiao Jing slowly furrowed her brows, stopped walking, turned around, and said coldly:

    "Come out."

    Fortunately, these people were not targeting Zhan Nanqing; she had managed to divert them early on. Otherwise, both of them would be in jeopardy now.

    The suit-d men, who had been hidden in the shadows, heard her voice, some entering from the alley¡¯s entrance, others jumping down from the walls beside the alley.

    The next second, more than a dozen blond, blue-eyed men in ck suits appeared in Qiao Jing¡¯s line of sight.

    Qiao Jing looked up at these blond and blue-eyed men, her eyes slightly narrowing.

    She didn¡¯t engage with these men easily, especially since she was pregnant, which indeed made it inconvenient to fight, besides, these dozen men were clearly well-trained.

    She wouldn¡¯t fight these people unless absolutely necessary.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone pinged. As the suit-d men hadn¡¯t yet approached her, she began backing away while opening her phone to check the message.

    She nced at it; the message was from Xu Moqian, asking where she was and if she wanted to go out.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips tightly and, while continuing to back away, freed one hand to type a reply to Xu Moqian¡¯s message.

    "I am being followed."

    Just as she sent the message, the suit-d men perceived her intent to escape and quickened their pace, chasing after her.

    Qiao Jing, knowing theyout of these alleys well, began weaving through them as her slim figure darted about, with the men in suits relentlessly following her.

    Still, they were not as fast as Qiao Jing; after all, her research institute was in this area, and she very well knew the environment, almost managing to lose them a few times.

    The leader of the men in suits, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s agile movements, furrowed his brow andmanded the men behind him:

    "Hurry up and keep up!"

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was distracted, checking Xu Moqian¡¯s message.

    Upon seeing her message about being followed, Xu Moqian promptly sent a flurry of question marks.

    "????"

    "Sister Jing! Where are you? What¡¯s happening? Who¡¯s following you? Send me your location!"

    "Sister Jing! You gotta reply to my messages!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed tightly.

    "I don¡¯t know you."

    No sooner had she sent this message than her steps were forcibly halted.

    For she had reached the end of an alley.

    Qiao Jing looked up and gauged the height of the walls. After assessing that jumping up forcefully carried certain risks, she stopped.

    Then, she turned around and faced the dozen or so people, saying in fluent English,

    "State your intentions."

    The man in the lead, dressed in a suit, bowed respectfully to Qiao Jing and then switched to Chinese tomunicate.

    "Professor Qiao, we¡¯vee to ask you to go to M country. Our superiors have something they need you for, and they need your help."

    Upon hearing the suited man¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly raised her finely arching eyebrows. Her indifferent face bore no extra expression, making it impossible to discern her emotions.

    She hadn¡¯t had much interaction with M country, except for when Wonderful Hall had expanded there; she¡¯d only asionally been involved.

    Apart from Wonderful Hall, only Wu Xirui had connections with people from M country. But the people tailing her couldn¡¯t possibly be sent by Wu Xirui.

    After all, she was supposed to see Wu Xirui for a medical consultationter. He wouldn¡¯t have the leisure to send someone to tail her and then bring her over for treatment.

    "You¡¯re asking me to go to M country?"

    She did not believe the suited man¡¯s words. Though he spoke nicely, asking for her help, his bringing so many people indicated clearly that if she did notply, they would forcibly take her.

    The suited man nodded and spoke kindly,

    "Professor Qiao, our country really needs your help for some matters. We ask that you cooperate with us."

    Qiao Jing looked at the man¡¯s hypocritical demeanor, a chill gradually spreading through her eyes.

    She hardly hesitated, directly refusing the suited man¡¯s "request."

    "Sorry, I refuse."

    Even though she knew that pretending to bepliant would keep these men fromying hands on her and ensure her safety,

    it was not in her nature to easily bow down, especially not to these strangers who had mysterious intentions and were prepared to forcefully take her away.

    Moreover, her abilities were more than sufficient to take down these dozen men. Even if they were well-trained, she was no pushover.

    She wanted to gamble with these men.

    The lead suited man saw Qiao Jing¡¯s decisive refusal and dropped any pretense of respect, his demeanor turning cold.

    "Professor Qiao, let me reiterate, I hope you will cooperate with us. I know that you are a smart person and will know how to choose."

    Their superiors had ordered that they must not harm a hair on Professor Qiao¡¯s head, but if Professor Qiao refused to cooperate, they were permitted to use some forceful measures.

    Qiao Jing curled her lips, her smile neither warm nor genuine as she eyed the line of men.

    "I¡¯ve already said, I won¡¯t leave with you."

    If it had been the person from M countrying over personally, reaching out through legitimate means and asking for her help, she might have considered it.

    But these men using underhanded methods to "ask" her to help was out of the question!

    Seeing the situation, the lead suited man had no choice but to bow again.

    "In that case, Professor Qiao, I apologize, but we arepelled to offend!"

 Chapter 732 - 721 Fight

    <h4>Chapter 732: Chapter 721 Fight</h4><h4></h4>

    As soon as the man in the lead in the suit finished speaking, the two very muscr men by his side shed to Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Both men reached out to Qiao Jing at the same time, attempting to quickly grab her hand and then subdue her.

    They all thought it would be easy to capture Qiao Jing and didn¡¯t take it very seriously.

    The consequence for these two men was that they had their wrists grabbed with extreme speed by Qiao Jing.

    Immediately after, a crisp "crack" echoed through the air.

    The two burly men screamed in agony like pigs being ughtered, their eyes bulging with disbelief as they looked at Qiao Jing.

    "How could this be?!"

    One of the men looked to the lead man in the suit, enduring the pain as he forcibly reset his wrist.

    "Mr. Frank, Professor Qiao doesn¡¯t seem easy to deal with!"

    Frank had not anticipated Qiao Jing¡¯s skills to be so formidable, and he looked on in astonishment.

    He sneered coldly,

    "You two pieces of trash can¡¯t even catch a woman like Professor Qiao? If we fail this mission, we will all have to apologize with our lives!"

    The two men dared not argue and, bearing the pain, reached out to grab Qiao Jing again.

    This time, they were serious.

    But their fate was the same as before; before they could even reach out their hands, they were already disarmed by Qiao Jing.

    And this time, they weren¡¯t as lucky as before; after their wrists were disarmed, Qiao Jing kicked them over on the spot with a single blow.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips were tightly pressed, her face as imposing as Yama Raja.

    She knew the situation was grave and she absolutely couldn¡¯t afford to pull her punches.

    So with every kick, every punch, she used full strength, swiftly putting down the two men on the ground.

    Upon seeing this, Frank was utterly dumbfounded.

    It was then he fully realized that Qiao Jing really wasn¡¯t an easy opponent, and he looked toward her with eyes filled with shock.

    "Who would¡¯ve thought Professor Qiao knew Empire Kung Fu?"

    They were all from M country¡¯s strongest organizations, and had been through many actualbats, yet his men were effortlessly thrown down by Qiao Jing, a woman, in two moves?

    How could this be! Wasn¡¯t this a loss of face for M country?

    But the solid moves from Qiao Jing that he had just witnessed, their speed was countless times faster than theirs.

    If they continued to go up one by one, they would very likely lose!

    Immediately after, Frank gave the order,

    "Everybody, attack together!"

    At hismand, including Frank, the men in suits quickly surrounded Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing quickly assumed a defensive stance, her gaze sweeping over the circle of people at lightning speed, immediately spotting a few who seemed physically inferior among the group¡ªa few weak links.

    With this in mind, her eyes darkened as she shed behind one of them, raising her hand to deliver a fierce karate chop.

    Taking advantage of the moment the man was still unresponsive, shended a kick on his waist followed by a punch to his chest.

    The blow caused the man to howl in pain.

    Frank and the others now fully witnessed Qiao Jing¡¯s prowess and didn¡¯t dare to lower their guard, ready to take action together.

    But just as they were about to pounce on Qiao Jing, the person who stood there a second ago vanished in the blink of an eye!

    Immediately after, Qiao Jing¡¯s ghost-like figure appeared behind another person.

    This time, the man didn¡¯t react as slowly as the previous one, turning around as soon as he sensed Qiao Jing behind him.

    Yet despite this, he was still a second toote, for Qiao Jing had already struck,nding a powerful punch on him.

    "Bang!"

    The man was sent staggering several steps back, crashing against the wall and doubling over in pain.

    The other suited men surged forward upon seeing this and started to sh head-on with Qiao Jing.

    Mr. Frank did not immediately join the fray, after all, there were nearly ten men currently attacking Qiao Jing.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that even if Qiao Jing was incredibly skilled, she could possibly take down all of them on her own.

    However, Qiao Jing soon proved with her strength that Mr. Frank¡¯s assumption was wrong.

    When Mr. Frank saw his subordinates falling one after another, he waspletely panicked.

    His blue eyes not only showed shock but also carried a tinge of fear, the fear of Qiao Jing¡¯s overpowering strength.

    After dealing with those dozen men, Qiao Jing started to feel her body couldn¡¯t keep up, and her breathing became heavy.

    She could feel cold sweat rapidly forming on her forehead and her steps bing increasingly unsteady.

    But she did not forget that there was still Mr. Frank to deal with, so she exerted a little more force, biting her tongue tip to force herself to stay alert.

    "Next, it¡¯s your turn."

    Right now, she wasn¡¯t very certain whether she could take down another Mr. Frank, especially after expending a huge amount of energy to defeat the previous dozen men.

    Additionally, because she was pregnant, she had to be mindful of her abdomen at all times and couldn¡¯t makerge movements, which made fighting all the more exhausting.

    But if she didn¡¯t knock Mr. Frank down, all her efforts would be in vain, so she had no choice but to brace herself and face Mr. Frank.

    Mr. Frank was startled by the aura radiating from Qiao Jing; this was the first time he felt fear.

    He instinctively swallowed and looked at the woman in front of him, who had a paleplexion and icy gaze.

    "Professor Qiao, why must you do this?"

    His intuition told him not to engage with Qiao Jing lightly, or else he might end up like his subordinates lying on the ground, moaning in pain.

    There was an empty void in Qiao Jing¡¯s cold eyes, and a cold smile persisted on her lips.

    She wasted no words with Mr. Frank, using thest bit of her strength to dash in front of him.

    Mr. Frank¡¯s fear resurfaced when he saw Qiao Jing appear before him at an incredible speed.

    He could swear that Qiao Jing was the most formidable person he had ever encountered!

    This made him momentarily forget that he was a well-known special agent from country M.

    All that remained in his heart was fear.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s unsteady footing caused her to stagger unintentionally.

    Mr. Frank caught this and knew that Qiao Jing was exhausted, which allowed him to regain hisposure.

    Looking at Qiao Jing, now slightly pale and sweating, he let out augh.

    "Professor Qiao, I¡¯ll give you another chance. Would you rathere with us voluntarily or fight me?"

    It seemed he had been momentarily scared silly by Qiao Jing¡¯s might, causing him to forget that she had already fought with his dozen or so subordinates and was quite drained.

    Although Qiao Jing still possessed strength, her body was surely not keeping up, and he had the upper handpletely.

    Just as Mr. Frank thought that Qiao Jing would yield, a fist without hesitation smashed into his face.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t waste time talking, she just acted.

    Mr. Frank, dazed by the punch, quickly shook his head to regain rity.

    Immediately after, he engaged inbat with Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing changed her tactics from the aggression used before to a softer approach in order to conserve more energy, or else she might faint at any moment.

    Fortunately, in the end, Mr. Frank was brought down by her.

    And Qiao Jing, drained of thest bit of her strength, leaned heavily against the wall, gasping for breath.

    Just when she thought she was finally out of danger, Mr. Frank, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly got up with great effort and pulled out an electric shock stick from his pocket.

    Exhausted, Qiao Jing did not notice this as she leaned against the wall gasping for breath.

    Then, a stick was ced at her waist.

 Chapter 733 - 722 Finally Got in Touch with Zhan Qipei

    <h4>Chapter 733: Chapter 722 Finally Got in Touch with Zhan Qipei</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing immediately realized something was wrong. Just as she tried to dodge, Frank had already activated the taser.

    Then, an electric current spread throughout her body in an instant.

    Qiao Jing felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and then she lost consciousness.

    Frank, having finally managed to knock Qiao Jing out with difficulty, let out a sigh of relief andy on the ground, gasping for breath.

    Atst, he forced himself up from the ground, asking a few of the barely able-bodied to support each other.

    Frank looked at the unconscious Qiao Jing, a triumphant smile appearing on his bruised and swollen face, as he took out his phone and made a call.

    "Mission aplished."

    Elsewhere.

    Zhan Yuanshan and Su Manhan, along with others, were on their way to Zhan Nanqing¡¯s location.

    When Zhan Nanqing saw Zhan Yuanshan and the others arrive, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer, gushing out like water from an open faucet.

    "Grandpa, mom... I... I just went into these alleys to look, but I... I still haven¡¯t found Qiao Jing..."

    Su Manhan was so anxious she was sweating profusely, looking at the winding alleys and struggling to even speak.

    "What, what, what¡ªwhat should we do? Should we call the police first? What about Qipei? Is he still in a meeting? What if something has happened to Qiao Jing? What do we do?!"

    Zhan Yuanshan, with a serious expression, tapped his cane, his demeanor grave:

    "Don¡¯t panic yet! Jing Girl isn¡¯t a fool! You know how capable she is, so don¡¯t think the worst just yet. I¡¯ve got people searching the area already, and Qipei is in an emergency meeting dealing with Wu Xirui¡¯s issues. He won¡¯t be over here for a bit."

    As he said this, he paused before continuing.

    "Nanqing, did you see who was following Qiao Jing?"

    Zhan Nanqing wiped away her tears and shook her head.

    "I only saw some people in ck clothes... Grandpa, Qiao Jing is pregnant! Even if she¡¯s skilled, she can¡¯t be fighting while pregnant... If I had known, I would have stayed with Qiao Jing..."

    She thought those people were following her, or perhaps they were tracking both of them, which is why she agreed to split up.

    It turned out Qiao Jing had realized this early on and didn¡¯t want to drag Nanqing into it, so she suggested they separate.

    How could she be so silly...

    Su Manhan anxiously stomped her feet in ce and took out her phone to call Zhan Qipei, but the call wouldn¡¯t go through.

    "Why is Qipei still in a meeting? My daughter-inw is about to be kidnapped, and he¡¯s still in a meeting?!"

    Her foolish son was still dealing withpany matters!

    Zhan Yuanshan gripped the cane more tightly, a ruthless glint flickering in his aged eyes.

    "If Jing Girl is even scratched, I¡¯ll make sure the perpetrator is torn to pieces!"

    He would never be able to forgive himself if Jing Girl, whom he should have been protecting, met with trouble in the capital!

    Not many could slip away under his watchful eye anymore!

    Zhan Yao frowned deeply and stepped aside with his phone, dialing thepany¡¯s manager.

    This time, the call was answered.

    Zhan Yao spoke before the manager could get a word in.

    "Stop the meeting right now! Give the phone to Qipei!"

    The manager at thepany waspletely puzzled, but the urgency in Zhan Yao¡¯s voice told him that something major had happened.

    He didn¡¯t dare waste a second and hurriedly carried the phone to the conference room.

    The manager forcibly opened the door of the conference room, panting as he handed the phone to Zhan Qipei.

    "President Zhan... the... phone..."

    When Zhan Qipei saw someone unexpectedly interrupt the meeting, his expression immediately darkened.

    His icy gaze fell on the phone screen, and only after he saw that it was a call from his father did his expression soften slightly as he put the phone to his ear.

    "Dad, what¡¯s the matter?"

    Zhan Yao quickly summarized the situation on his end.

    Upon hearing the news of Qiao Jing¡¯s disappearance, Zhan Qipei instantly stood up, grabbed the suit jacket on the chair, hurriedly put it on, and walked out.

    Thepany¡¯s shareholders looked at Zhan Qipei in bafflement, exchanging nces, but none dared to speak.

    Only when Zhan Qipei reached the door of the conference room did Tang Yan snap out of it and hurriedly followed him.

    "Boss, what¡¯s the emergency?"

    Thepany was holding an emergency meeting, specifically regarding Wu Xirui¡¯s recent actions; if President Zhan left suddenly, it could greatly affect subsequent work.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips were pressed into a tight, curveless line as he took out his phone to start contacting someone.

    "In five minutes, pull up all the surveince footage around Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute."

    After sending this message, he quickened his pace and, without answering Tang Yan¡¯s question, ordered:

    "The meeting is adjourned, we¡¯ll continueter."

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t dare to ask what exactly happened and certainly didn¡¯t dare to refute Zhan Qipei¡¯s words; he immediatelyplied.

    "Right away, boss!"

    By the time Zhan Qipei reached the vicinity of the research institute, about half an hour had passed.

    Meanwhile, he had already reviewed all the nearby surveince footage in the car, but found no trace of Qiao Jing.

    There was only one key piece of information: one of the surveince feeds had captured several figures in ck, all with blond hair.

    Elsewhere, at the same time.

    Qiao Jing slowly opened her eyes, her first sight being the ring light on the ceiling above.

    She squinted slightly and propped herself up from the bed to sit.

    Once Qiao Jing recognized that she was in apletely unfamiliarboratory, she immediately remembered what had happened before she lost consciousness.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, warily observing the emptyboratory.

    About five minutester, with theb door still unopened and confirming that no one woulde for a while, she raised her hand to check her own pulse.

    She clearly remembered that she had fought a fierce battle with those people before fainting, and was eventually knocked out by Frank with an electric baton.

    After confirming that her body was just overly fatigued with no other issues, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand.

    Just then, with a "whoosh," theboratory door was suddenly opened.

    The first to enter was a man with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing an expensive suit. Following him were simrly blond-haired and blue-eyed individuals, including Frank.

    The leader, upon seeing Qiao Jing awake, disyed a smile.

    "Professor Qiao, hello, I¡¯m John."

    Qiao Jing did not acknowledge John but instead fixed her icy gaze on Frank.

    Given the current situation, it was highly likely she was no longer in the country. If it weren¡¯t for Frank¡¯sst sneaky move, she could have escaped safely.

    Frank¡¯s face bore several bruises, with a wound still at the corner of his mouth. When he met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, he was reminded once again of the fear of being overpowered.

 Chapter 734 - 723: Apologizing to Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 734: Chapter 723: Apologizing to Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    If it weren¡¯t for the dozen or so subordinates consuming much of Qiao Jing¡¯s strength, he would not have had the chance to use the stun batonter, as the opponent¡¯s strength was such that he could have knocked him down in just a few moves.

    John noticed that Qiao Jing was not looking at him, and his smile stiffened for a moment before he showed a kind smile again.

    "Professor Qiao, are you angry because Frank used some excessive measures to bring you here?"

    Qiao Jing nced at John with an indifferent expression and still did not respond to his question.

    She knew that this so-called John was the most authoritative person in Country M.

    Even so, she would not give him any face.

    Seeing this, John gave a look to someone beside him.

    His subordinate immediately understood and dragged Frank forcibly to the bedside.

    When John looked at Frank, the smile on his facepletely disappeared.

    He stood up, unhesitatingly raised his hand, and pped Frank, then said,

    "Frank, apologize to Professor Qiao!"

    Frank, enduring the pain, clenched his teeth and bowed his head.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Professor Qiao."

    Seeing that Frank had apologized, John nodded in satisfaction and then looked at Qiao Jing.

    "Professor Qiao, are you satisfied now?"

    His order had been to bring her back unharmed if possible, only resorting to force with Qiao Jing as ast resort.

    After all, she was the world-famous Professor Qiao. Although they had brought her forcibly, they could not hurt her and had to show her great respect.

    But this fool Frank had stunned Qiao Jing with a stun baton, which greatly angered him.

    Qiao Jing, observing the pained Frank, slowly withdrew her gaze and looked up at John.

    "State your intentions."

    Although she did not know how these people had found out her identity, bringing her to Country M with much difficulty definitely meant they needed her for something, likely rted to agricultural issues.

    Because she could feel that these people had always treated her with respect, without overstepping boundaries, and were very concerned about her physical condition.

    Because... upon waking up, she had seen the IV drip bottles by the bedside, all intended for her use.

    When Qiao Jing finally spoke, John¡¯s face broke into a genuinely greater smile.

    "Professor Qiao, you are a smart person, but I don¡¯t understand, why would you resist? We could have invited you here safely and soundly."

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, her face expressionless as she looked at John.

    "I won¡¯t repeat myself."

    She knew that these people had not officially invited her because she was the imperial Professor Qiao, a national key-level protected person. If they had rashly invited her to Country M, the people from the empire would definitely not have agreed.

    But to forcibly take her away in private was the behavior she detested the most.

    Only then did John put away his smile, adopting a negotiating posture.

    "Professor Qiao, I invited you here because there is a very important matter that we need your help with. Our country has recently encountered a bottleneck in wheat research that none of the experts can solve, so we had to invite you over."

    Upon hearing John¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows, the corners of her lips turned up, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

    "Invited me here? Is this how you invite someone?"

    She knew John¡¯s intentions, which undoubtedly involved the state. In fact, she had noticed before that the empire¡¯s agricultural technology was ahead of all other nations. The closely following M country had fallen far behind due to her influence.

    Thus, it was normal for John and his associates to feel unsteady and worried.

    As for the matter of researching wheat, if they had discussed it with her properly, she might have been willing to help a little. But Frank¡¯s approach had crossed her line.

    Thinking there was a chance, Frank bowed deeply with an apologetic tone in his voice.

    "Professor Qiao, I am very sorry. Frank¡¯s approach was indeed problematic. You can punish him however you want; I am handing him over to you for disposal."

    He certainly wanted to invite Qiao Jing openly, but the old folks of the empire would never agree, so he had no choice but to take this risky approach.

    Moreover, he had given Qiao Jing a chance toe to M country in a very peaceful manner. However, since she chose to resort to violence, he really had no other option.

    When Frank heard that he would be disposed of at will, he clenched his fists but dared not show any dissatisfaction.

    He, a boss of an organization in M country, had fallen so low as to be disposed of at someone¡¯s whim.

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her sharp eyes, her gaze deepened as she stared at John for a while, then coldly said,

    "I want to rest now; all of you, get out."

    Directly rejecting John and his associates wasn¡¯t an option at this time, as she had already been brought into their territory. Escaping would indeed be somewhat difficult.

    Upon hearing this, John quickly nodded.

    "Of course, Professor Qiao; we won¡¯t disturb you then."

    After saying this, he hesitated and nced at Qiao Jing, then asked,

    "And the matter of helping with the wheat research..."

    Seeing John still persistently asking, Qiao Jing¡¯s temples throbbed heavily, and she dismissively spoke,

    "I understand, but I need to rest now."

    She deliberately made her words ambiguous, intending to exploit this ambiguity when confronting Johnter, to turn the situation back on him.

    John immediately took it as though Qiao Jing had agreed to help, his face lighting up with joy.

    "Thank you, Professor Qiao. We won¡¯t disturb you at random. Please take your time to recuperate in theb and do your research. Everything you need for the research has been prepared in advance."

    It was only then that Qiao Jing noticed that theb¡¯s research bench was equipped with various experimental tools and even wheat growing in petri dishes.

    Her brows furrowed tightly; she remained silent.

    These people had prepared all these research materials, clearly expecting her to start experimenting immediately, regardless of her willingness.

    Thinking that everything was settled, John didn¡¯t stay any longer and left theboratory with the others.

    "Professor Qiao, we won¡¯t disturb you any further, we¡¯re leaving now."

    Once the group had left, Qiao Jing finally got out of bed and carefully examined every corner of theboratory.

    Besides the pre-arranged experimental tools, a bed and a bathroom had also been provided for her.

    But what truly concerned Qiao Jing was a camera installed in the corner.

    It seemed these people were monitoring her in real-time.

    Qiao Jing quickly went to the bathroom and casually nced around, noticing although there was no camera, there was a bug.

    She shed a faint smile, took the bug fixed under the sink, and turned it off.

    Afterpleting these actions, Qiao Jing patted her pocket and was surprised to find her mobile phone still in there!

 Chapter 735 - 724: Escape Again

    <h4>Chapter 735: Chapter 724: Escape Again</h4><h4></h4>

    Surprise flickered in the depths of Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    These people hadn¡¯t taken her phone away?

    However, she didn¡¯t think they were careless enough to allow her tomunicate with the outside world by leaving her the phone. Either they had tampered with the device, or they had disabled it in some other way to prevent her from sending messages.

    As soon as Qiao Jing powered on her phone, she saw the no-signal icon at the top-right corner of the screen.

    A sly smile slowly curved her lips as she let out a cold chuckle.

    "Hmph."

    Just as she had suspected, they had jammed the signals in the area. But this trick was useless against her.

    Qiao Jing entered a few codes at random, and her phone quickly connected to a unique signal channel she had created out of boredom in the past.

    She immediately essed real-time surveince of the entire research institute and saw that two guards were stationed outside the door of herb, one on each side.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed as she rapidly reviewed the surveince of the whole institute. In her mind, she constructed a blueprint that included the exits, which she saw very clearly.

    Now that she knew theyout, she turned her attention to the patrolling guards, who seemed to envelop the institute inyers, both inside and out.

    Moreover, the main forces were all dispersed around her section, tightly enclosed, clearly a special arrangement for her.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t continue to look at her phone. After putting it away, she stepped out of the restroom and moved to theb bench, pretending to be engrossed in an experiment.

    Having stayed in the restroom for a considerable time, she was certain that John and the others would suspect something, so she had to control the timing of her exit.

    Although she could now contact the outside world, the situation was such that she could still find an opportunity to escape. For now, she had to y it by ear.

    Meanwhile, in the surveince room, John, who had been closely monitoring every move Qiao Jing made, nodded in satisfaction as he saw the figure on the screen begin to work.

    "It seems Professor Qiao is quite cooperative."

    All he needed was for Qiao Jing to continue her research on the hybrid wheat.

    Frank, standing beside John and looking at the busy form of Qiao Jing on the screen, hesitated before speaking up slowly.

    "Mr. John, don¡¯t you find it strange? If Professor Qiao is willing to cooperate, why did she resist us at first?"

    John¡¯s brow furrowed upon hearing Frank¡¯s words, but he didn¡¯t think too hard about it.

    "You didn¡¯t make our intentions clear to Professor Qiao from the beginning, so it¡¯s natural she would be unwilling toe here. Besides, she¡¯s from the Empire, and the fact that she¡¯s willing to help with the experiments in M country is a big face for us. Enough, shut your mouth!"

    Having Professor Qiao¡¯s help with the experiments was already a rare feat; how could they dare to doubt her?

    Frank could only bow his head and close his mouth.

    What Frank did not realize was that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t actually researching wheat at that moment but was instead using some of the provided nts to make a simple anesthetic spray.

    Qiao Jing ced the extracted substance into test tubes, and to ensure there would be enough, she refined several tubes more.

    Then, she poured all of the refined substance into a spray bottle.

    Having done all of this, she calmly sat down on the couch, leisurely waiting for the right moment.

    She knew that soon someone woulde to bring her lunch.

    About ten minutester, the door to theb opened.

    A man holding a tray walked in, setting the meal down on the table opposite Qiao Jing.

    "Your lunch, Professor Qiao."

    Seated on the sofa, Qiao Jing nodded, then pulled out her phone and casually tapped a few times to freeze the surveince feed on a single frame.

    The person responsible for delivering food didn¡¯t pay any attention to Qiao Jing fiddling with her phone.

    After all, the signal in thisboratory had long been jammed by Mr. John, so the phone in Professor Qiao¡¯s hands was essentially just a prop.

    Having dealt with the room¡¯s surveince, Qiao Jing quickly approached the food delivery person, and while they were not paying attention, she reached into her pocket, gripping the bottle of anesthetic spray tightly.

    The man, thinking his job of delivering the meal was done, greeted her and prepared to leave.

    "The food is here, Professor Qiao, I¡¯ll be leaving now," he said.

    Qiao Jing nodded but didn¡¯t speak.

    After the man had walked a few steps, she seized the moment and called out to stop him.

    "Wait," she said.

    The man thought there was something wrong with the food and stopped instantly. As he turned around, he was met with Qiao Jing, who had somehow moved behind him without notice.

    Just as he was about to ask a question, a fog-like substance was sprayed in his face, and immediately after, he lost consciousness and copsed to the floor.

    Qiao Jing looked at the man lying on the floor and effortlessly dragged him into the bathroom, then she returned and sat down by the sofa.

    Taking advantage of the blind spot in the surveince, she quickly restored the feed, pretended to eat her meal for a while, and then paused the surveince feed again.

    Afterpleting all these tasks, Qiao Jing went into the bathroom and changed into the clothes of the man.

    Luckily, the food delivery man was wearing a hat, which made her disguise even more convenient.

    Qiao Jing gathered her hair uppletely and covered it securely with the hat. To make her height appear simr to the man¡¯s, she stood up straight and then opened the door of theboratory.

    Before leaving, she lowered the brim of her hat a bit.

    After opening the door, Qiao Jing walked towards the exit at a measured pace, urately following theyout of the building in her mind.

    The two guards stationed at the entrance of herboratory were deep in conversation and, seeing someoneing out dressed in the same uniform, assumed her to be a colleague without taking a closer look.

    Qiao Jing smoothly distanced herself from theboratory and then quickened her pace.

    But she had only taken a few steps when she was stopped by a man with a big beard.

    Big Beard approached Qiao Jing and put a hand on her shoulder.

    "Jack, you finished delivering the food so quickly? Didn¡¯t they tell you to make sure Professor Qiao had finished eating before you left?" he asked.

    After he finished speaking, he found it odd that she wasn¡¯t responding and turned to look at Qiao Jing, but was met with a sharp gaze instead.

    Big Beard¡¯s eyes widened when he recognized Qiao Jing¡¯s face. Just as he was about to shout for help, the anesthetic spray was already on his face.

    After incapacitating Big Beard, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t have time to drag him to a concealed location to hide; she could only hustle towards the exit.

    However, her rapid pace caught the attention of others.

    Several patrol guards noticed Qiao Jing and stepped forward to intercept her.

    But as soon as they reached Qiao Jing, they were immediately subdued by her anesthetic spray and copsed limply to the ground.

    Using the anesthetic spray in her hand, Qiao Jing incapacitated everyone who recognized her and eventually arrived at the exit.

    She stepped forward to the door and reached out to grasp the doorknob.

 Chapter 736 - 725: Zhan Qipei Goes to Find Wu Xirui

    <h4>Chapter 736: Chapter 725: Zhan Qipei Goes to Find Wu Xirui</h4><h4></h4>

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to open the door, the red alert lights of the research institute suddenly shed, plunging the entire institute into a sea of red apanied by the urgency of an rm sound.

    Seeing thismotion, Qiao Jing immediately knew that her escape had been discovered and prepared to turn the door handle directly.

    But just as she was about to open the door, an iron gate descended rapidly from above the exit, intending to block her path.

    To avoid injury, Qiao Jing had no choice but to retract her hand and then stood still, waiting for Mr. John and his team toe over.

    Actually, she wasn¡¯t worried that Mr. John and the others wouldy hands on her, since she still had the identity of Professor Qiao; firstly, these people wouldn¡¯t dare to harm her, and secondly, they still needed her help with some matters.

    Therefore, if her attempt to escape failed, the most that would happen was an increase in the intensity of her surveince.

    At this moment, Mr. John was rushing over in a hurry, and only when he saw that Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t managed to escape did he let out a sigh of relief.

    He sized up Qiao Jing¡¯s attire and then frowned, asking,

    "Professor Qiao, what is this supposed to mean?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips, looking at Mr. John with an expressionless face.

    "Nothing much, just needed some fresh air. Are you saying I¡¯m not even allowed that?"

    She knew that they couldn¡¯t do anything about her, so she could say this outright. Furthermore, she indeed felt quite suffocated inside; theb had nothing but bottles and jars.

    Besides, she had no intention of helping Mr. John with the experiments. Staying inside, she had nothing to do but idle her time away in boredom.

    Upon hearing this, Mr. John worried that Qiao Jing might not be happy and thereafter refuse to continue with the experiments, so he dared not contradict her.

    He could only say politely,

    "Of course you can, but our research is quite urgent. Once you help us seed, we will naturally arrange for someone to take you out for fresh air. The environment outside is also very nice; you¡¯ll definitely like it."

    He was no fool, of course he knew that Qiao Jing wanted to escape. When he heard that she had managed to flee, he couldn¡¯t believe it at first.

    After all, in a ce full of guards and tight security, he thought it impossible for a woman to manage an escape. Yet Qiao Jing did just that.

    As he hurried to the door, he saw his men scattered and lying on the ground, which was a huge shock!

    All these men, so many of them, had been knocked out by just Qiao Jing herself!

    Hearing Mr. John¡¯s words, Qiao Jing lightly raised her finely arched brows and retorted,

    "Oh? So, if I don¡¯tplete the research, you won¡¯t let me out for fresh air?"

    She knew that they had brought her here to conduct experiments and that they definitely wouldn¡¯t let her leave easily; it was very likely that after one experiment, they would want her to do another.

    But if she could only go out for fresh air afterpleting the experiments, then she might never get that chance before she left. She had no intention of helping the people of M country with their experiments.

    However... she noticed something odd about Mr. John¡¯s words. She could go out for fresh air afterpleting the experiment? These people weren¡¯t ignorant of her capabilities; as long as they let her out, she was confident she could escape.

    And what did he mean, the environment outside is very nice?

    Before Qiao Jing could understand, John spoke up.

    "How can that be? Professor Qiao, everyone in our institute has great respect for you. It¡¯s just that this project is so urgent, so important for us, that we need you to help usplete it first. Please return to theb and continue working?"

    Qiao Jing looked up at John, silently staring at him for a moment before taking the initiative to walk towards theb.

    Although John¡¯s question was phrased as an inquiry, his tone was assertive. In the current situation, even if she didn¡¯t go back on her own, these people would forcibly take her back.

    Plus, with John and the others around, she definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to leave today. This attempt at leaving was just to familiarize herself with the terrain for a future opportunity.

    At this moment, John was still immersed in the feeling of their recent eye contact. As he looked into those deep, stagnant eyes, he felt as if he were frozen in ce, unable to move.

    "Mr. John, I think we need to strengthen security. Professor Qiao is truly formidable."

    After snapping out of it, John inexplicably felt intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, his breathing growing somewhat difficult.

    He closed his eyes to calm himself until the strange feeling in his heart disappeared, then he responded to Frank¡¯s suggestion.

    "Arrange for two people to stay in theb with Professor Qiao. Let them step out when the professor rests."

    This was the first time he had encountered such an impressive woman. It was one thing for her to have made significant contributions to the agricultural world, but herbat skills were also exceptional.

    When Frank mentioned over the phone that their team of well-trained members had been taken down by Qiao Jing alone, he didn¡¯t believe it at all. Not until he saw his injured subordinates return did he dare to believe it.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing went back to the research room.

    She went straight to the sofa, sat down, and looking at the meal she hadn¡¯t yet had time to eat, she picked up the chopsticks and started eating while nning her next escape.

    Tonight might be a good opportunity. After dark, she could hide in the shadows when fleeing.

    She couldn¡¯t stay in this institute for too long; she had to leave as soon as possible.

    She wondered how Zhan Qipei and the others were doing now...

    ...

    In the faraway empire, Zhan Qipei finally found a clue.

    He had searched the entire capital without finding Qiao Jing. With no other choice, he reviewed the surveince footage once more, zooming in on the backs of the blond guards who had appeared.

    After analysis, these men were definitely not from the empire. Instead, they looked like Americans because their builds were uniformly robust, including the shoes they wore and the clothes on their bodies, which were all made in the USA.

    This reminded him of what Zhan Nanqing had told him, that Qiao Jing was going to see Wu Xirui for a medical consultation today.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face darkened at a visibly rming rate, his aura chillingly intense, as if the end of the world was near.

    He took the keys and drove directly to Wu Xirui¡¯spany. The only person linked to Americans was Wu Xirui, so it was very likely his doing.

    While Zhan Qipei was driving, he received an unexpected call.

 Chapter 737 - 726: Wu Xiruiéˆ¥æªš Feelings for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 737: Chapter 726: Wu Xirui¡¯s Feelings for Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    The call came without any remark, but it originated from the imperial capital. Who could be calling her at this time...

    Could it be Qiao Jing?

    Zhan Qipei hurriedly pressed to answer, just about to ask what was happening when he heard Wu Xirui¡¯s voice.

    "Zhan Qipei, you don¡¯t need to be so petty, do you? I asked Qiao Jing toe and check my condition, just for a follow-up, and you won¡¯t let here?"

    He was watching the time, waiting for Qiao Jing to arrive. When she was half an hourte, he initially thought it was due to traffic and that she hadn¡¯t managed to make it in time. But now, it had already been half the day.

    Including the times he called Qiao Jing, and still, no one answered¡ªit must be Zhan Qipei preventing her froming.

    After hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s words, Zhan Qipei immediately hung up the phone and floored the elerator.

    Soon, his car stopped beneath Wu Xirui¡¯spany building.

    Zhan Qipei, with his long eyebrows gathered and lips tightly pursed into a straight, arcless line of ice, entered the elevator as cold as the wind.

    The employees who were preparing to go upstairs in the elevator, upon seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s grim expression, voluntarily retreated.

    They exchanged nces but dared not speak a word.

    Only after the elevator doors closed did they feel the suffocating presence dissipate and start to discuss.

    "What¡¯s the president of Zhan Corporation doing in ourpany?"

    "And he looks furious. The elevator went straight to Fifth Master¡¯s floor. Could it be that he¡¯s here to throw down with the Fifth Master?"

    "Stop it! Can¡¯t you think of something positive? Let¡¯s disperse; this has nothing to do with us."

    "..."

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qipei had already reached the floor where Wu Xirui was.

    Zhan Qipei opened the door without hesitation and sat down in the chair opposite Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui was startled upon seeing Zhan Qipei and looked at him with some surprise.

    But quickly, heposed himself and smiled at Zhan Qipei.

    "President Zhan, what brings you here today?"

    The assistant standing next to Wu Xirui, upon seeing the dark expression on Zhan Qipei, felt fear immediately.

    Compared to the usually smiling Fifth Master, the chillingly cold Zhan Qipei radiated an intimidating frostiness that was even more frightening.

    He was just about to ask if he should leave when he saw Wu Xirui gesture with his hand.

    Realizing this meant he should leave, the assistant bolted towards the door.

    This battlefield was not a ce he dared stay a second longer.

    Once the assistant left the office, a fierce gleam shed across Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes as he coldly demanded:

    "Where have you taken Qiao Jing?"

    Among the people Qiao Jing knew who had connections with M country, other than Wu Xirui, there was no one else.

    And he believed Wu Xirui had the motive.

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s question, Wu Xirui¡¯s smiling face instantly stiffened, giving Zhan Qipei a perplexed look.

    "What do you mean?"

    Seeing Wu Xirui feign ignorance, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned even colder as he fully intensified the surrounding aura.

    "I¡¯m asking you onest time, where have you taken Qiao Jing! Did you take her to M country?"

    He had investigated several times already. Apart from that segment of surveince footage, he had also found Qiao Jing¡¯s wallet in the alley, and there were clear signs of a struggle at the scene.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing might have already been taken away.

    Realizing the implications in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Wu Xirui¡¯s smile diminished slightly.

    "Are you implying that Qiao Jing has disappeared?"

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, merely staring coldly at Wu Xirui.

    Feeling inexplicably scrutinized, Wu Xirui fell silent for a moment, then his expression darkened.

    "It wasn¡¯t me who took her away. I had asked her toe over today for a follow-up; why would I take her away?"

    He paused, looking at Zhan Qipei¡¯s unconvinced face and continued:

    "If I had taken her, you wouldn¡¯t be able to find me right now."

    If he had taken Qiao Jing away, he would have first sent her to M country and remotely managed the affairs in the imperial capital from there.

    After all, as long as Qiao Jing was by his side, he could use her to threaten Zhan Qipei and also smoothly progress his ns.

    Zhan Qipei noticed that there were no signs of lying on Wu Xirui¡¯s face, which deepened his confusion. His brow knitted even tighter, nearly tight enough to squash a fly.

    "It wasn¡¯t you?"

    If it wasn¡¯t Wu Xirui, then where did those Americanse from?

    Wu Xirui was no longer in the mood to pay attention to what Zhan Qipei was saying but caught onto the crucial information mentioned earlier.

    "Why do you think I took her away, and what¡¯s this about the Americans?"

    He knew Zhan Qipei was no fool, and wouldn¡¯t arbitrarilye knocking, assuming it was him who had taken Qiao Jing away.

    Zhan Qipei was silent for a few seconds before he slowly began to speak,

    "It was the Americans who took her."

    When he had seen those Americans, his first thought had been of Wu Xirui, so he had directly rushed over.

    But seeing Wu Xirui in this state, he indeed didn¡¯t seem like he was lying. It seemed that someone else must have taken Qiao Jing!

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, the always smiling Wu Xirui furrowed his brow.

    "The Americans? I will have someone look into it."

    If she was in America, then he would definitely find Qiao Jing.

    Watching Wu Xirui immediately start making calls to contact people, Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips.

    "Why do you want to help?"

    Although he didn¡¯t want to talk much with Wu Xirui, he wanted to utilize Wu¡¯s connections in the States to look for Qiao Jing.

    Moreover, he also had some power in the States, and if he could work together with Wu Xirui, it would increase their efficiency.

    Wu Xirui, who was making a call, again showed a hypocritical smile and chuckled coldly.

    "I¡¯m not helping you, nor am I helping Qiao Jing. I¡¯m helping myself. If we don¡¯t find her, who will treat me?"

    After saying this, he inexplicably felt like he was still very confused.

    This feeling of confusion felt a bit... worrying.

    Was he worried about Qiao Jing?

    Why would he worry about Qiao Jing?

    His rtionship with Qiao Jing was purely utilitarian, using her to provoke Zhan Qipei.

    But...

    He carefully savored the feeling in his heart.

    It seemed like he really was somewhat worried.

    After reflecting for two seconds, he quickly had his answer.

    It must be because he worried that if Qiao Jing disappeared, there would be no one to treat him.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t bother with Wu Xirui anymore and returned to Nantai Apartment.

    He took out his phone and made a long-haven¡¯t-contacted international call.

    The call was connected almost instantaneously, and the person on the other end spoke first,

    "Mr. K, what do you need us to do?"

    Holding Qiao Jing¡¯s wallet tightly in his hand, Zhan Qipei slowly said,

    "Check all the flights back to the States today and find Q¡¯s whereabouts."

    It was also an ident that let Zhan Qipei know that Qiao Jing was Q.

    Funnily enough, the ident itself was quite humorous.

    Once, Qiao Jing was drunk and inadvertently let slip that she was the hacker Q.

    At the time, he marveled at how incredible his wife was! He thought his wife¡¯s aliases were already many, but he hadn¡¯t expected such a shocking one. Yes indeed.

    Thinking of this, he paused momentarily, then suddenly recalled something else and spoke again,

    "Also, check any private ne routes back to the country."

    He had already checked recent international and domestic flights and found nothing suspicious.

    Whoever could silently take Qiao Jing from the capital certainly wasn¡¯t simple.

 Chapter 738 - 727: Pretending to Be Unwell

    <h4>Chapter 738: Chapter 727: Pretending to Be Unwell</h4><h4></h4>

    Fortunately, the organization he managed was the foremost among the seven major organizations in M Country, and its influence in M Country was second only to that of the President.

    In addition, with the assistance of Wu Xirui¡¯s people, they would certainly be able to find Qiao Jing¡¯s whereabouts even more quickly.

    When members of another organization heard that they were to search for the Queen¡¯s whereabouts, they immediately became tense and respectfully replied:

    "Rest assured, I will send out all my brothers to search for the Queen."

    The phone call was then disconnected.

    Meanwhile, nightfall had already begun.

    Inside the research facility of M Country.

    Qiao Jing nced at her phone screen, confirming that it was already evening, and began looking for an opportunity.

    John and his people were unaware of how she had knocked those men out, so she still had the anesthetic spray in her possession.

    Seizing the moment, she managed to create more of the anesthetic spray, with a higher potency.

    A short whileter, the two guards in theboratory switched shifts with another two, and the person delivering the meal also arrived.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the two guards, and after a few seconds¡¯ pause, she came up with a n.

    After finishing her meal, she raised her hand to cover her stomach, squeezing her beautiful brows tightly together.

    One of the guards responsible for surveince noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s condition and hurried over.

    "Professor Qiao, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and slowly began to speak:

    "My stomach feels unwell, do you have any medicine here?"

    She needed to find an excuse to send one of the guards away, as trying to knock out two people at the same time could lead to a mistake.

    After all, she only had one anesthetic spray bottle and couldn¡¯t knock out two people at the same time.

    The guard immediately nodded, took out his walkie-talkie and was about to make a call.

    "Yes, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll contact the medical staff."

    Seeing that the guard didn¡¯t n to leave, Qiao Jing quickly stopped him, clutching her stomach tightly and pretending to be in urgent need.

    "No need to contact anyone, you must bring the medicine right away. Waiting for you to finish the call will be too slow, go get it for me."

    The guard hesitated, but seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s urgent demeanor, he had no choice but to stand up and walk outside.

    Before leaving, he made a special point to instruct his colleague.

    "Keep an eye on Professor Qiao, and if there¡¯s any emergency, contact Mr. John immediately!"

    The other guard nodded and quickly approached Qiao Jing¡¯s side.

    Qiao Jing stood up and said she needed to use the bathroom before staggering into the restroom.

    Once inside the restroom, she quickly entered several codes, installing Trojan programs on all the surveince cameras of the research facility, making the camera footage stick to the same scene.

    Luckily, these people were all stationed at various doors without moving around, and since they had just changed shifts, having the surveince footage stuck on the scene where they were each standing guard didn¡¯t seem too conspicuous.

    Having dealt with the surveince issue, Qiao Jing opened the bathroom door.

    The only person tasked with guarding her in theboratory was standing by the door, waiting for her toe out.

    When the guard saw Qiao Jinge out, he asked:

    "Professor Qiao, are you alright?"

    Qiao Jing nodded lightly and, seizing a moment when the guard wasn¡¯t paying attention, quickly pulled out the anesthetic spray from her pocket and sprayed it in the guard¡¯s face.

    Because the anesthetic spray Qiao Jing had made was more concentrated than before, the guard inhaled just a bit and immediately passed out.

    After seeing the guard copse to the ground, Qiao Jing deftly changed into his uniform and quickly opened theboratory door.

    Perhaps because the guards outside were reassigned to theb, Mr. John had withdrawn the exterior security, leaving only scattered sentries.

    Qiao Jing pressed down the brim of her hat and curled her lips into a smirk, letting out a low, cold chuckle.

    "Heh."

    It seemed Mr. John was still underestimating the situation, thinking that stationing people inside theb was enough to contain her.

    But this worked to her advantage, providing her the opportunity to escape.

    Along the way, the guards, likely thinking the same as Mr. John¡ªthat with two people in theb, she definitely couldn¡¯t escape¡ªhad let down their guard.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but quicken her pace towards the exit.

    On the other side, the guard sent to fetch medicine for Qiao Jing had arrived at the infirmary and recited a few drug names.

    At that moment, Frank was also in the infirmary, tending to a wound inflicted by Qiao Jing. Upon seeing the guarde in for the medicine, he recognized him instantly.

    "Why aren¡¯t you with Professor Qiao? Who is the medicine for?"

    The guard took the medication from the medical staff and respectfully answered Frank¡¯s question.

    "Professor Qiao is feeling unwell; I came to get her some medicine."

    Hearing the guard¡¯s response, Frank felt that something was amiss and frowned.

    "Why didn¡¯t you have medical personnel go to her?"

    Caught off guard by the question, the guard hesitated but answered truthfully:

    "Professor Qiao said that waiting for me to finish the phone call would be too slow. She¡¯s feeling very unwell and must take the medicine immediately. Don¡¯t worry, there is another person with Professor Qiao."

    Frank¡¯s suspicion deepened, and his frown intensified.

    "Contact the other guard immediately and ask about Professor Qiao¡¯s current condition."

    His intuition told him that Qiao Jing was likely trying to escape again.

    The befuddled guard, while staring at Frank, still followed his instructions and tried to reach his colleague using the walkie-talkie.

    After several attempts, he still couldn¡¯t make contact.

    Frank sensed something was gravely wrong and quickly pulled out his phone to call Mr. John.

    "Mr. John! Professor Qiao might be trying to escape again! Please check the surveince and share it with me in real time!"

    Upon hearing Frank¡¯s words, Mr. John immediately turned on the monitors. The screens showed nothing unusual; Qiao Jing appeared to be sitting in theb eating.

    Worried that Frank¡¯s warning might be true, he proceeded to check the hallway cameras and found everything as normal as ever.

    "Frank, Professor Qiao is eating in theb. There¡¯s no anomaly."

    Frank was frowning at the surveince screens, trying to detect any clues from theb¡¯s footage.

    But the surveince they were viewing was exactly what Qiao Jing wanted them to see, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary.

    Frank rubbed his chin thoughtfully, responding strangely.

    "How could this be?"

    The guard standing next to Frank, also focused on the phone screen, noticed something amiss and immediately pointed it out.

    "Boss! Something¡¯s not right! George should be right with Professor Qiao, and I haven¡¯t been gone long¡ªI received a message that Professor Qiao was in the restroom, and plus, with her feeling unwell, she couldn¡¯t possibly be eating so soon!"

    At that, Frank realized that all of this was a ruse set up by Qiao Jing!

    He quickly took out his walkie-talkie and also said to Mr. John:

    "Professor Qiao has escaped again! The surveince and everything must be a ruse set by Professor Qiao! Everyone start searching immediately! Mr. John, please drop the emergency iron gates at the research facility!"

    He had thought that Qiao Jing, having been captured just earlier that day, wouldy low for a few days, or at least one day. In the end, she attempted to escape twice in a single day!

    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Although he was still trying to understand what was going on, to prevent Qiao Jing from escaping, he quickly activated the emergency iron gates!

 Chapter 739 - 728: The Truth That Surprises Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 739: Chapter 728: The Truth That Surprises Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    But what John didn¡¯t know was that Qiao Jing had already arrived outside the research institute.

    No sooner had Qiao Jing stepped out of the institute¡¯s door than the iron gate behind her nged shut.

    She looked back at the iron gate and her lips curled into a smile.

    It seemed that these people were just now realizing what was happening, but...

    It was already toote.

    Qiao Jing lowered the brim of her hat and hurried outside, but she hadn¡¯t gone far when she realized something was amiss.

    As soon as she walked out the front door, she was met with a st of strong wind.

    Where could such a strong wind being from?

    Looking up, what she saw wasn¡¯t the outside road, but many trees that together resembled a forest.

    Qiao Jing slowly furrowed her brows and squinted, gazing into the distance.

    Only then did she understand what John meant by his words, "The environment is very nice."

    Because the research institute was built on an ind!

    Beyond the institute, all one could see were dense trees, and the strong wind was blowing in from the sea not far away.

    The outside environment was indeed "very nice," with both trees and sea, quite pleasant!

    But it was precisely because of this that she had no way to escape, having neither a helicopter nor a boat, and without any clue how to get out.

    Meanwhile, the iron gate of the institute that had lowered earlier was now rising again.

    Immediately afterwards, John and Frank, leading the Guard Team, rushed out.

    Frank said anxiously,

    "Quick! Find Professor Qiao!"

    God knows how shocked he was when, upon exiting, he saw the guards who were responsible for watching the gate all sprawled out on the ground.

    Oh God, could you tell him how Qiao Jing, all by herself, managed to escape so many times and even took down so many guards?

    He had checked, and those people seemed to have fainted for no apparent reason, with no cause to be found, and the surveince inexplicably seemed as if it had been tampered with.

    Although he didn¡¯t know how the masterminds behind these events had managed it, he knew that all were the handiwork of Qiao Jing.

    What they had brought back was not a talent but probably a demon!

    John raised his hand, making a stop gesture.

    He looked at the empty entrance and patted Frank on the shoulder.

    "Frank, what¡¯s the hurry? Don¡¯t forget the research institute is on an ind, and without transportation, Professor Qiao won¡¯t be able to leave."

    He honestly hadn¡¯t expected that Qiao Jing, all by herself, could sessfully escape twice under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes.

    The first time, if it hadn¡¯t been promptly detected, Qiao Jing might have already gotten away, and within the same day, to have a second urrence where she slipped away right before his eyes again.

    But... simrly, this also made him greatly admire Qiao Jing, who not only could take down so many people but also tamper with the surveince. Perhaps Qiao Jing¡¯s intelligence could no longer be described merely as genius.

    Standing in the shadows, Qiao Jing naturally also heard this and she took out her phone.

    Her gaze fell on the phone screen, which, to her discovery, had a stronger signal aftering outside, allowing everything to function normally.

    Qiao Jing quickly opened the map and located her position, finding herself on a remote ind in nation M.

    Just as she was about to hide in the forest and double-check her location, she identally bumped into a tree.

    The impacted tree made a rustling sound, and the leaves began to fall.

    Frank immediately noticed the situation and pointed in Qiao Jing¡¯s direction, saying:

    "Over there! Mr. John, no matter what, we still need to bring Professor Qiao back!"

    He had truly lost face, as Qiao Jing always managed to escape easily. What use was he as the captain of the Guard Team?

    If he hadn¡¯t realized something was wrong just now, checked the surveince, and his men hadn¡¯t pointed out the anomaly, they might have discovered Qiao Jing¡¯s escape eventer.

    John nodded and stood still.

    "Go ahead."

    Frank led several dozen guards in the direction where Qiao Jing was located.

    Qiao Jing heard footsteps from behind her, growing louder from afar, and she pursed her red lips.

    This was already her second escape; she knew that after her return, the management inside would be even stricter, and finding another opportunity to escape would probably be more difficult than thest two times.

    Moreover, as she was now on an ind, just as John had said, without a means of transport, she could not leave the ind at all.

    It wasn¡¯t practical for her to drag her pregnant body and hide in this forest; even if she managed to hide, Frank and his team would be able to find her quickly, so now she could only wait for these people to take her back.

    At that moment, close by, Frank¡¯s voice could be heard again as he spoke with the guards.

    "Professor Qiao is nearby, search carefully! Find Professor Qiao and bring her back!"

    "Yes!"

    Following that, Qiao Jing could hear those footsteps getting closer to her location.

    After a silence of two seconds, she clutched her phone tightly.

    Then, while Frank and the others had not yet reached her, Qiao Jing quickly opened WeChat.

    Upon opening WeChat, she realized that Zhan Qipei and others had sent her over 99+ messages and made numerous calls.

    Qiao Jing helplessly tugged at the corner of her mouth, but her hands didn¡¯t stop moving. Using her signal channel, she quickly pinpointed her location on the small ind, and immediately sent the coordinates to Zhan Qipei.

    Just as she sent the message, Frank, along with the guards, arrived at her side.

    Frank, seeing Qiao Jing standing quietly by the tree without any intention of running, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Professor Qiao, it¡¯s veryte. Pleasee back with us."

    He naturally harbored some resentment towards Qiao Jing but didn¡¯t dare to show it, and could only keep it bottled up inside.

    When he had led the team to the Imperial City to "invite" the adversary over but ended up getting beaten up badly, he had perhaps already lost his dignity in the organization.

    Now, with Qiao Jing having sessfully escaped twice, she had utterly disregarded his authority and caused him to lose his dignity.

    This time, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t engage in much conversation with these people and directly started walking towards the research institute.

    "Good, I am tired anyway."

    Since she couldn¡¯t escape, she might as well rest in theboratory; after all, she had already sent the location to Zhan Qipei. That man coulde whenever he wanted.

    After all, John and his people wouldn¡¯t dare to harm her.

    However... given that John was that person from M country, it might be a bit difficult for Zhan Qipei toe because, as the empire¡¯s richest man, handling international affairs could still be somewhat inconvenient.

    Upon hearing this, Frank managed to muster a strained but polite smile on his face.

    "Haha, in that case, please go ahead."

    After saying this, he couldn¡¯t help but mutter to himself:

    Professor Qiao didn¡¯t look tired at all but quite lively instead. How else could she be stirring up all this fuss sote at night?

 Chapter 740 - 729: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Amazing Hacking Skills

    <h4>Chapter 740: Chapter 729: Qiao Jing¡¯s Amazing Hacking Skills</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t be bothered with Frank and quickened her steps.

    As she passed by John, she deliberately stopped and slowly repeated a phrase he had once said.

    "The scenery here is indeed quite. . . nice. . . indeed."

    John cleared his throat to cover up his embarrassment.

    "Professor Qiao, if you¡¯re interested, you might consider taking a walk here sometime."

    He really hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing toe out early.

    Qiao Jing gave John a fleeting nce and then withdrew her gaze, quickly returning to theboratory.

    She went straight to the soft bed,y down, and simply closed her eyes to rest.

    Rather than helping them with the experiment, she figured it was better to rest more, especially since she was pregnant and more rest was preferable.

    What John had meant by "you might consider taking a walk" was that she could go out after she had finished the experiment.

    But, in fact, she wasn¡¯t interested in the ind¡¯s environment at all.

    Meanwhile, John also returned to the surveince room and found that the monitor was still showing the previous image, which looked very tranquil.

    Frank saw this and rubbed his eyes.

    "Mr. John, why is the surveince still the same? Where are the people responsible for fixing it? Are they not working?"

    John frowned when he saw the peaceful surveince image.

    "You make a call and ask them."

    He had notified the technicians to restore the surveince immediately upon learning that Qiao Jing had escaped and tampered with the system, so how could it be that from their departure to their return, the surveince had still not been fixed?"

    Frank immediately grabbed his phone and dialed a number.

    The call was quickly answered.

    "Hello? Boss!"

    Frank furrowed his brow tightly, furiously demanding:

    "What¡¯s going on with you guys? It¡¯s been so long, and the surveince still isn¡¯t fixed? If you bunch of wastes can¡¯t manage it, is K not there? Or is it that even he can¡¯t handle it?"

    He couldn¡¯t believe that, if even the people from America¡¯s top hacker organization couldn¡¯t manage it, the leader K should be able to fix it, right?! But since the surveince was still out after so long, it proved either K wasn¡¯t there or even K couldn¡¯t deal with it.

    However, from what he knew about K, it was definitely because K wasn¡¯t there that this was happening; after all, he knew there was only one person in the world more skilled than K.

    No one knew who the person stronger than K actually was, but they were extremely mysterious and rarely appeared, almost impossible to find.

    The scolded subordinates didn¡¯t dare to speak, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground.

    As Frank was about to continue his tirade, the phone was handed to someone else.

    This person was none other than K.

    "I can¡¯t restore the surveince; the opponent may very well be Q!"

    His voice was full of excitement!

    "Even you can¡¯t restore it? Wait! What did you say? The opponent might be Q?"

    Frank was mid-sentence when he suddenly caught on, and he was utterly shocked!

    Q was someone recognized by anyone with even a slight knowledge ofworking, virtually a household name, even among students who tinkered withputers.

    This was the Q who could single-handedly disrupt any firewall and construct one that no one could breach!

    K grunted, "I can¡¯t do anything about it" before hanging up the phone.

    After hanging up, Frank fell into deep thought.

    John had naturally heard the conversation between the two and furrowed his brows tightly.

    "Is Professor Qiao Q?"

    Although he didn¡¯t want to believe it, if K had said so, the likelihood was very high.

    Moreover, the modifications Qiao Jing had made to the surveince had indeed deceived everyone.

    Frank nodded and then shook his head.

    "I¡¯m not sure, K just said it¡¯s very likely, but... Mr. John, I think it¡¯s very likely that Professor Qiao is Q."

    Otherwise, who could make the surveince so foolproof? If it weren¡¯t for his subordinates¡¯ confirmation, he would have been kept in the dark.

    John¡¯s frown deepened and he immediately sensed something was wrong.

    "Wasn¡¯t Professor Qiao¡¯s phone confiscated?!"

    Previously, when he had seen Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, he thought there was a signal jammer in theboratory, so he didn¡¯t pay any attention to the phone.

    But if Qiao Jing was Q, then the signal jammer he¡¯d set up was just a decoration, barely a threat, let alone the fact that they had just run outside, where there were no signal jammers.

    It was then that Frank remembered that Qiao Jing¡¯s phone had not been confiscated and quickly came to the same conclusion as John.

    "I¡¯ll have someone confiscate Professor Qiao¡¯s phone right now! Mr. John, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll handle this properly!"

    Having said that, Frank made a call and hurried towards theboratory where Qiao Jing was located.

    By the time he arrived at theboratory, guards had already confiscated Qiao Jing¡¯s phone and ced it on the table, waiting for his inspection.

    "Boss, you¡¯re here."

    Frank hurried into theboratory, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s phone, and was surprised to find that the phone was not password-protected.

    Without a word, he unlocked it, immediately opened the call logs, and othermunication apps.

    Seeing that everything seemed normal and that no messages had been sent out, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and returned the phone to Qiao Jing.

    "Thank you for your cooperation, Professor Qiao."

    No sooner had he finished speaking than he remembered again that Qiao Jing was Q. If she had this good an opportunity for calling for help, why would she give it up?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even nce at the phone or respond to Frank, simply sitting on the sofa leisurely eating fruit.

    She had already expended quite a bit of energy today; it was her time to rest.

    As for the messages on the phone, she wasn¡¯t foolish; she had already quickly deleted the messages when Frank and the others had found her outside.

    Moreover, she had remembered that she forgot to reset the surveince just when she anticipated their suspicion, so she had set the phone to show them exactly what they expected.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, Frank grew even more puzzled and fiddled with her phone again.

    But the results were still the same as before, showing no clues.

    To prevent Qiao Jing from using the phone to call for help, Frank put the phone directly into his pocket.

    "Professor Qiao, to avoid interfering with your experiment¡¯s progress, we¡¯ve decided to temporarily keep your phone."

    If Qiao Jing got her hands on the phone again, she would definitely seek help, so he decided to take the phone away and not give her any chance at all.

    As long as they gave her even a slight opportunity, Qiao Jing would make use of it, potentially causing the research institute to turn upside down, making it necessary to deploy all the guards to search for her.

    Hearing Frank¡¯s words, Qiao Jing lightly lifted her eyebrows, which were as delicate as mist. Looking at Frank who was about to leave with her phone, she slowly spoke:

    "Stop."

 Chapter 741 - 730: Qiao Jing Got Angry

    <h4>Chapter 741: Chapter 730: Qiao Jing Got Angry</h4><h4></h4>

    Frank¡¯s footsteps halted immediately, and he bit his teeth with his back to Qiao Jing. His face was filled with resentment, yet there was also a naturally arising awe from the bottom of his heart.

    Theplex emotions made him dare not refute Qiao Jing¡¯s words, forcing himself to turn around with a strained smile on his face.

    "Professor Qiao, is there anything else?"

    Although he felt that Qiao Jing making him lose face was detestable, he was still very clear about the gap in their statuses.

    Otherwise, he would not have been so overly polite.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gazended on Frank¡¯s pocket, and he slightly squinted his phoenix eyes.

    "Did you say you could take away my belongings just like that?"

    Actually, she could do without the phone, especially after this incident, John and his team wouldn¡¯t be so easy to deal with anymore. Besides, because of the surveince, taking her phone was inevitable sooner orter.

    But the things that belonged to her were not to be tampered with by just anyone.

    When Frank met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, sharp as ice des, he couldn¡¯t help but shudder inside, a sense of fear spontaneously arising.

    He quietly pinched the palm of his hand to snap out of it and responded to Qiao Jing¡¯s question.

    "Professor Qiao, I didn¡¯t want to take your phone away either, but I was worried it might affect your research, so I took it. Moreover, it¡¯s only temporary, I will return it to you after a while."

    Qiao Jing slightly narrowed her dark phoenix eyes, her red lips parted slightly, her words cold as ice.

    "I will say it one more time, return my phone."

    Watching Qiao Jing¡¯s expressionless face gave Frank an imposing sensation, making one involuntarily feel a chill down their spine, goosebumps erupting.

    "This¡ª" Frank was terribly embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to do for a moment.

    Just then, Qiao Jing¡¯s cold voice sounded again.

    "Fine, you can take my phone away."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Frank thought she hadpromised and he immediately felt relieved.

    However¡ª

    Before he hadpletely rxed, he heard Qiao Jing¡¯s cold voice again.

    "I will not proceed with the experiments."

    Frank looked at Qiao Jing, then at the phone in his hand, his eyebrows so furrowed they could crush a fly.

    After much hesitation, he finally decided to return the phone to Qiao Jing.

    They were on an ind now, and without a boat, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t leave.

    Moreover, there was a signal jammer in theboratory, so even if Qiao Jing had her phone, it wouldn¡¯t be of much use.

    It was also for this reason that they had chosen not to confiscate her phone after bringing her to the ind.

    Frank, thinking the matter was settled as Qiao Jing said nothing more, greeted and left theboratory directly.

    Just before closing the door, he didn¡¯t forget to remind her once more.

    "Also, Professor Qiao, please try toplete the research as soon as possible."

    Right now, their country¡¯s agricultural level was quite behind; if Qiao Jing could help them make progress, it would certainly be a great advance!

    Qiao Jing still ignored Frank, continuing to quietly eat her fruit.

    Seeing this, Frank didn¡¯t dare say more, fearful of angering Qiao Jing to the point where she wouldn¡¯t conduct the experiments at all.

    He could only help Qiao Jing close the door.

    Qiao Jing watched the tightly shut door, her eyes darkening, and walked straight into the bathroom to wash up.

    After washing up, shey down on the bed, pulled up the nket, closed her eyes, and prepared to sleep.

    This scene was also fully captured by John, who was vigntly watching the surveince in the control room.

    He nced at the time, noticing it was only nine o¡¯clock, and it seemed that Qiao Jing had no intention at all of helping them with the research.

    At this time, Frank also returned to the control room, just about to report the situation with the phone to John, when he saw Qiao Jing on the bed preparing to sleep.

    He paused, then confusedly said,

    "Mr. John, I assure you that I have already instructed Professor Qiao toplete the research as soon as possible. However, I didn¡¯t expect that at this time, Professor Qiao is still not working on the research and is preparing to sleep directly instead."

    John¡¯s gaze firmly fixed on the Qiao Jing who was tightly covered with the nket on the bed, he asked:

    "What¡¯s the situation with Professor Qiao¡¯s mobile phone?"

    Frank immediately reported truthfully:

    "There¡¯s no record of Professor Qiao sending out any messages, but if she is Q, she could totally do that."

    Upon hearing Frank¡¯s words, John¡¯s frown deepened so much it could have killed a fly.

    He stared at Qiao Jing, who was sleeping leisurely on the screen, and suddenly threw the remote on the table, making a loud "bang!"

    "Haven¡¯t I spoken kindly enough?! Why on earth won¡¯t Professor Qiao agree to help us with the research?"

    Frank immediately responded:

    "Mr. John, please, don¡¯t be angry."

    John rashly smashed everything on the table to the ground.

    "Why can¡¯t she help us with the research? Moreover, given the current situation, she has no other choice but to assist us!"

    He had spoken so nicely, but Qiao Jing still stubbornly refused to help with the research.

    What could he do?!

    Frank was also distressed by this matter, and both men fell into deep thought.

    Just then, an idea urred to him.

    "Mr. John, I have thought of a way to get Qiao Jing to start experimenting."

    Upon hearing this, John turned to look at Frank.

    "What method? Regardless of the situation, we must persuade Professor Qiao to conduct the experiment. Otherwise, our country might face a severe food crisis!"

    Since speaking nicely didn¡¯t work, he had no choice but to try a more forceful approach.

    He knew that another country, opposed to theirs, was also researching wheat recently, so he had to get these findings before the other country did.

    Frank bent down, moved closer to John, and whispered a few words.

    After hearing what Frank had to say, John¡¯s tightly knit brows finally rxed, and a smile appeared on his face.

    "Then let¡¯s do it, right now, immediately,e with me to theb!"

    Frank stood up at once and went with John to theboratory where Qiao Jing was.

    When they opened the door, they found that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t asleep at all and was looking directly at them.

    This also confirmed the suspicion that Qiao Jing really didn¡¯t want to help them with the experiments.

    Qiao Jing, sensing someone opening the door, instantly became alert, and had looked towards the door even before they entered.

    Seeing that it was John and Franking in again, she quickly walked over to a couch and sat down.

    The moment the door opened, their eyes met, and then came a long, drawn-out silence.

    Finally, it was Qiao Jing who broke the deadlock.

    "Did you twoe to see me for a reason?"

    She had thought she could finally get some rest and was about to go to bed, but instead, they had run over again.

    Frank was the first to respond to Qiao Jing¡¯s question.

    "Professor Qiao, we just have something, and would like to discuss it with you¡ª"

    He was interrupted by John raising his hand.

    Frank immediately closed his mouth.

    John sat opposite Qiao Jing, his gaze fixed on theb table, where things were almost untouched, except for something they tampered with, which he didn¡¯t know.

    However, that wasn¡¯t the point. The real issue was that Qiao Jing was unwilling to assist with the experiment.

    He hesitated for a moment, still considering Qiao Jing¡¯s status and their need for her help with the research, he decided to try speaking politely first.

    If speaking nicely didn¡¯t work, he would have to resort to the tactic Frank mentioned.

    With this in mind, John withdrew his gaze from theb table and turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    "Professor Qiao, are you unwilling to help us with the experiments?"

 Chapter 742 - 731: Threatening Her with Pregnancy

    <h4>Chapter 742: Chapter 731: Threatening Her with Pregnancy</h4><h4></h4>

    Upon hearing John¡¯s words, a hint of surprise surfaced in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Why would John suddenly say such a thing?

    At the time, she hadn¡¯t expressed whether she was willing to help with the experiment or not, so why would he suddenly say she was unwilling to participate in the experiment now?

    Butter, she also felt it was to be expected.

    After all, she was lying in bed now with no apparent intention of helping with any experiment.

    But there must be a reason why John said this at this moment.

    Qiao Jing looked up at John with a scrutinizing gaze, her expression growing stern as she indifferently watched him.

    When John met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, he felt an urge to recoil!

    He furrowed his brows, quickly shaking off the feeling.

    He smoothed over his emotions before continuing to speak.

    "Professor Qiao, I do hope you¡¯ll help us with the experiment, because we¡¯re in a real hurry. I¡¯ve prepared everything you¡¯ll need for the experiment. Could you tell me why you¡¯re unwilling to help us? I believe we¡¯ve always held you in high regard."

    Perhaps it was because of Qiao Jing¡¯s multiple identities that he, the head of M country, felt a sudden urge to back down after being stared at by her for a while.

    "Oh? Respect me? From forcibly bringing me over from the empire, confining me in ab, and installing a signal jammer there, to trying to forcibly take my phone away¡ªis this your definition of respect?"

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing paused for a moment, her gaze shifting back and forth between John and Frank.

    "The underlying message in your words is that I can only negotiate with you after conducting the experiment? Why should I even help you with it? I¡¯m not a citizen of M country."

    She never liked beating around the bush. When the two men previously spoke of other matters, she could afford to ignore them.

    But now John actually had the audacity to say they respected her, which was utterly contemptible to her.

    After Qiao Jingid bare the things they had done, an embarrassed look appeared on the faces of John and Frank simultaneously.

    John coughed, diverting the topic.

    "But we haven¡¯t done anything out of line to you, and if you do seed in helping us with the research, we will most certainly not leave you shortchanged."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, he inexplicably felt somewhat guilty.

    Because her words pierced through the deception, stripping away their superficial smiles, exposing their true intentions in broad daylight.

    Qiao Jing snorted withughter, looking at John with a mockingly amused expression.

    "You think I¡¯m in need of money?"

    In need of money?

    What a joke?

    The top agricultural magnate of the imperial capital in need of money?

    Seeing the two of them silent, Qiao Jing spoke again.

    "If there¡¯s nothing else, please leave. I need to rest."

    She really couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her breath on these two. Regardless, she would not help John with his experiment.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s unbending stance, John could no longer maintain his fake smile, and his facade crumbled entirely.

    "Since that¡¯s the case, Professor Qiao, don¡¯t me us for not being courteous."

    He had given Qiao Jing a chance, but she had made her choice, so he would have to resort to the method Frank had mentioned.

    He refused to believe that using Frank¡¯s method, they couldn¡¯t coerce Qiao Jing into conducting the experiment for them.

    After hearing John¡¯s words, Qiao Jing did not pay much attention.

    John, seeing that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t care at all about the punishment he might receive, was so angry that he couldn¡¯t let it out.

    It was as if he had punched cotton and ended up suffocated with rage.

    He bit his teeth and blurted out a harsh threat.

    "Professor Qiao, if you don¡¯t help us with the experiment, then we won¡¯t bring you food. Even if you don¡¯t eat, the child in your belly still needs to eat, right?"

    When they had first brought the unconscious Qiao Jing to the research institute, they immediately had a doctor perform a full physical check-up on her, fearing anyplications.

    And that examination revealed that Qiao Jing was pregnant.

    He didn¡¯t believe that Qiao Jing would neglect even her own children.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Frank¡¯s reminder, he might have forgotten all about it.

    Frank snorted and looked at Qiao Jing, threatening her again.

    "Professor Qiao, if you don¡¯t eat, the children in your stomach will be deprived of nutrition. Are you really willing to let them starve?"

    When Qiao Jing heard the word "pregnant" from the mouths of the two men, she didn¡¯t feel surprised.

    She had woken up to find herself on an IV drip, and the food was exceptionally good, so much so that it didn¡¯t seem like it was meant for just her. At that moment, she had guessed that John and the others knew about her pregnancy.

    Given John¡¯s concern for her, it was certain that they would have her health checked to prevent any issues that would preclude her from participating in the experiment.

    However, she indeed had not expected John and his team to threaten her with her children, a move that had indeed sessfully threatened her.

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and then spoke coldly:

    "Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. I want to rest now. You should leave."

    Even if John and his team did not bring her food, she naturally had ways to find something that could tide her over.

    For example, some of the nts on the experiment bench contained some nutrients and could provide a bit of sustenance.

    As for the matter of food afterwards, she didn¡¯t believe that Zhan Qipei could not hurry over within a day to deal with the situation.

    John, seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s indifferent demeanor, couldn¡¯t help but doubt himself.

    Could it be that this tactic was useless against Qiao Jing?

    Frank looked confusedly at Qiao Jing and asked uncertainly:

    "Professor Qiao, are you really going to let your children starve along with you? Moreover, you are pregnant with triplets!"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes silently and looked at the two men with an icy expression, not saying a word.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s attitude, John¡¯s face turned to the color of iron, and then he stood up indignantly, turning towards the door of theb.

    When he was about to reach the door, he stopped, his chest visibly heaving, then he turned back to look at Qiao Jing.

    "Professor Qiao, I hope you will reconsider your decision. Even if not for yourself, you should think about the children in your belly."

    Although he had said this almost twice, at this point, there really was no other way to threaten Qiao Jing.

    Without giving him another nce, Qiao Jing returned to the bed to lie down and rest.

    After all, she wasn¡¯t hungry at the moment, and even if she didn¡¯t eat the next day, she could nibble on some nts to hold herself over while waiting for Zhan Qipei toe and save her.

    Meanwhile, in the surveince room.

    John stared at the still-quietboratory and could only see that Qiao Jing had already gone to rest on the bed.

    He mmed his hand on the desk in anger but ultimately did nothing else.

 Chapter 743 - 732: Someone Secretly Brings Her Food in the Middle of the Night

    <h4>Chapter 743: Chapter 732: Someone Secretly Brings Her Food in the Middle of the Night</h4><h4></h4>

    He had even threatened Qiao Jing with withholding meals, but she still refused to agree with him.

    Frank was also closely following John at this moment, closely monitoring Qiao Jing.

    "Mr. John, I think Professor Qiao might not yet realize the seriousness of the situation. When she doesn¡¯t have breakfast tomorrow morning, she might change her mind," Frank suggested.

    John, silently watching the screen, finally made up his mind.

    "Let¡¯s do as you suggest, starve her for one night."

    *

    At one in the morning, Qiao Jing was awoken by her stomach growling incessantly.

    She slowly furrowed her brows, intending to close her eyes and continue sleeping.

    But during this time, her stomach still kept growling nonstop.

    She eventually couldn¡¯t endure it any longer and sat up in bed.

    Qiao Jing pressed her hand against her stomach and took a few seconds to fully wake up.

    Only then did she slowly recall that she had been too busy escaping today, hadn¡¯t eaten properly, and dinner had been only a few bites before she started looking for a way out.

    "Grrrrr¡ª"

    Another wave of hunger passed through her, and Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach was drumming nonstop.

    She had no choice but to get out of bed and walked over to theboratory bench.

    Qiao Jing looked at the jars and bottles on the bench, including some nts, with tightly knitted brows.

    Carrying three babies in her stomach, she needed to eat something to fill her belly; certain nts might not only provide nutrition for the babies but could also help fill her up a bit.

    However... if John and his people nned not to send her breakfast tomorrow morning, as the two men had mentioned, she might end up not eating.

    If she went a long time without food, just relying on these nts to fill her stomach could somewhat affect the children.

    Perhaps she could reassess the situation tomorrow and then pretend to be cooperative.

    After all, she just needed to eat.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to start making a nt-based drink, theboratory door was knocked on before swinging open!

    Upon hearing the sound of theb door opening, she looked up immediately.

    Could it be John and Frank visiting at this hour? Not sleeping and just watching her?

    At the same time, an unfamiliar voice suddenly rang from the doorway.

    "Hello, Professor Qiao."

    Upon hearing the stranger¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing pursed her red lips.

    Qiao Jing immediately asked with caution,

    "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

    The person did not hurry to respond but turned on theb light, revealing his face.

    Seeing thepletely unfamiliar face, Qiao Jing¡¯s brows tightened even further.

    "Who are you, really?"

    The man didn¡¯t answer Qiao Jing¡¯s question but continued to look at her respectfully, then, without stopping, he ced the lunchbox he brought with him on the table.

    Upon seeing the lunchbox, Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach rumbled louder, nearly grabbing it to eat immediately.

    But who was this stranger? She didn¡¯t know him at all. Why would he suddenly bring her food?

    Moreover, judging from the clothes he wore, he was clearly one of John¡¯s men. Why would hee over to bring her food?

    The man noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s puzzled look, and started to speak somewhat hesitantly.

    "Professor Qiao... hello, I, I¡¯m George. When I learned that the higher-ups had stopped your dinner, I couldn¡¯t help but bring some food over," he exined.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze lingered on the lunchbox. Even though her stomach was drumming persistently, she still did not rashly eat the food the stranger brought.

    "Aren¡¯t you one of John¡¯s men? Why would you help me?" she asked.

    She was determined to find out what was really going on.

    George stared at Qiao Jing respectfully and continuously, then took a deep breath before he found the courage to speak, his voice tinged with excitement.

    "Professor Qiao, I am one of your fans, oh no, that¡¯s not right, I really admire you! Your research on hybrid corn and the like is simply too impressive!!"

    At this point, he paused, the excited expression on his face vanishingpletely, his demeanor turning listless.

    "Professor Qiao, although I work for Mr. John, I do not agree with his methods. That¡¯s why I want to help you escape."

    Qiao Jing nced at George indifferently and did not say a word.

    George, seeing that Qiao Jing did not believe him, furrowed his brow and thought for a while before saying:

    "Professor Qiao, I truly am on your side! I never expected Mr. John to bring you here forcibly. Now he has gone even further and is not letting you eat, so I packed some meals for you and brought them here."

    Qiao Jing was still hesitant, but she was so hungry that she ultimately reached out and opened the lunchbox.

    Anyway, she might as well see what was inside the lunchbox first.

    As soon as she opened the lunchbox lid, a delicious aroma wafted up, making Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach growl incessantly.

    She didn¡¯t care about George dering his position, she just wanted to fill her stomach quickly.

    After confirming there was nothing wrong with the food, driven by extreme hunger, she reluctantly began her dinner.

    Although she did not want to deal with George, she still had to eat.

    Seeing this, George did not force Qiao Jing to trust him immediately but continued:

    "Professor Qiao, if Mr. John still doesn¡¯t let you eat tomorrow, I will bring you breakfast in the morning."

    He knew that such a formidable person as Professor Qiao would not easily trust others, so it was normal for her not to trust him now.

    Hearing George¡¯s words, Qiao Jing paused in her eating and responded:

    "No need."

    She was indeed so hungry tonight that she had to eat a meal brought by a stranger:

    But even if she doesn¡¯t eat breakfast tomorrow, it won¡¯t be a big problem, because she had been timing everything in her mind.

    By tomorrow morning, Zhan Qipei would probably have arrived.

    Even being rejected so straightforwardly, George still did not give up.

    "Professor Qiao, please go ahead and eat, I will take the dishes away after you finish to avoid others noticing."

    Earlier, when he had learned that the famous Professor Qiao hade to the research institute, he was overjoyed because his idol was Professor Qiao.

    Just as he thought he could discuss academic questions with Professor Qiao, he found out that Professor Qiao had been forcibly brought by Mr. John.

    The moment he received this news, he was extremely furious, but being just an ordinary employee in the institute, he had no power to stop what was happening.

    Therefore, he could only help Qiao Jing in this way, despite the risk of being discovered, but he would not regret it!

    Qiao Jing quickly finished thest few bites of her meal, packed up the box, and looked up at George.

    "Thank you."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, George awkwardly raised his hand and scratched the back of his head.

    "This, this is what I should do, you don¡¯t need to thank me."

    Just after George had finished speaking, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice rose again.

    "I¡¯m curious, how did you know I would get up at this time?"

    It was now past one in the morning, the dead of night, and there she was awake, and George had appeared.

    This coincidence was too uncanny.

    Of course, she was not so naive as to think this was just a coincidence.

    Since this was no coincidence, there was only one possibility.

    George had been keeping an eye on her movements.

 Chapter 744 - 733: Zhan Qipei Mobilizes All Forces to Search for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 744: Chapter 733: Zhan Qipei Mobilizes All Forces to Search for Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Being stared at with what felt like a tangible, sharp gaze from Qiao Jing, George felt an indescribable pressure.

    He swallowed nervously and replied truthfully, "Actually, after learning that Professor Qiao had been brought here, I¡¯ve been quietly paying attention to the situation."

    One must know, Professor Qiao was his idol, the goal he strived for.

    At first, he paid attention to get a chance to discuss experimental issues with Professor Qiao, but he ended up discovering that Professor Qiao was being coerced by Mr. John.

    How could he stand by idly when his idol was being treated like this?

    After hearing George¡¯s answer, the look Qiao Jing cast on his face became somewhat strange, mixing with a few hints of suspicion.

    To put it nicely, it was called quiet attention; to put it harshly, it should be...

    Spying, right!

    Receiving the look from Qiao Jing, George was momentarily stunned, quickly realizing that his words could easily lead to misunderstandings.

    Whether others misunderstood or not actually didn¡¯t matter.

    But the person in front of him was the renowned Professor Qiao, the person he admired and respected most. He didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood by his idol.

    Therefore, George hastily waved his hands and exined eagerly, "Professor Qiao, please don¡¯t get me wrong, I wasn¡¯t surveilling you, nor do I have any peculiar voyeurism habits."

    "I was just... I was just curious about the legendary agricultural magnate of the empire, wanting to know what kind of person you are."

    "Also, I know Mr. John has been pressuring you to expedite the experiments. I was afraid they might do something adverse to you, so I came over from time to time to check."

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow slightly, her scrutinizing gaze roaming across George¡¯s face.

    It was evident that George¡¯s words seemed toe from the heart, his expression very sincere, not like that of someone who was lying.

    Having confirmed this, Qiao Jing¡¯s wariness toward George lessened a bit, "Okay, I¡¯ll take your word for what you just said, for the time being."

    "However, you¡¯d better note here anymore, and certainly stop bringing me food, understand?"

    Upon hearing this, George was momentarily stunned, thinking that Professor Qiao still doubted him, suspecting he had ulterior motives, which was why she rejected his kindness.

    Thinking this, George immediately straightened his expression, solemnly pledging his loyalty, "Professor Qiao, rest assured, the meals I brought you are absolutely fine, I wouldn¡¯t tamper with them..."

    Qiao Jing instantly knew he had misunderstood her.

    She was somewhat speechless and interrupted George¡¯s words, "You¡¯ve misunderstood, that¡¯s not what I meant."

    What a joke!

    If she was worried about someone tampering with her food, she wouldn¡¯t be Qiao Jing!

    "Ah?"

    George was stunned again, his face full of confusion.

    If it wasn¡¯t because she feared he might drug the food, why then did Professor Qiao not want him to continue bringing meals?

    Seeing his bewildered face, Qiao Jing had no choice but to add, "You work for John, and if John finds out that you¡¯re defying his wishes and secretly helping me, what do you think will happen to you?"

    George frowned slightly and fell silent.

    Mr. John intentionally starved Professor Qiao, aiming to force her to conduct the experiments quickly.

    If Mr. John found out he was secretly providing Professor Qiao with meals, disrupting the n, Mr. John surely wouldn¡¯t let him off...

    "Hurry up and go, the longer you stay here, the greater the risk of being discovered."

    As urged by Qiao Jing, George also realized that he had lingered too long.

    He wanted to say something more, but, fearing discovery, he quickly tidied up the dishes and cutlery and left after saying goodbye.

    After watching George leave, Qiao Jing poured herself a ss of water and leisurely drank it, only then lying back down on the bed.

    He braved the risk of being dealt with to bring her food. This George really seems like a decent person.

    As the saying goes, humans are iron, food is steel.

    Being full and being hungry really feel different!

    ...

    Elsewhere.

    Zhan Qipei was urgently searching for the exact location of Qiao Jing.

    Although he had a location sent by Qiao Jing, it was not very precise.

    Currently, he could only confirm that Qiao Jing was on an ind, but due to the many small inds surrounding the area, it was impossible to determine which one it was.

    Just as Zhan Qipei was deploying his men and issuing orders on how to find her, a voice tinged with mockery came through.

    "Zhan Qipei, this is M country, not the Empire. If you want to find Qiao Jing¡¯s exact location, you¡¯ll need my help,"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze lowered as he watched Wu Xirui approach slowly; his already icy eyes became even more gloomy.

    Wu Xirui ignored his fierce nce and continued mockingly, "In other words, you, Zhan Qipei, are not up to it!"

    Zhan Qipei knew Wu Xirui was provoking him, deliberately trying to anger him.

    But with Qiao Jing¡¯s situation unclear, he had no mood to waste words with Wu Xirui, only snorting coldly, "You seem quite concerned about her."

    As soon as he learned of Qiao Jing¡¯s trouble, this man rushed over in haste.

    Such a reaction certainly made him suspicious!

    "Is that so strange?"

    Wu Xirui¡¯s lips curved, his tone teasing as he spoke, "You know, she¡¯s not only the renowned Professor Qiao but also the skillful Divine Doctor Jing."

    "With her being so outstanding and so beautiful, which man could resist?"

    At these words, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression instantly turned even colder, and the temperature around him seemed to drop sharply.

    It gave a chilling sensation!

    He took a long stride towards Wu Xirui, his gaze cold as ice, his tone filled with threat, "Remember, she is my woman."

    His woman, Zhan Qipei, would not allow other men to covet her!

    Under the oppressive aura of Zhan Qipei, Wu Xirui secretly clenched his teeth, a hint of sinister light shing in his eyes.

    But his face remained unchanged, still wearing that half-mocking smile, retorting with a scoff, "So what? Now does not mean forever, people change."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, staring coldly at Wu Xirui.

    Before he could speak, Wu Xirui continued, "Say, if I find Qiao Jing first and rescue her unharmed, might she realize that I¡¯m actually more capable than you and decide to dump you for me?"

    Zhan Qipei clenched his fist, but soon rxed it, his thin lips curling into a cold smirk, "Be with you? I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have that chance even in your next life!"

    "Really?"

    Wu Xiruiughed wickedly, meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, and casually retorted, "Then let¡¯s wait and see."

    With that, he took out his phone and before Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, began directing his men, ordering a full-scale deployment to search for Qiao Jing.

    Watching Wu Xirui¡¯s smug demeanor, Zhan Qipei was annoyed.

    But he had to admit one thing: having lived in M country for many years, Wu Xirui¡¯s power in this nation was not inferior to his.

    With Wu Xirui joining the search, they would certainly find Qiao Jing faster.

    This was the most important thing at the moment!

 Chapter 745 - 734: Threat! Throw into the Sea to Feed the Sharks

    <h4>Chapter 745: Chapter 734: Threat! Throw into the Sea to Feed the Sharks</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing, far away in theboratory, knew nothing of the ongoing search by Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui, who were at odds with each other.

    After waking up, Qiao Jing got out of bed and freshened up.

    Once she was done, she sat back down on the bed, feeling somewhat listless.

    A night had passed, the ind was calm, and there was no movement outside theboratory, which meant that Zhan Qipei hadn¡¯t arrived yet.

    Qiao Jing found this odd.

    It had been a day since she sent out her location.

    Logically, given Zhan Qipei¡¯s efficiency, he should have arrived by now.

    Could something have happened to Zhan Qipei?

    No sooner had this thought crossed her mind than Qiao Jing immediately dismissed the spection.

    After all, it was not easy to cause trouble for Zhan Qipei.

    There were very few in the world capable of plotting against Zhan Qipei.

    After a moment of contemtion, Qiao Jing could only conclude that there might be other signal jammers on the ind, making the location she sent out less urate, and that¡¯s why Zhan Qipei needed more time...

    As she pondered, the door to theboratory suddenly opened.

    Hearing the noise, Qiao Jing thought it was John and Franking to urge her to conduct experiments again.

    But when she looked up, she saw that the visitor was George fromst night.

    George was holding a meal box, clearly there to bring her food again.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.

    She had made it clear the night before, so why did this man still dare toe?

    Was he not afraid of being discovered by John?

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, George had alreadye in.

    After setting down the meal box, he patted his chest with a look of relief, "That was close; I almost got caught by the guard Mr. John appointed outside."

    If he hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, he might have been tied up by now, presented before Mr. John!

    Qiao Jing gave him a nce, her brow still furrowed, "Didn¡¯t I tell you not toe anymore? Why did you stille?"

    Even if Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t arrive immediately, she had her ways to cope and didn¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s help.

    While they spoke, George had already recovered from the shock of his near discovery.

    He opened the meal box and started serving the food to Qiao Jing, saying with a smile, "Professor Qiao, you don¡¯t need to worry about me, I¡¯ll be careful."

    "I heard you¡¯re pregnant. If I don¡¯t bring you food, you mightst, but your baby inside might not."

    "So please, don¡¯t send me away again. I wille to bring you food every day from now on."

    At this point, Qiao Jing knew that no matter how much she objected, this man would not give up on the idea of bringing her food.

    She tugged at the corner of her mouth, replying indifferently, "Alright then, since you insist, I won¡¯t say much more, thank you."

    George quickly waved his hands, "No need to thank me, it¡¯s an honor to be able to help you."

    He never imagined he would get the opportunity for such close contact with Professor Qiao!

    So even if Mr. John did find out and he faced punishment, it would be worth it to him!

    After Qiao Jing had her fill, and George had just left with the bowls and utensils, John and Frank entered the surveince room to check on Qiao Jing¡¯s condition.

    Both of them thought that Qiao Jing, having gone hungry for a night, must be very weak by now and believed she would soon no longer be able to hold out, and would lower her head in submission to them.

    However, the moment they saw the surveince footage, both of them were stunned.

    In the video, Qiao Jingy on the bed with her hands pillowed behind her head, looking utterly at ease, showing none of the signs one would expect from someone suffering from hunger.

    Frank¡¯s face was the picture of surprise, and he stuttered as he spoke, "How... how is this possible? She clearly went hungry all night and skipped breakfast, so how can she still look so well?"

    Could it be that not only is Professor Qiao an agricultural tycoon and top hacker, but also a high-level ascetic who had achieved the realm of Fasting?!

    Even with no food or water, it seemed to affect her not at all!!!

    John furrowed his brows, his gaze fixed intently on the carefree Qiao Jing in the video.

    After a long while, he snorted and finally spoke, "Worthy of her great reputation, she certainly is resilient. Let¡¯s starve her for another two days and see then; I refuse to believe she can hold out that long."

    Frank nodded and chimed in, "That¡¯s right, this is just the beginning. No one can hold out forever without eating."

    Unless, Professor Qiao really had achieved the ability to fast like those in cultivation tales!

    Quickly, another day passed.

    Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯te, and George secretly brought food for Qiao Jing again.

    Through surveince, John and Frank saw that after two days and nights of hunger, Qiao Jing was still full of energy and rosy-cheeked, showing no signs of weakness, which made them feel even more that something was amiss.

    The two of them discussed and secretly increased the security on theb personnel, while also arranging for constant monitoring throughout the night.

    They were determined to unearth the secret of how Qiao Jing could be so spirited after two days of hunger!

    Qiao Jing was unaware of John and Frank¡¯s revised security measures.

    The next day, when she woke up and waited all morning, George didn¡¯t show up even by nearly noon.

    For the past two days, George had been punctual in bringing her food.

    This abnormality today made Qiao Jing realize that something might have happened to George.

    Just as she came to this realization, the door to theb was opened.

    It was John and Frank who entered.

    Seeing them, Qiao Jing knew her guess was not wrong.

    Before she could speak, Frank took the lead, "I thought as much, how could anyone stay so lively after two days without food? Turns out, we had a traitor among us the whole time, secretly providing you, Professor Qiao, with food."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes lifted coldly as she scanned the two men standing before her, "What did you do to him?"

    From Frank¡¯s tone, it was evident George¡¯s fate was far from good.

    "Professor Qiao, you are our esteemed guest, and we would not treat you ill, but we also have our rules. For this kind of treachery, death would be too light a punishment!"

    After John finished speaking, he gave Frank a look.

    Catching the signal, Frank took out his phone, opened the gallery, and turned the screen towards Qiao Jing.

    The screen revealed images of George after being brutally beaten.

    From the photos, it was clear George was battered badly, his face swollen and bruised with fresh blood still hanging from the corner of his mouth, presenting a rather shocking sight.

    When John and Frank caught George secretly bringing food to Qiao Jing, they were furious, and had someone give him a severe beating on the spot.

    Initially, John had wanted to have George killed and thrown into the sea to feed the sharks.

    But he reconsidered, thinking that perhaps Qiao Jing, grateful for George¡¯s help, would not bear to see him dead on her ount and might agree to the experiment.

    So, he changed his mind, deciding to spare George¡¯s life to test the waters with Qiao Jing, trying his luck.

    After seeing the unbearable photos of George¡¯s beating, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned frostier by the second.

    Just as John had anticipated, George had helped her after all, and she couldn¡¯t allow him to lose his life because of her.

 Chapter 746 - 735: Taking a Disciple

    <h4>Chapter 746: Chapter 735: Taking a Disciple</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shifted from the photo and fell on John¡¯s face, her voice cold as she began, "You¡¯ve gone to all this trouble, solely to have me carry out experiments for you."

    "Congrattions, you¡¯ve seeded."

    As she spoke these words, sarcasm infused Qiao Jing¡¯s tone, but John and Frank were too excited to even care about that, unable to contain their emotion.

    They exchanged nces, the excitement on their faces impossible to hide.

    "However..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curved up slightly, a cold chuckle in her heart, as she deliberately slowed her speech, keeping John and Frank in suspense.

    The word "however" caused John and Frank¡¯s hearts to tighten instantly.

    Both looked at Qiao Jing uneasily, fearing she might change her mind on the spot.

    John, frowning, pressed, "However, what?"

    Qiao Jing, unhurriedly, added another sentence, "I have one condition."

    Frank, irked by her sluggish demeanor, said impatiently, "Professor Qiao, just state your condition. As long as you agree to do the experiment, no matter how difficult it is, we will do our utmost to meet it."

    John nodded in agreement with Frank¡¯s statement, "That¡¯s right, whatever the condition, just say it."

    After enjoying the tension on their faces, Qiao Jing scoffed before continuing, "Actually, it¡¯s not a difficult task at all, just have Georgee and be my assistant."

    Upon hearing this, John and Frank were both momentarily stunned, as if they couldn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing¡¯s condition was so simple.

    They had thought Qiao Jing would surely seize the opportunity to propose something unattainable, just to trouble them.

    It never urred to them that it would be such an easy matter.

    John recovered first, quickly agreeing, "No problem, I¡¯ll arrange for George toe over right away, but I also hope you can start the experiments as soon as possible, Professor Qiao."

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows, faint as wisps of smoke, with no intention of responding.

    John was already used to her dismissive manner.

    After all, as long as she was willing to do the experiments, nothing else mattered.

    That very afternoon, George was brought to theb where Qiao Jing was.

    His injuries had been treated; since they were all superficial, they only looked severe but were not a big deal.

    Although he had taken a beating, the opportunity to be the admired Professor Qiao¡¯s assistant made George feel the ordeal was worthwhile!

    As agreed, Qiao Jing finally began the experiment.

    However, she had only promised to start, not to carry it out earnestly, and she had certainly notmitted to anypletion deadlines.

    So, Qiao Jing just fiddled around at the experimental bench for a bit, and in less than ten minutes, she dusted off her hands and was ready to walk away.

    Despite her perfunctory effort and briefness, George, who was observing, was greatly shocked.

    He couldn¡¯t help but exim, "Professor Qiao, you¡¯re truly amazing. I¡¯m afraid I couldn¡¯t reach your level even in my next lifetime."

    Qiao Jing nced at him, replying indifferently, "Don¡¯t sell yourself short. You can try doing the next steps."

    "Me?" George pointed at himself, his face full of surprise, uncertain as he spoke, "Can I really do it?"

    "Why not?" Qiao Jing looked at him, countering with a question.

    "But..."

    George still hesitated.

    Qiao Jing immediately realized what he was worried about and said decisively, "You are now my assistant. If I say you can, then you can."

    Having said that, she waved her hand dismissively, not caring whether George started the process or not, and turned to walk away and catch up on her sleep.

    George hesitated for a moment but finally mustered the courage, recalling Qiao Jing¡¯s earlier steps, and began to operate with caution.

    Although it was time-consuming and the results were minimal, George felt a surge of excitement and couldn¡¯t contain his tion at the thought of doing the same experiment as his idol, Professor Qiao...

    Because Qiao Jing had nodded in agreement to begin the experiment, John ordered the restoration of her food supply.

    The next day, Qiao Jing slept in until the sun was high in the sky before getting up, and after a leisurely breakfast, she casually strolled over to the experiment table.

    George, however, had already been there for quite some time, meticulously pondering the experimental procedures.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze swept over the experimental table and noticed at a nce that there were slight changes from the way it had been when she left the day before.

    Though it was only a minor progress, it was still a valid operation for this experiment.

    She nced at George and asked, "Did you do this?"

    George was so engrossed that he hadn¡¯t even noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s arrival.

    At the sound of her voice, he jumped, and his hands stopped moving.

    When he turned around and saw Qiao Jing staring at him, George instantly became flustered, thinking he had done something wrong.

    He swallowed hard, his face filled with nervousness, "Yes, it was me, is there a problem? Did I mess it up?"

    "Sorry, sorry, Professor Qiao, it was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have just started without permission..."

    Seeing George¡¯s panic, Qiao Jing found it a bit amusing.

    She tugged at the corner of her mouth and interrupted him, "You¡¯ve misunderstood, you haven¡¯t messed up anything; on the contrary, you¡¯ve done quite well."

    Upon hearing this, George froze for a moment, unable to grasp the full meaning.

    Done well?

    Had he heard her correctly?

    Was Professor Qiao praising him?

    Had he actually received praise from his idol?!

    Reading his stunned expression, Qiao Jing casually added, "You heard me right, I am indeed praising you."

    As soon as these words fell, George suddenly raised his hand and pinched his arm hard.

    Although it hurt enough to make him grimace, his face broke into a delighted smile.

    To receive praise from Professor Qiao was an immense honor!

    While George was beaming foolishly, Qiao Jing thoroughly examined his earlier operations and verified that he possessed exceptional talent in agriculture; he was an extraordinary talent.

    If he were to receive better guidance, this person would certainly make significant achievements in agriculture.

    Furthermore, considering that he had previously risked his safety to secretly bring her food, nearly getting killed by John in the process, it was clear that his character and conduct were alsomendable.

    With these thoughts in mind, an idea suddenly popped into Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    She turned to George and asked abruptly, "Would you like to be my disciple?"

    "What?"

    George was once again stunned, suspecting he was hallucinating.

    In the broad daylight, was he dreaming?

    "What ¡¯what¡¯?" Qiao Jing frowned slightly and asked again, "If I take you on as a disciple, would you be willing?"

    Only then did George dare to believe it was all real.

    He nodded eagerly, replying repeatedly, "Willing, I¡¯m very willing!"

    To be Professor Qiao¡¯s assistant was already a dreame true, and he couldn¡¯t believe his sudden stroke of luck¡ªProfessor Qiao actually wanted to take him on as a disciple!!!

 Chapter 747 - 736: Intending to Abort the Child in Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Belly

    <h4>Chapter 747: Chapter 736: Intending to Abort the Child in Qiao Jing¡¯s Belly</h4><h4></h4>

    George was filled with excitement, remembering how he had once heard about the imperial custom of acknowledging a master. He hastily mimicked a fist salute and gave Qiao Jing a ny-degree bow.

    "Master, please ept your disciple George¡¯s bow!"

    Qiao Jing was amused by his actions andughed, waving her hand, "Alright, alright, dispense with the formalities in front of me."

    George chuckled stupidly, "Master, what shall we do next?"

    Having epted a disciple, Qiao Jing naturally took her teaching seriously.

    She first acknowledged George¡¯s merits and then pointed out his deficiencies and mistakes, carefully analyzing them.

    Her words were concise and to the point, and though brief, they illuminated George¡¯s understanding profoundly.

    After giving guidance for a while, Qiao Jing yawned, covering her mouth, and said to George, "Alright, digest the key points I just mentioned for now. It¡¯s time for me to catch up on some sleep."

    "Okay."

    George nodded and then suddenly thought of something, "Then this experiment..."

    "If you¡¯re interested, you can continue to ponder it."

    Having said that, Qiao Jing walked away.

    Watching her back, George felt a mix of emotions.

    He knew that the master hadn¡¯te to the U.S. voluntarily, but had been brought here by force. Mr. John¡¯s actions had made the master very averse, so she was genuinely unwilling to assist with the experiment.

    She had agreed reluctantly just to save his life.

    Realizing this, George sighed deeply. The smile that had filled his face just moments before now turned into a look of annoyance.

    He had intended to help, but it seemed he had only made things worse...

    Elsewhere.

    John and Frank had been monitoring theb situation through surveince.

    The two noticed that although Qiao Jing had agreed to the experiment, her attitude was exceedingly perfunctory. She spent less than ten minutes at the experiment table before walking away, severely slowing the progress of the experiment.

    Most of the time, Qiao Jing was lyingfortably in bed, sleeping.

    After watching the screen for a while, John finally lost his patience, mmed his hand on the desk, and eximed angrily, "She¡¯s doing this on purpose, isn¡¯t she? At this rate, when on earth will we develop the new strain of wheat!"

    "Mr. John, I¡¯ve told you before, this Professor Qiao is a tough nut to crack, impervious to persuasion..."

    Before Frank could finish his sentence, John, fuming with anger, stood up and stormed out of the monitoring room, heading toward theb where Qiao Jing was.

    Seeing this, Frank quickly followed him.

    At theboratory¡¯s door, John pushed it open and charged in, reaching Qiao Jing in just a few strides.

    By then, Qiao Jing, having heard the noise, had already sat up from the bed.

    Seeing John¡¯s furious demeanor, she knew he hade to confront her.

    But she feigned ignorance and spoke nonchntly, "Mr. John, what urgent matter brings you here so hastily?"

    John, frowning and with an unpleasant expression, said, "Professor Qiao, you¡¯re a respected figure; when you agree to something verbally, you should keep your word, shouldn¡¯t you?"

    Qiao Jing raised her light and ethereal brows, "Mr. John, what are you talking about? I can¡¯t understand a word."

    Her face remainedposed, but inwardly she sneered.

    If they thought they could intimidate her with these despicable tactics, they were na?ve!

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s dismissive attitude, Frank was livid.

    But unable to vent his anger, he forcefully suppressed it, "Professor Qiao, since you¡¯ve agreed to help with the experiment, please keep your word. Don¡¯t take us for fools and address us with such a dismissive attitude!"

    Qiao Jing nced at him and countered, "How have I been perfunctory? Which eye of yours saw me being perfunctory?"

    Frank gritted his teeth and angrily said, "You spend only a little while on each experiment and all day you just lie in bed sleeping, causing the experiment to make no progress. If this isn¡¯t being perfunctory, what is!"

    "Professor Qiao, you must give me an exnation now."

    John¡¯s face was stern, and his gaze at Qiao Jing had already be unfriendly.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand to touch her abdomen and slowly said, "Mr. John, as you know, I am pregnant. It is normal for pregnant women to be sleepy. There¡¯s nothing that can be done about it and I hope you can understand."

    Though her words seemed apologetic, her tone was anything but sorry, even rather assertive.

    "You!"

    John was so angry that he pointed at Qiao Jing but couldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    Finally, he snorted coldly and turned away angrily.

    Frank naturally followed him out.

    After the two had left, Qiao Jing curled her lips into a cold smile andy back down on the bed.

    After leaving theboratory and walking a short distance, Frank caught up with John.

    John stopped, turned back, and pointing in the direction of theboratory, he said through gritted teeth, "Look at her attitude! If it continues this way, the experiment might only finish in an indefinite period in the future."

    "She can afford to wait, but we can¡¯t!"

    Frank was also very angry, but just then, he suddenly came up with an idea, which significantly calmed his anger.

    "Mr. John, don¡¯t worry, I have a great idea."

    Frank stepped forward, drew close to John, and lowering his voice, continued, "Since Professor Qiao ims that her pregnancy is causing her sleepiness and affecting the progress of the experiment, then we must address the root cause of the problem."

    "You mean..." John paused, and his voice also lowered, "to get rid of the child in her womb?"

    "Exactly," Frank nodded. "We just need to put some abortion drug in her meals to get rid of her child. Then she won¡¯t be able to use her pregnancy as an excuse to deliberately dy the progress of the experiment."

    Of course, that was only one of the reasons.

    His offering such a malicious suggestion to John ultimately stemmed from a desire for revenge against Qiao Jing.

    If Qiao Jing had cooperated from the beginning and willinglye to the U.S. with him, he wouldn¡¯t have been humiliated in front of his subordinates.

    Being humiliated was one thing, but being scolded by John, who said he was incapable of dealing with even one woman, was utterly humiliating!

    This was an unprecedented disgrace in his life!

    Every time he thought about this, Frank was filled with resentment.

    Now that he had an opportunity for revenge, he naturally would not let it go easily!

    John was silent for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of Frank¡¯s proposal.

    A few secondster, he made up his mind and told Frank, "Okay, let¡¯s do as you suggested; I¡¯ll leave this matter in your hands."

    "Yes," Frank responded, a sh of vengeful satisfaction in his eyes, as if the n had already seeded.

    That evening.

    Frank¡¯s arranged contact delivered dinner to Qiao Jing on time.

    The meal looked very appetizing with its rich variety.

    To be cautious, Qiao Jing tested her food with silver needles she carried with her before each bite.

    Only after confirming it was not poisoned did she start eating.

 Chapter 748 - 737 Qiao Jing Picks Up Chopsticks

    <h4>Chapter 748: Chapter 737 Qiao Jing Picks Up Chopsticks</h4><h4></h4>

    After testing the food and seeing that the silver needles did not react to any poison, Qiao Jing picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.

    However, as soon as the food touched her tongue, she sensed something was off.

    It was not very obvious, and had it been anyone else, they would not have noticed, but Qiao Jing, well-versed in medical science and with a keen sense of taste, instantly identified that there was a problem with the dish.

    Qiao Jing immediately spit the food out and closed her eyes to recall the strange taste and analyze thebination of drugs.

    Soon, she had her answer.

    Someone hadced the dish with an abortion drug!

    Instantly, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned utterly cold.

    Without thinking, she knew it was John and Frank who had drugged the dish.

    Just because she used pregnancy and drowsiness as excuses to dy the experiment, these two men dared to harm the unborn child in her womb with such ruthless measures¡ªutterly inhumane!

    However, she was not so easily manipted.

    If they thought they could control her this way, then they didn¡¯t know Qiao Jing!

    Meanwhile, in the surveince room.

    John and Frank sat side by side in front of the monitor, closely watching the situation in theb.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had only taken one bite and then spat it out, both were quite surprised.

    John, somewhat unsure, said, "Seeing her reaction, could she have discovered that we drugged the food?"

    Frank was also puzzled, but he spoke with certainty, "Impossible. The drug I had prepared has almost no taste, and it¡¯s an abortion drug, not poison. Silver needles wouldn¡¯t detect it. How could she possibly know there was a drug in the food?"

    If just tasting it could reveal there was something wrong with the food, wasn¡¯t Professor Qiao a bit too incredible?

    "Look, she¡¯s getting up and heading towards theb bench."

    John, watching the monitor, waspletely baffled by Qiao Jing¡¯s actions.

    "Maybe she had a sudden realization and went to do the experiment?"

    Frank shook his head, dismissing the notion, "Even if she had a revtion, she wouldn¡¯t just run to do an experiment in the middle of eating. I think she must have another purpose."

    On one hand, John and Frank were utterly baffled.

    On the other hand, Qiao Jing stood in front of theb bench and quickly concocted a secret form to neutralize the effects of the abortion drug using some avable nts.

    After concocting the antidote, she took it back to the dining table, poured it directly into the food on the table, and casually stirred it a few times with her chopsticks.

    This action puzzled John and Frank in the surveince room once again.

    John frowned, "What is she doing?"

    Frank, unable to understand Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, could only repeat what he saw, "If I saw it correctly, she seemed to have just concocted some sort of powder."

    As they were discussing this, they saw on the monitor that Qiao Jing picked up her chopsticks again and started eating nonchntly.

    However, there was no sign of excitement from John and Frank that their n had seeded.

    Because Qiao Jing had already eaten nearly half of it and yet there was still no sign of the abortion drug taking effect.

    "What...what¡¯s going on?" John said, astonished, turning to re at Frank and demanded, "Did you actually drug the food?"

    Frank hurriedly exined, "Mr. John, I assure you, if I couldn¡¯t handle such a simple task, how could I face staying by your side?"

    Over the years, he had only made a mistake once, which was when he went to the Empire to capture Qiao Jing.

    Besides that, he had never made a mistake.

    John wasn¡¯t really doubting Frank¡¯s ability; he was merely baffled by the fact that Qiao Jing had eaten the food mixed with the abortion drug and yet showed no reaction.

    After a moment of thought, he spected, "Could it be that the powder she concocted earlier was actually an antidote?"

    "Looking at this situation, it must be so..."

    As he spoke, Frank¡¯s face was full of shock.

    He had never expected that the renowned Professor Qiao, not only a giant in agriculture, was also an expert in medicine!

    To know by tasting that the food was drugged and to be able to concoct an antidote on the spot, such ability was simply heaven-defying!

    "It seems, she is even moreplicated than we imagined."

    After saying this, John couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply.

    Because the moreplicated Qiao Jing was, the more they were at a loss with her, and their experiment was even further out of reach.

    Seeing John¡¯s gloomy face, Frank spoke to console him, "Mr. John, don¡¯t worry too much, there will always be a way."

    It was better left unsaid, as mentioning it only infuriated John even more.

    He red at Frank and said sternly, "What other way could there be? Tell me, which of your ideas has worked!"

    Frank¡¯s face instantly soured.

    "If you can¡¯t think of a good method, don¡¯t show your face around me again."

    With those words, John got up and left directly.

    In theboratory, Qiao Jing had already eaten her fill and was now luxuriously soaking in a hot bath in the bathroom, easing the fatigue of the day.

    Although the previous incident hadn¡¯t caused any serious consequences, it made her realize she must leave this ce soon.

    Otherwise, she didn¡¯t know what more sinister measures John and Frank would resort to!

    ...

    n after n failing took a heavy toll on Frank.

    As a result, he stayed up all night, racking his brains, and finally came up with another idea.

    Early in the morning, he ran to Mr. John, eagerly presenting his new n.

    As usual, John was in the surveince room, watching Qiao Jing through the screens.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was still dismissive of the experiment, he was extremely irritated.

    Seeing Frank approach, he said irritably, "I told you not to show your face before thinking of a n!"

    "Mr. John, please calm down first, I¡¯vee to tell you that I¡¯ve thought of a n, and this time it will definitely work."

    Frank swore confidently, looking like he had everything figured out.

    Hearing this, John¡¯s tone finally softened a bit, "Tell me, what is your n?"

    Frank raised his hand and pointed at the screen in front of John.

    At that moment, the screen disyed Qiao Jing instructing George.

    "Mr. John, you must have noticed, in these past few days, although Professor Qiao has been dismissive towards the experiment, she has been advising George and it¡¯s clear that she¡¯s doing so earnestly."

    This, John had also noticed.

    But he did not think that this had any connection to the experiment.

    He nced at Frank and asked, "So what?"

    "Since Professor Qiao refuses to cooperate, we¡¯ll have to approach this from another angle."

    Frank smiled smugly, "Mr. John, think about it, once George masters all of Professor Qiao¡¯s techniques, we won¡¯t need Professor Qiao anymore, and George will then work for us."

    "And, controlling George is much simpler than controlling Qiao Jing!"

 Chapter 749 - 738 Threatening with Family Members

    <h4>Chapter 749: Chapter 738 Threatening with Family Members</h4><h4></h4>

    John felt what Frank said made a lot of sense and immediately gave the order to bring George over.

    In theboratory, Qiao Jing was teaching George an important technique.

    Hearing someone push the door open, both of them looked up at the same time.

    The person directly stated his purpose, "George,e with me, Mr. John is looking for you."

    Upon hearing this, George¡¯s brows furrowed instantly, "What for?"

    He thought that Mr. John looking for him couldn¡¯t be good news!

    "I¡¯m not too sure myself, you¡¯ll know once you get there."

    The person shook his head and then urged, "Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t waste time."

    George had no choice but to turn his head and say to Qiao Jing, "Master, I¡¯ll step out for a bit."

    Qiao Jing pursed her crimson lips lightly and said indifferently, "Go ahead, be careful."

    After George left with the man, Qiao Jing frowned slightly.

    She could probably guess the purpose behind Mr. John¡¯s calling for George...

    Soon, George was brought before Mr. John, with Frank naturally at his side.

    Thest time George faced these two men, he was beaten miserably.

    So, standing before them again, George couldn¡¯t help but feel apprehensive.

    Mr. John stared at him for a while before saying, "Don¡¯t be nervous, I called you here just to assign you a task, and it¡¯s a major responsibility concerning our country¡¯s agricultural economy."

    "What task?"

    George felt uneasy, harboring a bad premonition.

    "It¡¯s simple, you just need to master Professor Qiao¡¯s agricultural techniques and then wholly devote yourself to developing new types of food for the nation."

    Pausing, Mr. John continued, "I know Professor Qiao is teaching you agricultural techniques, so this shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you."

    "No way."

    Without a second thought, George immediately refused.

    "What did you say?"

    Frank suddenly stepped forward, grasping George¡¯s cor with a menacing tone, "Do you dare disobey Mr. John? I think you¡¯re tired of living!"

    Facing the menacing Frank, George couldn¡¯t help but tremble.

    Yet he still stiffly said, "What you¡¯re asking, I can¡¯t do it. I will not betray Professor Qiao."

    Let alone that he hadn¡¯t yet mastered the technology, even if he had, he wouldn¡¯t use the techniques taught by his master to conduct the experiments his master was unwilling to perform!

    "It seems the lesson you gotst time was too light!"

    After saying those words, Frank scoffed and punched George in the abdomen.

    George cried out in pain, his face turning pale instantly.

    Frank was about to hit him again when Mr. John raised his hand, indicating him to stop.

    "George, I advise you not to reject the toast only to drink the punishment. You know, killing you would be as easy for me as killing an ant," Mr. John said, his gaze menacing and his wordsden with threats.

    George knew this was the truth. With Mr. John¡¯s status, killing him would indeed be effortless.

    Faced with the threat of death, it was impossible not to be scared, but betraying his idol and master was something he couldn¡¯t do.

    He gritted his teeth and mustered up his courage to say, "I still say the same thing, I will not betray Professor Qiao."

    "Also, Professor Qiao has already taken me as her apprentice. If you dare do anything to me, she will surely terminate the experiment immediately!"

    As soon as these words were spoken, both John and Frank felt somewhat surprised.

    The two had thought that Qiao Jing was merely acting on a whim, giving George some pointers, but it turned out that Qiao Jing had actually taken George as her apprentice.

    However, this was good news for them.

    This way, it would be even easier for George to master Qiao Jing¡¯s techniques!

    Thinking this, John¡¯s face revealed a meaningful smile as he stared at George and taunted, "You don¡¯t really think that just because Professor Qiao has taken you as her apprentice, you hold a high position in her heart, do you?"

    "One should be aware of one¡¯s own insignificance and not overestimate one¡¯s importance."

    George felt panicked inside, but still mustered his courage to retort, "Well, you¡¯re wee to try, since my death would be nothing more than the loss of a single life, but what you would lose is the entire agricultural economic development of M country."

    Seeing George¡¯s fearless demeanor, John also felt somewhat uncertain.

    Moreover, the very reason Qiao Jing had agreed to conduct the experiment was indeed to protect George.

    If they harmed George, Qiao Jing might actually go on strike...

    As John was thinking this, Frank suddenly flung George to the ground with force and coldly snorted, "You¡¯re not afraid of death, but I wonder if your delicate little sister fears death."

    Hearing this, George¡¯s face instantly turned ashen.

    His hands clenched tightly, he gritted his teeth and said, "Whatever you have against me, bring it on, but don¡¯t harm my sister!"

    An ident years ago had imed the lives of his parents; in this world, his sister was his only remaining family member.

    Thus, he valued his sister¡¯s life even more than his own.

    Yet these men dared to threaten him with his sister¡¯s safety, which was utterly despicable and shameful!

    John gave Frank an approving look, then turned his gaze back to George and said, "Your sister¡¯s fate is in your hands; think carefully about what you should do next."

    George closed his eyes for a moment and, ultimately, reluctantly nodded his head inpromise.

    Now, he had no other choice but to tentatively agree.

    But he wasn¡¯t really nning to betray his master; instead, he was feigningpliance, perhaps gaining an opportunity for his master to escape...

    John and Frank exchanged a triumphant smile, as if they could already see victory beckoning to them.

    When George returned to theboratory, it was just lunchtime.

    Qiao Jing had just picked up her chopsticks and, seeing him return, invited him to join her for lunch.

    George nodded his head and sat down opposite Qiao Jing, waiting for her to speak.

    However, Qiao Jing showed no intention of asking him anything.

    Eventually, unable to restrain himself, George initiated, "Master, don¡¯t you want to know what Mr. John wanted from me?"

    Without pausing her meal, Qiao Jing nced at him briefly and said indifferently, "What else could it be? He just wants you to defect."

    "Ultimately, it alles back to the experiment."

    "Master, you¡¯re too incredible! I haven¡¯t said anything yet, but you¡¯ve guessed it all, and with such precision!"

    George¡¯s face was full of surprise, and his admiration for Qiao Jing deepened.

    Then, he recounted everything that had happened.

    "...Mr. John and Frank threatened me with my sister. I had no choice but to feign agreement, but I never considered betraying you, Master. You must believe me."

    Seeing George anxious and demonstrating his loyalty, Qiao Jing found it somewhat amusing, "Don¡¯t be nervous. If I didn¡¯t trust you, I wouldn¡¯t be having lunch with you."

    "They are using your sister to threaten you; indeed, you can only counterplot for now. The most important thing at the moment is to find an opportunity to move your sister to a ce they can¡¯t find."

    George¡¯s expression grew more serious, and he nodded, "I understand."

 Chapter 750 - 739 His Master is Simply Divine

    <h4>Chapter 750: Chapter 739 His Master is Simply Divine</h4><h4></h4>

    In the following days, George reported to John on time each day as requested, sharing what he had learned from Qiao Jing and the actual progress of the experiments.

    Of course, George did not tell the truth; every report included a mix of fact and fiction.

    Because George was frequently seen entering John¡¯s office, the other people at the research institute naturally assumed George had earned John¡¯s favor.

    At the same time, the news of George bing Qiao Jing¡¯s disciple also spread suddenly.

    Suddenly, George¡¯s status at the institute soared.

    People respected him more, and some even brought him gifts, trying to get closer to him.

    That afternoon, after George finished his report and left John¡¯s office, he headed towards Qiao Jing¡¯sboratory.

    As he passed a corner, suddenly a few people popped out and dragged him into an alcove.

    George was startled but, upon a closer look, realized they were all colleagues from the institute.

    He looked at them with a puzzled expression, "What are you doing dragging me here? Do you need something from me?"

    One of them chuckled and said, "Congrattions, George, you¡¯ve really turned your fortunes aroundtely. Not only have you caught Mr. John¡¯s eye, but you¡¯ve also be Professor Qiao¡¯s favorite disciple."

    "We¡¯ve always been on good terms with you, so you¡¯ve got to put in a good word for us with Mr. John, help us bask in some of your reflected glory."

    The others chimed in, "Yes, yes, we¡¯re asking you to speak well of us to Mr. John."

    As they spoke, before George could respond, they pulled out some gifts they had prepared early on.

    "This is a small token of our appreciation we picked out for you, we hope you won¡¯t find it too modest."

    Looking at the items they handed over, George was somewhat astonished.

    What small token?

    It was clearly a generous gift!

    There were valuable brand-name watches, limited edition brooches, shiny gold and high-quality jewelry...

    George was not greedy, and believing in not epting rewards without merit, he refused their gifts.

    "Take these back, I won¡¯t ept any gifts."

    Hearing this, the group immediately became unhappy.

    "George, what do you mean? Do you look down on us?"

    "Exactly, now that you¡¯ve climbed the socialdder with Professor Qiao and Mr. John¡¯s favor, you think you¡¯re too good for us, is that it?"

    "George, tell us the truth, do you think the gifts we¡¯ve prepared aren¡¯t generous enough?"

    "..."

    As they went on and on, George¡¯s head was about to explode with their noise.

    Out of frustration, he had to push through the people blocking his way and fled back to theboratory.

    Seeing him rush in out of breath with a troubled expression, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, "What¡¯s the matter? What happened?"

    "Ah..."

    George sighed and recounted the recent events.

    After listening, Qiao Jing shook his head, disagreeing with George¡¯s actions.

    "Actually, you shouldn¡¯t have refused. Not only should you not have refused, but you should have epted everything they offered."

    "Ah?"

    George looked bewildered and couldn¡¯t grasp Qiao Jing¡¯s meaning at once.

    Seeing his confusion, Qiao Jing had no choice but to exin in detail.

    "For now, John doesn¡¯t trust you much, but if you appropriately show a greedy side, making John believe that you¡¯ve changed because of his reliance on you, bing greedy and money-oriented, he will think you are easier to control, and thus he will let his guard down towards you."

    After hearing this, George suddenly understood and looked at Qiao Jing with even greater admiration, "So that¡¯s how it is, I get it now!"

    His master was truly worthy of being his most admired idol; with just a few words, an epiphany struck him!

    From that moment on, whenever people from theb brought gifts to George, he did as Qiao Jing had said, refusing no one, and epted everything outright...

    Two dayster, after George reported the situation to John as usual and left, John called Frank in for questioning.

    "How is it? I asked you to keep a close watch on George. Have you noticed anything unusual?"

    Frank replied truthfully, "The others in the institute have learned that George has be Professor Qiao¡¯s apprentice, and coupled with his frequent visits to you, everyone believes he has a promising future. Thus, quite a few people have been eager to give him gifts to curry favor with him."

    "ording to my people¡¯s observations, initially, George refused the gifts from these people, butter on, he seemed to havee around and changed his mind."

    "Whenever someone brought him a gift, he epted it directly and even hinted both overtly and covertly that if they were going to give gifts, they should be valuable, luxurious; otherwise, don¡¯t bother."

    At this point, Frank paused, as though recalling something, before adding another sentence.

    "Aside from that, we haven¡¯t discovered anything else abnormal about him."

    Upon hearing this, John suddenly snickered.

    Frank looked at him with puzzlement, unable to resist asking, "Mr. John, if I may be so bold, what are youughing at?"

    What he had just reported didn¡¯t seemughable, did it?

    Could it be...

    Mr. John was so anxious about the experiment that it had caused a problem with his mental state?!

    "In this world, indeed, no one can withstand the temptation of money."

    John stopped hisughter and exined to Frank, "Previously, George was defiant till death; we would have been at a loss if not for using his sister as leverage in the end."

    "However, things are different now. Once he harbors greed, we can easily control him and make him wholeheartedly serve us!"

    After speaking, Johnughed again, hisughter tinged with a hint of mockery.

    What about a master?

    What about the most admired idol?

    In the face of the allure of interests, still not worth mentioning!

    Frank pped his forehead suddenly, "Yes, howe I didn¡¯t think of that? Mr. John is still more astute."

    Afterward, the two exchanged nces and burst into loudughter together...

    That evening, while Qiao Jing was eating dinner, George came running over excitedly.

    Seeing him, Qiao Jing lifted his chin, gesturing for him to sit down opposite, before he began, "You seem very excited, what good thing has happened?"

    "Let me guess, did the number of people bringing you gifts today increase again, or did you receive some particrly valuable gift?"

    Scratching his head, George said with an embarrassed look, "Master, stop teasing me, you know I don¡¯t actually care about their gifts."

    Seeing him so easy to tease, Qiao Jing stopped his jesting, waved his hand, and said, "Alright, alright, no more jokes, tell me, what¡¯s made you so happy."

    "Master, you¡¯re truly an ingenious strategist! I followed your advice, pretentiously epted those people¡¯s gifts, and showed a superficial interest in money, and Mr. John indeed let his guard down towards me," George said, his admiration for Qiao Jing clearly reflected in his words.

 Chapter 751 - 740 Preparing to Escape

    <h4>Chapter 751: Chapter 740 Preparing to Escape</h4><h4></h4>

    Upon hearing George¡¯s words, Qiao Jing suddenly thought of something and changed the subject, "Has your sister been moved?"

    George nodded, "She has been moved. Frank¡¯s people had been secretly watching me, and I couldn¡¯t make a move. It was only after Mr. John began to let down his guard these past two days, and Frank withdrew the people monitoring me, that I found the opportunity."

    "I have arranged for my sister to stay in a rather secluded ce. They shouldn¡¯t be able to find her anytime soon."

    As long as his sister wasn¡¯t in Mr. John¡¯s hands, he had nothing to be concerned about!

    "That¡¯s good." Qiao Jing also breathed a sigh of relief.

    If because of her, innocent people were implicated, she would feel troubled.

    After pausing for a moment, Qiao Jing put down her chopsticks and bowl and pursed her red lips, "Speaking of which, how is the matter I entrusted to you progressing?"

    The fact that John and Frank had been putting abortion drugs in her food made her realize more than ever that she couldn¡¯t stay in this ce any longer.

    So, she had been nning her third escape attempt these past few days.

    The first two escape attempts had made John and Frank very cautious of her. She couldn¡¯t move around the ind freely, so she had to ask George to secretly learn about the ind¡¯s terrain andyout to see if an opportunity to escape might present itself.

    "Master, actually, I came over just to talk about this matter," George said.

    As he spoke, George took out a square-folded piece of paper from his pocket.

    Once the paper was unfolded, it showed several interweaving lines with some areas marked with text¡ªa clear, if rudimentary, topographic map.

    "I have figured out the ind¡¯s topography. I drew this by hand, and it¡¯s quite rough, but I marked down some key routes and locations."

    Pointing at a spot on the paperbeled "harbor," George said excitedly, "This discovery was unexpected, but it¡¯s our biggest find."

    This ce was very hidden; he had been on the ind for so long and never noticed it, nor had he heard anyone mention it.

    He had found it by sheer luck yesterday when he identally took a wrong turn.

    Qiao Jing quickly scanned the map, finally focusing on the spot George was pointing at, "So, what you¡¯re saying is, this harbor is our breakthrough to leave the ind?"

    "Exactly," George nodded repeatedly.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips contemtively, specting, "If that¡¯s the case, then there must be quite a few people guarding this ce, right?"

    "Since there are small cruise ships docked at the harbor, it is indeed heavily guarded."

    While speaking, George thought back carefully, "From what I¡¯ve observed, there are at least twenty or so people guarding it."

    Though a breakthrough had been luckily discovered, figuring out how to deal with these guards was the crucial issue!

    With that in mind, George sighed, looking somewhat disheartened, "Master, do you have any ideas?"

    If it were up to him, he couldn¡¯te up with any good ideas.

    Indeed, for such brain-racking matters, they still had to rely on his master¡¯s ingenious calctions!

    Qiao Jing hardly needed to think before she casually said, "There is a way, and it¡¯s quite simple, but we need to find the right moment."

    "What way?" George¡¯s eyes lit up, eagerly asking for more details.

    "It¡¯s not convenient for me to move around, so I¡¯ll have to bother you one more time..."

    Before Qiao Jing could finish, George interrupted her.

    He waved his hand and said earnestly, "It¡¯s no bother, not at all. I¡¯m more than happy to be of help to you, Master!"

    Qiao Jing smiled helplessly, "Just listen to me. In a moment, I¡¯ll give you a packet of anesthetic spray. Find an opportunity to pour it into the food or drinking water of those guards to knock them out, then I¡¯ll make my escape."

    "Alright, I¡¯ve got it."

    George nodded gravely, but then, something urred to him, "Master, where did you get this anesthetic spray from?"

    "I have my ways," Qiao Jing replied.

    After saying this, she suddenly stood up and walked over to theb bench.

    Looking puzzled, George got up and followed her.

    He then saw Qiao Jing casually concoct a packet of powder using some of the avable nts andboratory materials.

    The whole process took less than ten minutes!

    Qiao Jing packed the powder and handed it to George, "Here you go, hold onto this. Don¡¯t lose it."

    George, utterly astonished, took the powder and turned it over in his hands several times, "Master, this powder wouldn¡¯t happen to be the anesthetic spray you just mentioned, would it?"

 Chapter 752 - 740 Preparing to Escape_2

    <h4>Chapter 752: Chapter 740 Preparing to Escape_2</h4><h4></h4>

    "Yes," Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, "what else?"

    Her face was calm andposed, but George was once again deeply shocked.

    Being able to produce an anesthetic spray with such limited materials, and on the fly, was beyond the capability of someone who wasn¡¯t well-versed in medicine!

    Therefore, his master¡¯s talents weren¡¯t limited to agriculture; he surely had exceptional achievements in the field of medicine as well!

    "You must be careful when you make your move."

    Before leaving, Qiao Jing particrly reminded George.

    Whether the n seeded was secondary; she didn¡¯t want to implicate George.

    "Don¡¯t worry, Master, I¡¯ll be cautious," George said.

    With that, he secured the anesthetic spray and turned to leave.

    Afterwards, George tried his best to appear loyal in front of John, continuing to let John lower his guard.

    At the same time, he was looking for the right opportunity to drug the guards at the port.

    Two days went by like this, and on a dark and windy night, George finally found the right moment to act.

    He had prepared food and fine wine in advance,cing them with Qiao Jing¡¯s homemade anesthetic spray, and then brought the food and drink to the port.

    However, as soon as George approached, he was stopped by the people guarding the port.

    The person who stopped him was a captain of the Guard Team. The captain frowned and said sternly, "George, what are you doing here sote at night?"

    "You¡¯d better not keeping here for no reason; this ce is off-limits on the ind. Mr. John has given orders that no one but the guards can approach."

    George had indeed beening here frequently these past days, aiming to make his face familiar to the guards.

    Clearly, his objective had been achieved; they had gone from initially rebuking him sharply to now speaking with him properly.

    George chuckled with a tinge of scorn, holding up the food and wine in his hand, "I just thought you guys must be tired from standing guard, so I brought some food and wine to show some appreciation."

    The captain nced at the things in George¡¯s hands, his expression still serious, "We appreciate the gesture."

    "But as you know, we¡¯re on duty, and if we shirk our responsibilities and something goes wrong, Mr. John won¡¯t spare us."

    "So, you¡¯d better leave quickly!"

    The others chimed in, "Yeah, you should leave now, so you don¡¯t get us into trouble and we all end up paying for it."

    George snorted softly, his face full of disdain, "What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Not only am I Mr. John¡¯s favorite right now, but I¡¯m also the famous Professor Qiao¡¯s apprentice."

    "Perhaps in the near future, I¡¯ll be a big shot in M country¡¯s agriculture. By then, if Mr. John wants to develop the agricultural economy, he¡¯ll have to rely on me!"

    George spoke convincingly and purposely put on an arrogant air, making the guards fully believe what he said.

    After all, George¡¯s standing in the research institute had indeed been on the rise during this period.

    This was something everyone on the ind knew.

    Seeing them wavering, George quickly seized the moment and continued, "Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s sote now, everyone else is asleep; nothing will go wrong."

    At these words, everyone looked towards the captain, waiting for him to make a decision.

    After thinking it over, the captain suddenly felt that George made a lot of sense.

    If George had indeed inherited Professor Qiao¡¯s expertise and truly became an agricultural mogul in M country, then even Mr. John would have to treat him with great regard.

    If he started building a good rtionship with George now, perhaps he could benefit from George¡¯s sesster on!

    With this thought, the captain deviated from his usual stern demeanor, put on a smile, and took George by the shoulder.

    "I can¡¯t refuse such kindness. Since you¡¯ve taken the trouble, we might as well have a few drinks with you. Just remember us brothers when you make it big," the captain said after making up his mind.

    Following the captain¡¯s lead, the other men crowded around George, fawning over him.

    "Yeah, yeah, Brother Qiao, when you rise to power, you¡¯ve got to look out for us," one person added.

    "Right, Brother Qiao, whether we can enjoy the finer things in life for the second half of our lives depends on you now," another said.

    "..."

    George said with a smile, "Don¡¯t worry, if I have a bit of meat to eat, you¡¯ll have some soup to drink. Come on, let¡¯s go drink."

    He spoke while walking toward the pavilion nearby.

    The captain of the Guard Team was arm in arm with him.

    The others followed closely behind.

    At the same time, in theboratory.

    Qiao Jing was aware of the action George was going to take tonight.

    But she was unclear about the situation on the ground, so she couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    If Mr. John and Frank found out, George would be in great danger.

    Or rather, should he be discovered, George certainly wouldn¡¯te to a good end!

    Thinking about this, Qiao Jing became increasingly restless.

    Forty minutes had passed since George¡¯s operationmenced, and she had no idea if things were going smoothly...

    As Qiao Jing anxiously awaited the oue, at the port, George was keeping the guards busy with drinks.

    "Come on, keep drinking, tonight we won¡¯t stop until we¡¯re drunk!"

    "No, no way, I can¡¯t drink anymore, I feel a bit drunk."

    The captain held his head, swaying slightly, appearing as if he could copse at any moment.

    The state of the other men was simr.

    "Yeah, we can¡¯t drink anymore, we still need to guard the port. If we keep drinking, we¡¯ll make a mistake."

    "This liquor¡¯s aftereffect is too strong, I only had two drinks, howe I¡¯m feeling so tipsy?"

    "I feel the same, Brother Qiao, what kind of drink is this?"

    A cunning gleam shed in George¡¯s eyes, yet he kept smiling, "Drink up, drink up, it¡¯s okay, if anything happens, I¡¯ll cover for you!"

    No sooner had he finished speaking than people in the pavilion began to copse one by one.

    In less than two minutes, all of the guards had beenid out t.

    After making sure they were all unconscious, George rushed towards theboratory to inform Qiao Jing of the news.

    Right then, Qiao Jing was pacing back and forth in theboratory, her concern for George growing deeper.

    Just when she felt she could no longer wait, George finally appeared.

    Seeing George unharmed, Qiao Jing instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

    In a hushed voice and at breakneck speed, George said, "Master, the people at the port have been sedated by me. Now, in the dead of night, the men outside theboratory have let their guard down, we should hurry and leave."

    Based on his observations over the past two days, the port was on a continuous guard, and a shift change would happen in thirty minutes.

    Therefore, they had to leave within these thirty minutes. Otherwise, once the relief shift arrived, they would notice something was wrong.

    If that happened, their n would fall through!

    Qiao Jing, having heard this from George before, knew they couldn¡¯t dy. She decisively said, "Let¡¯s go, lead the way."

    "Okay," George responded and began to walk out.

    Qiao Jing followed immediately behind him.

    Soon, they arrived at the port.

    Those who had been sedated were scattered on the ground, showing no sign of waking, which showed just how potent Qiao Jing¡¯s anesthetic spray was.

    George boarded the small cruise ship docked at the shore first and then waved to Qiao Jing, saying in a low voice, "Master, hurry on board."

    Once Qiao Jing was aboard, she went straight to the cockpit.

    She first swept a nce over the control panel and then turned her attention to George as he followed in. She asked, "Where¡¯s the key?"

 Chapter 753 - 741 Qiao Jing and the Others Have Disappeared

    <h4>Chapter 753: Chapter 741 Qiao Jing and the Others Have Disappeared</h4><h4></h4>

    George hurriedly pulled out the key, "Here it is."

    He had just searched the guards he had knocked out cold and taken it from them.

    Just as George was about to move forward to operate the cruise ship, Qiao Jing snatched the key from his hand and started the ship herself.

    George was stunned for a moment, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s operation, his face showing a hint of surprise, "Master, you know how to drive a cruise ship too?"

    Qiao Jing nodded and replied nonchntly, "I have a little knowledge, there should be no problem with the basics."

    While they were talking, she had already adjusted the ship¡¯s direction and steered the cruise ship out to sea.

    George looked on for a while, feeling that his master was being far too modest.

    This was not a little knowledge at all!

    She was clearly very skilled, right?

    It was no different from a professional sailor!

    His own skills weren¡¯t that great; he had been quite worried about not operating it well and ruining Master¡¯s escape n.

    Now it seemed that his worries were unnecessary.

    With the Master herself in charge, there would definitely be no problems!

    However, he really wanted to know, what else could his Master do?

    Or rather, was there anything his Master didn¡¯t know how to do?

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing piloted the cruise ship, escaping in a certain direction across the vast sea.

    On the ind, as the shift time came, another set of guards arrived at the port.

    Seeing the people lying unconscious on the ground, they immediately realized something was wrong.

    "Quick, inform Mr. John and Mr. Frank, something has happened!"

    As soon as John and Frank received the message, they immediately jumped out of bed and rushed to the port in a hurry.

    "Mr. John, we were too careless, George was merely pretending to surrender. His behavior these past few days was all to make us let down our guard and look for an opportunity to help Professor Qiao escape..."

    Frank was so furious he was itching with anger, but before he could finish, John interrupted him furiously.

    "What¡¯s the use of saying all this now? Or perhaps, do you want to remind me of how stupid I¡¯ve been!"

    He could not have imagined being outwitted by someone like George.

    For him, a leader of a country, it was an utter humiliation!

    Frank hurried to exin, "No, that¡¯s not what I meant, I..."

    "Enough, I don¡¯t want to hear more of this useless drivel, have someone chase them down immediately!"

    John interrupted Frank again, grinding his teeth as he spoke, "No matter what, we must bring back Professor Qiao!"

    "Yes."

    Frank responded and immediately gathered a group to pursue Qiao Jing at full speed.

    Soon, he and John boarded another cruise ship and followed the pursuit team.

    "Mr. John, don¡¯t be too anxious. ording to the time estimation, Professor Qiao shouldn¡¯t have gone too far. I¡¯ve already arranged for several speedboats to chase after them."

    Frank stood beside John, "The speedboats travel much faster than cruise ships; they should be able to catch up unless something unexpected happens."

    John snorted coldly, his face gloomy, and he didn¡¯t respond.

    Seeing his mood, Frank could only shut his mouth sheepishly.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was driving the small cruise ship, having already covered some distance.

    Just as George breathed a sigh of relief, he suddenly heard the sound of engines from behind the cruise ship.

    His heart tightened, and he quickly looked back, only to see the previously calm sea now rippling with waves and several beams of light faintly shining forth.

    This scene made George¡¯s entire body tense up.

    He said somewhat frantically, "Master, it¡¯s a speedboat; they¡¯ve caught up. The speedboat is much faster than us; we¡¯ll definitely be overtaken!"

    Qiao Jing knitted her brows, yet her expression remained calm.

    She nced at George and said indifferently, "Calm down, don¡¯t be so nervous. Haven¡¯t they not caught up yet?"

    Anyway, she would not go back to that wretched ind.

    Let the soldiers block, and the water cover the earth.

    Let¡¯s see if they can catch up!

    Seeing Qiao Jing soposed, George instantly felt much more reassured.

    Thus, a fierce chase unfolded on the sea surface.

    Although the cruise ship was slow, Qiao Jing, with her proficient driving skills, always maintained a certain distance from the speedboat behind them.

    However, as dawn approached, the bottom of the cruise ship unexpectedly struck a hidden reef.

    With a loud "Bang¡ª" the entire cruise ship shook.

    Qiao Jing and George staggered.

    After stabilizing themselves, Qiao Jing knitted her brows and said to George, "It seems we¡¯re not in luck, the ship¡¯s hull hit a reef, and I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t operate the cruise any longer."

    Hearing this, George¡¯s face turned several shades paler, and that frantic feeling surged back.

    He swallowed hard, "Then... then what do we do now?"

    This was the middle of the ocean!

    With no vige in front or a store behind, and pursuers chasing them, if the cruise ship sank, they would either be captured back to the ind or be on a path to certain death!

    At this moment, the several speedboats that had been relentlessly pursuing them had rapidly closed the distance, and seawater started to seep in through the cracks in the hull.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and decisively said, "When I boarded the cruise ship, I had seen professional diving equipment, and there¡¯s an ind cluster a bit further ahead."

    "The best n for now is to use the diving equipment to submerge into the sea, and then head towards the inds to avoid John¡¯s pursuit. After that, we can figure out a way to leave."

    Having spoken, Qiao Jing went over to the side, grabbed the diving equipment, and handed a set to George.

    After George took it, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered a crucial question, "Can you manage diving?"

    "I can," George nodded without hesitation.

    He knew how to swim. Although he had not dived before, with the professional equipment and decent swimming ability, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Once they had finished discussing, the two quickly put on the diving gear, and right before the cruise was about to sink, they leaped into the sea.

    In an instant, the figures of both disappeared from the sea surface.

    Qiao Jing had an excellent sense of direction. She took the lead, guiding George as they swam towards the direction where the inds stretched out.

    When the speedboat caught up, the cruise ship had already sunk into the sea.

    Suddenly losing their target, they had to stop and report the situation to Frank as it was.

    Once Frank received the news, he immediately ryed it to John.

    "Mr. John, the cruise ship steered by Professor Qiao has hit a reef, and the entire ship has sunk to the bottom of the sea..."

    Hearing this, John naturally assumed that Qiao Jing had fallen into their hands.

    Because with the cruise ship sunk, Qiao Jing could only be captured or be on a path to certain death.

    Therefore, without waiting for Frank to finish, John directly questioned, "Where is Professor Qiao now? Why don¡¯t you bring her over quickly!"

    Frank¡¯s face showed a trace of difficulty, "Mr. John, Professor Qiao has disappeared."

    "What?!"

    John rose abruptly, frowning, "rify what you mean by she¡¯s disappeared?"

 Chapter 754 - 742: Survival on a Small Island

    <h4>Chapter 754: Chapter 742: Survival on a Small Ind</h4><h4></h4>

    "After the cruise ship hit the reef, Professor Qiao immediately jumped into the sea with George."

    Frank spoke truthfully, "ording to my men, when Professor Qiao and George jumped, they were wearing professional diving equipment."

    "I think, Professor Qiao will probably use the equipment to head to a nearby ind, but there are so many small inds around, we have no way to determine which ind Professor Qiao will choose."

    "I don¡¯t want to hear this, find him for me, even if you have to search every single ind, you must find Professor Qiao!"

    John¡¯splexion turned exceedingly ugly.

    Before encountering Qiao Jing, he could never have imagined that someone could escape under his watch, three times!!!

    If this gets out, where will his face be?

    Moreover, the research on the new type of wheat is pressing. If it drags on, it will be a heavy blow to the agricultural development of their country, M!

    Therefore, even if it takes all the manpower, Professor Qiao must be found as soon as possible!

    John naturally understood this point and quickly gathered more people, starting a carpet-like search along the surrounding sea area.

    Only, searching for someone in such an aimless manner was akin to finding a needle in a haystack...

    On the other side.

    Just before the oxygen in the oxygen bottle ran out, Qiao Jing sessfullynded on a small ind with George.

    Once on the ind, the two immediately took off their diving suits.

    Following that, George copsed onto the sandy beach, his speech weak and breathless.

    "I¡¯m exhausted. I never thought diving would be so physically demanding. If I hadn¡¯te ashore, even if the oxygen hadn¡¯t run out, I wouldn¡¯t havested much longer."

    After saying this, he turned his head towards Qiao Jing and, seeing that Qiao Jing was as calm and collected as ever, a sense of admiration spontaneously arose!

    He couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, "Master, are you not tired?"

    "I¡¯m okay."

    Qiao Jing responded indifferently, then looked around to observe the environment.

    By this time, the day had already dawned. Under the shining sun and the sea breeze, the clothes that had been soaked with sweat inside the diving suits dried quite quickly.

    "Gurgle gurgle¡ª"

    George¡¯s stomach inappropriately let out a growling sound.

    He got up somewhat embarrassedly, clutching his stomach. "Master, there¡¯s a serious problem, it seems there¡¯s nothing to eat here..."

    They had sessfully escaped and even avoided being tracked, finally reaching the small ind through a strenuous dive, but there was no food on this ind!

    Could it be that their end would be to starve to death here?

    "Who says there¡¯s nothing to eat?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, pointing casually at a thick patch of shrubs not far away, "There, see? Those are all good food."

    George looked in the direction she was pointing and indeed saw some fruit within the bushes, but...

    His expression became somewhatplex, "Master, those fruits, they seem poisonous, don¡¯t they?"

    He had seen this kind of wild fruit in a book before. ording to the book, they were toxic, and the toxicity was not mild.

    If eaten by mistake, one wouldn¡¯t live past twenty-four hours!

    Qiao Jing nodded, "Yes, they are poisonous, but I have a way to make them non-toxic."

    "What way?" George asked with a face full of curiosity.

    This im, though incredible, sounded feasibleing from his master!

    "First, we need to collect some nts with detoxifying properties. Then, we¡¯ll use these nts to neutralize the poison in the fruit."

    Qiao Jing exined sinctly.

    George listened with partial understanding, but the one thing he could confirm was that his master was indeed an expert in medicine!

    Just as he was thinking about it, his stomach began drumming again, even louder than before.

    Qiao Jing smiled and then, following the steps he had described earlier, he gathered some nts, neutralized the toxicity of the fruits, and had a hearty meal with George.

    After filling his stomach, George¡¯s strength was significantly replenished.

    Having witnessed Qiao Jing¡¯s actions earlier, George now looked at his master with even greater admiration, resembling the epitome of a super fanboy.

    "Master, what should we do next?"

    "We¡¯ll have to y it by ear, let¡¯s first look for a ce to settle down."

    As he spoke, Qiao Jing took the lead and walked into the woods.

    On such a deserted ind, which had not seen human activity for a long time, there were bound to be numerous venomous snakes and fierce animals.

    Therefore, they must find a sufficiently safe ce to inhabit before it got dark.

    Otherwise, their situation would be very dangerous.

    George seemed to have realized this as well, and he quickly followed Qiao Jing¡¯s pace.

    After about an hour of trekking through the mountainous forest, they finally found a cave that could serve as a temporary shelter.

    Luckily, this cave had been inhabited before, leaving behind some household utensils andmunication equipment.

    However, themunication devices had been left unused for too long¡ªsome were rusty, others were iplete, and none of them worked.

    It was only then that Qiao Jing remembered the cell phone he had brought with him.

    He took out the phone, finding that it had been soaked in water for too long and would not even turn on.

    When George saw the phone, he leaned over to take a look, "Master, your phone has been waterlogged; I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s done for."

    Qiao Jing pursed her ruby lips and said indifferently, "It seems that way for now, but with some fixing, it should still be usable."

    "What?"

    George stared, dumbfounded, thinking he¡¯d misheard.

    After their underwater journey, could a phone that had been soaked in seawater for so long really be repaired?

    And besides, fixing a phone was something that seemed to require specific technical skills!

    By the time George collected his thoughts, Qiao Jing was already sitting on arge rock beside them, using tools left behind by previous inhabitants of the cave to disassemble the phone, seriously engaged in its repair.

    George walked over and silently watched for a while.

    Then, to his amazement, he discovered that his master¡¯s technique was very professional and not just random fiddling!

    Although he knew it wasn¡¯t polite to disturb someone concentrating on their work, he couldn¡¯t help himself and finally spoke up.

    "Master, with the phone in this state, can you really fix it?"

    "Yes."

    No sooner had Qiao Jing spoken than a mechanical sound suddenly echoed throughout the cave.

    It was the ringtone of the phone booting up.

    Shortly after, the previously unresponsive phone screen lit up as well.

    Seeing this, George was stunned, his mouth agape, "Master, you¡¯re too omnipotent! I just want to know if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t do?"

    The agricultural tycoon of the empire, proficient in medicine, able to concoct anesthetic spray, a whiz at steering cruise ships, good at diving, and now with an added high-tech skill...

    Is this even a normal person?

    It¡¯s simply defying the heavens, isn¡¯t it!

    Qiao Jing replied nonchntly, "It¡¯s nothing much, not as exaggerated as you say. I just happen to know a little about everything."

 Chapter 755 - 743: John Accidentally Seeks Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Help

    <h4>Chapter 755: Chapter 743: John identally Seeks Zhan Qipei¡¯s Help</h4>

    Coincidence?

    Could it really be that coincidental?

    Knows a little about everything?

    It should be "a lot" instead!

    George suddenly felt that his master must be a real Versailles.

    If not a typical Versailles, she absolutely couldn¡¯t have made such a nd statement!

    Qiao Jing was unaware of George¡¯s thoughts at the moment, she operated her phone for a bit and found that all functions were normal.

    However, there was no signal on the ind at all.

    Neither calls could be made, nor messages sent.

    She frowned slightly, her eyes sweeping over the pile ofmunication equipment that had been idle for a long time and seemed to be scrapped.

    George, still unclear about the situation, asked eagerly, "Master, since the mobile phone is fixed, does that mean we can ask for help from the outside world?"

    "I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to disappoint you," Qiao Jing pressed her vermilion lips together, "There¡¯s no signal here, we can¡¯t contact anyone outside the ind."

    As soon as these words came out, the excitement on George¡¯s face vanished at a visible speed, disappearing instantly.

    He had thought that once the phone was repaired, they¡¯d be able to leave this deserted ind.

    Turned out, it was all false excitement...

    Seeing George¡¯s spirits sink, Qiao Jing could onlyfort him, "Don¡¯t be too sad, there is still a way."

    George sighed, "What other way could there be?"

    Although he knew his master was very capable and there was hardly anything that could stump her,

    in such a barren ce, he really couldn¡¯t think of any solution.

    "Look," Qiao Jing pointed at themunication equipment nearby, "Do you see that pile of stuff?"

    George turned his head to look, but no matter how he looked, he couldn¡¯t see anything useful about those things.

    He turned his gaze back, looking at Qiao Jing with a confused face, "Are those things useful? They seem like they¡¯re all broken, right?"

    "Fix them up a bit, and they should be able to be used in a pinch."

    Qiao Jing walked over and crouched down to inspect, exining, "If I¡¯m not mistaken, one of these devices can release a signal."

    On hearing this, George¡¯s spirit was somewhat revived.

    He moved closer, crouching down to look, "Master, these things are so worn out, can they really be fixed?"

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together, then said, "Repairs are definitely possible, but it will take some time."

    These things were different from the phone.

    The phone only had water damage, while some of these devices were even missing parts, making the repairs undoubtedly more difficult.

    Qiao Jing roughly sorted the items and was about to start repairing them.

    Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, George hurriedly persuaded, "Master, you should rest for a while. You didn¡¯t sleep all night, and ack of sleep can affect the development of the baby in your belly."

    She hadn¡¯t felt it until he mentioned it, but once he did, Qiao Jing really did feel somewhat sleepy.

    She sat down against the wall, found afortable position, and said to George, "You rest for a bit too."

    After speaking, she closed her eyes.

    George sat down not far from her and also began to close his eyes to rest.

    ...

    Meanwhile, in a private vi in M country.

    Zhan Qipei sat on the sofa, his subordinates standing in front of him with their heads lowered, eyes on their noses, noses on their hearts, not daring to even breathe heavily.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed like mist-enveloped mountains, his face as cold as a chilling wind, and his thin lips mped into a straight, arcless line of ice.

    Even at a distance, such a demeanor made one shudder.

    He looked up, his sharp gaze sweeping over the group before him, and spoke coldly, "How many days has it been? Not a single clue about Q? Is this your efficiency? What use do I have for you!"

    It had been a whole week since he received the location sent by Qiao Jing.

    He had dispatched arge number of people, nearly all the subordinates he could mobilize in country M, yet they had still not found Qiao Jing.

    He did not even know what she was going through now or if she was in any danger...

    His subordinates were quivering with fear, utterly intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s presence.

    The one at the front mustered his courage and said, "Boss, please give us a little more time; we will definitely find Q¡¯s whereabouts as soon as possible."

    "What are you waiting for? Go search now!"

    Zhan Qipei reprimanded them sharply, his expression growing even more somber.

    "Yes."

    After respectfully responding, the subordinates quickly turned and left.

    Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the entrance hall; it had a sarcastic tone as usual.

    "Zhan Qipei, you are ipetent yourself, so why take it out on your subordinates? I didn¡¯t expect the big boss of the Zone organization to behave like this!"

    Zhan Qipei nced at the uninvited Wu Xirui and replied coldly, "You should worry about yourself. You, the boss of the La organization, aren¡¯t any better."

    "Ha." Wu Xirui chuckled sarcastically, his tone full of mockery, "Zhan Qipei, you really hid it well."

    Had it not been for Qiao Jing¡¯s incident, which forced Zhan Qipei to use the power of the Zone organization, he would never have guessed that the mysterious Boss of Zone organization, who was seldom seen, was Zhan Qipei!

    Of course, at the same time, he discovered Zhan Qipei¡¯s identity, his status as the boss of the La organization was also known by Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei was quite surprised when he learned about this.

    Both the Zone and La organizations were among the top seven organizations in country M.

    And Zhan Qipei¡¯s Zone organization was the foremost among the seven organizations.

    His mind on Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei was too troubled to bother with Wu Xirui¡¯s idle chatter, merely responding indifferently, "The same goes for you."

    Wu Xirui shook his head and clucked his tongue before taunting, "The outside world says the boss of Zone organization is extraordinarily capable, but it seems rumors can¡¯t always be trusted."

    "For so long now, unable to find a single person, Zhan Qipei, you¡¯re nothing but a boss in name only!"

    Zhan Qipei snorted coldly, and retorted word by word, "You are no different."

    Meanwhile, these two were in fierce confrontation.

    Elsewhere, unable to find Qiao Jing, Mr. John was livid, venting his anger on his subordinates.

    "A bunch of good-for-nothing fakers, I asked you to guard the port and you dare to shirk your duties, drinking with George while on shift, falling for that kid¡¯s tricks. Were it not for your stupidity, could Professor Qiao have escaped?"

    "And you, tasked with finding someone, all you do is whine to me about how hard it is because the ¡¯area is too vast¡¯?"

    "If it¡¯s hard to find,b through the inds one by one for me, turn over every nearby ind ¨C I refuse to believe we can¡¯t find that person!"

    The subordinates were scolded till they bled, heads drooping, silent as the grave.

    Frank thought it over and finally spoke up, "Mr. John, endlessly searching aimlessly like this isn¡¯t the way, it¡¯s both a waste of manpower and unlikely to yield any results."

    "What else can be done? Do you have a better suggestion?"

    John¡¯s face was dark and gloomy, extremely unsightly.

    He knew that this method of searching was actually the most foolish one, but what else could be done now?

 Chapter 756 - 744: Zhan Qipei Avenges His Wife

    <h4>Chapter 756: Chapter 744: Zhan Qipei Avenges His Wife</h4><h4></h4>

    "Mr. John, just now, I indeed came up with an idea."

    Frank proposed, "We could ask the Zone organization for help. Zone is the foremost among our M country¡¯s seven major organizations, and it¡¯s rumored they never fail inpleting a mission."

    After hearing this, John was silent for a moment, then waved his hand at a line of subordinates, signaling them to leave.

    The subordinates, as if granted amnesty, turned and ran off one by one.

    Less than two minutester, only John and Frank remained at the scene.

    John nced at Frank, "So what you¡¯re saying is, as long as the Zone organization takes on the task, it is certain to bepleted?"

    This Zone organization was infamous in M country, and he had naturally heard of it, but he had never looked into it seriously, so he was not very clear about the specifics.

    Frank nodded, "To my knowledge, that¡¯s correct."

    Upon hearing this, John immediately urged impatiently, "Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and contact them!"

    He could wait, but the research on the new type of wheat could not, and neither could the development of M country¡¯s agricultural economy.

    Therefore, he must find Professor Qiao as soon as possible!

    Frank hesitated, showing a reluctance to speak.

    Seeing his expression, John couldn¡¯t help but frown, "You¡¯re not going to tell me you don¡¯t know how to get in touch with someone from the Zone organization, are you?"

    "That¡¯s not it."

    Frank shook his head, then voiced his concern, "It¡¯s just that the Zone organization doesn¡¯t take on tasks easily, and I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll agree to help us find someone."

    "You won¡¯t know if you don¡¯t try, let¡¯s contact them first."

    Since John had said so, Frank naturally followed suit.

    He took out his phone, opened the contacts list, found the only number for external contact with the Zone organization, which he had obtained only after much effort, and dialed it.

    Once the call was connected, an indifferent voice came through, "Who?"

    Frank began politely, "Hello, is this the Zone organization? I¡¯d like to ask for your help in finding someone. As long as you can find the person, thepensation is negotiable."

    The man on the phone, named ire, was specifically responsible for taking assignments within the Zone organization.

    Hearing that the caller wanted to find someone, he asked, "Who are you looking for? Tell me the target¡¯s name, age, height, appearance, and if you have a photo, it would be best to send that along."

    "Looking for a female, her name is Qiao Jing, her height is approximately..."

    Relying on his memory, Frank briefly described Qiao Jing¡¯s personal details, then also sent along her photo.

    ire turned on the speakerphone and opened the received photo to take a nce.

    That nce made him pause in his hold on the phone.

    The woman in the photo was the Q whom their Boss had instructed them to find!

    However, he didn¡¯t immediately make any fuss and instead counter-asked, "Sir, may I ask how you are addressed?"

    Frank was cautious, simply saying, "Sorry, it¡¯s inconvenient to disclose that. If there¡¯s any situation, you can just contact this number directly."

    Seeing he couldn¡¯t get more information, ire frowned, taking a moment before replying, "I need to ask for instructions from above. If we decide to take your task, I will contact you again."

    "Okay, then I¡¯ll wait for your message."

    After finishing, Frank hung up the call.

    Seeing him put away his phone, John immediately inquired, "How did it go? Did they take our task?"

    Frank answered truthfully, "They said they need to ask for instructions and told us to wait for a reply."

    John was already feeling irritated, and upon hearing this, his anger immediately surged, his hand mming down onto the table.

    "Finding a person, is that it? Why do we even need to seek permission¡ªwhat a hassle!"

    Frank hastily offered constion, "Mr. John, all organizations operate like this. They not only have numerous rules but are also very strict when ites to epting tasks. We can only wait patiently."

    While the two were talking, ire had already hurried to Zhan Qipei¡¯s side.

    Seeing her rush over so frantically, Zhan Qipei initially thought they had found Qiao Jing and immediately asked, "Did you find Q?"

    "Not yet," ire shook her head.

    Upon hearing this response, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression instantly turned cold.

    ire, noticing his demeanor, quickly said, "Here¡¯s the thing, I just received a call. The caller wants our Zone to help find someone..."

    "Decline it!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was as cold as a biting wind, curtly interrupting ire, "From now on, Zone will not ept any tasks. You only need to do one thing: concentrate all manpower on finding Q for me!"

    In the presence of Zhan Qipei, who exuded a chilling coldness, ire couldn¡¯t help but shiver.

    He picked up his phone, opened the photo he had received earlier, and approached with trepidation, "Boss, the person they¡¯re looking for is also Q."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression changed.

    When he saw the photo, his gaze also became icy.

    If his guess was correct, Qiao Jing must have been taken away by these people.

    Since they were also looking for Qiao Jing, it meant that she had sessfully escaped their control and was no longer at the previous location...

    Zhan Qipei returned to his senses and looked at ire, asking, "Do you know who the caller is?"

    ire shook her head, "I¡¯ve asked, but the caller is very cautious and didn¡¯t reveal any personal information."

    Tang Yan, standing to the side, overheard this and guessed the situation, "President Zhan, are you suggesting that the person who took Miss Qiao is the one who made the call?"

    Wu Xirui, lounging on another sofa, let out a cold snort, "Isn¡¯t that obvious? Surely Qiao Jing has run off, and they can¡¯t find her, so they came to Zone for help."

    After thinking for a moment, Tang Yan suggested, "In that case, we should trace the vine to find the melon, investigate these people, and see who they really are."

    "No," Zhan Qipei outright rejected Tang Yan¡¯s suggestion.

    "These people don¡¯t know Qiao Jing¡¯s whereabouts either. Instead of wasting time and manpower searching for them, it¡¯s better to stabilize them and extract any useful information from them for our benefit."

    "Exactly, that¡¯s what I was thinking as well."

    Wu Xirui, for once, did not disagree with Zhan Qipei.

    He raised an eyebrow and nced at Zhan Qipei, "What do you n to do next?"

    Without paying him any attention, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gazended on ire, and hemanded in a deep voice, "Now, get in touch with them."

    "Yes."

    ire responded and, without a moment¡¯s dy, redialed the recent call and activated the speakerphone.

    The phone was quickly answered, and Frank¡¯s voice came through from the other end, "Hello, have you decided whether to ept our task or not?"

    ire nced at Zhan Qipei, waiting for his cue.

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, simply stretching out his hand.

    ire understood and immediately passed the phone to him.

    After receiving the phone, Zhan Qipei finally spoke to the other side, "We at Zone can take on this task, but we need you to provide some specific details about the target."

 Chapter 757 - 745: Asking for a Billion

    <h4>Chapter 757: Chapter 745: Asking for a Billion</h4><h4></h4>

    Hearing the people from Zone organization say that they needed to provide information about Qiao Jing, Frank hesitated for a moment.

    John, who was beside him, noticed and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?"

    "They¡¯re saying that we need to provide specifics about Professor Qiao," Frank replied, frowning and covering the mouthpiece of the phone, before adding, "I feel like these people from Zone organization seem a bit odd."

    However, he couldn¡¯t put his finger on what exactly was odd about them.

    After pondering for a moment, John said, "Give me the phone, I¡¯ll talk to them."

    Frank nodded and handed over the phone.

    After taking it, John spoke directly into the phone, "We¡¯ve already provided you with the target¡¯s personal details before, aren¡¯t those enough for you to find the person?"

    Hearing a different voice, Zhan Qipei knew that the other party had also changed speakers.

    He gathered his eyebrows, which were thick like mountain mists, and with a low voice, he replied, "We asked you for these details only to understand the target better, to help us locate her faster."

    "Of course, if you find it inconvenient, we won¡¯t force you. You¡¯re free to seek someone more capable," he said.

    Wu Xirui silently sneered, cursing Zhan Qipei inwardly for being wily and cunning.

    This reverse psychology trick came so naturally to him!

    At first, John was quite skeptical, but after hearing the other side¡¯s exnation, his doubts swiftly dissipated.

    And that line about "seeking someone more capable" made him even more anxious.

    Being aware that Zone was the foremost among the seven major organizations, whom could he find to surpass Zone in expertise?

    Fearing that the other party would hang up out of impatience, he quickly said, "No inconvenience at all, whatever information you need, we can provide it."

    "Then, specifically tell me about the events before the target went missing, and when and where, and how she disappeared."

    After Zhan Qipei finished speaking, he nced at Tang Yan beside him.

    Tang Yan instantly understood and took out his phone, ready to record any useful clues.

    "Actually, we needed the target¡¯s help with something, so we resorted to some extraordinary methods and invited her over," began John, recounting the events. "As she was very uncooperative, we had no choice but to restrict her freedom."

    "During that time, she attempted to escape three times. In the first two instances, she briefly eluded our surveince with her superb hacking skills, though she ultimately failed to leave."

    "The third time was yesterday. She teamed up with a traitor from our side, a man named George, and they knocked out the people guarding the harbor before taking off to sea in a cruise ship."

    "Our people discovered this and immediately gave chase. They were about to catch up when, near the Bia Inds, the cruise ship she piloted unexpectedly hit a reef."

    "Afterward, she and George used the diving equipment on the cruise ship to dive into the ocean, and that¡¯s when we lost track of them."

    "However, we specte that she would try to swim to a nearby ind, but the area is toorge and makes it difficult to search, so we¡¯re calling on your organization, Zone, for assistance..."

    As John spoke, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression grew increasingly somber.

    He clenched his phone so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

    Those bastards dared to torment his wife like this, forcing her to suffer so much. Unforgivable!

    "I¡¯ve told you roughly what happened, can your side gather people immediately and help us find her as soon as possible?"

    John was now extremely anxious, fidgeting like an ant on a hot pan, unable to wait another moment.

    Zhan Qipei hooked his thin lips into a chill, cold smile, "Of course, we can. But first, you need to pay a fee of one billion."

    "What? One billion?!"

    John¡¯s face suddenly turned a bit unsightly.

    For the research on the new wheat, they had already invested arge sum of money; even for them, one billion wasn¡¯t a small figure.

    "What? You want to hire Zone for a job, yet you can¡¯t bear to part with that amount of money? If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll have to call off the deal."

    With those words, Zhan Qipei was ready to hang up the call.

    After all, extracting information was his main goal. Money was just incidental, and whether he got it or not wasn¡¯t that important.

    John¡¯s heart raced, and gritting his teeth, he blurted out, "You have to give me some time to think, at least."

    "Fine, I¡¯ll give you five minutes to think it over. I¡¯ll give you an ount number, and if the money is in there within five minutes, we¡¯ll consider the deal done.

    Zhan Qipei, his expression cold as ice, said sternly, "If it takes more than five minutes, don¡¯t bother waiting."

    Without waiting another second, he hung up decisively.

    Watching Zhan Qipei throw his phone onto the table, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue twice and said mockingly, "Zhan Qipei, you really have surprised me."

    "With everything that¡¯s going on, you¡¯re still thinking about money. It seems that Qiao Jing isn¡¯t as important to you as I thought."

    Zhan Qipei sneered dismissively and nced at Wu Xirui, "It¡¯s what they owe Qiao Jing. I¡¯m just helping her reim thepensation she deserves."

    Those people dared to treat his wife the way they did; they should pay a corresponding price.

    To him, even this amount of money seemed too little!

    Wu Xirui was somewhat taken aback by Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    He really thought that, in Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart, money was the most important thing.

    But it turned out Zhan Qipei wanted the billion for Qiao Jing...

    On the other side, John¡¯s brow was furrowed in indecision.

    The five-minute deadline was fast approaching, but he still couldn¡¯t make up his mind.

    He nced at Frank and asked with a serious expression, "What do you think about this? Should we pay the money or not?"

    Recruiting Zone for help had been Frank¡¯s suggestion, which is why he wanted to hear Frank¡¯s opinion.

    <sub>f\r(e)ewe.b no\vel</sub>

    "Mr. John, I think we should make the payment."

    Frank analyzed logically, "If we spend this billion and can find Professor Qiao to help us develop the new wheat, then our country¡¯s M¡¯s agricultural economy will take a qualitative leap forward."

    "Think about it, isn¡¯t this the billion well spent?"

    Hearing Frank¡¯s reasoning, John found it very convincing, and without further hesitation, he transferred the money right away.

    ...

    Meanwhile, on an isted ind in the midst of the wide ocean.

    Qiao Jing woke up to find George not in the cave.

    She knitted her brows, stood up from the ground, and walked toward the exit of the cave.

    Wandering aimlessly on an uninhabited ind was risky; one could encounter venomous snakes or other fierce animals if unlucky.

    Moreover, with the thick forestation on the ind, getting lost would be a serious hassle.

    Thinking of these dangers, Qiao Jing quickened her pace.

    After all, George had ended up on this ind in an attempt to help her.

    No matter what, she couldn¡¯t let anything happen to George!

    After leaving the cave, Qiao Jing looked around nearby. It took her nearly twenty minutes before she finally found George amidst a patch of wild wheat.

 Chapter 758 - 746: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Other Skills

    <h4>Chapter 758: Chapter 746: Qiao Jing¡¯s Other Skills</h4><h4></h4>

    When Qiao Jing found George, he was staring intently at the wild wheat before him, seemingly lost in thought andpletely unaware of Qiao Jing¡¯s approach.

    "How did you end up here?"

    Qiao Jing lifted her leg and walked over to sit next to George.

    Hearing her voice, George snapped back to reality, "I just wanted to get some fresh air, but I stumbled upon this patch of wild wheat by chance."

    "I forgot to remind you that it¡¯s best not to wander around in these ces."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned serious as she spoke with a hint of solemnity, "Out here in the wild, there are plenty of poisonous snakes and ferocious animals. If you¡¯re unlucky enough to encounter them or get lost in the woods, it could be very dangerous."

    George nodded, looking a bit apologetic as he said, "I¡¯m sorry, I was too reckless and made you worry."

    "It¡¯s not that serious; you don¡¯t need to apologize."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing subtly nced at the wild wheat from the corner of her eye.

    "By the way, what were you thinking about just now? You were so engrossed that you didn¡¯t even notice meing over."

    George pursed his lips and honestly said, "When I saw this wheat, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the research on the new type of wheat..."

    He then shared his thoughts and insights about the research with Qiao Jing.

    After listening, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised.

    Previously, in theboratory, she had firmly refused to assist with the experiments due to her strong aversion to John and Frank¡¯s methods.

    However, due to her professional nature, she still found herself involuntarily considering the research on the new type of wheat in light of the climate in Country M.

    What surprised her at the moment was that George¡¯s thoughts on the research partially coincided with her own.

    <sub>f|ree(w)ebn\o.vel</sub>

    Besides, some of George¡¯s insights were quite unique.

    This made Qiao Jing feel very gratified; it turned out that epting this apprentice wasn¡¯t in vain.

    Initially, when she took George as her apprentice, although gratitude was a factor, the main reason was that she saw George¡¯s talent in agriculture...

    After George finished sharing his thoughts, he noticed that Qiao Jing remained silent and expressionless.

    He suddenly panicked, afraid that his master might misunderstand and think that he was trying to act as Mr. John¡¯s advocate.

    With this in mind, George quickly started to exin, somewhat flustered, "Master, please don¡¯t get me wrong. I was just speaking about the research, saying whatever came to mind, and not trying to persuade you on behalf of Mr. John..."

    Qiao Jing snapped out of her reverie and noticed the helpless look on George¡¯s face, which made her smile.

    She pulled a face and said lightly, "I haven¡¯t misunderstood. It¡¯s you who¡¯s misunderstood. Our discussion is about academic matters, irrespective of borders or individuals."

    "You have a certain talent in agriculture, and it¡¯s good that you¡¯re interested in experiments. If you want to continue the research on this new type of wheat, I support you."

    George was momentarily stunned and asked uncertainly, "Master, is that really what you think?"

    He had always believed that because of the bias against John and Frank, his master would not want to assist with the experiments, much less support him in researching the new type of wheat.

    To his surprise, his master was so open-minded and thinking on such a high level, not only not opposed but also expressing support!

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "Otherwise? Could it be a falsehood?"

    Although she did not give a direct answer, George now had a definitive response in his heart.

    Overwhelmed with excitement, he opened his arms to hug her, "Master, you¡¯re really the best!"

    Qiao Jing reacted quickly, blocking him with her hand, and teased good-humoredly, "Calm down, calm down, I know how great I am."

    Hearing this, George looked slightly surprised, not expecting his master to have such a side.

    At the same time, he realized he had lost hisposure, so he quickly withdrew his hand, giving an awkward smile, "Sorry, Master, I got a bit excited and almost offended you."

    Qiao Jing waved her hand as if it were nothing, "It¡¯s not a big deal, just be more careful next time."

    As she finished speaking, she stood up and looked up at the sky, "It¡¯s almost noon, time to find something to fill our stomachs."

    Since yesterday, they had only eaten some fruit.

    She hadn¡¯t felt it upon waking up just now, but suddenly she felt so hungry she could feel her backbone touch her breastbone, and if she didn¡¯t eat something soon, she really would copse right where she stood!

    "Then I¡¯ll go pick some fruit and bring it back."

    George said as he too got up and turned to leave.

    "Wait a minute."

    Qiao Jing called out to stop George, and pursed her ruby lips, "Why eat just fruit? If we eat nothing but fruit all day long, the baby inside me is going to protest."

    If it were just her alone, eating fruit every day wouldn¡¯t really matter.

    But now she was pregnant, and only eating fruit, the three babies inside her wouldck nutrition and could develop poorly!

    George scratched his head, his brows furrowed as well, appearing quite troubled, "Then what do we do? There doesn¡¯t seem to be much else to eat on this ind..."

    As he was saying this, his gaze casually swept over a patch of wild wheat in front of him, and he immediately changed the subject, "How about we try some wheat?"

    "However, this kind of wheat doesn¡¯t look very tasty either."

    Qiao Jing took over the conversation and slowly said, "Indeed, these wild varieties are not tasty, or rather, they are on the level of being hard to swallow, even less desirable than fruit."

    "This..." George had aplicated expression, "Master, then let¡¯s just make do with some fruit."

    "I think you should broaden your perspective and not just focus on those few fruits."

    As she said this, Qiao Jing casually picked a few nts from the bushes nearby.

    Seeing her actions, George boldly guessed, "Master, do you mean that we can also eat grass?"

    But to him, these nts seemed even less appetizing than the wheat...

    Qiao Jing shook her head, and holding up the nts in her hand, she exined, "These are just some seasonings we¡¯ll needter."

    Cooking without spices is soulless.

    But in this ce, there were no spices to speak of, not even salt, so she had to make do with these nts to concoct something.

    "I see."

    George nodded in understanding, and then curiously asked, "So, Master, what exactly are we going to eat?"

    "You¡¯ll know in a little while, today Master will treat you to a feast!"

    Qiao Jing said mysteriously before turning and heading toward the woods on the left.

    On the way, she casually picked up a sharp-pointed stick.

    On her way to find George earlier, she had passed through this forest and incidentally noticed the presence of wild rabbits.

    Therefore, she had decided to hunt a couple of wild rabbits to improve their meal!

    Full of curiosity, George followed closely behind Qiao Jing.

    After about ten minutes of walking through the woods, before he could even grasp what was happening, he saw his master throw the stick she had picked up, "whooshing" it through the air.

 Chapter 759 - 747: Old Versailles

    <h4>Chapter 759: Chapter 747: Old Versailles</h4><h4></h4>

    George looked closely and found that the branch his master had thrown had urately struck a gray hare.

    The hare struggled a few times and then soon stopped moving.

    This scene left George so astonished that he was gaping in silence.

    <sub>fr\(e)ew(e)b.(n)o (v)(e)l</sub>

    Just a moment ago, he had found it strange, not knowing why his master was picking up branches.

    It turned out that the branch was meant for hitting hares!

    Moreover, his master¡¯s aim was too urate, hitting it with just a casual throw!

    While George was extremely amazed, Qiao Jing had already picked the hare back up.

    She pulled out the branch, handed the hare to George, "Hold it by its two ears for now. I¡¯ll catch another one, then we can call it a day and head back to roast the hares."

    Hearing this, George felt like he could already smell the roasted hare, making him almost drool.

    He nodded repeatedly, then followed Qiao Jing¡¯s instructions to hold the hare in his hand, unable to stop himself from eximing, "Master, you¡¯re truly incredible!"

    His admiration for his master was beyond any words.

    Honestly, he was just short of throwing himself to the ground in awe!

    Qiao Jing gave a slight smile and then spoke, "Catching a hare is nothing. If there were wild boars on this ind, I¡¯d prefer to take down a wild boar right away. That way, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about our meals for the next few days."

    Such a statement sounded a bit wild, as wild boars and hares weren¡¯t at all on the same level.

    Buting from Qiao Jing, George didn¡¯t doubt it for a second.

    He felt that if it were his master taking action, not just wild boars, but even jackals, tigers, or leopards would be easy prey!

    As Qiao Jing spoke, she kept an inconspicuous watch on the surroundings, looking for the next prey.

    It happened so quickly that before George could react, Qiao Jing had already sessfully caught the second hare.

    She picked up the struck hare and told George, "Alright, let¡¯s head back to the cave and roast these hares."

    After saying this, she took the lead, walking towards the direction of the cave.

    George hurriedly followed her.

    Soon, the two returned to the cave.

    "Master, what do we do next?" George asked, holding the hare and looking around, a bit clueless.

    He had eaten roasted meat before and knew how it should be done, but that was with barbecue tools at hand; now with nothing avable, this primitive way of barbecuing was truly puzzling to him...

    Qiao Jing pursed her red lips slightly and said indifferently, "I give you a task, go pick some drier leaves and smaller twigs."

    "Okay, I¡¯ll go now."

    George responded and, putting down the hare in his hands, ran out.

    The indcked many things, but there was no shortage of branches and leaves.

    In less than ten minutes, George returned loaded with them.

    When he came back, Qiao Jing had already used the tools left by others in the cave to skin and debone the two hares, cleaned them up, and threaded them onto a branch she had found earlier.

    George felt amazed again and, after cing his items on the ground, he asked, "Master, the things you had me collect were for making a fire, right?"

    "Mm."

    Qiao Jing nodded her head, offered no further exnation, and began demonstrating how to make fire by friction with wood.

    A momentter, the fire started, and she ced the skewered meat over the mes.

    As the sizzling sound began, the aroma of the roasting meat gradually filled the air.

    "This is just too delicious!" George unconsciously swallowed.

    "Although it smells good, without some seasonings, it would taste nd," Qiao Jing said as she took out the herbs she had picked earlier, tearing them into the size of green onions, and sprinkled them over the roasted rabbit.

    Then, she handed arge portion of the rabbit to George with a gentle smile, "There, now it¡¯s ready to eat."

    Eagerly, George took a big bite as soon as he received it.

    He didn¡¯t know how to describe the taste.

    It was fresh, tender, and delicious!

    "How is it? Not bad, right?" Qiao Jing casually asked.

    George¡¯s mouth was stuffed full with rabbit meat, making his words muffled, "It¡¯s...it¡¯s amazing!"

    He had seen documentaries about wilderness survival before and thought those survival experts were very impressive.

    But now, he suddenly felt that those people were nothingpared to his master!

    Also, when he initially arrived on this deserted ind, he was very nervous, afraid that he might starve to death in this barren ce.

    Now he was not worried at all because he believed that as long as he was with his master, even if they stayed on the ind for a lifetime, they could live very well!

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know George had thought so much. After eating her fill, she began to repair themunications equipment.

    George watched silently by the side, initially intending to steal some skills, but sadly he realized he couldn¡¯t understand any of it...

    As evening approached, the sky slowly darkened, and the cave became dim as well.

    Thinking it over, George suggested, "Master, why don¡¯t we rest first and continue in the morning? It¡¯s too dark now; don¡¯t strain your eyes."

    "Alright," Qiao Jing patted her stomach and put down her tools.

    Then, each found a spot along the wall to rest.

    The next day, dawn was just breaking.

    A joyful voice suddenly rang out in the cave, "Yes, finally done!"

    Qiao Jing raised her hand, wiping the fine sweat from her forehead, her face beaming with a knowing smile.

    Hearing the noise, George, who was still in the midst of sleep, slowly woke up.

    As he opened his eyes, he saw a rare excitement on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    He rubbed his eyes and, curious, moved closer, "Master, why are you up so early? What happened?"

    Qiao Jing lifted the cellphone in her palm and pointed to themunications equipment in front of her, smiling, "We can contact the outside world now."

    George was momentarily stunned, the remnants of sleep vanished instantly, "Master, do you mean the signal-emitting device has been repaired?"

    "Yes,"

    Qiao Jing nodded her head and began to adjust the signal as she spoke.

    This news filled George with both surprise and excitement.

    He looked at Qiao Jing with even more admiration, "Master, let me say it again, you are really amazing!"

    "I thought it would take ten days or half a month to fix, but you managed it in less than two days!"

    Qiao Jing shook her head with a somewhat emotional tone, "Two days isn¡¯t short, after all, I haven¡¯t worked on this kind of thing for a long time, so my skills have regressed."

    "If it were back when I was still proficient, it probably wouldn¡¯t have taken a day to finish."

    After saying this and seeing George staring at her dumbfounded, Qiao Jing added another sentence, "Just to rify, I am not boasting at Versailles, I am merely stating a fact."

 Chapter 760 - 748: George Keeps Kissing Up

    <h4>Chapter 760: Chapter 748: George Keeps Kissing Up</h4><h4></h4>

    George blinked, taking a moment to recover from the shock.

    From the expression his master had when she spoke, he could tell that she truly did not mean to unt any grandeur.

    Yet, every word she said emitted an air of splendor.

    Often, it was precisely these intangible things that were the most deadly!

    A boss is a boss, and a boss¡¯s capabilities are beyond the imagination of ordinary people like him!

    After reflecting on this, George noticed that Qiao Jing was already operating her phone.

    He leaned over to look, "Master, are you sending our location to someone outside the ind?"

    "Correct." Qiao Jing nodded.

    The situation was different from before; this time, sending out their location meant Zhan Qipei should be able to find them soon.

    George got excited for a moment, then suddenly thought of a problem.

    "Master, the inds nearby are supposed to have no signal. If we contact the outside world like this, could our signal be detected by Mr. John and his team?"

    Their escape had surely led Mr. John and Mr. Frank to muster arge search party.

    To find them, they would definitely resort to some technological means.

    If the signal was detected, wouldn¡¯t their whereabouts be exposed?

    "If they used a signal detector, of course it would be detected..."

    Qiao Jing had only spoken half her sentence when George interrupted her.

    Frowning, his face filled with obvious concern, "What shall we do then?"

    "Don¡¯t be so nervous," Qiao Jing slightly raised an eyebrow and said lightly, "once the location is sent, turn off the cell phone. Once the signal disappears, they naturally won¡¯t be able to detect it."

    George pped his forehead, struck by a sudden realization, "Right, how did I not think of that? You always think everything through!"

    "Alright, alright, stop ttering me now."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s tone was somewhat helpless.

    Her disciple was good in many ways, but he was a bit too enthusiastic, always praising her as either incredibly awesome or unbelievably godlike.

    She was not that remarkable; she thought these things were quite ordinary and nothing to be amazed at.

    "Master, how can you say that? How can this be considered ttering?"

    George¡¯s expression turned serious in an instant, solemnly remarking, "I¡¯m just stating the truth. If anything, me your excessive excellence that always makes me burst into praise!"

    "Well..." Qiao Jing pursed her lips, pausing for a long while before finally saying, "as long as you¡¯re happy."

    ...

    Meanwhile, in a private vi.

    ire and several subordinates stood with their heads bowed in front of the coffee table in the hall.

    View the correct content at fre.ewe(bn)ovel.c om

    Zhan Qipei was seated on the sofa, his demeanor as cold as a chill breeze, radiating an icy coldness.

    Tang Yan silently sighed beside him.

    Ever since Miss Qiao had been forcibly taken to the M Country and her whereabouts became unknown, President Zhan had be unpredictable.

    Reporting to him daily and hearing that they still hadn¡¯t found Miss Qiao always made him erupt in temper or even fly into a rage.

    In this world, the only person who could so easily stir President Zhan¡¯s emotions was Miss Qiao...

    "A whole day, a whole day, and this time we even narrowed down the search area to the Bia Inds, and yet you¡¯ve still found no trace? What are you all even doing!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was stern, his cold eyes sweeping over his subordinates as furious anger nearly burst from his eyes.

    He tried his best to restrain himself, but the thought of not having any news about Qiao Jing fueled his irritability and rage.

    ire, under immense pressure, lifted her head and spoke resolutely, "Boss, it¡¯s our ipetence. Please punish us."

    "Punish? What¡¯s the use of punishing you? Even if I do, will that help me find the person I¡¯m looking for!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows, filled with a cold harshness, furrowed deeply, his tone heavy.

    He knew, in reality, that it wasn¡¯t his subordinates¡¯ fault.

    Even though the search area had indeed been narrowed down a bit, there were still many small inds there, making the search admittedly difficult.

    But now, it was his wife who was missing, his most important person. How could he possibly not be anxious?

    For a while, the atmosphere in the hall was unspeakably oppressive.

    Then, a male voice came from the entrance, "Zhan Qipei, why is it that every time Ie over, you¡¯re throwing a tantrum?"

    "Could it be... you have some sort of mood disorder?"

    "If you really are sick, I advise you to get medical treatment as soon as possible. Don¡¯t wait until it turns into some sort of psychological disorder. That won¡¯t be good."

    Hearing these sardonic words, Zhan Qipei knew without looking who it was.

    He snorted coldly, his words precise and deliberate, "Wu Xirui, whether I¡¯m sick or not is none of your concern, but you, better cure your bad habit of barging into people¡¯s homes uninvited. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee that you¡¯ll always be able to leave unscathed!"

    "Are you threatening me?"

    Wu Xirui sauntered into the hall and sat down on the sofa, allowing his gaze to sweep over Zhan Qipei with a dangerously yful smile curling his lips.

    "I, Wu Xirui, am not someone who is easily frightened. Since I dared toe in, I naturally have the means to leave. If you doubt it, we can always test it out."

    Zhan Qipei nced at Wu Xirui with a chilling look, "If you came here just to say these childish, meaningless things, then you can leave now!"

    "Ha." Wu Xirui chuckled, his tone mocking, "I¡¯m not as free as you might think. I came mainly to see if you have found any clue about Qiao Jing¡¯s whereabouts."

    "However, it seems you haven¡¯t."

    If he had, Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t be hereshing out.

    Zhan Qipei snorted coldly, and ignored Wu Xirui.

    At that moment, his thin lips were pressed into a rigid, curveless icy line, and the chilliness emanating from his body intensified.

    Tang Yan nced at Wu Xirui and frowned, shaking his head subtly.

    Even at such a time, this person was still causing trouble; it was utterly despicable!

    Just then, Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone suddenly beeped.

    He picked it up and saw that he had received a location.

    Moreover, the sender of this location was none other than Qiao Jing, whom he was desperately searching for!

    He gripped his phone tightly, suddenly standing up from the couch, his usually expressionless face momentarily revealing a surge of uncontroble excitement.

    ire and the other subordinates exchanged nces, none of them understanding what had happened.

    Only Tang Yan immediately guessed.

    Having been by President Zhan¡¯s side for so long, he naturally knew that only Miss Qiao could elicit such a reaction from him.

    Apart from Miss Qiao, no one could cause such a dramatic shift in his emotions!

    Thinking this, Tang Yan felt a wave of excitement himself.

    He couldn¡¯t help but speak up, wanting to confirm, "President Zhan, is there news about Miss Qiao?"

    At these words, everyone¡¯s gaze in the room converged on Zhan Qipei, including Wu Xirui¡¯s.

    Zhan Qipei gave no response, but issued amand instead, "Arrange for a speedboat and a cruise ship immediately. We¡¯re heading out to sea now."

    With that, he put away his phone and walked out first.

 Chapter 761 - 749 Betraying Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 761: Chapter 749 Betraying Qiao Jing</h4><h4></h4>

    Although Zhan Qipei did not answer Tang Yan¡¯s question directly, themand he issued made the answer self-evident.

    f\reewebn ovel(.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei left, Tang Yan immediately followed him.

    Seeing this, ire quickly gathered the others and followed closely behind.

    Wu Xirui also stood up from the sofa and strode outside.

    He knew very well that if it were not for the news of Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei would not have had such a big reaction, nor would he have been so anxious to take people out to sea.

    At that moment, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t help thinking, if he could find Qiao Jing before Zhan Qipei did, would Qiao Jing be moved and leave Zhan Qipei to throw herself into his arms?

    Thinking of this, he unconsciously quickened his pace.

    Just as Wu Xirui was leaving the vi, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind him, "Fifth Master, please wait."

    Wu Xirui paused his steps and turned to look.

    The one who called him was Lin Ziqi, who hade with him earlier.

    He furrowed his brows, asking a bit impatiently, "What is it?"

    Lin Ziqi was dressed in a ck and white professional suit, her long hair tied into a ponytail, looking verypetent.

    With light makeup on her face, she appeared rather pretty.

    By this time, Zhan Qipei and the rest had already walked far away.

    But since this was Zhan Qipei¡¯s territory, Lin Ziqi walked up to Wu Xirui and lowered her voice, "Fifth Master, haven¡¯t you always wanted to find a chance to take revenge on the Zhan Family? There¡¯s a good opportunity right now."

    She had been working closely with Wu Xirui for many years and was fully aware of the entanglement between Wu Xirui and the Zhan Family.

    Upon hearing her words, Wu Xirui showed a trace of interest.

    He raised an eyebrow and casually asked, "How so?"

    "Wasn¡¯t there another group who approached Zone, asking them to help find Qiao Jing?"

    After a pause, Lin Ziqi continued, "Although Zhan Qipei did not want to alert the enemy, so he didn¡¯t investigate where those people came from, we all know they are the ones who forcefully brought Qiao Jing to Country M."

    Upon hearing this, Wu Xirui could roughly guess what Lin Ziqi meant.

    His eyes slightly narrowed, he scoffed lightly, "And then? What do you propose?"

    Lin Ziqi¡¯s gaze, almost obsessively, lingered on Wu Xirui¡¯s face.

    As soon as Wu Xirui finished speaking, she immediately expressed her thoughts, "We could reveal Qiao Jing¡¯s whereabouts to that group and let them know that Zhan Qipei is the head of the Zone organization, striking with a borrowed knife."

    Wu Xirui¡¯s guess had just been confirmed.

    His look at Lin Ziqi instantly turned colder.

    Sensing the chill in his gaze, Lin Ziqi stiffened, "Fifth Master, I..."

    "Shut up." Wu Xirui cut her off directly, his tone sinking, "Lin Ziqi, you¡¯ve been with me long enough to know what kind of person I am."

    "I do want to make life difficult for the Zhan Family, but I will not resort to such despicable, underhanded tactics!"

    Only the ipetent would use those despicable tricks behind someone¡¯s back.

    Wu Xirui certainly disdained doing such things.

    If he did, he would from the depths of his heart despise himself!

    Besides, there was another very important point.

    That was Qiao Jing.

    If he really did this, Qiao Jing would also be put into danger...

    Lin Ziqi¡¯s face changed, but she still insisted, grinding her teeth, "Fifth Master, have you forgotten Aunt Ying¡¯sst wish?"

    "The very thing Aunt Ying desired most in life now has a chance to be fulfilled; are you really willing to give that up for the sake of some so-called righteousness?"

    Wu Xirui snorted coldly, a hint of sinisterness shing in his eyes, "No need to remind me, I have always had my mother¡¯sst wish etched in my heart, I¡¯ve never forgotten it."

    "But my mother was not such a despicable person; if she were still alive, she would not approve of me using such base methods."

    Before his mother¡¯s death, she had explicitly instructed him to take back what originally belonged to him.

    He had always kept this in mind and would exert all his efforts to do so, but he would never resort to methods that couldn¡¯t be seen in public!

    Seeing how steadfast Wu Xirui was, Lin Ziqi couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.

    She furrowed her brows and said urgently, "Fifth Master, please reconsider, this is a rare opportunity. Are you willing to let it slip by? You know Qipei is not an easy man to deal with..."

    "Enough!"

    Wu Xirui rebuked lowly, cutting off Lin Ziqi once again.

    Lin Ziqi bit her lip, looking somewhat hurt.

    Seeing her like this, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything too harsh.

    He knew that Lin Ziqi had made such a suggestion considering his perspective.

    "Remember, never say things like that again, I don¡¯t want to hear it."

    Leaving those words behind, Wu Xirui cast a warning nce at Lin Ziqi and then turned to leave.

    Watching Wu Xirui¡¯s figure receding into the distance, Lin Ziqi felt a multitude of emotions swirling in her heart.

    She hesitated for a moment, finally pulling out her phone to make a call.

    To help Fifth Master fulfill Aunt Ying¡¯s wish, she had done many things behind the scenes; she even investigated those who kidnapped Qiao Jing¡ªdetails Qipei hadn¡¯t looked into.

    Since Fifth Master disdained such methods, she would take it upon herself.

    As long as it could help Fifth Master, she was willing to do anything!

    As soon as the call connected, Lin Ziqi spoke directly, "Is this Mr. John? You haven¡¯t found Qiao Jing yet, right? I know her whereabouts."

    The conjecture that the other party was John had been made recently through their investigations, and it was highly likely.

    On the other end of the phone, hearing the news about Qiao Jing, John felt somewhat agitated.

    But out of caution, he asked, "Who are you?"

    "You don¡¯t need to know who I am; I will send you the location of Qiao Jing. Of course, if you doubt my intentions, you can choose not to believe."

    After saying this, Lin Ziqi sensed silence on the other end, guessing they were considering.

    She didn¡¯t want to waste more words, so she pressed on.

    "However, the Zone organization you previously sought for help has already headed out to find her. The head of the Zone organization is actually Qipei of the Empire Zhan Family."

    "I¡¯m saying this, Mr. John, you should understand what I mean?"

    John frowned slightly, his face looking a bit unpleasant, "You mean, we were yed?"

    The Empire Zhan Family was almost universally known, and Qipei¡¯s name was indeed resonant.

    John naturally understood the rtionship between Qipei and Qiao Jing as well.

    But it never urred to him that the head of the Zone organization could be Qipei!

    Meaning he had inadvertently tipped Qipei off about Qiao Jing, setting back his own cause!

    This was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice!

    "Exactly, the Zone organization finding Qiao Jing is not about fulfilling yourmission; it¡¯s because Qipei has been looking for Qiao Jing himself."

    Lin Ziqi lowered her voice, continuing to instigate, "So, if you arrive toote, Qiao Jing will be taken away by Qipei, and by then, your chances of finding Qiao Jing will be gone."

    After saying this, without waiting for John to respond, she promptly hung up.

 Chapter 762 - 750: Zhan Qipei Is Coming

    <h4>Chapter 762: Chapter 750: Zhan Qipei Is Coming</h4><h4></h4>

    John stared at his phone screen that had gone dark, his face grim.

    When he took the call, Frank was right beside him.

    But Frank couldn¡¯t hear what was being said on the other end of the phone, unaware of what the person had said.

    Seeing John¡¯s displeased expression, he asked with some suspicion, "Mr. John, what¡¯s wrong? Who was that on the phone?"

    John snapped back to reality, looked up, and red at Frank, shouting angrily, "It was all your lousy idea! If we can¡¯t find Professor Qiao, I won¡¯t let you off the hook!"

    Frank, stunned by his shouting, was a bit slow to respond, "Mr. John, what are you talking about? What lousy idea? I don¡¯t understand."

    "Hmph." John snorted angrily, his rage unabated, "Do you know who the leader of the Zone organization is?"

    Thinking about how he had foolishly spent a billion only to be yed for a fool made his blood boil!

    Frank didn¡¯t know why John suddenly asked this, but he still truthfully replied, "The leader of the Zone organization is secretive and rarely makes public appearances, hardly anyone knows his real identity..."

    "You don¡¯t know, do you? Let me tell you!"

    John angrily cut off Frank¡¯s words, gritting his teeth and said word by word, "The leader of the Zone organization is Zhan Qipei!"

    f|re(e)web.n\ovel. (c)o.m

    At this statement, Frank waspletely taken aback.

    After a while, he managed to squeeze out, "Are you referring to that Zhan Qipei from the Empire Zhan Family?"

    John snorted coldly, replying disdainfully, "Other than him, could there be another Zhan Qipei?"

    Frank¡¯s face turned all kinds of colors momentarily.

    Zhan Qipei being the leader of Zone meant that his previous suggestion had just made things worse.

    He started to hurriedly defend himself, "Mr. John, I didn¡¯t know it was like this, I only came up with that idea in order to find Professor Qiao as soon as possible."

    "If I had known Zhan Qipei was the leader of Zone, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have..."

    "Enough, what¡¯s the use of saying this now!"

    John spoke impatiently, "The person who just called revealed the whereabouts of Professor Qiao. You must assemble a team immediately, ande out to sea with me. We have to get to Professor Qiao before Zhan Qipei does!"

    "Yes," Frank quickly responded.

    ...

    Elsewhere.

    Dozens of speedboats raced across the sea, followed by several cruise ships.

    About three or four hourster, the speedboats and cruise ships one after another docked beside a small ind.

    Zhan Qipei was the first to set foot on the ind.

    Tang Yan and ire led the others, following behind Zhan Qipei, waiting for hismands.

    Zhan Qipei scanned the surroundings, checked the position on his phone again, and then spoke, "This is the ce, everyone hurry up and start searching separately. We must find him before it gets dark."

    Although he had brought quite a number of people, the ind was sizable, and with its many trees and overgrown weeds without a specific location, finding someone was actually not easy.

    Upon receiving the order, ire wasted no second and immediately deployed her team, initiating a carpet search on the ind.

    Zhan Qipei, trusting his instincts, chose a direction and strode forward.

    Seeing this, Tang Yan was about to follow, but Zhan Qipei stopped him.

    He halted momentarily, his expression stern as he said, "Don¡¯t follow me, search as widely as possible, don¡¯t waste any manpower."

    Tang Yan knew President Zhan was doing this to find Miss Qiao as quickly as possible.

    But knowing was one thing, he still felt somewhat uneasy.

    This unease wasn¡¯t because he doubted President Zhan¡¯s capabilities, but because it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.

    Based on this, Tang Yan advised, "President Zhan, please let mee with you. This deserted ind has been uninhabited for a long time, and there might be dangerous animals around. You alone..."

    Zhan Qipei gathered his long eyebrows, which looked like mountains shrouded in fog, and interrupted Tang Yan, "No need to say more, do as I say."

    Having said this, Zhan Qipei took a step forward and continued walking.

    His tone had been very firm, carrying a hardness that did not allow others to argue. Tang Yan didn¡¯t dare to disobey and had to give up the idea of following him.

    Meanwhile, in a certain part of the ind¡¯s forest.

    George stood under a big tree, leaning against the trunk and vigntly scanning his surroundings.

    Just ten minutes earlier, he had been out hunting rabbits for dinner with his master. They hadn¡¯t expected to be so lucky as to stumble upon a fountain in these woods.

    They had been on the ind for two days, and hadn¡¯t had a chance to wash in that time. He, a man, didn¡¯t mind much, but his master, being a woman, inevitably found it a bit unbearable.

    So after discovering the fountain, his master decided to take a good wash.

    And his task, naturally, was to guard her and ensure her safety!

    Although there were no others on the ind except for him and his master, washing in the open felt safer with someone keeping guard...

    As George was thinking, he suddenly heard some noises not far away.

    Listening carefully, it sounded somewhat like footsteps.

    He frowned, his heart suddenly racing.

    Logically speaking, there should not have been anyone else¡¯s footsteps in this ce. Could it be that Mr. John had discovered their whereabouts ande to capture them?!

    As George was feeling uneasy, a tall, extremely handsome man appeared before him.

    The man had a powerful presence, and with each step he took towards him, George¡¯s tension increased immensely.

    Almost subconsciously, he assumed this man was sent by Mr. John.

    As the man approached closer, George bit his teeth and tried to calm himself, "Stop! Don¡¯te any closer!"

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei paused in his steps, his sharp gaze sizing up George.

    ording to those who had kidnapped Qiao Jing, she had escaped with a man named George.

    If his guess was right, this man before him was George!

    fre ewebnove l

    There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone else on the ind. Thinking about the fact that Qiao Jing had been alone with this man for so long, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze turned even colder, and a chilling aura emanated from him.

    Feeling the murderous intent in Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, George was even more convinced that this was one of John¡¯s men.

    His face full of caution, he stared at Zhan Qipei and gathered his courage to say, "Professor Qiao isn¡¯t here. When the cruise ship hit the reef, we jumped into the sea and got separated. She¡¯s not on this ind."

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, only staring coldly at George, before starting to walk again.

    Seeing this, George began to panic.

    The man¡¯s aura was too strong, giving him a tremendous sense of oppression.

    But his master was just behind him, not far in the fountain taking a bath. If he let this man go past, his master would not only be captured and taken back to theb, but her innocence would also be at stake!

    Thinking of this, George suppressed the fear and unrest in his heart and bravely stepped forward to block Zhan Qipei, who was steadily advancing towards him.

 Chapter 763 - 751: Hold Her Tight

    <h4>Chapter 763: Chapter 751: Hold Her Tight</h4>

    Zhan Qipei stared at George blocking his path, and his thin lips parted to spit out two icy words, "Move aside!"

    The more this person obstructed him, the more certain he became that Qiao Jing was in the forest behind him!

    Intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s imposing presence, George shuddered but still clenched his teeth and stood firm, showing no intention of stepping aside.

    In order to prevent Zhan Qipei from advancing further, George even resorted to fierce threats.

    "I, I, I... already told you, Professor Qiao isn¡¯t here. Go look somewhere else, and if you take another step forward, don¡¯t me me for being rude to you!"

    George tried to look intimidating, hoping to deter the other party with this act.

    However, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even consider him a threat; with a simple push of his hand, he shoved George aside.

    After pushing George away, Zhan Qipei continued walking forward.

    A sense of urgency filled George, and he rushed forward again.

    He grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s arm, attempting to halt his progress, "You¡¯re not allowed to pass. If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll fight you with everything I¡¯ve got!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and then, with minimal effort, he twisted George¡¯s hand behind his back.

    "Ah... my hand, my hand is about to break, let go..."

    George grimaced in pain, feeling as if his arm had been twisted off.

    Zhan Qipei just wanted to find Qiao Jing as soon as possible and had no desire to be entangled with George.

    With a forceful shake, he flung George away and resumed his strides.

    Ignoring the pain in his arm, George, desperately and recklessly, charged at him once more.

    For his master, no matter what, even if it cost him his life, he had to stop this man!

    Zhan Qipei heard themotion behind him and knew George wasing at him again; he simply sidestepped out of the way.

    "Bang¡ª"

    George missed his target and tumbled to the ground upon impact.

    To avoid further entanglement, Zhan Qipei looked down upon him and coldly spat out, "Listen well, I am not who you think I am, nor am I here to capture you. Stop bothering me, or I won¡¯t show mercy again!"

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this person had escaped with Qiao Jing, and based solely on the fact that a man and a woman had been alone together on the ind, he would never have let this person off!

    After issuing the warning, Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze and continued on his way.

    George didn¡¯t believe a word Zhan Qipei had said. He picked himself up from the ground and grabbed a stout branch, charging towards Zhan Qipei.

    However, before he could get close enough for the branch tond a blow, Zhan Qipei took him down with a sweep of his leg.

    "Bang¡ª"

    This sound was much louder than thest.

    George fell harder this time,nding headfirst and feeling the world spin around him.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t even nce at him and quickened his pace towards the rear of the forest.

    "Stop, stop right there... don¡¯t go, you¡¯re not allowed to pass, just stop..."

    George was frantic but too dizzy to give chase; he could only watch helplessly as Zhan Qipei approached the area near the fountain.

    Qiao Jing waspletely unaware of what was happening in the forest.

    At that moment, she was soaking in the water, blissfully enjoying the nourishing embrace of the fountain.

    Her long, fine hair cascaded down her back, highlighting her already fair skin, making it appear even more like smooth, white porcin.

    As the water rippled, one could catch glimpses of her slender yet curvaceous figure.

    Although she was several months pregnant with triplets, her belly having lifted slightly, she didn¡¯t look like a pregnant woman at all.

    On her smooth and delicate shoulders hung a few crystal-clear droplets of water, creating an image that was both pure and enchanting, teeming with allure.

    Furthermore, the edge of the fountain was nketed with all sorts of wildflowers, vivid and colorful, making this ce seem like a heavenly wondend.

    When Zhan Qipei approached, what he saw was just such a dreamy and fantastical scene¡ªa beauty bathing.

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    Qiao Jing had soaked in the water for a while and looked down at her burgeoning belly with some emotion, gently lifting a hand toy the palm over it.

    Thankfully, the three babies were strong enough, surviving her ordeal and growing well...

    As she mused, Qiao Jing suddenly heard a noise.

    She furrowed her brows and pricked up her ears to listen closely, realizing that it was the sound of footsteps.

    George knew she was bathing here and would note near without signaling.

    Therefore, it must be someone else who had also arrived at the ind.

    Was it one of Zhan Qipei¡¯s people, or one of John¡¯s?

    No matter who it was, she couldn¡¯t let them see her in her current state!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s first thought was to grab her clothes, but without thinking much, she had ced them a bit too far away.

    Just as she swam towards where her clothes were and was about to get out of the water to grab them, the footsteps had already reached behind her.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she was instantly enveloped by intense tension.

    She spun around rapidly, but before she could make out anything clearly, she was embraced by a pair of strong, powerful arms and pulled into a warm embrace.

    The scent of the man and this familiar embrace made Qiao Jing recognize the person in an instant.

    Without looking, she knew that the person holding her was Zhan Qipei!

    This realization made Qiao Jing¡¯s earlier tension dissipate in a moment, and she found herself saying with a smile, "You finally arrived.

    Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing tightly as if he had regained his most precious treasure after losing it.

    He gently rested his chin atop Qiao Jing¡¯s head and spoke in a deep voice, "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯mte, you¡¯ve suffered."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing felt an indescribable warmth in her heart.

    "It¡¯s not your fault, the signal from the locator was affected by the jammer before, so it wasn¡¯t very urate. Moreover, with so many inds around, it wasn¡¯t easy to search."

    After speaking, Qiao Jing cheerfully added, "This time, though, you came quite fast."

    She had thought that Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t be able to arrive until a dayter.

    "It won¡¯t happen again, I promise, I¡¯ll absolutely never let something like this happen to you again."

    As he said this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace tightened around Qiao Jing, and he couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and kiss her lips.

    Qiao Jing was taken aback for a moment, feeling that this kiss was unlike any other they had shared before.

    Through this lingering kiss, she could feel Zhan Qipei¡¯s turbulent emotions at the moment, as well as his longing for her over this period.

    In an instant, the atmosphere between them heated up rapidly.

    Even the air around them seemed to be permeated with a romantic and sultry essence.

    As their kiss deepened, Qiao Jing felt her tightly wound nerves gradually rxing after numerous days.

    Back in theb, she had to constantly guard against John and Frank, to prevent them from harming the babies in her belly, and also had to n her escape, which kept her nerves strung high.

    And after escaping, stranded on this deserted ind, she still needed to stay vignt and on guard, never allowing herself to rx for even a moment.

    It wasn¡¯t until now, held in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, that she finally felt theplete relief of letting out a breath she had been holding in.

 Chapter 764 - 752: Undying Loyalty

    <h4>Chapter 764: Chapter 752: Undying Loyalty</h4><h4></h4>

    Qiao Jing unconsciously curved her lips, her beautiful eyebrows also smoothing out.

    She felt that her feelings for Zhan Qipei seemed to have changed from before.

    Perhaps, had she truly fallen in love with this man?

    In other areas, whether it was the medical field, agriculture, or many other fields, she learned everything with ease.

    But when it came to emotions, she was somewhat slow.

    This probably confirmed the saying, "When God opens a door for you, he closes a window."

    The window of her emotions must have been closed...

    After kissing for quite a while, Zhan Qipei finally reluctantly let go of Qiao Jing.

    However, he only stopped kissing her and had no intention of letting her go; his arms still firmly held her.

    It was then that Qiao Jing suddenly realized she wasn¡¯t wearing anything at all,pletely naked.

    In such a state, in such a ce, being held by Zhan Qipei like this, even someone asposed as her couldn¡¯t help feeling embarrassed.

    She struggled a bit and coughed lightly, "Can you let go now? You¡¯ve held me long enough, haven¡¯t you?"

    "Not enough." Zhan Qipei¡¯s response came without hesitation, his voice deep and maic, "With you, no amount of time is enough."

    Only he knew how much he had missed and worried about Qiao Jing these past days.

    The feeling of being lost, dispirited, tormented him every moment, almost driving him insane.

    Now that he had finally seen her, how could he bear to let go?

    Only by holding her like this could he feel his heartbeat return, and feel alive once more.

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei truly had no intention of letting go, Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless.

    She raised her hand, pressing her palm against his solid chest, and found a very good excuse, "You¡¯re holding me too tightly, it¡¯s squeezing my stomach, and my stomach feels ufortable."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei very reluctantly and unwillingly let go of Qiao Jing.

    He had been so overwhelmed with emotion that he almost forgot his wife was pregnant, carrying three little babies in her belly.

    Pregnancy was not easy to begin with, and these past days, she had been so disturbed, just thinking about it made him feel quite uneasy.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze upon Qiao Jing became even more tender.

    Initially, his eyes had only stayed on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    But soon, his gaze began uncontrobly drifting downward, inch by inch, sweeping over Qiao Jing¡¯s unabashedly bare body.

    Then, he couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration, "Wife, you have a great figure, nowhere near what one would expect from someone pregnant with triplets."

    Already feeling a bit self-conscious being stared at by Zhan Qipei, thisment made her even more embarrassed.

    She lifted her hand, feigning anger, and hit him on the chest.

    After hitting him, just as Qiao Jing was about to pull her hand back, Zhan Qipei suddenly grabbed her wrist.

    "What are you doing?" Qiao Jing looked at him puzzled.

    Zhan Qipei curved his thin lips, pulling her hand to hit himself again whileughing, "It feels good; hit me a few more times."

    For some reason, Qiao Jing always felt that when he said this sentence, his tone was somewhat profound, sounding particrly suggestive.

    She pursed her lips and huffed, "You¡¯re stillughing even after being hit; you wouldn¡¯t happen to have some unspeakable peculiar fetish, would you?"

    Qiao Jing said that aloud, but her heart couldn¡¯t help thinking that this man was indeed handsome when he smiled.

    She had actually noticed this a long time ago.

    Zhan Qipei was always very serious and stern, his smile rare to see.

    But once he smiled, even if it was just a slight curl of his lips, it radiated an irresistible charm,pelling to submerge into.

    It was no exaggeration to say that Zhan Qipei¡¯s smile made it feel as if the entire world paled inparison!

    Just then, George¡¯s panicked voice traveled from afar, breaking the ambiguous atmosphere between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    "Master, Master, how are you? Are you alright?"

    Hearing the voice, Zhan Qipei immediately took off his suit jacket and wrapped the flustered Qiao Jing tightly, embracing her into his arms.

    "Master, just now there was a man..."

    George ran up and, seeing the scene in front of him, abruptly halted midway through his sentence.

    Zhan Qipei raised his eyes, sending a cold nce, his thin lips parted slightly and spat out a harsh word, "Scram!"

    Apart from him, which man would dare see his wife¡¯s body? Regardless of intention, he would definitely blind the person on the spot, gouge out their eyeballs, and crush them into pulp!

    However, at this moment, George waspletely frozen, his feet as if nailed firmly to the ground.

    This suddenly appearing man not only saw his master undressed but was also holding his master and taking advantage of his master, taking liberties with him!!!

    This was his greatly respected master, his most admired idol!

    Even if this man was terrifying and had an imposing aura, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.

    He had to rush forward and rescue his master from this man¡¯s hands!

    Thinking this, George summoned all his courage, clenched his teeth, lifted his leg, and was about to rush over tomence the rescue.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and spoke timely, "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. The man you mentioned is right in front of me, he is the father of the three babies in my belly."

    At this, George was stunned again.

    He blinked, scanning back and forth between Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing.

    It turned out that this man was indeed not here to capture them but was his master¡¯s lover, his grandmaster!

    Realizing he had made a huge misunderstanding, George scratched his head, somewhat stuttering, "I, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know that..."

    "I¡¯ll go outside and watch for you. Master and Grandmaster haven¡¯t seen each other for so long, you must have a lot to do, oh no, I mean a lot to talk about, I won¡¯t disturb you here."

    After saying that, he didn¡¯t linger a second longer and swiftly turned to run away.

    Zhan Qipei looked displeased, watching the direction George left in until he could no longer see George¡¯s figure, then he withdrew his gaze.

    "He¡¯s gone now, you can let go of me."

    Qiao Jing spoke, pushing against Zhan Qipei, "Also, you should leave too. I only washed halfway just now and still wasn¡¯t done."

    "This fountain was just discovered today. I haven¡¯t washed for the past two days, feeling sticky all over, and you¡¯re holding me like this, doesn¡¯t it bother you?"

    Zhan Qipei responded without hesitation, "No bother at all, no matter what, I like you."

    These words came straight from his heart because it was Qiao Jing the person he loved.

    Thus, no matter what Qiao Jing turned into, he would love her just the same, until death do them part!

 Chapter 765 - 753: Help Her Bathe? Are You Kidding?

    <h4>Chapter 765: Chapter 753: Help Her Bathe? Are You Kidding?</h4>

    Having heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing unconsciously curled her lips, yet she hummed, "You might not mind, but I certainly do. My skin isn¡¯t as thick as yours."

    As she spoke, she lifted her arm to smell it and unconsciously furrowed her brows.

    Since escaping theboratory, and being forced to jump into the sea when their cruise ship hit a reef, until they swam ashore on this ind, she had not had a chance to cleanse herself.

    So, the scent on her body was indeed not very pleasant...

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, Zhan Qipei suddenly moved closer, lowered his head, and buried it in her neck.

    Almost instinctively, Qiao Jing raised her hand and pushed Zhan Qipei away, looking at him suspiciously, "What are you doing?"

    If it had been someone else, she might have kicked them directly!

    Zhan Qipei chuckled softly, his maic voice resonating, "Didn¡¯t you say you smelled? I just want to smell to see if it¡¯s true."

    Qiao Jing gave him a cold look, at a loss for words.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei added with a smile, "There¡¯s no bad smell, I think it¡¯s quite fragrant."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing was totally speechless.

    She raised her hand again and pushed Zhan Qipei, who was hugging her waist, "Move aside, I need to continue bathing, don¡¯t disturb me."

    Instead of letting her go, Zhan Qipei held her even tighter and whispered in her ear, "Let me help you."

    "No!" Qiao Jing immediately refused, very decisively, "I don¡¯t need your help!"

    Help her bathe?

    What a joke!

    He might have the audacity, but she certainly did not!!

    "It¡¯s my negligence that you had to suffer so much these days, so please, give me a chance to make it up to you."

    Zhan Qipei spoke as if he wore a halo of righteousness.

    Unfortunately, Qiao Jing was not moved and firmly refused.

    She ced her hands on Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest and huffed, "I said I don¡¯t need it, and I mean it. Don¡¯t try those tricks with me."

    "But I really want to help you bathe. You must be exhausted after all these days, let me serve you well."

    As he spoke, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone grew more forceful, brooking no refusal.

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s response or heeding her resistance, he took off the suit jacket that had been wrapped around her.

    The only piece of clothing covering her was suddenly pulled away, and Qiao Jing felt a chill on her body.

    She instinctively hugged herself and squatted down.

    She had not yete ashore, still standing by the edge of the Fountain.

    As she squatted down, she leaned back and her body submerged into the clear Fountain water.

    Through the Fountain, one could faintly see her graceful figure.

    This kind of partially hidden allure was often the most seductive!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze was fixed intently on Qiao Jing¡¯s body.

    After a moment, he removed his clothes and stepped into the water as well.

    As Zhan Qipei moved closer step by step, Qiao Jing unconsciously moved back, her brows slightly furrowed.

    She looked at Zhan Qipei with a wary expression, "What are you doing down here? I told you, I don¡¯t need help, I can wash by myself!"

    The idea of someone helping her bathe was ufortable just to think about!

    "Don¡¯t rush to refuse. Try it, you might like it."

    During the conversation, Zhan Qipei had already approached Qiao Jing, swiftly drawing her into his arms.

    Qiao Jing red at Zhan Qipei, struggling in his arms with her voice raised a few notches, "Who would like this? Let me go! Right now!"

    If it weren¡¯t for her pregnancy, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to kick this man off her!

    "Ssh, ssh¡ª"

    The two tangled in the water, the sound breaking the surrounding silence.

    Because Qiao Jing was mindful of the three babies in her belly, she eventually let Zhan Qipei have his way and allowed him to help her bathe.

    After the bath, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, neatly dressed, emerged from the woods.

    George, who had been waiting outside, walked over with a sheepish grin and greeted them, "Master, Grandmaster."

    Truth be told, he still felt a bit terrified when facing the Grandmaster.

    The look the Grandmaster had given him earlier was truly frightening, as if he wanted to kill him!

    He felt that if the Grandmaster hadn¡¯t been in a hurry to find his Master just now and wasn¡¯t preupied, he might have been dead already...

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, acknowledging George¡¯s greeting.

    Then, she turned her head to look at Zhan Qipei, using her gaze to inquire about the next steps.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯te to the ind alone; he must have brought quite a few people, but there was no signal on the ind.

    After sending the location, to prevent the signal from being detected by John and his men, she had turned off her phone and the signal-emitting devices.

    She wondered how Zhan Qipei and his men weremunicating?

    Upon receiving Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Zhan Qipei immediately understood her meaning and spoke, "I¡¯ve arranged with Tang Yan and the others to meet at the shore at dusk."

    Speaking of which, Zhan Qipei suddenly felt quite lucky.

    The ind was not small, and there were many people he had brought along. So many had searched, but he was the first to find Qiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing looked up at the sky, estimated the time, "Perfect, it¡¯s almost dusk now, let¡¯s go."

    "Okay."

    Zhan Qipei responded, taking Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and leading her towards where the speedboat and cruise ship were parked.

    Seeing this, George quickly followed, silently trailing behind the duo.

    During the walk, Zhan Qipei inquired about Qiao Jing¡¯s recent experiences.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and said softly, "The person who brought me to M country was M country¡¯s leader, John. Their goal was to have me help with research on a new type of wheat that could adapt to M country¡¯s climate."

    "Doing the research wouldn¡¯t have been difficult, but their attitude made me not want to help them, and you can probably guess what happened afterward."

    If from the beginning, John and Frank had treated her with respect and politely asked for her help, perhaps she would have lent a hand out of professional spirit.

    Unfortunately, they chose to use methods that she found repulsive.

    She could hardly be med for having a hardened heart!

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, a hint of coldness shed through Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes.

    Once they left this ce, he was definitely going to settle this ount with those people!

    About twenty minutester, Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei, and George sessfully arrived where the cruise ship was docked.

    When they got there, Tang Yan and ire had not yet returned.

    The trio waited for a while, when suddenly they noticed numerous boats speeding across the sea, clearly heading towards the small ind they were on.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows, sensing that something was amiss.

    These boats had a clear target, evidently aimed at this ind.

    And since this ind was where she and George had been hiding, the people making such a grand arrival here, aside from Zhan Qipei who received her location, could only be John and his men!

 Chapter 766 - 754 Zhan Qipei Shot

    <h4>Chapter 766: Chapter 754 Zhan Qipei Shot</h4>

    Qiao Jing was thinking when George suddenly raised his hand and pointed at the boats quickly approaching the ind, eximing in rm, "Not good, those are Mr. John¡¯s boats!"

    "They must have discovered we¡¯re hiding on the ind and havee to capture us!"

    As he said this, George turned to look at Qiao Jing, his face visibly tense, "Master, they¡¯re almost here; we better hide for now!"

    He had barely finished speaking when boats began to dock one after another.

    The first to disembark were John and Frank.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but frown and said to Zhan Qipei, "They have more people; we really need to hide first. Let¡¯s run back the way we came."

    If Tang Yan and his people were also there, they wouldn¡¯t need to hide at all.

    Unfortunately, Tang Yan and the others hadn¡¯t returned to the agreed spot yet, and with John¡¯s side having more people, just relying on her and Zhan Qipei, even if they were capable fighters with excellent skills, they would still be at a disadvantage.

    After all, two fists can¡¯t beat four hands!

    Qiao Jing grabbed Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand and turned to run toward the woods nearby, not forgetting to remind George, "Hurry up and follow."

    She had managed to escape sessfully, thanks to George¡¯s help.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for George taking the opportunity to knock out the guards at the port, her escape n might not have gone so smoothly.

    But from John¡¯s perspective, George was aplete traitor.

    If caught, George definitely wouldn¡¯t have a good oue!

    As Qiao Jing and the other two ran into the woods, John and Frank led their men in pursuit.

    The ind¡¯s forests were extensive, and the one that Qiao Jing and herpanions had entered was particrly dense andplex.

    After entering the woods and being chased by John and his people, George identally got separated and failed to keep up with Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    The three were forced to split into two groups.

    Upon seeing this, Frank immediately asked John for instructions, "Mr. John, that kid George ran in another direction. Should we dispatch some men to pursue him, or...?"

    John waved his hand decisively andmanded, "Never mind him for now. Focus our manpower on capturing Professor Qiao first!"

    After all, the Professor Qiao they had been trying so hard to find was right in front of them. To disperse forces to chase George now would be to lose sight of the main objective.

    If they allowed Professor Qiao to escape because of that, it would be a terrible loss!

    After capturing Professor Qiao, they could deal with Georgeter!

    Zhan Qipei noticed George was missing and mentioned to Qiao Jing, "It looks like your apprentice has gotten lost."

    "It doesn¡¯t matter, getting separated might be a good thing."

    Without stopping, Qiao Jing continued leading Zhan Qipei through the forest.

    Thesest two days, she hadn¡¯t been idle. While hunting for wild rabbits, she took the opportunity to familiarize herself with the ind¡¯s terrain.

    Although knowing the terrain wouldn¡¯t allow them topletely shake off John and his people, they could still gain some distance by using this advantage.

    As long as they could buy some time to find Tang Yan and the others, that would be enough.

    As for George, it was actually safer for him not to be with her.

    Now, John¡¯s sole focus was on capturing her, so she believed John wouldn¡¯t disperse his men to catch George at this moment, giving her a chance to escape.

    Zhan Qipei looked back and saw the pursuers still hot on their trail. He gathered his eyebrows, which were like mountainous mists, a hint of annoyance appearing on his face.

    "I came in too much of a hurry. If only I had thought to bring some signal res."

    If he had signal res, he could fire one now, letting Tang Yan and the others know his and Qiao Jing¡¯s location so they coulde to reinforce them in time!

    Just then, John¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind them.

    "Professor Qiao, stop running. There are just the two of you; you won¡¯t get away. It¡¯s no use wasting your energy."

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and, with a pivot of her feet, pulled Zhan Qipei to run in another direction.

    To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for her pregnancy slowing her movements, those people wouldn¡¯t have had any chance of catching up with her.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had no intention of stopping, John bit his lip and raised his voice again, "Professor Qiao, if you don¡¯t stop now, we will have to shoot!"

    "Bang, bang¡ª"

    As John¡¯s words ended, two piercing gunshots rang out, shattering the silence of the ind.

    Even so, Qiao Jing still had no ns to stop.

    John was still counting on her to help research a new type of wheat, so she was certain that John¡¯s threat was just that¡ªa threat.

    John wouldn¡¯t possibly harm her life.

    If she died, wouldn¡¯t John¡¯s new wheat research project be ruined?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s deduction was right. John indeed did not dare to take her life.

    But he also didn¡¯t want to give Qiao Jing another chance to escape.

    He turned his head and said to Frank, "Fire, aim carefully, and remember not to aim at vital parts. Don¡¯t harm Professor Qiao¡¯s life.

    "Understood!"

    After Frank replied, he raised the handgun in his hand, aiming the muzzle at Qiao Jing¡¯s leg.

    Qiao Jing had been paying attention to the terrain around her, contemting strategies to shake off John and his men, and hadn¡¯t noticed that she had been targeted.

    It was Zhan Qipei who happened to look back unintentionally and saw what was happening.

    At the moment Frank pulled the trigger, Zhan Qipei, with swift eyes and hands, pushed Qiao Jing away.

    "Bang¡ª"

    As the gunshot sounded, Zhan Qipei fell to the ground.

    Qiao Jing stumbled from the push but managed to steady herself quickly thanks to her agility.

    Once steady, she immediately realized what had happened.

    Turning around sharply, she saw Zhan Qipei lying on the ground, a clear gunshot wound at the base of his thigh, from which blood rushed out in torrents.

    At that sight, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her heart suddenly rose to her throat.

    That feeling, like she was about to lose something incredibly important, brought a sudden rush of fear over her.

    Qiao Jing suddenly thought of when Grandpa Zhang had passed away.

    At that time, she felt as if the sky were falling.

    And now, seeing Zhan Qipei shot and injured, she felt the same way.

    Qiao Jing¡¯splexion turned a few shades paler, the first time she had ever looked so panic-stricken.

    She rushed over, knelt in front of Zhan Qipei, grabbed his hand, and asked frantically, "Zhan Qipei, how are you? Are you okay? Can you hear me speaking?"

    However, the man did not respond at all.

    His eyes were tightly closed, and he was unconscious.

    Seeing him like this, Qiao Jingpletely lost herposure, her tears suddenly pouring out, her voice choked, "Zhan Qipei! Zhan Qipei! Wake up..."

    It was also at this moment that Qiao Jing truly and profoundly realized she had fallen in love with this man.

    This fear of loss was actually the feeling of deep love...

    Just then, John and Frank, along with their men, surrounded them.

    Seeing how emotional Qiao Jing was, John felt that the situation was getting out of hand and hastily made excuses, "Professor Qiao, you can¡¯t me us for this. We didn¡¯t want things to turn out this way."

 Chapter 767 - 755 Qiao Jing Cried

    <h4>Chapter 767: Chapter 755 Qiao Jing Cried</h4>

    Frank chimed in from the side, "Yes, Mr. John had already warned you in advance, asking you to stop, it was you who did not cooperate that forced us to open fire."

    Qiao Jing lifted her eyes coldly, her gaze sharply sweeping over John and Frank, an icy chill radiating from her whole being.

    This oppressive aura caused everyone around to unconsciously take a step back.

    John and Frank were also intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s coldness.

    It was apparent that her anger was uncontroble.

    Frank leaned closer to John and asked softly, "Mr. John, what should we do next? Based on the current situation, Professor Qiao definitely will not willingly follow us back."

    John frowned, feeling a headache about the current situation.

    Without taking Qiao Jing back, the research on the new strain of wheat couldn¡¯t bepleted.

    But what Frank said was another issue.

    With things having developed to this point, even if they forcibly took Qiao Jing back, she might not be willing to help with the research...

    After hesitating for a moment, John still issued a direct order, "Someone, take Professor Qiao away!"

    Regardless, they would first take her away and talk about it.

    As for the research, they could think of something else back in theb.

    He refused to believe that there was no way to make Qiao Jing cooperate!

    "Yes."

    After Frank responded, he moved forward with a few subordinates, preparing to forcibly take Qiao Jing away.

    Just then, a noisy and hurried footsteps approached from afar.

    Suddenly, a group of people rushed over and before John and Frank could react, they werepletely surrounded.

    Qiao Jing looked up, instinctively thinking it was Tang Yan who had brought people to the rescue.

    However, the person who walked out of the crowd was not Tang Yan, but Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui had been dyeding out of the vi, which is why he waste.

    Furthermore, not knowing Qiao Jing¡¯s location, he had no choice but to search along the way.

    It was only upon hearing gunfire just now that he hurriedly followed the sound with his men towards this ce.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei wounded by a gunshot, lying unconscious on the ground, Wu Xirui was somewhat surprised.

    The next second, his gaze swept back and forth over Qiao Jing.

    Noticing that Qiao Jing seemed unharmed, Wu Xirui inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, "Qiao Jing, are you alright? Why are there only the two of you? Where are the others? I remember Zhan Qipei brought quite a few people."

    "The others are scattered and have not regrouped yet."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were red, her voice hoarse and choked, clearly having just cried.

    This was the first time Wu Xirui had seen Qiao Jing like this.

    Suddenly, he felt somewhat uneasy, an indescribable sensation in his heart.

    Could this feeling be called heartache?

    And a bit of jealousy.

    John was the first to recover, staring at Wu Xirui and saying, "You better leave immediately, don¡¯t meddle in business that isn¡¯t yours, otherwise don¡¯t me us for being inhospitable!"

    Regardless, he must take Qiao Jing with him today!

    Wu Xirui nced at him, chuckling dismissively, "I¡¯m sorry, but it seems it should be you who need to leave. With me here, you¡¯re likely to return empty-handed."

    Frank snorted disdainfully, "With just this few of you, you dare to talk big in front of Mr. John. You don¡¯t know your own limits!"

    With that, he raised his hand in a gesture.

    His subordinates, understanding the signal, drew their handguns, aiming them at Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s men, seeing this, immediately drew their guns and aimed at John and Frank.

    For a moment, both sides were locked in a tense standoff.

    Just as they were at an impasse, Tang Yan, also hearing the gunfire, hurried over with his people.

    Seeing the President Zhan injured by a gunshot, Tang Yan, without hesitation, joined the fray with ire and the others.

    The numbers of Wu Xirui and Tang Yan¡¯s men together were greater than those brought by John.

    Frank, seeing they were at a disadvantage, quickly took out his cellphone, ready to call for reinforcements.

    "Hold on!"

    Wu Xirui spoke up in time while gesturing to his men to lower their hands andmanded, "Put away your guns."

    His subordinates, getting the sign, immediatelyplied and retracted the guns aimed at John and Frank.

    Tang Yan furrowed his brow, not understanding Wu Xirui¡¯s intentions.

    He was puzzled, not sure if this man was here to help or for something else.

    Wu Xirui, detecting Tang Yan¡¯s suspicion, smirked devilishly and said, "Have your people also put away their guns. To solve problems we need brains, not weapons."

    Tang Yan, unsure, turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    With President Zhan unconscious, he could only ask for Miss Qiao¡¯s opinion.

    Qiao Jing herself didn¡¯t know what Wu Xirui was up to, but she knew that Wu Xirui wouldn¡¯t harm her.

    Therefore, she gave Tang Yan a slight nod, indicating that he should do as Wu Xirui said.

    As Zhan Qipeiy unconscious and constantly bleeding, her mind was in turmoil, and a persistent feeling of nervousness and insecurity haunted her.

    All she wanted was to quickly resolve the situation and leave this ce with Zhan Qipei...

    Seeing Qiao Jing nod, Tang Yan then ordered his men to put away their guns.

    Frank, not understanding the situation, frowned and stared at Wu Xirui, "What exactly are you ying at? Use whatever tricks you have up your sleeve; stop beating around the bush!"

    Wu Xirui ignored him and instead took out his phone, dialed a mysterious number, and then shifted his gaze to John.

    "Mr. John, I have a call here for you to take."

    Upon hearing this, Frank scoffed disdainfully and retorted, "What joke is this? Why should we answer the phone just because you tell us to? Who do you think you are!"

    "I¡¯m not in the mood to joke with you. If you refuse this call, it will be at your own peril."

    A sinister smile on Wu Xirui¡¯s face and his tone carried a threat that could not be ignored.

    John furrowed his brow and asked in a deep voice, "What call is it?"

    "On the other end of the line is that person from the Empire."

    Wu Xirui¡¯s words came out measured, then added, "I don¡¯t need to spell it out. Mr. John, you should know who it is."

    At this, John¡¯s expression instantly changed, and he looked at Wu Xirui in some astonishment.

    He truly hadn¡¯t expected that this man would have connections to that person from the Empire.

    "Well? Mr. John, will you take the call or not?"

    Wu Xirui shook the cellphone in his palm with a somewhat aggressive tone.

    "Give me the phone."

    As John spoke, his expression was strained, with a foreboding feeling in his heart.

    Wu Xirui handed the phone to one of his subordinates, who then passed it to John.

    John took the phone, lifted it to his ear, and before he could speak, a stern voice came from the other end.

    "What is this? Is your country M nning to start a full-scale war with our Empire?"

    Upon hearing this, John¡¯s face grew visibly more troubled, and his brows knitted tighter, "You¡¯re taking this too seriously, aren¡¯t you? This isn¡¯t something to joke about."

 Chapter 768 - 756: Performing Surgery on Zhan Qipei Again, Dreaming Back to Our First Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 768: Chapter 756: Performing Surgery on Zhan Qipei Again, Dreaming Back to Our First Meeting</h4>

    As soon as John¡¯s voice faded, a stern voice came through the phone again.

    "Joking? Do you think I¡¯m calling you just to make a joke? You know exactly what you did!"

    From the tone of the speaker from the empire, John could tell that he was serious, not joking.

    Indeed, with his status and position, how could he possibly call just to make such a joke?

    John gritted his teeth and said, "I think you may have misunderstood something, I just invited Professor Qiao to help out..."

    Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a cold huff from the other end of the phone, "Is that so? That¡¯s a revtion to me."

    "This kind of ¡¯invitation¡¯ is certainly new to me!"

    With each word from the other party, John¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim, and his voice sank, "It¡¯s just Professor Qiao, do you really need to make such a fuss over her?"

    "Hah," a coldugh came through the phone, "If it were not significant, why bother mobilizing a big operation and using any means necessary to kidnap her?"

    "Let me make it clear to you, Professor Qiao is a national treasure of our country. What a treasure signifies, I assume the importance of that does not need to be spelled out too explicitly."

    John clenched the phone tightly, suddenly finding himself at a loss for words.

    On the other end, the stern voice continued, "Our empire¡¯s main forces are currently conducting exercises at the border of your M country. If you doubt the authenticity of this matter, you can make a phone call to check. After that, I assume you¡¯ll know exactly what to do."

    Before John could react, the call had already been disconnected.

    Seeing John¡¯s troubled expression, Frank immediately moved closer and asked in a low voice, "Mr. John, what did they say?"

    When Frank learned that the person on the other end of the phone was that figure from the empire, he was surprised.

    He thought, Mr. John should be looking extremely disturbed because of a threat from the other party!

    It took John quite a while to recover from the conversation.

    His face ashen, he handed the phone back to Wu Xirui without answering Frank¡¯s question andmanded sternly, "Call immediately and check on the situation at the border."

    Upon hearing this, Frank could somewhat guess the implications and, not daring to ask more, hurriedly made a call as John instructed.

    After the call connected, he immediately asked, "What¡¯s the situation on your side?"

    The person on the other end was named Jackson, responsible for the border defense of M country.

    With a grave tone, he responded, "Mr. Frank, I was just about to report this to you and Mr. John."

    "The empire¡¯s main forces are conductingrge-scale exercises at our border. On the surface, it looks like ordinary drills, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling that they are watching us like a hawk, as if they mightunch an attack at any moment."

    After reporting the situation, Jackson paused before asking, "Mr. Frank, in light of the empire¡¯s sudden exercises, do we need to take any countermeasures?"

    "No need, just carry on as usual, and don¡¯t make any rash moves," Frank replied, his face tense.

    With those words, Frank ended the call, his face still taught.

    John, seeing his expression, already knew the answer, but still asked with a glimmer of hope, "How is it?"

    Frank shook his head gravely and then whispered in John¡¯s ear, sharing the details of the situation at the border.

    Wu Xirui took the opportunity to say, "Mr. John, it¡¯s gettingte, you should wrap things up soon."

    John¡¯s face was dark with frustration, but he felt helpless.

    He had always known that Qiao Jing held a high position in the empire.

    However, he hadn¡¯t realized that her status was so high!

    Just for her, the person from the empire not only called personally but also mobilized the main forces, and was even prepared to start a war between the two countries!!!

    The research on the new wheat was certainly important to the agricultural economic development of Country M, but no matter how important, it could not outweigh the safety and security of the nation.

    If it led to war with the Empire, it would definitely be a losing proposition for the entire country...

    Thinking of this, Mr. John held back a breath of resentment and, feeling quite reluctant, nced at Qiao Jing, gritting his teeth and saying, "Professor Qiao, we have offended you previously, please forgive us."

    Qiao Jing lifted her head, her gaze cold and sharp as a de sweeping across.

    Although she said nothing, her eyes so intimidated Mr. John that he suddenly felt a sense of rm.

    "Frank, withdraw the team!"

    After dropping this line, Mr. John turned and left first.

    Seeing this, Mr. Frank hurriedly led his men and followed close behind.

    Soon, their figures had disappeared from sight.

    Qiao Jing retracted her gaze, holding the unconscious Zhan Qipei tightly.

    Watching Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turn pale from his injury, her tears once again fell uncontrobly from the corners of her eyes.

    Wu Xirui turned his head and saw this scene.

    This was the first time he had seen Qiao Jing shed tears...

    No, more precisely, it was the first time he had seen Qiao Jing cry for someone else.

    He couldn¡¯t help but say, "I really am quite envious of Zhan Qipei."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mind was entirely on Zhan Qipei, as if she hadn¡¯t heard Wu Xirui¡¯s words at all.

    Wu Xirui tugged at the corner of his mouth, talking to himself as he continued, "Do you think, if I died, would you cry for me too?"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing finally looked up and nced at Wu Xirui.

    But she had no time to entertain Wu Xirui and quickly shifted her gaze away, focusing on the approaching Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan¡¯s expression was very anxious, "Miss Qiao, how is President Zhan... how is his condition?"

    Qiao Jing suppressed the swirling emotions within her heart, along with that unfamiliar sense of fear, and tried to speak calmly, "He¡¯s been shot and has lost a lot of blood, he needs surgery right away."

    When she saw Zhan Qipei get shot, she really was afraid, afraid something would happen to him, afraid he would leave her like that, and even more afraid of losing him for good.

    Fortunately, the bullet had not hit any vital areas...

    "Quick! Hurry up! Two peoplee here and take President Zhan back to the ship!"

    Tang Yan didn¡¯t dare to waste a second and quickly directed his men to carefully transfer Zhan Qipei to the cruise ship docked at the shore.

    In a room on the cruise ship.

    Qiao Jing asked Tang Yan to bring the medical tools necessary for surgery and used the bed in the room as an operating table.

    After Tang Yan left, she began to perform surgery on Zhan Qipei.

    Since the injury was near the root of the thigh, it was necessary to take off his pants.

    Qiao Jing undid Zhan Qipei¡¯s belt and the buttons on his pants, and as she was about to take them off, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyelids suddenly trembled and then slowly opened.

    Seeing his environment, he knew he was back on the ship.

    His gaze moved downwards and noticed Qiao Jing holding onto his pants; his lips quirked up slightly, and he uttered, "You¡¯re taking off my pants again..."

 Chapter 769 - 757: Romance in the Operating Room

    <h4>Chapter 769: Chapter 757: Romance in the Operating Room</h4>

    Hearing the sound, Qiao Jing suddenly looked up.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei regaining consciousness, she let out a sigh of relief.

    "Remember, thest time you pulled... pulled down my trousers, it was during our... our first meeting."

    There was a faint smile on Zhan Qipei¡¯s somewhat pale face, his speech intermittent and weak.

    Upon hearing his words, memories flooded back into Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    The images of that time began to superimpose bit by bit with the current scene.

    The first time she met Zhan Qipei, he had suffered a gunshot wound to the upper thigh.

    She had brought Zhan Qipei back home from the cornfield and performed surgery on him...

    "That time, you pulled my..."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s weak voice pulled Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts back from her memories.

    Looking at the bloodless face of his, Qiao Jing frowned slightly and spoke helplessly, "You¡¯re in this state, yet you still talk so much."

    "I need to remove the bullet from your wound now, so close your mouth. Don¡¯t talk. Save your energy."

    With that said, she carefully began to pull down Zhan Qipei¡¯s trousers.

    This simr scenario couldn¡¯t help but remind Zhan Qipei of the first time Qiao Jing performed surgery on him.

    He chuckled softly, unable to resist speaking again, "Do you still remember, when you pulled down my trousers at the beginning, I..."

    "Shut up!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit, her expression serious as she interrupted Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, "Did you even listen to what I just said?"

    "You¡¯re losing too much blood. If we don¡¯t deal with it, the injury could get worse, and it might even endanger your life!"

    She was so worried, yet this man seemed to care so little about his own life¡ªit was infuriating!

    Zhan Qipei had more to say, but upon opening his mouth, he realized that Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was earnest, clearly not too pleased.

    So, he swallowed his words, obediently closed his mouth, and watched with interest as Qiao Jing prepared to perform the surgery.

    After setting Zhan Qipei¡¯s trousers aside, Qiao Jing picked up a cotton swab and antiseptic for the pre-surgery sterilization.

    Once the sterilization was finished, she grabbed the scalpel and tweezers, ready to extract the bullet from Zhan Qipei¡¯s wound.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei gathered his brows, which were dense as mountains and mist, and said, "Wait a minute!"

    Qiao Jing paused in her movements, looking at him quizzically, "What is it?"

    Suddenly halting the procedure, could it be he had a fear of surgery and was getting scared?

    As Qiao Jing was about to offer some reassurance, Zhan Qipei¡¯s weak voice reached her ears again, "My underwear, you haven¡¯t taken it off yet."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression slightly changed, and she looked at Zhan Qipei with a somewhat strange gaze.

    As if Zhan Qipei felt none of the change in her expression, he continued, "The first time, you took mine off, didn¡¯t you? Why not this time?"

    He remembered clearly how Qiao Jing had removed his underwearst time, her movements decisive and without hesitation!

    Qiao Jing twitched the corner of her mouth, speaking with a speechless expression, "The situation that time was different from this time. Although the gunshot is roughly in the same location, this time the wound isn¡¯t as close to, cough cough... that area, there¡¯s some distance, so there¡¯s no need to take it off."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed tighter, his tone tinged with a hint of unwillingness, "Even if it¡¯s not very close, didn¡¯t you tell mest time that it was too, what, bushy?"

    "If we don¡¯t take it off, are you sure it won¡¯t affect the operation?"

    At that, Qiao Jing waspletely speechless.

    She red at Zhan Qipei and said in a serious tone, "I¡¯m saying this again, keep your mouth shut, and don¡¯t talk until the surgery is over!"

    Having lost so much blood, his face was so pale, yet he still had so much to say. If he didn¡¯t shut up, she was tempted to give this man an anesthetic right away!

    Seeing that Qiao Jing seemed to be getting angry, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t dare to fuss any longer and hurriedly said with a weak voice, "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop talking."

    After that, the room finally became quiet.

    Qiao Jing concentrated her efforts and focused diligently, removing the bullet from Zhan Qipei¡¯s wound and then stitching it up.

    The entire surgical process was smooth and uninterrupted.

    After it was over, Qiao Jing put away the surgical tools and turned her head to find that Zhan Qipei had already fallen asleep.

    She lifted her hand, gently caressed Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, and looked at him with a deep gaze.

    Zhan Qipei waking up halfway through was something she hadn¡¯t expected.

    He must be thoroughly exhausted by now, and indeed, it was time for him to have a good rest.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s injury this time made her see her own heart clearly, and she began to seriously confront her feelings for Zhan Qipei.

    Previously, she was uncertain and hesitant, but now she was very clearly aware that she truly, deeply loved Zhan Qipei...

    After sitting beside the bed for a while and making sure Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition was stable, Qiao Jing stood up and walked out of the room.

    She hadn¡¯t walked far when she encountered Wu Xiruiing down the corridor towards her.

    By Wu Xirui¡¯s side, there was also a woman dressed in a professional suit.

    The woman was beautiful and well figure, but she was looking down, making it somewhat difficult to discern her expression.

    Soon, the two people approached Qiao Jing.

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, Wu Xirui gave a cold nce at Lin Ziqi by his side, the warning in his eyes was intensely strong.

    Receiving Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze, Lin Ziqi reluctantly stepped forward, clenched her teeth, knelt down before Qiao Jing, and said, "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Qiao, the whole incident was my fault. Please be magnanimous, I hope you can forgive me."

    Qiao Jing lowered her gaze and looked at the woman kneeling before her, curiosity arising within her.

    One thing was certain, she did not know this woman.

    So, why was this person apologizing to her?

    She withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Wu Xirui, her eyebrows arched as she asked, "Exin, what¡¯s this all about?"

    Wu Xirui pursed his lips and exined, "When Zhan Qipei received the location you sent, she happened to be there with me."

    "While we set off to find you, she secretly disclosed your whereabouts to John, which is how he knew you were on that ind and came to capture you."

    After hearing this, Qiao Jing came to understand.

    She had found it strange¡ªdespite her having turned off both the signal emitter and her phone, how could John and Frank locate her hideout so precisely?

    Turns out her location had been leaked by this woman!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes once again fell on Lin Ziqi, her look now carrying a few shades colder.

    Watching Qiao Jing, Wu Xirui continued, "Although she has always been by my side, she did something this time she shouldn¡¯t have and nearly harmed you."

    "Therefore, I¡¯m handing her over to you, to deal with as you see fit."

    Hearing Wu Xirui say this, Lin Ziqi¡¯s expression instantly turned ugly.

    Her hands clenched into fists, her fingertips digging into her palms.

 Chapter 770 - 758: Youéˆ¥æª™e Not as Good as Her

    <h4>Chapter 770: Chapter 758: You¡¯re Not as Good as Her</h4>

    "Wu Xirui, you really are something,"

    Qiao Jing tugged at her lips, her expression unreadable as she gazed at Wu Xirui, "ording to what you just said, she is supposed to be under yourmand, right?"

    "If that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t it mean she was acting on your orders?"

    To tell the truth, she was somewhat confused by Wu Xirui¡¯s actions. What exactly was he trying to achieve?

    Before Wu Xirui could respond, Lin Ziqi, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly looked up at Qiao Jing and defended herself, "No, this has nothing to do with Fifth Master."

    "The decision to leak your location to John was entirely my own!"

    "Really?" Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze turned cold as she looked at Lin Ziqi, "Then I would like to ask you, why would you do that?"

    She had no prior acquaintance or grudge with this woman.

    She was indeed curious as to what reason this woman had to harm her.

    Lin Ziqi nced at Wu Xirui, then gritted her teeth and said, "Because I knew that Fifth Master had a grudge with the Zhan Family, I wanted to help Fifth Master, so I made this decision on my own."

    "This matter truly has nothing to do with Fifth Master."

    While Lin Ziqi defended herself, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze stayed fixed on her face, observing the changes in her expressions and demeanor.

    It was apparent that she wasn¡¯t lying.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing noticed that this person had an unusual affection for Wu Xirui.

    To put it inly, it seemed like she had feelings for Wu Xirui.

    Unaware of this, Wu Xirui looked at Qiao Jing and said, "You heard her, this was her own doing, not my instigation, and it has nothing to do with me."

    As if afraid that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t believe him, Wu Xirui¡¯s tone was slightly anxious.

    "If you don¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I can only tell you that whether I do anything, I, Wu Xirui, wouldn¡¯t use schemes that can¡¯t see the light of day."

    "Even if I were to confront the Zhan Family, I would only use honorable and transparent methods to win in business. Only then will the Zhan Family acknowledge my capabilities, acknowledge the child my mother raised."

    "Because my goal is to make the Zhan Family realize that my mother¡¯s abilities are not inferior to Qipei, and to show the old man from the Zhan Family that his previous decision was wrong. Zhan Corporation should be led by my mother!"

    After saying all this in one breath, Wu Xirui paused for a few seconds, then looked at Qiao Jing and asked, "Do you believe what I said?"

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and responded indifferently, "Mm, I believe you."

    I believe you.

    The concise three words made Wu Xirui momentarily taken aback.

    He was surprised and astonished. He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to believe him just like that, without any hesitation, so decisively.

    Regaining hisposure, Wu Xirui met Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze and a mischievous smile appeared on his face, "You really are an exceptional woman."

    From the beginning, he knew that Qiao Jing was unlike any other woman.

    As their interactions continued, he became increasingly certain of this.

    Compared to the women he had known before, Qiao Jing was more independent and decisive, not just possessing strong opinions but also great judgment, capabilities unmatched by others.

    In summary, Qiao Jing was the most outstanding, most unique woman he had ever met!

    Thinking this, Wu Xirui nced at Lin Ziqi beside him, then said to Qiao Jing, "I leave her in your hands. Hit, scold, kill, or mutte her however you see fit, just as long as you feel vindicated. You can handle it any way you want."

    Hearing this, Lin Ziqi¡¯s face showed an expression of disbelief.

    Her eyes instantly reddened, looking at Wu Xirui in disbelief, her voice faintly choked, "Fifth Master, can you really bear to treat me this way?"

    "When I was homeless on the streets, Aunt Ying took me in. I am a few years older than you, and when you were a child, I was the one who took care of you."

    "Although I am your subordinate, I am also half a family member to you. Do you really intend to hand me over to a stranger and disregard whether I live or die?"

    After hearing Lin Ziqi¡¯s words, Qiao Jing realized that the rtionship between Wu Xirui and this woman was not just that of a boss and a subordinate.

    This kind of rtionship, where they grew up together from childhood, could be considered childhood sweethearts.

    No wonder this woman would secretly do such things for Wu Xirui.

    It¡¯s a pity that while this woman was wholeheartedly considering Wu Xirui, Wu Xirui was so heartless and cruel as to hand the woman over for her to deal with.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned more solemn, and she said to Wu Xirui, "This is your own subordinate, I don¡¯t want to waste energy worrying about this kind of thing."

    "Besides, if it hadn¡¯t been for your timely arrival, finding a way to stop John, John wouldn¡¯t have given up so easily."

    "So, let¡¯s consider these two matters even."

    Upon hearing this, both Wu Xirui and Lin Ziqi were surprised.

    Wu Xirui felt he had discovered anothermendable trait in Qiao Jing.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to be so kind and magnanimous, clearly having a chance to retaliate, yet making such a decision.

    This oue was something Lin Ziqi had never anticipated.

    She had revealed Qiao Jing¡¯s whereabouts to John, causing Qiao Jing to almost fall into John¡¯s hands again, and resulting in Zhan Qipei getting shot and injured.

    Moreover, Qiao Jing was pregnant; if the Fifth Master had not appeared in time, had not contacted that person from the empire, once taken away by John, who knows what would have happened to Qiao Jing and her unborn child.

    Yet, Qiao Jing so calmly forgave her, not dwelling on her despicable actions.

    For a moment, Lin Ziqi suddenly felt very ashamed.

    "I have other matters to attend to, I¡¯ll take my leave first."

    Having said this nonchntly, Qiao Jing walked past the two and stepped away.

    Having been rushed to perform surgery on Zhan Qipei, she had forgotten to have Tang Yan look for George, and she didn¡¯t even know if George was still on the ind...

    With the ship yet to depart, she needed to hurry and have Tang Yan bring George back!

    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Jing¡¯s figure had disappeared from sight that Wu Xirui withdrew his gaze.

    He nced down at Lin Ziqi, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said solemnly, "Get up."

    Lin Ziqi then stood up, her lips pressed tightly as she looked at Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui also looked at her, and suddenly remarked, "You are not like her."

    Lin Ziqi naturally knew that the "her" Wu Xirui referred to was Qiao Jing.

    She was taken aback for a moment, then lowered her head, the feeling of shame washing over her again.

    She forced a smile, yet tears suddenly began to fall.

    After a moment of crying andughing, Lin Ziqi finally epted the truth calmly, "I really am not like her."

    "Fifth Master, your judgment has always been good."

    At that time, Qiao Jing had found Tang Yan.

    Upon seeing her, Tang Yan immediately asked, "Miss Qiao, how is President Zhan? Is his injury severe?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and replied softly, "The surgery went well, but he will need to rest in bed for a while."

 Chapter 771 - 759: Let Her Help Him to the Restroom

    <h4>Chapter 771: Chapter 759: Let Her Help Him to the Restroom</h4>

    Hearing that the surgery had gone smoothly, Tang Yan breathed a sigh of relief, "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good."

    He had been terrified when he saw President Zhan unconscious!

    After discussing Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition, Qiao Jing revealed her purpose, "There¡¯s something else I need you to handle."

    Tang Yan respectfully said, "What is it, Miss Qiao? Just give your orders."

    "I¡¯ve epted an apprentice who got lost on the ind. Take some people with you to look for him. His name is..."

    Qiao Jing had only gotten halfway through when Tang Yan interjected, "Is it George?"

    "Exactly," Qiao Jing nodded. "Have you met him?"

    Although her question seemed to seek confirmation, her tone was very certain.

    After all, how would Tang Yan know her apprentice¡¯s name was George if he hadn¡¯t seen him?

    Tang Yan honestly replied, "One of my men encountered him and brought him here. We originally thought he was one of John¡¯s people and were about to deal with him."

    "But he imed he was your apprentice, so we brought him aboard too, thinking to verify the truth with you when you were avable."

    Previously, when President Zhan and John were on the phone trying to extract information about Miss Qiao, he was there recording any useful clues.

    Thus, he knew that Miss Qiao had escaped with someone from John¡¯s side named George.

    However, he hadn¡¯t expected that Miss Qiao would ept this George as her apprentice.

    As for verifying whether it was really him, he did it out of caution, fearing that this George had ulterior motives and was impersonating someone else.

    After Tang Yan finished speaking, he took out his phone, opened a photo, and turned the screen towards Qiao Jing, "Miss Qiao, is this the person?"

    Qiao Jing nced at it and said, "It¡¯s him. After he gets off the ship, arrange amodations for him, where he can settle down."

    After this ordeal, John and Frank should no longer be targeting her.

    But since George had betrayed them, they would not be lenient toward a traitor.

    Therefore, George must stay within her sphere of influence to be safe.

    "No problem," Tang Yan agreed immediately. "I¡¯ll handle it well."

    Since he truly was Miss Qiao¡¯s apprentice, he would certainly be treated with respect.

    ...

    The next day, in the VIP ward of the hospital.

    Qiao Jing entered the room and saw Zhan Qipei still in a deep sleep on the hospital bed, which made her slightly suspicious.

    During yesterday¡¯s surgery, she had only administered local anesthesia to the man, not general anesthesia.

    Even if he had lost a lot of blood, he should have awoken by now after sleeping for a full day and night; it didn¡¯t make sense for him to still be unconscious.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing furrowed her eyebrows slightly and walked over to sit at the head of the bed.

    She stared at Zhan Qipei for a while, and seeing no signs of him waking, she leaned forward and got closer, about to lift his eyelid to check on him.

    However, just as she was leaning in, Zhan Qipei, who had his eyes tightly shut until then, suddenly opened them.

    Qiao Jing, caught off guard, found herself looking into his deep, bottomless eyes as radiant as a gxy.

    The profound affection in those ck eyes ensnared Qiao Jing, leaving her unable to extricate herself.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei unexpectedly reached out, his broad palm sping the back of Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    The next second, he exerted a gentle force with his hand, pulling Qiao Jing closer to him, making their faces draw nearer, and then he kissed her.

    Qiao Jing was stunned for a moment until the man¡¯s breath enveloped herpletely, and she realized what had happened.

    This man, it turned out he had been pretending to be asleep all the while!

    And the purpose of pretending to sleep was just to pull off this act on her!!!

    As Zhan Qipei¡¯s kisses grew deeper, Qiao Jing¡¯s ear tips turned red.

    Then, her fair cheeks also turned a rosy red, even her neck was covered in arge blush.

    Qiao Jing struggled for a moment, about to resist when she suddenly heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice, "I¡¯m injured right now and still have wounds on me, don¡¯t move around."

    He had actually just woken up not long ago, and his voice still carried a bit of huskiness from waking, and, coupled with his naturally maic voice, it now sounded even more alluring, possessing a charm that tantalized the heartstrings.

    Even Qiao Jing was charmed by Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice.

    At the same time, she thought about the wounds on Zhan Qipei¡¯s body, worried that if she moved too much, it could cause the wounds to split open, which would be troublesome.

    Thus, right after Zhan Qipei finished speaking, she stopped her struggling movements.

    And Zhan Qipei took this opportunity to press his advantage, conquering ground.

    In an instant, the atmosphere in the sick room heated up significantly, with even the air seeming filled with an ambiguous scent.

    It was unclear how much time passed until Qiao Jing felt her lips numb, and only then did Zhan Qipei, satisfied, finally release her.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, red at Zhan Qipei, andined, "Look at what you¡¯ve done to my lips. How am I supposed to face anyone looking like this!"

    This man always did this and never knew how to hold back.

    He had swollen her lips with kisses, and if someone saw, how would she exin it!!!

    Zhan Qipei seriously looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s red lips for a moment, then his thin lips curved in a lightugh, "Why can¡¯t you face people? My wife looks the best no matter what."

    If anyone dares tough at his wife or say his wife is unattractive, he wouldn¡¯t let them off!

    Having just been intimate, Qiao Jing inevitably felt a bit shy, and now being stared at by Zhan Qipei with a smile, she felt even more embarrassed.

    She humphed lightly and said irritably, "If you keepughing, I will leave."

    Having said this, Qiao Jing made a move to get up.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei hurriedly said repeatedly, "Okay, okay, I¡¯m notughing anymore, no moreughing."

    Only then did Qiao Jing settle back down, nning to check on his wounds.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei suddenly covered his lower abdomen, and his long brows also knit together like mountains shrouded in fog.

    Seeing his gesture, Qiao Jing subconsciously thought he was in pain from the wound, and asked with concern, "What¡¯s wrong? Is it the wound that¡¯s hurting, or do you feel unwell somewhere else?"

    "No," Zhan Qipei shook his head, his voice lowered a few notches, "Nature calls, I need to visit the restroom."

    After saying that, he stared straight at Qiao Jing, his gaze carrying a particrly intriguing nuance.

    Hearing that it was not a problem with the wound, Qiao Jing breathed a sigh of relief, not noticing the profound meaning in the look Zhan Qipei gave her.

    She stood up and said, "Wait a moment, I will call Tang Yan for you."

    Seeing her about to leave, Zhan Qipei grabbed her wrist in a somewhat urgent tone, "No, there¡¯s no time, help me there."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing paused for a moment.

    What?

    She should help him?!

    This kind of thing should be done by a man, right!!!

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s hesitant look, Zhan Qipei thought for a moment and said, "If it really can¡¯t be helped, then I will go by myself."

    Having said that, he stared at Qiao Jing for a few seconds, his face still somewhat pale, his brows tightly furrowed as he pretended to struggle out of bed.

 Chapter 772 - 760: Teasing Qiao Jing Intentionally

    <h4>Chapter 772: Chapter 760: Teasing Qiao Jing Intentionally</h4>

    Seeing Zhan Qipei struggle so much just to get out of bed, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bear to watch.

    Thinking about it, the first time she had performed surgery on Zhan Qipei, she had seen everything there was to see, whether it should have been seen or not.

    Moreover, she and Zhan Qipei even had a child together, so what was the big deal about helping him to the bathroom now?

    With that thought, Qiao Jing stepped forward to support Zhan Qipei and pursed her lips, saying, "Alright, I¡¯ll help you."

    "That would be troublesome for you."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face remained impassive, but he subtly curled the corners of his lips.

    He knew that Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t ignore him when she saw him like this!

    With a sense of resignation, Qiao Jing helped Zhan Qipei into the bathroom.

    Once inside, she didn¡¯t let go of his hand, but she closed her eyes.

    Seeing her like this, Zhan Qipei lowered his head to her ear, his breath warm and his voice low and maic, "With your eyes closed, how are you going to help me pull down my pants?"

    As he spoke, his tone carried a hint of suggestiveness.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing sharply opened her eyes, raised her head, and red at him, "You hurt your leg, not your hands. It¡¯s just taking off pants; can¡¯t you do it yourself?"

    She now seriously suspected that this man was deliberately making a scene!

    Zhan Qipei sighed softly, his voice expressing a bit of helplessness, "You know, I lost a lot of blood earlier and my body is still very weak. I really can¡¯t muster any strength, not even in my hands."

    He spoke as if he were stating a serious fact, and for a moment, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t sure whether he was being truthful or not.

    She stared at Zhan Qipei, her gaze filled with evident skepticism.

    Finding himself the object of such scrutiny by Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei suddenly felt a bit guilty.

    He coughed as a cover-up and pretended to be in a rush, "No, I really can¡¯t hold it any longer!"

    "When you operated on me before, it¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t taken them off. Why can¡¯t you now?"

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei seemed to be genuinely desperate, coupled with his reasonable point, and since she had already done it before, it didn¡¯t seem to make much difference this time.

    With that thought, Qiao Jing bit her lip and started to help Zhan Qipei take off his pants.

    However, even though she thought so, the situation now was nothing like during the surgery.

    During the surgery, as a doctor, her eyes were only on the injuries.

    Even the first time, when she had cleanly shaved Zhan Qipei¡¯s dense forest, she hadn¡¯t reacted at all.

    But now, it was apletely different story!

    Throughout the process, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart raced non-stop, feeling as if it was about to leap out of her throat.

    When she finally managed to pull down Zhan Qipei¡¯s pants, he spoke again, "You need to keep helping me, I can¡¯t lift my arms."

    After speaking, he stared unblinkingly at Qiao Jing.

    Upon hearing him, Qiao Jing immediately knew what he meant, and her fair cheeks instantly flushed a deep red.

    This man... this man actually wanted her to help hold that... that thing!!!

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s face red as if it was about to bleed, Zhan Qipei no longer had the heart to tease her.

    But to y the part well, he put on a show saying, "Never mind, I¡¯ll do it myself. I¡¯ll just try a bit harder; I should be able to lift my arms."

    Upon hearing Zhan Qipei say this, Qiao Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

    She could handle doing other things, but helping with this kind of task was really something she felt unable to do...

    She slightly turned her body, shifting her gaze away from Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled slightly, a smile spreading across his face.

    After taking care of everything, Qiao Jing helped Zhan Qipei out of the bathroom and back to his hospital bed.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone suddenly rang.

    He picked it up and saw it was a video call from Zhan Nanqing.

    As soon as the video connected, Zhan Nanqing immediately asked, "Brother, have you found Qiao Jing?"

    "I¡¯ve found her..."

    As soon as Zhan Qipei had said a few words, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t wait for him to finish, and she continued to inquire, "Then how is Qiao Jing now? Where is she? Nothing¡¯s happened to her, right?"

    During the days Qiao Jing was missing, she and everyone at home had been extremely worried, fearing that something had happened to Qiao Jing.

    After all, Qiao Jing was pregnant with triplets, and if something had happened, it would have been a tragedy for four lives!

    "She¡¯s with me now, right beside me."

    After Zhan Qipei replied, Qiao Jing leaned in and appeared on the video screen with him and Zhan Nanqing.

    Seeing Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanqing looked a bit excited.

    Her gaze examined Qiao Jing, seemingly checking if she had any injuries.

    Qiao Jing let out a lightugh, greeted Zhan Nanqing, and then said, "I¡¯m quite good, nothing¡¯s wrong."

    Seeing Qiao Jing looked unharmed and hearing her say she was fine, Zhan Nanqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, who had beenpletely ignored, pursed her red lips, and said to Zhan Nanqing, "I¡¯m fine, but your brother had a little ident, he¡¯s injured."

    "What? My brother is injured?!"

    As soon as Zhan Nanqing heard what Qiao Jing had said, her eyes widened in shock and she quickly shifted her gaze to Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    On seeing this, she noted his face indeed looked pale, and his lipscked color.

    It was also then that Zhan Nanqing noticed the surroundings¡ªthe ce where her brother and Qiao Jing were, clearly the inside of a hospital room!

    "Qiao Jing, how bad is my brother¡¯s injury? Where is he hurt? How did he get hurt? Is it serious?"

    Zhan Nanqing asked a series of questions in one breath.

    Knowing Qiao Jing is Divine Doctor Jing, instead of asking her brother, it was better to directly inquire Qiao Jing about the injury.

    "Your brother was shot in the thigh near the groin. The bullet hit him there. Surgery has already been performed to remove the bullet. Now, he just needs to rest in bed for a while."

    Qiao Jing sinctly exined Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition.

    The fear and chaos she had felt when she saw Zhan Qipei shot and falling to the ground were still vivid in her mind...

    "Thigh, groin?!"

    On the screen, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes instantly widened like bells.

    A few secondster, her gaze shifted downward, incredulously looking towards Zhan Qipei, her whole person somewhat flustered, stammering, "It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, this is really bad..."

    Zhan Nanqing mumbled a few words and then turned her gaze toward Qiao Jing¡¯s belly, with a look of relief on her face, saying, "Fortunately, fortunately, it¡¯s not the worst-case scenario, you already have three children, otherwise it would have been aplete end to his lineage."

    Hearing Zhan Nanqing say this, Qiao Jing realized there had been a misunderstanding.

    She was about to exin when Zhan Qipei, with a darkened face and an annoyed look in his eyes, beat her to it and spoke in a stern voice.

    "The injury is on my thigh, not the ¡¯leg¡¯ you¡¯re thinking of!"

 Chapter 773 - 761: Wu Xirui Attempts to Seduce Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 773: Chapter 761: Wu Xirui Attempts to Seduce Qiao Jing</h4>

    Zhan Qipei said that with somewhat of a gritted teeth.

    After hearing this, Zhan Nanqing finally realized that she had misunderstood the situation.

    Her brother hadn¡¯t injured that area; he was still a whole man!

    This realization actually made Zhan Nanqing breathe a sigh of relief.

    She patted her chest, her face wearing a relieved expression, "Thank goodness it¡¯s just the thigh. If it were an important part, Qiao Jing¡¯s happiness for the rest of his life would have been ruined!"

    After a pause, she looked at Zhan Qipei and continued, "Brother, I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, but with Qiao Jing being such an outstanding person, you barely deserved her to begin with. If you had lost that thing, that would have really been too unfair to Qiao Jing..."

    As Zhan Nanqing was rambling on, she suddenly noticed that the face on the other side of the screen was turning increasingly ugly.

    Even through the phone, she could almost feel the chill emanating from her brother¡¯s gaze.

    Zhan Nanqing involuntarily shuddered and realized that her words were too blunt and had damaged her brother¡¯s male dignity.

    She gave a forced chuckle and quickly added, "Mom has also been really worried about Qiao Jing these days. If she knew Qiao Jing was alright, she would definitely be very happy. I¡¯m going to go tell her the good news right now, so I¡¯ll hang up first."

    After finishing, Zhan Nanqing immediately hung up the phone as if fearing her brother woulde through the Ethe to hit her.

    Zhan Qipei was fuming, clutching his phone and snorting coldly, "What kind of sister is this!"

    Before, he had never noticed that his sister was like this!

    Seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s gloomy face, Qiao Jing found it somewhat amusing and spoke to soothe him, "Alright, alright, it was just a small misunderstanding, what¡¯s the big deal? Nanqing said those things because she¡¯s concerned about your health."

    Even though Qiao Jing said this, Zhan Qipei still couldn¡¯t let it go.

    A small misunderstanding?

    This was a big issue concerning his male dignity!!!

    ...

    Two dayster, in the hospital ward.

    "The wound is healing quite well. Although recovery is slow, as long as the wound doesn¡¯t open up, there¡¯s basically no problem."

    After checking Zhan Qipei¡¯s wound, Qiao Jing briefly exined the situation.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing, trying to garner her sympathy with a pitiful look, "But why do I feel that the wound is even more ufortable than before?"

    "Is it?" Qiao Jing raised her finely shaped brows questioningly.

    She wondered if it was her imagination...

    It seemed as if this man was being whiny to her?

    Zhan Qipei nodded earnestly, "Yes, it¡¯s still a bit painful."

    After saying this, he looked at Qiao Jing with puppy-dog eyes, waiting for her to show concern.

    However, Qiao Jing just pursed her lips and exined seriously, "During the wound healing process, new grantion tissue and nerves will grow, which can cause a slight tingling sensation, so it¡¯s normal to feel a bit of difort."

    ording to her recent examination, Zhan Qipei¡¯s condition hadn¡¯t worsened at all!

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his thick, misty brows, a hint of disappointment crossing his features.

    "Knock knock¡ª"

    Just then, a series of knocks sounded.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei both turned to look, and saw Wu Xirui step through the door into the ward.

    The two men locked eyes, and the atmosphere in the room shifted in an instant.

    Zhan Qipei stared at Wu Xirui, speaking first with a low, detached voice, "What are you here for?"

    Ever since he discovered Wu Xirui might have ulterior motives towards Qiao Jing, he found him increasingly disagreeable!

    Wu Xirui curled his lips, a wicked smile spreading across his face, unapologetically retorted to Zhan Qipei, "It¡¯s definitely not to see you, that¡¯s for sure."

    Having said that, he shifted his gaze to Qiao Jing, "I need to trouble you to treat me again, I¡¯ve been feeling somewhat unwell these past few days."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s look at Wu Xirui grew more scornful, snorting coldly, "What a great excuse you have!"

    This guy made it sound so nice, but he was clearly just looking for an excuse to be alone with Qiao Jing.

    Just the thought of it made him so angry he could barely contain himself!

    Having his intentions exposed didn¡¯t change Wu Xirui¡¯s expression; he chose to ignore Zhan Qipei, his eyes fixated on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    "Qiao Jing, you know my condition, I¡¯m troubling you again."

    Qiao Jing could naturally see the ring conflict between Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui.

    However, Wu Xirui indeed was her patient at the moment.

    As a doctor, it was her professional duty to take responsibility for her patients, and without special circumstances, she generally wouldn¡¯t abandon them midway through their treatment.

    With this in mind, Qiao Jing turned to Zhan Qipei, "Rest up, I¡¯ll step out for a moment and be back soon."

    After speaking, she took the lead and walked out of the sickroom.

    Wu Xirui looked triumphantly at Zhan Qipei, his gaze carrying a hint of provocation, and then he turned and followed her out.

    Watching the two leave one after the other, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes grew darker as his thin lips pressed into a tight, arcless line of ice.

    The mere thought of Qiao Jing being alone with that Wu Xirui made him feel uneasy, and a bit insecure as well.

    After hesitating for a moment, Zhan Qipei still got out of bed and stealthily followed the two.

    On the corridor, when passing by the doorway of a room, Wu Xirui suddenly stopped and said to Qiao Jing, "Let¡¯s talk inside the room."

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei, who had secretly followed, was hiding just around the corner, not far from the two.

    Hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s words, he felt a pang in his heart and subconsciously wanted to rush forward.

    But he barely lifted his foot when, suddenly recalling something, Zhan Qipei quickly retracted his step.

    If Qiao Jing found out he was tailing her like this, she would definitely feel he didn¡¯t trust her.

    Wu Xirui, without changing his expression, nced in the direction where Zhan Qipei was hiding.

    He knew Zhan Qipei would definitely follow them covertly.

    His ability to foretell this wasn¡¯t because he was particrly astute, but rather because he knew Zhan Qipei well enough to predict his actions.

    As the saying goes, "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat."

    Wu Xirui imperceptibly hooked the corner of his lips, shifted his gaze away from Zhan Qipei, and continued to look at Qiao Jing, saying, "Come in, I won¡¯t bite."

    Qiao Jing nced at him, not yet speaking when Wu Xirui quickly added, "However, if you feel like biting me, I certainly wouldn¡¯t mind."

    When he said this, his tone was incredibly suggestive, intended to provoke Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing could naturally detect the underlying meaning in Wu Xirui¡¯s words.

    She couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly, saying sternly, "If you continue to speak like that, don¡¯t me me for walking away!"

    Seeing that Qiao Jing visibly grew displeased, Wu Xirui hastily said, "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop talking about it. But there¡¯s no harm in entering the room, juste in with me."

    "There¡¯s no need," Qiao Jing refused without hesitation, and then casually pointed to the sofa nearby, "Right here will do."

 Chapter 774 - 762: Wu Xirui Feels Jealous Without Realizing It

    <h4>Chapter 774: Chapter 762: Wu Xirui Feels Jealous Without Realizing It</h4>

    Qiao Jing finished speaking and walked over to the sofa to sit down first.

    With no other option, Wu Xirui followed and sat down next to Qiao Jing.

    He had initially thought about getting Qiao Jing to enter the room with him to better provoke Zhan Qipei.

    But since Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t go, he couldn¡¯t force her into the room.

    However, he had other methods...

    Qiao Jing was unaware of the schemes Wu Xirui harbored in his heart.

    She nced at Wu Xirui, raised her delicate eyebrows lightly like the mist of dawn, and said, "Give me your hand."

    Wu Xirui immediately stretched his hand out.

    With a serious expression, Qiao Jing¡¯s slender fingers rested on Wu Xirui¡¯s wrist, starting to take his pulse.

    In that moment, Wu Xirui blinked his charming, seductive peach blossom eyes, pretending to be deeply affectionate, staring unwaveringly at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was focused while taking his pulse and didn¡¯t even nce at Wu Xirui, thus failing to notice his little trickery.

    But Zhan Qipei, who was hiding around the corner, saw all of this clearly.

    He felt he couldn¡¯t stand it much longer and if Wu Xirui continued like this, he would definitely lose control and rush over!

    Wu Xirui nced covertly in the direction of Zhan Qipei, a mischievous look crossing his eyes.

    After thinking for a moment, he suddenly said, "Qiao Jing, to tell the truth, I think I¡¯m more suited to be your husband than Zhan Qipei. I would definitely be gentler than Zhan Qipei and treat you even better."

    At these words, Qiao Jing paused in her pulse-taking, lifted her head, and looked at Wu Xirui with a strange expression.

    Ignoring the weird look Qiao Jing gave him, Wu Xirui lowered his eyes to her slightly bulging belly and continued nonchntly, "And about the child in your belly, I wouldn¡¯t mind being their father either."

    Upon hearing this, the look Qiao Jing gave Wu Xirui became even stranger.

    She thought, could this man have lost his mind?

    Otherwise, why would he suddenly say such bizarre things without any reason?

    Wu Xirui had not finished speaking; he continued, "If you¡¯re willing, I would love them as if they were my own flesh and blood..."

    Zhan Qipei could no longer bear to listen. At this moment, his face was dark as water, and he¡¯d already taken a step forward.

    It just so happened that the hallway was very quiet, and every slight sound seemed to be amplified several times.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s ears twitched, immediately realizing that Zhan Qipei had followed them.

    No wonder Wu Xirui had been acting so bizarrely since a while ago, saying such nonsensical things¡ªit turned out he knew that Zhan Qipei was following them and did it on purpose to provoke Zhan Qipei using her.

    With this thought, Qiao Jing let go of Wu Xirui¡¯s hand and abruptly stood up from the sofa.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei immediately came to a halt.

    He wanted to know how Qiao Jing would react to Wu Xirui¡¯s deration.

    Wu Xirui looked up at Qiao Jing with a smile still on his face, "What? Were you moved by my words?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, her expression turning more serious.

    She looked down at Wu Xirui from above and said solemnly, "I would like to make it clear, I will belong to Zhan Qipei for my whole life, and the children in my belly will only have Zhan Qipei as their father."

    As soon as she said this, both Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui were taken aback.

    Along with the surprise, Zhan Qipei also felt an unprecedented surge of excitement and tion.

    The joyous feeling seemed to overflow from his heart.

    He had waited so long and had finally received Qiao Jing¡¯s acknowledgment of their rtionship!

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei felt he was the happiest person in the whole world!

    Wu Xirui was momentarily stupefied before he could collect his senses. He looked at Qiao Jing with surprise, as if he couldn¡¯t quite believe it.

    "Didn¡¯t you say before that you and Zhan Qipei were still trying things out? By saying this now, do you mean..."

    Qiao Jing took a deep breath and said word by word, "Yes, we were indeed trying before, but not anymore. I have made up my mind."

    "From now on, I will stay with Zhan Qipei, live a good life, and never part again."

    When Zhan Qipei disregarded his own safety to shield her from that bullet, falling into aa, she knew she had fallen in love with this man.

    It was also at that moment that she decided to truly be with Zhan Qipei!

    After Qiao Jing finished speaking, the air around them seemed to stop flowing, and the whole world became quiet.

    It took quite a while before Wu Xirui found his voice again.

    He looked at Qiao Jing with aplex expression, "Are you serious about what you said? Do I not stand a chance at all anymore?"

    Qiao Jing did not answer Wu Xirui¡¯s question. She felt her attitude was already clear enough, and her words had been sufficiently explicit.

    Thus, there was no need for her to exin further.

    Changing the subject, she looked at Wu Xirui and spoke indifferently, "From the pulse you exhibited earlier, it seems your condition has started to steadily improve. As long as you continue to take your medicine on time and in the right dosage, you should bepletely cured within half a year."

    Having said that, Qiao Jing waved her hand to Wu Xirui and then turned to leave.

    As she passed the corner, Qiao Jing nced there specially, noticing that Zhan Qipei was no longer there and wondering when he had returned to his ward.

    Wu Xirui stood rooted to the spot, watching Qiao Jing¡¯s figure grow smaller in the distance. He ced a hand over his heart, suddenly feeling an emptiness inside, as if a piece of his heart had been gouged out.

    This feeling of near suffocation was even more ufortable than the worst of his myocardial ischemia...

    At that moment, Lin Ziqi approached from the other end of the hallway, stopping beside Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui nced at her and said, "I originally intended to use Qiao Jing to hurt Zhan Qipei, to let him taste what it¡¯s like to lose the most important person to him and to experience the feelings I had when I lost my mother."

    "But as I got to know her bit by bit, I found that Qiao Jing is a truly exceptional person, possessing a unique charm unlike other women, shining with her own light, and I couldn¡¯t help but be attracted to her."

    "Yet, just now, she suddenly told me that she has fallen in love with Zhan Qipei and wants to be with him forever."

    At this point, Wu Xirui paused and poked at the area over his heart with a fingertip.

    "When I heard her say that, it felt like there was suddenly a void here. What do you think that means?"

    After hearing Wu Xirui¡¯s words, a bitter smile appeared on Lin Ziqi¡¯s face.

    She wanted to say, "Isn¡¯t that how I feel about you?"

    But the words circled her mouth and ultimately remained unspoken.

    After a moment of silence, Lin Ziqi managed to push past the bitterness in her heart and said, "Fifth Master, you feel this way probably because you have fallen in love with Qiao Jing."

    Wu Xirui turned sharply to look at her, shaking his head and denying eagerly, "How could that possibly be?"

    "What are you talking about? I can¡¯t possibly fall in love with anyone. I haven¡¯t avenged my mother yet, how could I fall in love with her?"

    "It¡¯s impossible, absolutely impossible..."

    Watching him in this state of denial, Lin Ziqi¡¯s expression grew increasingly bitter.

 Chapter 775 - 763: Even if I Die on You, I Will Savour It

    <h4>Chapter 775: Chapter 763: Even if I Die on You, I Will Savour It</h4>

    Qiao Jing returned to the ward, just pushed the door open and stepped inside when her arm was seized by a distinctively bonedrge hand.

    Suddenly, the hand pulled her forcefully, and she was dragged over by Zhan Qipei, pressed against the wall next to her, the room door shutting loudly behind her.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei waspletely surrounded by intense joy, the smile on his face was the brightest ever in his life.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei so happy, Qiao Jing knew instantly, the words she had just spoken to Wu Xirui, this man had heard every single word.

    She raised her delicately painted eyebrows, feigning ignorance, "You heard what I just said?"

    "Mm," Zhan Qipei nodded forcefully, his maic voice filled with a joyful smile, "I want to hear it again, can you say it again for me, please?"

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected him to make such a request, and paused for a moment before ying dumb, "Say what?"

    The words she had said earlier were entirely due to the situation at that time.

    Now, to repeat those words in front of Zhan Qipei, she truly found it a bit difficult to articte...

    Therge hand around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist tightened slightly, persistent, "The words you just spoke to Wu Xirui, that you would always be mine in this lifetime, that you would live a good life with me."

    Hearing Zhan Qipei repeating her words verbatim, Qiao Jing¡¯s cheeks involuntarily heated up, quickly tinting with a flush of red.

    She raised her hand, pushing Zhan Qipei slightly outwards, bashfully saying, "You already know, and remember so clearly, why do you still want me to say it!"

    With her temperament, having to say such overflowing romantic words was indeed making things difficult for her!

    However, Zhan Qipei had no intention of letting Qiao Jing off.

    He lowered his head, burying it in the nape of Qiao Jing¡¯s neck, his warm breath spraying on her fair skin, slowly saying, "It¡¯s not the same, I just want to hear you say it again."

    "Just once, I really want to hear it, please gratify me, okay, my wife, go on..."

    In his nagging, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone carried a bit of coaxing and a touch of whining.

    Of course, more than anything, it was an uncontroble jubtion.

    Qiao Jing, overwhelmed by his persistence, finally agreed to his request, "Alright, I¡¯ll say it, is that okay now?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was unabashedly joyful, his deep eyes passionately fixed on Qiao Jing, whom he held tightly, eagerly awaiting her to speak.

    "I, Qiao Jing, will only belong to Zhan Qipei in this lifetime."

    "From now on, I will always stay with Zhan Qipei, lead a good life, and never part again."

    Qiao Jing, despite her shyness, repeated the words once more.

    Then, she paused, before continuing, "There was too much uncertainty before, making me unsure whether to fully ept you, not just because of you, but also because of my own reasons."

    "I am a bit slow in matters of the heart, I never thought about whom I would fancy, nor did I know how to love someone."

    Zhan Qipei looked deep into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, silently listening to her pour out her heart, without interruption.

    "Until a few days ago, when you unhesitatingly took that bullet for me, and when I saw you fall wounded, I realized, you had unknowingly be so important in my heart, so..."

    At this point, Qiao Jing tilted her head up, meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep ck eyes, word by word, "I think, I must have fallen in love with you."

    Zhan Qipei paused for a moment, then his face quickly filled with a sweeping smile.

    This was his first time hearing Qiao Jing speak so candidly.

    She said, she had fallen in love with him!

    This sentence was the most delightful he had ever heard in his life!!

    Zhan Qipei grinned so wide he couldn¡¯t close his mouth, his hand tightened slightly, and he lifted Qiao Jing into the air, excited to spin around on the spot.

    Qiao Jing noticed his intention, thought of the injury on his leg, and quickly grabbed his arm, urging, "Don¡¯t mess around, a big movement might tear open your wound."

    The wound had only been stitched up a few days ago, and in the early stages of healing, it was very easy to reopen!

    However, at this moment, Zhan Qipei, surrounded by immense happiness, didn¡¯t care about these things at all.

    Ignoring the risk that his wound might reopen, he still held Qiao Jing and spun a few circles in ce, his voice full ofughter echoing around her ear.

    "It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry, I am already fine."

    Watching Zhan Qipei¡¯s contented face, Qiao Jing found it both amusing and somewhat helpless.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that a few sentences of hers, confirming her feelings, would make this man so happy.

    In his heart, she really did upy a very, very important position...

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing¡¯s face unconsciously wore a smile, and she spoke, "How could it be alright? Your injury needs at least half a month to fully recover."

    "Really, it¡¯s fine. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try it out."

    After saying this, before Qiao Jing could react, Zhan Qipei carried her to a nearby hospital bed and leaned over her.

    Lying on the bed, Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, instantly understanding what Zhan Qipei meant by "try it out."

    She struggled to stand up, but Zhan Qipei was one step ahead, with one arm around her waist and the other holding her head, he kissed her deeply.

    "Mmm..."

    Qiao Jing wanted to remind him to be careful with the injury on his leg, but her words came out incoherent.

    The injury was caused by her, and though Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t care, she couldn¡¯t help but do so.

    Otherwise, she would have already kicked him off the bed!

    Zhan Qipei knew what Qiao Jing was trying to say, his lips barely moving on hers with a husky voice, "As long as you don¡¯t resist, my wound won¡¯t be affected."

    Qiao Jing, speechless, rolled her eyes at him, and before she could voice out again, the fervent kiss surged once more.

    The romantic scent rapidly fermented between the two of them.

    Soon, Qiao Jing was kissed breathless, and Zhan Qipei timely reached over and pressed the switch by the bed.

    The room¡¯s lights went out.

    In the dimness, Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing tightly, and pulled a nket over them...

    The next day.

    Qiao Jing sat by the bed, examining the injury on Zhan Qipei¡¯s leg.

    After inspecting it, she furrowed her brows and said somewhat irritably, "I told you not to mess around yesterday, but you wouldn¡¯t listen, and now, the wound that had just healed has been torn open again."

    "There¡¯s a saying, ¡¯Under the peony flower, even death is romantic.¡¯

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

    His eyes fixed intently on Qiao Jing, he slowly added another line, "Even if it means dying on you, I would savor it."

 Chapter 776 - 764: Insisting on Feeding Her

    <h4>Chapter 776: Chapter 764: Insisting on Feeding Her</h4>

    Qiao Jing red at Zhan Qipei and pursed her red lips, saying, "You¡¯re never serious. You may relish it, but I am not willing!"

    This man, despite his injuries, seemed to have boundless energy.

    From around tenst night, he had kept her busy until two or three in the early morning, with no signs of stopping.

    If she hadn¡¯t timely intervened, striking him unconscious with a karate chop, he would likely have kept going all night!

    If that had happened, the matter wouldn¡¯t have been as simple as just reopening the wound. It was probable that his leg, if not crippled, would suffer somesting effects.

    While she was thinking this, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone suddenly rang.

    She picked it up and saw that it was from Xu Moqian, and casually pressed to answer.

    As soon as the call connected, Xu Moqian¡¯s eager voice came through, "Sister Jing, I heard you were back. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

    Qiao Jing knew that the incident had worried everyone who cared about her, and Moqian was one of them.

    She pulled at her lips, replying with a lightugh, "I¡¯m fine, I wasn¡¯t hurt. Don¡¯t worry about me."

    Hearing her say this, Xu Moqian on the other end of the line breathed a sigh of relief, saying repeatedly, "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good."

    Knowing that Qiao Jing had been kidnapped and her whereabouts unknown had unsettled him, fearing some mishap might have befallen her.

    Now, knowing she was safe, his heart finally settled.

    But, he needed to see her in person to bepletely assured!

    Thinking this, Xu Moqian asked, "Sister Jing, where are you now? I¡¯lle to you."

    "I¡¯m at the hospital..."

    "What? Hospital?!"

    No sooner had Qiao Jing spoken than Xu Moqian reacted dramatically, leaping up from the sofa, his voice rising sharply.

    "Sister Jing, why are you in the hospital? Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t hurt? Which hospital are you at? I¡¯ming right now!"

    "Lower your voice, you¡¯re going to make me deaf."

    Qiao Jing moved the phone away, rubbed her ears, and then exined, "I¡¯m not hurt, it¡¯s Zhan Qipei who is injured, and I¡¯m looking after him at the hospital."

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian calmed down again, patting his chest, "So that¡¯s it. You scared me to death. I¡¯m relieved you¡¯re fine."

    After a short conversation, Qiao Jing suddenly sensed a thick displeasure emanating from Zhan Qipei next to her.

    She didn¡¯t need to guess why this man was upset.

    It was obviously because Xu Moqian¡¯s call had made him jealous.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and said into the phone, "Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to hang up now."

    Without waiting for Xu Moqian to respond, she hung up.

    Watching her put down the phone, Zhan Qipei spoke in a sullen, sour tone, "Did you enjoy your chat?"

    Qiao Jing looked up to meet his eyes, her expression somewhat helpless, "Can you stop? After all this time, why are you still jealous over him? I¡¯ve told you many times, we¡¯re just friends."

    If there was really something between her and Xu Moqian, would she have waited until now?

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, his voice gloomy as he said, "But, he¡¯s been pursuing you, you know that, don¡¯t you?"

    Xu Moqian was like clingy ster, impossible to shake off once he sticks to you.

    He wasn¡¯tcking in confidence in himself, but there was a saying that fiery women dread persistent men.

    Xu Moqian kept pestering her relentlessly; who knew what would happen in the future?

    After a few seconds of silence, Qiao Jing finally spoke up, "I know."

    Zhan Qipei was about to say something when Qiao Jing continued, "But what does knowing do? So what if he¡¯s pursuing me? Just because he likes me and pursues me, must I also like him back and respond?"

    "Moreover, I¡¯ve already rejected him many times. Him continuing to chase me is his business, and me continuing to treat him as a friend is my business. I can¡¯t control his thoughts and actions."

    After finishing, she looked at Zhan Qipei and asked, "You¡¯ve experienced simr situations, haven¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you understand by now?"

    When Zhan Qipei heard what Qiao Jing said, he fell silent for a moment.

    Indeed, he hadn¡¯t just experienced these situations; he had encountered them more than a few times.

    With his family background and status, numerous women wished to pursue him¡ªaristocraticdies, daughters of nobility.

    These women behaved even more outrageously than Xu Moqian. Every time he attended a banquet, a few brazen ones would throw themselves at him, bing difficult to shake off.

    Although he was always very clear in rejecting these women, due to business coborations with their families, it was inevitable that he would still have contact with them.

    Thinking this over, Xu Moqian¡¯s pursuit of Qiao Jing was indeed simr to how those women behaved towards him...

    Seeing Zhan Qipei silently agreeing, Qiao Jing knew he had taken her words to heart.

    Therefore, she thought for a while and continued, "If you really understand me, then you should know that once I make up my mind about something, I stick to it to the end."

    "That means since I¡¯ve already decided to be with you, I won¡¯t change my mind unless you fall out of love in the future."

    Having said that, Zhan Qipei naturally understood that Qiao Jing truly had no romantic feelings for Xu Moqian¡ªit was merely Xu Moqian¡¯s one-sided clinging.

    He tugged at his lips, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and said, "What are you talking about? How could I possibly change my heart? My feelings for you are as evident as the sky and the sun, unwavering and evesting!"

    Listening to Zhan Qipei swear such solemn words, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart flickered slightly, unconsciously curling her lips.

    "Alright, I know your feelings now, so try not to get jealous over nothing from now on."

    Zhan Qipei, still holding onto Qiao Jing¡¯s hand tightly, frowned slightly and responded, "But when I see other men clinging to you, I feel very ufortable."

    Seeing him like this, Qiao Jing knew he was definitely up to something.

    She arched her perfectly sculpted brows and asked, "So what do you want?"

    "I need somepensation," Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips slightly curled.

    Qiao Jing had no choice but to y along and continued, "What kind ofpensation?"

    Considering that this man had been injured for her sake, she could afford to indulge him a little.

    If what he requested wasn¡¯t too troublesome, she would reluctantly agree.

    Zhan Qipei thought for a moment, then raising his eyebrows with a smile, said, "I want you to cook a meal for me and feed it to me by hand."

    He just wanted to enjoy the feeling of being hand-fed by Qiao Jing.

    Just thinking about it made him feel certain it would be blissful!

    Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei somewhat speechlessly, "Your leg is injured, not your hand. Your hand is perfectly fine. Why do you need me to feed you? Can¡¯t you eat by yourself?"

    Did this man think he was a three-year-old?

    To be hand-fed by her, he sure had beautiful dreams!

 Chapter 777 - 765: Deliberately Showing Off Affection

    <h4>Chapter 777: Chapter 765: Deliberately Showing Off Affection</h4>

    Zhan Qipei gripped Qiao Jing¡¯s hand slightly and pulled to reduce the gap between them. His warm breath fanned her face, his voice maic and enchanting.

    "Of course I can eat by myself, but it won¡¯t taste as good. If you feed me, it¡¯ll definitely be much more delicious."

    No matter how flowery Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were, Qiao Jing remained unmoved.

    She withdrew her hand from Zhan Qipei¡¯s broad palm and pursed her red lips, "I can only agree to cook for you. Forget about feeding; it¡¯s not happening."

    "Why? It¡¯s not an unreasonable request, is it?"

    Zhan Qipei slightly furrowed his brows, which were thick like mountain mist, and said with a hint of sorrow, "Can¡¯t you consider that I¡¯m a patient right now and indulge me this little favor?"

    "No!" Qiao Jing dered without hesitation.

    Although it wasn¡¯t very obvious, she could tell that this man was acting coy with her.

    But acting cute was useless; she refused to feed him!

    ...

    The next day, early in the morning.

    After Qiao Jing got up, she personally cooked rib and millet porridge and a medicinal ck chicken soup.

    Once done, she packed the porridge and chicken soup into lunch boxes and then left for the hospital.

    When Qiao Jing entered the ward, Zhan Qipei was reclining against the head of the bed.

    Seeing her carrying the lunch boxes, Zhan Qipei faced her with anticipation, "It smells so good. What delicious food did you cook for me?"

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing found it a bitughable.

    She arched her delicately drawn brows and joked, "The lids aren¡¯t even opened, and you can already smell it? Even a dog¡¯s nose isn¡¯t as good as yours."

    Zhan Qipei seriously said, "As long as it¡¯s made by you, no matter what it is, I think it smells good."

    In other words, as long as it was given by Qiao Jing, even if it was poison, he would eat it without hesitation!

    Qiao Jing curved her lips, opened the lunch box, and served a bowl of millet porridge.

    "You¡¯re healing now, so you need to eat something light. That¡¯s why I prepared rib porridge and chicken soup for you. Start with the porridge first."

    As she spoke, she handed the bowl of porridge to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t move and made no attempt to take it, just gazing intently at Qiao Jing with his deep eyes.

    Seeing him like this, Qiao Jing remembered his demand forpensation yesterday¡ªthat she feed him.

    But she didn¡¯t want to feed him, so she simply pretended ignorance, "What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t want to eat?"

    Zhan Qipei, seeing that she wasn¡¯t ying along, got straight to the point, "I want to eat, but I want you to feed me."

    Today, he was determined to have Qiao Jing personally feed him!

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at Zhan Qipei, her expression somewhat speechless, "I¡¯m not feeding you. Eat if you want, or forget it if you don¡¯t."

    What was it with this man and his fixation on being fed?

    He had been pestering her since yesterday, non-stop!

    "If you don¡¯t feed me, I won¡¯t eat!" Zhan Qipei pursed his thin lips, a determined look on his face that he would not give up until he achieved his goal.

    "You said it yourself. If you won¡¯t eat, then I¡¯m taking the food back with me."

    As she said this, Qiao Jing made as if to pour the porridge in her hand back into the lunch box.

    Zhan Qipei hurriedly grabbed her wrist to stop her, looking at her with his brows drawn together in a sorrowful expression.

    "Can you really bear to watch me starve? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m a patient now. If I don¡¯t eat, I won¡¯t get nutrients, and my wounds will heal slowly. Don¡¯t you want me to recover quickly?"

    Seeing Zhan Qipei like this, Qiao Jing was truly impressed.

    Just to have her feed him, this man had actually gone to the extent of faking illness, and he did so with remarkable realism, capturing every detail!

    It seemed as if by not feeding him, she would appear heartless and unfeeling...

    As Qiao Jing was thinking this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s stomach cooperated perfectly by growling at that moment.

    The "gurgle gurgle" sound was exceptionally loud in the quiet room.

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand to cover his stomach, looking at Qiao Jing with puppy dog eyes.

    Taking a deep breath with a resigned tone, Qiao Jing said, "Alright, you win, I¡¯ll feed you, okay?"

    No matter what, the reason Zhan Qipei was lying in the hospital bed was because he took a bullet for her.

    Since he so wished to be fed by her, she¡¯d do it. After all, it was just one meal.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing had finally relented, a smile returned to Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    He knew that Qiao Jing was tough on the outside but soft on the inside, and she would surely agree to his request!

    Qiao Jing sat down beside the bed with the bowl and fed Zhan Qipei the millet porridge, spoonful by spoonful.

    Though she had never done this before, she found it quite easy after a few spoonfuls and didn¡¯t feel too awkward about it.

    When about half the bowl had been fed, the door to the hospital room suddenly opened, and Xu Moqian barged in, "Sister Jing..."

    His words were cut short when he saw Qiao Jing feeding Zhan Qipei, and he was utterly stunned.

    Yesterday, when they had talked on the phone, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t told him which hospital room she was in, and he had made a special effort to find out.

    And now, he had arrived to find this scene!

    Hearing themotion, Qiao Jing paused in her feeding, and she and Zhan Qipei both turned their heads, their eyes falling on Xu Moqian.

    With wide eyes and an incredulous expression, Xu Moqian pointed at Zhan Qipei, stammering, "Qiao Jing... Sister Jing, how can you feed him?"

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Zhan Qipei took the initiative to speak.

    His brows slightly raised, he stared at Xu Moqian, "She¡¯s my wife. What¡¯s wrong with her feeding me? Is there a problem?"

    Having said that, Zhan Qipei grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and spooned another mouthful of millet porridge into his mouth, savoring it even more than before.

    Seeing his actions, Qiao Jing knew he was deliberately provoking Xu Moqian and couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit funny.

    In business, this man was decisive and ruthless, an iron-fisted Yama Raja who was cold and intimidating to others.

    Yet sometimes, he could be childish with youthful pettiness, just like now.

    However, this intense contrast made her find him somehow endearingly cute.

    Provoked, Xu Moqian stormed to the edge of the bed, indignantly saying, "Zhan Qipei, you¡¯ve got no shame!"

    This bastard had the audacity to be so shameless!

    Expecting Sister Jing to feed him as if he were a three-year-old child?!

    Zhan Qipei ignored Xu Moqian¡¯s resentment, gripped Qiao Jing¡¯s hand tighter, and scooped another spoonful of millet porridge into his mouth.

    Seeing this, Xu Moqian grew even more annoyed and blurted out, "Not fair, I want that, too!"

    He mimicked Zhan Qipei¡¯s actions, reaching out to pull at Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Quick as a sh, Zhan Qipei grabbed Xu Moqian¡¯s outstretched hand first and scoffed, "If you¡¯re feeling randy, go find another woman. My wife is under no obligation to serve you."

    After speaking, he turned to look at Qiao Jing beside him, raising his eyebrows suggestively, "Wife, you agree, don¡¯t you?"

    As the two men locked horns and the atmosphere grew tense, Qiao Jing felt quite helpless.

 Chapter 778 - 766: Donéˆ¥æª› Waste Time on Me Anymore

    <h4>Chapter 778: Chapter 766: Don¡¯t Waste Time on Me Anymore</h4>

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, then at Xu Moqian, and slightly furrowed her brows, feeling that continuing this way wasn¡¯t right.

    Since she became a professor at Agricultural University, Xu Moqian had been pursuing her, employing endless tactics over the years.

    Although he restrained himself for a while, the moment Zhan Qipei appeared by her side, Xu Moqian¡¯s old habits resurged, even more intense than before.

    Despite her numerous rejections and countless words of refusal, Xu Moqian just wouldn¡¯t give up, unwilling to let go.

    To be fair, if Zhan Qipei had a woman clinging to him like this, and he didn¡¯t take a strong stance, she would inevitably feel ufortable too...

    With that thought, Qiao Jing turned her gaze to Xu Moqian, her attitude resolute, and dered seriously, "Moqian, stop this from now on, it¡¯s absolutely impossible between us."

    "My feelings for you are only tonic, or even familial, but they will never be romantic. Do you understand?"

    "So, no matter how you pursue me, I will never ept you, and furthermore, I have decided to be with Zhan Qipei."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian¡¯s whole person froze.

    His face filled with disbelief, he hardly dared trust his own ears, suspecting he was hallucinating.

    It took him a moment to recover before he began to stammer, "Jing... Sister Jing, what did you just say? Say it again, I didn¡¯t catch a single word."

    "I said, it¡¯s absolutely impossible between us, I only see you as a good friend, so don¡¯t waste your time on me anymore, in this lifetime, I will only be with Zhan Qipei."

    Qiao Jing roughly repeated what she had just said, and then paused for a few seconds before speaking again, her expression growing more solemn.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Moqian. I¡¯m d that you like me because being liked is a very fortunate thing, but I already have someone I like. I don¡¯t want you to miss out on your life because of me."

    This time, Xu Moqian heard every single word and letter that Qiao Jing said, loud and clear.

    He kept shaking his head, his face full of disbelief, retreating several steps backwards, looking utterly devastated, as if he had received a tremendous blow.

    Watching Xu Moqian¡¯s reaction, Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips curved in an almost imperceptible smirk, but he felt this wasn¡¯t enough.

    He took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and said with pretense, "Wife, my back is a bit itchy, could you scratch it for me?"

    Qiao Jing instantly knew what Zhan Qipei meant.

    What a coincidence, his back itched just now of all times?

    And why couldn¡¯t he scratch it himself? Why did it have to be her?

    This man¡¯s antics were nothing but a ploy to strike while the iron was hot, hoping to crush Moqian¡¯s lingering hope!

    However, it was just as well, as the words she had spoken earlier were sincere, and she didn¡¯t wish for Moqian to continue wasting time on her.

    Thinking this way, Qiao Jing nced at Xu Moqian for thest time, then leaned toward Zhan Qipei and extended her hand to scratch his back.

    "Not there, on the left, a bit further, yes, right there, you can press harder."

    Zhan Qipei feigned delight, guiding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand to scratch here and there on his back, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

    Qiao Jing was somewhat speechless at his antics, giving him a surreptitious eye roll, but outwardly, she kept a steady demeanor and went along with him.

    If this could lead Moqian to finally abandon his feelings for her, it would not be a bad thing after all.

    As Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s interactions grew increasingly intimate, Xu Moqian could no longer bear to watch,

    He pointed at the two of them, so angry he couldn¡¯t speak clearly, "You, you guys, you really are... ah, too infuriating!"

    Throwing down these words, he turned around furiously and ran out of the hospital room.

    Once he left, Qiao Jing stopped scratching his back and slightly raised her exquisitely drawn eyebrows, looking at Zhan Qipei, "Are you satisfied now?"

    "Satisfied."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips curved into a slight smile, his maic voice tinged with amusement.

    He was not just satisfied, he was extremely satisfied!

    With this, Xu Moqian that little brat should no longer have designs on Qiao Jing!

    Not far from the hospital room, in the corridor, the more Xu Moqian thought about it, the more upset he became, until he couldn¡¯t help but pick up his phone and make a call.

    As soon as the call connected, he started fake sobbing with "woo woo woo," and then said, "Grandpa, Grandpa, you have tofort me, I don¡¯t want to live anymore!"

    On the other end of the phone, Xu Hongzu, upon hearing his grandson¡¯s words, felt frustrated by hisck of progress, and spoke irritably, "You¡¯re always overreacting to small things, seeking death at every turn. Where do I have the time to listen to your nonsense? I¡¯m still doing research. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up!"

    Xu Moqian could tell that his grandpa was indeed about to hang up the phone.

    But he was in desperate need of someone tofort him so, without beating around the bush, he quickly said, "Grandpa, Sister Jing was really snatched away by that bastard Zhan Qipei this time!"

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu lost all interest in his research, didn¡¯t hang up, and asked anxiously, "Exin yourself clearly, what exactly happened?"

    "I just came to the hospital to look for Sister Jing, and she was with Zhan Qipei. She was even feeding him by hand. The moment I saw that scene, I got upset and immediately rushed in to intervene."

    "Who knew that Sister Jing would tell me that she only sees me as a good friend, and that she¡¯s already decided to be with Zhan Qipei, telling me not to waste any more time on her..."

    Xu Moqian recounted the events exactly as they happened. The more he spoke, the more ufortable he felt inside. It was simply unbearable.

    After listening, Xu Hongzu was so angry he could hardly contain himself, and he said sharply to Xu Moqian on the phone, "You are really useless. Your grandfather I was so close to the water tower, yet I still couldn¡¯t beat Zhan Yuanshan. That guy Zhan Yuanshan snatched her away from me."

    "Grandpa was hoping that you could redeem our family¡¯s honor, but look at you, just retracing the same old steps of your grandfather!"

    "You also knew Xiao Jing first, howe you can¡¯t show a bit of spirit and let the grandson of Zhan Yuanshan snatch Xiao Jing away..."

    Xu Hongzu gave Xu Moqian a thorough scolding.

    The more Xu Moqian listened, the more speechless he became, internally rolling his eyes in frustration.

    His grandpa was really something, he also lost to someone else, and how could he have the face to demand that he must win?

    But now was not the time to be sarcastic; thoughts of Sister Jing being taken away by Zhan Qipei made his heart ache so much!

    After nearly finishing his scolding, Xu Hongzu changed topics and asked, "Is there still a chance for you to snatch Xiao Jing back?"

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian fell silent, his brows deeply furrowed.

    Just now in the hospital room, the way Sister Jing and that bastard Zhan Qipei were interacting was so intimate. She not only fed Zhan Qipei by hand but also helped scratch his back.

    And then there were the words that Sister Jing said...

    Thinking about it this way, it seemed like he no longer had a chance...

 Chapter 779 - 767 Qiao Jing Became the Darling of the Group

    <h4>Chapter 779: Chapter 767 Qiao Jing Became the Darling of the Group</h4>

    Thinking of these, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply.

    On the other end of the phone, hearing his grandson only sigh without saying a word, Xu Hongzu had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh himself and consoled, "Well, since there¡¯s no chance, you might as well ept it and move on. I remember I also went through a rough time back in the day and it took me quite a while toe out of the shadows. I understand how you feel now."

    It seemed that they, grandfather and grandson, were both suffering from the same type of sadness!

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian didn¡¯t feelforted at all, but instead felt even worse.

    He had held on to this rtionship for so long, and now it had been sentenced to death. The more he thought about it, the more heartbroken he became!!

    After another moment of silence, Xu Moqian, with a dejected face, said in a low voice, "Isn¡¯t it, Grandpa, are you just letting me give up like that?"

    At these words, Xu Hongzu, who had just calmed down, felt his anger re up again.

    He snorted coldly into the phone and said sternly, "What else? What do you want me to do? You can¡¯t beat him, you can¡¯t think of any solutions, you don¡¯t have a chance, since the oue is already certain, what can I do except console you a bit?"

    Xu Moqian was scolded again and felt utterly dejected.

    After a long while, he let out a sigh and said weakly, "All right, Grandpa, thanks for trying tofort me. I won¡¯t take up any more of your time. Go back to your research. I¡¯ll just be sad for a little longer, hanging up now."

    Xu Hongzu could tell that his grandson was really heartbroken this time.

    No matter what, it was still his own flesh and blood, so he softened his tone and offered a few more words of constion.

    "Don¡¯t be too sad. I¡¯ve been through it myself, and even though it was hard at the time, I got over itter. So, you¡¯d better cheer up a bit. Life is about looking forward."

    "I get it, Grandpa. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m feeling a bit upset. I¡¯ll work through it myself, hanging up now."

    After that, Xu Moqian hung up the phone.

    Having talked with his grandfather for a while, although the sadness in his heart hadn¡¯t lessened, his mood had stabilized a lotpared to before.

    After putting away his phone, Xu Moqian wandered alone in the hallway for a while before he couldn¡¯t help himself and went to the hospital room where Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were staying.

    He hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

    He didn¡¯t even know what he was thinking, maybe it was to verify once more.

    After all, he just couldn¡¯t ept it and didn¡¯t want to believe it!

    However, the moment the door swung open, what Xu Moqian saw was Qiao Jing assisting Zhan Qipei out of the bathroom.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fair, cream-like cheeks were tinged with a faint blush, and her expression was unusually shy, something rarely seen before.

    Zhan Qipei, on the other hand, had his lips curved and was looking down at her with affectionate eyes that clearly contained a smile.

    Seeing this scene, Xu Moqian, caught off guard, experienced the heart-wrenching feeling once again.

    After all, anyone could tell what the two of them had just been up to.

    His Sister Jing, after feeding by hand and scratching itches, had now personally assisted Zhan Qipei to the bathroom to relieve himself!!!

    For a moment, Xu Moqian felt an icy chill in his heart.

    Looking at it this way, Sister Jing had genuinely decided to be with Zhan Qipei, and there was no hope for him...

    Hearing the noise, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei both turned to look.

    Seeing Xu Moqian standing motionless at the door, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows showed a flicker of impatience, "What are you doing here again?"

    He was thinking of taking advantage of this perfect atmosphere to do something with Qiao Jing, when this person had toe and disturb them, which was really annoying!

    Xu Moqian came back to his senses and suddenly rushed forward, grabbing Zhan Qipei¡¯s cor with an unprecedented seriousness in his expression.

    "Zhan Qipei, listen to me carefully. Since Sister Jing has chosen you, I¡¯ll magnanimously let you have her,"

    "But if you ever dare to bully her, be bad to her, let her suffer grievances, or do anything that wrongs her, I won¡¯t let you off the hook. Even if it costs me my life, I will make you pay a painful price!"

    Hearing these words, Qiao Jing was somewhat touched in her heart.

    She had always known about the younger fourth¡¯s affection for her.

    But not all feelings happen to be mutual, liking each other just right.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows slightly lifted as she looked at Xu Moqian, speaking indifferently, "Don¡¯t worry, if he dares to wrong me, I won¡¯t let him off myself. You won¡¯t need to lift a finger."

    Zhan Qipei forcibly shook off Xu Moqian¡¯s hand, ignoring his solemn warning. He just tightened his arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist and began to speak with a maic voice.

    "I also won¡¯t give you the chance to intervene because I will absolutely never do anything to wrong you."

    Watching Zhan Qipei tightly embracing Qiao Jing, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and stormed out once again.

    ...

    After spending a few days recovering in the hospital, Zhan Qipei was discharged.

    Upon leaving the hospital, he took Qiao Jing home with him.

    Knowing that the two wereing back, Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and Zhan Nanqing had gathered early in the living room to wee them and help them settle back in.

    "Didn¡¯t they say they were on the way when they phoned just now? It¡¯s almost half an hour, why haven¡¯t theye back yet?"

    Su Manhan sat on the sofa, eagerly anticipating, growing a bit impatient, and couldn¡¯t help mumbling a few words.

    Zhan Nanqing also stretched her neck, looking towards the door, "They should be here soon, maybe there¡¯s traffic on the road."

    Seeing the two of them so anxious, Zhan Yao spoke, "You two shouldn¡¯t be in such a hurry. Since they said they areing back, they will definitely return."

    As soon as his voice fell, the sound of the door opening was heard, apanied by a series of footsteps.

    Hearing the noise, Su Manhan sprang up from the sofa, her expression somewhat excited, "They¡¯re here, they¡¯re back!"

    As soon as Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei entered the living room, they were surrounded by Su Manhan and the others.

    Su Manhan took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and gently patted the back of her hand.

    "Qiao Jing, you¡¯ve finallye back. I¡¯ve been so worried these days. Even though I knew Qipei had found you and was with you, my heart couldn¡¯t settle down until I saw you myself."

    Qiao Jing tugged at her lips, smiling lightly in response, "I¡¯m fine, sorry for making you all worry."

    "As long as you¡¯re okay, that¡¯s good, that¡¯s good."

    After repeating herself, Su Manhan then asked with concern, "How have you been eating these days? Are you sleeping well? You¡¯re pregnant now, which isn¡¯t easy. All this back and forth must have been exhausting, right?"

    Just thinking about Qiao Jing being pregnant and put through all this made her feel unbearably heartbroken!

    "I¡¯ve been quite alright..."

    Before Qiao Jing could finish her sentence, Zhan Yao handed her a ss of warm water.

    "Have a sip of water first before talking. You must be thirsty after rushing here from the hospital. Drink up, and I¡¯ll go make you a cup of tea. The tea leaves we¡¯ve picked thesest few days have a pretty good vor."

 Chapter 780 - 768: Warmth and Touching

    <h4>Chapter 780: Chapter 768: Warmth and Touching</h4>

    Qiao Jing took the cup from Zhan Yao¡¯s hand and drank two sips of warm water.

    At that moment, Zhan Nanqing also squeezed over, pushing aside Zhan Qipei who had been standing next to Qiao Jing, and hooked her arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    "Qiao Jing," Zhan Nanqing said, "I heard those people took you to M Country to conduct some research. Before my brother found you, did they bully you? Did they do anything excessive to you?"

    "They did do some things, but they still hoped for my help, so they didn¡¯t dare hurt me too badly. Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore; it¡¯s all in the past."

    Qiao Jing glossed over the past events with a few understated sentences.

    If they knew the specifics of what happened then, they would definitely be scared, so it was better not to mention it.

    "Exactly, it¡¯s all in the past. Why bring it up again? You just have to stir the pot!"

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Nanqing, but when her gaze returned to Qiao Jing¡¯s face, it carried a smile again.

    "Qiao Jing, don¡¯t listen to her. I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re pregnant now, you need to take special care of your body. You have to be particr about what you eat and drink, and ensure good quality sleep, okay?"

    Qiao Jing nodded, about to speak, when Zhan Yao, who had just run off to make tea, came back.

    "Qiao Jing, the tea is ready. Try it and see how it tastes?"

    Saying this, Zhan Yao handed over the teacup to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing reached out to take it, holding the teacup and started to drink. She had just taken a sip when Zhan Nanqing¡¯s voice rang out again beside her ear.

    "Qiao Jing, you have no idea. I actually wanted to go to the hospital to see you a couple of days ago, but my brother just wouldn¡¯t let me. It was so frustrating."

    Looking at Su Manhan, Zhan Nanqing, and Zhan Yao, who were all gathered around her, offering warm and attentive care, Qiao Jing felt a warm sensation in her heart.

    Having had no family since childhood, she had never experienced the warmth of a family, but the Zhan family made her feel loved by family members.

    Actually, the Zhan family was always nice to her, but today they were exceptionally kind.

    Unknowingly, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes began to redden slightly.

    Zhan Qipei saw that his parents and sister were all around Qiao Jing, and he had been pushed aside, which made him feel a bit jealous.

    He even wanted to ask, who exactly was their own child.

    However, as his eyes met Qiao Jing¡¯s face, he noticed her eyes seemed a bit red.

    This discovery made Zhan Qipei feel a pang of heartache.

    He knew that the sudden redness in Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes must have been triggered by the care shown by his parents.

    Thinking about Qiao Jing¡¯s background, remembering how she had no family¡¯s affection since childhood, Zhan Qipei felt even more determined to treat her well and love her dearly.

    He silently vowed in his heart that from now on, he would never let Qiao Jing suffer any slight or abuse!

    Su Manhan, seeing Qiao Jing holding the teacup and spacing out after taking a sip, wondered if there was something wrong with the tea and asked, "How is it? Does the tea taste okay?"

    Hearing the voice, Qiao Jing snapped back from her thoughts.

    She nodded and tugged at the corner of her lips, saying, "It¡¯s very good. Madam Zhan, why don¡¯t you have some too?"

    "Oh my, why do you still call me Madam Zhan? I told you before not to call me that, it feels so distant."

    Su Manhan¡¯s focus instantly shifted to the issue of how she was addressed.

    Holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, she said with a beaming smile, "Now that you have fully epted Qipei, you should start calling me Mom."

    Qiao Jing paused for a moment, finding the suggestion a bit sudden.

    Although she had indeed decided to be with Zhan Qipei, being suddenly asked to address them differently was somewhat embarrassing for her.

    "Don¡¯t be shy, we¡¯re all family now, you¡¯ll have to call me that sooner orter."

    As she said this, Su Manhan looked at Qiao Jing with an expectant expression.

    Zhan Qipei stepped forward, pulled Zhan Nanqing away from Qiao Jing¡¯s side, wrapped his arms around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, and, bending down, whispered in her ear, "Go on, see how much my mom is looking forward to it. If you call her that, she¡¯ll be very happy."

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, saw how eager Su Manhan looked, and finally called out, "Mom."

    Su Manhan, her wish fulfilled, beamed with joy, "Good, good. Call me that from now on, alright?"

    Qiao Jing nodded her head. Before she could say anything, Zhan Yao had also joined in the fun.

    "And me, you should call me the same as you call Qipei¡ªcall me ¡¯Dad¡¯."

    Qiao Jing tugged at her lip and outright called him, "Dad."

    Having already called out ¡¯Mom¡¯ just now, calling ¡¯Dad¡¯ felt more natural.

    Zhan Yao, like Su Manhan, had his face filled with smiles upon hearing Qiao Jing change the way she addressed him; he looked extremely delighted.

    A smile also formed on Zhan Qipei¡¯s lips.

    Qiao Jing changing how she addressed them meant that she had indeed epted him in her heart!

    While everyone was enjoying this harmonious moment, Zhan Yuanshan arrived.

    Upon approaching, he first inspected Qiao Jing from head to toe, checking to see if she had been hurt.

    "Jing Girl, did those blind fools hurt you?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head, responding, "Grandpa Zhan, I¡¯m fine."

    "I¡¯d like to see them dare!"

    Zhan Yuanshan pounded on his cane with a forceful presence, booming, "Even though I¡¯ve retired and have aged, this old body of mine is still quite robust."

    "If they dare to hurt you, even just a single hair, I¡¯ll personally go to battle and give them such a beating they¡¯ll never dare step a foot into our empire again!"

    As the old man himself said, despite his age, his spirit was undiminished, and his brief words imbued everyone present with a sense of grandeur and a stern aura.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression turned solemn, his voice deepening as he said, "Grandpa, if they dare to hurt Qiao Jing, you won¡¯t need to take action; I¡¯ll be the first to not let them off the hook."

    Hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan nodded in satisfaction, but still didn¡¯t forget to add a few words of warning.

    "Now that you two are together, taking good care of Jing Girl and protecting her thoroughly is your inescapable responsibility. If anything really happens to Jing Girl, even if you are my own grandson, I will not spare you!"

    Zhan Qipei lowered his gaze to look at Qiao Jing beside him and said solemnly, "Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa, I know what to do."

    Just then, a "gurgle gurgle¡ª" sound emerged.

    The group exchanged nces, their eyes trailing around until they all focused on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing covered her stomach with one hand, her fair cheeks slightly blushing, her expression visibly awkward.

    She felt somewhat annoyed inside; her stomach was really letting her down¡ªwhy did it have to make such a noise at this time!

    Seeing her unnaturalplexion, Su Manhan timely spoke up, helping her ease the embarrassment.

    "Qiao Jing is pregnant, and pregnant women tend to get hungry easily, especially since she¡¯s carrying triplets. Her appetite is certainly different from before; this is a very normal phenomenon."

 Chapter 781 - 769: Su Manhan Formally Apologizes to Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 781: Chapter 769: Su Manhan Formally Apologizes to Qiao Jing</h4>

    Hearing Su Manhan say this, Zhan Yao also spoke up, "Let¡¯s not stand here any longer, the meal has been ready for a while, let¡¯s go eat."

    Knowing that Qiao Jing wasing back, they had someone start preparing the meal early in the morning. A dazzling line-up filled the table, and now it was still steaming hot.

    Thus, the group moved from the hall to the dining room.

    Zhan Yuanshan sat at the head of the table, with Qiao Jing on his left and Su Manhan on his right.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s seat was right next to Qiao Jing, Zhan Yao next to Su Manhan, and the remaining seat was for Zhan Nanqing.

    The dishes on the table were a dazzling line-up, replete with color, aroma, and vor, making one¡¯s appetite surge just by looking at them.

    After everyone took their seats, they began to eat.

    Qiao Jing had just taken a bite when Su Manhan started eagerly piling food on her te.

    "Qiao Jing, try this. This dish is made from pure green ingredients, with no additives. It¡¯s grown in our own estate, healthy and delicious, and absolutely harmless to the body."

    Just thinking about the way Qiao Jing called her "Mom" earlier filled Su Manhan with joy, and she couldn¡¯t stop beaming with happiness.

    Qiao Jing tasted it and nodded in response, "It really does taste good."

    One could tell that the dish truly was purely natural and green. It seemed the Zhan family estate was quite well-maintained.

    Seeing this, Zhan Yao also picked up a piece of chicken for Qiao Jing, and exined it to her just like Su Manhan had.

    "The chicken used in this Kung Pao chickenes from our estate¡¯s farm as well. It has been raised without any hormones and fed grain purchased from the countryside, so the meat is both fragrant and tender, and it has a high nutritional value. Give it a try."

    Qiao Jing had just tasted it and before she could swallow, Zhan Nanqing didn¡¯t want to be outdone and picked a piece of fish for her, carefully removing the bones.

    "Qiao Jing, try this sweet and sour carp. The carp is caught from the fishpond in our estate, carefully raised by specialists. The meat is tender and sulent¡ªit¡¯s tender without being dry, delicious and nutritious."

    No sooner had Zhan Nanqing finished speaking, than Su Manhan chimed in, "Yes, eat more fish. It¡¯s good for both you and the baby in your belly. Try this shrimp, and also these ribs, and have some beef too..."

    The others kept piling food onto Qiao Jing¡¯s te until her bowl piled up like a small mountain.

    This feeling of being cared for touched Qiao Jing once again.

    She realized how fortunate it is to be cared for and protected by family!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze swept across the people at the table, looking at their smiling faces and kind expressions, her heart warmed, and she sincerely said, "Thank you."

    Putting down her chopsticks, Su Manhan looked at Qiao Jing with affection in her eyes and said with a smile, "Silly child, why say thank you? We¡¯re all family, no need for such words¡ªthey only make us feel like strangers."

    As she said this, Su Manhan actually felt somewhat guilty in her heart.

    When Qiao Jing first came to the Zhan family, they had preconceptions, thinking she was just an unsophisticated country girl, so they looked at Qiao Jing with prejudice from the beginning, looking down on her, often mocking her, targeting her...

    Thinking of all the things she had done before, Su Manhan¡¯s sense of guilt deepened.

    Moreover, throughout this whole time, she had not properly apologized to Qiao Jing for her past behavior.

    Although she had mentioned it a few times after Qiao Jing had saved her before, she had not been very clear at the time.

    Thinking this, Su Manhan made a decision to seize the moment, while everyone was gathered, to formally apologize to Qiao Jing in front of everyone.

    She straightened her expression and began, "Since everyone is here, I have a few words I¡¯d like to say."

    As soon as she said this, the several people at the dining table all turned their gaze to Su Manhan.

    Then, looking at Qiao Jing, Su Manhan said solemnly, "Qiao Jing, when you first came to the Zhan Family, I was prejudiced against you, despised you for being a country person, and felt you were not worthy of Qipei. During that time, I often mocked and ridiculed you, and even did some really excessive things to you."

    "But as I got to know you better, I realized how narrow-minded I¡¯d been. Where a person lives doesn¡¯t define them, and even if you live in the countryside, you can still be outstanding."

    "So, here today, I want to formally apologize to you for the wrongs I¡¯vemitted in the past. I¡¯m sorry, Qiao Jing, and I hope you can forgive me."

    Su Manhan¡¯s actions and words came as a surprise to Qiao Jing.

    She hadn¡¯t expected that Su Manhan would suddenly be so earnest in her self-reflection and to apologize to her so formally in front of the other members of the Zhan Family.

    In fact, she had never taken any of those past events to heart...

    Qiao Jing was thinking about this and hadn¡¯t yet managed to say anything when Zhan Nanqing also spoke up.

    With an apologetic look on her face, Zhan Nanqing said, "Qiao Jing, I too must apologize to you. I also had my prejudices at the start, couldn¡¯t stand you, said a lot of unpleasant things to you, and did many things against you."

    "I¡¯m sorry for my ignorance and arrogance and I apologize to you. I hope you can forgive me."

    Having said that, Zhan Nanqing looked down somewhat ashamedly, appearing too embarrassed to face Qiao Jing.

    At this point, everyone else at the dining table was looking at Qiao Jing, waiting for her to respond.

    Under their gaze, Qiao Jing tugged at the corner of her lips and smiled candidly, saying, "Actually, I¡¯ve never minded those things from before, and you don¡¯t need to dwell on them. Apologies are not at all necessary, and there¡¯s really nothing to forgive or not forgive. Don¡¯t overthink it."

    If she had minded those past things, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to be with Zhan Qipei, and she wouldn¡¯t be sitting here today.

    The fact that she¡¯s sitting here now says everything.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, both Su Manhan and Zhan Nanqing were moved by her generous spirit.

    They had treated Qiao Jing that way, yet she hadn¡¯t taken it to heart at all.

    What a broad-mindedness it took to reach such a level!

    It was then that Zhan Yuanshan, who had been silent up to this point, cleared his throat and spoke, "What¡¯s the point in bringing all this up? We¡¯re all family, and there shouldn¡¯t be any talk of ¡¯two homes¡¯ within a family."

    "Of course, it¡¯s normal for there to be conflicts and disputes among family members, as long as everything is out in the open. From now on, we should get along well, care for and look after each other in harmony."

    With these words from the elder, the somewhat somber atmosphere at the dining table instantly eased.

    Everyone exchanged smiles and picked up their bowls and chopsticks to continue eating, as the grudges of the past seemed topletely dissolve in theughter.

    After a while, Su Manhan suddenly thought of something, her chopsticks pausing in midair as she swiftly turned her gaze to Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, sensing her look, both lifted their heads and asked in unison, "What¡¯s up?"

 Chapter 782 - 770: Reholding the Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 782: Chapter 770: Reholding the Wedding</h4>

    Su Manhan set down the bowl and chopsticks in her hand, and opened her mouth, "I suddenly remembered something. Only Qiao Jing was present at your previous wedding, and Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t attend, so it wasn¡¯t aplete wedding at all."

    As soon as these words were spoken, before the parties involved, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, could react, Zhan Nanqing became anxious.

    She furrowed her brows and looked at Su Manhan with eyes full of confusion, her tone somewhat hurried, "Mom, why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

    As for her mother, she always said others brought up things at the wrong time. Wasn¡¯t she doing the same thing now?

    Qiao Jing and her brother had just mutuallymitted to each other, finally getting together. Discussing a past event like that farcical wedding now could potentially disrupt everything!

    The other few people around the dining table were looking at Su Manhan, waiting for her to continue.

    Su Manhan red at the uproarious Zhan Nanqing, "Why are you reacting so strongly? I have my reasons for bringing this up."

    As she spoke, she turned her gaze to Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei and made a serious suggestion, "I think that you two should hold another wedding ceremony, one that¡¯s truly spectacr!"

    The more Su Manhan thought about it, the more fantastic her suggestion seemed.

    Being together, they deserved to have a wedding that they would never forget!

    This would be a great adjustment for their rtionship!

    Indeed, as soon as Su Manhan brought up the wedding, Qiao Jing had guessed what she would say next.

    So, when Su Manhan suggested holding another wedding, she wasn¡¯t surprised.

    However, she thought, being together was enough, there was no need for such formalities, which were both tiring and bothersome.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing pursed her red lips and said, "Actually, I think it¡¯s unnecessary, it¡¯s just a formality."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Nanqing, who had the strongest reaction earlier, was the first to retort.

    She argued emphatically, "What do you mean unnecessary? I think it¡¯s absolutely necessary! A wedding is a testament to a couple¡¯s rtionship and a promise to each other. A love without a wedding is imperfect. For your and my brother¡¯s love tost forever, this wedding must be held!"

    After Zhan Nanqing finished speaking, she was nearly impressed by her own eloquence, and even she was surprised that she could make such a sensible argument!

    Su Manhan nodded inplete agreement, adding, "Well said! What you¡¯ve stated are exactly my thoughts. A wedding might be a formality, but it¡¯s a meaningful and important one."

    "But..."

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak, expressing her own view, the usually reticent Zhan Yao also spoke up, cutting off her words.

    "I also agree with Nanqing, as someone who has been through it, I can confidently tell you that a wedding is the most important ceremony in life, you definitely shouldn¡¯t avoid it just because it¡¯s too much trouble."

    As soon as Zhan Yao finished speaking, Zhan Yuanshan also began to speak.

    He looked at Qiao Jing, speaking earnestly, "Jing Girl, I also think this wedding must be held. This isn¡¯t just for show; it carries deep significance for you and Qipei. It¡¯s not only a testament to your rtionship but also creates beautiful memories for your future together!"

    The several of them each spoke their minds, and in doing so, they were all trying to persuade Qiao Jing.

    Overall, whether it was Zhan Nanqing, Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, or Zhan Yuanshan, they all believed that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s wedding must be held again!

    After everyone had their say, they all turned to look at Zhan Qipei, waiting for him, one of the parties involved, to express his stance.

    Zhan Qipei listened to their words and deeply resonated with them.

    Initially, due to some reasons, he didn¡¯t take the wedding seriously, leaving Qiao Jing to face the embarrassing situation alone.

    He owed Qiao Jing, and now that he had the chance, he had to make it up to her!

    With this thought, Zhan Qipei shifted his body, leaned toward Qiao Jing, seized her hand, and looked at her affectionately, his voice deep and maic.

    "My mother¡¯s suggestion is very good, just as she said, the original wedding was iplete and should not count. In this matter, I owe you a lot, so this wedding must not only be held again, but also be grand and solemn."

    And Grandpa said it wasn¡¯t only a testament to his and Qiao Jing¡¯s feelings but also a beautiful memory they were both creating for the future!

    As soon as Zhan Qipei finished speaking, everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward Qiao Jing again.

    Under their watchful eyes, Qiao Jing pursed her lips and said, "I understand everything you are saying, but I still feel it¡¯s unnecessary. Maybe for many people, a wedding is very important and meaningful, but to me, a wedding isn¡¯t necessary. Even without a wedding, our rtionship won¡¯t be affected."

    After pausing, she met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze and continued, "Also, you don¡¯t need to feel indebted to me. Back then we were strangers, and your actions had their own reasons. There¡¯s no indebtedness about it."

    She was purely being objective; given the circumstances back then, Zhan Qipei¡¯s absence at the wedding was not iprehensible.

    If it had been her, she might not have attended either...

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows, which seemed mountainous and misty. His grip on her hand suddenly tightened, his tone carrying an undeniable authority.

    "Everything else can be your call, but not this. This wedding must happen!"

    Actually, his insistence on having this wedding was not only for the reasons he had just stated but also because of his own selfish desires.

    He wanted to use this wedding to let everyone know that Qiao Jing was his woman!

    Seeing Zhan Qipei so adamant about the wedding, Qiao Jing felt somewhat helpless.

    She was thinking about how to dissuade Zhan Qipei when Zhan Nanqing spoke up first.

    "Brother, I support you with both hands and feet, this wedding must happen!"

    Being the first to propose redoing the wedding, Su Manhan naturally showed her support, adding, "Exactly, it has to be done, and done on a grand scale!"

    Zhan Yao nodded and added, "Agreed."

    Zhan Yuanshan looked at Qiao Jing and stated formally, "Jing Girl, I¡¯m not taking your side this time, I also support the wedding. It¡¯s settled then. You don¡¯t need to worry about the arrangements, just wait to attend the wedding beautifully."

    With the old man¡¯s statement, it was as if everything was set in stone.

    Qiao Jing knew that continuing the conversation wouldn¡¯t change their minds, so she chose not to speak further.

    Since they were all so insistent, she might as well go along with it.

    Although she found it troublesome, deep down she was a bit excited about it since it involved Zhan Qipei...

    After the matter of the wedding was decided, Zhan Yuanshan covertly signaled Zhan Yao and Su Manhan with a nce, and then found an excuse to leave the dining table first.

    Zhan Yao and Su Manhan, catching the hint, also left their seats consecutively.

 Chapter 783 - 771 Letéˆ¥æªš Not Sleep in Separate Rooms Anymore

    <h4>Chapter 783: Chapter 771 Let¡¯s Not Sleep in Separate Rooms Anymore</h4>

    Seeing the three leave one after another, Zhan Nanqing was somewhat suspicious.

    She nced at Zhan Qipei and said puzzledly, "Brother, what are grandpa and mom and dad up to? Why does it look like they¡¯re being so sneaky?"

    Qiao Jing could tell at a nce that the three must have gone to plot something, andbining this with the topic they had just discussed, she guessed it had something to do with the wedding.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s guess was the same as Qiao Jing¡¯s, but he was busy peeling shrimp for Qiao Jing, so he was toozy to borate and casually replied, "Want to know? If you want to know, go ask yourself."

    Driven by curiosity, Zhan Nanqing still stood up from the dining table and stealthily followed the three who had just left.

    Meanwhile, in the living room.

    Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Yao, and Su Manhan were sitting on the sofa.

    After taking a sip of tea from his teacup, Zhan Yuanshan spoke first, "I¡¯ve called you two out here because I have an idea I want to discuss with you."

    Upon hearing this, Su Manhan quickly reacted, "Dad, are you talking about Qiao Jing and Qipei¡¯s wedding?"

    Zhan Yuanshan nodded and spoke unhurriedly, "Jing Girl has always been very decisive and ambitious, and you saw her attitude just now. She¡¯s not very enthusiastic about this wedding."

    "To prevent any changes, I think we should spread the news that Jing Girl and Qipei are going to hold a wedding, and set the matter in stone. What do you think?"

    "I agree!"

    Su Manhan immediately responded, and at the same time, she suggested, "If we¡¯re going to spread the news, we could use Zhan Corporation¡¯s official Weibo ount. Let the official ount announce it."

    Every message posted on Zhan Corporation¡¯s official Weibo ount is closely watched by the outside world, undoubtedly making it the best and most convenient channel for publicity.

    Zhan Yao agreed, "That¡¯s actually a good idea."

    Zhan Yuanshan also thought the suggestion was feasible, so he immediately took out his phone and made a call to have the news of Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s impending wedding announced on Weibo.

    Zhan Nanqing hid to the side, listening in on their conversation without missing a single word.

    After Zhan Yuanshan finished the call and put away his phone, she walked over and sat down on the sofa with an expression of someone who had seen through everything.

    "So you snuck out here just to discuss this."

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Nanqing, "How do you speak to your elders? What do you mean ¡¯snuck out¡¯? Is that how you talk about your elders?"

    "But that¡¯s the truth," Zhan Nanqing pouted her lips.

    The way the three of them were acting so covertly, even she could tell, not to mention Qiao Jing and her brother.

    It was just that Qiao Jing and her brother weren¡¯t as gossipy as she was.

    As mother and daughter were talking, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei finished eating and came out of the dining room.

    As soon as Qiao Jing arrived, Su Manhan stopped paying attention to Zhan Nanqing. Once Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were seated, she handed over the fruit te in front of her.

    "Qiao Jing, here, have some fruit. These fruits are all nted in our own estate, without any pesticides, fresh and healthy."

    Qiao Jing picked up a fork, took a piece of apple, and after eating, nodded, "Juicy and sweet. It¡¯s pretty good."

    Looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s slightly bulging belly, Su Manhan said with concern, "Then eat more. You¡¯ve got three little mouths to feed in there now; you¡¯ve got to keep up with the nutrition."

    Thanks to Su Manhan¡¯s zealous attention, Qiao Jing, who had just finished her meal, ate another third of the fruit te.

    It has to be said, ever since getting pregnant, her appetite had indeed increased quite a bit!

    Seeing that it was already nine fifty, Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and raised an eyebrow, "It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go back to our room and rest."

    After saying that, he pulled Qiao Jing up from the sofa.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s footsteps paused, and her delicately drawn brows arched slightly as she looked at Zhan Qipei and said, "I¡¯ve just finished eating fruit and am still full. I don¡¯t feel like sleeping yet."

    After that, she added, "Also, have you forgotten? We don¡¯t sleep in the same room."

    Except for special circumstances, she and Zhan Qipei usually slept separately...

    "I haven¡¯t forgotten, but I¡¯m injured and haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. Shouldn¡¯t you take care of me?"

    When he said this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone carried a hint of coquettishness.

    Upon hearing him say this, Qiao Jing felt somewhat speechless.

    This man wasn¡¯t saying that when he had been pestering her to do ¡¯that.¡¯

    Back then, he had confidently imed he was fine, even spouting that famous line - ¡¯To die under the peony, one would be a romantic ghost.¡¯

    And now?

    He started using his injury to act pitiful in front of her again!

    Seeing Zhan Qipei behaving like this, Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Yao, Su Manhan, and Zhan Nanqing, who were sitting on the couch, all looked away as if they couldn¡¯t bear to watch.

    However, seeing the two of them getting along so harmoniously, clearly much closer than before, they also felt happy.

    Zhan Nanqing thought about it and felt it necessary to contribute to her brother and Qiao Jing¡¯s rtionship.

    So, she tried to persuade her by saying, "Qiao Jing, just go with my brother. For the sake of his injury not beingpletely healed, fulfill his little wish."

    "Besides, if something suddenly goes wrong with his wound while he¡¯s sleeping, you can be there to handle it promptly, right?"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei immediately gave Zhan Nanqing an approving nce.

    That¡¯s his dear sister, no doubt!

    But Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t fooled. She pursed her crimson lips and said, "I¡¯ve checked, and his wound is healing fine. There won¡¯t be any problems."

    His so-called unhealed wound and needing care, it all boiled down to the man just wanting to sleep with her!

    Such an obvious thing, and of course, others could see it too.

    For the sake of her son¡¯s happiness, Su Manhan spoke out with a sense of duty, "Qiao Jing, go sleep with Qipei. You¡¯re pregnant and must be exhausted; you should rest earlier."

    "Moreover, your rtionship has already been formally confirmed. From now on, you should no longer sleep separately. What kind of couple sleeps apart?"

    "Exactly, there¡¯s no such rule. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, we¡¯re off to sleep."

    Taking advantage of the situation, Zhan Qipei, while speaking, dragged Qiao Jing towards the bedroom.

    With Su Manhan having said so much and Zhan Yuanshan and the others watching, Qiao Jing found it difficult to refuse any longer, and in the end, she entered the room with Zhan Qipei.

    Once the two had left, Zhan Yuanshan also stood up from the couch and gestured with his hands, "Alright, that¡¯s enough. I¡¯m off to sleep, you all should go back to your rooms and rest too."

    Having said that, he turned and left.

    Subsequently, Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and Zhan Nanqing also went back to their own rooms.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing, who had returned to the room first, was already leaning against the bed.

    Zhan Qipei sat down close to her, holding her hand, and said, "I should take a shower."

    Qiao Jing knew exactly what he meant and nced at him with a wry expression, "If you want to shower, then go. Why tell me? You don¡¯t need to inform me about such things."

 Chapter 784 - 772: Inviting Xu Moqian to the Wedding

    <h4>Chapter 784: Chapter 772: Inviting Xu Moqian to the Wedding</h4>

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was pretending not to understand, Zhan Qipei had no choice but to cut to the chase and say, "I have injuries on my body and it¡¯s not very convenient for me, you help me bathe."

    After speaking, he stared at her eagerly, his face full of anticipation as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was speechless, and she pursed her red lips saying, "Your injuries are already healed; you can wash by yourself without any help."

    Indeed, one should not indulge people too much, or they will start to take liberties.

    This man was a living example!

    "No way, the wound is notpletely healed yet, it might crack open if identally touched during the bath, do you have the heart to watch me suffer a secondary injury?"

    After saying this confidently, Zhan Qipei added in a coquettish tone, "Please help me bathe, okay?"

    He had used the same soft and hard tactics when he asked Qiao Jing to feed him before.

    So, he figured that if he continued to pester her for a while, she would agree!

    However, Qiao Jing had long seen through Zhan Qipei¡¯s thoughts and bluntly refused, "Not good!"

    "I am a doctor, do you think I don¡¯t know the state of your injuries?"

    "But the wound really is a bit painful, it might have even cracked open already, don¡¯t believe me? Feel it."

    As he spoke, Zhan Qipei directly pulled Qiao Jing¡¯s hand to touch the injured area on his thigh.

    Qiao Jing red at him, shook off his hand, and gave him a push outwards, pretending to be annoyed, "If you keep on like this, I¡¯ll leave!"

    She felt that if she did not pretend to be angry, this man would definitely keep bothering her endlessly!

    Zhan Qipei saw that Qiao Jing was getting unhappy and did not dare to continue making trouble, for fear that she would actually leave in a huff, and so he dropped the idea of her helping him bathe.

    "Alright then, I¡¯ll bathe myself, but don¡¯t go, I want to sleep holding you."

    Qiao Jing arched her perfectly delicate eyebrows, her eyes and brows filled with helplessness, and then she waved her hand and said, "Go, go on then."

    Zhan Qipei sighed, feeling somewhat regretful that he didn¡¯t get his way.

    With Qiao Jing urging him on, he slowly got up, took some clean clothes from the wardrobe, and made his way to the bathroom.

    As soon as the bathroom door closed, Qiao Jing¡¯s cellphone happened to ring.

    She picked it up and saw it was Lin Xiuxiang calling.

    Why would Lin Xiuxiang call her at this time?

    With a suspicious mindset, Qiao Jing answered the call.

    As soon as the call connected, without waiting for her to speak, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s voice came from the other end, "Qiao Jing, are you really going to hold another wedding?"

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows in surprise.

    The matter of holding another wedding had been discussed just during dinner that evening; how did Lin Xiuxiang find out so quickly?

    Could it be that she heard it from Tang Yan?

    After all, organizing a wedding would beplicated, and they were definitely going to involve Tang Yan in the preparations.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing spoke up, "It¡¯s true. How did you get the news so quickly, did Tang Yan tell you?"

    On the other end of the phone, Lin Xiuxiang shook her head, "No, Tang Yan hasn¡¯t mentioned it to me, I saw it on the Inte."

    "The Inte?"

    Qiao Jing was taken aback, repeating the two words with a hint of confusion.

    Lin Xiuxiang detected the confusion in her voice and felt somewhat surprised herself.

    How could Qiao Jing, the person directly involved, not know about such a major event?

    Regaining herposure, Lin Xiuxiang exined, "Zhan Corporation¡¯s official Weibo ount just posted a message saying that you are going to hold your wedding again."

    "The influence of Zhan¡¯s official Weibo is truly immense. The moment this news was released, it instantly went viral on the inte. Now everyone is discussing it, you should go online and take a look."

    Hearing Lin Xiuxiang say this, Qiao Jing immediately guessed whose doing it was.

    Had Grandpa Zhan and the others left the dinner table early to go to the hall and secretly n this?

    With this thought, a trace of helplessness appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    She said to Lin Xiuxiang on the other end of the phone, "I¡¯ll take a look and we¡¯ll talkter, I¡¯m hanging up now."

    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Jing logged onto Weibo and found that the news of her holding another wedding with Zhan Qipei topped the hot search list.

    Just as Lin Xiuxiang mentioned, the whole inte was discussing this matter.

    She casually scrolled through, reading some of theizens¡¯ments for a while.

    [It¡¯s said that the current president¡¯s wife of Zhan Corporation is from the countryside, not only unsophisticated and unenlightened but also not much to look at. What charm does this woman have to make the president of the Zhan¡¯s hold another wedding for her?]

    [This is so strange! In the previous wedding, the bridegroom wasn¡¯t even present, with only the bride there alone; it shows that the Zhan Family didn¡¯t ept this woman at all. Who knows what happened, but now they¡¯ve announced they¡¯re going to hold another wedding?]

    [Since they are redoing the wedding, does that mean the Zhan Family has finally recognized this country girl?]

    [I¡¯d say, this country girl must be very crafty to make the president of Zhan Corporation have a change of heart and consider holding another wedding!]

    [From what I¡¯ve read on Zhan¡¯s official Weibo, they¡¯re nning to make this wedding even morevish and grand. It seems this country girl really has some unique charm; otherwise, the president wouldn¡¯t favor her so much!]

    [Could this country girl be the reincarnation of a fox spirit? That¡¯s why she has the president so bewitched!]

    Reading thesements, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t hold back and chuckled.

    It had to be said, the imagination of theizens of this generation was quite something, evening up with reincarnated fox spirits¡ªreally amusing!

    She was just about to scroll some more to find more entertaining theories when her phone suddenly rang.

    This time it was Xu Moqian calling.

    Qiao Jing knew that him calling at this time must also be because of the news of the wedding.

    Once the call was connected, Xu Moqian indeed immediately asked, "Sister Jing, are you really going to redo the wedding with Zhan Qipei?"

    There was a hint of urgency in his voice, as if he didn¡¯t want to ept this news.

    "It¡¯s true."

    After Qiao Jing replied briefly, she thought for a moment and then added, "I¡¯m inviting you now; remember to attend my wedding."

    She meant nothing else by her words; since the wedding was decided upon, she naturally hoped her good friend would be there to witness it.

    On the other end of the phone, Xu Moqian fell silent for a moment before sighing with a bitter smile, "Sister Jing, aren¡¯t you being a bit cruel?"

    Asking him to watch the woman he liked marry another man was tantamount to a blow to the heart!!!

    "Cruel?" Qiao Jing responded and then pursed her lips before exhaling, "Then don¡¯te."

    She was serious with her statement¡ªif he truly couldn¡¯t ept it, there was no need to force himself and seek his own suffering.

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Xu Moqian was momentarily stunned.

    Although the matter made him quite ufortable, after all, it was Qiao Jing¡¯s wedding, and not going didn¡¯t seem right either!

 Chapter 785 - 773: One Phone Call After Another

    <h4>Chapter 785: Chapter 773: One Phone Call After Another</h4>

    With these thoughts, Xu Moqian heaved a silent sigh and spoke up, "If I don¡¯t go, it wouldn¡¯t be very considerate of me. The reason I didn¡¯t attend that wedding was because it was just a formality, but this time it¡¯s real."

    "Even though I don¡¯t like that bastard Zhan Qipei, since you¡¯ve made your choice, I respect your decision. So, I¡¯ll attend your wedding."

    After saying these words, Xu Moqian began to feel ufortable again.

    However, things hade to this point, and he could onlyfort himself. It¡¯s just a setback in love, he thought, just grit your teeth and get through it!

    "Alright," Qiao Jing tugged at her lips. "Anyway, the Zhan¡¯s will definitely send you an invitation. Whether youe or not is up to you. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to hang up."

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to press the end call button, Xu Moqian¡¯s urgent voice came through, "Wait, don¡¯t hang up yet!"

    "Is there something else?" Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow.

    After a few seconds of silence, Xu Moqian finally blurted out, "Let me sing you a song."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing felt somewhat bewildered.

    What in the world was he doing singing a song in the middle of the night!

    As she pondered this, Xu Moqian¡¯s singing voice started toe through.

    "You¡¯re getting married, but the groom isn¡¯t me, in an unnoticed corner, my tears secretly fall."

    "You¡¯re getting married, but the groom isn¡¯t me, the sorrow in my heart, no one else can speak of."

    "You¡¯re getting married, how I wish I could be happy..."

    Truth be told, Xu Moqian sang quite well, but the lyrics of the song left Qiao Jing speechless.

    Now she knew why this person suddenly wanted to sing!

    "That¡¯s enough, stop singing. Go to sleep," she said.

    As soon as she finished speaking and without giving Xu Moqian a chance to react, Qiao Jing hung up the phone.

    After hanging up, she was about to put away her phone when it rang again.

    This time it was Lu Zijin calling.

    Undoubtedly, he was also calling because of the wedding.

    However, unlike Xu Moqian, who went straight to the point, Lu Zijin started off by making small talk with Qiao Jing, before he finally said, "I saw the news online, you¡¯re going to have a wedding with Zhan Qipei, is that right?"

    Qiao Jing replied indifferently, "Yes."

    Lu Zijin pursed his lips, hesitating for quite a while before finally saying, "Congrattions. I hope you¡¯ll always be happy with him and forever blissful. Don¡¯t forget to invite me to your wedding when the timees."

    "Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t forget. And thank you for your well-wishes," Qiao Jing said with a light chuckle, curling her lips.

    The conversation reached this point, and then Lu Zijin, on the other end of the phone, suddenly became silent. He did not speak, nor did he seem to intend to hang up.

    Qiao Jing could feel that he seemed to have something else to say, but was hesitating.

    After waiting like this for two minutes, she spoke up, "If you have something to say, you can just tell me."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Lu Zijin, after much hesitation, finally mustered up the courage to speak his mind.

    He took a deep breath and braced himself before saying, "In the future, if Zhan Qipei ever lets you down, or bullies you, making you suffer, you cane to me."

    Upon hearing these words, Qiao Jing understood what Lu Zijin meant.

    Although she was indeed rather slow when it came to matters of the heart, she wasn¡¯tpletely oblivious.

    She had always known that Lu Zijin had feelings for her, but since Lu Zijin never made it explicit, she never pointed it out either. It was best to continue their rtionship as friends.

    With that in mind, Qiao Jing gave a faint smile and said to Lu Zijin on the other end of the line, "Thank you."

    Lu Zijin fell silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "It¡¯s gettingte, I won¡¯t disturb your rest any longer, sleep early."

    "Okay, you too."

    After these words, Qiao Jing ended the evening¡¯s third call.

    For some reason, she had a strange premonition that someone else would definitely call her soon.

    No sooner had she thought this than her phone rang again.

    This time it was Ni Yue who was calling.

    After Qiao Jing answered the call, she took the initiative to say, "You saw the news about my wedding on the inte, and that¡¯s why you¡¯ve called to console me in the middle of the night?"

    Although her words were a question, her tone was very convinced.

    On the other end of the line, Ni Yue didn¡¯t respond to Qiao Jing¡¯s question but instead let out a few fake sobs and wailed, "How could you really get taken away by that kid Zhan Qipei? What¡¯s so good about him? Boo hoo..."

    The rtionship between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei was something she was very clear about.

    Although Qiao Jing had agreed to be with Zhan Qipei before, it was only an exploratory stage, not truly lovers.

    But now, with Zhan Corporation¡¯s official blog making a public announcement that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were going to hold their wedding again, it meant that Qiao Jing had truly,pletely, epted Zhan Qipei!

    Thinking that her Qiao Jing had been snatched away by that kid Zhan Qipei, she felt especially sad, especially terrible!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s ears were almost deafened by Ni Yue¡¯s loud voice.

    She moved the phone away a little, waiting for Ni Yue to tire of ranting and to take a break in the middle before finding the right moment to speak, "Talk properly, don¡¯t cry and whimper, I can¡¯t hear clearly what you¡¯re saying."

    Ni Yue had been babbling on for quite a while, and Qiao Jing really hadn¡¯t heard a single word.

    However, even without hearing clearly, she had a pretty good guess at what Ni Yue was saying...

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Ni Yue pretended to sniffle and even sobbed a few times, then she started to nag again, "In the end, you were snatched away by that wolf cub Zhan Qipei!"

    "Tell me, what¡¯s wrong with me? How am I inferior to him? Why choose him and not me?"

    "Or how about you reconsider it, while the wedding hasn¡¯t taken ce yet. Dump him and be with me instead, my arms are always open for you..."

    Listening to Ni Yue¡¯s endless prattle, Qiao Jing felt both amused and helpless.

    She tugged at the corner of her mouth and interjected to stop Ni Yue¡¯s talk, "Alright, that¡¯s enough, my ears are going to develop calluses from all your noise."

    This person was still as incorrigible as ever, never changing, always saying things that made one bothugh and cry.

    But she knew in her heart that Ni Yue was acting like this because she cared.

    "It seems you¡¯re serious this time."

    Ni Yue said and then let out a sigh, her voice growing a few shades more serious than before.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll stop fooling around. Seriously, if that kid Zhan Qipei ever dares to bully you, just take the kid and run away from home,e directly to me. I¡¯ll take care of you guys and I can even be a godmother or godfather to the child!"

    Qiao Jing was amused once again by Ni Yue¡¯s words, and she also felt a warm feeling inside.

    To have so many people care about her, she was truly moved.

    After chuckling for a bit, Qiao Jing, feeling a sudden impulse, teased, "I forgot to tell you, I have my phone on speaker and Zhan Qipei is right next to me, he heard everything you just said."

 Chapter 786 - 774 Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Tactics Against Love Rivals

    <h4>Chapter 786: Chapter 774 Zhan Qipei¡¯s Tactics Against Love Rivals</h4>

    Hearing Qiao Jing say that Zhan Qipei was right beside her and had heard their conversation, Ni Yue waspletely stunned.

    At that moment, she felt the awkwardness and guilt of being caught red-handed talking bad about someone behind their back, or as if she was trying to steal someone else¡¯s man!

    A few secondster, Ni Yue snapped back to reality and defensively said, "So he heard, big deal. I stand by what I said. I¡¯m not scared at all. Even if Zhan Qipei was right in front of me, I¡¯d say the same thing!"

    "Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m making stuff up. Everything I said came from the heart. If Zhan Qipei is unhappy about it, he¡¯s free to leave. If he keeps pestering you, I¡¯d find it bothersome too!"

    Listening to Ni Yue¡¯s self-assured words, Qiao Jing could imagine her talking with her neck stuck out.

    At this thought, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but snicker.

    Ni Yue, with her sharp ears, immediately heard Qiao Jing¡¯s muffledughter through the phone.

    She huffed, her tone a bit resentful, "Xiao Jingjing, you¡¯reughing, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯ve learned to be bad, even starting to deceive me. They say ¡¯you are thepany you keep,¡¯ it must be that Zhan Qipei who has led you astray!"

    "Humph, just wait until I find an opportunity to settle the score with him!"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips, struggling to contain herughter as she spoke, "Alright, alright, calm down. It¡¯ste at night; if you get too worked up, you might have trouble sleeping."

    Getting too excited before bed could easily lead to insomnia!

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Ni Yue nced at the time.

    After looking, she eximed, "Ah! If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it¡¯s almost eleven!"

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow yfully and joked, "Right, it¡¯s prettyte, so don¡¯t get all fired up. Be careful not to disturb the neighbors and getints for noise nuisance."

    "I¡¯m not scared of that. Let themin if they want!"

    Ni Yue retorted defiantly, then quickly changed the subject, "But, you¡¯re pregnant with babies, and it¡¯s triplets at that. You need to get enough sleep. Go and rest now, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. We can talk more about the wedding another time."

    Having said that, Ni Yue considerately hung up the phone.

    Although she still had a lot to say, for the sake of Qiao Jing¡¯s and her triplets¡¯ health, she had to hold back her words for the time being!

    Qiao Jing had barely a chance to respond with an "okay" when the sound of the call ending beeped in her ear.

    She tugged at the corner of her mouth, her face a mix of amusement and resignation.

    Because phone calls had beening one after the other all evening, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t sure if there would be another, so she kept her phone handy and took another look at Weibo.

    With this nce, she found that in such a short time, the post by Zhan Corporation¡¯s official ount had broken new historical highs in views, shares, andments, setting unprecedented high numbers!

    It had to be said, Zhan¡¯s official Weibo¡¯s influence was indeed powerful!

    As Qiao Jing browsed through thements with interest, her phone rang once again.

    The screen switched to the iing call disy, flickering with the name "Cao Feiyu."

    Qiao Jing felt that her hand was nearly going numb from answering calls all night.

    As soon as the call connected, before Qiao Jing could say a word, Cao Feiyu spoke with a hint ofint, "Who were you on the phone with just now, talking for so long? I¡¯ve been trying to call you, and it kept saying you were on another call."

    He had started to call Qiao Jing half an hour ago but couldn¡¯t get through. He had almost given up.

    Luckily, after he went to have a ss of water and came back, he tried once more, and finally got through!

    Having heard Cao Feiyu¡¯s words, Qiao Jing slightly raised her eyebrows, thinking that she had received calls from quite a few people just now, including Lin Xiuxiang, Xu Moqian, Lu Zijin, and also Ni Yue. Which one should she talk about?

    After thinking it over, she felt that exining would be too troublesome, so she simply chose not to mention any and knowingly asked, "Is there something you need?"

    Actually, without asking she also knew Cao Feiyu must have been calling about the wedding.

    As expected, when Cao Feiyu spoke again, he cut directly to the chase.

    "I just wanted to ask about the news online that you are going to have a wedding with Zhan Qipei. Is it true?"

    When Qiao Jing heard this question, she couldn¡¯t help but respond with a somewhat amused retort, "Do you think that a message released by Zhan Corporation¡¯s official ount could be false?"

    Although she didn¡¯t directly answer, the reply was quite obvious.

    Upon hearing that, Cao Feiyu froze for several seconds, then started to get agitated and blurted out, "What¡¯s going on? Why are you suddenly holding a wedding with Zhan Qipei? Are you really going to be together with him?"

    "Yes, I..."

    "I get it, you¡¯re being coerced, aren¡¯t you?"

    Before Qiao Jing could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Cao Feiyu.

    He continued on his own, saying, "You only mentioned giving Zhan Qipei a chance before, to try being together. It wasn¡¯t about actually being with him, but now you¡¯re suddenly announcing a wedding. It¡¯s clear there¡¯s something fishy going on."

    "So, Zhan Qipei must have used some method to coerce you!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched at Cao Feiyu¡¯s reasoning.

    She felt it would be better to rify things to avoid letting him indulge in wild imaginings that could lead him astray!

    With that in mind, Qiao Jing casually said to Cao Feiyu on the other end of the phone, "You¡¯re overthinking it. There¡¯s no coercion here; I have truly decided to officially be with Zhan Qipei now."

    When Cao Feiyu heard Qiao Jing say this, he was struck as if by lightning.

    Unwilling to ept it, he shook his head in disbelief and asked resentfully, "Why? Why choose him?"

    "Even though I¡¯m not as wealthy as Zhan Qipei, in every other aspect I am not the slightest bit lesser than him. I¡¯m also excellent, you know!"

    "Just give me a chance, and I promise to treat you better than he ever could, I¡¯ll make you the happiest woman in the world without ever letting you suffer the slightest grievance!"

    Hearing these words, Qiao Jing once again felt the exasperation building.

    As she was thinking about how to respond to Cao Feiyu, the bathroom door suddenly opened.

    Zhan Qipei walked out, having just finished showering, only wrapped in a white towel, his perfect and robust physique fully exposed.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was immediately drawn to him, her eyes unconsciously lingering on his body.

    Zhan Qipei walked over to the bedside, slightly lowered his head, looked down into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes with his own, his thin lips slightly parting as he calmly asked, "Why are you still on the phone sote?"

    While he was taking a shower in the bathroom, he had continuously heard someone calling Qiao Jing.

    Even though he didn¡¯t know what was said, he could guess that whoever was calling Qiao Jing at this time must be one of his love rivals!

    Moreover, whatever those people were saying was definitely something he didn¡¯t want to hear!

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to speak, Zhan Qipei suddenly leaned close to her, deliberately raising his voice into the phone and said, "Stop calling, it¡¯s time to sleep now. Don¡¯t forget we have something very important to do."

 Chapter 787 - 775 Zhan Yuanshan vs Wu Xirui

    <h4>Chapter 787: Chapter 775 Zhan Yuanshan vs Wu Xirui</h4>

    An important matter?

    Qiao Jing eyed Zhan Qipei suspiciously, her brows delicately arched like painted scrolls as she asked casually, "What matter?"

    She couldn¡¯t recall anything important that needed doing.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips slightly curved, forming a wicked smile as his deep, maic voice charmed, "Of course, it¡¯s a major affair¡ªcontributing bricks and tiles to the nation¡¯s construction!"

    With those words, he leaned forward and pinned Qiao Jing down on the bed.

    As Qiao Jing fell back, she quickly protected her stomach with her hands, then red at Zhan Qipei admonishingly, "Slow down, be careful of my stomach!"

    This man could be so careless; if he hurt the baby in her belly, that would be troublesome!

    "My fault, my fault, I¡¯ll be more careful."

    Zhan Qipei repeatedly admitted his mistakes, but his tone remained teasingly ambiguous, his hands mischievously wrapping around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows and red at him again, pushing him slightly, "Stop messing around, get up!"

    The phone was still on!

    Everyone could hear!

    She seriously suspected that this man was doing it on purpose!!!

    Listening to their conversation, especially Zhan Qipei¡¯s ambiguous tone, Cao Feiyu on the other end of the phone felt incredibly sour.

    He could tell that Zhan Qipei¡¯s words were deliberately provoking him.

    Who could stand this?!

    Thus, Cao Feiyu couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and hung up the phone.

    While Qiao Jing was pushing him away, Zhan Qipei casually took her phone.

    Seeing the call had ended, he threw the phone onto the nightstand and turned off the room¡¯s light.

    Then, he pulled Qiao Jing into his arms and kissed her lips.

    Qiao Jing wanted to kick him away, but remembering his injuries hadn¡¯tpletely healed, and worrying that too much movement might affect the baby in her belly, she ultimately indulged him...

    ...

    Due to the drowsiness caused by her pregnancy and being up all night with Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing slept until noon the next day.

    When she woke up, Zhan Qipei was no longer in the room, likely having gone to the office.

    After all, going to M-country to find her had dyed him considerably, and he probably had umted a lot of work.

    After freshening up, Qiao Jing changed into a more casual outfit and then left the room.

    Just as she stepped out of her room, she encountered Zhan Yuanshan walking towards her.

    "Grandpa Zhan," Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks and greeted him.

    Zhan Yuanshan looked at Qiao Jing with a loving gaze and said with a smile, "Jing Girl, I was just about to look for you, and you came out just in time."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing slightly raised her brows, her expression showing a bit of confusion.

    She really couldn¡¯t figure out what Zhan Yuanshan wanted with her.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicious look, Zhan Yuanshan spoke up, "It¡¯s nothing urgent, just wanted to have a few words with you alone. Since it¡¯s mealtime, let¡¯s go have lunch together and chat over food."

    "Okay," Qiao Jing nodded in agreement.

    Following that, the two of them left together and took a car to the restaurant.

    After the car had driven a distance, Zhan Yuanshan looked at Qiao Jing who was also sitting in the back seat and spoke somewhat emotionally.

    "Now it¡¯s settled, Jing Girl you have finally be my true granddaughter-inw. I¡¯ve finally fulfilled one of my wishes, otherwise, this concern always lingered in my heart and I couldn¡¯t let go."

    Qiao Jing shed a faint smile and did not speak.

    She truly didn¡¯t know how to respond to that, so she could only return a smile.

    Although she didn¡¯t continue the conversation, it didn¡¯t affect Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s enthusiasm, as the elderly man kept talking to himself.

    "Back in the day, when you were only eighteen or neen, I knew you, and even though you were young, your capabilities truly amazed me."

    "At that time, I wholeheartedly wanted you to take over my position, hoping you could lead our country¡¯s team to protect the nation¡¯s safety while creating a new era of brilliance, making our nation powerful."

    "I always believed that with your abilities, achieving this wouldn¡¯t be difficult at all, but unfortunately... you were always unwilling."

    As he said this, Zhan Yuanshan let out a sigh of regret.

    After a silence of two seconds, Qiao Jing spoke lightly, "Grandpa Zhan, you know that my aspirations do not lie there."

    Defending the nation wasn¡¯t necessarily something only she could do.

    However, there were things that only she could aplish, so she had to make choices!

    "Yes, I understand what you¡¯re saying, don¡¯t think I¡¯m just a nagging old man, I just find it a bit regrettable," he replied.

    As he spoke, Zhan Yuanshan suddenly thought of something, and when he looked at Qiao Jing again, his gaze held even more admiration.

    "Speaking of which, now that you¡¯ve be the Empire¡¯s leading agricultural professor and made a significant contribution to the country¡¯s agricultural economy, that¡¯s a huge matter for the people¡¯s livelihood of the entire Empire¡ªits significance is no less than that of fighting on the battlefield; hence your decision back then wasn¡¯t wrong after all..."

    All along the way, Zhan Yuanshan kept talking, while Qiao Jing quietly listened, asionally responding.

    Soon, the car stopped in front of a restaurant.

    Qiao Jing was the first to open the door and get out, while Zhan Yuanshan followed a step behind.

    It was then that Wu Xirui happened toe out from the neighboring restaurant.

    He looked up and saw Qiao Jing alighting from the car.

    This unexpected encounter made Wu Xirui unconsciously smirk, a yful smile appearing on his face as he stepped towards Qiao Jing.

    However, he froze just a few steps away from Qiao Jing when he suddenly saw Zhan Yuanshan getting out from the other side of the car.

    The moment he recognized Zhan Yuanshan, Wu Xirui¡¯s steps halted, and his expression darkened, the smile on his face disappearing instantly.

    By blood, this man was his grandfather.

    But due to past conflicts, he harbored deep resentment towards this man!

    Whenever they met, conflict was inevitable!

    Wu Xirui had no intention of arguing with an old man on the street, and was about to turn around and leave.

    Just then, Zhan Yuanshan also noticed Wu Xirui.

    Seeing Wu Xirui about to turn away as soon as he saw him, Zhan Yuanshan shouted, "You boy, stop right there!"

    Hearing this, Wu Xirui paused slightly.

    Qiao Jing, following behind Zhan Yuanshan, walked towards Wu Xirui.

    Her gaze swept back and forth between the grandfather and grandson, then she pondered thoughtfully.

    Although Zhan Yuanshan was Wu Xirui¡¯s biological grandfather, it was also because of Zhan Yuanshan that Wu Xirui¡¯s mother had run away from home.

    If it weren¡¯t for that past incident, perhaps Wu Xirui¡¯s mother might not have died at such a young age.

    So, it was likely that Wu Xirui harbored considerable hatred for Zhan Yuanshan...

    As Qiao Jing was thinking this, Wu Xirui had already resumed walking, showing an attitude ofpletely ignoring Zhan Yuanshan.

    Seeing this, Zhan Yuanshan immediately leaned on his cane, swiftly catching up to block Wu Xirui, and said sternly, "You boy, I told you to stop, didn¡¯t you hear me?"

    Wu Xirui nced at Zhan Yuanshan, intending to walk past him, but suddenly he changed his mind.

    He wanted to see what this man had to say!

 Chapter 788 - 776 They Started Arguing

    <h4>Chapter 788: Chapter 776 They Started Arguing</h4>

    Thinking this, Wu Xirui¡¯s expression changed and he put on the yful look he usually wore, slowly uttering, "Old Master Zhan, stopping me here, I¡¯m curious, what important matter do you have?"

    Hearing this, Zhan Yuanshan immediately became infuriated.

    His expression darkened and he stared at Wu Xirui with a stern face, and said harshly, "What did you call me?"

    "I called you, Old, Master, Zhan!"

    Wu Xirui repeated each word, then sneered coldly, "What? Are you getting old and hard of hearing?"

    Calling him Old Master Zhan was already polite enough!

    The words and tone Wu Xirui used made Zhan Yuanshan extremely angry, so angry that he picked up his cane with the intent to strike.

    But after lifting the cane, he ultimately couldn¡¯t bring himself to strike and instead forcefully jabbed it into the ground, his words harsh and severe, "Even your mother wouldn¡¯t dare speak to me like this, and yet you dare!"

    "Just how did your mother raise you? To have such tant disrespect for your elders!"

    Not calling me your grandfather but Old Master?

    This is utterly disrespectful!

    When Zhan Yuanshan brought up his own mother, Wu Xirui instantly became enraged.

    The yful smile on his face disappeared in an instant, his gaze filled with annoyance as he stared at Zhan Yuanshan and angrily said, "What right do you have to mention my mom? If it hadn¡¯t been for you, she wouldn¡¯t have had to cross the seas to a farawaynd and ended up harboring such resentment that led to her mncholic demise!"

    "To put it nicely, you indirectly caused the death of my mom; to put it bluntly, you are the executioner who killed my mom!"

    As he spoke about these things, Wu Xirui¡¯s deeply buried hatred was ignited, and both his gaze and expression turned sinister.

    Faced with Wu Xirui¡¯s angry usations, Zhan Yuanshan remainedposed, his face showing not a trace of guilt.

    He gripped his cane tightly and spoke in a heavy tone, "The eventual oue for your mom was entirely because she couldn¡¯t see things clearly. Although she was indeed very talented, she simply wasn¡¯t on par with Qipei in business."

    "Furthermore, your mom¡¯s concept ofpany development was inconsistent with the always upheld development concept of Zhan¡¯s, and some of her views and opinions werepletely contrary to Zhan¡¯s business philosophy. Therefore, I could not possibly hand over Zhan Corporation to her!"

    As he said these words, Zhan Yuanshan was also somewhat agitated.

    No matter what, Yingying was his own daughter; would he really want to see his daughter end with such resentful demise?

    It must be understood that the greatest sorrow in life is for the elder to send off the younger!

    But Yingying¡¯s tragic end could only be med on her own excessive obstinacy, and no one else!

    Wu Xirui absolutely didn¡¯t believe the words of Zhan Yuanshan.

    In his heart, his mother was naturally a business genius and the most outstanding business magnate!

    He snorted coldly, staring at Zhan Yuanshan resentfully, and said word by word, "Don¡¯t give me those grand-sounding arguments. At the end of the day, you just favored the sons more than the daughters. My mom¡¯s business talents were countless times better than Zhan Qipei!"

    "Not to mention, my mom went to the United States alone and, with her own skills, started from scratch, founded the Overseas Group, and even developed the group into one of the top hundred global enterprises."

    "In just a few short years, she achieved these results from nothing. Do you really think it¡¯s fair to say she was inferior to Qipei?"

    As Wu Xirui spoke in utter indignation, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    His sharp eyes slightly narrowed, his expression turned icy, and he didn¡¯t retreat as he met Wu Xirui¡¯s gaze, "You mean to say, I don¡¯t know how to choose people, and I don¡¯t appoint the truly talented!"

    At this point, Zhan Yuanshan prodded his cane again, his tone growing somewhat higher.

    "I¡¯ll tell you, that¡¯s absolutely impossible. When I led troops on the battlefield, I never made a single mistake in appointing my officers. My judgment of people was always spot on!"

    "I could tell at a nce who was merely a soldier and who possessed the talent of a general. If my judgment were not urate, could I have won so many battles? Could the empire enjoy the peace it does today?"

    For a battle-hardened War General, possessing a precise and unique perspective is extremely important.

    This was also the point that Zhan Yuanshan least allowed others to question!

    However, Wu Xirui thought otherwise. He scoffed coldly, his tone filled with sarcasm, "I know you¡¯re capable, but that was only on the battlefield!"

    Zhan Yuanshan mmed his cane hard on the ground and said sternly, "Haven¡¯t you heard the saying ¡¯business is like a battlefield¡¯? Whether on the business field or the battlefield, the principle is the same. I believe that my ability to judge people is absolutely impable!"

    Since the conversation had reached this point, Zhan Yuanshan decided to speak his mindpletely.

    After pausing for a few seconds, he looked at Wu Xirui and continued, "I don¡¯t deny your mother¡¯s talent in business, she might indeed rival Qipei. After all, she established the Overseas Group, one of the top 100 global corporations on her own."

    "But, her concepts inpany development and management really don¡¯t align with Zhan Corporation¡¯s growth. If her ideas were used to manage Zhan¡¯s, it would inevitably lead to Zhan¡¯s demise!"

    "Moreover, it¡¯s witnessed by everyone that ever since I handed Zhan¡¯s over to Qipei, Zhan¡¯s development has been rapidly improving, reaching new and more glorious heights¡ªan undeniable fact!"

    While Zhan Yuanshan and Wu Xirui were arguing, Qiao Jing had been silently observing nearby.

    After all, this was a dispute between grandfather and grandson, and it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to interfere.

    However, hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s final words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement.

    Indeed, when Zhan Qipei took over Zhan Corporation and officially became the CEO at the tender age of twenty-two,

    he led Zhan¡¯s to the dominant position in the business world in just two years!

    It must be said, Zhan Qipei truly is a rare business prodigy!

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit of admiration for Zhan Qipei.

    While admiring him, she also couldn¡¯t help but think about how Zhan Qipei personally cooked for her, the way he asionally acted coy with her, and those moments when he always clung to her.

    This man, in front of others and in front of her, could be said to showpletely different faces.

    This showed that, to him, she was indeed someone special!

    Wu Xirui, tired of arguing with Zhan Yuanshan, snorted coldly, "Since we each stick to our own views, further debate is a waste of words. Let¡¯s just wait and see what happens!"

    Having said that, Wu Xirui turned and walked away without waiting for Zhan Yuanshan to speak again.

    In his heart, he secretly vowed to do everything in his power to make Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Qipei, and the others in the Zhan Family personally admit that his mother was the best candidate to inherit Zhan Corporation!

 Chapter 789 - 777 Trying on the Wedding Dress

    <h4>Chapter 789: Chapter 777 Trying on the Wedding Dress</h4>

    Watching Wu Xirui leave with long strides, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    It seemed that getting his grandson to let go of his grudges and to forgive his mother was not an easy task!

    Qiao Jing shifted her gaze from the direction Wu Xirui had left and turned to look at Zhan Yuanshan beside her, asking with a hint of curiosity, "Grandpa Zhan, do you ever regret the decision you made back then?"

    If the decision had been different back then, perhaps the oue would be different as well...

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s question, Zhan Yuanshan was pulled back from his thoughts. He chuckled and said, "Regret? I¡¯ve never regretted anything I do in my life."

    "Besides, on this matter, I truly believe that I did nothing wrong, or rather, I am convinced that the decision I made was the correct one¡ªQipei was indeed the most suitable candidate to take over Zhan Corporation!"

    "Just look at Zhan Corporation¡¯s glory and prosperity; without Qipei, it could have never developed into what it is now."

    "As for my daughter..."

    As he spoke, Zhan Yuanshan paused and sighed again, "To tell the truth, her temperament is unlike mine or her mother¡¯s, but rather, it reminds me a bit of her second uncle."

    "Both are simrly proud and hasty for sess, incredibly stubborn and particrly opinionated, always thinking they can do anything better than anyone else."

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow and quietly listened to Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words.

    Zhan Yingying¡¯s second uncle, that is, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s brother¡ªZhan Kaiyang.

    Zhan Kaiyang was someone whose personality and temperament really weren¡¯t all that great.

    "Well, enough about that."

    Zhan Yuanshan waved his hand dismissively, then pointed toward the restaurant and said to Qiao Jing, "Let¡¯s go have our meal first."

    "Alright."

    Qiao Jing nodded and followed Zhan Yuanshan into the restaurant.

    ...

    After the decision to hold the wedding again was finalized, the Zhan Family began to prepare for it energetically.

    As the bride, Qiao Jing¡¯s primary task was naturally to try on wedding dresses.

    The bridal shop was carefully selected by Su Manhan. It was such an important event that she originally intended to apany Qiao Jing herself.

    However, on the very day Qiao Jing was scheduled to try on the dresses, Su Manhan suddenly felt unwell and could only rest at home, unable to go out.

    When Zhan Nanqing heard about this, she immediately ran to Qiao Jing and volunteered herself.

    "Qiao Jing, let me apany you. I want to be the first to see you in your wedding dress!"

    She thought, with Qiao Jing¡¯s stunning beauty and graceful figure, she would look heavenly in a wedding dress!

    The mere thought of that beautiful scene made her incredibly excited!

    Actually, she had seen Qiao Jing in a wedding dress before¡ªit was when Qiao Jing married her brother for the first time. But circumstances were different back then; she was very much against Qiao Jing and hadn¡¯t paid attention to how she looked in her wedding dress.

    Watching the excitement in Zhan Nanqing¡¯s eyes, Qiao Jing slowly let out, "If I remember correctly, you haven¡¯t finished your work at the research institute yet, have you?"

    At those words, Zhan Nanqing¡¯s expression instantly fell.

    She looked at Qiao Jing with pleading eyes and negotiated, "Can I apany you to try on the dress and then finish the rest of the work?"

    "That won¡¯t be possible." Qiao Jing extended her index finger and wagged it from side to side, "The data has to bepleted today."

    "But, trying on a wedding dress is such an important event, I can¡¯t let you go alone..."

    Zhan Nanqing was hoping to haggle a little more, but before she got halfway through her sentence, Qiao Jing cut her off.

    "Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll have Xiangxiang go with me, you just focus on your work."

    After saying this, Qiao Jing took out her phone and, in front of Zhan Nanqing, called Lin Xiuxiang.

    Zhan Nanqing pouted, a look of disappointment on her face.

    Not being the first one to see Qiao Jing in her wedding dress really broke her heart!!!

    Twenty minutester, a car pulled up in front of the bridal shop.

    Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang got out of the car one after the other.

    Before even entering the bridal shop, just standing at the door, one could already feel a very romantic aura.

    Looking inside through the full-length windows on both sides, theyout of the entire bridal shop could be seen.

    "This bridal shop looks amazing. Let¡¯s hurry in," Lin Xiuxiang said, and without waiting, she took Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and walked eagerly toward the shop.

    Qiao Jing nodded in agreement with Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s remark.

    The shop did look nice, and it was clear that Su Manhan had really put thought into selecting this ce.

    As soon as they entered the bridal shop, Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t help but exim, "Wow! These wedding dresses are so beautiful! Qiao Jing, you will look amazing in them!"

    Qiao Jing pulled lightly at the corner of her lips, ncing around the shop.

    She had to admit, the variety of styles in the shop was truly vast, dazzling line-up, and all the designs were enchanting.

    There were strapless, long-tailed dresses, A-line fluffy ones like princess gowns, knee-length dresses with open backs, sexy V-neck fitted ones, and enchanting strapless mermaid styles...

    With such a dizzying array, it made one¡¯s eyes blur!

    The shop¡¯s sales associate approached Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang with a beaming smile, "Ladies, please follow me this way, and I¡¯ll introduce you to the styles we have in the shop."

    Qiao Jing nodded and, along with Lin Xiuxiang, followed the sales associate to start selecting wedding dresses.

    At that moment, two women passed by the bridal shop.

    One of them wore a hat on her head andrge sunsses that covered most of her face.

    This person, who waspletely covering her face, was Qiao Mengtong, and the person beside her was her best friend Zhou Qi.

    Zhou Qi turned her head and inadvertently spotted Qiao Jing inside the bridal shop.

    She stopped in her tracks, blocked Qiao Mengtong, and pointed to the figure of Qiao Jing, saying, "Mengtong, look, isn¡¯t that your half-sister? What is she doing in a bridal shop? Trying on wedding dresses?"

    Qiao Mengtong followed Zhou Qi¡¯s pointing finger and did indeed see Qiao Jing.

    Seeing Qiao Jing seriously picking out wedding dresses in the store, Qiao Mengtong found it odd.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had mentioned before that Qiao Jing now firmly held the position of the young mistress of the Zhan Family and that she and the President of Zhan Corporation had already had their wedding. So why was she trying on wedding dresses here?

    Could it be... Qiao Jing had really been thrown out of the Zhan Family?

    Otherwise, why would she be trying on wedding dresses?

    Looking at her like that, she might be getting married to someone else!

    Upon this thought, Qiao Mengtong suddenly felt as if she had grasped the truth.

    Qiao Mengtong and the Qiao Family were unaware of the re-wedding event organized by the Zhan Corporation. Qiao Mengtong had been busy with her film shootings, while the Qiao Family had been running their businesses, hoping to revive their fortunes and restore the Qiao Family to its former glory.

    Hmph, so like Qiao Jing, getting ready to marry someone else and not even giving them a heads up!

    Thinking this, Qiao Mengtong left Zhou Qi and stormed into the bridal shop, heading straight for Qiao Jing.

    When Qiao Jing looked up, she gave Qiao Mengtong a cold nce, her eyes and brows filled with detachment and indifference.

    Qiao Mengtong stared at the wedding dress in Qiao Jing¡¯s hands and demanded, "Why are you here trying on wedding dresses? Who are you marrying?"

    Seeing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s arrogant attitude towards Qiao Jing, Lin Xiuxiang instantly became angry.

    She red at Qiao Mengtong and snapped, "What does it matter to you if Qiao Jing tries on wedding dresses or who she marries? Is it any of your business?"

    Qiao Mengtong retorted with righteous indignation, "How is it not my business? Don¡¯t forget, she too has thest name Qiao. We of the Qiao Family have every right to inquire about her matters!"

 Chapter 790 - 778: Coerce Her for a Dowry

    <h4>Chapter 790: Chapter 778: Coerce Her for a Dowry</h4>

    After hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s rage soared.

    She red at Qiao Mengtong, gritted her teeth and said, "Qiao Mengtong, have you no shame? How can you say such things!"

    The Qiao Family had never treated Qiao Jing as one of their own, but now they had the audacity to say she also bears the Qiao surname and even wanted to meddle in Qiao Jing¡¯s affairs?

    How utterly shameless!!

    Qiao Mengtong also red back at Lin Xiuxiang and snorted coldly, "I wasn¡¯t even talking to you. Why are you butting in? I advise you to mind your own business!"

    After confronting Lin Xiuxiang, Qiao Mengtong shifted her gaze to Qiao Jing and said with a sense of entitlement, "Since you¡¯re getting married, our Qiao Family should receive a dowry. It¡¯s not asking much, just ten million will do!"

    Although she didn¡¯t want to admit it, whether in terms of looks, figure, or demeanor, Qiao Jing was exceptional, and no ordinary person couldpare.

    Therefore, in her view, if Qiao Jing were to remarry, the suitor couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary person; even if not from the upper echelons of society, at least someone wealthy or nouveau riche.

    It might even be some old man over fifty, with a Mediterranean bald spot and a pot belly, just thinking about it is disgusting!

    But then again, such nouveau riche individuals definitely had substantial fortunes...

    Thinking this, Qiao Mengtong suddenly felt that she had spoken too hastily earlier and had underestimated the amount.

    Just ten million was far too cheap for Qiao Jing!

    After Qiao Mengtong finished speaking, before Qiao Jing had a chance to say anything, Lin Xiuxiang already pointed at Qiao Mengtong¡¯s head and burst out scolding.

    "Qiao Mengtong, you are utterly shameless. Why even ask for a dowry? If you want money so badly, you might as well go rob someone. I¡¯ve really learned something new today, I¡¯ve never met someone as shameless as you before!"

    The more Lin Xiuxiang cursed, the angrier she got. If it weren¡¯t for the presence of others and the fact that she was pregnant, she would have loved to rush up and p Qiao Mengtong a few times.

    Qiao Mengtong didn¡¯t take Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s anger seriously or care about her words.

    She felt her demand for a dowry waspletely reasonable!

    Ignoring Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s outburst, she directly addressed Qiao Jing, "I can¡¯t be bothered to argue with you, just give me a straight answer, are you going to pay the ten-million dowry or not?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond but slowly lifted up her delicate hands, turning them over and back a few times.

    Qiao Mengtong didn¡¯t understand what she was trying to do and frowned, snorting coldly, "Qiao Jing, what is this supposed to mean? Have you be mute? Can¡¯t you respond?"

    Qiao Jing scoffed, held out her hand in front of Qiao Mengtong, and spoke unhurriedly, "I can¡¯t give you the money, but how about I give you this p instead? Would you like it?"

    She had no money to offer, but she was always ready to provide a p!

    Qiao Mengtong quickly stepped back, fearing Qiao Jing might actually p her.

    After moving to a safe distance, she red at Qiao Jing, gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, you won¡¯t give it? I¡¯m calling Dad right now to tell him about this!"

    Saying this, Qiao Mengtong took out her phone, ready to call Qiao Licheng.

    Picking up a wedding dress, Qiao Jing turned to Lin Xiuxiang and said, "I think this wedding dress isn¡¯t bad; I¡¯ll go try it on."

    With that, she walked towards the changing area without giving Qiao Mengtong another nce.

    Lin Xiuxiang rolled her eyes at Qiao Mengtong and then followed Qiao Jing¡¯s steps.

    As the two left, the phone call Qiao Mengtong had made connected just in time.

    Clutching her phone tightly, she started off bluntly, saying to Qiao Licheng on the other end, "Dad, Qiao Jing is getting remarried, she¡¯s marrying a nouveau riche!"

    Qiao Licheng was stunned for a moment, somewhat failing to react. "What did you say? rify your words."

    Qiao Mengtong immediately repeated what she had just said, then began to exaggerate the details.

    "Qiao Jing was trying on wedding dresses in the bridal shop when I bumped into her. Since she was getting remarried, I thought our Qiao Family should definitely receive a dowry, so I directly mentioned this to her. But not only was she unwilling to give the money, but she also threatened and intimidated me..."

    After hearing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words, Qiao Licheng¡¯s face darkened as he bellowed angrily, "Preposterous! This rebellious daughter, utterly unfilial! I will go and demand it myself. I want to see if she¡¯ll pay or not!"

    Given the family¡¯s current financial difficulties, it was a time of desperate need for money. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t let go of this opportunity to make some.

    With this in mind, Qiao Licheng quickly instructed Qiao Mengtong, "I¡¯ming right now. Make sure to keep an eye on Qiao Jing, don¡¯t let her run away."

    Qiao Mengtong turned her head to nce towards the dressing room, saying, "Don¡¯t worry, she just started trying on the wedding dresses, so it should take a while before she leaves. You should make it in time if youe now..."

    Before she could finish her words, Qiao Licheng had already hung up the phone and rushed out the door.

    All the way there, Qiao Licheng floored the elerator, fearing he might miss a good opportunity to make money.

    When he arrived at the bridal shop, Qiao Jing had just finished trying on two wedding dresses and had changed back into her own clothes, stepping out of the dressing room.

    "Dad, she¡¯s here!" Qiao Mengtong pointed towards Qiao Jing.

    Turning his gaze, Qiao Licheng caught sight of Qiao Jing and stormed over to her, berating her relentlessly.

    "Unfilial daughter, I am, after all, your biological father. It wasn¡¯t easy giving birth to you, raising you was even harder. Now that you¡¯ve climbed up the socialdder and are marrying a wealthy man, what¡¯s wrong with your father asking for a dowry?"

    "Our family is in such financial trouble, how can you ignore it and stand by idly? How can there be such a heartless and ruthless ungrateful daughter in this world?"

    Upon hearing this, the shop attendants began to point fingers at Qiao Jing, their looks towards her turning peculiar.

    "The wedding dresses in this shop are all exclusively designed by famous designers. This woman can afford to shop here, it¡¯s clear she¡¯s marrying into a wealthy family. Even if not a super wealthy one, she¡¯s definitely marrying a rich man. But based on what her father just said, she¡¯s behaving unreasonably, like a thankless wretch!"

    "Exactly, if the family is really in trouble, as a daughter, she should at least lend a hand, especially since she doesn¡¯t look short of money."

    "Supporting parents is an obligation of the children. Her disregard for her father is indeed a bit excessive!"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face was expressionless, her gaze cold as she looked at Qiao Licheng.

    Regarding the murmurs of the people around her, she acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard them, her facial expression unflustered.

    In contrast to her indifference, Lin Xiuxiang was quite upset.

    Lin Xiuxiang, ring with widened eyes at Qiao Licheng, indignantly said, "It¡¯s ridiculous, how can someone like you even qualify as a father? When Qiao Jing was one month old and caught an infectious disease, what did you do to her?"

    "Afraid of getting infected yourself, you simply discarded her in the countryside, having ignored her and not cared for her well-being all these years. And now you have the audacity to show up asking for money?"

    "With the likes of you, you even have the nerve to reverse the usation, calling her heartless and ruthless. Who really is heartless and ruthless? You don¡¯t deserve to be called human!"

 Chapter 791 - 779 Who is the real beast?

    <h4>Chapter 791: Chapter 779 Who is the real beast?</h4>

    Lin Xiuxiang punctuated each word without mercy, piercing through Qiao Licheng¡¯s various misdeeds.

    After listening to her, the sales associates who were just now gossiping about Qiao Jing instantly turned their guns around and began to condemn Qiao Licheng.

    "So that¡¯s how it is, a father who only begets but does not raise is no father at all. No wonder his daughter doesn¡¯t care for him!"

    "This man is too ruthless, abandoning his month-old daughter in the countryside, as if he wished her dead!

    "How can he still have the face to ask his daughter for money aftermitting such disgusting acts? And to do so with such righteous indignation? Truly scum of the earth!"

    "Exactly, when he threw his daughter to the countryside, the bond between them was cleanly severed. So whether he lives or dies now has nothing to do with her, she doesn¡¯t need to bother about him at all!"

    "..."

    In an instant, the direction of public opinion made a 180-degree turn.

    Hearing the crowd¡¯s discussions, Qiao Licheng¡¯s face began to look somewhat unpleasant.

    His gaze dark and ominous, he red at Lin Xiuxiang and retorted, "Stop spouting nonsense here, fabricating stories. How could there possibly be such a heartless father in the world?"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing curled her lips slightly, letting out a coldugh.

    Qiao Licheng frowned at her and asked irritably, "What are youughing at?"

    "It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard someone curse themselves. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny?" Qiao Jing replied with an icy tone and a mocking look.

    At these words, Qiao Licheng became so enraged that his face turned the color of liver.

    Pointing at Qiao Jing¡¯s head, he said through clenched teeth, "I get it now, you¡¯ve concocted these groundless usations just to sever ties with me. You never wanted to acknowledge me as your father!"

    "Back then, shortly after you were born, you contracted an infectious disease. To treat you, I spared no effort or cost. Your mother went even further. In taking care of you, she became infected and died."

    "Now the household is in trouble, yet you, having risen high and mighty, ignore your family¡¯s life and death, even disavowing your kin. You¡¯re nothing but a cold-blooded beast!"

    Qiao Licheng twisted the truth into a convincing story, feigning absolute certainty.

    The very sales associates who had just been censuring him, swayed by his words, began to shift their condemnation back to Qiao Jing.

    "No way! Was everything that woman said before all made up?"

    "That¡¯s too outrageous! Just because the family has fallen on hard times, to fabricate such lies about her father, ndering himpletely inexcusable!"

    "To turn her back on her kin just because she¡¯s rich¡ªthis woman is nothing but a selfish opportunist!"

    "No wonder they say appearances can be deceiving. This woman looks attractive, has a good figure, and even appears elegant; who would¡¯ve thought she¡¯s such a greed-driven scoundrel?"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing remained indifferent to these usations. Her expression was cold and impassive.

    But Lin Xiuxiang could no longer stand it, her anger rising rapidly.

    She red at Qiao Licheng, fuming, "I think your conscience must have been eaten by a dog! Aren¡¯t you afraid of being struck by lightning for saying such things? Ack of morals, shamelessness like yours, will surely not end well!"

    At her words, Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes bulged, his gaze towards Lin Xiuxiang turned vicious, "You wretched girl, you dare to curse me?"

    "So, what if I curse you? Someone as morally degraded and shameless as you, are you still afraid of being cursed? Calling you out like this is letting you off easy!"

    Lin Xiuxiang was fuming with anger and did not hesitate to retort angrily.

    Seeing Lin Xiuxiang so emotionally agitated, Qiao Jing was afraid it might affect the child in her womb and quickly reached out to hold her back, "There¡¯s no need to waste words on people like that."

    Then, Qiao Jing turned her gaze to Qiao Licheng, her tone icy as she spoke, "Disappeared from my sight immediately, or I¡¯ll see you in court!"

    Qiao Licheng was startled and a bit slow to respond, "What court? What do you mean?"

    "You defamed me in front of everyone; I can sue you for nder. You know very well what really happened back then, it¡¯s not simply what you say it is with a p of your lips."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was icy as she stared at Qiao Licheng, a chilling aura emanating from her, "What do you say? Do you dare to confront me in court?"

    Refusing to admit what he had done and attempting to bite back, did he really think Qiao Jing was that easy to bully?

    Overwhelmed by Qiao Jing¡¯s imposing manner and guilty with no idea how to argue his case, Qiao Licheng froze on the spot, unable to speak.

    The onlookers, hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words and seeing Qiao Licheng¡¯s speechless reaction, instantly understood who was in the right and who was in the wrong.

    Realizing they had unjustly used the wrong person, those who had righteously criticized Qiao Jing just moments ago now awkwardly bowed their heads and quietly moved aside.

    And those who hadn¡¯t taken part in the gossip earlier were now pointing fingers at Qiao Licheng.

    "So it¡¯s this guy who¡¯s been making things up, how shameless can he get, distorting truth and still acting so self-righteous!"

    "Heartlessly abandoning his month-old daughter and now, seeing her do well, shamelesslyes asking her for money. Someone as disgusting as him insults even the term ¡¯scum¡¯; he¡¯s worse than a beast!"

    "I¡¯ve never seen anyone so shameless in my life!"

    "I don¡¯t know where he gets the nerve, calling his daughter cold-blooded, beastly; I¡¯d say he¡¯s the real beast!"

    "..."

    Listening to everyone¡¯s discussion, Qiao Licheng¡¯s face had troubles hanging in there, turning an ugly shade.

    But, to get money from Qiao Jing¡¯s hands, he still brazenly spoke up, unrelentingly.

    "No matter what, I am still your father, and that¡¯s a fact that can¡¯t be changed. Now the family is facing financial difficulties; if you won¡¯t help out, that¡¯s one thing. But since you¡¯re getting married, you must provide the dowry¡ªthere¡¯s no room for discussion!"

    Hearing Qiao Licheng speak like this, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s anger surged once again. She was about to say something, but Qiao Jing reached out and held her again.

    Lin Xiuxiang turned her head to look at Qiao Jing, and seeing her shake her head, she held back her words.

    Then, Qiao Jing nced at Qiao Licheng and said coldly, "Fine, you want a dowry, right? Then follow me."

    She was eager to see if he dared to ask the Zhan Family for a dowry!

    Lin Xiuxiang, hearing Qiao Jing say this, looked at her in surprise, apparently not understanding why she would agree.

    Qiao Jing saw Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s confusion and gave her a reassuring look.

    Getting the signal from Qiao Jing, Lin Xiuxiang immediately understood.

    She knew that Qiao Jing must have a solution!

    Feeling just as surprised was Qiao Licheng, who had not expected Qiao Jing to agree so easily.

    After a moment of shock, Qiao Licheng came back to his senses, as if afraid Qiao Jing might change her mind, he said impatiently, "Fine, let¡¯s go now."

 Chapter 792 - 780: Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing Show Affection in Front of Qiao Licheng

    <h4>Chapter 792: Chapter 780: Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing Show Affection in Front of Qiao Licheng</h4>

    After leaving the bridal shop, Qiao Jing asked Lin Xiuxiang to head home first while she got into the car they had arrived in, along with Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong.

    The car was specially arranged for Qiao Jing by Su Manhan, and the driver was also from the Zhan Family.

    Once in the car, Qiao Jing simply stated, "Drive, let¡¯s go back."

    The driver responded with an "Okay", and then started the car.

    All the way, Qiao Licheng was extremely excited.

    He pondered secretly, making sure to take a good lookter at just how luxurious the house was where Qiao Jing was supposedly going to marry into.

    If this family was wealthier than he had imagined, then he would have to act ordingly and ask for more money, perhaps twenty million...

    No, no!

    Qiao Licheng shook his head to himself, realizing that twenty million was too little, nowhere near enough; he would need at least one hundred million!

    If he could get one hundred million this time, he could use that money to invest in business, make aeback, and win back everything he had lost!

    No, this time he didn¡¯t just want to recoup his losses; he wanted to return more gloriously, live a life even more luxurious and refined than before, preferably buy a European-style manor and hire dozens of servants...

    In short, it was all about luxury at its extreme!

    Entrenched in his fantasy of a bright future, Qiao Licheng almost split his lips smiling, unable to close his mouth.

    The more he fantasized, the more impatient he became.

    He raised his head, wanting to urge the driver to speed up.

    However, upon looking up, Qiao Licheng suddenly realized that the route the car was taking seemed incorrect, this...

    Why had they arrived at the Zhan Family¡¯s vi?!

    Qiao Licheng hastily extended his hand, thumping the passenger seat hard, and asked with a frown, "Qiao Jing, why have you brought me here? What are you trying to do? Are you ying me for a fool?"

    Qiao Jing, who was sitting in the passenger seat, slowly turned around, her expression mockingly serene, her gaze on Qiao Licheng cold and emotionless.

    "Didn¡¯t you say you wanted a bridal price? The family I am marrying into is this one."

    Hearing this, Qiao Licheng¡¯s anger surged, and the smile on his face vanished instantly.

    He red at Qiao Jing, bellowed angrily, "Stop spouting nonsense! You¡¯ve already been kicked out by the Zhan Family; how dare you make up such lies!"

    "And besides, aren¡¯t you supposed to be marrying someone else now? Don¡¯t think you can get rid of me with these little tricks. If I don¡¯t get the bridal price today, I¡¯m not leaving!"

    Just now on the phone, Qiao Mengtong had made it very clear to him that Qiao Jing was going to marry a nouveau riche!!

    "What a joke, when did I ever say I was remarrying?"

    Qiao Jing stared at Qiao Licheng, her eyes and brows brimming with coldness, and scoffed, "The man I am marrying is the head of the Zhan Family, the CEO of Zhan Corporation¡ªZhan, Qipei!"

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t seem to be lying, Qiao Licheng was momentarily stunned.

    But then he thought about it and felt that this im didn¡¯t make sense.

    Looking at Qiao Jing with skepticism, he snorted, "You¡¯re talkingplete nonsense! You and the CEO of Zhan¡¯s had already held a wedding ceremony before; who gets married to the same person twice? Do you think I¡¯m stupid and easily deceived?"

    "Let me tell you, stop with these tricks in front of me and bring me to the house of the person you¡¯re supposed to be marrying into..."

    "Believe it or not!"

    Qiao Jing, not wanting to waste any more words with Qiao Licheng, left these words behind, opened the car door, and headed toward the gates of Purple Garden.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction and actions, Qiao Licheng suddenly felt a bit less certain.

    He turned his head and nced at Qiao Mengtong beside him, stammering somewhat as he said, "This, this... She... She said, could it really be true?"

    "Impossible! She¡¯s definitely just putting on airs, trying to scare us into backing down!"

    The more Qiao Mengtong spoke, the more convinced she became, her tone growing increasingly assertive, "Dad, just wait and see, if she really dares to go over there, she will definitely be kicked out!"

    After listening, Qiao Licheng found Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words quite reasonable and immediately nodded in agreement.

    In the end, Qiao Jing simply didn¡¯t want to give the money!

    Thinking this, Qiao Licheng opened the door and got out of the car, waiting to watch the uing spectacle.

    Qiao Mengtong followed closely behind.

    The two of them followed Qiao Jing, maintaining a distance of several steps behind her.

    However, the next scene left both Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong dumbfounded.

    They saw Qiao Jing walk up to the entrance of Purple Garden and, after pressing the doorbell, a servant came hurrying to open the door in less than five seconds.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, the servant quickly bent forward and gave a respectful bow, "Young Madam, you¡¯ve returned!"

    Qiao Jing gave a slight nod as a response.

    Witnessing this scene, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong exchanged looks, their faces filled with astonishment.

    Judging by the servant¡¯s respectful address and demeanor toward Qiao Jing, it was clear that not only had she not been thrown out by the Zhan Family, but she also held a high position within it!

    But how could this be?

    If Qiao Jing still held the position of the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam, why would she go to a bridal shop to try on wedding gowns?

    Whoever heard of having two weddings with the same person?!

    Was that even reasonable!!!

    While Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong were still reeling from shock, Qiao Jing slowly turned around, looking at them with a cold sneer and spoke leisurely, "Didn¡¯t you want toe? Now the gate is wide open, you¡¯re wee to enter."

    The reason she had brought Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong here was because she had calcted that these two would never dare to cause trouble on the Zhan¡¯s turf.

    Still wanting a bride price?

    Dream on!

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong finally snapped back to reality, and instead of daring to move forward, they subconsciously took a step back.

    Although they didn¡¯t understand, both knew they had guessed wrong.

    Qiao Jing trying on wedding gowns was indeed about having another wedding ceremony with the president of Zhan Corporation...

    Seeing their reaction, Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curved into a mocking smile,ughing out loud, "What¡¯s the matter? Weren¡¯t you just moring about not leaving without receiving the bride price? Now you don¡¯t even dare to enter?"

    Following her words, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong¡¯splexions became even uglier.

    At that moment, a ck Maybach raced from afar and came to a steady stop beside Qiao Jing.

    Upon seeing the car, Qiao Jing knew who was inside.

    Her eyebrows raised slightly as she looked at Zhan Qipei alighting from the car.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei suddenly appear, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong took another step back, their faces clearly showing their wariness.

    Under their watchful eyes, Zhan Qipei walked leisurely towards Qiao Jing and naturally wrapped his arm around her waist, speaking in a deep, maic voice.

    "Weren¡¯t you going to try on wedding gowns? Why have youe back so early? Have you finished trying them on?"

 Chapter 793 - 781: Qiao Lichengéˆ¥æªš 180 Degree Attitude Change

    <h4>Chapter 793: Chapter 781: Qiao Licheng¡¯s 180 Degree Attitude Change</h4>

    Qiao Jing shook her head slightly and responded indifferently, "I haven¡¯t finished trying it on, there was a little ident."

    As she spoke, she nced at Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong, who were standing rigidly to the side.

    Zhan Qipei followed her gaze and then noticed the presence of Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong.

    Seeing these two, Zhan Qipei could roughly guess what had happened. His gaze turned icy, filling with a cold chill as he looked at them.

    Intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong shivered, feeling a coldness shoot from their soles up to their skulls, which was utterly chilling.

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze and looked back at Qiao Jing, the chill in his eyes dissipating, his gaze bing gentle once again.

    The hand he had around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist tightened slightly, and he began softly, "Sorry, I had an important meeting at thepany today and had to attend, so I couldn¡¯t apany you. The meeting is over now, let¡¯s go try it once more."

    Qiao Jing nodded and replied in agreement, "Okay."

    She was actually quite looking forward to going to pick out a wedding dress with Zhan Qipei.

    After agreeing, the two of them prepared to get into the car and leave.

    Seeing how tender Zhan Qipei was with Qiao Jing, and that he was personally apanying her to try on wedding dresses, Qiao Licheng knew that Qiao Jing was very much favored now.

    At the same time, he realized that the reason they were having another wedding was because the previous one had not been executed well.

    Realizing this, Qiao Licheng¡¯s eyes shifted, and he immediately rushed forward to stop Qiao Jing, his attitude taking aplete 180-degree turn.

    He pulled at the corner of his mouth, giving a forcedugh as he looked at Qiao Jing and said, "Xiao Jing, Dad wasn¡¯t very nice to you before and did some things that wronged you. I really shouldn¡¯t have been so foolish!"

    "Xiao Jing, Dad knows his mistakes now. From now on, I will totally reform and make amends for the past. I¡¯ll be good to you and properly make up for what you missed out on."

    "Xiao Jing, can you forgive Dad?"

    Qiao Licheng first engaged in a reflection of his own actions, then made solemn promises to Qiao Jing before finally revealing his ultimate purpose.

    He felt that with the degree of favoritism Qiao Jing now enjoyed, just getting her forgiveness would allow him to bask in the glory of the Zhan Family.

    From then on, a life of wealth and honor would be limitless!

    However, looking at Qiao Licheng¡¯s face, full of hypocrisy for the sake of profit, Qiao Jing felt nothing but extreme disgust.

    She expressionlessly uttered, "You want my forgiveness, is that it?"

    Qiao Licheng nodded frantically and reasserted himself, "As long as you can forgive Dad, I¡¯ll do anything!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curled slightly, lifting into a cold smirk, "Alright, I have two conditions. If you can meet them, I might consider forgiving you."

    Hearing this, Qiao Licheng was internally delighted, almost unable to hide his excitement.

    He had thought that Qiao Jing would not easily let go, and that it would probably take a lot of effort, but it turned out to be so easy.

    Although there were conditions, it was still much better than having no hope at all!

    Thinking this, Qiao Licheng eagerly pressed, "What conditions? Just say them, and I¡¯ll do my best to meet them!"

    Qiao Jing cast a cold nce at Qiao Mengtong standing nearby and spoke in an indifferent tone, "The first condition, drive Qiao Mengtong and her daughter out of the Qiao Family."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Licheng froze, his face turning somewhat unsightly.

    However, his gaze stillnded on Qiao Mengtong, as if considering whether to do as Qiao Jing had said.

    Qiao Mengtong, stared at this way by Qiao Licheng, turned pale with fright, afraid that he would agree.

    Though he was her biological father, she knew his nature well.

    In the face of great temptation, Qiao Licheng would stop at nothing!

    Moreover, now that Qiao Jing had connected with the Zhan Family, a super-rich n to rely on, as long as she could forgive him, his life hereafter would be worry-free.

    So, for Qiao Licheng,pared to Qiao Jing, who carried the title of Young Madame of the Zhan Family, she and her mother were easily dispensable!

    For a moment, Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong had different thoughts.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze coldly swept over their faces, and without waiting for Qiao Licheng to reply, she spoke again, "My second condition is to let my mom trulye back to life."

    At this statement, Qiao Licheng, who had been considering whether to kick out the mother and daughter, suddenly turned pale.

    Even if he were a grand immortal, he couldn¡¯t bring a long-dead person back to life!

    He knew, by making this condition, Qiao Jing meant she could never forgive him in this lifetime...

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze from Qiao Licheng and turned to look at Zhan Qipei beside her, saying calmly, "Let¡¯s go."

    Zhan Qipei nodded and looped his arm around Qiao Jing as they walked towards the car nearby.

    His dreams of glory and riches shattered in an instant, Qiao Licheng felt so miserable that he fell to the ground.

    Watching Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei walk away side by side, he suddenly felt an immense regret, rueing to the core.

    If only he had known Qiao Jing would have such fortunes now, he definitely would have done certain things in advance to make up for his past mistakes.

    If only he had treated Qiao Jing a little better, perhaps he could now be the father-inw of the head of the Zhan Family, the president of Zhan¡¯s Corporation!

    Qiao Mengtong watched, her heart crushed, as Zhan Qipei embraced Qiao Jing and they got into the Maybach.

    She staggered, and just like Qiao Licheng, fell seated on the ground.

    Initially, she thought that by clinging to the Zhan brothers, she could trample Qiao Jing underfoot.

    Little did she know, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei merely regarded her as a toy, a stand-in for Qiao Jing, simply because she bore a slight resemnce to Qiao Jing.

    Yet even so, she still clung to a sliver of hope, hoping that one day, she could truly marry into a wealthy family.

    Even if that hope was slim, she still strived hard to try, to fight for it.

    But while she was struggling so hard, Qiao Jing had already be the darling of the head of the Zhan Family, the very Young Madame of a wealthy family that she had always longed to be...

    Qiao Licheng and Qiao Mengtong hadn¡¯t gotten up from the ground when Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had already gotten into the car.

    Zhan Qipei did not immediately drive off; instead, he looked at Qiao Jing sitting in the front passenger seat, his deep eyes filled withpassion.

    Every time he saw the Qiao Family members, he was reminded of Qiao Jing¡¯s origin, of how she grew up alone in the countryside without parental love or rtives.

    Thinking of these, his heart could not stop aching for her.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei not driving yet, Qiao Jing turned her head in confusion, her eyes meeting hispassionate gaze.

    She was momentarily taken aback and before she could say anything, Zhan Qipei suddenly took her hand and vowed, "Rest assured, from now on, the Zhan Family will be your home, and I will be everything to you. I will take good care of you and never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

 Chapter 794 - 782: Zhan Qipei Breaks into the Changing Room used by Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 794: Chapter 782: Zhan Qipei Breaks into the Changing Room used by Qiao Jing</h4>

    Hearing Zhan Qipei speak so earnestly, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh a little.

    She knew that Zhan Qipei¡¯s words came from the heart, but they were also meant tofort her.

    After a soft chuckle, Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei and said, "I know you pity me because of my background and what I¡¯ve been through, and so youfort me, but actually, I¡¯ve stopped caring about those things."

    "Though the only mother who loved me in this world has passed away, I know that her love for me will never disappear."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing raised her hand to gently touch her chest, her lips curling up in a faint smile, happiness warming her eyes and eyebrows.

    "I believe that my mother is still watching over me in silence, so I will live well, without resentment orining."

    Zhan Qipei nodded, his gaze deep as he looked at Qiao Jing.

    After a moment, he pursed his lips slightly and, changing the subject, said, "Enough about this, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s hurry and try on the wedding dress."

    With that, Zhan Qipei pressed the gas pedal and drove the car out.

    Soon, the car stopped in front of a bridal shop.

    Zhan Qipei, with his arm around Qiao Jing, walked into the store at a leisurely pace.

    Because Qiao Licheng had made a scene, the shop assistants were still buzzing about what had happened.

    Besides condemning Qiao Licheng¡¯s actions, the staff were also curious about the affluent family Qiao Jing was about to marry into.

    As they were huddled in groups discussing, they saw Qiao Jing return, apanied by a man who was strikingly handsome and exuded a powerful presence.

    "Wow, no wonder the guy just now had the cheek to ask for a dowry from his daughter; the man she¡¯s marrying looks like a powerful, influential tycoon!"

    "This man is so handsome, the two of them look perfect together, like they were made for each other!"

    "Handsome man, beautiful woman, this scene is such a feast for the eyes!"

    "..."

    While the assistants whispered among themselves, Qiao Jing picked up a wedding dress and said to Zhan Qipei, "This is the one I tried on before, I think it looks quite good on."

    "Then wear it for me to see."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly, his tone full of clear anticipation.

    He thought that his wife would look even more beautiful than a fairy in a wedding dress!

    "Okay," Qiao Jing nodded, holding the wedding dress as she walked towards the changing room.

    The shop assistant who had been serving Qiao Jing quickly followed behind.

    However, the assistant only got to the entrance of the changing room before she was stopped by Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed, his gaze falling on the assistant with a chilling tone, "What do you think you¡¯re doing?"

    The assistant, intimidated by his gaze, shrank back a bit, her speech faltering, "The, the wedding dress is quite tricky to put on, I, I was going to help."

    Normally, shop assistants would help customers with wedding dresses in the changing room.

    "No need, I¡¯ll take care of it." Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was cold andmanding, brooking no argument.

    Qiao Jing, holding the wedding dress, looked at Zhan Qipei with an exasperated expression.

    She could tell straight away that this man was getting jealous again.

    Most people only get jealous of the opposite gender, but this man, he gets jealous of everyone!

    In the past, he would often get jealous of her female friends, and now he had escted to the point where he was even jealous of a female shop assistant!

    He was a veritable jar of vinegar!

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing felt both helpless and amused.

    She lifted her gaze to meet Zhan Qipei¡¯s, "Are you done? She was just helping me with the zipper and adjusting it when I tried it on before. They are the professionals, let them do it. After all, it¡¯s not the first time."

    What?!

    You¡¯ve already helped try them on!!

    Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯ve seen everything you should and shouldn¡¯t have seen!!!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯splexion changed suddenly, his gaze sweeping across the store¡¯s sales associates as a bone-chilling coldness radiated from the depths of his eyes.

    The sales associate who had followed them earlier was closest and most affected, turning pale with fear, stuttering as she spoke, "T-Then if you two need anything else, just call me, I¡¯ll go attend to other things."

    Having said that, she beat a hasty retreat.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing reached out and tugged at Zhan Qipei¡¯s sleeve, "What are you doing? You scared her."

    That sales associate was just trying to do her job loyally, just trying to be helpful, and this guy scared her like that, a bit too harsh!

    Zhan Qipei snorted lightly, not feeling there was anything wrong at all.

    His wife¡¯s body is only for him to see.

    Anyone else, even if a woman, can¡¯t, not gouging out their eyes was already showing mercy!

    "Alright, never mind that, let¡¯s go try on the clothes."

    Having said this, without waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, Zhan Qipei directly pulled her into the dressing room.

    As soon as the dressing room door closed, the previously silent sales associates couldn¡¯t help but let out exmations.

    "Wow! This is way too exciting for us single folks! I want that kind of sweet love too!!"

    "The boss was jealous just now, wasn¡¯t he? A man¡¯s jealous face is just too cute!"

    "I think the boss is totally whipped by his girlfriend. He looks so cold and frosty, but he¡¯s so gentle with her! This contrast is too adorable!"

    "They are definitely the most talented and beautiful couple I¡¯ve ever seen, without a doubt!"

    "Oh Heavenly Father, please grant me a boyfriend like the boss, handsome and wealthy!"

    "You might as well stop dreaming, look at the boss¡¯s girlfriend. She¡¯s beautiful, has a great figure, and has an incredible temperament. You can¡¯t evenpare to a single strand of her hair, what boss would look at you?"

    "Wuwuwu, I¡¯m not listening, I¡¯m not listening!"

    "..."

    While the sales associates outside were eagerly discussing, inside the dressing room, Zhan Qipei was about to start helping Qiao Jing change her clothes.

    Qiao Jing pushed Zhan Qipei away with her hand, refusing his help, "I can take them off myself."

    She found, this man seemed to be getting clingiertely!

    After being pushed away, Zhan Qipei simply embraced Qiao Jing from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist,

    then he leaned in slightly and whispered in her ear with a deep, maic voice, "Let me help you."

    Qiao Jing struggled for a bit, but considering the baby in her stomach and Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms wrapped around her like iron bands, she couldn¡¯t break free and eventually gave up resisting.

    Thinking it over, since she had decided to be with Zhan Qipei, there was nothing to feel embarrassed about.

    Besides, it was just changing clothes...

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing closed her eyes slightly, letting Zhan Qipei do as he pleased.

    However, after waiting a while, she noticed that Zhan Qipei made no move.

    With a trace of suspicion, Qiao Jing opened her eyes.

    Before she could react, Zhan Qipei pressed her against the wall behind her, his head lowering to kiss her.

    Qiao Jing instinctively raised her hand, palm pressing against Zhan Qipei¡¯s chest to stop him froming closer, "What are you doing?"

 Chapter 795 - 783: Letéˆ¥æªš Not Talk for Now, Let Me Kiss You

    <h4>Chapter 795: Chapter 783: Let¡¯s Not Talk for Now, Let Me Kiss You</h4>

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips slightly curved upwards, his eyes filled withughter as he gazed at Qiao Jing, his voice low and maic, "Wife, your figure is getting better and better, so you can¡¯t me me."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at him and said somewhat speechlessly, "Then why don¡¯t you go out? Wouldn¡¯t it be fine if you didn¡¯t look?"

    This man always came up with excuses like this whenever he wanted to take advantage of her!

    Don¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t see through it!

    "No way, I want to stay here to keep youpany," Zhan Qipei insisted, and as he spoke, he had already grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ready to make his move.

    "This is someone else¡¯s store changing room; don¡¯t mess around..."

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Qipei cut her off.

    "Let¡¯s not talk now, let me kiss you first."

    As soon as he said this, before Qiao Jing could react, Zhan Qipei kissed her lips...

    By the time Qiao Jing finished trying on clothes and came out of the changing room with Zhan Qipei, her lips were noticeably swollen.

    The salespeople in the store immediately understood what had happened between the two as soon as they saw Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance, all of them keeping silent with amused expressions.

    Feeling the meaningful nces from the salespeople, Qiao Jing¡¯s cheeks couldn¡¯t help but flush with crimson.

    She secretly red at Zhan Qipei standing next to her, her expression a mix of shyness and annoyance.

    It was all this man¡¯s fault for insisting on kissing her in such a ce, and for doing so for so long that he even made her lips swell!

    Now, everyone had noticed!

    How was she supposed to face people now!!

    However, Zhan Qipei, the "culprit", didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all.

    Thinking back to that kiss, he even felt somewhat iplete.

    Although the process was fraught with difficulty, fortunately, they were able to finally choose the wedding dress.

    ...

    That evening, at a high-end club.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, the two brothers, were drinking in a private room to drown their sorrows.

    Qiao Mengtong was following the two men, serving them with her head bowed and eyes lowered.

    "Qiao Mengtong! Can¡¯t you be a little more observant? Didn¡¯t you see my ss is already empty?"

    Zhan Nan mmed his empty ss down on the table in front of him, ring fiercely at Qiao Mengtong, his tone unfriendly.

    "I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about putting on your pathetic star airs in front of us brothers! If it wasn¡¯t for us supporting you, what would you be!"

    "I, I didn¡¯t..."

    Qiao Mengtong lowered her head, suppressing the frustration in her heart, just as she was about to defend herself, Zhan Bei interrupted her.

    "Enough talk, do what we tell you to do, and remember that!"

    As he spoke, Zhan Bei flicked his half-smoked cigarette carelessly onto Qiao Mengtong.

    Qiao Mengtong was wearing a three-quarter sleeve dress today, and because she hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Bei to do something like this so suddenly, she couldn¡¯t avoid it in time.

    Her arm was scalded by the still-burning cigarette butt, and she winced in pain, "Hiss... it hurts, it really hurts..."

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei sat back on the sofa like they were watching a show, observing Qiao Mengtong¡¯s reaction with interest.

    Qiao Mengtong looked at her arm and saw the burn had blistered, her face instantly turned several shades paler.

    "Bang¡ª"

    Zhan Nan violently kicked the leg of the table, not giving Qiao Mengtong a chance to catch her breath, andmanded, "What are you staring at, roll over here and pour me a drink!"

    "Yes." Qiao Mengtong clenched her teeth and responded, enduring the pain passing through her arm as she stepped forward to pour the drink.

    "Hold on!" Zhan Bei suddenly spoke up to stop her.

    Qiao Mengtong¡¯s footsteps halted, thinking perhaps Zhan Bei had a change of heart and decided not to torment her anymore, which instantly relieved her.

    Zhan Nan nced at Zhan Bei with a disdainful tone, "What? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re actually feeling sorry for her now?"

    "Feel sorry for her?" Zhan Beiughed scornfully as if he had heard the funniest joke, "Are you kidding me?"

    He wouldn¡¯t even feel sorry for a dog, let alone Qiao Mengtong!

    This woman was nothing but a substitute they¡¯d found to stand in for Qiao Jing. When they were pleased, they would show her a kind face, throw her a few crumbs; when they weren¡¯t, they would y with her however they wanted!

    "What¡¯s your meaning then?" Zhan Nan looked at Zhan Bei with a suspicious expression.

    From the sidelines, Qiao Mengtong, having overheard their exchange, suddenly felt uneasy.

    From Zhan Bei¡¯s tone, she could tell that her initial thoughts were utterly wrong; Zhan Bei wasn¡¯t having a sudden surge of kindness. Instead, he was thinking of another way to torment her!

    Zhan Bei did not answer Zhan Nan¡¯s question. He jutted his chin out, lifted a finger to point at Qiao Mengtong, then pointed to the ground.

    "You! Kneel down! Crawl over here from there, that¡¯s how pouring us a drink will be interesting!"

    At those words, Qiao Mengtong¡¯splexion instantly turned from the previous iron green to deathly pale.

    Zhan Nan, on the other hand, started pping andughing loudly, turning to Zhan Bei as heughed, "That¡¯s a good idea, brilliant, you sure know how to y."

    "Of course." Zhan Bei also joined in with a few loudughs.

    After having their fill ofughter, they noticed Qiao Mengtong had yet to make a move, and their expressions immediately darkened.

    Zhan Nan snorted coldly, ring at Qiao Mengtong, "What¡¯s the matter? You didn¡¯t hear what we just said, or are you unwilling?"

    Zhan Bei picked up the thread, his words full of threat, "If you¡¯re unwilling, you can get lost right now, but if you do, starting tomorrow you can forget about continuing in the entertainment industry!"

    Hearing this, Qiao Mengtong bit down on her teeth so hard she nearly shattered them.

    To these brothers, she was simply not even human!

    She was seething with hate, tempted to leave, but the thought of Qiao Jing having fully won the Zhan family¡¯s favor, securely sitting as the young madam of the Zhan family, and about to have a grand wedding decked with glory and wealth, made her feel unbearably resentful!

    Why should Qiao Jing have all this, while she had nothing?

    Now, even her status as a star was nothing to boast about in front of Qiao Jing; no, it was utterly insignificant.

    Therefore, she absolutely couldn¡¯t leave Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei at this moment. Once away from the brothers, she would even less be able topare with Qiao Jing.

    At this point, no matter how unwilling she was, no matter how much humiliation she endured, she would have to continue to ingratiate herself with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, hoping that one day they might suddenly change their attitude and allow her to rise from the ashes!

    With this in mind, Qiao Mengtong suppressed the surging sense of humiliation in her heart and knelt down with a "thud" under the watchful eyes of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, her knees hitting the ground squarely.

    Seeing herpliance, a mocking smile spread across Zhan Nan¡¯s face, "That¡¯s more like it. At least you have some sense!"

    Zhan Bei looked at Qiao Mengtong with a sidelong nce, continuing with his threats, "Hurry up and crawl over here, keep dawdling like this and see if I won¡¯t y you to death!"

    The look on Qiao Mengtong¡¯s face was far from good, but she still bit her lip and started to crawl towards Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    "Hahaha, doesn¡¯t she look just like a dog?"

    Zhan Nan burst outughing again, pointing at Qiao Mengtong as she crawled, and quizzed Zhan Bei.

    Zhan Bei scoffed, "What resemnce? She¡¯s essentially one already!"

 Chapter 796 - 784: Bullying Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 796: Chapter 784: Bullying Qiao Jing</h4>

    Listening to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s wordsden with obvious humiliation, Qiao Mengtong seethed with resentment.

    Yet, thinking of how she now had to cling to these two, she could only suppress her hatred and aggrievement, putting on a show ofpliance.

    Soon, Qiao Mengtong crawled to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, knelt on the ground, and poured wine for the two of them.

    After pouring the wine, she leaned on a nearby table, attempting to stand up.

    Zhan Nan nced at her and said maliciously, "Who allowed you to get up? Did we give you permission to stand?"

    Qiao Mengtong paused mid-movement, "But, the wine has already been poured..."

    "So what if it¡¯s been poured?" Zhan Bei interrupted Qiao Mengtong¡¯s words.

    As he swirled the red wine in his ss, he added, "If we didn¡¯t tell you to get up, you have to keep kneeling!"

    With no choice, Qiao Mengtong continued to kneel before them.

    Seeing that she obedientlyplied, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei didn¡¯t bother with her further, clinked their sses together, and started drinking on their own.

    After drinking for a while, Zhan Nan suddenly thought of something and turned to Zhan Bei to ask, "Didn¡¯t you say before that you wanted to find a way to deal with Qiao Jing? How is it going? Have you thought of a n yet?"

    At this question, Zhan Bei¡¯s drinking halted.

    If he could think of a n, would he still be here drowning his sorrows in alcohol?

    After a few seconds of pause, he directly retorted, "Don¡¯t you also want to deal with her? So, what bright ideas do you have?"

    Qiao Mengtong, kneeling on the ground, felt a surge of vindication when she overheard the two nning against Qiao Jing.

    If these brothers coulde up with a good strategy and give Qiao Jing a thorough thrashing, making her end as miserable as possible, then all the humiliation she had suffered would have been worth it!

    As Qiao Mengtong was filled with anticipation, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei simultaneously exhaled a sigh.

    "I¡¯ve thought of all the possibilities, but they all seem unworkable," Zhan Nan said, then abruptly tossed back his head and downed the red wine in his ss.

    Zhan Bei also drank a few sips before speaking, "It¡¯s not about whether or not it¡¯s workable. The situation now is such that we simply don¡¯t have the opportunity to act!"

    "Exactly," agreed Zhan Nan in a heavy tone, adding, "Qiao Jing is about to have another wedding ceremony with our eldest cousin. This means her position in the eldest cousin¡¯s heart is even more significant, plus Grandpa is protecting her. How could we possibly find an opportunity to act against her?"

    "It¡¯s not just Grandpa, but the eldest cousin¡¯s entire family is guarding Qiao Jing," Zhan Bei corrected Zhan Nan¡¯s words, then continued with a sigh, "Forget about us. Even Second Grandpa couldn¡¯t touch her with the method he usedst time. It shows that dealing with her is as difficult as reaching the heavens!"

    The more they talked, the more dispirited they became, their brows furrowing tightly.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Mengtong was bing increasingly anxious and irritated as she listened, and she also felt a bit shocked.

    Qiao Jing really was capable, making not only the Zhan brothers so worried, but even their grandfather was unable to deal with her?

    Was there really no way to deal with Qiao Jing?!

    As Qiao Mengtong was contemting, Zhan Nan suddenly smashed his wine ss to the ground, his voice dark and ominous, "No matter what, we can¡¯t let the grievance Qiao Jing caused us go unsettled!"

    Zhan Bei nodded and agreed, "That¡¯s right, we absolutely can¡¯t let it go at that, we need toe up with more methods, there should always be one or two ways to deal with her."

    However, as much as they said this, neither of them coulde up with any ways to deal with Qiao Jing by the time they left the clubhouse.

    Qiao Mengtong, staggering, followed behind Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, cursing the two brothers in her heart.

    These two brothers were simply inhuman, taking out all their anger about Qiao Jing on her, finding various ways to torment her, and even making her kneel until now, her legs had gone numb, and her knees ached intermittently...

    As she was cursing, Qiao Mengtong looked up and inadvertently spotted an all too familiar figure sitting on a bench in the square ahead.

    Her eyes darted as she immediately pointed in the direction of the figure, pretending to be uncertain, "Eh? Isn¡¯t that person over there Qiao Jing?"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei immediately followed the direction Qiao Mengtong was pointing.

    After observing the figure for a few seconds, they quickly confirmed, that it was indeed Qiao Jing!

    Zhan Nan snorted, "What a small world it is to meet enemies!"

    Zhan Bei narrowed his eyes and took another careful look, "She seems to be alone, and she doesn¡¯t look to be in a good state,e on, let¡¯s go and see."

    No sooner had the words fallen than he took the lead and started walking towards Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nan and Qiao Mengtong followed closely behind.

    At that moment, Qiao Jing was leaning on the bench, one hand covering her stomach, with fine beads of cold sweat on her forehead, and herplexion somewhat pale.

    The reason she was there was that Zhan Qipei had asked her to watch a movie together, and the theater they agreed upon was nearby, so she was waiting for Zhan Qipei in the square.

    The reason she wasn¡¯t with Zhan Qipei was that she hade straight from finishing work at the research institute.

    About ten minutes before, she had been on the phone with Zhan Qipei, who wasing from Zhan¡¯s, and by the journey¡¯s duration, he should have arrived by that time, but there was an unexpected traffic jam, so he was dyed.

    During this waiting period, Qiao Jing suddenly felt some difort in her stomach and she also felt a bit dizzy, her whole body bing ufortable.

    At first, she thought there might be something wrong with the baby in her womb, and she got startled, she quickly checked her pulse and realized that it was due to overexertion over the past few days.

    For the health of the three babies in her womb, she felt she had to cut down on her workload ¨C if it¡¯s not something that must be dealt with, she would not go to the research institute...

    As Qiao Jing was thinking this, three shadows suddenly cast in front of her.

    Following soon after were the snide voices of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    "Yo! I was wondering why this person looked so familiar, it turns out it¡¯s our Miss Qiao, Miss Qiao Jing!"

    "Howe Miss Qiao is sitting here alone sote at night, could it be that you knew we¡¯d be passing by and are here specially waiting for us?"

    Qiao Jing looked up to see the nauseating faces of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, as well as Qiao Mengtong sporting a ¡¯watching the drama unfold¡¯ expression.

    Her expression darkened, and her gaze grew ice cold.

    Feeling the sweep of her gaze, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei inexplicably felt a chill down their spines and shivered.

    Zhan Bei was the first to recover, annoyed at himself for just having been intimidated by Qiao Jing.

    He straightened up, regrouped, took a step forward, and sat down next to Qiao Jing, nearly leaning on her, saying, "Don¡¯t put on such a scary face, if you¡¯re sitting here alone, you¡¯re just waiting for someone to strike up a conversation with you, right?"

    "Exactly," Zhan Nan immediately chimed in: "The two of us are not holding grudges, we¡¯re greeting you in good faith, you should be filled with gratitude, yet here you are, putting on airs with us!"

 Chapter 797 - 785 Protecting

    <h4>Chapter 797: Chapter 785 Protecting</h4>

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s words went in one ear and out the other of Qiao Jing.

    The incessant babbling of the two was as annoying to her as the buzzing of flies.

    If she hadn¡¯t been feeling unwell, she would have already pped each of them hard across the face!

    Enduring the difort in her stomach, Qiao Jing got up from the bench, intending to get away from the three eyesores in front of her.

    However, just as she stood up and was about to take a step, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei surrounded her and forcefully blocked her way.

    Zhan Nan snorted coldly, his toneced with malice, "What¡¯s this? Trying to leave already? Acting as if we, the brothers, don¡¯t exist?"

    Zhan Bei pretentiously pulled at Zhan Nan, posturing as he said, "Don¡¯t be like that, didn¡¯t you see Miss Qiao is not feeling well?"

    Zhan Nan tilted his head to the side, feigning a careful look at Qiao Jing before ¡¯yo¡¯-ing and adding, "Indeed, you look awfully pale. How about we, the brothers, take pity and take you somewhere nicer to rest?"

    With those words, he reached to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s arm.

    Qiao Mengtong stood beside them, arms crossed, thoroughly enjoying the drama with a schadenfreude grin on her face.

    What she wished for now was for Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei to be gutsy enough to torment Qiao Jing properly, to at least let Qiao Jing also experience the humiliation and pain she felt when tormented!

    However, Qiao Jing did not let Qiao Mengtong¡¯s wishese true.

    With a raise of her hand, she pped away Zhan Nan¡¯s approaching hand with a "snap", and her slightly raised red lips coldly spat out a word, "Scram!"

    These two idiots actually came before her to put on a farce?

    Were their brains kicked by a donkey?

    "I¡¯m talking to you politely and even showing concern out of kindness, and you dare to strike me?"

    Zhan Nan¡¯s rage instantly red, as he said furiously, "Don¡¯t think just because you married Cousin that I wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you! Let me tell you, if you push me too far, there¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t do!"

    To Qiao Jing, such threats were asughable as a joke.

    She looked coldly at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei blocking her way, her face expressionless, "I¡¯ll say it onest time, get out of my way!"

    If this had been before, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei would certainly have been wary of Qiao Jing and not dared to be so tant, but now they could both see that Qiao Jing¡¯splexion was somewhat pale, clearly unwell.

    Coming across such a good opportunity, of course, they couldn¡¯t let it go!

    Zhan Nan ignored Qiao Jing¡¯s warning and grabbed her arm, glowering fiercely, "I tell you, if you don¡¯t submit to us brothers today and properly apologize, you won¡¯t take a single step away from here!"

    Beset by their incessant pestering, Qiao Jing¡¯s patience finally ran out.

    She knit her eyebrows, twisted her hand, and immediately twisted Zhan Nan¡¯s arm behind his back.

    Zhan Nan immediately screamed in agony, "Ah! My hand, my hand..."

    Seizing the moment of his pain, Qiao Jing exerted force and pushed him toward Zhan Bei standing by his side.

    Unprepared, Zhan Bei was hit squarely by the stumbling Zhan Nan, and both cried out in pain, "Ouch!"

    Seeing this, Qiao Mengtong¡¯s expression changed, and she involuntarily furrowed her brows.

    These brothers were as useless as ever, Qiao Jing being in such a state, so pale-faced, yet instead of doing anything to her, they were taught a lesson by Qiao Jing!

    After pushing the obstructive brothers aside, Qiao Jing attempted to leave, but after only a couple of steps, a sudden intense pain in her stomach caused her steps to falter.

    At that moment, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei recovered and once again caught up with Qiao Jing, blocking her path.

    "Since you¡¯ve refused the face offered to you, don¡¯t me us for being impolite!"

    "Why waste words on her? Just show her some color!"

    As they spoke, the two stepped forward, preparing toy hands on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had no energy to deal with them and could only step backward repeatedly.

    While retreating, she clutched her stomach with one hand, trying to alleviate the difort by pressing on acupressure points on her abdomen.

    Just as Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were about to catch Qiao Jing, a furious shout came from not far away.

    "What do you two bastards think you¡¯re doing? Get lost, and stay away from my Sister Jing!"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t need to look to know the voice; as soon as she heard it, she knew it was Xu Moqian.

    When Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei looked up and saw Xu Moqian charging over, fury in his bearing, they paused, annoyance etched on their faces.

    Finally having the chance to deal with Qiao Jing, and now someone had to butt in, totally ruining the moment!

    Xu Moqian went straight up to Qiao Jing and, seeing her paleplexion, asked with some concern, "Sister Jing, are you alright? Did these two bastards do anything to you?"

    He was d he just happened to pass by; otherwise, who knew who might be bullying his Sister Jing!

    Qiao Jing shook her head and replied faintly, "I¡¯m fine, just feeling a bit ufortable."

    Upon hearing this, the color drained from Xu Moqian¡¯s face.

    His gaze shifted, ring at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, he angrily said, "Did they do something to you?"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had yet to speak when Qiao Mengtong, who was standing beside them, beat them to it.

    She looked down at Xu Moqian, her voice filled with disdain as she scolded, "Who do you think you are? You think you can yell in front of these gentlemen?"

    This man, whom she¡¯d seen many times by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, she didn¡¯t know who he was, but from his attitude toward Qiao Jing, he must be one of the big fools beguiled by Qiao Jing!

    Xu Moqian gave Qiao Mengtong a cold look and scoffed, "What am I? Whether I am fit or not, you can ask these two bastards!"

    Qiao Mengtong had thought this man was just a nobody, a clueless youngster without status or background, but his words were said with such amanding presence that she began to doubt herself.

    She turned her head to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, hesitantly asking, "He is¡ª?"

    Zhan Nan shot her a nce and spoke irritably, "He¡¯s the eldest young master of the Xu Family; his grandfather is the empire¡¯s second-ranked agricultural magnate..."

    "Enough with the nonsense!"

    Zhan Bei cut off Zhan Nan¡¯s words, his eyes sweeping over Qiao Mengtong with a menacing re, and he sternly rebuked, "This is none of your business, stay out of it and stop causing us trouble!"

    At this, Qiao Mengtong reluctantly stepped back a few paces, but her eyes were fixed on Qiao Jing, nearly spilling over with jealousy.

    How could she have expected that, aside from having the backing of the Zhan Family, Qiao Jing had such an influential friend by her side, even connected with one of the empire¡¯s top agricultural tycoons!

    What on earth did Qiao Jing have to deserve all this?

    While Qiao Mengtong was almost driven mad with jealousy, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were confronting Xu Moqian.

    Zhan Nan¡¯s eyes fell on Xu Moqian, his expression clearly hostile, "Xu Moqian, I¡¯d advise you to not meddle in others¡¯ affairs!"

    "Qiao Jing is part of the Zhan Family. What we have with her is our business, an issue of the Zhan Family, and you as an outsider should keep your nose out of it!"

    Xu Moqian immediately snorted coldly, "I don¡¯t care whether she¡¯s part of the Zhan Family or not, what¡¯s it to me if she¡¯s from the Zhan Family? All I know is she¡¯s my Sister Jing, and as long as I¡¯m around, nobody is going to bully or even touch a hair on her head!"

 Chapter 798 - 786: Xu Moqian is Going to Compete with Zhan Qipei

    <h4>Chapter 798: Chapter 786: Xu Moqian is Going to Compete with Zhan Qipei</h4>

    Seeing Xu Moqian so protective of Qiao Jing, Zhan Bei sneered and mocked, "Xu Moqian, looking at you, you must have feelings for Qiao Jing, huh?"

    "Isn¡¯t that obvious? Anyone with eyes can see he¡¯s into Qiao Jing."

    Zhan Nan immediately echoed the sentiment and, after speaking, looked at Xu Moqian with a malicious grin, adding, "Do you really think ying the hero will get Qiao Jing into your hands?"

    Their tone was mocking,ced with derision.

    Xu Moqian instinctively wanted to retort, but he opened his mouth only to realize he didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t think that ying the hero would make Qiao Jing develop feelings for him.

    If that were the case, he would have seeded long ago.

    But his fondness for Qiao Jing was an undeniable fact!

    Even though Qiao Jing had chosen Zhan Qipei, he had decided to let go, but years of emotions aren¡¯t easily shed, and his admiration for Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t faded.

    So, he couldn¡¯t refute Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s words...

    Seeing Xu Moqian¡¯s reaction confirmed to Zhan Nan that their guess was right.

    Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t miss this chance to humiliate Qiao Jing.

    He deliberately scanned Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian with a suggestive gaze, his tone mocking, "Qiao Jing, you really have no shame, flirting with every man you see. Are you here tonight waiting for Xu Moqian?"

    Without waiting for their reaction, Zhan Nan straightaway used them, "You two meeting in secret behind Cousin¡¯s back, what do you think the consequences would be if Cousin found out?"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Bei also began to shame Qiao Jing, "If Cousin knew how promiscuous you are, always attracting admirers left and right, how would he feel? Would he still want to marry you?"

    Hearing their words, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows knitted, her expression turning utterly cold.

    But before she could speak, Xu Moqian burst out in anger.

    "Bastards! Your filthy mouths are absolutely disgusting, let me help you clean them up!"

    As he cursed, Xu Moqian had already clenched his fists, ready to step forward and teach Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei a lesson.

    However, before his fist could strike, Zhan Nan¡¯s face had already been fiercely punched, and not just that, Zhan Bei was also kicked to the ground.

    "Ah¡ª"

    The two screamed in agony like pigs being ughtered.

    Xu Moqian retracted his fist, his face filled with confusion, and as he turned his head, he saw Zhan Qipei appearing out of nowhere.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei exuded an icy chill, his presence bleak.

    He looked down from his height, his gaze sternly fixed on Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei who were still shrieking, his tone ominously grim, "Dare to bully my woman? I think you two are tired of living!"

    He had just happened to encounter a traffic jam on the road and arrived a littlete, only to find these fools, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, daring to pick on his woman!

    Thinking about the highly insulting words he heard them say to Qiao Jing when he got out of his car, rage nearly burst forth from his heart.

    With long strides, he closed in on Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, the cold aura enveloping him exuding an immense pressure.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei shrank back, instinctively retreating.

    Fearing Zhan Qipei might strike again, they hastily started to make excuses.

    "Big, Big Cousin, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding, we didn¡¯t do anything..."

    "Yes, yes, Big Cousin, we were just passing by and saw Xu Moqian with Qiao Jing together, thinking they were meeting behind your back. We felt indignant on your behalf, that¡¯s why we said that!"

    Zhan Bei¡¯s mind spun rapidly, and he began to shift the me, thinking that he could escape punishment this way.

    Zhan Qipei listened, his thin lips suddenly curling into an icy arc, his voice was so chilling that it was startling, "Do you two take me for a fool?"

    Facing Zhan Qipei like this, not to mention Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, even Qiao Mengtong, who was a few steps away, felt a chill down her spine and her heart thumping with fear.

    She even thought of fleeing, but her legs were shaking uncontrobly, and she felt as if she were nailed to the spot, unable to move a step.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know whether it was psychological, but as soon as Zhan Qipei appeared, she felt a significant relief from her difort.

    She suddenly realized that this man seemed to be able to provide her with a sense of security!

    That feeling was something she had never experienced before, but it seemed not bad...

    "Big Cousin, everything we said is true. We really didn¡¯t do anything..."

    "Ah¡ª"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were still trying to exculpate themselves, but before they could finish, Zhan Qipei¡¯s fist had already swung at them again.

    For a while, their screams of agony and pain rose and fell, incessant and relentless.

    By the time Zhan Qipei stopped, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, the two brothers, were sprawled on the ground with bruised faces and swollen noses.

    "Get lost!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, coldly delivering the three words.

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei quickly endured the pain and shakily got up from the ground, scrambling and crawling away from the scene.

    Both were afraid that if they moved too slowly, they would be subjected to another brutal beating.

    Naturally, Qiao Mengtong didn¡¯t dare to linger either. Taking advantage of the fact that no one noticed her, she quickly and stealthily slipped away.

    But the thought that Qiao Jing had not only climbed up to the Zhan Family but also had a friend with an equally impressive background to protect her, filled her with extreme resentment. She wished she could tear Qiao Jing apart and seize everything Qiao Jing had!

    A momentter, only Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei, and Xu Moqian were left at the scene.

    Zhan Qipei walked up to Qiao Jing and seeing her paleplexion, his brows instantly furrowed with concern in his eyes, "How are you? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? What did they do to you just now?"

    When he arrived, he had only heard the two brothers speaking rudely to Qiao Jing, so he thought to teach them a lesson without really harming them.

    But if those two brothers dared to hurt her, he would never let them off lightly!

    Qiao Jing was about to speak when Xu Moqian beat her to it.

    He rushed over and fiercely pushed Zhan Qipei¡¯s shoulder, speaking angrily, "You have the nerve to ask? Didn¡¯t you promise to protect Sister Jing properly? Is this your idea of a promise?"

    "I warned youst time, if you let Sister Jing be wronged, be bullied, I definitely won¡¯t let you off, don¡¯t think I¡¯m joking with you!"

    "If anything happens to Sister Jing, I¡¯ll fight you with my life!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s words were full of indignation and reproach towards Zhan Qipei.

    Hearing this, and thinking back to the recent events, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression suddenly revealed a hint of guilt.

    He lowered his gaze to look at Qiao Jing, and in his eyes, there was not only an apology but also frustration with himself, "I¡¯m sorry, it was myck of consideration. I shouldn¡¯t have left you here to wait for me alone. If I had been by your side, what just happened wouldn¡¯t have urred."

 Chapter 799 - 787: President Zhanéˆ¥æªš Little Scheme

    <h4>Chapter 799: Chapter 787: President Zhan¡¯s Little Scheme</h4>

    "Don¡¯t talk like that, it¡¯s not your fault at all."

    Qiao Jing met Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, speaking in a calm tone, "Besides, you can¡¯t possibly follow me around twenty-four hours a day, right? And even if you could, you might endure it, but I certainly couldn¡¯t."

    Even if it¡¯s true love, no matter how deep, who could stand being stuck together twenty-four hours a day?

    Anyway, she couldn¡¯t stand it!

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Xu Moqian disagreed.

    He furrowed his brows, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice, "Sister Jing, why are you still speaking up for him? Leaving you here alone was already his fault!"

    If it were him, he would never leave Sister Jing alone!

    Seeing Xu Moqian so indignant, Qiao Jing had no choice but to exin, "There was a reason for it. He was stuck in traffic on the way here, which is why he was a littlete."

    She wasn¡¯t trying to make excuses for Zhan Qipei, she was just telling the truth.

    After all, traffic congestion is something out of one¡¯s control.

    Besides, it¡¯s unreasonable to me Zhan Qipei for not showing up in time when other people trouble her.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t have possibly foreseen when she would be in trouble...

    Although Qiao Jing was just stating the facts, in Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes, her words and actions were a defense of Zhan Qipei.

    Feeling a sting in his heart at this, Xu Moqian was vexed. The wedding hadn¡¯t been held yet and his Sister Jing had already started to defend her husband so quickly!

    He was so envious. He wished Sister Jing would defend him like that!

    When Xu Moqian snapped back to reality, he noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand was already around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist.

    Looking at the sweet disy of affection between the couple, Xu Moqian¡¯s expression instantly fell.

    Biting back the feeling of heartache, he looked up at Zhan Qipei and warned, "Since Sister Jing has spoken, I¡¯ll let it go for now, but there better not be a next time, or I won¡¯t let you off the hook!"

    Zhan Qipei nced at Xu Moqian, his lips parting slightly as he enunciated every word, "I don¡¯t need you to remind me. I will take good care of my own wife."

    Since when did his woman need someone else to remind him to protect her?

    "Hmph!"

    Xu Moqian huffed coldly, feeling that the words "my wife" sounded particrly gratinging from Zhan Qipei¡¯s mouth.

    Fearing that staying any longer would make him faint from the couple¡¯s affection, he waved his hand and said, "Sister Jing isn¡¯t feeling well, take her home to rest. I have something to do, so I¡¯m leaving."

    With those words, Xu Moqian touched his forehead and turned to leave.

    "Let¡¯s go home."

    After Zhan Qipei spoke, he walked slowly toward the car with his arm around Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked up at him, her eyebrows slightly raised, "Aren¡¯t we watching the movie?"

    Zhan Qipei shook his head, his deep voice tender with emotion, "You¡¯re not feeling well, so why watch a movie? We can watch it next time. After all, we have plenty, plenty of time ahead of us."

    "That¡¯s true," Qiao Jing nodded in agreement.

    Indeed, there was a long life ahead of them. She and Zhan Qipei would always be together and they could slowly do whatever they wanted...

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei were on their way back home in the car.

    Elsewhere, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had already returned home, both sporting a face that was as swollen and bruised as a pig¡¯s head.

    Zhan Kaiyang was originally sitting on the sofa, leisurely sipping his tea.

    Upon seeing his two brothers in such a state, he hurriedly set down his tea cup and asked with a frown, "What happened? Who dared to beat you up like this?"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei exchanged a nce and eximed in unison, "It¡¯s Big Cousin..."

    "Zhan Qipei?!"

    Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s brows furrowed even more. "Why did you go provoking him for no reason?"

    Even he had some misgivings about that kid Zhan Qipei; his approach had always been to avoid him if possible and try not to have any direct confrontation with Zhan Qipei.

    Because he was well aware that if it came to a head, the person who would be at a disadvantage was definitely not going to be Zhan Qipei!

    "We didn¡¯t provoke Big Cousin, it¡¯s all because of that Qiao Jing. If it weren¡¯t for her, we wouldn¡¯t have been beaten up by Big Cousin!"

    "Right, it¡¯s all Qiao Jing¡¯s fault. We just happened to run into her, exchanged a few words, and did nothing. We didn¡¯t even touch a finger on her, and she caused us to end up like this!"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei took turns speaking, piling all the me onto Qiao Jing.

    By the end, their resentment towards Qiao Jing grew even thicker,pletely forgetting that it was clearly they who started the trouble, which led to their beating.

    After hearing his grandsons¡¯ words, Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s anger surged in an instant.

    He red angrily and said, "It¡¯s that Qiao Jing again! This woman is simply a disaster. Just wait, Grandfather will definitely find a way to teach her a lesson and get retribution for you two!"

    "Last time she got lucky to escape, next time she shouldn¡¯t expect to be so fortunate!"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei immediately asked eagerly, "Grandfather, do you have any good ns now?"

    They had been beaten ck and blue by Big Cousin because of Qiao Jing, and if they didn¡¯t get their revenge, they would feel unbearably frustrated!

    Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s expression was dark and sinister; after a moment of contemtion, he said, "Aren¡¯t Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei going to have another wedding? This, for us, is a very good opportunity."

    "When the timees, we will prepare a ¡¯surprise¡¯ wedding gift for them, one they will never forget!"

    Upon hearing this, both Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei simultaneously showed an evil smile on their faces.

    They both knew that the ¡¯surprise¡¯ gift their grandfather referred to was definitely not going to be a pleasant thing for Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei!

    While Zhan Kaiyang and his grandsons were conspiring, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had returned to Purple Garden.

    While Zhan Qipei was parking the car, Qiao Jing had already gone back to the room.

    She had just sat down on the bed when she noticed Zhan Qipei followed in.

    "What are you doing here? I¡¯m going to rest."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words were clearly intending to send him away.

    However, Zhan Qipei pretended not to catch the hint and got into bed on his own, close to Qiao Jing. "I¡¯m sleeping with you."

    "No way!"

    Qiao Jing decisively refused, "We had already agreed on this, do you want to go back on your word?"

    Originally, the words Su Manhan saidst time had already made her abandon the idea of sleeping in separate rooms from Zhan Qipei.

    After all, the two of them were together, and sleeping in separate rooms did seem a bit unreasonable.

    But after sharing a bed with Zhan Qipei for a few nights, she found that this man would start getting restless as he slept, and it inevitably led to some struggle every time.

    It wouldn¡¯t matter if she wasn¡¯t pregnant, but now she already had three babies in her belly. With suchck of self-control, what if it affected the children?

    So, for the health of the babies, she had agreed with Zhan Qipei a couple of days ago that they should sleep separately until the children were born.

    This man had clearly agreed so readily before, so why was he pulling such a stunt now?

    It was clear that he wanted to go back on his word!!!

 Chapter 800 - 788: Personally Showing Up to Seek Justice for His Wife

    <h4>Chapter 800: Chapter 788: Personally Showing Up to Seek Justice for His Wife</h4>

    "What do you mean backing out? Don¡¯t make it sound so unpleasant."

    As Zhan Qipei spoke, he reached out to embrace Qiao Jing, whispering in her ear, "My injury hasn¡¯t healed yet, and I need you to take care of me a bit longer."

    When he said this, his expression didn¡¯t change at all, not showing the slightest embarrassment for being so shamelessly needy.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at him somewhat speechlessly, "Your injury has been for how long now, and just two days ago I checked it for you, and it¡¯s healing very well - there¡¯s absolutely no problem with it anymore!"

    Besides, when he was fighting with Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei just now, how agile and fluid were his moves - did he look like someone whose injury hadn¡¯t healed?

    This man really doesn¡¯t blush when he lies!

    Having his lie so mercilessly exposed by Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei was left somewhat at a loss for words.

    Of course, he knew such an excuse wouldn¡¯t fool Qiao Jing, a brilliant doctor.

    However, he needed a reason to stay and not leave.

    And the injury excuse was quite effective!

    "Actually, it¡¯s true that there wasn¡¯t much of a problem, but starting fromst night, the wound started to feel a bit ufortable again. If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you take another look?"

    After he finished speaking, Zhan Qipei, just likest time, took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and guided it towards the injured area on his body.

    Qiao Jing snorted softly and pulled her hand away, "I¡¯m not going to look!"

    What he was thinking by doing this, did he think she couldn¡¯t guess?

    If she looked, then she would indeed bepletely trapped by his scheme!

    "Alright, alright, we won¡¯t look, let¡¯s just sleep."

    With these words, Zhan Qipei proceed to lie down in the bed, pulling Qiao Jing into his arms.

    His scheme having seeded, the corners of his lips curled into a discernible smirk.

    Even though Qiao Jing¡¯s difort had relieved quite a bitpared to how she felt in the square, she still felt a bit unwell andcked energy.

    Lying in bed and being held in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, feeling the warmth from his chest, Qiao Jing inexplicably felt very at ease, and it was almost as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell asleep.

    Zhan Qipei waited a while and just as he was about to do something, he noticed the woman in his arms was breathing lightly and evenly ¨C it was clear that she had fallen asleep.

    He let out a low, slightly regretful chuckle, his gaze not shifting away for an instant from Qiao Jing¡¯s tranquil sleeping face, his eyes filled with a bit of possessive fondness.

    She fell asleep so fast and so deeply; it was obvious she must have been exhausted.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei felt a pang of heartache, and he gently pressed a kiss to the girl¡¯s forehead.

    The dragonfly-touch kiss concluded, Zhan Qipei suddenly remembered the way Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei had bullied Qiao Jing earlier.

    On the way back, he had already gotten the full story.

    Despite Qiao Jing not feeling well, those two had been unrelenting in their harassment, and they even wanted toy their hands on her!

    This made him think that the lesson he gave them earlier was far from enough!

    With that thought, Zhan Qipei decided it was necessary to pay a visit to those two¡¯s home and give them a serious warning!

    He slowly let go of Qiao Jing, covered her with the nket, and discreetly got out of bed. He changed his clothes quickly and left the house.

    The night was deep, and the ck Maybach raced through it.

    After ten minutes, the car stopped in front of a luxurious vi.

    At that moment, Zhan Kaiyang and his grandsons had already settled on a n for dealing with Qiao Jing and were about to go upstairs to rest.

    Just as the three of them were about to rise from the sofa, the butler hurriedly ran in.

    Seeing this, Elder Zhang chided him with a stern expression, "What a flurry! What could make you this panicked? Is the sky falling down or something?"

    Remembering the extremely intimidating and chilling man, the butler felt cold chills down his spine.

    He swallowed, his voice trembling as he said, "Young Master Zhan has arrived..."

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s expressions changed instantly when they heard this.

    They exchanged nces, both looking somewhat grim.

    Why would Zhan Qipeie to their house sote at night?

    Haven¡¯t they already been beaten up just now? Wasn¡¯t that supposed to be the end of it?

    Could it be that Zhan Qipei thought the beating wasn¡¯t enough and wanted to give them another lesson?!

    Zhan Kaiyang frowned, his thoughts were actually not much different from his two grandsons¡¯.

    But seeing the two grandsons so frightened they turned pale, he still spoke up tofort them, "Don¡¯t be scared. I trust that Zhan Qipei wouldn¡¯t dare toy hands on you two in front of me. Stay calm, let¡¯s see what he wants first."

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to actposed.

    Just as Zhan Kaiyang was about to get up and check the situation, Zhan Qipei had already walked straight into the hall.

    His jaw was clenched, his face as cold as a sharp wind, and a chill seemed to emanate from him.

    With his arrival, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became oppressively heavy.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, frightened, hung their heads low, not daring to look up.

    Zhan Kaiyang also felt a bit intimidated by Zhan Qipei¡¯s aura, but given his age and experience, he quickly recovered hisposure.

    He cleared his throat and turned to instruct the butler, "What are you standing around for? Didn¡¯t you see that we have a guest? Hurry up and serve tea!"

    Although rtions between the two households were a bit strained, they were still prestigious families, and certain basic courtesies had to be observed.

    "Yes, right away," the butler said without dy, and promptly turned to do as instructed.

    Zhan Qipei, without uttering a word, took a seat on the sofa on his own, his icy gaze sweeping over Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, before finally resting on Zhan Kaiyang.

    He slightly parted his thin lips, spitting out four words devoid of any warmth, "Second Grandpa."

    Zhan Kaiyang felt as though the way Zhan Qipei called out to him was like an icicle, cold and piercing.

    He adjusted his expression, adopting the posture of an elder, and said, "Qipei ah, it¡¯s sote already, and you¡¯ve made a special trip here. May I know what it is about?"

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t immediately respond, but gave a coldugh.

    His two grandsons were beaten to a pulp, and he didn¡¯t believe for a second that Zhan Kaiyang didn¡¯t inquire about the reason.

    It was clear as day why he hade, and yet Zhan Kaiyang was feigning ignorance, how very amusing!

    At that moment, the butler returned, offering the freshly brewed tea to Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei reached for it slowly, taking his time to sip a couple of mouthfuls.

    Zhan Kaiyang found his high-and-mighty demeanor intolerable, but considering his imposing presence, he suppressed his anger and spoke again.

    "Qipei, it¡¯s gettingte. If there¡¯s something you need to say, please just say it."

    Only then did Zhan Qipei lift his eyes, shooting a cold look towards Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, who were too frightened to even raise their heads.

    "There better not be a next time for today¡¯s incident. If you dare to bully her again, you will bear the consequences!"

    His tone was harsh, filled with unmistakable threats.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei felt a wave of fear upon hearing this.

    "Bang¡ª"

    The tea cup in Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand loosened, and it hit the ground, shattering instantly and scattering fragments in all directions.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei jumped with a start, simultaneously shivering.

    Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s face turned several shades paler.

    He knew that Zhan Qipei had intentionally smashed the teacup.

    Combining that with the warning he had just given, Zhan Qipei was making it clear that if they dared to harm Qiao Jing again, they would end up crushed to pieces!

 Chapter 801 - 789: Returning to the Countryside

    <h4>Chapter 801: Chapter 789: Returning to the Countryside</h4>

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s long eyebrows lightly raised as he leisurely said, "Second Grandpa, I¡¯m really sorry, my hand slipped and I identally broke your teacup."

    Though he said he was sorry, his face showed not a hint of regret, maintaining a cold and stern expression.

    As he spoke, he got up from the sofa and coldly red at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, "I¡¯ve said all I need to say, you two better take care of yourselves!"

    With that, Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze and turned to leave without looking back, leaving Zhan Kaiyang and the others with a cold and stern back.

    Zhan Kaiyang was burning with anger inside; earlier in front of Zhan Qipei, he couldn¡¯t erupt and had to suppress it forcefully.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei left, he suddenly stood up and flipped the coffee table in front of him, fuming with rage, "This is absolutely outrageous!"

    "Zhan Qipei, that young punk, dared toe show off in front of me and even threatened me; he¡¯s really climbed onto my head!"

    With Zhan Qipei¡¯s attitude just now, he didn¡¯t take him seriously at all!

    When has Zhan Kaiyang ever endured such humiliation!

    While Zhan Qipei was present, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei didn¡¯t dare to breathe loudly.

    Now that Zhan Qipei is gone, the two changed from their cowardly demeanor and started acting arrogantly again.

    Zhan Nan snorted coldly and angrily said, "Grandpa, in my opinion, it must be Qiao Jing who whispered and incited Big Brother, that¡¯s why he came to our house in the middle of the night to find fault!"

    "Exactly!"

    Zhan Bei nodded repeatedly in agreement, "Now Big Brother ispletely infatuated with Qiao Jing, it must be something Qiao Jing said that made Big Brother disregard any sense of propriety ande straight here!"

    After hearing his grandsons¡¯ words, Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s face grew more and more somber.

    He squinted his eyes, a hint of viciousness flickered in his gaze, "Just wait, when the day of their weddinges, I¡¯ll settle both old and new scores together!"

    ...

    After resting for two days, Qiao Jing¡¯s difortpletely subsided.

    Because soon she would remarry Zhan Qipei, and this time would be different from the initial ceremony.

    The first time was just a formality, this time it was a real wedding!

    So, Qiao Jing nned to return to the countryside to pay respects to thete Grandpa Zhang and tell him about her uing marriage.

    Let Grandpa know that she has someone she loves, and this person loves her deeply...

    With this thought in mind, Qiao Jing specifically checked the weather forecast and chose a beautiful and sunny day.

    That day, Qiao Jing woke up early, ready to get out of bed and freshen up.

    However, as soon as she sat up in bed, Zhan Qipei reached out with a long arm and wrapped her in his embrace.

    "Why get up so early? I¡¯m not going to thepany today, stay with me and sleep a little more."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes remained closed, his voice slightly hoarse from just waking up, distinctly charming and maic.

    Qiao Jing lowered her eyes and nced at therge hand encircling her waist, calmly said, "Not sleeping, I¡¯m going out."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes snapped open, the remnants of sleep vanished instantly.

    He sat up, his deep ck eyes fixed on Qiao Jing, with a hint of puzzlement, "Going out? Where to?"

    Judging by her tone, it¡¯s obviously not to the research institute or anywhere nearby.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hide it and said truthfully, "I want to go back to the countryside to pay respects to my grandpa."

    Actually, she intended to go alone, so she hadn¡¯t nned to tell Zhan Qipei.

    But since he asked, she naturally wouldn¡¯t hide it.

    "I¡¯ll go with you," Zhan Qipei said without hesitation.

    His tone was firm, leaving Qiao Jing no room to refuse.

    Qiao Jing heard it and didn¡¯t say much, simply agreeing, "Alright, we¡¯ll go together then."

    Might as well, let Grandpa meet his granddaughter¡¯s husband...

    Having decided, the two got up, washed up, and changed into clothes before having a simple breakfast and heading out together.

    Zhan Qipei drove himself, with Qiao Jing sitting in the passenger seat.

    Tang Yan and his group followed behind them in cars.

    A dozen or so cars headed towards the vige where Qiao Jing used to live.

    The reason for bringing so many people was due to the consecutive assassination attempts.

    Several hourster, the convoy arrived at the vige.

    After getting out of the car, Qiao Jing led Zhan Qipei to a grave, while Tang Yan and the others waited by the parked cars.

    A gravestone stood in front of the grave, engraved with the name "Zhang Ruicheng¡¯s Tomb".

    On the way, Qiao Jing had bought some paper money, candles, and incense at a nearby shop.

    After neatly cing the paper money and candles, Qiao Jing lit the incense and began paying respects with Zhan Qipei.

    Afterwards, Qiao Jing touched the gravestone, speaking softly, "Grandpa, I¡¯vee to see you, I miss you very much, do you miss Xiao Jing? I know, you must be missing Xiao Jing too..."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze gradually grew distant, as if lost in memories.

    "Back then, I was abandoned in the snow by my family. If it weren¡¯t for you, Grandpa, discovering me, taking me in, and tirelessly searching for doctors to cure my illness, I might have died long ago and would not exist now."

    "When I was a child, it was you who took care of me tirelessly, giving me love and warmth, so I never envied those who had parents..."

    Zhan Qipei listened to Qiao Jing¡¯s words, feeling deeply moved for a while.

    While feeling sorry for Qiao Jing, he silently vowed in his heart that from now on, he would protect her, give her all the love, and make her the happiest person in the world!

    After a long time, Qiao Jing snapped out of her memories.

    After a few seconds of pause, she continued, "Grandpa, actually, I have another thing to tell you this time; I¡¯m getting married soon, and this person beside me is your granddaughter-inw..."

    Zhan Qipei picked up the conversation at the right time, "Grandpa, I¡¯m Zhan Qipei. I came with Qiao Jing to see you. Rest assured, I¡¯ll take good care of Qiao Jing, love her, cherish her, and never let her suffer or anyone bully her."

    As he spoke, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was steady, his expression solemn, it was a firm promise, and also a pledge.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curved slightly, and she smiled softly, "Grandpa, I can vouch that what he says is true, he treats me very well. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, I¡¯ll live well."

    Afterwards, Qiao Jing talked about her current situation, as when she used to chat leisurely, as if Grandpa Zhang were still right there.

    Zhan Qipei listened silently by her side.

    After a while, a sudden ringing of a phone broke out.

    In the quiet countryside, this small sound became particrly noticeable.

    Zhan Qipei picked up his phone, initially intending to hang up, but a quick nce revealed it was a call from thepany.

    If it weren¡¯t something urgent, people from thepany usually wouldn¡¯t call him.

    Thinking of this, he decided to answer the call.

    However, the voice on the other end was intermittent and unclear.

 Chapter 802 - 790: The Two Young Men See Qiao Jing Blush

    <h4>Chapter 802: Chapter 790: The Two Young Men See Qiao Jing Blush</h4>

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his long eyebrows slightly and leaned toward Qiao Jing, whispering, "The signal is not very good here. I¡¯ll go over there to take a call and be right back."

    Qiao Jing nodded, "Go ahead."

    After greeting her, Zhan Qipei walked away with his phone.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her gaze and, ncing down, noticed a bit of dust on the tombstone. She immediately took out a tissue to wipe it clean.

    At this moment, two simply dressed young men with modest appearances approached from not far away.

    It was clear at a nce that they were vigers from this vige.

    As they got closer and saw Qiao Jing, both of them were taken aback.

    Hearing themotion, Qiao Jing turned her head and noticed the two of them as well.

    She recognized them immediately as Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan, who used to hang around Lin Yun back then.

    Back then, Lin Yun and these two were quite the troublemakers, mischief makers who might steal someone¡¯s melons today and someone¡¯s corn tomorrow.

    The three of them had even sneaked into her family¡¯s garden to steal tomatoes and watermelons, which led to some conflicts with her.

    Come to think of it, they were acquaintances because of those little confrontations...

    Recalling those days, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.

    She looked at the two with a slight smile, "How coincidental, are you on your way to the fields?"

    Most people passing this way were headed to the vegetable fields ahead to work.

    Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan snapped out of their daze, their faces instantly reddening as they looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s exquisite and beautiful face.

    Although there had been some unpleasant incidents before, they had been young and naive. Now grown, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed in front of a pretty girl.

    What¡¯s more, this was Qiao Jing!

    Li Chaoyang nodded repeatedly, his speech a bit stammering, "Yes, yes... we were just about to go to the fields."

    Zhao Xishan gave a silly grin, looking at Qiao Jing and asking, "When did you get back?"

    "Just came back, to pay respects to my grandfather."

    Qiao Jing replied sinctly.

    Li Chaoyang looked at Qiao Jing briefly, then shyly averted his gaze, "We haven¡¯t seen each other for so long. I heard you went to the capital. I wonder what you¡¯re doing now?"

    "I work at a research institute."

    Qiao Jing mentioned it casually, not going into much detail.

    Even so, Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan were still amazed.

    "A research institute?!"

    "Qiao Jing, you are so impressive, working in such a high-end ce!"

    Though they had known Qiao Jing was impressive even as kids, they hadn¡¯t imagined she would grow up to be someone doing research.

    Qiao Jing smiled and said calmly, "It¡¯s just a job, nothing too impressive."

    She had always treated research as work to be carried out seriously, never considering herself extraordinary.

    After a few casual exchanges, Li Chaoyang hesitated and began speaking, "Qiao Jing, do you, do you now, now..."

    "What?"

    Seeing his hesitant expression, Qiao Jing was curious about what he wanted to say.

    Li Chaoyang¡¯s face turned even redder. He took a deep breath and finally mustered the courage to ask, "Do you have a partner now?"

    After asking, he shyly lowered his head.

    Zhao Xishan also embarrassedly fidgeted with his fingers.

    Though shy, the two were filled with anticipation for Qiao Jing¡¯s answer.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to respond, Zhan Qipei, who had finished his call, returned.

    Seeing two men standing in front of Qiao Jing, looking awkward, Zhan Qipei immediately understood the situation.

    He sighed inwardly, finding his wife to be truly irresistible. No matter where she went, there were men coveting her, watching her like hawks!

    Zhan Qipei immediately walked up, directly wrapping an arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist, pulling her into his embrace to assert his ownership.

    From the way he held her, Qiao Jing could tell he was starting to get jealous again.

    His jealousy was so intense, she didn¡¯t even know how to respond!

    However, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t shrug him off, allowing Zhan Qipei to hold her. She looked up from his embrace, meeting his gaze, "Finished with your call?"

    "Yes, as soon as I finished, I came over to find you."

    As he spoke, Zhan Qipei deliberately lowered his head, closing the distance between him and Qiao Jing, bringing their faces close together.

    Seeing the two interact so intimately, sweet and loving, Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan could roughly guess what was going on.

    But to be sure, Li Chaoyang still asked, "Qiao Jing, this is...?"

    Qiao Jing gave Zhan Qipei a slight push, indicating with her eyes for him to be serious, then turned to respond to Li Chaoyang¡¯s question.

    "This is my partner. We¡¯re getting married soon."

    Hearing this, Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan exchanged nces.

    The shyness and awkwardness from earlier were instantly reced by disappointment.

    Even though they hadn¡¯t seen much of the world, they could tell that the man beside Qiao Jing was anything but ordinary, his every move exuding an inherent nobility.

    Moreover, he was strikingly handsome, and standing next to the exceptionally beautiful Qiao Jing, they looked perfectly matched, like a pair made in heaven!

    Most importantly, it was clear that Qiao Jing and this man were deeply in love with each other!

    In front of him, they didn¡¯t even have a chance topare, let alonepete...

    Realizing this, Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Their budding feelings hadn¡¯t even had a chance to sprout before being nipped in the bud!

    Coming to terms with this, Zhao Xishan looked at Qiao Jing and was the first to speak, his tone filled with emotion, "I didn¡¯t expect that the next time we¡¯d meet, you¡¯d be getting married. I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness."

    "I wish you both well too. I wish you..."

    Li Chaoyang paused, and after a while, managed to say, "I wish you both a long and happy life together and a quick addition to the family!"

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, Zhan Qipei had already stepped in to say, "Thank you for your kind words. We will certainly live up to your blessings."

    As he spoke, he gently ced his hand on Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach, hinting at something.

    Instinctively, Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan followed Zhan Qipei¡¯s gesture and turned their attention to Qiao Jing¡¯s belly.

    Seeing this, surprise spread across both of their faces.

    Because Qiao Jing had a slender figure, with a slim waist, and was wearing loose-fitting casual clothes, it wasn¡¯t easy to see the slight curve of her belly even upon close inspection.

    But with Zhan Qipei¡¯s hint, Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan realized that Qiao Jing was already pregnant!

    The blessing for a speedy addition to the family was spot-on!

    Qiao Jing instantly knew Zhan Qipei was intentionally showing off, iming his identity as the father of the child in her womb.

    Every time this man was jealous, he was unbelievably childish!

    Clearly, they were just sincerely offering their blessings, yet he was still getting jealous!

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing shook her head somewhat helplessly.

    After bidding farewell to Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan, she returned to her vige home with Zhan Qipei.

 Chapter 803 - 791: Marriage Proposal Visit

    <h4>Chapter 803: Chapter 791: Marriage Proposal Visit</h4>

    Following Qiao Jing into the house, Zhan Qipei nced around and couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about some past memories.

    This was his third visit here.

    The first time, he was injured and brought back from the cornfield by Qiao Jing, where he underwent a surgery.

    The second time, he returned with Qiao Jing; it was then he confirmed that Qiao Jing was the one who had saved him...

    As the mealtime approached, Qiao Jing thought for a moment and said to Zhan Qipei, "You sit here for a while, I¡¯ll go prepare a few homemade countryside dishes, and we can eat at home."

    She didn¡¯t n to return the same day on this visit, intending to stay for an extra day or two.

    "I¡¯ll help you." Zhan Qipei blurted out.

    "No need." Qiao Jing shook her head, "I can handle it myself; it won¡¯t take long."

    She nned to make rural specialty dishes, so in this matter, Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t much help.

    "Alright, call me when you need help."

    Zhan Qipei said, pointing towards Qiao Jing¡¯s room, "I¡¯ll go check out your room."

    Previously, he hadn¡¯t properly explored Qiao Jing¡¯s room, and this time he wanted to take a good look at where she grew up.

    Qiao Jing arched her delicate brows, waved her hand, and said, "Go ahead."

    Once Zhan Qipei went to the room, Qiao Jing went outside to the kitchen to make food.

    She moved quickly, skillfully stir-frying a few dishes and even cooked a pot of meat soup, all ready in about fifteen minutes.

    Just as she was about to finish, Auntie Zhang from next door came over.

    Auntie Zhang was carrying bags full, even with chickens, ducks, and geese, followed by a chubby, very round young man.

    Qiao Jing recognized him; he was Auntie Zhang¡¯s son¡ªWang Erzhu.

    She looked at the uninvited pair with suspicion, "Auntie Zhang, what is this...?"

    Auntie Zhang¡¯s face was all smiles, her eyes squinting into slits, shaking the things she brought, "Xiao Jing, I¡¯m here today to propose a match for you!"

    Proposing a match?!

    Qiao Jing was slightly taken aback, momentarily not reacting, and subconsciously asked, "Propose what?"

    "A marriage proposal!" Auntie Zhang tried another approach.

    Qiao Jing looked at her with a bewildered expression.

    What kind of uncalled-for proposal is this?

    Auntie Zhang chuckled, put down what she was carrying, and pulled her son in front of Qiao Jing, saying without a hint of embarrassment, "I¡¯m proposing on behalf of my son Erzhu."

    "To be honest, you and my Erzhu are fated. I was thinking of proposing as soon as you returned, and you happened toe back. Isn¡¯t this destiny?"

    Even someone asposed as Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but twitch her lips at these words.

    Ha!

    Forcing fate, is it?

    Ever since seeing Qiao Jing, Wang Erzhu hadn¡¯t stopped staring at her, nearly drooling from his infatuation.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly, feeling speechless inside.

    She was about to send this mother and son away when Auntie Zhang began to chatter on mindlessly.

    "Xiao Jing, our families live so close. You should know our family conditions; let¡¯s not talk about anything else. In the vige, we¡¯re considered wealthy, a rich family."

    "The house was newly built in the past two years, it¡¯s spacious andfortable, and my Erzhu is an honest man who cherishes people, definitely a rare good man!"

    "To be frank, marrying into our family won¡¯t make you lose anything; you¡¯ll be gaining a huge advantage!"

    Qiao Jing initially wanted to reply that she didn¡¯t want such a "huge advantage," and whoever wanted it could have it.

    But as the words reached her lips, she suddenly didn¡¯t want to waste time speaking nonsense, so she straightforwardly said, "Take your things back. I¡¯m getting married soon, and the wedding will be held shortly."

    She never thought she¡¯d encounter such an outrageous event upon her return!

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Auntie Zhang was momentarily stunned, but upon regaining her senses, she thought Qiao Jing was surely brushing her off.

    "Xiao Jing, you¡¯re no fun. I came sincerely to propose today, even if you¡¯re shy and need time to consider, you can¡¯t use such an excuse, or else your reputation might be at stake."

    Auntie Zhang, with her earnest demeanor, spoke as if she was certain Qiao Jing would agree.

    In her eyes, their family¡¯s status in the vige was top-notch, and it was always them choosing others, never the reverse!

    At this moment, Wang Erzhu, who had been infatuatedly staring at Qiao Jing, finally spoke, "Xiao Jing, I really like you. Marry me; I¡¯ll treat you well."

    "See how much my Erzhu cares for you? If you marry him, we won¡¯t let you suffer."

    The mother and son duo took turns speaking, not giving Qiao Jing any chance to respond.

    "Marriage talk? What are you talking about?"

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, striding out of the room.

    Long legs taking steps quickly, he reached Qiao Jing¡¯s side in the blink of an eye, then reached out and wrapped her in his arms.

    Embracing Qiao Jing, he raised his eyes coldly, unhappily ring at Auntie Zhang and her son opposite.

    Initially, he just wanted to check if Qiao Jing needed help; as he reached the door, he heard those two asking Qiao Jing to marry into their family!

    Being apart from Qiao Jing for just a little while, and someone is already proposing marriage?!

    This made him realize he couldn¡¯t let Qiao Jing out of his sight easily!

    Seeing a man suddenly hugging Qiao Jing, Auntie Zhang frowned instantly, "Xiao Jing, who is he? What¡¯s the meaning of this hugging?"

    "He is..."

    Qiao Jing had just begun to speak when she was interrupted by Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice.

    "I¡¯m her husband; what problem is there with a husband and wife hugging?"

    "Husband?"

    Auntie Zhang paused for a moment, then, recalling Qiao Jing¡¯s earlier words, dismissively said, "You haven¡¯t even held a wedding yet. That doesn¡¯t count as officially married."

    Then she turned to Qiao Jing, advising, "Xiao Jing, let me tell you, a handsome man is useless, you can¡¯t live on looks. For marriage, you should choose my Erzhu. He¡¯s our only son, and the family assets are all his. If you marry him, you¡¯ll surely live infort..."

    As Auntie Zhang spoke, Zhan Qipei¡¯s face turned darker and darker, as ck as the bottom of a pot.

    He felt incredibly insulted!

    This olddypared him to her son, who looked like a ball!

    And said he was not as good as that ball!!!

 Chapter 804 - 792: Are You Afraid of Cockroaches?

    <h4>Chapter 804: Chapter 792: Are You Afraid of Cockroaches?</h4>

    Just as Auntie Zhang was tirelessly promoting her son and Zhan Qipei was on the verge of losing his temper, a suddenmotion came from outside the courtyard.

    The gossipy nature made Auntie Zhang pause her speech immediately. She changed her tone and said, "What¡¯s that noise? What are people arguing about outside?"

    As she spoke, Auntie Zhang turned around and walked outside.

    Themotion outside was indeed quite loud, and Qiao Jing was also curious. She looked up at Zhan Qipei and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Let¡¯s go take a look too."

    Zhan Qipei, still simmering with anger, had a dark expression as he held Qiao Jing and walked to the entrance of the courtyard.

    At this time, arge group of people had gathered outside, almost the entire vige was there.

    They were all discussing the row of cars parked on the open ground.

    "What a grand disy, I¡¯ve never seen so many luxury cars in my life!"

    "I haven¡¯t either; today is truly an eye-opener!"

    "I¡¯ve seen some car brands on TV, and these are all luxury cars! That¡¯s a Bentley, that¡¯s a Ferrari, that¡¯s a Porsche, and that¡¯s a Lamborghini..."

    "Does anyone know how much these cars cost?"

    "Such luxury cars, at the very least, would cost a few million!"

    "A few million all together?! Then doesn¡¯t one cost tens of thousands?"

    "What are you thinking? I mean, each of these cars costs at least a few million!"

    As soon as those words were spoken, the crowd instantly erupted.

    "I could never earn a few million in my lifetime!"

    "Forget this lifetime; I couldn¡¯t earn that much money in the next few lifetimes!"

    "Whose cars are these? How did our vige suddenly get so many luxury cars?"

    "Yeah, since when did our vige have such a wealthy person appear!"

    "..."

    Everyone was excitedly gossiping, with spittle flying.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was a bitplicated, not knowing what to say for the moment.

    If she had known it would cause such a sensation, she wouldn¡¯t have had Tang Yan bring so many people along...

    But she was just thinking in her heart; Zhan Qipei¡¯s safety was still the top priority.

    "I think these cars definitely don¡¯t belong to any of our vigers."

    Auntie Zhang said with a certain tone, then turned to Qiao Jing, "Xiao Jing, you came from outside. Do you know what¡¯s going on with these cars?"

    Just as Qiao Jing was wondering how to reply, one of the car doors opened.

    Tang Yan got out of the car, passed through the crowd, and walked towards Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes followed Tang Yan¡¯s figure.

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Tang Yan walked up to Zhan Qipei, nodded respectfully, "President Zhan, seeing it¡¯s lunchtime, I came to ask, would you like to go back to eat, or have your meal brought here?"

    "We¡¯re not going back today, and no need to have the meal sent."

    While speaking, Zhan Qipei nced at the row of cars surrounded by vigers, "As for you guys, find a ce to stay on your own."

    "Yes." Tang Yan responded and turned to walk back.

    Auntie Zhang, standing nearby, clearly heard the conversation between the two.

    She swallowed, looked at Zhan Qipei, and stammered, "Th-those cars... are all, all yours?"

    Zhan Qipei, still holding a grudge over the earlier incident, didn¡¯t even spare her a nce and said coldly, "They¡¯re my wife¡¯s. Any problem?"

    Upon hearing this confirmation, Auntie Zhang was stunned.

    She never thought that the man she looked down on earlier not only had good looks but was also a wealthy tycoon!

    Her family¡¯s meager possessions couldn¡¯t even buy a tire of those cars!

    Given that Qiao Jing was with such a handsome and wealthy man, how could she possibly be interested in their family¡¯s Erzhu?!

    Coming back to her senses, Auntie Zhang¡¯s face was full of embarrassment when she looked at Qiao Jing again.

    "Xiao Jing, let¡¯s just pretend I didn¡¯t mention anything earlier. I suddenly remembered I have something to do at home, so I¡¯ll head back first."

    With that, Auntie Zhang turned and ran into the courtyard, grabbed the chicken, duck, and goose she had brought, and scurried away with her tail between her legs.

    Wang Erzhu nced in the direction his mother left, then looked at Qiao Jing, appearing reluctant and unwilling to leave.

    Seeing his shameless linger, with his eyes persistently on Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened, and with a chilling nce, he uttered one cold word, "Scram!"

    Feeling the piercing coldness in Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, Wang Erzhu shivered all over, his face turning instantly pale.

    Before Zhan Qipei could say more, he scrambled away in panic, shouting tremulously as he ran, "Mom! Mom! Wait for me..."

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze, snorted coldly, and said nothing more.

    No man, or woman, shall covet his woman!

    Seeing Zhan Qipei in such a furious state, Qiao Jing inexplicably found him a bit cute.

    She chuckled and dragged Zhan Qipei back, "Alright, let¡¯s go eat. The food will get cold if we don¡¯t eat soon."

    After eating the dishes Qiao Jing prepared herself, Zhan Qipei¡¯s anger finally subsided.

    That night, the two of them stayed there.

    After taking a bath, Qiao Jing returned to the room and found Zhan Qipei lying on her bed.

    She was speechless, "Weren¡¯t you supposed to sleep in the other room? Why are you on my bed again?"

    Since the bed here was a single bed and she was pregnant, sleeping together would be too cramped, so she had discussed with Zhan Qipei that each of them would sleep in separate rooms.

    This man agreed to it earlier, but who knew that while she took a bath, he would change his mind!

    Zhan Qipei sat up, took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, pulled her to sit on the bed, and then slowly said, "There are cockroaches in that room, the flying kind."

    "So?" Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, waiting for his exnation.

    "So I came over here," Zhan Qipei said, as if it was only natural.

    Qiao Jing almostughed with exasperation, "Are you saying, you¡¯re afraid of cockroaches?"

    She knew that to stay with her, this man would definitely find an excuse.

    But she never expected him to use being afraid of cockroaches as a reason.

    A man, who is formidable in the business world and feared by many, is afraid of a tiny cockroach that can be killed at a stomp?

    Did this man think just because he said it, she would believe it!

    Zhan Qipei nodded with a straight face, even saying, "That thing is pitch ck and pretty disgusting."

    What¡¯s the harm in pretending to fear cockroaches?

    As long as he could cuddle with his wife, he could be afraid of ants, mosquitoes, flies...

    After hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at him, "Maybe there are cockroaches in my room too. Why don¡¯t you go back to the capital overnight?"

    "How could that work? If this room has cockroaches, I can¡¯t just leave you here alone!"

    As Zhan Qipei spoke, hey down on the bed, holding Qiao Jing, and even sneaked a kiss on her face.

    "Wife, it¡¯s veryte now. Let¡¯s sleep first."

 Chapter 805 - 793: Are Qiao Jing and Lin Yun Really a Couple?

    <h4>Chapter 805: Chapter 793: Are Qiao Jing and Lin Yun Really a Couple?</h4>

    In the end, Zhan Qipei still ended up holding Qiao Jing in his arms. Regarding this, Qiao Jing found it both amusing and a little helpless. "Aren¡¯t you afraid of cockroaches anymore?"

    She knew it, it always ends up like this!

    This man is really getting better at acting spoiled!

    Zhan Qipei lowered his head, his thin lips touched Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, and in a deep and maic voice, he slowly uttered, "Aren¡¯t you here? If there¡¯s a cockroach, you can chase it away."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched, utterly speechless.

    Let her chase away cockroaches?

    This man really has the nerve to say it!

    Zhan Qipei let out a lowugh, therge hand wrapped around Qiao Jing¡¯s waist slightly tightened.

    The night was as deep and serene as water, and the two on the bed slowly drifted into dreand...

    The next day, after a simple breakfast, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei nned to return to the capital.

    While Zhan Qipei went to get the car, Qiao Jing waited for him at the gate of the courtyard.

    At this time, Lin Yun¡¯s mother came rushing over, carrying several bags.

    "Xiao Jing, Auntie has a favor to ask you. These are some local specialties and homemade pickles. Please take them back to my Lin Yun when you return."

    "Sure." Qiao Jing nodded and took the items from Mother Lin¡¯s hands.

    Mother Lin quickly smiled and thanked her, "Xiao Jing, thank you so much."

    Qiao Jing replied with a lightugh, "It¡¯s no trouble at all, Auntie, no need to be so polite."

    "How can that be, thanks are still necessary."

    As she spoke, Mother Lin smiled broadly, taking Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and unabashedly praised her, "Haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, Xiao Jing, you¡¯ve be more and more beautiful. With your looks, not just in our vige, even in the capital, I bet there aren¡¯t many who canpare to you."

    "Auntie just likes you more and more, but it¡¯s a pity that my Lin Yun doesn¡¯t have this good fortune..."

    Saying this, Mother Lin suddenly realized she had said too much and quickly shut her mouth, swallowing the rest of her words.

    Seeing her stop mid-sentence, Qiao Jing felt a bit suspicious and casually asked, "What do you mean by ¡¯no good fortune¡¯?"

    "Nothing, nothing."

    Mother Lin awkwardly smiled, waved her hands repeatedly, and then hurriedly changed the subject, "Xiao Jing, when you see Lin Yun, remind him to call home more often. If he doesn¡¯t say it himself, he hardly calls."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much of it and nodded in agreement, "Alright, I got it."

    Mother Lin sighed with inexplicable relief when she saw Qiao Jing showed no intention to press further.

    After all, this was her son¡¯s little secret, she couldn¡¯t reveal it.

    She had talked with her son before, and although her sonpletely denied liking Qiao Jing, she knew her son well enough to see he had feelings for her.

    She even encouraged her son to boldly pursue Qiao Jing, but he not only stubbornly denied it but also refused no matter what.

    Since he didn¡¯t dare to take that step, then it was up to him to bear the consequences of missing the chance.

    As a mother, although she felt it was a pity, there was nothing she could do...

    After chatting with Mother Lin for a while, Zhan Qipei drove up.

    After bidding goodbye to Mother Lin, Qiao Jing took the local specialties and got into the car.

    Seeing the extra bags in her hand, Zhan Qipei asked somewhat puzzled, "What¡¯s that?"

    After cing the items properly, Qiao Jing replied honestly, "Auntie knows I¡¯m going back to the capital and entrusted me to take some things to her son."

    Hearing it was for a guy, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but furrow his long brows and asked, "When are you going? I¡¯ll go with you."

    Qiao Jing immediately knew what he meant, no doubt he didn¡¯t want her to have contact with another guy alone.

    After this trip back, this man¡¯s possessiveness towards her seemed to have intensified!

    If it continues to develop like this, wouldn¡¯t she be his exclusive property?

    No!

    That¡¯s absolutely out of the question!

    With this thought in mind, Qiao Jing straightened her expression and refused Zhan Qipei without hesitation, "No need, I can go by myself."

    "But..."

    Zhan Qipei wanted to haggle a bit more, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he was directly interrupted by Qiao Jing.

    "No buts, I¡¯ve already decided, and it¡¯s not negotiable!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s tone was firm, with an undeniable air.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei had no choice but to give up the idea of apanying her.

    Because he knew well that once Qiao Jing had made up her mind, she wouldn¡¯t change it easily.

    But more importantly, he didn¡¯t want to upset her...

    After returning to the capital, Zhan Qipei drove all the way back to Purple Garden.

    Qiao Jing went back to her room to freshen up, changed her clothes, and had a bit to eat.

    After doing all that, Qiao Jing took the local specialties and headed out.

    She gged down a taxi at the street corner and headed straight for the club where Lin Yun was.

    Upon arriving at the club, Qiao Jing went directly to the training room, but looking around, she didn¡¯t spot Lin Yun anywhere.

    At this moment, someone recognized her and approached to ask, "Miss Qiao, are you here to find Lin Yun?"

    Due to previous rumors, everyone at the club basically knew Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing nodded and then questioned back, "Isn¡¯t he here?"

    The person replied quickly, "Yes, he¡¯s here, he¡¯s in the lounge now, I¡¯ll take you there."

    With that, he took the lead, walking in front to guide the way.

    Qiao Jing followed him and soon arrived at the lounge.

    Seeing Qiao Jing, Lin Yun was quite surprised, but at the same time very happy.

    He was originally leaning back on the sofa, ying with his phone, but as soon as Qiao Jing entered, he jumped up straight away.

    He initially wanted to rush straight to her, but upon taking a step, he realized he was overreacting and quickly stopped himself, just standing there looking at Qiao Jing, and awkwardly clearing his throat, said, "What brings you here?"

    Qiao Jing walked over, raised her eyebrows slightly and questioned back, "What? Am I not wee?"

    Lin Yun didn¡¯t answer and snorted through his nose, "Come on, why are you here to find me?"

    Actually, not only did Lin Yun wee her, but he was also thrilled, yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say that.

    "I took a trip back to the countryside, and Auntie asked me to bring you some local specialties and homemade pickles."

    As Qiao Jing spoke, she handed him the bags she was holding, not forgetting Mother Lin¡¯s words, she added, "Oh, and Auntie wanted me to tell you to call home more often."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Lin Yun furrowed his brows slightly.

    So it was his mom asking Qiao Jing to bring him stuff, that¡¯s why she came to find him!

    He thought Qiao Jing wanted to see him herself...

    Realizing this, Lin Yun¡¯s mood instantly wasn¡¯t as ted as before.

    He reached out, taking the items from Qiao Jing.

    His colleagues around saw this and began teasing.

    "Lin Yun, really? She went all the way back to the countryside to bring you specialties and you still say you two aren¡¯t a couple?"

    "Exactly, it¡¯s okay to keep it a secret from outsiders, but no need to hide it from us!"

    "Miss Qiao is so good to you, going through all that trouble bringing you so much stuff, we¡¯re so jealous!"

    "Lin Yun, you¡¯re such a good actor, being this close but still asking what she¡¯s here for, obviously she came because she wanted to see you!"

    "..."

 Chapter 806 - 794: Lin Yunéˆ¥æªš Confession (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 806: Chapter 794: Lin Yun¡¯s Confession (Part 1)</h4>

    Listening to his colleagues¡¯ banter, Lin Yun¡¯s mood couldn¡¯t help but be a bitplicated.

    He actually hoped he was acting, was hiding the truth from everyone.

    But the fact is, his rtionship with Qiao Jing isn¡¯t at all like what they think...

    Because Qiao Jing wore a rather fitted outfit when she went out,pared to her previous casual wear, you could see even without looking closely that her stomach had a slight bulge.

    At that moment, a colleague unintentionally nced over Qiao Jing and keenly noticed this detail.

    That person eximed, somewhat surprised, "Miss Qiao, you...couldn¡¯t be pregnant, could you?"

    As soon as he said that, someone immediately raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously at Lin Yun, "Lin Yun, isn¡¯t this a bit much? You even have a kid already, and you didn¡¯t even whisper a word about it!"

    Others also started teasing Lin Yun.

    "Lin Yun, you sure keep your lips tight, hiding it so well. You¡¯re about to be a dad, and we haven¡¯t even heard the slightest rumor!"

    "Lin Yun, are you nning not to invite us to the wedding and want us to go straight to the baby¡¯s full-month party?"

    "Lin Yun, I guess we misjudged you. You weren¡¯t lying; you and Miss Qiao aren¡¯t just dating; you must be a married couple already, secretly married, right?"

    "No wonder you always denied you were a couple; turns out you two are actually husband and wife!"

    "..."

    The colleagues kept teasing, and the room was filled withughter.

    Lin Yun¡¯s eyes flickered, and his gaze remained on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Seeing her remain calm, with an indifferent expression, as if she didn¡¯t mind at all, Lin Yun suddenly felt a mix of emotions.

    Before he could say anything, a loud voice suddenly came from the doorway, "What nonsense are you all babbling about!"

    Everyone turned to see the managering in from outside with a stern expression.

    Once inside the break room, the manager nced at the chattering crowd earlier, frowned slightly, and said, "Stop making a fuss here. This matter has been rified countless times. Their rtionship isn¡¯t what you think; they¡¯re just good friends."

    The crowd was instantly exchanging nces.

    After a few seconds of silence, they started moring again.

    "Ah? Really just friends?"

    "Does that mean we¡¯ve misunderstood?"

    Someone looked at Lin Yun, eyes carrying some doubt, "Isn¡¯t that wrong? I heard you two grew up together since childhood; aren¡¯t there feelings for each other?"

    Others agreed, "Yeah, Miss Qiao¡¯s such a beauty, and Lin Yun, how could you let this go? Aren¡¯t you too disappointing?"

    "Lin Yun, what do you really think? Come on, share your thoughts with us; we¡¯re really curious."

    "..."

    With each word from the crowd, Lin Yun felt increasingly irritable.

    He frowned a bit, ced a few bags of local specialties on the table, and stepped forward to grab Qiao Jing by the wrist, "Ignore them. Come with me, I have something to tell you."

    With that, not waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, he pulled her out of the break room.

    They walked all the way to an old locust tree in the yard, where Lin Yun finally stopped and let go of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing looked up at Lin Yun, calmly saying, "If you have something to say, hurry up. I have to go; I have other matters to attend to."

    She had just received a message from the research institute saying there was something she needed to handle over there.

    Hearing this, Lin Yun frowned slightly again.

    Seriously, just arrived and already in a hurry to leave? Can¡¯t she stay with him a little longer?

    Seeing him remain silent, Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, urging him silently with her eyes.

    Lin Yun pouted, scoffing lightly, "What¡¯s the rush? It¡¯s just a few minutes; it won¡¯t kill you. What¡¯s more important than talking to me?"

    Qiao Jing was long used to his sharp-tongued way of speaking, so she didn¡¯t mind, just pressed on, "So, what exactly do you want to say?"

    Lin Yun was silent for a moment, then slowly said, his tone ambiguous, "I heard you¡¯re going to have a wedding with him. Have you really decided to be with him?"

    Qiao Jing knew that the "him" Lin Yun referred to was Zhan Qipei.

    She nodded, meeting Lin Yun¡¯s gaze, her expression more serious, "I never joke about these things."

    Upon hearing this, Lin Yun¡¯s mood instantly fell, his brows and eyes showing a bit of dejection, and his heart unexpectedly surging with a nameless anger.

    He secretly gritted his teeth, looking at Qiao Jing and snorted, somewhat annoyed, "You¡¯re good in everything except your taste. How could you fancy him? What¡¯s so good about him?"

    These words made Qiao Jing find it somewhat amusing.

    She curved her lips slightly, lifting a subtle, light arc, "Have you heard the saying ¡¯to each their own¡¯? No matter what he is, I just like him."

    With a dismissive look, Lin Yun was about to say something, but Qiao Jing chuckled lightly and continued, "Besides, Zhan Qipei is handsome, talented, and quite capable. At such a young age, he¡¯s managed Zhan¡¯s perfectly, bing a business leader. How many people can achieve what he has?"

    "Of course, that¡¯s not the most important thing. What¡¯s important is, he¡¯s incredibly good to me. He not only cooks for me but also helps wash my feet, clip my toenails, and even blow my hair, taking care of me in every little way."

    "Who could have thought that such a proud person would do such things for someone else? So, what isn¡¯t good about him?"

    After hearing what Qiao Jing said, Lin Yun felt even more ufortable inside.

    Though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, he had to say that Zhan Qipei really is an outstanding man in every aspect.

    And undeniably, Zhan Qipei was truly good to Qiao Jing, covering every detail.

    If it were him, he wasn¡¯t sure he could do so well...

    Thinking that, but Lin Yun wouldn¡¯t say it out loud.

    He snorted lightly, and still repeated, "No matter what you say, your taste is just bad!"

    Qiao Jing just saw Lin Yun as throwing a child¡¯s tantrum, so she wasn¡¯t angry, instead smilingly asked, "Then, who do you think I should choose to show better taste?"

    "I..."

    Lin Yun blurted out a word, but realizing he almost spoke his mind, he quickly stopped, feeling a bit flustered inside.

    Besides feeling flustered, he was even more annoyed.

    Suddenly, he felt really pathetic, not even understanding what he truly wanted...

 Chapter 807 - 795: Lin Yunéˆ¥æªš Confession (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 807: Chapter 795: Lin Yun¡¯s Confession (Part 2)</h4>

    Qiao Jing felt a bit suspicious seeing Lin Yun suddenly stop mid-sentence.

    She looked at Lin Yun with a strange look and asked, "What do you mean, what do you?"

    "Ahem, ahem..."

    Lin Yun snapped back to reality, gave a couple of light coughs to cover his emotions, while his mind raced on how to smooth over his previous words.

    "Hmm?" Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicion deepened.

    She felt that Lin Yun was a bit odd today, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on exactly what was off.

    Lin Yun quickly thought of what to say, looked at Qiao Jing, and asked, pretending to be calm, "If I think someone is good, would you listen to me?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t expect him to beat around the bush for so long and finally say something like this, and her expression turned a bit speechless.

    She didn¡¯t answer directly and instead asked back, "What do you think?"

    Lin Yun was momentarily at a loss for words.

    What did he think?

    No need to think, he knew Qiao Jing definitely wouldn¡¯t listen to him.

    Or rather, Qiao Jing would only listen to herself and not anyone else.

    Seeing Lin Yun remain silent, Qiao Jing raised her hand, nced at the watch on her wrist, and said lightly, "Nothing more to say, right? It¡¯s about time; I¡¯ll head out first."

    Lin Yun opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say, and could only watch as Qiao Jing turned to walk outside.

    His gaze followed Qiao Jing¡¯s figure as it slowly moved.

    Suddenly, the scene in front of him began to ovep with a memory from years ago.

    It was a sunny day when he was young.

    At the time, he also watched Qiao Jing¡¯s figure, seeing her bathed in sunlight, as if she was coated in a shining golden light, walking slowly into the herbal medicine shop...

    Every detail from back then, he still remembers clearly today.

    It was the most beautiful scene he had ever witnessed in his life.

    He even remembers the words Qiao Jing said to the herbal shop owner.

    "Owner, give me some honeysuckle and forsythia..."

    At that moment, he wondered if being with someone like that would be wonderful.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s light, clear voice from back then seemed to echo in his ears, pulling Lin Yun back to reality from his past memories.

    As Qiao Jing was about to walk out of the club¡¯s doors, Lin Yun couldn¡¯t help but call out, "Qiao Jing, wait a minute!"

    Hearing the voice, Qiao Jing paused and turned around slightly puzzled, "What¡¯s up?"

    Weren¡¯t we out of words before? What¡¯s this about now?

    Lin Yun quickly walked up to Qiao Jing, stood in front of her without saying a word, just silently looking at her.

    Qiao Jing was full of question marks, her tone a bit resigned, "If you have something to say, just say it, don¡¯t dawdle."

    Howe she never noticed before that Lin Yun had such a dawdling side?

    Lin Yun hesitated for a moment, then his expression returned to normal, and he said, "You¡¯re really something. You¡¯re getting married and didn¡¯t even send out a wedding invitation."

    Qiao Jing thought he was going to say something else, so it turned out to be about wedding invitations?

    She tugged at her lips, chuckled lightly, and said, "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave you out. The invitations haven¡¯t been done yet; once they¡¯re ready, you¡¯ll get one."

    Hearing this, Lin Yun started to get annoyed again and snorted, "I¡¯m not worried about that; it just came to mind, so I asked out of convenience."

    "Now that you¡¯ve asked, can I leave?"

    Saying that, Qiao Jing was about to step away.

    Lin Yun called out to her again, "Wait!"

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes at him, speechless, "What now? Can¡¯t you just say it all at once?"

    "I..."

    Lin Yun stammered a bit, but finally bit the bullet and said what he truly wanted to ask, "Actually, I just wanted to ask you what you think of me?"

    As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Yun¡¯s face flushed red, and he wished he could flee the scene immediately.

    He felt that asking such a question was truly embarrassing.

    But if he didn¡¯t ask, he¡¯d feel really ufortable and uneasy inside.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was suspicious, and she scrutinized Lin Yun¡¯s face repeatedly.

    In her understanding of Lin Yun, he wasn¡¯t the type to ask such questions.

    Clearly, Lin Yun was indeed acting very out of character today!

    However, since Lin Yun asked, she would answer properly.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a few seconds and said earnestly, "Pretty good, aren¡¯t you? You are a world champion, after all, how could you not be good?"

    Lin Yun frowned, his tone a bit anxious, "That¡¯s not what I meant."

    "Then what is it?"

    Qiao Jing looked at Lin Yun puzzled, starting to feel confused by him.

    Lin Yun could only repeat, word by word, "I mean, what do you think of me as a person?"

    "Well..." Qiao Jing rubbed her chin, as if thinking it over carefully. After a moment, she said, "You¡¯re a decent person, typical of someone who¡¯s tough on the outside but soft on the inside, sharp-tongued but tender-hearted."

    Lin Yun nodded silently, feeling that this assessment was quite urate.

    His character really was like that.

    Qiao Jing actually understood him pretty well...

    Even after answering the question, Qiao Jing still didn¡¯t understand why Lin Yun suddenly asked this.

    But she didn¡¯t probe further, just raised her hand to check her watch, "It¡¯s really gettingte, I should be going back."

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to leave, Lin Yun took a deep breath and quickly asked another question, "Do you think girls would like someone like me?"

    As soon as he said that, Qiao Jing stopped in her tracks again, her interest instantly piqued.

    She stared at Lin Yun, her eyes scanning him up and down, full of curiosity, "Hearing you say that, do you have a girl you like? What is she like? Do I know her?"

    No wonder Lin Yun had been acting so weird, turns out he had a crush!

    Didn¡¯t expect someone as childish as him to be at the stage of finding a partner!

    Looking at Qiao Jing who seemedpletely unaware and rather amused, Lin Yun suddenly felt a bit disheartened.

    Seeing Lin Yun not speaking, Qiao Jing assumed he was just shy.

    She chuckled and continued to ask, "Come on, tell me, who is the girl you like? Have I met her?"

    Her intuition told her that since Lin Yun asked, it might mean the girl was someone she knew.

    This feeling had no real basis, just pure women¡¯s intuition.

    But her sixth sense had always been pretty sharp.

    Lin Yun still didn¡¯t respond, just looking at Qiao Jing with aplex expression.

    How was he supposed to answer that?

    Did he really have to say it out loud?

    "Is it someone from the vige? Or a colleague from the club?"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s curiosity was unrelenting, rare for her to be so persistent, as she asked and searched her mind for possible candidates.

    Being pressed by her with no way out, Lin Yun gritted his teeth and took the opportunity to speak the truth, "You¡¯re annoying, it¡¯s you, it¡¯s you, okay!"

    Perhaps to cover up the nervousness and panic inside, Lin Yun¡¯s tone still carried its usual lightness.

    So, when Qiao Jing heard this, she merely thought Lin Yun was joking and never considered it could really be her.

    After questioning for so long, only to get a joking response, Qiao Jing figured Lin Yun truly didn¡¯t want to say.

    Thus, she sensibly suppressed her curiosity, refrained from asking further, and jokingly replied, "If it¡¯s me, then you don¡¯t stand a chance."

    Lin Yun could see that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t take his words seriously at all.

    He opened his mouth, but the words got stuck in his throat, unable to speak a single word for quite some time.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing thought he was left speechless by her retort, chuckled, looked at him a few times amusingly, and advised, "This time, don¡¯t call me back again, I really have to go."

    With that, she waved at Lin Yun, not giving him a chance to say anything else, and turned around, walking out of the club¡¯s entrance.

    Lin Yun watched her receding figure without blinking.

    Only when Qiao Jing¡¯s silhouette disappeared from view did Lin Yun retract his gaze.

    At this moment, the manager who had been secretly observing from the corner stepped out.

    He walked over to Lin Yun, patted his shoulder, and said warmly, "After saying it, don¡¯t you feel a bit better?"

    "Better?"

    Lin Yun snorted, "Better my ass! You saw she didn¡¯t take my words seriously at all, didn¡¯t realize a thing!"

    Thinking about Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction just now made his emotions incrediblyplex!

    The manager nced at Lin Yun and asked seriously, "If she did take it seriously, realized it, and reacted, what would you do? How would you respond?"

    Lin Yun was silent for a moment, seemingly contemting this scenario.

    Then he suddenly thought that maybe it¡¯s better that Qiao Jing didn¡¯t realize it, perhaps that¡¯s the best oue.

    Otherwise, what would be of his rtionship with Qiao Jing...

    Suddenly, the previously clear sky was covered with dark clouds in an instant, followed by a light drizzle.

    Feeling the cool raindrops hitting his face, Lin Yun¡¯s expression changed slightly, immediately putting his hands in his pockets, and defiantly cursed, "Damn it, what¡¯s with the rain? I¡¯m not even upset!"

    At this moment, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the saying, when it rains it pours...

    The manager looked up at the dark, overcast sky, and said with a hint of sentiment, "Wow, the rain is quite timely, isn¡¯t it?"

    Lin Yun scoffed, "Timely my ass! Let¡¯s go!"

    "Go?" The manager didn¡¯t react immediately, showing a puzzled expression, "Go where?"

    "Where else? Back to training!"

    With those words, not waiting for the manager to speak further, Lin Yun turned abruptly and strode back into the club.

    The manager shook his head, smiled, and followed him.

    ...

 Chapter 808 - 796: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 1)

    <h4>Chapter 808: Chapter 796: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 1)</h4>

    "Xiao Jing, you¡¯ve worked hard today again. It¡¯s all because of my poor health that such a young child like you has to take care of me," Zhang Ruicheng sighed, shaking his head as he spoke from his wheelchair.

    Hearing Zhang Ruicheng say this, Qiao Jing stopped with the basket in her hand.

    A face that was obviously only in her teens but was far more mature than her peers.

    "Grandpa, don¡¯t say that. Xiao Jing is not tired. Xiao Jing is very strong and can do a lot of work. You used to look after me, and now that Xiao Jing has grown up, it¡¯s time for Xiao Jing to be filial to you."

    The more Qiao Jing said this, the more Zhang Ruicheng¡¯s heart ached.

    This child is truly pitiful. Back when he retired and returned, he heard the cries of a baby during a snowy day. Following the sound, he found Qiao Jing, just a half-exposed swaddling cloth covered by snow.

    At that time, he wondered what kind of parents could be so cruel. This child was obviously only about a month old and was abandoned in the snow.

    Even if they did not want to raise her, they shouldn¡¯t have abandoned her in the snow to fend for herself. At least they should have left her somewhere with people around.

    Hearing the increasingly faint cries of the baby, he couldn¡¯t bear to let such a small child disappear from the world like that.

    So he took the vegetables he had just bought from the market out of the basket and ced the baby inside.

    Then he took off his padded coat and covered the little one with it.

    Later he found out this little one had a very serious infectious disease. At that time, the vigers advised him to quickly abandon her in the deep mountains and forests to avoid harming himself and others.

    Originally a solitary old man himself, he thought to himself that if he were to be harmed, so be it, but he couldn¡¯t harm others, so he moved to a ce far from the vige.

    He then consulted many doctors to treat her. Fortunately, the heavens did not disappoint, and this child was not meant to die; her illness was finally cured.

    This child had suffered too many hardships. Perhaps because of this experience, she turned out to be especially sensible, never causing him any worries.

    Saying it might be a bit embarrassing, but thesest two years, the little one has been taking care of him instead.

    Just as Zhang Ruicheng was reminiscing, Qiao Jing¡¯s voice rang out.

    "Grandpa, it¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll go to the vegetable garden to pick some vegetables first. Then I¡¯ll buy two fish at the market to cook some carp soup for you, to replenish your nutrition."

    "Oh, good, good, just don¡¯t work too hard, and be careful by yourself."

    Although Zhang Ruicheng was well aware of Qiao Jing¡¯s intelligence and how she rarely suffered losses, he couldn¡¯t help but remind her.

    "Okay, Grandpa, I know."

    Qiao Jing carried the vegetable basket and noticed something unusual as soon as she arrived at the garden.

    "What¡¯s going on?"

    Qiao Jing approached the edge of the garden, her face darkening as she saw the damaged garden gate.

    This garden was Grandpa Zhang¡¯sbor of love, where he worked tirelessly every day, of course with her help.

    But now the garden had been obviously vandalized, and there were a lot of footprints. Judging by the small size of the footprints, it seemed like children hade to steal the tomatoes and watermelons from the garden.

    Qiao Jing put down the basket and headed towards where the tomatoes and watermelons were nted. Sure enough, there were signs of recent picking.

    How despicable! Even if they¡¯re children, this can¡¯t be forgiven!

    She was determined to find out which kids dared to mess with their garden.

    It¡¯s one thing to pick fruit, but why ruin the garden like this?

    Early the next day, Qiao Jing arrived near the garden and hid behind a big tree, waiting.

    She thought that since those kids had tasted sess before, they would definitely return the next day.

    Sure enough, as she expected, before long, she heard the sound of yfulughter.

    "Their watermelons are so delicious, they taste much better than the ones we grow at home."

    "Yeah, yeah, and the little tomatoes, so sweet and juicy. Who knows how they grow such tasty stuff when ours look the same but don¡¯t taste nearly as good?"

    "Who knows? Anyway, no one¡¯s watching, so today we¡¯re going to eat all their tomatoes and watermelons." The kid who spoke was the leader among them, also known as the ringleader in their vige.

    Always causing trouble, if not stealing someone else¡¯s watermelons today, then breaking off someone else¡¯s corn tomorrow.

    "So he¡¯s the ringleader," Qiao Jing murmured to herself.

    This ringleader was Lin Yun, a notorious troublemaker, often seen being chased by his mother wielding a broom because they lived nearby.

    This troublemaker never studied properly, skipped sses every now and then, and constantly fought with his parents. He led other vige kids into trouble all the time.

    He hadn¡¯t bothered her before, so she never cared, but now they had dared to steal from their garden, so she had to teach them a lesson.

    Lin Yun came up to the garden gate and, after a few attempts to open it, shouted impatiently.

    "Darn it, I went through all the trouble to break it yesterday, and they¡¯ve fixed it again. It¡¯s such a waste of my effort!"

    With that, Lin Yun moved to dismantle the gate.

    "Stop! Who gave you the guts to dismantle someone¡¯s garden at will?" Qiao Jing emerged quickly from behind the tree.

    "Oh no! We¡¯ve been caught!"

    The other two kids, seeing the situation, turned and ran, leaving only Lin Yun standing there, unfazed by the turn of events.

    "Afraid? Why should we be scared of a little girl? There¡¯re so many of us; how could we lose to her? Not to mention that we¡¯re all boys, and she¡¯s a girl. Any one of us could easily knock her down," Lin Yun boasted confidently.

    The other two kids, hearing Lin Yun, stopped immediately.

    "That¡¯s right, why are we afraid of her?"

    "Exactly, look at her, skinny and weak as she looks, a gust of wind could blow her away."

    Moreover, I heard my mother say she was left in the snow shortly after birth and contracted some weird infectious disease, half-dead, and she still thinks she can take us on like that.

    Speaking like this emboldened them, and one of the chubbier kids rolled up his sleeves and approached Qiao Jing.

    "I¡¯ll tell you, I can punch a dog to death with one hit. Believe it or not? Now, if you give us the tomatoes and watermelons, we won¡¯t beat you up today."

    "You want to hit me?"

    Faced with the chubby kid¡¯s threat, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t show any sign of fear. She stood there calmly, her face expressionless, looking at them.

    To them, Qiao Jing¡¯s stillness seemed like she was intimidated by them.

    "That¡¯s right! We¡¯re going to beat you up unless you hand over the tomatoes and watermelons voluntarily. Otherwise, we¡¯ll beat you so hard, your grandpa won¡¯t even recognize you!"

 Chapter 809 - 797: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 2)

    <h4>Chapter 809: Chapter 797: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 2)</h4>

    This look on Qiao Jing¡¯s face had infuriated the chubby kid.

    To him, it seemed that Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t afraid of him at all.

    This made him lose face in front of his buddies.

    What did it mean? Looking down on his bulk, huh?

    "Oh! Dare to look down on me, today I¡¯m definitely going to teach you a lesson!"

    As he finished speaking, the chubby kid reached out to punch Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing squinted slightly, and just as she was about to make a move, a hand reached out before she could, grabbing the chubby kid¡¯s hand to stop him.

    The person who did this wasn¡¯t anyone else but the bratty kid.

    "Boss, what are you doing?" The chubby kid looked at Lin Yun in confusion.

    They were clearly on the same side, so why was Lin Yun stopping him?

    Lin Yun pushed the chubby kid¡¯s hand aside and said irritably, "It¡¯s just talk. Were you really nning to start fighting? The three of us bullying just one girl. If you¡¯re not embarrassed, I sure am."

    "So we¡¯re just letting it go like this?" The chubby kid looked displeased.

    "What else? You go and steal watermelons and tomatoes from someone¡¯s garden, and beat them up, and if this gets out, aren¡¯t you afraid your dad will make you taste his belt?" Lin Yun said, rolling his eyes.

    The chubby kid suddenly remembered the times his dad made him taste the belt, and shuddered reflexively.

    "Then let¡¯s just go back first."

    The chubby kid shrugged his shoulders, walked a couple of steps, and then turned back to face Qiao Jing.

    "Just you wait, if I ever run into you again, I¡¯m definitely going to settle scores with you."

    "Alright! Let¡¯s go!" Lin Yun called back to the chubby kid.

    The chubby kid made a face at Qiao Jing before leaving reluctantly.

    Thinking they¡¯d just leave so easily?

    Qiao Jing squinted, "Stop right there."

    Hearing this, Lin Yun and the other two stopped in their tracks and looked back at Qiao Jing.

    "What do you want? Itchy skin, wanting us to beat you up?"

    Qiao Jing pointed at the tomatoes and watermelons, "You trespass into someone else¡¯s vegetable garden and damage it without the owner¡¯s permission. Do you n to just leave like this?"

    Lin Yun spat out the piece of foxtail grass in his mouth.

    "Yes! I do n to just leave like this, what do you want? A one-on-three? Have you seen how thin your arms and legs are and still want to do something to us? I¡¯ve already held Er Pang back from hitting you, giving you face because you¡¯re a girl. If you¡¯re looking for a beating, then today I won¡¯t hold back."

    "Is that so? Thene on." Qiao Jing extended a finger and beckoned at Lin Yun.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s provocative finger, Lin Yun¡¯s face turned overcast immediately.

    "You¡¯re asking for it, huh? Fine, you brought this on yourself!"

    With those words, Lin Yun clenched his fists and rushed towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing took a professional stance. By this time, she had already practiced taekwondo for several years, reaching a ck belt sixth dan level.

    Forget about Lin Yun as a kid, even the strongest men in the vige were no match for her.

    "Boss, go for it! Hit her!"

    "Come on, teach her to never dare to go against you again!"

    The other two kids stood by, continuously cheering Lin Yun on.

    They were already infuriated by Qiao Jing¡¯s earlier actions. If it weren¡¯t for Lin Yun stopping them, they might have already knocked Qiao Jing down to the ground, crying for her mother.

    Oh, correction, that would be crying for her grandfather.

    Just as they eagerly awaited Qiao Jing being beaten up, an angry shout suddenly erupted.

    "You little brats! Dare to bully my granddaughter! Are you tired of living?"

    Upon hearing the voice, Lin Yun and the other two turned their heads simultaneously, only to see Zhang Ruicheng, with a furious face, swiftly turning the wheels of his wheelchair,ing towards them.

    "Boss, her grandpa is here, what do we do?"

    The chubby kid was a bit panicked, the arrogance from before vanished in an instant.

    Bullying someone else¡¯s child and getting caught by their adult was quite a big deal for these brats!

    Lin Yun quickly withdrew his fist that was still hanging mid-air, snorted, and said, "What can we do? Of course, we run first!"

    As Zhang Ruicheng approached aggressively, Lin Yun and his friends scrambled to turn and fled in panic.

    "These little brats dared to mess with my granddaughter, count themselves lucky they ran fast. If they had been a step slower, I¡¯d break their legs!"

    Zhang Ruicheng red in the direction the bratty kids had fled, furiously muttering.

    Qiao Jing walked to Zhang Ruicheng¡¯s side, and seeing how worked up he was, she quicklyforted him, "Grandpa, don¡¯t be angry, careful not to stress yourself too much."

    "Did they hurt you?"

    Zhang Ruicheng checked Qiao Jing up and down, ensuring she wasn¡¯t injured.

    "No, I¡¯m alright." Qiao Jing shook her head.

    Even if grandpa hadn¡¯t shown up, Lin Yun and his crew wouldn¡¯t have been able to hurt her.

    After confirming Qiao Jing was unhurt, Zhang Ruicheng rxed, "That¡¯s good, let¡¯s go back, it¡¯s time for lunch."

    "Okay." Qiao Jing nodded obediently, moving behind Zhang Ruicheng to push his wheelchair, "Grandpa, I¡¯ll push you."

    The two of them headed back home together.

    Meanwhile, on the other side, Lin Yun and the two kids stopped breathlessly after running a good distance.

    This hasty escape left them feeling disgruntled.

    The chubby kid angrily said, "No way, we can¡¯t just let this go! Recently, have we ever failed to take things from someone else¡¯s house? This time we got defeated by a little girl, I can¡¯t swallow this!

    Another kid immediately chimed in, "Exactly, I can¡¯t ept it either, we suffered such a big loss and must get our revenge somehow!"

    Lin Yun, after catching his breath, looked up at his twopanions, "So, what do you want to do? We can¡¯t really just beat that little girl up?"

    He was only trying to scare the little girl, he hadn¡¯t intended to truly hit her.

    With her thin arms and legs, if they really fought, she¡¯d probably get some bones broken!

    The chubby kid thought for a moment and suggested, "We could wreck her family¡¯s vegetable garden, or let their pigs loose from the pen!"

    The other kid nodded in agreement, "I think that¡¯s a good idea, plus they raise chickens, we could also grab a few chickens while we¡¯re at it!"

    Listening to their suggestions, Lin Yun rolled his eyes, "Seriously, you dare say these things, release the pigs and steal chickens, if we actually did that, it would be a huge fuss, aren¡¯t you afraid of being beaten by your own moms?"

    Upon hearing this, the twopanions looked at each other, simultaneously recalling the time when Lin Yun was chased all over the vige by his mom.

    If memory serves, Lin Yun¡¯s highest record for being chased was running around the entire vige over a dozen times!

    As they thought about it, they couldn¡¯t hold back and burst intoughter.

    Seeing the two of themughing so hard, Lin Yun instantly guessed what they were thinking about, and his expression turned both embarrassed and annoyed.

 Chapter 810 - 798: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 3)

    <h4>Chapter 810: Chapter 798: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 3)</h4>

    "Are you two looking for trouble?! Daring to make fun of me! If I don¡¯t teach you a lesson, you¡¯ll never know how tough I am!"

    Lin Yun cursed and swore, making a move to give the two of them a good beating.

    The two buddies saw this and shouted "Whoa!" before bolting, yelling as they ran.

    "Run, run! The boss is angry!"

    "Waaa, I¡¯m so scared, if the boss catches us, our butts are gonna be toast!"

    Lin Yun chased after them relentlessly, "You two, stop right there..."

    Under the midday sun, the three kids chased each other around the vige, their yfulughter filling the air.

    At this time, Qiao Jing had already pushed Zhang Ruicheng back home.

    Zhang Ruicheng lifted his hand and affectionately patted Qiao Jing¡¯s head, speaking softly, "Xiao Jing, if those kids evere again, you must tell me."

    "I¡¯ll teach them a real lesson so they won¡¯t dare to mess with you again. My precious granddaughter can¡¯t be bullied by anyone!"

    Hearing her grandpa¡¯s protection, Qiao Jing felt warm inside and very touched.

    Since she was little, she had been abandoned by her family and never felt their love; all the warmth she had was given by her grandpa...

    Qiao Jing lifted her head and said seriously, "Grandpa, I¡¯m learning medicine, and once I¡¯m good at it, I¡¯ll definitely be able to cure your illness!"

    Zhang Ruicheng smiled and nodded repeatedly, "Alright, alright, grandpa¡¯s waiting, waiting for Xiao Jing to cure me."

    "But for now, we should have our meal first. Once we¡¯re full, Xiao Jing will have the energy to study, right?"

    "Mm." Qiao Jing responded with a smile.

    Their lunch was simple, just one dish, one meat, and a fish soup.

    After lunch, Qiao Jing returned to her room and sat at her desk.

    The desk was neatly lined with a full row of medical books, with several anatomical models of human acupoints beside them.

    Qiao Jing had memorized every acupoint and meridian on the models by heart.

    She took out one of the medical books and began studying the uses and effects of various herbs.

    Sitting there, Qiao Jing studied for the whole afternoon.

    It wasn¡¯t until the sky outside gradually darkened, nearing dinner time, that she put down her medical book to prepare the evening meal.

    After dinner, Qiao Jing returned to her room to continue studying.

    Ever since she had the idea of studying medicine, she often studiedte into the night.

    She wanted to quickly learn medicine well and cure her grandpa¡¯s illness!

    Although she studiedte, she still woke up early the next morning.

    After preparing breakfast, she left a note for Zhang Ruicheng, who was still in bed.

    "Grandpa, remember to eat breakfast. I¡¯ve gone to the vegetable garden, so don¡¯t worry."

    After cing the note, Qiao Jing headed out alone.

    She made her way to the vegetable garden, tidied up the spots that Lin Yun and his group had picked from before, and fertilized the field.

    The reason she came to the garden so early was actually because she was worried those troublemakers woulde to mess around again.

    However, until she was done, Lin Yun and his group hadn¡¯t appeared.

    Qiao Jing thought they were probably too scared toe for now since they got caught by her grandpa yesterday.

    But not daring for now doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t ever dare again, so she still needed to be cautious!

    After staying in the garden for a while longer, Qiao Jing remembered her grandpa had a bit of a cold these past few days, so she decided to go to the herbal medicine shop to buy some medicine.

    Unexpectedly, on her way to the herbal medicine shop, she ran into those three troublemakers from yesterday.

    The three of them were being surrounded by a group of older kids.

    These older kids seemed to be middle school students.

    Seeing this scene, Qiao Jing quickly hid behind a big tree nearby, intending to see what was going on.

    At this moment, Lin Yun and his two pals were surrounded by dozens of middle schoolers, with no way out.

    A kid about the same age as Lin Yun stepped out from behind the group of middle schoolers.

    He pointed a finger at Lin Yun and his friends, angrily saying, "Bro, it¡¯s those three who beat me up! You have to get revenge for me, beat them to a pulp, and make them apologize to me!"

    "Lin Yun, Li Chaoyang, Zhao Xishan."

    The leader of the middle schoolers stared at Lin Yun and the others, calling out their names one by one, then suddenly shouted, "You three brats have some guts, daring to bully my brother, Wang Longfei, who gave you the courage!"

    Qiao Jing finally learned that the chubby kid with Lin Yun was called Li Chaoyang, and the other was Zhao Xishan.

    Facing older kids, Lin Yun wasn¡¯t scared at all.

    He raised his chin and snorted coldly, "Your brother deserved it! Who told him to be so shameless, stealing girls¡¯ toys in the ss? People as shameless as him, I already went too easy on him!"

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing blinked, a little surprised.

    Who would have thought this troublemaker had a side of standing up for others?

    Looks like he¡¯s just a bit mischievous, but not a bad person.

    "Brother, look at him, he¡¯s still so arrogant in front of you,pletely disregarding you, you have to teach him a lesson, don¡¯t let him off easily!"

    The kid who got scolded by Lin Yun urged his brother angrily.

    His brother, Wang Longfei, got angry instantly, ring at Lin Yun and his pals, viciously saying, "Still so cocky in front of me, you really don¡¯t know what¡¯s good for you!"

    "I¡¯m telling you, if you kneel down now and apologize to my brother, I might let you off. Otherwise, I¡¯ll beat you to death!"

    Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan both turned to look at Lin Yun.

    Lin Yun spat and said disdainfully, "Doing shameless things and wanting us to apologize? In your dreams!"

    "Looks like you won¡¯t cry until you see the coffin, since you insist on getting beaten up, don¡¯t me us for not being polite!"

    Wang Longfei gritted his teeth and gestured to his buddies, "Attack! I don¡¯t believe they can still talk tough after being beaten up!"

    Li Chaoyang gulped nervously, looking at Lin Yun, "Boss, what do we do? There¡¯s just three of us and so many of them, how can we win?"

    Lin Yun frowned slightly, gritting his teeth, "Even if we can¡¯t win, we have to fight. Anyway, I¡¯m not apologizing to people like them!"

    As soon as he finished speaking, the other side was already rushing at them with raised fists.

    Lin Yun and his friends had to fight back with all their strength.

    Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan were obviously weaker, soon getting bruises on their faces.

    Lin Yun was a bit stronger, but the others were numerous and older by several years, so even with all his might, he was quickly outmatched.

    Just when they were about to be overwhelmed, Qiao Jing stepped out from behind the tree and shouted, "Stop!"

    Hearing the sudden voice, Wang Longfei and his group instinctively paused and turned towards the sound.

    They saw a little girl, delicate and beautiful, with bright eyes and white teeth, slowly walking towards them.

    For a moment, Wang Longfei and his group were all stunned.

    It was the first time any of them had seen such a pretty girl!

    This girl was already so beautiful at such a young age, she must be stunning when she grows up!

 Chapter 811 - 799: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 4)

    <h4>Chapter 811: Chapter 799: Qiao Jing and Lin Yun (Extra 4)</h4>

    Qiao Jing walked over and stood in front of Lin Yun and the other two, facing Wang Longfei and his group, speaking in a clear and cold voice, "There are so many of you, and you¡¯re older than the three of them. Aren¡¯t you afraid of someone getting seriously hurt in a fight?"

    As soon as she said this, Wang Longfei and the others snapped back to reality.

    Although this little girl was very pretty, they couldn¡¯t let her ruin their ns!

    Thinking this, Wang Longfei red at Qiao Jing and warned, "You better mind your own business!"

    Qiao Jing nced at him dismissively and replied, "Whether I meddle or not is my business, what does it have to do with you?"

    This one sentence immediately angered Wang Longfei.

    He was only being slightly polite because this little girl looked good, but he didn¡¯t expect her to speak so arrogantly!

    Wang Longfei promptly raised his fist at Qiao Jing, threatening, "If you dare to meddle, I¡¯ll beat you so badly even your mom won¡¯t recognize you!"

    Qiao Jing calmly raised her hand and beckoned her finger, "Come on, then!"

    Lin Yun¡¯s eyes widened, staring at Qiao Jing in disbelief.

    They had stolen from her vegetable garden and had a confrontation with her yesterday; shouldn¡¯t this girl hate them? Why is she helping them?

    Although he was surprised, Lin Yun still didn¡¯t want her to get involved.

    He said to Qiao Jing, "We can handle it ourselves, we don¡¯t need you to step in. Your skinny arms and legs are nothing for me to handle, let alone them!"

    Qiao Jing listened and turned her head to look at Lin Yun, "Don¡¯t worry about me, just worry about yourself."

    Looking at Qiao Jing¡¯s turned face, Lin Yun suddenly found her very beautiful, very cute.

    Herrge grape-like eyes were bright and seemed to speak, her small face was fair and delicate, and her eyebrows, nose, and mouth were all very exquisite, it was hard not to find her attractive!

    Staring at Qiao Jing for a few moments, Lin Yun¡¯s face inexplicably flushed red, and he stammered, "Who, who, who¡¯s worried about you, I¡¯m not worried about you!"

    "Don¡¯t, don¡¯t forget, we still have a fight to finish, we didn¡¯t get to fight yesterday, I just... just don¡¯t want you to get beaten up and not have the strength to fight meter."

    "Oh." Qiao Jing responded ndly, then turned her head back.

    Seeing her reaction, Lin Yun got even more confused, but his heart seemed to suddenly beat uncontrobly fast, hammering away intensely.

    This was a feeling he had never experienced before, something indescribable.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing looked at Wang Longfei and the others and asked, "Are youing one by one, or all together?"

    Hearing this, the group opposite burst intoughter.

    "Wow, this little girl is so arrogant, so presumptuous!"

    "Are we being looked down upon by this girl?"

    "She¡¯s asking us toe at her all at once, that¡¯s hrious!"

    Wang Longfei red at Qiao Jing and snorted coldly, "Little girl, who do you look down on? Just me alone can make you cry your way home to your mom!"

    Saying this, he clenched his fist and was about to step forward to attack Qiao Jing.

    Lin Yun saw this and was startled, quickly shouting to Qiao Jing, "Run! Get out of here, we don¡¯t need your help!"

    Qiao Jing ignored them, standing calmly as Wang Longfei¡¯s fist came towards her, not dodging or avoiding, standing solidly still.

    As Wang Longfei¡¯s fist was about to hit Qiao Jing¡¯s face, Lin Yun and the other two instinctively raised their hands to cover one side of their face, as if they couldn¡¯t bear to watch.

    Things were about to get bad; this little girl was definitely going to get beaten to tears!

    However, the scene everyone imagined did not happen.

    Qiao Jing simply sidestepped, barely dodging Wang Longfei¡¯s swinging fist.

    Meanwhile, she raised her hand and grabbed Wang Longfei¡¯s wrist, pressing hard on a pressure point on his wrist with her fingertips.

    "Ah¡ª"

    Wang Longfei let out a cry of pain, discovering that his hand suddenly lost all strength.

    At this point, Qiao Jing twisted her hand, easily twisting Wang Longfei¡¯s entire arm behind his back, forcing him to turn around.

    Immediately after, she lifted her leg and kicked Wang Longfei in the back of the knee.

    "Thud¡ª"

    Wang Longfei fell to his knees on the ground with a loud thud.

    But that wasn¡¯t the end!

    With a forceful flick of her hand, Qiao Jing threw him aside.

    For a moment, Wang Longfeiy sprawled on the ground, not even attempting to get up.

    This scene left everyone present stunned in shock.

    Wang Longfei, so big and strong, was defeated by a young girl in just a few moves!!!

    Li Chaoyang and Zhao Xishan nced at each other, and their thoughts were identical at that moment.

    Luckily, they hadn¡¯t really fought in the vegetable garden yesterday, or their fate would have been far worse than Wang Longfei¡¯s!

    This little girl¡¯s Combat Power was not something they could match!

    Lin Yun also looked at Qiao Jing, a little dazed, his face full of astonishment.

    He never expected that this seemingly weak little girl would possess such amazing skills!

    No wonder she wasn¡¯t afraid at all just now...

    Wang Longfei¡¯s aplices snapped out of their shock and exchanged nces. One of them said, "Let¡¯s all go at her together! I don¡¯t believe it; with so many of us, we can¡¯t handle one little girl!"

    As soon as he finished speaking, the group clenched their fists and aggressively rushed toward Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing used the same method as before to subdue them one by one.

    In less than five minutes, the group was lying crisscrossed on the ground.

    Wang Longfei recovered almostpletely, struggled to get up from the ground, and pointed at Qiao Jing, making threats, "Just you wait, I¡¯ll call more people to deal with you. I don¡¯t believe you can handle so many people alone!"

    The others also got up, threatening Qiao Jing menacingly.

    "Hmph, we won¡¯t just let this matter go today. Just you wait, we won¡¯t let you off!"

    "Exactly! Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll go easy on you just because you¡¯re a little girl. We¡¯ll make sure you pay for this!"

    Facing their threats, Qiao Jing remained unfazed.

    She pped her hands, saying nonchntly, "Do as you please, as long as you¡¯re not afraid of getting beaten up again."

    As she spoke, her gaze shifted and she casually noticed arge rock blocking the middle of the road ahead.

    The rock looked as big as an adult and must have weighed at least a hundred pounds.

    Qiao Jing looked up at the mountain beside her and thought that the rock might have been pushed down by someone from above.

    After all, a rock thatrge blocking the road was definitely a traffic hazard and very dangerous!

    With that thought, Qiao Jing started walking toward the rock.

    As she got closer, she ced both hands on the rock.

    Her actions left everyone present looking puzzled.

    Wang Longfei¡¯s group was abuzz with discussion.

    "What does this little girl think she¡¯s doing?"

    "Judging by her stance, she¡¯s not thinking of pushing that rock, is she?!"

    "What nonsense! No matter how strong she is, she¡¯s just a ten-year-old child. How could she possibly move such arge rock?"

    "Exactly, are you joking? That rock looks heavy; even we can¡¯t move it all together!"

    "..."

    Lin Yun and the others actually had the same thoughts as Wang Longfei¡¯s group, thinking there was no way Qiao Jing could push the rock aside.

    However, the next scene shocked everyone once more.

    They watched as Qiao Jing ced her hands on the rock, bent her knees into a horse stance, whispered, "One, two, three," and then suddenly exerted all her strength to push the rock.

    It was clear that she was struggling; her small face was flushed red from the effort, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

    Yet, the hundred-pound rock truly began to move, bit by bit!!

    "Wh-what¡¯s going on?!"

    "That girl actually pushed the rock away!"

    "If she can do that, bringing more people to fight her might not even work!"

    "What are you standing around for? Do you want another beating? Run now!!"

    After watching Qiao Jing push the rock aside with her bare hands, Wang Longfei¡¯s group was scared off on the spot.

    Dozens of people scrambled to flee the scene, afraid they¡¯d be targeted by Qiao Jing if they ran too slowly.

    Lin Yun and the others werepletely dumbfounded.

    While shocked, Lin Yun¡¯s face blushed even more, and his heart raced faster.

    After moving the rock aside, Qiao Jing shook her hands and turned back.

    She looked at the bruised area on Lin Yun¡¯s arm and said, "How¡¯s your injury? Want me to take a look? I know a bit about medicine."

    Hearing her voice snapped Lin Yun back to reality, and he snorted proudly, "You know medicine? What could a kid like you possibly know!"

    "Believe it or not, your choice!" Qiao Jing casually replied.

    When looking into Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes, Lin Yun felt his heart pounding abnormally.

    But on the surface, he maintained his carefree demeanor, snorting, "Don¡¯t think that because you helped us, this fight between us is over. Once I¡¯m healed, I¡¯ll challenge you!"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything, she just extended her hand, pointing at the rock she had pushed into the corner earlier.

    Lin Yun followed the direction of her finger but couldn¡¯t understand her meaning, so he frowned and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows, saying tly, "When you can move that rock, you cane challenge me."

    Upon hearing this, Lin Yun was instantly at a loss for words.

    That rock, it would probably take him another ten years before he could move it...

    After speaking, Qiao Jing turned and walked towards the nearby herbal medicine shop.

    Under the warm sunlight, her figure seemed to be coated in ayer of dazzling golden light, shining brightly.

    Lin Yun¡¯s eyes were fixed on Qiao Jing, watching her slowly walk into the herbal medicine shop, and then hearing her clear voice ring out, "Boss, can I get some honeysuckle and forsythia..."

    For some reason, Lin Yun suddenly felt that the scene before him, along with Qiao Jing¡¯s figure, would be etched in his memory forever, never to be forgotten...

 Chapter 812 - 800: The Grand Wedding (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 812: Chapter 800: The Grand Wedding (Part 1)</h4>

    Under the meticulous and orderly arrangement of Zhan Yuanshan, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao, the wedding of Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei was soon on the agenda.

    Once everything on-site was set, the date for the wedding was promptly decided.

    The news was released to the public via the official Weibo of Zhan Corporation, with countless invitations sent out, almost calcble by the carload.

    In Su Manhan¡¯s words, this wedding must be an unprecedented grand affair of the century!

    To put it simply, it had to be as magnificent and ceremonious as possible!

    Given the many guests invited, the venue naturally had to be spacious enough.

    Just for this point, Zhan Yuanshan, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao discussed heatedly for two or three days.

    Finally, after vigorous debate, the three decided on a European-style castle estate owned by the Zhan Family.

    The estate covers more than eighty acres, easily amodating over ten thousand people at once!

    On the wedding day, the sky was high and the clouds light, with gentle winds and warm sunshine.

    Early in the morning, the invited guests arrived at the scene one after another.

    This time, those invited by the Zhan Family included not only the noble families of the imperial capital but everyone with a rtionship or business dealings with them received an invitation.

    To say the least, people from all over the country came to attend this wedding, with some even flying in from abroad.

    Of course, Qiao Jing also invited quite a few people.

    People like Xu Moqian, Lin Xiuxiang, Ni Yue, Cao Feiyu, Lin Yun, and Lu Zijin brothers were naturally all present.

    In the blink of an eye, all sorts of luxury cars crowded the outside of the estate.

    The line of cars stretched from the entrance to a kilometer away, with no end in sight, making even the most seasoned high-profile guests gasp in awe.

    "Oh my god! It¡¯s my first time seeing so many luxury cars gathered like this! Who wouldn¡¯t be astonished by this disy!"

    "Before today, I always thought I was quite knowledgeable. Until I came here, I realized I¡¯m just like a frog in a well!"

    "You¡¯re not alone; I feel the same way..."

    "I also feel like a country bumpkin who hasn¡¯t seen the world!"

    With these words, the surrounding people echoed in agreement.

    "Me too!"

    "I feel the same!"

    "..."

    Just then, a guest came out of the estate looking for someone and, hearing thesements, dispassionately interjected.

    "This is just the beginning. You haven¡¯t even seen the grand spectacle inside the estate yet!"

    On hearing this, everyone exchanged nces for a moment, then eagerly started walking into the estate, discussing as they went.

    "When I heard the Zhan Family was attentive to this wedding, I thought it would be grand, but I never expected it to be on this scale!"

    "I¡¯ve attended at least a dozen or twenty weddings, each quite ceremonious, butpared to the Zhan Family¡¯s, they all pale inparison!"

    "Are you kidding me? How can other weddings even be mentioned in the same breath as the Zhan Family¡¯s?"

    "Alright, alright, let¡¯s stop talking and get inside quickly to see it for ourselves!"

    When the group entered the estate and saw the wedding setup, each was dumbfounded, their mouths agape.

    The entire ground was covered with red carpet, and every two steps, there was a Roman column aisle guide, stretching from the entrance all the way inside.

    More importantly, the flowers on top of the Roman columns were of rare species from around the world.

    Those who recognized these flowers naturally knew they were specially flown in from across the ocean by special aircraft.

    In addition, every five meters, there was a Western-style long table,den with food and drink, whether wine, desserts, or other delicacies, all of five-star quality.

    The decoration of the scene was luxurious to the extreme, yet not without romance.

    In conclusion, every guest present inevitably uttered exmations of amazement.

    The crowd gathered in small groups, all their conversations centered on the extravagance of this wedding.

 Chapter 813 - 801: The Grand Wedding (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 813: Chapter 801: The Grand Wedding (Part 2)</h4>

    "Before, when I saw the announcement on Zhan¡¯s official blog about holding an unprecedentedly grand wedding, I thought it was a bit exaggerated, but now I realize it was myck of experience¡ªthe term ¡¯unprecedented¡¯ is no exaggeration at all!"

    "Yeah, our imagination is limited by our experience. This wedding by the Zhan Family is simply unprecedented!"

    "No matter what you say, I¡¯m absolutely stunned!"

    "..."

    Just as everyone was marveling at the spectacle of the wedding, someone suddenly remarked, "Do you know what this grand wedding signifies?"

    No sooner had they said this than someone immediately responded, "Isn¡¯t that obvious? It signifies that the Zhan Family is fabulously wealthy, with deep roots and immense influence!"

    "Everyone here can see that; it¡¯s so obvious it doesn¡¯t need to be said."

    "Then what do you think it signifies?"

    "Alright, let me tell you. It signifies that the Zhan Family is very pleased with today¡¯s bride!"

    "Psh, that¡¯s not urate. If they were merely pleased, how could the Zhan Family have put in so much effort for this wedding? I say they¡¯re extremely serious about her!"

    "Makes sense! And it¡¯s not just the Zhan Family who¡¯s serious about the bride; today¡¯s groom, President Zhan, is also head over heels for her!"

    "In that case, this bride must be a very charming, formidable character!"

    "..."

    Over here, everyone was enthusiastically discussing.

    Meanwhile, Xu Moqian sat in a corner at a bar counter, looking at the venue which was filled with a romantic atmosphere, feeling a bit mncholic.

    At this moment, he was reminded of the song he had sung to Qiao Jing over the phone earlier, finding the lyrics particrly fitting for his current mood.

    The woman he loves is getting married, but the groom isn¡¯t him...

    The more he thought about it, the more it stabbed at his heart!

    Xu Moqian shook his head, sighed, and drank ss after ss of red wine.

    Before long, the bottle was empty.

    Lu Zijin, who had just arrived at the venue, soon noticed Xu Moqian drinking alone on the side.

    He picked up a ss of champagne from a passing waiter¡¯s tray and walked slowly toward Xu Moqian.

    "Drinking alone is no fun, I¡¯ll join you."

    Hearing the voice, Xu Moqian paused in his drinking and slowly raised his head, realizing it was Lu Zijin who¡¯de over. He smiled and said, "Oh, it¡¯s you."

    "Come on, let¡¯s have a drink¡ªafter all, we¡¯re both in the same boat now!"

    As he said this, Xu Moqian¡¯s tone carried a sense of sympathy.

    He finished speaking and casually clinked his ss against Lu Zijin¡¯s, then tilted his head back and downed the drink in his cup.

    Lu Zijin softly replied, "Yes," and, like Xu Moqian, drank his champagne in one go.

    Chatting and drinking, Cao Feiyu happened to pass by and saw the scene, grabbing a drink and walking over.

    "You guys are so inconsiderate, not inviting me to drink!"

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin both looked up at Cao Feiyu, who had just joined them.

    Their gazes met, and there was a shared understanding among them.

    Before today, they had been rivals in love; after today, they had be allies in heartbreak...

    Xu Moqian swirled the freshly poured red wine in his ss and couldn¡¯t help but joke, "If one more joins, we could start a mahjong game!"

    No sooner had he finished speaking than another person approached them.

    The three men exchanged nces for a moment, and when the neer got closer, Xu Moqian cracked a smile and couldn¡¯t help but tease, "Really, Ni Yue, if others want to join, fine, but what are you doing here?"

    Didn¡¯t she notice the heartbroken alliance wasforting each other?

    Ni Yue could really be oblivious, crashing their little get-together!

    "Xu Moqian, don¡¯t say that. My mood right now is just like yours, maybe even moreplicated than the three of yoursbined."

    After saying this, Ni Yue ced a hand over her heart, looking quite aggrieved.

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian, Lu Zijin, and Cao Feiyu couldn¡¯t help but look at her in disbelief.

    Their expressions clearly asked, "What could possibly beplicated for you?"

    Seeing their reactions, Ni Yue chuckled lightly, "You don¡¯t understand. In fact, I was the first to meet Xiao Jingjing; you guys cameter!"

    "Really?" Cao Feiyu raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested, and looked at Ni Yue as he asked, "So how did you meet Qiao Jing then?"

    Ni Yue grabbed a ss of juice from the bar, took a couple of sips, and then seriously said, "The way Xiao Jingjing and I met would move heaven and earth, shock the gods and ghosts!"

    Hearing her say that, not just Cao Feiyu, but even Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin became curious.

    Xu Moqian raised an eyebrow, urging, "Come on, tell us. How did it shock the world and move the spirits?"

    After he finished speaking, he, Lu Zijin, and Cao Feiyu all stared intently at Ni Yue, waiting for her to continue.

    "Alright, since you all want to know so badly, I suppose I must tell you."

    Ni Yue put down her juice, recounting the scene of her first meeting with Qiao Jing slowly and thoughtfully.

    "Here¡¯s what happened. On a day when the sky was clear and the weather was pleasant, I arranged to go to the beach with some friends. We were ying volleyball on the sand at the time, and then..."

    Here, like a storyteller, Ni Yue deliberately paused to heighten the anticipation of her audience.

    Sure enough, Xu Moqian impatiently pressed, "And then what? Don¡¯t be mysterious, just tell us!"

    Seeing his reaction, Ni Yue nodded satisfactorily and continued, "Well, I turned around and spotted Xiao Jingjing in the crowd¡ªit was love at first sight!"

    "I remember it very clearly. Xiao Jingjing was wearing a white one-piece swimsuit then, and her figure was wless. Her skin practically glowed in the sunlight, in short, Xiao Jingjing was dazzling!"

    When it came to the dazzling part, Xu Moqian and the others all nodded in agreement.

    However, after all that listening, Ni Yue hadn¡¯t yet got to the main point. Lu Zijin couldn¡¯t resist asking, "And then? How exactly did you meet Qiao Jing?"

    "Hold on, I was just getting to that."

    Ni Yue responded and continued, "Then I went up to her and, using my charming personality, invited Xiao Jingjing to swim. One thing led to another, and that¡¯s how we met!"

    "Pfft!"

    Xu Moqian waved a hand in dismissal, scoffing on the spot.

    Lu Zijin and Cao Feiyu were equally speechless.

    All that serious listening, and that was it?

    They had to wonder if Ni Yue was pulling their leg!

 Chapter 814 - 802: The Grand Wedding (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 814: Chapter 802: The Grand Wedding (Part 3)</h4>

    Seeing the three of them with a disdainful expression, Ni Yue curled her lips and snorted lightly, "What? Looking at your expressions, could it be that you think this isn¡¯t earth-shattering?"

    She then asked, "What about you guys? How did you get to know Xiao Jingjing?"

    At this moment, Xu Moqian and Cao Feiyu simultaneously shifted their gazes to Lu Zijin.

    Lu Zijin pursed his lips and slowly began, "The first time I met Qiao Jing was in the hospital. It was the day I had just been promoted from an intern to a full-fledged doctor, and coincidentally, that was the day Qiao Jing came to report to the hospital."

    At this point, Lu Zijin¡¯s gaze became distant, as if he was immersed in past memories.

    "At that time, I received a very urgent surgery. Actually, before that, I had participated in quite a few surgeries and had umted a certain amount of experience, but the one that day was a brain surgery."

    "Brain surgery, like heart surgery, is one of the moreplex and high-risk types of surgeries, so naturally, I was a bit nervous."

    "At that moment, Qiao Jing noticed my nervousness and volunteered to take charge as the lead surgeon. But seeing how young she was, around neen years old, I instinctively thought she was a new intern and arrogantly disregarded her offer, refusing her proposal without hesitation..."

    Xu Moqian and Cao Feiyu listened intently,pletely different from when they heard Ni Yue¡¯s story just moments ago.

    However, Ni Yue wasn¡¯t in the mood to mind these things now because she was also listening very attentively.

    The three of them quietly watched Lu Zijin, no one interrupting him.

    Lu Zijin paused for a few seconds, then continued, "Later, in the operating room, everything was going smoothly at first, but midway through, I noticed that the patient¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t right¡ªit was a sudden attack."

    "At that point, I was caught off guard by this sudden situation, unsure of how to respond, and the surgery couldn¡¯t go on."

    "In this critical moment, Qiao Jing stepped forward without saying a word, took the scalpel from my hand, and continued the surgery with remarkable calmness."

    "I never expected, Qiao Jing being so young, yet possessing such extraordinary medical skills. Every move she made during the surgery was so steady, so skillful, it was like watching a fluid and effortless performance!"

    "Seeing Qiao Jing like that, I was truly amazed. Since then, I¡¯ve been unconsciously drawn to her..."

    Lu Zijin didn¡¯t continue with his story, pulling himself out of the memories and turning his gaze to the side at Cao Feiyu, changing the subject, "What about you? How did you meet Qiao Jing?"

    Cao Feiyu was about to speak when Ni Yue suddenly remembered something, quickly checked her phone for the time, and then said urgently, "No, I have to go. You guys chat among yourselves. I need to help Xiao Jingjing with her styling!"

    With that, Ni Yue waved to the three of them and hurriedly turned to leave.

    She reflected for a moment, realizing that getting too engrossed in the conversation could be detrimental, as she nearly forgot her main task!

    After Ni Yue left, without waiting for Cao Feiyu to say anything, Xu Moqian spoke up first, "Cao Feiyu probably doesn¡¯t have much to say. Let¡¯s listen to mine first."

    "Back then, Sister Jing and I had such a romantic mentor-mentee rtionship. To be precise, it was half a mentor-mentee rtionship. She was a professor at the school..."

 Chapter 815 - 803: Xu Moqianéˆ¥æªš Memories (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 815: Chapter 803: Xu Moqian¡¯s Memories (Part 1)</h4>

    Agricultural University.

    During the break time, Xu Moqian was chatting with a few buddies.

    Just then, a boy suddenly rushed into the ssroom from outside, dashed straight over to them, and said excitedly, "Have you heard? Our school has a new female professor!"

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian and the others all rolled their eyes.

    One of them said disdainfully, "Not to be rude, but what¡¯s there to be excited about?"

    The boy ignored their eye rolls and sat down beside them, "You guys don¡¯t understand, the new female professor is about our age, and she¡¯s super pretty..."

    Hearing the word "pretty," the previously disdainful group suddenly changed their expressions and started asking with great interest.

    "Come on, tell us in detail, how pretty can this female professor be?"

    "Is she prettier than our school¡¯s campus queen?"

    "..."

    Seeing the sudden change in attitude among his friends, Xu Moqian sneered with contempt.

    "Is that necessary? You all act like you¡¯ve never seen the world. I¡¯ve seen plenty of beauties, I just don¡¯t believe a nerd could be that attractive."

    The boy who brought the news immediately said, "Young Master Xu, you better believe it, the new professor is way out of our campus queen¡¯s league, it¡¯s not even close. I¡¯ve never seen a more beautiful girl in my life."

    Xu Moqian was still skeptical, his face full of doubt, "Is it as exaggerated as you say? Could it be that you have vision problems?"

    The boy stood up, shrugged, "If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go see for yourself, I just heard she¡¯s heading to the principal¡¯s office."

    "Young Master Xu, shall we go take a look? Seeing is believing..."

    Egged on by his friends, Xu Moqian finally showed some interest and decided to go check out the new female professor.

    When he arrived at the principal¡¯s office, he found it already crowded with students there to gawk.

    Seeing this scene, Xu Moqian started to believe what the boy had said earlier.

    But what truly amazed him was the moment heid eyes on the female professor.

    Inside the principal¡¯s office, a girl in a white dress with a stunningly exquisite face exuded a cold demeanor, and her every gesture carried an extraordinarily refined aura, she was breathtakingly beautiful!

    He had seen countless beauties, but those so-called beauties paled inparison to the girl in front of him.

    Because she was so striking, Xu Moqian was left stunned for a long time.

    Not until the girl left the principal¡¯s office and the murmur of conversation broke around him did he snap out of it.

    "Young Master Xu, how about it? I wasn¡¯t lying, was I? Is that female professor pretty enough?"

    The boy from earlier raised his brows at Xu Moqian, looking smug.

    Xu Moqian, staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, asked, "Do you know her name? To be so young and a professor at the best agricultural university in the country, her background must be impressive, right?"

    "Young Master Xu, you¡¯ve got it all wrong, I¡¯ve found out. The female professor¡¯s name is Qiao Jing. It¡¯s said she was abandoned in the countryside by her family from a young age and was raised by an outsider. Her living conditions were quite dire."

    The boy went on enthusiastically, "But besides her beauty and extraordinary presence, she¡¯s got an incredibly high IQ. At the same age, we¡¯re still miserable students, while she made it to professor status on her own, she¡¯s destined to be an extraordinary woman..."

    After hearing all this, Xu Moqian was even more amazed by Qiao Jing.

    Once he confirmed all this was true without a shred of doubt, he decided to pursue Qiao Jing and make this remarkable girl his girlfriend.

    Because Qiao Jing was exactly his ideal type!

    Xu Moqian was the kind of person who would act on his decisions without hesitation.

    After careful nning, he blocked Qiao Jing in the bustling school corridor with a bouquet of vibrant roses as she came out of the ssroom.

    Suddenly blocked, Qiao Jing remained unperturbed, only raising her eyes slightly to nce at the boy in her way, coldly saying, "You¡¯re blocking my way."

    The implication was clear, she wanted him to move aside.

    To put it bluntly, it was telling him to get lost!

    Seeing Qiao Jing up close, Xu Moqian felt she was even more breathtaking than thest time he saw her from afar, and he was increasingly smitten.

    He curved his lips into a smile he believed was gentlemanly, while extending the bouquet of roses to Qiao Jing.

    "Hello, Professor Qiao, I¡¯m Xu Moqian, a student at this school. It¡¯s nice to meet you, this bouquet..."

    He was halfway through his sentence when Qiao Jing¡¯s exquisite brows swept over with a hint of impatience, she then averted her gaze and simply walked past him.

    Onlookers stopped to watch, and some gossip-prone students even whispered among themselves.

    "Isn¡¯t that beauty the new Professor Qiao? Looks like Young Master Xu is trying to woo her, isn¡¯t he?"

    "Isn¡¯t it obvious? But unfortunately, the feeling isn¡¯t mutual, Professor Qiao clearly doesn¡¯t care for Young Master Xu."

    "Who would¡¯ve thought our Young Master Xu, adored by so many fans, would also have a moment where he¡¯s snubbed by a woman. It¡¯s quite the eye-opener!"

    "..."

    Xu Moqian stood there stunned for a moment until he snapped back to reality upon hearing the murmurs, then quickly turned to catch up to Qiao Jing, blocking her once more.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows knitted slightly, her impatience bing more evident, as she parted her red lips to utter two cold words, "Move aside!"

    "Professor Qiao, don¡¯t be so cold, I mean no harm, I just want to give you these flowers and get to know you."

    Xu Moqian shed a smile again, extending the roses towards her.

    Qiao Jing remained unmoved, her beautiful faceposed, "Sorry, I¡¯m not interested in getting to know you."

    With that, she once again walked past Xu Moqian and left.

    Having his enthusiasm so harshly doused with cold water was a first for Young Master Xu Moqian.

    Yet, standing before Qiao Jing, who was his ideal perfect partner, he found her to have apelling character!

    After his first failed attempt at striking up a conversation, Xu Moqian was not discouraged, instead, he chose to press on.

    That evening, as Qiao Jing was about to leave school after work, a speeding supercar suddenly halted in front of her.

    Her brows knitted, ready to sidestep it just as the driver¡¯s door swung open.

    Xu Moqian appeared before her, having changed into a suit to highlight his maturity.

    Qiao Jing cast him a cold nce, "You again?"

    Xu Moqian had thought it over all afternoon, concluding that with Qiao Jing¡¯s personality, ying games would backfire, so being straightforward was better.

    Thus, he came straight to the point, taking a deep breath and saying, "Professor Qiao, if you¡¯re not interested in being friends, how about being my girlfriend?"

    Qiao Jing was slightly taken aback by his words, then slowly replied, "You... have issues?"

    Running up to someone out of nowhere with such a question, indeed suggested something was off!

    Xu Moqian¡¯s expression froze momentarily, but he was still undeterred as he said to Qiao Jing, "I¡¯m serious, I like you, I want to pursue you!"

 Chapter 816 - 804: Xu Moqianéˆ¥æªš Memories

    <h4>Chapter 816: Chapter 804: Xu Moqian¡¯s Memories</h4>

    Qiao Jing still showed no emotion, responding with a nk face, "But I don¡¯t like you."

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s cold response, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disheartened.

    But he wasn¡¯t one to give up easily. Biting his lip, he continued, "It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t like me now. We can get to know each other first, and maybe after some time, you¡¯ll start to like me. Feelings are unpredictable..."

    "There¡¯s nothing unpredictable about it. Not liking is just not liking."

    Qiao Jing, having run out of patience, interrupted Xu Moqian, saying each word clearly, "Please stop bothering me, it¡¯s really annoying, understand?"

    After speaking, she raised her hand and pushed Xu Moqian aside, walking away without looking back.

    After repeatedly hitting a wall, Xu Moqian felt somewhat dejected, but after a few seconds of difort, he picked himself up and drove to catch up.

    Upon catching up to Qiao Jing, he immediately rolled down the car window and forced a smile, "Professor Qiao, let me give you a ride. It¡¯s hard to get a taxi at this time."

    Just as he finished speaking, a taxi happened to drive by.

    Qiao Jing, disinterested in dealing with Xu Moqian, waved down the taxi and left.

    Watching the car drive away, Xu Moqian initially wanted to continue following, but then realized that following a girl like this wasn¡¯t great, so he dismissed the idea...

    Of course, he did not give up on pursuing Qiao Jing.

    After a night of contemtion, the next morning, on Qiao Jing¡¯s way to the office, Xu Moqian had prepared what he thought was a romantic pursuit gesture on the campus.

    Unbeknownst to Qiao Jing.

    But before she got close to the scene, she caught wind of it from some gossiping students rushing to witness the event.

    "Hurry up, if we¡¯rete, we won¡¯t get a good spot to watch. Looks like Young Master Xu is really smitten this time, going all out like this!"

    "No kidding, I heard he had a truckload of roses delivered before dawn, totaling 9,999 roses, meant to signify eternal love."

    "They say Young Master Xu is pursuing that new Professor Qiao. Is that true?"

    "Of course! Besides Professor Qiao, who caused a sensation on her first day with her beauty, who else at our school can drive Young Master Xu this crazy?"

    "..."

    From these discussions, Qiao Jing roughly understood what would happen next.

    Watching the students flood towards the office, she felt speechless.

    After a pause, she turned on her heel and headed to the teaching building.

    Meanwhile, Xu Moqian stood before a sea of roses arranged in the shape of a heart with 9,999 roses, eagerly waiting for Qiao Jing to show up.

    The gathering crowd of students expressed endless amazement.

    However, Xu Moqian waited and waited, but Qiao Jing never appeared.

    Unable to bear watching, his good buddy Li Hao went to investigate.

    Ten minutester, Li Hao returned, leaning into Xu Moqian¡¯s ear and whispered, "Young Master Xu, Professor Qiao changed her route halfway and went to the teaching building instead. Looks like your love n is doomed..."

    "What did you say?!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s expression changed, his face stiffening.

    Li Hao nced around, suggesting in a low voice, "Young Master Xu, maybe we should pack up and go. It¡¯s embarrassing with so many people here and Professor Qiao not showing up."

    "Pack up for what? If she doesn¡¯te, I¡¯ll go find her myself!"

    With that, Xu Moqian, carrying the exquisite gift box, strode towards the teaching building.

    Li Hao and a few other friends had no choice but to follow.

    The crowd looked at each other and followed, discussing as they went.

    "What¡¯s happening? Why did Young Master Xu suddenly leave? Isn¡¯t he going to use this meticulously arranged sea of flowers?"

    "If the lead doesn¡¯te, what¡¯s the use of these flowers?"

    "If someone pursued me like this, I¡¯d agree immediately, let alone if it was Young Master Xu. Professor Qiao is too clueless!"

    "What do you know? Young Master Xu doese from a good family, and he¡¯s handsome and wealthy. But Professor Qiao is both beautiful and smart, already a professor at such a young age. Just because Young Master Xu likes her doesn¡¯t mean she has to like him."

    "..."

    Before long, the group arrived at the teaching building.

    When Xu Moqian barged into the ssroom, Qiao Jing was sitting casually on the podium, flipping through lecture notes, waiting for the ss bell to ring.

    At themotion, she looked up calmly, and before she could react, Xu Moqian suddenly knelt on one knee before her in front of everyone.

    This sudden move made Qiao Jing a bit surprised.

    She had deliberately avoided him, making it obvious, yet instead of backing down, he brought a whole group "charging" over. Calling him stubborn was an understatement; he was downright bullheaded!

    While Qiao Jing was inwardlyining, Xu Moqian opened the gift box, revealing a brand-name ne.

    "Professor Qiao, this ne was custom-made just for you. I had a surprise nned, but you..."

    "Never mind, surprise aside, I hope you ept this ne and give me a chance to pursue and love you!"

    As Xu Moqian spoke, his face was sincere, but to Qiao Jing, it was just a frustrating stubbornness.

    She stood up, looking down at Xu Moqian kneeling on one knee, pondering how to refuse in a way that would make this clingy ster give up for good.

    Just then, students at the door started stirring.

    "Professor Qiao, just ept it!"

    "Professor Qiao, Young Master Xu is already kneeling! Just agree with him!"

    "Say yes, say yes..."

    Xu Moqian stood up timely, bringing the ne closer to Qiao Jing, "Professor Qiao, if you don¡¯t mind, let me put it on for you."

    Qiao Jing stepped back, her gaze indifferent as she looked at Xu Moqian. Her red lips parted slightly, "Don¡¯t waste your time on me. I only like people better than myself, so there¡¯s no way I could ever like you, understand?"

    As soon as she said this, Xu Moqian¡¯s actions froze instantly, and he looked like he had been struck, his face dark and grim.

    Although he considered himself quite excellent, apart from his family background, Qiao Jing was already a university professor the same age he was still just a student.

    This simple difference in status widened the gap between them...

    The onlookers murmured amongst themselves at this scene.

    "Did Young Master Xu just... get rejected?"

    "It¡¯s obvious, yes!"

    "I never thought there¡¯d be a time when Young Master Xu would get turned down by a woman. I wouldn¡¯t believe it if I hadn¡¯t seen it myself."

    "But do you know who turned him down? That¡¯s the beautiful and intelligent Professor Qiao!"

    "..."

    "Ring, ring, ring¡ª"

    At this moment, the ss bell rang, and the people gathered at the door began to disperse.

    Meanwhile, students started entering the ssroom.

    Qiao Jing nced at the stunned Xu Moqian, "ssmate Xu, right? ss is starting, please leave immediately and do not obstruct me from teaching other students."

 Chapter 817 - 805: Xu Moqianéˆ¥æªš Memories (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 817: Chapter 805: Xu Moqian¡¯s Memories (Part 3)</h4>

    Xu Moqian had no reaction, looking deeply shaken.

    Seeing this, Li Hao and the others could only go forward and pull him away.

    After leaving the ssroom, seeing Xu Moqian still in a trance, a few of his friends discussed quickly and came up with an idea for him.

    Li Hao patted Xu Moqian¡¯s shoulder,forting, "Young Master Xu, you don¡¯t need to be so depressed, actually, you still have a chance."

    "Didn¡¯t you hear how Professor Qiao just said it? She said she only likes people who are more outstanding than her. Although I¡¯m not bad,pared to her, I¡¯m... I¡¯m just a student, how can Ipare to a professor?!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s face was full of dejection, and he felt even more annoyed in his heart.

    Unless he could immediately be a university professor, he wouldn¡¯t have the qualification to continue pursuing Qiao Jing.

    But bing a professor isn¡¯t something you can just do!

    "Young Master Xu, don¡¯t get stuck on this; we can think from another angle. If someone maliciously harasses Professor Qiao, and you step in at a critical moment and save her single-handedly, Professor Qiao would definitely be grateful and might think you¡¯re quite outstanding too. Wouldn¡¯t that give you a chance?"

    Li Hao shared the idea they had just discussed with Xu Moqian.

    After hearing it, Xu Moqian¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, brushing away the gloom from before, "You mean I should y the hero saving the beauty?"

    "Exactly!" Li Hao nodded repeatedly, "It¡¯s the hero saving the beauty!"

    Xu Moqian pondered for a moment and finally decided to go with this suggestion.

    Although this scenario is a bit clich¨¦, without other options, it¡¯s not a bad n.

    Soon, Xu Moqian found out that Qiao Jing has a day each week she needs to stay on duty and leaves school at six.

    At that time, there are basically no people on the roads outside school, making it a perfect opportunity!

    That evening, after finishing her duty, Qiao Jing left the school gates, walking alone on the quiet street.

    The street is lined with tall, sturdy old locust trees, and Xu Moqian and Li Hao hid behind one of them.

    "Haozi, are the people you found reliable? Professor Qiao is already here, why haven¡¯t they appeared yet?"

    Seeing Qiao Jing getting closer, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit anxious.

    "Young Master Xu, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to call and check."

    With that, Li Hao took out his phone and started dialing.

    Just then, Xu Moqian looked up and saw a few thuggish-looking men suddenly appear, approaching Qiao Jing.

    Once they surrounded Qiao Jing, the leader gave a lecherous smile, "Hey beauty, where are you headed? How about we give you a ride?"

    Seeing the stance, Qiao Jing knew these people were up to no good.

    Her brow slightly furrowed, and she coolly spat out two words, "Get lost."

    "Oh, the beauty¡¯s quite aloof, I like it with character!"

    The leader said as he reached out to put his arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder.

    Qiao Jing sidestepped slightly, easily avoiding the hand reaching over.

    Seeing this, Xu Moqian got a bit excited, rubbing his hands together, "Haozi, they¡¯re here, it¡¯s my turn now!"

    After speaking, without waiting for Li Hao¡¯s response, Xu Moqian rushed out.

    Li Hao looked up and saw Xu Moqian already at Qiao Jing¡¯s side, facing off against the thugs.

    At the same time, the call he made just connected.

    "Haozi, I¡¯m sorry, tell your friend we can¡¯t make it today, we just got into a fender bender on the road..."

    "What?!"

    Li Hao was stunned after hearing that.

    The people he found couldn¡¯te, so the ones harassing Professor Qiao now must be real thugs!

    This is trouble now...

    Young Master Xu will have to fend for himself...

    While Li Hao silently prayed for Xu Moqian, Xu Moqian was still immersed in his hero saving the beauty scene.

    He stood in front of Qiao Jing, puffed out his chest, and threatened the thugs, "Are you blind? Dare to mess with Xu Moqian¡¯s people, if you know what¡¯s good for you, then scram, or don¡¯t me me for being rude!"

    Looking at Xu Moqian who suddenly appeared, Qiao Jing just felt a bit speechless.

    Not to mention anything else, this clingy ster must have been tailing her, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have shown up so timely.

    The leading thug red sinisterly at Xu Moqian and snorted coldly, "I don¡¯t care who you are, the one who should be scrammed is you; interfere with our fun and we¡¯ll make you pay!"

    Someone on the side suggested, "Boss, don¡¯t talk with this guy, let¡¯s beat him up first!"

    With that said, a few thugs swarmed up and started to gang up on Xu Moqian.

    "Professor Qiao, step back a bit, make sure you don¡¯t get hurt by mistake."

    After saying that considerately to Qiao Jing, Xu Moqian faced the thugs head-on and started to fight.

    At first, Xu Moqian was just thinking about putting on an act, but after a few moves, he found they were hitting hard without mercy, forcing him to take it seriously.

    Do these people know what acting means at all?

    It¡¯s just acting, it¡¯s not real, is it necessary to be so harsh?

    Who knows where Li Hao found these people, if not for his decent skills, he would have been down already!

    While dealing with them, Xu Moqianined inwardly, still not realizing something was off.

    It wasn¡¯t until they couldn¡¯t take him down for a while and frustratedly took out knives that he found something wrong with them.

    They are serious!

    "You punk, dare to go against me, today I¡¯ll make sure you see blood!"

    The leader gritted his teeth and signaled others to gang up on Xu Moqian.

    They had knives and there were many of them, Xu Moqian gradually fell behind, couldn¡¯t hold back.

    Seeing the knifeing straight at him with no way to dodge, cold sweat broke out on Xu Moqian¡¯s forehead.

    In the nick of time, Qiao Jing, who had been watching from the side, quickly stepped forward and kicked the thug attacking Xu Moqian away.

    "Bang¡ª¡ª"

    After being kicked to the ground, the person couldn¡¯t even get up for a moment.

    Xu Moqian was instantly stunned, but what really shocked him was what happened next.

    Only to see Qiao Jing swiftly and effortlessly take down the other thugs.

    The skills, the moves, that was truly swift and decisive!

    Who could have imagined that a seemingly delicate girl would have such a robust side!

    "Get lost!"

    Qiao Jing looked down coldly at the few wailing in pain on the ground.

    Those guys lost all their arrogance, couldn¡¯t care about the pain, struggled to get up, and scurried away.

    Xu Moqian stood there dumbfounded, unable to regain his senses.

    Qiao Jing nced at him, "Are you okay?"

    Judging from this clingy ster¡¯s dazed look, could he be scared silly?

    "No, I¡¯m fine..."

    Coming back to his senses, Xu Moqian felt a bit tearful.

    He had meant to y the hero saving the beauty, but who would have thought that apart from being beautiful, the beauty was also smarter and tougher than him!

    In this case, how could he continue pursuing her...

    "As long as you¡¯re okay, don¡¯t follow me anymore in the future."

    After saying it indifferently, Qiao Jing turned to leave.

    Xu Moqian wiped his imaginary tears, lifting his legs to catch up.

    Seeing him following, Qiao Jing furrowed her brow, impatiently saying, "I said don¡¯t follow me, can¡¯t you understand human speech?"

    "If it weren¡¯t for you stepping in just now, I¡¯d definitely have been hurt. Since you saved me, you¡¯re my sister from now on."

    Choosing to ignore Qiao Jing¡¯s eye-roll, Xu Moqian said to himself, "Sister Jing, from today on, I, Xu Moqian, follow your lead!"

    He¡¯s thought it over, not having a chance now doesn¡¯t mean never having one, until he bes better, he¡¯s willing to call Qiao Jing Sister Jing.

    Qiao Jing was speechless.

    Looks like this clingy ster really stuck onto her, there¡¯s no shaking him off...

 Chapter 818 - 806: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 818: Chapter 806: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 1)</h4>

    At the same time, Su Manhan and Zhan Yao were busy greeting the guests arriving for the banquet.

    Su Manhan had just finished greeting a distant rtive when she turned around and noticed that the people from the research institute had also arrived.

    It was the Qiao Professor Research Institute where Qiao Jing worked.

    Originally, Su Manhan thought it must have been Qiao Jing who invited some colleagues over, but upon closer look, she realized that it wasn¡¯t just ordinary staff; even high-ranking leaders were present!

    When she first recognized these people, Su Manhan was somewhat puzzled.

    Logically, when a subordinate gets married, it¡¯s unnecessary for the unit¡¯s leaders to be personally present.

    Moreover, leaders from a nationally recognized research institute.

    In her view, although Qiao Jing worked at the research institute, she was just an ordinary employee. Why would these important figures go out of their way to attend and congratte?

    Puzzled for a moment, Su Manhan suddenly thought that these people must havee specifically because of the Zhan Family and her son¡¯s status!

    Thinking of this, Su Manhan smiled and walked over to greet them.

    Standing in front of several leaders from the research institute, she smiled and said, "I¡¯m delighted you could attend today¡¯s wedding. On behalf of the Zhan Family, I wee you!"

    The leading man returned the smile and replied in an easygoing manner, "Madam Zhan, you¡¯re too kind. We are honored to attend this wedding!"

    After speaking, he suddenly remembered something and continued, "Oh, right, let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Qin Jinghua. The four people beside me are Deputy Director Lin, Minister Khor, Director Wu of the research department, and Captain Bai of the academic team."

    The one speaking was the director of the research institute, Qin Jinghua.

    Because Qiao Jing only wanted to focus on her research, to avoid unnecessary trouble, she concealed her role as the director and didn¡¯t want people to know that she single-handedly founded the Qiao Professor Research Institute.

    Therefore, from the outside, the main person in charge of the research institute was seen as Qin Jinghua and others.

    Su Manhan greeted each of them in turn and then added, "Qipei is currently preparing the uing ceremony process, so he can¡¯te over right now. If there¡¯s any oversight, please bear with us."

    Su Manhan thought Qin Jinghua and the others came for Zhan Qipei¡¯s sake, so she made a special exnation.

    However, Qin Jinghua and the others were not concerned whether Zhan Qipei coulde over. Instead, they looked around, searching for Qiao Jing.

    After scanning the area, they didn¡¯t see Qiao Jing.

    So, they all asked Su Manhan.

    "Madam Zhan, why haven¡¯t we seen the bride? Where is she now?"

    "Yes, Miss Qiao¡ªcough, cough, why isn¡¯t Miss Qiao here? I wanted to congratte her in person."

    "Madam Zhan, could you please tell us the bride¡¯s whereabouts? We all want to congratte her face-to-face."

    Listening to their questions, Su Manhan was somewhat caught off guard,pletely bewildered.

    They were all asking about Qiao Jing and didn¡¯t mention her son at all. Could it be that these people weren¡¯t here for her son?

    But wasn¡¯t Qiao Jing just an ordinary staff member at the research institute?

    Why did these people sound so respectful when mentioning Qiao Jing?

    While Su Manhan was puzzled, Qin Jinghua, seeing that she wasn¡¯t speaking, spected on his own, "Madam Zhan, is Miss Qiao also busy preparing for the processter, so she doesn¡¯t have time to see us?"

    Hearing this, Su Manhan snapped back to reality from her thoughts.

    Although still puzzled, she truthfully replied, "Yes, yes, Qiao Jing is getting ready and dressing up. As a bride, of course, she has to dress beautifully, so it might take a little longer for her to get ready. You all can take a seat over there first."

    Qin Jinghua responded with a "Sure" and then, along with the other four, moved to a nearby seating area.

 Chapter 819 - 807: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 819: Chapter 807: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 2)</h4>

    At this moment, in the bride¡¯s designated dressing room.

    Qiao Jing sat in front of the dressing table, with Lin Xiuxiang and Ni Yue meticulously preparing her.

    During the process, Ni Yue looked at Qiao Jing, who was being made up, left and right, and after a thorough look-over, couldn¡¯t help but exim, "Our Xiao Jingjing is truly a natural beauty!"

    "Even without makeup, she¡¯s already so enchanting. Now that she¡¯s all made up, men from all over the world are bound to fall for our Xiao Jingjing!"

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded repeatedly in agreement, "That¡¯s the truth. We aren¡¯t just seeing her through the lens of friendship; Qiao Jing really is the most beautiful person I¡¯ve ever seen in my life, without a doubt!"

    Qiao Jing was amused by their words and yfully raised an eyebrow as she said, "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re exaggerating a bit much?"

    Even though everyone said she was pretty, she wondered if because it was her own face, she had built-in immunity and didn¡¯t think she was all that beautiful.

    However, speaking of beauty, she couldn¡¯t help but think of Zhan Qipei.

    As Lin Xiuxiang would describe him, Zhan Qipei was the most handsome man she had ever seen, without exception!

    "Xiao Jingjing, what are you talking about? What exaggeration?"

    Ni Yue paused in her action of drawing Qiao Jing¡¯s eyebrows and said earnestly, "Let me make this clear: there isn¡¯t an ounce of exaggeration in what we¡¯ve said earlier; it¡¯s all the truth. You are beautiful, you are stunning!"

    "If anyone thinks you¡¯re not beautiful, there¡¯s no doubt that either they have a problem with their eyes or they have a skewed sense of aesthetics,cking a clear understanding of beauty!"

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded vigorously, "Exactly, exactly, couldn¡¯t agree more!"

    Listening to their unabashedpliments, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    She was about to say something when Ni Yue spoke again.

    "Our Xiao Jingjing is so wonderful¡ªfair-skinned, beautiful, with extraordinary temperament, outstanding ability, a beautiful heart¡ªeverything about you is great. How did Zhan Qipei manage to win you over?"

    As she said this, Ni Yue¡¯s tone hinted at some dissatisfaction.

    After a pause, she snorted lightly and continued, "To be able to marry our Xiao Jingjing, Zhan Qipei must have been blessed for eight lifetimes or saved the Milky Way in a previous life; either way, he really lucked out!"

    Qiao Jing chuckled and shook her head, wondering what Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction would be if he heard this.

    She thought that with Zhan Qipei¡¯s personality, he would surely give Ni Yue a cold, spine-chilling stare.

    With that in mind, Qiao Jing raised her gaze at Ni Yue and asked curiously, "What do you think Zhan Qipei¡¯s reaction would be if he heard what you just said?"

    "I¡¯m just telling the truth; I¡¯m not afraid of him hearing it!"

    Ni Yue lifted her chin, looking righteous and justified, "Anyway, does Zhan Qipei dare say he didn¡¯t luck out by marrying you?"

    Lin Xiuxiang, listening, blinked at Ni Yue, hesitated for a moment but then spoke, "But you can¡¯t say it like that. I don¡¯t quite agree with that part..."

    She was interrupted halfway through by an excited Ni Yue.

    "Really, Xiao Xiuxiang, what do you mean? Didn¡¯t you just say Xiao Jingjing is great and outstanding? Why are you backtracking now?"

    Ni Yue spoke so quickly that it took Lin Xiuxiang a while to react.

    With a tone tinged with helplessness, she exined, "You misunderstood; what I mean is, actually, President Zhan is also quite good... no, what I mean is, President Zhan is really good to our Qiao Jing."

    "How much he cares about Qiao Jing, how important she is to him, how well he treats her¡ªall this time, we¡¯ve all seen it."

    "His feelings and sincerity for Qiao Jing are deeper and stronger than we can imagine, so I believe Qiao Jing will definitely be very happy with him!"

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s words left Ni Yue momentarily speechless.

    Although she was very unwilling and held a grudge against Zhan Qipei for winning over Qiao Jing,

    but she couldn¡¯t deny that Zhan Qipei was indeed considerate and attentive to Qiao Jing...

    Of course, more importantly, this was Qiao Jing¡¯s choice!

    Thinking of this, Ni Yue pursed her lips, "When ites down to it, it¡¯s because our Xiao Jingjing is too outstanding and too charming, which is why Zhan Qipei is so unwavering."

    "Since Xiao Jingjing chose him, I will definitely respect her choice. However, if he doesn¡¯t know how to cherish her, dares to hurt her, or do anything wrong to her, I won¡¯t let him off!"

    Hearing Ni Yue say this, Qiao Jing felt quite touched.

    Having such good friends who stand by her unconditionally, support her, and protect her is already a blessing!

    However...

    Qiao Jing curled her lips, her eyes falling on Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang, and said with a hint of amusement, "Aren¡¯t you two supposed to be doing my makeup? How is it that as soon as we start chatting, your hands stop working? Can you finish my styling first?"

    Hearing this, Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang exchanged a nce and then both burst intoughter.

    "Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll do it now."

    "The hairstyle is done, just need to touch up the makeup a bit more."

    Saying this, both started moving quickly again, continuing the makeup for Qiao Jing.

    Ten minutester, Qiao Jing¡¯s bridal makeup was officiallypleted.

    With the makeup done, the next step was to match the jewelry.

    After selecting the appropriate hair essories, earrings, and bracelet, they noticed an issue.

    The ne was missing!

    Ni Yue furrowed her eyebrows, her expression copsing with it, "What¡¯s going on? Why does the chain have to break at such a critical moment?"

    Compared to Ni Yue¡¯s reaction, Qiao Jing, the person involved, seemed remarkably calm.

    Her eyebrows raised slightly, and she nodded, "Your words are quite urate; it indeed lost the chain."

    Ni Yue, feeling anxious, rolled her eyes at Qiao Jing, "Xiao Jingjing, at a time like this, you still have the mood to joke with me?"

    Lin Xiuxiang had a somewhat worried look as well, biting her lip as she said, "I think the most urgent thing now is to quickly think about where the ne might have gotten to."

    Seeing them both so anxious and restless, Qiao Jing spoke to calm them down, "You two don¡¯t need to worry, let¡¯s stay calm..."

    "Calm? How can we stay calm?"

    Ni Yue interrupted Qiao Jing, her tone clearly anxious, "Please, Xiao Jingjing, this is a big deal and we can¡¯t help but be nervous."

    After saying this, Ni Yue realized she had rarely seen Qiao Jing in a hurry.

    Thinking back, her memories of Qiao Jing always seemed to show her as calm and collected, unppable even in the face of adversity.

    This was something Ni Yue felt she could never learn, even in another lifetime...

 Chapter 820 - 808: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 820: Chapter 808: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 3)</h4>

    Qiao Jing shrugged, casually saying, "It¡¯s not as bad as a fire burning my eyebrows. At worst, I just won¡¯t wear the ne, right?"

    To her, whether or not she wore the ne was actually not that important.

    It¡¯s certainly better to wear it, but not wearing it doesn¡¯t seem to matter much!

    However, Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang didn¡¯t think the same way.

    Hearing Qiao Jing speak so nonchntly, the two became even more uneasy.

    "How can that be? The ne is part of your ensemble today. Without it, your outfit would have a w and wouldn¡¯t be perfect!"

    As soon as Lin Xiuxiang finished speaking, Ni Yue added, "Exactly, Xiao Jingjing, today is your wedding day, such an important moment; how can we leave any regrets?"

    At this point, Ni Yue paused, and when she spoke again, her tone was unusually firm, "No! We must find the ne. We have to let Xiao Jingjing marry perfectly!"

    Seeing Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang insisting, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t say that it didn¡¯t matter anymore. She gently pressed her lips together and recalled the previous itinerary.

    After a moment, she touched her chin and slowly said, "If I¡¯m not mistaken, the ne should have been left in the car we came in."

    Upon hearing this, Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang immediately blurted out in unison, "I¡¯ll go get it right away!"

    When they said this, neither hesitated at all because they had great faith in Qiao Jing¡¯s judgment.

    Since Qiao Jing said so, it must be in the car, with no other possibility!

    Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang exchanged a nce, and their mutual understanding made them both smile.

    Then, Lin Xiuxiang said to Ni Yue, "You stay here with Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll go get it and be back shortly."

    Ni Yue nced at Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s already showing belly, suggesting, "Let me go instead. You¡¯re pregnant, and it would be exhausting to run back and forth."

    "No need, no need, I¡¯ll go."

    Lin Xiuxiang said as she turned and walked toward the door, giving Ni Yue no chance to speak further.

    Watching the dressing room door open and close, Ni Yue chuckled, "Didn¡¯t expect Xiao Xiangxiang to be so stubborn."

    Qiao Jing just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything.

    After leaving the dressing room, Lin Xiuxiang walked down the corridor.

    As she walked a short distance, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

    Judging by the sound, they were heavy, clearly men¡¯s footsteps, and not just one, but two people!

    Lin Xiuxiang frowned, suddenly having a bad feeling.

    When she came out just now, she looked around to determine the direction but didn¡¯t see anyone else.

    Why were there mening from behind now?

    Could it be someone was hiding at the corner or in the shadows?

    If so, what is their intention?

    For a moment, Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s mind raced. Just as she turned to see who was following her, the footsteps were already behind her.

    Before Lin Xiuxiang could turn her head, something struck her neck. A dull pain came, but before it spread to her limbs, everything went dark as she fell into unconsciousness.

    But just as she was about to hit the ground, a man in a baseball cap caught her.

    The man who had knocked Lin Xiuxiang outughed derisively, "Why bother? Bet you fancy her, huh?"

    The man with the cap rolled his eyes, "Stop talking nonsense; I¡¯m just worried if she falls too hard, it¡¯ll alert Qiao Jing and others, ruining our n!"

    "Fine, fine, whatever you say. Let¡¯s get rid of this woman and move on to the next step."

    "Just toss her into the nearby flower bed. She won¡¯te to for a while anyway."

    "Good idea!"

    With that, the two carried the unconscious Lin Xiuxiang to the flower bed and left her there, then dusted off their hands and walked away.

    In the dressing room, Qiao Jing grew worried when Lin Xiuxiang hadn¡¯t returned for so long.

    Suddenly, she stood up from the vanity.

    Ni Yue nced at her, puzzled, and asked, "Xiao Jingjing, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, her tone deepened, "It¡¯s been fifteen minutes, and Xiuxiang hasn¡¯t returned. I¡¯m a bit uneasy; I¡¯ll go check."

    Getting a ne shouldn¡¯t take so long!

    Ni Yue thought for a moment, specting, "With so many people attending today, maybe Xiao Xiangxiang ran into someone she knew and stopped to chat, which dyed her?"

    She thought, amidst so many eyes at the wedding, nothing should go wrong.

    "I don¡¯t know." Qiao Jing shook her head, pursing her lips, "Whatever the case, it¡¯s better to take a look and ease my mind."

    With that, she stepped towards the door.

    Seeing Qiao Jing about to reach the door, Ni Yue quickly blocked her.

    "Xiao Jingjing, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re the bride. The bride only appears when the ceremony starts; it¡¯s not convenient for you to go out now. I¡¯ll go instead."

    Without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, Ni Yue opened the door and stepped out, making sure to close it behind her.

    Qiao Jing looked at the closed door and could only return to her seat.

    However, she had barely sat down for two minutes when there was a knock on the door.

    Upon hearing it, Qiao Jing instinctively thought it was Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang returning, feeling a bit puzzled.

    Why did theye back so quickly?

    Could Ni Yue have run into Lin Xiuxiang as soon as she went out?

    Though odd, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much of it and quickly got up to open the door.

    Unexpectedly, as the door opened, a sudden spray came straight at her, entering her nose.

    Although she immediately held her breath and covered her nose and mouth while quickly stepping back several paces, she still inevitably inhaled some unknown gas.

    From the smell of the gas, Qiao Jing quickly discerned it contained a drug.

    Moreover, the drug had a disorienting effect!

    Realizing this, Qiao Jing frowned, her expression darkening, but inwardly she coldlyughed.

    It seemed someone with a grudge against her hade.

    Who could it be?

    Whoever it was, to dare stir trouble at today¡¯s event, must have some nerve!

    As Qiao Jing was pondering this, two men suddenly appeared at the doorway.

    She raised her eyes and saw the detestable faces of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    Zhan Bei wore a ck cap, while Zhan Nan smiled maliciously.

    After knocking Lin Xiuxiang out, they waited nearby for Qiao Jing to emerge, surprised to see Ni Yuee instead.

    But it worked out well; with Ni Yue gone, they could still go after Qiao Jing!

    "Sister-inw, this is a wedding gift we brothers prepared especially for you. How about it? Isn¡¯t it a surprise?"

    Zhan Nan grinned wickedly as he spoke, stepping closer to Qiao Jing with each word.

 Chapter 821 - 809: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 4)

    <h4>Chapter 821: Chapter 809: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 4)</h4>

    Zhan Bei flicked the brim of his duckbill cap and walked towards Qiao Jing, speaking meaningfully, "Sister-inw, we¡¯ve been holding back for quite a few days to give you this surprise, almost drove us crazy."

    Qiao Jing fought against the increasing dizziness, coldly staring at the two approaching her, "If you don¡¯t want to get hit, you¡¯d better get out of my sight immediately!"

    From what these two said, it was clear today¡¯s scheme had been nned for a long time.

    Therefore, she had reason to suspect that Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s dy in returning might be rted to these two!

    Who knows how Ni Yue was doing, whether she¡¯s still looking for Lin Xiuxiang, or if she too had fallen victim to their scheme?

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Beipletely ignored Qiao Jing¡¯s warning, evenughing audaciously.

    Because they had urately sprayed some anesthetic spray onto Qiao Jing¡¯s face, in this situation, it was impossible for her not to be affected.

    Thus, they both considered Qiao Jing to be amb waiting to be ughtered; no matter how strong she was, she couldn¡¯t escape their grasp!

    Thinking this, Zhan Bei¡¯s smile grew more smug, staring at Qiao Jing, saying, "Haven¡¯t you realized the situation yet? At a time like this, how dare you act so arrogant in front of us two brothers?"

    Just as he finished speaking, Zhan Nan followed up, threatening Qiao Jing with a sinister tone, "I¡¯m telling you, if you¡¯re sensible, you¡¯d better put away that temper, otherwise your end will be more miserable than you imager!"

    Even though Qiao Jing knew she had been drugged, she would not be frightened by their threats.

    She discreetly retreated, keeping her distance from them, and said word by word coldly, "I¡¯ll say it again, get out right now!"

    As she said this, Qiao Jing clearly felt the drug¡¯s effects starting to kick in, the dizziness growing stronger, and her limbs gradually bing weak.

    Under normal circumstances, she¡¯d have no problem knocking these two fools down in no time.

    But in her current state, dealing with both of them single-handedly might not be possible.

    Based on that, she decided to notify Zhan Qipei toe and lend a hand.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing instinctively reached for her phone, only to remember she was wearing a wedding dress.

    How could a wedding dress have pockets?

    No pockets, obviously no phone on her!

    For a moment, Qiao Jing feltpletely speechless, as if the height of speechlessness just reached a whole new level!

    "Think you can make us leave? That¡¯s impossible."

    Zhan Bei chuckled coldly, confronting Qiao Jing again, eyes glued to her sinisterly, "Now that you¡¯re in our hands, we brothers are your masters. If you behave, maybe we¡¯ll have enough mercy to spare you some suffering!"

    Your masters?

    Hearing such idiocy, a previously expressionless Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    The corners of her lips curled into a cold smile, her tone steeped in palpable sarcasm, "Two pig-brained fools, if you¡¯re going to be stupid, at least pick a different time. What kind of day is today, and yet you choose this asion to pull your stunt? Tired of living, are you?"

    This wedding, the importance Zhan Qipei and the Zhan Family elders ced on it was obvious from the scale of the event, no need to borate.

    Let¡¯s not even talk about her, even if the wedding was interrupted, and didn¡¯t go smoothly, did these idiotic brothers think they could walk away unscathed?

    "Facing real danger, you still dare to insult us? Seems like you really don¡¯t value your life!"

    Having tripped over Qiao Jing before, Zhan Nan was even more resentful and spoke with palpable malice.

    "I¡¯ll tell you straight up, we chose today on purpose, because an asion like this, is the best for you to bepletely disgraced!"

    Zhan Bei stepped forward, eyed Qiao Jing with a sinister grin, continuing Zhan Nan¡¯s line of thought, "Aren¡¯t you always pretending to be aloof, not letting us brothers touch you?"

    "This time, we¡¯ve specially picked a few towering, burly men to give you a proper... warmth."

    "What do you think, seeing you tangled with some random men, if Big Brother sees it, if guests see it today, wouldn¡¯t that be thrilling?"

    While saying this, Zhan Bei¡¯s tone was excessively sinister, and after he spoke, he reached out to touch Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Qiao Jing tilted her head, avoiding Zhan Bei¡¯s hand, her expression bing even colder in an instant.

    No wonder she felt a strange heat besides dizziness and weakness from the start.

    It turned out the spray contained not just mind-clouding effects, but also something arousing!

    She had only spected before, but Zhan Bei¡¯s words confirmed her suspicions!

    These foolish jerks¡ª actually using such vicious means to plot against her!

    Good! Very good!

    Though Qiao Jing really wanted to make them pay right now, she knew she couldn¡¯t stay any longer, or once the drug fully kicked in, she¡¯d truly be caught in their trap.

    She suppressed the mounting heat within her body, trying to act undisturbed, and was ready to slip past the two.

    However, the drug was already active in her system, at this moment, her fair cheeks tinted a peculiar flush, clearly not okay.

    Seeing Qiao Jing in such a state, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were even more brazen.

    They blocked her path directly, stopping her.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyes, ring at the two with icy rage, "If you don¡¯t want to die, get out of my way!"

    If it were a normal day, her demeanor alone would have been intimidating enough.

    But now, drugged, even her sharp gaze lost its usual threat.

    Worse still, her voice unexpectedly carried a softness absent before, sensual and tantalizing to hear.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s increasingly flushed face, her originally cool eyes gaining allure under the drug¡¯s effect, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei found themselves struggling for self-control.

    They had harbored other thoughts about Qiao Jing for a while, and facing her like this, she seemed even more enchanting.

    The two exchanged a nce, recognizing the same thought on each other¡¯s faces.

    Zhan Nan deemed Qiao Jing, in her current state, as trapped as a cooked duck, with no need for caution.

    So, right in front of Qiao Jing, he frankly said to Zhan Bei, "With such an opportunity, why let others have the advantage? Let¡¯s enjoy first, then call in the rest, don¡¯t you think?"

    Zhan Bei chuckled sinisterly, "Exactly what I was thinking!"

    The two brothers aligned instantly, about to make a move on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s body now soft and weak, unable to muster any strength.

    Seeing them approach with lecherous smiles, she hesitated not at all and fiercely bit down on her own tongue.

 Chapter 822 - 810: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 5)

    <h4>Chapter 822: Chapter 810: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 5)</h4>

    The taste of blood spread in her mouth. The sharp pain on the tip of her tongue made Qiao Jing¡¯s mind a bit clearer, temporarily alleviating the effect of the drug in her system, and her strength somewhat returned.

    She knew very well that she must seize this moment to defeat the two fools, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, and then leave this ce immediately.

    At this moment, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei hadn¡¯t noticed anything wrong yet.

    "Qiao Jing, stop struggling in vain. Behave and surrender to the two of us. If you make us happy, maybe we¡¯ll consider letting you go without letting other men defile you."

    As soon as Zhan Bei finished speaking, Zhan Nan grinned, "That¡¯s right, as long as you serve us well, we might consider forgiving what you¡¯ve done before."

    As they spoke, they approached Qiao Jing from both sides, reaching out to grab her hands.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face was cold, without a trace of emotion.

    When Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei reached out their hands, she was a step ahead and grabbed their wrists, applying pressure on a certain point on their wrists with her fingertips.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei only felt pain in their wrists and suddenly found it hard to exert their strength.

    Before they could figure out what was going on, Qiao Jing applied force once again and pulled them together.

    "Bang¡ª"

    With a muffled thud, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s foreheads collided urately.

    The two of them instantly saw stars, their vision spinning.

    After staggering a few steps, they both fell to the ground simultaneously, unable to sit up for the moment.

    After dealing with them, the pain on her tongue was no longer able to suppress the drug¡¯s effect. Qiao Jing could feel the influence of the drug growing stronger within her.

    Not only was her mind growing more blurred, but even her vision was bing unclear.

    If not for the current circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t have let these two fools off so easily!

    Qiao Jing bit her lip, forcing herself to leave the dressing room in quick strides.

    Because she was under the influence of the drug, she hadn¡¯t used enough force earlier, so although she had knocked down those two fools, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, they would probably recover soon.

    Once they recover, they will certainlye after her.

    And as the drug continued to spread in her body, her condition was bing worse.

    In her current state, if those two catch up to her, she would probably be unable to resist...

    Qiao Jing thought of seeking help from someone, but there was still a distance to the wedding venue from here. Whether she was in a suitable state to appear before the crowd was another matter.

    The critical point was that she knew she was about to copse!

    Desperately, she needed to find a hiding ce nearby!

    With this in mind, Qiao Jing held onto the wall with one hand, pressing her forehead with the other, and staggered down the corridor.

    Passing by a room, she pushed open the door and found it unlocked, so she hurriedly stepped inside.

    Once inside, as Qiao Jing closed the door, she realized it was a storage room.

    She hadn¡¯t even had time to take a look at theyout of the room before her legs gave way and she slid down the wall beside the door, sitting on the ground.

    It was then that she realized that the drug she inhaled also had the effect of paralyzing muscle nerves!

    Qiao Jing felt her limbs growing weak and heavy, bing stiff and difficult to move.

    Luckily, she ran quickly; otherwise, she would indeed be like meat on a chopping block, at the mercy of others!

    Qiao Jing closed her eyes, enduring the dizziness in her head and the heat surging through her body.

    Now, the only option was to wait for Zhan Qipei or someone else to find her...

    In the dressing room, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei struggled to get up from the floor.

    The thought of her escaping infuriated Zhan Nan, who kicked over two chairs in anger, stomping in a rage.

    "Damn it! She managed to escape! Are we destined to keep failing because of her?!"

    Zhan Bei was also displeased but didn¡¯t throw a tantrum like Zhan Nan. He spoke coldly, "She inhaled our spray, you know what¡¯s in that spray."

    "Even if she escaped, she won¡¯tst long or get far. If we hurry and find her, we still have a chance!"

    Hearing this, Zhan Nan immediately pulled Zhan Bei along and rushed out, saying impatiently, "Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s find her!"

    The two left the dressing room, first ncing around outside the door for any sign of Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Nan gritted his teeth, "This ce is so big. Where do we look? Maybe she¡¯s already in the guest area, and with so many people, even if we find her, we won¡¯t have a chance to act!"

    "Impossible." Zhan Bei shook his head confidently, "Given her condition, it¡¯s impossible for her to reach the guest area. She must be hiding nearby!"

    With that, he pointed toward the east and west, "Let¡¯s split up. You search that way, I¡¯ll search this way. If either of us finds her, we¡¯ll call. If not, we¡¯ll meet at the fountain up ahead."

    Zhan Nan nodded, "Alright, let¡¯s do it your way."

    With that decided, the brothers split up, one heading east, the other west.

    At this moment, Lin Xiuxiang, who had fainted in the flower bed, woke up.

    When she first opened her eyes, she was bewildered.

    It wasn¡¯t until she felt a dull pain in her neck that she suddenly remembered being knocked out from behind.

    But she couldn¡¯t understand why they would do this to her?

    As far as she knew, she hadn¡¯t offended anyone!

    Filled with suspicion, Lin Xiuxiang stood up, rubbing her neck as she walked out of the flower bed.

    "Xiao Xiuxiang!"

    Hearing a voice, Lin Xiuxiang turned her head to see Ni Yue rushing toward her, waving her right hand.

    In the blink of an eye, Ni Yue reached Lin Xiuxiang, frowning slightly as she asked, "Xiao Xiuxiang, why are you here? I searched everywhere and couldn¡¯t reach you on your phone!"

    "Xiao Jingjing was so worried when you didn¡¯te back for so long. She was about toe out and look for you herself, but I stopped her."

    Ni Yue rattled off a bunch of words and without waiting for Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s response, added, "By the way, did you get the ne?"

    "No." Lin Xiuxiang shook her head, her expression heavy, "I was knocked out as soon as I came out, and I¡¯ve just woken up."

    "What?!"

    Hearing this, Ni Yue¡¯s eyes widened instantly.

    She grabbed Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s arm and demanded, "What happened? Who did it? Why would they knock you out?"

    "I don¡¯t know." Lin Xiuxiang shook her head again and then exined, "I hadn¡¯t gone far aftering out when I felt someone following me. It felt off, and just as I was about to turn and look, I was hit on the neck and passed out. I didn¡¯t see who it was."

 Chapter 823 - 811: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 6)

    <h4>Chapter 823: Chapter 811: The Bride Is in Trouble! (Part 6)</h4>

    After recounting the events, Lin Xiuxiang pointed towards the nearby flower bed, "When I woke up, I was lying here."

    "This is too bizarre, I feel like there¡¯s something fishy about it."

    As she spoke, Ni Yue¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly.

    She thought for a moment and said to Lin Xiuxiang, "How about this, let¡¯s go back and find Xiao Jingjing. Xiao Jingjing always has ideas, we can tell her about this and see how to track down the person who knocked you out."

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded, indicating her agreement with the suggestion.

    So, the two of them walked side by side towards the dressing room.

    However, as soon as they returned to the dressing room and saw the scene inside, their expressions changed instantly.

    The room was empty, where was any sign of Qiao Jing?

    There were two chairs overturned on the floor, which looked unusual!

    Lin Xiuxiang nced at Ni Yue, her tone filled with urgency, "Where is Qiao Jing?"

    "I don¡¯t know either, she was still in the room when I went out to find you."

    Ni Yue¡¯s face was full of tension and unease.

    After speaking, she suddenly thought of something, quickly pulled out her phone, "I¡¯ll call Xiao Jingjing."

    After dialing the number, the room echoed with the sound of a phone ringing.

    Following the sound, Lin Xiuxiang found Qiao Jing¡¯s phone in the cab of the dressing table.

    She pped her forehead, looking very annoyed, "How did I forget this, Qiao Jing is wearing a wedding dress now, she can¡¯t have her phone on her!"

    "Oh no!" Ni Yue instinctively clenched her phone, her mind in a panic, "Now she¡¯s missing, and we can¡¯t reach her, did something happen to Xiao Jingjing?"

    "I¡¯m afraid so, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t have left the dressing room without waiting for us toe back."

    Lin Xiuxiang spoke, then pointed at the chairs knocked over on the floor, "And these two chairs, they seem to have footprints on them, they must have been kicked over by someone."

    "After we left the dressing room, someone else must have entered..."

    Before Lin Xiuxiang could finish, Ni Yue had already hurriedly turned and walked out, saying as she went, "We need to find Zhan Qipei right away and inform him of this situation."

    This is the Zhan Family¡¯s territory, if something really happened to Qiao Jing, finding Zhan Qipei is the quickest and most effective solution!

    Ni Yue walked quickly, Lin Xiuxiang closely followed behind.

    However, just a few steps outside the door, they happened to run into the person they were looking for.

    Zhan Qipei was heading towards the dressing room, with Zhan Nanjing following behind.

    As the four of them met, without any extra words, Ni Yue directly said the crucial point, "Zhan Qipei, Xiao Jingjing is missing!"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression darkened instantly.

    Originally, before the wedding ceremony started, the groom and bride were not supposed to meet, but after changing his clothes, he couldn¡¯t resisting to see his bride.

    And now, someone was telling him, his bride was missing?!

    "What happened? Exin clearly!" Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, his voice chillingly cold.

    "After we finished Xiao Jingjing¡¯s makeup, we couldn¡¯t find the ne. Xiao Jingjing said it must have been left in the car, so Xiao Xiuxiang went out to fetch it, but she was knocked out and thrown into the flower bed."

    "Then I went out to find Xiao Xiuxiang, and when I found her and returned to the dressing room, Xiao Jingjing was no longer there."

    Ni Yue exined the sequence of events from start to finish, then added, "She didn¡¯t have her phone with her, we can¡¯t contact her, and the chairs in the dressing room were kicked to the ground, so we suspect something might have happened to Xiao Jingjing."

    After hearing Ni Yue¡¯s words, Zhan Nanjing was enraged, "Who has the guts to dare touch Qiao Jing? And dare to choose such an important asion today, simply reckless..."

    "Enough!"

    Zhan Qipei sternly interrupted Zhan Nanjing, "What¡¯s the use of saying this now, finding her is crucial!"

    After speaking, he turned and picked up his phone to call Tang Yan, asking Tang Yan to dispatch people while he started searching for Qiao Jing around the vicinity, using the dressing room as a center point.

    Lin Xiuxiang and Ni Yue exchanged a nce and quickly split up to search.

    At this time, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei happened to return and met back at the fountain pool.

    Zhan Nanjing, sharp-eyed, nced around and inadvertently spotted the two figures.

    She found it strange and immediately ran quickly to catch up with Zhan Qipei, pointing to the direction of the two and said, "Brother, look over there, what are Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei doing here?"

    "Those twoe to attend the wedding, aren¡¯t they supposed to be in the guest area at the front? What are they doing running to the dressing room area?"

    "Brother, do you think Qiao Jing¡¯s matter might have something to do with these two..."

    Before Zhan Nanjing could finish, Zhan Qipei was already striding with a dark face towards the fountain pool.

    No matter if there¡¯s a rtion or not, the fact that these two are appearing here, they certainly aren¡¯t harboring any good intentions!

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei still hadn¡¯t realized the danger approaching them.

    They couldn¡¯t find Qiao Jing, which made them extremely displeased.

    Zhan Bei frowned, his expression confused and irritable, "This is impossible, the woman should be drugged, shouldn¡¯t be able to run far, howe we can¡¯t find her?"

    Zhan Nan kicked the edge of the fountain pool, frustrated, "Damn it! Should have increased the dosage, knocked her outpletely, see how she could run then!"

    "Damn! Don¡¯t even talk about it. Just thinking about Qiao Jing¡¯s little flushed face, the way she looked seductive and poised earlier, makes me itch."

    "You think you¡¯re the only one? I feel the same!"

    Zhan Bei and Zhan Nan were talking when a female voice suddenly interrupted, "So it was you two causing trouble!"

    Their brother voice could be heard clearly; they instantly recognized it as Zhan Nanjing¡¯s voice.

    The two were startled, turning their heads stiffly.

    Only to see Zhan Nanjing staring at them angrily with wide eyes, full of fury.

    Beside Zhan Nanjing stood Zhan Qipei, exuding a chilling cold from head to toe.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were so frightened their legs began to weaken, their voices trembling, "B-b-b-big, big cousin..."

    "I think you two have be weary of living, daring to target Qiao Jing!"

    Zhan Nanjing spoke through gritted teeth.

    When she and her brother arrived, they overheard these two talking about Qiao Jing¡¯s flushed face and seductive manner earlier, clearly indicating they were involved in Qiao Jing¡¯s disappearance!

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei exchanged nces, both thinking of countering.

    "No, it wasn¡¯t..."

    Before they could finish, Zhan Qipei already kicked fiercely at Zhan Nan¡¯s stomach.

    Zhan Nan couldn¡¯t even utter a scream before being kicked away,nding with a "bang¡ª¡ª" on the ground.

    Zhan Bei hadn¡¯t even reacted before Zhan Qipei grabbed him by the cor.

 Chapter 824 - 812: Even Begging for Forgiveness Wonéˆ¥æª› Work

    <h4>Chapter 824: Chapter 812: Even Begging for Forgiveness Won¡¯t Work</h4>

    "Big, big cousin, please spare me, I won¡¯t dare anymore, I really won¡¯t..."

    Zhan Bei struggled hard, but he couldn¡¯t break free from Zhan Qipei¡¯s grip, so he could only beg for mercy repeatedly.

    Zhan Qipei seemed not to hear his words, gripping his cor tightly with one hand, almost lifting him off the ground entirely, while the other hand formed a fist,nding several heavy punches on his face.

    "Ah¡ª"

    For a moment, Zhan Bei¡¯s screams echoed, his beaten cheeks swelling high, and blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

    "Serves you right! Well done!" Zhan Nanjing crossed her arms, snorting coldly, "Dare to make a move on Qiao Jing, this is your end!"

    Zhan Qipei swung his long arm, forcefully throwing Zhan Bei away.

    "Bang¡ª"

    Zhan Bei urately fell onto Zhan Nan, both of them groaning in pain again.

    Before the two could get up, Zhan Qipei stepped over, stomping them both under his foot.

    He looked down at them condescendingly, his gaze sharp as a de, his tone as cold as frost, "Speak! What did you do to Qiao Jing? Where is she now?"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei didn¡¯t even dare to struggle, trembling under Zhan Qipei¡¯s foot.

    The pain from their bodies and faces left them without the courage to hide anything, and they quickly stammered out their actions fully.

    "We knocked on the door when she was alone in the dressing room, and when she was defenseless, we sprayed her with spray..."

    "Spray? What spray!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was as cold as a winter wind, pressing down on them heavily.

    Zhan Nan uttered a cry of pain, shakily saying, "The spray contained anesthetic spray and muscle paralyzing ingredients, and... and that kind of effect."

    Zhan Bei, fearing that Zhan Qipei would be thunderously angry upon hearing this and might kill or disable them, hastily added, "We just sprayed her with the spray, we didn¡¯t do anything else! Really! We didn¡¯t touch her at all!"

    That kind of effect, Zhan Qipei understood immediately what it meant.

    At this moment, how could he listen to Zhan Bei¡¯s words?

    His face grew more somber, the chill emanating from him pressing down almost to the point of suffocation.

    Without waiting for Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei to speak, he lifted his leg again, kicking both of them away simultaneously.

    "Bang, bang¡ª"

    With two dull thuds, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei fell to the ground once again.

    Zhan Qipei walked over to them, continuing to question coldly, "If you don¡¯t want to die, speak up quickly! Where did you take Qiao Jing!"

    The thought of Qiao Jing¡¯s current situation brought a dull pain to his heart.

    After being continuously beaten, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei grimaced in pain.

    Zhan Nan could barely speak for a moment, only shaking his head repeatedly.

    Zhan Bei endured the severe pain from his body, stammering, "She, she ran away, we, we¡¯re also looking for her, b-but we haven¡¯t found her..."

    "Are you trying to tell me you don¡¯t know where she is?"

    After saying this, before Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei could respond, Zhan Qipei¡¯s foot, wearing leather shoes, kicked out fiercely, hitting them both repeatedly, anger evident.

    Not stopping until the two spat blood did Zhan Qipei pause.

    He nced down at the blood spat out by Zhan Nan next to his foot, stepping back in disgust, his expression still cold and somber.

    "Will you speak? If not, don¡¯t expect to leave here on your feet today!"

    "Co..." As soon as Zhan Bei began to speak, red blood immediately gushed from his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t care less, still forcing himself to speak, his tone full of pleading.

    "Big cousin, w-we really don¡¯t know, s-spare us... please, don¡¯t hit us anymore, if this goes on, we¡¯ll... we¡¯ll die..."

    Zhan Qipei stared coldly at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, silent for a moment without speaking.

    It seemed these two really didn¡¯t know where Qiao Jing was.

    From what he knew about these two, they weren¡¯t people of great integrity.

    If they knew where Qiao Jing was, they would definitely say so to avoid being beaten.

    Just then, Tang Yan arrived hurriedly with a group of subordinates.

    Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Kaiyang followed behind.

    Tang Yan, after receiving Zhan Qipei¡¯s call, dared not dy a moment, immediately starting to gather people.

    But during this process, he coincidentally was discovered by Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Kaiyang.

    Zhan Yuanshan, upon learning Qiao Jing was missing, naturally was very worried.

    And Zhan Kaiyang, having a guilty conscience, followed to see what was happening.

    Who knew that upon arrival, he saw his two precious grandsons beaten ck and blue, blood flowing, upon which Zhan Kaiyang was instantly furious.

    He stormed up to Zhan Qipei, eyes ring with gritted teeth, "Zhan Qipei, you¡¯re simply too arrogant, too disrespectful!"

    "You came to my house in the middle of the night before to show me who¡¯s boss, and I already let that slide, yet now you¡¯ve gone even further, beating my two grandsons like this. Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you, Zhan Kaiyang, allowing you to humiliate us at will?"

    "Let me tell you, if you don¡¯t give me an exnation for today¡¯s matter, Zhan Kaiyang won¡¯t let you off!"

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, seeing Zhan Kaiyang, acted as if they saw a savior, whimpered to him for help, "Grandpa, please save us..."

    "Qipei, what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say Jing Girl was missing? Why aren¡¯t you hurrying to find her, and instead here..."

    Zhan Yuanshan was initially a bit confused, but halfway through his sentence, he suddenly realized.

    If Jing Girl was missing and Qipei wasn¡¯t searching for her but was here disciplining Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, there was only one possibility.

    Jing Girl¡¯s disappearance was rted to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei!

    Realizing this, Zhan Yuanshan shot a sharp gaze at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, sternly demanding, "Did you two do something to Jing Girl?"

    Though phrased as a question, his tone was very certain.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei dared not make a sound, immediately lowering their heads, hardly daring to breathe.

    Zhan Kaiyang, upon seeing his grandsons in this state, knew the n had certainly failed. Furious as he was, he had to think of a way to get his grandsons out of trouble.

    But for the moment, he couldn¡¯t think of any good ideas, so he resorted to unreasonable quibbling.

    "Even if Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei did something wrong, you shouldn¡¯t have beaten them like this. They¡¯re your cousins, after all, bones may be broken, yet they¡¯re still family!"

    Zhan Kaiyang red at Zhan Qipei, pretending to be righteous, angrily dering, "By acting like this, do you intend to make the Zhan family¡¯s two branches mortal enemies?"

    "Cousins?"

    Zhan Qipei sneered, his voice icy without a trace of warmth, "I don¡¯t have cousins worse than animals!"

    "Today is the big day for me and Qiao Jing, and instead of staying in the guest area, those two came here to drug and use that medicine on Qiao Jing. Their intentions don¡¯t need me to spell out, do they?"

    Saying this, Zhan Qipei nced coldly at Zhan Kaiyang, speaking word by word, "Not killing them outright today is already giving Second Grandpa your final bit of face!"

 Chapter 825 - 813: Qiao Jing Really Is Professor Qiao

    <h4>Chapter 825: Chapter 813: Qiao Jing Really Is Professor Qiao</h4>

    Zhan Kaiyang knew the n had failed, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be exposed so thoroughly, even the drug used was interrogated crystal clear.

    He red at his two grandsons, frustrated and muttered curses in his heart.

    These two good-for-nothings, not only did they mess up, but they were also caught red-handed by Zhan Qipei, that cold-faced Yama!

    Now great, there¡¯s no way to get out of it!

    Despite his anger, Zhan Kaiyang racked his brains trying to figure out how to wrap things up.

    Beside him, Zhan Yuanshan, after listening to what Zhan Qipei said and understanding the whole situation, was so furious that he lifted the cane in his hand and started beating Zhan Kaiyang.

    "These are the good grandsons you¡¯ve raised! It¡¯s exactly like they say, when the top beam is not straight, the lower beams will slope!"

    "Still daring to demand an exnation from Qipei? Believe it or not, today I¡¯ll settle this with you and your little brats right here!"

    "Using such despicable means as drugging, and do it to Jing Girl, you really don¡¯t know the meaning of death!"

    Zhan Yuanshan was alight with fury, berating angrily while hitting Zhan Kaiyang with the cane, not holding back at all.

    Zhan Kaiyang knew well that he couldn¡¯t fight back against Zhan Yuanshan, so he didn¡¯t dare retaliate and could only dodge desperately.

    But he couldn¡¯t even dodge properly, and for a moment, he was beaten into a hop, thoroughly embarrassed.

    At this moment, a scene from his childhood inexplicably came to mind.

    Back then, whenever he did something wrong, he would be chased and beaten by this brother, just like now...

    "Let me tell you, if anything happens to Jing Girl, even if I don¡¯t hold you ountable, the country won¡¯t let you off!"

    While speaking, Zhan Yuanshan struck Zhan Kaiyang a few more times fiercely.

    Even though Zhan Yuanshan was old now, his body was still robust, only a tiny bit weaker than in his youth.

    Zhan Kaiyang was beaten into howling, feeling as if his whole body¡¯s bones were about to break apart.

    But hearing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words, he showed a face full of disdain.

    "Brother, you¡¯re using the same trick on me again, even if you want to scare me, at least find a better reason, every time saying these, do you think I¡¯ll believe just because you keep repeating?"

    Let the country not let him off?

    His brother must be truly senile, treating Qiao Jing like some national treasure every day!

    Not afraid of making othersugh their teeth off!

    "Believe it or not, it¡¯s the truth, if you really want to die, I won¡¯t stop you!"

    Just as Zhan Yuanshan finished speaking, two voices rang out almost simultaneously.

    "What¡¯s wrong with Xiao Jing?"

    "What happened to Professor Qiao?"

    The former was Xu Hongzu, thetter Han Zhiyu.

    The two hade while Zhan Yuanshan was chasing Zhan Kaiyang with the cane.

    The reason they came was because they saw Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Kaiyang hastily heading towards here and felt curious, so they followed to have a look.

    Who knew, as soon as they arrived, they heard that something seemed wrong with Qiao Jing!

    At that moment, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, who had been struggling to get up from the ground, were standing nearby with their heads hanging. Even they didn¡¯t dare make a sound upon seeing their grandfather being hit.

    But as soon as they heard Han Zhiyu inquire about Qiao Jing, and use the term Professor Qiao, they were both stunned.

    Zhan Bei suddenly lifted his head, looking at Han Zhiyu in disbelief, "What did you just say? What Professor Qiao? Don¡¯t tell me you mean, Qiao Jing is actually Professor Qiao?"

    Before Han Zhiyu could say anything, Zhan Nan shook his head and spoke for himself, "Impossible, how could Qiao Jing be Professor Qiao? They must be putting on an act to trick us!"

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu instantly got furious and directly scolded, "Putting on an act to trick you? What do you two brats think you are? Don¡¯t take yourselves so seriously!"

    "If anything really happens to Xiao Jing, I won¡¯t let you off!"

    When Xu Hongzu got angry, his voice was full of authority, imposing.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei instantly became mute, not daring to make a sound.

    Han Zhiyu with a stern face, said, "No need to waste words on them, let¡¯s focus on finding Professor Qiao first. Once we find Professor Qiao, we can deal with them slowly."

    While Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were shocked about Qiao Jing being Professor Qiao, Xu Hongzu and Han Zhiyu had already roughly understood the situation from Zhan Nanjing.

    At this moment, Xu Moqian also arrived.

    He originally came intending to see Qiao Jing, but upon seeing so many people gathered at a distance, he immediately sensed something was wrong.

    So, he randomly grabbed someone brought by Tang Yan, and from that person, he learned that Qiao Jing was missing.

    As for the reason behind Qiao Jing¡¯s disappearance, he naturally asked and understood clearly as well.

    Xu Moqian, full of imposing anger, rushed to face Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, fists clenched ready to strike.

    Xu Hongzu grabbed and held him back, saying in a deep voice, "Hit themter. I recall that people from the research institute are all here, quickly inform them and make them also start looking for Xiao Jing."

    Xu Moqian also understood that the top priority was to find Qiao Jing first.

    He withdrew his fists, ring fiercely at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, and snorted coldly, "You two wait for me, once we find Sister Jing, I¡¯ll settle this score with you properly!"

    Saying this, Xu Moqian turned right away and went to inform the research institute people to join in searching for Qiao Jing, just as his grandfather instructed.

    Today at this wedding, many distinguished figures hade personally to congratte Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s disappearance quickly alerted these people.

    They immediately issued a first-level alert, deploying all avable police forces for a thorough search throughout the manor, sparing no effort in finding Qiao Jing.

    It was only at this time that Zhan Kaiyang realized that his brother was telling the truth, not trying to deceive him.

    Qiao Jing, she really is Professor Qiao!

    The real deal!!!

    No wonder his previous plot to harm Qiao Jing failed...

    Just like Zhan Kaiyang, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei also finally realized that Qiao Jing really is Professor Qiao.

    The two were so panicked that their legs trembled, and they couldn¡¯t even stand up, both copsing onto the ground.

    If they had known that Qiao Jing had such an identity, nothing would have made them dare to do such a thing to her!

    For a moment, the two of them were filled with regret and fear, their faces turning a ghastly blue.

    Everyone else had already spread out to look for Qiao Jing, and naturally, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t just stand still waiting for news.

    Seeing him about to leave, Zhan Nanjing pointed at the copsed Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei and spoke, "Brother, what about those two..."

    "No need to bother, they can¡¯t escape!"

    Coldly saying this, Zhan Qipei directly walked away.

    Zhan Nanjing nodded in agreement.

    Indeed, with her brother around, those two brats couldn¡¯t escape even if they wanted to!

    Thinking so, Zhan Nanjing quickly followed in her brother¡¯s footsteps.

    Meanwhile, over at the guest area.

    Due to the sheer number of attendees, Su Manhan and Zhan Yao were still busy greeting the arriving guests.

    But soon enough, the two sensed that something seemed off...

 Chapter 826 - 814: Su Manhan and Zhan Yaoéˆ¥æªš Shock

    <h4>Chapter 826: Chapter 814: Su Manhan and Zhan Yao¡¯s Shock</h4>

    Su Manhan and Zhan Yao nced around, noticing that the situation had suddenly be somewhat chaotic, with people constantly moving back and forth, as if something big had happened.

    They withdrew their gaze and exchanged a nce.

    Su Manhan spoke first, her expression clearly curious, "What¡¯s going on? Why do I feel like people are constantly rushing in and out?"

    "I noticed it too."

    Zhan Yao paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "Earlier, I saw Tang Yan leading quite a few people to the back, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s under Qipei¡¯s orders."

    "And those people upstairs, it seems they are also taking some big action..."

    Zhan Yao didn¡¯t make it too explicit, but Su Manhan understood.

    She frowned, lowered her voice, and said softly, "It¡¯s really strange. Today is our son¡¯s wedding day with Qiao Jing. Let¡¯s hope nothing goes wrong."

    The significant figures upstairs were deploying police forces in a noticeable manner, and not just Su Manhan and Zhan Yao, most of the guests present could feel it too.

    Quickly, everyone¡¯s focus shifted from the wedding scene to this incident.

    Groups of guests were whispering and discussing.

    "What¡¯s the situation? Does anyone know what¡¯s happening? Why are there so many police here?"

    "Although I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, I suddenly realized that even the big shots upstairs are attending the Zhan Family¡¯s wedding!"

    "Yeah, if it hadn¡¯t been for seeing all that police presence, I wouldn¡¯t have realized there are big shots here."

    "So, deploying so many people suddenly, what¡¯s really going on? Could it be that the Zhan Family¡¯s wedding won¡¯t go smoothly?"

    "Are you stupid? Those big shots are obviously here to congratte, not to disrupt. The wedding can¡¯t possibly go wrong."

    "..."

    For a moment, the guests were buzzing with heated debates.

    Just as Su Manhan and Zhan Yao were full of doubt, they suddenly heard a man next to them speaking on the phone.

    "What?!"

    "Something happened to Professor Qiao?"

    "Whoever dared to mess with our Professor Qiao is so reckless..."

    Upon hearing the man¡¯s words, Su Manhan turned to look at him, realizing he was from Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    If she remembered correctly, this person should be Captain Bai of the academic team!

    Su Manhan withdrew her gaze, turned to nce at Zhan Yao, and asked, "Did you hear that? He just mentioned Professor Qiao, right?"

    "It¡¯s Professor Qiao." Zhan Yao nodded, "I heard it clearly."

    After confirming this point, Su Manhan became even more puzzled, "So Professor Qiao is here, but why hasn¡¯t he been with the institute¡¯s people? Just now, when I greeted a few leaders from the institute, I didn¡¯t see Professor Qiao..."

    "Now¡¯s not the time to think about that."

    Zhan Yao interrupted Su Manhan¡¯s words, his expression was much more serious than before, and he continued, "No wonder the atmosphere is so off, it¡¯s because of Professor Qiao. From what that person just said, it seems like he¡¯s missing and can¡¯t be found."

    Upon hearing Zhan Yao¡¯s words, Su Manhan grasped the importance and hurriedly said, "Then let¡¯s hurry and help find him. If something happens to Professor Qiao at the Zhan Family¡¯s wedding, it will be troublesome!"

    "How do we find him?" Zhan Yao furrowed his brow slightly, his tone somewhat helpless, "We don¡¯t even know what Professor Qiao looks like."

    Su Manhan was silent for a moment. If it weren¡¯t for Zhan Yao¡¯s reminder, she would have forgotten that she didn¡¯t know Professor Qiao¡¯s appearance.

    Professor Qiao has always been very mysterious, never appearing publicly, and people outside basically don¡¯t know Professor Qiao¡¯s true identity and appearance.

    However...

    The people from the institute must know!

    Thinking of this, Su Manhan immediately turned around and grabbed Captain Bai, who had just finished the call and was about to search for someone.

    Captain Bai, anxious and hurried, was suddenly stopped, and his whole disposition was quite restless.

    But when he saw it was Su Manhan who stopped him, his expression softened, and he said politely, "Madam Zhan, excuse me, I have something urgent to do now. If you have anything, can we talk about itter?"

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t hesitate, straightforwardly said, "Captain Bai, I heard you on the phone just now. Tell us, what does Professor Qiao look like, or do you have a photo of Professor Qiao on your phone?"

    "Show us the photo, we¡¯ll immediately organize people to help search. With more people, we definitely can find Professor Qiao quickly!"

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Captain Bai instantly showed a troubled expression, "This..."

    There¡¯s no doubt that having more people helps, but they can¡¯t casually reveal Professor Qiao¡¯s identity.

    Seeing Captain Bai¡¯s hesitant demeanor, Su Manhan also became anxious, "If you don¡¯t have a photo, just give us a simple description, like how old is Professor Qiao, how tall, is he fat or thin."

    Captain Bai didn¡¯t respond, his face full of difficulty.

    Xu Moqian, who quickly arrived to organize personnel, happened to see this scene.

    He rushed over to Su Manhan and Zhan Yao, and spoke urgently, "Oh my, given the time, why are you still here debating, hurry and help look for people!"

    "Sister Jing was hit by anesthetic spray and that drug, and now she¡¯s missing and pregnant. If she¡¯s not found quickly, things could turn very dire, consequences unimaginable!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s words left Su Manhan baffled, somewhat unable to follow.

    She looked at Xu Moqian in confusion, "What are you talking about? The more I listen, the more confused I get. What¡¯s the situation now?"

    "Didn¡¯t you say Professor Qiao had gone missing? How does this rte to my daughter-inw? Could it be that not only Professor Qiao, but Qiao Jing is also in trouble?"

    Zhan Yao was also somewhat bewildered, his gaze fixed on Xu Moqian, his tone full of confusion, "Yes, what¡¯s going on, exin more clearly."

    Being pressed by the two, Xu Moqian realized that in his urgency, he identally revealed Qiao Jing¡¯s long-hidden identity.

    With things at this stage, he felt it was unnecessary to keep it a secret.

    He took a deep breath and quickly said, "I¡¯ll be honest with you, Sister Jing is actually Professor Qiao. Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute was founded by Sister Jing herself!"

    As soon as these words came out, Su Manhan froze, her confusion immediately reced by shock.

    Qiao Jing is Professor Qiao?!

    It¡¯s truly unbelievable!

    She couldn¡¯t have dreamed that the countryside daughter-inw she once looked down upon actually had such an identity!

    No wonder when talking about Qiao Jing, the institute¡¯s leaders, whether it¡¯s a director, minister, deputy director, or director, they are always so respectful, it all makes sense!!!

    Regarding this matter, Zhan Yao was also quite surprised, but he was only momentarily stunned, not as shocked as Su Manhan.

    Because he had long known Qiao Jing was not simple...

 Chapter 827 - 815: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Other Identity Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 827: Chapter 815: Qiao Jing¡¯s Other Identity Exposed</h4>

    Zhan Yao hesitated for a moment, and finally decided to go with the flow, taking this opportunity to reveal another identity of Qiao Jing.

    He looked at Su Manhan and said, "Actually, there¡¯s something else you don¡¯t know. Qiao Jing... she¡¯s not just Professor Qiao, she¡¯s also the renowned Divine Doctor Jing!"

    "What?!"

    Su Manhan had not yet recovered from the previous shock and was stunned by Zhan Yao¡¯s words.

    She was bbergasted, somewhat dumbfounded as she repeated what Zhan Yao had said, "Qiao Jing is not just Professor Qiao, she¡¯s also Divine Doctor Jing..."

    Oh my god!

    Her daughter-inw turned out to be such an incredible person!

    She used to think Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t good enough for her son, but it turns out she was blind to the treasure in in sight!

    Although the Zhan Family is wealthy and powerful, and her son is talented and promising, honestly speaking, it¡¯s her son who might be a bit unworthy of Qiao Jing...

    "Alright, that¡¯s enough, I need to quickly notify others, so more people can join the search for Sister Jing!"

    After saying this, Xu Moqian hurriedly turned and left.

    "Let¡¯s go look too."

    Zhan Yao said as he pulled the still-dazed Su Manhan along, quickly moving through the crowd to join the search for Qiao Jing.

    As everyone was anxiously searching, Qiao Jing, hiding alone in the supply room, was in worsening condition.

    She knew that waiting blindly like this was not a solution. What if no one ever found her?

    Clinging to her remaining consciousness, Qiao Jing struggled, trying to get up from the floor.

    However, the drug in her system hadpletely taken effect, and at this moment, she couldn¡¯t even lift her hand, let alone stand up.

    In this powerless state, Qiao Jing suddenly felt likeughing.

    She really hadn¡¯t expected that even she would have a time when she was so helpless, and it was all due to the scheme of two fools!

    Though she felt likeughing inside, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t actuallyugh.

    She could feel her consciousness starting to fade, which inevitably made her a bit anxious.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing vaguely heard footsteps gradually approaching outside.

    Her heart leaped with joy, instinctively thinking it was Zhan Qipei who hade for her.

    But this joysted less than a few seconds because Qiao Jing suddenly thought, what if it wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei, but Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei?

    In her current condition, not to mention two people, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to contend with one...

    With this thought, Qiao Jing became even more anxious and her consciousness grew increasingly blurry. She bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself to stay alert and keep her eyes on the door.

    The next second, the door was pushed open.

    It wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei, nor Zhan Nan or Zhan Bei, but the unexpected¡ªWu Xirui.

    As Wu Xirui approached step by step, Qiao Jing¡¯s vision gradually became unclear, the shadows before her bing more distinct.

    "Wh, why... is, is it you..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s words were disjointed, and before she could finish, her vision went ck, she copsed softly to the ground, and lost consciousness.

    Wu Xirui stepped up to her, bent down, picked her up horizontally, and briskly turned and left.

    ...

    Uncertain how much time had passed, Qiao Jing gradually awoke from hera.

    When she opened her eyes, her vision was still somewhat blurry, but she could feel that she was now lying on a bed.

    She nced slightly and found that there was a needle in her right hand¡¯s back, indicating she was receiving an IV.

    In her hazy state, Qiao Jing heard the sound of a door opening, followed by the steady footfalls of someone approaching.

    With some effort, she turned her head slightly, and through her limited view, she saw a pair of long legs in ck dress pants striding towards her.

    Instinctively, Qiao Jing spoke out, "Zhan Qipei, is that you?"

    As soon as the words left her mouth, a familiar male voice suddenly sounded.

    "What? Even in your dreams, you¡¯re thinking about him?"

    Though the voice was familiar, Qiao Jing could instantly tell it wasn¡¯t Zhan Qipei.

    Her mind suddenly cleared a little, and she finally got a clear look at the person who hade.

    Simultaneously, she remembered that it was Wu Xirui who had carried her out of the supply room.

    Watching Wu Xirui sit by the bedside, Qiao Jing slightly opened her lips and said in a faint tone, "You saved me."

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t respond, just kept staring at her, tacitly acknowledging it.

    Qiao Jing closed her eyes for a moment and assessed her body¡¯s condition, finding that the infusion had alleviated the drugs causing muscle paralysis and clouded consciousness, but anotherponent hadn¡¯t faded.

    The sense of warmth was merely temporarily suppressed, ready to re up at any moment.

    Realizing this, Qiao Jing inevitably furrowed her brows and raised her left hand to feel her face, finding it, indeed, burning.

    Without a mirror, she could easily imagine how red her face must be now.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s actions and her slightly furrowed brows, Wu Xirui didn¡¯t need to ask to know what she was thinking.

    He raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke leisurely, "The doctor said that the drug in your system is very special, and medication alone can¡¯t fully suppress it. The best way is to release it somewhat."

    What "release it somewhat" meant went without saying.

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips together, silent for a moment.

    Then she turned her eyes to Wu Xirui, her tone t and even, "Please get me some silver needles, like those used in acupuncture."

    She wanted to try and see if she could neutralize the drug herself.

    When Qiao Jing said this, Wu Xirui naturally guessed what she intended to do.

    His eyes lingered on Qiao Jing¡¯s bright red face, and he slowly said, "You¡¯re already like this, why force yourself? Seeing you suffer, my heart aches too. How about I make a little sacrifice?"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing immediately shot him a cold re, her expression turning icy.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s expression momentarily froze, but he quickly returned to normal, adopting his usual yful tone, "After all, I saved you. There¡¯s no need to be so hostile to me, right? Besides, I¡¯m just giving you a suggestion..."

    "Give me the silver needles."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to hear Wu Xirui¡¯s excuses any longer and interrupted him, repeating her earlier request.

    Seeing her expressionless and her tone cold, Wu Xirui knew she was genuinely angry, so he said, "Alright, alright, I¡¯ll go get them for you."

    With that said, under Qiao Jing¡¯s obviously urging gaze, Wu Xirui got up and left the room.

    At this time, the IV drip was just about empty. Qiao Jingboriously lifted her hand, removed the needle from the back of her hand, and slowly sat up in bed.

    A momentter, Wu Xirui returned with the silver needles.

    He sat back down by the bed, cing the silver needles beside Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing felt that, after the IV had finished, without medication continuing to enter her body, the effects she had barely suppressed started acting up again.

    The sense of warmth spread to every part of her body, relentlessly tormenting her.

 Chapter 828 - 816: Wu Xirui Wants to Help Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 828: Chapter 816: Wu Xirui Wants to Help Qiao Jing</h4>

    Qiao Jing bit her lip, desperately trying to suppress the heat surging in her body, reaching out to grab the silver needles.

    But as soon as she extended her hand, she realized it was uncontrobly trembling.

    Besides, her eyes suddenly felt a burning sensation, and her vision began to blur.

    Clearly, these were effects of that drug.

    In this state, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t steadily pick up the silver needles.

    After several attempts to grasp them only to drop them, she finally held onto the silver needles.

    However, with her hands unsteady and vision blurred, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint the acupuncture points urately, trying multiple times in vain.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed as she continued to try.

    Beside her, Wu Xirui couldn¡¯t help saying, "You can¡¯t do it this way, let me help you."

    Hearing him say this again, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned colder.

    She spoke word by word, enunciating his full name with undisguised displeasure, "Wu, Xi, Rui!"

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, the atmosphere instantly became frigid.

    Wu Xirui looked at her with an unreadable gaze, opened his mouth but swallowed back the words.

    However, just as Qiao Jing was about to try inserting the needle herself again, the turmoil in her body suddenly surged violently.

    Realizing she could barely hold back this feeling, her gaze fell sharply on the silver needles beside her.

    With trembling hands, she grabbed a handful of needles, intending to stab them into her leg.

    Right now, only pain could alleviate the agitation from the drug!

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, Wu Xirui instantly sensed her intention.

    With quick reflexes, he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, stopping her.

    Qiao Jing looked up, her red eyes staring at Wu Xirui, gritting out two words, "Let go!"

    "No."

    Wu Xirui held Qiao Jing¡¯s hand firmly without any intention of releasing it.

    The yful expression on his face vanished, reced by a rare seriousness, his voice deepening, "Doing this will only provide temporary relief, it won¡¯t solve the problem."

    "You don¡¯t need to tell me, I¡¯m aware, I know what I¡¯m doing."

    Qiao Jing said this as she struggled forcefully.

    Under normal circumstances, she would definitely have been able to shake off Wu Xirui¡¯s hand.

    But now she was feverish, her limbs weak, unable to muster her strength, no matter how she struggled, she couldn¡¯t break free from Wu Xirui¡¯s grip.

    With one hand tightly holding Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, Wu Xirui took the opportunity to snatch the silver needles from her hand with the other, throwing them directly on the ground, frowning at her, "Do you really have to use self-harming ways?"

    Would she rather self-harm than consider him?

    Thisst part, Wu Xirui left unsaid, fearing that once voiced, Qiao Jing mightpletely dislike him.

    Instinctively, he did not wish for that.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s breath became shallow, knowing her condition was worsening, yet she still fought not to lose herposure.

    Saying more words was already taxing, so she sinctly countered, "You think?"

    Wu Xirui stared at her for a moment. Seeing the resolute determination in her red eyes, he knew she would not consider him under any circumstances.

    He lowered his gaze slightly, concealing his emotions, and slowly released Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, "You don¡¯t need to self-harm, I have a way."

    Qiao Jing thought he was going to "volunteer again," and her brow furrowed tightly.

    When Wu Xirui looked up, he noticed her gaze was somewhat off, instantly understanding the misunderstanding.

    He tugged at the corner of his mouth, the tone tinged with helplessness, "It¡¯s not what you think, I¡¯ll call Zhan Qipei toe and get you."

    Saying this, Wu Xirui took out his phone and began contacting Zhan Qipei in front of Qiao Jing.

    ...

    At the manor.

    Zhan Qipei and the others didn¡¯t stop for a moment, nearly turning the entire manor over but still couldn¡¯t find any trace of Qiao Jing.

    Since there were no cameras outside the dressing room, the monitoring room personnel could only pull up footage from other nearby cameras for a careful review.

    After considerable effort, they finally found footage showing Qiao Jing leaving the dressing room from one of the cameras¡¯ viewpoints.

    Although blurry, it at least indicated the direction Qiao Jing had taken.

    The person in charge, fearful of dy, immediately sent someone to report the situation to Zhan Qipei.

    Once informed, Zhan Qipei headed straight to the monitoring room.

    Zhan Nanjing and Tang Yan followed along.

    As soon as they entered the monitoring room, the person in charge pulled up the edited footage immediately.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the LCD screen intently.

    From the footage, Qiao Jing¡¯s state appeared very poor, holding a wall with one hand, her head with the other, staggering out of the dressing room.

    As the scene shifted, she appeared at the end of a corridor, at the door of a utility room, pushing the door open and entering.

    When she came out again, she was being carried out by a man.

    "Isn¡¯t that Wu Xirui?!"

    Zhan Nanjing eximed, pointing at the man carrying Qiao Jing in the footage, "So it was him who took Qiao Jing away, no wonder we searched everywhere and couldn¡¯t find her!"

    "Damn it!"

    Zhan Qipei cursed angrily, kicking over the nearby table.

    With a loud crash, apanied by the sound of shattering cups and porcin.

    The air pressure in the monitoring room plummeted instantly.

    A coldness emanated from Zhan Qipei, making others shiver.

    Everyone could see his fury was hard to quell.

    The others lowered their heads, not daring to utter a word.

    But Zhan Nanjing, with her forthright character, suddenly thought of something while watching the footage of Wu Xirui carrying Qiao Jing, and blurted out.

    "ording to Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, the drug affecting Qiao Jing needs a man to resolve it, now that Wu Xirui has taken her away, could it be that..."

    Realizing she had said something she shouldn¡¯t have, Zhan Nanjing quickly covered her mouth, stepping aside.

    Her words intensified the coldness around Zhan Qipei, his expression icy, tense silence enveloping the room.

    Just then, a phone ringing broke the stern silence of the monitoring room.

    Zhan Qipei took out his phone, seeing Wu Xirui¡¯s name, a cold smile ying on his lips.

    Just when he wanted to confront this person, Wu Xirui was reaching out voluntarily!

    Quite convenient!

    Upon answering, Zhan Qipei spoke icily, "Where have you taken Qiao Jing? I warn you, if you dare touch her, I¡¯ll make sure your life is worse than death!"

    On the other end, Wu Xirui scoffed, ignoring Zhan Qipei¡¯s fury, and said leisurely, "Zhan Qipei, watch your tone with me."

    "Moreover, if you don¡¯t want her to be harmed, you¡¯d better cut the nonsense, I¡¯ll send you the address. Whether you make it in time is up to you."

    With that, not waiting for Zhan Qipei to reply, Wu Xirui hung up directly.

 Chapter 829 - 817: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Show Off Their Love in Front of Wu Xirui

    <h4>Chapter 829: Chapter 817: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Show Off Their Love in Front of Wu Xirui</h4>

    Zhan Qipei held his phone tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

    With a "ding," Wu Xirui sent a message, containing the address he mentioned on the phone earlier.

    Zhan Qipei casually opened it, nced at it coldly, then put away his phone and turned to stride out of the surveince room.

    Tang Yan quickly followed with a group of people.

    Following the address, they arrived at a private vi.

    The others stayed outside while Tang Yan followed Zhan Qipei into the house.

    Zhan Qipei headed straight for the main bedroom as soon as he entered, and at the bedroom door, he saw Qiao Jing curled up on the bed.

    The usually radiant her appeared so frail at this moment.

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Qipei felt an immediate pang of heartache, stepped in, and yanked Wu Xirui off the bed, pulling Qiao Jing into his embrace.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was in a slightly drugged state, her consciousness blurred.

    But she immediately recognized Zhan Qipei, for the familiar aura that she could find peace in.

    Her cheeks flushed red under the drug¡¯s effect, she couldn¡¯t help but actively wrapped her arms around Zhan Qipei¡¯s neck.

    Zhan Qipei tightened his grip and spoke with a voice trembling with hurt, "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯mte."

    However, in her current state, Qiao Jing could notprehend his words.

    The drug kept urging her, making her, without awareness, instinctively reach into Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace, tugging frantically and impatiently at his clothes.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei naturally knew what was happening.

    He furrowed his long brows and cast a cold nce toward Tang Yan, standing at the door.

    Tang Yan instantly understood, quickly took off his suit jacket, ran to the front, and draped it over Qiao Jing, concealing her unruly actions.

    Zhan Qipei lifted Qiao Jing, bypassing Wu Xirui without a nce, and headed out.

    "Wait!" Wu Xirui suddenly called.

    Zhan Qipei paused, turning to give him a fleeting nce.

    Wu Xirui nced at Qiao Jing in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, smirked coldly, and said, "Zhan Qipei, you may have bested me in love, but don¡¯t get too cocky."

    "In business, you¡¯re no match for me. I will soon reim what I deserve, leaving you with nothing!"

    Wu Xirui¡¯s words served both as a deration of war and a show of intimidation.

    But Zhan Qipei dismissed Wu Xirui¡¯s threat entirely.

    He looked at Wu Xirui with indifference, "You might be disappointed. I¡¯ll never be left with nothing, because as long as I have Qiao Jing, I have the whole world."

    Wu Xirui was genuinely surprised by this, not expecting such a response from Zhan Qipei.

    He raised his brows, mocking, "You¡¯re quite the devoted fool, willing to forsake the kingdom for beauty."

    Zhan Qipei, already at the door, stopped again at the sound, looked back at Wu Xirui, and said, "Ah, but you¡¯re mistaken, I want both beauty and the kingdom!"

    With these words, Zhan Qipei carried Qiao Jing and left swiftly.

    Tang Yan followed closely, and once outside the vi, rushed ahead to open the car door.

    Zhan Qipei got into the car with Qiao Jing, sitting in the back seat.

    Tang Yan quickly settled in the driver¡¯s seat, started the engine, and cautiously asked, "President Zhan, are we heading back to Purple Garden or to the estate?"

    Zhan Qipei lowered his eyes, watching the woman twisting in his arms due to the drug¡¯s effect, brows furrowing as he uttered two words, "The estate."

    Purple Garden was undoubtedly a better option but much further than the estate.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s current state, she couldn¡¯t wait for long, so the estate was the nearest choice.

    "Yes." Tang Yan responded promptly, stepping on the gas, retracing their route swiftly toward the estate.

    However, as the car progressed, Zhan Qipei noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s state worsened.

    Unconsciously hugging his waist, she squirmed restlessly and even started tugging at his belt...

    Zhan Qipei was undoubtedly affected by her actions, but more than anything, he was worried about her health being impacted by the drug.

    Zhan Qipei pressed his thin lips into a straight line, looking out the window for a suitable ce to stop.

    Soon, he spotted an alley entrance a few meters ahead, "Drive into that alley."

    Hearing this, Tang Yan understood without question.

    Following instructions, he parked the car in a secluded corner of the alley, hastily left the vehicle, leaving space for the two inside, then stood guard with others at the alley¡¯s entrance.

    In the blink of an eye, only Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing remained in the car.

    The two clung tightly to each other, the confined space growing increasingly heated...

    Zhan Nanjing came by car, spotting Tang Yan and others waiting at the alley¡¯s entrance from afar.

    This sparked suspicion in her heart.

    As she approached, she quickly exited her car, ran to Tang Yan and urgently asked, "What are you doing here? Where are my brother and Qiao Jing?"

    "Ahem..." Tang Yan coughed lightly, implying something.

    Then, he pointed inside the alley and ambiguously replied, "Inside..."

    Although he didn¡¯t say it explicitly, it was fairly evident, and Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t possibly misunderstand.

    She nced into the alley, barely making out the car shaking in the corner.

    This discovery made Zhan Nanjing¡¯s face flush red instantly, and she quickly averted her gaze, sighing with relief.

    It seemed Wu Xirui still retained some conscience and hadn¡¯t done anything inappropriate to Qiao Jing.

    ...

    Two hourster, Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing back to the estate.

    The drug in Qiao Jing¡¯s system had worn off, but its aggressive nature left some side effects, requiring subsequent care although not life-threatening.

    They freshened up and changed clothes before heading to the main hall.

    Zhan Nanjing was already there, sitting beside Su Manhan and Zhan Yao.

    Zhan Yuanshan was present, seated at the main spot on the sofa.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were kneeling on the ground, their faces ashen.

    Zhan Kaiyang stood beside his two grandsons, also looking displeased.

    Upon seeing Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing enter, Zhan Kaiyang immediately wore a stern face, pointed at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei on the ground, and scolded harshly, "You two scoundrels, still dawdling around? Do you need to be taught on apologizing? Hurry over here, apologize to your sister-inw!"

 Chapter 830 - 818: Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei Kowtow to Qiao Jing and Beg for Mercy

    <h4>Chapter 830: Chapter 818: Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei Kowtow to Qiao Jing and Beg for Mercy</h4>

    Before, they didn¡¯t know Qiao Jing was Professor Qiao. Even if their n failed and they were caught on the spot, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei didn¡¯t think it was a big problem, at most they would just get beaten badly.

    But now, knowing Qiao Jing¡¯s identity, the two felt a great disaster had befallen them, trembling in fear.

    As Zhan Kaiyang shouted, the two didn¡¯t dare dy even for a second, and immediately crawled before Qiao Jing, kneeling at her feet, trembling with their voices as they begged for forgiveness.

    "Cousin-inw, we know we were wrong. It¡¯s all our fault; we shouldn¡¯t have harbored ill intentions towards you, nor should we have resorted to such despicable methods to retaliate against you. We¡¯re sorry, truly sorry, please forgive us this once..."

    "Cousin-inw... no, no, Professor Qiao, Professor Qiao, forgive us. We¡¯re scoundrels, despicable, shameless, worse than beasts, but we truly know we¡¯re wrong now and won¡¯t dare again. Be benevolent and give us a chance..."

    Qiao Jing slightly lowered her gaze, her eyes cold as she looked at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei kneeling before her, continuously apologizing, repenting, and begging for forgiveness.

    Her face was indifferent, without a trace of expression, and she had no intention of speaking.

    At this moment, Zhan Yuanshan heavily stomped his cane, ring at Zhan Kaiyang, scolding, "I¡¯ve told you before, Jing Girl is Professor Qiao, and not just once. You refused to believe it and even thought I was deceiving you."

    "That¡¯s all fine, but you even indulged your two grandsons to do such a thing. It¡¯s sheer madness!"

    "Luckily, Jing Girl is blessed, and there weren¡¯t any irreversible severe consequences. If there had been any mishap this time, the three of you wouldn¡¯t be able topensate for your mistakes, even if you paid with your lives!"

    At this moment, Zhan Kaiyang had lost his previously defiant and using demeanor.

    Being scolded harshly by Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Kaiyang didn¡¯t refute a single word, but stood with a face full of shame, frozen in ce.

    By now, Zhan Kaiyang had deeply realized everything was his fault.

    His hostility towards Qiao Jing all stemmed from his two grandsons¡¯ usations back then.

    At the time, the two grandsons firmly told him that Qiao Jing had deliberately seduced them and then tried to frame them, even physically attacking them.

    People are protective, plus he had always doted on these two grandsons. Hearing such things, he naturally thought Qiao Jing was a duplicitous, deeply scheming woman.

    But now it seems all this was nonsense spouted by his two grandsons!

    With Qiao Jing¡¯s status as Professor Qiao, doesn¡¯t she have her pick of men? How could she possibly be seductive?

    He might believe any other woman doing such things, but for Qiao Jing as Professor Qiao, he would never believe it!

    It¡¯s all his own muddleheadedness, foolishly believing his grandsons¡¯ nonsense from the start...

    Thinking of these, Zhan Kaiyang felt even more ashamed, wishing he could find a crack in the ground and crawl in.

    But with things as they are, he still thick-skinnedly approached Qiao Jing, simultaneously apologizing and pleading for his two grandsons.

    "Professor Qiao, it¡¯s my fault, all mistakes fall on me alone. It¡¯s my failure to discern right from wrong, and my excessive indulgence of the two grandsons. It¡¯s my idea..."

    "Therefore, could this matter not implicate my two grandsons? I will voluntarily report to the police and turn myself in."

    Hearing Zhan Kaiyang¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t sit still.

    He suddenly sprang up from the sofa, angrily staring at Zhan Kaiyang, saying severely, "Do you think you alone turning yourself in will solve it? Your two grandsons are inescapable!"

    "The crime youmitted is harming important national science personnel, and you know how severe this charge is!"

    Zhan Nanjing standing by also felt indignant, agreeing, "Yes, moreover, Qiao Jing is pregnant, with three babies in her belly. If anything happens, it¡¯s no joke; that¡¯s four lives at stake!"

    Zhan Nanjing grew angrier as he spoke, ring fiercely at Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, "No matter what, these two bastards absolutely cannot be let go. If they get away this time, they¡¯ll surely cause harm to others in the future!"

    Saying this, Zhan Nanjing turned her gaze to Qiao Jing, her tone exceptionally solemn, "Qiao Jing, you must not forgive them. They are not worth forgiving; doing so only gives them an opportunity to continue their misdeeds!"

    In truth, without Zhan Nanjing¡¯s reminder, Qiao Jing could not possibly let go of Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    Her expression was icy as she looked at the two still kneeling at her feet, firmly saying word by word, "Today, you are definitely going to prison! From the moment you decided to do such things, you should have expected this oue!"

    "Before this, I considered that you were also members of the Zhan Family. I thought we were somewhat rtives and didn¡¯t want the two families to be too estranged because of me. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t mind too much what you¡¯ve done before."

    "But the nature of today¡¯s matter is truly vile!"

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice suddenly rose, her tone turningpletely icy.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei couldn¡¯t help but shrink back, their faces turning from livid to pale.

    After a few seconds pause, Qiao Jing continued, "Although it didn¡¯t really endanger lives, the drug left residual side effects and nearly harmed the child in my belly. This is absolutely intolerable!"

    "Moreover, what you did to Xiuxiang is equally unforgivable. She was also pregnant, at a critical time where any mishap couldn¡¯t ur, yet you still targeted her without considering the lives of her and her daughter!"

    Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s incident is also an important reason Qiao Jing can¡¯t forgive Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei.

    On the way back earlier, Zhan Qipei told her about Lin Xiuxiang.

    She only then knew that when Lin Xiuxiang went to get her ne but did not return, it was because she was knocked out by Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei upon exiting the makeup room and thrown into the nearby flower bed.

    Being pregnant herself, she understood that at this time any mishap is uneptable.

    If something happens, not only would the baby possibly be lost, but the adult¡¯s life is also at risk, in seconds resulting in double fatalities!

    People like Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, so evil and bad, indifferent to human life, should receive the severest punishment!

    After hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, originally trembling on their knees, copsed to the ground.

    Thinking of facing jail time, their expressions became vacant, muttering, "It¡¯s over,pletely over..."

    Qiao Jing shifted her gaze from the two of them to Zhan Kaiyang.

    Without waiting for her to speak, Zhan Kaiyang sighed and voluntarily said, "You don¡¯t need to say anything, I know what to do. I will take them to surrender together."

 Chapter 831: 819: The Wedding Continues

    <strong>Chapter 831: Chapter 819: The Wedding Continues</strong>

    Zhan Kaiyang had finally thought it through.

    It was indeed their grandfather and two grandchildren who were wrong. They should bear the consequences of their mistakes and face the necessary punishment.

    With this in mind, Zhan Kaiyang bent down to help up Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei, who were sitting limp on the ground as if their souls had been lost.

    Zhan Qipei, who had been silent all along, suddenly turned his head and cast a nce at Tang Yan waiting at the main hall door.

    Receiving his signal, Tang Yan understood immediately and stepped forward to assist Zhan Kaiyang in supporting one of the grandsons and followed them towards the police station.

    Watching them leave, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t help but shake his head and sigh.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing asked softly, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, you won¡¯t me me, will you?¡±

    After all, they¡¯re brothers. Watching his brother end up in jail, his heart surely feels heavy.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Yuanshan returned his gaze to her and replied without hesitation, ¡°How could I me you? You haven¡¯t done anything wrong; it¡¯s they who made the mistake.¡±

    ¡°As the saying goes, even a country has itsws, and a family has its rules. No matter who it is, if they make a mistake, they must ept the punishment!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan spoke, his tone suddenly bing somewhat agitated.

    ¡°Back in the day, when I was on the battlefield, leading and managing the entire battalion, even if we were brothers who lived and died together, close like family, if anyone made a mistake, I¡¯d still handle it impartially, and deal with it as necessary.¡±

    Qiao Jing listened quietly, not interrupting Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words.

    Zhan Yuanshan looked at Qiao Jing, his voice powerful and his tone firm, ¡°So, Jing Girl, in this matter, what you did was right. I fully support you. Those three should go to prison and have a good reflection on themselves.¡±

    ¡°My brother, to be honest, has indeed made quite a few mistakes, particrly concerning those two grandsons of his.¡±

    ¡°For the sake of blood ties, I once helped him deal with some issues, but I never thought he wouldn¡¯t repent and would raise his grandsons to be like this. It¡¯s truly an unfortunate family!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan finished speaking and couldn¡¯t help but sigh again.

    At this moment, Su Manhan ran over, took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and looked her up and down several times.

    Qiao Jing knew that Su Manhan was checking to see if she was injured, and she smiled gently, saying, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    Although she said so, Su Manhan remained somewhat uneasy, her worry evident on her face.

    ¡°I just heard you say that the medicine left some side effects. Will these side effects harm your body?¡±

    Su Manhan held Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°And will the three babies in your belly be affected?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and patiently exined, ¡°Mom, you really don¡¯t need to worry. The babies are fine, and the residual side effects will pass after a few days of recuperation.¡±

    In fact, once the drug¡¯s effects wore off, she was no longer in any serious condition.

    ¡°Are you really okay? Is there no difort anywhere? What kind of recuperation is needed¡­¡±

    Su Manhan continued to ask, and Zhan Yao came over, interrupting, ¡°Alright, Qiao Jing said she¡¯s fine, so she¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to keep asking.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, our daughter-inw is the Divine Doctor Jing. How could she not know her own physical condition, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Yao say this, Su Manhan suddenly recalled this matter.

    She pped her forehead, and the worry on her face was instantly reced by a sudden smile, ¡°Oh yes, I was so worried I forgot. Qiao Jing is the Divine Doctor Jing, and since she says she¡¯s fine, then she¡¯s definitely fine. I can rest assured.¡±

    Qiao Jing listened to their conversation and instinctively turned to nce at Zhan Qipei beside her.

    Zhan Qipei knew what she was thinking and nodded slightly, silently telling her with his eyes: Yes, Mom already knows.

    Su Manhan noticed her son and daughter-inw exchanging looks and suddenly remembered something.

    She lightly patted Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and said, ¡°You know, you should have told me earlier that you are the Divine Doctor Jing.¡±

    ¡°Back when I was trying to find you to treat Qipei¡¯s illness, I really went through a lot of trouble, and in the end, I found an impostor. Luckily, Qipei didn¡¯t actually get treated by that fake, or he¡¯d have been treated for nothing!¡±

    At these words, not only Qiao Jing, but also the others present, including Zhan Yuanshan, couldn¡¯t help but recall the time when Zhan Qipei was suspected of having infertility issues.

    For a moment, everyone¡¯s gaze simultaneously shifted to Zhan Qipei.

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei coughed a few times, trying to cover his awkwardness, and his eyebrows slightly furrowed, ¡°Mom, why bring that up now?¡±

    Isn¡¯t that just mentioning the elephant in the room!

    Su Manhan nced at her son dismissively and said, ¡°Why are you embarrassed? It¡¯s not like you actually have that problem. I just happened to think of it and mentioned it casually.¡±

    Zhan Qipei pressed his lips together, momentarily at a loss for words.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei looking awkward and helpless, Qiao Jing almost couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    At this moment, something else suddenly came to Su Manhan¡¯s mind. She returned her gaze to Qiao Jing and patted her hand again.

    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s one thing for you not to tell us you¡¯re the Divine Doctor Jing, but why didn¡¯t you tell us you¡¯re Professor Qiao too? If it weren¡¯t for today¡¯s incidents, I wouldn¡¯t have known you¡¯re Professor Qiao!¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Zhan Yuanshan interjected.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®not telling¡¯? Don¡¯t make it sound so bad. The reason Jing Girl didn¡¯t disclose her identities as the Divine Doctor Jing and Professor Qiao was to avoid unnecessary trouble.¡±

    ¡°Besides, what does it matter if you know or not? All you need to know is that Jing Girl is your daughter-inw!¡±

    Su Manhan listened to this and found it quite reasonable, nodding in agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    No matter whether Qiao Jing is the Divine Doctor Jing and Professor Qiao or not, she is still her best daughter-inw!

    At this moment, Zhan Nanjing also remembered something. She blinked and directly asked, ¡°I have a question. What about the wedding? Will it continue or be rescheduled?¡±

    ¡°Continue.¡±

    ¡°Reschedule.¡±

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei spoke almost at the same time, but they gave two different answers.

    The others exchanged nces, unsure of whom to listen to for a moment.

    Zhan Qipei looked at Qiao Jing and said warmly, ¡°Trust me, let¡¯s reschedule. Even if you don¡¯t feel ufortable, you must be tired. I don¡¯t want you to be exhausted.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not tired.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her head, meeting Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze, and said slowly, ¡°So many people came to attend our wedding today, and many came from far away. Because of what just happened, they¡¯ve already been waiting for so long. If we suddenly reschedule now, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste of their trip, which wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±

 Chapter 832: 820: I Do

    <strong>Chapter 832: Chapter 820: I Do</strong>

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei wanted to say more, but Qiao Jing interrupted him directly, ¡°Alright, stop it, I¡¯ve decided. If you¡¯re not willing¡­¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish her sentence, Zhan Qipei¡¯srge, well-defined hand covered her mouth.

    ¡°What nonsense are you saying? How could I not be willing? Listen to you, the wedding continues!¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei released Qiao Jing and withdrew his hand.

    He had been waiting for this day for a long time, only he knew how much he wanted a perfect wedding with Qiao Jing!

    Just now, he was so focused on talking that Su Manhan didn¡¯t even notice. It was only at this moment that she realized that Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei had changed out of their wedding dress and suit.

    She quickly urged them, ¡°You two, hurry up and change back into your clothes. I¡¯ll go notify the emcee to get ready.¡±

    With that, she turned around in a hurry and walked out of the main hall.

    Zhan Yao saw this and immediately followed her.

    Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Nanjing also followed closely behind, heading to the wedding venue together.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei went back to their room to change again.

    Twenty minutester, Zhan Qipei, dressed in a tuxedo, escorted Qiao Jing, who was wearing a white wedding dress, to the venue.

    The moment they appeared, they instantly became the focus of the entire room, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

    Seeing such a perfect couple, everyone sighed in admiration.

    ¡°The groom and bride are such a perfect match; they¡¯re like a pair of celestial beings!¡±

    ¡°Yes, the groom is handsome and stylish, with an extraordinary aura, and the bride is as beautiful as a fairy, transcendent and refined. They¡¯re a match made in heaven!¡±

    ¡°The groom and bride just standing together make it feel like a beautiful, touching painting, so pleasing to the eyes!¡±

    ¡°Both of them have such high looks; their future children will definitely be super good-looking!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    While other guests were praising them endlessly, the prominent figures from above had already reached Qiao Jing.

    The group first expressed concern about her sudden disappearance. Once they confirmed she was alright, they each offered her their wedding congrattions.

    After these important figures left, the people from the research institute also gathered around, offering her care and blessings.

    Then, Ni Yue, Lin Xiuxiang, Xu Moqian, and others also came over.

    Zhan Qipei was originally standing by Qiao Jing¡¯s side, but with all theing and going, he was pushed aside by the crowd.

    He pursed his thin lips, looking displeased at those surrounding Qiao Jing, feeling the dissatisfaction in his heart was bing uncontroble.

    What was wrong with these people?

    Didn¡¯t they have any sense?

    Each one of them crowding around his bride, where did that leave him, the groom!

    Ni Yue immediately grabbed Qiao Jing, examining her from head to toe.

    Seeing that she was unharmed, Ni Yue breathed a sigh of relief, repeatedly saying, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re okay, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re okay. When you disappeared, we were worried sick!¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang also spoke with lingering fear, ¡°Yes, it was truly terrifying. I¡¯ve been on edge the entire time.¡±

    She and Ni Yue had already heard from Xu Moqian about the whole situation, knowing that the ones who knocked her out and targeted Qiao Jing were Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei from the Zhan family¡¯s second branch, and that these two people were now under Zhan Qipei¡¯s control.

    But before they found Qiao Jing, they were extremely worried.

    Qiao Jing tugged at the corners of her lips, giving Ni Yue and Lin Xiuxiang a slight smile, and reassured them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing took Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, cing her fingertips on her wrist to take her pulse.

    Even though Lin Xiuxiang seemed fine, she felt it was better to confirm it personally.

    Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei were surely reckless, so as not to leave any hidden troubles.

    After all, some diforts might not show up immediately.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s actions were so natural that not only Ni Yue and Xu Moqian, but even Lin Xiuxiang herself did not realize she was taking her pulse, thinking it was just holding hands.

    After taking the pulse, and confirming that Lin Xiuxiang and her child were alright, Qiao Jing quietly released her hand.

    Once Xu Moqian found a chance to speak, he immediately said indignantly, ¡°Sister Jing, quickly tell me, where did Zhan Qipei¡¯s people take those two bastards, Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei?¡±

    ¡°I was in a rush to find you earlier, and didn¡¯t have time to deal with them. Since they dared to do such things to you, I must break one arm of each!¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and said concisely, ¡°No need to deal with them, they¡¯re already in jail.¡±

    Xu Moqian snorted, somewhat reluctantly saying, ¡°They really got off easy; we should have beaten them half to death before sending them in!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing recalled Zhan Nan and Zhan Bei¡¯s earlier state.

    Although they weren¡¯t quite beaten to half-death, they didn¡¯t look much better, both of their faces swollen like pig heads!

    If her guess was right, it was probably Zhan Qipei who did it!

    At this point, Zhan Qipei ran out of patience. Unable to bear it any longer, he squeezed in, took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, and led her towards the ceremony stage.

    Ni Yue, Lin Xiuxiang, Xu Moqian, and the others exchanged nces, seemingly remembering that Qiao Jing still had important matters to attend to!

    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Zhan Qipei escorted Qiao Jing as they walked slowly onto the stage.

    The emcee was already well-prepared.

    As soon as the two reached the stage, the emcee looked at Qiao Jing, raised the microphone, and asked, ¡°Bride, do you willingly marry the man in front of you, from this moment on, for richer or poorer, in health or sickness, for better or worse, to love him, to respect him, to cherish him, until death do you part?¡±

    Qiao Jing lifted her head, looking at Zhan Qipei, her eyes shimmering with a hidden smile.

    Under Zhan Qipei¡¯s expectant gaze, she articted clearly, ¡°I do.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips curved into a joyful arc, finding those three words incredibly moving.

    His gaze remained fixed on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, unwilling to look away for even a second.

    The emcee then turned to Zhan Qipei, continuing to ask, ¡°Groom, do you willingly take the woman before you as your wife¡­¡±

    ¡°I do!¡±

    Before the emcee could finish, Zhan Qipei anxiously gave his answer.

    Then, he snatched the wedding rings from the emcee¡¯s hand and directly put them on for himself and Qiao Jing.

    Seeing this, everyone was a little stunned.

    They had never seen such an eager groom before!

    What a new experience!

    While everyone was still in shock, Zhan Qipei had already embraced Qiao Jing, lowering his head to kiss her lips under the public eye.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to kiss her suddenly and found herself momentarily stunned before instinctively pushing him slightly.

    However, Zhan Qipei only held her tighter and kissed her more deeply.

    The scene fell silent for a moment, before everyone gradually came to their senses.

    The next moment, apuse thundered!

    Amidst the thunderous apuse and all kinds of blessings, Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei¡¯s unprecedented grand wedding¡ªended perfectly!

 Chapter 833 - 821: Qiao Jing Reveals Her Secret Identity to Lin Yun

    <h4>Chapter 833: Chapter 821: Qiao Jing Reveals Her Secret Identity to Lin Yun</h4>

    It¡¯s been a while since the wedding.

    That day, after finishing breakfast, seeing that the weather outside was nice and the air was fresh, Qiao Jing decided to go out for a walk.

    Counting the days, she was almost five months pregnant, and her belly was already showing. If she wore her usual clothes, it would be a bit obvious, so recently her attire has been loose and casual.

    The scenery along the street was quite nice. Qiao Jing strolled leisurely, breathing in the fresh air and admiring the roadside view.

    However, after walking for a while, the previously clear blue sky suddenly darkened.

    Qiao Jing looked up and found that dark clouds had gathered overhead, with tiny raindrops starting to fall.

    She furrowed her brows slightly, feeling a bit speechless.

    Just when she left, the weather was so good. She even specially checked the weather forecast, which also said it would be sunny¡ªwhy did it suddenly start raining?!

    At that moment, a phrase suddenly popped into Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    "The sky is unpredictable..."

    Just as Qiao Jing was looking around, nning to find a ce to take shelter from the rain, a private car drove up from not far away and steadily stopped beside her.

    Qiao Jing reflexively turned her head, seeing that the car window on the driver¡¯s side had rolled down, revealing Lin Yun¡¯s handsome face.

    "It really is you; I knew I wouldn¡¯t mistake you."

    While saying this, Lin Yun had already opened the door and gotten out of the car,ing up to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow and said indifferently, "What are you doing here? Don¡¯t you have training?"

    "It¡¯s my rest day," Lin Yun replied, then with a slight frown retorted, "Enough about me¡ªwhat are you doing walking on the street by yourself? Didn¡¯t you see that it¡¯s raining?"

    "It wasn¡¯t raining when I left, who knew this dreary weather would suddenly start to rain."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression remained calm, but there was a hint of helplessness in her tone.

    If she¡¯d known it would rain, she wouldn¡¯t havee out for sure!

    Lin Yun looked up at the sky, "The rain isn¡¯t heavy, but it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯ll stop anytime soon."

    Saying this, he directly reached out to pull Qiao Jing, leading her towards the car, "Come on, get in. I¡¯ll give you a ride."

    Considering her current pregnancy, if she got caught in the rain and caught a cold, it would affect the three babies in her womb, so Qiao Jing let Lin Yun pull her into his car.

    After the car drove a bit further, Lin Yun suddenly thought of something.

    He tilted his head slightly, nced at Qiao Jing in the passenger seat, "I forgot to ask¡ªwhere are you heading?"

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment before answering after a few seconds, "To Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute."

    Thinking carefully, it had been a few days since she¡¯dst visited the institute, and since she was already out and there was nothing else to do, she might as well go have a look.

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Lin Yun burst outughing.

    He slowed the car down, turned to look at Qiao Jing and joked, "Seriously, now you¡¯ve learned how to boast too. Going to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute? You can¡¯t joke like that."

    Obviously, he didn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing was actually going to the institute; he just thought she was teasing him.

    As they reached an intersection, before Qiao Jing could say anything, Lin Yun asked again, "So, which way are we going?"

    Qiao Jing nced outside and said slowly, "Turn left first, then go straight past two intersections, then turn right, and continue straight for about 800 meters."

    "Looks like you¡¯re pretty familiar with this area; you even know the distance in meters," Lin Yun said surprised, and then turned in the direction Qiao Jing indicated.

    Following the twists and turns, after driving for ten minutes, Qiao Jing saw their destination through the car window and said, "We¡¯ve arrived, stop here."

    Hearing this, Lin Yun immediately stepped on the brakes, stopped the car, and turned his head to look outside.

    At a nce, he was a bit dumbfounded.

    How did they actually end up at the entrance of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    He looked back at Qiao Jing with a strange expression, "What? You¡¯re actually serious about this prank? I noticed something¡¯s wrong with you today. Are you trying to trick me?"

    With Lin Yun¡¯s words getting more outrageous, Qiao Jing was a bit speechless too.

    Sheposed herself, calmly said, "I¡¯m not tricking you, nor am I joking; I really am here to work at the institute."

    Originally, Lin Yun didn¡¯t believe her, but seeing Qiao Jing so serious without any hint of joking, he suddenly realized Qiao Jing was telling the truth and wasn¡¯t trying to make fun of him.

    This realization caught Lin Yun by surprise, quite stunned even.

    He never thought Qiao Jing actually worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!

    That was truly impressive!!

    After a moment of shock, Lin Yun snapped back to reality, looking at Qiao Jing and taking a while before squeezing out, "I always thought you were just delivering food all this time..."

    Qiao Jing shrugged, "I¡¯ve exined that before; I¡¯m not delivering food¡ªyou just didn¡¯t believe me."

    Lin Yun let out a soft snort, his gaze on Qiao Jing became somewhat resentful, "It¡¯s really unfair; I tell you everything, update you on everypetition, and never hide anything from you."

    "And you? You keep everything to yourself, even hiding that you¡¯re working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute; what is that about!"

    While saying this, Lin Yun¡¯s tone carried a hint of displeasure.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing felt strangely guilty.

    Because what Lin Yun said was true.

    Indeed, Lin Yun always told her everything, yet she had been secretive...

    And Lin Yun continued beside her, "Qiao Jing, tell me honestly, do you not regard me as a friend?"

    "Otherwise, with the years we¡¯ve known each other, you shouldn¡¯t keep even your job a secret from me!"

    The more Qiao Jing listened, the more embarrassed she felt, deciding to confess her identity.

    After all, she genuinely considered Lin Yun a good friend.

    Looking at Lin Yun, she seriously said, "Sorry, I should have told you earlier. Actually, I am Professor Qiao."

    "What?!"

    Lin Yun eximed directly, his face full of shock.

    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Jing¡¯s serious expression, he would have thought he was hallucinating.

    Knowing Qiao Jing worked at the institute had already surprised him.

    But who would have thought, she wasn¡¯t just an ordinary staff at the institute, but the famous first agricultural tycoon of the Empire¡ªProfessor Qiao!!!

    Seeing Lin Yun¡¯s reaction, Qiao Jing knew he actually understood, just momentarily shocked.

    After a pause, she continued, "Oh, by the way, there¡¯s something else I might as well tell you."

    "Actually, the Divine Doctor Jing is also me."

    Lin Yun hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of Professor Qiao when the addition of the Divine Doctor Jing stunned him again.

    He was left speechless, staring at Qiao Jing, too amazed to speak.

 Chapter 834: 822: Qiao Jing Is Spoiled by the Zhan Family

    <strong>Chapter 834: Chapter 822: Qiao Jing Is Spoiled by the Zhan Family</strong>

    While Lin Yun was still standing there, stunned, Qiao Jing nced down at her watch and realized it was gettingte.

    She raised an eyebrow, opened the car door to get out, and said to Lin Yun, ¡°I¡¯ll head in first, be careful on your way back.¡±

    With that, she waved at Lin Yun and turned to enter the research institute.

    Lin Yun was left standing there, unable to recover from the shock until Qiao Jing¡¯s figure disappeared from view.

    Professor Qiao, Divine Doctor Jing, they¡¯re both Qiao Jing!!!

    He felt that he needed some time to digest what he learned today¡­

    After entering the research institute, Qiao Jing took a quick look around but hadn¡¯t started working yet.

    Xu Hongzu, who was reading a research report nearby, nced up and saw her. He immediately tossed the report aside, took two or three steps towards her, and looked at her with a nervous expression.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, you know you really should be at home resting, you¡¯re almost five months pregnant, why are you here?¡±

    Qiao Jing found Xu Hongzu¡¯s anxious demeanor somewhat amusing.

    She slightly curled her lips and chuckled, ¡°I haven¡¯t been here for several days, so I thought I¡¯de by and see if there¡¯s anything needing my attention.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, Xu Hongzu spoke sternly, ¡°You can look around, but don¡¯t even think about working. Just focus on taking care of yourself for now, we can handle things at the institute.¡±

    Qiao Jing knew Xu Hongzu was concerned about her, worried she might tire herself out being pregnant.

    The elder meant well, and she couldn¡¯t ignore his advice.

    So, Qiao Jing adopted a negotiating tone and said, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll just work for three hours.¡±

    Three hours shouldn¡¯t be too strenuous!

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu widened his eyes, and his voice rose a few octaves, ¡°What? You want to work for three hours? No, absolutely not!¡±

    He opposed it strongly, with a no-negotiation approach.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing had to make a small concession, ¡°Alright, if three hours won¡¯t do, then how about two hours.¡±

    ¡°Two hours won¡¯t do either. Just observe from the sidelines.¡±

    Xu Hongzu rejected Qiao Jing¡¯s idea again, earnestly reminding her, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re now a pregnant woman, carrying triplets, you can¡¯t afford to exhaust yourself! Understand?¡±

    At this point, others in the research institute also began to persuade Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Yes, Professor Qiao, even carrying one is tough, you¡¯re carrying three, it¡¯s certainly not easy, better to rest, and don¡¯t think about work for now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Professor Qiao, leave things here to us, you can rest easy and focus on your well-being.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Listening to everyone speak up, Qiao Jing suddenly felt as if she were a rare creature, like a panda being carefully protected.

    Just as she was thinking this, Zhan Nanjing burst outughing beside her, ¡°Sister-inw, howe you seem just like the panda at the zoo now!¡±

    After speaking, Zhan Nanjing shook her head to herself, ¡°No, no, sister-inw, you¡¯re far more precious than a panda. Pandas are rare, but their numbers have increased, whereas you are one-of-a-kind in the whole world!¡±

    Qiao Jing pulled the corner of her mouth and gave Zhan Nanjing a look, urging her to ponder it herself.

    Eventually, after some negotiation, Qiao Jing secured one hour of work time.

    Xu Hongzu walked away with a parting remark, ¡°What¡¯s agreed is one hour, just one hour, I¡¯ll have someone remind youter.¡±

    Qiao Jing, feeling a bit resigned, didn¡¯t take it to heart and turned to her work.

    Sure enough, when the hour was up, to the very second, someone came over to remind her, ¡°Professor Qiao, your work time is up, it¡¯s time to rest.¡±

    Qiao Jing waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯m not done with this yet, let me finish this part first¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, the other person decisively rejected, ¡°No, Elder Xu instructed, when the time¡¯s up, Professor Qiao must go back to rest.¡±

    Qiao Jing had no choice but to stop her unfinished work.

    To assure her, Zhan Nanjing immediately patted her chest and promised, ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle the rest, you¡¯ve taught me so much already, I can manage it.¡±

    It was obvious everyone cared about her a lot; Qiao Jing found it both amusing and touching.

    Once Zhan Nanjing took over the remaining work, Qiao Jing left the institute and went straight back to Purple Garden.

    Back home, feeling bored, Qiao Jing sat on the sofa in the living room, idly scrolling through news on her phone.

    After catching up on the news, she put down her phone, nning to get a drink of water, but inadvertently noticed a bit of dust on the coffee table, so she picked up a cloth to wipe it off.

    However, just as she started cleaning, Su Manhan happened toe out from a room.

    Seeing Qiao Jing wiping the table, Su Manhan rushed over, snatched the cloth from her hand, and frowned, ¡°Why are you doing this?!¡±

    ¡°Let the maid handle these things, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re without help. You¡¯re pregnant, you shouldn¡¯t be doing any chores!¡±

    Qiao Jing felt her mother-inw¡¯s reaction was even more intense than Elder Xu¡¯s!

    She curled her lips and smiled, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t fret, I just noticed a bit of dust, so I wiped it off casually.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Manhan immediately summoned someone to wipe the entire table several times.

    Qiao Jing then picked up a cup, intending to pour some water.

    Seeing this, Su Manhan took the cup from her again, ¡°You want some water? I¡¯ll get it, you just sit. Let me do it.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could refuse, Su Manhan had already filled the cup and handed it back to her, with a loving look, ¡°Drink up, it¡¯s good to have plenty of water.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and under Su Manhan¡¯s caring gaze, began to drink water.

    After finishing the water, Qiao Jing thought of getting up to move around, but as she stood from the sofa, she saw the TV remote fall to the floor.

    She was about to lean down to pick it up, when Su Manhan hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t move, let me do it.¡±

    As she spoke, Su Manhan quickly retrieved the remote and ced it back on the table.

    For a moment, Qiao Jing was at a loss for words.

    Just then, Zhan Yao happened toe back from outside, and while he and Su Manhan were talking, Qiao Jing slipped away to the back garden.

    Seeing the garden blooms thriving but some branches too long, Qiao Jing thought of giving them a trim.

    Yet, as soon as she picked up the pruning shears, before she could start, Su Manhan hurried over.

    Seeing Qiao Jing holding the pruning shears, Su Manhan was terribly startled, running up to snatch the shears, ¡°Oh no, why on earth are you using scissors? These things are dangerous, what if you identally poke yourself?¡±

 Chapter 835: 823: Qiao Jings Miserable Life

    <strong>Chapter 835: Chapter 823: Qiao Jing¡¯s Miserable Life</strong>

    Qiao Jing felt that her mother-inw was really making a fuss over nothing.

    She looked at Su Manhan with a helpless expression and exined, ¡°I just wanted to trim this flower branch, and it¡¯s a specialized pruning shear, so it¡¯s not dangerous.¡±

    ¡°No way! Anything sharp and pointed, you can¡¯t touch them now. We have to prevent problems before they happen and eliminate any possible danger in the cradle!¡±

    Su Manhan spoke with a serious expression, emphasizing her point solemnly.

    After finishing her sentence, she suddenly noticed something and began to exim again, ¡°Oh my, there are so many thorns on this flower; how did I not realize it before!¡±

    ¡°Such dangerous things cannot stay in the house any longer!¡±

    ¡°Someone, quick, someonee and take all these thorny flowers away!¡±

    Su Manhan shouted, calling all the household helpers to move away any flower with thorns from the garden.

    Zhan Yao, hearing themotion, came over as well.

    Seeing the scene in the garden, he asked Su Manhan with some confusion, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you having people move these flowers?¡±

    Su Manhan replied earnestly, ¡°You don¡¯t know, these flowers have thorns. If our daughter-inw gets pricked identally, that would be trouble, so I had them moved.¡±

    Qiao Jing listened to their conversation, hoping that Zhan Yao would persuade Su Manhan not to make such a big deal out of it.

    However, her hope was quickly dashed.

    After hearing Su Manhan¡¯s words, Zhan Yao nodded in full agreement and said, ¡°Based on what you said, they should indeed be moved, to avoid identally hurting Qiao Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched slightly; apparently, her father-inw and mother-inw had already reached a consensus on this matter.

    While everyone was busy moving the flowers in and out, Zhan Qipei came back.

    Seeing this scene, he found it a bit strange as well.

    He strode over to Qiao Jing, wrapped her in his arms, and asked, ¡°Honey, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°You should quickly tell Mom not to be so rmed and anxious.¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up at Zhan Qipei, pressing her temples with her fingers, and said with some headache, ¡°I know she¡¯s nervous about me and has my best interests in mind.¡±

    ¡°But not letting me do any work or even hold scissors is one thing, but these flowers only have small thorns on the stems. Saying she¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll get pricked and making such a big fuss of moving them all ispletely unnecessary!¡±

    Zhan Qipei understood immediately what had happened.

    He smacked his forehead, showing a look of sudden realization, ¡°How did I not think of this? Mom is indeed thoughtful.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing waspletely speechless.

    She rolled her eyes at Zhan Qipei and turned around to head inside.

    In the evening.

    After dinner, Qiao Jing rested for a while before returning to her room, intending to take a bath with some clothes she had gathered.

    As she reached the bathroom door, her nightgown, draped over her arm, identally slipped and fell to the ground.

    Noticing this, Qiao Jing was about to bend down to pick it up when Zhan Qipei, who was lounging on the sofa, swiftly dashed forward to stop her.

    ¡°You just stand there, I¡¯ll get it.¡±

    Saying this, Zhan Qipei bent down slightly and picked up the fallen nightgown.

    This scene reminded Qiao Jing of when Su Manhan stopped her from picking up the remote control.

    It seems she was truly treated like a giant panda, under special protection!

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t return the picked-up nightgown to Qiao Jing, but instead took away the other clothes in her hands too.

    Qiao Jing looked at him puzzled, ¡°Why are you taking my clothes? Didn¡¯t you see I was going for a bath?¡±

    ¡°I saw, but I think it would be better if I help you with it.

    Zhan Qipei seriously said, ¡°Now that the baby is growing, it¡¯s bing inconvenient for you to move, and you have to be particrly careful with bending and turning. Plus, if you identally slip in the bathroom, the consequences are unimaginable!¡±

    Qiao Jing could tell that this time Zhan Qipei was serious, unlike before when he made excuses to cling to her out of some personal interest.

    But if this and that were not allowed, and now she can¡¯t even bathe herself, at this rate, wouldn¡¯t she be a good-for-nothing who doesn¡¯t lift a finger?

    This was absolutely uneptable!

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jingposed herself, looked up into Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, and slowly said, ¡°I know you¡¯re all very tense about me, worried about anything going wrong, but have you forgotten that I¡¯m a doctor? I know better than you what a pregnant woman can or cannot do.¡±

    ¡°Besides, pregnant women need to exercise a bit too. If I continue to just lie and sit without doing anything, it might make it difficult for the baby to engage, potentially leading toplications during childbirth.¡±

    ¡°So, for something as simple as bathing, I can do it myself.¡±

    After speaking, Qiao Jing reached out and took back the nightgown from Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei realized that Qiao Jing made sense, subconsciously nodded, and didn¡¯t insist on helping her bathe.

    However, while Qiao Jing was bathing, he waited outside the bathroom in case anything was needed, he could appear promptly.

    After Qiao Jing finished her bath, she went straight to bed.

    After getting in bed, she suddenly noticed that her toenails were a bit long and needed trimming.

    So she opened the bedside drawer and took out nail clippers.

    Zhan Qipei immediately realized what she was about to do and took the nail clippers from her hand, ¡°Let me do it for you.¡±

    As he spoke, regardless of whether Qiao Jing agreed or not, Zhan Qipei directly picked up Qiao Jing¡¯s foot.

    With his big, warm hand cradling her foot, Qiao Jing¡¯s pale, small foot looked even more delicate, with ten round, plump toes that were adorably cute.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Honey, how can even your feet be so pretty!¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by his words, only feeling that this man was getting better at sweet talking.

    She inadvertently curved her lips, ¡°What¡¯s pretty? Aren¡¯t feet just feet? Aren¡¯t you worried about any smell?¡±

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re different, how can otherspare to you? Your feet, even if there¡¯s a smell, it would be fragrant.¡±

    Saying so, Zhan Qipei suddenly bent down and kissed Qiao Jing¡¯s toe.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t expected him to do this, her toes curled slightly, and her cheeks instantly flushed, her heartbeat speeding up considerably.

    Zhan Qipei lifted his head, saw her shy rosy cheeks, and couldn¡¯t help but show a slight smile on his lips.

    Afterwards, as he trimmed Qiao Jing¡¯s toenails, he said, ¡°Now that you¡¯re pregnant, it¡¯s inconvenient for you to trim them yourself. In the future, I¡¯ll regrly trim them for you.¡±

    ¡°Not just toenails, but fingernails too. Oh, washing hair, blow-drying, I¡¯ll take care of everything¡­¡±

    Listening to Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, Qiao Jing suddenly felt like her uing days might be very ¡°miserable¡±¡­

 Chapter 836 - 824: Does Zhan Qipei Have Another Woman Outside?

    <h4>Chapter 836: Chapter 824: Does Zhan Qipei Have Another Woman Outside?</h4>

    A few dayster.

    Zhan Corporation.

    "Miss Han, President Zhan is not at thepany right now, could youe back another time?"

    Han Liner is a model under a subsidiary of Zhan¡¯s, with looks and body both top-notch. Coupled with thepany¡¯s support, she has gained a bit of international fame.

    So, learning that Han Liner was chosen this time to apany President Zhan to the Fashion Show in Country F, the secretary was particrly courteous to her.

    Han Liner wore trendy fashion, her makeup was exquisite, and her chin was slightly raised, giving off a proud demeanor.

    Hearing what the secretary said, she waved her hand, "No need, I¡¯ll wait here."

    Although she would soon go abroad with Zhan Qipei, as long as she could see him a bit more, no wait was too long for her.

    "Okay, Miss Han, suit yourself, I¡¯ll go attend to my work."

    After saying this, the secretary turned and left.

    Han Liner originally nned to wait in the reception room, but on her way there, she noticed that thepany employees were very busy, and no one would pay attention to her.

    So, an idea sparked, and she turned towards the CEO¡¯s office.

    She was just trying her luck, but to her surprise, the office door was actually unlocked.

    Upon entering the office, Han Liner promptly closed the door.

    Thinking about how the man she adored worked here daily, her emotions surged with excitement.

    Zhan Qipei working diligently at this desk must be even more charming than usual!

    Thinking this, Han Liner couldn¡¯t resist approaching the desk, reaching out to touch the items Zhan Qipei used one by one, her face disying an enamored look.

    "Ring, ring¡ª"

    Suddenly, a ringtone broke the silence.

    Immersed in her fantasy, Han Liner was startled by the unexpected sound.

    It was at this moment she noticed that Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone was left in the office, partly covered by a document.

    Removing the document, she saw the caller ID marked "Wife," and a stunning face shed in her mind.

    Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei¡¯s wife, whom she had seen from a distance once.

    Undeniably, Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance was stunning enough to awe even other women.

    Perhaps that¡¯s why Zhan Qipei was so devoted to Qiao Jing?

    Based on her observations over time, getting Zhan Qipei to give up on Qiao Jing seemed nearly impossible.

    But what if Qiao Jing left Zhan Qipei on her own?

    If she could create misunderstandings between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei, and they ended up breaking apart, wouldn¡¯t she have a chance?

    Thinking of this, Han Liner curved her lips into a sinister smile, reached for Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone, and pressed answer...

    Meanwhile, at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    Qiao Jing, having waited for quite some time, finally got through with her call.

    Just as she was about to speak, she was preempted by a sweet female voice on the other end, "President Zhan, you shouldn¡¯t do this. It¡¯s not good if someone sees... mm..."

    "Toot, toot, toot¡ª"

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, the call was cut off.

    Her brows furrowed slightly as she silently looked at her phone, her exquisite face disying aplex emotion.

    Zhan Qipei... How could he be with another woman?

    Moreover, what did she mean by not doing this, it¡¯s not good if seen?

    Could they be doing something inappropriate?

    Being nearby, Xu Moqian and Zhan Nanqing both overheard the call.

    Xu Moqian immediately let out a cold snort, exasperated, "That scumbag Zhan Qipei, no wonder he took so long to answer the phone¡ªturns out he was fooling around with an outside little vixen!"

    "I bet he was having so much fun that he identally hit answer, and that¡¯s why his true colors were exposed. Otherwise, who knows what kind of good things he¡¯s been doing behind backs!"

    Upon hearing a woman¡¯s voice from her brother¡¯s phone, Zhan Nanqing found it strange as well.

    But hearing Xu Moqian, she couldn¡¯t help but defend her brother, "Xu Moqian, don¡¯t talk nonsense! My brother isn¡¯t a scumbag; there must be some misunderstanding here."

    Turning to Qiao Jing, she quickly added, "Qiao Jing, you know my brother¡¯s character well; he¡¯s definitely not the type to be unfaithful, you must believe him!"

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, Xu Moqian cut in.

    "What misunderstanding could there be? That woman clearly called him President Zhan just now and said ¡¯don¡¯t do this, don¡¯t do that.¡¯ It¡¯s clearly some shady business!"

    "Sister Jing is pregnant over five months now, and that scumbag Zhan Qipei is still doing such things to wrong her, it¡¯s simply awful!"

    As Xu Moqian spoke, he grew angrier, his face flushed, "Sister Jing is such a good woman, and he doesn¡¯t cherish her properly. If I¡¯d known Zhan Qipei was like this, I would have never let Sister Jing be with him..."

    "Xu Moqian, you shut up!"

    Zhan Nanqing couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, interrupting Xu Moqian while rebutting, "Things are not clear yet, how can you just judge my brother like that? I think you¡¯re deliberately trying to stir trouble, to ruin the rtionship between my brother and Qiao Jing."

    "Zhan Nanqing, even if Zhan Qipei is your brother, you can¡¯t protect him so blindly, can you? Besides, he..."

    Halfway through his sentence, Xu Moqian waved his hand angrily, "Forget it, I¡¯m not in the mood to talk nonsense with you, I¡¯m going to find Zhan Qipei and make him give Sister Jing a proper exnation!"

    With that, he stormed out, ready to leave.

    Zhan Nanqing quickly ran up and blocked him with her arms, "Stop! You can¡¯t go!"

    If this meddlesome Xu Moqian went to stir things up, even no trouble would be a heap of problems.

    Thus, she absolutely couldn¡¯t let Xu Moqian cause trouble!

    Amidst his anger, Xu Moqian was stopped, ring at Zhan Nanqing with clenched jaws, he said indignantly, "Move, or I won¡¯t guarantee I won¡¯t do something excessive to you."

    "I won¡¯t move, just won¡¯t move, what can you do about it?"

    Zhan Nanqing lifted her chin, meeting Xu Moqian¡¯s gaze with a hint of defiance.

    "You..."

    "Enough!"

    Xu Moqian was about to say something when Qiao Jing interrupted him coldly.

    She nced at the two, flushed and necks strained from arguing, a clear sign of irritation shed across her brows and eyes, "Stop arguing, can you just let me have some peace?"

    After speaking, Qiao Jing turned and walked out.

    In truth, she didn¡¯t believe Zhan Qipei would fool around, the call was likely just a misunderstanding as Zhan Nanqing suggested.

    Nheless, despite her rationality, hearing such an ambiguous female voice from her man¡¯s phone naturally unsettled her!

    Zhan Nanqing red at Xu Moqian, "It¡¯s all your fault, you angered my sister-inw into leaving."

    "Zhan Nanqing, are you serious? Sister Jing getting mad was because your scumbag brother is having an affair. You don¡¯t question Zhan Qipei, and instead, you stop me. Clearly, you and your brother are two peas in a pod!"

    Unyielding, Xu Moqian retorted without courtesy.

 Chapter 837: 825: The Misunderstanding Grows

    <strong>Chapter 837: Chapter 825: The Misunderstanding Grows</strong>

    Zhan Nanqing was quite upset, but seeing Qiao Jing walking further away, she couldn¡¯t continue arguing with Xu Moqian and hurriedly chased after Qiao Jing with a cold snort.

    She caught up to Qiao Jing just outside the research institute.

    Worried that there might be a problem in Qiao Jing¡¯s rtionship with her brother, Zhan Nanqing hastily exined.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t listen to that nonsense from Xu Moqian. My brother is devoted to you; no other woman even catches his attention. That woman¡¯s voice earlier isn¡¯t as Xu Moqian said¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright, stop talking about it. Just let me be for a while. You should go back to work.¡±

    Qiao Jing interrupted Zhan Nanqing, her tone indifferent, giving no hint of her actual emotions at that moment.

    Zhan Nanqing wasn¡¯t sure if Qiao Jing was angry, but seeing her looking somewhat annoyed, she dared not bother her any further.

    Once Qiao Jing had walked far enough away, Zhan Nanqing quickly took out her phone to call her brother, wanting to find out what was really going on.

    However, after calling about ten times, nobody picked up¡­

    Meanwhile, over at Zhan Corporation, in the CEO¡¯s office.

    Han Liner hung up the phone and immediately deleted the call log.

    To prevent Qiao Jing from calling back, she even put the phone on airne mode, ensuring Qiao Jing¡¯s call couldn¡¯t get through for a while.

    After doing all this, she ced the phone back in its spot and started to walk out.

    But as soon as she opened the door, she bumped into Tang Yan, who was back to get Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone.

    Tang Yan scrutinized Han Liner with a critical gaze.

    Noticing that Han Liner wasn¡¯t wearing apany badge, he frowned and questioned, ¡°You¡¯re not a staff member of Zhan¡¯s. What are you doing in President Zhan¡¯s office? Entering the CEO¡¯s office without permission, I have reason to suspect you¡¯re stealing Zhan¡¯s corporate secrets.¡±

    Han Liner was already a bit guilty; hearing Tang Yan¡¯s words, her face turned white in fear, and she quickly defended herself, ¡°I¡¯m Han Liner, a model under Zhan¡¯s, the one set to go to a fashion exhibition in Country F with President Zhan.¡±

    ¡°I came to see President Zhan. I found the office door ajar and thought he was inside, so I went in¡­¡±

    Tang Yan found something odd about Han Liner and was about to question further when his phone rang. It was an rm he set to remind himself of the flight boarding time.

    Pressed for time, he couldn¡¯t dwell on further questions and quickly ran back into the office to find Zhan Qipei¡¯s phone before rushing out.

    ¡°Perfect timing, since you¡¯re Han Liner, it saves me a trip to find you. Come with me to the airport; the flight to Country F is in half an hour.¡±

    With that said, Tang Yan swiftly sped off.

    Han Liner breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed suit.

    That evening, as dusk fell.

    Qiao Jing, having finished her work at the research institute, returned to the apartment. Upon entering, she found the ce inplete darkness, leaving her slightly puzzled.

    Normally, Zhan Qipei would have been home by this time.

    And ever since she got pregnant, Zhan Qipei would always prepare delicious meals ahead of time, waiting to have dinner with her when she got home.

    A situation like today has never happened in such a long time.

    Could it be that there was an urgent matter at work that needed handling?

    Feeling a bit suspicious, Qiao Jing turned on the lights and poured herself a ss of water, sitting down on the sofa in the living room.

    However, after finishing the ss of water, half an hour passed and Zhan Qipei still hadn¡¯te home.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t hold her anxiety any longer and picked up her phone intending to call Zhan Qipei.

    Just at that moment, her phone rang.

    It was a call from Zhan Qipei.

    Upon answering, a deep, maic voice came through the phone, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re home, right? Sorry I didn¡¯t tell you beforehand, but I have to go on a business trip tonight and won¡¯t be able toe home.¡±

    Business trip?

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and she couldn¡¯t help but recall the phone call from earlier that day with the woman¡¯s ambiguous voice.

    If it was just that phone call alone, she might find it a bit ufortable but she wouldn¡¯t think much of it, let alone doubt Zhan Qipei.

    But why, coincidentally at this moment, did he have to suddenly go on a business trip?

    Could there be some connection between the two?

    Thinking like this, Qiao Jing felt a little restless again.

    On the other end of the line, Zhan Qipei, noticing Qiao Jing¡¯s prolonged silence, thought she might be displeased by his unannounced business trip, so he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll return as soon as possible. If all goes well, I should be back by tomorrow.¡±

    Hearing his voice, Qiao Jing snapped out of her thoughts and responded faintly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Since he said he¡¯d be back tomorrow, she¡¯d wait until then to discuss it. Perhaps she was just overthinking things.

    After all, knowing Zhan Qipei as she did, he wasn¡¯t the type to be fickle and unfaithful¡­

    Having spent all this time living with Zhan Qipei, being without him suddenly left Qiao Jing feeling somewhat unustomed.

    That night, she didn¡¯t sleep well and only fell asleep in the early hours, resulting in her sleeping in until noon the next day.

    After getting up and washing, Qiao Jing ate lunch and turned on the TV, thinking of watching the news to pass the time.

    Upon turning it on, it happened to switch to the international news channel, where the reporter was live-broadcasting a famous tourist spot in Country F.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t really interested in the tourist spot, but her sharp eyes caught a very familiar tall figure passing behind the reporter.

    It was none other than Zhan Qipei, who had said he was going on a business trip and hadn¡¯t returned all night!

    Beside him was a woman with heavy makeup, wearing trendy and sexy clothes, and a sultry figure!

    But that wasn¡¯t the point. The point was when this woman passed by the reporter with Zhan Qipei, she called out, ¡°President Zhan.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s drinking milk paused, her brow furrowed sharply.

    There was no mistake. That coquettish voice was exactly the same as the woman¡¯s voice from the ambiguous phone call earlier!

    Zhan Qipei went on a business trip, why did he bring this woman along?

    The rtionship between him and this woman¡­

    Qiao Jing shook her head, stopping herself from further spection.

    She wasn¡¯t someone prone to suspicion. No matter what, she would wait until Zhan Qipei returned to rify everything.

    Though she thought so, Qiao Jing¡¯s mood was inevitably affected.

    Upon arriving at the research institute, Zhan Nanqing immediately noticed that her mood seemed off and approached her with concern, asking, ¡°Qiao Jing, what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen? Is it about my brother¡­¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, not wanting to borate.

    At that moment, Xu Moqian suddenly entered from the doorway, holding a stack of photos.

    Seeing Qiao Jing, he said indignantly, ¡°Sister Jing, just in time, I found solid evidence of Zhan Qipei¡¯s infidelity!¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, Zhan Nanqing red at Xu Moqian and angrily said, ¡°Xu! What are you babbling about now? Would you die if you went a day without ndering my brother?¡±

    ¡°Get lost, I can¡¯t be bothered with you.¡±

    Xu Moqian pushed Zhan Nanqing aside from in front of Qiao Jing and continued, ¡°Sister Jing, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t go homest night, did he?¡±

 Chapter 838: 826: Zhan Qipei Rushes Back Anxiously

    <strong>Chapter 838: Chapter 826: Zhan Qipei Rushes Back Anxiously</strong>

    Qiao Jing¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she nced up at him, her tone ambiguous: ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip.¡±

    ¡°Business trip?¡± Xu Moqian snorted coldly, furious: ¡°What business trip? He¡¯s taken the little vixen abroad for a rendezvous!¡±

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression changed slightly, her brows tightening a bit more.

    What Xu Moqian said matched exactly what she coincidentally saw on the International News Channel on TV.

    She remained silent, only using her gaze to signal Xu Moqian to continue speaking.

    Just as Xu Moqian was about to speak, Zhan Nanqing, who had been pushed aside, returned, ring angrily at him, ¡°Xu Moqian, haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡®It¡¯s better to destroy ten temples than to break one marriage¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Are you happy if you really break up my brother and Qiao Jing? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to!¡±

    Xu Moqian rolled his eyes, snorted, ¡°Zhan Nanqing, what kind of person do you think I am? Would I dare to talk nonsense in front of Sister Jing without evidence?¡±

    He still hadn¡¯tpletely let go of Qiao Jing, but since Qiao Jing was with Zhan Qipei, and they were expecting a child, he of course hoped Qiao Jing could be happy.

    To maliciously break up and destroy someone¡¯s rtionship, such vile acts were something Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t do!

    Seeing Xu Moqian¡¯s assertiveness, not looking like he was spouting nonsense, Zhan Nanqing hesitated.

    But she still couldn¡¯t believe her brother would do something to betray Qiao Jing.

    She frowned, staring at Xu Moqian, ¡°You have evidence, right? Then show us the evidence!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes also fell on Xu Moqian, waiting for him to produce the hard evidence of Zhan Qipei¡¯s infidelity that he just mentioned.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    Xu Moqian handed the photo gripped in his hand to Qiao Jing, ¡°Sister Jing, take a good look, see clearly the behavior of this scumbag Zhan Qipei!¡±

    ¡°He keeps saying he¡¯s on a business trip with you, but in reality, he¡¯s cozying up abroad with the little vixen,pletely disregarding that you¡¯re still pregnant, this kind of person is simply a world-ss scumbag¡­¡±

    As Xu Moqian indignantly condemned Zhan Qipei¡¯s crimes, Qiao Jing heard none of it.

    She looked at the photos Xu Moqian handed over, all of which depicted Zhan Qipei with another woman.

    There were photos of them dressed in formal attire, standing together as if attending some banquet.

    Photos of them sitting together drinking coffee, the woman looking at Zhan Qipei with love-struck eyes.

    And photos of them very close, the woman seeming to whisper into Zhan Qipei¡¯s ear¡­

    In short, in each photo, the two of them appeared very intimate.

    Seeing these, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes darkened, her heart felt as if it had been weighed down by a boulder, suffocating her.

    Beside her, Zhan Nanqing shook her head in disbelief, ¡°No, this can¡¯t be, how could this happen? My brother isn¡¯t this kind of person¡­¡±

    The more she spoke, the more uncertain she became.

    Although she didn¡¯t believe her brother was the kind to fool around, the two people in the photos did indeed look very ambiguous¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s so impossible? People change, Zhan Qipei is no exception. Just because he¡¯s your brother, you can¡¯t blindly defend him.¡±

    Xu Moqian spoke with frustration, ¡°Besides, the evidence is irrefutable now, you have no choice but to believe!¡±

    Qiao Jing remained silent, just looking down at the photos in her hand.

    On the surface, she seemed no different from usual, much calmer than Xu Moqian and Zhan Nanqing, but if you looked closely, you¡¯d notice her fingers tightly gripping the photos that had be slightly wrinkled.

    ¡°What on earth is going on? Is my brother blind?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing frowned deeply, unable toprehend, ¡°This woman may be somewhat pretty, but she¡¯s nothingpared to Qiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, Qiao Jing is so outstanding, not only as the professor who founded this research institute single-handedly but also a renowned miracle doctor, no other woman canpare to her!¡±

    Anyway, she still found it impossible that her brother would betray Qiao Jing for another woman!

    Xu Moqian sneered, ¡°Anyway, if Zhan Qipei doesn¡¯t give Sister Jing an exnation, I won¡¯t spare him!¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll call my brother right now to find out exactly what¡¯s going on.¡±

    With that, Zhan Nanqing took out her phone to contact Zhan Qipei.

    As soon as the call connected, Zhan Nanqing directly questioned, ¡°Brother, did you take a woman abroad? Who is that woman? Is she the mistress you kept outside?¡±

    On the other side of the phone, Zhan Qipei was baffled by these questions.

    He furrowed his handsome brows, speaking seriously, ¡°What mistress? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Brother, stop ying dumb, photos of you with that woman attending events and drinking coffee together have been taken.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing spoke with a voice full of disappointment, ¡°You¡¯re telling Qiao Jing you¡¯re on a business trip, but on the other hand, you¡¯re being ambiguous with another woman, how can you face Sister Jing like this?¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei realized that the woman Zhan Nanqing was referring to was the model Han Liner, who apanied him to the fashion show in Country F.

    And it seemed Qiao Jing had misunderstood him because of it!

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache, his speech quickening, ¡°That woman is a model for thepany, I¡¯m with her¡­¡±

    ¡°Forget it, Qiao Jing is with you, right? Give her the phone, I¡¯ll exin to her myself.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Zhan Nanqing quickly nodded, then handed the phone to Qiao Jing, ¡°Qiao Jing, my brother wants you to take the call, he said he wants to exin to you.¡±

    Qiao Jing pressed her red lips together, feeling the grievance in her heart hard to dissipate.

    ncing at the phone Zhan Nanqing handed over, she said sulkily, ¡°Tell him I have work to do, no time to take any calls.¡±

    After speaking, Qiao Jing turned and walked away.

    ¡°Qiao Jing! Sister-inw¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanqing called after Qiao Jing¡¯s back several times.

    But Qiao Jing walked on without turning back, ignoring her.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction, Zhan Nanqing knew she was genuinely upset this time.

    ¡°Brother, things are not good, Qiao Jing is really angry, I handed her the phone, and she wouldn¡¯t take it, just left, you must have heard what she said just now, right?¡±

    Zhan Nanqing reported Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction truthfully to Zhan Qipei, then suggested, ¡°Brother, you bettere back quickly, if you don¡¯t clear this up soon, you might end up without a wife!¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze darkened as he remained silent for a moment.

    Just before receiving this call, he had gotten news that a project at a branchpany had encountered problems and urgently needed handling, which might take two or three days to resolve¡­

    ¡°Brother, why aren¡¯t you speaking? I wasn¡¯t exaggerating, don¡¯t take this lightly, I¡¯d advise you to return tomorrow at thetest, otherwise, if Qiao Jing really leaves in anger, you¡¯ll regret it!¡±

    Thinking about how Qiao Jing left in a huff, Zhan Nanqing grew more anxious.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei ended the call.

    In truth, without Zhan Nanqing saying so, he had already made up his mind.

    After all,pared to Qiao Jing, everything else became insignificant.

    After putting away his phone, Zhan Qipei called Tang Yan to book the earliest flight back home.

    No need for tomorrow, he would return tonight!

 Chapter 839 - 827: Who Broke Into the Bathroom?

    <h4>Chapter 839: Chapter 827: Who Broke Into the Bathroom?</h4>

    That evening.

    After finishing her work, Qiao Jing left the research institute and returned to her apartment.

    Feeling troubled, she nned to go straight to bed after a shower.

    However, halfway through her shower, she suddenly heard some noise outside the bathroom.

    It sounded like the door opening, followed by footstepsing closer.

    During the day, after Zhan Nanqing finished her call with Zhan Qipei, she specifically came to inform Qiao Jing that Zhan Qipei would be returning to the country the next day to exin things to her in person.

    Since Zhan Qipei was due back the next day, who could be breaking into her apartment at this hour?

    A thief? A robber?

    As soon as she thought of this, Qiao Jing was on high alert.

    After turning off the faucet, she grabbed a nearby towel to wrap herself and turned off the bathroom lights to avoid revealing her position.

    Without the sound of water, the footsteps became clearer and steadily closer.

    Qiao Jing silently approached the door, and as the intruder neared, she swung the door open and delivered a swift hand chop.

    Unexpectedly, the intruder sidestepped.

    Qiao Jing felt somewhat annoyed; her reflexes had dulled significantly since bing pregnant.

    Before, she would never have missed!

    Pausing for a moment, Qiao Jingunched another attack.

    However, this time her outstretched hand was caught by the intruder.

    Soon enough, she was pulled into an embrace.

    Even though the lights were off and she couldn¡¯t see, the solid chest and familiar scent were enough for Qiao Jing to instantly recognize the person.

    She struggled slightly, "Zhan Qipei, let me go!"

    Zhan Qipei carefully held the woman in his arms, worried about hurting the babies in her belly.

    Being a triplet pregnancy, her five-month bump was already noticeably prominent.

    He lowered his head, his lips close to Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, his voice deep and maic, "Be good, don¡¯t move. It¡¯s me, I¡¯m back."

    As Zhan Qipei spoke, the warm breath on her ear caused a shiver to run through Qiao Jing.

    She turned her head away, biting her lip, and softly asked, "Why are you back? Weren¡¯t youing tomorrow?"

    "I missed you."

    As he said this, Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing a bit tighter, his actions revealing his longing.

    Qiao Jing froze for a moment, her slightly parted red lips softly whispering, "Is that so?"

    To be honest, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but be moved by Zhan Qipei¡¯s overnight return from abroad for her.

    But the thought of that phone call, those photos, and the woman who traveled abroad with him, acting intimately, made her heart restless.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s cold attitude, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but frown, "You don¡¯t trust me?"

    Qiao Jing remained silent, unwilling to engage with him.

    There was a hint of frustration on Zhan Qipei¡¯s handsome face, "Alright, I truly missed you, but I also rushed back mainly because I was afraid you¡¯d throw a fit and sneak away in a jealous rage."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression became unnatural, and she retorted, "Who¡¯s jealous?"

    She was merely annoyed, not jealous!

    "Alright, alright, you¡¯re not jealous."

    With some amusement, Zhan Qipei echoed Qiao Jing¡¯s words, then exined, "I went abroad for a fashion show, and that woman is a model from under Zhan¡¯s. We just happened to go on the same business trip, nothing more."

    "Then what about that phone call?"

    Upon asking this, Qiao Jing realized she was indeed bothered by the matter.

    "What call?" Zhan Qipei asked, confused.

    "The day you went on that business trip, I called you in the afternoon, and a woman¡¯s voice answered."

    Qiao Jing briefly recounted the situation from that day.

    After listening, Zhan Qipei pondered for a moment before responding, "At that time, I left my phone in the office, Tang Yan was supposed to bring it back for me. But... the call log doesn¡¯t seem to have the call you mentioned."

    At this point, Zhan Qipei had a good idea of what might have happened.

    It was obvious that Han Liner had answered Qiao Jing¡¯s call without permission and deliberately said things to make Qiao Jing misunderstand,ter deleting the call log!

    Thinking of this, a cold glint shed in Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes, "That woman was being mischievous on purpose. I¡¯ll let Tang Yan deal with it."

    Having heard Zhan Qipei¡¯s exnation, Qiao Jing had already pieced it together.

    After all, such tricks weren¡¯t really sophisticated; it was just too many coincidences this time that left her uncertain.

    Although the misunderstanding was rified, Qiao Jing¡¯s mood didn¡¯t immediately improve.

    She let out a light hum, struggling to leave Zhan Qipei¡¯s embrace, "Who knows if what you¡¯re saying is true?"

    "Then how should I prove it to you? Should I drag that blind woman in front of you for confrontation, so you can vent your anger?"

    Zhan Qipei said this while hugging Qiao Jing tightly, preventing her from slipping away.

    In the tugging, the towel wrapped around Qiao Jing suddenly loosened and fell to the floor.

    Her expression changed, and she said with some embarrassment, "Zhan Qipei, let go, my towel fell!"

    "It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll get it for you."

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t release Qiao Jing; instead, he turned on the light.

    In an instant, the dimness was chased away by the light, and everything was illuminated.

    Qiao Jing waspletely exposed in Zhan Qipei¡¯s sight.

    Even though the babies in her belly were five months along, facing Zhan Qipei like this, even someone asposed as Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel shy.

    Watching her cheeks turn a delicate shade of red, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips into a smile.

    After all, seeing Qiao Jing embarrassed was quite rare.

    Qiao Jing gave him an angry re, then bent to pick up the towel on the floor.

    However, the protruding belly severely limited her movements.

    She couldn¡¯t bend down!

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but chuckle lightly.

    Qiao Jing became even more exasperated, huffing coldly, "You dare tough? If it weren¡¯t for you, my towel wouldn¡¯t have fallen!"

    Worried he might truly anger her, Zhan Qipei quickly and sincerely admitted his mistake, "Alright, alright, that was my fault. I¡¯ll pick it up for you right now."

    As he spoke, he bent down slightly, picking up the towel.

    Qiao Jing immediately reached out, intending to wrap it back around her.

    Unexpectedly, Zhan Qipei tossed the towel onto the vanity with a smirk, "It¡¯s already fallen, why wrap up again? Just leave it."

    With that, before Qiao Jing could react, he scooped her up and headed toward the bedroom.

    "Zhan Qipei! You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you? Put me down, I don¡¯t need you to carry me!"

    In Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms, Qiao Jing struggled a bit, but as she felt herself slipping, she instinctively clung to his neck.

    If not for the babies in her belly, she would have definitely given Zhan Qipei a hard time!

    Soon, Qiao Jing was carried into the bedroom and ced on the bed.

    Zhan Qipei leaned down to kiss her, his maic voice gently coaxing, "Go to sleep, stop fussing."

    With the bedsidemp turned off, the dim room was filled with an alluring atmosphere...

    The next day.

    As soon as Zhan Qipei arrived at thepany, he summoned Tang Yan to thoroughly investigate the phone call incident.

    Tang Yan immediately recalled having seen Han Liner enter the office unauthorized that day.

    He confidently stated, "President Zhan, no need for further confirmation, it was Han Liner¡¯s doing, as she entered your office that day."

    "Daring to plot against me, she¡¯s truly courting death!"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice was icy, as he nced at Tang Yan, "I¡¯ll leave this matter to you, do I need to teach you how to handle it?"

    "Understood, I will take care of it immediately."

    Tang Yan departed with his orders.

    That day, Han Liner was dismissed by the modeling agency under Zhan¡¯s.

    Across the city, industry colleagues received word that Han Liner was to be cklisted entirely.

    From that point, Han Liner vanished from the modeling world and the city atrge, as if she had disappeared into thin air, never to be heard from again...

 Chapter 840: 828: Tang Yan Really Cant Stand His Boss Anymore

    <strong>Chapter 840: Chapter 828: Tang Yan Really Can¡¯t Stand His Boss Anymore</strong>

    In the blink of an eye, there were only two weeks left until Qiao Jing¡¯s due date.

    Early that day, Qiao Jing had arranged to go shopping with Lin Xiuxiang.

    Although the baby supplies had been ready for a while and they didn¡¯t need to worry about them, both wanted to personally pick out some items for the baby since they were soon to be mothers.

    On this side, Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang were leisurely strolling hand in hand in the mall.

    Meanwhile, at Zhan Corporation, Zhan Qipei noticed that ever since Tang Yan arrived at thepany today, he seemed distracted, making several mistakes even with simple tasks like delivering a document.

    Tang Yan had been with him for a long time and rarely made mistakes in his work, so his performance today was highly unusual!

    After yet another mistake, Zhan Qipei called him over and asked sternly, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you today? In just a short time, you¡¯ve made several mistakes, including the most basic ones you shouldn¡¯t be making.¡±

    Tang Yan slightly lowered his head, didn¡¯t make any excuses for his mistakes, and candidly said, ¡°Xiuxiang will give birth in a month, and I¡¯m a bit worried.¡±

    ¡°Worried about what?¡± Zhan Qipei casually asked.

    Even though he asked, he instinctively thought that Tang Yan was worried about whether the delivery would go smoothly and such.

    However, Tang Yan¡¯s response was not what he expected.

    With a furrowed brow and apparent worry, Tang Yan said, ¡°She went out shopping this morning, and I¡¯m worried something unexpected might happen.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei was unimpressed, raising his long brows slightly, ¡°What¡¯s the worry? It¡¯s just shopping for a distraction, nothing likely to go wrong.¡±

    After speaking, he earnestly advised Tang Yan, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much; give your wife some freedom and space. Women are very sensitive during pregnancy. If you overreact, she might feel distressed.¡±

    Tang Yan thought it made sense.

    He nodded, ¡°President Zhan, you¡¯re right, I¡¯ve been too nervous.¡±

    After a few seconds, Tang Yan added, ¡°Actually, Xiuxiang went shopping with the Young Madam; with her there, I shouldn¡¯t be worried.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei instantly lost hisposure, his dark eyes widening slightly, ¡°What did you say?!¡±

    Tang Yan was taken aback, with a confused look on his face, unable to understand why the previouslyposed President Zhan reacted so strongly.

    It seemed like¡­ he hadn¡¯t said anything out of the ordinary?

    Seeing Tang Yan standing there without responding, Zhan Qipei knitted his brows like mountains in the mist, and asked again in a steady voice, ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    Tang Yan wasn¡¯t sure but repeated what he had just said, word for word.

    ¡°I said, Xiuxiang went shopping with the Young Madam; with her there, I shouldn¡¯t be worried¡­¡±

    Before Tang Yan could finish, Zhan Qipei was already hastily dialing Qiao Jing¡¯s number.

    The call connected quickly.

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Zhan Qipei pre-emptively spoke, his naturally maic voice now filled with obvious tension and urgency.

    ¡°Honey, why did you suddenly decide to go shopping? Which mall are you at now?¡±

    On the other end, with a calm expression, Qiao Jing answered the phone while edging into a baby toy store with Lin Xiuxiang.

    After telling Zhan Qipei the mall¡¯s name, she said unhurriedly, ¡°The weather is nice today, so I thought of going out for a walk.¡±

    Zhan Qipei unknowingly tightened his grip on his phone, worry evident in his furrowed brow.

    ¡°Honey, you¡¯re two weeks away from giving birth; you need to be extra careful when going out now. Why didn¡¯t you let me know, so I could apany you?¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, you could have let our mom and Nanjing apany you, or just find a few bodyguards to follow.¡±

    The thought of Qiao Jing heavily pregnant, out shopping alone with another pregnant woman, filled Zhan Qipei¡¯s mind with various potential dangerous scenarios.

    The more he thought about it, the scarier it seemed, and he became uncontrobly worried.

    Even over the phone, Qiao Jing could sense Zhan Qipei¡¯s current anxiety.

    However, ever since her belly started to show significantly, Zhan Qipei, Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, Zhan Nanjing, and everyone else around her had treated her like a national treasure, making a fuss over the smallest things, fearing that something might happen to her or the baby.

    So she had be ustomed to their fussing.

    She lifted her finely shaped brows and said to Zhan Qipei on the other end, ¡°Rx, it¡¯s just a shopping trip; nothing¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re going to continue shopping. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡±

    ¡°Hold on¡­¡±

    Just as Zhan Qipei spoke, he was met with the ¡°beep beep beep¡± of the busy tone.

    Clearly, Qiao Jing had hung up the phone.

    Although from the call she indeed seemed fine, speaking lightly and cheerfully, Zhan Qipei still couldn¡¯t stop worrying.

    Tang Yan, who had witnessed everything, was momentarily speechless.

    Now he finally understood why President Zhan had reacted so strongly!

    President Zhan was quite something, a moment ago logically advising him not to worry, yet instantly losing hisposure when it came to the Young Madam, even more than Tang Yan himself!

    Meanwhile, back at the mall.

    As soon as Qiao Jing put her phone away, Lin Xiuxiang sidled up to her, face full of gossip as she asked, ¡°Judging by your words just now, it must be President Zhan calling, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Jing replied, casually picking up a cute little toy from the shelf and examining it.

    With a smile, Lin Xiuxiang teased, ¡°President Zhan really takes such good care of you, being so considerate. Just going out for a bit of shopping makes him worry enough to call immediately, it¡¯s truly enviable.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at her amusingly and retorted, ¡°Enviable? Isn¡¯t Tang Yan the same way with you?¡±

    ¡°Tang Yan he¡­¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang was about to say something when her phone suddenly rang.

    ncing at the screen, she saw it was indeed Tang Yan calling.

    Seeing the iing call disy, Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curled into a meaningful smile.

    Lin Xiuxiang was momentarily embarrassed, sheepishly answering the call.

    Tang Yan called mainly to remind Lin Xiuxiang to be careful, saying things like watch her step, don¡¯t shop for too long, and make sure she doesn¡¯t tire herself out.

    Lin Xiuxiang had long been familiar with these words by heart.

    She promptly interrupted Tang Yan¡¯s rambling, quickly saying, ¡°Got it, got it, I¡¯ll be careful, hanging up now.¡±

    After speaking, Lin Xiuxiang hung up the phone.

    Qiao Jing put back the toy she was holding, teasing Lin Xiuxiang with a smile, ¡°Your Tang Yan has also sent his love. No need to envy me now, right?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang chuckled, immediately changing the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s go check out some other stores.¡±

 Chapter 841 - 829: Suddenly Going Into Labor!

    <h4>Chapter 841: Chapter 829: Suddenly Going Into Labor!</h4>

    As they came out of the baby toy store, Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang walked down the mall corridor.

    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, you have two weeks until your due date, right?"

    Lin Xiuxiang looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s prominently protruding belly and earnestly reminded her, "Thisst period is very critical, you need to be extra careful about everything, don¡¯t let anything slip through the cracks."

    Seeing how serious she was, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but chuckle lightly, "Did you forget that I¡¯m a doctor? I¡¯m well aware of my own physical condition."

    "But you, you really need to be cautious about what you eat and what you avoid; if you eat the wrong thing, anything could happen..."

    Qiao Jing started advising Lin Xiuxiang on the things to watch out for during pregnancy.

    After listening, Lin Xiuxiang nodded, "Got it, I will be careful."

    She then added, "But I still have a month until my due date, isn¡¯t it a bit early to start worrying?"

    "Not at all early." Qiao Jing shook her head slowly, "Is there a huge difference between one month and two weeks?"

    "Moreover, sometimes the due date may not bepletely urate¡ªearly orte delivery can happen."

    "Seems like that¡¯s true, I¡¯ve heard about this..."

    "Oh¡ª"

    Halfway through speaking, Lin Xiuxiang suddenly felt a bit ufortable in her stomach, and immediately clutched it with a pained expression.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing immediately thought of something and quickly reached out to support her, "What¡¯s wrong? Could it be you¡¯re going intobor?"

    Seeing Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s condition, Qiao Jing suspected she might be having pretermbor.

    Lin Xiuxiang furrowed her brow tightly and struggled to speak, "I, my stomach hurts, I think... I think I¡¯m going intobor..."

    "Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right away, it¡¯s going to be alright."

    While calming Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s emotions, Qiao Jing took out her phone to call an ambnce.

    She calmly reported the mall¡¯s address and briefly exined Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s situation.

    Soon after she made the call, the ambnce arrived at the scene.

    The medical staff carried Lin Xiuxiang onto a stretcher, and Qiao Jing followed her onto the vehicle.

    On the way to the hospital, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered something.

    She hadn¡¯t notified Tang Yan!

    Lin Xiuxiang is going to give birth¡ªhow can the father of the child not be there?

    With this thought, she quickly called Tang Yan.

    At that moment, Tang Yan was driving towards the mall, with Zhan Qipei sitting in the back seat.

    Although he had just spoken with Qiao Jing over the phone, Zhan Qipei still couldn¡¯t calm down, unable to concentrate on work, nor read any documents.

    So, he eventually paused his work and came out to find Qiao Jing.

    Receiving a call from Qiao Jing, Tang Yan¡¯s first reaction was that something had happened to Lin Xiuxiang.

    There was no reason for Qiao Jing to call him if it wasn¡¯t about Lin Xiuxiang being in trouble.

    The thought startled Tang Yan and he instinctively mmed on the brakes.

    The car stopped abruptly, but fortunately, Zhan Qipei reacted quickly and steadied himself against the front seat, avoiding a collision.

    ncing up, he saw Tang Yan hastily picking up his phone from the dashboard, and he asked with a slight frown, "What¡¯s happened? Who¡¯s calling?"

    "It¡¯s the young madam."

    Tang Yan replied briefly and without saying more, pressed to answer the call, turning on the speakerphone.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s voice came from the phone, "Xiuxiang is showing symptoms of pretermbor, we¡¯re on the ambnce heading to the hospital, you bettere quickly."

    "Preterm?! Xiuxiang is going intobor!"

    Tang Yan was both shocked and confused upon hearing the news, not knowing what to do.

    "Yes, we¡¯re arriving at the hospital, I won¡¯t say much more."

    With those words, Qiao Jing swiftly ended the call.

    Recovering himself, Tang Yan tossed his phone aside, quickly turned his car around, and sped towards the hospital.

    He floored the gas pedal, driving fast, clutching the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned slightly white.

    Clearly, he was anxious and very worried.

    Also a soon-to-be father, Zhan Qipei could understand Tang Yan¡¯s current mood.

    He rarely spoke up tofort Tang Yan, "Stay calm, don¡¯t panic, this is the time not to panic; once we reach the hospital, there¡¯ll be plenty of medical staff around, it will be fine."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice seemed to have a magical quality, providing reassurance.

    With his constion, Tang Yan gradually regained hisposure.

    Soon, the two arrived at the hospital.

    As soon as the car stopped, Tang Yan hurriedly got out and rushed towards the maternity ward.

    Zhan Qipei followed suit.

    Reaching the entrance of the delivery room, they found no sign of Qiao Jing, making Zhan Qipei anxious, quickly stopping a nurse to ask, "Have you seen Doctor Qiao? She came to the hospital with a pregnant woman just now."

    "Yes, I did." The nurse nodded then raised her hand to point to the tightly closed delivery room door, "Doctor Qiao is inside assisting the delivery of that pregnant woman."

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression changed instantly, bing just as anxious, losing theposure he had whenforting Tang Yan earlier.

    "Assisting delivery? Doesn¡¯t your hospital have obstetricians, why have her assisting in delivery? Can¡¯t you see she¡¯s pregnant too, close to giving birth herself?!"

    His wife has two weeks to go until delivery, asking a soon-to-be mother to assist in a preterm delivery¡ªis that reasonable?!!!

    The nurse was startled by Zhan Qipei¡¯s intense expression, swallowing nervously and stammered, "It was Doctor Qiao¡¯s own idea, actually we tried to stop her, but we couldn¡¯t..."

    Zhan Qipei frowned deeply, silently staring at the closed door of the delivery room, worry nearly breaking through his eyes.

    In truth, he understood that with Qiao Jing¡¯s skills, assisting in delivery even while pregnant wouldn¡¯t be difficult, yet he couldn¡¯t help worrying.

    Her every move easily influenced his emotions, beyond his control...

    Beside him, Tang Yan¡¯s nervousness was evident as he clutched his hands tightly, pacing back and forth.

    People say pretermbor can be serious, the risks can¡¯t be underestimated; once things spiral out of control, they could lose both mother and child at any moment...

    Thinking of these possibilities made Tang Yan increasingly anxious.

    He cared about nothing else now, only pleading for the safety of his wife and child!

    Outside the delivery room, both men were waiting anxiously.

    They felt as though the waiting time dragged on, each minute and second stretched, feeling like eternity.

    After waiting for about half an hour, the door of the delivery room finally opened.

    The medical staff assisting the delivery came out first.

    Qiao Jing followed them out.

    She had already removed her doctor¡¯s coat and taken off her mask and gloves by then.

 Chapter 842: 830: Zhan Qipeis Bad Prenatal Influence

    <strong>Chapter 842: Chapter 830: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Bad Prenatal Influence</strong>

    Seeing Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei took arge step and quickly arrived in front of her, firmly holding her hand.

    But before he could say anything, Tang Yan beside them had already spoken anxiously.

    ¡°Young madam, how is Xiuxiang? Is she alright?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, a smile on her face, and said, ¡°It was thrilling but no danger, the birth process went smoothly, mother and daughter are safe, congrattions, you¡¯ve be a father now.¡±

    As she spoke, she pointed towards the delivery room, ¡°Mother and daughter are waiting for you in there, you can go in.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Tang Yan was overjoyed, filled with excitement, and swiftly turned around to run into the delivery room.

    Lin Xiuxiang was still lying on the delivery bed, the newborn baby wrapped in a swaddling cloth was ced beside her, so she could see her with a turn of her head.

    Tang Yan rushed to the bedside, gently holding Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand, still looking a bit shocked, his voice slightly choked with emotion, ¡°Honey, thank you for your hard work.¡±

    ¡°Do you know? When I heard you gave birth early, I was scared to death, thankfully, you¡¯re fine!¡±

    After finishing, Tang Yan took a few deep breaths to calm his emotions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention you, even I was scared, but luckily Qiao Jing was here, I wasn¡¯t as frightened, otherwise, I would have fainted for sure.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang had just given birth and was somewhat weak, speaking with some exhaustion.

    After a few emotional words, she turned her head to look at the child beside her, a unique motherly love glowing on her face as she smiled and asked Tang Yan, ¡°Have you seen our daughter? Isn¡¯t she adorable?¡±

    Tang Yan then leaned closer, his gaze resting on the infant¡¯s little face, finding their daughter unbelievably beautiful, the more he looked, the more he liked her.

    He grinned heartily, repeatedly eximing, ¡°Adorable, adorable, so adorable, just like what the young madam said before, our child is indeed a daughter!¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang suddenly asked, ¡°So do you prefer daughters or sons?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I prefer daughters!¡±

    Tang Yan answered without hesitation, his words full of joy, ¡°Our daughter is as beautiful as you, look at these eyes, this nose, this mouth, these eyebrows, all so much like you.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang was amused by Tang Yan¡¯s earnest words.

    After a fewughs, she spoke, ¡°Stop talking nonsense, the baby just born, her features aren¡¯t even formed yet, how can you tell she looks like me?¡±

    ¡°She looks just like you, if you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll hold her closer for you to see.¡±

    As he said this, Tang Yan released Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand and carefully picked up the baby, bringing her close to her.

    ¡°Look, doesn¡¯t she look like you?¡±

    ¡°Where? I don¡¯t see it at all?¡±

    Tang Yan held the baby, chatting andughing with Lin Xiuxiang, creating a very warm atmosphere.

    Zhan Qipei and Qiao Jing watched from outside the delivery room, not going in to disturb.

    Seeing the sweet and happy scene of Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang together with their newborn, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help feeling a little envious.

    Clearly, his wife¡¯s due date was sooner; he should have been the one to be a father first, but unexpectedly, Tang Yan was ahead!

    Zhan Qipei raised a hand to gently touch Qiao Jing¡¯s round belly, then leaned down slightly, cing his face against it, speaking softly, ¡°Babies, when will youe out? Daddy¡¯s been waiting impatiently.¡±

    No sooner had the words left his mouth when he suddenly felt a kick.

    After being stunned for a couple of seconds, Zhan Qipei looked up at Qiao Jing, ¡°Howe as soon as I finished speaking, I got kicked? What¡¯s that about?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, teasingly saying, ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not ready toe out.¡±

    Hearing her yful words, Zhan Qipei abruptly straightened up, wrapped hisrge arms around her waist, pinning her against the wall, and whispered in her ear, ¡°If they don¡¯te out soon, wouldn¡¯t I be in a sorry state?¡±

    His voice was maic and charming, speaking with deep meaning, full of ambiguity.

    Of course, Qiao Jing understood the implication in Zhan Qipei¡¯s words, her face instantly flushed as she scolded, ¡°Shameless!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you be serious for a moment? That¡¯s not the right kind of prenatal education, it might have a bad influence on the kids¡¯ future!¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly raised an eyebrow, acting indifferent, ¡°How am I not being serious? I¡¯m showing them how to find a wife in the future.¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him, utterly speechless.

    ¡­

    That day, after dinner, Su Manhan had a tter of fruits prepared, pulling Qiao Jing to sit together on the couch in the living room to enjoy them.

    Zhan Nanjing also sat next to them, snacking on fruits while watching TV.

    ¡°Qiao Jing,e, eat more of this apple, orange, cherry, and grape.¡±

    ¡°They say pregnant women who eat apples not only boost their immunity but also help with the baby¡¯s intellectual development.¡±

    ¡°Oranges, packed with vitamins, increase immunity and are anti-viral.¡±

    ¡°Cherries and grapes are even better, both enrich the blood, and it is said that if a pregnant woman eats a lot of these, the baby born will have fair skin and bright eyes.¡±

    Su Manhan carefully ced the fruit tter in front of Qiao Jing, making it easy for her to reach, enthusiastically discussing the benefits of the fruits, hoping she would eat more.

    Qiao Jing listened with a smile, understanding that Su Manhan had put a lot of effort into taking care of her, even being so informed about the benefits of these fruits.

    Not wanting to let her mother-inw¡¯s good intentions go to waste, Qiao Jing cooperatively ate a few more pieces.

    After eating fruits for a while, Su Manhan suddenly remembered something, looked toward the study, and sighed.

    ¡°Qipei¡¯s been so busy these days that even his meals aren¡¯t on time, he even skipped dinner just now, at this rate, his stomach might act up.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing immediately huffed unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s all because of Wu Xirui!¡±

    ¡°That guy¡¯s beenpeting with Zhan¡¯s for business and projects, now he¡¯s even fighting for partners, causing my brother a lot of unnecessary trouble and work.¡±

    Su Manhan frowned upon hearing this, looking at Zhan Nanjing, ¡°Qipei should be able to handle it, right?¡±

    She knew her son¡¯s capabilities, but knowing the other side was causing trouble on purpose, she couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    ¡°If Wu Xirui doesn¡¯t y dirty tricks and justpetes for business, my brother should be fine, but I don¡¯t really know the specifics at thepany now.¡±

    At this, Zhan Nanjing stabbed a piece of apple and ate it with a crunch, then gritted her teeth and added, ¡°Anyway, Wu Xirui is just so annoying, constantly causing trouble, he¡¯s just a nuisance!¡±

    Listening to their conversation, Qiao Jing thoughtfully pressed her lips together.

    She had long known about Wu Xirui¡¯s challenge to Zhan Qipei and that he had taken action, but hadn¡¯t expected his offensive to be so fierce.

    Making Zhan Qipei so busy he doesn¡¯t even have time to eat suggests the problems Wu Xirui is causing are quite troublesome¡­

 Chapter 843: 831: Warmth and Care

    <strong>Chapter 843: Chapter 831: Warmth and Care</strong>

    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Jing got up from the sofa and walked towards the kitchen.

    Seeing this, Su Manhan called out to her with some confusion, ¡°Hey, what are you going to the kitchen for?¡±

    After asking, without waiting for Qiao Jing to respond, Su Manhan spected on her own, ¡°Are you hungry? Whatever you want to eat, just let someone bring it over, no need to go yourself.¡±

    Although they had just finished dinner not long ago and had eaten some fruit, Su Manhan naturally assumed that Qiao Jing was suddenly going to the kitchen because she was hungry, considering that pregnant women tend to eat more.

    Zhan Nanjing heard Su Manhan¡¯s words and immediately let out a ¡°pfft¡±ugh.

    ¡°Mom, listen to yourself. Sure, pregnant women eat more, but how long has it been since dinner? How could she be hungry so quickly? What are you taking my sister-inw for? A pig?¡±

    Su Manhan red at Zhan Nanjing and said annoyed, ¡°You silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? I think you¡¯re the one like a pig!¡±

    Watching the mother and daughter bickering, Qiao Jing found it amusing.

    After a pause, she exined with a light smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t Qipei still not having eaten? I¡¯m going to get him something to eat.¡±

    Su Manhan wanted to stop her at first because Qiao Jing¡¯s due date was only about ten days away, and she didn¡¯t want Qiao Jing to do anything.

    But after thinking about how earlier attempts to send food had resulted in her son kicking them out, and he hadn¡¯t eaten a bite yet.

    If Qiao Jing went, her son would surely pause his work and eat something!

    With this thought, Su Manhan changed her mind and did not stop Qiao Jing, only exhorting, ¡°Let the servants carry it over; you shouldn¡¯t handle it. You have more than a week to go until the baby is due, so you need to be careful with everything.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qiao Jing nodded and walked away slowly.

    After having someone take the food up, she led the way to the study.

    In the study, Zhan Qipei was sitting at the desk handling documents.

    Upon hearing the door open, he didn¡¯t even lift his head, saying sternly, ¡°I said I won¡¯t eat, so why are you stilling? Don¡¯t you understand humannguage?¡±

    From his tone, it was clear that he was somewhat annoyed.

    This just confirmed Qiao Jing¡¯s earlier guess.

    She was right, Wu Xirui did cause quite a hassle.

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow slightly, gesturing for the servant to bring the food in. She also stepped into the study, saying, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±

    Hearing her voice, Zhan Qipei paused in flipping through the documents and quickly lifted his head.

    The moment his gaze fell on Qiao Jing, the irritation between his brows instantly dissipated, and his previously gloomy expression turned mild.

    After the servant set down the food, they tactfully retreated.

    Qiao Jing nced over the piles of documents stacked high on the desk, and said with a slight press of her lips, ¡°Take a break and eat something first, so you won¡¯t weaken yourself because of hunger.¡±

    Zhan Qipei disliked being disturbed when working, so he had directly chased away the previous people who brought him meals.

    But with Qiao Jing standing in front of him, his attitude waspletely different.

    Because, in his heart, nothing is more important than Qiao Jing!

    He immediately stood up from the desk, walked to Qiao Jing, helped her sit on the nearby sofa, and said gently, ¡°You sit, don¡¯t tire yourself, I¡¯ll eat immediately.¡±

    With that, Zhan Qipei fetched the food and began eating beside Qiao Jing.

    He was indeed hungry, but things weren¡¯t settled, so he didn¡¯t feel like eating.

    But now his wife personally brought him dinner, so his appetite returned, and he ate with relish, finishing quickly.

    Seeing him put down the bowl and chopsticks, Qiao Jing casually asked, ¡°Is it enough? If not, I¡¯ll have someone bring more.¡±

    ¡°No need, it¡¯s enough.¡±

    After responding, Zhan Qipei took Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°I still have some files to go through. It¡¯s gettingte; you should head back to the bedroom and rest. I¡¯lle to join you as soon as I finish up.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Jing nodded, getting up from the sofa.

    Before stepping out of the study, she turned to look at Zhan Qipei, who had already returned to the desk to pick up the files, and reminded him, ¡°Don¡¯t stay up toote. Business is important, but your health is more important. If you ruin your health, it won¡¯t be worth it.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words of concern, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly, ¡°Got it, don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to himself, because he still needed to look after his wife and the three soon-to-be-born children!

    Qiao Jing returned to the bedroom and had just sat down by the bed when her phone suddenly beeped.

    She picked it up to see that it was a message from Wu Xirui, asking for a doctor¡¯s visit, saying his myocardial ischemia symptoms seemed worse than before, and asked her toe take a look.

    Perhaps fearing she wouldn¡¯te, Wu Xirui sent another message.

    The message read: I know, despite the conflicts between me and the Zhan Family, you will keep your promise to me. You won¡¯t go back on your word, right?

    After reading the message, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, but she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle lightly.

    This Wu Xirui really had the nerve to cause trouble for her man and still ask her for medical help?

    However, Wu Xirui was right about one thing. Since she promised to treat him, she wouldn¡¯t go back on her word.

    So even though Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui were fiercelypeting in business, she would still make a visit.

    The next afternoon, when everyone else was out of the house, Qiao Jing quietly slipped out and took a car to Wu Xirui¡¯spany.

    As she approached Wu Xirui¡¯s office, she heard a vicious roar from inside, ¡°Trash!¡±

    Immediately followed by a loud ¡°bang.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused her steps, stopping a few paces from the office door, and tilted her head to peek inside.

    She saw Wu Xirui standing in front of the desk, his face dark and menacing, radiating fury.

    Not far from his feety a man on the floor.

    The man clutched his stomach, appearing in great pain.

    Watching this scene, Qiao Jing could guess what the sound earlier had been.

    Likely it was the sound made by Wu Xirui kicking the man to the ground.

    This was actually the first time she had seen Wu Xirui so enraged.

    Wu Xirui now looked like an Asura from Hell, seeming ready to devour a person whole!

    At this moment, the man, enduring the pain in his abdomen, struggled up from the floor, knelt at Wu Xirui¡¯s feet, and begged for mercy relentlessly, ¡°Fifth Master, please, give me another chance, please¡­¡±

    The man kowtowed fiercely, each knock heavy against the floor, soon causing his forehead to bleed.

    However, Wu Xirui was unmoved, impatiently spitting out a single cold word, ¡°Scram!¡±

 Chapter 844: 832: Entanglement

    <strong>Chapter 844: Chapter 832: Entanglement</strong>

    The man did not give up and continued to kowtow and plead, hoping Wu Xirui would change his decision.

    ¡°Fifth Master, it was indeed my oversight this time, but unexpected things are unavoidable. It¡¯s not entirely my fault for messing it up!¡±

    ¡°Fifth Master, please give me a chance to make amends. Don¡¯t kick me out. I have an elderly parent in the hospital and a pregnant wife at home. I really can¡¯t afford to lose this job right now¡­¡±

    Wu Xirui grew more annoyed the more he listened and kicked the man over again.

    He then let out a cold snort, his tone cold-blooded and merciless, ¡°What does any of that have to do with me? If you know what¡¯s good for you, disappear from my sight immediately, or your fate won¡¯t just be getting fired!¡±

    After speaking, Wu Xirui looked up and immediately saw Qiao Jing standing outside the office, his expression pausing.

    The next second, the sinister look on his face vanished without a trace, instantly returning to his usual self, as if the ruthless and violent person just now wasn¡¯t him.

    He took out his phone, made a call, said a few words in a low voice, and quickly hung up.

    Less than a minute after hanging up, two people walked past Qiao Jing, hurried into the office, lifted the man on the ground on both sides, and swiftly walked out.

    It was clear that the call Wu Xirui made just now was to have someonee and clear the scene.

    Qiao Jing unconsciously nced at the man being taken away and noticed his face full of viciousness, his restrained hands tightly clenched into fists, and his eyes were like they wereced with poison.

    This expression clearly showed it was a deep-seated grudge, one of deep hatred.

    Very soon, the man was carried away.

    Vaguely, Qiao Jing heard one of them say, ¡°Li Zeming, you¡¯re really ungrateful. You made such a big mistake, and Fifth Master just asked you to leave, which is already showing mercy. You even have the nerve to cling on? Are you tired of living, looking for death¡­¡±

    When Qiao Jing retracted her gaze, Wu Xirui had already walked up to her.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something when you came over? This makes me seem so impolite to you.¡±

    Wu Xirui had a yful smile on his face, not only in his demeanor and expression but his whole vibe was entirely different from when he was furious just now.

    ¡°Come on, quicklye into the office; you must be tired standing there.¡±

    As he spoke, Wu Xirui reached out to pull Qiao Jing in.

    Qiao Jing sidestepped to avoid his hand, walked on her own, and entered the office first.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s hand froze in mid-air, but he didn¡¯t feel awkward at all. Instead, he smiled, withdrew his hand, and then stepped inside as well.

    Once inside, he casually went to close the door.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing, already seated on the sofa, said inly, ¡°Why close the door? Don¡¯t bother.¡±

    Now that she was married to Zhan Qipei, being alone with another man in a private space was very different from being in a public setting.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t close it.¡±

    Wu Xirui shrugged, abandoning the idea of closing the door, and walked over to sit next to Qiao Jing.

    As they were too close, Qiao Jing subtly moved aside before ncing at Wu Xirui and slightly parted her ruby lips, ¡°Hand.¡±

    At this moment, Wu Xirui cooperated, immediately extending his hand.

    During the pulse diagnosis, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    Last time she checked Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse, his condition had clearly improved¡ªhe should have recovered by now without any surprises.

    So when she received the messagest night and saw Wu Xirui saying his symptoms were worse than before, she thought he was deliberately exaggerating.

    But from Wu Xirui¡¯s current pulse, what he said turned out to be true.

    His condition not only hadn¡¯t healed but had worsened significantly!

    After this, Qiao Jing released Wu Xirui¡¯s hand, her expression serious as she asked, ¡°Have you been taking the medicine on time and in the right amountstely? Have you eaten anything you shouldn¡¯t have?¡±

    Wu Xirui leaned against the back of the sofa, his head tilted as he stared unwaveringly at Qiao Jing, speaking slowly: ¡°I¡¯ve been taking the medicine on time every day, at the dose you rmended. As for the foods to avoid, I haven¡¯t touched a single one, did exactly as you said.¡±

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°What about your rest? Is it normal? How has your sleep quality beentely?¡±

    Excluding medication and food, only rest remained to be considered.

    Irregr rest can exacerbate an illness.

    When asked this, Wu Xirui was silent for a few seconds, then finally admitted truthfully: ¡°Recently, work has been hectic, busypeting for projects against Zhan¡¯s. How can I have so much time for sleep?¡±

    After saying that, he suddenly asked Qiao Jing, ¡°What? Are you trying to speak up for your man in a roundabout way?¡±

    If he spent all his time sleeping, how could he fight with Zhan Qipei?

    How could he reim what originally belonged to him from the Zhan Family!

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t respond, as if she hadn¡¯t heard Wu Xirui at all, just pulled his hand over and rechecked his pulse.

    After feeling the pulse, Qiao Jing withdrew her hand, picked up a pen and paper from the table, and wrote down a prescription.

    After finishing the prescription, she looked up at Wu Xirui, her voice level and calm, ¡°The medicine is good for your condition, but if you don¡¯t cherish your life and keep ruining your body, no medicine can save you.¡±

    Wu Xirui sneered lightly, his expression ambiguous as he looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°Are you suggesting I give up what I want to do, stop fighting with Zhan Qipei, and focus on recuperating?¡±

    Qiao Jing met his gaze calmly and said unhurriedly, ¡°What if that¡¯s precisely what I mean?¡±

    Wu Xirui shook his head and raised his eyebrows, ¡°If it were anything else, I¡¯d consider listening to you as long as you spoke. But not this; even for your sake, I won¡¯tpromise or back down!¡±

    Qiao Jing put down the pen and paper in her hand and stood up from the sofa, ¡°In that case, why bother saying so much?¡±

    With that said, she turned to leave.

    Seeing this, Wu Xirui quickly stood up and blocked her way.

    Qiao Jing paused, looked up at Wu Xirui, ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°If you divorce Zhan Qipei and marry me, I might consider giving up the fight against the Zhan Family¡­¡±

    Before Wu Xirui could finish, Qiao Jing interrupted him.

    Her eyebrows were cold, and she spoke each word clearly, ¡°You should seriously consider your health. If you continue like this, you won¡¯t have many years left.¡±

    Wu Xirui curled his lips, smiling indifferently, ¡°That doesn¡¯t worry me at all. With someone as skilled as Divine Doctor Jing around, what is there to fear?¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve said what I needed to say. What you do next is your decision.¡±

    With those words, Qiao Jing was preparing to walk around Wu Xirui to leave.

 Chapter 845 - 833: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Neck Injury

    <h4>Chapter 845: Chapter 833: Qiao Jing¡¯s Neck Injury</h4>

    "Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t rush off."

    Wu Xirui stopped Qiao Jing again, smiling as he said, "A new park just opened nearby. I heard it¡¯s pretty nice. How about we take a walk?"

    "No." Qiao Jing refused without hesitation, "I¡¯m not interested."

    The reason she came here wasn¡¯t to stroll around some park!

    "If I remember correctly, you really like chrysanthemums, don¡¯t you?"

    Wu Xirui raised an eyebrow and spared no effort in persuading Qiao Jing, "The park is hosting a chrysanthemum exhibition featuring varieties from all over the world. Don¡¯t you want to check it out?"

    "Or are you avoiding suspicion and don¡¯t even dare to go to a flower show with me?"

    Hearing about the chrysanthemum exhibition, Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment.

    After all, she did quite like chrysanthemums.

    If she could see various varieties from all around, she was interested in going.

    As for avoiding suspicion, that wasn¡¯t much of an issue.

    Although Wu Xirui and the Zhan Family are now at odds, back on that deserted ind in M country, Wu Xirui did help her and Zhan Qipei.

    So, she and Wu Xirui weren¡¯t exactly enemies.

    Besides, it¡¯s just a flower exhibition; it¡¯s really nothing major.

    Just as Qiao Jing was considering this, Wu Xirui¡¯s persuasive voice rang in her ears again, "Go on, go on, I heard the chrysanthemums there are stunningly beautiful. You won¡¯t regret it!"

    "Alright, let¡¯s take a look then."

    Seduced by the allure of the chrysanthemum exhibition, Qiao Jing finally changed her mind and went with Wu Xirui to the newly opened park.

    After entering the park, Qiao Jing felt that Wu Xirui was right about one thing:ing here was indeed worthwhile.

    The exhibition disyed a wide variety of chrysanthemums, each with distinct characteristics yet equally beautiful.

    "So, what do you think? Wasn¡¯t I right? Aren¡¯t these flowers gorgeous?"

    Wu Xirui said, suddenly raising his hand and pointing to the left with a tone of amazement, "Look, there¡¯s even a green one. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this color!"

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t surprised and only retorted with a question, "Did you think chrysanthemums only came in yellow?"

    "Honestly, before today, I did think that." Wu Xirui admitted frankly.

    After all, he had never paid attention to these things, so he didn¡¯t know, and there was nothing shameful about it.

    The two of them wandered the exhibition, discussing as they went.

    After a while, Wu Xirui suddenly stopped in his tracks.

    Qiao Jing walked a few steps ahead, noticing that he hadn¡¯t followed, and turned around suspiciously.

    Upon looking, she found Wu Xirui frowning, his face a bit pale, and he seemed to be struggling to catch his breath.

    Qiao Jing found this very strange because from Wu Xirui¡¯s pulse just now, although his condition had worsened, it was stable and shouldn¡¯t have acted up at this moment.

    With a sense of suspicion, Qiao Jing turned back, stood in front of Wu Xirui, and grabbed his hand to check his pulse again.

    However, after diagnosing, she found that his pulse was the same as before, which showed that his current symptoms were not due to myocardial ischemia.

    Could it be...

    Qiao Jing suddenly thought of something and looked at the chrysanthemums all around, then at Wu Xirui, frowning as she asked, "Are you allergic to pollen?"

    Wu Xirui nodded and forced out a word, "Yes."

    Hearing his confirmation, Qiao Jing was rendered speechless and said irritably, "Then why did you evene to a ce like this?"

    Knowing full well he¡¯s allergic to pollen, yet dragging her to a flower exhibition, this guy must be nuts!

    No wonder Wu Xirui looked so ignorant about flowers.

    Wu Xirui took deep breaths, yet still managed to quip back, "It¡¯s to apany you, after all."

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help it and rolled her eyes at him, "Childish!"

    She realized that Wu Xirui, in this regard, was quite simr to Zhan Qipei; both had a childish side.

    "Wait here for me a moment, I¡¯ll get you some medicine."

    After saying this, Qiao Jing turned and headed towards the park¡¯s exit.

    She had noticed a pharmacy just outside the park when they arrived.

    For symptoms like a pollen allergy, if it¡¯s not too severe, taking some antihistamines should suffice.

    Qiao Jing had barely walked a short distance when she suddenly caught sight of a man in a ck baseball cap, striding quickly and aggressively towards her and Wu Xirui.

    Although the cap obscured her view, preventing her from clearly seeing the man¡¯s face right away, he was tall while she was shorter, so when they passed each other, she looked up and saw his face.

    She recognized him immediately as the man who had just been kneeling in the office, begging Wu Xirui for mercy but was ruthlessly kicked and eventually dragged away.

    If she remembered correctly, this man¡¯s name should be¡ªLi Zeming!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression changed, and her brows furrowed tightly.

    When Li Zeming was dragged from the office, she had nced at him and noticed his sinister expression and malicious eyes, clearly harboring a grudge.

    But she hadn¡¯t taken it to heart, thinking instinctively that with Wu Xirui¡¯s status, the other party wouldn¡¯t dare act recklessly despite any animosity.

    However, judging by the current situation, he seemed intent on a fight to the death!

    But by the time Qiao Jing realized this and turned around quickly, Li Zeming had already rushed in front of Wu Xirui.

    Wu Xirui was in bad shape, but the moment he recognized Li Zeming, he realized thetter had malicious intentions.

    Clenching his teeth, he stared at Li Zeming, subtly stepping back, his voice heavy as he said, "What do you want to do?"

    "What do you think I want to do?"

    Li Zeming replied sinisterly, his face full of hatred, his expression contorted, "Wu Xirui, you cut off my livelihood, you¡¯ve made my life miserable, so I¡¯ll take you down with me!"

    With that, he pulled out a pre-prepared knife from his pocket and lunged at Wu Xirui.

    Normally, even two Li Zemings wouldn¡¯t be a match for Wu Xirui.

    But right now, his severe pollen allergy symptoms greatly hampered Wu Xirui¡¯s agility.

    Facing Li Zeming¡¯s thrusting knife, he could barely dodge it.

    After evading two or three strikes, Wu Xirui suddenly felt his symptoms worsening. Breathing became increasingly difficult, and he felt severely unwell.

    Just as Li Zeming swung the knife at him again, Wu Xirui staggered.

    Thinking he was about to be stabbed to death here, Qiao Jing¡¯s figure suddenly appeared in his view.

    Qiao Jing, with herrge, protruding belly, was moving clumsily; her reactions and movements were much slower than before her pregnancy.

    At the critical moment, she delivered a hand chop, knocking away the knife that was aimed at Wu Xirui, saving him.

    However, the flying knife cut her neck.

    The wound wasn¡¯t deep, but blood quickly oozed out, and given that it was her neck¡ªa potentially fatal area¡ªit looked terrifying.

 Chapter 846: 834: Oh No! Discovered by Zhan Qipei

    <strong>Chapter 846: Chapter 834: Oh No! Discovered by Zhan Qipei</strong>

    Feeling a sharp pain at her neck, Qiao Jing instinctively raised her hand to touch it and then nced at her hand, noticing fresh red blood.

    She knew the injury wasn¡¯t severe, so even upon seeing the blood on her hand, her expression remained calm, without a hint of panic.

    In contrast, Wu Xirui¡¯s reaction was much more intense.

    Seeing Qiao Jing injured, he instantly panicked, overwhelmed by anger mixed with a sudden surge of distress.

    In extreme anger, a person often unleashes unexpected strength.

    That was the case with Wu Xirui.

    Fueled by the intertwining emotions of anger and distress, he suddenly mustered strength that he didn¡¯t have earlier, struggling even to dodge.

    He rushed over, grabbed Li Zeming¡¯s cor, and his tightly clenched fist mmed into Li Zeming¡¯s face again and again.

    Facing the furious Wu Xirui, Li Zeming didn¡¯t stand a chance, let alone fight back.

    ¡°Damn you, how dare you hurt her!¡±

    ¡°You want to take me down with you? I¡¯ll make sure you die here today!¡±

    Wu Xirui was consumed by rage; every strike on Li Zeming was with all his might, truly aiming to beat him to death.

    Quickly, Li Zeming couldn¡¯t stand anymore.

    He spewed a mouthful of blood and then fell backward heavily, hitting the ground and passing out on the spot.

    Watching him fall, Wu Xirui still felt unsatisfied, and kicked him several more times, wishing he could kick him to death right then.

    After kicking enough, Wu Xirui hurried back to Qiao Jing, looking at her with a face full of worry and pain.

    ¡°Are you okay? Let me see your injury¡ªno, let¡¯s go to the hospital. I¡¯ll have a car brought here immediately¡­¡±

    As he said that, Wu Xirui took out his phone and started making calls.

    ¡°No need, the wound isn¡¯t deep, no stitches needed, no need to go to the hospital.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s tone was calm, as if the injured, bleeding person wasn¡¯t her.

    While speaking, she started walking towards the park gate, ¡°There¡¯s a pharmacy at the entrance, let¡¯s buy some medicine and treat it slightly on the way out.¡±

    Wu Xirui originally wanted to persuade Qiao Jing to go to the hospital but then abruptly remembered she was the highly skilled Divine Doctor Jing.

    Out of concern, he had forgotten this detail!

    Therefore, Wu Xirui didn¡¯t say anything further and followed Qiao Jing to the pharmacy.

    On the way, he called his subordinates toe and deal with Li Zeming.

    Li Zeming dared to harbor ill intentions toward him and even injured Qiao Jing.

    Just for these reasons, Li Zeming deserved to suffer immensely!

    At the pharmacy, Qiao Jing bought some medicine for treating external injuries.

    Of course, she also remembered to buy anti-allergy medication for Wu Xirui.

    After buying the medicine, the two left the pharmacy and sat on a bench outside.

    Qiao Jing casually handed Wu Xirui the anti-allergy medication, saying, ¡°It¡¯s yours, take it quickly, just one pill will do.¡±

    Wu Xirui reached out, took it, and swiftly popped a pill into his mouth, swallowing it directly.

    Then, he focused on Qiao Jing, his gaze falling on the wound on her neck.

    Though the bleeding had stopped, Wu Xirui still frowned with worry, ¡°Quickly treat your wound; how can I help?¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing injured, he felt worse than when he ever had a rpse, as if his heart was being pounded heavily.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t reply, simply started treating the wound herself.

    The injury being on her neck made applying medicine rather inconvenient, so it took a bit longer.

    Watching her apply medicine, Wu Xirui felt a mix of heartache and a slight sense of joy.

    ¡°Back on the deserted ind, seeing you cry because of Zhan Qipei¡¯s injury, I was really envious.¡±

    After expressing his thoughts, Wu Xirui abruptly shifted his tone, ¡°But now I¡¯m no longer envious, because earlier you blocked a knife for me, which is a much deepermitment than crying for someone.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing felt speechless again.

    She raised her head and rolled her eyes at Wu Xirui.

    After finishing the treatment, Qiao Jing got up from the bench, ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡±

    Hearing this, Wu Xirui also stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    ¡°I can take a cab myself.¡±

    Leaving these words, Qiao Jing walked straight to the roadside to hail a cab.

    Right then, a taxi appeared and stopped in front of her.

    She opened the car door, got in without a backward nce.

    Wu Xirui stood there, watching until the taxi carrying Qiao Jing faded from view, then he retracted his gaze and turned to leave.

    Back at Purple Garden, Qiao Jing feared Zhan Qipei and Su Manhan noticing the wound on her neck and worrying, so she found a scarf to wear around her neck to cover it.

    In the evening, at dinner, Zhan Nanjing, with her sharp eyes, noticed this detail.

    She stared at Qiao Jing and curiously said, ¡°Hey, sister-inw, why did you suddenly start wearing a scarf? I¡¯ve never seen you have the habit of wearing scarves.¡±

    With these words, Zhan Qipei, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao simultaneously turned their gaze to Qiao Jing.

    More urately, all three of them stared at the scarf around her neck.

    Qiao Jing blinked, maintaining herposure, ¡°I just thought this scarf was pretty, so I decided to try it on.¡±

    After speaking, she asked deliberately, ¡°How does it look? Pretty good, right?¡±

    Su Manhan, not doubting anything, nodded, ¡°It does look pretty nice.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing chimed in with sweet words, ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯re beautiful with or without the scarf!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled slightly, just about to say something, when Zhan Qipei suddenly reached over and grabbed the scarf around her neck, clearly intending to uncover the truth.

    Qiao Jing reflexively stopped his movement, turning to him, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei raised his brow slightly, his thin lips parting, ¡°The scarf is quite pretty, I just want to have a look.¡±

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t foolish; she certainly didn¡¯t believe Zhan Qipei simply wanted to admire the scarf.

    From his actions, it was obvious he harbored suspicions.

    If she continued to conceal it, it would only deepen his doubts.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing straightforwardly removed the scarf, confessing, ¡°Alright, I didn¡¯t wear it because I thought it was pretty, it¡¯s because my neck was identally scratched.¡±

    Upon seeing the wound on her neck, Zhan Qipei immediately looked full of heartache.

    He raised his hand, intending to gently touch Qiao Jing¡¯s wound but, fearing he might hurt her, eventually only held her hand, his brows tightly furrowed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were injured?¡±

    Qiao Jing curled her lips slightly, smiling to signal she was fine, then slowly exined, ¡°I was just worried you¡¯d all start worrying after knowing, so I thought I¡¯d cover it with a scarf¡ªjust a minor injury, really, nothing serious.¡±

    Upon hearing she¡¯d been hurt, the reactions from Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao were quite strong.

    Most excitedly, Su Manhan jumped up to Qiao Jing, scrutinizing her neck wound and nervously, urgently questioned, ¡°What happened? Why did you get hurt suddenly? What injured you? Where did it happen¡­¡±

 Chapter 847: 835: Watched by the Whole Family

    <strong>Chapter 847: Chapter 835: Watched by the Whole Family</strong>

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine, really it¡¯s just a minor scrape.¡±

    Qiao Jing interrupted Su Manhan¡¯s anxious questions, turning her neck to show the wound, ¡°Look, it¡¯s already scabbed over. Just apply some ointment, and the scar will be gone.¡±

    Hearing her speak so lightly, Su Manhan was somewhat doubtful, ¡°Really nothing serious?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s nothing. Do you think I could lie to you?¡± Qiao Jing¡¯s tone was very certain.

    It was then that Su Manhan suddenly remembered, her daughter-inw was the renowned Divine Doctor Jing!

    Since Divine Doctor Jing said it was fine, then it surely was fine.

    Thinking of this, Su Manhan let out a sigh of relief and felt much more at ease.

    After dinner, everyone returned to their respective rooms.

    After taking a bath, Qiao Jing came out of the bathroom and saw Zhan Qipei already with a first aid kit, waiting for her on the bed.

    As soon as she approached, Zhan Qipei pulled her to sit down.

    ¡°Sit still, let me apply the medicine for you.¡±

    Saying this, Zhan Qipei opened the kit, taking out disinfectant, ointment, and cotton swabs.

    Qiao Jing initially wanted to say there was no need, she could do it herself, but seeing Zhan Qipei¡¯s serious demeanor, she didn¡¯t refuse.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s movements were gentle, cautious.

    Throughout the process, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t feel any pain from the wound being touched.

    She nced sideways at Zhan Qipei, watching his focused and tender expression, she couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly.

    After applying the medicine, Zhan Qipei tidied up the kit while advising Qiao Jing, ¡°Your due date is in about ten days; for safety, you should stay home these days.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing subtly furrowed her brows.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s condition was quite serious, requiring a follow-up every few days to prevent sudden deterioration.

    So, staying home was something she couldn¡¯t agree to.

    Seeing Qiao Jing not responding, Zhan Qipei paused his tidying, looked up at her, and asked with some confusion, ¡°What are you thinking? Did you hear what I just said?¡±

    Qiao Jing snapped back to attention, vaguely replied, ¡°I heard, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    In fact, she had considered telling Zhan Qipei about Wu Xirui but ultimately kept silent.

    Because she knew in her heart that Zhan Qipei would definitely disagree once he knew¡­

    The next morning, Zhan Qipei left for thepany early.

    Qiao Jing waited until the time was right to leave for Wu Xirui¡¯s follow-up.

    Just as she finished getting dressed, her phone rang.

    Seeing it was Wu Xirui calling, Qiao Jing answered immediately.

    Even before she could speak, Wu Xirui¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°I sent someone to pick you up, the car is already parked at the entrance of Purple Garden, you¡¯ll see it as soon as you step out.¡±

    Qiao Jing walked to the window with the phone, looking out, she indeed saw a seven-seater business car parked at the entrance.

    At this moment, Wu Xirui continued, ¡°Rest assured, I specifically arranged a very ordinary car; even if Zhan Qipei saw it himself, he wouldn¡¯t immediately suspect it¡¯s me, juste on down.¡±

    Qiao Jing chuckled quietly, said nothing, and hung up the phone.

    Despite being in heated conflict with Zhan Qipei, Wu Xirui daringly sent someone to pick her up directly, bold indeed!

    While silentlyining in her heart, Qiao Jing turned and left the room.

    In the living room, Zhan Nanjing was sitting on the sofa watching TV.

    Seeing Qiao Jinge out of her room and head straight towards the exit clearly intending to go out, she instantly stood up from the sofa.

    ¡°Sister-inw, where are you going? My brother said to stay home and rest these few days, not to go out.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused slightly, calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to see a friend.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing quickly stepped in front of her, asking inquisitively, ¡°What friend?¡±

    She was curious as to which friend required a meeting right before Qiao Jing¡¯s due date.

    Qiao Jing evasively replied, ¡°Just an ordinary friend.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanjing began to persuade, ¡°Since it¡¯s just an ordinary friend, it can¡¯t be anything urgent, right? Can you meetter?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re about to give birth; it might be premature, better not to go out if you can help it.¡±

    Qiao Jing knew Zhan Nanjing was concerned for her but had already promised Wu Xirui, she couldn¡¯t go back on her word.

    She pursed her lips, ¡°This friend is sick, I¡¯m going to check on him, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Finished speaking, before Zhan Nanjing could react, Qiao Jing bypassed her and headed out.

    A sick friend?

    Watching Qiao Jing leave, Zhan Nanjing pondered who this friend might be.

    After searching her memories, eliminating unsuitable candidates, the most likely person left was Wu Xirui!

    Considering Qiao Jing¡¯s vague words earlier, Zhan Nanjing felt even more that her guess was right.

    Because if it were someone else, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t need to be evasive and could just say the friend¡¯s name outright.

    Thinking this, Zhan Nanjing quickly followed, intending to confirm.

    Upon reaching the entrance, she saw Qiao Jing get into an inconspicuous ck business car.

    Now, Zhan Nanjing was somewhat uncertain of her assumption.

    She had seen Wu Xirui¡¯s car before, and it wasn¡¯t like this.

    Moreover, given Wu Xirui¡¯s status, he¡¯d travel in a luxury car, not something in like this, right?

    Watching the business car start and drive off, Zhan Nanjing considered for a moment, then quickly pulled out her phone to call her brother.

    When Zhan Nanjing called, Zhan Qipei was in his office at thepany.

    He casually answered, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Brother, my sister-inw just left, saying she was going to see a sick friend. I suspect the friend might be Wu Xirui.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing straightforwardly exined, ¡°She got into a ck business car, it¡¯s already gone.¡±

    After listening, Zhan Qipei furrowed his long eyebrows like fog over mountains, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay, follow her by car, but make sure not to let your sister-inw notice; if she knows we¡¯re tailing her, she might get upset.¡±

    ¡°Got it, I will.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing agreed swiftly, then hung up and put away her phone.

    Before the business car had gone too far, she quickly got in her car and followed.

    In the business car, Qiao Jing was sitting in the middle.

    Besides the driver, two bodyguards sat in the back, specifically sent by Wu Xirui to protect her.

    After driving for a while, the driver noticed a car tailing them.

    Without making a fuss, the driver discreetly took a detour, using his skilled driving to quickly lose the follower.

    Losing her target, Zhan Nanjing annoyedly patted the steering wheel a few times but didn¡¯t waste time, promptly called her brother to report.

 Chapter 848 - 836: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Car Got Hit

    <h4>Chapter 848: Chapter 836: Qiao Jing¡¯s Car Got Hit</h4>

    After the call connected, Zhan Nanjing hurriedly said, "Brother, I lost them. It seems like the driver of that van noticed I was tailing them and deliberately went in circles to shake me off."

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, "Tell me, where are you now? I need a specific location."

    "Also, which direction did they go?"

    Zhan Nanjing nced outside the car window, "I¡¯m on Shanzhang Road now. They seemed to head east, or maybe south, I¡¯m not too sure."

    "It¡¯s east. Drive east now." Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone was very certain.

    Zhan Nanjing felt a bit suspicious, "Brother, how can you be so sure it¡¯s east?"

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze darkened, and his voice turned cold, "Wu Xirui has a beachfront house over there."

    Zhan Nanjing was momentarily stunned and eximed in realization, "So the friend sister-inw is meeting is indeed that guy Wu Xirui!"

    Having confirmed this, she couldn¡¯t help but admire her brother¡¯s foresight from the bottom of her heart.

    Thankfully, her brother anticipated this; otherwise, who would have known Wu Xirui had a beachfront house there!

    "I¡¯ll send you the exact address; go there first. I¡¯ll be there shortly after."

    After speaking, Zhan Qipei hung up the phone and sent the address of Wu Xirui¡¯s beachfront house to Zhan Nanjing.

    Immediately, he stood up from the desk and walked briskly out of the office.

    Meanwhile, the van continued driving forward.

    As they turned at a junction, one of the bodyguards frowned and remarked, "It seems like someone is tracking us."

    The driver instinctively thought it was the same car from earlier and found it strange since he had already lost them. How could they catch up so quickly?

    With a sense of suspicion, the driver nced up and looked through the rearview mirror, realizing it wasn¡¯t the previous vehicle.

    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just one car following them now¡ªthere were several!

    Qiao Jing heard the bodyguard¡¯s words and turned to look outside.

    What she saw made her face change slightly, and her brows furrowed as well.

    There were only four people in the car, excluding the driver and bodyguard. The intention of the new pursuers was obvious.

    The driver realized something was wrong and quickly freed one hand to grab a phone on the side, contacting Wu Xirui.

    The call quickly connected, and the driver spoke rapidly, "Fifth Master, we¡¯re being followed! There was a car tailing us earlier that I lost, but now there are several more, and it seems they¡¯re not the same group as before."

    "They¡¯re relentlessly pursuing us; what should we do?"

    At that moment, Wu Xirui was also driving towards the beachfront house.

    Since he wasing from thepany, his direction was opposite to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    Hearing the driver¡¯s words, he immediately sensed the seriousness of the situation.

    He had spies around the Zhan Corporation and knew Zhan Qipei was on his way but wouldn¡¯t arrive so quickly. This meant the vehicles tracking Qiao Jing weren¡¯t Zhan Qipei¡¯s men.

    This indicated those people came with ill intentions!

    Realizing this, Wu Xirui¡¯s expression turned serious, and he instructed the driver on the other end, "Increase your speed immediately and try to widen the gap; I¡¯ll be there quickly!"

    Just as he finished speaking, a loud "bang¡ª" suddenly echoed from the phone.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s face changed abruptly, and he mmed the gas pedal to the floor.

    While frantically elerating, he paid close attention to the sounds on the other end, silently praying that nothing would happen to Qiao Jing...

    However, the van Qiao Jing was in had already been rear-ended by the pursuing vehicles.

    The loud crash just now was the sound of their front colliding with the car¡¯s rear.

    Clearly, the other party deliberately rammed them to forcibly stop the vehicle carrying Qiao Jing.

    None of the four people in the van, including Qiao Jing, had anticipated this move from the pursuers.

    Caught off guard, when the car was hit, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t have time to react and mmed into the seat in front of her.

    The severe impact caused her forehead to break open and bleed, and after a wave of dizziness, her stomach began to feel ufortable.

    At this point, people from the trailing cars started getting out.

    Qiao Jing held her head, forcing herself to endure the difort and look outside, realizing that all those getting out had blond hair and blue eyes.

    The leader of the group, whom she recognized as Frank¡¯s trusted aide, was among them.

    Unexpectedly, after all this time, John and Frank were still relentless, sending people to kidnap her again!

    "Professor Qiao, we know you¡¯re in the car. We have no intention of harming you; we only hope you¡¯ll cooperate ande with us, or we¡¯ll have to resort to extreme measures!"

    The leading foreigner spoke while advancing on the van with others, calling out to Qiao Jing inside.

    The words seemed polite at first nce but were full of warnings and threats.

    The implication was if Qiao Jing didn¡¯t willingly go with them, they¡¯d have to take her by force!

    Hearing this, the two bodyguards, seeing the aggressive advance of the others, exchanged nces and made a silent mutual decision.

    "We¡¯ll go down and hold them off; you quickly drive away first."

    With that, the two bodyguards exited the vehicle, striving to block the approaching aggressors.

    The driver didn¡¯t dare waste a second and quickly tried to restart the car. Fortunately, the vehicle could still move as he pressed the gas pedal and made a swift getaway.

    Although Qiao Jing felt extremely unwell, she kept an eye on the developments behind them. The opponents were many and strong, and the two bodyguards were unable to hold them off.

    Shortly, the two bodyguards were subdued, and the others returned to their vehicles to give chase.

    The van had some malfunction from the collision, moving in fits, making Qiao Jing feel that at this rate, they would be stopped again shortly.

    As her anxiety grew, a sports car suddenly sped towards them and came to an abrupt halt in front of the van.

    The driver immediately recognized it as Wu Xirui¡¯s car, promptly braking and turning his head to tell Qiao Jing, "Miss Qiao, it¡¯s Fifth Master; this car can¡¯t go on, quickly get into his car."

    Qiao Jing nodded, gritting her teeth to endure the pain in her stomach and the dizziness, exiting the car as quickly as she could.

    Wu Xirui noticed her difort and quickly got out to help her into the passenger seat before hurrying to take his own seat.

    He was driving a sports car, much faster, finally managing to widen the gap between them and their pursuers.

    Yet thetter remained relentless, showing no signs of stopping until their goal was achieved.

    Soon, Qiao Jing suddenly felt increasingly ufortable, waves of descending pain turning her face pale, and cold sweat beaded her forehead.

    Wu Xirui nced sideways, noticing her furrowed brows, poorplexion, and hand clutching her stomach, hurriedly asked, "What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you get hurt in the crash?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head, gritting her teeth to form words, "No, no, I think I¡¯m going intobor."

    Upon hearing this, Wu Xirui suddenly felt flustered, an unprecedented wave of tension engulfing him.

    He had never encountered a woman about to give birth before!

 Chapter 849: 837: Theyre Born! Triplets!

    <strong>Chapter 849: Chapter 837: They¡¯re Born! Triplets!</strong>

    For a moment, Wu Xirui was restless, mechanically pressing the elerator, racing down the road with Qiao Jing.

    Despite the unbearable pain, Qiao Jing did not forget to monitor the situation outside the car.

    She noticed the car had reached the outskirts, a ce she had visited before, so she was quite familiar with the roads here.

    ¡°Turn left, there¡¯s a vige there. Take the small roads and we should be able to shake off the people behind us.¡±

    Qiao Jing said, raising her hand to point at a side path to the left, motioning Wu Xirui to turn into it.

    The people from Country M surely aren¡¯t familiar with the terrain here, so this is the best chance to lose them!

    Without hesitation, Wu Xirui followed Qiao Jing¡¯s instructions and turned into the left side path.

    The roads in the outskirts were still dirt roads, full of potholes and bumps, making the ride quite jarring.

    With every bump, Qiao Jing¡¯s difort grew worse, her face as pale as paper, with cold sweat rolling down her cheeks.

    Wu Xirui was beyond anxious, his face full of worry. His tension was so high that his ischemic heart disease suddenly red up, causing a dull ache in his chest and difficulty breathing.

    But he gritted his teeth, refusing to show any signs of difort.

    Right now, Qiao Jing was the most important!

    He had to get Qiao Jing to the vige, find a clinic, and ensure she delivers the baby safely!

    Following Qiao Jing¡¯s directions, after navigating a few small roads, they finally managed to temporarily shake off the people from Country M.

    Entering the vige, Wu Xirui immediately started looking for a clinic along the way.

    Fortunately, the clinic wasn¡¯t hard to find, located in the center of the vige in a small courtyard.

    After parking the car, Wu Xirui helped Qiao Jing out of the car and walked slowly towards the courtyard, ¡°Just hang in there a bit longer, don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡±

    The words seemed tofort Qiao Jing, but only Wu Xirui knew they were also meant tofort himself.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing could no longer speak. The twisting pain from her belly made her feel as if her whole body was being torn apart.

    Despite the difort, a thought suddenly shed through her mind. Perhaps because she was pregnant with triplets, the pain was three times that of an ordinary pregnant woman¡­

    As they entered the courtyard, Wu Xirui shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Is anyone here? Doctor! Who¡¯s the doctor? Come out, quickly! Help!¡±

    Upon hearing his voice, two people quickly came out of the house.

    An elderly woman and a young girl, who seemed to be grandmother and granddaughter.

    Wu Xirui nced at them, so anxious that he could barely form coherent sentences, ¡°Hurry, which one of you is the doctor? Help her now!¡±

    The young girl looked Qiao Jing up and down and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    The elderly woman instantly understood the crucial issue, ¡°Is she about to give birth? Let¡¯s get her inside the house first.¡±

    Only then did Wu Xirui realize that the elderly woman was the doctor.

    He quickly helped Qiao Jing into the house and assisted her in lying down on the bed.

    After these tasks, Wu Xirui turned to the elderly doctor, his expression filled with concern as he pleaded, ¡°Doctor, you must save her, please don¡¯t let anything happen to her!¡±

    ¡°All I can say is that I¡¯ll do my best to ensure both she and the baby are safe.¡±

    With those words, the elderly doctor began preparing for the delivery.

    Wu Xirui stood dazedly watching Qiao Jing lie on the bed, her face contorted in pain.

    It wasn¡¯t until the elderly doctor moved to lift Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes that he snapped back to reality, hastily turning and rushing outside.

    The elderly doctor subconsciously assumed Wu Xirui and Qiao Jing were married, so seeing him dash out suddenly left her a bit perplexed.

    However, she had no time to dwell on it as she moved promptly to help deliver the baby.

    In the courtyard, Wu Xirui paced nervously, unable to sit still.

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s cries from inside, his heart was in turmoil, feeling anxious like an ant on a hot pan.

    The girl who had appeared with the doctor stood nearby. Seeing Wu Xirui so tense, she couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°You seem very worried and anxious. You must really love your wife.¡±

    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t worry so much. My grandmother is very experienced. Almost everyone in this vige was delivered by her.¡±

    ¡°You can rx a bit; your wife will be fine, and you¡¯re about to be a father.¡±

    ¡°Father¡­¡± Wu Xirui repeated the word, then murmured as he tugged at the corner of his mouth, ¡°I wish.¡±

    Hearing his words, the girl assumed he was still worried, so sheforted him again, ¡°Rest assured, your wife and children will be safe.¡±

    Without responding further, Wu Xirui simply nced at his phone.

    Although his battle with Zhan Qipei was intense, Qiao Jing¡¯s childbirth was a crucial matter, so he had sent Zhan Qipei a message informing him of Qiao Jing¡¯s location.

    Since he had sent the message a while ago, he wondered how far Zhan Qipei had gotten.

    At that moment, Zhan Qipei was rushing to the outskirts.

    As soon as he received Wu Xirui¡¯s message, he immediately changed direction.

    But since he had originally gone to the seaside house, it would take some time to get there, and he was still on his way.

    Meanwhile, those people from Country M that had been shaken off had already figured out the right path into the vige and were making their way there¡­

    Wu Xirui waited anxiously in the courtyard, almost unable to resist barging into the house several times.

    Just as he was fretting and fidgeting, the cries of a baby finally came from inside the house.

    Because there were three babies, the cries were loud and clear.

    But Wu Xirui¡¯s heart remained unsettled until he could be sure of Qiao Jing¡¯s safety.

    After waiting a few more minutes, the door opened, and the elderly doctor came out.

    She walked over to Wu Xirui, smiling broadly, and said, ¡°The baby is born. Mother and children are safe. Congrattions, your wife gave birth to three boys!¡±

    Wu Xirui didn¡¯t bother exining his rtionship with Qiao Jing. Hearing she was safe, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

    He nced into the house and asked, ¡°Can I go in to see her now?¡±

    The elderly doctor nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, yes, your wife is in great physical condition. Apart from a bit of weakness after the birth, there are no other issues. Go in quickly.¡±

    After thanking her, Wu Xirui immediately stepped into the house.

    The young girl followed him in as well.

    In their vige, even twins were rare, let alone triplets, so she was curious to see if the triplets looked exactly alike.

    Having just given birth, Qiao Jing naturallyy on the bed, looking even paler than before.

    It was the first time Wu Xirui had seen her looking so fragile.

    He walked to the bedside, his gaze on Qiao Jing filled with a hint of heartache, ¡°How do you feel now?¡±

    Qiao Jing pulled at the corner of her lips, ¡°Much better now that it¡¯s over.¡±

    Having nearly exhausted all her strength earlier, she now spoke weakly.

    Little did she expect to give birth more than a week early, and on the very day John attempted to kidnap her once again!

 Chapter 850: 838: Qiao Jing Goes All Out to Save Her Sons Life

    <strong>Chapter 850: Chapter 838: Qiao Jing Goes All Out to Save Her Son¡¯s Life</strong>

    The elder took clean bath towels and wrapped the three newborn babies separately, cing them neatly in a row beside Qiao Jing.

    The three little ones, after crying enough, nowy quietly, their round eyes wandering curiously, taking in the world around them.

    Qiao Jing turned her head, her gaze gentle, filled with maternal love as she looked at her three sons.

    Seeing their healthy and adorable appearance, Qiao Jing felt that all the hardships she endured during pregnancy were worth it!

    The girl who followed inside couldn¡¯t help but exim at the sight of the three little ones, ¡°Wow, these three babies are too cute and beautiful! With looks so high, they¡¯ll surely grow up to be handsome heartthrobs, the kind that will charm countless girls!¡±

    Hearing this, Wu Xirui shifted his gaze to the three little ones.

    With one look, he noticed the children¡¯s brows and eyes, no, their whole features, were strikingly simr to Zhan Qipei¡¯s.

    There¡¯s no exaggeration in saying these three little ones are like mini copies of Zhan Qipei, a clear testament that they are indeed his biological children!

    Thinking of Zhan Qipei, Wu Xirui let out a scoff and insincerely said, ¡°What¡¯s cute about them? I don¡¯t find them cute at all!¡±

    As soon as he said that, Qiao Jing immediately shot a cold re at him.

    Dare to say her sons aren¡¯t cute?

    If her strength had returned, she would surely give this person a good smack on the head!

    Receiving Qiao Jing¡¯s intimidating gaze, Wu Xirui quicklypromised.

    He shrugged, changing his tune, ¡°Fine, I was just kidding. Since they¡¯re your children, they¡¯re actually quite cute, just like you.¡±

    Only then did Qiao Jing retract her gaze, continuing to look at her three sons, a smile unconsciously forming on her lips, her face radiating the unique tenderness of a mother.

    However, in this moment that should have been joyful, a sudden loud bang came from outside.

    It was the sound of the main gate in the yard being kicked open.

    Apanied by a mor of footsteps.

    Qiao Jing instantly realized something, her expression changed abruptly, and the smile on her face vanished at once.

    Wu Xirui naturally thought of the same thing, his brows furrowed deeply as he said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s bad, those people have caught up to us!¡±

    Neither of them had expected that the people from M Country woulde so quickly, finding them in such a short time!

    Soon, threatening voices came from outside.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, stop hiding. You can¡¯t escape. We¡¯re taking you with us today, whether youe out on your own or we have to ¡®invite¡¯ you out.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes darkened, and she bit her teeth secretly.

    The other side was clearly warning her that they would use force if she didn¡¯t cooperate and leave voluntarily.

    Wu Xirui¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good either, the anxiety between his brows was evident.

    The other side had overwhelming numbers, yet his own backup hadn¡¯t arrived.

    What could he do to protect Qiao Jing and prevent her from being taken by those people outside?

    Wu Xirui racked his brain trying to devise a strategy, but for the moment, he couldn¡¯t think of a viable n.

    He nced around, his eyes pausing on the window of the room for a few seconds.

    Then, he raised his hand to point at that window, saying to Qiao Jing, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and stall them, you can leave through there, find a nearby ce to hide for now.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced in the direction Wu Xirui pointed, then looked back at her three children.

    She pressed her lips tightly, pondering for a brief moment.

    If it was just her, Wu Xirui¡¯s n might have worked.

    But with three newborns, there was no way she could escape with them.

    Moreover, she couldn¡¯t leave the three babies behind; if she did, those people from M Country would definitely use the children to threaten her!

    So, the only thing she could do was go with them willingly¡­

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing looked up at Wu Xirui, her expression serious as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve decided, I¡¯ll go with them. I¡¯ll temporarily leave my three sons in your care; please help me take them back to the Zhan Family.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Wu Xirui immediately understood what Qiao Jing was concerned about.

    But he couldn¡¯t agree with her decision.

    His expression grew more solemn, and he shook his head, ¡°No! You can¡¯t go with them. This n won¡¯t work; we can think of another way¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Qiao Jing interrupted Wu Xirui calmly, ¡°They¡¯re going to such lengths only to have me help them with research. They won¡¯t harm me before the research is done.¡±

    ¡°Once I get an opportunity, I¡¯ll escape, and you can alsoe to rescue me, can¡¯t you?¡±

    Just then, the voices outside urged again.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, if you don¡¯te out, we¡¯lle in. If there¡¯s any offense in doing so, it¡¯ll be on you!¡±

    Qiao Jing gritted her teeth, mustering her remaining strength to sit upboriously from the bed.

    Seeing this, Wu Xirui hurried to stop her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop me. I have no choice but to go now.¡±

    Qiao Jing pushed Wu Xirui away, getting out of bed while saying, ¡°If I don¡¯t go out, they¡¯ll break in.¡±

    ¡°If theye in and see the babies, they¡¯ll surely take them too, using them to control me and prevent me from running awayter. I can¡¯t let the children fall into their hands!¡±

    Wu Xirui froze, unable to vocalize his objections.

    At this point, it seemed there was no other choice¡­

    Qiao Jing nced at her three little ones on the bed once more.

    Being separated from her newborns, as a mother, she naturally felt reluctant.

    At this moment, threatening voices came again from outside.

    ¡°Professor Qiao, we¡¯ll give you ten more seconds. If you don¡¯te out after ten seconds, we¡¯ll have to move in!¡±

    It was clear this was their final ultimatum.

    Despite her reluctance, Qiao Jing could only tear her eyes away from her three children, turning to leave the room.

    Wu Xirui watched helplessly as she approached those people, who then took her into a car and drove off.

    He wanted to prevent this oue but was powerless.

    This sense of helplessness made him both frustrated and furious.

    He clenched his fists tightly, pounding them against the wall beside him, quickly staining his hand with blood.

    The elder and the girl had no idea what was happening, but from the situation just now, they could guess that Wu Xirui and Qiao Jing were not ordinary people.

    As ordinary and honest folks, they didn¡¯t want to get involved in others¡¯ affairs, so the grandmother and granddaughter asked nothing, just watched silently.

    Right after Qiao Jing was taken away, Zhan Qipei arrived.

    At the same time, Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao also arrived.

    Zhan Nanjing had received word from Zhan Qipei that Qiao Jing was about to give birth and quickly informed Su Manhan and Zhan Yao.

    That¡¯s why they all arrived around the same time.

 Chapter 851 - 839: Qiao Jing Lost at Sea

    <h4>Chapter 851: Chapter 839: Qiao Jing Lost at Sea</h4>

    Entering the courtyard, the group only saw Wu Xirui, but there was no sign of Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei hurried over and yanked Wu Xirui by the cor, coldly questioning, "Where is Qiao Jing? Where is she?"

    Wu Xirui raised his hand and forcefully pulled Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand away, speaking in a muffled voice, "You are a step toote; she¡¯s already been taken away by those people from Country M."

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing also rushed forward, ring angrily at Wu Xirui, and eximed indignantly, "Then why didn¡¯t you stop them? You always act so capable; why did you just let them take her away?"

    Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words carried a clear note of me and were quite harsh.

    But Wu Xirui had no mood to care about such things right now.

    He maintained a tense face and spoke in a low tone, "She went with them willingly, so they wouldn¡¯t find the three children."

    At this point, Wu Xirui paused and looked into the room, "She told me to hand the children over to you, and now that you¡¯re here, the children are yours."

    With that, he didn¡¯t linger any longer and strode out decisively.

    A moment ago, considering the three children and his people hadn¡¯t arrived yet, even if he caught up, he couldn¡¯t get Qiao Jing back from those people.

    But now, the children had been handed over to the Zhan Family, and his people had reached the vige entrance. Now if they chased after, perhaps they could bring Qiao Jing back!

    Qipei¡¯s first thought was also to get Qiao Jing back.

    He nced at Zhan Yao and Su Manhan, "Dad, Mom, quickly hold the children, we need to hurry and catch up!"

    After waiting so long for the children to be born safely, it was supposed to be a great joy to celebrate, but in this situation, how could he possibly feel happy?

    Zhan Yao and Su Manhan understood the urgency and didn¡¯t dy, immediately running into the house.

    Zhan Nanjing hurried in as well.

    Soon, the three came out of the house, each holding a child.

    By this time, Zhan Qipei had already brought over the car, and the three got in with the children. The car quickly left the vige.

    Tang Yan followed behind with several people, a convoy trailing closely.

    In the car, Zhan Nanjing was seething with anger, "Those people are truly despicable! Sister-inw just gave birth, her body must be very weak, and they forcibly took her away. It¡¯s utterly inhumane!"

    Su Manhan, looking at the children in her arms, said with a heartache, "Look at these three little ones, how adorable they are. Those people are so heartless and cruel to separate a newborn from its mother!"

    Zhan Yao furrowed his brow and sighed, "What¡¯s the use of saying this? The most important thing now is to find Qiao Jing."

    Su Manhan nodded repeatedly, saying hurriedly, "Yes, yes, as long as Qiao Jing returns safely, nothing else matters."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s face was like a cold wind, his thin lips pressed into a thin straight line, emanating a chilling aura.

    He said nothing, gripping the steering wheel tightly, chasing relentlessly...

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing was taken to a harbor and boarded a yacht with the others.

    On the yacht, she was unsurprised to see John and Frank.

    John was sitting on the sofa, holding a ss of red wine.

    Seeing Qiao Jing brought up, he smiled with a somewhat proud expression on his face, "Professor Qiao, didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d meet again so soon, did you?"

    Qiao Jing nced at him expressionlessly, not inclined to engage with him.

    John wasn¡¯t bothered by her dismissive attitude, still smiling as he said, "No need to stand. Have a seat. We¡¯re all old acquaintances; no need to be so polite."

    Polite?

    Qiao Jing sneered, thinking that this man was really living in a dream.

    Someone like John, how could she possibly be polite with him!

    Qiao Jing walked over coolly and sat down directly on the sofa.

    Her strength hadn¡¯t fully returned after the journey, and she needed to sit and rest well.

    Beside her, Frank was looking at Qiao Jing with a predator¡¯s gaze, with a hint of provocation in his eyes.

    Clearly, he was saying, no matter how proud she was, she was still caught again!

    Qiao Jing could tell that not only Frank thought so, but John as well.

    She curled her lips in a taunting smile, deliberately saying, "Yes, I have been captured again, but soon history will repeat itself. Do you want to guess, will I be rescued today or tomorrow?"

    With those words, John and Frank couldn¡¯t help but recall theirst futile effort, ending up with nothing to show for it.

    Like cats with their tails stepped on, their faces turned ugly in an instant.

    John narrowed his eyes, ring at Qiao Jing with displeasure, "You people have an old saying, something about reading a script while riding a donkey¡ªwe¡¯ll see how it ends this time. Let¡¯s wait and see!"

    As soon as he spoke, Frank chimed in, "We¡¯ve made meticulous arrangements this time, specially built an underground research facility for you, Professor Qiao. Once inside, not even the most advanced radar will detect any signals."

    "So, if you think you can escape likest time, Professor Qiao, you¡¯re bound to be disappointed!"

    "Oh, is that so?" Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly, casually replying, "Then let¡¯s try it and see."

    She knew Frank said this to make her despair and abandon thoughts of escape, to obediently help them with their research.

    But she thought these two were truly na?ve.

    Qiao Jing would not easily change a decision she had made.

    So, no matter what, she would notpromise!

    Meanwhile, Wu Xirui and Zhan Qipei arrived at the harbor one after the other.

    Seeing the yacht carrying Qiao Jing sail away, they immediately called for a yacht, preparing to pursue by sea.

    However, when everything was ready, the sea suddenly roared with turbulent waves.

    "It¡¯s a tsunami!"

    "Quick! Everyone retreat to a safe ce!"

    Someone nearby shouted in rm.

    Hearing this, others hurriedly ran back in fright.

    Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and Zhan Nanjing held the children, and when they heard a tsunami wasing, they couldn¡¯t afford to think of anything else. They quickly turned and ran, fearing for the children¡¯s safety.

    In such a situation, everyone knew going out to sea was impossible.

    But Zhan Qipei, regardless, insisted on boarding the yacht.

    Tang Yan and two other subordinates had to desperately try to stop him.

    They held onto Zhan Qipei tightly, fearful that if they let go, he would rush to the yacht out at sea.

    The yacht was rocking violently, looking as if it could be overturned by the waves at any moment!

    "President Zhan, you can¡¯t go! This is a tsunami! If you get swept in, the consequences are unimaginable!" Tang Yan pleaded earnestly.

    "Let go of me!"

    Zhan Qipei struggled desperately against Tang Yan and the others.

    His eyes were bloodshot, and he shouted hoarsely, "Qiao Jing is still at sea! I have to find her! I can¡¯t leave her behind; she must be waiting for me to save her!"

 Chapter 852: 840: Zhan Qipei Is Losing His Mind

    <strong>Chapter 852: Chapter 840: Zhan Qipei Is Losing His Mind</strong>

    Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and Zhan Nanjing retreated to a safe ce, watching as Zhan Qipei refused to heed their advice and insisted on going into the sea. They hurriedly handed over the child in their arms to the apanying attendants and ran back to stop him.

    While they were desperately trying to dissuade Zhan Qipei, the cruise ship where Qiao Jing was located began to shake violently due to the approaching tsunami, threatening to capsize at any moment.

    The ship was in chaos, and everyone was panic-stricken.

    Just a moment ago, Frank and John had walked away, leaving only Qiao Jing still seated on the sofa in the cabin.

    Because the ship was shaking so fiercely, she could only grip the sofa tightly, struggling to maintain her bnce.

    The shouts from the people outside reached her ears, each voice distinctly filled with terror.

    ¡°What do we do now? If the ship capsizes, we¡¯ll all die at sea!¡±

    ¡°Wait, the submarine! Our cruise ship has a submarine! If we can dive to the seabed, the waves won¡¯t affect us. Once the tsunami passes, we¡¯ll be safe!¡±

    Soon, someone hurried off to activate the submarine.

    A momentter, John and Frank entered the cabin, supporting each other.

    The two pulled Qiao Jing up from the sofa, one on each side.

    In a fast-paced voice, John said, ¡°Professor Qiao, this is an emergency. We¡¯re taking you to the submarine for shelter.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, saying nothing, and followed them out of the cabin.

    Sarcastically, she thought that if she weren¡¯t useful to them, they wouldn¡¯t care whether she lived or died!

    However, as the trio reached the deck¡ªbefore they had the chance to spot the submarine¡ªa wave more than ten meters high suddenly crashed over, instantly flipping the entire cruise ship.

    In an instant, everyone on the ship was engulfed by the waves, drowning in the sea and disappearing without a trace¡­

    The tsunami came fiercely but left swiftly.

    Twenty minutester, the sea was calm again. If it weren¡¯t for the wreckage of the ship remaining, one might think the terrifying scene earlier was just an illusion.

    Zhan Qipei immediately led a team onto the ship, frantically searching amidst the drifting wreckage, even bringing in professional diving rescue teams to dive into the ocean for the search.

    Wu Xirui also dispatched arge number of personnel to join the search.

    However, until the sun set and the sky gradually darkened, they found nothing.

    There wasn¡¯t even a figure, let alone Qiao Jing.

    It seemed as though everyone on the cruise ship had silently evaporated into the sea with the retreating tsunami, leaving no trace behind.

    As night deepened, and the sea became pitch dark, the search could no longer proceed, and the group returned to shore.

    Wu Xirui gazed out at the sea, overwhelmed with guilt.

    If it weren¡¯t for him urging Qiao Jing to go out, none of these events might have unfolded, and the oue wouldn¡¯t have been like this!

    Zhan Nanjing realized this too and charged at Wu Xirui with indignation, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you wicked troublemaker!¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, my sister-inw wouldn¡¯t have gone out at this critical time near her due date, attracting attention from those people from M-country, hitting the tsunami, and ending up in an uncertain fate!¡±

    As Zhan Nanjing spoke, her emotions escted. She grabbed Wu Xirui¡¯s shirt with both hands, shaking him vigorously, her voice choked.

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you harmed my sister-inw. Bring her back to me,pensate for her¡­¡±

    Wu Xirui bit his lip, remaining silent.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s unclear fate was partly his responsibility, so he couldn¡¯t argue with Zhan Nanjing¡¯s usations.

    Moreover, given the circumstances, he didn¡¯t want to defend himself.

    Zhan Qipei stood by, staring nkly in the direction of the sea.

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s usations against Wu Xirui, he suddenly snapped back to reality, his suppressed fury ignited in an instant.

    He rushed forward, pulled Zhan Nanjing aside, and grabbed Wu Xirui¡¯s cor, his voice cold as steel, ¡°Were you in cahoots with John and them? Deliberately luring Qiao Jing out, letting her fall into their trap!¡±

    ¡°Now she¡¯s missing, and you¡¯re satisfied!¡±

    Zhan Qipei roared furiously, then swung his fist, punching Wu Xirui¡¯s face without mercy.

    Wu Xirui could have dodged, but he chose not to, taking the punch head-on.

    ¡°Hiss¡­¡±

    Wu Xirui gasped in pain, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

    Yet this punch didn¡¯t even begin to quell Zhan Qipei¡¯s fury and resentment.

    With a dark expression, Zhan Qipei hurled his fist at Wu Xirui once more.

    This time, Wu Xirui didn¡¯t let Zhan Qipei have his way. He blocked the iing fist and spoke, ¡°That punch was my debt to Qiao Jing, and I ept it.¡±

    ¡°Aside from that punch, if you think you can hit me more? That¡¯s not happening!¡±

    ¡°Whether it happens or not, you¡¯ll find out by trying!¡±

    As these words left his mouth, Zhan Qipei struck out at Wu Xirui again.

    Of course, Wu Xirui wouldn¡¯t stand there and take it; he fought back.

    The two exchanged blows back and forth.

    Others watched in rm, wanting to intervene but unable to get close.

    Seeing the fierce fight, with both seemingly out for blood, Zhan Nanjing shouted in panic to stop them, ¡°Stop fighting! Stop it! You two, stop!¡±

    Her voice was hoarse from shouting, yet Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui seemed oblivious, continuing their fierce battle.

    As everyone felt helpless, Zhan Yuanshan arrived hastily, having received the news.

    He rushed to Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui, wielding his cane to forcibly separate them, his voice stern andmanding, ¡°Have you two had enough? Jing Girl is in trouble, and you still have the energy to fight here!¡±

    With Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s intervention, Zhan Qipei and Wu Xirui finally ceased their fighting.

    However, the tension between them remained palpable, their animosity unrelenting.

    ¡°I will find Qiao Jing, and until then, our conflict is on hold.¡±

    Wu Xirui red at Zhan Qipei, dering, ¡°Once Qiao Jing returns, I will renew my challenge to you and the Zhan Family!¡±

    After speaking, Wu Xirui withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.

    Zhan Qipei watched him depart, his eyes cold as ice, devoid of warmth.

    From that day onward, be it day or night, rain or shine, Zhan Qipei would lead a team to the beach to continue the search¡­

    Time flew by like a blink of an eye.

    In the blink of an eye, four years had passed.

    Throughout these four years, Zhan Qipei never abandoned his search for Qiao Jing.

    On this day, he again led arge team to the beach, embarking on a cruise ship to continue the day¡¯s search.

    Some neers to the sea, witnessing this scene, were curious and puzzled, discussing among themselves.

    ¡°What are these people doing? Why such a big spectacle?¡±

    ¡°Judging by their demeanor, it seems like they¡¯re searching for something, right?¡±

    ¡°Does searching for something require so many people? Is it something valuable?¡±

    ¡°You bet it is! With so many people, if it weren¡¯t valuable, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 853: 841: Qiao Jing Is Alive

    <strong>Chapter 853: Chapter 841: Qiao Jing Is Alive</strong>

    ¡°You must be new here, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t know, right?¡±

    A person in the know happened to pass by and exined to the neers to the sea: ¡°They¡¯re not looking for something, they¡¯re looking for someone.¡±

    ¡°Looking for someone? Who are they looking for?¡± a curious young girl asked further.

    ¡°They¡¯re looking for the young mistress of the Zhan Family. Four years ago, she went out to sea and encountered a tsunami, disappearing at sea.¡±

    ¡°Her husband, President Zhan of the Zhan Corporation, has braved all kinds of weather for the past four years,ing here every day with a group to search for her.¡±

    The informed person shared all they knew and added, ¡°At first, we all thought after ten days or half a month of searching, if they didn¡¯t find her, President Zhan would definitely give up.¡±

    ¡°But not only did President Zhan not give up, he¡¯s persisted till now. In this day and age, it¡¯s rare to find someone so devoted and single-minded!¡±

    ¡°Everyone around here knows about this, except for you neers who aren¡¯t in the loop yet.¡±

    Everyone listened intently.

    Once the informed person finished speaking, the girl who was asking questions earlier spoke again, ¡°Listening to you, now I¡¯m truly curious about what such a devoted man must be like?¡±

    The informed person turned around, facing the sea, and happened to see the person they were talking about standing on the deck of a yacht.

    He pointed to the tall, elegant figure and said to the girl, ¡°Look, do you see him? The one on the deck is President Zhan.¡±

    The girl followed the direction of the informed person¡¯s finger, and when her gaze fell on Zhan Qipei, she couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Wow! He¡¯s so handsome! How can there be such a handsome person in the world? He¡¯s practically celestial!¡±

    Amazed, the girl then became curious about something else, ¡°What kind of beautiful person must the young mistress of the Zhan Family be to make such a handsome man wait for her like this? She surely must be a peerless beauty!¡±

    Soon after, the girl sighed, ¡°I hope she¡¯s still alive and appears soon to reunite with her husband, so he doesn¡¯t have to wait in vain any longer.¡±

    Upon hearing this, someone nearby spoke up, ¡°That¡¯s impossible; it was a tsunami. Being engulfed by a tsunami, how could anyone survive?¡±

    Others chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right, and she¡¯s been missing for four years. If she were still alive, surely she would have been found by now, right?¡±

    ¡°Searching for so long without even a trace; there¡¯s definitely no hope left.¡±

    The girl listened, furrowing her brows as she refuted, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the saying ¡®fortunes favor the good¡¯? Anyway, I believe she¡¯s still alive, and one day, they will definitely see each other again!¡±

    Meanwhile, inside a luxurious vi.

    The TV in the hall was broadcasting a news segment.

    The news was about the disappearance of the famous agricultural mogul, Professor Qiao, four years ago.

    For the past four years, all forces have been searching for Professor Qiao¡¯s whereabouts, but to this day, there are still no leads.

    Thus, the authorities hope to spread this news through the media, mobilizing the nation to collectively search for Professor Qiao.

    They also hope those with clues can step forward to provide information¡­

    After seeing the news, Qiao Lin, the short-haired girl sitting on the sofa, couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°Professor Qiao, such an aplished person who made huge contributions to our country¡¯s agricultural development, and a legendary figure admired by many, ended up disappearing!¡±

    ¡°s, now we can only hope the police and other forces find him soon.¡±

    As she spoke, Qiao Lin turned to look at the girl beside her, her gaze resting on her beautiful face, suddenly asking, ¡°Xiao Jing, do you think it¡¯s a shame if Professor Qiao is never found?¡±

    Qiao Jing, with a cool demeanor, was also watching the news on the TV. Hearing Qiao Lin¡¯s words, she nodded, her tone carrying a sense of regret.

    ¡°It is indeed a shame. Professor Qiao¡¯s disappearance is a loss for the entire country, I still hope he can be found soon.¡±

    The two were talking when a girl with long curly hair, a year older than Qiao Lin, walked in from outside.

    She was Qiao Lin¡¯s elder sister¡ªQiao Hong.

    Qiao Hong looked at Qiao Lin and Qiao Jing on the sofa, her face full of gossip. ¡°You two should stop chatting, I¡¯ve heard that one from the Zhan Family has gone to the seaside again. Let¡¯s go take a look.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that Zhan Family member sure is persistent and determined!¡±

    Qiao Lin eximed, then grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Xiao Jing, you haven¡¯t seen what he looks like, let me tell you, he¡¯s really super handsome.¡±

    ¡°Besides being handsome, he¡¯s incredibly devoted. It¡¯s said that since his wife disappeared, he¡¯s been searching and waiting for her to return.¡±

    ¡°Such men are truly rare in the world. It would be a shame not to see him!¡±

    As Qiao Lin spoke, she pulled Qiao Jing off the sofa, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll take you to see him.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head lightly, seemingly uninterested, ¡°Second sister, you and elder sister go ahead, I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go, the three of us together.¡±

    Qiao Lin affectionately linked her arm with Qiao Jing¡¯s, persuasively saying, ¡°You¡¯ve been unwell these past years, recovering at home, rarely going out. Now that you¡¯ve recovered, you shouldn¡¯t stay indoors too much, lest you get sick from staying home.¡±

    Qiao Hong echoed, ¡°Yes, yes. The weather¡¯s nice today, let¡¯s go out, get some fresh air!¡±

    At this moment, a middle-aged woman descended from the stairs on the second floor.

    The middle-aged woman was Jiang Youyi, the mother of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Drawn by themotion, Jiang Youyi hade downstairs to see what was happening.

    Upon descending, she saw Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin taking Qiao Jing out and quickly asked, ¡°Where are you two taking your little sister?¡±

    Qiao Hong spoke first, ¡°Mom, we¡¯re just thinking of taking her out to breathe some fresh air and see the outside scenery.¡±

    Qiao Lin chimed in, ¡°Xiao Jing has been at home for so long, earlier always bedridden, her health has improvedtely, she needs to go out, exercise a little.¡±

    Hearing her daughters speak this way, Jiang Youyi nodded and gently said, ¡°Going out is good, but you must take good care of your little sister, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, we know.¡±

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, go back upstairs and rest. We¡¯ll take good care of Xiao Jing.¡±

    Qiao Lin and Qiao Hong responded in session.

    Jiang Youyi gave some additional instructions before turning back to the second floor.

    Once Jiang Youyi left, Qiao Lin grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s also tough on you, pretending to be my mom¡¯s youngest daughter, being our sister for these years, it¡¯s not easy for you.¡±

    Her mother had originally given birth to three daughters, Qiao Hong being the eldest, and she the second, but the youngest passed away not long after birth.

    The death of the youngest dealt a heavy blow to her mother, causing her to be mentally unstable, in a constant daze, always believing her youngest daughter hadn¡¯t died¡­

 Chapter 854: 842: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Meet Again

    <strong>Chapter 854: Chapter 842: Qiao Jing and Zhan Qipei Meet Again</strong>

    A few years ago, she and her eldest sister found Xiao Jing by the seaside.

    At that time, Xiao Jing was unconscious, and they brought Xiao Jing back home.

    As soon as her mother saw Xiao Jing, she was convinced that Xiao Jing was her youngest daughter, constantly muttering that her daughter had returned.

    The whole family felt powerless about this situation.

    It just happened that when the family invited a doctor to treat Xiao Jing, they discovered that Xiao Jing had lost her memory due to the incident.

    So, after some discussion, they decided to go with the flow and let the amnesiac Xiao Jing pretend to be their third sister.

    It turned out to be the right decision, since having Xiao Jing, her mother¡¯s mental state gradually improved and is much better now¡­

    Thinking of this, Qiao Lin patted Qiao Jing¡¯s hand and sincerely said, ¡°Xiao Jing, thank you. Without you, my mom would still be out of her mind.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Qiao Jing shook her head and said slowly: ¡°If there¡¯s anyone who should be thankful, it¡¯s me. If you and your sister hadn¡¯t brought me back, I might have died.¡±

    Though she was not Jiang Youyi¡¯s youngest daughter, Jiang Youyi and the people in this family treated her as their real family and publicly dered she was the third miss of the Qiao Family, asserting that the youngest daughter back then did not die, but was merely lost.

    For someone who lost her memories, having an identity at least made her feel less lost.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about it. No matter what, we¡¯re family now, and saying thank you back and forth is too distant.¡±

    As she spoke, Qiao Hong hooked one arm around Qiao Lin and the other around Qiao Jing, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head out.¡±

    However, just as the three of them reached the door, Qiao Lin suddenly remembered something and eximed, ¡°Oh no, I almost forgot that thing!¡±

    ¡°Wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go get it.¡±

    With that, Qiao Lin hurriedly turned around and ran back to the room.

    Soon, she returned with a piece of fake skin designed to mimic e.

    ¡°Here, Xiao Jing, stick this on to avoid that annoying Jiang family¡¯s big son running into us and exposing our little scheme.¡±

    As she said this, Qiao Lin stuck the fake skin onto Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    With that thing stuck on, Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance instantly diminished considerably.

    But Qiao Lin and Qiao Hong were both very satisfied and nodded approvingly.

    The Qiao sisters did this not out of jealousy towards Qiao Jing¡¯s looks.

    It¡¯s because Jiang Zihong, the eldest son of the Jiang family, saw Qiao Jing once by chance and became infatuated with her stunning face, iming it was love at first sight, and even proposed to make Qiao Jing his wife.

    Jiang Zihong is famous for being a notorious yboy in Nandu, with a very bad character, abusing his family¡¯s power for misdeeds.

    Unfortunately, the Jiang family is wealthier and more powerful than the Qiao family, which is not in a position to offend them.

    To deter Jiang Zihong¡¯s intentions toward Qiao Jing, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin came up with an idea, iming that Qiao Jing developed persistent e due to allergies, the kind that can¡¯t be healed with medication.

    In short, it was all about making Qiao Jing look unattractive!

    So whenever Qiao Jing went out now, she naturally had to put on that fake e skin¡­

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin took Qiao Jing and made their way to the seaside.

    Even from a distance, one could see the Zhan Family¡¯s team searching at sea.

    As the three approached, Qiao Hong squinted and looked over the sea for Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure among the yachts.

    A momentter, she wondered aloud, ¡°Huh, where is he? Why can¡¯t I see anyone? Did the Zhan Family note today?¡±

    Qiao Lin murmured to herself, ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. I heard he¡¯s here every day, never missing a day for such a long time¡­¡±

    ¡°Since he¡¯s not here, let¡¯s just go back,¡± Qiao Jing frowned slightly.

    Approaching the sea, she was ovee by an inexplicable shadow, with fragmented memories shing in her mind now and then.

    These fragments pieced together seem to depict a tsunami engulfing her into the ocean scene.

    In any case, the feeling made her very ufortable.

    Noticing the change in Qiao Jing¡¯s expression, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin thought she was not feeling well again.

    Back when doctors examined her, they found her terribly ill, not only because she was in cold seawater for too long but also because she had just given birth.

    So Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin always suspected that a scumbag tricked her into having a baby and then abandoned her in the ocean!

    The sisters were about to take Qiao Jing home when Qiao Lin suddenly spotted Zhan Qipei¡¯s figure on a yacht that had just docked.

    She got excited, grabbed Qiao Jing with one hand, and pointed in Zhan Qipei¡¯s direction, eximing, ¡°Xiao Jing, look over there, that¡¯s the dashing and devoted President Zhan, isn¡¯t he handsome? We weren¡¯t lying to you!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked up, and upon her gazending on Zhan Qipei, she felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if they had met before.

    But try as she might, she couldn¡¯t recall anything about this man, and instead, her head suddenly began to ache.

    She rubbed her temples with her hand to ease the difort.

    Seeing her getting worse, Qiao Hong hastily said to Qiao Lin, ¡°Xiao Jing isn¡¯t feeling well. We should go.¡±

    Qiao Lin nodded, ready to leave with Qiao Jing.

    However, as the three turned around, not yet taking a step, a cold sarcastic female voice came from the side.

    ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t it the ugly third miss of the Qiao family? You Qiao family finally let this ugly girl out?¡±

    The three turned their heads simultaneously and saw that it was Yang Xiaoxiao, the daughter of the Yang family, speaking.

    The Yang family is a business rival of the Qiao family, so rtions are tense, and Yang Xiaoxiao, known for her arrogance, often created trouble for Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Though, most of the time, she couldn¡¯t gain the upper hand against Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Hearing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s taunts, Qiao Jing just gave her a cold nce, not taking her words seriously.

    Compared to her indifference, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin reacted much more fiercely.

    Qiao Hong red at Yang Xiaoxiao and said irritably, ¡°Do me a favor, will you? Before saying that, at least look in a mirror to see what you look like?¡±

    ¡°Or is your Yang family so down-and-out that you can¡¯t even afford a mirror, making you unaware of your ugliness, so you scare people in broad daylight!¡±

    Qiao Lin also snorted coldly, ¡°Yeah, and you dare to call my sister ugly? You¡¯re the real ugly freak here!¡±

    Being mocked like this, Yang Xiaoxiao was mortified and immediately retorted, ¡°Sure, she used to look good, but with so many e marks now, isn¡¯t she ugly as hell?¡±

 Chapter 855: 843: The Three Little Ones Recognize Their Mommy

    <strong>Chapter 855: Chapter 843: The Three Little Ones Recognize Their Mommy</strong>

    After a few sarcastic remarks, Yang Xiaoxiao still felt unsatisfied.

    She nced at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, which was covered with a fake skin, and continued, ¡°I heard the ugly monster¡¯s face is incurable, probably because the Qiao Family¡¯s ancestral grave is smoking with malicious intent, and it¡¯s karma for her to end up like this!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Lin¡¯s temper red up instantly. She red angrily at the other party, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, are you looking for a beating?¡±

    ¡°Do you dare to touch me? I¡¯ll tell you, I, Yang Xiaoxiao, am not scared of anything!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao raised her chin, lookingpletely shameless, convinced that Qiao Lin wouldn¡¯t dare to hit her.

    Seeing her so arrogant, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were thoroughly enraged.

    The sisters exchanged a nce, then immediately dashed forward without further ado, surrounding Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Seeing the two approach fiercely, Yang Xiaoxiao finally panicked a little, ¡°What are you two nning to do?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell us to try touching you?¡±

    ¡°Now we¡¯re just fulfilling your wish!¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin didn¡¯t give Yang Xiaoxiao a chance to react. They began to pound her fiercely.

    While hitting, the sisters were cursing non-stop.

    ¡°Dare to call my sister an ugly monster, I¡¯m going to beat you up until you look like a pig¡¯s head today!¡±

    ¡°And said the Qiao Family¡¯s ancestral grave is smoking with malicious intent, watch me beat you till you smoke!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t fend off four hands with just her two fists and was quickly beaten to the ground.

    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t get up for a while, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin finally stopped, feeling satisfied.

    ¡°You actually dared to really hit me!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiaoy on the ground, gritting her teeth in anger, her face full of resentment, ¡°Just you wait, I will settle this with you, mark my words!¡±

    ¡°I will make you a hundred or a thousand times more humiliated than I am now! I¡¯ll make you kneel on the ground and beg for mercy, kowtow to me and admit your mistakes!¡±

    Upon hearing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s threats, Qiao Lin nced at Qiao Hong, raised her brows, and said, ¡°Seems like we went too easy on her, look at her, she still has the energy to threaten us.¡±

    Qiao Hong waved her hand, ¡°Forget about her, hitting her is beneath me.¡±

    Qiao Jing coldly nced at Yang Xiaoxiao, who was still cursing loudly, and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With that, she was the first to stride away.

    As she passed by Yang Xiaoxiao, Qiao Jing stepped on her hand and walked right over it.

    ¡°Crack!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    The sound of bones cracking echoed, apanied by Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s pig-like screech.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t stop, continuing to walk slowly forward.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin followed her pace, both giving her a thumbs up.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, I didn¡¯t see it before, but you¡¯re pretty sly.¡±

    ¡°I just have to say, well done, Xiao Jing!¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei on the cruise ship happened to turn his head and inadvertently caught sight of a figure on the shore incredibly simr to Qiao Jing.

    But at a distance, he wasn¡¯t sure and kept staring.

    Tang Yan noticed, asked curiously, ¡°President Zhan, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Zhan Qipei raised his hand pointing at the figure, his eyes never leaving it, his tone a bit urgent, ¡°Look at that person¡¯s back, doesn¡¯t it resemble her?¡±

    This ¡°her¡±, without a doubt, referred to Qiao Jing.

    Tang Yan understood in his heart and sighed quietly, just feeling their President Zhan was quite pitiable.

    If it continues like this, he¡¯s really afraid President Zhan might lose his mind someday!

    Back when the young madam first disappeared, President Zhan several times wanted to jump into the sea to find her, andter even thought of dying in love.

    If it weren¡¯t for the family¡¯s urgent intervention, injecting into President Zhan the idea that the young madam wasn¡¯t dead but merely missing, he probably wouldn¡¯t be alive today.

    Now, the only belief supporting President Zhan to live on, is that the young madam is still alive¡­

    While musing, Tang Yan looked up at the shore, his gazending on the three girls¡¯ figures.

    He squinted, scrutinized them carefully, then spoke, ¡°President Zhan, are you referring to one of those threedies? If I haven¡¯t mistaken, they should be from the Qiao Family in Nandu.¡±

    He had the chance to see the Qiao family¡¯s eldest and second daughter once before, which is why he could barely recognize them.

    As for the other, although he hadn¡¯t seen her, he figured she must be the Qiao family¡¯s Third Miss, who had been lost outside and only found a few years ago.

    Seemingly, this Third Miss Qiao¡¯s figure indeed bore some resemnce to the young madam, but it couldn¡¯t possibly be her.

    ¡°The Qiao Family in Nandu¡­¡± Zhan Qipei repeated in a low voice, a flicker of indistinct emotion in his eyes, ¡°Surname Qiao?¡±

    Tang Yan couldn¡¯t help butment once, ¡°President Zhan sure is sensitive to the surname Qiao.¡±

    Zhan Qipei faintly pursed his thin lips, without speaking, keeping his eyes glued to the silhouette that struck him as so simr to Qiao Jing.

    Indeed, nowadays, he is truly sensitive to the surname Qiao¡­

    Meanwhile, inside the cruise cabin.

    Three identical little boys were peering through the window, their eyes collectively fixed on Qiao Jing.

    Dabao, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s immature little face filled with seriousness, said to his two younger brothers, ¡°I feel that woman gives me a mommy-like vibe, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Erbao, Zhan Qiaoze, nodded like a pecking chick, ¡°I feel the same way.¡±

    Sanbao, Zhan Qiaomo, promptly said, ¡°Me too.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu blinked his big round eyes, boldly specting, ¡°Do you guys think there¡¯s a chance she is actually our mommy?¡±

    ¡°I remember Grandpa Zeng saying, a mother and her children share a connection, since we all feel she is mommy, she very well could be!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s voice was innocent, yet the reasoning was clear and logical.

    Hearing his two brothers, Zhan Qiaomo tilted his small head and suggested, ¡°Should we go and verify it with her?¡±

    The proposal from Sanbao was unanimously agreed upon by the two brothers.

    The three little guys quickly reached a consensus after some secret discussion, finalizing their n of action.

    ¡°So it¡¯s settled, you two cover me, I¡¯ll secretly get off the ship, quietly follow her, and then find a chance to confirm.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu repeated the n¡¯s steps, then was the first to leap off the sofa.

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo followed closely behind.

    After slipping out of the cabin, under the cover of his two younger brothers, Zhan Qiaoyu sessfully evaded the views of others on the cruise, secretly disembarking.

    As soon as he hit the shore, Zhan Qiaoyu stealthily chased after Qiao Jing, surreptitiously tailing her.

    Not long after pursuing her, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s smartwatch on his wrist suddenly rang.

    It was a voice call initiated by Erbao and Sanbao.

    Zhan Qiaoyu answered directly, hearing Erbao, Zhan Qiaoze, ¡°Bro, how¡¯s the situation? Are you tailing her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m secretly following her from behind.¡± Zhan Qiaoyu whispered softly.

 Chapter 856: 844: Zhan Qiaoyu Plays the Victim

    <strong>Chapter 856: Chapter 844: Zhan Qiaoyu ys the Victim</strong>

    Zhan Qiaoyu had just finished speaking when Sanbao, Zhan Qiaomo, quickly asked, ¡°Big brother, have you thought of a way to confirm it?¡±

    Earlier, time was tight, and they were afraid of losing track of the person who might be their mommy, so they only made a preliminary n of who would follow her, without having time to discuss a way to confirm it.

    ¡°Not yet, I¡¯m still thinking. Let¡¯s not talk about it now, we¡¯re going to lose her if we keep talking.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qiaoyu pressed a button on his watch and hung up the call.

    After leaving the seaside, Qiao Jing felt much better.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin then dragged her to a nearbyntern festival.

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t very interested in thentern festival and hadn¡¯t nned to go, but couldn¡¯t resist Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s strong persuasion, so she went with them in the end.

    There were quite a few people at thentern festival, and along the way, many people pointed at Qiao Jing. Some whispered about her, while others openly and brazenly discussed her.

    ¡°Look at that woman, what¡¯s that on her face? It¡¯s so terrifying!¡±

    ¡°That thing looks like e, doesn¡¯t it? But I¡¯ve never seen e this disgusting before!¡±

    ¡°Do you think it might be contagious? If we got it, wouldn¡¯t we be as ugly as her?¡±

    ¡°Probably not, if it were contagious, those two women beside her would have caught it by now. But to be honest, this woman is really ugly!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that woman looks like a toad? Especially with those things on her face, it looks exactly like a toad¡¯s skin, hahaha¡­¡±

    Hearing these extremely unfriendlyments, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were very angry and wanted to confront those who spoke rudely.

    However, Qiao Jing, the person involved, remained calm and stopped the two from confronting them.

    ¡°Let them say what they want. It doesn¡¯t hurt me to be talked about, so there¡¯s no need to let such people affect my mood and waste time.¡±

    Although Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were still indignant, since Qiao Jing said so, they gave up the idea of confronting those people and continued walking with her.

    Zhan Qiaoyu, who was following behind, also heard thosements and felt increasingly ufortable.

    When Qiao Jing and the other two had walked a bit further, he angrily ran to the person who wasughing heartily earlier and shouted fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re the toad! Your whole family are toads!¡±

    The person was momentarily stunned, and when they came to their senses, their face turned dark instantly, ring menacingly at the little guy.

    ¡°You little brat, how dare you insult me? And my whole family? I think you¡¯re itching for a beating!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re a kid, I won¡¯t dare to hit you. Apologize immediately, or I¡¯ll smack your butt!¡±

    Though the person¡¯s threatening demeanor seemed intimidating, Zhan Qiaoyu wasn¡¯t scared at all.

    He puffed up his small face and gave a cold snort, ¡°You¡¯re the one who should apologize! You insulted people first!¡±

    ¡°You little brat, you really don¡¯t know your limits. Seems like I have to teach you a lesson for you to learn!¡±

    After saying this, the person really acted as if they were going to hit Zhan Qiaoyu.

    At this point, everyone around couldn¡¯t just stand by. Some stepped up to protect Zhan Qiaoyu, while others angrily criticized the person who attempted to do harm.

    ¡°How can you, an adult, bear to hit such a small child? This is really disgraceful!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, such a cute kid, how can you have the heart to be mean to him? This is utterly outrageous!¡±

    ¡°I think the kid is totally right, you were the one insulting others first, you¡¯re the one who should apologize!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one thing not to have manners, but to bully a child, that¡¯s just inhumane!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Under the strong condemnation and disdainful gazes of those around, the person¡¯s face turned sour, and finally, unable to withstand it, they slinked away with their tail between their legs.

    After achieving victory, Zhan Qiaoyu wasted no time, afraid of losing them, and quickly chased in the direction Qiao Jing had gone.

    However, he ran quite a distance and still didn¡¯t see any sign of Qiao Jing.

    The little guy was a bit puzzled, there weren¡¯t any other pathways around here, so logically, it shouldn¡¯t be possible to lose them. Why couldn¡¯t he see them at all?

    While Zhan Qiaoyu was feeling confused, he suddenly turned around and bumped into someone.

    Although the bump didn¡¯t hurt, the little guy instinctively rubbed his forehead with his tiny hand, saying, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to, I didn¡¯t know someone was behind me.¡±

    After apologizing, Zhan Qiaoyu looked up and realized he had bumped into the very person he was looking for. His eyes lit up immediately.

    Qiao Jing, who got bumped into, also had a moment of brightness in her eyes.

    Her gaze lingered on the little guy¡¯s face, thinking he was so adorable, his features were delicate and carved like jade.

    When he grows up, he¡¯ll definitely be a heartthrob for countless young girls!

    Besides that, Qiao Jing felt a strange sense of familiarity with the little guy, although she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on why.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, standing nearby, were also stunned by Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s extremely high looks. They stared at him for a while and suddenly felt like he looked somewhat familiar.

    Qiao Lin tugged on Qiao Hong¡¯s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Why do I feel this kid looks a bit like that person from the Zhan Family?¡±

    Qiao Hong nodded in agreement, ¡°I feel the same way.¡±

    After exchanging a nce, Qiao Lin looked back at Zhan Qiaoyu and asked, ¡°Little guy, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu shook his head and said seriously, ¡°My Grandpa Zeng told me not to tell my name to strangers.¡±

    After saying this, he turned to Qiao Jing, blinking his big round eyes, ¡°But if you¡¯re the one asking, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Lin felt a bit aggrieved. She snorted lightly, ¡°Little guy, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so young and already have double standards, isn¡¯t that bad? Treating people differently just to ask a name, have you considered my feelings?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu ignored Qiao Lin¡¯sints, still fixating his gaze on Qiao Jing, eagerly hoping she would ask for his name.

    Qiao Jing was charmed by his cuteness and reached out to touch his little head, an affectionate smile naturally appearing on her face.

    But instead of asking for his name, she asked another question, ¡°Where are your parents?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu suddenly looked aggrieved, pouting, ¡°I don¡¯t have a mommy, mommy is missing.¡±

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, pondering for a moment.

    Judging by the little guy¡¯s words, could it be that his mommy abandoned him?

    But how could his mommy leave behind such a cute and well-behaved child?

    Perhaps something else happened?

    Regardless of the reason, it¡¯s quite pitiful for such a small child to be without his mommy¡­

    After a pause, Qiao Jing asked another question, ¡°Then where did your daddy go?¡±

 Chapter 857 - 845: Mommy, I Finally Found You!

    <h4>Chapter 857: Chapter 845: Mommy, I Finally Found You!</h4>

    "My daddy..."

    Zhan Qiaoyu instinctively wanted to tell the truth, but as soon as he spoke, he immediately changed his words, "I got separated from my daddy. I don¡¯t know where he is now."

    If he told the truth, he would definitely be sent back immediately, then he couldn¡¯t confirm whether this person was his mommy or not!

    Hearing the little guy say this, Qiao Jing had no choice but to ask another question, "Then do you know your daddy¡¯s phone number?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu touched his chin with his little hand, pretended to think for a moment, and then shook his head, "I don¡¯t remember."

    When he said this, the little guy was a bit guilty because he actually had a great memory, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he has a photographic memory.

    But in order not to be sent back so quickly, he had no choice but to say so.

    Seeing that they couldn¡¯t get anything out of him, Qiao Hong felt that this wasn¡¯t going to work.

    She looked down at Zhan Qiaoyu and reverted back to the original question, "Little guy, what¡¯s your name then?"

    The child is young, not knowing or remembering other things is understandable, but surely he can¡¯t be unable to say his own name.

    At the very least, they need to know the child¡¯s name!

    Zhan Qiaoyu nced at Qiao Hong but pursed his little mouth without any intention to answer.

    Qiao Lin recalled the little guy¡¯s selective response earlier, turned to Qiao Jing and said somewhat helplessly, "Seems like he only answers when you ask, little guy."

    Qiao Jing naturally noticed this as well and found it amusing.

    It seems not only does she feel a kinship with this child, the child feels the same about her, thus treating her differently, insisting it must be her asking before he agrees to answer.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing gently patted Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little head and softly asked, "Can you tell me, what is your name?"

    Only then did Zhan Qiaoyu feel satisfied, happily saying his name, "My name is Qiaoyu!"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Lin said in surprise, "What a coincidence? We¡¯re also surnamed Qiao."

    As soon as she said this, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. He looked at Qiao Jing with excitement and asked expectantly, "Are you also surnamed Qiao? Then are you called Qiao Jing?"

    Qiao Jing paused for a moment, her originally indifferent expression suddenly showing some surprise.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also very surprised. They looked at Zhan Qiaoyu and asked in unison, "How do you know?"

    Before they finished speaking, Zhan Qiaoyu had already hugged Qiao Jing, crying out loudly, "Mommy! I finally found you, Mommy, woo woo..."

    Only then did Qiao Jing recover from her earlier surprise.

    Seeing the little guy hugging her and calling her mommy, her heart inexplicably softened and she felt a faint sense of heartache.

    However, the child had clearly mistaken her for someone else. Maybe the name of his mommy was simr to hers?

    There are many people with the same name and surname, even more with the same sound but different characters!

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing patiently exined, "You¡¯ve got it wrong, I¡¯m not your mommy, my name is Qiao Jing, ¡¯Jing¡¯ like scenery, perhaps your mommy has the same name, or it just sounds like mine."

    After exining, she gently stroked Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s tender little cheek and softly asked, "Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?"

    Back then, Jiang Youyi had named her little daughter Qiao Jing.

    Now she had be the third youngdy of the Qiao Family, naturally using this name.

    Despite Qiao Jing¡¯s exnation, Zhan Qiaoyu still clung to her, unwilling to let go, his young face full of stubbornness, "I didn¡¯t get it wrong, you are my mommy!"

    Even if the name was different, he still felt this person very likely to be his mommy.

    Therefore, he must follow her to confirm it more thoroughly!

    Seeing Zhan Qiaoyu like this, Qiao Jing felt a little helpless and didn¡¯t know what to do.

    At this point, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged a nce, both remembering something simultaneously.

    Back then, when they rescued Xiao Jing from the seaside, the doctor had said that Xiao Jing was in a post-partum state.

    Could it be that this little guy in front of them is the child that Xiao Jing gave birth to back then?

    Or is all this just a coincidence?

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged another nce, sharing the same thoughts.

    Xiao Jing lost her memory and couldn¡¯t remember she had been pregnant and given birth, what if she had truly encountered a scoundrel back then and was harmed by that scoundrel, wouldn¡¯t revealing it stimte her, making her recall those painful memories?

    Plus, this matter can¡¯t be judged right now, so it¡¯s better not to mention it.

    Considering these points, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin tacitly decided not to bring it up.

    They looked at Zhan Qiaoyu who was clinging to Qiao Jing and proposed, "Little guy, shall we take you to find your daddy?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu shook his head without hesitation.

    Qiao Jing smiled helplessly and lightly held Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little hand, "How about I hold your hand?"

    This child kept hugging her and wouldn¡¯t let go, she couldn¡¯t even walk!

    "Okay." Zhan Qiaoyu obediently nodded, only then did he let go of Qiao Jing, switching to holding her hand.

    Qiao Hong nced at Zhan Qiaoyu and then at Qiao Jing, speaking somewhat troubled, "Xiao Jing, it seems this child is determined to follow you, what do we do now?"

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips, "Let¡¯s take him home first, he¡¯s so young, we can¡¯t just leave him here alone."

    If this little guy is out here by himself, what if he meets bad people?

    Qiao Lin, standing beside her, added, "Seems we have no choice but to do so."

    Just as the three were about to take Zhan Qiaoyu home, a sudden group of youths emerged from nowhere, blocking their path.

    Their stance made it clear they were deliberately looking for trouble.

    Qiao Lin frowned and red at them, "What do you want?"

    The thugs sized up the three Qiao sisters maliciously, the leader smirked and said, "Nothing much, we brothers just want you sisters to have fun with us for a while!"

    At the moment, Yang Xiaoxiao was hiding excitedly behind a Camphor Tree not far away, eagerly waiting to see a good show.

    The three Qiao sisters had dared to treat her like that earlier, especially the ugly one who had fractured her finger by stepping on it!

    She couldn¡¯t just let this matter go!

    Since she alone wasn¡¯t their match, she would let others teach them a lesson. After all, with a bit of money, plenty of people would heed hermand!

    Qiao Jing coldly surveyed the gradually approaching thugs, expressionless, she spat out a single icy word, "Scram!"

    The thugs were briefly intimidated by Qiao Jing¡¯s aura, but recalling their numbers, there was no reason to be scared by just one woman, they instantly grew cocky again.

    The leader stared at Qiao Jing, snorted coldly, "Quite feisty, aren¡¯t you? I love hard nuts the most. Though you¡¯re not as pretty as the other two, that figure of yours isn¡¯t bad. I¡¯ll y with you first!"

    With those words, he lunged forward to grab Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 858: 846: Testing the Waters

    <strong>Chapter 858: Chapter 846: Testing the Waters</strong>

    Qiao Jing sidestepped to avoid the approaching hand and handed Zhan Qiaoyu over to Qiao Lin next to her, while reminding them, ¡°Step back a little, so you don¡¯t identally get hurt.¡±

    Qiao Lin and Qiao Hong didn¡¯t know what she was nning, but upon hearing her, they instinctively took a few steps back with Zhan Qiaoyu.

    There seemed to be a kind ofpelling force about her!

    The gang leader missed his mark and became somewhat angry and humiliated, his tone turning fierce, ¡°You still dare to dodge? I want to see where you can run to!¡±

    With that, he aggressively reached out to grab Qiao Jing.

    This time, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t dodge; she stood firm on the spot.

    As he lunged at her, she timed it perfectly and delivered a swift side kick, sending him flying.

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡ª¡±

    The gang leader who was kicked flew back,nding on the ground, curling up and howling in pain.

    The other gang members nced at each other, suddenly realizing they were up against a tough opponent!

    However, relying on their numbers, they had no intention of backing down.

    One of them said, ¡°Let¡¯s all tackle her together. I refuse to believe so many of us can¡¯t handle one woman!¡±

    With that, a group of them charged at Qiao Jing, looking as if they were about to tear her apart barehanded.

    Qiao Jing acted entirely on instinct; when to dodge, when to strike, all her reactions were seamless and natural, as fluid as running water.

    Even though she had lost her memory and couldn¡¯t remember anything, it was as if these skills were etched into her bones, ready to deploy when needed.

    In a matter of moments, the thugs were all knocked down by Qiao Jing.

    They were all lying on the ground, screaming in pain, unable to even crawl up.

    Hiding behind the Camphor Tree, Yang Xiaoxiao was so frightened by the scene that her legs went weak. She quickly fled in panic, unnoticed, wearing a pale face.

    Zhan Qiaoyu looked at Qiao Jing with an expression of admiration, further convinced that this person was his mommy.

    Because his aunt had mentioned before that his mommy was extremely skilled!

    This matched perfectly!

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin stood to the side, dumbstruck and gaping in shock.

    They had no idea their sister had such formidable skills!

    The opponents numbered seven, eight, nine¡­ ten. A total of ten people werepletely KO¡¯d by her alone!!

    Such a scene, they had only ever seen on TV before¡­

    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡±

    The suddenly anxious and childish voice of Zhan Qiaoyu broke them out of their stunned state.

    Upon focusing, they saw Qiao Jing holding her head with her hand, looking somewhat pale and evidently unwell again.

    The two sisters rushed forward, supporting her from the left and right, their faces full of worry.

    Qiao Hong spoke first, ¡°Xiao Jing, are you feeling unwell? Let¡¯s take you to the hospital for a check-up.¡±

    Qiao Lin nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s go to the hospital for a check.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Qiao Jing shook her head, calmly saying, ¡°My body is just recovering, and my stamina is low. I overexerted myself just now, so I feel a bit unwell. I just need to rest a bit, and I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s help you sit over there for a rest.¡±

    Saying this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin assisted Qiao Jing to a nearby bench.

    Zhan Qiaoyu followed immediately, his small brows furrowed tightly, watching Qiao Jing with a worried look.

    Seeing how ufortable she seemed, the little guy¡¯s heart was in knots.

    He thought for a moment, then quietly leaned next to Qiao Lin and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my mommy? Why does she look like she¡¯s not well?¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Qiao Lin sighed, briefly exining, ¡°She was sick before, quite seriously, and only recently recovered, so her body is still weak.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu felt even more upset, quickly running back to Qiao Jing¡¯s side on his little legs, silently keeping herpany.

    Meanwhile, on the cruise ship.

    As soon as he entered the cabin, Zhan Qipei noticed Zhan Qiaoyu was missing.

    He called Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo over to ask them, ¡°Where¡¯s your brother? Where did he run off to?¡±

    The brothers exchanged a nce, their fair, handsome little faces showing not a hint of panic, as they had anticipated this.

    Erbao Zhan Qiaoze calmly said, ¡°Grandma came by earlier. Brother missed her a lot, so he went with her to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Zhan Qipei was a bit suspicious, ¡°When did your Grandmae? Howe I didn¡¯t see her? And why didn¡¯t anyone tell me about this?¡±

    Sanbao Zhan Qiaomo responded quickly, blinking and saying, ¡°Grandma saw you were busy, so she didn¡¯t want to disturb you. She asked us to tell you. We were just about to let you know!¡±

    Hearing Erbao and Sanbao¡¯s exnation, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t think much more of it.

    After all, these three sons of his were genius kids, only ever outsmarting others. For anyone else to try and trick them was virtually impossible!

    So, even if what they said wasn¡¯t the truth, he wasn¡¯t too concerned about any issues arising¡­

    After resting on the bench for a while, Qiao Jing felt considerably better.

    Therefore, she, along with Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, took Zhan Qiaoyu back to the Qiao Family.

    Jiang Youyi, worried and waiting in the hall as the three daughters hadn¡¯t returned for such a long time.

    The moment the sound of the door opening reached her, she immediately got up from the sofa and ran to the entryway.

    Only when she saw the figure of Qiao Jing did Jiang Youyi feel at ease.

    Then, she noticed Qiao Jing holding the hand of a finely-featured, both cute and handsome little boy.

    Jiang Youyi loved kids, and a beautiful child like him was all the more endearing to her.

    She smiled warmly at Zhan Qiaoyu, with some curiosity asking, ¡°Whose child is this?¡±

    Qiao Lin raised an eyebrow and answered first, ¡°Mom, this little guy got lost. We happened toe across him and brought him back.¡±

    ¡°Got lost?¡± Jiang Youyi suddenly thought of her youngest daughter.

    She held Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, somewhat sentimentally saying, ¡°Back then, you also got separated from us. Fortunately, heaven was kind, allowing us to find you again and reunite our family.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu, being perceptive, had his suspicions immediately triggered by these words.

    He raised his little face, looking at Qiao Jing and asked, ¡°Mommy, did you get lost before too?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Jiang Youyi, puzzled, spoke, ¡°Mommy? Why is this child calling you Mommy?¡±

    Qiao Hong, somewhat helpless, exined, ¡°This little guy mistook Xiao Jing for his mommy. We¡¯ve already exined it to him, but he just won¡¯t change how he addresses her.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s it¡­¡± Jiang Youyi showed an expression of understanding.

    Zhan Qiaoyu turned his gaze to Jiang Youyi, undeterred in his pursuit, ¡°Grandma, how did my mommy get lost before?¡±

 Chapter 859: 847: Mommy Tells a Story

    <strong>Chapter 859: Chapter 847: Mommy Tells a Story</strong>

    Faced with Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s question, Jiang Youyi seemed to recall carefully for a moment, ¡°This was a matter from many years ago. At that time, Xiao Jing wasn¡¯t as big as you are now¡­¡±

    She paused, then patted her own forehead, looking a bit frustrated, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve really gotten old; I can¡¯t remember how Xiao Jing went missing.¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged a nce, both silently sighing.

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t remember it; this was something their mother had imagined entirely.

    The real Xiao Jing had long since disappeared; it wasn¡¯t a matter of going missing¡­

    Seeing Jiang Youyi thinking so hard, looking quite distressed, Qiao Jing tactfully changed the subject, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about remembering, I¡¯m hungry, let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s voice, Jiang Youyi finally snapped out of her thoughts.

    She showed a smile on her face again, responding repeatedly, ¡°Okay, okay, not thinking about it, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    And so, the group went to the restaurant together.

    During the meal, Zhan Qiaoyu was particrly well-behaved, not picky at all, with an exceptionally sweet mouth, making everyone at the table very happy.

    In the span of one meal, the little guy sessfully won over Jiang Youyi and the Qiao sisters.

    Of course, including Qiao Jing.

    After the meal, Qiao Lin suddenly thought of a question, ¡°This little kid wants to stay at the house, we¡¯ll have to get a room ready for him.¡±

    She turned to look at Zhan Qiaoyu, ¡°Do you want to stay upstairs or downstairs?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu spun around and directly hugged the nearby Qiao Jing, his tender voice filled with determination, ¡°I want to sleep with Mommy, wherever Mommy sleeps, I sleep there!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Qiao Lin¡¯s mouth twitched, turning her gaze to Qiao Jing.

    Looks like the little guy has reallytched onto her Xiao Jing!

    Qiao Jing opened her mouth but hadn¡¯t said anything yet, when Zhan Qiaoyu, afraid she would say words of refusal, quickly began to act cute, ¡°Mommy, I just want to sleep with you, okay? I promise I¡¯ll be good and not be naughty.¡±

    Seeing the little guy being so adorable, how could Qiao Jing not agree?

    She patted the little guy¡¯s head and smiled, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡± Zhan Qiaoyu was so happy he nearly jumped up.

    Remembering that children should go to bed early, Qiao Jing soon took Zhan Qiaoyu back to the room.

    Zhan Qiaoyu was very attached to Qiao Jing, insisting on holding her arm as he slept, hanging on her like a little ko, incredibly cute.

    From time to time, the little guy would tenderly call ¡°Mommy¡± right by Qiao Jing¡¯s ear.

    For some reason, every time Qiao Jing heard him call her ¡®Mommy¡¯, her heart would feel immensely soft.

    Moreover, she had an inexplicable sense of closeness to this child.

    These indefinable feelings stacked up, making it seem like the little guy truly had a blood connection with her!

    After a while, Qiao Jing thought Zhan Qiaoyu was asleep, worried he might catch a cold, and gently tucked him in.

    Who knew, Zhan Qiaoyu suddenly opened his eyes, blinking at her, ¡°Mommy, will you tell me a story?¡±

    ¡°Story?¡± Qiao Jing paused for a moment, ¡°A fairy tale?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yeah, other kids¡¯ mommies tell them bedtime stories.¡±

    Faced with the little guy¡¯s expectant gaze, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t say no.

    She thought for a moment and then softly said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the story of the Three Little Pigs.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Zhan Qiaoyu excitedly pped his hands.

    In fact, he usually read books about hackers and programming, not fairy tales, but he really wanted to hear Mommy tell him a bedtime story; it was so heartwarming!

    ¡°Once upon a time, the pig mommy gave birth to three lovely little pigs¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing had just started the story when Zhan Qiaoyu was reminded of something very important.

    His little face turned serious, and he looked at Qiao Jing without blinking, suddenly asking, ¡°Have you ever had a baby before?¡±

    Qiao Jing was stunned but quickly understood that this little guy was asking to confirm whether she was his mommy.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s prolonged silence, Zhan Qiaoyu furrowed his small brow and continued to ask, ¡°Is your name really this, has it never been changed?¡±

    Hearing the little guy¡¯s persistent questioning, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of heartache.

    She raised her hand to gently stroke his little face and said softly, ¡°I know, you really want your mommy, but I¡¯m really not your mommy, my name truly is this.¡±

    ¡°Plus, I haven¡¯t even married, nor do I have a boyfriend, how could I have a baby?¡±

    Although she was not the biological daughter of the Qiao family, she could feel that they treated her like their own.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s heart, she had long considered herself the youngest daughter of Jiang Youyi¡ªQiao Jing.

    Listening to Qiao Jing, Zhan Qiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed.

    But even after receiving so many negative answers, he still hadn¡¯t given up hope.

    Because he still trusted his own feelings, he felt that the person in front of him had a high possibility of being his mommy!

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte; sleep tight, kids who stay up won¡¯t grow tall.¡±

    Qiao Jing enveloped Zhan Qiaoyu with her arm, gently patting his back.

    In Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace, Zhan Qiaoyu looked up, eagerly saying, ¡°The story hasn¡¯t finished.¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll continue, the three little pigs grew up and pig mommy told them, you¡¯re grown up and can build your own houses¡­¡±

    Listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s soft voice, Zhan Qiaoyu gradually drifted off to dreand.

    That night, he slept soundly and sweetly.

    The next morning, after breakfast, while the others weren¡¯t paying attention, Zhan Qiaoyu sneakily made his way to the back garden.

    He had a thought; maybe he could gather some clues from the other members of this house!

    In the garden, there was a maid trimming the flowers and watering them.

    Zhan Qiaoyu dashed over with his little legs, giving the maid a sweet smile, ¡°Sister, do you need help?¡±

    The maid knew he was the child the three youngdies brought back from outside yesterday.

    Looking at his exquisite little face, the maid found him incredibly charming, her voice naturally softening, ¡°Little one, sister doesn¡¯t need help, you can just watch from the side.¡±

    ¡°But I really want to help, I can help you with this.¡±

    As he said this, Zhan Qiaoyu reached out his little hand and picked up the watering can beside him, tiptoeing to hand it to the maid.

    The maid found him so cute and well-mannered; she liked him even more, epting the watering can, she couldn¡¯t help but start chatting with him, ¡°Little one, how old are you this year?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu held up ¡°four¡± on his fingers, ¡°I¡¯m four years old.¡±

    ¡°So good-looking at four, what will happen when you grow up?¡± The maid couldn¡¯t help but muse.

    Zhan Qiaoyu thought it was about time to get to the main point.

    He tilted his head innocently, ¡°Sister, can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The maid answered without hesitation.

 Chapter 860 - 848: Almost Uncovered Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš True Identity

    <h4>Chapter 860: Chapter 848: Almost Uncovered Qiao Jing¡¯s True Identity</h4>

    Zhan Qiaoyu looked at the maid, and asked again, "Then, sister, would you lie to me?"

    "No, I wouldn¡¯t." The maid shook her head, "A cute child like you, sister can¡¯t bear to lie to."

    Only then did Zhan Qiaoyu feel satisfied enough to ask the question he really wanted to ask, "Has Third Miss Qiao always lived here?"

    The maid froze for a moment, not understanding why Zhan Qiaoyu was asking this.

    If Third Miss doesn¡¯t live here, where else would she live?

    She replied in a muddled manner, "Yes, Third Miss has always lived here."

    Zhan Qiaoyu could tell that the maid didn¡¯t understand his intention, so he straightforwardly rephrased his question, "Then is she the biological daughter of the Qiao Family?"

    These words immediately made the maid¡¯s expression a bit unnatural.

    She hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yes."

    Although she didn¡¯t want to lie to such a cute child, the master, the eldest miss, and the second miss had repeatedly instructed her not to reveal that Third Miss was not biological.

    Zhan Qiaoyu keenly noticed the maid¡¯s odd expression.

    He felt the maid was not being truthful, and immediately looked at her with his clear sparkling eyes without blinking, "Really? You¡¯re not lying to me, are you? You promised you wouldn¡¯t lie to me."

    The maid was utterly charmed by the little one¡¯s serious demeanor.

    She thought, this is just a cute child, even if she told the truth, it probably wouldn¡¯t cause any harm.

    Thinking this way, the maid began, "Actually, Third Miss she..."

    "Isn¡¯t it time you watered the nts? Why are you chatting here? Do you want to quit your job?"

    Qiao Lin hurriedly came over from several meters away and interrupted the maid¡¯s words, giving her a warning re.

    The maid realized she almost made a mistake, promptly closed her mouth, lowered her head, and dared not say another word.

    Qiao Hong followed closely and sent the maid away, "My room¡¯s a bit messy, go tidy it up."

    "Yes." The maid immediately responded, as if pardoned, turning and running away.

    Zhan Qiaoyu pped his forehead with his small hand and shook his head helplessly.

    It seemed his n to coax information had failed!

    When Zhan Qiaoyu returned to his room, Qiao Lin eximed to Qiao Hong in amazement, "This little one is so clever, to confirm if Xiao Jing is his mommy, he¡¯s even checked into whether Xiao Jing is a biological member of our family."

    "If we hadn¡¯t happened toe to the backyard, he might really have gotten it out of her!"

    Qiao Hong frowned slightly, contemting aloud, "Looks like we need to keep these people at home quiet, lest the matter leaks out and reaches Mom¡¯s ears, causing her more distress."

    Qiao Lin sighed unusually, "Yes, our family has finally reached this peaceful state; we can¡¯t afford any more troubles over this matter."

    The sisters were worried, yet trouble came shortly after.

    That afternoon, Qiao Jing sat in the hall watching TV with Zhan Qiaoyu, with Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin nearby.

    The guard rushed in from outside to report in a panic, "The three misses, bad news, that young master from the Jiang family hase again!"

    Qiao Lin shot up from the sofa and coldly snorted, "What nonsense is Jiang Zihong up to? After seeing Xiao Jing¡¯s ¡¯allergies,¡¯ he quieted down, didn¡¯t he? Why is he stilling?"

    This overbearing young master from the Jiang family coveted Xiao Jing¡¯s beauty and used to visit the Qiao Family daily, proposing marriage three times a day.

    After being rejected, he even wanted to forcefully marry Xiao Jing.

    Finally, she and her elder sister discussed it and made Xiao Jing apply a fake skin with imitation pimples to deter Jiang Zihong.

    Who¡¯d have thought, after briefly calming down, he¡¯s here again!

    Qiao Hong hurriedly ordered, "Hurry and stop him, don¡¯t let him set foot in our Qiao Family."

    The guard looked troubled, lowered his head slightly, and said, "Eldest Miss, Young Master Jiang brought quite a few bodyguards with him, we can¡¯t stop him, he should be in the yard now..."

    Qiao Jing instinctively raised her hand to touch her face.

    Because she found it too bothersome to apply and remove the fake skin repeatedly, she hadn¡¯t taken it off since returning yesterday.

    The fake skin was very thin and breathable, not suffocating at all, simr to human skin, so even wearing it all the time wasn¡¯t ufortable.

    She suddenly felt that keeping it on was the right decision; otherwise, she¡¯d be exposed!

    Just then, Jiang Zihong¡¯s coarse voice echoed in the yard.

    "Qiao Jing,e out, your family¡¯s guards and maids can¡¯t stop me."

    "If you don¡¯te out, I¡¯lle in!"

    Hearing Jiang Zihong¡¯s shouting, Qiao Jing got up from the sofa and started walking outside.

    Qiao Lin saw this and immediately rushed to stop her, "Xiao Jing, don¡¯t go, Jiang Zihong surely has bad intentions!"

    Qiao Hong also walked over, sharing Qiao Lin¡¯s sentiment, unwilling to let Qiao Jing go out.

    Qiao Jing remained calm and said slowly, "Even if I don¡¯t go out, Jiang Zihong would still barge in. Mom is resting upstairs, if things get noisy indoors, it¡¯ll disturb her. So I¡¯d better go out and see what¡¯s happening."

    Moreover, she was curious about what Jiang Zihong was up to!

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin initially wanted to stop Qiao Jing, but ended up being persuaded by her few words.

    The three of them went out together to the yard.

    Zhan Qiaoyu silently followed behind.

    Jiang Zihong wore a gaudy suit and had his hair slicked back, with exaggerated sunsses on his face, looking almost like an icon of senselessness.

    Behind him stood a dozen burly bodyguards in ck suits, and a middle-aged man carrying a medical box.

    Seeing Qiao Jinge out, Jiang Zihong removed his sunsses.

    When his gazended on the pimples on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, his expression showed clear disgust, then hemented, "Such a beautiful face once, and now it¡¯s like this, truly heaven envies beauty."

    Qiao Jing gave him a cold nce, her face expressionless, "Get to the point, what are you here for today?"

    "I¡¯m here to save you."

    Jiang Zihong boasted, then pointed to the middle-aged man behind him.

    "Look, I¡¯ve spent a lot of money to invite this doctor, specifically to treat your face. He¡¯s very skilled in treating skin conditions, once he takes action, these things on your face will surely be cured!"

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows but before she could speak, Jiang Zihong continued, speaking to himself, "However, the doctor said, treating this requires quite a bit of time, so I n to take you to my ce for better treatment."

    "Pfft!"

    Qiao Lin, hearing this, exploded in anger and spat, "Jiang Zihong, you speak nicely, but who doesn¡¯t know your real intentions!"

    Qiao Hong agreed disdainfully, "Exactly, thinking our Xiao Jing would go with you? You wish!"

 Chapter 861: 849: The Vicious Young Master Vows to Seize Qiao Jing by Force

    <strong>Chapter 861: Chapter 849: The Vicious Young Master Vows to Seize Qiao Jing by Force</strong>

    Being angrily confronted by Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, Jiang Zihong¡¯s face turned noticeably uglier, his displeasure very clear.

    He red at the two of them, snorted coldly, and said, ¡°I¡¯m talking to Qiao Jing, when did it be your turn to butt in? Get out of here, stop being an eyesore!¡±

    Immediately after, he turned back to Qiao Jing, feigning sincerity, ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t listen to them, I sincerely want to help you heal your face, to restore your once stunning beauty¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke up, interrupting Jiang Zihong coldly, looking at him with icy eyes, and said word by word, ¡°My eldest sister and second sister¡¯s thoughts are my thoughts too.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I think the way I look right now is fine, there¡¯s no need to go to great lengths to change it, you can leave.¡±

    Being directly refused by Qiao Jing and given the boot, Jiang Zihong¡¯s face turned even uglier.

    His expression turned sinister, eyes fixed on Qiao Jing, his tone also cold and ominous, ¡°I came with good intentions to bring people to treat you, and you treat me like this?¡±

    ¡°Whether you want to leave or not, you will leave today!¡±

    After saying this, Jiang Zihong gestured with his hand, signaling the bodyguards behind him to take action.

    Upon receiving themand, the two closest bodyguards charged towards Qiao Jing without a word, reaching out to grab her.

    Qiao Jing reflexively stepped back, barely dodging their actions.

    Then, before the two could react, she swiftly lifted her leg, kicking them away, one with each kick.

    ¡°Bang, bang¡ª¡±

    With two dull thuds, the bodyguards fell beside Jiang Zihong, grimacing and groaning, clutching the ces where they had been kicked.

    Jiang Zihong was stunned for a moment, a look of astonishment on his face.

    He never expected that such a frail-looking woman possessed such agility and skill!

    However, Jiang Zihong thought that a woman he set his sights on, there was no reason he couldn¡¯t get her!

    Recovering his senses, Jiang Zihong immediately ordered the other bodyguards, ¡°What are you standing around for? Go! Get her for me!¡±

    Upon hismand, the remaining bodyguards swarmed aggressively towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing turned her head to nce at Qiao Hong, Qiao Lin, and Zhan Qiaoyu beside them, and gave a reminder, ¡°Step back.¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin quickly nodded, pulling Zhan Qiaoyu to the side.

    Having already witnessed Qiao Jing¡¯s skills, the Qiao family sisters and Zhan Qiaoyu were not worried about her being unable to cope, only concerned that after dealing with these people, her body might feel ufortable again.

    Facing one tall and sturdy man after another, Qiao Jing showed no signs of panic, her face remained indifferent, her eyes cool and sharp.

    In Jiang Zihong¡¯s smug gaze, assuming victory was certain, she took them down one by one with each move. In less than ten minutes, all the previously arrogant bodyguards were lying scattered on the ground.

    For a moment, the courtyard was filled with cries of pain, one after another, unceasing.

    This oue was beyond Jiang Zihong¡¯s expectations, causing his face to be extremely unpleasant.

    He narrowed his eyes, his gaze coldly fixed on Qiao Jing, speaking through gritted teeth, ¡°Qiao Jing, who knew, didn¡¯t expect you had such skills, indeed worthy of being the woman I, Jiang Zihong, fancy, quite a catch!¡±

    ¡°However, if you think this will make me retreat, then you¡¯re dead wrong!¡±

    ¡°You could handle a dozen people, but let¡¯s see how you fare against dozens more!¡±

    As he spoke, Jiang Zihong had already grabbed his phone, calling in reinforcements in front of Qiao Jing and others.

    The Jiang family isn¡¯t far from the Qiao family, taking just about ten minutes by car.

    Originally, these ten minutes were more than enough time for Qiao Jing to beat Jiang Zihong to the point even his parents wouldn¡¯t recognize him.

    However, due to the power disparity between the Qiao family and the Jiang family, the Qiao family could not afford to offend the Jiang family. She could fight the people Jiang Zihong brought, but couldn¡¯t just casuallyy a hand on Jiang Zihong.

    Hurting Jiang Zihong would surely lead the Jiang family to retaliate against the Qiao family.

    Of course, the reason Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t taking action against Jiang Zihong now wasn¡¯t entirely because of that; it was also because she physically couldn¡¯t.

    After fighting the bodyguards, her body started feeling ufortable again.

    She could sense that although she seemed to be healed on the surface, she still needed some time for her body to truly recover to a normal state.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s pale face, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin quickly stepped forward to support her.

    Zhan Qiaoyu also looked at Qiao Jing with a face full of worry, her small brows knitted tightly.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, are you okay? Let me help you sit over here for a bit.¡±

    Saying this, Qiao Hong intended to guide Qiao Jing to a stone bench nearby to rest.

    Qiao Jing shook her head slightly and said in a low voice, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll be fine after a short rest.¡±

    With Jiang Zihong still present, she couldn¡¯t afford to show difort, or it would only give Jiang Zihong more arrogance.

    Qiao Lin, unable to swallow the anger, red at Jiang Zihong with wide eyes and said furiously, ¡°Jiang Zihong, don¡¯t go too far!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting how you keep iming you like Xiao Jing, yet show up with people ready to fight, is this your so-called affection?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s your definition of liking someone, it¡¯s truly revolting!¡±

    ¡°Qiao Lin, you have no say here, so shut the hell up!¡±

    Jiang Zihong red at Qiao Lin with ill-intent, his demeanor arrogant and domineering.

    ¡°I only did this because you all forced me! If Qiao Jing was willing to obedientlye with me, would I have resorted to violence?¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s you two sisters who are ndering me in front of Qiao Jing, ruining my image. Otherwise, things between me and Qiao Jing would¡¯ve already been settled!¡±

    Hearing Jiang Zihong¡¯s words, Qiao Jing, even though she felt unwell, couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    She sneered, gazing at Jiang Zihong as if looking at an idiot, ¡°Jiang Zihong, where do you get the confidence to say such things?¡±

    Already settled?

    What an international joke!

    Even if every man in the world died and only Jiang Zihong remained, she would never be with him!

    ¡°Jiang Zihong, wake up, what are you daydreaming about in broad daylight?¡±

    Qiao Hong chimed in with a scoff, unabashedly retorting, ¡°With you like this, unless someone is blind, no woman would ever fancy you!¡±

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s face turned sullen as he spoke in a somewhat exasperated manner, ¡°Any woman I, Jiang Zihong, set my eyes on, I am determined to get!¡±

    As he finished speaking, his reinforcements arrived.

    About thirty burly men stood fiercely in the courtyard, the scene indeed quite intimidating.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin became a bit flustered, instinctively pulling Qiao Jing back a step.

    ¡°Jiang Zihong, you best not do something reckless¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin¡¯s words were cut off midway by Jiang Zihong¡¯s sinister grin.

    ¡°I insist on being reckless, what can you do about it?¡±

    ¡°Get her, bring Third Miss Qiao back for me!¡±

    At Jiang Zihong¡¯smand, the burly men responded and began to close in on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression suddenly turned icy.

    Even if her body were fine, dealing with so many people would not be an easy task.

    This Jiang Zihong truly is revolting!

 Chapter 862: 850: The Three Little Ones Call Nearly Exposed by Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 862: Chapter 850: The Three Little Ones¡¯ Call Nearly Exposed by Qiao Jing</strong>

    ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    Just as the tough guys were closing in on Qiao Jing, about to grab her, an angry male voice came from the entrance of the courtyard.

    Everyone instinctively looked in the direction where the voice came from.

    They saw a rugged-looking middle-aged man running in quickly.

    ¡°Dad¡¯s back!¡±

    Qiao Lin eximed with joy, and her earlier panic and unease dissipated significantly upon seeing her father, Qiao Weiguang.

    Qiao Hong felt the same way, sighing with relief at her father¡¯s appearance.

    The two sisters both believed that their father would definitely be able to stop Jiang Zihong¡¯s actions!

    Qiao Weiguang quickly walked over to Qiao Jing and the others, shielding them behind him.

    Seeing Qiao Weiguang¡¯s broad back shielding her, Qiao Jing felt a warmth in her heart.

    Even though she wasn¡¯t Qiao Weiguang¡¯s biological daughter, he protected her like his own, which moved her deeply.

    At this moment, Qiao Weiguang¡¯s stalwart face was full of anger.

    He red at Jiang Zihong, speaking with a stern voice full of authority, ¡°Take your people and leave the Qiao Family immediately, or I¡¯ll call the police right now to have them escort you out!¡±

    ¡°Call the police?¡±

    Jiang Zihong sneered disdainfully, ncing sideways at Qiao Weiguang, ¡°What are you going to report me for? Have I murdered or set fire to something? You can¡¯t think this will scare me away?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯tmitted murder or arson, but by bringing so many people to trespass in a private residence and trying to forcibly take my daughter, on these two counts alone, even if it can¡¯t do much to you, it can certainly make you take a trip to the police station!¡±

    Qiao Weiguang¡¯s words were firm and powerful, carrying a sense of intimidation.

    The smile on Jiang Zihong¡¯s face suddenly froze, staring at Qiao Weiguang, and he gritted his teeth, ¡°You dare to threaten me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. This is not a threat, it¡¯s a warning. If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll do as I said and call the police!¡±

    As he spoke, Qiao Weiguang took out his phone and opened the dialing interface.

    ¡°Alright! No need to call the police, I¡¯ll leave with my people this instant.¡±

    Jiang Zihong quickly spoke, stopping Qiao Weiguang¡¯s actions.

    But then he coldly snorted, threatening in a sinister tone, ¡°However, listen carefully. I¡¯ll give you one month. Within a month, I want Qiao Jing to voluntarily step into the Jiang family home. If you can¡¯t achieve that, prepare for your family to fall into ruin and end up on the streets!¡±

    After leaving his harsh words, Jiang Zihong gave Qiao Jing a determined look and then swaggered away with his followers.

    Standing nearby, Zhan Qiaoyu heard Jiang Zihong¡¯s words, and his little face puffed up in anger.

    His eyes fell upon Qiao Jing¡¯s face, noticing her slightly paleplexion, clearly feeling ufortable, he thought about calling his daddy.

    As long as his daddy steps in, the Jiang family would be nothing!

    However¡­

    Zhan Qiaoyu reconsidered, thinking if he contacted his daddy now, wouldn¡¯t his position be exposed?

    That would prevent him from continuing to confirm if she was really his mommy.

    Thinking about this, Zhan Qiaoyu furrowed his little brows.

    After hesitating for a long time, he finally decided against making the call, choosing instead to observe the situation first.

    If that despicable person surnamed Jiang dared to bully anyone, he could ask for his daddy¡¯s helpter!

    The group moved from the yard into the house, and Qiao Hong said worriedly, ¡°Dad, what do we do now? What Jiang Zihong said earlier didn¡¯t sound like a joke, and our Qiao family¡¯s influence isn¡¯t as strong as the Jiang family. If they maliciously suppress us, we might¡­¡±

    We might truly end up with ruin and living on the streets!

    Qiao Hong didn¡¯t finish her words, but everyone understood.

    Qiao Lin gritted her teeth, ¡°No matter what, we can¡¯t let Xiao Jing be with that bastard. I¡¯d rather end up on the streets than watch Xiao Jing be pushed into the fire pit!¡±

    Qiao Weiguang looked at his three daughters with loving eyes and said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if it takes the entire Qiao Family, I¡¯ll make sure none of my daughters get hurt!¡±

    Although the youngest daughter now wasn¡¯t his and his wife¡¯s biological child, in his heart, she was valued as if she were his own.

    He treated all three daughters equally.

    No matter who, they were his precious ones!

    Listening to their conversation, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes welled up slightly with warmth, yet her lips curled into a happy smile unconsciously.

    Meeting the Qiao Family was indeed her great fortune¡­

    Evening.

    During dinner, Zhan Qiaoyu was contemting how to contact his two brothers to exchange information, so he wasn¡¯t very hungry and ate very little.

    Since his smartwatch ran out of battery after hisst call with his brothers, he had taken it off.

    Now, if he wanted to make a call, he would have to borrow a phone from someone in the house!

    Seeing Zhan Qiaoyu in such a state, Qiao Jing thought he might be homesick, which was why he couldn¡¯t eat, so she thought about cutting some fruit for him or making some kid-friendly desserts.

    While she was busy in the kitchen, Zhan Qiaoyu ran over to her, smiling sweetly while looking up at her.

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s adorable face, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    She paused her task and softly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m a little bored and want to y a game. Can I borrow your phone?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu knew how to use his charms. His sparkling big eyes blinked, instantly melting hearts.

    So naturally, Qiao Jing agreed to his request.

    She took out her phone and handed it to Zhan Qiaoyu, reminding him, ¡°Be sure to keep a distance between your eyes and the screen, okay?¡±

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Zhan Qiaoyu nodded repeatedly.

    After taking the phone with a smile, he quickly ran back to his room.

    After closing the door, Zhan Qiaoyu, relying on his good memory, quickly entered a string of numbers on the phone and initiated a video call to his brothers.

    On the other side, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo were cuddled together.

    So, when Zhan Qiaoze answered the video call, the screen showed him and the little face of Sanbao, Zhan Qiaomo.

    Seeing Zhan Qiaoyu on the other end of the screen, Zhan Qiaoze curiously asked, ¡°Brother, why are you using this number to contact us?¡±

    When he saw the unfamiliar number earlier, he almost hung up!

    Luckily, after hesitating a moment, he decided to see what was up before hanging up, so he answered.

    ¡°I borrowed this phone, my watch ran out of battery.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu exined briefly and then added, ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to charge it soon. Afterward, let¡¯s use our watches to keep in touch so we canmunicate promptly if anything unexpected happens.¡±

    After saying this, he promptly asked his two brothers, ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the situation on your side? Did Dad suspect anything?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze shook his head, raising his brows slightly, ¡°We told Dad you were taken by Grandma to stay with her for a few days, so for now, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡±

 Chapter 863 - 851: Zhan Qiaoyu Acts Cute Toward Meng Chuni

    <h4>Chapter 863: Chapter 851: Zhan Qiaoyu Acts Cute Toward Meng Chuni</h4>

    As soon as Zhan Qiaoze finished speaking, Zhan Qiaomo eagerly asked Zhan Qiaoyu about the situation, "Big brother, what about your end? Have you confirmed it? Is she our mommy?"

    "Anyway, I think the possibility is very high because every time I get close to her, I feel especially warm, which is a feeling I¡¯ve never had before."

    As he said this, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s expression was very serious.

    After a pause, he added, "However, there is still no evidence to confirm that she is our mommy. I¡¯ll find another way to confirm it. You two continue to cover for me, and don¡¯t spill the beans!"

    Upon hearing Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s instructions, both Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo responded in unison.

    "No problem!"

    "OKOK!"

    While the three little guys were chatting, the door of Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s room suddenly opened.

    Qiao Jing walked into the room from outside, carrying a fruit tter and snacks.

    Zhan Qiaoyu didn¡¯t expect Qiao Jing toe in at this time and was a bit flustered.

    He was afraid that Qiao Jing would discover that he could contact his family and immediately send him back.

    So, as soon as he saw Qiao Jinge in, he hurriedly pressed the hang-up button and casually put the phone in the corner of the sofa.

    However, what Zhan Qiaoyu didn¡¯t know was that he didn¡¯t press it correctly, and the video call was still ongoing.

    Qiao Jing ced the fruit tter and snacks in front of Zhan Qiaoyu, sat down beside him, and said softly, "I wasn¡¯t sure what you like to eat, so I just made these. If there¡¯s anything else you like, just let me know, and I¡¯ll make it for you."

    Upon seeing the tter and snacks, Zhan Qiaoyu instantly forgot his earlier panic, opened his little mouth in an "O" shape, and eximed, "Wow! Mommy, you¡¯re amazing!"

    "The fruits are shaped like little animals! This chocte cake looks so special, I¡¯ve never seen it before, and this donut, it definitely looks delicious!"

    "Which one would you like to eat first?" Qiao Jing asked with a smile.

    Her gaze always held a motherly love whenever she looked at Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little face.

    Zhan Qiaoyu thought for a moment and pointed at the chocte cake, "I want to eat this first!"

    "Alright, I¡¯ll cut it into small pieces for you."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing picked up a spoon, cut the cake into a few pieces, and handed a piece on a small te to Zhan Qiaoyu.

    After receiving it, Zhan Qiaoyu immediately took a bite.

    Once he tasted it, he couldn¡¯t stop, eating bite after bite, praising, "So delicious! Super delicious!"

    Seeing Zhan Qiaoyu eating like a little squirrel, Qiao Jing was charmed again.

    Her smile deepened, and she gently patted Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little head, speaking softly, "As long as you like it, take your time eating. Don¡¯t rush, these are all yours."

    Through the phone screen, watching the warm interaction between Qiao Jing and Zhan Qiaoyu, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo were filled with envy.

    They whispered to each other quietly.

    "Big brother is so lucky! I also want to eat the mommy-made little animal-shaped fruits and her homemade cake and donuts."

    "I also want to eat, and I want mommy to gently pat my head."

    As the two little ones whispered and stared enviously at the screen, Qiao Jing turned her head and inadvertently caught sight of the phone in the corner of the sofa.

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo reacted quickly. As soon as they saw Qiao Jing nce over, they immediately hid.

    Though they quickly dodged out of the camera¡¯s range, the two kids were a bit anxious, unsure if they had been seen.

    Qiao Jing looked at the screen suspiciously and noticed the interface seemed to be on a video call.

    Just now... she seemed to see two children on the other side of the screen.

    Moreover, those two kids looked a lot like little Qiaoyu.

    But, the scene shed by quickly, and Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t sure if she had seen it wrong.

    Zhan Qiaoyu was happily eating a donut when he noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze shift to the side, making him curious enough to look over.

    One look and he realized the video hadn¡¯t been disconnected, startling him enough to put down the donut and pounce on the sofa, hastily cutting off the call.

    Seeing Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s flustered demeanor only deepened Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicion.

    She asked, "Was that a video call just now? Who were you talking to?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little face immediately lit up with an innocent smile, his eyes blinking at Qiao Jing, "I wasn¡¯t talking to anyone, someone just dialed the wrong number."

    His demeanor was so sincere and innocent that no one could doubt what he said.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicions were dispelled just like that, thinking she might have seen it wrong.

    After all, she wasn¡¯t very sure in the first ce.

    "Alright, give me the phone. It¡¯s not good for kids to look at phones too long; it affects their eyesight."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing reached out, intending to take the phone back from Zhan Qiaoyu.

    Initially, Zhan Qiaoyu instinctively handed the phone to Qiao Jing but suddenly remembered the call history. If she got suspicious and called back, wouldn¡¯t he be exposed?

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s eyes darted, and he began to plead, hugging Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, "I want to y a little longer. I was just halfway through, almost finishing the game. Once I finish it, I¡¯ll stop, okay?"

    "Pretty please? Mommy~"

    Qiao Jing had little resistance to the little guy¡¯s cute pleading and quickly relented, "Alright, you can y for another ten minutes."

    "Yay!"

    After getting his way, Zhan Qiaoyu pretended to y a game and took the opportunity to delete the call history.

    After deleting it, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Meanwhile, on the other side, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo were reviewing what just happened.

    Zhan Qiaomo rubbed his small hands, appearing a bit nervous, "Do you think we were discovered?"

    "I don¡¯t think so." Zhan Qiaoze shook his tiny head and seriously analyzed, "If we were discovered, big brother wouldn¡¯t have just hung up, but would have reacted differently."

    "That¡¯s true." Zhan Qiaomo nodded, the adorable little face full of relief, "Thank goodness..."

    "What are you thankful for?"

    Zhan Qipei walked into the room and heard his son say this and asked casually.

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo were startled by Zhan Qipei¡¯s sudden entrance, the two exchanged a quick nce.

    Seeing his sons¡¯ reactions, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze carried an air of scrutiny, "What¡¯s up? Are you two little guys plotting something again?"

    His three sons were all small but cunning, full of mischievous ideas, sometimes even he, their father, couldn¡¯t figure them out!

    "No, no." Zhan Qiaomo quickly waved his little hands.

    Zhan Qiaoze quickly came up with a reason and said earnestly, "Daddy, we were talking about the game. We almost lost just now, but luckily, we won in the end."

 Chapter 864: 852: The Qiao Familys Headache

    <strong>Chapter 864: Chapter 852: The Qiao Family¡¯s Headache</strong>

    Hearing his son say that, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t think much more about it.

    He touched Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s little head with his right hand and Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s with his left, speaking softly: ¡°In a few days, it will be the day your Uncle Zhou Fu takes an apprentice; he is your mommy¡¯s disciple.¡±

    ¡°By then, I n to bring your brother back from grandma¡¯s ce, and the four of us will go together.¡±

    As soon as he said this, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo instinctively nced at each other, seeing the same tension on each other¡¯s young faces.

    This is troublesome¡­

    They just told big brother there shouldn¡¯t be any problems, and now the problem has knocked on their door!!

    Zhan Qipei was just receiving a business message and did not notice the reactions of his two sons.

    By the time he finished reading the message, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo had already hidden their nervous expressions, showing no sign of anything unusual.

    As he put away his phone, Zhan Qipei nced at the time.

    Seeing it was gettingte, he urged his two sons to hurry and rest, ¡°Alright, kids shouldn¡¯t go to bedte, or you won¡¯t grow tall. You two should get to sleep quickly.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Daddy!¡±

    ¡°Goodnight, Daddy!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo spoke in unison.

    After saying that, the two little ones dashed to bed, pretending to be ready to sleep obediently.

    Zhan Qipei, unaware of his sons¡¯ little schemes, tucked them in and then turned to leave the room.

    As soon as he left, the next second both Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo, who had been pretending to sleep, sat up in a sh.

    The two little ones no longer needed to hide their emotions, and their faces were full of urgency.

    Zhan Qiaomo looked at his brother Zhan Qiaoze, his tiny brows furrowed, ¡°Second brother, what do we do now? If Daddy goes to grandma¡¯s to pick someone up and doesn¡¯t see big brother, our lies will be exposed, and our ns with mommy will be found out!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze touched his chin, looking somewhat serious on his small face.

    He thought for a while and then said to his brother Zhan Qiaomo, ¡°There¡¯s no other way; we can only tell big brother about this and have him return before Dad goes to pick him up.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Zhan Qiaomo nodded, ¡°It seems that¡¯s our only option.¡±

    The two little ones, after discussing, immediately used their smartwatches to send big brother Zhan Qiaoyu a message, informing him of this urgent situation.

    After sending the message, Zhan Qiaomo murmured in his baby voice, ¡°I wonder if big brother has charged his watch?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Zhan Qiaoze patted his brother¡¯s shoulder confidently, saying, ¡°Charging is a piece of cake for big brother; don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s the most tech-savvy among the three of us!¡±

    Just as he finished speaking, the phone watch on Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s wrist beeped.

    It was a message back from Zhan Qiaoyu.

    Zhan Qiaomo blinked his big, clear eyes, shining just like Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s, and eagerly said, ¡°What did big brother say? Open it quickly and see.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze pressed the screen of the watch and opened the received message.

    [I understand the situation you mentioned. You two stall for time; I¡¯ll get back before Dad goes to grandma¡¯s.]

    After reading the message, Zhan Qiaoze immediately replied, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Then, he raised his little brows and said to Zhan Qiaomo, ¡°See, I told you, no power in the watch is a trivial matter for our big brother!¡±

    Only then did Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s furrowed brows rx, and he nodded, ¡°Now we just have to see if big brother can make it back in time.¡±

    On the other side, after finishing the conversation with his two younger brothers, Zhan Qiaoyu put away the smartwatch.

    Thankfully, he acted quickly, taking the phone charger from the nightstand and modifying it to charge the watch.

    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to receive the message from his brothers in time!

    However, given the current situation, he must hurry back¡­

    The next day, in the evening.

    Qiao Weiguang¡¯s assistant came to report on thepany¡¯s situation, and having finished just at dinnertime, Qiao Weiguang decided to have the assistant stay for dinner.

    As the meal was served, the assistant joined the Qiao family at the dining table.

    While eating, Qiao Hong noticed her father looking worried and troubled, so she asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with the business?¡±

    Considering what might trouble her father so much, she guessed it had to be rted to business.

    Qiao Weiguang opened his mouth but only said, ¡°Nothing, just eat.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t say, everyone at the table could tell there was surely something on his mind.

    Qiao Lin put down her utensils, slightly frowning, ¡°Dad, we¡¯re a family, and there¡¯s no need to keep secrets. Just tell us if there¡¯s anything.¡±

    Qiao Jing also put down his chopsticks and looked up at Qiao Weiguang.

    Qiao Weiguang paused in his action of picking up food, hesitated, but didn¡¯t say anything in the end.

    ¡°Dad, are you trying to worry us to death?¡±

    ¡°Dad, just tell us what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Qiao Lin and Qiao Hong, each speaking one at a time, were so anxious they found the food unsavory.

    Jiang Youyi also chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Weiguang, if there¡¯s anything, just tell us. We can work together to solve it.¡±

    Qiao Weiguang just sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it.¡±

    The assistant next to him couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°There is indeed a problem with the business; the Jiang family is targeting Qiao¡¯s, opposing and suppressing us everywhere, even unscrupulously poaching thepany¡¯s clients.¡±

    ¡°President Qiao just didn¡¯t want you to worry¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the assistant¡¯s words, Qiao Jing, Qiao Hong, and Qiao Lin all understood what was going on.

    However, Jiang Youyi, who was resting on the second floor at the time, didn¡¯t know what had happened.

    After listening, she was a bit puzzled and tugged at her husband, Qiao Weiguang, asking, ¡°Why is the Jiang family suddenly targeting our Qiao family? Did we offend them somehow?¡±

    Jiang Zihong knew that under such circumstances, it¡¯s impossible to hide the truth any longer.

    So he simply exined the whole story to Jiang Youyi.

    ¡°You should still remember the eldest son of the Jiang family, Jiang Zihong, right? He used toe to our house every day proposing to marry our Xiao Jing.¡±

    ¡°He came again yesterday with a group of people, using the excuse of curing Xiao Jing¡¯s face, trying to forcibly take Xiao Jing away.¡±

    ¡°I said I would call the police to arrest him for trespassing and attempted kidnapping, and that¡¯s when he left with his people.¡±

    At this point, Qiao Weiguang paused, his expression bing more solemn, ¡°But before leaving, that Jiang kid gave us a month¡¯s deadline, demanding we hand over Xiao Jing within a month, otherwise¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t continue, but Jiang Youyi already understood.

    She hadn¡¯t said anything yet, but Qiao Lin was already boiling with anger and cursed, ¡°That vile bastard Jiang Zihong really dared to attack our family, utterly shameless!¡±

 Chapter 865: 853: Qiao Jing Agrees to Marry Over

    <strong>Chapter 865: Chapter 853: Qiao Jing Agrees to Marry Over</strong>

    Qiao Hong nced at the furious Qiao Lin and shook her head with a sigh, ¡°Cursing Jiang Zihong is useless no matter how much you do it. Save your strength and think of a n instead.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. The urgent task now is to figure out a way to respond. We absolutely can¡¯t let the Jiang family bring down our Qiao Family!¡±

    As soon as Qiao Lin finished speaking, the dining table fell into silence.

    Everyone knew in their hearts that the power of the Qiao Family was notparable to the Jiang family. Saying they woulde up with a n was just wishful thinking.

    If the Jiang family was determined to bring down the Qiao Family, the Qiao Family would be powerless to resist; it would just be a matter of time before they were defeated¡­

    For a time, the atmosphere at the dining table became extremely oppressive.

    Seeing the members of the Qiao Family with furrowed brows and worried expressions, Qiao Jing pressed her lips together and spoke, ¡°I have a way to make the Jiang family back off.¡±

    With these words, everyone turned their attention to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin spoke in unison, ¡°What way?¡±

    Qiao Jing said calmly, ¡°The solution is actually quite simple. I just need to marry into their family.¡±

    Four years ago, if it weren¡¯t for the Qiao Family saving her, she might have died long ago and wouldn¡¯t be alive today.

    Moreover, after saving her, the Qiao Family didn¡¯t just provide her with a shelter; they gave her a warm family.

    In conclusion, the Qiao Family¡¯s kindness to her was as deep as the sea, and she couldn¡¯t just watch them fall because of her.

    If marrying Jiang Zihong was the only way to solve this, she was willing to do it.

    Of course, marriage is one thing, but she definitely wouldn¡¯t let someone like Jiang Zihong touch her.

    Regarding this, she thought it wouldn¡¯t be toote to figure things out after she got married.

    The most pressing matter now was to first solve the immediate crisis facing the Qiao Family!

    Qiao Jing had made this decision after much deliberation.

    However, hearing her speak so nonchntly, the Qiao Family immediately erupted.

    ¡°No way! I disagree!¡±

    Jiang Youyi was the first to object.

    She was very emotional, ¡°Even though I don¡¯t go out much, I know that boy from the Jiang family has a notorious reputation in Nandu as an unscrupulous yboy.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, even if our family really falls, I would never let my precious daughter marry such a man!¡±

    Qiao Weiguang nodded in agreement, then looked at Qiao Jing and solemnly said, ¡°Xiao Jing, what nonsense are you talking? I agree with your mother, I don¡¯t consent to this either.¡±

    Qiao Hong also furrowed her brow and said, ¡°Marrying someone like Jiang Zihong is like jumping into a fire pit. Even if we really can¡¯t think of a solution, we can¡¯t stand by and watch you jump in!¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Lin immediately echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right. If the safety of our family depends on exchanging you, Xiao Jing, I¡¯d rather sleep on the streets!¡±

    Hearing these words, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    Even though there was no blood rtion between her and the Qiao Family, they were willing to risk the entire family business to protect her.

    This kind of bond might be something even true blood rtives wouldn¡¯t be able to do.

    However, she felt it necessary to exin her thinking.

    ¡°Actually, my n is to marry into the Jiang family first, which will make them stop suppressing us. Then I¡¯ll find the right moment to find a way to break free from Jiang Zihong¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish, Qiao Lin interrupted loudly.

    Her emotion was even more agitated than Jiang Youyi, ¡°If you really marry over there and walk through the Jiang family¡¯s door, you¡¯ll be a caged bird. By then, alone and isted, how can you fight the Jiang family? Let alone escape from Jiang Zihong!¡±

    Qiao Hong sat next to Qiao Jing, holding her hand and said, ¡°Xiao Jing, let¡¯s not talk about marrying Jiang Zihong anymore. We won¡¯t let you take that risk.¡±

    Qiao Weiguang and Jiang Youyi also strongly opposed Qiao Jing¡¯s n.

    Seeing their firm stance and increasingly agitated emotions, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t say more for the moment.

    At this time, the assistant nearby suddenly seemed to remember something, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke up, ¡°President Qiao, I have an idea.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Weiguang immediately turned his head to the assistant, signaling him to continue with his eyes.

    The assistant adjusted his expression and continued, ¡°I heard that in a few days, Master Zhou will be epting apprentices. Both the elder and second Miss are from medical backgrounds, so why not take this chance to try your luck? If you can be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice, you won¡¯t need to fear the Jiang family anymore.¡±

    ¡°You mean Master Zhou, the famous medical master Zhou Fu? Divine Doctor Jing¡¯s apprentice?¡±

    As soon as Qiao Weiguang finished speaking, Qiao Lin spoke up, ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t it obvious? Who else could be called Master Zhou!¡±

    As medical students, she and Qiao Hong were of course very familiar with the name Zhou Fu.

    After all, every medical student aspired to be Zhou Fu¡¯s apprentice!

    Qiao Weiguang pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t bing Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice be extremely difficult!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a challengeparable to¡­¡± Qiao Hong thought for a moment and came up with an urate description, ¡°passing a single-log bridge among thousands of troops.¡±

    ¡°Although the hope is slim, it¡¯s our only way at the moment. No matter what the oue, I have to try!¡±

    As she said this, Qiao Lin was very serious and earnest.

    Qiao Hong nodded without hesitation and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡±

    ¡°Alright, you both go give it a try then.¡±

    After speaking, Qiao Weiguang added, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out, Dad will think of another n.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Lin pouted and intentionally said in a resentful tone, ¡°Dad, can you have a little faith in us? We are your daughters; you should trust that your daughters can do it!¡±

    Qiao Hong nced at her, her eyes full of skepticism, ¡°Are you saying you have a lot of confidence in yourself?¡±

    Qiao Lin shook her head straightforwardly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Qiao Hong snorted, ¡°And here I thought you were really confident!¡±

    Qiao Lin chuckled sheepishly and then retorted, ¡°What about you? Are you confident?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Qiao Hong shrugged.

    With their back-and-forth banter, the oppressive atmosphere at the dining table eased considerably.

    The matter of bing an apprentice was thus decided.

    The departure date was set for two dayster¡­

    Two days passed quickly.

    On the day of departure, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin each pulled a suitcase, ready to leave.

    Qiao Jing, Qiao Weiguang, and Jiang Youyi escorted them to the door.

    ¡°Elder sister, second sister, good luck, and may you seed right away!¡±

    Qiao Jing cheered them on.

    Qiao Hong smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll give it our all.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Qiao Lin suddenly had a sh of insight, and with a smiling face, she linked arms with Qiao Jing, ¡°How about youe with us, Xiao Jing? You haven¡¯t been to the imperial capital yet. It¡¯s the most prosperous city in our country, far more flourishing than Nandu.¡±

 Chapter 866: 854: Mommy, I Want a Hug

    <strong>Chapter 866: Chapter 854: Mommy, I Want a Hug</strong>

    ¡°Forget it.¡± Qiao Jing shook her head and said to Qiao Lin, ¡°You and big sis can go, I¡¯m not going.¡±

    Whether the capital is bustling or not, she wasn¡¯t interested.

    Besides, she never liked being part of lively events.

    ¡°Come on, just go.¡± Qiao Lin lightly shook Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, with a hint of coquettishness, ¡°If youe with us, we¡¯ll feel more confident.¡±

    After saying that, she looked at Qiao Hong, winking and asking, ¡°Big sis, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Qiao Hong nodded, also encouraging, ¡°Xiao Jing,e with us to the capital. It will also keep that scumbag Jiang Zihong from pestering you again.¡±

    Qiao Weiguang and Jiang Youyi both felt that the eldest daughter¡¯s words made a lot of sense.

    They also began to persuade Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, go with your two sisters, take a break from it all, treat it as a way to rx.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Weiguang finished speaking, Jiang Youyi added, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve been sick for the longest time and haven¡¯t gone out much. This time to the capital, let your sisters show you around properly.¡±

    The four of them spoke one after another, making Qiao Jing feel embarrassed to refuse anymore, so she agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    After they agreed, Qiao Jing went back to her room to pack her luggage, then went to the capital with Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    The car was arranged by Qiao Weiguang, a nine-seater Mercedes-Benz.

    Also going was Zhan Qiaoyu.

    Seeing Qiao Jing going to the capital, the little guy naturally followed without hesitation.

    Besides, he was supposed to return in the next couple of days anyway, so this trip was just what he had hoped for!

    A few hourster, Qiao Jing and the others sessfully arrived in the capital.

    The car stopped at the entrance of a hotel.

    The hotel was also pre-booked by Qiao Weiguang, an apartment-style suite with exactly three rooms.

    After getting off the car, Qiao Jing and the others went into the hotel and put their luggage in the suite.

    After resting for a while in the suite, the three of them took Zhan Qiaoyu out and found a nearby restaurant to eat.

    Halfway through the meal, the smartwatch in Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s pocket suddenly buzzed.

    He discreetly checked the watch when Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t noticing and found a message from his younger brother.

    [Big brother, emergency! Dad ns to go to grandma¡¯s to pick you up, have youe back? If so, hurry over!!]

    After reading the message, Zhan Qiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but furrow his small brows.

    Dad¡¯s action was really fast?

    Seems like he had to leave; otherwise, things might be exposed!

    But he was really reluctant to leave mommy¡­

    Zhan Qiaoyu quickly replied with ¡°Got it,¡± then put his watch back in his pocket.

    After finishing, he turned his head, lifting his fair and adorable face, looking tenderly at Qiao Jing.

    Feeling the little guy¡¯s gaze, Qiao Jing paused in her eating and turned her head to look at him, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, I want a hug.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu blinked his big, round eyes, reaching out for Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing was slightly taken aback; although this child was very clingy, it was his first time openly asking for a hug like this.

    Seeing his expectant little face, Qiao Jing felt a warmth in her heart, and she reached out to pull him into her arms.

    Zhan Qiaoyu nestled in Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace, feeling that this hug was very warm and gave him a sense of happiness.

    This feeling made him even more unwilling to leave.

    He lifted his head, his sparkling eyes gazing unblinkingly at Qiao Jing, looking adorable and soft, ¡°Mommy, can you feed me?¡±

    If Zhan Qiaoze, Zhan Qiaomo, or any other familiar member of the Zhan Family were present and saw this scene of him acting cute, asking for hugs and to be fed, they¡¯d surely be shocked!

    Because Zhan Qiaoyu and his two younger brothers were known for being independent.

    Such acts of coyness were rare for the three little guys.

    And ever since they were old enough, they always fed themselves and never asked adults for help.

    Only when facing Qiao Jing would Zhan Qiaoyu show such a childlike side, like other kids his age.

    For Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s request, Qiao Jing naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse.

    Actually, it wasn¡¯t just this child wanting to cling to her; she, for some inexplicable reason, also wanted to give this child more care and love.

    These feelings came straight from her heart, though she couldn¡¯t pinpoint the reason.

    Qiao Jing curled her lips into a smile, holding Zhan Qiaoyu with one hand while using the other to scoop a spoonful of egg millet porridge into his mouth.

    Zhan Qiaoyu took bite after bite, eating with great appetite.

    Quickly, the bowl of millet porridge was finished.

    ¡°So full!¡± Zhan Qiaoyu patted his little belly, then raised his thumb, ¡°Mommy¡¯s porridge is so delicious! It¡¯s the tastiest and most wonderful porridge I¡¯ve ever had!¡±

    Sitting across the table, Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Little guy, did you grow up eating honey? Your words are so sweet.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu tilted his head, replying earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled, lifting her hand to fondly mess up the little guy¡¯s hair, her gaze unconsciously filled with a mother¡¯s tender love.

    After the meal, the group left the restaurant and returned to the hotel suite.

    They each went back to their rooms, with Zhan Qiaoyu naturally following Qiao Jing.

    During this time, Qiao Jing went to the bathroom.

    While she was away, Zhan Qiaoyu found some paper and a pen to write a note.

    Though reluctant, he knew he had to leave first.

    Once the note was written, he ced it prominently on the coffee table, then quietly left without disturbing anyone.

    When Qiao Jing came out of the bathroom, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s figure was already gone.

    She assumed the little guy was just in the living room, so she called out ¡°Qiaoyu,¡± but received no response.

    Then she noticed the note on the coffee table.

    The handwriting was neat, not what you¡¯d expect from a four-year-old, but it was indeed signed as ¡°Qiaoyu.¡±

    [Mommy, I just saw daddy. I went to find him first. I¡¯ll miss you, and you have to miss me too!]

    After reading the note, a surge of sadness filled Qiao Jing¡¯s heart, as if she¡¯d lost a precious treasure she¡¯d just regained.

    As she was staring nkly at the note, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin came running over.

    Both had heard her call ¡°Qiaoyu¡± earlier.

    Qiao Lin was the first to ask, ¡°What¡¯s up with the little guy?¡±

    ¡°He went to find his daddy.¡±

    Qiao Jing said, handing the note to them.

    After reading it, Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°This little guy appeared so suddenly and just as suddenly left without even saying goodbye in person.¡±

    Qiao Hong, being more perceptive, noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s somber mood and knew she missed Zhan Qiaoyu.

    To be honest, she herself was reluctant to see such an adorable and clever little guy go.

 Chapter 867: 855: Suddenly Remembered Something

    <strong>Chapter 867: Chapter 855: Suddenly Remembered Something</strong>

    Qiao Hong patted Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder,forting her, ¡°The little guy has been sticking to you these days, so it¡¯s normal to feel uneasy after he¡¯s suddenly gone. But it¡¯s also a good thing that he found his family.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, said nothing, and silently folded the note and put it away.

    Only then did Qiao Lin btedly realize that Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s departure inevitably affected Qiao Jing¡¯s mood.

    She thought for a moment, then hooked Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and smiled, saying, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go out for a walk together and get some fresh air.¡±

    Qiao Jing originally wanted to refuse, but under the soft persuasion of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, she still went out with them.

    At the same time, Zhan Qiaoyu was in a rush, hurrying ahead of Zhan Qipei, arriving at the gates of Purple Garden.

    He managed to arrive first, thanks to his two brothers who helped dy time.

    However, as he just breathed a sigh of relief, he saw his daddy¡¯s car pulling in.

    As soon as the car stopped, Zhan Qiaoyu ran over, calling crisply, ¡°Daddy!¡±

    Zhan Qipei looked outside the car and found only Zhan Qiaoyu, feeling slightly suspicious, ¡°Why are you alone outside?¡±

    His mom and dad cherished these three little ones greatly, so logically, they wouldn¡¯t let Qiaoyu stay outside alone.

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s adaptability was strong, hearing Zhan Qipei¡¯s slightly suspicious question, he didn¡¯t show the least bit of panic.

    He nced at Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo in the back seat and calmly said, ¡°Because my brother messaged me saying Daddy you¡¯reing to pick me up, and would arrive soon, so I came out to wait for you. Actually, I just came out from inside.¡±

    After saying this, afraid Zhan Qipei might ask more, Zhan Qiaoyu said earnestly, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma were supposed to apany me, but I refused them. I¡¯m a man, going out shouldn¡¯t needpany, what would that look like!¡±

    Upon hearing this from his son, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t continue to press on the matter.

    After all, it seemed to him that his son had no need to lie.

    Passing the test, Zhan Qiaoyu sighed in relief, climbed into the car with his short legs, and sat with his two brothers.

    The two brothers secretly gave Zhan Qiaoyu a thumbs up.

    They were quite impressed with Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s way of handling it just now!

    While turning the car, Zhan Qipei said to Zhan Qiaoyu, ¡°Originally, you could stay with your grandparents for a while, but Uncle Zhou Fu will be taking on an apprentice in a couple of days. He¡¯s your mommy¡¯s apprentice, so for such a big event, all four of our family must attend.¡±

    At these words, Zhan Qiaoyu suddenly felt a bit excited.

    Earlier, when his two brothers messaged him, they only said daddy was picking him up, without mentioning the reason.

    Unexpectedly, it was for this!

    This is perfect; Third Miss Qiao hase to the capital to apany her two sisters to Master Zhou¡¯s ce to be apprentices.

    When Daddy sees Third Miss Qiao, it¡¯s possible he might determine whether Third Miss Qiao is their mommy¡­

    While Zhan Qiaoyu secretly shared insights with his two brothers, Qiao Jing was being dragged around by Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Walking through the streets, everywhere Qiao Jing looked felt strangely familiar, as if she had been here before.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were in high spirits, chatting andughing the whole way without stopping.

    As they wandered around, Qiao Lin inadvertently turned her head, discovering that across the street was the famous Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    She got excited, immediately raised her hand, and said to Qiao Jing and Qiao Hong, ¡°Look, it¡¯s Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!¡±

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d be lucky enough to end up here just by wandering around!¡±

    Qiao Hong was quite excited too, taking out her phone and snapping away at the institute¡¯s gate, ¡°Later on, I can say I¡¯ve been to Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!¡±

    ¡°I need to take more pictures, then send them to our dad and mom, let the two elders broaden their horizons too!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Qiao Lin suddenly sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a pity Professor Qiao is missing; otherwise we could wait here, maybe we¡¯d be lucky enough to see Professor Qiao.¡±

    Feeling her photos were sufficient, Qiao Hong put the phone away, casually saying, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what Professor Qiao looks like; even if Professor Qiao stood right in front of you, you wouldn¡¯t recognize him.¡±

    Qiao Lin was silent for a few seconds, and finally muttered, ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡±

    While they were close, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s words didn¡¯t reach Qiao Jing at all.

    She stared at the institute¡¯s gate nkly, feeling that this ce was even more familiar than others.

    That feeling of having been here before was particrly strong.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s explore ahead.¡±

    Qiao Lin finished speaking, then directly took Qiao Jing forward.

    Only then did Qiao Jing snap back to reality, though the sense of familiarity didn¡¯t fade.

    The three walked a while longer, and when they passed an apartment building, Qiao Jing suddenly stopped.

    She looked up and saw therge words ¡°Nantai Apartment¡± on the apartment¡¯s exterior wall.

    Qiao Hong looked at her somewhat suspiciously, ¡°Xiao Jing, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Qiao Lin also appeared quite bewildered.

    Regarding Qiao Jing¡¯s abrupt halt, both sisters were puzzled.

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips, slowly saying, ¡°I seem to have been here before, it feels very familiar.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Qiao Hong hesitated, ncing at Qiao Lin.

    Qiao Lin spoke quickly, directly voicing her thoughts, ¡°Xiao Jing, if you say so, maybe you lived here before. Try to think, maybe you¡¯ll recall something.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze swept across the surroundings inch by inch, striving to remember.

    However, her memory of four years ago waspletely nk, not only unable to recall anything but also feeling a faint headache.

    Seeing her furrow her brows and raise a hand to press her temples, Qiao Hong knew she was ufortable and quickly said, ¡°Xiao Jing, if you can¡¯t remember, don¡¯t force it; this kind of thing can¡¯t be rushed.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qiao Lin also joined inforting, then suggested, ¡°When we go be apprentices, whether sessful or not, let¡¯s stay here for a while longer so you can slowly remember, and also avoid harassment from that scoundrel Jiang Zihong¡ªa win-win!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Feeling a bit of headache, Qiao Jing simply responded.

    Seeing her difort, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin immediately led her back.

    At this time, Zhan Qipei had returned with the three little ones.

    The car just happened to brush past Qiao Jing and the others.

    Zhan Qiaoyu turned his head casually, glimpsing Qiao Jing¡¯s figure through the car window.

    But when he squished against the window to get a closer look, that figure had already faded into the crowd, impossible to find again.

 Chapter 868: 856: Qiao Jing Unknowingly Walks to the Entrance of Professor Qiaos Research Institute

    <strong>Chapter 868: Chapter 856: Qiao Jing Unknowingly Walks to the Entrance of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute</strong>

    The two younger brothers were very curious about Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s actions.

    As soon as they got out of the car, the two of them tugged at him and asked softly, ¡°Big brother, what were you looking at through the car window just now?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu, sandwiched between his two brothers, lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°I think I just saw someone who might be our mommy.¡±

    ¡°Where? Where?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo immediately turned their little heads and looked around.

    ¡°Gone.¡± Zhan Qiaoyu shook his head, his little eyebrows furrowed slightly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t find her, maybe I was mistaken.¡±

    The two younger brothers pouted and were instantly a bit disappointed.

    Seeing his three sons not catching up, Zhan Qipei paused his steps, turned around, and saw the three huddled close, whispering as if they were plotting something.

    However, this was the usual with the three little ones. He had no intention of delving deeper, simply urging, ¡°What are you three dawdling about back there? Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Coming,ing!¡±

    The three little ones responded in unison, then ran towards Zhan Qipei.

    At this time, Qiao Jing had already returned to the hotel with Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Once inside the suite, she went straight to her room.

    Originally, Qiao Jing nned to take a nap and have a good rest.

    After all, today was filled with riding and strolling, inevitably leaving her a bit weary.

    However, as soon as she closed her eyes, the streets and sceneries she had walked through earlier shed before her vision.

    Especially Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute and Nantai Apartment; they seemed engraved in her mind and couldn¡¯t be shaken off.

    Even though she couldn¡¯t recall anything, she believed she must have been to, or stayed at, those two ces before¡­

    In the end, Qiao Jing barely managed to fall asleep for a while.

    When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already darkened.

    After dinner, while Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin went back to their rooms for a bath, Qiao Jing went out alone.

    She wanted to take another walk to see if she could remember anything.

    Walking on the nighttime streets of the imperial city, she deeply felt that Qiao Lin was right; this city was indeed prosperous, far more so than Nandu¡­

    Lost in thought for a moment, Qiao Jing unknowingly found herself at the entrance of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    During the day, she and her two sisters from the Qiao Family had only observed this ce from across the street.

    Now, she was standing directly at the main entrance.

    Moreover, when Qiao Jing came back to her senses, she found one foot was almost stepping into the institute¡¯s gate.

    Seeing this, the security guard hurried over to stop her, politely reminding, ¡°Sorry, Miss, you can¡¯t go in. This area is for internal staff only, others are not allowed to enter.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand,¡± Qiao Jing replied calmly.

    Having said that, she took a thoughtful nce inside, then turned to leave.

    At this time, Xu Hongzu, just finished with his work, wasing out of the institute.

    Earlier, he had seen from a distance that the guard stopped a woman.

    However, due to the angle and distance, he couldn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s figure clearly.

    As he got closer, Xu Hongzu asked the guard, ¡°What happened just now?¡±

    ¡°Elder Xu,¡± the guard greeted respectfully before exining, ¡°It was nothing much; it seemed that woman wanted toe in, so I stopped her.¡±

    While speaking, the guard pointed at Qiao Jing¡¯s gradually receding figure.

    Xu Hongzu looked in the direction pointed by the guard and saw a vague, slender back figure.

    This silhouette gave him an unusually familiar feeling as if Qiao Jing had returned!

    The thought shed through his mind, and Xu Hongzu¡¯s actions moved faster than his thoughts; before realizing it, he was already chasing after her.

    However, just as Xu Hongzu was about to cross the street, a truck suddenly sped by, forcing him to stop.

    By the time the truck had passed, the figure had vanished, turning into some unknown corner.

    Standing still, Xu Hongzu shook his head, murmuring to himself, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m so desperate to see Xiao Jing that I¡¯m starting to hallucinate. If Xiao Jing were back, how could she note to see me¡­¡±At Nantai Apartment.

    Before heading out, Zhan Qipei patted each of his three sons on the head and instructed, ¡°Daddy is going out for a bit; you three y at home and head to bed when it¡¯s time, understand?¡±

    His three sons were born gifted, taking after their mother, never giving him a bit of worry.

    Thus, even leaving these three little ones at home alone didn¡¯t concern him.

    ¡°Got it, Daddy!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daddy, we¡¯ll take good care of ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, Daddy, you can go now, we¡¯ll be good.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu, Zhan Qiaoze, and Zhan Qiaomo replied one after another.

    The three identical, adorable little faces seemed incredibly well-behaved.

    Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but ruffle their little heads again.

    Subsequently, watched by the three little ones, Zhan Qipei left the apartment.

    Tang Yan was already waiting downstairs with the car.

    After getting into the car, Tang Yan started the car and headed to a bar.

    In the VIP room, several business executives ready to discuss cooperation had already arrived.

    Zhan Qipei entered the room and sat down straight on the sofa.

    While discussing business, he kept drinking, one ss after another, filling up as soon as it emptied.

    The business executives were all in awe.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of President Zhan¡¯s vast capacity for liquor, now it¡¯s proven to be true!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, with President Zhan¡¯s drinking capacity, even the sum of us might not keep up.¡±

    ¡°President Zhan not only excels in business but also surpasses others in drinking; truly extraordinary!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Unlike the business executives, Tang Yan felt a bit anxious watching from the side.

    One can¡¯t drink like this!

    Drinking like this isn¡¯t something even a body of iron could withstand!!

    After hesitating for a moment, Tang Yan still moved closer and whispered, ¡°President Zhan, you should drink less, can¡¯t continue like this; drinking too much harms the body!¡±

    Zhan Qipei nced at him, his deep ck eyes revealing no emotion.

    The next second, Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze and continued drinking, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Tang Yan at all.

    Tang Yan sighed helplessly.

    Ever since Madam went missing, whenever President Zhan drank, he never held back, as though deliberately trying to intoxicate himself into forgetting everything¡­

    After concluding business, Zhan Qipei emerged from the bar, quite drunk¡ªnotpletely so, but not well off either.

    Tang Yan truly had to put in a lot of effort to get him into the car.

    On the way back, rain began to pour from the skies unexpectedly.

 Chapter 869 - 857: Zhan Qipei Grabs Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Hand

    <h4>Chapter 869: Chapter 857: Zhan Qipei Grabs Qiao Jing¡¯s Hand</h4>

    They say it never rains but it pours, and this saying couldn¡¯t be more true.

    It¡¯s bad enough that it¡¯s pouring rain, but my car broke down halfway!

    Tang Yan suddenly felt a headacheing on, his head was hurting terribly.

    Although Zhan Qipei was quite drunk, he could still feel the car suddenly stop.

    He leaned against the back seat, his eyes half-closed, one hand supporting his head, his thin lips slightly parted, "Why did it stop?"

    Tang Yan turned his head and said honestly, "President Zhan, the car has broken down, it can¡¯t move."

    "I¡¯ll go down and see what¡¯s going on. If it really doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll have to call someone toe and get us, and then have someone tow this car away for repair."

    After saying this, Tang Yan casually grabbed the car¡¯s umbre and opened the door to get out.

    He hurried to the front of the car, opened the hood, and checked the cause of the car¡¯s malfunction, braving the heavy rain.

    After checking for a while, Tang Yan was frustrated to find that this problem was quite tricky, probably only a professional could handle it, anyway, he couldn¡¯t solve it.

    He took out his phone, nning to contact someone toe to the rescue.

    But perhaps due to the rain, themunication signal wasn¡¯t good, and he couldn¡¯t get through to anyone.

    Helpless, he could only run a little further away to a ce with a better signal to make a call.

    Just as Tang Yan ran off, a slender figure ran through the rain toward Zhan Qipei¡¯s car.

    This figure was Qiao Jing, who had left the research institute earlier.

    Qiao Jing never expected it to suddenly rain heavily on this day.

    She didn¡¯t have the habit of bringing an umbre when going out, so she waspletely drenched.

    Especially as the rain hit her face, the fake skin with fake pimples stuck to her face became sticky, making her feel ufortable.

    Originally, she only put it on to annoy Jiang Zihong.

    Now, since it¡¯ste at night and Jiang Zihong is not in the capital, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t mind as much and temporarily peeled off the fake skin.

    After removing it, she indeed felt much morefortable.

    Soon after, Qiao Jing saw a car parked by the roadside.

    Through the half-open window, she could vaguely see someone in the back seat.

    She thought of going over to ask if they could help give her a ride, otherwise, she would definitely be soaked to the bone by this rain!

    Soon, Qiao Jing ran to the side of the car, raised her hand, and knocked on the window.

    Hearing the noise, Zhan Qipei opened his eyes. Because he was drunk, his gaze was a bit dazed, and he was somewhat confused.

    He instinctively thought it was Tang Yan returning and casually said, "Finished so quickly?"

    As he said this, Zhan Qipei conveniently opened the car door.

    The next second, a face suddenly entered his field of view.

    A face he had longed for over thousands of days and nights!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s pupils shook, and he was momentarily stunned.

    Qiao Jing blocked the top of her head with one hand, trying to shield herself from the pouring rain, slightly leaning down to look inside the car and politely inquired, "Sir, hello, may I trouble you to give me a ride? This rain is really too much, I..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, her wrist was suddenly tightly held by arge hand stretched out from inside the car.

    The moment he touched Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei was so excited that even his fingertips trembled.

    He grasped her firmly, wanting to pull her into the car, and hold her in his arms.

    Qiao Jing was startled by his sudden action and instinctively shouted, "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

    Just standing outside the car, she could smell a strong scent of alcohol.

    Combining this with his actions, she thought she had encountered a drunkard!

    Zhan Qipei acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, stubbornly holding her hand and insisting on pulling her into the car.

    Qiao Jing struggled, trying to escape the man¡¯s grasp, but couldn¡¯t help silentlymenting: this drunkard is actually quite handsome.

    Not to exaggerate, this might be the most handsome man she had ever seen!

    But...

    Why does this man look a bit familiar?

    Qiao Jing took another careful look and realized it was the man her eldest sister and second sister had pointed out to her at the beach.

    The very president Zhan who was bitterly searching for his wife and was very devoted!

    As they tugged back and forth, Qiao Jing¡¯s strength was no match for Zhan Qipei. Not only was she pulled into the car, but she was also pressed under him.

    Zhan Qipei held Qiao Jing tightly. Even though he was drunk, he knew he absolutely couldn¡¯t let go.

    He was afraid that if he released his grip, she would disappear again.

    "You finally came back..."

    "Do you know? I missed you, I really missed you..."

    "Don¡¯t leave me again, okay..."

    Zhan Qipei muttered.

    Whether it was his voice being too maic and captivating, or the intoxicating scent of alcohol on him, Qiao Jing was momentarily dazed.

    Not until he was about to lower his head to kiss her did Qiao Jing suddenly regain her senses. She hurriedly reached out to resist his chest, preventing him from getting closer.

    However, because her body hadn¡¯t recovered yet andbined with the man¡¯s increased strength due to drinking, he easily pulled her resisting hands apart.

    No matter how Qiao Jing struggled, in the end, the man got his way.

    He kissed her lips, deeper and more passionately with each kiss...

    Qiao Jing had no other option but to go along with him for the moment, letting him gradually lower his guard.

    With the deep kiss, the atmosphere in the car began to heat up.

    Zhan Qipei did gradually rx as well.

    When he finally left Qiao Jing¡¯s lips, hisrge hand gently stroked her face, looking at her with a fond gaze, intending to say something. But Qiao Jing unhesitatingly raised her hand and, taking advantage of his inattention, struck the side of his neck with a hand chop.

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyes widened, seeming somewhat in disbelief.

    But before he could react, he copsed onto the seat unconscious.

    Qiao Jing sat up straight, angrily staring at the man who had already passed out.

    This awful drunkard dared to take advantage of her under the guise of intoxication!

    Did he think just because he was handsome, he could do whatever he wanted!!

    For a moment, Qiao Jing really wanted to take advantage of his unconsciousness to teach him a hard lesson, so he would learn a good lesson.

    But when it came time to take action, Qiao Jing suddenly remembered what Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had told her about President Zhan¡¯s experiences.

    His wife had disappeared for so many years, and since it was due to a sea ident, it was likely she did not survive.

    Yet he still held on, searching bitterly, showing he was indeed a rare devoted person.

    Thinking about it, he probably drank too much, and his longing had driven him, which was why he mistook her for his wife and did what he just did.

    Thinking of these things, Qiao Jing ultimately decided against dealing with Zhan Qipei and didn¡¯t take any action against him.

    Fortunately, the rain outside had stopped. Qiao Jing got out of the car and went straight back to the hotel.

    At this time, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were pacing anxiously in the living room.

    The two had just taken a bath, only toe out and find Qiao Jing missing.

    They called her, only to discover she had left her phone in the room, not taking it with her.

 Chapter 870: 858: I Saw Her!

    <strong>Chapter 870: Chapter 858: I Saw Her!</strong>

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were eager to go out and search, but they didn¡¯t know where to start. All they could do was wait in the suite, unable to do anything.

    They were so anxious that they paced in circles!

    Upon hearing the door open, the sisters rushed to the entrance immediately.

    Seeing Qiao Jing walk in, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Qiao Hong pulled her towards the living room, expressing her lingering fear, ¡°Xiao Jing, how could you go out without telling us, and you didn¡¯t even take your phone. You really scared us.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s worried faces, Qiao Jing felt a bit apologetic, ¡°I made the older sisters worry. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡±

    The reason she hadn¡¯t informed them was that she originally only nned to stroll nearby, not intending to go far.

    However, she truly forgot her phone, it wasn¡¯t intentional¡­

    While Qiao Hong and Qiao Jing were talking, Qiao Lin silently scanned Qiao Jing from head to toe on the side.

    Qiao Lin initially wanted to confirm if Qiao Jing was injured but identally discovered her lips were a bit red and swollen!

    ¡°Xiao Jing, what¡¯s wrong with your lips? They were fine just a moment ago, but after going out they turned like this? They¡¯re swollen!¡±

    While speaking, Qiao Lin furrowed her brows slightly and got closer, carefully inspecting Qiao Jing¡¯s lips.

    Qiao Jing instinctively raised her hand to cover herself, quickly thinking of what to say.

    She said casually, ¡°I just ate something outside and identally bit my lips. It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qiao Lin was skeptical, as it didn¡¯t seem like she identally bit her lips.

    Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t overthink it, concernedly saying, ¡°Does it hurt? Do you need me to buy some medicine to apply?¡±

    ¡°I saw there¡¯s a pharmacy outside the hotel, wait a bit, I¡¯ll go get it now.¡±

    With that, Qiao Hong turned to walk outside.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing hurriedly stepped forward to stop her, ¡°No need, it¡¯s just a minor issue, it¡¯ll be fine by morning, no need to apply medicine.¡±

    ¡°Applying medicine will heal it faster¡­¡±

    ¡°Really, no need.¡±

    Qiao Hong wanted to convince Qiao Jing, but was interrupted by Qiao Jing¡¯s firm tone.

    Seeing her so resolute, Qiao Hong no longer insisted and changed the topic, ¡°Alright, then we won¡¯t buy the medicine. But you should change your clothes quickly, it¡¯s wet from the rain and we hadn¡¯t noticed earlier.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Older sister, second sister, it¡¯ste, you should go back to your rooms and rest.¡±

    After saying this, she gave Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin a faint smile and turned to enter the room.

    After closing the door, Qiao Jing first changed into clean clothes, then picked up a mirror to examine her lips.

    She was shocked by what she saw!

    It was no wonder Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin wanted her to buy medicine to apply; her lips were so red and swollen!!

    That man, he was too rough, wasn¡¯t he!!!

    Internally, Qiao Jing silently criticized, but couldn¡¯t help recalling the intimate scene from earlier.

    The man¡¯s gaze then was so affectionate, and under his deep, dark eyes, one could easily get drawn in.

    And his deep, maic voice, each word he spoke was inexplicably charming.

    Now recalling the man¡¯s words of longing, Qiao Jing felt an indescribable emotion stir within her.

    She thought, perhaps it was because his deep affection was truly touching¡­

    After Tang Yan arranged everything and came back, he found Zhan Qipei motionless on the seat.

    Seeing this, Tang Yan didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming he had fallen asleep.

    After all, he drank so much alcohol earlier, it¡¯s not surprising he passed out.

    Tang Yan, along with the two men he had called, carefully moved President Zhan, who was soundly asleep, into another car and drove him back to the apartment.

    When they arrived at the apartment, it was alreadyte night.

    The three little ones were already asleep.

    Worried, Tang Yan told the other two to leave while he stayed in the apartment to watch over thepletely ¡°drunk¡± President Zhan.

    Throughout the night, Zhan Qipei was mumbling intermittently.

    Tang Yan listened carefully and realized he was calling ¡°Qiao Jing¡±¡­

    The next day, just as dawn broke, Zhan Qipei suddenly woke up.

    Because he drank a lot, he couldn¡¯t clearly remember what happenedst night.

    But there was one thing he was very certain of¡ª

    He saw Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing came back!

    Zhan Qipei sprang up from the bed, looking around for Qiao Jing¡¯s presence.

    However, there was no Qiao Jing in the room, only Tang Yan.

    Tang Yan woke up from his nap on the sofa upon hearing themotion.

    He stood up, nodding slightly, ¡°President Zhan, how do you feel now? Do you need any hangover medicine?¡±

    Zhan Qipei did not answer his question but knitted his eyebrows and asked in a low voice, ¡°Where¡¯s Qiao Jing? Where did she go?¡±

    Tang Yan was stunned for a moment and then instinctively assumed that President Zhan might not have sobered uppletely, hence asking such an odd question.

    He sighed quietly and thenforted, ¡°President Zhan, it¡¯s been so many years, you should move on a bit¡­¡±

    ¡°I saw her!¡±

    Zhan Qipei impatiently interrupted Tang Yan, firmly stating, ¡°She came to see mest night, right when you got out of the car. Quickly, tell me, where did she go!¡±

    Seeing him seriously insisting and bing more excited, Tang Yan felt the situation wasn¡¯t good.

    He strongly suspected President Zhan was obsessing over the youngdy,bined with excessive drinking, mentally speaking there might be some abnormality¡­

    He¡¯s starting to have hallucinations!!!

    Tang Yan swallowed and cautiously said, ¡°President Zhan, you probably drank too muchst night and saw wrong. I didn¡¯t see the youngdy, and nobody else saw¡­¡±

    ¡°Impossible! How could I be mistaken!¡±

    Zhan Qipei shook his head in disbelief and murmured, ¡°She was clearly standing in front of me, so real, I even held her hand¡­¡±

    At this point, he lowered his head to nce at his right hand.

    Her warmth seemed to still linger in his palms; how could he possibly be mistaken?!

    Leaving the apartment, Tang Yan pondered and thought it was necessary to visit Purple Garden to inform Mr. Zhan and Madam Zhan of President Zhan¡¯s condition.

    Seeing Tang Yan arrive suddenly, all by himself, Su Manhan and Zhan Yao found it quite unusual.

    In the hall, Tang Yan stood respectfully in front of them and straightforwardly said, ¡°Sir, Madam, it¡¯s like this.¡±

    ¡°Duringst night¡¯s event, President Zhan drank excessively and was utterly confused. Yet, upon waking this morning, President Zhan insisted he saw the youngdy!¡±

    ¡°Although since the youngdy disappeared, President Zhan has been indulgent with drinks each time, he¡¯s never had hallucinations!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very worried, if things continue this way, President Zhan¡¯s condition might worsen¡­¡±

    Listening to Tang Yan¡¯s words, Su Manhan and Zhan Yao couldn¡¯t help but reveal looks of concern on their faces.

 Chapter 871: 859: Taking a Master

    <strong>Chapter 871: Chapter 859: Taking a Master</strong>

    After a brief pause, Su Manhan looked up at Tang Yan and said, ¡°You are the one who spends the most time with Qipei. Keep an eye on his condition. If you notice anything unusual, contact us immediately.¡±

    ¡°Understood, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Tang Yan replied and then bid farewell.

    Su Manhan was very anxious and worried. She looked at Zhan Yao and said anxiously, ¡°What should we do? It looks like our son¡¯s mental state might be at risk!¡±

    Zhan Yao sighed deeply, his sigh revealing his helplessness.

    Just as the two were fretting, Zhan Nanjing came out of her room.

    As soon as she came out, she saw her parents sitting on the sofa sighing, both looking distressed and worried.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, what¡¯s going on? Why do you look so worried? What¡¯s happened?¡±

    Zhan Nanjing asked suspiciously and then walked over to sit beside them.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±

    Su Manhan couldn¡¯t help but sigh again before she exined, ¡°Assistant Tang just came by and said that your brother is getting worse. Besides drinking excessively during social events, he¡¯s also starting to hallucinate, repeatedly iming he¡¯s seen your sister-inw. But how could this be possible?¡±

    ¡°Your brother misses your sister-inw so much that he¡¯s losing his rity!¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing immediately understood everything.

    Recalling the tsunami four years ago that caused so much change, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Oh, my sister-inw was such a good person. How could something like this happen?¡±

    ¡°Heaven is truly blind, punishing good people like my sister-inw who are exceptional, while leaving those egregious wrongdoers untouched. It¡¯s truly talent getting jealous!¡±

    Shaking her head, she continued after a few seconds, ¡°Although my brother seems okay on the surface, his heart has long been battered.¡±

    ¡°Thankfully, there¡¯s still Yubao, Zebao, and Mo Bao. Without them, my brother wouldn¡¯t have held on!¡±

    Zhan Yao frowned deeply, and after a long sigh, he said, ¡°What happened to Qiao Jing doesn¡¯t just affect your brother. Your grandfather also fell ill because of it.¡±

    ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s condition is worsening by the day. He¡¯s been in the hospital for over a month, constantly on medication and infusion, but there¡¯s no sign of recovery. Instead, he¡¯s getting worse.¡±

    ¡°A few days ago, the doctor privately told me that if his condition continues to deteriorate, we might have to prepare for the worst¡­¡±

    After saying this, the room suddenly fell into a heavy silence.

    The three remained silent, each lost in their thoughts, with no one speaking for quite a while.

    After a long time, Zhan Yao suddenly thought of something and hesitantly said, ¡°Perhaps we could find a girl who resembles Qiao Jing for Qipei, and see if it helps him move on?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, a shift in emotion can lead to an improvement in Qipei¡¯s state¡­¡±

    ¡°Dad! What are you saying? How can we do that?¡±

    Zhan Yao hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhan Nanjing interrupted him, agitated.

    She said indignantly, ¡°If we really do this, wouldn¡¯t we be heartless and unscrupulous people?¡±

    ¡°Besides, my brother would never agree to something like this. In his heart, there¡¯s only my sister-inw, and there¡¯s no way he could amodate anyone else. The idea of a substitute is unthinkable!¡±

    As soon as Zhan Nanjing finished speaking, Su Manhan began to reprimand Zhan Yao too.

    She looked at Zhan Yao with evident reproach in her eyes, ¡°Think carefully about what you just said. Finding a recement for our son? How could you even think of that!¡±

    ¡°Though I also can¡¯t bear to see our son suffering because of love, I adamantly disagree with this. How could we face Qiao Jing if we did such a thing?¡±

    ¡°If Qiao Jing knew that to make Qipei forget her, we were finding another woman for him, her heart would surely be devastated!¡±

    The mother and daughter both voiced strong opposition to Zhan Yao¡¯s suggestion, reproaching him thoroughly.

    Zhan Yao felt deeply ashamed after hearing their words.

    He reflected for a moment and realized his suggestion was indeed absurd and inappropriate!

    Under the earnest guidance of Su Manhan and Zhan Nanjing, Zhan Yao candidly admitted and sincerely apologized, ¡°Oh, finding a substitute for Qipei is indeed not appropriate. I wasn¡¯t thinking it through.¡±

    ¡°I said that in a moment of confusion due to anxiety. Just pretend I never said those words¡­¡±

    Hearing him say this, Su Manhan and Zhan Nanjing finally ceased their reproaches against him.

    ¡­

    A dayter.

    Today is the day Zhou Fu epts disciples.

    Early in the morning, the entrance to Wonderful Hall was crowded with people, all eager to be his apprentices.

    Qiao Jing apanied Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin to the scene.

    In order to prevent Jiang Zihong from getting wind of anything, even when not in Nandu, Qiao Jing would still wear fake skin to cover her lifelike spots whenever she left her house.

    Since it¡¯s an act, she would naturally see it through to the end!

    Qiao Jing and herpanions stood aside, waiting for the assessment to begin.

    Suddenly, a familiar mocking voice came from the side.

    ¡°Oh! Aren¡¯t these Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin? If not for your two obnoxious faces, I might have thought I was mistaken.¡±

    Qiao Jing, Qiao Hong, and Qiao Lin turned their heads simultaneously to see Yang Xiaoxiao approaching with a triumphant smile.

    Before the three could say anything, Yang Xiaoxiao nced sideways at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin and continued her jeer, ¡°I¡¯m just saying, with you two¡¯s half-baked skills, you still have the nerve to seek a master?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Yang Xiaoxiao indifferently, thinking this person was like an annoying fly.

    Now thinking about it, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were indeed too gentlest time since this person hadn¡¯t learned her lesson and was back to causing trouble again!

    At this moment, Qiao Lin red at Yang Xiaoxiao and retorted with displeasure, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, what makes you so smug? Calling us half-baked? How much better do you think you are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m smug because I have reasons to be proud. In any case, I¡¯m far better than you two sisters.¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao raised her chin slightly, looking full of confidence about the apprenticeship.

    She unexpectedly patted Qiao Lin¡¯s shoulder and, in a tone that seemed like persuasion but was actually sarcasm, said, ¡°If you have any self-awareness, it¡¯s best to turn back now to avoid disgrace when the assessment startster.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    Qiao Hong snickered, retorting, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, the assessment hasn¡¯t even started yet, and you¡¯re already so boastful, as if you¡¯re guaranteed to be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m genuinely curious where your confidencees from!¡±

    Just as Qiao Hong finished speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao snorted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m standing here today with the intention of bing Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice, and I have the confidence to do so!¡±

    With this, her gaze on Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin became even more disdainful, ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m not here to make a fool of myself!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you two need to seek apprenticeship at all to avoid humiliation. Just stay honest, and when you see Master Zhou, beg him to fix your third sister¡¯s frightening face!¡±

 Chapter 872 - 860: Master Zhou Is Here!

    <h4>Chapter 872: Chapter 860: Master Zhou Is Here!</h4>

    Upon hearing Yang Xiaoxiao speak disrespectfully to Qiao Jing, Qiao Lin became furious.

    She red at Yang Xiaoxiao and angrily said, "Yang Xiaoxiao, you¡¯d better watch your words. If you dare say anything bad about my sister again, don¡¯t me me for being rude to you!"

    "When did I say anything bad about your sister? Don¡¯t make it seem like I¡¯m bullying someone. I¡¯m just telling the truth, okay!"

    After finishing, Yang Xiaoxiao nced at Qiao Jing and sneered, adding, "Your sister¡¯s face is naturally scary. Anyone with eyes can see that. Are you not allowing people to speak the truth?"

    At this point, everyone else who hade to apprentice also looked at Qiao Jing, following Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s gaze.

    Seeing the terrifying growths on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, several people began whispering and discussing quietly.

    "Even though this Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s words are a bit harsh, she¡¯s indeed speaking the truth."

    "Yeah, look at those things on her face; they do look pretty scary!"

    "People are free to say what they want unless you have the ability to sew their mouths shut. So, if you don¡¯t want anyone to talk, just stay at home!"

    "..."

    The crowd¡¯s discussion was not loud, and only a few fragments could be heard.

    But Qiao Lin heard it and was infuriated, pointing at Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s head, gritting her teeth as she said, "You know nothing, so stop spouting nonsense here. My sister is just..."

    Qiao Jing, hearing this, immediately guessed what Qiao Lin was about to say next.

    She timely reached out and gently tugged at Qiao Lin¡¯s sleeve.

    Upon being tugged by Qiao Jing, Qiao Lin suddenly realized something, quickly shut her mouth, and didn¡¯t continue speaking.

    Her anger had almost led her to expose the fake skin situation, but luckily Xiao Jing reminded her in time; otherwise, it would have been a problem...

    But she was really upset!

    Their Xiao Jing is so beautiful, so lovely!

    Qiao Lin believed that if the fake skin on Xiao Jing¡¯s face were removed now, everyone present, whether male or female, would be stunned by her stunning beauty!!

    "Just what? Go ahead and say it!"

    Yang Xiaoxiao crossed her arms and felt quite proud of herself for making Qiao Lin speechless.

    "Or is it that even as her sister, you¡¯re at a loss for words because of how ugly your sister is!"

    "What¡¯s all the arguing about? Anyone who dares to argue again, get out immediately!"

    A clear reprimanding voice suddenly rang out.

    Immediately after, Zhan Nanjing pushed through the crowd and walked towards the entrance of the Wonderful Hall.

    Hearing this, Yang Xiaoxiao felt insulted, and her anger red up, ready to snap back.

    Dare to order her, Yang Xiaoxiao, to get out? What arrogance!

    Yang Xiaoxiao turned her head furiously and found the woman speaking looked somewhat familiar, like she had seen her before, perhaps...

    The eldestdy of the Zhan Family¡ªZhan Nanjing!

    Upon recognizing Zhan Nanjing, Yang Xiaoxiao quickly swallowed her words back, changing her angry expression to a fawning smile, eagerly approaching Zhan Nanjing.

    "Miss Zhan, I didn¡¯t expect you here. If I knew, I would have greeted you at the gate."

    "Actually, we weren¡¯t really arguing, just exchanging a few words... "

    Seeing Yang Xiaoxiao change her face faster than a book page turn and cling to Zhan Nanjing like apdog, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin sneered disdainfully.

    They had always looked down on those who bully the weak and fear the strong, ingratiating themselves with power.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Nanjing¡¯s face, staring at her repeatedly, feeling a strange familiarity as if she had seen her before.

    Yang Xiaoxiao noticed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze following Zhan Nanjing and immediately mocked, "What? Are you staring at Miss Zhan like that because you want to curry favor with her?"

    "If so, I advise you not to have delusions. The eldestdy of the Zhan Family isn¡¯t someone a person like you can cozy up to!"

    Zhan Nanjing had already walked into the Wonderful Hall, but upon hearing these sarcastic remarks, she paused her steps and turned to re warningly at Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Startled by her re, Yang Xiaoxiao stammered, "Zhan, Miss Zhan, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Zhan Nanjing¡¯s expression became more serious, and she sternly said, "The words you just said show that there is a problem with your mindset. Everyone deserves respect as long as they are good people. Judgments shouldn¡¯t be based on status, and no one should be looked down upon casually!"

    "I too used to rely on my family¡¯s background and status, having the same wed thinking as you; I was arrogant and aggressive outside. Later, my sister-inw¡¯s noble qualities deeply touched me, teaching me that one mustn¡¯t be snobbish, mustn¡¯t look down on people, and absolutely shouldn¡¯t bully others!"

    Saying this, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s eyes sharply focused on Yang Xiaoxiao, her voice stern, "You¡¯re called Yang Xiaoxiao, right? You should reflect on yourself and change those inferior behaviors of yours!"

    Yang Xiaoxiao bit her lip, feeling very displeased.

    When had she, Yang Xiaoxiao, ever been reprimanded like this by someone?

    And in front of so many people!

    Even her parents had never scolded her like this!

    Although she was very displeased, due to Zhan Nanjing¡¯s status, Yang Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t dare to retort a single word, only silently cursing in her heart.

    Qiao Jing listened to Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words and felt that her sister-inw was indeed a very admirable person¡ªit was no wonder that even after so many years of uncertainty about her fate, her brother remained so devoted and unchanged.

    Such a good person, yet encountering such unfortunate circumstances, it¡¯s truly heartbreaking...

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but sincerely say to Zhan Nanjing, "Miss Zhan, from what you just said, your sister-inw is indeed a wonderful person. I sincerely hope you find her soon."

    Zhan Nanjing was momentarily stunned, seemingly not expecting her to say that suddenly.

    After a few seconds, Zhan Nanjing regained herposure and said, "Thank you for your blessing, but I won¡¯t be helping you in the apprenticeship testter just because of it."

    "Understood." Qiao Jing replied casually.

    Her blessing was heartfelt, not meant to curry favor with the other party to achieve any goals.

    At this moment, Zhou Fu walked out from the inner room of the Wonderful Hall, appearing before everyone.

    "It¡¯s Master Zhou!"

    "Master Zhou is here!"

    Someone in the crowd shouted out.

    Instantly, everyone¡¯s attention shifted to Zhou Fu.

    Zhou Fu nced around at everyone present and said loudly, "I won¡¯t say any unnecessary words. What you all most want to know is likely the standards by which I, Zhou, take on apprentices."

    "You¡¯ve probably all heard that I have an assessment for taking on apprentices, so next, I will talk about this assessment."

 Chapter 873: 861: Zhou Fu Sets Three Trials

    <strong>Chapter 873: Chapter 861: Zhou Fu Sets Three Trials</strong>

    Upon hearing that the assessment was about to begin, everyone grew serious.

    After all, the people who came here all wanted to be Zhou Fu¡¯s apprentice.

    Zhou Fu cleared his throat and continued, ¡°The assessment consists of three stages: the first stage is to select the specified herbs from a pile provided by Wonderful Hall within the given time.¡±

    ¡°The second stage involves presenting a treatment n and your insights on a specific ailment that I assign.¡±

    ¡°As for the third stage, well, this person has to be pleasing to me, Zhou. Even if their medical skills are exceptional, if I don¡¯t find them agreeable, I won¡¯t take them as my apprentice!¡±

    As soon as Zhou Fu finished speaking, everyone began whispering, discussing in small groups.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound very difficult, does it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I feel like anyone who has studied medicine could pass.¡±

    ¡°The first stage seems very straightforward, just picking herbs, right? We are all proper medical students, and if we can¡¯t even pick the right herbs, haven¡¯t all those years of studying medicine been in vain?¡±

    ¡°But I have a feeling it won¡¯t be so simple. If it were truly without difficulty, wouldn¡¯t everyone here be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice? Then why bother with the assessment?¡±

    ¡°Moreover, Master Zhou only mentioned that the second stage involves suggesting a treatment n and giving opinions on an ailment, but what kind of ailment are we talking about? What if it¡¯s aplicated, rare condition? How many here could handle that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. In conclusion, bing Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice is definitely not an easy feat!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    For a moment, everyone expressed differing opinions.

    Qiao Lin¡¯s thoughts were like most, feeling it wasn¡¯t too hard.

    She pulled Qiao Hong and Qiao Jing close and whispered, ¡°After hearing about the assessment, I suddenly feel much more confident!¡±

    Qiao Hong¡¯s thoughts were contrary to Qiao Lin¡¯s. She cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t get happy too early; when things sound too good, there might be a catch. It sounds simple, but when you do it, it¡¯s another story.¡±

    Qiao Jing naturally didn¡¯t think it would be that easy, but she said nothing, silently observing from the side.

    Sure enough, when the herbs for the assessment wereid out by the people from Wonderful Hall, Zhou Fu added, ¡°Within ten minutes, find Pubescent Angelica, tycodon, Fragrant Add-on Bark, Heavenly Mallow Seeds, Chicken-Blood Vine, and White Flower Snake Tongue Grass from this pile.¡±

    ¡°If within the time limit, not a single mistake is made, you may sessfully advance to the second stage; otherwise, you are eliminated.¡±

    The pile of herbs, coupled with Zhou Fu¡¯s words, instantly caused an uproar among the crowd.

    ¡°We really oversimplified it; I recognize all seven herbs, but mixing in lookalikes that are easy to confuse raises the difficulty significantly!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! With Pubescent Angelica, there is surely Notopterygium; with tycodon, there¡¯s American Ginseng; Fragrant Add-on Bark means Acanthopanax Bark; Heavenly Mallow Seeds means Cyperus; Chicken-Blood Vine means Large Blood Vine; with White Flower Snake Tongue Grass, there¡¯s Ranunculus Sceleratus¡­ these are all hard to distinguish. Even knowing they look simr, I¡¯d surely make mistakes trying to identify them!¡±

    ¡°Looks like the first stage might eliminate around half of the people here!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The previously confident ones became deted in an instant.

    Qiao Hong nced at the slightly stunned Qiao Lin beside her and quietly asked, ¡°How about now? Still confident?¡±

    Qiao Lin, with a gloomy expression, shook her head, ¡°My confidence vanished as soon as I saw that pile of herbs.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Lin¡¯s dejected look, Qiao Jing felt the need to boost her spirits, to revive her confidence.

    She patted Qiao Lin on the shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged, Second Sister. Believe in yourself; as long as you put effort into it, you can surely do it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Qiao Lin nodded, encouraging herself, ¡°Nothing is impossible to a willing mind; I can do it!¡±

    Just as she said that, Zhou Fu¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Everyone, the assessment starts now and will end in ten minutes. Manage your time well.¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone quickly took their positions around the pile of herbs and began earnestly selecting.

    Zhou Fu stood with his hands sped behind his back, silently observing everyone¡¯s performance.

    The reason he chose herb identification as the first stage of the assessment was because distinguishing herbs is a necessary skill for apetent doctor.

    Some herbs may look simr but have entirely different effects.

    If a doctor can¡¯t even discern herbs urately and uses the wrong herb on a patient, it could easily result in a life lost!

    As the assessment time neared its end, people began passing the stage one after another.

    Yang Xiaoxiao was slightly ahead of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin just made it through on time, and fortunately, after verification, all seven herbs were correctly identified, with no mistakes.

    Sessfully advancing to the second stage, both of them sighed in relief.

    Qiao Jing also smiled slightly, feeling happy for the two.

    Qiao Lin clutched her chest, still visibly shaken, ¡°It really scared me; I almost thought I was going to be eliminated!¡±

    Qiao Hong agreed, ¡°Yes, it was really tight. Good thing we made it; otherwise, we¡¯d be out in the first round.¡±

    Just then, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s mocking voice echoed again.

    ¡°I told you already, with you two sisters¡¯ half-baked skills, going home early is the best choice.¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin red at her with displeasure.

    Before the sisters could say anything, Yang Xiaoxiao proceeded to speak with disdain in her tone, ¡°You struggled even with such basic herb identification, yet dare aspire to be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentices? Aren¡¯t you afraid of bing a joke?¡±

    Qiao Lin snorted coldly, retorting, ¡°You think you¡¯re so impressive? You only outpaced us by a minute; if you were truly capable, would you need that much time?¡±

    Qiao Hong also scoffed, ¡°Exactly. You only beat us by a minute and yet here you are unting it? You¡¯re just about aspetent as us; I really don¡¯t know where you get the nerve to mock us!¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m aspetent as you?¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes to show her disdain for Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, then retorted derisively, ¡°Stop ttering yourselves, sisters. With your ability, what qualifies you to evenpare yourselves to me?¡±

    ¡°You may have been lucky this time, but let¡¯s see if your luck holds in the next round!¡±

    Upset by Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s arrogance, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin seemed ready to confront her physically.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing quickly held them back, whispering, ¡°Eldest Sister, Second Sister, calm down. This is an apprenticeship event; it¡¯s inappropriate to act out here. If you need to teach her a lesson, wait until this is over.¡±

 Chapter 874: 862: Qiao Jing Takes Action

    <strong>Chapter 874: Chapter 862: Qiao Jing Takes Action</strong>

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin both felt that Qiao Jing made sense.

    The two had to dismiss the idea of fighting and gave Yang Xiaoxiao a fierce re.

    At this moment, Zhou Fu happened to announce the start of the second round of assessment.

    He raised his voice and said, ¡°As I mentioned earlier, the second round is about a particr illness. You need to propose a treatment n and give your insights. So now, for those who passed the first round, please talk about the treatment and your views on myocardial ischemia in order.¡±

    Hearing that the illness to be assessed was myocardial ischemia, nearly half the participants who advanced started to have second thoughts.

    The remaining participants mostly didn¡¯t have much confidence either.

    For a while, everyone started discussing again.

    ¡°Although myocardial ischemia isn¡¯t exactly an intractable disease, curing it is extremely difficult. It¡¯s even harder than treating some types of cancer. Anyway, I¡¯m out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m out too. I¡¯ve barelye into contact with this disease; I don¡¯t even know much about its symptoms, let alone research a treatment n.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve studied it a bit, but only superficially. It seems there¡¯s no hope for me to be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    After sighing, the two still racked their brains to think about how to answer next.

    People at the scene started answering one after another, and Qiao Jing listened silently from the side.

    What surprised her a bit was that she understood all the medical principles these people mentioned.

    Moreover, she felt that their proposed treatment ns were not very impressive.

    Because of this, Qiao Jing paid special attention to Zhou Fu¡¯s reaction, and from his expression, it was clear that he wasn¡¯t satisfied with these answers either.

    This was enough to show that her judgment was correct.

    No, not just a feeling, it should be judgment!

    After a while, it was Qiao Lin¡¯s turn to answer.

    Qiao Lin thought for a long time withouting up with anything significant. Under the gaze of everyone, she firmly pursed her lips and shook her head.

    If it were another illness, she could at least say a few words, but with myocardial ischemia, she really didn¡¯t know much about it.

    Even if she tried to make something up, she couldn¡¯t!

    Qiao Hong didn¡¯t know much about myocardial ischemia either, and in the end, she only mentioned using herbal decoctions to treat patients, listing Four-substance Decoction and Herba Arteriosa as two drugs that could significantly improve symptoms.

    Seeing one sister unable to say anything and the other barely answering, Yang Xiaoxiao was over the moon with pride.

    While others were answering, she sidled up to Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, and mocked, ¡°I told you before that you couldn¡¯t do it, but you kept pretending. Now you can¡¯t keep up the act, can you?¡±

    ¡°Not afraid to tell you, beforeing to Wonderful Hall, I specifically found a somewhat famous doctor to cram me. It just so happened that I brushed up on the treatment of myocardial ischemia.¡±

    ¡°Although with current medical levels, no one canpletely cure myocardial ischemia¡­¡±

    At this point, Yang Xiaoxiao paused and corrected herself, ¡°No, let¡¯s say except for Divine Doctor Jing, no one can cure it, but it¡¯s possible to keep the condition stable, without worsening or rpsing.¡±

    ¡°bbing all that, you just want to show off that you know how to treat it?¡±

    Qiao Lin shot Yang Xiaoxiao a nce, unable to bear it any longer and rebuked, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, you really have something wrong with your head, don¡¯t you? Do you know this has nothing to do with us?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s got something wrong!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao retaliated and then added with a haughty tone, ¡°Wait till I be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice, then you sisters can just go ahead and envy, be jealous, and hate!¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin simultaneously scoffed, toozy to talk to her anymore.

    Soon, everyone else finished answering, leaving only Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Yang Xiaoxiao, full of confidence, raised her chin and said, ¡°Regarding the illness of myocardial ischemia, I believe it can be treated with herbal injections, such as Danshen Injection, Blood cirction, and others¡­¡±

    After presenting her treatment n, Yang Xiaoxiao went on and on with her insights.

    Many present felt that Yang Xiaoxiao had a good chance of standing out with this insight and bing Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice.

    Zhou Fu nodded slightly after listening,menting, ¡°Not bad.¡±

    This was the first time Zhou Fu nodded in approval up to this point.

    Seeing his reaction, everyone felt even more that Yang Xiaoxiao was currently the most promising candidate.

    Realizing that they didn¡¯t have much hope, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but be anxious.

    ¡°What do we do now? If we can¡¯t be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentices, we can¡¯t use his name to intimidate the Jiang family and make Jiang Zihong stop¡­¡±

    Saying this, Qiao Lin¡¯s mood became increasingly gloomy and she grew more anxious.

    ¡°Yeah, if it goes like this, our family will fall into a deadlock again. Could it be that we really can only watch as the Jiang family brings us down?¡±

    Qiao Hong¡¯s tone was full of reluctance, yet helpless.

    Seeing the two so worried and panicked, Qiao Jing pondered for a moment before unexpectedly saying, ¡°That treatment n is not good enough.¡±

    As soon as these words came out, everyone¡¯s eyes instantly shifted to Qiao Jing.

    Zhou Fu and Zhan Nanjing were also drawn to her.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were surprised, never expecting her to suddenly speak up.

    But the person with the biggest reaction was Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Yang Xiaoxiao, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, red at Qiao Jing and angrily scolded, ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re just here to keep your sisterspany, not here to apprentice. What right do you have to say my n isn¡¯t good?¡±

    Faced with Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s rage, Qiao Jing remained unfazed and calm.

    She nced at Yang Xiaoxiao and said slowly, ¡°Your n is indeed not good enough. I¡¯m just telling the truth, why? Can¡¯t people speak the truth now?¡±

    This was what Yang Xiaoxiao previously said when she imed Qiao Jing looked scary; now Qiao Jing directly returned the words to her.

    ¡°You!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao was momentarily at a loss for words, pointing at Qiao Jing¡¯s head but unable to say anything.

    Qiao Jing ignored her, and under everyone¡¯s varying gazes, she leisurely said, ¡°Although myocardial ischemia is difficult to cure, the chances are great as long as the method is appropriate.¡±

    ¡°As for the treatment n, I suggest a dual approach,bining physical therapy with herbal decoctions, to achieve better results.¡±

    ¡°Specifically, for physical therapy, acupuncture can be used¡­¡±

    As Qiao Jing spoke, Zhou Fu¡¯s initially casual expression gradually turned into one of amazement.

    To be honest, even he couldn¡¯te up with such a treatment n!

    He really didn¡¯t expect that someone at today¡¯s assessment could propose such a unique and insightful view!

    At this moment, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s face was also full of surprise.

    Although she didn¡¯t understand medicine and couldn¡¯t judge the validity of the n, she felt that this woman, with her earnest manner of speaking, was very simr to when her sister-inw exined things to her.

    For a moment, she even seemed to see her sister-inw.

    Just that this face¡­

    Was too incongruous!

    Could not bepared to her sister-inw at all!!

 Chapter 875 - 863: Master Zhou Wants to Take Qiao Jing as a Disciple

    <h4>Chapter 875: Chapter 863: Master Zhou Wants to Take Qiao Jing as a Disciple</h4>

    Using acupuncturebined with some other unheard-of methods to treat myocardial ischemia, Yang Xiaoxiao had never heard of it.

    Moreover, she actually didn¡¯t understand much about the condition of myocardial ischemia itself.

    The reason she could propose a n that Zhou Fu found quite good was exactly as she said earlier, because she temporarily crammed some medical knowledge that coincidentally covered this point.

    It¡¯s like a student hitting the mark on the exact question during the college entrance exam.

    To put it simply, it¡¯s like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse!

    Therefore, Yang Xiaoxiao had no idea whether Qiao Jing was right or wrong; she didn¡¯t even quite understand it.

    Not understanding it, she naturally felt Qiao Jing was speaking nonsense.

    So, as soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t wait to start mocking.

    "Stop pretending to understand here. No wonder they say ignorance is fearless. At Wonderful Hall, you dare to talk nonsense, truly not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth!"

    The more Yang Xiaoxiao spoke, the more excited she became, her voice raising a few tones, looking at Qiao Jing with full contempt.

    "Open your eyes wide and see clearly, standing in front of you is Master Zhou, a disciple of Divine Doctor Jing. How dare you show off in front of Master Zhou!"

    Other people, like Yang Xiaoxiao, only half-understood Qiao Jing¡¯s n and were clueless.

    Since Zhou Fu nodded to Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s n in agreement,

    most people on the scene believed that since Yang Xiaoxiao publicly criticized the other party, the other party was definitely talking nonsense.

    For a moment, everyone began to ridicule Qiao Jing.

    "This woman is really audacious, treating Wonderful Hall like it¡¯s some ce where she can shoot off her mouth!"

    "Exactly, just spouting off, utterly arrogant!"

    "Does she think she¡¯s really capable? Looking at her banter earlier, someone who didn¡¯t know better might think she¡¯s some magical doctor!"

    "What a joke! If she¡¯s a divine doctor, then I¡¯m Hua Tuo reincarnated!"

    "Today is Master Zhou¡¯s disciple eptance day, does she realize the consequences of making such a ruckus?"

    "..."

    Listening to the words filled with ridicule, Yang Xiaoxiao grew more proud.

    This feeling ofmanding a response from everyone almost made her float with vanity.

    She nced at Qiao Jing disdainfully, saying lightly, "You must¡¯ve heard what everyone said. I advise you to leave here swiftly, lest you embarrass yourselfpletely!"

    Qiao Jing remained unmoved, expressionless, merely looking at Yang Xiaoxiao as if she were an idiot.

    Though she didn¡¯t understand why she could casually speak about medical matters, she was very confident that what she said was correct and feasible.

    Unlike Qiao Jing¡¯s calmness, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were now very anxious.

    Because neither of them fully understood what Qiao Jing had just talked about.

    So, listening to Yang Xiaoxiao and the others, the sisters were quite frightened.

    They exchanged nces, thinking that they¡¯d better quickly pull their sister away and then properly apologize to Master Zhou.

    Just as Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were about to act, Zhou Fu suddenly strode towards them.

    Watching Zhou Fu approach, the sisters felt a wave of panic, thinking Master Zhou was there to settle ounts with them!

    Others naturally thought the same, all looking on with an expression ready to watch the drama unfold.

    Especially Yang Xiaoxiao, who openly smiled with schadenfreude.

    However, what happened next was entirely beyond everyone¡¯s expectations.

    Zhou Fu, upon reaching Qiao Jing, didn¡¯t show the slightest displeasure, but instead looked at her with joy.

    He then kindly asked, "How did youe up with this treatment n? Have you researched this before?"

    Seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s attitude, everyone felt puzzled, and started whispering among themselves.

    "Wasn¡¯t this woman just talking nonsense? Why doesn¡¯t Master Zhou seem angry at all?"

    "Not only not angry, Master Zhou seems quite happy, could it be that the woman wasn¡¯t speaking nonsense?"

    "Can someone tell me what¡¯s actually happening now?"

    "..."

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also baffled, both nkly looking at Qiao Jing.

    Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s smile froze, suddenly finding it difficult tough.

    She felt that how the situation was unfolding seemed different from what she had expected!

    Under Zhou Fu¡¯s eager gaze, Qiao Jing answered calmly, "I didn¡¯t think much of it, just felt it should be this way."

    As she spoke, something vaguely shed through Qiao Jing¡¯s mind but quickly vanished before she could grasp it.

    She faintly sensed that she had promised someone to help them cure their myocardial ischemia, andpletely cure it at that.

    Yet she couldn¡¯t remember at all who that person was...

    Even though he hadn¡¯t gotten much information, Zhou Fu was still quite excited.

    He grasped Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulders tightly, so thrilled that his voice even trembled, "It¡¯s you! I want to take you as my apprentice!"

    These words shocked everyone present.

    "Did I hear that right? Master Zhou wants to take her as an apprentice?!"

    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, this woman didn¡¯t even participate in the first round of assessments!"

    "Since Master Zhou wants to take her exceptionally as an apprentice, does it mean her n and insights are feasible?"

    "More than feasible? They probably reached an exquisite level, otherwise Master Zhou wouldn¡¯t have this attitude now!"

    "..."

    As everyone was discussing, Yang Xiaoxiao stood by dumbfounded.

    Aside from shock, she found it quite unbelievable.

    Clearly, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin came to be disciples, and Qiao Jing, the ugly girl, was just apanying, so how did it end up like this?!

    And yet, it was Master Zhou who proactively wanted to take Qiao Lao San, the ugly girl, as a disciple!!!

    This development shocked Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    The two exchanged nces, their thoughts identical.

    If they¡¯d known how capable their family¡¯s Xiao Jing was, they wouldn¡¯t have had to brace themselves; they would have just let their Xiao Jing take action!

    Regarding bing Zhou Fu¡¯s disciple, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t considered it at all.

    She shook her head, directly rejecting Zhou Fu, "Sorry, I have no intention of bing anyone¡¯s disciple."

    Surprised by her rejection, Zhou Fu looked at her in disbelief, "You don¡¯t want to be my disciple? Why?!"

    Qiao Jing, expression calm, replied frankly, "No particr reason, just simply don¡¯t want to."

    By now, Yang Xiaoxiao hade to her senses. Hearing Qiao Jing speak like that, she snorted coldly, "You are really bold, daring even to refuse Master Zhou!"

    "For Master Zhou to ept you as a disciple is your honor, yet instead of being grateful, you are indifferent? I guess you never had respect for Master Zhou!"

    Holding onto her dissatisfaction, Yang Xiaoxiao certainly wouldn¡¯t let the opportunity go by.

    In her view, if she could sessfully sabotage, she¡¯d be the one most likely to be Master Zhou¡¯s disciple on the spot!

 Chapter 876: 864: Nearly Struck by Lightning

    <strong>Chapter 876: Chapter 864: Nearly Struck by Lightning</strong>

    Yang Xiaoxiao led the charge, and others began to criticize Qiao Jing.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be an apprentice, why did youe here?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if you didn¡¯t want to be an apprentice, why were you showing off your knowledge just now? What¡¯s your real intention?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that this person came here just to cause trouble on purpose?¡±

    ¡°Daring to mess with Master Zhou, isn¡¯t that too arrogant, too reckless?¡±

    ¡°Who here doesn¡¯t want to be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice? Master Zhou wants to take her as a disciple, and instead ofughing in secret, she says she doesn¡¯t want to be an apprentice. It¡¯s utterly ungrateful!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Listening to the words of reproach from the crowd, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin felt a bit uneasy.

    If they offended Master Zhou, wouldn¡¯t their trip to the imperial capital be in vain?!

    Thinking this, Qiao Lin hurriedly moved closer to Qiao Jing and whispered, ¡°Xiao Jing, Master Zhou personally offered to take you as an apprentice. This is a good thing. Why don¡¯t you think it over again?¡±

    Qiao Hong also chimed in, ¡°Yes, we came to the imperial capital with the hope of bing apprentices. Although the two of us didn¡¯t expect much, fortunately, we have you!¡±

    ¡°As long as you be Master Zhou¡¯s disciple, we won¡¯t have to be threatened by the Jiang family and that scumbag Jiang Zihong anymore!¡±

    What Qiao Hong said was something Qiao Jing was well aware of.

    But just the thought of bing Zhou Fu¡¯s apprentice made her feel a certain inexplicable resistance.

    Even she couldn¡¯t figure out why she felt this way.

    At this time, Zhou Fu was still caught up in the astonishment of being rejected. He looked at Qiao Jing in a daze, seemingly unable toprehend why she refused.

    As others mentioned, innumerable people wished to be his apprentice.

    Even if not for him personally, at least because his master is Divine Doctor Jing.

    Yet, he was refused?!

    Seeing that Qiao Jing remained unmoved, people began to murmur again.

    ¡°We¡¯ve said so much, yet she still doesn¡¯t reconsider? It seems she¡¯s here to cause trouble deliberately!¡±

    ¡°I think so too. Daring to mess with Master Zhou, this person really is audacious. Who knows where she came from!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    With the crowd¡¯s discussions reaching their ears, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin grew more anxious the more they listened.

    The sisters looked anxiously at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, struggling internally.

    Finally, under the eager gazes of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, she slowly spoke, ¡°Master Zhou, I haven¡¯t studied medicine. If possible, please take my elder and second sisters as apprentices instead.¡±

    With these words, the crowd was once again in an uproar.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also astonished, their initial urgency reced by disbelief.

    Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face once again bore a gloating expression.

    She stared at Qiao Jing, her tone mocking, ¡°You really dare to speak. You don¡¯t want to be an apprentice, but you dare to ask Master Zhou to take someone of your choosing as an apprentice? Who do you think you are?!¡±

    Once Yang Xiaoxiao spoke, others joined in agreement.

    ¡°This woman really is outrageous, daring to say such things!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s really full of herself, having the audacity to make demands of Master Zhou. Who does she think she is?!¡±

    ¡°Some people are born without self-awareness. I guess she¡¯s one of those!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The crowd buzzed with hot discussions, all assuming Zhou Fu would certainly be furious now.

    However, Zhou Fu¡¯s next reaction once again surprised everyone.

    Not only was he not angry, but he looked at Qiao Jing with an admiring expression.

    To him, this girl really had character. Looking at her inexplicably reminded him of his master!

    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhou Fu spoke to Qiao Jing in a negotiating tone, ¡°Think it over. I truly want to take you as my apprentice. As long as you¡¯re willing to be my disciple, I can take your elder and second sisters as well, a buy one, get two offer.¡±

    Seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s attitude and hearing his words, the crowd, who was expecting a spectacle, was all left in speechless shock.

    Even Yang Xiaoxiao beside them was dumbfounded, standing there as if she was a wooden chicken.

    Qiao Jing was not at all concerned about others¡¯ reactions. Hearing Zhou Fu¡¯s words, she still felt troubled, lightly pressing her lips together without making a sound.

    Seeing her like this, Zhou Fu genuinely became anxious.

    He furrowed his brows, his face filled with confusion, ¡°Is it truly so difficult for you to apprentice under me? Are you afraid of being struck by lightning or something?¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden ¡°boom¡ª¡ª¡± of thunder outside.

    Everyone was startled.

    For a moment, they stared at each other, their expressions varying.

    In broad daylight, such a sudden loud p of thunder was indeed quite eerie!

    Moreover, it came right after Master Zhou said those words, which was quite a coincidence!!

    Zhou Fu also found it a bit strange, a chill running through his heart.

    After a moment of silence, he said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Alright, fate ys a big role in this. I¡¯ll give you some time to think it over.¡±

    ¡°However, this matter can¡¯t be dragged out too long. Considering I¡¯m already in my forties, I really should find a sessor soon.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, you cane to Wonderful Hall in the next few days when you have time, and I can teach you some things first. There¡¯s no rush about the apprenticeship.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly and replied faintly, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it again.¡±

    Seeing this, the others knew they werepletely out of luck and began to leave one by one.

    After saying goodbye to Zhou Fu, Qiao Jing prepared to return to the hotel with Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    The three of them walked out of Wonderful Hall and immediately saw Yang Xiaoxiao, who hade out first.

    Yang Xiaoxiao looked disoriented, seemingly still in shock from earlier.

    Recalling Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s earlier sarcastic and targeted words, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin decided not to hold back.

    The two exchanged a nce, then walked forward in unison.

    Yang Xiaoxiao raised her head, and at the sight of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, her expression turned awkward.

    Qiao Lin was the first to speak, her tone taunting, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, if I remember correctly, you were so sure you¡¯d be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice, but it seems that hasn¡¯t happened.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why, as the saying goes, you shouldn¡¯t be too full of yourself. Clearlycking in ability, yet bragging about how great you are, now it¡¯s backfired!¡±

    Qiao Hong picked up where Qiao Lin left off, mocking with a sneer, ¡°Not only backfired, but your face is practically swollen from all the ps!¡±

    ¡°You had the nerve to judge us, now you should know who¡¯s the truly clueless one and who¡¯s made a fool of themselves!¡±

    Faced with the reverse mockery from the two, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s expression immediately turned extremely unpleasant.

    She wanted to retort, but opened her mouth only to find she had no words for rebuttal.

    Seeing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face changing from blue to white, as colorful as a palette, Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°What? Got nothing to say? Finally realized how embarrassed you are?¡±

    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d already be looking for a hole to crawl into, rather than shamelessly staying here!¡±

 Chapter 877: 865: The Three Little Ones See Their Mommy

    <strong>Chapter 877: Chapter 865: The Three Little Ones See Their Mommy</strong>

    Feeling mocked by Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, Yang Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    Her face turned the color of a pig¡¯s liver with anger, and she stomped her foot before running away.

    Watching Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s retreating figure, Qiao Lin snorted coldly, ¡°Good thing she ran fast, otherwise I would have humiliated her so badly she wouldn¡¯t dare show her face again!¡±

    Qiao Hong also scoffed, ¡°Let¡¯s see if she dares to be so smug in the future!¡±

    Qiao Jing chuckled lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading back too.¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin nodded, each taking Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, and walked to the street corner to hail a cab.

    As the three of them got into the car and left, a Rolls-Royce happened to drive past in the opposite direction.

    The two cars crossed paths.

    In the back seat of the Rolls-Royce were the three little ones: Zhan Qiaoyu, Zhan Qiaoze, and Zhan Qiaomo.

    Zhan Qiaoyu was sitting by the window, gazing outside.

    Through the car window, he immediately spotted Qiao Jing in the other car.

    This discovery made a look of surprise appear on Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s small face.

    He quickly waved his brothers over, speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°Come quick, I saw her!¡±

    Although Zhan Qiaoyu didn¡¯t say who it was, both Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo understood that the ¡°her¡± he referred to was the person who might be their mother.

    The two little ones eagerly leaned over, peering out the window, and asked anxiously, ¡°Where, where?¡±

    ¡°In that car over there.¡± Zhan Qiaoyu raised his small hand, pointing at the car that had just crossed paths with them.

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo opened their eyes wide, staring in the direction Zhan Qiaoyu pointed.

    ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu raised his little eyebrows, asking his two younger brothers.

    Both brothers nodded like pecking chicks, ¡°Saw it, saw it.¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice came from the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°What did you see?¡±

    The three little ones exchanged nces, then simultaneously sat back in their seats, shaking their heads in unison, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Being little tricksters was their usual behavior, so hearing this, Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t press further.

    Soon, the car stopped in front of Wonderful Hall.

    Zhan Qipei got out with the three little ones.

    Zhan Nanjing was about to leave when she saw her brother approaching with three adorable nephews.

    ¡°Auntie!¡±

    The three little ones called out in unison with cheerful faces.

    Seeing their cute and obedient demeanor, Zhan Nanjing felt as if she was melting from their cuteness.

    ¡°Little darlings, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡±

    As she spoke, Zhan Nanjing affectionately hugged the three little ones.

    Then, she turned her gaze to Zhan Qipei, asking suspiciously, ¡°Brother, why are you only just arriving? Everything here is already over.¡±

    Just then, Zhou Fu came out from the inner room, drawn by the noise.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei with the three little ones, he smiled and greeted them.

    After exchanging greetings, Zhan Qipei exined, ¡°Got caught in a traffic jam, so I¡¯mte.¡±

    He then inquired about the apprentice selection with Zhou Fu.

    At this, Zhou Fu spoke with some excitement, his voice tinged with enthusiasm, ¡°There was an exceptional candidate who presented insights that even made me feel inferior!¡±

    Saying this, Zhou Fu paused and then sighed a few secondster, ¡°It¡¯s a pity she doesn¡¯t want to be an apprentice. I suggested she think it over before deciding, but who knows if she¡¯ll agree.¡±

    Zhan Qipei handed over a prepared gift, speaking mildly, ¡°Regardless of the oue, my congrattory gift shouldn¡¯t be omitted; I¡¯m giving it to you now as an early celebration.¡±

    Zhou Fu epted it and after expressing thanks, added, ¡°Then I won¡¯t be polite in epting it.¡±

    After delivering the gift, Zhan Qipei left with the three little ones, heading back to the apartment.

    Once back, Zhan Qipei went to his study for work, having an online video meeting at this hour.

    In the room next to the study, the three little ones gathered together.

    Zhan Qiaoyu touched his chin with a small hand, his big round eyes turning with calction.

    Soon, he stood up and said to his brothers, ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯m going to find her. Could you two keep covering for me?¡±

    Hearing this, his brothers were not pleased.

    Zhan Qiaoze pouted, expressing his objection, ¡°You¡¯ve already gone once, shouldn¡¯t it be my turn now?¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo didn¡¯t want to be left behind and said immediately, ¡°I want to go too!¡±

    The three little ones looked at each other, and for a moment, the situation was at a standstill.

    Understanding their shared feelings, Zhan Qiaoyu suggested, ¡°How about wepete fairly using a contest to decide the winner? The winner gets to go.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo nodded, agreeing to the proposal.

    Then, Zhan Qiaomo tilted his head and asked, ¡°What should wepete in?¡±

    ¡°Medical skills!¡±

    ¡°Agricultural knowledge!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze spoke at the same time.

    Zhan Qiaomo suddenly looked helpless, his small eyes showing some resentment as he looked at his brothers, ¡°You guys are picking things you¡¯re good at. How is that fair? If that¡¯s the case, I think we shouldpete in physical skills!¡±

    All three of them have high intelligence, but they excel in different areas.

    The eldest brother has been interested in medicine since childhood, self-taught after reading medical books left by their mommy, and possesses remarkable medical skills!

    The second brother is interested in agriculture and has significant expertise in it after studying mommy¡¯s notes on agriculture!

    As for him, he is said to have inherited mommy¡¯s prowess in martial arts, being agile and strong despite his young age and small size!

    So if it¡¯s about medicine, the eldest brother would definitely win.

    If it¡¯s about agriculture, the second brother would definitely win.

    If it¡¯s about physical skills, he would naturally win.

    In thesepetitions, no matter which one they choose, it would inevitably be unfair¡­

    Therefore, the three little ones found themselves at a standstill once again.

    After a while, Zhan Qiaoyu nced at his brothers, ¡°How about¡­¡±

    ¡°Rock-paper-scissors!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo said in unison.

    Their suggestion matched what Zhan Qiaoze was thinking.

    The three little ones shared a smile.

    Unexpectedly, Zhan Qiaoyu quickly won the game.

    Zhan Qiaoyu triumphantly used rock to beat their scissors!

    So after all the rivalry, the other two only ended up with the task of covering up¡­

    Zhan Qiaoyu patted his brothers¡¯ shoulders seriously, ¡°The important task of covering me is yours now. I¡¯m off!¡±

    With that, his little face broke into a radiant smile, and he slipped out of the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of the eldest brother!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo watched Zhan Qiaoyu leave happily, unable to restrain their sighs.

    Just then, Zhan Qipei finished his video meeting.

    As he entered the room, he immediately noticed one of the three little ones was missing.

 Chapter 878 - 866: I Miss You So Much!

    <h4>Chapter 878: Chapter 866: I Miss You So Much!</h4>

    Before Zhan Qipei could inquire, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo spoke up with ease, "Big brother went to see Grandma!"

    Zhan Qipei had an instinct that something was peculiar about his three sons.

    However, he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on what exactly was off.

    After some thought, Zhan Qipei took out his phone, "I haven¡¯t gone to see the elders in a while either, it¡¯s a good time for a call."

    As soon as Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo heard, they immediately started to get nervous.

    If he makes that call, their lie would be exposed immediately!

    No way!

    They had to find a way to stop him!

    But, how to do that?

    The two little guys were so anxious they started to sweat.

    Just as their daddy was about to start dialing, Zhan Qiaomo had a sudden idea, covering his belly with his little hand and started to groan, "Ow ow."

    Zhan Qiaoze reacted quickly, immediately leaning over with a worried face to ask, "Mo Bao, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Seeing the situation, Zhan Qipei lost interest in making any phone calls and quickly put his phone away, crouching down to check on Zhan Qiaomo.

    "Tell Daddy, where do you feel unwell?"

    "I, my tummy hurts..."

    Zhan Qiaomo pretended convincingly, looking quite pitiful.

    Zhan Qipei immediately picked up the little guy and strode out, "Don¡¯t worry, Daddy will take you to the hospital right away."

    Zhan Qiaoze smacked his forehead with his little hand, silently saying: Oh no!

    If they ended up at the hospital, Mo Bao pretending to be ill would be exposed for sure.

    Then Daddy would ask why Mo Bao was pretending to be sick.

    And subsequently, what they¡¯ve been trying to hide would be revealed...

    Zhan Qiaomo naturally thought of this too, and he began to squirm in Zhan Qipei¡¯s arms anxiously, "Daddy, I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital!"

    Zhan Qipei stopped in his tracks, looking down at the little guy, "Isn¡¯t your tummy hurting?"

    "I, I..."

    Zhan Qiaomo hesitated for a moment and then quickly came up with a decent excuse, "I think I just need to use the bathroom!"

    "Are you sure?" Zhan Qipei was skeptical.

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded quickly, his little face earnest, "Yes, very sure!"

    Hearing his son say this and seeing that he really didn¡¯t seem to be sick, Zhan Qipei gave up the thought of going to the hospital and carried him to the bathroom.

    Just as he put Zhan Qiaomo down, Zhan Qipei received a call from thepany saying there was an urgent matter to attend to.

    Zhan Qiaoze waddled over on his little legs, obediently saying, "Daddy, you go ahead and take care of your work. I¡¯ll take good care of Mo Bao. If anything happens, I¡¯ll call you."

    Zhan Qiaomo also chimed in at the right time, "Daddy, you go ahead, I¡¯m feeling much better now, just need to use the bathroom and I¡¯ll be fine."

    Zhan Qipei gave the two little ones a suspicious look, "Why do I feel like you both want me out of the house quickly?"

    Zhan Qiaoze replied seriously, "Daddy, we¡¯re just afraid you¡¯ll dy important business!"

    "Yeah, yeah." Zhan Qiaomo echoed repeatedly.

    Thinking about the phone call just now, where thepany person said things were urgent, Zhan Qipei decided not to dy any further. After reminding the two little ones of a few things, he turned and left.

    As soon as he left, the two little guys let out a sigh of relief.

    Zhan Qiaomo patted his little chest with his hand, "Phew, that was close, almost got exposed!"

    "Good thing you reacted quickly, otherwise Daddy would have called Grandma."

    After saying that, Zhan Qiaoze thought for a moment, then suggested, "To prevent this from happening again, I think one of us should go to Grandma¡¯s, that way we can cover both bases."

    "Makes sense!" Zhan Qiaomo nodded in agreement.

    Meanwhile, on the other side,

    After leaving Wonderful Hall, Qiao Jing was dragged to the mall by Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin for a bit of shopping.

    When they returned to the hotel, the three of them saw Zhan Qiaoyu at the suite door.

    As soon as Zhan Qiaoyu saw Qiao Jing returning, he happily ran over with his little legs and hugged her, blinking his round eyes, "Aunt Jing, I missed you so much!"

    Actually, he wanted to call her Mommy, but Aunt Jing said she wasn¡¯t his mommy and repeatedly told him not to call her that.

    So he had to switch and call her Aunt Jing.

    Seeing Zhan Qiaoyu, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart softened immediately.

    She reached out and patted his little head, a smile unconsciously appearing on her face, "Weren¡¯t you going to find your daddy? Why are you back here?"

    "Uh..." Zhan Qiaoyu froze for a moment, then quickly made up a story, "I mistook someone for him, so I came back."

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also quite pleased to see Zhan Qiaoyu.

    After all, the little guy was both handsome and adorable, smart and well-behaved, very endearing.

    But Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help wanting to tease him a bit, deliberately putting on a slightly upset face, "Little one, is Aunt Jing the only one you see? Aren¡¯t you going to greet us?"

    Hearing herint, Zhan Qiaoyu blinked, his fair and tender face showing an innocent look, appearing extremely cute.

    Qiao Hong was instantly charmed, giving Qiao Lin a look, and said, "Stop teasing him, let¡¯s go inside and talk."

    After saying that, she dragged Qiao Lin inside the suite first.

    Qiao Jing held Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little hand and followed them in.

    In the evening,

    After dinner, Qiao Jing nned to give Zhan Qiaoyu a bath.

    Hearing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin volunteered to go buy a few sets of change clothes for him.

    Zhan Qiaoyu felt a bit shy, after all, since he and his two brothers could remember, they hadn¡¯t let anyone help them bathe, they always did it themselves.

    However, he really wanted to experience the feeling of Mommy helping him bathe...

    Zhan Qiaoyu was very conflicted, and finally decided to consult his two younger brothers for their opinion.

    Taking advantage of Qiao Jing going to the bathroom to draw water, Zhan Qiaoyu used his smartwatch to contact his two brothers.

    As soon as the video call connected, Zhan Qiaomo was the first to question, "Big brother, what¡¯s going on?"

    "Here¡¯s the thing, I¡¯ve already met her, but..."

    Zhan Qiaoyu hesitated to continue.

    Seeing him like this, Zhan Qiaoze suspiciously asked, "Then what? But what?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu shuffled a bit and said, "Well, she wants to help me bathe, but I¡¯m a little embarrassed, so I wanted to ask you guys if I should let her help or not."

    Hearing this, Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo simultaneously gave Zhan Qiaoyu a disdainful look.

    They even wanted to reach through the screen and give him a good thumping!

    Are you really asking for our opinion, or are you just showing off!!

    Zhan Qiaoze huffed lightly, "If you¡¯re embarrassed, then let me go instead, I won¡¯t be!"

    Zhan Qiaomo immediately echoed, "I¡¯m not embarrassed either!"

    Zhan Qiaoyu: "..."

    He decisively hung up the call and dashed to the bathroom.

    Qiao Jing was about to call him over, only to see him running over on his own.

    Even though she had never bathed a child before, she seemed very adept at bathing Zhan Qiaoyu, as if it was an instinct born of maternal love.

    Throughout the entire process, Zhan Qiaoyu thoroughly enjoyed it.

    No wonder kids love having Mommy help with baths; turns out it¡¯s such a blissful thing!

 Chapter 879: 867: Trying to Forcibly Take Qiao Jing Away

    <strong>Chapter 879: Chapter 867: Trying to Forcibly Take Qiao Jing Away</strong>

    When Qiao Jing finished helping Zhan Qiaoyu with his bath, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin happened to return with the clothes they bought.

    The sisters bought a heap of clothes with various styles, each looking great, clearly chosen with care.

    Qiao Jing picked a set for Zhan Qiaoyu to change into, and seeing it was gettingte, she took him to bed.

    After lying down in bed, Zhan Qiaoyu scooted closer to Qiao Jing, snuggling tightly against her.

    Qiao Jing raised her arm to hug him, pulling him into her embrace. Her voice unconsciously softened, ¡°Go to sleep.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu tilted his small face upward, blinking expectantly, and said, ¡°Aunt Jing, can you tell me a story?¡±

    After a silent two seconds, Qiao Jing honestly replied, ¡°I only know the story of the Three Little Pigs, which you¡¯ve heard before. I don¡¯t know any others.¡±

    Hearing her words, the little fellow became curious and asked in confusion, ¡°Haven¡¯t you read any other stories?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head and said lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t really like reading fairy tales. This Three Little Pigs story was probably told to me when I was very young.¡±

    She vaguely remembered hearing it when she was young, told by a very close rtive, but due to memory loss, she couldn¡¯t recall who that person was¡­

    Zhan Qiaoyu nodded, deep in thought.

    He also didn¡¯t like these things too much, in that sense, they were quite alike!

    Thinking of this, a joyful smile spread across Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s small face.

    He turned to hug Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and coquettishly said, ¡°Then can you tell me the story of the Three Little Pigs again? I still want to hear it.¡±

    Qiao Jing found it somewhat amusing, but since the little fellow wanted to hear it, she naturally told it again.

    ¡°Once upon a time, Pig Mother had three cute little piggies. When the little pigs grew up, Pig Mother told them, you¡¯ve grown up, and it¡¯s time for you to build your own houses¡­¡±

    Listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s gentle voice, Zhan Qiaoyu slowly closed his eyes.

    Actually, he didn¡¯t really want to hear any story; he just wished to fall asleep to a mommy¡¯s gentle voice like other kids¡­

    The next day, early in the morning.

    Qiao Jing was awakened by a noisymotion. She tucked the still sleeping little fellow in and then changed and walked out of the room.

    As soon as she stepped out, she saw Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin trying their best to block Jiang Zihong from barging into the suite.

    Seeing Qiao Jing approaching, Jiang Zihong restrained the vicious look on his face, appearing slightly milderpared to when facing Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, he spoke self-importantly, ¡°Qiao Jing, hiding in the Imperial Capital is useless. Many of the Qiao Family¡¯s projects are already in my hands. If you don¡¯t want your Qiao Family to crumble, you¡¯d better obedientlye with me¡­¡±

    Before Jiang Zihong could finish speaking, Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    She snorted coldly and abruptly cut off Jiang Zihong¡¯s words, ¡°Xiao Jing won¡¯t go with you, so you might as well give up on this idea!¡±

    Qiao Hong also spoke with irritation, ¡°Jiang, let me tell you, Master Zhou Fu wants to take our Xiao Jing as his disciple. If you don¡¯t want to offend Master Zhou, you¡¯d better stop harassing our Xiao Jing!¡±

    What Qiao Hong said, Jiang Zihongpletely dismissed, thinking she was just making it up.

    He sneered disdainfully, ¡°How can you say such things? Do you think I¡¯ll believe your nonsense?¡±

    After saying this, Jiang Zihong looked at Qiao Jing with a domineering tone, ¡°I¡¯m not that patient, I can¡¯t wait for a month. I¡¯lle to get you in three days and we¡¯ll get engaged immediately!¡±

    Leaving those words, Jiang Zihong gave a sinister smile and left with his entourage.

    ¡°Jiang Zihong, that scumbag, actually found his way here!¡±

    Qiao Lin gritted her teeth and cursed, then worriedly looked at Qiao Jing, ¡°What if in three days he really brings people over and tries to forcefully take you away like thest time at home?¡±

    Qiao Hong was also very worried and immediately suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go ask Master Zhou for help?¡±

    Qiao Jing remained silent for a moment, not responding.

    She felt reluctant to seek Master Zhou¡¯s help when she wasn¡¯t willing to be his disciple.

    At this moment, Qiao Hong received a call from thepany¡¯s assistant.

    She knew that with her father¡¯s disposition, if something happened at home, he wouldn¡¯t tell them to keep them from worrying.

    So, before setting off for the Imperial Capital, she secretly instructed the assistant to immediately inform her of anything at home and at thepany.

    After finishing the call with the assistant, Qiao Hong¡¯s expression became more severe.

    Seeing this, Qiao Lin immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who called?¡±

    ¡°It was Dad¡¯s assistant, saying someone is trying to forcibly acquire our Qiao Family¡¯spany¡­¡±

    Before Qiao Hong could finish speaking, Qiao Lin anxiously chimed in, ¡°Forcibly acquire? Who? The Jiang family?¡±

    ¡°The assistant said they didn¡¯t know the real identity of the acquiring party, but there¡¯s no doubt it¡¯s Jiang Zihong¡¯s doing!¡±

    As she said this, Qiao Hong was furious.

    Listening to their conversation, Qiao Jing realized the crisis facing the Qiao Family was imminent.

    The only solution was to heed Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s suggestion, go to Master Zhou, and ask for his help.

    Just as Qiao Jing thought this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin suddenly turned to look at her.

    Understanding their intention, Qiao Jing nodded and calmly uttered two words, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    So, the three of them went to Wonderful Hall again.

    When Zhou Fu saw Qiao Jinging, he assumed she had changed her mind, and a cheerful smile spread across his face.

    But after hearing their reason foring and the sudden willingness of Qiao Jing to disciple under him, his smile vanished, turning unhappy.

    He looked at Qiao Jing and said solemnly, ¡°I, Zhou Fu, am not one to take advantage of others. Only when you genuinely want to learn will I take you as my disciple.¡±

    As soon as he said this, Qiao Lin became as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

    Thinking about the situation at home and the threat left by Jiang Zihong, she couldn¡¯t care about anything else and directly said, ¡°Master Zhou, our family is in a critical situation right now. If you don¡¯t agree, in three days, my sister will be forcibly taken away by that rogue from the Jiang family and thrown into a life of misery!¡±

    Qiao Hong also chimed in with earnestness, ¡°Master Zhou, please help us. We have no other choice, that¡¯s why we came to you.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Zhou Fu said resolutely, ¡°I understand everything you¡¯ve said. The behavior of this Jiang family¡¯s rogue is indeed despicable. I won¡¯t stand by and do nothing about this.¡±

    After he finished speaking, he paused and turned to look at Qiao Jing, ¡°But, that¡¯s a separate matter. We¡¯ll talk about taking you as my disciple when you truly want it.¡±

    Coming out of Wonderful Hall, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin both breathed a sigh of relief.

    Qiao Lin, holding onto Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, said with a sense of relief, ¡°Although the apprenticeship didn¡¯t pan out, Master Zhou still agreed to help. Now, we don¡¯t have to worry so much.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded.

 Chapter 880: 868: Crisis

    <strong>Chapter 880: Chapter 868: Crisis</strong>

    Three dayster.

    Jiang Zihong did indeede knocking again.

    He was dressed in a suit with slicked-back hair, looking every bit the part, bringing not only numerous bodyguards but also a fleet of luxury cars.

    At the suite¡¯s entrance, Jiang Zihong instructed someone to kick open the door, then swaggered inside with his entourage.

    Seeing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin immediately stepped forward to shield Qiao Jing.

    Jiang Zihong cast a sinister re at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, speaking harshly, ¡°This has nothing to do with you two. You¡¯d best get out of my way; otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being impolite!¡±

    Qiao Lin red at him angrily and gritted her teeth, ¡°Jiang Zihong, you better get out of here immediately, or you¡¯ll regret it when Master Zhou arrives!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to scare me with Master Zhou!¡±

    Jiang Zihong didn¡¯t take Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin seriously at all, dismissing them before his gaze settled on Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, I¡¯ve arranged the engagement party, and all the rtives and friends are present. If you don¡¯t show up, you¡¯re making me lose face!¡±

    ¡°So, today you¡¯re going whether you like it or not!¡±

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s words were full of threats, even more domineering and aggressive than hisst visit to the Qiao Family.

    Qiao Jing nced at him expressionlessly, coldly replying, ¡°Your face matters not a bit to me.¡±

    The meaning was clear; she wasn¡¯t going to attend!

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Jiang Zihong¡¯splexion darkened suddenly.

    He squinted as he stared at Qiao Jing, speaking in a deep voice, ¡°Qiao Jing, I don¡¯t like what you just said. Soon you¡¯ll be mine, sharing both honor and shame; my face is your face ¡ª does it concern you or not?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Jiang Zihong with disdain, thinking he was seriously delusional.

    His words didn¡¯t even reach the level of daydreaming; it was at least a Third Level of insanity!

    Realizing the situation was dire, Qiao Hong quickly took out her phone to message Zhou Fu for emergency backup.

    Zhou Fu replied promptly, but the content made Qiao Hong¡¯s brows furrow even more tightly.

    Seeing her reaction, Qiao Lin anxiously asked, ¡°How is it? Is Master Zhou on his way?¡±

    They weren¡¯t far from Wonderful Hall; if Master Zhou came immediately, he might be able to stop Jiang Zihong!

    Qiao Hong shook her head, her voice heavy, ¡°Master Zhou said he¡¯s on his way but encountered a traffic ident; it might cause a slight dy.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Lin¡¯s face paled, anxiety creeping in.

    If Master Zhou doesn¡¯t arrive in time, what if Jiang Zihong forcibly takes away their Xiao Jing?!

    Listening to Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s conversation, Jiang Zihong burst intoughter, as if hearing a big international joke.

    He looked at the two derisively, mocking, ¡°You two act quite convincingly; not pursuing acting would be a waste!¡±

    ¡°Too bad, I, Jiang Zihong, wasn¡¯t scared by this; no matter how convincing, it¡¯s useless. I don¡¯t buy it!¡±

    Saying this, Jiang Zihong signaled his bodyguards to take action,manding, ¡°Move in, take Third Miss Qiao away!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The bodyguards responded and immediately charged towards the three of them.

    The intimidating stance of the group made Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin tremble slightly.

    Yet, they still resolutely stood in front of Qiao Jing, ready to be stepped over if necessary.

    Such actions deeply touched Qiao Jing.

    But, faced with numerous well-built adversaries, it was inevitable they¡¯d get hurt.

    As the bodyguards approached, Qiao Jing urgently said, ¡°Big sis, second sis, move out of the way.¡±

    Qiao Lin replied without hesitation, ¡°No! I won¡¯t let them take you away!¡±

    Qiao Hong remained silent but clearly shared Qiao Lin¡¯s stance.

    Jiang Zihong, visibly annoyed, ordered gruffly, ¡°Drag these two annoying women out of the way!¡±

    The bodyguards received the order and acted straightaway, disregarding whether the opponents were defenseless women.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin stood no chance and were immediately pushed to the ground.

    ¡°Ow¡ª¡±

    As she fell, Qiao Lin cried out in pain.

    Qiao Hong¡¯s face also scrunched from the difort.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turned icy cold, anger boiling within her.

    She wanted to help them up, but the bodyguards were already surrounding her.

    Zhan Qiaoyu watched anxiously from the side, hesitating whether to use the Zhan Family¡¯s power.

    Against the Zhan Family, Jiang Zihong wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, no matter how many more came.

    However, using the Zhan Family¡¯s power would reveal that he¡¯d lied, proving he didn¡¯t go missing but approached her intentionally.

    Additionally, this would also be found out by his father¡­

    As Zhan Qiaoyu was caught in his dilemma, Qiao Jing had already started fighting with the bodyguards.

    While the bodyguards were indeed skilled, none matched up to Qiao Jing¡¯s abilities.

    But two fists struggle against many hands; despite Qiao Jing¡¯s prowess, the sheer numbers were overwhelming.

    For a while, the fight raged fiercely, drawing to a stalemate.

    Eventually, Qiao Jing gained the upper hand, flooring most of the bodyguards.

    Seeing this unfold, Jiang Zihong¡¯s expression turned ugly.

    If things continued like this, wouldn¡¯t all his men be utterly defeated?!

    In his panic, Jiang Zihong caught a glimpse of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, who had struggled back up from the ground.

    Instantly, he hatched a n, a sinister smile spreading across his face.

    ¡°Grab those two!¡±

    Jiang Zihong quietly instructed several bodyguards who hadn¡¯t yet moved.

    The bodyguards swiftly moved forward, effortlessly restraining Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Having seeded in his n, Jiang Zihong arrogantly announced, ¡°Qiao Jing, if you don¡¯t want your sisters hurt, you¡¯d better stop ande with me obediently.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing quickly turned to look.

    Only then did she realize that Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were already restrained.

    Their arms were twisted behind them, immobilizing them.

    Qiao Lin grit her teeth, shouting loudly, ¡°Xiao Jing, don¡¯t worry about us, teach them a lesson, beat them to the ground!¡±

    Qiao Hong chimed in, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t hold back for us!¡±

    If they dyed a bit longer, perhaps Master Zhou would arrive!

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s gaze turned vicious as he red at the two, ¡°You¡¯re really courting death, aren¡¯t you? A little lesson should make you realize I¡¯m not ying around!¡±

    As he spoke, he signaled to the bodyguards holding Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin with a nce.

 Chapter 881 - 869: Threat

    <h4>Chapter 881: Chapter 869: Threat</h4>

    The bodyguard received a signal from Jiang Zihong and forcefully twisted the arms of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    "Ah ah ah... my hand..."

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin immediately cried out in pain.

    They actually wanted to endure it, but unfortunately, it hurt too much, and they couldn¡¯t hold back.

    Qiao Jing suddenly kicked away the bodyguard who was engaging with her, her gaze like a sharp de directed at Jiang Zihong, and said coldly, "Let them go."

    Jiang Zihong sneered, his words full of threat, "Qiao Jing, you know my purpose. As long as you obedientlye with me, I naturally won¡¯t do anything to them."

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin looked pained, but after hearing Jiang Zihong¡¯s words, they still shook their heads at Qiao Jing, telling her not topromise because of them.

    But how could Qiao Jing disregard their safety?

    She withdrew her gaze from the two of them and looked at Jiang Zihong with a nk expression, her voice cold and emotionless, "Have your people release my elder sisters, and I¡¯ll go with you."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Jiang Zihong immediately smiledcently, "See, if you¡¯d said this earlier, it wouldn¡¯t have been in vain to waste so much time. It would be unlucky if we missed the auspicious time for our engagement..."

    "Cut the crap!"

    Qiao Jing coldly interrupted Jiang Zihong, "Release them!"

    "Releasing them now won¡¯t do. What if I let them go and then you go back on your word?"

    Jiang Zihong argued confidently, walking towards Qiao Jing, "Once you¡¯re in the car with me, I¡¯ll naturally let the two of them go."

    "You don¡¯t have to worry about me doing anything to them. They are your sisters. Once we¡¯re engaged, they¡¯ll naturally be my sisters too."

    "Pah!"

    Qiao Lin spat spitefully despite the pain, "Who are you calling sister! The very thought of it makes me sick!"

    Jiang Zihong red maliciously at Qiao Lin, thenmanded the bodyguards, "What are you waiting for, escort Third Miss Qiao to the car!"

    "Third Miss Qiao, please!"

    A crowd of bodyguards surrounded Qiao Jing and shouted in unison.

    Considering the safety of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, Qiao Jing could only be forced to leave with Jiang Zihong.

    With the "apaniment" of the bodyguards, Qiao Jing left the hotel and got into the designated car.

    Zhan Qiaoyu chased out all the way, watching as Qiao Jing was forcibly taken away, his face flushed with anxiety.

    Just when he was hesitating whether to call his daddy with his smartwatch, he identally caught sight of a familiar face.

    Moreover, this familiar face happened to be someone who could help!

    "Uncle Xu!"

    Zhan Qiaoyu hurriedly ran towards Xu Moqian on his short legs.

    Xu Moqian stopped instinctively when he heard the voice.

    He looked up and saw the little guy running over in a hurry.

    The three little ones from the Zhan Family looked so alike, with almost identical small faces. Xu Moqian carefully distinguished for a moment before confirming that the little guy in front of him was Dabao Zhan Qiaoyu.

    Somewhat surprised, he asked, "Yubao, what are you doing here?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu was too anxious to exin so much, grabbing Xu Moqian¡¯s hand, he said urgently, "Uncle Xu, help me quickly, someone needs rescuing!"

    He raised his little hand, pointing at a private car moving farther away.

    "The woman in that car, a bad guy is forcibly taking her away and wants to force her into an engagement!"

    "How could such a tant act happen? Snatching someone in broad daylight!"

    Upon understanding, Xu Moqian felt rather indignant.

    But seeing Zhan Qiaoyu so anxious, he couldn¡¯t help but feel curious and casually asked, "Yubao, who is this person you want me to save, and what is your rtionship with them?"

    "She is... just someone I know."

    Zhan Qiaoyu vaguely replied, then quickly changed the subject, urging, "Uncle Xu, there¡¯s no time for chit-chat, let¡¯s catch up quickly or it¡¯ll be toote!"

    There was a reason he didn¡¯t tell Uncle Xu the truth.

    ording to his little aunt, Uncle Xu had been pursuing his mommy in the past.

    If Aunt Jing was actually his mommy, even a one in a million chance, it would mean his mommy might not remember anything now.

    In that case, what if Uncle Xu tried to take advantage of it?

    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t let Uncle Xu know that Aunt Jing might be his mommy!

    Seeing the urgency, Xu Moqian didn¡¯t probe further, and took Zhan Qiaoyu into the car, pursuing them.

    Ten minutester, Qiao Jing was taken to a luxurious hotel.

    The hotel banquet hall was crowded with guests, all invited by Jiang Zihong to attend what he called an engagement banquet.

    Qiao Jing was led to a room by those prearranged by Jiang Zihong and was forced to put on a gown.

    A whileter, Jiang Zihong barged into the room without knocking.

    Seeing Qiao Jing in the gown, his face showed a full expression of amazement.

    He had only known she was pretty before, but hadn¡¯t expected her figure to be so perfect, proportioned to such a degree of perfection.

    The enchanting figure simply captivated him!

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s gaze moved upward, and when itnded on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.

    "Howe you just happen to have such an ailment, and your pretty face turned into this? There¡¯s no way we can go out looking like this."

    Saying this, Jiang Zihong stepped forward and handed Qiao Jing a finely crafted mask, "I prepared this for you, put it on for now."

    Seeing the mask was quite delicate, Qiao Jing took a bit of interest, and casually put it on, even checking herself in the mirror.

    Standing by, Jiang Zihong continued, "After our engagement banquet, I¡¯ll have a doctor take good care of those things on your face, and if no other doctor can manage, I¡¯ll figure out a way to have Master Zhou take a look."

    He loved that breathtakingly beautiful face of hers.

    It was a sight for sore eyes!

    That¡¯s why he went to lengths to get hold of her first and then slowly treat her face!

    Qiao Jing coldly said, "No need for you to invite him, Master Zhou should be here soon."

    "Why are you spouting such nonsense?"

    Jiang Zihong sneered, then put his arm in front of Qiao Jing, "Alright, enough talk, take my arm and let¡¯s go to the banquet hall to meet my family and friends."

    Qiao Jing red coldly at the hand he extended, enunciating each word, "I¡¯ll go, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m taking your arm!"

    With those words, Jiang Zihong¡¯s face instantly darkened, "That¡¯s not your decision to make!"

    Saying that, he attempted to grab Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing quickly grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, and held it firmly, preventing him from moving recklessly.

    Jiang Zihong gritted his teeth in pain, threatening with clenched teeth, "Qiao Jing, I¡¯ll be honest with you, I left a few people over at the hotel, and your two sisters are still in my hands."

    "You¡¯d better let go right now andply with me, or don¡¯t me me for taking drastic measures on your sisters!"

 Chapter 882: 870: Zhan Qiaoyu Calls Xu Moqian to Rescue

    <strong>Chapter 882: Chapter 870: Zhan Qiaoyu Calls Xu Moqian to Rescue</strong>

    After Jiang Zihong finished speaking, he gritted his teeth against the pain in his arm and awkwardly used his other hand to take out his phone, dialing a video call.

    The call connected almost instantly, and the screen first showed a man¡¯s face.

    Soon after, the man turned the camera, revealing the figures of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s hands were tied with ropes, and beside them stood several bodyguards in ck, clearly the subordinates Jiang Zihong had mentioned.

    ¡°You see the situation your two sisters are in now. If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to them, then you better behave properly¡­¡±

    Before Jiang Zihong could finish his sentence, a sharp pain shot through his neck.

    Qiao Jing had swiftly mped his throat, pressing him against the wall with a fierce re, her voice as cold as frost.

    ¡°You promised to let them go, yet you y tricks on me like this, you¡¯re something else!¡±

    ¡°Cough, cough¡ª¡±

    Jiang Zihong coughed dryly a few times, feeling strangled and finding it difficult to breathe, his throat aching sharply.

    The bodyguards outside, hearing themotion, rushed into the room.

    Seeing their boss being strangled, they immediately intended to rescue him.

    Qiao Jing tightened her grip, leaving bruises on Jiang Zihong¡¯s neck, and shouted, ¡°Whoever dares to take one more step closer, I¡¯ll break his neck instantly!¡±

    The bodyguards, aware of Qiao Jing¡¯s skills, knew she could do it.

    Hearing her threat, they looked at each other but dared not advance.

    Jiang Zihong was both angry and resentful, but helplessly choked, struggling even to speak, his voice hoarse.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, don¡¯t you care at all about your two sisters¡¯ safety? Have you thought about the consequences of treating me like this?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was cold, her tone icy, ¡°If you dare to harm them, even if it¡¯s just a single hair, I will break your neck!¡±

    ¡°Do you dare?¡± Jiang Zihong red at her, his teeth clenched, ¡°Do you know what will happen if you do this?¡±

    ¡°So what if it¡¯s just one life? My life was given by them, so giving it back to them is no big deal!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes were cold, showing no fear.

    Seeing her determined expression, Jiang Zihong couldn¡¯t help but feel apprehensive, and his arrogance diminished considerably.

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±

    With a loud bang, the half-closed door was kicked open.

    Xu Moqian had followed over with Zhan Qiaoyu.

    It was naturally Xu Moqian who kicked the door open.

    Standing at the door, he swept his gaze around the room, not seeing the scene he expected, as described by Zhan Qiaoyu, where the Third Miss was being seriously bullied.

    He only saw a masked woman, choking Jiang Zihong and pressing him against the wall.

    This sight puzzled Xu Moqian.

    He asked suspiciously, ¡°Where¡¯s the Third Miss? Where¡¯s the Third Miss?¡±

    Upon hearing the question, Qiao Jing turned her head, nced at Xu Moqian, and calmly said, ¡°I am.¡±

    Seeing her formidable andmanding presence, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but recall Qiao Jing.

    This person¡¯s aura and vibe were very much like Sister Jing!

    Thinking of Qiao Jing, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of sadness.

    Why did such a good person like Sister Jing have to encounter a sea ident?

    If only Sister Jing were still alive, how great it would be¡­

    Jiang Zihong and Xu Moqian had a slight acquaintance, having drunk together at a party hosted by mutual friends.

    Recognizing Xu Moqian, Jiang Zihong instinctively thought Xu Moqian hade specially to congratte him on his engagement, and he quickly sought his help.

    ¡°Young Master Xu, you came just in time, quick, help me, I¡¯m about to be strangled to death!¡±

    ¡°Help my ass!¡±

    Xu Moqian scoffed, looking at Jiang Zihong with disdain, ¡°You¡¯re capable of doing such shameless things as forcing women, strangling you is ridding the world of trouble!¡±

    Hearing this, Jiang Zihong was stunned.

    After a moment, he realized Xu Moqian wasn¡¯t here to attend the engagement party but to cause trouble.

    Xu Moqian was here to help the woman choking him!

    Realizing this, Jiang Zihong¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment; he wanted to speak but found it increasingly difficult to breathe, feeling almost suffocated.

    Driven by survival instinct, he began to struggle violently, iling his arms wildly.

    Due tock of oxygen, Jiang Zihong¡¯s face started turning purple, looking somewhat frightening.

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t intended to strangle him to death, seeing it was enough, she forcefully tossed him aside.

    Jiang Zihong staggered, failing to stand properly, and fell to the ground.

    He clutched his neck, coughing dryly, ¡°Cough, cough, cough, cough¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian stepped forward a few steps, his gazending on Qiao Jing, and asked, ¡°Third Miss, are you okay?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, just about to say she was fine when Jiang Zihong already got up from the ground.

    Still clutching his neck, he looked at Xu Moqian in confusion, ¡°Young Master Xu, I¡¯m a little puzzled, what do you mean by this? Do you also have an eye on her?¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡±

    Xu Moqian directly rebuked, firmly stating, ¡°I only have Sister Jing in my heart, how could I have an eye on someone else!¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s not because you fancy her, then why are you helping her?¡±

    Jiang Zihong looked suspicious, his tone clearly doubtful.

    Xu Moqian snorted coldly, ¡°Do you know her identity? She is Master Zhou¡¯s chosen apprentice!¡±

    ¡°Daring to mess with an apprentice chosen by Master Zhou, you sure have guts!¡±

    This was what Zhan Qiaoyu had told Xu Moqian on the way here; otherwise, Xu Moqian wouldn¡¯t have known.

    Hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Jiang Zihong was taken aback.

    Previously, when Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin mentioned Master Zhou, he didn¡¯t take it seriously, thinking they were just using Master Zhou¡¯s name to scare him.

    But hearing it from Xu Moqian gave it a whole new level of credibility.

    So, Master Zhou indeed wants to take Qiao Jing as an apprentice?

    This woman actually has such skills?!

    Just as Jiang Zihong felt surprised and shocked by this, he saw Zhan Qiaoyu rushing in.

    He looked at Zhan Qiaoyu, then at Xu Moqian, and suddenly seemed to understand something, his shock being reced by realization.

    ¡°So you all were colluding together!¡±

    Jiang Zihong squinted, using a knowing gaze to look at Xu Moqian, ¡°Young Master Xu, I truly didn¡¯t expect you toe up with such a story to trick me for her. Rather than saying Master Zhou wants her as a disciple, you might as well say she¡¯s the woman you¡¯ve set your eyes on!¡±

    ¡°However, everything has a firste, first served basis; I was the one who saw her first. Although the Jiang family isn¡¯t as powerful as the Xu Family, I trust that Young Master Xu wouldn¡¯t stoop to snatching love by force¡­¡±

    ¡°Bullshit snatching!¡±

    A thick angry voice came from the doorway.

    Everyone in the room turned their heads simultaneously to see Zhou Fu stomping in angrily.

 Chapter 883: 871: Sister Jing?!

    <strong>Chapter 883: Chapter 871: Sister Jing?!</strong>

    Seeing Zhou Fu actually came, Jiang Zihong waspletely dumbfounded.

    So what Xu Moqian said just now was true, and Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin weren¡¯t just trying to scare him!

    Qiao Jing is indeed the apprentice Master Zhou has his eye on!!

    ¡°So you¡¯re the one using underhanded tactics to force the girl, and even brought people to abduct her here, insisting on getting engaged to her, right?¡±

    Zhou Fu stood in front of Jiang Zihong, ring at him with sharp eyes, questioning him harshly word for word.

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s face was ugly. Although he was indignant, he didn¡¯t dare to retort.

    ¡°Someone as despicable as you dares to use others of stealing love?¡±

    When saying this, Zhou Fu¡¯s tone carried a clear disdain.

    He swiftly and sternly warned Jiang Zihong, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s someone I admire greatly. I also intend to take her as my apprentice. You¡¯d better drop your nasty thoughts, or I¡¯ll consider you openly opposing me, Zhou Fu!¡±

    ¡°Master Zhou, aren¡¯t those words a bit too harsh? I don¡¯t intend to oppose you, I just¡­¡±

    ¡°Less nonsense!¡±

    Before Jiang Zihong could finish, he was angrily interrupted by Zhou Fu.

    Zhou Fu¡¯s expression was grave, with an invisible pressure, ¡°You, now, apologize to her immediately!¡±

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s hands clenched into tight fists, feeling extremely frustrated.

    Why should he apologize?

    If that woman had obediently been with him, would he have needed to go to such lengths?!

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to apologize? So you want to force me to do something before you¡¯ll willingly apologize, is that it?¡±

    Zhou Fu¡¯s words carried a strong warning.

    To be blunt, if Jiang Zihong didn¡¯t apologize, Zhou Fu wouldn¡¯t let this matter rest easily!

    Jiang Zihong wasn¡¯t stupid and naturally heard the threat in Zhou Fu¡¯s words.

    Suppressing his resentment, he reluctantly and unclearly said to Qiao Jing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong!¡±

    After saying that, he turned around angrily and stormed out.

    Qiao Jing turned her gaze to Zhou Fu and sincerely expressed her gratitude, ¡°Master Zhou, I really troubled you this time. Thank you foring specially to help me out.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me, it was just a small gesture.¡±

    Zhou Fu waved his hand and said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I¡¯m not someone who uses favors to demand repayment. I won¡¯t use this matter as a reason to force you to be my apprentice.¡±

    ¡°Only if you¡¯re truly willing, will I take you as my apprentice. Whenever you have that intention, you cane to me anytime.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, you helped me, so I still need to thank you.¡±

    Qiao Jing said seriously, ¡°Master Zhou, I¡¯ve noted this favor.¡±

    Zhou Fu didn¡¯t offer any more polite words, only said, ¡°Since the matter is resolved, I¡¯ll take my leave. There¡¯s still some business over at Wonderful Hall that I need to handle.¡±

    After speaking, he turned and left directly.

    As Zhou Fu left, Zhan Qiaoyu emerged from behind a chair on the side.

    Not being discovered, the little one secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    Luckily, he hid in time, or if Uncle Zhou Fu saw him, he would definitely question why he was here, which would be very troublesome to exin!

    If he couldn¡¯t exin properly, his n would be at risk of exposure!

    Seeing that there was nothing more for him, Xu Moqian also nned to leave.

    However, before he could step out, two women suddenly rushed in urgently from outside.

    The two of them were shouting ¡°Xiao Jing, Xiao Jing¡± as they ran in.

    Hearing the address ¡°Xiao Jing,¡± Xu Moqian was shocked and quickly turned around.

    He saw the two women who had just rushed in nervously holding the masked woman, asking her worriedly about her situation.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, are you okay? Did that scum Jiang Zihong do anything to you?¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jing, let me see, did you get hurt anywhere?¡±

    Qiao Lin and Qiao Hong held onto Qiao Jing, asking her while checking if she was injured.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Qiao Jing shook her head and then asked back, ¡°What about you? Did Jiang Zihong leave his people at the hotel to mess around?¡±

    In that video just now, those bodyguards in ck, each one fierce-looking, didn¡¯t appear to be easy to deal with!

    ¡°They just tied us up, restricting our freedom, nning to use us to coerce you until this engagement party was over.¡±

    Qiao Lin briefly exined the situation, ¡°Later, Master Zhou rushed over and rescued us from those people, and also got this location from their mouths.¡±

    ¡°Master Zhou was afraid he wouldn¡¯t make it in time to stop it, so he came over first. We took a taxi, so we arrived a bitter¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin was speaking when Xu Moqian, who had been stunned beside them, suddenly snapped back to reality.

    He rushed in front of Qiao Jing, his expression somewhat excited, and asked abruptly, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Qiao Jing was slightly stunned, not knowing why he suddenly asked this question.

    Although puzzled, thinking that he had also helped her earlier, Qiao Jing still responded, ¡°My name is Qiao Jing.¡±

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian became even more excited.

    If you looked closely, you¡¯d notice that even the corners of his eyes were slightly red.

    He stared intently, unblinking, at the mask on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, then instinctively reached out, trying to suddenly pull off the mask.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, seeing Xu Moqian¡¯s action, instinctively assumed he was trying to harass their Xiao Jing.

    The sisters reacted quickly, almost simultaneously stepping forward to block Xu Moqian¡¯s move.

    Qiao Hong hesitated as she spoke, ¡°Young Master Xu, you helped our Xiao Jing, and we are grateful, but this behavior¡­ is a bit too forward.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian realized he had lost hisposure.

    He couldn¡¯t confirm anything yet; it was all his own spection.

    If this person wasn¡¯t who he thought she was, then rashly pulling off a girl¡¯s mask was indeed inappropriate.

    Thinking of this, Xu Moqian sincerely apologized, then carefully asked again, ¡°Could you tell me which characters your name isposed of?¡±

    Beside him, Zhan Qiaoyu, hearing this question, knew Xu Moqian was simr to him back then.

    Upon hearing those two characters, he thought it was his mommy¡¯s name¡­

    Regarding Xu Moqian¡¯s question, Qiao Jing was somewhat suspicious, but still truthfully answered, ¡°Qiao as in the Chinese character for ¡®bridge,¡¯ Jing as in ¡®scenery.¡¯

    Xu Moqian listened, paused for a moment, and thenughed at himself.

    Scenery¡¯s Jing¡­

    It¡¯s true. If his Sister Jing had returned, how could she possibly note looking for him, or not recognize him?

    There¡¯s no way she has amnesia, right?!

    Such a melodramatic thing, how could it possibly happen!!

    Thinking of this, Xu Moqian sighed deeply to himself.

    Yet in the end, he couldn¡¯t help but ask again, ¡°Are you from the Qiao Family in Nandu?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Qiao Hong nodded, then sinctly introduced, ¡°Our father is Qiao Weiguang. I¡¯m the eldest daughter of the Qiao Family, this is my younger sister Qiao Lin, and this is my youngest sister Qiao Jing.¡±

    After listening, Xu Moqian fell silent.

    Even their origins matched, he must have gotten it wrong. This isn¡¯t his Sister Jing, just someone with a simr feeling and name¡­

 Chapter 884 - 872: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Advanced Computer Skills

    <h4>Chapter 884: Chapter 872: Qiao Jing¡¯s Advanced Computer Skills</h4>

    A dayter, at the hotel.

    When Qiao Lin was about to use herptop, she found out herputer was broken.

    After booting up, it first flickered, and then went straight to a blue screen.

    She tinkered with it for a while but couldn¡¯t figure out the reason.

    No choice, Qiao Lin had to take theputer to the living room and ask Qiao Hong for help.

    Theirputer skills are actually not bad; they can usually handlemon issues by themselves.

    But this time she couldn¡¯t fix it, so she wondered if her sister could.

    At this moment in the living room, Qiao Jing was apanying Zhan Qiaoyu watching TV, with Qiao Hong also nearby.

    What¡¯s on TV is a cartoon; Zhan Qiaoyu actually doesn¡¯t like watching this kind of thing, but when he¡¯s with Qiao Jing, he wants to experience what kids his age do when they¡¯re with their mommy.

    Qiao Lin came over, put theputer on the coffee table, and said somewhat gloomily, "Sis, myputer¡¯s broken, can you help me see what¡¯s wrong?"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong got up, went over and seriously checked it out.

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Qiaoyu simultaneously turned their gaze that way.

    Zhan Qiaoyu originally wanted to step in and help, as long as theputer wasn¡¯tpletely trashed, he could fix it.

    But then he thought, if he helped, it would surely reveal his skills, revealing that he¡¯s actually a genius kid.

    If that happened, the story of being separated and lost from daddy wouldn¡¯t make sense!

    To a genius kid, getting lost is an impossibility!

    To avoid exposing himself, Zhan Qiaoyu decisively dismissed the thought of lending a hand.

    Qiao Hong checked for a while and then attempted to repair it, but wasn¡¯t sessful.

    She shook her head and said to Qiao Lin, "No, this issue is too tricky, I can¡¯t fix it either."

    Qiao Lin frowned and muttered to herself, "This is troublesome, myputer has a lot of data, if it can¡¯t be fixed, won¡¯t all the data be gone?"

    Then, Qiao Jing, who was silently looking on, spoke up, "Shall I give it a try?"

    Once these words came out, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin both looked at her in surprise.

    Qiao Lin asked somewhat bewilderedly, "Xiao Jing, you know how to do this?"

    Qiao Hong then gently remarked, "This isn¡¯t a usual glitch; I think it requires a professional."

    She wasn¡¯t questioning anything, but this issue was indeed difficult and hard to repair.

    "I¡¯ll give it a try."

    With that, Qiao Jing got up and walked over, staring at theputer screen, scanning through the gibberish on it.

    Theputer was originally in a blue screen state; after Qiao Hong¡¯s fiddling, it ended up with this mess of gibberish.

    For some reason, Qiao Jing felt she could solve it.

    She nced at it briefly and found the crux of the problem.

    Then, her hands moved onto the keyboard, practically without thinking, her fingers leaping swiftly, typing out strings of code rapidly.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were watching from the side, dumbfounded.

    Although they didn¡¯t know if it could be fixed, just that typing speed was enough to amaze them.

    They both thought that even if they had two more pairs of hands, they couldn¡¯t achieve that speed!

    As they were awed by Qiao Jing¡¯s typing speed, theputer screen suddenly shed, the gibberishpletely vanished, as the disy returned to normal.

    Qiao Lin hugged Qiao Jing abruptly and eximed with surprise, "Wow! Xiao Jing, you¡¯re incredible! Who would¡¯ve thought you had this skill, and you actually fixed it."

    Qiao Hong also gave Qiao Jing a thumbs-up, her tone clearly admiring, "Our Xiao Jing is awesome!"

    Although the two sisters¡¯puter skills were decent, they weren¡¯t professionals, so when they saw Qiao Jing fixing theputer, they were just amazed without much shock.

    But on the side, Zhan Qiaoyu was deeply impacted.

    Because he had a highly impressive talent inputers from a young age, don¡¯t be fooled by his age, his skills were at par with many professionals.

    Even in duels with the hackers in the league, his win rate was high!

    Thus, he could tell that the previous glitch was impossible to fix without a very professional person.

    Moreover, he estimated that if he were to repair it, it would definitely take longer than Aunt Jing.

    Considering these two aspects, it meant Aunt Jing¡¯s skills were even higher than his!

    Realizing this, Zhan Qiaoyu was truly surprised.

    His big round eyes blinked at Qiao Jing and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Aunt Jing, are you part of the league?"

    Qiao Jing, puzzled, asked in return, "What league?"

    Qiao Lin heard and casually asked, "Kiddo, are you talking about that international top organization league, with many talented people, epassing geniuses from various countries?"

    "Yeah." Zhan Qiaoyu nodded, his serious little face, "That¡¯s the league."

    Hearing him say this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged a knowing smile.

    Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but say with augh, "Kiddo, who¡¯s been bragging to you? Do you know what that organization is?"

    "People who can enter that organization are all extraordinary, without some surpassing capability, how could they get in?"

    Qiao Hong chimed in, "Right, that organization is a mysterious existence. Though Xiao Jing indeed has some technical skills, it¡¯s impossible for her to be part of that organization."

    After listening to their words, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little face showed no change, but he couldn¡¯t help secretly grumbling.

    That could be called just some skills?

    That practically can be considered divine prowess!

    Anyway, he thought his Aunt Jing was no ordinary person!!

    In the afternoon, Zhan Qiaoyu sneaked out to the balcony behind Qiao Jing¡¯s back to video call his two brothers.

    As soon as Zhan Qiaomo connected the video, he impatiently asked, "Big brother, how¡¯s it going?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu lowered his voice and replied quietly, "Don¡¯t rush, I contacted you guys because I have news to tell."

    "What news?" Zhan Qiaoze blinked and asked curiously.

    "Here¡¯s the thing, Aunt Jing¡¯s second sister¡¯sputer broke, the cause of the fault was pretty hard to handle, then Aunt Jing stepped in and within no time, she fixed theputer."

    Zhan Qiaoyu briefly recounted the incident.

    After hearing, the two brothers were a bit puzzled, they asked in unison, "And then?"

    Only then did Zhan Qiaoyu continue, "If it were me fixing this issue, I couldn¡¯t have resolved it that fast; this should mean you understand what it means."

    Now, the two brothers got it.

    Zhan Qiaomo widened his eyes, his little face full of surprise, "Big Brother, do you mean her technical skills are even better than yours?"

    His big brother¡¯sputer skills are definitely on par with that of professional hackers!

    Being better than his big brother, that certainly isn¡¯t simple!

    Zhan Qiaoze thought for a moment, then skeptically said, "Does our mommy also master this area?"

 Chapter 885 - 873: The Three Little Ones Investigate in Secret

    <h4>Chapter 885: Chapter 873: The Three Little Ones Investigate in Secret</h4>

    Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s words caused both Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo to fall silent for a moment.

    They only knew that their mommy was an agricultural mogul, a Divine Doctor Jing, and exceptional in martial skills and prowess.

    However, they had never heard that mommy was also proficient inputers...

    After a while, Zhan Qiaoyu thought of an idea and said to his two brothers, "How about this, you go and ask Auntie for a clue, see if our mommy is proficient inputers."

    "OK!"

    "Leave it to us!"

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo responded in unison.

    After ending the call, the two little guys took up the mission and ran to find Zhan Nanjing.

    Seeing the two of them, Zhan Nanjing was overjoyed, her face full of smiles, "Zebao, Mo Bao,e over quickly so Auntie can give you a hug."

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo ran over with little steps, throwing themselves into Zhan Nanjing¡¯s embrace.

    Zhan Nanjing hugged one with each arm, lovingly patting their little heads.

    But the next second, she seemed to remember something and asked curiously, "Huh? Why are there only two of you? Where is Yubao? Why didn¡¯t hee with you?"

    Zhan Qiaoze nced at Zhan Qiaomo.

    Zhan Qiaomo received the hint, blinked, and adeptly said, "Big brother¡¯s stomach isn¡¯t feeling well, he¡¯s resting at home."

    Beforeing over, the two of them had already decided to use the trick that fooled Daddyst time ¡ª stomachache!

    "Oh, then I should go check on Yubao. If it¡¯s serious, he should go to the hospital right away."

    Zhan Nanjing said worriedly as she was about to take action.

    The two little guys quickly each grabbed one of her hands.

    Zhan Qiaoze said earnestly, "No need, Auntie, big brother has already taken medicine and is sleeping now. We shouldn¡¯t disturb his rest."

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded like a chick pecking at rice, "Yes, yes."

    Hearing them say this, Zhan Nanjing gave up the idea of checking on Zhan Qiaoyu.

    Zhan Qiaoze thought it was better to get straight to the point to avoid Auntie asking about something else.

    He held Zhan Nanjing¡¯s hand and raised a sweet smile on his little face, "Auntie, I have something to ask you."

    Zhan Nanjing lightly pinched his cute little face, "Ask away, what is it?"

    "Is my mommy proficient inputer technology?"

    After asking, Zhan Qiaoze blinked hisrge, sparkling, clear eyes, eagerly waiting for Zhan Nanjing¡¯s answer.

    Zhan Qiaomo did the same, waiting expectantly by the side.

    Zhan Nanjing thought for a moment, then replied, "I really don¡¯t know, but your mommy is so smart, she must know everything."

    "So, I think she should be proficient!"

    When she said this, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s tone was very confident.

    Because in her heart, her sister-inw was omnipotent!

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo exchanged a nce, both feeling that since Auntie said so, their mommy must indeed be proficient inputer technology!

    ...

    Another day passed.

    After breakfast, Zhan Qiaoyu ran back to his room first to share intelligence with his two brothers.

    In the living room, Qiao Lin, holding Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, said with a smile, "Xiao Jing, I remember you don¡¯t seem to have a party dress, let¡¯s go outter and choose one for you at Yueji Pavilion."

    Why buy a party dress out of the blue?

    And why buy it from such an upscale ce like Yueji Pavilion?

    Qiao Jing was a bit confused, "Why buy a party dress?"

    Qiao Hong exined from the side, "Because the three of us need to attend Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement party together, the one we met earlier at the Wonderful Hall."

    "For such asions, getting a party dress is a must."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but remember the scene when they saw Miss Zhan at the Wonderful Hall.

    She always felt that this Miss Zhan seemed oddly familiar.

    A kind of d¨¦j¨¤ vu feeling!

    Speaking of the engagement party, Qiao Lin became curious, "It¡¯s said that Miss Zhan¡¯s fianc¨¦¡¯s name is Chi Yuhang, a poor boy from the countryside."

    This kind of gossip naturally also interested Qiao Hong, and she immediately chimed in.

    "Yes, I heard too, this Chi Yuhang initially worked as a waiter, then was taken to the research institute by Professor Qiao, showing that he must have certain talents in agriculture, otherwise Professor Qiao wouldn¡¯t have valued him."

    "That makes sense."

    Qiao Lin nodded in agreement, then added with a bit of emotion, "Speaking of which, Chi Yuhang is like a phoenix soaring into the sky, who knew that in the back and forth between him and Miss Zhan, they developed feelings and got together."

    Hearing their words, Qiao Jing also sighed, "Although I¡¯ve only met her once, it¡¯s apparent that this Miss Zhan isn¡¯t a snob. Unlike those arrogant daughters of affluent families, she¡¯s a good person."

    Simply put, she had a pretty good impression of this Miss Zhan.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin nodded, agreeing with Qiao Jing¡¯s viewpoint.

    Before heading out, the three of them asked Zhan Qiaoyu if he wanted to go shopping with them.

    The little guy initially wanted to go, but upon hearing they were going to buy clothes, he changed his mind and decided not to go.

    It¡¯s said that women picking clothes can be quite a hassle, so he decided not to join the crowd!

    "Alright then, you wait here for us toe back. Don¡¯t go out on your own, okay?"

    Qiao Jing patted Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little head, instructing him.

    Zhan Qiaoyu responded obediently, "Got it!"

    "This little one is very clever, he¡¯ll definitely take care of himself, don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s go."

    Qiao Lin said, linking her arm with Qiao Jing¡¯s, pulling her towards the door.

    Qiao Hong followed closely behind.

    When they exited the hotel, they took a car to a well-known shopping za.

    After getting out of the car, Qiao Jing headed straight for the entrance of the shopping mall, only to be stopped by Qiao Lin.

    Qiao Jing was a bit puzzled by Qiao Lin¡¯s action.

    Qiao Lin cheerfully exined, "On the way here, I saw a shop selling sugar-roasted chestnuts, I want to go buy some."

    Qiao Hong chimed in upon hearing this, "Then I¡¯ll go buy a cup of bubble tea."

    After finishing, they both looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrow slightly, and said calmly, "I don¡¯t have anything I want to buy, you guys go ahead, I¡¯ll wait here for you."

    And so, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin split up, each buying what they wanted.

    Qiao Jing stayed and waited there.

    After a while, a girl¡¯s shout suddenly echoed in the za.

    "Someone stole something! My bag was snatched! Help catch the thief!"

    Ni Yue chased after the thief who had snatched her bag, shouting at the top of her lungs.

    She was quite unlucky, having just gotten off the car and her bag was snatched by a nasty thief!

    It was infuriating!

    Qiao Jing, upon hearing the shout, turned her head and saw the thief escaping quickly, aiming to cross the road.

    Almost instinctively, Qiao Jing lifted her feet and gave chase.

    There was a barrier in the middle of the road, which the thief had already jumped over.

 Chapter 886: 874: Helping Ni Yue Catch a Thief

    <strong>Chapter 886: Chapter 874: Helping Ni Yue Catch a Thief</strong>

    Qiao Jing chased up to the railing, not slowing her pace, and simply vaulted over it with one hand, gracefully and deftly.

    The little thief who had snatched the bag heard the sound of footsteps approaching and was startled. He nced back as he ran.

    Just as he turned his head, Qiao Jing kicked him in the back of the knee.

    The thief didn¡¯t even have time to react before falling to his knees with a ¡°thud.¡±

    Qiao Jing then delivered a firm kick to his back, stepping on himpletely, and snatched the stolen bag from his hands.

    The surrounding bystanders witnessed this scene and began to praise her.

    ¡°That youngdy has some amazing moves; you¡¯d think she was shooting a martial arts movie!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just hopping over that railing, you¡¯d need some skills to pull that off!¡±

    ¡°The youngdy is not only skillful but also kind-hearted. In today¡¯s world, there aren¡¯t many who are willing to act heroically and stand up for others!¡±

    ¡°If you ask me, her kicks were spot on! Scoundrels like this deserve a good lesson!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    While the crowd was engaged in discussion, Ni Yue came running over, panting heavily.

    Qiao Jing recognized her as the owner whose bag was stolen earlier. She handed the bag back to Ni Yue and reminded her, ¡°Be more careful next time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After earnestly thanking her, Ni Yue took the bag.

    She looked at Qiao Jing with admiration and added with a smile, ¡°Your graceful skills and spirited demeanor remind me of a friend.¡±

    Actually, it wasn¡¯t just her skills and aura; even her build was very simr. If their appearances weren¡¯t so different, she would have thought this person was Xiao Jingjing!

    Qiao Jing said nothing, only smiled faintly.

    Ni Yue fetched a business card from her bag and handed it over, saying earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m Ni Yue, I work at the Yueji Pavilion, and my contact information is here.¡±

    ¡°You helped me, and I¡¯ll remember this favor. If you ever need help, feel free to call me.¡±

    Qiao Jing took the card and nced at it, feeling that it was a coincidence.

    They were about to visit Yueji Pavilion and happened to meet someone who worked there.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be off now, I¡¯ve got some matters to attend to.¡±

    With that, Ni Yue waved at Qiao Jing with a smile and hurriedly turned to leave.

    She had an appointment with a client nearby to discuss a design draft, and after that, she still had to head to Yueji Pavilion, so she was pressed for time.

    After Ni Yue left, Qiao Jing returned to her previous spot.

    When she got back, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had already finished shopping.

    Seeing her, Qiao Hong visibly sighed in relief.

    Qiao Lin slightly frowned and asked, ¡°Xiao Jing, where did you disappear to? We couldn¡¯t find you and were about to call you!¡±

    Qiao Jing replied nonchntly, ¡°I just helped out when someone got their bag stolen.¡±

    ¡°You went to catch a thief?!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Lin instantly lost herposure, eximing loudly while quickly pulling Qiao Jing to her, scanning her up and down to see if she was hurt anywhere.

    Qiao Jing, of course, knew that Qiao Lin was worried she¡¯d gotten injured, and she smiled gently, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Qiao Hong, beside them, spoke earnestly, ¡°Xiao Jing, your big sisters know you¡¯re skilled, but thieves today can be violent, some even carry knives. Better safe than sorry, you should be more careful in the future, alright?¡±

    Qiao Jing initially wanted to say she was being cautious, but seeing Qiao Hong so seriously concerned, with genuine care in her words, she couldn¡¯t argue and simply nodded, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    After confirming Qiao Jing was indeed unharmed, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin took her to Yueji Pavilion.

    The three wandered around the store and eventually decided on a long white mermaid gown.

    The gown had a deep V-neck at the front and ace-back design, being both sexy and elegant¡ªquite tasteful.

    Qiao Lin pointed to the gown they had chosen and said to the staff, ¡°We¡¯d like this one, please wrap it up for us.¡±

    The staff was about to respond when a haughty voice suddenly interjected.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this gown!¡±

    The three of them looked in the direction of the voice and saw Yang Xiaoxiao approaching with an air of arrogance.

    Qiao Hong furrowed her brows, her tone displeased, ¡°It¡¯s her again, that annoying pest!¡±

    Qiao Lin sneered, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re spot on; she¡¯s just like a pesky ghost that won¡¯t go away!¡±

    Qiao Jing, however, remained silent, her expression calm.

    As Yang Xiaoxiao approached, she gave the store staff a sidelong nce and demanded imperiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said I want this gown.¡±

    The staff, hearing this, apologized, ¡°Miss, my apologies, but this gown was first chosen by these three guests¡­¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao cut off the staff, exuding an overbearing attitude, ¡°They haven¡¯t paid yet. If they haven¡¯t paid, doesn¡¯t the gown still belong to Yueji Pavilion? Why can¡¯t I buy it?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± The staff looked at the three of them, feeling troubled.

    Qiao Lin red at Yang Xiaoxiao and grumbled, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, with so many gowns at Yueji Pavilion, you had to go for the one we picked¡ªare you doing this on purpose?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m doing it on purpose, so what?¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao admitted outright, her tone insolent.

    Qiao Lin gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to rush over and pummel Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Were it not for the fact that Yueji Pavilion was an upscale ce where it wouldn¡¯t be proper to fight, she surely would have acted!

    Qiao Hong turned to the staff and said, ¡°You see, she¡¯s being unreasonable and deliberately causing trouble. Besides, we really did pick the gown first. How are you going to handle this?¡±

    The employee looked troubled, unsure how to resolve the situation.

    At this moment, the store manager, having overheard themotion, walked over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The staff quickly exined the situation.

    Understanding the circumstances, the manager solemnly stated, ¡°Shopping requires respecting the order of who saw it first. Since these three guests saw the gown first, then this gown should¡­¡±

    ¡°I am a VIP customer at Yueji Pavilion, and VIPs have privileges, right? I¡¯m taking this gown¡ªfigure it out,¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao interrupted, disying her VIP card, full of pride and superiority.

    ¡°Oh, this customer is our VIP indeed!¡±

    The manager, upon seeing the VIP card in Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s hand, immediately changed his demeanorpletely, directing the staff, ¡°Why are you standing there? Hurry and wrap up the gown for our VIP customer.¡±

    The staff hesitated for a moment and then quickly went to take the gown from the mannequin.

    Yang Xiaoxiao looked at the three with her head held high, and said with glee, ¡°What good is it that you saw it first? In the end, it¡¯s still mine!¡±

    ¡°VIP privileges at Yueji Pavilion really pay off, don¡¯t they? Are you envious or jealous now?¡±

 Chapter 887 - 875: The Slap in the Face Hurts Too Much

    <h4>Chapter 887: Chapter 875: The p in the Face Hurts Too Much</h4>

    Listening to Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s continuous boasting, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were fuming.

    But being angry was useless!

    Who told her she was a VIP, and VIPs have privileges!

    Compared to Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s anger, Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction was much calmer.

    She remained expressionless and indifferent.

    It¡¯s just a dress, not worth getting so worked up about.

    After all, it¡¯s never just people choosing clothes, clothes also choose people.

    Not everyone who puts on nice clothes will look good!

    Seeing Qiao Jing and the others not speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao assumed they were struck down, and became even more smug.

    She lifted her chin slightly and looked at Qiao Jing disdainfully, mocking, "What if Master Zhou wants to take you as a disciple? You¡¯re still useless, you can¡¯t even snatch a gown from me!"

    "By then, I will wear this gown I snatched from you, looking beautiful at Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement party!"

    "I¡¯m not afraid to tell you, I have carefully chosen a very high-end gift to give to Miss Zhan as a wedding gift!"

    "Although I couldn¡¯t be Master Zhou¡¯s disciple, as long as I cling to Miss Zhan and the Zhan Family, my future days will definitely be better than being Master Zhou¡¯s disciple!"

    Hearing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s words, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin rolled their eyes.

    The two were also good at snappyebacks, but even they didn¡¯t know what to say at this point.

    It¡¯s probably only someone as absurd as Yang Xiaoxiao who can so righteously justify ingratiating oneself!

    Qiao Jing just found it amusing.

    She seriously suspected that Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s brain was waterlogged!

    No, Yang Xiaoxiao might not have a brain, the thing on her neck was probably just a decoration!

    Yang Xiaoxiao, almost fully preened, turned to instruct the shop assistant, "Be careful, wrap it up nicely for me..."

    "Save your breath, this dress isn¡¯t being sold to you!"

    A clear female voice suddenly interrupted Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s words.

    Everyone present turned to look.

    Seeing the person who spoke, Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly.

    It was the person whose bag was snatched outside the Shopping Mall earlier.

    She had said her name was Ni Yue, and she worked at Yueji Pavilion.

    After approaching, Ni Yue nced disdainfully at Yang Xiaoxiao.

    She had heard almost everything that person said earlier.

    The clothes at Yueji Pavilion would not be sold to such a disgusting person!

    Yang Xiaoxiao red at Ni Yue with a face full of displeasure, snorting coldly, "Just because you say it won¡¯t be sold, it won¡¯t? Who do you think you are!"

    "I¡¯m a VIP customer of Yueji Pavilion, even the store manager has to give me some face. Who do you,ing out of nowhere, think you are to order people around here!"

    Just as Yang Xiaoxiao finished, she saw the store manager respectfully greeting Ni Yue, "Miss Ni, you¡¯re here."

    Seeing this scene, Yang Xiaoxiao was momentarily stunned, somewhat unable to react, "Miss Ni? She is..."

    "This is our leading designer at Yueji Pavilion, Miss Ni Yue."

    After the store manager introduced Ni Yue¡¯s identity, his attitude reversed again, and he said solemnly, "If Miss Ni says it won¡¯t be sold to you, then our clothes at Yueji Pavilion won¡¯t be sold to you, even if you are a VIP customer!"

    With these words, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face instantly turned ashen, her earlier pride vanishedpletely, leaving only an expression of embarrassment.

    She never expected that this Ni Yue was actually the lead designer at Yueji Pavilion!

    But, she hadn¡¯t offended this person?

    Why was this person targeting her and causing her embarrassment?

    Could it be... this person was sticking up for the Qiao sisters?!

    While Yang Xiaoxiao was pondering, Ni Yue¡¯s next actions gave her the answer.

    Ni Yue turned and walked closer to Qiao Jing, grabbing her hand with urgency,cking the awkwardness of someone newly acquainted.

    "Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that you wereing to Yueji Pavilion to buy clothes? If I had known, I would have informed the store in advance, avoiding such unpleasantness!"

    Ni Yue¡¯s implication was obvious; anyone not dull could figure out that the "unpleasantness" referred to Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face turned even more unsightly, but on someone else¡¯s turf, she dared notsh out and could only swallow the humiliation.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also visibly shocked, looking back and forth between Ni Yue and Qiao Jing, somewhat puzzled.

    How did their Xiao Jing know the lead designer of Yueji Pavilion?

    Howe they had never heard Xiao Jing mention this before?

    While the sisters were still baffled, Ni Yue didn¡¯t wait for Qiao Jing to respond and continued speaking on her own.

    "You have a good eye, that gown is a new release, incorporating the most popr elements of the moment. You¡¯ll definitely look great in it. I¡¯ll have it packed for you, and you can take it with you."

    Ni Yue¡¯s words meant she intended to gift the gown directly to Qiao Jing.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing shook her head gently, declining politely, "How could I ept that?"

    Clothes from Yueji Pavilion, no matter which piece, are not cheap, how could she ept such an expensive gift?

    "Why not? If it weren¡¯t for you catching that little thief, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten my bag back, and inside the bag were my painstakingly created design drafts. The value of those drafts far exceeds that of a dress."

    While speaking, Ni Yue was righteously stern and serious.

    As she spoke, she tightened her grip on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, insisting, "So, you should just ept the dress as a token of appreciation for your help."

    Seeing Ni Yue¡¯s sincerity and resolute attitude, Qiao Jing felt it wouldn¡¯t be right to decline.

    If she continued to refuse, it would seem pretentious, and would also not give face to the other party.

    Qiao Jing slightly tugged the corners of her lips, smiling faintly, "Alright, then I will graciously ept it."

    The store manager, realizing the situation, quickly instructed the staff to wrap up the gown.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin finally understood.

    It turned out that the person Xiao Jing mentioned, whose bag was snatched, was Ni Yue!

    Their connection stemmed from this incident of catching the thief!

    Yang Xiaoxiao also came to a sudden realization, but she felt increasingly unwilling.

    No wonder Ni Yue stood up for the Qiao sisters, it turned out Qiao Lao San, that ugly one, had helped her earlier!

    What kind of fantastic luck does Qiao Lao San have, always stumbling upon such good things!

    While Yang Xiaoxiao was filled with resentment, Ni Yue nced at her, irritated, "Why are you still hanging around here? Can¡¯t you see you are not wee at Yueji Pavilion?"

    Without giving Yang Xiaoxiao a chance to respond, Ni Yue directly called over two other staff members, instructing, "Please escort her out immediately!"

    The two staff members, upon receiving the sign, stepped forward immediately, grabbing Yang Xiaoxiao by the arms on both sides, and started to drag her out.

 Chapter 888: 876: Are You Xiao Jingjing?

    <strong>Chapter 888: Chapter 876: Are You Xiao Jingjing?</strong>

    ¡°Let go of me! I can walk on my own! You hear me¡­¡±

    With the hustling footsteps of two store employees, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s shouting gradually faded away.

    The store manager handed the packaged formal dress to Qiao Jing with both hands and sincerely said, ¡°I am very sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were Miss Ni¡¯s friend. If I had known, even if she were a VIP customer at Yueji Pavilion, I wouldn¡¯t have sold the dress to her.¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be generous enough to forgive my previous mistake.¡±

    Qiao Jing reached out to take the dress and replied tly, ¡°It¡¯s understandable why you did that. There¡¯s nothing to forgive.¡±

    Actually, at first, the store manager was fair, and even mentioned that purchases should follow a firste-first-served basis, intending to sell the dress to them.

    But it was only after Yang Xiaoxiao showed her VIP identity that the manager suddenly changed his mind.

    Of course, the manager¡¯s change was understandable, given that VIPs do receive privileges that ordinary customers don¡¯t.

    If there weren¡¯t any privileges, why would people want to be VIPs?

    So, you can¡¯t me the manager for being unfair.

    Ni Yue cast a warning nce at the manager and said sternly, ¡°Be careful next time. If you encounter unruly customers like that foolish woman again, regardless of whether she¡¯s a VIP, just kick them out!¡±

    ¡°Understood, Miss Ni,¡± the manager responded respectfully.

    Ni Yue withdrew her gaze and turned to Qiao Jing, linking arms with her and smilingly said, ¡°I feel we have a connection. Do you have time? If so, let¡¯s grab a coffee at a nearby cafe and have a good chat.¡±

    For some reason, she just felt an inexplicable desire to get closer to this person.

    Maybe it was because this person helped her get back her purse, or maybe because this person feels somehow simr to Xiao Jingjing¡­

    Qiao Jing nced at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, inquiring their thoughts with her eyes.

    She had a good impression of Ni Yue as well, and chatting to make a friend wouldn¡¯t be bad.

    But since she was out with her two sisters, she had to check their opinions.

    Receiving Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin understood.

    Qiao Hong smiled and told Qiao Jing, ¡°Since Miss Ni invites you so warmly, you should go with her. We¡¯ll continue shopping and message you when we¡¯re heading back.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Ni Yue had already pulled her outside, saying as they walked, ¡°The coffee at that ce is quite good, you¡¯ll definitely like it.¡±

    The cafe wasn¡¯t far away, and they soon arrived.

    Facing each other at a uniquely styled vintage small round table, Qiao Jing and Ni Yue sat.

    As they sipped coffee and chatted casually, they found themselves increasingly connected, with a harmonious atmosphere as if they weren¡¯t newly acquainted.

    After chatting for a while, Ni Yue looked fixedly at Qiao Jing and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°When you helped me catch the thief and retrieve my purse earlier, I already felt you were very much like our Xiao Jingjing, and now, after chatting, I feel you¡¯re even more like our Xiao Jingjing!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing grew curious about this Xiao Jingjing that Ni Yue mentioned.

    She raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, ¡°Who is Xiao Jingjing?¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jingjing, she¡­¡±

    Just as Ni Yue started speaking, she recalled the tsunami from four years ago, which, despite not witnessing it, caused her sorrow upon hearing about it.

    Their Xiao Jingjing, such a wonderful person, how did she end up encountering such an unfortunate event¡­

    Thinking of this, Ni Yue sighed and couldn¡¯t suppress a sad expression on her face, finally muttering, ¡°Such a pity¡­¡±

    Seeing her like this, Qiao Jing could roughly guess that this Xiao Jingjing probably faced some unfortunate incident.

    Given the situation, she avoided further inquiry, as it would be like reopening old wounds.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing received a message from Qiao Lin, saying they were almost done shopping and were nning to head back, asking her to meet at the Shopping Mall entrance.

    After reading the message, Qiao Jing put away her phone and said goodbye to Ni Yue.

    ¡°My two sisters have contacted me, I¡¯ll head out now, see you next time.¡±

    Saying that, Qiao Jing stood up, ready to leave.

    ¡°Wait, wait!¡±

    Ni Yue quickly called out, also standing up.

    Qiao Jing paused her steps, somewhat puzzled, looking at Ni Yue.

    Ni Yue chuckled, then said, ¡°I forgot to ask earlier; I still don¡¯t know your name.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing realized she hadn¡¯t introduced herself and immediately chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m Qiao Jing.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ni Yue was initially stunned, then suddenly got excited, and directly hugged Qiao Jing.

    She was both excited and agitated, stumbling over her words, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, so you didn¡¯t die. Why didn¡¯t youe back sooner if you were alive, and why are you ying tricks on me like this.¡±

    ¡°To tease me, you even changed your appearance like this. Seriously, this disguise is too real, can¡¯t spot a w¡­¡±

    While saying this, Ni Yue reached out to tug at Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Qiao Jing reacted quickly, raising a hand to block and simultaneously breaking free from Ni Yue¡¯s bear hug, swiftly stepping back.

    At a safe distance, Qiao Jing secretly sighed in relief.

    Luckily, she dodged quickly, or her fake skin would have been exposed.

    Exining this situation would have been quite troublesome, and she disliked trouble, so staying undiscovered was best.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s reaction left Ni Yue momentarily stunned, suspiciously looking at her, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else; I¡¯m not your acquaintance, Xiao Jingjing.¡±

    Qiao Jing tersely exined.

    But Ni Yue didn¡¯t believe her. She smiled, reaching again for Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t joke with me like this; you just said you¡¯re Qiao Jing. So why keep teasing me?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s face showed a hint of helplessness.

    Since she¡¯s been misunderstood before, exining now was routine for her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Qiao Jing, Qiao like the tree, and Jing as in scenery.¡±

    After saying that, Qiao Jing felt a bit gloomy.

    Is my name thatmon?

    Why are there so many people with this homophonic name?

    Or is it possible that Young Master Xu, Xu Moqian, and now Ni Yue are actually mistaking her for the same person?

    That can¡¯t be such a coincidence, right?!

    While Qiao Jing was pondering this internally, Ni Yue also came to her senses.

    Realizing she had mistaken her for someone else, Ni Yue apologized quickly, then muttered to herself, ¡°Yeah, Xiao Jingjing wouldn¡¯t y such a joke on me; she isn¡¯t one for jokes¡­¡±

    With the misunderstanding cleared up, Qiao Jing intended to leave.

    Ni Yue held her again and said, ¡°Let¡¯s add each other on WeChat; from now on, we¡¯re good friends. If you need anything, just let me know, I¡¯ll be there without hesitation.¡±

    Qiao Jing enjoyed her straightforwardness, and immediately smiled, took out her phone, and exchanged WeChat contacts with her, then said goodbye as she left.

 Chapter 889: 877: Attending Zhan Nanqingéˆ¥æªš Engagement Banquet

    <strong>Chapter 889: Chapter 877: Attending Zhan Nanqing¡¯s Engagement Banquet</strong>

    In the blink of an eye, it was Zhan Nanjing and Chi Yuhang¡¯s engagement day.

    Early in the morning, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin eagerly got Qiao Jing up.

    After a simple breakfast, the three of them changed into their formal dresses and prepared to attend Zhan Nanjing¡¯s engagement banquet.

    Just before they left, Zhan Qiaoyu learned they were going to his aunt¡¯s engagement banquet.

    This made the little one a bit anxious.

    If he showed up with Aunt Jing and them, it would definitely arouse suspicion from his dad and other family members!

    This way, his n would be directly exposed!

    Realizing this, Zhan Qiaoyu quickly grabbed hold of Qiao Jing, who was about to take him out, and blinked, saying, ¡°Aunt Jing, you guys go ahead, I think I¡¯ll just stay here and wait for you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing looked down at him, her gaze falling on his fair little face with slight puzzlement, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go?¡±

    Earlier, when they went out shopping, since the time away wasn¡¯t long, she feltfortable leaving the little guy alone in the hotel.

    But today was the engagement banquet, and they would definitely be staying longer, so she didn¡¯t want to leave the little guy behind alone.

    Beside her, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin also looked at Zhan Qiaoyu with some confusion.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu hesitated for a moment and suddenly remembered the trick of pretending to be sick that his two younger brothers had mentioned before.

    He then raised his small hand, held his head, and convincingly said, ¡°I feel a bit dizzy, not feeling very well¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression changed slightly, and a worried look appeared in her eyes.

    She quickly knelt down, cing her palm on Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s forehead to check if he had a fever.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also very concerned.

    Qiao Lin immediately suggested, ¡°How about we take the little guy to the hospital for a check-up? It¡¯s the changing season, and it¡¯s easy to catch a cold and get sick if one isn¡¯t careful, especially for children.¡±

    ¡°I happen to know a doctor friend who¡¯s an expert in pediatrics, and he¡¯s nearby. I¡¯ll call him and ask him toe over, which would be faster than going to the hospital.¡±

    Saying this, Qiao Hong was about to take out her phone to make the call.

    Hearing what Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin said, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s heart tightened, realizing that pretending to be sick wouldn¡¯t work.

    This can¡¯t be staged!

    Whether going to the hospital or the doctoring over, he¡¯d be exposed!

    Seeing Qiao Hong about to make the call, Zhan Qiaoyu quickly changed his downcast demeanor and regained his usual spirited look.

    ¡°Oh! I seem to be fine now, not feeling ufortable at all!¡±

    Saying this, Zhan Qiaoyu shook his little head, indicating that he indeed felt no difort.

    Looking at the little guy¡¯s mischievous and cute appearance, he indeed didn¡¯t seem to be sick, and Qiao Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

    But she was still somewhat uneasy, holding Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s small hand, cautiously asking, ¡°Are you really okay? Is your head still dizzy? Is there any other difort?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu immediately shook his head, ¡°Not dizzy, totally fine now!¡±

    The little guy spoke with some decisiveness, seeming to fear speaking too slowly would make Qiao Jing and the others think he was still unwell.

    ¡°Looking at the little guy, it seems like it¡¯s really nothing.¡±

    Qiao Hong said, and then put away her phone, no longer considering calling the doctor.

    Qiao Lin nced at the clock on the wall and said, ¡°Since the little guy¡¯s fine, let¡¯s hurry up and leave, so we won¡¯t bete, especially since we¡¯re attending the engagement banquet.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Thus, the three of them took Zhan Qiaoyu out of the hotel and headed to the engagement banquet venue by car.

    Sitting in the back seat, Zhan Qiaoyu looked calm, but his mind was racing.

    He couldn¡¯t just show up like this, or the secret would be uncovered!

    But what trick could he use to hide in in sight, deceive them?

    Even if he wore a mask, his dad¡¯s sharp eagle-like gaze would still recognize him!

    Just as Zhan Qiaoyu was growing flushed with anxiety, he inadvertently turned his head and saw a toy store ahead through the car window.

    Looking through the toy store¡¯s ss disy window, a row of cartoon character masks could be seen.

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, if he wore such a mask, he could hide his entire face and wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being recognized!

    Thinking this, the little one pointed to the toy store, using a begging tone to say to Qiao Jing, ¡°Aunt Jing, Aunt Jing, I want one of those masks!¡±

    ¡°What mask?¡±

    Qiao Jing asked suspiciously while looking in the direction Zhan Qiaoyu had pointed.

    Zhan Qiaoyu casually said, ¡°I want a Sun Wukong one!¡±

    Seeing the mask the little guy talked about, Qiao Jing was a bit surprised.

    This little guy always gave her a sense of maturity beyond kids his age, who would have thought he sometimes had a childish side and liked these things?

    Qiao Jing chuckled lightly, patted Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little head fondly, ¡°Okay, Aunt Jing will buy it for you.¡±

    Then, Qiao Jing had the driver stop in front of the toy store and brought Zhan Qiaoyu inside to buy the mask.

    With the mask in hand, the two returned to the car.

    Zhan Qiaoyu toyed with the mask for a moment, ready to put it on.

    Qiao Lin raised an eyebrow, teasingly saying, ¡°This Sun Wukong mask is pretty cool, little guy, didn¡¯t expect you to like stuff like this!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu blushed, thinking if not for the situation forcing him, having no other option, he wouldn¡¯t want to wear it.

    He definitely didn¡¯t like these childish things!

    Ten minutester, Qiao Jing¡¯s group arrived at the engagement banquet venue.

    With many guests attending the banquet, the car couldn¡¯t drive directly up to the entrance, so they got out and decided to walk over.

    However, once they got out of the car, Qiao Lin was bumped by an old woman who seemed toe from nowhere.

    After bumping into Qiao Lin, the old woman staggered and fell to the ground.

    Feeling inexplicable about being bumped, Qiao Lin was initially a bit annoyed, but seeing it was an elderly woman, she couldn¡¯t get angry and instead helped her up, kindly asking, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you alright?¡±

    The old woman clutched a woven basket tightly, her eyes somewhat evasive after being helped up.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay, it was my carelessness. At this age, my eyesight¡¯s no good. As long as you¡¯re not mad at this olddy for bumping into you, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    In such a situation, there wasn¡¯t much Qiao Lin could say, she just reminded, ¡°Ma¡¯am, walk slower from now on to avoid injury.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure, I¡¯ll be careful from now on, thank you.¡±

    After saying this, the old woman waved and turned to leave.

 Chapter 890: 878: Slander

    <strong>Chapter 890: Chapter 878: nder</strong>

    ¡°This olddy is so old, yet she¡¯s still so reckless. The road isn¡¯t even narrow, but she still managed to bump into me. It¡¯s really puzzling.¡±

    Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but grumble a fewints.

    Qiao Jing nced in the direction the olddy left, feeling a bit suspicious in his heart.

    Qiao Hong patted Qiao Lin¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t worry about it, as long as no one was hurt. Let¡¯s head inside first.¡±

    After speaking, she took Qiao Lin by the arm and walked towards the entrance of the banquet hall first.

    Qiao Jing followed with Zhan Qiaoyu, stepping towards the entrance.

    At this moment, in a concealed corner not far away, the olddy who bumped into Qiao Lin was standing in front of Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Yang Xiaoxiao suppressed her voice, eagerly asking, ¡°So, did you get it?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    The olddy replied, then took an invitation out from a woven basket.

    Looking at the invitation stolen from Qiao Lin, acent smile appeared on Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face.

    She knew that judging by the nature of the Qiao Family sisters, the invitation must be with Qiao Lao Er.

    As expected, she guessed right!

    Earlier at Yueji Pavilion, the Qiao Family sisters embarrassed her so much, she couldn¡¯t swallow that anger!

    Now without the invitation, let¡¯s see how they attend Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet!

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me the invitation, just find a trash can and throw it away.¡±

    After saying this, Yang Xiaoxiao took out some cash from her bag and handed it to the olddy.

    The olddy immediately reached out to take it, put the money into the basket, and left happily.

    At the entrance of the banquet hall, Qiao Jing and the others had just approached when the attendant came over, asking them to show their invitation.

    It was only then that Qiao Lin realized the invitation was gone.

    Qiao Hong frowned, looking a bit anxious, ¡°Search carefully, or maybe you left it in the car?¡±

    ¡°How could it be in the car? I just confirmed before getting out that it was in my bag, how could it suddenly be gone? It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin was also anxious, muttering to herself while searching through her bag.

    Qiao Jing pondered for a few seconds, thoughtfully asking, ¡°Second Sister, are you sure that when you got out of the car, the invitation was still in your bag?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, absolutely sure!¡±

    Qiao Lin said this without hesitation, her tone extremely confident.

    Qiao Jing lightly pursed her lips and voiced her suspicion, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it is the olddy who bumped into you that¡¯s the problem.¡±

    Since her second sister was sure the invitation was in her bag when she got out, it means it disappeared after the olddy bumped into her.

    They didn¡¯t know the olddy, and they had no grievances with her, so the olddy had no reason to do this.

    Unless, the olddy was instructed by someone!

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, a look of sudden realization appeared on Qiao Lin¡¯s face.

    She pped her forehead, her tone somewhat irritated, ¡°I was wondering why the olddy was so strange, walking into me instead of on a clear path¡ªturns out she had bad intentions!¡±

    ¡°And to think I was worried about her falling¡ªI didn¡¯t expect her to be such a person. It¡¯s really despicable!¡±

    As soon as Qiao Lin finished speaking, Qiao Hong also expressed her indignation, ¡°No wonder they say you can¡¯t judge a person by their appearance. Who would have thought an olddy like that would do something so low!¡±

    The attendant saw that they couldn¡¯t produce the invitation for a long time, and his attitude immediately soured. He said irritably, ¡°If you can¡¯t show the invitation, don¡¯t join the fun!¡±

    ¡°This is Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet, not some low-profile gathering. Get out of here, don¡¯t cause trouble!¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Qiao Lin became even more displeased.

    It was said as if they were shamelessly trying to gatecrash for free food and drinks!

    She snorted coldly and said through clenched teeth, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear us talking? It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t have an invitation; it was stolen!¡±

    Just as Qiao Lin finished speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s mocking voice came through.

    ¡°Who knows if what you¡¯re saying is true or not? You might have conspired with your sisters to put on a show here to sneak inside.¡±

    While speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao had already walked over.

    Once she stopped, she gave Qiao Jing and the others a disdainful look and said to the attendant, ¡°These three are from a small family; they definitely weren¡¯t invited by the Zhan Family, so you can¡¯t let them in.¡±

    Upon hearing such inciting words, Qiao Lin was furious and red hard at Yang Xiaoxiao, ¡°Yang, are you going to die if you don¡¯t pick a fight every day?¡±

    Qiao Hong also red at Yang Xiaoxiao, angrily saying, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, can you stop being so shameless? You know we had an invitation, yet you still say such things!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®know¡¯? Don¡¯t make it sound like we¡¯re so close!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao folded her arms across her chest, her face full of ridicule, ¡°Besides, if you had an invitation, you would have shown it by now. No need for this fake performance!¡±

    ¡°The olddy who stole our invitation was arranged by you, wasn¡¯t she?¡±

    Initially silent, Qiao Jing suddenly spoke up coldly, her gaze icy as she looked at Yang Xiaoxiao, her brows filled with a chilling aura.

    The way she said it, although phrased as a question, was filled with confidence.

    Since Yang Xiaoxiao had shed with them multiple times before, she was the most likely person to do such a thing.

    Moreover, if Yang Xiaoxiao wasn¡¯t up to something, how could she be so sure they couldn¡¯t produce the invitation as soon as she arrived?

    Faced with Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp questioning, the guilty Yang Xiaoxiao became furious out of embarrassment.

    She red at Qiao Jing and sneered, ¡°Qiao Lao San, stop spouting nonsense here. What invitation theft, what olddy, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! Don¡¯t try to nder me!¡±

    After speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao looked towards the attendant beside her, provoking, ¡°This matter is serious, I¡¯m just kindly reminding you.¡±

    ¡°Today¡¯s the engagement banquet for Miss Zhan; if things get blown out of proportion, you could lose your job, and you might not even be able to stay in the capital anymore!¡±

    ¡°So, how you handle this is up to you!¡±

    By this time, quite a few people had been drawn to themotion, gathering at the banquet hall entrance and discussing the scene.

    ¡°What¡¯s the argument about here? Does anyone know the situation?¡±

    ¡°It seems those three women can¡¯t show an invitation, saying it was stolen, and the attendant is stopping them from entering.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, then those three suspect that the woman who¡¯s currently yelling stole their invitation, so they¡¯re arguing.¡±

    ¡°Arguing like this at Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet entrance¡ªthese people really don¡¯t regard the Zhan Family at all!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if they ruin Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet, the consequences could be severe!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The attendant, influenced by Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s incitement and other people¡¯s discussions, also felt that this matter needed to be resolved immediately!

 Chapter 891: 879: Chi Yuhang Stands with Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 891: Chapter 879: Chi Yuhang Stands with Qiao Jing</strong>

    If Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet is affected by this incident, I don¡¯t need to say what will happen to those without invitations; anyway, he definitely won¡¯t be able to escape me!

    Thinking of this, the waiter red at Qiao Lin and the others, and said in a nasty tone, ¡°You¡¯d better leave immediately and not cause trouble here, otherwise I¡¯ll have to call security to kick you out!¡±

    Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t suppress her anger upon hearing this.

    In full view of everyone, if the three sisters were to be driven away like this, wouldn¡¯t that leave them with a bad reputation?

    When word spreads, how would they face people in the future?

    Qiao Lin red at the waiter angrily and said indignantly, ¡°Why are you using us of causing trouble without figuring things out first? On what grounds are you kicking us out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, we were properly invited by the Zhan Family, but someone with bad intentions stole our invitation!¡±

    As she uttered thisst sentence, Qiao Lin meaningfully nced at Yang Xiaoxiao nearby.

    Yang Xiaoxiao, feeling as if a nerve had been struck, immediately stiffened her neck and sneered, ¡°Who are you calling someone with bad intentions, Qiao Lao Er¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Did I hit the nail on the head? Are you ashamed and angry?¡±

    Qiao Lin interrupted Yang Xiaoxiao, saying indignantly, ¡°Do you dare deny that it wasn¡¯t your doing? Just a mention of bad intentions has you jumping to conclusions? If it wasn¡¯t you, why are you reacting so strongly?¡±

    Unable to spar with Qiao Lin, Yang Xiaoxiao stomped her foot in anger and shouted at the waiter, ¡°What are you standing there for? Can¡¯t you see these people are deliberately causing trouble? Hurry, call security!¡±

    Seeing the crowd gathering, the waiter quickly picked up the radio and informed security toe over.

    On hearing there was trouble, security arrived within five minutes.

    Just as the security guards were about to go forward and drive people away, Chi Yuhang, hearing themotion, came out of the banquet hall.

    He looked at the waiter responsible for checking invitations and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s themotion about?¡±

    The waiter respectfully replied, ¡°Sir-inw, it¡¯s like this. These three didn¡¯t have invitations, so I stopped them. I asked them to leave, but they wouldn¡¯t, and they¡¯re making a scene here.¡±

    ¡°In order not to affect your and Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet, I had to call security to drive them away¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the waiter call him sir-inw, Qiao Jing and the others realized that the man in front of them was the main figure of today¡¯s engagement banquet, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s fianc¨¦ ¡ª Chi Yuhang.

    Qiao Hong quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s not like that, we did have invitations, but they were stolen when we got out of the car just now!¡±

    Qiao Lin pointed at Yang Xiaoxiao, using her, ¡°It¡¯s her, she had someone steal our invitations!¡±

    ¡°Qiao Lao Er, watch your words! Clearly, you didn¡¯t have invitations and tried to sneak in. When you were stopped, you started causing trouble. Don¡¯t turn the tables on me!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, shouted and yelled.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you keep making baseless usations and ndering me, I¡¯ll sue you for defamation!¡±

    Qiao Lin sneered coldly and rolled her eyes at Yang Xiaoxiao, ¡°You know best if it¡¯s defamation or not!¡±

    As they argued, Chi Yuhang¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Qiao Jing, captivated by her.

    He felt that her chilly demeanor was strikingly simr to that of his lifesaver, Professor Qiao.

    It¡¯s just that this face¡­ is totally different¡­

    Besides, Professor Qiao has been missing for years, her life or death unknown, and the possibility of survival is extremely slim; she¡¯s unlikely to appear before them¡­

    Thinking this, Chi Yuhang sighed to himself.

    Snapping out of his thoughts, he gestured with his hand, raising his voice, ¡°Stop arguing, everyone, quiet down first!¡±

    With Zhan¡¯s future son-inw speaking, both the heatedly arguing Qiao Lin and Yang Xiaoxiao quieted down.

    Everyone at the scene looked at Chi Yuhang, curious about how he would handle the matter.

    In the attention of the crowd, Chi Yuhang looked at Qiao Jing and politely asked, ¡°Did you really receive an invitation from the Zhan family?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, speaking softly, ¡°We really did receive one, but now it¡¯s truly gone.¡±

    Upon hearing her speak, Chi Yuhang didn¡¯t doubt it for a moment and immediately said, ¡°Alright, I believe you. Come in with me.¡±

    Perhaps it was because she reminded him so much of Professor Qiao that he felt anything spoken by her was worth trusting.

    Qiao Jing was a bit surprised by Chi Yuhang¡¯s attitude.

    She didn¡¯t expect him to believe her with such a simple statement.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were equally astonished, exchanging nces with the same thought in mind.

    If they had known Xiao Jing¡¯s words were so persuasive, they wouldn¡¯t have quarreled with Yang Xiaoxiao for so long!

    This development was also beyond Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s expectations.

    Seeing Chi Yuhang really intending to take Qiao Jing and the others inside, she hurriedly spoke to stop him, ¡°Mr. Chi, you can¡¯t just believe their one-sided words!¡±

    ¡°The fact that they can¡¯t produce invitations is true. If they have ill intentions, sneaking in to create trouble and disrupt your and Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement banquet, that wouldn¡¯t be good¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    Chi Yuhang¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, interrupting Yang Xiaoxiao, his toneced with slight displeasure, ¡°I believe they¡¯re not lying. Let this matter drop.¡±

    After speaking, he turned his gaze to Qiao Jing, his tone softening, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you inside.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, took Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s hand, and followed Chi Yuhang into the banquet hall.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin followed closely behind.

    After only a few steps, Chi Yuhang suddenly paused, turning his head to look at Zhan Qiaoyu, held by Qiao Jing.

    Earlier, he was focused on resolving the issue and hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the child. But now, being closer, he felt the child looked somewhat familiar.

    Yet, with the child¡¯s face masked, it was hard to see clearly. Was it just his imagination?

    Feeling Chi Yuhang¡¯s gaze, Zhan Qiaoyu quickly lowered her head.

    Seeing Chi Yuhang suddenly pause, Qiao Lin asked in confusion, ¡°Mr. Chi, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    At Qiao Lin¡¯s question, Chi Yuhang withdrew his gaze from Zhan Qiaoyu, shaking his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know many children; it was probably just a trick of the mind¡­

    Meanwhile, Zhan Nanjing was looking for Chi Yuhang.

    After searching around and not spotting Chi Yuhang, she held up a passing waiter to inquire.

    The waiter replied truthfully, ¡°There seemed to be trouble at the entrance, and sir-inw went out when he heard the noise.¡±

    ¡°Alright, understood, you may go.¡±

    With that, Zhan Nanjing headed straight towards the entrance.

 Chapter 892 - 880: On Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Reaction to the Name Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 892: Chapter 880: On Zhan Qipei¡¯s Reaction to the Name Qiao Jing</h4>

    Just after walking a short distance, Zhan Nanjing saw Chi Yuhang leading Qiao Jing and her group through the door.

    Inside the banquet hall, Chi Yuhang also noticed Zhan Nanjing.

    He excused himself to Qiao Jing, then separated from them and walked towards Zhan Nanjing.

    When Chi Yuhang approached, Zhan Nanjing curiously asked, "I heard someone was causing trouble at the door, what exactly happened? Has it been resolved now?"

    "Actually, it¡¯s nothing major. It¡¯s just that those people who came in with me couldn¡¯t produce an invitation and were stopped by the waitstaff at the door."

    "ording to them, they did receive an invitation from the Zhan Family, but it was stolen when they got out of the car."

    "I didn¡¯t think they seemed like they were lying, so I brought them in."

    Chi Yuhang briefly exined the situation, then suddenly asked, "Nanjing, do you think I¡¯m too naive and too easily trusting?"

    Zhan Nanjing listened, raised her hand to gently flick his forehead with her finger and said with a smile, "Aren¡¯t you always like this? If not for this kind of personality, you wouldn¡¯t have been bullied so often before."

    "However, they should be fine, you can trust them."

    Hearing this from Zhan Nanjing, it was Chi Yuhang¡¯s turn to be curious.

    He asked somewhat skeptically, "Why do you say they¡¯re fine?"

    Zhan Nanjing exined, "The one holding the child¡¯s hand just now, she¡¯s the apprentice that Master Zhou has his eyes on. I saw her at the Wonderful Hall before, and there¡¯s no doubt about her character."

    Upon hearing this, Chi Yuhang was stunned for a moment. He hadn¡¯t expected that the girl who resembled Professor Qiao in demeanor had such high achievements in medical skills.

    Outstanding people always have some simrities, don¡¯t they?

    Returning to his senses, Chi Yuhang asked curiously again, "Has she be an apprentice yet?"

    "No." Zhan Nanjing shook her head and then told Chi Yuhang what happened at the time.

    "She proposed a treatment n and some insights of her own, which amazed Master Zhou, who offered to take her as a disciple. But she said she didn¡¯t intend to be an apprentice, so it was put on hold."

    "So that¡¯s how it is..."

    Chi Yuhang nodded in understanding, feeling a newfound admiration for this person.

    Couldn¡¯t believe someone would refuse Master Zhou!

    This shows that she¡¯s not someone seeking fame and fortune!

    The banquet hall was full of guests, everyone toasting and drinking, sses clinking.

    For a moment, the scene was bustling,ughter and talk filled the air.

    However, Qiao Jing felt somewhat ufortable with the noisy atmosphere.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, on the other hand, were in their element, pulling Zhan Qiaoyu into a lively chat about the venue¡¯syout and grandeur.

    Qiao Jing greeted them and then walked alone towards a corner, intending to find a quiet ce to calm down.

    As she passed through the crowd and by the long table with drinks, she noticed a familiar silhouette.

    Upon closer inspection, she recognized the person as Young Master Xu, Xu Moqian.

    At this moment, Xu Moqian was being reprimanded by Xu Hongzu.

    Xu Hongzu frowned at his grandson, his tone one of exasperation, "Look at you, back in the day you couldn¡¯tpete with that Zhan Qipei kid, and now you¡¯re this old, even Zhan Qipei¡¯s sister is engaged, and you¡¯re still single without a girlfriend!"

    Xu Moqian shrugged and said somewhat wistfully, "I can¡¯t help it, Sister Jing has had too great an impact on me, loving Sister Jing at first sight has ruined me for life, I don¡¯t think I will ever like another woman."

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu became even more furious.

    If that¡¯s the case, how is he supposed to have great-grandchildren?!

    He snorted and said irritably, "Can¡¯t you learn from your grandpa¡¯s open-minded spirit? If I were like you back then, wouldn¡¯t I have missed your grandma, and then where would your dad and youe from!"

    "How could that be the same?"

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t even think about it before blurting out, "How could my grandmapare to Sister Jing? Sister Jing is excellent in every way, she¡¯s my life¡¯s benchmark!"

    "In my eyes, no woman canpare to Sister Jing!"

    "Alright, you, I agree on praising Xiao Jing, but how dare you belittle your grandma?! Looks like you¡¯re itching for a beating!"

    Xu Hongzu, angry, raised his cane to hit his impudent grandson.

    Xu Moqian quickly jumped left and right to dodge.

    This slightlyical scene made Qiao Jing pause and watch for a while.

    She always felt that this humorous interaction between grandfather and grandson seemed familiar somehow.

    But with her lost memory, she couldn¡¯t recall when she had seen it before.

    After a few more nces, Qiao Jing stepped away.

    When she turned around, Xu Hongzu identally caught sight of her back.

    This sight made Xu Hongzu abruptly stop hitting his grandson and stare intently at that silhouette, muttering, "Hey, this girl¡¯s figure looks a lot like Xiao Jing¡¯s..."

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian followed his grandfather¡¯s gaze, and after a few nces, he recognized the person.

    He raised his eyebrows and said, "It¡¯s not just the figure that¡¯s alike, even the name is very simr."

    Xu Hongzu withdrew his gaze and looked at him skeptically, "How do you know?"

    Xu Moqian answered truthfully, "I happened to meet her a few days ago; she¡¯s the Third Miss of the Qiao Family in Nandu, named Qiao Jing, but not the ¡¯Jing¡¯ of Sister Jing, hers is the ¡¯Jing¡¯ of scenery."

    Xu Hongzu was silent for a moment after hearing that.

    A momentter, he raised his cane again, "Alright, are you done talking? Don¡¯t change the subject; continue to face my cane!"

    With that, Xu Hongzu chased after Xu Moqian again to hit him.

    Meanwhile, Qiao Jing had arrived at a rtively quiet ce.

    But she hadn¡¯t been there long before she was bothered by a pesky and nauseating fly.

    Jiang Zihong noticed her, immediately followed over and began to pester her.

    This scene was witnessed by Zhan Nanjing and Zhan Qipei who happened to be passing by.

    Zhan Nanjing uttered an "oh", paused in her steps, and said, "Isn¡¯t that the Third Miss of the Qiao Family!"

    Zhan Qipei looked away expressionlessly, his thin lips slightly parted, coldly replying, "What does it have to do with me?"

    With that, he wouldn¡¯t spare another nce and moved to leave.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nanjing timely spoke up, "It may have nothing to do with you, but, there¡¯s a thing¡ªher name is quite simr to sister-inw, also Qiao Jing, with the ¡¯Jing¡¯ of scenery."

    Previously at the Wonderful Hall, she felt that this Third Miss Qiao had a demeanor very much like her sister-inw, so she inquired about her identity.

    That¡¯s how she learned this was the Third Miss of the Qiao Family¡ªQiao Jing.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanjing mention this name, Zhan Qipei stopped his steps and looked back in the direction from earlier.

    Seeing his reaction, Zhan Nanjing disyed a look of ¡¯just as expected¡¯.

    She knew that when it came to any topic rted to her sister-inw, her brother would definitely react this way!

 Chapter 893 - 881: Entangling Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 893: Chapter 881: Entangling Qiao Jing</h4>

    At this moment, Jiang Zihong, who was pestering Qiao Jing, was bing increasingly extreme.

    He shrieked, "Qiao Jing, I just can¡¯t understand it. In what way am I, Jiang Zihong, unworthy of you? Why can¡¯t you agree to marry me? I really don¡¯t have the patience to y this cat-and-mouse game with you any longer!"

    Qiao Jing had been treating Jiang Zihong like air, ignoring himpletely.

    Only upon hearing these words did she turn her gaze slightly towards Jiang Zihong, looking at him as if he were severely mentally challenged.

    Cat-and-mouse game?

    This guy is seriously sick!

    I wonder who on earth gives him such confidence?!

    Although it was obvious Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was not friendly, Jiang Zihong still spoke more fervently.

    "Even though our Jiang family is not on the same level as the Zhan Family, hosts of today¡¯s engagement party, we are still a genuinely prestigious family. If you marry me, I promise that you will live a life of endless luxury and wealth!"

    "Save your breath, don¡¯t waste your words on me. Someone with your notorious reputation, no matter how eloquently you speak or how deeply affectionate you pretend to be, you can¡¯t hide your promiscuous and reckless nature!"

    When she said this, Qiao Jing¡¯s tone was as frosty as ice, without a trace of warmth.

    She looked at Jiang Zihong as if he were a pile of revolting garbage, and spoke bluntly.

    "Even if I were blind, there is no way I could be with someone as infamous as you!"

    These wordspletely exposed Jiang Zihong¡¯s dark history.

    Upon hearing them, he instantly turned red with anger, his face darkened abruptly, and he gazed at Qiao Jing with a menacing look.

    "Qiao Jing, don¡¯t insult what little dignity I have left! I was speaking to you nicely, and you dared to humiliate me like this!"

    "I¡¯m telling you, if you really push me, I can do anything!"

    Jiang Zihong gritted his teeth, but Qiao Jing turned a blind eye to him, ignored his words, and was about to walk away.

    "Stop right there!"

    Jiang Zihong shouted in a hoarse voice, and then directly reached out, grabbing Qiao Jing¡¯s arm to prevent her from leaving.

    Thinking you can leave just because you got me angry?

    Not a chance!

    Qiao Jing halted her steps, turned back, and gave Jiang Zihong a cold re, speaking icily, "Let go! Don¡¯t touch me with your filthy hands, I find it disgusting!"

    "Disgusting?"

    Jiang Zihong sneered and tightened his grip on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, pulling her towards himself, his tone sinister, "I¡¯ll show you right now what true disgust is!"

    Not far away, Zhan Nanjing, who was watching, couldn¡¯t tolerate it anymore when she saw Jiang Zihong starting toy hands on Qiao Jing.

    She frowned in indignation, "Bro, look, that guy¡¯s getting physical! We need to help, we can¡¯t just stand by!"

    Zhan Qipei naturally saw the scene too, but his expression remained cold, without a trace of fluctuation.

    Upon hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words, he instead withdrew his gaze and coldly replied, "It¡¯s got nothing to do with me."

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei did not linger any longer, directly lifted his foot and walked away, his entire demeanor radiating a chill that warned people to stay away.

    Zhan Nanjing looked at her brother¡¯s departing back and sighed helplessly.

    Ever since her sister-inw went missing, her brother returned to his old self, showing indifference and aloofness to everything, as if every extra word would cost him his life!

    Seeing him like this, it made her a little heartbroken...

    Zhan Nanjing retracted her gaze and was just about to help when she suddenly heard a scream.

    What she saw then waspletely different from what she had anticipated.

    Just moments ago, Qiao Jing had deftly twisted her wrist with agility, effortlessly wrenching Jiang Zihong¡¯s hand, which was gripping her arm, behind his back.

    Jiang Zihong screamed in pain, tried to break free but couldn¡¯t, and any slight movement made his entire arm feel like it was about to snap, causing him to grimace in pain.

    "Jiang Zihong, it seems the lesson I gave youst time was too light for you to remember!"

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing exerted more force, twisting Jiang Zihong¡¯s arm even harder.

    Jiang Zihong¡¯s face contorted in pain, but his arrogance did not diminish in the slightest, as he gritted his teeth and said, "Qiao Jing, where do you get the nerve toy a hand on me?"

    "Not to mention the gap between your Qiao Family and our Jiang Family, if I truly exert myself, crushing you would be as easy as crushing an ant!"

    "Moreover, this is Miss Zhan¡¯s engagement party. If you dare to cause a scene here, ruin today¡¯s banquet, the Zhan Family won¡¯t let you off easily, and your entire Qiao Family will suffer the consequences!"

    Mentioning the Qiao Family made Qiao Jing hesitate slightly.

    Whatever happens to herself doesn¡¯t matter, but the Qiao Family had shown her great kindness, and she couldn¡¯t let them suffer because of her.

    Noticing Qiao Jing¡¯s hesitation, Jiang Zihong believed he had grasped her weakness, instantly bing smug, sneering as he sarcastically said, "What now? You don¡¯t dare make a move, do you? Realizing your Qiao Family can¡¯t possiblypete with our Jiang Family?"

    Qiao Jing remained expressionless, her gaze on Jiang Zihong was cold enough to freeze.

    She was doing her best to control her anger, trying not to act impulsively.

    But she believed if Jiang Zihong uttered another word of filth, she would be unable to control her hands and feet!

    Jiang Zihong, however, mistook Qiao Jing¡¯s silence as intimidation by his words.

    He grew even more arrogant, turning his head and looking sinisterly at Qiao Jing, "It appears you truly care about your family."

    "Here¡¯s the deal, I¡¯ll marry you and bring in your elder and younger sisters as my lovers, so you three sisters can serve one husband together, living harmoniously, always together without separation."

    "I just wonder if you¡¯re better or if those two sisters of yours are superior..."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing could no longer hold back her anger.

    She no longer restrained herself and kicked Jiang Zihong to the ground, stepping on his repulsive face with her small, leather-d foot.

    By the time Jiang Zihong realized, he was already lying face down on the ground, being relentlessly stomped by Qiao Jing.

    "It¡¯s one thing to talk about me, but involving my two sisters, I see you really don¡¯t want that mouth of yours anymore!"

    She coldly remarked, applying pressure with her foot, grinding the sole into Jiang Zihong¡¯s face.

    Jiang Zihong cried out in pain, struggling and howling, "Qiao Jing! You have the gall to treat me like this..."

    Seeing his continued arrogance, Qiao Jing pressed down even harder.

    The unbearable pain on his face interrupted Jiang Zihong, making him cry out in agony again before he could finish his sentence.

    This entire scene was perfectly captured by Zhan Nanjing¡¯s eyes.

    She was full of admiration, thinking that this third Miss from the Qiao Family was simply too fearless and cool!

    Such a gant demeanor could entirely rival that of her sister-inw!!

 Chapter 894 - 882: Zhan Yuanshan Falls Ill, Life Hanging by a Thread

    <h4>Chapter 894: Chapter 882: Zhan Yuanshan Falls Ill, Life Hanging by a Thread</h4>

    "Qiao Jing, you forced me to do this! Just you wait! I will make sure the Qiao Family falls into ruin and disappears from Nandu forever!"

    Jiang Zihong endured the pain on his face and continued to threaten through gritted teeth, "By then, even if you kneel and beg me, it won¡¯t help!"

    As soon as he finished speaking, a warning-filled female voice suddenly came from the side.

    "What a nerve you have, daring to cause trouble at my engagement party!"

    Qiao Jing turned her head and saw that it was Zhan Nanjing who hade, her action of pressing Jiang Zihong¡¯s face paused for a moment.

    After all, this was someone else¡¯s engagement party. Even if someone needed to be taught a lesson, it would inevitably affect the atmosphere in such a joyous setting.

    Jiang Zihong heard the voice, looked up, and recognized Zhan Nanjing as well.

    He quickly turned the tables and sought help from Zhan Nanjing, "Miss Zhan, you saw it too, this woman is outrageous, deliberately causing trouble at your engagement party!"

    "She twisted my arm and stepped on my face, I¡¯m barely alive, please help me and teach this woman a lesson, then have someone throw her out!"

    Zhan Nanjing stepped closer, looking down at Jiang Zihong who was trampled on the ground, she snorted coldly, "How can you have the gall to turn the tables? Aren¡¯t you disgusted by your own words?"

    "I¡¯m telling you, I saw everything clearly. You were clearly pestering the Third Miss Qiao, evenying hands on her!"

    "So, Third Miss Qiao teaching you a lesson is your just deserts. I even think she went too easy on you!"

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words, Jiang Zihong¡¯s face, which was already unsightly, turned even more like a palette of colors, switching between green and white.

    He never thought that Zhan Nanjing was actually watching from the side.

    This made all his previousints be a joke!

    Zhan Nanjing red at Jiang Zihong with disdain and scolded with disgust, "Get out of here now! Someone as disgusting as you is not wee at the Zhan Family, or at my engagement party!"

    Seeing that Zhan Nanjing was kicking him out, Qiao Jing then moved her foot from Jiang Zihong¡¯s face.

    Jiang Zihong hurriedly got up from the ground but was unwilling to leave just like that, so he tried to argue, "Miss Zhan, please listen to my exnation, this is not what you think, I..."

    "Throw this man out for me!"

    Zhan Nanjing, not interested in Jiang Zihong¡¯s nonsense, directly waved over two waiters and ordered them to throw Jiang Zihong out.

    Upon receiving the order, the waiters immediately responded, and regardless of Jiang Zihong¡¯s resistance, forcibly dragged him out.

    After Jiang Zihong was thrown out, Zhan Nanjing turned to Qiao Jing, and asked her kindly, "Are you okay?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head and said calmly, "I¡¯m fine."

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but giggle, then said, "Indeed, with such good skills, you subdued that annoying and repulsive Jiang Zihong in a few swift moves. If anything, it¡¯s him who has the problem!"

    Then, Zhan Nanjing shifted the topic, asking curiously, "By the way, who did you learn those skills from? They¡¯re so impressive, fluid-like, have you been training since childhood?"

    After a few moments of silence, Qiao Jing opened her mouth, "I can¡¯t remember."

    Zhan Nanjing showed a bit of doubt on her face and asked with an uprehending tone, "What do you mean you can¡¯t remember? Can anyone forget when they learned something themselves?"

    If it were some trivial matter, it would be understandable not to remember, but what she asked wasn¡¯t a small matter, iming not to remember is a bit absurd!

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brows slightly and fell into deep thought.

    She tried hard to recall, but found her mindpletely nk about her skills, unable to remember anything.

    Seeing her not saying anything, Zhan Nanjing, thinking she didn¡¯t want to speak for some reason, changed the topic, "If it¡¯s inconvenient to say, then I won¡¯t ask."

    Qiao Jing, thinking of how Zhan Nanjing had helped her earlier and having a good impression of her, spoke honestly, "It¡¯s not that it¡¯s inconvenient, nor that I don¡¯t want to say, but four years ago, I kind of lost track of some things."

    "Huh?!"

    Zhan Nanjing became even more curious and couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Why can¡¯t you remember?"

    Qiao Jing replied nonchntly, "I had a serious illness at the time, was sick for quite a long time, and it was only about a month ago that I started recovering, but the things before the illness are all fuzzy."

    Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t think much about it, after hearing that, she only felt the Third Miss Qiao was quite pitiful, being sick for so long was bad enough, and even forgetting things.

    This kind of experience inevitably evokes sympathy...

    Just as Zhan Nanjing was about tofort her a bit and gossip a little about the illness¡¯ cause, Su Manhan came over.

    "Nanjing, where have you run off to? I¡¯ve been looking everywhere!"

    Su Manhan said, stepping forward to take Zhan Nanjing¡¯s hand, pulling her away.

    "You¡¯re the hostess of today¡¯s party, how can you be missing? Come on, let¡¯s get back, Xiao Chi is also looking for you everywhere."

    Being dragged away by Su Manhan, Zhan Nanjing quickly turned her head back and waved to Qiao Jing, "I¡¯ll excuse myself first, let¡¯s chat another time."

    "Alright." Qiao Jing responded calmly, waving back to Zhan Nanjing.

    Su Manhan nced back and asked, "Nanjing, who was that girl waving at you? I¡¯ve never seen her before."

    "Just a newly met friend, she¡¯s the third miss of the Qiao Family in Nandu."

    After speaking, Zhan Nanjing thought of something, and added, "Her name sounds like my sister-inw¡¯s; same pronunciation, different characters, she¡¯s called Qiao Jing, like the ¡¯Jing¡¯ for scenery."

    "What a coincidence?" Su Manhan expressed a bit of surprise on her face.

    She instinctively looked back but didn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s figure anymore.

    Retracting her gaze, Su Manhan continued walking forward with Zhan Nanjing, "By the way, your grandfather also came over, you didn¡¯t know, did you?"

    "Grandfather came all the way despite his severe condition?"

    Zhan Nanjing frowned, a look of concern appearing between her brows.

    Su Manhan¡¯s tone also carried some helplessness, "Your grandfather insisted oning knowing it¡¯s your engagement today, couldn¡¯t stop him. He¡¯s in the lounge area now, once things here calm down, we can go over together."

    "Got it," Zhan Nanjing nodded.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing had already exited the banquet hall from a side door, arriving at the hotel¡¯s backyard.

    She just wanted to find a quiet ce to stay calmly until the party was over, without any more disturbances.

    The backyard was quite peaceful, with few people walking around.

    Qiao Jing walked towards the nearby bench, intending to sit for a while, when she suddenly heard a thud, something seemed to have fallen to the ground.

    Reflexively, she nced around and discovered that an elderly person had fallen from a wheelchair.

 Chapter 895 - 883: Itéˆ¥æªš the Jing Girl!

    <h4>Chapter 895: Chapter 883: It¡¯s the Jing Girl!</h4>

    Zhan Yuanshan didn¡¯t expect to have an attack at this moment.

    Feeling stifled in the lounge, he operated his wheelchair by himself to the backyard for some fresh air, but his condition suddenly worsened, causing him to fall out of the wheelchair.

    After the fall, he felt increasingly ufortable, his consciousness began to blur, and he couldn¡¯t stop shaking all over.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing hurriedly ran over, intending to help Zhan Yuanshan up, "Sir, how are you? Let me help you up."

    As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Jing realized that Zhan Yuanshan was having an attack, and the situation was very critical.

    She wanted to call for help, but this ce was too quiet, there wasn¡¯t anyone around, and despite shouting several times, no one appeared.

    Qiao Jing thought for a bit, then slightly turned Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s pockets to look for a phone or some identification to contact his family.

    However, there was nothing on Zhan Yuanshan, he hadn¡¯t brought anything with him.

    Seeing his condition worsening, Qiao Jing quickly asked, "Sir, who did youe here with? Do you remember your family¡¯s phone numbers? Tell me, and I¡¯ll call them."

    In such a condition, the elderly person couldn¡¯t havee out alone; he must havee here with family.

    But where have the old man¡¯s family gone?

    This hotel is excessivelyrge, with over a dozen banquet halls, making it hard to know where to start looking!

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s consciousness was already unclear, his vision was blurred, although he could vaguely hear someone talking, he couldn¡¯t see the person clearly.

    He trembled as he opened his mouth, speaking in broken words, slurring his speech, "I... I am..."

    Seeing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s state, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help feeling anxious.

    In her helplessness, a memory suddenly shed in her mind.

    It was rted to medical skills, a set of Finger Therapy Techniques.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t understand why such a memory suddenly surfaced, but there was no time to think too much in the current situation.

    She carefullyid Zhan Yuanshan t on the ground and began using the Finger Therapy Technique to treat him.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s fingers pressed, hooked, or pushed on Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s body swiftly, each move urately targeting an acupoint, performing with skillful precision, without any pause throughout the process.

    However, in fact, Qiao Jing was unsure if it would work, but her intuition told her it should be possible.

    So, she was actually doing this with a mindset of trying it out.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing acutely noticed that Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s paleplexion gradually softened, and his breathing began to stabilize slowly.

    However, she didn¡¯t stop there and continued with the finger therapy on Zhan Yuanshan.

    After regaining a bit of consciousness, in his blurred vision, Zhan Yuanshan saw a pair of slender, long fingers pressing rapidly on his body.

    This hazy scene reminded him of his first encounter with the Jing Girl.

    Back then, like now, he had an unfortunate attack, and nobody cared, but the Jing Girl appeared in time and saved him.

    Because of this, he met the Jing Girl and developed the idea of pairing her with his grandson...

    This familiar scene made Zhan Yuanshan instinctively call out, "Jing Girl..."

    His voice was still a bit unclear, but it was much clearer than before.

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing finally confirmed that her method was effective.

    She continued her actions whileforting Zhan Yuanshan, "Sir, your condition has started to stabilize, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll continue treating you."

    Zhan Yuanshan slowly uttered, "Okay... okay..."

    Qiao Jing¡¯s finger therapy not only effectively alleviated Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition but also eased his tense nerves.

    Unknowingly, Zhan Yuanshan slowly fell asleep.

    The treatment exhausted Qiao Jing greatly, and in theter stages, she was somewhat struggling to keep up physically.

    This was because her body hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s face turned slightly pale, but she gritted her teeth and continued treating Zhan Yuanshan.

    Meanwhile, chaos broke out in the lounge area of the banquet hall.

    Zhan Nanjing and Su Manhan, having settled the guests attending the banquet, headed to the lounge to check on Zhan Yuanshan.

    But when they arrived at the lounge, Zhan Yuanshan was nowhere to be found.

    Su Manhan was very anxious and said to Zhan Nanjing next to her, "Your grandfather is still sick, where could he have gone alone? Without anyone by his side, what if something happens?"

    "Mom, don¡¯t say that now, let¡¯s hurry and find him!"

    After saying this, Zhan Nanjing was the first to search around the lounge.

    Su Manhan hurried to search separately as well.

    However, the two searched the area, but they couldn¡¯t find Zhan Yuanshan.

    Just as the mother and daughter were about to gather personnel for a search in their anxiety, Zhan Qipei and Zhan Yao, among others, arrived upon hearing the news.

    After understanding the situation, Zhan Qipei decisively instructed Tang Yan, "Go to the monitoring room and retrieve the surveince footage."

    "Yes." Tang Yan responded and immediately headed to the monitoring room.

    Zhan Nanjing pped her forehead, saying in a regretful tone, "Look at me, I got so anxious and forgot about that."

    Meanwhile, everyone was waiting for the surveince results toe out.

    In the backyard, Qiao Jing had just finished treating Zhan Yuanshan and was arranging for him to lie down on a bench.

    Just after settling Zhan Yuanshan, Qiao Jing¡¯s phone rang.

    It was a call from Qiao Lin.

    As soon as she answered, Qiao Lin¡¯s voice came from the other end, "Xiao Jing, where did you go? Big Sis and I have been looking for you for a long time but couldn¡¯t find you."

    Qiao Jing was about to say she was in the backyard when Qiao Lin continued, "Come over quickly, we¡¯re in the drinks area. After all, we¡¯re here to attend the engagement party; it¡¯s not polite to be absent."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Yuanshan, feeling he should be fine now, and replied on the phone, "Alright, I¡¯ming over."

    With that, she hung up the phone and started to walk back along the route she came.

    There are two side doors in the banquet hall, both leading to the backyard.

    Just as Qiao Jing returned to the banquet hall through one side door, Zhan Qipei, Zhan Nanjing, and others hurriedly entered the backyard through another side door.

    The group noticed from the surveince footage Tang Yan retrieved that Zhan Yuanshan had gone to the backyard by himself.

    There were no cameras in the backyard, but fortunately, with enough people, it didn¡¯t take long for them to find Zhan Yuanshan lying on a bench.

    Because Qiao Jing left in a hurry and didn¡¯t upright the wheelchair, the wheelchair was still overturned on the ground.

    Seeing this scene, everyone knew that something must have happened to Zhan Yuanshan.

    Zhan Nanjing rushed to the bench and was about to cry while holding Zhan Yuanshan when he suddenly opened his eyes, startling her.

    However, at this time, Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t care about being startled, and quickly asked, "Grandpa, how are you? Why are you lying here..."

 Chapter 896 - 884: Suspicionéˆ¥æ“Ÿould It Really Be Qiao Jing?

    <h4>Chapter 896: Chapter 884: Suspicion¡ªCould It Really Be Qiao Jing?</h4>

    "Where is Jing Girl?"

    Zhan Yuanshan interrupted Zhan Nanjing, looking around and asking, "Why can¡¯t I see Jing Girl? Where did she go?"

    Upon hearing this, everyone present was taken aback.

    This scene, however, reminded Tang Yan of an event from a few days ago.

    He remembered that when President Zhan woke up from a hangover, he asked where his young madam had gone.

    It seems that Old Master Zhan, like President Zhan, misses the young madam to the point of obsession!

    Seeing his grandfather like this, Zhan Qipei also thought of how he had acted before.

    He subtly furrowed his long eyebrows, suddenly suspecting that maybe he had indeed drunk too much that day,bined with longing, causing hallucinations...

    Zhan Yuanshan sat up from the bench and said to himself, "I saw Jing Girl just now. I suddenly had an attack, and she appeared in time to treat me, then I fell asleep."

    At this point, Zhan Yuanshan started questioning again, "Where exactly did Jing Girl go? With so many of you here, did none of you see her?"

    Zhan Qipei and Zhan Nanjing exchanged nces, all staying silent.

    At that moment, Su Manhan hurried to the scene with Zhou Fu.

    Zhou Fu also came to attend Zhan Nanjing¡¯s engagement banquet today.

    As soon as she found Zhan Yuanshan, Su Manhan rushed to invite Zhou Fu.

    Seeing Zhou Fu approaching, Zhan Nanjing quickly said, "Master Zhou, please have a look at my grandfather."

    Zhou Fu nodded, stepped forward immediately, and reached out to check Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s pulse.

    Zhan Yuanshan waved his hand, resolutely saying, "Why check? No need! Jing Girl just examined me and gave me some treatment, so there shouldn¡¯t be a problem now."

    "Leave me alone for now, hurry and find Jing Girl!"

    After speaking, seeing no reaction from everyone, Zhan Yuanshan frowned immediately, urging sternly, "What are you all standing there for? Go quickly!"

    Zhan Qipei and the others looked at each other with strange expressions on their faces.

    But considering that Zhan Yuanshan was ill and couldn¡¯t be agitated, Zhan Qipei soothed, "Grandfather, I¡¯ll send someone to find her right away, but you should let Master Zhou take a look first, so we can be at ease."

    Zhou Fu timely chimed in, "Although my medical skills indeed can¡¯tpare to my master¡¯s, I consider them rather decent. If Old Master Zhan holds me in esteem, let me take your pulse to confirm your condition."

    At this point, refusing would mean disrespecting Zhou Fu.

    Zhan Yuanshan had no choice but to relent, "Alright then, if you want to take my pulse, go ahead."

    He directly extended his hand to Zhou Fu.

    Zhou Fu lightly sped Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s wrist with five fingers, beginning to feel his pulse.

    However, during the pulse reading, Zhou Fu¡¯s face gradually showed a look of astonishment.

    Everyone present felt puzzled seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s reaction.

    Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Master Zhou, why do you have such an expression? Could it be that... my grandfather¡¯s condition has worsened?!"

    Zhou Fu released Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s hand, muttering to himself, "Strange, so strange..."

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing got even more anxious, "Master Zhou, what is strange? Speak up! Saying nothing is torturing us with worry!"

    Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words snapped Zhou Fu out of his astonishment.

    He exined in detail, "Here¡¯s the thing. As you all know, Old Master Zhan¡¯s condition has reached a very severe stage."

    "Thest time I came for a diagnosis, I advised Old Master Zhan to maintain stable emotions and avoid any re-ups because if it happens, I would be nearly powerless."

    "However, judging from Old Master Zhan¡¯s pulse, his condition did re up but was brought under control."

    "The person who helped Old Master Zhan control the condition has medical skills that are astonishing, reaching levels I can¡¯t even achieve!"

    After Zhou Fu exined, everyone present was astonished.

    After all, the only person they knew whose medical skills surpassed Zhou Fu¡¯s was the Divine Doctor Jing...

    Zhan Yuanshan suddenly burst into heartyughter, and after a fewughs, he spoke, "I told you it was Jing Girl who treated me. Now do you believe it?"

    Zhan Nanjing muttered under his breath, "Could it really be that sister-inw is back?"

    Zhan Qipei suddenly recalled that night, and thinking back, the feeling was still vivid. Could it be...

    That wasn¡¯t his imagination?!

    Realizing this, Zhan Qipei immediately turned and walked away, giving orders as he went, "Tang Yan, gather the people now!"

    "Yes, President Zhan."

    Tang Yan responded promptly, hastening to catch up while taking out his phone to mobilize personnel.

    Although President Zhan only asked to gather people without specifying what for, he knew it must be a thorough search for the young madam¡¯s whereabouts!

    Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and others acknowledged the situation, each heading out to search in different directions.

    Zhan Yuanshan also wanted to join them in the search but faced strong opposition, having to wait for news in the lounge of the banquet hall.

    As arge number of people was deployed, many bodyguards patrolled back and forth in the banquet hall, causing quite amotion.

    This aroused great curiosity among everyone, sparking a lot of discussions.

    "What¡¯s going on? Why are there suddenly so many bodyguards? It seems there weren¡¯t any earlier?"

    "From the way these bodyguards look, it seems they¡¯re searching for someone."

    "I heard that the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam, who had been missing for several years, suddenly appeared, and now the Zhan Family is urgently searching for her!"

    "Is that true? The young madam of the Zhan Family has been missing for so long. Could she still be alive?"

    "That¡¯s right. If she were alive, wouldn¡¯t she havee back earlier? Why only appear now?"

    "Who knows? Whether it¡¯s true or not depends on whether the Zhan Family can find her or not!"

    "..."

    At this time, Qiao Jing had already reunited with Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin.

    The three of them had also noticed the disturbance on-site but didn¡¯t know what was happening.

    With sharp ears, Qiao Lin overheard the discussions of other guests and eagerly shared the news with her two sisters.

    "I heard others saying that those bodyguards are searching for the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam who disappeared a few years ago, saying she just appeared in the hotel but is now nowhere to be found."

    "Did the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam really appear?" Qiao Hong felt somewhat shocked, but was more curious and gossip-minded.

    Qiao Lin shrugged, "I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true. It¡¯s just what others are saying."

    Qiao Hong expressed her anticipation, "If it¡¯s true, I¡¯d really like to meet this Zhan Family¡¯s young madam. I think she must be an outstanding person to make someone in the Zhan Family so devoted!"

    Qiao Lin nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Qiao Hong¡¯s opinion, adding, "I¡¯d like to meet her too!"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything, just quietly listened to their conversation.

 Chapter 897: 885: We Must Find Her!

    <strong>Chapter 897: Chapter 885: We Must Find Her!</strong>

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were engrossed in their conversation when suddenly someone hurriedly ran over, almost bumping right into them.

    Qiao Jing looked up and saw it was Yang Xiaoxiao again.

    She furrowed her brows, speechless to the extreme.

    This Yang Xiaoxiao and that Jiang Zihong really are two of a kind, both so annoying and hateful!

    Qiao Hong rolled her eyes at Yang Xiaoxiao and snorted coldly, ¡°What do you want? Are you bored and looking for trouble again?¡±

    Qiao Lin was still seething over the invitation incident earlier, and now her anger red up instantly. Without any courtesy, she retorted, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, are you blind or what? How did you manage to crash into us? And what¡¯s the hurry, rushing to reincarnate or something?¡±

    Any other time, if Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin spoke to her this way, Yang Xiaoxiao would surely have retorted with hands on her hips.

    But now she had an urgent matter to tend to, so much so she didn¡¯t have the heart to argue back.

    She just red at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, speaking rapidly, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste words with you. Get out of my way quickly, or if I¡¯m dyed from finding the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam, I¡¯ll never let you live it down!¡±

    ¡°Looking for the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam?¡± Qiao Lin sneered, her tone mocking, ¡°The Zhan Family has loads of people. Do they need an outsider like you who¡¯s not even remotely rted to find her?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s the Zhan Family¡¯s business. What¡¯s it got to do with you, poking your nose in where it doesn¡¯t belong¡­¡±

    Qiao Hong cut off halfway, suddenly thinking of something. Her gaze toward Yang Xiaoxiao grew increasingly disdainful, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, don¡¯t tell me you think that if you find the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam, you¡¯ll be able to cozy up to the Zhan Family?¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao felt not the slightest embarrassment for being exposed.

    She lifted her chin and admitted frankly, ¡°So what if I am? I just want to cozy up to the Zhan Family. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be close to such a top-notch super-rich family?¡±

    ¡°Move, don¡¯t block the way. I¡¯m busy!¡±

    Saying this, Yang Xiaoxiao forcefully shoved Qiao Hong aside and briskly walked past her.

    Qiao Hong staggered for a moment, almost falling.

    Qiao Jing reacted quickly, extending her hand to steady her.

    After regaining her bnce, Qiao Hong patted her chest in relief, saying gratefully, ¡°Thankfully Xiao Jing reacted fast and grabbed me, otherwise I would have fallen t on my face.¡±

    Qiao Lin snorted coldly, fuming, ¡°I¡¯m counting every one of today¡¯s incidents. I¡¯ll settle them all with Yang Xiaoxiaoter!¡±

    ¡°Someone like her, wanting to cozy up to the Zhan Family? She¡¯s dreaming!¡±

    Seeing Qiao Lin getting excessively worked up, Qiao Jing handed her a ss of water to calm her down,forting her, ¡°Second sister, drink some water to cool down. There¡¯s no need to let someone like that affect your mood.¡±

    Qiao Lin took a few sips, her mood slightly easing. But at the thought of Yang Xiaoxiao, her anger still lingered, ranting with Qiao Jing and Qiao Hong.

    The engagement party was nearing its end, and those who went off to search separately¡ªZhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, Zhan Yao, and Zhou Fu¡ªreturned to the lounge one after another.

    The unsessful group sat together with varied expressions on their faces, but their moods were equally low.

    Zhan Yuanshan sat nearby, frowning, muttering to himself, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How is it possible they can¡¯t be found? Is there somewhere that was overlooked¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanjing pondered and spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m starting to think it¡¯s not my sister-inw who came back. If my sister-inw really returned, how could she note find us?¡±

    Saying this, she turned her gaze to Zhan Yuanshan, voicing her own suspicion.

    ¡°Grandpa, maybe it was just some reclusive medical expert who happened to pass by, saw your illness acting up, and kindly treated you to control the condition. Afterwards, not wanting to reveal their identity, they left quietly with their merits and name hidden.¡±

    Zhou Fu, listening to this, nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°That¡¯s very possible. The vast majority of reclusive experts don¡¯t want to reveal their identities. Like my master back in the day.¡±

    ¡°Also, my master used to say, although she¡¯s revered as the empire¡¯s top healer, that doesn¡¯t mean her medical skills are the best, as some experts truly keep to themselves, and the world knows nothing of their advanced skills.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhou Fu¡¯s words, Zhan Nanjing voiced some disagreement.

    She retorted with dissatisfaction, ¡°Anyway, I just believe my sister-inw¡¯s medical skills are the best in the world. Although there are some highly skilled reclusive experts, they surely can¡¯t be better than my sister-inw!¡±

    On the side, Su Manhan and Zhan Yao both wore expressions of disappointment.

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Su Manhan sighed, ¡°In the end, it was all just empty joy after all¡­¡±

    ¡°Qipei hasn¡¯t returned yet, who knows if Qipei found anything? I¡¯ll give him a call to ask.¡±

    Zhan Yao said, taking out his phone to make a call.

    Just as he was about to dial, Zhan Qipei returned.

    Zhan Nanjing initially wanted to ask if he had found anything, but seeing her brother¡¯s tired expression, with hints of haggardness, she knew the answer without asking.

    If he had found something, her brother would certainly be overjoyed, not this current disheartened state¡­

    Such an obvious thing, others naturally noticed as well.

    They all exchanged tacit nces, remaining silent.

    ¡°I just came to let you know, I¡¯m heading back now.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s voice was deeply low, carrying an unstated sadness and sorrow.

    After saying this, he turned and left like a soulless shell.

    Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and the others sighed again.

    While they were sighing, Zhan Yuanshan suddenly patted the armrest of his wheelchair, speaking in a deep voice, ¡°My intuition isn¡¯t wrong, the one who treated me must be Jing Girl!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always had a strong instinct, or else I wouldn¡¯t have be a renowned War General on the battlefield back then.¡±

    ¡°You all may not believe it, but I firmly trust my intuition. If you¡¯re not continuing the search, I¡¯ll send someone myself. I¡¯ll definitely find Jing Girl!¡±

    Given what Zhan Yuanshan said, Su Manhan and the others couldn¡¯t disagree, only agreeing to search together.

    Zhan Nanjing secretly grumbled in her heart, realizing her brother¡¯s stubbornness was inherited from their grandfather¡¯s skip-generation gene¡­

    Over at the banquet hall, with the engagement party about to conclude, some guests were preparing to say their goodbyes and leave.

    Qiao Jing and the others also intended to head back, but since Zhan Qiaoyu had gone to the restroom and hadn¡¯t returned yet, the trio lingered near the drinks area waiting.

    At that moment, at the end of the hallway, near the restroom¡¯s entrance, Zhan Qiaoyu, Zhan Qiaoze, and Zhan Qiaomo, the three little ones, were huddled together, quietly exchanging sometest information.

    Once done, Zhan Qiaoyu casually handed the Sun Wukong mask he was holding to Zhan Qiaoze.

    The mask got stuffy after wearing it for a long time, so he seized the moment to take it down and get some air.

    ¡°Zebao, I¡¯m going in to use the restroom. Can you hold this for me?¡±

    After speaking, Zhan Qiaoyu turned and headed into the restroom.

 Chapter 898: 886: The Two Little Ones Swap Identities

    <strong>Chapter 898: Chapter 886: The Two Little Ones Swap Identities</strong>

    Zhan Qiaoze looked at the mask in his hand and an idea suddenly popped into his mind.

    He leaned towards his brother Zhan Qiaomo and whispered a few words.

    Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s eyes lit up immediately after hearing Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s words.

    So the two brothers quickly agreed on a n¡­

    A momentter, Zhan Qiaoyu came out of the bathroom and found only Zhan Qiaoze at the door, with no sign of Zhan Qiaomo.

    He asked suspiciously, ¡°Where is Mo Bao?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Zhan Qiaoze faltered, his eyes flickered a bit.

    ¡°Forget it, never mind Mo Bao, quickly give me the mask, I have to hurry back to find Aunt Jing.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu said, reaching out his small hand towards Zhan Qiaoze.

    Zhan Qiaoze shrugged his little shoulders and said seriously, ¡°Alright, let me tell you the truth, here¡¯s the thing, I just discussed with Mo Bao and thought it¡¯s too hard for you to go alone, we, as your adorable brothers, must share the burden with you.¡±

    Hearing this, the clever Zhan Qiaoyu immediately guessed the general situation.

    His handsome little face fell, looking at the brother who imed to be adorable before him, his eyes showed a bit of grievance.

    Zhan Qiaoze patted Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s shoulder with his small hand, earnestlyforting him, ¡°Big brother, Ipletely understand how you feel right now.¡±

    ¡°I just lost to Mo Bao in rock-paper-scissors, watching Mo Bao wear that Sun Wukong mask, happily going to see Aunt Jing, I feel quite upset too¡­¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze was utterly confused about why he always lost at rock-paper-scissors.

    If he had won earlier, he would be the one happily going to find Aunt Jing!

    ¡°You two are so cunning!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu said angrily, and then turned to run towards the banquet hall.

    Zhan Qiaoze saw through his intention and immediately pounced to hold him back, stopping his actions, while persuading earnestly but in a childish voice, ¡°Big brother, you can¡¯t go over there!¡±

    ¡°Mo Bao has definitely met Aunt Jing by now. If you show up again, and they see you and Mo Bao look exactly alike, they will get suspicious. Our n won¡¯t be able to continue this way!¡±

    After hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu calmed down but still felt somewhat indignant inside.

    He wished he hadn¡¯t gone to the bathroom!

    He really didn¡¯t want to be separated from Aunt Jing!!

    ¡°Alright, big brother, don¡¯t be angry, let¡¯s go find Grandma and Auntie together.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze said as he led the puffed-up Zhan Qiaoyu towards the lounge.

    Meanwhile, at the banquet hall side.

    Wearing the Sun Wukong mask, Zhan Qiaomo ran happily towards Qiao Jing on his short little legs.

    As soon as he reached Qiao Jing, Zhan Qiaomo spread out his arms to hug her, calling sweetly, ¡°Aunt Jing!¡±

    The little guy was extremely excited; he finally didn¡¯t have to envy his big brother!

    He hugged Aunt Jing, who was very likely his mom!!

    Seeing the little guy hugging her, Qiao Jing instinctively raised her hand, lovingly wanting to pat his little head.

    But when she heard the little guy shout ¡°Aunt Jing¡±, Qiao Jing¡¯s hand paused for a moment.

    This voice sounded a bit different, seeming softer and more childish than usual¡­

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s hand suddenly stop, Zhan Qiaomo also quickly realized it might be because his voice was somewhat different from his big brother¡¯s, causing the other party to feel strange.

    To avoid suspicion, Zhan Qiaomo directly lifted the mask from his face, revealing the handsome little face identical to Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s.

    He tilted up his little face, meeting Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, blinking his bright big eyes, and asked, ¡°Aunt Jing, is something wrong?¡±

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s appearance, Qiao Jing¡¯s doubts vanished instantly.

    She felt it might have been her being too sensitive.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s paused handnded on Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s head, gently giving it a pat, then took his small hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading back.¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded obediently, a particrly radiant smile on his little face.

    On the way back by car, Qiao Lin suddenly thought of something.

    She turned her head to look at Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s little face and half-suspiciously, half-jokingly said, ¡°Little guy, I¡¯ve always felt that you look a bit like that President Zhan from the Zhan Family. After seeing President Zhan up close today, the more I look, the more I feel you really look alike. Could he be your daddy?¡±

    Qiao Hong immediately echoed, ¡°I also think this little guy looks a lot like that President Zhan. If someone said they are father and son, I definitely wouldn¡¯t doubt it.¡±

    Hearing them say this, Qiao Jing also turned her gaze to Zhan Qiaomo, examining his appearance carefully, finding that both his facial outline and features indeed resembled that President Zhan.

    Being watched by Qiao Jing and the two others with their inquisitive eyes, Zhan Qiaomo felt quite nervous inside, but he managed to maintainposure, not showing any panic on his little face at all.

    He tilted his little head, speaking with naive innocence, ¡°I also think I look like him, I didn¡¯t expect there could be someone who looks so alike, it¡¯s truly amazing!¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were actually just speaking casually, not truly believing that the little guy could be a child from the Zhan Family.

    After all, if the Zhan family¡¯s little young master were missing, how could the Zhan family not react at all?

    Qiao Lin changed the topic, sighing, ¡°It¡¯s such a pity we didn¡¯t get to see President Zhan¡¯s three sons today. They say they are triplets, look exactly the same, perfectly inheriting the beauty of their parents, and are extremely good-looking!¡±

    Qiao Hong picked up the topic casually, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a pity. I was looking around for quite a while at the banquet, but didn¡¯t see those three children show up.¡±

    Hearing them mention the triplets, Qiao Jing had an inexplicable subtle touch in her heart.

    She unconsciously lifted her hand, her palm resting on her own abdomen, lost in thought for a moment.

    Seeing her like this, Zhan Qiaomo thought she had a stomachache, then moved closer to her, ¡°Aunt Jing, is your stomach feeling ufortable? Let me rub it for you.¡±

    He said, extending his small hand to sensibly help Qiao Jing rub her stomach.

    Qiao Jing came back to her senses, looking at the sensible and well-behaved little guy, her heart softened, and she couldn¡¯t resist patting his little head again.

    After returning to the hotel, Zhan Qiaomo stayed clingily close to Qiao Jing without a single step away.

    Although Qiao Jing found it a bit strange, she didn¡¯t think much about it.

    After dinner, Zhan Qiaomo, recalling the privileges his big brother previously enjoyed, wanted to try them all himself.

    He shook Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, using a coquettish tone and said, ¡°Aunt Jing, could you help me take a bath?¡±

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s face full of anticipation, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t refuse.

    She agreed with a smile, ¡°Alright, Aunt Jing will help you wash up.¡±

    However, Qiao Jing suddenly recalled thatst time when she was going to give him a bath, the little guy was quite shy about it, so why did he bring it up himself this time and look so expectant?

    Could it be that kids have a rather changeable nature?

 Chapter 899 - 887: Noticing the Little One Is Acting Strange Today

    <h4>Chapter 899: Chapter 887: Noticing the Little One Is Acting Strange Today</h4>

    Qiao Jing was just thinking when Zhan Qiaomo eagerly pulled her towards the bathroom.

    He happily shook his little head, humming a childish tune, "I love bath time, my skin feels so good..."

    His adorable demeanor truly melted Qiao Jing¡¯s heart.

    Qiao Jing followed the routine and, just likest time, skillfully helped the little guy take a bath.

    Zhan Qiaomo thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, feeling delighted, thinking it was a good thing he had won the rock-paper-scissors game earlier, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have experienced Aunt Jing helping him with his bath!

    This feeling, it¡¯s so blissful!

    Being with mommy should feel just like this, right?

    After the bath, seeing that it was gettingte, Qiao Jing took the little guy back to his room to sleep as usual.

    Once in bed, the little guy wriggled into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms, his tiny hands tightly clutching her arm like a clingy little ko.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand and gently pinched his white, soft cheeks, her eyes unconsciously showing a mother¡¯s unique affection.

    Zhan Qiaomo remembered his brother mentioning that during bedtime, Aunt Jing had told him bedtime stories.

    He wanted to hear Aunt Jing tell a story too!

    Actions speak louder than words!

    Zhan Qiaomo immediately blinked, looking eagerly at Qiao Jing, "Aunt Jing, can you tell me a story, please?"

    "You want to hear the Three Little Pigs again?" Qiao Jing found it somewhat amusing.

    All she knew how to tell was the story of the Three Little Pigs, and this little guy had heard it several times already, wasn¡¯t he bored of it?

    "Yes! I want to hear it!"

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded quickly, looking as if he was afraid Qiao Jing would refuse.

    Unable to help butugh, Qiao Jing said, "Alright, I¡¯ll tell it to you then."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaomo was very happy. He suddenly straightened up from Qiao Jing¡¯s arms, unexpectedly kissed her on the cheek, and sweetly said, "Aunt Jing, you¡¯re really nice, I like you so much!"

    Qiao Jing reached out to hug the little guy, showing a smile and said, "Aunt Jing likes you a lot too."

    She always felt that this little guy had be much clingier than before, and he was even more good at acting spoiled, asking for hugs more often than before!

    Could it be that this child really mistook her for mommy?

    ...

    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed since the engagement party.

    At the Zhan Family, Zhan Yuanshan, Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao were gathered in the hall.

    Zhan Yao spoke first, "Dad, you see, we¡¯ve been looking for several days, dispatched quite a few people, but still haven¡¯t found a clue. I think... Maybe you really got it wrong this time."

    Su Manhan also spoke up, "Yes, Dad, I think you just miss Qiao Jing too much, plus your illness red up at the time, so you mistakenly thought the expert treating you was Qiao Jing."

    Zhan Nanjing agreed, "Grandpa, I also think it¡¯s definitely a misunderstanding, if that person was really my sister-inw, how could she return but note to find us, and intentionally hide to prevent us from finding her? It just doesn¡¯t make sense!"

    Zhan Yuanshan, sitting in a wheelchair, listened to the three of them, his face growing more solemn.

    After they were done speaking, he replied with displeasure, "If you guys don¡¯t want to search, I¡¯ll have someone else look for her. Anyway, I trust my instincts, that person must be Jing Girl, there¡¯s no mistake!"

    Seeing him so stubborn,pletely unwilling to listen to any advice, Zhan Nanjing and the other two shook their heads helplessly.

    Additionally, recalling what Zhou Fu had said, the three of them dared not continue persuading him, fearing it might agitate the old man.

    Previously, Zhou Fu mentioned that the old man¡¯s illness was worsening and that he probably didn¡¯t have much time left, which inevitably led to mental issues.

    So now, all they could do was go along with the old man¡¯s wishes as much as possible, keeping him emotionally stable.

    With that in mind, Zhan Nanjingforted, "Grandpa, don¡¯t get agitated, we believe you, and we¡¯ll continue having people search."

    Su Manhan cooperated, saying, "Yes, we¡¯ll keep searching until we find Qiao Jing."

    Meanwhile, on the other side.

    Qiao Jing was being taken out by Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, and the three were in the car heading to Qiao Family¡¯s branch office in the capital.

    A couple of days ago, Qiao Hong heard from her assistant that Zhan Corporation had a new project.

    For Zhan Corporation, this project was a minor one, but for Qiao Family, it was a major one that could salvage their current situation!

    If they could win this project and partner with Zhan Corporation, they could recover all the losses they suffered due to the Jiang family¡¯s suppression in one go!

    So upon receiving the news, Qiao Hong immediately informed the branch¡¯s marketing department, asking them to use the past two days toe up with a bidding proposal.

    Today was the bidding day; they needed to first go to the branch to pick up the proposal, and then proceed to Zhan Corporation.

    Halfway there, Qiao Lin suddenly remembered something and turned to Qiao Hong, asking, "I heard that Yang Family is also aiming for Zhan Corporation¡¯s project?"

    "That¡¯s right." Qiao Hong nodded, her expression growing more serious, "The Yang Family is quite apetitor for our Qiao Family. If we want to win this project, our proposal has to outshine Yang Family¡¯s."

    "I wonder who the Yang Family will have in charge? Hopefully, it¡¯s not that annoying Yang Xiaoxiao; she always gets under my skin!"

    Qiao Lin muttered to herself.

    Qiao Hong shook her head, "I¡¯m not sure either, but once we get to Zhan¡¯s, we¡¯ll naturally find out."

    A momentter, the car stopped at the entrance of Qiao Family¡¯s branch office.

    Qiao Jing followed Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin out of the car and into thepany, heading straight to the marketing department.

    Upon seeing them arrive, the marketing manager respectfully greeted them and handed Qiao Hong a document.

    "Miss, this is the proposal we came up with; it¡¯s been revised several times, and this is the best version."

    Qiao Hong took it, carefully flipped through it, and then handed the document to Qiao Lin, "Take a look; I think it¡¯s pretty good, but it seems slightly imperfect. I can¡¯t pinpoint exactly what¡¯s off."

    After reading, Qiao Lin expressed that she felt the same as Qiao Hong.

    Feeling a bit awkward, the manager said, "Miss, second miss, we¡¯re aware the proposal still has some shorings, but given our marketing department¡¯s capabilities, this is the best we could produce. Even if we revise it, it might not be better, plus there¡¯s no time."

    The manager¡¯s words resonated with what Qiao Hong already knew.

    After a few seconds of silence, she spoke, "Alright, let¡¯s go with this version."

    Leaving the marketing department, Qiao Hong saw there was still time and intended to head to the finance department.

    Knowing they were going to review the quarterly reports, Qiao Jing decided not to follow, since she wasn¡¯t interested in such matters.

    "Then you can wait for us in the lounge over there."

    Qiao Hong pointed to a lounge next to the marketing department and handed Qiao Jing the document they¡¯d just received, "You take care of this document."

 Chapter 900 - 888: Competing for the Zhan Corporation Project

    <h4>Chapter 900: Chapter 888: Competing for the Zhan Corporation Project</h4>

    Qiao Jing took the documents and went to the break room by herself.

    While waiting for Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin to return, Qiao Jing, feeling bored, casually opened the documents to have a look.

    As she looked, she found that the proposal indeedcked details in several ces.

    Thinking for a moment, Qiao Jing picked up the pen beside her and started writing directly on the document, adding some details.

    Just as she finished adding everything and put down the pen, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin happened to return.

    The two sisters stood at the doorway, seeing Qiao Jing writing something on the documents, they rushed in, rmed.

    Qiao Lin was almost in tears, "Xiao Jing, this is the bidding proposal, you can¡¯t just write on it recklessly!"

    "Now this is troublesome, we¡¯re about to go to Zhan¡¯s soon, we need to quickly check if the marketing department has a backup!"

    Qiao Hong looked anxious, saying that she was about to turn and run out.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing stood up to stop her and then exined to the two of them, "Big sister, second sister, I wasn¡¯t writing recklessly; I found some detailscking in the proposal, so I added them."

    With that, Qiao Jing picked up the document and handed it to them.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin nced at each other, then hesitantly took the document.

    But after looking at the parts Qiao Jing had added, they both showed surprised expressions.

    "This..." Qiao Lin was so surprised she couldn¡¯t even speak.

    Qiao Hong was also dumbfounded, and after a while, finally said, "This added detail seems to have made it much better than before!"

    Qiao Lin regained herposure and suggested: "Why don¡¯t we show this to the manager of the marketing department, and see what he thinks?"

    "I think we can." Qiao Hong nodded in agreement, "After all, they were the ones who drafted it, they should know more about this proposal than we do."

    So, Qiao Jing followed them to the marketing department once again.

    After the manager of the marketing department looked at the revised proposal, he was instantly full of amazement.

    He looked up sharply at Qiao Hong and eagerly asked, "Miss, who added these? It¡¯s simply perfect!"

    "Where is this person now? If we could invite this person to ourpany, it would surely be greatly beneficial to thepany¡¯s development!"

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin also thought the revised proposal was better than before but didn¡¯t expect such high praise from the manager.

    When ites to drafting proposals, the manager was definitely more skilled than they were. Since even the manager said so, it indicated it was really good!

    The two sisters simultaneously looked towards Qiao Jing beside them.

    The manager followed their gaze, his face full of surprise, "These were added by you, Third Miss?!"

    For someone of Third Miss¡¯s age to achieve this level was truly astonishing!!

    Qiao Jing responded calmly, "Yes."

    "Xiao Jing, howe you know about these things? I¡¯ve never heard you mention it before." Qiao Hong asked with some doubt.

    After a few seconds in silence, Qiao Jing replied, "I just did it by instinct."

    She didn¡¯t know why she understood these things; it just naturally came out after looking at the proposal.

    Qiao Lin boldly guessed, "Could it be that you were once a department manager or something like that in apany?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head.

    She couldn¡¯t remember anything about the past, so how would she know what she used to do...

    At this moment, Qiao Hong inadvertently nced at the clock on the wall, immediately eximing, "Oh no, it¡¯s almost time, we should hurry up and leave, it would be trouble if we¡¯rete!"

    After saying that, she took the documents and hurriedly walked out first.

    Qiao Lin didn¡¯t have time to continue the inquiry and quickly pulled Qiao Jing to follow along.

    Leaving thepany, the three of them directly drove over to Zhan Corporation.

    As a result, outside the Zhan Corporation Building, Qiao Jing and the others unexpectedly ran into Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Evidently, the person responsible for bidding on the project from the Yang Family was Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Qiao Lin muttered in discontent, "The more you don¡¯t want to meet someone, the more you end up running into them, truly a narrow encounter with an enemy!"

    "Don¡¯t pay attention to her, or it¡¯ll affect our mood."

    Having said this, Qiao Hong was about to walk inside when Yang Xiaoxiao came over swiftly, blocking the three of them.

    "Oh? Isn¡¯t this the Qiao Family¡¯s three sisters!"

    Yang Xiaoxiao still had that sarcastic tone, her face full of mockery.

    "With the Qiao Family in such a struggling state, you dare to bid for Zhan¡¯s project? Dreaming of cooperating with Zhan Corporation?"

    "To put it nicely, you havemendable courage, to put it bluntly, you¡¯re overestimating yourselves!"

    Qiao Jing nced at Yang Xiaoxiao expressionlessly and coldly said, "The oue is still unknown."

    "Exactly, who knows who will win this project."

    Qiao Lin chimed in, then snorted coldly, "Yang Xiaoxiao, I advise you not to talk too full of yourself, lest you get humiliatedter!"

    "Me, get humiliated? You must be too confident! Saying you¡¯re overconfident isn¡¯t wrong at all!"

    Yang Xiaoxiao had a look of absolute certainty, her gaze filled with contempt as she looked at the three of them.

    "To tell you the truth, to win this Zhan project, we¡¯ve hired a very experienced project nner at a high cost."

    She raised the documents in her hand, speaking with pride, "The bidding proposal in my hand was written by this experienced nner, we¡¯re sure to win, this project will surely belong to the Yang Family!"

    And most importantly, the director of the marketing department responsible for this project at Zhan Corporation, Li Ronghua, is an old acquaintance of hers...

    So, this time, she¡¯s sure to win!

    "So what if you have an experienced project nner? Our proposal is also meticulously crafted, it¡¯s still unclear who will win or lose, it¡¯s too early to make a conclusion now!"

    Facing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s boastful disy, Qiao Lin retorted with indifference.

    "Stop wasting words on her, talking to someone like her is a waste of time. Let¡¯s go."

    Saying this, Qiao Hong directly bypassed Yang Xiaoxiao, stepping into the Zhan Corporation Building.

    Seeing this, Qiao Lin no longer paid attention to Yang Xiaoxiao, hooked her arm around Qiao Jing, and followed Qiao Hong.

    Their dismissive attitude left Yang Xiaoxiao fuming.

    She stomped her foot, gritting her teeth as she red at their backs.

    But on second thought, these three would surely suffer a humiliating defeat soon; Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s mood improved substantially.

    She sneered and also stepped inside.

    Ten minutester, in a conference room at Zhan Corporation.

    Qiao Jing and the others were seated on the right side of the conference table, with Yang Xiaoxiao on the left.

    The director of the marketing department responsible for this project, Li Ronghua, sat in the middle.

    After introducing himself, Li Ronghua fixed his gaze on Yang Xiaoxiao, with an unusual look in his eyes.

    Yang Xiaoxiao handed over the document in her hand with a sweet smile, "Director Li, this is our proposal from Yang¡¯s, please take a look."

    Her voice was more coquettish than usual as she said this.

 Chapter 901: 889: Qiao Jings Fury

    <strong>Chapter 901: Chapter 889: Qiao Jing¡¯s Fury</strong>

    Looking at Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s somewhat unusual demeanor, the three of Qiao Jing merely assumed she was trying to curry favor with Li Ronghua, without realizing that Yang Xiaoxiao and Li Ronghua were actually already acquainted.

    Even less did they expect that there was something unspeakable between the two!

    Li Ronghua epted the document handed over by Yang Xiaoxiao, taking the opportunity to secretly stroke the back of her hand.

    Once he began to review the proposal, Li Ronghua started putting on airs.

    He pretended to read seriously for a while, then nodded in satisfaction and praised, ¡°This Yang¡¯s proposal is quite impressive, creative, urate in positioning, clearly described, and very feasible¡ªperfect for this project¡¯sunch.¡±

    At these words, Yang Xiaoxiao immediately gloated and cast a provocative nce at the three of Qiao Jing sitting opposite.

    ¡°How¡¯s that? I told you this project was definitely ours, the Yang Family¡¯s! Your Qiao Family¡¯s shabby state, and you still want topete with us? Dream on!¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin decoded this meaning from Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes.

    The two were indignant and directly rolled their eyes at Yang Xiaoxiao.

    At this moment, Li Ronghua put down the document in his hand and turned to the three of Qiao Jing, ¡°What about your Qiao¡¯s proposal?¡±

    Although he had privately agreed with Yang Xiaoxiao to give the project to the Yang Family, he still had to put on a front to avoid suspicion.

    Qiao Hong handed the document over, politely saying, ¡°Director Li, this is our Qiao¡¯s proposal, please have a look.¡±

    Li Ronghua reached out to take it, intent on just ncing through and dismissing them, but as soon as he opened it, he was instantly captivated.

    He genuinely didn¡¯t expect Qiao¡¯s proposal to be so outstanding!

    Though Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s proposal had its merits, it paled inparison to this one!

    Especially the handwritten supplementary details, which added a finishing touch!

    If this proposal was followed tounch the project, it would surely yield unexpected results!

    But¡­

    Li Ronghua nced at Yang Xiaoxiao, feeling a bit conflicted.

    Yang Xiaoxiao noticed Li Ronghua¡¯s gaze, and, behind the three of Qiao Jing, secretly threw him a flirtatious look.

    Being teased like this by Yang Xiaoxiao, Li Ronghua felt his heart itch and quickly resolved his inner conflict, merely wanting to hug and kiss her on the spot.

    With a ¡°bang,¡± Li Ronghua closed the document in his hand and threw it onto the table dismissively, saying in annoyance, ¡°What is this trash you¡¯re using to brush us off, Qiao¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Is this even a proposal? Grab any elementary school kid off the street, and they¡¯d write something a hundred times better than this!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have the means, don¡¯t take on porcin work; bringing this garbage over, isn¡¯t it just wasting my time?¡±

    Listening to Li Ronghua¡¯s outright derogatory remarks, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows.

    No matter how bad their proposal might be, it couldn¡¯t possibly be this terrible, could it?

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were dumbfounded, staring nkly for a good moment beforeing to their senses.

    ¡°Director Li, we¡­¡±

    Qiao Hong wanted to exin and try her best to strive for better, but just as she started speaking, Li Ronghua impatiently interrupted her.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to say more, your proposal is junk. This project will go to Yang¡¯s. I¡¯ll notify you separately when to sign the contract.¡±

    With these words, Li Ronghua got up and walked out, not giving Qiao Hong a chance to speak.

    Yang Xiaoxiao also stood up, took her document, and smugly walked over to the three of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Did you hear that? Qiao¡¯s proposal is trash. Bringing trash to bid for Zhan¡¯s project, truly ignorance of one¡¯s own limitations!¡±

    After saying this, Yang Xiaoxiaoughed loudly.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were deeply hurt, their expressions dejected, totally unwilling to engage with Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Seeing this, Yang Xiaoxiao became even more arrogant and began to mock them coldly, her words extremely harsh.

    Qiao Jing swept her icy gaze over Yang Xiaoxiao, parting her lips slightly to utter a cold and hard word, ¡°Get out!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao was momentarily intimidated by her fierce aura and subconsciously took a step back.

    Recovering her wits, Yang Xiaoxiao, a bit embarrassed and angry, said coldly, ¡°Do you think I enjoy being with you? Standing with you lowlifes only drags down my level!¡±

    After speaking, she red at Qiao Jing and walked off with a flick of her hand.

    ¡°How could this happen¡­¡± Qiao Hong murmured to herself, puzzled.

    Qiao Lin also frowned tightly, speaking to herself, ¡°This makes no sense, I think our proposal doesn¡¯t have any issues, not to the extent Director Li imed¡­¡±

    Seeing the two of them dejected, Qiao Jing also felt disheartened, wondering if her additions didn¡¯t match the overall requirements.

    Thinking of this, she apologized, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have added things randomly.¡±

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Qiao Hong shook her head repeatedly, ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault. What you wrote waspletely fine.¡±

    Qiao Lin agreed, ¡°Yes, Xiao Jing, don¡¯t think that way. Even ourpany¡¯s manager said your additions made the proposal perfect.¡±

    ¡°We may not know why Director Li criticized our proposal so harshly, but it¡¯s certainly not your issue.¡±

    Qiao Jing took the document back and flipped through it again.

    Qiao Hong stood up and sighed, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s go back first.¡±

    Qiao Lin nodded along and also stood up.

    After leaving the meeting room, Qiao Jing suddenly felt the urge to go to the bathroom, so she handed the document to Qiao Hong, ¡°Sister, wait for me here, I¡¯m off to the restroom.¡±

    After greeting them, Qiao Jing went to the restroom alone.

    When she came out of the restroom and passed by the pantry, she inadvertently overheard the voices of Yang Xiaoxiao and Li Ronghuaing from inside.

    ¡°Baby, let me hug you, I missed you so much!¡±

    ¡°Ronghua, what you said just now was perfect, you don¡¯t know how much I despise those three Qiao sisters! Calling them garbage was spot-on, I¡¯ve suffered enough grievances with them before, and this time I got my revenge!¡±

    Upon hearing this conversation, Qiao Jing instantly understood that Yang Xiaoxiao and this Li Ronghua were already involved!

    She tilted her head slightly to peek into the pantry, seeing Li Ronghua hugging Yang Xiaoxiao, talking while kissing her face.

    ¡°Baby, honestly, Qiao¡¯s proposal is very good. If it weren¡¯t for you, this project should¡¯ve gone to them.¡±

    Listening to Li Ronghua, Yang Xiaoxiao sneered disdainfully, ¡°Are you saying this to get credit with me? People like them, how could theye up with any decent proposal!¡±

    ¡°You might not believe me, but their proposal is indeed better than yours, and not just by a small margin. If it weren¡¯t for our rtionship, I definitely wouldn¡¯t choose yours.¡±

    Seeing Li Ronghua speak earnestly, Yang Xiaoxiao half-doubtfully asked, ¡°Is their proposal really that good?¡±

 Chapter 902: 890: Qiao Jing Is Injured

    <strong>Chapter 902: Chapter 890: Qiao Jing Is Injured</strong>

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Just tell me how you n to thank me?¡±

    Li Ronghua said, nting a kiss on Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s cheek.

    Diverted by him, Yang Xiaoxiao didn¡¯t continue to discuss the proposal matter, and just giggled, ¡°Then how do you want me to thank you?¡±

    The two were flirting in the pantry.

    Unbeknownst to them, all of their acts were caught by Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    Now Qiao Jing fully understood; their proposal had no issues at all. Not only was it wless, but also way better than Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s.

    It was because Yang Xiaoxiao had an unspeakable rtionship with Li Ronghua that he deliberately devalued their proposal, giving the project to Yang¡¯s!

    Thinking about how Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were devastated by this, Qiao Jing was overwhelmed with anger and stormed into the pantry.

    Her sudden entry startled Yang Xiaoxiao and Li Ronghua out of their intimacy.

    They instinctively separated, simultaneously looking up at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing looked at them with disdain, speaking coldly, ¡°Director Li, do you know that what you are doing is abusing your power and misusing your position? If your superior finds out about your actions, what do you think will happen to you?¡±

    At her words, Yang Xiaoxiao and Li Ronghua realized that their conversation had all fallen into her ears.

    Yang Xiaoxiao instantly widened her eyes in anger, ¡°Qiao Lao San, you were eavesdropping on us? Do you have any shame?¡±

    Qiao Jing was almost amused by her words, a sarcastic smirk hanging at her lips, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, aren¡¯t you afraid of biting your tongue saying that? You two are colluding behind the scenes; who¡¯s really shameless?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Yang Xiaoxiao was at a loss for words, ring at Qiao Jing with nothing to retort.

    Li Ronghua put on a stern face, ring at Qiao Jing with a hostile look, and threatened in a deep voice, ¡°I warn you, you¡¯d better not cause trouble, or you¡¯re the one who¡¯ll suffer.¡±

    ¡°If you really cause a fuss, the Qiao Family shouldn¡¯t expect any further cooperation with the Zhan Corporation!¡±

    Qiao Jing shot Li Ronghua a cold re, her tone icy and frosty, ¡°What? How can a mere Director like you represent the entire Zhan Corporation? I really want to see if your authority is as big as you im!¡±

    The Zhan Corporation, as a leading enterprise in the business world, must have its own management principles.

    If it were a corruptpany, it would have copsed long ago rather than achieving such strength today.

    Therefore, she believed the Zhan¡¯s management would not tolerate abuse of power, misuse of position, and underhanded maneuvers!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s sharp aura and the cold glint in her eyes made Li Ronghua shrink back momentarily.

    Regaining his senses, Li Ronghua was somewhat frustrated and furious.

    How could he, a market director at Zhan Corporation, be intimidated by a woman?

    Moreover, this woman dared to speak to him in such a manner?

    This was simply disregarding him!

    Li Ronghua¡¯s face turned even darker, sneering coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll just tell you then, my authority is indeed that broad, and yes, I can represent the Zhan Corporation!¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯d better leave right now. I¡¯ll give you three seconds, if you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call security to throw you out!¡±

    Upon hearing Li Ronghua¡¯s threat, Qiao Jing merely let out a coldugh, then turned on her heel and walked out without uttering a word.

    Thinking his words had scared her off, Li Ronghua sneered at her retreating figure, ¡°At least you know your ce!¡±

    After leaving the pantry, Qiao Jing intended to ask for directions and coincidentally saw an employee approaching.

    She politely stopped the employee, inquiring, ¡°Hello, can you tell me where President Zhan¡¯s office is?¡±

    When Li Ronghua heard this, he suddenly realized Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t scared by him at all but was determined to cause trouble!

    He quickly ran out of the pantry, telling the employee, ¡°This woman is here to cause trouble, ignore her, go about your business, I¡¯ll call security to get her thrown out!¡±

    With that, Li Ronghua immediately took out his phone and called the security office, ordering them to send someone over immediately.

    At that time, Qiao Jing noticed ayout map of the entire Zhan Corporation nearby and went over to confirm the location of the president¡¯s office.

    The efficiency of the Zhan¡¯s staff was indeed high, including their security personnel.

    Just as Qiao Jing confirmed the location, security had already arrived.

    Li Ronghua pointed at Qiao Jing, telling the security, ¡°It¡¯s her, she¡¯s deliberately causing trouble at Zhan¡¯s. I told her to leave, but she refused, hurry up and drive her out to prevent her from disrupting everyone¡¯s work!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the security guards immediately surrounded Qiao Jing.

    The selection of security at Zhan Corporation was quite rigorous, so these guards were all quite capable, and Jiang Zihong¡¯s bodyguards were no match for these people.

    The leading guard said to Qiao Jing, ¡°Miss, please leave immediately, or we will have no choice but to ¡®escort¡¯ you out!¡±

    Qiao Jing scanned the surrounding security guards, nonchntly replying, ¡°I have business with President Zhan, so I can¡¯t leave right now.¡±

    ¡°In that case, don¡¯t me us for being rude to you!¡±

    The leading guard signaled to two others, indicating for them to capture Qiao Jing.

    The two approached swiftly, ready to seize Qiao Jing without a word.

    Of course, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t about to let them catch her, and seeing them charging, she instinctively reacted.

    During the dodge, she easily took down the two on the ground.

    The other guards were taken aback by what they saw.

    None of them expected that this slender girl could have such great skills!

    Realizing the situation, the leader shouted, ¡°Everyone, get her down together!¡±

    With hismand, the remaining dozen guards rushed towards Qiao Jing simultaneously.

    Outnumbered and outmatched, Qiao Jing initially held the upper hand, but due to not being fully recovered, her stamina waned, eventually falling to a disadvantage.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were waiting outside the meeting room and, hearing themotion, curiously came over.

    Upon arrival, they saw more than ten guards fighting their Xiao Jing!

    Moreover, it seemed like their Xiao Jing was about to be overwhelmed!!

    Witnessing the scene, the sisters¡¯ faces changed dramatically, and they shouted in panic.

    ¡°Stop fighting!¡±

    ¡°You guys, stop now!¡±

    However, no matter how much they yelled, the guards seemed oblivious, showing no intention of stopping.

    Qiao Lin, sharp-eyed, noticed one of the guards holding a rubber baton, poised to attack Qiao Jing from behind.

    Panicking, she rushed forward, intending to push Qiao Jing away.

    But things didn¡¯t go as smoothly as Qiao Lin had nned.

    Just as Qiao Lin rushed up, the baton came crashing down¡­

 Chapter 903: 891: I Hate Being Threatened the Most

    <strong>Chapter 903: Chapter 891: I Hate Being Threatened the Most</strong>

    Qiao Jing had just kicked the two people in front of her away, when she turned her head and saw that Qiao Lin was about to be hit by a rubber baton.

    Without thinking, she quickly turned around to protect Qiao Lin.

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡ª¡±

    With a muffled sound, Qiao Jing¡¯s back was heavily struck by the rubber baton.

    She let out a muffled groan, furrowing her brow in pain.

    The security guards saw that she seemed too weak to resist further, so they all stopped.

    Qiao Lin was scared pale, and quickly reached out to support Qiao Jing, ¡°Xiao Jing, how are you? Are you alright?¡±

    She had meant to help, but it seems she had only caused trouble instead¡­

    Qiao Hong also hurried over, her face full of tension and worry, urgently inquiring about Qiao Jing¡¯s condition.

    Qiao Jing¡¯splexion was somewhat pale, her back throbbed with numb pain, and she was generally ufortable, but she didn¡¯t want Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin to worry, so she gritted her teeth and endured.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei and Tang Yan were just passing by not far away.

    Seeing themotion outside the break room, even the security guards had been called in, Zhan Qipei nced at Tang Yan and instructed, ¡°Go see what¡¯s happening and deal with it ordingly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, President Zhan.¡± Tang Yan responded and quickly headed towards the break room.

    Zhan Qipei just stood on the spot, observing indifferently, without stepping forward.

    As Tang Yan approached, he looked around and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why were the security guards called?¡±

    Li Ronghua, casting himself as the victim, pointed at Qiao Jing, who was being supported by Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, and said, ¡°Assistant Tang, this woman came to make trouble, and couldn¡¯t be driven away. To prevent causing more severe repercussions, I had to call the security.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong frowned and retorted, ¡°What nonsense are you talking? We clearly came to bid for the project, how did it turn into causing trouble ording to you?¡±

    Qiao Lin opened her mouth, wanting to refute the im of trouble, but Yang Xiaoxiao spoke first.

    She confidently said, ¡°I can testify, the three of them really came to cause trouble, not only that, they started hitting people,pletely disregarding Zhan Corporation!¡±

    After saying this, Yang Xiaoxiao exchanged a knowing look with Li Ronghua, showing a bit of triumph in their eyes.

    Both of them were sure that once Tang Yan heard their words, he would undoubtedly have the security escort the three from the Qiao Family out directly.

    However, Tang Yan did not do so. He turned his attention to Qiao Jing, who hadn¡¯t spoken yet, and asked again, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±

    Li Ronghua, fearing that Qiao Jing would reveal the truth, hurriedly spoke before she had the chance, threatening, ¡°I warn you, you better not speak carelessly. If you dare to speak up, be careful, your Qiao Family might never gain a foothold in the business world again!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turnedpletely cold, and she responded firmly with a cold tone, ¡°I tell you too, the thing I hate most in my life is being threatened!¡±

    As she said these words, an aura of coldness radiated from her.

    Tang Yan was taken aback, suddenly feeling a sense of familiarity, resembling how thedy used to feel.

    Regaining hisposure, Tang Yan straightened his expression and said to Qiao Jing, ¡°It¡¯s okay, just tell the truth, as long as your side is justified, I will definitely stand for justice for you.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded slightly, and calmly began, ¡°We came to bid for the project, but Director Li and another bidder Yang Xiaoxiao have a personal rtionship, so he abused his authority, deliberately disparaging our proposal and awarding the project to Yang¡¯s of Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°I happened to pass by the break room and heard Director Li and Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s conversation, that¡¯s how I found out about the inside story.¡±

    ¡°After that, I wanted to inform Zhan Corporation¡¯s higher-ups about the situation and see how to handle it. However, Director Li was afraid his misconduct would be exposed, and he maliciously ndered me for causing trouble, even calling the security guards to forcefully eject me¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing calmly recounted the entire story.

    During her exnation, Li Ronghua attempted to interrupt several times, but each time, Tang Yan silenced him with a warning look.

    After Qiao Jing finished speaking, Li Ronghua¡¯s forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his face turned pale with fear.

    Yet he bit down, suppressing the fear in his heart, and argued, ¡°Assistant Tang, you mustn¡¯t believe this woman¡¯s nonsense, what she says ispletely fabricated, groundless, she¡¯s deliberately ndering me!¡±

    Tang Yan ignored Li Ronghua, instead ncing at Yang Xiaoxiao, then back at Qiao Jing, saying seriously, ¡°Let me take a look at your proposal.¡±

    Having heard the entire story, he believed that the bidding proposals were the key to this matter!

    By examining both proposals, it could determine whether Li Ronghua indeed abused his authority for personal gain!

    Upon hearing this, Yang Xiaoxiao and Qiao Hong respectively handed over the documents in their hands.

    Tang Yan took them and first looked at Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s proposal.

    Li Ronghua knew that with Tang Yan reviewing it, the matter couldn¡¯t be concealed any longer, his face immediately turned even paler, and he desperately tried to devise a response.

    Yang Xiaoxiao was also feeling uneasy, reflecting on the things Li Ronghua had said earlier.

    If Li Ronghua wasn¡¯t trying to boast, but was honest, and the Qiao Family¡¯s proposal truly was better than hers, then wouldn¡¯t Zhan Corporation¡¯s project be out of Yang Family¡¯s reach?!

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were unwavering believers in Qiao Jing¡¯s words.

    Since learning the truth, the two had been simmering with discontent.

    Qiao Hong lowered her voice, speaking angrily, ¡°No wonder Li Ronghua was discrediting our proposal earlier, it¡¯s because he¡¯s involved with Yang Xiaoxiao, so he¡¯s intentionally putting us down to award the project to her!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I was wondering why Yang Xiaoxiao seemed so assured; turns out she¡¯s cozied up to the project leader!¡±

    Qiao Lin chimed in, her tone mocking, ¡°For one project, she¡¯s thrown herself out there; Yang Xiaoxiao is really daring!¡±

    Qiao Jing endured her difort in silence, waiting for the oue.

    She could see that this Assistant Tang was a straightforward person and would definitely give them a fair exnation.

    Soon, Tang Yan finished reading Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s proposal and began looking through the one from Qiao Jing and her group.

    As he examined it, an expression of amazement gradually appeared on Tang Yan¡¯s face.

    After finishing, he couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°The Qiao Family¡¯s proposal is too perfect, especially the additional details addedter, which precisely aligns with the project¡¯s theme; this proposal is definitely the ideal choice for the project!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Yang Xiaoxiao and Li Ronghua¡¯s faces turned particrly sour.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin felt like they had vented their frustrations, their spirits lifted considerably.

    Qiao Jing subtly smiled, confident in her judgment that Assistant Tang was indeed very upright.

    Tang Yan closed the file, raised his head, and interrogated Li Ronghua, ¡°Director Li, how do you exin this? The Qiao Family¡¯s proposal is clearly much stronger than the Yang Family¡¯s, yet you insisted on choosing the Yang Family¡¯s; this unavoidably leads to suspicions that you are indeed abusing your authority!¡±

 Chapter 904: 892: Zhan Qipeis Special Treatment of Third Miss Qiao

    <strong>Chapter 904: Chapter 892: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Special Treatment of Third Miss Qiao</strong>

    At this point, Li Ronghua knew that arguing was useless, so he simply admitted his mistake, ¡°Assistant Tang, this was indeed my oversight. It was my negligence that caused such an error, and I ept full responsibility for it.¡±

    Saying this, he suddenly changed his tone, ¡°But this is just a problem with my business ability. I really didn¡¯t abuse my authority, nor do I have any improper rtions with the Yang Family¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough, I don¡¯t want to hear your exnation.¡±

    Tang Yan interrupted Li Ronghua, speaking in a heavy tone, ¡°President Zhan has other matters to attend to right now. You should exin the situation to President Zhan yourselfter, but it¡¯s best not to hide anything, or you know the consequences!¡±

    Upon hearing that he had to meet with President Zhan, Li Ronghua¡¯s legs went weak with fear.

    He was both scared and regretful now, regretting it so much it twisted his guts.

    If he told the truth, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have a good oue!

    No, he absolutely couldn¡¯t admit the truth!

    After all, he had worked for Zhan Corporation for many years, and the Qiao Family was just an insignificant family. When the time came, he would just im that it was his business mistake and deny having any affair with Yang Xiaoxiao. Then, he would avoid contacting Yang Xiaoxiao for the time being, which shouldn¡¯t cause too much trouble¡­

    Not far away, Zhan Qipei, seeing that the matter seemed to have been dealt with, called to Tang Yan, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Tang Yan quickly turned back and followed their President Zhan towards the nearby elevator.

    ¡°We should head back too.¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Hong linked her arm with Qiao Jing¡¯s and walked towards the elevator to leave.

    Qiao Lin followed closely beside them.

    As they walked over, Zhan Qipei and Tang Yan were just entering the elevator. The three thought it might not be appropriate to join them and decided to wait for the next elevator.

    However, Qiao Jing suddenly felt a strong bout of dizziness overwhelm her, and before she could react, everything went ck and she fainted.

    Fortunately, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were quick to catch her, preventing her from falling to the ground.

    The sisters were so frightened their faces turned pale, and even their voices trembled.

    ¡°Xiao Jing! Xiao Jing!¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jing! What¡¯s wrong with you?! Don¡¯t scare us, Xiao Jing¡­¡±

    The repeated calls of ¡°Xiao Jing¡± made Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart tremble.

    He instinctively stretched out his hand to block the closing elevator doors, his gaze fixed on the unconscious woman.

    He knew this woman was the Third Miss Qiao and that her name was Qiao Jing, but he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her before.

    Even when he had Tang Yan handle matters, he had simply stood aside, never really looking directly at her, never observing her face closely.

    Now, upon closer look, even though her face was covered in pimples, her features bore an inexplicable resemnce to Qiao Jing.

    Even though he knew she wasn¡¯t her, the simr name and features prompted him to care.

    He nced at Tang Yan and instructed, ¡°Take her to the lounge first, then contact Doctor Dong toe over as soon as possible.¡±

    Upon hearing his boss¡¯s order, Tang Yan wasted no time, stepping out of the elevator to help Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin support Qiao Jing into the elevator and take her to the lounge downstairs.

    Seeing this, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brows slightly and lightly said, ¡°It¡¯s better to be nearby, take her to my lounge.¡±

    With her unconscious, moving her around might worsen her condition.

    Hearing this, Tang Yan was momentarily stunned.

    One has to know that their President Zhan¡¯s private lounge had never been opened to outsiders!

    Staring in amazement for a few seconds, Tang Yan suddenly realized that their president probably took special notice of this Third Miss Qiao because her name resembled their mistress¡¯s.

    With this realization, the surprise on Tang Yan¡¯s face turned into understanding, and he promptly followed instructions to settle Third Miss Qiao and called a doctor for her.

    An hourter.

    Qiao Jing slowly awakened from her unconscious state, gradually opening her eyes to an unfamiliar environment.

    Judging by the decor and furnishings, the ce seemed quite upscale.

    She remembered that she had been waiting for the elevator with her two sisters, then suddenly fainted¡­

    As Qiao Jing was thinking, she heard the excited yet worried voices of Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin beside her.

    ¡°Xiao Jing! You¡¯re awake!¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jing, how do you feel? Is there anywhere that feels ufortable?¡±

    The sisters surrounded Qiao Jing, asking with concern.

    ¡°I feel much better, and there¡¯s no difort, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Qiao Jing said as she sat up from the soft, wide sofa, looking around the room with suspicion and asked, ¡°Where is this ce?¡±

    ¡°This is President Zhan¡¯s private lounge!¡±

    When Qiao Lin said this, there was a trace of excitement in her tone.

    Before this, she never thought she would ever get to see the private lounge of Zhan Corporation¡¯s president!

    What an honor this was!!

    Seeing Qiao Jing still puzzled, Qiao Hong exined in detail, ¡°You suddenly fainted and gave us a fright. President Zhan happened to see it and had his assistant bring you to the lounge and call a doctor to check on you.¡±

    ¡°Assistant Tang initially intended to take you to the staff lounge downstairs, but President Zhan said to take the closest ce, so Assistant Tang brought you here.¡±

    Upon hearing Qiao Hong¡¯s exnation, Qiao Jing felt a bit surprised.

    She raised her eyebrows and said in amazement, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that President Zhan, who seemed so cold, could be so considerate.¡±

    Qiao Hong nodded, speaking with some amazement, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s truly unexpected. The outside world always rumors that Zhan Corporation¡¯s President Zhan is a stern, cold-hearted person, but he turned out to be quite kind-hearted.¡±

    Qiao Lin agreed, ¡°I also think President Zhan isn¡¯t as frightening as the rumors outside suggest. Maybe it¡¯s just that his personality is naturally aloof, but he¡¯s actually a kind-hearted person!¡±

    Just as the three finished speaking, Tang Yan came over.

    He knocked on the door from the doorway before entering the lounge.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing was awake, Tang Yan asked, ¡°Third Miss Qiao, how are you feeling? Do you need the doctor to have another look?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m already fine.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, standing up from the sofa, and sincerely said, ¡°Assistant Tang, please convey my thanks to President Zhan. We¡¯re heading back now.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tang Yan nodded in agreement.

    After Qiao Jing and the others left, Tang Yan went to the president¡¯s office.

    Zhan Qipei had just returned from outside not long ago and was now sitting at his desk reading documents.

    Seeing Tang Yane in, he paused his work and asked, ¡°How is the Third Miss Qiao from the Qiao Family?¡±

    ¡°Third Miss Qiao seems fine and has already left with her two sisters.¡±

    After reporting, Tang Yan suddenly remembered something and added, ¡°Oh, Third Miss Qiao asked me to extend her thanks to you, President Zhan.¡±

    Zhan Qipei lightly pressed his thin lips together, not saying anything further, and continued reading his documents.

 Chapter 905 - 893: Sheéˆ¥æªš Qiao Jing?!

    <h4>Chapter 905: Chapter 893: She¡¯s Qiao Jing?!</h4>

    On this day, seeing the nice weather, Qiao Jing went out alone for a walk outside the hotel to get some fresh air.

    She walked slowly along the street, watching the scenery on both sides of the road slowly recede, that familiar feeling surged in her heart once again.

    For some reason, Qiao Jing had a feeling, as if she often used to take walks in this vicinity before.

    This sense of familiarity grew stronger when she saw certain signs.

    Such as the Romance Western Restaurant, O¡¯Pastry Bakery, Xinglian Era Mall...

    Among these, the one that felt most familiar to her was the Nantai Apartment not far away.

    Just looking at therge letters "Nantai Apartment" on the exterior wall of the building, Qiao Jing felt an indescribable subtle feeling.

    Every time this happened, it was as if something was about to surface in her mind, but when she tried to think about it carefully, nothing came to mind.

    Unconsciously, Qiao Jing found herself at the entrance of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    This was also a ce that felt particrly familiar to her.

    She stood there for a while, a bit dazed, looking at the research institute¡¯s door.

    The security guard on duty noticed Qiao Jing and recognized her as the person who tried to break into the research institutest time, keeping a wary eye on her.

    Another security guard saw this and, not understanding, asked his colleague, "What¡¯s going on? She¡¯s just standing at the entrance looking. Why are you so guarded?"

    That person exined, "You don¡¯t know,st time she tried to break in herete at night, I happened to stop her. Now she¡¯s here again, who knows what she¡¯s up to? What if she harbors ill intentions?"

    Qiao Jing snapped back to reality and happened to overhear the two security guards¡¯ conversation, realizing they misunderstood her as a suspicious person.

    To prevent further misunderstanding, Qiao Jing did not linger and continued walking forward.

    As she walked, she suddenly smelled a tempting aroma, which also gave her a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    Following the aroma, Qiao Jing walked through an alley and arrived at the entrance of a beef noodle shop.

    Actually, she wasn¡¯t hungry at all, but the aroma of the beef noodles inexplicably whetted her appetite.

    Qiao Jing stepped inside, naturally walked to a corner, and sat down at the spot near the television.

    The shop owner came over, kindly smiling as he asked, "Hello, what would you like to order?"

    Qiao Jing looked up and said lightly, "A bowl of beef noodles, please."

    The owner nodded and asked, "What vor would you like? We have spicy, clear broth, tomato, pickled vegetable, and ssic original."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate much and blurted out, "I¡¯ll have a bowl of the original vor, please."

    "Alright, it will be ready soon!"

    Saying that, the owner turned and walked away.

    In less than ten minutes, a steaming bowl of beef noodles was ced on Qiao Jing¡¯s table.

    Qiao Jing picked up her chopsticks and started to taste it carefully.

    Halfway through her meal, Zhan Qipei appeared at the entrance of the noodle shop.

    Zhan Qipei was also alone; he happened to be passing by this area and remembered how Qiao Jing used toe to this noodle shop often and had brought him here a few times before, so he unconsciously found himself walking in.

    Standing at the entrance, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the past, recalling how Qiao Jing always liked to sit in the corner by the television...

    Thinking about this, Zhan Qipei instinctively nced towards that spot.

    At a nce, he caught sight of a slender figure.

    That figure was very familiar; he thought it was his Qiao Jing!

    Zhan Qipei was very excited and hurriedly rushed into the noodle shop, heading straight towards that figure.

    However, when he got a clear look at her face, he realized he was mistaken.

    It was Third Miss Qiao from the Qiao Family, not his Qiao Jing...

    Qiao Jing heard a sound, looked up, and upon seeing the man standing in front of her, she was slightly surprised.

    President Zhan?

    Why is he here too?

    Their eyes met, and Zhan Qipei was the first to speak, "It¡¯s you."

    Hearing these simple words, Qiao Jing was taken aback again, "President Zhan recognizes me?"

    Although when she fainted at the Zhan Corporation, this President Zhan had his assistant help her, they had never directly interacted.

    Therefore, she hadn¡¯t thought that he would remember her.

    Zhan Qipei said nothing else, implicitly confirming.

    He averted his gaze, the deep ck eyes revealing a hint of undeniable disappointment and gloom.

    Just as he was about to leave, the noodle shop owner came over.

    The owner immediately recognized Zhan Qipei as someone who previously visited with Qiao Jing and cheerfully greeted him, engaging in a warm conversation.

    "Young man, you came for noodles again, why didn¡¯t you bring your girlfriend? It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen her."

    Saying this, the owner suddenly remembered something and hurriedly corrected himself, "No, I¡¯m mistaken, not your girlfriend, that¡¯s your wife, you even corrected me specifically before, my bad memory almost made me forget again..."

    "One day, I will bring her here again."

    Zhan Qipei murmured, as if answering the owner¡¯s question, or perhaps talking to himself.

    Upon hearing this, the owner assumed the couple had argued, and he began to offer well-meaning advice, "Young man, you must win her back with heart. Your wife is a rare good girl; you must cherish her, don¡¯t lose her..."

    Offering a few heartfelt pieces of advice, the owner then changed the subject, "By the way, young man, would you like a bowl of beef noodles?"

    Ever since Qiao Jing disappeared, Zhan Qipei found everything tasteless, unable to muster any appetite.

    Upon hearing the owner¡¯s question, he originally intended to decline, but upon seeing Third Miss Qiao next to him eating with gusto, he couldn¡¯t help but think of how Qiao Jing used to enjoy her food so much...

    Recalling these moments, Zhan Qipei changed his mind and told the owner, "I¡¯ll have a bowl."

    "Alright, please wait a moment."

    With that, the owner turned and went to the kitchen.

    Soon, he returned with a freshly cooked bowl of beef noodles and asked Zhan Qipei, "Young man, where would you like to sit?"

    Zhan Qipei nced around and finally settled his gaze on the corner spot.

    Back when he and Qiao Jing came here, that was always where they sat.

    The owner followed his line of sight and said with a smile, "That spot, right? I¡¯ll bring your noodles over there."

    After the owner ced the noodles down, Zhan Qipei sat down at the table.

    Qiao Jing paused in her eating, nced at him, feeling somewhat puzzled.

    With so many seats in the shop, why on earth would President Zhan choose to sit right across from me?

    Though it was strange, Qiao Jing said nothing, merely giving the man a few puzzled looks before lowering her head to continue eating.

    Finished with her noodles, Qiao Jing prepared to pay and leave, but she realized then that she had forgotten to bring money when she left the house.

    Not only had she left her money, but she hadn¡¯t brought her phone either...

 Chapter 906: 894: Zhan Qipei Faints from Stomach Pain, Refusing to Let Go of Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 906: Chapter 894: Zhan Qipei Faints from Stomach Pain, Refusing to Let Go of Qiao Jing</strong>

    For a moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was a bit awkward.

    Facing the awkwardness, she confessed to the owner, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I forgot to bring money when I came out¡­ Can I go back now, grab the money ande back right away?¡±

    The owner, instead of suspecting Qiao Jing of making an excuse to escape, waved his hand repeatedly and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s alright, there¡¯s no hurry, you can give it to me the next time youe by.¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei lifted his eyes and suddenly said, ¡°Owner, put her bowl on my tab.¡±

    Seeing the two sitting at the same table and hearing what Zhan Qipei said, the owner assumed they knew each other, so he replied, ¡°Alright.¡±

    After saying this, the owner turned and walked away to continue his work.

    Qiao Jing did not expect President Zhan to offer help so enthusiastically. After a slight surprise, she sincerely thanked him, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After expressing her gratitude, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t forget to add, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Zhan Qipei refused immediately.

    Seeing his firm refusal, Qiao Jing was taken aback for a moment.

    Judging from his attitude, did he think she was trying to use the opportunity of repaying him to build a rtionship with him?!

    If that¡¯s the case, then she should wait until the next time she sees Miss Zhan to ask her to hand over the money, so as to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings¡­

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing nned to leave first.

    However, just as she turned around, there was a sudden ¡°bang¡ª¡ª¡± sound from behind.

    Out of instinct, she turned back and saw that the man who had been sitting upright had inexplicably fallen from the chair and was now half-kneeling on the ground.

    Zhan Qipei was holding the edge of the table with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other, gritting his teeth to endure the sudden severe gastric pain.

    During the years Qiao Jing was away, his meals were never regr. If it weren¡¯t for the thought of the three little ones, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to eat.

    Moreover, he drank excessively without restraint during every social engagement.

    These bad habits led him to develop a gastric problem two years ago¡­

    However, Zhan Qipei never expected the gastric problem to re up at this moment.

    Upon hearing themotion, the owner rushed out of the kitchen, and seeing Zhan Qipei in such a state, hurriedly said, ¡°Young man, hold on, hang in there, I¡¯ll call an ambnce for you right away!¡±

    With that, the owner quickly took out his phone and dialed 120.

    Qiao Jing, seeing Zhan Qipei in this state, also guessed that he must have a severe gastric issue, which was why the episode was sudden.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed tightly, ayer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his handsome face was pale, clearly tormented by the pain.

    Seeing him in such difort, Qiao Jing felt a pang in her chest too.

    After a moment of hesitation, she offered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me try? Maybe I can help ease the pain temporarily.¡±

    Suppressing the pain, Zhan Qipei nced at her andboriously uttered, ¡°You, you know¡­ know medicine?¡±

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t sure if she knew medicine in the past, but seeing his gastric problem act up, some relief methods suddenly shed in her mind.

    ¡°Let me try,¡± she said.

    After saying this, Qiao Jing squatted down, intending to give it a try.

    However, just as she reached out, Zhan Qipei stopped her.

    His pale lips moved slightly as he spoke slowly, ¡°No, need.¡±

    Qiao Jing thought it was because he didn¡¯t trust her, so she patiently said, ¡°Your condition is very serious right now. Let me try; I won¡¯t harm you¡­¡±

    ¡°No one else is allowed to touch me except her.¡±

    Zhan Qipei gritted his teeth and said aloud.

    After saying this, he suddenly lost strength, and the severe pain from his stomach caused him to fall to the ground, his tall body curling up uncontrobly.

    Upon hearing his words, Qiao Jing realized he wasn¡¯t distrusting her; he despised her.

    But seeing him in so much pain that he was almost semi-conscious, the situation became urgent, and Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t care any more.

    She apologized, saying, ¡°Sorry,¡± then reached out again, skillfully pressing the acupoints around his stomach to relieve the pain.

    The gastric pain eased somewhat, and Zhan Qipei forced himself to open his eyes a little. In the blur, he saw the girl¡¯s figure.

    The scene in front of him reminded him of the time when Qiao Jing performed surgery on him¡­

    Involuntarily, Zhan Qipei murmured in a low voice, ¡°Qiao Jing¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing thought he called ¡°Qiao Jing¡± and instinctively replied, ¡°Mm, it¡¯s me. I¡¯ll relieve you a bit first; the ambnce will arrive soon.¡±

    Hearing her acknowledgment, a pale smile appeared on Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    Beforepletely losing consciousness, he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist, and hisrge hand, like an iron mp, held tightly onto Qiao Jing.

    Soon, the ambnce arrived.

    Qiao Jing boarded the ambnce with Zhan Qipei.

    It¡¯s not that Qiao Jing wanted to go with him, but she had no choice.

    Her hand was sped tightly by the man, and she couldn¡¯t break free!

    On the way to the hospital, the unconscious Zhan Qipei kept muttering something.

    His voice was so low it was almost inaudible.

    Qiao Jing leaned in closer and realized he was repeatedly calling out a name.

    ¡°Qiao Jing, Qiao Jing¡­¡±

    The low words were filled with endless longing.

    Only then did Qiao Jing realize that the man was calling his wife¡¯s name, the Zhan family¡¯s young mistress who had been missing for several years.

    That shout in the noodle shop just now was the same¡­

    A momentter, the ambnce arrived at the hospital.

    Qiao Jing followed all the way to the operating room.

    At the door of the operating room, medical staff stopped her.

    ¡°Family member, the patient needs surgery in this condition; you can¡¯t go in. Please wait patiently outside.¡±

    Qiao Jing raised the hand that Zhan Qipei had gripped tightly and said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to go in, it¡¯s that he won¡¯t let go of my hand. I can¡¯t help it.¡±

    Who could have thought that this man would have such strength even when unconscious, gripping so tightly that they couldn¡¯t pry him off!

    ¡°But it¡¯s hospital policy that family members can¡¯t apany during surgery.¡±

    The medical staff looked troubled, ¡°Maybe you should try again to see if you can make the patient let go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried, it¡¯s really not working¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing looked embarrassed, not knowing how to exin.

    Just then, Lu Zijin came over in a white coat.

    He was the chief surgeon for this operation.

    Approaching, Lu Zijin found that the patient needing surgery was an old acquaintance.

    He had only received a message that a gastric patient needed emergency surgery, without knowing it was Zhan Qipei!

    He was aware that Zhan Qipei had gastric issues, but it wasn¡¯t this severe a few months ago. Who knew it would worsen to this extent in such a short time!

    How much does this person not care about himself?!

 Chapter 907: 895: Her Hand Turned Black and Blue

    <strong>Chapter 907: Chapter 895: Her Hand Turned ck and Blue</strong>

    Lu Zijin furrowed his brow and asked the medical staff, ¡°The patient¡¯s condition is critical, why haven¡¯t you moved the patient into the operating room yet?¡±

    ¡°The patient¡¯s family wants to follow, so¡­¡±

    The medical staff said and then turned to look at Qiao Jing.

    Following the gaze of the medical staff, Lu Zijin finally noticed Qiao Jing nearby.

    He disyed a hint of suspicion on his face, ¡°Patient¡¯s family? I¡¯ve known Zhan Qipei for many years, but I¡¯ve never seen you before. May I ask who you are?¡±

    Qiao Jing had no choice but to exin, ¡°I¡¯m not the patient¡¯s family, just that President Zhan had a stomach attack when I happened to be there, and he mistook me for someone else, held onto my hand tightly, and I couldn¡¯t break free.¡±

    After speaking, she tried again on the spot, but the result was the same; the man¡¯s grip was so tight that she couldn¡¯t break free.

    Seeing the situation, Lu Zijin pondered for a few seconds and said, ¡°Since this is a special situation, let¡¯s go in together and not dy the surgery.¡±

    After speaking, he took the lead into the operating room to prepare for the surgery.

    The medical staff then wheeled Zhan Qipei inside.

    Qiao Jing naturally followed closely behind.

    Two hourster, the surgery was sessfullypleted.

    Immediately after stepping off the operating table, Lu Zijin called the Zhan Family to inform them about Zhan Qipei¡¯s stomach attack and thepletion of the surgery.

    Zhan Qipei was then sent back to the ward by the medical staff, with Qiao Jing still having to follow.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei was still in aa, yet hisrge hand still tightly grasped Qiao Jing¡¯s hand with no sign of letting go.

    Qiao Jing stood by the bedside, looking at the unconscious man lying there, an expression of helplessness on her face.

    She attempted to free herself again but still couldn¡¯t seed.

    Not only did she fail, but the man¡¯s grip even seemed to tighten.

    If she weren¡¯t absolutely sure that the man was genuinely unconscious, just based on the strength of his grip, she would suspect he was pretending!

    After all, how could anyone have such strength while in aa??

    Just as Qiao Jing was contemting how to make Zhan Qipei let her go, the ward door suddenly opened.

    The neers were Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao.

    After receiving Lu Zijin¡¯s call, the three rushed over in a hurry.

    Upon entering the ward and seeing the scene inside, all three were extremely surprised.

    After all, besides Qiao Jing, they had never seen Zhan Qipei hold another woman¡¯s hand!

    Yet now, in hisa, he was tightly gripping a girl¡¯s wrist!!

    Zhan Nanjing looked at her brother and then at Qiao Jing, stunned, ¡°Third Miss Qiao, you and my brother¡­ This¡­¡±

    To avoid misunderstanding, Qiao Jing had no choice but to exin again, ¡°I happened to be at the same noodle shop as President Zhan, so when he had his stomach attack, I was right there. He mistook me for someone else, held onto my hand and wouldn¡¯t let go, so I had to follow him here.¡±

    After hearing this, Zhan Nanjing and the others understood what happened.

    At the same time, they all realized that Zhan Qipei mistook her for Qiao Jing!

    Because, besides Qiao Jing, he would never hold another woman¡¯s hand like this!

    Seeing this scene, Su Manhan suddenly thought of something and pulled Zhan Yao aside.

    Zhan Yao looked at her perplexed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Su Manhan hesitated for a moment but then spoke, ¡°I suddenly feel that maybe your proposal wasn¡¯t so bad after all¡ªQiao Jing has been missing for so many years, and it¡¯s likely she won¡¯te back.¡±

    Pausing here, Su Manhan nced toward the bed before continuing, ¡°This girl is named Qiao Jing, sounds the same as Qiao Jing, and her figure even resembles Qiao Jing, as does her temperament.¡±

    ¡°So, maybe there¡¯s a reason why our Qipei mistook her for Qiao Jing¡ªand perhaps¡­ we could try to match them together.¡±

    Upon hearing Su Manhan¡¯s suggestion, Zhan Yao¡¯s expression turned serious as he furrowed his brow and responded with a deeper tone.

    ¡°When I proposed this earlier, you were furious and scolded me harshly. After awakening me, howe you¡¯ve now gotten confused yourself?!¡±

    These words caused Su Manhan¡¯s expression to freeze abruptly, as she instinctively justified herself, ¡°No, it¡¯s because the situation is different this time,st time¡­¡±

    ¡°No, let me finish before you speak.¡±

    Zhan Yao cut off Su Manhan, solemnly stating, ¡°Qiao Jing is our irreceable daughter-inw, and I know you must think the same.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore, Qipei only mistook someone temporarily due to being sick; once he wakes up, do you really think it will work?¡±

    These words from Zhan Yao stunned Su Manhan like a sudden realization.

    She sighed deeply, her tone both annoyed and helpless, ¡°Sigh¡­ You¡¯re right, I was too worried about our son, acted hastily from anxiety, and ended up saying such nonsense.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing had noticed earlier that the two had moved aside to speak privately.

    Curious, she quietly approached, listening in on their conversation word for word.

    Once Su Manhan finished speaking, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but interject.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, don¡¯t overthink it¡ªwhatever matchmaking idea you have won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Knowing my brother¡¯s personality, you understand that unless he sees my sister-inw¡¯s body for himself, he¡¯ll never let go.¡±

    ¡°And even if he genuinely does see it andpletely loses hope, given his devotion to her, I suspect he¡¯ll never genuinely fall for another woman, much less marry someone else.¡±

    As she spoke of these matters, Zhan Nanjing was articte and her tone was quite emotional.

    Su Manhan sighed again andmented, ¡°You¡¯re right, with Qipei¡¯s temperament, he could indeed never love anyone else¡ªhis heart has long been filledpletely by Qiao Jing, leaving no room for anyone else¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Truthfully, I don¡¯t wish for my brother to marry anyone else either; to me, Qiao Jing is my one and only sister-inw, and even if she¡¯s truly gone, I don¡¯t want to recognize another woman as my sister-inw.¡±

    Meanwhile, Zhan Nanjing and the others were having this discussion.

    By the bedside, Qiao Jing felt her hand numbing, as if her blood cirction was hindered by the man¡¯s grip.

    Plus, the time was gettingte, and she¡¯d been out for quite a while, along with forgetting her phone, which would worry her sisters!

    Realizing this, Qiao Jing knew she had to make the man let go.

    She pondered for a moment, and then an idea shed through her mind.

    In the next second, she reached out and pressed hard on an acupuncture point on the man¡¯s hand.

    With this press, the man¡¯s grip suddenly weakened, and he let go instantly while in hisa.

    Qiao Jing quickly withdrew her hand, revealing wrist marks all red from the strain.

 Chapter 908 - 896: Adding Zhan Nanqingéˆ¥æªš Contact Info

    <h4>Chapter 908: Chapter 896: Adding Zhan Nanqing¡¯s Contact Info</h4>

    Although Qiao Jing¡¯s wrist was bruised and numb from being gripped by Zhan Qipei, she didn¡¯t me him; instead, she felt a little sympathy for him.

    Despite the limited interaction, she deeply sensed that this man truly had a deep, unwavering love for his missing wife.

    Such feelings, while not earth-shattering, are definitely moving!

    Qiao Jing rubbed her numb wrist and turned to leave.

    Zhan Nanjing and the others had just finished their conversation.

    Su Manhan and Zhan Yao went straight to the bedside to check on their son¡¯s condition.

    Seeing Qiao Jing looking as if she was about to leave, Zhan Nanjing asked, "Are you going back?"

    Qiao Jing nodded, initially intending to say goodbye, but she suddenly remembered something and changed her mind, asking, "Miss Zhan, can I add you on WeChat?"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but think of that Yang family member, Yang Xiaoxiao, who¡¯d been pestering her to add her on WeChattely.

    This made her hesitate whenever someone asked to add her on WeChat.

    Qiao Jing, not wanting Zhan Nanjing to misunderstand, voluntarily exined.

    "Actually, it¡¯s like this: I didn¡¯t bring any money when I went out. Earlier at the noodle shop, it was President Zhan who helped me pay for the noodles. I was nning to pay him back directly, but he¡¯s not very approachable."

    "So, I thought maybe I could add you on WeChat and transfer the money to you when I get back."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanjing understood the situation.

    She nodded knowingly and said, "My brother is indeed not easy to approach, quite aloof, and rather unapproachable."

    "However, it¡¯s just a bowl of noodles. Even if you want to pay him back, he won¡¯t ept it, so there¡¯s no need to repay it."

    "No way!"

    Qiao Jing firmly rejected Zhan Nanjing¡¯s suggestion, seriously stating, "It¡¯s not about the amount of money, it¡¯s a matter of principle. Even if it seems insignificant to you, I must pay it back."

    Seeing her resolute manner, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but remark, "You really resemble my sister-inw."

    Her sister-inw was always firm on matters she believed in.

    Saying this, Zhan Nanjing took out her phone, "Since you¡¯re so insistent, let¡¯s add each other. Take out your phone to scan the code."

    Qiao Jing pressed her lips lightly and said, "I didn¡¯t bring my phone, I¡¯ll just note down your WeChat ID and add you when I get back."

    Initially, she thought of asking for the phone number since it¡¯s easier to add people that way, but realizing a phone number could expose someone¡¯s privacy, she decided to ask for the WeChat ID instead.

    Zhan Nanjing nced down at her phone, where her personal WeChat interface was open on the screen.

    After a look, she hesitated, saying, "My WeChat ID is particrly long and has no pattern, even I can¡¯t remember it."

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow, "It¡¯s okay, let me see it."

    Hearing her say this, Zhan Nanjing turned her phone screen toward her.

    Qiao Jing took a nce and found Zhan Nanjing wasn¡¯t exaggerating; the WeChat ID was indeed very long.

    It wasn¡¯t just long but alsoplex, with various characters and symbols.

    However, Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze stayed on the screen for only two seconds before she looked away, calmly saying, "I got it, I¡¯ve memorized it."

    On hearing this, Zhan Nanjing was taken aback and looked at her with skepticism, "Did you really memorize it?"

    "I did," Qiao Jing replied confidently, then waved goodbye to Zhan Nanjing, "I¡¯ll be going now."

    After saying this, she turned and left before Zhan Nanjing could say anything else.

    Zhan Nanjing watched her departing figure, her doubt unwavering, thinking she must be boasting.

    The WeChat ID was so long and filled with symbols; how could she possibly have memorized it after just a nce?

    She probably didn¡¯t really intend to pay the money back, just said so to save face...

    That night, Zhan Nanjing, aftering out of the bathroom post-bath, found that her phone had a new friend request on WeChat.

    Upon opening the notification, she discovered the request was from "Qiao Jing".

    The sight of these two characters genuinely startled Zhan Nanjing.

    "Wow! Incredible! I didn¡¯t expect she actually remembered! Her memory is amazing! She¡¯s a real talent!!"

    Zhan Nanjing was full of admiration and couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    Even she hadn¡¯t been able to remember her own WeChat ID all this time!

    After her amazement, Zhan Nanjing epted the friend request.

    Once they became friends, Qiao Jing immediately transferred the money for the noodles to Zhan Nanjing.

    After the transfer, Qiao Jing sent a message.

    [Miss Zhan, you can unfriend me now.]

    Seeing the message, Zhan Nanjing, a bit puzzled, replied immediately.

    [Why?]

    Qiao Jing quickly responded with an exnation.

    [You¡¯re the Zhan Family¡¯s eldest daughter, and I¡¯m just from an ordinary family. I added you purely to return the money, not to curry favor or establish connections. To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, it¡¯s better to unfriend me.]

    After reading the reply, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s fondness for her grew immensely, and she quickly typed a response.

    [Why unfriend? I like your character! I consider you a friend now! If you ever need my help, don¡¯t hesitate to ask!]

    Since Zhan Nanjing expressed it this way, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bring up unfriending again, or it would seem like she was slighting Zhan Nanjing.

    Qiao Jing responded with a cute emoji, and thus kept Zhan Nanjing on WeChat...

    The next day.

    Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao went to the hospital early in the morning.

    As the three entered the ward, Zhan Qipei just happened to wake up from his slumber.

    As soon as he opened his eyes, he immediately looked around for Qiao Jing.

    Not seeing her, his eyes dimmed, and his brows furrowed as he asked, "Where is Qiao Jing? Where did she go?"

    Su Manhan and Zhan Yao exchanged a nce, their expressions a bitplex.

    Zhan Nanjing sighed quietly before exining, "Brother, you got confused. The one you saw was Third Miss Qiao, not my sister-inw."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei gradually came to his senses, and the memories before he passed out flooded back.

    He remembered going to a beef noodle shop and indeed meeting the third Miss from the Qiao family. He must have recognized her mistakenly due to his faint state...

    "Let¡¯s not talk about this. Have some porridge. It was freshly made in the kitchen at home. You just had surgery and need to take care of yourself. Your diet should be light."

    Su Manhan said as she opened the container she brought, serving a bowl of lean meat porridge.

    "Just leave it. I don¡¯t have much of an appetite, I don¡¯t want to eat."

    Zhan Qipei said weakly, his voice a bit dull.

 Chapter 909 - 897: Meeting Lin Xiuxiangéˆ¥æªš Daughter

    <h4>Chapter 909: Chapter 897: Meeting Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s Daughter</h4>

    Seeing her older brother so dispirited, Zhan Nanjing felt very worried.

    She frowned and advised, "Brother, you¡¯re already in this state, your illness has reached the point where you need surgery, how can you not eat properly?"

    "If you don¡¯t take care of yourself, what will your future sister-inw think when she sees you like this..."

    "Stop it, I want to rest, you all go out."

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t want to listen to Zhan Nanjing nag anymore, interrupting her with his words.

    "Brother, you like this..."

    Zhan Nanjing wanted to say more, but Zhan Qipei just pulled up the quilt, buried himself in it, isting himself.

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Nanjing looked helpless.

    Su Manhan sighed, her face showing obvious worry.

    "Oh, what do we do now? He never ate on time before and developed a stomach problem; now he¡¯s just had surgery and is still like this. How can his body take it?"

    Zhan Yao also looked troubled, sighing as he said, "What else can we do? He just won¡¯t listen to reason."

    Looking at Zhan Qipei lying on the hospital bed unmoved, Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao were at their wit¡¯s end, yet helpless.

    ...

    Regarding the bidding for Zhan¡¯s project, although there were some setbacks, the Qiao Family ultimately secured the project with an impressive proposal.

    As the project progressed, the losses that the Qiao Family suffered due to the Jiang family¡¯s suppression were quicklypensated.

    At the same time, the overall development trend of the branchpany improved significantly.

    Therefore, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin decided to stay in the capital to continue managing the branchpany.

    Since they decided to stay, naturally, they couldn¡¯t keep living in a hotel.

    Thus, Qiao Jing and the others moved out of the hotel and into a nearby two-story vi.

    Since Qiao Jing¡¯s health hadn¡¯t fully recovered, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin told her to rest well and not help at thepany.

    Seeing her two sisters leave early and returnte, working so hard, Qiao Jing thought about cooking for them so they could have a fragrant meal as soon as they returned home.

    With that in mind, Qiao Jing also went out after Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin left for work.

    She nned to go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients.

    After purchasing the ingredients and carrying two bags out of the supermarket, Qiao Jing suddenly heard a child¡¯s cry.

    Probably because there was a new little one at home, Qiao Jing was now particrly sensitive to children¡¯s matters.

    Following the direction of the cry, she saw a cute little girl with pigtails and a pink dress sobbing.

    The little girl looked to be about four years old, crying so hard that her small shoulders were shaking, making one feel quite sorry for her.

    Just as Qiao Jing was about to step forward, she saw a middle-aged man with a sharp and thin monkey-like face approach the little girl first.

    Unsure if this man was the girl¡¯s family, she didn¡¯t go over immediately and instead stood by to watch.

    The man took a lollipop out of his pocket and waved it in front of the little girl, coaxing her in a cajoling tone, "Little friend, don¡¯t cry,e, Uncle will give you candy."

    "Did you get separated from your parents? Don¡¯t worry, Uncle will take you to find your mom now."

    With that, the man reached out to grab the little girl¡¯s hand.

    The little girl, somewhat frightened, dodged a bit, but thinking that the man said he would take her to find her mom, she felt somewhat tempted inside.

    She blinked her tear-filled eyes and sobbed, "You, you... can really, really take me to find my mom?"

    "Of course it¡¯s true,e with Uncle quickly, or it¡¯ll be toote to find mom."

    As he spoke, the man reached out again to grab the little girl, more impatiently than before.

    Even from a distance, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, but judging from the little girl¡¯s somewhat fearful demeanor, it seemed she didn¡¯t know this monkey-like man.

    Suspicious that this man might be a human trafficker, she quickly walked over, shouting, "Xiao Nan, how did you end up here?"

    The man had already taken hold of the little girl¡¯s hand, but upon hearing someone call the girl¡¯s name, he instinctively thought her family had arrived, immediately feeling guilty and turned to run, afraid of being caught red-handed.

    Seeing the man¡¯s reaction, Qiao Jing knew she had guessed right.

    This man really was a human trafficker!

    Fortunately, she happened toe at the right time, otherwise, the little girl would have been abducted!

    Qiao Jing walked up to the little girl, bent down slightly to look at her, and gently said, "Little friend, that man was a bad guy just now. You¡¯re a child, and children shouldn¡¯t talk to strangers, much less go with them, or else it could be dangerous. Do you understand?"

    The little girl raised her chubby little hand, wiped away her tears, and nodded, "I understand. My mommy also says not to talk to strangers easily."

    "But, you¡¯re a stranger too!"

    After saying that, the little girl tilted her head, blinking as she looked at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing paused, momentarily at a loss for words.

    After all, the little girl was right; to her, Qiao Jing was indeed an unknown stranger.

    As Qiao Jing was thinking, the little girl suddenly grabbed her hand and said in a soft voice, "But I believe you¡¯re a good person!"

    "Why do you believe me?" Qiao Jing asked curiously.

    The little girl¡¯s tear-stained face broke into an innocent smile, "Because Auntie, you¡¯re very pretty!"

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    She still had fake skin on her face; how could this little girl tell she was pretty?

    No wonder they say children¡¯s words are amusing; it really is true!

    Qiao Jing held the little girl¡¯s hand gently and asked, "Little friend, can you tell Auntie your name?"

    The little girl was clearly separated from her family, and since Qiao Jing happened to encounter her, she couldn¡¯t just ignore it; she had to ask and help her find her family as soon as possible.

    The little girl replied sweetly, "My name is Tang Momo."

    Qiao Jing silently remembered the little girl¡¯s name and then asked, "Momo, do you remember your mommy and daddy¡¯s phone number?"

    Tang Momo shook her head, a little dejected, "Last time mommy wanted me to memorize it, but I didn¡¯t..."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    She raised her hand, gently patting Tang Momo¡¯s little head, "Then let Auntie take you to find the police officer uncle, and let him help you find your mommy and daddy, okay?"

    Tang Momo nodded, softly agreeing, "Okay."

    Meanwhile, on a food street near the supermarket,

    Lin Xiuxiang was looking everywhere for her daughter, unable to find her anywhere, so anxious that she was on the verge of tears.

    With trembling hands, she took out her phone to call Tang Yan...

 Chapter 910: 898: Why Is It Her?

    <strong>Chapter 910: Chapter 898: Why Is It Her?</strong>

    As soon as the call connected, Lin Xiuxiang urgently spoke, her voice tinged with tears due to anxiety.

    ¡°Tang Yan, Momo is missing! What should I do? I¡¯ve lost our Momo! I can¡¯t find Momo¡­¡±

    At this moment, Tang Yan was in the president¡¯s office at Zhan¡¯s.

    He had just finished reporting to Zhan Qipei when Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s call came through.

    Upon hearing his precious daughter was missing, Tang Yan¡¯s face changed abruptly, and his heart jolted.

    However, he could tell that Lin Xiuxiang was very panicked right now, so much so that she was incoherent.

    In this situation, he must stay calm and not show panic, or Lin Xiuxiang would be even more anxious.

    Tang Yan took a deep breath, made every effort to calm his emotions, and said to Lin Xiuxiang on the other end of the phone, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t panic. Don¡¯t be afraid, Momo definitely will be alright. Where are you now? Tell me the specifics, and I¡¯lle immediately.¡±

    ¡°I-I took Momo out, nning to go to Yifeng Supermarket to buy something, passing by the food street next to the supermarket, Momo said she wanted cotton candy. After buying the cotton candy, while paying, I let go of her hand¡­ and then she was gone¡­¡±

    As Lin Xiuxiang spoke, her eyes reddened, her voice trembled, full of self-me, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have let go of Momo¡¯s hand, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten lost¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s not because of you, Momo will be fine. Stay calm, I will go over right now.¡±

    After a few words offort to Lin Xiuxiang, Tang Yan hurriedly hung up the phone.

    Beside him, Zhan Qipei immediately spoke up, ¡°What happened to Momo?¡±

    Although he couldn¡¯t hear what Lin Xiuxiang was saying on the phone, from Tang Yan¡¯s words, their daughter must have encountered some trouble.

    Lin Xiuxiang and Qiao Jing were as close as sisters, so if Qiao Jing knew Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s daughter was in trouble, she wouldn¡¯t just stand by.

    Moreover, Tang Yan had been with him for so many years, and their rtionship had long surpassed that of a boss and subordinate.

    Thus, he wouldn¡¯t disregard this matter.

    Tang Yan was urgently anxious, but he forced himself to calm down, ¡°President Zhan, I¡¯m just about to request leave from you. Momo is lost, I need to find her.¡±

    Lost?!

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s eyebrows tightened, and he said to Tang Yan, ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. Take all avable personnel from thepany and quickly search for her. I¡¯ll also arrange some people to help.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tang Yan responded quickly and rushed out of the room.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was taking Tang Momo to the police station.

    During this time, she figured out the reason for the little girl¡¯s disappearance.

    It turned out the little girl got yful, left her mommy, and chased after a butterfly. Once the butterfly flew away, she realized she couldn¡¯t find her mommy.

    Additionally, Qiao Jing discovered that Tang Momo was quite the little foodie.

    Along the way, whenever she saw something tasty, she wanted to try it, so by the time they arrived at the police station, in addition to the original two bags of groceries, Qiao Jing had acquired anotherrge bag of snacks.

    Tang Momo was holding a rainbow lollipop, eating with relish, without any hint of her previous pitiful crying.

    Qiao Jing exined the situation to the officer receiving them, filed the report, and asked what should be done next.

    The officer¡¯s suggestion was to leave Tang Momo there.

    Upon hearing this, Tang Momo immediately refused, clinging tightly to Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, unwilling to let go.

    The officer coaxed patiently, ¡°Little girl, you will stay here and wait for your daddy and mommy to pick you up, okay?¡±

    ¡°No, no.¡± Tang Momo shook her little head furiously, pouting obstinately, ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here; I want to be with Auntie!¡±

    Saying this, the little girl outright hugged Qiao Jing¡¯s leg.

    The officer couldn¡¯t persuade Tang Momo and looked a bit helplessly at Qiao Jing, remarking, ¡°Seems like this little one really likes you.¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t I take the child back with me first? I¡¯ll leave my contact information. If her parentse to find her, they can contact me.¡±

    The officer nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s also fine. Indeed, she¡¯s too young; forcing her to stay wouldn¡¯t be good for her.¡±

    Under normal circumstances, this wouldn¡¯t be done, but the officer could see that the little girl trusted the girl who brought her in.

    This trust clearly indicated that the girl was kind-hearted; otherwise, the little one wouldn¡¯t trust a stranger they just met.

    Therefore, entrusting the little girl to her was not worrisome.

    After leaving her address and contact information, Qiao Jing took the lost child Tang Momo and left the police station, returning to the small vi.

    After entering the house, Qiao Jing put therge bag of snacks on the coffee table and said to the little girl, ¡°Momo, Auntie is going to the kitchen to cook. Can you y in the living room for a while?¡±

    Tang Momo clung to Qiao Jing¡¯s clothes, looking expectantly, ¡°Auntie, can I go to the kitchen with you?¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Qiao Jing patted the little girl¡¯s head, solemnly said, ¡°The kitchen is dangerous, children can¡¯t go in.¡±

    Tang Momo¡¯s face was full of disappointment, but in the next second, her eyes rolled, and she began to bargain, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you outside the kitchen!¡±

    Earlier at the police station, Qiao Jing had witnessed the little girl¡¯s stubbornness.

    Therefore, hearing the girl¡¯s words, she didn¡¯t oppose further, nodding in agreement, ¡°Alright, but you can¡¯te too close, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Tang Momo answered obediently immediately.

    Thus, Qiao Jing carried the groceries to the kitchen, with Tang Momo trailing like a little tail, all the way to the kitchen door.

    In the room upstairs, Zhan Qiaomo heard themotion downstairs and immediately ran down with his little steps.

    As soon as he got downstairs, he met Tang Momo face-to-face.

    Seeing Tang Momo, Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s little face was full of surprise.

    He hadn¡¯t expected to meet a good friend here!

    Tang Momo was rather delighted to see Zhan Qiaomo, and she instinctively wanted to call out to him.

    Seeing her open her mouth, Zhan Qiaomo quickly spoke first, not giving her a chance to voice herself, ¡°Aunt Jing, where did this little friende from?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s words, Tang Momo felt strange, tilting her head with a puzzled expression.

    Why isn¡¯t Mo Bao greeting her?

    Why is he pretending not to know her?

    Zhan Qiaomo kept shaking his head at Tang Momo and gestured to her to keep quiet, indicating that she shouldn¡¯t speak yet.

    Busy in the kitchen, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t notice the little secret between the two kids.

    Upon hearing the little guy¡¯s inquiry, she simply exined the situation.

    ¡°This is Tang Momo. Momo got separated from her mommy; Aunt Jing happened to encounter her and brought her back. Momo will wait here for her daddy and mommy toe pick her up.¡±

 Chapter 911 - 899: Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang Meet

    <h4>Chapter 911: Chapter 899: Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang Meet</h4>

    After listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhan Qiao Mo nodded knowingly.

    "So that¡¯s how it is, I¡¯ll take Momo upstairs to y then."

    Saying this, without waiting for Tang Momo¡¯s response, Zhan Qiao Mo directly pulled her and ran upstairs.

    Qiao Jing turned her head and watched the two children running up to the second floor, a smile appeared on her lips.

    Who would have thought this little guy is so naturally outgoing, already taking the little girl to y!

    After running into the room, Zhan Qiao Mo immediately closed the door and then let go of Tang Momo¡¯s hand.

    "Mo Bao, howe you are here? And why didn¡¯t you let me talk just now? Why do you have to pretend not to know me?"

    Tang Momo asked a bunch of questions in one go, her round little face full of confusion.

    "Uh..." Zhan Qiao Mo hesitated for a moment, but quickly a sh of insight came.

    He pretended to be mysterious and said to Tang Momo, "Actually, I¡¯m on a special secret mission, so I have to pretend not to know you, it¡¯s a secret between us, you must not tell anyone!"

    Upon hearing Zhan Qiao Mo¡¯s words, Tang Momo¡¯s eyes immediately brightened, the confusion on her little face was instantly reced by excitement.

    "That sounds fun, I want to y too, I want to be on a mission!"

    "Mo Bao, take me along to y too!"

    Saying this, Tang Momo grabbed Zhan Qiao Mo¡¯s hand, gazing at him hopefully, wishing to join in on the mission.

    Zhan Qiao Mo rolled his eyes at her with some exasperation, "Tang Momo, have you forgotten? You¡¯re a lost child now!"

    "You¡¯ve gone missing, don¡¯t you miss your daddy and mommy? Even if you don¡¯t, your daddy and mommy would definitely be worried if they couldn¡¯t find you!"

    Although Zhan Qiao Mo was the same age as Tang Momo, he was born a bitter.

    Strictly speaking, Tang Momo was the elder sister, Zhan Qiao Mo was the younger brother.

    But when Zhan Qiao Mo was lecturing Tang Momo, he spoke earnestly, patiently, like a little adult.

    Tang Momo was instantly lectured into submission, she no longer wanted to y any mission games.

    She pouted, feeling wronged, "Mo Bao, I miss my mommy, when do you think my mommy wille to take me home?"

    Seeing Tang Momo looking like she was about to cry, Zhan Qiao Mo hurriedly raised his small hand, gently patted her head, and consoled her, "Alright, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you get in touch, your daddy and mommy wille soon."

    Saying this, the little guy suddenly thought of something, and reminded her, "But remember, don¡¯t tell anyone about me being here!"

    Tang Momo nodded quickly, "I know, I know, it¡¯s a secret between us, I won¡¯t tell!"

    Afterward, the two kids sat side by side on the bed.

    Zhan Qiao Mo took out his smartwatch and sent a message to his big brother Zhan Qiaoyu.

    [Big Bro, urgent help needed! Tang Momo got separated from her mommy and was found by Aunt Jing, Aunt Jing brought her back, she¡¯s right next to me now. Quickly, send an anonymous message to her daddy, let hime pick her up!]

    After sending the message, Zhan Qiao Mo waited for his brother¡¯s reply.

    He initially wanted to contact Tang Momo¡¯s daddy directly, but on second thought, that would expose his whereabouts, wouldn¡¯t it?

    At that moment, he thought of his big brother who was a top-notch hacker.

    Sending an anonymous message was a piece of cake for his big brother.

    So, he promptly sought help from his big brother!

    Zhan Qiaoyu, upon receiving his brother¡¯s message, naturally understood the reason for his brother¡¯s help request.

    He simply replied "OK", then grabbed hisptop, quickly operated on it, and revealed Tang Momo¡¯s location anonymously to her daddy...

    By this time, Tang Yan had already reached the food street and met Lin Xiuxiang.

    The two of them, along with a group of people, were searching the food street and its surroundings thoroughly.

    Just when the two were anxious and at their wits¡¯ end, Tang Yan received a message from an anonymous number.

    The message contained a detailed address, followed by a line of text: Tang Momo is at this ce, pleasee quickly!

    Tang Yan was in such a rush that he didn¡¯t stop to think about who had sent the message.

    Right after reading it, he immediately pulled Lin Xiuxiang into the nearby car.

    Lin Xiuxiang was bewildered, looking anxious, "Where are you taking me? I still need to find Momo..."

    "Calm down, I know where Momo is, I¡¯m taking you to her now."

    Tang Yan exined as he turned the car around, heading straight to the address in the message.

    While Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang were rushing to the small vi, Qiao Jing had already prepared the meal.

    She divided the meal into two portions, one serving ced on the dining table, the other carefully packed and left in the kitchen for Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, who were working hard at thepany and would returnter.

    After finishing these tasks, Qiao Jing went to the second floor to call the two kids down for dinner.

    Upon hearing about the food, Tang Momo immediately left Zhan Qiao Mo and ran over to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, saying in a cute voice, "Auntie, Momo is hungry."

    Seeing the little girl looking like an adorable little foodie, Qiao Jing was charmed.

    She smiled and held Tang Momo¡¯s hand in return, "Alright, Auntie will take you downstairs to have some delicious food."

    Zhan Qiao Mo thought that once Tang Momo¡¯s daddy and mommy received the message, they woulde immediately. If he went down for dinner now, he might run into them!

    If he met them, wouldn¡¯t his identity be exposed!

    So, he couldn¡¯t go downstairs now!

    Thinking this, Zhan Qiao Mo had a sh of insight, covered his stomach with his small hand, and frowned, "Aunt Jing, my stomach doesn¡¯t feel well, I need to go to the restroom, you guys go ahead, I won¡¯t go downstairs."

    With that, he immediately turned around and ran into the bathroom.

    Seeing the little guy like this, Qiao Jing was a bit worried, and went to the bathroom door to check on him.

    "Aunt Jing, I¡¯m fine, just need to use the restroom, not sick, you guys go eat, don¡¯t worry about me."

    Zhan Qiao Mo¡¯s voice came from the bathroom.

    Ever since the incident where he pretended to be sick and his daddy almost took him to the hospital, he dared not feign illness randomly.

    Otherwise, if he really had to go to the hospital, his feigned illness would surely be exposed!

    So, he just pretended to need the restroom...

    Only after Qiao Jing confirmed several times that the little guy was indeed fine did she take Tang Momo downstairs.

    As soon as they got downstairs, the doorbell rang.

    Qiao Jing went to open the door, with Tang Momo following right behind her.

    When the door opened and she saw the two people standing outside, Tang Momo immediately eximed in surprise, "Daddy! Mommy!"

    Seeing her daughter, Lin Xiuxiang was so emotional that she couldn¡¯t speak for a moment. She immediately stepped forward, squatted down, and hugged her daughter tightly.

 Chapter 912: 900: Do You Want a Little Brother or a Little Sister?

    <strong>Chapter 912: Chapter 900: Do You Want a Little Brother or a Little Sister?</strong>

    Held tightly by Lin Xiuxiang, Tang Momo could feel her mother¡¯s worry.

    She pursed her little lips and took the initiative to admit her mistake, ¡°Mommy, Momo was wrong. Momo shouldn¡¯t have been naughty. Momo won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang never intended to me her daughter; she only med herself for being careless.

    Hearing her daughter speak like that, she just hugged her a little tighter and softly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay as long as you¡¯re safe, it¡¯s okay as long as you¡¯re safe¡­¡±

    Seeing his daughter unharmed, Tang Yan also breathed a sigh of relief.

    His gaze had been fixed on his daughter just now, and now that he was relieved, he noticed Qiao Jing standing next to him.

    Suddenly, he eximed in surprise, ¡°Third Miss Qiao?!¡±

    Although Qiao Jing was also surprised, her reaction was much calmer than Tang Yan¡¯s.

    She tugged at the corner of her lips, smiling softly as she said, ¡°Assistant Tang, what a coincidence, I didn¡¯t expect Momo to be your daughter.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much about how Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang found their way here; she instinctively thought it must have been the police who provided the information.

    At this moment, Tang Yan regained hisposure and, full of gratitude, said, ¡°Third Miss Qiao, thank you so much for this! If it weren¡¯t for a kind person like you, my Momo might have been taken by traffickers.¡±

    ¡°It was nothing, just a small deed. I happened to be out shopping and identally saw Momo crying alone, which made me realize she had gotten separated from her family.¡±

    Qiao Jing sinctly recounted the situation at the time.

    However, thinking about it, if she hadn¡¯t happened to run into her, this little girl really almost got taken!

    ¡°Third Miss Qiao, my wife and I are extremely grateful for what you¡¯ve done today. If there¡¯s anything you need help with in the future, just let me know, and I¡¯ll do everything I can!¡±

    Tang Yan¡¯s expression was sincere, and he sincerely thanked Qiao Jing.

    After letting go of her daughter, Lin Xiuxiang went on to express her gratitude.

    Qiao Jing smiled and changed the topic, ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯ve just cooked a meal. Why don¡¯t you stay and eat with us?¡±

    When Lin Xiuxiang heard this, she waved her hands repeatedly, ¡°How can we impose like this?¡±

    Someone else took such good care of her lost daughter, and now she was imposing on them with the whole family¡ªhow inappropriate!

    Tang Yan also chimed in, ¡°Yes, it should be us inviting you for a meal instead¡­¡±

    He was interrupted halfway by Tang Momo, who was standing on the side.

    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, Momo is hungry and wants to eat!¡±

    Tang Momo touched her stomach with her small hands, looking pitiably close to starving.

    Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang exchanged awkward nces.

    Qiao Jing slightly curled her lips, said nothing more, and directly took Tang Momo¡¯s little hand, leading her towards the dining room, ¡°Come, Momo, Auntie will take you to eat.¡±

    Tang Momo was very happy, shaking her little head while following Qiao Jing to the dining room.

    Seeing this, Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang no longer insisted and ended up staying to eat together.

    At the dining table, after taking a few bites, Lin Xiuxiang felt the taste was very familiar, much like the dishes Qiao Jing used to make.

    Not sure if it was her imagination, she quickly tasted each dish.

    Then she realized that these dishes really tasted a lot like what Qiao Jing used to make!

    This familiar taste suddenly evoked in Lin Xiuxiang a deep longing for Qiao Jing.

    Thinking of how Qiao Jing had been missing for years, with her whereabouts unknown, her life or death uncertain, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but redden with tears streaming down.

    This scene startled everyone at the dining table.

    Tang Momo, frowning cutely, had a small face full of tension and worry, ¡°Mommy, why are you crying? Are you not feeling well?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang shook her head, unable to speak for a moment due to choked sobs.

    Tang Yan quickly handed over tissues to wipe his wife¡¯s tears.

    Qiao Jing, not quite understanding, asked hesitantly, ¡°Is it¡­ is it because my cooking is really bad?¡±

    She had heard people say that some food was so bad it made people cry, but she had never really seen such a thing.

    Could it be that her cooking was really that bad already?!

    But it shouldn¡¯t be; she thought it tasted okay herself¡­

    Tang Momo was worried about her mommy but couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°No, I think Auntie¡¯s cooking is super delicious! It¡¯s the best I¡¯ve ever had!¡±

    ¡°Momo¡¯s right, the food is delicious.¡±

    As she spoke, Lin Xiuxiang was gradually calming down, but her voice was a little hoarse from crying.

    She exined, ¡°It¡¯s just that the taste of these dishes is very simr to what a friend of mine used to make, and it reminded me of my friend, so I couldn¡¯t control my emotions for a moment¡­¡±

    Hearing this, Tang Yan knew that his wife was reminded of the young mistress of the Zhan Family, feeling the kind of sadness triggered by memories.

    While handing her tissues, heforted her, ¡°The young mistress is just missing for now; it hasn¡¯t been confirmed that she¡¯s in trouble. Perhaps the young mistress is blessed and just lost for some other reason, and that¡¯s why we can¡¯t find her.¡±

    Hearing Tang Yan mention the young mistress, Qiao Jing was a bit surprised.

    She looked at Lin Xiuxiang and asked directly, ¡°Is this friend you¡¯re talking about the young mistress of the Zhan Family?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded, choked up as she said, ¡°She was my best friend.¡±

    At this moment, Tang Yan suddenly thought of something and said to Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°Right, there¡¯s something you might not know. This Third Miss Qiao here has the same name pronunciation as the young mistress, but her ¡®Jing¡¯ means scenery.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuxiang showed a look of astonishment.

    She never expected such a coincidence.

    But amidst her astonishment, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sadness.

    Same-sounding name, and the cooked meals tasted so simr¡­

    Looking at the girl in front of her named ¡°Qiao Jing,¡± Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°At that moment, I truly wished you were Qiao Jing.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know what to say, so she remained silent.

    Tang Yan held Lin Xiuxiang¡¯s hand andforted her, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be sad anymore. You¡¯re pregnant now, you need to maintain a good mood, and excessive emotional swings aren¡¯t good. Only then will you and our baby be healthy.¡±

    Upon hearing that Lin Xiuxiang was pregnant, Qiao Jing congratted them both with a smile.

    Then she gently patted Tang Momo¡¯s little head and asked, ¡°Momo, you¡¯re going to be a big sister. Do you prefer a brother or a sister?¡±

    ¡°I like both brother and sister!¡±

    After saying this, Tang Momo tilted her head in thought and asked, ¡°Can Momo have a brother and a sister?¡±

    Qiao Jing was amused by the little girl¡¯s words and nced meaningfully at Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan, saying, ¡°That¡¯s a question for your daddy and mommy.¡±

    Tang Momo then looked expectantly at the two of them with her round face, ¡°Daddy, Mommy, is that possible?¡±

    Tang Yan and Lin Xiuxiang exchanged a nce, their daughter¡¯s words amusing them both.

    The somewhat heavy atmosphere at the table lifted with this.

 Chapter 913 - 901: Learning Medicine from Zhou Fu

    <h4>Chapter 913: Chapter 901: Learning Medicine from Zhou Fu</h4>

    After dinner, Lin Xiuxiang and Tang Yan expressed their gratitude to Qiao Jing once again and then left with their daughter.

    Seeing the family of three off, Qiao Jing remembered the little one had a stomachache and hadn¡¯t eaten, so she turned to the kitchen, cooked some vegetable millet porridge, and made some egg cakes again.

    After finishing, Qiao Jing carried the millet porridge and egg cakes to the room on the second floor.

    Zhan Qiaomo had longe out of the bathroom, and at this moment, he was sitting on the sofa.

    Seeing Qiao Jing bringing in some delicious food, the little one¡¯s eyes lit up instantly.

    Previously, he saw Aunt Jing make donuts and chocte cake for his big brother through the screen and was extremely envious!

    Now he too could eat the food Aunt Jing personally made!

    Qiao Jing put the food on the table, sat down next to Zhan Qiaomo, and asked with concern, "Is your stomach feeling a bit better? Is it still ufortable?"

    "Not ufortable, not ufortable." Zhan Qiaomo shook his head repeatedly, then blinked his big round eyes, staring at the delicious food.

    "Wow! This porridge smells so good! And this egg cake, it¡¯s bear-shaped, so cute!"

    Looking at Zhan Qiaomo, a smile unconsciously appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    This little guy still says the egg cake is cute, he probably doesn¡¯t know his own cuteness has already hit the ceiling!

    Qiao Jing raised her hand, patted the little one¡¯s head, and gently said, "Your stomach was ufortable just now, so you need to drink the millet porridge first, then you can eat the egg cake, okay?"

    "Okay!"

    Zhan Qiaomo crisply responded, then eagerly moved to the table, picked up a spoon, and scooped a big spoonful of millet porridge into his mouth.

    After tasting just a bite, the little one was taken aback by the deliciousness.

    He put the spoon down and gave Qiao Jing two big thumbs-up, his face showing unusual seriousness, and praised, "So delicious! I¡¯ve never tasted such delicious porridge!!"

    Seeing the little guy enjoying it so much, Qiao Jing was also very pleased in her heart.

    She smiled, her gaze full of affection for the little one, "As long as you like it, next time Aunt Jing will make something else for you."

    "Deal!"

    After Zhan Qiaomo finished speaking, he picked up the spoon again and started eating with relish.

    During this time, he couldn¡¯t help saying delicious many times.

    Seeing the little one couldn¡¯t stop praising it, Qiao Jing thought about making more food for him to taste afterward, not letting his genuinepliments go to waste.

    After Zhan Qiaomo finished all the millet porridge and egg cake, Qiao Jing carried the dishes downstairs to clean up.

    As soon as Qiao Jing left, Zhan Qiaomo immediately took out his smart watch and video called his two brothers.

    After the video connected, Zhan Qiaoze was the first to speak up and ask, "Mo Bao, what¡¯s the situation? Is there progress in the investigation?"

    "Not yet." Zhan Qiaomo shook his head, his little face hard to hide his excitement, "I just want to share something with you guys!"

    "What is it?" Zhan Qiaoyu asked curiously.

    Zhan Qiaomo raised his little eyebrows, his smile bright like the sun, "Aunt Jing just made me fragrant millet porridge and very cute egg cakes, bear-shaped ones!"

    "The point is, everything Aunt Jing made is super delicious! Even better than the five-star chefs that Daddy hired to cook for us! I ate it all in one go!!"

    Following Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s words, the expressions on Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little face gradually fell.

    This isn¡¯t sharing! This is inly showing off!

    Besides, this should have been his treatment!

    The one eating millet porridge should be him, the one eating egg cakes should be him, and the one being with Aunt Jing should also be him!!

    Zhan Qiaoyu was full of resentment and said angrily, "Mo Bao, quickly switch back with me, it was clearly decided before that I was going, don¡¯t be a rascal anymore!"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaoze raised an objection.

    He pursed his little mouth and spoke with reason, "Even if there¡¯s a change, it should be me going, you two have both been there; it should be my turn, fair is fair, each person has a turn!"

    Seeing both older brothers trying to swap with him, Zhan Qiaomo silently thought to himself that it was not good.

    Being with Aunt Jing was such a blessing, feeling the nurture and affection like a mother¡¯s, he didn¡¯t want to be away from Aunt Jing!

    Though it seemed a bit selfish, he just didn¡¯t want to swap!

    "No more talking, my watch is out of battery!"

    After saying this, Zhan Qiaomo hurriedly hung up the call.

    Zhan Qiaoyu immediately guessed his brother¡¯s little thought and snorted lightly, "Mo Bao is such a little rascal!"

    Zhan Qiaoze said nothing, just thinking secretly, once he gets the chance, he must exchange with Mo Bao.

    He also wanted to eat Aunt Jing¡¯s cooking and be with Aunt Jing!

    ...

    On Sunday, after breakfast, Qiao Jing received a call from Zhou Fu.

    Previously at Zhan Nanjing¡¯s engagement banquet, Zhou Fu had asked for her contact information and mentioned inviting her to visit Wonderful Hall to cultivate an interest in medicine.

    Qiao Jing knew the other party intended to make her fall in love with medicine through gradual influence and then ept him as a mentor genuinely.

    To be honest, she did quite like medicine, but for some reason, thinking about apprenticing under Zhou Fu caused an indescribable resistance and reluctance in her heart.

    This feeling was strange, and she couldn¡¯t exin it herself...

    The voice from the other end of the phone, Zhou Fu, brought Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts back.

    "I¡¯m sure you understand my point, so I won¡¯t go on. You cane to Wonderful Hall anytime in the next few days; I¡¯ll be there every day."

    "Oh, if your two sisters are interested in learning, they cane too."

    Qiao Jing initially wanted to refuse directly, but remembering how Zhou Fu helped her get rid of Jiang Zihong¡¯s pesteringst time, and since he mentioned her two sisters, she swallowed the rejection that came to her lips.

    Even if she didn¡¯t want to go much herself, she still had to ask her sisters¡¯ opinions.

    With these thoughts, Qiao Jing replied, "Okay, I got it."

    Hearing her say this, Zhou Fu didn¡¯t say much more.

    After simply ending the call, Qiao Jing went to the living room.

    Since it was Sunday, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin didn¡¯t go to thepany, and both were watching TV in the living room.

    "Eldest sister, second sister, Master Zhou just called and said if you are interested, you can go to Wonderful Hall to learn."

    Qiao Jing straightforwardly exined the matter.

    The two sisters were very excited upon hearing this.

    Qiao Lin immediately turned off the TV, jumped up from the sofa, and said excitedly, "Interested, of course, we are interested. It¡¯s a rare opportunity to learn at Wonderful Hall; let¡¯s go right away!"

    "Xiao Jing, Master Zhou probably wants you to go; we definitely got this chance because of you!"

    Then, Qiao Hong shifted the topic, "But what about you? Do you want to go?"

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips and hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Qiao Lin ran over, held her hand, and urged, "Go, go, anyway staying at home doing nothing, going can be enlightening too!"

 Chapter 914 - 902: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Astonishing Medical Talent

    <h4>Chapter 914: Chapter 902: Qiao Jing¡¯s Astonishing Medical Talent</h4>

    Although Qiao Hong didn¡¯t say it as bluntly as Qiao Lin, Qiao Jing could tell from her expression that she also wanted to go.

    Since both of her sisters had this desire, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t want to say anything that might dampen their spirits.

    She said calmly, "Let¡¯s each get ready, and then we¡¯ll head out."

    Hearing Qiao Jing say this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged a nce and quickly ran back to their rooms to change clothes.

    Qiao Jing also went back to her room, intending to bring the little guy along.

    As soon as Zhan Qiaomo heard they were going to the Wonderful Hall, he immediately shook his head and waved his hands in refusal.

    If he went to the Wonderful Hall and Uncle Zhou Fu saw him, Uncle Zhou Fu would definitely ask why he was with Aunt Jing.

    That would expose his identity and ns!

    To this end, Zhan Qiaomo even came up with a temporary excuse and said in a very serious tone, "I want to watch TV at home, there¡¯s a new cartoon airing today that¡¯s supposed to be really good, I don¡¯t want to miss it!"

    Even though, like his two brothers, he didn¡¯t actually enjoy watching cartoons, this kind of excuse was the best to use at crucial times!!

    Thinking about the few times in the past when the little guy stayed home alone and took good care of himself, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t too worried about him.

    So, hearing him say this, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t insist, she just instructed, "Then be good and y at home, don¡¯t run out by yourself, and call Aunt Jing if there¡¯s anything, okay?"

    "Got it, got it!" Zhan Qiaomo nodded like a little chicken pecking at rice.

    When Qiao Jing came out of her room, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had already changed clothes and were waiting in the living room.

    Thus, the three of them went out together and took a car to the Wonderful Hall.

    Zhou Fu was obviously very happy to see Qiao Jing.

    After a simple greeting, Zhou Fu looked at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin and said, "Your foundation is rtively weak, so I will arrange for an experienced physician to guide you, and you can learn well with him."

    "Okay, Master Zhou, we will work hard to learn!"

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin said in unison.

    The two sisters knew that their abilities were insufficient, so they were already very excited toe to the Wonderful Hall to gain some insight.

    They didn¡¯t expect Master Zhou to arrange for an experienced physician to guide them!

    It¡¯s known that those who can work as physicians at the Wonderful Hall have certain fame in the medical field, let alone experienced ones!

    Their little Xiao Jing was really promising!

    This time, they were really lucky to benefit from her!!

    Soon, the experienced physician arranged by Zhou Fu came to take Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin away.

    "Come with me."

    Zhou Fu said to Qiao Jing and then walked towards the consultation desk.

    Qiao Jing nodded and followed him.

    She knew that Zhou Fu intended to take her under his wing personally.

    As soon as they reached the consultation desk, a young man was pushing a middle-aged man in a wheelchair into the room.

    The young man and the middle-aged man were father and son.

    After some basic inquiries, Zhou Fu determined that the middle-aged man had chronic arthritis, which had worsened to the point he couldn¡¯t walk and had to use a wheelchair.

    "For cases like this, we usually treat patients with acupuncture. Different conditions require silver needles of varying lengths and thicknesses, and the insertion points vary as well..."

    As he opened his acupuncture kit, Zhou Fu exined to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing listened quietly, feeling as though she had already grasped these concepts long ago. Zhou Fu would say half a sentence, and she could easilyplete the thought in her mind.

    Of course, she only thought this quietly and didn¡¯t speak up.

    "Next, I will begin the acupuncture. Watch closely."

    With that, Zhou Fu selected suitable silver needles and began to perform acupuncture on the middle-aged man.

    Watching Zhou Fu insert each silver needle into the acupuncture points on the patient¡¯s leg, Qiao Jing found the process increasingly familiar.

    In the end, images rted to this began shing through her mind, as if she had experienced this scenario before.

    Except, in those scenes, the person performing the acupuncture on the patient... was her!

    These inexplicable images caused Qiao Jing to be slightly lost in thought.

    Zhou Fu noticed her distraction and frowned slightly.

    Although he hadn¡¯t interacted with her much, he didn¡¯t think she was someone with a careless attitude orck of seriousness.

    But she was distracted during his demonstration and exnation.

    Could it be... she really wasn¡¯t interested in medicine?

    Despite this doubt, Zhou Fu didn¡¯t say anything about it.

    After finishing acupuncture on the patient¡¯s left leg, he calmly asked, "How was it? Did you understand?"

    Hearing his voice, Qiao Jing snapped back to reality and nodded without hesitation, saying, "I understood."

    Zhou Fu thought this was surely an attempt to cover up.

    During the demonstration earlier, she hardly paid attention, so how could she possibly understand with that kind of learning attitude?

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know what Zhou Fu was thinking, and recalling the images that shed in her mind, she said calmly, "Let me give it a try."

    With that, Qiao Jing picked up a silver needle and started performing acupuncture on the patient¡¯s right leg.

    Seeing this, Zhou Fu was startled and his expression changed.

    Acupuncture requires a high level of skill from the practitioner because a mistake in needle cement can have severe consequences, potentially even causing death!

    So, it¡¯s not something to be taken lightly!

    Zhou Fu immediately reached out to stop her, but he was a step toote, and Qiao Jing had already inserted the needle into the patient¡¯s right leg.

    However, Zhou Fu was amazed to find that her needle cement was perfectly urate, and her technique seemed quite proficient.

    As a result, Zhou Fu gave up stopping her and stood by to observe carefully.

    Qiao Jing inserted needle after needle, without hesitation, and each onended precisely in the correct acupuncture point.

    Moreover, her force and angle were just right, making the whole process impably perfect!

    Zhou Fu was very surprised by this.

    Once Qiao Jing inserted thest needle, Zhou Fu couldn¡¯t wait to ask, "Have you studied acupuncture before?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head, remaining silent.

    She couldn¡¯t remember her past, so she didn¡¯t know if she had learned...

    Zhou Fu, unaware of all this, assumed her head shake meant she hadn¡¯t studied before, and his face immediately showed an expression of joy.

    Not having studied before, yet grasping it after just one viewing and executing it so urately on her first attempt, what does this indicate?

    It indicates a highly talented individual!

    Such a promising student must be taken as a disciple!

    Not doing so would be a waste of talent!!

    After the treatment concluded, the middle-aged man¡¯s legs, which couldn¡¯t bend or stretch before, were now able to move freely, and he was even able to stand up and walk again.

    The father and son were thrilled and expressed their gratitude to both Zhou Fu and Qiao Jing.

 Chapter 915: 903: No Matter How Zhan Yuanshan Looks at Qiao Jing, She Still Reminds Him of Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 915: Chapter 903: No Matter How Zhan Yuanshan Looks at Qiao Jing, She Still Reminds Him of Qiao Jing</strong>

    After the father and son left, a girl who was interning at the Wonderful Hall walked over.

    The girl looked closely at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, hesitated for a moment, and finally couldn¡¯t help but say to Zhou Fu, ¡°Master Zhou, since you intend to take her as your disciple, why not fix her face first?¡±

    ¡°Even though these things aren¡¯t on my face, it bothers me to look at them, so I can only imagine how ufortable it must be for her, since it¡¯s her own face after all.¡±

    Hearing the girl say this, Qiao Jing was about to refuse and say there was no need.

    At this moment, Zhou Fu suddenly leaned in closer, lowered his voice, and said meaningfully in her ear, ¡°Do you want me to fix your face or not?¡±

    From his intriguing tone and the subtle expression on his face as he said this, Qiao Jing felt he might have guessed something.

    So, she didn¡¯t reply, but instead asked back, ¡°Master Zhou, do you think my face can be fixed or not?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhou Fu couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    This young girl is unexpectedly good at talking in riddles despite her age.

    He pondered for a while and also responded with a question, ¡°Do you want it fixed or not?¡±

    At this point, the two exchanged a nce and understood each other without needing to say more.

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and finally spoke, ¡°Please keep this matter a secret for me, Master Zhou.¡±

    Zhou Fu was well aware of the reason for her deliberate ugliness.

    Apparently, that eldest son of the Jiang family, Jiang Zihong, who tried to force her into an engagement before, still harbors his unscrupulous desires!

    Thinking of this, Zhou Fu suggested, ¡°Actually, if you want topletely get rid of that Jiang fellow¡¯s harassment, I can use my connections to teach him a lesson so he won¡¯t bother you again.¡±

    Qiao Jing was quite grateful for his offer to help.

    However, Zhou Fu had already helped her once, and she genuinely had no intention of bing his disciple, so it didn¡¯t seem appropriate to trouble him further.

    More importantly, she didn¡¯t want to owe too many favors to others.

    With all this in mind, Qiao Jing shook her head and politely declined, ¡°No need, I think my face is fine as it is right now, let¡¯s leave it be.¡±

    Zhou Fu was slightly taken aback by her refusal.

    But on second thought, although he had never seen the girl¡¯s real appearance, she must be very beautiful to be so persistently pursued by that Jiang fellow from the Jiang family.

    For some people, beauty can be a passport to opportunity, but for a girl who doesn¡¯t want to resort to her looks, beauty is a danger, attracting ill-intentioned admirers!

    Therefore, disguising oneself as unattractive can be a good way to avoid trouble!

    Thinking this, Zhou Fu nodded to himself, looking at Qiao Jing with admiration, ¡°You¡¯re quite insightful.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything, only responded with a faint smile.

    The intern girl who sparked this topic was confused on the side.

    She understood each word they said, but when put together, she had no idea what they were talking about¡­

    Afterwards, Zhou Fu sat down at the consultation desk, diagnosing patients while guiding Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing stood beside him, watching Zhou Fu treat the patients, fleeting, fragmented memories once again crossed her mind.

    Strangely, when these memories pieced together, the one sitting at the consultation desk treating people seemed to be¡­ her!

    As Qiao Jing was lost in thought, Zhan Nanjing wheeled Zhan Yuanshan into the room.

    ¡°Master Zhou, please take a look at my grandpa and see how his condition is.¡±

    Finished saying this, Zhan Nanjing then noticed Qiao Jing standing next to Zhou Fu.

    She was a bit surprised, but suddenly realized that this Third Miss Qiao was Master¡¯s desired disciple candidate, probably here to learn.

    With this thought, Zhan Nanjing wasn¡¯t surprised anymore. She waved her hand and smiled at Qiao Jing, ¡°What a coincidence!¡±

    Qiao Jing heard the voice and returned from her deep thought, casually replying, ¡°Yes, what a coincidence.¡±

    After speaking, her gaze fell on Zhan Yuanshan beside her.

    Qiao Jing recognized at a nce that he was the old man who suddenly became ill in the hotel garden on the day of the engagement party.

    It turned out that this elder was Zhan Nanjing¡¯s grandfather!

    But why was this elder staring at her so intently?

    Could it be that he recognized her?

    But she remembered, his consciousness was blurred when his illness struck, andter he fainted, so he shouldn¡¯t be able to recognize her¡­

    At this point, Zhan Nanjing also noticed her grandfather staring at her, with eyes like X-rays, scrutinizing up and down as if trying to see through her!

    Zhan Nanjing¡¯s face showed a hint of awkwardness, she quickly tugged on Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s sleeve, whispering, ¡°Grandpa, why are you staring at her like that, this is very impolite, you know!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan had no intention of listening to his granddaughter, he just rolled his eyes at her, then wheeled himself forward, stopping in front of Qiao Jing, and abruptly asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Qiao Jing wondered why he was suddenly asking this, feeling a little suspicious.

    Before she had a chance to respond, Zhan Nanjing had already replied, ¡°She¡¯s the Third Miss of the Qiao Family from Nandu. Interestingly, her name sounds the same as my sister-inw¡¯s, but the character ¡®Jing¡¯ stands for ¡®scenery¡¯ in her case.¡±

    Learning about the name simrity, Zhan Yuanshan perked up.

    He stared straight at Qiao Jing, with apparent suspicion, and asked, ¡°Are you sure your ¡®Jing¡¯ really means ¡®scenery¡¯ and not ¡®longing¡¯?¡±

    Hearing his question, Qiao Jing found it amusing.

    Could she be uncertain about her own name?

    Thinking this, but without expressing it, she simply nodded and sinctly replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Her tone was confident, but Zhan Yuanshan was still relentless, continuing to ask, ¡°Are you really sure? You¡¯re really not named with the ¡®aspiration¡¯ Jing? Maybe you should think about it again¡­¡±

    Now, Zhan Nanjing realized that her grandfather was trying to get Qiao Jing to admit she was indeed the Qiao Jing he wanted!

    She quickly walked over, pulling the perplexed Third Miss Qiao aside, apologetically saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my grandpa is old, his health isn¡¯t good, and his condition isn¡¯t optimistic. Plus, he misses my sister-inw too much, so this has affected his mental state.¡±

    ¡°I think he might feel you resemble my sister-inw, so he¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence.

    But Qiao Jing understood, she smiled slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand.¡±

    It turns out this elder didn¡¯t recognize her, but instead mistook her for his granddaughter-inw!

    It seems that the Zhan family¡¯s granddaughter-inw must have been very beloved to inspire such profound affection and longing from the Zhan family members!

    After exining to Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanjing returned to exin to Zhan Yuanshan multiple times, finally barely stopping his persistent questioning.

 Chapter 916: 904: She Had a Child Before?!

    <strong>Chapter 916: Chapter 904: She Had a Child Before?!</strong>

    Immediately afterward, Zhou Fu began to check Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s pulse.

    After checking the pulse, Zhou Fu eximed in surprise, ¡°Old Master Zhan¡¯s condition has stabilized quite a bit, and there¡¯s no trend of further deterioration. It¡¯s much better than before!¡±

    At this moment, the shock in his heart was much more intense than what he showed.

    From the current situation, the expert who helped stabilize Old Master Zhan¡¯s condition is truly extraordinary, seemingly on par with his own master!

    Upon hearing the news of her grandfather¡¯s improved condition, Zhan Nanjing was delighted and said with a smile, ¡°Our family is currently sending people everywhere to find the expert who treated my grandfather to see if we can find them and ask them to help treat my grandfather again.¡±

    If they can find this expert, maybe her grandfather¡¯s illness can be cured!

    Zhou Fu remarked with some wonder, ¡°I¡¯m also very curious about what kind of person has such medical skills. I hope we can find them soon.¡±

    Qiao Jing listened quietly on the side without speaking.

    She realized that the expert Zhou Fu and Zhan Nanjing were referring to was her.

    However, she didn¡¯t think of herself as an expert. Even if she studied medicine before, at her age, it¡¯s unlikely that she could have mastered such superb medical skills.

    After all, medical skills require continuous umtion and learning, gained from various experiences over a long time, and she was only in her twenties.

    So,st time she probably just stumbled by chance and identally helped the old gentleman control his illness¡­

    A momentter, Zhou Fu went to the inner room of the pharmacy to prepare medicine for Zhan Yuanshan.

    Zhou Jing followed and stood by watching.

    After watching for a while, she thoughtfully walked to the medicine cab, took out two types of medicinal herbs, and then returned to Zhou Fu, saying, ¡°I think if you rece the third ingredient with these two herbs, wouldn¡¯t the effect be a bit better?¡±

    The intern who happened to pass byughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s good to have ideas, but this is a prescription by Master Zhou. Master Zhou¡¯s prescriptions are naturally wless. You should just watch and not point fingers.¡±

    However, after Zhou Fu looked at the two herbs Qiao Jing brought, he was full of amazement, ¡°Wonderful, truly wonderful!¡±

    ¡°These two herbsbined can exactly allow this prescription to maximize its efficacy, and they also neutralize the irritation of the other medicines, making it very gentle for the user!¡±

    ¡°This brilliantbination, how did you think of it?¡±

    As he asked this, Zhou Fu looked at Qiao Jing with eyes zing, as if he had discovered a treasure.

    The intern was stunned, mouth agape, hearing Zhou Fu say this.

    In her shock, she also felt particrly ashamed.

    The person was so formidable, even to the extent that Master Zhou was amazed, but she had just said those things, pointing fingers at the person, which was truly inappropriate¡­

    Under Zhou Fu¡¯s intense gaze, Qiao Jing shook her head and lightly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, it was just by feeling.¡±

    ¡°By feeling?¡±

    Zhou Fu was momentarily surprised but then burst into delightedughter.

    ¡°It seems you truly have a great talent for medicine. With such high talent, not studying medicine is a waste of talent. Believe me, as long as you have the will, you will definitely make a big difference in the medical field in the future!¡±

    ¡°Enough of this, hurry and be my apprentice!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled faintly without responding, her expression somewhat troubled.

    At the pharmacy door stood Zhan Nanjing, who wore an expression of astonishment.

    She initially just wanted to see if the medicine was ready, but she just happened to witness that scene.

    She couldn¡¯t have imagined that this Third Miss Qiao not only had a name simr to her sister-inw but also shared the same medical talent!

    This simrity was too high!

    After sighing, Zhan Nanjing suddenly thought that perhaps it was this high degree of simrity that made her brother see his sister-inw¡¯s shadow in Third Miss Qiao, and that¡¯s why he paid Qiao Mo¡¯s consultation fee?

    She believed if it were anyone else, her brother would definitely ignore them!

    ¡­

    After staying at the Wonderful Hall for a few days, Qiao Jing¡¯s mind gradually filled with more memories about medicine, and she used her medical skills more deftly.

    This showed that she indeed studied medicine before¡­

    That day, in the room, Qiao Jing had a sudden thought and checked her own pulse.

    After checking, she was stunned to find that she had actually given birth!

    And the primary reason her body was so weak and had yet to fully recover was due to catching a cold after childbirth, coupled with improper postpartum care!

    This discovery left Qiao Jing in deep thought.

    She suddenly wanted to know what exactly she went through four years ago?

    ording to Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, she was found barely alive on the beach by the sea. If she had been found anyter, she might not have survived.

    But why had she ended up in such a state?

    Who could have harmed her?

    Could it be¡­ she encountered a bastard worse than an animal?

    A scoundrel who deceived her, coaxed her into having a child, and then kicked her into the sea?

    Qiao Jing felt that although this guess was a bit dramatic, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.

    She had been sick for so long, and Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin invited doctors to treat her. They must have known about her having given birth long ago.

    They kept it a secret, probably thinking along the same lines as her.

    The two were afraid she would recall the heartbreaking events of being hurt by the scoundrel, so they kept quiet¡­

    Qiao Jing shook her head, putting away these wild thoughts.

    She couldn¡¯t confirm past events.

    The only thing she could be sure of now was that she had given birth.

    No matter what, the child was her flesh and blood, and she had to find out whether the child is alive or dead now.

    If still alive, where are they now?

    Of course, during this period, she needed to take care of her own health as well.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing decided to start treating herself from today onward.

    Although she could certainly ask Zhou Fu for help, she felt she could heal herself.

    It¡¯s not that she¡¯s being arrogant, but she felt she could do it.

    As Qiao Jing once again checked her pulse to confirm her physical condition, the door to the room suddenly opened, and Zhan Qiaomo walked in.

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s actions, Zhan Qiaomo immediately became nervous.

    He quickly ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side, looking up at her with worry in his eyes, ¡°Aunt Jing, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the little one. Looking at his innocent little face, she couldn¡¯t help but think that if her child were still alive, they should be about the same age as the little one¡­

    Seeing her silent, Zhan Qiaomo thought she was unwell, feeling heartbroken to the point of tears.

    He hugged Qiao Jing¡¯s leg tightly, frowning, and anxiously said, ¡°Aunt Jing, are you sick? Is it very ufortable? Why don¡¯t I take you to the hospital to see a doctor?¡±

 Chapter 917 - 905: Qiao Jing Restores Her True Appearance

    <h4>Chapter 917: Chapter 905: Qiao Jing Restores Her True Appearance</h4>

    Listening to Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s sweet yet concerned words, Qiao Jing felt a warmth in her heart.

    She reached out, gently stroking the little fellow¡¯s head, and said with a smile, "Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Jing is fine, not sick."

    Zhan Qiaomo clearly didn¡¯t quite believe it, his little face full of doubt, "Really? Are you sure you¡¯re not feeling unwell?"

    The little one¡¯s repeated confirmation made Qiao Jing feel amused, yet also very touched.

    She stood up, picked up the little guy, and spun around several times.

    After the spins, she put the little one down, smiling, "How is it? Do you believe Aunt Jing is fine now?"

    Seeing her still looking lively after spinning him around, Zhan Qiaomo finally believed she wasn¡¯t sick.

    At that moment, Qiao Lin hurriedly entered the room, grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, and nced at Zhan Qiaomo.

    "Let¡¯s go talk over there."

    Qiao Jing looked puzzled, wondering what couldn¡¯t be said in front of a child.

    After two seconds of silence, Qiao Jing turned back to Zhan Qiaomo, "We¡¯ll be right back."

    "Okay," the little fellow replied very sensibly.

    Qiao Lin took Qiao Jing to her room and then said with a worried face, "Xiao Jing, quickly help me think of a solution, I¡¯m about to have a headache!"

    Qiao Lin is usually an optimist, so seeing her so troubled was rare, making Qiao Jing curious.

    She asked in puzzlement, "What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s giving you a headache?"

    "It¡¯s all because of that Chen Lili, the high school ssmate I mentioned to you before."

    Talking about this, Qiao Lin was indignant.

    She recounted, "Here¡¯s the situation: Chen Lili boasted in our ss group, saying she has a handsome and wealthy boyfriend. I wouldn¡¯t care if she just bragged, but she also ridiculed me in the group, saying I¡¯d never find a boyfriend in my life!"

    "The most critical part is, she organized a banquet and invited all of our ssmates to attend, and other female ssmates are supposed to bring their boyfriends, except I¡¯m the only one flying solo!"

    "You tell me, when everyone arrives with their partners, how am I supposed to face that?!"

    At the end, Qiao Lin looked so aggrieved, her face was the picture of misery.

    After listening to her, Qiao Jing pondered for a moment, then suggested, "Why don¡¯t you look around for a suitable friend and ask them to pretend to be your boyfriend."

    "Sigh..." Qiao Lin sighed, "Actually, I¡¯ve thought about this solution too, but if I really go through with it, inevitably I¡¯ll need to share some intimate moments with him during the banquet."

    "You know me, I can¡¯t stand those obnoxious men, asking me to be that intimate with them is something I just can¡¯t do!"

    Since that n wouldn¡¯t work, Qiao Jing had toe up with another solution.

    While she was pondering, a great idea suddenly came to her.

    And that was to have Qiao Jing disguise herself as a man.

    "Xiao Jing, why don¡¯t you pretend to be my boyfriend, you¡¯re tall. Besides, if you act as my boyfriend, and things get intimate, I wouldn¡¯t mind."

    Qiao Jing frowned slightly, "Are you sure? Won¡¯t we be recognized?"

    "No, no, we won¡¯t!"

    Since Qiao Lin insisted, Qiao Jing had no objections and nodded, "I think we can give it a try, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem."

    The next day.

    Early in the morning, Qiao Lin went to the mall and carefully picked out a men¡¯s suit and a wig.

    Once she got everything, she dragged Qiao Jing into the room to dress her up.

    Once the suit was on, the wig in ce, and the fake skin off her face, Qiao Jing instantly transformed into a handsome, dashing gentleman!

    Qiao Lin circled around the newly transformed Qiao Jing, showing an expression of amazement, and couldn¡¯t help but exim, "Wow! Xiao Jing, you¡¯re too handsome, like Pan¡¯an reborn!"

    "Honestly, if you were really a guy, I¡¯d want to marry you!"

    Saying that, Qiao Lin hugged Qiao Jing, excitedly giving her a kiss on the cheek.

    Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Qiao Jing looked at her suit-d self, thinking the transformation wasn¡¯t bad, but...

    She raised her hand to touch her face, with a slight concern, "Second sister, if I go out like this and run into someone Jiang Zihong knows, they might recognize me."

    Hearing this, Qiao Lin thought for a moment, then waved it off, "That¡¯s not a problem, just wear a mask!"

    "I remember I have one, wait a sec, I¡¯ll go find it!"

    With those words, Qiao Lin darted out of the room.

    In less than ten minutes, she returned with a white full-face mask and put it directly on Qiao Jing.

    With the mask on, the issue was resolved, but Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help butment, "What a shame, such a handsome face, covered with a mask is such a waste!"

    Qiao Jing found this remark somewhat amusing.

    Though she looked good, saying it¡¯s a waste might be a bit much?

    Seeing Qiao Jing being amused, Qiao Lin straightened up and earnestly said, "Xiao Jing, I¡¯m not joking, I¡¯m telling the absolute truth. With this look, you would definitely captivate countless girls!"

    Qiao Jing chuckled, suddenly remembered something, and asked, "By the way, when is your reunion scheduled?"

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you?"

    As soon as she said that, Qiao Lin realized she hadn¡¯t mentioned it.

    She tugged at the corner of her lips and replied sheepishly, "It¡¯s today, and the banquet starts in an hour."

    Qiao Jing disyed a trace of helplessness, reminding, "Then let¡¯s hurry up, it takes some time to get there."

    "I¡¯ll go change clothes, you wait for me in the living room, I¡¯ll be quick!"

    Before finishing her words, Qiao Lin had already darted off.

    A momentter, just as they were about to leave, Qiao Hong happened to return from outside.

    Because the mask is stifling when worn for long, Qiao Jing nned to put it on after arriving at the banquet since they¡¯d be getting in the car right downstairs; the short walk posed very little risk.

    So, as soon as Qiao Hong came in, she saw Qiao Lin closely linked arm in arm with a handsome "man."

    This sight startled Qiao Hong.

    Faced with such a handsome "man," her cheeks inexplicably turned red.

    She cleared her throat, trying to mask her shyness, and asked Qiao Lin nonchntly, "Who is this? Your friend? Why haven¡¯t I seen him before?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Hong¡¯s question, Qiao Lin burst intoughter.

    Qiao Jing also curved her lips into a soft smile, "Big sister, just because I¡¯m wearing a wig and men¡¯s clothes, you can¡¯t recognize me?"

    Hearing this, Qiao Hong was taken aback, her eyes widening, and she stared at Qiao Jing in shock.

    It took her a good while to recover from her surprise.

 Chapter 918: 906: Beneath the Mask

    <strong>Chapter 918: Chapter 906: Beneath the Mask</strong>

    ¡°Xiao Jing, your looks are off the charts! Even in men¡¯s clothing, you¡¯re so handsome. I got a bit shy when I saw you just now!¡±

    Qiao Hong praised while pulling Qiao Jing to spin around, her eyes full of admiration.

    Beside them, Qiao Lin, havingughed enough, joined in thepliments, looking proud.

    ¡°Needless to say, our Xiao Jing¡¯s looks are top-notch. Otherwise, why would that Jiang Zihong stick to our Xiao Jing relentlessly?¡±

    ¡°Moreover, even if our Xiao Jing deliberately tries to look ugly by sticking on the fake skin, he still clings on relentlessly, isn¡¯t it just because of Xiao Jing¡¯s charm?¡±

    The two of them nked Qiao Jing,vishing her with praises.

    Qiao Jing found it quite amusing and looked down at her wristwatch, holding backughter, ¡°There¡¯s still half an hour before the banquet starts. Are you sure you want to continue praising here?¡±

    Listening to this, Qiao Lin suddenly remembered the main issue.

    She re-linked arms with Qiao Jing, waving to Qiao Hong, ¡°Big sis, we¡¯ll be off now¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Qiao Hong interrupted Qiao Lin, pulling her back with a puzzled look. ¡°What banquet? Howe I haven¡¯t heard you mention it? Is Xiao Jing dressing up as a man just to attend the banquet?¡±

    She had been busy with projects these days and hadn¡¯t spent much time at home, so she didn¡¯t know what had happened.

    Though pressed for time, seeing Qiao Hong¡¯s persistent questioning, Qiao Lin exined briefly.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually just a ss reunion. All the other female ssmates brought their boyfriends. I can¡¯t go alone, or they¡¯dugh at me for not having a boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°So, I asked Xiao Jing to dress up as a man and pretend to be my boyfriend to go with me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±

    Qiao Hong nodded in understanding and then released her grip on Qiao Lin. ¡°Then hurry up and go, be careful on the way.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could respond, she was dragged out of the door by the anxious Qiao Lin.

    The banquet was in a nearby private vi, just a ten-minute drive away.

    Before getting out of the car, Qiao Jing put on a mask.

    Then, Qiao Lin took her arm and walked slowly into the vi.

    As soon as they reached the entrance, they could hear the chatter of girls inside, who were discussing none other than Qiao Lin.

    ¡°Hey, why hasn¡¯t Qiao Lin arrived yet? Everyone else is here, just missing her.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she couldn¡¯t find a boyfriend and feels too embarrassed toe alone so she didn¡¯te?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s quite possible. After all, all of us have brought partners. If she came alone, she¡¯d just be eating dog food and probably can¡¯t take it!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There¡¯s still ten minutes until the agreed time. Maybe Qiao Lin will show up with her boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? She¡­¡±

    ¡°Why is it impossible?¡±

    Qiao Lin got angrier the more she listened, and finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore, speaking up to interrupt.

    Hearing the voice, the girls who were gossiping all looked up, only to see Qiao Lin walking in from the entrance with a ¡°man¡± dressed sharply in a suit and wearing a mask.

    Even though they couldn¡¯t see the ¡°man¡¯s¡± appearance clearly, his walking carried a cool aura that made people take another look.

    For a moment, the girls nced at each other, their expressions somewhat awkward.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Qiao Lin to actually bring her boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we spoke too soon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Just then, a woman with heavy makeup and dressed seductively walked over and sneered. Disdainfully, she said, ¡°Having a boyfriend also depends on his rank. I, Chen Lili, wouldn¡¯t go for those low-grade men!¡±

    She gestured to a man not far away, covered in designer clothes, talking loudly. Full of pride, she boasted to the other girls, ¡°See? That¡¯s my boyfriend, the Li Group¡¯s heir.¡±

    ¡°I tell you, you need a boyfriend like this, handsome and rich, ready to inherit the family business!¡±

    While Chen Lili was bragging and showing off, Qiao Lin walked closer with Qiao Jing.

    Listening to Chen Lili go on and on, Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t resist, whispering to Qiao Jing, ¡°Li Group heir? Some unheard-ofpany, never even heard of it.¡±

    Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t reacted yet, but nearby Chen Lili¡¯s ears were sharp and caught Qiao Lin¡¯s whisper.

    Her eyes red, and she snapped at Qiao Lin coldly, ¡°What do you mean, Qiao Lin? You see my boyfriend, so rich and handsome, must be way better than yours, and you¡¯re jealous, right?¡±

    Previously, Qiao Lin had already had enough of Chen Lili¡¯s mockery in the ss chat, and now, face-to-face, Chen Lili was doing the same, so naturally, Qiao Lin retorted.

    She directly sneered back, ¡°Chen Lili, are you kidding? My boyfriend is great, why would I be jealous of you? Do you have some vision problem?¡±

    ¡°I have a vision problem?¡±

    Chen Lili chuckled dismissively, ncing contemptuously at the masked Qiao Jing beside her.

    ¡°Qiao Lin, are you suggesting your boyfriend looks better than mine?¡±

    ¡°Alright then, do you dare to have your boyfriend take off that mask so we can all admire your boyfriend¡¯s face?¡±

    As soon as she said this, everyone¡¯s eyesnded on Qiao Jing.

    Well, to be precise, they all stared at the mask on her face, curious about why she was wearing it.

    Qiao Lin¡¯s expression froze for a moment but quickly regainedposure. She retorted to Chen Lili, ¡°Why should he take it off for you to admire? This is my boyfriend, and I prefer to admire him alone, and I don¡¯t like other women looking at him!¡±

    Who knows if there¡¯s someone here who knows Jiang Zihong? If there is, and if that person recognizes Xiao Jing, wouldn¡¯t it cause trouble?

    So, it¡¯s best not to remove the mask!

    ¡°Oh, you prefer to admire him alone. I bet your boyfriend looks city-damagingly ugly, a hideous monster!¡±

    Chen Liliughed with ridicule, her tone full of disdain, ¡°Otherwise, why wear a mask for no reason? This isn¡¯t a masquerade ball!¡±

    ¡°Plus, you, Qiao Lin, what decent boyfriend could you find? It¡¯s fortunate any man would want you!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Qiao Lin was infuriated, her face flushed red.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t stand it either. Saying she was ugly was one thing, but saying her older sister was another!

    Her eyes underneath the mask turned colder. Staring at Chen Lili, she said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure. What if I look better than your boyfriend? What then?¡±

 Chapter 919: 907: The Bet, Removing the Mask

    <strong>Chapter 919: Chapter 907: The Bet, Removing the Mask</strong>

    Chen Lili was not impressed with what Qiao Jing said.

    She felt that it was all just bluffing. If he was really handsome, why wear a mask when going out?

    Hiding like this, isn¡¯t it just because he¡¯s too ugly to be seen?

    ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re saying that, let¡¯s make a bet. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s better looking, you or my boyfriend. The loser performs a pole dance on the spot!¡±

    When she said this, Chen Lili was full of confidence, as if she could already see victory waving at her, just waiting to watch the other party make a fool of themselves.

    After speaking, she raised her chin, provocatively looking at Qiao Jing, adding, ¡°How about it? Do you dare to make this bet with me?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll bet with you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was indifferent, without a trace of hesitation in his words.

    Hearing her say this, Qiao Lin became a little anxious.

    If that maskes off, and unfortunately, someone recognizes him, wouldn¡¯t it be asking for trouble?

    It¡¯s only been a few days of peace, and she didn¡¯t want any more chaos!

    Thinking like this, Qiao Lin tightened her grip a bit on Qiao Jing¡¯s arm and said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of betting with someone like this? What if you win? What if you lose? Since we can¡¯tmunicate, let¡¯s just head back and stop wasting time here.¡±

    With that, she pulled Qiao Jing, ready to leave.

    Seeing Qiao Lin eager to go, Chen Lili was even more sure of her guess.

    She stepped forward to block them, mocking, ¡°Are you two putting on a double act here? One pretends to make a bet, the other pretends to leave, quite the performance!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, if you¡¯re ugly, just admit it. Why stubbornly hold on to face here?¡±

    Saying this, Chen Lili raised her hand and patted Qiao Lin¡¯s shoulder, her tone even more mocking.

    ¡°Qiao Lin, we¡¯re old ssmates. We all know what you¡¯re capable of. Finding a boyfriend is already good enough; if he¡¯s ugly, so be it, he¡¯s a match for you!¡±

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re good-looking, with your personality, handsome men surely wouldn¡¯t give you a second nce!¡±

    As Chen Lili spoke, others also quietly began to gossip.

    ¡°Lili makes a point. Qiao Lin¡¯s boyfriend probably isn¡¯t much to look at, otherwise why the mask?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if he¡¯s not ugly, why not take it off and let people see?¡±

    ¡°Looks like Qiao Lin really can¡¯t find a decent boyfriend; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t choose to be with such an ugly guy!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin angrily pped Chen Lili¡¯s hand away and was about to retort when suddenly the sound of everyone¡¯s exmations reached her ears.

    One ¡°Wow¡± after another, the ce turned into a chorus of astonishment.

    Qiao Lin froze for a moment, turned her head following everyone¡¯s gaze, and only then realized that Qiao Jing had already taken off the mask, revealing a face so beautiful it seemed divinely unfair.

    A moment ago, all those girls gossiping about Qiao Jing being ugly suddenly changed their tune, each staring at Qiao Jing, infatuated, unable to look away.

    ¡°This¡­ is too handsome! With a look like that, why wear a mask? It¡¯s a waste!¡±

    ¡°Qiao Lin¡¯s so lucky to find such a handsome boyfriend. No wonder she said she likes admiring him alone. If I had such a handsome boyfriend, I wouldn¡¯t want other women looking at him too!¡±

    ¡°That exins why Qiao Lin¡¯s boyfriend wears a mask, she¡¯s afraid his face attracts too much attention!¡±

    ¡°I envy Qiao Lin so much. Her boyfriend¡¯s face is just a sight to behold!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin didn¡¯t care to hear the admiration and envy from others. She leaned nervously towards Qiao Jing¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Xiao Jing, why did you take the mask off? What if someone recognizes you¡­¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook his head and interrupted Qiao Lin, his voice lowered to just where the two of them could hear.

    ¡°Even Big Sister couldn¡¯t recognize me in this disguise. For such a short while, others likely won¡¯t either.¡±

    With that, without waiting for Qiao Lin to say anything else, Qiao Jing turned to look at the utterly shocked Chen Lili, coolly asking, ¡°So? Compared to your boyfriend, whoes out on top?¡±

    Hearing the question, Chen Lili slowly snapped out of her shock.

    This oue was beyond anything she could have imagined!

    She never thought Qiao Lin could find a boyfriend, let alone one so stunningly attractive!!

    Recalling the things she said earlier, Chen Lili felt she had turned herself into aughingstock.

    With a face ashen-colored, she was momentarily speechless.

    Seeing this, others started gossiping again.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Qiao Lin¡¯s boyfriend is way better looking. Chen Lili¡¯s boyfriend can¡¯tpare at all!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Chen Lili¡¯s boyfriend might be decent, but he can¡¯t hold a candle to Qiao Lin¡¯s boyfriend!¡±

    ¡°That said, shouldn¡¯t Chen Lili be performing a pole dance now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she said the loser would have to do a pole dance!¡±

    Hearing this, the girls started cheering.

    ¡°Come on, Lili, pole dance, let¡¯s see it, let¡¯s see it¡­¡±

    Chen Lili¡¯s face turned extremely ugly, the gathering she nned to boast about her boyfriend turned into a massive embarrassment!

    In the midst of the uproar, she stomped her foot, leaving behind her less attractive boyfriend, she turned and ran away with a face grimacing in embarrassment.

    Watching this scene, Qiao Lin felt quite relieved.

    But just in case, she still decided to leave with her ¡°boyfriend¡± so as not to be recognized by someone sharp-eyed.

    ¡°Take your time, we have things to do, we¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±

    After saying that, Qiao Lin pulled Qiao Jing, turning to head out.

    Behind them, the voices of the girls trying to persuade her to stay echoed.

    ¡°Qiao Lin, don¡¯t be in such a hurry, we haven¡¯t met in so long, stay and chat a while!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Qiao Lin, stay with your boyfriend a bit longer!¡±

    ¡°Qiao Lin,e back, you haven¡¯t introduced your boyfriend to us yet!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin turned a deaf ear, pulling Qiao Jing along without looking back as they left the vi.

    The two walked across the street, nning to catch a taxi away.

    While waiting for a cab, Qiao Jing casually toyed with the mask in his hand.

    Qiao Lin, next to him, grudginglyined, ¡°What kind of ssmates are these, speaking so nicely about staying to chat more, but they just want to ogle my ¡®boyfriend¡¯s¡¯ good looks, as if I can¡¯t tell!¡±

    ¡°And they want me to introduce my ¡®boyfriend¡¯ to them, they wish!¡±

 Chapter 920 - 908: Qiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Disguise as a Man Is Discovered by Zhan Nanqing and Chi Yuhang

    <h4>Chapter 920: Chapter 908: Qiao Jing¡¯s Disguise as a Man Is Discovered by Zhan Nanqing and Chi Yuhang</h4>

    Hearing Qiao Lin repeatedly call someone "boyfriend," Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.

    She teased with augh, "Second Sister, are you too deep into the act? Are you really treating me like a ¡¯boyfriend,¡¯ scared that your ssmates might snatch me away?"

    Qiao Lin, upon hearing this, unexpectedly linked arms with Qiao Jing and leaned on her like a delicate bird, confidently saying, "If you were really a man, I would shamelessly pursue you till I got you!"

    Just then, a car slowly drove up from the other side of the street.

    The driver was Zhan Nanjing, with Chi Yuhang sitting in the passenger seat. They were out for a meal.

    Chi Yuhang absentmindedly turned his head and unexpectedly caught sight of Qiao Jing on the other side of the street.

    He immediately widened his eyes, raised his hand, and pointed in the direction of Qiao Jing, eximing in surprise, "Hey! That person looks like Professor Qiao!!"

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanjing mmed on the brakes.

    "Screech¡ª" The car came to an abrupt stop.

    Chi Yuhang, caught off guard, was thrown forward by inertia. Fortunately, he was wearing a seatbelt, so no ident urred.

    However, as luck would have it, a bus drove up and stopped right in front of Qiao Jing and Qiao Lin, blocking their view.

    Zhan Nanjing, having stepped on the brakes, immediately looked around, her anxious expression evident, "Where, where? Where¡¯s my sister-inw?"

    Chi Yuhang, stabilizing himself, turned to look outside again, but after scanning around, he couldn¡¯t find that figure.

    He scratched his head, frowning slightly, with a somewhat puzzled look, "Weird, I clearly saw it just now, how did it disappear?"

    Hearing Chi Yuhang say this, Zhan Nanjing sighed in disappointment, "You must have seen it wrong, right? We¡¯ve been searching for so long, if my sister-inw was really in the capital, how could we not find her?"

    For the past four years, the Zhan Family had turned the entire capital upside down. If her sister-inw was in the capital, it would be unreasonable to have no trace until now...

    Chi Yuhang nodded in agreement, also sounding a bit disappointed, "I might have indeed seen it wrong. After all, that person was wearing men¡¯s clothing, so it probably wasn¡¯t Professor Qiao."

    As they spoke, the bus that blocked Qiao Jing and Qiao Lin¡¯s view drove away, and a taxi stopped in front of them.

    Zhan Nanjing restarted the car, and before stepping on the gas pedal, she instinctively nced outside the car once more.

    To her surprise, she saw a familiar face.

    "Sister-inw!"

    Zhan Nanjing shouted out in surprise, her emotion overflowing.

    Chi Yuhang followed her gaze and saw the figure from before, quickly saying, "Nanjing, that¡¯s the person I mentioned earlier. Doesn¡¯t she look a lot like Professor Qiao?"

    "Quick, they¡¯re getting into the taxi, we have to catch up!"

    Reminded by Chi Yuhang, Zhan Nanjing suddenly came to her senses.

    She immediately stepped on the gas, but since they were in the opposite direction, there was a traffic divider in the middle of the street, requiring her to drive quite a distance to find an intersection to turn around.

    By the time Zhan Nanjing made the turn and sessfully reached the opposite street, the taxi was long gone.

    Zhan Nanjing patted the steering wheel in frustration, frowning tightly, "How could this happen? Just a little bitte!"

    Chi Yuhang thought for a moment and suggested, "How about we drive around the area and see if we can find that taxi?"

    "But it¡¯s a taxi, they all look alike, how can we recognize it?"

    As she said this, Zhan Nanjing suddenly thought of something and quickly turned to Chi Yuhang, asking, "Or did you manage to remember the license te number of that taxi?"

    Chi Yuhang shook his head and lowly muttered, "No."

    "Sigh..." Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but sigh again.

    Because of this, neither had the mood to go to the restaurant and eat, so they turned the car around and headed back home.

    Seeing them return so quickly, Su Manhan found it a bit odd and asked suspiciously, "Didn¡¯t you guys go out to eat? Finished so soon?"

    Zhan Nanjing hesitated for a moment, but still exined, "Mom, we thought we saw my sister-inw just now..."

    "What? You saw Qiao Jing?!"

    Su Manhan was incredibly excited upon hearing this, and even before Zhan Nanjing could finish her sentence, she started firing questions like a machine gun.

    "Where did you see Qiao Jing? Where is she now? Why didn¡¯t shee back with you two?"

    Zhan Nanjing and Chi Yuhang exchanged nces, both withplex expressions, unsure of how to respond.

    Seeing their reactions, Su Manhan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, her tone growing urgent, "What do you mean by not speaking? What¡¯s the situation? Hurry up and tell me before I get anxious!"

    Chi Yuhang pressed his lips together and exined, "We think we saw her, but we¡¯re not quite sure, because when we chased after her across the barrier, the person was already gone."

    "Moreover, although the person looked a lot like Professor Qiao, she was wearing men¡¯s clothing..."

    Zhan Nanjing chimed in, "My sister-inw has disguised herself as a man before, I¡¯ve seen it, that person really looked like her!"

    Su Manhan finally understood.

    She hesitated for a moment but still voiced her thoughts, "Then why not send people to search for her? Even if we¡¯re not sure, what if it is her? Even a small possibility offers a glimmer of hope."

    Chi Yuhang shook his head, saying, "Actually, thinking about it, I think we probably made a mistake, because there was a girl next to that person, and they seemed very close, probably in a rtionship, so... it doesn¡¯t make sense for her to be Professor Qiao."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Nanjing earnestly recalled the scene, and then, frowning, said, "Now that you mention it, it¡¯s true. I remember the girl had her arm linked with the person¡¯s and was leaning on them, really like a couple in love."

    As they finished their sentences, the three of them fell silent, disappointment uniformly spread across their faces, and the mood turned somber.

    Not far from a corner, Zhan Yuanshan, sitting in a wheelchair, heard every word of their conversation.

    He huffed softly, determined that even if no one believed, he would have people continue the investigation.

    Because he was absolutely certain, the one who saved him that day was Jing Girl!

    Jing Girl must have returned, and she is in the capital!

    ...

    A dayter, in the afternoon.

    Qiao Jing was watching the news in the living room when Zhan Qiaomo suddenly toddled over to her, blinking his bright eyes at her.

    Seeing the little guy like this, Qiao Jing immediately knew he wanted to say something.

    She picked him up, ced him on the sofa next to her, and then asked, "What¡¯s up?"

    Zhan Qiaomo tilted his little face, shed a sweet smile, and started to act cute as he hugged Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, "Aunt Jing, I want to eat the food you cook again, can I?"

 Chapter 921: 909: Xiao Jing, Is That You Back?

    <strong>Chapter 921: Chapter 909: Xiao Jing, Is That You Back?</strong>

    Qiao Jing noticed that this little guy has be increasingly affectionatetely.

    However, every time the little guy acts coy with her, she feels a warmth in her heart, making her want to give this child even more love.

    She raised her hand to pat the little guy¡¯s head and gently said, ¡°Of course, tell Aunt Jing what you like to eat, and Aunt Jing will make it for you tonight.¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo replied without hesitation, ¡°As long as Aunt Jing makes it, I love it!¡±

    He felt that Aunt Jing¡¯s cooking skills were so good that no matter what she made, it would surely be delicious, so anything was fine!

    Qiao Jing curled her lips into a smile and said, ¡°Alright, Aunt Jing will definitely make it delicious and won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Since cooking was in order, the first step was to prepare the necessary ingredients.

    Qiao Jing checked the kitchen and found that the fridge was running low on supplies, requiring a trip out.

    Because she would be carrying thingster, taking the little guy along would be inconvenient, so Qiao Jing headed out to the supermarket alone.

    At the supermarket, Qiao Jing quickly selected the ingredients she needed.

    As she was about to check out, she noticed a young woman trying to reach a seasoning packet on the shelf but couldn¡¯t because she wasn¡¯t tall enough, even on tiptoe.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate at all and walked over to reach for the seasoning packet.

    Her height made it easy to grab.

    After taking the seasoning packet, she casually handed it to the young woman who couldn¡¯t reach it, ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡±

    As soon as she said this, Qiao Jing realized the person was an acquaintance.

    If she remembered correctly, it should be Lin Xiuxiang.

    Lin Xiuxiang looked up, recognized the person standing in front of her, and showed a bit of surprise, ¡°Third Miss Qiao? What a coincidence! I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here.¡±

    ¡°This supermarket is rtively close to where I live, so Ie here to buy things asionally.¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Jing shifted her tone, ¡°By the way, you can just call me by my name, or Xiao Jing is fine too.¡±

    Thest time they had dinner together, Qiao Jing found Lin Xiuxiang quite warm and friendly.

    Even though they didn¡¯t talk much, there was a strange sense of familiarity at first sight!

    ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Xiuxiang agreed readily, smiling happily, ¡°Then you can call me Xiuxiang directly.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and then raised the seasoning packet in her hand, ¡°So this¡­¡±

    ¡°Look at me, I was so busy talking that I forgot about this thing.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang smiled embarrassedly, took the seasoning packet, and put it in her shopping basket.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t forget to thank her, ¡°I¡¯m short, couldn¡¯t reach it, fortunately you helped me take it down, thank you.¡±

    ¡°It was just a small gesture, no need to be so polite.¡±

    Qiao Jing responded and then said, ¡°I¡¯m going to check out now, are you ready?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang looked at her own shopping basket, confirmed it, and then nodded, ¡°I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    So the two chatted casually as they walked to the cashier.

    During this time, Lin Xiuxiang nced at the ingredients in Qiao Jing¡¯s shopping basket and curiously asked, ¡°I see you bought ribs too, are you making braised ribs?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I n to make braised ribs, sweet and sour carp, Kung Pao chicken, sauce-scented tofu, and chicken soup.¡±

    Seeing that Lin Xiuxiang seemed quite interested, Qiao Jing listed the dishes she intended to prepare.

    Lin Xiuxiang was quite surprised after hearing, ¡°This is such a coincidence, I¡¯m making almost the same things, just missing the Kung Pao chicken and chicken soup, it seems we have simr tastes.¡±

    When she spoke, Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t help the urge to take a closer look at the person walking beside her.

    For a moment, it was as if she saw a glimpse of Qiao Jing in her.

    Because before, Qiao Jing often made these dishes¡­

    After checking out, Qiao Jing and Lin Xiuxiang each carried a bag of groceries out of the supermarket.

    Just as they walked out the door, Lin Xiuxiang identally stepped on a small stone and twisted her ankle.

    Luckily, Qiao Jing, who was next to her, reacted quickly and caught her, preventing her from falling.

    After Lin Xiuxiang steadied herself, she ignored the slight pain in her ankle and patted her chest, still in shock, ¡°That was close, that was close¡­¡±

    Now that she was pregnant, if she fell, the consequences could be unimaginable!

    Qiao Jing¡¯s hand supporting Lin Xiuxiang did not loosen as she caringly asked, ¡°How are you feeling? Are you alright?¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang took a moment, then tried to step, and found that although her twisted ankle hurt a bit, walking wasn¡¯t a problem.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, I can still walk.¡±

    With that, she turned her head, gratefully looking at Qiao Jing, ¡°You helped me again, if you hadn¡¯t caught me just now, I might have fallen.¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing also remembered that Lin Xiuxiang was pregnant.

    Letting a pregnant woman with a twisted ankle go home alone made her uneasy.

    With this in mind, Qiao Jing said, ¡°Where are you headed? I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang immediately waved her hands, ¡°No need, no need, it¡¯s too much trouble for you, I can walk myself.¡±

    In such a short time, she already troubled someone twice, and asking for more help made her feel guilty.

    ¡°I don¡¯t find it troublesome.¡± Qiao Jing said firmly, ¡°In your current state, I can¡¯t rest easy letting you walk by yourself, let me take you, don¡¯t refuse.¡±

    With the conversation at this point, Lin Xiuxiang couldn¡¯t refuse anymore, or it would seem like she didn¡¯t regard the other as a friend.

    She nodded and directly gave the address she needed to go to.

    When Qiao Jing finally brought Lin Xiuxiang to her destination, she realized the ce was called Angel Welfare Institute.

    Before Qiao Jing could ask anything, Lin Xiuxiang exined on her own, ¡°I grew up here, so today I thought I¡¯de to visit the kids since I had some free time, cook for them, and spend some time with them.¡±

    As they spoke, the two walked into the welfare institute.

    This ce, like Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute and Nantai Apartment, gave Qiao Jing a strange sense of familiarity.

    She always felt as if she had been here before¡­

    Just as Qiao Jing was slightly dazed by the surroundings, a somewhat aged voice suddenly came from behind.

    ¡°Xiao Jing! Xiao Jing! Is that you? Have you returned!¡±

    Hearing the voice, Qiao Jing came back to her senses and instinctively turned back, only to see an elderly gentleman who had spoken.

    Upon seeing her, the joy on the elderly man¡¯s face was quickly reced by disappointment, and he muttered to himself, ¡°So it wasn¡¯t Xiao Jing, this silhouette just looked so much like her¡­¡±

    After muttering to himself a few times, the elderly man apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I mistook you for someone else.¡±

    Qiao Jing tugged at her lips, smiling faintly, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    After the elderly man walked away disappointed, Lin Xiuxiang exined, ¡°This is the old director of the welfare institute, he¡¯s old, his vision isn¡¯t great, he mistook you for Qiao Jing upon seeing your silhouette.¡±

 Chapter 922: 910: Zhan Qipei Lets Qiao Jing Get In the Car

    <strong>Chapter 922: Chapter 910: Zhan Qipei Lets Qiao Jing Get In the Car</strong>

    After a moment of silence, Qiao Jing looked up at Lin Xiuxiang and asked, ¡°Can you tell me about Qiao Jing?¡±

    Hearing this, Lin Xiuxiang was stunned for a moment, wondering, ¡°Why did you suddenly want to ask about her?¡±

    Qiao Jing pondered for a few seconds and replied with a slight pursing of her lips, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit curious, because not only does her name sound like mine, but people often mistake me for her.¡±

    ¡°Besides, she¡¯s President Zhan¡¯s wife, and seeing how deeply President Zhan loves his wife, it makes one curious about what kind of person she is.¡±

    When Lin Xiuxiang mentioned Qiao Jing, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sad.

    The time she spent with Qiao Jing shed through her mind like a movie rewind, scene after scene.

    She recalled Qiao Jing¡¯s radiant face, her calm demeanor, and her reassuring smile¡­

    After a while, Lin Xiuxiang slowly began to speak, ¡°Qiao Jing is a very remarkable person. No matter what trouble she encounters, she always manages to resolve it effortlessly. She is someone people admire and trust.¡±

    ¡°But all this mour is only one side of her. In my view, she is just like us, an ordinary girl who needs care and love.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang talked quite a bit about Qiao Jing, including her connection with the Angel Welfare Institute and how the two of them met.

    Unbeknownst to them, the sky gradually darkened.

    Eventually, Lin Xiuxiang looked up and realized it was already dark, and she quickly stopped talking.

    She said awkwardly, ¡°Look at me, I¡¯ve been talking without checking the time. It¡¯s alreadyte. How about we continue next time? Otherwise, if you return homete, your family might worry.¡±

    Qiao Jing nced at the watch on her wrist and realized it was indeedte.

    She still needed to prepare dinner for the little one. If she got back toote, the little one would be anxiously waiting.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing said goodbye to Lin Xiuxiang, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave first. I enjoyed our chat today, looking forward to our next meeting.¡±

    Lin Xiuxiang nodded and smiled, ¡°I enjoyed it too. You feel like a friend I¡¯ve known for many years.¡±

    Hearing Lin Xiuxiang say this, Qiao Jing was quite surprised.

    So, it wasn¡¯t just her feeling this instant familiarity!

    After chatting a bit more with Lin Xiuxiang, Qiao Jing left.

    She hadn¡¯t walked far from the welfare institute when she stopped and looked back at its entrance.

    Strangely, she felt an inexplicable attachment to this ce¡­

    At this moment, a ck Maybach was parked on the opposite side of the road.

    In the driver¡¯s seat, Zhan Qipei was looking outside the car, his gaze also fixed on the entrance of the welfare institute.

    Whenever he thought of Qiao Jing, he woulde to ces rted to her, recalling the times he spent with her.

    After looking at the entrance for a while, Zhan Qipei¡¯s peripheral vision inadvertently caught a familiar figure.

    For just a moment, he almost thought he saw his Qiao Jing.

    But when he looked closely, he realized that the figure was actually the Third Miss of the Qiao Family.

    Even though he knew it was the Third Miss, Zhan Qipei¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but linger on her for a while¡­

    As Qiao Jing turned her eyes away from the entrance and was about to leave, it suddenly started raining heavily.

    The rain came without warning, and Qiao Jing quickly ran to a sheltered spot.

    Although she quickly reached the other side of the street under the eaves, her clothes inevitably got a bit wet.

    She brushed the rainwater off her clothes while looking around, intending to hail a taxi.

    But whether it was the time, the rain, or simply theck of taxis in this area,

    after waiting for a long time, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t see a single taxi pass by.

    Just as she was feeling frustrated, a ck Maybach drove up and stopped in front of her.

    Qiao Jing looked up and saw the window of the driver¡¯s seat slowly descending, revealing a familiar and handsome face.

    President Zhan?

    How could it be such a coincidence? She seemed to have run into him several times already!

    As Qiao Jing was feeling surprised, Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep voice suddenly came, ¡°Hop in. You probably won¡¯t find a taxi here; I¡¯ll take you.¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment, her mind racing.

    To avoid him misunderstanding that she was trying to climb up socially, she actually intended to keep her distance from him.

    But considering her health was not great, particrly since she didn¡¯t take good post-natal care, she had to be cautious.

    With her current physical condition, if she caught a cold from the rain, her constitution would likely worsen, and the aftereffects would increase¡­

    Seeing her silent, Zhan Qipei furrowed his brow and urged, ¡°What are you standing there for? Get in the car.¡±

    Thinking about it, weighing the pros and cons, Qiao Jing finally nodded, opened the back door of the car, and got inside.

    Zhan Qipei noticed the raindrops clinging to her hair and face and handed her a towel, ¡°It¡¯s clean, wipe it off.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After thanking him, Qiao Jing took the towel and quickly wiped her hair and face.

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze, turned to look ahead, restarted the car, and lightly uttered, ¡°Address.¡±

    Qiao Jing paused in her movement to wipe her face and immediately gave the small vi¡¯s location.

    Soon, the car started moving.

    After drying off, Qiao Jing nned to put away the towel but nced down and saw the fake skin from her face stuck to the towel.

    It must have been because of the rain and wiping that it came off!

    Qiao Jing was momentarily stunned, then quicklyposed herself, hurriedly put the fake skin into her pocket for concealment, and wrapped the towel around her face, sealing it tightly, revealing only her eyes.

    At this moment, the car suddenly stopped.

    Qiao Jing looked up in confusion, realizing they had hit a red light.

    Zhan Qipei stepped on the brake, then instinctively nced at the rear seat through the rearview mirror.

    Seeing the woman in the back seat with her face wrapped in a towel, Zhan Qipei was momentarily bewildered.

    But the next second, his gaze was drawn to the pair of eyes that were exposed from the towel.

    These eyes, this gaze, really seemed¡­

    Seemed like Qiao Jing!

    Feeling the man¡¯s gaze through the rearview mirror, Qiao Jing hurriedly tightened the towel around her face, covering it even more securely.

    She wasn¡¯t worried about him having ill intentions like that guy Jiang Zihong, but rather that her deliberate ugliness might be seen as deception.

    At present, the Qiao Family and Zhan¡¯s are closely coborating, and she doesn¡¯t want to cause suspicion that might jeopardize the cooperation.

    Zhan Qipei snapped out of his daze and couldn¡¯t help but ask with suspicion, ¡°Why are you covering your face with a towel?¡±

    The man¡¯s deep ck eyes held an examining look, giving off a feeling of sharpness.

 Chapter 923 - 911: How Did His Son Show Up Here?

    <h4>Chapter 923: Chapter 911: How Did His Son Show Up Here?</h4>

    Under the gaze of Zhan Qipei, Qiao Jing inexplicably felt a moment of panic.

    But in an instant, she regained herposure and slowly offered an impromptu reason.

    "I just got caught in the rain and felt like sneezing, maybe I caught a cold, and it wouldn¡¯t be good if I passed it to you, so I used a towel to cover up."

    That seemed reasonable, and Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t have much suspicion.

    Just then the red light turned green, he turned back and stepped on the elerator again.

    The rest of the journey was silent inside the car, neither of them spoke again.

    At this moment, inside the small vi, Zhan Qiaomo was standing at the floor-to-ceiling window of the second-floor room, anxiously looking outside.

    It was raining and thundering outside, why hasn¡¯t Aunt Jinge back yet?

    After a while, the little guy couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, so he turned and ran downstairs to wait at the door.

    As soon as he stepped out of the vi, he saw a ck Maybach driving through the rain.

    Zhan Qiaomo had sharp eyes and immediately recognized it as his daddy¡¯s car.

    Without thinking much, he quickly hid behind a nearby column.

    The car stopped at the vi¡¯s entrance, Zhan Qipei braked to a halt, and his gaze went through the windshield toward the column.

    Strange, he thought he just saw his son...

    A secondter, Zhan Qipei shook his head, thinking he must have been mistaken.

    After all, how could his son possibly be here?

    Perhaps it was the heavy rain and dark surroundings that caused his eyes to y tricks!

    "I¡¯ll take my leave then, thank you for bringing me back."

    After thanking him, Qiao Jing opened the car door and got out, heading straight toward the column where Zhan Qiaomo was hiding.

    She had spotted the little guy earlier.

    As she got closer, Qiao Jing bent down slightly, looking at the crouched Zhan Qiaomo behind the column, and softly asked, "Why did youe out here by yourself?"

    Zhan Qiaomo didn¡¯t answer immediately but peeked out to see that his daddy had already driven away, then sighed in relief.

    With the tension gone, a smile appeared on his small face, and he grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, cheerfully saying, "Because I was waiting for you."

    Hearing the little guy¡¯s words, Qiao Jing¡¯s heart instantly warmed.

    She understood that the little guy was worried because she hadn¡¯t returnedte and it was raining heavily outside.

    Then, Zhan Qiaomo tilted his head, staring at Qiao Jing¡¯s face and asked curiously, "Aunt Jing, why are you wrapped in a towel?"

    Qiao Jing instinctively touched the towel on her face and repeated the reason from earlier, "Aunt Jing got caught in the rain and felt like sneezing, so she used a towel to cover up."

    Children have a strong sense of curiosity; if the little guy knew she was disguising herself, he would definitely ask why, which would be quite troublesome andplicated to exin.

    So, it¡¯s best to leave it at that for now...

    "Come on, let¡¯s go back inside."

    After saying this, Qiao Jing took the little guy¡¯s hand and entered the vi.

    Once inside, Qiao Jing changed her clothes and then headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    While she was busy, Zhan Qiaomo ran to his room to video call his two brothers.

    As soon as the video connected, Zhan Qiaomo patted his chest in front of the watch screen, whispering, "That was close, I almost got caught by daddy just now!!"

    On the other side of the screen, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze listened to their brother¡¯s words, their small faces showing astonishment.

    After the shock, both of them asked in unison, "What happened? Why were you almost discovered by daddy?"

    "Don¡¯t worry, listen to me slowly."

    Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s little face grew more serious as he recounted, "Here¡¯s what happened, Aunt Jing went shopping at the supermarket, and I waited for a long time without seeing here back. It was raining outside, so I was worried and went to the door to wait for her."

    "As a result, just as I stepped out, I saw daddy¡¯s caring up. Luckily, I quickly hid behind the column, otherwise, I would have been caught on the spot!"

    After hearing his brother¡¯s ount, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze exchanged a look, both catching onto another key point.

    Zhan Qiaoyu immediately asked, "So you¡¯re saying daddy was the one who brought Aunt Jing home?"

    "Yeah." Zhan Qiaomo nodded his small head.

    Zhan Qiaoze furrowed his little brows and also asked, "So daddy just brought Aunt Jing back, without any other reaction?"

    Zhan Qiaomo quickly caught on, understanding what his two brothers meant.

    If Aunt Jing was their mommy, daddy would surely recognize her when he saw her.

    On the other hand, if daddy didn¡¯t react upon seeing Aunt Jing, it would mean that Aunt Jing wasn¡¯t their mommy.

    Of course, there¡¯s also the possibility that Aunt Jing might have had cosmetic surgery or something simr.

    For the time being, there was no way to arrive at a conclusion about these theories.

    Zhan Qiaomo suddenly remembered something and said to his two brothers, "Earlier, Aunt Jing got caught in the rain. She said she felt like sneezing, so she covered her face with a towel. So... I think daddy didn¡¯t see what Aunt Jing looked like."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze both breathed a sigh of relief.

    If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s still a chance Aunt Jing could be their mommy!

    With the "crisis" averted, the three little ones exchanged their own little pieces of intelligence.

    Before ending the call, Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s eyes rolled, and he suggested, "By the way, our little aunt is taking us to the mall to buy clothes the day after tomorrow. Mo Bao, you should ask Aunt Jing to take you too, so we can meet up."

    The thought of wearing clothes personally chosen by Aunt Jing made Zhan Qiaomo immediately agree without hesitation.

    At dinner, he brought up the topic at the table.

    Although Qiao Jing was curious as to why the little guy suddenly wanted to go shopping for clothes, she didn¡¯t ask much and readily agreed.

    ...

    One dayter.

    When Qiao Jing was about to take Zhan Qiaomo out, Zhan Qiaomo wore a mask, covering his handsome little face tightly, leaving only a pair ofrge, round eyes visible.

    Seeing him like this, Qiao Jing asked with some suspicion, "Why are you wearing a mask?"

    Zhan Qiaomo blinked his eyes and replied earnestly, "Because it looks cooler!"

    With that, he struck a very cool pose.

    Qiao Jing was amused by the little guy¡¯s antics, so she didn¡¯t think much of it and cooperated with a smile, "It does look pretty cool."

    Zhan Qiaomo smiled brightly, secretly thinking that he didn¡¯t really care about looking cool.

    In reality, the mask was something he had discussed with his two brothers.

    If they didn¡¯t cover their faces, the moment the three of them met, Aunt Jing and their little aunt might easily notice something was up!

    Soon, Qiao Jing took Zhan Qiaomo to thergest shopping mall in the city center.

    The two of them strolled around for a while before entering a children¡¯s clothing store.

    Holding the little guy¡¯s hand, guiding him to pick out clothes, the scene gave Qiao Jing a very warm feeling.

    "This hoodie set looks nice. What do you think? Want to try it on?"

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing took down the clothes, held them against the little guy, and imagined what he would look like wearing them.

 Chapter 924: 912: Qiao Jing Rarely Loses Her Temper

    <strong>Chapter 924: Chapter 912: Qiao Jing Rarely Loses Her Temper</strong>

    ¡°I want it, I want it!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded eagerly like a little chick, ¡°I want to try it; I think it looks great!¡±

    Anyway, as long as it was chosen by Aunt Jing, he liked it!

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s impatient look, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but smile, finding him particrly adorable.

    She crouched down to meet Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s gaze, ¡°Let Aunt Jing help you try it on, alright?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s voice was brimming with excitement.

    The little guy was quite independent; he usually dressed himself.

    However, Qiao Jing had helped him get dressed several times while bathing him before, so now she was quite skilled at helping him try on clothes.

    Zhan Qiaomo blinked his eyes, his mouth forming a high arc under the mask, smiling very happily.

    He used to feel envious when he saw other kids being taken to buy clothes by their mom, having their mom to help try them on.

    But now, he didn¡¯t need to envy others anymore because he too experienced this happiness!

    After helping the little guy put on the new clothes, Qiao Jing felt they suited him very well, making him look even more adorable and handsome.

    She led the little guy to the mirror, smiling, ¡°Come on, little handsome guy, see if you like it.¡±

    ¡°I like it! I love it so much!¡± Zhan Qiaomo answered without hesitation, clearly very satisfied with the clothes.

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll buy this one.¡±

    Across from the children¡¯s clothing store was a toy store.

    At this moment, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze were standing at the entrance of the toy store.

    The two little guys took in the heartwarming scene from the children¡¯s clothing store.

    They were incredibly envious of the treatment Zhan Qiaomo was receiving, wishing they could swap ces with him right away!

    While the two little guys were watching eagerly, more people entered the children¡¯s clothing store.

    It was Yang Xiaoxiao and her cousin, Li Yanyun.

    Li Yanyun nned to buy clothes for her son, so she asked Yang Xiaoxiao toe along and help choose.

    As they passed by this children¡¯s clothing store, Yang Xiaoxiao spotted Qiao Lao San, who had repeatedly embarrassed her.

    Recalling past events, Yang Xiaoxiao decided to vent her anger and stormed into the store with her cousin.

    Upon entering, Yang Xiaoxiao headed straight for Qiao Jing and Zhan Qiaomo, pointed at the clothes Zhan Qiaomo was wearing, and said arrogantly, ¡°I want these clothes, take them off now!¡±

    Seeing Yang Xiaoxiao, Qiao Jing¡¯s face had already darkened.

    Hearing this, her eyes grew colder, and she spoke with no expression, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, you really have no shame. You snatched the dressst time, and now you want to snatch children¡¯s clothes. Can¡¯t you live without taking other people¡¯s things?¡±

    ¡°Forgot how you were kicked out of the storest time? Seems like you¡¯re not only shameless but also brainless!¡±

    Mentioning thest incident, Yang Xiaoxiao was fuming with rage.

    She sneered, gritting her teeth, ¡°You were luckyst time, having Ni Yue Pavilion¡¯s chief designer help you. But do you think you¡¯ll always be that lucky? I¡¯d like to see if anyonees to help you this time!¡±

    Saying so, Yang Xiaoxiao took out a VIP shopping card from her bag and deliberately waved it in Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Wipe your eyes and take a good look, I¡¯m a VIP of this mall!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m going to snatch those clothes from you today and settle scores from Ni Yue Pavilion!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Yang Xiaoxiao with cold eyes, finding her shameless to the point of being detestable.

    Li Yanyun, standing nearby, naturally noticed the strife between the two.

    She pulled her cousin aside, asking, ¡°Xiaoxiao, what¡¯s going on? Why is this person bothering you?¡±

    As soon as Li Yanyun asked, Yang Xiaoxiao angrily recounted the incidents.

    ¡°She¡¯s troubled me plenty, just take the Ni Yue Pavilion incident, I saw a dress first, but she insisted she saw it first, talking about proper order. I¡¯m a VIP at Ni Yue Pavilion, how can VIPs and regr customers be the same?¡±

    ¡°I shed my VIP card, and the manager was about to pack the dress for me, but this woman somehow connected with the chief designer of Ni Yue Pavilion, who backed her, took the dress away, and had me kicked out of the store. Absolutely infuriating!¡±

    As Yang Xiaoxiao recounted, distorting the facts and ying the victim, anyone unaware would think she was the one wronged.

    Upon hearing, Li Yanyun immediately got indignant for her cousin.

    ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! Such bullying! She dares call you shameless? I think she¡¯s the most shameless one!¡±

    After a few curses, Li Yanyun took out a card from her bag, handed it to Yang Xiaoxiao, and said proudly, ¡°Here Xiao, use this card, it¡¯s your cousin-inw¡¯s internal membership card, even better than your VIP card.¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao looked at it, indeed seeing her cousin-inw¡¯s name on the membership card, with the prefix indicating a deputy general manager¡¯s title!

    Her eyes lit up, delighted, ¡°Has my cousin-inw been promoted?!¡±

    Li Yanyun lifted her chin, full of pride, ¡°Yes, your brother-inw was promoted from supervisor to deputy general manager.¡±

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes, not wanting to listen to them bragging any longer, intending to walk away holding Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s hand.

    Seeing this, Yang Xiaoxiao insistently blocked their path, smugly saying, ¡°Qiao Lao San, did you hear? My cousin-inw is the deputy general manager of this mall!¡±

    ¡°Do you know what being a deputy general manager means?¡±

    ¡°It means you definitely can¡¯t win against me today!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao answered herself, her tone unbearably arrogant.

    Seeing someone bullying his Aunt Jing like this, Zhan Qiaomo clenched his small fists in anger.

    He badly wanted to give this person a good beating for making his Aunt Jing feel wronged!

    This mall is an asset under the Zhan Corporation; if he stands up, he can ensure the person won¡¯t have a good oue in no time!

    However, if he stands up now, his identity will be exposed¡­

    This left Zhan Qiaomo conflicted.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze were also furious, standing at the entrance of the toy store.

    Everything happening inside the children¡¯s clothing store was clearly visible to them.

    Both of them wanted to rush over to stand up for their Aunt Jing but shared the same concerns as their brother Zhan Qiaomo.

    Zhan Qiaoze furrowed his little brows, turning to ask Zhan Qiaoyu, ¡°Big brother, what do we do now? Aunt Jing is being bullied, it¡¯s so infuriating!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu puffed up his little cheeks, angrily saying, ¡°I¡¯m angry too, but the problem now is, if we step in, we¡¯ll expose our identities. If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll have to watch Aunt Jing get bullied. It¡¯s really hard to choose¡­¡±

 Chapter 925: 913: Failing to Recognize a Great Person

    <strong>Chapter 925: Chapter 913: Failing to Recognize a Great Person</strong>

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze were talking when Zhan Nanjing, who was waiting for them in the toy store, came out.

    She looked at them with suspicion, ¡°Yubao, Zebao, what are you two little guys doing standing at the door? What are you whispering about? I¡¯ve been calling you guys for a while, didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±

    Seeing their aunty, the two little guys exchanged nces and an idea popped into their minds.

    Zhan Qiaoyu immediately pointed at the children¡¯s clothing store opposite and said indignantly, ¡°Aunty, look over there, thatdy is being bullied, and the two people bullying her are so wicked, even a kid like me can¡¯t stand it!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze nodded repeatedly, agreeing, ¡°Exactly, I can¡¯t stand it either! Those two are just too much and annoying!¡±

    Seeing the two little guys so indignant, Zhan Nanjing was quite curious about what happened.

    She looked in the direction Zhan Qiaoyu was pointing and immediately recognized the two people in the children¡¯s clothing store.

    Third Miss Qiao? Yang Xiaoxiao?

    With the characters of these two, she didn¡¯t even need to think; she knew the bully must be Yang Xiaoxiao!

    Thinking about how Third Miss Qiao helped when her eldest brother had a stomach issue, getting him to the hospital in time for surgery, and how she quite admired this Third Miss Qiao, Zhan Nanjing decided to help.

    After making up her mind, Zhan Nanjing strode confidently towards the children¡¯s clothing store.

    At this time, Yang Xiaoxiao was still blocking Qiao Jing, more arrogant than ever.

    She was swaggering, her tone outrageously arrogant, ¡°Qiao Lao San, looking at you, you really want this outfit, right? If you do, I can be generous.¡±

    ¡°As long as you p yourself hard a few times, loudly call yourself a lowly person, and make me happy watching and hearing it, I¡¯ll give you this outfit for free, how¡¯s that?¡±

    Hearing these utterly humiliating words, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression turnedpletely dark, her gaze on Yang Xiaoxiao as cold as a de.

    Her lips parted slightly, and she said coldly, word by word, ¡°p myself, is it? I wouldn¡¯t mind giving you a few ps instead!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao was so intimidated by her icy, piercing gaze that she stiffened, feeling an inexplicable chill down her spine, sending shivers through her.

    Though Qiao Jing¡¯s face remained expressionless, her heart was surging with waves of emotions, feeling a bit powerless now.

    If she were buying clothes for herself, it wouldn¡¯t matter if Yang Xiaoxiao wanted to snatch them. It didn¡¯t matter whether she bought them, but this outfit was something a little guy liked a lot, and he was already wearing it. If it were forcibly taken away, the little guy would be heartbroken.

    If only she were a bit more capable, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing resolved to master her medical skills to be more capable, preventing such ¡°monsters¡± from dancing in front of her again.

    Yang Xiaoxiao snapped back to reality, annoyed and ashamed that she had been intimidated by a mere gaze.

    She red at Qiao Jing with hatred and gritted her teeth, ¡°Alright, since you don¡¯t want to do what I said, then forget about having this outfit!¡±

    With that, Yang Xiaoxiao reached out aggressively to strip the clothes off Zhan Qiaomo.

    Seeing Yang Xiaoxiao about toy hands on the little guy, Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply, and she forcefully pushed Yang Xiaoxiao away before she could touch the little guy.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s shove was strong, sending Yang Xiaoxiao sprawling on the ground, limbs syed out.

    ¡°Ouch¡ª¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao screamed in pain,pletely unaware of how inelegant her pose was, nor did she notice her short skirt had flipped up, revealing indescribable undergarments.

    Since she had been loudly boasting earlier, a crowd had been attracted.

    Now, after her fall, the onlookers began to discuss.

    ¡°I have to say, she deserved it! There are so many clothes in the store, and it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t any of the same style, yet she insists on snatching from a child, it¡¯s outrageous!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, her character is really poor, bullying others while being so proud, she should fall a few more times to relieve some anger!¡±

    ¡°People like her need to be taught a lesson, so they won¡¯t dare to be so arrogant in the future!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Among the crowd¡¯s condemnations were a few sleazy men gawking at the view exposed by Yang Xiaoxiao.

    ¡°Wow! Didn¡¯t expect to see such a spicy scene while just out shopping!¡±

    ¡°Is this woman spreading her legs like that on purpose to show it off to everyone?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, otherwise, why isn¡¯t she covering up and still shouting so loudly, clearly trying to attract more people to admire!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this chatter, Yang Xiaoxiao suddenly realized she had exposed herself!

    Feeling neither pain nor embarrassment now, she quickly adjusted her skirt to cover the shameful view, climbing up from the ground.

    Li Yanyun only snapped back to reality then, hurriedly approaching to ask, ¡°Xiaoxiao, are you okay? Are you alright?¡±

    Having made such a fool of herself, Yang Xiaoxiao was in no mood to answer such questions.

    With a face full of resentment, she red at Qiao Jing, furious, ¡°Qiao Lao San, daring toy hands on our turf, I think you¡¯re looking for death!¡±

    Just as Yang Xiaoxiao finished speaking, a displeased voice suddenly came through.

    ¡°The one looking for death is you! Your turf? Who do you think you are to im this as your turf!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head and saw Zhan Nanjing walking through the crowd.

    Zhan Qiaomo saw his aunty and was instantly overjoyed. He knew his aunty was surely here to uphold justice and stand up for the wronged.

    However, amidst his joy, he didn¡¯t forget to pull up his mask, covering his little face more securely to avoid being recognized by his aunty.

    Li Yanyun, having never seen Zhan Nanjing before and unaware of her identity, snorted coldly at Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words, retorting arrogantly, ¡°And just who do you think you are, to speak to us with such arrogance? Let me tell you, my husband is the deputy general manager of this mall!¡±

    ¡°If you dare to meddle here, say even one more word, do you believe I¡¯ll have someone throw you out!¡±

    Beside her, Yang Xiaoxiao was desperately tugging at Li Yanyun¡¯s sleeve, trying to stop her from speaking harshly to Zhan Nanjing, but Li Yanyun continued,pletely ignoring Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s warnings.

    By the time Li Yanyun finished speaking, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face had turned alternating shades of blue and white, looking extremely unpleasant, and she was filled with dread.

    If they angered the eldest miss of the Zhan Family, they would never have good days ahead!

    With her face turning contrasting colors, Yang Xiaoxiao forced herself to walk up to Zhan Nanjing, trying hard to smile as she spoke, ¡°Miss Zhan, please don¡¯t be upset. My cousin didn¡¯t recognize you and spoke rudely. I will make her apologize to you right away.¡±

 Chapter 926 - 914: Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing Have an Enjoyable Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 926: Chapter 914: Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanqing Have an Enjoyable Conversation</h4>

    Following that, Yang Xiaoxiao hurriedly pulled over her cousin Li Yanyun and said urgently, "Cousin, this is the eldest daughter of the Zhan Corporation. What you said just now was really inappropriate. Hurry up and apologize to Miss Zhan!"

    "The eldest daughter of the Zhan Corporation?!"

    Li Yanyun was stunned when she heard this identity.

    Although she had never met the eldest daughter of the Zhan Corporation, she had heard of the name Zhan Nanjing.

    The woman she had just confronted with anger turned out to be Zhan Nanjing!

    It¡¯s important to know that this mall is a property under the Zhan Corporation. Her husband, although pretty impressive as a deputy general manager in front of ordinary people, would be just an employee in front of Zhan Nanjing!

    If Zhan Nanjing got angry and directly told her husband to pack up and leave...

    Thinking of this consequence, Li Yanyun¡¯s face changed instantly, even looking worse than Yang Xiaoxiao.

    She hurriedly nodded and bowed to Zhan Nanjing, apologizing in a low voice, "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Zhan, I¡¯m really sorry, it¡¯s my fault for not recognizing you. Please, don¡¯t hold it against me. Please calm down..."

    Seeing the quick change of expression on Yang Xiaoxiao and Li Yanyun, Zhan Nanjing showed obvious disgust on her face.

    She ignored the two of them and directly walked over to Qiao Jing.

    When facing Qiao Jing, Zhan Nanjing changed her previous attitude and started chatting warmly with a smile.

    "I didn¡¯t expect you to actually remember my WeChat ID. I was shocked when you added me, you know? I¡¯ve been using that WeChat ID for years, and I still haven¡¯t memorized it."

    Qiao Jing was slightly taken aback, obviously not expecting Zhan Nanjing to suddenly bring up this topic.

    She pulled the corner of her lips slightly and said with a faint smile, "I just have a good memory."

    Zhan Qiaomo, standing by, nodded his small head silently.

    A good memory...

    He and his two brothers also have excellent memories, so it¡¯s quite fitting!

    At this moment, Zhan Nanjing continued, "You are really polite. I said you didn¡¯t have to pay it back, but you still transferred the money. Actually, if it weren¡¯t for you being right therest time and taking my brother to the hospital in time, who knows what would have happened to him by now."

    Qiao Jing shook her head, "That¡¯s a separate matter. What¡¯s owed should be returned without mixing things up."

    Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s small eyebrows furrowed slightly, appearing thoughtful.

    Had Aunt Jing met with his daddy before?

    From what little aunt said, it likely referred to the time when his daddy¡¯s stomach illness acted up.

    That time his daddy seemed to have fainted, so he probably didn¡¯t see Aunt Jing¡¯s appearance, right?

    Or... did Aunt Jing really have stic surgery or something?

    Li Yanyun and Yang Xiaoxiao also felt more and more ill at ease as they listened.

    Especially Yang Xiaoxiao, who was inwardly fuming.

    She desperately wanted to curry favor with Zhan Nanjing but had made no progress despite all her efforts, and she didn¡¯t expect Qiao Lao San to get in ahead of her!

    Moreover, from what Zhan Nanjing said, it seemed like Qiao Lao San had connections with President Zhan of the Zhan Corporation!

    The more Yang Xiaoxiao thought about it, the more infuriated she became, her expression even twisted with anger.

    Could it be that Qiao Lao San, that ugly freak, was relying on her good figure to try to seduce President Zhan?

    Simply too audacious!

    Doesn¡¯t she even see how ugly her face is?!

    Zhan Nanjing spoke and then suddenly shifted her gaze to Zhan Qiaomo standing beside Qiao Jing.

    She had been so caught up in talking that she hadn¡¯t noticed this child¡¯s presence.

    The child¡¯s face was covered with a mask, obscuring his features, but on closer inspection, his build was quite simr to the three little ones in their family.

    If it weren¡¯t for Yubao and Zebao having said that Mo Bao was with his daddy, she¡¯d have thought it was their Mo Bao!

    Zhan Nanjing withdrew her gaze from the little one and looked again at Qiao Jing, curiously asking, "What¡¯s your rtion to this child?"

    Hearing his little aunt ask about him, Zhan Qiaomo felt a bit shy and lowered his head.

    Seeing this reaction from the little one, Qiao Jing was a bit puzzled.

    This kid isn¡¯t typically shy with strangers, so why is he acting bashful now?

    Although feeling puzzled, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t delve into it further and truthfully told Zhan Nanjing, "This child got lost and couldn¡¯t find his family. He clings to me a lot, and I really like him, so I¡¯ve kept him with me for now."

    "So that¡¯s the case!" Zhan Nanjing nodded with a clear understanding, then kindly suggested, "Why don¡¯t I help look for them?"

    Hearing this, a sh of delight crossed Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes.

    The Zhan family¡¯s influence is formidable, and with their help in the search, they would definitely find the child¡¯s family, and there might soon be a lead!

    With this thought, Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Nanjing and said seriously, "Although I don¡¯t want to trouble you, this child has been missing for some time. His family must be very anxious not being able to find him."

    "So, if possible, I hope you can help find him and reunite him with his family as soon as possible."

    "No trouble, it¡¯s a piece of cake!"

    Zhan Nanjing responded cheerfully, then raised her hand to ruffle Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s small head, asking, "What¡¯s this little guy¡¯s name?"

    Qiao Jing looked fondly at the little one, "His name is Qiaoyu."

    Qiaoyu?!

    Hearing this name, Zhan Nanjing was quite surprised.

    It turns out this kid not only has a simr build to their three little ones, but even his name is simr to Yubao!

    What a coincidence!

    Yang Xiaoxiao, watching from the side, felt more and more unwilling, and finally couldn¡¯t resist going over to try buttering up to Zhan Nanjing again.

    "Miss Zhan, speaking of which, it¡¯s really quite a coincidence meeting here. Doesn¡¯t this mean we¡¯re quite destined?"

    "Um, could I add you on WeChat? Maybe sometime we could go shopping together..."

    Yang Xiaoxiao said, taking out her phone.

    However, Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t even nce at her, instead sneeringly looking at Li Yanyun beside her and said, "Judging by your tone just now, being deputy general manager is quite something!"

    "But I¡¯ll tell you, this Third Miss Qiao is my friend. This time, in light of your husband serving the Zhan Corporation, having worked hard even if he hasn¡¯t made great achievements, I¡¯ll let this pass."

    "But if there¡¯s a next time, your husband needn¡¯t think about being deputy general manager anymore!"

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s threat, Li Yanyun turned pale with fright.

    If she caused her husband to be fired from the Zhan Corporation over such personal grudges, no otherpany would likely hire her husband.

    If that happened, their family would be without any ie...

    Thinking of this, Li Yanyun dared not stay any longer and quickly dragged her cousin Yang Xiaoxiao, scurrying away with tails between their legs.

    After the two left, Zhan Nanjing raised an eyebrow and said to Qiao Jing, "Alright, the annoying ones have left. You can continue happily picking out clothes."

    Qiao Jing gave a faint smile, "Miss Zhan, thank you for stepping in to help this time."

    Zhan Nanjing also smiled broadly, "No need to be so formal, we¡¯re friends, after all!"

 Chapter 927: 915: The Little Ones Are Swapping Places Again

    <strong>Chapter 927: Chapter 915: The Little Ones Are Swapping ces Again</strong>

    After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Zhan Nanjing, Qiao Jing took Zhan Qiaomo to the cash register to pay.

    Seeing the little guy really liked his new clothes, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t make him change out of them. After paying, he just left wearing them.

    Watching Qiao Jing leave the children¡¯s clothing store, hand in hand with Zhan Qiaomo, chatting andughing, and continuing to other ces, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze were full of envy and jealousy!

    The two little guys looked at their brother¡¯s new clothes, then simultaneously at the children¡¯s clothing store.

    Noticing that the store had simr clothes to the ones their brother was wearing, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze almost dashed out simultaneously.

    As they reached the store entrance, the two little guys realized they had the same intention and began to pull at each other.

    It was obvious that both brothers wanted to get the same outfit and pull a yful trick by secretly swapping Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s clothes.

    After a brief standoff, Zhan Qiaoyu spoke, ¡°If we keep this up, Aunt Jing and Mo Bao will go back, and then no one will have a chance.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze felt this made sense, blinked, and said, ¡°Then what should we do?¡±

    ¡°The usual rule, rock-paper-scissors to decide!¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qiaoyu first let go of Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s hand.

    Zhan Qiaoze also released his grip, while his mind started working creatively.

    He didn¡¯t really like using rock-paper-scissors, as he always lost, but since there was no better solution for now, he had to take a chance!

    Winning would obviously be best, but if he lost, he¡¯d just think of another idea¡­

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    The two little guys said in unison.

    As soon as the words were spoken, a delighted smile appeared on Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s face.

    He raised his small hand, patted his brother on the shoulder, ¡°Sorry, Zebao, my rock beat your scissors!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze wore a sullen little face and said pitifully, ¡°But you¡¯ve both gone with Mo Bao, and I haven¡¯t yet¡­¡±

    Every time he yed rock-paper-scissors, he lost; he really wasn¡¯t cut out for it!!

    ¡°A bet¡¯s a bet, so I¡¯ll go try the clothes first!¡±

    Before he finished speaking, Zhan Qiaoyu darted towards Zhan Nanjing.

    If it were anything else, as an elder brother, he would let his two younger brothers have their way, but not this time.

    Because he just wanted to be with Aunt Jing!

    Upon reaching Zhan Nanjing, Zhan Qiaoyu grabbed her hand, pointing eagerly at a set of clothes on the rack, ¡°Aunt, Aunt, I want that set of clothes!¡±

    Zhan Nanjing looked in the direction Zhan Qiaoyu pointed and found it was the same style the child beside Third Miss Qiao had worn earlier.

    She went over, took the clothes off the rack, held them up to Zhan Qiaoyu, and casually asked, ¡°You like this style too?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, yes, I love this set!¡±

    ¡°Aunt, I¡¯ll go try it on first!¡±

    Saying this, Zhan Qiaoyu took the set of clothes from Zhan Nanjing and ran into the fitting room on his short little legs.

    Seeing this, the nearby Zhan Qiaoze had a sudden idea. He ran over immediately, grabbed Zhan Nanjing¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°Aunt, Aunt, I want a set too!¡±

    Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t think much of it and took another set off the rack.

    Zhan Qiaoze blinked hisrge, sparkling eyes and said cutely, ¡°Aunt, can you help me cut off the tag, I want to wear it right away.¡±

    As an attentive aunt, Zhan Nanjing adored the three little guys and always granted their wishes.

    Hearing Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s request, she turned and paid for the two sets of clothes, then asked the store staff to cut off the tags.

    After the tags were cut, Zhan Nanjing handed the clothes to Zhan Qiaoze.

    Taking the clothes, Zhan Qiaoze ran outside, saying, ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry, just heading to the restroom, back soon!¡±

    Watching Zhan Qiaoze rush out, Zhan Nanjing found it curious.

    Was it really that urgent?

    This quirky Zebao, what was he up to now?

    Zhan Qiaoze really did go to the restroom after leaving the store.

    In the restroom, he changed into his new clothes and then sent a message to his younger brother Zhan Qiaomo with his smartwatch, arranging to meet there.

    After sending the message, Zhan Qiaoze didn¡¯t stay but left the restroom.

    A momentter, Zhan Qiaomo received the message and came to the restroom.

    However, he waited in the restroom for quite some time but didn¡¯t see Zhan Qiaoze.

    ¡°How strange, what¡¯s Second Brother up to? He said there¡¯s something important to discuss in person, but it¡¯s been so long, and he¡¯s still not here¡­¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo muttered in confusion before taking out his smartwatch to ask Zhan Qiaoze why he hadn¡¯t arrived yet.

    But after the message was sent, there was no reply.

    The more Zhan Qiaomo thought about it, the stranger it seemed, so he left the restroom intending to see what was going on.

    As soon as he stepped out, he noticed Aunt Jing, who was supposed to be waiting for him nearby, was walking away with another child.

    That child was wearing the exact same clothes as him!

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Qiaomo realized he had fallen into a trap.

    He stomped his foot in annoyance and immediately ran off to give chase.

    Meanwhile, Zhan Qiaoyu, who had finished changing, found that Zhan Qiaoze had disappeared, and immediately guessed his brother¡¯s ¡°mischievous trick.¡±

    He ran out of the children¡¯s clothing store angrily, and at the corner, bumped right into Zhan Qiaomo.

    Fortunately, both little guys reacted quickly, grabbing each other to keep steady, avoiding a fall.

    Zhan Qiaoyu, still angry, didn¡¯t look closely and grumpily said, ¡°You lost the rock-paper-scissors fair and square, so this time it should be my turn. Wait for the next turn if you want to go; no cheating!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaomo knew his elder brother had mistaken him for someone else.

    He cupped his little face with both hands, brought it close to Zhan Qiaoyu, ¡°Brother, look closely, it¡¯s me, Mo Bao!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu squinted and realized the one in front of him wasn¡¯t his second brother Zebao, but his third brother Mo Bao.

    He pped his forehead, annoyed, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve both been tricked by Zebao!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo grumbled in frustration, ¡°Who¡¯d have thought Second Brother would be so cunning, pulling this double trick on us!¡±

    If he¡¯d known, he wouldn¡¯t havee to the mall at all!

    He¡¯d rather not have new clothes than be separated from Aunt Jing!!

    By this time, Qiao Jing had already taken Zhan Qiaoze out of the mall.

    Walking on the street outside the mall, with his little hand in Qiao Jing¡¯s, Zhan Qiaoze was especially happy, merrily humming a tune.

    ¡°Today¡¯s weather is so sunny, beautiful scenery everywhere, beautiful scenery¡­¡±

    Seeing the little guy so suddenly high-spirited, Qiao Jing was a bit curious, ¡°Can you tell Aunt Jing why you¡¯re so happy?¡±

 Chapter 928: 916: Qiao Jings Suspicion

    <strong>Chapter 928: Chapter 916: Qiao Jing¡¯s Suspicion</strong>

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s question, Zhan Qiaoze shook his little head and cheerfully said, ¡°Because going shopping with Aunt Jing is so much fun, so much fun!¡±

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s happy and excited expression, Qiao Jing was also affected, and her mood improved significantly.

    After walking forward a bit, they saw an ice cream shop with a yful and childlike design. Qiao Jing thought that kids love this kind of treat, so she turned to ask the little guy, ¡°Do you want some ice cream?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Zhan Qiaoze nodded repeatedly.

    Just the thought of eating ice cream bought by Aunt Jing made him even happier!

    So, Qiao Jing held the little guy¡¯s hand and went into the ice cream shop to buy a cone-shaped ice cream.

    After paying, Qiao Jing handed the cone to the little guy and softly said, ¡°Here, hold it, and be careful not to drop it.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze eagerly reached out to take it, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Jing!¡±

    Qiao Jing was just about to say don¡¯t mention it when she suddenly noticed a mole on the little guy¡¯s hand.

    This unintentional discovery made her somewhat suspicious.

    In her memory, the little guy didn¡¯t seem to have this mole on his hand, or was it that she hadn¡¯t noticed it before?

    While Qiao Jing was puzzling over this, Zhan Qiaoze pulled down his mask and happily took a bite of ice cream.

    Looking at his smiling and adorable little face, Qiao Jing still felt a warm sense of familiarity.

    This sense of familiarity was not present when she was with other kids.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s doubts instantly dissipated, and she thought it must be her overthinking.

    This little guy was still her adorable Xiao Qiaoyu!

    Meanwhile, over at the children¡¯s clothing store.

    Because the three little guys looked exactly alike and were hard to distinguish, they usually didn¡¯t wear the same clothes to make it easier to tell them apart.

    But this time, they were all wearing the same style, so when Zhan Nanjing came out of the children¡¯s clothing store, she didn¡¯t immediately notice that Zebao had been switched with Mo Bao.

    Seeing the two little guys with drooping heads and depressed expressions, Zhan Nanjing felt a bit puzzled.

    Weren¡¯t the two kids happy just a moment ago when buying clothes?

    Why do they look so downcast now that they¡¯re wearing them?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two? Why do you look downcast? Are you tired of shopping?¡±

    Zhan Nanjing took Zhan Qiaoyu by one hand and Zhan Qiaomo by the other, asking as she led the two of them toward the mall¡¯s exit.

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo replied weakly, ¡°Yeah, very tired.¡±

    After saying this in unison, the two little guys exchanged a nce and sighed at the same time.

    At this moment, they were utterly exhausted!!

    Seeing this reaction from the two little guys, Zhan Nanjing became even more intrigued.

    However, these two were not ordinary children; they were high-IQ genius babies with thoughts that were hard to decipher.

    Even her brother might not be able to guess their thoughts, let alone her.

    Given this, Zhan Nanjing dismissed the idea of probing further.

    It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to handle it; it¡¯s just that she couldn¡¯t!

    ¡­

    The next day, the sky was clear and the clouds were high.

    After breakfast, Zhan Qiaoze remembered that on the way back from the mall yesterday, they seemed to pass by a park, and it wasn¡¯t far from where they lived.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qiaoze ran to Qiao Jing, pulling her hand and looking at her expectantly, ¡°Aunt Jing, can you take me to the park to y?¡±

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s eager face, Qiao Jing simply couldn¡¯t bear to say no.

    She gently pinched the little guy¡¯s fair and tender handsome face, smiling as she agreed, ¡°Okay, the weather is nice today, Aunt Jing will take you out to y.¡±

    ¡°Yay!!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze was so excited he waved his hands and feet around.

    Every time he saw other kids with their moms ying in the park, he felt envious because those kids always seemed so happy ying with their moms.

    Although he¡¯s still not sure if Aunt Jing is their mom, the way Aunt Jing feels, it¡¯s like she¡¯s their mom.

    So, he also wanted to go to the park with Aunt Jing!

    After finalizing the n, Qiao Jing went back to her room to change into some casual clothes and then took the little guy out.

    The two of them strolled all the way to the nearby park, with Zhan Qiaoze humming the whole time, absolutely delighted.

    Seeing the little guy like this, Qiao Jing found it quite refreshing.

    Since this child was obviously more independent and mature than other kids his age, she thought he might not be into going to parks and such, but it turns out he has his childish side too.

    However, whether it¡¯s his childish side or his clever and sensible side, in her eyes, this little guy is just so adorable!

    Entering the park, Qiao Jing nced around, then patted Zhan Qiaoze on his little head, asking, ¡°Do you want the slide or the seesaw?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze blinked his sparkling big eyes and decisively said, ¡°Both! I want to y both!¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s y on the slide first, Aunt Jing will catch you at the bottom.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing led the little guy to the nearby slide.

    Zhan Qiaoze couldn¡¯t get enough of it, sliding again and again; each time Qiao Jing caught him at the bottom, he wouldugh even more joyfully.

    After the slide, Qiao Jing took Zhan Qiaoze to y on the seesaw, the trampoline, the little train, and some other activities.

    When they started feeling a bit tired, Qiao Jing took the little guy to swing on the swing.

    Sitting on the swing, Zhan Qiaoze happily swung his little legs.

    Actually, he didn¡¯t love ying these things; he found them quite childish.

    But with Aunt Jing ying together, the feeling waspletely different!

    Anyway, when he¡¯s with Aunt Jing, he just feels very happy and joyful!

    Qiao Jing gently pushed the swing, looking at the little guy¡¯s bright smile, she couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand to touch her own belly.

    She wondered whether her child was still alive.

    If her suspicion was correct, and she had encountered a jerk, then maybe the jerk had already harmed the child¡­

    The thought that her child might have died right after birth brought Qiao Jing a pang of heartache.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing became even more determined to find a way to investigate what happened back then and figure out the cause of her incident.

    Although she only knew that she had been discovered on a beach by the sea, without any other clues, she believed that once something happens, there must be traces to follow.

    As long as she investigated carefully, she would definitely find out!

    As of now, she felt an inexplicable familiarity with this ce called the Imperial Capital, especially with the few spots she had visited before.

    Perhaps, she should revisit those ces, she might remember something and retrieve her past memories¡­

    As Qiao Jing was lost in thought, a tender voice suddenly pulled her back, ¡°Aunt Jing, can I have some popcorn?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s voice brought Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts back to the present.

    She looked up and saw a mother passing by with her child, and the child was holding a box of popcorn.

    Seeing this scene, Qiao Jing immediately knew why the little guy suddenly wanted popcorn.

 Chapter 929: 917: Take Action! Vent Your Anger!

    <strong>Chapter 929: Chapter 917: Take Action! Vent Your Anger!</strong>

    Qiao Jing remembered that the popcorn stand was right at the park¡¯s entrance.

    She gently touched Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s little head and said softly, ¡°Now Aunt Jing will go buy you some popcorn, you wait here for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Zhan Qiaoze immediately nodded obediently.

    Because the distance was quite short, and the little guy seemed to really enjoy ying here, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t take him with her and went to buy it herself.

    After she left, Zhan Qiaoze sat obediently on the swing waiting.

    Suddenly, two big kids with tiger-shaped heads arrived.

    The kids looked about seven or eight years old, chubby in build, and a head taller than Zhan Qiaoze.

    The two little chubby kids came over and immediately shouted at Zhan Qiaoze and the little girl on the other swing, ¡°Hey! Have you two yed enough? Hurry up and get off the swings for us!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze nced at the two little chubby kids, ignoring thempletely, treating their words as air.

    The little girl on the other swing alsocked her mom¡¯s presence, and in the face of these ferocious little chubby kids, she was clearly frightened.

    One of the little chubby kids stormed over to the little girl and shouted loudly, ¡°Did you hear me? Get off immediately!¡±

    Frightened by the chubby kid, the little girl¡¯s eyes immediately turned red.

    She wanted to get off the swing, but because she was rather short and her legs couldn¡¯t reach the ground, she got off very slowly.

    The chubby kid was impatient and directly pulled the little girl off the swing, taking the swing for himself.

    The little girl couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and burst into tears, running away while crying, ¡°Waa¡­ Mommy, I want mommy¡­¡±

    At this moment, the other little chubby kid walked up to Zhan Qiaoze, threatening him with a fist raised, ¡°Kid, get off right now, or you¡¯ll taste my fist today!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze wasn¡¯t afraid of the chubby kid¡¯s threats at all.

    His small face remained cool, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything, leisurely swinging back and forth.

    The chubby kid felt enraged when he realized he was being ignored, ¡°Damn brat, how dare you not listen to me, I¡¯ll beat you to a pulp!¡±

    Saying that, the chubby kid swung his fist toward Zhan Qiaoze.

    Unhurriedly, Zhan Qiaoze kicked at the right time as the chubby kid got close,nding a kick on the chubby kid¡¯s round belly.

    ¡°Ouch¡ª¡±

    The chubby kid was kicked over,nding t on his back, crying out in pain repeatedly.

    Seeing this, the other chubby kid immediately jumped off the swing, yelled at Zhan Qiaoze, ¡°You brat, how dare you hit my brother! I¡¯ll knock your teeth out!¡±

    With those words, this chubby kid also charged, swinging his fists at Zhan Qiaoze.

    Using the same method, Zhan Qiaoze utilized the swing¡¯s momentum to kick his opponent back to the ground again.

    Then, he nimbly jumped off the swing, nced at the two chubby kids on the ground, and in a warning tone said, ¡°You y your game, and I¡¯ll y mine. Don¡¯t mess with me, understand?¡±

    Being knocked down by a little guy made the two chubby kids very ashamed.

    After getting up from the ground, they were furious and charged at Zhan Qiaoze again, intending to gang up on him.

    Zhan Qiaoze had no intention of fighting, but the other two were relentless, so he had no choice but to clench his fists and fight back.

    The two chubby kids, thinking their height and size advantage being two against one, assumed they could easily take Zhan Qiaoze down.

    To their surprise, they couldn¡¯t even touch Zhan Qiaoze and he knocked them both down again.

    Both chubby kidsy t on their backs on the ground.

    Zhan Qiaoze shook his little hand dismissively and said, ¡°I told you not to mess with me, you brought this on yourselves!¡±

    Though hisbat power wasn¡¯t as high as Mo Bao¡¯s, and his skills weren¡¯t as impressive, it was more than enough to handle some kids!

    At that moment, a burly, rough-faced middle-aged man approached with big strides.

    Seeing him, the two chubby kids scrambled to get up and ran over to the middle-aged man, pointing at Zhan Qiaoze, chattering as they tattled.

    ¡°Dad, that brat hit us! He punched my face and kicked my stomach!¡±

    ¡°We wanted to y on the swing, but he wouldn¡¯t let us, and he punched and kicked us, it hurts so bad!¡±

    ¡°Dad, you have to get revenge for us!¡±

    ¡°Dad, go beat him up for us!¡±

    Hearing his sons, the middle-aged man turned his fierce gaze to Zhan Qiaoze, his expression bing ruthless, ¡°You little brat, you¡¯re small, yet you dared to touch my sons, your skin must be itching for a beating!¡±

    Even when faced with such an intimidating middle-aged man, Zhan Qiaoze didn¡¯t flinch, just frowned and retorted, ¡°They were the ones bullying first, it was self-defense.¡±

    ¡°Self-defense? A little kid like you talking self-defense with me!¡±

    The middle-aged man snorted coldly, ¡°You hit my sons, and I won¡¯t let it go!¡±

    With that, the middle-aged man moved to hit Zhan Qiaoze.

    Zhan Qiaoze fought back with all his might, but ultimately, he was just a child, how could he hold his own against an adult middle-aged man.

    Moreover, this middle-aged man was strong and muscr like an ox!

    During the struggle, although Zhan Qiaoze wasn¡¯t hit by the middle-aged man, he was pushed down to the ground, grazing his palms on the gravel, resulting in bleeding injuries.

    ¡°Hiss¡­¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze winced, sharply inhaling due to the pain, nevertheless maintaining a stoic expression on his little face.

    The middle-aged man, unsatisfied, grabbed Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s cor, lifting him up, and was about to hit him again.

    At this critical moment, Qiao Jing happened to return.

    Seeing the little one being bullied, she was filled with rage, she immediately dropped the popcorn, rushed over, and grabbed the middle-aged man¡¯s hand.

    The middle-aged man grunted in pain and was forced to let go of Zhan Qiaoze.

    Qiao Jing quickly pulled Zhan Qiaoze behind her, then raised her leg fiercely, kicking the middle-aged man with all her strength, sending him flying.

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±

    With a muffled thud, the middle-aged mannded heavily on the ground.

    Qiao Jing walked over, stepped on the hand that had just grabbed the little one with force, and said coldly like frost, ¡°You¡¯re worse than an animal, picking on a little kid with your towering size!¡±

    ¡°Ah ah ah¡­ my hand, my hand¡­¡±

    The middle-aged man screamed in agony, then through clenched teeth, threatened, ¡°Let me tell you, I¡¯m the boss of Huishan Company, you¡¯d better move your foot and apologize to me, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡±

    ¡°It seems like you really don¡¯t want your hand anymore!¡±

    With those words spoken coldly, Qiao Jing applied more pressure, making the middle-aged man¡¯s hand creak under her foot, as if it was about to shatter.

    The middle-aged man¡¯s face turned pale from the pain, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.

 Chapter 930: 918: Qiao Jings Body Begins to Recover, Innate Divine Strength?

    <strong>Chapter 930: Chapter 918: Qiao Jing¡¯s Body Begins to Recover, Innate Divine Strength?</strong>

    ¡°I was wrong, I was wrong, I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me, my hand is about to break¡­¡±

    Under the intense pain, the arrogance of the middle-aged manpletely disappeared, and he kept begging Qiao Jing for mercy.

    The two little chubby kids nearby saw their dad being beaten up and cried loudly in fear, even snot bubbles emerging.

    Qiao Jing withdrew her foot from the middle-aged man¡¯s, her red lips slightly parted, and she spat out a cold word, ¡°Scram!¡±

    The middle-aged man didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer and didn¡¯t even care about the pain in his hand. He immediately got up from the ground and escaped with his two chubby sons in a scramble, afraid that if he ran slowly, he might really lose his hand!

    Zhan Qiaoze ran to Qiao Jing¡¯s side with a patter, looked up with his little face, and blinked his bright eyes at her, full of admiration.

    ¡°Aunt Jing, you¡¯re amazing! You were so cool when you were teaching that guy a lesson just now!¡±

    Qiao Jing, with her sharp eyes, immediately noticed the little guy¡¯s injured hand as soon as her gaze fell on him.

    She quickly squatted down, gently pulled the little guy¡¯s hand, and checked his injury.

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s palm was scraped and bleeding, Qiao Jing felt a pang of heartache.

    She leaned in a little closer, gently blew on the little guy¡¯s palm, ¡°It must hurt a lot, let Aunt Jing treat it for you first, then we¡¯ll go home and apply some ointment.¡±

    Seeing her worry and heartache, Zhan Qiaoze shook his head, his little face smiling, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, not at all.¡±

    Hearing the little guy say this made Qiao Jing¡¯s heart ache even more.

    She thought, maybe it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t have a mommy by his side since he was little, that¡¯s why this child is so independent and strong?

    Qiao Jing took out a clean tissue, carefully wiped the traces of blood seeping from the little guy¡¯s wound, handling it so gently, afraid to cause him pain.

    Even though he was injured, Zhan Qiaoze was very happy inside,pletely immersed in happiness.

    Aunt Jing¡¯s concern made him feel a sense of motherly love!

    No wonder big brother and Mo Bao didn¡¯t want to be apart from Aunt Jing.

    At this moment, he finally understood the feelings of big brother and Mo Bao.

    He decided that if big brother and Mo Bao wanted to secretlye and exchange with him, he would stick to Aunt Jing without taking a step away, not giving them a chance to switch ces!

    Qiao Jing was unaware of Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s little thoughts. After simply wiping the bloodstains, she immediately took him back to the small vi to disinfect and apply medicine to his wounds.

    While applying medicine, looking at the scrapes on the little guy¡¯s hand, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit regretful, thinking she should have been rougher just now.

    She should have broken that president of Huishan Company¡¯s hand right away!

    ¡­

    A few dayster, one morning.

    Qiao Jing went out for morning exercises, jogging along the streets around the small vi.

    Through the recent treatments, she felt her physical condition had improved significantly.

    Previously, with even a slight exertion or during intense movements, she would feel sudden dizziness, and even a suffocating sensation as if she couldn¡¯t catch her breath, bing fragile in an instant.

    Take the time when dealing with Jiang Zihong¡¯s bodyguards, for example. Halfway through, her body felt ufortable, clearly struggling to keep up with her stamina.

    However, through treatment and conditioning, her physical fitness had significantly improved.

    In recent days, whenever she had time, she woulde out for morning exercises, each time running two or three kilometers at a stretch, easily, without panting!

    Qiao Jing ran a bit further, and when passing an alley, she spotted an elderlydy with her wheelchair stuck in the muddy ditch by the roadside.

    Quite a number of onlookers had gathered around, with two strong young men trying to lift the elderlydy along with her wheelchair out of the mud.

    However, after several attempts, the two young men were unable to seed.

    Seeing this, the onlookers began to chatter.

    ¡°With her body size, she must be at least a hundred pounds, if not two. Getting her out of there won¡¯t be easy!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and it rained justst night, making the ditch muddier than usual, and the wheelchair¡¯s wheels got stuck!¡±

    ¡°Those two young, strong guys couldn¡¯t move her; at this rate, we might need to call the fire department to bring in some professional tools to help.¡±

    ¡­

    Standing at the alley entrance, Qiao Jing could already see the anxious expression on the old woman¡¯s face from a distance, looking quite ufortable.

    Without hesitation, she quickly walked over, intending to lend a hand.

    Yet, just as Qiao Jing approached, before she could act, she was stopped by the two young men.

    One of them said, ¡°This is heavy; you¡¯re just a girl, how strong could you be? Even if youe over, it won¡¯t help much.¡±

    The other one agreed, ¡°Yeah, better not, you might get hurt in the process.¡±

    The two of them deterred her strongly, leaving Qiao Jing unable to force her way in. She could only stand aside, quietly observing.

    After resting for a bit, the two young men tried again.

    However, not only did they fail to lift the olddy out, but theirrge movements caused the wheelchair to get stuck even deeper.

    ¡°It¡¯s not working, we can¡¯t move her.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think we should give up and call in the fire department.¡±

    Exhausted, breathless, and covered in sweat, the two young men had already given up on trying, contemting retreat.

    After the two of them stepped aside in resignation, Qiao Jing warmed up her wrists slightly and, without a word, walked forward, grabbing the wheelchair¡¯s handles firmly. With a little force, she effortlessly lifted both the olddy and the wheelchair out of the mud ditch and ced them steadily back on the road.

    This scene left the two young men staring in shock.

    The onlookers were equally astonished, some couldn¡¯t help but exim.

    ¡°Is this Innate Divine Strength? This girl is incredible!¡±

    ¡°Those two strong young men couldn¡¯t lift her, yet this slim girl did it effortlessly; it¡¯s unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°Right, and she didn¡¯t even break a sweat; could she be trained in martial arts?¡±

    ¡­

    While others were still in shock, the elderlydy in the wheelchair expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Qiao Jing, ¡°Youngdy, thank you so much. If it weren¡¯t for your help, I might have sunk into the mud before the firefighters arrived.¡±

    ¡°Granny, no need to thank me. It was just a small effort.¡± Qiao Jing replied with a slight smile.

    Trying it out just now also helped her verify the recovery of her body.

    Indeed, her body was recovering quite well!

    After saying goodbye to the olddy, Qiao Jing continued her jog.

    After running for a while, she happened to see a familiar woman standing at another street corner.

    Upon closer look, she realized that the woman was the Zhan Family¡¯sdy¡ªSu Manhan.

 Chapter 931: 919: Rescuing Su Manhan

    <strong>Chapter 931: Chapter 919: Rescuing Su Manhan</strong>

    Su Manhan stood at the intersection, ncing at her watch from time to time, seemingly waiting for someone.

    She was also carrying many shopping bags, all filled to the brim. One nce at the logos on the bags revealed they were all luxury brands, like Chanel, Herm¨¨s, Dior, and so on, clearly showing she had just splurged in the mall.

    Seeing how many things Su Manhan was carrying, and how she seemed a bit anxious, Qiao Jing lifted her foot, intending to go up and help.

    But just as she took a step, Qiao Jing suddenly realized that, given her own identity, if she went over to help, those from such top aristocratic families might think she was trying to curry favor or cling to wealth and power.

    To avoid causing such a misunderstanding, Qiao Jing changed her mind and dismissed the idea of helping.

    She turned around and walked in another direction, ready to continue her exercise.

    However, she had just walked a short distance when a fierce voice suddenly came from behind, ¡°Hand over the goods if you know what¡¯s good for you!¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s suspicions arose when she heard this, so she turned her head to find Su Manhan surrounded by some men who appeared out of nowhere.

    These men all looked disreputable, clearly not decent people.

    A closer look revealed that two of them were holding knives, and the des were pointed at Su Manhan.

    Looking at their stance, it was obvious they were going to rob her!

    At this moment, surrounded by the robbers, Su Manhan appeared quite panicked, especially upon seeing the knives in their hands, causing her face to turn pale.

    She swallowed hard and forced herself to say, ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m from the Zhan Family. If you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better leave immediately, or suffer the consequences yourself!¡±

    Su Manhan thought that dering her association with the Zhan Family would scare off the robbers.

    But who knew, as soon as she said this, the other side burst into unrestrainedughter as if they heard a joke.

    ¡°Listen to what this woman is saying, she ims she¡¯s from the Zhan Family!¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s from the Zhan Family, then I¡¯m a god from the heavens!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Having had their fill ofughter, the lead robber waved his knife in front of Su Manhan, shouting fiercely, ¡°I advise you to hand over your belongings, or this knife won¡¯t show mercy!¡±

    Su Manhan shuddered at the sight of the knife, fearing it might provoke them into actually hurting her, so she quickly said, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give you my stuff, just don¡¯t do anything rash.¡±

    With that, she handed over all the spoils from her recent shopping spree, along with her handbag.

    After getting the items, the robbers didn¡¯t leave immediately, instead, they sized up Su Manhan, looking to see if they could extract anything else from her.

    The leader noticed a ne around Su Manhan¡¯s neck and immediatelymanded, ¡°Take off the ne from around your neck!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Manhan hurriedly clutched her ne, took a step back, and gritted her teeth, saying, ¡°You can have anything else, but not this!¡±

    This ne was given to her by Zhan Yao at their wedding ceremony, carrying great sentimental value, and she didn¡¯t want to lose it like this!

    ¡°That¡¯s not up to you; you¡¯ll hand it over whether you like it or not!¡±

    With that threat, the leader of the robbers reached out to snatch the ne from Su Manhan¡¯s neck.

    But before he could touch Su Manhan, he was suddenly kicked away.

    Qiao Jing, who had rushed over, kicked the lead robber away and then coldly nced at the remaining aplices.

    The aplices hadn¡¯t expected a ¡°Cheng Yaojin¡± to appear out of nowhere, and even less did they expect this ¡°Cheng Yaojin¡± to be a slender girl.

    Moreover, the girl¡¯s skills were evidently quite exceptional!

    For a moment, the group was left staring at each other, not daring to act recklessly.

    The leader got up from the ground, furious at being knocked down by a woman, and angrily shouted, ¡°What are you standing there for? Get her! Teach this woman a lesson!¡±

    With those words, the aplices snapped back to their senses, abandoning the things they had taken from Su Manhan, and charged at Qiao Jing all at once.

    Qiao Jing stood her ground, not dodging or evading. As they rushed up, she either kicked sideways orunched a back kick, not even bothering to use her hands, effortlessly kicking them all to the ground.

    Watching the unfolding fight scene, Su Manhan was reminded of a simr incident from the past.

    Back then, she had also unfortunately encountered robbers, and it was Qiao Jing who had stepped in to save her, driving away those criminals¡­

    Recalling that incident and thinking about Qiao Jing, who was still missing and with a fate unknown, Su Manhan couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sentimental.

    ¡°Ouch¡ª¡±

    The robbers on the ground kept moaning and groaning.

    The leader, seeing the situation, didn¡¯t have the guts to cause any more trouble. He left the stolen goods and bolted away, leaving his aplices behind.

    Seeing this, the others quickly scrambled to their feet and fled awkwardly.

    In less than a minute, the once arrogant robbers had vanished without a trace.

    If it weren¡¯t for the two knives dropped during the fight, no one would have guessed there was just a robbery scene here.

    Qiao Jing walked over, picked up the items from the ground, and handed them back to Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan was so nervous earlier, and in her emotional moment, she didn¡¯t even realize the person who helped her chase off the robbers was someone she knew.

    Only now did she recognize her.

    Taking back her belongings, Su Manhan calmed her nerves and sincerely thanked her, ¡°Third Miss Qiao, thank you!¡±

    ¡°I really owe you this time. If you hadn¡¯t stepped in to help drive away those scoundrels, who knows what worse things they might have done.¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled faintly, ¡°Madam Zhan, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. I just happened to be passing by at the right time.¡±

    As they were talking, a car suddenly pulled up by the roadside.

    The car door opened, and Zhan Nanjing stepped out.

    Seeing Su Manhan and Qiao Jing together, Zhan Nanjing was somewhat surprised.

    She curiously asked, ¡°Mom, howe you¡¯re with Third Miss Qiao?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have no idea. I¡¯ve been waiting for you here for ages, and instead of you, I got a bunch of robbers.¡±

    After voicing aint, Su Manhan recounted the whole story.

    ¡°Those scoundrels not only took my handbag and new purchases but also tried to steal my ne. You know, this ne was given to me by your dad at our wedding, so of course, I wouldn¡¯t let them take it.¡±

    ¡°Thankfully, Third Miss Qiao appeared in time and drove off those scoundrels, or else the ne would surely be gone, and I might have gotten hurt too!¡±

    After hearing the story, Zhan Nanjing also gratefully thanked her, ¡°Third Miss Qiao, thank you so much. Luckily you helped, or else my mother wouldn¡¯t have been safe and sound!¡±

 Chapter 932 - 920: Xiao Jingéˆ¥æªš Medical Skills Are Amazing

    <h4>Chapter 932: Chapter 920: Xiao Jing¡¯s Medical Skills Are Amazing</h4>

    After thanking, without waiting for Qiao Jing to say anything, Zhan Nanjing directly linked arms with her and pulled her towards the car parked by the roadside, "Come on, we¡¯re taking you out for dinner!"

    Qiao Jing was about to refuse when Su Manhan also walked over and linked arms with her other side.

    Seeming to see that she was reluctant, Su Manhan warmly urged, "Come on,e on, you saved me, it¡¯s only right to treat you to dinner, don¡¯t decline."

    With such an enthusiastic invitation from the mother and daughter, Qiao Jing felt that refusing again would seem pretentious.

    So, she eventually got into the car with the two of them and arrived at a restaurant.

    After sitting down, Su Manhan ordered a table full of dishes and then smiled at Qiao Jing, "I didn¡¯t know what you like, so I ordered a bit of everything. See if there¡¯s something you like, if not, we can change to another restaurant."

    Seeing Su Manhan¡¯s attitude, Qiao Jing believed that if she showed the slightest displeasure, Su Manhan would definitely take her to another ce immediately.

    This table full of delicious dishes couldn¡¯t just go to waste!

    Even with money, food shouldn¡¯t be wasted!

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing quickly said, "No need, no need, these dishes are just fine, I like them all."

    "d you like it, then eat moreter."

    With that, Su Manhan picked up the chopsticks and enthusiastically started serving Qiao Jing, "Here, try this steamed bass, this sweet and sour shrimp is also good, and this sweet and sour pork..."

    Before long, a small mountain formed in front of Qiao Jing¡¯s bowl.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nanjing quickly reminded, "Mom, take it easy, Third Miss Qiao¡¯s bowl is about to overflow!!"

    Su Manhan looked and indeed had given too much, but she didn¡¯t stop, instead waved for the waiter, "Please bring another bowl, a bigger one."

    When the waiter brought the bowl, Su Manhan ced it in front of Qiao Jing and continued to serve her more food.

    Looking at this scene, Qiao Jing felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if she had been treated this way before...

    After piling on enough, Su Manhan finally put down her chopsticks and looked solemnly at Qiao Jing, "You saved me, you are a benefactor of our family. If you ever need any help, or encounter any difficulties, just speak up, don¡¯t hesitate with us."

    Zhan Nanjing immediately echoed, "Yes, yes, not only are you a benefactor to our family, but you¡¯re also my friend, anything you need in the future, just say the word, and I¡¯ll help till the end!"

    Hearing Su Manhan and Zhan Nanjing say this, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know how to respond, so she just returned a smile.

    However, from their attitude, it seemed her earlier assumptions were a bit off.

    Who would have thought that the Zhan Family, being top-notch elites, would treat people so kindly, unlike other wealthy people who always assume others are trying to cling on to them!

    ...

    A few dayster, early in the morning.

    After getting dressed anding out of her room, nning to have breakfast, Qiao Jing found three unexpected visitors at home.

    A middle-aged woman, along with two girls about her age.

    Having met them once or twice before, Qiao Jing recognized the middle-aged woman as Qiao Weiguang¡¯s sister, who was also Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s aunt ¡ª Qiao Pen.

    The two girls were Qiao Pen¡¯s daughters.

    The elder daughter, Sun Mingzhu, had long straight ck hair, her chin always slightly raised, with an obviously proud demeanor.

    The younger daughter, Sun Mingxin, sported an exaggerated shoulder-length pink bob, looking around with disdainful eyes, clearly of an arrogant nature.

    For Qiao Pen and her daughters¡¯ sudden visit, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were also not very weing, both having cold attitudes.

    Because years ago, when the Qiao Family¡¯s business experienced a severe downturn, Qiao Pen, fearing that the Qiao Family might ask her for help, distanced herself, and had little contact with the Qiao Family in recent years.

    The sisters Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had a poor impression of this aunt who snubbed the poor and courted the rich, so they didn¡¯t think highly of Qiao Pen either.

    As Qiao Jing walked over, she heard Qiao Pen boasting loudly, her tone exceedingly proud.

    "Who would have thought that you sisters also came to the Imperial Capital, if I hadn¡¯t called my brother a few days ago, I wouldn¡¯t have known this."

    "By the way, it¡¯s been so long, you probably don¡¯t know, but our Mingzhu has now be the director at the hospital, and at this pace of promotion, she¡¯ll probably be the deputy dean within two years, the future is bright!"

    "And the hospital dean, Lu Zijin, the eldest of the Lu Family, particrly favors our Mingzhu, treating her specially with flowers and lunch, and looking at this development trend, it won¡¯t be long before they¡¯ll end up together!"

    Upon hearing Qiao Pen¡¯s words, Sun Mingzhu became even prouder.

    Her chin raised a few more degrees, looking at Qiao Jing and the others with condescension.

    Although Lu Zijin hadn¡¯t said anything, she could sense that he was very kind and considerate of her.

    Just based on the flowers and lunches, she believed that Lu Zijin definitely liked her!

    So, being with Lu Zijin was only a matter of time!

    Qiao Lin, being straightforward, was unimpressed by Qiao Pen¡¯s boasting and said dismissively, "What¡¯s so great about that? When ites to a bright future, it¡¯s our Xiao Jing!"

    "Our Xiao Jing is a talent even Master Zhou praises highly, and Master Zhou wants to take Xiao Jing as a disciple too!"

    Hearing this, Qiao Pen and her daughters exchanged looks of suspicion.

    Sun Mingzhu asked, "Which Master Zhou?"

    "Who else could it be? Of course, it¡¯s the one from Wonderful Hall!"

    After Qiao Lin spoke, she secretly mocked in her heart, not knowing Master Zhou, truly ignorant!

    At the mention of Wonderful Hall, the three of Qiao Pen immediately reacted.

    However, the three of them did not believe what Qiao Lin said.

    Sun Mingxin burst intoughter, mocking, "Qiao Lin, your talent for exaggeration has grown,ing up with such nonsense!"

    Sun Mingzhu alsoughed mockingly, "Qiao Lin, you and Qiao Hong are medical students, though you¡¯re not very good, but you should understand Master Zhou¡¯s status in the medical world."

    "Do you think Master Zhou is a country quack doctor? Would just anyone get his attention?"

    Saying this, Sun Mingzhu paused, nced at Qiao Jing on the side, and spoke with even more disdain.

    "Besides, this adopted sister of yours, can she practice medicine?"

    "Making up such nonsense, aren¡¯t you afraid of bing aughing stock!"

    Being sneered at like this, Qiao Lin got a bit angry.

    She snorted coldly and said irritably, "Nonsense, how could someone Master Zhou wants to take as an apprentice not know medicine?

    "You not knowing doesn¡¯t mean our Xiao Jing doesn¡¯t, our Xiao Jing¡¯s medical skills are indeed impressive!"

 Chapter 933: 921: Brazen Flaunting

    <strong>Chapter 933: Chapter 921: Brazen unting</strong>

    Although Qiao Lin had clearly stated that Qiao Jing knew medicine, Qiao Pen and her two daughters still didn¡¯t believe it.

    Sun Mingzhu nced at Qiao Lin, who looked displeased, and said, ¡°Alright, stop trying to save face. Listening to the same joke over and over gets boring.¡±

    Qiao Pen, putting on the airs of an elder, said in a patronizing manner, ¡°Qiao Lin, it¡¯s not your aunt¡¯s ce to say this, but even though your family has fallen on hard times and business is bleak, you can¡¯t just spout lies and make things up for a bit of admiration. That¡¯s very poor character!¡±

    It was obvious that Qiao Pen was using this as a pretext to ridicule the decline of the Qiao Family¡¯s business, insinuating that the Qiao Family was now inferior.

    However, what she didn¡¯t know was that during the years they lost contact, the Qiao Family¡¯s business had already bounced back.

    Moreover, since they coborated with the Zhan Corporation, the Qiao Family¡¯s development trajectory had only improved, and the business was thriving!

    Unable to hold her anger, Qiao Lin wanted to argue rationally with Qiao Pen and the others.

    Seeing this, Qiao Hong tactfully pulled Qiao Lin aside, shook her head, leaned in, and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath on them. Considering how we hardly interact with their family now, there¡¯s no need to make them believe us.¡±

    ¡°Besides, given their family¡¯s nature, if they find out about this matter, they might shamelesslye back to pester us, trying to gain some advantage, which would be a real nuisance for us.¡±

    Qiao Lin felt that Qiao Hong¡¯s words made a lot of sense and immediately gave up the idea of continuing the argument.

    At this time, Sun Mingxin looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s face and then unrestrainedly showed a look of disdain, blurting out, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what the uncle and aunt are thinking. Their younger daughter has been dead for so many years, and they still refuse to face reality.¡±

    ¡°The key is, even if they want to find an adopted daughter, they should at least find a somewhat decent-looking one. Why did they end up choosing such an ugly one? Don¡¯t they find her unpleasant to look at every day?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin immediately felt their anger rising.

    Qiao Lin red at Sun Mingxin with angry eyes, gritting her teeth and said, ¡°It¡¯s one thing to talk about me, but don¡¯t involve my sister. If you dare say anything bad about my sister again, I¡¯ll turn against you!¡±

    Qiao Hong also spoke indignantly, ¡°That¡¯s right, you can say whatever about anything else, but you¡¯re not allowed to insult my sister!¡±

    Sun Mingxin snorted, in a disdainful tone, ¡°She¡¯s just someone with an unknown background. Do you really regard her as your sister?¡±

    ¡°Xiao Jing is my sister, and my biological sister at that!¡±

    As Qiao Hong spoke, she embraced Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, her protectiveness evident.

    Qiao Lin took Qiao Jing¡¯s other arm, echoing, ¡°That¡¯s right, Xiao Jing is our real sister. If anyone wants to bully her, they better ask us if we agree first!¡±

    Seeing her sisters defend her like this, Qiao Jing felt quite touched.

    She held Qiao Hong¡¯s and Qiao Lin¡¯s hands respectively, and sincerely said, ¡°Elder sisters, to me, you are my real sisters!¡±

    This sentence, Qiao Jing said from the bottom of her heart.

    In her heart, she had already regarded Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin as family long ago.

    ¡°Mua~¡±

    Qiao Lin directly hugged Qiao Jing and gave her a peck on the cheek.

    Qiao Hong followed suit and also kissed Qiao Jing once.

    Seeing the affectionate scene among the three sisters, Qiao Pen and her daughters were not moved. Instead, they rolled their eyes impatiently.

    Sun Mingzhu gave her mother a look, signaling her to get straight to business.

    They didn¡¯te here today to watch this scene of sisterly affection!

    Receiving the hint from her eldest daughter, Qiao Pen remembered that she hadn¡¯t yet addressed the main issue.

    She cleared her throat a few times and said, ¡°The main reason we came over this time is to inform you that in a few days it will be Ming Zhu¡¯s twenty-fourth birthday. This year is Ming Zhu¡¯s zodiac year, and our family is nning to hold a grand birthday party. Please make sure to attend.¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged a nce, both remained silent, clearly showing their reluctance to go.

    As for Qiao Jing, it was even more obvious. Apart from the reasons rted to Qiao Pen and her daughters, she just didn¡¯t like such noisy asions.

    Seeing their reaction, Qiao Pen naturally realized they didn¡¯t want to go.

    Originally, she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the already declining Qiao Family, but this banquet was their chance to shine and stand out.

    With such a good opportunity, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste not to invite more people to show off?

    Feigning seriousness, Qiao Pen cleared her throat and put on an elder¡¯s posture again, ¡°When I called your parents at home earlier, I already mentioned this to them.¡±

    ¡°Your parents havemitments and can¡¯t make it, so you younger ones represent the family. Make sure to attend, and don¡¯t bete.¡±

    Having brought Qiao Weiguang and Jiang Youyi into the conversation, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t refuse anymore, and unwillingly agreed.

    With the two sisters going, there was no reason for Qiao Jing, their sister, not to go either.

    So, in the end, the three of them reluctantly went to the banquet together¡­

    On the day of the birthday party.

    To prevent Qiao Pen from finding fault, the three left promptly and arrived at the hotel where the party was held.

    In the banquet hall, a group of people surrounded Qiao Pen and her daughters, showering Sun Mingzhu withpliments and ttery.

    ¡°Madam Sun, you are truly blessed to have raised such a wonderful daughter. Not only is she beautiful, but she¡¯s also so aplished. I heard she¡¯s already be the director of a hospital!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ming Zhu is truly outstanding. If only my child were half as excellent as Ming Zhu, I would be over the moon!¡±

    ¡°Madam Sun, I must say I¡¯m envious of you, having a daughter as promising as Ming Zhu. You can just rx and enjoy life!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Listening to everyone¡¯s praises, Qiao Pen felt as if she was floating, her heart swelling with pride.

    Turning her head, she caught sight of the three of them and a sinister glint shed in her eyes, then she shifted the conversation towards them.

    ¡°Come, let me introduce you. These three are my elder brother¡¯s daughters, Qiao Hong, Qiao Lin, Qiao Jing.¡±

    After the introduction, Qiao Pen feigned a sigh of regret, ¡°Sigh¡­ The Qiao Family has fallen on hard times these past few years, their business is not what it used to be, probably on the verge of copse. Just thinking about it makes me worried for my brother.¡±

    Once she said this, a middle-aged woman, wearing arge gold chain around her neck and beaded bracelets on her hands, obviously a nouveau riche, bluntly said, ¡°Then why would you invite them over? Associating with such poor rtives, aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll bleed you dry?¡±

    Someone nearby chimed in, ¡°Indeed, poor rtives like that, it¡¯s better to draw a clear line early on, otherwise your family fortune will be drained sooner orter!¡±

    Sun Mingxin seized the chance, deliberately distorting, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because the dean of the hospital where my sister works is none other than the eldest young master of the Lu Family, Lu Zijin? He¡¯s alsoing today to celebrate my sister¡¯s birthday, so they¡¯re just here to gain some insights and meet such a high-profile figure.¡±

 Chapter 934: 922: Insulting Qiao Jings Looks

    <strong>Chapter 934: Chapter 922: Insulting Qiao Jing¡¯s Looks</strong>

    Upon hearing Sun Mingxin¡¯s words, the expressions on the faces of the group showed understanding, and their gazes towards the three of Qiao Jing became more disdainful.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why they came for the Young Master Lu; no surprise, the Qiao Family has fallen, and people with their status probably don¡¯t often get the chance to meet someone like Young Master Lu!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and after all, considering they¡¯re rtives, if they insist oning, Madam Sun can¡¯t just directly kick them out.¡±

    ¡°But what can paupers like them do after seeing Young Master Lu? Do they dare dream that he might take a fancy to them and transform into a phoenix?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After hearing Sun Mingxin twist the facts, Qiao Lin was already grinding her teeth with anger, and now with these mockingments, she was about to explode with rage.

    What¡¯s with this lousy birthday party, do they think we¡¯re desperate toe?

    We didn¡¯t even want toe in the first ce!

    And now we¡¯rebeled as impoverished and scheming to hook up with Young Master Lu, like opportunistic chickens!

    In a fit of anger, Qiao Lin flung her hand, ready to leave.

    Qiao Jing timely reached out to stop her, nced at the long table overflowing with food and desserts, and said leisurely, ¡°Second sister, even if we¡¯re going to leave, let¡¯s eat first. We¡¯ve already paid the gift money; it can¡¯t just go to waste.¡±

    ¡°Besides, they can say what they want, we just don¡¯t have to listen.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Lin suddenly found it quite reasonable.

    Why should we pay and still endure sneers for nothing? We¡¯vee, might as well eat a bit before leaving, or else it¡¯s a loss!

    Qiao Hong nodded in agreement, ¡°Xiao Jing makes a good point; they can say whatever; let¡¯s eat!¡±

    Thus, the three sisters headed towards the long table, talking andughing as they indulged in sweets,pletely ignoring the people who had been mocking them.

    Seeing that the three were mocked yet didn¡¯t leave, just kept eating, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin wore expressions full of contempt.

    Sun Mingxin sneered aloud, ¡°Looks like the Qiao Family really is broke; those three sisters are acting like they¡¯ve never had anything tasty, truly making fools of themselves!¡±

    Sun Mingzhu didn¡¯t say anything, but her lips curled into a noticeable mocking smile.

    What could those Qiao sisters possibly use topete with her?

    Some time after the party began, someone couldn¡¯t help but ask Qiao Pen, ¡°Madam Sun, didn¡¯t you say Young Master Lu woulde to celebrate Ming Zhu¡¯s birthday? Why isn¡¯t he here yet?¡±

    That nouveau riche-looking middle-aged woman chimed in, ¡°Could it be that Young Master Lu isn¡¯ting after all?¡±

    Qiao Pen¡¯s expression stiffened, feeling somewhat uncertain, she subconsciously nced at her eldest daughter.

    Sun Mingzhu was full of confidence, assuredly saying, ¡°No way, Director Lu will definitelye; he must be dyed by something and will arrive a bitte.¡±

    After all, today is her birthday, and since Lu Zijin likes her, how could he note?

    As Sun Mingzhu was musing, Qiao Pen suddenly shouted joyfully, ¡°Here he is, here he is, Young Master Lu is here!¡±

    At that moment, everyone turned their gaze towards the entrance of the banquet hall.

    Under everyone¡¯s eyes, dressed in a white suit, the elegantly charming Lu Zijin walked in leisurely from the doorway.

    Seeing Lu Zijin, Sun Mingzhu felt a rush of secret joy.

    She just knew, Lu Zijin would definitelye!

    Moreover, this showed that Lu Zijin certainly had feelings for her!

    While Qiao Jing had been indifferent to everything at this banquet, once Lu Zijin appeared, her gaze involuntarily shifted to him.

    She remembered thatst time when President Zhan had an acute gastritis attack and was sent to the hospital, it was this person who performed the surgery.

    So he is actually the Lu family¡¯s Young Master, Lu Zijin.

    But why does she feel a sense of familiarity with this Lu Zijin?

    Perhaps Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze was too intense and it caught Lu Zijin¡¯s attention.

    He unexpectedly turned his head and looked in her direction.

    From a distance, their gazes barely met.

    Lu Zijin visibly recognized her, with a hint of surprise on his face.

    At the hospitalst time, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention; seeing her again now, he peculiarly felt that this girl¡¯s aura was somewhat simr to Qiao Jing¡¯s.

    No wonder Zhan Qipei had mistaken her for Qiao Jing back then¡­

    Beside Qiao Jing, Qiao Lin noticed her anomaly, followed Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze, and saw Young Master Lu, Lu Zijin.

    This discovery prompted Qiao Lin to tease, ¡°Oh my, let me have a good look, what¡¯s holding our Xiao Jing¡¯s attention so much?¡±

    Qiao Lin nodded to herself, saying, ¡°Not bad, not bad, our Xiao Jing has discerning eyes; this Young Master Lu is indeed quite handsome and seems gentle and elegant, definitely a gentlemanly, refined man!¡±

    Qiao Jing snapped out of her thoughts, withdrew her gaze from Lu Zijin, turned to look at Qiao Lin, and said with a slightly helpless expression, ¡°Second sister, what are you talking about?¡±

    She just found Lu Zijin familiar, so she took a few extra nces.

    Qiao Lin patted Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder and continued to joke, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t be shy, as they say, it¡¯s time for marriage for men, time for marriage for women, you¡¯re old enough to start dating!¡±

    Just then, Sun Mingxin¡¯s mocking and blunt voice intruded, ¡°A toad like you dreaming of being with a swan?¡±

    ¡°I advise you to stop dreaming, better use the time to take a good look at yourself in the mirror and wake yourself up!¡±

    Hearing Sun Mingxin again target Qiao Jing¡¯s appearance, Qiao Lin instantly got angry.

    She red fiercely at Sun Mingxin, angrily saying, ¡°Sun Mingxin, what nonsense are you spouting? You¡¯re the real toad here! And the most annoying kind at that!¡±

    Qiao Hong also red at Sun Mingxin, indignant and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, our Xiao Jing definitely is worthy, just because she has a few pimples, when they¡¯re healed, she¡¯ll surely dazzle everyone and look so beautiful you¡¯ll be speechless!¡±

    Every time she heard someone call their Xiao Jing ugly, she had the impulse to peel off Xiao Jing¡¯s fake skin and shock those blind-eyed people!

    ¡°Dazzle everyone? Beautiful enough to leave me speechless?¡±

    Sun Mingxin deliberately repeated the words, thenughed as if hearing the biggest joke, bending forward and backward with mirth.

    Once she¡¯dughed enough, she looked at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, and mocked, ¡°You two sisters are really incredible at bragging, spinning such oundish tales without batting an eye; I¡¯m in awe of you.¡±

    ¡°Not wasting words on people like you!¡±

    Qiao Lin¡¯s face reddened with anger, letting out a cold snort, she directly pulled Qiao Hong and Qiao Jing away.

    If she continued talking with Sun Mingxin, she feared she¡¯d either die of anger or couldn¡¯t restrain herself from hitting Sun Mingxin!

 Chapter 935 - 923: It Was All Just a Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 935: Chapter 923: It Was All Just a Misunderstanding</h4>

    After being dragged to the other side by Qiao Lin, and seeing her grit her teeth in anger, Qiao Jing immediately calmed her down, soothing her excitement.

    Once Qiao Lin wasforted, Qiao Jing made a quick trip to the restroom.

    Momentster, as she emerged from the restroom, she happened to bump into Lu Zijining out of another restroom.

    Out of courtesy, both of them nodded slightly at each other as a greeting.

    Just as they were about to return to the banquet hall, a cleaningdy ahead in the corridor suddenly had a problem.

    She was clutching her chest with one hand, supporting herself against the wall with the other, sliding to the ground in pain with a twisted face, clearly suffering.

    Seeing this, Lu Zijin immediately recognized that it was a heart attack.

    He quickly stepped forward, intending to provide aid.

    However, Qiao Jing reacted faster, rushing over first.

    When she reached the cleaningdy, Qiao Jing squatted down beside her, carefully supporting her andying her t on the ground.

    "Auntie, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here to help you. Let me relieve your symptoms first."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing ced her hand on the woman¡¯s chest, using a pressing method to initially alleviate her condition.

    Then, she began to treat the woman using finger therapy techniques.

    Lu Zijin stood nearby, observing her treatment methods, his face gradually showing a look of astonishment.

    To someone unfamiliar with medicine, it might seem as though the girl was just randomly pressing without any method.

    But as a doctor, he could immediately tell that this girl was using a special healing technique, and her medical skills were quite profound!

    Beyond his amazement, as Lu Zijin watched, he felt more and more that this girl¡¯s current actions strangely resembled how Qiao Jing used to save people.

    The scene before his eyes ovepped almost perfectly with images from his memory...

    While Lu Zijin was absorbed in his thoughts, thanks to Qiao Jing¡¯s treatment, the cleaningdy¡¯s symptoms showed significant improvement.

    Once she was sure thedy was out of immediate danger, Qiao Jing stopped her actions and gently said, "Auntie, hang in there a moment longer, I¡¯ll call an ambnce for you now."

    Saying this, she took out her phone and dialed 120.

    Even though her condition had improved, she still needed to be taken to the hospital for further treatment.

    Fortunately, there was a hospital near the hotel, so the ambnce arrived quickly.

    Soon, the cleaningdy was carried onto the ambnce by the medical staff who rushed there and taken to the hospital in no time.

    In the blink of an eye, only Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin were left in the corridor.

    At this time, Lu Zijin snapped out of his daze, hesitated for a moment, and then couldn¡¯t help but step forward to ask, "May I ask, which hospital are you a doctor at? I noticed that your technique just now was very skilled."

    Qiao Jing shook her head, exining calmly, "I¡¯m not a doctor at any hospital, I¡¯m just learning from Master Zhou at the Wonderful Hall."

    Although she felt that what Zhou Fu taught her seemed familiar, during her time at the Wonderful Hall, her use of medical skills had indeed be more adept than before.

    Hearing this, Lu Zijin suddenly remembered something, "I heard that Master Zhou is very keen on someone, wanting to take them as an apprentice, that person is you, right?"

    Qiao Jing gave a slight smile, which was an acknowledgment.

    Unless Zhou Fu found someone else of interest these days, ording to Lu Zijin¡¯s words, that person was indeed her.

    Lu Zijin paused, hesitantly asked, "I have a question I¡¯m quite curious about, but it might be somewhat blunt and presumptuous, so I wonder if it¡¯s appropriate to ask."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing was instantly intrigued, raising her eyebrows slightly, "What¡¯s the question? Go ahead and ask, it¡¯s fine."

    Receiving her consent, Lu Zijin felt at ease to inquire, "It¡¯s like this, I also heard that you refused Master Zhou¡¯s intention to take you as an apprentice, so I¡¯m curious, why didn¡¯t you want to be an apprentice?"

    "I myself actually quite want to be an apprentice, but my focus is Western medicine and I specialize in clinical medicine, which doesn¡¯t align with Master Zhou¡¯s criteria for taking an apprentice."

    In saying this, Lu Zijin¡¯s tone carried a bit of regret.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hide anything, answering truthfully, "Actually, it¡¯s not for any significant reason, just purely a feeling, because instinctively I didn¡¯t want to, so I declined."

    After speaking, she suddenly countered Lu Zijin, "Hearing me say this, do you think I¡¯m being very willful and immature, not appreciating kindness, and failing to recognize what¡¯s good?"

    Lu Zijin gently shook his head, slowly saying, "No, I don¡¯t think your actions were willful, everyone has their own thoughts, different thoughts lead to different choices and decisions, in short, just follow one¡¯s heart."

    Qiao Jing nodded in deep agreement with Lu Zijin¡¯s sentiment, "What you said is absolutely right, very insightful!"

    This person¡¯s words really struck a chord with her.

    Suddenly, she felt as if she had found a kindred spirit!

    "Actually, this isn¡¯t something I said, it was conveyed to me by someone once, and I just remembered it."

    As he spoke, Lu Zijin¡¯s expression became a bit deeper, seemingly recalling something, with an inexplicable warmth in his eyes.

    Seeing his expression, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t suppress her gossiping curiosity, and couldn¡¯t help but specte aloud, "Do you like that person?"

    Hit squarely on the mark, Lu Zijinughed somewhat sheepishly.

    Seeing Lu Zijin¡¯s reaction, Qiao Jing knew she had guessed correctly.

    Unable to resist, she pressed further, "Is that person Sun Mingzhu?"

    At this, Lu Zijin was taken aback, his face showing a puzzled expression, "How did ite to her?"

    He only had a work rtionship with Sun Mingzhu, rarely interacting outside of work, so how did it rte to her?

    Hearing Lu Zijin¡¯s question, Qiao Jing also felt a bit strange, blinking, "Because I heard you two were about to get together, so I made the connection."

    "Who said that?"

    Lu Zijin discreetly furrowed his brow, "I just consider her a junior I¡¯m mentoring. She has a certain talent in medicine, and I simply don¡¯t want her talent to go to waste."

    "Is that so?" Qiao Jing was filled with doubt.

    What Lu Zijin said didn¡¯t quite match what Sun Mingzhu and others had mentioned.

    With a puzzled heart, Qiao Jing continued, "But I heard at the hospital, you favor Sun Mingzhu a lot, even giving her flowers and bringing her lunch."

    "Flowers? Lunch? When did this happen?"

    Even Lu Zijin was a bit baffled.

    He himself didn¡¯t know when he had ever offered such special treatment to Sun Mingzhu?

    "Did it not happen?" Qiao Jing was taken aback, "Could it be that she made all of this up?"

    If she dared to concoct such things, then Sun Mingzhu was indeed bold!

    After all, these were things that could easily be disproven!

 Chapter 936: 924: The Person Lu Zijin Likes

    <strong>Chapter 936: Chapter 924: The Person Lu Zijin Likes</strong>

    Lu Zijin carefully recalled the interactions with Sun Mingzhu and quickly remembered.

    He looked at Qiao Jing, somewhat helplessly, and said, ¡°The lunch you mentioned was actually distributed by our hospital, and Sun Mingzhu might not have known and thought it was bought by me personally.¡±

    ¡°As for the flowers, they were given to Sun Mingzhu by someone else; I just helped pass them along, and I might not have exined it clearly, which led to a misunderstanding.¡±

    After listening to Lu Zijin¡¯s words, Qiao Jing understood everything.

    It turned out everything was a misunderstanding, and Sun Mingzhu was just being self-indulgent.

    Although it was only a brief contact, from Lu Zijin¡¯s words and actions, you could tell he was a very cultured person.

    Someone like him, no matter how you think about it, wouldn¡¯t fancy a girl with Sun Mingzhu¡¯s temperament.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing nodded to herself and said softly, ¡°Looks like my instincts were quite urate.¡±

    Lu Zijin looked at her in confusion, ¡°What instincts were urate?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows, ¡°Just thought your taste shouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Zijin suddenly gave a bitter smile, ¡°Yes, my taste is indeed not bad, or rather, it¡¯s particrly good, it¡¯s just that person¡­¡±

    Seeing him abruptly stop halfway, Qiao Jing casually picked up his words, ¡°That person doesn¡¯t like you?¡±

    Lu Zijin silently nodded, the bitterness on his lips deepened a bit.

    Seeing him quite sad, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help butfort him, ¡°Then she really is at a loss, such an excellent person like you.¡±

    ¡°Hearing what you said, I¡¯m actually quite happy.¡±

    Lu Zijin said this not out of politeness, but sincerely.

    Hearing her say this, his mood inexplicably improved significantly, even he couldn¡¯t understand why.

    After a pause, Lu Zijin added, ¡°Actually, there wasn¡¯t much of a loss, although I don¡¯t want to admit it, the fact is that the person she likes is more outstanding and capable than me.¡±

    Qiao Jing said lightly, ¡°You really are quite open-minded. If I liked someone, I would definitely try hard to fight for it.¡±

    Try hard to fight¡­

    Lu Zijin silently repeated those four words in his mind, suddenly feeling a bit regretful.

    After all, he was the one who knew Qiao Jing first. If he had tried hard to fight for it initially, would the oue be different now?

    Withdrawing from his thoughts, Lu Zijin looked at the girl in front of him and said with some emotion, ¡°It would¡¯ve been great if I met you earlier; maybe after hearing your words, I would¡¯ve insisted on not giving up and perhaps would¡¯ve won her over¡­¡±

    As Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin talked, they walked towards the direction of the banquet hall. Just as they returned to the banquet hall, Sun Mingzhu came walking over.

    Seeing the two together, Sun Mingzhu¡¯s expression changed instantly.

    She just noticed Lu Zijin was gone, searched several times but couldn¡¯t find him, and was nning to go out looking, only to see such a scene!

    Approaching, Sun Mingzhu nced at Qiao Jing, her eyes clearly displeased, ¡°Why are you two together?¡±

    Lu Zijin casually replied, ¡°Just happened to run into each other.¡±

    Hearing this, Sun Mingzhu¡¯s mood instantly improved a lot.

    In her eyes, Lu Zijin was proactively exining to her.

    Since he exined, it meant Lu Zijin cared about her!

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find my sister.¡±

    Qiao Jing ignored Sun Mingzhu, greeted Lu Zijin, and then turned and walked away.

    Sun Mingzhu stared at her departing figure, her eyes full of malice.

    Although Lu Zijin said it was just a coincidence, she didn¡¯t believe it was that simple.

    This Qiao Lao San must be trying to seduce Lu Zijin, otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence!

    Just wait, if anyone dares to steal her man, she¡¯ll be relentless with them!

    ¡­

    A dayter, at the Zhan Corporation, in the CEO¡¯s office.

    Zhan Qipei sat at the desk, expressionlessly flipping through the documents in his hand, his chiseled handsome face exuding an indescribable sternness.

    After Tang Yan finished reporting work, he hesitated for a moment but still spoke up, ¡°President Zhan, yesterday when I went to check the performance at the central mall, I heard about something¡­¡±

    At this point, Tang Yan paused, somewhat hesitant about whether to continue.

    After all, it was just a trivial matter, usually not worth reporting, but he felt it was necessary to mention it, so he was a bit conflicted.

    Seeing Tang Yan¡¯s hesitance, Zhan Qipei nced up at him, signaling him with his eyes to continue.

    Receiving the signal, Tang Yan felt relieved to continue, ¡°It¡¯s just that Third Miss Qiao was deliberately provoked while shopping at the mall before; coincidentally, the eldest Miss was present and stepped in to help her out.¡±

    ¡°Third Miss Qiao¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei murmured softly, seemingly lost in thought.

    After a while, he finally resumed flipping through the documents in his hand.

    At this time, Tang Yan suddenly thought of something, ¡°Oh right, President Zhan, there¡¯s another thing, I heard Wu Xirui is returning from overseas to the capital soon.¡±

    ¡°Snap¡ª¡ª¡±

    A crisp sound suddenly rang out.

    Tang Yan was startled and looked up to see that his boss, President Zhan, had snapped a pen.

    At this moment, Zhan Qipei was gripping the broken pen tightly, his hand bulging with veins, his lowered eyes dark and somber, exuding an aura of coldness.

    Tang Yan only felt a chill down his back, stopped saying anything further, and quickly exited.

    He knew that President Zhan harbored resentment toward Wu Xirui.

    After all, a few years ago, if it weren¡¯t for Wu Xirui, the youngdy wouldn¡¯t have been endangered, and she wouldn¡¯t have ended up missing, her fate unknown to this day¡­

    Meanwhile, at Wonderful Hall.

    Qiao Jing was studying with Zhou Fu as usual, while Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin continued following another physician.

    In recent days, Zhou Fu increasingly realized that the apprentice he had his eye on was not a simple person.

    From his observations, her medical skills were not only improving daily but also bing remarkably proficient.

    More crucially, it seemed she naturally understood all these medical things, whether in diagnosis, treatment, or some more profound techniques.

    With just a little hint, she could achieve an impressive level that even surprised him!

    After seeing a patient, Zhou Fu finally couldn¡¯t help but ask Qiao Jing in a low voice, ¡°Did you actually study medicine under some renowned teacher before, and just kept it a secret because it¡¯s inconvenient to talk about?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t expect him to ask this suddenly and took a couple of seconds before shaking her head, seriously replying, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Though she appeared earnest while saying this, not showing any sign of deception, Zhou Fu couldn¡¯t help but want to confirm once more, ¡°Did you really never study medicine before?¡±

    Faced with Zhou Fu¡¯s repeated inquiry, Qiao Jing hesitated slightly.

    Zhou Fu sensitively noticed a hint and said, ¡°If it¡¯s really inconvenient for you to talk about it, then I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s inconvenient.¡± Qiao Jing lightly pursed her lips, and said slowly, ¡°Maybe¡­ I might have learned before, but I just don¡¯t remember.¡±

 Chapter 937: 925: Qiao Jings Medical Skills Astonish Everyone Once Again

    <strong>Chapter 937: Chapter 925: Qiao Jing¡¯s Medical Skills Astonish Everyone Once Again</strong>

    Hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhou Fu felt a wave of surprise and doubt.

    He looked puzzled, ¡°How could something like this be forgotten?¡±

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and said truthfully, ¡°Actually, I was sick before, quite seriously ill, bedridden for a long time, and only recently recovered. Now my health is fine, but I can¡¯t remember anything from before.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re suffering from amnesia?!¡± Zhou Fu was stunned.

    Qiao Jing nodded.

    Zhou Fu collected himself and asked again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to the hospital for a check-up?¡±

    ¡°I did, but it wasn¡¯t cured.¡±

    Qiao Jing replied sinctly.

    After a moment of silence, Zhou Fu spoke, ¡°Give me your hand, let me check your pulse.¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate and extended his hand over.

    After checking the pulse, Zhou Fu understood the general situation.

    He withdrew his hand and said thoughtfully, ¡°There¡¯s some congestion in your head. It seems to press on the nerves, causing the amnesia symptoms. It doesn¡¯t affect other parts of your body, but the congested area is special, making it inconvenient to perform surgery for removal.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Qiao Jing said calmly, ¡°That¡¯s what the hospital doctors said too, that surgery is inconvenient, and that we can only wait for the congestion to gradually dissipate on its own.¡±

    ¡°Your condition is not easy to treat, let¡¯s start with some traditional Chinese medicine andbine it with head massages. As long as you stick with the treatment, you¡¯ll slowly remember.¡±

    As Zhou Fu finished speaking, the phone on the consultation desk suddenly rang, and he picked it up casually.

    After finishing the call, Zhou Fu sprang to his feet and turned to pick up the medical kit ced nearby.

    Seeing his hurried manner, Qiao Jing was puzzled, ¡°Master Zhou, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Zhou Fu quickly exined, ¡°The call was from the Khor Family on South Street. They said their elder¡¯s illness has red up, with severe symptoms, possibly on the edge of passing. They asked me to rush over there to see if I can help.¡±

    As he spoke, Zhou Fu had already grabbed the medical kit and was about to leave.

    But seeing many patients still queued at the door, he turned back to Qiao Jing and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave these patients to you. They¡¯ve all made appointments in advance, and it¡¯s not fair to make theme back another day.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing was slightly startled, ¡°Leave them to me?¡±

    Zhou Fu nodded affirmatively, ¡°I trust my judgment. You¡¯ve been learning from me for so long, and it seems like you can grasp things just by looking. This should be fine.¡±

    With those words, without waiting for Qiao Jing to say anything else, he took big strides and left.

    Seeing Zhou Fu¡¯s quickly disappearing figure, Qiao Jing found it somewhat amusing.

    Although she felt there wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem, Zhou Fu sure had a lot of faith in her, boldly leaving everything to her without a hint of fear that she might mess things up.

    However, since Zhou Fu trusted her so much, she couldn¡¯t let him down.

    With this in mind, Qiao Jing sat down at the consultation desk and began attending to the patients on her own.

    Yang Xiaoxiao stood among the crowd in line at the door, her heart filled with both jealousy and hatred as she witnessed the scene inside Wonderful Hall.

    Today, she came with the hope of pleading with Master Zhou, hoping he might take her as a disciple.

    After all, during the previous disciple selection assessment, her performance wasn¡¯t bad. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Lao San suddenly showing off, she might have been the most promising one to be Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice.

    But unexpectedly, upon arrival, she saw Qiao Lao San sitting in Master Zhou¡¯s ce, recing him in diagnosing patients!

    What qualifications did Qiao Lao San have?

    Moreover, if not for Qiao Lao San, the one sitting in that position now might very well be Yang Xiaoxiao!

    The more Yang Xiaoxiao thought about it, the angrier she became, and she decided on the spot to get back at her nemesis Qiao Lao San and vent her anger properly.

    She moved to a corner and took out her phone to make a call.

    The Yang Family might notpare to a top family in the capital, but it was still a family with a certain influence.

    After Yang Xiaoxiao made the call, a business van soon arrived.

    As the door opened, dozens of men stepped out of the van.

    Yang Xiaoxiao nced at them and asked, ¡°Which one of you is the patient?¡±

    A rather thin man stepped forward, ¡°Miss Yang, that¡¯s me. My name is Zhao Er.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you are Zhao Er or Qian Er, just remember to act convincinglyter and get the job done. You will get every penny you¡¯re promised!¡±

    After saying that, Yang Xiaoxiao looked at the others and arrogantly said, ¡°And you guys, stay sharp. I shouldn¡¯t have to teach you what to do, right?¡±

    The men exchanged looks and responded in unison, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Yang. We¡¯ve done this kind of stir-up gig before, we¡¯ll y it by ear.¡±

    After briefing the n once more, Yang Xiaoxiao and Zhao Er proceeded to Wonderful Hall.

    At this time, Qiao Jing had just finished attending to a patient.

    Seeing the opportunity, Zhao Er immediately rushed forward and took a seat opposite her.

    Qiao Jing found this person¡¯s behavior quite peculiar, so she nced up and happened to catch sight of Yang Xiaoxiao appearing out of nowhere.

    Next to her, Qiao Lin also noticed Yang Xiaoxiao and red at her, then said snippily, ¡°You Yang, what are you doing here? Idle and looking for trouble again, are you?¡±

    Originally, Qiao Lin had been inside with Qiao Hong learning about herbal prescriptions, but upon hearing that Qiao Jing was seeing patients alone, she unhesitatingly left Qiao Hong and ran over excitedly to assist Qiao Jing.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m not allowed here? Just because Wonderful Hall is open doesn¡¯t mean others can¡¯te in, does it?¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao retorted disdainfully, ¡°And anyway, what I¡¯m here for is none of your business, is it?¡±

    Qiao Lin continued to re at Yang Xiaoxiao, warning, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯d better not stir up trouble, or don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡±

    Every time she saw Yang Xiaoxiao, she felt nothing good coulde of it!

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your nonsense!¡± Yang Xiaoxiao sneered.

    The show was about to start, she had no interest in bickering with Qiao Lao Er!

    While Qiao Lin and Yang Xiaoxiao argued, Qiao Jing had already checked Zhao Er¡¯s pulse.

    Based on the pulse reading, Qiao Jing felt acupuncture treatment was appropriate.

    She took out her acupuncture kit, selected the appropriate silver needles, and began to administer the needles to Zhao Er¡¯s hand.

    After just two needles, Zhao Er suddenly began to cough, ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡±

    While coughing, he put on a show of being considerate, covering his mouth with one hand and slightly bending forward.

    Then, out of sight from others, he seized the opportunity to slip a pre-prepared capsule prop into his mouth.

    Qiao Jing subtly furrowed her brows, feeling there was something suspicious about this person.

    With the capsule in his mouth, Zhao Er released his hand, murmuring, ¡°Sorry, sorry, we can continue now.¡±

    Though feeling wary, Qiao Jing said nothing, and resumed administering acupuncture with the silver needles.

 Chapter 938 - 926: Do You Want to Live?

    <h4>Chapter 938: Chapter 926: Do You Want to Live?</h4>

    In the end, as Qiao Jing inserted the needle, Zhao Er suddenly tilted to the side, directly falling off the chair to the ground, then convulsed twice, and started foaming at the mouth.

    Seeing this, Yang Xiaoxiao immediately rushed forward, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Oh no, something terrible has happened! He¡¯s been killed!"

    "A perfectly fine person was turned into a half-dead mess by this under-skilled Qiao Lao San after just a few needles!"

    Yang Xiaoxiao shouted as she signaled to a few aplices in the crowd.

    Upon receiving the signal, they began to rile up the crowd and lead the rhythm.

    "This woman¡¯s medical skills are poor, yet she dares to practice medicine on others,pletely disregarding human life!"

    "He had an illness, but was fine otherwise, and ended up being killed by this woman with needles, it¡¯s outrageous!"

    "This woman killed a person, and everyone here is a witness. We cannot let her go unpunished; she must pay for her actions!"

    "Murder must be punished by death! We should call the police to arrest her, let her go to jail, and let her repent for her evil deeds for the rest of her life!"

    "..."

    This sudden ident, along with the inmmatory words, shocked Qiao Lin.

    She shook her head and hands repeatedly, anxiously arguing, "No, it¡¯s not like that, this person wasn¡¯t killed by my sister, he, he is..."

    Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t exin the reason for Zhao Er¡¯s sudden copse, hesitated, then hurriedly said, "Anyway, it¡¯s definitely not my sister¡¯s fault, my sister¡¯s medical skills are excellent, she absolutely couldn¡¯t have killed anyone!"

    Her tone was very assured when she spoke, but she actually had doubts in her heart.

    Because her family¡¯s Xiao Jing is currently in a state of amnesia, even if Xiao Jing¡¯s medical skills were very outstanding before, now she probably doesn¡¯t remember much.

    So, maybe it really was an idental mistake just now...

    Compared to the anxious Qiao Lin, the involved party Qiao Jing seemed rather calm.

    She had felt early on that there was something suspicious about this patient, and it turned out they were nning this scene for her.

    Seeing Yang Xiaoxiao bounce around like a clown, it seemed this incident couldn¡¯t be unrted to her!

    Having roughly figured out the situation, Qiao Jing slowly stood up from her seat, bypassed the consultation table, and looked down at Zhao Er, who was still foaming at the mouth on the ground.

    Considering the patient¡¯s pulse just now, he indeed suffers from epilepsy,monly known as convulsions.

    However, with his current symptoms, he might foolymen but can¡¯t fool her.

    At this point, other people on the scene, incited by Yang Xiaoxiao and her aplices, also started condemning Qiao Jing in unison.

    "This woman¡¯s medical skills arecking, yet she dares to unt them here,pletely disregarding the lives of us patients!"

    "It¡¯s too much! Luckily, it wasn¡¯t our turn yet; otherwise, the one lying there might be us!"

    "How could such a renowned pharmacy like Wonderful Hall hire someone like her for consultation, isn¡¯t this damaging their reputation?"

    "Could it be that this woman knows nothing about acupuncture and is using us as guinea pigs to practice?"

    "In any case, it¡¯s a fact that this woman killed someone. If necessary, we can all testify and make sure she doesn¡¯t escape justice!"

    "..."

    Listening to the righteous condemnation from the crowd, Qiao Lin grew even more flustered and worried about her sister¡¯s predicament.

    In contrast, Qiao Jing remained as calm and unhurried as before.

    She walked closer to Zhao Er, intending to directly handle the current situation.

    Yang Xiaoxiao immediately stepped forward to block her, shrieking, "Qiao Lao San, you¡¯ve already harmed him like this, what do you want to do still? You wouldn¡¯t be thinking of silencing him, making sure there is no witness, would you!"

    As soon as this was said, others looked at Qiao Jing with even more peculiar gazes, the condemnation on the scene grew louder, and someone started calling the police amidst the crowd.

    Seeing the crowd bing more and more agitated under Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s instigation, Qiao Jing had no choice but to exin, "This person is indeed a patient with convulsions, but his illness hasn¡¯t acted up now, he¡¯s pretending."

    However, the crowd only trusted what they saw and didn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing¡¯s words at all.

    "Does this woman take us all for fools? The man is lying on the ground foaming at the mouth, and she says he¡¯s pretending!"

    "Exactly, to say something so ridiculous, she apparently doesn¡¯t even regard her actions as manughter; it¡¯s utterly despicable!"

    "She has killed someone, how can she still be so arrogant!"

    "Stop arguing, no matter how much you argue, you can¡¯t change the fact that you killed someone!"

    "..."

    Qiao Lin was still unclear about the situation, but hearing Qiao Jing say that, she immediately felt a bit more confident.

    She shouted at the people who were constantly denouncing, "Stop spouting nonsense here; my sister has already said this person is faking it, the result isn¡¯t even out yet, stop insisting someone¡¯s been killed, or else I¡¯ll use you of defamation!"

    Knowing that exnations wouldn¡¯t work, Qiao Jing decided not to say anymore and nned to prove it with facts.

    But just as she was about to squat down next to Zhao Er, Yang Xiaoxiao stepped forward to block her again.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s gaze turned cold, her face followed suit, and she directly pushed Yang Xiaoxiao away.

    In others¡¯ eyes, it seemed like Qiao Jing merely pushed lightly, but the force was significant; Yang Xiaoxiao staggered backward repeatedly and almost fell t on her back.

    After regaining her bnce, Yang Xiaoxiao felt apprehensive, and with Qiao Jing¡¯s intimidating aura at the moment, she didn¡¯t dare to advance again.

    In full view of everyone, Qiao Jing squatted down, reached out, and forcefully pressed several points on Zhao Er¡¯s body, urately pressing his acupuncture points each time.

    When Qiao Jing pulled her hand back, Zhao Er suddenly twitched violently, the veins on his forehead stood out clearly, cold sweat dripped incessantly, and the foam was much worse than before, his eyes rolled back constantly, looking ready to faint.

    "See?" Qiao Jing said unhurriedly, "This is what a real seizure in a convulsions patient looks like."

    Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s expression froze, feeling guilty, but as things had developed this far, she had no choice but to continue as nned.

    She adopted a righteous stance and used, "Qiao Lao San, you are maliciously harming! Just now he wasn¡¯t so severe, but after you poked him a few times, he ended up like this; you really n to kill him as a witness silencing!"

    Qiao Jing remained indifferent,pletely ignoring Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s existence, only coldly watching Zhao Er suffering from the seizure on the ground, and said indifferently, "Do you want to live?"

    "If you want to live, answer my question honestly; if what I say is correct, just nod."

    "Did Yang Xiaoxiao instruct you to pretend to seek treatment as a pretext, deliberately y this scene to frame me, and use me of poor medical skills, and murder?"

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Zhao Er hesitated not even a bit and immediately nodded with difficulty.

    He twitched almost to fainting, not caring about the money at all now!

    Money wasn¡¯t as important as his life!

 Chapter 939: 927: The Bet

    <strong>Chapter 939: Chapter 927: The Bet</strong>

    Seeing this scene, everyone present suddenly came to their senses.

    The people who had been full of righteous indignation, constantly condemning Qiao Jing, all had sheepish expressions, feeling somewhat ashamed.

    ¡°So, this guy was faking it, huh? Did we wrongly use the doctor?¡±

    ¡°This is so insidious! Using such a means to frame someone, even using us as pawns, is truly despicable!¡±

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s really malevolent. Fortunately, the truth hase to light, otherwise an innocent person would have been wrongly used of murder!¡±

    ¡°Since this guy likes to feign illness so much, let him keep twitching until he stops breathing, and see if he dares to use such a vile trick ever again!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, ignore him, let him twitch to death!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t actually want Zhao Er to twitch to death. After all, this was Wonderful Hall, and having someone die here would bring bad luck.

    She raised her hand and pressed several of Zhao Er¡¯s acupoints again.

    As soon as she finished, Zhao Er, who had been twitching non-stop the previous second, suddenly stopped twitching, stopped foaming at the mouth, and stopped rolling his eyes, instantly returning to normal.

    Qiao Jing stood up, and Zhao Er immediately stood up with a swipe, thanking and apologizing profusely to her.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you for your magnanimity, for not being petty with me. I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have feigned illness to frame you for money. I will certainly correct my ways from now on¡­¡±

    Zhao Er was speaking when he suddenly caught sight of Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s sinister gaze. He swallowed nervously, stopping his words in apprehension.

    He was just a small fry, and with Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s family background, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend her.

    Seeing Zhao Er¡¯s rtively sincere attitude in admitting his mistakes, Qiao Jing casually said, ¡°You¡¯ve had this illness for quite a while, haven¡¯t you? At least ten years.¡±

    Zhao Er was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

    He indeed had this illness for over ten years ¡ª how could she be so urate?

    Seeing his reaction, Qiao Jing knew her judgment was correct.

    She continued, ¡°Over the years you must have seen many doctors and tried various treatments, yet they all offered symptomatic relief rather than a cure, right?¡±

    Zhao Er nodded, truthfully said, ¡°That¡¯s true. Even Master Zhou had seen me, but could only provide relief without aplete cure.¡±

    ¡°I have a solution.¡±

    As she said this, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was calm, yet her tone was assertive.

    Upon hearing this, Zhao Er was instantly shocked.

    After regaining his senses, he asked suspiciously yet with anticipation, ¡°Do you really have a way?¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could speak, Yang Xiaoxiao interjected with mockingughter, ¡°A disease even Master Zhou couldn¡¯t cure, what can you possibly do as someone not even considered an apprentice?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you showed off a bit earlier, you can now spout arrogant words!¡±

    Qiao Lin immediately red at Yang Xiaoxiao, gritting her teeth in anger, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, we haven¡¯t settled the score for you framing our Xiao Jing yet. You better get out right now and stop stirring up trouble, or I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart!¡±

    ¡°Tear my mouth, right? Come on!¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao folded her arms, looking brazenly unrestrained, ¡°With so many people watching, if you darey a finger on me, I¡¯ll make sure you pay dearly for it!¡±

    Qiao Lin let out a chilly snort, wishing her gaze could bore holes into Yang Xiaoxiao.

    If it weren¡¯t for the potential repercussions, she wouldn¡¯t waste words on Yang Xiaoxiao and would¡¯ve gone up and pped her long ago!

    She recorded this ount today and will certainly settle it with Yang Xiaoxiao someday!

    At this point, others present began discussing Qiao Jing¡¯s words in hushed whispers.

    ¡°Even though earlier she exposed that guy¡¯s feigned illness showing some skills, a disease Master Zhou can¡¯t cure, how can she possibly seed?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if she can cure it, doesn¡¯t that mean her medical skills surpass Master Zhou¡¯s? How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she being too boastful? using her of arrogance wasn¡¯t wrong!¡±

    ¡°She looks so young, probably in her twenties, how good could her medical skills be? Her words indeed seem too arrogant!¡±

    ¡­

    Yang Xiaoxiao listened to these discussions, seeing that others felt the same way, her arrogance grew even more.

    With her chin lifted, she said in a mocking tone, ¡°Qiao Lao San, you hear that? It¡¯s not just me looking down on you, no one believes you!¡±

    Qiao Jing nced coldly at Yang Xiaoxiao, her tone indifferent, ¡°Different doctors specialize in different fields; it so happens that I have some insights into treating epilepsy. Regardless of whether you believe it or not, I can cure it.¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao snorted scornfully, ¡°Of course you¡¯d say that. Who knows if you can actually cure it?¡±

    Qiao Jing remained expressionless, calm andposed, ¡°It¡¯s simple. In a month, the result will speak for itself.¡±

    Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes gleamed, an idea dawned upon her.

    She challenged Qiao Jing, ¡°Alright, would you dare make a bet with me? If you haven¡¯t cured it in a month, you¡¯ll shave your head, eyebrows, and make your face as smooth as an egg!¡±

    She dared to make this wager, banking on Qiao Lao San¡¯s inability!

    She could hardly wait to see Qiao Lao San turn into an egg!

    ¡°This is your bet, don¡¯t regret itter.¡±

    Qiao Jing curled her lips into a meaningful cold smile, slowly saying, ¡°If I do cure it, you will shave yourself into an egg.¡±

    ¡°Just wait and see, the one turning into an egg will surely be you, Qiao Lao San!¡±

    With an air of confidence, Yang Xiaoxiao strutted away after making this deration.

    Thus, the bet was settled.

    Thismotion was temporarily put to rest.

    Qiao Lin, who hadn¡¯t had a chance to interject earlier, was flustered.

    Now finding an opportunity, she quickly pulled Qiao Jing aside and asked with concern, ¡°Xiao Jing, are you sure about this? That¡¯s an illness even Master Zhou couldn¡¯t cure!¡±

    Seeing Qiao Lin¡¯s anxiety, Qiao Jing smiled gently to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since I said it, I can do it. Just have faith in me, Second Sister.¡±

    She never speaks without confidence, nor does she undertake anything without certainty!

    Reassured by Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Qiao Lin instantly felt at ease.

    Although it seemed highly unlikely, the way their Xiao Jing said it left no room for doubt.

    Perhaps, it¡¯s because their Xiao Jing has a certain convincing power!

    Qiao Lin raised her eyebrows, her face full of anticipation, ¡°Then Second Sister will look forward to seeing that pesky Yang Xiaoxiao turn into an egg!¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Nanjing wheeled Zhan Yuanshan into Wonderful Hall.

    Since themotion had just died down, the crowd hadn¡¯t yet dispersed.

    So the scene was still bustling, appearing very lively.

 Chapter 940: 928: Zhan Yuanshan Is Convinced That Qiao Jing Is Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 940: Chapter 928: Zhan Yuanshan Is Convinced That Qiao Jing Is Qiao Jing</strong>

    Seeing such a lively scene, Zhan Nanjing felt very curious and casually asked the person next to her, ¡°What happened here? Why are so many people gathered?¡±

    The person being asked immediately began to eagerly exin the situation.

    ¡°Originally, someone was pretending to be sick, trying to frame that female doctor with the surname Qiao, using Doctor Qiao of causing someone¡¯s death. It was quite amotion, but this Doctor Qiao indeed has some real skills andter exposed the ruse.¡±

    ¡°Then, as it turns out, the person pretending to be sick actually has a real illness, epilepsy, and ording to him, even Master Zhou couldn¡¯tpletely cure it.¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s the highlight, even the person Master Zhou couldn¡¯t cure, this Doctor Qiao confidently imed she had a way to cure him, and even bet on it. Isn¡¯t that something?¡±

    After hearing this, Zhan Nanjing was very surprised, asking in disbelief, ¡°Did she really say that? Master Zhou couldn¡¯t cure it, and she can?¡±

    The person nodded emphatically, ¡°Absolutely true, she said it herself, everyone present heard it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask others.¡±

    ¡°But, whether she can actually cure him or not, we¡¯ll have to wait another month to find out.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan, listening to their conversation, almost stood up from his wheelchair in excitement.

    He raised his hand, pointing shakily at Qiao Jing in the Wonderful Hall, passionately shouting, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake! She is Jing Girl! She must be Jing Girl!¡±

    Such a young girl with such great medical skills, who else could it be but Jing Girl?

    His feeling was indeed correct!

    Seeing Zhan Yuanshan like this, Zhan Nanjing sighed quietly.

    Her grandfather¡¯s mental state had problems again, and if this continued to develop, just as Master Zhou said, they might really need to prepare for the worst¡­

    While Zhan Nanjing was thinking, the emotional Zhan Yuanshan had already maneuvered his wheelchair, heading straight for Qiao Jing.

    Upon reaching Qiao Jing, Zhan Yuanshan suddenly grabbed her hand, speaking in a trembling voice, ¡°Jing Girl, I know it¡¯s you, but why won¡¯t you admit it?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa Zhan has been looking for you for so long. You say you¡¯vee back, so why note find Grandpa Zhan? Do you not recognize us anymore?¡±

    ¡°Jing Girl, say something, tell Grandpa Zhan what has happened over these years¡­¡±

    When Zhan Yuanshan rushed over, Qiao Jing was startled for a moment.

    Once she recognized him as Old Mr. Zhan and remembered simr incidents from before, as well as what Zhan Nanjing said at the time, Qiao Jing instantly understood that Old Mr. Zhan mistook her for his granddaughter-inw, who had been missing for years.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, this, this¡­¡±

    Qiao Lin was taken aback by the scene, somewhat dumbfounded.

    She leaned towards Qiao Jing, whispering, ¡°What¡¯s up with this old man? Howe he¡¯s holding onto you and rambling?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t be nervous, this is the old master of the Zhan Family, he¡¯s mistaken me for someone else.¡± Qiao Jing exined briefly.

    Zhan Nanjing saw the situation and quickly ran forward, trying to pry Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s hand open.

    However, Zhan Yuanshan refused to let go, still holding onto Qiao Jing tightly.

    Zhan Nanjing had no choice but to persuade him with earnest words, ¡°Grandfather, take a good look, this is Third Miss Qiao, not my sister-inw. Didn¡¯t I exin it to youst time? She just has a name simr to my sister-inw, can you let go first?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan snorted, stubbornly saying, ¡°I can see clearly, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s confused. This is definitely Jing Girl, I am very sure, I wouldn¡¯t mistake someone else!¡±

    As he said this, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s emotions became increasingly agitated, even showing signs of having trouble breathing.

    Zhan Nanjing was rmed, fearing something might happen to her grandfather.

    In a moment of urgency, she stepped forward, leaned close to Qiao Jing¡¯s ear, and whispered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you pretend to be my sister-inw temporarily to calm my grandfather down? My grandfather is ill, and Master Zhou said he can¡¯t be agitated, or else it might cause serious trouble!¡±

    Qiao Jing hesitated but wanted to try persuading him once more to see if she could talk him into reason.

    She shed a gentle smile, speaking softly, ¡°Old Mr. Zhan, please don¡¯t get excited, calm down first. Your health isn¡¯t great, let¡¯s stabilize your emotions before we talk, shall we?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t even admit you¡¯re Jing Girl. How am I supposed to calm down? I know it¡¯s you, just stop denying it!¡±

    As he finished speaking, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s symptoms of breathlessness worsened, looking as if he might faint at any moment.

    For a moment, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression was somewhatplicated.

    The implication of Old Mr. Zhan was clear: unless she admitted to being Qiao Jing, he couldn¡¯t calm down¡­

    Seeing Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition deteriorate, Zhan Nanjing quickly sped her hands, making a ¡°please, please¡± gesture at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing certainly couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch the elderly man have an incident, so she followed Zhan Nanjing¡¯s suggestion, pretending to be the missing Zhan Family daughter-inw and called out, ¡°Grandpa Zhan¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Yuanshan didn¡¯t calm down initially, but rather grew even more excited.

    However, because it was from happiness, his breathlessness improved slightly.

    He smiled broadly then lightly patted the back of Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯ve finally admitted it. I knew you were Jing Girl!¡±

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go back to Purple Garden together!¡±

    Saying this, Zhan Yuanshan operated the wheelchair, pulling Qiao Jing along, heading for the car parked by the roadside.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, Xiao Jing¡­¡±

    At this development, Qiao Lin was once again left speechless.

    It¡¯s bad enough he mistook her, but how did he end up taking her family¡¯s Xiao Jing away?!

    ¡°Please excuse us, my grandfather has a mental issue. We had no choice but to trouble your sister with an act to cate the old man.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing exined to Qiao Lin before quickly catching up with Zhan Yuanshan and Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing felt a bit helpless, but to avoid agitating Zhan Yuanshan, she decided to go along with the n and got into the car towards Purple Garden.

    A dozen minutester, the car stopped at the gate of Purple Garden.

    After getting out of the car, Qiao Jing pushed Zhan Yuanshan, with Zhan Nanjing walking alongside.

    As soon as they entered the courtyard, they ran into Chi Yuhang.

    Chi Yuhang saw this scene and showed obvious confusion on his face.

    After a brief greeting, he pulled Zhan Nanjing aside, asking quietly, ¡°Why is Third Miss Qiao returning with you?¡±

    Having seen her at the engagement party before, he recognized that it was Third Miss Qiao from the Qiao Family in Nandu pushing Old Mr. Zhan.

    Zhan Nanjing helplessly shook her head, sighing as she exined, ¡°My grandfather¡¯s mental state had issues again. Earlier at the Wonderful Hall, as soon as he saw Third Miss Qiao, he insisted on calling her Jing Girl and forced her to admit she was my sister-inw.¡±

    ¡°You know, my grandfather is ill and can¡¯t be agitated. When he gets excited, he struggles to breathe, which is really scary. To prevent anything bad from happening, we had to ask Third Miss Qiao to pretend to be my sister-inw temporarily.¡±

    After hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s exnation, Chi Yuhang understood, ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡±

 Chapter 941 - 929: Could She Really Be My Sister-in-law?

    <h4>Chapter 941: Chapter 929: Could She Really Be My Sister-inw?</h4>

    In the living room, both Su Manhan and Zhan Yao were present.

    When they saw Qiao Jing pushing Zhan Yuanshan inside, they were both puzzled.

    Zhan Nanjing noticed it and exined the situation before they could ask.

    "Here¡¯s the thing, grandpa mistook Third Miss Qiao for my sister-inw, and he¡¯s adamant about it, insisting she admit it. I saw he was really agitated, and I was worried for his health, so I asked Third Miss Qiao to pretend for a bit to calm him down."

    After exining, Zhan Nanjing muttered with a frown, "I think grandpa¡¯s mental issues are getting worse. It can¡¯t go on like this!"

    "Luckily, it was Third Miss Qiao he mistook her for. She¡¯s kind-hearted and willing to help us act. If it were someone else, they might have been scared off by my grandpa instead of helping!"

    After understanding what happened, Su Manhan and Zhan Yao both shook their heads and sighed.

    They all knew the old man¡¯s current state was problematic, but what else could they do but go along with him?

    They couldn¡¯t just watch him get more agitated and have an episode, could they?

    Su Manhan stood up, pulled Qiao Jing aside, and said apologetically, "I¡¯m sorry, the old man¡¯s situation is unusual today. We¡¯ll invite Master Zhou over to take a lookter, but for now, we have to trouble you to pretend to be my daughter-inw."

    Zhan Nanjing and Su Manhan were honestly asking, and considering Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition, Qiao Jing reluctantly agreed.

    Just as they finished speaking, Zhan Yuanshan wheeled himself over.

    "How long are you going to keep Jing Girl standing here? After so long apart, I want to have a good chat with her."

    With that, Zhan Yuanshan took Qiao Jing over to the sofa.

    Once Qiao Jing was seated, Zhan Yuanshan sighed, "Jing Girl, you know, we¡¯ve been looking for you all these years, searching every corner of the capital without a trace of you, but we never gave up. I always believed we would find you one day."

    "And now, finally, our persistence paid off, I found you today!"

    Qiao Jing stayed silent, just listening quietly.

    The Zhan Family¡¯s efforts to find the missing young mistress were something she was already aware of.

    Especially Zhan Qipei¡¯s love for his wife, it was widely known.

    "By the way," Zhan Yuanshan suddenly shifted the topic, looking at Qiao Jing and asking, "The day of the tsunami, after you fell into the sea, what happened next?"

    As soon as he said this, Zhan Nanjing quickly signaled to Qiao Jing not to give herself away.

    If she slipped up now, grandpa might get agitated again!

    "That day..."

    Qiao Jing hesitated, then recalled her own experience and just ryed it as it was.

    "After I fell into the sea that day, the waves pushed me to the shore, and I was rescued by kind people."

    Zhan Yuanshan continued to ask, "Then why didn¡¯t youe back to find us all these years?"

    This was the most puzzling thing for him.

    Qiao Jing was slightly startled, feeling a bit anxious.

    She¡¯s just pretending, how would she know why?

    However, if she follows her own experience, it would make sense!

    With this in mind, Qiao Jing slowly said, "Because when I fell into the sea, I suffered a severe head injury and couldn¡¯t remember anything."

    Zhan Nanjing, upon hearing this, had a fleeting thought.

    She stared intently at Qiao Jing.

    This exnation sounded usible!

    Could this really be how it happened?

    Could this person really be her sister-inw?!

    Thinking this, Zhan Nanjing shook her head, dismissing her previous thought.

    No, it¡¯s impossible!

    How could there be such a melodramatic and coincidental event in the world?

    Grandpa had a condition, so it made sense for him, but she was a normal person. How could she, like grandpa, mistake Third Miss Qiao as her sister-inw and concoct such a ridiculous idea?

    Meanwhile, Zhan Yuanshan, while chatting, inexplicably became agitated, coughing violently, "Cough, cough, cough¡ª"

    Seeing this, Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao visibly tensed up.

    Su Manhan quickly said, "Quick! Call Master Zhou! Get him here right away!"

    Zhan Yao, hearing this, immediately took out his phone to contact Zhou Fu.

    However, after several attempts, the call didn¡¯t go through.

    Zhan Yao frowned deeply, his expression heavy, "He might be busy with something, Master Zhou isn¡¯t answering..."

    Zhan Nanjing suggested, "It¡¯s urgent, we can¡¯t wait, let¡¯s find another doctor first!"

    Seeing them in a rush, coupled with Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s urgent condition, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hesitate. She immediately took Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s hand to check his pulse.

    Zhan Nanjing had already picked up her phone to contact another doctor, but then she saw Qiao Jing focusing on taking Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s pulse.

    Seeing this, Zhan Nanjing suddenly remembered that Third Miss Qiao could substitute for Master Zhou, treating patients solo!

    Moreover, Master Zhou had always praised her medical talent!

    This meant her medical skills were top-notch!

    Realizing this, Zhan Nanjing turned to Zhan Yao and Su Manhan, saying, "Dad, Mom, please be quiet, Third Miss Qiao is checking grandpa¡¯s pulse."

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words, Zhan Yao and Su Manhan shifted their attention over.

    Looking at the scene, Zhan Yao was somewhat surprised, quietly asking Su Manhan, "Does Third Miss Qiao know medicine?"

    Before Su Manhan could respond, Zhan Nanjing spoke up, "She¡¯s currently studying at Wonderful Hall with Master Zhou. When we went over earlier, she was substituting for Master Zhou, treating patients."

    Zhan Yao, after hearing this, uncertainly said, "So, she¡¯s the one Master Zhou wants to take as a disciple?"

    He wasn¡¯t very familiar with this matter, just having heard that Master Zhou intended to take a disciple, but the person had no desire to be one.

    "Yes." Zhan Nanjing nodded, "It¡¯s her."

    At this point, the three of them instinctively fell silent.

    After taking Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s pulse and understanding his condition, Qiao Jing promptly began treating him, using acupuncture points to alleviate his symptoms.

    Under Qiao Jing¡¯s treatment, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s condition rapidly improved.

    His previously pale face quickly regained color, and his violent coughing miraculously ceased.

    This left Zhan Nanjing and the others amazed.

    In such a short time, with just a few simple pushes on acupuncture points, the old man¡¯s condition was alleviated; the medical skill was extraordinary!

    Zhan Yao suddenly realized, no wonder Master Zhou was insistent on taking her as a disciple; her medical skills were indeed exceptional!

 Chapter 942: 930: Let Zhan Qipei Sit Next to Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 942: Chapter 930: Let Zhan Qipei Sit Next to Qiao Jing</strong>

    After eximing, Zhan Yao couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It¡¯s such a pity about that face. However, you can¡¯t just judge someone by their appearance. If Qipei and she can end up together, maybe¡­¡±

    Halfway through his words, he was red at by Su Manhan beside him.

    Su Manhan frowned and whispered, ¡°Why are you mentioning this again? Haven¡¯t we already discussed it before?¡±

    ¡°Moreover, a recement is always a recement, they can never be the real thing. It¡¯s unfair to the girl in question, so don¡¯t think about these things anymore.¡±

    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Zhan Yao sighed, ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but we can¡¯t just watch Qipei suffer for this his whole life¡­¡±

    With those words, both of them fell silent, and no one continued the topic.

    As soon as the symptoms eased, Zhan Yuanshan quickly returned to normal.

    Although he had been in difort earlier, his mood was now exceptionally good.

    Because of these medical skills, he was even more certain that the girl in front of him was Jing Girl!

    Zhan Yuanshan beamed with joy and said cheerfully, ¡°Jing Girl, even though you can¡¯t recall past events, your medical skills have not diminished at all. They¡¯re as impressive as always, just like back then!¡±

    ¡°When I first met you, I suddenly fell ill, and no one paid attention to me. Fortunately, you appeared in time to treat me. Your method of treatment back then was not much different from just now.¡±

    ¡°So, from the moment I saw you, I had an intuition that you must be Jing Girl!¡±

    The more Zhan Yuanshan spoke, the more excited he became, ¡°Let me tell you, my intuition has always been very urate.¡±

    ¡°Back in the day, when I was leading troops on the battlefield, we captured a few spies simultaneously. Some officers were busy celebrating, while others were busy interrogating.¡±

    ¡°But at that time, I had a gut feeling that things weren¡¯t that simple. It might be a feint by the enemy to make us drop our guard and catch us off guard.¡±

    ¡°Based on this gut feeling, I made a swift decision to preemptively take action, preventing their scheme from seeding.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve always believed in my intuition and have won many battles because of it.¡±

    ¡°The main reason I¡¯m telling you all this is to let you know that I believe you¡¯re Jing Girl. You definitely are, and I¡¯m not mistaken!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s tone was very firm, allowing no room for doubt from anyone.

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing suddenly felt as if she really might be Jing Girl.

    The old man¡¯s eloquence nearly convinced her.

    Regaining herposure, Qiao Jing sincerely praised, ¡°You were truly remarkable when you were young!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Zhan Yuanshan replied proudly, before continuing, ¡°At that time, I wanted you to inherit my legacy, but you were entirely focused on the agricultural development of the country, so you declined.¡±

    ¡°However, you managed to achieve great sess in agriculture, bing the number one authority in our empire, the famous Professor Qiao, and even opened a research institute¡­¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s face didn¡¯t show much, but inside, she was shocked.

    The Zhan Family¡¯s young madam turned out to be that top agriculture authority¡ªProfessor Qiao!

    She had previously heard from her two elder sisters that the Zhan Family¡¯s young madam came from the countryside and had the good fortune to marry into the Zhan Family, suddenly transforming from a sparrow into a phoenix.

    Who could have imagined that the young madam of the Zhan Family had such a status!

    If this status were revealed to the world, it would surely shock the entire Imperial Capital, no, it should astonish the entire empire!

    When Qiao Jing snapped out of her thoughts, she looked up to see the Zhan Family¡¯s servant already setting the table with dishes.

    Noticing this, Qiao Jing realized it was mealtime.

    She got up from the sofa, nning to find an excuse to say goodbye and leave.

    The family was about to have their meal, and it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her, an outsider, to continue staying here¡­

    Seeing her get up, Zhan Yuanshan immediately asked, ¡°Jing Girl, what are you standing up for? Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been out for a while; I need to check on the Wonderful Hall¡­¡±

    Before Qiao Jing finished her sentence, she was interrupted by Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°It¡¯s mealtime now, and the Wonderful Hall also rests at noon. What do you need to check on? Come, join us for a meal.¡±

    With that, Zhan Yuanshan maneuvered his wheelchair and, without letting her say no, pulled Qiao Jing towards the dining table.

    Zhan Nanjing, worried that Qiao Jing might refuse, discreetly made a ¡°pretty please¡± gesture, asking her to help once more.

    Qiao Jing felt helpless yet remembered the old man¡¯s earlier condition, so she couldn¡¯t just leave recklessly. Eventually, she sat down at the dining table.

    As soon as she sat down, Zhan Qipei happened to return from outside.

    Before Zhan Qipei could speak, Zhan Nanjing quickly ran over, pulling him aside to briefly exin the situation.

    ¡°Grandfather mistook Third Miss Qiao for my sister-inw. To avoid shocking him, I had to ask Third Miss Qiao to pretend to be my sister-inw and y along with Grandfather.¡±

    After speaking, Zhan Nanjing worriedly reminded, ¡°Brother, please cooperate as well. Don¡¯t reveal the truth, or it could agitate Grandfather. If his condition res up, it could be disastrous!¡±

    Zhan Qipei listened, his brows furrowing, clearly reluctant to cooperate.

    He disliked anyone taking his wife¡¯s ce!

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s resistance was so apparent that even Zhan Nanjing noticed.

    So, as he was about to refuse, Zhan Nanjing preempted him, saying, ¡°Brother, there¡¯s one more thing I forgot to mention. Grandfather¡¯s condition already acted up once earlier.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, Third Miss Qiao learned some medical skills from Master Zhou and intervened in time to treat Grandfather. Otherwise, given the critical situation earlier, we might have been arranging a funeral today!¡±

    After hearing this and knowing full well the severity of the old man¡¯s condition, Zhan Qipei, despite being unwilling, grudgingly agreed.

    However, when he sat down, he chose the seat furthest from Qiao Jing.

    Seeing this, Zhan Yuanshan instantly became displeased, frowning as he sternly stared at his grandson, ¡°What¡¯s this? You two have been apart for years, and now you¡¯re so distant? Qipei, you¡¯re disappointing me!¡±

    ¡°I went through a lot to find you such a good wife. You both struggled to get together initially; have you had a change of heart?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ll never change my heart; only Qiao Jing will ever be in my heart!¡±

    As he said this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s expression was cold and serious, his tone resolute.

    Anyone can question anything about him, except his feelings for Qiao Jing!

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Hearing that makes me happy, but words alone aren¡¯t enough.¡±

    As Zhan Yuanshan spoke, he pulled Zhan Qipei to sit beside Qiao Jing, ¡°Come, sit next to Jing Girl.¡±

 Chapter 943: 931: A Match Made in Heaven

    <strong>Chapter 943: Chapter 931: A Match Made in Heaven</strong>

    Zhan Yuanshan insisted on pairing the two together.

    Zhan Qipei had no choice but toply with the old man¡¯s wishes and sat down next to Qiao Jing.

    Seeing the two sitting close together, Zhan Yuanshan was satisfied and wheeled himself back to his position.

    Qiao Jing nced at Zhan Qipei, who had a stern look on his face, and exined in a low voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, it¡¯s just¡­¡±

    Just as she started speaking, Zhan Qipei interrupted her, ¡°I understand, let¡¯s just put you in a slightly ufortable position for now.¡±

    From previous interactions, he could sense that the girl before him wasn¡¯t someone trying to climb socialdders.

    As they started eating, Zhan Yuanshan suddenly thought of something, looked up at his grandson, and said, ¡°Qipei, you¡¯re such a kid, don¡¯t just focus on eating yourself, hastily serve Jing Girl some dishes, do I have to teach you even this?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brows furrowed instantly, and the hand holding the chopsticks paused for a long moment, without any action.

    To serve anyone other than Qiao Jing?

    What a joke?

    He couldn¡¯t do it!

    Seeing that Zhan Qipei still didn¡¯t move, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s face sank and he said unpleasantly, ¡°What do you mean by this? Didn¡¯t you just swear not to change your mind, so now you don¡¯t even want to serve Jing Girl? Are you trying to make me die of anger!¡±

    Zhan Qipei was unmoved and even wanted to retort that this person wasn¡¯t his Qiao Jing!

    However, considering that saying something like that might trigger his grandfather¡¯s illness, Zhan Qipei ultimately said nothing.

    No matter how Zhan Yuanshan tried to persuade, he couldn¡¯t move Zhan Qipei, and Zhan Yuanshan was so furious that he kept patting his chest, and his face began to turn purple.

    Zhan Yao and Su Manhan saw this and quickly kept winking at Zhan Qipei, signaling him toply with the old man¡¯s wish to avoid agitating him into a rpse.

    Reluctantly, Zhan Qipei finally extended his chopsticks.

    But once the chopsticks were extended, he just couldn¡¯t seem to serve the dish.

    His distinctly articted hand just held a pair of chopsticks, awkwardly frozen in the middle of the dining table.

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so she simply picked up a piece of meat and ced it directly into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bowl, ¡°Eat.¡±

    In an instant, Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao all turned their attention to the bowl in front of Zhan Qipei, staring at the piece of meat inside.

    Because they all knew that Zhan Qipei had a severe case of mysophobia, and over the years, only Qiao Jing had ever served him food.

    Other people, let alone serving food, even slightly brushing his clothing corner would disgust him enough to almost tear off his clothes on the spot!

    Given this fact, the three of them were a bit worried.

    If Zhan Qipei became furious over this piece of meat, refused to y along, and just stood up and left, it would be a big trouble!

    If that¡¯s the case, should they contact Master Zhou in advance to prevent the old man from being angered to death?!

    While the three of them were anxiously guessing, Zhan Qipei was also staring at the piece of meat in his bowl.

    For some reason, he didn¡¯t feel nauseated, instead, he had an odd sense of subtlety.

    After staring at the piece of meat for a while, Zhan Qipei slowly extended his chopsticks, picked up the meat, and slowly brought it to his mouth.

    This scene left Zhan Nanjing, Su Manhan, and Zhan Yao all dumbfounded.

    The best scenario they imagined was Zhan Qipei finding an excuse to change bowls directly.

    Never did they expect he actually ate that piece of meat!!

    After serving the dish, Qiao Jing just quietly continued eating,pletely unaware of the undercurrents that had just surged at the dining table.

    After all, she didn¡¯t know that Zhan Qipei had such severe mysophobia.

    Zhan Yao snapped back to reality from his shock, turned his head, and whispered to Su Manhan, ¡°You see, maybe the two of them are truly destined.¡±

    ¡°Our Qipei, such a clean freak, doesn¡¯t even let us serve him food, but now he ate the piece she gave, doesn¡¯t that suggest Qipei has some feelings for this girl?¡±

    Su Manhan shook her head, directly denying Zhan Yao¡¯s im, ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild, Qipei already said, in his heart there¡¯s only Qiao Jing, so it must be because he¡¯s considerate of the old man¡¯s illness and afraid of agitating him, that he¡¯s reluctantly cooperating.¡±

    ¡°True¡­¡± Zhan Yao muttered to himself softly.

    Fortunately, after that, the old man didn¡¯t have any more sudden whims and the meal went smoothly.

    After finishing the meal, a whileter, due to his health, Zhan Yuanshan went back to his room for a nap.

    Qiao Jing was nning to take this opportunity to leave, but Zhan Qipei preempted her, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, while my grandfather is napping, I¡¯ll have the driver take you back, so he doesn¡¯t wake up and stop you from leaving.¡±

    That¡¯s exactly what Qiao Jing had in mind, so when she heard Zhan Qipei say that, she nodded in agreement, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two of them walked out of the house, and when they reached the door, Qiao Jing paused slightly, turned to Zhan Qipei beside her, and said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives, pretending to be your wife wasn¡¯t my idea.¡±

    She had wanted to exin during the meal, but was cut off by him.

    This matter, she thought it better to rify a bit.

    ¡°I know, Nanjing has exined the reason to me, but¡­¡±

    At this point, Zhan Qipei¡¯s tone turned, his expression suddenly bing sharp, ¡°I still hope you see my grandfather less in the future, don¡¯t let him misunderstand again.¡±

    ¡°In my heart, there¡¯s only her, regardless of the reason, even if my grandfather asks, this will never change!¡±

    Listening to Zhan Qipei¡¯s abrupt and cold, even somewhat warning words, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t at all unhappy, she rather admired him.

    She knew that the ¡°her¡± Zhan Qipei was referring to was his missing wife.

    This passionate devotion was not only admirable but also touching!

    Qiao Jing looked up, gazing at the passionate man in front of her, and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯ve said this to your sister, but I also want to tell you, I sincerely hope you find her soon, even though my words are insignificant, consider it my blessing.¡±

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s cold and stern expression gradually softened upon hearing this, and he politely said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    This scene was clearly observed by Zhan Nanjing and Chi Yuhang.

    At the moment, the two were hiding around a nearby corner.

    Zhan Nan, lowering her voice, quietly asked Chi Yuhang, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the atmosphere between the two seems quite harmonious?¡±

    Chi Yuhang nodded in agreement, then couldn¡¯t help adding, ¡°It¡¯s not just harmonious, it feels like they¡¯re a match made in heaven!¡±

    ¡°Thud¡ª¡±

    Zhan Nanjing casually gave Chi Yuhang a light flick on the head, frowning slightly, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? My brother and my sister-inw are the real match made in heaven!¡±

    Chi Yuhang sheepishly rubbed his head and said awkwardly, ¡°By the way, why are we sneaking around here?¡±

 Chapter 944 - 932: The Little One Wants a Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 944: Chapter 932: The Little One Wants a Kiss</h4>

    "What¡¯s this about sneaky behavior? It¡¯s called observing from the shadows!"

    Zhan Nanjing retorted, then pouted, saying, "I just wanted toe over and see how things were going."

    Chi Yuhang vaguely guessed Zhan Nanjing¡¯s thoughts and tentatively asked, "Do you hope your brother and Third Miss Qiao get together? Or not?"

    "Ah..." Zhan Nanjing sighed, "In my heart, I certainly hope my sister-inw could still be alive, but my brother has been too depressedtely. His stomach condition worsened to the point of fainting and needing surgery. If it goes on like this, he won¡¯t be able to take it, even with an iron body!"

    "So, I¡¯ve thought it over carefully. If my brother could really meet someone else he likes, I¡¯d support it."

    As they were talking, over by the door, Qiao Jing was already nning to leave.

    However, as she stepped to get into the car, she was suddenly tripped by a stone and fell forward unexpectedly.

    At the critical moment, Zhan Qipei stepped forward and reached out, catching her just in time to prevent her from hitting the ground.

    This scene shocked the secretly observing Zhan Nanjing and Chi Yuhang.

    Especially Zhan Nanjing, who was so shocked she almost couldn¡¯t regain herposure.

    From what she knew of her brother, aside from her sister-inw, he was extremely resistant to other women approaching him.

    He would resist even the slightest touch, let alone holding someone like this!

    But what was going on with this scene?

    Could it be that her brother indeed felt differently about Third Miss Qiao?

    Even Zhan Qipei himself found this unbelievable.

    The moment he saw the woman in front of him about to fall, he acted on instinct, rushing over to support her waist without thinking!

    Zhan Qipei quickly let go and took a step back, but his expression was still somewhat dazed.

    What happened to him?

    Could it be just because this person¡¯s name and figure are so simr to Qiao Jing that not only grandfather, but even he is starting to confuse them?

    No!

    Qiao Jing is Qiao Jing, and Third Miss Qiao is Third Miss Qiao, they are not the same person...

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s thin lips pressed tightly together, forcing himself to calm down and regain his usual cold demeanor.

    He nced at the woman standing by the car and said indifferently, "I have other matters to attend to and won¡¯t be able to see you off personally. The driver will take you home safely."

    Qiao Jing also felt an inexplicable subtle feeling in her heart, but because she couldn¡¯t understand where this feeling wasing from, she didn¡¯t show it on her face, just nodded and said, "Thank you."

    With that, she opened the door, reported the address to the driver, and left Purple Garden.

    Ten minutester, the car stopped at the entrance of the small vi.

    Qiao Jing got out of the car and went straight into the house.

    But as soon as she entered, she felt something was wrong.

    Whenever she returned home, the little one would always run over cheerfully, holding her hand with a smile or hugging her directly.

    But today there was nothing!

    Not only that, when Qiao Jing arrived in the living room, she found the little one sitting on the sofa with a pouting face that said, "I¡¯m not happy."

    She walked over a bit puzzled, sat down next to the little one, and asked softly, "What¡¯s wrong? Why do you seem unhappy?"

    Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s lips pouted even higher, as he turned away, refusing to look at Qiao Jing or answer her question.

    Seeing the little one like this, Qiao Jing felt even more puzzled.

    She reached out and stroked the little one¡¯s head, amusedly saying, "Why are you not talking to anyone? Tell Aunt Jing, what happened?"

    Zhan Qiaoze still said nothing, and when Qiao Jing leaned closer, he turned his little face away, refusing to make eye contact.

    Qiao Jing thought for a bit and changed her approach, "How about I make you something delicious? What do you want to eat?"

    This little one loved the meals she cooked, so this should get him to open up, right?

    Zhan Qiaoze remained unmoved, his little hands still crossed in front of him.

    This made Qiao Jing feel quite strange.

    Usually, this little one would be easy to coax, but why such a big temper today?

    This temperament seemed different from before, almost as if he wasn¡¯t the same person...

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing shook her head, feeling she was overthinking.

    This little one¡¯s face was still the same familiar look, so how could he be a different person?

    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Jing leaned in and kissed the little one¡¯s fair and tender cheek.

    After receiving a kiss, Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s mood improved, no longer pouting or evading.

    Seeing the little one¡¯s reaction, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and asked again, "Alright, now tell Aunt Jing, why are you unhappy?"

    "Because we agreed yesterday that you¡¯d call me to go with you in the morning, but you didn¡¯t, so I¡¯m not happy."

    Saying this, Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s tone was a bit aggrieved, like a little one who felt abandoned.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s heart softened. She stroked his little head once more, gently saying, "Then what would make you happy?"

    Zhan Qiaoze blinked, suddenly recalling how his brother and Mo Bao had boasted that Aunt Jing told them fairy tales.

    So, he decided to have Aunt Jing sing for him!

    His brother and Mo Bao hadn¡¯t heard Aunt Jing sing yet!

    With this thought, Zhan Qiaoze tilted his little head, full of anticipation, "Aunt Jing, I want to hear you sing. Can you sing for me?"

    Qiao Jing smiled and asked back, "If Aunt Jing sings for you, will that make you happy?"

    Zhan Qiaoze nodded without hesitation.

    "Then how about Aunt Jing sings ¡¯Twinkle Twinkle Little Star¡¯ for you?"

    Qiao Jing said, cleared her throat a bit, and began, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky..."

    Listening, Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s mouth formed an "O" shape.

    Even though it was just a simple children¡¯s song...

    It sounded amazing!

    Who would have thought Aunt Jing was so talented, not only cooking better than a five-star chef but also singing better than professional singers!!

    His brother and Mo Bao had always bragged, now it¡¯s finally his turn!

    Thinking this, Zhan Qiaoze sneakily reached into his pocket, pressed a few buttons on the smartwatch inside, and started a call with his brother and Mo Bao.

    As soon as the call connected, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo on the other end immediately heard the sweet, melodic voice.

    "That¡¯s Aunt Jing¡¯s voice, right?" Zhan Qiaoyu recognized it immediately.

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded, "It¡¯s Aunt Jing¡¯s voice, she¡¯s singing for Second Brother!"

    Realizing this, the two little ones were overwhelmingly envious.

    Zhan Qiaomo pouted slightly, feeling not only envy but a bit of dissatisfaction, "Second Brother is so lucky, I haven¡¯t heard Aunt Jing sing yet!"

    "I haven¡¯t heard it either."

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s face fell as he thought to himself, next time he¡¯d switch with Zebao so he could hear Aunt Jing sing too!

 Chapter 945: 933: Zhan Nanqing Takes Qiao Jing into Professor Qiaos Research Institute

    <strong>Chapter 945: Chapter 933: Zhan Nanqing Takes Qiao Jing into Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute</strong>

    It was a bright and clear morning.

    Qiao Jing noticed the nice weather and went out for her usual morning exercise.

    As she ran, she unknowingly found herself at the entrance of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    Drawn by an inexplicable sense of familiarity, Qiao Jing stopped at the gate and silently observed, soon falling into deep thought.

    She had always wondered, why did she feel so familiar with this ce?

    Was it because she had some connection to it in the past, or because she used to live nearby and thus knew the surroundings well, or perhaps for some other reason¡­

    At this moment, two security guards in the gatehouse noticed Qiao Jing.

    They stepped out of the gatehouse, with the taller one squinting at her, furrowing his brows, and saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the woman from before? Why is she here again?¡±

    The other also recognized her and chimed in, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a few times already! Look, she¡¯s always staring inside the institute, I wonder what she¡¯s up to?¡±

    The taller guard spected, ¡°Do you think she might really have ulterior motives, and that¡¯s why she keepsing over to check the ce out?¡±

    Hearing this, the other immediately suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we¡­ call the police? After all, these are just our suspicions without evidence, better let the police investigate.¡±

    Just as the two guards were discussing whether to call the police, a car drove up and stopped at the gate.

    Zhan Nanjing got out of the car and walked straight to Qiao Jing, warmly greeting her, ¡°Xiao Jing! It really is you! I knew I wasn¡¯t mistaken, I recognized you from a distance!¡±

    Since theirst meal together at Purple Garden, their rtionship had grown closer. Zhan Nanjing felt calling her Third Miss Qiao was too formal, so she directly called her Xiao Jing and said to feel free to call her by her given name as well.

    Hearing her voice brought Qiao Jing out of her thoughts, and she smiled faintly, greeting Zhan Nanjing.

    Seeing this, the two guards immediately gave up the idea of calling the police.

    ¡°Oh, so she knows Miss Zhan, then there must be no problem.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, looks like we overthought this.¡±

    At this point, Zhan Nanjing also noticed Qiao Jing continuously staring inside the institute.

    In Zhan Nanjing¡¯s view, Qiao Jing, like everyone else, should also admire Professor Qiao and have a sacred longing to see inside the institute, hence her desire to take a look.

    Remembering that Qiao Jing had once saved her mother and helped to cheer up her grandfather by ying along with a little act, Zhan Nanjing decided to fulfill her wish.

    Thus, Zhan Nanjing linked arms with Qiao Jing, smiling warmly, and said, ¡°Do you want to go inside and have a look? If you want, I can make an exception and take you in for a tour.¡±

    From their previous interactions, Qiao Jing already knew that Zhan Nanjing worked at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute.

    While she was indeed curious about the institute, she also understood that such ces were generally off-limits to outsiders unless apanied by insiders.

    So, upon hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s offer, Qiao Jing shook her head and politely declined, ¡°No need, I was just passing by.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing thought she was just being shy, so she simply took her hand and led her inside, ¡°Come on,e on, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Unable to refuse, in the end, Qiao Jing followed Zhan Nanjing into the institute.

    When the people inside the institute saw Zhan Nanjing bring in an outsider, all eyes turned toward them.

    One of the professors, a bit suspicious, asked, ¡°Nanjing, who is this person? Why did you bring her in?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my friend, and she¡¯s curious about our institute, so I brought her in for a look.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Nanjing confidently assured everyone, ¡°Rest assured, she¡¯s trustworthy, and won¡¯t divulge any internal details of the institute.¡±

    Just as she finished speaking, Xu Hongzu approached.

    Xu Hongzu looked serious, his gaze scrutinizing Qiao Jing for a moment before remaining silent.

    Zhan Nanjing inwardly thought to herself, ¡°Not good.¡±

    Of course, at this time, Elder Xu should be in theboratory conducting research.

    This was precisely why she dared to bring someone in.

    After all, Elder Xu was always meticulous with his work and had a particrly strict attitude, he definitely would not allow non-internal staff into the institute.

    Unexpectedly, he ran into Elder Xu at an inconvenient moment, seemingly leaving her with no chance to show Xiao Jing around¡­

    Despite believing there was no chance, Zhan Nanjing still wanted to try and argue, ¡°Elder Xu, please make an exception, she saved my mother and is a benefactor to our Zhan Family. She just wants to take a quick look, can I take her for a short tour?¡±

    Qiao Jing was just about to suggest giving up when Xu Hongzu unexpectedly nodded slowly and said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Hearing this response, Zhan Nanjing was momentarily astonished.

    She had mentally prepared for a refusal, but unexpectedly, Elder Xu agreed!

    This was beyond her expectations!

    Not only was Zhan Nanjing surprised, but the others in the institute were also very surprised.

    Because this was quite unlike Xu Hongzu¡¯s usual style of handling things.

    The professor who spoke earlier was very curious and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Elder Xu, why did you agree? I thought you would oppose it.¡±

    By this time, Zhan Nanjing had collected her thoughts, happily taking Qiao Jing for the tour.

    Xu Hongzu didn¡¯t answer the professor¡¯s question, only gazing intently at Qiao Jing¡¯s retreating figure.

    If pressed for a reason, he couldn¡¯t really exin it; he just had an inexplicable feeling this girl should be quite decent.

    As Qiao Jing followed Zhan Nanjing around the institute for a little tour.

    Everything there gave her an even stronger sense of familiarity.

    Especially when she saw the grafted vegetables and fruits, she even felt an indescribable sense of intimacy¡­

    After touring around for a while, Zhan Nanjing brought Qiao Jing to a cultivation room, where there were many grafted vegetables under research.

    ¡°These were all left by my sister-inw, I¡¯ve been carefully tending to them, and they can¡¯t be touched carelessly.¡±

    As she spoke, Zhan Nanjing took out a research report, speaking with determination, ¡°Even though my sister-inw¡¯s whereabouts are currently unknown, and her life or death is uncertain, I will definitely work hard toplete this project for her!¡±

    As Qiao Jing listened to Zhan Nanjing, she observed those vegetables.

    Soon after, Chi Yuhang came looking for them.

    After a simple greeting with Qiao Jing, he said to Zhan Nanjing, ¡°Nanqing, there¡¯s some data you recorded earlier that needs organizing, could youe with me?¡±

    Hearing it was about work, Zhan Nanjing immediately nodded, then reminded Qiao Jing, ¡°Xiao Jing, I¡¯ll be away for a bit, don¡¯t wander around.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand, go ahead,¡± Qiao Jing responded calmly.

    After Zhan Nanjing and Chi Yuhang left, she picked up the research report that Zhan Nanjing had left behind and nced through it.

 Chapter 946: 934: Everything Feels So Familiar

    <strong>Chapter 946: Chapter 934: Everything Feels So Familiar</strong>

    After flipping through the research report, a thought suddenly popped into Qiao Jing¡¯s mind.

    Although the analysis in the report was quite decent, she seemed to be able to write something even better¡­

    Realizing what she was thinking, Qiao Jing quickly shook her head.

    How strange, she¡¯s not the narcissistic type, why would she have such an idea?

    Zhan Nanjing is from the research institute, specially researching this; it¡¯s said that you should specialize in your field, how can she, an outsider,pare to Zhan Nanjing, a professional?

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing put down the report and turned to observe the grafted vegetables being studied.

    After observing for a while, she couldn¡¯t help but pick up the nearby professional tools, enthusiastically watering, fertilizing, and studying their various forms and growth conditions.

    As she did these things, an uncontroble smile of delight appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    Because this was the only thing that piqued her interest since she lost her memory and made her feel quite interesting.

    Take medicine, for instance; although Master Zhou kept insisting on taking her as an apprentice and often praised her talent, she just couldn¡¯t muster much interest.

    But this was different, she genuinely found it interesting and liked it from the bottom of her heart!

    While Qiao Jing was focused on tending to the grafted vegetables, Xu Hongzu happened to pass by the cultivation room door.

    Inadvertently catching a glimpse of the slender busy figure inside, Xu Hongzu suddenly halted.

    For a moment, he felt as if Xiao Jing had returned.

    He stared at the figure nkly for a while, unconsciously stepping inside.

    Qiao Jing heard the noise, turned her head, and saw the old professor whom Zhan Nanjing had respectfully called Elder Xu earlier.

    If she remembered correctly, she had seen this old professor at Zhan Nanjing¡¯s engagement party, where he was educating his grandson, the Xu Family¡¯s eldest, Xu Moqian¡­

    Qiao Jing put the tools back, somewhat embarrassed, and said, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to touch things here.¡±

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s face showed no displeasure at all; he just waved his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, you did well, just like¡­¡±

    At this point, Xu Hongzu paused, didn¡¯t continue, but switched topics, somewhat curious, ¡°Did you do rted work before?¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly pursed her lips and shook her head.

    She couldn¡¯t remember things from before, so how would she know if she had ever been involved?

    Xu Hongzu thought her shaking head meant she hadn¡¯t done it, and a bit of surprise showed on his face, ¡°Never done, yet you can do it so well, seems your understanding in this area is quite good.¡±

    Even Xu Hongzu wasn¡¯t sure why, usually he cherished time and wished every moment was spent on research, yet at this moment he just inexplicably wanted to stay and chat with the girl in front of him.

    Qiao Jing also felt that although Xu Hongzu seemed serious, he was quite amiable upon interaction, and she was happy to converse with him.

    Thus, the two happily chatted away.

    After chatting for a while, Xu Hongzu¡¯s impression of the girl in front of him improved more and more.

    Though just simplemunication, he could sense the girl¡¯s calm disposition, devoid of restless airs, very different from other young people.

    All in all, the more he interacted, the more he liked this girl.

    At this moment, a thought suddenly popped into Xu Hongzu¡¯s mind.

    Perhaps¡­ His grandson could pursue this girl!

    Back when Xiao Jing was around, his grandson couldn¡¯t contend with that Zhan Family kid.

    Now Xiao Jing has been missing for years, searched for so long without a trace, probably with little chance of survival.

    He couldn¡¯t just watch his grandson continue to be stubborn, ending up solitary for life.

    Besides, he would love to have great-grandchildren!

    Although this girl has some pimples on her face, seeming somewhat unappealing, but that¡¯s not a major issue, as the most important thing is not one¡¯s appearance¡­

    With this thought, Xu Hongzu seriously pondered how to create opportunities for his grandson.

    Suddenly, recalling the scene earlier, he thought the girl should be quite interested in agriculture, and she seemed to understand how to tend to each vegetable.

    Thinking of these, Xu Hongzu, excited, asked, ¡°Do you want to try working here?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing was startled, evidently not expecting such a proposal from the other party.

    Feeling surprised, she also felt delighted, because she genuinely liked this kind of work.

    Moreover, if she could stay and work here, perhaps it could help her recall some things from the past.

    After all, everything here felt exceedingly familiar to her¡­

    Coming back to her senses, Qiao Jing slightly lifted her lips, revealing a smile, ¡°If possible, I¡¯d certainly like to.¡±

    Seeing her reaction, Xu Hongzu knew his guess was correct.

    The girl indeed is interested in agriculture!

    Xu Hongzu cleared his expression and said earnestly, ¡°Although you have good understanding, I can¡¯tpletely open the back door for you, because agricultural research unlike other industries, requires some understanding in this area.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯ll give you a week to prepare. At that time, I¡¯ll ask you a few simple questions about agricultural knowledge and see if you can answer them.¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and responded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Not knowing why, she had an inexplicable confidence, feeling she definitely can!

    After leaving the research institute and returning to the small vi, it was already noon.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had just led Zhan Qiaoze to sit at the dining table.

    Seeing Qiao Jing return, Zhan Qiaoze immediately happily waved his little hand to her, saying crisply, ¡°Aunt Jing, Aunt Jing,e have lunch!¡±

    At the sight of the little guy, a smile naturally appeared on Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    She said with a smile, ¡°Aunt Jing will wash her hands first and be right there.¡±

    With that said, Qiao Jing turned to wash her hands.

    Returning afterwards, she sat at the dining table and found her bowl nearly piled with meat and vegetables.

    The little guy kept adding more to her bowl, as if trying to fill it entirely.

    Seeing the little guy¡¯s actions, Qiao Jing felt warm inside, also somewhat amused.

    She looked at the little guy lovingly and softly asked, ¡°Why are you giving me so much food?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze seriously replied, ¡°Because Aunt Jing, you look too skinny, so you need to eat more!¡±

    Qiao Jing picked up the chopsticks and added some of his favorite dishes to the little guy¡¯s bowl, saying gently, ¡°Then you also need to eat more so you can grow quickly.¡±

    The scene of them exchanging food was very heartwarming, and Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin both felt their hearts warmed by this moment.

    But Qiao Lin always liked teasing the little guy, couldn¡¯t help but jest, ¡°Little guy, we two also look skinny, why do you give food only to your Aunt Jing? You know we might get jealous!¡±

 Chapter 947 - 935: Shameless Sisters

    <h4>Chapter 947: Chapter 935: Shameless Sisters</h4>

    Faced with Qiao Lin¡¯s yful questioning, Zhan Qiaoze tilted his little head and replied frankly, "Because my favorite is Aunt Jing!"

    Hearing this, the corner of Qiao Lin¡¯s mouth twitched, and she covered her heart, saying somewhat resentfully, "Little guy, your words are a real blow to the heart!"

    Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s little face was full of innocence, "But I¡¯m just telling the truth."

    Qiao Hong patted Qiao Lin¡¯s shoulder,forting her, "Alright, stop doing this to yourself. This little guy has always been closer to our Xiao Jing, and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it."

    Upon hearing Qiao Hong¡¯sforting words, Qiao Lin felt even more stabbed in the heart.

    So, she decided to eat three bowls of rice in one go, turning her sorrow into appetite!

    After some chatter andughter, the group finally started eating.

    Halfway through the meal, Qiao Hong suddenly thought of something, looked up at Qiao Jing, and said, "Xiao Jing, you¡¯ve been able to substitute for Master Zhoutely, independently diagnosing patients. Clearly, your medical skills are quite advanced. Can you do a favor for your big sister?"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing immediately guessed that Qiao Hong¡¯s request for help was certainly rted to medical skills.

    She put down her chopsticks and nodded, "Of course, what¡¯s the specific matter?"

    Qiao Hong exined, "It¡¯s like this, I have a friend named Zhang Chao. He fell ill and was hospitalized some time ago. He¡¯s been treated in the hospital for more than a month, but there¡¯s been no effect, and he hasn¡¯t improved at all. So I wanted you to go and help take a look."

    Qiao Jing listened and straightforwardly said, "No problem, we¡¯ll go after finishing lunch."

    After lunch, Qiao Jing and Qiao Hong left for the hospital.

    Qiao Lin stayed at home because she had a file to handle, which coincidentally allowed her to keep the little guypany.

    In the hospital corridor, Qiao Jing and Qiao Hong unexpectedly ran into Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin, the two sisters.

    The sisters were actually on holiday today and didn¡¯t need to be at the hospital. They appeared here because Sun Mingzhu wanted to find Lu Zijin, and Sun Mingxin apanied her.

    Upon seeing Qiao Jing, Sun Mingzhu couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene at the previous birthday party, when Qiao Jing was with Lu Zijin.

    She frowned, and her gaze on Qiao Jing instantly carried a hint of hostility.

    Sun Mingxin also thought of this and red at Qiao Jing, saying irritably, "What are you doing in the hospital? Could it be that you, like a toad, dream hopelessly of swan meat, attempting to seduce my brother-inw?"

    Qiao Hong was about to retort, but Qiao Jing had already chuckled, her tone mocking, "Brother-inw? Who¡¯s your brother-inw?"

    Sun Mingxin immediately snorted coldly, arrogantly saying, "Are you ying dumb? Do I need to introduce him to you again? My brother-inw is the director of this hospital, Lu Zijin!"

    Saying this, Sun Mingxin looked at Qiao Jing with disdain, and her tone became more unfriendly.

    "You must be envious and jealous of my brother-inw¡¯s handsome looks, gentle and elegant personality, and his youth and talent. Not only is he the hospital director, but he alsoes from a top noble family, with power and influence, so you want to seduce him, right!"

    "But I advise you to give up this thought early, so as not to bring humiliation on yourself. With your demeanor, do you think you canpete with my sister for a man? Simply overestimating yourself, wishfully thinking!"

    Sun Mingxin rattled on unkindly, but Qiao Jing only found itughable.

    With a sarcastic smile at the corner of her lips, she said slowly, "Last time I chatted with Director Lu, he said it was all a misunderstanding."

    "Aren¡¯t you calling him brother-inw a bit too soon?"

    "Nonsense!"

    Sun Mingzhu couldn¡¯t help but scold angrily, refuting, "Director Lu is so attentive to me, giving flowers, delivering meals, the meaning is so obvious, where¡¯s the misunderstanding?"

    "Qiao Lao San, spare it, don¡¯t think that by saying this you can sow discord between me and Director Lu!"

    "I have no time to deliberately sow discord, I¡¯m just stating the facts."

    Qiao Jing seemed indifferent, speaking unhurriedly, "Those flowers were sent by someone else, Director Lu was just passing them to you on behalf of that person. As for the meals, they were just part of the hospital¡¯s set menu, and Director Lu merely brought it over for you; he didn¡¯t buy it for you specifically."

    "The supposed affection Director Lu has for you is merely your own wishful thinking!"

    Sun Mingzhu red at Qiao Jing with a gloomy look, snorted coldly, "I tell you, I don¡¯t believe a word you¡¯re saying!"

    In order to snatch Lu Zijin from her, this Qiao Lao San really made up stories!

    Too bad she¡¯s not that stupid, she wouldn¡¯t be easily fooled by a few words, much less doubt Lu Zijin¡¯s feelings for her!

    Sun Mingxin also red at Qiao Jing and snorted, "Stop talking nonsense here, no matter how borate your lies are, we won¡¯t believe you!"

    The Sun sisters didn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing¡¯s words, but Qiao Hong did.

    After hearing what Qiao Jing said, Qiao Hong had a sense of sudden realization.

    She looked at Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin, a mocking smile on her face, "Our Xiao Jing never lies, nor does she deign to lie. Since she said so, it¡¯s the truth."

    "I was wondering, a dignified hospital director, the eldest young master of the noble Lu Family, how could he possibly fancy women as domineering and unruly as you two, turns out it¡¯s just a misunderstanding!"

    "Doesn¡¯t fancy us, but does he fancy you instead?"

    Sun Mingxin retorted with gritted teeth, "Dare to call us domineering and unruly? If we¡¯re domineering and unruly, you¡¯re vulgar and crude!"

    Qiao Hong shrugged and spread her hands, her tone sarcastic, "Alright, alright, I get it. You two sisters are used to self-deception, so it¡¯s genuinely hard for you to face reality right now."

    "However, I¡¯ll kindly remind you, don¡¯t be too infatuated and end up embarrassing yourselves!"

    Sun Mingxin was so angered by Qiao Hong¡¯s words that she stomached the ground, shouting furiously, "You¡¯re the ones who are infatuated! Your sister with her ugly appearance, thinking she can seduce others? Isn¡¯t she afraid they¡¯ll be disgusted?"

    Qiao Hong was about to argue further when Qiao Jing stopped her appropriately.

    "Isn¡¯t your friend in need of treatment? Let¡¯s go, ignore them, talking to them is a waste of breath."

    As she said this, Qiao Jing pulled Qiao Hong and walked straight towards the inpatient department.

    The sound of curses from the Sun sisters came from behind, but Qiao Jing paid no attention, her steps never faltering as she continued forward steadily.

    Being ignored like this, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin, who were already furious, became even more resentful.

    The two were about to storm forward when Lu Zijin happened toe over.

    Seeing Lu Zijin, Sun Mingzhu immediately restrained her look of resentment and put on a gentle and sweet face.

    Sun Mingxin did the same, promptly masking her unruly demeanor, her attitude taking a 180-degree turn from before.

 Chapter 948: 936: Seeing a Doctor

    <strong>Chapter 948: Chapter 936: Seeing a Doctor</strong>

    ¡°Director Lu, what a coincidence, I didn¡¯t expect to run into you in the hallway.¡±

    Sun Mingzhu was all smiles, her eyes seemingly glued to Lu Zijin, entirely different from how she was with Qiao Jing and Qiao Hong.

    Sun Mingxin rolled her eyes meaningfully and said, ¡°Sis, this just means that we have a connection with Director Lu, so we keep running into each other every time we turn around!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t wait for her sister to marry Lu Zijin on the spot.

    With a brother-inw like Lu Zijin, with his noble status and prominent family background, she could practically walk sideways when she went out!

    However, Lu Zijin didn¡¯t register what the Sun sisters were talking about; he was staring in the direction of the inpatient department.

    He thought he caught a glimpse of the girl he had a delightful chat with at thest birthday party as he walked over.

    Perhaps it was because her aura was very simr to Qiao Jing¡¯s, and their names were homophones, plus they had a very pleasant conversationst time, so he had a pretty strong impression of this girl.

    But it was just a fleeting nce, and he wasn¡¯t too sure if it was her.

    Coming back to his senses, Lu Zijin nced at Sun Mingzhu and asked, ¡°You were just arguing loudly, who were you arguing with?¡±

    Sun Mingzhu¡¯s smile froze for a moment, then she quickly denied it, ¡°No, no, how could we be arguing? We weren¡¯t arguing; we just ran into an acquaintance and said hello, that¡¯s all.¡±

    If Lu Zijin knew how fiercely she had been arguing with someone just now, it would definitely damage the gentle image she usually portrayed.

    A man as refined and gentlemanly as Lu Zijin must be fond of gentle and demure girls, so she couldn¡¯t let the image she painstakingly built copse!

    Lu Zijin actually had some doubts about Sun Mingzhu¡¯s exnation.

    Because from a distance, he had heard the sound of arguing. Although he couldn¡¯t hear what they were arguing about, the tone of both sides was quite unfriendly, clearly not as simple as saying hello.

    But since Sun Mingzhu denied it, he didn¡¯t want to dig deeper.

    ¡°Director Lu, do you have any free time now?¡±

    Sun Mingzhu looked at Lu Zijin with a slightly bashful expression, and she deliberately softened her voice, coquettishly saying, ¡°A coffee shop opened nearby a couple of days ago, and I heard it tastes pretty good. If you have time, why don¡¯t we go try it together?¡±

    Lu Zijin shook his head and said ndly, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have time; there¡¯s a difficult patient here that needs attention.¡±

    Hearing this, Sun Mingzhu couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious, ¡°What kind of patient is so tricky? With your medical skills, there shouldn¡¯t be many ailments that can stump you, right?¡±

    ¡°This patient has very peculiar symptoms, has had a constant high fever since being admitted, and the tests can¡¯t find out why.¡±

    Saying this, Lu Zijin¡¯s expression became more serious, ¡°Furthermore, the patient¡¯s bodily functions are declining, and there are signs of organ damage. If it continues to develop this way, there might be life-threatening danger.¡±

    ¡°That serious? Can I go with you to take a look?¡±

    Sun Mingzhu feigned curiosity.

    She was also a doctor and naturally interested in difficult-to-treat cases.

    But more importantly, she wanted to spend more time with Lu Zijin!

    Due to his personality, Lu Zijin was usually not good at declining requests from others, so after hearing Sun Mingzhu¡¯s words, he merely frowned slightly, hesitating a bit.

    Seeing his hesitation, Sun Mingzhu, afraid of being refused, quickly added, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it inconvenient? I¡¯m just curious to have a look; it won¡¯t affect you.¡±

    Lu Zijin thought about it and said, ¡°It¡¯s not really inconvenient. If you want to go, you can join.¡±

    Hearing this, Sun Mingzhu was secretly delighted and then, along with her sister Sun Mingxin, followed behind Lu Zijin as they headed towards the inpatient department.

    At this time, in Ward 301.

    Qiao Jing stood beside the hospital bed, looking down at the man reclining on the bed.

    The man¡¯s face was pale and bluish, his lips slightly darkened, and just from the surface, it was clear he was severely ill.

    ¡°Zhang Chao, as I mentioned before, I was nning to bring someone over to help take a look at you, so since we¡¯re free today, we came.¡±

    Saying this, Qiao Hong introduced the man, ¡°This is my third sister, Xiao Jing. She¡¯s currently studying under Master Zhou at Wonderful Hall, and her medical skills are quite impressive. Perhaps she can help you.¡±

    While listening to Qiao Hong, Zhang Chao raised his eyes to nce at Qiao Jing.

    When his gaze fell on Qiao Jing, a look of obvious astonishment appeared on his bluish face.

    He originally thought that the person Qiao Hong brought would be slightly older, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be so young, looking several years younger than him!

    Can such a young girl really have good medical skills?

    Zhang Chao couldn¡¯t help but inquire, ¡°How old are you?¡±

    Qiao Jing knew he was skeptical of her medical skills due to her age, but whether she was capable or not had nothing to do with age.

    She replied lightly, ¡°Age doesn¡¯t matter; let me check your pulse first.¡±

    Qiao Hong immediately agreed, ¡°That¡¯s right, let Xiao Jing take your pulse first and see how things stand.¡±

    After being sick for so long and treated for so long without any improvement, Zhang Chao had adopted a desperate mentality toward medical treatment.

    So, although he was doubtful, he didn¡¯t refuse and still extended his hand.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s slender fingers lightly sped Zhang Chao¡¯s wrist, focusing intently on checking his pulse.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing released her hand, her brows slightly furrowed, lost in thought.

    No wonder the hospital hadn¡¯t improved his condition after so long; this ailment was indeed peculiar!

    Qiao Hong couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and asked, ¡°How is it? Is there any way to treat it?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s eyes lowered slightly as she contemted, ¡°No need to rush, let me think it over.¡±

    Zhang Chao thought that Qiao Hong¡¯s sister might not be able to treat him, but was merely pretending to think due to being tactful.

    But that was normal since so many doctors in the hospital couldn¡¯t cure him, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Qiao Hong¡¯s sister couldn¡¯t either.

    Regardless, she came with good intentions, and even if she couldn¡¯t treat him, he had to thank her foring.

    In fact, Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t just pretending as Zhang Chao imagined; she was genuinely contemting.

    During her contemtion, she could feel memories rted to medical skills flowing into her mind like a trickling stream.

    Ever since studying at Wonderful Hall, she had always felt that she could easily use these medical skills, but amnesia had caused her to forget. Now, as she engaged more, these forgotten things began to return¡­

    After waiting for about ten minutes without any word from Qiao Jing, Zhang Chao sighed and said morosely, ¡°If it¡¯s not possible, just forget it. I know my condition is pretty severe and hasn¡¯t improved despite long treatment, so I don¡¯t have much hope anyway.¡±

    Seeing him so disheartened, Qiao Hong hurriedlyforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t speak such dispiriting words; it¡¯s not hopeless. Stay strong and don¡¯t be so pessimistic¡­¡±

 Chapter 949: 937: Lu Zijins Admiration for Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 949: Chapter 937: Lu Zijin¡¯s Admiration for Qiao Jing</strong>

    Qiao Hong was earnestly persuading Zhang Chao when Qiao Jing suddenly uttered two words, ¡°Got it!¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Hong and Zhang Chao were both taken aback, and in unison they asked, ¡°Got what?¡±

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and slowly said, ¡°Got a treatment n.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, a voice full of surprise came from the doorway, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    The three of them, Qiao Jing, Zhang Chao, and Qiao Hong, turned their heads simultaneously and saw that the speaker was Lu Zijin.

    Behind him were Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin.

    Lu Zijin strode into the ward, walked straight up to Qiao Jing, and couldn¡¯t wait to ask again, ¡°Do you really have a treatment n?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and honestly said, ¡°I did think of a pretty good treatment n, but its effectiveness still needs to be verified, as the patient has been suffering from this illness for over ten years. It can¡¯t be cured overnight.¡±

    Sun Mingzhu almost burst outughing at these words. If not for Lu Zijin¡¯s presence, which required her to maintain a graceful image, she would surely have mocked Qiao Lao San until he was utterly embarrassed!

    Sun Mingxin, however, had no such concerns and directly snickered, ¡°Qiao Lao San, you are unbelievable, spouting such big words. Even Director Lu finds this patient challenging, and yet you so brazenly im you can cure him? If you keep boasting like this, your bragging will be unbearable!¡±

    Qiao Jing had no intention of responding to the Sun sisters, so she decided not to say anything.

    Qiao Hong wanted to retort, but before she could speak, Lu Zijin had already turned his head and looked at Sun Mingxin with a slightly indifferent gaze, saying word by word, ¡°What she said might not be untrue.¡±

    These words left Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin stunned for a moment.

    They seemingly didn¡¯t expect Lu Zijin to speak up for Qiao Jing.

    Once they regained their senses, Sun Mingzhu¡¯s gaze towards Qiao Jing instantly held a bit more jealousy.

    Sun Mingxin frowned at Lu Zijin, and unwillingly asked, ¡°Director Lu, why are you speaking for her? She¡¯s not even a doctor, how could she possibly know how to treat?¡±

    Lu Zijin spoke earnestly, ¡°She¡¯s not a doctor, but she¡¯s someone Master Zhou has his eye on, and even wants to take under his wing as an apprentice, which indicates she has certain talents in medicine. So it¡¯s not surprising that she knows how to treat.¡±

    What?

    Qiao Lao San is actually someone Master Zhou wants to take as an apprentice?!

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin looked at each other in disbelief.

    Previously, when Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin mentioned this, they didn¡¯t believe it at all and ridiculed them. Who knew it was actually true!

    Was Master Zhou drunk, or just senile?

    How could he take notice of someone like Qiao Lao San?

    What skills could someone like Qiao Lao San possibly have!

    Even knowing from Lu Zijin that Qiao Jing was indeed a talent recognized by Master Zhou, the Sun sisters still didn¡¯t believe Qiao Jing had real abilities.

    Sun Mingxin sneered disdainfully, ¡°Master Zhou is Master Zhou, and she is herself. Even if Master Zhou truly wants her as an apprentice, it doesn¡¯t mean her medical skills are all that impressive!¡±

    ¡°Besides, she¡¯s not even Master Zhou¡¯s apprentice yet, what right does she have to boast here?¡±

    At this moment, Zhang Chao, lying on the bed, suddenly felt a chill rise from his feet to his head. Even wrapped tightly in the quilt, he still shivered with cold.

    Qiao Jing was the first to notice his symptoms and decisively said, ¡°Lie down, I¡¯ll help you reduce the fever.¡±

    Hearing her say this, Zhang Chao did not hesitate andy down directly.

    He was feeling terrible, and since others couldn¡¯t cure him anyway, he might as well treat a dead horse as if it were alive!

    Qiao Jing turned her head, nced at Lu Zijin, and quickly said, ¡°Director Lu, I need silver needles for acupuncture. The hospital should have some, right? Can I borrow them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, hold on, I¡¯ll get them for you right away.¡±

    With that, Lu Zijin hurriedly stepped out of the ward.

    In less than five minutes, he returned with a packet of silver needles.

    Qiao Jing took the silver needles without wasting a second and immediately started performing acupuncture on Zhang Chao.

    Lu Zijin stood by silently watching, the more he watched, the more he felt that the girl in front of him, focused and absorbed, closely resembled the Qiao Jing he remembered.

    Her technique and strength in administering needles also matched how Qiao Jing used to do acupuncture for patients.

    Unconsciously, the girl¡¯s figure in front of him, and the image of Qiao Jing, began to ovep¡­

    He almost blurted out the name ¡°Qiao Jing.¡±

    Fortunately, at the moment he was about to speak, he snapped back to his senses and swallowed the name back.

    The Sun sisters were standing with arms crossed, both wearing expressions of schadenfreude, eager to watch the uing show.

    They both believed Qiao Jing was just putting on a show with no real skill.

    So, they were waiting for Qiao Jing to make a fool of herself!

    However, the scene they were expecting did not happen.

    Ten minutester, the acupuncture waspleted, and Qiao Jing withdrew the silver needles one by one, then calmly stated, ¡°The fever has subsided, there shouldn¡¯t be much danger for now.¡±

    Zhang Chao noticeably felt that he was no longer cold and trembling, and his previously dizzy head felt much clearer.

    He sat up in astonishment, somewhat incredulously saying, ¡°This is amazing, just a few needles, and I really feel a lot better. But why do I suddenly feel a bit hungry, I just want to eat something now.¡±

    Upon hearing Zhang Chao¡¯s words, Qiao Hong immediately looked delighted, ¡°Due to the illness, your appetite hasn¡¯t been good for years, and you¡¯ve relied on others to force you to eat even a little. Now you actually want to eat something! This means Xiao Jing¡¯s treatment just now really took effect!¡±

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin exchanged nces, both holding the same doubt.

    How could Qiao Lao San really have such great skill?

    There must be something fishy about this!

    Could it be that the patient cooperated, putting on a show with Qiao Lao San, just to showcase extraordinary medical skills in front of Lu Zijin to get his attention?!

    Just then, Lu Zijin stepped forward, extending a hand to check Zhang Chao¡¯s pulse.

    This move, seen by Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin, only led them to believe that Lu Zijin shared their suspicions.

    After all, Lu Zijin had been treating this patient for a while without effect, and he had previously stated that the patient was very difficult.

    Yet such a difficult patient showed obvious improvement after Qiao Lao San¡¯s casual acupuncture.

    This strange situation made Lu Zijin surely distrustful, and so he was taking the pulse to verify whether the patient was faking it!

    Thinking this, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin became expectant again, waiting for Lu Zijin to personally expose this charade.

    Unfortunately, Lu Zijin¡¯s subsequent reaction once again surprised the sisters.

    After checking Zhang Chao¡¯s pulse, Lu Zijin¡¯s normally gentle face was quickly overtaken by astonishment, ¡°The pulse is indeed stabilized!¡±

 Chapter 950 - 938: Afraid Lu Zijin Will Be Swayed by Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 950: Chapter 938: Afraid Lu Zijin Will Be Swayed by Qiao Jing</h4>

    Lu Zijin was both surprised and delighted, turning around excitedly and grabbing Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, urgently asking, "How did you do it? He actually recovered from the fever so quickly!"

    Seeing the usuallyposed Lu Zijin suddenly grab Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin were both taken aback, their eyes wide with astonishment.

    Especially Sun Mingzhu, her heart swirling with anger and jealousy, she almost couldn¡¯t help but rush forward to forcibly separate the two.

    However, before Sun Mingzhu lost control, Qiao Jing had already gently released Lu Zijin¡¯s hand.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s action made Lu Zijin immediately realize his own impropriety.

    He quickly withdrew his hand and said apologetically, "Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. Actually, I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. It¡¯s just that when ites to medical skills, I tend to get a bit excited when encountering situations like this."

    "It¡¯s alright." Qiao Jing shook her head and calmly said, "I understand how you feel."

    As the eldest son of the Lu Family, it¡¯s understandable that Lu Zijin, instead of inheriting the family¡¯s vast business, chose to work as a hospital director, indicating his passion for medical skills.

    Therefore, his momentarypse was actually quite excusable.

    Once he calmed down, Lu Zijin looked at Qiao Jing with bright eyes and earnestly asked, "Could you tell me how you managed to lower the patient¡¯s fever in such a short time?"

    "Lowering the fever is not a big deal; the key is to target a few specific acupoints. Moreover, reducing the fever only provides an initial stabilization of the condition. For further treatment beyond acupuncture, medication is also required for adjustment..."

    Qiao Jing methodically and leisurely exined the treatment methods to Lu Zijin.

    Lu Zijin stood beside her like an obedient student, listening intently and humbly asking questions from time to time.

    The two seemed like a teacher and a student, yet inexplicably harmonious, without the slightest discord.

    Watching this scene, everyone in the ward had different thoughts.

    Qiao Hong was naturally delighted, her smile almost reaching her ears.

    Even Director Lu had to consult their Xiao Jing, which clearly showed that Xiao Jing¡¯s medical skills were truly remarkable, far from ordinary!

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin were filled with jealousy and resentment.

    The two sisters¡¯ faces alternated between pale and flushed, looking very unpleasant.

    They never expected that Qiao Lao San, whom they despised and looked down upon, actually possessed such excellent medical skills!

    And judging by the situation, her medical skills are even more impressive than Lu Zijin¡¯s!!

    Since Zhang Chao needed to rest, the group did not linger much longer and quickly left the ward.

    In the corridor, Lu Zijin looked at Qiao Jing and sincerely said, "Third Miss Qiao, your words earlier taught me a lot. To express my gratitude, let me take you out for a meal."

    Qiao Jing instinctively wanted to refuse, as she considered the previous exchange to be ordinary discussion, not something worthy of gratitude.

    However, just as she was about to speak, Qiao Hong, seemingly guessing her thoughts, wrapped an arm around hers and smiled, "Go ahead, since Director Lu is so earnestly inviting you, wouldn¡¯t it be rude to refuse?"

    With such words, if Qiao Jing continued to refuse, it would indeed be disrespectful.

    She nced helplessly at Qiao Hong and finally nodded in agreement, "Alright, I¡¯ll go."

    Seeing her eptance, Lu Zijin was quite pleased, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin beside them were so upset their faces turned green.

    Especially Sun Mingzhu, her expression almost twisted in anger.

    She had just asked Lu Zijin to have coffee, and Lu Zijin had declined due tock of time, yet now this man iming to be busy was inviting Qiao Lao San right in front of her to dinner?!

    How could she ept this!!

    The more Sun Mingzhu thought about it, the more unwilling she became. She brazenly approached Lu Zijin with a forced smile, "Director Lu, which restaurant are we going to? Can I ride with you?"

    Her words clearly indicated her intention to tag along.

    Qiao Hong gave her a disdainful nce and rudely countered, "We didn¡¯t invite you, so stop shamelessly trying to join in."

    With those words, the smile on Sun Mingzhu¡¯s face instantly froze.

    If it weren¡¯t for maintaining her image in front of Lu Zijin, she would have retaliated. How could she let Qiao Hong humiliate her like that!

    But now, she could only suppress her anger, pretending to look pitifully at Lu Zijin with grievance, "Director Lu, can¡¯t I go with you?"

    Lu Zijin nced at her, weighed the situation, and said, "Sorry, this meal is to thank Third Miss Qiao for her significant insight and guidance. Having others present would be inappropriate."

    After rejecting Sun Mingzhu, Lu Zijin retracted his gaze, turned to Qiao Jing, "Third Miss Qiao, shall we go?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say anything, just nodded as a response.

    Thus, Qiao Hong wrapped her arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s, and alongside Lu Zijin, they walked out shoulder to shoulder.

    Watching the three figures fade into the distance, Sun Mingzhu trembled with rage.

    Sun Mingxin also wore a look of resentment, "Although Qiao Lao San isn¡¯t good-looking, she sure has some tricks. At this rate, Lu Zijin might really be taken away by her!"

    Sun Mingzhu snorted coldly, gritting her teeth in denial, "How can Lu Zijin be interested in someone as unattractive as her? At most, he just appreciates her medical skills!"

    She couldn¡¯t believe that someone with Lu Zijin¡¯s taste would be interested in that unattractive Qiao Lao San!

    Sun Mingxin shook her head, disagreeing, "Sis, you can¡¯t say that. If the woman tries some tricks and throws herself at him, once the lights are out, who cares about looks? Plus, apart from her face, Qiao Lao San¡¯s figure and other aspects are quite fine."

    "Moreover, judging from Lu Zijin¡¯s attitude toward Qiao Lao San earlier, he doesn¡¯t seem like someone who values appearance highly, or else he wouldn¡¯t have invited Qiao Lao San to dinner..."

    As Sun Mingxin spoke, Sun Mingzhu began to feel a strong sense of crisis.

    She grabbed her sister¡¯s hand in a panic, "What do we do now?"

    Sun Mingxin patted Sun Mingzhu¡¯s shoulder, whispering, "Sis, calm down first. We can¡¯t just watch Lu Zijin get taken by Qiao Lao San. As for a solution, we¡¯ll think it through, but we can¡¯t let their rtionship progress any further!"

    Listening to this, Sun Mingzhu quickly regained herposure.

    She squinted her eyes, a dark look passing through them, "You¡¯re right; we must not let their rtionship develop further!"

    Lu Zijin is hers, and no one can take him away!

    While the Sun sisters were busy plotting, the trio of Qiao Jing had already arrived at a restaurant.

    Qiao Jing was unaware that Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin were racking their brains to stop her from further associating with Lu Zijin.

    As she ate, she also discussed Zhang Chao¡¯s condition with Lu Zijin, quickly formting a moreprehensive treatment n.

    After the meal, Qiao Jing bid farewell to Lu Zijin and returned to the vi with Qiao Hong.

 Chapter 951 - 939: Qiao Jing Resolves to Find Out Who She Really Is

    <h4>Chapter 951: Chapter 939: Qiao Jing Resolves to Find Out Who She Really Is</h4>

    A weekter was the assessment date set by Xu Hongzu. To sessfully enter the institute and work there, it depended on whether I could pass the assessment.

    So, in the following days, Qiao Jing carried around books on agriculture no matter where she went, studying them anytime and anywhere.

    At first, Qiao Jing felt that this field¡¯s knowledge was quite unfamiliar.

    But after flipping through one or two books, it was like she suddenly had an epiphany; she found the books very easy to understand, as if dusty memories had suddenly been awakened. There was no need to deliberately memorize them; they naturally became integrated.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing was sitting at the desk in her room, with books she had read over the past few days stacked on the table¡ªmore than thirty to forty volumes.

    She picked up one casually, flipping through it thoughtfully.

    Why was she so knowledgeable about agriculture?

    Could it be that before she lost her memory, she was engaged in agriculture?

    If so, how was her medical skill exined?

    She had actually been investigating the events before her amnesia, but because the Qiao Family¡¯s resources were limited, it was difficult to find any useful clues in a short time...

    "Knock knock¡ª"

    A knock on the door suddenly sounded, interrupting Qiao Jing¡¯s thoughts.

    Soon after, the door opened, and Qiao Hong entered the room with a cup of warm milk.

    "Xiao Jing, you¡¯re working too hard. It¡¯s already quitete. Drink this cup of milk first and get some rest. Staying upte is bad for your health, especially since you just recovered from a serious illness. Without proper rest, you could easily get sick."

    As she spoke, Qiao Hong handed the milk to Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing took it, a slight smile on her lips, and said, "Thank you for your concern, eldest sister. I¡¯ll take good care of myself and won¡¯t let myself get sick."

    Qiao Hong nced at the pile of agricultural books on the desk and couldn¡¯t help but gasp.

    So many books¡ªjust looking at them is enough to make her head spin, let alone reading and studying them!

    She asked with some doubt, "Xiao Jing, you¡¯ve got only one week for all these books. Are you sure you can manage it?"

    Qiao Jing took a sip of milk and said slowly, "I¡¯ll do my best to try and pass the assessment."

    Back then, Elder Xu mentioned that some basic agricultural knowledge would be tested, but she had already finished with the basics, taking less than fifteen minutes in total.

    What she was reading now were more in-depth subjects.

    The deeper she delved, the more she discovered a genuine love for agriculture!

    Qiao Hong could also see her inexplicable passion for agriculture, prompting her to ask, "Isn¡¯t Master Zhou taking you as his disciple on your mind?"

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t directly answer but spoke truthfully, "My true passion is for agriculture; as for medical skills, I¡¯m not so interested."

    Hearing her response, Qiao Hong naturally understood her choice.

    "Then I¡¯ll leave you be, finish the milk and get to bed early."

    With that, Qiao Hong intended to turn and leave.

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing thought of something and called out, "Eldest sister, wait a moment!"

    "What is it?" Qiao Hong paused, a look of confusion on her face.

    Qiao Jing pursed her lips slightly and then inquired, "Do you know any organization that can help investigate certain matters?"

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong was momentarily stunned but quickly guessed what it might be about.

    She looked at Qiao Jing and asked in return, "Are you looking to investigate your past life?"

    Qiao Jing nodded, implying affirmation.

    She then raised her hand to touch her abdomen and said in a tone not easily interpreted, "I know I was pregnant and gave birth to a child at the time. That¡¯s also the main reason for my previous poor health. That¡¯s why I want to find out what exactly happened back then."

    Though surprised to learn that Qiao Jing had discovered her past pregnancy, Qiao Hong was not entirely shocked.

    Although they had never spoken of it, their Xiao Jing, being chosen by Master Zhou as a potential disciple with excellent medical skills, could have easily discovered it while self-diagnosing. It wasn¡¯t surprising at all.

    After a moment of silence, Qiao Hong asked, "What will you do once you find out?"

    Qiao Jing shook her head faintly, "I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯m not thinking that far ahead. I just want to know if my child is still alive."

    After she finished speaking, the room fell into a brief silence.

    A momentter, Qiao Hong said, "I happen to know of an organization called SURV. You can post missions on their website, and it¡¯s said that they have a very highpletion rate."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing became quite eager.

    At this point, Qiao Hong added, "However, if you want to post a mission with SURV, you¡¯ll need a considerablemission..."

    Pausing here, Qiao Hong patted Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder, "Don¡¯t worry, just tell me how much you need, and I¡¯ll figure out a way to help you."

    These words warmed Qiao Jing¡¯s heart, and she said with a light smile, "Thank you, eldest sister. Let me check first; if needed, I¡¯ll reach out to you."

    "No need for thanks; there¡¯s no such need between us sisters."

    Qiao Hong waved it off with her hand, smiling, "Alright, I¡¯m heading back to my room now. Remember not to stay up toote!"

    "Okay," Qiao Jing responded.

    After Qiao Hong left, she immediately turned on herputer and logged onto the SURV organization¡¯s website.

    Indeed, as Qiao Hong said, themission for posting missions was exceptionally high.

    Moreover, the missions are ssified into five levels: A, B, C, D, and S.

    The higher the level, the higher the requiredmission, but correspondingly, the time topletion would be shorter, and the sess rate greater.

    The S level is the highest level, requiring amission of fifty million!

    Qiao Jing stared at theputer screen, contemting a myriad of thoughts.

    Fifty million¡ªQiao Family coulde up with it, but that would be all the liquidity on Qiao Family Company¡¯s books. Once this money was used, if it couldn¡¯t be recovered in time, it might lead to cash flow problems for thepany.

    Though she knew that as long as she asked, Qiao Family members would agree without hesitation, she couldn¡¯t just disregard the Qiao Family Company¡¯s survival and spend the money to post a mission. That was something she couldn¡¯t do...

    However, was there a way to quickly earn a substantial amount of money?

    Qiao Jing searched online and concluded that the best way was¡ªstock market investment!

    So, she casually researched the current stock market and surprisingly found trading stocks surprisingly simple, with a sort of intuition guiding her!

    Resolving firmly, Qiao Jing went to find Qiao Hong the next morning.

    "Eldest sister, can I borrow some money?"

    Instead of asking if she could, Qiao Hong asked directly, "How much do you need?"

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment, then held up a slender finger, "One million."

    Qiao Hong froze for a moment, a hint of doubt on her face, "One million? Isn¡¯t that not enough?"

    Having talked about it yesterday, Qiao Hong instinctively thought Qiao Jing needed the money to post a mission with the SURV organization.

    But to post a mission, one million was far from enough!

 Chapter 952 - 940: Sheéˆ¥æªš an Agricultural Genius

    <h4>Chapter 952: Chapter 940: She¡¯s an Agricultural Genius</h4>

    Qiao Jing immediately realized that Qiao Hong had misunderstood, and quickly exined, "Sis, it¡¯s not what you think. I n to invest this one million in stocks."

    "Oh, that¡¯s how it is. But why did you suddenly think of this? I never heard you mention being interested in stock trading before?"

    Qiao Hong was very curious about Qiao Jing¡¯s sudden thought.

    Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and said truthfully, "I heard that stock trading can earn money quickly, so I n to give it a try."

    Qiao Hong had a limited understanding of stock trading and didn¡¯t ask further, only questioning, "Is one million enough? Do you need more?"

    "No need, no need," Qiao Jing waved her hand, "This is enough."

    She had already calctedst night, and one million in capital was sufficient!

    Qiao Hong nodded, "Alright, let me know if you need more. I¡¯ll transfer the money to you in a bit."

    An hourter, Qiao Jing received the one million transferred by Qiao Hong.

    In the following days, besides flipping through books rted to agriculture, Qiao Jing took on the task of keeping up with the stock market trend...

    In the blink of an eye, a week had passed.

    The scheduled examination day arrived.

    That morning, Qiao Jing arrived at the institute as promised.

    Zhan Nanjing knew about her examination today and immediately greeted her, cheering her on, "Don¡¯t be nervous, rx, just perform normallyter. Believe in yourself, you can do it!"

    Qiao Jing smiled lightly, "Alright, I¡¯ll do my best."

    "How about it?" Zhan Nanjing raised an eyebrow slightly, "After hearing my encouragement, don¡¯t you feel confident?"

    Hearing her question, Qiao Jing nodded cooperatively.

    Zhan Nanjing continued to ask, "So, approximately how confident are you in yourself now?"

    It¡¯s said that chatting can relieve nervous emotions, so she tried to ease the tension by chatting about this and that!

    However, Qiao Jing clearly didn¡¯t need to rx; she wasn¡¯t nervous at all.

    Faced with Zhan Nanjing¡¯s questioning, she answered honestly, "One hundred percent."

    Zhan Nanjing clicked her tongue twice in surprise and then eximed, "You¡¯re really not humble at all!"

    To have one hundred percent confidence in just a week¡¯s time?

    If it were her, she¡¯d definitely not be able to handle it!

    At this moment, Xu Hongzu walked out of theb. Seeing this, Zhan Nanjing lightly patted Qiao Jing on the shoulder, "Go on, good luck!"

    Qiao Jing stepped forward towards Xu Hongzu and greeted him politely, "Elder Xu."

    Xu Hongzu nodded slightly as a greeting, then asked, "Ready?"

    "Ready," Qiao Jing replied calmly.

    "Then I¡¯ll skip the extra talk and start with the questions. As long as you can answer them, you¡¯ll be a member of our institute."

    Saying that, Xu Hongzu cleared his throat and asked the first question, "Why do we graft vegetables?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, Qiao Jing answered without hesitation, "Because it can improve the vegetables¡¯ resistance to poor environments, enhance their pest resistance, increase yield, and improve quality."

    "Not bad, the points you mentioned are not only reasons but also advantages."

    Xu Hongzu said, then immediately posed the second question, "Aside from those points, what other benefits does vegetable grafting have?"

    "Additionally, it can improve the vegetable¡¯s absorption ability, thereby reducing fertilizer input in theter stages, as well as..."

    Qiao Jing answered instantly without thinking.

    Xu Hongzu asked several more questions in a row, all of which she answered fluently.

    Although these were just simple basic knowledge, reaching this level in a week was quite impressive!

    Xu Hongzu nodded frequently, feeling that his judgment was correct.

    This girl indeed has a knack for agriculture!

    Thinking this, Xu Hongzu became interested and probed with some deeper questions.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s performance was the same as before; whenever a question was thrown at her, she could answer it without thinking.

    As the questions became more difficult, a look of amazement gradually appeared on Xu Hongzu¡¯s face.

    Her answers were not only more detailed than what¡¯s listed in the books, but amazingly, she even had her unique insights!

    This is simply a genius!!

    After Qiao Jing answered thest question, Xu Hongzu couldn¡¯t hold back anymore andughed heartily, "Hahaha... What a genius! Truly a genius! My eyes were sharp this time; I found a treasure!"

    Xu Hongzu¡¯s loud voice immediately caught the attention of others in the institute.

    Including Zhan Nanjing and Chi Yuhang.

    Everyone looked at Xu Hongzu, then at Qiao Jing standing opposite him, their faces full of curiosity and inquiry.

    Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but stride over, curiously asking, "Elder Xu, why are you suddenly so happy? What¡¯s this about a genius? What did you find?"

    Xu Hongzu nced at Zhan Nanjing, unable to conceal his smile, "You did a great job this time, recruiting an exceptional talent for our institute!"

    "You have no idea how talented your friend is; it¡¯s like she was born for agriculture. In just one week, she can even answer the most profound questions, reaching the professor level at our institute..."

    Listening to Xu Hongzu¡¯s words of praise, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s gaze towards Qiao Jing underwent a subtle change.

    Thinking about it carefully, this person is really simr to her sister-inw!

    Both are skilled, excel in medicine, and are equally talented in agriculture...

    If it were just one simrity, it might be a coincidence, but with so many matches, could it really be a coincidence?

    The more she thought about it, the deeper Zhan Nanjing¡¯s doubts grew.

    Xu Hongzu was utterly pleased, looking at Qiao Jing with admiration, "Girl, you passed my exam. From today on, you are a part of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!"

    This result was within Qiao Jing¡¯s expectations, so she wasn¡¯t surprised.

    After hearing Xu Hongzu¡¯s words, she calmly replied, "I¡¯ll do my best."

    It was only then that Zhan Nanjing snapped back a little. She wrapped an arm around Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder, smiling as she said, "No wonder you said you have one hundred percent confidence just now; you were hiding your strengths!"

    She had used her of not being humble, but with such skills, what¡¯s there to be humble about?

    Qiao Jing just smiled without responding.

    It¡¯s not that she was hiding her abilities; she just didn¡¯t know she had them before...

    That day, after returning to Purple Garden, during dinner, Zhan Nanjing was quietly pondering her doubts.

    Su Manhan noticed that her daughter had been absent-minded since returning home, now sitting at the table with a dazed look, poking at her food with chopsticks, hardly eating or picking up dishes, it looked very odd.

    Watching her daughter for a while, Su Manhan suspiciously asked, "Nanjing, what are you daydreaming about? Did your soul get whisked away? Could it be because you¡¯re getting married next month and having pre-wedding jitters, so you¡¯re so absent-minded?"

 Chapter 953 - 941: The Bitterness in Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Heart

    <h4>Chapter 953: Chapter 941: The Bitterness in Zhan Qipei¡¯s Heart</h4>

    Hearing Su Manhan¡¯s voice, Zhan Nanjing snapped out of her own thoughts.

    She quietly nced at Zhan Qipei beside her, pondered for a moment, and then spoke up, "Mom, you wouldn¡¯t believe it, something incredible happened at our research institute today!"

    Su Manhan¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued by these words, and she eagerly asked, "What incredible thing?"

    "Well, it¡¯s like this, Xiao Jing, who is also Third Miss Qiao..."

    Just as she spoke, Zhan Nanjing noticed from the corner of her eye that Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand, which was reaching out with chopsticks, paused for a moment.

    But it was just a moment; he quickly continued picking up food as if nothing had happened.

    Su Manhan, unable to restrain her gossip-loving heart, urgently urged, "Well, what happened? What¡¯s up with Third Miss Qiao?"

    Under Su Manhan¡¯s questioning, Zhan Nanjing recounted the whole story in detail.

    "It¡¯s like this, Third Miss Qiao came to our research institute for an interview today. Elder Xu personally set the questions for her, and she answered all of them, passing the assessment smoothly!"

    "Here¡¯s the key: do you know? She only used a week to learn for this assessment, and in such a short time, she grasped so much relevant knowledge. Isn¡¯t that amazing?"

    Su Manhan nodded, "ording to what you say, this Third Miss Qiao is indeed quite impressive!"

    "I¡¯m not done, here¡¯s the more crucial part!"

    Zhan Nanjing continued, "At that time, Elder Xu, seeing her outstanding performance, asked some more advanced questions on the spot. Not only did she answer fluently, but she also offered her unique insights. Elder Xu praised her on the spot as an exceptional agricultural talent and said he had found a treasure!"

    After speaking, Zhan Nanjing nced at Zhan Qipei again and saw that her brother hadpletely put down his chopsticks and stopped eating.

    This reaction was actually just as Zhan Nanjing expected.

    She knew that anything bearing the slightest resemnce to her sister-inw could capture her brother¡¯s attention!

    At this moment, Zhan Yuanshan snorted and said, "I thought it was something big, and it¡¯s just this? What¡¯s so surprising about it? She¡¯s your sister-inw; it¡¯s normal for her to have such skills!"

    "I¡¯ve told you a hundred times, yet none of you believed me. She¡¯s skilled in medicine and so talented in agriculture. Who else could she be but your sister-inw?"

    As he finished, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s tone involuntarily rose, bing quite emotional.

    Because of his words, everyone at the dining table turned their eyes towards Zhan Qipei, each with different andplex expressions.

    Under the gaze of Zhan Nanjing and the others, Zhan Qipei slightly lifted his thin lips and said word by word, "She is she, and Qiao Jing is Qiao Jing. No matter how simr, they are not the same person."

    After saying this, he put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hands, stood up without looking back, and walked straight towards the study.

    "Whether you believe it or not, she is Jing Girl!"

    Zhan Yuanshan shouted toward Zhan Qipei¡¯s back, then continued, "You¡¯re not allowed to leave. Who let you go? Go find Jing Girl for me right now!"

    Zhan Qipei did not stop walking and continued striding forward, clearly unwilling to do as the old man said.

    Seeing this, Zhan Yuanshan immediately yed his trump card, clutching his chest and coughing loudly, while shouting, "If you don¡¯t go, this old man will cough to death right here today! You just wait to see my corpse... cough cough cough..."

    Under the old man¡¯s pressure, Zhan Qipei finally left, feeling helpless.

    However, he did not do as the old man said.

    After leaving Purple Garden, he took out his phone, made a call, and arranged to meet Lu Zijiao, heading to a bar together.

    In the bar.

    In a booth near the bar counter, Zhan Qipei and Lu Zijiao sat facing each other, each holding a ss of red wine.

    Lu Zijiao took a few sips of wine, then looked up at the silent Zhan Qipei sitting opposite, and curiously asked, "What brings you to want to drink with me today all of a sudden?"

    "In recent years, you¡¯ve either been drinking alone or busy with business affairs. It¡¯s been how long since west got together."

    As he said this, Lu Zijiao¡¯s tone was somewhat wistful.

    Ever since Qiao Jing went missing in the tsunami, this buddy of his had been either working non-stop or drinking excessively, not to mention giving himself a stomach condition and even having to be hospitalized for surgery recently.

    To put it bluntly, it was like he didn¡¯t care about his own life!

    Zhan Qipei tilted his head and drank the red wine in his ss in one go.

    As soon as he emptied one ss, he immediately refilled it and, swirling the wine in his ss, said with a headache, "It¡¯s because my grandfather keeps giving me difficult tasks."

    Hearing this, Lu Zijiao became even more curious and immediately asked, "What¡¯s going on? What kind of difficult task did your old man give you to trouble even President Zhan like this?"

    Zhan Qipei pinched his brow with his long fingers, his deep voice full of helplessness, "The old man mistook Third Miss Qiao from the Qiao Family for Qiao Jing and insists on setting the two of us up, wanting me to interact and date her."

    In his heart, there was no room for any woman other than Qiao Jing.

    But the old man¡¯s illness was like a time bomb. If he didn¡¯t go along a little, he was afraid something bad might happen to him.

    In short, he was now caught in a dilemma, trapped with no way forward!

    Lu Zijiao slightly raised his eyebrows and confirmed, "The Third Miss Qiao you¡¯re talking about is the one from the Qiao Family in Nandu, the one Master Zhou Fu wants to take as his disciple?"

    Zhan Qipei looked up at him, "You know too?"

    Lu Zijiao lounged back on the sofa chair, speaking unhurriedly, "Master Zhou Fu taking on a disciple is such big news. I¡¯ve heard about it a bit here and there, but my understanding of Third Miss Qiao mainlyes from my brother."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit suspicious, "What does this have to do with your brother?"

    Seeing his inquiry, Lu Zijiao enthusiastically recounted, "You wouldn¡¯t know, but just a few days ago, Third Miss Qiao helped my brother resolve a particrly tricky illness. ording to my brother, Third Miss Qiao¡¯s medical skills are exceptionally high. My brother even consulted her at the time."

    "In any case, Third Miss Qiao¡¯s medical skills are so impressive that even my brother feels inferior to her, which is why she caught his attention."

    Zhan Qipei was skeptical, "Are her medical skills really that good?"

    "Do you think I would deceive you?"

    Lu Zijiao shot back, then said earnestly, "Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect that apart from Qiao Jing, there would be another person so young with such amazing medical skills!"

    "So it¡¯s no wonder your family¡¯s old man mistook this Third Miss Qiao for Qiao Jing, because my brother also told me that sometimes when he looks at Third Miss Qiao, he sees a bit of Qiao Jing¡¯s shadow."

    Zhan Qipei¡¯s dark eyes were deep and unfathomable, making it hard to discern his current emotions.

    After a moment of silence, he again drank the red wine in his ss.

 Chapter 954: 942: Qiao Jing Gets Hit On

    <strong>Chapter 954: Chapter 942: Qiao Jing Gets Hit On</strong>

    At the same time, outside the bar entrance.

    Ni Yue was holding onto Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, pulling her toward the bar. ¡°I haven¡¯t officially thanked you for helping me get my bag backst time. Now that we¡¯ve run into each other, I must thank you properly!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already thanked me. Previously at the front of Yueji Pavilion, you also helped me once and treated me to coffee. Did you forget?¡±

    Qiao Jing wasn¡¯t interested in ces like bars, so she used a gentle way to decline Ni Yue¡¯s invitation.

    But Ni Yue shook her head and said repeatedly, ¡°No no no, these two things can¡¯t cancel each other out. The designs in that bag were really important. If you hadn¡¯t helped me get it back, I wouldn¡¯t have known what to do. So I must properly thank you.¡±

    ¡°Come on, stop refusing. I¡¯m treating you to a drink!¡±

    Saying this, Ni Yue continued to pull Qiao Jing toward the bar.

    Qiao Jing lightly pressed her lips together, her face showing a bit of helplessness.

    Just now, when she came out of the research institute, she hadn¡¯t walked far when she happened to run into Ni Yue.

    When Ni Yue saw her, she was incredibly enthusiastic, pulling her for a bit of small talk and expressing the desire to thank her formally.

    And just like that, Qiao Jing was pulled into a car by Ni Yue without a chance to say no, arriving at the bar entrance¡­

    Feeling Qiao Jing¡¯s reluctance, Ni Yue¡¯s hand on her arm tightened slightly, ¡°Come on, Xiao Jingjing, let¡¯s go in, we¡¯re already at the entrance, there¡¯s no sense in turning back now!¡±

    The name ¡°Xiao Jingjing¡± made both of them freeze for a moment.

    Qiao Jing quickly realized that Ni Yue had called her this when she had mistaken her for someone else before.

    So, she knew that this ¡°Xiao Jingjing¡± was not addressed to her.

    Ni Yue herself hadn¡¯t expected it to slip out and was stunned for a moment.

    Recovering, she said a bit awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, you just look so much like Xiao Jingjing, it slipped out by ident. I really miss her.¡±

    ¡°Even though I don¡¯t want to assume the worst, the chances of her surviving back then were very, very low.¡±

    ¡°And if she were alive, she would havee back by now, she wouldn¡¯t have remained silent all this time¡­¡±

    By the end, Ni Yue¡¯s voice grew softer, revealing an undeniable sadness on her face.

    Seeing her sorrowful look, Qiao Jing felt her own emotions inexplicably stirred.

    After a few moments of silence, Qiao Jing said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go in and have a couple of drinks with you.¡±

    Hearing this, Ni Yue¡¯s mood visibly improved.

    She hugged Qiao Jing excitedly, ¡°You¡¯re the best! Thank you, Xiao Jingjing!¡±

    ¡°That nickname¡­¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could finish, Ni Yue cut her off.

    ¡°I¡¯m so used to calling her that, and I miss her so much, it¡¯s hard for me to stop. Can I call you that?¡±

    After saying this, Ni Yue looked at Qiao Jing with eyes full of hope.

    Seeing her like this, Qiao Jing found it hard to refuse and simply said, ¡°As you wish.¡±

    After all, it¡¯s just a nickname, nothing significant.

    Ni Yue was delighted, pulling Qiao Jing into the bar while urging, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, hurry,e with me¡­¡±

    At this moment, Lu Zijiao was holding a ss of wine, looking around. When his eyes moved to the entrance, he caught a glimpse of Ni Yue.

    This discovery made Lu Zijiao raise an eyebrow in surprise, ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that Ni Yue!¡±

    Zhan Qipei continued drinking, indifferent to what Lu Zijiao was saying.

    Lu Zijiao wasn¡¯t fazed by Zhan Qipei¡¯s coldness.

    He kept looking over at Ni Yue¡¯s direction, ¡°Hey, Ni Yue is with someone, that person looks like¡­¡±

    Before he finished speaking, Ni Yue¡¯s loud voice came over, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, hurry up, quick quick!¡±

    Hearing this nickname, Zhan Qipei¡¯s hand holding the ss suddenly stilled.

    The next moment, the ss slipped from his hand, hitting the carpet by his feet.

    In an instant, a myriad of emotions surged through Zhan Qipei¡¯s heart.

    He slowly turned his head, hisplex gaze scanning the crowd for that longed-for figure.

    Soon, his sightnded on Ni Yue approaching the bar.

    And the person behind Ni Yue¡­

    Under the shing lights, for a brief moment, Zhan Qipei truly believed he saw the woman he missed day and night.

    However, upon closer inspection, he realized it was only his wishful thinking.

    The person following behind Ni Yue was the Third Miss Qiao he had just mentioned to Lu Zijiao¡­

    Ni Yue led Qiao Jing to a seat at the bar, raising her eyebrows as she asked, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, what do you want to drink? Red wine or champagne?¡±

    ¡°Red wine,¡± Qiao Jing replied casually.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with a bottle of red wine then; we won¡¯t stop until we¡¯re drunk tonight!¡±

    Hearing Ni Yue¡¯s words, the corner of Qiao Jing¡¯s mouth twitched ever so slightly.

    She had just said they¡¯d have a few drinks, but now in Ni Yue¡¯s words, it had turned into not stopping until they¡¯re drunk?!

    At this point, in a nearby booth, Lu Zijiao said suspiciously, ¡°Strange, why does Ni Yue call her Xiao Jingjing? Isn¡¯t Xiao Jingjing Ni Yue¡¯s nickname for Qiao Jing?¡±

    Zhan Qipei withdrew his gaze, continuing to drink with a stern expression on his chiseled face, indifferent to everything.

    At the bar, Ni Yue continued drinking with Qiao Jing, chatting with her about ¡°Xiao Jingjing¡¯s¡± stories.

    With this continuous drinking and chatting, it wasn¡¯t long before Ni Yue was a bit tipsy.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this, I feel like I¡¯m going to throw up. Xiao Jingjing, wait here for a moment while I go to the bathroom¡­¡±

    Before finishing her sentence, Ni Yue stood up and headed to the restroom.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand to rub her forehead, feeling a bit dizzy too.

    Ni Yue not only drank heavily herself but also kept pushing her to drink; she truly was aiming not to stop until they¡¯re drunk!

    In the future, if Ni Yue invites her for drinks again, she¡¯ll definitely think twice¡­

    Having waited for over ten minutes without Ni Yue returning, Qiao Jing got worried something might have happened to her, deciding to get up and find her.

    But as she stood up, a wave of dizziness hit her, and she stumbled back into her seat.

    Over at the booth, Zhan Qipei ced his ss down, suddenly standing up, and coldly said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, heading back.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Zijiao was a bit taken aback, ¡°Going back so soon? Are you serious? The night is still young, you know!¡±

    As he spoke, he tapped the face of his watch, signaling Zhan Qipei to check the time.

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t check the time; he just nced at Lu Zijiao, ¡°You have fun on your own then.¡±

    ¡°Come on, man, you can¡¯t do this, you¡¯re the one who dragged me out here. Now I¡¯ve just started to enjoy myself, and you want to leave? That¡¯s not on, you have to stick around for a few more drinks!¡±

    As soon as Lu Zijiao finished his sentence, a conversation from a nearby group of men drifted over.

    ¡°Look, that woman seems drunk, I¡¯ve been watching her for a while, she seems to be alone!¡±

    ¡°You have a point, though her face has some e, her body looks quite nice!¡±

 Chapter 955: 943: Drunk

    <strong>Chapter 955: Chapter 943: Drunk</strong>

    ¡°Not just pretty, she¡¯s downright stunning, isn¡¯t she? Look at her legs, long and slender, absolutely tempting!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, who cares if her face isn¡¯t pretty, her figure is good enough!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go over and keep herpany? Wouldn¡¯t want her to be lonely!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Lu Zijiao followed the gaze of several sleazy guys and discovered their target was Third Miss Qiao, who was with Ni Yue earlier.

    He withdrew his gaze, turned to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Looks like she¡¯s been targeted, should we go help her?¡±

    ¡°If you want to y hero, be my guest.¡± Zhan Qipei replied nonchntly.

    ¡°What kind of heroism is this?¡±

    Lu Zijiao pouted, ¡°Besides, if anyone should go, it should be you. She saved you, your mom, and your grandpa too. Are you just going to watch as your family¡¯s benefactor falls into the hands of thieves?¡±

    This information was gleaned by Lu Zijiao during their chat from Zhan Qipei.

    As Zhan Qipei heard this, his raised foot suddenly halted.

    By then, the sleazy guys were already beside Qiao Jing.

    Two of them surrounded her on either side, trying to chat her up.

    ¡°Hey there, are you alone? Feeling lonely? How about we keep youpany for a few drinks?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you look like you¡¯ve had quite a bit, need a hand so you don¡¯t fall over?¡±

    Another took advantage of the distraction to pull a white pill from his pocket and drop it into Qiao Jing¡¯s drink.

    The sleazy guys thought they were working well together, unaware that Qiao Jing saw their filthy tricks clearly.

    The one who had drugged the drink handed the ss to Qiao Jing, ¡°Come on, have a drink with us.¡±

    Qiao Jing remained expressionless, spat out a single cold word, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Her straightforward rejection left the guys feeling offended and angry.

    They exchanged nces, deciding to take direct action.

    Meanwhile, the loud rock music and wild dancing beauties in the pool were drawing everyone¡¯s attention in the bar.

    This made it unlikely for anyone to notice if they caused a scene unless it got too loud!

    After exchanging nces, one of them raised his hand to grab Qiao Jing¡¯s shoulder, roughly pulling her, intending to drag her away.

    Seeing this, Lu Zijiao frowned and nced at Zhan Qipei, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to intervene? If you really won¡¯t, I¡¯m going¡ªI can¡¯t watch a good girl get ruined by these creeps!¡±

    Zhan Qipei reconsidered, having been reminded of their debt to Third Miss Qiao.

    Just as he was about to act, Qiao Jing took matters into her own hands.

    With a swift move, she flipped the man gripping her shoulder, executing a perfect shoulder throw with ease.

    ¡°Bang¡ª¡±

    The man hit the ground, painfully rolling as he collided with the floor.

    His buddies gawked at the scene.

    Once they snapped out of it, the one who had drugged the drink cursed angrily, ¡°Ungrateful bitch! You refuse a toast so don¡¯t me us for making you drink a forced one!¡±

    With those words, hispanions understood, charging toward Qiao Jing aggressively.

    She stood confidently, waiting for them to approach.

    Once within reach, sheunched a front kick, sending one man flying back, followed by a side kick, knocking over another, then a back kick, sending another copsing¡­

    In less than five minutes, the tall and bulky men were sprawled on the floor, groaning in pain.

    Throughout, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t even move a finger, her effortless kicks taking them all down.

    Witnessing the whole scene, Lu Zijiao was utterly stunned, his mouth agape.

    ¡°Is she really that powerful? Never thought Third Miss Qiao, who looked so fragile, had such skills!¡±

    After his amazedment, Lu Zijiao shifted his gaze back to Zhan Qipei, ¡°Gotta admit, her moves have a resemnce to your wife¡¯s.¡±

    Zhan Qipei said nothing, his gaze fixed on the efficient and decisive girl.

    Her moves and the fierce force reminded him of Qiao Jing in his memories¡­

    Lu Zijiao noticed Zhan Qipei staring dumbly at Third Miss Qiao.

    He waved his hand in front of Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, ¡°What? Blown away? Think she looks simr too?¡±

    Zhan Qipei snapped back to reality, uttering softly with an ambiguous tone, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re very simr, but I maintain that Qiao Jing is Qiao Jing; she is herself. No matter how alike they seem, they¡¯re not the same person.¡±

    Lu Zijiao nodded repeatedly, ¡°Alright, alright, they¡¯re definitely not the same. If you¡¯re leaving, you don¡¯t have to y hero anymore.¡±

    Just as Zhan Qipei was about to turn away, he saw a sleazy guy getting up from the ground.

    Upon standing, he grabbed an empty bottle, aimed it at Qiao Jing¡¯s head.

    Hearing themotion, Qiao Jing instinctively turned, intending to counterattack but was overwhelmed by a sudden surge of alcohol.

    Her feet wobbled, struggling to stand.

    Now evading was impossible!

    Just as the bottle was about to crash down, Qiao Jing felt a leap in her heart.

    At this critical moment, arge hand pulled her aside.

    The man attempting a sneak attack was kicked away by Zhan Qipei,nding on the ground like a rag.

    Relieved from danger, Qiao Jing exhaled.

    But as soon as she rxed, the tipsiness intensified, her feet unsteady as if treading on clouds, her body rocking uncontrobly.

    Seeing her on the brink of falling, Lu Zijiao reached to help, but before he even touched her, Zhan Qipei was already holding her close.

    Lu Zijiao was somewhat taken aback by Zhan Qipei¡¯s move.

    Apart from Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei had never treated other women like this!

    Zhan Qipei himself was startled by his action.

    This was the second time he held this woman; like the first time he saw her about to fall, his gesture was instinctive, a reflex.

    Under Lu Zijiao¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, Zhan Qipei coughed lightly, offering an exnation, ¡°You were right; she¡¯s our benefactor and cannot be ignored.¡±

    Lu Zijiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why not escort her home? She¡¯s clearly drunk, staying here is unsafe.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she with Ni Yue? Can¡¯t she be left to Ni Yue¡­¡±

    Mid-sentence, Zhan Qipei was interrupted by Lu Zijiao.

    ¡°Are you sure she can be left with Ni Yue?¡±

 Chapter 956 - 944: Bringing Her Back to the Purple Garden

    <h4>Chapter 956: Chapter 944: Bringing Her Back to the Purple Garden</h4>

    "Hey, look over there."

    Lu Zijiao raised a hand and pointed towards the direction of the restroom.

    Zhan Qipei turned his head and saw Ni Yue leaning against the wall, staggering as she walked over, looking as if she could copse at any moment.

    "See? Ni Yue isn¡¯t doing any better."

    Lu Zijiao shrugged, "So, it¡¯s decided, I¡¯ll take Ni Yue home, and you take this Third Miss Qiao."

    Zhan Qipei nced down at the woman in the crook of his arm, seeing that she was indeed quite drunk. If he left her alone, the same situation that happened earlier was bound to ur again.

    After hesitating for a moment, he finally decided to reluctantly take her home.

    In a blur, Qiao Jing was taken out of the bar by Zhan Qipei.

    As they were getting in the car, a slightly chilly night breeze blew over, bringing a touch of rity to the drunken Qiao Jing.

    With one hand clutching the car door, she gazed at the man holding her, with a somewhat slurred voice, she asked, "Where are you taking me?"

    "Taking you home," Zhan Qipei replied sinctly.

    There was a time before when it was pouring rain, he had taken her home, so he knew her address.

    Though quite drunk, the remaining bit of rity made Qiao Jing instinctively feel that going home wasn¡¯t right when she heard the words "going home."

    If she went back like this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin would surely be worried.

    Moreover, the little guy at home is so sensitive; if he saw her like this, besides worrying, he might also think she encountered some bad situation.

    If she frightened the little guy for that reason, it wouldn¡¯t be good. Better to find a hotel to stay for a night, and then go back tomorrow...

    With such muddled thoughts, Qiao Jing spoke again, her voice even more slurred, "Thank you... thank you for helping me earlier... But I don¡¯t want to go back, you don¡¯t need to take me, I can..."

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing struggled to free herself from the man¡¯s arm, intending to leave on her own.

    However, without Zhan Qipei¡¯s support, she couldn¡¯t even stand, let alone walk.

    Seeing her stagger like she could fall any minute, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t bear it, with his face stern, he reached out to hold her again.

    She¡¯s drunk into this condition, how could she act tough?

    This is nowhere like she can manage on her own!

    Zhan Qipei furrowed his long brows and asked in a steady voice, "If not going home, then where to?"

    At this point, even thest bit of her consciousness was overwhelmed by the rise of intoxication.

    She muddle-headedly shook her head and mumbled, "Not going back... not going back..."

    Seeing her repeat the same words without uttering anything else for a long time, Zhan Qipei¡¯s brow furrowed even tighter, feeling quite a headache.

    At that moment, a phone ringtone rang.

    Zhan Qipei, holding the woman with one arm, used his other hand to fetch the phone from his pocket.

    He intended to hang up directly, but hesitated upon seeing the caller ID, then answered it.

    "Grandfather, what¡¯s the matter?"

    As soon as Zhan Qipei asked, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s voice came through the phone aggressively.

    "How dare you ask me what¡¯s the matter? I told you to pick up Jing Girl, why haven¡¯t you returned after so long?"

    "I tell you, you must bring Jing Girl back today, otherwise... cough cough... otherwise you just wait to collect your grandfather¡¯s corpse... cough cough cough..."

    With Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s seemingly deliberate violent coughing, the call ended.

    Zhan Qipei nced at the phone, then looked at the woman in his arms, his thin lips pressed into a straight line.

    One was too drunk to speak properly yet didn¡¯t want to go home, the other was using illness to threaten him to bring the person back...

    It seemed there was no choice but to take her to Purple Garden first.

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qipei put away his phone, helped the heavily intoxicated woman into the back seat of the car, and after ensuring she wouldn¡¯t fall over, walked to the front, sat in the driver¡¯s seat, and started the engine.

    On the way back, Zhan Qipei asionally nced at the rearview mirror inside the car, inadvertently looking at the woman in the back through the mirror.

    Several times, he felt especially as if his own Qiao Jing was back.

    But each time that thought emerged, he¡¯d quickly shake his head to expel the unrealistic idea from his mind.

    Over ten minutester, the car stopped at the gate of Purple Garden.

    Zhan Qipei helped down the already slumbering woman from the car and strode inside.

    The servants at home were all shocked at this sight, whispering among themselves in small groups.

    "The young master actually brought a woman back!"

    "I¡¯ve worked at the Zhan Family for so many years, apart from the young mistress, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen the young master bring another woman back!"

    "What is the background of this woman to get close to the young master!"

    "..."

    Even Su Manhan and Zhan Yao were quite surprised.

    Zhan Yao eximed, "I thought Qipei was just humoring his grandfather, didn¡¯t expect he really brought back Third Miss Qiao!"

    Su Manhan wore a look of astonishment, "Indeed, what¡¯s happening? Could it be that Qipei really feels differently about this Third Miss Qiao?"

    Zhan Yuanshan maneuvered his wheelchair over, gave his son and daughter-inw a nce, face full of speechless expression, and said, "What situation could it be? This is my granddaughter-inw; isn¡¯t it natural for my grandson to bring her back?"

    With that, the old man sternly instructed again, "Everyone keep quiet, didn¡¯t you see my granddaughter-inw is drunk? Let her rest well, don¡¯t disturb her."

    Zhan Nanjing was also somewhat surprised by the circumstances.

    She ran over to Zhan Qipei, whispered, and asked, "Brother, what¡¯s going on, did you really bring her back?"

    "Stop talking nonsense; quickly take her in, she¡¯s drunk, so find a room for her to stay tonight."

    After saying that, Zhan Qipei handed the woman in his arms over to Zhan Nanjing.

    Seeing Qiao Jing utterly drunk, Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t bother asking more questions, hurriedly helped her to an empty guest room to rest.

    In a room upstairs, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo heard themotion outside and curiously ran out.

    Just then, as a servant was passing by the doorway, Zhan Qiaoyu stopped them, blinking and asked, "What happened? Why is there such amotion?"

    The servant truthfully replied, "Because the young master brought a woman home, everyone¡¯s shocked, so it¡¯s a bit noisy."

    Upon hearing this, instant frowns appeared on Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo¡¯s faces.

    The two little ones exchanged nces, their thoughts identical.

    Although their mommy disappeared and her whereabouts remain unknown, it doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not alive.

    Plus, over the years, they¡¯ve seen their daddy¡¯s genuine feelings for mommy, so why would daddy suddenly bring a woman home?

    Thinking of this, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo exchanged looks again and decided to investigate.

    The two little ones immediately trotted with their short legs, scurrying towards the guest room.

    Once in the guest room, they moved to run towards the bedside.

    Zhan Nanjing quickly stopped them, "Hey, hey, hey, you little ones, what are you doing causing a scene? She needs to rest."

 Chapter 957: 945: Its Aunt Jing

    <strong>Chapter 957: Chapter 945: It¡¯s Aunt Jing</strong>

    ¡°Oh, Aunt, don¡¯t block us, we just want to take a look.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, just let us take a peek!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo said as they skillfully bypassed Zhan Nanjing¡¯s obstruction and sessfully ran to the bedside.

    When they saw clearly who was lying in bed, the two little ones instantly widened their eyes and looked at each other in surprise.

    How could it be Aunt Jing?

    If the woman their dad brought home was Aunt Jing, then the situation would be different!!

    At this time, Zhan Nanjing suddenly felt a bit of a stomachache and wanted to use the bathroom, so she didn¡¯t have time to delve into the two little ones¡¯ peculiar actions.

    She patted the two little ones on the head and instructed, ¡°Auntie is going to the bathroom, you two don¡¯t make noise, let her have a good rest, okay?¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo obediently nodded, ¡°Got it, got it!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu urged, ¡°Auntie, go ahead, don¡¯t worry about us.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing really couldn¡¯t wait any longer and quickly turned around and ran out without saying much.

    Once she was gone, the two little ones immediately ran to the bedside, blinking their shiny big eyes at Qiao Jing lying in bed.

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s small face was full of joy. Afraid to disturb Qiao Jing, he whispered softly, ¡°If I had known it was Aunt Jing Dad was bringing back, we wouldn¡¯t have been so nervous!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo echoed in a childish voice, ¡°Exactly, seeing Aunt Jing makes me too happy to handle!¡±

    Just when the two were feeling pleased, they suddenly received a video call from Zhan Qiaoze.

    Coincidentally, there was no one else in the room, so Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo answered the video call.

    As soon as it connected, Zhan Qiaoze anxiously said, ¡°This is bad, Aunt Jing hasn¡¯te back yet, I¡¯m worried something might have happened to her, I¡¯m so worried!¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo exchanged nces, then simultaneously turned their wrists to aim the smart watch camera at Qiao Jing on the bed.

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Qiaoze was momentarily stunned and asked in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s going on? How is Aunt Jing there with you?!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo tilted his little head and honestly replied, ¡°Daddy brought Aunt Jing back, but we¡¯re not sure about the details yet.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu, recalling the time he got pranked, raised his little eyebrow and deliberately boasted, ¡°How about that? Even if you tried a ¡®sneaky trick¡¯ to switch ces, Aunt Jing is still ours.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze pouted and retorted, ¡°Aunt Jing is not gone forever. I¡¯ll wait at home; she¡¯ll certainlye back tomorrow!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu was about to say something, but hearing footsteps approaching, he quickly ended the call.

    Zhan Qiaomo also hurriedly ended the call.

    The next second, Zhan Nanjing opened the door and walked into the room.

    Seeing the two little ones still in the room, Zhan Nanjing was a bit suspicious, ¡°Why are you two still here?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu raised his handsome little face and seriously asked, ¡°Auntie, can I stay here tonight?¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo immediately chimed in, ¡°Auntie, Auntie, I want to stay too!¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing became even more suspicious, ¡°This is a guest room for resting, you both have your own rooms, why do you want to stay here?¡±

    Facing their aunt¡¯s questioning, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo mumbled, unable toe up with a good reason.

    They couldn¡¯t just say they wanted to stay to keep Aunt Jingpany, right?

    Seeing the two little ones unable toe up with anything, Zhan Nanjing took a hand each and led them out, saying as she walked, ¡°Alright, it¡¯ste. Kids need to go to bed early to grow taller. You two should hurry back to your rooms to sleep and stop causing trouble here.¡±

    The two little ones left reluctantly, turning back every few steps but unable to find a suitable reason to stay.

    Zhan Nanjing felt the two little ones were acting a bit strange but couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, so she decided not to think too much about it.

    At this time, in the living room on the first floor.

    Zhan Qipei was sitting on the sofa, rubbing his temples with his long fingers.

    He had also drunk quite a bit at the bar, and now he was starting to feel the effect.

    Zhan Yuanshan wheeled himself in front of him, frowning slightly and said, ¡°What are you doing sitting here? Jing Girl is drunk out of her mind, go take care of her.¡±

    Hearing this, a look of obvious impatience shed across Zhan Qipei¡¯s face.

    He had already brought her back, did they really want him to take this sham act seriously?

    Even if it¡¯s acting, there should be limits!

    Seeing him remain silent, Zhan Yuanshan became a bit angry, ring at his grandson¡¯s back and sternly questioned, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, did you hear me? With your attitude, you¡¯re unwilling to take care of her, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am unwilling.¡±

    After saying this, Zhan Qipei suddenly got up from the sofa and walked toward the study.

    No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t betray Qiao Jing.

    He always believed that Qiao Jing was still alive and would surely return to him!

    Zhan Yuanshan, enraged, red angrily at his grandson¡¯s retreating figure and sternly questioned, ¡°Is it because Jing Girl¡¯s face is now unattractive, and you disdain her, don¡¯t want her?¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei¡¯s steps suddenly halted.

    He didn¡¯t turn back, but said each word clearly, ¡°No matter what happens to Qiao Jing, I will only recognize her in my lifetime. My feelings for her will never change!¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan continued to question, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why don¡¯t you want to be with her when she¡¯s right in front of you?¡±

    ¡°Because she isn¡¯t,¡± Zhan Qipei said tly.

    ¡°Back then, when I painstakingly matched you two together, you refused to marry her. But in the end, didn¡¯t you find it truly sweet?¡±

    Saying this, Zhan Yuanshan snorted coldly and confidently dered, ¡°As your grandpa, I¡¯ve eaten more salt than you¡¯ve eaten rice. Now I tell you with certainty, she is Jing Girl!¡±

    Zhan Qipei didn¡¯t respond, resumed his pace toward the study, secretly thinking, it seemed his grandpa was not well; his mental state was getting worse. He¡¯d have to find a chance to get Master Zhou to check on him again¡­

    The next day, early in the morning.

    Qiao Jing, still half-asleep, was awakened by the ringing of her phone.

    She groggily opened her eyes and sat up in bed, reaching for the phone that wouldn¡¯t stop ringing.

    Seeing the caller ID, she noticed it was Qiao Hong calling, so she pressed ept.

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Qiao Hong¡¯s anxious voice came through the phone.

    ¡°Xiao Jing, are you okay? Where are you now? You didn¡¯te back all night. I couldn¡¯t reach you on your phone. Qiao Lin and I were worried sick, and the little ones were worried too. They stayed upte waiting for you¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Big Sister, for making you and Second Sister worry.¡±

    Qiao Jing said, raising her hand to rub her temples to relieve the dizziness from the hangover, then exined, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just had a few drinks with a friendst night, then got drunk and fell asleep.¡±

 Chapter 958: 946: The Two Little Ones Pretend to Be Sick for Attention

    <strong>Chapter 958: Chapter 946: The Two Little Ones Pretend to Be Sick for Attention</strong>

    Hearing Qiao Jing say she just drank too much, Qiao Hong let out a sigh of relief and repeatedly said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, as long as you¡¯re okay. We were just worried you might run into some trouble.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll head back soon.¡±

    After exchanging a few simple words, Qiao Jing hung up the phone.

    Once she had put away her phone, Qiao Jing looked around, realizing the environment was very unfamiliar to her.

    It was evident that the decor and furnishings here were very high-end and luxurious, not like a hotel¡¯s room.

    She remembered, after leaving the research institute yesterday, she ran into Ni Yue, who then dragged her to a bar and made her drink a lot. After that¡­

    The events afterward, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t remember too clearly.

    It was clear she had a ckout from drinking too much!

    ¡°Knock knock¡ª¡±

    A sudden knock on the door snapped her back to reality.

    Qiao Jing pulled herself out of her thoughts and got out of bed to open the door.

    The moment she opened it and saw Zhan Nanjing standing outside, Qiao Jing was slightly taken aback.

    Zhan Nanjing noticed her confusion and guessed she might not remember what happenedst night. He then took the initiative to exin, ¡°You drank a lotst night and were quite drunk. My brother happened to be there, and plus, my grandpa has been pushing him to bring you back, so he brought you here.¡±

    After listening to this, Qiao Jing had a sudden realization, starting to have some vague recollections ofst night¡¯s events.

    ¡°Could you please thank your brother for me, and thank you all for taking care of mest night. I won¡¯t take up more of your time, I¡¯ll head back now.¡±

    Qiao Jing expressed her gratitude sincerely and then prepared to leave.

    However, Zhan Nanjing grabbed her arm enthusiastically and said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush off, we¡¯re just about to have breakfast. Even if you want to leave, at least have breakfast first before you go!¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, politely declining, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t go backst night and my family is very worried. I should head home, or they¡¯ll be anxiously waiting.¡±

    Hearing her say this, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t insist anymore, so she just said, ¡°Alright then, let me walk you out.¡±

    However, just as the two reached the living room, Zhan Yuanshan came out of his room.

    Seeing Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanjing appearing to leave, the old man immediately maneuvered his wheelchair forward, blocking their way, ¡°It¡¯s time for breakfast, where are you two going?¡±

    Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanjing exchanged a nce, momentarily unsure of how to respond.

    Zhan Yuanshan didn¡¯t care too much, directly holding Qiao Jing and warmly saying, ¡°Come on, Jing Girl, let¡¯s have breakfast together.¡±

    And with that, he determinedly pulled Qiao Jing towards the dining room.

    Although Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s face was smiling and his expression very kind, his attitude was firmly non-negotiable.

    Qiao Jing halted her steps but hadn¡¯t said any words of refusal when he started clutching his chest and coughing.

    She felt quite helpless in the face of the old man¡¯s habit of suddenly falling ill when things didn¡¯t go his way.

    Zhan Nanjing leaned in close to Qiao Jing, speaking softly enough for only the two of them to hear, ¡°Although my grandpa is faking it now, you never know if he might truly get worked up and fall ill, so we have to trouble you again.¡±

    Amused as she was resigned, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit funny.

    In the end, she had no choice but to stay for breakfast.

    Under Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s direction, Qiao Jing ended up sitting next to Zhan Qipei.

    Just before they began eating, Su Manhan suddenly remembered something, ¡°Strange, why are the two little ones still in their room?¡±

    As she said this, she turned to look at Zhan Nanjing, ¡°Nanjing, go and call them.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing nodded and went to the two little ones¡¯ room.

    Soon after, she returned with Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiao Mo.

    However, both little ones had masks on their faces, covering their little facespletely, leaving only a pair of round eyes visible.

    Qiao Jing looked at the two little ones with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

    For some reason, she felt the children¡¯s figures seemed very familiar, as if she¡¯d seen them somewhere before¡­

    Su Manhan also looked puzzled at her two precious grandsons, ¡°Why are you two wearing masks? Quickly take them off, otherwise, how are you going to eat like that?¡±

    Listening to this, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiao Mo immediately shook their heads.

    Then, the two chorused, ¡°No, no, we think we might have a cold. If we take off the masks, we might infect you.¡±

    Although they said this, what was really on their minds was: if they took off the masks, Aunt Jing would recognize them!

    So, they absolutely couldn¡¯t take off the masks!<fnf736> Th?s chapter is updated by </fnf736>

    With the mention of them having colds, the atmosphere at the table instantly became tense.

    Su Manhan quickly used the back of her hand to feel her grandsons¡¯ foreheads, looking worried, ¡°You were fine yesterday, how did you catch a cold overnight? Did you get chilly while sleeping?¡±

    Zhan Yao also furrowed his brows, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now, quickly check if we should take them to the hospital or call a doctor over.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing quickly suggested, ¡°Call a doctor, if we go to the hospital, they might catch a chill from the wind, worsening their condition!¡±

    Sitting next to them, Zhan Qipei, who usually appeared indifferent, couldn¡¯t help but show concern and worry on his cold face after hearing the little ones were sick.

    He didn¡¯t say much, just quickly took out his phone, nning to contact a doctor.

    Seeing the Zhan family flustered and inplete disarray, Qiao Jing timely suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t I take a look at them?¡±

    As soon as she spoke, Zhan Yuanshan was the first to respond.

    He patted the table and said loudly, ¡°Yes, why are you all panicking? Jing Girl¡¯s medical skills are excellent; why call a doctor!¡±

    At this point, Zhan Nanjing and the others realized they had been too flustered.

    How could they forget this?

    They had to remember that Third Miss Qiao was Master Zhou¡¯s preferred candidate for a disciple!

    Moreover, she had demonstrated impressive medical skills when treating the old man before!

    ¡°Jing Girl, please take a look at these two children.¡±

    No sooner had Zhan Yuanshan spoken than the two little ones hurriedly squeezed in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Check me first!¡±

    ¡°No, me first, me first!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiao Mo eagerly raised their little hands, each vying to have Qiao Jing check them first.

    Seeing this scene, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but whisper to Su Manhan, ¡°Mom, why do I feel these two little ones arepeting for attention?¡±

    ¡°I feel the same way.¡±

    Su Manhan nodded, then said puzzledly, ¡°But it¡¯s their first time meeting Third Miss Qiao. Normally, they wouldn¡¯tpete for attention in front of someone they just met, right?¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Nanjing paused, with a guess forming in her mind.

    Could it be that the little ones were feeling quite ill, so they werepeting urgently for medical attention?

    Seeing the little ones unwilling to back down, Qiao Jing found it hard to suppress her smile.

    Most kids are scared of seeing a doctor, but howe these two are so different?

    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no need to fight. I¡¯ll check both of you at the same time.¡±

    As she said this, Qiao Jing took the two little ones¡¯ hands, using both hands to feel their pulses at the same time.

 Chapter 959 - 947: Itéˆ¥æªš Over, Weéˆ¥æªe Been Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 959: Chapter 947: It¡¯s Over, We¡¯ve Been Exposed</h4>

    Seeing Qiao Jing simultaneously taking the pulse of Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo, the people present showed varying degrees of surprise on their faces.

    Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but exim, "Is that possible? That¡¯s amazing!"

    Su Manhan nced at her and reminded, "Keep your voice down, don¡¯t make a fuss, don¡¯t disturb Third Miss Qiao."

    Zhan Nanjing immediately gave an embarrassed smile and shut her mouth.

    At this moment, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo were looking at Qiao Jing with big sparkling eyes, feeling quite delighted.

    Aunt Jing took their pulse!

    Even Zebao never got this treatment; they could boast about itter!!

    Zhan Qipei, standing nearby, keenly noticed that his two sons seemed quite fond of Third Miss Qiao.

    It¡¯s known that his sons rarely got close to anyone like this.

    For some reason, he found it a bit odd.

    But he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

    Could it be that Third Miss Qiao is naturally more likeable to children?

    While Zhan Qipei was pondering, Qiao Jing finished taking the pulse of the two little ones.

    Seeing her retract her hand, Zhan Nanjing hurriedly asked, "How is it? Are the little ones seriously ill? Do they need medication or injections?"

    For a moment, everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing thoughtfully looked at the two little ones, hesitated for a moment, and then truthfully said, "Based on their pulse, they¡¯re not sick, and their physical constitution is actually better than that of their peers."

    As soon as she said this, everyone turned their gaze back to the two little ones.

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo exchanged nces, both secretly saying "Oh no" in their hearts.

    Previously, they were focused on having Aunt Jing take their pulse, but they forgot that doing so would reveal their feigned illness!

    In a panic, Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little mind quickly came up with something, and he earnestly made up a story, "Maybe we didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, so we felt a little dizzy and thought it was a cold."

    After all, they were just kids; how could kids distinguish so clearly? Even if they mistakenly thought they had a cold, it wouldn¡¯t be odd!

    Hearing his big brother¡¯s words, Zhan Qiaomo immediately nodded like a pecking chick, repeatedly agreeing, "Yes, yes, we probably didn¡¯t sleep well, got dizzy, so we thought we caught a cold!"

    Confirming that the little ones weren¡¯t ill, the whole family breathed a sigh of relief and didn¡¯t delve further.

    When Su Manhanter called the little ones to eat, both of them said they had no appetite and didn¡¯t want to eat now.

    Zhan Nanjing waved her hand and said, "Forget it. If they don¡¯t want to eat, let them be. Maybe they¡¯re not hungry yet. When they get hungry, they¡¯ll eat naturally."

    "Alright then, let¡¯s eat first; otherwise, the food will get cold."

    After saying this, Su Manhan invited the others to start eating.

    During the meal, Qiao Jing noticed the two little ones beside her were sneakily watching her without blinking.

    Their cute little faces reminded her of the little one at her home.

    For some reason, these two little ones gave her a very close feeling as well...

    After the meal, when Zhan Yuanshan went back to his room to rest, Qiao Jing nned to leave.

    However, as soon as she stood up, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo dashed over, pulling her hands from both sides.

    Their actions instantly caught the attention of Zhan Nanjing and the others.

    Zhan Nanjing looked at them suspiciously, "What sly mischief are you two up to again?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu blinked his round, innocent eyes and said, "Nothing, we just want to show Auntie Qiao around the house."

    Zhan Qiaomo immediately chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! We¡¯ll show Auntie Qiao around!"

    With that said, the two little ones directly took Qiao Jing to look around.

    Faced with these adorable kids, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t refuse.

    But after the tour, the two little ones still didn¡¯t intend to let her leave, instead clinging to her to tell stories and sing songs.

    Seeing them act like this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but think of the little one at her home again.

    She raised her hand to pat their little heads and smiled, "I also have a little boy at home, about the same age as you, who loves to have me tell him stories."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo exchanged a knowing nce.

    The little friend Aunt Jing mentioned was them!

    The three of them all had Aunt Jing tell them stories!

    The scene of the two little ones clinging to Qiao Jing looked warm and beautiful but also confused Zhan Nanjing and the others a bit.

    <fn945d> Follow current nov?ls on Find1Novel</fn945d>

    Because while these three kids at home were open and not shy, they didn¡¯t like being close to outsiders.

    Therefore, their current behavior was quite unusual!

    As the saying goes, anomalies indicate something amiss!

    It¡¯s unclear what kind of mischief these two little ones were plotting...

    Suddenly, Zhan Nanjing recalled something, and she withdrew her gaze from Qiao Jing and the two little ones a few steps away, then turned to look at Su Manhan and Zhan Yao beside her.

    "Speaking of which, isn¡¯t Zebao also supposed to return from the camping trip? It was said to be a fortnight, so why hasn¡¯t he returned yet?"

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words, Zhan Yao replied, "There¡¯s no need to worry about that. Our three kids are cleverer and more mature than kids their age. Nothing will happen to them."

    "Moreover, when we were about to call the teachers to inquire about the camping situation, Yubao and Mo Bao both said that Zebao didn¡¯t like us meddling too much, iming he¡¯s a big kid now and finds it embarrassing to have the family worried."

    Su Manhan didn¡¯t quite agree with Zhan Yao¡¯s opinion and said, a bit uneasily, "Even so, no matter how clever Zebao is, he¡¯s just a four-year-old child. I¡¯ll still call the camping teacher for an update."

    "Later, I¡¯ll inform the teacher not to mention this to Zebao so that he doesn¡¯t find out."

    Zhan Yao nodded, "That¡¯s fine, you can call."

    Su Manhan immediately took out her phone and dialed a number.

    At this moment, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo were listening to Qiao Jing tell the story of the three little pigs.

    Though they had heard it many times before, the two little ones were still listening intently,pletely oblivious to what was happening on the couch area.

    Once the call connected, Su Manhan straightforwardly said, "Hello, teacher, I¡¯m Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s grandmother. I¡¯d like to ask, the camping is for two weeks, right? Now that two weeks have passed, why hasn¡¯t Zebao returned?"

    "Zhan Qiaoze?"

    A slightly puzzled voice came from the teacher on the other end, "The little friend Zhan Qiaoze didn¡¯t attend the camping trip."

    "What? Zebao didn¡¯t go camping?!"

    Su Manhan¡¯s tone suddenly rose, her face instantly full of astonishment.

    In an instant, everyone present turned their attention to Su Manhan.

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo also immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

    This was bad!

    The truth was out!!

 Chapter 960: 948: Cooking Up a Scheme

    <strong>Chapter 960: Chapter 948: Cooking Up a Scheme</strong>

    ¡°Teacher, what¡¯s going on? Why didn¡¯t my Zebao go camping? He clearly signed up, and since the camping started, he hasn¡¯t been home!¡±

    Su Manhan¡¯s tone was urgent, and just from the sound of her voice, it was clear she was very worried and anxious.

    On the other end of the phone, the teacher exined, ¡°The day before the camping started, little Zhan Qiaoze called us and said there was ast-minute issue at home, so he wouldn¡¯t be attending the camp. We didn¡¯t think much of it at the time¡­¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Su Manhan was in a state of panic.

    She grabbed Zhan Yao¡¯s hand, speaking incoherently, ¡°How could this happen? Zebao didn¡¯t go camping, so where would he go? He¡¯s just a child, away from home for half a month, where could he possibly be? Could something have happened to Zebao?¡±

    Zhan Yao was also a bit shaken, but Zhan Nanjing, for once, showed some cleverness.

    She spoke logically, ¡°Mom, calm down a bit. Dad just said when we were about to call the camp, Yubao and Mo Bao stopped us, so they must know what¡¯s going on. Let¡¯s call them over and ask first.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense!¡±

    After Su Manhan finished speaking, she was about to call Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo over, when she turned and saw the two little ones had alreadye over on their own.

    Actually, the two little ones didn¡¯te willingly, but were summoned by a look from Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Qipei had figured out the key point earlier than Zhan Nanjing.

    He looked at his two sons, his expression bing more serious, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on? Where did Zebao go?¡±

    Knowing they couldn¡¯t hide it any longer, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo exchanged nces before simultaneously taking off their masks, revealing two identical adorable little faces.

    Seeing their appearance, Qiao Jing was instantly surprised, ¡°Qiaoyu? You two¡­¡±

    These faces undeniably matched little Xiao Qiaoyu¡¯s appearance!

    Zhan Qiaoyu stepped forward, blinking as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m Qiaoyu, Zhan Qiaoyu.¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo also introduced himself without prompt, ¡°I¡¯m Zhan Qiaomo.¡±

    Although Qiao Jing felt astonished, she quickly recovered, ¡°So the one at my house now, the missing Zebao, is Zhan Qiaoze?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaomo nodded in unison.

    Zhan Nanjing was puzzled, furrowing her brows and asking, ¡°What exactly is going on? Yubao, Mo Bao, you two better exin quickly.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu pursed his little lips and confessed, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s like this. Because we suspected Aunt Jing is our mommy, the three of us decided to investigate on our own.¡±

    ¡°First, I pretended to get separated from my family, disguised as a lost child and hung around Aunt Jing. Then it was Mo Bao¡¯s turn, followed by Zebao¡­¡±

    Halfway through listening, Zhan Qipei suddenly got up and strode out the door.

    Zhan Qiaomo immediately knew what his dad was up to and quickly sent a message to Zhan Qiaoze with his smart watch, giving him a heads-up.

    [Second brother, bad news, it¡¯s exposed! Daddy ising to pick you up now!!]

    After hearing the whole story, learning that Zhan Qiaoze was safe and sound, Zhan Nanjing and others breathed a sigh of relief.

    Qiao Jing was both baffled and amused by the three little ones¡¯ tactics.<fn105e> Readplete version only at f?ndnovel</fn105e>

    No wonder she¡¯d sometimes feel the little one¡¯s personalities had changed.

    She used to think it was just her imagination, but it wasn¡¯t her misconception, these little ones were secretly swapping ces!

    These three children were so clever and quirky, they even managed to fool her!

    Soon, Zhan Qipei returned with Zhan Qiaoze.

    Thanks to the exchanged messages with Zhan Qiaomo, Zhan Qiaoze already knew what had happened.

    The three little ones lined up in front of Qiao Jing, earnestly and sincerely apologizing to her.

    ¡°Aunt Jing, sorry, we know we were wrong, we shouldn¡¯t have deceived you, can you forgive us this once?¡±

    After speaking, the three little ones lowered their heads, nervously waiting for Qiao Jing¡¯s response.

    They realized that adults hate it when kids lie, and not only did they lie, but they teamed up to deceive Aunt Jing, surely leaving a bad impression¡­

    Thinking about this, the three little ones grew even more dejected, their heads hung lower.

    Seeing their little pitiful appearances, Qiao Jing felt a twinge ofpassion.

    She raised her hand, gently patting each of their heads, lovingly gazing at them, and said softly, ¡°Lying is indeed wrong, but Aunt Jing knows you did it because you miss your mommy so much.¡±

    ¡°Besides, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so it¡¯s not really a mistake, Aunt Jing doesn¡¯t me you, don¡¯t be sad.¡±

    Hearing her words, the three little ones froze.

    Then, they exchanged nces, their little faces revealing expressions of surprise and delight.

    Zhan Qiaomo lifted his fair little face cautiously and asked, ¡°Aunt Jing, do you still like us?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze also looked eagerly at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing chuckled, replied without hesitation, ¡°Of course, you¡¯re so adorable, how could Aunt Jing not like you?¡±

    Upon hearing the answer they wanted, Zhan Qiaomo immediately leapt forward to hug Qiao Jing, ¡°Yay! I like Aunt Jing the most!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    ¡°And me!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze also crowded around, affectionately hugging Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing crouched down, pulling the three little ones into her embrace, an involuntary expression of loving smiles on her face.

    This warm and joyous scene would undoubtedly move anyone who witnessed it.

    At this moment, the thought in Zhan Qipei¡¯s, Zhan Nanjing¡¯s, and others¡¯ minds was surprisingly unified.

    If this Third Miss Qiao in front of them were really Qiao Jing, it would be so wonderful¡­

    Since the three little ones always clung to Qiao Jing, not wanting her to leave, Qiao Jing stayed at Purple Garden to y with them all day.

    As dusk gradually fell outside.

    Before dinner, the three little ones snuck away from others, huddling in a corner.

    Zhan Qiaomo pouted, feeling a bit sulky, ¡°What do we do? Aunt Jing is going to leave after dinner, I don¡¯t want Aunt Jing to go.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze tilted his little head and thought, proposing, ¡°How about we pretend to be sick? If we¡¯re sick, Aunt Jing definitely won¡¯t abandon us.¡±

    ¡°No, no.¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo shook his head, rejecting the idea of pretending to be sick, ¡°Aunt Jing is really good at medicine, once she checks our pulse, our fake sickness will be exposed!¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Qiaoyu suddenly had a sh of insight, ¡°Got it! Later, we can eat a lot and make ourselves really full, then we¡¯ll feel ufortable, and Aunt Jing will stay to take care of us!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze nodded in agreement, ¡°This idea might work!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo also had no objections, ¡°Let¡¯s go with that!¡±

    After making a n, at dinner, the three little ones ate voraciously, like a whirlwind.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing reminded them, ¡°Don¡¯t eat so fast, be careful not to get too full, it¡¯ll be ufortable.¡±

 Chapter 961: 949: Evil Meets Its Retribution, Digging Ones Own Grave

    <strong>Chapter 961: Chapter 949: Evil Meets Its Retribution, Digging One¡¯s Own Grave</strong>

    Zhan Nanjing looked at the way the three little ones were eating and couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°What¡¯s up with you three? You¡¯re eating like you¡¯ve been starving for three days and three nights!¡±

    Su Manhan immediately shot her a re and retorted, ¡°Is that how you talk? You look more like a beggar. My three precious grandsons are the cutest!¡±

    Zhan Nanjing was momentarily speechless: ¡°¡­¡±

    In front of the three little ones, she clearly couldn¡¯t hold her ground!

    Nearby, Zhan Yao saw the three precious grandsons eating so ¡°fiercely¡± and quickly reminded, ¡°You three, eat slowly. Eating like this is easy to overeat.¡±

    The three little ones responded verbally, but continued eating without restraint.

    After finishing the meal, their tiny bellies became round.

    When Qiao Jing stood up to say goodbye, Zhan Qiaomo suddenly turned dramatic, clutching his belly and started to cry out, ¡°Oh no, my tummy feels a bit ufortable¡­¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze quickly followed, also clutching their stomachs, saying they felt unwell.

    Though the three little ones were partly acting, they genuinely felt somewhat ufortable, after all, they had really eaten a lot!

    ¡°They definitely overate. The way they were eating, it¡¯s strange if they don¡¯t feel unwell afterwards¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t finish speaking before receiving another eye roll from Su Manhan.

    Su Manhan snorted, ¡°How can you talk nonsense here? Didn¡¯t you see your three little nephews feeling so ufortable?¡±

    ¡°Where am I talking nonsense? I¡¯m trying to find a solution, aren¡¯t I!¡±

    As Zhan Nanjing spoke, she turned and grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°Xiao Jing, please help out, see if there¡¯s a way to make them feel better.¡±

    Actually, even without Zhan Nanjing saying anything, Qiao Jing wouldn¡¯t ignore the three little ones.

    She first took each of their pulses and confirmed that they were just overeating, which made her relieved.

    ¡°Abdominal massage can help with digestion. Aunt Jing will massage you for a bit, and soon you won¡¯t feel ufortable.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing began to gently massage the three little ones¡¯ bellies.

    Her movements were gentle, matched with a special technique, quickly relieving their difort.

    The three little ones, bellies round, were very much enjoying the moment.

    By the time the state of the three little onespletely improved, it was already veryte.

    Zhan Qiaomo clung to Qiao Jing¡¯s arm, coquettishly saying, ¡°Aunt Jing, Aunt Jing, it¡¯s sote, why don¡¯t you stay here tonight?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu clung to Qiao Jing¡¯s other arm, looking at her with anticipation, ¡°Aunt Jing, can you stay with us tonight?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze couldn¡¯t hold her arm, so he simply threw himself into Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace, ¡°Aunt Jing, don¡¯t go. I want to sleep with you. I also want to hear your stories!¡±

    Seeing the three little ones like this, the hearts of those like Zhan Nanjing sighed again.

    These three poor children have never had a mother¡¯spany from a young age, so they long for maternal love so much¡­

    Zhan Nanjing¡¯s heart ached for her three little nephews and she joined in, ¡°Xiao Jing, why don¡¯t you stay tonight?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse and ultimately nodded in agreement.

    Seeing her agree to stay, the three little ones were instantly overjoyed, their smiles as bright as flowers.

    That night, Qiao Jing slept with the three little ones.

    The three tussled with each other to snuggle into her embrace, utterly adorable.

    Qiao Jing knew the three little ones regarded her as their mummy.

    She tenderly held the three and softly said, ¡°You are so good, I believe heaven won¡¯t be heartless and will surely bring your real mummy back to you.¡±

    The three little ones didn¡¯t say anything, but they still believed that their mummy would return to them one day!

    That night, with Qiao Jing¡¯spany, the three little ones slept especially soundly.

    The next day, before dawn, Qiao Jing awoke.

    When she got up, the three little ones were still deep in sleep.

    If the three little ones woke up, they¡¯d surely cling to her and not let her leave.

    Thus, she could only leave while they¡¯re asleep.

    Truth be told, she was quite reluctant to leave too.<fne909> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? find?novel</fne909>

    Looking at the three little ones on the bed, Qiao Jing unconsciously raised her hand to touch her belly.

    If only her child were alive, they¡¯d surely be as smart and cute as these three little ones¡­

    Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Qiao Jing bent down slightly and gave each of the three little ones a gentle kiss on their cheeks, then quietly left the room.

    Exiting the vi, Qiao Jing looked back reluctantly towards the room where the three little ones were.

    Until the sky lightened, she finally turned away and left.

    When the three little ones awoke and found Qiao Jing gone, their faces immediately fell.

    During breakfast, Su Manhan noticed the three precious grandsons hanging their heads, looking downcast like wilting eggnts, thinking they were unwell again, quickly asked, ¡°Yubao, Zebao, Mo Bao, tell grandma, what¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    The three little ones didn¡¯t say anything and just shook their heads weakly.

    Zhan Nanjing, however, immediately saw the crux of the issue, speaking while eating, ¡°Mom, can¡¯t you see? It¡¯s because Xiao Jing left, that¡¯s why they¡¯re like this. It¡¯ll be fine in a few days.¡±

    The three little ones only ate a few mouthfuls before setting down their bowls and chopsticks, leaving the dining table.

    Without Aunt Jing, even the food wasn¡¯t tasty!

    ¡­

    In the blink of an eye, over half a month had passed.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had been busy with work recently, finally squeezing some time out for a vacation, decided to go shopping for rxation.

    On this day, when they went out, they brought Qiao Jing along with them.

    The three had just arrived at the shopping street, hadn¡¯t even started shopping, and coincidentally ran into Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Originally, they didn¡¯t n to pay Yang Xiaoxiao any attention, but Yang Xiaoxiao liked to cause trouble, deliberately blocking their path.

    ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t this the Qiao Family¡¯s three sisters? These are all name-brand stores along this shopping street. Can you even afford it with your shabby looks?¡±

    As she spoke, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s tone was mockingly sarcastic, sizing them up with contempt.

    Qiao Lin snorted coldly and retorted, ¡°Whether we can afford it or not has nothing to do with you. Why would you concern yourself with idle worry?¡±

    Though their clothes may not be designer brand-specific, Qiao Family was at least somewhat affluent, so where does the unaffordabilitye in?

    Yang Xiaoxiao truly was insatiably bored, or rather, her brain had been squeezed by a door, using anything to poke fun!

    At this moment, Qiao Hong suddenly remembered something and sneered at Yang Xiaoxiao.

    ¡°By the way, I heard you made a bet with our Xiao Jing, that if she could cure that Zhao Er¡¯s epilepsy within a month, you¡¯d shave your head and eyebrows to resemble a clean duck egg. Is that right?¡±

    Qiao Hong wasn¡¯t present during the bet, she heard about it from Qiao Lin afterwards, who had forgotten about it.

    As Qiao Hong mentioned it, Qiao Lin recalled and red at Yang Xiaoxiao, ¡°Yang Xiaoxiao, it was you who proposed the bet. It¡¯s not yet a month, and our Xiao Jing has cured that epilepsy patient, ept your loss, you need to shave your duck egg!¡±

 Chapter 962 - 950: Fleeing in Embarrassment

    <h4>Chapter 962: Chapter 950: Fleeing in Embarrassment</h4>

    Upon hearing what Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin said, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s expression changed.

    She had been quietly keeping an eye on Zhao Er¡¯s situation.

    Originally, she nned to confront Qiao Lao San if he couldn¡¯t cure Zhao Er within the month and shave his head bald like an egg.

    But she never imagined that Qiao Lao San actually had the ability to cure Zhao Er of his epilepsy that had gued him for over a decade!

    Because nothing had been heard from the Qiao Family for a while, she thought they had forgotten, but it turned out they still remembered!

    Yang Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth and decided to y dumb, "When did I ever make a bet with you? I don¡¯t remember that."

    Hearing this, Qiao Lin rolled her eyes on the spot and eximed angrily, "Yang Xiaoxiao, what are you pretending for? Lost the bet and now trying to default? Have you no shame?"

    "You¡¯re the one with no shame, I really don¡¯t remember, you can¡¯t pin this on me!" Yang Xiaoxiao retorted assertively.

    Qiao Hong shot her a look of disgust and said, "Back then, so many people were at the entrance of the Wonderful Hall when you said it, everyone heard you, do you think you can get away with it?"

    Yang Xiaoxiao shrugged, dismissively saying, "So what? If those peoplee forward to testify, I can simply say you bribed them!"

    Seeing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s stubborn denial, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were utterly infuriated.

    Even Qiao Jing, who had been silent all along, couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    She directly took out her phone and yed a recording.

    From the phone, Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s voice immediately rang out¡ª

    [Alright, do you dare to make a bet with me? If you haven¡¯t cured him in a month, you¡¯ll shave yourself bald and even shave your eyebrows, making your face as smooth as an egg!]

    Next was Qiao Jing¡¯s voice¡ª

    [This is the bet you proposed, don¡¯t regret it. If I cure him, you will do as you said and shave yourself like an egg.]

    Then it was Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s voice again¡ª

    [Just wait and see, it¡¯ll definitely be you, Qiao Lao San, who bes like an egg!]

    After the recording finished ying, Qiao Jing gave Yang Xiaoxiao a cold look and said indifferently, "Now with this clear evidence, you have no choice but to acknowledge it."

    She had anticipated that Yang Xiaoxiao might try to back out, so she had prepared the recording, which turned out to be very useful!

    Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s face immediately looked a shade darker, she gritted her teeth and said, "Qiao Lao San, you despicable person! You actually recorded it secretly!!"

    She never thought Qiao Lao San would pull this move on her!

    "You, who are unreliable and shameless enough to try to default on a bet, have no right to call others despicable."

    After picking a fight, Qiao Lin added, "Besides, our Xiao Jing is just being clever! Ever heard of cleverness?"

    "Exactly!" Qiao Hong chimed in and then gave Qiao Jing a thumbs up, "Xiao Jing, you¡¯re really clever!"

    Seeing she couldn¡¯t weasel out of the bet, Yang Xiaoxiao had no choice but to try another path.

    Her eyes darted around before she scoffed, "You say he¡¯s cured? Where¡¯s the proof?"

    "You want proof, right? Fine, I¡¯ll give you that."

    Qiao Jing said, dialing Lu Zijin¡¯s phone on the spot.

    The call connected quickly, and Qiao Jing straightforwardly asked, "Director Lu, I have a matter to trouble you with, can you help me out?"

    On the other end, Lu Zijin promptly replied, "Of course, Third Miss Qiao, just tell me."

    Qiao Jing sinctly stated, "There is a patient named Zhao Er hospitalized at your ce. I need a report on his condition sent to my phone."

    Although Zhao Er was treated at her ce, the treatment asionally required the hospital¡¯s equipment, so during the treatment period, Zhao Er was hospitalized where Lu Zijin worked.

    "Sure, I¡¯ll handle it right now and send it to you once it¡¯s done."

    Lu Zijin readily agreed.

    His efficiency was high, and not long after hanging up, Qiao Jing received the medical report he sent over.

    "Here¡¯s the proof. What more can you say now?"

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing turned the phone screen towards Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Yang Xiaoxiao looked at the screen, only to see the electronic medical report clearly stating that Zhao Er¡¯s epilepsy had been cured.

    Additionally, the report bore the hospital¡¯s official stamp.

    Seeing this stamp, Yang Xiaoxiao quickly recognized it as that of a famous Large Hospital in the imperial capital!

    The reports issued by this hospital couldn¡¯t be faked!

    Now, she had no room to deny it!

    Realizing this, Yang Xiaoxiao turned tail and ran.

    She definitely didn¡¯t want to be like an egg!!

    The three Qiao Jing exchanged nces and immediately chased after her.

    Soon, Yang Xiaoxiao was cornered by the trio in a small alleyway.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin advanced menacingly towards Yang Xiaoxiao, while Qiao Jing followed at a measured pace.

    Yang Xiaoxiao swallowed nervously, feeling like amb to the ughter, stuttering, "What do you...what do you want to do?"

    "What else? Of course, we¡¯re here to shave your head!"

    Qiao Lin gave a sinister smile as she continued to approach Yang Xiaoxiao.

    <fn45a9> Fresh chapters posted on F¦ÉndNovel</fn45a9>

    Qiao Hong suddenly thought of something, "Oh, we don¡¯t have any tools, how are we supposed to do it?"

    "That¡¯s easy, just yank it out with our hands. Once we¡¯re done pulling out her hair, we can pluck out her eyebrows one by one, making her as bald as an egg!"

    Qiao Lin spoke cruelly, deliberately trying to scare Yang Xiaoxiao.

    Yang Xiaoxiao, imagining the scene, instantly turned pale, unable to speak from fear.

    Qiao Jing stepped forward at the right moment, pulling an electric shaver from her pocket and raising an eyebrow, "Use this."

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were both surprised, speaking in unison, "Where did you get that?"

    Qiao Jing replied casually, "When we were chasing, I saw a store beside a newsstand selling them, so I bought it on the spot."

    "You¡¯re really quick with the thinking!"

    Qiao Hong couldn¡¯t help but remark.

    Qiao Lin then took the shaver with an evil grin, approaching Yang Xiaoxiao, "Alright, now that we have tools, we can begin!"

    Yang Xiaoxiao was so scared she burst into tears on the spot, crying and begging, "Waaah... please don¡¯te near, I don¡¯t want to shave my head! I was wrong, sisters, please, spare me this once... waaah..."

    Qiao Lin looked disdainfully at the sniffling Yang Xiaoxiao and then turned to Qiao Hong and Qiao Jing, saying, "You guys look, we haven¡¯t even started, and she¡¯s already crying with snot bubbles; it¡¯s disgusting. How can I continue like this?"

    Qiao Hong also looked disgusted, "It is quite gross. How about we let her do it herself?"

    Qiao Jing replied calmly, "Whatever you decide, I¡¯m fine with it."

    While they were talking, Yang Xiaoxiao took the chance to escape, scrambling as she ran.

    She kept crying loudly as she ran, disappearing from sight but still audible.

    "Hahahaha¡ª"

    Hearing Yang Xiaoxiao¡¯s cries and recalling her earlier antics, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    "Let¡¯s go shopping, then have a seafood feast afterwards; today was so satisfying, we have to celebrate properly!"

    With that, Qiao Lin linked arms with Qiao Jing and Qiao Hong.

    The three of them walked out of the alley, their steps light and in sync.

 Chapter 963: 951: Xu Hongzus Trust and Appreciation for Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 963: Chapter 951: Xu Hongzu¡¯s Trust and Appreciation for Qiao Jing</strong>

    After some time interacting with it, Qiao Jing has be more and more familiar with agriculture, and her abilities have improved very quickly.

    That day, after arriving at the research institute, Qiao Jing had just started working when Xu Hongzu walked over.

    Xu Hongzu watched for a while on the side, couldn¡¯t help but nod, and praised, ¡°Xiao Jing, your talent in agriculture is truly astounding. With your ability, you might be the next Professor Qiao!¡±

    Qiao Jing slightly curved her lips, humbly replied, ¡°Elder Xu, you¡¯re exaggerating. I¡¯m just a beginner; how can I bepared to Professor Qiao.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so modest. I can see that you have this ability. Trust me, given time, you will definitely be someone like Professor Qiao!¡±

    It was rare for Xu Hongzu to praise someone so generously.

    But every word he said was heartfelt.

    Based on his observations during this time, this girl called Qiao Jing really has the same demeanor that Xiao Jing had back then!

    Qiao Jing, being praised by Xu Hongzu, didn¡¯t know what to say and could only respond with a smile.

    Beside them, Zhan Nanjing, hearing their conversation, couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit envious.

    She looked at Xu Hongzu and said somewhat resentfully, ¡°Elder Xu, I¡¯ve worked at the research institute for so long. Even my sister-inw has praised my talent in agriculture, but you haven¡¯t said a word of praise for me.¡±

    Xu Hongzu nced at Zhan Nanjing and, upholding a practical attitude, frankly said, ¡°As an ordinary person, considering you haven¡¯t been in this industry, being able to perform as you do now does show some talent, but this little talent can¡¯t bepared to Xiao Jing¡¯s.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing felt a bit hurt and pouted, ¡°I understand. Elder Xu, you¡¯re saying that unless the talent is extraordinarily outstanding, it¡¯s not worth your praise, right?¡±

    Xu Hongzu was toozy to argue with Zhan Nanjing about such trivial matters.

    He handed the document in his hand to Qiao Jing with a tone that had grown more solemn, ¡°This project is assigned to you. Here¡¯s the relevant material. After you¡¯ve read it, you can start working on it.¡±<fna8df> Find the newest release on find[?]ovel</fna8df>

    Qiao Jing took it and casually flipped through it.

    Zhan Nanjing also curiously leaned in for a look.

    This nce made Zhan Nanjing¡¯s face fill with surprise.

    She abruptly looked up at Xu Hongzu, eximing in astonishment, ¡°Elder Xu, wasn¡¯t this vegetable grafting research project initiated by my sister-inw? How could you give it to her?¡±

    Xu Hongzu casually replied, ¡°What¡¯s the problem with giving it to her?¡±

    Zhan Nanjing, concerned, said, ¡°I admit she really is talented, but is this okay? Doesn¡¯t she need to study a bit longer? After all, this project is very difficult.¡±

    The project proposed by her sister-inw was indeed incredibly challenging, not to be taken lightly!

    It was known that the project had been shelved without anyone touching it precisely because of its high difficulty!

    ¡°How can we know if she can do it without letting her try? Besides, given her ability, I believe she has the potential to seed in the research.¡±

    Xu Hongzu spoke unhurriedly, evidently confident in his choice.

    Just as Zhan Nanjing was about to say something more, Qiao Jing had already closed the document and spoke calmly, ¡°You all chat, I¡¯ll head to the cultivation room to check on the vegetables for research.¡±

    Once she finished speaking, Qiao Jing turned and walked straight towards the cultivation room.

    Just after she left, Xu Moqian entered the research institute.

    Seeing his grandsone over, Xu Hongzu couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit puzzled, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    When Xiao Jing was still around, his grandson basically came here every day.

    But ever since Xiao Jing encountered a tsunami and went missing, his grandson came over rarely; why did he suddenlye today?

    Xu Moqian first looked around the surroundings before slowly speaking, ¡°Nothing, just suddenly wanted toe over and take a look; I haven¡¯t been here in a long time¡­¡±

    At this point, Xu Moqian abruptly stopped talking.

    From his muffled voice, it wasn¡¯t hard to detect a hint of sadness.

    Before Xu Hongzu could say more, Xu Moqian slowly paced away, wandering elsewhere.

    Seeing Xu Moqian like this, Zhan Nanjing also felt a wave of emotions.

    Though she often bickered with Xu Moqian before, she had to admit that Xu Moqian¡¯s feelings for her sister-inw were no less than her brother¡¯s.

    Her brother had never given up searching over the years, always waiting for her sister-inw to return; wasn¡¯t Xu Moqian the same?

    From the fact that Xu Moqian still hadn¡¯t dated anyone, it was clear that he was actually still thinking of her sister-inw¡­

    Thinking of this, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but softly sigh, ¡°Ah, sister-inw, you¡¯ve caused quite a bit of trouble¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian wandered through the research institute. Looking at the environment in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel touched, and various memories of his time with Qiao Jing shed through his mind.

    Back then, he often excitedly ran to the research institute to find Qiao Jing, calling her Sister Jing at every turn, while Qiao Jing always rolled her eyes at him, telling him to shut up and be quiet¡­

    In hindsight, those times felt incredibly beautiful¡­

    As Xu Moqian was immersed in his memories, his peripheral vision identally caught a particrly familiar figure.

    Although it was just a glimpse, that figure really looked like Qiao Jing!

    Xu Moqian suddenly snapped out of his reverie and immediately started chasing after it.

    As he chased, he shouted hoarsely, ¡°Sister Jing! Sister Jing, don¡¯t go, wait for me¡­¡±

    When he reached a corner, Xu Moqian found that he had lost track of that figure.

    He stopped, furrowing his brows with a frustrated expression.

    How was it possible that after all that chasing, the figure suddenly vanished?

    Could the scene just now have been his imagination?

    Just as Xu Moqian was hanging his head in dejection, ready to turn around and leave, he didn¡¯t expect to see the same figure again as soon as he turned.

    She had her back to him, holding two pots of lush green nts.

    No matter how you looked at this back, it resembled the Qiao Jing he remembered!

    At this moment, Xu Moqian suddenly felt like he had searched for her a thousand times, only to find her in the most unexpected ce!

    Throwing caution to the wind, he quickly rushed over, excitedly grabbing the person¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t be in trouble, couldn¡¯t be dead. Why didn¡¯t you say anything abouting back? Do you know how worried I was? These past few years, I¡¯ve always hoped for your return, hoping every moment you would appear before me¡­¡±

    Xu Moqian¡¯s voice carried a raspiness and choked emotion that even he hadn¡¯t noticed, and his whole being was enveloped in a somewhat uncontroble emotion.

    At this time, Qiao Jing, holding the two pots of nts, slowly turned around.

    Seeing her face, Xu Moqian¡¯s expression froze, and he hurriedly withdrew his hands, saying in surprise, ¡°Third Miss Qiao?! How is it you? Why are you here?¡±

    Upon hearing Xu Moqian¡¯s previous words, Qiao Jing realized he had mistaken her again.

    She didn¡¯t delve into the matter, only responding inly, ¡°I¡¯m working here now.¡±

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian was visibly surprised, but no matter how surprised he was, it couldn¡¯tpare to the awkwardness of the earlier situation.

 Chapter 964: 952: Let Xu Moqian Pursue Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 964: Chapter 952: Let Xu Moqian Pursue Qiao Jing</strong>

    Xu Moqian scratched his head and said awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, I mistook you for someone else earlier, it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±

    ¡°No worries, I understand.¡±

    Qiao Jing said, raising the two pots of green nts in her hands, ¡°I¡¯ll put these in the cultivation room first.¡±

    With that, she stepped into the cultivation room next to her.

    At this moment, Xu Hongzu and Zhan Nanjing came over.

    Zhan Nanjing also entered the cultivation room, while Xu Hongzu was stopped outside by Xu Moqian.

    Xu Moqianined, ¡°Grandpa, why didn¡¯t you tell me that Third Miss Qiao is working here?¡±

    Xu Hongzu nced at his grandson and retorted, ¡°Why should I tell you? Does it have anything to do with you?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Xu Moqian was momentarily speechless.

    Come to think of it, I guess it really doesn¡¯t have anything to do with me¡­

    After a few seconds, Xu Moqian curiously asked, ¡°By the way, how did she get recruited into the research institute?¡±

    ¡°What other reason? Of course, it¡¯s because she¡¯s talented and capable in this field! Not recruiting someone like her would just be wasting talent!¡±

    When he said this, Xu Hongzu was using a tone of obvious reason, with an undeniable sense of admiration in his words.

    Xu Moqian was quite surprised upon hearing this.

    Unexpectedly, this Third Miss Qiao not only has a resemnce in name and gestures to Qiao Jing, but also has a talent in agriculture!

    At this moment, Xu Hongzu suddenly thought of something and changed the topic abruptly, saying slowly, ¡°Xiao Jing has been missing for so long without any clues, I fear she may no longer be around. Even if she came back, it¡¯s impossible between you two.¡±

    ¡°I find this new girl quite nice, appealing to my tastes. You can¡¯t be hung up on one tree, why don¡¯t you pursue her?¡±

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian immediately frowned, a bit impatiently saying, ¡°Grandpa! How many times have I told you, in this lifetime, apart from Sister Jing, I won¡¯t ever like another woman!¡±

    ¡°Even if other excellent women appear, I won¡¯t be interested in them. Sister Jing is the only one in my heart!¡±

    ¡°If you want to match me with someone else, I advise you to give up that idea, it¡¯s not going to happen!¡±

    Hearing his grandson¡¯s obstinate words, Xu Hongzu suddenly got furious, angrily saying, ¡°We only have you as the single seedling in the Xu Family, if you don¡¯t marry, how will I have a great-grandson? Our Xu Family will end with you?!¡±

    Xu Moqian shrugged, nonchntly replying, ¡°If you really want a great-grandson so much, I could just adopt one in the future.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xu Hongzu couldn¡¯t suppress his anger and immediately grabbed a shoe sole and started hitting.

    With experience, Xu Moqian, seeing his grandpa¡¯s action, instantly turned and ran.

    In no time, the grandfather and grandson were chasing around the flowerbed.

    Xu Hongzu, a great schr, usually conducts himself with precision and discipline, but he always loses hisposure when facing his disappointing grandson, resorting to some quite embarrassing ¡°violent acts.¡±

    Inside the cultivation room, Qiao Jing and Zhan Nanjing heard themotion and curiously stepped out, only to witness Elder Xu chasing and hitting his grandson.

    This scene reminded Qiao Jing of what she saw at Zhan Nanjing¡¯s engagement banquet.

    At the time, Xu Hongzu was also chasing and scolding Xu Moqian¡­

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but ask Zhan Nanjing out of curiosity, ¡°Is this how they always get along?¡±

    Zhan Nanjing nodded and said meaningfully, ¡°You get used to it.¡±

    She had long been ustomed to it!

    That evening.

    Qiao Jing stayedte at the institute, engrossed in studying the project Elder Xu assigned her.

    When she left the institute, intending to get a taxi, she couldn¡¯t manage to find one.

    Just as Qiao Jing was considering walking back, a convertible suddenly pulled up in front of her.

    In the driver¡¯s seat, Xu Moqian raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Hop in, I¡¯ll give you a ride!¡±

    Since he hadn¡¯t visited the institute for a while, he stayed a little longer, just about to leave when he ran into her.

    Qiao Jing waved her hand, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just get a cab.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to get a cab thiste, besides, we¡¯re so familiar with each other, why be so polite?¡±

    With that, Xu Moqian opened the passenger door directly.

    Even though they hadn¡¯t interacted much, Qiao Jing could tell Xu Moqian was quite straightforward and that he didn¡¯t have any ulterior motives, making it quitefortable to be around him.

    Moreover, she felt a sense of deja vu with Xu Moqian, simr to when she met Lin Xiuxiang, like meeting an old friend.<fn4530> Readplete version only at f?ndnovel</fn4530>

    With these thoughts, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t refuse, and stepped into the car.

    After driving a bit, Qiao Jing¡¯s stomach suddenly growled.

    Embarrassed, she only then realized she hadn¡¯t had dinner!

    Xu Moqian, being considerate, immediately suggested, ¡°There¡¯s a food street up ahead, why not grab a bite?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Qiao Jing shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ll just head home.¡±

    ¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t be so polite, I¡¯m hungry too, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡±

    With that, Xu Moqian didn¡¯t give her a chance to refuse and drove towards the food street.

    Upon arrival, Xu Moqian parked the car by the roadside, and they both went into a barbecue restaurant.

    Once the skewers were served, they chatted while enjoying their food, quickly bing familiar with each other.

    After a while, Xu Moqian looked at Qiao Jing¡¯s face, curious, and asked, ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you studying under Master Zhou at Wonderful Hall? Why hasn¡¯t Master Zhou helped you with those pimples on your face?¡±

    Qiao Jing took a bite of themb skewer, then answered truthfully, ¡°Master Zhou did mention it, but I don¡¯t want to treat them.¡±

    Hearing her reply, Xu Moqian became even more curious, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to? Aren¡¯t girls usually very concerned about their appearance?¡±

    Feeling a connection with him, Qiao Jing didn¡¯t hide the truth.

    She first asked, ¡°You remember Jiang Zihong, right?¡±

    Xu Moqian nodded, ¡°I remember, he¡¯s the scumbag who forcibly took you away and tried to force you into an engagement!¡±

    Seeing he remembered, Qiao Jing exined the whole situation.

    ¡°When my face was still fine, I¡¯d only met this scumbag a couple of times, and he kept pestering me, trying to coerce and entice me, until the pimples appeared, and he finally left me alone for a while.¡±

    ¡°Thoughter on, he started bothering me again, but the frequency was less than before, so I think my face is fine as it is now. At least it helps avoid simr situations, sparing me a lot of trouble¡­¡±

 Chapter 965 - 953: Qiao Jing in Xu Moqianéˆ¥æªš Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 965: Chapter 953: Qiao Jing in Xu Moqian¡¯s Eyes</h4>

    After listening to Qiao Jing¡¯s words, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but admire her.

    Nowadays, women go to great lengths to pursue beauty, it¡¯s fair to say they spare no effort¡ªtaking pills, getting injections, and even going under the knife has bemonce.

    Some are even willing to painfully alter their face to achieve a model-like perfection.

    Yet this person is quite the opposite; she wishes she were uglier to fend off those persistent pests!

    What an extraordinary and unique woman!

    After silently sighing, Xu Moqian said grandly, "How about this, I¡¯ll make a trip to the Jiang family and have a ¡¯chat¡¯ with that bastard Jiang Zihong."

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll cover you from now on. If that Jiang guy dares to harass you again, he¡¯s taking on me, Xu Moqian!"

    Upon hearing Xu Moqian say this, Qiao Jing knew her intuition was correct.

    This Young Master Xu truly is a forthright and honest person.

    However, she didn¡¯t want to rely on anyone or owe anyone anything.

    Thinking this, Qiao Jing smiled faintly and said slowly, "I appreciate your help, but I don¡¯t want to depend on others; I don¡¯t want to rely on others¡¯ strength for survival forever. After all, no one can protect another forever, I¡¯d rather solve the problems with my own abilities."

    Xu Moqian felt this kind of speech was very Qiao Jing-like.

    He stared nkly at the woman sitting opposite him for a moment.

    No wonder he mistook her for someone else; everything about her resembled Qiao Jing!

    After quite a while, Xu Moqian came back to his senses and said wistfully, "You really resemble Sister Jing; if it were her, I bet she¡¯d say the same thing as you."

    Then, he changed his tone, "But I¡¯m serious about what I said earlier. If you need help, just contact me directly. Let¡¯s exchange contact information first."

    With that, without waiting for Qiao Jing to say anything, Xu Moqian picked up her phone from the table and started operating it himself.

    Soon, Xu Moqian returned the phone with a smile and said, "Alright, contact me whenever necessary, and don¡¯t be polite."

    At this point, Qiao Jing epted it openly.

    The two chatted more and more in sync, without realizing they went on untilte.

    When the two of them came out of the barbeque shop, they found the night market was near its end; the once-busy food street had be deserted.

    As the car was parked along the roadside, Xu Moqian got in first. As Qiao Jing rounded to the front passenger side and was about to open the door, she suddenly heard distress calls from a girl in the alley ahead.

    "Help! Is anyone there? Help me..."

    Upon hearing the plea for help, Qiao Jing¡¯s expression became instantly serious.

    Without the slightest hesitation, she sprinted toward the source of the sound.

    Xu Moqian also heard themotion, but as he hurriedly got out of the car, his pants got caught by the seatbelt buckle, and he couldn¡¯t break free for a moment.

    Qiao Jing ran to the alley where the incident urred, finding a few thugs teasing a girl in her twenties.

    She strode forward and coldly shouted, "Stop!"

    A few thugs turned around and saw another girling, not only did they show no restraint, they even became more rampant.

    "Yo! Who could it be, seems like a nosy chick hase!"

    "Just in time, with only one girl, we brothers find there¡¯s not enough to share!"

    "I¡¯ll take the nosy one; this one has a better figure!"

    "Only a fool wants just one, I¡¯m taking both!"

    "..."

    Qiao Jing scanned them coldly and said in a solemn voice, "Looks like you¡¯re asking for trouble!"

    "Listen to this¡ªthis chick¡¯s quite bold; such a big tone..."

    One of the thugs was jeering with his aplices, but before he could finish speaking, Qiao Jing kicked him away with a flying kick.

    "Bang¡ª"

    With a dull thud, the person fell heavily to the ground.

    <fnc1a7> Th?s chapter is updated by find?novel</fnc1a7>

    The rest of the thugs were momentarily stunned at the sight.

    The leader quickly snapped back and roared, "Get her, grab this girl! Daring to hit our brother, don¡¯t let her get away!"

    Once these words were out, the group exchanged nces and rushed toward Qiao Jing aggressively, looking ready to tear her apart.

    Qiao Jing¡¯s body haspletely recovered now; her movements are seamless and smooth, each action clean and neat, without any drag.

    When Xu Moqian arrived, he happened to see her wreaking havoc.

    In no time, she dealt with one after another, and in less than ten minutes, she had beaten those thugs ck and blue, lying on the ground wailing endlessly.

    This scene left Xu Moqian in astonishment.

    Never thought this Third Miss Qiao, with her slender arms and legs, could have such formidable skills!

    He figured if he were to spar with her, his fate would be like these thugs, beaten to a pulp, unrecognizable even to his own parents!

    Moreover, this scene reminded him of an incident from years ago.

    Back then, he was pursuing Qiao Jing, nning to stage a damsel-in-distress rescue and asked a few people to pretend to be thugs teasing Qiao Jing, never expecting to encounter real thugs.

    At that time, they were numerous and armed, and once the fight began, he soon found himself overwhelmed, ultimately it was Qiao Jing who stepped in, taking down those thugs in a few moves...

    Back then, Qiao Jing¡¯s heroic and valiant demeanor, Xu Moqian still remembers vividly.

    And the way this Third Miss Qiao fights now is so simr to Qiao Jing back then...

    Qiao Jing coldly nced at the thugs on the ground and spat out, "Scram!"

    The thugs, now terrified, heard Qiao Jing¡¯s words and, not caring about their pain, scrambled and crawled away from the scene.

    Qiao Jing stepped over to the girl who was being harassed and asked, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

    The girl was quite frightened earlier, her face still stained with tears at this moment.

    She shook her head and said chokingly, "Luckily you appeared... those people didn¡¯t have time toy hands on me, thank you, really thank you... you¡¯re amazing! I wish I could be as strong as you..."

    "That¡¯s probably unlikely, ordinary people can¡¯t train their skills like hers, I know I can¡¯t."

    As they spoke, Xu Moqian approached the two of them.

    In his view, this Third Miss Qiao¡¯s skills could rival Qiao Jing¡¯s!

    "It¡¯s toote now, it¡¯s not safe for you to go back alone. Where do you live? We¡¯ll drop you off."

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s offer, the girl was incredibly grateful, expressing her gratitude profusely.

    "Wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go get the car."

    After speaking, Xu Moqian quickly turned and ran to get the car.

    That night, Young Master Xu yed the role of a chauffeur, first safely delivering the girl home, then sending Qiao Jing back to the little vi...

 Chapter 966: 954: The Three Little Ones Sneak Over to Cling to Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 966: Chapter 954: The Three Little Ones Sneak Over to Cling to Qiao Jing</strong>

    When Qiao Jing returned to the small vi, it was nearly dawn.

    All the lights inside the house were off, and Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin had already gone to bed.

    Avoiding to wake them up, Qiao Jing did not linger in the living room. She tiptoed straight to her room after entering the house.

    After entering the room, she casually closed the door and turned on the light.

    As soon as the light came on, three little ones suddenly rushed towards her, clinging to her legs like three soft and adorable kos.

    Qiao Jing froze for a moment, then lowered her head, looking at the three little ones in surprise.

    The three little ones were also looking up at her, saying in unison, ¡°Aunt Jing, Aunt Jing, we missed you so much, did you miss us?¡±

    Qiao Jing came back to her senses, the initial surprise was instantly reced by delight.

    A smile unconsciously appeared on her face, and she softly said, ¡°Aunt Jing missed you too.¡±

    Honestly, without the little ones clinging to her, she truly felt a bit unustomed.<fn5972> Readplete version only at find(?)ovel</fn5972>

    These days, she found herself frequently thinking about these three adorable children.

    Zhan Qiaomo, blinking his eyes, asked in a soft, child-like voice, ¡°Who does Aunt Jing miss the most? Is it Big Brother, or Second Brother, or Mo Bao?¡±

    At this, Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze looked at Qiao Jing with anticipation, clearly hoping to be the most missed one.

    Qiao Jing patted each of their little heads, and said impartially, ¡°Aunt Jing misses all three of you equally.¡±

    Then she changed the topic and asked, ¡°By the way, howe you three ran out by yourselves? Do your family members know? If they find out you¡¯re gone, they¡¯ll definitely be worried.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu giggled mischievously, ¡°We left a note when we came out. When Aunt and the others see it, they¡¯ll know we came to find Aunt Jing!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo nodded repeatedly, saying in unison, ¡°Yeah, yeah, we left a note, so it doesn¡¯t count as sneaking out!¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing could hardly suppress herughter.

    Looks like these three little ones pulled a fast one!

    With a smile, Qiao Jing continued to ask, ¡°So, how long have you been out?¡±

    ¡°We came out at eight o¡¯clock!¡± Zhan Qiaoze answered first.

    It seems Aunt and Grandma haven¡¯t realized yet that they¡¯ve slipped out. They probably think they¡¯re already asleep!

    Thinking about how the three little ones ran out alone to see her and waited sote, Qiao Jing felt touched.

    She couldn¡¯t help but affectionately stroke their heads again, gently saying, ¡°It¡¯s veryte, you three should go to bed first. Aunt Jing needs to take a bath.¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo shook his head, his little face serious as he said, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to sleep yet. I want to wait for Aunt Jing!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    ¡°And me!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze chimed in one after the other.

    Qiao Jing waved her index finger, shaking her head disapprovingly, ¡°No can do, little ones shouldn¡¯t stay upte, or else you won¡¯t grow tall.¡±

    The three little ones exchanged looks and, in a tacit understanding, released their grip on Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, quickly turning to climb onto the bed.

    Big brother Zhan Qiaoyu acted as the spokesperson, sensibly saying, ¡°Aunt Jing, you go take a bath, we¡¯ll go to sleep like good kids.¡±

    Seeing the three kids being so well-behaved and obedient, Qiao Jing felt a sudden warmth in her heart.

    Watching themy down and obediently close their eyes, Qiao Jing only then took out a change of clothes from the wardrobe and headed into the bathroom.

    When she came out after taking a bath, the three little ones were still lying in the same lined up position, quietly, seemingly asleep.

    Qiao Jing silently watched these three children, slowly overwhelmed by maternal tenderness.

    She quietly got into bed, giving each little one a gentle kiss on their adorable and handsome little faces.

    Zhan Qiaomo couldn¡¯t hold back and sneaked augh.

    As heughed, his two brothers joined in.

    Qiao Jing now realized these three little ones were pretending to be asleep earlier.

    She reached out, gently pinching their cheeks, chuckling, ¡°Wow, you guys even pretended to be asleep to fool Aunt Jing!¡±

    ¡°Aunt Jing, can you tell us a story again?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Jing, I¡¯d like to hear you sing!¡±

    ¡°Aunt Jing, I want to sleep next to you!¡±

    The three little ones spoke as they scrambled to snuggle into Qiao Jing¡¯s embrace.

    Qiao Jing wrapped all three in her arms, her tone full of affection, ¡°Alright then, Aunt Jing will tell you a story first, then sing for you, how about that?¡±

    ¡°Yay!!¡±

    The three little ones high-fived each other, brimming with happiness.

    This scene, no matter how one looks at it, was incredibly heartwarming and full of love.

    With Qiao Jing¡¯spanionship, the three little ones drifted into a sweet slumber.

    Early the next day, Qiao Jing got up to make breakfast for the three children.

    She made some fragrant millet porridge and steamed milk egg custard.

    The three little ones ate happily, singing praises all the while.

    ¡°Aunt Jing, everything you cook is super delicious!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, even the five-star chef at home can¡¯t make it as tasty as Aunt Jing does!¡±

    ¡°Aunt Jing, I want another bowl of millet porridge!!¡±

    Watching the three little ones enjoying themselves so much, Qiao Jing felt very pleased.

    Just as they finished eating, the doorbell rang.

    Qiao Jing went to open the door, with the three little ones tailing her like small shadows.

    As soon as the door opened, seeing who it was, the three little ones looked at each other.

    Uh-oh!

    It was Aunt Nanjing!!

    Zhan Nanjing widened her eyes, staring at the three little ones, ¡°You three have some nerve, sneaking out without saying a word!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu immediately retorted, ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t nder us, we clearly left a message.¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze added, ¡°Right, we did leave a note.¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded vigorously, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡±

    The words of the three little ones left Zhan Nanjing speechless for a moment.

    After a while, she managed to find her voice again, ¡°Alright, consider you left a note, but do you know that suddenly showing up at someone¡¯s house unannounced could be troublesome?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the three little ones simultaneously turned their heads, blinking their big round innocent eyes at Qiao Jing, and innocently asked, ¡°Aunt Jing, did we cause you any trouble?¡±

    Faced with such adorable children, there was no way Qiao Jing could say they were a bother.

    She nced at Zhan Nanjing, and chuckled softly, ¡°They were all very well-behaved and obedient, they didn¡¯t cause me any trouble.¡±

    Receiving such praise, the three little ones beamed.

    Zhan Nanjing, watching her three nephews smile like sunflowers, continued, ¡°Even if you three didn¡¯t trouble Xiao Jing, you still have toe home with me. Running out on your own like this worried Grandpa and Grandma.¡±

    At these words, the three little ones immediately shook their heads, clearly not wanting to go back.

    Qiao Jing, seeing this, kindly urged, ¡°This won¡¯t do, you are good children and shouldn¡¯t make Grandpa and Grandma worry. Go home with Aunt Nanjing, and next time, after getting permission from Grandpa and Grandma, you cane visit Aunt Jing again.¡±

 Chapter 967: 955: Complaining to Lu Zijin

    <strong>Chapter 967: Chapter 955: Comining to Lu Zijin</strong>

    Upon hearing Qiao Jing¡¯s words, the three little ones hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in.

    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll head back first ande again next time.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing spoke, the three little ones obediently agreed. Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°You three really treat Xiao Jing like your real mom!¡±

    Compared to Xiao Jing, her words as their aunt had absolutely no weight!

    Qiao Jing affectionately patted the heads of the three little ones, ¡°Go on.¡±

    Only then did the three little ones reluctantly wave goodbye to her and got in the car with Zhan Nanjing to leave.

    Watching the car drive away, Qiao Jing intended to turn around and head back inside.

    Just then, another car sped towards them,ing to an abrupt stop at the gate.

    The car door opened, and Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin got out aggressively, striding directly to Qiao Jing and forcibly blocking her way inside.

    Qiao Jing nced at the two of them expressionlessly and coldly asked, ¡°I wonder what brings you two here uninvited?¡±

    Sun Mingxin snorted coldly and rudely rebuked, ¡°How dare you ask why we¡¯re here? Qiao Lao San, you¡¯re well aware of the filthy things you¡¯ve done!¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries either, coldly saying, ¡°If you¡¯re here to pick a fight, then save it and get lost early. I don¡¯t have time to waste on nonsense with you.¡±

    She had long noticed the strong hostility from the Sun sisters towards her.

    Since the other party wasn¡¯t friendly, she wouldn¡¯t show them a good face either!

    Sun Mingzhu gritted her teeth and red at Qiao Jing with resentment, ¡°You must have badmouthed me in front of Lu Zijin, right? That¡¯s why Lu Zijin has been distancing himself from metely, ignoring me.¡±

    Hearing themotion, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin came out from the house, just in time to hear Sun Mingzhu¡¯s words.

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Qiao Hong sneered and spoke first, ¡°Didn¡¯t my third sister make it clear enoughst time at the hospital? Director Lu has no interest in you at all; it¡¯s just your wishful thinking, getting carried away!¡±

    ¡°He distanced himself from you because he clearly wanted to avoid getting entangled with you, so he drew a line early to prevent further misunderstandings!¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! Not a word of truthes out of you three sisters¡¯ mouths, just lies!¡±

    Sun Mingzhu was exasperated, her face twisted with rage, ¡°It¡¯s definitely Qiao Lao San who ndered me in front of Lu Zijin, trying to drive a wedge between us, hoping to snatch him away from me!¡±

    Sun Mingxin chimed in indignantly, ¡°That¡¯s right, Director Lu was so good to my sister before, it was obvious he liked her, but since meeting Qiao Lao San at the hospitalst time, his attitude changed abruptly¡ªit must be Qiao Lao San¡¯s doing! Don¡¯t try to deny it!¡±

    Qiao Jing raised an eyebrow slightly, her lips curling into a mocking smirk, ¡°I¡¯m honestly curious, where do you two sisters get this confidence from?¡±

    ¡°Qiao Lao San, what do you mean!¡±

    Sun Mingzhu¡¯s eyes widened with anger, her tone icy.

    Qiao Jing unhurriedly said, ¡°With your aggressive, unpleasant demeanor going around making unreasonable demands, do you think Lu Zijin is blind enough to like you? If he actually did, that would indeed be strange!¡±

    Sun Mingzhu, already furious, was further infuriated by these words.

    Sun Mingxin also felt unjust for her sister, gritting her teeth, ¡°Stop talking nonsense! Watch us tear your mouth apart today!¡±<fn3b8e> Official source is find{n}ovel</fn3b8e>

    With that, the Sun sisters charged toward Qiao Jing, swinging their hands, ready to attack.

    Just then, a calm male voice approached, ¡°What are you all doing?¡±

    The voice was quite distinct; just by hearing it, one could tell it was Lu Zijin.

    Everyone present was surprised by Lu Zijin¡¯s sudden arrival.

    Qiao Jing was no exception, though she didn¡¯t let the surprise show on her face.

    In contrast to her calm demeanor, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s expressions were quite evident, both disying shock.

    But the biggest reactions still came from the two Sun sisters.

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin¡¯s actions froze, their faces changed dramatically, and the hands they had reached out to strike Qiao Jing hastily pulled back.

    Unfortunately, their actions did not escape Lu Zijin¡¯s watchful eyes.

    As Lu Zijin walked closer, he frowned at the two of them and asked again, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Facing Lu Zijin, Sun Mingzhu instantly put on a different face, assuming her usual gentle posture as if the rude and unreasonable shrew from before wasn¡¯t her at all.

    To maintain her sister¡¯s image, Sun Mingxin immediately pointed fingers at Qiao Jing and angrily said, ¡°Director Lu, you¡¯re just in time. This Qiao Lao San is too outrageous!¡±

    ¡°She not only insulted my sister but also belittled you, saying you have poor eyesight and judgment. My sister and I couldn¡¯t bear to hear it, so we argued with them.¡±

    It was clear Lu Zijin did not believe Sun Mingxin¡¯s story, observing her with obvious skepticism.

    Although unsure of what had happened, he could clearly see that Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin¡¯s stance earlier was not at all like they were just arguing; they were clearly about to get physical!

    Seeing Sun Mingxin twist the truth, Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t bear it and immediately refuted, ¡°Nonsense! Clearly, you sisters came uninvited to cause trouble, falsely using our Xiao Jing of badmouthing you in front of Director Lu and iming she was trying to steal Director Lu by disrupting your rtionship!¡±

    Qiao Hong chimed in, ¡°Exactly, we just spoke a few truths, and you sisters became desperate, trying to hit us!¡±

    ¡°Do you think everyone is as uncouth as you? My sister and I are well-mannered; we would never stoop to such vulgar acts as getting physical with others!¡±

    Sun Mingxin, neck braced, lied without blushing or showing a hint of guilt.

    Sun Mingzhu turned her head, trying to exin to Lu Zijin, ¡°Director Lu, I didn¡¯t, please don¡¯t believe their nonsense¡­¡±

    However, as Sun Mingzhu spoke, Lu Zijin had already started walking towards Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing watched Lu Zijin approach and raised an eyebrow slightly, asking, ¡°Did you need something?¡±

    Lu Zijin nodded and straightforwardly said, ¡°It¡¯s like this, a patient just arrived at the hospital with symptoms simr to Zhang Chao before¡ªa high fever that won¡¯t subside and no identifiable cause.¡±

    ¡°I tried the treatment method you taught mest time, but it didn¡¯t work. I assume the symptoms are simr, but the root causes are different. So, I wonder if you¡¯re avable toe and help take a look?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m free. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Qiao Jing agreed without hesitation.

    Their conversation had no awkwardness or formality, like friends who had known each other for many years.

    Sun Mingzhu stood to the side, repeatedly trying to join the conversation but found no opportunity to interject.

    After greeting Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, Qiao Jing left with Lu Zijin, discussing the patient¡¯s condition as they got into the car.

    Watching them leave together, Sun Mingzhu was practically seething with jealousy.

    Sun Mingxin was also furious; the thought of her handsome and wealthy brother-inw being taken away made her feel reluctant.

    If her sister couldn¡¯t secure Lu Zijin, how could she benefit?

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t be bothered with the Sun sisters anymore. They turned around and went back inside, mming the door behind them with a ¡°bang.¡±

 Chapter 968 - 956: Warning Ineffective

    <h4>Chapter 968: Chapter 956: Warning Ineffective</h4>

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin returned home, their hearts full of anger.

    Qiao Pen immediately noticed that something was off with her two daughters, and she pulled them aside to ask, "Why do you look so aggrieved? Who bullied you?"

    Sun Mingxin snorted, speaking through clenched teeth, "It¡¯s the three sisters from the Qiao Family, they were simply too bullying, especially that Qiao Lao San, she¡¯s absolutely despicable!"

    "What? They actually dared to bully you!"

    Hearing this, Qiao Pen¡¯s anger red up, and she immediately demanded, "Quick, tell me what happened!"

    "That Qiao Lao San said bad things about me in front of Lu Zijin, deliberately trying to destroy my rtionship with him, and as a result, Lu Zijin has been cold to me recently and hardly pays any attention to me."

    As she spoke, Sun Mingzhu was on the verge of tears from grievance.

    Sun Mingxin chimed in, indignantly, "My sister and I were so mad that we went to confront Qiao Lao San, but Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin both defended her. What¡¯s more, Lu Zijin even went to see Qiao Lao San. If we didn¡¯t confront them today, we wouldn¡¯t have known they started secretly contacting each other!"

    "Mom, you have to think of something. If this goes on, Lu Zijin might really be taken away by that ugly Qiao Lao San!"

    After hearing her daughters¡¯ints, Qiao Pen was also fuming with rage.

    She angrily shouted, "Outrageous! That woman of unknown origin, she should take a good look at herself in the mirror, she¡¯s so ugly and yet she dreams of seducing my future son-inw!"

    "No, I must call the Qiao Family and talk to my brother about this, let him discipline that adopted daughter of his!"

    Saying this, Qiao Pen took out her phone and called Qiao Weiguang.

    <fnd450> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? find~novel</fnd450>

    As soon as the call was connected, before Qiao Weiguang could speak, Qiao Pen unleashed a barrage of usations.

    "Brother, what on earth is going on? Your two biological daughters are rude and uncultured enough, but that ugly adopted daughter is even worse, she¡¯s ugly and yet copying others to seduce men, like a seductress, I don¡¯t understand how you¡¯ve been educating them!"

    "I¡¯m telling you now, I don¡¯t care if your third daughter seduces others, but tell her not to dream of seducing my Mingzhu¡¯s boyfriend. If she doesn¡¯t restrain herself, don¡¯t me us for being unkind!"

    All these years, no matter how outrageous Qiao Pen¡¯s behavior was, Qiao Weiguang always let it slide, considering their sibling rtionship and trying to avoid confrontation.

    But now, hearing her insult his three daughters like this, Qiao Weiguang could no longer endure it.

    He clenched his phone tightly, and spoke word by word in a stern voice, "Qiao Pen, your unreasonable nature truly hasn¡¯t changed since childhood. In the past, no matter how unpleasant your words were, or how illogical you were, I endured it because you¡¯re my sister, but I will not allow you to insult my daughters!"

    "And let me tell you, my three precious daughters are not for you to criticize. If you dare to speak ill of them again, don¡¯t me me for being an unforgiving brother!"

    With this, Qiao Weiguang didn¡¯t give Qiao Pen a chance to respond and hung up the phone.

    Listening to the busy tone from the phone and recalling Qiao Weiguang¡¯s words, Qiao Pen was so angry that she almost smashed her phone.

    "Dare to call me unreasonable? Illogical? And dare to hang up on me? No wonder his three daughters are so uncultured, it¡¯s because of the poor example from the top!"

    "Since you¡¯re an unfeeling brother, don¡¯t me me for being an unfaithful sister!"

    After cursing for a bit, Qiao Pen turned to her daughters and said, "From today on, we cut all ties with the Qiao Family. We¡¯ll take our own righteous path while they take their solitary one!"

    "From now on, when you see those three brats from the Qiao Family, you don¡¯t have to be polite to them!"

    Sun Mingxin quickly reminded, "Mom, don¡¯t forget about Lu Zijin. We can¡¯t let Qiao Lao San take him away!"

    Qiao Pen snorted, "You¡¯re right, we mustn¡¯t let Qiao Lao San seed!"

    Sun Mingzhu remained silent, but her gaze was even more ruthless than Qiao Pen and Sun Mingxin¡¯s.

    She clenched her hands tightly, her fingernails digging into her palms without her even noticing.

    Lu Zijin was hers alone, and Qiao Lao San would not take him from her!

    Meanwhile, as Qiao Pen and her daughters were seething with anger and plotting urgently, on the other side at the hospital, Qiao Jing had followed Lu Zijin into the patient ward.

    She first took the patient¡¯s pulse and, based on the pulse condition, performed acupuncture to alleviate the patient¡¯s symptoms, and then developed a follow-up treatment n.

    Seeing how effortlessly she identified the patient¡¯s issues and urately treated them, Lu Zijin was once again impressed, growing more and more admiring of her medical skills and increasingly fond of her as a person.

    After leaving the ward, walking alongside the girl, Lu Zijin gave a gentle smile and suggested, "There¡¯s a nice caf¨¦ downstairs in the hospital, let me treat you to a cup of coffee to thank you for helping me out again."

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curled slightly, and she said lightly, "Coffee is fine, no need for thanks, it was just a small effort. Besides, didn¡¯t you help mest time too?"

    Last time, when Yang Xiaoxiao tried to renege on a bet, she called Lu Zijin, and he immediately agreed to prepare a medical report for her.

    So, speaking of which, it was just mutual assistance, no need for thanks.

    Since she put it that way, Lu Zijin didn¡¯t insist on mentioning gratitude.

    After arriving at the caf¨¦, they found a seat near the floor-to-ceiling windows, drinking coffee and discussing the previous patient¡¯s case.

    After chatting for a while, Lu Zijin couldn¡¯t help but think about the past.

    He sipped his coffee, and with some nostalgia, said, "Come to think of it, Qiao Jing and I used to sit together like this to discuss patient conditions and treatment ns."

    "But most of the time, Qiao Jing did the talking while I listened, asionally offering some suggestions."

    Qiao Jing chuckled lightly, "You¡¯re too modest, your medical skills are excellent too, giving me lots of inspiration and help."

    She was speaking the truth; Lu Zijin worked at one of the top hospitals in the capital, and as its director, how could his medical skills becking?

    After she finished speaking, Qiao Jing suddenly noticed that Lu Zijin seemed to be in a daze.

    She asked, intrigued, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Upon hearing her voice, Lu Zijin snapped out of his daze.

    He lifted his eyes to look at the girl sitting opposite him, paused for a few seconds, and then said honestly, "Just now, when you said that, I was suddenly in a trance, feeling that you really resemble Qiao Jing, because she¡¯s said the same thing before."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing was the one who ended up in a daze.

    Because of Lu Zijin¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but recall that recently, whether it was Zhan Nanjing, the Zhan Family, Lu Zijin in front of her, or even Xu Moqian, Lin Xiuxiang, and others, they¡¯ve all mentioned how simr she is to the missing youngdy of the Zhan Family.

    In addition, the three adorable little ones from the Zhan Family also gave her an inexplicable feeling of closeness...

 Chapter 969: 957: Lu Zijin Invites Qiao Jing to a Banquet

    <strong>Chapter 969: Chapter 957: Lu Zijin Invites Qiao Jing to a Banquet</strong>

    Could she really be the missing daughter-inw of the Zhan Family?

    Regarding this matter, Qiao Jing had her suspicions before, but it had never been as strong as today.

    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Jing shook her head, negating her earlier spections.

    Because the ce where Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin found her was far too distant from the sea area where the Zhan Family¡¯s daughter-inw had an ident.

    Even if the sea currents were strong enough to wash someone from one area to another, someone soaked in water for that long would surely have perished, making it impossible for them to survive.

    So, her previous guess must have been overthinking¡­

    Seeing her lost in thought, Lu Zijin asked suspiciously, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    These words snapped Qiao Jing out of her reverie.

    She shook her head and casually replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just suddenly reminded of something.¡±

    Understanding her vagueness, Lu Zijin realized she didn¡¯t want to borate.

    Out of politeness, Lu Zijin did not pursue the topic further.

    He hesitated for a moment before changing the subject, ¡°Are you free this weekend?¡±

    Qiao Jing instinctively thought Lu Zijin was going to discuss the health issue again, so she nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    Having confirmed her avability, Lu Zijin continued, ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask if you could apany me to a banquet; it¡¯s the kind where guests are supposed to bring a date.¡±

    Qiao Jing found it odd upon hearing this.

    She looked at Lu Zijin puzzled, ¡°Someone like you still needs a date?¡±

    With Lu Zijin¡¯s qualifications, she believed that if he wished, countless women would vie just to be hispanion.

    Not to mention, Sun Mingzhu would surely be eager!

    So, why would Lu Zijin ask her for this favor?

    Lu Zijin spoke inly and straightforwardly, ¡°It¡¯s not that Ick, even my mother mentioned she¡¯d arrange something, but those arrangements are ultimately for matchmaking, so¡­¡±

    Lu Zijin didn¡¯t finish his sentence.

    But even without him saying it, Qiao Jing understood.

    Lu Zijin wanted her to be his date as a shield to fend off unwanted suitors!

    After understanding the reason, Qiao Jing readily agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you with this.¡±

    Her agreement brought visible joy to Lu Zijin¡¯s warm smile, ¡°Thank you so much!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, friends help each other out.¡±

    With that, Qiao Jing picked up her coffee and took a sip.

    Just as she put it down, her phone rang unexpectedly.

    Checking her phone, she saw it was Grandpa Zhan calling and answered it casually.

    The moment the call connected, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s deep voice came through, ¡°Jing Girl, where are you now? I¡¯m not feeling well; you bettere over to Purple Garden quickly and see if my condition has worsened!¡±

    Judging from his strong voice, Qiao Jing could sense his mental state was quite good, immediately realizing the old man was up to his usual tricks.

    Feeling amused, she replied tactfully, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, I still have some matters here, it might take me a while toe.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan could easily sense her excuse, and with a feigned weak voice, he said, ¡°Jing Girl, what could be more important than my life and death?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really ufortable this time; if you don¡¯te soon, I might not hold on¡­ cough cough cough cough¡­¡±

    With that, Zhan Yuanshan began to cough violently, as if hinting that if Qiao Jing didn¡¯te immediately, he¡¯d cough to death right there.

    Knowing the old man¡¯s routine, Qiao Jing felt helpless but eventuallypromised, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle now.¡±

    After all, the old man was genuinely ill; even though he was pretending, if she defied him, he might genuinely fall sick. So as much as possible, she shouldply.

    Upon hearing she woulde, Zhan Yuanshan stopped coughing at once and cheerily said, ¡°Jing Girl, hurry over, I¡¯m waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Qiao Jing responded before hanging up.<fn0543> Chapters first released on Find?Novel</fn0543>

    Putting away her phone, she stood up and said to Lu Zijin, ¡°Sorry, seems I have to leave now.¡±

    Lu Zijin stood up immediately, ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡±

    ¡°No need, you have work at the hospital, right? Go ahead and take care of it, I¡¯ll just grab a cab myself.¡±

    After saying that, Qiao Jing waved at Lu Zijin and left decisively.

    Exiting the caf¨¦, she hailed a taxi by the roadside headed towards Purple Garden.

    A dozen minutester, the car stopped at the gate of Purple Garden.

    Qiao Jing got out and walked towards the house.

    In the hall, upon seeing her arrival, Zhan Yuanshan immediately waved, smiling broadly, ¡°Come, Jing Girl, I have something to discuss with you.¡±

    Even though she had anticipated the old man to be pretending, seeing him so different from his phone demeanor, Qiao Jing felt both amused and annoyed.

    She walked over, looking at the old man with helpless expression, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, you don¡¯t really look unwell.¡±

    ¡°You see, as soon as you agreed toe, I got so happy I stopped coughing and started feeling much better.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan said without skipping a beat, ¡°So, Jing Girl, you should visit me often, who knows, maybe my illness will disappear on its own!¡±

    Listening to this, Qiao Jing found herself speechless.

    Indeed, the old man¡¯s wit and eloquence were quite unmatched!!

    Zhan Yuanshan wasn¡¯t bothered by whether she responded and continued, ¡°Actually, Jing Girl, I have a genuine matter. There¡¯s a banquet this weekend, and Qipei needs a date. I¡¯d like you to apany him; I¡¯ve prepared the gown and shoes for you, just show up.¡±

    Weekend? Banquet? Date?

    Hearing these familiar words, Qiao Jing hesitated for a moment.

    If her guesses were right, the banquet Grandpa Zhan mentioned should be the same one Lu Zijin talked about earlier.

    At this time, Zhan Nanjing came out of the room just in time to hear Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s words.

    She disapproved, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not right for you to decide this privately. If my brother knows, he definitely won¡¯t agree. I think you shouldn¡¯t meddle in this.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan dismissed her concern, ¡°He¡¯s my own grandson, what¡¯s wrong with me making decisions for him? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m harming him!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, you know my brother¡¯s temperament. Unless he himself consents, even if you push, it won¡¯t help¡­¡±

    Zhan Nanjing¡¯s advice was cut off forcefully by Zhan Yuanshan.

    ¡°Whether he agrees or not, he has to agree!¡±

    The old man spoke with an undeniable tone, clearly showing his firm stance.

 Chapter 970: 958: She Thought She Was Just a Maid

    <strong>Chapter 970: Chapter 958: She Thought She Was Just a Maid</strong>

    Watching Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Nanjing suddenly sh, Qiao Jing timely interjected, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, I fear I can¡¯t promise you on this matter.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s brow furrowed instantly upon hearing this, and he immediately asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Qiao Jing replied honestly, ¡°Because I¡¯ve already promised a friend to help him with something this weekend. It¡¯s not good to backtrack on promises to others.¡±

    At this point, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t quite insist she turn down her friend, otherwise, he¡¯d be teaching her to be untrustworthy.

    Realizing the n had fallen through, the old man¡¯s face was filled with disappointment.

    However, Zhan Nanjing let out a sigh of relief.

    Honestly, she had quite a good impression of Xiao Jing, but she understood her brother; forcing someone on him would be cruel to him.

    Although her grandfather forcibly arranged it between her brother and her sister-inw, that was under the premise where her brother loved no one.

    But now, her brother¡¯s heart is entirely filled with her sister-inw, leaving no room for anyone else.

    Under these circumstances, forcing Xiao Jing and her brother together would be unfair to both of them¡­

    Just then, a young girl dressed in name brands, carryingrge bags, walked in on high heels.

    The girl¡¯s face was adorned with exquisite makeup, and it was apparent that she had just styled her hair, clearly having dolled up before arriving on the scene.

    Yet, upon seeing her, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brow.

    Why is Jin Yufei here again!

    Jin Yufei is the eldest daughter of the Jin Family, a well-known aristocratic family in the capital city with business dealings with the Zhan Family, their rtions weren¡¯t too bad.

    It¡¯s well-known that Jin Yufei had a crush on her brother for a long time, but once her brother got together with her sister-inw, Jin Yufei had no choice but to curb her feelings.

    Yet after news of her sister-inw¡¯s disappearance spread four years ago, it seems Jin Yufei felt she had a chance again, and started making frequent visits to their Zhan Family, showing her feelings toward her brother more evidently than before!

    Key point is, her brother doesn¡¯t care for Jin Yufei at all!

    Hence, the sight of Jin Yufei somewhat irritated Zhan Nanjing.

    Jin Yufei seemedpletely unaware of her unwee presence. She warmly said while holding the bags, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, I¡¯ve bought some health supplements for you. I consulted a doctor who rmended them for your health, saying they¡¯d boost your immunity and resistance.¡±

    Saying this, she ced a pile of supplements on the coffee table and turned to appease Zhan Nanjing, ¡°Nanjing, I brought you some cosmetics and skincare products. They¡¯re thetest limited editions, see if you like them.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing wanted to reply that there was no need to buy such things for them; the Zhan Familycks for nothing.

    Nheless, considering the gesture, Zhan Nanjing held back, merely giving a somewhat forced smile as a response.

    Jin Yufei didn¡¯t seem to mind Zhan Nanjing¡¯s slightly cold attitude, proceeding as if nothing happened, continued cing things down, and asked, ¡°Are Aunt Zhan and Uncle Zhan here? I brought them some things too.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing didn¡¯t answer her question, instead she retorted, ¡°Is there something else you¡¯re here for?¡±

    Upon hearing this question, Jin Yufei became suddenly bashful and sheepishly said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing really¡­ This weekend there¡¯s a banquet, I know Qipei stillcks a femalepanion, so I thought maybe I could¡­¡±

    Jin Yufei trailed off without finishing her sentence.

    She originally wanted to say she hoped to be Zhan Qipei¡¯spanion, but upon reflection, felt that saying it outright would be inappropriate.

    After all, she is a nobledy, different from those other women, she must maintain some reserve!

    Though Jin Yufei left her words unfinished, her intent was clear.

    Zhan Nanjing straightforwardly replied, ¡°We can¡¯t make that decision, it depends on my brother¡¯s wishes.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, since there¡¯s nothing much, I¡¯ll just wait here for him toe back and ask his opinion directly.¡±

    After speaking, Jin Yufei impolitely sat down on the nearby sofa.

    Zhan Nanjing considered persuading her to leave, but couldn¡¯t think of a good excuse at the moment, so she simply decided not to bother.

    Sitting down, Jin Yufei finally noticed Qiao Jing standing aside.

    She unabashedly sized up Qiao Jing, revealing some disdain and suspicion in her eyes.

    Who is this girl? Howe she¡¯s never seen her before?

    Looking at her e-ridden face, so unattractive, she certainly has no connection with Zhan Qipei, perhaps she¡¯s the Zhan Family¡¯s new maid?

    The more Jin Yufei thought about it, the more she felt her guess was right.

    Having talked so much, Jin Yufei felt a bit thirsty.

    Thus, Jin Yufei pointed at Qiao Jing,manding, ¡°You there, pour me a ss of water, warm please.¡±

    Qiao Jing shot her a cool nce, showing no intention toply.

    After retracting her gaze, Qiao Jing turned her eyes to Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Nanjing, calmly saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading off now.¡±

    Saying so, she began to head out.<fn6ea7> ?????? ???? findnovel</fn6ea7>

    Feeling disregarded, Jin Yufei was quite unhappy, coldly huffing towards Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, ¡°What kind of attitude is that? Have maids nowadays no professionalism?¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re about to clock off, at least pour my water before you leave? Or is it because I¡¯m not of the Zhan Family, you refuse to serve me?¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan, hearing these words, was deeply enraged.

    How dare she mistake his Jing Girl, their Zhan Family¡¯s young mistress for a maid? And try to boss her around?

    Utterly blind, she must be out of her mind!!

    Just as Zhan Yuanshan was about to burst into anger, three little kids came ttering down the stairs from above.

    Jin Yufei looked up, seeing the Zhan Family¡¯s three young masters, she suddenly felt overjoyed.

    She didn¡¯t expect her luck to be so good, bumping into these three gems!

    It¡¯s known that the Zhan Family treats its three young masters like heavenly treasures; if she seeded in winning these three over, capturing Zhan Qipei would be no sweat!

    With this thought, Jin Yufei set aside her grievance against the ¡°maid¡± and quickly grabbed the gift bag she had ced nearby, meeting the kids with a smile.

    While pulling out the items from the gift bag, she said eagerly, ¡°Qiaoyu, Qiaoze, Qiao Mo, Auntie Yufei bought lots of toys for you: LEGO, remote-control nes, and robot kits¡­¡±

    However, the three little ones didn¡¯t spare Jin Yufei a nce, directly bypassing her, joyfully dashing toward Qiao Jing behind her.

    Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze each grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, while Zhan Qiaomo hugged her leg, acting adorably clingy.

    ¡°Aunt Jing, why didn¡¯t you tell us you wereing?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Jing, did youe here to visit us?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Jing, don¡¯t leave tonight, stay and keep uspany, okay?¡±

 Chapter 971 - 959: Weéˆ¥æª’l Miss You

    <h4>Chapter 971: Chapter 959: We¡¯ll Miss You</h4>

    The three little ones kept calling her "Aunt Jing," their small faces filled with delighted smiles.

    Anyone could see how much the three of them liked Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing patted Zhan Qiaoyu and Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s little heads, then pinched the pale, soft cheek of "little ornament" Zhan Qiaomo, and said gently, "Aunt Jing has things to do and can¡¯t stay. You three have to be good, okay?"

    Upon hearing this, the three little ones looked a bit disappointed.

    But thinking it over, they realized they¡¯d still see each other often in the future, so the three little ones cheered up, chattering non-stop around Qiao Jing.

    Jin Yufei didn¡¯t hear a word of Qiao Jing¡¯s conversation with the three little ones. All she could hear was the sweet sound of "Aunt Jing" echoing in her ears.

    Initially, she was incredibly surprised by the harmonious scene in front of her, but her surprise quickly turned to a smoldering anger.

    She was astonished because these three children from the Zhan Family were usually not very friendly with others, yet they were so close to a maid!

    From the looks of it, anyone who didn¡¯t know better might think that maid was their actual mother!

    The anger stemmed from her suspicion that this maid had an ulterior motive, likely the same as hers: to first win over the three children of the Zhan Family, and then use them to smoothly climb into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed!

    The more Jin Yufei thought about it, the more it infuriated her, but in front of the Zhan family, she couldn¡¯t throw a tantrum and ruin her image.

    After thinking it through, Jin Yufei stepped toward Zhan Nanjing to incite her, "Nanjing, this maid of yours is way out of line. Not having professional conduct is one thing, but there¡¯s no sense of hierarchy here!"

    "She¡¯s just a worker; how could she be so close to the young masters of the household? This will easily spoil Qiaoyu and the others!"

    Zhan Nanjing had been wanting to retort to Jin Yufei for a while, but got sidetracked when the three little ones came over.

    Now hearing Jin Yufei repeatedly calling her a maid, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.

    She cast a sidelong nce at Jin Yufei, speaking coolly, "Who told you she¡¯s our maid? Let me tell you, she¡¯s the third Miss of the Qiao Family of Nandu and my friend!"

    "Besides, she¡¯s also the candidate Master Zhou has his eye on for an apprentice, so it¡¯s hardly surprising that someone as excellent as her is liked by my three nephews. Haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡¯Excellence attracts excellence¡¯?"

    After Zhan Nanjing finished speaking, Jin Yufei¡¯s face stiffened slightly.

    It turned out this woman wasn¡¯t a maid, but from the Qiao Family of Nandu.

    The Qiao Family of Nandu was just a small family, nothingpared to her Jin Family.

    What surprised her was this woman turned out to be the one Master Zhou wanted as a disciple, a story that had been widely circted recently, which she was aware of.

    This further confirmed Jin Yufei¡¯s previous thoughts.

    This woman named Qiao was definitely trying to climb into Zhan Qipei¡¯s bed by ingratiating herself with the Zhan family!

    While Jin Yufei was mulling over this privately, Qiao Jing was ready to say her goodbyes and leave.

    She gave each of the three little ones a peck on their handsome little cheeks, then smiled and said, "Alright, Aunt Jing is leaving now."

    Having received their kisses, the three little ones were delighted, waving at Qiao Jing and saying in unison, "Aunt Jing, we¡¯ll miss you, and you should miss us too!"

    "Alright, Aunt Jing will miss you."

    Qiao Jing agreed cheerily, bid farewell to Zhan Yuanshan and Zhan Nanjing, and then turned to leave.

    After leaving Purple Garden, Qiao Jing walked to a nearby intersection to hail a cab to leave.

    While she was waiting for a ride, Jin Yufei caught up with her.

    Qiao Jing stared straight ahead, not even ncing at Jin Yufei.

    Jin Yufei looked at Qiao Jing with disdain, speaking to herself, "I heard from Nanjing that you¡¯re from the Qiao Family of Nandu. Families like the Qiao Family are nothing in front of the Zhan Family or our Jin Family; surely you must be aware of that."

    "So, you better recognize your ce and stop dreaming of seducing Zhan Qipei. Someone like you isn¡¯t even fit to y around with Zhan Qipei¡¯s affections!"

    After her monologue, Jin Yufei was met with silence from Qiao Jing, who remained cold and indifferent.

    This attitude made Jin Yufei even angrier.

    Letting out a cold snort, her words became increasingly sharp and unpleasant, "You, from a small, broken family, dare unt in front of me, Jin Yufei? Didn¡¯t your parents teach you to know your ce? Or do all people from the Qiao Family overestimate themselves this much?"

    Qiao Jing originally didn¡¯t intend to bother with Jin Yufei, considering her a clown with nothing better to do.

    But when her family was dragged into it, it crossed the line!

    She suddenly turned her head, her piercing gaze like icy daggers striking Jin Yufei, exuding a chill that made one¡¯s blood run cold.

    Intimidated by her aura, Jin Yufei involuntarily shivered and took a step back.

    By the time she collected herself, Qiao Jing had already withdrawn her gaze and started walking away.

    Jin Yufei was frustrated with her reaction earlier and felt she couldn¡¯t just let it go.

    Thinking this, she relentlessly chased after Qiao Jing, blocking her way.

    As the saying goes, a mix of hard and soft tactics yields the best results!

    Jin Yufei pondered that she had tried the hard approach earlier, so now might as well try a softer one.

    She took out a bank card from her limited edition designer handbag, as if offering charity, and presented it to Qiao Jing with an arrogant ir, "Here, take it."

    "There¡¯s five hundred thousand on this card. Take the money and stay away from Zhan Qipei and the Zhan family, and preferably never appear in front of them again!"

    Qiao Jing expressionlessly looked at Jin Yufei, her cool gaze betraying clear impatience.

    Seeing she wasn¡¯t moved, Jin Yufei assumed she felt the sum was too small and spoke disdainfully, "Don¡¯t be too greedy. For someone from a small family like yours, five hundred thousand is a considerable amount."

    Continuing, Jin Yufei suddenly changed her tone more haughtily, "Still, I do have one virtue¡ªI¡¯m generous. As long as you stay away from Zhan Qipei and stop clinging to him, I can add another million."

    "How about that? If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯d better take this five hundred thousand now."

    Finishing, Jin Yufei raised her chin and waved the bank card in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing reached out to take the card, a cold smile of ambiguous meaning curving her lips.

    Seeing her ept the money, Jin Yufei¡¯s expression turned even more contemptuous, "That¡¯s more like it, as they say, those who know when to seize opportunities are wise..."

    "Smack¡ª"

    Qiao Jing casually flung the card back at Jin Yufei¡¯s face, cutting off her sneers.

    Jin Yufei was initially stunned, and when she recovered, she was livid.

    ring at Qiao Jing with wide eyes, she eximed, "You, how dare you treat me like this! No one has daredy a finger on me since I was little! You won¡¯t get away with this!"

    As she spoke, she furiously lunged at Qiao Jing, her hands raised to scratch her face.<fn53b0> The source of th?s content is Find_Novel(.</fn53b0>

 Chapter 972: 960: The Qiao Family Is Being Targeted

    <strong>Chapter 972: Chapter 960: The Qiao Family Is Being Targeted</strong>

    Qiao Jing deftly sidestepped, avoiding Jin Yufei¡¯s wildly iling hands, and simultaneously stuck out her foot to trip her.

    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±

    Apanied by a scream, Jin Yufei fell t on the ground, nting her face in the dirt.

    At this moment, a taxi happened to drive by.

    Qiao Jing nced coldly at Jin Yufei, who was sprawled on the ground, then walked toward the taxi and left in it.

    Jin Yufei stared intently at the car speeding away, her eyes filled with hatred almost bursting out.

    It was the first time she had ever suffered such a humiliating insult!

    Whether to settle today¡¯s score or for Zhan Qipei, she would not let this ugly woman named Qiao off the hook!

    Seething with anger, Jin Yufei struggled to get up from the ground, limping back to her parked car, and drove away.

    Upon returning home, Jin Yufei immediately began to sob andin to her mother, ¡°Mom, you must help me, I was bullied. That woman wants to seduce Zhan Qipei. I just warned her a bit and tried to pay her off, but not only did she not appreciate it, she threw the card in my face. She even tripped me, causing me to fall and hurt myself¡­¡±

    ¡°What? Dare to bully my precious daughter like this!¡±

    Mother Jin was furious upon hearing this and said angrily, ¡°What is this woman¡¯s background? Tell me, and I¡¯ll stand up for you!¡±

    Jin Yufei leaned aggrievedly against her mother, ¡°Mom, I want you to find someone to investigate her. All I know now is that she¡¯s the third Miss of the Qiao Family in Nandu.¡±

    First, she¡¯d have to find out all about this woman before taking action!

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have someone look into it.¡±

    Mother Jin said, taking out her phone to make a call immediately to have someone handle the matter.

    Within two hours, Mother Jin received the investigation results.

    She nced at it and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°This woman¡¯s name is so simr to Zhan Qipei¡¯s missing wife. One is called Qiao Jing, and the other Qiao Jing.¡±

    Jin Yufei scoffed, saying disdainfully, ¡°I bet she¡¯s using this to get close to the Zhan Family. However, she thinks having a simr name will make her the second young mistress of the Zhan Family? What a delusion!¡±<fn92d0> Content originallyes from find{n}ovel</fn92d0>

    ¡°Exactly. With her background, how can she bepared to my precious daughter? This woman is just a toad lusting after swan meat!¡±

    Mother Jin joined in on her daughter¡¯s disdainful remarks, then continued reading on, saying as she read, ¡°ording to this investigation report, the Qiao Family haspanies in both Nandu and Didu, but neither is veryrge. The one in Didu is a branch managed mainly by her two sisters¡­¡±

    Hearing this, a sly look shed in Jin Yufei¡¯s eyes, and she immediately said, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s target their family business and show her the power of our Jin Family, see if she dares topete with me for a man!¡±

    Competing with her, Jin Yufei, over a man, was simply beyond one¡¯s capabilities!

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do what my precious daughter suggests.¡±

    With those words, Mother Jin picked up the phone and dialed another number¡­

    ¡­

    A dayter.

    Early in the morning, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin sat worriedly on the sofa in the living room.

    Qiao Jing saw this and went up to ask, ¡°Big sister, second sister, what¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem with thepany?¡±

    Seeing them so troubled, she guessed it had something to do with thepany.

    Qiao Hong sighed worriedly, ¡°Sigh¡­ you guessed it right, several projects of ourpany simultaneously hit snags, causing these projects to be suspended, which means most of our funds are tied up, and thepany can¡¯t operate smoothly.¡±

    ¡°I think there¡¯s something fishy, otherwise there¡¯s no reason multiple projects would have issues simultaneously. Someone must be targeting us.¡±

    Saying that, Qiao Lin suddenly thought of something, frowning and specting, ¡°Sis, Xiao Jing, do you think it could be that bastard Jiang Zihong of the Jiang family?¡±

    As soon as the words left her mouth, the doorbell suddenly rang.

    Qiao Hong, who was closest, got up to answer the door.

    As soon as she opened the door and saw the visitor, her expression instantly became guarded, and she inwardly mocked.

    Qiao Lin¡¯s mouth must be blessed with foresight to say such inauspicious things!

    After the internal grumbling, Qiao Hong stared at Jiang Zihong and snapped, ¡°You Jiang, what are you doing here? You¡¯re not wee!¡±

    ¡°What do you care why I¡¯m here, I¡¯m not here for you anyway, move aside! Don¡¯t block my way!¡±

    With that, Jiang Zihong forcibly pushed past Qiao Hong and squeezed into the house.

    Upon seeing Jiang Zihong enter, Qiao Lin instinctively stood in front of Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing regarded Jiang Zihong with a cold and expressionless face.

    When Jiang Zihong¡¯s gazended on Qiao Jing¡¯s face, his brows furrowed at once, suspiciously saying, ¡°Why are these marks on your face still not healed?¡±

    ¡°Logically, given Master Zhou¡¯s medical skills, they should¡¯ve been cured long ago. Could it really be that serious, even Master Zhou can¡¯t cure it?¡±

    None of Qiao Jing¡¯s trio wanted to respond to him, so nobody answered.

    Jiang Zihong thought for a moment, then continued talking to himself, ¡°If Divine Doctor Jing took action, it would definitely be a cure. With the Jiang Family¡¯s influence, we should be able to invite him, but Divine Doctor Jing is elusive, and finding him might take a bit of time¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin exchanged a nce, both their expressions looking very exasperated.

    This Jiang Zihong was truly, as always, full of himself!

    Someone like Divine Doctor Jing, was that the sort of person he could invite?

    What a joke!!

    At this point, Jiang Zihong changed the subject again, saying, ¡°But it¡¯s alright, I recently asked my dad to contact a foreign medical professor. This professor is quite renowned abroad, specializing in dermatology. If you¡¯re willing, you cane with me, and I¡¯ll have this professor treat you.¡±

    Qiao Jing gave him a cold look, about to tell him to kindly get lost.

    Jiang Zihong apparently sensed the coldness in her gaze, hurriedly adding, ¡°Rest assured, without your permission, I won¡¯t do anything reckless. After all, I¡¯m not the type of person who likes to force others.¡±

    At these words, Qiao Hong let out a disdainful snort.

    Qiao Lin red at Jiang Zihong and angrily said, ¡°How dare you say such nonsense! Do you need us to remind you of the despicable things you¡¯ve done before?¡±

    Jiang Zihong snorted coldly, shamelessly retorting, ¡°When I say I won¡¯t do anything ruthless, or force anyone, it¡¯s while my patience holds. But my patience is limited, so don¡¯t keep me waiting too long, otherwise¡­¡±

    ¡°Otherwise what?¡±

    Qiao Hong interrupted Jiang Zihong, gritting her teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you dare to target our Xiao Jing, Master Zhou won¡¯t just stand by, and neither will the Zhan Family!¡±

    The three little ones from the Zhan Family treated their Xiao Jing like a mommy.

    Even Old Master Zhan, though he mistook her, really liked their Xiao Jing.

    Furthermore, Zhan Nanjing was good friends with their Xiao Jing.

    Based on these points alone, Qiao Hong believed that if anything happened to their Xiao Jing, the Zhan Family definitely wouldn¡¯t stand idly by!

    ¡°`

 Chapter 973: 961: Qiao Jings Troubles

    <strong>Chapter 973: Chapter 961: Qiao Jing¡¯s Troubles</strong>

    The rtionship between Qiao Jing and the Zhan Family is something Jiang Zihong is not familiar with.

    After hearing Qiao Hong¡¯s threatening words, he sneered coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t use the Zhan Family to pressure me. What kind of level is the Zhan Family? Such a top-level wealthy family, would it be so idle as to bother with your little matters? Stop being ridiculous!¡±

    Thest time, Zhan Nanjing, the eldest youngdy of the Zhan Family, helped and had him driven away, because it was at Zhan Nanjing¡¯s own engagement party.

    If it weren¡¯t for that reason, the high and mighty characters of the Zhan Family wouldn¡¯t bother with such unrted matters!

    With this thought, Jiang Zihongmented to himself, ¡°Anyway, this matter is decided. I¡¯ll have my dad invite that medical professor over as soon as possible, which should happen in a few days. Once the professor arrives, I¡¯ll directly pay a visit.¡±

    Saying this, he squinted slightly, staring at Qiao Jing with a more threatening tone, ¡°Qiao Jing, I hope you would have thought it through by then.¡±

    After throwing down these words, Jiang Zihong didn¡¯t linger any longer and turned to leave directly.

    After he left, Qiao Jing said thoughtfully, ¡°It seems the issue with thepany project might not have been caused by Jiang Zihong.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Qiao Hong looked puzzled, ¡°How so?¡±

    Qiao Lin also looked at Qiao Jing with some confusion.

    Qiao Jing exined calmly, ¡°With Jiang Zihong¡¯s brash personality, if he really did it, he would definitely brag about it right away, using it as leverage. How could he possibly keep it hidden without mentioning it?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin suddenly had a moment of realization.

    Qiao Hong nodded but then frowned, ¡°If it¡¯s not Jiang Zihong, then who could it be?¡±

    Qiao Lin thought for a moment, then suddenly had a sh of insight, ¡°Could it be Yang Xiaoxiao? Last time we scared Yang Xiaoxiao into tears, so she might hold a grudge and deliberately seek revenge!¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head slowly and said, ¡°The Yang Family¡¯s strength is indeed greater than our Qiao Family¡¯s, but to cause simultaneous issues with several of ourpany¡¯s projects overnight wouldn¡¯t be easy for the Yang Family either, so I think Yang Xiaoxiao is unlikely.¡±

    Qiao Lin found this reasoning sound as well, but it only made her more perplexed.

    Qiao Hong couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°If it¡¯s not Jiang Zihong, nor Yang Xiaoxiao, then who else could it be? It seems we haven¡¯t really offended anyone else, right?¡±

    Suddenly, Qiao Jing thought of something and casually said, ¡°Could it be her?¡±

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, hearing this, both looked at Qiao Jing curiously and asked in unison, ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Previously, Old Master Zhan called me, saying he wasn¡¯t feeling well and asked me to visit the Zhan Family¡¯s vi. When I went there, I ran into someone named Jin Yufei¡­¡±

    Qiao Jing was interrupted halfway through by Qiao Lin, ¡°Wait, that name sounds familiar?¡±

    Qiao Hong chimed in, ¡°If I remember correctly, she should be the eldest daughter of the quite prominent Jin Family, right?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Lin eximed, ¡°Yes, yes, I remember now! The eldest daughter of the Jin Family is indeed named Jin Yufei!¡±

    The Jin Family is a well-known wealthy family in the capital, so Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin naturally have heard of them.

    After Qiao Lin finished her exmations, Qiao Jing continued, ¡°Jin Yufei probably saw me getting close to the Zhan Family and thought I was trying to steal Zhan Qipei from her, so she said some unpleasant things and even tried to pay me off, but I refused¡­¡±

    After briefly going over what happened, Qiao Jing added, ¡°I think it might be because of this incident that Jin Yufei harbored a grudge and acted against ourpany.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this happened! Why didn¡¯t you tell us sooner, did Jin Yufei injure you?¡±

    While speaking, Qiao Hong checked up and down on Qiao Jing, looking for any injuries.

    Qiao Jing stopped Qiao Hong and said, ¡°Sis, don¡¯t you know my skills? She couldn¡¯t hurt me, but she did take a fall.¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Hong suddenly sighed in relief.

    Qiao Lin, on the side, indignantlymented, ¡°Jin Yufei is really too much! To assume baselessly that someone wants to steal her man, isn¡¯t that pure lunacy?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin and apologized, ¡°Sis, second sis, I¡¯m sorry for causing thepany to be in such a predicament because of me.¡±

    Listening to this, Qiao Hong immediately grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, shaking her head, ¡°What are you talking about? We are family, and there¡¯s no need for apologies among family.¡±

    Qiao Lin immediately chimed in, ¡°Exactly, there¡¯s no need for apologies among family. Besides, if it was truly Jin Yufei, then she¡¯s the one who should be apologizing!¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Lin suggested, ¡°How about we transfer some funds from our dad¡¯s side for the time being?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡±

    Qiao Hong immediately rejected the idea and then exined, ¡°You might not know, but the mainpany has also encountered simr issues, and funds are tight there as well.¡±

    Qiao Jing had only suspected before, but hearing Qiao Hong¡¯s words now, she was almost certain that it was indeed Jin Yufei¡¯s doing.

    For the Jiang and Yang families to simultaneously target two Qiao Familypanies would not only be challenging but also costly to themselves, making it unprofitable.

    But for a wealthy family like the Jin Family, such a matter is effortlessly simple¡­

    For a moment, the three sisters were a bit worried.

    But try as they might, in the short term, they couldn¡¯t think of a solution.

    After a tasteless breakfast, the three sisters headed out.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin went to thepany, while Qiao Jing went to the research institute.

    With worries on her mind, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help being a bit distracted in her work.

    Yet even distracted, the research report she wrote still amazed others.

    After reviewing the report, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Elder Xu was right; Xiao Jing, your talent is truly outstanding!¡±

    ¡°Your report is so precise and detailed! I¡¯m afraid even with decades of study, I wouldn¡¯t reach your level!¡±

    Previously, when Elder Xupared Xiao Jing to her sister-inw, she thought it was somewhat unrealistic.<fn3a37> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? Find1Novel</fn3a37>

    But now, it seems likely that Xiao Jing might indeed be the next Professor Qiao!

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing¡¯s words, Qiao Jing scanned her own report again and found some areas not detailed enough.

    She took the report back, furrowed her brows slightly, and unsatisfied, said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very good. I¡¯ll revise it again.¡±

    Seeing Qiao Jing really begin to edit after saying this, Zhan Nanjing was truly stunned.

    She eximed in amazement, ¡°It¡¯s already this good, yet you think it¡¯s not enough? Your standards are too high for yourself!¡±

    For such excellent people to be even more perfectionistic, how can ordinary folks like us stand it?!

    Zhan Nanjing felt the need to go outside and cool down.

    ¡°Feel free to take your time revising; I¡¯m stepping out for a bit.¡±

    After a quick goodbye, Zhan Nanjing turned and walked out.

 Chapter 974 - 962: Xu Moqian Helps Resolve the Crisis

    <h4>Chapter 974: Chapter 962: Xu Moqian Helps Resolve the Crisis</h4>

    As soon as she stepped out the door, after only a few steps, Zhan Nanjing bumped into Xu Moqian who was striding toward her.

    Upon seeing Zhan Nanjing, Xu Moqian immediately asked, "Where¡¯s Third Miss Qiao? Isn¡¯t she with you? Where is she now?"

    Seeing him bombard her with these questions right off the bat, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but tease, "Yo! You¡¯re looking for Xiao Jing again. I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been here every daytely without missing a single one, so have you finally given up on my sister-inw and decided to pursue her instead?"

    Honestly speaking, if Xu Moqian, that clingy ster, really gave up on her sister-inw, she would truly be delighted.

    But for some reason, seeing Xu Moqian always sticking to Xiao Jing made her feel a bit uneasy inside.

    "None of your business!"

    Xu Moqian retorted bluntly, then bypassed Zhan Nanjing, heading straight toward the cultivation room behind her.

    Zhan Nanjing snorted softly, toozy to think any further, and stepped away as well.

    Upon entering the cultivation room and seeing Qiao Jing, Xu Moqian immediately approached her, raised an eyebrow and said, "It¡¯s time, let¡¯s go eat. I know a restaurant that¡¯s quite nice, I¡¯ll take you to try it."

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t lift her eyes, she just shook her head and said lightly, "You go by yourself, I still have work to do."

    As she said this, her gaze was on the research report, but her mind was preupied with matters of the Qiao Family Company.

    Xu Moqian noticed something was off about her, she seemed absent-minded, so he immediately asked, "What¡¯s wrong with you? Did something happen?"

    Qiao Jing still shook her head, casually replying, "It¡¯s nothing."

    "Impossible, I can tell, you definitely have something on your mind!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s tone was determined, and he went on insistently, "Come on, what¡¯s going on, just tell me. If you don¡¯t, it means you don¡¯t consider me, Xu Moqian, a friend!"

    "I¡¯ve long considered you a good friend, if you have a problem and don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯d be really hurt..."

    Xu Moqian rambled on, making Qiao Jing feel as if not telling him would make her seem like someone who let down friendship.

    <fn0125> Th?s chapter is updated by Find[?]ovel</fn0125>

    Ultimately, under Xu Moqian¡¯s persistent questioning, Qiao Jing finally spoke up.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll tell you. It¡¯s just that our family¡¯spany project hit a snag, the project was forced to suspend, resulting in arge amount of funds being frozen and causing cash flow issues."

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "Oh! I thought it was some enormous crisis. This is nothing!"

    "Tell me how much you need for cash flow, just let me know, I¡¯ll transfer it to you. I know you wouldn¡¯t ept it as a gift, so consider it a loan."

    Qiao Jing knew Xu Moqian was very generous, but this time the amount needed was no small sum.

    Though she and Xu Moqian got along well, they hadn¡¯t known each other long, and taking that much money from him all at once, she felt it was a bit inappropriate.

    With these thoughts, Qiao Jing politely declined, "Thank you, but there¡¯s no need, I¡¯ll think of another solution."

    Xu Moqian probably guessed her thoughts, shrugged, and suggested, "If you feel embarrassed, you can just treat me to a meal."

    Qiao Jing chuckled, "A meal is nothing, it¡¯s not evenparable, how can that offset this?"

    Xu Moqian pondered for a moment and came up with a brilliant idea.

    He snapped his fingers, chuckled mischievously, "How about this, a few days ago I heard Yubao and the other three little ones say you cook really well, even better than a five-star chef. How about you cook a meal personally, that would show sincerity!"

    Even as Xu Moqian suggested this, Qiao Jing was still a bit hesitant.

    Seeing her hesitate for so long, Xu Moqian felt a bit helpless.

    He furrowed his brows, his expression bing more serious, "If you still don¡¯t agree to this, then you really don¡¯t consider me a friend, and I¡¯ll be truly unhappy."

    Qiao Jing generally disliked asking others for help, which is why she was so hesitant.

    But she could feel Xu Moqian¡¯s genuine intention to help her, and he genuinely considered her a friend.

    More importantly, she felt a natural ease when interacting with Xu Moqian, as if she had known him for many years.

    After pondering for a few seconds, Qiao Jing finally nodded, "Since you say so, I won¡¯t be polite with you anymore."

    Seeing her finally agree, Xu Moqian was delighted.

    That evening.

    When Qiao Jing returned to the small western-style house, she saw Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin on the sofa looking as worried as they had in the morning.

    She stepped over, sat beside them, and said, "Big Sis, Second Sis, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve found a solution to our funding issue."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s faces immediately showed surprise.

    The sisters exchanged nces, each having the same thought.

    Could Xiao Jing have gone to Jiang Zihong for help?

    At the cost of marrying Jiang Zihong, to have him lend money to help thepany with its cash flow?!

    Considering this possibility, Qiao Lin hastily grabbed Qiao Jing¡¯s hand, urgently advising, "Xiao Jing, you can¡¯t be that foolish, even if the funding issue can¡¯t be resolved and thepany faces bankruptcy, you can¡¯t make such a deal with Jiang Zihong!"

    Qiao Hong also chimed in nervously, "Yes, Xiao Jing, you absolutely mustn¡¯t agree to marry that scoundrel Jiang Zihong, even if thepany can¡¯t continue, we would never agree to you doing something so foolish!"

    As soon as Qiao Jing heard them, she knew they misunderstood.

    However, this misunderstanding was truly absurd.

    She found it somewhat amusing, "Big Sis, Second Sis, what are you two thinking? Why suddenly bring up Jiang¡¯s name?"

    At this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin both paused.

    Qiao Lin let out an "ah,"pletely baffled, "Didn¡¯t you go to Jiang Zihong for help?"

    "When did I say I went to him for help?"

    Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in response.

    Qiao Hong looked at her in confusion, "Then the solution you mentioned just now is..."

    Qiao Jing raised an elegant brow and exined, "Young Master Xu said he¡¯d lend us money, with funds avable, thepany¡¯s cash flow problem is solved, and we have plenty of time to handle those projects."

    Hearing this, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were once again taken aback.

    Qiao Lin couldn¡¯t wait to ask, "The Young Master Xu you¡¯re talking about, isn¡¯t it that Xu Moqian we met before?"

    "They say the Xu Family is also a top tier prestigious family in the capital, and Xu Moqian¡¯s grandfather is the second-ranked agricultural tycoon in the empire. How did you get acquainted with him?"

    Having said this, Qiao Lin and Qiao Hong blinked their eyes curiously at Qiao Jing.

    Qiao Jing had to continue exining, "Did you forget? I currently work at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. Xu Moqian¡¯s grandfather is a respected professor at the institute, so Xu Moqian asionally drops by. Seeing each other so often, we naturally became familiar."

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Hong nodded in sudden understanding, "So that¡¯s how it is."

 Chapter 975 - Capé“†tulo 975: 963: Attending the Banquet with Lu Zijin

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 975: Chapter 963: Attending the Banquet with Lu Zijin</strong>

    ¡°But you haven¡¯t known each other for long, yet Xu Moqian is willing to lend that much money in one go!¡±

    Qiao Lin mumbled, then looked at Qiao Jing, half-joking and half-skeptical, ¡°Xiao Jing, did you use your charm?¡±

    As soon as these words were out, Qiao Hong immediately red at Qiao Lin, looking speechless, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What do you take our Xiao Jing for?¡±

    ¡°Besides, Xiao Jing is wearing fake skin right now, how could she use her charm? Xiao Jing relied purely on her personal charisma, alright!¡±

    Qiao Lin found this reasoning quite convincing and awkwardly smiled, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    At this moment, Qiao Hong received a transfer notification.

    She opened it and found that a sum of money had been deposited, and the sender was Xu Moqian.

    For convenience, Qiao Jing had given Xu Moqian thepany¡¯s ount, which Qiao Hong managed.

    With the financial issue resolved, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s heavy hearts finally lightened, and they immediately dragged Qiao Jing out for a meal.

    They hadn¡¯t eaten much all day due to the intense stress, and now that they could rx, their stomachs growled with hunger!!

    ¡­

    A dayter, at the Jin Family Vi.

    Jin Yufei and Mother Jin were sitting on the sofa in the living room, sipping afternoon tea and chatting.

    While chatting, Jin Yufei suddenly thought of something, ¡°By the way, mom, how¡¯s the progress on the issue with the Qiao Family Company?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem. That little brokenpany of the Qiao Family, we can easily trip them up and leave them helpless to deal with it!¡±

    After confidently speaking, Mother Jin snorted coldly, adding, ¡°That woman, Qiao Jing, dared to bully my precious daughter. I won¡¯t let her have it easy!¡±

    Jin Yufei sneered, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just wait to see the show.¡±

    As they spoke, Mother Jin¡¯s phone suddenly rang.

    The caller was an assistant she had previously sent on an errand.

    Upon answering, before Mother Jin could inquire about the progress, the assistant spoke first, ¡°Madam, the task you assigned wasn¡¯t aplished. The Qiao Family promptly refilled their funds, and the problematic projects have resumed normal operations¡­¡±

    After hearing the assistant¡¯s report, Mother Jin¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°What? How is that possible? In such a short time, where did the Qiao Family manage to gather such arge sum of money?!¡±<fncd76> Follow current nov?ls on find?novel</fncd76>

    Jin Yufei, hearing this, realized something was amiss, immediately put down her coffee, and moved closer to Mother Jin.

    Seeing this, Mother Jin directly turned on the speaker, and the assistant¡¯s voice continued from the phone, ¡°We investigated and found that Young Master Xu from the Xu Family helped. Young Master Xu transferred the money to the Qiao Family Company¡¯s ount all at once¡­¡±

    After hanging up the phone, both mother and daughter of the Jin Family furrowed their brows, looking puzzled.

    Mother Jin, utterly confused, mumbled, ¡°How did this be entangled with the Xu Family? Could it be that Qiao Jing hooked up with Xu Moqian? But you said that Qiao Jing¡¯s face is full of bumps and quite unattractive, so how could Xu Moqian possibly be interested in her?¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ve heard that Xu Moqian used to be quite close with that country wife of Zhan Qipei and always wanted to pursue her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of that country wife of Zhan Qipei that Xu Moqian has remained single and hasn¡¯t even dated a girlfriend, so how could he suddenly be interested in an ugly one?¡±

    Mother Jin couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it and turned to Jin Yufei for an exnation, ¡°Daughter, what do you think is going on? Why would Xu Moqian help the Qiao Family?¡±

    Jin Yufei couldn¡¯t figure it out either and, with a sour expression, snorted, ¡°Who knows what the situation is!¡±

    ¡°Anyway, this matter can¡¯t be let go just like that; I can¡¯t swallow this anger. When I get the chance, I¡¯ll see how I can deal with her!¡±

    Mother Jin immediately nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom will help you.¡±

    ¡­

    On the weekend.

    When it was learned that Qiao Jing was going to apany Lu Zijin to a banquet, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin were both thrilled.

    Qiao Hong, after holding it in for a while, couldn¡¯t resist speaking her mind, ¡°Honestly, I have a really good impression of Director Lu. If our Xiao Jing can really get together with him, that would be fantastic!¡±

    Qiao Lin nodded in agreement and chimed in, ¡°I also think Director Lu is awesome. Not only does hee from a good family, and has good looks, and a good physique, but he¡¯s also be a hospital director at a young age. He¡¯s an outstanding young man. If Director Lu wants to be my brother-inw, I¡¯d be the first to support it!¡±

    Listening to their words, Qiao Jing felt it necessary to remind them, to prevent them from getting too carried away.

    She cleared her throat and said, ¡°Elder sister, second sister, what are you thinking? I¡¯m just ordinary friends with him, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Qiao Hong raised an eyebrow, speaking meaningfully, ¡°Sure, you¡¯re ordinary friends now, but that doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be any possibilities in the future. You can never tell with these things.¡±

    Qiao Lin chuckled and added, ¡°Exactly, I think Director Lu is quite something, he¡¯s good in every aspect, not only outstanding but also suave and charming, practically the perfect ideal lover!¡±

    Hearing them say so, Qiao Jing was really both amused and at a loss.

    She replied in a tone of helplessness, ¡°You think he¡¯s great, but would he really be interested in me? Leaving aside the difference in family background and status, given my appearance, do you think it¡¯s possible?¡±

    Qiao Lin nonchntly shook her head, ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not like your face is real. If you peel off that fake skin and reveal your original looks, it would surely captivate everyone!¡±

    Now it was Qiao Hong¡¯s turn to agree, she echoed, ¡°Exactly, exactly, our Xiao Jing is so beautiful, like a fairy, it¡¯s us who would reject others, not the other way around!¡±

    To stop them from overthinking, Qiao Jing had to straighten her face and say seriously, ¡°Elder sister, second sister, I¡¯m really just a friend with Lu Zijin, so let¡¯s not say such things. If it ends up annoying others, that would be bad.¡±

    Qiao Lin moved over to wrap her arms around Qiao Jing yfully, ¡°Oh, you can rx, we¡¯ll only say these things in front of you, we definitely won¡¯t say them in front of Director Lu.¡±

    Qiao Hong also added, ¡°Yes, we know our limits, we won¡¯t go around spreading it.¡±

    Just then, the doorbell rang suddenly.

    Qiao Hong went to answer it and returned in less than a minute with an exquisite gift bag.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Qiao Jing asked curiously.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to a banquet? So the two of us got a gown for you from a custom shop, see if you like it?¡±

    Qiao Hong said as she took out the gown.

    It was a ck off-shoulder fishtail gown withce see-through design at the back. The overall style was sexy and enchanting, yet still elegant.

    In short, it was a very beautiful dress!

    Qiao Lin urged, ¡°Quick, Xiao Jing, put it on and see. I think you¡¯ll look great in it!¡±

 Chapter 976 - Capé“†tulo 976: 964: Taken Aback by Her Beauty

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 976: Chapter 964: Taken Aback by Her Beauty</strong>

    Qiao Jing nced at the dress in Qiao Hong¡¯s hand and slightly raised her eyebrows, ¡°With my face like this, is there really any need to wear such a beautiful gown?¡±

    Qiao Hong shook her head and disagreed, ¡°You can¡¯t say that. After all, you¡¯re going as someone else¡¯s escort to the banquet. Naturally, you need to dress nicely to make a good impression!¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Lin also chimed in, ¡°Yeah, and so what about your face? You still have a great figure! Just wearing this dress, with your curvaceous body, you¡¯ll definitely outshine all the beauties!¡±

    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Jing nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go try it on.¡±

    Having said that, she took the dress from Qiao Hong¡¯s hand and turned to walk into the room.

    It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to outshine everyone, but she felt Qiao Hong made a good point.

    After all, she was attending the banquet as Lu Zijin¡¯spanion, so she couldn¡¯t let Lu Zijin lose face.

    A momentter, Qiao Jing, now dressed in an evening gown and high heels, emerged from the room.

    Upon hearing the sound, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin immediately turned to look.

    The moment their eyesnded on Qiao Jing, the sisters were instantly awestruck.

    Qiao Lin stared at her from left to right, up and down, and finally couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Wow! Xiao Jing, you look amazing! You¡¯re like a little vixen who can steal anyone¡¯s heart without a second thought!¡±

    Hearing Qiao Lin¡¯s words and seeing her infatuated expression, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing, ¡°It¡¯s just a change of clothes, is it really that exaggerated?¡±

    Qiao Hong immediately chimed in with conviction, ¡°Big sister can testify, your second sister isn¡¯t exaggerating at all. Honestly, if I were a man, I¡¯d want to marry you right away!¡±

    Qiao Jing smiled, unsure of what to say.

    Before long, the evening sky gradually darkened, and night quietly arrived.

    Qiao Jing originally nned to head to the banquet herself, but just as she was about to leave, Lu Zijin called, mentioning he was already on his way to pick her up.

    So, after the call, Qiao Jing waited outside by the door.

    Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin apanied her outside as well.

    Soon, a ck Ferrari drove towards the small mansion.

    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Lu Zijin immediately spotted the girl in the ck evening gown standing under the streetlight through the windshield.

    This was the first time he¡¯d seen her in an evening gown.

    At this moment, with the darkened sky and dim lighting, her e was almost negligible from a distance.

    She looked so stunning it was hard to look away.

    More importantly, her facial features and figure made Lu Zijin feel a momentary illusion.

    For a brief moment, he almost thought he saw Qiao Jing.

    Snapping back to reality, Lu Zijin murmured softly, ¡°Could it be that the heavens know Qiao Jing and I can never be, and sent a girl so simr to her to me, so I won¡¯t be lonely forever¡­¡±

    Soon enough, the car stopped in front of the small mansion.

    Lu Zijin got out of the car, walked to the other side, and opened the passenger door.

    Seeing his gentlemanly gesture, Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin nodded in satisfaction.

    ¡°Director Lu, we¡¯ll leave our Xiao Jing in your care.¡±

    ¡°Director Lu, please take good care of our Xiao Jing.¡±

    Each of the sisters expressed a meaningful tone and knowing smile.

    Both sisters felt that their Xiao Jing and Director Lu really looked more and more perfect together!

    Lu Zijin smiled warmly and replied sincerely, ¡°Rest assured, I will take good care of her.¡±

    Qiao Jing stepped slowly forward in her high heels, lifted her dress hem, and sat in the passenger seat, telling Lu Zijin, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Lu Zijin nodded, returned to the driver¡¯s seat, and started the car to head to the banquet venue.

    This scene was witnessed by a maid hiding in a corner.

    Watching as the car gradually disappeared, the maid took out her phone and made a call.

    Once connected, the maid immediately reported in a low voice, ¡°Miss Sun, the third youngdy of the Qiao Family was picked up by Director Lu. I heard they¡¯re going to the banquet together¡­¡±

    After listening to the maid, Sun Mingzhu was so angry that her face turned green.

    Suppressing the fury rolling in her chest, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I understand. You¡¯ve done well. Keep watching them for me, and you¡¯ll be rewarded.¡±

    After speaking, Sun Mingzhu hung up the phone, gripping it tightly.

    Luckily she had foresight and secretly bought off the maid in Qiao family¡¯s household, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t even know that Qiao Lao San had gotten so close to Lu Zijin!

    Seeing her sister¡¯s face turn unsightly after the call, Sun Mingxin hurriedly asked, ¡°Sis, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Next to her, Qiao Pen also immediately turned and looked at her eldest daughter.

    Furious with rage, and with no outsiders present, Sun Mingzhu no longer cared about her image and started cursing outright.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it that damn ugly Qiao Lao San! She won¡¯t give up and keeps seducing Lu Zijin behind my back!¡±

    ¡°Those two¡­ those two actually went to the banquet together, and it was Lu Zijin personally picking up Qiao Lao San!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sun Mingxin¡¯s temper red, ¡°What? That cheap Qiao Lao San has gone this far?!¡±

    She spat fiercely, ¡°Pah! Being that ugly and still daring to seduce another¡¯s man, truly shameless!¡±

    Qiao Pen was equally infuriated and began angrily cursing, ¡°No wonder people say ugly people cause more trouble, this despicable fox! As ugly as she is, she still has many tricks up her sleeve!¡±<fn8871> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? find(?)ovel</fn8871>

    ¡°But, ultimately it¡¯s Qiao Weiguang and Jiang Youyi¡¯s fault, those blind couple, for wanting to take in this ugly monster as their adopted daughter!¡±

    ¡°If you ask me, that shameless woman should have been left to die by the sea!¡±

    For a while, the mother and daughters swore intensely, almost cursing with all the harsh words they could muster.

    When the cursing finally subsided, Sun Mingxin suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Sis, the banquet Qiao Lao San and Lu Zijin are attending, could it be the one held at Athena Manor?¡±

    It¡¯s said that tonight¡¯s banquet at Athena Manor would be attended by the top elites of the imperial capital, and apart from them, only renowned figures from various fields would be invited!

    ¡°What else? What other one could it be?¡±

    Sun Mingzhu¡¯s tone was disgruntled as she snorted coldly, ¡°No way! We can¡¯t just let this slide!¡±

    Sun Mingxin frowned, ¡°But, that¡¯s a highly exclusive banquet, and no matter how we try, we can¡¯t get in!¡±

    The security of such high-end events was bound to be tight. Without an invitation, or someone to bring them in, they had no way to sneak in.

    Qiao Pen scoffed, ¡°No matter how tough, we have to find a way in. We cannot let that ugly Qiao Lao San steal your sister¡¯s future husband!¡±

    As the mother and daughters were racking their brains for a solution, the head of the Sun family, Sun Zhidong, returned home.

 Chapter 977 - 965: Zhan Qipeiéˆ¥æªš Unexplainable Agitation

    <h4>Chapter 977: Chapter 965: Zhan Qipei¡¯s Unexinable Agitation</h4>

    "Honey, you¡¯re back just in time. I have something to tell you..."

    Qiao Pen had just started speaking when Sun Zhidong interrupted her.

    "I know what you¡¯re going to say. As soon as I came in, I heard you talking about the Athena Manor party. I know Ming Zhu and Ming Xin always enjoy these asions, so during the dinner I attended earlier, I put in a good word with ourpany¡¯s biggest client to bring you all in."

    This client is from a prestigious family in the capital and has also been invited to the party, so bringing someone along is just a matter of a word.

    Upon hearing Sun Zhidong¡¯s words, Sun Mingzhu was instantly overjoyed, "Dad, you¡¯re amazing!"

    Unexpectedly, the problem was solved just like that. Truly, heaven helped her!

    Sun Mingxin was also delighted, "Dad, you really understand us so well!"

    Sun Zhidong said proudly, "Of course, you¡¯re my own daughters, how could I not understand!"

    Sun Mingxin squinted her eyes, a cold glint shing through them.

    At the party, she must find a way to snatch Lu Zijin away from Qiao Lao San!

    At this moment, in the banquet hall of Athena Manor.

    People were arriving one after another, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.

    Zhan Qipei and Lu Zijiao stood together, each holding a wine ss.

    Zhan Qipei was silent, drinking sullenly.

    Lu Zijiao nced at his watch asionally and then looked towards the entrance, as if waiting for someone.

    After a while, he mumbled to himself in confusion, "Strange, why is my brother taking so long to pick someone up? He¡¯s not here yet..."

    Upon hearing this, Zhan Qipei casually asked, "Who is he picking up? A girlfriend?"

    Lu Zijiao raised his eyebrows and replied, "Well, you might be right; this person might actually be my sister-inw!"

    This statement finally piqued Zhan Qipei¡¯s interest.

    Although Lu Zijin had never explicitly expressed it before, Zhan Qipei knew in his heart that Lu Zijin liked Qiao Jing.

    So, upon hearing that Lu Zijin might have taken a liking to someone else, he was quite curious.

    After a pause, Zhan Qipei asked again, "Really? Did your brother really get a girlfriend?"

    Lu Zijiao took a sip of wine and said slowly, "Well, to be exact, she¡¯s not quite a girlfriend yet; it¡¯s still in the pursuing stage. And you know this person too."

    When Zhan Qipei heard this, his curiosity grew even more, "I know her? Which family¡¯s youngdy is she from?"

    Just as Lu Zijiao was about to answer, he turned his head and saw his brother leading someone in from the entrance.

    He nodded towards that direction, "Look, there theye."

    Zhan Qipei followed Lu Zijiao¡¯s gaze and saw Lu Zijin walking in, gently holding a girl in a ck evening dress.

    When he saw who the girl was, Zhan Qipei was quite surprised.

    Qiao Jing? How could it be her?

    Looking at them like this, she and Lu Zijin do seem to be quite a good match.

    But strangely, this scene actually made Zhan Qipei feel inexplicably ufortable.

    "I¡¯m going over to say hi to my brother."

    After saying this, Lu Zijiao walked towards Lu Zijin and Qiao Jing.

    Once he got closer, he greeted them briefly, then leaned in towards Lu Zijin and whispered, "Brother, so do you think you have a chance to win her over?"

    Lu Zijin pressed his lips slightly, looking a bit embarrassed, "Don¡¯t talk nonsense; we¡¯re just ordinary friends."

    "Oh really?"

    Lu Zijiao raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "But in all these years, I¡¯ve never seen you personally pick up any ordinary female friend. This is a first!"

    Saying this, he turned his eyes to look at Qiao Jing beside him and continued, "To be honest, even though she¡¯s got quite a few pimples on her face and doesn¡¯t look great, her figure is really something!"

    Hearing his brother¡¯s words, Lu Zijin couldn¡¯t help frowning, looking somewhat displeased.

    His expression became more serious, "Don¡¯t say things like that in the future; don¡¯t casuallyment on others¡¯ appearances. To me, inner beauty is what truly matters."

    Because of his nature, even when reprimanding someone, Lu Zijin¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t harsh and was still rtively gentle.

    Lu Zijiao, knowing his brother¡¯s temperament well, continued jokingly with a smile, "Oh, I see, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, right? As long as you like her, that¡¯s all that matters."

    "Hurry up and make an effort to give our mom a big, healthy grandson. She¡¯s been wanting a grandchild for a long time!"

    After teasing Lu Zijin, Lu Zijiao turned his attention to Qiao Jing and said seriously, "Third Miss Qiao, I¡¯m not exaggerating, my brother is really great, simply one in a million... no, one in ten million! He¡¯s absolutely the Prince Charming in every girl¡¯s heart!"

    Listening to his brother deliberately praising him in front of a girl, Lu Zijin felt very embarrassed but couldn¡¯t help sneakily ncing at the girl beside to see her reaction.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t know how to respond, so she maintained a polite, gentle smile throughout.

    With a mischievous grin, Lu Zijiao looked at the two of them and added, "If you two get along, I can start calling you sister-inw!"

    Seeing his brother getting more and more outrageous, Lu Zijin quickly stopped him, "That¡¯s enough. Go chat with your friends over drinks."

    "Already chasing me away?"

    Lu Zijiao chuckled, "Alright, alright, I get it; I won¡¯t intrude on your couple time."

    With that, he gave them a meaningful look before turning and walking away.

    As Lu Zijiao left, Lu Zijin turned to Qiao Jing and said apologetically, "That¡¯s just how my brother is, always joking around. Don¡¯t take it to heart."

    Qiao Jing shook her head, saying lightly, "It¡¯s okay, I understand, I won¡¯t take it seriously."

    Meanwhile, as the two were talking.

    Lu Zijiao had returned to Zhan Qipei¡¯s side.

    He raised an eyebrow toward Zhan Qipei and said excitedly, "How about it? My brother and Third Miss Qiao look like a good match, right? I might be calling her sister-inw soon!"

    "That would be great, finally getting to attend my brother¡¯s wedding and soon I¡¯ll have a nephew. If my mom knew about this, she¡¯d be overjoyed..."

    <fnedf7> Original content can be found at F?nd-Novel</fnedf7>

    As Lu Zijiao spoke more enthusiastically, he also felt the atmosphere around him getting a bit off, with a sudden chill in the air.

    He stopped talking and nced over at Zhan Qipei¡¯s face, noticing that Zhan Qipei was staring intently at his brother and Third Miss Qiao, seemingly with a hint of inexplicable hostility.

    Lu Zijiao observed for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but ask suspiciously, "What¡¯s wrong? Do you have such a bad impression of Third Miss Qiao? Why are you looking at her so sharply?"

    After asking, Lu Zijiao suddenly thought of something and continued talking to himself, "No, even if you have a bad impression of her, it¡¯s my brother¡¯s choice, not really rted to you..."

    Zhan Qipei remained silent, his eyes still fixed on the seemingly well-matched couple, his grip tightening unconsciously around the wine ss.

 Chapter 978 - Capé“†tulo 978: 966: Has Lu Zijin Been Charmed by Third Miss Qiao?

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 978: Chapter 966: Has Lu Zijin Been Charmed by Third Miss Qiao?</strong><fndec5> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find~Novel</fndec5>

    Zhan Nanjing also arrived early at the banquet. After exchanging a few pleasantries with some familiar friends, she turned her head and saw Qiao Jing.

    Seeing that Qiao Jing hade with Lu Zijin, Zhan Nanjing was a bit surprised.

    She took steps forward and greeted Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin.

    Just after they exchanged greetings, someone called Lu Zijin over.

    Lu Zijin responded and then looked at Qiao Jing, saying softly, ¡°You guys chat first, I¡¯ll head over there for a bit, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Qiao Jing nodded.

    Lu Zijin gave her another nce before turning around to walk away.

    As soon as he left, Zhan Nanjing immediately sidled up to Qiao Jing, raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Xiao Jing, you said before that you needed to help a friend over the weekend, turns out this friend is Lu Zijin!¡±

    Qiao Jing made a sound of acknowledgment and truthfully said, ¡°He said he was short of a femalepanion and asked for my help.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing caught a sniff of gossip and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How did you two meet? I see Lu Zijin is very gentle with you, even taking the time to let you know before he left, acting just like a top ten good boyfriend. Are you two¡­?¡±

    At this point, Zhan Nanjing gave Qiao Jing a meaningful look.

    Qiao Jing was somewhat helpless, just about to exin, when a sharp and sarcastic voice suddenly pierced through.

    ¡°Someone like her, such an ugly freak, dreaming of coveting my brother-inw? Utterly delusional, doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s doing!¡±

    Qiao Jing turned her head and saw the two sisters from the Sun Family striding over.

    The one who spoke was Sun Mingxin, who always considered Lu Zijin to be her brother-inw.

    Seeing the two sisters, Qiao Jing¡¯s clear and distant brows suddenly showed a hint of impatience.

    These two have repeatedly picked fights with her, reaching the same level of annoyance as Yang Xiaoxiao!

    Zhan Nanjing was surprised by Sun Mingxin¡¯s words.

    She looked at Sun Mingxin suspiciously, ¡°Your brother-inw? Since when was Lu Zijin with your sister? Howe I haven¡¯t heard about it?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not officially together yet, but soon enough. This Qiao Jing knows about my sister¡¯s rtionship with Lu Zijin but shamelesslyes to steal him away, really too wicked!¡±

    Sun Mingxin spoke as if it were true, and with such indignation, that those unaware of the situation might truly believe it.

    Zhan Nanjing listened and turned to Qiao Jing asking, ¡°Xiao Jing, what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    In her view, Xiao Jing did not fit the description provided by Sun Mingxin at all.

    She asked purely out of curiosity, wanting to know what had urred.

    ¡°The sisters are just indulging in wishful thinking. Director Lu is gentle by nature and kind to everyone, and they simply assume he has intentions, wishfully seeing him as boyfriend and brother-inw.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke slowly, her tone mocking, ¡°Thus, whenever any woman gets a bit closer to Director Lu, they believe she¡¯s trying to steal him away.¡±

    Hearing this, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin¡¯s faces changed.

    Sun Mingxin red viciously at Qiao Jing, ¡°What nonsense are you saying? Dare to do but not admit it, huh? It¡¯s clear you shamelessly stole my sister¡¯s man, and you¡¯re still trying to y innocent!¡±

    The two sides each held their ground, but between Qiao Jing and the Sun sisters, Zhan Nanjing naturally sided with Qiao Jing.

    She looked at the Sun sisters with disdain and said, ¡°I think you¡¯re the ones talking nonsense. I know Xiao Jing¡¯s character very well. As for you two, indulging in wishful thinking is one thing, but being so overbearing about it, it¡¯d be strange if someone with Lu Zijin¡¯s personality liked women like you two!¡±

    Being confronted by Zhan Nanjing, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin¡¯s expressions instantly turned a few shades uglier.

    Due to Zhan Nanjing¡¯s status, they dared not voice their anger, having to swallow their resentment forcefully.

    In the distance, Lu Zijin was drinking and chatting with people, but during this time, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Qiao Jing.

    Seeing the Sun sisters march over with a menacing demeanor, Lu Zijin immediately put down his drink and told his friends, ¡°Sorry, I have some things to attend to, please excuse me.¡±

    With those words, Lu Zijin strode towards Qiao Jing.

    Sun Mingzhu had been watching Lu Zijin, and upon seeing hime over, she assumed he wasing for her, instantly feeling delighted, eagerly moving to greet him with a smile.

    Once close, Sun Mingzhu blocked Lu Zijin¡¯s path, giggling, ¡°Director Lu, what a coincidence, I was just wondering why I hadn¡¯t seen you yet, and here you are. How about we go have a drink together?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have time.¡±

    Lu Zijin rejected her outright and without giving her any chance to speak further, bypassed her directly and headed towards Qiao Jing.

    Watching Lu Zijin walk towards Qiao Jing, Sun Mingzhu gritted her teeth, her eyes almost bursting with wrath.

    Damn Qiao Lao San, to enchant Lu Zijin to this extent!

    As Sun Mingzhu was fuming, Lu Zijin had already arrived in front of Qiao Jing.

    ¡°Sorry, I was caught up talking just now, so I got dyed.¡±

    After exining, Lu Zijin pointed towards the garden outside and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a stroll over there?¡±

    Following his direction, Qiao Jing saw a quaint artificial fountain and a vibrant flowerbed. The surrounding environment was also very beautiful.

    More importantly, it looked very peaceful there!

    Qiao Jing generally disliked noisy asions, so she thought Lu Zijin¡¯s suggestion was quite nice and agreed promptly.

    After saying a word to Zhan Nanjing, she walked together with Lu Zijin outside, chatting casually.

    From afar, Lu Zijiao watched this scene andmented with satisfaction, ¡°Looks like my brother and Third Miss Qiao are really hitting it off. They¡¯re chatting andughing together.¡±

    After speaking, he paused and then mused, ¡°I heard Third Miss Qiao is now working at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, andbined with her good medical skills, she¡¯s actually quite simr to Qiao Jing. Perhaps it¡¯s these qualities that are unconsciously attracting my brother to her?¡±

    ¡°Also, although I haven¡¯t interacted much with her, I also find her temperament truly resembles that of Qiao Jing, which might be one of the factors that attract my brother¡­¡±

    While Lu Zijiao spoke, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but look towards Lu Zijin and Qiao Jing.

    His dark eyes were deep as water, and his face was stern, making it difficult for one to decipher his emotions at the moment.

    Just then, three little ones ran over with their tiny legs, dashing swiftly.

    The trio wore little suits, little leather shoes, and sported cool hairdos, looking exactly like three mini-Zhan Qipeis.

    Seeing this, Lu Zijiao immediately spread his arms towards the three little ones, ¡°Yubao, Zebao, Mo Bao,e let uncle give you a hug.¡±

    The three little ones didn¡¯t have time for him, only nced at him, then ran straight to Qiao Jing.

    Once in front of Qiao Jing, the little ones held hands, hugged legs, sticking to her cheerfully calling ¡°Aunt Jing.¡±

 Chapter 979: 967: Xu Moqian and Ni Yue Also Cling to Qiao Jing

    <strong>Chapter 979: Chapter 967: Xu Moqian and Ni Yue Also Cling to Qiao Jing</strong>

    Seeing the three little ones clinging to Qiao Jing, Lu Zijin was a bit surprised.

    He couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Have you known each other for a long time? These three children from the Zhan Family seem to like you a lot.¡±

    Qiao Jing lovingly patted the little ones¡¯ heads and replied slowly, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for a while. I don¡¯t know why, but I always feel these little ones are very endearing. Maybe we¡¯re just naturally connected.¡±

    At this moment, Zhan Yuanshan maneuvered his wheelchair closer to Zhan Qipei and said, exasperated, ¡°Look at you, a father, yet not as proactive as your three sons. Your wife is almost being whisked away, and you still have the mind to drink here!¡±

    Zhan Qipei swirled the wine in his ss, his thin lips slowly releasing a sentence, ¡°She¡¯s not mine.¡±

    Seeing his indifferent attitude, Zhan Yuanshan¡¯s old face turned red with anger.

    If he weren¡¯t in a wheelchair and hadn¡¯t used a walking stick in a long time, he would¡¯ve surely given this disappointing grandson a few whacks to clear his head!

    ncing disdainfully at his grandson, Zhan Yuanshan snorted, ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t go, I will!¡±

    With that, the old man maneuvered his wheelchair towards Qiao Jing.

    Once in front of Qiao Jing, the old man put on his usual act, feigning weakness as he said, ¡°Jing Girl, I feel a bit unwell. Can you check my pulse to see if my condition has worsened?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the old man¡¯splexion and lip color, seeing he appeared quite healthy, not showing any signs of trouble.

    Knowing the old man was faking it again, she said helplessly, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, perhaps you¡¯re just tired. Why don¡¯t you rest for a bit?¡±

    The way they addressed each other left Lu Zijin feeling a bit surprised.

    Jing Girl? Grandpa Zhan?

    Clearly, these were the terms of endearment between Qiao Jing and Old Master Zhan!

    Out of curiosity, Lu Zijin quietly inquired about what was going on.

    Since it wouldn¡¯t be good for Zhan Yuanshan to hear this, Qiao Jing leaned in close to Lu Zijin, whispering in a voice only they could hear, ¡°The old man mistook me for his granddaughter-inw.¡±

    ¡°His health isn¡¯t great, and he can¡¯t take any shocks. Otherwise, his condition could worsen, so I¡¯m just pretending to help him out¡­¡±

    Having listened, Lu Zijin nodded in understanding.

    This scene was clearly observed by Zhan Qipei, and seeing the two of them so close, he felt a sudden heaviness in his heart, his grip on the wine ss tightening.

    ¡°Snap¡ª¡ª¡±

    The wine ss shattered in response.

    Hearing themotion, Lu Zijin turned his head and found that Zhan Qipei had smashed the wine ss!

    Startled for a moment, Lu Zijin suspiciously asked, ¡°What happened to you? Why so suddenly violent?¡±

    Zhan Qipei lightly pursed his thin lips, casually grabbing a tissue to wipe the wine off his hand, responding expressionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, the ss was just poor quality.¡±

    Lu Zijiao cast a skeptical nce at his own wine ss, deeply doubting Zhan Qipei¡¯s words.

    The ss¡¯s quality was perfectly fine, where was the problem?!

    Just then, Zhan Nanjing walked over.

    She nced at Lu Zijiao, her face full of curiosity, and asked, ¡°When did your brother and Xiao Jing get so close? They seem to be getting along well.¡±

    Lu Zijiao smiled readily, replying cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s something recent.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing nodded, pausing for a few seconds, then curiously inquired, ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother have feelings for my sister-inw before? Has he shifted his target now?¡±

    Lu Zijiao shrugged, reasoning, ¡°I think it¡¯s quite good this way. Otherwise, my brother would keep pining, and if he couldn¡¯t have her, someone else would always get upset, and randomly cause a jealous scene.¡±

    ¡°Besides, this Third Miss Qiao seems pretty great to me too!¡±

    Lu Zijiao¡¯s words were clearly pointing to Zhan Qipei as the ¡°someone else.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing subconsciously nced at her brother before nodding in agreement with Lu Zijiao¡¯s words, ¡°You¡¯re right, but who knows if anything wille out of your brother and Xiao Jing?¡±

    Lu Zijiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°From the way you¡¯re talking, are you rooting for them too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, with their talents and looks, they make a great pair together. Plus, they seem to get along well enough. If they could end up together, it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing.¡±

    As Zhan Nanjing finished speaking, she suddenly noticed her brother staring at her, his gaze a bit chilly, sending a shiver down her spine for no apparent reason.

    For this, Zhan Nanjing felt very puzzled.

    How strange, why was her brother looking at her like that for no good reason?!

    Finishing the wine in his ss, Lu Zijiao sighed, ¡°Anyway, I really hope my brother seeds, so my mom stops pressuring me to get married.¡±

    In the midst of speaking, Zhan Nanjing caught a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.

    She focused, realizing the figure was Xu Moqian.

    At that moment, Xu Moqian was striding quickly towards Qiao Jing.

    Unable to help rolling her eyes, Zhan Nanjingined, ¡°Why is this guy back again, always hovering around like a ghost!¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei and Lu Zijiao both looked over, seeing Xu Moqian had already reached Qiao Jing.

    Xu Moqian nced at Lu Zijin beside Qiao Jing and blurted, ¡°Why are you with this blockhead? He¡¯s such a dull person, what¡¯s there to talk about with him? It¡¯s only in the past that Sister Jing would chat with him.¡±

    Then, Xu Moqian shifted the topic, ¡°It¡¯s too quiet here, not fun at all. Come on, let¡¯s go to a livelier ce and stroll around.¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head, gently refusing, ¡°I prefer quieter ces, they make me feel morefortable.¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Zijin¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, feeling inexplicably happy inside.

    It just so happened he also preferred quiet ces¡­

    Just as Xu Moqian was about to say something, Ni Yue suddenly darted over, hugging Qiao Jing.

    She beamed broadly, speaking cheerfully, ¡°Xiao Jingjing, I didn¡¯t expect you toe too! Why didn¡¯t you tell me? If I had known you were here, I would¡¯vee to find you earlier!¡±

    The sound of ¡°Xiao Jingjing¡± momentarily stunned both Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin.

    However, they quickly figured out the reason.

    Like them, Ni Yue probably felt this Qiao Jing closely resembled Qiao Jing, which is why she addressed her that way.<fne7f1> Find the newest release on ?ovelFind</fne7f1>

    Watching this scene from afar, Zhan Qipei couldn¡¯t help but be a bit lost in thought, even dazed for a moment.

    Because in the past, these people always liked to gather around his wife, each wanting to vie for her attention¡­

    Lu Zijiao set down his ss with a ¡°bang,¡± rolling up his sleeves with an air of going into battle.

    Zhan Nanjing looked at him questioningly, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Lu Zijiao snorted, angrily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see? Xu Moqian clearly isn¡¯t up to any good!¡±

    Zhan Nanjing readily agreed, as she also thought Xu Moqian was quite a bothersome fellow!

 Chapter 980 - 968: Their Aunt Jing Is About to Be Snatched Away

    <h4>Chapter 980: Chapter 968: Their Aunt Jing Is About to Be Snatched Away</h4>

    Lu Zijiao paused for a moment, then continued, "Xu Moqian is obviously trying to steal my sister-inw. I need to help my brother, otherwise, with his temperament, his wife will be taken from right under his nose, and he¡¯ll just watch and do nothing!"

    "Just like back then, although it was clearly my brother who knew someone first, in the end, that person was taken away!"

    The ¡¯someone¡¯ Lu Zijiao first mentioned clearly referred to Qiao Jing, and the second ¡¯someone¡¯ was naturally Zhan Qipei.

    Zhan Nanjing immediately turned to look at her brother, noticing that he had no expression and couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking.

    After Lu Zijiao finished speaking, he strode over to Xu Moqian.

    As he approached, he directly grabbed Xu Moqian, "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s have a drink."

    <fn1671> Discover more novels at find(?)ovel</fn1671>

    Xu Moqian nced at him and said rudely, "Drink what drink, are we that close?"

    Without hesitation, Xu Moqian refused Lu Zijiao, then turned his head towards Qiao Jing, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Let¡¯s go have a couple of drinks."

    Qiao Jing lightly shook her head, "No, I don¡¯t really feel like drinking now."

    "Did you hear that? She doesn¡¯t want to drink with you,e on, I¡¯ll pity you and reluctantly drink a few with you."

    Saying this, Lu Zijiao tried to forcibly drag Xu Moqian away.

    After being dragged a few steps, Xu Moqian shook off Lu Zijiao¡¯s hand forcibly, and said impatiently, "What¡¯s your problem? I already said I¡¯m not going!"

    Lu Zijiao leaned in closer, speaking softly so only the two of them could hear, "What¡¯s your problem? Can¡¯t you see my brother and my future sister-inw are getting along well? What¡¯s your point in barging in?"

    Hearing this, Xu Moqian was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "Wha-what? What did you say? Your future sister-inw? Did you get her approval to say that, or is it just your wishful thinking?"

    Lu Zijiao snorted and argued, "What¡¯s wishful thinking? Can¡¯t you see how happily they¡¯re chatting?"

    As soon as he said this, Xu Moqian was not convinced.

    He curled his lips and said dismissively, "So what? You don¡¯t know, the other night, we went for ate-night snack together and had a delightful chat!"

    "And a few days ago, she had some trouble, and it was me who helped her solve it. She even promised to cook me a big meal as a thank you!"

    Hearing this, Lu Zijiao widened his eyes and muttered to himself, "There was such a thing? Why didn¡¯t she seek my brother¡¯s help when she was in trouble?"

    Upon hearing his mutter, Xu Moqian immediately became smug, "Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s because the rtionship between her and me is much closer!"

    Lu Zijiao snapped back, unwilling to be outdone, "I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯d say it¡¯s probably because she¡¯s embarrassed."

    "After all, you tend to feel shy around someone you like, but when ites to an irrelevant outsider like you, she¡¯s not shy at all!"

    While the two were arguing heatedly, Zhan Yuanshan looked at Xu Moqian, then at Lu Zijin, and felt more ufortable the more he looked.

    Everyone seemed to have their eyes on his granddaughter-inw!

    The truth is, it¡¯s because his granddaughter-inw is just too outstanding!

    After pondering for a bit, Zhan Yuanshan maneuvered his wheelchair in front of Qiao Jing and said, "Jing Girl, these people are too noisy. Let¡¯s not pay attention to them. How about you apany me for a walk?"

    Hearing the old man, Lu Zijiao couldn¡¯t bother with Xu Moqian anymore, urgently turning around to signal to his brother.

    From his little brother¡¯s eyes, Lu Zijin seemed to read a message.

    ¡¯See, in the past, you missed an opportunity because you weren¡¯t proactive. Do you want to miss another one now? If you don¡¯t take the initiative, you¡¯ll never find a wife in this life...¡¯

    Simr words had been said to Lu Zijin by Lu Zijiao before.

    Lu Zijin pondered for a moment and couldn¡¯t help recalling the past.

    Back then, although he was the first to know Qiao Jing, his indecisiveness and inaction, coupled with hisck of courage to express his feelings, left him with an irremediable regret.

    Just like his brother said, missing the opportunity was entirely his own fault, and no one else could be med.

    With these thoughts in mind, Lu Zijin gritted his teeth and finally gathered the courage.

    He looked at Qiao Jing, pointed ahead to the left, and suggested, "How about we head over there? It¡¯s quieter."

    With so many people around, Qiao Jing did feel a bit overwhelmed by the noise.

    Hearing Lu Zijin¡¯s suggestion, she nodded immediately, "Sure, let¡¯s go."

    With that, she walked away alongside Lu Zijin.

    Zhan Qipei, who had been quietly observing, couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit gloomy upon seeing this scene.

    He couldn¡¯t quite figure out the source of his frustration.

    Feeling simrly discontented, Xu Moqian and Zhan Yuanshan were also not happy.

    Xu Moqian clenched his fists; he had approached happily to chat and drink with Third Miss Qiao, but ended up with neither conversation nor drink.

    And to top it off, she was whisked away by Lu Zijin!

    Zhan Yuanshan was also greatly annoyed, but his anger was directed at his grandson.

    If it weren¡¯t for his grandson¡¯s ipetence, his granddaughter-inw wouldn¡¯t have walked off with another man!

    The three of them immediately wanted to catch up.

    Zhan Nanjing quickly stopped the three little nephews, "That¡¯s enough from you three, don¡¯t go causing trouble for them."

    Zhan Qiaoyu pouted and said earnestly, "Aunt, I disagree. We just want to be with Aunt Jing; how is that causing trouble?"

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo nodded in agreement, "Exactly, exactly."

    "Be good, listen, your Aunt Jing has things to do now, don¡¯t disturb her. Aunt will take you to eat something."

    With that, Zhan Nanjing grabbed the shirts of the three little nephews and pulled them into the banquet hall.

    Lu Zijiao had just mentioned that his brother and Xiao Jing were developing a bond.

    Given the rare opportunity for them to have such a good time together, she felt she couldn¡¯t let the three little ones be a third wheel, interfering with their date!

    The three little ones were reluctant, longing to snuggle into Aunt Jing¡¯s embrace, yet their aunt¡¯s strength was surprisingly strong, forcing them away!

    No matter how much they struggled, they couldn¡¯t escape their aunt¡¯s "clutches"...

    Meanwhile, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin, having always been attentive to Lu Zijin¡¯s movements, naturally noticed the scene of Qiao Jing surrounded by admirers.

    Seeing how popr Qiao Jing was, the sisters were naturally jealous.

    But more importantly, they realized Lu Zijin¡¯s gaze toward Qiao Jing was increasingly unusual, suggesting he might already have romantic feelings for her.

    In an instant, Sun Mingzhu felt both angry and anxious, almost on the verge of tears.

    Panicking, she grabbed her sister¡¯s hand and said urgently, "Mingxin, what should we do? If this continues, Lu Zijin will really be snatched away by Qiao Lao San!"

 Chapter 981: 969: Dont Mistake the Tiger for a Sick Cat

    <strong>Chapter 981: Chapter 969: Don¡¯t Mistake the Tiger for a Sick Cat</strong>

    Sun Mingxin snorted coldly, grabbed her sister¡¯s hand, and pulled her out aggressively, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I don¡¯t believe this nonsense!¡±

    Their sisters are more attractive than Qiao Lao San ande from a better family background. Why would Lu Zijin choose Qiao Lao San over her sister?

    ¡°No! We can¡¯t go!¡±

    Sun Mingzhu shook her head, stopping her sister¡¯s actions.<fne177> Official source is find?novel</fne177>

    Sun Mingxin frowned, looking at her in confusion, ¡°Why not?¡±

    Are they really going to watch Lu Zijin be taken away by Qiao Lao San, that ugly freak?

    Even if her sister agreed, she would never consent!

    She had already bragged to her friends that Lu Zijin was her future brother-inw. If things fell through, wouldn¡¯t she be aughingstock in front of her friends?!

    Sun Mingzhu gritted her teeth and said, ¡°From the way Lu Zijin behaved just now, he obviously seemed a bit impatient. If we go to him now, we¡¯re likely to leave an even worse impression.¡±

    She was also unwilling and angry, but in the current situation, if she insisted on approaching Lu Zijin, it might annoy him.

    After hearing this, Sun Mingxin felt her sister made a bit of sense, and finally abandoned the idea of ¡°charging in¡± to snatch the person immediately.

    She said viciously, ¡°In any case, we can¡¯t just let this go. We need to find an opportunity to warn Qiao Lao San properly and let her know that Lu Zijin is not someone she can covet!¡±

    After the sisters secretly conspired for a while, they waited for the right opportunity to act¡­

    After Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin walked away, the two chatted idly, mostly about topics rted to medicine.

    After a while, Qiao Jing greeted Lu Zijin, turned back to the banquet hall, and went to the bathroom.

    When she came out of the bathroom stall, she found Sun Family¡¯s sisters standing like guardians on either side outside the stall.

    Clearly, the two hade here specifically to block her.

    Qiao Jing furrowed her brow slightly, impatiently uttering, ¡°Move aside, a good dog doesn¡¯t block the way.¡±

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin were already burning with anger, and upon hearing this, their fury rose even more.

    Sun Mingxin red wide-eyed at Qiao Jing, angrily saying, ¡°Qiao Lao San, shamelessly seducing my brother-inw, we haven¡¯t even settled the score with you, and you dare curse us?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t be too arrogant, or else¡­¡±

    Before Sun Mingxin could finish, Qiao Jing interrupted coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste words with you here, go find someone else if you want to argue.¡±

    After speaking, she bypassed the Sun sisters and walked straight outward.

    However, after just a few steps, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin caught up and forcibly blocked her.

    Sun Mingzhu stared at Qiao Jing with a gloomy gaze, her eyes like they were poisoned, ¡°Qiao Lao San, don¡¯t think just because Lu Zijin invited you to tonight¡¯s banquet that he¡¯s interested in you. He only appreciates your medical skills!¡±

    ¡°With your looks and family background, a in woman like you, Lu Zijin could never be interested in you!¡±

    As soon as Sun Mingzhu finished speaking, Sun Mingxin immediately continued, ¡°That¡¯s right, Qiao Lao San, you¡¯d better get away from Lu Zijin immediately, don¡¯t go near him or keep entangling with him!¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at the Sun sisters as if they were idiots.

    If it were before, she wouldn¡¯t even bother with these brainless people.

    But now, she already regarded Lu Zijin as a friend from the bottom of her heart, and these two people in front of her were not worthy of Lu Zijin at all.

    From a friend¡¯s perspective, she felt it necessary to help Lu Zijin cut off these rotten peach blossoms!

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing slightly parted her red lips, and jeered, ¡°Don¡¯t you two ever look in the mirror? Well, there¡¯s one right here, quickly take a look so you cane to your senses.¡±

    These two sisters must not know their own condition, that¡¯s why they are so blindly confident!

    Sun Mingxin red at Qiao Jing and snorted coldly, ¡°Qiao Lao San, what do you mean? Don¡¯t deliberately change the subject with us!¡±

    ¡°What do I mean, can¡¯t you even understand that?¡±

    The mockery in Qiao Jing¡¯s tone became more evident, ¡°With intelligence like yours, you think you can attach yourselves to a wealthy family? What do you think is wrong with Lu Zijin¡¯s eyes?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sun Mingzhu exploded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

    ¡°Let me shut your mouth today, see if I don¡¯t tear it apart!¡±

    Cursing as she opened her mouth, Sun Mingzhu lunged at Qiao Jing with ferocity as if to tear her to pieces.

    Qiao Jing looked on coldly as Sun Mingzhu charged, casually raised her hand, and easily seized Sun Mingzhu¡¯s hand.

    Immediately afterward, with a light twist of her wrist, she twisted Sun Mingzhu¡¯s arm behind her back.

    ¡°Ahhh¡ª¡ª¡±

    Sun Mingzhu screamed miserably, feeling as though her arm was about to be wrenched off.

    Qiao Jing, annoyed by her sharp cries that made her ears ache, simply flung her away.

    With that swing, Sun Mingzhu lost her bnce, staggered a few steps, and fell on her butt, causing her to cry out in pain again.

    Seeing her sister suffer, Sun Mingxin was suddenly filled with righteous indignation.

    ¡°Damn Qiao Lao San, you dare bully my sister! I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡±

    After uttering these harsh words, Sun Mingxin, gnashing her teeth, swung her arms and lunged at Qiao Jing.

    She anticipated pulling all of Qiao Lao San¡¯s hair off, then pping her hard across the face till she looked like a pig head!

    Unfortunately, the imagination was beautiful, but reality was harsh.

    Before Sun Mingxin could touch even a strand of Qiao Jing¡¯s hair, Qiao Jing, using the same method she had used on her sister, gave her a simr lesson.

    In an instant, the Sun sisters sat slumped on the ground, clutching their nearly shattered into eighteen pieces butts, grimacing in pain.

    Qiao Jing gazed down coldly from above at the two sisters, speaking in a deep voice, ¡°Let me tell you both something, keep away from Lu Zijin, don¡¯t pollute his eyes.¡±

    Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin, unable to swallow their anger, endured the pain and struggled to get up from the ground, determined to attack Qiao Jing once again.

    Qiao Jing raised her hand, slowly forming a fist, waving it in front of them, and said leisurely, ¡°It seems the lesson I gave you wasn¡¯t enough. If you want to keep getting beaten, go ahead and do it. I don¡¯t mind teaching you both another lesson.¡±

    Hearing this, Sun Mingzhu and Sun Mingxin immediately stopped in their tracks.

    The sisters exchanged nces, neither of their expressions ttering.

    From the situation just now, it¡¯s obvious they¡¯re no match for Qiao Lao San.

    If they charge now, they will definitely just end up getting beaten!

    Realizing this, the sisters decided not to act hastily, better to avoid immediate losses.

    Sun Mingzhu red venomously at Qiao Jing, gritting her teeth, ¡°Qiao Lao San, you wait, I¡¯ll settle this score with you sooner orter. As long as you won¡¯t get away from Lu Zijin, I¡¯ll never let it go with you!¡±

    Sun Mingxin also spoke through gritted teeth, ¡°You wait for us, we will never let you off!¡±

    After dropping these harsh words, the sisters, fearing another beating, didn¡¯t dare stay even a second longer, escaping with their tails between their legs, faces a mix of green and pale.

 Chapter 982 - Capé“†tulo 982: 970: Qiao Jings Backer

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 982: Chapter 970: Qiao Jing¡¯s Backer</strong>

    After sending off the Sun Family sisters, Qiao Jing came out of the restroom, intending to return to the banquet hall.

    Right as she stepped out, she bumped into another woman she found equally annoying.

    Qiao Jing rolled her eyes helplessly, suddenly thinking that next time she went out, she should check the calendar to avoid repeatedly encountering such revolting people!

    Jin Yufei had been standing outside for quite a while. She had watched everything that happened earlier with a clear understanding.

    Now, she blocked Qiao Jing¡¯s way, crossed her arms, and with a face full of disdain, mocked her, ¡°I never expected it, you¡¯re flirting with Zhan Qipei here and also hanging around with Lu Zijin there. You¡¯re not attractive, but your ambitions sure are lofty, trying totch onto all these top-notch figures!¡±

    Saying this, Jin Yufei suddenly thought of something, and the disdain in her gaze towards Qiao Jing deepened.

    ¡°Oh, right, I almost forgot, wasn¡¯t Xu Moqian also hovering around you just now? You¡¯re really fickle, attracting all sorts of bees and butterflies. While others step on two boats, you¡¯re stepping on three. Aren¡¯t you afraid of capsizing and drowning?¡±

    Qiao Jing looked at Jin Yufei expressionlessly, suppressing the urge to kick her flying.

    She realized that there are indeed countless self-righteous people in this world. Jiang Zihong is one, the Sun Family sisters are another, and the same goes for this Jin Yufei; they¡¯re all jackals from the sameir!

    After a round of cold mockery, Jin Yufei raised her chin and arrogantly warned Qiao Jing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you flirt with Lu Zijin and Xu Moqian, or anyone else, but you¡¯d better not target Zhan Qipei, or don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡±

    Jin Yufei¡¯s warning didn¡¯t register in Qiao Jing¡¯s mind at all.

    Her cool brows were already full of impatience, and her tone carried a hint of iciness, ¡°Enough talking? If you¡¯re done, get lost!¡±

    ¡°Or do you want to get hit too?¡±

    Hearing this, Jin Yufei was taken aback, her expression somewhat surprised, as if she hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Jing to dare threaten her.

    One should know that their Jin Family is not something a small family like the Sun Family canpare to!<fnada8> The source of th?s content is Find~Novel</fnada8>

    She, Jin Yufei, is not as easy to deal with as the Sun Family sisters!

    Coming to her senses, Jin Yufei snorted coldly and threatened, ¡°You better understand, our Jin Family is not just some insignificant family. You, a nobody from a third-rate family, dare to offend our Jin Family?¡±

    Qiao Jing sneered disdainfully, looking at Jin Yufei with indifferent eyes, and said word by word, ¡°I don¡¯t care what family youe from. If you dare provoke me again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll knock your teeth out so you can search for them on the ground!¡±

    As she said this, she stretched out her delicate hand, made a fist, and shook it in front of Jin Yufei.

    Being threatened again, Jin Yufei¡¯s face turned with fury.

    She very much wanted to rush up and give this ugly woman in front of her a few ps, but remembering the scene of this ugly woman teaching the Sun Family sisters a lesson just now, she didn¡¯t dare to act rashly.

    After all, those sisters, two against one, were beaten miserably.

    Now, she was alone and certainly no match for this ugly woman¡­

    Just as Jin Yufei stood fuming but afraid to move, Mother Jin came striding over.

    Seeing her precious daughter being bullied, Mother Jin was utterly furious.

    She half-squinted her eyes, sized up Qiao Jing from head to toe, then snorted coldly, ¡°So you¡¯re the Qiao Jing from the Qiao Family of Nandu, right? I heard everything you said just now. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re arrogant, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so arrogant as to disregard our Jin Family!¡±

    Due to the simrity in features between Mother Jin and Jin Yufei, Qiao Jing immediately recognized that this middle-aged woman who suddenly appeared was Jin Yufei¡¯s mother.

    At this moment, Mother Jin crossed her arms, raised her chin high, and looked at Qiao Jing condescendingly, threatening, ¡°You¡¯d better kneel and apologize to my Yufei right now, and swear never to get close to Zhan Qipei, never to appear before him.¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure your Qiao Family¡¯s branchpany can¡¯t survive in the Imperial Capital, and forget about continuing your development in Nandu as well!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m just scaring you; our Jin Family absolutely has the power to make it happen. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try it!¡±

    Mother Jin¡¯s words did indeed make Qiao Jing wary.

    Because she knew that the Jin Family did have that capability. The problems that urred in the Qiao Family¡¯s project before, causing a cash flow issue, were the tricks of the Jin Family!

    At this moment, Qiao Jing felt a bit resentful of her own powerlessness; her hands unconsciously clenched at her sides.

    If she could be a little stronger and possess the ability to protect the Qiao Family, she wouldn¡¯t always be threatened with this.

    Thinking of this, Qiao Jing made up her mind to work hard to strengthen the Qiao Family and never let anyone arbitrarily threaten them again!

    Seeing Qiao Jing¡¯s silent demeanor, Jin Yufei instinctively felt she was scared and immediately began to act smugly.

    She wore an expression of a proud, wealthy heiress and said triumphantly, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, arms can¡¯t fight thighs; your Qiao Family is just like an ant that we can squash at will in the eyes of our Jin Family.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re smart, keep your head down and stop dreaming ofpeting with me for men, otherwise, with one word, our Jin Family can make your Qiao Family fall from grace overnight!¡±

    Mother Jin snorted, took out a pre-prepared check from her bag, and tossed it into Qiao Jing¡¯s arms.

    ¡°I heard from my Yufei that you thought the fifty thousand and one hundred thousand from before were too little, so here¡¯s a check for five million. Take it and make sure you don¡¯t appear in front of my Yufei and Zhan Qipei again.¡±

    Finishing her high-and-mighty spiel, Mother Jin suddenly thought of something and added, ¡°Oh, and before you leave, lick my Yufei¡¯s shoes clean. That¡¯s the price for bullying my Yufei just now!¡±

    Listening to Mother Jin¡¯s words filled with insult, Qiao Jing¡¯s demeanor turned utterly icy, exuding a chilling aura.

    She coldly watched the vile and despicable faces of the Jin mother and daughter, casually grabbed the check in her arms, tore it into shreds in a few swift motions, and flung it forcefully at their faces.

    Mother Jin and Jin Yufei were stunned for a moment, and once they realized what had happened, the mother and daughter were so furious their faces turned green.

    ¡°You insolent girl, you have some nerve! You really don¡¯t take our Jin Family seriously, do you? I must teach you a lesson today!¡±

    Mother Jin burst out angrily and raised her hand to p Qiao Jing¡¯s face.

    But Qiao Jing was quick, seizing Mother Jin¡¯s swinging hand in one go.

    Originally, she intended to hit back, but just before doing so, she suddenly thought that if she really pped Mother Jin in the face, the Jin Family would surely retaliate against the Qiao Family¡­

    As Qiao Jing hesitated, Mother Jin swung out her other hand.

    At the same time, a deep voice suddenly sounded from the side.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Hearing the voice, Mother Jin¡¯s hand paused mid-air, turning back instinctively.

    Qiao Jing also turned to look, and saw Elder Xu walking over with a stern face.

    The Jin mother and daughter naturally recognized Xu Hongzu, and upon seeing him approach, Mother Jin somewhat held back her anger, grumpily withdrawing her hand.

 Chapter 983 - 971: Competing for Qiao Jing

    <h4>Chapter 983: Chapter 971: Competing for Qiao Jing</h4>

    Xu Hongzu approached, cast a deep nce at the Jin family¡¯s mother and daughter, and said sternly, "Your Jin family really has quite a temper, trying to control everything under the sun, sea, andnd, now even controlling the staff at our research institute!"

    At these words, Mother Jin and Jin Yufei were momentarily stunned.

    Both mother and daughter turned their gaze towards Qiao Jing, with somewhat astonished expressions on their faces.

    This unattractive and in woman is actually a staff member at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?!

    Jin Yufei stared intently at Qiao Jing, her sense of crisis suddenly intensified.

    This woman, though ugly, indeed has some capabilities. She was selected by Master Zhou as a potential disciple and also works at Professor Qiao¡¯s Institute. No wonder she can simultaneously be linked to the Zhan Family, Lu Family, and Xu Family, these top elite families!

    It seems that this in woman poses a considerable threat to her!!

    The Jin family¡¯s mother and daughter were full of hostility toward Qiao Jing, but due to the presence of Elder Xu, a highly respected elder, they could not do anything even if they were displeased.

    "This time, out of respect for Elder Xu, we won¡¯t hold it against you for now, but you¡¯d better remember what was said earlier, or bear the consequences yourself!"

    After saying this, Mother Jin gave Qiao Jing a fierce re, then pulled her daughter along and left.

    After the mother and daughter left, Qiao Jing tugged at her lips and thanked Xu Hongzu, "Elder Xu, thank you for helping me out."

    Xu Hongzu waved his hand, indicating she didn¡¯t need to be polite, and then said seriously, "People from our research institute cannot be easily bullied. If anything happens in the future, feel free toe to me."

    After speaking, Xu Hongzu suddenly thought of something and added, "If I¡¯m not around, just find my grandson."

    During this period of interaction, he had grown increasingly fond of this girl.

    If this girl could really be his granddaughter-inw, he would be truly delighted!

    Qiao Jing found it hard to agree to Elder Xu¡¯s words, and harder to refuse, so she could only politely smile in response.

    The two chatted as they walked back.

    After returning to the banquet hall, they parted ways.

    Xu Hongzu pondered about checking if his grandson had shown any improvement, because all along, unless it concerned Xiao Jing, his grandson was pretty clueless.

    Thinking this way, Xu Hongzu went straight over and pulled Xu Moqian, who was chatting and drinking with some friends, aside.

    Xu Moqian frowned slightly, looking somewhat impatient, "Grandpa, why are you dragging me over here out of nowhere? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?!"

    <fn7598> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? fin?novel</fn7598>

    Xu Hongzu red at his grandson, annoyed, and said, "I have serious business to discuss with you."

    Upon hearing the term serious business, Xu Moqian asked curiously, "What serious business?"

    "Xiao Jing girl got bullied. Just now, that girl from the Jin family and her mother teamed up to bully her. That Jin family¡¯s mother and daughter are really aggressive. If I hadn¡¯t happened to witness it, Xiao Jing girl would have definitely suffered a loss!"

    Xu Hongzu briefly narrated what had just happened.

    Upon hearing it, Xu Moqian¡¯s fiery temper red up instantly.

    "Grandpa, are you talking about that Jin Yufei from the Jin family? Dare to bully my friend, first ask if I, Xu Moqian, agree!"

    Having said this, without waiting for Xu Hongzu¡¯s response, Xu Moqian turned around angrily and went straight to find Jin Yufei.

    Seeing his grandson¡¯s reaction, Xu Hongzu was very surprised, but also very pleased.

    His grandson finally showed some progress!

    This also meant there was hope between his grandson and Xiao Jing girl!

    Xu Moqian stormed around the banquet hall and quickly found Jin Yufei.

    Looking at Xu Moqian, who suddenly approached her, Jin Yufei was utterly bewildered.

    She had no dealings with Xu Moqian, so why was he looking for her?

    Just as Jin Yufei was about to ask, Xu Moqian preemptively spoke.

    Staring at Jin Yufei, he directly warned, "Let me tell you, the third young miss of the Qiao family, Qiao Jing, is my friend, someone under my protection. If you dare bully her or cause her trouble again, you are openly going against me, Xu Moqian!"

    "I never hit women, but if you dare do anything to her, and I find out, I guarantee you won¡¯t even be recognized by your own mother!"

    Saying these words, Xu Moqian was full of roguish charm, hisnguage tantly threatening.

    Jin Yufei was utterly baffled, never expecting Xu Moqian to specifically warn her for the sake of that Qiao Jing!

    At this moment, Qiao Jing stood a few steps away, behind a Roman column.

    Seeing Xu Moqian angrily searching the hall for Jin Yufei earlier, she felt it was strange and followed.

    Unexpectedly, Xu Moqian sought out Jin Yufei to stand up for her.

    After listening to Xu Moqian¡¯s words, Qiao Jing felt quite touched.

    At the same time, it reinforced her resolve to be stronger.

    After all, she couldn¡¯t always rely on others for protection...

    After warning Jin Yufei, Xu Moqian snorted coldly and walked away.

    Jin Yufei stomped her foot in anger, standing there, her hostility towards Qiao Jing deepened even further.

    This fickle and shameless ugly woman had the audacity topete with her for Zhan Qipei and incited Xu Moqian to intimidate her¡ªhow utterly detestable!

    Just wait, she won¡¯t let this slide so easily!

    Seeing Xu Moqian leave, Qiao Jing stepped out from behind the Roman column and followed him.

    Once she caught up with Xu Moqian, she sincerely said, "Thank you."

    Faced with her sudden gratitude, Xu Moqian was momentarily taken aback, then realized, "You heard what I said to Jin Yufei just now?"

    Qiao Jing nodded, "I saw and heard everything."

    Xu Moqian, not knowing why, suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

    He raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, grinning foolishly, "Actually, you don¡¯t have to mind it. That¡¯s just my nature, always having my friends¡¯ backs¡ªit¡¯s only right!"

    Qiao Jing remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Actually, I owe you a meal. Are you free this weekend?"

    "Of course, I¡¯m free whenever you are!"

    Xu Moqian blurted out, then added sheepishly, "You know, I¡¯m pretty much like an unemployed drifter, not of much help at the familypany."

    Not far away, Lu Zijiao saw the two chatting animatedly and couldn¡¯t help worrying for his brother.

    He pulled Lu Zijin over, pointing in the direction of Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian, and spoke urgently, "Bro, look, that kid Xu Moqian obviously ns to steal her away. Aren¡¯t you going to take action?"

    Lu Zijin followed his brother¡¯s gaze, indeed noticing how well the two seemed to be getting along and couldn¡¯t help but purse his lips.

    However, he felt a little embarrassed just to go over and intervene like that.

    Seeing his brother unwilling to make a move, Zijiao was instantly angry at theck of initiative.

    "Bro, how many times do I have to tell you? Look at how persistent Xu Moqian is, just about ready to make a move. Haven¡¯t you heard the saying that ¡¯a determined suitor always wins¡¯? What girl can resist such passionate pursuit?"

    "Besides, the Xu family¡¯s background isn¡¯t any worse than our Lu family¡¯s, and in terms of looks and physique, you¡¯re evenly matched with him. If you¡¯re still not proactive, you¡¯ll regret it if Xu Moqian wins her over!"

 Chapter 984: 972: Zhan Qipei Shows Up Too

    <strong>Chapter 984: Chapter 972: Zhan Qipei Shows Up Too</strong>

    Encouraged by Lu Zijiao, Lu Zijin finally gathered the courage to walk toward Qiao Jing and Xu Moqian.

    He had regretted once, and didn¡¯t want to regret a second time¡­

    Seeing Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin bordering Qiao Jing from left to right, Zhan Yuanshan couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of anger.

    Why are the Xu Family and Lu Family boys pestering his granddaughter-inw again!

    His own grandson remains indifferent, and it¡¯s downright infuriating!

    Zhan Yuanshan gave his grandson a re, feeling exasperated, and decided to unleash his ultimate trick once more.

    He raised a hand, clutching his chest, and coughed while saying, ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ The Jing Girl is about to be taken away, and you¡¯re here acting like it¡¯s none of your business. You¡¯re going to let me die of anger¡­ Cough cough cough¡­¡±

    Beside him, Zhan Qipei was intently watching the girl being surrounded by Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin,pletely oblivious to the old master¡¯s act.

    The three little ones exchanged a nce and, in perfect unison, rushed to hug their daddy¡¯s leg, saying, ¡°Daddy, daddy, Grandpa wants you to go see Aunt Jing, hurry up, if you don¡¯t go soon, Grandpa¡¯s going to fall ill from anger!!¡±

    Zhan Qipei lowered his eyes to look at his three sons, then nced over at the old master still coughing incessantly, before lifting his gaze to the girl not far away.

    Watching her every expression and smile, he noticed she resembled his girl very much. After a moment of silence, Zhan Qipei finally couldn¡¯t help but start walking in her direction.

    Both Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin were quite surprised by Zhan Qipei¡¯s sudden approach.

    For a moment, the three men nced at each other, finding the scene slightly awkward.

    Qiao Jing, however, didn¡¯t find it surprising, nor did she feel any sense of awkwardness.

    In her view, Zhan Qipei was probably there to find Xu Moqian or Lu Zijin since they all knew each other.

    Just as Qiao Jing was thinking this, Zhan Qipei suddenly turned to her and unexpectedly asked, ¡°Do you have some time?¡±

    This caught Qiao Jing off guard, and she looked back at the man asking, somewhat surprised.

    The scene fell silent for a few seconds, with everyone sinking into silence.

    A few secondster, Xu Moqian looked at Zhan Qipei with a strange expression, voicing his suspicion directly, ¡°No, what do you mean by this? Why are you joining in? Are you nning to betray Sister Jing?¡±

    Lu Zijin also looked at Zhan Qipei with some confusion.

    He felt that Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t as Xu Moqian suggested.

    He was well aware of Zhan Qipei¡¯s deep feelings for Qiao Jing; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have given up voluntarily back then.

    So, he didn¡¯t think Zhan Qipei was pursuing Qiao Jing.

    Yet, he was curious about what Zhan Qipei wanted with Qiao Jing.

    Zhan Qipei ignored Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin, simply waiting for the girl before him to respond.

    Feeling a subtle, indescribable sensation under his deep ck gaze, Qiao Jing asked offhandedly, ¡°Do you need something from me?¡±

    Zhan Qipei slightly parted his thin lips, his voice low, ¡°My grandfather isn¡¯t feeling well and wants you toe over for help.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Qiao Jing, Xu Moqian, and Lu Zijin all looked towards Zhan Yuanshan. There, they saw Old Master Zhan clutching his chest, coughing non-stop with his old face flushed red, genuinely looking unwell.

    Retracting her gaze, Qiao Jing said to Xu Moqian and Lu Zijiao, ¡°You guys chat, I¡¯ll go over there for a moment.¡±

    With those words, she followed Zhan Qipei, heading toward Old Master Zhan.

    The two walked side by side, and after covering a short distance, Zhan Qipei, unable to hold back, thought of various scenes he had witnessed before and asked, ¡°So? Do you like Lu Zijin?¡±

    Hearing this, Qiao Jing was slightly stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Zhan Qipei to ask so suddenly.

    Although she didn¡¯t have much interaction with him, in her impression, Zhan Qipei wasn¡¯t someone who would gossip. Why was he suddenly curious about this?<fnd680> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? find?novel</fnd680>

    This left Qiao Jing puzzled, casting a dubious look at Zhan Qipei.

    Seeing her continuously staring at him without speaking, Zhan Qipei also felt inexplicably strange, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips moved slightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just a bit surprised because this seems more like something Nanjing would ask, I didn¡¯t expect it toe from you.¡±

    Zhan Qipei remained silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°You mean, I¡¯m too nosy?¡±

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t answer the question but instead circled back to the original topic, saying calmly, ¡°Lu Zijin is a really nice person, and it¡¯s quitefortable being around him.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Qipei felt a bit ufortable inside.

    He couldn¡¯t understand why he felt this way?

    For him, this was clearly a person of no consequence, who she liked or had good feelings about was irrelevant to him.

    His heart was solely for Qiao Jing, even though Qiao Jing had been missing for years, her whereabouts unknown, her fate uncertain. His person and his heart would always belong to Qiao Jing!

    Such feelings of difort shouldn¡¯t appear in him at all!

    After much thought, Zhan Qipei finally found a somewhat usible reason for his unusualness.

    It was probably because Lu Zijin had once pursued Qiao Jing, that¡¯s why he was inexplicably attentive to this matter.

    After all, anything rted to Qiao Jing always drew his extra attention¡­

    Xu Moqian kept watching the two walk side by side, and the more he watched, the more tightly his brows knitted.

    After a while, unable to help himself, Xu Moqian nudged Lu Zijin with his elbow and said sullenly, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but when I see those two standing together, I just don¡¯t feel right. I¡¯d rather it was you standing with her.¡±

    Lu Zijin was also watching the two figures, and hearing Xu Moqian say this, he replied gently, ¡°Are you overthinking? There¡¯s no way something could happen between them.¡±

    Xu Moqian sighed, puckered his mouth, and said, ¡°I know that too.¡±

    Everyone actually understood well how deeply Zhan Qipei was infatuated with Qiao Jing.

    After a few seconds, Xu Moqian suddenly reacted, pressing Lu Zijin, ¡°You think there¡¯s no way for them, but do you think there¡¯s a way for you two?¡±

    Lu Zijin pressed his lips together, unsure how to respond right away.

    Seeing this, Lu Zijiao, knowing his brother¡¯s temperament, definitely couldn¡¯t out-talk Xu Moqian, so she spoke up in support.

    ¡°Xu Moqian, don¡¯t think because my brother is mild-mannered, you can just bully him. If he and my future sister-inw can¡¯t be, do you think you have a chance?¡±

    She then suddenly thought of something and continued, ¡°Besides, haven¡¯t you always liked Qiao Jing before? Why suddenly switch targets? Aren¡¯t you afraid Qiao Jing wille after you when she returns?¡±

    Xu Moqian sneered, saying nonchntly, ¡°What would shee after me for? If anyone, she should be after Zhan Qipei.¡±

    Listening to their conversation, Lu Zijin thought silently to himself, he would actually wee Qiao Jinging after him, but he didn¡¯t even have that privilege¡­

 Chapter 985 - Capé“†tulo 985: 973: Competing to Escort Her Home

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 985: Chapter 973: Competing to Escort Her Home</strong>

    Soon, Qiao Jing followed Zhan Qipei to the old man¡¯s side.

    Seeing that his grandson had finally brought someone over, Zhan Yuanshan felt a bit relieved.

    This is more like it!

    If he did nothing, his granddaughter-inw would inevitably be snatched away by those eager youngds sooner orter!!

    Qiao Jing stepped closer and said, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, give me your hand, let me check your pulse first.¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan immediately extended his hand and pretended to be weak as he said, ¡°Jing Girl, although Grandpa Zhan is not feeling well, there are still some things I need to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Feel free to say, Grandpa Zhan.¡±

    Qiao Jing spoke as she ced her hand on the old man¡¯s wrist to diagnose his pulse.

    ¡°Those two boys from the Xu Family and the Lu Family, it¡¯s obvious they have impure motives. You should keep your distance from them and avoid being deceived by their sweet talk¡­¡±

    While saying these words, Zhan Yuanshan spoke earnestly and with concern.

    Listening to this, Qiao Jing couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit amusing.

    Judging by the old man¡¯s pulse, he showed no symptoms of difort, revealing that his frail appearance just now was all an act.

    He was pretending to be unwell just to make here over and tell her to stay away from Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin¡­

    No wonder they say that old people can sometimes be like children, there¡¯s really some truth to that!

    After saying a lot, seeing Qiao Jing silent, Zhan Yuanshan frowned and asked, ¡°Jing Girl, did you hear what I just said?¡±

    Qiao Jing remembered Zhan Nanjing mentioning that the old man had some mental issues and his condition should not be agitated, so she went along with his wishes.

    She nodded and cooperatively said, ¡°I heard you.¡±

    Hearing this, Zhan Yuanshan smiled contentedly and then pulled her closer, continuing, ¡°Jing Girl, when you¡¯re free,e to Purple Garden more often to chat with me, or just move back to Purple Garden and live with us. We¡¯re family, it doesn¡¯t make sense for you to live outside alone!¡±

    Qiao Jing tugged her lips helplessly, ¡°Grandpa Zhan, let¡¯s talk about thatter. I¡¯m quite used to where I live now, and it¡¯s closer to where I work.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Zhan Yuanshan thought for a moment but didn¡¯t insist, only saying, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s discuss it another time, but you must remember to visit Purple Garden often to have meals and tea with us.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Qiao Jing nodded in agreement.

    Until the banquet ended, Zhan Yuanshan kept holding onto Qiao Jing, talking to her without any intention of letting her go.

    In the end, it was Zhan Qipei who couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and forcibly pushed the old man away.

    He knew that his grandfather was truly convinced that the Third Miss Qiao was Qiao Jing!

    But she wasn¡¯t, how could he keep bothering someone like that?!

    In the banquet hall, the crowd gradually dispersed.

    Lu Zijin approached Qiao Jing and warmly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    Seeing this, Xu Moqian quickly went over, blocking the two and said to Qiao Jing, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home instead.¡±

    Before Qiao Jing could say anything, Lu Zijiao also arrived.

    He directly rolled his eyes at Xu Moqian, ¡°Xu Moqian, why are you butting in again? Get it straight, Third Miss Qiao is my brother¡¯s date. He drove to pick her up, so naturally, he should take her home now!¡±

    Xu Moqian snorted, ignoring Lu Zijiao, and continued speaking to Qiao Jing, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to make up for the meal you promised me earlier? No need to wait for the weekend, I¡¯ll take you home now and stay over, so you can cook for me tomorrow!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lu Zijin looked at Qiao Jing with some surprise, ¡°You can cook?¡±

    Nowadays, there aren¡¯t many girls who can cook.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t say much, just nodded.

    Lu Zijiao rolled his eyes at Xu Moqian again, and with a tone full of disdain, said, ¡°Seriously, if you want to eat, can¡¯t you go tomorrow? Staying over too? I can¡¯t believe you have the nerve to say that!¡±

    ¡°Aside from whether Third Miss Qiao minds, she has two sisters at home, how does that sound proper to you?¡±

    Xu Moqian was also a bit annoyed and red at Lu Zijiao, ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with you? Move aside!¡±

    Lu Zijiao, unwilling to be outdone, immediately retorted, ¡°My brother¡¯s business is my business, if you¡¯re talking about proper, you¡¯re the one who should step aside!¡±

    As the two argued, Qiao Jing turned her head and happened to spot a car driving in through the entrance of the manor.

    She instantly recognized it as Qiao Hong¡¯s car.

    ¡°My elder sister is here, I¡¯ll head back first.¡±

    After saying this, Qiao Jing waved goodbye to Xu Moqian and Lu Zijin, then turned to leave.

    Xu Moqian didn¡¯t care to argue with Lu Zijiao anymore, he hurriedly called out to Qiao Jing¡¯s departing figure, ¡°I¡¯lle to your ce tomorrow, just cook something simple. I just want to taste your cooking, nothing too fancy!¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Zijiao sneered and his little mind started plotting.

    Xu Moqian was clinging too tightly, he had toe up with a n for his brother!

    Behind a column a few steps away, three little kids had been spying for a while and began whispering ns.

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s little face turned serious as he earnestly told his two younger brothers, ¡°Uncle Xu seems to really like Aunt Jing. I think we can¡¯t just sit by; otherwise, Aunt Jing will be taken away by Uncle Xu!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo nodded, echoing in a cute voice, ¡°Yes! We can¡¯t just sit by!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze furrowed his little brows, ¡°So what should we do?¡±

    Zhan Qiaoyu¡¯s round eyes darted around as he quickly suggested, ¡°Uncle Xu said he¡¯s going to Aunt Jing¡¯s house for dinner tomorrow. Let¡¯s go too, that way we can keep an eye on Uncle Xu and stop him from getting too close to Aunt Jing!¡±

    Zhan Qiaoze¡¯s eyes lit up and he gave his older brother a thumbs up, ¡°Great idea!¡±

    Zhan Qiaomo tilted his little head, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡±

    Just after the three little ones finished their n, Zhan Nanjing showed up.<fnc69a> Follow current nov?ls on Find_Novel(.</fnc69a>

    ¡°What are you three doing here? I¡¯ve been looking for you guys forever, let¡¯s go, time to head home.¡±

    With that, Zhan Nanjing promptly took the three little nephews away.

    On the way back to the small vi, Qiao Jing sat in the passenger seat. Looking at Qiao Hong, who was driving, she curiously asked, ¡°Big sis, why did youe over?¡±

    Qiao Hong gave a sheepish grin, ¡°I just saw you hadn¡¯te backte, so I thought I¡¯d take a look at the situation.¡±

    In truth, she wasn¡¯t worried about her sister encountering any problems, as such high-ss banquets usually had tight security, and safety issues were umon.

    The real reason she came was to secretly check on her sister¡¯s progress with Director Lu!

    Unexpectedly, her timing was so off that she saw nothing and ended up ruining her sister¡¯s chance to be taken home by Director Lu¡­

 Chapter 986 - 974: Xu Moqian Was Almost Moved to Tears

    <h4>Chapter 986: Chapter 974: Xu Moqian Was Almost Moved to Tears</h4>

    Early the next morning, Qiao Jing had just finished washing up and changing clothes, and walked out of her room when the doorbell rang.

    She instinctively thought it was Xu Moqian, since he mentionedst night that he woulde over for a meal today.

    However, when she opened the door, it wasn¡¯t Xu Moqian standing outside, but three little ones.

    The three little ones giggled and threw themselves yfully at Qiao Jing.

    Seeing the three adorable "little essories" clinging to her legs, Qiao Jing was a little surprised, but mostly delighted.

    She brought the three little ones inside, led them to sit on the sofa, and then asked, "How did you get here? Did you sneak out from home again?"

    Zhan Qiaomo shook his little head and promptly replied, "No, it was Grandpa Zeng who had the driver bring us over."

    "Yes, yes." Zhan Qiaoze echoed, then added, "Actually, Grandpa Zeng wanted toe too, but he got drowsy after taking his medicine, so he couldn¡¯t make it!"

    Zhan Qiaoyu blinked his eyes and pondered for a moment.

    Although Aunt Jing said that Grandpa Zeng wasn¡¯t feeling well, which is why he mistook Aunt Jing for their mommy,

    they didn¡¯t think so, because they all felt Aunt Jing gave off such a warm feeling, just like mommy!

    So, they sided with Grandpa Zeng!

    When Grandpa Zeng heard they wanted to visit Aunt Jing, he immediately arranged for a driver to take them and praised them for being more promising than their dad!

    Knowing that the three little ones didn¡¯t sneak out, Qiao Jing felt relieved.

    She looked at the three little ones with tender affection and asked softly, "Do you want some lollipops? I¡¯ll get them for you."

    Zhan Qiaomo was the first to raise his little hand, "I want strawberry vor!"

    Zhan Qiaoze followed closely, "I want blueberry!"

    Zhan Qiaoyu thought for a moment and said loudly, "Then I want peach!"

    "Alright."

    Qiao Jing responded with a smile and turned to get the candies.

    Very soon, she returned with the lollipops.

    After giving candies to the three little ones, Qiao Jing patted their little heads and instructed, "You y by yourselves a bit, Aunt Jing needs to go and cook."

    Since she was hosting guests for a meal, she needed to prepare now.

    After her instructions, Qiao Jing went to the kitchen to get busy.

    The three little ones were swinging their chubby legs on the sofa, discussing in low voices while eating their candies.

    Zhan Qiaoyu reminded his two brothers, "Don¡¯t forget our n for today; remember to be wary of Uncle Xuter!"

    Zhan Qiaoze raised his little hand and patted his shoulder, "Don¡¯t worry, big brother, with the three of us, we won¡¯t have any trouble dealing with just Uncle Xu!"

    Zhan Qiaomo raised his eyebrows confidently, "Yeah, Uncle Xu is no match for us!"

    At this moment, the doorbell rang again.

    The three little ones exchanged nces and simultaneously hopped off the sofa, dashing to open the door.

    This time, it was Xu Moqian.

    Seeing the three little ones, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but pause in surprise, with doubt etched across his face, "What are you three doing here?"

    The three little ones chorused, "Why ask, of course, we¡¯re here to see Aunt Jing!"

    "If there¡¯s nothing urgent, hurry back home, kids shouldn¡¯t keep going to other people¡¯s houses."

    Saying this, Xu Moqian directly lifted Zhan Qiaomo, who was blocking the center, and strode into the house.

    Hearing themotion, Qiao Jing came out of the kitchen.

    Seeing Xu Moqian had arrived, she gestured toward the sofa in the living room and said, "I¡¯m just starting to prepare, sit for a while on your own."

    Just as Xu Moqian was about to say something, the three little ones ran over.

    Zhan Qiaoze and Zhan Qiaomo grabbed onto Xu Moqian¡¯s pant legs from either side.

    Zhan Qiaoyu blocked his way with a cheerful smile, saying, "Aunt Jing, you go ahead, we¡¯ll entertain Uncle Xu for you!"

    "Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you, have fun."

    With that, Qiao Jing turned back to the kitchen.

    She thought to herself, Xu Moqian and the three little ones were old acquaintances anyway, and they should get along well.

    Seeing this, Xu Moqian tried to follow, but was thwarted by the three little ones who either blocked his way or clung to his pant legs, not allowing him to move.

    He frowned slightly, looked down at the three little ones, "What¡¯s with you three? Why are you holding onto me?"

    Zhan Qiaoyu blinked innocently and said, "Nothing, we¡¯re just helping Aunt Jing entertain you!"

    <fn6a5b> Read full story at ?ovelFind</fn6a5b>

    Zhan Qiaoze earnestly echoed, "Yeah, Aunt Jing is busy, don¡¯t bother her."

    Zhan Qiaomo tilted his little face up with childlike sincerity, "Uncle Xu, let¡¯s just sit on the sofa!"

    Xu Moqian felt these three little ones were quite peculiar, not knowing what mischief they were nning.

    "You three go y on your own, I¡¯m going to see if Aunt Jing needs help."

    Finishing what he said, Xu Moqian moved to physically disentangle the three little ones and push them aside.

    However, no sooner had he taken a few steps toward the kitchen, the three little ones chased him down again, using the same tactic to block him.

    Xu Moqian rubbed his head in exasperation, "Okay, just what do you three really want?"

    The three little ones looked at each other, and finally, big brother Zhan Qiaoyu, as the representative, pointed his little finger at the sofa, with a serious face said, "Aunt Jing told us to entertain you, we have to listen to Aunt Jing!"

    Xu Moqian¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily.

    He finally understood, Zhan Qipei¡¯s three sons were even harder to deal with than Zhan Qipei himself!!

    Under the relentless persistence of the three little ones, Xu Moqian had no choice but to "obediently" sit on the sofa.

    About half an hourter, Qiao Jing came out from the kitchen and ced the freshly prepared dishes on the dining table, inviting the three little ones and Xu Moqian toe eat.

    Sitting down at the dining table, gazing at the array of delicious-looking dishes, Xu Moqian¡¯s gloomy mood finally lifted.

    "Looks delicious, then I won¡¯t be polite!"

    With that said, Xu Moqian eagerly started to eat.

    Qiao Jing served meat and vegetables to the three little ones.

    The three little ones were so absorbed in their food that they didn¡¯t bother with Xu Moqian; they immediately began eating with gusto.

    They hadn¡¯t tasted Aunt Jing¡¯s homemade food in such a long time!

    After a few bites, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help but think they were right ¡ª Aunt Jing¡¯s cooking indeed tasted better than a five-star chef¡¯s!

    But more importantly, it strangely felt very familiar...

    Very much like the taste of Qiao Jing¡¯s past cooking!

    This familiar vor caused the floodgates to open for Xu Moqian, his eyes reddening, almost on the verge of tears.

    Qiao Jing, while picking up dishes, keenly noticed the oddity in Xu Moqian.

    She asked with some confusion, "What¡¯s wrong? Is it not tasty? Or not to your liking?"

    As soon as she said this, the three little ones who were focused on eating raised their small heads sharply, their big eyes blinking as they stared at Xu Moqian.

    As if if Xu Moqian dared to say it wasn¡¯t good, the three of them would take action and give him a proper "education"!

 Chapter 987: 975: She Is Sister Jing

    <strong>Chapter 987: Chapter 975: She Is Sister Jing</strong>

    Under the gaze of the three little ones, Xu Moqian held back the tears that almost fell, shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just think it¡¯s so delicious, it¡¯s so good I could cry!¡±

    Hearing him say that, the three little ones were satisfied and withdrew their gazes, continuing to eat heartily.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t think much of it, smiling lightly as she said, ¡°Then eat more.¡±

    Xu Moqian nodded and picked up another bite of food, stuffing it into his mouth.

    The familiar taste made him involuntarily recall the times when Qiao Jing personally cooked, and memories of the past came flooding back¡­

    Inside the house, several people were eating.

    Outside, a sports car sped over and suddenly stopped in front of the small vi.

    In the driver¡¯s seat, Lu Zijiao nced at Lu Zijin in the passenger seat, raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Brother, this is the ce, right? We can get out.¡±

    Last night he pondered for a bit and decided to bring his brother directly over, to prevent that Xu Moqian from taking advantage!

    Lu Zijin looked at the small vi through the car window, hesitantly saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t it kind of impolite for us toe uninvited?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±

    Lu Zijiao shrugged indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just tell me there was some difficult case at the hospital? Just use that as an excuse and say you want to ask Third Miss Qiao toe and take a look.¡±

    ¡°But at this time, they should be eating¡­¡±

    Before Lu Zijin could finish, Lu Zijiao interrupted him.

    ¡°Come on! Brother, isn¡¯t that obvious? I specifically brought you here during their mealtime!¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t go in now, the meal Qiao Jing personally made will all be eaten by Xu Moqian! Don¡¯t you want to try her cooking?¡±

    When he said this, Lu Zijiao was quite earnest.

    Persuaded by his brother, Lu Zijin finally let go of his reluctance.

    The two brothers got out of the car together and went to ring the doorbell.

    Hearing the doorbell, Qiao Jing got up to open the door.

    When the door opened and she saw Lu Zijin and Lu Zijiao, Qiao Jing was a little surprised.

    Seeing his brother hesitating to speak, Lu Zijiao stepped forward, ¡°Third Miss Qiao, my brother has a difficult case at the hospital and wants your help, so I came with him.¡±

    As he spoke, Lu Zijiao changed the subject, ¡°Hey! What¡¯s that smell? It smells so good! Are you guys eating?¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Zijin suddenly had an urge to cover his face.

    He really couldn¡¯t do this kind of feigned ignorance¡­

    Qiao Jing nodded, ¡°Yes,e in and have some.¡±

    She stepped aside, motioning for them to enter.

    ¡°Then we won¡¯t be shy!¡±

    Finishing his words, Lu Zijiao immediately pulled his brother in.

    The arrival of Lu Zijin and Lu Zijiao made Xu Moqian quite displeased.

    When the two sat down at the dining table, Xu Moqian couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°You two brothers have some nerve, you weren¡¯t even invited here, yet youe and shamelessly grab a meal!¡±

    When it came to confrontation, Lu Zijiao knew better than to rely on his brother.

    He chuckled dismissively, ¡°Who said we weren¡¯t invited? Just now, Third Miss Qiao invited my brother and me toe in and eat, ask her yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    Xu Moqian rolled his eyes, ¡°You were already at the door, what else could she do but let you in? Should she have kicked you out?¡±

    This meal was supposed to be his exclusive treat, having three little ones join unexpectedly was bad enough, but he couldn¡¯t argue with kids.

    And then these Lu brothers showed up too!

    The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got!

    Seeing Xu Moqian and Lu Zijiao about to argue again, Qiao Jing spoke up in time to stop them, ¡°How about we eat first, or the food will get cold.¡±

    With her words, Xu Moqian and Lu Zijiao finally quieted down.

    After they started eating, Lu Zijin also found the taste of these dishes very familiar.

    At first, he thought it might be his imagination.

    To confirm, he tried each dish on the table, and found that every dish tasted just as familiar!

    Lu Zijin looked at the girl sitting across from him with some suspicion.

    Why did the food she made taste so simr to what Qiao Jing used to make?

    Wasn¡¯t that too much of a coincidence?

    While Lu Zijin was lost in thought, Qiao Jing got up and went to the kitchen, bringing out a pot of chicken soup.

    ¡°I nearly forgot there¡¯s still soup, this is chicken soup made with Chinese herbs, have a taste.¡±

    As soon as Qiao Jing finished speaking, Xu Moqian eagerly served himself a bowl and quickly took a spoonful.

    However, as soon as he tasted the soup, Xu Moqian froze.

    The vor of the herbal soup, even the seasoning proportions, was exactly the same as the herbal chicken soup Qiao Jing used to make.

    Other dishes being simr could be a coincidence, but this one, he felt no one but Qiao Jing could make it this way!

    Upon realizing this, Xu Moqian¡¯s emotions suddenly surged.

    He stood up abruptly, eyes fixed on the only girl at the table, his voice trembling slightly even though he didn¡¯t notice it himself, ¡°Sister Jing, is it really you?¡±

    With this question, everyone present paused their actions, their eyes darting between the two involved.

    Qiao Jing didn¡¯t understand why Xu Moqian suddenly brought this up again, but she answered his question, ¡°I¡¯m not, that misunderstanding was already exined before.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡±

    Xu Moqian refuted firmly, his tone full of conviction, ¡°These dishes taste so much like what Sister Jing makes, especially this chicken soup, only she can make it taste like this!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lu Zijin¡¯s hand holding the chopsticks suddenly froze.

    It turns out, not only did he feel it was simr, but Xu Moqian thought so too!

    Qiao Jing thought for a moment and exined, ¡°It might be because I used to study with Master Zhou and saw a lot of medical books, so I managed to make a simr taste by coincidence.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Xu Moqian shook his head, reasoning logically, ¡°Even though I don¡¯t understand medicine, I know that to make the same vor, every herb used in the soup must be the same, and in the exact proportions, how can that be just a coincidence?¡±

    After a pause, he added, ¡°Also, I¡¯ve heard from Zhan Nanjing that you lost your memory four years ago!¡±

    This statement made Lu Zijin¡¯s eyes widen, and his expression became excited.

    He had always thought that this Qiao Jing they knew was very much like the Qiao Jing they knew, but he never suspected they were the same person.

    However, if she lost her memory four years ago, then it might have been due to a head injury during the tsunami, causing amnesia.

    So, she could indeed be Qiao Jing!<fn5cb8> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? Find?Novel</fn5cb8>

    The three little ones also blinked expectantly at Qiao Jing, hoping she would confirm Xu Moqian¡¯s words.

    As long as she admitted it, then she would be their mommy!

    Lu Zijiao observed from the sidelines, thinking if this Third Miss Qiao was really Qiao Jing, Zhan Qipei would surely be very happy¡­

 Chapter 988 - Capé“†tulo 988: 976: Zhan Qipei Learns About Qiao Jings Amnesia

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 988: Chapter 976: Zhan Qipei Learns About Qiao Jing¡¯s Amnesia</strong>

    Under the direct gaze of several people, Qiao Jing pressed her lips together and slowly said, ¡°I am indeed suffering from amnesia, and the reason is precisely because I fell into the ocean once, which is very simr to the experience of the Zhan family¡¯s youngdy.¡±

    ¡°However, I¡¯ve investigated it myself. The sea area where the Zhan family¡¯s youngdy encountered the tsunami is quite far from the beach where my two sisters found me.¡±

    ¡°Even if the sea could carry someone that far, if this person was submerged in water for such a long time and had no survival equipment, how could they possibly survive?¡±

    At this point, Qiao Jing paused, looked at Xu Moqian, and added, ¡°So, your spection is impossible.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xu Moqian fell silent, a look of disappointment appearing on his face.

    If that were the case, his spection was indeed impossible¡­

    Not only Xu Moqian, but the others at the table also felt somewhat disappointed.

    Seeing the atmosphere suddenly be a bit dreary, Qiao Jing tugged at her lips and changed the subject, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue eating.¡±

    After speaking, she picked up her bowl and chopsticks and began eating.

    The others, seeing this, also resumed eating.

    Although there was a slight interruption in the middle, the dishes were simply too delicious, and in the end, every dish was cleaned off the tes, and not a drop of the herbal chicken soup was left!

    After finishing the meal, everyone dispersed.

    Xu Moqian said he needed to go back and cool down, to calm his emotions.

    The three little ones reluctantly said goodbye to Qiao Jing and boarded the car that came to pick them up, heading back to the Purple Garden.

    Qiao Jing, needing to first make a trip to the research institute, told Lu Zijin she¡¯d go to the hospital in the afternoon to help with that case.

    Lu Zijin naturally had no objection and left with her brother after saying goodbye.

    After taking his brother back to the hospital, Lu Zijiao thought for a moment and then drove to the Zhan Corporation.

    Upon arriving at Zhan¡¯s, Lu Zijiao went straight to the CEO¡¯s office.

    When he entered, Zhan Qipei was sitting at the desk, holding a file in his hand.

    At the sound of movement, Zhan Qipei looked up and, seeing it was Lu Zijiao, quickly drew his gaze back, continuing to go through the document.

    Lu Zijiao walked over by himself, sitting down opposite Zhan Qipei across the desk, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°Take a guess, where did I just go?¡±

    Zhan Qipei ignored him, not even lifting his eyelids.

    Lu Zijiao was long used to his cold demeanor.

    After a few seconds, Lu Zijiao shrugged and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just tell you. My brother and I just went to Third Miss Qiao¡¯s house for dinner. Third Miss Qiao cooked herself, and Xu Moqian was also there.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, Xu Moqian used topete with you for Qiao Jing, and now he¡¯speting with my brother for this Qiao Jing. How shameless indeed!¡±

    Mentioning Xu Moqian, Lu Zijiao¡¯s tone was a bit disdainful.

    However, no matter what he said, Zhan Qipei remained indifferent, utterly disinterested.

    Lu Zijiao felt somewhat deted, knocking on the desk as he looked at Zhan Qipei with a resentful gaze, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve said so much, at least give me a reaction.¡±

    Only then did Zhan Qipei finally look up at him, his thin lips lifting slightly, ¡°What? Your dad hasn¡¯t assigned you anypany taskstely, has he? That¡¯s why you¡¯re so idle.¡±

    Speaking ofpany matters, Lu Zijiao¡¯s mood immediately turned more depressed.

    He waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. Every time it gives me a headache. My brother, on the other hand, is busy with his hospital stuff all day long, and it seems like I¡¯m destined to inherit thispany. I don¡¯t want to manage anypany. It¡¯s all about meetings or reviewing documents every day; it¡¯ll drive me crazy!¡±

    With that, Lu Zijiao sighed, conveniently changing the subject, ¡°Forget it, the more we talk about it, the more annoying it gets. Let¡¯s talk about my brother and Third Miss Qiao instead.¡±

    Zhan Qipei closed the file in his hand, picked up another one, and casually replied, ¡°Go talk to someone else about it; I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to dismiss it!¡± Lu Zijiao raised an eyebrow meaningfully, ¡°Once I tell you, you¡¯ll definitely be interested!¡±

    Zhan Qipei was toozy to deal with him, giving him a look for him to interpret himself.<fn45d6> The source of th?s content is find[?]ovel</fn45d6>

    Lu Zijiao didn¡¯t mind, just said mysteriously, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until dinner that I learned Third Miss Qiao fell into the sea four years ago and lost her memory because of it. It was her two sisters who found her on the beach and brought her back¡­¡±

    Four years ago? Fell into the sea? Found on the beach? Amnesia?

    Each of these phrases struck the most sensitive nerve in Zhan Qipei.

    He dropped the file in his hand, stood up abruptly, reached over the desk, and grabbed Lu Zijiao¡¯s arm with a prating gaze, ¡°What did you say!¡±

    Lu Zijiao was startled by his intense reaction, stuttering a bit, ¡°I, I said¡­ I said you¡¯d be interested, I didn¡¯t expect such a big reaction¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei had no patience for Lu Zijiao¡¯s games, interrupting him harshly, ¡°Repeat what you just said, make it clear!¡±

    Seeing him so menacing, as if about to devour someone, Lu Zijiao dared not tease him further and hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. In fact, the possibility you¡¯re considering now has already been brought up by Xu Moqian at the table just now.¡±

    ¡°At first, it was because Xu Moqian felt that the dishes Third Miss Qiao made tasted a lot like the ones Qiao Jing used to make, so he thought she might be Qiao Jing. At the time, Third Miss Qiao said it was merely a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°Later, Xu Moqian mentioned Third Miss Qiao¡¯s amnesia four years ago. Third Miss Qiao stated she¡¯d investigated it too, saying that the beach where she was found was far from the sea area where Qiao Jing had encountered the tsunami. If she had been carried so far by the sea, she couldn¡¯t possibly still be alive.¡±

    Lu Zijiao briefly recounted the events, then concluded, ¡°In other words, she is not Qiao Jing¡­¡±

    After hearing that, Zhan Qipei abruptly released Lu Zijiao¡¯s arm, and the hidden trace of hope in his eyes was instantly engulfed by overwhelming disappointment.

    He turned his back, silently calming himself.

    Seeing Zhan Qipei like this made Lu Zijiao suddenly regretful.

    Originally, he just wanted to tease Zhan Qipei, not expecting such a strong reaction, which left him feeling guilty.

    After some self-reproach, Lu Zijiaoforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t be too distressed. Even though she isn¡¯t, I believe Qiao Jing is still alive somewhere. We¡¯ll find her someday¡­¡±

    Zhan Qipei waved to interrupt him, his voice low and hoarse, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You go, I want some quiet.¡±

    Hearing this, Lu Zijiao knew better than to say more and, after ncing at Zhan Qipei¡¯s back, turned to leave.

    Only after he left did Zhan Qipei sit back down at his desk, picking up the unfinished file, his expression stone-faced as if nothing had happened.

    But upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t hard to see the redness at the corners of his eyes, clearly struggling to hold something back¡­

 Chapter 989 - 977: Flirting with a Pretty Boy?

    <h4>Chapter 989: Chapter 977: Flirting with a Pretty Boy?</h4>

    On this side of the bungalow, not long after Qiao Jing went to the research institute, Jiang Zihong brought people to the door.

    The doorbell kept ringing, and Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin ran out of their rooms simultaneously to open the door.

    Seeing that Jiang Zihong was the visitor, the sisters¡¯ first reaction was to m the door shut.

    However, Jiang Zihong seemed to anticipate their reaction and quickly held the door with his hand before they could close it, while also ncing inside.

    After looking around and not seeing Qiao Jing, Jiang Zihong frowned, "Why is it just the two of you? Where is Qiao Jing?"

    Qiao Hong suppressed her disgust for Jiang Zihong and replied, "She went out."

    "Where did she go?" Jiang Zihong immediately pursued.

    Qiao Lin put her hands on her hips and red at him irritatedly, "Where else could she go? It¡¯s work time now; of course, our Xiao Jing is at Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute!"

    Upon hearing this, Jiang Zihong was initially stunned, thenughed heartily as if hearing a joke, clearly not believing Qiao Lin¡¯s words.

    Once he finishedughing, he sneered, looking maliciously at Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin, "Earlier, you threatened me with Master Zhou and the Zhan Family, and now you¡¯re throwing around the name of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute. Are you kidding me every day?"

    "Let me tell you, I, Jiang Zihong, am not easily scared. Don¡¯t think saying this will make me back down. I am determined to win Qiao Jing over, and I will absolutely not give up!"

    After issuing his threat, Jiang Zihong ignored Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin¡¯s expressions and pointed to a middle-aged man standing behind him.

    The middle-aged man had blond hair and blue eyes, with a medical box slung over his shoulder.

    "This is the foreign professor I mentioned before. I brought him to examine Qiao Jing¡¯s face; you two go get Qiao Jing out here quickly."

    As soon as Jiang Zihong finished speaking, Qiao Lin impatiently retorted, "Get who? I already told you, our Xiao Jing isn¡¯t here. Can¡¯t you understand humannguage!"

    "Whether she¡¯s here or not, it doesn¡¯t count just because you say so; who knows if you¡¯re lying to me."

    With that, Jiang Zihong gestured to the apanying bodyguards andmanded, "You guys, go in and search for me!"

    "Jiang, you¡¯re trespassing! We can sue you..."

    Qiao Lin¡¯s words were cut off by Jiang Zihong¡¯s arrogant burst, "So what if I¡¯m trespassing? Go ahead and sue me, see if you can bring me down!"

    This statement infuriated Qiao Lin to the point of gnashing her teeth.

    Although the sisters wanted to stop them, they couldn¡¯t fend off the tall bodyguards and let them search through the house.

    Soon, several bodyguards came out of the house and shook their heads at Jiang Zihong.

    Qiao Lin rolled her eyes and sneered, "I told you she wasn¡¯t here, and you still don¡¯t believe it. What¡¯s the point of searching!"

    Qiao Hong also chuckled coldly, with a mocking tone, "You might as well stand at the door of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute, maybe you can catch a glimpse of our Xiao Jing from afar."

    "I¡¯m toozy to waste words with you!"

    Afterying down these words, Jiang Zihong gave Qiao Hong and Qiao Lin a nasty re and turned away with his people.

    He wouldn¡¯t believe the lies from these two, thinking that just because their surname is Qiao, they can fool him with the name of Professor Qiao¡¯s Research Institute?

    Don¡¯t be ridiculous!

    After leaving the bungalow, Jiang Zihong suddenly thought of something and detoured to Wonderful Hall for a look, but still didn¡¯t find anyone.

    With no other option, he had the bodyguards take the professor back first.

    After all, this professor is a well-known figure abroad and shouldn¡¯t be dragged around aimlessly in the street.

    After that, Jiang Zihong walked alone along the street, thinking about where he might go to amuse himself and improve his mood.

    As he wandered idly, he unintentionally caught a glimpse of the woman he was searching for.

    Jiang Zihong felt a surge of inner delight and was ready to approach.

    But after taking two steps, he discovered that a man was with the woman. The man was handsome, tall, with an impable appearance and figure, and seemed very charismatic.

    More importantly, the two were chatting andughing together, appearing very close!

    This scene enraged Jiang Zihong to the extreme.

    At this moment, Qiao Jing hadn¡¯t noticed that Jiang Zihong was ring at her and Lu Zijin from not far away.

    After finishing her work at the research institute, she had gone to the hospital to find Lu Zijin to help treat a difficult case mentioned earlier in the morning.

    <fn7046> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on F¦ÉndNovel</fn7046>

    Once they worked out the treatment n, Lu Zijin invited her for coffee, so they went to a cafe outside the hospital to sit for a while.

    As the two finished their coffee, chatting about various cases on their way out of the caf¨¦.

    Lu Zijin was always immersed in medicine, spending most of his time at the hospital and rarely appearing in public, so Jiang Zihong had only heard of the eldest son of the Lu Family but didn¡¯t recognize Lu Zijin.

    Watching the camaraderie between Qiao Jing and Lu Zijin, Jiang Zihong¡¯s anger continued to ze.

    No wonder this woman always ignored him; it turned out she had already hooked up with another man!

    With that thought in mind, Jiang Zihong angrily rushed forward to block their path.

    Seeing his aggressive demeanor and bad intentions, Lu Zijin instinctively stepped forward to shield Qiao Jing.

    This action aggravated Jiang Zihong further.

    He stared angrily at the two, gritting his teeth, "Qiao Jing, I never thought you would be such a flirt. I wasted my effort bringing a professor from abroad to treat your face, and here you are, hooking up with a pretty boy behind my back!"

    Hearing his insulting words, Lu Zijin¡¯s usual gentle voice dropped a few notches, "Watch yournguage."

    "Watch your mouth?!"

    Jiang Zihong cursed, his venomous gaze fixed on Lu Zijin, "You dare steal my woman and still talk about courtesy? Do you know who I am? Do you think I can¡¯t make you unable to stay in the capital?!"

    With that, he suddenly raised his hand and shoved Lu Zijin hard.

    Lu Zijin, caught off guard, staggered backward, almost crashing into Qiao Jing behind him.

    Not yet satisfied after pushing Lu Zijin, Jiang Zihong intended to hit him.

    Seeing this, Qiao Jing swiftly pulled Lu Zijin aside and simultaneously seized Jiang Zihong¡¯s iing fist, twisting his arm behind his back with force.

    "Ah, ah, ah... my hand, my hand, it¡¯s going to break..."

    Jiang Zihong cried out in pain, attempting to free himself, but any movement felt as if his entire arm was about to snap, causing him intense pain.

    Qiao Jing coldly watched Jiang Zihong and then kicked his knee.

    "Thud¡ª"

    Jiang Zihong fell to his knees.

    Qiao Jing, as if discarding trash, forcefully tossed him aside.

    Being tossed like this, Jiang Zihong sprawled onto the ground, his face covered in dirt, utterly pathetic.

    Seeing how effortlessly Qiao Jing subdued Jiang Zihong, Lu Zijin couldn¡¯t help but be a little stunned.

    He stared at the girl in front of him.

    Unexpectedly, this seemingly thin and delicate girl had such remarkable skills!

    Her valiant and bold demeanor, apart from surprising him, mostly filled him with admiration!

 Chapter 990 - Capé“†tulo 990: 978: Shocking! Qiao Jings Research Achieves an Astonishing Breakthrough

    <strong>Cap¨ªtulo 990: Chapter 978: Shocking! Qiao Jing¡¯s Research Achieves an Astonishing Breakthrough</strong>

    Jiang Zihong struggled to get up from the ground, ring angrily at Qiao Jing.

    This ungrateful woman hit him again!

    And right in front of a pretty boy!

    Qiao Jing nced coldly at Jiang Zihong, her red lips slightly parted, spitting out a harsh word, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Jiang Zihong, having just been taught a lesson, instinctively felt some fear of Qiao Jing.

    When Qiao Jing scolded him, he subconsciously stepped back several paces.

    Once he reached a rtively safe distance, Jiang Zihong gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Qiao Jing, I still stick to my words, if I can¡¯t have you, I won¡¯t give up! You will be mine sooner orter!¡±

    Immediately, he turned to Lu Zijin beside him, saying resentfully, ¡°Pretty boy, just you wait, dare to steal my woman, I won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    Having said his harsh words, Jiang Zihong covered his arm which was twisted painfully, and stormed off in anger.

    Qiao Jing retracted her gaze, walked over to Lu Zijin, scanned his body briefly, and asked with concern, ¡°How are you? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lu Zijin shook his head, then asked, ¡°Who was that just now?¡±

    The person¡¯s behavior was rough and uncouth, obviously not a good person!

    Qiao Jing replied sinctly, ¡°Just an annoying thug, don¡¯t mind him.¡±

    Hearing her say this, Lu Zijin didn¡¯t ask further, changing the subject, ¡°I noticed your skills are impressive, have you learned fighting technique or something?¡±

    Qiao Jing was silent for a few seconds before speaking, ¡°I don¡¯t remember, maybe I learned before.¡±

    Hearing that, Lu Zijin suddenly remembered her amnesia and asked, ¡°Did you receive any treatment previously?¡±

    Qiao Jing nodded and said ndly, ¡°Initially, I went to the hospital for treatment,ter I tried to recuperate myself, but there¡¯s no sign of recovery yet.¡±

    During this time, she had been taking medicine to recuperate, but it hasn¡¯t been effective so far.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you remember anything at all?¡± Lu Zijin couldn¡¯t help but probe.

    ¡°No, the past is really a blur to me.¡±

    As she spoke, Qiao Jing subconsciously raised her hand, touching her abdomen.

    Although she remembered nothing about what happened four years ago, she knew she had a child.

    No matter what, she had to find out the whereabouts of this child.

    If the child is still alive, she will do her utmost to make up for the motherly love the child has been missing all these years¡­

    Noticing Qiao Jing¡¯s gesture, Lu Zijin asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is your stomach not feeling well?¡±

    Hearing Lu Zijin¡¯s voice, Qiao Jing came back to her senses, shook her head, and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Even as she said that, Lu Zijin felt something seemed a bit off about her.

    Out of concern, Lu Zijin absent-mindedly grabbed her wrist, checking her pulse.

    Upon feeling the pulse, Lu Zijin couldn¡¯t help but pause.

    His gaze unconsciously fell on Qiao Jing¡¯s abdomen, unable to hide his surprise.

    A few secondster, Lu Zijin withdrew his hand, hesitating to speak.

    Seeing his reaction, Qiao Jing realized he probably discovered that she had a child.

    She spoke calmly, ¡°Did you figure it out?¡±

    Lu Zijin nodded, momentarily unsure of what to say.

    Qiao Jing tugged at her lips, speaking slowly, ¡°I¡¯m not clear on what happened back then either. My elder sisters specte I was probably let down by some jerk, though it¡¯s just suspicion. What really happened is still uncertain now.¡±

    Lu Zijin looked at her with somepassion, not understanding why someone as good as her would encounter such unfortunate circumstances.

    At that moment, he suddenly felt an urge to protect her well¡­

    ¡°Regarding this matter, can you keep it a secret for me? Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    After saying that, Qiao Jing added, ¡°Before getting to the bottom of what happened, I don¡¯t want anyone to know.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Zijin agreed immediately, ¡°I will keep it a secret for you.¡±

    Afterward, they both tacitly avoided bringing up the topic again.

    After bidding farewell to Lu Zijin, Qiao Jing took a cab back to the small vi by herself.

    ¡­

    Two dayster, at the research institute.

    Near the end of the workday, as Qiao Jing had just finished her tasks, Xu Hongzu approached her.

    Xu Hongzu was all smiles, very pleased, ¡°Xiao Jing girl, I was right about you. You¡¯re not only exceptionally talented but also highly capable!¡±

    ¡°The vegetable grafting project I assigned to you was done so well, I didn¡¯t expect you to cultivate a new vegetable variety so quickly!¡±

    Upon hearing Xu Hongzu¡¯s words, Zhan Nanjing was astonished beyond words.

    You should know, this project was proposed by her sister-inw, and it involved grafting two never-before-attempted vegetables, which was extremely challenging!

    Although her sister-inw had praised her talent in agriculture, her abilities were limited to assisting with auxiliary work. Projects involving independent research and development were beyond her¡­

    Yet, Qiao Jing, who had only recently ventured into agriculture and started eventer than her, managed to achieve such remarkable sess!

    Although cultivating a new variety is just the beginning of the project, it is already quite impressive!

    Thinking about these things, Zhan Nanjing couldn¡¯t help but gaze at Qiao Jing with more admiration.

    Noticing Zhan Nanjing staring at her, Qiao Jing curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯s up?¡¯ I¡¯m impressed with you!¡±

    Zhan Nanjing continued to look at Qiao Jing with an admiring gaze and frankly said, ¡°To be honest, in the field of agricultural research, besides my sister-inw, you¡¯re the one I admire most!¡±

    ¡°How exactly did you manage to do it?¡±

    Hearing Zhan Nanjing ask this, Qiao Jing paused for a moment.

    It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to say, it¡¯s just that she really didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    Seeing her remain silent, Zhan Nanjing joked, ¡°Why are you keeping it under wraps? Are you treating me like an outsider?¡±

    Qiao Jing shook her head lightly, ¡°No, I just don¡¯t know how to exin.¡±

    Zhan Nanjing was stunned, unable to understand, ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know how to say it? Just describe what you did!¡±

    With this remark, Qiao Jing could only respond truthfully, ¡°Just going by instinct.¡±

    This left Zhan Nanjing even more dumbfounded, ¡°By instinct? What does that even mean?¡±

    Qiao Jing patiently exined, ¡°Simply follow what feels right to do.¡±<fn2> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? FindN0vel</fn2>

    Listening to their conversation, Xu Hongzu couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily, saying while chuckling, ¡°That¡¯s talent. Those without this kind of talent will find their questions pointless, unable to achieve the same!¡±

    With these words, Zhan Nanjing had to face reality.

    No wonder people sayparing oneself to others is infuriating!

    The gap between individuals is really quite wide!

    After sighing, Zhan Nanjing suddenly recalled something, ¡°By the way, Xiao Jing, join us for dinner at Purple Garden tonight. Yubao and the three kids keep talking about you, saying they miss you.¡±

    ¡°Also, my mom really wants to see you, saying she hasn¡¯t formally thanked you for saving her before. She¡¯s nning to personally cook a great meal to entertain you.¡±

    Qiao Jing¡¯s lips curved slightly, politely declining, ¡°You¡¯ve already expressed your gratitude for that previous matter, and it was just a minor effort on my part, there¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡±